It was a bright sunny day and Prussia couldn't find Holy Rome anywhere. He had been looking around the grounds of his estate for hours but the small empire was nowhere to be found. The albino was about to give up when he spotted a black cloak poking out from under a tree.
He moved in and found his little brother reading a book. Smiling, he kneeled down next to him and tapped his leg, "Hey."
Holy Rome didn't look up from his book, but rather lightly tapped him with his boot. Prussia rolled his eyes, "Come on, it's getting late. Let's head back." Sighing a bit Holy Rome closed his book and stood up. They walked in silence for a ways, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was merely because they had nothing to say until Prussia felt a tug on his sleeve.
"You said you'd never leave me…promise all right?" he said quickly looking up at his older brother. Prussia caught the worry in his voice and smiled. "Until the day I die, I'll spill my heart for you. I promise," he crossed his heart.
Prussia woke up and found himself in a lonely bedroom. He flipped off the sheets and got in his uniform, I have to find West, he must remember by now, surely. He scampered down a hallway and found him on a black leather sofa reading a book. For a moment all Prussia could do was stare.
Slowly he regained his composure and leisurely leaned against the couch. "Vest, remember vhen you used to read all ze time and you didn't vant me to bother you so you read outside?" he chuckled a bit. An image of the small Holy Roman Empire flashed through his mind. He had once again fond him outside reading. Hoping he didn't notice him, the albino had come up from behind and gave him a hug.
Back in reality Prussia didn't get the answer he was looking for. "Nein! Mein gott Prussia. Vhy do you bother me with these things? I am not this 'Holy Rome.'" He went back to reading his book. Feeling slightly put out Prussia slowly left.
That didn't stop Gilbert trying to make Ludwig remember though. The next day they went to the library. Prussia had taken Holy Rome to this exact spot. They had been walking down the hallway…
"Find any good ones?" Gilbert called out to Holy Rome across the aisle.
"A few." He gave his short reply.
They both began walking towards each other, when they passed they high fived. It had been an automatic reaction.
He hoped it would be for Germany as well.
It was the perfect set up, Ludwig began walking down the same hallway. Prussia held his hand up…but the German didn't even flinch. He kept his nose in his book and didn't even acknowledge Prussia had been there.
It was begging to kill Prussia that Germany didn't know he was Holy Rome. Maybe he's right, a small voice said, what if he isn't Holy Rome and you're just creating these delusions to keep yourself sane. After what happened you always hoped he would come back. Every person that walked through your door was Holy Rome, yet he never did show.
Prussia was whirled back to more memories that hurt to recount.
"Are you ready?" He asked his little brother. "I'm officially declaring you ready. Now the question is; do you think this is a good idea?" Holy Roman Empire nodded. "Yes!" he answered excitedly.
Prussia nodded and begun the ceremony. There was a lot of talking, some other people talking and a bunch of other things that neither of them paid much, if any, attention to. Then it was Prussia turn. He was to bestow the iron cross on his little brother, marking his as a full nation personification. He slowly lowered it onto his neck.
Prussia started pacing, make the memories stop, he thought. His plea didn't work though. He rubbed his temples as he fell back into another, more painful memory.
"You can't stop me!" Holy Rome yelled. Prussia was pacing, "You can't go off to war! You're too young!"
Holy Rome's face got red, "You said you would support my decisions, you said I was a full personification now." Prussia began to walk away. "You PROMISED!" The young empire yelled in a final attempt to get approval.
He felt steamy tears begin to fall on his reddened face and closed his eyes.
When he looked up arms gripped him in an embrace. He saw the white hair and immediately knew it was his brother. Prussia looked him in the eyes. "I promised," he agreed and crossed his heart.
Prussia burst outside his home and started yelling, "Vest!" Gilbert was half deranged by the memories that wouldn't leave; the guilt was slowly taking over. "VEST!" he yelled again.
A male figure with slicked back blonde hair came into his view; he was running towards the albino. "I thought you were hurt, goodness. Don't call for me like that unless you have a good reason."
"You don't remember do you? None of it!" Prussia whispered. It was slowly sinking in and the thought was driving him crazy.
"You're not going on about this again are you?" Germany sighed. He had just about enough of these insane tales.
"You're Holy Rome!" Gilbert yelled.
"No I'm not, and the sooner you can except that the sooner we can move on." Ludwig growled, backing him against a wall.
"You were my little bruder!" Prussia almost begged.
"I think I hate you, would your little brother say that?" he asked wrapping his hand around his counterpart's throat.
Prussia looked down, "Remember when…" he trailed off.
Germany huffed and walked away. He didn't want to hurt him, but he was on the verge.
Maybe if I take him to the field…Gilbert thought. He'll remember it, won't he?
"I'm sorry," he called after him. "Please, could you just come with me somewhere…So I can, um, let go." He said unsurely.
The blonde turned around and sighed. "All right, but after this no more of the Holy Rome stuff; all right?"
Prussia nodded and slowly began his march to the field where Holy Roman Empire was lost.
Prussia was running faster than he ever had in his life. He knew he shouldn't have let him go on his own, but at that moment it didn't matter. His little brother was in danger, that's what he had to focus on. He ran even faster.
When he emerged from the dense wood covering the clearing he saw the one thing he prayed would never happen, happen.
France was pulling his sword out of his little brother's stomach. When he had it back he tossed Holy Rome aside like he was nothing and leisurely walked away. He bolted forward knowing every second he wasn't there was a second wasted.
He knelt beside him and pulled him into his arms. "You're going to be okay." His voice cracked. He knew it was a lie. Holy Rome didn't even answer. The light started fading from his eyes and before Prussia could get another word out his arm went limp.
Holy Roman Empire was gone.
Prussia pulled Germany into the clearing. "See Vest, I told you-"
Gilbert stopped though and stared into the trees. He thought he'd heard something move. Germany continued walking ahead. Prussia squinted and could make out the outline of a gun. Quickly he dashed forward pushing Ludwig out of the way as one shot was fired.
Germany whipped out his gun and pulled the trigger. He hit his target dead on. Then he turned to Prussia.
Gilbert smiled at the second shot, knowing it came from Germany and knowing his skill would take care of the sniper.
"Until the day I die, I'll spill my heart for you." He silently made his promise again.
He coughed and he could feel the blood spatter up his throat and onto the cold ground. Hands were suddenly pulling him onto his back and he was staring at concerned face of Germany.
"Prussia!" he yelled, "Stay with me!"
Gilbert gave a weak laugh and coughed. "Do you remember when..." he trailed off. His vision was fading fast and Germany's face was starting to fade from his sight.
"I promised."
"Prussia!" Gilbert heard the voice again but it was too far away. He let his body go limp and let the darkness take him.
Germany started at his dying brother, unknowing of what to do. When he felt him go limp something hit him.
He was taken back to this field, the library, the tree that he would always read at. He realized that he was the Holy Rome that Prussia had been telling him about. He was Prussia's little brother, and he remember the promise.
Until the day he died, he would spill his heart for him. Now he was dead, and he gave everything for Germany. Ludwig felt a few tears run down his cheeks, and I never gave anything in return.
-/-/-/-/-
I Cross my heart
And hope to die
Just so I never see you cry
So if I fail
And tears are shed
I hope that it's only because I'm dead
But I'm not worth it
So wipe your eyes
I'll love you even after the the day I die
-/-/-/-/-/-
Author's Note:
That random poem at the bottom…heh, yeah I know it's not that good…soo yeah. Anyway the idea for this comes from VandettA Cosplay. They are an absolutely AMAZING group, you should check them out. So this is a tribute to Until the Day I Die.
I don't own Hetalia.
Thanks for reading!
(oh yeah and I'm pretty much absolutely sure that I screwed up on their accents. I hope it wasn't to awful…)