THE FINAL GOODBYE
The rain was pouring down, crashing on the rooftop; the German tapped his fingers on the wooden desk along with the beats of the soft tapping. He let out a lonely sigh, putting his palms in his face, trying to hold back the tears. Ludwig stood up and walked to the window side, leaning against the wall.
From where he was standing, he could see the resting place of his elder brother. It felt like it was his fault that the older died. Even it was his choice to have the death penalty, Ludwig always felt like it was his fault.
Gilbert had given up everything, his final wish was to have Ludwig kept safe and under protection when he was gone. Without his knowing, the German's eyes filled with tears, mixed with hate and grief. He didn't want to lose his brother, he wondered what it would be like if it was him who died, but he knew Gilbert wouldn't have been able to handle that.
In the past years of Gilbert's life, he lost his mother due to Ludwig's birth, their father died in the War, his friends betrayed him when World War II happened and he turned his back on everyone who even tried to help.
The sickening memory of his brother's death poured into his head, making him tense up.
Gilbert gripped the front of my shirt and brought his face close to my own. "I don't care who the hell you are, you are not dying! I have lived long enough; I will take the punishment this time, Ludwig. This is /my/ fault; I started this damn war and tried to kill everyone who wasn't good enough to live." The elder snarled and pushed the younger back, emptying his guns ammo, dropping the weapons to the ground. "Get out of here, they are coming." He shoved me into the nearest room. All I could hear now was him dropping to his knees, the Russian voices screaming at Gilbert to put his hands up. I knew that Gilbert followed the orders because he was snatched up and dragged down the hallway. The only way I could tell was because the footsteps got quiet and soon turned into nothing.
Next thing I knew, I was in court with Gilbert, yet he was the only one in hand cuffs, I on the other hand, was sitting behind him, my head bowed down. "You are aware of your war crimes, correct, Mr. Beilschmidt?" Gilbert, being the idiot he is, of course had to come up with something stupid to reply with. "'Course I do, caterpillar face." He smirked and was glared down from the Brit. He let out a sigh as the Brit went on and told the albino about the punishments.
"Ludwig, get out. I need to talk to Arthur alone." I, of course, knew something was wrong considering that Gilbert called him by his real name and not a smart comment. I only followed his instructions and left the room, waiting out in the hallway with my old friend, Feliciano.
After what seemed like forever, I was aloud back in but I didn't know what had happened. Gilbert looked like if he was about to cry and he just went to sit back down, his head bowed down in defeat. I looked around; trying to find out what had happened, but no one would tell me anything. Everyone just stared at me and looked like they were going to cry.
"Gilbert... How are you today?" The German smiled and gripped the Iron Cross around his neck, holding onto it tight enough to leave a print in his palm. "You're not dying before me, you brat. I am going and only me got that?" The words stung and made the man tense up again, releasing his grip on the Cross his brother had given him before his death.
Ludwig hung his head, sliding his back down the wall and wrapped his arms around his knees. It's been a year now since his brother's death and it seemed like no one even cared that the Empire had been killed by their own friends.
Sure Gilbert had war crimes, but why was it punishable by death? His Empire had been given to Russia, his country title stripped from him. Sure, I can see why he wanted to die… But why would he leave his little brother to deal with all these horrid people?
Ludwig never understood his brother until that day. He had realized Prussia didn't want to live since he lost his friends, parents and the trust of his younger brother. All that he wanted to do was make sure that the German lived a long and successful life. That is why Gilbert took the full blame for the Holocaust and the loss of his own life.
"Ich liebe dich…."
