The wall had fallen, families who had been thorn apart for many years reunited, people were celebrating, drinking and filled with joy.
The blonde man slowly strolled down the jolly streets, trying hard to put up a smile and enjoy the new freedom as well. Though, he several times turned down offers to join his men in their drinking, and not even when darkness fell and dyed the sky dark, dark blue he returned home. Somehow the lonely tranquility of his house seemed worse than being out, wandering around in the city while watching cheerful faces and listen to the sound of laughter which filled the chilling night air. He only wished he could join them in their happiness, but a part of him was still missing, something, or rather, someone, he could not start his own celebration without.
When dawn came, and the German still hadn't found who he searched for, although he had been walking around in Berlin the whole night, he figured that it could be a good idea to return home and get some rest, before continuing his search.
A few humans were out at the streets, on their way somewhere after celebrating all night long. Some stumbling in the first sunlight, others tiredly moving their feet only because they didn't want to collapse and fall asleep on the cold ground.
Ludwig ignored them all, because none of them was the person he yearned too see. He arrived home and went straight to his cold, big bed, without either eating or changing his clothes, and fell into a light, restless sleep.
By noon, he abruptly woke up from strange dream which he couldn't recall as soon as he had opened his eyes. Some seconds later, he noticed what had woken him up; the doorbell was ringing loudly through the entire house. Still sleepy, he went to the hallway and opened the large tree door too let whoever it was inside and -
For a second time seemed to cease exist.
There, in the open doorway, stood a pale, bony man with crimson eyes and snow white hair, nervously gazing at the German, who stared back at him in shock, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
This was what he had been waiting for, yearning for in years of time and now his deepest wish had come true, at last. But somehow, he hadn't expected this. In his mind, his brother had remained the same cocky, egoistic man as he always had been, always with a grin on his thin lips and a joke ready. In his memory, his brother was the opposite of the man standing in front of him. A man who was mere a shadow of what he once had been, with bruised skin, a dead look in his usually shining eyes and clothes more fitting for a funeral than a reunion. But that didn't change the fact that it was his beloved brother standing on the threshold.
Ludwig silently cried out inwardly, cursing the damn Russian who had done this to his brother. He overcame the paralyzing shock and embraced the albino, and was terrified to find out that the pale body was like a skeleton; he could feel the sharp bones through the thin clothing. And worse was, the older man didn't reply the embrace, he didn't move at all, simply just stood there, stiff and unsure what emotion to show.
But as Ludwig had no plans to let him go, he slowly, as if the movement itself was frightening to him, put his arms around the taller one and leaned his head against his shoulder, hiding his bruised face.
"Bruderlein..." the German whispered in the white haired's ear. "I've missed you so much..."
The Prussian felt strong hand on his cheeks, gently forcing his face up to look into his younger brother's cerulean blue eyes, and was suddenly taken away, amazed by their clearness and purity. He couldn't look away, even if he had wished too, the brightness was hypnotizing, and somehow it brought back all the feelings he had repressed the past years. Somehow it made the albino realize just how much he had yearned for his brother's calm presence and an unfamiliar feeling filled him.
"West.. Bruder..." a weak smile grew in the Prussian's face as the words left his lips. "I've..." his voice broke, not sure how to continue, he took a deep breath and let their lips meet in a soft, eagerly awaited kiss.
"I've been dying too meet you, West..."