A.N. Hey readers! So today has been really slow so I thought that I would write a story for you all! Let's just call it an early Christmas present! I don't own Hetalia only the story!
The world we knew
"They will be here soon! I'm telling you, you are going to love them!" My mother exclaimed while she tried to smooth my unruly hair.
"How do you know that? I've never seen them before!" I replied as I pushed my mother's hand away.
It's not like my parents dumped the news on me at the last minute. I had known for a year that they were coming. At first, I was kind of excited but when my parents started obsessing about every little detail about the three of them I started to feel jealous.
My mother sighed, "Well just try to get to know them. They have seen more than their fair share of hardships."
I rolled my eyes, "Fine. But if they are brats then I'm out of here."
I heard the front door open and dad call out, "We're home!"
My mother's face lit up as she ran to the front door. I slowly followed her only hesitating before I turned the corner.
I took a deep breath, "Well...now or never."
When I turned the corner, my mother turned to me and ushered me over.
"Come meet your new siblings!"
I looked down at the three small children. The oldest had long blonde hair that seemed to glow in the light like gold. His eyes were blue like sapphires though when I looked deeper I could see that they were full of sadness as he quickly looked back down to the ground. The next one gave me a small smile as he looked up at me with his sea green eyes. I gave him a smile back just because I felt like he didn't do it very often. The third and last boy had snow-white hair and ruby eyes. He glared at me but I could see that his eyes were full of fear.
"Boys, this is your new big sister, (Y/N)!" My mother said as she put her hands on my shoulders. "She will show you to your room while I get dinner ready!"
Without another word, she and my father walked into the kitchen leaving the four of us alone. I looked at them and they looked back.
"So... the room is this way. We are all sharing one by the way." I broke the silence awkwardly.
They nodded in unison and followed me down the hallway. I walked in and turned to see the three boys whispering to each other.
"If you have something to say then just say it." I snapped.
They looked at me then started whispering again.
I sighed, "Okay, what are your names so I don't have to call you thing one, two and three."
The boy with the blue eyes looked up at me, "My name is Francis."
I looked over to the boy with the green eyes who hurriedly answered my question. "I am Antonio!"
Antonio walked up to me and shyly stuck his hand out to shake. I gave him a small smile at his childish cuteness and shook his hand. "It's very nice to meet you Antonio."
I turned to the last boy who had yet to say a single word. Francis looked over to the boy and poked him. "Be polite."
The boy looked up but didn't meet my eyes. "Gilbert."
What my mother said before they had come popped into my head and I wondered what these boys had been through to make them act like this. They all acted as if they were afraid of something or someone was going to hurt them.
I looked at all three of them and smiled, "Well you guys can just call me (Y/N). From here on out I'm your big sister so you can come to me with anything."
Francis and Antonio looked at each other and grinned. Gilbert just stared at his shoes.
That night I lay in my bed thinking about my new siblings. Antonio and Francis seemed happy to be here but Gilbert hadn't said a single word to anyone. I sighed; the feeling of uneasiness stopped me from falling asleep when I heard footsteps and the door opening and closing.
I sat up and saw that Gilbert's bed was empty. I slowly got out from under the covers and tip toed out the room. I noticed that the bathroom light was shining under the door. Suddenly feeling exhausted I turned to walk back to my room when I heard a stifled sob. I sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that day and softly knocked on the door. The sniffling instantly stopped and there was quiet.
"Gilbert?" I whispered.
When there was no answer, I slowly opened the door and saw Gilbert sitting on the floor, his knees pulled to his chest.
He hurriedly wiped his eyes and glared up at me. "I'm fine. You can go back to sleep."
I sat down beside him and put my arms around him. I felt him stiffen under my touch but he didn't pull away.
"You know you don't have to hide this from me. Like I said before, I'm your big sister now so you can come to me for anything.
"I'm a monster."
I looked at Gilbert in eyes. "Don't ever say that again."
"Well I've been told it enough times by my parents before they gave me away."
I slowly shook my head in disbelief and anger. How could someone say that to anyone?
"They would scream at me that I was a monster...but the funny part was it didn't hurt as much as when they completely ignored me. It was as if I didn't exist. I had a little brother...his name was Ludwig. They loved him all the time...because he didn't look like me. He looked normal. I was jealous of him but I never hated Ludwig. It wasn't his fault that my parents loved him and not me. "
"What about Antonio and Francis are they the same as you?" I asked.
Gilbert shook his head, "Francis's parents were both alcoholics and they would beat him up almost every night. I think it hurt him the most when they were in public and they acted like the perfect family."
To me it seemed that Gilbert was talking more to himself than to me, so when Gilbert went silent I was quiet and patient, not wanting to interrupt him, and waited for him to continue. "Antonio's circumstance was different. He had a family that loved him and they were pretty rich..." Gilbert sniffed and I was surprised to see tears streaking down his cheeks. "Some people came to his house and demanded that they give them money. Antonio's father was shot right in front of them. Antonio and his mother ran away but the bad guys had all the exits blocked. His mother shoved him into a closet and told him to not come out no matter what... then they shot her... Antonio saw everything."
I looked at Gilbert horrified. I had been so naive as to what these kids had been through. Now I knew why Antonio's smile seemed so precious. He didn't just give it to just anyone, especially those who he didn't trust. It also explained why Francis and Gilbert seemed so scared to get close to anyone except the other injured and lost kids who felt the same twisting turmoil that they felt. I made a decision then; I was going to become a hero for these kids. They would never have to feel so alone again... I would become their big sister.
The sun beat down as I walked home from school. Gilbert's words from the night before had haunted me all day along with the question of how I was going to become a hero for them. Deep in thought, I got my answer; lying in the middle of the sidewalk was a ragged old comic book. I gave it a small glance when I paused. There was nothing special about the comic, but something made me stop to pick it up. On the cover was a regular superhero: big muscles on top of muscles, spandex costume and a cape. My eyes stopped at the cape that seemed to be the same color of red as Gilbert's eyes.
I ran the rest of the way home.
"Guys look at this!" I exclaimed as I ran into our room. The trio looked up in unison with the same curious look on their faces as I showed them the comic book.
Gilbert looked up at me. "And do you have a point to go along with this?"
"We are going to be superheroes!" I explained excitedly.
In return, I got three concerned stares. I sighed; I was really making this idea sound dumb. What could I do to make them understand my idea? Hell, I didn't really understand it myself. Then, like a light bulb flashing in my brain, I ran from the room and into my parent's room. I threw open my mother's closet and started going through her clothes. When I found what I was looking for I ran back to my room.
"This might help explain things!" I said as I threw my mother's long red jacket over my shoulders and tied the arms around my neck. "See now I have a cape! Just like the superhero in that book! See, he wears the color red proudly!" I explained as I looked at Gilbert.
The boys looked at each other then back at me. Slowly, they all started to smile and together we went into my mother's closet and looked at her collection of long coats. Francis picked out a light blue one that matched his eyes and Antonio picked out a yellow one, which he explained was his favourite color. Gilbert continued to look with a serious expression on his face while we waited in anticipation.
"Close your eyes." Gilbert said.
We all did as we were told.
"Okay open your eyes!"
When we did, Gilbert did a stereotypical Dracula pose with one of our mother's long white coats.
"I am the white crusader!" He yelled dramatically.
We all laughed until our sides hurt and for the first time since the trio came... I knew that the darkness in these boy's hearts would slowly fade in time and they would all learn to truly smile again.
"White Crusader, Blue Crusader we need your help! This evil fiend has Yellow Crusader and I captured!" I yelled as Antonio and I hid behind the couch.
"Don't worry Red Leader, we will save you!" Gilbert yelled.
Antonio stifled a giggle as we heard Gilbert and Francis looking for us. "Help us!"
"Give us back our team mates you evil couch monster!" Francis cried.
"We gave you your chance couch monster, but your time is up! Prepare to die!" Gilbert said as he gave out a war cry.
A knock on the door made everyone freeze. I popped out from behind the couch and walked towards the door. The trio sat on the couch and waited for me to return.
I opened the door and saw a police officer standing on the porch. My blood ran cold.
"Um... can I help you?" I asked.
"Are you (Y/N)?" He asked.
"Yes..."
"I'm sorry I have to say this but... there's been an accident."
"A... are my parents okay?" I whispered.
The cop looked uncomfortable, "I'm so sorry... but they...didn't make it."
It seemed that time had stopped. This couldn't be happening, not when I had finally found the happiness that I didn't know that I was looking for. What about the Francis and Gilbert? They were going lose the only family that they had ever known. And Antonio... he was going to lose his family...again.
What about me...?
I fought the tears that threatened to spill over my lids. This seemed to make the cop even more uncomfortable.
"I've notified your grandparents. They are on their way right now." The cop hesitated. "Is there anything else that I can do for you?"
I looked at the cop. "Can you bring my parents back?"
The cop's face turned pink. "Um...No."
"Then no. You have done everything that you need to do.
And with that, I closed the door.
I leaned on the door and thought about how much my world had changed with just a few words. The house was silent except the trio talking in the living room.
"We should get dad to be the bad guy when he gets home!" Antonio suggested.
"Maybe mom will make cookies with me? Her cookies are the best!" Francis exclaimed happily.
Those words seemed to pierce my heart like a knife. I slid down the door until I hit the ground with a small thump. A sob escaped my throat as I hid my face in my hands.
"Please...no. Not when we just found our happiness..." I sobbed into the silence as I heard the trio's laughter slowly stop.
After the funeral, a woman from the foster home came to take the trio. I had been numb before I heard her plan; that is when I came alive again. I screamed at her until my grandpa had to pull me away into another room.
Later that night the trio sat in our room looking like when they had first come. Francis could barely look me in the eyes and when he did, all I could see was sadness. Antonio gave me small reassuring smiles but they easily slipped from his face. Gilbert glared at the ground clenching his fists.
"This isn't fair! We finally get to be happy then it's taken away from us!" Gilbert snapped.
I didn't look at him as I crawled into my bed and pretended to sleep. I could hear Francis sigh and Gilbert turn off the light.
Everyone was quiet as the trio packed their meager things into the car. None of them met each other's eyes or mine for that matter.
Antonio quietly walked up to me and tugged on my sleeve. When I turned to look down at him, he gave me a small smile.
"What are you going to do?" Antonio asked in a whisper.
"I'm going to go on a mission." I stated bluntly, unable to think of another answer.
The trio looked up at me with shocked faces.
"But your Clumsy!" Francis replied shocked.
"And awkward!" Antonio said shaking his head.
Gilbert looked at me with a serious expression. "Just leave her alone guys. Remember that she is the Red Leader."
I looked at the three of them and smiled. "That's right, and on this mission... I have to go alone."
Ten years had passed since that day but that didn't stop Antonio from thinking about it whenever he let his mind wander.
I wonder what she is doing now.
"Hey Toni, can you get the door?" Francis asked from the kitchen.
Antonio jumped at Francis's voice and realized that someone was knocking on the door. He stood up quickly and raced to the door. When he opened it, he saw a little girl that was like a ghost from his past. She looked exactly like (Y/N)... but it couldn't be. She would have aged in the last ten years and she looked younger than he had ever seen her. Another thing that made him pause was that she was wearing a long red coat as a cape. Without saying a word, she turned behind her and looked at an older woman that was getting out of the car. Antonio recognized her instantly. The woman was (Y/N)'s grandmother that she had went to live with after the death of their parent's.
"Hello grandma! Can I help you with something?" Antonio asked.
The woman looked up at Antonio with tear-filled eyes. "No dear... I don't think you can."
Antonio looked at (Y/N)'s grandma with concern. He showed her and the little girl inside and they both sat on the chair facing the couch.
Grandma gently touched the little girl's arm. "Why don't you go play outside dear?"
The little girl nodded and walked to the front door and outside. Antonio shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.
"Well I guess I'll get Francis and Gilbert..." Antonio said as he shifted towards the kitchen.
When he had gathered Francis and Gilbert, they sat on the couch opposite the chair that their grandmother sat in. She looked up hesitantly then back at her hands that were folded in her lap.
"Well there isn't any easy way to say this but... (Y/N) passed away from cancer last week." Grandmother said tearfully. "I know that you haven't been in touch so I thought that she wouldn't have told you that she was sick.
The trio looked at their grandmother in shock. They had never heard or seen (Y/N) since they had been taken to a different foster home.
Antonio smiled sadly, "Well she never did like to let other people worry about her..."
"No...No she didn't..." grandmother smiled sadly. "And that is why I am here. In her Will, she left a letter addressed to the three of you."
She handed Antonio the letter while Gilbert and Francis read over his shoulder.
Dear Crusaders,
If you are reading this then it is likely that I am dead. Sorry for my bluntness, I'm not really good at this...
These past ten years the three of you have never been far from my mind. I hope that you have stayed together.
I have a daughter... her name is Michelle and she is five years old. She loves to hear about our adventures as the Color Crusaders! She even wears my old cape! Yes, Francis I still have it and I hope that you all have kept yours.
And that brings me to ask you all a favour. I hope that this isn't too much to ask of you, but I would like to ask if you would be her guardians when I am unable to take care of her.
Blue Crusader, I want you to show her how to make cookies just like our mother's. I also want you to teach her about right and wrong and about the most important thing in this world...love.
Yellow Crusader, I want you to teach her to always smile no matter what life throws her way. I know your smile has saved me more than once.
White Crusader, You know the feeling of loneliness more than anyone I know. I want you to teach her that she will never be alone.
I know all these things may sound like simple things to teach a child but you have taught me the things that I know have helped me through my life.
I thank you so much!
Love, (Y/N)
P.S. This is your Red Leader signing off for the last time!
Thanks for the adventure!
A.N. Well... you know when you hit rock bottom when you kill yourself in your own story... I don't even know what to say... Please review?