This Is Now
Hungary was humming, opening the door and setting the groceries right inside the door as she closed it behind her. "I'm home!" she called.
The piano playing kept sounding from upstairs. Hungary wondered whether Switzerland had bought Austria that electrical keyboard because he knew just how absorbing it would be as Austria finally tried to learn how to use it.
"Velcome home, Miss Hungary!"
At least someone's head was out of the music.
"Ludwig!" Hungary said happily as the teenager entered her sight. "Come here and give me a hug." He fidgeted a bit, but walked over and did as she said. Just like any other teenage boy, really. Except he was so much more considerate than many in this day and age. No one could say Hungary did not know how to raise children!
"Did you find eferyding you needed?" Ludwig asked as she let him go, picking up the groceries for her.
"Yes I did," Hungary replied, moving her camera to rest on her other hip. "Has Roderich been up there all day?"
"Vell..." Ludwig paused, looking at her, then towards the stairs. "Yes. No. Mister Austria gave me my chores for de day before closing himself up up dere." A smirk appeared on his face, which he tried to hide by turning his head. "I dink it has too many buttons for him."
"Does it?" Hungary asked, humoured.
"He got it stuck on de sount of fists."
"The sound of what?" Hungary burst out laughing.
Now Ludwig could not hide his grin. "Of fists. Don't ask me."
"My question is whether he was the one who got it stuck like that." Hungary gave him a knowing look.
Ludwig immediately looked shocked. "Me? I'm sorry! Oh, no! Miss Hungary, I vouldn't to such a ding! I'm sorry!"
He apologized for everything now. It was sad, so very sad. If not an appropriate reminder as to who gave them Ludwig in the first place.
The hard part was determining whether he was telling the truth. He had this kind of reaction whether or not it was his fault. The best way to discover the truth was to keep him like that for a few minutes, because if he had, he could not keep back the smile for that long. But Hungary never had the heart to do that too often, especially when she had no reason to think had done something wrong.
Not that doing that was wrong. It was just another prank. Ludwig very much enjoyed messing around with Austria sometimes.
"I'll go salvage what remains of his sanity then." Hungary gave a fake sigh, heading towards the stairs.
"Ah– Miss Hungary?"
"Yes Ludwig?" she turned around to see him.
Oh, he was so proper. At the same time, just wanting to have fun. Ludwig was just naturally a proper boy and a clean freak. Hungary knew why Austria had given up trying to break these habits. As good as it would be for the boy to know he could just cut loose and have fun, being proper seemed just a part of him. At least, for the most part.
Not as much as it was for...
Let alone it tore at Austria to try and make Ludwig not do a perfect job. Hungary took over this element in raising Ludwig. It was easier for her to not scold him for getting brambles all over his nice coats. They both knew they had to break this habit of trying to be perfect as soon as they were able.
"After I finish vith dis," he raised the bags in his hands, "may... may I go out?"
"You have to be home before dinner," she informed him. "Before. Because I'll want some help with it."
"Very vell, I vill," came the automatic responses as he rushed off to the kitchen.
"And take your phone with you!" Hungary called over the banister.
"I vill!"
Ludwig had lived here for nearly a year now. Hungary still vividly remembered Austria's face when he told her, when she asked for him, when they decided together on Ludwig's future. Hungary had always wanted a child. Not this way, but as it was the case she decided they would just have to make the most of it.
The war had taken its toll on everyone. And they were left with the image of a friend who no longer existed. Which was truly the question, was it not? Was Ludwig really–
"Austria?"
Almost immediately Austria stopped tinkering with his new-ish toy and turned about on the bench to face her. "Hungary, you've returned quickly."
"There were no lines today," she said, walking over and sitting in his lap. Kissing him was something she could never grow tired of. Thankfully that was not all she loved about him though. Simply for the fact she could probably grow tired of kissing in general otherwise. "I told Ludwig he could go out by himself."
"What?" Austria pulled back from her, frowning slightly. "Why? He was just out this last Saturday on his own."
"Because he wanted to," Hungary responded with a frown of her own. "Why shouldn't he? Might as well go out and have fun while he can."
"'Go out and...' My dear, he always comes back absolutely filthy."
"Which is a good thing," she reminded him, pressing her forehead against his. "Remember, Roderich, that we have a child on our hands we are trying to keep from being perfect."
Austria sighed, leaning back slightly. "Never in my life did I think I would have to repress good behaviour."
"Getting a little dirty isn't bad," Hungary laughed.
"It is never 'a little'," Austria retorted. "He should spend more time in town. Talking to people. His people. He spends all his time out in the fields. The woods. Really anywhere he can walk to. I can tell by everything he tracks back into this house."
"And?" Hungary prompted. There was more to this than he was saying. Austria sighed.
"He's going to end up walking into someone else's land and causing an uproar."
"Ludwig knows what's off limits to him. Please try and trust him. He's a good boy."
"Yes. I know."
The unspoken words were hovering between them. Hungary bit the inside of her cheek. She, under no circumstances, could mention the Holy Roman Empire.
She may be able to speak occasionally of Germany to Austria, but never the Holy Roman Empire.
"Schwarz, schwarz, schwarz sind alle meine Kleider."
He sang quietly as he balanced on top of the stone wall. There were many holes in it, many places where it had long since fallen apart. But there were no people near here, so no one to fix it. He had often considered fixing it himself, but had never gotten around to it. Something in his head kept telling him it should be fixed, but then walking on top of it would be too easy.
"Schwarz, schwarz, schwarz ist alles, was ich hab."
Ludwig knew Mister Austria would rather that he be in town. He also knew Miss Hungary would rather he be at home. Yet when it came to what he wanted Austria would usually keep him home and Hungary would send him out.
Neither of them made much sense. Not that Ludwig could judge. He owed them so much. Taking care of him ever since they had found him, all of the lessons he had to be given and the chores he added to their already full list, he owed them everything. Ludwig knew right away he would never be able to pay them back. And he wanted to.
But how could he start? Doing what he was told, being as little of a nuisance as possible... Ludwig tried that. It still did not seem like enough.
Get out of their way?
Ludwig knew he was a bit pessimistic. Hungary would be devastated if he left and Austria would probably blame himself. He tried hard to not walk down that path. As Hungary always said, he was young, he ought to act childish while he still could.
Hungary said that very often. It was as if Ludwig would forget he was not an adult. He was only sixteen. He thought.
He was told he was a country and so the age of their bodies could not really be measured in the same way. Ludwig believed this. It was just something he knew. He knew he was New Germany. He just did not understand all what that was suppose to entail.
What happened to the old Germany?
Austria was very tight lipped on the subject. Current politics and economics he was taught, history he was not. Ludwig would give anything to learn history. He knew it was out there.
He had none of his own. Why could he not learn of other people's, those who still knew theirs? Ludwig was jealous of them, able to remember a past. He had none.
"Darum lieb ich alles, was so schwarz ist."
Ludwig almost lost his balance as he spotted someone in the distance. There was usually no one out here, at least during this time of the afternoon – when Ludwig usually passed by this field. It should not matter that much. He should go over and talk to the man. Austria was always pushing him to talk to his people. Ludwig did not feel as if he should.
Was he embarrassed that he was their country? Or maybe ashamed that Humans actually knew more about his existence than he did at this time?
"Weil mein Schatz ein Schornsteinfeger ist."
"Ludwig?"
At the sound of his name, Ludwig fell off the wall.
"Ludwig!"
Ludwig let out a hissed breath, rising back to his feet and trying to brush off the mud from his clothing. Not that it mattered much, it was not as if he could rid himself of all the traces. He would have to run in the house to change before anyone saw him! Hopefully Hungary would not be waiting at the door...
"It is you! You're alive! Ludwig–" the man on the other side of the wall was now leaning over the top and looking down at him. Ludwig looked up.
The man was albino. Strange he had not been able to tell from a distance. It was distinctly noticeable as the other was wearing all black. The fact, however, was that Ludwig did not know this man. And for some reason Ludwig was certain this was not one of his people. He did not seem Human. He seemed Nation.
"I'm sorry, you must be mistaking me for someone else."
The man was staring at him, as if he could not quite believe it.
"You look... you look like how I fount you."
The teenager took a few steps back. "I'm sorry! You must be mistaking me for someone else! Sorry!"
With that he ran home. Leaving Prussia, leaning over the broken stone, staring at him with wonder.
A passage from a children's song, Grün sind alle meine Kleider, or Green are all my Clothes.
Translation:
Black, black, black are all my clothes,
Black, black, black is all that I have.
So I love anything that's black,
Because my love is a chimney sweep.
