Chapter 2: Remember?

Elizaveta's anger paralyzes her. How could I forget where I met him? Ludwig slowly takes the letter from her hands; a smile pulls across his face when he reads the part for him. Where did you go, Gil? She is twenty-six now, and she remembers that she met Gilbert seven years ago. Seven years ago. Ludwig was fourteen then, so I doubt he would know. It wasn't a bar; we were nineteen. Well, he was twenty... A hand rests on her shoulder; she looks up at Ludwig.

"We'll find him." He assures.

"I don't even remember where I met him..." She admits.

"It was seven years ago; It was probably at a party because he couldn't go to bars yet." She returns to Gilbert's stash of books and places them on their designated shelves. One certain book catches her attention though, The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. The book falls out of her hands, when she remembers when she first hit Gilbert.

– –

Elizaveta loves the library; it's a way to just get away and drown in silence. She walks to the fiction section and picks out David Sedaris' Me Talk Pretty One Day. It's one of her favorites that she can read over and over. She cracks open the book, when she hears the smack of a hand against a desk. She chooses to ignore it; it may have just been a book hitting the tile after all. It happens again, and she spots a man with an extremely pale complexion and hair that appears to be white. He is hands down furious.

"This is so unawesome!" He yells; he clearly doesn't know library etiquette. "How do you not have McCullers' The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter?"

"Excuse me, sir, this is a library, please calm down..." The clerk begs.

"Just look for the book, lady!"

"I already did; it's not here."

"That's total bullshi–" A hand smacks him. "What the hell?"

"This is a library, where some of us go for the silence, so please, just shut up." Elizaveta scorns.

"Ja, okay, whaetever, damn that hurt." He mutters, rubbing his cheek.

"Good." She replies over her shoulder as she checks out her book. She leaves without even looking at him.

Every other week, she goes to the library. Just to sit and read books, and every time, she goes to the library she sees the man who she's labeled the 'Lonely Hunter.' They exchange glances now and then along with occasional 'hello.' Nothing more happens though. She notices that there is a new copy of The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter that was donated somewhat recently, probably by the 'Lonely Hunter.' She decides to read it; it has to be a good book if he was raising hell about it. She cracks open the book and starts on page one. Not long after, the 'Lonely Hunter' himself walks over to her table and sits across from her.

"I see that you've decided to read my favorite book." He points to the book.

"Well, you made such a big deal about it, so it has to be good." She looks at the book, the 'Lonely Hunter's' red eyes are fairly intimidating.

"It is good, no, not good, awesome." He insists.

"Sure, now let me read?" She tries to block him out.

"My name's Gilbert." He smirks.

"Okay, Gilbert." She looks at his hand which is held towards her in a handshake like gesture.

"And yours is?"

"Busy." She replies as she gets up to check out the book.

"Oh, come on!"

"This is a library, so shut up."

"Fine."

– –

Ludwig picks the book off the floor. Elizaveta's just been standing there for a while. He waves his hand in front of her face, no response. He questions the possibility of a minor seizure, probably not. She looks at him, or is he just thinking that? She walks up to him. Her arms wrap around him, like a hug, but then, she kisses him? His face is a bit red.

"Um, Elizaveta, what are you?" He tries to construct a sentence.

"Oh," She pulls away. "I was just remembering something, and I thought that you were Gil... Sorry..."

"It's fine, what did you remember?"

"It was the library.." She mentions while she walks to the door; Ludwig follows her out the door and locks it behind him. She heads to the library.

– –

"Oh, come on! Just one date, you know, you want to!"Gilbert teases.

"No, actually, unless you're talking about whether or not I want to hit you, if so, then yes. I would love to hit you." Elizaveta replies. "Oh, don't tell me that I'm the only girl that turned you down."

"Actually," he starts.

"I don't care." She cuts him off.

"I was going to say 'no.'" He continues regardless. "Come on, one date, and that's it."

"What does a date consist of with you?"

"Dinner, a walk in the park, something that's not the library."

"Fine."

– –

She walks into the library, straight to the shelf that holds The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter. She opens the book and a paper falls out.

Liz,

I guess, in a way you found me. Ke-se-se-se, however, you know this isn't the end, but you can walk away now. I would understand if you've moved on past me. That's great. On the other hand, I know you won't give up so easily when you want to kill me. Unless some creep took it, there should be a picture of us, from the beach.

She stops reading and looks for the picture. They are at the beach. He looks slightly sunburned, and she looks tan. She remembers this photo and how she had to nag him to take it.

I remember you were constantly reminding me to take it, and I kept saying 'no, because I look unawesome when sunburnt.' Looking at it now though, I love this picture. I often stay up at night now, thinking of you. What are you doing nowadays? Once again, I ask a question that you can't answer, but I can imagine you saying 'plotting your murder' or 'coming to find you' or 'not caring about you.' The point is that you're reading this, which means that you want to find me. Anyways, I'm waiting, and I would give anything to see you right now. Follow our memories. Where did we first kiss?

Love,

Gilbert.

P.S: "The way I need you is a loneliness I cannot bear."

She puts the book back on the shelf; she should have known he wouldn't be this easy to find. She definitely knows where they first kissed, but why should she continue on this trip when it only ends in heartbreak anyway? She looks up at Ludwig with a meek smile.

"I should have know Bruder would take a lot more to find..." He sighs.

"Yeah," She replies and jumps a bit when her phone vibrates. She looks at the screen, From Roderich: I'll be home tonight, can't wait to see you. "I don't think he wants to be found though..."

"Who knows." Ludwig replies, walking towards to door. "I have to keep sorting books."

"I'll be over to help, just give me a call." She quietly reminds.

"Ja," he replies over his shoulder. His attitude illustrates Gilbert, and Ludwig has no idea.

– –

Elizaveta watches Roderich wipe off the dishes that they had previously eaten dinner off of. She walks behind him and wraps her arms around him, just to hold him close to her and just to feel the warm of another human near her. He puts the dishes on the counter, turns around, and catches her lips with his. He is so reserved; well, at least compared to Gilbert, he is. She feels a tear in her heart when thinking of the silver haired runaway fiancee. He rests his forehead on her shoulder and sighs in exhaustion.

"How was Italy?" She asks, holding him closely.

"It was bad." He sighs. "I mean, it went well, but I really didn't want to talk to all those critics and explain my muse."

"Well, what is your muse?" She inquires, skeptically.

"You, I don't like them invading my personal life; they're leeches." He whispers.

"It's okay; I can deal with anything." He kisses her.

"Of course you can, that's why you're able to stay with a man who's never home..." He admits.

"Do you have to leave again tomorrow?" She tries not to sound whiny.

"Yeah, New York... I came back here though, because I wanted to see you."

"I'm glad that you wanted to see me, ha-ha."

"I always want to see you..." He kisses her; she guides him to the bedroom. He presses her lightly against the door frame. His forehead presses against hers. He's always so tender; it's almost irritating. He slips his hands under her shirt; her hands easily unbutton his shirt. He slips her shirt off; she kisses him, as she slips off his shirt. He reaches around to unclasp her bra, and she pulls him down with her onto the bed. Her hands trail down his chest. I wish he would work out a bit... He kisses her neck, just right. She sighs; he slips her pants off. She undoes his belt. He slips off his pants and her underwear. He kisses her; she kisses him back. No foreplay, he just thrusts into her. She bites her lip, wishing he would learn. "I love you, Ellie."

"Mmmm." She held in the screams that she'd rather let out. He kisses her as he moves, and slowly, she begins to get used to it. Hell, she is enjoying it like nothing else. His lips to her neck and his thrusts are driving her insane. "Ahhh." She can feel her stomach welling up and her toes curl. She kisses him, to keep him from finishing before she's done. "Oh, God, Gil~~~!" Only does it dawn upon her what she has said.

"Ellie," his eyes tell what she knows he's never going to say out loud.

"Roderich," she looks away. They spend the rest of the night in silence. She realizes that no matter what; she won't ever forget Gilbert. She truly loves him, regardless of his selfish actions... She goes to the bathroom, note in hand. Where we first kissed? My house, when you came over through the thunder and the rain just because you knew I was afraid of thunderstorms. She holds her head in her hands and cries the tears that were a year, too long overdue.

A/N: Yes, I believe that Prussia would write in his laughing in a letter.

~FromPrussiaWithLove