AN:

Set a few weeks after the first scene.

Also, I don't write smut. I'm just not comfortable writing it, and I don't want to screw it up.

Monday was always Gilbert's favourite day. It was the day that his brother went in early and came home late so that he could get ahead in the box on his desk. Simply, this meant the blonde could relax for an entire day without worrying that his brother would randomly start to tease and torture him. An entire day! He almost hugged himself with glee at the thought of it.

Even though this was happened every Monday, every week of every month, the rest of the days were crappy enough to make this day special, every time it rolled around. Gilbert's mind whizzed through all the things he could do today. He could get caught up in his readings, maybe make cinnamon rolls, he could thoroughly clean the entire house...

Ah. Chores, right. Chores first, then the day was his. The man rolled out of bed, quickly dressing in a button down and a comfy pair of slacks. His metal leg made quiet thumping sounds upon the hardwood floor as he booted down to the main floor to begin his day. First, he would clean the kitchen, then both the bathrooms, then tidy the bedrooms, do the laundry, sweep and scrub the floors, make a grocery list for tomorrow- Tuesday was always grocery day- do any baking for the week, clean all the dishes, and then generally tidy the house.

Gilbert's heart sank. There was no way he could get all that done today, let alone early enough to have time for himself. However, he wasn't someone to get sloppy with his chores. He knew what a dirty dish, or even crumbs on the table could do to his brother. "Someone deserves a beating~" Ludwig would sing, brandishing his leather belt threateningly. Steeling himself, the man attacked his chores with gusto.

Within hours, floors, counters, and walls sparkled with cleanliness, and the house smelt of lemon scented detergent. The washing machine whirled away at the first load of laundry, and the oven had just been filled with the second batch of blueberry muffins. Gilbert stretched happily. It was noon now, and he had woken up at nine am. In an hour, he decided, he'd take a break as long as the oven was off, and nap for a few hours, then delve right back into it. But right now, as he waited for the muffins to finish baking, he grabbed his book from the couch side table and cuddled into the plushy sofa.

His eyes roved through the words on the page, the book well worn from countless readings. It seemed every time he read the book, he found something new that delighted him. The characters were familiar and well liked, and the story itself was involving. He ate the book up, flying through the chapters, enjoying the quiet time without jumping at every noise.

The smell of warm blueberry muffins started to seep throughout the house, and Gilbert closed his book slowly, his mind still swirling with the last exciting chapter he had read. Putting the book back neatly on the side table, the man hurriedly went to the kitchen to check on his muffins. Finding them cooked through and having a nice dome to them, Gilbert put his oven gloves on and pulled the delicious treats from the oven, placing them gingerly beside their cooled brothers. Taking a spoon, he started to ease the fragile goods from their cast iron sheathing so that they would be easier to pluck and put into the cookie jar.

As he waited for them to cool enough to do so, he started to clean prep dishes and to wipe the counter of any crumbs and dough. He hummed happily and shook the dirty cloth out, hanging it upon the tap to dry. He climbed downstairs to rotate the laundry, and then climbed all the way upstairs so that he could tidy the rooms. The repeated the cycle again and again, going downstairs to do laundry, and check on his baked goods, then back upstairs to finish the rooms. His leg started to ache on him, and was getting heavier and heavier as he got more and more tired from walking up and down the stairs.

He rubbed his face tiredly, as he put the last pan away properly, and surveyed his work. The house gleamed from head to foot, and all the baked goods were put away into the easily accessible cookie jars. Satisfied that the house didn't have a speck of dust in it, he decided that he could have that nap he had completely missed with all the laundry.

Dragging his tired body up the stairs, Gilbert happily fell into his fresh bed and wriggled about onto the comforters. His head hit the pillow and he lay there, contentedly staring at the wall for a few minutes, clearing his mind of distracting thoughts and focusing on sleeping.

Just for a few hours, he thought sluggishly, just for a few...

He nodded off before he could complete that thought.

His dreams were filled with dirt. He was in a giant room, wearing nothing but cotton pyjamas, a room that was filled with muck. The room was huge, with giant tables, chairs, all of the furniture dwarfed him. Armed with only a giant toothbrush, Gilbert had to scrub the entire room in a few short hours or face the wrath of his brother. He scrubbed, scrubbing at the floor with a toothbrush much too big, in a room that was much too big with way too much dirt. As he worked, he started to sweat, the clock was ticking. Louder. Louder. His sweat started to fill the room, washing the dirt away but nearly drowning him.

"Brother." His brother appeared, plucking him from the soupy sweat and mud mixture. He started to cry, he hadn't made the deadline.

"Brother." Ludwig repeated, louder, shaking him roughly.

"Awaaaii-" Gilbert woke up in his brother's clutches, jerking about until his brother figured out he was awake.

"Oh good, you're awake." He said, forever Captain obvious. He let go of the blonde and let him flop onto his pillows, "I have something for you." Gilbert watched his brother warily. Presents could range from beatings to the rare actual present. His brother rummaged into his pocket and pulled out a piece of red cloth. No, not a cloth. An arm band.

"Everyone's wearing them now, since that new party came into power." Ludwig handed it over, and Gilbert gingerly slipped it onto his right arm. The rich red fabric was interrupted by a black and white swastika enclosed by a black and white circle. He traced his finger delicately over the rim and looked curiously up at his brother.

"In case you go out. For groceries or whatever. Since I won't be around to watch over you and keep you safe." Gilbert nearly laughed. Keep him safe? He wasn't even safe in his own home, and no fabric would change that.

"I have my own uniform, new, I need you to wash and iron it for when I go to work to meet my new boss tomorrow." Gilbert nodded, swinging his legs off the bed and getting up. His brother was mere inches from him, and he jolted, hoping it wouldn't be a repeat of yesterday. Gilbert stood still, staring at his brothers chest, and saw vaguely as Ludwig seemed confused on what to do. He saw his brothers feet shift and then...

He felt his brothers lips on his lightly, and his mind didn't react until they parted mere seconds later. Ludwig spun on his heel and near marched out of the room, leaving his brother in shock behind him. A kiss? And a light one at that. There must be something up, Gilbert thought, gingerly touching his fingers to his lips. He smiled, almost mischievously, and he left the room in his brothers footsteps to clean and press the uniform.