After calling Austria, Prussia sat down across from his brother, who was gazing down at the crying child with moderate interest.
"Who do you suppose it's parents are?"
Prussia shrugged and said, "dunno, don't really care, what are we gonna do with it?"
"It would depend on what the note says," sighed Germany. The child let out a wail even louder then before and Prussia winced.
"Ugh! Could you get it to shut up, West?" moaned the Prussian, grabbing his ears. Germany sighed and tried to rock the baby to sleep.
"I know nothing of children but I'll try," he sighed, "why do you suppose its parents would abandon it?"
"Maybe because it cries so much," huffed Prussia in an annoyed tone. Germany sighed and rolled his eyes.
"I somehow doubt that, bruder, all babies cry."
"Ugh! Well, thank God we don't have kids!"
Germany chuckled and said, "why don't you go drink a beer while I try and calm it down? It'll likely calm down faster if you're not in here screaming for it to do so."
"Deal!" cried Prussia happily, leaping up and gratefully running into the kitchen. Germany rolled his eyes once more and then let out an exasperated huff as the baby wailed louder then before.
"Shhh, shhh, there, there…" muttered Germany, bouncing the baby up and down and patting it on the back. The child finally stopped waling and looked up at the German. Germany was surprised, the baby's eyes were not blue or green or brown or any normal color, they weren't even red like Prussia's, they were instead a deep shade of gold, like two precious coins. The child blathered something in baby talk and reached up for the man, his tear-filled eyes shining with curiosity.
"Hello, little one…" chuckled Germany and an odd emotion filled his stomach when he looked into the child's eyes. The baby cooed softly and smiled up at the man. He continued to blather in his baby speak and Germany couldn't hold in a little chuckle.
"I wonder if you're a boy or a girl…" he muttered, he decided there was no other way to tell then to check 'under the skirt' so to say. He only took a quick glance and then couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
"Boy, thank God," he sighed, quickly covering the baby boy up again once he had confirmed his gender, he decided taking care of a little boy would be far easier then taking care of a little girl. The child giggled and Germany lifted him up slightly. He looked the baby boy up and down and chuckled.
"You're a handsome little boy, you are, why would your father want to abandon you?" he muttered. The baby clapped his hands and giggled. Germany couldn't help but smile.
"Very cute," he admitted. The child yawned and Germany once more cradled him. The baby started fiddling with his zipper.
"Oh, nein, nein, don't touch that, little one," he said, nudging the child's hands away from his zipper so that he wouldn't hurt himself. The baby cooed and grabbed his finger. Germany, surprised, flinched slightly. He looked down at the child's hand curled around his finger. He looked back into the child's doubloon colored eyes. They had an almost knowing look to them, like the child knew what he was thinking. The baby then yawned and snuggled up into the German's chest. His little chest rose and fell as he dozed off once more, his hand still curled around his finger.
Germany felt oddly calm and with the child under his arm and with the child's hand curled around his finger. He looked down at the child's hand and his finger and a small smile played on his lips.
What a sweet little boy…" he couldn't help but think. He sighed contently and absentmindedly hugged the boy closer. The child cooed softly in his sleep and snuggled up to the German; he looked down at the child and pursed his lips.
"Your father was a foolish man little one," sighed Germany, "foolish for giving you up."
And yet, Germany realized, the child was snuggling up to him and clutching his finger dependently, as if he were his father.
Him…his father…
Hm…
Germany had very little experience with children, he had never raised one, ever, in fact now that he thought about it…he had never even held one! This child was the first he had ever held…were they all this cute; did they all grab fingers so tightly?
Germany pursed his lips as he looked down at this child who had just been abandoned by such…fools of parents. Left to freeze on a doorstep. Oh, had he been fortunate enough to have a son, especially one this charming, he would never abandon him. Such golden eyes never should have been filled with tears; such a sweet child should not be put in an orphanage, waiting for the right parent, waiting for a finger to wrap his hand around…
Not when he already had one.
Germany ran his hand through the child's curly dark hair. The child let out a soft coo and squirmed. Germany smiled. He had been left on his doorstep…whoever his parents were….they had left him for him to care for…the child was his to raise, his to be a father to.
He wouldn't be a deadbeat Dad like whoever had abandoned him. The child could be his, if any nation was responsible enough to be a parent it was him.
He could raise him to be a soldier, a smart child, he could take care of him, they could watch out for one another…
Unless…
So long as he wasn't human.
Germany bit his lip, he knew if the child was a human he couldn't keep him, he would have to give him up, a nation couldn't interact with a human, it was a law, except for him boss he couldn't know any humans, much less raise them, besides it would be unwise for an immortal nation to raise a mortal human, the child would grow old and die and he would stay alive… if he was a human, he would have no choice but to give him up.
"Please tell me you're a nation, little one," he muttered to the child, holding him close, "you don't deserve to grow old and die."
"West!" cried Prussia from the door, "Austria's here!"
Germany took a deep breath and rocking the child stood up. He prayed that the letter would say that the child was a nation.