I do not own Hetalia.
By the time Poland was standing on Czech Republic's doorstep, his toes were numb and the lower half of his jeans and boots were soaked. Slush had dominated Poland's path for the last half mile or so where the still falling snow had been pushed to the sidewalks of Prague 6. He had taken off his scarf and had wrapped up his cell phone and book of legends to keep the objects from being damaged by the damp cold. The back of his neck was pink where his long blonde hair had not shielded it from the biting wind.
Poland pressed his finger against the doorbell, which glowed a faint, luminescent orange. A pleasant chime could be heard from behind the door. A moment passed, and an impatient Poland had lifted his finger to the glowing button again when the door opened to reveal a girl in her late teens. Her feathery light blond hair tumbled down to the small of her back and her bright blue-green eyes were traced with a small amount of eyeliner.
"Poland? Can I, uh, help you?"
Poland said nothing to Czech Republic. He was starting to breathe fast, and his eyes were wide. Like, c'mon broski! This is totally important! You can't start being, like, totally shy and scared!
"Uh," croaked Poland, "Where'd you get that, like, adorable sweater?"
Czech Republic was not amused by the slightly taller Polish man standing on her tiny front porch. "Either come inside and stop running up my heating bill or go home."
"I, like, have to ask you something totally important," the words came out of Poland's mouth in a rush. Czech Republic seemed to understand, however, and moved aside to let Poland in.
The blond man was overjoyed to finally escape the cold. Czech Republic leaned out the doorway and looked up and down the street searching for a car or a pony or something that her guest could've arrived with, but all she could see were the usual neighbors' vehicles parked along the simple brick London-style townhouses. "You didn't walk here, did you?" She questioned as she turned to Poland.
"Well, Christmas is, like, almost here and I'm gonna be totally stuffing my face with, like, cookies and vodka and all the food that's gonna be served on Wigilia and, like, at Hungary's party so I need to, like, exorcise so I don't get all fat and totally unable to fit in my cute spring clo-"
"Do you always talk this fast?" Czech Republic interrupted.
"Only when I'm, like, totally meeting new people."
"We see each other at world meetings all the time," Czech Republic furrowed her brows. "I'm not a total stranger."
Poland decided not to argue. He opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by his host. "So, what was your question?"
"I was, like, totally getting there."
"Well then hurry up."
Czech Republic frowned as Poland pulled a folded bundle of pale pink and grey cloth out of his coat pocket. He unfolded the cloth to show that it was a scarf; hidden amongst the pink and grey sea were a cell phone and an ancient, thin book. Poland placed the scarf and phone on the coffee table and sat down. Czech Republic lowered herself onto the lounger across from him.
"CR, do you, like, remember the story of our founders?" Poland asked as he began to flip through the pages in search of the story.
Czech Republic had a blank look on her face. "No."
"Well, if I, like, told it to you, do you think you would remember? It's, like, really important that you totally know what I'm, like, talking about."
She shrugged. "Enlighten me."
Poland arrived to the page with the legend of Lech, Cech, and Rus, and began to read slowly, allowing himself a few seconds' time to translate the words on the page from Polish into something Czech Republic could easily understand.
"Long ago, there were, like, three brothers: Lech, Cech, and Rus." Poland paused. "Do you like, remember anything yet?"
"No, but I applaud you for being able to throw the word 'like' in even as you're reading."
Poland continued. "They were the co-leaders of a large tribe, and, like, lived completely off of the earth. However, the day came when the land, like, could not support the tribe any longer. Plants did not grow as plentifully as they used to. In forests, there was, like, a lack of prey. In rivers, a lack of fish.
"One day, the three brothers, like, gathered for a meeting in the forest. As they sat down amongst the ancient trees, the oldest and most serious brother, Rus, began to, like, speak. 'Brothers! We cannot live like this any longer! These lands are, like, ruined. Starvation is looking us right in the eye.'
"'You're right', said Cech. 'But what are we supposed to do?'
"Lech, the youngest of the brothers, said, 'Like, we need to find a new home for our tribe.'"
"Cech and Rus agreed with their younger brother, and went to, like, inform their tribe of their decision."
Poland closed the book and leaned back. "So, like, long story short, they move their tribe. Rus, like, takes some of the tribesman and settles in Russia, Lech takes some people and founds me, and Cech takes some people and, like, settles in Bohemia. Does it, like, ring a bell now?"
Czech Republic extended her hand and Poland gave her the book. As she began to scan the faded text, she smiled and said, "Yes, I remember the story now. But I've always heard it where there are only two brothers, not three."
Poland went pale. "What?"
Czech Republic continued to read. "Yea. My legend goes that there are only two brothers, Lech and Cech. They take their tribe and move west. Lech takes half his men and settles up north and founds you, and Cech goes south toward the Rip Mountains and founds me. There's never any mention of Rus settling down in Russia." She looked up to see Poland staring at her with surprise. "Are you okay?"
"I'm, like, fine," Poland gulped. "How long has that legend, like, been around?"
"I don't really know," Czech Republic said. "Maybe my twin brother could tell you, he's more in to that kind of stuff. Oh, but he's probably busy right now, decorating for the holidays and whatnot. I'm not very religious myself, so I think it's kind of silly, but he loves it." She leaned over the coffee table and playfully punched Poland in the arm. "Hey, if our founders were brothers, we could totally be cousins or something."
Poland's jaw dropped. His host laughed and said, "I'm not that awful!"
"No, it's totally not like that," Poland replied. See, Hungary! I'm, like, not that ridiculous! Even CR totally thought of it!
"So, is that all?" Czech Republic questioned, her eyes glinting with curiosity. "Just interested to know my point of view on a legend?"
Poland rose and began to shakily wrap the book and cellphone back into his scarf. "I've, like, heard all I needed to hear. Thanks."
"So you're just going now?"
"Totally."
"It seems silly to walk all this way for a question like that. Are you sure you don't want tea or something?"
"I'm good."
"Wait here for a moment," Czech Republic disappeared up the narrow steps that lead to the upper levels of her home. Meanwhile, Poland attempted to shove the fat cloth package into his coat pocket, which seemed to have grown smaller. Czech Republic returned with a green scarf in hand, and she herself wrapped it around Poland's throat. Producing a handheld mirror from the kitchen, she gave it to Poland and noted, "It really brings out your eyes."
"Dziękuję."
As Poland opened the door, Czech Republic gently squeezed his arm.
"Are you going to Hungary's for the Christmas party?"
"Totes."
"Awesome. Slovakia and I are going as well. You can give me my scarf back then."
Poland feigned disgust at her request for her scarf, and the two giggled. As Poland stepped outside, he decided to ask the question that he'd been rather curious about. "Why are all of Prague's districts, like, simply named District One, District Four, District Six? Back in my home, we, like, name our districts things like 'Stare Miasto' and 'Dębniki.'"
"It's easier to just remember numbers."
The two exchanged goodbyes and when Poland was already a few feet down the slushy sidewalk, Czech Republic called out, "And don't you forget my scarf, cousin!"
She did not see Poland start to cry again.
I hope you've enjoyed Chapter 2 of Forgotten Brothers. Thank you to everyone who checked the Story Alert box and/or posted a review, I really appreciate it! Really, I thank anybody who read this story. Til next time!