I in no way claim any rights or profits to Axis Powers Hetalia. Those belong to Hidekaz Himaruya, and justly so.
Warning: Note the Rating: Descriptions of abuse and emaciation, trauma, death camps, and nuclear bomb injuries.
He could only stare. His brother was sitting in a hospital bed. His hands, head, left arm, and both legs were bandaged. But what struck Ludwig so hard was how thin his brother was; his clothes hung loose off bony shoulders, his ruby eyes seemed bigger in his emaciated face.
"O-Ost? What –" he licked his lips. "Ost, what happened?"
Gilbert's smile disappeared and he looked out the window. "Hitler happened, West."
Ludwig ran his hand through his hair. "Hitler was our boss, he was helping us."
Gilbert's eyes flicked to his before looking back out the window. Ludwig saw his fists clench.
"Not all of Germany West. There were a lot of our people in those camps, not just Poles or Dutch, a lot of Germans who just weren't Aryan enough for that Austrian Scheißkerl."
"But you're German, you're Prussia." He ran his hands through his hair again. He knew he was saying stupid things, obvious things, but for some reason he couldn't think about what he was trying to say. He could only think about Gilbert's too large eyes, his hollow cheekbones. He saw Gilbert's fists clench tighter.
"Hitler sent me there because my country no longer exists; when 'Old Prussia married New Germany' he didn't need me anymore." His voice dropped to a whisper "No one needed me anymore." Gilbert's red eyes met his daring him to contradict the statement. Ludwig flinched and Gilbert looked away again, his hands relaxed a little. "You know he always thought I looked like a freak of nature."
That too was true. Ludwig stared at his brother running a hand through his hair again. "What, what did they do to you?" he whispered.
He watched as Gilbert's eyes went distant, his face went rigid, both his hands clenched. "They killed me, over, and over, and over again." He whispered more to himself than Ludwig. Ludwig glanced down and saw blood staining the bandages. "Bruder!" he said stepping forward.
Gilbert jumped and tried to scoot away from him, fear and anger in his eyes. "Get out!" he snarled. "Get out!"
Ludwig nearly ran out of that room, Gilbert's screams reverberating in his ears. He stared at the opposite wall as nurses rushed passed to calm his brother. What had he done?
"Sir?" he straightened and blinked. One of the American soldiers called to him again, "Sir."
"J-ja?"
Freedman straightened "Commander Jones told us to escort you back to your quarters when you were done in there."
He nodded looking around. All the other nations had disappeared. They walked down the hallway towards a set of stairs at the end. As they neared it he remembered Japan was here as well, in a room around the corner. He wondered if he would be able to visit him, but probably not. His fists clenched as he remembered when that blundering fool America had managed to harness the power of the atomic bomb before Germany and proved that he was perhaps not the complete blundering fool Germany had dismissed him as.
They had reached the corner, he paused and looked down the hall, wondering which door was Japan's. Then one door opened and a doctor came out, followed by America himself. Their backs were to Germany and the Americans. He could just make out what they said.
"Has he been eating?" said America.
"Yes, but very little sir. He can only keep the simplest of foods down."
"How are the burns?"
"Still extremely painful as far as we can tell. We keep him on morphine and that seems to help. He sleeps a lot."
America nodded, worry and concern in every line of his face as he looked back at the room they had just exited. Then a small smile touched his features and he clapped the other man on the shoulder. "Thanks Doc, I'll leave him in your capable hands."
"Thank you Commander Jones." The doctor returned to the room closing the door behind him. America stood staring at the door to what could only be Japan's room, all traces of his smile gone. Then he slid his hands into the pockets of his bomber jacket turned and walked away, down the stairs at the opposite end of the hall.
Freedman cleared his throat. Ludwig glared at him before leading the way downstairs.
Authoress Note:
War is sad.
Please let me know if the German is incorrect. Thanks to those who have faved and alerted for this story. It makes me happy that people find this interesting.
Please review!
The Jews are the most well know victims of the concentration camps. Others include Russians, Poles, Gypsys, Homosexuals, people with physical or mental disabilities, Prisoners of War, and political opponents of the Nazi Party.
There was a union between "Old Prussia and New Germany" to pacify supporters of the Prussian monarchy. I don't remember when it happened. If my historical notes are incorrect please let me know.
1 German: "East"
2 German: "Motherfucker"