Hello readers! Hope I haven't kept you waiting too long! Also hope you're still enjoying the story, and aren't getting too bored with it. Any improvements or plot suggestions that you have, I'm always willing to listen. :) now, shoutouts!
riskybanana - thanks for reviewing! Glad you still like this story! I guess the Munich Oktoberfest is the more famous one, it's the one I've heard about the most. I'll try and read up on Frühlingsfest (is that the right spelling?)
HetaRosFangirl - good :) glad you didn't find it boring, I was wondering what people would make of it. That part with the flute was actually one of my favourite parts to write, I found it so interesting to explore that side of Prussia, even for just a short scene. And no, Germany is not pleased; it's only a short bit that touches on that, but I might be able to expand on it later in the story, depending on how everything comes together. And thanks so much! It makes me so happy when people say things like that! :')
gdesertsand - it is done...finally. After who knows how many chapters, I've finally managed to get in a scene with hallucinations; I hope they're what you expected, and that you enjoy them. :) thanks for being patient, I know you've been waiting for this for ages. :) and I agree, Austria's method of encouragement certainly is questionable.
Yozakura Setsumi - yes, Prussia is on the road to recovery. :) and thank you for reviewing. :) Austria actually doesn't have much input in this chapter, but I've got some ideas for later, which will hopefully have the two interacting with one another. And yeah, I'd always thought an electric guitar would suit Prussia, and he seems the type to have several different kinds of instruments. :)
valery-chan - haha, yeah, I thought Gilbird deserved to have some publicity as well. I'm so jealous, I've always wanted a pet bird, they're so pretty! And yes, there is hope still!
I think that's everyone; as always, if I've missed someone out, let me know! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please review to tell me what you think! Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.
Hungary slowly climbed up the stairs in the direction of Germany's bedroom, taking care to avoid spilling the soup. She'd initially attempted to carry the bowl in her bare hands, but upon scalding herself so badly that she'd nearly dropped and smashed it, the nation had gone digging around in the cupboards to find a tray, muttering Hungarian profanities as she did so. Hungary grimaced slightly as the burn rubbed against the plastic handles, but the pain was quickly fading, such a small amount of damage taking only a minute or two to heal. As the nation pushed the door open with her shoulder, she took a quick scan around the room to ensure that neither occupant had murdered the other, and smiled with relief when she saw that both Austria and Prussia were still breathing. The musical aristocrat had fallen asleep on his chair, head tipped back, mouth open, and snoring like an asthmatic pig, while Prussia was exactly as he was when she left.
Hungary decided to let the Austrian sleep, and she quietly crossed over to where the ex-nation lay, shifting some books and papers on the bedside table so that she could set down her tray, while Gilbird chirped at her from the windowsill. The movement and noise seemed to register with Prussia, and he stirred as she approached, blinking sleepily, but thankfully he seemed to have recovered from the trauma of his nightmare. Hungary greeted him, saying, "Hello, Prussia," softly, as she perched on the edge of the bed. "Are you hungry?" Prussia only moaned quietly in response, budging over to get away from her. "Don't be so stubborn," Hungary tutted. "You've barely eaten today, and you must keep your strength up." Whatever Prussia muttered at her then was indecipherable, but Hungary was quite certain it was neither polite nor complementary.
The nation placed her hand on the albino's pale shoulder, and eventually persuaded him to turn around and sit up, after which Hungary used a spare pillow to support his head. Cautiously picking up the bowl, which had fortunately cooled down just enough for her to hold it, Hungary dipped the spoon in and lifted it to Prussia's lips. The ex-nation didn't seem to have any energy left in him to resist, either that or he truly didn't care about being spoon-fed like a baby, so Hungary managed to get him to eat half the bowl without a single complaint.
"Are you new here?" Prussia's voice, though weak and quiet, startled Hungary so much that she only narrowly avoided tipping the rest of the soup down his bare chest.
Getting herself under control, Hungary looked down to see a pair of glazed crimson eyes gazing feverishly up at her. "What?" she asked stupidly.
Prussia blinked slowly, as if with great effort, and licked his lips before speaking again. "Old Fritz usually tells me...whenever he hires a new maid," he mumbled, a slur still evident in his voice, and his eyes failing to focus properly on her face. "What's your name?"
Hungary hesitated, figuring the ex-nation must still be hallucinating from the fever. "Elizabeta," she told him. "My name's Elizabeta." She offered Prussia another spoon, and he sipped at it, before continuing.
"I know someone with that name," he murmured. "She's a friend...I guess...though I don't think...she actually likes me." Hungary's hand paused, a spoonful of chicken soup hovering in midair, tendrils of steam lazily snaking their way skywards from the liquid surface.
"What makes you think that?" she questioned cautiously. Prussia tiredly rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand, before shrugging, almost imperceptibly.
"She's never very pleased to see me...whenever I show up," he replied. "Even if I'm being more awesome than usual...she just scowls and tells me to go away. I guess I shouldn't expect any different...she always did prefer stupid Austria."
"I'm sure she doesn't feel like that, not really," Hungary said, not liking the direction this conversation was going in.
Prussia shrugged again, before saying, "Doesn't matter anymore...used to being alone by now." Hungary didn't know what to say. She hadn't realised Prussia had been particularly affected by her treatment of him; whenever Hungary had felt he was being especially intolerable, which was the majority of the times they came into contact with one another, she'd often snapped at him, but the ex-nation had always seemed completely unperturbed by it, shrugging her words off with a cocky grin plastered on his face; Hungary had never thought she'd actually hurt him. With a lump of guilt wedged in her chest, Hungary fed the rest of the soup to the now silent Prussian, before coaxing him to have a drink from the glass of water she'd brought upstairs with her.
Just as the nation was placing the various eating and drinking utensils back on the tray, the door was pushed open with a soft hiss as wood brushed over carpet, and Germany padded in, barefoot, blond hair tousled and unkept, and dark circles visible under his light blue eyes. The German nation yawned tiredly, and approached the bed, before a smile spread across his face as he saw his brother sitting up, with his crimson eyes just about open.
"You're awake," Germany said, with relief clear in his voice, crossing the remaining distance in two easy strides. "How are you feeling?"
Prussia turned his head towards the voice, squinting against the light glaring brightly from the ceiling. "Heya, Romey," he murmured in response. "Didn't think...I'd see you...again." At Germany's look of puzzlement, Hungary spoke up.
"The fever is still high," she explained. "He's been getting confused, and from what he said when he woke up he's been having nightmares." Hungary's face grew solemn as she remembered the desperation and anguish in Prussia's voice. "He said that he didn't get to say goodbye to anyone, and that he didn't want to die."
Germany hated to think about what his brother had been experiencing in his dream world, and he would've given anything to switch places with him, to protect Prussia from the torment he was suffering. Running his fingers through his hair in an effort to tame it, Germany said, "I just wish there was more I could do to help him. Before you came over, he was having nightmare after nightmare, and I could do hardly anything to stop them."
"Don't talk like that," said Hungary. "You've done as much for Prussia as you can, which is a lot more than many other people would have been willing to do."
Germnay was about to respond, but fell silent when Prussia started mumbling again. "Italy...should be pleased," the albino murmured. "When you left...he did nothing but mope about...for days. Depressed us all."
Raising an eyebrow, Germany said, "I didn't realise Italy was particularly close to Holy Rome."
Hungary's expression turned decidedly odd, her tone of voice becoming peculiar, and Germany got the distinct impression that there was something she wasn't saying. "Yes, they were very fond of one another," she said. "Italy was terribly upset when he disappeared."
Failing to decipher the reason for her suddenly strange manner, Germany reached down to take Prussia's hand, gripping it tightly with his own. "Gilbert," he said, "it's me, Germany." Prussia gently curled his fingers around his brother's hand, not having the strength to do much else.
"West," he whispered. "Good to see you again. That damn wall...we finally knocked it down. It wasn't high enough...to contain my awesomeness."
The corners of his mouth twitching up, Germany used his other hand to brush Prussia's damp hair off his face, his flushed skin continuing to bead with sweat. "Yes, we did, bruder. Years ago. Do you know where you are now?"
Prussia's eyes flickered around the room briefly, before he closed them and nestled his head back against the pillow. "Nah," he said. "Not really." The ex-nation's breathing evened out, and his fingers relaxed as he fell asleep again. Stroking his platinum hair fondly, Germany was quiet for several moments, until Hungary spoke.
"He's eaten a whole bowl of soup," she told him. "So that should do him some good." Germany turned to her then with such an honest and sincere expression on his face that for a moment he seemed far younger than his actual years. "Thank you," he said seriously. "For everything. I don't know what I would've done if you and Austria hadn't come to help. I appreciate it so much, and you must tell me how I can repay you."
Hungary felt quite touched, and a warm smile lit up her face as she replied. "Please, Germany, you don't owe me anything; I was happy to help. I do care about Prussia, even though he can be more than a little obnoxious at times."
Germany chuckled. "I can't really argue with that," he said, before glancing at the clock on the wall. "I didn't realise it was that late," Germany said to himself, surprised as he took in the time, and he looked sternly at Hungary. "Now go to sleep," he insisted. "You've done so much, you must be exhausted."
Hungary nodded, glad that she would be able to take a break for a bit. "Does it matter where I go?"
"Use Prussia's room, you should sleep better on a bed than the sofa. Turn right at the bottom of the staircase, and it's at the end of the corridor." Hungary thanked him, and moved to collect the tray from where it rested on the little table. "I'll clear that up," Germany said quickly, taking it from her. "You just go to bed." Smiling warmly at her fellow nation, Hungary headed out to find Prussia's bedroom, while Germany spent a couple of minutes rearranging his brother's pillows to ensure he was comfortable, before taking the tray back to the kitchen, Austria's snores following along behind him.
Did you all enjoy it? Please review, and if you have any suggestions for improvements or some ideas for the plot, let me know! Also, if enough people are interested in it, I might do a nightmare chapter with Germany as the one experiencing it, similar to the other dream scenes I did with Prussia, so if you want that to happen, tell me, and I'll write one! Again, if you have an idea that you think would fit into a chapter like that, review or PM it. :) goodbye for now!