Then I was Young and Unafraid

"Vhere is this bub-Österreich!?The awesome me came to see him and I von't leave until I do!" Prussia declared bounding into Switzerland's home ahead of his slower, more composed brother.

Scowling, the blond glared the ex-nation down. "Really?" He sneered, "I think you'll get your ass out of here pretty fast if I take out one of my guns.."

"Like you can scare me with that!" The albino man scoffed, "I'm not Italien!" But his eyes did dart around, as if he could spy the gun case where most of the Swiss's weapons lay.

Stepping out into the hall with a dish rag in hand, Liechtenstein inquired; "Vhat's with all the commotion?"

"Don't mind him, he's always obnoxious." Germany grumbled coming in with a duffle bag on either shoulder. "I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to stay the vhole veekend."

The slighter nation waved off Ludwig's imposement. "No it's fine," he answered curtly. "I'm sure vill be glad to hear it."

"Vhere is he?" Prussia whined, twitching restlessly where he stood.

"He's napping," Liechtenstein replied. "The poor thing tuckered himself out chasing the goats."

Open mouthed, the ex-nation muttered; "Goats?"

"Ja," Switzerland agreed. "Unfortunately, our home isn't really set up for someone his size-there's nothing of interest to him. He's much happier running around outside than sitting around inside."

The tallest blond looked back through the open door. "It seems I was right to pick up a keyboard..."

"The musical kind?" Vash inquired. "Do you think...vell, vill he still be able to play as he is?"

Germany shrugged. "Probably," he concluded. "If not, he'll keep himself vell occupied re-learning things."

Frowning where he stood, Prussia took an Exaggerated step forward. "Hey! Is anyone going to show me to the kitchen? 'cause ve didn't stop for lunch and being hungry is so not awesome!"

"You're in luck then," The teenager smiled. "I just finished making a pot of stew."

"Eva..."

The girl smiled at her brother. "I'l be fine," she told him. "I can handle myself." And she turned away, slipping away before he could stop her.

Glancing once between his brother and Switzerland, Prussia grinned and hurried past them. "Awesome! Stew!" He crowed.

"She'll be fine," Germany asserted. "It's not like he's Frankreich, he von't try and flirt with her."

Uneasy, the man ripped his eyes away from the doorway and back to the taller nation. "I know," he sighed. "It's just..."

"Prussia, vhile a bit much, von't do anything obscene vhile ve are here. He promised."

Vash relented with a nod. "Alright," he agreed. "Vhy don't ve get that keyboard out of your car? Ve can find some place to put it."

"Ja, okay."

Walking into the kitchen with bare feet, Austria doesn't notice at first that the broad shoulders sitting at the table weren't Switzerland's. It's only after he yawned and stumbled further in that he saw the man lift his head to reveal a shock of white hair. He froze, ready to run, but Liechtenstein's gaze caught him and she brought out a ladle, putting together a bowl for him. Seeing that escape was not an option, the boy trudged to his favorite spot at the table.

Scrambling up, he noticed Prussia smirking at him.

"Hey priss," he greeted.

Accepting his bowl and spoon, the Austrian grunted. Not happy with how he ignored him, the boy noticed that albino puffed out his cheeks before he used his foot to push Austria's chair away from the table. Sitting there, he was forced to acknowledge his short legs would not be able to bring him back to his original position unless the child got down and pushed the chair back with his whole body.

"Stop!" Austria snapped, "Stop being a child!"

For the briefest moment, Prussia looked sullen; but his eyes crinkled and suddenly he was laughing. Laughing so hard that he had to grip the edge of the table. "Oh that's great!" He roared, "'Stop being a child'" he mimicked. "That's hilarious coming from you!"

Hopelessly unequipped in his small body, he felt his face grow hot and tears well at the corner of his eyes. Prussia was mean and making fun of him! It-It wasn't nice and Austria didn't like it! Part of him knew that it was just how Prussia was, (once a jerk, always a jerk) but the the youthful piece of him held so much more sway it said that an adult was being mean and when adults were mean...

He began to cry. "Stop laughing!" he wailed, "I don't like it!"

Prussia did, of course. However, Austria had worked himself up too much to stop just as suddenly and so he continue to sniffle and cry into his hands.

"Vhat's going on!?" Vash demanded coming in.

"Oh Scheiße," Germany muttered. "Vhat did you say Prussia?!"

"Why do you assume I did this!" The other argued back.

Making an aggrieved noise, Ludwig snapped; "Because it's always you!"

The brothers were arguing now, but Austria didn't stay to watch it play out. Instead, a pair of arms plucked him from the chair and took him to a different room. He didn't recognize it, it was small and almost empty except-

"A keyboard!" He exclaimed, tears fading.

There was a low chuckle. "Deutschland thought you'd like it."

Rubbing his snotty nose in the crook of his arm, the boy nodded. "I'd like to play it please."

"By all means," Vash mumbled putting him down.

Walking over, Austria pulled himself up on the bench and put his fingers to the plastic keys. It wasn't like the grand he had back home, but it was a nice, thoughtful gift. Closing his eyes, he considered playing someone like Bach, Mozart, or Shubert, maybe Chopin...but when he tried to call their music to mind, his thoughts could not grasp at the songs he knew so well. They slipped away like handfuls of water. Frustrated, he racked his brain for anything and after a short while, he found a song that was solid.

Fingers dancing along the keys, Austria felt like himself again. It was like he'd never become a child and that he was back home avoid work by perfecting a piece he'd been learning for centuries. When he finished, he heard clapping from behind. Twisting around, he saw Liechtenstein and Switzerland smiling from by the doorway.

"Brahm's lullaby, huh?" The man remarked.

The child smiled. Simply pleased that his friend recognized it.

What do you think? Let me know!

To reviewers, Katie-Kat1129, Onyxlark36, Mite, and Vanessa15975329; you guys are great! Thanks so much for the comments, I appreciate them. As of right now, I have twenty-five reviews! Which is awesome because this is chapter ten and reviewer twenty-six will be getting a one-shot of their choosing!*

Thanks for reading everybody and pretty please review!

*This excludes previous winners.

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Words:

Ja-Yes

Bub-Boy

Italien-Italy

Scheiße-Shit

Österreich-Austria

Frankreich-France

Deutschland-Germany