Authors' note:
Ok.
I'M SORRY.
I'm so, so sorry that this took SO fucking long. I had lots of RL trouble, searching for a new job, a new flat, trying to organize everything... so... sorry, sorry, sorry. Here, have the new chapter ='D
~ Mi
Also thank you for following, reading and commenting our little story. 3
Please leave a comment if you feel like it. No matter how small, every little comment makes our day and cheers us up. Thank you all.
~ Alu
Little white lies
The doctor came to take Ivan with him and the atmosphere in the big house changed immediately. Raivis and Eduard relaxed, even joked around a bit. Just Toris seemed more quiet and thoughtful.
He went to care for Ivan's paperwork and called the hospital in the morning without letting anyone know. They told him Ivan would undergo surgery in some hours and that there was no need to call again that day.
So the morning passed and they were just about to prepare the lunch, when the phone rang.
Gilbert picked it up, thinking that it might be the hospital.
"Russia's house, this is Beilschmidt...?" He hoped it was alright...
There was silence on the other end before a voice snarled. "Ah, the Naziboy... Where's your superior? He's not answering the phone in his office."
"...!" Gilbert tensed and clenched his fists.
Behave.
"He's at the hospital." Should he make something up?
Toris frowned at hearing that, coming slowly closer.
"Hospital? Why would he be at the hospital?" Ivan's boss growled.
Gilbert looked at Toris and back into nothingness. "Some spy attacked him. He... he broke his wounded rib before Ivan could fight back and get him seriously injured..."
His mind was spinning.
Stop this. This won't end well!
"...!" Toris' eyes widened. He made some hasty movements, trying to gesture Gilbert to stop that.
"... is that so? And why wasn't I informed about that matter?!"
"It..." Gilbert bit his lip. "I'm sorry. This is my fault. I was supposed to tell you, but... I didn't think it was important enough to bother you."
He looked at Toris with a helpless expression. What should I have said?! That he broke his goddamn rib while trying to have sex with me?
"Oh, I see. Well, of course. You're right. Why would it matter to know that someone attacked my nation and wounded him enough to end up in hospital?" The voice on the phone was silky... and cold.
"G-give me the phone!" Toris hissed and reached out for it.
Gilbert bit his lip and handed it over. He couldn't lie under pressure, ok?
Toris literally ripped the phone from his hand, taking a deep breath before he spoke.
"Sir... this is Laurinaitis. I'd like to apologize. It's been all chaos here and after Comrade Braginsky was brought awa-"
"Shut up."
He gulped quietly.
"Whatever happened... and whoever is in charge, I was not informed. I want to see this Beilschmidt now and I expect a full report by the time he comes here. Understood?"
"... yes, Sir."
"I made myself clear? You know the protocol."
"... yes, Sir. I do..."
"Good." And the line was dead.
Toris stared into thin air.
Gilbert looked to the side. "... sorry... I couldn't really think clearly..."
"You... you lied to him... and that was a really, really stupid lie!" With a bang the phone was put down. "We have no way to prove that! A spy?! Really? How are we supposed to explain this to him?!"
"I never said I was a good liar, ok?" Gilbert defended himself. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Goddamnit... tell me, what would you have told him...? If I had told him the truth, he would've punished Ivan again for being 'weak'..."
"..." Toris bit his lip. "... we would have found a lie... but now he wants to see you. He wants to see you right away, Gilbert. That's not good..."
Gilbert bit his lip. "... I see... guess I better get dressed up then, huh..."
A shiver ran down his spine.
"Yes... you should hurry. He's not a patient man..."
Chewing on his lip Toris turned around and took some steps. When he stopped again he didn't turn around. "... I'll come with you..."
"What? No. Toris, I don't think this is a good idea!"
"It's not a good idea to let you go alone..." Toris growled, anguish in his eyes. "You'll end up getting executed... and I don't want to explain that to Ivan..."
Again Gilbert bit his lip and looked down. "I'll get dressed..." he said and turned around, walking to his room and get into his uniform.
It didn't take much time until he was outside, next to the car.
Toris had dressed in his uniform as well and just gave his brothers some last instructions, before he came outside to join Gilbert. He had also called the hospital just to find out that Ivan was still sleeping. He had refused to leave a message... It would just upset him.
"Alright... let's go."
"Yes."
Gilbert let Toris drive - not like he'd remember the way from last time - and looked out of the window, thoughtfully.
"Hey..." he said after a while. "What... would happen if I told him the truth? That I lied... because I didn't want to make Ivan look bad. Would it get him into trouble again...? Because I don't want that..."
Toris kept his eyes glued to the street, remaining silent for a while. "If you'd take all the blame... he'd be spared... But what do you want to tell Chruschtschow on how it happened?"
"... dunno... I could tell him he fell down some stairs because I stumbled against him..." Gilbert said, looking outside. "... think he'd buy it?"
"I guess... it's more plausible than your story of the enemy spy..." Toris made a face, thinking back to that phone call. What a mess.
"... you know he'll punish you for lying... do you?"
Gilbert didn't look at him. "... I don't care..." he finally said.
"... but Ivan will... as soon as he finds out he will care, Gilbert..." Toris glanced at him. "I called the hospital... He's still sleeping, but everything went fine. Thought you'd want to know..."
There was a pause, but then a soft smile lit up the German's face. "... that's good..."
The smile vanished.
"They'll... let me go after a while, right...? Just... like they let him go?"
Toris bit his lip, staring back on the street and the buildings passing by. "They have to... you're GDR... Gilbert, listen to me. When you speak to him... don't act up... don't speak against whatever he says, just... take what he'll say or do and maybe... it won't get even worse..."
"I know... I promised Ivan to stay quiet around that guy..." He looked at him. "... if he... does something to me, don't tell Ivan... ok? He's not supposed to get upset..."
"... I can't promise that... he'll find out, because I fear whatever his boss will do... it will be visible..." Toris mumbled.
"... then he'll find out eventually... but there's no need to tell him beforehand..."
"Yes... you're right. I'll stay quiet... it's not like I want to upset him on purpose..."
"... thanks, Toris..."
The rest of that drive was quiet. Unsettling...
Soon enough they stopped at the headquarter and Toris shut down the car engine. In front of the big doors, which lead into the building, stood a secretary. As soon as she saw them stopping she came closer.
Toris' fingers tightened around the steering wheel. "... he waited for you..."
"... thought so." Gilbert got out of the car and straightened his jacket. He looked at the secretary. "I'm sorry, I hope we're not too late?"
"You've been expected earlier" she gave back with a soft smile. Watching Toris getting out of the car as well she nodded and gestured upstairs to the doors. "Please follow me."
"I see." Gilbert didn't look back to Toris, but followed her in silence.
His heart was racing. Not because he was afraid - well, not really at least - but because he thought of that asshole and what he did to Ivan the other day...
Toris followed some steps behind Gilbert, looking attentive around. He had the feeling something was wrong... that someone was watching them, but whenever he took a look there was just the normal office crowd.
It didn't take long for them to end up in front of Chruschtschow's office. The secretary knocked carefully and after a moment they were called in. Turning around the woman left with a blank little smile on her lips.
Gilbert took a deep breath, straightened his shoulders and stepped into that office. "I'm here..."
He didn't really know what to say, how to greet this man he'd rather punch to a pulp.
"Sir..." Toris stepped beside him, bowing his head slightly. At the second voice Chruschtschow looked up from his papers and raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't I want to see you alone, Beilschmidt?"
"...?" Gilbert looked at him, then Toris, and back at him. "Sir, I'm sorry. I needed him to get me here, since I didn't remember the way."
"You can't even remember the way alone? How useless are you?" Leaning back Ivan's boss crossed his fingers over his stomach. "Well, then... Where's the report on that... 'spy attack', Laurinaitis?"
Toris bit his lip, not sure if it was good to say there was none. They had no choice…
"Sir, if I may speak?" Gilbert said and without waiting for the answer, he continued: "There is none."
"Really? What a surprise..." The man seemed everything, but surprised. "And why is that?"
"Because I lied." Gilbert straightened his shoulders. "Of course there was no spy."
The room temperature dropped some degrees at Gilbert's words. Toris didn't dare to breathe, but he prayed in silence...
Chruschtschow glared at Gilbert, leaning forward to put his arms on the desk. Toris had the feeling Ivan's boss wasn't as overrun as he should have been, but then again... Gilbert's story had been fishy from the start.
"Is there something you want to tell me... Naziboy?"
"..." Gilbert gritted his teeth, but didn't do anything else. "He fell. I stumbled against him and he fell down the stairs. It was a stupid accident and for some reason I felt too bad for it to tell you the truth."
"So you came up with that... harebrained… story and thought anyone would believe it when you pushed him down the stairs instead? I knew you wouldn't be happy with being here, but attacking your superior..."
"It was an accident, Sir! Gilbert didn-"
"Shut up, Laurinaitis!"
"I never said I was a good liar. I've been taught to tell the truth, so I've never learnt thinking of good lies," Gilbert replied as calmly as he could. "I didn't attack him. It was an accident."
"So? Yes, I heard about your precious... 'preußische Tugenden'... still you dare to lie to me and bring your superior into hospital. You didn't even think it was important to report this... You too, Laurinaitis."
Toris gulped quietly.
"What do you think should I do with you now?"
"I don't know. I guess you'll punish me for misbehaving" Gilbert said, his voice calm and steady, but his pulse racing.
"Misbehaving? You call this misbehaving? It's high treason" Chruschtschow hissed. "I'm your superior, GDR. You put the whole country in danger with pushing Ivan down the stairs and hurting him. You think that would be solved with a simple punishment for misbehaviour?"
Gilbert clenched his fist.
So what about YOU hurting him? It's your fault he's in the hospital in the first place, you fucker!
He closed his eyes. "I'll accept whatever punishment you think is appropriate."
This answer seemed to surprise Ivan's boss. Toris chewed on the inside of his cheek, watching the man attentive. He could almost see his suspicion.
"I see Ivan managed to put some common sense into you, Naziboy... Tell him I'm proud of him."
Toris saw the man's hand wander to the phone on his desk, where he pushed a button.
"No, wait. I guess I'll see him sooner than you will. Never mind then, Naziboy. Don't break your little empty head."
Gilbert bit his lip. Ok. So… maybe he was a bit afraid now.
"Is... Lithuania allowed to leave now?" he asked lowly, knowing he wouldn't leave with him.
Toris clenched his teeth.
Don't, Gilbert... Don't ask him for anything... Don't make your situation worse...
"Actually... no. There are still things we have to talk about. Why do you care? Afraid for your little friend?"
"No. We're not friends. He doesn't like me and I don't care for him. But someone has to take care of all the paperwork back home."
"..." Chruschtschow observed Gilbert's face for a little silent moment. "You're a bad liar..."
It was that moment someone knocked at the door and without waiting for an answer four men in uniform came in.
"The white one. Code Blue." Ivan's boss said with a wave of his hand and immediately they grabbed Gilbert.
"G-Gil!"
Gilbert tensed, for a moment about to fight back, but then he bit his lip and looked straight at that damn bastard.
"I wasn't lying this time. Toris wants me out of the house because I'm troublesome to everyone."
Toris' hands clenched to fists. That's not true. Not like this...
"Well, his wish will be granted. Bring him away..."
"Yes, Sir! Come, bastard." Grabbing Gil's arms harder the soldiers pulled him to the door and out into the hallway, while Toris looked after him. He had a bad feeling... a very bad feeling...
Gilbert didn't struggle. He looked at Toris and then closed his eyes.
Don't fight back.
Not as long as Toris is still with that guy...
He smiled weakly.
Well, maybe he had lied a bit when saying he didn't care at all for Toris.
And Toris felt his heart skipping a beat once the doors feel shut and cut his view on Gilbert. If something serious happened to him... if they killed him... he'd never be able to look into Ivan's eyes again.
"Laurinaitis."
"... yes, Sir…"
The soldiers dragged Gilbert along the hallways, not caring if he bumped against corners or stumbled over stairs in the process.
Gilbert's heart was racing.
I want to fight. I want to fight back!
I mustn't fight back...
He looked over his shoulder, back into that hallway.
Don't hurt Toris. He's dear to Ivan... don't hurt him...
"So... where are you gonna take me...?"
"You'll see soon enough, scum."
They lead him through a metal door and the hallway got darker and more… blank. They were still in the same building. They hadn't left or stepped outside, still it started to look different there after a short while.
One of the soldiers shouted something and a heavy door opened for them, leading into a metal covered hallway with many secured doors to both sides. Like a prison.
Gilbert didn't like it. He didn't like it at all.
He bit his lip and slowly started to resist, pushing his feet against the floor.
I don't want this...
The soldiers holding him frowned and pulled him further with force.
"What now? Move, Nazi!"
"Don't call me that! I'm NOT a Nazi!"
"Really? We'll see, Nazi."
Dragging him along they soon reached a man in a grey suit. Standing beside an open door, hands crossed behind his back with a smile, it seemed he had waited for them.
"Is that our new friend? Please come in. And stop being so rude to him."
Gilbert didn't like him either.
"Let me go!" he growled, pulling at his arms now.
But the hands holding him were like iron.
"We'll let you go once you stop struggling" the stranger said and stepped back, watching with an everlasting smile how the soldiers dragged Gilbert through the door and into the dim room.
There was nothing but a single chair in the middle of it, right under a lamp hanging from the ceiling. "Sit down."
"... is this even real..." Gilbert mumbled and gasped a bit as he was pushed into the room and onto that chair.
"Goddamnit, I can sit myself, ok?!"
The door fell shut behind the grey man and his soldiers. While two stood guard beside the door the man came closer, his hands still behind his back.
"Of course you can. Please excuse my men. They still need to learn how to behave. So... I guess I should introduce myself. The name is Schukow. What's yours?"
"... Beilschmidt. Or DDR, if you prefer the official way" Gilbert growled.
"DDR... I heard a lot about you. Who knew I'd ever see you here." Schukow smiled brightly and came closer until he stood right in front of his guest.
"Stop acting like you'd care for being polite or something like that. You and I know this will be anything, BUT polite."
"I'm always polite. I hate rude people and you seem to be a rude person..."
Without warning he hit the side of Gilbert's head with something hard.
Gilbert gasped as his head flew to the side and he saw literally stars.
Goddamnit... that hurt.
He glared at Schukow. "..."
"I guess, after welcoming you, we should make you familiar with the rules of your little visit here." Weighting the baton in his hand Schukow kept on smiling.
"You speak when you're told to speak. You tell the truth. You don't act up. Understood, Beilschmidt?"
"Not sure if I got the last one correctly... what do you mean by acting up?"
"Ah, you're clever. What a clever question, right boys?" The soldiers grunted in response.
"Most people forget to ask which makes their life pretty hard. By acting up I mean fighting back, misbehaving, not listening to the good advices we give you. Did that answer your question?"
Gilbert licked his lip. He was pushing his luck already.
"... guess I'm gonna have a hard time..." he said with a smirk that hid his true feelings too well.
"I love all that stuff..."
"Is that so?" Something like a shadow slid over the grey man's face before he smiled brightly again. "Alright. It's the special treatment then. Boys!"
Making their knuckles crack the two soldiers who didn't guard the door came closer, glaring at Gilbert. For a short moment they stood still – waiting - before they jumped at him on a nod from Schukow.
Gilbert's eyes widened and within a second he was on his legs, fighting them back.
Do what you want. But don't think I'll give in easily!
They were two, but he was a nation. This was... kinda fair.
Iron like fists flew at the German but the same amount of hits that reached Gil, were given back. Schukow watched them fighting with an angry frown. Snapping his fingers the other two soldiers came closer as well. They pulled batons out from under their coats, reaching out to hit Gilbert in the back of his knees.
Gilbert gasped and fell down, raising his hands immediately to protect his face against them, trying to get up quickly.
But they didn't let him. Without break they were above him and let fists and batons fly down on their victim, while Schukow watched.
"You should stop fighting back. It will just make it worse."
But Gilbert didn't stop.
He used to be Prussia. He used to rule half of Europe!
It felt like an eternity until he finally broke down and curled up under their hits. His body was a mess and it seemed like every bone hurt..
Still they didn't stop. The soldiers kept on hitting and kicking him without mercy until Schukow raised a hand.
"Enough." Stepping past the panting soldiers he squatted down, burying his fingers in Gilbert's hair. "You may be a nation..." he whispered smiling. "But I know very well how to break you. I've done it before."
Gilbert glared at him through swollen, bloody eyes. "... you... won't break me..." he whispered. "You can... kill me... but you'll never... never break... Prussia." And with that he spat into his face.
With an unnerved sigh Schukow wiped the bloody spit from his cheek, grabbing Gil's hair harder to smash his head on the ground.
"Rude... Bring him away. I guess /Prussia/ could need some rest before we start for real."
Gilbert groaned in pain, gasped as they pulled him up. His legs didn't listen to his commands and the whole room was spinning around him.
Under Schukow's eyes they dragged him away and out of the room back into the empty hallway. The soldiers ignored his groaning and once more didn't care to watch out and prevent him from bumping against the doorpost. He was barely more than a bloody bag between them and they treated him like that, literally throwing him into a brightly lit cell and the cold water that covered the lowered ground, before the door fell shut.
Gilbert gasped as he felt the water soak through his clothes and sat up with some difficulties. "A-ah...!"
He raised his head, looking around. What ... what was this?
"Hng." He flinched, cursing lowly. Damnit. They got him good...
Several floors above his head Toris hurried through the hallways. He had been dismissed with a slap across the face and a verbal scolding after backing up Gilbert's story of the accident and a report on Ivan's well-being. He knew if it hadn't been for Gilbert's confession he would have been off worse...
Panting he stormed into an office and scared the secretary half to death. "I need to talk to the chairmen right now. It's important!"
The woman just stared at him, not understanding.
"The chairmen!" Toris almost shouted. If he managed to speak to the right people... maybe he could get Gilbert out this evening and before something serious happened to him.
If Gilbert got severely hurt... No. He didn't want to think of that...
Gilbert had leant his back against the cold wall, staring at the door on the other side of the room. His arms were wrapped up around his chest and he was breathing heavily, trembling already. From the fall his clothes were all soaked and after he had failed to stand for longer than two minutes, he had just given up and sat down in the water.
Bastards...
I won't be broken...
This is nothing... just some water... It's cold, but I'm from the north... I know Russia...
You can't break me...
He curled up a bit, suppressing a sneeze, since the last one had sent a jolt of pain through his body.
Damnit...
It was the moment the light was turned off and left Gil in absolute darkness. There was no sound to hear except for his own breathing and the little noises the water made whenever he moved in it.
The German grind his teeth, then snorted and started laughing. "Really? Really now?"
He pulled his legs closer to his body with another pained groan, wrapped his arms around the knees and buried his aching face into them. "... what do you think I am... afraid of the darkness?"
As an answer the light flashed up again, maybe a bit brighter than before. This on and off of the neon lights above his head continued in an uneven pattern for about one hour before the light remained switched on again.
Gilbert kept his eyes shut and buried into his arms. Still the lights reached him a bit and it hurt his eyes.
"... Arschlöcher..." was all he murmured every now and then, feeling like his toes getting numb by now.
He was left alone for another hour in the blinding light until a key turned in the lock and the heavy door was opened. Smiling brightly Schukow stood in the door frame, glancing amused at his guest.
"Well? How are we now? Ready to behave?"
Gilbert raised his head and after a short moment, the smirk was back. "How did you know I liked to take a cold bath to wash away some blood? That was really... really kind of you."
His voice was trembling of the cold, but he didn't care.
"Was it? Well, I'm glad I could make your stay comfortable." The smile didn't vanish from the grey man's face, but it turned into something cold. "And since you like it so much, I have an upgrade for you. Don't thank me. I know I'm just too generous sometimes." With that Schukow turned to the side and spoke quietly to someone. It sounded as if a kind of small machine got started somewhere.
Gilbert frowned slightly at that sound. What now-
- and the next moment a jolt of electricity shot through the water.
He couldn't finish that thought, as he literally jumped to his feet with a muffled scream, hitting with his back against the wall as his legs gave in slightly.
"Motherfucker...!" He started running - well, slightly stumbling - towards that man, ready to punch him.
Schukow saw him coming but his smile didn't falter. Instead rifles appeared left and right of him, aiming at Gilbert.
"I wouldn't do that, Beilschmidt. Or do you want your brain scattered all over the place?"
Gilbert stopped and growled. "... fucking coward...!" he growled.
"Ah. I don't need to be brave, Beilschmidt. That's not my job. Giving you a nice holiday here... yes, that's my job." And he made a hand gesture, sending a new jolt through the water.
Gilbert suppressed another scream, stumbled back and fell into the water, face down. Gasping, coughing he sat up. "Great... I can't... can't wait...!"
"I know. It's exciting, isn't it? Well, I guess you could need a bit more sleep before we start for real, since you're already so... willing to work with me." With that Schukow turned around, looking back over his shoulder. "I'm back in an hour. I hope you learnt until then."
"Fuck you." Gilbert growled and pushed himself up, stumbling back a bit.
Damn you...!
Schukow shook his head with pity. "Give him another portion." And with the door falling shut behind him the electricity ran once more through the water and Gilbert's wet clothes. Some seconds longer than before.
"GAAH!" His body tensed and when the electricity was gone, he fell back into the water, gasping for air.
"GHN!" He clenched his teeth, growling, and slammed his fist into the water. "ASSHOLE!"
In another building far away Ivan stared at the ceiling. He felt way better than the day before. He could breathe freely again and the pain was gone thanks to the medication they had given him. When he brushed his hand over the thick bandage he still flinched for that strange numb feeling, but it was alright.
The only thing that wasn't alright was, that he had been left alone. A one-bed room just for himself. Nice and calm and boring... Whenever he heard footsteps outside Ivan looked up with hope to see a white shock of hair poking in from the hallway, however it were always just nurses and doctors. Ivan even asked them if someone had called, but since midday no one had asked for his state any more.
Sighing disappointed he closed his eyes, mumbling a word into the silent room.
"Gil..."
Gilbert was lying in the water, staring into the bright light, his sensitive eyes hurting terribly.
Every now and then the light flickered and Gilbert tensed, preparing for another shock.
"GAH!"
He curled up on the side, being wet and cold and hurt. He wasn't sure if the shocks were getting stronger or longer, or if it was just the imagination, caused by pain and exhaustion.
"You won't break me with that..." he mumbled.
"Don't worry. I'll break him with that." Schukow smiled into the receiver of the phone and nodded even if the other side couldn't see him. "Yes, Sir. Of course. Don't worry." Once more he nodded and put the phone down then.
"Alright, boys. It's time. Get the porcelain doll. I want to play~"
He was tired. He had no idea how long this had been going on by now, but he was tired of it!
His muscles were twitching every now and then, overtaxed by the electricity, and it hurt.
But that was ok. He was a nation, a warrior, he was used to pain.
But this was so tiring...
Heavy steps came fast closer and the next moment the door flew open. The four soldiers from before came into Gilbert's cell. Without a word two grabbed him, while the others guarded the door with loaded rifles.
Gilbert gasped a bit in surprise. "Ah! Goddamnit, fuck off!" He pulled on his arms.
"You have an appointment. Don't try to struggle" one of his torturers growled and pulled Gilbert to the door and out of the water into the hallway.
Gilbert struggled, but not much. He tried to save his strength for later.
"An appointment? With whom?"
"With your hotel manager" one of the others chuckled, getting a glare from his comrade.
"You'll see, Whitey. It's not far."
They dragged him down the hallway and back into the empty room he had been beaten up in. Now however there wasn't even a chair. Just Schukow waited there, leaned against the wall and welcoming Gilbert with a smile.
"There you are. You look terrible, you know that?"
The door fell shut behind Gil and his guards.
"I was about to tell you the same" Gilbert replied, then shrugged. "But once I'm out of these clothes and dry, I'll look fine again. But what will you do about this ugly face?"
One of the soldiers holding him, gave him a hard hit on the back of his head, while Schukow just sighed deeply. "You're a stubborn one. I see... Well, I can't do anything about my face, but we can do something about your clothes." Snapping his fingers he gave his men a signal and without warning they kicked into Gilbert's knees to bring him down.
Gilbert gasped and when he was on his knees, he kicked to the side, angry at them treating him like this. "Fuck off!"
"Take his clothes off, but be careful. We wouldn't want to cut him. Right, boys?"
Laughing the third soldier approached them from behind, weighting a hunting knife in his hand, while his comrades held Gilbert down. Running the tip of the blade lightly over Gilbert's back he finally grabbed his collar and started cutting it open.
"What-" Gilbert tensed. "You fuckers! The heck are you doing?" He didn't dare to struggle too much though. That knife looked pretty sharp.
"You said yourself you want out of these clothes, so we're helping~" Schukow grinned, while he watched how his man cut the uniform off Gilbert's body.
"Assholes...!" Gilbert growled. "... then again... I never could stand that ugly piece of cloth..."
"See? We just do you a favour."
The man worked quickly and surprisingly careful. He cut the sleeves of Gilbert's jacket and shirt open and ripped both away. On a sign his comrades pulled the German back up on his feet, so he could care for his trousers as well.
Gilbert glared at them, growling lowly. "Yeah, a favour. I guess I won't get a new uniform from you, though?"
Schukow laughed, while the soldier ripped Gilbert's trousers off and ended with his underwear. "I thought you don't like it anyway? Please decide for something already."
"I said a new one. Dark blue would be nice, yes."
"You already look dark blue to me." Grey eyes wandered over Gilbert's body, glancing at the countless bruises the beating had caused. "Looks painful. Do you want a massage for that?"
Gilbert raised his eyebrow. "Hm. Depends. Do you have some hot girls to do it? If not, I guess I'll pass."
"No. I'm sorry. Our hot girls work in the women tract. Alright, boys. Prepare him for the questioning."
The German growled. "I don't even know what you think I could TELL you."
"You'd be surprised. We always found something to talk about with our guests."
While Schukow spoke, the soldiers tied Gilbert's hands and feet to ropes. The ropes around his wrists got tied to some iron rings on the ceiling, while the ropes on his ankles got tied to rings to the wall. On a sign they straightened the ropes, pulling Gilbert's limbs apart.
"Ah!" Gilbert gasped a bit as they yanked on his legs and he had to fight to keep his balance. "... ok, this is pretty uncomfortable" he growled.
"That's the point."
They made sure his legs were fixed in an uncomfortable position while Gilbert's hands were just loosely stretched. Like this he had to balance his weight on his parted legs, without being able to hang on the ropes from above.
"Alright. Let's start."
Gilbert looked from one to another, his heart racing pretty much now. He didn't know what to expect and that made him... really uncomfortable...
"… you can't be serious." Toris felt tired, so tired after many phone calls and long discussions. He had called all chairmen of the congress he could reach this time of the night. He had explained to every single one of them how much of a bad idea it was to keep the embodiment of GDR captured. However he hadn't mentioned torture, knowing everyone knew already what it meant to anger Chruschtschow.
"Tomorrow? Tomorrow is too late!" His voice was unusually harsh as he shouted into the phone. Of course it was late at night but tomorrow was too late!
"Ok… yes, ok. Thank you anyway…" With a deep sigh Toris cut the call and looked up to his ambassador against whose desk he leaned. This man and his subordinates were the only people Toris trusted in this building. They were all Lithuanian and some even spied for the resistance. Toris knew all that. He knew it and he supported them, like they supported him. His ambassador had even come from home to help him now.
"He's not willing to talk to the big boss…?" the man asked quietly, knowing the answer already.
"No… not before the morning, just like the others…" The nation buried his face into his hands with a deep sigh. It couldn't be helped… he needed Ivan. People here listened to him. Well, of course. He was their motherland.
"Listen… do me the favour and keep calling the rest of the list. Explain what I told you. I need to drive to the hospital."
"The hospital? And in the middle of the night? Why…?"
"I need to get help…"
Half an hour later Toris lead his car through the empty streets.
It was too late for people being outside and it was forbidden anyway. So he drove the way to the hospital on the other side of the city faster than expected.
Stopping with squealing tires in front of the big glass door Toris jumped out and hurried inside, just to be stopped by the night guard. It was an old man, totally overrun by the nation and his flood of explanations and swears. Still he didn't let Toris pass. When the Lithuanian tried to get past him with force that little old man turned out to be surprisingly strong. He held Toris back and the nation didn't want to hurt him...
Chewing on his lip he begged that someone called Ivan, that it was a matter of life and death, but the old man remained unmoved. It took them several minutes of loud discussion, in which curious nurses came to see what caused all the ruckus, until the night guard threatened to call the police. Toris didn't need that. If the police got him, he knew they'd lock him up for the night... and he had no time for that.
Cursing under his breath Toris pushed the old man away, making him stumble and fall, maybe even get hurt in the end. He didn't know since he sprinted past him and the screeching nurses into the white and brightly lit hallways, without a look back. If he remembered right Ivan's room number had been one from the second floor. Running up the stairs Toris heard footsteps behind him.
He was in trouble... in big trouble... Still he didn't stop, wasn't allowed to stop. Rushing into the hallway with the patients' rooms he searched for the right number.
There was turmoil in the hallway which didn't wake only Ivan from his sleep. Frowning sleepily he glanced at the door and the line of light sipping through the gap at the bottom.
"What the heck..." he grumbled and turned a little to the side, closing his eyes again... but just for a moment. "...?"
"Ivan!"
There it was again!
"Ivan!"
He knew that voice!
"... Toris?"
Footsteps and angry shouting came closer, before the door to his room was ripped open. The sudden light blinded Ivan for a moment, but the voice was unmistakable.
"I-Ivan! Something happened! Something terrib-!"
Toris couldn't finish his sentence. He was ripped from his feet the next moment and pushed to the ground by two male nurses. He struggled desperately to get free, but they kneeled on him, trying everything to not let him go.
"What..." Pushing his legs out of the bed, Ivan sat up. "Get off him. I said get off him!"
"Sir, we can't let-"
"Get off him!" Ivan growled with as much authority as he managed in a nightgown.
Glancing at each other the nurses slowly let got of Toris, who immediately got up on his feet and stumbled into the room.
"Ivan! Ivan we... we need your help!" he panted, fighting for air.
The Russian frowned worried. If Toris acted like this, if he came to wake him... something was very wrong.
"What is it? Toris! What is wrong?"
"I-It's Gilbert... They got him! Your boss called and we had to go there and Gilbert lied to him and then he was brought away and-"
Ivan didn't need to hear more. Ripping his wardrobe open he struggled to get dressed under the protest of his caretakers. He wasn't supposed to get up or get upset or even leave, they shouted over and over, but he didn't listen. There was just one thought while he closed his trousers, ordering Toris to get his shirt and a coat.
Gilbert... they got Gilbert... and he was all alone!
Translations:
Preußische Tugenden – Prussian Virtues
Arschlöcher - assholes