Sorry that I couldn't keep up the happiness in this story for long... But I hope this chapter is at least balanced out!
Well, I've got one more exam left next week and then I'm done, so the next chapter shouldn't take me as long anymore.

Now I've got a question for everyone who's following this story: do you still receive notifications when I update? I got an error message the moment I updated for the past two or three chapters. For some reason the author would receive notifications when they update their own stories, but since the error messages started, that kind of stopped abruptly, which is weird.
So I'm wondering if you guys still receive notifications or not. If not, maybe that's worth mentioning to the admins, as it might be a bug on the website...

So yeah, just curious about it.
{Edit: and just as I mention it, it went back to normal for me at least. Weird stuff.}

Anyways, thanks for the reviews once again and I hope you'll enjoy the chapter!

It felt like a long time for the Potsdam Conference to come to an end, although it was already in the early days of August that Germany and Prussia were called in to a small office in the Cecilienhof, where America, Russia and three humans representing each nation would explain to them what had been decided.
Many of the decisions were things the two nations could fully agree with; they would lose the territories they had been occupying for the duration of the war and in the years before then, for example. Instead, Germany would be occupied, divided into zones overseen by the Allied Forces. Their people would be expelled from the lands that weren't theirs, to make the loss of their occupied territories more definitive. Demilitarisation, denazification, war trials: those were all things that they could agree with.
Their loss of territory in the East, however, was one step too far.

Germany could not take his eyes off his brother as they were shown a map with the new borders drawn on it, something called the Oder-Neisse line. Prussia's red eyes were wide with shock and glassy with tears as he saw what would have to be ceded to Poland and the Soviet Union.
Silesia, the majority of Pomerania. Both East and West Prussia.
After a long, suffocating silence, Prussia lifted his gaze to stare at the five people in front of him. For just a moment, his lips moved without a sound, but then he finally managed to speak. "You can't…" was all he choked out at first, his voice a soft, hoarse whisper. "Please… You can't…" He then looked down at the map again, eyes focused mainly on the area of East and West Prussia. "That land… has always been mine… F-from the day I was born, it's been my land…"
Germany wanted to do something, to say something that could ease his brother's mind or just anything that could even be remotely comforting. His heart ached for Prussia when the older nation clenched his jaws and tried to blink away a few tears.
The Prussian clenched his hands into fists, shaking lightly as he once again looked up at the three humans and America and Russia. "Isn't it bad enough that there's hardly anything left of Königsberg? T-that land is my home! I've… I've lived there for centuries…" His voice cracked on the words, but he was still struggling to keep his emotions under control even then. "I-I get that you would take back the land we've occupied, all right, I get it! But Prussia has been mine all my life, has been me all my life, we never occupied it! It's where I was born and raised, where I became a Duchy and later a Kingdom, so… So please…" Prussia's voice was quivering with emotion, his eyes flooding with tears once more as he begged: "Please don't take my home from me…"
Germany couldn't remember the last time he had heard such grief, such misery in his brother's voice. When he'd talked about their lost family, maybe, or perhaps in his most miserable moment when he'd been in hospital after his brain haemorrhage, but even about those situations he just couldn't be sure. Prussia was so heartbroken over this, and understandably so.
One of the three humans, an Englishman, then said that the decision had been made and that nothing would change anymore at this point. "Also, to be completely truthful," the man then said calmly, "your people did once occupy the land, unless you're meaning to tell me that the original Prussians are still around?"
America gave the man an almost exasperated look over this. "Hey, dude, I hardly think that's fair," he tried to reason with the human. "I mean, nearly my entire population consists of European settlers, and we don't get kicked out over it, do we?"
"All true," Russia agreed with a tiny smile on his face. "Basically what you're saying is that, according to these rules, America has no right to live at all!" For just a few seconds, the tall nation chuckled softly, then added in almost a whisper: "An idea I can get behind, to be honest…"
"What was that?!" America then snapped, facing the other nation with a furious blue glare. "You'd better take that back, you goddamn communist!"
Russia gritted his teeth now, his smile fading in a heartbeat, returning America's glare tenfold. Germany watched the two nations nervously, but nothing happened in the end other than a staring contest; the three humans stepped in quickly to stop the nations, telling them that they had just ended a war, there was no need to start a new one.
"Maybe for you European guys it's over," America only huffed, turning away from Russia again. "My people are still fighting Japan."
With a sigh, Germany silently directed his attention back at Prussia, who was completely still, watching the map on the desk with glassy red eyes. He didn't even seem to notice much of the near-fight that had just broken out between America and Russia. The younger nation just carefully grabbed his brother's hand, and even to that, Prussia hardly responded. Seeing this, Germany asked softly: "May we please leave? My brother needs some time alone after this…"
It was America who answered, without paying attention to his companions' opinions. "Sure, that's fine," he said a little dismissively, looking at the wall. "Take some time; we'll come in later to give you the dates for your trials."
Germany just nodded and said a quick thanks, then gently pulled his brother along as he left.

The young nation took his brother to their shared bedroom; there was a bed on either side of the room and they'd put a desk in between, on which they would stack books and papers as some sort of wall when they wanted 'privacy'. There he just pulled the trembling Free State towards his bed and carefully sat him down there.
Germany's heart skipped a beat in surprise when Prussia burst into tears the very moment his younger brother sat down beside him. He wasn't quite crying, he was too quiet for that, but he was clearly not holding back his emotions anymore, either.
"It's not fair…" Prussia choked out, his voice high-pitched and quiet, barely audible. "It's… it's my home… First they take my capital, then my home…" The albino bit back a sob, hiding his face in his hand then. He gritted his teeth. "I know that what we… what our people did… It was horrible," he went on quietly. "Of course there would be punishment, of course that would be a steep one… but… but…" Slowly, Prussia trailed off.
Germany put one arm around him comfortingly and held him close without saying anything for a moment. When the silence became unbearable, though, he spoke carefully. "It's okay, Gilbert… You don't have to hold back. Just talk." He didn't know what to say himself, but he guessed it was best for Prussia now if he just got everything off his chest. Life had been good for a few months, but all that time, Germany had still been able to tell that Prussia had been struggling all that time.
Prussia took a deep breath, held that for a few seconds, then breathed out slowly. He wasn't trembling anymore, and when he lifted his had from his hand, although his eyes were bloodshot and there were tearstains still on his face, his expression was one of pure anger. "There are limits," he muttered with only the slightest shiver of sadness still in his voice. "There are limits to what they can do to us, and this… It's too far. I-…" The nation stopped himself quickly, pausing for just a heartbeat before correcting himself: "We have been through enough. We don't deserve this. We have suffered enough, lost enough, without them taking this from us, too."
Germany listened silently, but with every forced 'we' that his brother spoke he felt a twinge of annoyance. "I told you not to hold back," he reminded Prussia then. "Go on. Say what you were going to say." Prussia stared at him when he said this, wide-eyed, as if he didn't understand. Germany knew that he did, though. The young nation narrowed his eyes at this. "Do it."
For a moment, Prussia didn't respond, still looking like he didn't get it, but then emotions flashed in his eyes. Pain. Despair. Rage. When Prussia's expression darkened within heartbeats, Germany almost regretted his words, but he pushed that away; Prussia needed to let it out sometime.
The Free State stood up abruptly, entire body tense, a murderous expression on his face. "Goddammit, Ludwig, I have suffered enough!" he exclaimed suddenly, furious. "I fully get that you suffered, that our people suffered, that other nations and other peoples suffered because of that godforsaken war and, naturally, we're the nations and we receive the punishment regardless of our role in the war, because that's just what being a nation is like! I GET IT! But do they know that we've suffered, that I've suffered, let alone how much? Let's make a fucking list, shall we?" Prussia was pacing around the room as he spoke, stomping loudly, probably without even noticing it himself. "I've been distrusted and disliked my entire life. I've lost almost everyone I ever cared about. Nearly my entire family was slaughtered by my own government. I would go into the wars I've been through, but I didn't hate every single one of them. The scars I've got are self-explanatory, though, no need to go into detail on how much all of that hurt throughout the years. Now let's see… Oh, right: when I established an Empire, I thought it would secure my place at the top and unite my family, but instead it killed my family and ruined my health for the remainder of my life."
Germany flinched when his brother said this. The realisation that it was true was like a dagger to his heart. It… Prussia had called him 'it' when he'd been born, out of sheer confusion of course, but that only served to make these words hurt even more. So… so I'm the reason they're dead, the reason you're declining so quickly… He'd known that for a long time, but at the same time he hadn't really.
But he still refused to stop his brother's rant. He couldn't even have done it if he tried now, anyway. Prussia was yelling so loudly by now, the entire Cecilienhof might have heard him.
"The Great War happened, which was terrible for everyone. Russia nearly killed me in that one, goddammit. We lost, we were condemned to decades of economic struggles. My health started failing me more than ever before. My eyesight went bad, which was terrifying as hell at first. I lost my government, had a goddamn stroke, almost died, then got a leader who didn't even like me one bit! He forced us into this hellhole of a war, forced me to the limits of what my body can handle after that lovely decades-long decline and that wonderful stroke, forced me to sit by and watch as he slowly broke my only remaining brother and my closest cousin with all the shit he did. I tried to stop it, I tried to stop him, and my reward was four months of imprisonment in Auschwitz, where I was humiliated and abused every single day for a month. The other three months, I received the worst torture I've ever been through, mentally, physically, it was horrible. That guy, that sick piece of shit, he actually made me cry. You know, me, Mr Highest-Pain-Threshold-In-The-World, crying in pain. Day in and day out for three months. Three months, Ludwig! That's a fucking quarter of a year!" The albino let out a shrill laugh just then, chilling Germany to the bone with it, but the young nation still just bit his tongue and kept quiet, telling himself over and over that Prussia needed this, that it was okay, it was a good thing that he was saying all this now.
Prussia was smiling as he spoke by now, but it was quite possibly the most twisted smile Germany had ever seen; the Free State looked like he was going to kill someone and laugh and dance as he did so, while at the same time he looked like he was on the verge of tears in utter despair. "I was freed from that shithole and freed from the torture, only to receive the daily torture of missing my little brother and worrying about him for another year and a bit, all the while trying hard to recover from what I'd been through in Auschwitz. Did you know I couldn't even hold a butter knife out of fear for two months? Yeah. That man fucked me up, Ludwig. He just took what was left of my mental stability and blew it to smithereens in those months, and Austria and I just had to try and piece it back together. We lost the war, which is fine with me, and God, I could finally see my precious little brother again. Things are looking up, no?" A dry chuckle then came from Prussia's lips, although it might also have been quiet sobs. "No. My own capital was destroyed entirely, my brother's capital -Brandenburg's capital!- is no better off. Both cities have been my home for centuries, literally centuries. Apparently, being imprisoned and tortured makes me a war criminal and I will be trialled for it! Isn't that just wonderful? And now, to top it all off, they expect me to just be quiet and obedient while they take away the land that has been my home all my life? FUCK THEM!"
Stunned silent, Germany could only watch as his brother's knees buckled and he crashed to the floor, hunched over, shoulders shaking as he cried. It was the first time that Germany had heard the older nation cry quite like this, without any restraint, just letting out all his emotion in one go. It tore at his heart, but at the same time filled him with a sense of relief. This was what he had been aiming for, what he had hoped would happen. For another minute or so, he just let Prussia be, but then he decided it was time for him to do something. A little anxiously, Germany knelt down beside his brother, pulled him close, held him as he cried frantically.
It could have been minutes, it could have been hours before either of them finally spoke again, it was impossible to tell. Prussia had begun to quiet down a little, although he still couldn't control his breathing and still whimpered every now and then. "You know what's the worst part, Ludwig?" the Prussian whispered then, sighing softly. "Even after all that, I still want to go on and I still believe that life really can be beautiful. Isn't that stupid?" He laughed hollowly. "I'm supposed to be some sort of genius, but at the same time I'm a naïve fool who still clings to the belief that, someday, things will get better. That's just… pathetic."
Germany couldn't help but smile when his brother said this, a tiny smile, careful and somewhat sad, too, but a smile nonetheless. "Right and wrong, brother," he whispered back. "It's true that you're a naïve fool, but not for remaining hopeful: you're a fool for thinking that makes you pathetic. It makes you the strongest person I know."

Suddenly he got an idea, and the young nation smiled even wider. "Now here's my next 'task' for you, if you will," Germany began softly, still holding his brother in a warm embrace. "Make another list. Make a list of all the good things that happened in your life. I'll join you."
At first, Prussia only twitched a bit in his little brother's grasp, but then he relaxed and got started. "I was raised by the Teutonic Knights," he began, a little hesitant and unsure. "It wasn't an easy life but I loved it. They taught me to read, to write, to wield a sword and use a bow…"
Germany knew he'd made the right decision when the entire atmosphere seemed to lighten with every word Prussia spoke, and his chest filled with a comfortable warmth as he listened.
"Best of all, though," Prussia went on, "the Teutonic Knights took me in when no one wanted me. They gave me a home in Acre and then they led me home to Prussia… Without them, I don't know what my life would have been like. Then I met Hungary and she became one of my first real friends… and always remained that. I met Holy Rome, the best big brother I could've wished for, and he introduced me to the others and… It may have taken nearly a century to get there, but finally, for the first time in my life, I had a family. Siblings and cousins, people who would stand by me when I needed them even if we didn't always see eye to eye." Prussia let out another soft sigh, but by now he sounded almost blissful and calm. "I travelled so much, Ludwig. I've been to all corners of Europe, I've been in the Levant, I've gone to Asia and America… I think my albinism will prevent me from going to Africa or Australia or anything on the southern hemisphere, but that's okay. I've seen the world, you know. The northern half of it, anyway. And the world… is beautiful. So diverse."
"We'll have to travel when we get the chance," Germany suggested then, smiling wide. "Go on a vacation together. Just forget about everything that's happened and go, even if just for a few weeks. We deserve that by now."
Prussia chuckled. "By now? We deserved that 10 years ago!" He laughed some more, then fell quiet, and Germany just urged him on to continue his list. He did. "I swear to God, Ludwig, I met some of the most amazing people to have walked the Earth. I've had the most awesome family, I've been married to the most wonderful girl I've ever known, I've known the best, most unconditional friendship in existence… And now I've got the world's most fantastic little brother." The Prussian leant back then, staring Germany in the eyes. His red eyes were still bloodshot from crying so much, but all the sadness was gone from them, only joy, love and warmth still shining in his irises. "I've been so unlucky in so many ways," the older nation went on in a whisper. "Yet at the same time, I feel like the luckiest man alive. That's why I still want to go on, why I still want to believe that life is worth living, that not everything is dark and painful… because it's not."
Germany gave a short nod, still smiling, too relieved to speak just then. But Prussia didn't quite accept his silence, and after a little while he reminded the younger nation that he still had a list to make, too. With a soft chuckle, Germany started talking. "Well, for starters, I was lucky enough to be born into the best family in the world," he said, as vague memories flashed him by. A young woman laughing as she held him and played with him. A teenager who always held a large stick. No, not a stick… a cane. He used it to walk. A man with a scary face, a scar over one eye, but with a very gentle voice. People would always bicker around him, and he never liked it, but somehow they always ended up laughing together, and he would laugh along, which would make them laugh even more.
The few memories he had of his family were so precious. "I might not have known that amazing family for long," he went on more softly, "but it was long enough for me to have some memories of them, and that's all I ask for. Even so, even if that is truly all I'm asking for, I was given much more than that. I was given the best brother I could ever wish for. Yes, life is hard and it sucks, but I've been blessed with a brother who has taught me everything I need to know to get through it all." He fell silent, thinking, then burst out laughing for a few seconds. "I would say I can't complain," he laughed, "but to be honest, you don't even want to get me started! But then again, at the end of the day…" He paused and sighed, giving a tiny nod. Yes, he really was. "I'm content. Life's hard, but you know what? I like a good challenge."
Prussia only stared at his little brother for a while, his red eyes shining with joy and pride and love. Then he grinned and ruffled up Germany's hair. "That's my awesome little bro! I swear to God, Ludwig, I pray your life won't be like mine, but at least I know that, if it will be…" He paused for a moment, smiling warmly. "You'll be just fine! Ludwig, you're really such a strong person."
The Free State then put his arms around the younger nation, finishing in a whisper: "If you believe that I'm strong, little brother of mine, then you also should never underestimate yourself."
Germany nodded once again, returning the warm embrace.
"Just stop calling yourself pathetic, Prussia. Remember: you're awesome."

Prussia and Germany's trials were scheduled to start in December, along with Austria's; after finding out that the previously annexed nation had been working in concentration camps for the duration of the war, the Allies decided that he, too, should be trialled for it.
By November, Austria came to the Cecilienhof to join Prussia and Germany there, and although it would only be for a short visit of no more than a week, Hungary was also allowed to come that month. Russia was still residing there also, separate from the two German brothers, and since it had been decided that there should be at least two nations there to keep an eye on them, America had returned after a few months of absence.
The young nation was still clearly uneasy, even months after his decisive victory over Japan and the definitive end of the World War; America's nuclear bombs had not only killed millions of people, but they had also nearly killed Japan himself, and it seemed he could not forgive himself for it.
Germany had once carefully tried to tell him that it wasn't his fault, just like it wasn't Germany's and Prussia's fault that Hitler had gone berserk and caused such death and destruction. America hadn't responded too well to that, and after Germany had just quickly shaken off the massive rant he'd received for trying to be comforting like that, the young nation had resigned to simply taking comfort in the knowledge that he wasn't the only one who struggled with guilt for things he hadn't done.

All worries about the aftermath of the war and the upcoming trials faded to the background on the day that Austria and Hungary arrived together. It had been at the start of the summer that they'd last seen Austria, and for both Prussia and Germany it had been about two years since they had last seen Hungary. It was good to see both of them again.
Very good, if a little uncomfortable because of Russia and America being there and 'keeping an eye on them'.
Hungary seemed to not mind their presence or even not being aware of them at all when she tackled Germany and Prussia both and held them in crushing hugs. Although, 'crushing'… She was much shorter than both of them, so her strangle-hugs weren't as effective as they would have been on someone smaller than them.
While she was busy holding the two nations, Austria took the short opportunity to very quickly greet his cousins in much more civil manner. Neither of the two got the chance to respond, though, when Hungary let go of them and started talking, words tumbling over her lips so quickly that she was hard to follow. "You both look so well!" she exclaimed, overjoyed, her green eyes shining and glassy both at the same time. "Oh, Ludwig, you look like you've actually slept well lately; I'm so happy for you!" Then she turned to Prussia, and after looking him up and down with an astonished green gaze, she nearly squealed. "And Gil, Gil! You've improved so much! I could go on all day if I were to list everything that looks better about you, but this just needs to be said: God, Gil, you've been eating! You look great, really!"
Prussia smiled sheepishly, a little flustered at the sudden -and hyper- attention he got from her. "Well, I don't know how I would've made it through the past two years if I hadn't eaten, so…" He chuckled softly. "Thanks, Lizzie. You look well, too."
Germany blinked, a little confused. "Actually, food has been scarce all year," he reminded Hungary carefully. That, and brother's definitely on the thin side… He and Prussia both, although not anywhere near dangerously malnourished, showed clear signs of the famine affecting them as well.
Hungary looked at him with a flash of pity and a guilty look in her eyes, her smile having faded just a little bit then. "Oh, I know, Ludwig," she said, more quietly now. "But trust me, compared to when I last saw Prussia, he's simply fat right now, even if he is slightly underweight still."
Although he was very surprised by the woman's words, Germany still noticed Prussia cast a quick glance toward Russia and America on the other side of the room, a little distressed when Hungary said this about him. Germany was focused on Hungary though, and he must have stammered something then, because she answered.
"It was simply scary how thin he was," she said, before turning back to look at Prussia again. "I really am glad that you've gained some weight, Gil. I know I kept my mouth shut about it, but I really didn't like looking at you back then."
"That's enough, Lizzie," Prussia then stopped her gently, although the look he gave her was very clear: shut up about it right now. "I'd rather not talk about any of that. I hope you understand."
Hungary was quiet for a moment, also glancing over to Russia and America, and suddenly it seemed to dawn on her. "Oh. Of course, Gil, I'm sorry." She looked at him almost guiltily, but then she got onto her toes to look more closely at his face. "Oh, your eyes are still…." She didn't finish the sentence.
A little annoyed still, Prussia gave a curt nod. "I don't think that's ever going to change anymore now." He sighed. "It looks weird, doesn't it…?"
Hungary only smiled when he said this, shaking her head. "Actually, Gil, I hate how it was done to you, but don't worry about it looking bad. To be very honest… I kind of like it." Suddenly looking guilty again, she averted her gaze uncomfortably. "Is that bad…?"
Prussia's only answer to that question was a kiss.
When the two nations parted again, America called from the other end of the room. "Hey now! Hungary, I do hope you won't be influenced by your emotions in court, or you'll have to withdraw."
The woman spun around with wide, offended look in her eyes. Before she could make the retort that must have been on the tip of her tongue, however, Germany stammered confusedly: "C-court…?"
Hungary instantly ignored America again and looked at the young nation with a much warmer expression again. "The moment I heard that the three of you would be trialled," she explained calmly, "I made work of it. Since I've seen and heard much of what was going on behind the scenes, I'm a witness in this case." Glaring briefly at America, she snapped at the other nation: "And of course my emotions will play a part in it, goddammit, but I will make sure not to let myself be led by them. To a certain extent, emotions are just as important in the courtroom as anything else! Don't tell me what to do, pipsqueak, because I know damn well what my task is." Hungary's mood changed again in a flash when she looked back at Germany, smiling at him. "Okay? Don't worry, sweetie, everything will be just fine."
Before Germany even realised just what it was she had said, Russia was chuckling softly and smiling at him and Hungary. "How sweet!"
In an instant, Germany felt his face grow hot, and he felt frozen where he stood. America, meanwhile, stared at him in confusion, stammering incomprehensible sounds before turning to Russia. "What's this all about?" he asked, making Germany realise that he didn't speak German and hadn't been able to follow anything that had been said so far aside from the one thing Hungary had just said to him, which had been in English. "You're laughing, Germany's blushing -something weird must have just happened, so what was it?"
"Nothing weird at all," was Russia's calm answer, a smile still plastered onto his face. "Miss Hungary just happens to have a cute nickname for Germany, and I commented on it. I don't get why he would be so flustered over it; she only called him 'sweetie', after all. Isn't that adorable?" He looked so genuine when he said all that, it was actually kind of freaky.
Germany only got more flustered, though, when America started laughing. He turned his gaze to the floor, trying to ease the tension in his muscles. "Don't call me that anymore, Hungary," he asked softly, wishing he could just turn invisible as he listened to America's laughter and Russia's chuckles. "Please. It was fine when I was a kid, but now…"
Hungary apologised, although she too was chuckling softly by now, which didn't really help Germany feel any better. Both Austria and Prussia tried to say a word of comfort to the young nation, but the moment they opened their mouths, even they began to laugh ever so slightly. Please just let me disappear for the day… Week. Month.
…Century…
Eventually everyone quieted down again, and America stepped forward, looking at the four nations. He was teary-eyed with laughter. "All right, enough of that," he choked out, still working to catch his breath again. "Now, how about you show your guests to their rooms, Sweetie?"
Germany glared at the older nation for this. "Would it hurt my chances in court if I punched you now?"
"I don't think so! Still, I wouldn't try it if I were you."

That evening, Prussia went to bed early, not feeling well, which left Germany with Hungary and Austria. They first tried to keep their conversation light hearted, but soon the upcoming war trials became the topic once more.
"I honestly don't know how things will go for us," Austria sighed at one point, his eyes narrowed in worry. "I mean, it's true that we were forced to do most of what we've done, but is that really an excuse? I mean, Prussia drugged Poland and it's because of him that Poland was locked up in Auschwitz for years. You assaulted Luxembourg, and I…" He trailed off, nibbling on his bottom lip for a second before looking away.
Hungary immediately tried to be reassuring to the younger nation. "But it's as you said, Roderich," she reminded him softly. "You were forced to do it."
"That I was forced to murder hundreds of people doesn't change the fact that I murdered hundreds of people!" Austria retorted, sounding both agitated and desperate at the same time. Guilt and shame and disgust were evident on every inch of his expression, and Germany felt a rush of pity for his cousin. More than Germany himself, much more so than Prussia, Austria was quite the pacifist unless provoked, and even then he didn't like to resort to violence. He hadn't worked in the concentration camps for nearly three years, but Germany could only imagine the years Austria spent on that job still haunting him.
Thinking about Luxembourg, Germany still felt sick, and he wondered if he could ever face his cousin again.
Meanwhile, Hungary sighed softly. "Well, I'm sure the punishments you'll get -if you get any in the first place- won't be too steep," she said a little tentatively. "In regard to previous wars and the crimes committed by nations in those, it wouldn't be fair. I mean, Prussia didn't receive a punishment for breaking your legs and nearly crippling you," she said to Austria.
Austria huffed. "Not formally," he muttered in response, "but remember the guy who stabbed him in the back and punctured his lung? I believe we all agreed back then that that was punishment enough."
"Well…" Hungary went on defiantly, refusing to give up. "He wasn't even punished for murdering Bavaria or for killing Saxony!"
"We didn't find out about Bavaria until a century later," Austria replied flatly. "Saxony was an accident, that was clear as day. He was absolutely distraught over what happened to Saxony -that, too, was enough punishment in itself."
Hungary narrowed her eyes now, a little peeved. "I'm just trying to help, Roderich!" she told the younger nation indignantly. "What's wrong? You're not usually such an unbearable pessimist."
Germany flinched at her words. He agreed to some extent, but Hungary was quite likely far too blunt. Silently the young nation looked at Austria, who was staring at the wall in complete silence. There was something in his dark blue, purplish eyes that Germany couldn't quite place, although he could tell that the nation was lost in thoughts and he wasn't sure whether Austria had even heard Hungary just earlier. If he hadn't, that might actually be best.
Suddenly Austria turned to Germany, staring his younger cousin straight in the eyes with an intense gaze. "Ludwig," he began almost sadly, "has Prussia told you anything about… about how he's been doing lately?"
His question left Germany completely confused, and he stammered his response. "Uh, well… Just that he's been feeling sick off and on since losing most of his land. That's not too surprising though… Is it?"
Austria shook his head, although there was a flash in his eyes that Germany still couldn't place. "No, that was to be expected, don't worry," he said with a soft sigh. Then he slowly shook his head and was quiet for another few seconds before he looked back up at Germany. "But that's not what I meant. He'll probably hate me for telling you this, but that will just mean going back to the good old days, and that's worth it. You deserve to know." The Austrian then got up from where he sat and moved over to Germany, sitting down beside the younger nation. Just this unnerved Germany, but he listened quietly to what Austria had to say.
"You are aware that Prussia's health has been declining all century, right?" was the first thing Austria then asked, and Germany immediately nodded; of course he knew that. Everyone knew, surely? It was hard to miss. "Now you may have figured this out yourself," Austria went on quietly, his voice hoarse as he spoke. "Still, it may come as a shock… I don't know." He trailed off, taking a deep breath. Austria looked Germany straight in the eyes, his dark blue irises shimmering with emotion as he choked out softly: "He's not going to get better anymore, Ludwig. Not ever. He told me some time ago that…" The nation took another deep breath, and Germany started piecing together the rest of what he had to tell just by seeing how difficult he found it to speak. Even so, he hadn't quite finished that little puzzle inside his mind by the time Austria dropped it on him like a bomb.
"Ludwig, Prussia is dying."
Germany couldn't breathe anymore when he heard this. It wasn't surprising, yet at the same time it was a shock to hear this fact. He'd known, but he'd been denying it all this time. He had simply refused to acknowledge that his brother was slowly dying, even though, all this time, he'd known that his time left with Prussia by his side was limited.
Unable to speak, Germany looked at Hungary, who sat with her eyes closed. Her expression was one of calm acceptance mingled with deep sadness and grief. She'd known too. That was the only thing Germany could think of at that moment. She'd known too.
He looked back at Austria when his cousin started saying more. "I figured as much a few decades ago, but it was… To hear Prussia say it himself was… difficult." Austria's gaze was comforting as he spoke, and Germany focused on that as he listened. "He denied Holy Rome's declining condition and impending death for well over a century or longer, after all. He was quick to accept his own fate in comparison. But that's a good thing."
Nothing that Austria said was what Germany really wanted to hear, so when he got the chance, he choked out his biggest question: "How long do you think he's got left…?"
Austria looked almost shocked at that question, and also a little guilty. "Oh, don't worry about that, Ludwig," he said hastily, almost as if he was trying to correct a mistake. "I've seen the same thing in Germania and Holy Rome, I know what it's like, and Prussia isn't anywhere near death yet." He forced a little smile then, but it wasn't all fake. "When Holy Rome was at this point," he assured his cousin, "he still had a good century. Two, if I'm not mistaken. It's true that Prussia's been going downhill more quickly than Holy Rome did, but he's also stronger than anyone I've ever known."
Hungary nodded and sat down on Germany's other side, grabbing his hand and giving it a comforting squeeze. "He'll have decades at the very least," she told him with a warm smile. "But then, it's Prussia we're talking about; it wouldn't surprise me if he were still around a millennium from now." She then leant forward and gave Germany a soft peck on the cheek. "All right, sweetie? It's something to keep in mind, but you shouldn't worry about it too much. Just make the most of the time you've got left with your brother, all right? You owe yourself that much, and him just as much."
Germany nodded slowly, but then he sighed and gently pushed Hungary away as he got to his feet. "I think I'm heading to bed, too, if you don't mind…" he mumbled softly, then he left without waiting for an answer.
Before he was out the door, Hungary mumbled that, of course, that was all right. Austria agreed softly, apologising for sharing this news with Germany, but it needed to be talked about sometime. Germany fully understood, but that didn't make him feel any less nauseous as he stumbled to his bed.

Prussia was snoring softly when Germany came in, and the young nation immediately tried to be extra quiet so as to not wake him. The teenager silently walked over to his brother's bedside and knelt down there, watching him for a minute or so. Prussia looked completely calm and at ease. His slightly thin face was the only thing about him that looked different from what he had been like in Germany's earliest memories. It was hard to imagine that he was in fact sick and dying.
Seeing him look so much like himself, like he always had, healthy and strong, it hurt to know that he actually wasn't. Yet at the same time it was comforting to see his brother like this: it assured Germany that Austria and Hungary had been right, that Prussia was strong enough to live for a long time yet.
The young nation smiled at that thought. He and Prussia would make many great memories together yet, he had no doubt about that. When the trials next month were over and done with and they could get their lives back on track for real, soon, they would be living life as usual again and they would both be happy once more.
Prussia was strong enough to believe in that, to stay hopeful and trust that life would be beautiful once more. Germany would be strong like his brother and believe the same thing.
If they did that, surely it would come true.
They would make it come true.
Smiling warmly, Germany leant down and gave Prussia a very light, careful kiss on the cheek. "Sleep well, brother," he whispered to him before heading to his own bed opposite of Prussia's. Against the expectations he'd had when he entered his bedroom just two minutes ago, he fell asleep very quickly. Above all, he slept well, his dreams light and warm.

He still really did believe that everything would be all right.

I can't really imagine Prussia's reaction to the Oder-Neisse line any differently from this. It must be devastating to lose your home like that.

Also, the 'sweetie' thing was a disaster waiting to happen from the first time I wrote Hungary calling Germany that. I've been going over many different situations in which she could embarrass him like that in front of other nations, and honestly, I was merciful (evil grin). One such idea was her greeting Germany all "Oh, Ludwig, it's been such a long time! How are you doing, sweetie?" at a UN gathering.
Yeah, you know. With half the world or so around to hear.
I was being kind on him here.

I hope you liked this chapter, and thanks for reading!