Ludwig sighed, and lowered himself against the god-forsaken wall. Looking up at the sky, he recognized a few constellations. He'd grown used to looking at the sky as he waited for his brother to settle against the other side. Gilbert only seemed to have time to see the wall at nights, when Ivan was likely asleep. It wouldn't be long now. Prussia seemed to have very little time to speak with him, and he would take advantage of whatever time he could.

Watching as Leo climbed higher into the sky, he heard his brother's staggered footsteps come closer to the wall. Dragging his attention away from the sky, he winced as his brother's weight harshly fell against the wall. He listened as his brother panted, collecting his breath.

"That was a close one!" Gilbert said enthusiastically, releasing his breath in a long, exhilarated sigh.

"Are you hurt? What happened?" Ludwig's concerned voice rising as he imagined what his brother had gone through to reach the wall this time. "You shouldn't gamble your life so much!"

"Shaddup West, I'm alright!" his ragged voice said, irritated by his brother's concern. "I'm not dyin' or anything." He shuffled his weight against the wall, making himself more comfortable.

Ludwig sighed. "Whatever Ivan has done to you this time, I swear, I'll wring his neck once this stupid wall comes down!" He'd been angry for so long now, the threat seemed nearly empty. Hope was dwindling. It seemed as long as Russia was a country, he would stop at nothing to keep the German brothers apart. Torturing Gilbert seemed to be a pastime of his now too.

"Alright… so he got my legs this time. It's just a couple bruises, and maybe a few cuts. There's nothing to worry about." Gilbert reassured, sounding relaxed.

This was Prussian for, "My legs are shredded to pieces and I can hardly walk", though Ludwig wouldn't comment if he didn't want to start another argument.

"How are things on your end?" the albino commented.

"Oh, the same as always. Alfred treats us well, even though he's dense at times. He knows what he's doing, and he's made our economy quite strong recently." Ludwig explained.

"Francis and Arthur getting along okay?" Gilbert laughed, knowing full well what the answer was.

Ludwig shared his laugh with a low chuckle. "Francis keeps trying to grope Arthur, as usual. It's gotten to the point that he'll even try during ordinary meetings, when Arthur doesn't dare make a scene. His boss would kill him."

Gilbert continued to laugh at that. It was a nice sound, and Ludwig didn't hear it often now. As his laughing came to a stop, he heard Gilbert gasp.

"What is it?" Ludwig demanded, wishing he could care for his brother's wounds.

"N-nothing, I just have to go now." Gilbert said breathlessly. Ludwig heard his brother stumble to his feet, using the very wall that caused him to be in this condition as a crutch.

"Gilbert…" Ludwig trailed off uncertainly. This conversation had been shorter than most.

"I'll be back tomorrow. Try not to miss my awesomeness too much, okay?" Gilbert's voice resigned.

"Alright bruder." Ludwig sighed. "Be… careful, okay?"

But Gilbert was already gone.

X.x.X

"Lovino still with Antonio?" Gilbert said, his voice smiling at the memory of the two.

Ludwig couldn't help but smile too. "Romano is in denial, but he loves tomatoes too much to stay away from Antonio for too long. Even if it's only tomatoes keeping the two of them together, it's enough to keep Antonio content."

Gilbert laughed, leaning his head against the concrete. "Antonio is so hopelessly in love with him, it's not even funny. How is the… Bad Touch Duo doing, then?"

"Not good. Antonio's not really committed, and you know Francis only went to bars because you and Antonio wanted to. He'd rather sip his wine at home, I suppose." Ludwig said airily, listening to the sound of Gilbert's breathing on the other side of the wall.

"I'm going to have to kick their asses once I get back, huh? Teach them what real partying is again…" Gilbert huffed, frustrated at his friends' dissolution. "Wish we were back in the pirate days. Everyone was so lively."

Ludwig smiled, "That's because everyone was bent on killing each other."

"Exactly! The world needs more violence!" Gilbert exclaimed. Ludwig could imagine his brother's hands being thrown up in the air.

"Gilbert, if there were more violence in the world, we'd have a nuclear war, then there'd be nobody left!" Ludwig argued, happy that his brother was able to talk this freely.

"That's why the world should've just kept with sword fighting! That's real battle. It's not about who can aim and shoot quicker, it's about who is more skilled than the other. It's all about the technique. There's just something you can't enjoy in a good fight with guns. It's too easy." Gilbert complained, starting his rant about "back in the old days".

"So you're saying that stabbing each other with pointy objects beats guns?" Ludwig commented, raising an eyebrow.

He could feel his brother's glare from the other side of the wall. "It's more complicated than that, and you know it!" Gilbert complained, grumbling about how if his brother had been raised in the time of the crusaders he'd understand.

"…What time is it?" Gilbert asked, suddenly serious.

"It's just after midnight." Ludwig answered reluctantly.

"Shit. I gotta get back, 'else Ivan will roast me over the fire for dinner." The red eyed man said, a hint of fear leaking into his voice

"Okay, brother." Ludwig replied, trying not to sound too disappointed. His brow furrowed, and he hoped his brother would make it back to Ivan's before he would notice. The German hardly wanted to imagine what would befall him if he were caught.

And Gilbert was gone.

X.x.X

"What on earth happened? I thought you were going to die or something! Gilbert, you can't come here if it's going to get you killed!" Ludwig panicked, his worry increasing as he listened to Gilbert's laboured pants.

"I'm…fine…West!" the albino choked out. "Just got caught, that's all."

"That's all? That's all! Gilbert, you could have died out there!" the blonde yelled, worried out of his mind.

"But I didn't!" Gilbert exclaimed, hoping to settle his brother's worries.

His efforts were in vain. "…How bad is it?" Ludwig sighed, dreading the answer.

"…"

"…Gilbert."

"…"

"Don't keep things from me now."

"…Let's just say I can hardly tell that I'm albino." Gilbert said, resigned voice holding back a cough that would probably cause him more pain than it was worth.

Ludwig fought back tears. He could guess that Gilbert had a few broken ribs, and likely even more broken bones. His ragged breathing confirmed it.

"…Sorry I didn't make it out yesterday." Gilbert said, sounding like a friend apologizing for missing a date at the movies, and not an imprisoned man explaining how he couldn't break out to see his brother.

"It's okay, Gil. I didn't stay out too long after." Ludwig explained, nearly drowning with worry. If he had internal bleeding, he could be in serious trouble.

"Are you okay?" Ludwig asked. He knew it was stupid, but he had to ask.

"…Yeah, I'm fine."

That's Prussian for "Hell no". Ludwig could only sit back, and listen to the irregular breaths his brother took. He didn't make any effort for conversation. Gilbert needed his strength. The quiet nearly overtook him, when Gilbert spoke up.

"Are you okay? You aren't saying anything." He seemed to be talking alright.

"Ja, I'm fine. Just… worried." Ludwig replied reluctantly.

"If I hear that from you one more time, I swear, I'm going to have to punch you in the throat. Like I said, I'm okay. Time heals all wounds." Gilbert said, irritated at his brother.

"Since when were you a philosopher?"

"Since when wasn't I a philosopher?"

"Will you ever stop answering questions with questions?"

"Will you ever stop being an arschloch?"

Ludwig attempted a laugh at that, though realized it was a mistake when his brother heard his laughing and attempted joining in.

He hissed in pain, and followed it up with a whimper he would later deny making.

"I'm sorry." Ludwig apologized, bowing his head.

"Didn't I tell you that was a swear word?" Gilbert said lightly, as though there was nothing wrong about their situation.

"…Yes, I think you did." Ludwig replied, recalling a time when Gilbert had said the same thing. It was a long time ago.

"I should go, if I value my life." Gilbert said, holding back a sigh.

"Don't come tomorrow if it'll cost you."

But Gilbert was gone.

X.x.X

"…Is Liz still with that stupid aristocrat?" Gilbert complained, seeming to dread the answer.

"Well, since their divorce, they've been very close." Ludwig answered, trying to be vague.

"Don't water it down for me, West. I just wanna know if she's happy." Gilbert whined.

Ludwig sighed, "As far as I know, she's enjoying her independence. She's still very tight with Roderich though. I've heard a few rumors that they were dating, but I'm not sure."

Gilbert huffed. "Stupid aristocrat… Tell her that… I'm glad she's okay."

Ludwig had nearly forgotten. After the war, Elizaveta had been under Russian control as well. Bet it was killing Gilbert to know that she had been freed. In fact, it seemed like everyone had been freed but Gilbert.

"I'll pass on the message." Ludwig said. He didn't know how he'd approach the tomboy, but he'd find a way. "But enough talk about how things are over here. How are you doing?"

As expected, Gilbert didn't answer.

"Listen, we can't have a conversation if I'm the only one talking. Out with it. How are things?" Ludwig said. He didn't want to press his brother too far, but at the same time, he had to know.

"Your worst suspicions are probably nothing compared to the truth. But seriously, can't we talk about something happier? I know my situation is pitiful, but I'll get out of it soon, and then everything will be okay." Gilbert reassured, shuffling on the other side of the wall.

"Do you get enough to eat?" Ludwig asked, a sliver of hope in his voice.

No answer.

"…Do you even have your own place to live?"

Again, no answer.

"It's really that bad?" Ludwig said, voice begging for him to be wrong.

"West, you haven't even scratched the surface."

"Then tell me." Ludwig pleaded.

Gilbert was silent for the longest time, until Ludwig had to break the silence.

"Gilbert? Are you still there?"

No answer.

Ludwig looked at his watch, startled when it read 12:42.

Gilbert was gone.

X.x.X

"You want to know, then?" Gilbert sighed.

"Bruder, I've wanted to know what happens behind that wall since the day it was put up."

"…I could get killed for something like this." Gilbert said, his voice low. "But I'll tell you, I guess. Just to shut you up.

Ludwig might have taken offense to this if he hadn't known that was Prussian for "This is hard for me, so be glad I'm telling you." He nodded, but then remembered his brother couldn't see him. The thought made his heart pang. Swallowing, he said, "I know."

"Behind this wall, people are starving. Ivan didn't have anything to offer us in the beginning, and it was a few weeks before stores started receiving shipments of food. There was barely enough to feed a town, let alone a city. The economy is so bad, that most people have been turned out onto the streets. When the Russians began restricting our movement to places that were better, people were trapped here, and forced to live in this hellhole. I was taken a few days after that. There were a few weeks there that I couldn't find a way out, and Ivan's torture methods were driving me insane." Gilbert paused to gather himself. He took a few deep breaths, overwhelmed by the thought of the torture.

"I bargained with Ivan that if he didn't let me outside, that I'd will myself out of existence. Yeah, I can do that now. Prussia doesn't need a representative. I've been dissolved. I can go any day now. Once I convinced him that his bargaining chip could die any day, he let me out, I started coming to the wall and talking to you. But, the longer I stay, the harsher the punishment is. That's the position I'm in now." Gilbert said in a resigned voice. There was no fight left in him. Ludwig hadn't even imagined what it could have been like.

"Gilbert, I-"

"Germany!" a bright Italian voice said, waving at Ludwig as he came over to the wall. "Is this where you've been this whole time?"

"Ja, Italy. I've been speaking with my brother. You can go-" Ludwig cut off short as he looked at the childlike Italian. His face had changed to one of shock, shifting quickly to pain.

"G-Germany…" The normally happy-go-lucky Italian stuttered.

"What's wrong, Italy?" the German said, trying to keep concern from his voice.

"P-Prussia's… not here anymore." He said, eyes filling with tears.

"…No, he's not. He's behind this wall though, and he'll be coming back soon, I promise. Now, just-"

"Germany… this isn't B-Berlin."

Ludwig blinked in shock. Of course this was Berlin! It wasn't called the Berlin Wall for nothing, after all. He looked around him for the first time in months. Looking around, he saw the outskirts of a city. Quickly whipping his head back to look at the wall, he realized it was just a standalone wall, left behind from some construction project, probably involving the expansion of the city. It's surface had none of the graffiti it was so well known for.

Finally, in one last hope, Ludwig called his brother's name.

"…G-Gilbert?"

No answer.

"No…"

"No, no…"

The proud country of Germany collapsed, leaning against the wall.

Gilbert was gone.

X.x.X

A.N: Angsty! So much angst! Blame the angst! Don't ask me where this came from, but I turned on my laptop, and my fingers started typing. Poor Gilbert…

Review if you'd like… I'm going to crawl into a hole and start growing mushrooms now…