Chapter 2: Watching The Light Fade

Ludwig's POV

He watched as his friend lay in a hospital bed. He noticed how Austria's face was tear stained from when he found out that his piano had been blown up. Ludwig sighed, he remembered the day that Austria had gotten his piano. The Austrian's eyes had lit up with something he had never seen before. The joy in his face never faded. He laughed at the memory of dragging Roderich form his music room to get something to eat. He had played the piano for almost two days straight after he got it.

Ludwig spoke to the doctor and was told that Roderich was allowed to go home. He went back to the room and looked at the man laying in the bed. There was something off about him. "Roderich..you are allowed to go home now.." He only received a nod in response, not a word had passed from the lips of the other after he had woken the morning after finding out about his piano. Ludwig packed up the few things that he had brought for Roderich. He went to sign the papers for him and led him out to the car that would take them back to Roderich's. Italy would have food ready for them, Hungary would have the house clean. His music room had been cleaned and fixed.

They arrived quickly. The streets were never crowded here. He walked him into the house, something smelled good as the door opened. "Italy made dinner Rod.." He hoped to get Austria to eat something. Italy came rushing out of the kitchen to Ludwig, he whispered something in his ear and ran back to the kitchen. Ludwig blinked, "that's...odd..." He said and walked to the kitchen, where Prussia sat at the table, talking to Hungary about how awesome he was, she looked irritated and was probably ready to hit him with the frying pan in her hand. Ludwig looked at his brother. "Vas...are you doing hier?" Prussia muttered something about wanting to see Austria when he got home. Ludwig laughed, "Go home. He does not need you to pick on him at all." Prussia just shrugged and got up. Ludwig jumped as a door shut loudly down the hall. He turned and saw as Austria stood outside of the music room. He sighed, "Come eat something..." He didn't get a response as Roderich had sunk to the floor in tears. He sighed, glancing at Prussia as he watched over his shoulder.

Prussia's POV

Gilbert watched over his brother's shoulder as a man he had always known to be strong, shed tears. He had not thought the Austrian would be so upset over all this. It was just a piano after all, they could be easily replaced, couldn't they? He went back into the kitchen, sneaking out the back door and through the garden, he had someone to visit and it could not wait.

He was happy that Romano was staying in a hotel nearby to keep an eye on Feliciano. He knocked on the door. "Romano, Open up!" He watched as the door opened, revealing a very sleepy looking Spain, "Romano is in the bathroom.." He muttered. "Come back later." He shut the door. Gilbert growled.

He walked home, and sat on his couch. "He's upset...and he needs someone to comfort him, but with that Italian always there, and Germany taking care of Rod, I can't get close without question... He sighed and picked up the phone. "Sorry boys...but you'll be needed back in Italy soon." He laughed and made a phone call.

He set it up so that something happened at the Vatican that deeply upset Feliciano and he needed to go back to Italy that evening, but Germany wouldn't let him go alone so he went with him. He also knew that Hungary was going to go back to Egypt the next day. So he could now put his plan into action.

He knocked on Austria's door, something he rarely did. The Austrian answered, but it was with a dead look, he didn't even get upset that it was him on the other side of the door and merely walked back to the living room. No music was playing like before, the house was dark, Austria looked tired, cold, and hungry. Gilbert followed him in, "Roddy...what happened..." He asked. "I mean...you're still in your pajamas.." He sighed to himself. "Come here.."

Little known to everyone, Prussia did care for Roderich...a lot actually. He held his arms open, offering a hug he assumed would be denied. To his surprise, Austria moved into the Prussian's arms. Gilbert wrapped his arms around the one he loved, he had always wanted him this close.

Roderich's POV

Roderich hadn't spoken, had barely made a sound since the night he went to the hospital. He didn't understand why he got up in the morning, nor did he know why he accepted the hug from Gilbert. He hated this man. This man had tortured him for years. Had disrespected him. His eyes had gone cold, and he barely felt his heart beating most of the time. To outsiders, it had just been a piano, an easily replaced object. But to Roderich, it was his best friend. The only one that he could count on to make him feel better when he was upset, or to express his happiness to. He hadn't just lost a piano, he had lost his only friend.

No one else saw it the same way he did. It was important to him. It was his life he lost when that piano was blown up. He still didn't know why someone would have done that to his piano. At first, he assumed it was Prussia but realized that, despite the cruel nature of the other, he would never do something like that. He kept quiet for fear of losing it. He would yell and scream, question and question until he found out who did it. He would never let it go. It would haunt him forever.

He sat for a while within Gilbert's arms, tears leaking from his eyes. He had never before thought he would be crying in front, or for that matter, within the arms of, his worst enemy. So much was wrong with him, but he didn't know what to do to fix any of it. His heart was broken and the light had faded from inside him. He no longer felt music playing deep in his soul. He had no inspiration. He was no more than a zombie.