"Ost! Don't run with scissors!"
"Ja! Ja!" Gilbert called back not slowing his pace at all. He ran up the stairs the scissors in his hands waving wildly. He slid to a stop outside the Austrian's door and ran in jumping on the bed. "Roderich! Guess what!"
Suddenly jumping into the room was probably a very bad idea. The other nation had jumped in surprise and fear, he looked absolutely terrified. His violet eyes wide and fearful. He had just been so excited that he forgot. "Sorry… sorry," he said quickly setting the sharp instrument aside and cupping the other's face. "I didn't mean to scare you." Gilbert kissed the top of the Austrian's head gently. Apologizing once more. He brushed his fingers against Roderich's pale cheeks. So soft. His hair was soft. He always smelled of lilacs. Which… didn't seem possible because the German house held no products that would allow you to smell like that. It's like it was his natural sent.
"It's alright…" Roderich replied softly.
The Prussian smiled slightly. These past few weeks had gone by fairly quickly, to him at least. The nightmares hadn't stopped. But they were less violet. From the Prussian's experience they would never fully go away. He still had them occasionally and it had been a while since he had left Russia's clutches.
But he still slept beside the other every night helping him through the bad ones. Roderich ate a little more and talked a little more. But he was timid. Fearful of sudden movements and he hated to be touched. Unless Prussia was touching him. Only Prussia could.
Gilbert liked that very much. If Ludwig would suddenly reach out to touch the Austrian, Roderich would flinch away. Spain too. It was sad, but it made Gilbert somewhat happy too. Only he could be close to the other, though it was selfish, it made him happy.
He breathed in the smell of lilacs once more before sitting down in the bed. "So. Wanna know why I'm so excited?"
Roderich nodded slightly, watching the Prussian out of the corner of his eye.
Gilbert grinned widely. "I get to take the bandages off your hands! No more of that crap!"
Austria turned to give Gilbert his full attention. "Really?" he asked softly.
"Ja! With our awesome ability to heal faster and that your hands should be all patched up."
The smallest of smiles pulled at the other's lips. "That's wonderful news." he said softly.
"Ja! Damn right it is! So hold out your hands I'm going to take them off of you,"
Roderich nodded slightly, and turned in the bed a bit. He held out his bandaged hands in front of the other.
Gilbert stuck out his tongue slightly and poised the scissors ready to cut when he paused for a moment. "Uh… hey." he looked up at Roderich.
"Yes?"
"Don't be discouraged, kay? You're hands have been out of commission for a few months now. They're going to be stiff and clumsy. You'll have to give them time before you can do things you were once really good at…"
The Austrian closed his eyes and lowered his head. "I have held no expectations for what I'll be able to do once I reached this point… so do not worry,"
"Oh! But hey, that doesn't mean give up hope! Just give it time…" he smiled at the other even though he wasn't looking. He focused on his task once more. Carefully he snipped at the tightly bound bandages. With that done he carefully unwound the bandages from each finger and the rest of the other's hand.
He breathed out a small sigh when the first hand came free. Long thin fingers. Thin, but Gilbert knew their real power. They weren't as fragile as they seemed. They held no marks, which seemed miraculous considering the state they had been in. But their bodies were of the land. Nations could leave marks on other nations. When he had taken Austria's vital regions he had left a mark…
"This might feel a little uncomfortable, but I gotta do it," he slowly took the free hand and curled the fingers into fists and back out. They'd be stiff after being bound for so long. "You okay?" he asked concerned looking up at the other.
"Ja…" he said softly watching what the Prussian was doing carefully.
"They're going to be stiff… can you move them on your own?" he released the other's hand.
Gilbert watched carefully as the other struggled a bit to make a fist. "They certainly don't move like they used to," the Austrian said softly.
"It'll take time. Cheer up Priss, now gimmie your other hand, I'll undo the bandages on that one too."
Roderich nodded and they repeated what they had done.
Gilbert smiled proudly. "There! Now you're officially patched up!" On the outside that is… there were some wounds that would never heal completely. Some things taken that can never be returned…
"Ja… I guess I should go then. I've over stayed my welcome…"
"What? Nein! You don't have to go! I mean, you can stay for a while longer. West wont mind." The Prussian didn't want the Austrian to go. At least not back home alone… A thought occurred that maybe the Austrian was pushing away… returning to his home and the solitude. That wasn't how it was suppose to go… Roderich was supposed to need him.
"Very well. For a little longer, I suppose."
"Roderich… you can stay for as long as you need. Forever…if you want." He held the Austrian's hands tightly in his own.
Austria looked away closing his eyes as he did. "I couldn't do that…"
"You can!"
"I belong in my ruined home…"
Scarlet eyes went wide in understanding. "Roderich…" he cupped the Austrian's face and smiled. "You are Austria. You are beautiful and perfect. That goes for the land and the person."
Tears formed in violet eye. "But…I'm ruined."
"What? No… no you're not. Don't listen to that sick Russian. You are far from ruined." Gilbert sighed softly. This would not be such an easy fix. Hopefully it wouldn't scar the Austrian to badly. Losing a first time like that… It had scarred him pretty badly when he was in Russia. Though forty years of that… still it's not like his first time had been snatched away…
Austrian said nothing more. Just stared at his hands. The nails a bit chipped and overgrown. But other then being a bit to thin they looked just fine.
"Come downstairs. Hang out with West and me watch some TV with us." Roderich hesitated at the offer. He didn't come down much. Spain sometimes forced the other to come down and with some encouraging Gilbert could get him to come down too. But Roderich seemed to prefer to be locked up here, staring out the window at nothing. Reliving memories. Painful ones and good ones.
"I don't know…"
"Come on. Pleeeeease~"
Roderich let out a soft sigh. "Very well…"
Gilbert grinned throwing the covers off of the Austrian, and grabbed his robe. "Don't worry about getting dressed, just toss this on!"
The Austria from before would have huffed and puffed at the thought of going anywhere in a robe and pajamas, this one just nodded trying out his newly healed hands, gripping the fabric and putting it on. It made Gilbert a little sad but he kept on smiling for the Austrian.
"West!" Gilbert called as he led Roderich down the stairs. "West!"
"Ost…" Ludwig sighed, appearing at the foot of the stairs.
"Look look!" He waved one of Austria's hands at the blonde, once they had reached the bottom step. "Haven't ya missed these?"
Ludwig smiled slightly. "Ja. How are you feeling, Roderich?"
"Fine, thank you." Austria answered softly, stepping closer to the Prussian.
"With his hands better, does this mean he'll be leaving soon?" Germany asked.
Gilbert's scarlet eyes narrowed and he glared at his brother. "Nein. He can stay with us for as long as he likes."
Ludwig gave him a look, a look that said they were going to talk about this later. Apparently the German didn't agree that Austria could stay here forever…
The Prussian huffed, pulling Austria along gently to the living room. "Don't mind him. You can stay here for as long as you like. It's my house too."
"If it's a problem… I can go. It's quite alright. You two have done more then enough."
"Nein. You can stay. Really. I'd feel better if you stayed with us."
He suddenly stopped, feeling his arm being pulled. Roderich wasn't walking beside him anymore. He was looking into a room. A mostly unused room. Their music room. It was something Roderich requested when he had been forced to live with them. He asked to have a piano.
Gilbert suddenly beamed. "Wanna try it out?"
Roderich glanced at the other, gripping the Prussian's hand tightly. "I wont be very good…"
"Practice makes perfect Roddy." Without waiting for the other to respond, he pulled the Austrian into the room. Right up to the piano. "Sit and play me something. Just hearing you again, would be awesome!"
Austria smiled slightly at the other's words. "You will regret those words when you hear me play…"
"Nein! I will not! Sit and play for the awesome me!"
Hesitantly the other sat at the bench his fingers poised for playing. He swallowed nervously remembering the words that had been hissed into his ear. How much his playing was hated. His fingers smashed into the floor… Roderich quickly pulled back his hands… "I-I can't…"
Prussia frowned slightly and took a seat beside the musician. "Ja. You can. Don't be afraid… he's not here. Play all you want…" Gilbert gently grabbed the other's hand, placing it on the ivory keys. "Play."
Roderich licked his lips moving his other hand to join the other. His finger tips brushing the tops of the keys. "What should I play?"
"Something simple, since you just got your hands back… but something pretty. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star…"
The Austrian laughed softly, and glanced at the other. "Alright… I'll try… back to basics…"
Gilbert nodded, watching the fingers struggle to move along the piano. Struggling to hit keys and play the simple song. It would just take time. They were still stiff… not used to making the quick movements that were required. And even though the song was choppy, and bad notes were hit. Gilbert had never heard anything so lovely.
A week later he was afraid to say he wasn't quite feeling the same…
"He's not getting any better." Germany growled one morning.
Prussia smiled weakly, cringing at another bad note. "He is… this is gonna take time West. His hands-"
"I understand that. Can't he batter on the piano at his own house?" "Yeah… but I… I don't want to send him back there. What if Russia comes back? I will not allow that to happen to him again!"
"Not this again…"
The albino snarled. "You know it's true! Dammit West, believe me. Anyway, we can't send him back… not yet… he's just-"
"He's got to go. He's been here long enough. He's all healed there is no reason for him to stay."
"It's safer here… and he's not even a bother!"
"My ears would beg to differ."
"He's getting better!"
"He really isn't."
"His hands were smashed to bits! You don't just magically get better at doing shit after this!"
"Ost…"
"Nein!" The Prussian slammed his beer can on the counter. "How long did it take me to get better after the wall fell."
"Ost…"
"How long!"
Germany didn't say anything. "A while…"
"It didn't happen over night. Or after a week. Or a month. Or three months. It took a really long time! And even after everything was healed, I still wasn't better. But you and Roddy were there for me. You didn't treat me like a burden. I knew I was one, but I was never treated like one. Roddy let me crawl into his house through the window, and crash on one of his couches… and I'd wake up in the morning with a blanket over me. He'd play me music, let me eat his food. Even when I was healthy I was allowed to do those things. Now… it's kinda frowned upon… but-" "The situations are not the same."
"How the hell are they not the same?"
"I beg your pardon." a quiet voice cut in.
Gilbert's eyes went wide, and he noted his brother had paled. They both turned to the entrance of the kitchen. "Roddy…" Gilbert stepped forward. When had he stopped playing? How much had he heard?
"Ludwig. I shall depart from your home. You have my thanks for taking me in for as long as you have. I am sorry to have been so much trouble. I shall return home. Thank you, Ludwig… Gilbert." He bowed his head slightly, and departed from the kitchen
The Prussian tossed his brother a furious look and followed the aristocrat. "Roderich, wait!" He easily caught up with the other, and reached for his arm. He hated the flinch that followed, but he needed the other to stop. "Roderich, you don't need to go… stay…"
"I do not wish to become an unwelcome house guest, and that has what I have become… I will go home. The place… is probably a mess. And…" Austria looked away, trying to pull out of the other's grasp.
"You can't go back… what if…" Prussia didn't want to finish that sentence.
"Yes well…"
"Yes well, nothing! I can't let you go back. Not yet…" Gilbert furrowed his brow trying to think of something… "I'll go with you. I'll stay with you and keep you safe…"
Roderich slowly looked back at the other. "Y-You'd do that?"
The albino found the other's answer, very curious. Roderich seemed to always be trying to pull away… was it all an act? Did Austria really want him around? To embarrassed and proud to ask him to stay… to scared of the rejection…
"Everyone leaves eventually…"
Roderich had said that to him one night. When Hungary had left him after the fall of his empire. His house had once been so big had eventually become empty. The girl that he had treated like a queen was gone without a look back at all they had. Don't let anyone in, because they just end up leaving. Even he was guilty. When they had shared a home for those brief years. Not bound by anything but friendship. Not bound by anything but their common goal of keeping Denmark from moving forward… And even more recently. Slinking in the aristocrat's home, slinking out at night. Leaving the musician to wake up to an empty home… without a word of warning.
No one could be trusted. Everyone leaves eventually… play music to chase out the heavy silence….
"I'd stay with you, for as long as you'd want me to. To keep you safe." He'd promise it, if it would make Austria believe him… but he knew it wouldn't. He had to prove it. It was just that simple.
Austria turned to face him completely. "I'd… like that very much, if you were willing to do that for me… it'd be much safer with you around… I could be at ease…"
Prussia smiled happily, gently pulling the other towards him. Wrapping his arms around the smaller man. "I am very willing."
"Ost."
Prussia glanced back to look at his brother. Very aware of the Austrian's fingers curling in the fabric of his shirt. "West?"
"This weakened, is the world meeting. We'll all go together, and then you leave with Austria, back to Vienna after."
Prussia nodded, rubbing the other's back gently. "I can go to the meeting?"
"I thought you'd just be going, allowed or not allowed… Russia will be there…"
He stiffened, and felt a violent shudder run through Austrian's body. "Yeah… I'll be there…"
If Russia was there… he couldn't possibly let Austria go alone. Meeting your attacker for the first time since then… it was not a good feeling.
The Prussian rested his chin on the Austrian's head. The soft brown hair against his skin, the one curl poking him in the cheek. This weekend… perhaps he could get everyone to see that Russia really did harm Austria. He wasn't making it up… he'd get them to see…
A/N Late update is late. I lost my muse. She went off and died somewhere. So I found this thing called Hetaoni and fell in love with it. It resurrected my muse and I've been working on updating everything. :D yay! Thank you for all the reviews. I read them all and love them, but I am horrid at replying to them. Just to let you know each one is special and I appreciate it.