Then I was Young and Unafraid
Flipping a page of his newspaper, he brought his mug to his mouth and-
"Ludwig?"
Coughing, the blond put aside his cup and paper. Turning in his chair, he looked to the boy leaning on the door frame. "Ja?"
"Vhy am I a bub?"
Uncomfortable, the German got up. Pacing the length of the table for a minute, he finally went to the window and squinted to see the distant goat-pen where Liechtenstein and Switzerland were. "England said it vas due to a fairy granting your wunsch."
Austria pouted. "I didn't vish for etwas!"
"It could have just been a passing thought, maybe you even thought of something longingly-" he sighed. "England explained that it doesn't even need to be made consciously or spoken aloud. If a fairy takes an interest in you and somehow you manage to give them the impression you vant something...if they like, they might grant it."
"Vhere's that fairy jetzt? I have a neuer wunsch!"
The man can hear the hitching of the boy's voice. It's the one he's become keenly aware of in the last couple days, it's the signal that he's upset. Swiftly turning away from the siblings outside, he went and swept the boy into his arms. "It'll be fine Österreich," He muttered. "In drei weeks you'll be yourself again."
Agitation overwhelmed his stare. "Easy for you to say! You are not the inflicted one!
"Be reasonable," Germany scowled. "Liechtenstein and Schweiz vill treat you just fine-"
"You're leaving!"
Carefully studying the stunned face, he put the boy down on the table top beside his coffee and paper. "Ja," he answered. "But I'll be back by the veekend...unless you vant to stay under the same roof with meinen bruder for the duration of this wunsch."
He cast his gaze to his bare toes. "Nein," he muttered. "But...Schweiz hates me."
The blond's heart rate speed up. "How do you know that?" He demanded.
Something flickered in the boy's eyes. Ludwig wondered if he'd truly forgotten the past couple days or if the memories had only slipped from his grasp. "I just feel it.."
He sighed. "Liechtenstein likes you, doesn't she?"
"The girl is nervös!"
Scooping him up, he deposited the boy in the chair next to where Germany was sitting and grumbled; "Now you're just complaining."
Austria's stomach growled. Rolling his eyes skyward, he turned to Austria. "What do you vant for breakfast?"
Purple eyes consider him. "Hot chocolate."
"Essen," He snapped.
The child sunk back in his chair. "Bread and jam vill do."
The blond got up.
"Lebewohl," He said. Staring down Switzerland, he reminded him "Take good care of our Österreich, ja?"
Disgruntled, the man nodded. "Ja, ja I vill."
With that, Germany lowered his stare to the boy between the teenager and man. "Be angenehm," he ordered.
"Bring me my glasses!" The child countered.
The German scoffed. "They von't fit!"
"I vant them," Austria insisted.
The blond shook his head and picked up his briefcase. "Alright, alright..." he agreed. Casting one last look to the trio standing in the doorway, he begged; "Don't kill each other."
Liechtenstein laughed. "Don't vorry Ludwig! I'll take care of them. And Germany felt reassured. The girl was right, she wouldn't let anyone die. No more inhibitions holding him, he left.
Closing the door, Switzerland grunted "Good riddance," and went away to his study. He'd get some work done now too.
The blond girl glanced to the boy standing next to her. "Vould you like to help me make dinner?"
He shook his head. "I think I need to lie down..."
Eva sighed. "Still tired?" She got a nod for her inquiry. "Go on, lay down; I'll vake you later."
The brunette scampered off leaving Liechtenstein to go to the kitchen without worry.
Austria had no plans for going to lie down-or sleep-what he wanted, needed, was to talk to Switzerland. Things had been nagging at him a lot recently...even before this. Maybe it had begun after the other man agreed to go to lunch with him. The other was so familiar and Austria knew he should know why. But he just couldn't capture the thought.
Stopping in front of the man's office, he gazed at the brass knob. It shined. He bet it was the girl's doing, she seemed like the type to keep a clean house. Reaching for it, the boy was struck by the fact that his whole hand couldn't even cover it; was he truly so small? It seemed so hard to believe...shaking his head, Austrian opened the door.
"Vhat do you need Eva?"
Austria froze. He hadn't expected the blond to be so straightforward, or, well, for him to think it was Liechtenstein outside the door. He really should have, though. She lived here. Not him.
Irritated green eyes rose from the desk's surface. "E-Österreich," he grumbled.
Swallowing back his fear, the boy pattered in; the rug soft beneath his bare toes. "Vhy do you hate me?" He demanded.
Wearily, the Swiss studied him. Seemingly coming to a conclusion, he declared; "You are a leech."
"Am not!"
"For centuries you have depended on others, m-Hungary, now Deutschland. If Deutschland vere to get a cold, you'd collapse with fever. Forcing the poor trottel to care for you; if that's not a leach I don't know vhat is." Vash brought his hands together, coolly waiting for a response from him.
Austria didn't have any. "Y-I don't mean to be..." he whispered helplessly.
"Vell, you are." Eyes leaving the child in favor of his computer, he remarked; "You can leave now."
The boy knew a dismissal when he heard one. With trembling lip, he turned away and hurried out of the room.
Germany'll be out of the picture for a couple chapters...how do you think Austria will get on with Switzerland and Liechtenstein without the other guy around? Let me know!
To reviewers, Summer Leigh Wind and Onyxlark36; thanks guys! Remember, I need TEN reviews by the time I upload chapter six or the eleventh reviewer won't be getting a prize one-shot!
Thanks again for reading and pretty please REVIEW!
P.S. Check out the poll on my page, I'd really like to have an answer to my question.
Words:
Ja-Yes
Nein-No
Bub-Boy
Jetzt-Now
Drei-Three
Essen-Food
Etwas-Anything
Nervös-Nervous
Österreich-Austria
Angenehm-Pleasant
Trottel-Sucker/Idiot
Schweiz-Switzerland
Deutschland-Germany
Lebewohl-Farewell/Bye
(Neuer) Wunsch-(New)Wish
(Meinen) Bruder-(My) Brother
*A BIG thank you to Mite for all the correction of German!*