[Promise Of A Lifetime]

[1945]

There was only a table between them but it looked worse than a wall. Roderich was embarrassed, confused, tensed and Gilbert didn't fail to notice it but he tried to restrain his sarcastic spirit for Louise's sake, "thank you to be here, Rod."

The Austrian nodded, "I couldn't refuse, not when Francis has said that you were here."

Gilbert smiled slightly, "did you miss my awesomeness, dear Rod?"

Roderich smiled sadly, "I'm glad, in a way or another."

"Why?"

"You're still able to talk like you used to do," Roderich answered simply and Gilbert snorted, "an army of black crazy bastards isn't enough to defeat me, but you're already an expert, right?"

"Yes…" Roderich was staring at Gilbert in complete awe but he was trying to hide it with all his strength: he had spent years without knowing nothing about Gilbert, about his life in the Nazi Germany. Gilbert's free spirit could be very dangerous, but his arrogance had saved him and his daughter, at the end.

Roderich was glad about it.

"Ludwig?" He asked hesitantly: he didn't know what had happened at the German after the official end of the war, he didn't even know if Gilbert wanted to hear his name, to be honest. But the albino smiled softly, "he is with Louise, right now," he answered calmly, "Louise needs to stay with her Papa a little more and Ludwig needs to stay with our girl until he has time."

Roderich's heart ached suddenly, "are you together again?"

Gilbert's expression changed, "I wanted to talk about my daughter, Rod and…"

"Are you together, again?" Roderich repeated sadly and Gilbert sighed annoyed nodding slightly, "we make love sometimes, if it's what you want to know."

Roderich lowered his gaze, "did you forgive him, at the end?"

"No," Gilbert answered, he wasn't smiling anymore, "no one can forgive the Nazi Germany, Rod."

"But you fuck with him," Roderich replied venomously.

"I fuck with Ludwig, not with a Nazi," The albino replied harshly, "that's none of your business, anyway!"

"My business?" Roderich shook his head reaching out to touch Gilbert's arm, "you don't know how much I was worried about you and Louise. I thought about you in that damned city with all these bastards! When the Allies have taken Vienna, all the Nazi officers of the city have killed their children, their wives and, at the end, themselves."

Gilbert closed his eyes, "they have done the same thing everywhere, Rod. In Berlin, they were delirious! They continued to talk about the end of the Aryan's race, no Germans could survive Hitler, no one could survive the Nazism. I don't want to think about what they would have done to Louise…"

"Their Nazi Germany's child."

Gilbert looked at Roderich again, "Rod, I'm not asking it for me or Ludwig, it's only for Louise's sake. We've never been friends, it's true. But we've been together since the start of our life, after all. It's not easy for me to admit it, but you're the only one in the entire Europe that can take care of our child."

"I've always been your formal brother, Gilbert," Roderich replied, "but you loved to forget that, right?"

Gilbert sighed deeply, "Rod, I will beg you if it'll make you happy, but Louise…"

"What will I say to her?" Roderich asked nervously, "the last time I've taken care of a child was with Ludwig and you did all the real work."

Gilbert smiled proudly, "you've admitted it, at the end!"

"I've never denied it!"

"Liar," Gilbert muttered, "Louise knows nothing about the war, her father and everything else."

Roderich nodded, "she will know nothing from me."

Gilbert's eyes were full of hope, "will you take her with you to Vienna?"

The Austrian nodded slightly, "yes, but I want to talk with Ludwig before."

"Do we have time?" Gilbert asked to Arthur.

The Brit nodded and the albino stood up followed by Roderich, "Gilbert…"

The younger one looked at him waiting for the rest of the sentence, the Austrian bit his lower lip, "come here, please."

Gilbert blinked without moving and Roderich came closer wrapping his arms around him, the albino stiffened but he didn't complain. "I had to be the father of your child," Roderich muttered and Gilbert closed his fists, "don't say that."

"If Ludwig wasn't born, we…"

"Ludwig is born, Roderich," Gilbert replied coldly, "he is my brother, he is my lover, he is the father of my daughter. He had given Louise to me, if she is here now it's only thanks to him and if my love for him will end one day, I will never regret to have been his lover… If Ludwig has been my worst mistake, Louise is the only good thing I've ever done and I did it with West. Is it clear?"

Roderich pushed him away gently but his eyes were full of disappointment, "you didn't even want her, you've almost killed her, Gilbert."

Arthur blinked staring up at the two men: Gilbert had turned paler than he used to be, he wasn't going to restrain himself anymore, "don't you dare to say it, again!" He shouted and the Brit decided to come closer, "you're nobody to talk about it, you know nothing about what I was thinking that day!"

"Gilbert!" Arthur wrapped his arms around his shoulders to calm him down, "Gilbert, think about Louise, now!"

The Prussian looked at him immediately holding his breath.

"Think about your daughter, Gilbert."

The albino nodded slightly sitting on the chair again and Arthur sighed looking at the Austrian, "my soldiers will take you to Ludwig, you can go."

Roderich nodded, he stared down at the albino one last time, he looked sad, and then he turned around leaving the Brit and the Prussian alone.

Gilbert was staring at the table's wooden surface right before his eyes, but he wasn't really watching it, "Gilbert?" Arthur asked kneeling next to him. Gilbert shook his head slowly without a real reason biting his lower lip, "he didn't know what he was talking about…"

"It's not a problem, Gilbert."

"I regret what I've tried to do since my baby girl's birth," he muttered. Arthur shook his head, "you don't have to justify yourself with me," he said trying to sound gently, "I see you with Louise every day, you have betrayed Ludwig for her. I don't know what you did to harm her, but… Gilbert this isn't important now…"

"I didn't want her," Gilbert muttered absently, "It's the truth, I didn't want her."

Arthur widened his eyes and stopped to talk.

"Ludwig was only seventeen, he didn't have a real name, yet. He didn't have power, he was strong and proud but he depended on me politically. We were fighting together to create an Empire, a German Empire… And we were so close to get it when I found out about my pregnancy… I was afraid… I was afraid…"

"You were thinking that your baby was going to be Ludwig's replacement just like Holy Roman Empire has been your father's replacement," Arthur said.

Gilbert nodded closing his eyes, "I was at the start of the fifth month when I tried to get rid of the baby," he chuckled sadly, "but Louise has always been too stubborn like Ludwig and awesome like me to die so easily."

Arthur just nodded slightly.

"I've almost lost her and Ludwig that day…" Gilbert was going to cry, Arthur could see it and it made him sad in a way or another, "I…" He lowered his gaze, "I didn't want Alfred, too."

Gilbert stiffened, he blinked two times and then he turned towards the Brit. Arthur forced a smile, "we found out about Matthew only during the birth. I've not been lucky like you, Gilbert, my child's father… Fr-Francis… He wasn't in love with the little thing inside me and I was alone, I felt so lonely and I thought to kill my baby every day, at the start."

Gilbert just stared at him silently.

"I did nothing, at the end. We have fallen in love with our little one day after day, but…" Arthur didn't know why he was talking about it with one of his enemies, "I was afraid, you were afraid. We've given birth to our children and you've done a better job than me."

"Alfred… does he…?"

"No," Arthur shook his head slightly, "we have decided to say nothing, we've abandoned our children in a way or another. You and Ludwig have been braver than us, I guess…"

"Louise is Berlin, it's different…"

"No, Gilbert," Arthur shook his head, "Alfred and Matthew were two colonies, they were part of us like your daughter is part of you and Ludwig. You didn't make Louise grow up in another house with strangers, far away from you and her father. You've been her mother, Ludwig has been her father. You've been honest with her and the world," a pause, "you've done a mistake but you've done it to protect your brother, not because you were too coward to be a parent. Louise is fine! She is beautiful and alive, nothing else is important now!"

Gilbert smiled weakly, "thank you…"

Arthur snorted, "it's only a bracket, we're still enemies."

Gilbert nodded but he didn't stop to smile.


Louise was sitting on the floor between her father legs, she was drawing on a paper and Ludwig was playing with her blond hair gently, "where is Mama, Papa?" The little girl asked turning her head towards her parent. Ludwig smiled, "he is talking with Uncle Roderich, love."

Louise rested her back against Ludwig's chest and the German leaned down kissing her temple sweetly, "what did you draw?" He asked wrapping his arms around her little body. Louise lifted the paper: "this is our new house, it is Mama, it is you and it is me."

Ludwig rested his chin on the top of her head smiling down at the colorful lines on the white paper: everything looked so easy inside that little childish world. Ludwig rested a big kiss on his girl's cheek and Louise laughed, the blond smiled kissing her again.

Ludwig was able to demonstrate his feelings honestly only with his daughter, it had always been like this since his little one's birth. He loved Gilbert sincerely of course, Louise was just a different thing.

"Papa?" Louise curled up against his chest, Gilbert did the same thing when they slept together, "I'll go with Uncle Roderich but you will take me home soon, right?"

Ludwig smiled sadly cupping his girl's face, "I will, my love."

"And then… you, Mama and me will be happy and together forever, right?"

Ludwig was going to answer but the cell's door opened and Ludwig stood up automatically taking the child in his arms. Roderich Eldestein stepped inside the room followed by Alfred, "he wants to talk with you," the American explained.

Ludwig nodded without taking his eyes off of the Austrian's severe face, "Can you stay with Louise for a while, Alfred?" The German asked and the younger blond nodded coming closer, "do you want to come with me, little princess?"

Louise pouted, "I'm not a princess, I'm a soldier like Mama and Papa."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Alfred exclaimed smiling and taking the little girl from Ludwig's arms, "I take her to Gilbert, Lud."

Ludwig nodded smiling at his daughter one last time, Louise smiled back and she disappeared behind the reinforced door with the American young man.

The German and the Austrian stared at each other silently for a while.

"You're fine," Roderich commented coldly.

"I look fine but I'm not fine at all," Ludwig replied blankly.

"You've abandoned them for six years, it won't be so hard to lose your daughter for a while," Roderich made a face, "you will have Gilbert for yourself, at the end."

"I've always had him for myself, Roderich," it was the truth: Ludwig was born and he had conquered Gilbert with his blue eyes immediately. At first as a brother, later as a lover and then as the father of his child.

Roderich closed his fists, "you didn't deserve him, you don't deserve him, now!"

"You're right…" Ludwig muttered, "I don't deserve my brother and I don't deserve my daughter but I'm not going to let them suffer anymore."

"You had to save them earlier, you've almost killed them because of your complete irrationality!"

"I know…"

"And they will pay because of you."

"I know…"

Roderich came closer, there was sadness in his eyes, "Do you know? I was so proud of you when you're born. You've made Gilbert smile again, I didn't believe in you when you've begun to fight to become an Empire but I was wrong. You have been able to get everything you wanted, even more! You were free, you were powerful, you had a beautiful lover and a healthy baby girl but it wasn't enough, right?"

"I had everything you wanted, Roderich," Ludwig said a little coldly.

"I used to love you, Ludwig," the Austrian sounded sincere.

"I know, I'm very sorry…"

Roderich smiled sadly, "when you were a child, I spent the most of my time thinking about you, me and Gilbert like a family. But Gilbert wanted Ivan and that Russian bastard was very happy about it. Their relationship didn't last because of you, do you know?"

"I know everything about you, Ivan e Friedrich," Ludwig answered calmly.

"You're a real soldier," Roderich commented, "you don't lose control easily, right?"

"I can't blame you."

"Sure…" Roderich nodded slightly, "but, at the end, you've still everything you want."

Ludwig tried to reply but the sudden punch made him collapse against the wall.

Roderich was weaker than him physically and the Austrian had never dirtied his hands with him, not personally. He had never touched him, not even when he had to punish him during his youth.

"Do you know what will happen now, Ludwig?" The Austrian screamed, "he'll do everything to protect you, he won't allow them to punish you. He will die to protect you!"

Ludwig shook his head looking up at the Austrian again, "It won't happen, I won't let him protect me!"

Roderich shook his head, "you're not going to win against him and you know it, Ludwig."


Gilbert was trying to smile brightly with all his strength, Ludwig could see it clearly and he tried to look calm and relaxed, too. Louise didn't throw a tantrum, her mother made her wear her jacket and she didn't complain. Her father help her with the scarf and the gloves, "it's already winter outside, you know?"

"Is it snowing?"

"Not yet, Louise."

"It will snow where I'm going to go."

"Of course!" Gilbert exclaimed cheerfully taking her in his arms, "Vienna looks like a Snow-City during winter."

"But don't play with the snow every day or you'll catch a cold," Ludwig added.

"But my awesome girl won't catch a cold, right? Right?" Gilbert threw his daughter in the air making her laugh, Ludwig smiled without complaining. The cell's door opened, Arthur stepped inside with a deadly serious expression on his face, "you've to say goodbye."

The two Germans nodded and the little girl hid her face in Gilbert's chest automatically.

The albino bit his lower lip looking at Ludwig, the younger one sighed deeply resting his hand on the top of his daughter's head, "our little soldier will be brave, right?" Louise looked up at her father and, after a while, she nodded firmly and Gilbert kissed her one more time before the Brit came closer taking the child in his arms, "Bye, bye, Mama. Bye, bye Papa."

Roderich was waiting for her in the corridor, Gilbert looked at him and the Austrian nodded smiling slightly. Ludwig closed his fists when the Austrian took his daughter in his arms. Louise's blue eyes were full of tears but she was restraining them to make her parents proud of her.

She was a soldier and she had to be brave.

Yes, she was a soldier but she was a six-year-old child, too. She had never been without her parents. Sometimes, Mama or Papa had to leave her but not together, never together!

Louise looked at her parents one last time and when Roderich took her away she couldn't help but cry, "Mama! Papa! Mama! Nein! Nein! Papa! Nein!"

Gilbert let himself fall on the edge of the bed, he hid his face in his hands hearing his precious child's desperate voice. Ludwig bit his lower lip without moving and Arthur turned around sighing deeply, "don't bother them until my next order," he ordered to the guards. The cell's door was closed again.

Ludwig looked down at his sobbing brother, "Gilbert…" He called trying to touch him.

"Stay away from me now, West, please!" Gilbert shouted back standing up and walking towards the nearest wall. He rest his forehead against the cold stone trying to restrain the sobs in his throat. Ludwig didn't care about his words, he came closer to him wrapping his arms around his body almost violently.

Gilbert stiffened but he didn't push him away.

The older brother turned around hiding his face against the younger one's chest.

They knew that their daughter's voice was going to haunt them until the end of that torture.

[1866]

Prague

"One more time…"

"I've to go."

"You're a horny teenager and you know that you want the awesome me… Oh! We've stopped ten minutes ago and you're already so hard!"

"S-Shut up!"

"Don't be embarrassed! You've to be proud of yourself! Your awesome older brother is so proud of you!"

"Gilbert, let me go…"

"Nein!" Ludwig fell on the mattress again, he found himself under the blanket with Gilbert's arms wrapped around his neck and his legs wrapped around his waist. They were going on since the last night, "we have to celebrate this victory!" Gilbert had said and then he had stripped himself and Ludwig imprisoning his little brother on his bed.

Ludwig didn't complain, of course.

Seven weeks of war, seven weeks without making love.

One night wasn't enough to make up for lost time.

But there was a treaty that needed to be signed.

"Gilbert," Ludwig smiled against his lips kissing him one more time and Gilbert smiled happily, "I have to go, you know it."

Gilbert pouted, "Rod is a loser with or without that piece of paper."

"It's my first treaty!" Ludwig exclaimed throwing the blankets away.

"It's cold, West!"

"It's summer, bruder."

"But I will be cold if you leave me alone," Gilbert smiled maliciously under him but Ludwig had to force himself to sit up, "later…"

"Later isn't awesome!"

Ludwig looked down at him smiling, he used to smile very often ultimately and he couldn't help but do it when Gilbert was in front of him in all his naked glory with that adorable childish expression on his face, "you're a little spoiled, bruder."

"It's not my fault!" Gilbert giggled and his lips curved up in a sweet smile when Ludwig cupped his cheek and bent down to kiss his forehead, "I will come back soon, Gilbert."

The Peace of Prague, resulted in the dissolution of the German confederation, Prussian annexation of many Austria's territories and the permanent exclusion of the Austrian Empire from the German affairs, this left Prussia free to form the North German Confederation. This left Ludwig and Gilbert free to fight for their dream together officially.

The young German left the conference room with his brother's King, his future Emperor and Bismarck, a brief smile made his face shine and a certain dark haired nation didn't fail to notice it. "Vulgar…" Roderich muttered loud enough to make Ludwig turn towards him, "you've signed your first treaty with his scent on you, it's so vulgar, Ludwig. Very vulgar."

Ludwig's smile died quickly, "I don't know what you're talking about, Austria."

"Austria?" Roderich repeated coldly, "you used to be so precious for me, Ludwig. You've a been a ray of sun at the end of a dark era for us… I can't believe you're the reason of our defeat, now."

"Your defeat, Austria," Ludwig corrected, "Gilbert is the winner and we'll start an Empire together, it's not important if you'll accept it or not."

"Of course…" Roderich nodded sadly, "I'm not important because I've been defeated but the rest of Europe won't be so happy to see a German Empire rise right before their eyes without doing something about it."

"I'm ready to fight them if I have…" Ludwig replied firmly, "I'm not going to stop now… Not now!"

Roderich laughed without joy, "you? Ready? Sure, you're so young and so naïve, Ludwig. Do you know what will happen to you if your dream will fall in pieces? Nothing… Nothing because you don't have power, you're just a Prussian territory now. If something will happen to your… German Empire, the enemies will ignore you and they will take care of Gilbert, properly."

"Stop this nonsense!" Ludwig exclaimed turning back.

"You're condemning him, Ludwig!" Roderich shouted and the younger one froze, "he is taking a responsibility bigger than him and he is doing it for you, for your childish love that will fade soon enough to destroy his soul one more time!"

"Shut up!" Ludwig stared at the older one coldly, the silence fell heavily upon them, "you're using your moralism to attack me because you don't have the strength to say the truth, Roderich!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," it was Roderich's turn to say it.

"I admired you! Seriously, Roderich! Your words used to be very precious for me but I'm not going to listen to you anymore. Gilbert is my brother, Gilbert is my lover and Gilbert will be part of me very soon," Ludwig came closer to the Austrian after every sentence, "stop to use your morality like shield when we both know that you'll be the first to comfort Gilbert if I'll hurt him."

Roderich widened his eyes and then he lowered his gaze shamefully, "you're only a brat, you can't understand…"

"What? That you've always loved Gilbert but the appearances for you was too important to confess your love to a younger rebel nation without a land?"

"Stop it, Ludwig."

"That you've gone on in a living hell while Gilbert has given his heart to Friedrich despite the inevitable end of their love?"

"Ludwig…"

"And Ivan… You've watched Gilbert fall in love with someone else right before your eyes but you did nothing, Roderich. This is the first time you're trying to fight for Gilbert, right? Because I'm not the Illuminist Prince of my era, I'm not the big Empire of the East, I'm just Ludwig."

Roderich said nothing.

"I can look like a naïve child, it's true… I can't understand the world, yet. But I've grown up between you two, you've been my first world and I learned to know it," there was sadness in Ludwig's eyes now, "I won't let you take Gilbert away from me, never."

A wall of silence fell between them.

No one dared to move.

It wasn't over, yet.

Roderich sighed deeply, "try to not die and try to take care of that rebel thing," he looked up at the younger one, "can you promise it, Herr Deutsches Reich?"

"I promise."

"You're late!" Gilbert exclaimed while a pillow flew across the room missing Ludwig just for an inch, "you're a late! You're late! The bed is cold now and I'm shivering. Come here to make me forgive you, West!" Gilbert kicked the blankets away relaxing against the mattress in all his naked glory, "you're still wearing your clothes, it's not awesome!"

But Ludwig didn't laugh, he didn't look amused at all.

"West?" Gilbert sat up a little confused while the younger one walked around the bed to sit on the edge of the mattress right next to his brother, "West?" Gilbert called again caressing the blond hair at the base of his little brother's head. Ludwig closed his eyes sighing deeply, "I've talked with Roderich…"

Gilbert stiffened, "and…"

"And I need to know something about you," Ludwig answered looking at his brother, Gilbert nodded making him know that he was listening, "can you talk to me about your lovers? The ones before me…"

Gilbert widened his eyes, he didn't blush but he lowered his gaze looking for the blanket and holding it against his chest shyly, "about Ivan?"

"Everyone…"

Gilbert rolled his eyes, "I'm not Francis, my love."

"It isn't funny."

"I can't understand what you want to know…"

Ludwig thought about it for a while, "talk about it like if you've to write it in your diaries."

Gilbert laughed, "I wrote it in my diaries, but I've hidden them from you! You can read them now if you…"

"I want to listen this story directly from you, Bruder…" Ludwig insisted and Gilbert rested his back against the pillows deciding the right way to start to talk, "Ivan has fallen in love with me when we weren't teen, yet. I spent a lot of time in the East during my childhood and he has been one of first enemies. He has always been out of mind, he has fallen in love with me just because I was his enemy."

Ludwig made a face but he said nothing.

"We were children, we didn't even know what a kiss was and when I was thirteen, the adult forced me to merry Brandenburg… Wilhelm was his name, he was fifteen but he never touched me, he was gentle with me but I was very naïve, he has understood it very quickly and he has decided to leave me alone. He died after a while and someone decided to close me inside a monastery, I was too awesome for the real world… I leave that place when I've turned into a Kingdom, I was sixteen and I didn't know nothing about the world but war and religion and it has never been a good mix, believe me."

Ludwig felt lucky to be born in his era, to be honest.

"And then…" Gilbert smiled sweetly and his cheeks turned a little red, "Friedrich is born."

Ludwig tried to stay calm and silent.

"We hated each other, at the start… He hated me, to be honest… I hated him back because I was too awesome to be hated by my crown prince! He was so boring! But I hated when his father tortured him, I hated him very much! It was his son, for God's sake, he wasn't awesome but he was his son!"

"I understand…"

"No, you don't, West!" Gilbert exclaimed, "when you're born, I've remembered those years and I don't know where that fat man found the courage to hurt his child so much! I've been strict with you, sometimes but…" He sighed deeply, "it's not important now but Friedrich Wilhelm has killed Fritz in more than one way. He didn't executed him when he tried to escape from home but… He has killed Hans, his lover, my friend… It was the start of everything for us, I saw him turn into a different man during those years."

"When did you fall in love with him?" Ludwig asked.

Gilbert smiled sadly, "we have fallen in love slowly, day after day… We had the same age when we have made love for the first time, I've given my virginity to him and…" The smile disappeared, "Fritz got married one year later. I knew that, I've always known that but… The love can make you so naïve, sometimes. I died inside every night he was with his wife, he didn't love her but…"

"I can understand very well," Ludwig said rethinking about Ivan's hands on his brother and his lips against his mouth. It was true, it had made him die inside.

"I've learnt how to love someone thanks to Fritz, I guess… We shared everything, we've been together the most of our time. It hasn't been easy, there were a lot of men in my court and someone was interestingfor Fritz…"

Ludwig widened his eyes, "he has… he has…"

"Sometimes, when he was younger…"

Ludwig closed his fists, he hadn't known Friedrich the second, he had been a great king, maybe, he had been Gilbert's first true love but… but… Ludwig wanted to punish him right now, punish him to have made Gilbert suffer. "West?" Gilbert brushed his fingertips against his cheek sweetly, "don't get nervous, now. I've been happy with Fritz, seriously! It's just that when you spend an entire time with the same person, it's the most beautiful thing in the world but it can't be easy every day."

Ludwig didn't answer, he looked down at his brother firmly, "it won't be hard enough to make me cheat on you…"

Gilbert stiffened and then he smiled brightly, "do you believe it, West?"

"Ja…"

"Come here…" Ludwig leaned down and Gilbert wrapped his arms around his neck kissing him on the lips, "don't be jealous of Fritz's memory, West. You don't need to be afraid of my past…" he murmured against his little brother's lips. Ludwig nodded but he wanted to know something else, "and Ivan? And Roderich?"

Gilbert sighed deeply beginning to unbutton his jacket, "get undressed, if you want to know the rest…" He wasn't smiling, he was kissing Ludwig's face because he really needed him. Gilbert didn't want to waste his time with Ludwig talking about the past, the present was awesome enough and he didn't need anything else. But Ludwig needed to know, he deserved to know.

Ludwig finished to unbutton his uniform's jacket and Gilbert continued to stare at him, "Roderich… He has been nothing, to be honest. When Holy Roman Empire died, my little precious Ludwig, I was like a broken doll. I'm not ashamed to admit it, Fritz and then my little brother, it was too much for me," Ludwig began to unbutton the shirt, "Roderich has tried to comfort me, he has never been good with these things but he was desperate, too. He has begun to say a lot of sweet things, that he loved me, that he wanted to make me happy. He has kissed me…"

Ludwig closed his eyes biting his bottom lips.

"We've kissed each other for an entire night."

Ludwig restrained the urge to run downstairs…

"The morning after he has said that it has been a mistake."

… and punch that Austrian with his own hands.

"I hated him, I really hated him…"

I hate him, too.

"And then you're born and…" Gilbert smiled, "I didn't care about anything else but Ivan… Ivan was so awesome with you! I liked to see him with you, he was good to act like the perfect, gentle father. I loved him for a while, probably. He has tried to make me happy and he succeeded until…"

Ludwig stood up taking off his trousers, "until?"

Until he has understood that I was in love with someone else.

"Until he has understood that he was only the second love of my life," Gilbert smiled and Ludwig blushed deeply, "He has asked me to choose between him and you. It was our end."

Ivan didn't do it because you were my little precious brother, he did it because I was thinking about you as a lover…

Ludwig was completely naked now and Gilbert loved it very much, "come closer," Ludwig obeyed and Gilbert kicked the blankets away spreading his legs enough to allow his brother adjust between them. But Ludwig didn't penetrate him, he just stared down with a strange expression. "What is it?" Gilbert asked confused brushing his blond hair back.

Ludwig rested his forehead against his, "you've chosen me…"

Gilbert smiled, "I will always choose you, my love."

It was enough for Ludwig and they made love for the entire night.

[1870]

March

Sans-Souci was a paradise during spring and summer, Ludwig had spent the most of his childhood inside that palace, with Gilbert and his wonderful stories about Friedrich the Great and their awesome adventures. Ludwig used to love those stories, he knew that Gilbert didn't share his memories with anyone else but him and it made him so loved, so special. Ludwig used to love that place because it was important for Gilbert and he spent his time inside that palace only with important people.

Gilbert had never taken someone else there since Friedrich's death, not even Ivan.

Ludwig used to love Sans-Souci but now…

Gilbert was sleeping peacefully next to him, his head was resting on his chest and Ludwig was stroking absently his light hair while he stared at the falling rain outside the widows. It was Friedrich's old bedroom, it meat that it was Gilbert and his King's old bedroom. Ludwig didn't like it very much, he didn't like to make love with Gilbert where another man had loved his brother before him.

He couldn't sleep on that bed, it made him nervous.

Gilbert had to feel his tension because he stirred slightly placing a soft kiss over his heart, "what's wrong, West?" He asked without opening his eyes. "Nothing…" Ludwig murmured kissing his forehead but Gilbert smiled looking up at him sleepily, "tell me what's wrong, liebling."

Ludwig threw his head back smiling up at the ceiling, "you're a devil when you did it…"

"What, liebling?" Gilbert said with a malicious smile moving on top of him, that skin against his was like heaven for Ludwig. Gilbert didn't use to be a romantic person but he had begun to call his little brother with those embarrassing sweet nicknames just to make Ludwig lose his mind completely for him.

"Ludwig…" Gilbert sat up on his lap in all his naked glory, the blanket fell from his shoulders and Ludwig stared up at him smiling proudly. "Do you like what you see, Herr Deutschland?"

Ludwig made his fingertips travel along his brother's navel, "That name don't belong to me, yet."

Gilbert tilted his head, "But do you like what you see?"

Ludwig smiled, "I love it…" He murmured and Gilbert leaned down to kiss his lips, "I want you…"

Gilbert laughed, "you little horny teenager."

"Shut up…" Ludwig whispered against those red lips. Gilbert didn't fight when Ludwig pressed him against the mattress, "you're pissed up…" The albino said between the kisses.

"I'm not…" Ludwig lied sucking one of Gilbert's nipple gently while his brother's fingers travelled between his hair.

"Yes, you are…" Gilbert closed his eyes while Ludwig's lips kissed his chest, his bellybutton and then his inner thigh where the skin was warmer and softer, "Ludwig…"

Gilbert threw his head back moaning, "I love to make love with your mouth."

Did you say it to Friedrich too when you were alone in this room?

Ludwig focused on Gilbert's fingers between his hair: he had learned to understand what Gilbert was feeling only by the way he gripped or caressed his locks. Gilbert didn't come inside his mouth every time, he did it only when they were too tired to have real sex or, contrary, he was so full of passion to stand up to two orgasms in a single round.

But they had already made love that day and Gilbert didn't love to come alone, usually.

"West, stop…" He muttered moaning again, "Ludwig, stop… Ah… I want to come with you… Uh… Inside me…"

Ludwig placed one last kiss on the tip of his brother's manhood and then he looked up: Gilbert's red eyes were shining with lust, passion and love. He was a piece of art, nothing more and nothing less. "Come here…" Gilbert opened his arms and Ludwig crawled over him until he could kiss those wonderful lips again.

Gilbert smiled against his mouth spreading his legs, Ludwig adjusted between them without stopping to kiss his brother. Gilbert moved his hips against Ludwig's sensually, "Ludwig… Ludwig…" He closed his eyes waiting to feel his little brother's awesome manhood inside him once again, "Ludwig…"

But Ludwig didn't move.

Gilbert opened his eyes looking up at him, "what's wrong, West?" He asked confused.

Ludwig stared down at him for a while.

At the end, he left Gilbert on the bed pulling up his trousers and walking towards the windows. Gilbert sat up on the mattress watching his little brother step outside, under the rain, "West!"

Ludwig stared at the garden over the balcony without seeing it: he hated that place, everything made him think about Gilbert in Friedrich's arms and he was turning insane because of it. "What the hell are you doing?" Gilbert's voice asked angrily behind him.

Ludwig turned to face his older brother: Gilbert was wearing only his white shirt and the rain was soaking it, the fabric would have turned almost transparent very soon.

"Go back inside…" Ludwig muttered.

"Nein!" Gilbert replied coming closer quickly, "what the hell is wrong with you, Ludwig? We're going to start another war soon and you're wasting our time together. It's not awesome, at all."

"I'm only a little upset…"

"Why? Talk with me about it…"

"Gilbert…"

"I'm your mate, for God's sake!" Gilbert shouted, "you don't know how much it's frustrating to see you like this without knowing what is going on in your little head! You've been like this since your childhood, but I'm not going to wait for you to be okay again, I need to know what's wrong with you!"

Ludwig sighed deeply taking Gilbert's hands in his, the albino looked down at their fingers, "I need to know when you've fallen in love with me, Bruder."

Gilbert widened his red eyes in disbelief.

"It didn't start in Denmark, right? It couldn't because you've admitted your feelings too early and you can't be conquered so easily, I know you, Bruder. If it was a simple sex game for you, you would have denied your desire until the end, I know it."

A pause, Gilbert lowered his gaze embarrassed.

"You didn't fall in love with me only after the war in Denmark, right?" Ludwig asked firmly but Gilbert bit his lower lip to not talk, "Bruder?"

"Why are you asking it?"

"Because I need to know that I'm not just the third and nothing else."

"You're the third, it can't be changed…"

"I know it!" Ludwig said hastily, "and you don't know how much it pissed me off but I will accept it if I understand what I am for you…"

"Again!" Gilbert rolled his eyes, "you will never stop to be my brother, Ludwig! Never!"

"It's okay for me, you'll never stop to be my older brother! I can live with it!"

"That's it! Come inside, now!" Gilbert grabbed his wrist but Ludwig didn't move, "Ludwig!"

"I will be only your little brother when you'll find the fourth, right?" Ludwig asked coldly, "you loved Friedrich, I can believe it! But you knew that he wasn't going to be the man of your life! You've loved Ivan but you've left him because of your love for me!"

"You're just a brat! You can't understand!" Gilbert said turning around and taking two steps, "I was young, I was in love and I really believed that I could live with Friedrich until the day I die. I really did, Ludwig! And… I wanted the same thing with Ivan… He was a nation, he couldn't die before me, he couldn't leave me behind and he knew me very well, better than Roderich. He would have never asked to me to choose between him and my baby brother, never."

Ludwig blinked two times, "what?"

"I wanted to love Ivan until the end, Ludwig! I really wanted!" Gilbert exclaimed venomously, "but I turned into a pervert who touched himself thinking about his fifteen-year-old brother. Who made love with his lover thinking about that awesome boy's body over him. I didn't leave Ivan, he has left me when he has seen the truth… When he has understood that I continued to love him only because I didn't want to rot your life with my incestuous love."

Ludwig didn't say a word.

"When you've kissed me in Denmark, I couldn't confess my true feelings, Ludwig! You were so young, you needed to be free, you didn't need my incestuous chains around you. I thought about the sex-game thing to make you hate me enough to fall in love with someone else… But you… You did everything to make me feel good… Everything… When I saw Natalya with you, I… I couldn't restrain my true feelings anymore…"

Gilbert stared at him coldly, "I'm sorry, you're not the third, you're my fucking beloved brother and the fucking love of my life at the same time. I'm very sorry!" He exclaimed sarcastically turning around. "Gilbert!" Ludwig called following him inside their bedroom again.

"What the hell do you want?"

They had got completely soaked in the rain and Ludwig couldn't say if Gilbert was crying because of him or not."

"Gilbert…" Ludwig wrapped his arms around the albino's waist and Gilbert rested his cheek against his wet chest, "you're a little stupid brat, Ludwig."

Ludwig didn't answer kissing his neck, his face and his hair.

"I'm cold…"

"I'm sorry, Bruder."

"And I'm hard…"

Ludwig smiled against his hair.

The bed wasn't so far away but they were wet and the carpet was right in front of the fireplace. Gilbert laughed against his shoulder as Ludwig pushed him down gently, "it looks very awesome…" Gilbert commented while Ludwig pulled down his trousers kicking them away, "very awesome."

Fingers worked the tight entrance, groaning, squirming the deeper they prodded. That thick, throbbing heat inside him, claiming his vital regions. Hands touching, spreading his legs wide. Completely at his beloved Ludwig's mercy. Here, in his little brother's arms, Gilbert could find peace.

How he had missed this feeling.

Gilbert's legs spread wide, silently begging his lover for more, Ludwig kissed him slowly making their hips meet. Gilbert's head fell back, crying out to Ludwig, writhing under that sweet touch working him closer to that heavenly edge. Yes, it was heaven for them.

"Ludwig…" Pale legs tucked around the strong hips, urging, begging. Wanting nothing more than to become one with his brother right then, "I've made you become the most awesome lover of the world and you're not an adult, yet."

Ludwig blushed and kissed his brother's mouth to shut him up.

Gilbert smiled in the kiss wrapping his arms around Ludwig's neck.

"You're so handsome, West… I don't care if a day you will stop to love me, I will never let you go, I will never let anyone else have you. You're mine, you're born to be mine."

Ludwig smiled pulling the milky thighs apart a little more, "it sounds like a threat…"

"Nein…" Gilbert muttered against his lips closing his eyes, "it's the promise of a lifetime."

"A human lifetime?" Ludwig lacing their fingers together as he penetrated his brother slowly, gently…

"Nein…" Gilbert whispered arching slightly against him, "until the day I die, Ludwig…"

Ludwig closed his eyes kissing Gilbert's lips again as he began to move, his manhood made his brother's body bloom once again, welcoming him inside in the sweetest way. Shameless screams fell from the Prussian, snapping his hips up into the passionate thrusts. He rode every stride with equal force, drunk off the pleasure, the delirious sensations washing away his brain.

Whispers and groans fell from Ludwig's mouth, going along with the rough ride, "Gilbert… Oh, Gilbert… Gilbert…"

And Gilbert loved it because it made him sure to own everything he needed. Everything he wanted was in his arms, in his body, in his soul. The rest of the world wasn't important, now. Nerves coiled tight, squirming against Ludwig as the throbbing became unbearable. He could repress it no longer, screaming the name of his loved one as he came between them.

Ludwig filled him with his seed at the same time whispering his name one last time.

The silence fell in the room.

They fell back to the carpet looking at each other happily, sharing identical grins. Ludwig kissed his brother slowly, sensually. Their fingers were still laced together. Gilbert relaxed and let out a pleased moan, relishing the loose sensation. Ludwig rested his head against his chest and his brother's pale fingers began to travel between his golden locks immediately.

"Until the day I die..." Ludwig whispered and nuzzled under his chin.

Gilbert felt breathless for a while and when Ludwig lift himself on his elbows to watch his face, the albino could just stare at him like the only good thing in his life, the only beautiful thing in his entire world.

"I'll make you strong and free, I will protect you until my last breath, I belong to you and I won't give my body, my soul, my life to anyone else… Never..." Gilbert stared into those strong, blue eyes.

"I'll…" Ludwig began taking Gilbert's hand to his lips to kiss it sweetly, "I'll be by your side until the last day of my life, I'll take care of you, I'll love you like I love you now. I'm yours, every part of me is yours."

There was something solemn in their words, the promise of a lifetime. Their entire lifetime.

It could be forever.

Gilbert was the first one to smile and Ludwig smiled back leaning down to seal their promises to each other.

The promise of a lifetime.

Their promise had already been sealed, it had happened that rainy day, on that carpet, in front of that fireplace inside Sans-Souci's palace. The promise of a lifetime had been signed. And a new lifetime was starting right before their eyes, right between them.

It was only too little to be seen, yet.