A/N: Part three, wohoo! Sorry it took so long, but it took me forever to think of a somewhat decent background story that would work with the questions (thank you to everyone who left a question, it's very much appreciated!). And I probably messed it up too. But the end will totally make up for it! Scouts honor!

Warnings: Talking. Lots and lots of talking (read dialogue). Probably some OOC-ness and failed plot. And more flirting, because I love it when they flirt :3.

Gilbert tightened his grip on the handles of the chair some more and bit his tongue to try and keep a scream from coming out. Johan had warned him it would sting, but still! It hurt like hell! Maybe he should have asked for a local anesthetic or something. He immediately slapped himself mentally for thinking that. His gramps and all the others went through this without whining, and so would he. He's Gilbert fucking Beilschmidt for crying out loud!

"Okay Gilbo, answer me this. I understand that the Eagle is probably some sort of family symbol or coat of arms, but why do you want it tattooed over your heart?"

"Gilbo? What kind of lame nickname is that?" He managed to bring out before biting his tongue again. Johan gave him a sympathetic look. He knew it hurt.

"No, no, Gilbo. You have to answer my question first before you get to ask your own, remember?"

"Urgh, fine." He took a deep breath, ignored the pain and answered. "The Beilschmidt family has always been the most trusted and loyal family in service of the Prussian king. As proof of that fact every member of the family, who was a knight in the Order of the Black Eagle, had that very same Eagle tattooed over their heart to show the king that he and the country would be in their hearts and minds forever."

"But the country has been dissolved, so why would you-"

"No, no, Johan. Save it for your turn, I get to ask something now." He interrupted him with a grin. Johan shook his head, smiling. "You're right. Ask away."

"I'm always right, duh. So anyway, I noticed something after I saw you. You're a tattoo artist, yet I don't see a single tattoo on you. Don't you have them?"

"I do, but not on a place that's visible on first sight. And no, I won't show you where I have them. Not before the first date." He said with a wink as he wiped some blood from Gilberts chest and continued inking. Gilbert just glared at him and would have punched him if it wasn't for the needle.

"And as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted." He looked at Gilbert and saw him stick his tongue out in response. "The country has been dissolved, including everything that's associated with it. Why bother tattooing a symbol without a meaning?"

"It's not without meaning. Not for me anyway." Gilbert stared at the ceiling and seemed to be thinking on what he should say. After a while he turned his attention towards Johan and continued. "Gramps was the last one who had the Eagle tattooed on him before the country was dissolved. It became East Germany were pops was born and raised in. Gramps told him about Prussia, the Order and the tattoo and made sure that he would never repeat any of it outside of home."

"I remember learning about the situation in East Germany during history class. Must have been tough, growing up like that."

"It would have been, had it not been for Gramps. He made it bearable." Gilbert said with a little smile. "So pops grew up, met my mom, they had me and pops decided to celebrate the birth of a new Beilschmidt by getting a tattoo as well. Gramps took him to a fellow member of the Order to get it done, but…" Gilbert fell silent and Johan didn't ask further. "You don't have to continue if you don't want to."

He shook his head. "No, I want to tell you. You're helping me fulfill my promise, so you have a right to know."

"Your promise? To whom?"

"I'm getting to that, cupcake, have a little patience."

"Cupcake? Seriously?" Johan said as he raised his eyebrow, trying to hold back a laugh.

"I happen to like cupcakes, cupcake," Gilbert replied, staring intently at him. This time it was Johan who tried to hide his blush, lowering his face to concentrate on the tattoo. Gilbert noticed though, and grinned in victory. 'Gotcha!' He thought. 'That'll teach him to mess with me.'

"Now, where was I? Oh yeah, they were on their way to get that tattoo. Gramps never really told me the exact details, but they apparently ran into some Russians, some stuff happened and pops got shot. Gramps barely managed to get away alive. Mom was heartbroken when he told her and died a few weeks later because of it."

Johan's head jerked up so fast Gilbert was sure he'd get whiplash later. "Oh God, I'm so sorry. I feel like such a dick for making you tell me."

"Don't be. I wanted you to know so you'd understand why I'm doing this."

"But still, I shouldn't have-" Gilbert interrupted him by grabbing his left hand and giving it a little squeeze.

"Johan, it's okay. Really. I don't have any memories of my parents, so it's not that big a deal for me. Let's wrap this up before you feel even more of a dick than you already are, shall we?" He said with a wink. He released his grip after seeing Johan give him a little smile in return.

"Remind me to never feel sorry for you again." He said before turning his attention to the tattoo.

"I'm holding you to that, haha. Long story short, Gramps raised me, taught me everything he knew and I swore to him that as long as the Beilschmidt family exists, the Eagle will exist with them. Except after what happened the last time he refused to take me to the other members to get it done."

"No offence Gilbo, but you don't seem like the type to take no for an answer. Not even from someone you respect. Why didn't you just sneak out and get it done?"

"I'll answer that after you answer a question of mine."

"Right, that stupid switching rule."

"I'm not going to be the only one to spill my guts today. So tell me, why did you decide to become a tattoo artist?"

"Because torturing people with a needle is more fun than being a stockbroker."

Gilbert stared at him, blinking. "…What?"

"I studied management and economy at Erasmus University. Passed with flying colors, too. I was a stockbroker for about a year or two when I decided that it wasn't the life for me, so I went with my other talent. And here we are." He explained matter of factly.

"Whoa, hold on. You mean to tell me that you're a certified stockbroker, but you decided to make a living by tattooing people?" Johan nodded. Gilbert was dumbfounded. "Why?"

"I got sick and tired of how fake the people around me were. I thought I was above that, until I found myself doing the exact same things I loathed to seal a deal. After a particularly nasty case I knew I had to either leave the industry, or stay and sell my last peace of mind and soul to the devil."

"That bad, huh? Can you tell me a bit more?"

"I signed a contract with the company, so no, I can't. It was just… not pretty, to say the least. That was the final straw though, and I quit my job immediately after the deal was done."

"I still don't understand how you ended up being a tattoo artist. Couldn't you have taken a job as a manager or stockbroker at some other company?"

"And risk seeing my former colleagues and clients again? No thanks, I've had enough of those types to last me a lifetime." He said with a snort. "I didn't immediately become a tattoo artist though. I traveled the world for a while to decide what to do next."

"Let me guess, you discovered your talent while meditating on a mountain in Tibet?"

"It was during a smoke with a Maori chieftain in New Zealand, actually," he said laughing. "I'll tell you the details after you tell me why you didn't get this tattoo sooner."

"Of course. Remember when you said I wouldn't take no for an answer, not even from Gramps?" Johan nodded. "He knew that too, so he used his trump card to get me to listen."

"He got the other members to scare you by telling how painful it would be?"

"He did scare me, but not with that lame excuse. After living through the hell that was East Germany, getting a tattoo is like taking a stroll in the park."

"I'm sure it is," he said, chuckling. "So what did he do?"

"This sounds stupid now, but Gramps said he'd disown me if I tried to get it done behind his back. My heritage was all I had back then, and I would rather die than give that up. So I stopped bugging Gramps and waited for him to take me to the rest when he was ready."

"Seeing as how you're here instead of with the Order probably means he's dead, isn't he?" Johan turned the needle off and looked at Gilbert who was staring at the ceiling again.

"I have to be your most morbid customer, right? Bothering you with tales of my dead family and what not. Gottverdammt…" He let out a frustrated sigh as he rubbed his eyes.

"We can take a break if you want."

"No, it's fine. I'm fine. I just… I need to… Argh, dammit all!"

He slammed his clenched fists on the handles of the chair. He was shaking, and Johan could see his eyes glistening with unshed tears. He got up and went towards his office, coming back with two opened bottles of Heineken, handing one to Gilbert.

"We're taking a break, I can't continue when you're like this."

"You'd think I would stop having a breakdown after five years," Gilbert said after taking a last sip. He handed his empty bottle to Johan who put it on the table, next to his own empty bottle.

"If it helps, you're not the only one. A lot of my customers come to get a tattoo for a deceased loved one. Things tend to get pretty emotional in those situations."

"I know, it's just…" A sigh escaped his lips. "I hate it when I'm being emotional. It makes me feels so helpless." He said with a small voice.

"Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of. You lost the most important person to you, it's only natural to react like you did," Johan replied as he patted Gilbert on his back.

"Hey now, don't go taking advantage of me in my vulnerable state."

"Gilbo, if I wanted to take advantage of you my hands would be in your pants right now instead of on your back. But I can still tie you to the chair and do it, if you want," he said, wriggling his eyebrows. Gilbert burst out laughing. "God, Johan! You're unbelievable!"

"Wanna bet that I can get you to say that again once I get you in my bed?"

"Not even in your dreams, perv," Gilbert said, still laughing as he punched Johan's arm.

"Ouch! That hurts!" Johan said as he rubbed his arm with a mock-hurt expression on his face.

"Oh, get over it. You're lucky you still need to ink, otherwise I would have broken your arm for real."

"It works on women though. So much for getting a kiss to make me feel better."

"Don't tell me they actually fall for that."

"I can be really convincing if I want to be, you know," he said, leaning in closer.

"Shut up and finish that tattoo, you horny bastard." Gilbert grinned as he pushed Johan back.

"Sir, yes, sir!" He replied, saluting. Within a few moments he had gotten everything ready again and turned the needle on. "Do you want to continue where you left off or should I tell you how I became a tattoo artist first?"

"I want to continue, if you don't mind."

"Not at all. So, how did he die?"

"A combination of old age and pneumonia. I was a sophomore at the Technical University in Munich when I got a letter from one of Gramps' friends informing me about his condition. I broke off my study to take care of him, but he would have none of it. 'Students are the soldiers of the future', he would say, and if I wanted to be the best soldier I needed to get all the education I could."

"Students are the new soldiers, huh? That's a nice saying."

"It is, isn't it?" He said, a proud smile on his lips. "I told him I would be back to my studies within a few days, seeing as he was always too stubborn to be sick too long anyway. So of course he decides to kick the bucket instead of getting better."

"Heh. Of course. Did he say anything about the tattoo before he passed away?"

"Only that he would still disown me if I got the tattoo before finishing my studies. He actually had it put in his will too, and told the other members to refuse if I came back to them without a degree."

"Talk about being prepared." Johan said with a smile. "I should have asked for your degree before I agreed to do this. Is that why you came to me?"

"Well gee, thanks for having that much faith in me." He said, rolling his eyes. "For your information, I graduated a year ago."

"Really? Congratulations! What did you study?"

"Architecture and mechanical engineering. I plan on designing and building the most awesome constructions the world has ever seen, and spread some Prussian glory that way."

"Wow, that's actually a pretty good idea. But that still doesn't explain why you didn't visit the Order right after you graduated. Don't tell me they all died while you were studying."

"All my ideas are awesomely good, and no, they're not all dead. I did go and see them. They were all proud of me for graduating and we had a huge party with way too much beer." Gilbert said with a smile as he remembered that night. Who knew old man Heinrich could outdrink him? "They actually wanted to tattoo me at the party as a graduation gift, but I refused. I felt that I still had some more learning to do, so I told them I wanted to see the world and get more experience under my belt before joining the Order."

"And after a year you got tired of waiting?"

"Johan, stop interrupting my awesome story before I tape your mouth shut."

"Ohoho, so you're into the kinky stuff," he said with a pervy smirk. "I'll have to remember that."

Gilbert facepalmed. "You're hopeless, Johan. When was the last time you got laid?"

"A gentleman like myself doesn't kiss and tell," he said with a wink.

"I'll take that as a too-long-ago-to-remember."

"Hey!"

"So anyway," Gilbert continued before Johan could whine, ignoring the pout on his face. "I wanted to see the world first and the others respected my wish. After making them promise not to die before I got back I packed my things, payed a visit to Gramps' grave and started my journey."

"What made you decide to enter my shop then? Didn't you want the Order to do it?"

"I did. But something weird happened on my first night here."

"Oh, I get it. You got lost in the Red Light District, the girls took you in, you had a few drinks, smoked some crazy shit and woke up the next morning with a killer hangover in a smelly back alley without your wallet. Happens all the time."

"That's not what happened okay! I didn't wake up in a smelly back alley without my wallet!"

"The girls didn't dump you in an alley and let you keep your wallet? Damn, you must be really good! I definitely need to get you in my bed now."

"Get in line then, sheesh. I meant that I didn't visit the Red Light District, I had a really weird dream. I dreamt that I was having a drink with Gramps, and he told me that I had his blessings. Then he turned into the Eagle and flew off. I figured that was his way of telling me that I should get tattooed here, so I asked for the best tattoo artist in town. And here I am. You must think it's pretty weird, huh?"

"I would have, if you were the first one to say it. So that's why you were pacing in front of my shop."

"Kinda. I couldn't believe I was gonna do this because of a dream. But you heard this before?"

"Somewhat. I had some guys from Norway and England here once, telling me that they got a divine message to come see me. And now you! I should check if this place is built on some ancient burial ground or something."

"I see. Did you flirt with them too?"

"Is that jealousy I hear? No need to worry, fair maiden, I only have eyes for you!" He said with a grin as he blew him a little kiss.

"Who are you calling a maiden, you dick!" His cheeks were starting to turn red, he could just feel it. 'Why is this guy so annoying!' He thought. 'Why the hell did I even ask him about that? Like I care who he flirts with.'

"Haha, you of course! But to answer your question, I didn't flirt with them. They were already spoken for, and I'm not a home wrecker."

"Hmph, so you do have some sense of decency. Too bad I'm not seeing it at the moment." "And why I am feeling so relieved that he didn't try anything with them?"

"You wound me, Gilbo, you really do. If I weren't such a professional I would have kicked you out for hurting my feelings."

"You are such a drama queen, Johan." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Of course I'm dramatic! I'm done with the lines and have to wait for three whole days before I get to see you again!" He said as he turned the needle off and grabbed the mirror, showing Gilbert the results.

"Wow, I'm liking what I see. And the tattoo is great too." He said with a smirk.

"I produce nothing but greatness," Johan replied as he wiped away the blood and reached for the bandages. "You need to refresh the bandages every twelve hours, and make sure to keep your tattoo clean."

"Will do."

"Well that's it for today. You have the bandages, right?" Johan said as he closed the door behind him.

"Right here." He said, waving the little bag. "I'll see you in three days then. Same time?"

"Yes. I'm going for a drink across the street. You wanna come?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I've had enough of you for one day. I need some alone time." He said with a smile. "And besides, shouldn't you be putting everything away before you go drinking? I don't think it's too hygienic to leave your equipment like that."

"I'll clean everything before I go to bed, mom. One of the many benefits of living above the shop." He said with a wink.

"Hey, Johan! You coming or what, your beer is getting warm!" Henk shouted.

"In a minute! Let me say goodbye first, will ya!" He shouted back.

"I'll be the last person to stand between a man and his beer. See you in three days." Gilbert said, walking away. Or at least he tried, but Johan grabbed him by his wrist, turning him to face him. "Johan?"

"I haven't said goodbye yet."

"You just did, what's the-mmph!"

Looking back on it, Gilbert wished he had done things differently. Not following that dream for instance. Not walking into that tattoo parlor. Not telling him everything and having him cheer him up because he broke down. Not sitting still so he couldn't place the bandages properly and would feels his hands on his body for a bit longer. Not kissing him back (in front of the large crowd by the café, who was cheering loudly by that point) and then punching him for realizing what he had done. Not looking at him afterwards and seeing that look of hurt in his eyes. Not running away without a word.

A/N: Okay, I lied. I don't think the end made up for it. Or did it? I don't even know anymore. But at least it a long chapter full of halfassed attempts at throwing in history?

And let me explain myself before you kill me for making Johan a goofy tease instead of his cool, stoic self. In my headcanon he is only stoic/harsh/cold with people he doesn't know that well yet. When he does accept you as a friend though, he'll be the most fun, loyal friend ever. (Seriously, the Dutch know how to party and make an atmosphere. Just look at the parties when Clockwork Orange won its matches. And Queensday. No way he'd be stoic all the time.) But that's my canon. Sorry if I can't explain it that well.

Yes, they are in Amsterdam. Yes, Gil will take over the world with his constructions. Yes, (t)he(y) will totally go to the RLD to forget about this whole ordeal (no (t)he(y) won't :P)(or will (t)he(y)? Dun dun duuuuuuuuun!).

A little drama to spice things up. Will Gilbert be back in three days? How will the two of them behave when he does? Tune in next time to find out! Next chapter will answer the questions I didn't put in this chapter (and it won't take as long to put up). I'm still taking questions by the way, so feel free to leave one in a review. Pointers would also be appreciated, I need my stuff to flow better.

I need to stop making these A/N thingies longer than the actual story XD.