Prussia sat on the couch with his arms and legs crossed, his teeth clenched and glowering at the baby sitting on the floor. Israel, his 'nephew' as Germany hadn't hesitated to point out, had been living with them for a few days. Germany had gone out to get some baby things for Israel. .
Prussia started down as the baby hugged and fiddled around with a stuffed giraffe. He glowered down as the child giggled and tossed the toy into the air. He clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. Boy did he not want to be an Uncle especially to this kid. It was as he and fears. West had done nothing but focus on this kid for the entire time he'd been with them, he was constantly going out and getting stupid baby things for the stupid baby. And even when he wasn't going out to get things for baby Israel, his only focus seemed to be though the baby Israel. He only seemed to speak to his brother when he wanted to order him to do something or watch the baby while he was out.
It was losing his brother to petite little Jewish nation.
He clenched his fists as he looked down at the child who was giggling happily as he tossed the giaffe into the air and couaght it when it fell.
"Why did you have to show up here?" he asked the boy, "couldn't you have gone somewhere else?"
The baby giggled and just gave him a smiling, innocent little look. Prussia cursed that look which had charmed his brother into adopting him.
"Why did you have to come here?" sighed Prussia, glaring at the child, "couldn't you have gone somewhere else?"
"Ga ga!" squealed the child, giving him that big smile as his golden eyes shone like treasure. Prussia, however, merely rolled his eyes and scoffed. He wasn't falling for that look, even if the Germany had. No, he was too awesome to fall for that little smile and eye-shine. The child wasn't as innocent as he thought. He was a freeloader, a parasite and a thief, a brother thief. Prussia couldn't believe that he would have to live with this child, be his uncle, for all eternity! He was an immortal nation like them, unless something or someone murdered him he would live, forever and if Germany didn't force him to leave then he would be with them forever and ever. As a child Germany would be a father to him and when he grew up, knowing his brother, he would train him to be his soldier, his companion. Prussia's replacement…
Maybe not, he thought, maybe West is just excited about adopting, he'll stop fawning over him later, then things can go back t basically normal, he wont forget me, how could he forget my awesomeness!
He smiled hopefully and the sneered at the child and said, "I'm not intimidated by you, though, kid, West knows how awesome I am, he wont abandon me, especially for a dumb little kid like you."
Israel cooed and cocked his head to the side, smiling curiously and hugging the giraffe to his chest. Prussia sighed and rolled his eyes.
"I'm back! Prussia! Bruder! Could I have some help!?"
"I'm watching the kid!" Prussia yelled back, really just wanting an excuse not to get up.
"Then grab him and bring him here!" Germany ordered irately. Prussia grunted but obeyed, not wanting his brother to get mad at him and take away his beer. He grabbed the child, refusing to hold him close, instead grabbing him under the arms and holding him far away from his face or body as he carried him to the front door.
"Bruder!" said Germany heatedly when he saw how his brother was holding the child, "don't hold him like that!" Germany set a large box against the door and then took the child from his brother. Prussia grunted in annoyance as Germany cradled the boy in one arm and then smiled fondly when the baby giggled an reached up for his new adoptive Father.
"Did you miss me, son?" asked the German fondly. The baby giggled and grabbed his finger once more, squeezing it tightly.
"He has quite a grip, he's strong," chuckled the German, gesturing for Prussia to get the box. Prussia decided lifting the heavy box all the way up the stairs was preferable then having to hold the boy so he obeyed. The brothers both went up the stars, Prussia grunting as he heaved the heavy box behind him and glowering at Germany's back as he talked to the baby despite the obvious fact that being a baby, Israel couldn't understand him.
"You'll make a good soldier when you grow up, little one, with my assistance of course," Germany said, then an angry look came to his face as he thought of the Allies, he clenched his teeth and muttered, "when you get older, perhaps you could help me to get back at the Allies."
Israel cooed curiously and cocked his head to the side, his eyes shining with curiosity.
"Oh, the Allies cheated me out of victory in the war and blamed me for something I didn't do," Germany explained to the baby.
"He's a kid, West, he cant understand what you're saying!" sighed Prussia. Germany ignored him and continued to fume as he thought of the smug faces of the Allies.
"They've done a lot of bad things to me and your Uncle, but not to worry, little one, I'll get back at them."
Israel let out a frightened squeak and his golden eyes filled with tears. Germany saw his and a sympathetic smile played on his lips. He patted the child on the back and said, "I said get back at them, not you little one, you didn't do anything, don't cry."
Israel calmed down and started fiddling with the buttons on his adoptive father's shirt, Germany smiled and then decided not to mention the Allies around the baby again, the little boy was clearly too young and innocent to know about his anger, the unfairness of the treaty, or of revenge schemes, he would wait until the child was older to discuss such topics with him.
Prussia absolutely refused to assist Germany in fixing the crib for the baby an instead stomped out huffing and puffing. Germany decided it was just a phase, he would come to care for the child eventually, he was his uncle after all.
Israel cooed and arched his head curiously to the side as Germany strayed to work on putting the wooden frame of the crib together. Germany set the baby down on his bed so he would be safe while he was working.
"Oh, don't worry about him, little one," said the German lancing over his shoulder at the child, "he'll come around, but he's more of a child then you are, he gets jealous, and he never really was the parenting type anyway, believe me I was raised by him."
Israel let out a squeal of delight and then suddenly hid under the blankets.
Germany chuckled and smiled. He couldn't think of a reason why Prussia couldn't learn to like the boy, it was one thing to dislike another nation who had done something wrong but the child was an innocent. Prussia wasn't angry at the Allies for forcing the Versailles treaty on them but he was mad about Germany taking the little Jew in? It didn't make sense, not that Prussia often made sense but nonetheless, Prussia would warm up to the child. He was certain of it.
Finally the crib was finished. Germany wiped his brow and gave a nod of approval. Good, now the child could have his own place to sleep until he was old enough to get a bed. How long would it take him to grow old enough for a bed anyway? And how old did he have to be to start talking? Or to hold a gun? God, he had a lot to learn about this whole parenting thing.
"Alright Israel," said Germany, turning back around, "your bed is all finished and… Israel?"
He looked at the bed and to his surprise; the child was not there.
"Israel?" he said, arching an eyebrow, he whipped the blanket off of the bed and the child wasn't there. Panic welled up in him and he looked around the room.
"Israel?! Israel, where-?!" he started to cry in fear. However a tiny giggle hit his eardrums. He perked up his ears and then looked where it had come from, under the bed. To his amusement and relief, the child was under the bed, safe and sound, cured up in a ball, giggling.
"There you are," he sighed. The baby squealed and reached for his father. Germany grabbed the child and lifted him out from under the bed.;
"Don't you ever scare me like that again, little one," said Germany, putting the child in the crib. The baby looked around his new environment and cooed in delight. He then looked up at his father once more and giggling reached for him.
Germany however, stepped away from the crib in order to put the box away. Israel's wide smile disappeared and he let out a frightened coo now that he was in the crib alone by himself. Tears came to his golden eyes and he suddenly burst into tears.
Germany's head snapped back over to the crib and he quickly went over and picked the child up. He cradled him under his arm but Israel continued to wail. Germany bit his lip and racked his brain for a solution to this. He tried to think back and remember how other people calmed their children when they cried. He recalled one time when he had seen a women sing to her baby to get it to go to sleep. He tried to think of a lullaby and one came to his head. He went a little red, however, knowing he wasn't the greatest singer in the world. He figured if he sung Israel would either stop crying or would only cry louder.
He decided to take the risk and in the softest voice he could sung to the child the only lullaby he could remember:
"Guten Abend, gute Nacht, Mit Rosen bedacht,
Mit Naeglein besteckt, schlupf unter die Deck'
Morgen frueh, wenn Gott will, wirst du wieder geweckt
Morgen frueh, wenn Gott will, wirst du wieder geweckt
Guten Abend, gute Nacht, Von Englein bewacht
Die zeigen im Traum, dir Christkindleins Baum
Schlaf nun selig und suess, Schau im Traum's Paradies
Schlaf nun selig und suess, Schau im Traum's Paradies"
The child stopped crying immediately when his father started to sing to him, his eyes widened and he looked up at his father curiously before smiling, cooing, yawning and then cuddling up to his father and starting to snooze peacefully.
Germany sighed with relief and then smiled fondly when he saw the child calmly resting, snuggled up to him. He gave the boy a small kiss on the head and then put him into the crib and tucked him in.
"Guten nacht, son," he said, turning off the lights so that the child could rest.