Chapter 5

(A/N: I am terribly sorry that this chapter is SO late! I've had my own problems to deal with. I've had to attend two funerals of family members. I just haven't had time to properly write! Please forgive me!)

Quite some time had passed; Ludwig was much like a teenager now. He certainly acted like one that was for sure! Gilbert was getting annoyed and could have more than one headache per day. Today wasn't any different, his brother was being difficult but much like his old self, the kid didn't really like gaming but he could get so caught up in his reading! Not a lot had changed except for a few things.

"You got a piercing?!"

"Three."

"What… WHY?!"

"I liked how they looked!"

"Well the one on your lower lip is VERY obvious, Ludwig! Where are the other two? Please don't tell me they are-"

"No no, up here."

Ludwig pulled his hair back, revealing two piercings on the rim of his left ear. At this point Gilbert was wondering where he had gone wrong, but then again, the blond was just a teen. The albino took deep breaths.

"Okay, okay. I can't control what you do with yourself, you're old enough to do what you want."

The blond was shocked and raised both brows.

"Are you serious?"

He asked just above a whisper. The elder nodded.

"Ja, I am. I understand what it's like to be rebellious; I had a few of those phases myself. Now, I'm not necessarily saying this is a phase, if it's what you want that's fine. Now uh, I have to work so… don't play your music too loud, unless you have headphones in."

With that Gilbert left to the study and locked the door. He opened the top drawer and took out an old picture. The picture itself brought tears to the albino's eyes.

"Why couldn't you have just talked to me that day? I would have understood. I would have tried. You brat."

The Prussian sobbed softly as to not raise any suspicions with his little brother. Ludwig had gone up to his room. Gilbert seemed awfully calm with this in the end. He had gotten them because they were cool, now… what was he supposed to do? He had wanted to piss off his brother, he felt like he had done him wrong somewhere. The blond shook his head and sat at his desk. Being homeschooled had its ups and downs. He couldn't fake sick to go out, he couldn't say he was done with his chores in order to go to the arcade. What was it that his brother was hiding from him anyway? The man acted as if he had had a previous life!

Taking a deep breath, Ludwig decided to just do his homework for once. History, he hated that. He just hated it! He despised it; something about history upset him greatly, especially about world war two and Italy. The blond German took a deep breath and got to work anyway.

Half an hour later he had to take a break, as he couldn't continue. The phone rang but only two times, that meant that Gilbert had picked it up in his office.

"Fuck this."

Ludwig got up and went out to the garden, rubbing his face, he was tired, he felt so tired.

Gilbert hung up the phone and walked out, seeing the backdoor open and walking outside.

"Finished your homework?"

"No."

"Why?"

"It's pissing me off and…"

"And?"

Gilbert sat down next to the younger, hand on his shoulder.

"You can tell me, I am your big brother."

"You wouldn't understand."

"Wouldn't I?"

"No."

"Try me."

Gilbert locked his eyes with Ludwig's blue ones. The younger sighed in defeat.

"I don't like learning about history, it makes me angry and sad. I can't explain it but certain parts upset me so much I can't handle it. I feel helpless, I feel small, I feel… I feel like I don't matter."

Ludwig got a bit emotional and wiped his tears away with the back of his hand.

"I guess you're old enough to know the truth."

"What truth?"

"Ludwig, years ago… you used to be the country of Germany. You were ridiculed and judged by the rest. One day I guess you had too much on your shoulders. I can tell you this I wasn't helping. I was the former Kingdom of Prussia."

Gilbert began. Ludwig just looked at the other in confusion and bewilderment.

"You came home after a meeting one day and you shot yourself. Italy wasn't being helpful at all either, giving you problems you didn't need. Coming over uninvited, we changed the locks like a million times and he would still get in, even with the alarm activated, he would get in. Not to mention every time he got into trouble you were the first person he would call. His brother, South Italy, never liked you and for a good reason too. I never told you this but I should have, the land you inherited belonged to the Holy Roman Empire. Holy Rome and Italy were in love and you look a lot like Holy Rome. But, Italy I suppose knew you weren't him deep down inside so he played with your feelings and belittled you, embarrassed you and never kept a secret. Blurting everything out to the enemies and making up blatant lies."

Ludwig couldn't believe what he was hearing but it explained so much!

"I'm sorry I never told you this before. I was trying to protect you from … yourself. From the truth from any more responsibility you thought you had with this information. I'm truly sorry, Ludwig."

Gilbert hung his head and sighed. There was silence between them and the albino removed his hand from his brother's shoulder.

"Well, you can skip your history homework today though I will need you to do it another time. I'll uh, order pizza for dinner, not really in the mood to cook."

With that Gilbert got up and walked away, leaving Ludwig alone with his thoughts.

- A week later -

The two brothers hadn't really talked in over a week. Ludwig had much to think about and a lot of things were going through his mind. He did get letters of apologies from his brother under his door. This morning the blond woke up before the albino and headed down into the kitchen to make breakfast. The German made a stack of pancakes, sausages, eggs and bacon and four slices of toast. A hearty meal and it put a smile on his face. Cooking, it was relaxing. Who would have thought cooking would be relaxing? From what he understood and saw from others cooking was stressful and such a hassle! Especially around the holidays though for his brother it wasn't that big a deal.

Gilbert came downstairs only to smell breakfast and when he entered the kitchen he saw his brother standing over the kitchen table and making sure the plates were correct and that brought a smile to his face.

"It looks and smells great, Ludwig."

He spoke, his voice a little raspy. The younger jumped, a little startled and then smiled.

"Really?"

"Ja, really."

Gilbert sat down by the table and waited for the other to join him. The brothers ate in silence and after breakfast they washed the dishes and cleaned up together.

"I've been thinking about what you said. It's scary but it makes sense. I also finished my history homework."

"I'm glad. I'll look it over in an hour."

The albino smiled and ruffled the blond's hair.

- A year later -

Ludwig and Gilbert were closer than ever, Ludwig still had his piercings in and Gilbert said nothing. Not entirely true he sometimes hassled the boy about them but let them be.

The blond was turning seventeen years old and the albino was busy making plans, trying to make this one of the best birthdays for his younger brother. It was just a question of what he could do that was bothering him. Ludwig wasn't going to be into petting zoos or a trip to the zoo. Well, the petting zoo he knew was a no go the zoo was on the maybe list. What did a seventeen year old like? His brother was so hard to read these days.

The albino rubbed his face and sighed as he looked at the sheet of paper with just two ideas on them. Would Ludwig just like to go to the movies? Order pizza and watch a movie at home perhaps?

"Ugh!"

Gilbert lay his head down on the paper and heard the doorbell ring. Perfect. He got up and opened the door and standing there were Francis and Antonio.

"Oh, hey guys. What are you doing here?"

"Well, we thought we'd come visit and see how you're doing in person instead of call."

Francis smiled.

"I would have appreciated a call first though, France."

Gilbert let his friends inside.

"Where's Ludwig?"

Antonio asked.

"Aw, and here I thought you were here to see me."

Gilbert faked sounding hurt over the matter and stuck his tongue out at his friends.

"He's upstairs, doing his homework. As you know his birthday is coming up and I want to try and do something together with him, just the two of us. He already told me he doesn't want a big party this year."

"He doesn't? Did he say why?"

France raised a brow.

"No and frankly I don't think he needs a reason to not want a big party. He's going to be seventeen, he's in the stage where he hates everyone and no one understands him and it's his life and he's allowed to live it the way he wants and I'm just… clueless as to what to do with him."

Gilbert pouted and sat in the living room with his two friends.

"Have you tried talking to him and see what his interests are?"

Antonio asked and Gilbert snorted.

"I have. He's actually having some of his old interests back, he loves reading, baking, dogs."

The albino rubbed his chin.

"I don't want to give him a puppy because dogs don't live forever and when he first got Aster, Blackie and Berlitz he was an emotional wreck when they died. You should have seen him at that time and he was depressed. He stayed in bed all day and hardly ate and just held the collars."

Gilbert stopped right there, he didn't want to remember his brother being sad, at all! The three friends talked and threw ideas at each other.

"What about a surprise party?"

"Guys, no-"

"That sounds great!"

"NEIN!"

Gilbert bellowed and Francis and Antonio fell quiet.

"No parties. If you didn't hear me the first ten times-"

"Everyone wants a party. Gil, let us handle this!"

Spain patted his friend on the back and then left quickly with France so Prussia wouldn't oppose any more.

- The Birthday party -

Gilbert had taken Ludwig for a drive, he had been forced to go along with the surprise party and he was heading back home. Their drive had been three hours; they had gone for ice cream and just talked. Ludwig was very happy.

"I liked this day."

The blond German started and smiled as he looked out the window.

"R-really?"

"Ja, really. It was fun."

Gilbert was wondering if he should tell Ludwig about the surprise party at home. If he did it wasn't much of a surprise but if he didn't the younger could get angry or! Or it could go well. The albino pulled up in the driveway and they got out of the car and headed inside. Gilbert led Ludwig to the backyard.

"Surprise! Happy birthday!"

Ludwig jumped, balloons, cake, and decorations, a surprise party? How old was he, five? The younger looked a little disappointed he had said no parties! He turned to look at his brother who was smiling sheepishly, okay so this wasn't Gilbert's fault that much Ludwig could tell so who was the culprit in the group?

The younger's eyes twitched when he noticed a certain brunette with a curl and he blinked a few times as images raced through his mind. What were those? Memories from his past life, that's what they were! The blond narrowed his eyes and raced over only to punch Feliciano in the face hard enough to make his nose bleed.

"I remember… everything."

The tears were running down Ludwig's face as if someone just turned the faucet to let the water run.

"I didn't want a party. All of you… go home!"

Ludwig turned on his heels and ran out the door, slamming the front door behind him hard enough to break a glass pane.

"I told you so."

Gilbert said and glared at his friends.

"Pack up everything and leave. Take your presents with you because they will not survive the night if he comes back home."

Gilbert advised.