Work Text:
Germany sits on his office chair typing away, last night his idiot brother came home drunk off his ass again. He's warned him too many times about how it is bad to drink on weekdays, even if the other didn't really have a job anymore. He does help with housework sometimes. The blonde sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He was tired from the lack of sleep last night, working till midnight struck. Though, he heard someone come into the room last time and place a blanket over him. The familiar touch seemed to be the same ones that cradled him when he was still a boy. It was nice to act like this sometimes, to feel still like he had fewer responsibilities. Germany glanced over to the assortments of weird products on his table that Prussia gave as... 'decoration'. There was this snowglobe, one that had a little Brandenburger Tor in it, it was one of the tame props given to him.
There was also this... fluffy stuffed animal that he was given, the design was weird but it was small enough to fit on his table. And he didn't have the heart to throw it away, it's not like he liked it or anything, it would just be wasteful to throw it away. It seemed to be a yellow chick with black spots on it, similar to Gilbird. He found the small bird to be a bit annoying sometimes, just like his brother. But the bird was... acceptable to be around overall. The weirdest decoration he had on his table was probably the weird doll on the corner. Germany wonders where Prussia got that from, it doesn't look like an arcade toy, I mean, what arcade would sell something...so frightening to little children? For some reason, the texture of the doll felt homemade, the smell smelt like home too. He didn't bother to get rid of the doll because... it made him feel safer for some odd reason.
He grabbed the doll and pulled it into his arms, hugging it tightly. This was so unlike him, it felt childish, weak, and vulnerable. But he just wanted to hug the doll to feel better. The blonde country realized what he was doing and quickly put it back, a bit embarrassed. He coughed quietly trying to regain composure. He went back to his work, these files weren't gonna work themselves. It's hard being the leader of the European Union, did he ever mention that? Work upon work and debt collecting upon debt collecting. France never helped much if he were to be honest, he helped with financials and meetings but that was most of it. Germany's mind wandered as he tried to focus, thinking of something else... something nostalgic.
He was running in the field hiding from his big brother, giggling to himself as he hid behind a large tree. A familiar voice yelled in the distance "West! West! Come out already, or großer Bruder's gonna find you!" he spoke playfully, the younger nation's giggles only intensified as he tried to stay quiet. The laughter gave Prussia a clue to where he was. Quietly, he tip-toed towards the large tree, warm hands wrapped around Germany as he finally realized. Prussia tackled him to the ground teasingly. "Hahaha!" Germany laughed, he laughed so hard his stomach felt funny. "Caught you, Bengel!" Prussia spoke, pulling Germany closer to him. "Stop it, Bruder, that tickles!" He grinned widely. Prussia backed off a bit, feeling if he hugged any longer his little brother would suffocate. "West, you shouldn't delve off too far in the field. Or else Krampus might punish you this year for being naughty!" He teased, that Germany was always terrified of the prospect of Krampus, and that's why he usually would stay obedient.
"I didn't mean to run off, I don't want Krampus to come..." he spoke sadly, frightened that the demon might come and get him. Prussia noticed the anxious face Germany made, feeling a bit guilty for making him feel panicked. "Don't worry West," he emphasized with confidence "Großer Bruder will protect you from him!" he exclaimed proudly. Ruffling his hair cheekily. It wasn't wrong, there's no length Prussia wouldn't go to save Germany. Germany had a much brighter chance at life than him anyway, it was only right if Prussia was responsible for raising him. To be a better person than Prussia. "Promise?" The younger country looked up, eyes full of bright hope. "Promise." Prussia smiled, pulling his brother into an embrace again.
Germany came back to his senses after reminiscing about that moment. It was just before Prussia went off to war as well, oh the good times. He wouldn't admit it but he was still a bit scared of Krampus once in a while, but it wasn't the reason why he was always dutiful and rule-following now. He's gotten used to the conformity of being a goody-two-shoes. Germany decided that it was better to just take a break than pretend to be doing work. Germany watched the snow globe on his desk, he remembered when Prussia and him got reunited again after being separated for so long, seeing him again was like seeing him for the first time. He felt like crying when he saw that familiar face again, and he did. One of the few instances he's ever cried. Germany smiled once again at the snow globe. Maybe his brother was an idiot sometimes, but Germany was grateful for absolutely everything he's done for him.
"Germany~?" A familiar voice called out, but not the one he was talking about before. "Italy, what is the matter?" Germany asked. Looking away from the snow globe and at his ally. "Could you help me open the tomato sauce jar again, please..." He said embarrassingly. Germany sighed "Italy, just ask Prussia to do it. He'd be very eager to do it for you." Germany knew Prussia would want to help Italy, have you seen the way he acts around the other boy? Too bad Italy is quite oblivious to it. But, Italy just looked at Germany with a confused expression "Ve? But... Prussia's not here anymore."
what?
Germany felt puzzled by what Italy was saying, what was he mumbling on about now. "What are you talking about, I saw him just a while ago in the hall." He protested, his attention much more focused, Germany felt an uneasy feeling by Italy's words. Did Italy not see Prussia today? "G...Germany, Prussias been dead since... the end of the second World War." Italy murmured quite concerned about why Germany was talking as if his deceased brother was still alive. The taller nation's eyes widen, what? No way, Prussia was- he was there in the morning, he was there in the kitchen! The living room, the hall! Germany's memory started to fog, was it all... what?
77 years ago, February 25, 1947.
Germany was on his knees, his hair dishevelled and his uniform wrinkled. He screamed his heart out "Please, please! Don't do this, he doesn't deserve this!" His heart was pounding so fast, his whole entire body felt like it was going to break down and just dissolve, this can't be happening. God, why does this have to happen? He shook nervously, afraid of what might happen next. But all those sickos did was stare down at his pathetic state. "Dude, chill." The young nation said, without a care in the world. Like he was the highest thing to a God there was. "You brought this onto yourself, didn't you Kraut?" England added he was very bitter about everything that happened. "You started this war, you killed all those people, and now you want us to spare one life when you couldn't spare millions!?" England shouted, losing his temper a bit. America placed a hand on his shoulder, telling him it wasn't the time to lose his cool. Russia sighed, his everlasting smile forever replaying in Germany's head. When he beat him, when he captured him that smile was always there. A chill ran down Germany's spine as he heard him speak.
"You really are a fool, aren't you?" Russia crossed his legs, watching amused at Germany's defeat. "You both are guilty of the same crime, it's just that Prussia has served a much eviller one. Being the root cause of most of this." He reasoned, his calm demeanour still never wavering. "Alright guys, listen up." America began. "On February 25, 1947. The Allied Forces which include America, Russia, Britain, China, France, and Canada, will execute and abolish the Country of Prussia by decree of the Allied Control Council." Germany felt tears prick up in the corner of his eyes, this can't be happening. The person who raised him, who basically had zero chance of dying because he was immortal was going to die, right in front of him. Germany screamed again, refusing to stop. He couldn't let this happen, but his chains were far too tight for him to move. His throat was becoming hoarse from all his sour yelling. "Stop, don't! I'll do anything, just don't hurt him! He's everything I have... I'm begging you!" His pitiful sobbing must be torture to the Allies' ears.
China stood beside Prussia's body, he wasn't even fighting back. It looks like he was accepting this, accepting the fact he was gonna die. But Germany wasn't, he couldn't accept the fact that Prussia would die. China grabbed his Jian from his sheath. It looked like he was ready to strike him. "Ready?" He asked, turning to his other friends. Germany's heart raced so fast, his mind felt like it was going to explode, please God, please. Don't let this happen. Don't let the man that raised him die within my view, or at all. Wet tears traced down his face as he cried. "West..." a weak choked-out voice called out, Germany stopped momentarily from crying to face him. Even in his final breaths, Prussia still smiled at him. "Please, don't cry. It hurts seeing you cry." Prussia was always like this, always caring about others more than himself. Germany wasn't gonna be the one that was dead, he was. So... why would he care so much about Germany more than himself? "Bruder..." Germany called out, he just wanted this to stop. He just wanted to go and hug his brother, protect him for once.
"Großer Bruder's always gonna protect you, so don't worry." He grinned, this stupid bastard. Why was he doing this? Stop, just stop it. The other allies nodded at China, The Asian country pulled his sword down swiftly heading towards Prussia's head. "Auf Wiedersehen, West."
Blood splayed Germany's view as he saw his brother's head hanging off from his body. Germany couldn't even react, couldn't even get the chance to respond before China struck his sword. Germany was in absolute mental turmoil, he couldn't believe this. Prussia couldn't talk to him, couldn't comfort him, couldn't be there for him. His big brother was gone. Germany began to sob quietly, doing the best he could with his tied limbs to crawl towards Prussia's limp corpse. His bloodied deceased corpse. "Großer Bruder..." he bawled, staring down at his headless body. The allies just stared curiously at the sight. "The execution has finished, this meeting shall close." Germany was so silent and saddened he didn't bother to register America's words. He felt a sharp pain as a guard grabbed him from behind by the collar, he hissed angrily, biting the guard in the hand. He refused to get away from his brother, refused to leave him alone, he wouldn't let go even if he was dead. Another tried grabbing Prussia's dead body. Germany growled, "Don't you dare touch him!" He scowled, leaning over Prussia's dead body. It took 3 guards and sedation to get him off the debased corpse.
Present time.
Germany's breathing fastened, feeling uncomfortable in the room all of a sudden. Everything seemed to change. "N-no, I saw him in Italy... he was there when I woke up, I swear!" He protested, refusing to believe his reality. "Germany, are you sure? I've never seen him at your house." Italy walked into Germany's office, all his attention towards the other. "He's there! M-maybe you just don't visit my house often..." his voice was shaky, his mind was fogging again. "Germany..." the smaller spoke again, "We visited Prussia's grave last week, remember?" Italy tried to remind the blonde, Germany's eyes widened in shock, what?
Was that... familiar embrace just a lie? Was the voice, the touch, the comfort all just a lie? Germany got up from his chair, he felt like he was hyperventilating right now. Prussias grave... Prussia's grave... when- suddenly it hit him, the fact he'd usually fog up his brain whenever anything mentioned Prussia wasn't alive. That grave... he fogged up the name of it plastered on the tomb.
"Hier liegt das Land P̶r̶e̶u̶ße̶n̶." He tried forgetting his presence, all of it. But it was too much to bear. He couldn't forget him, he couldn't accept the fact that he was dead, not even when Prussia accepted it. "Stop, no. Please..." Germany ran a hand through his already-slicked hair. Breathing heavily from the panic. "Germany, are you alr-" Before Italy could finish Germany excused himself to the bathroom, he needed to calm down that's all he needed to do. Germany panicked to find the nearest bathroom available, anywhere away from wandering eyes. When he found a bathroom, he locked himself in the toilet. Falling down to the ground, he hid his face in his knees. He can't cry, no, he wasn't weak. He wasn't a child anymore, he wasn't anyone's little brother anymore. Prussia's not dead, he isn't.
"West... please don't cry." A voice echoed through his mind, that familiar voice. But it was different this time, the voice felt cold and far away. "Großer Bruder will protect you... from them!" the voice was full of emotion, so comforting but yet so troubling to Germany's ears at the same time. Germany refused to hear it, refused to calm down. Until he heard another voice, it was that same familiar voice but in a much different tone. "West," it spoke, it was him again. But he didn't have that same full emotion in him again. "Stop denying it, I know it hurts..." he continued, this time Germany finally listened. "But, I've already accepted it, everyone's already accepted it. Just you only... you've become a good kid now, you even managed to befriend my murderers, haha!" He laughed, as if not saying such an obscene thing. "So, just continue being a good kid. Don't focus on someone that's already dead, who's already accepted the fact they're not alive. Just continue to make yourself better and in the future." He smirked, kneeling in front of the blonde, those red eyes looked at him with such love, even if they were dead and soulless. He could still feel their warmth, Germany sighed, his breath calming down. "I'll always protect you, West. Even if it means hurting myself in the process." Prussia hugged his little brother comfortingly, soothing his stress and anxiety.
Germany took the hug, letting his brother give him one last closure. It hurt, it hurt to see the person who raised him all his life go, but it was worth it if he accepted it. Germany hugged him back, accepting his comfort. After a while had passed, the presence was gone. But Germany didn't care, he'd do what Prussia said and try to move on. He got up and walked to the mirror to fix his hair. Realizing what a calloused mess it was. He brushed it and got out of the bathroom, he saw Italy sitting on a chair tapping his foot worriedly, and he smiled. "Italy!" He called, the shorter nation noticed and quickly got up "Germany...!! I was so worried, I thought you were crying and I thought I might've caused it and you know how I can't read the room sometimes, but I didn't mean to" Italy rambled on apologetically but Germany stopped him, letting out a short chuckle. "It's fine, really Italy. I... I just had trouble getting over some things in the past, but I think I'm okay now." he said reassuringly, patting Italy's head. "Now, where's that tomato sauce jar you need help with?" he smiled, Italy looked at him happily again, grabbing his arm and taking him to the supposed tomato sauce jar. When they were walking there, Germany noticed his office and took a short look inside.
The snow globe, stuffed animal, and doll were gone. It looked like he was finally starting to let go.