OH GOD NO - but Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!
Sooo, @warrior-lion53 asked me to write a wholesome Christmas fan-fic...
>>> https://archiveofourown.org/works/17313671
Let's go - horribly out of character Lud and over-protecting Gil with edgy themes and smut! Let's pull all the skeletons out of the closet when I write and publish my first Germancest fanfic in seven years! I am sorry for the shit I produced, I do not write fanfics so idk what is a good fanfic xD
To be fair, it was weird, when I was given the artistic freedom to pull off anything I want. So naturally I wrote the story spiced with my favorite HC. It was odd after so long to write this HC with its original context and purpose. This resulted into a Christmas story, which spans three chapters (chapters I and II drama, chapter III wholesome fun and smut), 32 pages and 18312Â words. It would have been longer but I decided to delete not one but TWO bathing scenes (but did I write them, yes) because they kinda-like didn't fit with the mood (I would need to make this shite a series that they'd make sense).
TL;DR: this is the reason why I do not post/publish anything I write. It is edgy long rambling shite: (https://archiveofourown.org/works/17313671)
Santas!! All pairs are out finally!
Submitions are due to 1st January! You can always anon ask your pair to learn what theyâd like for their present. If you have any questions feel free to drop us an ask! Have fun!
Is anyone still around?? SoâŠ. @ludwiginsexyuniforms and @tooawesomeforawesome decided to torture you one more year and force you all to join the annual Germancest Secret Santa Event!!
(COPY PASTE BECAUSE I AM LAZY AF)
So⊠for the ones wondering.. that means you will be randomly paired with another participant and will make them a gift. It has to be Germancest, and preferably has to comply to your pair âs wishes.. Just like with every Secret Santa, you wonât know who has you until the gifts are revealed.
âSignups are until 9 December. Please sign up by submitting the following information to the blog!!!!
Name:
Tumblr   URL or email:
Gift   Type you are doing (drawing/fic/video/song):
R-18 Â Â content preference (yes please or no thank you):
Please   tag your submission with âapplicationâ
âYou will be paired with someone as soon as a match becomes available, but no later than 14 December.
âGifts should be due by December 31th. Early submissions are acceptable, of course, but if you think youâre going to be late then please let us know.
âThe final date to turn in gifts is January 7th.
When the pairs are sort out we will contact the participants to see If everything is set and ready to go. If there are any dropouts, then their participants will be reassigned.
âAlso  keep in mind:
Please try to do your best and give all your heart to the gift you will be presenting.
We will be posting gifts staring on the January 1st and until January 7. late gifts will be posted too but better be fast, we donât want anyone to get their gifts delayed.
If you feel that you cannot finish your gift in time due to any reason, please let us know as soon as possible so we can rearrange the pairs
Is anyone still around?? So.... @ludwiginsexyuniforms and @tooawesomeforawesome decided to torture you one more year and force you all to join the annual Germancest Secret Santa Event!!
(COPY PASTE BECAUSE I AM LAZY AF)
So⊠for the ones wondering.. that means you will be randomly paired with another participant and will make them a gift. It has to be Germancest, and preferably has to comply to your pair âs wishes.. Just like with every Secret Santa, you wonât know who has you until the gifts are revealed.
âSignups are until 9 December. Please sign up by submitting the following information to the blog!!!!
Name:
Tumblr   URL or email:
Gift   Type you are doing (drawing/fic/video/song):
R-18 Â Â content preference (yes please or no thank you):
Please   tag your submission with âapplicationâ
âYou will be paired with someone as soon as a match becomes available, but no later than 14 December.
âGifts should be due by December 31th. Early submissions are acceptable, of course, but if you think youâre going to be late then please let us know.
âThe final date to turn in gifts is January 7th.
When the pairs are sort out we will contact the participants to see If everything is set and ready to go. If there are any dropouts, then their participants will be reassigned.
âAlso  keep in mind:
Please try to do your best and give all your heart to the gift you will be presenting.
We will be posting gifts staring on the January 1st and until January 7. late gifts will be posted too but better be fast, we donât want anyone to get their gifts delayed.
If you feel that you cannot finish your gift in time due to any reason, please let us know as soon as possible so we can rearrange the pairs
Iâm almost a little late! This is for @prince-of-elsinore for the @gerprusecretsanta holiday exchange. This was fun to write. Hope you enjoy, and happy new year!Â
Gilbert was amazing. Ludwig had known this his entire life. His older brother was someone heâd looked up to for everything. Where Ludwig was shy, Gilbert was outgoing. Where Ludwig hesitated, Gilbert was spontaneous. Where Ludwig was a loner, Gilbert had friends to share with him. Where most people saw Ludwig as a overly strong, stoic, and stern, Gilbert loved to dote on him and be openly affectionate.
Even though they were the same height, Gilbert would still pat his head, and Ludwig found himself wanting the hand to linger longer.
Gilbert was amazing, so when he had come home with a sour look on his face, Ludwig had to wonder what put it there.
Of course Gilbert let him know.
âShe must have been on her period or something.â Gilbert shrugged off his coat and slung it over the back of the kitchen chair. âI made a move-â Gilbert moved in closer to Ludwig, invading his space, âput an arm around her-â he draped his arm across Ludwigâs shoulders, causing his heart rate to go up, âand she said she needed to get going to bed.â Gilbert frowned and slowly removed himself. Ludwig felt relieved, but already missed his proximity, missed the closeness and the warmth.
âSo your date didnât go well?â Â Ludwig asked. He couldnât help but feel glad that Gilbertâs date was a failure. He didnât like the idea of Gilbert going out with some random girl he barely knew.
âNo, not this one or the last one.â Gilbert ran a hand through his hair and glanced to the side, âI havenât been laid in months actually.â He let out a short laugh that fell flat. âRejection does wonders for self esteem.â
âGilbertâŠâ
âItâs not a big deal to be honest. It just sucks sometimes.â Gilbert shrugged, playing it off as cool.
âI wouldnât know,â Ludwig admitted, âI donât really date.â
âAwww shy little Ludwig,â Gilbertâs hand moved in a flash to try and flick Ludwigâs ear, but Ludwig managed to dodge, reflexes sharp after years of practise.
âQuit that,â he grumbled, and he watched Gilbertâs eyes grow soft and affectionate.
âI havenât managed to get your ear in awhile either,â he chuckled, âAh well. Maybe next time. Watch your back. Iâm going to bed.â
Gilbert left Ludwig in the kitchen, wondering just how someone could reject him? He was so handsome and confident. Even when he expressed some insecurities, he seemed sure of himself. Ludwig retreated to his own room.
It was relatively late, but he felt restless. Time to surf the web for a bit before bed. He started off on social media, but wandered to chatroulette. Gilbert called him innocent, but he was pretty far from it. Watching people get off was exciting and taboo.
He made sure the camera didnât include his face and began clicking through people on the website. Every couple minutes he would match himself with a new person until-
There was his brother on his screen. Hand down his pants and head tilted back. Ludwig had never gotten harder faster in his life. His face flushed hot and his cursor hovered over the ânextâ button-
But god he looked so good. Gilbertâs lower lip caught between his teeth and his shirt off, showing Ludwig his pale chest and smooth stomachâŠ
But he shouldnât be watching this. It was a breach of privacy. He shouldnât be hard to this, and he shouldnât be focusing on the way Gilbertâs bicep bunched on each upstroke.
Guilt settled into his stomach as his own hand ghosted over the front of his pants. Gilbertâs head lolled forward and Ludwig had never been more thankful he kept his face out of the camera. He watched as Gilbert looked down at his computer monitor, then used a hand to type.
[No face? You shy?]
[Yeah a little]
[Thatâs fine. I like shy.]
Ludwigâs heart leapt into his throat and he froze for a second. Gilbert didnât know it was him, did he? He checked the video to make sure his face was off screen. It was. He relaxed again and looked to Gilbert. He had unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, his underwear clearly visible.
He should click away, he really should. Gilbert would be mortified if he knew Ludwig was watching him. But he just looked so damn good like this. His eyes ran down Gilbertâs torso to where his hand was rubbing himself. Ludwig barely registered that Gilbert had reached to the side for something, only really noticing when he saw a familiar pattern.
Little dachshunds. There was a pattern of little dachshunds on the pair of boxers that Gilbert had gotten him for Christmas as a joke. Heâd thought they were cute. Heâd been missing them for a week. Now they were being pressed to Gilbertâs face. Ludwig let out a shaky breath. Was this really happening? Did Gilbert want him too?
His thoughts raced. How long had Gilbert been doing this? How long had he wanted him back? Did this mean he could tell him how he felt as well? He watched Gilbertâs fist tighten in his boxers. He looked dazed. He was really into this. Into him.Â
Heâd been frozen at the computer for a little too long apparently, since Gilbert leaned forward to type again.
[You okay there? You should go for it]
Should he go for it?Â
Ludwig gulped. He should do it before he chickened out. If he didnât do it now, heâd overthink the situation and never go through with it. Without hesitating any longer, he took off his shirt.
The Holy Roman Empireâs formation date is disputed. One could say that it came into existence with the crowning of Charlemagne as King of the Romans in 800 CE. However, this line did not continue and was interrupted until in 962 CE when Otto I restored the title and began a continued line of Emperors for over 800 years. I have chosen to use 962 as the âbirth yearâ of my HRE/Ludwig as it just makes things much simpler without having to worry about the series of disputes and problems after Charlemagneâs death. Its full name at the time of this chatper is the Holy Roman Empire of the German People.
The Napoleonic Wars lasted from 1803 to 1815 which saw the French Empire (led by Napoleon of course) and its allies against different European powers who formed many Coalitions. It initiated many changes in the structure of Europe and led to widespread nationalism and liberalism and also proving very important in the formation of Germany and Italy into nations similar as to what they are today. HRE had been on a decline ever since the Thirty Years War in the 17th century (1600âs) so it didnât take much for the fragile âEmpireâ to break. This finally happened after Austria lost the War of the Third Coalition along with her allies. The Emperor, Francis II abdicated the imperial throne in 1806 after Austriaâs decisive defeat at the Battle of Austerlitz. The Austrian Empire had actually been formed in 1804 so in the time between, he ruled as the only Doppelkaiser (double emperor) in history. On the 6th of August 1806, Francis II formally abdicated as the Holy Roman Emperor and dissolved HRE, continuing to reign as Emperor of Austria.
Prussia or the Kingdom of Prussia (Königreich PreuĂen) as it would have been known during the time this chapter takes place, had a very interesting and confusing beginning. The original inhabitants of the area known as Prussia were actually pagan Baltic tribes, more related to modern Lithuanians and Latvians than Germans. The Christianisation of North-Eastern Europe in the 13th century saw the Teutonic Knights being invited by Conrad of Moravia to conquer and Christianise the Old Prussians. This conquest was successful and the Teutonic Knights established the State of the Teutonic Order (Staat des Deutschen Ordens/ Civitas Ordinis Theutonici) , centred on the Prussian lands and their capital of Königsberg. The State was powerful for a short amount of time before losing against the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, after which it fell into decline. The lands were split after the Peace of Thorn in 1466 with the western parts becoming Royal Prussia, which were a part of Poland and the monastic state in the east eventually became the Duchy of Prussia during the Protestant Reformation (Ducal Prussia was the first Protestant state ever) and was a fief to Poland ruled by the House of Hohenzollern. The Prussian male Hohenzollern line died out in 1618 so the lands were transferred to the senior Brandenburg Hohenzollerns, thus the personal union between Brandenburg and Prussia was formed. They now ruled as Margraves and Prince-Electors of Brandenburg (a fief to the HRE) as well as Dukes of Prussia. Due to the unique circumstances of the lands, a true union was impossible but they were ruled together and known as Brandenburg-Prussia. The Great Elector Frederick Williams I sought to incorporate Royal Prussia into his lands as well and had struck an agreement with Sweden; support for their invasion of Poland and in return Royal Prussia would be reunited with the Duchy. However, Poland made a counter-offer and Frederick Williams accepted. On the 29th of July 1657, full sovereign rights over Ducal Prussia was transferred to Frederick Williams and the Duchy was elevated to the status of Kingdom of Prussia with its ruler styling as King in Prussia. The seat of government moved back to Berlin after the end of the Thirty Years War. Prussia finally became a Great Power thanks to the work of Frederick II, more commonly known as Frederick the Great (or as we hetalians and his soldiers say, âOld Fritzâ) who connected Prussiaâs scattered territories through a series of wars (Silesians and Seven Yearâs) and political engineering (Partition of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth). Prussia took Hannover from the British at the urging of France and joined a pro-French coalition during the War of the Second Coalition (1799-1802) but withdrew its troops after the Coalition fell apart following the Battle of Copenhagen. Prussia reoccupied Hannover and Bremen-Verden in 1806, again urged by Napoleon during the War of the Third Coalition. It was at this time that HRE was dissolved after Austriaâs losses, especially in Austerlitz. However, Prussia turned on France and joined the Fourth Coalition in 1806 but lost in the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt. Frederick William III was forced to flee and Prussia lost about half of its territory. French troops occupied Prussia (at Prussiaâs expense) and the King was forced to make an allegiance to France and join the Continental System. However, after Napoleonâs defeat in Russia in 1812, Prussia quit the alliance and took part in the Sixth Coalition and the Wars of Liberation. Prussia also was pivotal in the final defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815, led by the famous Gebhard Leberecht von BlĂŒcher.
Franceâs ânew puppetâ, as mentioned by Ludwig, is the Confederation of the Rhine. It was a confederation of 16 German states after Napoleon defeated Austria and Russia at Austerlitz. It was later joined by another 19 states and provided France a buffer zone Prussia in the north and Austria in the south, which both werenât part of the Confederation and was also required to send soldiers for the French army. The Confederation was very dependent of Napoleon and collapsed after his defeat at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813. It was succeeded by the German Confederation, formed after the Congress of Vienna by Prussia and Austria in 1815.
Prussiaâs involvement in the creation of the German Empire will be covered in the Historical Notes of next chapter. The information has been significantly simplified as I tried to not sound like a complete history maniac (which I kind of am). This is part of my 13 chapter long fic following APH Prussia and Germany from HRE death to modern day through 13 separate one-shots, each one set in a different time (each time is an important event in German history). This will probably be platonic Germancest as I do not feel comfortable writing 18+ scenes nor do I feel like such scenes are suitable for the tone of my story. This is also my Germancest Secret Santa gift for AllyInTheRain on Tumblr. Hope you enjoy and Iâm very sorry about this late as hell submission. This is my first fanfiction ever and English is not my mother tongue so please give me constructive criticism and feedback. Thanks for reading.
A collection of short stories following Gilbert and Ludwig through two-hundred years of German history.
Gift to AllyInTheRain and dedicated to all lovers of historical Hetalia and Germancest, especially Prince of Elsinore for inspiring me to begin writing.
Kapitel Eins
-The doors closed with finality-
In the moonlit hallway, a lone figure ran, boots pounding on the parquet floor. His panted breaths echoed in the silence as he struggled in a race against time. It seemed to take Prussia forever to reach the rooms at the passage and when he finally reached those imposing doors, a flash of fear suddenly stuck him.
As soon as I cross that barrier, everything will be final. I wonât be able to hide anymore. No more denying the truth that his time has come.
Prussia stood there, transfixed by the sheer incredibility that it was really happening. However, there was no time to be wasted on fearing the inevitable and grief could wait until he was truly gone. With a shuddering breath, pale hands pushed open the heavy doors.
The room beyond was dimly lit by one candle on the gilded nightstand beside the bed. Next to it, Prussia could just make out the outline of a figure half sitting, propped up by pillows. He could just make out the soft glow of golden hair, plastered to a pale brow with sweat. He could just make out the tired blue eyes that stared into his own.
And for a moment, his entire world narrowed down to just those eyes; blue to red.
A second later, the rustling of clothes severed the connection as a man stepped out of the shadows to stand beside Prussia. Austria placed a hand on the Prussianâs shoulder, their past aggressions put aside if only for just this one day. They were united in their pain as they shared their loss. Without a word, Austria had given Prussia the confidence he needed to step towards the bed and slowly sit down beside the boy. Then, with a last look at the occupant of the bed, Austria left the room.
The doors closed with finality.
Another moment of silence before a weak voice spoke.
âYou came to Vienna all the way from Berlin just to see me die? My! I am flattered that you love me so much.â
A dark chuckle followed by a wheezing cough.
Prussia did not appreciate the black humour though.
âHoly Rome, please. Save your breath. If not for you than for me.â
âWhatâs the point? Prussia, I am tired of wasting away. The past two hundred years were hardly better than Hell on earth. Now I have lost my status as a nation, I can finally have peace. And stop calling me Holy Rome; that was dissolved last month. Iâm just Ludwig now.â
Prussia did not know how to respond. Everything that he had wanted to say, those words that had flooded his mind as he rode through day and night on his journey to Vienna had all but abandoned him. He had so much that he wanted to tell Holy, no, Ludwig but he knew that time was running out. His long years of suffering was ending.
In the absence of speech, Prussia reached out and took Ludwigâs hand in his own. They were so small compared to his, the hands of a twelve year old. Prussia remembered a time when Ludwig had been physically older than him.
When I first met you, I was but a lost child. I didnât know who I was or what I was doing. It was you who showed me my role as an Incarnation; it was you who taught me how to act as one. How I had worshipped you then, my infallible elder brother. I could always turn to in times of need you and you never let me down. But now, you are the one in need of help and all I can do is hold your hand and wait for Death to come.
As if he had read Prussiaâs thoughts, Ludwigâs trembling hands closed around his brotherâs.
âI still remember our first meeting. You scared my mount so much that he almost threw me off. Even as a toddler, you were still a monster. I still do not understand how the Order decided that it was a good idea to take you in. That must have been in the six centuries ago! I would have been older than you then but now I am stuck as a boy while you have grown into a man.â
âBut this man would not be here if it werenât for that boy. No matter how much their bodies change, they will always be brothers.â
It was at that second that Prussia saw the beginning of tears of Ludwigâs eyes. In all their history together, he had never seen his brother cry. Not when the Plague swept through Europe, not when war engulfed his lands. Not even when he had attended the funerals of their other siblings, tiny states that were born and died at the whims of greater powers. Not even when his own Emperor abdicated and dissolved his empire. Those unseen tears now flowed freely down Ludwigâs gaunt cheeks as all the long suppressed emotions welled to the surface. They both knew that this night would be their last time together and they had but this one final chance to open their hearts to each other.
It was now or never.
âHoly Rome, Ludwig, Brother, I would like to ask for your forgiveness for my past wrongs against you. We could not control the flow of history nor could we dictate the minds of our leaders. As the Kingdom of Prussia, you were my sworn enemy but as a man named Gilbert, you have always been my heartâs closest companion. It is my greatest regret that only in the face of death did I summon enough courage to tell you the truth. I am so sorry and I ⊠all those years, IâŠâ
The words that had so eluded Prussia came rushing out in a tumbled, incoherent mess. His own supressed sobs rose in his throat and he could not hold in his tears any longer.
Ludwig could only watch as Gilbertâs proud exterior feel apart to reveal the overwhelming guilt beneath. He had always known that behind Prussiaâs meticulously constructed façade of confidence, he was full of self-doubt and uncertainty, especially these recent years with the threat of Napoleon hanging like an ominous cloud over Europe. The pain of watching oneâs brethren fall around him but being powerless to help was not new to Ludwig. There was no use in trying to console Gilbert with words; instead, Ludwig cupped the youngerâs face and laid him down on the elderâs blanketed legs.
They stayed like that until Gilbertâs weeping slowed and eventually stopped. Then, it was Ludwigâs turn to confess.
âPlease do not cry. It is the first and foremost duty of any Incarnation to serve his country. What happened between Prussia and Holy Roman Empire is in the past. As a dying man, if I may even be called that, I have one final wish.â
Ludwig struggled to sit up and leant towards Gilbert, eyes glazed with fever and impending death boring into Gilbertâ soul.
âWhen I am dead, you must replace me as the head of our family. No, stop trying to interrupt me; save your words for the years to come. I was created solely as a means of uniting our fractured people. Father had always envied Rome for his empire and longed for a similar one of his own. The Frankish Empire was his last experiment before his death. They eventually fell apart and I was born from the eastern portion, almost one thousand years ago. I dedicated my entire existence to try to fulfil Fatherâs dreams but my ambitions were too great. Ruling over all of central Europe? What a joke now that I think about it.â
Gilbert had never heard such bitterness in Ludwigâs voice. His tone reminded the Prussian of an old manâs thoughts in his last hours on earth.
That is exactly what he is doing. These are his final confessions.
A shiver ran down Gilbertâs spine as he once again felt the gaping void of uncertainty swallowing his composure. Dark whispers of âwhat are you going to do without himâ and âyouâll never be able to leadâ began to circulate in his mind. Gilbert clenched his teeth and blocked out the traitorous thoughts.
Ludwigâs feeble lungs struggled to draw breath in the stuffy rooms but he continued speaking, pushing his failing body to its limit. He could rest when he died.
âMy chance has long passed but yours is still to come. Gilbert, now is your chance! A wildfire is spreading that will cleanse Europe of the old and make way for the next great power. You know that Franceâs new puppet will not last long, so when it falls seize that opportunity. Only you are strong enough to accomplish that, only you have that ambition, that passion. Austria may try to pretend that he is still the leader but his days are over too. Please Gilbert, this single dream has waited a millennium for this moment. This is all I ask of you as your brother, my last request.â
The words hung heavy in the air. Gilbert was desperately lost for what to answer. He wanted to reassure Ludwig that he might, just might, survive. It was complete nonsense but Gilbert did not trust himself to say otherwise.
If I accept, I will be bound by this promise to the rest of my existence. No more freedom, no more recklessness, no more selfishness.
The world was changing rapidly and Gilbert was struggling to keep himself alive, let alone attempt at a task that the Holy Rome Empire had failed. He knew it would be so much easier to make up an excuse, state the dangers and impracticalities of Ludwigâs request and list the infinite obstacles that such an undertaking would face. The more responsible answer would have been to refuse and focus on his own Prussia, now so dangerously close to war with France.
But looking at Ludwig, the intensity in his eyes, feeling the tightness in his hands, Gilbert knew that the only right answer had to be a yes. He was so indebted to Ludwig that anything other than unquestioned agreement would seem like an act of treason to every moral in the world. Who had the right to deny a manâs last wish, let alone his own brotherâs? Somewhere deep in Gilbertâs heart, a primal part of his psyche urged him onwards. It was the voice of his ambition, his love of war, the undeniable burning of his Prussian blood. It was his ravenous hunger for power and it was his unsatisfiable need for recognition. It was also something smaller; something mundane that seemed so out of place in such a personality like Gilbertâs. It was nothing more than a simple desire for the accompany of one he could trust indefinitely; the honest love of a brother he would soon lose.
A slow smile tugged at the corner of Gilbertâs lips. He nodded; words were unnecessary. The feeling that unfurled within Gilbert that instance was indescribable. A sense of completeness settled his tired thoughts and emotions that he thought he had long forgotten returned to his racing heart.
Warmth.
Hope.
Tenderness.
Love.
I promise to you Ludwig, to anyone and everyone: tonight, I dedicate myself to this cause. I will do anything I can to unite the German people into the most powerful nation of all. This child will be born in a new world, a world cleansed of the shadows of the past. He will rise like a phoenix from the ashes of a fallen Empire, my greatest pride. Never shall he have to fight tooth and nail for survival, never will he have to be spat upon, and never will he be hated and unwanted. Never will he have to feel alone for I will always be by his side. If the sky were to fall down, I will hold it up for him. If the earth were to tear apart, I will lie down and let him step on me. If he were to ever face Death, I will gladly take his place. My heart for yours, my life for yours. My brother forever.
Ludwig saw the change in Gilbert and his own smile lifted his dying face. All of his pain had not been for nought. He could finally rest knowing that a stronger nation would replace him. Ludwig took in a deep breath and let everything go.
Chapters:Â 1/1
Words:Â 1362 (complete)
Fandom:Â Hetalia: Axis Powers
Rating:Â Teen and Up Audiences
Warnings:Â No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships:Â Germany/Prussia (Hetalia)
Characters:Â Germany, Prussia
Additional Tags:Â Space AU, germancest secret santa 2017, Donât Sue Me Disney, Thereâs only like, one disney reference in here, but itâs fluff, Fluff, Germancest, Sibling Incest,
Summary:Â Thereâs an emergency mission from NASA that requires both Ludwig and Gilbert to make repairs to the space station on Christmas Day.
â
For @itrainswhales.
When you mentioned space au, I almost lost my shit because Iâve been working on a space au outline (not related to this little drabble) for the past year or so.
I hope to post that one relatively soon actually.
Happy Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!
In other news, here are some Cool Space Suit Facts.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Germany/Prussia (Hetalia)
Characters: Germany (Hetalia), Prussia (Hetalia)
Additional Tags: GerPru Secret Santa 2017, Alternate Universe - Human, Sibling Incest
Summary: It is the Golden Twenties in Berlin. Gilbert approaches his brother, who he has not seen in the past decade, for help in apprehending his loverâs murderer. However, emotional baggage exists between the brothers. Ludwig has unresolved feelings for Gilbert, who remains conflicted about his relationship with his brother. Will they reconcile as the murderer draws ever nearer, or will it all fall apart? Inspired by Babylon Berlin.
Hereâs my Secret Santa gift for @dawnofdragonfire! I hope you like it, and Happy New Year everyone!
Happy New Year to all my fellow shippers! Nora, Iâm your secret santa :) Since I can never write things in a timely manner, I was unable to finish the whole fic, but I think I can have it done by the 7th! For now, Iâll submit what Iâve got. I had complete writerâs block for any fantasy AU, but I had this thing floating around in my head and I hope it will fit the bill! I know itâs not all that fluffy yet, but I promise there will be warm and fuzzy feelings by the end. I was asked for fluff and I plan to deliver!
I found myself doing a lot of research on raising chickens for this story. If anyone knows more about this subject than I do, I apologize for any errors or misrepresentations of keeping chickens.
(The story just has a working title for now. It may change!)
Warnings: some swearing, tobacco use, and farm animal death.
Hope you enjoy!
Winter Story
The sun was a slab of butter melting over the hilltops, but the air was the kind of cold that makes your teeth hurt when you breathe in through an open mouth. Ludwig Beilschmidt therefore kept mouthâand for good measure, noseâburied deep under a thick tartan scarf, wrapped twice round his head. He peered over its edge through the thinning light down the road in either direction, unsure from which way the vehicle would come.
The bus had supposedly dropped him off in the town of West Stenton, but no signs of a town were discernible to Ludwig as he glanced up and down the road. Directly behind him stood a general store advertising full gas service, and in one direction he could make out the white vinyl siding of a house through snow-covered fir trees, but those were the only signs of civilization.
He pulled his phone from his back pocket and checked the screen: no bars. He hadnât expected anyâGilbert had prepared him for as muchâbut had felt the urge to look just in case. He sighed, the warm puff of breath moistening the fibers that hugged his lips and cheeks.
He waited. His toes started to tingle painfully, and he regretted not wearing a second layer of socks as Gilbert had suggested. He stomped his feet on the slushy pavement and curled his fingers into his palms inside his gloves.
Ludwig checked his phone again. He had been standing there fifteen minutes, and the bus had arrived ten minutes late, so Gilbert was twenty-five minutes late. He wondered if Gilbertâs adopted rural lifestyle had broken him of his punctual ways.
He glanced through the windows of the general store. There was no sign of an attendant, but their sign proclaimed them âopen 24/7,â so he tugged the handle of his suitcase up and ventured inside. Immediately upon feeling the gust of warm air that enveloped him, he wished heâd done so sooner.
The tinkling of the bell above the door caught the attention of the attendant, who appeared from a back room.
âHi. Can I help you?â she asked, voice as flat as the limp hair on her head as she sauntered behind the counter.
Ludwig pulled his scarf down to free his mouth. âUh, do you have a phone I could use?â
 She pointed to a payphone on the opposite wall. It occurred to Ludwig he had never used a payphone in his life. He hoped he could find a quarter.
He dragged his suitcase over to the phone and removed his gloves with his teeth so he could dig his wallet out and rummage for the right coin. With relief he located a quarter, and read the directions for making a call. He had to pull up his contacts on his iPhone to find Gilbertâs number.
He held the clunky phone to his ear with his shoulder and removed the gloves from his teeth. He had the vague sense of being in a movie from the nineties; that was what using a payphone brought to mind.
The phone rang. And rang. And rang. No answer. Ludwig sighed and hung up, feeling cheated of the full experience of speaking on a payphone. At least the machine returned his 25 cents.
He was hopeful that the lack of answer meant Gilbert was already on his way. He debated internally for a moment whether to wait inside in the warmth or outside, where he had a better view of the road. Eventually his impulse to be aware of his surroundings won out; he braced himself and stepped out into the cold to survey the road again. His resolve was fortified by the thought that if Gilbert saw him waiting out there, perhaps he would feel an appropriate amount of guilt for his tardiness.
Ten minutes later he was doubting his decision. The sun had slipped beneath the treetops and he could swear the temperature had dropped a further twenty degrees. He was contemplating going back inside to try calling again when finally he heard the stutter of an old engine rounding the bend. The next moment headlights flickered through the trees and swung around towards the general store. Ludwig squinted hopefully; sure enough, the two-door pickup rumbled to a stop in front of him and a familiar face grinned through the windshield.
Gilbert rolled down the passenger window. âThrow your bag in back and hop in!â
Ludwig eyed the bed of the truck dubiously, wondering about the chances of his suitcase being thrown over the side if they hit a particularly bumpy patch of road. If Gilbert wasnât concerned, though, perhaps he shouldnât be either. He lifted his bag and placed it down gingerly on its back before climbing up into the passenger side of the cab.
âWhat took you so long?â asked Ludwig, not bothering to disguise his disgruntled tone.
âAw, sorry âbout that, Lutz.â Gilbert had the decency to look at least a bit sheepish as he swung the truck back around. âThe turkeys were playing chicken with the dog again. Didnât end well for one of âem.â
Ludwig raised his eyebrows.
Gilbert shrugged. âTurkeys arenât chicken enough, I guess.â He chortled at his own joke. Ludwig frowned skeptically, but snorted despite himself.
âStill donât get what youâre doing with a bunch of dumb birds,â he grumbled, rubbing his toes together in his shoes to try to regain feeling.
âHey, give âem a chance. Just wait till you meet âem,â chided Gilbert lightly.
âHmm. Canât wait.â
The drive to Gilbertâs house was long. The snow reflected the lingering twilight, casting a surreal glow over the dense trees and intermittent fields of pristine white. They passed a couple houses and barns and the occasional church as Gilbert pointed out the few noteworthy landmarks; the farm where he picked up his weekly CSA share, the home of a woman whoâd recently won a national quilting prize, the turnoff for the woods where he liked to take Blackie for long hikes into the mountains.
Ludwig was vaguely aware of Gilbert fumbling with something next to him but didnât pay any attention until he heard him open his window. He glanced over and was surprised to see Gilbert lighting a cigarette. He took a long draw and blew the smoke out the window.
âDidnât know you smoked,â Ludwig commented mildly.
Gilbertâs hand went back to the wheel, cigarette perched delicately between his long fingers. âWinters up here are cold. Helps keep warm.â
âNot when you have to crack the window like that. As if I didnât freeze enough while I was waiting for you.â Ludwig huddled further into his seat.
Gilbert shrugged. âWant me to put it out? I can wait till we get home.â
Ludwig paused, watching him take another careful puff. He sighed. âNo, itâs fine.â
The sky darkened, leaving the landscape a dim, ghostly white. Gilbert asked him unimportant questions about the bus ride, his job, his apartment. Ludwig gave equally unimportant answers, and eventually silence reigned. Ludwig thought of saying something like, âJesus, youâre really in the middle of nowhere, arenât you?â or âwhat, are we driving to Canada or something?â But he didnât say anything.
Finally, Gilbert pulled off onto an unpaved driveway that one would only be able to detect by the tire tracks in the snow. They followed them a ways and rounded the base of a tree-covered knoll.
Suddenly, there appeared in the headlights what looked to Ludwig like a herd of poultry. Four-foot turkeys and chickens of every shape, pattern, and size rushed towards the approaching truck, making such a clamor Ludwig could hear their clucking and gobbling loud and clear through the glass windows.
âAw, fuck!â exclaimed Gilbert. âWho opened the damn gate?â he muttered, slowing to a crawl to avoid running over any of his precious fowl.
âTheyâre not supposed to be out?â Ludwig asked. âI thought you were doing free-range or something.â
âYeah, but not at night. Thereâs predators, plus itâs too damn cold for them out here. Actually, Iâm surprised theyâre all out in this weather. Something mustâve spooked them.â
The headlights swung around to face a small, single-story house. Gilbert put the truck in park.
âHang tight, Lutz. Gotta check out the damage and get them back in the run.â
âUh, need help?â Ludwig asked uncertainly.
Gilbert hesitated. âWell, not sure you could help much. But, you can come if you want.â
Ludwig shrugged and got out of the truck.
Outside, the din of the chickens was even louder, and now Ludwig could hear Blackieâs frenzied barking from inside the house. Beyond the beam of the headlights the flurry of birds in motion made Ludwigâs head spin. He eyed an approaching turkey warily as it stalked around him with an appraising gaze. When it decided to peck at his pant leg, Ludwig jumped back and attempted to shoo it off.
Gilbert laughed. âThat oneâs a little fresh. Donât let him bully you. Come on, follow me.â
Gilbert used his phone flashlight to guide their way to a chicken coop and run of considerable size.  He examined the lock of the open door with a sigh and shone the light inside. It fell on two bloodied piles of feathers, which Ludwig realized were dead chickens.
âDammit,â muttered Gilbert, approaching the corpses and crouching down.
âWhat happened?â asked Ludwig.
âProbably a raccoon. Theyâre the only ones clever enough to open doors.  Got in, killed a few, scared the others out of the run. Been meaning to get a better lock, but I kept putting it off. Stupid.â He shook his head and placed a hand on one of the bodies.  âSheâs still warm. Little devil mustâve run off when he heard the car. Wouldâve killed more otherwise.â He stood with a sigh. âWait here.â
He left the run and disappeared into a shack next door. After a few seconds he returned with a pail and couple of trash bags.
Ludwig grimaced as Gilbert unceremoniously dumped the corpses into the doubled up bags and left the run again, gesturing for Ludwig to follow. He held out the sack.
âHold this.â
Ludwig reluctantly took it, keeping it at armâs length.
Gilbert picked up the pail and banged it against one of the posts of the run.
âOkay you glorious bastards, get back in here. No more raccoons tonight, I promise.â He tossed a couple handfuls of something from the pail into the run. âCâmon, itâs your favorite. Mealworms, yummy yummy.â
âEverything about this situation is gross,â commented Ludwig miserably, eyeing the bag of dead chickens in his hand.
âToughen up, city boy.â Gilbert elbowed him in the side.
One by one, the chickens and turkeys made their cautious way back towards the coop, lured by the promise of dried bug treats. Gilbert counted them as they walked by. Satisfied, he finally closed the door.
He took the bag from Ludwig and rummaged in his pocket for a keychain, which he handed over. âGo ahead and take your stuff inside. Iâll be in in a secâgotta put some extra security on this gate.â
Ludwig gladly obeyed; he was nearly as cold as heâd been at the gas station. He retrieved his suitcase from the truck bed and, finding it difficult to roll in the shallow snow, carried it to the front door of the house.
As soon as he was inside, he was pounced upon by a large black German Shepherd.
âWoah, down Blackie,â he commanded. He rewarded the animal with vigorous ear scratching when he obeyed. âGood boy. Good to see you, too.â
Ludwig flicked on a few lights and looked around. The tiny entryway adjoined the kitchen, which opened into a living area with a couch, wood stove, and a computer desk in the corner. One wall was covered from floor to ceiling with bookcases. He peeked behind two more doors to find the bathroom and Gilbertâs modest bedroom.
The wood stove was giving off a welcoming heat in the main room, so Ludwig shed his coat and scarf. Heâd made himself comfortable on the couch when Gilbert came in, pink-faced from the cold.
âHungry?â he asked, pulling off his jacket.
Ludwig nodded and rose to help with dinner.
âNo, sit, Iâll get it,â Gilbert insisted, gesturing for him to remain where he was. âNothing fancy tonight.â
Ludwig didnât argue.
Gilbert warmed up a pot of leftover soup for their dinner. They ate sitting on the couch, mostly in silence. Blackie curled up on the rug before them.
Ludwig thought he should ask Gilbert about his life here; perhaps the chickens would be a good place to start. He wasnât sure what to ask, though. Finally, he settled on, âWhat did you do with the chickens? The ones the raccoon got, I mean.â
âTrash,â said Gilbert simply, taking another slurp of soup.
âOh.â
âGroundâs frozen,â he clarified. Â âOtherwise Iâd bury âem.â
âOh.â
Ludwig didnât ask any more questions.
After theyâd finished eating, Gilbert took the bowls to the sink. He returned to the couch with a solemn look on his face.
After a second, he asked, âLudwig, have you heard from Mom or Dad recently?â
Ludwig tensed. He shook his head.
Gilbert sighed. âMe neither.â
There was silence. Then, âthey send you anything for Christmas?â
Ludwig pursed his lips. âMom sent a check. No note. DadâŠâ He simply shrugged.
âHmm,â was Gilbertâs response.
âYou?â
âNothing.â Gilbert rubbed his face. âI wonder how theyâre doing.â
Ludwig frowned. âWhy? They clearly donât wonder how weâre doing. Mom didnât even send you anything. Why do you care?â
Gilbert looked at him a moment, then away. âAll I said is I wonder. Didnât say I care.â
âHmph.â
After another pause, Gilbert rose with a sigh. âIâll get you some bed linens.â
They arranged a bed on the couch and Gilbert stocked the stove with more wood before turning in. Blackie apparently liked to sleep in front of the stove, so he stayed where he was.
It was early for Ludwig to go to sleep, but he tried nevertheless; Gilbert had warned him he got up early, and if that didnât wake him, the rooster surely would. Despite his best efforts, the last time Ludwig checked his phone before drifting off, it read one eighteen.
âŠ
As promised, they started the next day early. Ludwig groggily followed his brother about his morning tasks, for lack of anything better to do. He soon realized that he had gotten into more than he had bargained for when he offered to help.
Ludwig had never imagined there were so many daily tasks to attend to on a small poultry farm. There was feeding the birds and letting them out into the yard, and collecting, wiping, and storing new eggs. There was cleanup in the coop from broken eggs, and strewing fresh woodchips and sand. There was checking coop security and predator deterrents around the yard. There was chopping wood for the stove and stoking the fire to warm the house after the cold night. There was cooking and baking and dishwashing; more than usual, as Gilbert insisted on preparing something nice for Christmas Eve.
It wasnât until Gilbert was occupied fixing the lock on the gate to the run that Ludwig had a moment to think. He imagined Gilbert going about all these chores on his own, every single day. Something about it unsettled him, though he wasnât sure why.
âDo you really still have time to write, living like this?â he asked.
âHm?â Gilbert grunted, preoccupied with his tools. âOh, yeah. More than when I was living in New York, to be honest. The daily grind there was so exhausting, I hardly had energy to write.â
Ludwig scoffed. âAnd what about this daily grind?â
Gilbert sighed. âYouâd be surprised. In a lot of ways, it gives me energy rather than draining it. Usually I write first thing in the morning, before the rooster crows, and last thing before I go to bed.â
âHmph.â Ludwig frowned, skeptical.
His gaze wandered. It was a clear day, and the tops of snow-dusted trees swayed in the wind. Ludwig could just hear the creaking of their wood over the clamor of the chickens. Beyond the coop the yard slanted down to a body of water just visible through the trees, iced over and glinting in the sun. He watched as a cloud of geese rose from the surface, flowing seamlessly into their V-shaped formation, and glided overhead.
It was beautiful. It was also completely foreign to Ludwig, and a far cry from the surroundings in which he was accustomed to seeing Gilbert.
It struck him that he couldnât recall the last time heâd been outdoors without another soul in sight.
 âDonât you get lonely out here?â he wondered.
Gilbert considered. âYeah, I do. But, thatâs no change from before, really. If anything, Iâm less lonely here than I was in the city.â
âHow can that be?â
Gilbert shrugged. âThe animals are better company than most people you meet. They donât have too many expectations other than getting fed at a certain time. Anyway, itâs not so bad, being alone. Itâs a lot worse to feel lonely when youâre surrounded by people all the time.â
Ludwig looked at his brother; his face betrayed no emotion, focused as he was on securing the lock to the gate.
Ludwig dropped his eyes to the ground. He couldnât help but wonder if Gilbert preferred animal companions to any humanâincluding him. He didnât ask.
After dinner they retired to the couch with a couple of beers. The silence stretched on, until finally Ludwig had to break it.
âWhat did you do last Christmas?â
âLast Christmas? Went for a long hike up the mountain with Blackie.â He leaned down to scratch the dog lying at his feet.
âWas it⊠nice?â
âYeah, itâs always beautiful up there this time of year. And this guy enjoyed it.â He gave Blackie a pat.
âOh.â Ludwig looked down at his beer, feeling inexplicably disappointed.
âButâŠâ Gilbert started again. Ludwig glanced over. âIt didnât really feel like Christmas, you know?â
âOh, yeah.â Ludwig nodded. His chest felt suddenly lighter.
âWhat about you?â
âWhat about me what?â
âLast Christmas.â
âOh. Well, I was with Mom and Dad. You can imagine,â said Ludwig flatly.
Gilbert looked away. He was quiet for a long moment. Then he said, âIâm sorry you had to deal with all that. On your own.â
Ludwig frowned. He didnât find the apology very satisfying.
âDo you want to talk about it?â offered Gilbert.
Ludwig sighed. âWhatâs there to talk about? Mom was never pleased, Dad was passive aggressive, both of them tried to guilt me into taking sides and gave me the silent treatment when I wasnât sympathetic enoughâŠÂ The usual.â
Gilbert was quiet again, before saying quietly, âWell, I guess itâs for the best.â
âThe divorce? Yeah, no kidding.â
âNo, I meantâwell, yeah, that. But I meant you spending Christmas here, instead of picking one of them over the other.â
âYeah, well, if I could stand either of them at the moment, I wouldnât care about hurting the otherâs feelings by playing favorites.â
Gilbert took a sip of his beer. âHowâs the job hunt?â
âNo, theyâre pretty overstaffed as is.â Ludwig didnât feel much like defending or explaining his lack of accomplishment in the career area at the moment, so he decided to hit the ball back into Gilbertâs court.
âWhat about you? What have you been writing? I havenât heard anything about new publications recently.â
âThere have been a few,â said Gilbert evasively. âAnd I had a ghost-writing gig thatâs still paying the bills. Anyway, Iâm not too concerned about output right now. I just needed to clear my head for a while, get things flowing again.â
âItâs been nearly two years.â
Gilbert raised his eyebrows at him. âYeah, and things are flowing. Iâve got some things in the works.â
âWell, what are they? Whoâwho are you writing for out here? Is it just for yourself? Do you even have anyone here who cares about your writing?â
Gilbert frowned. âWhy are you so concerned about it?â
âBecause, youâyou had a whole community in Brooklyn. They loved you. You were winning prizes and getting featured and nowââ Ludwig gestured to the empty air in front of him.
âLudwig,â Gilbert said gently, âYouâre drastically overestimating my achievements. I know there was a good group of people there, and that made me happy for a while. It would have been easy to get complacent and become a fixture of the local poetry scene. But it wasnât what I wanted forever. It wasnât a path to success.â
âAnd chicken farming is?â
 Gilbert laughed softly. âFor most people, probably not. But most people I know who are trying for something more are caught in a hamster wheel. I didnât want to move around to be a visiting lecturer somewhere new every year. I donât want to teach in the first place. I just wanted somewhere I could call my own, do things for myself. And if it means I donât get as much exposure, thatâs fine with me for now. Iâm reevaluating what success means, I guess.â
Ludwig sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. âI just⊠donât get it. I would give anything to have a gift, a calling like you do. And I would do anything to make it work. I wouldnât hide myself away in the woods.â
Gilbert laughed again. âIâm not hiding. Itâs not like Iâm a hermit. Iâve got you here.â He punched Ludwigâs arm gently. âAnd hey, go easy on yourself. Youâre good at a lot of things, Lutz. Youâll figure it out.â
âThatâs just it; Iâm good at a lot of things, but not great at any of them. You have to be great to get anywhere.â
Gilbert reached into his pocket for his cigarette pack. âYou mind?â he asked.
Ludwig shook his head. Gilbert lit up.
âYâknow, I was feeling that pressure, too,â he continued. âTo get it figured out, to find a teaching position, do all the stuff every promising poet is supposed to do. But I said âfuck itâ to the pressure and the expectations. Not to mention âfuck itâ to failing subway systems and two hours spent underground every day, âfuck itâ to rising rent that ate up 70 percent of my paycheckâŠâ He sighed. âAnyway, I donât know whatâs gonna happen. If a few years go by and Iâm not happy where I am, Iâll make a change. But for now, I am happy. Iâm happy here,â he emphasized, looking meaningfully at Ludwig.
Ludwig shrugged. âAlright. Good.â He let the subject go, though he could still feel a tightness in his chest that he couldnât explain.
They finished their beers. Gilbert put out his cigarette. They rearranged the blankets on the couch and said their goodnights.
âMerry Christmas Eve, Lutz,â said Gilbert from his doorway.
Ludwig glanced up. âYou too.â As Gilbert was turning away, he added in a rush, âThanks for the meal.â
titsay
kianamaiart
areudirty
discoholicmusic
izzy806
tangentwithtanner
turnnoffyourmind
vaporwave
