Paint It Red

{8}

[posting only for someones reference. unfinished and unedited. i will not be continuing this story but someone else will be]

Gilbert was alone in his room. Or, more accurately, Ludwig's basement. he was a bit stressed out, as piles of news were rolling in on his computer. Something about Italy and England working together and building armies, probably creating another World War.

"Bullshit," he whispered to himself. There was no way Feliciano would go near Arthur, let alone work with him. He was terrified of the other man. Maybe they would work together if say, they were stuck in a giant mansion with a crazy monster out to kill them, but even then, Feliciano would keep his distance. If all this about a World War Three was true, Ludwig would have told him about it already. But it seemed his brother had been ignoring him for the past week. He would be gone by six in the morning every day, leaving for the more frequent meetings.

Gilbert nearly jumped out of his chair when Ludwig came marching in.

"Hey! You finally decided to pay the awesome me a visit! Even though we live in the same goddamn house!" Gilbert exclaimed.

"Gilbert, I don't have time for this. Just come with me, we have an international emergency."

Ludwig grabbed Gilbert's arm and pulled him up the stairs and out the house. Gilbert tried to hold back, out of sheer confusion.

"Hey! Let me go!"

"Gilbert, I told you! We don't have time for this, now get in the car!"

"What's the problem?"

"I'll tell you when we get there! Just-GILBERT!"

Gilbert ran over to a nearby tree and climbed up as high as he could. He stuck his tongue out at Ludwig as he rested on the branch.

"Or...you could tell me now."

"GILBERT! Stop acting like a little child! You are supposed to be the eldest!"

Gilbert paused his nagging, looking down at his younger brother.

"And yet...you're still taller than me!"

Ludwig was beginning to get extremely frustrated, but he knew just how to get him down.

"I'll give you three seconds to come down, Gilbert!"

"No."

"One."

"NO."

"Two..."

"NO!"

"Thr-"

"OKAY FINE I'M COMING DOWN JESUS!"

Gilbert started to climb back down the tree. He wore an even deeper pout than before as he walked over to the car and sat down in the back, too annoyed and stubborn to ride shotgun next to Ludwig.

"I swear, Gilbert, you need to stop acting like a child. And this time, I mean it! You are about to be put in a position where you have to act like a grown man. Unfortunately."

Gilbert didn't answer, but Ludwig expected as much. He wasn't sure if this was the right decision to make, putting all of the world's weight on Gilbert's ignorant, clumsy shoulders. Even if he couldn't turn or whatever it was that was happening, he could still be killed. And then, he would disappear with his country.

They spent two hours in a private plane to attend the next meeting. The flight was painfully long as Gilbert kept on complaining about how much his butt hurt after sitting in the same position for too long.

It was almost midnight in the US when they met Alfred at the airport. He had his usual goofy smile on, and greeted Gilbert normally, but it was off. He was obviously still worried about himself, and Arthur, and everyone else.

America's ringtone started to play the tune of his national anthem. He didn't pick up the phone immediately, as he liked listening to it. Then he remembered there were other people with him, and he answered, putting the phone on speaker.

"Yo, this is Alfred F. Jones speaking, how may the hero come to the rescue?"

Ludwig shook his head disapprovingly as Yao, who was on the other end, responded. The Asian man was breathing a bit too heavily.

"He's gone!" Yao shouted over the phone.

"Who? Who did they get?"

"Kiku!"

"Are they still there?" Ludwig called over.

"Is that Ludwig? No, they just left in a black limousine..."

"Which way did they go?" Gilbert interjected.

"Um, left of the White House!"

"Got it!" Alfred started to speed through red lights and take illegal shortcuts. Ludwig and Gilbert held on tightly to the side of the car as it swerved violently.

"Yao? Did you see the license plate?" Alfred yelled as he maneuvered through the streets.

"Yes, yes! Um...it had a 'W' in it, and a four, and a 'G', but that's all I can remember.

"That's fine. It's not often you see a speeding limousine with a hostage in it after all."

Yao sighed. "Please don't."

It wasn't long until they saw the black limousine, the license plate reading WRG410. That was it. The group ignored yet another red light and followed the limousine. Suddenly, Lovino erupted from the top of the limousine, with a gun.

"Is that...Lovino?!" Ludwig asked incrediously. "His opposite is a blonde?"

"Lovino" started shooting crazily at them, accidentally hitting quite a few other cars.

"Wait...Romano?" Gilbert asked, shocked. "He's the enemy?"

"I told you we will explain later,"