Operation Luxembourg

Step Two: Wake Up Early

Luxembourg awoke to find herself sprawled over a rather large mattress, in a room she didn’t recognize. Where was she? She kicked away the sheets with one leg, the other looped over the side of the bed, as she struggled to sit up.

Rubbing her eyes, she scanned the room again, only for her gaze to stop on one particular blonde boy, snoring on his elbow, slumped in a chair from across the room. She goggled at him, wide-eyed.

“S-Switzerland?”

And then she remembered, they had stayed up almost all night arguing – she would try to sneak out of bed, and he’d go right after her – and so the cycle continued. He had probably fallen asleep after she did.

The teenager stirred at the sound of her voice, murmuring something under his breath and shifting his position.

Louise suddenly grinned, mischief aglow in her eyes. She knew the perfect wake up call.

Carefully, she stepped out of bed, and tiptoed out the door; lightly sliding down the railing of the staircase, until she had arrived at the foot of the kitchen. She cast a glance immediately towards the cabinets, and pulled out a large bucket, her face shining with glee. This was going to be fun.

Once it was full, she managed to haul it back up the stairs and into her room. Smiling broadly, she lifted the bucket over the young soldier’s head – he was still in his uniform – and tilted it abruptly.

A cascade of icy cold water spilled over him, seeming to drench him completely. He jerked awake immediately with a sharp gasp, his hand instinctively fingering his pocket for his gun, which he had left on the couch.

“Wha- who-“ he sputtered, first in shock, and then in anger, once he had spotted a guilty-looking Louise, smiling sheepishly and holding a bucket. “LOUISE!”

No sooner had the words left his mouth, had she dropped the bucket and taken off down the stairs, which was actually quite smart, due to her circumstances.

“Get back here, du kleiner schlingel! Komm zurück! Now!” Switzerland shouted in German, pelting down the stairs after her, and brandishing his fist. At this, she gave a terrified little squeak and dove behind the couch, snatching a cushion and trying to fend him off.

Still soaked to the skin, and his uniform soggy, he hung over the end of the couch, managing to get a grip of the back of her leg, trying to drag her into the open.

“You will die!”

Of course, he wasn’t really going to kill her, but the threat was still menacing enough for her to strike back – she aimed a soft, stocking-footed kick to his nose, but it barely fazed him, except for his eyes, which rolled in exasperation.

“Silly little girl,” he muttered under his breath, writhing on the floor as he tackled her, with Louise kneeing his chest sharply from below.

“Get – off – me!” she sputtered, flailing her arms helplessly.

“B-Brother?” came a soft, confused voice from behind them, and they both swiveled around to see Liechtenstein, her eyebrows raised.

“Hey,” Louise said casually, finally managing to shove the older boy off while he was distracted.

“Liechtenstein, gut morgen,” Switzerland also greeted dully, combing his damp hair back with his fingers and rising. “How did you sleep?”

Lili looked between the two, caught sight off the bucket at the foot of the stairs, and glanced back at her brother’s drenched state, before her eyes widened in horror.

“Oh, Louise!” she cried. “You didn’t!”

“She did,” Vash replied grimly, watching Louise darkly as she rolled onto her stomach.

“Oh, lighten up!” Luxembourg grinned up at them from the floor. “It was only a little fun! He was going to wake up eventually.”

Switzerland seethed, and Lili shook her head.

“My dear sister,” she mumbled. “We have a lot of work to do.”

                                                     -        -      -

Throughout breakfast, they all ate silently. Louise kept sneaking glances at them both, but they refused to make eye contact, and continued munching slowly. She pushed the waffles around in her plate with her fork, bored.

Finally, she announced loudly, “I’m going out.”

In unison, the two both looked up slowly and attempted to say something.

“Where are you go-”

“No,” came Switzerland’s deeper voice, clashing against Lili’s.

Louise’s head came crashing down dully into her plate with a soft thud.

“I knew you’d say that,” came her echoic, annoyed voice, faintly muffled.

“You’re getting your hair full of syrup,” said Lili softly.

“When you’re done with your food, go upstairs and wash your hair,” Switzerland ordered, continuing into his breakfast leisurely.

At their remarks, she simply wagged her head, swirling her blonde hair further into the thick syrup, tiny maples droplets splattering the white tablecloth. Frugal as he is, Vash winced. This girl was wasting. Wasting food, and his new tablecloth.

He scowled, standing abruptly. “Upstairs, Louise.”

The petit country looked up very slowly, her chin dripping with syrup. She also stood, her hair plastered stickily to her cheeks, and made a movement back towards the staircase. Lili stopped eating, she was as shocked as Switzerland, that her sister was actually cooperating.

“So long, Lili,” Louise said airily, her pace slow. She paused at the entrance of the kitchen. “Goodbye to you too… Switzy.”

With that, she flashed a broad grin and disappeared around the corner.

“Mein Gott!” Switzerland growled, color draining slightly from his cheeks. “Lili! Is this funny to you?”

Lili was giggling quietly from behind a palm, and fell silent when he addressed her, but her eyes still twinkled gleefully. She loved Louise. Yes, the young girl could make nearly anyone want to go after her and strangle her, but nonetheless, Liechtenstein loved her little Luxembourg.