New Life

Promises

The car lurched forward as it came to a halt in the driveway. Prussia pushed open the door, swinging his bag onto his shoulder before the door slammed shut. He stepped onto the cobbled pathway, nearing the front door with Austria just beside him.

Austria's house had always been a nice place. Sort of like a retreat. Through all the centuries he'd known him, his house had never been in a city, always in a secluded area, surrounded by meadows with woods at the outer edges. It was probably the quietest place you could get without going to the moon.

Prussia looked up to the sky where the sun was setting. He had always loved watching the sun paint the sky at dawn and dusk. It was the one thing that no one could change by war or anything else.

Austria opened the door with a click. The door swing open without a sound.

"After you." Austria stood by as Prussia walked in.

Prussia put his bag on the floor, just beneath the coat rack where he hung up his jacket. He took in a deep breath, his head filling with the exquisite smells wafting through the house.

"Dinner?"

Austria nodded. "Most likely."

Their voices bounced through the hall and against the walls. It was among one of the only rooms that did that, seeing as everywhere else the walls were covered in paintings.

Prussia followed Austria through the house and to the kitchen, the scents only growing. Hungary was faced towards the stove, a small boy standing on a chair next to her.

"Dinner smells wonderful," Austria said. His voice sparked the two heads to turn around. And suddenly, Prussia couldn't breath.

He heard his name called before the boy rushed down from the car and ran into him, wrapping his arms around Prussia's waist. He looked down to the mess of blond hair. He saw the same eyes and the same face when the boy looked up. He felt his chest rise and fall quickly as the boy stepped back.

"Are you okay?" The boy asked.

Prussia knelt down to see the boy eye to eye. He saw the irises of his eyes, how the blue had been added to a red. He heard the same voice that he hadn't heard in so long.

"Brother? Are you okay?" He looked fearful. Something that Prussia hated.

Prussia took the boy into his arms in a flash. He felt his eyes sting, his throat closing up before he had said anything. He felt America's arms around his neck, holding on tightly.

"Are you okay, Prussia?"

Prussia put his head against America's shoulder. He took in a deep breath, not yet completely sure this was really happening. He pulled back, looking over the boy's face.

"Why are you crying? Are you sad?"

Prussia shook his head. "I'm just really happy you're here."

America's smile came back. Taking his hand, he pulled Prussia to the stove where he climbed atop the chair. He picked up the spoon, holding up some of the food for Prussia. "Try it!" He said excitedly.

Prussia leaned forward, tasting the sauce on his tongue. He recognized the taste. Something Hungary had made before, but there was something different about it. There was a taste at the back of his throat, something he couldn't pinpoint.

"Do you like it? I made Goulash with Hungary."

"It tastes amazing, America. What kind of spices did you put in?"

America picked up a small container and handed it Prussia. "This!"

Prussia looked at the small container, about half full. In black print it read 'Allspice'.

"You chose it?"

"Yep!" America nodded his head proudly.

Prussia smiled putting the spice back on the counter.

"How about we all sit down for dinner," Austria suggested.

"Sounds good. What do you think America?" Prussia's asked.

America smiled and nodded.

"You want to help me set the table?"

He nodded, stepping down from the chair and running to a drawer where he pulled out silverware while Prussia got plates from a cupboard.

-

They spent a lot of the evening just playing games. Hungry brought out a deck of cards and they played simple games like Go Fish and War. The excitement that everyone had experience that day, proved to be tiring, though.

It was a bit after eight when America started yawning. His eye lids beginning to fall.

"How about we get to bed?" Prussia said, looking down to the tired little boy.

He slowly nodded, holding his arms up to Prussia.

Prussia picked him up, holding him to his chest as he stood up himself. "You going to say good night to Austria and Hungary?"

"Good night," he said tiredly.

"Good night, America," Austria said, gathering up the deck of cards.

Hungary stood and walked over to the two. Her Han swept a bit of his hair aside before she planted a small kiss on his forged. "Good night, America."

His arms hung limply around Prussia's neck. "Already asleep," Hungary noted.

"He's had a long day." Austria said, standing up. "I made a bed for him in the second guest room."

Prussia nodded before taking America from the room ad upstairs to find the room Austria had specified. Inside was a small bed with the blankets folded down on one corner. Prussia gently laid America down on the bed, pulling the blankets over him.

Prussia sat down on the bedside, just watching America, trying to remember every detail of him. He seemed so peaceful as he slept. He never wanted that to change. He was going to make sure that America stayed safe. He wouldn't ever let anything happen to him, ever again. Not like last time.

"I promise," he whispered to the sleeping boy. With a sweet kiss atop his head, Prussia left the door to his room ajar before retiring to bed for the night.