Shattered (Hetalia fanfiction)

Chapter 1

"Hey Luddykins! Over he-ere!"  Gilbert laughed as his brother panicked and momentarily took his attention away from the ball,  turning spontaneously to his left in order to defend the orange ball from an attack which never came. Gilbert approached from Ludwig's right and manouvered expertly,  then blocked his opponent. He sidestepped and swiftly stole the ball from his younger brother,  then tossed it up into the air and into the hoop. Another score. "Twelve to six! I win again!" Gilbert chortled triumphantly.
Ludwig sighed in disbelief,  a small smile made its way into his lips as he walked up to Gilbert and pat his back.
"Practice is over. Good job, bruder. And please,  do not call me Luddykins."
The eldest brother chuckled "Awh, Lud,  always so serious. Cheer up Kid. Maybe you'll beat me next time." He paused. "I take it back... I doubt it,  since I am such an awesome player. You were never a match for my super-duper skills." He grabbed his black sports jacket and skipped off.

Ludwig rolled his eyes "Narcissist." He muttered under his breath before he too picked up his jacket from a bench near the basketball court,  put it on and chased after Gil.

Ludwig and Gilbert Beilschmidt were two German university students who had moved to the United States after their Grandfather's death a few years ago,  looking for new opportunities and with the help of an old friend of their grandfather's,  the brothers had gotten into a good university. Gilbert had fit right in with the students from the States,  he was a rather loud and energetic young man as well as a troublemaker but Ludwig remained the hard working type,  trying his best at all times to excel and become a man their grandfather would have been proud of. Though the two were brothers and Gilbert was only three years older than Ludwig,  the two couldn't have been more different both physically and personality-wise.

The latter was serious and intellectual. Always dressed to impress and formal to everyone. He had piercing bright blue eyes and blond hair always neatly combed backwards. Gilbert was a slacker and an utter mess at times,  though he secretly was a bit of an order freak just like his little brother. He was obviously an albino with his ghastly skin,  light hair that was more grey than white and pale eyes.  Despite his oddly spectral appearance,  he never let his condition stop him, Gilbert had always ignored mean commentaries on his appearance. He was more of a social creature and was always going to parties or hanging out with his buddies. He was always forgetting something and was always late. Fortunately he had Ludwig to remind him. And though the  Beilschmidts were as different as the day and night,  the two were always there for each other. And ocassionally engaged in activities Ludwig liked to call "recreational" and Gilbert "Effing fun." just as they had chosen to do that warm sunday afternoon in a long game of ball.

The blond finally caught up to his brother.
"Slow down Gilbert... Aren't you exhausted?" He asked,  putting a hand on his shoulder to slow him down.
"Nope! Not even a bit!" He chirped and smiled at Ludwig. "You need to take a break from uni and tutoring every once in a while and have some fun. You'd turn into a hermit if I didn't take you out every Sunday."
Lud was about to retort but hesitated.
"Brother," he said calmly "You know I'm working so hard to pay our flat and our studies. I-" he stopped talking when he noticed that Gilbert had stopped listening and had ran off ahead. "One day brother,  you will understand how much I care for you."
He shook his head plugged his earphones on and walked the rest of the way home listening to his music.