The Sound of Austria

*2*

Silence. In this place, it wasn't a good sign. Roderich roamed the halls of the large building in Vienna, waiting to hear the bickering of nations. It was a constant he was used to, from Antonio picking on Lovino, Gilbert getting into trouble with Mathias and Alfred, to the disagreements of politics; it was inevitable. Yet at the same time, things have slowed, changed slightly, which he wasn't sure if he was ok with or not.

He was quite fine with how things had been, his usual days drifting within each other, yet when the knowledge of the capitals came about, it set off a frenzy of questions and more in his head. It was hard to believe that the sweet American brunette they helped almost two years ago was now Paris and taming the flamboyant man. The same was for Lily, Amber, and Juliet. Four capitals and four little cities, well five after Francis announced the news. It was good, heartwarming to see them all have the lives most dreamed, yet he wasn't sure what he wanted anymore.

Laughter caught his ears as bickering followed behind. Curiosity got to the best of him as he rounded the corner, seeing the large room the women claimed as they spoke to one another.

"I'm telling you, you're absolutely crazy Brie." Juliet scolded the woman.

"Come now, I'm quite sane and it's not bad. Francis and I want a big family." Brie replied.

"A bit too soon my dear. Jacque is barely a year old and you're having another." Juliet let out as she pointed her finger at Lily and Amber, "Be like them and behave."

Laughter filled the room as Lily and Amber looked at one another just for Lily to sigh, "Behaving isn't really in our vocabulary."

"More like naked twister in the sheets." Amber joked having the room going harder.

Roderich sighed and shook his head at the women, letting them be as the world around them seemed to be with easy. Suddenly his legs faltered as something ran into him. Looking behind him he found the little blonde head of Liberty looking up at him.

"Libby, watch what you are doing." Amber chided her, "Say you're sorry to Mr. Roderich."

"I sorry." She said to him as her blue eyes have a sign of upset.

"It's alright little one." he replied petting her hair, "It was an accident. But pay attention, it might happen again if you don't."

"Ok, Mr. Roderich." the little girl flew past him and into her mother's arms.

"Roderich, you don't happen to see Alexei out there, do you?" Lily asked him.

Looking around, he saw the little boy hiding behind a pillar as Natalia pretended to look for him just to hear him squeal in delight as she grabbed him, "He's playing with Natalia."

"Oh good."

"Either she calmed down after you and Ivan married or she just sees a mini Ivan in Alexei." Brie laughed.

"It's a bit of both." was Lily's reply.

Roderich shook his head at the women as he made his way back to his office, the need to relieve his stress upon the piano growing deeper.

"Wait Roderich!" he heard one of them yell.

Turning around, he saw Brie making her way over to him, folding her arms as she stood before him, "Hey I want to talk to you quick."

"Sure, you know you don't have to ask. Oh, and congratulations by the way." he gave her a small smile.

"Oh merci. The bigger the better non?" she chuckled, "Anyway I was wondering, when did you see Eliza last?"