Healed By Love

Cross necklace/Ludwig-part 1

"Go ahead und choose, Kylie." She reached inside, shuffling her hands around before clutching onto a hard and smooth something that she grabbed between both of her little hands. She pulled it out: a cross necklace. The man who had set the bag's face near her went bright red as several people called to him. "Ve~! Congratulations, Germany!" A glare from the German made Feliciano nervous. "I-I mean Ludwig! Right, Ludwig, hehe…" "No vay mein un-awesome bruder gets to raise her!" "Good for you, Ludwig-san." She assumed this man, Ludwig, was who she was going to live with. At least for right now. "Meeting adjourned, every-vone. Ze next meeting vill be held in France in two months…" "Hononon," A pretty man laughed. "See you all zere, suckers!" "Goodbye, love," Arthur's voice behind her said, taking the handkerchief from her little form as Ludwig picked her up, taking his necklace back. "Would it be alright if I visit every so often?" The German and her made (in his opinion, awkward) eye contact. He looked back up at Arthur, "Ja. Just after she gets vell again." "Fair enough," He smiled, saying one last goodbye before turning around and leaving. The blonde holding her sighed, making eye contact again. "I am Ludwig Beilschmidt." "I-I'm Kwylwie." His eyes softened at the pitiful way she looked. Dirty, abused, shivering and stuttering, wet—he needed to fix that quickly. "One second," He said to her, turning to a white-haired man that was approaching quickly with a yellow bird on his shoulder and a smirk upon his face. "Bruder! I need you to do somezing for us." It didn't go unnoticed that Ludwig had said 'us.'...Germany wrapped an extra undershirt he brought around her freshly-cleaned body, swaddling her like a baby, which technically she was.
She looked up at him curiously. He hadn't spoken since first helping her prepare for the bath, and saw scars the shopkeeper left on her small, fragile body. Except a few 'shut your eyes' that came from washing her hair until it was clean again, and wiping the grime off of her body from the mud of the previous day. His facial expression hadn't changed from that neutral one, though. "Are you varm enough, Kylie?" Not wanting to complain or make this man angry, she said, "Y-ywes, s-s-swir." He hummed in annoyance, picking her up with giant hands (in her eyes they were). "Don't lie to me, madchen." "Sworry," she squeaked, fearful of what the big man might do. "I just don't vant you to get any sicker zan you already are," He carried her back to the main room, with two beds that had two adults sitting on them. Ludwig froze, a small sound escaping his lips. "Vat—hov did you tvo get in?!" "Ve~! Hi Luddy! Hi Kylie!" Feliciano squealed happily, running up to her and kissing her head. "Hi Feli!" "Kon'nichiwa, Kylie-san. You can call me Kiku," The man, with black hair and brown eyes, had been at the meeting and suggested she go back to the shop. She wasn't sure what to think about him being friends with her new Caretaker. He turned to Ludwig, face never leaving a neutral look. "Ita-ry-san opened the door." Ludwig groaned as she giggled at the funny faces Feli made. The German said, "Listen. It is very nice zhat you tvo decided to invite yourselves over, but ve are rather busy vith getting Kylie settled und varm. Gilbert is coming back in a fev minutes, und I vould appreciate it if ve could get some privacy."...Kiku went without protest, understanding the German's need for privacy with her. But Feli had stood up for himself, wanting to join the three of them (four including Gilbird) and get close to her. So, when Gilbert brought back dinner and some clothes for tomorrow's flight to Germany, he was allowed to stay. "Hello, mein new niece!" Gilbert said, grinning broadly. "I am ze Awesome Prussia! Your new Onkle! Und zis is mein Awesome Gilbird!" He motioned to a yellow bird perched on his shoulder. She was silent, looking up at him with wide eyes as the food was presented (and clothes placed on the night stand for tomorrow's use). Ludwig was holding her in his hands against his chest, attempting to keep her warm. He had placed her under the bed covers when she wouldn't stop shivering—and even then, she didn't stop until he laid down beside her, holding her little form. As of right now though, Feli (he insisted she call him Zio Feli) was the only one she trusted the most. Gilbert and Ludwig smelled like beer. Beer made shop man turn into a monster. She decided to stay as quiet as she could, and not make them angry. Gilbert took out the take-out boxes, what she ate shop man's leftovers from. Oh. Her two-year-old mind clicked the facts together: they were eating what shop man ate, then she'd eat their leftovers. Did every family do that? "I called Alfred, you met him at ze meeting, to see vat you might like best. Do you like pizza?" Gilbert said, looking at her. She nodded, and Zio Feli rubbed her shoulder. Really, she liked any food. So long as she got to eat, she was fine with it. Ludwig grunted in response. "Did you at least get sausage on it?" "Nein, little bruder. I didn't know vat Kylie vould like, so I got plain cheese. Zis is her night." Another disapproving grunt before Ludwig sat up with her, and a decent sized chunk was offered to her. She looked at it, shocked. She normally had only the hard parts at the end; the crusts. "I-is it f-fwor me? Awll o-of thwat?" The three men stared at her. Gilbert sweat-dropped. "I mean, if you don't vant it you don't have to take it. But you look hungry." She looked into his eyes. Was it a trick? "Go ahead, Kylie!" Feli exclaimed, sitting next to Ludwig on the bed and placing a finger on her back. "It is alright!" She quickly took the chunk from the Prussian, thanking him between hungry bites. "Heh, anytime, frau." He smiled proudly, smirking at Ludwig. "Ja," Ludwig said, "Vas Italy's pasta ze only food you have had in a vhile?" She didn't understand his accent too well, but didn't want to keep a question unanswered. She nodded, chewing on her food. "How long has it been since you ate?" She swallowed, "I hwad S-Shwop mwan's le-lweftwover fwood d-dway 'fore ywestwerdway, awnd a lwady hwave mwe a Cwrackwer." "You didn't eat anything aside from a cracker yesterday? Vhy not?!" His tone was still gentle though, and she had to trust that he wasn't angry at her. "I rwa-an away fr-frwom thwere an' n-no one aswide freom thwe lwady would hwelp me o-woutside. So I c-c-cwouldn't weat."
They were silent....Zio Feli left after dinner, leaving her alone with the men who smelled like beer. It scared her to death. Gilbert had gone to shower, leaving her with Ludwig. The two had laid on the bed in silence, her dozing in and out of sleep for a while before Gilbert got out and decided to talk. "So, frau," Gilbert began, while his brother was in the shower, "how old are you?" She didn't meet his eyes. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, and she was lying under the covers. "Two." "Oh, really? Two?" He was genuinely surprised. She looked so small, well, Smaller, but when he looked into her eyes he saw age and pain. Like a country after it's first war. "You're very pretty, you know. Und almost as awesome as me." "Thwank ywou…" she wanted something to cuddle. But she had nothing. She would have make do until they were back in Germany. "Vhy do you sound so scared of me?" He laid back, legs hanging off the side of the bed. "I'm not going to hurt you, you know. Und my bruder might seem mean sometimes, but he really isn't." She was quiet for a moment, before answering, "Y-ywou bwoth smwell like thwat icky liqwuid stwuff. Th-thwat's w-whwat S-Shwop mwan drwank, awnd thwen h-he'd twurn winto a m-mwo-onstwer." Gilbird chirped. It was his turn to be quiet. "Monster?" "Th-thwat's whwen he cwame to twhe Swhop, awn—awnd hwurt m-me lwots." "Mein Gott…" This was said much more quietly as he sat up, looking at her with wide eyes. Prussia hadn't been listening to what Britain was saying at the meeting, until she had spoken for the first time and he looked up. So, he got the gist that she was abused. Just not the entire story. "Ja…Ve are Germans, liebling. We drink beer, but—ve are not monsters. Sometimes men are born zat vay, like your caretaker. But not all of us are, you know?" He laid down beside you, and smiled softly. "As your Awesome Onkle, I swear I vill not let anyone hurt you. But you know vhat?" "W-whwat?" Her eyes began to water. No one had ever spoken to her on such a level as he was doing now. Gilbert winked. "Mein un-awesome bruder is actually pretty awesome vhen it comes to protecting people he cares about. Und he definitely cares about you." "Wh—wha—rweally?" she squeaked. With amazing timing, Ludwig came out of the bathroom at that point in pajama bottoms and an undershirt. Prussia only grinned. "Bruder, let Kylie sleep," The German said. "Ve vere just talking," He shrugged, smiling at her. "Kylie is very sweet. But I haven't seen you smile!" "W-whwat's thwat g-gwot do to with wan-wanythwin'?" "You haven't smiled since I met you, und zat bozers me!" She pouted, looking at Ludwig. He had the bathroom door open, brushing his teeth and apparently not hearing the two. Secretly, he just wanted to let Prussia tire her out so the two of them could sleep—as there were only two beds in the room, she and the German were bunking together. And Germany, although caring for her, had immediately thought of Italy when that popped into his head. And then felt awkward after. "Ze awesome me knows a vay to get you to smile!" "Hwow?" she asked quietly. Gilbert grabbed and held her above his body with outstretched arms, grinning. She shrieked, looking at him with wide eyes. "I—I'm c-cwold!" "I'll keep you varm! But ze Awesome me is going to do somezing I did vhen Ludwig vas really really young…I'm going to eat you!" He then drew her close to his face, making mock-chomping noises, and blew a raspberry on her belly. She squealed, having never felt the ticklish vibrations before. Ludwig looked up, shocked to hear such giggling from her. Gilbert brought her back up again, laughing right along with her. "Now zat's a smile!" He did this again and again, tickling her until they both were laughing messes. Ludwig came over to the bed, smiling himself. "I don't remember you ever doing zat to me." "Duh, you vere, like, totally young and innocent and stuff. You are old and un-awesome now." He groaned, causing her to giggle again. Ludwig poked her belly, smirking himself now. "Don't encourage him." She giggled, hiding her face in her hands and lying on her back beside Gilbert. He got up, bouncing the bed some, and let the blonde settle into the covers with her on his chest. He couldn't help but think of how small she really was. Not only compared to his body, but for her age. She was malnourished and bruised, very much so abused. Germany felt his heart speed up just a little when she looked up at him, still smiling from before. "But you vere so cute!" Gilbert asked. "I totally remember zat squeal you gave out vhen I'd tickle your armpi—" "STOP!" Despite the raised voice, she flinched but knew that whine in Ludwig's voice took away any malice. She giggled when his face turned bright red, and Gilbert laughed right along. Ludwig's face only turned redder, and he hid it behind a big hand. "Gutten nacht, idiot." "Gutten nacht, mein ticklish little bruder. You know, I totally forgot about zat until now. And you just gave away ze fact zat you're still—" He threw a pillow at Gilbert's face, hitting it successfully. "Shut up, jerk." The light was turned off after some more bickering, and you rested your head against Ludwig's chest. "Night-night." Both replied, "Gutten nacht." Gilbird chirped. Ludwig rubbed her back, lulling her to sleep and keeping her warm. Even her uncovered legs.
He looked down after a few minutes, and rolled over to his side so she was beside him. Still, even in sleep, she grabbed onto his shirt. Germany sighed, allowing her to bury her head in his chest. She was pretty sweet asleep, and he felt a bit warm in general that she trusted him enough to snuggle against. "Hey, Germany?" Prussia asked after a while of laying there. The blonde was surprised that his brother was still awake—and being quiet enough so he wouldn’t wake you. "Ja?" "You sure you are ready to raise a kind?" Without hesitation, "Vat? Of course! I take care of Italy, don't I?" "…True," He said, laughing some. "But Italy is not a two-year-old abused Tiny girl, is he?" "Mm," He had to agree. "Perhaps it vill be harder zan I thought. But I am ready to give her vatever she needs…Ja," He looked down at your sleeping form against his body, snoring lightly and clutching onto his shirt. "Ja, I vant to raise her!" "Hm? Good. Zan you know zat vill mean no beer." "Vat?" Prussia told him what she said about the shopkeeper being "mean" when he drank. "And I can only guess it vouldn't be good parenting to drink like ve normally do around her, ja? Not after zat kind of life, anyvay." Germany proceeded to tell him about the scars on her body, and the fresh bruises. "Mm," Prussia thought. "Ja. I von't drink around her. I am awesome and von't do it for her. Hell, I might even take a shower sometimes to get ze smell off." "Zat is a big feat." Prussia threw the previously thrown pillow back, Germany catching it with one hand. The German gazed back at her with adoration. He would do what he could to make her a normal Tiny child.