House of Memories 《Hetalia》

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The group sat on the couches waiting for Alfred to regain his energy. It seemed like the memory took too much out of him, why? Many pondered the question. Their conversation elaborated on that thought when Lukas, Norway, simply explained. "It wasn't his memory. "

"Wha?" Alfred asked laying down across Matthew.

"The memory was Berwald's and not yours, so when we entered it affected only you because it was in your head but not your memories," He picked at the dirt under his nails.

"Still don't understand," Alfred sat up. "But that's not important."

Deafening silence submerged the group the moment Alfred stoped speaking. The tall cylindrical walls reached the clouds above them, hundreds of miles so high that they couldn't tell where the sky started or the walls stopped. The doors on the Northeast side glowed in a golden hue like the one from before. Laughter made their way to the adults in the room, drawing them in like a siren of joy. Mexico walked toward the door, the numbers 1-1 etched in the oak like a name plate. He tried the knob and found that it didn't needed to be turned. It opened slowly to the darker hours of twilight. "ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Alfred said from the middle of the group.

The grassy plains danced in the wind, letting the warm night air tickle them to sing and laugh silent songs under the stars. Golden light barely hanging on to the horizon glowed from far away. Half the sky was in its night clothes, dresses and suits made up of the cosmos. The other half bathed in the twilight sky, orange, yellow, pink, and purple light and hundreds of twinkling stars. Beneath the sky the forest carried the sound of crying. A small tent was pitched at the edge between the prairie and the wood. A mother. Her cries of pain rang through the silent night and to the groups ears.

Cautiously they made their way to her, worried if she was in trouble. But as they grew closer they realized what it was. It was Alfred and Matthew's birth.

The group respected her privacy, even though they know that she couldn't see them, it still felt inappropriate to witness something like that. The only one who was allowed inside was Berwald. He had to see her bring his sons into the world, he needed to see their mother embrace them moments after they emerged. He wasn't there in reality, but he could be there in memory.

Makawee sat in the middle of the tent. Back resting against a blanket covered rock for support, facing away from the entrance. Her hair was stuck to her sweaty face and clinged to her body as she clenched the blanket under her. Two large buckets of fresh water lay still not too far from arms reach, soft blankets next to them. Tears welt up in her eyes from the pain, but they fell as heavy droplets of joy when the first cry was heard. She exhaled and grabbed him, placing him against her chest while she delivered her second child. More tears and pain came but was forgotten when he cried.

She cried as they lay against her chest. Their tiny pale bodies covered in bodily fluids meant nothing to her except the fact that they were here. Makawee knew that they were going to be great. Born in the moments before night, born in the moments of the setting sun. And there they were, asleep with fast beating hearts against her own.

Berwald couldn't keep his tears in. His hand covered his mouth and as he tried to place a hand on Makawee's cheek. How desperately he wanted to hold her, to hold his children, to embrace the family he's yearned for for centuries.

"Ber-Berwald..." Makawee spoke to the air, catching his attention. "They're here. Your sons, they're here, in our world."

Nothing could stop the tears that flowed from his eyes when she wiped away the blood and other fluids from her sons faces. She carefully cut the umbilical cord and set them in their own bowl of water, washing away her remain off of them and tucking them snugly in their blankets. She knew that she couldn't stand, she musn't for fear of hurting her further, but she had to.

She picked up her sons and carefully stood up, the rock aiding her in standing. Blood trickled down her legs with each step she made outside the tent. Berwald closely behind her watching Makawee show the babies the world.

"This is the sun that will love and protect you my sons," She said out of breath. "These are the stars that will guide you, and the wind that will listen. And this is my love that will embrace you till your grown." With her hand she caressed their little, soft heads. "This is the touch your father gives you, to be strong, to be brave, to lead the way for change."

Makawee smiled when her eldest child opened his soft purple eyes and gazed silently at his mother and the stars. The other opened his eyes shortly after, focusing on the bright colors that disappeared from the sky. "My loves, let's rest." With that she entered the tent once more and passed her future family. Berwald hugged Alfred and Matthew. His arms wrapped around the neck, hands on the back of their heads bringing them closer. The boys let their father embrace them, let their arms cling to the father they never knew.

As quick as the night faded, the world around them changed and disappeared in a curtain of mist. The couches came into view as well as the hall they started their journey in.

The group shifted uncomfortably when they saw the three again. Two of them looked to each other and smiled bitter sweetly at Berwald. They were happy that he finally found what he longed for for years, memories of when they were young and he told the two his dreams of having his own family like their father had with them. His own children growing old and surpassing him in strength and greatness, but up till now, his dream didn't come true.

"We'll give you a moment," Arthur said to them and ushered the group farther away from the three, but dragging Gilbert away from the rest. "I need to speak with him for a moment, excuse us."

"What are you doing?" Gilbert asked him curiously.

"Just wanted to talk."

"About?"

"Berwald found the family he's been wanting." Arthur explained. "Remember when he would tell us about him finding his own family, being like vatti with us own children? He did it."

"Ja, he did." Gilbert wrapped his arm around Arthur's neck. "I'm happy, but do you think our secret will be revealed? Alfred did live with you for a bit."

"I hope not, but I don't think Alfred saw you when you visited. Anyway we need to get back to the group before they become suspicious."

"Right."