Title: Scrapbooks

Artist/Author: KivaEmber

Character(s)/Pairing(s): Young!Prussia, Germany, Helmut Kohl (Chancellor of Germany in 1992)

Rating: K+

Summary: Re_Born verse. Ludwig introduces Gilbert to his bosses - unfortunately they don't seem too thrilled.

A/N: Yes, Gilbert being introduced to the superiors time. Of course, they're not gonna recieve Gilbert all that very well since Prussia is still viewed not nicely in Germany, and Gilbert, well, yes, resembles Prussia quite a lot (and shares the name, but, eh, reincarnation. What can you do?). So, yes, this is going to be awkward.

Ugh, had to see who's in charge of Germany at the time and all sorts for this. Hurt my brain since I'm shite at politics. Thank you Broken for your help :D

Enjoy!

X.x.X

6th ONESHOT: UNWELCOME

Gilbert was very uncomfortable.

For one, he was dressed smartly, something that made Gilbert feel extremely stiff because Ludwig had told him to not crease the clothes, so he had to move with the precision of a doll without the ability to bend their joints. But at least his brother allowed him to keep Birdie with him - after a quick wash to get rid of the food stains all over the bunny teddy's fur.

The second reason why he was uncomfortable was because of the stares.

Gilbert was gripping Ludwig's hand tightly, practically gluing himself to the side of the larger nation's leg, as they walked through imposing hallways, aware of passing workers stopping to stare at him. He didn't know why they were staring at him, or Bruder West, and he clutched Birdie tighter to his chest, feeling his brother squeeze his small hand reassuringly.

"They're just curious," Ludwig murmured to him, finally stopping before a large official looking door.

"It's not nice to stare, though." Gilbert pointed out, giving another staring passer by a squinty glare. The man quickly hurried on.

"It is." Ludwig suddenly knelt down, now holding Gilbert's hands with two of his, and gave his younger brother a meaningful look. "Now, this is very important, Gilbert. When we go in here," He tilted his head to the door, "I want you to stay silent, unless Herr Bundeskanzler addresses you with a direct question, okay?"

"Why should I be quiet?" Gilbert asked, not understanding the look Ludwig was giving him.

"Just...promise me you will." This situation will already be volatile enough without Gilbert blurting out something...well, Prussia-like. "Any comments or whatever...just, please, don't say anything unless Herr Bundeskanzler asks you something."

"Okay..."

Ludwig sighed in relief and stood, knocking on the door and giving Gilbert's hand one more squeeze. "Remember. Shhh."

Gilbert nodded, hiding the bottom half of his face behind Birdie's head. He felt nervous, mostly because he had no clue what was going on really, but also because he had a faint sense of unease about the whole sketchy situation.

Ludwig shared his anxiety, but more so because he knew what was going on. He knew, as Helmut had been one of the main forces behind the German Reunification - spent half of his career on it - that his boss would not be pleased to see an East Germany, to see the nation still split in two. It would be an insult to his efforts, but he could not hide Gilbert forever, and eventually they would find out and...it was better to show him now and smooth any ruffled feathers than have this blow up in their faces later down the road.

When he was called in, Ludwig took a deep calming breath and opened to door to face the assembled cabinet with the blankest expression he could muster, proudly striding in with a nervous Gilbert stumbling in next to him.

He stopped before his boss, Helmut Kohl, and nodded to him respectively, back straight and whole posture stiff as Gilbert practically hugged his leg out of sheer anxiety by the stares boring into him. Ludwig could feel little blunt nails dig into his rough palm, and he rubbed his calloused thumb over the back of the small hand, trying to soothe.

"Germany," Helmut finally said after a pregnant pause. "...who is that?"

The other members of the cabinet were practically vibrating in their seats from the tension building in the room, and Ludwig obediently answered the question. "This is Gilbert, Weilschmidt," a collective tremor went through the entire cabinet at the familiar name, "East Germany."

The silence was deafening.

"East Germany," Helmut repeated softly, and that seemed to be the signal for the other cabinet members to explode into accusations, Gilbert shrinking against his brother at the angry voices directed at him, his scarlet eyes wide with bewilderment.

"It's obvious who it is!" One man shouted to Gilbert's right, and the child nation wished that he could wriggle round until Ludwig was between them. The glint in those eyes scared him. "It's the return of that warmonger, Prussia! Back to poison us!"

Almost immediately the shouts rose in crescendo, each of the cabinet members trying to get themselves heard over each other, and as it dragged, Ludwig's expression grew darker and darker and Gilbert just looked around at the shouting people in utter fear and bewilderment as Helmut sat quietly in his seat, watching all of this unfold with a neutral expression.

"ENOUGH!"

The silence was eerily abrupt.

Everyone was staring at Ludwig, frozen in place by the expression of cold fury sharpening his features. Distantly, they could feel the floor beneath their feet growl and rumble in warning, and hurriedly, the humans sat down, utterly quiet save for the soft, shuddering breaths of an upset Gilbert clinging with both hands at Ludwig's leg, Birdie crushed between them.

"Please leave Germany and I alone," Helmut finally spoke, eyes not leaving Ludwig as he addressed the rest of the cabinet. No one moved for a few minutes, reluctant to do anything to anger their nation again, but they got up eventually, slowly leaving the room and shooting dark glances at Gilbert.

The three of them were alone, and Ludwig opened his mouth to speak, but Helmut cut in before he could get a word in edgewise.

"Leave...him outside, Germany."

Ludwig's jaw clenched, but he nodded stiffly. "Gilbert," He murmured, placing a hand atop of soft white hair. "Go wait outside. Please."

Gilbert didn't want to let go of his brother's leg, but the whole room's mood was making him feel a little sick, and Bruder West had a scary expression on his face, so he slowly detached himself. "O-Okay, Bruder West..."

Ludwig absently ruffled Gilbert's hair, not taking his eyes off of Helmut. "I'll be out in a minute."

Nodding doubtfully, looking between Ludwig and Helmut with a worried expression, Gilbert slowly walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. He remained there though, and squatted down, Birdie hugged to his chest and pressing his ear against the door. He was curious about why Bruder West's bosses hated him, and why everything was so...tense.

There was a moment of utter silence, before Gilbert heard the low rumble of his brother's voice. He couldn't make it out right though, they were speaking too quietly, and frowned in concentration, pressing against the door harder. He caught a few words, and as the conversation went on - and got steadily louder - it got more coherent.

"No one else should know about him."

"I have to introduce him to the other nations, to be acknowledged-"

"That should not be acknowledged."

Gilbert frowned, hugging Birdie tightly to his chest. He could practically feel the contempt for him oozing through the door at him, and he swallowed thickly as the conversation continued.

"...he will be introduced at the World Summit Meeting." Bruder West's voice sounded borderline rebellious - uncharacteristic.

"Germany is one unified nation. One. I spent a long time fighting for that." A long pause. "He shouldn't exist."

"But he does," Bruder West's voice was stiff, "He does exist as East Germany, and I as West."

"You are Germany. That is...that should stay out of sight."

A pregnant pause.

Gilbert grew even more uneasy at the silence, fidgeting with Birdie's ear as the silence dragged. He heard someone walk by, and his skin prickle as he recognised a quickly familiar sensation of someone staring, but he ignored it in favour of what was going on within the room.

"Are you sure he is East Germany?"

Gilbert could fel his brother's brief confusion. "Yes."

"...From what I recognise from pictures," a pause, "His appearance is uncannily similar to Prussia."

This time, the silence was near painful, and Gilbert was ruthlessly twisting Birdie's ear in agitation.

"Prussia is dead."

"Or so Russia had said."

"He's dead. I saw his body. He. Is. Dead."

Gilbert leant away from the door, biting his bottom lip. He didn't know if he should be listening any more, and a sudden loud burst of "there is no chance of a relapse!" nearly made him tumble away in shock. He scooted back away from the door, crouched down on the floor as muffled yells started up behind the door.

He wanted to go home...

What felt like hours later, the shouting finally stopped and the door was wrenched open. Gilbert jumped, hiding his face behind Birdie and only relaxed when it was Bruder West who stormed out and slammed the door shut. "B-Bruder West!"

Ludwig didn't react at first, staring intently at the wall in front of him, nostrils flaring and hands clenched into white knuckled fists, but slowly his posture sagged and he turned to his younger brother, smiling tiredly. "I'm sorry, Gilbert." He sighed, crouching down and ruffling Gilbert's hair. "Didn't go...as smoothly as I hoped."

Gilbert frowned. "...Did I do something bad?"

"No! No, no..." Ludwig sighed again, and picked Gilbert up, straightening up and holding the smaller nation close against his body. "You did nothing wrong. They're just...they just need to adjust to the idea of you."

Gilbert didn't understand, but he nodded anyway, clutching at Ludwig. "I wanna go home, Bruder West."

"That's okay." Ludwig pressed a kiss to his younger brother's temple, already walking down the hallway and ignoring the looks he was getting from the other employees of the building. Assuredly they had already heard of his near screaming match with his boss already, as gossip worthy material such as that seemed to spread faster than the speed of light. "Do you want to stop for ice cream first?"

Feeling his mood rise a little, Gilbert smiled. "Yeah...and so does Birdie! We want mint!"

Ludwig laughed aloud, smiling back at the younger nation. A trip down to S-Bahn and ride to Hauptbannhof it is, then! "And then we can go out for a walk with the dogs," He continued, "Would you mind that?"

"Will we get to play in the park again?"

"Ja. Anything you want."

Gilbert gave Ludwig a brilliant smile, any previous uneasiness from the last hour gone at the promise of ice cream and a playdate in the park. "Yay! Ice cream and park!" He barely noticed the stares people were giving him anymore. Let 'em stare! He only cared what Bruder West thought of him anyway! "Bruder West is awesome!"

Ludwig laughed again, although a lot more softly. "And so are you...Bruder East."

Fin.