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apersonwholikeslotus · 1 year

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This was inspired by me scrolling through the APH Germany tag at midnight while listening to the sound of music, also @ask19thcentury-doctorgilbert, it's not like their universe or anything I just really really like their family hc lol.

Papa - Prussia

Vater/Vati - Austria

(Liechtenstein calls him Papa tho)

Mama - Hungary

Gilbert calls Ludwig, Gnaschel, which means 'little child' in low Prussian.

Erzsébet calls Ludwig Kicsikém which means 'my little one' in Hungarian

Roderick isn't big on 'terms of endearment' (outside of for Erzsébet and Liesl that is) so he has nicknames for Ludwig; the most notable one being 'Leo'.

(all the nicknames come from @ask19thcentury-doctorgilbert )

I originally wrote this and posted it on my Wattpad on October 3rd for German reunification but just now decided to move it over here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Vater and Mama invited me to their wedding" I told Papa, I had been holding onto the invitation waiting to tell him till last minute. It hadn't even been a year since the war so I doubted I would be allowed to go, but I was still going to ask.

I swear he clenched his fork a little tighter, "Did they?" he tried not to show that he was angry about it. "They want us to come?"

I thought of the invitation, it as politely as possible stated that Papa was not invited. Just me, and I wasn't sure how to tell him that. I looked back up "It's in June"

"We are not going" I heard him say, it was as serious as I ever heard him, well not as serious but it was still quite serious, this is just what I knew he would say. Ever since last year Papa has done his best to keep me away from Vater. I didn't matter if I wanted to see him or Mama, it's not allowed anymore because they're 'backstabbers'. For years both my fathers had done their best to get along in front of me, I knew they weren't the closest of friends, their relationship as brothers wasn't even that good... but I never knew it was this bad.

I poked at my food a bit, I considered saying I wasn't hungry and going up to my room or to the library to read when... "I was thinking we could go to Sanssouci?" my attention snapped to the topic change, "In June, it's been a few years and you loved it there when you were little"

"Papa I-..." I didn't really know what to say I partially knew it was just to try and keep me away from the wedding in Vienna, "That would be nice, but-"

"We don't have to go to Sanssouci" He suddenly counteracted, cutting me off "We could go to Königsberg, or... somewhere new, you pick"

I perked up a bit, "Can we go to Vienna?" I watched his eyes narrow a bit, he took a drink of his wine without breaking eye contact.

"Friedrich," He said my name slowly sounding it out completely, "We are not going to the wedding"

"You weren't even invited!" I blurt it out, I wasn't going to tell him he wasn't invited; assuming he wouldn't want to go anyway. His relationship with both Vater and Mama had always been shaky, he loved mama everyone knew he did there was barely any hiding it. I'm told he used to be very open about the crush, flirting with her, joking with Vater that it was only a matter of time before he stole her. Once my sister--cousin technically--Liesl was born though he stopped. This was in 1709 so a little less than a century before I was born, but I've been told he was extra somber at the christening. Quietly congratulating them on 'a healthy baby girl' and leaving as soon as it was over.

They said that the three of them didn't talk for years after it.

Finally in 1815 when the Napoleonic wars had ended, and I was about two we went to Vienna for the summer; and two weeks after we arrived I officially went from being the Confederation of the Rhine, to The German Confederation. It also began Papa and Vati's split custody of me. Now of course then I was barely two so I didn't remember any of it. Papa stayed that summer, even though it was Vati and Mama's three months. None of them thought it was a good idea to leave me in a new environment with people that were relatively new.

I went home afterwards, but when December came around we went back to Vienna and this time papa left me there. He stayed a few days to rest from his trip and threaten Vati with my well-being but then... it was a rough few days I'm told. Eventually though I got used to it, and within a few years I was constantly chattering about Papa, Vati, Mama, and my big sister Liesl. When I was eight and about to attend my first outing as the German Confederation, I was sat down a few days before hand

"Friedrich..." I was sitting in one of the drawing rooms, the door was closed and Liesl had been sent off to practice piano on the other side of the house. "We love that you think of your Vati and Mama as well just that but-"

"But, because of reasons that you aren't old enough to understand" Vati cut papa off, from how they were talking it was quite obvious they had rehearsed this conversation. "It has certain... do you know what the word implication means?"

I nodded a little, looking in between all three of my parents I felt like I was in trouble for some reason. Talks like this didn't happen unless you were.

"I told them you would" mama said it, "you're a smart boy" she winked at me, I could tell the entire statement had been to try and calm me down. The rest of the conversation was just telling me that at the meeting I needed to call Vati and Mamma 'onkel Roderick and tante Erzí' and if I talked to anyone about Liesl she was my cousin not my sister. I didn't understand why at the time. It just seemed important so I promised to do so.

I know now all the reasons I couldn't refer to them as my parents in public but... Papa had went back to eating; refusing to look me in the eye. I had the right to... I mean I'm not a child anymore, "I'm going. Whether you want me to or not"

I had tried my absolute best to sound certain. I wasn't scared of my papa, what reason would I have to be scared of him? But I had never directly contradicted him like this, I tried not to it was easier that way. "Fine" I almost couldn't breathe when he said it: he was actually agreeing to what I wanted? "You can go, but you have to find your own way there and back"

I tried not to be too excited, I assumed I would put my foot down and he would send me to my room... that he would get mad at me. That he was actually letting me go; I didn't expect that. "Thank you Papa! I'll find a way, don't worry"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I stepped onto the train platform, ten hours on a train might seem like a lot. But my fathers would constantly talk about how in the seventeen-hundreds before I was born it easily took a person twelve days to get from Berlin to Vienna. I walked to the luggage car, checking my pocket to make sure I still had my ticket to claim my bags. I occasionally turned to check for Vati, he said he would come to pick me up. I had hoped to get off the train and to the luggage car before other people, but I was too late and ended up in the back of a group waiting. I sighed, I wasn't too fond on waiting But I didn't have anywhere to imminently be either.

"Leo!" I heard someone call out my name, I turned around looking but didn't see anyone I recognized. I shrugged it off, Leo wasn't exactly an uncommon name they could have been yelling for someone else. "Friedrich Ludwig Von Beilschmidt!"

Okay yeah no, whoever that is is looking for me; I turned back around scanning the crowd more thoroughly before I could even register a face though,

"Leo!!" Liesl half threw herself into a hug, some people standing around took a step or so back.

I smiled, accidentally lifting her off her feet as I picked her up. "Lise! How are you?"

"I'm good how are you," she stopped her tone changing to a teasing one "baby brother?"

I rolled my eyes, setting her down and pulling her close next to me to keep people from getting annoyed at the space we were taking up. "Where is Vati?"

"Waiting back at the carriage;" I shook my head a little, it sounded like Vater to do that. I heard the number on my ticket called and quickly pushed to the front of the crowd, Liesl trailing right behind me. "What luggage do you have?"

"Just the carpet bag" I held it up to show her "and my trunk" She nodded, as I handed my ticket to a porter who checked both numbers then told me to lead the way. The entire walk Liesl and I kept glancing at each other, neither of us wanting to break the awkward silence. The silence persisted all the way to the carriage; I handed Liesl my carpet bag then helped hoist the trunk onto the back and secure it. All I did was nod and quietly thank him before quickly getting in.

"Papa it was so funny! Leo didn't say anything!" Liesl was laughing, supposedly recounting to awkward walk from the train to here. I sat down next to her trying not to shake my head too much at how funny she thought the ordeal was.

"It was only because I think it's impolite to have a conversation where all people can't be included" I crossed my arms leaning back in the seat. I could almost hear Vati rolling his eyes, I smiled seeing him "Hallo Vati"

"Hallo Leo" he smiled back "How have you been?"

I was quiet trying to figure out what to say, how do I communicate an entire year of not seeing him or mama or Liesl in one word? What did I say to show that I had missed them all more than anyone could imagine but had been so busy I could barely think about missing people. I finally gave up, knowing we had weeks to recount everything I had done over the past year and responded with, "For the most part, I've been well"

He smiled, a sincere smile. "I'm glad to hear that,"

Vati looked tired, I assumed it was because of planning the wedding. They weren't exactly easy things to put together, especially not ones this big and important. I leaned back in the seat, i would never understand how traveling could make you so tired, it wasn't as if you were doing anything too tedious. I wanted to have a conversation with my family, but I also wasn't sure if I had to energy to string sentences together in any meaningful way.

I glanced over to Liesl, she was almost bouncing in her seat, she kept glancing between vati and I an almost mischevious look on her face. "What's going on?"

"Nothing!" Liesl snapped quickly, I little too quickly. She was hiding something, they both were that's for sure. "I can't just be excited that you're here?"

"No, no, you can" Now isn't the time for defending myself or trying to pry secrets out of older sisters who are absolute masters at keeping them. Liesl was granted the knowledge of what I was getting for christmas every year as long as she swore to keep quiet: she got quite good at keeping secrets from me in particular that way. It seems like she knows everything before I do.

I had never been so happy that the house wasn't too far from the train station, and that's saying a lot. I used to be so used to this trip it's almost embarrasing how much it wore me out this time. "Leisl if you could take my bag I can get--"

"Nonsense." vati cut me off before the sentence could be finished, "I'll have someone else get your trunk in a minute"

"Really, it's no-" he was out of the carriage and calling for someone before I could speak another word of protest, so I sighed watching Liesl shrug as she got out. This wasn't unusual here, papa was always much more 'do things yourself' whereas vati deemed it more convienant to hire someone to do things for him. I followed, I was anxious to see mama anyway, think of this just as a way to see her quicker.

I expected her to be waiting for us, I really did. Everytime I went away for the three months I always got back and to vati and papa's amusement went running straight for her; mama always gave the best hugs so I wanted one from her first. I didn't run this time, I'm not five, eight, or even twelve anymore; I did however walk much quicker then vati and Liesl, I used the excuse of opening the door for them.

I stepped into the front hall right after them, I couldn't help myself but start to call out "Mama! We're home!" only to be immediatly shushed by Adéla.

I looked confused at the Bohemian woman, who just rolled her eyes. "She's sleeping," she shot a look at vati, "I thought this blbec would have told you that before you got here"

"I didn't know if she was up yet or not Adéla, no need to get upset" he seemed annoyed, but kept his usual dignified tone. I was just confused, since when did mama take naps? Sure, I can use the wedding excuse when it comes to vati, but mama has been through much more stressful things and never shown a sign of it.

"Will she be up soon?" I asked it quickly, partially to interupt what was sure to be a fight between Adéla and vati if it wasn't stopped.

There was a general shrug, and a small laugh from vati, "Who knows really. She could be up in five minutes, but it could also be a couple hours. It's best to just let her sleep"

I nodded a little, "If that's the case, would you mind if I went up to my room and rested for a bit?"

"Of course not! You know where your room is," his tone changed to a joking one, "I promise we haven't touched anything in there since you left"

I nodded, and quickly promised I would be up before dinner, before leaving to go upstairs. Usually I wouldn't deter from my path, even when I was a kid I preferred to just go straight to my room and not wander; everything interesting was on the bottom floor anyway. But for some reason I decided to look into the room next to my parents. Liesl had slept in there when she was small, but once I came to live here that part time it became my room; and then when I turned eight I was moved down the hall to a room opposite to my sister. In an out of ordinary circumstance, I was curious of what was in the room now. Maybe after I moved out the room was given back to Liesl?

I opened the door trying to mentally will the hinges to stop screeching so they wouldn't wake mama up. I expected either Liesl's things, or a whole lot of dust but instead... the room was clean, spotless even. It wasn't furnished for a small child like it had been when I had moved out. But it didn't have any of Liesl's things either. There was a cradle tucked in one corner, a rocking chair in the other, shelves had been filled with toys, some new, some familiar from my own childhood; but all of them were meant for babies or very small children.

I took a few steps more into the room, looking about for explanation. I was being just plain nosy now as I opened one of the drawers, of course it was filled with baby clothes what else would be in a nursery dresser? I shivered slightly as a breeze blew in from the open window, what looked to be brand new curtains billowing out, I went to close the window before something blew in the room. I must have not been paying enough attention because there was a small metal clink and I looked down to see a knocked over paint can the contents of it spilling onto the floor. Muttering something that would have gotten me in trouble with any of my parents, I picked it up right, now staring at the green paint that if not cleaned soon would stain the carpet.

There were flowers painted already around the baseboards and windows sills, I recognized it as Liesl's art, vati and mama have the funniest stories of her when she was barely six following the Italy brothers around for weeks, all but begging them to teach her how to paint. Then she got good, and then mama and vati had to try really hard to not get upset when she started painting flowers on the walls of her bedroom without permission. I wonder if they know she is doing it in here...

"Leo?" I stopped dead in my tracks, hearing my mothers voice behind me.

I feel bad now, but as I was turning I didn't say hello or anything. I just went right into an explanation of what I had been doing: "Mama, I just wanted to see if Liesl had moved back in here or if it was still empty and I accidentally knocked over thi..."

I stopped again as I was finally facing her, I was left speechless and simultaneously kicking myself for not realizing it the moment I stepped in this room. Part of me said to stop staring and say something, it's impolite to stare. I ignored that part though and continued to stare, she just smiled knowing why I was quiet.

"Surprise"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was hours later, we were sitting in the drawing room and I still couldn't believe it. eight months! That means I had barely been out of the house three months when this happened, maybe six by the time they figured it out. I couldn't decide if I was mad they hadn't told me in a letter, or happy that they had thought it important to wait until I was here in person.

"We really didn't mean to hide it from you, Leo" vati said it for seemingly the hundredth time that night, "We just didn't know how to break the news"

I sat next to mama on the couch across from the chair he was on, I haven't left her side since I found out. Liesl has been teasing me about it: "It's okay, really, I understand"

I repeated my response to the apology for the hundredth time, I was exhausted, but with this development I didn't think I would be able to sleep. Mama was leaned against me, she seemed just as if not more tired then I was. Dinner a couple hours prior had been an event that was for sure. Adéla kept trying to pick fights with me, vati says it's because she and Adelheid--Holy Rome--used to get in the stupidest fights, it was how they bonded. I personally didn't want to continue that tradition.

It was quiet for a long moment, Liesl had gone upstairs to help get paint, that I spilled, out of the carpet and paint more flowers. Turns out she was given permission to paint on walls this time. Everyone else in the house had already gone to bed or wandered off to do who knows what, supposedly some of them went out for a drink.

"So, the baby is due in a month?" I broke the silence with my question, as there was something else quite important happening in about a month.

"Yes" I heard mama say, sitting up a little straighter, "Which is a problem as the wedding is also in a month"

"What are you going to do?" It was a sincere question. There had to be some type of solution to the problem, 'problem', of the baby coming right before or even the day of the wedding.

Vati almost laughed, "Pray the baby doesn't come on June eighth is all we can do"

I didn't like that answer. It wasn't really an answer was the main problem with it. There was always something to be done besides praying: I tried telling myself it wasn't particularly my problem if the baby did decide to come on my parents wedding day, this threw a huge kink in the plan though. Plans needed to go the way they were planned, that's why plans exist! I like things to go how they are meant to, I always have. I have memories of being seven standing on train platform fretting about it being late, because obviously a two minute late train meant it either wasn't coming or our watches were slow and we had completely missed it.

"Do you have any name suggestions, Leo?" Mama had sat up a bit, looking less half-asleep. "I'll accept anything but Helmut"

"I suggested it once!" vati immediately protested, "Plus it's going to be another girl I know it"

"No, it will be a boy" Mama counteracted him with absolute certainty. "We can't decide what to name him though"

"What about Viktor?" I suggested it carefully, it was late and it was really the first name to come to mind, both my parents nodded obviously accepting the suggestion, "And on the off chance vati is right... Edith?"

"Edith?" Mama repeated the name with serious consideration in her voice. "It isn't going to be a girl, obviously. But if the baby were to be I don't think I would mind Edith"

vati seemed thrilled at the suggestion, "Edith! Why didn't we think of that earlier"

I leaned over to mama whispering, "I think he's made a decision" she laughed watching him now ramble on about needing a middle name to go with Edith, and goodness we need to think about nicknames! Mama and I both had a hard time not laughing too hard, especially when Liesl came in inquiring what everyone was so excited about.

As I sat around watching two out of my three parents, my sister, and thinking about the fact that I was soon to be a big brother, I did decide on one thing myself.

It was a good first day home.

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