In the Arms of a Snowstorm

Hope in the Cold

Hai~ I posted this on my fanfiction.net account, but why not post it here~? There aren't enough RusPru fanfics on here.

I don't own Hetalia or the characters. Nor am I profiting from writing this. It is purely for the entertainment of others.

/

Although it's been quite a time, Gilbert still recalled the light flakes of cold fluttering down from the sky like butterflies before landing gracefully on his nose and equally white hair. His younger brother's hand rested in his own with his blond haired head resting on his shoulder, tears creeping from his sky blue eyes.

"Mama... Papa..." Ludwig sobbed, his fingers only growing more intact with Gilbert's. The albino ran his other hand through his now tousled mop of golden locks.

He did his best to hush his brother, with his typically scratchy and loud voice now becoming gentle words murmured in German. "It'll be okay, Luddy." he said in a whisper, although he himself was skeptical of that notion.

Ludwig's sobs began stiffing to mere whimpers, earning Gilbert's undivided attention. Suddenly, his crimson eyes were met with the familiar azure gaze of his brother, tear stains still clear on his cheeks. "How do you know?" he asked quietly.

The elder of the two was caught in a net of silence, for he hadn't expected such a question. Gilbert dug his unkept nails into the fabric of his trousers, his blood red orbs desperate to avert from Ludwig's gaze. Despite that urge, he kept them fixed on the other. "I...I just know."

Ludwig didn't seem satisfied with that answer, but didn't push it. His gaze floated back towards the snowy skyline, with no interest in conversation.

Gilbert frowned at his younger brother's negativity. His eyes eventually found the sight of flakey frozen water interesting, as he was now lost in the hypnotising, star-decorated night sky. His eyes weighed down with exhaustion, his head supporting itself gently against Ludwig's. Only the soft murmuring of the snow landing soundly on substances was his lullaby that sent him reliving the events that had occurred just hours ago.

/

There was yelling. There was chaos. Most of all, there echoed the sound of his own crying in Gilbert's ears.

"You bitch! I work my ass off every day and this is how you repay me?!"

"My sister is in the hospital dying! I had no choice!"

"I don't give a shit about your sister! Our money is gone!"

"We still have some of it left! We can get back up."

"Not with two kids we can't."

The next words that were said were the most terrifying of all. "Then I guess we'll just have to kick them out."

Gilbert didn't know what that meant. Take them to their distant relatives they'd never been told of? Put them up for adoption? Surely, they couldn't be thinking of actually disowning them, right? The steps echoing across the floorboards on the other side of the door were blocked out by the sound of Gilbert's heart throwing itself against his ribcage like a caged animal. He was in a full out state of panic when the doorknob was turning painfully slowly. His grip around Ludwig's sides tightened as his mother entered the room.

"Gilbert, Ludwig," she began. "I'm sorry, but you see..." the woman trailed off. "We can't afford to keep you here anymore. Your relatives all hate us, and putting you up for adoption would be too much trouble." She frowned heavily, but no tears cracked from the corners of her eyes. "I hate to have this come on so suddenly, but we have no choice. Get out."