House of souls

Chapter 3: The search

Germany stared at the door that
America had just exited.
"Should we... help?" He asked, turning to UN and EU who were overseeing the meeting. UN looked out the door.

"... Yeah- Probably." UN stated, gathering his things and walking towards the door, waving the rest of the G10 forward.

chairs shuffled around and the countries there ran out to meet up with America. They saw him patting the man, Kurts, back and whispering comforting words as they gave a description to the police. 

"Hey Amerika!" Germany shouted, his accent invading his words, "We want to help you look! Do you have a description?"

"Oh- thanks guys! Kurt can give you a description" America said, a sigh in his voice, buried behind layers of anxiety and apprehensiveness.
Kurt turned to face them.

"His name is Alexander and he responds to Alex as well. He is six and about yea tall" Kurt muttered, motioning with his hand halfway up his thigh, "and he has brown hair cut about to his ears, no bangs. He also has green eyes and freckles, last we saw him he was wearing a green sweater and white vans with jeans overalls, they have daisies painted on them!"

"Do you have any photos?" Netherlands interjected, waving his hands around while she spoke.
"Not on me- I left my phone at home in my rush" he said, and edge to his tone.

The countries milled about, processing the information and some writing it down. 

"If you do find him" America started, "call me and meet me here. I'll be with Kurt the whole time."

And with that, the countries dispersed from the UN office into the city of Bonn. 

Germany's POV:

It was an oddly busy day in my city. I walked along the path, having been abandoned by France, who was supposed to be my search buddy. 
oh well. 

I bit my lip as I thought. Where would a little boy go if he was alone? To the church? They were always known to give out help. Maybe the park? What was this boy familiar with?

I sighed. I didn't have enough information to make hypotheses like that. The bus pulled up and I walked on, flashing my bus pass to the driver. He nodded as I took my seat, not even looking at the pass. He probably assumed that the personification of Germany would have a bus pass, which I do.

A couple kids stared and whispered, probably in shock at seeing me on their daily commute back from school. I did practically exist indoors and away from the public. I didn't like the attention it brought, being immortal and all. 

The bus stopped, and I looked up at the small screen reading "Hermannstrasse 35". 

I jumped off the bus when it stopped, looking around at the church it had dumped me by. I walked up hesitantly, opening the large doors as quietly as possible. The hum of the streets disappeared behind me as the doors closed, seeming to seal me into a whole other world that existed silently. 

I walked around a pillar and towards the front, where I approached a worker at the church.
"Entschuldigung Herr, Haben Sie diesen Jungen gesehen?" I asked quietly, holding up a written description on a notepad I had, "Er ist verloren."
(Excuse me sir, have you seen this boy? He is lost.)

"Ja, heute Morgen," he replied in a whisper, "Aber er ist jetzt nicht hier, es tut mir leid."
(yes, this morning, but he is not here right now, I am sorry.)
"Ah- alles gut, danke!" I whispered back, waving my right hand around.
(ah- it's all good, thanks)
"Bitte" he responded, nodding as I walked out.
(your welcome)

I walked out of the church. This morning? That kid could be on the other side of the country by now! I hope that kid had the brains to stay local, if he even lives here.
I decided the best attempt I could make was to wander the streets and keep and eye out. 

I stopped at a few populated crossroads to sit and watch for a moment. It's hard to find people in such a dense area. 

A few hours of walking around, and still nothing from anyone. 

A subtle worry began to grab at me, settling in my stomach and showing itself through my jerky movements.
I walked past a gelato stand, not thinking too much of it until I felt a tug on my dress shirt from behind. I turned around.

"Deutschland? Kannst du für mich Eis kaufen?" A little boy asked, a sort of familiar vibe about his tone.
(Germany? Can you buy me Gelato?)
I was so taken back by the directness of the child and the use of Du, that I didn't even process who was standing in front of me until a few seconds of silence had passed.
"Alex?" I stuttered, "Dein Vater braucht dich!"
(Alex? your father needs you!)
The boy looked up at me with big eyes, seeming to be on the verge of tears. 

"Ahg- fine. Welche geschmack?" I said, giving in to the doe eyes.
(Agh- fine. What flavour?)

"YAAYYY! Ich brauche hazelnuss, bitte!" Alexander said, exitement taking over all of his actions as he shook with anticipation.
(YAYYY! I want hazelnut, please!)

I walked up to the man who ran the stand and ordered the cone, handing over the couple of euros. Alex ran up and grabbed my hand, jumping up and down, grinning at me. Okay, I get that I'm this kid's country, but he seems way too comfortable with me...

"Dankeeee!" Alex said, snatching the cone from my hand as I passed it to him. 
(thaaankkkss!)
I chuckled as he grabbed my hand again. 

"Let's go find your papa, okay?" I mumbled under my breath in English, texting America that I found him with my free hand.

I walked up to the bus station and sat down, expecting the kid to sit next to me. However, he decided that he would rather sit on my lap, and sat himself down, wiggling uncontrollably side to side as he ate his Gelato.

I put my arm around his stomach to stop him from falling, taking another glance at the bus schedule. Five minutes. They were not a quiet five minutes however, as Alexander decided to recount his entire week to me in great detail. I gotta admit, this kid's charisma was contagious. I found myself smiling for the first time that week as he babbled on and on about his plans to paint a mural in his bedroom later in the month.

The bus pulled up, and Alex hopped off of me, letting me guide him to the bus, where we sat down and he continued to tell me all about his big house and his yard that had a river in it.

I nodded along to the conversation until I noticed that we had arrived back at the UN building. We walked out of the bus hand in hand as we approached A visibly relieved Kurt and an expectant America. 

Alex ran up to Kurt dragging me behind him in his wake. 

Kurt crouched down to his level and pulled him into a huge hug, whispering in German about how he 'should know better than to go off on his own like that', and 'we have rules for a reason'.

I tapped on his fathers shoulder, gaining his full attention at the small gesture.

"Vatti- Ich habe Deutschland gefunden!" He said, his tone ecstatic.
(Daddy- I found Germany!)
"Ich weiss, Alex" Kurt said, looking at me with a sort of adoration in his eyes that I couldn't place.
(I know, Alex)

3rd Person POV:

The countries that had met up again watched Kurt and Alex give hugs and a soft farewell to America and walk off. 

Everyone turned to America.
"Sooooo..." He started, "How has your day been?"