Metamorphosis (ReaderXGermany)

You sighed. Tonight was a rough one.
You worked at a bar, it was 1962 and people were still getting used to the idea of Germany being split into two halves. There were always people at the bar, depressed people that had family on the other side, angry people that wanted to try to climb the wall.
You tried to talk with them and help them through it, but it was hard. Your boyfriend was on the other side. The two of you were supposed to have been on a vacation, but you had to do something at work, so he went over first, waiting for you a few miles from the wall.
You actually hadn't seen him in three years, and you were beginning to forget what he sounded like. You could remember the kinds of things he would say, what would make him angry, what would make him laugh; but his voice was faded, almost unable to be heard when you thought about it. The other night you had a dream about him, and instead of speaking, the words visibly floated out of his mouth. You had his picture, although he probably looked different now, on a locket you wore around your neck at all times.
An airborne mug that smashed into the wall behind you snapped you out of your reverie, and you set down the mug you had been cleaning for the last few minutes.
"Hey!" you yelled into the mass of drunken Germans on the other side of the bar, "Cut it out! Ve don't have to be open, you know!"
A snorting sound coming from the seat next to you distracted you from yelling at the regulars, and you turned to the slumped figure you had assumed had passed out an hour ago,
"Vhat?"
The man slid upright, and grinned at you, "Rite. Like yure not missen' anyun eizur,"
Without warning your hands fly up to your neck, where the locket rests, "Nien," you reply, "M-My boyfriend is on zhe ozher side, und-"
The man cut you off by snorting again, "Ja, m'sure you miss yure Liebhaber soo mush, probubly more than he misses you," he lurched forward again, and you rushed over to the other side of the bar, giving some guy his drink. He waved you back over and reluctantly you obliged, "Mein Bruder," he sighed, "s'over zhere," he pulled a black cross that was strung around his neck out from under his shirt, and looked at it. It was like you weren't even there.
You pulled the locket out of your own shirt, and offered, "you vant to see him? You look very similar, actually,"
Wearily the drunken man nodded, and you left again to go clock out. Then you returned and sat in the stool next to him, pulling you locket off of your neck, handing it to him reluctantly, keeping a firm grasp on the chain.
He fumbled with it for a moment, trying to open it from the wrong end, but then he pried it open.
For a few moments the man stared at the picture, the words "Mein Gott," hidden under his breath.
"Vhat is it?" you asked, pulling the locket back. You snapped it open and there was his face, that smile you loved so much, those beautiful eyes that seemed to sparkle only for you.
"I-is zat yur Liebling?" he asked, his voice shaky. You nodded, closing the locket again and sliding the chain back around your neck, "Zhat is mein Bruder," he whispered, looking you directly in the eyes. His eyes were like your boyfriends eyes, although not in color. Color-wise, they were like fire and ice, but they had that same delicate sparkle that made your insides tingle and your heart flutter.
"Oh," you said, and then smiled, "zhen it is good to meet you, Mr. Beilschmidt,"
….
____ years have passed since that night, and your finally going to see your boyfriend again.
Mr. Beilschmidt was, of course, right beside you, and you had both agreed that he should get to greet him first.
And there he was.
Snow-white hair and blood-red eyes. The same as ever. He was ragged-looking, but you assumed that was because he had been isolated behind the wall. You had at least had someone to share stories with.
"Bruder!" Ludwig exclaimed, and they ran at each other, a tangled mess wrapped in its own hug. You watched and smiled, enjoying the sight of the man you loved after all this time.
Until a voice asks, "Are you Ludwig's girlfriend?"
You hadn't noticed the girl who was talking to you, but she had [h/c] hair like yours, it's just not as nice looking, its cut the same way yours is, but it's not as neat, and the style doesn't fit the hair as nicely. Gil had always loved your hair.
"No, I'm Gilbert's girlfriend," you replied, curious as to why she asked. In return she looked offended, "I am Gilbert's girl, I don't know vhat he told you. Ve've been dating for almost ____ years now, so keep your hands to yourself," she sniffed, "Or at least find someone vizh lower standards,"
You blinked a few times, and took a threatening step towards the girl, "____ years? Zhat's how long it's been since ve've seen each ozher. Look at zhis," you pulled the locket from your neck, snapping the chain, and opened it, showing her the photograph of both of you smiling together.
You must have drawn the brothers' attention away from each other because they were coming over to you now.
"[name]? Is zhat you?" Gilbert asked.
You snarled at him, "Maybe, zhings are a little confusing right now," throwing the locket out into the street and storming off.
Or at least you tried to. Ludwig stopped you, grabbing your arm protectively, "Vhat's vrong?" he sounded genuinely concerned and confused, but you were a little pissed off at the moment, so you didn't directly answer, "vhy don't you ask him?"
You scowled at Gilbert, and Ludwig asked in a quiet voice, "Vhat have you done, Gilbert?"
Gilbert glanced from you to the the other girl and then stuttered out an excuse, taking the other girl's hand, "Uh…. [n/n], ve vere going to go on an awesome vaction, but zhen you had to stay behind for a week to 'finish something' viz your job, unt I got lonely unt a little suspicious…. Unt zhen ve vere stuck apart. Unt Madelyn unt I got very close," he stopped looking at you and Ludwig, and looked over at the girl, giving her the look he had given you so many times, that little look that made you fall in love with him, that look that made you feel special, that had held your relationship together through it's rough times, "very close. I….. vas going to tell you, I promise, I vas going to find you unt tell you, but I vasn't expecting to see you here, unt I haven't told Maddie about you until now. Vhat are you doing here, by zhe vay?"
He was guilt-tripping you, trying desperately to shift the blame away from himself, and make you seem just as dirty as he was. It wasn't going to work.
"I came to see you. I came to see zhe boyfriend I vorked my ass off for to get zhis," you pulled the tiny box from your pocket, ripping the diamond ring you had saved up for years ago that had been burning a hole in your pocket until now and shoving it in his face. Then you threw it at a nearby shop window, and it made a light tink sound as it hit the glass, "I zhought ve vere ready to be somezhing more. I guess I vas vrong,"
You didn't give him a chance to explain himself; you stormed away leaving it all behind.
You reached a river somewhere, not sure how far you'd walked, and collapsed on the ground, all tears and sobs.
Soft footsteps approached, and you took in a shuddering breath, trying to gain some composure. You should have known he would leave you alone.
"Go avay Gilbert. You may be too stupid to take zhe hint, but ve're zhrough."
You stood up again, ready for whatever excuse he was about to use to weasel his way out of this. But it wasn't Gilbert behind you.
"I'm sorry for vhat mein bruder has done to you," it was Ludwig, "I vish zhere vas somezhing I could do to make you feel better, but I don't have much experience viz zhis kind of zhing,"
You couldn't help but smile, Ludwig was surprisingly naïve about some things despite his rough appearance.
"Vhy do you care?" the words were yours but you didn't know where they had come from. Yes, you wanted to know why he was concerned, but you weren't sure you wanted to be so upfront about it. Especially after what had happened with his brother.
"You are my….. friend. I've gotten fond of you, so I vorry vhen you are upset. You are a nice person, zhat kind of zhing is rare," he was surprisingly thorough, although it felt like his answer was missing something.
"Your bruder seems to be able to find kindred spirits easily," you remarked, making his expression dim a bit more.
"Ja, he has alvays been quick to move on from relationships. But he doesn't see everyzhing in people, unt he zhrows miracles avay as easily as zhe rest of zhe garbage," again, you weren't expecting the answer, and he seemed to be beating around the bush about something, "is zhere anyzhing I can do to help you recover?" he seemed flustered.
"Maybe you can just sit by me for a bit," you replied with a light smile. He sat down beside you and you slipped your hand under his before you could convince yourself otherwise.
Sometimes bad things came with good ones, sometimes miracles do happen.
Sometimes you just need a friend, or more than a friend, to trust.