December 24, 1918

A little over a month since the end of World War I

"Ludwig, put that damned thing down, it's Weihnachten."

Ludwig heard a voice that caused him to stiffen slightly. He had a cloth in his hand and a rifle in the other, preoccupying the time by buffing the scratches out of it. Up until that point he had thought himself to be alone.

"How did you get in my house, Bruder?" Ludwig questioned, setting down his things and turning around. His brother was in the doorway of his living room.

"Your most unoriginal spare key hiding spot, the Willkommen mat." His brother responded, walking up to Ludwig and ruffling his hair. Ludwig grimaced. "You're not the only one looking for an Alpine hideaway, you know."

"Gilbert, why are you here? Is there something you need?" Ludwig spoke, trying to fix his now disheveled hair.

"What, is it so bad for a man to want to visit his little Bruder on Christmas Eve?" Gilbert took the empty spot on the sofa with Ludwig.

"I suppose it's reasonable. How did you know I'd be here?" He referenced the small Alpine cabin he was staying in. It was far from anything, and he was sure no one would suspect he'd be there. Perhaps he had underestimated his brother's intuition.

"Because Ich kenne dich. How could I not know everything about you? I mean, I used to change your clothes for you! I've seen all of you."

"Can you not? I am a grown man!"

Ludwig's face contorted with an embarrassed blush and Gilbert laughed. Gilbert looked around, scanning the room carefully. He then formed a petrified look on face.

"Bruder! Where is your Weihnachtsbaum?" Gilbert rose his voice in shock. Somehow Ludwig knew he wasn't trying to be overdramatic.

"I do not need a tree. I don't want to put one up this year." Ludwig picked up the cloth and rifle again, continuing to scrub at it.

Gilbert snatched the cloth out of Ludwig's hand. "Stop that! Didn't I tell you to put that damned thing away?" He spoke with a angry twinge in his voice, throwing the cloth on the floor.

"What is your problem? Why the anger?" Ludwig exclaimed incredulously at his brother's behavior.

Gilbert's face softened at Ludwig's surprise. Sometimes Gilbert forgot just how young his younger brother was in comparison to him. Ludwig was mature beyond his years, but still had a streak of naivety running straight through him.

"Deutschland, I think you know why." Gilbert looked to his brother with a sympathetic gaze.

"Preußen, I think I have no idea what you're thinking about." Ludwig responded bluntly. Gilbert gave a huff and a small whine.

"Deutschland…" Gilbert sighed with furrowed brows. He really wanted his brother to understand, but didn't have the heart to explain it to him.

"Preußen, enough with these games! Just tell me what you're thinking." Ludwig gave his own sigh of slight irritation. His eyes reflected confusion into his brother's.

"Because it's pathetic, Deutschland! Even that old sap Österreich put up a tree even after all he's been through."

Ludwig seethed with annoyance. "Do I look like Österreich to you? If you want to go look at an extravagant Weihnachtsbaum, why don't you just go see him?"

"That's not the point, Ludwig, and you know it!" Gilbert yelled, causing Ludwig to flinch back slightly. "Give me that damn thing!" Gilbert grabbed the rifle Ludwig was still holding forcefully. He rose, walking swiftly to the front door.

"Gilbert, halt! What the hell are you doing?" Ludwig yelled back, following his brother and squeezing his shoulder. Gilbert pushed off his hand, pinching it slightly.

Gilbert reached the front door, swinging it open harshly. The door slammed into the wall, causing a loud bang. Ludwig had to forcefully stop his muscles from going into a duck-and-cover position. It was something they had memorized over the past years in response to sudden noises. Gilbert stepped outside into the knee-high snow that was still piling down from the sky.

"Ludwig, the war is over!" Gilbert vexed, chucking the rifle out into the snow. He tumbled forward a few steps with the momentum, watching it spin through the air. It landed barrel up in the snow. "That damn war is over, and there was nothing great about it."

Ludwig followed his brother out into the snow, remaining a few steps behind him. He stood shocked. He had never seen his brother act with such vehemence within such a short amount of time. It was scary to a point.

"Don't you see, Ludwig? You're still acting as though they're going to scream 'Mustard Gas!' any moment now. I saw you flinch when that door slammed. Just stop thinking about war!" Gilbert yelled as he grabbed onto Ludwig's shoulders and shook them. The word war echoed back from the trees and rang in both of their ears.

Tears of shock welled into Ludwig's eyes. He clenched his jaw and grabbed onto Gilbert's collar bones. "Bruder.." Ludwig exhaled a shaky breath. "Ich kann nicht vergessen. Ich kann nicht. Ich kann nicht." A tear slipped onto his cheek as he heaved heavily.

"I know you can't. You'll never forget. Not for as long as you live." Gilbert rubbed away the tear. "Don't dwell, Ludwig, don't dwell. It will drive you bat-shit crazy."

"But, my comrades, I still see them. Our conversations together still pierce my mind. I can still see everything, Gilbert."

"I don't think your comrades would want you sulking about on Weihnachten. I think your comrades would want you to know the peace they fought so intensely for. Honor them by embracing it, and do your damndest to try to prevent something like this from happening again." Gilbert cupped both of Ludwig's cheeks and kissed the top of his hairline affectionately. "I'll always be here for you, Bruder."

"Thank you, Gilbert. Ich liebe dich."

"Ich liebe dich auch. Now, go get your axe."

"Why? What for?"

"Because I said so!" Gilbert ordered with a streak of sternness. "We're cutting down one of these bad boys." He pointed to a few nearby pine trees.

Ludwig knew better than to ask what for. He only nodded. He went inside and returned with two axes that he found in the basement. He wasn't quite sure why there were two, but he didn't question that either.

"Here, Bruder." Ludwig handed one axe over to Gilbert, who nodded in return.

"I've been scanning these trees." He pointed once again, this time a specific tree. "That one will fit inside. Now, let's get to work."

They walked up a pine tree about one arm's length taller than them. They began chopping away at it diligently until it became unstable. Gilbert pushed at it a few times until it toppled over, falling to the ground and shooting snow into the air.

Ludwig laid his axe on the ground once the tree fell. He wiped his brow, smearing away faint droplets of sweat.

"Ludwig, help me get this tree inside, you lazy bum!" Gilbert yelled with a smirk painted on his lips.

Ludwig turned to him with a small chuckle. "Ja, Bruder."

He took one end of the tree and Gilbert took the other. Together, they both hauled it into the living room of the cabin, setting it in the corner.

"What now?" Ludwig questioned, his body collapsing on the sofa. The glow from the faint fire in the fireplace illuminated the right side of his face.

"Uh, decorating?" Gilbert responded as if the answer should be obvious.

"With what exactly? There's nothing here to decorate with." Ludwig pointed out bluntly. He was slightly agitated with the tree now littering the floor with pine needles and soil. He had the slight urge of cleaning it right then and there.

Gilbert stood poised with thought. He had a determined look as he left the room. He returned with sheets of paper, ink, and a feather quill. He throw them down on the side table next to Ludwig.

"Please don't make me ask what that's for." Ludwig sighed and placed his fist on his cheek.

"What's the name of the first comrade that comes to your mind?" Gilbert inquired, trying to place the quill into Ludwig's hand. "Write their name there on that paper."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Ludwig suddenly became defensive.

"Do you have a brain, Bruder? We're putting all the names of your comrades on the tree."

"Waru-"

"Must you ask so many questions, Deutschland? It's Weihnachten and war is over. Honor that. Honor them."

Ludwig put the pen to the paper, still not entirely convinced of the idea. "Okay, Preußen, Okay!" He wrote the first name that came to his mind. He smiled at the name bittersweetly and the memories that it brought.

Gilbert snatched the paper out of his hand and tore the paper where the name was. "Now go put that name on the tree." He ordered, albeit gently, handing the slip of paper back to Ludwig.

Ludwig followed his orders and placed the name on the tree. It was a bit hard to see in the dimness of the room, but it was visible enough to wash him over with emotion. He stepped back and looked upon it with furrowed brows.

"Now, tell me about the person that name belongs to." Gilbert spoke softly, still maintaining his orderly tone.

"Well, he died at the Battle of the Som-"

Gilbert cut through his sentence in a persistent manner. "Nein, Ludwig. I said, tell me about the person that name belongs to."

Ludwig sighed, a bit pained at Gilbert's request. "He made many sexual jokes and drank his coffee black. He could do the most push-ups out of anyone. Once, when my gloves were soaked and clogged with mud, he gave me his. He winked and said to me 'Don't you ever think of giving those back to me.' I still have them."

Gilbert gave an encouraging smile. "Gut. Now, do another."

He complied. He wrote another name, tearing it off and placing it onto the tree himself. He turned back to the table to write another name. Gilbert cleared his throat loudly and unapprovingly.

"I do think that you are forgetting something." Gilbert tapped his foot with disapproval and crossed his arms.

"You mean-" Ludwig made intense eye-contact with his brother. "You want me to share a memory about all of them?"

"Ja." Gilbert clicked his tongue. "Don't say it's too painful for you. You'll be fine."

Ludwig grimaced as Gilbert read his mind. He wanted to talk about every single one of his comrades, but the fear of pain kept him reluctant. However, it seemed Gilbert was having none of it.

"He was a bookworm. He read over everything. Soon enough, he had read everything we had to offer him. For his birthday me and a couple others tried to write a new story for him to read. It turned out pretty bad. When we gave it to him in it's disheveled state, he laughed harder than I had ever seen him laugh, saying, 'I'd recommend that none of you ever consider a career in treatise writing.'"

Gilbert smiled once again. "Fantastisch, Bruder! Don't you see now? You must remember the person for who they were, not just what war they fought in. There's more to a person than that, there's more to all of us than that."

Ludwig smiled back. They continued the cycle until the tree was full of names. Ludwig had a memory for each of them, and when he was done it overwhelmed him. He stood in front of the tree as his eyes welled with tears. Gilbert walked up to him and wrapped his arm around his shoulders.

"How does it feel, Bruder?" He asked.

"It's not sorrow if that's what you're thinking." Ludwig wiped at his eyes. "It's just, they all mean so much to me. I'm glad I could recognize them and honor our friendships."

"They're glad you did this." Gilbert patted him on the back. "War is over, Ludwig. Enjoy the peace."

They both sat on the couch and watched the fire slowly crackle and dissipate. As the last of the embers faded, the light from the sunrise entered the room. Gilbert kept his arm around Ludwig and hummed.

"Well, I suppose it's morning." Ludwig yawned, just now becoming aware of his lack of sleep.

"Oh, this is great, Ludwig! It's officially Weihnachten!" Gilbert exclaimed. He swayed from side to side and began to sing. "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, klingt es weit und breit."

Ludwig cringed. "Ugh, Nein, you're singing voice is atrocious. Stop that."

Gilbert laughed. "Alright, Deutschland, alright."

Ludwig began to chuckle as well. He closed his eyes and exhaled through his mouth slowly.

"Fröhliche Weihnachten, Preußen"

"Fröhliche Weihnachten, Deutschland."

Author's Note:

Merry Christmas! I wasn't planning on writing much of anything for Christmas, but I heard the song "Happy Xmas [War is over]" by John Lennon on the radio and this idea came into my head. I've have never liked Christmas music much, but that song is one that I enjoy very much, it has to be my favorite! So, if you want to hear the main inspiration for this story, give that song a listen.

The other idea that I incorporated into this story is just something I feel personally on the topic of history. The idea that history is a story of the people, is something that I feel is lost nowadays in history classes. My experience of history class is mostly "memorize x date and x policy, and memorize the names of these people a-z". So I had Gilbert push Ludwig to "tell about the person the name belongs to", things besides the war they participated in, things about themselves and who they were as people. I believe history should be the story of people and their experiences, not just dates and statistics.

I hope you enjoyed the story! Happy Holidays! Feel Free to review this piece if you so choose! :) I'd appreciate the feedback.

Translations:

Weihnachten/Fröhliche Weihnachten : Christmas/Merry Christmas

Bruder : Brother

Willkommen [mat] : Welcome [mat]

Ich kenne dich : I know you

Weihnachtsbaum : Christmas Tree

Deutschland : Germany

Preußen : Prussia

Österreich : Austria

Gilbert, Halt! : Gilbert, stop!

Ich kann nicht vergessen. Ich kann nicht. Ich kann nicht. : I can not forget. I can not. I can not.

Ich liebe dich [auch] : I love you [too]

Ja/Nein : Yes/No

Waru- [Warum] : Why

Gut : Good

Fantastisch, Bruder! : Fantastic, Brother!

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, klingt es weit und breit : Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, it rings out far and wide.