(A/N: So this is going to be my first chapter story, I believe, but not terribly long, I don't think. It's another Prussia/Austria, which will serve as the main pairing, but will feature other wondrous pairings as well, including USUK, Austria/Hungary, Switzerland/Austria, and more.

This story was also inspired by the song "You're Crashing, But You're No Wave" by Fall Out Boy, so I may or may not use the lyrics of this song throughout the story. Regardless, you might want to give the song or at least the lyrics a glance if you plan to stick around!

I don't own Hetalia or these characters, but I do own this storyline.

WARNINGS: Disturbing images, coarse language, sexual themes in later chapters, law-related themes, human names only, gang violence, slash/yaoi/shounen-ai, and more. Ye have been warned.

Enjoy!)

It seemed a normal day, that morning at the police station. Arthur Kirkland, Velt City's Chief of Police, came into the station at his usual time, his green eyes still somewhat bleary with sleep; he was miserable without his morning tea and scones, so as soon as he had unlocked his office, the first direction he went was towards some hot water.

About five minutes later, the Chief was seated at his desk, sipping mildly on a mug of Earl Grey tea while two scones – his breakfast – sat neatly stacked upon a napkin next to him. The thick-browed blonde was very much enjoying these moments of alone time as he prepared himself for the day (which he expected would be filled with paperwork) when a knock on his office door jarred him from his solitude.

"This had better be bloody important," he hissed to himself in his rich British accent, setting the warm mug down on the desk and pushing out his chair slightly. "Come in," he called out, and watched irately as the door cracked open.

In stepped the imposing figure of Berwald Oxenstierna, one of the more striking members of the force... and Arthur had been thinking the man was due for a promotion, before he came busting into his office so early in the damn morning with... a... box?

Officer Oxenstierna stood silently by the door, just holding the package in his arms, until the Chief snapped, "Well, what is it?"

The tall blonde held out the box without a word.

"Well, speak up! I don't have the bleeding time for charades at such an ungodly hour of the morning," Kirkland snapped, raising the mug to his lips for another sip.

"Package came f'r you, Chief," the officer responded after a moment, though he seemed unaffected by the Chief's early morning irritation.

"Who from?" Arthur straightened in his chair slightly as the towering man stepped into his office.

"D'sn't say, but 's addressed t' you, Chief." Sometimes, Arthur had to admit that Berwald's accent was a bit difficult to decipher, but he'd gotten used to it by now. He watched as the man crossed the room and set the cardboard box on his desk; indeed, the label on the top did indicate that it was addressed to him.

He looked up at Officer Oxenstierna, who returned his gaze with a level stare from behind the lenses of his glasses. "Is that all?" he asked curtly.

The taller blonde nodded briskly.

"Dismissed," Kirkland muttered with a slight wave of his hand; the officer grunted in understanding and headed for the door as the British police chief began to tear the tape off the top of the box. As he folded back the flaps, a sickening stench hit him right in the face, causing him to cough and sputter and pull his face away; it smelled quite a bit like meat left out to rot.

Rotting meat...

"Oh, hell..." Arthur's eyes widened into great green dinner plates of shock and utter disgust, feeling a hand fly to his mouth to prevent him from losing what little breakfast he'd eaten so far all over his desk. "F-fucking..." He was running to the door now, throwing it open, shouting orders and commands at the shocked policeman who all at once began to move, dropping their doughnuts, rushing about to inform others and pushing into Arthur's office to seize the box and its gruesome contents...

...for inside the box were three putrid severed heads.

(Three weeks later...)

"So did you hear? They caught that murderer last night."

The young man seated at the kitchen table looked up from his newspaper, his dark blue-violet eyes glancing at his girlfriend over the rims of his squarish spectacles. "Which murderer? There's a new one or two in this city every day."

"The one who killed those three people…you know which. Happened a few weeks ago, not a shred of evidence, mailed the severed heads to the police station?"

"Oh. That one." The man's eyes switched back to his newspaper; he was reading the Arts section of the Morning Times, scanning a review on the orchestra that had played at City Hall the night before. "Who was it?"

"They say it was a violinist from an orchestra…they arrested him after the performance last night."

He froze. His eyes fixed on the paper in his hand, staring intently at the heading, at the small, black and white picture taken the previous evening of the musicians onstage. They were caught mid-melody, all of them seeming poised and professional and…utterly innocent. He stared at the picture for a long time, as if the murderer would somehow reveal himself from amidst the various shades of gray, the smudgy details of the newsprint photograph. Though he had taken part in the investigation, his role was, for the most part, played exclusively after the criminal had been caught… but this. A musician. The orchestra. He had almost gone to see the performance yesterday evening…

"Roderich? Something wrong?" His girlfriend was peering at him with an arched eyebrow from the counter, where she was making coffee.

"Oh…" He exhaled slowly, as if to calm himself, and folded the newspaper in half, snapping the article in two. "No, dear. It's nothing."

She looked unconvinced, but turned back to the coffee pot, opening a cupboard above her head and pulling two mugs from its depths.

"So will you be prosecuting this one?" she asked conversationally after a moment, glancing over her shoulder at him.

"Of course I will. One of the victims was the brother of the Mayor." Roderich set the paper down and sighed quietly, running a hand through his chocolate-brown hair. That one strand was sticking up again…he would have to gel it down, or else risk being teased by his coworkers. They seemed to love to find any reason to humiliate him. His hair, his clothes, his manner of speech, the beauty mark just below his lips…

But they were of no concern to him. His job was his priority when he walked into that office. As the District Attorney of Velt City, he couldn't allow anything as petty as a snide comment or two to get in the way of his career.

"I suppose this means I'm prosecuting with you." His girlfriend was pouring the rich brown liquid into two cups.

"Well, Elizaveta, you are the Assistant District Attorney," he noted, rising from his chair and crossing the linoleum floor of the kitchen to the counter. He put a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her; she glanced back at him, her own lips pulling upward affectionately. After a moment, she pressed her finger lightly to the tip of his nose.

"Boop." Her eyes and tone were teasing, her smile turning playful.

Roderich felt his cheeks go pink, and he pushed up his glasses with his index finger, slightly flustered. She chuckled at him.

"You're so cute when you're embarrassed." She pecked him on the cheek, sliding a warm, steaming mug into his hands as she did so. "Here's your coffee, dear."

"Ah…thanks." He smiled back at her after a moment, a small, slow smile – he was still getting adjusted to the complexities of love and all its little quirks and foibles. After all, before he had met Elizaveta…

Well. That time of his life was over. For good. There was no use thinking about it anymore.

"Try not to be so uptight, won't you, Roddy?" she asked, winking at him teasingly.

"Don't call me Roddy," he argued, the slightest of frowns on his lips.

"Case in point." She grinned at him and took up her own coffee mug, sashaying over to the table with an easy sort of grace. Elizaveta could be rather unladylike at times, but she was most certainly attractive, with a distinct poise and character in how she held herself… a personality. Roderich found it utterly charming.

"So do you think we can win?" she asked, taking a muffin from the plate at the center of the kitchen table.

"It'll be difficult due to the significant lack of evidence…but I think we can pull through." He smiled positively, joining her at the table. "I'll have about three months after the arraignment to build my case. That's enough time to build an argument great enough to floor the jury."

"You're such an optimist, Roderich." She leaned her head against his shoulder, taking a bite of muffin – the kitchen was silent for a moment as she chewed. "I like it," she added upon swallowing, setting her mug down on the table and looking up at him.

He felt his chest flutter slightly. The fact that she seemed to accept him so wholly still gave him butterflies; being satisfactory, or even tolerable, to someone was a new and fascinating experience for him.

"I wouldn't have been elected if I wasn't," he reflected, pulling out her chair for her.

"And a gentleman, too." She was grinning again as she sat down, taking another bite of the pastry in her hand.

He smiled back at her, his own expression calmer, more restrained than hers – he couldn't remember the last time he had smiled as widely as she did.

"Well, time to get ready for work." Roderich kissed the top of his girlfriend's head affectionately; she positively beamed up at him. "I'll see you at the office, alright?"

"Of course." Elizaveta dipped her head in agreement. Flashing her one more of his tiny smiles, Roderich grabbed a muffin of his own from the table and headed out of the kitchen.

"Good morning, Edelstein."

"Oh. Good morning, Eduard." Roderich offered a polite wave to the blonde and bespectacled Eduard von Bock as the man passed him in the hallway. He had a to-go cup of what was probably coffee in his hand.

"That case you've got… it will be fairly difficult to prosecute, don't you think?" Eduard asked, his bright blue eyes glancing inquisitively at his recently-arrived coworker; it had been only a half an hour since Roderich had left the kitchen to prepare for work.

Roderich smiled. "I think I can manage."

The blonde man grimaced slightly. "I hope so," he responded, straightening his tie. "By the way, your secretary told me you have an appointment…" He glanced down at his watch. "…now."

Roderich's eyes widened a fraction. "What? When was this scheduled?"

"I'm not sure…but I would hurry. It seems important." He offered the brunette a nod, indicating the direction of the DA's office before sweeping off down the hall, straight-backed and official as always.

"W-well, ah, thank you for informing me," Roderich called after him before he hurried down the hallway in the other direction.

"Ah, Mr. Edelstein, good morning!" His young secretary smiled pleasantly at him from the desk as Roderich approached, straightening a stack of papers she must have been filing as she hung up the phone receiver in her hand. "There's a man waiting for you in your office…a Mister…Braginski?"

Roderich felt his muscles tense slightly. Braginski…it couldn't possibly be Ivan Braginski, could it? Ivan Braginski, the known leader of Velt City's most prominent Russian mob family, known only in rumor for his brutal behavior towards his foes and his love of scarves, sunflowers, lead pipes, and vodka...no, Ivan Braginski wouldn't dare walk into his office, regardless of whether or not they had the evidence to prosecute him…would he?

"…thank you, Helena," he managed, his eyes flitting nervously to his office door.

"Something wrong, sir?" The girl was watching him with an intent, confused, and slightly concerned expression.

"No, of course not. Everything is fine." He tried to muster a reassuring smile, offered her an acknowledging, "Carry on" sort of nod, and slipped into his office before Helena could get another word in. Closing the door behind him, he sank against it just slightly, exhaling.

"Ah… Counselor. I have been waiting for you."

The slightly high-pitched voice, thick with a Russian accent, nearly startled Roderich. His gaze shot up abruptly from the floor, eyes lighting on the intimidating form of Ivan Braginski almost instantly. The man seemed to be making himself comfortable in a chair before Roderich's desk; there was a sunflower resting neatly on the tabletop, almost like a peace offering.

"Mr. Braginski," he greeted curtly, with a crisp nod of acknowledgment. His gaze remained fixed on the mobster as he crossed the room to his chair, too wary of the man to turn his back to him for an instant. He took his seat rather stiffly and raised his chin a fraction in a fashion almost challenging, his deep bluish eyes locking with the Russian's violet.

"What brings you to my office?" he asked calmly. "One would think you would steer clear of a place of the law."

"Now, let's not be hasty, shall we, Counselor?" Roderich wasn't sure if he was imagining the slightly mocking tone in Braginski's voice as he said 'Counselor' in that too-pleasant tone of his. The word sounded funny and foreign when spoken with the infamous mobster's distinctive accent.

The man across from him was smiling. He did not smile back.

"I have come to you because I heard about the, eh…arrest last night, da?" Braginski's smile grew just a fraction, but Roderich's face remained impassive, eyes fixed steadily on the foreign gangster.

"And what do you know about the arrest?" Roderich asked, his voice as even as the neat stack of papers at his side.

"I know that bastard killed my big sister." There was ice in Braginski's words now, his eyes growing cold and hard with fury bubbling under his smooth façade. He looked marvelously serene, all things considered; Roderich would have been impressed, had Braginski not been one of his main targets for future prosecution.

"I want you to know, Counselor, that I will do anything I can to bring that…Volk to justice." Braginski's smile was pleasant again, still acting as a mask for the maniac Roderich knew loomed just below the surface. "Anything," the Russian emphasized, drawing his index finger subtly across his throat as he adjusted the scarf around his neck.

Roderich frowned. The last thing he needed was the Russian mob knocking off the defendant for the month's biggest murder case.

"Well, it's wonderful to know we have your support, Mr. Braginski, but I think the DA's office can handle this without any outside help." Roderich did muster a smile this time, but it was utterly devoid of humor, almost sardonic.

Braginski seemed unfazed. "Then can I at least ask," the tall man drawled, tilting his head to the side so his shaggy beige hair shifted around his face, "that I remain, eh…what is English phrase… 'in the loop' when it comes to this case? Is very personal for me, da? I would be most grateful." His smile was infuriatingly peaceful again. "Maybe…you tell me things about case, mm? And I can…repay you for your great kindness, of course." The man rubbed his fingers together subtly, that maddening smile growing just a fraction.

Roderich did not return the gangsters smile, instead getting to his feet and leaning across the table; Braginski did not move away, but almost inclined himself forward, as if challenging the District Attorney's authority. He was wearing that distinctive trenchcoat of his again, Roderich noted silently to himself as he stared the man down.

"The only things you will learn about this case," Roderich said, speaking slowly, clearly, and calmly, "is what will be printed in the newspapers, Mr. Braginski."

A slight pout came to the Russian's features. "That is a shame to hear, Counselor," the man noted. "I have so much to…offer you." He examined his fingernails placidly before glancing over at Roderich once more, his violet eyes cast in shadow. "I hope you are not making the wrong decision, Roderich Edelstein. It would be a shame if anything happened to you…or your Assistant District Attorney…while you were working such an important case, da?"

The brunette narrowed his eyes in contempt. "You don't scare me, Braginski," he said quietly; his tone would have been a hiss if not for the lingering courtesy that was always present in his voice. It was so difficult to keep the slight quiver out of his words, the anxiety, as scenario after gruesome scenario shot through his mind – not of himself being harmed, but of Elizaveta, endangered by his own reckless actions.

But no… this action was not reckless. Roderich was a man of honor, and under no circumstances would he collaborate with the mafia. Elizaveta understood what it meant to hold her position, and what it meant to be romantically involved with Velt City's District Attorney. She knew the risks. She knew he would do what was right, not what was easy. He would not have been elected DA if he was not willing to put his life on the line to uphold justice in this city.

Ivan Braginski was still watching him coolly from across the desk. "Like I said, Counselor," he noted as he stood, "I hope you are not making the wrong decision. Have a good day, da?" His little wave was slightly derisive in its sweet simplicity before the lofty Russian turned on the heel of his boot and left the office; the hanging ends of his scarf jerked into motion with the brusqueness of his walk and fluttered behind him like the tails of a kite as he departed.

Roderich did not see the door close. His eyes were fixed on the window, looking past the glass and the steel window frame and even past the office buildings and skyscrapers beyond. They saw everything and nothing, all at once.

Whatever is necessary, he resolved silently to himself. Whatever the obstacles, I will make this city a better place.

(A/N: Before you Russia fans all jump on me for casting Ivan as an ebil mobster, please note that he is actually one of my favorite characters, and I have a ridiculously good time writing for him as a creepy Soviet. And I also love the mafia. Therefore, it is a position I give him lovingly. :3

This chapter involved a lot of setup for the actual story, and the rest of the important characters will be established in the next chapter, including the accused murderer and the mayor. Be looking for it in the next few days. Hope I kept you entertained~ Reviews are wonderful, by the way.)