AN: This has been bugging me for a while now and I finally decided to post it. It's just a headcanon and a bit on the drabble-ish side, but let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.

Do you ever wonder why the German brothers always wear their iron crosses?

Why they never seem to take them off?

It's an interesting question; one that you wouldn't really think of because it had always been that way. Every time you saw either of them, it was always there. It was like it was its own separate appendage to the brothers, a part of their body. They couldn't go anywhere without it.

Nobody knew how true that statement was.

Neither of them knew when it started. It may have been when Gilbert had given Ludwig his own cross, or maybe when Prussia had dissolved and Ludwig had given up half of his country just to save his brother. Maybe it was when the Berlin Wall was erected.

They weren't sure why or how it happened, but both of them remember the first time they felt it.

Gilbert had been chained in the basement. He couldn't move and his body ached. Multiple injuries covered his body and they didn't seem to want to heal anytime soon. His mind could barely form a coherent sentence, but as his head sagged he could feel the constant warmth of the pendant against his chest.

It wasn't like the normal heat one would feel. It was constant, almost like the warmth of a person. It didn't go away after a minute or so, it stayed. Through the whole night and into the morning… It didn't fade. Somehow, Gilbert knew that Ludwig was safe from this and it made him feel like what he was doing was worth it; that he could hold out just a bit longer.

Ludwig had felt it one morning, sitting at his kitchen table. There was no food, no chatter of voices, only him and silence. He stared at his hands, thinking about… well, everything. His brother, the war, the wall, what he had done… It hurt. He was sure Gilbert was… No, that was just it, he wasn't sure.

Then dull warmth became prominent in his mind. He looked down at his cross, raising an eyebrow. It was… warm, almost to the point where it felt alive. Reaching up, he grabbed it, the pendant becoming hidden in his palm. The warmth did not fade. For some reason it was… Comforting. It made him feel that Gilbert was alright.

There were times as well, when the cross grew cold. These times scared them, and the first time it happened they remembered all too clearly.

Ludwig was reading a newspaper when something made him pause. The warmth was fading, growing cold. His head snapped downwards and he grabbed hold of the cross. Yes, it was cold. But… What did it mean?

He didn't like it, whatever it was. So, not knowing what else to do, the younger German held the cross, hands firmly wrapped around it, trying to bring the warmth back. For the longest time, it grew colder. It seemed like it might freeze, but then slowly, ever so slowly, it began to warm again.

On that day, Gilbert had been stuck in the basement again and he had been losing his battle. He had nearly shattered, but the warmth of his cross was so strong. It was something to hold on to.

Gilbert had been lying in bed. It was one of the first times in what felt like months he had actually slept on one. He was drifting in and out of consciousness when his cross felt like it had dropped ten degrees. His eyes had snapped open. Nothing like this had happened before, or if it had he had not been awake for it, and the he had no idea what to do.

He didn't know if Ludwig was okay or not, but with the warmth gone, it was like his one saving grace had been stolen, taken away from him before he could say a word…and he knew all too well what that felt like.

Gilbert lay on the bed, gripping the cross like a lifeline, trying to will it to come back. It was almost as if this thing had become his heartbeat and now the pulse was slowing.

He didn't know how long he waited, but in an instant it stopped. What scared him the most was that for a few moments, it seemed to have no feeling at all, to be lifeless, but then it started to grow warm again.

On that night, Ludwig had had what was probably the worst nightmare of his entire existence and he had panicked… Until he felt the slow pulse of his iron cross, the warmth that seemed to seep out of it and it calmed him. He could breathe again.

When the Berlin Wall was torn down and the brothers reunited, they still had no idea what the cross situation was. Ludwig's cross was nearly in a constant state of cold; only on rare occasions did it show the warmth that it once had.

One night, he discovered what it meant.

He had been asleep. It was one of his more peaceful nights really, no nightmares for the moment.

The younger German had only been asleep for a mere hour however, before his cross grew cold. It felt like it was literally frozen to his chest. He had never grown used to the sensation; it still scared him for a reason he couldn't understand, but this was new. Eyes opening, he sat up, taking a hold of the pendant. Why did it keep doing this?

His mind inched towards Gilbert. His brother had been very distant and though Ludwig didn't blame him for it, it kept him worrying.

Standing up, Ludwig walked quietly but quickly to Gilbert's room. When he entered, he saw that his brother was shaking, tossing and turning in the bed. Not having to think, he shook Gilberts shoulder.

"Gilbert, Gilbert, you're having a nightmare. Wake up." It didn't feel right to yell, seeing as the last time it happened, Gilbert had momentarily freaked out. His voice came out in more of a whisper yell. "Gilbert!"

The albino's eyes snapped open, crimson pupils dilated. He continued shaking and Ludwig saw that both of their hands were clutching their crosses for dear life. Had they been doing that the whole time?

Ludwig gently laid a hand on his brother's shoulder. "East, it's me. You're home."

Gilbert wrapped the blanket around him in a cocoon, not once moving his hand. After a few moments, he reluctantly opened an eye and looked in his brother's direction.

When he saw that it was really Ludwig, he relaxed, though the shaking still continued. His eyes rested on his brothers cross, though most of it was covered by his younger brother's hand.

Ludwig glanced at Gilbert's cross as well and both knew that they had to check for something. The younger German knelt down and held out his hand. "Could I see your cross a moment bruder?" His brother shook his head furiously, not wanting to take the warmth away. "You don't have to let go, I just want to see it."

Gilbert took two fingers away from the cross, letting Ludwig pinch the iron. It was warm and both knew it had nothing to do with his hand.

Gil reached his other hand for his brothers cross, which Ludwig uncovered. It wasn't as cold as before, but the warmth still hadn't come back.

Their eyes met a moment, both of them slowly coming to the realization that their crosses were somehow connected to each other.

After this incident they learned to keep a look out for certain things. When Gilberts cross grew cold, he knew that he had to check on Ludwig. This happened mainly at night but daytime was still an occurrence. When Ludwig's cross became cold, he knew something was wrong with Gilbert. This happened at night and during the day, but especially during winter. They learned to check on each other when one was injured. It became their system.

The one thing that still scares them is the thought that the cross might fade altogether. That it will have no feel, no warm or cold. That eventually it will grow cold and not return.

There have been times when one was close to death and the others cross grew dangerously close to that point. There have been a few times when one was injured and they felt a sharp cold echo through the iron.

There have been better times; like when the cross pulses with warmth and it has a heartbeat, something to serve as a constant reminder of the others presence. When it keeps constant heat in the toughest times. When it allows them to know their brother needs them and when it allows them to be there at a moment's notice. When they can have a tangible connection to each other.

AN: I feel like there should be more... Anyway, the next chapter of Lest We Forget will be up soon and hopefully Music too. Thank you for reading everyone!