Rusger Oneshots

1945-1949

"Come on. This way, Germany."

Germany glanced up from his staring at the spotless white tiles lining the floor, and turned left down the hallway to follow after America again as he got distracted, matching the sound of his bootsteps clicking on the tile.

Cobalt blue irises, dull and emotionless glanced across the new white hallway. There was no one else in it other than him and America. And that doctor, that America had just brought him too, who checked his height and weight and blood. The hospital was eerily silent. He didn't question it, keeping his mouth shut tight.

America slowed down enough so that now they were walking side by side, trying to catch the boy's eyes. They were glued firmly to the floor, head hung low, small hands clasped in front of him.

"The doctor wasn't too scary, right?" He tried to coax a word out of him again, smiling softly. "I just need to make sure that you're healthy, Germany. And that you have a record here."

It was a private hospital, a small one founded by previous Americas in his lineage and a few other countryhumans, run by staff that they could trust. Now, it was under his care.

America pulled to a stop, even though they were still in the middle of the hallway. Germany quickly froze as well, wordless as usual as he glanced over at America, who had squatted down to see him at eye level.

"Hey." He said with a smile, tilting his head to the left slightly to see him better. Germany uncomfortably looked back at him, cobalt blue eyes wanting to dart away but also trapped in place.

He watched as America lifted a finger, then quickly stuffed his hand into the pocket of his jacket, rummaging around.

"Here." He whispered cheerfully, holding up two brightly coloured candies on a white stick wrapped in clear plastic. Lollipops. He switched one of them to his other hand, holding both out in the space between them.

"You know, when I was a kid it was customary to get candy after you visit the doctor." America said with a wide, genuine grin. Germany looked between the lollipops he was holding, one green and one purple, with the same emotionless gaze that he gave pretty much everything.

"Go on. Take one. One's apple flavoured, and the other's grape." He said again, holding them out closer towards him, hoping that since he was a child, he would reached up and take it without that much hesitation. Seemed like he was wrong on that.

America tried not to let his smile fall visibly, keeping up a warm expression on his face as he looked down at the lollipops in his hands again. "Well, I always preferred the grape ones."

He straightened up, slightly pleased to see that Germany turned his head up to keep on looking at the lollipops. America smiled at him and extended the arm holding the green lollipop to him, nudging it in his direction for him to take.

Germany slowly lifted a hand to take the lollipop with two fingers, holding it uncertainly. Plastic crinkled from above and he looked up again to watch America twisting open his own piece of candy, peeling the plastic wrap off the ball-shaped sweet and popping it into his mouth, the white stick poking out from between his lips.

"Like this." He said gently, leaning down to help Germany with his own and taking the plastic wrapping from him once he got it free. Germany slowly lifted it to his face, glancing at America again for reassurance before putting it into his mouth as well.

America's grin was like a beam of sunshine, the plastic crinkling in his hand again as he crushed it into a ball to be thrown away into the dustbin, turning his lollipop around in his mouth.

"Good job, buddy." He said with a lilt of pride in his voice, his hand coming to rest on the back of his head and patting gently a few times. Germany stayed silent, but held on to the stick attached to the lollipop, the sweet flavouring that tasted good enough like apples flooding over his tongue.