A Different Route (Hetalia x Female!Reader)

3: The One with Aster

"I am so sorry for zhis, frau" Ludwig said as he entered his and Gilbert's suite with me trailing behind him, arms secured around my own coat and Alfred's orange one which he almost choked me with while putting it on me. 

"I'll make sure that he" Ludwig shot a look at the puppy that was held in between the teeth of one of his older dogs. The poor thing flinched "Will receive a stern lecture"

"Oh, don't be mad at him. He's just really... excitable" I defended. He was a puppy. And with that in mind, I couldn't help but think of three certain manchildren who have a tendency to call themselves "awesome" just as often as they act like a clingy baby dog. Thinking about it now, maybe that was why I could put up with all their BS. Seriously. Who can stay angry at a puppy?

Ludwig just sighed, "Of course, frau. But he needs to be trained properly"

"Yeah, that's it"

"Go ahead and take a seat. I'll go find something for you to wear" Ludwig gestured at the sofa before making his way into what I had to assume was the bedroom or the like, leaving me alone with his three dogs.

"I swear, I'll never get used to you, rich people" I whispered, glancing around the king-sized suite with its polished wood and mini-bar. Shrugging I fell down on the soft sofa. Once I sat down I felt the balls of my feet burn. Not less than two hours in these heels and I'm already in pain. 

"..." I glanced down, feeling something soft bump my toes "Arf?" Aster looked up, his black nose looking like a polished button. His big black-brown eyes were moist. I felt my heart crunch up and brought him to my lap before I rubbed the underside of his chin.

"I'm not mad. But I'm not happy either so—" BIG. WET. EYES "—I... I give up" Sighing, I pulled him to my chest. He reminded me so much of Oatmeal, but like with Oatmeal I seriously needed to get better at this maternal discipline thing.

"ARF!" Aster barked.

"What is it?"

He bounced off my lap and onto the floor with grace and energy. (Actually he accidentally caught his foot on the rug and rolled for a bit before getting up like nothing happened, but screw it--that was adorable.) He tugged on the lace of my boots before trotting into the hallway. When I just stared at him, confused, he barked twice with his tail wagging. He looked at me as though he was expecting me to do something.

For some reason, I found myself turning to Berlitz and Blackie who just lay down near the table as though waiting for me to do something. For another unknown reason, I could sense amusement in the way they eyed me.

"Looks like I'll be following you" I said to Aster who barked, bouncing. Laughing I half-walked half-limped behind the little brown canine who had his little brown tail wagging. He led me straight into a door at the end of the hall. 

"Arf! Arf!" He turned to me then to the door then back at me.

"You... Do you want me to open it? Is that it?"

He nodded, like Pluto. (You guys know Pluto, Mickey's adorable impossibly yellow dog.)

"I dunno. This isn't my house"

"..."

"Fine" I said in surrender to his cuteness and just grabbed the knob.

Creak...

"What—" I stepped back. Behind the door was... another door. But this time it was metal, like steel or something, and there was a keypad with numbers. Suddenly, Aster began to nudge my ankles and feet, and so I bent down and picked him up. Once I stood up he started pawing at the air. 

"What?"

"Arf. Arf, arf!"

"I don't speak dog, you know"

"Arf!" He pointed at the keypad with his black button-nose and began pawing at it again. Curiously, I neared the door and leaned down just low enough for Aster to reach the pad. Without much hesitation, he began pushing certain numbers. After what I assumed to have been maybe the twelfth or thirteenth number, he hit "ENTER".

I pulled back just when the keypad folded in itself and into a space inside the door, leaving a smooth surface when the metal began to slowly slide upward.

"That's cool... and creepy" I said, watching the metal disappear into the ceiling. It was something you saw in spy movies and read in mystery novels but rarely if ever in real life.

"Are you sure this is safe?" I asked Aster who propped his head up and down briefly.

I stepped inside and almost dropped the puppy, feeling something rise inside me as I observed everything around me.

A/N: This is short and kinda crappy but I hope you guys liked it. STAY AWESOME!