He was empty.

He was drowning in unshed tears.

He was sorry for what he had done, and yet he couldn't stop blaming himself.

His name was Gilbert. Also known as Prussia to the rest of the world, he was called 'loud', 'hyper', and, the most common, 'obnoxious'. Unknown by so many, he wasn't like that at all. He didn't want to be, but he forced himself to, putting up a mask and hiding from what he was. Not even his closest 'friends' knew the turmoil inside, and he was fine with that. Completely, awesomely fine with that.

The World Meeting was dragging on, as usual, and Prussia was hiding behind a corner, preparing a sneak attack with his new buddy, Sealand. Fireworks seemed efficient enough to interrupt his Bruder's endless drone, and that's just what Prussia and Sealand aimed to do. Another stunt to avoid suspicion and continue acting as awesome as possible. Nobody could see through his secure blanket of false confidence.

"Ready, Sea?" he whispered, laughing his laugh that so many proclaimed as 'odd'.

"You bet, desu yo!" Sealand replied, holding the Nerf gun close, nodding to the small fireworks in Prussia's hand. "You?"

"Heck yeah!" he grinned, pulling his lighter out of his back pocket. "Let's go."

They drew closer, unnoticed by the quarrelling countries. Prussia heard the yell of Switz; "Shut up, or I will beat you with my Peace prize!" Did he say that every meeting?

"You are not helping!" That was his brother.

"What did you say, you bloody frog?"

"Hon hon hon."

Those two were fighting again, and their petty insults could be heard over the ruckus caused by the rest in attendance. Prussia heard Sealand snicker beside him. "Ready, go!"

Prussia lit the firework loaded in Sealand's toy gun, and the young boy pulled back the trigger and shot it into the air, unseen before it exploded and caused what sounded like the screams of the people of Rome as it was pummeled into the ground. Gruesome simile, he knew, but that didn't stop him from thinking it. It's what he specialized in.

Sealand motioned for another explosive, and Prussia handed it to him, lighting it quickly. More screams, before people caught on that it was just Prussia and that weird England-look-alike kid. The two were laughing in their corner and failed to notice Germany and England standing there, their eyes shadowed and dangerous.

"Vhat do you zhink you are doing, Bruder?" Germany growled, making Prussia glance up and grin. His red eyes flashed in mischief as he answered.

"Celebrating, vhat does it look like?"

The blonde sighed and picked up his older brother by the collar. "Vell, stop it."

Prussia walked away with Germany, glancing back to see Sealand being scolded by the Brit. As he passed Hungary, he heard her mutter to Austria.

"Why doesn't he stop being so annoying? It would save us all a lot of energy and trouble."

He had to fight to stop the frown that wanted to surface. He knew she felt that way, and many others, but he couldn't suddenly change. This is what he had been for so long, he couldn't just make it disappear.

Or could he?

Maybe, just maybe, he could one day drop the act, show them who he really was. But then again, maybe they'd just brush it off, thinking he had finally calmed down, with quite a lot of relief from quite a few people. Nobody would think that there was anything wrong.

The albino sighed dejectedly as he brother deposited him outside the building, walking away with his back straight and his march matching that of a seasoned soldier. Prussia himself had had that walk, before the whole Holy Rome fiasco. That's what had made him this way, and would keep him like this for as long as he lived.

+Prussia POV+

I walked into the house I shared with West and went straight to my basement room, intending to stay there and think about nothing for the rest of the night. A drink or two would help, but I didn't feel up to it, and definitely didn't want a state of drunkenness to reveal anything. Geez, when did I have time to get so depressed? Something that confused the Awesome Prussia was definitely not awesome. Get rid of the thought.

A knock at my door revealed West, standing as stiff as always. "Bruder, I am going to train vith Italy for a vhile. Please do not burn zhe house down, or anyzhing close to zhat."

I laughed, fixing the smile so it looked convincing. "Don't vorry, West! You vill find the house in awesome shape vhen you come back!"

He rolled his blue eyes and walked away, fixing the wrinkles on his uniform jacket. Immediately after his departure, I returned to my frown. Italy. I wondered how he was, if he was still… that way. Where the scars still there, and did he continue to create new ones? Had he been getting better lately? Did Bruder know?

I sighed, rubbing my temple. I worried too much about the younger country. It had been my fault he started in the first place, yes, but maybe he was okay know. Maybe he was as awesome as I was.

No, doubtful. He was probably much better than I was. Saying it over and over doesn't make it true.

I wondered when thinking about my life problems had become a daily thing, almost a nightly routine. Come to think of it, I almost practiced it religiously, which could develop into an unhealthy obsession. It would be an obsession with myself, which half the world thought I had already, but this would be for an entirely different reason.

Rubbing my forehead once again, I stood and began pacing the room. I needed to get out, cheer myself up a bit. After years of self-blame and regret, I still hadn't gotten over it, and that needed to change. The happiness I saw in the faces of the other nations made me jealous, made me wish I could be that happy. But I knew.

I didn't deserve happiness.

+Germany POV+

Italy had seemed as happy as usual at the meeting today, but he had kept tugging at his sleeves, as if something was bothering. I felt the need to check on him, even if we were just allies and nothing else.

That, and an aura of something I couldn't identify had hung over the house. Was it the atmosphere between Bruder and I, or something else? I knew he thought I was overly stiff, and I thought he was an idiot, but that level of tension between us had never arisen before. Maybe it was just him, doing whatever he does, or maybe it was my worry for Italy that had caused it. I didn't know.

I arrived at Italy's place and knocked on the door, waiting for a few seconds before he pulled it open. "Ve, Doitsu!" he exclaimed, smiling happily. "Come in, I just made pasta!"

I shook my head, following the brunette inside. Maybe I had no reason to be worried about anything after all.

A/N: Hey! I hope you liked this first chapter~ It's kinda short, and leaves a lot in the shadows, but I do hope it's to your liking! It will take a while to update, since I'm also working on No One's Laughing, but I'll try my best! Comment and favorite and stuff like that, thank you!