Title: Names

Rating: K

Pairing: none; but if you squint Prussia/Germany ?

Summary: Germany has a urgent question for his brother.

Author Note: Just came to my mind ~

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"Bruder, Bruder!"

"What is it, little one?" Prussia turned around, papers for his king in hands and seemingly in a hurry, nonetheless a lovingly smile appeared on his face as he watched the small boy - no older than twelve - stumble his way over to him.

"I've – I've got a question." The boy gasped out between his attempt to get air and say something at the same time in a hoarse voice.

"And that can't wait until after my meeting with the consolers?"

The child shook his head, a burning deep inside his blue eyes visible.

Prussia sighed good-naturally and turned fully around to face his charge.

"Then, what is so important that you exhausted yourself while searching for me and even left your history lesson where you should be right now?"

Germany squirmed first under his brother's gaze, unhappy that he did go against the rules and disappointed the nation in front of him.

But a resolute expression soon pushed his apologetic one away and he strained his shoulder and hefted his eyes onto his brother's red ones.

"I want to know why I am called Ludwig."

Prussia blinked. "That's all?"

The boy nodded, a pink blush spreading over his cheeks. His eyes never swayed away, observing Prussia's as if he could find the answer right there in their depth.

"My king's name is Wilhelm and he is the first to rein my empire. But still, I'm not named after him. Where does my name come from?"

Prussia shifted the stack of documents in his arms, a remised gaze on his face.

"…The first kings of the former empire you were part of carried that name and gained power and influence during their rule. But that's not the reason you're named Ludwig. Do you know the meaning of your name?"

Blue eyes widened in confusion and Germany pulled his eyebrows together as he concentrated to recall any memories he did have there of.

"…It means war…and being famous, right?"

"Yep!"

Prussia grinned.

"So, I'm named Ludwig to gain these qualities the name represents?"

Prussia was still grinning but wiggled his forefinger in a mocking manner.

"Nope, falsch ~"

Confusion adorned the boy's features again; he looked helplessly up at his mentor.

"Then why?"

The silver-blond nation suddenly turned around and started to walk in the direction he had previously intended to take before Germany had stopped him.

This left the boy with no other solution than to run after him, having to take two fast steps for each large one Prussia made.

"Oh, it's quiet simple." Germany heard Prussia chuckle and twisted his neck to find out why.

Red familiar orbs bored into blue ones and the boy felt warm flowing through his cheeks.

"Foremost, because it accompanies my name fairly nice and then… well, you obviously looked like 'Ludwig', so I called you that."

"Bu-but that's not a reason at all!," young Germany protested, now stopping to walk beside his brother, an irritated frown attached to his still childish features.

Prussia laughed loudly at the sight.

"It was enough for me! So be a good boy and go back to your lesson, I'll come over as soon as I can. Versprochen, Ludwig ~"

With pride Prussia observed how Germany's head turned the sweet colour of red poppy in less then a minute.

He waved playfully at the stunned nation, clearly liking his brother's reaction.

It was always fun to tease him.

But he hadn't joked, Ludwig was the first name which shot through his head the day he was finally able to create a unified Germany and this boy had woken from his slumber, reborn anew out of hopes and a very old wish.

That and the parallel to his own name made 'Ludwig' perfectly for the young nation.

Gilbert began to whistle an old nursery rhyme as he continued his way to the chambers of his king.

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Falsch = Wrong

Versprochen = Promised

Name references:

Ludwig is a combination of the Old High German words "hlut" (means loud or famous) and "wig" (means fight or war) while Gilbert is a combination of "gisil" (a descendant of a noble house) and "bert/beraht" (means famous or well-known).

So both Gil and Ludwig share different German words for famous which gave me the idea to this short ff :).