...what the hell happened?

would tell him if he felt comfortable talking to him. He's busy staring at his trashed bedroom right now, anyway.

...but maybe what he thinks he remembers is just a dream or something. He doesn't know. But either way he's not thrilled about it.

hasn't been up long enough to remember anything beyond going to Francis' about that...that issue. But he doesn't remember getting back here,

just nodding off on his couch. ...and Jesus, all that embarrassing shit he spouted off about. Bed may be the best place for him just yet.

remembers more than he'd like, so he doesn't mind...ignoring most, if not all of it. He's decidedly not going over there for a while -

anyway. Way too awkward. He'll just pick up this mess, and maybe later ask for his photos back, if he can't find soft copies.

's internal alarms won't let him get back to sleep if it's past eight. There's sunlight coming through the small basement window too. It'll

take him awhile to get up and even longer to climb the stairs and discover that he's been locked in the basement.

just focus on cleaning up and trying to pretend all of that didn't happen. He is concerned about Ludwig's condition now, though. But he -

might call Gilbert to find out about that, rather than having to talk to Ludwig, whether on the phone or in person.

would be concerned about Francis if he weren't busy trying to get out. Gilbert's sitting right in the kitchen listening to all that, too, so

he gets quite the show when Ludwig finally slams his shoulder into the door hard enough to snap the lock. Give it half an hour of trying to

calm him down and explain, and Gilbert will save Francis the effort and call him instead.

gets the bedroom straightened in that time. After that, he moves onto downstairs to pick up there. It's when he gets to the couch that he-

sees his old uniform. That just makes everything much more real. It's harder to pretend this all didn't happen when he's got physical-

proof in front of him. Well, proof apart from a slightly bruised face. When Gilbert calls, Francis is in the backyard burning it. -

His phone's on him, though, so he answers after a moment. It's more of a grunt than an actual word.

Gilbert snorts. That's promising. "You uh...you okay?" He's not dead, so that's a start.

(too lazy to log out)

takes a moment to think about his answer. "Considering all the possibilities, I suppose I'm fine. Ah...how is Ludwig?" (s'all good)

glances towards the living room, where Ludwig's trying to clean up the mess he and Gilbert made the night before. He blamed that on them

fighting. Ludwig didn't need to know Gilbert still harboured a deep fetish for his brother seventy years ago and took full advantage once he

got Ludwig sedated and sloppy drunk. "Angry. But uh...normal. He didn't fuck you up, did he?"

pokes at the burning cloth with a stick. He'll reburn it again and again until it's completely reduced to ashes. "I'm nothing more than -

bruised, really. He was...rather docile, in comparison to what he's capable of." He pauses briefly. "I'm sorry about what I said."

sighs, eyes closing as he rubs his forehead. "I'm sorry, man. I shouldn't have told him what was going on with you. That was stupid of me."-

clears his throat, then forces a laugh. "Don't worry about it. That was old you talkin'. You remember that shit though? West...I guess he-

doesn't. He just remembers fallin' asleep at your place."

continues poking at the uniform. It's not burning as quickly as he'd like. "I wish I didn't remember. It's probably best he doesn't, -

though. He...uh. Said some things, too. When he was normal. But it was probably just an effort to stop me. I remember I kind of-

snapped." Maybe he shouldn't bring that up, but he's actively trying to be completely open with both of them.

glances toward the living room again. "Goddamn you two are some vague bastards. Look, whatever he said, he ain't tellin' me either, so he-

probably feels bad about it. He'll suck it up and apologize." Of course, he has no idea how far off track this is.

shifts a bit uncomfortably, not that Gilbert can see that. "Well...if he feels bad about it, I would have rather he not have said-

it at all. Had I been myself...I really wouldn't have minded hearing that."

flops back in his chair and smacks the phone against his forehead in frustration. These two are so fucking cryptic it's starting to drive-

him crazy. "Uh huh yeah. D'you wanna talk to him or no?"

adds more lighter fluid to the clothes and watches it flare up before he answers. "I don't mind, if he wants to talk."

's silent, then there's a thud and mumbled swearing when he drops the phone. "West! Come talk to your fuckin' girlfriend!" More noises-

then Ludwig's voice as he gets to the phone. "Gilbert, I've asked you a thousand times... Good morning-

Chancellor. I apologize for my brother. How may I be of assistance?"

actually manages to feel a little amused, hearing all of that. He doesn't sound it, though, whenever he speaks up. "...Perhaps-

you could start by taking a few days off and relaxing." Had he been in a better mood, he would've attempted a German accent.

hesitates and glances at his brother. But Gilbert's already marched off, leaving him alone in the kitchen. "I beg your pardon?"

shrugs. "Je sais pas. I just think itmd do you good." He pauses for a long moment. "Um, how are you?"

it'd*)

very slowly realizes who he's got on the other line and manages a small 'oh'. Oh, awkward. Gilbert couldn't fill him in on all the details,

only that he'd gone over there and come back...wrong. "I...am fine. Are you...how are you? Are you hurt? Was anything destroyed?" ...cough.

quiet for a moment, unsure of how to answer that. He doesn't want to sugarcoat it, but he doesn't want to be too blunt about it,-

either. "I'm...I'm okay. I've got a few bruises, but that's it. And...nothing's really broken."

's stomach twists, much to his own surprise. "...I'm sorry."

bites his lip. He appreciates hearing that, but 'it's okay' isn't an appropriate response. "It's not like you meant to become -

like that again..." This is his way of accepting that apology, even if it's maybe not the best thing to say.

doesn't understand why he did in the first place. Even Gilbert, who seems to have an answer for everything or at least pretends to,-

couldn't help him there. He picks something up off the table, plays with it, rolls it around in his hand. "I should have been in better-

control..." He isn't going to mention laying back for it when Francis decided to light into him. He earned that much at least. "I will-

help you repair whatever is damaged."

continues staring at the fire. It's amazing how that just watching it burn somewhat improves his mood. Only a little, though. "That's...-

that's not necessary. It's all minimal, really." Perhaps it isn't, but he's not going to say that. He can at least tell in his tone that -

Ludwig is sincere. He almost feels inclined to tell him to come over, to try to offer some physical reassurance, but at the same time, the-

idea makes him feel even more awkward, simply because of everything. "I can take care of it."

have to make it up to him somehow. He has no idea how yet, but something... And if Francis only remembers certain parts of all that,-

there's a good chance he won't remember what Ludwig's sure would make continuing this impossible. Once again, he should have been in-

better control. "Ah. Well. If you're sure..." Not that he blames Francis for wanting to keep distance between them right now.

thinking that for now, it's best not to mention that. He's not even sure if Ludwig meant it or not due to the situation, so he's just going-

to disregard it and not think into it. The best he can, at least. "I'm sure. You should focus on resting. I'm sure you need it."

tosses whatever he was toying with back to the table, watching it slide halfway across the immaculate surface. "...I was not the one under-

attack, Francis. And I remember nothing of it, nothing beyond you going to sleep that night."

"I wish I could say the same, really. But I'll tell you that...in comparison to what could've happened, it didn't end too badly." It's-

difficult to admit this, but he thinks it's something that Ludwig needs to know.

knows exactly what could have happened. So much could have gone wrong with the two of them alone in confined spaces. That nothing-

life-threatening happened was really something of a miracle. "....that's good then, I suppose."

nods, forgetting for a moment that he's talking on a phone. He doesn't really know what else to say, though. He's not sure what he can say-

to make it any less awkward between them now. "Ah,...if you're busy, I can let you go."

isn't expecting to have a normal conversation with him right now anyway. Too much happened for Francis to be comfortable with him, and in-

truth, Ludwig's pretty ashamed of himself as well. He's quiet, then starts toward the living room with the phone. "That's fine. Would you-

like to speak to Gilbert again?"

it was otherwise; it feels like it's been a long time since he's really talked to him, and it's probably going to be a while-

before they can interact normally. "Yes, please."

goodbye, hands the phone over and leaves silently while Gilbert grunts into the receiver. He's found a decent show on; good luck.

perhaps it's best if he just hangs up all together, so he'll start to say goodbye to Gilbert too, without even attempting conversation.

snorts. "Fuck, I feel like a little kid with divorced parents now."

quiet for a moment. "It's a little odd that you'd feel that way, when you sleep with us."

squirms back into the cushions and stretches his legs out on the couch. "Mn, well, maybe you had a thing for my brother when he was-

little too. You could be a pedo parent. But no, just so y'know, I'm not gonna be relaying messages back and forth. You two got a problem,

you better be workin' it out in person. No pussy shit."

makes no comment on the first part; the latter is more important. He agrees with it, but... "I don't really think now it an appropriate time

for that. It'll have to wait until...when things aren't so awkward." He's not taking into consideration that's it's possible that'll it-

just stay awkward until he goes over there, or vice versa.

actually agrees with that. It would be weird seeing them trying to get along after rehashing the worst times in their long histories. He-

just isn't known for saying anything intelligent though, so he'll keep that to himself. "No shit. But try to do it before the holidays.-

I don't wanna have to figure out whose house I get to go to this year, even if two Christmas' would be awesome.

"

finishes up with what he's doing outside and heads in for coffee. He really hadn't put in much consideration over the holidays. He didn't -

want to assume that this year would be any different than any other year. "All right. I'll be sure to do it well before then."

rolls his eyes. It's hard to joke around and find entertainment from somebody when they're just in a bad mood. "Fine, fine. You can go-

and finishing baking your cakes or whatever it is you're doing."

stands at his counter and watches his coffee brew. He's more blunt than he meant to be, really. "I was burning an old uniform."

isn't going to ask which one it was. He doesn't need to. "Well, that sorta counts as cooking. if you're English."

grunts in response. He's not in the mood to even crack a joke about les rosbifs. "Mn. I'll talk to you some other time."

sucks the back of his teeth, mutters something offhand and hangs up. Fine. He'll sit there and enjoy the television.

simply can't hold a conversation right now. He'll drink his coffee and deal with all the turmoil attached to having to relive back then.