Nazi!Germany x Gypsy!Reader: If You Were Here

You were a Gypsy; you had travelled to Germany from Romania with your clan. You performed as a dancer; with your tambourine and anklet bells, you would charm audiences in villages and cities alike, earning your share of coins for the clan to use towards food, clothes, and supplies.

Your clan was planning to stay in Berlin for three weeks; three days into that stint, you met the most wonderful young man. His name was Ludwig, and he was a German soldier. It was love at first sight for the two of you, after he had rescued you from some...unsavoury characters who had misinterpreted your dancing as something more...provocative. Since that day, the two of you met every night. Ludwig was stationed in Berlin, and it was no little task for him to sneak out of the barracks every night, but he made sure you knew you were worth it.

That was before the orders came.

It was close to midnight when the gunshots and screams broke into the darkness. You and Ludwig had been walking by the lake when you recognised the terrified shouts of your clan.

"MIR I DAJ! MIR I DAD!"

Ludwig tried to call out to you as he chased you through the now-deserted streets of Berlin, but your cries for your family drowned out any words the wind might have carried your way.

When you reached your camp, you found your entire clan gone, your tents, supplies, and belongings piled in a great, burning bonfire in the clearing. Hearing footsteps behind you, you hid behind one of the larger trees, only to find two uniformed officers approaching the bonfire.

"Private Beilschmidt!" one of them called. "Did the general send you?"

Ludwig emerged from behind one of the trees, his eyes darting momentarily to your hiding place. Where you that conspicuous?

"Nein," replied Ludwig. "I heard shots and came to see."

"Ah, visiting the bar again, are we?" The second soldier cackled. "Don't worry, every good man deserves a break these days."

"We're rounding up the Gypsies," said the first soldier, by way of explanation as Ludwig stared into the flames. "They're headed for the gas chambers right now. Some of the men looked useful for the mines, but the general wanted this batch gone completely. No idea why."

"Ooh, I know!" cackled the second soldier. "I heard the general speaking to the commander. Something about one of the soldiers and a gypsy girl. He doesn't want there to be any distractions, you see."

Distractions? Gypsy girl? You turned around, running deeper and deeper into the forest, not noticing the pair of footsteps following you. Did you really just cost your entire clan their freedom...their lives? The gas chambers were for the German enemies, not for Gypsies! You had heard of Jews, disabled, even political enemies being forced into camps. But not the Gypsies! You were peaceful people who had no quarrel with…

"STOOOOOOP!"

At the sound of the German voice, you froze and turned around, half-expecting it to be Ludwig. But, instead, you found yourself face-to-face with the two soldiers from earlier.

"Gypsy!" gasped the first soldier, clearly out of breath.

"You're under arrest!" said the second.

A rough pair of hands clamped over your shoulders. "I'll take her to the general," Ludwig said from behind you.

A sigh of relief caught in your throat. Ludwig's tone was so cold and uncaring that you even half-believed his words.

None too gently, Ludwig guided you away from the soldiers, allowing you to stumble on the rocks and branches along the path. After he had put a considerable amount of distance between the two of you, he placed you down on the ground and sat next to you, wiping his brow.

"You...run too fast…" he said, breathing deeply. Noticing your shell-shocked expression, he pulled you into his chest, resting his chin on the top of your head. "We'll find them, okay? I promise."

"B-But they're going to the gas chambers! We can't do…"

"AHA! So it WAS you!" The two soldiers from earlier appeared through the thick foliage, accompanied by half a dozen armed officers, all of whom were pointing guns at you and Ludwig. "General! We've found the traitor."

A bearded, older man walked into your line of vision. "Excellent…" he murmured. "This is an unfortunate turn of events, Private Beilschmidt," the general continued, "but we can have only the best serving in the German army. Reichstein! Bervolt! Escort the Gypsy to the rest of her...clan."

Two of the officers nodded and dragged you off Ludwig. Before you could leave, however, the general held up his hand.

"Wait a moment. I think all of us understand what protocol dictates be done at this point. However, it seems only fair to allow the frau one last goodbye. Soldiers, ready!"

Ludwig was dragged to his feet as four of the officers pointed their guns in the air.

"Aim!"

Four guns were pointed towards Ludwig.

"Fi--" "NOOOOO!!!!!"

With incredible strength, you broke away from the soldiers holding you captive as the sea of bullets rained on Ludwig's body.

The Germans left your bodies there, not wanting to bother with a grave, nor caring to carry the corpses all the way back to the city. Since it was a rather desolate part of the forest, no one visited until after the war...no one until a silver-haired young man came stumbling on a large patch of mossy wildflowers covering the skeletal remains from the undiscerning human's eyes.

"Ludwig," the young man muttered. "You idiot. I told you not to go to war, didn't I? I said you'd never come home. You're not the awesome me. You'd do foolish things, like risking yourself for others. That's how you died, isn't it? Then why didn't they even send me a letter? A dog tag?" The young man kicked a patch of wildflowers, exposing an arm bone.

"Ooh, creepy," said the young man, backing away. "I'll guess I'll be going now...not that I'm afraid or anything, 'cause the awesome me doesn't get afraid. But you'd be afraid, wouldn't you, Ludwig? If you were here?"