Hey, West, I was wondering something." Prussia grinned as he sat next to his brother one the couch in their living room.

Germany sighed but didn't look up from his paperwork, "What is it, East?"

"When are you gonna ask Ita-kins out?"

"Wh-What?!" The younger choked on his coffee, "East, why would you ask something like that?"

"Well, you're obviously in love with him, and he's obviously in love with you... So, why not?"

"That reasoning is as ridiculous as it is false. Italien und Ich are just Freunde."

"Westen, you're lying~"

"How do you-"

"You only mix English and German words like that in a sentence when you're lying or worried... Or both."

"Don't you have someone else to bother? Like Spain or France?"

"... Actually, I'm trying my hardest to avoid Spain..."

"Was? Warum?"

"It's nothing. I'll just leave you to your work." Prussia stood up, "Oh, und I seriously suggest giving Ita-kins some flowers or something... At least to see how he reacts, okay?" he left the living room. The house. He didn't know where he was going to chill, but there had to be somewhere. He thought about bothering Austria, but Hungary would probably try to kill him with her frying pan of death and despair, and Prussia didn't feel like going through the hassle.

There was Romano, but he tried to avoid Prussia like the plague... Actually, he tried to avoid everyone like the plague. America was a cool nation, but he was probably with England or France or... Hell, he could even be with... Russia.

Prussia was trying his hardest to avoid Russia. After what he went through at the giant nation's house, he didn't think he could stomach seeing Russia.

Thinking of Russia reminded Prussia of Spain. Ever since the... ex... nation returned from Russia's, Spain had been treating him like he was fragile. Like a single touch could break him...

"Maybe I SHOULD talk to him..." Prussia sighed. He didn't was centuries of friendship to be lost over nothing.

The trip to spain's house was long. It seemed longer than usual since Prussia didn't if he actually wanted to talk to the ex-conquistador, but he knew he have to do it eventually, so... He knocked on the door.

"¡Uno momento, por favor!"

After a few seconds of waiting, the door opened to reveal a certain Spanish-speaking nation, "Oh, Pru, how can I help you?"

Like always, Spain was smiling. Prussia, on the other hand, was not. He knew he looked upset. Annoyed. Agitated.

"I'd like to talk to you." Prussia replied, "Are you busy?"

"Ah, no, no, I'm not. I'm never busy if my amigos want to talk. You know that. Come in." Spain moved aside to allow the other entry.

"Danke..." The paler didn't know how he was going to address the problem... The direct approach always seemed easy...

Prussia and Spain sat on the couch, and the Spaniard's smile somehow managed to brighten, "So, how have you been? You haven't been around lately, so I was worried."

The Prussia took a breath, "Why don't you ever look me in the eyes anymore?"

The question caught Spain off guard, "¿Qué? What do you mean?"

"Ever since I got back, you haven't been able to look me in the eyes. Why? Do you think I'm THAT degraded?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that!" Spain exclaimed, "I-I just..."

"You just what?! You never look me in the eyes. You don't touch me, and when you do, you act like I'll break. Like I'm so fucking fragile that I couldn't withstand a single friendly touch. Like I'll die if you touch me..."

"Pru, I..."

"The only thing killing me is the way you're treating me!"

Spain's eyes widened, "¿Qué?"

"And you might know that if you looked at me."

As the Spaniard heard Prussia's voice waver, he realized the flaws in how he was treating the other. Prussia wanted nothing more than to forget what had happened, but Spain wouldn't let him... All because he wouldn't look at or touch him properly. The brunette raised his eyes and looked into Prussia's...One of his best friends... Was crying... And it was his fault.

"Prussia..."

Prussia never cried... Well, there had been that one incident when the Bad Friends Trio was little - before they had become the Bad Friends Trio - But Spain and France had known exactly what to do... But now... The blonde wasn't there, and the brunette was the cause. Prussia was a proud, authoritarian nation, and tears didn't suit him... At all.

Spain didn't know what to do, and he wished France was there to help. He wished he hadn't treated Prussia the way he had. He wished Prussia was never forced to live at Russia's for so long... He did the only thing he thought right. He pulled his friend into a hug. The tears didn't subside, but Spain knew they wouldn't. He only hoped Prussia could find comfort in the embrace...

And find comfort Prussia did. Not because of the hug, but because Spain wasn't touching him like he was breakable. Like he was made of glass. It was the second time since he had gotten back. The first being when they were reunited and Spain had pulled him into an almost one-crushing hug. After that, everything had seemed to fall apart.

Prussia, who felt lousy for crying, grabbed hold of Spain's sleeves and buried his face in the brunette's neck, and he continued sobbing...

"I'm sorry." Prussia barely heard the Spaniard whisper, "I didn't mean to make you suffer like this. I wish you had said something sooner. I didn't mean to hurt you. Why would I? You're my special friend, Pru."

"Special?" The paler managed to choke out.

"Don't take it the wrong way." The brunette continued whispering, "I don't mean anything bad about it. The exact opposite actually. I can't express how much you mean to me with words. It's impossible, but..."

"But?" But now Prussia's tears had calmed down, but he was embarrassed to be reduced to a sniveling wimp.

"I guess I could try." Spain tightened the embrace, "I'm sorry I treated you like glass. I just- I didn't know what he had done to you, so I didn't know how to treat you at all. I didn't want you to freak out, and yet... It seems that's exactly what I caused you to do, right?"

Prussia didn't reply. He didn't want to nor did he need to. He didn't often freak out about things. In face, he couldn't remember the last time he had freaked...

"And I never looked you in the eyes because- Ah, well, you'll probably laugh at me... But I guess that's all the more reason to tell you, huh?

The ex-nation did his best to nod, which was difficult because of their compromising positions.

"I was afraid you'd be able to see how I really feel about you." Spain began, "I had already felt like this before you... went away, but... They say distance makes the heart grow founder, and I- Prussia..." he pulled away and looked at the ex-nation's face. Green met red as their eyes locked, and Spain took a breath, "Gilbert Beilschmidt..."

Prussia knew it was something important since the brunette used his human name-

"I'm in love with you."

-but he wasn't expecting something that mind blowing. Prussia's eyes widened at his friend's unexpected confession, and his pale face went red, "W-Was?"

"I love you." Spain said with more uncertainty.

"That's why you wouldn't look at me?" A red-faced Prussia blinked.

"S-Sí, I know it's silly, but I wasn't sure how you'd react." The brunette glanced away in embarrassment, "I-I mean, you're not exactly, um, well- You don't seem to care much about those types of feelings, and you get embarrassed easily, and-" he stopped mid sentence in surprise when Prussia suddenly burst out into laughter, "G-Gilly?"

"That's such a- That's such a- A stupid reason, you- You dummkopf!" The paler male said between laughing, "I-I'm glad that you- That you love me because- Well, I feel the exact same- Same way about you!"

"What? Really?" Spain blinked in confusion, "I never would have guessed."

Prussia's laughter subsided, which was a pity because it was a much prettier sound than crying to Spain's ears, "'Tonio," he began using his friend's human nickname, "I know how to fool people. There's a reason you didn't know..."

"And that would be?"

"... I... I didn't know if you felt the same..." Prussia mumbled, "Especially after I came back..."

Spain sighed in dismay, "I'm so good at making a mess out of things, aren't I, Pru?"

"Sometimes." Prussia placed a shy kiss on the brunette's cheek, "but not purposefully." he ended with a blush, which was caused by his action.

Spain blinked before grinning and capturing the paler's lips with his own. The ex-nation went wide-eyed but didn't pull away. No, instead, after the initial shock wore off, he graciously returned the kiss.

A happy brunette smiled into it. Things would be different between the two from now on. He'd make sure of it. He'd treat Prussia with all the love and respect he could muster. He'd help Prussia forget whatever had happened during his stay with Russia. He'd be a friendly ear if Prussia ever wanted to talk about it.

Prussia sighed happily. This was exactly what he had wanted. If things weren't different between the two of them now, he'd be pissed. He'd have to bring this to Spain's attention later... Much later. At this point in time, Prussia would rather just make out with Spain on the couch... Good plan, ja? Awesome even.