A/N: This is written to commemorate a special occasion today. Took a lot of thinking but my inspiration works much the same way as it does for Austria. There's a lot of Dungeons and Dragons terminology because this was written with a specific person in mind today, so if you're lost it's okay, you're on the same page as Austria.
Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.
Austria sat at his piano and glared at the sheet music in front of him for a while nibbling on the edge of a quill with the tip of his lips. He put the quill back in the inkpot for a while and played a few measures of music on his piano. He thought over the song for a while writing out the notes, then deciding they didn't fit, he scratched them out angrily. Calming down he straightened his cravat and adjusted his glasses. He tried several new measures, decided he liked them and started to write them down when the door to the piano room flew open. His quill slid along the blank ledger lines. Regaining his composure he turned to the door, "yes?" his heart skipped a beat as he saw Hungary standing there with a smile on her face.
"I'm heading out for the day, there's a lot of shopping to get done today," she announced.
Austria hastily shuffled the papers so she couldn't see his work. The nation stood up and walked over Hungary, "have a good day."
"You too! Be sure to call Germany or myself if you get lost okay?" The other nation kissed him for a moment then disappeared down the hall.
The nation sighed and looked back at his piano. He'd been working to compose a symphony for Hungary as he did every year on her birthday but so far nothing had come to mind. He'd composed everything under the sun for her it seemed, but this year he had no inspiration, the music wasn't coming to him as it usually did. Maybe he was just losing his touch after all these centuries. No, he was the regal Austria! Music flowed through his veins; it couldn't be a lost touch when it came to the noblest of arts.
He looked at his piano and then out the window, maybe a walk through the snow to clear his thoughts before he continued on with his symphony. He closed up his piano and picked up the papers putting them in a leather satchel. Buckling it shut, he left it on the stool while he pulled on his coat. Picking up the bag, he laid it along his shoulders and adjusted it so the strap lay comfortably on his chest. Austria departed his house locking the door behind checking to make sure he had his cell phone, wallet and keys. Satisfied he had all of these requirements met, the nation left his home and proceeded down the snowy driveway into town.
Austria wandered around for a while pondering what he would do since he couldn't compose a symphony for his wife, well ex-wife, though they still considered each other as spouse. He sighed and sat down on a bench after carefully brushing the snow off and watching his breath fogging his glasses. Sighing, the nation removed Vienna and wiped them off carefully. Replacing his glasses on his nose, Austria looked into the nearby café. His wandering had taken him to Germany's house where many nations had come to take care of holiday shopping. Inside of the café he saw the Nordic five huddled around a table with Germany and Italy observing.
He felt he could use some inspiration for his music and so ventured across the empty street into the café. The room was warm and inviting with a large fireplace, old wooden tables that had more history in their age lines. A tall pair of coat racks flanked the door while the warm stonewalls of the building kept the cold out. Behind the bar stood a long line of beers and spirits, along with that stood Germany talking politely with Belgium about their latest beer trade agreement. Italy was still watching the Nordics making excited commentary at their activity. Austria tapped his shoes clean of snow and pulled off his long coat carefully placing it on a free hook.
The nation walked over to the nearest table and sat down folding his hands politely on the table. Germany spotted him and departed his trade agreement to join him. He pulled over a chair and sat down across from his friend; Austria stared at the blond nation for a moment before adjusting his glasses. "Something's bothering you," Germany noted.
Austria sighed and glanced over at the game, "as you know today is Hungary's birthday. Every year I compose a symphony for her but this year I have run out of time and I have no inspiration to write her one. It is not that I do not love her but I have used every measure, every chorus and refrain before. I cannot compose a single original note it seems."
Germany tilted his head, "Austria…"
"Ne ne Germany! We've engaged in combat!" Italy shouted across the room and held up a small round object.
Germany sighed and stood up, then pausing he smiled slightly at Austria, "why don't you join us? I have an old character you can use."
Austria stood up and looked over at the Nordics, Finland had a book standing up on the table with a laptop running while Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland all sat around the table scowling. Italy still had a goofy smile on his face as he grabbed a stool and sat down. "What are you doing?" Austria asked as he and Germany walked to the table.
"Role playing game," Germany replied and took a seat near Finland before reaching into a briefcase and sorting through the file of papers inside. He pulled out one and set it in front of the dark haired nation along with a set of dice. "You'll need a D-20, a D-8, and two D-4."
Austria blinked peering down at the paper in front of him then at the oddly shaped dice that his friend had given him. He picked up the small green pyramid, "this is a die?"
"Yes, that's your D-4," he noted, "You won't need that until you cause damage."
He nodded then looked at the paper again, "so what exactly is going on here?"
"Care to fill in the new Paladin GM?" Germany asked Finland who was watching the newly arrived nation with interest.
"Okay! So the party has just reached a clearing where the king is being held captive! You were off at a concert when the call to adventure came so you showed up late. We just started combat so if you want to roll initiative then we can get started."
Austria blinked while Germany indicated the twenty-sided die in front of him. The nation rolled it and was swept into the game in an instant. So much so that a few hours later, Austria failed to notice Mozart's Piano Sonata Number 11 in A Major ringing from his phone. The nation blinked and stared as Denmark roared at the game, the Berserker looked angrily at his teammate. "Dude check your damn phone!"
The brunet nation nodded and pulled out his phone and answered the call, "good evening, this is Austria speaking."
"Hi sweetheart! I just have one more errand to run and then I'll be home! Is there anything else you needed me to pick up before then?"
"H-Hungary!" He exclaimed almost falling out of his seat while standing up. "Um, that is great! I do not require anything else so I will see you soon!" Austria stumbled to his feet and looked at the team of adventurers.
"Great! Talk to you when I get home! Love you!"
"I love you too," Austria replied hanging up then giving an almost panicked look at the other nations at the table.
The other nations at the table watched Austria for a while as he ran from the room and picked up his satchel and coat before rushing into the snow. His chest heaved as he reached the market and he hastily bought some groceries for dinner before hauling everything back to his place. He looked into the yard and noticed that Hungary's car wasn't in the driveway. Relieved Austria walked inside regaining his composure as he unlocked the door before dropping the groceries in the kitchen. He walked back to the closet and hung his coat neatly on the rack while setting his satchel down. Picking the leather bag up again he returned to the kitchen and set about with the preparation for cooking. He picked up the knife and had a flashback to the game earlier.
I stood atop the hill looking down at the hoard below mulling around. Denmark was hacking his way through the kobolds in proper berserker fashion. Standing at his back was Sweden armed with a claymore also hacking his way through. Norway sat between them in a meditation posture. Off to the right stood Germany, raining arrows down from his spot as a proper ranger along side of Iceland casting elemental spells and Italy keeping the party alive as a sorcerer and cleric.
As Austria recounted the battle from the game his mind wandered off to a very different battle.
I charged into battle only to trip and fall into the mud. "Oww!" I yelped at the sudden pain in my posterior. Turning my head back I saw an arrow stuck in my rear. Why did I always end up losing like this, the last fifty one times now… No! Not this time! I forced myself to my feet and picked up my sword. A few feet away stood a young boy with a ponytail and armor. "Hungary!" I shouted and charged. He blocked my strike and knocked me down easily.
"You're weak! Come back when you grow a pair!" Hungary laughed as my future wife walked away.
Austria smiled at one little part of the memory, Hungary's hair had come loose and she'd turned with the afternoon sun glinting off of her sword and armor with her cape fluttering in the wind. The nation was certain that he had fallen for the brunette at that moment. At that moment a thought struck him in the form of music. He abandoned the pot on the stove grabbing up his satchel and fled to his piano. One hand fumbled with the buckle of his bag while the other pushed up the cover of the piano keys. He seized his quill and inkbottle placing them on the ledge. Settling onto his seat Austria let his fingers fly across the keys at the frantic pace of the battle he had remembered.
The nation closed his eyes pressing key after key, only pausing to write the notes on any given line. The thoughts of Hungary as a warrior provided all of the inspiration he'd lacked earlier that day. The way she'd demolished Prussia during the Seven Years War, and how she had come to his rescue when all hope he had seemed lost. He thought of their wedding, the way she had looked in a long flowing dress with a sword at her hip. The way the night had preceded; the fragrance of roses and lilies clinging to her, the scent of dinner going up in smoke.
Austria struck a sour chord and paused. The scent of dinner going up in smoke? Dinner! He once again left his piano and ran to the kitchen to see the pan he had been cooking in going up in smoke! Wrenching the pan off of the burner he ran over to the sink and started blasting the cold water from the faucet. He let go of the pan looking at the ruined meal. He had been attempting to make a variation on Vanillerosbraten to be served with wine and followed by some Schnapps and Sachertorte. But his main course was ruined. Cursing himself Austria checked the timer on the oven for his cake hoping he could salvage something of this evening.
After checking the timer one last time the nation returned to the piano and sat on his well-worn seat. He tried to set his fingers in position to carry on with his symphony, but a sharp pain made his hands clench. Turing his hands over he could see they were red and blistered. How could he complete his symphony now? His hands were his method of expression since he wasn't good at interacting through normal means. He'd managed to ruin Hungary's birthday in the space of a few hours.
"Austria! I'm home!" Hungary's voice rang through the halls.
Reluctantly the nation stood up to face his fate, "Welcome home dear." He called back and walked to the door to greet her. He found his fellow nation taking off her coat by the door while removing her snow-covered boots. "How was your day?"
"Long, boring, but I did have fun playing a few rounds of Dungeons and Dragons with the Nordics, Germany and Italy!" She declared brightly before walking over to Austria and giving him a hug. She gave him a brief kiss before trying to take his hands in an effort to warm hers up.
He winced in pain as she touched the blisters that had formed on his hands, "ah."
She blinked and looked at his hands panicking, "Roderich your wounded!"
"It is nothing… " He muttered, averting his eyes. "I am fine Elizaveta…"
"No you're not!" Hungary barked and led him to the bedroom retrieving the first aid kit from the master bath. A few minutes later, Austria sat on the bed with his former wife rubbing medicine on the blisters before wrapping bandages on the wounds. While they sat in silence the nation thought about how in the past their roles would be reversed.
"Hey lay of Roderich! It's just a scratch!" Hungary had shouted.
I frowned more intensely then usual. "That is not just a scratch. Hold still." I wrapped the bandage around the large cut on her head delicately. She was covered in bandages courtesy of Prussia yet again. "If you keep getting hurt then I will keep worrying about you."
Hungary's hand on his cheek pulled Austria out of his memories. He raised his hand to meet hers gently, "If you get hurt then I'm going to worry about you." She turned his head to smile at him, "honestly, you're so careless sometimes."
"I am sorry," Austria replied and sighed, "I composed a symphony for you, but I cannot play it. I burned dinner and caused you trouble, I have failed you on your birthday."
The other nation laughed a little, "oh you, I honestly don't mind not having a symphony right now. As to dinner, I ate when I stopped into the bar to play with the others. Besides, I smelled cake in the oven when I got back." She kissed him on the cheek. "Now what's say we have cake and discuss your adventures today Mr. Paladin."
Austria felt himself blush slightly, "Elizaveta," his gaze softened, "I think that can be arranged."
They walked out of the bedroom to the kitchen where the cake had finished baking and was taking a rest on the counter while Austria grabbed the bottle of Schnapps he planned on serving with the cake. Hungary had gone to the den and set a fire going. The brunet nation emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray with plates, forks, napkins, the Sachertorte, and the bottle of Schnapps neatly arranged on it. He set the tray down on the table, sliced each of them some cake, pored two shots of the drink, and set Hungary's portion in front of her on the table. The nation sat down and waited politely for her to take the first bite.
"Mmm, this is delicious!" Hungary declared with a smile, "but there's just one thing."
"What is it?" Austria asked slightly alarmed.
"I am sad that I didn't get my birthday dinner." She sighed, "you'll have to make it up to me."
"Whatever is within my power to do, then it is done." He replied automatically.
The other nation smiled at him, "well tomorrow we were supposed to host the next session of the game at our house but it looks like the road might be snowed over. So your payment shall be letting your house be taken over by the party!"
Austria smiled, as much as it was possible for the stoic nation to do so, "as you wish. On one condition."
"What?"
"I would like to participate again. I had a rather enjoyable time today."
"I think we can work you in, we can create your character over breakfast tomorrow." Hungary leaned in and kissed Austria on the cheek. "It'll be a pleasure having you on the team Mr. Paladin."
Austria tilted his head and kissed her for a moment, "happy birthday Elizaveta." He paused, "I love you."
"I love you too Roderich," Hungary answered.
A/N: Happy Birthday xLadyxLibertyx. Ich liebe dich Mutti!