The merest suggestion would cause a sensation
If he was being completely honest, there was nothing Italia Romano enjoyed more than showing people around his territory. He liked their delighted expressions, liked the way they hung on his words – because if nothing else, Romano was an excellent storyteller – liked the bittersweet pang of sharing his favourite memories, but he especially enjoyed the thrill that came with showing another Nation something so deeply personal.
That was why, when Prussia turned up for a trade meeting a day early, he took the opportunity of showing him around Rome. It wasn't the first time the other Nation had seen the city, but all of those had been in a more official capacity, and while Romano had even been present for some of them, there had always been a certain gravitas that they couldn't escape.
It turned out that not only was Romano an excellent storyteller, Prussia was an excellent listener. For anything Romano cared to tell him, Prussia would have at least three questions in return. Due to Romano's standard of detail, they didn't manage to cover much of the city, but in his opinion that was a good thing – he had a reputation to maintain after all (and maybe he was enjoying the company and the compliments). But the pressure was starting to get to him, and he was worried that whatever he suggested next wouldn't be good enough.
Rome was a beautiful city, if he did say so himself, but the expectations were high. He was starting to wish that he taken Prussia up on his offer of a tour of Berlin – at least then he'd have a better idea of the other man's interests – but at the time he'd expected it to be mostly food from Prussia's gluttonous reputation.
"Follow me," he said, grabbing Prussia's wrist and pulling him into a side was already four o'clock, and as the bells began to chime, Romano had been struck with a brilliant idea.
"You can't just grab me like that, people will talk," Prussia cackled, and although he rolled his eyes at the childish joke, Romano had to admit that it made him smile. "Where are you taking me?"
"You are about to discover something that will put your world into a new perspective," Romano announced with deadly seriousness.
Prussia sniffed. "I'll be the judge of that."
Fifteen minutes later, they were seated on the rim of a fountain while Prussia raved about the cherry gelato melting in his hand. "It's like, someone took heaven and put it in a cone, and then, on top of that, gave it the ability to cure sunburn!"
Romano winced. He had forgotten to bring extra suncream, and as an albino Prussia was already becoming far pinker than he had any business being.
Noticing his reaction, Prussia grinned, clearly enjoying his concern. "Don't worry, I'll be fine! I've got gel – gel – what have I got?"
"Gelato."
"That's right!" He cheered, unphased. "I've got gelando! And it's awesome!"
Romano couldn't help but laugh. "Gel-a-to, idiot."
"There's no need to be so mean," Prussia pouted, cherry juice staining his lips, and while it probably wasn't the desired effect, Romano suddenly felt uncomfortably attracted to him. "I don't complain about your German."
"That's because I don't speak German,dammit!" And Romano's resolve just crumbled and fell like the Roman Empire, because Prussia had just licked his lips, pink tongue darting over first one plump arch and then the other, and there was no way that this wasn't deliberate.
"Oh yeah?" Prussia inched forward, invading his personal space but for once, Romano didn't care. "I've heard I'm a pretty good teacher."
"Teach me then," Romano said lustfully, pouring every scrap of innuendo possible into those three words.
"With pleasure," Prussia said, lunging forward, and then there were locking lips and tangled tongues and he hadn't felt this good in decades. Whatever his other faults, Prussia was one hell of a kisser. He was incredible, Romano was going to melt, Romano was going –
– to fall into the fountain. His hands scrabbling for purchase against sides worn smooth by age, Romano fell backwards, landing with a splash and mostly avoiding hitting his head. It hurt, but Nation healing would soon take care of it.
"Wow," Prussia said from where he'd landed straddling Romano's hips. "I knew I was good, but this? This is next level."
Romano couldn't respond. He was shaking to much.
"That was- wait." Prussia stopped, confused. "Why are you crying?"
He shook his head in disbelief. "The fountain. We landed in the fountain."
"Well… yeah." Prussia looked around, confused as to why this was worth mentioning. "How hard did you hit your head?"
The headlines the next day were everything that Romano never wanted.
Italy having torrid affair with East Germany!
Italy: the country of romance?
Nations shock tourists in passionate fountain love scene
And Prussia's personal favourite: Water way to tell us!
He was never going to live it down.
)))))()(((((
"And it was only kissing?" Germany interrogated, as apparently Romano's personal affairs were of greater importance than the price of fish (which, ironically, was exactly what the meeting was about).
"Yes! Just kissing!" Romano would be tearing his hair out if he hadn't spent so long perfecting it.
"Relax~" Prussia rocked back on his chair as he said it, drawing out the word until he hit the wall behind him. Unbothered, he rubbed at his head and continued. "It's just the media, blowing everything out of proportion. We're both classy enough to keep bedroom stuff to the bedroom... And maybe sometimes the living room. And the kitchen. And... You know what, let's just say the house, and nicer areas of the garden."
Fighting back a blush at the plans Prussia was making, Romano tried to refocus the conversation before he was completely – and as Prussia would later discover, that meant completely – scarlet. "Anyway, idiots, it was just kissing. Only kissing."
"I'm surprised it was only kissing," Veneziano mused.
"Veneziano!" Germany had turned an quite an interesting shade of purple, or maybe it was mauve – Romano couldn't tell at this distance, and had no interest in getting closer.
Unfortunately for everyone else in the room, his little brother was shameless. "Imagine, if it was Germany and me in that fountain, we would've-"
For the sake of the dignity of all, Romano clapped a hand over his brother's mouth. Germany was clearly already out of commission, and it was obvious from the way that Prussia was spluttering that he'd be useless for a good few minutes, so as usual it was up to him to save them all. "We all know what you would've done, Vene."
Romano having removed his hand far too soon, Veneziano blinked innocently and then proceeded to ruin his life. "Really? But I thought-"
If he put his fingers in his ears and sang loud enough, it was just about possible that he could get through the rest of the afternoon without spontaneously combusting. Then Prussia sent him a smirk, and Romano realised he had a lot more to deal with than before. He was going to be permanently tomato coloured by the end of this. At least he knew for certain that the man was a good kisser.
A/n: I forgot I'd entered and then stayed up far too late so I could get thus done within the 24 jours allowed, and that is the reason for everything Veneziano says. Written for Caesar's Palace shipping week and Hetalia Wruters Discord OTP event.
Prompts: Summer, "why are you crying?" and scandal