Most people believe that fairy tales have happy endings, but this is just a cover-up for the mistakes people make. Growing up I undoubtedly believed I was a boy Boys usually had two ways into a happy end: heroic adventures that earn him fame and fortune or marrying the beautiful princess. Girls only had one. Girls were expected to meet a handsome prince and live happily ever after. . With all my might, I believed I would grow up to be like all the countries around me: a boy. I had no interest in girls, and it seemed there weren't many around. I grew up trying to be strong and adventurous and eventually found someone with as much guts as me. Prussia was the partner in my epic adventures. Though he was obnoxious, greedy, overbearing, conceited, and pretty much an all around jerk, I could always count on him to fight by my side.
As we got older, it became harder for me to convince myself that I was a boy like everyone else. My life changed one day, as Prussia and I were getting ready for battle.
"Hurry up, or the awesome me will leave without you! Kesesesese!"
"Just a minute! I've got to get out of these stuffy clothes. That ceremony went longer than expected." Just as I had done every other time I had stripped in front of Gilbert to put my armor on. Usually, Prussia didn't mind, but today was different. As I took off my shirt, Prussia blushed furiously.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? P…Put some clothes on! Do you honestly think the awesome me wants to see you're scrawny little body?"
"Well, excuse me! Stop being so sensitive! You're acting like a girl. So what if I don't have as many muscles as you yet! Believe me, I'll be more buff than you one of these days!"
"Ugh! You're so stupid…when are you going to realize… I'm leaving ahead of you. I'll probably just win the whole thing without you." With that, Prussia rushed out to battle.
"Oh no you don't. I won't let you take all of the glory." I ran after him into battle.
We won easily. Our ultimate pairing was unbeatable. Even in the heat of battle, we were slashing our opponents side-by-side with wide smiles on our face. Fighting alongside Prussia was the best thing I could imagine. Near the end I could see the smile slipping through Prussia's face. I was coming home from the celebration alone. Prussia wasn't there this time. After battle he looked at me, looked away and ran off.
"Geez, what is with that idiot today?" That's when I ran into France on the street. He had obviously had a bit too much wine to drink that evening and was bumbling around on the sidewalk; His breath reeked of alcohol.
"Oh, ma cherie! Hungary you're growing up so beautifully." I was getting uncomfortable with how close he was getting to me.
"Save it for someone who cares, you frog! Go find some girl to seduce," and I tried to get past him.
"Oh ho ho, and who says' I haven't? You're a bit young for my tastes, but I'm not too picky. How about we go to my place and …" I interrupted him with my fist to his face.
"Shut up, you horny monster! You would stoop so low as to try to pick up a boy! You're sick! Just go home already."
"Oh don't be so naïve, there is no possible way you are a boy. Even though they're small now, you're breasts are sure to grow sumptuously. Tell me, have you started bleeding down there yet? It's only a matter of time until you're a woman," France said, rubbing his face, which was red from my hit.
How could he have known about that? It's true that I had been bleeding every so often, but I had just thought that my penis was finally growing, that I would be a man soon. My face went white as a sheet. When France saw that he regained his confidence and took me by the shoulders.
"Oh, you poor thing! Let big brother France take you home and answer all your questions. Who knows, we might even find time to…"
"That's enough, France! Unhand Miss Hungary." I had been too distracted to notice that Austria had come up behind France and was currently pointing his sword at France's neck. France lifted his hands in a surrender position. I clocked France in the face and he went down with a thud. Austria sheathed his sword.
"Ladies aren't meant to use their hands for such violent things," Austria said as he took my hand and lifted it to his lips. A kiss. A spell breaker. The key to a happy ending. The spell I was under was broken that night. Austria excused himself and I was in a trance on the way home. I knew what I had to do. It was time for me to find my prince.
"I know this may come to you as a shock, but …I'm a girl," I rushed out. The next morning I had wasted no time in telling my best friend, Prussia, my alarming discovery.
"Oh, Is…is that all? You finally realized it, you dumb broad! Kesesesesese!" Prussia said nervously, yet he seemed a bit relieved. "Now that that is over with, let's go back to kicking more ass!"
"Don't you understand? I can't do those sorts of things anymore!"
Prussia was starting to get angry. "And why the hell not?"
"I'm a girl! Girls aren't meant to go on adventures. I want you to help me find my prince so I can live happily ever after!"
Prussia was absolutely furious now. "Nothing has changed! Weren't you happy before? You don't need some boring prince to make you happy! Can't you realize that?"
"I was happy, happy as a boy, at least. But, girls aren't meant to do such violent things. All the stories say that girls need a prince and a kiss to be happy. I can't join you on adventures anymore."
At that moment, Prussia grabbed my face so that his was just a few inches in front of me. He pursed his lips as if he was deliberating. I looked into his eyes and saw that they wavered. Determination set, and his eyes closed. He brought his lips to mine. This was nothing like the kiss Austria had given me; his was out of courtesy and kindness. Prussia's was not. His rough hands selfishly smashed my face against his. His lips told a different story. I wouldn't have called it gentle, but it was sweet. He moved passionately with me and I couldn't help but be sucked in.
After a while, he backed away with a conceited grin on his face.
"Kesesesesese, that was a pretty awesome kiss, huh? Awesome enough to make you happy and forget about finding some stupid prince. Now let's go! I want to do something even more awesome! Let's go beat up Poland or something." He grabbed my hand and pulled me out the door.
I could feel the tears forming in my eyes. I punched him, and he let go of my hand, his smile clean off his face. I kept on punching him until I couldn't see, and my eyes were stinging. Prussia fell to the ground.
"You jerk! I wanted a kiss from my prince! You've ruined everything!" I ran away, wiping away my tears. I ran until I reached the place with the incident with France. Austria was there. Dismayed, I ran to him and cried a bit on his shoulder.
"Oh come now, you're going to ruin my jacket. Was France picking on you again? Come to my house, I'll fix you something warm to drink," Austria said pulling my face off his shoulder.
Austria was probably the nicest person I had met. He even treated me like a lady. I could even convince myself that he was my first kiss. He was the prince I was looking for. What happened with Prussia didn't matter.
"Hungary wait! You're not seriously going with that snob, are you? I'll help you find your prince, or whatever. Just don't go with that guy! Come with me!" Prussia had caught up to me. His face was all red; a black eye was already forming. His bottom lip had been cut. His lips. They brought back the moment between us.
"A snob you say? How rude. Is this the guy who made you upset? Trust me, he's a good-for-nothing idiot, who's not even worth the time for a fight defending your honor. Now come with me. We'll get you cleaned up and might possibly find a snack."
Austria offered his elbow to me. With a final look back, I took it, leaving Prussia behind.
I lived in Mister Austria's house for a long time. Through the years, I showered Austria with girlish affection, and he always addressed me courteously and kindly. Something always seemed missing. The most feeling Austria had ever shown was through his music. He kept himself quite distant and was unreachable even to me. People came and went in the household, but he never showed any favor towards me. My fairytale ending didn't seem to pan out. However, though we were separated, Prussia still haunted me. He wouldn't stop trying to get me back. He even went as far as stealing Silesia away from Mister Austria. He had grown to be quite powerful, but so had I. Whenever he tried to disrupt my life, I beat him back, defending Mister Austria. Since then, Prussia lost most of his power and lead a pretty pathetic life, not that he was aware of that, of course. Each appearance only brought back the memory of my life back then. How much fun we had together. How he kissed me the day I left.
"I can't take it anymore!" I shouted, slamming my hands against the table. My outburst disrupted Mister Austria's piece.
"Hungary, there's no need for you to get so upset. I know I've been playing a lot of Chopin, but if you wish to hear happier music, all you need to do is ask. How about a bit of Mozart? You still haven't quite gotten over your violent streak have you?"
Out of habit, I collected myself. One good thing about being here is that I learned to control my temper. "Mister Austria, after all this time, do you love me?"
"Well, that's sudden. I suppose I do," he said simply.
"Show me."
Mister Austria did not approach me. He turned back to the piano, and started playing another piece. It sounded like the one he was playing before.
"Don't you dare start playing that fucking piano!" I shouted. He stopped abruptly, shocked on how someone wouldn't want to hear his love expresses through beautiful music.
"It's sad to say, but I believe we are simply incompatible. That was a lovely song, but I don't think our feelings are matching. I'm sorry to have wasted you time." I got up and walked to the door. I looked back. Austria had not moved an inch and was simply staring at me.
I chuckled to myself. "Prussia was right. You are a pansy. You can't even try to get the woman you 'love' back." With that, I finally left. I changed out of the maid uniform and put on my military clothes. They were so comfortable, though I hadn't worn them in a while. The only thing I took was the frying pan from Mister Austria's kitchen.
On my way home, around the same place as before, I ran into France.
"Oh, how disappointing. You're not in your little maid outfit anymore? But, it looks like all is not lost. You've grown up so much more than last time, and it even looks like you left Austria. Le prince not all he's cracked up to be? Come I'll show you how the French show their love."
"Ah, you've changed so little France. But if there's one thing I've discovered, it's that love and fairytale endings just don't exist. I've got to make my own happiness."
"Then we don't even have to call it love. We'll do what is natural for all men and women to do. Come to my place, and we'll do things that Austria wouldn't even dream of. We'll make tons of happiness." At that, I hit him with my cast iron pan, and he went down with a thump. He really was pathetic.
"Not that I disapprove of that use, but there are more awesome things to do with a frying pan."
I turned around. Prussia was slowly walking toward me. He had grown taller from when we were kids and was over a head taller than me. His shoulders had gotten broader as well. A strange feeling welled up inside of me, seeing him this close.
"The awesome me was just over at Canada's house and had some awesome pancakes with some maple syrup. He puts that stuff on everything."
"Well, if you love pancakes so much, why don't you marry them?" I snapped back. I didn't really mean to be that harsh, but the whole incidents with Austria and France had set me on edge.
"Don't be so mean. I have several more awesome things love more than pancakes. I'm pretty sure if I married a stack of pancakes, West would never talk to me again. Kesesesese!"
"Right, you were living with Germany, right? How's being a freeloader working out for you?"
"For your information, the awesome me is not a freeloader. I've got my own awesome place now. West's place wasn't big enough for my increasing awesomeness. Not to mention Italy is over all the time now. What about you? How is your happy life living with prince charming?"
"Well, it didn't work out, okay. I've given up looking for that kind of happy end."
"Oh." It was silent for a while. We just looked at each other. Seeing him again just reminded me of how often thought about him.
"Y...you know, I think my new place is big enough for both my awesomeness and you, if you want," a sweet little blush colored Prussia's face.
"Uh, thanks for the offer, but I've had enough living with people, I think I need some time at my place." That was odd. It seemed Prussia had become a little bit more considerate. I guess raising Germany had done him some good.
"Oh…Good! Now you won't have to disrupt me from my awesome blog! It's a big hit you know. All the other countries are so jealous. Kesesesesesese!"
I looked at Austria's eyes; they were wavering, as they were that day. He looked back into mine, and his determination set.
"I'm sorry things didn't work out between you and Austria. But really, that uppity jerk isn't even worth your time. The awesome me tried to warn… sorry, got distracted. Anyway, I haven't forgotten about you since that day. That kiss we had may not have been one of your happier times but it is all I can think about. Every page in my awesome diary is filled with you. I can't seem to not have you in my awesome life. I may not be a prince, but I swear I can make you happy!" He waited for my response; he bit down on his lip.
I paused for a moment. His ruby eyes gazed intensely, yet softly towards me.
"Well, you seemed to have practiced that for a while. I told you, I'm don't expect some prince to sweep me off my feet, and I expect to make myself happy, not let anyone else to do it for me. But Prussia…. Do you love me?" I asked, confused.
"Kesese, you are the one awesome thing I love more than pancakes or West or even the awesome little bird that sits on my head. Hell, you're probably as awesome as me!" he responded. He may have put it a weird way, but I knew he was genuine. The feeling I had buried under wishes for a prince came flooding back to me. I realized that my only love had been Prussia. This was no story. This was so real it was tangible and moved me to take a step closer to him. I knew I could make myself happy with him.
"Show me," I challenged him.
"Kesesese! You asked for it," he said with a smirk on his face. He put his arms around my waist and lifted me up to his lips. This wasn't the kiss we shared when we were kids. It was so much more passionate. Nothing was forced, and I could freely give my all into kissing Prussia. I dropped my frying pan, but not even the loud clang disrupted us. I weaved my fingers into his white, silvery hair and drew myself closer to him.
It seemed like we would never part, but eventually we did with idiotic smiles on our faces. Some things aren't meant to be done on a sidewalk in broad daylight. We might not have noticed the frying pan, but others had. People started to gather around us. I picked up my frying pan and took Prussia by the hand.
"Come on! Let's go get our awesome ever after."