A/N: Yaayy something new for a chaaange~ I wanted to write something for my favourite hetero pairing in Hetalia - PruHun! I adore this pairing, even if I haven't roleplayed it that much or anything but I plan to! This is a short-ish two-shot in honour of Prussia and Hungary!
The start of this story was actually inspired loosely by a roleplay I've done but got cut off since it was on omegle, and I loved it so I thought I would re-write/phrase/continue it!
Enjoy!
Elizaveta stormed out of the mansion and out onto the balcony. The light from the party followed her and flooded out into the night, illuminating the sequins on her black (and unusually girly) party dress as she hugged herself and scowled at nothing in particular, sniffling with anger.
"Th-That.. bastard.."
Back inside the main hall, where the party was being held, Gilbert looked around curiously. He wasn't in the mood for one of Roderich's pretentious parties. Even though he hadn't been formally invited, he had come anyway, all in the interests of killing time. And had been on his best behaviour, but his patience were wearing thin, and he was getting bored.
He had also noticed, much to his own dismay, that Elizaveta had left and something was off. She looked pissed and that wasn't the kind of front she usually put on during one of her precious Roderich's bogus parties.
He waited a minute, so as not to appear stalker-ish and un-awesome, then slowly pushed his way through the crowd and eventually got out the other side. He stepped onto the balcony silently and shut the door behind him, turning slowly with an ice-breaking grin.
"Got out of there pretty fast!" He commented, and Eliza only folded her arms at him with an unimpressed glare.
"What do you want.." Gilbert shrugged and took a step forward.
"I've always wanted my own bar, but West says no because I'd end up drinking everything myself." He took another step forward, chancing his luck. "But if you're talking about right now, I came to make sure you were.. okay." He dropped his cocky smile and let a look of concern break through.
Elizaveta raised an eyebrow and scoffed, not having time for jokes right now.
"Well I am." She turned her back to him again and let out a frustrated sigh. "..You can leave now and go back to enjoying the party and picking up women." Her arms unfolded and she gripped the stone wall tightly, her fiery aura sending chills but he brushed it off as he spoke.
"Hey, I've been on my best behaviour lately!" He dared to get even closer and turned to rest his elbows behind him on the balcony wall; his back to the open space in front of his female company. "And.. I'd rather not. Too fancy and false for my tastes." He shrugged a little and undid his black tie, hating having to wear it in the first place.
The brunette rolled her eyes and murmured under her breath, not particularly wanting the Albino out here with her. He was a bad influence, and couldn't be trusted; like she had always been told.
"..Well, I'm not going back in there.."
"Yeah, dude, what happened?" The Prussian raised an eyebrows, tilting his head to try and catch her gaze. "I saw you with Roderich and then you ollied out like they were giving out free money." Elizaveta gripped the wall tighter.
"Of course I was with Roderich! That's all I ever do – that's all he ever wantsme for is to show off in front of his business friends and make me out to be some kind of trophy!" She clenched her fists and glanced back at the door to check nobody was listening, then glared back at the open space and trees and grass in front of her. "I've never.. been so humiliated!"
"Okay, what'd old Roddy do this time?" He asked, raising his eyebrows with a slight smirk. She only hugged herself tightly against the cold and shifted, somewhat irritated and uncomfortable wearing such a feminine-looking dress.
"I don't.. he just.." She sighed, giving up, and lost her glare, replacing it with just a soft frown. "He just isn't himself around others. He changed when he has to put a show on.. Like these parties." Gilbert's lip twitched and he cleared his throat, standing up straight and hanging his jacket over his old friend's shoulders.
"You could do better, you know." His voice was calm now, as if he was taking the opportunity to try and break down some of the walls he knew she had built over their years of not being with each other as much as they could have.
The Hungarian gripped the jacket, silently appreciating the gesture, but stood away and shot him a weak glare.
"Is that so? After everything he's done for me?" Slowly, she lost the glare and turned her attention back to avoiding Gilbert's gaze. ".. He's a great man, he just.." Another uncomfortable shuffle. "..I feel like I'm just there for show, sometimes.."
"What he's done for you?" He repeated, finding his own frown. "You said so yourself, he treats you like an award and not a person. You might as well hang yourself up on the wall, then at least he could call you a piece of art and make a profit off of it selling tickets!"
"He has given me a place to live, Gilbert! Means to live! ..Plus, I loved him!" She blinked and stopped herself from continuing.
Did I.. really just use past tense..?
"Oh yeah, like you couldn't get all that yourself." He growled, nodding and placing his hands on his hips.
"Of course I could! Don't you dare think I couldn't!" Eliza insisted, gripping the jacket tighter and squeezing her lips into a tight line, frustrated.
"You don't need him.." He lowered his voice a little, now conscious of the music and laughs from the party behind the glass door to his right. "If you don't like the single life, there's someone better out there for you." There was no real meaning to what he said. He wouldn't drop such an obvious hint, he genuinely wanted to give advice. He, of course, hated to see Elizaveta constantly under-appreciated and looked down at in Austrian company.
The brunette took a moment to respond and instead, lowered her elbows to rest on the balcony; finally acknowledging she was at a breaking point. There was no use in fighting with those trying to help, and, in a rare moment of trusting the Prussian; she confided in him.
"I just.. don't know what to go, Gilbert.."
"Do you really love him?"
Again, she froze at that and ran her hands over her face, cursing herself for hesitating but at the same time, fighting to find the truth.
"He's.. changed so much since I first thought I was in love with him.."
Gilbert simply shrugged and resumed his position leaning against the wall.
"Don't see how you ever fell in love in the first place." A quiet growl, and he tilted his head back to look up at the darkened sky. Elizaveta let a frown flicker across her features before losing it and brushing the comment away.
"He's a great man, just.. His country means more to him than any one person ever could."
"No. He's just a douche! Why can't you see that, Lizzie?"
Hungary forced out a silent sigh and let the frown linger now. Gilbert had never known or loved the Roderich she had, he wouldn't understand. But now his questions were making her think and it was scaring her, things were clearer.
She stared out of the balcony as the lights danced across the fabric on her back from behind her; through the thin net curtains and past the glass doors, the party was still going on and people were still dancing in their ballroom dresses and expensive suits and drinking exquisite champagne and eating all sorts of luxury foods. And she was stood out here in the cold, with Gilbert, of all people.
She lost her frown, replacing it with a calm and lost expression, not recognising the feeling of a single tear rolling down her cheek after so long of bottling her emotions up to appear stronger. Not until a ghostly pale finger brushed against her cheek to swipe the tear away, and a soft question soon followed.
"Are you going to answer my question?"
Elizaveta glanced loftily at the other and took a step back, turning to the door. She didn't know where she was going – Home? This was her home. Home was with Roderich and this was all she had.
"I'm leaving.." She murmured, not committed to any ideas just yet.
"Come with me."
Eliza froze and frowned a little, turning back to the Prussian as if asking him to elaborate; unsure of if she had heard correctly. Gilbert was.. offering to help..?
"Well?" He raised an eyebrow, standing straight. "You obviously can't go back in there." The Hungarian glanced at the door, wiping her cheek.
"He.. can't see me leave with you.."
"..Well then," Gil smirked, glad that the other was, or at least it soundedlike, she was accepting his offer. He turned his back to her and hoisted himself up to stand on the beige stone wall, shrugging carelessly. "We'll just get outta here the way we used to."
And with that, he leapt away from the balcony, jumping outwards enough to grab onto a low hanging tree branch, and 'awesome-koala climbed' (as he had called it, years ago) down the tree until he reached the grassy terrain underneath.
Eliza turned to fully face him and let the first smile of the night curl into her lips and nodded, bending down to undo the straps on her heels, and heaved herself on top of the balcony wall.
"You still remember that?" She called down with a smirk.
"Come on, girlie, I can even catch you from here."
"Don't you dare," A laugh as she glanced in front of her and checked the glass door for onlookers once more before bundling her dress up in one hand to prevent it from getting caught on something.
She leapt and landed – having some difficulty in holding the dress and her shoes as well as the same branch Gilbert had picked for help in broken-leg-prevention just before her.
"Haven't.. done that in a while!" She laughed, still hanging onto the branch and feeling adrenaline pumping through her veins. She glanced up and noticed the strap of one of her heels had caught on the branch above her, and reached up to try and untangle it, dropping the free one just under her feet.
"Of course you haven't! You've been stuck in there sampling tea and listening to that piano-playing ponce all your life!" He snickered in jest and took a step towards her. "You can't be scared of that tiny drop when you've just jumped from up there, surely.."
"No," She sneered, her focus on the trapped shoe. "My shoe is.." She trailed off, finally getting it free and, in turn, snapping the branch she was holding onto. She fell awkwardly and let out a strangled yelp and hissed as Gilbert rushed over to aid her.
"Whoa, are you alright?" He crouched, genuine worry embedded into his features, and he hovered his hands, not sure of where to put them. Eliza just nodded and grimaced.
"My.. ankle.. I must've sprained it.." She glanced at him and smirked, almost embarrassed as she shook her head, knowing how stupid she must look. Gil simply chuckled and stood and thrust out a hand.
"I know you'll bite my head off if I carry you, so at least let me help you up."
Oh, you know me too well..
She took the hand and rolled her eyes. Once they were both standing, the white haired man eyed the top of her head and let out a victorious bellow. "Ha! Those things have gotta add at LEAST a couple inches onto you, I haven't seen you without heels in so long – you're tiny!" He grinned and Eliza had to restrain herself from punching him. So she glared daggers instead, and let him loop her left arm over his neck for support. "Now, don't take this as touching you up, girlie. I'm merely helping you to the car." He smirked and turned to look for the car park as Elizaveta mumbled curses under her breath at him. For it was impolite for a Lady to swear out loud, she was taught.
Prussia spotted his car and glanced down at the other to check she was okay and kept a hold around her waist as they hobbled over.
The Hungarian didn't feel awkward in the other's company, and unlike with Roderich the entirety of the night, they had engaged in conversation and he had made her laugh. A faint smile curled into the corners of her lips as she zoned out a little, excited.
"You don't smile enough," Gilbert's voice interrupted, and she lowered her head to hide it, but it wouldn't leave. And he chuckled. "I can see you."
"Oh really?" She smirked as they reached the car and Gilbert opened the passenger door to let her in. She folded her arms with a cocky raise of her eyebrows and lowered herself one-footed into the seat and bundled her dress up again in one hand. "Well maybe if I had something to smile for, I'd do it ever day!"
He smirked and shook his head and shut the door, circling round to move into his own seat.
"Just look at me," He grinned, starting the car up. "My awesomeness will make you smile."
She forced out a mocking laugh and turned her head to look out the window, not wanting the other to see the faint pink hue that dusted ovr her smooth cheeks.
"..I-In your dreams..Haha."
"Sure," He rolled his eyes sarcastically. "In mydreams." Eliza frowned a little and found she was hugging herself again, cold. She looked down at her chest and then looked around, slightly panicked.
"No.."
"What?" A small frown as he watched her pat her shoulders.
"Your jacket!" She glared back at the house and let out an annoyed sigh; it was now just a faint light in the dark distance, the party still going on as if they were never invited. "It must still be on the balcony.."
Gilbert hunched one shoulder and shook his head, uncaring.
"Doesn't matter. We'll figure it later. For now, where do you wanna go?" Elizaveta scoffed at the first remark and shrugged at the second, looking around to make sure nobody spotted them leaving together. ".. Take away?" She glanced at him, one eyebrow raised. It wasn't proper for a Lady to eat take-out but she wasn't in a good mood tonight, and who cared? She wanted to swap Roderich's fiddly finger food for a greasy burger – even just for one night.
Gilbert couldn't help but laugh lowly at her decision. He had to admit, his Lizzie was pretty full of surprises, and she seemed more tolerable when she wasn't around Roderich – she didn't have to care or put up a front, though she was still just as stubborn as usual.
"Keseses.. any particular in mind?"
"You're asking me?" She frowned rhetorically at him. He should've known she never ate out. "Whatever's closest, I'm starved." She waved her hand dismissively and leaned back in her seat. She even went as far as to pull her legs up to her chest and rest her feet on the chair. Un-lady-like, sure – but she away from Roderich and the others' prying eyes and anybody who would judge her, and she felt as if Gilbert may not care, or that she could.. be like that with him. He was different, and certainly didn't fit in with all the "prissy" ones back at home, as he called them.
"So.. We'll be eating American tonight – McDonalds it is, then!" He pulled out of the parking lot quickly, determined to get away from those over-serious leeches Roderich surrounded himself with. Especially if it meant he got to see the usually highly reserved and proper Elizaveta Héderváry chomp down on a Big Mac.
When they arrived in the entrance to a parking lot for the nearest McDonalds, Elizaveta tilted her head slightly.
"Drive.. through..?" She questioned, honestly having never heard of one before. She glanced at the other with a confused expression, frowning somewhat. Gilbert only laughed, her ditzy naivetés made him smile.
"You see that menu there?" He pointed, pulling into the drive-through lane. "You pick what you want, and order when we get to the speaker."
She nodded, acknowledging and shrugged, laughing almost nervously and shrinking into her chair.
"I'll.. just have what you're having!"
"Tch. Come on.. Choose what you want! Eating the same food I do won't make you as awesome as me!" He grinned and Eliza rolled her eyes and leaned over. She rested her hands on Prussia's doorframe and poked her head out his window, examining the menu with an observant frown before glancing over her shoulder at Gilbert.
"Drive forward to the speaker – I want to order!" She called out almost excitedly; not caring about the position she was in, practically one move away from sitting on the other's lap.
"I can't see, Lizzie!" He laughed, inching the car forward unsteadily. "I'm awesome but I don't have X-ray vision!" At the same time, he was so confused. He hadn't seen her act anything but proper in years but he had to admit, he loved this fun side of her, it had been a long time.
When they reached the black, circular speaker, she raised a hand to signify to the temporarily blinded Prussian beside her to stop, and called out, apprehensively.
"..Hello?" she jumped a little, startled when the amplified voice greeted her and asked her for her order. "..U-Uhm, yes! These.. 'Big Mac's.. are they ethically sourced? And did you make sure you washed your hands before you made them?" She then started to bombard the speaker with questions that would be answered back at home without fail. Gilbert glanced over his shoulder and grimaced at the sounds of beeping horns from a lengthy line of cars and impatient customers being held up behind them. When she received an answer after the clerk had to get help from his manager, she smiled, satisfied and wiggled her toes excitedly. "Okay! Then I would like to order! I would like two Big Macs!"
When they were told to drive forward, she motioned to Gilbert to drive and told him when to stop and took the bags offered to her and slunk back into her seat immediately when she was asked to pay, naturally leaving it up to the Prussian.
That earned a narrow-eyed glare from the man as he took out his wallet. Of coursehe had to take over here.
"You're lucky I have money with me, your highness." He handed over the money and pulled them into the parking lot, curious of what the Hungarian would think of her first take-out meal.
Elizabeta beamed, perfectly proud of herself for making her first take-out order at a fast food place and held the bag tightly to her chest, smiling brightly to herself – the first time she had done so in a while.
She dug into the bag and pulled out a burger and inspected the packaging before unwrapping and staring down at it, glancing up at the other, then back down to her lap.
"I-It looks.. different."
"Obviously, it wasn't brought to you on a silver platter~" he nudged her teasingly and picked the pickles out of his own burger before digging in skilfully – practically having lived off of take-out food for a while now.
Eliza only watched him and blinked, as if learning to eat for the first time.
"..I-..I.." She trailed off, trying to think of an excuse to not go ahead with it. It didn't look at all healthy and wasn't what she expected. Though Prussia seemed to be enjoying it, so why not! She picked it up and took a small, test bite and swallowed. She left a moment before 'mm'ing shortly and nodding, taking another, actually enjoying it a lot more than she had anticipated.
When she was done, taking a notable amount of time longer than Gilbert to finish, she peered into the bag again and pulled out a napkin that had been handed to her and wiped her mouth, hands and chest and looked around, as if trying to find something.
".. Do you think they have a sink in there?" She knelt up in her car seat and turned to peer through the back window to stare at the McDonalds again, squinting.
"Well obviously, they'd had one in their restrooms, why?" He didn't get an answer. The brunette just nodded and turned back around to sit in her chair, as if concluded to something. She then looked down at her bare legs and feet and wriggled her toes.
"Damn.. Give me your shoes." She said blankly, stating more than asking, and reached over and patted the other's leg. He just looked at her as if she were insane – she thought she could take his shoes like that?
"Why should I? Yours are perfectly fine, princess." He teased more, but wasn't met with a punch or harsh look this time. The other stuttered and veered back slightly. She really didn't want to put those shoes back on with her ankle, even though it was starting to feel better now. She needed flats and her dignity wouldn't allow her to go in there bare-footed – that would be too much for one evening.
She bit her lip and lowered her head, daring herself to do something she never thought she would do to the other – beg.
".. Please, Gilbert.."
Gil looked at her, his grin dropping. He never pegged her as the type to beg. What, being with Roderich had made her lose the fight in her, too?
".. Já, alright, you can have them, I guess." He leaned down and slipped off his only pair of dress shoes and motioned for her to take them from his grasp.
"They'll be big on you, obviously."
Elizaveta only frowned, not appreciating having to beg for anything, and took them, keeping her head low.
"I-Igen.. I'll be back in a minute," She opened the car door and slammed it behind her, letting the other know for sure she wasn't going to forgive him for making her beg. It hurt to stand but after a while it numb out and the limping lessened. She hugged herself against the cold again and walked over – not caring that she was wearing a feminine, short black dress and then a pair of men's shoes.
She made her way to the building and looked around, finding a sink and taking her time over washing her hands. When she came out, she stood in the light of the restaurant for a moment before making her way back towards the car in the dark.
"Excuse me, Miss?" A husky, deep voice called out from behind her, causing her to stop and turn, still hugging herself.
"..Yes?" She had her back towards the car, and Gilbert now, spending her attention on the questionable looking man before her. He looked poor, but stood tall and quiet threatening, making her take a weary step back, but he advanced.
Gilbert eyed the situation from the mirror, mentally kicking himself for letting her go anywhere alone. She wasn't familiar with these parts of town and now she was talking to strange homeless-looking men in the street? He waited with baited breath, unblinking.
"That's an expensive looking dress.." The stranger mumbled darkly, and Eliza stepped forward and narrowed her eyes a little, not hearing.
".. Excuse me?" She raised an eyebrow when the man didn't speak for a while, but then let out a startled cry when he suddenly lunged forward and grabbed her, gripping her arm tightly. "A-..ah!"
"Dammit, Lizzie!" the Prussian reached into his glove box – pulling out a taser gun his brother had given to him a while back. He immediately got out of the car, running over to the man holding her captive.
Elizaveta struggled against the stranger but found her strength was not what it once was, and she posed no threat to him as he pulled her along.
"L-Let go of me!"
"Leave her alone, asshole!" Gilbert shoved the man and thrust the taser into his back, switching it on and glaring over his shoulder at the other. "Get in the car and lock the door!" The girl faltered, her bad foot really paining her now, and she parted her lips to protest. "NOW."
She froze for a moment at that, staring at Gil before nodding and obeying him for once. She hobbled over to the car as quickly as she could, wincing every time she stepped on her twisted ankle, and locked the doors. Glancing out the window every few seconds to watch what the other was doing, she hugged her legs.
What was she doing? She should be out there fighting, not running away like some damn damsel in distress! .. All those years of being pampered and.. Austria-fied in that house had softened her.. made her into a Lady.
A/N: Part 2 in the next few days, guys! I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Big Macs of love for anyone who reviews!