A/N: Well, I'm on a PruCan phase. Came up with the idea while watching a PruCan video with this song in it and just had to write this. Be prepared for sappiness and romantic tendencies(?). Haha. The song is Enchanted by Taylor Swift although I used Adam's from Owl City as theme music.
I hope I get Prussia's personality right.
Matthew walked to his gym class with Alfred chatting obnoxiously in his ear about one thing or another. Matthew didn't really care much, preferring to gaze off and zone out. Alfred, he understood, was going on about his upcoming date to the prom with Arthur, his boyfriend. Matthew tended to ignore such things feeling jealous and lonely to hear of it. He himself had never met someone that he cared for the same way Alfred did with Arthur. It was obvious the two were in love but as of yet Matthew hadn't had a permanent relationship. He had barely dated even though he'd had both boy and girlfriends.
They entered the gymnasium together to see the large crowd of kids forming. Alfred made an excited sound. "Check it out, Mattie! There's a lot more kids than usual here!" Matthew looked around for a moment before directing his brother to the changing rooms.
"Most of those kids aren't from our class." He pointed out as they entered the room. Matthew glanced at some of the changing bodies of the other classmates before opening his locker. Alfred yanked his open as well.
"You think they're the other class?" He asked, looking over at Arthur who was pulling his pants off a couple lockers down. Alfred smirked and wolf-whistled. Arthur's head shot up and looked in their direction before glaring and flicking them off. Alfred just laughed.
Matthew rolled his eyes. His brother's way of flirting was strange and more like a horny sixth grader than a sophomore in high school. "Yeah, probably."
"That's cool! I wonder what we're doing." Alfred practically skipped over to Arthur and grabbed the boy's bottom, eliciting a screech from Arthur. Matthew grabbed his hair tie and tied up his shoulder-length hair. He didn't like gym class all that much and tended to get a little injured –especially when teaming up with his twin- and thus preferred to sit out. But if there was some kind of event going on, he had no choice but to join. He sighed and left the locker room to go sit on the bleachers to wait.
As the rest of the class drifted out to join him he was surrounded by kids he didn't know or care about. The teacher just simply said that the other sports class (a separate class specifically for playing sports and not just exercise like Matthew's class was) was joining them for self-evaluations. They were told to team up in groups of two and do a set of exercises together while timing how many sets they could do in one minute. Matthew got up as everyone else did to pair up to go down and grab a stopwatch. He then turned to look around him as the pairs began walking out onto the gym floor for their specific spots. Matthew spotted Alfred and Arthur teamed up –Matthew frowned at himself for leaving his brother because he could've snagged him first but let it go- and he went for his second choice for a partner which was a Cuban boy. Unfortunately he found him teamed up with a Hispanic girl and Matthew sighed to himself as he tried to find someone else. He recognized nobody he talked to and stood all by himself as people passed.
"U-um, would you like to team up?" He asked a busty senior girl shyly, not really knowing her.
"O-oh I'm sorry!" She apologized profusely. "I already teamed up with someone! I'm sorry!"
"I-it's alright." Matthew said, hiding his disappointment. He knew that the Ukrainian girl was kind. He tried a couple more times but received only insincere apologies and shifting eyes searching for their friends in return. He only forced laughter and gave fake smiles in return to cover up any anxiety and disappointment. He looked about helplessly and thoroughly gave up. He walked back to the bleachers and sat down with his head in his hands. He stared blankly around him. The place was the same as ever, boring, and here he was alone once again –a ghost in the crowd. Nobody ever saw him. He knew he could probably sit there for the rest of the block (thankfully it was the last one of the day) and his teacher would take no notice. But as much as he preferred the slow lifestyle, he wanted to be entertained. His iPod was dead, however, and so he had hoped that this would entertain him.
He felt a wave of sadness at the entire grey and monochromatic feel of the day and his eyes drifted slowly across the groups. People passed by and even tripped over his feet without noticing him. He was contemplating just leaving since his house was only a few blocks from the school when a pair of eyes met his. They were a burgundy color and belonged to someone he didn't recognize. It was a boy –he looked to be a senior- with silver-blonde hair and tough eyes. His gym uniform was torn expertly in some places in a fashionable sense and Matthew felt startled by how handsome he was. But more that struck him was the question being whispered in the boy's eyes.
Have we met?
Matthew looked behind him quickly and around him. Perhaps the boy wasn't looking at him? When he turned back to the boy he only saw the blur of a silhouette for a moment before he appeared again making his way across the room towards him. Matthew's heart sped up some and he waited nervously as the boy came to a stop in front of him.
"Hey." The boy started. He had a gruff voice that was a bit higher pitched for a male but thick with a German accent. Matthew's heart skipped a beat –surely from surprise- and he hesitated slightly too long before saying,
"H-hello…"
The boy grinned toothily. "You have a partner?" Matthew shook his head. "Great! Me neither! Let's go!" His hand was grabbed and he was pulled up before the Canadian could even say anything. He let out a squeak as he was pulled against the German boy's chest and he pushed away quickly enough.
"Watch it, hoser." He muttered in only a slightly annoyed way. The boy ignored him.
"This way!" He said and led him to an empty corner of the room where he sat down in position to start stretches. Matthew joined him. "By the way, what's your name Birdie?"
"Birdie?" Matthew asked in surprise. "What kind of name is that?"
"A nickname." The boy laughed. "You look soft as a bird!"
"That's a stupid thing to describe someone with." Matthew countered but felt slightly complemented anyhow. Perhaps it was the hair?
"Whatever. I'm Gilbert."
"Matthew." He replied softly.
"You a sophomore?" Gilbert asked, scooting closer to put their feet together and take Matthew's hands. Matthew felt a little hot at the touch and held onto sweaty hands as Gilbert pulled him forward to stretch his back.
"Yes." He then pulled Gilbert towards him. The boy was flexible, he found himself appreciating. He wished that he could be more flexible. "A-and you're a senior?" He cursed his slight stutter. He felt nervous to talk to a complete stranger. What was there to talk about? They didn't have any classes together, he was sure, and obviously the guy liked sports when Matthew himself didn't. He found himself staring at Gilbert's arms where sinewy muscles wrapped around his bones. Matthew forced his eyes to look around the room as he caught himself checking him out. He didn't need to be caught. Some kids in the school didn't appreciate faggots.
"Yup! Last year here!" Gilbert stated proudly and the two got up to start their different exercises. They found an open bar and Gilbert grabbed onto it. Matthew started the timer for one minute as the boy began to start doing pull-ups. Matthew appreciated the rippling he could see of the other boy's muscles and held in the urge to touch them. After the minute was up Gilbert hopped down. "Your turn, Birdie." He grinned and huffed, taking the stopwatch. Matthew grabbed onto the bar and only could manage about three pull-ups. He cursed aloud as Gilbert laughed. "What, you can't do more?"
"Shut up." Matthew frowned and dropped from the bar, frustrated.
"Hey, don't feel so bad." Gilbert chuckled as they headed to another station. "After all, everyone is weak at first-WHOA!" He fell forward as his foot caught on air and he hit the ground hard. Matthew jumped and saw him sprawled comically on the ground and hurried to help him up. "Verdammt!" Gilbert cursed as Matthew helped him up. His face was red –whether from the fall or embarrassment, Matthew couldn't tell- but it caused Matthew to laugh, feeling much better about his earlier failure.
Gilbert stared at him and Matthew's laughter calmed and quieted before he stopped completely and turned red under Gilbert's now scrutinizing eyes. "Wh-what?" He asked.
"Nothing." Gilbert continued to stare as he stood up. Matthew saw that he was slightly taller than the German. Matthew took the chance to stare deeper into Gilbert's eyes with their strange color. In certain lights it appeared to be red but in others it was brown. It was a strange and mysterious mix between the two. He could see slivers of dark gold hidden in its depths as well. He leaned forward to get a closer look but he broke the gaze as he remembered exactly where they were and cleared his throat.
"Sit-ups?" He suggested.
Gilbert smiled and nodded and this time Matthew led them to a clear area. Behind him Gilbert ruffled his own hair and frowned at some thought with pink cheeks. The two sat down and Matthew held onto Gilbert's feet as the boy began doing sit-ups. As the block passed Matthew found him easily talking with Gilbert in a way he didn't understand. He usually had certain barriers up that he had never willingly put up that had him unable to talk to anyone easily. He had difficulty meeting new people and maintaining long term relationships. And yet here he was effortlessly talking to Gilbert about anything that came to either of their minds. There were no barriers and Matthew felt himself smiling so much more. For whatever reason he felt only somewhat embarrassed by him and frustrated but he never felt the need to pull back suddenly and hide in his shell. He felt like a squirrel poking its head out of its den for the first time since winter to embrace the spring.
The way they talked was a back and forth in a quick manner, as if they didn't have enough time to get to know each other. There was a feeling, at least to Matthew, that they were going to get caught –as if they weren't allowed to know each other- and so the subjects jumped playfully around each other and to new ones. He felt close to Gilbert in a strange way but the speed in which the topics moved didn't allow him time to question it. Anytime the idea that perhaps this strange feeling boiling in his chest wasn't supposed to be there Gilbert jumped to a completely different topic and knocked the very idea from his mind. But he couldn't quite bring himself to care.
Matthew chuckled as he and Gilbert entered the locker room together and Gilbert motioned with his hand in the middle of a story, "And I kicked him right in the fucking nuts! He went down like this little pussy!"
"Gilbert, don't you think that's cheating?" Matthew asked teasingly, guessing that Gilbert would get offended.
"Nein! The arschloch started a fight with the awesome me, after all! He can suck it!" Gilbert made it to his locker and Matthew went off to his own to grab his clothes before rejoining his new friend and change. Gilbert continued on where he left off and the two walked out of the locker room and down to where Matthew's school locker was so that he could pull out his backpack. "So, hey." Matthew paused and turned to see Gilbert gazing at him in that heated way again that had Matthew caught. They stared at each other for a moment and Matthew felt the strongest urge to admit what the tight and light feeling in his chest was. He opened his mouth to speak when he heard his brother calling for him. He turned his head to see Alfred waving at him with Arthur next to him.
"Come on, Mattie! Let's head home!" He then heard Gilbert's name called and looked in the other direction to see a kid he recognized as Antonio saying, "Francis wants to hurry to meet the girls, Gilbert! Come on!" Matthew felt reluctant to leave feeling like he was going to lose something if he did.
Gilbert looked as if he was silently communicating something to his friend before looking back at Matthew. Matthew felt wonderstruck, his words from before dying in his throat but he managed to smile. "It was fun, Gilbert. I'll see you around?" Gilbert opened his mouth, his eyes saying something Matthew didn't understand, but then he closed it and nodded. He smiled softly. Matthew felt his cheeks heat up a little and he mumbled, "Goodbye," before hurrying to join his brother confused by the tight feeling in his chest and wanting to figure it out. He walked beside his brother and Arthur home silently all the while blushing to himself with his head down. Wonderstruck was certainly the only word he had to describe how he was feeling.
Matthew rolled back and forth in his bed unable to get any rest. His mind was filled with confusion and he couldn't even understand his own thoughts. Apparently 'wonderstruck' meant that he would receive no sleep that night. All he could think about was the Prussian (Gilbert had insisted that he was from Prussia and not Germany) and as he sat up he could picture those strange and mysterious eyes of his. He glanced at the clock and saw it was just past two in the morning. He ran a hand over his face and allowed the thought that had been plaguing his subconscious become known to him:
Who does he love?
With a start because of his own thoughts he realized that he had fallen easily for the Prussian boy. He loved him. But the thought alone scared him and he covered his head with his blanket as a type of shield from such types and closed his eyes embarrassed for himself and tried to fall asleep again. Instead he found himself climbing out of bed and pacing in front of his front door downstairs in his house after grabbing a drink of water. He kept looking at the door as he passed as if waiting for someone. He expected Gilbert to knock on the door and when Matthew would open the door Gilbert would whisper, "Hey, sorry it's so late, but I was just so enchanted, I just had to see you again."
Matthew firmly shook such thoughts out of his head especially as Alfred came downstairs yawning and rubbing mussed up hair for a his late-night munchies he got. His twin blinked at him. "Wha's wron', Matt?" Alfred slurred sleepily.
"It's nothing, Al. I was just getting a drink." He lied. Alfred nodded, his eyes falling close as he drifted to the kitchen and the refrigerator. Matthew finished his water and put the cup in the sink before going upstairs to try to sleep again.
The next day Matthew kept a sharp lookout for Gilbert. He knew that he had no classes with him considering he had never heard the loud boy before, but he knew of his brother Ludwig. They had some classes together, but Matthew didn't know him very well. They had chatted on occasion. The brothers weren't anything alike, but he had no right to judge when comparing himself to Alfred.
He didn't want to tell Alfred about Gilbert. He knew that his brother tended to be a little overprotective because of Matthew's past failed relationships. Besides, he knew his brother might not agree about Gilbert with his smoking, tendency to cause fights, and all-around brutish behavior. Matthew was left questioning how and why he would fall for such a guy, but decided to do like Alfred tended to do and follow his gut instinct. After all, that was how he had ended up in a relationship with Arthur (even though the guy had tried to stay as far from Alfred as possible, Alfred kept bugging him and eventually the two fell in love with each, or something like that. It was all Matthew could decipher from Alfred's blown-out-of-proportioned story).
But throughout the day and the next Matthew didn't spot Gilbert at all. He hadn't seen him in the halls and he didn't have lunch with him –as far as he could tell. He didn't really know what teachers he had and so he felt himself giving up. All he had been able to think was Gilbert's name wondering where he was. He just wanted to talk to him one more time.
He sighed at his own ridiculousness and placed his head in his arms. He shouldn't care for someone as much as he did so soon. They had only spent an hour and a half together. He didn't even know his phone number or where he lived. They were hardly friends. But he'd felt enchanted upon meeting Gilbert. All he wanted now was to see him one more time. He just hoped that their meeting was the first page to their story. He didn't want it to end so soon.
"Come ON, Mattie!" Alfred whined. "Please? Why won't you?"
"Alfred, leave your brother alone. If he doesn't want to, then he doesn't want to." Arthur chided, fixing Alfred's tie.
Matthew rolled his eyes and watched the two get dressed. "Because it's the prom for the juniors and seniors and I'm a sophomore, remember? You're only going because of Arthur."
"So? He can get you in, right Artie?" Alfred begged his boyfriend.
"I could, but he doesn't want to go, right?" Arthur glanced back at Matthew and Matthew understood the underlying hint to agree with him. He wanted Alfred alone. Chances were he wanted to have sex with him later. Well it wasn't like Matthew wanted to go anyway.
"That's right." He said.
"You sure?" Alfred pulled away from Arthur and moved over to Matthew having a moment and sensing that something was off about his brother. "Because I know it'll be boring here…"
"It's fine, Al. Go have a good time." Matthew smiled softly. "It's a date you two can't miss, after all."
Alfred still looked a little worried. "If you say so…" He turned to Arthur and grabbed his hand. "I'll call you, alright?"
"I'm not a kid, Al. Get the fuck out already, you hoser!"
"Ooh, night with rightie, huh?"
"Alfred!" Arthur said, annoyed as Alfred laughed. Matthew glared at him as the two left to go together to the prom. Matthew felt the sudden aloneness press in on his figure and he listened to the silence echoing throughout the house. He frowned and stood to go to the living room to watch television. He tried to focus only on that, feeling the loneliness fade, but it wasn't enough to completely distract him. He closed his eyes and thought about the prom and how it must be fun. He figured that Alfred wouldn't be home later that night. He would be alone, he knew, until his parents got back from work but that would be much later. He wondered just how the prom looked and what the theme was. He wondered what it would be like when he went there.
And then suddenly his mind was on Gilbert. The boy was a senior, he knew. This would be his final prom. Matthew assumed that he was with somebody and tried to picture who. Probably some pretty girl –maybe a punk or goth girl. They seemed to be his type. The wave of loneliness swept over him once again and his throat felt thick. He wanted company.
His phone going off startled him and he looked around and noticed the clock. An hour had passed. He must have drifted off. He got up and grabbed his phone to answer it, recognizing his brother's ringtone. He flipped it open to reveal a text message.
Hey Matt can you bring my coat to the school? I totally forgot my wallet! DX
Matthew sighed at his brother's lack of sense. Of course he would forget his wallet. He didn't really want to go all the way to the school –even though it was a fairly short walk- and knew that Alfred could easily come and get it himself, but he was curious and so he replied the affirmative before he went upstairs to grab the wallet out of Alfred's favorite jacket and begin his walk to the school. It was a fairly hot night and was a little overcast. He glanced up at the sky wondering if it was going to rain. He hoped so. He didn't like the heat.
When he made it to the school he walked towards the gymnasium where he knew the prom was being held –it was a cheap school and small so they couldn't afford a large prom- and saw it lit up beautifully. There were white lights strung around the doorways and on the walls with balloon arches and loud music pounding from inside. Matthew was impressed. He had to wait outside, however, for Alfred. After a few minutes of patient waiting, Alfred ran outside and hugged him.
"Thanks, bro! You're such a help!"
"It's no problem, but could you hurry up if this happens again?" Matthew asked, little irritated but hiding it well.
"Yeah, yeah. I will." Alfred pocketed his wallet and then asked. "So what do you think?" He motioned to the prom.
Matthew shrugged. "I haven't exactly been inside so…" He trailed off. "Nobody has hassled you about being gay, right?" Alfred and Arthur both used to be harassed by some of the people around school when they had started dating. Now that they were going to the prom together and not with girls, he had felt a little worried that his brother's night would be ruined.
"Not much. There were some looks but Artie doesn't care and I don't really either."
Matthew smiled, only slightly jealous. "That's good."
"I'd better get back to Arthur, now. I'll see you…tomorrow, maybe." He winked and left. Matthew waved after him and turned to walk home wanting to go home and drown in some pancakes and maple syrup. On the way back to leave, though, he overheard a voice that caused his heart to jump with recognition.
"Yeah, I know. It really sucks. It's not fun here at all." Matthew turned his head to see Gilbert sitting on a picnic bench in the dark dressed in a nice tuxedo with a dark purple vest and dark grey button-up shirt underneath. He was frowning in frustration and from the sound of it boredom. Even hunched over and complaining Matthew was awed that Gilbert could clean up so nicely. "That girl?" Gilbert continued talking on the phone he was holding. "She just came along for Francis…Whatever, I'm not upset. It's more fun being alone, after all!" He laughed but he looked upset at the thought and so the laugh sounded fake. "I don't know, Luddy. I don't want to disturb you and Feli…I'll just go somewhere else for the night…I won't, jeez!...Alright, bye." Gilbert clicked off the phone and sighed. He looked up suddenly and his eyes met Matthew's.
Matthew's eyes widened, having realized he had approached Gilbert without thinking. "A-ah…" He started but then looked down, embarrassed at having been caught eavesdropping.
"Birdie!" Gilbert hopped up and off of the table, surprised. He smiled toothily. "What are you doing here?"
"I-I was giving my brother his wallet…He came to the prom…" Matthew said quietly. "A-and you?"
Gilbert scratched the back of his head. "I came here 'cause it's my final year being a senior but my date ditched me."
"I'm sorry."
"Nein, don't apologize. I figured she'd leave. I didn't want to be here with her anyway." Gilbert looked away and Matthew looked at him feeling worried and wondering what he was thinking. The wind blew and shifted the leaves loudly and Matthew glanced up as a drop of water hit his nose. More raindrops fell and Gilbert cried out. "Scheiße, it's raining! Come on!" Matthew felt his hand grabbed and he was yanked along as Gilbert ran. He stumbled a bit until they stopped under a small overhang.
"M-my house is nearby." Matthew suggested at Gilbert's annoyed look at the sky. "We can make it if we run."
Gilbert grinned at the challenge. "I'll beat you there."
Matthew felt a smile tug at his lips, feeling that tight feeling in his chest again. He gazed at Gilbert and saw the water on the boy's face glittering in the lights of the gymnasium. He looked at the water falling and saw it glittering as well. The night itself was sparkling. He turned back to Gilbert and teased, "You don't know where it is."
"Then I'll just have to follow you." Matthew blushed lightly and turned and started running unannounced. "Hey!" Gilbert cried and Matthew heard him running after him. He led his pursuer away from the school and towards his house feeling the cold of the rain soaking through his clothes. But he couldn't bring himself to care as he reached his house. He half expected Gilbert to have stopped following, but he ran up next to him under the porch roof and huffed with Matthew. Both were soaked to the bone and Matthew felt bad about Gilbert's clothes but Gilbert didn't seem to mind. The albino sneezed once and he brushed his hair back out of his face to have it stuck up comically. Matthew giggled a little bit until it began bubbling up to full-out laughter. Gilbert looked at him in confusion.
"What are you laughing about?" He demanded, looking around.
"Y-your hair!" Matthew laughed. Gilbert brushed his hair down and then reached across to mess up Matthew's. The younger boy cried out and Gilbert started laughing. Soon both were laughing together loudly, their voices only being beaten only by the pounding of the storm. Matthew looked behind the Prussian to see the sheet of rain and the lights of the houses glittering through it. It was flawless.
He felt a close presence and he turned back to see Gilbert close to him, his laughter gone and replaced with something else that caused Matthew's breath to hitch. He looked away shyly and coughed. Silence had overtaken them. He felt butterflies at the closeness. "Matthew." Matthew looked back to Gilbert and saw the boy blushing softly in the light of the porch. He'd never seen the loud Prussian look so nervous. "I…um…wait, didn't you have something to say to me that day?"
"What?" Matthew asked, confused.
"When we first met. You looked like you wanted to say something…" He trailed off. Matthew could sense he was trying to make small talk. He flushed as the feeling from that day invaded his every sense. It pushed for him to speak past the barriers he put up to protect himself. They were almost gone in light of the boy in front of him.
"I was enchanted…" Matthew whispered. Gilbert watched him, not understanding. He blushed harder and looked away. "I-I-I was…enchanted…to meet you. It's what I wanted to tell you."
"O-oh." Gilbert looked stunned, as if he didn't know what to say to that. Matthew met his eyes and stared into the burgundy depths feeling his breathing pick up a little in fear and excitement. He was really such a beautiful person. He'd never met someone with looks like his. He was just so happy to have met him that day. Gilbert reached forward and Matthew closed his eyes as he felt his glasses removed. Now he could only see the person in front of him. The world around him was blurred. But he didn't mind, especially as that face got closer until he felt thin lips press against his. His eyes closed and he pressed back shyly, feeling a rush of emotions that were too numerous to name. He felt arms wrap around his waist and he responded by wrapping his arms around his partner's neck. They pulled each other close as the kiss deepened with no forceful sexual intent. There was a play of emotions running through their connection, whispering things that they couldn't consciously understand but knew instinctively.
They pulled away from each other and Gilbert whispered, "I was enchanted to meet you too." Matthew pulled him back into a kiss quietly.
"Don't let go." He whispered back as they just stood in each other's embrace for a moment, with red and embarrassed cheeks. Neither was used to such a feeling of wanting to just stand there. It was unlike them –Matthew preferring only a little bit of touching. But the embrace ended as Gilbert's phone went off. They let go of each other and Matthew backed away self-consciously as the phone was answered. He obsessed over his own actions, annoyed with how clingy he had been and berating himself over it until Gilbert spoke up,
"I have to go. Francis is my ride home and he's picking me up." A car Matthew recognized as his cousin's pulled up then and honked. Gilbert rolled his eyes. "That's them." He started backing up to go out into the rain and grinned. "How about we meet up tomorrow? The movies?"
"A-ah! Wh-what time?" Matthew called as the Prussian walked out into the rain.
"Meet me at noon at the movie theater! Gute Nacht, Birdie!" It was then that he threw open the doors to the car and climbed in. Matthew could hear Francis shrieked about the water on his interior before the door shut and the car honked once before leaving. Matthew waved them off and smiled softly to himself. As he wandered back into his house he wondered if Gilbert would ever know how in love he was with him.
