Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia nor any of its characters (sadly). If I did, Canada would get a hell of a lot more screen time…
Austria x Canada… yup. I've never even thought of that possible pairing until I just randomly got the urge to write this, but now I'll gladly admit that I like it.
In this story, I intended for Canada to be less of a shy, stuttering individual like he is in canon while still retaining his politeness. Just thought I'd let you guys know. Matthew does represent a nation after all...
Enjoy!
An Evening at the Vienna State Opera
"Austria is something of a film set, as lavish and decadent as a Viennese ball where old-society dames waltz, gallop and polka with new-millennium drag queens. Be it the jewel-box Habsburg palaces and coffee houses of Vienna, the baroque brilliance of Salzburg or the towering peaks that claw at the snowline above Innsbruck, the backdrop for travel in this predominantly German-speaking, landlocked Alpine country is phenomenal. Natural landscapes – a symphony of giddy mountain vistas, dazzling glaciers and jaw-dropping ravines – are as artful as a Mozart masterpiece or that romantic dance Strauss taught the world. Whether you're a culture vulture or a great-outdoors buff, Austria is one country in Europe where you'll have a real ball."
~ The Travel Book – A Journey Through Every Country in the World
Roderich Edelstein calmly, and in much of an unhurried fashion, made his way through the threshold of the opera house. All around him, people dressed in their best evening clothes could be seen conversing pleasantly amongst each other, some shaking hands with newly made acquaintances whilst waiters weaved through the crowd with glasses of fine champagne, fruity cocktails or bite-sized hors d'oeuvres stacked neatly on their serving trays.
Pausing by the entrance, the personification of Austria allowed himself a small smile, enjoying the luxurious décor of one of his capital's most renowned opera houses. One of the most renowned opera houses in the world, in fact.
Internally smirking to himself in satisfaction, he began to head towards the stairs, making his way through with practiced ease, suddenly stopping when his orchid purple eyes landed on a familiar crown of blond hair amongst the mass of people.
Stealthily, he approached the man, careful not to attract any unwanted attention upon himself. Once at the other nation's side, he quietly asked, lest the humans littering the area overhear, "America, to what do I owe the pleasure of your pre–" he lost the will to speak, his mouth suddenly going dry when eyes similar to his own in colour met his gaze. "You."
That single word had been uttered with such meaning that Canada found himself smiling. "Hello to you as well, Austria." He gracefully wrapped his fingers around two semi-filled flutes of sparkling champagne, one glass in each hand, when a waiter walked by. "Fancy meeting you here." He offered one to his Austrian counterpart, the latter gladly accepting it despite the surprise still subtly etched onto his face in the form of a raised eyebrow.
"…What are you doing here?" the brunet asked after a sip, his usual severe expression replacing the previous surprise. His tone of voice was soft despite the bluntness of the words.
"What? Can't a man simply enjoy a night at the opera without question?"
The older nation frowned. "Allow me to rephrase that. What are you doing here, in Europe? Within my borders no less?" he pressed. "I believe the next world meeting isn't until at least another month."
The blond chuckled, unknowingly causing warmth to bubble up and expand within the Austrian's chest at the delightful sound. "I came here to see you of course."
"Me?" He darted his eyes around the room, making sure no one was listening in on their conversation before asking, "Why?"
"The truth?" He waited for a nod on the Austrian's part before explaining, violet eyes earnest, "I missed you."
Roderich's breath hitched slightly at the admission. He was about to say the words back when the lights flickered three times, signaling the start of the show.
"Ah, looks like it's time," the blond commented offhandedly.
As the crowd dissipated through the lavishly grand doors to head towards their respective seats, the pair of nations remained unmoving.
"May I inquire about your seat?"
"Five rows away from the stage."
The European seemed to contemplate something for a moment, before quietly asking, "How would you like to be seated with me tonight?" He averted his eyes, forcing himself to act indifferent. "You see, Box 12 is reserved under my name and is free for me to utilize at all times. I would very much appreciate your company."
"I thank you for the kind offer. Though, you certainly don't have to. I already have a good seat as it is."
"Nonsense. It would be improper of me to do otherwise." He kept his foot down, knowing by now that the Canadian was only denying him out of courtesy.
"But I really do-"
"I insist." Matthew's good manners irritated him on occasion, but he knew that the blond almost always bent to his will when pushed enough.
"Hmm… then it seems that to decline such a generous invitation would be nothing short of rude on my part."
"It seems to be the case indeed," the brunet stated firmly.
The North American sighed, defeated. "Very well then, I accept." He offered his arm while turning towards the stairs. "Shall we?"
Without hesitation, Austria's slim fingers wove around the Canadian's hockey-strong forearm.
The evening was turning out to be quite promising indeed.
"I could see why you're so fond of classical music," came the slightly reverent comment. "The members of this orchestra seem to be so in tune with each other. There's a near perfect balance between the woodwinds and the bass sections, and the string instruments aren't playing over everyone like you sometimes tend to hear. Percussion is present but not to the point of being overbearing." The Canadian offered a smile. "Your musicians certainly live up to your reputation Roderich."
Snorting while secretly fighting a blush, Austria kept his gaze on the men and women currently performing on the stage. The conductor still had her baton raised, and it would have been highly ill-mannered of him to speak either way, not that the Canadian's compliments were unwelcome. Quite the contrary.
With a finish, the female conductor finally lowered her baton, giving way to a loud round of applause and encores, many people going as far as giving a standing ovation in appreciation of the wonderful concert.
"You know, Roderich… you aren't deceiving anyone with these pretenses of yours. I expect for you to be truthful as to the real reasoning behind your inviting me to sit here," the North American whispered in the brunet's ear once the noise had died down.
"Whatever do you mean?" he played innocent, hoping the other country would take the bait. However, when the Canadian began to nibble at his ear, simultaneously feeling the latter's hot breath on his skin, his mask began to crack. He almost pinched himself in reprimand when a breathy moan escaped his lips. Almost. "Canada, stop. You cannot do this here."
"Don't you mean 'we'?" He took the Austrian's earlobe into his mouth, lightly sucking while his hands threaded through Roderich's chocolate locks. "God, I missed this."
"Canada, cease your fondling at once. This is no time to have such prurient thoughts, and act on them." He attempted to shift away from the Canadian, but it was futile at this point; Matthew had already achieved his goal. Roderich was evidently aroused if the heavy breathing and flush of cheeks were anything to go by.
Still, the blond decided to toy with him for just a while longer… for further measure. "Oh? I don't suppose you remember that currently, we are at intermission. The show won't be starting again for at least another twenty minutes, plus we have this whole Box all to ourselves. Surely, I could take care of your 'little problem' until then?" He smirked at the obvious tent forming underneath the European's long navy coat; it would only be a matter of time before getting the stubborn Austrian to submit.
The German-speaker scowled, clearly not amused. "No," came the firm response, his half-lidded, clouded orchid eyes nevertheless expressing otherwise.
No longer paying attention to the other country's words, Matthew's hands began to wander lower as he coaxed the brunet into a heated kiss.
Once the blond's lips moved off of his own to instead suck at his jaw, he attempted to protest once more. "Matthew," he hissed, eyes clenching shut when one of the Arctic nation's hands had unzipped his pants only to slip under his underwear and grab his progressively hardening length. He involuntarily shivered once his 'little problem', as Matthew had so eloquently put it, came into contact with the cool air of the concert hall, almost entirely exposed if not for the folds of his knee-length pea coat somewhat obstructing it from view. This had been a losing battle from the start and he fully acknowledged said fact.
Tentatively, the blond began to stroke, enjoying how the European drew deep, shuddering breaths as a result. What he loved most, however, was how some people had remained in their seats; if Roderich made the slightest noise, there was the possibility of attracting their attention. This left Austria squirming in his seat and biting at his lips in an attempt to keep his voice at a bare minimum. Matthew had always been a bit of a sadist in that sense.
Deciding to take things up a notch, Canada slid out of his seat only to station himself between the Austrian's legs a moment later.
Eyes widening in disbelief, Roderich attempted to push the determined Canadian away. "This I will not allow. Return to your seat at once Canada. If we get caught in a place like this, I will never be able to show my face here again."
The blond simply batted the hands away, chuckling lowly. "See? You're lying again. You ought to stop doing that when you're with me. I could tell just by the way you're trembling under my fingertips that you like this..." He licked at the shaft from base to tip, making sure to keep his eyes locked on the Austrian's own before resuming, "that you have an ardent desire for more. The prospect of being found out is thrilling to you, is it not? If I'm wrong, say so and I will keep my hands to myself for the rest of the night." With that, he proceeded to kiss and nip at the clothed but sensitive skin of his inner thighs, waiting before going any further.
Gritting his teeth, the brunet forced himself to speak. "What if someone sees? Need I remind you that there are children in the audience?"
The edges of his lips slowly curved upwards at seeing the older nation's struggle; he knew he had won. "We're too high up for anyone seated in the parterre sections, and only the upper part of your chest is visible to those in the other Boxes." He thumbed the tip for a moment, licking at the precum that had dribbled onto his fingers in the process, before suddenly taking the organ into his mouth.
Unprepared for such a bold action, the European threw his head back in pleasure, his hands reflexively sinking knuckle-deep into Canada's honey blond curls. He loved how daring the Canadian could be during their every encounter, how the latter always managed to surprise him despite having walked the Earth for so long. "Oh dear Gott… so eager to please. Aren't you, little Kanada?" he whispered loud enough for the younger nation to hear. He bit his lip once the latter focused on his glans, tongue probing the slit at the top.
Matthew sucked firmly, knowing it would only be a matter of time before Austria climaxed.
When he felt the older nation stiffen, he began to hum, effectively bringing Roderich to completion.
Breaths ragged, the European allowed himself to come down from his high before tucking himself back into his pants. From the corner of his eye, he saw the North American licking his lips, all the while smoothing his disheveled hair and clothes as he regained his seat.
He swallowed thickly at the sight, before quietly asking, "May I return the favor Matthew?"
It had always been like this. Ever since the start of their dalliance – if the term still even applied after so long a time – there would always be a fair bit of taunting, followed by some not-so-subtle teasing, but in the end they always made it a point to pleasure each other, to never leave one wanting after the other had been thoroughly satisfied.
Hands still fiddling with his hair, said Canadian turned towards his interlocutor, a smug grin upon his lips. "You needn't concern yourself with me just yet. I'd much prefer having my needs met later tonight in my hotel room. I booked a suite on the off chance any unannounced guest decides to present themselves at your doorstep. I never know with you Europeans, what with how close your borders all are."
He decided to let the Canadian's last remark slide just this once, his primary concern being the duration of his visit. "How long will you be staying this time?"
"Depends on how long you want me to stay," he shrugged, blond waves of hair bouncing on his shoulders at the action. His attention then shifted to the stage. "It seems like intermission will be ending sooner than I thought."
Having kept his gaze locked on the younger man, Austria admitted, "Then I would ask for you to remain here by my side for as much time as you're allotted… if it isn't overly selfish on my part of course."
Canada looked back, eyebrows quirked in mild surprise. "Not at all. I assure you that it doesn't bother me in the slightest. In fact, I would be more than glad to stay here with you. Just note that I must return to my country in three weeks from now at the latest. I have a business meeting with my brother scheduled then."
"Three weeks is plenty. Thank you." He kissed the North American's cheek.
The blond simply smiled in response before the lights dimmed, silence ensuing once more throughout the theater.
Either way, there was no need to maintain conversation; they had three whole weeks ahead of them.
"So this is where you will be residing for the next three weeks? I must say… I'm impressed." Roderich's eyes darted around the spacious suite, pleased with his partner's refined choice.
They had just entered through the front entrance, slightly tired from their outing, but nevertheless content.
The Canadian loosened his tie, hanging it in the closet near the door. "Only the best for you, mon cher Autriche. As I said before, I know you'd rather not have any of your neighbors, lest of all Prussia or France, catch us in the act within your household. So I presumed that the least I can do would be to ensure your comfort elsewhere."
"Hmm… how considerate of you," he thought out loud, critically eyeing one of the several art pieces displayed on the walls.
Chuckling to himself, Canada sidled up to the Austrian. "Always," he mumbled into his ear, his arms encircling the other nation's waist lovingly.
Roderich leaned back in the embrace, secretly adding the moment to his mental collection of memories with Matthew. "When did you arrive? Had I known you were coming I would have met you at the airport."
"Oh? You would have gone out of your way just to see little ol' me? I'm touched." He began to graze the Austrian's neck with his teeth, internally smirking when the latter inclined his head to the side in a silent request for more.
"Always if it involves you," he admitted breathlessly, his head already beginning to spin. Only Matthew succeeded in making him feel this way: disoriented but pleasantly so, like when one lost themselves in the seemingly endless twists and turns of a labyrinth but knew deep down that the exit was somewhere just around the corner.
"If you must know, my plane landed this morning. I spent the greater part of my day relaxing in bed."
"I see…." His dark eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Then how about I let you rest some more while I –"
"No," came the quick interruption.
"No?"
"No," the Canadian repeated once more. "What I want right now is you. I want you writhing under me in pleasure, limbs twisting desperately in the sheets with my name, and only my name, on your lips as I pound into you mercilessly," the words were raspy, demanding, like a smoker needing his next cigarette. "I've been craving you since the last I saw you. That was three months ago."
"Three months already?" The brunet acted clueless, though already aware of the fact from having spent his time counting the days.
"Don't play dumb with me," he lightly warned while unbuttoning Austria's dress shirt. He then slid the offending item off of the pianist's lithe body, before biting down harshly on his shoulder muscle, earning himself a moan from the latter as a result.
Roderich needed no further prompting as he undressed himself fully. Once devoid of clothes, he coaxed the blond, who was now kissing down his newly uncovered spine, to do the same. "Go on Matthew, strip down for me."
The North American smirked, not seeing eye to eye. "How about you be the one to strip me down?"
They shared a knowing smile, Austria silently heeding to the request as his nimble fingers began to remove Matthew's evening wear. His movements were slow, purposefully trying to spite the blond. And oh had it worked when said blond growled, and took it upon himself to divest himself the rest of the way before suddenly hauling Austria onto his shoulder with the intention of carrying him to the bedroom.
Once at the foot of the bed, the Canadian deposited the brunet gently before quickly pinning him to the fleeced mattress. From thereon he began to suck and nip at the European's clavicle.
Secretly, Roderich relished being so intimately owned by the normally reserved Canadian. During meetings, the blond was most often cast aside, a mere shadow to his superpower of a brother. Yet, when one took the time to look, to truly get to know the personification of Canada, one discovered that under the genteel, civilized manners and quiet demeanor, the young man was as magnificent and peaceful as the country he represented. Yet, beyond everything else, the True North was untameable. The European colonists, be it the English or the French, had tried, but had never ultimately succeeded in subduing the nation; the weather in Canada was simply too unpredictable, and unlike many other places in the world, had too many remote, unreachable corners. What more, just like his winters, Matthew proved to be ruthless at times. The difference between the two, however, lied in the fact that Matthew was never cruel, even when it was a question of hockey or national pride or both at the same time.
…And those were only a handful amongst almost infinitely many reasons Austria found himself thinking so highly of the handsome Canadian.
A husky grunt was what pulled Roderich out of his thoughts, so engrossed was he that he had never even felt the Canadian's preparations until the slick fingers were replaced by the latter's hardened member. Moaning loudly, the musician pretzeled his legs around the Canadian's waist, pulling the North American ever closer.
Matthew, taking it as his cue to move, began to snap his hips in and out. His unrelenting rhythm fast, but steady.
That was yet another thing Austria liked about Canada; the blond never treated him like the delicate individual others saw him to be, the delicate person he actually was. Yes, the francophone could get quite rough, though he always made certain to heighten the experience by caring for him afterwards, something Roderich was grateful for. After all, not all lovers – his past confirmed this – were as kind and attentive as the Canadian.
He came quicker than usual, it seemed; perhaps it was due to having been craving Matthew just as much as Matthew had said to be craving him. Or maybe he had lost himself too deeply into his own pleasure and the low 'mmm, so good's of his lover to have been able to properly dissociate time anymore. It was most likely both.
No matter the reason, Austria was sure of one thing; he felt complete when in the Canadian's arms. So utterly and wonderfully complete... Complete in a way he knew Matthew would most probably never reciprocate.
With a last jerk forward, the blond collapsed next to him, too busy regaining his breath to notice the Austrian's gaze.
The latter found himself wondering when this 'liaison' of theirs had evolved into something much more meaningful to him. Maybe when, at the last winter Olympics, Matthew's men had so unmercifully beaten his own 6-0 in hockey. Maybe when he had first heard the Canadian's enchanting bell-like laughter echoing down the halls after a particularly grueling meeting. Or maybe the time he had finally understood that he rather liked Matthew's warm, soothing presence at his side.
Regardless of it all, Canada was a natural beauty, a fresh new nation an ocean away from his own. Not untouchable, cert, but untameable. A marvelous creation that had never fully been conquered despite the numerous that had tried.
He kept his bitter thoughts to himself, choosing instead to sink down under the covers and let the now even cadence of Matthew's breathing lull him to sleep.
End
Translations:
Mon cher Autriche– My dear Austria
Extra info that I find interesting; In German, the Vienna State Opera is called 'Wiener Staatsoper'.
A/N: Oh my God… what did I write. What is this?
Either way, I hope you enjoyed this… whatever this is. Just thought I could give the Austria x Canada pairing some love. My brain just kinda presented me with this idea, and I immediately loved it (I totally wanna go to Austria one day, especially for its skiing and beautiful operas), so I had to write it. I don't know if it seems that way, but I wanted to make it look like Austria actually has genuine feelings for Canada but reminds himself to think Matt will never respond to said feelings because he's so 'untameable'. A relationship would mean Canada's commitment, and Roderich (knowing that Matthew, as a person, has never been fully attached to anyone) believes that Matt would never go for that.
Oh and one more thing, I'm aware that theaters usually only flicker the lights at intermission, not at the beginning of a show. But for the sake of the story, I just made it that way.
…I'll be going back to editing Canadian Refuge now…
Thanks for reading, loves!
~SailorHikarinoMu