Thank you so much, Nadia, for the comment! I'm flattered that this work is a good read! Thank you for the advise! I will try to make the two have more interactions before they do the do! This too is a bit rushed, but I am very glad that this is getting you believe in Spaaus!
Roderich and Antonio meet up at the grand ballroom of the castle. The sight of a faded man underneath rusted chandeliers greets Antonio when he opens the chamber's rickety doors.
"Woah! Beautiful!" Cries Antonio sarcastically when he greets his former love. Roderich rolls his eyes, and walks over to the spaniard, embarrassment evident in rosy pink cheeks. Roderich is ready to berate the irksome man for arriving half a hour late, but then takes in the attire the other adorns, which irritate him for a entirely different reason.
Antonio is wearing a faded t-shirt, baggy jeans, and a formerly white pair of sneakers that trails mud into the ancient castle. The curly mop of hair tousled upon his head implies a recent long and comfortable sleep. Roderich, in his all of his 18th century glory, feels that he has been cheated of some deal akin to the treaty of Versailles.
"You look quite modern, do you not?" Roderich's tone rivals the intensity of Belarus', making Antonio shudder.
"Scary Austria is so scary! I didn't mean to make you angry!" Antonio jokes. His facade is as innocuous as a 5-year-old youth receiving a balloon. The authenticity of the grin makes Roderich almost wonder why the man has not yet fooled anyone into becoming his lover. Antonio's stay with the Benelux family comes to mind, and with it, a slightly sour expression.
Antonio knows Roderich too well, their train of thought eerily similar.
"Jealousy is not a good trait, Sire Edelstein." Spain had always read his expression like a open Beethoven piece.
Amidst the chaotic collapse of the Habsburg empire, Austria had a short affair with his childhood friend, Switzerland. It was a physical fling, yet, it had slightly softened the aloof person everyone assumed was heartless. Spain had lead Austria to a secluded room, and then tearfully asked his lawfully wedded partner wether he was not enough. A "you are perfect." that would have fooled any other did not persuade Spain, who left the room with a pained expression on his face.
"Jealously is indeed not a good trait, Sir." Roderich replies in a defiant way, and Antonio almost says I love you when you're like this, but doesn't, for he knows the tears these words would bring.
"Jealously consumes my soul." Antonio jokes. " And I plan on letting it consume my soul until the very end."
Roderich fumbles.
"I was drunk."
"Perfectly excusable. You had drunk, was it 4 shots of liquor?"
"Five." Roderich reminisces bitterly.
"Well, all of this talk of the past pains me. I am too dull to remember. Shall we dance instead?"
"But there is no music,"
"Let us improvise."
With Antonio's off-tune but fitting rendition of Mozart, the two dance a small waltz. Roderich leans slightly on Antonio's shoulder, letting the other man lead him around the vacant ballroom. Their heartbeats are one, and it feels as though they are transported back in time.
"You have always been a horrible musician."
Antonio rolls his eyes at the absented-minded remark and mutters something about how he's never lost his way in a supermarket.
"I however, am a wonderful musician. I can't be completely perfect, can I?" Roderich replies in that haughty way of his.
"You're perfectly imperfect." Antonio points out.
"And you're imperfectly perfect." Roderich snarks back.
The time they spend arguing feels perfectly perfect, although the duo would say otherwise.
Chapter 2 is done! Thank you once again for the comments, this lonely hermit is very happy to be receiving such kind words! Criticism is always appreciated!