A/N: *phew* life's been stressful for a change and I get the feeling it's going to stay that way for a while. Anyway, expect a little more waiting time between chapters but they'll still be uploaded and written when I have time. Plus I'm ill, so this may not be 100% well written. Gomenasai. *bows* this is totes AU and I do not now, nor will I ever, own hetalia.
Elizabeta looked distastefully at the now stale sack of cheese and other richly exquisite party foods she had picked up at the ball. The heels of her rather expensive 'borrowed' shoes pressed hard against the over-sized whicker basket as she attempted to prevent herself from gagging. A few tears pierced the corners of her eyes, a product of her fierce concentration and relentless will power that she summoned up to prevent the unpreventable.
Amidst her gagging and unmasked cussing, she noticed Gilbert smirking down at her from where he stood in the basket. "It's beyond hilarious to see you so helpless! Keseseses... I really am far more awesome that you!"
What? Could he really be taking that much pleasure from watching his travelling companion (for the foreseeable future) reduced to a pale mess on the balloon's floor. As she had suspected from the first moment she had laid eyes on him; this man, Gilbert Beilschmidt, was a complete and utter douche.
Elizabeta forced her jelly like legs to stop trembling and stand up before reaching for the hefty item that lay motionless to her left. Afraid of getting a peak over the edge of the offending aircraft, she kept her green eyes glued to the floor.
It felt almost as good as she thought it would. There was the Prussian; humming a tune to himself, rocking back and forth on his heels, totally absorbed in his surroundings. And a few breathtaking seconds later a well polished frying pen struck his pale cheek with a resounding smack.
Liz was curious as to what the gobsmacked boy would bring up first. He certainly seemed to have trouble forming a coherent sentence.
"Liz. Wh- why did you?" He shook his head, a fine mop of silver grey hair fanning out and repositioning itself as he did so. Gilbert made a move to start again.
"Why the hell did I let you take that verdammt frying pan with us!?"
It was hardly even a question. Liz was disappointed. But then again, he was a man and, hey, what would you expect?
The Prussia pointed an accusative finger and looked as though he was just about ready to give her another lecture. If it wasn't a rant about her "irrational" fear of heights, it was about her incorrect map reading skills and sometimes the rants steered into a rather sexist direction that she was more than just a bit uncomfortable with. Well, perhaps 'uncomfortable' was a bit of an understatement. I mean, do you really think this chick wouldn't have a thing or two to say about equal rights?
To the Hungarian's surprise, Gil had found an equally important distraction that delayed the scalding.
"We're here Liz! Romania!" The albino's deft hands loosened the rope and adjusted levers for their decent into the country that he was convinced harboured vampires. Liz didn't believe that for a second. They had been travelling for what felt like a month, and had laid anchor in more than a few intimidating land masses with names abundant of vowels and 'z's. She was tired and sick and wanted more than anything to reach the next stop on the map that had a decent bed, bath and pub. She did not have the patience or time for vampires.
To his delight, Gilbert was not shunned by the townsfolk of Romania as he had been in Austria. In fact, he had so many respectful stares his way that his ego received another unnecessary boost.
He noticed Liz's rosy complexion returning to her cheeks and felt all the better for it. It had been a hard few weeks and he'd tried his best to be the ideal travelling companion, but her unreasonably long winded intolerance of his air craft had proved too potent for his leniency.
The streets of the Transylvanian city were dark and had a few too many rats for his liking but hey, what can you do? Gilbert put his hands in his pockets and gestured for Liz to hold onto his arm, a notion he had grown accustomed to seeing as a boy. Not many of the lessons he learnt stayed in his mind, but he knew the appropriate way to escort a lady. He'd just never had occasion to do it before.
"No way. If you think I'm touching that, you really haven't been paying attention these last few days have you?"
"Come on Liz!" He whined, making puppy dog eyes at her. "This place is busy and it would be a pain if you got lost."
The Hungarian mock punched his arm. Gil hated it when she resorted to violence. Mostly because it happened waaaay too often.
"Oh, I'm the one who's going to get lost?" She started, about to initiate what would surely be another long argument before restraining herself out of what Gilbert could only presume was embarrassment. A few dirt covered faces belonging to townsmen has turned their way and Liz started to flush. Saying nothing, she slipped her arm alongside his.
'Oh yeah. Gilbert 1, psycho girl 0' he thought. Too scared to dare utter the words in front of said psycho. He liked Liz although he couldn't be sure why. All she did was hurl over the side of his precious hot air balloon and bruise his beautiful face. Did she even have any useful qualities? Well, she could handle herself in a pinch, but Gilbert decided that that would be hardly useful in a nice, quiet trip around the world. He doubted they would get into any serious trouble. At best it would be mild peril.
"Sir! You there!" a chubby bald man beckoned Gilbert towards him. He looked healthy and well fed and stood proudly outside an inn. It didn't take a genius to deduce he was the owner.
The couple slowed down and reared to their right where he stood. "I have the best cook in town working here. He makes the damn finest chowder you've ever tasted!" His attention turned to Elizabeta. "Almost as fine as you." He winked.
"Sounds awesome! what's your price?" The innkeeper pulled down on Gilbert's shoulder and raises a plum hand to his mouth as he whispered the price in his ear.
"Are you insane!? What zhe hell is so amazing about this piece of crap hotel? The pig's at my house live in better conditions than this!"
Gilbert didn't think he'd been so angry throughout the entire expedition. Which was a surprise considering someone tried to kill him. Fuming, he pulled the brunette along with him and felt thee stumble over a muddy puddle. If worse came to worse, he could get a blanket and they could sleep in the balloon but he couldn't imagine Liz consenting to that. It was almost as though she was the highborn of the two of them.
"You seem upset my friend. Is Bucharest not to your liking?" Leaning casually against a doorway stood a pale young man with red eyes that rivalled the albino's, although his hair was a smooth and thick copper colour. A long red coat, buttoned up almost to the top, hugged his body and made his curiously light skin seem even more unnatural. He wore small ruby earrings and a scaled-down top hat on the side of his head, ribbons cascading down from it. The stranger was striking to say the least, and his non-stop smirk already annoyed Gilbert. To his right, the Hungarian woman was staring intently at the man, and Gil couldn't for the life of him figure out why.
The Romanian native noticed their gaze and chuckled. "How rude of me. My name is Vladmir and I own a townhouse on the next street that may be suitable accommodation for you."
With that, Vladmir made a graceful gesture with his gloved hands toward a large side street. He began to guide Gilbert and Elizabeta to his mysterious house that the Prussian could only picture being an over sized gothic mansion. The thought of a spooky manor house complete with gargoyles made him insanely excited but he tried his best not grin as they walked down the vermin infested streets for fear of Liz finding that worthy of (another) beating.
"Oh, and we best make haste. The townspeople say that a vampire has been lurking in the shadows at night." Vlad turned those foreboding red eyes towards the travellers, head framed by a brilliantly glowing full moon and spoke with a dark chuckle.
"Your not scared, are you?"
Well how did you like the cheesiness? I had fun writing this chapter- mostly cause I've been really into Romania lately. He doesn't have an official surname so if anyone wants to suggest something, I'd be happy to give him that name! :) please review! And to my followers, I'll see you in 'supernatural defence squad'!