Edit
Fixed the error that was the incorrect date of Canada Day. Some grammar, extended the chapter a bit.
It's always wonderful to see a plan really evolve, I really like typing this… And I feel really bad that through most of Aftermath I never responded to anyone's messages but a few ;_; so I am trying to actually answer people this time around. But there are a few that I can't private message so I will be answering them here.
--Okay, yes, lol DJ, there will indeed be romance, I take it you haven't read the story this is an offshoot of if you are asking that XDD. PruCan is a major point in Aftermath even though it isn't exactly the central pairing.
--Adriyel, of course I am continuing it, it hasn't even gotten into their actual friendship yet.
-----
Delicate
The pair of pandas on the mantle atop the fireplace in his room stared at him mockingly as the Prussian typed on his computer.
"Dammid." He typed grumbling about his utter stupidity in being tricked a second time that day into buying a strange stuffed animal. "Bring you heppiness my arsch." Gilbert growled as he updated his blog with his trip to Italy. The pictures of the trip were quite comical and made him smile profusely. Yes, April first had been a good day. Except for his trip to England's for lunch… And the buying of the two pandas… And being attacked by Greece's cat while napping… Then there had been confronting Sweden and the rest of the Scandinavians because his visitors wanted pictures of them. Hungary had hit him with a frying pan too, so he really wasn't able to remember much of what happened when he visited her and Austria that day. There was a picture that reminded him that he had pulled at Roderich's, cheek but that was it. Taking a deep breath, he concluded something… Today had, in fact, sucked. His head connected quickly with his desk, once, twice, three times. "Fuck…"
A knock came from downstairs in the entrance hall.
"Westen! De door!" No answer and the quiet knock came again. Taking a deep breath, he beat his head against the desk one last time before getting up and walking out into the hallway. "Westen! Ahre you home?!" No answer again, so it was concluded that his brother was missing. Probably at Italy's place by now, they were so gay for each other and he knew it. But then again, if Italy really had harbored such feelings for Germany, it probably would have come out by now.
Fearing it to be one of the other Asian nations come to try and sell him something else that would make him happy, he carefully opened the door and poked his head out. The person standing there in the green sweatshirt had definitely not been any of the people he had expected to see that day.
"April fools, Ger--… Prussia?" Canada seemed confused as he held the bottle of maple syrup in his hand. It took Prussia a moment to remember who he was, it had been nearly two decades since they spoke to one another so it was only normal.
"Uh, hallo, Canada." Gilbert distinctly remembered asking Canada to call him by his name those years ago and remembered calling him by his first name as if they were friends. Really, it had been so long though it no longer seemed appropriate. Even less did it seem appropriate because they hadn't even been friends then. Canada had merely been a way to get better. There had really been nothing between them at all.
"Oh! Y-You remember me…" The wavy-haired blonde looked away, his face turning red.
"It's a liddle bid hart for me to forged you." Prussia rose an eyebrow at him, examining the bottle of maple syrup in his hand. He hadn't had maple syrup in… Nineteen years, pancakes were the same way. His stomach growled and a craving he hadn't known for just as long set in. "Uhm, vhy ahre you hier?"
"Uh… Uhm, oh right! April fool's. I really didn't know what else to do today, so I've just been going around giving out maple syrup… But, uhm, you look like you're doing well…"
"I am vell."
"That's good to hear…" Canada looked away as he awkwardly nodded. "Forgive me for prying, but do you still have nightmares?"
"Sometimes, nod nearly ahs bat vons. Do you schtill use dose schtrange cookies of yours?" Gilbert asked, feeling the situation slowly become more and more awkward as the two continued to talk.
"Oh… I stopped after you left. Yep! I've been clean for years and years now. But, that's good to hear Prussia! I'm happy for you."
"I'm heppy for me too." He responded with a smirk which elicited a chuckle from Canada. "Vhat's funny?" A white eyebrow rose.
"Oh nothing, I was afraid for a moment that you had changed in the near two decades past. Just happy to see you're still yourself." Canada shrugged, fixing his glasses in a nervous fidget.
"Who else voult I be?"
"I don't know. Maybe you act like your brother now or something?" Prussia blew a raspberry, making a face suggesting that to be the worst fate in the world.
"You kitting me? If I entet up acding like Westen I dink I voult kill myselv."
"Don't joke about that."
"I'll joke aboud vhatefer I vant. I'll joke aboud your ferginidy if I vant." Canada gave him a droll stare as if he was missing some important bit of information about that statement. Either way, this man was quickly starting to grate on his nerves again. It didn't matter if the boy liked him, Prussia was still Prussia and it seemed he had forgotten how easy it was for the man to annoy him. "Vhat's vid dat look?"
"Nothing. Anyway, I can guess that your April fool's day hasn't been going too well."
"Noh, vhatefer mate you dink dat?" Sarcasm dripped from his every word, Canada quickly assessed that today had been a very bad day. Canada proffered the bottle of syrup to him, Prussia blinked and tweaked an eyebrow.
"I hope your day improves… Well, it's almost over so at least be happy that it won't be April fool's day much longer. But, last I checked, you like maple syrup and it brings happiness to all who eat it, I'm sure. Have Germany make you some pancakes." He smiled kindly as Prussia removed his camera from his back pocket. "Uh, what are you doing?"
"Neet a picdure for my blog." The blonde blinked.
"You have a blog?" He asked quizzically. Prussia merely nodded as he snapped a picture of the man posing with his bottle of syrup. The albino tilted his head to look behind the blonde on his stoop, an eyebrow raised.
"Looks like Westen ist back." Canada jumped and turned around to see Germany approaching, a strange look on his face.
"Uhm… I'll leave then… Uh… It was nice seeing you." He offered the syrup again and the Prussian reluctantly took it, a smirk coming to his face as the Canadian turned to leave.
"Eh?" Then Canada froze in his steps, grinding his teeth slightly as he heard the smirking taunt in the albino's single syllable.
"I broke myself of that habit. You noticed?"
"How coult I nod?" Prussia shrugged, his smirk still pleasant as he stared at the Canadian's back. "Now goh, you hev oder people to hid schtill now, unless ve vere de laschd vons on your lischd." The man in the green hoodie chuckled once.
"I'm slowly going across Europe. I had to get the Americas first and then I went across Asia, France is next."
"Oh, I see. Goh alreaty!" Canada flinched and jumped forward, away from him, looking over his shoulder confusedly. That was very sudden.
"Alright, alright, I'll go. Oh, also, I'm glad to see your eye grew back." Never could anyone, but a nation ever hope of saying that.
"Ja, ja, ja, I'm heppy to schee dat too, now ged ovf my schtoop!" The albino growled, giving the man a shove. This caused Canada to trip down the steps and land face-first in Germany's chest.
"Your schtoop?" Germany growled, picking up the man at his chest and sitting him back down next to him, surprised at how light he was. "Dis ist nod your haus Osten, I say who schtays und who doesn'd. Und if… Whoefer dis ist--vants to schtay for a bid, he cahn…" The tall blonde said addressing his brother and turning to look at Canada. "You seem ohddly familiar… Hev ve med bevore?" Gilbert rolled his eyes, glaring at his brother. He was only doing this to annoy him, he had been pushing for months to try and get him his own house. Of course, the awesomeness that was Prussia would not settle to live in a civilian home! Living in the eastern sector of Berlin didn't bring back fond memories either.
"We have… I'm Canada."
"Canada?" Suddenly anger flared into those vivid, steel-blue eyes as he turned to look at Prussia. "He led you schtay aht his haus for a mond, pudding up vid ef'ryding dat you dit jus so you-"
"Germany, Germany! It's fine! I was on my way out anyway, eh!" Canada pleaded, waving his arms in a placating manner.
"Eh?" Prussia sniggered. "Broken de habid, eh?"
"Urgh! Shut up!" Canada stomped his foot, his face turning red. Note to self: Never say "eh" around Prussia. Ever. He thought as he took a deep and calming breath. "I'm leaving now. Pleasant seeing you Germany… Prussia." And the man stomped off the stoop and down the street. After he rounded the corner Germany went back to glaring at Prussia.
"De man seems pleasand enough, vhy vere you acding like such a jerk?" Prussia stuck his tongue out at his brother. This usually meant "because I feld like it". "Ugh, ged your arsch in de haus."
"Vhere ist your liddle boy-toy?" Gilbert sniggered to Ludwig who stopped mid-stride to glare at him.
"Vhat vas dat?" Ludwig said flatly in a low voice.
"Ueh, I vas asking vere Italy vas."
"Und, vhy dit you rever to him ahs my 'boy-toy'?" That tone in the German's voice was never to be taken lightly, even by the great and mighty Prussia.
"It vas only a joke Westen, Chrisd, I know you're nod like dat. You're too much of a tighd arsch. Kesesesesesese." A fist met his face and then his head met the floor, Ludwig started walking towards the kitchen, leaving him there without further word. "Learn to take a joke for fuck's sake!" He grumbled sitting up and rubbing the blood from his nose.
"Be a liddle bid more mature." Came Ludwig's reply from the kitchen, the sounds of the man pulling out various items in which to cook with.
"Ja righd…" Gilbert stood and poked his head into the kitchen, rubbing the newly-formed bump on the back of his head. "Say, Westen, vant to make me some pancakes?"
"Noh."
"Vell, vhy nod?"
"I don'd vant pancakes. Und I vill nod make you any because of how you acdet towarts… Vhat's his name earlier. Dere vas also dat commend you mate aboud Italy." Germany snorted as he put a pan out to cook. "Besites, you alreaty ade aht Italy's. Und don'd say you ditn'd, dere ahre picdures on your blog. I commendet."
"Fine! I'll make pancakes myselv." Prussia inserted himself between Germany and the stove then.
"Oh no, you von'd!" The blonde grabbed the albino's shoulder and tossed him as if he were a rag-doll from the vicinity of the stove. Gilbert landed on his feet, pulling a tomato from his pocket. He loved being a nation that had no obligations so much for the simple reason that he retained the ability of hammer-space. "… Vhat ahre you going to do vid dat?"
"Ohhh, noding, noding aht ahll my dear bruder." He began to knead the tomato softly between his hands, mushing the insides while the skin remained unbroken.
"If you drow dat… I schvear to Gott…"
"Oh? Vhat vill you do?" Prussia taunted, kneading the tomato still.
"Your arsch ist boodet."
"Or you coult jus make me pancakes…" He smirked, now tossing the 'mato-grenade from hand to hand. "Save yourselv a bid of cleaning, a bid of gedding your arsch voopt by de awesome me… You know." The blonde brows knitted themselves together in anger, why did his brother have a point? Not the him getting his butt beaten of course, Germany outclassed the man any day for the simple reason he was an active nation. But, giving in to his brother's whims would mean no cleaning up, caused by the tomato or otherwise, and no obnoxious fight with him that could potentially destroy more than just the kitchen… Then again, giving into Prussia's demands was always ill-advised because of the simple fact that gloating always followed his little "victories". This was a terrible thing to listen to, but it was better than having to clean and having to deal with a complaining and in pain Prussia later. Plus there was that Prussia (while outclassed by himself) could still do a number on him due to his extensive knowledge in the art of hand-to-hand combat.
"Fine, I'll make you your schtupit pancakes, goh sid down." It made him have to resist a smile to see the silverette's eyes light up like that. The grin that spread over his face too made resisting even harder.
"Alrighd! You knew you coultn'd bead me, ist dat vhat it vas?"
"You're my bruder ist vhat it vas."
"You jus hat to go touchy-feely on me." Gilbert stuck his tongue out at him and crossed his arms over his chest. The blonde getting out ingredients just snorted in good humor and waved him off.
One bite was all that it took to get the Prussian re-hooked on this wonderfully tasty drug made out of nothing more than flour, eggs, milk and maple syrup. He sat there staring at the stack as Germany in the background cleaned the pan, wondering why he wasn't eating any more than just that. The man, as if in some kind of trance, brought up his camera and snapped a picture of the pile before digging into it again with a ravenous hunger. It was good all the way down to the last bite, but it left him feeling as if something were lacking. It had an empty taste at the end, as if there was something Ludwig had forgotten. Deciding that he needed to figure this out, he devised a plan for the following morning.
"Kesesesesese."
---
"Canada!!!" The blonde rolled over in his sleep. "Caaaanadaaaa…."
"Mmng…"
"Vake up!" Prussia yanked the covers off the sleeping man, effectively pulling him from the bed along with them.
"Ah! What?! Quoi!?" Prussia stood over him, sniggering as the boy's head whipped around every which direction. However, when the violet orbs eventually settled upon him, he could feel something disturb the force. "Prussia?! What are you doing in my house?!" The boy grabbed his glasses from the bedside table and whipped them on, checking his clock. "At six in the morning no less!!!"
"Pancakes." The albino replied simply beneath the strangely terrifying gaze. Canada made a high noise of exasperation before shoving himself to his feet.
"Pancakes… Pancakes?! You expect me to make you goddamn pancakes after how you acted yesterday?! After how you just… Barged into my house at six AM demanding pancakes?! How the Hell did you even get in my house?!" He fumed at Prussia as the albino only stared on, his face showing that he was not the least bit fazed by this.
"Uh, firsd ovf, de door vas unlockt, secont, yes." It was swiftly punctuated with a "Kese!" as the owner of the house's face went though a whole rainbow of emotions before finally settling on one. Pure exasperation. The boy sighed, rubbing his temples slightly.
"Mmng, Alfred probably did it." He started off, mostly talking to himself rather than Prussia. "I'll make you some pancakes." A huge grin lit up Prussia's face again and Canada took his glasses off to clean them, ignoring the happiness this brought him. "Do you expect me to call you Gilbert again?" Usually the man would have said this by now if he was going to, but he might as well check.
"Kese! Hell noh, ve ahrn'd fruends Canada." For some odd reason, that really hurt in the small man's chest, it also irritated him to no end.
"Explain to me then, why exactly am I making you pancakes?"
"Because you ahre submidding to my awesomeness!" The grin turned haughty and triumphant as Canada sucked on his tongue in mock deep thought.
"Hmmm, ahhh… Well, when you put it like that… The answer is no and get out of my house, eh!!"
"Eh? Kesesesese."
"Don't you start that!" Canada yelped as he smacked the man on the arm, Prussia only chuckled and poked his cheek when it turned a great beet red.
"It's fuuun dough."
"Who says you have the right to have fun!?" The Canadian's voice cracked as he responded, deeply frustrated and not totally sure of what he was saying.
"Soh… Vhat? You'fe been hanging oud vid dat Russian basdart now?"
"N-No! And stop changing the subject! Get out of my house, Prussia!" He stomped his foot, standing to his full height, the shorter of the two didn't seem to notice the difference.
"You're soh cude vhen you're mat." Prussia tousled the Canadian's hair with a smirk, receiving an angry and embarrassed sputtering noise as a gift. "Now, aboud dose pancakes…" The blonde deflated, sinking down to his normal hunched-over posture and giving up with a defeated sigh.
"Alright…" Canada began to shuffle from the room, picking up a shirt from the hamper as he passed and slipping it on. To Hell with changing his clothes, the sooner he made these damn pancakes the sooner he would be rid of the offensive ex-nation.
"Schveed!" The albino laughed triumphantly as he followed the boy from his room and down the stairs to the entrance hall.
"Go sit down and watch some TV, if the remote's not on the couch, Kumatake is chewing on it somewhere."
"Vill do! Make dose pancakes schnappy too!" Canada rolled his eyes as he started for the kitchen.
"Please Prussia, don't rush art." He said snarkily as he fixed his glasses in a stately manner.
"I schall rusch vhatefer I please!"
"Do you want to be eating shitty pancakes?" A blonde eyebrow rose as the rest of his face dropped to one of annoyed flatness.
"Er… Noh…"
"Then don't rush me." Canada said flatly before retreating into the kitchen to please the invading nation.
Smiling widely to himself, very satisfied with the work that had been done, despite the fact that he had lost that last battle. He looked around the entertainment room for the remote, it was not present, so the bear must've indeed taken it and was now using it as a chew-toy.
"Vhere ahre you ya liddle fucker?" Prussia mumbled to himself as he looked beneath the furniture and behind it. No sign of the bear. He groped his head for a second, checking to see if his little helper had followed him today.
"Cheep!"
"Ahah! Vhere vere you hiting?" Prussia asked the small bird on his head. It was amazing that the bird had yet to age in twenty years. He guessed it was from hanging out with such an awesome person as himself. Gilbird twittered again, hopping up and down in its warm nest of white hair. "Vant to do me a fafor?"
"Cheep?" Gilbert couldn't help but chuckle at the cute noise.
"Goh fint Canada's annoying bear." The yellow bird squeaked twice before taking off and fluttering away, it never ceased to amaze Prussia that the bird could fly at all.
Gilbird returned a few minutes later, chirping enthusiastically and beating its wings laboriously fast to keep it's comparatively large girth aloft.
"Okay, schow me vhere." And Gilbird took off, Prussia not far behind it as the two went through the entrance hall and up the stairs.
Strolling into the bed room, Prussia saw the white bear chewing idly on the remote, no true intention to destroy it, he was just bored.
"Goot boy!" The albino praised proudly, holding out his hand as the bird exhaustedly flopped into his palm. "Kesesesese." He plopped the bird onto his head where it then snuggled into his hair and fell asleep. Gilbird had gotten more exercise in one day than it had in three weeks. "Now, you, c'mere." Prussia growled as he walked over the ball of fuzz that just now noticed he was in the room.
"Who?"
"Noh! You do nod do dat vid me! Nuh-uh! I am Prussia und you bedder rememper it!"
"Prussia?"
"Ja!" The bear nodded, going back to ignoring him and chewing on the piece of plastic between his paws. "Hey…." Prussia mumbled to himself as he looked around the room, his eyes settling on the shattered remains of a lamp by the door he had walked in through. This must've been his room during that month he was here. It didn't seem dusty or uncared for, so it seemed really odd that the pile of ceramic and wires was still in the area where he had accidentally thrown it. He resolved to ask Canada about it later as turned back to look at the bear getting his slobber all over the remote he was supposed to use. "On secont doughd, ew, you cahn keep it."
"Who?"
"You."
"You?"
"Noh you!"
"Me?"
"Yes!"
"Oh." Kumajirou nodded and started chewing again as the Prussian stared at him, how in the name of all that was holy did Canada stand this stupid bear? He rolled his eyes, deciding it was better not to question some things.
"Prussia! Wherever you went, your pancakes are done!" The light voice of his kind host floated upstairs.
"Yes!" Prussia pumped his fist victoriously, a great grin decorating his face as he about-faced and left the room.
Swaggering on into the kitchen, the Prussian gave Canada his brightest grin, to which the blonde stared at in incomprehension.
"Pancakes really make you that happy?" He questioned when the man sat down at the table and he put the plate in front of him.
"I hat forgodden how much I loft dem. Dey vere firtually my crack back den, sorda like how your cookies vere for you." Prussia began to meticulously cut up the stack of four Canada had already drowned in syrup.
"Medication? I thought I was your medication." The albino noticed the Canadian's attempt at humor and chuckled, blondie was trying to be nice. "Actually, to be honest, I'm surprised you remember them. You never had more than a few and I stopped eating them before long. The cookies I mean."
"I hev a phodographic memory." He tapped the fork to his temple for dramatic effect. "How else do I rememper you vhere no von else does?" Nearly, Prussia felt sorry as Canada's face dropped into a frown and he sighed. That look usually proceeded him retreating to that cabinet above his stove for one of his medicated cookies. Really he was surprised when he merely smiled at him and pushed a lock of his own hair behind his ear.
"It's nice to know some people have them."
"Noh, jus me." Canada snorted, rolling his eyes and fixing his glasses.
"I'm sure. Take that up with someone who has as big a head as you do… Like Francis."
"You're his kit dough! I cahn'd hev a memory compedition vid him, he's biast."
"And like you're not? You lived with me for an entire month."
"You're his kit."
And he still forgets me….
"Und he schtill forgeds you." Prussia took another bite of his pancakes and swallowed, watching the blonde's face closely. "Bud, gifen dat logic, I vin alreaty." Once again, Canada chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Oh, vhile I'm dinking aboud it, vhy ist dere a lamp upschtairs on de floor in de guesd bettroom?"
"Oh… That's… From last time you were here. You were having a nightmare and you threw it at me."
"Dat vas nearly tvendy years ago. Vhy heven'd you cleant it up?" The visitor asked, putting another forkful of dripping pancake into his mouth.
"Well… I guess… There was no need to. Alfred is the only one who ever visits me and… Well… He lives right next door so he never stays the night. Cuba will visit every now and then too, but even he never stays all night. Kumakujo stays away from sharp objects so I never have to worry about him doing something stupid around it." Canada stopped to shrug and wipe up a bit of syrup that dripped from the Prussian's plate. "It just seemed like unneeded work." He didn't catch the slightly disturbed look in Prussia's eyes as he turned away to clean up the early-morning mess of flour and spattered olive oil.
"You haven'd hat somevon spent de nighd in almosd tvendy years?" Never would he believe that, he would take over all of Canada's house just to have his pancakes tomorrow. Surely this mind-blowing breakfast food was more than enough reason to want to be with him all the time.
"Is it so hard to believe that maybe because people don't remember me I never get many visitors?"
"Bud, your pancakes-"
"You flatter me Prussia. You're the only one in all my years to praise my food so heavily. Alfred always says I'm bland and my food is uninteresting, a shadow of what Francis taught me as a child. He claims his pancakes are a thousand times better than mine." Canada sighed. "He never even remembers my birthday anymore I'm so bland. He will always visit a few days early to invite me to his birthday party on the fourth, ya know? Most of the time the day he chooses is the first of July. My birthday. Wanna know what he always says? He always says that my people are screwed up and celebrating his birthday early! Can you believe that, eh?!" The infuriated blonde stomped his foot, making an angry noise in the back of his throat. "It's infuriating! He's just so damn self-centered, eh! He's worse than you sometimes, I think! At least you remembered me after two decades, but he can't remember my birthday for an entire damn year, eh!" It was terrifying to see Canada this riled up about something, Prussia decided. It also made him angry that he was angry about someone not remembering his birthday.
"Canada, schud up."
"What did you say?!" The blonde yelled, rounding himself to look back at Prussia, anger blazing within his bright purple orbs.
"I'm deat. I don'd efen hev a birdtay to celebrade. Be glat dat you do." Canada sighed uncomfortably, crossing his arms over his lower stomach and leaning forward slightly so as to escape the scrutiny of the ex-nation's eyes.
"I'm sorry… It's just… Everyone mistakes him for me. Cuba, the only man I can say is really my friend mistakes me for him. His birthday is so close to mine that people don't bother celebrating it." A sniffle broke through his words. "He doesn't even have the decency to ever apologize for or even realize all the grief that he causes me politically and in other ways… I love my brother, I do, but… I don't know."
"Don'd led it ged you down too much" Canada looked up in time to see Prussia stand and take his empty plate to the sink. "I'll see you lader Canada."
"You're just going to leave? Like that…? No 'thank-you' or… Or anything?"
"Be heppy I acdually listent to dat depressing liddle rand of yours." Tears began to flow from the oft-forgotten nation's face.
"Sorry to inconvenience you, eh." A pause to sniffle and wipe tears away with the sleeve of his shirt beneath his glasses. "You don't have to say anything else."
"Ding's vill ged bedder soon. Be obdimisdic. It vorkt for me." And so, Prussia left, leaving Canada crying in his kitchen with no one.
All alone.
As always.
---
A hand caressed his face.
"Noh! Schtop! Goh avay!" He yelled in vain as the hand gets to his hairline and grips harshly at the weak follicles. The hand yanks, effectively robbing him of his ever thinning hair and smashing the two men's lips together. "Fuck! Led goh!"
"Vhat vas zet?" The teeth pause on his shoulder as they nip down his throat.
"I sait ged ovf of me!" They bite down, tearing the skin and making him grunt in pain. "Schtop it! Ged ava-" The teeth leave him and a faucet pipe connects with the side of his face, flooring him in a millisecond.
"Vhat dit you zay?" A happy-go-lucky voice answers through his haze of pain and disorientation.
"I sait… I sait…" He can't finish himself, he knows the outcome will always be the same no matter what the answer. One way was just less painful. "I sait noding."
"I zoughd zoh!" A giggle and he is being dragged by his boots down the hallway into a room. That room. He almost struggles as the hands lift him and toss him carelessly onto the bed. Nearly, he fights when they divest him of his pants. Always, he bites his lip, his knuckle, something, anything to keep his screams silent. Sometimes the red man will stay with him, sometimes he will whisper sweet, meaningless nothings, sometimes there will be olive branches extended and the second round of "punishment" will be skipped. Usually, it's not.
"Please… I beg you… Don'd… It hurds…"
"Of course it does comrade!" The larger one's hips shove and he screams.
"Bruder! Osten! Gilbert! Vake up!" Ludwig desperately yelled as he tried to wake his screaming brother up. Another scream and the albino's flailing hand grabbed the back of the other's night shirt. His hand was fisted so tightly it had to be causing Gilbert pain. "Please vake up."
"Ve, Germany, what's wrong with him?" Feliciano asked as he walked into the room, disturbed out of sleep by a loud noise for the first time in his life.
"I don'd know Italy. It's like how he vas avder… Avder…"
"He was with Ivan?"
"Ja…" The hand grabbing his shirt suddenly slacked and moved down to his waist, Ludwig returned his eyes from the sweet Italian to his tearful brother.
"Westen… I hev to goh." Gilbert sat up, shamelessly wiping the tears from his eyes.
"Dis early? Vhere?" Ludwig was very skeptical about letting the albino go anywhere alone now. This sudden relapse wasn't making him feel so good about his brother's current mental state. Maybe underneath it all he was fine, but for the moment he obviously wasn't.
"I neet to see somevon."
"Who?"
"None of your beesvax." He was fine.
"If you say soh… Be careful. C'mon Italy, he vill vant to-Vhy do you alvays hev to do dat?!" Ludwig yelled as his brother stood out of bed and stretched flauntingly.
"Because I'm schexy und you know it."
"Urgh!" Gilbert "kesesesesesed" and Ludwig shoved Feliciano from the room, his face redder than he had ever seen it. Once the door slammed shut, his smirk dropped to a frown, it was sad he only knew of one way to truly cope with a dream like this.
---
"I could've sworn I locked the door this time…"
"You dit." Prussia said casually to the still half-asleep man in bed. There was a smirk working at his face for a reason unknown to him as the groggy one seemed to grope for something to say.
"Why are you here…" The tension was building in the obviously annoyed blonde's voice.
"Pancakes."
"At four in the morning, eh?!"
"Yes, aht vour in de morning… Eh."
"Prussia… I usually do not mind guests… In fact… I welcome them," Canada began carefully as he sat up in bed, rubbing his temples against the oncoming headache. "but… But, but, but… When they wake me up at four in the morning demanding pancakes, of all things!" His voice slowly crescendo, causing Prussia to lean away slightly. "That is when I rather they stayed away!" He gave Prussia a quick and powerful shove, making the man stumble forward off the bed. Never did he lose his footing, but he came damn close to having a make-out session with the wood flooring.
"I hat… I hat… Anoder… Vell…" It really was embarrassing to admit he was there to cope with a nightmare "I hat a relapse…" Canada furiously sputtered at his answer.
"You came here, woke me up at four in the morning, because you had a nightmare?!" Prussia looked away shamefully. Canada only panted for air as he glared at the fuzzy shape of the man with averted eyes. After twenty seconds of complete silence, the blonde sighed, reaching for his glasses and slipping them on. "Alright, if it will make you feel better… I guess I can make you some pancakes."
"Really?" The albino asked, incredulity flying across his face. He was surprised when Canada nodded and slipped himself from bed to stand before him.
"Really. Does Germany know you're here?"
"Of course…"
"Just checking, c'mon." Canada took Prussia's shirt sleeve in hand and tugged him from the room after him. "I guess you can stay here tonight if you want. I mean if you will want to go back to sleep, you can use the guest bedroom."
"Uh, danks?"
"No problem."
"Vhat's de catch?" Usually there were in situations like this, Prussia found. The blonde that was tugging him into the kitchen only sighed and looked back at him.
"Learn that when it's me, very few times such offers have strings attached. Sit down and I'll make you some pancakes."
The two, once again, shared one another's company, this time, however, it did not end so sourly. They laughed about a few things, complained about a few things without going into depth and Canada cleaned the kitchen as Prussia prattled on about his awesomeness.
"Reminds you of awhile ago, doesn't it?" Canada suddenly said as the two sat on the couch watching TV in comfortable silence.
"Liddle bid." The sky outside was beginning to become light, Prussia knew he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep after eating so much sugar anyway. "You going back to bett?"
"Well considering you have me up now." The blonde shrugged. "I don't think I will be able to until about noon." A pleasant chuckle slipped from the Prussian's lips, it was obvious the boy was really tired. Most likely he was just wary of letting Prussia roam his house without his supervision.
"A bid like me noh? Vonce up, cahn'd goh back to schleep?"
"I guess so." A traitorous yawn made Canada's mouth gape to its fullest extent. It made Prussia laugh and yawn too.
"Dang condagious yawns." A weak chuckle followed with a whispered "yeah" as Canada's eyes slipped closed. Prussia sighed when it was obvious the boy had fallen back asleep. "Noon, eh? Aboud six hours schy buddy." He pushed himself carefully up from the couch and smoothed out his clothing. "I vill see you tomorrow morning." His hand tousled Canada's hair as he chuckled and left the house.
"G'd afternoon! Mattie!"
"Mmng… Not now Prussia." Matthew groaned as he resituated himself on the couch.
"Prussia?!" Alfred exclaimed, very confused, it was such a random person to mistake him for… "Why would ya think I was that guy of all people?"
"Hmm?" The younger of the two slowly let his eyes slip open until he saw clearly who it was. Well, as clearly as his divested eyes could see. "Mmng?! Alfred? When did you get here?"
"Hmmm, about five minutes ago. Why're ya asleep this late? It's like… Three."
"Three?! In the afternoon?!"
"No, three in the morning, d'uh, three in the afternoon. Hence I said 'good afternoon'."
"Mmm. Why are you here?" Canada asked, finding his glasses had fallen into his lap. Alfred seemed to look indignant as he slipped them back onto his face. "What's the matter?"
"Do I need a reason to visit my favorite little brother?"
"I'm your only little brother… I'm your only brother." Alfred blew a raspberry away from Matthew's face.
"So what, I still love ya and therefore need no actual reason to visit you."
"What do you want…?" Matthew's eyebrow climbed up his forehead as Alfred looked away, obviously caught in the act of wanting something.
"Weeeell, ya see… I'm in a bit of a bind…" He knew it. "I think Kiku is mad at me 'bout some'n'."
"Why would he be mad at you?"
"I think I musta missed his birthday 'r some'n'." Matthew really didn't see how this had anything to do with him.
"And you want me to…"
"Help me make 'im a b'lated b-day gift maybe?"
"Alfred… Japan's birthday was in February…"
"Okay so a really b'lated gift." At this point, Matthew decided that maybe he would rather deal with Prussia, but it was better if he didn't even mention him. Alfred was pissed about his whole staying a month and had used so many of his strange colloquialisms that Matthew had to start a new list to remember the meanings of all of them.
"Can't you just… I don't know, apologize and give him flowers?"
"Flowers?! Why would I give him flowers?!"
"Uhm, because you've been interested in him for… How long now?" Alfred crossed his arms over his chest and looked away, his face a mild red color. Here we go again… One would think that with how impulsive the man was that it would have come out a long time ago. It was also true people thought Canada didn't exist…
"Not all people are as secure in their orientation as you Mr. straighter than a fast trip to the outhouse." Well that was a new one. "I mean, you're still a virgin an' all, but at least you know you're straight, ya know?" The American seemed to totally miss the look of irritation on his younger brother's face. Like Prussia not so long ago, he was missing some big, crucial piece of information.
"Please refrain from your odd sayings, they are often embarrassing and come from nowhere."
"Actually, most of them come from Texas." Alfred said cheerily as he slipped his glasses up to a better place on his nose.
"Yeah…."
"Please Mattie?" He was on his knees, hands clasped together in pleading. Damn those big, blue, puppy-dog eyes! The younger blonde knew he was a doormat when it came to his brother, especially when he pulled out the heavy artillery.
"Yosh!" Alfred cheered as he stood up and pulled Matthew to his feet. "C'mon Mattie! Not much time t'waste!"
"Alright, just let me get dressed."
"Aww, really? But you're slower than molasses going uphill on crutches in January!"
"What did I say about those sayings?"
"Can't remember!"
---
"Stupid Alfred." Matthew grumbled as he plopped down in bed that evening. They had ended up doing something involving cats and comics as their plan. He wasn't sure if Japan actually liked it or if he merely said he did because it was America giving it to him and he was obviously sorry about whatever it was he did. Really, Matthew didn't think Alfred had wronged Kiku in any way and was just overreacting to the man's usual personality. "Hey, Kumakoto, how were you today?"
"Who're you?" The bear nibbled on the remote control between his paws and Matthew sighed.
"I'm Canada."
"I was fine."
"Oh…" The tired blonde's breathing deepened. "You don't say." His eyes slipped closed.
"Mmhmm." Kumajirou nodded and Matthew was asleep.
"Oh, Caaanaaadaaaa." The blonde nation didn't even open his eyes, there was a scowl on his face all the same, though.
"How do you keep getting into my house? I know I locked that door this time…"
"Anciend Germanic secred. Kesesesese." Prussia sat down on the edge of the bed and crossed his legs.
"What are you? That bad guy from the Terminator two?" The other man all out laughed.
"Maaybe. Dough, I dink dat's more Schpecs."
"No, I was talking about the main bad guy. You know? The liquid metal one that could go through small holes?"
"Oh, dat von… Hm. Anyvay, you know vhy I'm hier."
"Ohhh…. Lemme guess, pancakes?"
"Ja, und to invate your vidal regions."
"Get anywhere near my vital regions and you're dead." Canada yawned and sat up, rubbing his eyes to get the sleep from them.
"Sure." He scowled again and Prussia laughed. "It von'd be long now bevore you ahre begging me to invate dem."
"Not long you say? Hm, I'm thinking not in the next hundred years."
"Soh you'll vant to in a cendury? Too bet for you I don'd do dutes. You mighd look like a chick, bud in de place dat it counds, you cerdainly ain'd." Prussia felt the sheer force of the glare against his skin and pretended not to notice.
"I'm only making you two, eh."
Down in the kitchen, the two sat and ate, talking about events of the previous day. It was a pleasant experience for Matthew, usually he never got to do this. Prussia rather enjoyed the experience too, irritating Canada was one of the most interesting things in the world to him, currently. It was fun to see how long it took to make his Quebecois slur his English or for him to pepper his language with obscenities and ehs.
"Your bruder's an idiod, I hope you know dat." Prussia took his last bite of pancake before getting up to wash the plate off.
"Yeah, he kind of is… I love him anyway."
"Qveer."
"Now, that's not really fair, I know you love your brother." The blonde followed him to the sink with his own plate to wash off. When Prussia took his plate to wash for him he let out a small sound of surprise. If the past few times he had woken him up were anything to go on, Prussia was going to leave soon.
"Ja, ja of course I do. It's jus fun to mess vid you."
"You're just the sweetest individual I know." Canada remarked with a cheery, false smile.
"Ahren'd I jus?" The albino dried the plates and stacked them into Canada's kitchen cabinets with the rest of the kitchen wares.
"So, you going to leave now?"
"Nope." He said nonchalantly as he dug into the fridge an extricated a beer.
"What?"
"I sait, 'nope'." The man chuckled as he popped his p and wandered out of the kitchen to the TV room.
"Hey! Wait! Who said you could stay!?" Canada followed him to the adjacent room.
"I dit! Kesesesesese!"
"Only friends are allowed to do that you know." He snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, if that wasn't going to get him out of his house without violent force than nothing would. The man had clearly stated just the other day that the two were not friends.
"Den I am your freund. Name's Gilbert und I'm gonna be schticking arount for a very long time." Gilbert smirked and dropped to the couch, opening his beer with his index finger. Canada stuttered for a few moments, the man had just said they were… They were… Friends… They were friends… What was more was that he said they were going to be that way for a long time… His face turned red as he looked away and pulled nervously at the collar of his t-shirt.
"M-Matthew…" He pursed his lips and rocked back onto his heels.
"Pleasure. Now sid down und explain to me your bruder's inane schpord callt, American foodball."
"Uh-Uhm, sure…" Matthew plopped down next to him, sitting stark straight, nervous about what to do, he hadn't made a new friend in a very long time… Gilbert seemed to notice and stared at him out of the corner of his eye as he drank his beer. Suddenly, the blonde felt himself pulled against the man's chest in a somewhat awkwardly but confidently executed hug.
"Jus tread me how you hev been. Kesesese, it's enderdaining." He paused briefly for thought. "I musd say dough, you ahre cude vhen you're like dis."
"W-What?!" Matthew tried to pull away, his face a deep red, Gilbert held firm, pressing him ever the harder against his laughing and sturdy frame.
"Kesesesesese!!! You'll hev to do bedder dan dat!" Deep inside, Matthew knew that he wasn't going to mind this friendship at all. In fact, he was going to love it even. At least the man had a personality.
-----
Notes:
Laws of Hammerspace--I feel that this deserves mentioning, with the nations, hammerspace works like this, if they are within their nation (themselves?) they have the ability to pull anything that is present within that nation from somewhere on their person. Hungary and her frying pan is the only exception because that's just how she is(epic). Prussia has this ability within Germany since he was the precursor for it but, he can only do small things, in the eastern part of Germany though, this ability is stronger and he can do any number of things. He, however, cannot use this ability while in Canada as all nations cannot when in nations other than themselves.
Quoi--What?!
Prussia's Birthday--He does have one, it's January 18th, but his birthday is mentioned within Aftermath some time and this is for continuity reasons.
America's Sayings--They really are from Texas….
Arnold Schwarzenegger--The reason I will never give Austria the correct accent. I'm not dissing Austrians at all, it's just… Thinking of Austria talking like the 'Negger just… I can't do it…
Originally finished this this morning, but, chih, I've got two projects for art to finish before Friday so yeah. I had to leave early this morning and therefore had not the time to post this.
People who have not read Aftermath, things are about to get confusing! For people who have, some of this will be quite familiar to you XD