Ello' Chick-a-dees, a special thanks to my reviewers: Shiralala, x1, Killerkitty15, and theAwesomePurssia17 as well as everyone who favorited or followed my story. It was like a early Christmas present. Speaking of which, there is definitely going to be a sequel to Something to be Thankful for, and that will be published on Christmas day. So to hold you over until then, here is a two part bonus chapter about our favorite Hetalian couple. Enjoy~
Warning: Naughty dreams and more Man on Man kissing (don't deny it, you want it to happen)
Disclaimer: I have no claims whatsoever to the brilliant web comic turned anime that is Hetalia...*sniff* none at all
Omake (1)
The first fall of snow was always beautiful to me. The silence, like the world was holding its breath while the sky opened and soft snowflakes fell. I also watched in silence from my perch by my windowsill. I could see the faint outline of Kuma in the distance, romping around in the snow like the playful cub his was. I smiled as I pulled my blanket tighter around my shoulders with one hand, the other holding a warm mug of mulled cider. My body was relaxed, but my mind was anything but. My thoughts were wandering like usual, but this time it was in anticipation. The promised date with Prussia was just around the corner. Tomorrow, I was traveling to Germany where Prussia resided with his brother. We both decided that it was easier for me to come to him than the other way around, besides he was just as excited about me being close to his native country as I was about going. I had even searched online, making a list of all the spots I wanted to visit during my stay and the events I wanted to attend.
The actual date wouldn't be until after I settled down and learned a bit about the streets of the city. It made me ever so curious as to what my date with Prussia would entail. Was he the romantic movie and candle light dinner type? Or the adventurous laser tag/go kart type? Or maybe even the casual stroll through nature type? The possibilities were endless and although the nervousness wasn't completely foreign to me, the origin of the nervousness was however. It would be my first date in...oh Maple...centuries at least! (There was a very brief tryst with Cuba that I would rather forget). I was thankfully shaken out of my thoughts by the front door opening and Kuma walking through, letting in a burst of cold air before the door was shut once more. He shook his fur and clumps of snow fell to the hardwood floor. I rolled my eyes at the mess and stood.
"Hungry?" I asked him, though I was already heading towards the kitchen.
"Starving," he replied paws slapping softly against the floor as he followed. His vocabulary was starting to expand the more I talked to him and it was a welcomed surprise. Gone were the days of 'yes' 'no' 'feed me' and my personal favorite 'who are you?'
"What would you like?" I said, looking through the refrigerator and cabinets for something edible for both of us.
"Cake," he immediately responded and I rolled my eyes. It's a wonder the cub wasn't plump by now with all the sweets he consumed. Instead he remained the same 2 foot plush polar bear that I knew and loved to coddle. It was hard not too especially when he gave answers like that.
"How about some real food?" I replied and if polar bears could pout, Kuma would have done it and I had to resist from laughing.
"Fish." Was his sullen reply and this time I chuckled softly. I moved over to the freezer where frozen cods where already filleted and waiting to be cooked. I wasn't much of a cook (really pancakes were the only recipe I had perfected), but I wasn't completely useless in the kitchen.
I grilled the fish, nothing too fancy, just a pitch of a special season mix and sprinkle of lemon to add flavor. Once the fish was grilled to my satisfaction, I set one upon a plate and put it off to the side for myself, the other I placed before Kuma, and then because I'm a total pushover, I also placed a piece of cake beside the plate, with various berries piled skyhigh on top. He attacked the pastry first with unparalleled vigor and I smiled fondly. Against my will my thoughts wondered to Prussia, more specifically his mention of his pet bird, Gilbird. What an interesting name, I mused before the smell of my food distracted me enough to break from my thoughts.
I grabbed my plate and headed over to the living room, side stepping the various sized puddles of melted snow that Kuma trailed from the front door to the kitchen. When I finally reached my old couch, I sank into its worn seats with a contented sigh. I hitched my legs up onto the couch and curled them towards my body. With one hand, I grabbed my blanket proudly displaying the Canadian flag that I kept folded on the back of the couch and tugged it down. It fell into a heap on my legs and I tugged a few more times to settle it comfortably over my lower half.
Finally secure, I picked up the remote that was laying atop the coffee table next to the sofa and pressed the power button. The sounds that the television emitted rang throughout my small wooden cottage. The ring of bells, shouts of the fans in the stands, and the clang of sticks clanking against each other calmed me more than it should and maneuvered a pillow to create a makeshift table to set my plate on. I nibbled on the grilled fish absentmindedly as my violet eyes took in the carnage displayed on the screen.
Hockey was a brutal sport to watch, there was no doubt about it, but it was also exhilarating if you were the one on in the rink. Gliding across frozen ice with the matching speed and ferocity? Ducking and weaving through your opponents or sometimes just going straight through them? There was nothing like it in the world. I only experienced it a few times with an actual team (playing with humans was a little unfair to them), but most of the time I skated alone on the frozen pond in my backyard and it was still enjoyable. Watching had its merits as well. It's the sense of pride that was the reason I found myself watching it most nights. It was a comforting and comfortable routine. And somehow, moments later with my plate empty on the pillow in front of me and the announcer blaring comments in the background, I feel into a deep sleep.
It was dark.
So dark.
I was alone.
So alone.
No one could see me.
I was ignored.
As usual.
'I see you,' a voice greeted me in the darkness, and I wondered how could that be. I could barely see my own hand in front of me. I turned around, my eyes scanning the nothingness around me. It was a bit unsettling. Even more so since the voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it just yet.
'How?' I questioned, doubt lacing my words.
'I'm an Awesome guy who notices Awesome things.'
That made me gasp, recognizing the words and finally the voice. 'Prussia?' I whispered, almost afraid to be wrong.
'I see you, Vögelchen,' was his reply whispered right into my ear, making me shiver. I turned around, towards his voice, but was disappointed when I could only make out his general outline. I stepped closer to him and was surprised when his arms wrapped around me in a tight embrace.
The 'eep' that escaped from my mouth was muffled as Prussia swooped down to capture my lips in a kiss. It wasn't chaste like our first kiss, nor was it like the slow lingering ones we exchanged before we went our separate ways from America's home. No this were hot and heavy, full of want and burning with pent up desire. I drowned in it happily, my hands twisting themselves in the fabric of his shirt, anchoring myself to him. Our lips parted and we had to catch our breaths.
'Vögelchen...' he groaned into my ear and if that didn't make me want to melt against him I didn't know what would. 5 seconds was long enough of a break, right? Well, it had to be because we were at it again, this time his hands roaming. I tried to reign in the noises I made, but he wouldn't have any of that. Every kiss, every touch, every movement was done to unravel me I was sure. And it worked. Oh how well it worked.
Until he stopped.
He stepped away from me and I let out a whine of discomfort, wanting that body heat once more. There was a soft sound, like rustling fabric and then I could feel him step closer to me. I reached forward wanting to establish contact once more and was met with the hard flesh of his chest. Hard, bare flesh. I blushed heavily and went to remove my hand, but one of his held it in place.
'Prussia, what are you...why are you..' I couldn't finish a single sentence, my brain foggy from the feel of his skin under mine. It was warm and his heartbeat was fast, erratic almost and it matched mine perfectly. Without my consent my hands moved, mapping out the musculature of his torso, with his hand remaining above mine. I felt every curve and indentation as my hands did some roaming of their own until I felt that I had explored it all.
Then the hand that was covering mine moved my hand lower down his abdomen...
And lower passing his navel...
And lower still...
Until...
I awoke with a start, face flushed and pants embarrassingly tight. My forgotten plate clattered to the ground, but thankfully did not break. I took several deep breathes to regulate my breathing and willing the ache between my legs to go away. I heard a noise to my right and jumped when I spotted Kuma. He gave me a smug look that screamed 'I know what you were dreaming about' and that made my cheeks burn all the more. I tried in vain to keep a guilty look off of my face as I grabbed the remote. Once the television was turned off, the silence was only more pronounced. I stood up from the couch, keeping my blanket firmly wrapped around my waist and picked up the fallen plate. I walked stiffly out of the room and was only a few steps away from the kitchen, so I thought I was out in the clear. Yeah, right.
"So, who's Prussia?" the little bugger had to ask. At his statement, I quickened my pace and his laughter followed me even after I dropped the plate off into the sink and escaped into my room. I slammed the door shut, more from embarrassment than in actual anger. I plopped down onto my bed and groaned into my pillow. The cub would never let me forget this moment, and for that matter neither would I. My heart sped up as the remains of my dream came back to me, and my member gave a interested twitch.
"No," I mumbled through the plush of my pillow, and thankfully it did nothing else. I crawled under my covers after making sure my alarm was set for the flight tomorrow and promptly fell into a deep dreamless slumber.
(^w^)
The next day I woke up before my alarm, a good 5 hours before my plane would take off. Plenty of time to make sure everything was ready. I cooked pancakes for Kuma and myself, and also explained to him I had meals already prepared that didn't even need to be heated in case he was hungry. It wouldn't be the first time I left the cub alone, but I was making sure it was clear that I wanted no surprise messes when I came back. I didn't even want to know how raspberries got on the ceiling like that. I took my time packing what I felt I would need for the trip. I checked and Berlin's temperatures were below freezing, not even nearly as cold as the arctic of my nation, but I packed a light jacket nevertheless.
One hour before my plane would board, I took a taxi to Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport with two suitcases in tow. The drive was only 15 minutes, and checking my bags took less than 10. Security was basically no existent for me as well. One of the perks of being the personifications of a country: no hassle from TSA. And soon I was walking towards my respective terminal, with a brief stop at one of those convenience stores to get a small snack.
The plane ride in itself wasn't too horrible. I flew first class, a luxury that allowed me the space to take a nap if I so wanted to for most of the long flight that was ahead of me. At first, I made the decision to watch a movie, but the catchy tune of "Love is an Open Door" lulled me to sleep. I awoke in time for the stewardess to offer me a complementary lunch. I played it safe with the cracker, cheese, and fruit combo with a side of wine. I finished watching the movie whilst nibbling on my food and by the time the end credits rolled, one of the characters left me with some questions.
Anna was isolated her whole life, and when she found even the semblance of romance she went for it no questions asked. She was just so happy for the change that when someone showed her interest, when she 'was noticed by someone' she jumped at the chance to have her fairytale ending. It made me wonder if I was doing the same. Was I too hasty with my relationship with Prussia? Granted we weren't getting married or anything like that, but I was traveling halfway around the world for the guy. The longer I thought about it, the worse my mood became. What if our first date was failure? What if this trip would just show him that we weren't compatible? What if this thing between us meant more to me than him? What if...
Oh Maple, I took a deep breath to calm myself. I was thinking too hard on it, I realized, and that would only lead to more destructive thoughts. I decided on a different movie, a more upbeat one, to get my mind off of things. I was in the middle of a scene where the main character is revealed to be a 'master builder' when my eyes grew heavy once more and I promptly fell asleep. What only seemed like moments later I was awakened by the sound of the captain on the loud speaker.
"Good Morning passengers, it is currently 9pm Berlin time. The temperature is currently -6 degrees Celsius. We have approximately 5 more minutes until the plane lands in Berlin Tegel Airport. Until then, please do not unbuckle your seatbelts until the light indicates you to do so. Thank you for flying with us and have a good day."
As soon as the orange light showing a seatbelt turned off, I released myself from the restraints and quickly made my way to the door. When I stepped outside the plane and into the corridor, a brisk wind swept my hair into a frenzy and I relished the feel of the cold on my bare arms.
Berlin Tegel Airport was huge and busy even at this time of night. People pushed their was past me without saying sorry, it was okay though, since I said it enough for the both of us. Entschuldigung, as hard as it was to pronounce as first, was quickly becoming the most fluent word I could speak. I made sure to learn at least a little bit of German before coming. My reasoning was that I didn't want to look like a fool, but really I just wanted to see Prussia's face when his native tongue feel from my lips. I was hoping he would be pleased.
Luckily, the signs had English translated next to it, so finding Baggage Claim wasn't too much trouble. I waited for the conveyor belt to move, and watched the plastic covered opening with rapt attention. It wasn't hard to spot the bright red and white amongst the blacks and greys of everyone else's luggage. I grabbed them quickly and then moved to where I believed the taxis and buses to be waiting. I wanted to get to a hotel as soon as possible, however, as soon as I stepped out of the door I heard a loud shout and I jumped in surprise turning towards the noise.
"Vögelchen!" A wide smile stretched across my face as I watched familiar white locks bounce as Prussia ran over to me.
"What are you doing here?" I asked. It wasn't my plan to have him pick me up and drive me to a hotel at such an early time.
"Well, how else are you supposed to know how to get to my place."
"Your place?" I echoed.
"Yeah, you know the place you'll be staying while you're here. My place," he explained to me, but I still wasn't getting it.
"Oh, okay?" I asked rather than agreed looking towards the ground.
"Do you not want to?" He asked in a low voice, and I glanced up to see those red eyes poorly masking disappointment.
"What?! No, I would love to!" I exclaimed before blushing. "I mean, thank you for your hospitality, but I thought...I mean, you mentioned that Germany.." I trailed off awkwardly. "I didn't want to burden you and was just going to stay at a hotel."
"Ah, oh that," he said, his brain filling in the blanks I left. "Yeah, I used to live in mein bruder's basement for a while, but I finally got the motivation to get my own place. And no, I'm not gonna let my boyfriend stay at a hotel, you're totally staying with me." For a split second I selfishly wondered if maybe I was the motivation, but I knew it was unlikely. Then his words caught up to me.
"Boy-boyfriend?" I questioned, my voice rising an octave.
"Yeah, that's the term when you're dating someone, right?"
"B-but we haven't had a date yet-"
"We will soon," Prussia interjected, but I went on.
"-and who's to say it'll even turn out well-"
"I do."
"-not to mention we don't even know each other that well-"
"Which will be fixed soon.," he reasoned.
"-and then we never really talked about-"
"Mein gott," Prussia huffed before pulling me into his arms and pressed his lips onto mine, effectively stopping my tirade. "You talk too much, Vögelchen. Now listen," he told me when I opened my mouth to comment. "I won't use the B word if it makes you feel better, but just so it's clear that's what I believe we are, and I'm going to spend this entire trip wooing you until you admit it. Okay?"
"Okay," I responded giving him a soft smile. I'm sure my face was probably an embarrassing shade of red, but it didn't matter. I was so darn happy. However, my mood came crashing down when I realized we were still embracing in a crowded public airport and hastened to separate.
"What's wrong?" He questioned, eyebrows scrunching together.
"We're in public!" I said quietly, a bit of panic creeping into my voice. While my own country had already progressed with gay rights including legalizing gay marriage years ago, I knew it still wasn't widely accepted in other areas. However, Prussia diffused my fears with laughter and a wave of his hand.
"Germany has an active LGBT community in all the major cities, including Berlin. There's nothing to fear."
"Oh," I said, feeling a little foolish for not being up to date with other countries views on homosexuality. I was pleased though that it wouldn't be an issue.
"Come one," he said grabbing hold of my suitcases before doing a double take in my direction. "Was die...where the hell is your coat?"
"In my luggage," I told him, not understanding the incredulous expression that adorned his face.
"Why isn't it on you?" he said slowly.
"I didn't need it. I'm not cold." And I wasn't, the frozen air in my lungs was actually a welcome and familiar sensation. If it wasn't for the hustle and bustle of the people around me, not to mention the loud German filling my ears, I would have thought it to be home.
He opened and closed his mouth a few times, but no words came out. Finally, he shook his head and after another casual 'come on' was thrown over his shoulder, he made his way to the parking lot. I rushed to follow after him and was led to a light blue Audi.
"This is actually mein bruder's car. I drive a motorcycle, but I figured you'd have more bags than it could fit so he lent it to me," he told me and I nodded, watching as he opened the trunk before making my way to the passenger's seat of the vehicle. I was confused for a moment when I went to the right side and saw the steering wheel on that side, but then remembered I was now in Europe and that was the norm. So with a blush on my face I went to he opposite side and climbed in.
The interior was nice, and I let my fingers trail along the leather seats appreciatively. Not long after I felt rather than heard the trunk slam shut and Prussia made his way to the driver's seat. He started the car and immediately heat began to circulate in the car. I melted in my seat, content. During the drive over to Prussia's place I told him about my flight and the movies I watched. He agreed that the Frozen soundtrack was cool, but the Lego Movie was hands down the best. He claims that 'Everything is Awesome' should be his personal anthem.
Laughter still rang in the Audi as we pulled up to a large cream building that was 5 stories high. He parked along the curb and we both exited the car. I went to grab my suitcases, but Prussia wouldn't have it. However, I wasn't going to let him take all the weight so we compromised and each took one maple leaf printed suitcase. His apartment was on the top floor and thank goodness the elevator was working. I didn't want to think about walking up so many stairs.
When the elevator dinged and the doors opened I was surprised at the silence. He led me over to a nearby dark blue door with the numbers 501 carved elegantly into a wooden plate. He pulled out a set of keys from the pocket of the jeans he wore and slipped the key into the doorknob. With a quick turn to the right, the door unlocked and he opened it. He stepped inside first and I followed. For a while there was nothing but darkness in front of me until with a click the lights came on. I looked around the studio apartment. There was a small section of hardwood near the door where I was currently standing on, but the rest of the room was covered with a black carpet. I took off my shoes as common courtesy, took a step forward and immediately relished in the feeling of the plush carpet beneath my socked feet.
I ventured further in and took in the sight around me. The apartment was pretty big and sectioned off in certain areas to create the appearance of rooms. To my left was a small kitchenette. Across the kitchen was a large futon and equally large flat screen mounted on the wall. Beneath it was a game counsel that was surrounded by game casings, some open, some closed. Walking further inside I could spot what I guessed to be a bedroom area. A large king sized bed was sandwiched between a nightstand and tall dresser. Against the far wall was a computer stand, items cluttered a top the structure and a laptop sat in the middle opened to a blank screen. The walls were covered with what appeared to be various sketches, and I itched to observe them closer.
However, I remembered my host and turned towards him with a smile. "It's nice," I said indicating the space around me.
He gave me a sheepish smile in return. "Thanks." He then led me over to a place I couldn't see from my vantage point. It was directly across from the bed and was sectioned off with a noren curtain of all things. It was decorated with a majestic looking peacock and I had a second to admire the art before Prussia pulled back one side to show a large...cabinet? I looked towards Prussia in confusion but he merely grinned before stepping forward and pulling the cabinet down. I stepped to the side as he brought it down fully and it was revealed to be a bed. A nice queen sized bed with crisp white sheets already adorning the furniture. I stared with wide and positively shocked eyes.
"You'd sleep here," he said showing me, as if I couldn't have guessed. "I wasn't sure how to do sleeping arrangements at first. I wasn't going to push our boundaries and force us to share a bed, nor would I have you sleep on the couch even if it is a futon. I had no qualms about giving you my bed, but I figured it might make you feel awkward, so I figured this would be a safe bet. I-I hope that's alright," he blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. And he just looked so nervous and...well, adorable that I couldn't help myself. I leaned forward to give him a small sweet kiss.
"It's perfect." And it was. The bed sat a good 6 inches off the ground which was just the way I liked it. Around what I believed to be a cabinet, was open shelved spaces that could hold my various belongings and toiletries, as well as drawers to place my folded clothes. I was touched that Prussia would do this for me, and that warmth that I felt at the Thanksgiving potluck was returning in full.
"I know you had a long flight so It's okay if you want to clock out now. I can show you around tomorrow."
In reply I pulled him close and kissed him again, longer this time. "Suddenly, I don't feel so tired anymore," I said sincerely, which caused him to laugh.
"I actually have to buy a few groceries to stock up the refrigerator." He gave me a quick peck on the lips. "Make yourself at home, I'll be back soon."
"Hmmm..okay," I said, reluctantly letting go of him. He went over towards the front door and I watched as he shrugged on a jacket and gloves before grabbing the keys he had thrown on the kitchen counter. "Be careful," I told him. It was the same words I said to Kuma whenever he liked to venture out, the same words I said to anyone close to me when they were departing. Prussia paused for a second before sending that boyish smile my way.
"Always."
And then he was gone, and I felt like I could breathe. The whole ordeal was so surreal! I couldn't believe that not only was I in Germany (a place I've always wanted to visit but was too shy to), but I was here with Prussia my...boyfriend? The word felt foreign even in my mind. Not only that, I was in his apartment. Where he ate, where he slept, where he...showered. I blushed at the turn my mind had taken and shook my head to rid myself of the thoughts.
First thing I did was unpack my two suitcases. I neatly arranged their contents in the drawers and on the shelves. Second thing was I found the bathroom. After I relieved myself, I gathered the necessary items to take a quick shower. I changed into my pajamas (no, they don't have the Canadian flag printed on them, they are actually a plaid purple print), but it was true that I didn't feel tired even after my 10 hour flight. I slept through most of it, and besides I was too wired from excitement to actually sleep. So I took the time to explore Prussia's man cave in detail. I was going through his collection of games when the sound of keys jiggling caught my attention. Soon after the door flung open and a loud voice followed it.
"I'm back!"
I rolled my eyes. "Clearly," I said, but rose from my position crouched on the floor to help him put away the food, surprised to find the refrigerator was bare. In no time we had all the food packed away, and then we were at loss for what would happen next.
"So...you're not tired at all?" he initiated.
"Nope."
"So..." he started again. "Did you want to do...something?" His face was flushed and his nervousness was obvious. I knew I shouldn't, but the temptation was too great.
"Well," I purposely trailed off, giving him a heated stare as I made my way closer. "I do have...something in mind."
"Oh..uh...y-yeah?" He gulped and that made me smile slowly.
I nodded while humming an affirmative. There was barely an inch between us before I stopped moving. The pause was prominent as our breaths mingled before I backed away and strode over to the where the games were scattered around the television. "I saw you have Call of Duty: Ghosts. Think you can take me on?" I threw a saucy wink in his direction and watched with smug eyes as he blinked out of the haze I put him in. Then he gave me a wide grin.
"Oh, you're on."
While there was more than enough room on the futon, we both decided to play while seated on the plush carpet. There was a tray set between us that held snacks and beverages for us to consume, and it was eaten between bouts of laughter and playful banter about each other's 'lackluster' skills. It was the most fun I had had in a while and we ended up staying up all night playing video games, falling asleep somewhere in between killing zombies in Resident Evil and racing in Mario Kart.
And that is but the first part of this two part Bonus chapter. I didn't want to leave you guys waiting for long, so I'll give you this. The second part will be updated next week.
Review please~