Rivalry

Part 5

It was quite entertaining to watch America's expression change from a mixture of boredom, irritation, and disappointment to one of complete confusion within a matter of seconds. It was all Prussia could do not to laugh. France had been right about this. This was definitely going to be fun.

"Hey, America. Fancy seeing you here," he remarked, leaning his head slightly to the side as he watched the American. Attempting to look as innocent as possible.

He had to give the kid some credit. He bounced back pretty quickly from this sort of shock.

"Oh, hi—" America hesitated, attempting to remember what he was supposed to call the ex-nation now. He couldn't remember his real name, and he wasn't Prussia anymore…

"Don't tell me that you forgot the awesome Prussia?" Prussia laughed, a tad bitterly as if aware of why the American hesitated. He grinned, however, and reached up to his head to dislodge the little yellow chick that had been napping among the silvery strands. "Say hey to America, Gilbird."

The bird met the American's eyes with little beady black ones and then cheeped once. America wasn't entirely sure if he should say hi back, so he just offered an awkward little finger wiggle-wave. Prussia nodded, this apparently being acceptable to him, and set the chick next to his saucer as he took a swig of his coffee.

"Um, what are you doing in Iggy's house?" America finally questioned, glancing back towards the room where England was now screeching through the telephone that his eyebrows did not look like caterpillars and they would not be turning into butterflies someday.

Prussia's grin widened and he winked almost lewdly. "Really, America? You have to ask?"

"Um…yes?"

Prussia chuckled in amusement at the slightly worried look that America was flashing him. So much fun. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and his chin on his palms. "Well, America, when two people love each other very much they sometimes get these urges to seize each other's vital…"

"Eh!" America immediately held up his hand to stop him. "Okay, okay, I get it!"

Prussia looked a little disappointed at being stopped. He hadn't been able to give anyone that speech since Germany was a kid. He still remembered that day fondly. France had even offered to come over and assist.

If you asked Germany about that day, he'd probably run screaming from the room.

"So…since when are you and Iggy…?" There was no way he was going to finish that question. He attempted to make a motion to represent what he was trying to say, but failed rather miserably.

Prussia smirked. "Artie and I have been together forever. Since before you were around, at least." He took another sip of his coffee before setting it back on the saucer. Gilbird was eyeing it curiously. "He doesn't want anybody to know though. You know how he is." He shrugged, waving vaguely. "Doesn't matter to me. I'm awesome no matter who knows what."

America was attempting to wrap his head around this shocking revelation. Iggy and Prussia? Iggy and Prussia? Iggy and Prussia? How in the world could Iggy ever date someone like Prussia?

"You don't believe me or something?" Prussia pouted, stirring his spoon in his coffee distractedly.

America grasped at this strand. There was no way this was true. "Heh, of course not. You're just trying to make a joke. You and Iggy aren't really a cou—"

"I can tell you where his tattoo is."

"E—eh?" America was starting to feel as if every sentence that Prussia spoke was the equivalent of a bag of concrete bricks being smashed against his head. He was so shocked that he was starting to sound like his brother. "Tattoo? Iggy doesn't have a—"

"Sure he does." Prussia grinned even more brightly and winked in a decidedly France-like fashion. "So do I, actually. Wanna see it?"

"No!" The way that he was grinning definitely told America that he did not want to see it.

Iggy had a tattoo? Prussia had to be pulling his leg. There was no way that stuffy Iggy would ever have a tattoo. Iggy was definitely not cool enough to have a tattoo.

"Mine's definitely more awesome, but his isn't bad." Prussia smirked up at America again, enjoying the look of shock, dismay, and disbelief that was crossing his face. France was right. This was better than getting paid. He was suddenly interrupted from his thoughts, however, when he heard a sudden cheep of panic from the table.

Both nations glanced down in surprise and stared in shock at the panicking Gilbird, who had somehow managed to fall into the cup of coffee. The question of how exactly he had managed this is one that will probably never be answered. Although weird actions should be expected from anything that spends long periods of time in Prussia's presence. For a moment, Prussia just stared at his pet in surprise and then hurriedly scooped him out.

"Gilbird! That's totally not awesome! If you wanted coffee, you should have just asked." He sighed and shook his head in disappointment, carefully smoothing the chick's ruffled feathers. "Well, looks like I'd better head out," he remarked to America, standing. In the process revealing that he happened to be only wearing a pair of Prussian blue boxers that were printed with yellow chicks.

He walked across the room…actually, not really walked. More sauntered… And dumped the remaining coffee into the sink. Then he turned, leaning back against the counter and winked at America. "Hey, so don't tell Artie that you saw me here. You know how he gets about things."

America was still so shocked that he couldn't think straight. "Eh, sure."

"Thanks, you're awesome." He set the very wet Gilbird onto his shoulder and gave his head a soft pat, his eyes never leaving America. "Not as awesome as me, of course, but still pretty awesome." He started to walk toward the door, then seemed to think of something and turned. "By the way, tell that brother of yours 'hi' for me, okay?"

"Who? Oh…Canada?"

"Yeah, and tell him that he'd better be sending me some more maple syrup. I'm almost out." He winked and then cackled. "See ya later, Alfred."

And then he was gone. And America felt as if everything that he'd ever known had just been torn out from under his feet.

A/N: I want a Gilbird. He's so cute! Even if he does fall into coffee ;D

And can you just imagine Prussia giving anyone "the talk"? Actually…can you just imagine anyone in the Bad Touch Trio giving their colonies the talk? I feel like that would be a hilarious fanfic in and of itself.

Quick updates are awesome, yes yes? Lol.