AN: Hiyas, everyone! (waves enthusiastically) Sorry that I'm being a bit slow in updating – that's just the way I am…
Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia. If I did, the main characters would probably be more along the lines of Middle Earth and Ankh Morpork…
The other three stayed where they were for a moment before Prussia stood up and dusted himself off. "Well, I guess I've got to get going to-" a hand on his arm cut him off.
"Oh no you don't, you bloody wanker," England was smiling a bit too widely. "Germany may have work to do, but you're going to stay here and explain exactly how all this works."
"And why would the awesome me do that?" Prussia shook England's hand off to show how unimpressed he was.
"To keep things on friendly terms." England never stopped smiling, but his expression darkened. "Because you've been mocking me and my 'imaginary friends' as long as the frog over there has, and I want to know where you get off doing that when you knew I was telling the truth. And I will find out. I may not be of elven stock, but I ken the old ways – probably better than you do. And if you force me to, I will bind you by wood and iron and your True Name, and I will make you tell me what I want to know."
Prussia and France both gulped and took a step back from England, who was exuding an air of menace that could have rivaled Russia's. It was times like this, when the burnt scones and the needlework and the empty bluster were stripped away, that really drove home the fact that this man in front of them was once the bloody British Empire. And one does not become an empire by being a push-over. Or particularly nice.
"Well?" England pressed, voice still deceptively calm and level, "What's it to be, Gilbert?"
Prussia slumped a bit. He knew when he was beaten beyond any hope of resistance. "The iron wouldn't work," he spoke quietly, "West and I wouldn't have survived into this century if iron hurt us. The other stuff would work, though."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" England persisted grimly. "Why did you join them in mocking me when you knew I was right?"
Prussia got a bit of his usual spunk back and, folding his arms, scowled at England. "And how would that have looked, hm? 'Ja, old Artie's right about all that mystical magical crap, but I can't tell you why.' They'd think I was as crazy as you!"
"Why not tell them the truth, then?"
"Hey, I don't care if everyone and their kid brother knows about the awesome me!" Prussia shot back, then chuckled mockingly to himself, "But then again, that's the sticking point, isn't it? The kid brother…
"If I told about myself, how long do you think it would take people to start wondering about West? You guys know his history – you think he'd have fared any better than his people against that man? How long do you think he'd have lasted if people knew? A week? Maybe a month? Well, Arthur? How long!" Prussia's face was flushed and he was starting to pant a bit out of exertion, but there was a mix of fire and steel in his eyes. "He's not as good as me at using our heritage, and he's too damn loyal! He'd be torn to pieces – he would probably have walked in front of the firing squad under his own power if they'd ordered him to! And, by old Fritz and my grandsire Germania, I WILL NOT LET THAT HAPPEN!" his head dropped and his next words were barely more than a whisper. "I almost lost him once. I won't let that happen again."
Silence reigned supreme as England and France watched the pale man in front of them.
Finally, France stepped closer and laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Do not worry, mon ami. It will not happen, not by our doing."
"Indeed." England nodded. "And I cannot fault your reasoning for keeping this from us." The menace was gone, and he was once again his usual, un-intimidating self.
Prussia nodded. "Thanks, guys." Then he stiffened and his head jerked up again, an expression of awful realization on his face. "Schiest!"
"What?" the other two nations looked at him nervously.
"I just realized!" Prussia gave them a woebegone look. "There's no way I can get back to the house before my cereal gets all soggy, now! Aw… I really hate it when that happens…"
England facepalmed.
Wow... that took a darker turn than I had originally planned out, I'm not gonna lie, but still, I think it's in-character with Prussia, at least somewhat. Btw, anyone care to guess where I stand on the whole HRE=Germany theory? ;D
Prussia's acting the way he is out of concern and 100% platonic familial love for his little brother. And, speaking as one who has also nearly lost a sibling, I'd say that his reaction is pretty in-character. (Plus, I tend to picture Prussia as a slightly over-protective older brother. He's just reeeeeally sneaky about it, so nobody notices! 3!)