Work Text:
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You Belong To Me
Prompt 4: "Roses"
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"Long live the rose that grew from the concrete when no one else ever cared."
Tupac Amaru Shakur
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"I'll be right back. Don't break anything."
Prussia pouted his lips out as his French friend left the room, keeping one hand in his pants pocket as his other hand reached out to play with the little odds and ends on Francis' desk. Those little silver balls that represented some physics concept – Newton's Law? - were way too much fun to pull back and watch as they bounced in different patterns. Francis kept a random assortment of things on his work desk, none of which he ever had around the house. Still, there was a side to the Frenchman that spoke of his more enlightened past, even if that side rarely came out of the box nowadays.
There was also this plaque hanging up on the wall behind the work desk, holding an ancient copy of "The Rights of Man," an artifact from the French Revolution that the whole world learned about in schools and some still respected, no matter the rather bloody revolution that followed – people still insisted on liking such ideals.
As his hands continued to be nosy, Prussia found a wooden carving of a person – a woman. It was painted in white and a pair of angel wings spread out in the back. When Gilbert racked his memory, he drew a conclusion that the carving was meant to be a replica of Joan of Arc, a female hero from France's past – and the reason Francis and Gilbert could connect about loving humans in their past.
Not that anyone remembered Prussia or Frederick the Great. No, while his friends had changed and moved on and lived on with the world still learning their history, Prussia was becoming all but forgotten in the history books. Even if he'd made a mark. Even if he should be remembered, because damn it all he had been awesome while still a nation.
With a sigh and a shake of his head, he pulled his hand back and settled for staring around the room, noting the collection of flowers decorating every corner. Flowers were something Francis loved to have around. He always seemed to be carrying one or more in his jacket when they went out – and he'd always offer one to a pretty lady. Prussia hadn't ever cared for such things.
He was a nation built for war, after all; he'd spent most of his life fighting someone, defending his borders from the enemies on all sides. Even while younger, he had gone on crusades, fighting to spread a message. So he didn't understand these finer points of life.
Which was why he was standing here in Francis' work room waiting on his friend to finish an important conversation with his boss. It was Gilbert's first year anniversary with Matthew...and he had no fucking clue what to do. Yeah, he'd been in relationships before, but that was when he was a nation – that was when things were different, easier, and that was with people who were more like him. When it came to Matthew Williams, Canada, he loved him for everything Prussia wasn't. They were like two puzzle pieces that didn't even look like they'd match up well, but once put together it was like they had been meant for each other all along.
Still, the problem was that Gilbert had no idea what to do for his Birdie. So, why come to Francis?
Well, France was Canada's father wasn't he? He'd helped raise Matthew. Hell, parts of Canada spoke French! (Something Gilbert hadn't been too fond of at first but was slowly learning to accept, tolerate, and even understand himself). On top of that, Francis was also Gilbert's close friend. So he was easy to talk to about such things without having to worry about the world finding out that the great and awesome Prussia was having difficulties being a romantic.
"Okay, I am free. Now what did you need, Gil?" Francis asked as he came into the room, closing the door behind him.
Prussia turned around with his signature grin to face his friend, hands still in his pockets. "It's our anniversary," he stated, as if that was all he needed.
Francis didn't miss a beat, walking around the room to start gathering his things to go home. The day was almost done. "When? A week from now? Tomorrow?"
Prussia blinked. "Uh. Today."
He was confused when Francis spun around to face him quite suddenly and quickly, his eyes wide. "What? Today? Oh, mon ami, why are you still here?"
Again, he blinked. "I needed help figuring out what to get him, Francis."
France groaned and slapped his hand to his face. "Mon ami...you should have come to me earlier."
"Why?" Prussia asked, slouching back against the desk.
To his chagrin, Francis started babbling in his native language, rushing around the room, picking out different flowers as he went as if collecting them. Prussia crossed his arms and watched, unsure of what to do. Anniversaries were like birthdays, weren't they? He had shown up a little later in the day to Canada's place that hot July summer day, having spent most of the day before running around the world looking for a present. He thought he'd just have to do the same thing, but he hadn't been able to come up with anything to get for Matthew, so even though it was getting late, he'd come to Francis for help – like it was a last resort to ask for help. And with him, it really was.
Now Francis was damn near panicking and he had no idea why.
"France, wh-"
A hand grabbed his own and cut him off, forcing him to move forward. "You idiot!" Francis snapped. "You're going to make him think you forgot!"
He blinked as he was dragged out of the room and pushed out the door, a haphazard bouquet of red and white colored flowers thrown in his hands. "Wha-"
"The red and white together symbolizes unity. He'll know what it means, even if you don't. Now go!"Francis snapped, making a shooing motion with his hand. "Dieu, you are such a pain sometimes, Gilbert."
Again, he blinked, and tilted his head. "I'm confused. What's the big deal?"
Francis sighed loudly and rolled his eyes, leaning against the side of the doorway. Prussia just stared back at him, honestly confused at the rush his friend was now in. Why? What was the problem? He wasn't always in the house when Matthew came home, and Canada knew that, so what was it about an anniversary that made his normal wandering-around-the-world such a bad thing?
"Gilbert, today of all days should have been spent with him. Anniversaries are important things. You are supposed to spend your savings on your love and do -"
"But I don't have any savings, Francis," Prussia grumbled, kicking at the carpeted floor underneath his feet. "I don't exactly have a job anymore."
He could see France's eyes widen and then close, a hand coming up to run through the blond hair. "Ah, yes, I forget. He's the one taking care of you."
Prussia winced. Truth or not, it stung. To know and accept that he was a freeloader. Even if he had found love, he still felt useless at times. Prussia did not exist anymore, and Gilbert could not go get a job easily within the human world. He had no birth certificate, no proof of citizenship, no documents that normal humans kept or showed when applying for such things. His only hope of a job was working as some kind of undercover agent, and Matthew had made it clear he would not be happy with such a thing.
Besides, it wasn't such a big deal being stuck at home all day. It just kind of irked him a bit to not be the one providing – or at least helping with the upkeep. He had tried to clean the house, tried to play re-decorate. It had been a disaster. And he'd been forbidden from ever trying such a thing on his own again. Granted, he did outside work occasionally, but he still felt like he was freeloading.
Hell, he'd had to beg West for the money to buy Matthew a present on his birthday.
So, what was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to get Matthew on their anniversary? Since it'd been a year, he'd thought about maybe getting a ring, asking Birdie to marry him and be more than just a boyfriend. But...
How was he supposed to buy a ring if he didn't have a single coin to his name?
He was reduced to asking his friends for help. It was painful and it hurt his pride a little, but he'd do anything for Matthew. He just wished he could do more.
"Gil," said France, causing Prussia to lift his head and wait on his friend to continue. "If you had the money, what would you do?"
For a moment, he stood there and bit his lip, unsure if he wanted to let this information free. But this was Francis. His friend. He could keep it secret. Maybe he would know a way to make it happen.
Glancing to the side, he shuffled awkwardly and spilled out his want to propose to Canada, to Matthew, to his Birdie. After all, maybe this counted as asking the father for permission.
To his surprise, France grew instantly excited and pulled him back inside to give him the run down on what to say and do. He took the collection of roses and instead only held on to two, entwining them together with gold thread before handing them back. Prussia's head swam with information as Francis spilled out all kinds of ways he could propose even without having a ring; after all – they were nations (ex-nation included); they didn't need to go by all the same rules.
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When Gilbert finally arrived back home in Canada, it was well into the evening and the countryside around was quiet, night life already quite active. His clothes, including the Prussian blue jacket Matthew had specifically bought for him, were soaked and covered in splotches of mud. He'd been a bit of klutz on the way back from the airport and the pouring rainstorm had made everything that much worse. He was already dreading the reaction from his lover for being away from home all day – a day he had realized, thanks to France, was actually quite seriously important.
Not to mention, he was nervous as hell for other reasons.
I can't believe I let him talk me into this... He's not gonna like it at all...
Chewing on his lip, holding the entwined red and white roses in his hand, Prussia opened the door and walked into the dark house. It was quiet. He groaned. Matthew must already be asleep.
Berating himself for being so late, he walked down the hallway, his eyes catching a note on the entryway table. Blinking, he turned the nearby lamp on and picked the note up to read, seeing more loose papers underneath but focusing in on the letter from his love, fearing the worst.
Hey Gil,
I tried to stay up and wait on you. I know you like to travel a lot and visit old friends. I didn't really expect you to remember our anniversary, but it's okay. I forgive you. Really. I just wish you had come home earlier so I could at least give you my gift to you. I'm sure you'll love it. I realize you've been quite bored around the house with nothing to do, so... I worked things out with the help of your brother and with Joey – remember Joey? He's like my secret agent bodyguard, the one you were so jealous of at first.
Anyway, I know we can't ever give your real nation status back, but this should be something, at least.
Lots of love – Je'taime – Ich liebe dich,
Your Birdie
Prussia could only stare and wonder if he was seeing things. What was this? Something about his nation status? Why would he need West and that human's help? What...?
After a moment, he set the letter down and picked up the other papers. Documents. Real official documents. One was a birth certificate, using his human alias, the name Gilbert Beilschmidt and stating that he was born in Berlin. (Not that it was actually true, because he was pretty sure he was "born" somewhere more north than any actual German state...but Berlin had been his capital for so long, it felt like a birth place).
He blinked. A birth certificate...and a... He lifted the other document with a new fervor, eyes widening as he read over the new proof of his citizenship – proof that he lived in Canada. Why...? His hand was shaking as he picked up the last document sitting on the table and he nearly gasped as he read the words.
New Prussia is hereby recognized within the Canadian government as a micro-nation, always to be loyal to Canada but allowed its own small militia and government.
The paper fell out of his hands, floating to the desk, revealing a place for a signature near the bottom. Canada had already signed one line, but there was an empty line, as if just waiting for him to accept. Just waiting for his approval. This wasn't how things usually worked. This wasn't normal. This wasn't supposed to -
His vision blurred and he shook his head, hand shaking as he grabbed the pen on the table. Then again, having a committee dissolve a nation wasn't normal, either. If he could be officially dissolved, he could be officially reinstated. Or given new territory to call his own. Or whatever this meant.
Oh, Birdie, you don't even know... Gott... My surprise looks like nothing now.
His hand shook the entire time he signed along the line, and the second the ink dried he felt a rush of dizziness assault him. Stepping back, he put a hand to his head and gasped for air as the feeling and burdens of a group of people joined his own in a way he had not experienced in at least twenty years. When the Berlin Wall fell, he'd felt empty because his people had been rejoined with his brother and he'd been left with nothing to call his own. Now it was back.
Prussia put a hand to his chest and fought the unmanly urge to cry. Gott, I shouldn't have stayed away all day. I can't even hug him because he's...
Narrowing his eyes in new determination, he dropped everything – except the roses; he kept those with him – and raced to the bedroom. He walked in slowly, finding that Matthew was indeed asleep. He sighed and shook his head, deciding to share his excitement and joy in the morning. He'd wake up before Matthew could leave for work.
Work. He nearly barked in laughter. With the other documents, he could masquerade as a human and find a small part time job in the nearby town. He could earn money again so he could buy Canada anything he wanted, so he wouldn't have to beg his friends or his brother.
Gott, so much...And I wasn't here...
He had to rub water out of his eyes as he walked over to Matthew's side of the bed. His Birdie was sound asleep, breathing nice and evenly, facing toward the center of the bed. Kumajiro, the baby polar bear, slept at the foot of the bed on Matthew's side like always. Prussia watched him sleep for a while before placing the entwined roses on the small table beside the bed, next to his lover's glasses.
Then he walked into the bathroom to strip out of his soaking wet clothes and take a shower to get the mud out of his white hair. Hopefully, he wouldn't wake Matthew up. He didn't want to be a nuisance on top of messing everything up today by not realizing how important it was.
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Feeling calm and refreshed, a towel wrapped around his waist, Prussia opened the bathroom door – only to be instantly tackled by one happy little Canadian boyfriend. Arms were around him before he could say anything and lips were against his own, taking advantage of the surprised open mouth to make it count.
Although he wanted to ask why the sudden jump of affection when he had clearly screwed up badly today, Prussia wasn't going to argue in the middle of such a wonderful kiss. He let his eyes close and he moved his own arms to wrap around Canada and pull him closer. His tongue played back with the animated one already in control and a low moan escaped from deep in his throat.
And then Matthew had to pull back.
"H-huh?" Gilbert breathed, eyes opening to blink and question.
Canada held up the red rose and white rose entwined together, his blue-violet eyes clearly dancing and his grin wider than Prussia could ever remember. "You know what this means, right?"
"Uh -" He reached up to scratch his head, trying to get his brain to focus on something other than lust. Yes, he could remember France's words. Propose to him like this. Red and white together means unity and if you entwine two roses it can mean "marry me" so just hand this to him and say whatever you want. He will know. "Y-yeah. I do," Gilbert stuttered, annoyed at himself for blushing and being so caught off guard.
All those plans were useless. I knew exactly what I was going to say, but now...
Canada smiled and leaned in again to peck him on the lips. "I do, too."
Matthew didn't say anything more on the subject, instead falling into silence and wrapping his arms around Prussia's neck, leaning into him and content to stand there – even though Gilbert was clearly naked under the towel and now clearly wanting something more than a kiss. And Matthew's bare skin on his own was starting to excite him even more.
Still, he was a little confused, furrowed brow and all. "That's a 'yes' right?"
He was a little miffed to get a giggle in return. "Yes, Gil, it's a 'yes.' Did you see your gift?"
"Yeah," he said with a grunt. "Birdie, I don't even -"
"You like it?"
"Of course!" He exclaimed and then fell back. "I just – why?"
Matthew shifted positions, leaning his cheek against Gilbert's shoulder while one hand moved down to start making circles around rather sensitive areas of his pale chest. Strangely enough, Gilbert couldn't tell if Mattie was doing it on purpose or not. Because the Canadian seemed rather focused on answering.
"I want you to be happy and stay awesome."
Stay awesome...
Prussia laughed long and loud...and happily. "Kesese~ I can stay awesome as long as I have you."
He felt the Canadian smile against his chest. "Then you'll be awesome forever."