Work Text:
Prussia came home, Gilbird on his shoulder, and greeted Germany’s excited dogs. He found Germany in his office, and annoyed him with exciting tales of video game exploits for a while. He didn’t ask Germany if he wanted help with anything, because that is not the language they speak. Germany hummed at him in a way that, to anyone else, would only suggest vague annoyance, but Prussia understood suggested that things were going well, so he left, smiling fondly in the doorstep for a moment that no one would ever catch, and went to make dinner.
They ate, with Prussia telling exuberant tales, some true, some made up, some exaggerated, ranging chaotically from the bird he saw at the park today, to the exploits of his armies three centuries ago, and Germany interjecting every once in a while, that Prussia should sit up straighter, and not talk with his mouth full, but listening to every word as sure as when he was very small, listening to Prussia’s stories at bedtime. Prussia rolled his eyes at Germany’s scolding, and told him to respect his elders. There is offended pride there, because Prussia was once great and now is nothing. Has no substance to him, except his loud boasting and bored passions. But he still has Germany, his little brother, he still has this home that is not quite his, but is home all the same. Prussia has frustrations, and angers, and loss, but he does not begrudge Germany any of it, could not be truly angry with him if he tried. So the offence was untargeted, without underlying daggers that would have pierced through anyone but Germany, and he merely grinned across the table and slouched slouchier, and Germany sighed in a way that was fond rather than truly bothered, as he would be with anyone but Prussia. Prussia did not ask what Germany was doing in the important work of being a living nation. They both know that that serious things are not to be faced outright between themselves. That Prussia pours over newspapers and steals top-secret documents and generally knows everything there is to know about the German nation, and will be there whenever Germany needs him.
After dinner they cleared the table and washed the dishes together, moving in tandem with military precision, fitting together with perfect efficiency, so that in minutes every dish was sparkling, and not a crumb was to be seen. And these are all the ways in which Prussia and Germany do not say, “I love you,” but mean it all the same.