"Onward men! To the IHOP~!"
Pairing: Austria x Hungary
Rating: G, PG
-This was a oneshot that I came up with recently and typed up today. I don't know if I'll make more or not in the future, but I hope you enjoy. ^^
Schöne Hände
Hungary snuck through the front landscape as she tried to avoid the few people who were wandering the grounds for fresh air or strolling along with their sweethearts. Once again she was really late in coming to the festivities hosted by Austria and had to resort to sneaking around in order to evade the other guests who would look at her disapprovingly for her tardiness. And it wasn’t just her lack of punctuality, but the state of her appearance that would earn soured glances from the fellow aristocrats.
Since she was one of the few strong countries that could protect the borders of Austria’s lands she tended to get into a lot of scuffles with other nations seeking to annex some part of their territory. But that didn’t stop them from sneering at the young Hungarian girl when she would return dirty and tattered as a typical peasant. It was this type of attitude that made her want to stay away from the area all together. She didn’t have to take all this and could just as easily protect them without having the need to socialize with them.
But because Austria was someone she was very close to she never could refuse his invitations. If there was something Hungary didn’t like more than immature mockery from the rich locals it was the disappointment of someone close to her.
“Whew, I finally made it inside….”
She said with great relief as she gently closed the glass-cased door. But as she swept her hand over her sweaty forehead, she looked at the state of her dress with a frown.
“I can’t let Austria-san see me in this state, he’ll might get upset.”
Her hands gingerly lifted two corners of her dress that were soiled in mud and a little blood from the opposing sides. Hungary had tried so hard this time to keep from getting her outfit dirty again, but that was an impossible resolution as she would lose herself in battle most of the time.
“Mmm, perhaps I should look for one of the maids and she can help me--”
Before she could deliberate a plan of action, a group of young chattering girls had emerged from the corner of the hallway. They were some of Austria’s regular guests who had never once missed an invitation to these parties and always arrived earlier than the rest.
“And as I said to my mother you can never have too many diamond pins. Especially if they match your dress.”
The other girls giggled as they agreed, each one voicing their own opinion to the one that was clearly the richest and most beautiful of the group. Although they appeared quite gay and carefree with each other, the second they caught sight of Hungary they all began to smirk.
“Why hello Hungary, fancy meeting you here.”
The head of the group said with feign politeness as her posse started to snicker while looking at the poor country girl. Hungary frowned a little but then gave what little smile she could muster to keep a civil display. She really didn’t want to be here now.
“G…Good evening Slovenia.”
“Oh my, did you just get out of another terrible fight? Your voice sounds so hoarse.”
While she was sarcastically remarking on Hungary’s speech, her eyes kept hovering over her grubby state with a gleam of contentment at a new found source of fun. Slovenia liked nothing more than to condescend her with the fact that she was far below their status and took pleasure in parading around her like some pampered poodle. They were by far the most annoying people that Hungary ever met.
“Ah-haha, yes actually. I was a little late in coming here, so I couldn‘t take the time to change either.”
“Well I can understand that. It must be difficult to have only one dress to change every few years.”
The other girls laughed lightly at their friend’s joke, each one whispering their own remarks as they looked at the young bourgeois before them. Hungary had to constantly resist the urge to beat the crap out of the lot to the point that she was immune. She could easily snap these prissy little dolls like they were tissue and then bury them six feet under with her bare hands. But because she didn’t want to shame Austria she had to be the bigger person, even if it was mentally detrimental.
“Er, heh, yeah….every few years……”
“Well if you ever need some scraps to wear I can always loan you the rags our servants use for cleaning the stables.”
Slovenia earned another fit of laughter.
“…..Y…You‘re much too kind……”
Another twitch at the temple and a tick at the corner of her mouth.
“Are you lady‘s having a good time?”
The girls stopped laughing when they heard a familiar voice that was as smooth as delicate silk. They all seem to glow as they turned around to see their host appear from the doorway.
“Austria-san~”
Hungary winced at the high-pitched sound of their voices. Somehow they could reach a new octave when Austria walked in. As always he was well-kept and incredibly handsome, always harboring that mature air about him that calmed people. Slovenia had managed to elbow her way to the front of the group, moving at quite the speed considering she was in a much heavier dress.
“Austria-san, it‘s so wonderful to see you this evening.”
She said with a smile as she held out her hand for him to kiss it. He took it courteously into his own and kissed it lightly.
“I am, thank you. I do hope you have been well Slovenia.”
Although she was acting as though this was nothing but standard protocol, Hungary could tell that her heart was singing a thousand hymns right now.
“Oh I have, I have. I believe you‘ve met the young duchess here? A close friend of mine. As well as Lady Chatherina who just moved to a new estate closer to our borders…..”
One by one Austria took each young woman’s hand and kissed it delicately like a gentleman.
“If it is not too much trouble to ask, would it be alright if you could dance with us? I believe they will be playing a splendid new opera piece tonight….”
The more Hungary looked at this the more it sickened her. But she hated to admit that there was definitely something to admire about these aristocrats aside from their fabulous wealth and dignified classes. All the women in Austria seemed to have beautiful hands. With skin that looked as soft as a kitten’s fur and clearer than a full moon.
Hungary looked at her own hands and felt embarrassed all over again. She took this opportunity to escape to the gardens out back where there would be less people. Judging from the sound of the music all the guest would be back inside dancing so she didn’t have to worry about walking into anyone. She sat herself down in a simple glass gazebo with her legs stretched in front of her.
“Finally, nice and quiet.”
She sighed with relief as she leaned back a little. But then she lifted her hand up to her eyes and frowned again. They were nothing like those women’s hands that were delicate and graceful. These hands were calloused from countless battles and working on numerous chores both at home and here. And because of her recent battle they were even more dirty and rough to the point that they cracked and bled in a few places.
Normally Hungary was not perturbed by appearances and had had a childhood where the need to worry about such trivial things was unnecessary. But growing up she started to feel and see things differently that made her anxious about these trivial things, especially when she was around Austria. And sometimes it made her wonder if she was even good enough to be in his presence any more.
“Heh, he wouldn‘t want to kiss such a disgusting hand, would he….”
She muttered miserably as she laid herself on the bench. But just as her head made contact with the cold marble, a voice had perked up her ears.
“So here you are.”
She sat bolt up right and turned to see Autsria standing before her with his arms crossed. It was funny how he tended to look like a stern
“A-Austria-san?!”
As she stuttered he sat himself beside her on the bench, taking off his glasses to inspect them.
“W-What are you doing here? I thought you would be dancing with Slovenia and the other girls…”
“I asked France and Spain to entertain them for the first few dances since I needed some fresh air.”
She blinked as she watched polish his lenses, a little surprised that he would refuse his guests like that. But at the same time it made her happy that he would do something like that for her sake.
“You were late again in coming I see. After I expressly told you to come at exactly eight ‘o’clock.”
She winced at the disapproving tone in his voice, pressing the tips of her index fingers together gingerly.
“I-I know, I‘m really sorry. But I got caught up in the battle that I completely forgot the time. A…And I didn‘t have time to change either….”
Austria sighed as she explained herself like a disobedient child who was caught in the act. Although he was easy to upset his irritation tended to subside rather quickly.
“That‘s quite alright. You are here, and that‘s all that matters.”
Hungary sighed with relief that he was not going to go on about “significance of time,” and looked up to thank him for his understanding. But she was taken by surprise as he held out his hand.
“Eh?”
He exhaled in slight exasperation.
“Well give me your hand….”
She blinked as she looked at his immaculate hand before remembering her own filthy ones. She really didn’t want to do it, but the adamancy in his eyes persuaded her to do so. She gave him her hand with her eyes downcast as he leaned his head to kiss it. She closed her eyes and shivered as she was sure she had dirtied his pure lips and palms with the taint of her rough, dirt-skin. She was surprised that he could even take such blistered texture, let alone the smell that was embedded there. Although is lips seemed to linger far longer than they did with those other girls.
“…..Your…hands…..”
She knew it.
“They‘re so beautiful. Much more than those other girls.”
She opened her eyes and stared at him in bewilderment.
“Huh? Really? They‘re not gross?”
He laughed lightly at her reaction, a laughter that made her heart skip a beat.
“Yes of course. They reflect your strong heart both on the field of battle and at home. You struggle everyday to live, yet maintain that gentle warmth and kindness.”
He stroked her hand gently with his thumb and gave a warm smile that was even more radiant under the moonlight that seeped through the crystal panes above them.
“And it‘s these same beautiful hands that have been both my safeguard and self-haven since childhood, so no other woman’s could even compare with them.”
How Austria was able to do this was a complete mystery to Hungary. Saying all the right things that instantly made her feel better was probably far greater than if she were to win a hundred battles at once. As he took her hand to kiss it once more, she blushed hard and began to tremble again from the happiness that kept churning in her heart. Rather than return to the party the two stayed under the gazebo for most of the night with Austria keeping his arm around her and Hungary’s hand clasped firmly with his own.
