As a treat [Romania/Bulgaria]
Sep. 4th, 2023 03:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
roesslyngTitle: As a treat
Fandom: Hetalia
Characters/Pairing: Romania/Bulgaria
Rating: 0+
Length: 1.8k
Summary: Romania thinks Bulgaria would look good in eyeliner. Bulgaria isn't so sure.
Other: Thanks to Scout for encouraging me to write this one. ;)
As a treat
World meetings were usually a weird experience, as far as Bulgaria was concerned. They always seemed to be more chaotic and nerve-wracking than useful. But they were also an excuse to get together, there was something to be said for that.
Somehow, even though they lived so close to each other, it was a challenge for Bulgaria and Romania to set aside time to see each other. Any excuse to spend time together was a good one, even if it meant that there were other things that they should be thinking about.
Here they were, far from home but wonderfully together, and there would be one more day spent on meetings and official business before they had to leave. Romania had said – rightly – that nobody would care or even notice if he and Bulgaria were very tired and a little hungover on the final day. They shouldn't waste their last night together. Why not go out and have a little fun?
Though Bulgaria had put up some token protest – they should at least try to take things seriously – he had capitulated in the end. He rarely could say no to Romania, especially when it came to going out dancing with him, or even spending time with him at all. And that was how, on the evening before the last day, he found himself waiting for Romania to finish up in the bathroom.
Bulgaria was ready.
Romania was not.
Bulgaria didn't mind waiting. He leaned against the bathroom's open doorway, watching as Romania fussed with the finer details of his appearance under the harsh lighting. Dressed in snug trousers and a soft, deep red shirt that was definitely not what he had been wearing earlier that day, it was clear that Romania had planned this evening out all along. Well, Bulgaria thought. I should have guessed. But with a view like that, he wasn't going to complain, even if his own attire was much more plain. That was fine – nobody was going to be looking at him. Nobody except, maybe, Romania.
Following the movement of Romania's hands, Bulgaria watched as he swept his hair up and tied it back, leaving part of it to fall and frame his face just so. And then – all the rest.
No matter what the circumstances, Romania always managed to look attractive. But Bulgaria couldn't deny that the eye makeup added a certain extra something. In front of the mirror, Romania transformed himself: soft shimmer brushed over his eyelids drawing attention, then sharp liner and mascara making his warm eyes look dark, the kind of eyes anyone could fall into. Bulgaria had seen Romania like that plenty of times, all the nights they'd gone out dancing together, but now, he realized, he'd never actually watched him put it all on. There was something strangely appealing about the confidence in the sweep of the pencil, the steadiness of his hands.
Finally realizing that he had an audience, Romania glanced over, meeting Bulgaria's gaze in the mirror. "Don't worry. I'm almost done," he said, flashing a smile.
"It's okay," Bulgaria said. "I'm not in a hurry." He flushed a little. Being caught staring like that was embarrassing, even if he knew Romania didn't mind at all.
There was a soft sound of acknowledgement from Romania, who went back to making tiny adjustments, which Bulgaria would never have noticed if he hadn't been watching him. He doubted anyone would be able to even see all of this in the dim light of the nightclub anyway, but it seemed to matter all the same.
After a moment Romania paused, his hands stilling as he met Bulgaria's eyes again. "Hey, do you want some?" he asked, gesturing with the liner pencil.
"Oh, uh – um. No," Bulgaria said, surprising himself in how thoroughly he tripped over the words. "No, I couldn't."
A pause. A raised eyebrow. "I could do it for you," Romania said.
Bulgaria's mouth went dry. It wasn't that he minded the idea. Or the offer. But the fact remained that while Romania could pull something like that off, he was a different matter. And with the way Romania was looking at him, Bulgaria could imagine the gears turning in his head. "Don't you think it'd look..." He gestured vaguely, groping for the word. "Kind of weird?"
"Weird? Nah." Romania turned around, and gave him a smile so warm, it melted any resolve Bulgaria had. "I think it'll look great."
Romania gestured for Bulgaria to come, and he went to him. Any protests he had were swallowed as Romania nudged him against the bathroom counter. Still, the thought ran through Bulgaria's head – wouldn't it look weird? Of course it looked good on Romania. Romania looked good in everything, and he was – well, beautiful. But on him? Bulgaria tried to think of how he could possibly explain to Romania how he felt. He was so ordinary, so plain. And that wasn't a bad thing, but – it would be too much.
Though Bulgaria didn't say anything, it seemed like Romania sensed how nervous he was. "I'll take it off right away if you don't like it," he said, trailing his fingertips along Bulgaria's shoulders. "But you should give it a try. Okay?"
Bulgaria let out a slow breath. Whether it was because of the touch, or the reassurance that he wouldn't have to go out looking like that, or the absolute confidence in Romania's voice, he did feel better about it. Fine, he thought. It won't hurt to try. "Okay."
For a moment, Romania didn't say anything; just gently touched Bulgaria's face, giving him a once-over, looking thoughtful. "Something simple," he said finally. "Plain black liner. To work with what's already there. You don't need mascara, I think."
"No?"
"Nah." Romania grinned. "I mean, I can put some on you if you want, but we're taking small steps tonight, right? Besides, your lashes are already really nice. Thick and dark. You don't need it."
"I never noticed," Bulgaria mumbled. He turned to look at himself in the mirror, scrutinizing his eyes. To him, his eyelashes looked normal, boring, and completely ordinary; nothing to write home about.
"Well, you do." Romania guided him to face him again, smiling when their gazes met. "I would know; I spend a lot more time looking at your eyes than you do. In fact, I'm an expert on them." He winked, then gestured with the eye pencil. "Now, hold still."
Bulgaria swallowed hard. Gripping the edge of the bathroom counter, he tried to do as he was told. His tongue was thick in his mouth, and he wanted to ask so many questions, but they were all kind of embarrassing. Do you mean it? The thought turned over in his head. Do you actually spend that much time staring at my eyes? Do you like what you see that much? Do you really think this will look okay? He didn't know if Romania was earnest, or if he was taking the piss, but he sounded like he meant it.
Even though he wanted to ask, he held his tongue, and resisted the urge to blink. The sensation of the pencil sweeping at the edge of his eyelashes was strange, alien, and it was hard not to pull away. It felt like it took forever. It felt like it took only a few seconds. It felt -
"Now look up," Romania said gently. His voice slipped through Bulgaria's mind, softly interrupting his train of thought. "I'm going to do the bottom. Don't move."
"Easier said than done," Bulgaria muttered. But he obeyed, somehow managing to stay still, despite how very conscious he was of how close the pencil was to his eyes. It was a relief that it was Romania putting the liner on and not him. He knew that he'd make a complete mess of it if he tried. It would look horrible, and he'd poke himself in the eyeball, or -
"There." Romania pulled back a bit. There was a satisfied expression on his face as he swept his gaze left, then right, taking in his work. He looked very pleased with himself. "Hey, take a look," he said, nodding toward the mirror.
Bulgaria looked.
Romania had promised something simple, and he hadn't gone back on that promise. The smooth, thin lines of black were nothing like the sharp and dramatic cat's eyes that Romania had given himself. The look was understated, somehow both subtle and attention-grabbing at the same time. Bulgaria tilted his head a little, staring at himself.
It didn't look bad. Or like it was too much. Or like he shouldn't be wearing it. It looked....
...Good?
"Well?" Romania asked, sliding an arm around his waist, leaning in close. "What do you think?"
It took a moment for Bulgaria to formulate a reply. Did his eyelashes look thicker? Did his eyes always look that green? Was he only noticing it now because Romania had drawn attention to all that, both with his words and the addition of a few black lines? He met Romania's gaze in the mirror, and saw his lips quirk into a smug smile that he knew all too well. "I'm glad I left it to you," Bulgaria said, feeling a flush rising in his cheeks. "I would've made a mess of it if I..." He glanced at his own face again. Swallowed hard. "Anyway, um. It looks nice, actually."
"Hah! See?" Romania grinned, then leaned in to kiss him.
It was meant for his cheek, but Bulgaria knew it was coming, and turned to meet him. In the moment, it was awkward, their mouths meeting roughly. Then they adjusted, and it softened, and Bulgaria let Romania pull him closer, let him press him against the bathroom counter, losing himself in the warmth of his body and the taste of vanilla lip balm.
For a moment, he wondered if they'd keep going – if they'd even leave the hotel room that night at all.
He wouldn't mind that, really.
Then Romania drew away. Flashed him another smile, looking so pleased with himself. "I was right," he said. "It does look great on you." As if that was all there was to it.
Bulgaria cleared his throat. "I guess you might be an expert on my eyes after all," he admitted, and laughed.
"Of course I am! But y'know, you shouldn't sell yourself short." Romania paused, looking as if he wanted to say more, then just shrugged and moved to tuck the pencils and brushes back into their case. "Come on. Let's go have some fun."
Bulgaria wondered what he meant. Decided not to question it. Not for the moment.
As Romania grasped his hand and pulled him out into the night, Bulgaria decided that he'd ask him about it. About what he meant by selling himself short. Maybe even later that night, depending on how it went.
And maybe, Bulgaria thought, the next time they go out – maybe he would ask Romania to do his eyes again. Since Romania liked it so much.
Why not?
Fandom: Hetalia
Characters/Pairing: Romania/Bulgaria
Rating: 0+
Length: 1.8k
Summary: Romania thinks Bulgaria would look good in eyeliner. Bulgaria isn't so sure.
Other: Thanks to Scout for encouraging me to write this one. ;)
As a treat
World meetings were usually a weird experience, as far as Bulgaria was concerned. They always seemed to be more chaotic and nerve-wracking than useful. But they were also an excuse to get together, there was something to be said for that.
Somehow, even though they lived so close to each other, it was a challenge for Bulgaria and Romania to set aside time to see each other. Any excuse to spend time together was a good one, even if it meant that there were other things that they should be thinking about.
Here they were, far from home but wonderfully together, and there would be one more day spent on meetings and official business before they had to leave. Romania had said – rightly – that nobody would care or even notice if he and Bulgaria were very tired and a little hungover on the final day. They shouldn't waste their last night together. Why not go out and have a little fun?
Though Bulgaria had put up some token protest – they should at least try to take things seriously – he had capitulated in the end. He rarely could say no to Romania, especially when it came to going out dancing with him, or even spending time with him at all. And that was how, on the evening before the last day, he found himself waiting for Romania to finish up in the bathroom.
Bulgaria was ready.
Romania was not.
Bulgaria didn't mind waiting. He leaned against the bathroom's open doorway, watching as Romania fussed with the finer details of his appearance under the harsh lighting. Dressed in snug trousers and a soft, deep red shirt that was definitely not what he had been wearing earlier that day, it was clear that Romania had planned this evening out all along. Well, Bulgaria thought. I should have guessed. But with a view like that, he wasn't going to complain, even if his own attire was much more plain. That was fine – nobody was going to be looking at him. Nobody except, maybe, Romania.
Following the movement of Romania's hands, Bulgaria watched as he swept his hair up and tied it back, leaving part of it to fall and frame his face just so. And then – all the rest.
No matter what the circumstances, Romania always managed to look attractive. But Bulgaria couldn't deny that the eye makeup added a certain extra something. In front of the mirror, Romania transformed himself: soft shimmer brushed over his eyelids drawing attention, then sharp liner and mascara making his warm eyes look dark, the kind of eyes anyone could fall into. Bulgaria had seen Romania like that plenty of times, all the nights they'd gone out dancing together, but now, he realized, he'd never actually watched him put it all on. There was something strangely appealing about the confidence in the sweep of the pencil, the steadiness of his hands.
Finally realizing that he had an audience, Romania glanced over, meeting Bulgaria's gaze in the mirror. "Don't worry. I'm almost done," he said, flashing a smile.
"It's okay," Bulgaria said. "I'm not in a hurry." He flushed a little. Being caught staring like that was embarrassing, even if he knew Romania didn't mind at all.
There was a soft sound of acknowledgement from Romania, who went back to making tiny adjustments, which Bulgaria would never have noticed if he hadn't been watching him. He doubted anyone would be able to even see all of this in the dim light of the nightclub anyway, but it seemed to matter all the same.
After a moment Romania paused, his hands stilling as he met Bulgaria's eyes again. "Hey, do you want some?" he asked, gesturing with the liner pencil.
"Oh, uh – um. No," Bulgaria said, surprising himself in how thoroughly he tripped over the words. "No, I couldn't."
A pause. A raised eyebrow. "I could do it for you," Romania said.
Bulgaria's mouth went dry. It wasn't that he minded the idea. Or the offer. But the fact remained that while Romania could pull something like that off, he was a different matter. And with the way Romania was looking at him, Bulgaria could imagine the gears turning in his head. "Don't you think it'd look..." He gestured vaguely, groping for the word. "Kind of weird?"
"Weird? Nah." Romania turned around, and gave him a smile so warm, it melted any resolve Bulgaria had. "I think it'll look great."
Romania gestured for Bulgaria to come, and he went to him. Any protests he had were swallowed as Romania nudged him against the bathroom counter. Still, the thought ran through Bulgaria's head – wouldn't it look weird? Of course it looked good on Romania. Romania looked good in everything, and he was – well, beautiful. But on him? Bulgaria tried to think of how he could possibly explain to Romania how he felt. He was so ordinary, so plain. And that wasn't a bad thing, but – it would be too much.
Though Bulgaria didn't say anything, it seemed like Romania sensed how nervous he was. "I'll take it off right away if you don't like it," he said, trailing his fingertips along Bulgaria's shoulders. "But you should give it a try. Okay?"
Bulgaria let out a slow breath. Whether it was because of the touch, or the reassurance that he wouldn't have to go out looking like that, or the absolute confidence in Romania's voice, he did feel better about it. Fine, he thought. It won't hurt to try. "Okay."
For a moment, Romania didn't say anything; just gently touched Bulgaria's face, giving him a once-over, looking thoughtful. "Something simple," he said finally. "Plain black liner. To work with what's already there. You don't need mascara, I think."
"No?"
"Nah." Romania grinned. "I mean, I can put some on you if you want, but we're taking small steps tonight, right? Besides, your lashes are already really nice. Thick and dark. You don't need it."
"I never noticed," Bulgaria mumbled. He turned to look at himself in the mirror, scrutinizing his eyes. To him, his eyelashes looked normal, boring, and completely ordinary; nothing to write home about.
"Well, you do." Romania guided him to face him again, smiling when their gazes met. "I would know; I spend a lot more time looking at your eyes than you do. In fact, I'm an expert on them." He winked, then gestured with the eye pencil. "Now, hold still."
Bulgaria swallowed hard. Gripping the edge of the bathroom counter, he tried to do as he was told. His tongue was thick in his mouth, and he wanted to ask so many questions, but they were all kind of embarrassing. Do you mean it? The thought turned over in his head. Do you actually spend that much time staring at my eyes? Do you like what you see that much? Do you really think this will look okay? He didn't know if Romania was earnest, or if he was taking the piss, but he sounded like he meant it.
Even though he wanted to ask, he held his tongue, and resisted the urge to blink. The sensation of the pencil sweeping at the edge of his eyelashes was strange, alien, and it was hard not to pull away. It felt like it took forever. It felt like it took only a few seconds. It felt -
"Now look up," Romania said gently. His voice slipped through Bulgaria's mind, softly interrupting his train of thought. "I'm going to do the bottom. Don't move."
"Easier said than done," Bulgaria muttered. But he obeyed, somehow managing to stay still, despite how very conscious he was of how close the pencil was to his eyes. It was a relief that it was Romania putting the liner on and not him. He knew that he'd make a complete mess of it if he tried. It would look horrible, and he'd poke himself in the eyeball, or -
"There." Romania pulled back a bit. There was a satisfied expression on his face as he swept his gaze left, then right, taking in his work. He looked very pleased with himself. "Hey, take a look," he said, nodding toward the mirror.
Bulgaria looked.
Romania had promised something simple, and he hadn't gone back on that promise. The smooth, thin lines of black were nothing like the sharp and dramatic cat's eyes that Romania had given himself. The look was understated, somehow both subtle and attention-grabbing at the same time. Bulgaria tilted his head a little, staring at himself.
It didn't look bad. Or like it was too much. Or like he shouldn't be wearing it. It looked....
...Good?
"Well?" Romania asked, sliding an arm around his waist, leaning in close. "What do you think?"
It took a moment for Bulgaria to formulate a reply. Did his eyelashes look thicker? Did his eyes always look that green? Was he only noticing it now because Romania had drawn attention to all that, both with his words and the addition of a few black lines? He met Romania's gaze in the mirror, and saw his lips quirk into a smug smile that he knew all too well. "I'm glad I left it to you," Bulgaria said, feeling a flush rising in his cheeks. "I would've made a mess of it if I..." He glanced at his own face again. Swallowed hard. "Anyway, um. It looks nice, actually."
"Hah! See?" Romania grinned, then leaned in to kiss him.
It was meant for his cheek, but Bulgaria knew it was coming, and turned to meet him. In the moment, it was awkward, their mouths meeting roughly. Then they adjusted, and it softened, and Bulgaria let Romania pull him closer, let him press him against the bathroom counter, losing himself in the warmth of his body and the taste of vanilla lip balm.
For a moment, he wondered if they'd keep going – if they'd even leave the hotel room that night at all.
He wouldn't mind that, really.
Then Romania drew away. Flashed him another smile, looking so pleased with himself. "I was right," he said. "It does look great on you." As if that was all there was to it.
Bulgaria cleared his throat. "I guess you might be an expert on my eyes after all," he admitted, and laughed.
"Of course I am! But y'know, you shouldn't sell yourself short." Romania paused, looking as if he wanted to say more, then just shrugged and moved to tuck the pencils and brushes back into their case. "Come on. Let's go have some fun."
Bulgaria wondered what he meant. Decided not to question it. Not for the moment.
As Romania grasped his hand and pulled him out into the night, Bulgaria decided that he'd ask him about it. About what he meant by selling himself short. Maybe even later that night, depending on how it went.
And maybe, Bulgaria thought, the next time they go out – maybe he would ask Romania to do his eyes again. Since Romania liked it so much.
Why not?
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