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Entry tags:
Continuance [Bulgaria/Romania]
Title: Continuance
Fandom: Hetalia
Characters/Pairing: Bulgaria/Romania
Rating: 0+
Length: 1.1k
Summary: Bulgaria is tired, and that means a quiet night in.
Other: Playing around with the "Bulgaria is noticeably older than Ro" idea again.
Continuance
It had been a very long day.
At the end of it, Bulgaria had asked Romania if he wanted to go out, like they usually would, to make the most of the time they had together. Even though they were neighbours, they never were able to spend as much time with one another as they would like. Normally, they'd try to take advantage of every opportunity to do something fun together.
Romania had taken one look at Bulgaria and decided against that suggestion. There was a tired set to his eyes, a worn-out look. They'd been hard at work on an agreement that would ultimately have a positive outcome for the both of them, and while the discussion and planning had left Romania feeling energized, it was clear that Bulgaria was exhausted.
"How about a quiet night in?" Romania suggested. And Bulgaria hardly put up a fight at all.
That was how they found themselves on Bulgaria's sofa, music turned down low, drinks in hand while they ignored the dinner dishes in the kitchen. Cleanup was a problem that they'd deal with later. The sun was setting, and gold light spilled through the windows. For the time being, it felt good to be close, nothing more.
"I'm glad you said we should stay in tonight," Bulgaria said. He drained the rest of his glass, then moved to set it on the coffee table with a soft sigh.
Romania smiled. Of course I was right, he thought. "Yeah. Sometimes it's nice to take it slow. And besides, you looked kind of tired."
"Did I? Ugh." For a moment, Bulgaria looked like he wanted to object. Then he sighed again, and sank down to rest his head on Romania's lap. "Maybe I was."
"Just maybe?" Romania laughed. "Come on. You shouldn't push yourself so hard, old man." He brushed his fingertips against Bulgaria's cheek. Though he was exaggerating a little, there was some truth to it. Romania had seen Bulgaria run himself ragged too many times. If he'd relax a little more, it wouldn't hurt anything. But that was a conversation for another day. "How's your back?"
"Not that bad today." Bulgaria blinked up at him, smiling a little. "What, are you worried about me?"
"Nah. I know you can take care of yourself." Romania set his glass on the couchside table, leaving himself with free hands. All the better to appreciate this, he thought as he cupped Bulgaria's face. There were the crinkles at the corners of Bulgaria's eyes, easy to miss, more noticeable when he smiled. As far as Romania was concerned, they were one of his best features: another tiny thing out of all the tiny things that made him find Bulgaria so attractive.
"Of course I can take care of myself. But I guess I don't mind you asking. Since, um..."
"Some days are better than others?" Romania offered. He ran his hands through Bulgaria's hair, letting the soft black strands slide slowly through his fingers.
"Yeah." Bulgaria's eyes fell shut, and he let out a soft sound, relaxing under Romania's touch. "Honestly, I... sometimes I wonder about it. I mean, it never used to be like this. And it makes me wonder if I should be worried."
Raising an eyebrow, Romania stared down at him for a moment. That was an admission he hadn't expected. And while Bulgaria seemed pliant and content, the fact that he had even brought the subject up made it clear that this was bothering him. Romania's hand stilled, but only for a moment; then he went back to stroking Bulgaria's hair.
It was strange, being a nation. If they were human, Bulgaria's little complaints wouldn't be anything to get concerned over. It would be nothing more than the natural consequence of time passing from one year to the next. But for nations, time so often stood still – until it didn't.
"You're fine," Romania said. "You're stable. You've been working really hard to get to where you are, and your people are doing pretty well.... I know you're always down on yourself, but I think you have a few thousand years left in you. Right? Three thousand at least." He ruffled Bulgaria's hair to punctuate it, grinning when the gesture made a laugh spill out of him.
"Okay, okay!" Bulgaria's smile was wide, his cheeks flushed. "If you say so. But only if you promise to hang around for that long, too."
"Me?" Romania snorted. "Yeah, of course. I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me forever."
"Just as long as you don't get any crazy ideas about expansion."
"Hey!" Romania knew he couldn't object – not really. Sure, he wasn't planning on it, but there was no way of knowing what their futures might hold. Anything could change over the course of a century. But, still. "I'm happy where I am," he said.
Bulgaria seemed to take that for what it was – not a promise, but as close to one as they could get. He relaxed again, sighing as Romania resumed stroking his hair, becoming soft and pliant under the touch.
It's true, Romania thought as he slid his hands through the soft, dark strands. I'm happy – in general, and also right here, right now, with you, like this.
He considered saying it. It was kind of sappy, but he doubted Bulgaria would mind. Though –
He lost his train of thought as something caught his eye. Two strands of grey stood out in sharp contrast against the black. They slipped through Romania's fingers, and for a moment they disappeared. Had he imagined it? He sifted through Bulgaria's hair again, making sure to keep the movements gentle and slow to disguise what he was doing. After a moment, he found them again.
Well, Romania thought as he curled a lock of hair around one finger, the grey against black impossible to mistake for anything else. This is new.
He wondered if Bulgaria knew about it. If he had seen that and started fretting over it. That would explain the sudden concern about mortality and all the rest. But maybe not.
"What're you thinking about?" Bulgaria asked, his voice a sigh. He blinked open his eyes and peered up at Romania, watching him through thick lashes.
"Hmm, not much. I was thinking that this is nice, that's all." He bent down, kissing him softly. The gesture was light and clumsy because of their position, but it was also more than enough to put the subject aside, providing a distraction from any potential seriousness.
Better not mention it, Romania decided. Let it rest for a while. He didn't want to point it out and give Bulgaria yet another thing to worry about.
It was better to just enjoy the moment.
Fandom: Hetalia
Characters/Pairing: Bulgaria/Romania
Rating: 0+
Length: 1.1k
Summary: Bulgaria is tired, and that means a quiet night in.
Other: Playing around with the "Bulgaria is noticeably older than Ro" idea again.
Continuance
It had been a very long day.
At the end of it, Bulgaria had asked Romania if he wanted to go out, like they usually would, to make the most of the time they had together. Even though they were neighbours, they never were able to spend as much time with one another as they would like. Normally, they'd try to take advantage of every opportunity to do something fun together.
Romania had taken one look at Bulgaria and decided against that suggestion. There was a tired set to his eyes, a worn-out look. They'd been hard at work on an agreement that would ultimately have a positive outcome for the both of them, and while the discussion and planning had left Romania feeling energized, it was clear that Bulgaria was exhausted.
"How about a quiet night in?" Romania suggested. And Bulgaria hardly put up a fight at all.
That was how they found themselves on Bulgaria's sofa, music turned down low, drinks in hand while they ignored the dinner dishes in the kitchen. Cleanup was a problem that they'd deal with later. The sun was setting, and gold light spilled through the windows. For the time being, it felt good to be close, nothing more.
"I'm glad you said we should stay in tonight," Bulgaria said. He drained the rest of his glass, then moved to set it on the coffee table with a soft sigh.
Romania smiled. Of course I was right, he thought. "Yeah. Sometimes it's nice to take it slow. And besides, you looked kind of tired."
"Did I? Ugh." For a moment, Bulgaria looked like he wanted to object. Then he sighed again, and sank down to rest his head on Romania's lap. "Maybe I was."
"Just maybe?" Romania laughed. "Come on. You shouldn't push yourself so hard, old man." He brushed his fingertips against Bulgaria's cheek. Though he was exaggerating a little, there was some truth to it. Romania had seen Bulgaria run himself ragged too many times. If he'd relax a little more, it wouldn't hurt anything. But that was a conversation for another day. "How's your back?"
"Not that bad today." Bulgaria blinked up at him, smiling a little. "What, are you worried about me?"
"Nah. I know you can take care of yourself." Romania set his glass on the couchside table, leaving himself with free hands. All the better to appreciate this, he thought as he cupped Bulgaria's face. There were the crinkles at the corners of Bulgaria's eyes, easy to miss, more noticeable when he smiled. As far as Romania was concerned, they were one of his best features: another tiny thing out of all the tiny things that made him find Bulgaria so attractive.
"Of course I can take care of myself. But I guess I don't mind you asking. Since, um..."
"Some days are better than others?" Romania offered. He ran his hands through Bulgaria's hair, letting the soft black strands slide slowly through his fingers.
"Yeah." Bulgaria's eyes fell shut, and he let out a soft sound, relaxing under Romania's touch. "Honestly, I... sometimes I wonder about it. I mean, it never used to be like this. And it makes me wonder if I should be worried."
Raising an eyebrow, Romania stared down at him for a moment. That was an admission he hadn't expected. And while Bulgaria seemed pliant and content, the fact that he had even brought the subject up made it clear that this was bothering him. Romania's hand stilled, but only for a moment; then he went back to stroking Bulgaria's hair.
It was strange, being a nation. If they were human, Bulgaria's little complaints wouldn't be anything to get concerned over. It would be nothing more than the natural consequence of time passing from one year to the next. But for nations, time so often stood still – until it didn't.
"You're fine," Romania said. "You're stable. You've been working really hard to get to where you are, and your people are doing pretty well.... I know you're always down on yourself, but I think you have a few thousand years left in you. Right? Three thousand at least." He ruffled Bulgaria's hair to punctuate it, grinning when the gesture made a laugh spill out of him.
"Okay, okay!" Bulgaria's smile was wide, his cheeks flushed. "If you say so. But only if you promise to hang around for that long, too."
"Me?" Romania snorted. "Yeah, of course. I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me forever."
"Just as long as you don't get any crazy ideas about expansion."
"Hey!" Romania knew he couldn't object – not really. Sure, he wasn't planning on it, but there was no way of knowing what their futures might hold. Anything could change over the course of a century. But, still. "I'm happy where I am," he said.
Bulgaria seemed to take that for what it was – not a promise, but as close to one as they could get. He relaxed again, sighing as Romania resumed stroking his hair, becoming soft and pliant under the touch.
It's true, Romania thought as he slid his hands through the soft, dark strands. I'm happy – in general, and also right here, right now, with you, like this.
He considered saying it. It was kind of sappy, but he doubted Bulgaria would mind. Though –
He lost his train of thought as something caught his eye. Two strands of grey stood out in sharp contrast against the black. They slipped through Romania's fingers, and for a moment they disappeared. Had he imagined it? He sifted through Bulgaria's hair again, making sure to keep the movements gentle and slow to disguise what he was doing. After a moment, he found them again.
Well, Romania thought as he curled a lock of hair around one finger, the grey against black impossible to mistake for anything else. This is new.
He wondered if Bulgaria knew about it. If he had seen that and started fretting over it. That would explain the sudden concern about mortality and all the rest. But maybe not.
"What're you thinking about?" Bulgaria asked, his voice a sigh. He blinked open his eyes and peered up at Romania, watching him through thick lashes.
"Hmm, not much. I was thinking that this is nice, that's all." He bent down, kissing him softly. The gesture was light and clumsy because of their position, but it was also more than enough to put the subject aside, providing a distraction from any potential seriousness.
Better not mention it, Romania decided. Let it rest for a while. He didn't want to point it out and give Bulgaria yet another thing to worry about.
It was better to just enjoy the moment.