Hetalia does not belong to me. Neither do any of the countries mentioned. Get back to me after 'World Domination Phase 3' is complete.

"Oh, but it's cold outside. ~ "

It's Cold Outside

"… What is that?"

Canada raised an eyebrow and motioned with his left hand. He was holding a steaming hot chocolate and the tendrils of warmth coloured the air for a second before disappearing altogether.

"Your hot chocolate?"

"No, what is that?"

Prussia pointed to his right hand and the ice cream cone therein. The waffle cone was wrapped around two scoops of soft, taupe ice cream with speckles of darker russet.

"Ice cream."

"Ice cream!" His voice was strangled as he leaned forward for his hot chocolate. He cradled it away from the offending treat. "Why the fuck do you have ice cream?"

Canada considered the question as he sat down on the bench next to him; their ice skates were tucked under the bench and out of the way. The area around them was enclosed on three sides and open to the elements on the other. It was further down the river trail than where the two of them had been skating, or rather, where Canada had been skating and Prussia had been falling. There were several other benches scattered between the makeshift pressboard partitions and a mobile canteen furthest from the open side.

"… Because it is delicious?"

"Matthew, it's cold outside. Who the hell wants ice cream when it is this cold outside?"

Canada glanced around the sheltered area. It was less cold here, out of the wind, but it was not as much of a difference as Prussia would have preferred. There were several other couples and families here; two awkward teenagers on their first date, a mother and father with their daughter, a child and his brother. Friends and families brought together over the glacial weather, each one caught in their own little world.

Half of them were holding ice cream cones of their own.

"Everyone?" Canada ventured and pointed to some of them. He was wearing a slight, crooked smile that meant he was either humouring Prussia or teasing him. Maybe both.

"No, not everyone," Prussia pouted and raised the hot chocolate to his lips. It scorched his tongue but for a moment, one precious moment, a piece of him was warm. Too warm, perhaps, but it would have to do. "Just Canadians."

Canada scooted next to him so that their legs were touching. He offered the ice cream to Prussia but Prussia slipped further down the bench and far from the dreaded cold treat.

"Gilbert, it's just ice cream."

"'Ice' being the operative word," he mumbled with a glare. He was not glaring at Canada so much as at the ice cream.

Prussia had endured a humiliating defeat on the ice this afternoon just because Canada had said 'please'. He had worn battered ice skates and a ridiculous amount of mismatched clothing just because he asked. He had fallen, and fallen, and fallen some more. It had been horrible, and cold, and his muscles ached with the strain of it. He had done more than enough for the other nation.

And now he was being threatened with ice cream.

Canada came closer, brandishing the ice cream, and Prussia slipped further down the bench again. He cocked his head to the side.

"Are you… afraid of it?"

"No, shut up," Prussia sulked and sipped at his hot chocolate.

"You are!"

"Shut up, go away, I hate you," he growled into the marshmallows floating in his beverage and melting in white swirls.

His smile broadened and he kicked his boot against the crushed snow. The footsteps of a thousand men and women before them had packed the snow tight in this strange not quite inside, not quite outside area. Canada watched his citizens in the ramshackle shelter.

"You are," he laughed but his expression softened as he watched them.

Prussia narrowed his glare but decided to focus on the warmth in his hands and on his lips. It grounded him. He followed his gaze and also watched the citizens with a detached sort of interest. They were laughing and happy even in this weather; no one here was cold because no one here was alone.

He could see that kindness, that compassion he was famous for, as Canada watched his citizens and it made his own heart twinge. He no longer represented a populace or a government or a landscape. He was alone. So alone.

It hurt, sometimes. Not as much as it used to, but sometimes.

Canada came closer again but this time reached for his hand and clasped it in his own, mitten on mitten. Prussia tore his gaze from the friends and families to stare at Canada; beautiful, wonderful Canada who could care less whether he was a nation in truth or lie, whether he was a 'good' man or a 'bad' man, whether he could ice skate or not.

He kissed him and Canada let him.

Hmmm...

Canada tasted familiar but he could not decide on the flavour. He pushed back and furrowed his eyebrows.

"What flavour is that?"

Canada smirked and leaned forward.

"You never did ask," his voice was low and rough as it always was when he was entertaining wicked, mischievous thoughts. He offered the frozen treat again and Prussia slipped further down the bench to avoid it.

"What flavour?"

"Guess."

Canada came closer.

"Chocolate?"

Prussia retreated and tried to convince himself that it was a tactical retreat. In fact, it was less retreating and more 'attacking in the opposite direction'.

"No," he whispered and came closer. Prussia pushed backwards.

"Mocha?"

"No…"

"Ummm…"

Prussia was at the absolute end of the bench. There was nowhere else to go. His hot chocolate was not so much hot as cold now but he kept it between him and the other nation as weak protection. His pride could not handle another hit after the ice skating this afternoon but Canada had other ideas.

Canada raised the ice cream cone to his lips and licked up and around and Prussia stopped thinking altogether.

Oh, dear.

His mouth opened and closed as he scrambled for another flavour to guess but it was a lost cause now. His traitorous mind had abandoned him in favour of his libido.

Canada licked his lips and came closer and Prussia slipped further back as he tried to gather his thoughts and remember the reason ice cream was such a terrible idea. It did not seem like such a terrible idea when Canada was licking his lips.

He had forgotten that he was at the end of the line.

"Ah!"

Prussia lost his balance and tumbled off the bench onto the packed snow. His hot, cold, chocolate splashed up the front of his borrowed clothes and stained his multitude of scarves. It knocked the air out of him so he decided to lie there and ignore the snickers of the teenagers in the shelter with them.

Canada appeared above him and seemed flustered, all seduction gone.

"Oh, oh no, I did not mean to… I just… And you!"

Prussia watched him wave his hands in anxious circles with the ice cream still clutched in one hand as he remembered how to breathe. In, out, in, out.

"You…"

"Oh, Gilbert, I was just… Oh, please forgive me."

Prussia reached up and found purchase on one of his sleeves. He tugged down, hard, and Canada tumbled to land on his chest. It knocked the air out of him all over again and he coughed. Prussia might have lost his beverage when he fell but Canada somehow managed hold on to the ice cream cone, although his toque was askew. Canada peered down at him from were he was sitting on his chest and his cheeks were ablaze in embarrassment.

He was cute and, more than that, he had said 'please'. Prussia never could resist him when he said 'please'

Prussia sighed and reached for the ice cream. His pride was dead and gone anyway; what did he have to lose at this point? He bit into it. It was sweet with pieces of a burnt, salted aftertaste.

He raised it above his head and studied it.

"What the hell is that?"

Canada was shocked that he had stolen his ice cream but he still answered.

"It's, well, it's 'maple bacon'," he stuttered.

Prussia paused.

"Maple… Bacon?"

"Uh, yes."

"You threatened me with maple bacon ice cream?"

Canada bit his lip and seemed caught between a teasing smile and apologies. He often was.

"Offered; I offered you maple bacon ice cream."

Prussia blinked up at him. Canada asked him out on a 'nice, normal date' and then subjected him to maple bacon ice cream? It was delicious, of course, but cold. So cold. So, so cold.

And so, so strange too.

The snow beneath him was freezing and the cold was seeping through his jacket and two sweaters. He was numb except where Canada was perched on his chest. He shivered.

"It's cold, and you threatened me with ice cream," he said it again, just to be sure.

"I did not."

"You did too."

"Gilbert, it's just ice cream!"

"Bullshit. It's a weapon of mass consumption."

It was his turn to blink before Canada chuckled and plucked the ice cream from his upraised hand. He tried to hold it out of reach but it was not far enough.

"It is not."

"You owe me, now."

"I do not."

"You do too." Prussia pouted but the effect was ruined with another shiver. He knocked the ice cream out of his hand and it landed upside down on the snow. Prussia cackled, his opponent vanquished, but Canada gasped and seemed insulted.

"You owe me now," he said again and tugged on the pompoms of his toque. Canada tore his wistful gaze from the ice cream to stare at the other nation. Prussia tugged on the pompoms again so that Canada leant over him from where he sat on his chest. "And I think I know how you can make it up to me…"

"Oh?"

Their noses touched.

"You can warm me up."

Canada kissed him; soft at first and then a little more insistent, and Prussia returned the favour. He let his hands slide up his jacket and to the warm skin beneath that. Everywhere that their bodies met was warm, hot, and it was a welcome change after ice skating and ice cream.

Prussia had had enough 'ice' to last him for a while.

Canada stopped to breath and that teasing smile was back.

"How's that, then?" His voice was breathless and quiet but he was close enough that Prussia could hear him just fine. Canada worried his fingers along the edges of his scarves but kept his eyes focused on Prussia.

Prussia grinned.

"Hot."

Author's Notes

Well, this is a ridiculous little addition but it was floating around and I wanted to post something, anything, before I leave for a week. I have had similar conversations to this with foreigners, minus the kissing.

Yes, 'maple bacon' is an actual flavour. I've partaken in it twice. It's delicious, I suppose, although the bits of bacon have an odd texture. It makes me feel very, very, very Canadian; what with the maple and 'Canadian' bacon (we just call it bacon up here).

So, I am still around and even still writing. It is just that the projects I am working on are multiple chapters and I refuse to post before a) I'm done, and b) I update 'Tired of Waiting' because it is only fair. Soon, soon, soon! I also have some one shots that should be posted before that.

Please leave a review and feel free to offer opinions, advice, or criticism. All are welcome. You are free to leave an anonymous review; I do not mind. Please let me know what you think of this piece.