Written for hc bingo for the square: Trust Issues

Warnings: light bondage

Russia tugged against the leather cuffs binding his wrists. Above him, Prussia bit and licked up the line of his stomach towards his chest, leaving an invisible trail along his skin. Every touch of lips and teeth burned like fire and he ached to reach out and grab those lithe shoulders, though whether to pull Prussia closer or shove him downwards to more neglected areas, he wasn't entirely sure. The bed frame gave a rattle at his efforts but otherwise held firm. His hands, stretched above him and pinned to his own headboard, stayed put.

The noise caused Prussia to pause, bared teeth hovering over exposed skin. He cocked his head to the side, uncanny red eyes boring straight into him and Russia was abruptly reminded of the elusive predators deep in the Altai Mountains, that tightly controlled power hidden beneath deceptive stillness. Prussia was wild and gorgeous and completely focused on Russia.

And that was exactly the way Russia liked it.

Over the years, he'd become accustomed to being feared by so much of the world. He didn't like it or even really understand why he elicited such a negative reaction (he only wanted what was best for everyone), but he'd learned to accept it and use it to his advantage. The lack of fear was one of the reasons he loved being with Prussia so much.

Russia licked his lips and broke the stillness. "Not that I mind," he said teasingly, "but it's come to my attention that you are always the one using the fun toys." He pulled against the cuffs for effect.

In an instant, Prussia transformed from predatory to concerned. "What do you mean?" he asked carefully. "You don't like?" One of his hands detached itself from where it was splayed against Russia's ribs and gestured over to the general area of the headboard.

"I wouldn't do it if I didn't like it." Russia smiled and it came to him that now was perhaps not the best moment for this particular discussion. Filing it away with the other stray thoughts (he was running frighteningly low on vodka), he strained forward as far as his shoulders would let him. Prussia seemed to implicitly understand what he was after and surged forward to meet him in a kiss.

The thought was forgotten in favor of more important activities.

.

As a point of fact, Russia did like their games. Very much, in truth. He liked that Prussia wasn't afraid to tie him up and have his way, liked that he didn't hesitate to take when so many others were afraid merely to ask, and loved being able to let everything go and enjoy himself without concern for consequences. Knowing Prussia enjoyed it as well fueled it all the more.

The logical part of him knew that Prussia never offered to switch their roles more out of a preference to be in control rather than because he didn't trust Russia. But still there was a very tiny part that wondered, especially given their history of violence. (He remembered one incident in particular when an East German policy debate ended with him throwing the belligerent nation into a tiny cell for a week with no food or light. Once recovered, Prussia had retaliated by breaching his home security in the middle of the night and attacking him unawares. After that, they both made an increased effort to settle arguments with words only.) It was an unavoidable fact of being a nation that they all had some sort of bloody history with each other, and so he tried to push his doubts aside. But that little nagging voice just didn't want to shut up.

Entering his house after a rough day at work (rough week was more accurate) he was surprised, yet pleased, to discover Prussia lounging on his couch, glass of imported beer in hand. They generally only had time to see each other on weekends, and it was his turn to visit Berlin in two days' time.

"What a nice present to come home to," he announced cheerfully, hanging up his coat and scarf. He made his way over to the couch and took the glass from Prussia's hand.

"Hey! I'm not finished with that."

Russia ignored the protest and threw back the last of the beer. He had to admit, the German brand he stocked for Prussia was indeed very good. Setting the glass aside on the nearby coffee table, he knelt between Prussia's legs in front of the couch so that they were at eye level, and slowly reached out to encircle both his wrists, one in each hand.

Prussia's eyes moved rapidly between their hands and back to Russia's face, but he didn't pull away. "What's this about?"

Still moving slowly, so as not to startle him, Russia brought one wrist up to his mouth and turned it upward to place a chaste kiss directly over the pulse point. The heartbeat under his lips was pounding. He guided the wrist away and brought the other up to repeat the action with a second kiss. This time he lingered, inhaling the scent and enjoying the hush of the moment. His house was so large and so quiet, and though that made him appreciate the contrast of noise, he would always feel at home in silence.

When he was done he simply held Prussia's wrists in the space between the two of them. At long last he spoke.

"You trust me, yes?"

"Yeah, of course." The answer was immediate.

What Russia wasn't expecting was the follow-up. It was easy to forget that, beneath the ego, Prussia had a keen strategic mind that could be quite perceptive when he bothered.

"Is this because I don't like being tied up? That has nothing to do with you." Prussia shrugged. "It's just how I am."

Their aborted conversation in the bedroom several days ago had stuck with him, Russia realized. "I know."

But he must have hesitated because Prussia's eyes narrowed at the response. "Fine," he announced with a smirk. "Go for it." It was proclaimed almost like a challenge, and leave it to Prussia to turn a conversation about trust into a competition.

"What?"

"You obviously want to." Prussia gazed down at their hands, where he was still being held, before returning to meet his eyes. "If it means that much to you, I'm willing to try it."

Russia blinked. He honestly wasn't expecting that response and felt abashed for his earlier insecurities. The fact that Prussia would go along with this, even after stating it was something he didn't like, was more than Russia would ever have asked of him. "No," he said quickly, shaking his head in emphasis. "I shouldn't have asked."

"Fuck no!" exclaimed Prussia. "You didn't ask. I offered. We're doing this shit." He pulled his wrists free (Russia hadn't realized he was still holding them) and grabbed his overnight bag, resting on the floor near Russia, to produce what looked like police issue handcuffs. The bag was unceremoniously tossed aside. Then he lifted his hips so he could reach down into his jeans front pocket and take out a small key on a long, thin chain. "I was saving this for later, but don't ever let it be said that the great Prussia can't make tactical adjustments mid-plan!" He tossed the items over to Russia.

Taken off-guard, he barely managed to catch the cuffs and key. They were heavy in his hands, so he was correct in thinking they were appropriated from some law enforcement branch, and not the flimsy recreational ones with additional safety release. Not the he was surprised; Prussia didn't mess around with his hobbies.

"Okay then," he agreed. Holding the chain containing the key, he reached up and placed it around his own neck, tucking it under his shirt. The metal was warm against his skin from being in Prussia's pocket and something about that comforted him. "Take off your shirt and give me your hands back."

Prussia complied.

With a sharp ratcheting noise, Russia clamped the bracelets shut. Not tight enough to hurt, but enough so that he wouldn't be getting out of them without the key. The effect on Prussia was immediate, though he tried to hide it. He didn't pull or struggle against the restraints and his breathing didn't become faster, but Russia noticed the steady rise and fall of his chest was deeper and far more pronounced. The entire line of his body went rigid and his eyes became unfocused.

Russia was startled at the reaction. He'd seen Prussia in chains before, at the end of various wars or battles, but even in the most dire of circumstances it never seemed to tame his brash nature. Perhaps, Russia speculated, that within the realm of warfare he wasn't unsettled by the confinement, but here when he had a choice he permitted himself the discomfort.

From his position still kneeing in front of the couch, he reached out a hand and ran it over the bare skin of one shoulder and down his arm. "Prussia?"

That seemed to snap him out of it and he gave a wide, cocky grin. "Like what you see, yeah?" He went to loop his cuffed hands around Russia's neck.

Russia caught them midway with both his hands, entwining their fingers and arresting the movement. "You don't like this." He stated the obvious.

"It's fine," Prussia countered. He was still smiling, but Russia thought it looked forced. The other nation was usually a much better liar than this, another indication that if Prussia wasn't going to, Russia needed to bring this to an end.

He unlaced one of his hands from between Prussia's fingers and retrieved the small metal key from his neck. He went to fit it in the corresponding keyhole, but Prussia hurriedly disentangled his remaining hand and pulled both hands and cuffs in towards himself, scooting farther against the corner of the couch and away from Russia's reach.

"No, I said we're doing this, and we're damn well going to do it."

Russia didn't put down the key. "You said you'd try it. Well, it's plain to me you're not having fun. To me, that's no good, so I say we're stopping." To be clear, he went ahead and said the word that always signaled an end to their games. He had no desire to engage in activities that weren't pleasant for them both.

At that, Prussia deflated and reluctantly came back forward and held out his wrists. "I do trust you, you know."

"I know," he reassured him, and he meant it. "That's why you don't have to prove it." With twin clicks, Russia unlocked one cuff and then the other, opening the bracelets and freeing Prussia's hands. He placed the restraints on the table behind him and got up to sit on the couch beside Prussia, pulling him close and looping the chain with the key over his messy silver-white head.

Prussia looked up at him and smiled.