Prussia's East Germany is the land of spies and oppression, his embassy is a constant pain since it's a badly masked spy central and god knows how many of Sweden's people he has recruited already. But Prussia's East Germany is also the land of fascinating new ideas, ideas Sweden loves to hear Prussia brag about over dinner. Dinner Sweden pays of course.

"Socialism, free health care, progressive education and daycare... Jobs for everyone and communal spirit... Aren't they all things you like?" Prussia practically purrs. "You know we have to keep our eyes on our citizens. People just don't know what's good for them..."

"I know," Sweden replies, thinking about all the things he tries to protect his people from, things that make other nation roll their eyes.

Even if Prussia is smaller and thinner these days he still burns with the same fire he did when they were enemies and rivals. When Finland looks at him with lingering bitterness, Prussia's vicious charm is easy to fall for.

Prussia's citizens run when they get the chance, they sometimes end up in Sweden's home with less than pleasant stories to tell. East Germany, the country of secret prisons and informers in every corner, eyes watching you everywhere you go.

But when Prussia carelessly pushes the plates away, crushing a glass or two along the way, as he drags Sweden down on top of him over the table Sweden thinks of the other Deutsche Demokratische Republik. The one that perhaps could have been if the Soviet Union didn't loom over every aspect of it.

Prussia on the other hand loves how Sweden listens to him as if he had something interesting to say. But no matter how his speeches and ideals can make Sweden lust after him he has few things to actually show him that won't make Sweden look at him with pity.

Prussia tries to not think about that and tries to lose himself in the passion of the moment instead. How he can make Sweden moan his new name instead of hissing it in disgust.

When Sweden wakes up the next morning Prussia is predictably gone. Just as predictably he has gone through all of Sweden's private letters and documents before he left. Spying is one of the things he's good at and he rarely bothers to deny it. Prussia knows very well Sweden isn't going to complain, then he would be forced to admit he actually invited Prussia in the first place.

It makes Sweden both want to strangle Prussia and drag him back to bed. Sweden sighs again over how it isn't only his citizens who don't know what's best for them.

East Germany might not become a beautiful place of progressive socialism even if Russia stopped meddling. They would still have Prussia around.

There is a Swedish expression "DDR-Sverige" (GDR-Sweden), for Sweden in the eighties after a long rule of the social democrats and what some people see as a well meaning but ridiculously controlling government. It made me think Sweden had an embarrassing attraction to Prussia in his GDR times in periods...