I've been seeing a lot of depressing PruAus going around Tumblr lately, namely with Gilbert being suicidal. I really wanted to lighten the mood a bit, so I ended up writing this little drabble. It's canonverse and is meant to be simply fluffy.

Also, I roleplay as Prussia, and my Gilbert muse is in a relationship with a fantastic Roderich. This drabble was pretty much influenced by my lovely rp partner's Roderich comforting my Gilbert. So Emma, if you're reading this, thank you for the inspiration.

Well, enjoy!

Roderich could tell Gilbert wasn't himself today.

The Prussian had slumped over the arm of the couch with the television on, yet his crimson eyes never focused on its flickering screen. That was the first obvious sign. Then there was the way he petted the dog, the one he'd begged to adopt – in slow motion, his hand moving absently across the animal's fur. There was a kind of distance and melancholy in his eyes so strong Roderich could nearly see the reflections of bloodied wartime rifles in them.

The Austria had to force back a sigh. Nothing pained him more than seeing Gilbert this way. When the man he loved ached, so did Roderich.

He settled onto the couch next to Gilbert. The Prussian barely looked up at him. Roderich bit his lip gently to bite back the sigh that wanted to heave its way from his lips. Carefully, he stretched a hand out and ran it up and down Gilbert's arm in comforting little circles.

At last, crimson eyes lifted to meet violet.

"Roderich, I feel bad again," Gilbert mumbled. Roderich was one of only two people to whom Gilbert would openly admit such a thing. Ludwig was the other.

"I know." Sometimes, Roderich surprised himself when the words that left his lips were so soft and gentle. Those words were only for Gilbert – the man who had once been his rival, the ache in his head, the pain in his back. It was strange and wonderful how those things worked sometimes. "What is it this time?"

Tense muscles started to loosen a little under Roderich's fingertips. The fingers of both the Austrian's hands crept up until they had threaded themselves through soft strands of silvery hair. "I don't know. That's what I hate. I have no idea what's wrong right now."

Gilbert sounded defeated. Roderich knew there was nothing the Prussian hated more than when his mood dropped like this, without warning or reason. He knew it made Gilbert feel weak. He knew it made Gilbert feel desperately afraid Roderich might leave him for a stronger, more stable man, one who dissolution hadn't worn at as the river wears at the stone.

But Roderich didn't care. In moments like this, when he could feel Gilbert put that wall up, all he wanted was to smash it back down. The only thing on his mind was how badly he wanted to hold the man he loved until those dark thoughts retreated like scared soldiers. One arm slipped around Gilbert's waist, tugging him in as close as possible, while the other remained where it was so his fingers could toy with the Prussian's hair. "It's all right, Gilbert," Roderich nearly whispered. "I'm here. I always will be."

Without hesitation, Roderich pressed a kiss to Gilbert's forehead, then another between his eyes, and yet another to the tip of his nose. The corners of the Prussian's mouth twitched faintly upwards – and so did Roderich's.

In the next moment, the Austrian was pressing his lips against whatever they could reach – Gilbert's cheeks, his chin, his jaw, the corners of his mouth. This sort of affection had never been typical for him. Each time he'd been married, he'd never been kissed or held, so he'd never done the same in return. But Gilbert made him want to drop that stiff, aristocratic air of formality and let it float away like a feather in the wind. Love was complicated. There were emotions and fears and the possibility of being rejected or left. It had always terrified Roderich, so he'd never bothered with it, until now. Loving Gilbert was simple. It was as simple as a kiss, a whispered word or two, a smile, even a look.

And now, as Roderich kissed all over the Prussian's face, Gilbert started to giggle. The corners of his eyes scrunched up and he just giggled as warm lips met warm skin. At last, lips met lips. Roderich just lingered there for a moment, smiling into the kiss a little. This was bliss. This was simple love, Gilbert's giggle and Gilbert's kisses, without fear of judgment or rejection.

Roderich broke the kiss so he could breathe once more. "Do you want me to lay down with you for a while?" he breathed. "Rest usually helps you feel better."

Gilbert just nodded and reached for Roderich's hand.

A moment later, they were lying in the bed they shared, the sheets tugged up around them, their bodies pressed together so that they could hardly get any closer. Yet Gilbert could still find a way. He slipped one of his legs between Roderich's and let out a contented sigh at the added closeness. Roderich couldn't help but do the same. Once more, he found himself running his fingers through Gilbert's hair. The motion seemed to soothe the albino. Besides, those silvery locks simply felt a lot softer under his touch than one might imagine. "I love you, Gilbert…" he whispered, even though the Prussian already looked weary from emotions he could no longer control.

"I love you too, Roderich."

Gilbert's voice was sleepy. And when he cracked a tiny smile before letting his eyes shut, one arm draped across Roderich's body and the fingers of the other curled into the fabric of the Austrian's shirt, Roderich felt perfectly at peace.

As always, thanks for reading, and reviews are love :)