Title: Bouquet

Character(s): Prussia + Hungary

Summary: Six times Prussia gave Hungary flowers hoping to send her a message he can't voice, and one time he didn't need to.

Notes: Written for the 'Not a Fairy-tale' Challenge.

1.

Walking – walking is the only thing he can think of as he paces around the front porch of Hungary's home. He can't think of the flowers in his hands, can't think of their meaning. He just can't focus on anything other than his impatient pacing, because he knocked on the door over ten seconds ago and there's still no answer.

Since when did he, the awesome Prussia get so wound up by one person? By Hungary of all people? Sure he's known her all of his life, and yes, he doesn't really understand her, but she likes flowers doesn't she?

She'll like these flowers right? And she'll understand their meaning, obviously, because that's who Hungary is, right? She's always wearing a flower in her hair, so shouldn't she know the meaning behind each flower?

The nation on Prussia's mind opens the door, looking at him with a quizzical expression on her face. Prussia has to tell himself to do something, because he really doesn't want to get hit over the back of the head with a frying pan.

Quickly, Prussia presents the flowers – white coronations – to Hungary, praying she understands what they mean.

[They whisper words like 'sweet' and 'lovely' and 'my love for you is pure'.]

Hungary accepts them, and she kisses Prussia's cheek as if she understands, but Prussia knows that she doesn't. Her eyes don't show understanding, and she doesn't tell him she loves him back.

But Prussia doesn't comment, because he could never tell her just how he feels with things as literal as words...

2.

Is it bad to feel envious, because that's all he can feel? Prussia feels like he's the biggest sinner around, but he'd give anything for it to go all away. If he could, he'd order a shipment of Novacane, and take dose after dose so that he doesn't ever have to feel anything again, but he can't.

He's got to stick with these feelings that he can't get out because Hungary doesn't understand and he's just so envious that she doesn't have to overanalyse every situation.

And Prussia wants to tell her this, so he knocks once again on her door, a mere month after the last time, and when she opens the door, Prussia presents her with a new batch of flowers – Orange Hyacinths.

[They whisper words like 'jealousy' and each petal explains that 'I'll hate every guy you date who isn't me'.]

Hungary accepts these flowers too, with an overjoyed laugh, and a kiss on Prussia's lips, that make Prussia feel happy even if she doesn't understand. And he smiles back at her, because for now he won't have to worry about things like jealousy because she's just kissed him of all people.

And Prussia doesn't comment this time, because his flowers have explained that he cares deeply for Hungary, whether it's sinful or not.

3.

It's only natural that the next month he gets her some more flowers. It's like a tradition now isn't it? That's all Prussia can think, as he picks out more flowers for the girl – woman – he loves. That's all he can think whenever he walks past flower shops and supermarkets and gardening centres.

So he buys another bouquet of flowers, making sure that he sends a message along with them, even if Hungary doesn't necessarily understand why it means. Maybe this time, Prussia hopes in the back of his mind, maybe this time she'll get it.

This time Prussia doesn't need to knock on the door, because Hungary knows he's coming over, and she kisses him even before he passes over the flowers. She murmurs a quick hello to her, and he murmurs one back before passing her the flowers. This time they're primroses.

[They whisper the statement 'I can't live without you'.]

Hungary gushes over how beautiful they are, and she immediately whisks away to the kitchen so that she can put them in her favourite vase. Prussia is certain that she doesn't understand what these mean, because she doesn't realise just how much he needs her, how much he'd break without her in his life.

And so he doesn't speak because he's afraid his voice will break with longing and he's afraid she'll laugh if he tells her he can't fathom a world without her.

4.

It's a routine, and this time Prussia wants to break it. Yes, he's still buying flowers – that's not the routine he wants to break – but he decides to settle on a flower that's easier to understand. He settles for a perfect clichéd flower, and he buys twelve, because that's a clichéd number.

He settles for being clichéd.

This time, Prussia waits until the sun is setting behind him to give Hungary her flowers. He wears a suit – he wants to present Hungary with the perfect cliché – and he knocks twice on her door.

She answers the door with a confused look on her face, but when she notices the flowers in his hands, she lets out a small squeal and jumps happily on her feet, letting herself clap. It's so clichéd, but Hungary takes the thorn-less red roses with a gleeful smile, and she twirls around slightly as she rushes to put them through the vase.

She calls over her shoulder, "I love you too!"

[The flowers whisper words like 'Love' and 'respect', but they also scream out, 'I've loved you since I first laid my eyes on you, tell me you feel the same!'.]

This time Hungary understands half of it – she understands that red roses mean love and respect. But she doesn't understand why it's a thorn-less rose, and that hurts more than Prussia could have imagined back it's like he's been pricked with all of those thorns.

And of course he doesn't say anything, because he's too busy looking over at the calendar on the wall that shows loads of meetings with Austria. Prussia doesn't say anything, because he's scared for a moment he won't be able to find the right flowers to express himself with next month.

And it's such a perfect cliché.

5.

Is it bad that he can only think in black and white? Is it bad he can only think answers to the closed questions in his head, and not the open ones? Prussia is so confused that he wants to open his mouth and just say the words, but he really can't and so he keeps quiet instead.

And once again, he buys her flowers.

He doesn't expect Hungary to know the meaning – he doesn't want her to – but at least he'll have expressed himself anyway. He loves her after all, but he doesn't know how far the love spreads.

She's been hanging out with Austria an awful lot again.

Using his own key, Prussia opens Hungary's door, surprising her in the kitchen. Hungary greets him with a smile, and she kisses his cheek when she sees the flowers. As usual, she takes them from him and puts them in a vase.

The lavenders look beautiful, and Hungary comments on this, but Prussia doesn't reply.

[They do the talking for him, chanting the word 'distrust' and singing 'I don't know if I trust you when you spend so much time with him'.]

This time, Prussia doesn't speak because he feels too guilty not trusting the woman he loves. So he stays quiet, sitting down on a seat as Hungary tells him about her day.

He tries to deny the fact that he can feel himself breaking apart from all of the mistrust.

6.

He should have expected this, Prussia thinks venomously, he should have expected this from the very start. He didn't though, and the very thought make him want to throw punches at the wall, and let out loud growls of anger.

His routine hasn't disappeared yet though, and so once again, he visits the florist, snatching up more flowers – another message – as he scowls at them. He should have expected this, he thinks, he should have never trusted her.

Hungary isn't as truthful as he'd hoped. She isn't quite as lovely as he'd first thought.

This time he doesn't use the keys to her house – he takes a step backwards in their relationship by knocking. Hungary opens the door for him, smiling happily as she sees the flowers, as she sees him.

Prussia hands the bouquet of Petunia's over to her with a strained smile, upset that she still doesn't see the message behind them.

[The flowers scream words like 'resentment' and 'anger' and they yell 'how could you betray me by cheating with him!'.]

But Hungary doesn't hear these screams, doesn't listen out for the yell, and so Prussia is left leaning on the counter as Hungary makes him a drink of hot chocolate.

Prussia doesn't speak this time, terrified that he'll start shouting as Hungary pretends nothing's going on with her and Austria.

He also pretends his heart doesn't break, but it does.

7.

This is the last time he sends her flowers, Prussia promises himself. This is the last time he leaves the house with the intention of going to the florist to send Hungary a message.

He's hoping this message will be clear enough.

The florist's shop isn't awesome anymore, he deduces, as he passes over the correct change for the bouquet he wants to give to Hungary. He's still got a while until he gives them to her, a week, so he keeps them at home, watches them every day.

He knocks on the door when he's sure that his flowers with give the message he wants to give. He holds the bouquet behind his back, watching as Hungary opens the door, giving him a smile reserved only for him

She's still pretending that she's not disgracing the meaning of 'trust'.

He watches as she smiles, asking for this month's flowers, and he passes her the bouquet he'd bought a week ago. Shocked tears brim in Hungary's eyes, and she doesn't remember to take the flowers. Instead, she stares at the forget-me-nots with an expression Prussia isn't sure he wants to see again.

[These flowers don't whisper anything, but if they did, Prussia's sure they'd whisper things about his 'true love' and his 'memories'.]

"What did you do to them?" Hungary whispers, looking at the flowers in saddened shock. Prussia shrugs, looking down at the forget-me-nots with distant eyes. They don't really send that much of a message with words, instead they focus mostly on emotions.

[Withered flowers only send the message of rejection across and a whisper of goodbye.]

Looking at the waterless flowers, Prussia thrusts them into Hungary's arms, crossing his own in a business like matter. And this time he does speak –

"It's over Hungary."

-and when he's finished he passes her back her keys.

And then, he doesn't say anything, because he's far to focused on walking away.