kiramaru7 | Cross-posted from hetachallenge

Title: Valentine’s Day
Author: kira
Claim: Germany, Italy
Character(s): Germany, Italy
Table/Prompt: Romance/ #2: Hope
Word Count: 1096
Rating: PG
Summary: Germany and Italy celebrate Valentine’s Day
Author’s notes: Thanks go out to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

Looking down at the dozen roses Italy had given him, Germany’s heart skipped a beat. He wondered if his little buddy was trying to tell him something and his mind raced to try put all the pieces into the correct order as the last thing he wanted was to dash Italy’s hopes. What hopes he was dashing, Germany refused to speculate on as they were dangerously close to his own, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards briefly in an uneasy smile, while a strong feeling of déjà vu washed over him. Forcing himself to release the breath, he was holding, he said softly, “Thank you.”

Italy smiled. “You’re welcome,” he chirped. “Buon San Valentino, Germany!”

Germany sighed. They had gone through this last year with disastrous results. Despite talking it over with him, along with numerous explanations about flowers and the hidden language of them, here was his little buddy handing him roses again.

“Don’t you like them?” Italy’s eyes welled up with tears.

Germany nodded. “They’re very pretty, Italy. Of course I like them.”

“Oh good!” Italy’s face lit up as he smiled. “I’m going to make your favorite dish for you for dinner too.”

Germany frowned. “You are?” He hated to tell his little buddy, but sauerbraten took several days of marinating in the fridge, before cooking, not to mention Italy had taken the last of the gingersnaps home with him so making the gravy would be harder than he thought.

Italy nodded. “Yup! Although, I don’t know how to make potato dumplings. Are they like gnocchi?”

Germany had to think about that one. “I’m not sure how you make gnocchi, but potato dumplings are easy to make. Do you want me to help you?”

“Ve… I wanted to make it for you myself, but… uh…”

“If you don’t want my help, it’s okay.”

“No! Please help, Germany… I liked when you helped me make pizza the other day.” Italy flashed his sunny smile again. “We just need to go to my house and get the meat.”

“Yeah?” Germany was pleasantly surprised he had had the foresight to actually get the meat and it must have shown.

Italy nodded. “Austria helped me with it.”

“Aaah…” So that’s where that prissy old bastard went the other day…

“Yeah… and maybe we can get some wine on the way home, to your house.”

Home…? He called my place home…? Does this mean he really does like me as more than a friend…? He’s cooking for me and he gave me roses and… Germany rubbed tiredly at his forehead as his world titled on its axis. First a mild winter and now his little buddy was hinting at something more than just friendship. While Germany refused to get his hopes up, as most things he did left him feeling confused where his little buddy was concerned, a tiny part of him held onto that hope, while loudly denying it. “Okay…”

Hours later, Germany found himself, sitting with Italy in his dining room, enjoying a hearty meal of sauerbraten with red cabbage and potato dumplings. Lifting a glass of Spätburgunder to his lips, he sipped the rich red wine, while his little buddy babbled on about playing soccer tomorrow, instead of training. “Sure,” he found himself agreeing, telling himself it would be a nice way to thank Italy for the meal, while denying the fact he simply found it as much fun as Italy did.

“Ve… Germany?”

“Yes?”

“I hope you had fun tonight.”

Germany smiled. “I did. This turned out to be a better Valentinstag than last year.” His cheeks heating up, Germany felt flustered and covered it up, by sipping his wine.

“Yeah.” Italy sipped his wine. “We can still play soccer tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah. Would you like some dessert?”

Italy nodded.”Yes, please!” His best friend made the best desserts and he wondered what German delicacy he had made this time.

Germany got up and cleared the table. He had made a Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte earlier that morning as he was planning on asking his little buddy over for coffee so that he could give him the little present he got him for Valentinstag. He had put the finishing touches on it while dinner was cooking, and his little buddy was outside, playing with the dogs. Even though it was a German dessert, Italy always asked for it and Germany also had a carton of his favorite gelato in the freezer for him, in case his little buddy wanted that instead. Setting the cake and gelato on a tray along with plates, forks, spoons and two dishes, Germany took it into the dining room.

“You made Torta Foresta Nera!”

Germany nodded. “I know how much you like it.”

“It’s my favorite of all the cakes you make, Germnay.” His eyes went wide. “Is that gelato too?” Italy felt like he died and went to dessert heaven.

“Yes. I got chocolate to go with the cake.”

“Ve... you really do love me!” Italy teased.

Germany felt his cheeks heating up as he cut a slice of cake for his little buddy. Refusing to look him the eye, not that Italy noticed, he handed him a slice of cake, before scooping some gelato into a bowl for him. Sticking the spoon in it, he pushed it towards his little buddy.

“Grazie!”

Germany watched him dig into it with gusto as he sat down to have a slice of cake. Eating his cake, Germany remembered his gift for Italy. “I just remembered I have something for you,” he said, and getting up from the table, Germany went and got it.

While he was gone, Italy took his present for Germany out of his pocket and put it next to his best friend’s plate. “Grazie!” he said when Germany came back and handed his gift to him. “I have something for you too. It’s by your plate.”

“Danke.” Germany and sat down and picked up his present. The strange thing was it was roughly the same size and shape as the present he gave Italy. Opening it, he snorted in amusement.

“Ve... Germany...?” Italy held up his present, a picture of the two of them that Hungary had taken, which was identical to the one he had given his best friend.

“It’s what American always says, ‘great minds think alike,’ Italy.”

“Oh...” Italy laughed. “I love it, Germany!”

“Me too!” He smiled at his little buddy as he shook his head. As they finished their dessert, Germany was pleased that this had turned out to be the best Valentinstag ever.