edle_gestalt | PRISMATICA: Inbox

[frenchy guy]

I-- [He doesn't have time to even process it or remind him he said stop calling him that before he's attacked with the hug.] Ah -- you're yelling in my ear!

[The hug isn't refused though, and especially after America mentions the lessons Austria might lean into it a bit.]

Shh -- just. Come in. Sit. Did you just arrive here, then? [wait] What do you mean you remember most of them?

C'mon, dude! I wanna show you something..!

_{[ He's just going to take Austria's hand and drag him over to where he remembers the piano being last. ]}

Well, it's weird. I feel like there's stuff I forgot, but then things keep coming to my mind the more I'm here.. but you know what's weirder? I forgot all of them when I went back home!

_{[ He releases Austria (granted he allows himself to be dragged around) and sits at the piano bench like a proud student. ]}

I forgot everything, but something told me to learn the piano when I was there. In fact, when I started playing, it felt like a deja vu.. something just begging me to not give it up.

So..

_{[ He cracks his knuckles, ouch, and then wiggles all of his fingers before placing them on the piano and playing a nice sounding chord. ]}

I did what a student should do.. I never gave up.
And I'm really happy now, because coming here reminded me of the reason why.

[Lucky for him the piano has not moved. Austria allows himself to be dragged (it wouldn't be the first time) and it takes a moment for what America is saying to actually sink in. He... forgot when he went back home?

By the time that sinks in he's listening intently, a little fascinated by the fact that the feeling was enough to compel him to keep learning. Maybe it was true, then, that something from this place would linger, no matter what. There are half-formed thoughts running through his mind that have nothing to do with any of this but the chord brings him back to the moment, and he smiles. America is expressing himself like he's writing a Hollywood script, but Austria can tell it's genuine. If anything it's endearing.]

Music has a way of staying with us. Apparently, transcending states of consciousness. [Maybe the movie-speak is rubbing off on him for a minute there.] I want to hear what you were working on back home.

_{[ America would go off on his scientific theories that have to do with reality jumping but that would just rabbit trail to his theories about deja vu and parallel universes and we don't have time for that. Instead, he flashes a brilliant smile up to his tutor, eager to show off his progress. ]}

You helped me back home, too.. kinda funky you ended up being my teacher in both universes, but check it out.

_{[ Anyway, he plays this, maybe not as smoothly as the video shows, but it's definitely Mozart and he's definitely improvising some jazz flair to it. A huge improvement from before. ]}

[Helped him back home...? He would, if asked, there's nothing unusual about the notion that he would give lessons to a fellow nation. But it's still a pleasant surprise that America would have come to him in the first place, without the unique circumstances of living in the same apartment building.]

Funky?

[yes the word is extremely weird coming from Austria's mouth.

He sits and listens, nodding at the start, and as he continues the grin grows. Not only is it a huge improvement, he's getting to hear America in more detail. He's always looked to another nation's musical styles for a better idea of what makes them tick, but hearing someone themselves perform and interpret the way they want was an even clearer lens.

Golf clap.]

It is freeing to have more means to express yourself, is it not? Bravo, sir, you should be proud of yourself.

[He has a feeling America doesn't need to be told that, but "I'm proud of you" was too touchy-feely to enter Austria's mind as a possible comment. The sentiment is there, though.]

Totally funky. Parallel universe kinda funky, but it's cool. You got me to this point here and back home. I am proud of this, but..

_{[ He trails off, sitting perched on the piano bench at a lower level than Austria. He idly picks at something on his own pair of denims as if it were interesting. Very rarely does America not try and take all the credit for things, but he owns up to the fact he really couldn't have done this without Austria's tutoring. It's really something.

His gaze bounces upward and he pushes his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. ]}

I couldn't have done this without you.

[It is very strange to know something could happen in two realities at once. But he sees the sudden humility and is taken aback, and what scrap of nurturing instinct he has is certainly tapped into. It takes a moment once the words are said and they share eye contact quietly, which also feels entirely new, the quiet of it all with America and then Austria finally clears his throat.] Oh nonsense, it could have been anyone... [He trails off, too, not really believing his own argument either. There wouldn't be anyone with centuries of experience -- well, there might be, but Austria counts himself lucky America didn't suddenly take an interest in the flute instead.

Moving towards America he puts his hand on his shoulder.] We'll keep going with it. I'm looking forward hearing more.

[a pause, and then, pleasantly]

Would you like coffee? ... Do you drink coffee?

[hhhghgh]

_{[ His smile only grows the more Austria talks and the mention of coffee he kicks his feet a little. ]}

Dude, of COURSE I drink coffee! It's tea that is stupid, remember? I mean, I guess I used to be a big tea drinker, but I guess that was such a long time ago!!

_{[ It's kind of cute how America considers his colony days "so long ago." He's baby. ]}

Anyway, I'm glad it was you, though. You've been the best instructor that I could ask for!

[america runs on dunkin]

Espresso, though?

[The buttering up earns an oh, stop it with a wave of his hand, but it also earns the following suggestion:]

...I could make you an Eiskaffee, if you'd like; that's over vanilla ice cream.

[Come to think of it when was the last time he made one for himself? It's always just plain espresso with whipped cream on top for him. But ice cream is sounding good now... he wanders into the other room and the loud sound of the machine goes on.]

Like an affogato? That sounds really good! I don't think I've had that before.

_{[ America, rather curious, stands from he piano bench and wanders after Austria. Might as well see how this whole thing is done. He rubs the back of his own neck, too, looking a bit coy. ]}

I remember some of the other stuff we did together too.

_{[ OHHHH. BOY. ]}

I know that, uhhh, we probably both didn't mean anything all lovey-dovey with it, but.. it was fun, and, uhh, I think it kind of brought us closer together in a way.

_{[ The words roll off his tongue really quickly, but the volume is considerably lower than how he usually speaks. ]}

I don't know. I appreciate you a lot..! But like, you know, not in a..

_{[ His hands kind of wave in the air as he can't precisely spit out his feelings. They aren't.. romantic, but he supposes he sees Austria in a different light now and he likes that. ]}

.. I mean! I know you don't feel that-that way about me and I don't feel that-that way about you, but yeah.

_{[ Bless his heart, where did all of that come from? ]}

Yes, precisely, though even this may be a little less bitter. I normally would do it with slower brewed coffee, but in the absence of the means to do it, an Americano seems apt, I would think.

[But it's good, that he's talking about coffee; it's a reminder that sure, he's young but he's not a kid kid, which is for the better once America starts bringing up the other... things.

Once the espresso shots are brewed, he slows a little, giving the first filter a whack to empty the grounds into the garbage. Hearing America go quieter, the second filter doesn't get as harsh of a hit.]

It's... of course, I understand. [He swallows, having largely avoided eye contact under the guise of working on those coffees, but now the ice cream is in the cups and the shots have been cooled with water and poured over and stirred and he hands America his serving, running over to a tin to take a wafer and put it on top. And by then there's no excuse to look away anymore, is there? He catches America's eye finally, warm, if not outright smiling.]

Likewise. I am pleased that you're back.

[There's a pleasant memory of squeezing at the other man's hips and his eyes drift down to that area momentarily, but that's undignified and he spoons a little ice cream into his own mouth, walking towards the table, pulling out a chair for America.]

_{[ It's a little weird that Austria doesn't have much to say about what America is talking about. I mean, it is sort of an awkward thing to discuss but he felt like he needed to express his thankfulness. At the same time, America feels like he would respond just the same way. Stuff like this wasn't easy to discuss until you got over that weird hurdle of.. weirdness.

Thankfully, America is blissfully unaware of Austria's line of vision.. though, he wouldn't really be mad anyway. He doesn't know what Austria and France's deal is other than they are something, so to him, he thinks maybe that means he's cut off from being physical with the older man again.

He takes a sip of the drink, letting the cream give him a foamy mustache over his upper lip. Though, he's smiling faintly too. ]}

Guess those days are kinda over with us, which is, y'anno.. I understand.

_{[ Maybe not, though. He and Klaus had established some open arrangement when they were together. It's highly possible America is fishing for some hints about the status of Austria and France's relationship. He is, after all, incredibly nosy, especially when it might pertain to something that effects him. ]}

I just.. never would have thought you and France, man. Like, woah. That's really something, but maybe it shows I don't really pay attention to you guys that much.

_{[ "You guys" is his language for "the rest of the world" but you know. ]}

I--

[The words catch in his throat; he's trying to process it and it'd be extremely amusing to hear it talked about in terms of "those days" if he didn't feel a pang of guilt. Okay, no, it is amusing. With the guilt.]

I never said that.

[He's blinking, working through all the lines of logic, fiddling with the spoon.]

Do you really think France would ever agree to monogamy? I wouldn't allow anything one-sided in that regard, where he got to dally about and I were -- no, particularly not here, not with all the things this place does. We're not exclusive.

[He's regretting the word choice of "allow" a little bit, but moving on.]

I never would have either. Even just upon arriving here we loathed each other. Loathed, dreaded, what have you -- something about this place broke down the walls we put up for each other. [There's a fondness about him but he's definitely still looking down at the ice cream.] That and all living together in the apartment building. If there's one thing I miss about being an empire it's having so many of us living together. But I never would have thought you and I would have that opportunity, being an ocean apart.

[Now he looks up, with a dry smirk.] Unless you decided to invade, of course.

_{[ The more Austria talks, the more America is inclined to listen, and, as a result of that, the more the smile grows on his face. If Austria wanted to straight up ask him how he was doing here and America would miraculous be honest with him, he would have to say he wasn't exactly okay. At least when it came to companionship. He was all excited to be back here because it's cool, but it was already starting to feel lonely.

He doesn't understand what it's like having an empire actually live altogether. For whatever reason, things were kind of messy when he lived with England. He did, somehow, remember the play dates he had with Canada, though it's very vague as most of his memories are when he was a colony. There was a sense of peace and unity in those moments (even if France and England had a history of not getting along. It seems as if they could calm down just for a moment.)

In any case, he sets his coffee down and stands, making his way over to the other side of the table and just.. asserting himself to sit sideways in the other man's lap. Good god, he's heavy. His arms wrap around the brunette, though, and he settles his cheek on top of Austria's hair. ]}

That makes me really happy..! That means we can totally fuck still!

_{[ America please.
And as expected, Austria's little jab does go over his head, but he went ahead and insinuated something instead so maybe it didn't. ]}

I'm just really happy you treat me so nice!
_{[ This statement just kind of verifies how dependent he is on validation. ]}

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