Work Text:
Bored out of his mind, Austria idly inspected the box of assorted chocolates that sat on the coffee table. Laying out on the couch, he prodded the box with a teaspoon he had snagged from the tea tray beside the chocolates. Slowly he rotated it, allowing him to be able to read the words on the sides of the package. There, a short description had been printed on the outside, explaining the different flavors of each of the chocolates that could be found inside. Lazily, he muttered the words under his breath, trying to pass the time. Across from him, Hungary was seated on the matching cushion, drinking his afternoon tea as he read over the letters that had come in the nail earlier that morning. A daily habit of his that Austria often found himself intruding on for the sake of some company. With their respective busy schedules, it was often difficult to find time for the couple to just be in each other's presence so Austria took whatever chance he could even if they usually just sat in silence.
Finishing reading all of the descriptions, Austria made an attempt to open the box with the same small spoon he had been using to move the package. To no one's surprise, it didn’t work, the box being more stubborn than to be opened with a mere teaspoon. A little annoying, but something Austria could easily get over in due time.
Hungary, who had been watching him for the last little while, noticed the situation Austria had so cleverly placed himself in. Wordlessly, he placed the letter he was holding down and reached over to open the box of sweets for his husband.
Austria blinked, eyes shifting over to the man as the box was pushed in his direction, “Ah- Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” the kingdom replied, taking a sip of his tea and returning to his previous task afterwards.
Austria said nothing more and averted his eyes. Using the same spoon as before, he tried to scoop up one of the strawberry cream filled chocolates. Actually succeeding in his endeavors this time around, he sat up properly popping the sweet in his mouth. He hummed in content, pleased at the amount of strawberry flavor that was present in the filling. Usually he wasn’t the type to be inclined towards such confections, but a couple every once in a while was welcome. Even better if strawberry was part of the flavor profile.
“Do you like them?” Hungary asked, catching Austria’s attention.
“I do,” he confirmed, already midway in scooping up another strawberry cream chocolate, “A lot better than the ones you bought last time.”
“Good to know,” Hungary replied, “I’ll keep that in mind then.”
Austria gave a slight nod and indulged in having another few of the chocolates, deliberately seeking out the cream filled ones as he made his picks. At one point he decided the spoon was too impractical, setting it off to the side in favour of using his hands instead. It was much easier to get the sweets out of the packaging that way. Besides, his husband was too absorbed in reading his letters to judge, not that he would regardless. Marriage had proved to have made the both of them a lot more tolerable to the absurdities of the other over time.
While on the topic of absurdities, Austria’s eyes trailed back over to his other half. He took in his features, noting them in mind as he continued to nibble on the sweets that had by then made a mess of his clothes. How uncivil, though he didn’t mind if it was in the presence of Hungary.
Now looking at him, Hungary’s auburn hair looked awfully similar in color to strawberry compote. It didn't help that his eyes were practically the same color as strawberry leaves too. Also, much like the ripe fruit, Hungary was physically rather well built too. An odd comparison but still one that added to the growing evidence. Maybe it was due to eating all of those strawberry creams, but he was convinced that Hungary was practically a human strawberry. He certainly looked the part in the Austrian’s eyes.
“Do you like strawberries?” Austria then questioned, thinking about all the similarities between the fruit and Hungary.
“They’re alright,” he answered, not giving much else of a response.
“I like strawberries,” he added, eyes glued onto him.
Hungary glanced over to him and then the box of chocolates then back again, “Did you finish the strawberry creams?”
Austria blinked, then went to check before answering, “I guess so…” he admitted, not having realized it himself.
“Would you like more?” Hungary offered, setting his teacup down on its saucer.
“No,” Austria confessed, “But I have another request.”
“What is it?”
“I want to eat chocolate off your arm.”
The Hungarian blinked, a look of pure shock and bewilderment appearing on his face, “You want to do what now?” he questioned, convinced that he had misheard what the other had suggested.
“I want to eat a piece of chocolate off your arm,” Austria repeated, staring at him, dead serious.
“What on earth warranted you to want to do that?” Hungary looked at him, both confused and shocked.
“Oh come on! It would be fun!” Austria tried to reassure, standing up and settling himself down on the couch beside his husband, “Eating chocolate alone is no fun. And you’re basically a big strawberry so it will be like I have more strawberry creams! It's a brilliant idea, Hungary.”
“What in God's name are you talking about?” Hungary blurted, “A strawberry? Austria, did you sleep at all last night?”
Austria simply rolled his eyes and grabbed onto his husband’s arm, basically hugging it against his chest, “You heard me just fine, alright. You’re a strawberry. Please just let me try just this once?” he attempted to persuade, looking up at him with the biggest eyes he could manage to make, “You’ve got the arms for it and it would be fun!”
“I don’t understand what appeal is in that,” Hungary muttered awkwardly, unsure how to gently let him down.
“It's not supposed to make sense to you,” he huffed, scooting closer to him, “Just let me have one off of you? I won’t make you do it again after.”
Sensing that Austria was not going to let this go, Hungary sighed, agreeing, “Just one, okay?”
Austria’s eyes lit up at getting his agreement, grinning as he hurriedly let go of his arm to reach over to the half empty box of chocolates, “Perfect! You won't regret this, “ he declared, picking out the perfect sweet out of the remaining options.
“You saying that only makes me regret this already,” Hungary mumbled, watching as Austria took his time with this pointless mission of his.
“Oh hush,” Austria scolded, hearing what he had said, “Make yourself useful and take off your shirt. I need to figure out the optimal placement for this.”
“There's optimal placement for this?” Hungary asked, deadpan, “Austria, I fear you’ve lost your mind.”
“Or maybe you’re just extremely boring,” he argued, urging Hungary to hurry up with removing his top, “Again, there's no fun in having a load of sweets alone.”
“And you couldn’t have picked anything a bit more normal for us to do?” he questioned, slipping off the sleeves as Austria stared in overwhelming joy.
“Nope! Normal is boring, Hungary,” he grinned, taking hold of his husband's arm and positioning it so that he was practically flexing his arm, “Just stay like that for me alright?”
“Sure,” Hungary complied, finding Austria’s enthusiasm absolutely ridiculous.
Austria’s grin only widened as Hungary held the pose, looking like a man who regretted every life choice that had led him to this moment, “Yes, that will work wonderfully,” he mumbled to himself, clearly putting way too much thought into the idea of eating a chocolate off of his husband's bicep.
Hungary stared at him, unimpressed, “You’re enjoying this far too much,” he complained.
“Correct,” Austria agreed without any hesitation as he gently pressed a piece of milk chocolate against the curve of Hungary’s arm. He took a step back afterwards, admiring his work as his husband continued to feel like a huge buffoon. Sometimes the man’s eccentricity proved to be more of a problem than he would have liked.
“Look at that. Perfection!”
Hungary blinked, “It’s a chocolate. On my arm.”
“And it's perfect!” Austria beamed, settling on the couch beside him again, “Literally a chocolate strawberry.”
“Austria,” he said slowly, “I’m not a fruit.”
“Sure you aren’t,” Austria frowned, poking his cheek, “Look at yourself in the mirror and then tell me you aren’t a strawberry.”
“Just eat the chocolate and get this over with,” Hungary sighed, the ridiculousness of the situation growing by the second.
Austria grinned again at the request, positioning himself at just the right angle to eat the chocolate. As much as it would have been fun to tease the Hungarian more, being invited to eat the sweet was more than he had hoped for. He couldn’t possibly pass up on the wonderful opportunity that had been just presented to him.
“As you wish,” he purred, leaning in deliberately and picking up the piece of chocolate with his teeth. He let it fall into his mouth, chewing on it in pure delight. Having had slightly melted on its time sitting on Hungary's arm, the chocolate had left a bit of residue on the bicep which Austria swiftly lapped up before the other could tell him not to. A bold move on Austria’s end.
He pulled away afterwards, smiling and looking rather satisfied with himself, “There we go! See? That wasn’t too bad.”
Hungary just stared at him wide eyed and in disbelief, “…Austria, you truly are absurd.”
The empire only grinned, shrugging in response, “Maybe.”