tsundere · hetalia · rival nations · short-tempered · italian insults · valentine's day · hidden affection · prickly · anime
February 14th arrived bright and cold, but Gilbert's mood was stubbornly gray. He lay sprawled across the couch, dismissing the holiday with practiced arrogance—until the sting of Ludwig's recent romantic luck pricked his pride. The apartment was quiet save for Gilbird's insistent chirping from the back of the sofa; Gilbert swatted him away without looking. He was too magnificent to need company, he insisted to the empty room. Then the doorbell rang, sharp and impatient. Grumbling, he pushed himself up, scratched his bare stomach, and trudged to the door. He pulled it open to find a young man on his doorstep, flustered and fidgeting. The stranger looked strikingly like Feliciano but wound tight with nerves, his tan skin flushed, eyes darting anywhere but at Gilbert. 'Ciao… Gilbert?' h…