Austria-Hungary hadn't had that much fun in ages. The German Empire wasn't at all what she had expected. He seemed... almost perfect. Not only was he handsome, but he definitely had his charm. She'd bet he wasn't facing nearly as many troubles with ruling his own empire as she was. Well... if she really was even ruling. She didn't really get to be fully in charge. She was a dual Empire after all. She technically only existed because her parents needed to make peace with each other.
A while back her father, the Austrian Empire had complete control over all their land, and her mother, while being of the species of countryhuman, wasn't really a country back then. Her mother Hungary had been more or less just a representative of an ethnicity, and she was ruled completely by Austria. The story goes that in the 1840s she had violent revolution against Austria that she almost won. Later when Prussia had backed Austria into a corner she took advantage of that to gain sovereignty, except peacefully this time.
Now the Austro-Hungarian Empire was technically in charge, but both of her parents were the real ones behind things, because they still ruled their own nations separately. The two parts of her both spoke different languages and had different passports. They had their own constitutions and made their own executive decisions. Austria-Hungary only got to be in charge of foreign affairs. She knew that her parents were taking the great burden of governing for her, but she also knew it was for selfish reasons.
Now the German Empire seemed to be destined for a great future. He was tall, ruled all by himself, and such a gentleman. Austria-Hungary could only hope they could become closer. Maybe even allies... or something more?
"You just met him you fool!" she thought, bitter with her foolishness.
When she arrived back at her own palace the sun was already beginning to rise and her heart was still fluttering in her chest after a long night of dancing with the charming German. She practically skipped into the dinning room hugging the bouquet of roses she had been given.
"Wow, you were out late," her father, the Austrian Empire chuckled when he noticed how excited she was. "Must have been an exquisite Ball." He sat at the head of the long wooden table sipping a cup of his early morning tea.
"What's with the flowers?" her mother Hungary asked, sitting at the other end of the table drinking from a goblet. "Did you meet someone?" She smirked.
Austria-Hungary felt her cheeks heat up.
"No need to worry, I'm not going to stop you from dating humans," her father said.
"I'd like to know of this daring young man who asked out a country," her mother added, sounding impressed that any human would ever do such a thing.
"He's not human, okay?" Austria-Hungary said it but too loudly out of embarrassed, sitting down into one of the chairs. At those words bother her parents raised their eyebrows.
"What country is he?"
"Better not be goddamn Russia."
"Is he from the Balkans?"
She raised her hands and waved them in attempt to get them to stop attacking her with questions. "No!" she said.
"Just tell us who then," her mother said eagerly. Her father nodded taking a sip from his cup.
The dual monarchy blushed harder. "Um... well," she said, knowing what she was about to say was going to sound strange. "It was the German Empire actually."
Austria almost spat out his tea hearing the name his daughter just said. He managed to swallow it with enough effort before yelling, "WHAT?!"
Hungary smirked at her husband.
When the Austrian managed to finally catch his words they came out in a yell. "You mean that asshole Prussia's son!? It's all his fault that I have to share my Empire with her!" he yelled gesturing at his wife, who's expression turned from smug to angry at the comment.
"Oh please!" She scoffed. "Your Empire?! Last I checked you and your ethnicity only make up 13% of the population!" She made angry hand movements as she talked. "You never deserved to rule in the first place!"
"You're seriously still mad about all that stuff? And what does that have to do with German Empire?" Austria-Hungary asked, visibly annoyed at her parents. If they are going to argue at all, why does it have to be the same thing all the time?
Her father scoffed and straightened his uniform collar. "The point is that you are going for a relationship with the son of a man who has wronged me very much. I'd say that it's quite rude and disrespectful to me as I am your father."
Her mother sighed. She placed her palm on her forehead. "My point is that she is going for a relationship with the son of the man who has helped me very much. I'd say that it's quite rude and disrespectful for you to deny her of such a date to me as I am your wife, Austria," she said sternly.
He groaned. "Fine you win."
The youngest Empire covered her glowing cheeks with her hands. "I never said we were in a relationship..."
"But you want to be in one, do you not?" Hungary asked her daughter.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire nodded.
"What did you two even do?" her father asked, pouring himself another cup of tea.
She considered the question for a moment. "Well he asked me to dance. Then he got me these flowers and stuff. Then we switched activity with dancing and talking until we decided to stop and head our separate ways."
"That's it?"
"MOM!?"
"Hungary! No need to make such vulgar suggestions at the dining table. I'm trying to drink my tea."
"She comes home at sunrise after meeting a guy and all they did was dance?" Hungary asked. "You got to be joking."
Austria scowled and put a hand to his chest. "Our daughter is a princess, Hungary, it's extraordinarily rude for you to make the assumption that she would EVER engage in such vile behavior!" He scolded, shutting his eyes in disbelief. "Haven't we raised her right?! It simply isn't proper for her to attempt intercourse with a man she just met, let alone a country."
His wife breathed an annoyed sigh. "And how could you ever possibly have a clue? I'm asking her."
He huffed angrily and crossed his arms. "Well then Austria-Hungary, did you or did you not participate in sexual intercourse with this man?"
"NO!!"
"Then it has been settled," the Austrian Empire said in a deadpan.
Hungary gave her daughter a serious look. "You are telling the truth right?"
"YES!?!?"
"Enough!" her father said bringing a fist into the table, making the few plates of biscuits clank. "I simply cannot continue to participate in this disturbing conversation. Especially not at the table." He then preceded to stand up, holding his tea cup and saucer and bringing it with him. "Alas, I'm heading to the drawing room to finish my morning tea as you seem insistent in this subjects continuation."
After he had fully left the room Hungary sighed. "Good Heavens, thank god he's gone."
Her daughter sat uncomfortably in her seat.
"Now you swear nothing happened between you two?"
"Yes mother. I mean, he was quite charming and kind, but it wasn't that kind of attraction. We were also in a ballroom. Where did you expect us to find privacy for such an act?"
Hungary nodded taking a drink from her goblet. "You have brought up a fair point indeed. Very well then. I believe you."
"Thank you."
"You do still need an heir though"
Austria-Hungary groaned and buried her blushing face in her arms.
The German Empire hadn't arrived back in his own country for another couple of days, but he couldn't stop thinking about a certain someone. Not only was she absolutely stunning, but her Empire was quite unique.
The journey home had been more tiring than usual, despite the fact that he shared boarders with Austria.
The German Empire had the same king that his father Prussia had, a man by the name of Otto Von Bismarck. A quite respectable man with respectable feats. Because of this he still lived in his childhood home with Prussia. Many countries lived in the same house as their parental country, sometimes taking care of their retired elder. Although that was quite rare, as many countries ruled because their parental country died and passed on the nation to the next regime.
German Empire considered himself quite lucky that something like that didn't happen to him to allow him to rule. A lot of countries he knew or heard of had been left to pick up a collapsed nation. The collapse that killed their parental country. While on track for a bright future, the young German couldn't help but fear if or when something like a collapse would happen to him. He knew that nothing lasts forever. Not even countries.
Closing the large door behind him, the German Empire came into the family palace with a sigh. He definitely needed sleep. Unfortunately it was only dinner time, and turning in for the night would ruin his sleep schedule.
He walked into the drawing room with a yawn and fell into one of the armchairs.
"How was the visit to Austria?"
German Empire flinched, not knowing there was someone else in the room. He looked over his shoulder to see Prussia sitting in the chair beside him reading the newspaper.
"I suppose it was nice. Vienna was beautiful."
"It always is," his father said putting the newspaper down. "You look tired, what did you even do there?"
He sighed. "Explored the town a bit, crashed a party, whe—"
"You did what now!?" Prussia said, raising his voice a bit.
His son groaned. "Well not really crashed I just kinda of showed up."
"That's what party crashing is, German Empire," he sighed. "You didn't get into any trouble, did you?"
"No..."
"Then I suppose it's not a big deal," he said, turning to face the younger male. "What was the party for."
German Empire rubbed his chin lightly, thinking. "I don't know, it was some sort of ball and banquet," he stopped to debate if he should tell his father a specific detail that he was unable to stop thinking about. In the end he decided that there was no reason to keep such a thing. "And I met someone uh... special..." he continued, looking down at his folded hands in slight embarrassment.
"Who?"
"Um... the Austro-Hungarian Empire..."
His father scratched his head. "Hmmm..."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're sure she likes you back. I don't know what her parents have told her about you or I."
"Father," he started. "She danced with me all night and accepted the flowers I gave her."
Prussia still looked slightly on the fence. "And what about you? What do you think? Are you sure she's right for you? Not just good for you as a person, but is she good for your nation?"
Now German Empire hadn't thought of that. It didn't hurt to have allies, but how useful would she be to him.
"No, no, stop thinking about that. If I start a relationship with her it would be because of love, not because I want to... use her resources or anything like that." He thought.
"Well..." he started, gesturing vaguely. "Uh... it's better to have a good relationship with other countries, than to start a war with them."
Prussia considered his words for a few seconds while scratching his chin. "Very true, but in the end you are more of a country than a person. You cannot forget that the choices you make in your life affect the lives of your subjects. You need to accept that. It's simply unprecedented that you make a decision because of personal reasons. If you were not currently in power I would not say this to you, as it is a harsh truth, but for as long as you rule Germany your preferences, private opinions and anything you do for personal gain do not matter, and you should actively avoid doing or voicing anything of the sort. Remember, your life is not just your own."
German Empire looked away, trying to think of something to say in response
Prussia raised a finger. "However, it is good for you to have allies. I support your yearning to this country. But make sure she's contributing the same amount that you are. You do not need toxic or incompetent allies."
"Got it," his son replied.
"I suggest talking about it with the king if you want to start an alliance."
German Empire nodded, and looked up again. He was silent for a minute before he spoke up. "Would you support a... more serious relationship?"
Prussia grinned and made a move to pat his son on the shoulder, but it was more of a smack. "Obviously. I'd do anything for you to hurry up and get yourself a goddamn heir."
The German Empire smiled.