APH// Edelweiss // SwissAus
Title: Edelweiss
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance
Characters/Pairings) Switzerland/Austria, Liechtenstein
Warnings: Human names, potential OOCness(?)
Summary: AU. Vash confessing his love to Roderich after so many years of ‘hating’ him.
Written for the hetaliafic exchange
Vash Zwingli was infamous in the circle of bodyguards and security guards alike. Although at first glance, he seemed fairly average as he had no real distinguishing features, the way he carried himself and the look in his eye spoke of self-assurance that only came with a certainty of one’s power. His reputation preceded him and he was known for being cold, ruthless and efficient at his job. Rumour was that he had once managed to take on a hundred men emerging victorious and without a single scratch. No one had ever dared to ask and most gave him a wide berth. That suited him just fine as he really had no urge to socialise with people. Expert gunman, a one-man army, he skills were widely sought out though they did not come cheap.
This time, he was hired for the duration of the month of December as a security guard for the Sunshine Theatre. It was one of the more famous attractions in the city, a huge glass dome that stood out in the centre of the bustling business district. A one of a kind piano was to be revealed for the first time on Christmas Eve. The world's only transparent piano with the body being made entirely out of crystal, making it fairly expensive and a target for either theft or vandalism.
Vash snorted at the thought. Despite the fact that his job paid rather handsomely, he understood the value of money and didn’t waste it on frivolities that the average rich person seemed to enjoy so much. Really, the rich had too much time and money on their hands if they came up with such wasteful things. He would admit that the piano had some appeal but a normal one would have been perfectly fine and he didn’t fully understand the purpose of creating one so lavish.
It was his fifth day at the theatre as he made his usual rounds. His footsteps made no sound on the white tiles as he trekked the now familiar path around the theatre. Although the silence would have been described as eerie for some, he would it oddly comforting. Approaching the next intersection, he paused and cocked his head to one side as he heard a faint disturbance to the left. Without another thought, he took the left turn instead of the usual right and soon recognised the sound as that of someone playing the piano. Approaching the door that led to the balcony of the auditorium where the piano stood, he stayed on guard, fingering his gun, as he opened the door and slipped in quietly to survey the situation.
It would have been easy enough for him to confront the intruder but something stopped him. The person seemed to be a professional pianist, for there was no other explanation for the natural way they seemed to play it. He watched, captivated, as fingers glided flawlessly across the ivory keys, coaxing out a hauntingly beautiful melody. There was only the natural moonlight illuminating the stage giving the scene a strangely ethereal beauty. As the piece came to an end, he managed to snap himself out of whatever spell he had been put under.
The pianist flexed his fingers for a few seconds before starting on another piece. This time though, Vash was prepared as he analysed the figure below, calculating their threat level. Though his point of view was only an angle of the person, he found the figure oddly familiar, covered up as it was in the navy blue coat, or perhaps it was the way they held themself. The person had somewhat wavy brown hair, with a stray strand that seemed out of place. A memory niggled at the back of his mind but he couldn’t quite place it just yet, until the person suddenly turned their head slightly in his direction.
Recognition struck, sending a shock through his body. His green eyes widened as long suppressed memories and emotions came flooding back, overwhelming him and forcing to leave the room. The door closed behind him a little louder than he would have liked but he paid no heed as he rushed outside to cool off his head, professionalism be damned.
That night, his dreams were filled with the sound of a haunting melody and a far-away childish laughter.
---
Moodily, Vash stabbed at his breakfast. He was lost in his thoughts so he didn’t see the worried glances that his younger sister, Lillian, continually sent him. Eventually, he was brought out of his reverie by her timid voice, “Brother, is something the matter?”
"What makes you ask that?" Vash asked sharply. Seeing his sister flinch at that he apologised, “Sorry, I was just thinking.”
“You’ve seemed distracted lately and…” Lillian hesitantly ventured, avoiding eye contact. She really was worried about how he had been acting lately but wasn’t sure if it was best to pry.
Seeing his sister’s internal conflict, he mentally berated himself for worrying her before confessing his problem. It wasn’t really a problem, just something that wouldn’t leave him alone and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why. "I saw Roderich again," he informed her curtly before adding, almost as an after-thought, “Annoying little bastard.” Before he could stop himself, he was suddenly ranting about all his flaws and faults. The words felt familiar on his tongue and were strangely comforting.
Lilian, listened patiently to the familiar rant. It had been years since she had last heard it and it had always sounded more rehearsed than anything. She had known her brother long enough to distinguish between his true anger and when he was just bluffing. As his speech came to an end she posed a question, "Brother, why do you hate him so much?"
"Weren't you listening to anything I just said?" he replied but with no real bite. The knowing smile he got in return somewhat unsettled him but after that, the rest of the morning proceeded fairly normally.
Vash had never questioned his feelings for Roderich before. It just seemed as natural as wielding a gun was to hate the other, even though they had been out of contact for nearly a decade by now, habits were easy enough to fall back into.
Or so he thought.
For some reason, he found that he couldn't really muster up his hatred for the other. What felt like as lifetime ago, he remembered them getting along quite well and they were pretty much best friends. Thinking carefully about it, he couldn't actually remember what caused the rift between them in the first place. It had started with a petty squabble that had never healed and soon grew into something he wasn’t quite sure of. Eventually, it had more become a habit to dislike then actual hatred. The revelation was somewhat shocking and his stomach lurched strangely at that.
By dinner, Vash declared somewhat numbly and seemingly out of nowhere, "I don't hate Roderich."
Lillian merely smiled before stating, “At least you finally realised it.”
---
The times that Roderich broke into the theatre to play the piano were seemingly random and he found himself strangely disappointed on the nights that the other didn’t show up. Grudgingly, he found that he was forced to revise his earlier opinion of the crystal piano being a waste of money for even if he lacked appreciation when it came to music, he still thought the sound was beautiful. It left a rather odd fluttering feeling in his chest and if he cared to examine it, he would have described it as girly and weird.
Nights passed in this way and he never made his presence known. What would you say to someone you hadn’t seen in a decade? Christmas was quickly approaching and on a whim, he bought and left a single edelweiss blossom on the lid of the piano keys, firmly telling himself that it was only a show of appreciation. He had no way of knowing whether it reached the intended person or not but it was gone the next time he checked.
Two days before Christmas Eve, he was listening to Roderich play as usual. Where he had previously hid on the balcony to listen, as the days passed, he had slowly moved places until he was now backstage, just off the side. Too busy listening to the melody of the piano, he didn't notice the bucket that someone had left near the step. As he shifted, he accidently knocked it over. It clattered noisily down the rest of the steps and the music abruptly ceased.
Vash froze, not sure of what course of action to take now as Roderich quickly whipped his head around to look at him. AS they made eye contact, he could’ve sworn that his heart skipped a beat though he was more concerned at the fact that Roderich only seemed to be mildly surprised at the interruption. "Vash," he greeted cordially.
Not knowing what else to do, he relaxed slightly and replied stiffly, "Roderich."
An awkward silence stretched out for some time before Vash cleared his throat loudly and declared without much conviction, "You shouldn't be here. You're trespassing."
Roderich merely raised an eyebrow at this. "I know that," he replied before turning back to the piano. He brushed the keys of the piano lightly with his fingertips and Vash found his eyes following the movement. Half-formed thoughts about pretty hands were quickly quashed as a light flush made itself known on his face.
"You're trespassing," he repeated again, "It's my job to remove you from the premises." Contrary to his words, he walked forward and seated himself in the front row of the auditorium, a clear invitation.
He caught Roderich's lip quirking at the corner into an almost smile. It sent his stomach into a flutter and he cursed his sudden girliness. Thankfully, without further preamble, Roderich began to play.
The next piece was fairly upbeat and fast-paced in comparison to the usual ones that Roderich seemed to favour. He found himself listening intently as he let the melody wash over him. As strange as it sounded, it was as though the music was painting a landscape in his mind, bringing back fond memories from the past and leaving him with a sense of lightness. The pianist finished the piece off with an elegant flourish between turning to look at Vash expectantly.
"I am not really versed in music," Vash grudgingly got out, "But it was alright."
A pleased flushed appeared on Roderich’s cheeks. He knew that was as good as an admission of enjoyment he would ever get. Looking in the other direction to avoid eye contact, he murmured, "That's good, I wrote it for you after all."
Startled, Vash quickly looked tried to catch the other’s eye contact, croaking out a strangled, "You did?" The funny feeling in his stomach only intensified at that and oh fuck, he had a notion as to what it meant. Briefly, he wondered if the other had always known that he had been there, listening.
The awkward silence started up again as they both fidgeted uncomfortably.
"Ah, I should get going then," Roderich said suddenly before getting up. He straightened out his coat and prepared to head towards the back exit when Vash stood up to stop him.
"Wait," he said. Roderich turned to look at him curiously as Vash licked his lips nervously, "Go to dinner with me tomorrow?”He cleared his throat before adding, “My treat of course." The normally frugal part of his brain stayed strangely quiet and anyone who knew him well would’ve known how strange it was for him to offer something like that.
Roderich stared at him thoughtfully with a light flush on his face that Vash found unexpectedly attractive. The wait was somewhat nerve-wracking for reasons unknown-except-not-really but Roderich eventually chuckled lightly before agreeing, "Alright."
Vash let out a breath he didn’t even realise he was holding before giving the other a slight smile.
“Thank you for the edelweiss by the way,” Roderich added casually. At that, Vash flushed a deep red before denying vehemently that it most certainly was not him who left it there! They bickered almost playfully as Vash escorted him to the exit, exchanging phone numbers along the way.
“What were you doing here anyway?” Vash asked. It was pretty strange that anyone could break in without his knowledge and Roderich had never struck him as the type to do this sort of thing anyway.
“Ah,” Roderich answered easily, “I’m performing on Christmas and it just so happens that they have given me free access so that I may rehearse. I also knew that you would be here so I asked for you not to be informed and…” he trailed off into an embarrassed silence.
Vash stared a bit before replying, girly feelings striking with a vengeance, “I see.” They had a lot to catch up on it seemed.
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance
Characters/Pairings) Switzerland/Austria, Liechtenstein
Warnings: Human names, potential OOCness(?)
Summary: AU. Vash confessing his love to Roderich after so many years of ‘hating’ him.
Written for the hetaliafic exchange
Vash Zwingli was infamous in the circle of bodyguards and security guards alike. Although at first glance, he seemed fairly average as he had no real distinguishing features, the way he carried himself and the look in his eye spoke of self-assurance that only came with a certainty of one’s power. His reputation preceded him and he was known for being cold, ruthless and efficient at his job. Rumour was that he had once managed to take on a hundred men emerging victorious and without a single scratch. No one had ever dared to ask and most gave him a wide berth. That suited him just fine as he really had no urge to socialise with people. Expert gunman, a one-man army, he skills were widely sought out though they did not come cheap.
This time, he was hired for the duration of the month of December as a security guard for the Sunshine Theatre. It was one of the more famous attractions in the city, a huge glass dome that stood out in the centre of the bustling business district. A one of a kind piano was to be revealed for the first time on Christmas Eve. The world's only transparent piano with the body being made entirely out of crystal, making it fairly expensive and a target for either theft or vandalism.
Vash snorted at the thought. Despite the fact that his job paid rather handsomely, he understood the value of money and didn’t waste it on frivolities that the average rich person seemed to enjoy so much. Really, the rich had too much time and money on their hands if they came up with such wasteful things. He would admit that the piano had some appeal but a normal one would have been perfectly fine and he didn’t fully understand the purpose of creating one so lavish.
It was his fifth day at the theatre as he made his usual rounds. His footsteps made no sound on the white tiles as he trekked the now familiar path around the theatre. Although the silence would have been described as eerie for some, he would it oddly comforting. Approaching the next intersection, he paused and cocked his head to one side as he heard a faint disturbance to the left. Without another thought, he took the left turn instead of the usual right and soon recognised the sound as that of someone playing the piano. Approaching the door that led to the balcony of the auditorium where the piano stood, he stayed on guard, fingering his gun, as he opened the door and slipped in quietly to survey the situation.
It would have been easy enough for him to confront the intruder but something stopped him. The person seemed to be a professional pianist, for there was no other explanation for the natural way they seemed to play it. He watched, captivated, as fingers glided flawlessly across the ivory keys, coaxing out a hauntingly beautiful melody. There was only the natural moonlight illuminating the stage giving the scene a strangely ethereal beauty. As the piece came to an end, he managed to snap himself out of whatever spell he had been put under.
The pianist flexed his fingers for a few seconds before starting on another piece. This time though, Vash was prepared as he analysed the figure below, calculating their threat level. Though his point of view was only an angle of the person, he found the figure oddly familiar, covered up as it was in the navy blue coat, or perhaps it was the way they held themself. The person had somewhat wavy brown hair, with a stray strand that seemed out of place. A memory niggled at the back of his mind but he couldn’t quite place it just yet, until the person suddenly turned their head slightly in his direction.
Recognition struck, sending a shock through his body. His green eyes widened as long suppressed memories and emotions came flooding back, overwhelming him and forcing to leave the room. The door closed behind him a little louder than he would have liked but he paid no heed as he rushed outside to cool off his head, professionalism be damned.
That night, his dreams were filled with the sound of a haunting melody and a far-away childish laughter.
---
Moodily, Vash stabbed at his breakfast. He was lost in his thoughts so he didn’t see the worried glances that his younger sister, Lillian, continually sent him. Eventually, he was brought out of his reverie by her timid voice, “Brother, is something the matter?”
"What makes you ask that?" Vash asked sharply. Seeing his sister flinch at that he apologised, “Sorry, I was just thinking.”
“You’ve seemed distracted lately and…” Lillian hesitantly ventured, avoiding eye contact. She really was worried about how he had been acting lately but wasn’t sure if it was best to pry.
Seeing his sister’s internal conflict, he mentally berated himself for worrying her before confessing his problem. It wasn’t really a problem, just something that wouldn’t leave him alone and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why. "I saw Roderich again," he informed her curtly before adding, almost as an after-thought, “Annoying little bastard.” Before he could stop himself, he was suddenly ranting about all his flaws and faults. The words felt familiar on his tongue and were strangely comforting.
Lilian, listened patiently to the familiar rant. It had been years since she had last heard it and it had always sounded more rehearsed than anything. She had known her brother long enough to distinguish between his true anger and when he was just bluffing. As his speech came to an end she posed a question, "Brother, why do you hate him so much?"
"Weren't you listening to anything I just said?" he replied but with no real bite. The knowing smile he got in return somewhat unsettled him but after that, the rest of the morning proceeded fairly normally.
Vash had never questioned his feelings for Roderich before. It just seemed as natural as wielding a gun was to hate the other, even though they had been out of contact for nearly a decade by now, habits were easy enough to fall back into.
Or so he thought.
For some reason, he found that he couldn't really muster up his hatred for the other. What felt like as lifetime ago, he remembered them getting along quite well and they were pretty much best friends. Thinking carefully about it, he couldn't actually remember what caused the rift between them in the first place. It had started with a petty squabble that had never healed and soon grew into something he wasn’t quite sure of. Eventually, it had more become a habit to dislike then actual hatred. The revelation was somewhat shocking and his stomach lurched strangely at that.
By dinner, Vash declared somewhat numbly and seemingly out of nowhere, "I don't hate Roderich."
Lillian merely smiled before stating, “At least you finally realised it.”
---
The times that Roderich broke into the theatre to play the piano were seemingly random and he found himself strangely disappointed on the nights that the other didn’t show up. Grudgingly, he found that he was forced to revise his earlier opinion of the crystal piano being a waste of money for even if he lacked appreciation when it came to music, he still thought the sound was beautiful. It left a rather odd fluttering feeling in his chest and if he cared to examine it, he would have described it as girly and weird.
Nights passed in this way and he never made his presence known. What would you say to someone you hadn’t seen in a decade? Christmas was quickly approaching and on a whim, he bought and left a single edelweiss blossom on the lid of the piano keys, firmly telling himself that it was only a show of appreciation. He had no way of knowing whether it reached the intended person or not but it was gone the next time he checked.
Two days before Christmas Eve, he was listening to Roderich play as usual. Where he had previously hid on the balcony to listen, as the days passed, he had slowly moved places until he was now backstage, just off the side. Too busy listening to the melody of the piano, he didn't notice the bucket that someone had left near the step. As he shifted, he accidently knocked it over. It clattered noisily down the rest of the steps and the music abruptly ceased.
Vash froze, not sure of what course of action to take now as Roderich quickly whipped his head around to look at him. AS they made eye contact, he could’ve sworn that his heart skipped a beat though he was more concerned at the fact that Roderich only seemed to be mildly surprised at the interruption. "Vash," he greeted cordially.
Not knowing what else to do, he relaxed slightly and replied stiffly, "Roderich."
An awkward silence stretched out for some time before Vash cleared his throat loudly and declared without much conviction, "You shouldn't be here. You're trespassing."
Roderich merely raised an eyebrow at this. "I know that," he replied before turning back to the piano. He brushed the keys of the piano lightly with his fingertips and Vash found his eyes following the movement. Half-formed thoughts about pretty hands were quickly quashed as a light flush made itself known on his face.
"You're trespassing," he repeated again, "It's my job to remove you from the premises." Contrary to his words, he walked forward and seated himself in the front row of the auditorium, a clear invitation.
He caught Roderich's lip quirking at the corner into an almost smile. It sent his stomach into a flutter and he cursed his sudden girliness. Thankfully, without further preamble, Roderich began to play.
The next piece was fairly upbeat and fast-paced in comparison to the usual ones that Roderich seemed to favour. He found himself listening intently as he let the melody wash over him. As strange as it sounded, it was as though the music was painting a landscape in his mind, bringing back fond memories from the past and leaving him with a sense of lightness. The pianist finished the piece off with an elegant flourish between turning to look at Vash expectantly.
"I am not really versed in music," Vash grudgingly got out, "But it was alright."
A pleased flushed appeared on Roderich’s cheeks. He knew that was as good as an admission of enjoyment he would ever get. Looking in the other direction to avoid eye contact, he murmured, "That's good, I wrote it for you after all."
Startled, Vash quickly looked tried to catch the other’s eye contact, croaking out a strangled, "You did?" The funny feeling in his stomach only intensified at that and oh fuck, he had a notion as to what it meant. Briefly, he wondered if the other had always known that he had been there, listening.
The awkward silence started up again as they both fidgeted uncomfortably.
"Ah, I should get going then," Roderich said suddenly before getting up. He straightened out his coat and prepared to head towards the back exit when Vash stood up to stop him.
"Wait," he said. Roderich turned to look at him curiously as Vash licked his lips nervously, "Go to dinner with me tomorrow?”He cleared his throat before adding, “My treat of course." The normally frugal part of his brain stayed strangely quiet and anyone who knew him well would’ve known how strange it was for him to offer something like that.
Roderich stared at him thoughtfully with a light flush on his face that Vash found unexpectedly attractive. The wait was somewhat nerve-wracking for reasons unknown-except-not-really but Roderich eventually chuckled lightly before agreeing, "Alright."
Vash let out a breath he didn’t even realise he was holding before giving the other a slight smile.
“Thank you for the edelweiss by the way,” Roderich added casually. At that, Vash flushed a deep red before denying vehemently that it most certainly was not him who left it there! They bickered almost playfully as Vash escorted him to the exit, exchanging phone numbers along the way.
“What were you doing here anyway?” Vash asked. It was pretty strange that anyone could break in without his knowledge and Roderich had never struck him as the type to do this sort of thing anyway.
“Ah,” Roderich answered easily, “I’m performing on Christmas and it just so happens that they have given me free access so that I may rehearse. I also knew that you would be here so I asked for you not to be informed and…” he trailed off into an embarrassed silence.
Vash stared a bit before replying, girly feelings striking with a vengeance, “I see.” They had a lot to catch up on it seemed.