Comatose {PruAus}

Chapter 5

It was just as Roderich had said. Gilbert awoke on his own, fully refreshed after a night of conscious sleep, where he knew he was asleep instead of simply being unconscious. As his eyes broke open to the golden sunlight spilling into the room due to the window, his mind flashed back to the night before. The dinner, the laughs, the dancing, everything Gilbert liked that had happened.

        Gilbert still couldn't believe he had done what he did. His cheeks heated up at the memory, but he could pass it off as a simple thank you, couldn't he? He would know it wasn't the truth, but would Roderich? No, of course not. Right? If there was one thing Gilbert could do well, it was hiding his feelings. But romantic feelings? Could he hide those? He figured he had so far if Roderich wasn't absolutely repulsed by him. But after last night, would it be awkward? Did it set off some alarms for the Austrian? Would the damn perfect musician hate Gilbert now? Jeez...he thought too much.

        With a small sigh, the Prussian pushed the covers off of him and stood to his feet. He stretched, only dropping his arms when a satisfying pop! came from his back. Gilbert brushed a hand through his messy platinum hair before seeing the clothes set out for him. Strangely enough, this place had clothes that fit him well. He didn't complain, however, as he changed. It was nice to have clean clothes instead of his constant uniform, which was conveniently clean and  folded up besides the bed.

        Gilbert reached a hand up to around his neck, wondering why he hadn't remembered it before. A sigh of relief left his lips when his fingertips brushed against the cold metal of the iron cross. He thought he had lost it along with his uniform when the was tossed into a camp. How both items got back to him, he had no idea. He didn't particularly feel like asking, however.

        Once the albino had changed, he stepped outside of his room. Judging by the various smells and the light spilling through the windows, Gilbert determined it was around noon. Lunch was probably being served, but the Prussian didn't find he had an appetite. He knew Elizabeta would make him eat anyway, so he figured he might as well make his way to the kitchen.

        Upon entering, a smile crossed his lips. Ludwig sat at the table with Feliciano, the two leaning against each other. Feliciano had his usual closed eyed smile while Ludwig had the ghost of a smile, their hands entwined on the table. Before Gilbert decided to say anything, he felt a tug on his arm. He turned his head and met violet eyes.

        "Care to join me for a walk in the garden, Gilbert?"

        It was an odd request, one Gilbert certainly wouldn't have expected. He thought any chance he had was ruined, especially after last night. Then the Prussian thought about it. Roderich had been...nicer than ever the past two days. It...it's because Gilbert had been behind the wall for so long, and because he was injured. Yeah, that's the reason. Roderich just...felt sorry for him.

        "Um...ja, sure.." was Gilbert's mumbled response as he adverted his eyes and followed after the musician. He made no usual, snarky comment when the Austrian grabbed a pink umbrella to block out the sun. He knew Roderich burned even easier than himself, if possible.

        Neither made an attempt of conversation, and Gilbert found himself not minding it. His eyes darted their way around the hallway, occasionally focused on the wallpaper. He gazed at the designs swirling about and was tempted to reach out his hand to brush his fingertips across the patterns, but he refrained. His attention was torn from the house when he stepped into the garden. Just like everything about the house, it was perfect.

        Gilbert wasn't sure he had seen so many bushes and flowers in perhaps his life. The garden was larger than the manor, not to mention the beautiful aromas and grass surrounding them. The sky was just as beautiful; blue and clear. In the middle of it all sat a huge and quite extravagant fountain, which happened to be exactly where Roderich had been leading him. It was only then that Gilbert realized Roderich had been speaking.