Famous!Prussia x Reader - Chance Encounter

And of course, he was (name)’s heart-throb. To make matters worse, rumors were he was dating a fellow actress so (name)’s wildest fantasies were demolished. Still, a girl could dream. Back to the mall…

“Eliza, I really just want to go home now.” the (h/c)ette had been dragged around the mall a total of three times because her Hungarian friend insisted she needed a change in scenery.

“We can go home as soon as I see you enjoying yourself a little. You’ve been moping around for days, (name), it isn’t healthy. You’ll end up like Vladimer.” she whispered the last part, mentioning their Romanian classmate. He was known to have ridiculously pale skin an attribute he gained from almost never stepping foot out of his house unless he needed to. His skin was almost sickly looking while he himself was as healthy as a horse, no one understood how.

“I won’t.” (Name) sighed, growing very tired of the constant chatter her friend was keeping up. She loved Eliza, she did, but there were times where (name) just needed ‘me time’, that day being one such occasion.

“Hey, want something to drink?” when (name) nodded Eliza motioned towards a row of wooden benches, “Take a seat. I won’t be too long. The usual?” again (Name) simply nodded.

As (name) sat herself down, she set about to people watch. A cute couple passed by her, holding hands, the guy had a weird cowlick and the girl had the prettiest blonde hair and pink scarf. A guy with slicked back blond hair was smiling wearily as he walked with a shorter brunette and ravenette, the ravenette holding strikingly Asian features. Really, everyone else seemed to be having fun, why couldn’t she?

“Malls suck, don’t they?” a voice interrupted her from her people-watching daze. She snapped her head to the side, taking in the person who just spoke. They were… odd, for want of better word. Well they were dressed oddly.

She hadn’t looked at the guy for more than a minute and she could tell the base colouring he had used wasn’t anywhere near his real skin tone, she could see a much lighter shade peeking from his dress shirt. She saw no need of the large sunglasses, as they were in a mall and the lighting was pleasant. The bowler hat ontop of his head was also uncalled for, the badly green-dyed bangs that stuck out really didn’t suit him. She really wasn’t sure who this clown was. Then he gave her a smile and a tingle of recognition shuddered through her, but why?

“My name is Alec.” (name) could tell he was lying.

“(fake name).” she gave him a strained smile, trying to peer through the dark tint of his sunglasses, “I’m guessing you’re not much of a people person?”

“Hrmm? Oh no! I love people! But being alone is a lot more awesomer.” he gave her a toothy grin and again she felt like she’d seen him somewhere. Who would willingly dress up like that though? Hadn’t his friends told him the colour green did not compliment- waiiiiit…

“Excuse me?” she did a mental double take; Gilbert Beilschmidt said ‘awesome’ like that.

“What? Overtaken by my haunting good looks?” he threw himself on the seat next to her as if it was the most natural thing in the world, “Keep the adoration coming, I don’t mind the least. The odd praise is good too.”

“I-um…” false alarm. This guy couldn’t be Gilbert. Gilbert had impeccable taste in fashion, could serenade sirens and could make the most straight dude turn with a few well revised lines. This guy might just sound like him, definitely didn’t act like him. And fine, his face did look a bit similar to Gilbert’s and the way he smiled. There was a study about people who looked the same, wasn’t there? Besides, why would Gilbert Beilschmidt be in (town)? She hadn’t heard of any tours or photo-shoots, it couldn’t be her German crush.

“What, cat got your tongue? It’s okay, loads of girls and guys tend to get like that.” okayyyy, who was this guy?

“I see. Um, college-going?” if the guy was going to talk to her, and Eliza wasn’t going to hurry up, she might as well have a decent conversation.

“I work.” he replied, the smirk he had adopted earlier softening a bit, “What about you?”

“I go to the local one. Not from around here?”

“No, not really. I’m from Dusseldorf, actually.” for what seemed like the millionth time that day, (name) froze. Gilbert freaking Beilschmidt was from Dusseldorf!

Before she could jump to any conclusions, her phone started up a riot, playing one of Gilbert Beilschmidt’s older, more obscure songs. It was a song that was as simple as the boy’s life was in the beginning. (Name) saw her oddly dressed companion brittle up when the soft voice of a scared boy reached his ears. Adding that reaction to the long list of coincidences, (Name) answered her phone, silencing the idol in mid-sentence.

“Hello? Eliza, what’s up?”

“Huge rush, (name), might take a bit longer, think you can wait or should I come back?” (name) glanced at the German on the bench next to her and shook her head before realising Eliza couldn’t see.

“Yeah no, I need that drink badly. Take your time though, Eliza, I’m good here. Kay, bye.”

“Oh, here with a friend? Scandalous.” the guy suddenly seemed a lot more tired, as if the air of arrogance had dropped like a weight.

“What? You came alone? You must have someone.” this next answer would make or break her theory.

“That ringtone,” he started instead, changing the topic entirely, “who sang that?”

“Gilbert Beilschmidt, it’s back when he started out.”

“Why not keep any of his newer songs?” the question may have been asked lightly but she could feel the stress he was putting on it.

“I like his new stuff for sure, but this is before he became big. It feels more like Gilbert than the new stuff. I’m sorry, that sounded very weird.”

“Not at all.” his expression lightened up considerably, “Most people like his new songs. I don’t think they’re very good.”

“The new ones are just as much a part of Gilbert as the old ones are, the older ones just have the advantage of not being written when he had outside influence. They’re what Gilbert felt at the time, nothing else. A pure song uncorrupted by anything else.” (name) could feel her face burn with embarrassment as she finished her little burst of passion.

“You seem like an actual fan.” ‘Alec’ let his sunglasses drop a bit and (name) saw a glint of a familiar pair of pinkish-red eyes. Now she had no doubts. That was Gilbert… and she just fawned over him in front of him and woah she felt like collapsing into a pool of embarrassment…

“I-you-Gilb-” he quickly reached out and covered her mouth, raising a finger in a shushing manner, his lips still curled up in a smile.

“I’m guessing (fake name) isn’t your real name either?” (name) shook her head, “Thought so. Mind telling me?”

He sat back down, keeping his sunglasses at their low level so (name) could see how bright and happy his eyes were. She gulped, trying to push down some of the creeping heat on her face. She must have looked like a tomato.

“(Name), my name is (name).”

“Well, (name), why stop our conversation there? Keep talking. You asked if I came with anyone? I came with my younger brother and his friends but they abandoned me in favour of some stupid convention that’s going on.”

“So you’re… you know… single?” (name) felt so exhilarated. It was Gilbert Beilschmidt in the flesh and he was talking to her like any normal person was.

“I am. Don’t believe half the rumors people spread. Well, except about that one time I ended up buck-nude in a cabbage farmer’s field. That happened and my friends can vouch for that.”

“Isn’t it hard? The-the everything?” she fumbled over her words, suddenly wanting to make every word count.

“It’s awful. Sometimes I wonder why I even do this. Seriously, never go into showbiz, they’ll murder you and display your skin like some prize.” (name) blinked at his uncomfortably vivid imagery, she hoped he wasn’t speaking from experience. “But then… when I manage to sneak away from shoots and gigs, and meet my fans… you guys make me want to keep going. That and the celebrity status.”

Suddenly (Name) felt her spirit deflate. So he did this a lot? She wasn’t special? That didn’t dampen her mood too much, just squeezed her heart to the point where it hurt and she couldn’t hide the wince that came on.

“What’s wrong?” he pushed his glasses back up and leaned forward.

“Wrong? Nothing’s wrong!” she glanced over his shoulder and saw Eliza’s head of brown hair. A sudden wave of relief washed over her. She gave her idol a small, apologetic smile and got up, “My friend’s back.”

“You have to go?” he almost seemed… sad? “Wait, at least tell me your last name!”

“(last name), (name) (last name).” she held her hand out and Gilbert took it, shaking it warmly, “It was amazing meeting you. I’d ask you to sign something, but I don’t want to blow your cover.”

“The pleasure was all mine. I hope I can see you soon, (name).”

Eliza pressed for hours later, wondering who the guy (name) had been talking to was, but the girl would yield no answers. When the Hungarian gave up with a huff, she noticed a few tears had slipped down her friend’s cheeks, a smile on her face. It wasn’t until they were back in the safety of her bedroom that she explained just who that was.

.

.

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Ever since her once-in-a-lifetime encounter, (name) saw Gilbert differently. She was able to pick up on more of his expressions and emotions than before. She also noticed the visible tiredness that seemed to hang over him during long interviews and tours. It baffled her why she couldn’t see it before. Camera effects, makeup and lighting really were like magic. Her only regret was not telling Gilbert how ridiculous he looked that day. Maybe the next time she met him, she could give him tips. Yeah, as if that would ever happen.

It was a lazy day, her parents were out on vacation for the rest of the next two weeks, she was still in her pajamas and sprawled on the couch, flipping through channels. Maybe she could rent some movies and have a movie marathon. She had gotten up to make some popcorn when she heard a distinct sound of cheering. It must have been the kids in the neighbourhood.

It was when she heard the bell ring that her guard was up. Who would bother her at this time? She hadn’t ordered takeout and all her friends were doing their own thing. She threw a large trenchcoat that hung near the entrance to keep some of her dignity as she answered her door.

“Can I help- GILBERT!?” She stared at the superstar and was suddenly aware of how awkward she must have looked in her night suit, hair mussed up and mouth gaping rudely as he stood outside, a thick row of bodyguards blocking a small crowd that had gathered on her front lawn.

“Hey! Sorry I didn’t drop by earlier, had some stuff to wrap up. So, what were you up to?”

“I-but-” the albino let himself in, closing the door as he went, and threw himself on her couch much the same way he had in the mall.

“I smell popcorn.” he hummed, “Movie marathon?” (name) nodded dumbly, “Awesome!”

(name) could have sworn she fainted then because the next thing she saw was Gilbert’s face a lot closer than it had been before and a worried expression evident.

“Hey, no fainting until I ask you out.”