I stared into the half empty glass. The glass had been standing there for a while. I had watched how the foam of the beer had vanished slowly, leaving only the light brown, almost yellow, alcoholic delicacy behind. The liquid wasn't thick enough to see my reflection clearly, yet it was thick enough to see I looked awful. The black circles under my eyes showed exactly how tired I was, which was really tired. It couldn't be helped. I was a busy man, pardon me, busy country who didn't really have the time for sleeping and other bothering things such as eating, cleaning and, as most people would call it, having a life. It couldn't be helped. There were so many things bothering me. Global warming, economic crisis, you name it. I gladly excepted a day off which my boss offered me after finding me asleep on my desk for the fourth time this week. Today was this day. Without realizing it my feet had led me to my favorite pub. It was the only place where I could forget my problems, at least that was until I would wake up the next morning with a big hangover. Sometimes I woke up lying somewhere in the pub, which normal was the darkest corner at the left. Other times I somehow managed to walk back home and collapse on my couch, but unfortunately these times occurred rarely. I wasn't going to let it go that far today. Today I would only drink one or two glasses of beer, today I wouldn't become drunk. At least, that was the plan. Ashamed and a bit angry at myself I kept staring at my half empty third glass of beer. I knew it was bad of me that I had order a third one but at least I hadn't drank it all up yet. I shook my head. Why add 'yet'? I wasn't going to drink the rest. At least, that was the plan.
"Hey, Angleterre!" I heard a familiar voice say.
"Oh please God. No…" I whispered against my breath.
I got greeted affectionately by the Frenchman I hated the most. He lied his warm hand on my shoulder and gave me a heartwarming smile.
"I knew I would find you here," he said happily he found me.
I shouldn't have gone to the pub on my free day. Worst idea away. But I couldn't really blame myself. How could I have known that that frog would have shown up here? I shook his hand of my shoulder.
"What are you doing here Francis?" I asked him, not bothering to greet him back.
"What a warm welcome," he said with sarcasm in his voice. "As expected from you."
When I gave him a warning look I got a wink in return. A bit stunned and ashamed I quickly broke the eye contact. I felt a warm blush appear on my face. Damn it, that frog. I started sipping on the rest of my beer. With Francis here I would need it. Damn that frog again.
He sat beside me and beckoned the bartender. The bartender spotted him in the corner of his eye while rubbing the glass in his hands clean with a towel and walked towards us.
"What would it be?" the man asked with a grumpy voice.
"Two glasses of the most expensive wine you have please. We have something to celebrate."
I almost cocked on my beer. I had to spill everything out to prevent that from happening.
"Don't order one for me too! There is nothing here to celebrate. And beer and wine don't taste good together anyway."
"Nothing to celebrate?" he asked while lifting one eyebrow.
Before I could say anything the bartender interrupted me. "So what will it be?"
Francis got a little mocking smile on his face. "One glass of your best wine please."
When the bartender walked away, softly grumbling about God knows what, Francis attention got back to me.
"Killjoy," he whispered, though his mocking smile had changed into a warm one.
I got irritated by knowing I wouldn't get rid of Francis for at least the rest of the evening, but what irritated me even more was the unknown reason for his sudden happiness. What could possibly get Francis is such a joyful mood? Probably his plans of raping he later this night. As if I would let it go that far. I placed the rest of my beer out of my reach. I should stay clear this evening to prevent Francis from doing unforgivable things.
"Had enough?" Francis asked by seeing me placing my beer out of sign.
"None of your business," I hissed.
The bartender gave Francis his wine, avoiding eye contact. Francis thanked him, but I had the feeling he wasn't even heard. Francis whirled his glass of wine, toke a deep breath through his nose to smell the wine better and then took a small sip. He closed his eyes to enjoy the taste of the wine even more before swallowing it and opening his eyes again. His sweet blue eyes look at me, admiring and with some kind of love I couldn't understand.
"Oh Arthur. Where did that little boy who loved me and looked up at me go?" Francis asked being lost in his memories from the time I was still his 'territory'. "You were so cute back then."
"S-shut up," I uttered with a light blush on my cheeks.
Francis took something out of his pocket. It was a little transparent plastic bag with some white powder in it. I watched how Francis opened it and put the white powder inside his wine. The powder vanished as soon as it had touched the surface of the wine. Francis took the glass and pointed it at me.
"I think you should try this wine Arthur. It's really good," he said.
Stunned I looked from the wine to Francis. Fortunately I didn't take long time to overcome my shock.
"What the hell? No, I'm not drinking that! You put some kind of drug into it, didn't you?" I said angrily.
"What? Why would I do that?" Francis asked me with amusement inside his voice.
"Don't lie! I saw you putting it in!"
"There is nothing in it. I will show you."
Francis took a sip of his wine but he didn't swallow it. With his hand on the back of my head he hold me into place when suddenly he pressed his lips against mine. He open his mouth and the cool sweet tasting wine flowed into my mouth. Not expecting any of these actions I had no other choice then to swallow it to prevent choking on it. Francis stopped kissing me and got an evil smile on his face. Something told me the first step of his plan had succeeded. Quickly the sleeping drug started to do his work and I felt how every part of my body slowly became heavier. I was swearing a lot inside my head, but I couldn't stop the drug now that it had started working. Everything went black but I could feel how Francis caught me inside his arms before I was pulled in an endless deep sleep.
"Sweet dreams, love…"

Slowly I opened my eyes. The first thing I realized was the horrible pain shooting through my brain. I grabbed my head and closed my eyes again. I felt a lot worse than normally after drinking, so I concluded it was the drug's doing. That and I could still feel the alcohol having an effect on me, so I couldn't have a hangover yet. I opened my eyes again, my headache was going to last anyway. I looked around me and was surprised in which position I found myself in. I had expected to wake up in the darkest corner of the pub as almost always but that clearly wasn't the case. I was lying on a white modern yet classic sofa, my head resting on one of the soft little pillows. The sofa had an 'L'-shape with a glass coffee table standing in front of it. On the table where standing one bottle of wine and two wine glasses. My face twisted in horror. I had had enough wine for tonight. I looked further. All the walls where white, which made the room look bigger and wider than it actually was. The large and elongated windows had silk looking curtains in front of them, hanging from the ceiling. The floor was covered with light brown parquet. Suddenly I noticed something unusual. Red rose petals, which had exactly the same color as the red wine standing on the table, where lying on the ground, leading a path to the sleeping room which door was opened ajar. I hold in a little mocking laugh while looking. Probably Francis idea of luring me into his bedroom. Well, he could forget about that! That bastard.
I sat straight up and watched how rose petals which had been lying on me where whirling to the floor. Annoyingly Francis had also covered me with some rose petals I stood up and made sure all where off me. I looked around again, it seemed like I was the only one here. Good, I never have been a 'peoples'-person anyway.
I need a plan, I thought. My eyes followed the path of rose petals. I wasn't going to enter the sleeping room, not even if I would have got paid for it I would have done that. Then my eye lend on the ajar open door of the chamber next to it. Through the opening I could see the floor inside the room was tiled with marble looking tiles. I supposed it was the bathroom.
Maybe refreshing myself wasn't such a bad idea. I still felt horrible and I could only guess how bad I would be looking now. I walked towards the bathroom but had to lean against a wall for support half way. The alcohol was still having an effect on me and a lot more then I had expected. The walls were moving on their own and my legs felt numb. I looked at the bathroom and was wondering if I would make it. I took a deep breath and forced my unwilling legs to walk. When I stepped inside the bathroom I saw not what I had excepted. To my surprised there weren't a toilet, sink and shower but only one big Jacuzzi in the middle of the room. The only light came from the candles standing all around the room. It was because of that that the room had such a mystical and magical atmosphere. This apartment was quite a fancy place all right. Before I was able to have a better look I jump by suddenly hearing the sound of a door clicking in the lock behind me. I turned around to only look at a closed door while a voices started speaking to me.
"I noticed you woke up, Angleterre."
I grabbed to the doorknob, but no matter how hard I tried the door wasn't opening.
"Damn it Francis!" I started banging on the door with my fist. "Let me out of here!"
As soft evil laugh was heard through the door.
"After this you will thank me Angleterre. Please keep that in mind."
"Yeah right, like I would thank you! Bloody hell, let me out of here!"
Again I heard his evil laugh but this time the sound was followed by the sounds of footsteps walking away. Ones again I hit the door with my fist from frustration. Damn it, that bastard had locked me.
"Arthur…" I suddenly heard a familiar voice call my name.
Slowly, while I felt my stomach turn into ice, I turned around I looked right into the face of the man I had loved for centuries and which I still loved within the deepest of my heart. His name passed my lips as the last breath of a man dying. "Alfred…"
It was then when I noticed the wine red rose petals lying on the white tiles, leading the way to the man standing at the other side of the room. I saw Alfred's appearance and my breath was taken away by the feast for the eyes. He was wearing a white shirt made of a fabric so thin, so fine, that I could almost look through it. Not that that was needed. Most of his glorious torso was exposed anyway, only the three bottom buttons where buttoned up. He was also wearing dark blue jeans and to my surprise black polished shoes. The shoes where shining in the light of the candles, but what caught my attention where his blue shining eyes, which looked at me with such an intense expression of love inside them, that I could feel how an pleasant kind of warmth started to flow through my body.
"You must be surprised to see me here," he broke the silence after a long time of staring.
"That's only mildly expressed," I said when I had found my voice back.
A soft giggle was formed by Alfred, followed by a sweet smile. A sweet smile for me.
"Francis said he would find a way to bring you here. I had to see it with my own eyes to believe him."
So this had been Francis his attentions all the time. To bring me here so Alfred and I… could do what?
"What do you want?" I asked with a sudden cold sounding voice.
For a moment I saw sadness shoot through Alfred's eyes, but it vanished as quick as it had appeared and took place for a warm look. Calmly Alfred walked towards me, following the path of rose petals. He stopped in front of me, looked down at me and then slowly lifted his right hand, wanting to touch my cheek. As a reflex I took a step backwards, which made my back bump against the locked door. There was only one word which flashed through my mind, trapped. Alfred had only to make one more step to reach my cheek but instead he let his hand down.
"Don't you get it?" he asked with the same cold voice as me.
I looked into his eyes, searching for answers, but I didn't find them.
"Arthur…" he said this time with a warm voice while taking on step forward.
I pushed myself harder against the door, using all the distance I could make between Alfred and me despite being trapped. Cold sweat ran down my back. He had said my name with so much love inside his voice, yet I felt so scared. Slowly I realized I was so scared because he sounded like he meant it, because he really seemed to love me. After all these years I still was afraid of having a relationship, still being scared of being left alone with a broken heart.
"What do you want?" I repeated myself, still with the same cold voice.
Slowly he lifted his hand and started stroking my cheek.
"You…" he breathed out before suddenly pressed his lips against mine.
Waves of pleasure and fear where going through my body. My whole body was shaking constantly under feeling his soft lips moving gently against mine and my legs almost couldn't hold me anymore. When he broke our kiss a little tear left the corner of my eyes.
"After all these years…" I whispered.
"My feelings towards you have never changed, Arthur."
I wanted to believe him, to love him and let him love me so badly, but fear still was having control of me.
"Prove it. Make me believe you love me."
By looking at Alfred's face I knew he was thinking hard, but even though his eyebrows where frowning a bit the pure love inside his eyes didn't vanish. With his hand he wiped away the tear running on my cheek.
"Let's bathe together," he whispered with a little smile on his face. "That's all I ask."
My eyes lent on the by candles lighted Jacuzzi behind Alfred. My heart froze by imagining Alfred and me bathing in it, naked. I took a long and deep breath to get myself back to earth. My heart hurt so much and something was telling me it would start hurting even more if I did what Alfred had requested. Yet, I didn't have the heart to reject him, so I gave a small nod of approval.
Suddenly Alfred warped his warm and strong arms around me and hold me as if his life depended on it. "Thank you…"
Without making eye contact he let me go, turned around and started undressing. I couldn't look away from his glorious body, but when he started taking of his underwear I snapped out of it. I quickly turned around while I felt a blush burn on my cheeks and also started undressing. When I was fully naked Alfred was already sitting in the Jacuzzi. My toes started to feel cold because of the cool marble looking tiles under my feet, so I quickly joined him. The warm bubbling water felt really pleasant against my pale chilly skin and made a small sigh of pleasure pass my lips. The candles spread a sweet smell which made me headache gradually disappear. I closed my eyes and felt how I was slowly falling into a deeper and deeper sleep.
"Arthur?" I suddenly heard Alfred ask.
Alfred's voice reminded me I was not alone, so I opened my eyes again with reluctance. When I open my eyes I directly stared into his. I was surprised by the dead serious look inside them.
"Yes, Alfred?" I asked with a soft voice.
Alfred moved closer, making the warm water splash against the edge of the Jacuzzi. He had an determined look inside his eyes, a look I knew much too well. He had given me that same look before he had turned his back towards me and left me alone in the rain, crying. A day I would never forget, the 4th of July.
I swallowed the painful memories away and waited for Alfred to hurt me ones again.
"Arthur..." Alfred said with a voice strong voice full of emotion. "I love you."
Silently tears ran down my cheeks. My under lip was trembling while I found to courage to speak to Alfred.
"You did it ones again Alfred," I whispered.
Stunned Alfred started into my eyes. That clearly wasn't the answer he had excepted. A little crazy smile was formed on my face. Ignorant, so ignorant.
"You're like poison, Alfred. The most deadliest poison I know. Because, no matter how often I take an antidote, no matter how hard I try to forget you, you always find a way back to my heart."
Gently I laid my hand on his chest. I could feel the beating of his heart under my fingertips.
"But until now, you never gave your heart in return."
Without any sort of warning I kissed the bewildered American. Alfred's eyes widen, I felt him froze under my touch before he slowly overcame his shock and tenderly kissed me back. I closed my eyes, letting the tears in the corners of my eyes, which were still waiting to flow, run down my cheeks. More tears started to drip off my face, but they where no longer tears of sadness, they were tears of happiness. A little sweet moan got swallowed in our kiss when Alfred pressed his hot naked body against mine, holding me in a tight embrace. It was me who had to break our kiss. When I opened my eyes I saw Alfred's sparkle in the romantic light of the candles. His deep blue eyes had the same intense expression of love shining inside them as before.
"After all these years…" Alfred whispered affectionately.
I smiled by hearing him repeating my words. I stroke his cheek like he had done to me. A light blush appeared on his cheeks, and I felt happy by knowing he was enjoying my touch as much as I was enjoying his.
Somewhere in the back of my head I remember Francis' words. He said I would thank him for this, and I couldn't deny that anymore. Thought I hated to admit it, Francis had been right. He had been right about me from the very beginning.
It was Alfred's voice which got me back down to earth. "Do you wonder why I chose for rose petals to lead you the way?"
So the rose petals were Alfred's doing. Something I hadn't expect him to do. He could be so unexpected romantic at times.
"Tell me," I whispered inside his air.
"Roses remind me of you. Their rose petals are soft and engaging."
Little sweet kisses were placed on my forehead, neck, chest, tummy and all my other skin Alfred could reach above the surface of the bubbling warm water. I felt my excitement grow when his lips started traveling down, and I felt a bit disappointed by knowing there was only a bit warm water separating Alfreds lips from that glorious spot.
"But, if you're not careful." His lips traveled upwards again, only resting a little bit longer on my forehead this time. "You might cut your fingers to the thorns."
I remember the times I got angry at him, most of the time I was angry about nothing. I just wanted to forget him, but no matter how hard I tried he always was there to irritate me again.
"Which thorns?" I said in jest.
"Are you kidding me?" Alfred said while laughing. "You get angry really easily, you know that?"
"I suppose," I said while a light blush was formed on my cheeks.
"The rose is also your nation flower, am I right?" Alfred asked.
I didn't really wanted to get remind of me 'being a country' now, but I felt cheerful by hearing Alfred knew thinks like that about me.
"Yes, it's my nation flower," I confirmed happily.
"You know." I let out a small moan when Alfred hold me tighter. "It's also mine."
"R-really?" I asked being a bit ashamed I didn't know that.
"Yes, really," Alfred whispered before giving me another kiss.
This kiss was a little rougher and with a lot more passionate. I was shocked when suddenly Alfred's tongue made his entrance, but I didn't hesitate to let a shiver from pleasure shot through Alfred's body when I suddenly let my tongue do the same.
When we broke our kiss everything seemed just perfect. I looked inside the eyes of my new lover and felt that there was a bright beautiful future lying in front of us. I gave him a little kiss on his forehead before whispering the words I which were as beautiful as our new future, together.
"I love you..."