Emerald green eyes watch the sleeping form. The moonlight from the window illuminates the American's face. So peaceful and untroubled from the problems his country is overcome with. And not forcing one of those smiles trying to assure everyone that it's going to be okay.

One day…

He sighs softly and slips off the bed to gather his clothing.

One day… one of us will stay to see the other in the morning.

One day one of us will open our mouths and tell the other how we really feel.

One day…

He glanced back as he buttoned his shirt.

Alfred… Alfred loved him. He didn't need the other to say so. He had always assumed so when the lad was growing up. When Alfred was really small he didn't need much attention. Just slight affections of the brother. But as the young blonde grew up. He demanded more and more attention. Wasn't it suppose to go the other way around? Either way, he could tell that it wasn't brotherly. But Arthur ignored it. Brothers. They should be brothers.

But now… they weren't brothers anymore.

Alfred was greedy. Starved for attention. Needed to be told he was good. Reminded that he was doing alright. So young. Still so young. He had grown up to fast. Gained power to fast. Everything happened to fast. And now he was so big and great on rocky foundations. He was going to collapse one day.

That future day scared Alfred. It scared him too.

He needed someone more then ever these days. And of all the nations that would gladly accept the American, Arthur was secretly glad that Alfred had chosen his bed. If he thought about it he knew he didn't really have anything to worry about.

Though, there were better choices out there Others that would be treating the American better. Let him stay long after the sun came up. Who would tell Alfred that they loved him. Would be gentle with him as he should be treated. Because Alfred was a romantic. The roughness scared him.

Arthur didn't do any of those things. He told Alfred to leave once these nights were over. He left without a word. He never uttered any words of affections. And he was anything but gentle.

He'd run a hand through Alfred's hair, or brush his fingers against the other's cheek and Alfred soak it in. Accept it as some kind of apology, and Arthur would just continue his rough treatment.

"How long?" France has asked once. "How long do you think he'll allow that to continue?"

That thought had crossed his mind once or twice. But he brushed it aside. Alfred loved him. Alfred knew his love would never be returned. From that first night…

Alfred's first time… Arthur had brought the other to silent tears that night. It brought some dull sick satisfaction to him as much as he hated to admit it. And then when it was over… he had just told the other to get out.

He must have broken the other's heart to some degree… but Alfred kept coming back… just to have that little bit of affection that he craved so much from him.

Alfred needed to be treated delicately and kindly.

Arthur had only really known roughness. With partners from avatars from all over the world…

With Spain… he wasn't sure if they were trying to kill each other or fuck. It was probably a mix of both. Chains wrapped around each other's necks in the bilge of their ships. Clawing at each other. Torn between the hate they shared with one another and just primal desire.

With France… there had been nothing but pure hate in that. Despising each other with each thrust. Clawing and biting. It hurt. But it was good. Oh so good.

Prussia when they had been allies was anything but gentle. And their united front against Austria, France and a handful of others left many nights of them together. But Prussia was fierce and had not a shred of mercy in anything he did. Battlefield or bedroom.

And it was from that battle that he had been able to sample Austria. A man who would probably be gentle… but Arthur was anything but. To the victor go the spoils.

The list goes on…

Arthur sat on the edge of the bed almost completely dressed. Just socks and shoes left.

Something gentle… he could get used to that he supposed. And slowly teach Alfred how to handle rougher things. Dumping candle wax on the boys chest had turned out to be a poor idea… he guessed now. But again, he gained that sick satisfaction from it. The action had brought tears to the others eyes. Slipping past the blindfold.

Alfred never told him to stop. He knew if he heard America begging him to stop he would… that was taking things to far and he'd of course stop… but Alfred never did. Because even if this hurt and was hardly pleasurable for him, he let it continue because the Englishman liked it. And that was enough for him.

Alfred loved him so much….

Arthur glanced back and scooted further onto the bed, slowly reaching out and running a hand along the other's cheek.

So why not stop this and just admit their feelings?

Because Alfred was afraid of the rejection.

And he kept silent because… he was afraid of losing Alfred again. Holding out his hand only for it to be pushed away again. And if the Brit had learned anything in his many years, your friend today could be your enemy tomorrow. There was every chance that America would just walk away from him again.

But…

But even if they had to walk away from each other again someday… the feelings wouldn't change right? Because even if they must one day hold guns to each other's heads… the feelings would never change, right? Alfred had always loved him. That he was sure of. Even with the rifle pointed at him on that rainy night… the feelings had never changed.

So… why not take this chance?

Just one more chance…

Because it would be nice to be told you are loved. And held… and treated well… he'd love that. He truly would. And he knew Alfred would do all those things and then some. He'd do all those things he ever saw in the movies. He'd say cheesy things and do ridiculous things… but the thought of such silly things made the other's heart soar. He'd love those things.

He'd never received those things if things kept going the way they were.

Alfred was waiting for him already… taking everything in stride with that glimmer of hope that his feelings may one day be recuperated. But not wanting to say anything about such things in case it broke what they had.

To afraid of ruining everything again…

So it was up to him.

Arthur took a deep breath and crawled onto the bed, straddling the other as carefully as he could without disturbing the other from sleep. He studied the young blonde carefully for a few moments, slowly reaching out to cup the other's cheek. He leaned down to kiss the other when he stopped.

His emerald eyes narrowed slightly as he brought his hand up a little to brush away the single tear that was slipping past dark lashes.

"Crying in your sleep Alfred?" he whispered softly. "Lad... No more of that now. I'll make sure of it…"

Without another word he pressed his lips against the American's. He nipped slightly at the always surprisingly soft lips. He smiled to himself as he felt the body under him slowly stir to life. Those lips meeting his. Opening slightly and giving him what he wanted. Without any hesitation he slid his tongue in and slowly explored the other's mouth.

He blinked as he was cut short. Two strong hands on his shoulders pushed him away from what he had been tasting. He hadn't been pushed far. Just inches from the other's mouth. Enough to stop the kiss. Even the trail of spit was still connected.

Emerald found confused sky blue eyes.

"Arthur… this is cruel… to cruel…"

This reaction was some what expected but it stung no less. "Don't you want me to kiss you?" he asked for some reason instead of just admitting what he was doing. He hated himself for the way he acted sometimes… it was so self destructive…

"Yeah… but…" More tears fell from sky blue eyes and for once they didn't bring any satisfaction to him.

"I'm sorry I've kept you waiting Alfred… No more tears now…" he shook off the hands on his shoulders and placed a soft kiss on the American's forehead.

"Wh-What…?" Sky blue eyes were sad and disbelieving.

"You git…" he scolded, if you could call it that. He pressed his forehead against the other's. His emerald eyes watching confused blue ones. "Have you lost all hope, that you can't even believe what you have been desperately wanting has at last come to you?"

"You…You…" Blue eyes just filling with more tears.

This was a bit disheartening and it only hurt that America didn't or couldn't grasp that this was happening.

"Bloody hell Alfred," he sighed softly. He took a deep breath and leaned back a little more. He couldn't say the words I love you. They didn't come to him as easily as they did to the American. And he did love Alfred, but he wanted to be in deeper. Much deeper before he said those words. So he smiled slightly at the other and brushed blonde bangs out of the boy's hair. "I am going to make this work. No more of whatever this is. One night stands of sorts. I will be here when you wake up. And you will stay with me when you wake up. I'll let you hold my hand and kiss me… and do other… things like that." he nodded his head after he said all that.

"You wont hurt me anymore?" The American said softly.

That put a another crack in his heart. "It wasn't suppose to hurt… well a good kind of hurt…" even though he knew what kind of hurt it was inflicting upon the boy. "I'm just used to doing things a bit… differently. We'll work our way to that sort of thing. Not right away. For a long while it'll just be gentle."

The American sat up slightly sniffling a bit and wrapped his arms around the other. "R-really?"

"Yes really," he held the American tightly. His poor Alfred. He should have never treated him like he had been. He was just a selfish old man.

"I feel like I must be dreaming…" he sniffled again.

Arthur smiled slightly. "Then go back to bed. And when you wake up in the morning you'll be pleasantly surprised."

Alfred chuckled happily, nuzzling into the other's chest. "Arthur… Thank you so much…"

Arthur smiled warmly and nodded, petting the blonde hair gently. "Of course lad… Of course." He gently lay Alfred back into the bed, his fingers continuing to run through blonde hair… soothing him until he went back to sleep. The older nation couldn't help but smile warmly. At everything that was to come… He undressed once again no longer planning on leaving. He took his place back in the bed. Beside his Alfred. He smiled warmly placing a soft kiss on the American's forehead curling up at his side. Almost instantly an arm wrapped around him, holding him tightly. And he couldn't help it, but he smiled brighter. Something he would have scolded Alfred for before… was now… perfectly welcome and acceptable.

Yes… this would be okay… this was nice.

"I'll see you in the morning, Alfred…"

A/N
Little drabble that's been sitting in my documents forever. Just thought I'd put it up at long last, while struggling to figure out an ending for my other USUK fic. Woops 8U.
Hope you liked~