A/N: So basically, this is going to be a completely random collection of one-shots featuring some kind of pairing, and... from there pretty much anything goes! Fluff, angst, maybe even a little smut (waitwhosaidthat!)

Oh yes, and requests are very much welcome. I've got a lot of plot bunnies floating around in my head already, and I can't guarantee I'll be able to meet all requests because, as with all writers, I'm really at the mercy of my muse. But, I would like to cater to the wants of my readers as much as possible, so don't be shy :)

The only things I really prefer not to write are sibling/sibling pairings like Americest and what not, and non-con. Just thought I'd get that out there before I upset anybody.

Updates will be *surprise, surprise* kinda random. We'll play it by ear I suppose...

Anywaaaay, how bout a little AmeFin to start us off then? (And, no, I sadly do not own Hetalia)

Enjoy!

Title: One of Those Days

Characters: America, Finland

Rating: K+

America was not having a good day. To start things off, he'd missed his scheduled flight into Helsinki for the conference and ended up spending the entire night at the airport, only to catch a horrible red eye which left him more than a little sleep deprived. Then, he realized he forgot his 70-page presentation on potential economic solutions back at home, and despite his undeniably kickass improv skills, his idea to make Christmas once a month instead of once a year hadn't made quite the impact he'd intended without all his awesome research to back him up.

And now, oh wouldn't you just know it, he just spilled his coffee on his favorite Justice League of America tie, (yes, he had more than one). And with the tight budget he'd been forcing himself to adhere to lately, he really couldn't justify buying himself another caffeinated beverage, no matter how much he may have wanted it. Honestly, all that was missing to make this the Suckiest Day Ever was a flipping full-scale alien invasion!

No, on second thought, that would actually be kind of awesome.

America sighed, making his way over to ask the barista for some paper towels to clean up the mess he'd just made, silently praying that none of the other nations would choose this particular coffee shop in which to spend their allotted thirty minute lunch break. But, with the way his day was going so far, of course that was too much for hope for. America groaned as he caught sight of not just any nation walking through the door but the motherfreaking host nation himself! Really? As if Finland didn't have a million other places he could go in his own goddanged capital? He had to pick the one singular coffee shop where America was busy involuntarily making a spectacle out of himself (which wasn't nearly as fun as when he was choosing to make a spectacle out of himself)? Ugh. Maybe he would catch a break and the Finn would get his coffee and leave without seeing him…

Or not. America let out a small groan as he watched the Nordic nation's gaze travel toward him, then brighten in recognition. Man, why did the world hate him so much? He'd have to make a point of being nicer to Mexico or something, because his karma was apparently way out of whack. Though he knew it was a ridiculous (and completely Englandish) thing to do, America nonetheless fed his compulsive urge to duck behind the table he was tending to and pretended to mop up an imaginary coffee spill on the floor in the hope that the Finn would get the message and let him be.

No such luck.

"Hei, Alfred! Fancy meeting you here!" Finland greeted cheerfully as he walked over, steaming mug of coffee in hand. After an indulgent beat of self-pitying hesitation, America turned his gaze up to the other nation, nonchalant grin carefully in place.

"Oh hey, Tino. Didn't see ya there. What's shakin'?"

"Oh, you know. Just preparing for Round Two," the Finn smiled back, gesturing with his mug. "Um… everything alright down there?"

"Oh, yeah," America replied a little too enthusiastically, hastily gathering up his towels. "Just-" bam! He hissed in pain as he banged his head against the bottom of the table while trying to stand up. "…spilled my coffee," he finished through a clenched jaw, straightening up, rubbing his head, grimacing in pain and embarrassment.

The smaller nation offered up an empathetic wince: "That's a shame; this coffee's the best in the whole city. Here-" he set his mug on the table, grabbing America's own nearly emptied one. "-Let me buy you another. My treat."

"Aw, no, dude you don't have to do that-" America began but the Finn cut him off with a small smile.

"It's my pleasure. Anyway, I'm getting to show off my favorite coffee shop so it's kind of a win-win, right?" He ignored America's further attempts to protest and made his way back to the counter to purchase a second cup, leaving the North American to sit and await his return, resting his head in his hand, wishing for the Day from Hell to be over already so he could go back to his hotel room and sleep for a gazillion years…

"…You look pretty tired."

America startled, opening his eyes to find Finland's own violet pair staring back at him from across the table. Had he really just been dozing off? Apparently he needed that coffee more than he realized.

"Yeah, sorry. Didn't get much sleep on the plane," he sighed, pushing his glasses up on his forehead as he rubbed his eyes awake. He groaned again, forgetting that it was probably rude.

"Rough day?" Finland asked, as if he already knew the answer, and America snorted in agreement:

"Well, it ain't been no country fair, that's for darn sure," he replied, too tired to censor his "hick speak" as England called it. Accepting the freshly filled mug the Finn held out to him, America took a long sip and felt the hot liquid work its magic: relaxing his muscles, perking up his mind, and filling his stomach with a familiar, comforting warmth. He took another and realized that, even if the Finn had added a bit less sugar than was normally to his liking, the coffee itself more than made up for it with its rich flavor.

"Thanks," he finally remembered to say. "…I needed this."

The Nordic nation flashed him an appreciative smile and took a sip from his own cup. "You know," he remarked quietly after a beat of not uncomfortable silence. "…I actually really liked your presentation."

America raised his eyebrows. "Well, that's not much of a surprise. You're prob'ly the only guy in the whole world who likes Christmas more than me," he joked, but the grin on his face was warm and genuine.

"Yeah, I guess that's true," Finland chuckled softly, and America felt himself settling easily into the other nation's company. His eyes drifted over the pale blond's loosened tie and casually rolled up sleeves which revealed a pair of lean, milky smooth forearms, and found himself wondering how he'd never noticed just how flipping attractive the Finn was before. And then he remembered a certain enormous and creepy-as-shit Swede, and suddenly everything clicked into place.

"Soouhhh… where's the big guy? Aren't you two like, you know, a thing?" Alfred chanced, oblivious to his own complete lack of subtlety. He winced with guilt when a dark cloud suddenly passed over his companion's formerly cheerful face.

"He'd like you to think that, wouldn't he?" the Nordic nation muttered bitterly. "Frankly, I'm kind of sick of it. He just doesn't get that I'm my own nation and should be able to make my own choices, you know?"

"Oh man, I hear you there," Alfred supplied empathetically as darker memories began to surface in his own mind. "Believe me, I know all about that shit."

"Heh, I guess you do," the Finn conceded amusedly behind his mug. "…It's kind of funny, actually. If the Netherlands hadn't been such a dick, and if I'd been able to keep my big mouth shut, I might have been the one to raise you instead of England."

"R-Really?" America asked after just managing not to choke on the large sip he'd just taken. "Well, that's… uhhh…"

"Weird to think about, right?" Finland supplied calmly, running his finger in slow circles around the brim of his cup. "…Doesn't matter anyway. I don't think I'd have made a very good role model. I can't even muster up enough guts to stand up to my own best friend."

"Oh, pssh, come on. You'd have made a waay better guardian than that tea-taxing bag of douche," America replied bracingly. "And I mean, you were pretty freaking gutsy during that winter war thing, right? Anyone who can hand that flipping commie his own ass like that and not look back is pretty freaking awesome in my book!" The look he received from the Finn was enough to give America all the best kind of shivers.

"I think you're giving me more credit than I deserve, but it's nice to hear all the same," the Nordic nation conceded, blushing in a way so tantalizing it should have been illegal. The Finn started suddenly, looking down at the watch on his wrist.

"Oh, I have to get back to the conference building before the other nations start arriving," he announced, hastily re-adjusting his tie and shirt (to America's dismay) as he stood up to leave. "Sorry to take over your lunch. I'll see you in about fifteen, I guess?"

"Yeah, definitely," America replied, mentally debating whether or not to offer to accompany Finland on the walk back, but ending up deciding against it, as his mug was still pretty much full and he didn't want it to go to waste, (holy cats, that Finn sucked down that espresso like there was no tomorrow!) As he watch the Nordic nation turn to leave, America couldn't help but call out after him.

"Hey, uh, Tino?"

"Hm?" the Finn asked, turning back to him with an inquisitive grin and America was definitely not blushing, no freaking way was he blushing!

"Uhh…" America fumbled, not exactly sure what it was he wanted to say. "…Thanks again for the coffee," he finally mumbled. Yep, he was all kinds of smooth today…

"Like I said, it's my pleasure," the Finn replied, and then all of a sudden, a small, almost devious grin grew on his lips. "…Say, Alfred, you know what I like to do after I've had a bad day?" America, who found himself struck even more incoherent, resorted to shaking his head in response.

"…Take a nice, long sauna." And, oh shit, now America couldn't get up even if he wanted to. With the sudden mental image of the Nordic nation – damp and steamy and baring all – bursting into the forefront of his mind, it was all America could do to keep himself from panting like a freaking dog. And the craziest thing of all? America had the nagging suspicion that that was just the reaction the Finn had been aiming for.

"…Coincidentally-" Finland continued a little too innocently, "-my personal sauna just happens to be a two-person. Let me know after the conference if you're interested." And with a wink that told America that the other nation knew exactly what he was doing, Finland picked up his empty mug, deposited it at the counter and strolled out of the coffee shop like he hadn't a care in the world.

America, between being both completely flabbergasted and insanely flipping turned on, did manage to piece together at least one semi-coherent thought:

Maybe this wouldn't turn out to be such a bad day after all.

~(o)~

A/N: Fun Fact: According to my internet sources, Finnish people drink more cups of coffee per day than any other nation. They are also a bunch of saucy minxes ;)

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more!

~L