Title:: Carpe Diem

Fandom:: Axis Powers Hetalia

Character(s):: Arthur Kirkland, Alfred F. Jones, Gilbert Weillschmidt, Francis Bonnefoy, Robert Kirkland, and too many other characters that I think I'd die if I list everyone here.

Pairing(s):: Eventual Alfred/Arthur and implied all pairings you could possibly think of… probably.

Rating:: PG-13, for now.

Genre: Humour/Romance

Chapter Word count::1755

Total Word Count:: 1755

Warning: It's AU of Gakuen Hetalia AU, language [what do you expect if there's Arthur?], there'll be boy love scattered all around eventually, ignore any historical/political inaccuracies if there's any reference to it, OCs in later chapters, rating might go up some chapters in the future, and it's going to be a long, long ride, people. Tread with caution.

Disclaimer: All of the characters of Axis Powers Hetalia are not mine.

A/N: My second multi-chaptered fic project (the first one being the sadly discontinued Katekyo Hitman Reborn TYL!AU) and the first multi-chaptered story for Hetalia. This one was actually written quiet some time ago, but I only just able to post it now. I'm… uh, still working on the France/Jeanne piece for 'If I Tell You I Love You' one-shot series. I just have some trouble with the ending. *hides*.

Anyway, I'll stop my babble and let all of you start reading this. Comments, reviews, and critiques are definitely appreciated.

Beta'd by; the awesomest of all awesome people I know, ExpressoLatte.

Act I: The Beginning

No matter where you go

No matter how much you want to go

No matter how many times you say you want to be free

I will always be the one to catch you

I will always be the one to hold you back

I will always be the one to love you more

Because you're forever mine…

… and no one else's

0o0o0o0

"This is Green. I am nearing the targets. Have the assault team on standby. Over."

Sliding the walkie-talkie back into the side pouch, Arthur Kirkland squint his eyes and pulled out his gun from the holster. His sharp emerald eyes quickly scanned the whole area for anything out the ordinary as he tried to ease his breathing. The Briton had been explaining the strategy to capture the thieves when a loud explosion resounded from the museum. Within ten minutes, he found himself running around the place, trying to track the source of the explosion. A small scowl marred his features. Running certainly wasn't part of Arthur's schedule tonight-he wasn't exactly much of a runner.

After his breathing evened out, the young officer focused his mind again on finding the thieves that have once again tried to steal something from the Arts & Cultural museum. His grip on his gun tightened when he heard low murmurs coming from the far side of the room where plenty of sculptures were displayed.

"-told you, it's not necessary!"

"But it's more smashingly awesome that way, Knight! I thought you liked being awesome!"

"I am awesome, you dolt-but I'm not stupid! What if the museum fucking explodes for real?"

"Er, but isn't this bomb just a decoy? Wouldn't it only produce a loud 'BANG'? And I need some distraction, Knight. This place is giving me the creeps."

Arthur could hear a loud smack, followed by a whimper from the back of a sculpture of man. He treaded his steps carefully and approached the two figures who were still bickering with each other.

"That's for being a moron, as usual. Now shut up and think about how we can move this thing out of here. What the hell were you thinking when you picked a sculpture to steal of all things? It's goddamn heavy."

The two figures crouching behind the display stood up, unaware that there was a gun pointed at their direction. Both men wore almost identical outfits-a black form-fitted shirt, leather jacket and leather pants and black leather gloves. The only differences between the two thieves were colour and logo of the cap and the half-mask used to cover their heads and faces.

"Stop, thieves! Put your hands up!" Arthur bellowed as he stepped into the room, when the thieves started to examine the glass covering the sculpture. One of the thieves, who sported a black cap with a New York Yankees logo and a white mask covering the top-half his face, screamed bloody murder and jumped behind his partner.

"I-It's a ghost, Knight! A GHOST!"

"Shut it, you coward! It's not a ghost! And you call yourself Hero!" His partner, Knight, who wore a similar white cap with a black cross embroidered on it and a black mask, smacked the other on the head. "It's just good old Sergeant Artie," he said mockingly, flashing a dazzling grin and dragged Hero to the front.

"Oh… Ehem!" Hero cleared his throat and regained his composure. "Ah, you're right! It is Arthur!"

"Put your hands up in the air and don't even try anything funny, thieves! The both of you are under arrest!" Arthur held out his gun with one hand and used the other to reach the handcuffs dangling on his belt.

"Ha!" Hero suddenly jumped and put a hand on his hip, ignoring Arthur's order. "Artie! I thought you'd never come! Here I was, thinking that you are going to just let us slide again this time!"

Arthur could see Knight rolling his eyes and he couldn't help but mimic the thief's expression-Hero was acting like a child. "I said-don't make any weird movements! And don't call me Artie, you git!"

"Well fucking duh! I'll call you with whatever name I like. And you want to capture us? Try it in another million years! Ahahahahaha!"

"Fuck it, Hero! Don't be stupid and let's just get out of here," Knight said exasperatedly. He broke the glass covering the chest sculpture from the Renaissance era with his fist, setting off the alarm.

Arthur pulled the trigger and aimed a shot at Hero, who dodged and helped Knight to move the heavy object. Another bullet was released and Hero cursed when it hit the floor near his feet.

"You can take it yourself, Knight?" Hero asked his partner as he let go of the sculpture. Knight almost fell back with the sudden increase of weight and cursed. "I have to take care of Artie."

Without waiting for Knight's answer, Hero took out a small round shaped device from his pants' pocket and pointed it towards Arthur's direction and clicked it. A thin wire shot out of the device, catching the sergeant's legs.

"What the-"

"Hook, line and sinker~"

Hero pulled the wire with all his strength and Arthur fell backwards. The thief quickly strode forward and kicked the gun away from Arthur's hands.

Arthur let out a groan when his back met the floor, hard. His bum was hurting and couldn't breathe properly because of the impact. Hero was looming over him and had one foot planted firmly on his jugular, making it even more difficult for Arthur to breathe (he wore combat boots for God sake!). Hero's other foot was stepping on Arthur's right arm, leaving the green eyed man with only one hand to pry away the heavy foot on his chest.

"Nu-uh, Artie~" Hero began in a singsong voice, waving his forefinger and shaking his head mockingly at Arthur's futile attempts to shove his foot away. He leant down; Arthur was wincing in pain with the added pressure. "I told ya' already; try capturing us in another million years," he whispered as he ruffled Arthur's sandy blonde hair playfully.

"Get your hand off of my head, you bloody tosser!" Arthur hissed breathlessly. His emerald green eyes stared unblinkingly and defiantly up at the blonde with utmost hatred. He could feel his eyes starting to water because of the pain. "I swear I will put you two thieving bastards behind the bars!"

Hero smirked and stroked Arthur's chin with his gloved hand. "So rude~ Knight, the English just have the pottiest mouths, don't they?" He looked over his shoulder to his partner, who was struggling with balancing the white sculpture.

"Whatever! Just fucking deal with him! The police will find us soon and let me tell you this, Hero—it is so notgoing to be awesome at all if we're caught just because you can't stop playing with him!"

Hero chuckled and turned to Arthur again. He tilted the Briton's face upwards and leant closer until Arthur could see clearly those bright sky blue eyes. The thief moved his foot away from Arthur's chest and straddled the smaller man's stomach, his other foot still planted firmly on Arthur's upper right arm. He pinned Arthur's left wrist up above his head and gripped his face with his other hand. He forced Arthur to look at his face and smirked as Arthur's scowl deepened.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Artie~ Artie~" Hero shook his head dramatically. "Behave, Artie, behave. And then perhaps I shall release you. But seeing that you are so rebellious, I don't think I'll let you go anytime soon."

"Get off of me, you fucking thief!" Arthur started to thrash around, wriggling his hand free from Hero's grip. "You're a fucking jackass! A criminal! You're stealing the world's heritage and you think that you're awesome for this?! Bollocks!"

"Shut up!" Hero snapped at him.

"No, YOU shut up, git! Let go of me now! Or I'll… mmmffghhh?!"

Arthur could have sworn his heart stopped beating at the same moment his lips stopped moving because Hero had planted his face to his; their lips locked firmly. Arthur could feel his blood rushing to his cheeks and ears. The next second, Arthur thrashed even more violently, trying to turn his face away from the thief's.

"…Ugh, did you have to do that in front of my awesome presence, Hero?" Knight exclaimed from somewhere on the back side of the room.

The British officer continued to thrash wildly about, trying to break free and knock Hero's lights out. Suddenly, Arthur felt a wet tongue glided over his lower lip and his body went still. Hero pulled himself away from Arthur's face and smirked again. "Now, that's a good boy. You look cuter when you are nice and still, Artie." He ruffled Arthur's hair again and pinched the tip of his nose.

"Stop playing and let's go!" Knight yelled again.

"Yeah, yeah." Hero planted a chaste kiss to Arthur's cheek, causing him to flush even deeper. "See ya, Artie! I hope you can catch me the next time we meet!"

After the blue eyed thief cuffed Arthur's hands with the handcuffs, he stood up and ran towards Knight who was heaving the not so small sculpture out of the room.

"He's a guy! Are you crazy?" Knight yelled at Hero, who seemed to flinch a little under the tone of his voice. A dumbfounded Arthur blinked as he felt footsteps fast approaching the room. The assault team must have jumped right into action when the alarm sounded.

"He didn't want to shut his mouth! And don't tell me that shit like you never did that to any guy either. I know you're…" Hero's voice grew softer as the both thieves moved out of the room, out of Arthur's hearing and finally, gone, probably already out of the museum.

Meanwhile, Arthur could only lay still on the cold marbled museum's floor, with both his hands and legs tied securely as he waited for his men to come and help him. Arthur could feel his blood boiling as he cursed like a sailor under his breath. Not only was he was humiliated (that fucking thief kissed him!), he also failed to catch those two again. Those two bloody idiots will pay dearly for this, especially that dingbat who calls himself 'Hero', Arthur thought, fury radiating off his whole being. He swore to God, to the Queen of England, and to everything that was holy, he would never, ever, let this humiliation be.

Endnote: Euh? What is this? How did it come out like this? Aha, haha…*nervous laugh* -sigh- At least I tried? I'm sorry if it's too short. This is just the beginning anyway.

Yes, yes. You guys must have guessed who the thieves are already with the aliases. XD;;.

And the quote at the beginning is a 'some-kind-of-poem-but-not-really-a-poem' I wrote a while ago for my eljay header. And it's posted here with the title 'Love You Too Much'.

Review? Comment? Critique? Throw it to my face~