A/N: My first fic about my favourite Hetalia pairing. There needs to be more stories about them *hint hint* :)
Italics: Past event.
Kiku and Heracules were sitting in an all too familiar spot in Athens, gazing at the sunset. They had been there for hours, just relaxing and playing with the several cats that constantly seem to follow the Grecian around. As time went on, Heracules soon fell into yet another nap as the afternoon sun made it's change into a cool evening moon. At this point Kiku would usually try to prevent Heracules from falling asleep, saying that it was getting late and they should head back home. But this time was different. He wasn't acting like his normal serious self, instead a softer loving look was occupying his usually expressionless face. And it was facing directly at the sleeping man next to him. You see the last time they sat in this exact grassy spot overlooking the carefully excavated ruins Heracules had spent an endless amount of time preserving, Kiku realised something. He realised that during all the times over the years that he had shared with his Greek friend, he had slowly but surely fallen in love. It wasn't an unexpected discovery, he had been denying the fact for a long time. But it still left the Japanese man feeling hot under the collar.
It started when Kiku found himself staying longer and longer on his visits. They went from a few hours here and there to carefully planned weekends, sometimes even a full week. When they are together he doesn't want the days to end. And when they are apart he counts down the days, sometimes even hours, until he can see his friend again. He didn't think too deeply about it at the time, he put it down to the excitement of actually making a connection with another country after centuries of locking himself in his own home. What really made him recognise that his feelings for the other nation ran farther than platonic friendship was the way he found himself staring at Heracules while he slept in the bask of the moonlight, much like he is doing now. And it wasn't just any part of his sleepy friend he was fixated on. It was his face, or more specifically his lips.
'I want to kiss him...' Kiku thought to himself.
It took a full minute for the reserved man to comprehend fully what he had thought, when he did he started to blush physically and mentally scold himself.
'How could I think about doing that with my friend, what is wrong with me?' He kept inwardly asking his brain. While he was at war with his thoughts, Heracules had stirred from his sleep by a wandering cat brushing past his side. He slowly sat up, yawning as he did so and looked at his flustered friend through hazy green eyes.
"What's wrong Kiku? You are blushing" he inquired lazily.
"Oh Heracules-san, you are awake, I-I'm fine... well actually no I think I might be catching a cold, yeah that's it I'm coming down with something" Kiku hurriedly replied, his blush becoming more red than before.
"Let's go in the house then" Heracules offered as he stood up with a stretch. Kiku sliently nodded, hoping that his excuse was good enough to cover up his true feelings. He didn't like lying to his friend but what could he do? There is no way he could find out what he felt about him. Heracules would probably freak out and never want to see him again. As with the old cliche, he valued their friendship and didn't want to risk what they had already. They headed into the house and found proper beds to rest in after bidding one another goodnight. Kiku fell to sleep that night with his heart heavy with love and his legs heavy with snoozing cats.
Since that time though, Kiku had become more accustomed to his feelings. He still didn't fully accept them but at least doesn't tell himself off anymore for having them. He just accepted that he would have to keep them to himself, being friends was better than nothing right?
And so he found himself again looking at Heracules, under the same moonlight, sitting in the same spot, watching as the Grecian did his favourite activity.
"I still want to kiss him..." Kiku sighed as he looked up at the starry sky, not realising he had said his thoughts out loud.
"You want to kiss who?"
Kiku's head shot straight back to the now awake Heracules. For someone that sleeps a lot, it really didn't take him much to wake up.
"Oh no-one." he said, voice trembling. Oh no! What is he going to do now? Obviously Heracules won't fall for that old excuse. He needed to think of something to say to cover his tracks. And quickly. Before he had time to come up with anything though, his line of concentration broke when Heracules said something he didn't expect.
"There is someone I want to kiss too." he said, slightly turning a shade of pink. Kiku's heart dropped. He is in love with someone else. 'I should of expected this though, it's not like he would ever love me' He thought, trying to remain rational and not start crying. After fighting back the urge let all his sadness out, he came up with an idea. That this could be a good opportunity to dodge the earlier question. Maybe if he could get Heracules talking about himself, he would forget ever asking him and he could get out of this situation. If there was anything Kiku was good at it was dodging questions and giving indirect answers. Thinking that this was the only plan he had he decided to run with it.
"Does that person know Heracules-san?"
"I don't know."
"You haven't told them?"
"No."
Kiku winced at his friend's short answers. He needed to get him talking more for the plan to work.
"Maybe you should tell the person you like them next time you see them" His heart broke as he said that last sentence but there was nothing he could do about it. Heracules would never be his, might as well try to make him happy. Even if it with someone else. At least he will forget the question.
"I'm not sure if it would work..."
"Why not?"
"They haven't picked up on any of the hints I have given them. So they might misunderstand what I'm saying" Hints? So he has been flirting with another nation? Kiku tried to think of any nation that he has recently seen the Grecian with. 'Turkey maybe? But the hate one another. Too much for it to be called sexual frustration. The only other person I can think of is me but that's not possible, I'd have known right?' Determined to find out who he was losing his secret love to he planted a idea in his friends' head.
"Maybe a gesture then?" He could look out for any physical contact in the next world meeting and find out his crush's, well crush.
"A kiss?" said Heracules abruptly. This made Kiku flush a deep shade of red. His idea had backfired, He didn't want to see that of all things. Not right infront of him. But he had to keep up this facade.
"I-If you think that is appropriate."
"Okay then." Heracules said while turning away slightly.
"Okay then.." Kiku trailed off, his heart heavy with hurt this time.
"Kiku?"
"Yes Hera-" he was cut off by warm lips on his. Kiku's eyes widened to the size of the moon they sat beneath. The lips lingered there for about ten seconds before they left as quickly as they came.
"W-w-what was that for?" The reserved man spluttered. What had just happened?
"You said I should kiss the person I liked next time I saw them"
"You were on about me the whole time?" Kiku's mind was racing at 1000 mph. He was the person Heracules liked? 'Wait, what hints have I not been seeing?' he mused. He mentally slapped his forehead at his stupidity for not seeing any of this before.
"Yes." Kiku blushed even more, he was nearly as red as those tomatoes Spain and the Italy brothers love so much.
"So who do you want to kiss Kiku?" Ah, so Heracules hadn't forgot the question. Since there was nothing to lose now he could finally say what he had been holding back for so long.
"I want to kiss you, because I love you" he hesitated a bit at the latter words but he still managed to get them out while not losing eye contact. He felt as if a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders. There's no way Heracules could reject them now. He even let a small smile creep over his face knowing that his seemingly impossible dream has come true. That he would be the one that Heracules wake up and fall asleep next to. That he would be the one that would make him smile. That he would be the one that got to kiss those warm, soft lips while whispering sweet nothings. Kiku started to get lost in his Greek daydream but he was brought back to reality when Heracules spoke.
"I know you do, I just wanted you to say it" he smirked in a lovingly teasing way,
"Whaaaaaa-" Kiku squeaked before the Grecian picked him up and claimed his lips for a second time. He carried his new lover back to the house and they made sweet love all night.