'Arthur and Lancelot's Excellent Adventure' was a complete success, despite Alfred butchering the title beyond belief.

The audience gave all the right reactions in all the right places. There was plenty of surprised muttering when Arthur was forced to pull the sword from the stone not only at Christmas but also at Candlemas and Easter – Arthur knew they would be unaware of that part of the story. They gasped when an enraged Gawain cut off a woman's head by accident and fell into despair. Their shock and disgust was clear when they learnt that the giant ate men and raped women to death, and there was the most almighty cheer when Arthur killed him single-handedly. They booed Morgan la Fey's under-handed trickery and mourned the loss of the magic scabbard that would have stopped King Arthur from ever losing blood in battle. There were plenty of 'ew's when they found out the woman Arthur had slept with was his sister, and jeers when Lancelot and Guinevere kept sneaking off together to continue their blatant affair.

Arthur was particularly pleased that the audience seemed to be picking up on his play's message of how selfless and heroic King Arthur was, while teaching them that Lancelot was actually history's biggest douchebag. Alfred clearly didn't understand when the audience began to turn on him with loud 'boo's, and looked scandalised that Arthur had become the hero.

But then again, acting opposite Alfred's Lancelot was the first time Arthur managed to get a glimpse inside the king's head at the relationship between the two men. For the past seventeen years, he had pictured Lancelot as nothing more than a giant prick betraying Arthur's trust time and again. And Arthur had hero-worshipped the wonderful king for being virtuous enough to forgive him every time. He had never really understood why, other than that Arthur hadn't wanted to start that terrible war against a popular knight that would split his court in two. But when he put himself in the role of the king, and Alfred was Lancelot…He started to see more than that. Arthur really cared about Lancelot. They were best friends after all. He was sad that Lancelot and Guinevere were in love because it would cause trouble for them, but he didn't hate Lancelot for it. He couldn't help it – he was in love. And Lancelot felt awful about hurting his friend and sovereign, but he had to be true to his heart, too.

Arthur was uncomfortable with his burgeoning acceptance of Lancelot. He had hated him passionately for so long, but now his own friendship with Alfred had helped him see that the two legendary knights actually cared for each other.

He supposed the reason he had never been able to understand their friendship was because he had never really had a friend of his own who would help him see how much two men could care for each other – despite betrayals and fights and affairs. He had had people to hang out with at lunch and attend extra-curricular activities with, of course. But nobody he actually cared about, whom he would want to forgive if they did something wrong, whom he would he would wish the best for even if it hurt him.

By the end of the skit, the audience was completely enraptured. When the adder attacked one of the knights, causing him to draw his sword and unwittingly begin the battle that was destined to kill Arthur, the actors could swear they had never seen the other boys more intent, focused, and emotional. It looked like they were completely lost in the illusion – barely noticing that the final epic war between Arthur and Lancelot consisted of just six people. They were so into it, they might have been watching armies of thousands for all they knew.

And they won. They were the last to perform, and nobody could deny that they were the best. When the play finally ended at Lancelot's death next to the body of Guinevere, the other campers, and even the counsellors, leapt up and clapped and cheered and whistled for what seemed like forever. Standing up on to bow in front of those dozens of cheering faces must have been the best feeling Arthur had ever had! Offhand, he couldn't really think of another time he had been so happy and proud.

The other campers all began chatting loudly and excitedly about the four skits they had just watched, and there was much congratulating and jeering about each other's places in the skit competition.

"Congratulations, Team Alpha Dog! It was-a so good!" cheered Counsellor Roma, coming and clapping Arthur on the back. "Can-a we assume the inspiration came from our newest little camper?"

"It sure did, Counsellor Roma! Artie totally came up with the idea and wrote the script. As soon as he suggested it, I knew it was a good idea so I told everyone we had to do it. And I made sure Artie wrote a script that matched my epic vision for directing the action." Arthur was sure that even this slightly self-absorbed praise was probably more than Alfred usually gave out.

"Well, it was one of my favourite skits we've ever seen. You did-a such a good job!"

With that last congratulations, Counsellor Roma went and stood in front of the plain green bed sheets which had been stretched out as a make-shift backdrop.

The counsellors knew from experience that the skits would involve more running and leaping around than the any of the small open spaces the campsite could handle. So the plays were held out in the big field where they sometimes had meetings or outdoor activities. There were no seats or stage: the campers just sat on the grass and watched as the play was put on right in front of them, with the curtain the only stage setting, though it was more to hide the backstage area from the audience.

The sun was nearly set, tinting the sky orange and dyeing the clouds a remarkable array of purples and pinks. The air was cooler, and it would be dark soon – and yet Arthur had never felt so hyper.

"All-a-right, I know you must all-a still be pumped up after your performances," said Counsellor Roma, trying to get everyone's attention. "So we'll-a let you run off all that energy or the adrenaline will keep-a you up all night." There was a cheer as the boys realised they were going to be left to their own devices for the evening. "You can run around the forest all-a want, just don't-a go too far and-a try not to get hurt, okay? Come-a back by the time it gets dark and we'll-a have a some smores ready. Sound good?"

It wasn't like they didn't sneak into the woods any old night they wanted, but they always had to be quiet about it. Today, however, they were being given full authority to run around being as loud and crazy as they wanted. Which everyone took to heart instantly.

"CAPTURE THE FLAG!" Gilbert shouted. He ripped off his hoodie and held it aloft. Ivan unwound that scarf he always wore and held that up as the flag for his team, whilst Miguel held up their scabbard prop from the skit and Mathias waved his hat in the air.

Then all four teams dashed past the backstage curtain and into the woods at the edge of the field. And Arthur, inexplicably, found himself hand in hand with Alfred.

- ~ * Summer Camp * ~ -

"Okay, Heracles and Kiku can stay here and guard the flag. Try not to get distracted guys." Kiku blushed and looked like he wanted to object, but kept his mouth shut. "Miguel, you go that way, Mattie that way. Me and Arthur will go this way."

"Okay, just try not to get distracted guys."

"W-w-WANKER!" Arthur needed to take a lesson out of Kiku's book.

Alfred dragged Arthur away, still holding his hand – hey, it had felt right at the time. They were in the middle of a war and Alfred was a hero. He was supposed to protect people. And what did you do when you were protecting someone – that's right: hold their hand.

Kind of funny that Arthur wasn't letting go. Maybe he was actually scared, Alfred thought, as he dragged the shorter boy quietly as possible through the underbrush.

He laughed inwardly at Cousnellor Roma's logic: run off all the excitement from the play by starting an intense game of night-time capture the flag. Yeah, that was bound to calm them down. Alfred felt so exhilarated: his whole body was tingling, his senses seemed to be on fire, except for his hearing which was drowned out by the thunderous beat of his heart.

It was probably that which stopped him from hearing someone sneaking up on them. There he was, clutching Arthur's hand and being a total hero spy, when suddenly a crazy Korean was making a spinning leap through the air at him! Lucky Yong Soo was such a drama queen and needed a big entrance or he and Artie would have been captured!

But as Yong Soo came launching towards them ,shouting something that sounded like "Your doom originated in Korea!", Alfred had time to grip Arthur's hand and race out of the underbrush and away from Yong Soo.

They could hear him following them, but they were both fast enough to keep some way ahead. He didn't seem to be giving up the pursuit, though, because they were chased all the way to the edge of the forest and back to the field where they had done their skits. There was nowhere to go.

Alfred made a split-second decision. "Quick, behind the stage curtain!"

A little further down the field were the bed sheets they had used as a backdrop. If Yong Soo exited the woods in the same place they had, he wouldn't be able to see them behind it – it was their best hope.

They had just managed to throw themselves behind the cover of the bed sheets when they heard Yong Soo crash out into the opening.

They stood there as still as possible, hands over their mouths to mask their loud breathing, and staring wide-eyed at the place where Yong Soo would appear if he chose to look behind the curtain.

But luckily, he didn't. Obviously figuring they must have fled back into the woods in a different direction, they heard Yong Soo crashing through the bushes and shrubs back the way he had come.

The two boys finally looked at each other, both of their eyes as wide as dinner plates and looking more terrified than the game really warranted…And they burst into silent laughter, holding their sides and covering their mouths in case Yong Soo heard them again.

Arthur was bent almost double and trying so hard not to make a noise. Alfred had never seen him so happy, except earlier at the end of the play. He had looked so proud of himself then. Not the arrogant, smug kind of proud which was always Alfred's default, though. Arthur had just looked…pleased. Pleased because others had liked what he had made for them, not that he was just self-satisfied at others agreeing he was awesome.

Alfred had stopped smiling, and was now just staring at Arthur. His body was still tingling from all the excitement and adrenaline of the evening. He felt like he could do anything and it would end up well. And he wanted to do something – he wanted to do something crazy and stupid, because it would be fun and today people wouldn't laugh at him because they all felt the same. And being "back stage", and no one around to care what they were doing…It almost felt like once the moment was over and they went back into the forest, then whatever they did right now would never have happened at all.

"Arthur, it's like having a crush on you."

The other boy stood up suddenly and stared at him. Alfred liked when he looked all shocked like that, because usually he hung his head and scowled. But when he raised his head and opened his eyes wide like that, Alfred got a good view of those…really nice green eyes.

"Wh-what?" Arthur stammered. They both seemed to realise at exactly the same time how close they were standing. Alfred really liked it, but his hands itched to reach out and touch, too.

"You feel different than a regular friend. But you also feel different from when I look at girls and think they're really hot. It's like…when I had my first crush when I was a kid and I didn't really get it, because it had never happened before. I just knew it was really cool."

"Y-y-…I-I don't…"

Arthur probably didn't even know what he was trying to say, Alfred reasoned, so there was no point trying to finish the sentences in his own head.

"Do you think I have a crush on you, or am I just being stupid?" asked Alfred, genuinely wanting Arthur's input on this. I mean, he was no expert! This could be anything! Just a hardcore bromance with some guy he met two weeks ago.

Arthur gulped, still staring into Alfred's eyes like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Come on, Artie, don't make me word it differently because I honestly don't know! I just…"

Well, there was one thing he could do to try and get his point across. It might help him figure out what he wanted to say, too. Maybe doing it would let him know if this really was what he thought it was.

He reached forward, arms aching with nervous tension, and grabbed Arthur's shoulders before pulling the smaller boy against him. Boy, it felt good having Arthur pressed against him.

Slowly and spontaneously (his mind really had no control any more except to encourage him to keep going) his hands slid over those thin shoulders, up the smooth neck, and clutched at the back of Arthur's head. He had one last moment of clarity looking down into those green, green eyes, before everything in him urged "Yes", and he bent his head down and pressed their gently lips together.

Arthur kissed back. He felt it, even if just for a second.

But as soon as he felt the other boy begin to shift, Alfred pulled away, to give Arthur some space. He didn't want Arthur to feel pressured – just to understand what Alfred was trying to say. That was all.

He let his fingers drop from the soft golden hair at the nape of Arthur's neck, but didn't pull back altogether. His body couldn't bear to be without the other now, after that, so he dropped his arms and clutched firmly at Arthur's upper arms, keeping the other boy close to him.

"You don't need to freak out, I just wanted to tell you. That's all," he tried to comfort the Brit.

Arthur wasn't necessarily looking like he was going to freak out, but he was radiating awkwardness, and Alfred just wanted to prevent any unnecessary panic attacks. He wouldn't feel very good if Arthur got angry over this. In fact, it would really hurt. He didn't want it to make Arthur feel wrong, or to hate him. He wanted Arthur to be okay with it…

"Have you been flirting with me this whole time? Is that what that was? Or is this some kind of very unfunny joke – "

"No! Not at all!" Alfred exclaimed, torn between being excited that Arthur wasn't running away and distraught that the other boy might have treated the kiss as a joke, himself. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to let you know if I've acted weird around you it's because I don't know what to do. All the teasing and pranks the first week - I guess I just wanted your attention. And then being all arrogant and bothering you the whole time this week I was just trying to get you to like me. And I didn't know the flirting was real - I thought I was just joking! But then I realised I was just pretending I was joking, as an excuse to get to do it. God, no wonder you thought I was a complete douche, I've been totally weird around you the whole time! I didn't even know, I'm sorry! I feel so dumb!"

"It's…it's okay. I understand it must be…confusing."

Arthur wasn't pulling out of his grip. He had leaned back a little so their chests weren't pressed together anymore, and he certainly looked uncomfortable – eyes looking anywhere but at Alfred. But at least he didn't seem to be blowing up.

But suddenly Alfred realised an implication behind what Arthur had said. 'It must be confusing.' So…Arthur, himself, didn't know how Alfred felt…He didn't feel the same thing.

Suddenly, Alfred hurt.

He hadn't even thought about what Arthur felt. He had just wanted to make sense of what he was dealing with. But now that he realised Arthur was special to him, and it seemed Arthur didn't feel the same…That really made him feel…worthless.

His heart ached so badly all of a sudden that he had to let go of Arthur's arms and clench his fists into his hoodie.

Ow. That really hurts.

"Yeah, so…" Oh God – don't cry, don't cry, don't cry. He really was just a big infant, like Arthur was always telling him. Letting himself feel all choked up like this. His throat really hurt. "It's no big deal. I'm just…being weird. I'll – "

He was so close to telling Arthur to forget it, he would get over it, and walking back into the forest. But a brave little part of him suddenly shone through and told him how awkward it would be from now on. God, what would it be like to wake up tomorrow and have to brush their teeth next to each other; to go on their all-day hike together and spend the whole time in awkward silence; to have everyone notice that was something was up; to have to do it over and over again for the next two weeks.

No matter what Arthur's response would be, Alfred had to put some kind of end to this now, so they could at least try and move on. Otherwise the next two weeks were going to be a living hell.

"I like you more than a normal friend, Artie. I think I really have a crush on you. I know it would be hard to…go out, or anything, while we're at camp. And then you're going back to England and everything, so it's kind of stupid to even say anything but…It would just be nice to know…do you like me like that at all?"

Arthur was breathing almost as heavily as after they had escaped from Yong Soo. His chest was visibly heaving and he was twisting the end of his t-shirt in worry and fear. It looked like he wanted to be anywhere but in the spotlight like this. Funny that it was all back stage.

"Al…fred…" He looked like he was about to say whatever he had to say without even looking him in the eye. Well, Alfred was having none of that. Arthur was braver than that, whether he acknowledged it or not. Alfred wouldn't let the boy let himself down.

He placed his hands on either side of Arthur's face and gently guided the boy's head up until their eyes were meeting. Alfred was glad he had such bright blue eyes, so that maybe Arthur would have something nice to look at while he was so worried and anxious.

Hey, there it was! He had been proud of himself just because he was pleased at doing something nice for someone else.

There was no way he was letting Arthur get out of this now. He had to take responsibility for turning Alfred into a better person.

"I like you," Alfred said again, growing surer of this by the second.

Arthur looked at him for a moment, and Alfred was pleased to see it wasn't his deer-in-the-headlights stare from before. He was actually looking at him. Like he cared about he was thinking, and was going to say, and what Alfred thought, and what Alfred was going to think.

"Hear me out before you pounce on me, alright?"

Okay, that was kind of a weird thing to say. Arthur didn't continue, so Alfred nodded his assent.

"I'm also fairly confused, and not entirely sure about everything – so don't get your hopes up, but…I also like you more than a normal friend, Alfred."

Granted, the last bit of that sentence was cut off as soon as the words "also like you" had escaped Arthur's mouth. But as soon as Alfred gathered that he had reason to be incredibly right now, he grabbed Arthur around the shoulders and squeezed him so heartily he was lifted right off the ground. And when he heard Arthur laugh and felt a pair of hands wrap around his middle (as much as they were able, since Alfred had pinned Arthur's arms to his sides) Alfred squeezed even tighter, and felt like he could win that game of capture the flag single-handed.

Right now, though, and for possibly the first time in his life, Alfred didn't care about a stupid game at Camp Hetalia.

Arthur liked him!

He said he was confused and not so sure and that he just liked him more than a regular friend. But even oblivious Alfred could tell he was just being shy. Because the fact was, Arthur liked him even thoughhe had had to put up with Alfred being totally weird and obnoxious for two weeks as he figured out his crush.

So actually, Arthur must really like him.

And that was just perfect, because Alfred really liked Arthur, too.


A/N: I'm so happy the ending wasn't a complete fail!

To be honest, I had no intention of carrying this AU on past today. This July was shaping up to be the busiest month of my life, because I am moving to Japan on July 30th and have SO MUCH preparation to do. As well as doing my day job, I had to pack, get bank sorted, correspond with Japanese people, master the language, ship boxes, buy new clothes...
And so far I have done nothing except go to an anime convention and write this fanfic! I'm a bad person!

So yeah, I was going to quit after this and work on the more pressing matters in my life.

But now I really want to write more! If I get round to it, the updates will not be every day, and they will be shorter. But I really want to follow up on the little budding romance at Camp Hetalia.