July 5th

2:32 p.m.

"You good-for-nothing, insufferable git!" Arthur huffed, fingers clenched menacingly in fists at his sides as he stormed from Alfred's kitchen. "I can't believe you would do a bloody thing like that! Actually, no, I can believe it, but I thought you were at least decent enough to stay away from it when I was around!"

"What are you talking about, Iggy?" Alfred questioned, expression twisted into that of a dumbfounded fool… which, in the Briton's eyes, he was exactly that. The American found himself completely perplexed at the sudden outburst on his former guardian's part; one moment the two had been engaged in a passionate lip-lock, and the next thing Alfred knew, Arthur had shoved him away in pure disbelief.

Said Englishman crossed his arms, scowling with his thick eyebrows furrowed in a way that Alfred found strangely attractive. "You know perfectly well what I'm talking about! Are you honestly going to deny the fact that you ate fast food before my arrival? Don't even attempt to defend yourself; I could taste it on you." Truth be told, Arthur had made the mistake of arriving on this particular day as opposed to the day previous, and his former colony had been finding it difficult to forgive the older nation. To cope with such discomfort, Alfred had treated himself to a supersized deluxe hamburger with a large order of fries and a rather tall cola.

"W-Well, you could have at least come to my birthday party!" he snapped back, though deep within he felt an all-too-familiar sense of defeat; Arthur had won defeat from the moment he entered the estate. "I mean, I know it brings back painful memories, but-"

Arthur brought up a hand, silencing the younger man before glaring up from beneath his short blonde bangs. "Painful memories? You ran off like a rebellious fool and left me sobbing in the rain! You tore my pride and my only company away from me within the course of a decade… after all, I could tell many years before our first battle that you weren't happy. I was just too ignorant to even take into consideration that you would turn your back on me!" He exhaled sharply before whirling around and maneuvering further back, into the guest bedroom and slamming the door behind him in frustration.

I don't believe him! Arthur gritted his teeth together, laying flat on his stomach atop the comforting embrace of the mattress. He doesn't even have the decency to refrain from fast food long enough for me to meet with him for a day per month. "What was I thinking when I created that blasted diet plan in the first place?"

"You were subconsciously trying to come up with a scheme to spend more time with him," Xepherya muttered monotonously, observing her palm in boredom as she sat perched atop the dresser across the room. "Don't try denying it; you've been head over heels for that man for how many years now?"

"You and I both know that wasn't my motive," Arthur retorted, holding his head in his palm as his migraine returned. "Ugh, I swear, I get more headaches over on this half of the globe than in my own country!"

"That's because you don't chill out enough to just enjoy the time you spend here. Instead, you're much too busy trying to pester his to make yourself feel like you still have a controlling hand over him."

"I do not. Now I suggest you keep quiet before I-"

"Admit it, Arthur Kirkland, you have a superiority complex!"

"Shut up for once!" The Brit tossed a feather pillow in her direction half-heartedly. Thankfully for the pixie, his aim was off entirely and instead knocked against a laundry basket in the corner of the room, forcing it to the ground and its contents onto the carpet floor. "Oh, great. First the thing with Alfred, and now this! You know, my life's been even more hellish since your arrival, Xepherya."

"You haven't anyone to blame but yourself." And with those final words, she dissolved into the atmosphere for what would probably be another few hours.

Bloomin' pixies… One of the more aggravating creatures of this realm, but there's nothing that can be done. Arthur released a menalcholy sigh, forcing himself upright to refill the laundry basket, which he proceeded to stand upright again. Bloody hell, Alfred! These clothes reek! How long has it been since you've done laundry in this room? What a mess… He reluctantly scooped up the various items of apparel into his arms and plopped them down into the wooden basket, shoving them to the bottom before picking up one last t-shirt from the floor.

Hn? What's this? Arthur wondered, removing the shirt from its spot on the carpet to reveal a small, wooden toy of some sort from beneath its cloth covering. From within his lungs, a deep exhale welled up and out of his lips as he blew dust from the figure, taking another glance at it before feeling his breath hitch. Though the hand-painted reds had begun to chip and the wood on the face had started to splinter, it was unmistakably one of the soldiers given as a gift to his former colony all of those years ago. Nostalgia hit him like a cold stone to the face, the familiarity of the smooth carvings and custom facial appearance casting a saddened shadow over his heart. He felt the pressure in his chest begin to weigh him down considerably as a single tear threatened to plummet from the corner of his emerald eye. He swallowed the feelings back down in shame and cleared his throat, frown returning to his pained face. "Hmph. I never knew Alfred was such a packrat, keeping something as useless as this old thing…"

"Hey, you found the missing general!" Alfred exclaimed, peering from the slightly ajar door with a gleam of happiness shimmering in his oceanic eyes. I've been looking for that one for years! You mean he was in the hamper the entire time?"

Arthur remained silent, stiffening his posture in distaste. Alfred's smile fell, if only for a brief second, as he re-comprehended what Arthur had spoken aloud previously. "Oh, I have more, Iggy. He's not alone, you know. I… I've kept many things from back in my colonial days. It's just so hard to throw them out, you know? Each object brings back the memories that I'd like to remember…"

"What, you're really that grateful for these poorly crafted old things? I could very easily make you better soldiers nowadays." Arthur averted his eyes, unwilling to meet the unreadable eyes of his former colony.

"I like the soldiers better this way. It gives them a sort of… authenticity, I guess. And of course I was grateful; I used to play with them constantly when I was a colony."

"If you were so happy," Arthur began, rubbing his arm with the opposite hand as his eyes blazed with a sudden anger. "Then why didn't you stay, hm? If you really enjoyed my company and my gifts so much, then why did you leave me behind?"

"I had no choice, Arthur," Alfred muttered. "You and your king were taxing my people senseless. I had to set things straight, and it was time for me to live my own life. Sometimes, I do miss those days, back when I could eat your cooking without spewing. But, other times, I'm more than thankful that things turned out the way they did. I realize you've suffered through a lot since then, but don't you think it was all for the better?"

"For the better?!" he challenged, taking a furious step forward. "For the better?! I've been living in your shadow ever since you left! I've been-"

"Yes, that's true. But do you think either of us would be in this type of relationship if things had turned out differently? Or do you think the world itself would be the same? We could have lost the World Wars… Arthur, either of us and those around us could have had their nations obliterated! Please, don't fight me on this. That was well over two centuries ago… I don't want to live in the past. I rather like it here in the present," he added, toning his voice in a faulty British accent as a smile reappeared on his face. "Care to join me on twenty-first century Earth?"

"You're certainly not very convincing…" Arthur muttered, but took Alfred's hand all the same. "I'll never be able to forget what happened, you know. But… regardless, I think I can enjoy the present while I can. I've already seen far more than you have; I don't need any more time to feel as if it were wasted. Still, though…" He readjusted the collar on the American's shirt, allowing his hands to linger there for a moment. "We need to do something about this fast food issue. I have a new proposition for you, Alfred… if you don't mind. If you do mind, it doesn't matter anyway, so I would suggest hearing me out."

"Okay, shoot. A-And that is a figure of speech; I don't want you to really shoot me. You've already shot my breakfast once, and I don't fancy seeing myself on the other end of the room instead of my fork." This received a chuckle from both nations until Arthur felt compelled to continue.

"Well, my efforts have obviously been useless, so I would like to personally call off the resolution. However…" His emerald eyes gleamed with a mischievous spark. "I do have a smaller deal to make with you. If you can manage to lose ten pounds by the next New Year's world meeting, I'll give you anything you want. If you can't accomplish this, you'll do for me whatever I want. Deal?"

"I think that can be arranged." Alfred returned the smirk, following his guest back into the family room. "What do you think the reward should be, or should it be whatever we want at the time being?"

"It might as well be decided on that particular day. But nothing too severe; it should be an eye for an eye, after all."

"A pound for a pound?" Alfred asked, sitting beside Arthur on the sofa.

"O-Oh, right then. How much money would you like?"

"Hn?"

"You said you wanted a pound for a pound. I can only assume that you mean that you want at least one pound for every pound lost… or perhaps you wish to increase the value of one of your pounds?"

"What are you going on about?" He sat there in negligent confusion for a brief moment before his face lit up in understanding. "Oh, you thought I meant your currency! No, no… I don't want your money; at least, I don't think so. I meant it as a figure of speech… like yours. Want some biscuits while we're at it?"

Arthur nudged him playfully in the shoulder, smirking as he held out a hand, placing the solider in his own palm. "Deal?"

"Deal," Alfred replied gently, shaking the hand welcomingly as they both held the figure in their grasps.

A/N: One more chapter left! Oh, how shall it end? I can tell you this much:

There will be humor.

There will be some lovin'.

There will be France.

'Nuff said. The more reviews I get, the happier it makes me. The happier I am, the more likely it is that I will type up the final chapter quickly. Keep reviewing, please!

And, upon the completion of this story, I will begin another multi-chapter fic, as I said before. Revolving around Romano. A parody. However, I cannot tell you what it will be a parody of quite yet. And don't forget to check out my AU, Celeste Mosaique.

Lore-chan out.