oops well this is late

also. we have 40k reads now what in god's name? thank you all oh my lordy

as always, i do not own the selection nor hetalia. these belong to kiera cass and himaruya hidekaz respectively. disclaimer for disgusting fluff and 5,794 words

"It's been a rather quiet week down here in Spades," Jack Yao said, holding his microphone carefully at a comfortable distance, turning to face the audience in the basement, filming the Broadcast. "I would like to thank the citizens of Spades, as well as those who have joined us here in our studios tonight as it is still extremely cold, due to the winter having blown down here from Clubs."

"Today, we'll have our usual Deciding coverage, as well as updates on the rebel movement, finishing off with a section of events that will be happening in the palace during this month of January. Firstly, we'll have our very own crown prince Alfred start things off my briefing us on what's been going around since our latest progress report!" he continued, stepping behind the stage and patting Alfred on the shoulder as he made his way to the front of the stage to cheers.

The stage had been shifted a little ever since he had made the official announcement to end the Deciding process, and it had been spruced up with deep blue curtains lined with golden tassels, with more plush armchairs dotted around the set than the usual fare – of course, in case of a last minute announcement.

However, Alfred chose to stand up as he always did, exposing himself in front of the crowd but still retaining that mask of perfection when attending to official duties.

"Good evening, all citizens of Spades," Alfred said, managing to keep his voice from wobbling as he could tell that there was more than just the people of Spades tuning in – he knew Ludwig and Feliciano were well versed in the process, Queen Lili always had an interest in these sorts of proceedings as it was not commonplace to have the Deciding in Diamonds due to their more traditionalist approach of taking marriage. And the citizens as well…

"I'm sure most of you remember my announcement about the completion of the Deciding a while ago," he began, to small claps after his awkward pause. "Well, I want to assure you that this won't change, and it'll end within this month. However, as many of you know, Sir Arthur is currently in the residence of Hearts, because he was invited to attend his friend Queen Kiku's coronation this week. I'd like everyone to be in the palace when I make the announcement to be fair."

"There are some good news – Sir Arthur is arriving home tonight, and I will be ready to make the official announcement around two days from today," Alfred continued, clutching his microphone in a tight gesture that he tried his best to cover up. "I'm really sorry for the wait. But I hope that I can live up to everyone's expectations."

Clapping and cheers followed him as he returned to his seat, and he let out a puff of air that he realized he hadn't been holding as Matthew tilted his head a touch to acknowledge him as he stood up, taking Alfred's place in his segment.

"If it weren't for your nerves this afternoon, I wouldn't have suspected any more," Yao said, giving his hand a squeeze. "You did well up there, Alfred."

"T…thanks, Yao," Alfred said, allowing the smallest of smiles to creep onto his face, hoping that the cameras wouldn't pick up on it just yet as Matthew gave his speech with fluidity. "I kinda needed that tonight. With so many people watching, I…"

"That's not going to stop any time soon just because your Deciding is ending," Yao said flatly. "As royals, we are constantly in the spotlight. As you and your princess become king and queen within the next six months, that public pressure is only going to increase. This is where you have to be strong, Alfred, not just for yourself but for our queen, as they will be under severe scrutiny when the time comes."

"Uh, I'll do my all for them," Alfred said, giving a clumsy thumbs up. "Thanks a lot, Yao. How d'you know so much about this?"

The King of Clubs, who you so despise, Yao thought internally, but simply shook his head in cheerfulness. It was a chapter of his life that he was forbidden to reflect on any longer, not with both his boys needing him so much. The possibility that there could be an affair between the unwedded Prince of Clubs and the newly elected Jack of Spades, simply because of a dance that they had shared.

The lengths they had to go to deny what was true…

"…Yao?" Alfred's voice cut into his thoughts.

"Oh? I apologise, Alfred, er…it is just an art of observing the other royals and past events." Yao said, nodding once as if to reassure himself and Alfred at the same time. "I imagine you can ask for advice from the King of Hearts, you two being so close."

"Yeah…" Alfred said, turning back to watch his brother on the stage, "I hope so."

"No, Matthias, I'm not letting you go out like that, man," Alfred said, folding his arms. "It's fuckin' freezing out there."

"Hey, royal, I thought swearing wasn't cool," Matthias said, pulling awkwardly at his thick jacket. "You letting me go home an' all for a bit is more than enough. I really thought I was gonna have to explain to Lukas how I couldn't make it home this season, with all the rebels n' all…"

"Not when I'm with you," Alfred insisted. "You better go tell Lukas in person that you're home for the holidays. Berwald's going home as well, because he hasn't seen his husband and son for a while. Since I'm gonna to end the Deciding soon, we've got plenty of people."

"But in a carriage, Al?" Matthias protested, pointing indignantly to a dark blue carriage waiting outside the palace gates. "Ber hasn't gotten sleep for the last three days, but I'm fit as a fiddle!"

"You won't be, pal, if you're walking home in this weather," Alfred said firmly, patting his friend on his back with an almighty thump as they always used to do to each other. "It's three o'clock, Fates knows it's gonna be horrible two hours later. Lukas is probably gonna yell at me, prince be damned!"

"…" Matthias chewed on his lip, and Alfred knew instantly that he had hit a soft spot. Ever since he met his fiancé, Matthias couldn't resist anything to do with him – he even admitted to Alfred that if he had met Lukas earlier, he wouldn't have signed up for the post of palace guard to ease his worries.

"For Lukas' sake," Alfred said, leaning back on his heels in self-satisfaction.

Matthias looked like he was going to burst out of frustration, but simply scrunched his nose after a moment, squeezing his coat tighter around himself as he stared at his boots.

"…Fine, man, you always get me there!" Matthias grumbled, but was full of nothing but grins as he gave Alfred a hug and another powerful pat on the back that made Alfred wince a little but thanks to the several layers he was wearing, the impact did not mar his scars too badly. "Oh, uh – sorry, did I hit too hard?"

"Nah – I'm not getting soft, Kohler," Alfred grinned, pushing it away. "Come on, you gotta go. Lukas can't yell at nothing. And remember the presents, for Fates' sake – you left them behind last year on purpose, man. Not cool."

"We all have a choice in this world, buddy," Matthias said, and picked up the presents, feeling a little self conscious. "And Lukas does a good job yelling at the patrons of his bar throughout the New Year. See ya, man. I'll bring something back for you."

"Don't sweat it, Matthias," Alfred called after him, waving goodbye. "Pass on that message for me, yeah?"

"It means the world, Alfred!" came the loud reply. "Happy New Year, and take a damned break for once!"

The steps to the Blue Fjord were obscured by snow as Matthias Kohler and Berwald Oxenstierna's matching pairs of snow boots, as well as a pair of paws, crunched up the walkway towards the pub, where the night was already calming down from business.

A pub that enjoyed relatively good patrons and a better-than-average service, the Blue Fjord had been running in the Bondevik households for generations, and Lukas Bondevik was only the latest one to inherit the place.

"No, sir, you can't chat me up like that," Lukas said evenly as he poured another drink of bourbon. "That's twenty five gold. And no, sir, I'm not looking for a night out. I'm engaged."

"Say, Mr Bartender," his patron said, slapping down the dollar bill and change, rifling in his bag drowsily that made Lukas' hand start towards underneath his serving counter for the knife he used to chop up fruits and other condiments. "Uh, have you gotten on in the betting yet?"

"Betting?" Lukas said, raising an eyebrow in curiosity, his fingers retracting from his weapon. "What for, sir?"

"Aw, you've gotta have read the news," he said, speech slurring a little. "There ya go – you got a pen or something…"

"I'm not interested in pilfering my little earnings into the…Deciding odds," Lukas said, reading it out. "Apologies, sir. You might be better off asking around the table near the window. They've been prattling on about it ever since happy hour ended and everyone's dispersed. Now can you please leave the counter since you've got your drink?"

"All right, blondie, all right," he mumbled, slipping himself off the bar chairs. "But you're just missin' out…"

"Just keep it down!" Lukas called after him, taking the money and stuffing it down his apron before getting a towel and wiping down a beer glass.

It was just past eight after happy hour had ended at seven and most of the Blue Fjord's customers had cleared off for the day, probably to do some last night shopping or odd job before they returned home, and the most of the chatter around Lukas' bar had died down to a quieter service that ended at two in the morning for January.

A sound presented itself behind the counter, and Lukas let out a small sigh, turning on his heel to face the intruder.

"Tino, I told you to go home at six," Lukas sighed, opening the door to reveal his friend, a cheerful man wearing a too-long blue jacket and a slightly chubby face accentuated with a white hat, carrying two trays underneath his arm. "Doesn't Arvis need taking care of? Hana as well…and so soon after his birth, I-"

"Oh? No, no, I told him before he came home earlier today that I'd be working here tonight," Tino said cheerfully. "Arvis is starting to be weaned and starting to eat solid foods, so I know he'll be fine. And you know that Berwald's as good with the two of them as well as I am."

"…wait, he's home?" Lukas said, perplexed. "I thought…I thought they weren't allowed to come home for the New Years. You know, with the fiasco with the rebels and the Deciding…"

He would never admit it, but he felt a twinge of longing for Matthias, Lukas thought as he grasped his towel in his hand.

Knowing the fool, he'd insist not coming home to protect Alfred. It was comforting that he and the crown prince were so friendly, but that friendship could only go so far in his safety. And he was so committed to his duty as a guard as well…

"Hi, honey!" A familiar, coarse voice made both men whip around in shock to see Matthias Kohler standing in the doorway, with Berwald, Arvis and Hana in tow, with a huge smile that seemed like it would break his face if it was any larger. "I'm home!"

Lukas gaped, the hand clutching the towel releasing it, letting it fall onto the floor as Tino pulled him out of the bar area. Tino bent down, pulling up his and Berwald's son in his arms and hugging his husband, while Lukas just stood there where Tino had left him in stark shock.

"I must be drunk out of my mind," Lukas murmured to himself, watching Matthias brush snow out of his hair and taking three large steps to his side, pulling the bar owner into his arms, all the while laughing as loudly as he always did.

"Ber, I thought I told you to stay home?" Tino scolded him, although halfheartedly. "This is no weather for a dog and a young child…"

"Kept him warm th' whole way, 'nd Hana as well," Berwald said, but he looked cheerful. "Kohler was coming home t'night, 'nd I thought it fitting…"

"…did something happen?" Matthias asked, softening his knees to see Lukas' expression. "Lukas…I know this sounds stupid of me, but I wasn't going to leave – until Alfred mentioned that you were gonna be lonely, and I thought…I was so selfish, putting off seeing you for my duty…"

"…" Lukas didn't say anything – he couldn't. Here was this idiot he had for a lover, so committed to his duty that he wouldn't return home for a lonely Christmas spent over at Tino's and wondering desperately what had happened to Emil. And his friend – the literal crown prince! - had mentioned Lukas himself as a reason Matthias should have come home, and he had gone straight away. How…what…

"You…you're a fool," Lukas choked out, touching those gloves that scarcely felt like his own, inhaled the smell of Matthias in the mornings, his beaming expression that never died down… "T-Took you long enough."

"Aww, Lukas!" Matthias cooed, clasping him tight and burying his nose in his hair. "Al said if I didn't come home, you'd have no one to shout at! I can't let you go with that in the New Years, right, honey?"

"Don't call me that," Lukas huffed, but felt a rosy emotion bloom in his chest as he raised his finger so that their matching rings clinked. "If you ever pull this again, I'm going to the palace to yell at you. The Blue Fjord can wait."

The two reunited couples stayed together for a grand total of two minutes before a patron, sniffling a little, asked Lukas and Tino to 'please get me another whisky, I can't take this…', which meant Lukas had to reluctantly untangle himself from Matthias – not like he enjoyed it or any rubbish like that…

"Oh, I thought you both looked familiar," the man with the betting papers from earlier commented, speaking to Matthias and Berwald sitting on the table opposite. "Must be those boots."

"Yeah, uh, they're still palace fare," Matthias said cheerfully, taking a sip of his pint.

"The palace?!" the man exclaimed, leaning forward. "Hey, boys…you know much about the Deciding?"

"He does m're than me," Berwald nodded towards Matthias. "V'ry close with the prince."

"…uh, say that again, sir?" the man replied, looking a little intimidated. "It's just, the accent…"

"S'rry," Berwald amended, looking a little embarrassed. "Kohler here is v'ry close with the prince. Friends."

"By Duchess, that's perfect!" he said, digging in his bag for the same clipboard. "So, uh, me and a bunch of pals were doing some betting on the winner of the Deciding, seeing as His Highness was talking about it on the Broadcast last night. We've got a handful of odds from lotsa people…"

Lukas kept his watchful eye on Matthias – even though his fiancé had a pretty high alcohol tolerance, he'd surely be either interested in it or offended that it involved betting on his friend's life. Tino was half counting out the profits from the night with Arvis playing with Hana on the comfiest chair that Lukas would occasionally call bed.

"…three's not really a crowd for these things, right?" Matthias said slowly, staring at the paper, pausing at three names on the paper – Arthur Kirkland, Alfonso H. Carriedo, Emma Peeters. "Are you sure it's a good idea?"

Well, he's still sober to know not to start a fight, Lukas thought to himself as he shelved away the last of the pints. With Berwald around, he should be fine…

"Hey, it's just that this kind of stuff doesn't happen all the time. My daughter and I thought it was kind of a fun venture. My girl, she's mad about the Deciding, you see," he said, smiling crookedly. "And you know, as her old man, many folks say I'm too soft. She told me that she knew who the prince was going to pick, and I went with it."

"Aww," Matthias grinned, and Lukas could see him visibly relax as he wiped the little beer moustache on his face. "Hm. Who's she rooting for?"

"The blond kid, uh, Sir Arthur," the man said. "She gets all melty whenever the prince talks about him. Asks me if I'll let her have her own Sir Arthur one day. Good for her, the odds are looking relatively skewed in his favour at sixty percent, from all the people I've been round asking."

"Kids, huh?" Matthias said. "I mean, there's a lot of stuff that definitely says that. He's never sounded uncomfortable when he talks about him."

"Er, we were just thinking, with the announcement yesterday, the prince namedropped Arthur being at Hearts…" the man said, twisting his pen between his fingers. "And waiting for his homecoming because he wanted to pick him. It's all up in the air, but I think it's likely, because a candidate leaving for a little while is a bit odd."

"Al – uh, Prince Alfred wouldn't have let him come back if he didn't want him back for a reason," Matthias said. "I won't ask him stuff about it since it's his own life, but I think you have a point, man."

"S…sir," the man said, turning to Berwald with a slightly apprehensive expression. "Er…er, what do you think?"

"…G'd," Berwald said, nodding once. "Sounds reasonable."

While the three of them discussed the happenings around the palace for the remainder of the evening, Lukas finished cleaning up the workplace and spent some time with Arvis and Hana.

"His hair's a lot more auburn than either of yours or Berwald's, Tino," Lukas remarked as Arvis grabbed onto his thumb and twisted. "Was it from yours or his?"

"Arvis looks like his grandfather on Ber's side, definitely," Tino said, his expression gentle as he pried his child's tiny hands from Lukas' thumb. "The eyes are Ber's, but at least he looks like he's gotten my face structure, or I'd be a touch disappointed."

"The nose, as well," Lukas said, his tone softened. "You must adore him, though."

"Oh, definitely," Tino said, rocking his child in his arms as Hana burrowed underneath Lukas' apron. "But…Lukas, I meant to ask, but weren't you interested in a biological child of your own recently?"

"…not any more, I'm afraid," Lukas said, doing his best to keep his tone even. "After what happened with Emil, I…I suppose Matthias and I aren't comfortable with introducing another member into our family without his safety."

"Right, no, that's reasonable," Tino said, his voice deflating almost instantly. "Was there any note from him?"

"I doubt he's allowed to send messages as he's in hiding," Lukas said flatly, pulling the wriggling Hana onto his lap and smoothing out his apron. "I did give him the family trinket from that one visit during autumn, but other than that…"

"I'm really sorry, Lu," Tino said quietly, shifting Arvis' weight onto his right arm and patting Lukas' hand with his other. "I shouldn't have brought it up, I…"

"…honey?" Matthias' concerned voice made Lukas lift his head. "I'm sorry, when I was going off on a tangent with the guy, I forgot to give it to you. It's from Emil."

"You never cease to surprise me," Lukas breathed, clutching the blank envelope as if it were his lifeline. "You must..."

"I'm sorry, Tino, but I gotta read this bit real quick," Matthias said, edging between the two men. "If you'd want to, you can go sit with Oxenstierna…I think he's kind of creeping the guy out right now.

"No, um, that's fine," Tino smiled, shifting Arvis back into a comfortable hold and making his way to where Berwald and the man were sitting, having a very mute conversation.

Dear Mama and Papa,

"Why does he still call me that?" Lukas complained, but it was without substance as Matthias rested his head on Lukas' knee, mimicking Hana. "And I thought I taught him better…"

"You're getting all teary though," Matthias remarked, sticking out his tongue as Lukas ran his hand through his wild hair in response.

How is it, over in the Blue Fjord? Mama, - "Emil…" – I'm not sure if Papa can make his way back home for Christmas, but I'm sure that he'll make it back for New Years, with the Oxenstierna's baby and all.

Winter here in our little room Leon and I call home for now is coping well for the season…

Alfred unpinned his list of things to do from his corkboard, putting the plastic tack into Matthew's box before getting a pencil and scratching out 'give emil's msg to matthias + lukas'.

"…" he paused, going down his list to the last item that still stood unfinished at ten in the evening.

Dinner had just concluded after a relatively hectic day – after the Broadcast, Alfred had taken out Emma and Alfonso on a group date out to the archery range, and they had spent an afternoon together (failing) with the targets until their fingers were numb and their cheeks were rosy red with the cold.

Matthew had gone to sleep fifteen minutes earlier, but Alfred felt like a child that had gone to an ice cream parlour for the first time – he couldn't go to sleep without knowing Arthur was safe, without holding Arthur again after so long…

"...come home, princess," Alfred murmured, rummaging into his bottom drawer for the unopened ring box, turning it over with his hands. "I need to know you're safe."

Pausing for another moment, he lit the first candle. He had somewhere to go to…

"Thank you very much," Arthur said, the attendant extending their hand so they could help Arthur back onto the floor. "No, no, I'll be getting that up to my room myself…"

"Please, Sir Arthur, that's our job." the butler said, smiling. "May you remind us who your maid is?"

"She's Miss Anna," Arthur said, but he already realized that his thoughts were somewhere else on the first floor of the palace. For a selfish heartbeat, he hoped that Alfred was not asleep as he felt that he couldn't wait another eight hours just to see him… "If you could let her know, that would be plenty."

"Yes, Sir Arthur," the butler said, and took his two suitcases into the palace where Arthur followed suit, pulling his cloak tighter around himself and rearranging his scarf. Spades was a lot colder than Hearts, definitely…

Arthur took the steps up to Alfred's room nervously, hearing the chatter boiling around the palace already.

"Sir Arthur's back!" one of the maids whispered to another, their eyes bright. "Oh, do go tell Jordan-"

By the time he had made it up to the first floor and the surprised guard had let him through to the royals' rooms, Arthur was certain half of the palace knew he was back. He knew he should go to Emma and Alfonso's, but…

The door to Alfred's bedroom was wide open, and Arthur gingerly leaned in, eyes desperately searching for a trace of the boy he loved, but…

…there was nothing. Two candles dimly lighted the room, and Arthur could see that his bed was empty, the fireplace unlit and the heater switched off. His dog, Hero, snuffling to himself in a corner, although someone had

"What if he's with Matthew?" Arthur wondered quietly to himself, and took the candle resting on the desk, careful to pull away his scarf before he did so. He went to the partition separating the two brothers' rooms, but could only see the outline of Matthew fast asleep, no on else.

"…" Arthur sighed, his mood deflating in an instant. Where was he? At this time of night, somewhere warm perhaps? But then the romantic idiot would find somewhere else to-

"Bless the Fates," Arthur said, resting his face in his hands as the prince's location came instantly to him. Somewhere freezing for this time of night…

Taking the candle holder with him, he wrapped his cloak behind himself and quickly descended down the stairs, hoping that Alfred wasn't freezing to death outside in the gardens.

"Alfred?" Arthur whispered, pushing back a messy clump of his hair as he pushed in deeper into the gardens.

No reply, he thought despairingly as he weaved his way through some cleanly cut hedges. He must be in the outhouse…

Making a path across a hedgerow dotted with tiny blooms of flowers, Arthur's figure was dwarfed by a section of trees as he made his way through the gardens in search of the one he loves.

As soon as he approached the fountains though, snow had started falling from the sky, and Arthur was forced to slow down a little to keep the tiny flame burning so that he could see where he was going.

"You idiot," Arthur mumbled fiercely to himself, advancing on the outhouse, but as soon as he got there it was empty.

The swing moved forlornly by itself, spurred only by the wind, and Arthur had to place the candle on the floor wearily, taking a little breather on the seat.

The memories that flooded back the moment he had stepped back into this little room – when he and Alfred had became friends, had an argument, another reunion…

There were a thousand times where I fell in love again, Arthur thought, tucking his heels and rocking on the swing. This shed was homage to so many of them.

Another place where he fell in love with Alfred, time after time. The whole gardens had been bursting with emotion from the first time they had stepped into it together, but did something in particular mean a little more to Alfred, more so that he would choose it as a waiting spot…

Wait, the bench, Arthur thought immediately to himself, picking his candle holder and pushing the door open. Where we had our first kiss.

Fates, don't make me regret this later, Alfred…

"Aww man, this is kinda uncool," Alfred grumbled to himself, stuffing his hands inside his pockets.

He thought it was gonna be totally romantic if Arthur found him on the bench, but that was when it was past ten and now it was ten thirty…half an hour of freezing his butt off wasn't fun at all…

And it was pitch black out here! He had tucked little Hero into his bed where it was nice and snug, and here he was sitting down – and seriously, it was snowing again?!

"OK, I can't wait any more," he decided, wrapping his fur coat around himself and getting up from the bench, trying to see if Arthur was anywhere near the vicinity, but…

There was a small light, at least – meaning someone was looking for him? It must be a guard, sent out by Yao if he wasn't fast asleep like Matt…

"Hey, uh," Alfred began, squinting his eyes against the snow. "The light-"

He could see green eyes in the darkness, briefly illuminated, and Alfred's heart soared. Could it-

"Alfred," Arthur's voice, soft and breathless, came to him, and Alfred's face fell into his dopey smile. "Alfred!"

"Arthur," he whispered, his feet taking him where he had always wanted to be, and Arthur placing down his light and running to him, his scarf billowing out behind him as they met halfway, with a sort of ardent desperation as Arthur clung onto his jacket, crying his name into his shoulder and Alfred burying his lips in Arthur's hair – roses…

"You idiot, what were you thinking?" Arthur laughed, taking in Alfred's slightly mussed appearance. "It's freezing out here…your hands are cold, you must take my scarf, I…"

"Hey, Arthur, I-" Alfred said, shaking his head, but Arthur had already wrapped it around his neck with a smile. "T-Thanks."

"How…have you been, darling?" Arthur asked, resting his arms on Alfred's, not daring to let go. "It's felt like so long."

"I dunno, it felt too long to me," Alfred grinned, tilting his head. "But I really missed you, sugar. I thought about you for a lot while you were gone. Did you get your present?"

"I did," Arthur smiled, "I…I love it. I wouldn't think you'd be wanting to do such a gesture so late into the process…"

"Forget about the process for a moment and think about us, and only us," Alfred said, running a thumb over Arthur's cheek. "I gave it to you not because I wanted to flatter ya, but because I wanted 'cha to have it. As I said, I just couldn't get you out of my head."

"…I have to admit, I wouldn't allow myself to think about you for the duration of the week," Arthur said, biting his lip. "With my friend – um, Queen Kiku's coronation, I thought it best to clear my head…"

"Why though?" Alfred asked, now curious.

"You're too distracting for your own good," Arthur admitted, looking away with a touch of embarrassment on his features. "I…if I allowed myself to think about you, I feel that I wouldn't have devoted myself to the rare opportunity of seeing him."

"Is that a good thing?" Alfred breathed, brushing his nose against Arthur's face, bringing him back to face him.

"Well, I, um…" Arthur fumbled, chewing on his lip again before answering: "Yes, I suppose."

"I, uh, wrote to your family again," Alfred said, flushing a little out of self consciousness. "For asking permission to marry you. The last time I asked was months ago, and I guess it didn't feel right."

"I can't believe you," Arthur whispered, his fingers trembling as they wrapped themselves on Alfred's face, "I thought you were going to change your mind once I left."

The night of the proposal rushed into Arthur's mind full force, and with Alfred's blue eyes staring directly as him, Arthur could melt.

"How could I?" Alfred said, his voice tender as he tightened his grip against Arthur's waist, relishing in the softness of his hands against his face. "I couldn't, at least not to the person I love."

"I missed you," Arthur gasped, rising a little on his tiptoes and parting his mouth, feeling Alfred's presence wreathe around him as he grasped at his jacket – the desperate need to be close burning in his soul. "More than you'll ever know…"

The kiss was numbing after having gone without each other's contact for such a long while at such a crucial time for the both of them, and there was a hunger, a desire that had not been there before as Alfred held him close.

"I'm…I don't want you to go, ever," Alfred said fervently between kisses, already losing himself to the taste of Arthur. "Don't leave me, please…"

I know this is real, from the bottom of my heart, Arthur thought as Alfred embraced him in that snowy night, oblivious to anything and everything around them. I love you, more than words can convey…

Alfred's kisses were so sweet that they made Arthur's mouth sour, desperately wanting and needing more as the two lovers reluctantly parted, Alfred resting his head against the crook of Arthur's neck.

"You're cold," Alfred panted, feeling a certain lightheadness that only came after touching the one he adored after a period of pining. "I have to get you to your room. We'll do the whole 'ending the process thing' tomorrow. But I…I need you."

Arthur's eyes softened – he remembered all too well that Alfred had his own insecurities. "Alfred. I'll come over and see you first thing morning, and we'll sort everything out…together."

"T-That means a lot, princess," Alfred said, his expression fond as he ran his fingers through Arthur's hair. "I missed you somethin' crazy."

"I can see you missed your language skills as well," Arthur teased, but let himself fall into the arms of the boy he loved.

"Don't tell anyone about our plans for tomorrow, okay?" Alfred said at the entrance to Arthur's bedroom, where his two suitcases were stacked neatly on top of each other. "I don't want to upset Emma and Alfonso. You can talk to them in your own time, if you'd want to…"

"I'll talk to them tomorrow since I don't want to rouse them from their rest," Arthur said, hoping that his eyes could not express his desperation to be with Alfred for another moment. "But for now, we must retire for the evening. Good…goodnight, Alfred. I'll think of you in my sleep."

"…if I could stay with you, I would, but I don't want people keeping the heat on you," Alfred admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. He bent down, lifting Arthur's hand to his lips, and kissed it, his hand trembling as their fingertips touched once more. "Your hands…your hands are warm."

"Only because you made me come in sooner," Arthur said tenderly, kissing his cheek and lingering for a few moments, his lips brushing against the tan surface of Alfred's skin. "I…I suppose that one could say that you were my hero."

"Hell yeah," Alfred grinned, but paused. "Arthur, from tomorrow…we can be as happy together as we want to. That means – I won't be holding back any more."

"Don't be," Arthur said, but he still blushed at the suggestiveness of his words. "I won't…either."

"Goodnight, my Arthur," Alfred said, watching Arthur go into his room with a handsome smile on his face. "I'm already waiting for the moment we can finally be together."

"Goodnight, my Alfred," Arthur responded in tow, holding onto his fingers until the last second. "I…I already want to see you again."

Their fingertips disconnected as Alfred tore himself from the door, his cheeks burning and his nose buried in Arthur's scarf, while Arthur turned blissful circles around his room, picking out Alfred's bomber jacket and burying his nose in the collar, taking in Alfred's scent.

"I love you," he murmured into the fabric, hoping that Alfred could somehow hear him. "Every single part of me wants to be with you, however differently I make it out…"

Arvis - Ladonia

feels like forever since we had a new aph character introduced...funnily enough sufin's child isn't peter for...reasons ;D

replies

CFAA - aren't they super endearing aaaa

hearthorse11 - aw man, i hope you're doing OK - and thanks!

pastaaddict - watch him become less and less smooth as the years go on lmao

russia says hello - yeah! he's such a dweeb i think he'd do that

vivadragnire - there's a very nice orthodontist i know his name is aph romania

reviews, favourites and follows are what will keep me writing, so please go ahead and leave them!