Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia

Chapter 13

The next morning, Arthur awoke peacefully, having had the best night's sleep since he could remember, and he knew it was due to the beautiful Frenchman beside him. Francis was still asleep, snuggled against Arthur's chest, and for once, the Englishman allowed himself to just lie there, holding him and making no attempt to get up.

After a few minutes, Francis began to stir, and Arthur watched, enamoured as he saw Francis' eyes flutter open sleepily. He met his gaze, and the Frenchman smiled lazily, humming softly as he deliberately shifted closer to the Englishman.

"Bon matin…" he mumbled, his accent thick from sleep, but Arthur just found it more alluring.

"Good morning, darling~" he returned, pecking his lips, before seeming to change his mind and kissing him deeply instead.

Francis hummed softly, kissing him back happily as the two men laid there, content in each other's company. They cuddled for a few more minutes, before Arthur hummed softly.

"Francis…"

"Hmm?" the Frenchman hummed sleepily in acknowledgement, playing with Arthur's shirt buttons as he usually did when he was feeling sleepy and cuddly.

The English Captain hesitated, not wanting to ruin the contentment they both felt, but he knew he had to say something about it. "Would you ever forgive me if I went back to pirating?"

Francis hesitated, before giving a small smile. "I could not imagine you doing anything else…"

Arthur blinked at this, having expected Francis to get a little upset, as he always made it clear that he hated it when Arthur left. "…You would be alright with it?"

The Frenchman lifted his head, meeting Arthur's emerald gaze with those beautiful blue eyes that Arthur had always been in love with. "I know you belong on the sea, mon cher…Just as I belong on land." He reached up, gently stroking Arthur's cheek. "As long as you visit us often enough that Matthew does not forget you, I will be happy~"

At this, the English Captain gave a smile, appreciating Francis' understanding of his love for the sea. "I will visit you every year – "

A slight frown creased Francis' features at this, and Arthur remedied his mistake instantly.

"I-I mean every three months – " Francis smiled again, nodding as three months seemed perfect to him.

"And I promise every time I return, I will make up for the months I have been away~" the pirate purred, brushing their lips.

Francis hummed happily. "Bien~" he leaned up, kissing Arthur deeply and lovingly, before pulling back to murmur. "But if you are ever late, I will be very upset with you…"

His warning only made Arthur smile, and the Captain nodded. "If I am late you can cut up my beautiful hat~"

Francis laughed at this, pecking his lips. "We have an accord, then~"

Arthur chuckled as well, wrapping his arms around Francis and holding him close, having never felt his heart burst with so much love for the Frenchman before.

XxX

On the first day of the month every three months, Francis would close the tavern. He would make sure the room he saved for Arthur was pristine and ready for him, and the Frenchman took extra care to bathe and dress especially nicely, making sure his hair was perfectly silky and beautiful.

Then he would take Matthew down to the dock, where they would watch and wait until they saw The Bloody Rose on the horizon. It would not take long, and Francis' heart would swell with happiness and excitement as his cerulean gaze caught sight of Arthur's ship. Matthew would smile, his violet eyes lighting up as he saw the man whom he now viewed as a second father. Arthur would always be on deck, waiting impatiently until the ship docked properly, before hopping off and opening his arms as Matthew would run to embrace him.

Francis would smile brightly, resisting the urge to run into Arthur's arms as well as he knew he had to wait until they were behind the closed doors of the tavern. Arthur would hug Matthew tightly, kissing his forehead and holding his hand as the three of them would return to the tavern.

The Frenchman would cook a grand dinner for them that he had been planning for a good week at least, and the three of them would eat like Kings for the night. Matthew would update Arthur on the things that had been happening in his life, such as making new friends and learning a new English word that not even Francis knew.

Arthur would always pay his fullest attention to Matthew, showing interest in the things he said and praising him on his achievements, but once Matthew went to bed, Arthur would inevitably turn his attention to Francis, who would have been waiting for the moment when Arthur would escort him upstairs to their room.

They would make love passionately, once, sometimes more than once, and then they would lie together, basking in the afterglow of sex and talking about anything and everything together. Arthur would tell stories of the adventures he had on the sea, and Francis would listen with admiration, running his hands over Arthur's chest and placing kisses over every exposed inch of his lover's skin.

The two men would stay up until the early hours of the morning, before finally sleep would claim them. And when Francis awoke, Arthur would always be there, holding him in his arms. The Frenchman would smile and kiss the pirate, before going downstairs to make breakfast for the three of them. Arthur would go and wake Matthew, and the Englishman would escort the boy down to the kitchen where the breakfast would be ready for them.

And then it would be time for Arthur to leave again, and although Francis felt sad, he knew that his lover would faithfully return in three months' time. Francis would kiss Arthur deeply, pouring all his love into that one moment of affection, to let Arthur know that he would be here in three months' time.

The English Captain would promise that he would return, and he would always give Francis a token; some souvenir he collected on his voyages, which Francis would later display in their room with the other tokens. And then Francis would watch as Arthur boarded his ship once more, forcing a smile despite the heartache he felt. He would not leave the dock until the ship disappeared from his view completely, and then he would return to the tavern, opening it for business and awaiting the next time he would see his beloved Englishman.

It was a compromise, but Francis was just happy that Arthur kept coming back to him, no matter what. And as Matthew grew from a boy into an intelligent young man, he helped Francis run the tavern, taking charge of it when Arthur came to visit so that Francis could make the most of every second the pirate was there.

As the years passed, Arthur never broke his promise, always returning. And faithfully, Francis always waited for him.

~Fin~

A/N: So I'm super bad at endings, but there we are! So thank you to everyone who regularly supported this story – I really enjoyed writing it~

Please review and let me know what you thought of the ending, and also the story in general XD

Love you all x