Written for the 2009 USUK Secret Santa fic/art exchange! This is for bluemyst19! (I'm sorry for the fail.) FIRST APH FIC YESS.

He's mine.

Arthur sat with his chin in his palm at the nearly empty conference table, pretending to be bored. He was long since tired of watching Eduard type furiously on his laptop, tired of listening to Peter and Gilbert making fun of Ludwig while he was attending to Feliciano. His sharp emerald eyes scanned the other nation's faces quickly, searching for a suitable person to study.

His eyes landed on a shock of blond hair and an animated frame standing on the farthest side of the table. He was talking quickly and excitedly to a much shorter nation, who held a small smile on his face and nodded to the other man's words. The other man; his former colony.

Alfred. My Alfred.

He stared at the two talking, Alfred, of course, being the louder of the two. He couldn't hear exactly what they were talking about, but he was sure it was something he didn't particularly care about. Since Alfred was talking to Kiku, it must've been something silly like Transformers or Doremon. Maybe he's asking him to be the yellow ranger, Arthur snorted.

He glared at the two, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. He scowled behind his fingers. Of course after he befriended the Asian nation, Alfred had decided to befriend him as well. Of course. That git tries to befriend everyone, be on everyone's good side. Green eyes traveled to Alfred's smiling face, his eyes tight with a genuine smile. Arthur's scowl tightened downward.

Bastard. Doesn't he know?

Arthur begins to remember the past. The past he doesn't want to remember, but the past that he desperately holds onto. The past memories of happier times. Times when Alfred would smile up at him. Times when Alfred relied on him. Times when Alfred counted on him for everything. But Alfred was his own nation now. His own person. Making his own decisions and relying on no one but himself. He doesn't smile at him anymore. Not like he used to.

The island nation kept staring at the other two nations, reminiscing of good times and bad. How he dreadfully wanted all that again. All the hope, love and care. He glared at Kiku, trying to push him away from his Alfred with his negative thoughts. Kiku flinched, but didn't look in his direction or register where the negative feeling was coming from.

Get away from him.

He dimly registered Francis and Antonio behind him, talking about him within hearing distance. He didn't care right now; he was too busy willing Kiku to get away from his colony. Francis sensed the atmosphere and dragged Antonio away. Arthur smirked slightly; it'd be fun to beat up Antonio again, he thought passively.

Finally, Kiku realized where the feeling was coming from and dark eyes met with green. Arthur held his gaze with the same fervor as before. Kiku turned back to Alfred quickly, bidding him farewell with a bow and a glance back at Arthur. Alfred's shoulders slumped slightly, but he gave a little nod of his head back and waved Kiku off. The Briton smiled behind his splayed fingers.

Good my Alfred. Come to me.

Instead, Alfred headed towards the opposite side of the room to talk to Eduard. Arthur's eyes followed his every movement, his eyebrows and scowl lowering further. He watched Alfred bend down and ask what the Baltic nation was doing, only to have the said nation state that he was filling out financial reports in binary. Alfred frowned and said that that was boring. Eduard made a face and shooed him off.

After sighing and standing up straight, Alfred's own eyes scanned the room. As soon as blue met with green; Arthur looked down and pretended to be thoroughly engrossed his notes. He heard the swish of the other's strides come from around the table and soon felt a presence at his side.

"Arthur?" The Briton raised his head, then a thick brow. "You okay? You look a little…" Lovingly murderous? Arthur's mind supplied. "…pensive," Alfred said instead.

Arthur sighed and rubbed at his temples, "Just have a bit of a headache is all," he looked up at the concerned American's face, "Prob'ly just need a bite to eat."

Alfred. My Alfred.

Alfred turned and half-sat on the table next to Arthur's papers, his hand landing close to Arthur's own. "Well, I was thinking of heading to Micky D's after this anyway. Wanna come with?" Arthur made a face and the American pouted back, "C'mon, I know you like McDonalds. Especially the parfaits."

Arthur looked around the room at the other nations. None were paying attention to them, none would notice if they left. He shrugged and stood up, gathering his papers. "Fine. But you're paying," he flashed a smirk at Alfred, "Since you offered, of course."

"Of course I'll pay!" he beamed, "Have to respect the elders and such, right old man?" He smirked back and started walking out of the room with Arthur following close behind.

The Briton frowned then scoffed, "I see you still remember something I taught you, you prat." Alfred just laughed and stopped in front of his car.

They got in and Alfred turned to Arthur, "I'm not so much of a prat," he said in a mocking British accent, making Arthur wince, "as you are an old man." He laughed again and turned away to start the car.

Doesn't he know?

They started moving, heading through the streets of the American town to the nearest fast food restaurant. Arthur turned to the window. He grinned, staring into the eyes of his reflection.

You can never escape the British Empire.

The only comment I have is when I wrote the parfait line, in my mind I heard Donkey (From Shrek) say, "Everybody loves parfaits!" and I died a little inside.