Thankyou so much to everyone who has reviewed or subscribed to this story, it's made me very happy. This is the final chapter (sob)! Please review and let me know what you thought. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hetalia Axis Powers characters.

Usually on a Saturday, Alfred dragged himself out of bed at around eleven-o clock. Yet today, his faithful Captain America clock informed him that it was only half past six. So why the hell wasn't he drifting through dreamland on a boat made of clouds? Oh yes, because of the incredibly annoying, excruciatingly loud alarm currently ringing through his head. Alfred stumbled out of bed and flailed his arms around wildly, searching for the source of the racket.

His bleary eyes landed on Arthur's alarm clock. Bingo. After a few minutes of fumbling, he managed to get the stupid thing to shut up. Only then did he notice that his roommate's bed was neatly made, and there was no sign of the boy himself. Nothing, in fact, but an orange post it note stuck to his pillow. Scribbled on it, in Arthur's handwriting, was a message, "Go to the old boat house."

The old boathouse was a large wooden shed about half a mile along the lake away from the school, now disused in favour of the modern boathouse, which was warmer, closer, and less prone to leakage. So Alfred found himself trudging through seemingly endless overgrown grass in pitch darkness, wrapped in his thickest coat and a pair of wellington boots.

Why had his friend chosen such an obscure meeting point? And why so goddamn early? When the boathouse eventually loomed into view, Alfred felt an immense rush of relief. He pushed open the rotting wooden door and stumbled inside.

It had been a couple of years since he'd been in, and the most obvious change was the lack of front wall. The wood must have rotted and been cleared away, because now there was just a gaping hole, showing the lake in all it's early morning splendour. And, Alfred realised somewhat belatedly, the sight was beautiful.

The soft dawn light reflected off the calm water, making it shimmer like a diamond. There were two swans, elegant and pure, drifting along without a care in the world. And finally, there was Arthur, sitting on the riverbank with his feet dangling in the water.

Alfred paused, suddenly unsure. As if sensing his presence, Arthur turned his head, and smiled brilliantly. The golden light illuminated his face, making even the bruises seem somehow angelic. Alfred drifted towards his friend and silently sat down beside him.

Arthur lifted one pale foot out of the water and shook it slightly, sending a spray of droplets out that shattered the stillness of the water. Then he leant towards Alfred and softly pressed his lips against the older boy's.

It was a gentler, calmer kiss than the first one had been. And this time, Alfred didn't pull away. Instead, he wrapped an arm around Arthur's waist, and realised that his friend tasted of honey and peppermint. After a few endless moments, Arthur pulled away.

He gave a small, peaceful smile and quietly said, "There's always a next time."