A/N: This story is based on these pictures: post/26951748040/free-hugs-if-someone-made-a-fanfiction-of-this

I do not own those pictures, and I am giving credit where credit is due. This idea is not mine.

Free Hugs

"Perfect," said Alfred, leaning back to admire his handiwork. The phrase "FREE HUGS" was written on a piece of cardboard lying on the table in front of him. He'd looked for almost twenty minutes before finally finding the cardboard, tucked away in his recycling alongside three glass bottles and plastic containers. He repainted it to a rough and sloppy white before adding the gigantic letters to it in the only blue paint available within his house. He took off his glasses and set them down beside the two paint bottles.

Grasping the sign in his right hand, he strode out of the room toward the garage, grabbing his other pair of glasses before he pushed open the door and unlocked his car with a beep. He squeezed into the driver's seat, positioned quite correctly on the left side of the car, and drove out onto the street, and then in the direction of his destination.

12 and a half minutes later, he found himself gazing up at the window of the World Countries' conference room. He entered the dull building through its double automatic doors, and was instantly informed by the goosebumps encasing his body that the air-conditioning was most certainly on. Gliding past the stairs, he hummed his anthem in time to the glump of his boots against the tiled floor. The elevator dinged two seconds after he pressed the button, and the doors slid open.

He reached the foyer that led into the conference room at precisely 2:30, with half an hour before the meeting was to begin. Not more than a minute later, Italy and Germany stepped out of the elevator together, Germany fixing his hair as Italy buttoned his shirt. Alfred chuckled softly at their not-so-subtle relationship and held up his sign, staying absolutely quiet.

Italy's face broke into a wide smile as he shouted.

"Free hugs!" He ran to Alfred and almost toppled him over as he threw his arms around the taller country. "Doitsu! Join us!" he said. Germany groaned and shuffled to Alfred, dejectedly giving him a rushed hug, and blushing as soon as he let go.

"I'll see you in the meeting," he grumbled, grabbing Italy by the collar and dragging him into the conference room.

"See you," said Alfred with a teasing smile.

A little while later, more people started filing into the meeting, and all of them stopped as they saw America's sign. Some ran to him as Italy had, and others only accepted the hugs because of their friends. France and Canada almost squished him out of his skin with the tight hug he received, whereas Prussia only patted him on the head in a friendly manner. China had to force others out of his way to get the hug he wanted, and Belarus crept up on him from behind, scaring him almost shitless. But he met everyone with the same, cheerful smile, and dutifully handed out his free hugs as people came to him. Eventually, it was 2:55, and everyone had gone through the gigantic wooden doors into the conference room. Alfred put his sign against the wall, and was turning around to follow the others, when he noticed a face peeking out from behind an open door that he hadn't noticed before.

It was Arthur, standing with a blue sweater vest over his button-up shirt, and a blush on his face. He didn't look at Alfred, only at the generic patterned carpet. Alfred smiled from behind his glasses. He practically skipped to Arthur, and put his arms around the smaller country, closing his eyes as he pulled him closer. Suddenly, his arms were pushed down as Arthur wrapped his around Alfred.

"I hope a hug isn't too much to ask for," said Arthur, softly whispering into Alfred's ear. Alfred pulled out of his hold to look the older man in the eyes.

"Nothing," he said, gazing into the beautiful sea of green, "is ever too much to ask for." He leaned in again, and his eyes melted closed as he felt his love's lips against his. The two of them stood there, immersed in their love, as the world around them turned to whirling colors and nonexistence. And there they were, for the moment nothing else mattered, and each was perfectly happy.