Author's notes: Hello, my dears! I've been doing some random browsing and found some USUK doujinshis online. After reading some of them, I thought it would be fun to write a story based on one so consider it as a sort of a tribute to a great doujinshi. I have written some fics based on manga scenes before but this will be a first to be a doujinshi-based story so please give it a chance :) so to end this babble, thank so you much for the faves, reviews and alerts for my USUK Valentine-based fics, they make me feel happy they are well-read!

Warnings!: There will be DOUJIN PLOT SPOILERS in this story and did I mention there will be YAOI in this? That is the reason for the M rating :) but you will have to wait for the later chapters for the yummy bits to arrive. There will be angst but mostly hurt/comfort, fluff, romance and this is an obvious USUK pairing :) possible OOC for both main characters as I'm interpreting their characters from the doujinshi while putting a bit of my head canon in this.

Story notes: This plot is based on USUK doujinshi Negai Hoshi, hence the warning for the plot spoilers. If you read anything that you don't recognize from the doujinshi, that would be my work as I'm trying to create some background context from the source to make sense of the plot. Each chapter will begin with a song verse of inspiration to give the idea of what mood it'll create. Later on, flashbacks will be in italicized. This whole thing will be at least 6 chapters long so expect an update about each week depending how I'm doing at work and whatnot :)

Disclaimer: I'm afraid I hadn't any luck in finding out who drew and published this doujinshi as I found it online and found no names to locate the source but the credit of the overall plot, the art and portrayal of the characters goes to them (and I would greatly appreciate if someone knows who they are so that I can add it in the disclaimer). And thank you to monobuu jeom (I hope I spelled correctly and stupid formatting refused to add in certain symbols) for the translation otherwise I wouldn't know how the story went :) And the sweet song of Down in New Orleans (Prologue) belongs to Randy Newman, the composer of the music to 'The Princess and the Frog' and to Anika Noni Rose for providing the wonderful vocals for it.

When You Wish Upon A Star

Chapter 1: The Tanabata Festival

Verse of inspiration:

The evening star is shining bright...

So make a wish and hold on tight...

There's magic in the air tonight...

And anything can happen...

~ Down in New Orleans (Prologue) featured in "The Princess and the Frog" by Walt Disney Animation Studios.

The Tanabata festival...it was a night when people would hang their most desired wishes on paper talismans among the bamboo trees and hope that their wishes would reach up to the summer sky for the magic of shooting stars to grant them.

This was what Kiku explained to Alfred when the latter was over at the older nation's house for a three-night sleepover to continue their discussions over a new game they started creating a few months ago. Alfred's final night happened to fall on the festival. They had an amiable time together earlier in the day after a satisfying meeting over the game concept, schematics, various scheduling adjustments and various other details that would come in the later development stages. They played various multiplayer video games, made the usual trip to Akihabara to browse for new anime and manga, observed the locals setting up the celebratory night fairs at various temples and shrines and had several fast food stops and snack shopping trips in between. That night, after Kiku cooked and shared a delicious healthy dinner of salmon sushi, nikujaga and sesame onigiri with miso soup, he took Alfred outside with several colorful paper talismans and two marker pens.

The sound of chirping crickets welcomed them the moment they exited the shoji doors and both nations could see the faint glows of fireflies hovering among the various flora in the garden. As Alfred looked up to the sky, he saw the black expanse of darkness littered with stars, shining like diamonds...the superpower nation felt a twinge of nostalgia mixed with disdain upon seeing the night sky; the stars somehow stirred up past memories he loved and loathed...they reminded with one certain nation who loved and cared for him as his own and yet had caused him to lose faith in the magic of stars because of the false hopes broken before him coupled by Arthur's long absences...

"Alfred-san? Let's head the bamboo forest now," Kiku turned to look at the said nation when the younger didn't respond, "Alfred-san?"

The Asian elder nation frowned slightly at the unusually serene and sad look on his friend's face as he gazed up in the sky. He had never seen the boisterous nation look so melancholy before. Was something bothering him? He tentatively patted the American nation's shoulder and felt it jolt, signaling that the younger had broken from his trance.

"Alfred-san? Are you alright?"

"Oh sorry, Kiku, my head's a bit messed up for a while. I'm still thinking of some improvements for the new game of ours...it's gonna be so awesome once we get into it..." Alfred gave a loud chuckle, hoping that his happy charade had erased the sadness in his eyes and convinced Kiku he was fine.

On the contrary, Kiku wasn't fooled and could still see that sadness in those blue eyes through that cheerful facade. He wanted to say more but figured it wasn't the right time and he hadn't the right words to do so. Being one instilled with such strong protocol and etiquette, he decided to let it pass.

"Think nothing of it, Alfred-san," Kiku said politely, accepting the excuse and guided his guest from outside his house to the bamboo forest, "Come along. The stars are waiting for us."

Alfred followed the quiet nation through the open paths among the tall bamboo trees. The scent was faint yet soothingly sweet and shades of green greeted them from every perceivable angle. The starry sky glowed above them, acting as a giant partial torchlight to guide their path. The crunch of their footsteps meeting crisp grass and the grainy ground echoed in the quiet space. As they traveled further, Alfred noticed that some of the branches had various pieces of colourful paper dangling among the leaves. He could make out some scrawled hiragana and katakana characters written on them.

"Ah...I see that some of the children have been here and made their wishes already," the Japanese nation nodded with a small smile that made his normally soulless dark eyes soften with mirth, "I hope their wishes will come true."

Behind him, Alfred frowned, clearly not sharing the sentiment with Kiku. The frown was quickly replaced with a small grin when the Japanese nation turned back to check on him to make sure he was following him. They finally stopped at a clearing and sat down on the grass.

"Here we are...take these, Alfred-san," Kiku handed some of the paper slips and a marker pen to Alfred, "Just write down your wish on the paper and then we'll hang them together and hope they will reach to the stars above."

Then Kiku turned his back on him so that he could write his wish in private. Alfred did the same as he pulled the pen's stopper. He twirled the pen expertly between his fingers as he thought on what to write on the paper...which happened to be coloured in a deep shade of grassy green. The colour looked so pretty...just like his eyes. So beautiful...

'What?! Beautiful?! Gotta stop thinking about him!' Alfred shook his head to clear his thoughts before a sad smile graced his lips, 'But I guess...it couldn't hurt...since it'll never come true anyway...'

Taking the pen, he scribbled on the green paper, holding it gently like he would to a piece of glass. When he finished, he surveyed his handiwork. On it, the words were written 'I wish my love for Arthur was returned...'.

'Arthur...' Alfred's sad smile was soft as he visioned his former guardian back in his childhood. Those golden sunny days when he was still small and innocent. The way Arthur looked so strong, warm and gentle...and those smiles...why didn't he do those anymore now? 'Why can't you see me the way I do...not just as a child...but an equal...'

"Alfred-san?" Alfred jumped at the sound of Kiku's voice and gasped in surprise to find the Japanese nation behind him, "Are you done yet?"

"Ah ha ha! Sorry, was lost in thought to make an awesome wish, just give me a sec and I'll be right with you, Kiku," Alfred hurriedly shoved the green paper into his jeans pocket as he laughed nervously.

Kiku blinked at what he witnessed. He hadn't expected Alfred to be so jumpy and he could have sworn that sorrowful look was once again present in his friend's eyes. He began to grew a bit concerned. What could possibly be bothering him? Or was it someone? This was something he would need to dig into later...

"Forgive me for startling you, Alfred-san," Kiku apologized as he stood up to brush the stray blades of grass dirtying his kimono. He pointed to a portion of the bamboo trees, "Is it alright if I wait for you here?"

"Sure, Kiku. I'm almost done anyway," Alfred snatched another paper slip, this time a pale blue, and scribbled something random.

He nodded with satisfaction at what he wrote: 'I wish to make friends with an alien'. The young nation had to chuckle at the silliness of it. He was already friends with Tony but he guessed another alien friend would be good for more company. He joined Kiku's side after dusting himself...and making sure his other wish was secure in his jeans pocket.

"So...I just hang it up here?" Alfred asked as he fumbled with the string attached to the blue paper while trying to search for a branch to hang it from.

"Yes, Alfred-san...you picked a perfect spot," Kiku glanced at the blue paper and smiled, "That wish is quite like you, Alfred-san."

Alfred smiled back at his friend, "Well, I think it's a very realistic thing to wish for. And besides, it would be good for Tony to have more friends."

"And it's very like you to think that, Alfred-san..."

It was then Kiku chanced to see the green paper sticking out of the superpower nation's jeans pocket. His usually blank eyes widened then softened at the words written on it.

'I wish my love for Arthur is returned...' Kiku read before a small knowing smile took shape on his lips, 'Ah...Alfred-san...it looks like my hunch was right about you...and Arthur-san...'

Kiku was a good friend to the island nation like he was with Alfred. However, they bonded over tea breaks and relaxed walks among the cherry blossom trees, and engaged in amiable discussions on an intellectual level. The British nation had genuine appreciation and interest in the finer aspects in Kiku's culture such as architecture, historical lore and customs. Kiku himself had slowly grown accustomed to the adverse weather in England whenever he visited Arthur's home. He wished he could the same about the food but he kept quiet and accepted the meals with polite decorum. However, there were several aspects about England that caught the Japanese nation's interest such as the art scene, the local plays and the magnificent castles and quaint towns in the green countryside. Kiku always made sure to repay Arthur's hospitality with a small gift, which usually consist of little treasures and trinkets for his rose garden located in the back of his house.

Then Kiku recalled a past conversation when they happened to talking about Alfred after discussing the differences between each other's tea blends. Even though Arthur ranted the usual spats and insults about his former colony, he seemed to space out more often than usual and the soft sadness he saw in those green eyes mirrored the same look he saw in Alfred's bespectacled blue eyes tonight on the Tanabata Festival. He knew that look. He had read a lot of romance manga to know what it was...it was the heartbreaking lovesick look the protagonist wore when they couldn't attain the love of their dreams and desire, forced to watch from afar and wish for the unattainable. He mentally shook his head at the amazing yet amusing audacity of the situation...yet it seemed the right time for him to quietly meddle into the affairs without them knowing...

'I think this is my chance to put my theory to the test...and it is the most opportune time as any to kickstart it...' Kiku noticed that Alfred had just finished tying his paper slip onto the bamboo tree and decided to speak, "Oh yes, I'd like to ask you a favor regarding Arthur-san."

At this, Alfred felt his hands sweat and his grin twitching, "Yeah? And why would you need my help in something like this?"

Kiku chuckled and said to himself, "Oh, it's just a theory I have..."

"Eh? What theory, Kiku?"

"Oh, it's nothing to be concerned over, Alfred-san," Kiku caught himself, making a mental reminder to not speak his thoughts aloud so often. He didn't think that Alfred had such sharp hearing. He cleared his throat before continuing, "Anyway, as I was saying, I want to pass a present to Arthur-san to thank him for his generous hospitality when I visited his country a month ago. Since my next scheduled visit to your country to make further discussions about this new game is in just a few days, I thought that perhaps you can ask Arthur-san to come and stay with you so that I can pass it over to him when I arrive."

"Why can't you just mail it to him or something?" Alfred asked curiously, "Or...I can pass it to him if you want?"

"On no, Alfred-san, my present for him is far too delicate to be mailed and I wish to give it to him in person otherwise it would be rude of me when he has done so much for me," Kiku interrupted smoothly, which made Alfred stare at him in surprise at his sudden forward attitude, "I hope you don't mind, Alfred-san...and besides it would be nice if we could do something together as friends."

"Ah...I...eh..."

Alfred's mind was in hysterics and it showed as he felt his eyebrow twitch with his grin. His mind screamed that this was a bad idea. Sure, he and Arthur were now on somewhat tolerable and friendly terms despite their usual bouts of senseless banter and repeated arguments. But he felt that if he were to confess then everything that had they had rebuilt between them would be broken.

'And I'll be all alone again...just like the other times...'

Yet his heart retaliated that it was an excellent idea to finally spend some quality time together with his former caretaker and Kiku's suggestion wasn't all that bad...it was a rare occasion for the three of them to be actually together in the same group...maybe they could get into some video game marathons or go to Disney World together where he could show off the newest rides and attractions that had just been renovated...yeah...it could work...

Alfred made up his mind. His face bore an easygoing grin although his heart thundered in his chest.

"Alright, Kiku," Alfred acquiesced, "I'll check whether Arthur could come up and let you know what's happening before the week is through."

"Ah thank you, Alfred-san. Your help is most appreciated. I'm really looking forward to see you and Arthur-san again," Kiku bowed in respect. In his head, he did a little dance to mark his success, "It's getting late, Alfred-san. Let's return to my house. We can share the snacks together and perhaps try to finish off the game stage where we left off."

"Sounds great, Kiku! I'm always hungry for more food and games!" Alfred laughed as he made a head start out of the bamboo forest.

Alfred failed to notice that in his excitement, the green paper slipped from his pocket. Kiku watched it flutter onto the ground before picking it up carefully. He reread the words before looking up to the night sky. He smiled...the stars were shining extra bright tonight, making the night sky look heavenly and rival the Milky Way.

'Well, Alfred-san...let's hope the stars will help make your real wish come true...'

After a while of walking among the bamboo trees, the green talisman was nowhere to be seen when Kiku exited the forest to join Alfred back in his home. Up above, the stars slowly lost their sparkle as the night wore on until one lone star shone the brightest...

To be continued...

Author's notes: I hope this first chapter will be enough to get you guys interested in this newest addition. Please let me know what you think but no flames pls? Working on editing the next chapter now, until then, my dears!