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Alfred loved Kiku. It was something about the way his black hair fell, how his brown eyes always met his. He'd hate to admit it but he was stupidly in love with him.
The way he laughed , the way he wore his uniform. He was sure he liked him too, after all, they'd frequently cross boundaries of platonic friendship and romantic attraction.
Alfred decided that he'd confess today, after years and years of pining.
---
𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶.
Read.
𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘦..?
Read.
---
God, was he a nervous wreck. He was pacing around his house nervously, his heart was pounding.
" Fuck. What if he says no. Oh my god what am i going to do holy shit, why did i do this . I'm gonna shit my pants dude. " Alfred thought.
The sound of the knocking door , brought him out of his spiral.
---
"You wanted to talk to me? " Kiku asked.
God he looked so pretty.
"Yeah.. So.. I don't really know how to say this. " Alfred was practically shaking in his boots.
Kiku stared at him, waiting for him to continue.
𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳.
" I- i like you. More than a friend, and I've liked you for a while now. And.. I wanted to know if you felt the same way too?? " Alfred said.
Kiku looked at him, dumbfounded. Searching for a sign that , 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, was a joke. But the look on Alfred's face, the fact he was nervous, how he looked at him. He knew that it wasn't a joke.
"Alfred-kun. I truly am honored. But this is not something I can reciprocate. Our reputations... we can't be together. Feeling like that will only cause trouble for us. I like you too, but 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 we can't be together. " Kiku replied .
Oh.
"That's okay, we can still be friends right? " Alfred asked.
Kiku looked at him, and that's when he knew. It was over.
"I- i don't think we should be friends. This.. is just too much. I'm so sorry. I'll see you at the meeting, Alf-, Amerika. " Kiku replied and walked off.
America. Kiku never called him America.
He had to be joking right?
His lavender-scented soap lingered in his doorway, as if telling him that this wasn't a joke. This was real.
---
Alfred F Jones could handle rejections. He was fine, he'd be fine.
It was the day of the meeting, he could do this. All he had to do was pretend that Kiku wasn't there. He could get through this!
He walked into the room and immediately saw him.
Kiku sat across the table, talking to Feliciano and Ludwig as if nothing had happened.
Alfred quickly looked away as he made his way to his seat. No greetings, just 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦.
Ludwig looked at him, shrugged and started the meeting.
---
"Any thoughts? Or clarifications? " Ludwig said, scanning the room.
Everyone mumbled in agreement, though it kinda looked like they didn't care.
"Ve~ America's a little quiet today !" Feliciano said.
"America, are you alright?" Arthur added.
"Huh..? Yeah! I'm just tired is all, " Alfred mumbled, laughing it off.
His eyes were on Kiku, who still, wasn't looking at him.
Rejecting him was fine, acting like he didn't exist was worse.
But he was fine, he could do this.
---
"Amerika, your report. " Kiku said.
Two can play this game.
"Thanks, Japan. " Alfred replied.
Kiku just stared at him and looked away.
Everyone looked at them, something was wrong. What happened to the teasing? The silly looks?
Arthur frowned, looking at Alfred. He should have just confronted him.
-
"Angleterre, should we talk to him later?" Francis asked.
Arthur hummed in response, they'd talk to him later.
--
Feliciano and Ludwig both knew something was wrong with Kiku. He'd was more "off" these past few days, as if something was bothering him. At first they didn't think much about it but after seeing him and Alfred's interaction. They had to speak to him.
-
They waited till the meeting ended before going up to him.
"Alfred. What's going on? And don't bother lying to me, poppet." Arthur said, eyeing Alfred sternly.
"Yes, ma chérie. What's going on between you and Kiku? " Francis added on.
Alfred froze at the mention of Kiku's name, he sighed.
"Right, I can't escape from this can i?" Alfred mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck with his hands.
The stren look on their faces was definitely a hint that he could not escape this confrontation.
"Right. So i kinda confessed to him, he rejected me and he's been ghosting me ever since. " alfred said, holding back tears, the memories were like an open wound.
Arthur and Francis stared at him,
"Oh my god? Wow.. But why did he reject you? " Arthur started.
Alfred paused, trying hard to contain his emotions.
"He said... he liked me but couldn't date me because of our reputations and causing trouble. Then he left me because 𝘪 was too much. " Alfred said, blinking back tears.
"Honestly.. I think he said that because he was scared. Scared of what the bosses have to say, of what 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 had to say. " Francis said.
"Who cares about the damn society? You'd be happy with him right. And society always hates anyways. As long as your happy, Alfie, then why should you care what they think? " Matthew added.
" Matthieu has a point. Society will find a way to hate no matter what you do. If you're happy with him.. " Francis was cut off
"Then go and shoot your shot." Arthur interrupted.
Alfred looked at all of them as he nodded with a smile on his face.
"Thanks guys, i don't know what i would do without you." He said as he walked away.
"I bet you guys 20 pounds their gonna kiss. " Arthur chuckled.
"Bet." Francis said.
Matthew eyed the both of them as he laughed quietly to himself.
"I believe in you, Alfie ! " he thought.
--
Feliciano and Ludwig looked at Kiku as they sighed.
"So.. Kiku. What's going on between you and Alfred? Don't bother lying to us." Ludwig started.
"Yeah.. What happened between you guys? " Feliciano added.
Kiku froze at the mention of Alfred's name. But he knew he had to tell them one way or another.
"He confessed to me and I rejected him and ive been avoiding him ever since." Kiku said.
Feliciano and Ludwig stared at him in disbelief,
"Mein gott.. But why did you reject him? Don't you like him?" Ludwig started.
Kiku paused, blushing.
"I.. i was trying to protect him. We can't be together, our bosses. Society. What they'd say about us. He would be in a lot of trouble." Kiku said.
"Who cares about the society? You'd be happier with him, plus , society hates anyways. As long as your happy, then who cares what they'd think?" Ludwig replied.
"Germany's right! Society always finds a way to hate, no matter what you do. If you're happy with him.. then you should shoot your shot!" Feliciano added.
Kiku looked at them, a smile forming on his face.
"Yeah.. thanks guys. I'm so lucky to have friends like you." He said as he walked away.
"I bet you 20 euros they're gonna kiss! " Felianco chuckled.
"Sure." Ludwig said.
---
Alfred was walking as he bumped into Kiku.
"Shit.. Sorry." Alfred muttered.
"Ah.. It's okay." Kiku replied.
Alfred looked at him, was this fate?
"So.. " they both said.
"You go first, " they both said.
They chuckled as Alfred muttered.
"Kiku Honda. I like you and I know you like me too. May you be my boyfriend?" Alfred declared, blushing.
"Alfred F Jones. I'm sorry for saying what i said when you confessed. And yes, I would love to be your boyfriend. " Kiku chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Alfred's neck.
They kissed, and for a moment nothing mattered. It was just the two of them existing in this world.
Then they heard sniffles, they turned and saw the group tearing up.
"IMGONNACRY THIS IS SO SWEET AGGHHH" Feliciano shouted.
They all burst into laughter.
"I love you, Keeks." Alfred said giggling.
"I love you too, Alf. " Kiku replied.