~The winner of the voting contest for the next story is announced in the author's note at the end of the chapter!~
It had been several months since you returned home from your trip abroad. Senior year of your studies at college was in full swing, and your laundry had been caught up on. You gave out the gifts you accumulated over the course of your travels, which everyone was absolutely thrilled about. You couldn't help but feel like you were still incomplete after returning home. You know you didn't forget any physical belongings, but something in the back of your mind was nagging you.
While classes bogged you down with work and studying, along with your part-time job, you found yourself daydreaming one afternoon when you had a day off from both school and work. You laid on your bed, staring blankly at the ceiling of your room. With a sigh, you sat up, gaze wandering around the room. It halted when it landed on what you used as your carry-on bag. This, you concluded, was part of that nagging feeling. Pushing yourself off the bed, you padded over to the bag and brought it over to your desk where your computer sat.
You pressed the power button briefly before unzipping the front pouch of your bag. Plunging your hand in, you pulled out handfuls of small slips of paper: the contact information you had amassed. You rifled through them until you found the slip you sought, impatiently drumming your fingers against the surface of the desk as you waited for the machine in front of you to completely load. Hours felt as if they passed by when you were finally able to pull up the web browser you needed to get to your email. Typing furiously at your keyboard, you composed an email and read it over carefully. You sucked in a deep breath before sending the email. Time ticked by slowly, throwing your nerves through the roof until he replied.
The two of you talked back and forth for awhile, catching up on what the other had been up to since the conclusion of the tour. The two of you even drifted into relationship territory through your extensive conversations and flirting. The topic of coming to visit him came up and vice versa. While you would have loved to have him come to you, you still wanted to explore what he had to offer where he resided. He graciously and eagerly offered to host you while you stayed in his homeland. Of course, you couldn't just up and go right away. It took months of planning, working your butt off to save money, as well as get approved for time off from your job, but you pulled it off.
Your friends dropped you off at the airport, wishing you safe travels and playfully warning you not to have too much fun while abroad once again. With an eye roll and a smile, you were on your way through security to get to your gate to board your plane. The flight felt longer than another of your other flights, but you knew this to be untrue. You were simply eager to see him, hear his voice, view his smile, be in his presence. Everything about him made your mind swim with endless possibilities.
When your flight landed, you were one of the first ones in your boarding class to exit, carry-on bag tightly clutched in your fist. You impatiently waited for your suitcase at the baggage claim. It eventually made its way onto the carousel, and you grabbed it without a second thought. You dragged it behind you as you sped walked your way towards the exit of the airport. That's when you saw...
~America~
... Alfred. He opened his arms wide, inviting you in for a hug. You gladly wrapped your arms around his neck as his snaked around your waist. He was happy to finally be with you again, just as you were to be with him. He kissed the corner of your lips, then pulled away, holding you at arms distance before throwing opening his arms to gesture around you.
"Welcome to my hometown, dudette! I've got a lot to show you."
"Does that include you video collection?"
"You bet your ass it does! I'm gonna school you in Mario Kart!"
"You wish! I'll show you how a true pro does it."
"Pfft. If you insist. Let's get going. I'm sure you'd like to unwind after your flight."
"Definitely. A baby literally cried almost the entire time we were up in the air. I was about ready to rip my hair out."
"I bet. Need help with your bags?"
"Nah. I've got it."
As you placed your bags in the trunk of the car, Alfred hugged you from behind. "I really am happy to see you again, (y/n)."
"Likewise, Alfred. Now let's get to your place. I have a surprise for you in my bag."
"To my house apartment then!"
~Germany~
... Ludwig. He leaned against his car, hands crossed over his chest with a neutral expression. You yelled his name and ran to him, dropping your bags a few feet away before jumping on him for a hug. The expression on his face was priceless as he panicked to catch you. Burying your face in his neck, you muttered to him how much you missed him. He sighed and held you close before attempting to pry you off.
"Ja, I've missed you too, but you need to be more careful. What if my reflexes wouldn't have been as good? And leaving your bags out in the open like that is another story. Someone could have stolen them," he chastised, moving to grab said items off the ground to put in his car.
"But I knew you'd catch me. As for my bags, I guess I was a little too hasty in wanting to hug you," you replied sheepishly, a hot blush dusting your cheeks and over your nose.
"I couldn't tell," he said sarcastically, opening the car door for you.
You got in and thanked him before he closed the door and made his way to the driver's side. The two of you were silent until you made it out of the airport parking lot. You then made small talk for awhile.
"(Y/n)?"
"Yes?"
"You're not afraid of dogs, right?"
"Nope!"
"Gut because I have three of them."
"Three?! Okay, I'm sorry in advance, but your dogs may take all of my attention away from you."
He chuckled in response to that, assuring you that he would find a way to make you pay attention to him if that was the case.
~Prussia~
... Gilbert. Plastered across his face was the cockiest grin you had ever seen as he watched you approach. You could tell he was up to no good, so you proceeded with caution the rest of the way to him.
"What's got you so happy, Gil?"
"Oh, nothing. It's just that this really hot girl just flew across the world to see the awesome me."
"Oh yeah? What if she flew here instead to see a rockstar perform and settled for you instead?"
"It's a good thing I'm also a rockstar then!"
You laughed and finally hugged him, giving him a quick kiss. "You're only a local rockstar from what I heard, but I have no doubt you could be a worldwide recognized one too."
"Speaking of being a worldwide rockstar, my band and I are recording an official album starting tomorrow, and I'd like for you to be there."
"Is that so? I'd be happy to oblige."
It was his turn to laugh now. "How was I so lucky to snag a girl as awesome as me?"
"Must be fate."
~Austria~
... Roderich. You jogged over to him, the biggest smile plastered across your face. He offered you a smile in return and popped open the trunk for you to put your bags in. You placed them in and seated yourself on the passenger side of the car. He got in on the driver's side, then started the car and drove towards his abode.
"How have your piano lesson been coming along?" he finally asked after maneuvering his way out of the airport parking lot.
"Pretty good! I still can't play like you though, but that's to be expected. You've probably been playing for years."
"Since I was five, so yes. I've been playing piano for a long time."
"Does that mean you have a piano at your house?"
He gave you a look, one that conveyed offense from your question. "Of course I do! What kind of a question was that?"
"The serious kind, Rod."
"Don't you start calling me that too..."
"But it suits you!"
"I hardly think so."
Pouting, you crossed your arms over your chest. Roderich sighed and reached a hand over to hold your closest one. You cocked a brow in his direction. While you knew he didn't like physical exercise, his hands had a strong grip, most likely from playing piano nearly all his life. You couldn't stay upset with him forever, especially since the argument, if you could even call it that, was over a nickname. Giving his hand a firm squeeze, you uncrossed your arms and entwined your fingers, humming happily at the thought of being with Roderich once more.
~Switzerland~
... Basch. Not only was Basch there but so was a familiar looking girl. She was bouncing in place beside her brother, hands clutched in front of her chest. The closer you got, the more excited she became. When you were only a few feet away, she launched herself at you. You dropped your bags and hugged her, giggling and laughing with her. Basch smacked a hand against his forehead out of disbelief and second-hand embarrassment.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Erica."
"It's nice to meet you too!" Oh my goodness, was her voice adorable! "Big brother talks about you all the time."
"He does, does he?" you inquired, smirking over her shoulder at the Swiss male.
"I-I do not!"
"But you do!" Erica quipped, turning around to face him, hands on her hips. "You tell me how pretty she is and how much you love her!"
"Erica, hush..."
She giggled and turned back to you. "He really does love you. He's just terrible at showing it."
"Can we just get going? We have lunch waiting to be made at home," Basch said quickly, opening the trunk of his car and throwing your luggage in.
"Of course, Basch, but you owe me a proper greeting when we get to your house."
"O-Okay."
~The Netherlands~
... Abel. His arms were crossed over his chest as he waited for you to reach his car. He wordlessly took your suitcase and tossed it in the trunk before helping you get in on the passenger side. You smiled like a fool as electric sparks shot through you from contact with him. It was like a fairytale, except your prince wasn't as charming and quite frugal with his money, but you could respect that as a former college student. One of his hands found your own as he drove down quaint-looking streets of colorful houses. Your smile widened, and you leaned over to kiss his cheek at a stop sign. He hummed and gave your hand a gentle squeeze.
At his house, her permitted you to explore the first level while he took your bags up to your room. His cleanliness was absolutely impeccable. Not one single object was out of place in any of the rooms, and the kitchen looked as if it was never used despite the lack of dust on any surface. Back in the living room, you noticed the cage that housed his rabbit. She was stunning. She was groomed incredibly well, and you honestly didn't expect any less of Abel's care skills after seeing the pristine condition of his house. You gently poked a finger through the wire of her large cage, urging her to come over with little coos. She sniffed your finger tentatively before rubbing her face against it. Giggling, you pet her head with your finger, loving how soft she felt.
"I see you found Lucy," Abel stated, jogging down the stairs.
"Yes! She's so soft!"
Abel walked over and opened the cage for you, taking out the Holland Lop and depositing her in your arms. You squealed quietly so you wouldn't scare her and pet her carefully. She snuggled into your hold with the tiniest of noises that made your heart melt. Abel smiled at the sight. This was one of those rare times that you'd cherish forever with your usually stoic boyfriend smiling, a fluffy bunny nestled in your arms, and your heart finally telling you that you had what was missing back in your life.
~Turkey~
... Sadık. You grinned widely as you made your way over to him. He scooped you into a bone crushing bear hug. You swear you felt your spine's vertebrae pop out of place, but all thoughts of discomfort were tossed aside when he rested his chin on top of your head, his hold loosen ever so slightly. Sucking in a much needed breath of fresh air, you rested your head against his chest, finally being able to return his hug. When you pulled away from him, you noticed his mask was missing.
"Ah, well... You really seemed to like how I looked without it, so I thought I'd go without it while you're here," he replied before you could utter a single word, a hand rubbing anxiously at the back of his neck.
"Sadık, if you're uncomfortable without it, you can put it back on. I don't mind either way," you responded, lips curled up in a kind smile. "You're uniquely you with it and just the same without it."
He smirked and swung an arm around the back of your neck, bringing you closer once more to dish out a noogie. "Look at you, trying to butter me up. I bet you want something from me."
Laughing, you batted his hand away playfully so you could straighten out your hair. "I may. I may not. Who knows?"
"I think I do. What do you say I treat you to dinner? We can go for a Turkish Bath afterward to unwind. Maybe have some beer or wine back at my place?"
"That sounds wonderful!"
You linked your free arm with his as he took your suitcase from you before heading to the car to begin what you could only assume as your first date with Sadık.
~Greece~
... Hercules. He looked hot, literally. The air was thick with humidity, causing his tank-top to cling to his torso and perspiration break out just above his browline. That didn't mean he looked any less attractive to you than when you first met him. On the other hand, the same probably couldn't be said for you as you began to sweat just from walking from the exit of the airport to where he sat at the back of his car.
"Hey, Hercules!" you greeted cheerfully, trying not to let the unpleasant weather ruin your good mood.
"Hello, (y/n). I'm glad you could make it," he replied, the smallest of smiles stretching across his face.
While you could tell that he was most likely used to this kind of weather, you could also see that it was taking a toll on him. Suggesting that the two of you head to his house, you helped one another load your luggage into the back of his car, then got in and drove to his quaint little house.
Cats ran about from shaded area to shaded area, attempting to keep cool in the current wave of humidity and heat. Hercules ushered you inside, where you were greeted by the cool blast of air conditioning. He gave you a quick tour and offered for you to take a shower. While someone might have taken offense to that, you figured you probably didn't smell too pleasant from sweating and not being able to shower for a full day due to a layover and a delay on your way to Greece. Hercules made sure you had everything you needed before returning outside to fill up water and food bowls so that the cat's could at least eat and drink when they pleased during the heatwave. Once your shower was over and you dressed in fresh clothes, you waited for Hercules to return from his own shower, focused on fulfilling his promises of cuddles and a nap on his couch to pass the afternoon away.
~Italy~
... Feliciano. The Italian, completely overjoyed to see you once again, pulled you into a tight hug, placing firm kisses to both of your cheeks in greeting. He babbled on in both his native tongue and English to you about how much he missed you and how beautiful you looked. You blushed brightly and gently pushed at this chest, silently begging for him to give you some space. As much as you loved him, he was too much like a hyperactive puppy sometimes.
"Mi dispiace, bella, but I'm just so happy to see you! It's been so long that I've nearly forgotten what you looked like."
"We just video chatted last Tuesday, Feli..."
"The video quality doesn't do your beauty justice..."
"You're too sweet," you cooed, cupping his face and placing a chaste kiss to his lips, causing him to perk up.
"I'm only speaking the truth. You're like one of those pretty ladies from Renaissance paintings!"
"Alright, now I know you want something, you flirt."
"If I asked for a longer kiss, would I get one?"
"Why don't you ask and find out?"
"Can I have a longer kiss then? Per favore?"
"Hmm... I don't know. Can you?"
"Ve! Bella, I don't like this game... May I have a longer kiss?"
With a giggle, you pressed your lips against his, eagerly receiving his lips pressing firmly against yours.
~Romano~
... Lovino. He looked as grumpy as ever, yet you couldn't help but notice how his body untensed at the sight of you. You walked briskly towards him, pulling your suitcase up to your side as you stopped just shy of him. He popped open the trunk to his car and helped you load it. You pouted in his direction while he slammed the trunk closed.
"No hello hug or kiss? No saying that you missed my smiling face?"
"We video chatted almost every other week. I've seen your smiling face enough."
"Well, that's just mean..."
"That didn't come out how I wanted it to... What I meant was yes, I missed you, but it's not like we didn't see each other online."
The two of you entered the vehicle without another word. Buckling in, Lovino started the car and began the long drive from the airport to his apartment. Silence clung in the air like a thick cloud, creating a somewhat uncomfortable atmosphere. By the time you reached his apartment, both of you seemed to be at a further loss of words. What could you say after that brief exchange at the airport?
You decided to give Lovino space, hiding out in his living room while he grabbed a drink from his kitchen. You were beginning to thick coming back to visit him was a mistake until he entered the living room. He set two glasses of what appeared to be white wine down on the table, then sat nearly hip to hip with you on the couch. An arm snaked around your shoulders, pulling you closer to him. You turned your head to look at him properly, and he in turn rested his forehead against yours.
"I really did miss you, cara... I'm just shit at expressing my feelings, especially in public... I'm sorry if I made you upset. Could you forgive me?"
"I think I can find it in my heart to forgive my handsome boyfriend for a fault that he recognizes and owns up to," you said with a smirk, lingering your lips over his teasing until he grew flustered enough to close the gap for a proper kiss.
~Spain~
... Antonio.
"Toni!"
"(Y/n)! Welcome back!"
"I'm glad to be back. How have things been going?"
"Pretty good, but it just got better with you here."
"Well, aren't you sweet?"
You gave him a lingering kiss before loading your belongings in his car. Once on the road, Antonio was uncharacteristically quiet. He chewed on the inside of his bottom lip most of the way to his apartment. He carried your suitcase up to his floor, you following behind with what was your carry-on bag during your flight.
"Antonio, is something wrong?"
"Not really... I just forgot to mention that I only have one bedroom."
"I'm going to stop you right there. You are not sleeping on the couch. We can share."
"(Y/n), I-"
"Shh! It's okay! I don't mind, really. Plus, it gives me an excuse to cuddle with you."
The grin you received in response made you wonder if he really forgot to tell you about having one bedroom, or if this was part of his plan all along.
~France~
... Francis. Remember that kiss the two of you shared in front of the Eiffel Tower? He sure did, and here he was recreating it with you in front of an Eiffel Tower decal on the wall of the airport. You had to admit, it was a very romantic gesture on his part and highly welcome on your end. After slowly pulling away, the two of you couldn't stop grinning at one another.
"I've missed you so much, mon amour," he whispered, pressing his forehead against yours.
"I've missed you too, Francis," you responded in the same hushed tone.
"I have so much planned for us. How do you feel about a quiet night in with a romantic candlelit dinner complete with wine and a crème brûlée for dessert, all made by yours truly? Not the wine though. I'm not experienced enough to make that."
You giggled and fully pulled away from him, lugging your bags into his car. "Sounds like a lovely evening. Could I request that we go back to Versailles sometime during the trip? I want to get lost with you in the hedge maze."
"Of course! We could go wine tasting after, maybe even take a cooking class or go see a movie?"
"You've really thought of everything, haven't you? How long have you been thinking of taking me out?"
"Since you messaged me for the first time."
He grinned at you, his eyes conveying all the pent up love and passion he's felt for you in your time apart. In that moment, you couldn't have fallen anymore in love with him.
~England~
... Arthur. It wasn't just Arthur though. His brothers had accompanied him much to his dismay. You knew you were in for a long car ride to his house. Arthur already looked irritated as you made your way over to him. You greeted the four men warmly and exchanged kisses on the cheek with Arthur.
"Oi, lass. Don't we get a hello kiss?" Alastor asked.
"None of you three are my boyfriend, so I'm afraid not."
"It was worth a shot," Seamus sighed, a small smile playing at his lips.
"Maybe next time we'll get one," Dylan added.
"We'll see. You need to stop picking on your younger brother first. If you can manage to do so on the way to his house, I might give you each a kiss on the cheek."
"I think we can manage that with a reward well worth it," Alastor chuckled, helping you place your belongings in the trunk of the car.
"Say, would you want to go out drinking later?" Seamus asked.
"That's right! There's a pub right down the street from Arthur's," Dylan stated. "We could all sit down and have a drink. Gonna warn you though, Arthur can't hold his liquor for shit."
"I told you gits that I swore off drinking!"
"One beer couldn't hurt though, could it Arthur?" you inquired, batting your lashes at him.
"I suppose not..." he said with a sigh before getting into the car with you and his brothers.
~Iceland~
... Emil. He had a bag of candy in his hand, offering it to you when you were directly in front of him. You gladly accepted it and kissed his cheek in greeting and thanks. He blushed and pulled the collar of his jacket over the lower half of his face to hide it.
"Still as cute as ever."
"Shush... I am not cute."
"Yes you are. Your denial only adds to it."
He huffed and hastily loaded your bags into his car. "Let's just go... Traffic to get out of here is going to be crazy no matter when we leave."
"Aww! Someone is all flustered."
"Now you're just being annoying..."
"Oh, come on, Emil. I was only messing around. Doing that over video calls isn't the same as in person."
"If you insist... Just tone it down a bit, okay?"
"Of course, hun."
~Norway~
... Lukas. He handed you a paper cup with a black lid.
"Is this coffee?"
"With a little butter."
"You're my hero."
You greedily gulped down a couple of sips, relishing the taste dancing across your tongue. Lukas loaded your bags into his car while you caressed the cup of coffee close to your face, the residual heat warming up your cold cheeks. Not only was the plane cold, but it was winter when you decided to visit your boyfriend. It probably wasn't the best idea on your part, but darn it all if the weather was going to keep you from being with the one you loved.
The Norwegian male got in the car with you, beginning to drive into the city towards his apartment. Once there, he aided in carrying your bags up before making a fresh pot of coffee. He invited you to freshen up while he made breakfast for the two of you. You took him up on the offer and grabbed a quick shower, then joined him in his kitchen to eat.
"I pulled together some movies about mythology from my collection if you'd like to watch them."
"Hell yeah! Let's have a marathon today!"
"You don't want to explore the town?"
"We can do that on a warmer day. For now, I just want to spend time with you, a mess of warm blankets, and some coffee."
That moment was probably the first time you had genuinely seen him smile.
~Denmark~
... Matthias. Once close enough, he picked you up by your waist and spun you around. You giggled, holding onto his forearms to help steady yourself as he set you down. He leaned in to steal a quick kiss before you could protest, which you wouldn't have anyway. You had been waiting months to be able to kiss him after all.
"I hope your flight was pleasant."
"It was kind of boring, truth be told. I didn't really have anyone to talk to except for the person next to me, and they looked like they didn't want to be bothered. It would have been better if there would have been decent booze that wouldn't cost me an arm and a leg."
"I've got plenty of that at my house, so don't you worry about that. Matthias the Great will take good care of you and your needs while you stay with him."
You laughed and gently pushed his shoulder. "You're such a dork. I love it."
"Ah, but the actual question is do you love me?"
"If you don't know the answer to that, then you must be a blind man."
Now it was his turn to laugh. "I'm just messing with you. Let's head back to my place. I've got a bunch a movies queued up that I wanted to show you."
"The Little Mermaid isn't in there again, is it?"
"Oh, you can bet your ass it is, but it's the Danish version this time!"
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
~Sweden~
... Berwald. His expression read stoic. Classic Berwald. Your Berwald. You smiled at him brightly and offered a hug to him, which he silently accepted by pulling you against his frame. Craning your neck up, you pushed up on your tiptoes. He silently leaned down, letting you place a short, gentle kiss to his lips. He grunted contently and straightened his posture once you pulled away.
"I've missed you, Ber. You wouldn't believe the amount of IKEA trips my family and I have taken since I came back. I still messed up all the pronunciations, I'm pretty sure of that, but I really tried to apply what you taught me! I guess I'm just not cut out to speak Swedish," you joked, lightly elbowing him in the side while walking to his car.
"I'm sure it's fine," he replied, referring to your pronunciation.
"I don't know. I think you need to give me a few more lessons."
"Mmm... Okay. We'll go to IKEA then."
"What? For real?! I was only joking."
"I'm not. I need a new end table for my couch."
"Well, uh... Let's get this show on the road then, yeah?"
He grunted in affirmation as you approached his car, helping you load up your things before making your way to the closest IKEA Berwald knew of.
~Finland~
... Tino. Despite the coldness of winter hanging in the air, he was as cheery as ever bundled up in his parka. He helped you load your luggage in the car before entering the vehicle. Turning the heat on full blast, you sank into your seat, basking in the newfound warmth. Tino took off his gloves and unzipped his parka before leaning over to peck your cheek.
"It may be freezing, I promise your time here will be well worth it," he told you, holding one of your hands.
"It already is. Just being here with you is good enough for me."
He chuckled and took his hand back so he could safely drive to his house. "That's so sweet of you to say."
You giggled and buckled up quickly. "Yeah?"
"Yeah!"
Silence swept through the car for a few minutes before you spoke again. "Have anything planned for the day?"
"The only thing I did have planned was to take you to see the Northern Lights like we talked about while paddle boarding."
"Did you decide between the frozen lake or the field of snow?"
"That I'm going to leave as a surprise."
"I can't wait for tonight then."
~Russia~
... Ivan. He looked a little unnerved as you approached.
"Is something wrong?"
"My younger sister found out I was in a relationship, so she's been a little more... protective than usual. As far as I know, she's not here, but we need to leave"
"You don't think she'd be waiting at your house for us then?"
"To a hotel then," he said sheepishly, helping you put your bags in the car.
"She can't be that bad, Ivan."
He turned to you, a dark yet scared look in his eyes. "I have experienced and seen some things, (y/n). I don't mess around when it comes to her."
"Alright then. I'm going to trust you on this."
"Thank you."
He pulled you into a gentle hug and kissed you softly. You smiled into the kiss, wrapping your arms around his neck. When you broke from the kiss, you rested your chin on his shoulder, standing on your tiptoes to do so. You could have sworn you saw a woman with a blue dress and hair bow peering at you from behind a car, but you let it slip, thinking maybe you were hallucinating. You pulled away from the hug and got in the car with Ivan, heading out of the airport's parking lot and onto the road towards the nearest hotel.
~China~
... Yao.
"What up, old man?"
"Aiyah! Do you talk to your mother with that mouth?"
"Relax! I was just kidding. That was a pretty good impersonation of Alfred though, wasn't it?"
He sighed and smiled at you tiredly. "I suppose it was."
You put your things in the car and got in with him after a short while. The two of you chatted for awhile until you pulled up to his house. He led you inside and showed you the room you would be staying in. You thanked him and sat down on the bed, looking around silently at his interior decorating skills.
"You must be famished. Why don't you take a shower, then join me downstairs for dinner?"
"Sounds like a plan!"
He smiled and left you to your own devices while he began to prepare dinner and tea for the two of you. You joined him after twenty minutes, five of which were spent attempting to locate his kitchen. You smiled as you listened to him singing to himself while he cooked. Leaning against the archway separating the kitchen from the next room, you stayed quiet, deciding to not ruin the moment.
~Japan~
... Kiku. He bowed to you, to which you returned the gesture before he helped you put your bags in his smaller than average car. He opened the passenger side door for you and helped you in before moving to the driver's side. Kiku made sure you were both buckled, then set out to drive you safely to his apartment in the city.
"So, what have you been up to the past couple of weeks?" you asked, breaking the silence.
"Preparing for your arrival. I wanted to ensure you felt at home during your stay with me," he replied, his cheeks blushing.
"Aww! You didn't have to do that. I didn't need anything special while here. I'm happy enough to be here with you and experience how you go about your day."
"Are you sure? I'd hate for you to want to leave early because you were uncomfortable."
"I'm one hundred percent positive, Kiku."
He smiled a bit brighter. Though you could tell he was still nervous about the whole relationship situation, you hoped you could break him out of his shell while visiting him. Getting him comfortable would prove to be a challenge, but you thought you could manage it. After all, you'd have a couple weeks with him to do so.
~Australia~
... Jett. He waved you over with the brightest smile you had ever seen on him. He welcomed you back to Australia and offered to take you suitcase for you, which you gladly let him have as you walked to his parked car. Something felt off, however. Something was missing from this joyous reunion, or rather someone.
"Say, Jett, where's Wallace?"
"Finally back in the zoo. He grew so attached to his girlfriend, that I can hardly get him to ever leave anymore. I suppose he was just lonely though. Romantically I mean."
"That's really sweet though. Maybe all he needed was a woman's touch to loosen him up, make him more open to being around others regularly."
"Seems like it, Sheila." He hauled your suitcase into the trunk of his car, then turned to you. "Speaking of a woman's touch..." The brunet smirked mischievously before pulling you closer to himself. "I've been missing my girl's touch ever since she left to return home."
"As I recall it, we weren't together when I left last time," you said with the gentlest look in your eyes.
"Didn't stop me from fantasizing about you being mine and missing you."
Jett pressed his lips against your cheek. It wasn't quick enough to be a peck, but it wasn't long enough to be considered a full kiss. It was in that perfect medium area that conveyed innocent thoughts and pure intentions with the promise of more to come if you were willing to let it. You returned the gesture eagerly, causing the male to laugh.
"While I'd like to stand out here and snog with you, what do you say we go visit Wallace and his lady?"
"Hell yeah! Let's go!"
~Canada~
... Matthew. He smiled at you shyly, hands clasped together. The seasons were just changing from Autumn to Winter, so the air was quite a bit nipper than the last time you had been there. Matthew eagerly helped you load your bags into the car, wishing to return to the warmth of the vehicle as soon as possible, and you couldn't help but agree with him. Teeth chattered as the car warmed as Matthew began driving towards his apartment.
"I take it it's usually this cold around this time of year?"
"It's actually a little colder than usual. You think I'd be used to the cold from living here my whole life."
"Does that mean we can stay in today? We could cuddle and catch up with one another."
"That sounds wonderful. I stocked up on hot chocolate and coffee recently if that interests you?"
"That does more than just interest me, Mattie."
He blushed at the use of the nickname and cast you a small smile. You returned the gesture and continued the car ride in comfortable silence. At his apartment, you took your suitcase and carry-on bag into his room and joined him on his couch. He offered you a cup of hot chocolate he made while you settled in before pulling a blanket over both of your laps. He turned on the TV, then gave you the remote so you could choose what you wanted to watch. After settling on a hockey game, you curled up into his side, dozing in and out of consciousness from your tiring trip.
~Author's Note~
DreamsForDays here! Thank you guys for baring with me as I worked to get this final chapter out. As some of you may know, I started a full-time job recently, so I haven't had much time to write, but I can assure you I will continue to write. I also wanted to thank you all for being such a great audience. Some of you have been here since the beginning of my writing adventure, and some of you are newer readers and commenters, but you're all so wonderful. Thank you so much once again!
On a side note, the winner of the voting contest is the 2p Idol AU, in which seven of our favorite 2ps will be members of an international boy band! I won't begin posting the story until 12/11/19, so that's roughly two weeks away. Thank you for reading! Feedback in the comments is always appreciated! Until next time!