Author Commentary; Last/second last chapter, here we go!

Before I go, did anyone else smile like and idiot when Greece and Japan appeared in episode 54 together? I did. :D

Edit; I just noticed that I've been using the masculine form of 'my darling' when referring to England, who is definitely feminine in this fic. Will change at a later time.

Character/Pair; PruCan, FrUk, plotdevice FraCan & USUK, side SpaMano, GerIta, RoChu & GiriPan, onsided PruHun

Rating; T

Warnings; Genderbending (Female /Japan/China), AU, some angst, heartbreak, mentioned sexual encounters, swearing

Disclaimer; I don't own Hetalia.

Anne walked quietly down the street. She should have been at home, but her brothers were fighting again and everything was just too loud for her tastes. She could have gone to see Alfred, but she knew his parents were home and they were just as loud, if not louder, than her many brothers, and he wasn't answering his phone (the prat). Besides, at least her brothers still loved each other (most of the time). So there she was, wandering around, at night, when it looked like the weather was going to come down in rivers, with no heavy coat or umbrella. Fan-fucking-tastic. She was probably going to get sick and die of pneumonia. She sighed, watching her breath form a cloud in the cold air. Merely minutes later, the sky ripped it's floodgates open and spilled big, fat drops on the world. Anne cursed and ran for the nearest shelter.

Which was halfway down the street.

And had an annoying Frenchman under it.

"Shite." Anne swore, stopping a meter or so from the overhang.

Francis looked up, "Ah, ma cheri! How nice to see you in such dreadful weather."

Anne scowled, "Cram it, frog." she spat, turning around to go find a different shelter, one with no perverts lurking beneath them.

"Please wait."

Something about the way Francis said those two words made Anne stop. The damn man sounded . . . lonely. Anne cursed herself and turned back to face Francis. He was just standing there, but every line of his body was etched in sadness. He smiled forlornly at her, slowly reach a hand out to beckon her under the overhang of the small Greek bakery. Anne didn't take the hand, but moved to stand under the overhang, not saying a word. Francis dropped his hand and simply stared out at the rain. Neither of them said anything for a long moment, and just stared out at the crying sky together.

"Madeline and I broke up." Francis said suddenly, as though Anne wanted to listen.

"I'm sorry." she said. Though Francis was her enemy, he still had feelings, and he wasn't being too annoying right now.

Francis smirked, "You should be."

Anne bristled, "How the shite is it my fault!?"

Francis smiled sadly at her, "Because I'm in love with you."

For a moment, it seemed like the entire world stopped.

"Y-you can't mean that." Anne said, feeling her face heat up as though on fire.

Francis kept smiling, "But it is true ma cheri. Je t'aime {I love you}."

Anne growled and slapped Francis across the face, "You idiot! You know I'm dating Alfred, but you still have the nerve to spout this drivel at me?! You arsehole!"

With that, Anne turned on her hell and stalked away from the man under the overhang, ignoring the rain falling around her. She got to the middle of the road before a hand around her elbow stopped her. She turned around, fully intending to slap Francis again, but was stopped by the look on Francis's face.

His expression could be described as nothing but sad. Gently, he brought his hand up and caressed her cheek with his thumb. Anne didn't move as he let go of her elbow and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close him.

"Ma cheri." he said, his voice serious, "Why must you tell me my feelings are drivel?"

Anne avoided his eyes, "You can't be serious." she said, "Not about a girl like me."

Francis smiled at her, "You hate coffee, the smell makes you sick. You won't drink asian tea with milk or creamer and you won't drink western tea without it. When you think hard or are very concentrated on something, you stick your tongue out. Your favourite book is Pride and Prejudice, and you've read every one of Shakespeare's plays and own a book of his poems. You love punk rock and have a tattoo of a crown and roses on your inner thigh. You can play the guitar, and own one with the Union Jack on it. You're a secret romantic and it's been your dream to be kissed in the rain. And you," he raised one arm from her waist and tugged on one of the ribbons holding her pigtails up, "Are never seen in public without your hair done up in either these ribbons or the matching hairpin. Which I gave to you as a gift for your eleventh birthday.

Anne's eye widened, "You remembered that?"

Francis smiled and tugged the ribbon out of her hair, letting the one pigtail fall out of place and hang down around her shoulder. Oh he remembered, they both did.

"Go home you stupid frog!" Anne yelled at the three retreating friends after all of the festivities had been had.

They all laughed and walked away, except for Francis, who stopped and turned, digging something out of his pocket as he approached Anne.

"I almost forgot." he said, pulling out a simple white box and holding it out to her, "Your present."

Anne huffed and snatched the box, "This better not be anything dumb." she scowled.

"Just open it." Francis said, rocking on his heels and avoiding her eyes, as though he was nervous.

Anne raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't say anything as she shuffled open the box. Inside were two beautiful lace ribbons the colour of new spring leaves and a jeweled hair pin. The same shade as her eyes, Anne noticed.

"Do you like them?" Francis asked, looking apprehensive.

Anne nearly said, 'Yes, yes I love them!', but what slipped out was a snort followed by, "Of course not. Why would I like something that's the colour of frogs, which I hate, and was given to me by you, a frog?"

Francis visibly deflated for a moment before bouncing back into his usual, annoying, self, "Oh? Then should I assist you in removing your eyes then? Seeing as they match the colour of the 'frogs' which you hate so much?"

Anne bristled, "Sod off you creeper! I'm not letting you anywhere near my face!" she shouted, throwing the lid of the box at him.

Francis ran off laughing, but the sound was different than his normal laugh. It sounded more hollow, not like the usual carefree, cheerful sound Anne was used to. She used this as an excuse for the fact that she chose to stay behind and examine the ribbons and pin rather than chase down the bloody prick.

From that day on, Anne was never seen without at least the ribbons or the more formal hairpin in her hair.

"Your brother invited me, Antonio, and Gilbert as a joke, but I wanted to get you something nice. So I went out and bought these for you." Francis said, twirling the wet ribbon around his finger.

Anne blushed, looked away, then looked back up at him. He really was a very handsome man. The long, curly hair that would look ridiculous on anyone else, framed his strong, stubbly jaw perfectly. His high cheekbones created the perfect frame for his beautiful blue eyes. Gone was the gangly body of the teenager that Anne had seen him wear as a younger boy; now he had the body of a man, lean and toned broad shouldered. Anne hoped the flush of her face could be passed off by the cold from the rain.

Anne decided that something needed to be said, "You know all that about me?"

Francis smiled, "I am a very observant man when it comes to the things and people I care deeply for."

Anne blushed even harder; what was she doing? She was still dating Alfred (though that was beginning to fall apart), but she was letting the man who she claimed to have hated since childhood sweet talk her and worm his way into her heart. But . . . Was he really worming his way in, or had he been there all along? Anne sighed and leaned her forehead against Francis's collarbone. All her life she had settled for less than what she wanted. Francis was right; she was a romantic person inside, and wanted someone who would treat her, well, romantically. But then she went and dated jocks and men who didn't have a romantic bone in their body even if they tried, which wasn't what she wanted. She wanted someone who would sweep her off her feet and indulge her in her romantic fantasies. Someone like Francis, who treated every woman like a princess. Anne sighed again and wrapped her arms around Francis's waist.

Francis smiled, "And what of Alfred?" he asked.

"He'll understand. He's not that stupid." Anne said.

Francis sighed and kissed the top of Anne's head. She looked up into his eyes. They stayed that way for a moment, just staring into one another's eyes, before Francis dipped his head ever so slightly, as though leaning in for a kiss, but stopping short. Anne could feel his breath tickling her lips, warm against the cold chill of the air. Anne circled her arms around his neck and pulled herself up, touching their lips together for the first time.

As they kissed in the rain, Alfred watched, not knowing if he should feel happy for the new lovers, or sad because he knew that that could have been him.

Author Commentary; Sorry this is so late, I caught a cold and have been feeling to sick to focus on this for more than a few minutes at a time. Anyway, now I'm better (mostly) and this can finally go up. I'll write a chapter for Gil and Maddie and then an epilogue and then it'll be over. Hope you liked it enough to review me.