Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this story~

Warning, overly hyper Iggychu fangirl at work!

Also, an attempt at flowery language. It's not my thing, really, but I'm pretty sure it's Iggy's thing XD

This story is England x China. First chapter is in England's POV

Dedicated to all who love Iggychu ;)

The Troubles of Being the Tsundere Couple

Part 1

- Actions Speak Louder Than Words -

I adore the smell of plum blossoms which fill my nostrils and ensnare me in a delighted trance every time you pass by me.

At the meetings I watch from my corner of the table, drinking in your visage—a perfect landscape of curves and shimmering flowing hair.

I love the way your eyes shine and seem to light my world up, a bright golden, whenever your attention is on me (and that will be when you are yelling at me).

If I were to sit here and describe my affection for you in words, I can write a whole series of books as long as Harry Potter and I still will not be finished. I really like you, yet, I can never seem to say those three words to you…

So, I called you out for afternoon tea. You arrived in a blue Chinese garment. Its silky texture matched your glossy brown hair that you left draping over your swan-like neck and poised shoulders. Oh, but neither is a match for the glistening (which seems inexhaustible) that is your eyes. The moment I caught them turned up at mine, my eyes darted away. A natural reaction when one is graced with something so beautiful. Ah, I cursed myself.

We finished tea over light chatter. Perhaps a high energy exchange with insults thrown in here and there may not be considered light chatter to some, but it is the norm for us. A conversation full of words is better than one void of them, isn't that true? I ponder that for a moment, but opt to leave it be for I was on a mission that day.

'His voice tickles at something deep within your heart' the thought lightly traced my mind as I figured out a plan to get out the three words I so badly wanted to say.

We were already trekking out of the tea house. I ambled slowly down the street with you by my side. I made sure to say 'I only asked you because no one else likes tea' for the umpteenth time. Bloody hell, natural reaction! I kick myself mentally and prepared myself instead to say it—the three words I desired to say.

To the one I love.

"Aiyaa!"

Your melodic cry woke me from my thoughts. I turn over to you to find you staring with stars in your eyes at a store's display. Pointing to a rather large stuffed doll of a cartoon cat, you continue in your delightful voice. "I want that –aru."

I found myself staring at your sweet face colored with blushing cheeks. I couldn't move. I was under your spell once again. You lifted a hand towards me and said, "I don't have your currency, Opium. Lend me some." I sighed and did as I was told.

I was more than happy to comply.

After that display of your cuteness (that knows no boundaries) I was rather shaken up. I delivered you home on Uni (my faithful unicorn) with anxiety attacking my mind. I have yet to say the words I needed to say. Finally, at your doorstep I gathered my courage, but upon seeing me approach you, you shrink away into your home and told me "Aiya, I have things to do now. I'll invite you over another time –aru". Then without listening to a word from me, you close the door to your home and to my chance of expressing myself once again.

(Three days later)

I sighed into the scenery before me, a zen garden, whose purpose is to relax me, yet I hardly felt relaxed. A cloud had hung over me (or one is always hanging over my skies..haha..) ever since my last attempt to tell Yao that I love him.

Japan graciously slipped into the veranda to refill my tea. A wonderful host. He seemed to understand the turmoil within my heart without my showing it. After our work discussions, he had left me alone to my sea of thoughts and the garden. He smiled and said,

"You must really love China-san, England-san."

I stared dumbfounded at him. My eyes grew wider than the day Flying Mint Bunny told me Jia Long accidentally shot fireworks into my room housing my antique teacup collection.

"…h..how did you know…?" I stuttered at first, then finding my voice. "I'm certain that I haven't told anyone" (that including the recipient of my affection)

"You haven't told anyone…?" Japan repeated, thumbing his chin in mock surprise (I know it's fake because that smile never left his face). After a moment he asked me,

"Is it true that you asked China-san out for tea even though America-san invited you to watch a Nascar race on the same day?"

I frowned at the information. "Did that git tell you?" Japan didn't say anything but the telltale smile on his face answered my question. I crossed my arms. "Those race cars give me a headache."

A pause. Then Japan asked again.

"Well then, is it true that you bought China-san a Hello Kitty doll, a very large one at that?"

I looked at him in disbelief, ready to ask where he got the information, but he beat me to the chase. "I have my ways," he said.

"H…he…didn't have any money on him."

"I'll ask him for the money later!" I made sure to add. Japan nodded at this, though his expression never changed.

Another pause. This one was shorter (or was it longer? I couldn't tell anymore from this newfound anxiety)

"So, is it true that you lent China-san your coat on that particularly cold night after our last world meeting?"

"I…"

My mind blanked out.

Japan let out a sigh. "England-san, you make up a lot of excuses, but didn't you know…"

"…that actions speak louder than words?"

- End of part 1 -

Hope you liked that last punch line w It's what I like about tsunderes. They say all these opposite things yet their actions show it all! It's very cute :3 If you don't mind, I'm going to babble a little…

Haha…writing is really not for me. I intended to type all three parts up tonight but by the second half of this I was drained. No more writing tonight! Say, why am I writing anyway?

So you see, I was walking outside today, after reading many delicious China fics =w= when I suddenly got this urge to write one myself. I thought and thought for an idea that hasn't been explored for Iggychu (there are many btw. Get writing ppl) until I remembered, they are the tsundere couple! Why isn't there a fic on this yet? Or maybe there were fics already covering it, but I wanted to spice things up and explain it.

To explain the workings of the tsundere brain, we will need to get inside it. That means writing in the first person. Oh, I don't know how to write in the first person. If written well, it can be great. If not…it can be pretty bad. Let's hope I didn't kill any brain cells. So I started fleshing out the idea. I boiled it down to a few important phrases. There weren't many. I figured it would be easy to write. Dang, I was wrong. Well, I started out with just one part in Iggy's shoes. It was supposed to be a one-shot, but later a certain song came up on my player and nudged me into getting more ideas...

So this will be a trilogy of shorts like this. Maybe tomorrow when I have energy, I will eep out the rest. Writing is hard, man. Ah yes, why am I not writing Buri-ten to Chu-pid instead? Because that one will be a monster fic saved for my hopefully freer summer.

Thanks for reading!