Chapter One

Ludwig Beilschimdt sighed as he continued sorting through paperwork. It had managed to accumulate to a less than delightful size while the German had been busy training Feliciano and Kiku over the last few weeks. As always, Feliciano was hopeless and Kiku had done his best to live up to his friend's standards.

Returning his focus back to his paperwork, Ludwig groaned slightly. Being the personification of Germany was tedious work full of mountains of complex hardships and obstacles. Inter-country relationships held one of the biggest problems. One mistake and you lose and ally and could have a war on your hands.

But the worst part by far was that even as a country, you didn't run yourself. You had a boss who ran everything from behind. They were really in charge. What they ordered you had to do: no exceptions. If you did something without their consent that they didn't like, it was expected to be fixed however they say fit. No exceptions. Even if…

Germany pushed the thought out of his mind and once again tried to focus on his work when there was a knock on the door.

"Yes?" He asked, his eyes flitting to the door. "Who is it?"

"Ve~ Doitsu, it's me! I brought you some pasta I made with fratello yesterday!" A cheerful voice chirped.

Germany sighed and opened the door.

"Hello, Italy." He greeted the brunette. Feliciano Vargas—the personification of Northern Italy, Italy Veneziano, best known as Italy and Ludwig's first real friend. The Italian was strange in many ways and tended to get on the blond's nerves at times, but he was a truly kind person (as clueless as he may have been).

"Hey, Doitsu! You should come visit me at my home some time! We'll eat pasta together and go to museums and have lots of fun!" Italy grinned. "Maybe we can even visit Venice and take a gondola ride together! Wouldn't that be fun?"

The blond sighed and looked at his pasta-loving friend.

"As much as I would like to Italy, I am typically very busy with work. In fact, I am trying to work right now. Maybe when things aren't so hectic I can visit." The German replied and tried to get back to work.

"Well, will you at least eat this pasta with me now?" The brunette asked, innocently holding out the dish he had brought with him.

Germany sighed. Italy never understood that work needed to be finished before leisurely activities and even resting, if necessary. He couldn't just stop and do whatever his heart desired when the whim came. The blond was about to tell him so, but the puppy-like look of innocence on the Italian's face was too much for Ludwig.

"I…I suppose it wouldn't hurt." He crumbled and folded his reading glasses, setting them on the table.

Truthfully, he needed a break. The night before he had gotten to bed late after a long, wearisome day and before he had been able to get to sleep, Gilbert had come home loudly and drunkenly after a night out with Francis and Antonio again. Needless to say, the German had not gotten very much sleep.

"Yay~ Thanks, Germany!" Italy smiled, nearly exploding in joy. The brunette always seemed to have boundless energy, but never for work or training.

The two walked out of the room, keeping the same pace. Feliciano seemed to bounce around as he walked, seeming strange next to Ludwig's steady stride. As they went, Italy babbled on about pasta and his brother (who hated the German for reasons he still didn't quite understand) for the millionth time, so the blond allowed himself to get lost in thought.

His first immediate thought was the work he still had to finish. On top of the paperwork, he still had phone calls to make, more training, and a meeting. In the midst of his thoughts, Germany realized the setting had changed. He was already in the kitchen. His blue eyes widened a bit at the initial realization. Normally he was so focused, how had he not realized that he had walked in? What was going on with him today?

"…and I was really scared 'cuz it was really scary. Doesn't it seem scary to you, Germany?" The Italian was clearly oblivious to the fact that his friend hadn't been listening the entire time.

"Uh…" A sudden chime rang through the house before the blond could come up with a response. The doorbell. But who could be at the door? Germany wondered. No one was scheduled to come over. Not that that had stopped Feliciano.

"Excuse me." He said quickly before slipping out of the room. He wondered if it was safe to leave the Italian alone in his kitchen. It couldn't hurt if it were only for a moment to open the door, right? Speaking of opening the door, who on earth was there?

As he got closed her heard some knocking. Well whoever it was, they were impatient.

He opened the door, unsure of what to expect.

"Yes?" He asked and looked out at the person.

He stared in disbelief. It couldn't be! He knew that honey-blonde hair, those blue eyes!

"Well?" The teenage girl at the door tapped her foot. "You gonna let me in, old man?"

She smirked devilishly.

"K-Klocia…?"