Chapter 2

"Why did you invite him?" America asked and folded him arms, put out that he had not been consulted on the matter first considering it was his impulsive purchase that had got them here in the first place.

"I was told the more the merrier," France said as he skipped to the clearing to throw his arms around Prussia.

Canada slid into the background and went unnoticed by America who sincerely regretted his earlier choice of words.

"France had no right to invite you," England shouted. "He wasn't even invited in the first place."

Canada ducked into the shadows.

"Too late, mon ami, Prussia is already here," France said in a voice filled with laughter that made England want to strangle him.

"Whatever, man, he's not staying with us. There's already five of us and I'm not sharing my room like the rest of you guys."

England turned his attention to America. "I'm not sharing a room."

"Then you're gonna half to sleep outside," America said with laugh that made England dream of wrapping his hands around America's neck.

"If you do not mind, England-san," Japan said as he watched England's hands turn into fists. "I would be happy to share a room with you."

The tension fell from England and his eyes widened. "Really?"

Japan would much rather have preferred his own room but he figured sharing with England had to be better than sharing with France. He smiled at England. "I very much enjoyed the times you stayed at my house and it would be a chance to rekindle fond memories."

England beamed and Japan tipped his head in a bow.

Forgotten behind them, Canada realised he was going to be zipped into a tight space with France and his wandering hands. It supposed he could be worse. Then he realised it could be worse it he found himself sleeping between France and Prussia, which could be a very real possibility considering Prussia's lack of tent or even sleeping bag.

"Where's your camping gear?" Canada squeaked out to Prussia.

"Huh?" America said and turned around, his gaze passing twice over Canada before America found him.

"The other's are bringing everything," Prussia said and flicked a thumb over his shoulder.

"What 'other's'?" America asked.

"Don't tell me you brought that dopey Spaniard with you?" England mumbled.

"Duh, of course. And there's also Germany, Italy and Romano too."

"But I didn't invite them," France whined. "Germany is too stiff and boring and Romano yells at me whenever I get within touching distance."

Prussia shrugged his shoulders. "Too late now."

France huffed which was enough for England not to moan about more people. America muttered something about guarding supplies and tried hiding his crates of food whilst Canada dodged him and Japan glanced into the forest for signs of his old friends.

They arrived soon after, Germany leading the pace at a march with Spain a little further behind and Italy and Romano struggling with their luggage. Romano dumped his pack before Germany, almost crushing his toes in an act of defiance whilst Spain ran to Prussia and France and the three giggled and chatted in various languages.

"Japan!" Italy shouted and threw himself at the other nation, wrapping his arms around Japan and kissing him on both cheeks until Japan was red faced. "I'm so glad you're here! This is going to be so much fun, playing and drinking and eating – I packed lots and lots of pasta – and talking around a camp fire like we used to do, only this time we won't be stranded on a deserted island or battling the allies and maybe even Grandpa Rome will come visit us again," Italy said, his words almost toppling over themselves as they escaped his mouth.

"Yes," Japan said, subtly disentangling himself from Italy with skill long since amassed. "We shall have a very nice time." He paused before adding, "I am glad you're here too."

Italy made an appreciative noise and smiled his huge smile that made it look as if his eyes were closed.

Canada glanced at them then turned his attention to Germany and England talking and then to France, Prussia and Spain. Only Romano stood on the outskirts, his eyebrows etched into a V as he crossed his arms and stared sulkily at the ground. Canada thought of trying to make conversation but then he knew little of Southern Italy, only that he did not want to get subjected to an outburst.

Instead he edged closer to America and cleared his throat, "Need any help?"

America instinctively wrapped his arms around the nearest crate but relaxed when he saw it was only Canada. "What? Oh, hi Canada." He paused before adding, "Do you think our food will be safe."

Canada took in the two crates and two of Japan's smaller boxes hidden under everything else they had brought and protected by America. "I think they'll be fine."

"No, not these, the boxes in my truck. They're only hidden by the tarp, anyone could get them."

"I'm sure under Germany's direction, Italy has brought more than enough pasta to feed all of us."

America didn't look convinced but at that moment a woman's voice trilled through the clearing.

"We're not too late are we?" Hungary asked as placed a rucksack on the floor and faced them with hands on hips.

"Quick, grab the food," America said and pushed Canada into the forest.

An unhappy Austria stood behind Hungary with an equally unhappy Switzerland, a shyly smiling Liechtenstein, a unsure Seychelles and a cheerful Belgium. A moment later Poland pushed by the group to lean on Hungary's shoulder leaving Lithuania huffing behind carrying two stuffed backpacks.

Prussia rounded on them immediately. "Why are you here? Who told you?"

Hungary stepped forward to face him. "We have as much right to be here as you do."

"None of you have any right to be here," England shouted but only France paid enough attention to hurl an insult his way as Prussia and Hungary squared up against one another.

"Go back to playing housewife and leave the outdoors to the men."

"Ha, men! Like I haven't beaten you up enough times over the centuries."

"I only let you beat me so it wouldn't hurt your girly feelings."

"This is yet another reason I didn't want to come," Austria said as he brushed a fallen leaf off his clothes.

"What's wrong, Austria? Worried I might take your happy place again?"

"You leave Austria alone," Hungary shouted and grasped the handle of the frying pan at her waist and swung at Prussia.

"She is so totally going to kick your butt," Poland said as he stepped out of her way.

Switzerland glanced down at Liechtenstein. "Are you really sure you want to be here?"

Liechtenstein smiled and nodded. "It'll be good for us to spend time with the other nations. We can make friends and have lots of fun."

Switzerland glared at those around him. He couldn't imagine a worse way to spend a week, but, Liechtenstein had asked for him to go and he could never refuse her pleading face. Plus the alternative of leaving his sweet, little Liechtenstein in the company of a smooth talking France or a naked Italy was not an option. However, at the time of his agreement he had not realised he would be sharing a tent with Lithuania, Poland and, worst of all, Austria. He had almost turned back as they met for the ride down but Liechtenstein had taken his hand and looked up at him with wide, shiny eyes and he had given in.

"Where should I put these down," Lithuania asked the every growing crowd.

"Nowhere," England shouted, "you can put it back in the car and go home."

"Give it a rest, England," France said. "Or maybe you should be the one to go home."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"It's really heavy," Lithuania said, his arms shaking.

"I claim this spot as my territory," Poland said dragging Lithuania beside him. "No one's allowed in this space without my permission."

"Nah-ah," America shouted from atop his crates. "Everything here is mine. I claimed it because I was the first one here. There's my flag."

He pointed to the American flag waving proudly in the breeze.

"When did you put that there?" England asked.

"And here did it come from?" Japan muttered, not recalling any flag like object when packing or unpacking the car. He was not certain he wanted to know where America had hidden it.

"Whatever," Poland said as he examined his fingernails. "This is, like, totally boring. I want to go skinny dipping."

"Yay," Italy said pulling off his shirt. "I want to go swimming too."

"You put those clothes back on," Switzerland said and aimed his rifle.

Italy screamed and dove into Germany yelling for protection.

"Calm down and put your shirt back on," Germany said as Italy flailed in his arms.

Romano glared at Germany "Get your hands off my brother you stinking bastard!"

"Aargh, please don't yell at Germany, brother."

"I'll yell at whoever I want!"

A gun was cocked. "I said put your clothes back on."

"Bonjour, belle dames," France said and snaked an arm around Seychelles and Belgium's waists.

"Get off me!" Prussia yelled from the middle of the clearing.

Hungary tightened her choke hold. "Not until you apologise to Austria."

"Never!"

"So, are we like going skinny dipping or what?"

Two screams sounded followed by an 'oof'' before France doubled over and fell to his knees, much to England's amusement. Japan checked the shot on his camera.

Austria pushed his glasses up his nose. "And to think I could be at home playing the piano."

A few feet away, Canada returned, breathless and sweaty. "I just saw-"

"Where's the other one two?" America interrupted, his gaze focused on the two crates in Canada's hands..

"I couldn't... couldn't carry them as well," Canada handed the food to America and leant over to catch his breath.

"Dude, you need to exercise more, you look like you're gonna have a hernia," America said as he carried a crate in each hand to his fort.

Canada glared at America. "They're heavy, and I had to run back to tell you that-"

"Fine, if you're gonna bitch about it, I'll guess I can get the other two boxes. Guard the food with your life." America narrowed his eyes. "Your life."

"No, wait..." Canada grasped America's bomber jacket as he strode past.

England frowned. "Does anyone else feel a sinister presence?"

Lithuania trembled as Russia materialised out of the shadows behind him and clamped a hand on his shoulder. "Hello comrades."

The entire camp stilled as they turned to Russia and his child-like smile.

All except Poland who stepped between him and Lithuania. "Keep your hands off my Liet, he totally belongs to me now."

Russia continued his creepy, eyes shut smile. "Aww, but I miss my little Lithuania. It's not the same without him."

China pushed by Russia. "Will you hurry up and move out of the way."

"Are, like, the two of you here together?" Poland asked.

"Da."

"What! No we're not, how dare you tell everyone that," China said and smacked Russia.

"But we are together."

"No, I came here with you, Estonia and Latvia."

"But you and I going to share a tent together."

"We are not sharing anything together! I am having my own tent and you are sharing with those two, aru."

"Aww..."

"Lithuania," Latvia shouted and ran to hug his friend. "It's so good to see you again."

France sidled up to England. "Aren't you going to tell Russia to leave like you told everyone else to?"

"Oh now you want me to tell people to leave," England said. "Well screw you tosser. You told me to give it a rest so I'm not saying anything."

"You're just too scared."

"You say something then!" England yelled.

"But I'm a guest, I couldn't possibly tell someone to leave."

"If you can invite people then you tell them to bugger off."

"Coward!"

"Wimp!"

"Scaredy cat!"

"Chicken!"

"Why don't you ask America to stand up to Russia?" Spain suggested. France and England looked up from their tussle on the ground.

"Oui, I think that would be best; this trip was his idea in the first place."

"Exactly, and it would be rude for us to step in when he's in charge."

England and France picked themselves up and turned to their equipment to find Canada sat atop the four stacked crates.

"Er, America went to get the rest of the food."

"Greedy Americans," a familiar sing-song voice said.

France and England spun around to find Russia behind them.

"Er, yeah, greedy Americans," England agreed as France shivered beside him.

Russia smiled.

England and France forced the corners of their mouths up as they clung to one another.

"We're here," Denmark shouted as he and the rest of the Nordics plus Sealand, strode into the clearing.

Sealand ran around with his arms outstretched like a plane. "Yay, I'm a country too, just like everyone else here."

"You are not a country," England shouted as Sealand ran by.

Sealand stuck out his tongue. "I am so a country, jerk face."

"You don't even have land!"

"That doesn't matter!"

"Yes it does!"

Sealand ignored him when he spotted Latvia and ran over to show off his new toy.

Denmark clapped his hands together. "Okay guys, lets make this our base." He stepped in the gap between the Baltics and America's group and dropped the bag from his shoulders. "Sweden, Finland and Sealand can sleep there and we can sleep here," he said grabbing Norway and Iceland's bags and dropping them beside America's fort.

Norway elbowed Denmark's ribs. "Who said we're sharing with you?"

"Of course we are, we're brothers," Denmark said and squeezed Norway and Iceland into his chest.

"You're not my brother," Iceland said.

"That doesn't matter because we're family." Denmark ruffled Iceland's hair until he managed to squirm away.

"Why don't we all just share one tent?" Finland suggested.

"Not enough room," Sweden said, his face blank. "But you and I can sleep together like we used to."

Finland squeaked. "You mean when we camped outside after leaving Denmark's house?" he asked with a forced laugh, deliberately not adding the part where they had shared a pillow and Sweden had practically cuddled Finland.

There was a pause for before Sweden said, "Yeah, sure."

Finland smiled nervously before distracting himself with his dog, Hanatamago.

"Okay," Denmark said. "We're going to get the tent up first. Iceland, you clear room while Norway begins setting it up. I'll supervise."

"Stop talking idiot," Norway said and flicked his ear.

Denmark rubbed his ear but the dumb grin remained on his face.

"Attention non-Americans!" a voice shouted through the clearing. Everyone quieted and turned to watch American push Canada off the crates so he could stand on them. "Since this was my idea and my flag in the ground it means I'm the boss and, as the boss, I have some ground rules. Number 1, this is my food and no one is allowed to eat any of it except me."

"It's my and Japan's food too," France said.

"Then no one but me, Japan and France are allowed to eat it."

"I brought the beer, asshat."

"Fine, no one but me, Japan, France and England are allowed to touch it."

Canada raised his hand but America was too busy narrowing his eyes and sweeping an accusatory finger across the nations to notice. "And if anyone else so much as steals a french fry," he said, his voice low and threatening, "I will take that as a decleration of war."

Sorry if this chapter seems chaotic but I had a lot of nations to get through and it ended up being longer than I had originally guessed. Next chapter will be similar with the focus shared between multiple characters but after that things will settle down as everyone begins to seperate and do their own thing.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favourited and followed my story and I hope you like this second chapter just as much.