Japan sighed as he looked at the café bill. But it wasn't a surprise, was it? It wasn't like spiced tea and canoli were expensive. Italy watched him curiously, sitting in a fancy wooden chair across from him.

"I can pay." he said, reaching across the table, bumping into the skinny vase with the carnation. It tilted to and fro before finding it's balance again. Japan didn't look at him or the vase, just shaking his head. Italy withdrew his hand and put it in his lap.

"No," said Japan, getting his wallet and counting out the bills twice as many times as Germany would. Italy'd never understood the idea of counting bills while they were stuck in your wallet. What a hassle. He usually just grabbed a handful and then did the math. Or better yet, to have a date to pay for him. Japan took them out and dropped one on the table on accident and looked around with chagrin. But no one cared that he'd dropped something. Italy wanted to touch his hand tell him to stop acting so weird.

"If you're stressed out, come over here." he said.

Now Japan looked at him, but it wasn't a glare, just a look, and it lasted for several slow seconds. Then he got up and went to Italy's side of the small table.

Italy scooted over so he was only half way on his chair. Japan stood there. He had his own chair over there, he didn't need to share Italy's, right? Wrong. He needed to get unstressed. Italy patted the chair and Japan looked at him. Italy wished he would stop looking at him so much with those brownies-right-out-of-the-oven eyes, and maybe say something.

"Come on."

"Fine." said Japan, like Italy was completely childish and silly. Sure he was, Japan already knew that. In the middle of the night Japan would say that was one of the reasons he loved Italy and then Italy would say that sometimes his whole day revolved around making Japan chuckle and then he would do it right there in the dark, and then kiss him.

Japan sat down with most of his weight still on his feet because it was, in all honesty, hard to balance on a chair with only one buttcheek, but Italy was determined about this now.

He put his arm over Japan's shoulders, and Japan copied him hesitantly. Italy put his right foot, no his left, ve, no, his right leg over Japan's left, and then Italy put his left under Japan's, using his ankle to hook their legs.

"Give me your right." he said, going over Japan's stomach and grabbing around his ribs so he would stop trying to escape by leaning away. Now there was no where for Italy's head to go so it had to go on Japan's chest.

Japan put his right leg over Italy's left like he'd wanted and then Japan had to grab Italy's elbow to keep from falling. Now they were stuck together on one chair.

Italy waited for the chair to break like it would in a movie, they'd fall to the floor on top of each other and then perhaps get kicked out of the restaurant for laughing too hard or making out on the floor, but none of that happened. Japan just put his chin on Italy's head.

"This is how to win musical chairs." said Italy, and Japan chuckled at him.

Italy smiled. "Do you feel better?"

"Yes. But I think I dropped a zero on the tip." said Japan.

Oh. Maybe it hadn't exactly worked so well. "We better fix that." offered Italy.

They sat there for a moment. If one of them moved, they might fall onto the floor, but not in a romantic way.

"One. Two. Three." said Italy, and they let go and untangled from each other. Japan stood and Italy stumbled, and found that several faces were turned to them. Japan hurried back to his seat right across from Italy's, and stuck his nose into his wallet with a blush on his face.

Italy stayed near his chair and waited until Japan looked up from the check, and his face was clear of anger or embarrassment, it was just a little smile. Sometimes, sometimes Italy went too far with Japan and got cold stale brownies for his antics; but other times Japan folded his wallet and grabbed Italy's hand and someone hooted at them and the front-of-house told them to have a good afternoon and they'd go out on the sidewalk and, and Japan would say, "I think that did help." and he would smile and Italy would smile too and then they would kiss, and a kiss was really the best way to keep from being stressed out and acting funny.

Italy would have to remember that.