Due to him spending a bit too much time hanging out with South Korea, America had taken up a new, rather addicting hobby: playing StarCraft II. It had become so obsessive that he'd taken up begging England to let South Korea come over every day, a routine that was beginning to irk the British nation.
"Now America," he began, planning on giving America one of his famous lectures while the colony played what must have been his fifteenth game of the day. "You can't waste your time cooped up in here playing this silly game all day. Look outside, it's beautiful! I'm sure Japan or Cana - Are you even listening to me?!"
The answer to England's question was, to put it simply, no, he was not. In fact, he was doing the exact opposite and tuning him out. He could have cared less about what his guardian was trying to tell him. The only thing on America's mind was raising his status, and he was barely even tall enough to reach the keyboard.
"No! Dude, Korea, don't do that! Turn around! The other way - Dammit. We lost."
America took his headphones off and put them on the desk, finally giving some attention to England, who was quickly losing patience.
"Yeah, right, England, what were you saying?" the little nation asked, stifling a yawn.
"I said, you have to stop playing this game every blooming minute of the day."
"Well, I'm not playing now!" America pointed out. "Actually, I think I'm going to go take a nap."
England looked him over accusingly. "How late did you stay up playing last night?"
"Late? What do you mean? I haven't been to bed yet!"
"Right, then. That's it. No more computer for you. We're sobering you up."
"What?! Iggy, nooooooo!" the colony whined. "You can't!"
"I think I can. And I will. Now, go to bed before I take you there myself."
America, however, refused to budge. He crossed his arms in defiance and stuck his tongue out. "I'm staying right here."
England, unfazed, had predicted such a reaction. "You have three seconds before I summon the ghosts."
At the G-word, America's eyes widened and he bolted off to his room.
"Now that's over, time to hide this infernal contraption," the bushy-browed Englishman muttered to himself.
Meanwhile...
America was not asleep. Rather, he'd locked his door and pretended to be asleep while he texted South Korea.
-Iggybrows is bein a jrk :(
~dude, that suxxx. ur gonna miss the big trnamnt!
-dont remind me. ive got a plan, but i need prussias help.
~on it.
America filled South Korea in on his plan, and South Korea, in turn, told Prussia. Five minutes later, England's phone rang, and Prussia was suggesting the two arrange a playdate between America and Germany.
Thus, the day of the StarCraft tournament arrived, and South Korea had mass amounts of Yan-Yan at the ready. Japan had come to join him, bringing some Pocky, even though Korea insisted they eat the Korean Pocky rather than Japan's.
"Is he coming?" Japan asked through his seventh box.
Korea checked his watch. "He should be. Any minute now."
As if on cue, the doorbell rang.
"I'LL GET IT!" Korea hollered. Not that he really needed to, since China had taken the other Asian nations out for lunch, and he and Japan were the only ones home.
Not to his surprise, Prussia was standing there with America, who was beaming triumphantly.
"Remember, if you guys get in trouble, I was never here, right?" Prussia reminded the three littler countries, who saluted simultaneously.
"Good. Now, have fun, little awesome dudes!"
And he walked away, "kesesesese"ing.
"Come on, it's starting!"
Korea, Japan, and America ran upstairs and settled in front of Korea's 60" HD TV.
"From Korea, of course," he didn't hesitate to point out.
They watched the tournament intently, their little eyes never leaving the screen. They ate hamburgers and Pocky and Yan-Yan, and completely left the real world for the duration of the competition.
Which is why they didn't hear China come home.
Nor did they hear England and China talking to each other.
And they definitely didn't hear their voices coming closer.
What they DID hear, however, was the door to Korea's room opening, and two very pissed nations standing in the doorway.
"America." England's voice was deathly calm, like the eye of a hurricane right before the worst part of the storm. "Care to explain what's going on, love?" The way he emphasized "love" made it blatantly obvious that he was NOT feeling any love at the moment.
"I...erm...Korea?"
Korea held his hands up innocently. "Hey, I have authorization!" he said defensively, speaking through the stick of Yan-Yan in his mouth.
"You're not totally clear yourself, Korea," China scolded. "You're just as guilty as America." The oldest Asian nation turned to Japan. "Japan, did you know about this?"
Honest goody-two-shoes as he is, Japan nodded. "Hai, nii-sama, I did. Gomen na sai."
For dramatic effect, he let a few tears fall down his cheeks. Korea and America scoffed, easily seeing through the act, but everyone knows about China's weakness for cute things.
"No, xiáo yī, don't cry! You're not in any trouble, don't worry." China scooped Japan up and patted his back.
England picked America up as well, but not nearly as endearingly.
"I'm sorry, China," he apologized, but China just shook his head.
"Don't apologize to me, Opium. We both made mistakes."
England nodded gratefully and carried America back home, where he promptly set him down on his bed and interrogated him. Before long, America was in tears, telling England everything that he'd done and just how sorry he was and he'd never, ever, EVER be a bad boy again and he'll even eat England's cooking without complaint, which was a very serious sacrifice.
England, British Jerk of Jerks he is, was slightly moved. However, he was tied by a sense of parental responsibility.
He sat on the side of the bed and patted America's back soothingly. "I'm sorry, America, but I still have to take away your computer."
America hiccuped and wiped his eyes. "I *hic* know. I'm *hic* sorry, England."
"I'm taking it away for a month now, okay? It'll be back before you know it."
However, right after the word "month", America looked up at England in horror, and it was revealed that he'd never actually been crying at all, which really shouldn't have come as a surprise.
"You're taking it away for a whole month? How am I going to survive?!"
England sighed and facepalmed, not having the energy required to undergo negotiations.
"Just take the bloody thing, I don't give a damn anymore. Play until your fingers fall off."
"Yay~! Thanks, Iggy!" America scampered off and England went downstairs, only to collapse on his armchair.
"Please, God, let him grow up quickly..."
Be careful what you wish for, England~