Romano was leaning back against a large rock, his hands behind his head, and was staring up at the sky. Veneziano was watching Japan and Greece walk across the beach.

"They're so cute, Romano!" Veneziano said a little too loud.

Romano scoffed. "I don't want to talk about them."

"I'm sorry," Veneziano pouted.

"It's not you! It's them. Alone."

"What's wrong with that?" Veneziano asked curiously.

"Can't you see what's happening? And they don't even have a clue!" Romano growled.

"What are you talking about Romano?"

"Sometimes, Veneziano, the partnerships between nations become too strong. They can fall in love, Veneziano."

"That sounds wonderful!"

"Well it's not," Romano snapped. "Because if they fall in love, the three of us will become the two of us. And we'll be all alone. Again."

"Come on, Romano. Was it really that bad?"

"Don't you understand? They... They... We raised him! We raised him and taught him everything he knows! But now Greece is here and telling him about being a nation! This is things we should've been able to do, but no! Japan could never bring himself to tell us he was a nation!"

"Well, we could've just told him that we knew, Romano," Veneziano tried to rationalize.

The older nation glared at his brother. "But Japan didn't trust us enough to tell us, Ven. It never crossed his mind that the two people raising him would like to know something like this."

"It was hard for him! Didn't you hear? China is dead. We didn't know that! Obviously Japan did. That was something he was struggling with. Whatever happened to China is big."

"We can't let them spend time together like this, Ven."

"Are you even listening to me?"

"We've got to do something to make sure they don't become friends. We've got to make them angry at each other somehow. Then Japan won't leave us. He's going to stay here and help us fight if we need to."

North Italy shook his head slowly and sighed. His brother obviously wasn't going to listen to him and he was just going to have to go along with whatever he said until Romano came to his senses and actually listened. "Fine, what do you think we should do?"


"What are they doing?" Veneziano asked, trying to see over his brother.

"Shh." Romano hissed at him. "They're just sitting on the cliff... And now Greece is... Whoa! He just jumped!"

"What?" the younger nation felt panic rise up through his body. "Greece jumped off the cliff?"

South Italy shook his head, "He's fine. Japan's talking to him. Now hush. I think if we push Japan, we could catch Greece by surprise and..."

"That's dangerous!"

"Kiku... Japan studied martial arts, didn't he? He'll be fine."

"Romano, I don't think that works the way you think it does."

"Shh, now come on." Romano ran forward, but Japan jumped before Romano was able to push him. Going too fast to stop, the nation was just barely able to grab on to the edge of the cliff before he fell into the water below. "Um, Ven," he choked out. "A little help?"


It took Veneziano almost the entirety of Japan and Greece's swim to pull Romano back to safety. "What do you want to do now?" he asked.

"I don't know. I didn't think we'd have to try more than one thing."

"Aren't you being just a little bit silly, Mano?"

"Don't call me that! Now, all we have to do is think of a new way to get these two angry at each other... Oh! If we steal their clothes..."

"Steal their clothes?"

"Yes! If we steal their clothes, Japan won't feel very comfortable will he? He always makes it a point to make sure he looks different. Though it's only his shirt, he will be very angry at Greece for talking him into cliff diving and then he'll..."

Veneziano yanked Romano by the arm and pulled him into the bushes. "They're coming! Shh!"

"Wait! Grab their clothes we still have time!"

The younger nation put a hand over his brother's mouth and watched as Greece collected all of their things and playfully pushed Japan off the cliff again, running down the path and laughing.

"See? Wasn't that cute, Romano?"

"That was sickening! How can you just let them..."

"Come on!" Veneziano said loudly, "We're going to follow them, aren't we?"


The Italy brothers looked through the window of Greece's house to find the two young nations sparring.

"Oh good, they're fighting," Romano smiled.

"I don't think it's real fighting," Veneziano told him, pointing through the window as the two fell to the ground and shared what seemed to be a very close moment. "They were just playing, Romano."

A few moments later, Japan and Greece walked out onto the street and began to walk the streets, with the Italies following close behind. Each small moment pulling them away from Japan and pulling Greece closer.


The Italys were stirred awake by the muffled yelling of Japan and Greece from inside Greece's house.

"You wouldn't understand!" they heard Japan yell.

"Romano!" Veneziano hissed. "They're fighting!"

"Mhmm," Romano replied sleepily. "I can hear them."

"No! Listen!"

"You can't think that way!" Greece was yelling. "This is your responsibility!"

"Whoa," Romano jumped to his knees and looked through Greece's window. "They're really fighting, aren't they? Do you know what this means?"

"That we've dragged Japan down a road of laziness and Greece, the country known for laid back activities, actually finds Japan too apathetic?"

"It means that we've split them up!"

"Japan doesn't seem too happy about that," Veneziano observed as Japan ran from Greece's house.

"No, no, he's probably just going back to our place. This is the best thing for us...him...don't you think?"

"I'm not so sure about that."

"We should get back before he does. It'll be a lot to explain if we come in after him."