Looks who's back! Hey, I'm super sorry about the feels in the last chapter, so here's something a little more bittersweet and funny!

Context: Again, thank you GalaxyWolf2.0 for proposing the idea that Germany and Australia had met once when they were little due to Prussia and England.

I looked this up in google and unfortunately there was no way for Germany and Australia to have met when they were particularly young since Germany was formed in 1871 (or 1815 depending, but I think Himaruya meant for Germany to be formed when the states banded together, judging from the comic about his birth). So realistically, they would have to have met after the Eureka stockade, New Zealand colonisation, and the two would have been teenagers (at least Australia would have). And so I researched the soonest time in history that Germany and England would have to have relations and discovered the Anglo-German Agreement of 1890 which was signed on the 1st of July. However, when I dug deeper I was informed that Odo Russell had close relations with Bismark (due to him being the first British ambassador to the German Empire) around 1871-1884 which was his term in English office appointed as such.

So, realistically I can set up a meet for them around this time where Germany is youngish and Australia is a teen (13 maybe). Also, it said in the manga strip about the formation of Germany that Germany was born older than other nations because he already had a preexisting body (this is directly from the strip), so take that as you will.

Phew, that took some work!

Anyway, just as a warning, I don't know if this is entirely true, as wikipedia can be unreliable and I'm a bit too lazy to fact check right now, so take all this information with a grain of salt and don't quote me in any history assignments.

So here we go!

Enjoy!

It wasn't like Australia didn't like meeting new people. He loved new people, it was fun to make friends with others like him and even not like him. He liked learning about what they liked, what they didn't like and all that stuff.

But he didn't like itchy clothes.

He would much rather walk around in his birthday suit than be stuck in scratchy formal-wear, but England had told him time and time again that it wasn't polite to do so. It was apparently poor manners and savage and he should be grateful that he has clothes in the first place. And he was grateful! Just not when they're giving him a rash.

"Do we really need to dress-up?" Australia whined, wondering if New Zealand would join his protest this time.

"Yes," England said, fussing with the boy's collar.

"But why?" Australia groaned, crossing his arms.

"Because I said so," England said firmly, standing back to check his handiwork. Although Australia had been growing a lot recently, he had yet to pass England's stature at 175cm, but he was close. Very close.

He was going to out-grow that old man if it was the last thing he did.

"Why are you always the one complaining?" England grumbled. "New Zealand never says anything."

Australia looked to his older brother who was ironically a newer addition to the house than himself, "Because he's a suck-up."

"You're just jealous I'm the favourite," New Zealand whispered with a demure smile.

"See!" Australia exclaimed. "You never notice when he does anything wrong!"

"Australia be quiet and stop annoying your brother," England told him off and Australia made a noise of betrayal.

"Don't worry England, I'll make sure Aus doesn't scare off your friends," New Zealand said reassuringly.

"Thank you dear," England said absently, staring at the door.

"Did you not hear what he just said?" Australia huffed. "I wouldn't scare off your mates!"

"I'm sure you'd find some way," New Zealand sighed.

"Oi, rude!" Australia punched New Zealand in the arm.

"Australia cut it out," England snapped. "There's no need to hurt your brother."

"But-"

"No buts, they're here."

New Zealand sent Australia a smile, poorly concealing the smugness.

"Damn kiwi…" Australia mumbled disdainfully.

England sent him a look and Australia closed his mouth. The door they all stood in front of was one Australia knew well, and not a thing had changed about it since he'd first laid eyes on it. Maybe except the dent in the handle… he could take responsibility for that.

England opened the door with a poised smile when a few knocks singled the arrival of their guests. The first person Australia saw was a tall pale man with silver-white hair and purple-red eyes. The man was grinning widely, and Australia couldn't help but think of it as a mischievous smile.

"Hallo England!" the tall man said excitedly, giving the man an enthusiastic hand-shake.

"Hello Prussia," England nodded before looking behind the man. "And hello to you as well Germany."

From safely behind Prussia another boy stepped forward stiffly, eyes trained to the ground as he shook England's hand and muttered an introduction. The kid wasn't that young, maybe a few years or so younger looking than Australia himself, with light blond hair and blue eyes.

But… England said Germany formed in 71… how could he have grown up so fast?

"It's very nice to meet you Germany, my ambassador has said great things about you," England smiled. "Would you like to meet my colonies?"

Germany looked to Prussia then nodded.

"This is New Zealand, and this is Australia, I hope you three can get along well," England put a hand on New Zealand's shoulder.

"Hello Germany, it's nice to meet you," Zea extended his hand and shook it with Germany's.

What was with all he hand-shaking? It was so boring!

"Hallo, it is nice to meet you as well," Germany said softly, his accent close to Prussia's.

England sent a warning look in Australia's direction, but he pointedly ignored it and grinned impishly.

"G'day Germany!" He exclaimed, relishing the wince from England and he clapped the younger boy on the back. "It's great to meet you, I hope we become right good friends!"

Prussia snorted in amusement and hid his face behind a hand to stop a snicker. Germany on the other hand looked very confronted and red in the face as he nodded along. Australia took pride in the visitor's reactions and smirked at England.

"S-so do I?" Germany mumbled, looking at Prussia for help.

"I like these two, England," Prussia snickered at England's silent mortification, but quieted down when Germany tugged harshly on his coat.

"Ok, ok, let's go inside west," Prussia ruffled the boy's hair and walked in.

England thought that was a very good idea, and judging by the look he gave Australia, he was in for it after the two Germanic countries had left.

It was so worth it.

New Zealand also looked embarrassed at Australia's antics and that made it double worth it.

Soon enough, England and Prussia decided that politics weren't for children and told them to go and get to know each other. Australia was excited, he didn't really have any friends apart from Canada and New Zealand… and maybe Scotland, but he had the sneaking suspicion Scotland was about as fed up with him as England at this point. No matter, Germany would be his friend by the end of the day or his name wasn't Australia!

"So, what do you like to do in your free time?" Australia said, seated on the ground in a circle with the other two nations.

"Um, read." Germany replied.

"What type of books?" New Zealand prompted.

"History books, war tactics, poetry, and sometimes fairy tales." Germany blushed in embarrassment at the last bit.

"That sounds so boring!"

"That sounds really interesting!"

New Zealand gave Australia a look.

"What?" Australia threw his hands in the air. "It is boring. Who wants to read about all that?"

"Obviously Germany does," New Zealand scolded him, "and I think it's sweet aa- uh, I mean swell." New Zealand stumbled on the slang and held back a glare when Australia laughed.

"Danke," Germany muttered to Zea, "but it's ok, Prussia says it's boring too."

"Me and Prussia would get along, mate," Australia smiled. "Hows about we all head upstairs?"

"I'd prefer to stay down here," New Zealand said and Germany nodded.

Australia frowned and shrugged, "Suit yourselves."

The young nation walked away a bit of a huff, deciding that those two were just boring and it wasn't worth his time to talk with them anyway. But after spending a few minutes in his room, his view changed a bit. He supposed it wouldn't be that boring to talk to them, plus, he could always offer to show them Robbo (his mouse). However, those two seemed to have other plans, as Australia stopped at the foot of the stairs to see the two happily chatting away like they were already best mates. It struck a bit of a nerve. Surely they couldn't be having that much fun without him? Australia crossed his arms and leant on the wall beside the door-way, deciding that it was a nice place to stand and sulk on his own.

"Hey mini-Austria."

Australia turned his head to see Prussia coming from down the hall. He'd probably been to the bathroom.

"Who's Austria?" Australia tilted his head.

That was a new one. If anything he thought he'd be called America again. Australia was very relieved he wasn't.

"Just an old priss I know," Prussia smirked, "he looks just like you."

Australia wrinkled his nose, "I look like a priss?"

Prussia snickered, "Yeah, but I can tell you're nothing like him."

Australia guessed that was better than nothing, but it rubbed him the wrong way. Apparently everything about him belonged to someone else now. His looks were Austria's and his personality was America's.

What fun.

"Why the long face?" Prussia leant agains the wall next to him.

Australia shrugged, "No reason, mate."

"Don't lie to the awesome Prussia," he said, "I see right through you."

Aus scoffed and didn't reply.

"Ah, the moody teenager phase," Prussia smirked. "I'm not looking forward to West getting there. Lord knows he'd only get more sullen and antisocial."

"I'm not moody," Australia fired back, but realised that in staying that he sounded moody, and promptly groaned.

Prussia seemed to find this supremely funny, "You know, you remind me of a certain country. I helped him out in a war when he was a bit older than you are now, I don't suppose England's mentioned Am-"

"America," Australia scowled. "Yeah, I know the guy. Gonna say I'm just like him, huh? Too bad, you're a few nation's too late to be the first."

Prussia went silent for a moment before nodding.

"Oh, so that's how it is," he said a little more seriously. "Don't worry bud, one day you'll make a name for yourself. Not 'America', not 'Austria', and not 'England's colony'… I can tell."

Australia looked up at Prussia past his brown hair, "Really?"

"Yeah, really," Prussia smiled, but this smile wasn't mischievous or smirking.

Australia couldn't help the ticking up of his lips as he averted his gaze to inside the door. He wanted to go and join New Zealand and Germany but they seemed to be doing fine without him. Plus, he'd taken off and called them boring, who said they wanted him back?

"You want to go join them?" Prussia guessed.

"Yeah, but I kinda called them boring and stormed out," Australia scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Ah, don't worry about it," Prussia waved his concerns away, "West isn't the type to get hissy over something like that."

"I figured, but I don't have anything to talk about with them. I'm all outside-and-cause-trouble, while those two are all books-are-fun."

"As I said, don't worry about it," Prussia shrugged. "If you can't talk, then listen."

Hmm, listening sounded boring, but he guessed he could give it a try.

"Hey Prussia?" Australia's voice stopped the nation from leaving.

"Yeah kid?"

"How come Germany already looks so old?" Australia nodded to his brother sitting with the blond kid. "I mean, he was only formed, what, five years ago?"

Prussia looked uncomfortable for a second, "Eh, I don't know how nation's work." He avoided the question slightly. "But if you want, I'll give you a hint to making conversation with Germany."

Australia listened closely.

"Ask him about sword-fighting."

And that was how Australia ended up on the floor with a broom handle pointed to his throat, not even twenty minutes later.

Apparently Prussia still thought sword-fighting was a skill that held value in this day and age of guns and fire-arms. When asked about it, Germany was reluctant to give a demonstrated, but Australia though it was too cool not to see. And indeed it was, armed with a broom stick, Germany offered to teach him and Zea a few things. Apparently a sword was very different from a broomstick, but they did just fine. Eventually Australia got tired of whacking a tree out back and wanted to actually spar. Germany, again, was reluctant, but he'd seemed to warm up to Australia some time between him falling on his ass after trying to whack Zea and apologising profusely when he'd accidentally hit Germany in the back.

Australia huffed few breaths to make sure he didn't suffocate. Who knew sword fighting was so tiring?

"Es tut mir leid, I didn't mean to knock you over!" Germany tossed he stick aside and held out a hand. "You're not hurt are you?"

Australia laughed and took it, "No way mate, that was amazing! You beaut, if that was a real sword, I'd be done for!"

"Don't worry about him Germany, his head is hard enough to need a pick-axe to do any real damage." New Zealand said chuckled softly.

"Oi, rude!" Australia used Germany to haul himself up to stand. "But regardless, you fight well, I'd hate to have to verse you in a war."

Germany went red at the praise, "Danke, I could say the same about you and New Zealand. You fight well for nations who have not fought before. I don't see us needing to battle any time soon though."

Australia grinned, "Good that, or else we'd be screwed! Did you say you'd fought before?"

Germany shrugged, "Usually Prussia defends me, but yes, sometimes I have to."

Australia frowned a little but decided that Germany would only feel worse if he did. It didn't seem fair for Germany to have to fight. He was younger than him, and he looked it too. But that wasn't how nations worked was it?

"Oh well, you'll be a strong one I bet," New Zealand ruffled the boy's hair a bit, but it looked weird because New Zealand was only 5 inches taller.

Unfortunately, England then decided that him and Prussia's business was over and Germany had to leave. Australia was sad to see him go, but he hoped he'd meet him again some time. It was sort of sad that with nations that you sometimes wouldn't see each other for decades. But Australia guessed that was just the way it was.

Although, he could hope to see the soft spoken nation and his older brother soon.

There was nothing wrong with hoping.

End note: Hallo in German is hello, Danke is thank you, and Es tut mir leid is I am sorry.