*In this chapter, we discuss drinking ages! :D Yeah, I found all this on Wikipedia, so correct me if I get something wrong. And the drinking age of Italy during this time (it's been recently raised) was very vague so I'm going with sixteen. (It's currently eighteen.) And the age of Germany BLEW. MY. MIND. Technically, world's LOWEST drinking age, from what I've seen! Being German is AWESOME! :D Oh, and should I raise the rating on this story? Cuz I don't know if drinking would be appropriate for K+.*

"Hey, Paulo!" I called, strolling back into the house. "Paulo, I got you something!"

I instantly heard stomping down the stairs and my brother bounded up to me loudly. "You got me a present, sorella? You're the best!" He gave me a bone-crushing hug and when he released me I swayed where I stood before righting my stuff.

"Err… Here." I held out a curvy black case. "You told me you played, right?"

He gasped. "You got me one?! It's a viola, isn't it?" He grabbed it from me and heaved it onto the kitchen counter, unlatching it and flinging the lid open.

"Yeah, I think," I muttered. "You said you played the viola, right?"

Paulo removed the instrument and put it under his chin with his hand on the handle. "It's a violin, actually," he giggled.

"Oh." I blushed. Before he could take the bow and begin to play, he entered the room.

"Hi," Italy yawned. "What're you doing…?"

"None of your business!" I snapped. Italy winced. "Um, nothing…" I turned back to Paulo. "Sorry."

"That's okay," Italy said groggily.

"What's up with him?" Paulo asked obliviously.

"Did we wake you from your nap?" I asked Italy flatly. He nodded slowly. "There. We just woke him, that's all."

"What time is it…?" Italy glanced at the clock on the wall and he was suddenly wide awake. "…It's that late already?!"

"Yeah, your brother left for church a while ago," I shrugged. "You know. The responsible one."

"But I go more than he does-"

"Shut up."

"That's good!" Paulo exclaimed. "You can hang out with us for a while! Okay?"

"No!" I squeaked. I cleared my throat and repeated, "No."

"Okay!" Italy grinned.

"Nein!" I groaned.

"We could have a drink or something!" Paulo suggested.

"Nai, non, nei! How many languages do I have to say 'no' in for you idiots to listen?!" I shouted.

"What's wrong?" Italy asked. "It wouldn't be bothering anyone."

"Yeah!" Paulo added. "Plus, it's been a while since I've had good wine. Or any wine at all." He frowned and put the violin away. "I make a horrible Italian."

"Uh, yeah," I huffed. "Look, you guys can drink if you want, but I'm not having any."

"Why?" Italy asked. "Haven't you had wine before?"

"…" I blushed. "I'm not old enough. I have to be twenty-one. I'm only nineteen."

"In the States!" Paulo laughed. "Man, America may seem careless, but he kinda babies his citizens with alcohol and stuff. Here in Italy, you only have to be eighteen! Oh, sixteen. They raised it in the future."

"And you should see Germany's drinking age!" Italy added. "You're half German, right? So you only have to be fourteen!"

"F-Fourteen!" I sputtered. "That's a little…young, isn't it?"

"Hey, hey, get it right," Paulo chuckled. "It's fourteen to have beer and wine with the permission of a legal guardian. If you want it on your own, you have to be sixteen."

"Even that's a little…" I trailed off. I was going to have to ask Germany what he was on when he passed that rule.

"Where's the wine~?" Paulo asked happily.

"It's in there." Italy pointed to a cabinet. "You sure you don't want any, Bella?"

"I'm sure," I said through gritted teeth. I smiled when I realized if he got drunk I could get information out of him. But, of course, he probably drank all the time, so he was probably used to it. Still, one can dream…

"Alright, how about…this one?" Paulo held up two bottles, one in each hand. One was dark red and the other was pinkish. "Sorella, how about you choose?"

I bit my lip. "I don't care."

"That one!" Italy pointed to the red one. "That one is really good."

"But if it's that great, I don't want you to waste it on us," Paulo gasped. When Italy simply smiled, he said, "Thank you! You're the best!"

"I don't want any," I huffed.

"Nobody said you had to have it," Italy assured me. "It's fine."

"You two had better not get wasted," I groaned. "'Cause if you do, I'm hightailing it over to Canada and staying somewhere quiet. You can party alone." I paused. "That reminds me, where's Scout?"

"Not sure," Paulo shrugged as he poured a glass. "She's probably over at Prussia's. She's staying with him, after all."

"Yeah, but she hangs around us all the time," I pouted as Paulo handed me the glass. He tried to shove it back into his hands but he refused to take it. "Hey! I told you I wasn't having any!"

"Just a liiiiittle sip?" he coaxed sweetly.

"Don't pressure me."

"Come on~!"

"Nu-uh."

"For your little brother?"

"Hm, let me think about tha- no."

"That was mean."

"I know."

Italy frowned and sagged his shoulders. "Don't force her to, Paulo. I understand if she doesn't want to. She was raised differently."

"Thank you," I said. I tapped my fingers on the glass angrily. "Now take it back."

"No, no, no, no!" Paulo shook his head and giggled childishly. "You have to try it sometime! It tastes good! Ple-"

Before he could continue, I tilted my head back and downed the whole glass. I tossed it back to him and wiped my mouth. "There. Happy?"

"Um, you didn't have to do that, you know," Italy muttered.

"Well, I did." I tried not to show how out of it I was. The wine tasted…uh… I think the word to describe it would be "POW!" It's just so strong. And if you were unprepared, like I was, it'll blow you away. Not in a good way.

"Wow~! Sorella was so brave~!" Paulo cooed. I didn't think "brave" was the word. Then again, his English wasn't the best. "My turn!" He excitedly poured a glass and drank it. I grimaced. This was going to be a long, LONG day.

Insert Transition Here

I gripped my cup angrily. I'd lost count of how much I'd had. The extent of my knowledge was that there were six empty bottles thrown onto the counter. Now, how did I get to having wine? Here's my answer: The guys wouldn't shut up! Seriously, don't even teach kids peer pressure in school. They will get pulled into it by a country and their long-lost twin brother. Probably.

"Eh…sorella~!" Paulo threw his arms around me from behind. I grunted in reply. I was way too tired to move. "How do ya feel?"

"Like I'm gonna die," I slurred. I fell onto the couch long-ways on my face. "Kill me."

"Um, Bella?" Italy, the only sober one in the room, tapped my head. "You okay? Do you want to go to bed?"

I grumbled something into the cushion in reply.

"Huh?"

I lifted my head up slightly. "No." My head fell back down.

I heard the country say something back to me, but it was blurred. I wondered if I was going to be able to walk without stumbling around. I rolled over and moaned, "Leave me alone…"

"…Come here, Bella." Italy helped me to my feet and I glared at him.

"I can do it myself," I spat half-heartedly. But once he let go of me, I almost fell. "This is embarrassing…" I latched onto his arm and he led me upstairs to the bedroom. I sat on the bed cross-legged and sighed. "Man, what a day."

"Um, you should probably take a nap or something," Italy suggested.

"Naps aren't the answers to all life's questions!" I muttered. "I can't see straight, I can't think straight, and I can't walk right. I'm afraid I'm gonna do something dumb. Now that I think about it, we left Paulo alone down there."

"Don't worry," Italy chuckled. "I'll go check on him."

I shifted my weight uncomfortably and, for some reason, tried to look vulnerable. (I think I saw a few girls do that in movies.) "Then what about me?"

Italy blinked. "I'll come back…But don't you kind of want me away?"

I laughed like he just said the world's funniest joke. "Aw, don't worry! I'm just playing hard to get!" I leaned against him. And I tilted my head up and I…I…

I can't even say it. Fine. I'll put it in the simplest way I can.

I kissed him. Willingly.

*HORRAY! They're back! Italy x Bella are BAAAAAACK!

Italy: Ha! XD

Romano: I hate you. B(

Holy Rome: Yay, Italy, I'm so happy for you~! :D

Can't write a lot, but seriously, should I up the rating? Cuz I don't think drinking is appropriate for the rating I currently have. I know I've already mentioned it, but it's just been bugging me.

K bye.*