Translations:

Włochy = Italy, in Polish

Litwa = Lithuania, in Polish

Švedija = Sweden, in Lithuanian

Lenkija = Poland in Lithuanian

Poland was putting the last touches on his going-out outfit – just a little bit of silver eye shadow to bring out the green in his eyes – when his phone rang. Poland picked it up, and to his surprise, it was Lithuania.

"Hey, Liet! What's the occasion?"

"Lenkija," Lithuania's warm voice came through. "Am I interrupting?"

"No, totally not," Poland replied.

"Really? I'm not interrupting you getting ready for, I don't know, your date with Švedija?"

"What?" Poland sputtered. "Oh my god, no! Who told you? It was America, wasn't it? That little gossip, he's worse than England, I swear."

Lithuania was laughing at him. At him. Jerk!

"I hate your boyfriend."

"Oh come on," Lithuania cajoled. "I asked him what was new in the conference, and apparently you and Sweden are a hot topic."

"That's like, so stupid. We're just hanging out! Like, totally as friends. God, some of these nations, you'd swear they had nothing else to do," Poland muttered.

"Really?"

"Yes, really! Like, what, you think – how could you think that? I have zero interest in him, I'm like, just doing him a favor by letting him hang out with my rad self, practically."

"Of course, of course," Lithuania said, reassuringly. "I just meant – I wondered, aren't you...worried about him? I mean, I remember the old days, when we were fighting him –"

"God, Litwa, get real. That was like, a million years ago, and no, I'm not afraid of him!" Poland nearly ran a frustrated hand through his hair and ruined all the good work he had done. "He's not that bad, anyways. Okay, sure, he's kind of quiet, but he's actually kind of funny and nice, believe it or not."

"Nice?" Lithuania repeated.

"Yeah, like, um." Poland thought quickly. "Like, to his kid – you know, the one that ran me over, the bratty one?"

Lithuania hummed an affirmation.

"Okay, so like, he's nice to the kid. Like, he takes him to the park, and buys him sandwiches, and oh! When we went to this coffee shop he ate half of the kid's sandwich since he didn't want it, and gave his to the kid, which I thought was way too good of him, honestly, that kid is soooo whiny, Liet, I don't know why the hell anyone would want a kid, anyways. I probably would have slapped the brat around, but he just looksat him, and the kid behaves." Poland trailed off. There was silence on the other end. "Hey, where'd you go?"

Lithuania cleared his throat with a little cough. "I see. So, you're telling me, that he acts like a father?"

"Huh?" Poland's first reaction was to scoff, but on second thought... There was a huge difference between taking care of another nation – and Poland had seen how some nations took care of others under their reign – helloooo, Russia – and actually treating them like, well. A family.

"Well, I dunno, I guess. Yeah." Poland swallowed and looked into the mirror. He smoothed out the neck of his shirt. It was strange to think of Sweden as a dad and god, that's what he totally acted like, wasn't it? Even Poland's extremely limited knowledge on what a family would or should be like – he'd had no one, in the beginning, and the first nation he'd ever met had been on a battlefield. Even his relationship with Lithuania had begun as a partnership, purely political, coming long after he had come into maturity as a nation.

"Hm, I wouldn't have guessed," Lithuania confessed softly.

"I know, right?" Poland forced a laugh. "Like, weird, huh?"

"Mhmm," Lithuania murmured. "Well, I should let you go get ready. Be careful, okay? Should I ask America to go wi–"

"What? No, Liet, stop, jeez," Poland rolled his eyes.

"Okay, okay. Have a good night," Lithuania wished him warmly.

"'Night, Liet," Poland said and hung up the phone. That conversation had put a sort of uneasy feeling in his mind and he sighed as he did a once-over. He was so ready for Italy to get here so they could get to the club.

"Oh, it's wonderful!" Italy clapped his hands as they entered into the club. "Don't you think – look at those crystals!" He said, admiring the design they had decorated with.

"Yeah, it's okay," Poland agreed. There was something kind of old fashioned in the red velvet covering the booths, but if you liked that kind of thing, sure. Germany looked like he might be in agreement with Poland, staring at the furniture with furrowed eyebrows.

"Should we see if Sweden is here yet? Ohh – there's a second floor!" Italy looked about ready to run around the entire place to find the other nations.

"You two sit down and I'll go look," Germany ordered sternly, and Poland rolled his eyes. "And no nation names –" Although fortunately for them, the music was loud enough, and as it was early, there were few humans around to catch them speaking.

"Can you get us a drink, Germany? Please~," Italy said, oblivious, already wandering off to sit down. Poland quickly followed him.

"Yeah, like get me one too, kay?" Poland tossed over his shoulder.

Germany sighed and headed towards the bar.

Poland slid into the seat next to Italy. Italy smiled and flung an arm around him.

"I'm so glad you came! And Sweden, too, ve~"

Poland rolled his eyes again. "Włochy, seriously, like, we're not together."

The other nation just smiled at him, eyes curving. "But you're so perfect together!"

Poland rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time in the last hour. "Like, what are you smoking?"

"I don't smoke!" Italy chirped, the reference going over his head. "Oh look~"

Poland turned, expecting to see Germany coming back with their drinks, but instead he saw the entire pack of Nordic nations heading towards them. And, surprisingly enough, Estonia was with them. The Baltic nation waved nervously at him when he saw Poland glaring. Where had he been hiding this whole time?

"Feliks, Feliciano! How are you both?" Finland, as usual, was the first to speak, warmly greeting the two of them.

"Wonderful! I'm so happy you came!" Italy leapt up to greet everyone with a hug, surprising the more reticent nations with a kiss hello – on both cheeks. Poland had never seen Iceland blush so hard, although Norway took it like a champ, never changing expression. Even Sweden looked vaguely embarrassed, bending down to let Italy air-kiss the space around his face. (Denmark, of course, just grinned. So lame.)

"Hey, Feliks." Estonia was settling into the seat next to Poland, and Poland scowled at him.

"Like, what the hell! Where have you been?"

Estonia shrugged and looked a bit embarrassed. "Sorry, I've been avoiding R - Ivan." Poland was annoyed, but he could totally understand that. Although he would have been more than willing to stand up for Estonia if he had only asked.

"Are you doing okay?" Estonia leaned in close to Poland, voice low.

"Huh? Fine," Poland said, blinking and leaning back. When had Estonia gotten so loose with personal space?

"I heard that –" Estonia was cut off as Finland appeared at his side, tugging at his arm.

"Eduard, what are you two talking so seriously about?" Finland smiled and leaned into the Baltic nation. "Let's go get something to drink! Feliks, would you like something?'

"No, thanks, Ludwig's supposed to be getting me someth–"

"Okay!" And with that, Finland pulled Estonia away, who looked over his shoulder for a moment before following the short Nordic nation.

Well, that was odd, but whatever. Poland looked around him. The other nations were standing close by, talking or looking bored, depending on who you were looking at. Poland wondered if he should go drag Italy back to the table – currently he was nowhere to be found, which was probably something to be concerned about – but in the next moment he saw Sweden standing to the side of the group, looking at him.

Poland waved at him and the tall Nordic nation took a step towards him, but Poland's view was suddenly blocked as Denmark plopped down in the chair in front of him.

"So, what's up, Feliks my man?" He took a big gulp out of his beer bottle and banged it down on the table in between them. He grinned, showing a big mouthful of white teeth.

Poland tossed his head and leveled a stare at the (other) tall Nordic nation. "Nothing, how are you?" He said evenly, since it wouldn't exactly do to piss off a strong nation like Denmark – not that he was scared, or anything.

"Great! Feeling pretty good, actually," he said, rolling his shoulders and stretching his arms out. "I think I still got the moves, even after all these years," he said, flexing one arm.

"Um...okay." Poland gave him a dubious look.

"You get what I mean?" Denmark added, his eyebrows lifting as his smile sharpened.

"Um." Poland mentally ran through his options; should he be running away right now?

"Did I mention that I have an axe?"

Germany arrived right then with three drinks in his hands. "Where's Italy?" he asked, putting the bottles down on the table and looking around anxiously.

"I don't know, I'll help you look!" Poland leapt up and grabbed Germany's arm, and after a moment of tugging Germany's arm – wow, so much of what Italy said made sense now, the guy really was built, and ew – he moved slowly after Poland towards the opposite side of the room.

"We should split up. You take the upstairs and I'll start on the first floor. We'll meet in ten minutes by the front door."

"Well – alright, fine," Poland sighed. It would be really great to have Germany around if Denmark started acting crazy again, but whatever. Poland could handle it if he had too. It would suck to ruin his manicure so quickly, though.

He walked upstairs and surveyed the top part of the club. This was apparently the dance floor, and had a few humans milling around the edge, several couples cuddled close together. And sweet, they had a bar! Poland headed over there – sure, Germany had bought him a drink, but he wasn't about to go downstairs anytime soon, Denmark was still down there.

Poland picked up his drink and surveyed the room. He didn't see Italy, but maybe he was hidden behind someone else. Poland walked the perimeter, ignoring a couple of humans who looked like they wanted to chat him up. He was wandering back towards the stairway, no Italians located, when he was intercepted by Finland and Estonia.

"There you are!" Finland looked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm looking for Feliciano, have you seen him?"

"No. What are you doing up here?"

"Um, I just said –"

"I know, come on, let's go downstairs!" Finland wrapped a hand around his arm and urged him towards the stairs.

"Okay, like, what are you so hot and bothered about?" Poland removed his arm and glared at him and then towards Estonia. Estonia shrugged and frowned at Finland.

"Yes, what's downstairs exactly?" Estonia echoed.

Finland turned and gave him a look, one hand resting on his hip. "Oh, come on, Eduard. Don't be like that."

"Like, what are you guys talking about?" Poland demanded to know. The two were good friends, he knew, but they were acting oddly.

"Nothing," they said at the same time, and both looked at each other in surprise.

"Eduard!" Finland crowded next to Estonia and they argued in hushed voices that Poland could pretty easily hear.

"You're being ridiculous. You lived with him, you know he's not that bad." Finland poked a finger into Estonia's chest.

"But you didn't exactly enjoy being under rule, either." Estonia pushed his glasses further up his nose and crossed his arms.

"That's completely different! And years ago –"

Poland waved a hand in front of them. "Hellooo. I can totally hear you guys." They both looked toward him, but didn't spring apart.

"Well, nevermind that right now," Finland said, sliding his arm into the crook of Estonia's elbow. "We should look for Italy! How about you head downstairs, Feliks –"

"Ohmygod." Poland pointed to them. "You two. You're both. No way!"

Finland blinked at him. "You mean..." He turned to Estonia and looked up at him. "You didn't tell him?"

"Uh, not yet," Estonia said, and Poland could tell he was embarrassed.

"No, like, that's rad! You two are so cute!" Poland said and smiled at Estonia. Then the thought occurred to him. "Wait, so Liet –"

"He knows," Estonia confirmed, but then he paused. "Not many others do, though," he added anxiously and looked at Poland. "We'd prefer to keep it that way, actually."

"Oh, fer sure." Poland could actually keep a secret, unlike some nations. And besides, Lithuania would kill him if he let the secret out – or at least lecture him until he died of boredom. "Cross my heart and everything."

Estonia gave him a crooked smile and Finland grinned at him. "See, I told you!" he turned toward Estonia and said in a mock whisper. Estonia shook his head and his smile widened as he looked down at Finland.

"Wow. I like, totally did not expect the two of you together," Poland said with a shake of his head. Although they were so damn sweet, it made Poland's teeth hurt. And it really did confirm that Sweden wasn't with Finland anymore. Sure, he had told Poland, but wow. It was like, crazy to think it was true. "I think I need another drink."

"Great! Let's head downstairs and meet up with everyone again," Finland said.

Poland shrugged and they went back downstairs. The place was starting to get a little more crowded with people as the evening got later, and Poland saw that a couple of other nations had arrived – South Italy was scowling at Germany and had an arm around his brother's neck. Poland almost missed Sweden standing against the wall, looking out in the distance. He was tall enough, sure, but he was like, practically blending into the wall.

"Hey!" Poland squirmed around a body and came to stand next to Sweden. "Having fun?"

Sweden shrugged. "You?"

"Yeah, it's been weird, but fun." Weird didn't even really begin to cover it, but whatever. As soon as the music started it'd be like a million times better. At least then no one would be paying attention to him.

Sweden nodded. He held a bottle in one hand and his other was tucked in his pocket as he leaned against the wall. He looked pretty good, Poland could admit. Although there wasn't anything outstanding about his clothes, there was something very clean and classic about his style, which Poland could admire.

"I like your shirt!" Poland said, because he did. "It's totally chill."

Sweden glanced down at himself and then up at Poland. "Thanks. I, ah." He waved a hand towards Poland. "Y'look great," he said, crossing his arms over his chest, eyes staring fixedly in the distance, over the heads of other people.

"Well, yeah, duh," Poland tossed his head and grinned, and Sweden met his eyes with a smile of his own. That was good. Poland was starting to wonder if seeing Finland and Estonia was too weird for the nation. Like, it was weird enough for Poland, what must it be like for Sweden? Poland raised his drink and finished it in a single swallow. The cup was slipped out of his hand in a moment, Sweden capturing it with a single big hand.

"I'll g't you anot'er," he said, and Poland chirped back, "Totally!" He was like, too sweet. Hard to believe that Finland wouldn't want him!

He watched the tall nation walk over through the crowd. Again, most people moving out of the way for him, something that Poland was coming to envy. And then he turned his head to meet the hard stare of Norway.

The silent Nordic nation stared at Poland. Poland blinked and stared back. Denmark was there, looping an arm around Norway's neck and grinning at Poland. Poland felt a cold chill sweep down his back. What in the world was up with these Nordics tonight? Seriously, all of them were acting strange. Poland searched around behind the two nations – there was South Italy, scowling murderously – he'd be no help at all – and Prussia, two beers in one hand – who invited that guy – and America.

"Alfred!" Poland had never felt more relieved to see the nation, not that he'd ever admit that.

America turned around at the sound of his voice and practically flew towards them. "Guys!" His voice boomed, and the people around them turned to see what the commotion was about. Poland winced. That guy had no volume control. Poor Liet must be deaf by now.

"Dude!"

"Dude!" Both Denmark and America bumped fists, and if Poland didn't know better, he'd say that Norway was holding back an eye-roll at the two blonde's antics.

"Feliks, what's up?" America turned the full force of his personality towards him and clapped his on the shoulder. It hurt a little, but Poland was totally tough and pretended otherwise. "Like, great, and you?" He responded through his teeth.

"Doin' good, man," America said confidently, and then leaned closer to Poland, sliding his hand around to hang off of Poland's shoulder.

"You okay, dude?" He peered into Poland's face.

"Yeah, fine," Poland huffed, waving a hand in front of his face to get the burger breath off of him.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." Poland frowned at America. God, he was totally reporting on him to Lithuania, wasn't he?

America shrugged and leaned back, although his arm – which was not particularly light, thanks very much – remained on Poland's shoulder. "Okay, but I'm the one who gets in trouble if you're not, ya dig?"

Poland rolled his eyes. And that was his problem how? "Duh," he responded. Norway and Denmark were staring, and although Norway's expression didn't change, Denmark leveled Poland a glare.

America started talking about some music or something or other, oblivious to the tension. Poland was just about to squirm out from under his arm and escape – god, how many times would he have to, like, do that tonight? – when Sweden entered back into their circle.

He handed Poland his drink silently, eyes on America.

"Thanks!" Poland smiled and took his drink. Sweden didn't say anything, but his eyes met Poland's. Then his gaze slid up back towards America and he looked away.

There was a crash of music, echoing through the room, loud enough to be heard over the din of chatter. People started moving towards the stage, wherever that was, and Poland shrugged America's arm off. America was still talking to anyone who would listen, even over the loud sounds of music.

Poland turned towards Sweden. "Hey, let's go get a spot!" He yelled over the noise, tapping the Nordic nation's arm to get his attention.

Sweden jerked his head toward him at the noise, and stared intently into Poland's eyes. He mumbled something that Poland couldn't catch and shook his head.

"What?" Poland raised himself on his toes, trying to hear the quiet nation's voice.

"–somethin' to do," Sweden was muttering slightly louder, not looking at Poland. He shrugged Poland's hand away and took a step back. "Thanks f'r," he waved a hand in the general direction of the club, and Poland couldn't quite hear what he said, beyond a "See ya later."

"What!" Poland said.

Sweden tossed his bottle in the trash with his back to Poland, not hearing him, or worse, ignoring him, and stepped through the crowd of people. Poland saw his blond hair flash for a moment, above the heads of most people, as he disappeared out the door.

"Like. What. The. Hell." Poland snapped and put his hand on his hip. The Swede had acted like he was mad, but his face had said otherwise. Well, that wasn't quite true. His face almost always looked stoic, but his eyes hadn't met Poland's the whole time through the last interaction. It couldn't be 'cause he was mad. Poland had seen the Nordic nation angry and that was, like scary enough to imprint on his mind forever. No, this time it was different.

Poland huffed to himself and turned to find the rest of the nations. Like, he couldn't waste the rest of the night thinking about Sweden! He squeezed past Prussia, slapping his hand away when he tried to get too friendly, to stand beside Italy, avoiding the Nordics. The last thing he wanted to do was to get involved with any of them. They were like, so dramatic it was killing him.

The rest of the night was fun, entertaining enough for Poland, especially watching Prussia and Romano Italy argue with each other. America didn't help, egging them both on until they turned against him and Germany had to interfere to stop South Italy from too much violence. And all of this during some pretty good music, so Poland had to wonder how much they could even hear each other.

But as much as he enjoyed himself, he couldn't stop from feeling like something was not quite right. It was enough to like, totally ruin a guy's night.