Chapter 7's here! It's not very long, but I wanted to emphasize more of Romano's growing feelings for Liechtenstein, so... this doesn't have as many actions as thoughts. But I hope you all enjoy!

VI. The "Bad Touch" encounter

Liechtenstein and Veneziano.

He'd finally figured it out.

Romano couldn't believe that he had been too fucking stupid to put the pieces together. But after having the siesta the day before with the two of them, he'd finally figured it out. Of course, his 'twin image' in the dreams had to be Veneziano. Who else could it be? And Liechtenstein... after he'd seen her smile so fondly at his little brother, he had come to realize that she was indeed the girl in his dreams. Her breathtaking smile... how could he forget about that? And the spark of determination in her eyes, the way she always praised them and smiled when they were happy... those were features that truly belonged to Liechtenstein, in his reality and his dream world. The braids... well, he didn't quite know what happened to those, but the blonde girl in his dreams and Liechtenstein were the same. He was sure of that.

Romano grumpily picked up a tomato from his bedside table and shoved it into his mouth. It was past breakfast time, and he was still lying in bed. Spain had called up to see what was wrong, and he had yelled a few curse words at the innocent Spaniard before hiding back behind his covers. He had wished that he could take back the words said to Liechtenstein, wished it so badly that he couldn't drag himself out of bed to apologize to her. He was ashamed of himself. Italy Romano was a shameful coward.

But then he had wondered if the former Romano –the one he had been before the stupid amnesia accident- would apologize if he was in his shoes. The former Romano, from what Spain had told him, always acted proud and selfish and like he was better than everyone else. But the new Romano –him- was beginning to get soft and lose that pride. But after thinking about that, he had to come back to the fact that Liechtenstein wasn't someone that would turn her back on him just because of his too- proud self. And that made her seem worthy to him, worthy for him to apologize to. And anyway... he was sure that she didn't know why he had suddenly gotten angry. Even he was trying to hide the real reasons from himself. He had been jealous, envious of the attention Veneziano received from Liechtenstein. Even when he wasn't around, she would talk to Romano about his younger brother in the fondest way. And so he tried to help her clean up, to show her that he was just as able as his brother, but he knew clearly that she'd never see him that way. She only thought of him as a master, someone for her to work for. She'd never think of him as a friend, or anything more.

But wait, he didn't care, right?

Grumbling to himself as he chomped harshly down on the last of the tomatoes, Romano admitted that maybe he did care. A hot blush covered his cheeks, and he scowled down at his covers. He knew that he had found Liechtenstein very pretty that first day he met her, and in his dreams he had even admitted that she was beautiful. And he did care about her, a-as a friend. After all she had done for him, how could he not? But that had to be the only reason. It couldn't be anything else. It couldn't be anything like l-l-l-lo-

"Hey Romano! Come down here! We've got guests!"

Momentarily distracted from his thoughts, Romano staggered out of bed slowly and pulled on his usual uniform. He had to get out of bed sooner or later, anyway, and this was a good chance for him to apologize. Maybe if they had guests, he could just apologize quickly and hope she'd forget all about it. That wouldn't be so embarrassing, then.

"Romano! Hurry!" Spain called up again.

"Alright, alright, bastard. I'm coming." He grumbled, slamming his bedroom door behind him and slipping down into Spain's living room.

"Don't step on that!" Suddenly, Spain was by his side, pushing him away from his path. Romano struggled out of his grip, and then realized that if he had taken another step, he would have trod on a neatly wrapped box, complete with a floppy bow.

"It's a present for Belgium." Spain chuckled, maneuvering Romano through the clustered living room toward the other nations. Romano recognized Veneziano and Liechtenstein piling some clothes inside a suitcase, while the other two nations were studying a series of photos.

"Romano, meet two thirds of the BTT." Spain grinned at him, and then gestured toward his two friends.

"Ah, bonjour Romano." The wavy haired nation sent him a suggestive wink.

Romano wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Ciao, bastard. I'm guessing you're France?"

"Oui. You still remember me, even after the accident?" A pleased tone crept into the Frenchman's voice.

"Of course not." Romano kicked a box out of the way and plopped down in a corner of the couch. "I just reckoned that you were France from that creepy smile of yours." He glared at the other one. "And you must be Prussia. I've heard other nations talk about you, the Bad Touch Trio."

"Kesesese! Ja! That would be us. And I am indeed the awesome Prussia!" The nation stepped away from the wide selection of photos and came over to Romano. His red eyes and cocky expression seemed to scream "Rapist alert!" Romano instantly tensed up.

"Ciao, fratello! Prussia brought me here." Veneziano looked up from his pile of clothes to grin cheekily at him, and then immediately turned back to Liechtenstein. Romano wondered what they were talking about so animatedly.

"Little bruder said that he wanted this guy out of the house. So I brought him. Kesesese!"

"I was really scared that Ludwig was mad at me, ve, for telling him that his sausages were really bad, but then he said that he only wanted peace and quiet to work, so we came here!" Another grin, wider this time, as Italy wrapped his arms around a wide-eyed Liechtenstein. "Prussia and big brother France were coming to help Spain finish packing, and I wanted to come and see you and Liechtenstein, so I tagged along!"

Prussia then ruffled Veneziano's hair fondly, and Romano frowned. Everyone favored his little brother over him. Romano slid down to the ground to help Spain instead, even though that was the last thing he wanted to do, just to prove that he didn't care.

"Liechtenstein is your maid, non?" France asked him suddenly, but he wasn't looking his direction. Instead, his eyes seemed to be set on a certain blonde nation. Liechtenstein didn't seem to notice as she was now helping Veneziano carry the box to the front door. When she did return, she even smiled at France like there was nothing wrong, and then plopped down on the ground to tape another box. Romano knew that she didn't suspect anything, but from that look of France's...

"Her eyes are up there, not all the way down there." He snapped, glaring at France, who was suddenly sitting too close to him and whispering French in a way that made Romano feel strangely unnerving.

"Oui. I was just checking out the girl. Don't tell me that you don't do so, too?"

Flushing bright red, Romano head-butted France, just as he would do to Spain. "I do not! I'm not a pervert, unlike you!"

"Maybe that's the reason why she's ignoring you, non?" At that moment, Liechtenstein walked past the two of them with a big stack of canned tomatoes. She avoided his eyes. Romano felt a strange sinking sensation in his stomach, but waved it away.

"She's not i-ignoring me. And i- if she was, I- I wouldn't care, you pervert!" He retorted, trying –unsuccessfully- to keep the stutter out of his voice so he wouldn't be recognized to be lying.

"Well, whatever. Maybe you don't care, but if that was me, I definitely would. You should never let a girl you love get away, especially when she's so pretty." At that, France jumped to his feet and chased after Liechtenstein. "Wait! Ma cherie! Let me help you with that!"

Romano fumed as he stared after France. He was following Liechtenstein, now carrying half of the stack for her and walking into the kitchen.

Something that France had said suddenly made Romano uncomfortable. The pervert was right. He should really apologize to Liechtenstein before she became any more angry with him. He knew it wasn't right to just yell at her and then expect her to be alright with it, but a part of him felt disappointed that she didn't even bother to ask him the reason why. He'd never tell, of course, but he had expected her to show the slightest bit of emotion. Instead, she'd simply ignored him. For some reason, it hurt, right over his chest.

"Hey, Romano, help me bring these outside, would ya?" Before he could protest, Spain dropped a heavy box into his arms and gestured toward the door. Scowling, Romano lugged the giant cardboard box out of the door and threw it in the trunk of Spain's car. Why did the bastard have to bring so many things? It was only a week in Belgium, after all.

Ducking out of Spain's way, he slinked back into the living room, and then decided to go find Liechtenstein. She should still be in the kitchen, as he hadn't seen her anywhere else. "Liechtenstein?" He called quietly, pushing the door open just a crack.

"Romano!" Her voice held so much relief in it that he wondered what was going on. Pushing the door wide open and letting himself in, he immediately realized what was happening.

France was standing beside the window, clutching Liechtenstein's hands. With his eyes closed, he was whispering something to her. Her eyes widened, and she gestured to him furiously.

France seemed to notice this. "Oh, Romano! I was just... getting to know Liechtenstein." He smiled and then leaned in toward her.

"H-Hey! What are you doing?" Romano strode forward, grabbing France's arm before he could come into contact with Liechtenstein. A little too late, he realized what his actions might seem like to the perverted France.

"I am getting to know her. That is how we do it in France."

"M-Mr. France? I would like to-" Liechtenstein started to struggle, but the French nations held tight.

"Oui, ma cherie?" He was leaning closer, closer.

"Stop that! Liechtenstein is mine!" Romano suddenly snapped, grabbing France and pulling him away harshly. Liechtenstein sent him a look of surprise, before disconnecting her gaze from his.

"What did you say?" France looked down at him, and Romano replied with a dark blush.

"L-Liechtenstein's m-my... my maid. So don't touch her, pervert!" Damn you, Romano. Stop blushing!

"Oh, I get it." France seemed to think that he had meant it in the lover's sense, and that made Romano even more flustered.

"N-No! I didn't mean it like that! I just..." He searched frantically for something to say. "Just... get out of my kitchen!" He shoved France toward the door, but then it suddenly burst open.

"Liechtenstein! Spain wants to see- Oof!" Romano gaped at the sight before him as Veneziano came running in at full speed, slammed into France and knocked him to the ground, and then tripped on the Frenchman's head, knocking Liechtenstein down as a result and finally slamming down himself. But instead of falling to the side, he collapsed right on top of Liechtenstein.

Romano squeezed his eyes shut and the opened them, hoping not to see what he was expecting to happen. But it was there, clear as day. When Veneziano had fallen, he had... slammed his lips right into Liechtenstein's.

The short silence that followed lasted a lifetime for Romano, but Veneziano finally managed to regain his senses and jump off. "I-I'm so sorry, Liechtenstein! I didn't mean to do that, but I was... and big brother France was right there, so I... ve..."

"I-It's alright." A flustered Liechtenstein climbed to her feet shakily and looked to the ground in embarrassment. Romano... felt a wave of jealousy spread through his veins, but he ignored it. He... He wasn't supposed to care, so he wouldn't. But it was hard to just stand by and watch as Liechtenstein made her way out, and then paused to bow her head at him.

"M-Master Romano... did you come for your tomatoes? I picked new ones from the garden this morning." She said this as if it was the only reason for him to be in the kitchen.

"Actually, I was going to apo- You know what, never mind." Romano flushed, and then stomped out of the kitchen. "It doesn't matter." He pushed past Liechtenstein, Italy, and France.

"Wait, Romano! I-"

His footsteps up the stairs were fading fast, and Liechtenstein knew it. She had done something to anger him again, although this time she knew what. It hadn't been her fault, but she still felt the strong urge to chase after him and apologize.

"Liechtenstein! Help me load the last boxes on!" Spain called, and she hurried to get herself together and go help Spain. Italy and France both followed her, and she talked with them like nothing was the matter. But she couldn't have felt worse.

Outside the kitchen window, Austria and England were watching the entire exchange.

"You see how he reacted? Soon, he'll have to confess to her and they'll form the treaty and everything will be just great!" England pumped a fist.

Austria wondered what else of America's had rubbed off on England. "I have a feeling that it won't be so easy. And this... isn't this stalking?"

"Oh, don't worry, my friend. It'll all turn out fine now, I'm sure of it."

"You think this is fine? They're all mad at each other." He squinted at the closed kitchen door, as if hoping to catch a glimpse of something.

"Oh, Austria, you've got to look below the surface. Why would Romano react that way if he didn't care?"

"If you say so." Austria grumbled slightly, and then stepped away from the bush they had been hiding behind. "Now if you'll excuse me... this... stalking has stolen much of my precious time with my music. So I shall see you later..."

"Oh, don't be so grumpy. It'll all work out perfectly, Austria. You'll see."