Files were stacked haphazardly on every available surface of his home office. He hadn't found time to wash any dishes so they had filled the sink and were spilling out onto the counters. Remnants of the newspapers delivered daily were torn up, binned, or turned to ash within the fireplace to avoid reading the headlines he didn't want reminders of. He wasn't sure how many days in a row he had worn the outfit he had on and his hair was messier than usual.

England rubbed at his eyes, determined to focus on his latest task. He had lost a few hours when he awoke on top of a stack of notes over his desk and needed to make it up. His body felt sore and his mind was turning steadily more negative. He would need to take a five minute break to refill his cup if he was going to be able finish what he needed to today.

The room spun when he stood up as his circulation attempted to catch up after he had sat in the chair for so long. His fingers tightened on the desk while he fought it to remain standing and stretched out his limbs slowly. Five minutes and he would be back.

His feet felt numb and scuffed against the floor. A refill, maybe something to eat. He couldn't spare too much extra time.

He had just stepped into the kitchen when someone began kicking at his front door. He growled as he set the mug on the table and tried to brush some hair out of his face, his fingers getting stuck in a few of the knots. Canada was going to receive the beating of his life if he wrecked the outside of his door.

It wasn't until he was partway through the process of opening it that he remembered it couldn't be Canada on the other side and that point, it was too late.

Japan forced it forward against him and stepped in quickly after it, his hands already grabbing the Brit by the front of his shirt. "Oy..." he said lowly as he tightened the hold he had on him.

England stepped back out of instinct, seizing Japan's wrists in an attempt to free himself. They struggled beside the door as England fought to use strength alone to pull the other off, growling slightly as his mind finally caught up with the situation and he swung a fist into Japan's jaw.

A grunt as the nation recoiled and released him, sending the blonde backwards and sprawled on the floor. His sleep deprived mind urged him forward with the sudden burst of adrenaline and he scrambled to get to his feet. Japan was on top of him almost instantly and he sloppily swung again, this time not coming anywhere close to hitting the mark.

The smaller nation delivered a few short jabs to his back, making him swing his fists and elbows more. Maybe one or two struck, but he felt the other's grasp on him loosen because of it. His feet found traction on the floor and he bolted through the nearest doorway. He grabbed whatever he could find, picture frames, and tea cups and threw them back towards the invader. An hour or two of sleep more and perhaps his mind would have stopped him from using the throw pillows as well since, despite their name, they were not effective as weapons and easily batted away.

England crashed through another doorway in his frantic search to defend himself. No plans would form as he ran, Japan closely behind him. "Running away?" he heard a voice taunt him as he ducked into the next room. "At least you'll make this interesting."

He practically fell behind a large arm chair and tried to catch his breath and clear his foggy mind, soon trying to muffle his gasping as slow footfalls came down the corridor. "England…? Did you escape? Because that would fun." He froze as laughter sounded just outside the door. "I've been bored for days." Nothing came for another minute and England let out a shaky breath, his lungs burning within his chest from lack of oxygen. No sooner than he had when right beside him there was a whisper, "Hiding?"

England yelped, barely escaping out from behind the chair and fleeing the room. He turned the corner and headed for the back door. Better to escape now and return to fight Japan off with allies. The ones he no longer had if he thought this plan all the way through.

He skidded to a halt and had the door wrenched open in seconds, nearly crashing into the body standing on the other side. Germany blinked, his hand out stretched towards the handle and looking just as surprised to see England as the other was for him. England managed to react first, slamming the door hard enough for it reverberat through the hall. He tripped over his feet as he headed back the way he had come, throwing his hands out to catch the wall as Japan appeared and came closer. "This was amusing at first," the shorter nation sighed and shook his head, his katana being drawn, "but I'm bored now…"

England took a few steps back, whipping his head around when he heard the door behind him open. Japan was forward in an instant, his foot catching the blonde in the gut and then in the knee. England was on the floor in seconds, a sharp edge resting tightly against his throat.

He groaned with his arms wrapped around his middle and his mind frantically attempting to find some way out of this. Germany was there shortly after with pistol drawn and aimed at him. Green eyes flickered between the two. There still had to be a way…

Last to arrive of the trio was Italy. He stepped up lightly beside Japan and smiled sadly down at the other nation. "Having a bit of trouble?"

"Fuck off." England bit out, clenching his teeth as the katana pressed tighter against his skin.

Italy hummed. "Mi dispiace , that won't be happening. This was an excellent plan, Japan." He nodded briefly at the other nation and produced a short bladed knife to twirl between his fingers. "What do you say to surrender?" he asked, eyes watching the way the metal moved as he played with it.

"I. Will. Never. Surrender." He growled up at them.

The brunette laughed, catching his knife by the hilt. "I knew you would say something like that." His lips curled into a triumphant smirk. "But I'll take your defeat as well."