Prussia hadn't brought a lot home from Russia after the fall of the wall, but he did come to Germany's door step with a SNES and a Tetris cartridge. Germany had stood by and watched his brother play for hours. "Gilbert," He would say periodically, "Don't you think you should take a break." Prussia would whip his head around and bark that he could stop any time he wanted and that his brother should shut the hell up. Germany couldn't figure out if his brother's eyes were bloodshot or not because that was just how they always looked.

Of course, like everything else, Prussia grew tired of the 8-bit entertainment and abandoned the SNES outside his lair (or at the top of the stairs to Germany's basement) just over a decade later. Unfortunately, Italy picked it up on his way to the kitchen and brought it back to Germany.

"Ve, Germany," He chimed as he entered the office, "What's this?"

Germany turned his chair around, and his face dropped at the sight of the gray box. Italy glanced down at it, trying to register what was so bad about it to make Germany make that face. "That's Prussia's," Germany grunted, "Bring it back."

"But Germany, it was sitting in the ha--"

"Take it back." Italy made a little sad noise, and Germany knew he was gone. But Veneciano was back in less than two minutes, still holding the box. "I thought I told you to--"

"He said he doesn't want it," Italy blurted out, holding the SNES up as a shield. Germany leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Ve, Germany, what does it do anyway?" He glanced over and watched Italy shaking the SNES and listening to the small rattling that came from within. "Is there a fairy in it?" He started get really worked up, "Is she trapped inside?" Germany hadn't even given an answer to the first question. "I'll save you, little friend!" Italy held the console high as though he was about to smash it on the floor to save a nonexistent fairy.

"Italy," Germany said sternly. His friend looked up with his arms still high. "It plays games."

"Games?" Italy looked back at the box, suddenly far less concerned about the fairy, "What kinds of games? Can we play them? Can we play now, Germany? I wanna play with you. Are they easy? Do I have to save a princess?" Germany rubbed his temples for a few seconds before responding.

"It's a puzzle game," Germany explained, "You wouldn't be interested." He turned back to his desk and work. Italy didn't say anything, but Germany could feel the woe that had started to radiate from him. He turned back again. Italy stood petting the SNES like it was a little kitty he'd found with a look on his face that his mom had told him he couldn't keep it. "Do you really want to play?" Germany asked.

---

"Okay," Germany said, picking up a rectangular controller as the game started up, "What you want to do is set the blocks up so you can complete the lines required for the level." He played a little as an example. Natural German propensity toward efficiency and order seemed to give him an edge as he was quickly to level five before pausing and handing the brick controller to Italy. "Have fun."

When Germany came back to his living room, Italy had a mismatched, disorganized pillar of blocks climbing to the top of the screen. He flailed around with the controller, thinking that if he leaned far enough to the left, the blocks would go that way. Judging from their relatively slow speed, Italy had made it to maybe level two before the game was over.

Italy turned to look up at his friend and said sadly, "Germany, I lost."

Germany sighed and patted Italy's head, "It's okay, come eat lunch and--" Italy was out of the room, and Germany was left patting thin air.

---

"Ve, ve, Germany, you can take a break for a while and play with me," Italy tugged on Germany's arm, and the latter allowed himself to be led, planted on the couch, and given a SNES controller.

"Okay," Germany muttered, "But only one game."

They were on level twelve. Germany was biting his bottom lip and a bead of sweat ran down the side of his face. Beside him, Italy was smiling and whipping blocks into place like it was no big thing. A slip of his sweaty thumb misplaced an L piece for Germany, and the game was done.

Germany let Italy bounce around for a couple minutes and cheer before calmly suggesting, "Best two out of three?" He had to make sure that wasn't a fluke. It just didn't make sense.

Something like eight rematches later, Germany wondered if it was scientifically possible for someone to get so good at Tetris so quickly. "B-Best ten out of eighteen?" He asked weakly, staring at the glowing screen. The notion of how much time had passed was not in his thoughts, but had he looked out the window, he could have seen the sun setting

Italy yawned, "Ve, maybe later, Germany, it's time for a siesta." He swayed out of the room humming the game's theme song. Once he was gone, Germany aggressively unplugged the second controller and silently vowed to win when Italy came back.

Prussia leaned against the open doorway and snickered.

---

"Ve, Germany," Italy poked his friend's cheek as he was sleeping in a slumped position with his head hanging over the back of the couch. "Germany?" Italy nudged him a little more aggressively.

Germany woke with a start when something next to him started yelling for Prussia. "Italy," He mumbled, "What is it?"

"Germany!" Italy chimed and threw his arms around his friend, "You're okay, I thought something terrible happened because you wouldn't wake up, and I was so worried, but now you're okay, and we can go eat breakfast."

"Breakfast?" Germany rose and stood in front of the window; it didn't look like much time had passed, "It's tomorrow?"

"Germany?" Italy hummed from back on the couch, "I'm hungry."

"Let's play Tetris," Germany said blankly, holding out a controller to Italy, who frowned.

"But Germany, I-"

"Play with me," Germany growled; his grip on the controller was dangerously close to crushing it.

"O-Okay."

After much flailing about, Italy made it to level three, and Germany couldn't help but feel a little puzzled. Was Italy some kind of Tetris vampire and was only skilled at the game after dark?

"Ve, Germany, can we go eat now?"

He blinked a couple times and smiled at his friend before replying, "Sure." Germany rose from the couch and followed his bouncy friend down the hall; maybe some things were just meant to be a mystery.

Ende.