He's not perfect…but it's okay. Life would be a lot more boring.

Crunch!

"Cazzo!"

We both froze. Italy had begged me to let him drive the truck for once. I had to agree when I saw that face he made. I can never say no to that face. To this day, I can't remember what he backed the truck into. But the face he made… mouth covered with his hands, cheeks bright red, too shocked by the dirty word that had come out of his pretty mouth to be upset about the truck. I was too, until I had to laugh at his face. It was too…cute. I couldn't even pretend to be mad. Besides, insurance covered it fully. I had put him on my plan shortly after I realized there was no getting rid of him.

I live for the little moments like this.

BeepBarkBeepWoofBeepArf! BarkBeepWoofBeepArfBeep!

This was the sound track that greeted me as I walked in the door. Panic seized me as I saw smoke pouring from the kitchen. I dropped my briefcase and ran in. Italy was jumping, desperately trying to hit the button on the smoke alarm, but kept tripping on the three dogs barking at the alarm, jumping all around him.

I breathed a sigh of relief. No fire, but smoke belched out of the oven still. I quickly turned off the oven, then the alarm.

"G-Germania!* You…you're home early!" Italy stuttered, tears in his eyes.

"Actually, I'm late. Vhat vere you making?" I ask.

"A cake, Vee~…A-alles gute zum G-geb-geburts…vee~…tag!*" he stuttered out. It took me a moment to understand what his accent and tears had butchered.

"Umm…Italien, liebe, vhat is the date?" I asked, pulling him into my arms.

"May 23..." Italy said, sniffling. I pressed my face to the top of his head, trying not to shake too much. A few chuckles escaped anyway. "Doitsu?"

"Liebe…my birthday vas in January*." I say, still chuckling.

"No! It…but …" Italy protested. "Vee~…"

"This is the day my borders vere modernly set, but I became a country on January 18, 1871." I told him.

"Vee~ I'm sorry Doitsu…" he said, tears falling.

"Italien?"

"Vee~?" he said, looking up at me. I caught his lips in a gentle kiss. I didn't let go until his tears had stopped.

"Ti amo, Italien*."

I live for these moments. He's not perfect, but he tries, just for me.

Snap!

"Italy…" I say dangerously. "Vhere…the Holle are ve?" I roar.

"Vee~! I don't know!" Italy cries, turning the map upside down...or right side up. I don't know.

"Vhy didn't you say anything before ve got lost?" I roar, shaking him.

"Do-doi-tsu-u! Mi Dis-pia-ce!"

I stop, and step away, palm over my face. "Let's go. If ve go this vay, eventually ve'll find a river." I say finally, and start walking west. Italy runs after me, silent for once. After a mile of silence, I sigh, and stick out my hand. He smiles brightly and grabs it. The rest of the way, he talks nonstop about nothing. I was stoic on the outside, but inside, I was smiling contently. And we never let go.

These are the moments that make my life worth living.

It was late. The living room was dark, and the movie was halfway over. Italy was curled up with his feet on the sofa, using my arm as a pillow. My arm was asleep, and so was he. I was about to move, and wake him up, when I saw his face. I personally don't believe, but in that moment, I swore I was looking at an angel*. I smiled fondly since no one was around to see, and settled down.

Hours later, I hear the front door slam. Bruder was home. He hummed happily, drunkenly, as he made his way through the living room, to the basement stairs.

"Hey, bruder." I called softly as he passes. He jumped with a yelp.

"Scheibe! Vest, you…startled me." Prussia slurred.

"Can you get us a blanket Bruder?" I whispered.

"Kese…You mean…Kesese…You kick me out so you can have 'date night' and you don't even have sex? Scheibe! You need help, Baby Bruder! Kesesesese!" he laughed out.

"Halt die klappe und get a blanket!" I snapped, then added, "Bitte."

Still laughing, he did, and picked the big one so it would cover both Italy and I. He threw it over us and headed to bed. "Gute Nacht!" he yelled from the stairway.

"Gute Nacht." I called back.

We slept there that night. It wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep, and my hand was purple in the morning, but I wouldn't trade that night for a week of non-stop sex.

He doesn't even have to try, but everyday, he re-steals my heart. The little imperfections make him who he is, and I wouldn't change them if I could. And I thank Mother Earth everyday for giving him to me.

Notes:

Germania- Italian for Germany. I don't see Italy call Germany this often, and that…bothers me. So, in my head cannon, Italy calls him this when startled.

A-alles gute zum G-geb-geburts…vee~…tag!- Alles Gute Zum Geburtstag- Happy Birthday in German. In my head cannon, I think things mean more if you say them in the other's language. Hence, Italy saying it in German instead of Italian.

Liebe…my birthday vas in January*.- Love. Also, my head cannon, birthdays are when they became countries. May 23 (1949) was when the German leaders started gaining a bunch of territory. I think. It's complicated, but Germany already existed, so it's not his birthday. The unification of the German territories was completed January 18, 1871.

"Ti amo, Italien*.-Again, my head cannon states things mean more in the other's language.

I personally don't believe, but in that moment, I swore I was looking at an angel*.-Germany is predominately Christian, but I think after all Ludwig has been through, his belief in God is near non-existent. And nations as people don't worship God, they have Mother Earth and Father Time, since they don't die, and therefore don't have a heaven.

Any other foreign words are common or common sense. I used Google translate. If you care.

Do svidaniya!

Ravenstar