I'm still sitting at the table drawing nearly half an hour later when Prussia finally arrives. I stand up when I see him and abruptly close my notebook. I do this so fast that I give myself a paper cut on my finger.

"Ow!" I exclaim, putting my finger in my mouth and sucking on it. Gilbert stops.

"You ok?"

"Paper cut, that's all," I say. "And no crotch cloth!" I know what happened with Hungary. Let's just say, it ended with him pulling her top open and discovering that she was actually female.

He grins. "I vasn't going to, but now you mention it.."

"Nein."

"Kesesese! Nein, I zhink West vould probably kill me."

"You're right there."

"Anyvay, I came to take you home! How's my little sister?"

I nod. "Good. Did Germany tell you about the meeting?"

Prussia shakes his head. "Nein, I haven't seen him. Vot happened? Vere England and France trying to kill each ozher again?"

I laugh. "Nein, not really. But Russia and America were at each other's throats. It was quit funny, actually, although it did get a bit violent."

"Russia! Zhat asshole! Kesessesese! I remember vhen he vas just a vimpy little baby!"

"Huh?" I'm shocked.

"Hey, if you like, I can tell you about it on zhe vay home."

"Um... Ok....." To be honest, I'm intrigued about Russia. I can't imagine him ever being small and, well, weak. Weaker, anyway.

Just as we're leaving, someone yells my name. "Deitich! Wait a second!" We turn and see America running towards us, brandishing what looks like a piece of paper at me.

"Deitich!" he says, panting slightly. "I'm glad I caught you! I'd like to give you this." He hands the piece of paper to me. I take it.

"What's this?" I ask.

"It's an invitation to my Christmas party! You've never been before, right?"

I shake my head. "Nein, you've never asked me before."

"That's a shame! Anyway, you should, like, totally come!"

I nod. "Well, I'll think about it."

He shakes his head. "You have to come! This year it's gonna be amazing, we're gonna have five Christmas trees, and loads of alcohol, and great food, and a green cake shaped like a Christmas tree, and-"

I interrupt him. "That sounds cool. Thanks for inviting me."

"It's ok! Anyway, please come!"

"I probably will. Who else is coming?"

"Only everyone!"

"Sounds good. Anyway, I ought to get going."

"Ok! Nice to see you!" And he's gone.

When we get outside, Prussia starts talking. "I talked about this in one of the many volumes of my diary, little sister! Take note, because I have recorded everything that has ever happened to me in this diary, and so I have many embarrassing things about other countries in here! Vich is alvays useful, trust me. Kesesese!"

I nod. "So you've got stuff on Russia, too?"

"Of course! I like to get together vith Spain and France and vhen ve do, ve spread all sorts of embarrassing stuff from zhe past."

I nod again. "Ok."

"Vhen ve vere all children, Russia vas zhe one everyone picked on. Denmark, Sweden, the Mongols. And vhen I joined zhem, as zhe teutonic knights, I fought him, too! He vas useless, he alvays ran avay. He cried, too. Mein Gott, he vas such a baby. But zhen he turned into zhis crazy psycho kid who just freaked zhe hell out of everyone. I don't know vhy."

I don't think Gilbert's telling the complete truth here, probably just his version of events, but even so I nod. "What changed?"

Here, Prussia squirms slightly and his red eyes look at the floor. "I'm not sure." Again, I don't think he's being honest with me, but I can't just say that.

We go home in silence. I can tell Prussia's not comfortable, and I don't know why. But I don't really care right now. I just want to go home and sleep. It's been a long day.

When I get home, I sit on the sofa and sigh happily. Yay. No more politics for me for at least three more days. I don't mind meetings, but when they're like that... Way too tense. And violent. And awkward.

Just then, the phone rings. I roll my eyes and answer. "Ja, Deitich speaking," I say.

"Deitich! Just to let you know, ve're having anozher vorld meeting next veek. Because zhe one today ended in chaos," says Ludwig.

I groan. "Thanks for letting me know."

"Ok." He sounds weirdly out of breath.

I frown. "You ok, Germany?"

"Ja. Why?"

"You sound kinda..." I shake my head. "Never mind. Thanks, anyway."

"Ok, I've got to go now. See you later." And then he hangs up.

Why is he acting all funny with me? Also, why does he sound out of breath? I'm tempted to go over to his house and have it out with him, but I'm tired and I can't be bothered. I've had a long day.

I curl up on the sofa and look at the invitation to America's Christmas party. I don't know if I'll actually go; I've never gone before, and Hungary says that they usually end up being pretty crazy. Plus, France will probably be there, and I'm not really in the mood to have to fight off his attempts at flirting with me.

I open the invitation and look at it. The party isn't actually on the 24th, which is when I celebrate Christmas, (A/N: Germany celebrates on the 24th, and so does Deitich) it's on the twentieth. Which means I won't actually be too hungover when it comes to Christmas itself.

Yeah, I think I might go, actually. There's no harm in it, after all. I mean, it's Christmas. What's the worst that could happen?