My block may be over - I was able to chuck this out pretty easily, and I've got ideas about what to write tomorrow! Please enjoy this short chapter about nothing!

Start of the Season.

T'was the season. The art club hoisted the whiteboard from their clubroom, along with a box of pens and a rubber, while the teachers pretended not to notice, on the understanding that they would be returned when the season ended. The maths club drew up the leagues and calculated the odds, the student council keeping score and settling disputes when they cropped up, even acting as referees. Those not taking part stood on the sidelines, cheering and booing and throwing their snacks onto the pitch.

That's right, ladies and gentlemen. It was football season, and this year the 'Rats' were unbeatable. With Arthur and Ivan finally in secondary school with them, they didn't have to draft Francis and Feliks in, so they had a goal keeper that could catch (and scare the crap out of people who got close to the goal), and a striker with a hell of a kick (and Arthur could run like you wouldn't believe too!). Gilbert took up the position of second striker, with Antonio relishing his place on the defence (football being one of the few things his parents would give him time off for). Lizzie, naturally, held the position of captain.

Natalya screamed in support of her brother as he caught the ball in his giant mits, a cacophony of boos and jeers coming from the 'Nordics' teams fans. Mathias clicked his tongue and punched the air as he jogged back to position. Eduard, todays ref, blew the whistle and play reconvened, followed by more cheers and screams.

"I don't get it." Roderich grimaced, sat on the folding chair at the edge of the pitch.

"As expected." Vash sighed.

"GET IN THERE, YOU MUPPET!" Lizzie roared at her strikers as they dodged around Tino and Lukas and headed for the goal where Berwald was waiting.

Mathias intercepted, tripping Arthur so he landed square on his face.

"FOUL!" Francis immediately screamed, jumping up from his chair "FOUL FOUL FOUL!"

Eduard blew the whistle, awarding them a free kick, to which Mathias threw his hands in the air and immediately started getting a lecture from Lukas. Francis had to be held back from rushing the field as Arthur picked himself up, bitching and swearing in the older boys direction as the wiped the blood and dirt from his face.

Having Berwald in goal was very similar to having Ivan in goal - he was big and scary, so strikers didn't want to approach him - but that didn't really help the 'Nordics' this game, since Ivan was Arthurs best friend and Gilbert cared more about winning than keeping the glory himself. Arthur lined up for his free kick.

"This is dull." Roderich complained.

"So go home." Vash countered "Go have some tea with our mothers."

Vash joined the crowd as everyone jumped to their feet in celebration of Athurs goal. Roderich blew air out of his nose and pushed his glasses up his face.

"I was invited." he reminded him "Lizzie would be upset if I slinked off."

"She's too busy beating the crap out of that spiky haired kid." Vash pointed out "She won't even notice."

"This one's making enough fuss." Roderich muttered, jabbing his thumb at Francis beside him "She's going to look over here eventually."

"His head is bleeding!" Francis continued to yell at Eduard "Brutes like Mathias shouldn't be allowed to play against little boys!"

"Shut the fuck up, Francis!" Arthur yelled back at him "I'm fine!"

"He's limping! Referee!"

"Shut up!"

Under pressure from Francis, Eduard blew the whistle and called Arthur off.

"I'm fine!" he continued to protest "Francis is just being a ninny!"

"Sorry, Arthur." Eduard apologised meekly "Your head is bleeding. Rules are rules. Ravis will fix you up, you can play again next game."

"That's bull!" Lizzie argued as she ran over, causing poor Eduard to jump back "If he says he good to play, he's good to play!"

"Don't be harsh!" Francis argued with her, pulling Arthur off the pitch "What if it was your brother?!"

"I'd disown him for quitting over something so pathetic! Let the boy play!"

"No!"

"You gonna sub, pretty boy?!"

"I'll sub." Vash offered, pulling off his jacket as he stood, ignoring Roderichs horrified expression.

"You any good?" Lizzie interrogated.

"It doesn't matter." Vash pointed out "You're 3 goals up with 2 minutes left."

"Good point."

"I'm better in defence, though."

"Fantastic. Antonio, you're second striker! Get in there, blondie!"

Arthur practically roared in frustration as Francis dragged him off to get his head looked at. Lizzie didn't even glance at Roderich as she led Vash back to the pitch, where the team took up their positions once again. His seat was immediately occupied by Feliks, causing Roderich to jump, and Francis' chair was taken over by Lilly.

"I can see why you like her, Roddy." Lilly announced "She's very authoritative, isn't she?"

"Oh honey, you have no idea." Feliks agreed, leaning over to see her better past Roderich "If I'm half the woman she is, I'd consider myself pretty lucky!"

"I love your beret!" Lilly enthused "Where did you get it?"

"I made it!"

"That's so pretty!"

"You make friends too easily." Roderich criticised.

The group ambled back to Lizzies after the match. Arthur grumbled, head and ankle bandaged as Francis carried him down the road. Gilbert and Antonio were fussing over Vash, who had lived up to his claim of being good in defence, while Ivan patted Arthur on the back with one hand, his sister monopolising the other.

"You'll get them next time." he reasoned.

"I shouldn't have been pulled off!" Arthur moaned.

"Big brother is carrying you home - how badly do you think you would have been hurt if you'd kept playing?" Francis lectured.

"What if had been Emil you tripped?!" Lukas bitched at Mathias "Would it have been 'no big deal' then? Think about your actions, you prick!"

Mathias got no sympathy from Berwald either.

"It won't matter if we win if they keep docking us points." Tino pointed out.

"Well, they shouldn't let under 16's play!" Mathias defended.

"You shouldn't be such a prick!"

"Can I help you with something?" Vash grimaced at Feliks, who openly stared at him.

"I, like, can't get over how much we look alike." Feliks admitted "If you were more fabulous, we could be twins."

"I'm fine the way I am."

"So this happens every year?" Roderich asked Elizavetta "It's like a tradition?"

"Exactly." she explained "Grandpa grew up here in Hetalia, and he claims they even used to play the five-a-side league when he was in school, but whether he's telling the truth is hard to tell."

"That's quite something. Are you always the captain?"

"We took turns when we were younger, but I was naturally better at it." she laughed "Francis was always too worried about getting dirty to be any good."

"And sweaty and stinky." Francis confirmed.

"But Ivan and Arthur are pretty good, so we're glad to have them on the team."

"That 'Rats' were fifth last year." Mathias pointed out.

"And the 'Nordics' were sixth!" Gilbert reminded him, kicking him on the back of the knees.

Gilbert sped off as Mathias took off after him.

"Mama said pizza's on her if we win." Antonio announced "Which, unless I fell asleep for the last two mintues, we did."

"From 'Carriedo's?" Tino asked.

"Where else would you get premium pizza in this town?" Antonio bragged.

"Hmmmm." Tino was clearly happy "How about we ask Lukas to run home and get us some premium ice-cream to go with it?"

"This idiot can do it." Lukas offered, tripping Mathias as he continued to chase Gilbert "Punishment for tripping a kid up so bad he bust his head open."

"I did not bust my head open!"

Arthur noticeably winced after his protestation, trying not to make it obvious that he squeezed Francis' shoulders a little tighter as his busted head ached. Lukas glared at Mathais.

"Run." he growled.

Mathias fled immediately. Roderich turned to Lizzie.

"Are Lukas and Arthur good friends?" he asked, to which she shook her head.

"Both Francis and Lukas belong to the 'brother complex' club." she told him with a laugh "Francis is the president, Lukas is the treasurer and Gilbert is their first member."

"What you say is absurd." Francis criticised.

"So put Arthur down and let him limp home." Lizzie growled, still bitter he had pulled the boy from the game in the first place.

"I'll do no such thing!"

It was crowded in the living room that evening, with the teams and their hangers on loitering on the sofas, Ottomans, cushions and floor, pizza and ice-cream piled high on the coffee table. Lizzies dad poked his head in long enough to get the final score and nab himself some pizza before going to shoot the breeze with Grandpa. With a couple of kids in the room, any attempt to turn the air blue was met with sever reproach by the 'brother complex' club.

Berwald and Tino left first as they lived the furthest away, followed soon after by Mathias, Lukas and Emil, who had fallen asleep in his brothers lap and had to be carried home. Ivan and his sister hung around until Katyusha came to pick them up, which Francis took as his cue to take Arthur home.

"Antonio's not leaving?" Roderich asked as he pulled on his coat at the front door "He's got a way to walk, and on his own."

"He's staying here tonight." Lizzie reported, causing him to flinch.

"Staying here? With you? Isn't that somewhat... improper? I mean... you are a young lady, afterall."

Lizzie waved off his concerns with an awkward laugh.

"You're a strange one, Roderich." she told him "Walking me home, kissing my hand, being concerned about my friends staying over... I didn't think boys like you existed outside of those romcoms Heracles likes."

Roderich pulled a face.

"I thought I was pretty normal." he sulked "Although I'm not 'rough-and-tumble' like your friends, but I got in my share of fights when I was a child!"

Lizzie smirked - she couldn't picture Roderich in a fight... at all.

"I just grew out of it." he went on "I preferred music to fighting."

"That and you sucked at it." Vash reminded him as he did up his boots "I was constantly saving his ass."

That, Lizzie could believe.

"Let me save you both some time." Vash offered as he stood, immediately panicking Roderich "Lizzie, he likes you, but the fact you're not a 'lady' bothers him since it makes him question his sexuality. Roddy, Lizzie likes you despite, or perhaps even because you're a complete and utter fop."

"A butch guy is no good for Lizzie!" Feliks agreed, appearing from behind purely to antagonise "You two should go on a date! Lizzie can dress nice and Roderich can impress her with his... charm?"

"Sounds great." Vash agreed "Shopping date on Sunday?"

"She will totally be there!"

"Can't wait."

Vash pulled Roderich away before he could argue, Lilly closing the door behind them. As soon as they were out of earshot, Feliks started to squeal. He leapt into the living room where Gilbert and Luddy were getting ready to leave.

"You will never guess who has a date on Sunday!" he declared.

"You finally blackmail Toris?" Antonio asked.

"Not me! LIZZIE!"

The sound of jaws dropping could be heard all around the town of Hetalia that night.

Sunshine and garden parties are over people. From this point on, things get complicated...