Maple flavored Gelato

Chapter sixteen

Dust. Dust everywhere. So much so that it was making Canada's eyes water and his throat scratch. He was outside, but he and Italy decided it was best to beat the dust off of the comforters, drapes, and sheets before washing them.

Canada had to take a step to the side away from the dust to cough. "I'm... alright..." He wheezed.

"Ve~ should I get you some water?" Italy innocently asked with a concerned head tilt.

"Non... I'll be fine." Canada coughed one final time and managed to stand up a little straighter. "I just didn't expect that much dust." He lamely told Italy. "Maybe I should see if I have some masks in the shed."

"Dust doesn't bug me," Italy commented. "Then again working as an underling for Austria kinda did me in for dust... and it was the fifteenth century."

"Oh, that's right. I forgot you were an underling at one point." Canada went back to flapping his comforter in the air as he mused on the thought. "I was one for France. He didn't make me clean though, instead, he just showed me off to England."

"... I think I remember that! You were 'New France' at one point, weren't you?" Italy suddenly stopped his drape beating and looked at Canada.

Canada blushed at that. "Y-Yep! That was me! I was 'New France' and America was 'The Colonies.'. I swear France and England just used us to gloat to one another."

Italy chuckled at that. "Their history of hating each other goes pretty deep."

"... Can I confess something to you?" Canada suddenly changed the subject and placed the comforter on the ground. It was being washed anyways. From there Canada sat down on the comforter.

"Uh... sure..." Italy blinked at the sudden mood shift and looked at Canada for a second before he stopped hitting the drapes. Canada patted the empty spot on the comforter next to him. Italy sat.

"... I... I know about the billion dollars."

Italy's eyes opened and he gave Canada a rather bewildered look as a result. "Ve~ How?"

"Seborga... the day we were on the phone face-timing. He told me and showed me."

"Oh..."

"And then he told America, thinking America was me."

"Seborga, no." Italy seemed to cringe and Canada could only laugh at it all.

"So, I wanted to ask, now that I know you got it all cleared... what was it? Who took the money? It's been killing me on the inside!"

"Oh..." Italy let out a sudden scoff before waving it off. "That. Just some lowly politician thinking he has the upper hand on me and Romano. Again, it was taken care of so there's nothing to really worry about... yet..."

"Hm?"

"I still don't know what he did with the money, Y'know? We checked his bank statements and it wasn't there." Italy rested his head on Canada's shoulder. "It's rather odd."

"Yeah, I can imagine." Canada then, rather shyly, wrapped an arm around Italy's shoulders pulling him closer. Italy looked up at him and almost instantly Canada let his hand off of Italy. "Too fast?" He asked with a blush.

"No, no... I like it." Italy smiled at Canada in response. Canada placed his hand back down on Italy's arm. Then Italy nuzzled his nose into the crook of Canada's neck in such a way that it tickled and made Canada laugh while shrugging his shoulder up to get Italy to stop.

"Hahaha!" Canada laughed loudly. "S-Stop it!" He started to giggle.

And it seemed to strike Italy right there as he looked at Canada with big eyes. "You're ticklish..." Italy spoke almost breathlessly.