You Scrub My Back - APH

"Do you want me to do that for you, New Zealand?" the seemingly perpetually merry country asked.

"Ah, Italy... You wouldn't mind...helping me with this?" the other country returned nervously.

"Not at all! Please, allow me!" Italy insisted happily, gladly picking up where the other had left off.

Many of the other countries, whom were poised outside the bathroom door (shoving to get the closest to the door and straining to hear through the door), listened curiously, wondering and imagining what was going on within.

"Oh....oh....oh my...that feels gooood," New Zealand said, unable to help but groan the last past as Italy's hands worked.

"Does it?" Italy asked with a smile.

"It does! It does! So good!" New Zealand exclaimed, gasping between his words. He arched with pleasure, trying to angle himself so that Italy would tend more to certain areas.

"Do you want it lower? Higher?" Italy asked, understanding the meaning of the other country's movements but not the actual meaning behind said movements.

"There! Right there! Oh my God!" New Zealand exclaimed, throwing his head back with this last shout.

"Wow, New Zealand, you sure like this," Italy said, watching the other's reactions with some amount of awe.

"It's just...I've never had anyone do this for me before... I mean, I've done it myself all the time. It's really hard, though. I can't seem to get it really perfect and good feeling, no matter how hard I try," New Zealand sort of mumbled, blushing a little.

"Oh, I see. Kind of like how most people say food you have to make yourself doesn't taste as good? I guess I can understand that, though I don't know that feeling too well. I love the food I make the best. Oh, and I almost always have had someone else who would do this for me," Italy said, "Like Germany. He does this for me a lot. And I do it for him, too! I'm not as good as he is, though. He's great at this."

At the latter part, several of the eavesdropping countries threw Germany looks as though to demand that he apologize profusely for doing such inappropriate things with Italy. Germany responded to the demanding looks with his own dark look (and a dark blush).

"I think you're great at this," New Zealand said softly, blushing only further.

"Maybe. Germany sure doesn't seem to think so," Italy sighed.

"He's got to like it, if he continues to let you do it for him," New Zealand pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess so!" Italy exclaimed, swiftly perking up, "Maybe he just thinks—" He was cut of by a loud groan from New Zealand, though.

After said groan, the madly blushing country clapped a hand over his mouth. "Oh God. I'm so sorry! It just feels so good, I can't help it!" he exclaimed, slightly muffled by his own hand.

"It's okay, it's okay! I don't mind, really! I'm glad you know that you're enjoying this so much!" Italy said swiftly, putting his hands up to halt the apology.

"Oh....okay," New Zealand mumbled, removing his hand form his mouth slowly now. Neither said anything for a moment or two now as Italy resumed his duty. "...Um...you can...do it a little harder...if you want..." New Zealand mumbled after that moment or two of silence.

"Would you like me to?" Italy asked uncertainly.

"...Well, I...I'm kind of...rough myself...so I guess I've gotten used to it...and gotten to like it that way..." New Zealand hesitantly replied, unable to help but feel embarrassing over his admission and not-quite-request.

"Okay. I'll be rougher, then, if you like it that way. Just tell me if I'm getting too rough and it starts hurting," Italy chirped, happily complying.

It didn't take long for New Zealand to start groaning and moaning softly, wavering between trying hard to stifle and hardly trying to stifle himself. "Oooh....! Aaah! I-Italy! Oh, oh, ohhh... Oh, Italy! Oh God!" he cried out. And then, after one final cry, he silenced.

The other countries, none of whom appear to be ready or willing to move away from bathroom door anytime soon, waited tensely, still wondering and imagining what was going on within.

"Ahh... I'm....sorry, Italy... I lost my head...that just felt so good...." New Zealand finally said, panting softly.

"It's okay, New Zealand. Like you said, this is your first time letting someone else do that for you,” Italy said lightly.

“Yeah… Um, I’d like to…do that for you, too…. To pay you back, you know…” New Zealand said softly, sort of mumbling again.

“Hm? Oh, I wasn’t doing that so that you would owe me. I was just trying to be nice. You don’t have to do me,” Italy swiftly said with a soft, sincere smile.

“I know. I knew that. I really want to repay your kindness, though,” New Zealand said softly, “If you don’t want me to, though…”

“Oh, no! I mean, yes! I mean—I’m sorry! I just didn’t want you to think—I’d love for you to! Really and truly!” Italy exclaimed, rushing about with his words as he tried to keep the other country from misunderstanding him.

“….Okay, then. Um…do you…do you like it rough? I mean, I can be gentle, if you like it that way,” New Zealand said softly.

“Ah, um…I guess I like it…gentle?” Italy guessed. He was clueless.

“You don’t know?” New Zealand asked curiously.

“Well, it’s just…Germany, when he does it for me, he never really gives me a choice. He just does it. But, he is…kind of gentle, I think. Compared to his normal self, at least,” Italy said.

Again, the countries that were eavesdropping gave Germany a look that demanded apology. And again he just glared at them all.

“What about whoever else who you let do this?” New Zealand asked.

“Ah, they’re all pretty much the same as him. Well, except I ask him. I never quite asked anyone else. They just decided to on their own, kind of,” Italy admitted weakly.

Now the other countries were giving each other various looks ranging between suspicion and disgust. And Germany was still glaring at them all.

“Oh… Well, in that case, I’ll start off being as gentle as I can, and then I’ll get a rougher a little at a time until you tell me to stop and that you like it that way,” New Zealand said.

“Okay…. That’s good,” Italy agreed, “…Mmm. That feels nice.”

“Ah, really…? I’m…hardly touching you at all. Should I not go on…?” New Zealand asked uncertainly.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean that. I was just letting you know it feels nice,” Italy said, smiling weakly in apology.

“It’s okay,” New Zealand said.

For several moments then neither of them talked, though there were soft hums now again from Italy to let the other country know that he was enjoying himself. The hums changed to moans after some time, though always remaining soft. “Ahhh. Okay, that’s good. Just like that is perfect for me,” Italy finally spoke up.

“Just like this? Okay, then. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to do more than just the middle area like you did. I want you to feel better than I did, so I’ll do you from tip to top,” New Zealand said now.

“Oh…? Okay,” Italy said. There was a moment of silence now, save for Italy’s mixture of soft moans and hums.

The many other countries that were eavesdropping had by now returned to ignoring and/or forgetting each other’s presence, once more straining to hear what was going on between the two countries in the bathroom.

“Oh! Ah! N-New Zealand, that….that feels weird…but good! Good! Good in a weird way!” Italy loudly exclaimed all of the suddenly.

New Zealand laughed softly, sort of smiling to himself. “Yeah, I know. It’s my favorite part. I figured you would like that, too. Base is always best to do,” he chirped.

“Oh, wow, that’s really so weird!” Italy exclaimed, “I wonder if Germany would let me do that to him next time we do this for each other…?”

“You’ll have to ask him to see,” New Zealand said, “Here, I’m going to do your head now. Don’t move around, okay? I don’t want to accidentally hurt you or something.”

There was something of a silence now, during which the many eavesdropping countries again gave Germany a look that was a disgusted demand for an admission of guilt and/or an apology. And, again, the only thing that got out of him was a glare that was a furious demand that they all mind their own business and/or drop dead.

“Ah! That really was good!” Italy said suddenly.

“Mhm! That was definitely the best. I feel so refreshed,” New Zealand agreed warmly.

“Oh, by the way, New Zealand, I was thinking about the last thing you said about me asking Germany to let me do that with him from base to head. Anyway, I was thinking that you should ask your brothers to do that with you,” Italy said.

“Australia and England…? They’re both really, um, how to say…? It’s not that they’re not nice, but I don’t really think either of them would want to do that for me…” New Zealand said, once more sort of mumbling.

Now all of the eavesdropping countries turned demandingly curious looks on Australia and England, both of whom looked at each other for an answer.

“You don’t know if you don’t ask,” Italy pointed out.

“Have you ever asked any of your brothers?” New Zealand asked.

“Well, I can’t really recall, but I probably did. I like it with Germany best, though, so I mostly just have always asked him,” Italy said.

The eavesdropping countries’ curious gazes shifted from Australia and England to Germany, switching into the regular apology-demanding looks. As per usual, Germany glared, obviously not about to apologize for anything.

“Oh. Well, I guess I can ask my brothers sometime….” New Zealand said, sounding both very uncertain and slightly unwilling.

“Don’t worry! If they say no to you, you can just come to me! I’d be glad to help you out any time! Even if I’m with Germany, you can come and ask me! I’m fairly sure he wouldn’t mind you joining us!” Italy exclaimed both happily and reassuringly.

“Alright. Then, next time I’ll ask Australia. And if he says no, I’ll ask England. And if he says no, I’ll come see you,” New Zealand said, smiling brightly now.

All at once, the bathroom door was opened wide. All of the eavesdropping countries that had been shoving at and leaning on each other to be as close to the door as possible fell through the doorway, collapsing into a hopeless mess. Italy and New Zealand just stood there and stared with surprise, unable to react to the unexpected presence of the other countries.

Germany was the first to recover from the collective shock, and therefore the first to start making accusations. “What the HELL were you two doing alone together!?!” he demanded as he jumped to his feet.

“And don’t lie! We were listening the whole time! We heard exactly what was going on in there!” England added, now jumping to his feet as well.

“If you heard exactly what was going on, doesn’t that mean you know what was going on?” Italy asked curiously.

“We're asking because we’re being generous enough to allow you the chance to admit the truth and explain yourselves!” America declared as he, too, recovered and jumped up. The other countries stood swiftly as well now, though remaining silent since their own thoughts had already been voiced.

“Okay. We were showering together,” Italy stated.

“We know that! What else?!” America snapped before anyone else could speak.

“Um…we washed each other’s backs,” New Zealand offered uncertainly.

“Well, I washed his back. He washed my whole body from head to toe, though,” Italy added, smiling brightly now.

“We kn—….Wait, what?” America started to shout, but he swiftly switched what he was saying, seeming to sort of deflate.

“We scrubbed each other's back. It felt really nice,” New Zealand said, softly blushing now.

“Really, really nice!” Italy agreed.

The other countries stared. Just stared. Trying to figure out if the two smaller countries were lying right now, or if they all had been thinking along the wrong lines all along. “…That’s it? You two just scrubbed each others’ backs?” England asked after several moments, being the first to recover this time.

“You honestly did not a single thing other than that?” Germany added with suspicion.

“Um, well, we also talked,” Italy said, exchanging a curious and confused glance with New Zealand.

“That’s it? Nothing else? At all?” America asked, now definitely deflating.

“Uhuh. Why? What else would we be doing?” New Zealand asked, cocking his head to the side curiously.

The countries that had been eavesdropping all blushed brilliantly now, some looking at each other with disbelief or demand, and some refusing to look at anyone else at all. New Zealand and Italy again exchanged curious and confused glances, absolutely clueless to why the other countries were acting so embarrassed.

“…Anyways, why did you two shower together and scrub each others’ backs?” Germany said as he fixed his own gaze on the pair of small countries, deciding to push on despite everything.

“Why were you all listening to us shower, anyways?” New Zealand countered curiously. All of the countries that had eavesdropped now glared at Germany in a way that demanded his shut his mouth. Germany, of course, just glared back.

“Oh well! Nevermind all of that! Since everyone is here anyways, let’s eat! I’ll make pasta! Lots and lots of pasta!” Italy exclaimed. He grabbed New Zealand by the hand, dragging him off before anyone could say anything. Not that any of the other countries would have, since they were all too embarrassed of their own stupidity to disagree with the idea or decline the offer.

“Hey, England, what are we going to chalk those two up to?” America asked, glancing at his elder brother as they and the other countries followed after Italy and New Zealand.

“Hm? I don’t really know. I guess just…” England said, pausing thoughtfully as he stared after the pair, “…“You scrub my back and I’ll scrub yours”.”