A few days later, Mexico decided to have a fun day with friends. So, he invited Italy and Philipa over and told them to bring their kids.

"So Tex, would you rather go to the art museum, or the aquarium?" Mexico asked.

"Uhhhh I dunno! I like fishes but I also like pictures!" Texas exclaimed.

"Well, I guess we'll decide when everyone gets here," Mexico said. Suddenly, Texas noticed a Vespa in their driveway. He made an excitement noise and ran out to greet the people on it.

"Is that a Vespa?!!?!" Texas exclaimed.

"Uh-huh!! Papà found it in his storage and fixed it up for me to drive when I'm a adult!!" Tito exclaimed, Italy helping him out of the child seat he had affixed onto the Vespa. Once he was standing, Texas toppled him over with a biiiiig hug. The two were giggling, having a fun time. Italy and Mexico smiled, happy their sons were getting along. Suddenly, a car pulled into the driveway behind them.

"Hello you four... I didn't know Italy and Tito would be here," Philipa said, getting out of the car, and helping PJ unbuckle his seatbelt.

"I didn't know you'd be here either," Italy said.

"Well, I never implied either or neither of you would be here to each other, buuuut you don't mind, right?" Mexico said, In a very "I-know-you-two-are-still-mad-at-each-other-but-our-kids-are-already-here-and-playing-tag-together-so-suck-it-up" kind of way. Philipa and Italy exchanged looks.

"Hm... guess not," Italy said. The three got in Mexicos car, and they went on their way.

"So, aquarium or art? They're both in the same area, so we can go either way.

"Aquarium!!!" Tito exclaimed.

"ART!" PJ exclaimed, mostly to counter.

"What do you think Tex?" Mexico asked. Texas paused, realizing that if you are in an odd numbered group, it's inevitable you have to pick a side at one point, even over something as small as where to go.

"...can we do both?" Texas asked. Mexico shrugged.

"I'm up for it. How much time do you two have?" Mexico asked the adults.

"As long as we're home by ten, I'm fine with seeing both," Philipa said. Italy nodded in agreement.

"Both it is then!" Mexico exclaimed happily, the kids cheering. First, they went to the aquarium.

"Fishes!!!" Texas exclaimed excitedly, the kids all havin a blast staring at the pretty fishies.

"Where are the sharks papà?" Tito asked.

"They're over this way... it's a bit scary over there," Italy said, looking at the more threatening murals of vicious sharks, and deep-sea creatures, directly opposite of the end of the aquarium with beautiful murals of dolphins. Which is stupid imo.

F*ck dolphins

I hate dolphins

Anyway, the boys, knowing that they could easily beat up a shark if they wanted too, happily skipped to the shark exhibit, planning to go to the deep sea exhibit next. They stared in wonder at the beautiful sharks, swimming around and being sharky.

"Tito, have you ever seen a shark up close like this before? My Uncle Aussie has a robot leg because of a shark," Texas said.

"I've seen his leg, it's awesome!! But no, I haven't seen a shark this close... not when I was in the water, at least," Tito said.

"Sharks can smell blood from miles and miles away... Tex, your eye doesn't bleed still, does it?" PJ asked, hoping that the glass between them and the sharks was shark-proof.

"Nuh-uh, I'm safe," Texas said. Tito grabbed his hand.

"I'd never let them hurt you, mio caro," Tito said. Texas liked this. PJ didn't.

"I'm still his hero," PJ said, grabbing Texas's other hand.

"Well so am I!" Tito spat.

"Guys! We're each other's heroes!" Texas exclaimed. Tito and PJ didn't argue with that, but they still stared each other down.

After looking at all the cool sharks, the boys were checking out the deep sea exhibit.

It was dark

Spooky

And the fishies looked scary

Texas didn't want to be a baby, but he was shaking in his cowboy boots

However, suddenly someone was hugging his arm.

"I'm scared so I figured you were probably terrified so... just don't loose me ok?" Tito said, trying to suppress the fear in his voice with sounding angry. Texas didn't mind, because Tito sometimes sounded angry, even when he wasn't. Texas could tell though, because he knew Tito, and knew he probably would be very very rude if he was actually very very mad, which he wasn't.

"Hey... where's PJ?" Texas asked. They realized PJ had wandered off, and they frantically searched, hand held tightly in hand.

"Are you kids lost?" An aquarium worker asked. However, it was dark, so they couldn't tell if this was a friend or not.

"NOT TODAY SATAN!" Tito shoved past the man and pulled Texas along to the jellyfish room, where PJ was staring at the little things bouncing around and havin fun.

"There you are!! You scared us!" Tito exclaimed.

"Well, you lost me!" PJ exclaimed.

"See Tex, this is why I'm the better out of the two of us," Tito said.

"Of me and you?" Texas asked.

"No! Of me and PJ!" Tito exclaimed. PJ scoffed.

"No!! I'm the bestester!!! You're not even a superhero! Your just a dumb monster!" PJ exclaimed.

"Guys!! Cállate!!! I don't wanna fight! We're friends remember?" Texas said. PJ and Tito murmured in agreement, yet still glared at one another. Texas frowned, and started sniffling.

"Wait!!! Don't cry!!" Tito exclaimed. The two began comforting him, and Texas smiled, happy that the two of them could find peace in their mutual care for him.

The adults were having a very similar experience, yet it was more passive aggressive, and a lot less caring.

"So... how is Francesco?" Philipa asked.

"He's fine... he's been started on medication, and has been sober for a month... I visited him a few times," Italy said gruffly.

"And how does he act?" Philipa asked.

"Fine enough... just... distant," Italy said.

"Drugs will do that to you," Philipa said. Italys fists clenched.

"Philipa, could you stop it? I get that you two don't f*ckin care for each other all that much, but Jesus, why are you acting like d*cks to each other?" Mexico asked.

"She's just still bitter that it wasn't my kid who gave every one of his friends some kind of injury," Italy spat.

"Well at least Philip is a good kid at heart! Francesco hurt PJ far more than PJ has hurt Tito!" Philipa exclaimed.

"And guess who else Francesco hurt more than he hurt PJ? TITO. EVERY GOD DAMN DAY MY BABY HAD TO DEAL WITH SOMETHING YOUR KID WAS ONLY EXPOSED TO ONCE! PJ only met Francesco ONCE, and your acting like it's the whole damn reason your son punches other kids because he doesn't know any better! But this isn't about Francesco! You always criticize me and Tito as if we're just as bad as him!" Italy exclaimed.

"Well, who's fault was it that Francesco turned out the way he did?!"

"I tried my f*cking best, ok?! I didn't know how to f*cking help a kid who'd throw glass bottles at me when I tried to comfort him! And Tito never intentionally hurt anyone! Philip did! He punched Texas, Tito, Bruno... f*ck he even made Indos son Indie cry, and he's ten years older!!"

"Indo didn't hold it against me-,"

"And I wouldn't have either if you didn't drag me into this by calling me an awful father, and insulting me about Francesco even though you know how much my family had to go through when I tried to be a good father to him while being fully aware of how much my baby was scared of him!!"

Meanwhile, the kids watched from a distance.

"...I'm sorry my mom is mad at your dad... I promise she's very nice, she just doesn't like being the bad guy," PJ said.

"It's ok... I'm sorry my dad is so loud," Tito said. Texas was sad, and knew his friends were too, so he pulled them in for a group hug.

"Philipa, Italy, please... this isn't solving anything," Mexico said.

"I just... god, why did you invite us both? We were perfectly fine not talking," Italy said. Mexico crossed his arms and pointed at their teary-eyed children hugging a short distance away from them.

"Because I don't f*cking care if you two are so petty with one another you can't help but fight... because I want the kids to not feel like they have to be enemies just because of their parents," Mexico said. Italy and Philipa were silent. "I'm taking these three to the art museum, you two stay here together. We'll wait for you at the entrance when we're done. And talk. Don't argue. Talk," Mexico said, before walking away with the kids.

"Well... um...," Italy said. Philipa sighed.

"Italy... I'm sorry, ok? I just... I hate feeling wronged, and then twisted into the villain-,"

"I understand, but... you know how difficult the situation with Francesco was... you didn't have to go there to tell me what my baby did wrong... I know Tito wanted to be a "villain"... but Tito never wanted to be his brother," Italy said. Philipa sighed.

"I know... I... I'm sorry, I really am... I just-,"

"Philipa, I dont need a story... I just wanna know that we can be friends again, ok? Because... I really do want our sons to have each other's backs... I think they can all learn great things from one another... like, that you don't have to be enemies just because you don't agree over something, or how to play nice, or how and when to share... because lord knows, we coulda used that when we were young...," Italy said. Philipa chuckled.

"God help me, you are totally right," Philipa said.

Meanwhile in the art museum, while Texas was chatting with his papá about art, PJ and Tito were chatting about Texas.

"So... why are you suddenly his friend? You aren't using him, right?" PJ asked.

"I'm not... just... don't tell anyone, but you know the love calculator?" Tito asked. PJ nodded.

"It gave you a full heart with him?" PJ asked.

"Uh-huh... well, almost," Tito said. PJ nodded, before taking out his moms phone that he stole and handing it to Tito, who stared at what he was showing him with wide eyes.

"May the best man win," PJ taunted.

Now, Tito, much like his father, was prone to anger in hopeless situations...

But Tito knew deep down his compassion was better than anything PJ had to offer.

"May the best man win," Tito said, a grin on his face.