For Belgium

[deutschemann]

[He arrived an hour early before the promised time despite spending all night reading on manuals about what to do on dates. He's learned from his past experiences and made sure the books he got had some credibility. So now he's wearing something comfortable and less formal. Just a simple brown coat, beige dress shirt, light brown slacks, and clean cut loafers.]

[He's also holding a small present which he keeps inside his pants pocket for later. No flowers, nothing too big. He wouldn't want to give too much of an impression. No, never again. Hopefully, this time it would go well without any misunderstandings.]

Comments

Heeeee!

[bellabelgium]

[ And of course being a girl she's making him wait an extra ten-fifteen minutes before she finally shows up. A woman fashionably late but with good reason. She took a little more time picking out her outfit today; a flowy, flowery skirt that's swishing just a few inches above her knees, a pretty, pale yellow sateen top and ballerina flats with her hair held back by a pretty ribbon.

She heads into the aquarium and looks around, her smile brightening when she sees him waiting for her off to the side, out of the way of everyone else. If it weren't for his height she wouldn't even have noticed him in the crowd but she makes her way over with a grin. ]

Hello, Germany!

Yaaay!

[deutschemann]

[She made him wait an extra 12 minutes and 40 seconds, he was about to call her on her cellphone out of sheer concern! Something bad could have happened! Or maybe he got stood up...]

[But he turns around at the sound of his name being called amidst the people. He takes a hard swallow, and closes his smartphone and tucks it back into his pocket. Well, this is it. The date.]

[He crosses his arms and frowns a little--only that arriving late made him feel like she wasn't as eager about this as he was.]

You're late! I thought you were never going to arrive! Did something happen?

[bellabelgium]

Ah?

[ She glances down at her thin ladies watch. ]

Oh, I guess I am. I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure I dressed appropriately.

[ Nothing too short, nothing to revealing, something tasteful and pretty and hoping to catch his eye but he doesn't seem to be noticing over the 13 minutes. Welp, that's kind of a bummer. ]

That and there was a little traffic on the way.

[deutschemann]

[He noticed it, but his priorities are messed up.]

Ah, I see...traffic, huh...

and...[clears throat]

---Just make sure to look at your schedule next time and add some allowances...!

B-But you look especially good today so I'll have to compliment you on that...!

[bellabelgium]

Next time, huh?

[ She smiles at him, almost coyly. This date has only just begun and not in his favor but he's already mentioning a next time. ]

I'll be sure to watch the clock a little more carefully then. Did you have something planned for the first fifteen minutes or were you just scared I wasn't gonna show up?

[deutschemann]

[flinches -- bullseye]

...!

If you weren't going to show up, then it would just prove me right that you were just toying around with me!

[Then he would be really sad.]

[bellabelgium]

I can assure you... I'm not.

[ She means it genuinely, she wants to be here with him, she wants to see what this is like with him, and it was her idea in the first place. She's playing with him but she's not playing him. ]

I just wanted to look nice for you. Now let's go. There's a lot to see.

[deutschemann]

Mm, of course. We're already wasting time as it is by being idle.

I've already planned our course.

[pulls out a brochure he procured the day before too, and wrote down their trip and the times and all that in red marker]

We should start with the Waters of the World section since it's closest to the entrance.

[shyly...offers his hand sort of]

Since it's the weekend, there are a lot of people today. You might get lost...

[bellabelgium]

Of course you did.

[ So much for spontaneity. Then he offers her his hand and that IS a surprise but she smiles and takes it anyway. ]

Wouldn't want that.

[deutschemann]

[Her hand is warm against his, it's a new sensation to him. The book said that some form of physical contact was a good way to express willingness and openness to your potential partner.]

[He tries his best to hold her as gently as possible, to the point his fingers try not to go all the way.]

If you think my grip is too tight, inform me as fast as possible...

[And he slowly starts walking to the first attraction, which is displays of different bodies of water and how fishes change their appearances and traits to adapt to their ecosystem.]

...Do you like marine life?

[bellabelgium]

[ Oh Germany, you think she can't handle your grip? She gives his hand a squeeze, trying to tell him that it's alright, he can hold her hand however he wants to. ]

It's not tight.

[ They get to the first exhibit and the lights streaming through the water and glass leave the floor dancing with streams of different shades of blue, so lovely. ]

I do. All kinds. Fish, seals, whales and dolphins, penguins...

[deutschemann]

[Hearing that, he relaxes a little and lets his hand hold tighter. There's still some tension but a lot of it has gone away.]

[It's a crowded with people and children, so they have to squeeze in a bit to look at the aquariums themselves. Germany picks the Pacific ocean, since it's a fairly big view of a lot of things.

A voice on the speakers narrates how these marine animals coexist in a symbiosis with their environment. He's listening intently to both her and the speaker.]

Do you have a favorite then?

[bellabelgium]

[ She's not bothering to listen to the speaker, she can read plaques later. This is a date so she's focusing on him. ]

Oh, well I like orcas. I think they're absolutely fascinating. I also like the reef life. The small, colorful fish and the seahorses. I like seals too. So sweet and playful.

[ SHE CAN'T CHOOSE!! ]

[deutschemann]

[He's focusing on her too, but he's extremely poor with small talk. So he's hoping to have something to say by listening to that voice.]

I see...you named a lot. If you want we can check them all later. Did you want to see anything in particular?

[bellabelgium]

[ He's trying so hard, bless him. ]

Oh yes. I want to see the whales! I know they're at the very end though. Oh and the shark tank. It's a big tunnel that you walk through now.

[deutschemann]

[pulls out map/schedule and looks at it]

I suppose I can adjust our time in those places and extend them. [His pen is in his pocket.]

...Is it okay if I let go of your hand for a moment? I need to write it down. It won't take long.

[bellabelgium]

[ Buhyoo, Germany!! How are you even this cuuute? ]

Well, alright. But only for a moment, okay?

[ She gives him a smile, she can't help herself. He's precious. She expected him to just drop her hand but asking for permission to let it go? She isn't sure she's gonna make it through this whole thing without getting a nosebleed at least once. She understands now, Spain. ]

[deutschemann]

Understood.

[He releases her hand and quick digs through his pocket for a pen, jotting down and allotting longer time for whales and sharks. He checks his watch for the time.]

Is there anything here we can reduce? If you don't like anything, speak up!

Ah--You didn't mention liking jellyfish or dolphins, are they anything important?

[bellabelgium]

I want to see everything.

[ But at this rate they're going to waste time just trying to figure it all out. She watches him as he struggles to think up a game plan, biting her lip before reaching out to rest a hand on his arm. ]

Hey, how about you and I just go through the exhibits as they come. No agenda. We're already wasting time as it is trying to make one.

[deutschemann]

[He stares directly into her eyes with confusion. His cheeks are a little flustered from her touch.]

Without a plan or schedule, we could miss a lot of things. It would be ideal to be able to see the most important locations, wouldn't it?

I wouldn't want you to miss the whales or the sharks.

[bellabelgium]

I'm sure I won't miss them.

[ She smiles at him, her hand slipping down his arm to thread her fingers with his, taking his hand once more. ]

We'll be fine, I promise. If you want to make a star by the most important ones you can but... I've seen it all before. I'm here to spend time with you.

[deutschemann]

[He flinches as he feels her fingers slip around his, surprised by how intimate she's suddenly become. He's new to the idea, and it makes him nervous. Germans may be comfortable with their bodies, but being so close to someone else's is a whole different league.]

[I'm here to spend time with you.]

[That sounds really pleasant. And it makes him feel...happy? Is this happiness? He just wants to sit here and hold her hand.]

This date is your idea so I grant you the permission to decide what you'd like to do...!

[bellabelgium]

[ She catches his flinch but she doesn't pull her hand away. Instead she ops to loosen her fingers, giving the option to pull away if he likes but letting him know that she wants to hold his hand. ]

I just told you what I'd like to do. I want to spend time with you.

[ She laughs softly before looking around. It's VERY crowded here and she decides she needs to get them away from the crowds. ]

How about we go where the crowds aren't, hm? We can have some quality alone time.

[ Okay NOW she's just teasing him. She's got a thing for making handsome men blush. ]

[deutschemann]

[Alone time!? What does that mean? It could mean anything---was she too embarrassed of them being together in public?]

[But she did say she wanted to spend time with him, so could this be a good thing?]

[He's already turning red just from being told that she wanted time with him. If she could see the little hearts fall from him now.]

I...I see! Let's go somewhere alone!! We can go there! There doesn't seem to be anyone!

[He shyly tugs her by the hand, away from the people and towards the fossil museum.]

[bellabelgium]

Ah, alrig--!!

[ And off they go, smiling as she lets him pull her aside towards... the fossil museum? Of course there's no one in here, everyone wants to see the live fish, not the dead ones. She doesn't complain though, fossils are fun too. ]

Oh, there's really no one here. But fossils are so fascinating.