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

[deutschemann]

I wouldn't mind a little exercise before drinking.

[He smiles as he tries for a joke. Who says Germans don't have humor.]

I've been looking forward to going there! I'm ready!

Would you like to switch hands? I wouldn't want you to have a hard time trying to reach them. You might fall in.

[Assuming he's been holding her right hand.]

[bellabelgium]

I doubt it'll be strenuous. I can think of much better exercise than that.

[ She doesn't mean it to come out the suggestive way that it does but she shrugs it off and loops her arm into his instead of taking his hand again. ]

I know you won't let me fall in.

;o; Sorry I'm late!

[deutschemann]

[His heart starts to pound at having such close contact with someone else. She was...soft. It wasn't like when Italy tries to cling onto him. This was more delicate and sensual.]

As long as you don't let go, you'll be fine...

[He guides them to the pool, which wasn't very far from the exhibit. There are a ton of children playing around and where wasn't much privacy to relax in, seeing as it was full of parents too. It was all so loud and filled with 'oohs' and 'aahs'.]

You're okay!!

[bellabelgium]

[ Yup, it's the petting tank. The one place everyone wants to be. She can't help but smile at the excited kids, watching them as they laugh and play and shriek as parents yell and take pictures.

She walks in with him casually, looking like a very fine couple as she glances around. There are all manner of things to check out; turtles, sea slugs, snails, starfish, bitty rays and tiny sharks... lots to choose from. ]

Well, what would you like to see first? Oh, look at the rays.

[deutschemann]

Anything's fine! We could move around from nearest to farthest so we could cover the whole room properly. We can go to the rays after we've finished the others.

[He uses his business voice, mumbling out the plans. He leads her through the room, kids pass by and giggle at them. Germany liked children, so it didn't really bother him that they were around.]

[He blushes hard when one of them asks if Belgium was his girlfriend.]

[bellabelgium]

[ Haha always so business like. It's actually kinda cute. She follows along with his plan without any fuss, making their way along the pools and touching a few curious things as they go. Belgium herself loves children, and she talks with them and pets with them as she and Germany make their way around.

She's talking with another little boy, holding up a snail so he can see the underside of the shell when she hears one curious little one ask Germany a very on the spot question. She straightens a bit, smiling when she sees that blush. ]

He is.

[ She says it without hesitation or thought.. really, she just wants to see how Germany will react. Will he accept the part and play the game with her? He's just a little boy, he doesn't know nor will it affect him so why not mess around? ]

Isn't that right, dear?

[deutschemann]

[W-What is she saying!? His hand draws back from the tank. His forehead grows more damp than the hand he used to pet the fish.]

[His eyes dart back to the little boy with messy hair and a big grin with a lot of missing teeth. He wouldn't want to deny her in front of him, but that would mean he would have to lie! He clears his throat, with his face gone beet red. But really, what's gotten into you Belgium!?]

Ah, y-yeah! We're good lovers!

I'm lucky to have someone as beautiful as her!

[The boy quickly pouts and kicks at the floor. That's too bad, he says, Germany would have been good for his mom.]

[bellabelgium]

[ Haha, lighten up Germany, he's just a little boy and she's playing with you. She blushes a little, laughing still when he says that they're good lovers. Does he even know what he's talking about? She does feel a little bad about the boys, mother but, well... Germany is hers for the duration of this date. ]

Good lovers, huh? So lucky to have some on as beautiful as me?

[deutschemann]

[Asking Germany to lighten up is like asking water to stop being wet!]

[The boy quickly loses his interest over them and runs off to his mom who calls him from the other side of the room. Germany remains flustered and nervous even as things quickly died back down.]

Well, what did you want me to say!?

And why did you say yes to his question? Explain your actions!

[bellabelgium]

[ Right, and the Beast couldn't learn to control his temper...

She smiles, watching the kids as they all wander off to bigger, better exhibits, thinking to herself that that was a fun little tease before he suddenly turns to her flustered, catching her off guard. ]

Honestly, I'm surprised you played along at all. And you should be thanking me. If I had said no then he would have tried to have pulled you over to set you up with his mother. That would have been way more awkward than pretending to be my boyfriend for five minutes.

[deutschemann]

It's fine! I'm sure I could have handled it alright on my own! There was no guarantee that his mother was interested!

Besides, he didn't explain his reasons before he asked so you couldn't have known what he was after! You didn't have to say any of that!

[Of course he played along. If possible, he'd like it to be real, after all.]

[bellabelgium]

Why are you getting so flustered? It was just a little kid. He doesn't care.

[ Seriously, Germany... lower your voice or the next set of kids won't want to come in. ]

[deutschemann]

You--

You've been giving me mixed messages. All these signs of affection happen but we haven't gotten anywhere worth saying we're compatible with each other. This wasn't explained in the book!

...

[His voice lowers, but it's more from nervousness than calm.]

Are you really that interested in someone like me?

[bellabelgium]

Book? What boo--

[ And then she realizes that Germany isn't the type to just venture out into something like this without at least some research. Did he really read a book about going on a date? Was it something like "How to treat a Belgian woman to a nice day out?" Lord so help her it probably was-- and she can't help the giggle that comes out next. ]

G-Germany, are you serious?

[deutschemann]

[Well, he certainly didn't expect a giggle as an answer. It throws him off a little.]

[That's pretty close to the description. He also researched intensely on Belgian culture and history. Then followed up on studies on Belgian women. Then read a few Belgian romance novels.]

[It never prepared him for whatever she pulled out of her sleeve today!]

Did I say something funny?

[bellabelgium]

[ He... is such a trooper. He did all of that for her, to make sure she had a good time and that she would be impressed with him. It's all very sweet. ]

No. You didn't.

[ She reaches over for his hand, lacing her fingers in his and giving him a gentle tug towards her. Once he's close enough she leans up to press a kiss to his cheek. ]

Let's keep going. We can talk more, I promise. Ask all the questions you want.

[ But there is another field trip group coming and she doesn't want to talk with him in the midst of a loud third grade class. ]

[deutschemann]

[He quickly moves back after feeling her soft lips on his cheek and jolts up to his feet.]

What was that for?! You should save those kinds of things during the right moment! Don't just recklessly give them away!

[He scolds her a little softly. There's greeting kisses, but this felt different. After all, she wasn't greeting him!]

Let's move on before we end up getting distracted again! It should be good for lunch soon, so let's finish exploring this place. We have 5 more tanks to experience!

[He turns his face away to stroke the cheek where she kissed up, muffling his mouth from making any other embarrassing expressions. He trudges past a row of students, his hand tightly curled around hers.]