Tattoo

"No, absolutely not!" Japan stated firmly.

"Come on, please!" Belarus, his self-opinionated new best friend, pleaded.

"Hai, why don't you ask Ukraine? She's a girl and your sister..."

"She also has the biggest tracks of land I've ever seen! Can you image how self-esteem crushing it is to go bra shopping with her?"

Japan could see her point, but he still didn't want to do it! Belarus had been dragging him shopping for some of the oddest things and it made him very uncomfortable. Grocery shopping was fine, even wedding dress shopping was ok, but he drew the line at shopping for underwear! It was embarrassing and he would not give in this time.

"Please Japan, I promise it won't be that bad!" Belarus pleaded giving him the most heart-wrenching puppy dog eyes, and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Okay which one's better, the pink or the lavender? The pink is cute, but it's too padded and the lavender has those straps that you can change for the top you wearing like if I was wearing a...Are you even listening to me?" Belarus said while holding out two bras to a flustered and blushing Japan.

Of course he wasn't listening. It was embarrassing enough entering the Victoria Secret ©, now she wanted his opinion on the lingerie. He felt like an old pervert in the store, surrounded by scantily clad mannequins and teen girls giggling at him. Japan wished the floor would just swallow him whole.

"KIKU! Are you gonna help me or not?" Belarus yelled, startling poor Japan.

"...I'm sorry Belarus-san, I don't think I can do this..." Japan said shamefaced.

"Sure you can, you just have to loosen up a bit and you'll be fine. Now come on," Belarus said, taking his hand and leading him away.

"Where are we going?" Japan asked.

"The fitting room."

Japan did an internal double take. She couldn't be serious. Japan had learned a lot about Belarus over the short time they'd been friends, but there was no way he was ready to get to know her...like that. What was with westerns and their nakedness? Even if it was just half nakedness, it was way more than he wanted to see. Before he knew it, Japan was seated in a small room as Belarus closed a curtain. Not only was he going to see her in the bra, she was going to change in front of him.

"Close your eyes until I say you can open them," Belarus said as she untied the bow in the back of her dress.

Japan dutifully obeyed. He had gotten used to Italy and Germany's nakedness, but they were men. This was a whole new territory! He hadn't seen a woman that way in...a very long time. The last woman he saw like that was Mei and that was still very, very different...

"Ok open your eyes," Belarus said, turning to face him.

Japan hesitantly opened his eyes and was pleasantly surprised. He hadn't expected anything bad, Belarus was very beautiful and it made sense that her...body...would be nice too. He just hadn't expected it. Japan's eyes roamed of their own free will over Belarus's body, taking it in.

"...Enjoying the view Japan?" Belarus said teasingly.

"...Wha...uh...I-um..." Japan stuttered, he was too embarrassed to say a word.

Belarus giggled and turned to face the mirror giving Japan a good view of her backside, where something curious was displayed...

"You have a tattoo?" Japan said curiously, his eyes trained to her lower-back.

"Da, I got it after everyone first separated from big brother..." Belarus said, examining herself in the mirror critically.

"What is it? Birds?" Japan said squinting.

Belarus reached down behind her and folded over the band of her panties.

"It's three sparrows; I got to remind me of brother and sister."

"What does that word mean? It's your language, correct?"

"Da...It means forever..."

"...The separation must have been very hard on you," Japan said thoughtfully.

Belarus nodded. When the USSR first broke up, she was all alone. No brother, no sister, not even the Baltics...It felt so cold back then. Before she could stop herself, a tear fell on her cheek. She tried to wipe it away before he noticed, but Japan was watching her too closely. He got up without a word, walked over to her, and wrapped her in a warm embrace.

"Thanks Kiku..." She mumbled in to his shoulder.

Japan gave a thoughtful hum. Just something new he learned about his best friend...

Thank you for reading, please review...pretty please don't flame me!