Dedicated to my Russia, DarkMoonKilling, to celebrate our own 'first date'
Arthur waited, not knowing why he had agreed to this. The G8 meeting had been held in Scotland and since he and Russia had arrived early; he did so because he wanted to make sure things were organised, while Russia had never really had a chance to look around the Scottish cities before.
So here he was waiting to meet up with Russia in Glasgow, although the two were in the same hotel Arthur had things to do first before meeting the other nation.
He spotted him easily.
The light blonde hair, long scarf and long coat flowed as he smiled and waved at him.
"Ah, you found this place all right?" Arthur asked him, feeling nervous, he'd never been alone with Russia before, he didn't really want any quiet moments but he feared there would be.
"Da, everything was as you said," Russia commented; "Now, you can call me Ivan,"
Arthur just looked at him, stunned; "All… All right, Ivan, well, where would you like to go?"
"I have heard there is a place on the… West side of the city?" He asked and Arthur nodded for him to continue; "I think Scotland told me about it, called… Vodka Vodka?"
"Vodka Wodka," The Brit corrected him but nodded all the same; "All right, we'll need to get the underground, it's not that far away,"
He then lead the tall Russian to the Buchanan Underground, stepping onto the escalators and tried to relax as he saw Ivan look at the adverts on the wall.
"Not very far down these one's are they?" The Russia asked and he nodded in agreement.
"Indeed, but Scotland doesn't have as many lines as the one in London does, so no real need for them to be too deep,"
They paid for their return tickets at the old fashioned machines to the side, Arthur was rather surprised that his brother's government hadn't thought to update the machines as they had updated the train station machines, but then thought about the revamp the underground would be getting later on, figuring that would be why it was still an out-dated machine.
Getting on the two remained standing since it was only a few stops, but Arthur noticed that none of the people seemed concerned about Ivan, in fact they just ignored him!
"How many stops?" Ivan asked, trying to find some kind of way to identify where they were going.
"Three more," Arthur told him, biting his lip to stop himself from saying 'don't worry I know where I am going'. Because he knew that Ivan would just get angry about it.
Once they arrived at their destination they walked up the stairs and got outside, with Ivan looking around rather confused, they had stepped out and near a main road, with a lot of hustle and bustle and loads of students pushing by.
Britain lightly tugged his arm and he looked down.
"Welcome to Byres Road," Arthur said with a slight smile, noticing Ivan's confused look; "This is the student part, since Glasgow University is just behind us. Come, you want to go to Ashton Lane,"
"I thought it…"
"Yes, but it in Ashton Lane, it's a brilliant place, one of the few decent places in my brother's place," Arthur stated as he lead the Russian down the lane, walking by a Spanish restaurant, a small cinema which Arthur told him a little about;
"It's small, but very comfortable, they have sofa's to sit on instead of cinema chairs, but they have limited films on, but it works out rather well,"
Then they were there, standing outside Vodka Wodka, to Ivan it didn't look very big, even when they sat down, but then he noticed that everyone was going upstairs.
"I take it there's a bigger sitting area upstairs?"
"Yes, it also means smokers are free to smoke away too," He said with a shrug; "It's quieter down here though, the people love the sunshine. I say, aren't you hot in that coat though?"
"Nyet," Ivan told him; "It takes more than this to make me feel warm,"
"I… I see," Arthur then looked at the drinks menu; "Right well, what will you be having?" Ivan just looked at him and he laughed nervously; "Yes, right, vodka,"
He ordered their drinks at the bar and brought them over to the table, noticing Ivan looking at the food menu.
"We should get some food shouldn't we?"
"It looks interesting," Ivan said and took a swig of his drink, while Arthur just took a sip, without saying another word the Russia went over to the bar and ordered, leaving Arthur rather surprised; "Food will be forty minutes,"
"Wh… Wait, what did you order?"
"Burgers, an Angus burger each," Ivan stated with a slight smile; "Sounds better than the burgers you would get at America's place, da?"
Arthur was now weary, what is he up to? Why order for me as well? And not ask me what I bloody wanted! Although Arthur would have just gone for the burger anyway; but that wasn't the point.
"This place is nice, not distracting," Ivan commented as he looked around and noticed the t'shirts the staff were wearing.
The front of the t'shirt on the left side said Vodka Wodka in red writing, on the back was the part that he appreciated, it said;
There are no ugly people, only too little vodka.
"Ah, so true, da?" Russia asked his companion, gesturing to the t'shirt.
Arthur looked and smiled slightly; "I suppose that would be true,"
Somehow that managed to break the ice, although the Brit didn't know how. They spoke about their history, careful not to hit on sore spots and certain things their own governments were doing to help their own personal economy.
He didn't know how it happened, but he found that not only had they received their meal and continued to talk, but they had been there for hours!
"Gosh, time flies when you're having fun eh Ivan?" Arthur said to the taller nation who nodded.
"And the company help too,"
"Right well, shall we get back to the city centre?" He suggested and Ivan nodded, but before they left Aston Lane, Ivan brought out his phone and took a picture of the sign, noticing Arthur giving him a questionable look he shrugged; "I might not be back for some time, who knows if it will still be here?"
Not questioning the other they walked back to the underground and headed back to Buchanan Street and both found themselves hungry once more.
"I know a place that is rather nice, it sells pretzels…" He began but Ivan quickly cut him off.
"Nyet, they are American," He said the last word with distaste but Arthur shook his head and began to correct him.
"These aren't what you think, trust me," Arthur said and lead him up some stairs and into a shopping centre, there on the right, was a pretzel stand, and Ivan watched as he saw one of the staff create the pretzel shape in front of some potential customers; "It's all fresh too," He then gestured to another member of staff who offered them a small piece to try.
"What kind?" Ivan asked, noticing it had something on it.
"Sugar and cinnamon,"
He picked up a piece and began to chew on it, realising that it didn't taste that bad, it was rather good, lovely and soft and doughy.
"Well?" Arthur asked as he stood in the queue.
"Da, you're right, they are good," He agreed, rather pleased that the food wasn't American like in the least.
The two got their doughy pretzels and went outside to the steps to eat. Sitting they became silent, not because they had nothing to say, but because they were enjoying the first few bites.
"You're brother's city is different," Ivan finally commented after he spotted a woman go by in what he could only guess was pyjama's.
"Glaswegian's are rather…" Arthur paused to take another bite before continuing; "I suppose, adventurous in what they wear. They could wear something in fluorescent pink and while they would get stares they wouldn't care,"
"That takes guts," Ivan commented as he carried on eating; "Am glad this isn't like America's food,"
"I'm glad too, I hate having his restaurants around, but they help the industry so I can't really complain," Arthur said with a sigh.
"Da, they generate money for the government and give the people jobs, which is what is important," Ivan said with a nod and then narrowed his eyes; "But still, he's an idiot,"
"Oh he's more than that," Arthur said and shook his head; "He's stupid, selfish and doesn't like to play by the same rules,"
"Da; the saying… one rule for us, and another for him?"
"Exactly, we've all signed the Geneva convention act and yet he still flounces those rules!" Arthur exclaimed, although no one seemed to notice or pay any mind, it was almost like they were used to it.
"Da, he does, he needs to be taught a lesson," Ivan agreed.
"One day he'll have a fall," Arthur sighed and scrunched up his paper bag, having finished the pretzel; "One day we'll see him fall. Not to kill him, but to make him realise that the rules are there for a reason. He wouldn't like it if his men were kept locked up with no lawyers to represent them at court,"
They continued to talk about their dislike of America and then spoke about the other nations, like Canada, who they were fond of, but of course they always forgot about him.
"I feel bad for forgetting him, he's been around me far longer than America…"
"America was a hand full though," Ivan said, oddly his words were rather comforting, which the Brit didn't expect.
"Yes, but I should probably try to talk to him more," He admitted and sighed; "In the end it all comes back to him,"
"Da, but aren't we making it so?" Ivan asked and Arthur looked at him in surprise; "We keep paying such attention to him, suppose we stopped?"
The two then heard bagpipes being tuned up and turned to face the direction the music was coming from. From where they were sitting they saw a man wearing all black, including a black kilt.
"Tch, if Scotland was here he would have that man's head on the bagpipes," Arthur told the other who looked at him curiously; "Scotland doesn't believe that wearing leather in a kilt style counts. To quote him, 'its just a fucking skirt',"
"Da, he's right," Ivan said peering once more at the piper and looked at his watch for the first time in hours; "Ah, I should head back, my sisters expect me to phone them,"
Arthur was once again surprise at Russia, he never expected the taller nation to say such a thing, he had just expected them to part ways with a careful goodbye as they did at the meetings.
"I had fun on our date, we should do it again, da?" Ivan said and waved as he walked down towards the train station..
"Yes it…" Arthur let the words sink in; "What? That was… That was in no way….!" He called out, but saw Ivan turn and wink at him, causing him to blush and look away.
That wasn't a… That… Then he realised, he had bought them drinks and Ivan had paid for the meal. Bloody… That was a date?
As he walked away, his mobile vibrated and he noticed the message came from Ivan.
What the bloody hell is he up to?
'I hope we can do this again sometime, da? I had fun. Ivan x'
Arthur re-read the text message again to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
All right then, I just had a date with Ivan. He put his phone back into his pocket; I guess it wasn't so bad. And I did have fun. Yes, I suppose we could do this again. Arthur then text Scotland to tell him he was still alive, although he was sure his brother would be annoyed at that little fact.
I just had a date with Ivan, and I felt no fear at all.