Hey all. Sorry about the lateness! I've just been so busy lately...
Poland: you, like, TOTAL liar!
STFU Poland! Anyway, here's the next chapter. I'm not too fond of it, but it'll have to do.
Disclaimer: I don't own diddly.
If he was distracted yesterday, today was just ridiculous.
Germany was a complete wreck. His speech that started the meeting was short and meek, and as soon as he was finished, he sat down and didn't say anything else for the duration of the time. He fidgeted constantly, keeping his eyes on the table and responding only by tilts of the head. England and France glanced at each other and then at him curiously. Italy, who sat near him, watched him and worried. What was with him today?
At one point, in the middle of the meeting, he tried his luck and glanced up from the table, only to regret it immediately. Instantly his eyes went to her, and his breath caught in his throat. Sure, he thought she was pretty before, but NOW...
he looked back at his hands, blushing furiously. Now every time he saw her that magazine flashed through his mind. He mentally groaned and prayed to Gott that this stupid meeting would be over soon.
Eventually (though not quick enough), the meeting was call to an end. Sighing in relief, Germany stood and gathered his papers, mostly unwritten notes and blank documents he didn't really know anything about. He put it in his mind to ask Japan to copy down what he wrote later.
Italy made his way over and looked up at the German with concern like yesterday. "Are you okay, Doitsu? You don't look very good..."
Germany opened his mouth to respond, but snapped it shut when he looked over the little Italian's head. Near the door, She stood waiting for her siblings, manilla folder held close to her and a patient, almost motherly look on her face. In this perspective, you would have never thought a woman like that was ever in a distasteful magazine. She must have felt eyes on her, or perhaps it was a coincidence, but nevertheless she looked up and straight into his eyes. For a brief moment blue locked on blue and a strange unexplainable rush went through his body. But in a second she looked away, a slight blush across her face as she turned and walked out the door with her brother and sister.
His eyes followed her out and his hand absentmindedly pressed against his jacket pocket. In unsure contemplation, he had brought the page along with the possible idea of telling her about it. It would be horribly embarrassing and awkward, but he just didn't feel right knowing something about her without her being aware of it.
"...Doitsu?" Italy looked up at his distant eyes when he didn't answer. "L-look, if you're still upset about last night, I'm really really sorry..."
Germany forced his eyes back to the redhead in front of him. "hm? Oh, yeah, that sounds fine, Feliciano..." he patted Italy's head and passed by him, leaving the confused little nation in the conference room.
Out in the hall, he caught sight of her turning a corner and followed hastily. He honestly had no idea what he was doing, but his feet apparently did. When he got close enough, he heard his voice call out;
"Fräulein Ukraine!"
She stopped and looked back at him surprised, as did Russia and Belarus (though their looks had a hint of suspicion in them). "Y-yes?"
"May I have a word?" he glanced at the other two. "in private?"
"Um, s-sure.." she turned to the others and said something in Russian. They looked at Germany, back at Ukraine, then reluctantly turned and walked down the hall. When they were out of earshot, She turned back and smiled shyly up at him. "how can I help you, Mr. Germany?"
Well, this was it. He took a slow, steady breath and opened his mouth. He then realized that he didn't even know how to begin. He cleared his throat and tried again. Again, nothing came out. He sighed in frustration, rubbing his eyes and thinking the whole thing over. Gott, this was difficult...
Ukraine stood patiently, though a puzzled look made it's way to her face. "...Mr. Germany, are you alright?" she placed a hand on his arm.
He glanced at her hand and gulped. She had small, delicate-looking hands... he took another breath. "Um, Fräulein, I- Miss- I was- I found- isthisyou?" he pushed it out far too quick for her to understand and pulled out the page, holding it between them.
She blinked and looked at the paper questioningly. Slowly, she grabbed it and unfolded it, brow furrowing in confusion. She stayed like that for a moment (what felt like ages for the nervous German), But suddenly her face changed dramatically, eyes growing large with shock and a hand going over her mouth. She looked over the page with horror and then looked up at him with the same expression. "what-what is-"
Germany watched her in a slight panic, feeling like there was something he should say. But before he could say anything (or think of anything to say), a loud voice from down the halls reached them.
"OI! UKRAINE!"
Both nations looked to see an obnoxious blond wielding a hamburger vigorously coming towards them. Ukraine paled a few shades and Germany's heart jumped into his throat. This CANNOT be good...
America continued forward, oblivious to the predicament he was walking in on. "Hey I was wonderin' if you've seen Matty around he was gonna play catch with me and- Whatchya talkin' to Germany about?-"
The tall country was about to explain (aka make up an excuse) when he felt a hand slip into his and himself being pulled away from the perplexed American. He looked down to see Ukraine sprinting down the hall searching for something on the walls. His eyes trailed to their joined hands and felt his face grow just a little warmer. Those small hands were awfully strong...
She seemed to find what she was looking for, for she abruptly stopped and he had to jump back a bit to not crash into her. He then felt that strong little hand tug him into a small dark room, the door clicking shut behind him. Another click and the space was lit by a light-bulb on a string that dangled to and fro as he glanced around his surroundings. She had pulled him into what looked like a janitor's closet.
He fidgeted slightly. He found himself so close to her, almost touching, extremely unsettling. Plus, it was so dirty in here...
The proximity and lack of cleanliness in the vicinity didn't phase Ukraine at all, however, and she held up the page to the light. "Where did you get this?"
he stopped fussing and blinked at the photo. Where? He hadn't thought about that question. He couldn't very well tell her he found it in HIS stack of dirty magazines that almost no one knew he had. That would ruin his reputation... which reminded him that THIS could ruin HER reputation, but still. "Er, w-well..."
She had torn her eyes away from him and was now staring helplessly at the picture. "no one was supposed to know about this... my people were so poor... we needed the money..." She sounded to be talking to herself, and seemed to had forgotten her question, or even that Germany was there at all. Her hand returned to her mouth and tears started forming at the corner of her eyes.
Germany gulped. Shit, she was crying... He was not comfortable with crying, especially Girls crying. He shifted from one foot to the other, chewing on his inner cheek and looking at anything but her. Put him in the middle of a battlefield he would know exactly what to do and how to do it, but in a situation like this he practically becomes a teenage boy at a school dance; Not a clue in the world. Blushing just a little more, he awkwardly put his hand on her shoulder. "...Please don't cry... I-it'll be all right..."
her eyes snapped up at his touch and she grabbed onto his shirt. "You cannot tell anyone. If my brother were to find out..." her hands shook and clutched tighter to the clean fabric. The tears that were teetering on falling pushed over the edge and streamed down her face. In the poor lighting, her eyes shined bright with desperate hope and her soft-looking lips quivered as she whispered almost inaudibly, "please...". Unbeknownst to her, her body had pressed up against him so their faces were inches away from each other.
He could feel her breath on his face and the blood began to rush to his face. "O-o-of course..." he stammered out, not even sounding like his voice. "I w-won't tell anyone..." He had no intention of telling anyone anyways, but seeing her in this state pretty much sealed his resolve.
The agricultural country looked into his eyes and gave him a watery smile. "thank you..." she whispered again. Her hands relaxed a little, but made no attempt to let go. He felt her body ease against him and then realized just how close they really were. His heart pounded so fast he was sure it was going to explode and his face grew warmer along with... other parts of him. Not being used to this sort of interaction, his body began to react to the unfamiliar contact. He prayed that she wouldn't notice.
She must have, though, for her smile faded slowly, leaving her face with an almost confused expression. His heart, if possible, beat even harder as his hand moved on it's own from her shoulder down her arm to-
Suddenly, a brighter light than the burning out bulb filled the closet and the click of the door opening this time brought both countries' heads snapping around. In the door way stood the outline of the blonde boy they had tried escaping from earlier. First his face had a look of bafflement, as if asking why the hell they were in a broom closet. Then came a childish grin that changed his entire face.
"Hey, whatchyou guys doin'?" He glanced at their hands on each other and grinned wider. "In a broom closet?"
They instantly straightened up, looking a lot more like a pair of teenagers than they should have. His hand dropped like lead away from her , face red enough to make Spain's tomatoes jealous. He glanced at Ukraine who had let go of his shirt and dried her eyes, looking just as embarrased. Behind her back he could see her crumpling the page and putting it in her pocket.
"W-we weren't doing anything..." His usually commanding voice cracked, making him sound totally unconvincing.
And America wasn't convinced. "yeah, okay." He continued grinning and winked. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
Germany scowled, but knew he wasn't going to persuade the annoying nation otherwise, so he just followed Ukraine past America and into the hall. "What do you want?"
"Just need to steal Yekatrina away for a while." America looked between them and raised his eyebrow comically. "If you don't mind."
He continued to scowl though mentally keeping her human name in the back of his mind. "...do what you need to."
The American smiled and turned his back to Germany, tilting his head at Ukraine and walking away without seeing if she was following. She looked at his back sighing before glancing at Germany, or more like in his direction. Her eyes never made it to his.
"Well then, Mr. Germany." She broke the awkward silence with a professional, though quiet tone. He merely nodded at her, at a loss of what to say. She looked to the floor and hurried away, leaving him to watch her till she rounded a corner and disappeared. He stood a moment longer before going the opposite way to the exit, having a growing feeling that tomorrow was going to be a VERY long day.