I'm just had a burger and I'm happy, so this chapter will be a less salty and more fluffy. Also, we may have a serious contender! Starting from now, if anyone wants a particular 'Mano ship in a chapter, let me know and I'll probably write it! :)

"Oh, thanks."

Netherlands hmphed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Least I could do."

Romano sniffed the enormous bouquet of red and white tulips, thick, bright green stems bound by a ribbon, and couldn't help but smile. "Uh…really. I appreciate it."

Netherlands chuckled awkwardly and flushed a little. "You're being really…nice."

"Er…yeah? Normally I'd power up to Super Saiyan tsundere, throw these undoubtedly expensive flowers in the gutter and storm off, but after my last two…uh…dates, I'm too goddamn tired."

"Oh. I'm glad, then." The Netherlands coughed lightly. "Do you want to grab something to eat?"

"Sure."

"How the fuck did we end up here?"

"Honestly, I have no idea."

"It's your city, dumbass!"

"Hmmm…" Netherlands ran a hand through his pale blonde hair, stained by the red light spilling from the many windows onto the street.

"Ugh. Let's get out of here."

"Hey now, what's wrong with it?"

"There's—there's brothels everywhere!"

"Huh. Well we all do know how the Italians are famous for hating sex." Netherlands smirked.

Romano sighed. "Point taken. It's just that it makes me think of work, and the red lights give me a splitting headache anyway. Do you know how difficult it's been to manage the prostitution in Rome? It's everywhere! It's both great and terrible for tourists…" He mused, brow creased in irritation.

"Heh. You could say it's driving you up…De Wallen?"

Romano snorted as he tried in vain to hold back his laughter. "You're not funny, bastard. I'll push you into the canal if you don't watch out."

The Netherlands laughed exuberantly, throwing back his head. The harsh red light outlined his profile, caught in the hollow of his neck and pooled over his clavicles, and Romano had to look away to hide the fact that he was blushing redder than the district's lights.

"Hey. I'm sorry—" He paused when he saw Romano was staring at the red light reflecting off the dark water of the canal. He brushed the opposite corner of Romano's jaw in a bid for his attention, and Romano jumped, turning back to face him. "Really. I'm sorry, I didn't even realize where we were going, I was really absorbed in talking with you."

"H—heh. I am the best at conversation, dumb bastard. You should've known that beforehand."

"You are."

"Hey." Romano puffed out his cheeks, avoiding eye contact again. "I'm fucking starving. Let's find a café, or somewhere to eat."

Netherlands exhaled as he smiled. "Okay. C'mon Roma." Soon they were weaving over the rain-slicked pavement, under the red lights, towards Amsterdam's best pub.

"Well, It's not actually the best pub in the city, but it is pretty damn good." Netherlands admitted over his shoulder as he clasped Romano's gloved hand, making him sputter in surprise.

Romano, panting slightly from being pulled along in the chilly air, inquired, "Th-then why are we even going there? Tch. Not worth my time—"

"Here we are!"

They stood in front of a modest, slightly worn down looking pub, which read Louis Bar café de Dam on the red awning. Patrons milled around inside, packing what truly was the smallest pub in Amsterdam, the noise raucous.

"It's…uh…"

"It was the closest to where we were so…"

Romano, surprised into being polite, answered, "Oh, no, it's fine. I just thought it was going to be some special magical place that would change my life forever, you know."

"Well, it's just…I knew you were really hungry so…is it okay?" Netherlands cleared his throat and tugged at his tie nervously, all his bravado from before having fled him.

"Well, I mean, it's not like there's any prostitutes openly soliciting in here, so yeah. Let's eat here?"

"Yeah." Both the Netherlands and Romano sank into the sturdy wooden chairs under the weathered awning, relieved. "What do you want to eat?"

"Uh…Whatever you recommend?"

"Hmmm…kay."

Romano craned his neck to see out from under the awning, up at the fading dusk, and sighed as Netherlands ordered for both of them.

"What's wrong?" Netherlands asked, yawning.

Romano blinked sleepily, unable to stop himself from yawing as well. "Noooooth-ing. I just don't relish the prospect of the train ride back to Rome after this."

Netherlands sucked in his cheeks and peered pensively into the dimly lit bar's interior. "Yeah…that's too bad…"

"I mean, I could take a flight, but it's not like I'm America. My government doesn't let me run amok like a trust fund kid."

"Yeah…" Netherlands seemed to be staring into the middle distance and having difficulty swallowing.

"Hey. Hey!" Romano snapped his fingers in front of the Dutchman's face. "Snap out of it, our food is here!" Romano began to dig in enthusiastically as Netherlands stared blankly at his mulled wine, pale fingers wrapped around the warm cup.

"Netherlands? Are you okay?" Romano, in between bites, seemed to have gathered that Netherlands was preoccupied. "Dio mio, do you have hypothermia? Fucking cold out here, c'mon—"

"You should stay here!" Netherlands suddenly burst out, reaching for Romano's wrist as he stood, but pulled back awkwardly at the last moment. Romano blanched. "Uh…well, like I just said, it's really fucking cold out here, so let's, uh…not do that?"

"No…I mean…" Netherlands bit his lip, hesitating, and Romano hid his smile behind his hand.

"You're kinda cute, Paesi Bassi."

"Heh? I'm cute?" Netherlands seemed taken aback.

"Er…yeah, in a stupid, dropped on your head as a child kind of way."

"Ah…of course." Netherlands chuckled. "Roma…"

"Tch. Yeah?"

"I meant, you could stay with me, in Amsterdam. I'll cover your flight back in the morning. Or, you know, whenever you decide to leave, I guess." Netherlands rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact with the nation who stood next to him.

There was a long silence. (There has to be, dramatic tension and shit like that, you know.)

When the silence had stretched out to an uncomfortably long length, Netherlands couldn't help but look down at Romano. And that cheeky motherfucker was on his phone.

"What the fuck?"

"What do you mean, what the fuck?"

"I mean, I just offered to have you stay with me, and you're on your phone. I mean, you know what I'm offering, right?"

"Actually, that was kind of unclear. I thought it was just an offer to sleep with you."

"Well, that too, but also, if you wanted to move in…"

"What? It's like our first date. I mean, I'm not particularly commitment averse, but I'm not ready to load up a U-Haul after the first date."

"Well, do you want to sleep with me then, or are you texting your next date?" Netherlands asked, bitterness tinging the question slightly.

When Romano didn't answer for a second, Netherlands was about ready to chuck that goddamn phone straight into the canal and leave Romano to meet up with his Grindr date or whoever the fuck he was texting.

"Hmmm…and done." Romano tilted the screen so Netherlands could see. "My dramatic reveal is completely ruined now, stupid, but why don't you take a look anyway?"

"Oh. You cancelled your train ticket."

"Yeah, I did."

"Well, this is awkward."

"Yeah, if you'd waited, like, five more seconds we could've avoided all this."

"So, I guess you're staying at my place?"

"I mean, I just cancelled my ticket, so…yeah?"

Netherlands cleared his throat and grabbed Romano's hand nervously. "Then let's go."

"How much farther? My feet are fucking freezing."

"Just a little bit. I only live a little outside of De Wallen."

Romano snorted and Netherlands quickly amended his statement, "Because it's so close to the center of the city!"

"Whatever, just hurry up, bastard. My whole face is cold. My lips are probably turning blue."

Netherlands paused and looked over his shoulder at Romano, who was rosy-cheeked and exhaling in puffs of breath that froze in the air, Italian flag scarf draped warmly over his shoulders. "Can I kiss you?"

"Uh, if you want, I guess."

Both stared at each other, warm red light casting their faces in shallow shadows, somewhat breathlessly, before Romano took the initiative to stand on his tip-toes, grab onto Netherland's shoulders, and press their lips together. It was a pretty granola kiss, not gonna lie.

When he pulled back, Netherlands scratched his head. "Thanks. But, um, I've been meaning to ask…didn't you have this thing where you kept denying you liked guys? I mean, I'm glad we have a thing going, but this all seems kind of out of the blue."

"Oh, yeah, well I changed my mind when I saw my first episode of YoI."

"Really?"

"No, I think the fanfic writer just forgot to write a chapter where I change my mind."

"Oh, okay. I'm just gonna pop into this shop and grab some lube, if that's cool with you?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll come with you, it's too fucking cold to stand around outside."

"Mmmmkay." Netherlands agreed as they linked hands.