England and America were laying on England's couch, watching a movie, when America asked, "England, will you hold my hand?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I don't want to. That's weird."
"It's only weird if you make it weird. Come on, England. I keep hearing all my citizens talking about how physical contact is important for raising your kids and how purposely withholding that from them can be detrimental to their health. Obviously none of my tutors ever touched me, and I guess I turned out okay. But I wanna know what I missed out on. So hold my hand, please."
"No. You're not a child anymore."
"Come on. It's not like I'm asking you to hold me and tell me you don't hate me for wanting autonomy. I'm not asking you to like me, even. I'm just asking you to hold my hand for a few minutes."
England was silent, as the climax of the movie had begun. But when it was over, he reached over. "Fine," he said. "Where's your hand?" England accidentally smacked America's forehead in the dark a few times before America finally grabbed his hand.
"Is it everything you thought it would be?" England asked him.
"No, it's not," America replied, but he kept holding England's hand for about five minutes before he pulled away.
They watched the last fifteen minutes of the movie. England got up to turn off the TV before the credits could begin to play when America asked, "England, can I have a hug?"
"Why?"
"'Cause what if I'm just not a hand-holding person? What if I actually like hugs and that's why hand-holding didn't make me feel anything?"
"How did you think you were going to feel?"
"Loved." America cleared his throat. "So anyway, can I have a hug?"
England supposed a hug wasn't any worse than holding hands, so held his arms out. America hugged him very tightly as England awkwardly patted his back.
After a couple seconds, England withdrew. "Did that make you feel loved?"
"Nah, that sucked. Human contact is overrated."
"It's very rude to ask for a hug and then say it sucked. And, well... I liked it," England admitted.
"Yeah?"
"Yes."
"So do you wanna do it again?"
"Sure."
A/N: Man, I kept reading all this stuff about, like, hugs and how great they are. So I asked my mother to hug me and felt nothing, same with my father. I feel scammed, but I guess I don't know what I thought was going to happen.
Anyway, a review would be great. Have an amazing day and stay safe.