Hi, how ya'll today. I like to thank my readers for still reading my story, THANK YOU. I know this is supposed to be a romance, but I'm taking my time with that, but I'm going to get started here. I don't own Ace Combat or any of the planes, guns, tanks, etc. Please review; I really would like to here someone's opinion.

Chapter 7: Boredom and then Attraction

"Scheißen I'm bored. I wish they let us go to town." I said angrily as we walked down the hall to the common room.

"But you hate going into town." Mieke said amused my outburst.

"Ja, but I've got nothing to read now and I can't order a book because they're holding our mail for 'security reasons'."

"Well… we could talk."

"Great" I said sarcastically. She smiled at that. 'At least one of us is having fun' I though.

"We could hang out in Herr Hauptmann von Klein's office." She suggested.

"But you're scared of him." I pointed out.

She pouted, "I'm getting over that. He isn't so bad."

"That's nice to hear." Said a weary voice behind us. Mieke shriek and rapped her arms around me in a panic. She looked behind us and nervously said, "Guten morgen Herr Hauptmann."

"Mi… Mieke… I… can't… breathe." I barely manage to say. I was amazed that her small form that looked so fragile and weak could be so powerful. I also notice how soft and warn she was and how nice she smelt. I'd never been held, or strangled for that matter, but it felt a tingling sensation and I knew wasn't because I losing air. I started to squirm because this strange sensation was making me feel uncomfortable and I was getting dizzy from lack of oxygen.

"Ruhrman as cute as you two looked together, I think you need to release your wing leader before you strangle him and if he dies I will have no choice, but to report you" von Klein said sounding slightly amused.

She realized what she was doing and released me. I fell to the floor gasping for air.

"Paul I'm so sorry. Herr Hauptmann surprised me. Are you okay?" she said very quickly, her cheeks were a little pink. I staggered to my feet using the wall for support.

"You two bored?" Von Klein asked.

"It's not like we have any work." I said.

"What do you expect? We're an auxiliary squadron; we're only need when there aren't other squadrons around. I'm the only one who works most of the time" He said with a shrug.

It was true. Today is the 28th and it's been three days since our first and so far last mission.

"Is the attack on the Heierlark still delayed?" Mieke asked curiously.

"Ja, Oseans didn't launch a counter offensive as fast as we thought. HQ thought most of the Osean Self-Defense Forces would be deployed to the Round Table region faster than they did." He said sounding a little annoyed with HQ.

"So what's going on?" I asked deciding to join the conversation.

"Heavy fighting is going on in the Round Table on the land and in the air. The Oseans are pretty disorganized so they won't last long. Sapin is putting up a fight, but our forces are holding their own on the defensive. The invasion of Ustio is going well, but the mountains make the advance slow. There are only some many routes and the Ustians set up their lines there. Also reports say that Osean is asking Yuktobania to join the fighting in an alliance against Belka."

"Do you think we'll take the Ustian capitol soon?" Mieke asked.

"If the Heer keeps up their current pace they should take it in a week or two. It doesn't look like Osea, Yuktobania, or Sapin will not be able to reinforce the Ustions in time."

We were now in front of his office and he opened the door for us. I enter and Mieke kept close behind me as usual.

"I thought you said you weren't scared of me?" Von Klein asked sounding very amused by Mieke's of being uncomfortable. "Or is it that you just like being so close to Vogel?" He said with much to my shock a sly smile. He was never like this; clearly he found something highly entertaining. As for me, I could feel my face burn and I sensed Mieke edging away from me in embarrassment.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Mieke said annoyed.

He grinned showing slightly yellow teeth and one fake tooth, "What can I say. Even I have to have a little bit of fun." He sat down at his desk and we sat in front of it. He started to show us the enemy positions on a map he'd left on his desk.

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"As I was saying, the Ustians are getting desperate and are now hiring mercenaries to fight. This includes mercenary pilots and some of them are skilled aces from other wars. So far no one particularly dangerous has appeared, but I'm just gonna keep an eye out. You never know when someone will blindside ya." Von Klein said.

I checked my watch and said, "We're gonna try and get lunch now."

He nodded, "I need to get back to work anyways. Oh and I think you're going to get an assignment soon."

We left the office and headed to the kitchen. I opened the refrigerator. There wasn't anything, but mustard, ketchup, and half a bag of sandwich bread. I closed it and did some thinking about what else we could do.

"You want to go to the main building and get something to eat in the main cafeteria?" Mieke asked me. With no better idea I nodded and we both headed for my motorcycle.

I sat down and watched as Mieke tied her hair up. I began to appreciate how nice and shiny her long dark brown, almost black hair was. I also admired her smooth skin kinda glowed and the small freckles on her face look sweet and innocent and… WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING!?!

"Paul?" said a soft voice to my right.

"I'M SORRY! I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING!" I yelled quickly in a panic.

"Eh?" Mieke said confused by my behavior, "I just wanted to know if you were ready."

"Oh… right" I said very embarrassed. I pulled my goggles down from over my helmet and over my eyes. I started the engine and we headed for the cafeteria in the main building. 'I know I haven't had any friends before Mieke, but I know these feelings aren't normal at all' I thought as I drove. I sighed, 'Maybe it's just that I'm bored and don't have enough to do.'

Paul and I were sitting at a table in the cafeteria eating out of trays. Taking another bite of beef stew I looked at him. He was acting very strange today. Maybe it was because I almost suffocated him earlier. I hadn't meant to, but now did I think about it I was surprised how thin he was. It was hard to tell just by looking at the uniform. He didn't have big muscles bulging on him, he was lanky with some smaller muscles. Actually even though I grabbed him was from the side, he still warm and kind of comforting and he smelled nice and… wait… how did I started on this?

I poked at a chunk of potato in my stew while I thought. I looked up at Paul who seemed very determined to stare at his food and only his food. I looked at his face, his hair was short neat brown, he was clean shaven, and there was a small bump on his nose from when I punched him, but it still looked fine and mostly straight. His overall frame was handsome and… I really need to find something to do.

I sighed and continued eating.

"Hey guys what's up" said a familiar perky voice that made me groan.

"Hello Krauss" Paul and I both said unenthusiastically and not looking up from our food.

"What are you doing?" said sitting down next to me.

"Eating" We both said again.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Ja." He sat down anyways like we said nothing, which we might as well have done.

"Wanna hang out later?"

"Nein."

"Why not? What else do you have to do? I am I annoying or something? And why were you staring at Paul, Mieke?"

I spat the cup of some kind of juice that I was drinking into Paul's face. I stare at a grinning Krauss. He started punching me teasingly in my shoulder.

"Come on, you can tell me." Krauss said. I was about to get up and leave my tray at the counter when one of Krauss's punches went too low.

"What the…?" His fist had made on contact with one of my breasts.

"Wow, you have a tiny cup size, don't you?" He said pressing his fist against my chest.

I Paul heard duck under the table for cover while I instantly grabbed my tray sending a fork, knife, and the remainder of my food flying. I hit Krauss in the side of his face and sent him flying over three tables. He was unconscious, but didn't care. Paul cautiously peeked out from under the table, once he saw it was safe he got out from under. He went around the table, grabbed my arm, and pulled me out of the cafeteria.

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"Mieke I understand that it makes you made when someone makes you feel er… small, but you shouldn't attack other pilots." Paul lectured as we walked down a hall lined with windows. I couldn't believe he was telling me what to do. Who does he think his is, the boss of me?

"Don't glare at me like that, I out rank you and I have every right to tell you what to do. Krauss should be punished for touching you, but you should have given him a chance to apologize."

"Give him a chance to what?!" I shouted indigently. He stopped, sighed, and looked out a window on to the main runway.

"Krauss isn't that smart… and it probably didn't occur to him that he wasn't doing anything wrong." He said shaking his head.

I looked out the window too. I turned my head to him and said angrily, "It still doesn't make it right."

"I guess it doesn't." Paul agreed. He started walking again, but looked at my reflection in the window. I cupped my breast with my hands and tried to see if it made them look any bigger, I sighed not impressed by the effect.

"Paul do you think my chest is too small?" I asked wearily, still looking at my reflection.

"Huh, WHA?!" I heard a crush and looked to my left. Paul had just tripped and fallen on his face. He rolled over, scrabbled to his feet, and tried to speak, but failed.

After several unsuccessful attempts to speak, he sighed and finally said, "Mieke… I uh… haven't really looked at your… er you know and… I… um… 'sigh' look, you look fine, just be happy with own appearance, like me."

Annoyed by his cliché like answer, I said, "Easy for you to say. You're not small in almost every possible interpretation of the word. You…"

"How do I look?" Paul asked.

"Huh?" I said caught off guard by the question.

"How do I look? I asked you once, but you never answered. I've never really thought about how I look and never let it bother me, but I just… you know wonder because it seems important to you and I wonder if I should worry too." He said curiously.

I looked him over. He was average height, thin, slightly built, clean shaven, and short brown hair. I looked into his green eye that almost seemed electrified; I felt my heart skip a beat and my mind go blank.

"Mieke?"

"You know let's forget you and get back on topic." I said quickly walking past him. I looked over my shoulder and saw him chase after me yelling for an answer, but I couldn't tell him what I really thought.

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We were in our room again, still on this appearance subject.

"Look, it's hard to tell because of the uniform you know. So it's not like I can tell easily."

"Okay, I guess that's a fair statement." I had to agree with that, the uniform was pretty conservative. I started to remove my officer's jacket.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?" I panicked.

"Relax."

"But…"

"I said relax! We're settling this now!" I said as I'm started to unbutton my shirt.

"But I'm not the one who makes fun of you." He said desperately.

"I know and I know you will give me an honest answer. Plus you're my best friend." I said taking off my button collared shirt.

"I may have not had friends before, but this doesn't seem like a best friend's job!" He said almost begging. I pulled off the white T-shirt to relieve my bare stomach and a dark grey sports bra.

"Well?"

He didn't answer. His green eyes widen, his jaw dropped, and face started to turn red.

"Paul? You there?"

"Hello?" Mieke said.

I couldn't answer her. My mouth just didn't seem to want to work. I could see her flat stomach, her curves, her smooth skin, and I could now make out her hips. I knew nothing about cup sizes so I didn't know what her chest size was. However, I could see them, they weren't huge, but they were a decent size. Mieke was… attractive… very attractive.

"Paul! Come on, answer me!"

I twitched and feel control returning to me. I shifted uncomfortably, shuffled my feet, and looked around the room. I subtly adjusted my pants because… well that's not important.

"Mieke… you… have nothing to worry about." I said very nerves.

She seemed satisfied, at last, and smiled a little. "Danke."

She leaned down to pick up her white T-shirt while I admired her smooth straight back. She pulled it on, I noticed that the T-shirt clung fairly close to her body and I could still make out her figure. When Mieke put her light-grey buttoned shirt I saw that it hund loosely, effectively hiding her figure.

"I'm going for coffee, do you want any?" She said leaving the room.

"Ja." I crocked. She nodded and started to leave the room.

She stopped and with her back to me she said, "Um… to answer your question there are many girls in the world who would find you attractive." She quickly left.

The moment the door closed my knees gave and I fell to them. Putting my right hand on the desk and my left on my chair, I pulled myself into my chair.

"Now I know what kind of girl I find attractive" I said to myself.

Shaking my head I said to myself, "I don't know what those guys that make fun of Mieke's figure are thinking, they just have no appreciation for her or her body. At least I can appreciate her, but… now what to I do?" How had this boring day turned into this? I wanted something exciting, but I'm not sure if this is what I want. She is cute though... and pretty... and beautiful... and... ALL RIGHT SHE'S SEXY, but she's just a friend, right? Like I said before, I may have not had friends before, but I know this isn't how a friend should feel.

Okay I finally got around to the romance part of my story. I don't know if I need to increase my content rating, but better safe then sorry. Hope you enjoyed it. Hey if you feel sorry for Krauss, hate him, or wonder what the hell his purpose is, he is just there to be annoying and provoke angry responses from everyone else. So hate or pity him, I don't care. I you got more ideas of what I can do to him let me know? Please review and have a nice day.

Respectfully

J. H. Kamiya