Black Coffee :|: America x Russia :|: Countryhumans

Act I, Chapter Twenty-Two

"Quick! Catch that cat - it stole my wallet!!"

"YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME ALIVE!!"

America laughed evilly as he gained on the thief, narrowing his eyes as he ran.

"YOU CAN'T RUN FOREVER, CAT!!"

"TRY ME, GAYLORD!"

The striped country reached out his arm and caught the bottom of the assailant's hoodie and yanked her back, throwing her up like a pizza before catching her in his arms and holding her bridal style. The person in his arms giggled and threw up her arms, flailing them about to try to escape the hold.

"Lemme gO –"

"Nope! You deserve this after being so cocky," America retorted, throwing her over his shoulder and dipping his hand into her pocket and retrieving his wallet. "Plus, you took my wallet ya asshole."

Japan pouted, going limp on America's shoulder as he walked towards their usual hangout spot, "You're mean."

"I know~" America purred.

"Hey," Japan straightened up slightly, turning to whisper into America's ear. "You know all the monoskins are staring at us, right?"

America shrugged, continuing down the street despite the stares the two were receiving, "They're harmless, they probably think we're just dumb teenagers or something."

"I hope you're right," Japan agreed before her frown shifted to a smug smile. "You're paying for lunch, right?"

"Not on your life, J-Pop."

▪▪¤▪▪

"Hi my name is Michael with a B and I've been afraid of insects my whole life – "

"Wait, where's the B?"

America immediately shot up out of his seat and slammed both his red and white hands onto the surface of their booth table, scaring the shit out of all of the cats on the window sill.

"THERE'S A BEE?!"

Japan laughed hysterically, pulling America down to the table as he wheezed. All the cats surrounding them glared at them in disappointment, some sashaying off to pester some other (quieter) customers.

"O-oh my g-god," Japan sputtered in between giggles. "S-stop, you're gonna get us k-kicked out!"

"I'll say."

America and Japan got over their laughter as quickly as they could, twisting to meet their visitor. Standing over them in the cat café with her headphones around her neck and her hands in her hoodie pockets, was South Korea with a small smile. Japan was wearing a similar hoodie since she had made them both herself for Christmas, the only difference was where South had blue accents, she had lavender ones, and there were little cat ear extensions for Japan to hide her "body accessories" as America always put it.

"South!" Japan squealed, jumping up and launching into the standing country, causing the shorter of the two to stagger back slightly and laugh. Japan rubbed her cheek against South's with a wide grin as America remained in his seat and just watched.

"Southie!! I missed you so much – "

"We were literally together yesterday."

Japan pouted, pulling back slightly to look at South's face, "Well yea, but it hasn't just been the two of us, Australia was with us yesterday."

"Hate to break it to you J-Pop, but it's still not just the two of you," America interrupted, slurping his coffee with a raised eyebrow. "Also, what were y'all doin' with Aus?"

South Korea and Japan shared a look before they both quickly spat out excuses while trying to squeeze into the booth.

"Well we were going to..." South hesitated.

"THE MALL!" Japan continued hastily.

South nodded, "Yes! The mall. So, we went to the mall and on the way in – "

"In the foodcourt."

" – We saw your sister and we were like hi and she was like hey."

"And then we all went shopping for clothes and stuff," Japan finished, smiling sheepishly as she stroked a cat that had wandered over to her.

America was unconvinced, "Why were you two going to the mall?"

"We went there toooooo..."

"Go on a...daaaaaaate?"

The girls blushed and looked away from each other, South staring at the floor and Japan staring at the cat, busying herself with the activity. America just smirked and leaned back in his seat.

"Oooooooh, I see now," he chuckled, peering at them through his glasses.

South cleared her throat, trying to will away her blush and ignore the fact that her crush was literally squished into a booth with her and pressing against her side.

"Speaking of dates, how was your thing with Vietnam?"

Japan bit her lip to avoid giggling, obviously knowing full-well how it all went down – but America couldn't know that.

America sighed, rubbing his temples under his sunglasses, closing his eyes as he did so.

"It went okay, I guess."

"Just okay?" Japan pried.

America bit his lip, "Well...Vietnam is – nice. Don't get me wrong, super nice. Like one of the nicest people I've met. We just..."

"...Don't click?" South and Japan answered in unison, staring at each other in surprise after hearing the other speak in time.

America chuckled dryly, "Exactly."

"I know that feeling," Japan began hesitantly, playing with her fingers under the table. "When I was still in college – "

"Weird flex, but okay," America snickered.

"- When I was still in college, I thought I needed to find someone ASAP, or I'd be alone for the rest of my life," Japan admitted, carrying on like America had never made the comment. "I thought that if I just dated as many girls as I could, maybe one of them would fit. Maybe one of them would be like my missing puzzle piece."

"And did you find the other piece?" South asked, leaning towards the red and white country slightly out of interest.

Japan tore her gaze away from her "therapy cat" and stared deep into South's pure white eyes with the faded blue of her disguise pupils peeking through. She leaned in slightly as well, her hand accidentally landing only millimetres away from South's in order to support the new position.

"Yes," She breathed, glancing quickly down to South's lips before her gaze returned to her gorgeous eyes.

"Welp," America said suddenly, causing the girls to rip their eyes off one another and realise where the hell they were. The striped country stood and grabbed what remained of his coffee, "Imma go 'cause I'm bein' a serious third wheel here."

He scooted out of the booth and winked at the two, over exaggerating his head movement so the action was more obvious.

"You kids have fun," He cooed before fluttering his fingers in a wave and strolling out the door.

Japan and South Korea stared at each other, their blushes growing in intensity.

"So..." Japan began awkwardly.

"So..." South echoed.

"...Wanna make out?"