(RusAme) ~ Roommates ~ (CountryHumans)

XXV

blech, i wasnt really feeling it with this chapter, but i needed to write something for this book so here u go, i guess

America inspected the sushi carefully, frowning. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, that's the best kind," Japan confirmed, peeking over his shoulder. "At least, the best you can buy at this store. If you want real sushi, then you'd have to go to that shop a few blocks over"

He nodded, still examining the little package of prewrapped sushi. "Yeah, I know. But this is cheaper."

Japan stepped back as America put it down. It might've been cheaper, but he still couldn't afford it. "I'll make you some sometime," she told him as they started to continue their walk down the grocery aisle. "When I go home for break, I'll make some and bring it back."

"Mhm," America agreed absent-mindedly, heading to the health aisle. Bringing out medicine for Russia a few days ago had made him realize he had basically no medicine for himself (other than a few prescription drugs), and he was sure Russia wouldn't want to share, even if he was practically dying.

So, he had headed out to the grocery store with a little bit of money. It was a complete accident that he had bumped into Japan, but he didn't mind shopping with her. She was fun to be around.

"Soooo how's your mission to befriend Russia going?"

Oh, just fine. He might've snapped at me earlier today and scared the shit out of me, but I'm sure he doesn't hate me, no sir.

He gave her a look, heading to the medicine aisle. "How do you know about that?"

"Me and Canada are friends, he told me." She skipped two steps ahead, then spinning 180 degrees to face America, walking backwards. "Don't worry, I don't think he told anyone else."

"Oh." It was news to America that his brother was friends with Japan. "Well... it's not going too great, to be honest." They reached the health aisle, and he grabbed a bottle of ibuprofen. "It's mostly my fault, I think. I keep messing up."

As he always did. Fucking screwup.

"In what way?" Japan asked curiously.

America also picked up a box of Mucinex and a package of vitamin C tablets before deciding that was enough medicine-y stuff. "Just... just a lot of stuff, I guess. I dunno." He didn't want to have to recount everything to the girl. "I just act really stupid, and then he's rude, and then that makes me upset, and then..." he trailed off. "Yeah."

They started to walk to the checkout. Japan hadn't gotten anything.

She hummed thoughtfully, and America could almost hear the gears in her head turning. "I'd recommend that either you guys find a common ground, or you talk to his, um, 'siblings' for help. You know, like Ukraine and Belarus. They used to be close."

"Common ground?" America went to the self checkout, scanning his items before bagging them and paying. Yikes, medicine was expensive.

"Oh, you know, like similarities between you two. Common ground. Common war ground, maybe." She made a quiet explosion sound and splayed her fingers out like something was getting blown up. "I wouldn't say you should start with that, though, Russia's touchy with that stuff."

Picking up his little plastic bag, America exited the store with Japan beside him. "What do you mean 'touchy'?" he asked, looking into his bag to make sure he had his three items. "We've all had wars, it's not a big deal."

She laughed. "It's a big deal to some countries, trust me. Also, when're you gonna pay me back for all that sake you drank last week?"

"I have to pay you back for that??"

~timeskip~

*also change to 3rd person russia pov*

"Hey, Russia!" Russia groaned internally as America sat next to him with a self-confident grin. "What's up?

Russia still didn't like the smaller boy. As the days went on, though, Russia found himself becoming accustomed to the American's obviously-forced attempts at friendship, and he found that if he ignored everything he hated about America, the guy was almost tolerable.

That didn't mean he liked him or anything.

Russia sighed heavily, and America laughed like something was funny. "Don't be so excited to see me! Hey, did you do the homework? Because I didn't."

If America smiled any wider, his face was going to split in two. Russia could almost feel his own jaw physically hurting as he looked at the other's grin, and he turned his head away, propping his chin on his hand. "No," he muttered.

America laughed again, and then turned to chat with someone behind him. Russia closed his eyes. At least America hadn't once attempted to bring up anything that had happened in the past weeks. Russia wanted to forget everything anyways.

But he knew, eventually, everything would bubble back up to the surface, and he would be faced with an ugly mess on his hands. It wasn't so much about 'if.' It was just a matter of 'when.'

Well, it sounded like a problem for Future Russia. Present Russia put his head down on his arms, set on getting a few minutes of sleep before class officially started.

*casually sharpening knife* hm? what's that? oh, no, this knife has nothing to do with the current situation, i swear. just getting ready for some upcoming chapters ('꒳')

01/20/20