Heart of Steel (Maho, Girls und Panzer)

After School Date

As the pair  left the school grounds they both felt a sense of nervousness and slight fear but happiness none the less.

---Meanwhile---

"Yeah she told me she was going to try and go for a walk with him this afternoon" Erika said to Michael as they walked together to their usual spot in a nearby park.

"Is that so?..." Michael asked with a curious expression as he looked over Erika's shoulder, preoccupied with something off in the distance behind them.

"Yeah I-" Erika started, cutting herself off as she noticed that Michael was looking at her or even apparently listening.

"What are you staring at?" She asked as she turned around, a frustrated expression on her face.

"Those two~" Michael said with a smile, laughing slightly as he gestured towards Maho and Paul with his left hand.

"Oh my god!" Erika practically yelled, squealing as she rushed to get her phone out of her jacket pocket.

"What are you doing?" Michael asked with a chuckle as he watched her quickly bring up her phone and capture a few photos.

"This is so sweet! There's no way I could let her ever deny or forget this~" Erika added with a smirk as she put her phone away and hurried off with Michael behind a nearby building.

"Hey!" Michael yelled back, causing Erika to giggle as the pair disappeared out of sight behind Paul and Maho...

---Paul and Maho POV---

"So where would you like to go?" Paul asked.

"I'm not sure... This is a whole new experience for me." Maho responded with a slightly nervous expression, trying to work out something they could do together.

"Okay then... How about we go and get a milkshake there then?" Paul asked, pointing to the small cafe across the street from them.

"Sounds good to me~" Maho replied with a happy smile.

"I'm just going to quickly go to the bathroom Maho, I'll be back in a minute" Paul said as they entered the cafe.

"Okay, um what would you like me to order for you?"

"Uh, just get me whatever you're having" Paul said with a slight chuckle as he headed off into the bathroom.

Maho then tentatively approached the young female waitress who was currently behind the counter.

"What can I get you?"

"Um just a large Strawberry milkshake please..." Maho responded, sheepishly turning her head away as a thought crossed into her mind.

"And for your boyfriend?" The waitress then asked with a slight smirk forming on her face as she saw Maho's face turn bright red.

(Maho in head) "Do we really look like boyfriend and girlfriend?..."

"W-We'll just have two straws..." Maho then muttered very quietly.

"What was that?~" The waitress then added with a slight giggle as Maho let out a sigh and responded.

"We'll just take two straws" She said in her normal voice, her heart still beating incredibly fast.

"Okay then, I'll bring it over to you~"

"Thank you..." Maho replied as she sat down at a table with a seat opposite her, squeezing her hands together to stop them shaking.

(Maho in head) "What was I thinking?..." Maho thought to herself as Paul emerged from the bathroom.

"You're very lucky~" The waitress mused with a smirk as he passed her by.

"I'm sorry?"

"Nothing, nothing~" she replied with a forced laugh.

"Okay then..." He muttered as he turned and saw Maho sitting at a nearby table.

As he approached and sat in the seat opposite her he noticed something...

(Paul in head) "Did she arrange this?..."

"S-So what are we having M-Maho?" He tentatively asked, putting the pieces together in his head as he did so.

"I-I thought we c-could share..." Maho stuttered out as she slowly raised her head to look into his eyes with a expectant and nervous expression.

Paul paused for a moment, feeling his heart sink slightly upon seeing a slightly upset expression form on her face.

"Okay..." He then muttered with a slight smile, feeling his heart rate drastically increase.

"Thank you" She said as the pair tentatively leaned in towards each other as they both positioned one of the two straws into their mouths.

As they both began to sip they both slowly looked up and into each others eyes. Noting that they were mere inches apart from one another.

Paul felt his heart flutter once more and relaxed his expression as he looked deeply into Maho's eyes.

Upon seeing Paul's new expression Maho leaned back to move a lock of her hair out of her face, feeling her face turn a light shade of red as she leaned in once again..

(Maho in head) "I may have gone a little to far but..."

"Holy crap, look at them now!" A familiar voice then yelled out from behind the glass window beside them...