[Fanfic] Educating America 10

[coffeefate.livejournal.com]

Title: Educating America
Author: coffeefate
Genre: Humor/Romance(?)
Characters/Pairings: America, Romano. Some background pairings in passing.
Ratings/Warnings: PG13 for language, I guess. Rapid tense change. Awkwardness!
Summary: America wants to get to know Romano better. Romano just wants to fix the idiot's tastebuds.
Notes: Again, I'm not sure how this works yet, so if I screw anything up, just let me know. 

 

The workroom door swings open, and Nino struts in, face beaming. "Wait until you see this," he crows. "Come on, come in!" he calls, and, looking slightly nervous, America enters.

And Romano's mouth goes dry.

When Romano had been looking through the suits, he'd checked each carefully, trying to envision how each one would look on America as he did so. First, charcoal- always a good color, dignified and serious, and wouldn't look that bad at all. Common, though, and a bit austere for a dinner out. Then indigo, which, hmm...would be very nice with America's fair skin and hair, but again, everyone wore it at one time or another. The dark blue screamed 'businessman' (perhaps he could convince the taller nation to wear it to a world meeting sometime).

Right now, though, he was looking for something a little more...unusual. Something striking and maybe a little bit flashy, to match the idiot's personality.

Then his fingers closed around a pinstriped sleeve in chocolate, and he'd been struck by the impulse to see America in pinstripes. He wasn't sure why, actually, he'd just always held a soft spot for the look. He'd pulled it out, considering. The blond's most extraordinary feature was his bright blue eyes, not uncommon where he came from, but relatively exotic in Italy. This rich shade of chocolate brown would emphasize the blue quite effectively. Excellent.

Next, the shirt. A cool color, to compliment the warm tones of the suit. A darker shade, though, to prevent overshadowing the suit, and washing out that fair skin. Aha, this dark teal was ideal; it would balance out the chocolate, and accentuate the blond's golden hair.

A saffron tie and pocket handkerchief would tie it all together nicely, he decided.

He'd been pretty confident in his choices, despite the last-minute aspect. Thanks to him, America might not even look half-bad.

And now here he is, looking like that, and Romano can't breath, 'cause his throat is tight and his heart is pounding and America's looking at him with those impossibly blue eyes (blue like endless skies and- he halts that train of thought right there, 'cause that's waxing way more poetic than he's is comfortable with over someone who drives him so crazy, dammit).

His gaze is drawn inexorably downward, noticing how the cut of suit reveals and accentuates broad shoulders, narrow hips and remarkably long legs, and huh, he'd always thought the American was a little bit overweight, but nope, that was definitely all muscle. Those baggy fatigues he always wore obviously did him no justice.

...Maybe he wouldn't convince the other nation to wear a suit to world meetings after all. If he showed up looking like this, no-one would ever get anything done. Yes, Romano decided, swallowing hard; for the sake of the world, he'd have to let America keep wearing his ridiculous fatigues. The idiot was distracting enough without any additional assistance.

---

For his part, America had been pretty skeptical about all this, despite Nino's reassurances. He knew Romano and Nino said how you dressed was important, and he tried to understand, really he did, but...they were just clothes, right? What difference could they possibly make?

Right now, though, America decides it doesn't matter whether he understands or not. He swears to buy a thousand suits if it keeps Romano looking at him like he is now. A warm, bubbly feeling wells up inside him.

"So," he asked, tilting his head and bouncing a little on the balls of his feet, "Is it okay?"

"...ngh." Romano was having difficulty getting the words out, possibly because his heart seemed to have relocated itself to his throat.

"Er, what?" America leaned in to check if Romano was alright. Then his brow furrowed slightly, and, "Oh, hey." he reached out, brushing over the corner of Romano's mouth with his thumb.

Romano's eyes widened, and he recoiled, slapping the offending hand away. "W-what the hell do you think you're doing, bastard?"

"You had some...chocolate or something, there." America explained, licking the thumb in question. "Hm, yep, chocolate."

"J-just tell me next time, jerk! I can do it myself!" the Italian fumed, heart pounding furiously (inwardly cursing chocolate biscotti for their crumbly deliciousness).

"Haha, sorry. Though," he added, pouting slightly, "no fair you had chocolate without me."

"There's some more here, if you want." Amata called from where she sat, offering the plate with an amused smile. America brightened, and crossed to take one.

"Yay~! Thank you!"

"H-hey! Don't eat that, idiot, you'll ruin your appetite!" Romano ordered.

America turned to raise an incredulous eyebrow at him, mouth already full. "I don't think that's possible." he contradicted, popping the last half of the chocolate-covered treat into his mouth.

"Cheh, of course- I forgot you have a black hole for a stomach."

"Haha, yep." America grinned proudly.

"That's not a compliment, moron!"

America opened his mouth to reply, but an exclamation from Nino cut him off.

"Oh!" they turn to look at the elderly man, who was searching his pockets. He pulled out a small box, lifting it so they can see. "Your cufflinks! I forgot to return them to you when the suit was finished." he held them out to America, who took them with a slightly perplexed frown.

"I have no idea what those are for. How do I put them on?" he asked.

"They go on your shirt cuffs, to hold them together." Nino explained, pinching his own cuffs in demonstration.

"Oh, like buttons?" he opened the box. "These are...really weird buttons."

"Tch! Give those here, biscuit-brain." Romano scoffed, stalking over and swiping the box. Emptying the contents into one hand, he grabbed the taller nation's wrist, slipping an accessory into place. "You're completely hopeless, dammit!" He grumbled, repeating the action on the opposite arm.

"Here, he needs the handkerchief, too." Amata spoke, from where the Italian couple was enjoying the show (Nino was surreptitiously taking pictures, which neither of the two nations noticed). She held out the square of saffron silk to Romano, who took it, and folding it quickly, jammed it into America's breast pocket.

"There." he stepped back and crossed his arms, surveying his handiwork with a satisfied huff. "Now you're perfect."

The taller nation blinked, a slow smile spreading across his face. "You think I'm perfect?"

"W-who would, moron? I, I was talking about the suit, of course! N-not you, i-idiot!"

"They are pretty nice. I still think clothes are just clothes, but these are pretty awesome clothes." America admitted, then added, "But I think you're pretty perfect no matter what you're wear- " and promptly ducked, narrowly avoiding the (now empty) box of cufflinks flung at his head. Fuming, embarrassed and flustered, the half-nation pointed at him warningly.

"Chigi! S-shut up! I hate you! Bastard!" Romano stormed over to the door, flinging it open. "I'm leaving! Don't follow me, jerk!" he growled over his shoulder.

"'Kay, let me just settle up with Nino and I'll be right there!" America called after him, and turned to the elderly tailor. "So..." he raised an eyebrow conspiratorially, "You mentioned something about Italian suits?"

"Already I have your measurements, so I will prepare samples for you," Nino grinned, handing the blond his card. "You call when you are ready, we'll meet to discuss the details."

America took it, pocketing it with a matching grin "Awesome, thanks!" He blushed in surprise when Amata leaned over to press a kiss his cheek.

"For luck." she winked, patting his shoulder.

"I might need all I can get," he confessed with a slightly bashful smile. "I better hurry though. I'm really glad I met you two," he added, waving as he headed after Romano, "Thanks again for everything, I'll see you soon!"

"Take care! Give Lovino our love!" they called back, waving farewell.

"Ah~," Nino sighed beatifically, wrapping an arm around his wife as the door closed behind their guest. "Young love."