[March 28th] Hidden library village

[Honda Kiku]

"Eh, tomorrow?" So soon. Too soon. Surely there was a way to push it off.

He stayed quiet for a few moments as he weighed which reply would sound best to him. 'I am far too busy' or 'I have other matters to attend to'? No, no, both were outright refusal and that would be no good. "I... I will have to see how my classes go tomorrow." There, that sounded good.

[Alfred F. Jones]

"Oh, okay!" America grinned for a moment, then thought back. Monday... did the two of them share a Monday class or two? They might! America probably didn't notice him before because he was really short, that's all. "Maybe we can decide after class. You're in my Treaties class, aren't you? I'll sit next to you now that we've met and stuff."

Before, he'd been sitting in the back pretending to take notes, but just copying down more copies of his very OWN treaties - the short and simple ones with two lines and a "Thank you, America!".

[Honda Kiku]

A better explanation for not noticing him: Japan sat in the very front of the class and diligently took down notes to ensure he would be able to understand and write the best treaties. He had the feeling that was not going to happen anymore.

"A-Ah, alright then." There really wasn't a way to refuse something like that. If only there were permanent seat arrangements like he was used to.

[Alfred F. Jones]

America would only poke him and pass notes sometimes! Maybe Japan's studiousness would rub off on him, you never know!

"Awesome!" America beamed at him and gave him a thumbs up before standing up and grabbing his bag once again. "I'll let you get back to drawing some more spitting people, I need to start that paper for Economics."

He supposed every bit of procrastination could only last so long. Next he might try building a log cabin out of pencils, but that was less fun alone...

"Unless you want to come with me?" He mentioned hopefully, giving Japan the puppy dog eye look he didn't realize he tended to make sometimes.

[Honda Kiku]

One can only hope.

Japan had almost opened up his laptop again, expecting America to leave immediately, but alas. Earwax.

"Come with you...?" He frowned a little, moreso when he realized America's look made him guilty for whatever reason he couldn't fathom. "Won't I be a distraction to you? I do not want to take America-san's attention away from his paper."

[Alfred F. Jones]

"We could work on it together!" That sounded better than "I want to build log cabins out of pencils with you", didn't it? More mature, to be sure. He could always surprise Japan with his hundred pack of pencils later.

[Honda Kiku]

Work together. That was a new one.

"Ah... if you do not mind." If only he could say no.

[Alfred F. Jones]

"Great! I have a TON of pencils!" He forgot that without context, this probably sounded weird, but oh well. Japan would see soon!

America extended a hand out to Japan, thinking to help him out of his chair and hoping this time Japan would take it.

[Honda Kiku]

He wasn't quite sure what pencils had to do with anything. Perhaps it was slang from in America?

Japan silently takes his laptop and places it back into his bag before rising out of his seat, completely disregarding his hand.

[Alfred F. Jones]

America waved his hand left and right and up and down a few times, waitingggg.... He wasn't even sure exactly why he was so keen on helping Japan up. It looked like he had a lot of heavy stuff to carry, though, and should he need help or accidentally trip raising to his feet, America would be ready to help with his waving, lonely hand.

But then Japan rose on his own and America placed his hand in his jeans pocket. Drat. "Let's find a table somewhere where no librarians are around to yell at us," he suggested. Librarians weren't fond of pencil-cabins, he wasn't sure why that was.

[Honda Kiku]

If only Japan knew about America's inner struggle to help him up, he would've considered possibly allowing himself to give in--- nah, who are we kidding, it's Japan.

He tilted his head in confusion, pulling his bag closer to him. "Why would they yell at us?" He's certainly never had a librarian ever yell at him.

[Alfred F. Jones]

Curse you, Japan, for breaking his heart!

America shrugged at Japan's question and began walking around trying to find a suitable table to work at. "I don't know, they're crazy, man. I know they're supposed to shut up loud people or whatever but it's not like I'm loud trying to write a paper!"

Except he often was. Instead of writing or researching, he liked to surf YouTube with the volume set high and laugh raucously at things like dogs riding skateboards and Harry Potter Puppet Pals.

[Honda Kiku]

Japan somehow did not believe his statement. He certainly seemed like a loud person.

"Perhaps your definition of loud is different from theirs..." He wondered as he followed along.

[Alfred F. Jones]

"And maybe their definition of loud is actually more like my definition of quiet, and they're wrong," America countered. They passed by a help center desk, and America gave the librarian sitting there a winning smile. Best to suck up to her now, maybe she wouldn't get as mad later on if he did that.

Eventually, America found them a table nestled in the corner of the library. It was next to a large window, so they could look out it and daydream or look for patterns and pictures in the clouds if and when they got bored - perfect!

America loudly slapped his stuff onto the desk. "This should be fine," he said, leaving no room for argument.

[Honda Kiku]

He politely smiled to the librarian as well, albeit with a touch more nervousness than America was displaying. He was almost certain that he would be apologizing to her later. Scratch that, absolutely certain.

Japan slid around the table, slipping into the seat across from him. If it were up to him, he definitely would not have picked this table. While it was isolated from others, the window was too distracting. How was anyone supposed to get any work done if a whole wide world was presented right next to them?

He quietly pulled out his laptop again and quickly closed out of his in-progress doujinshi.