A few weeks of school had already passed. Days just seemed to slip away from me in this new life I was living in. A month and a half had already elapsed, but things were still as they were previously. Denmark and I were still friends and roommates. Norway and Tino were still our neighbors, and Tino still had mixed feelings about me, I guess. He was still a little cautious around me. I was doing good in school, I'd like to think. Norway would help me in my writing a bit, though he was a bit OCD about my awful handwriting…And Tino usually relied on me in math class. I wasn't a star or anything at math, but he seemed to need a little help from time to time.  And I guess it was enough for him.
It was morning now-another day of school. I had just taken a shower and my hair was still damp, but I was brushing my teeth carefully. Denmark and I were just going about the habits that had now become routine for us. I woke up a little earlier than he did, and with an alarm. He'd wake up later, but then again, I'd have to be the one to wake him up. He usually snored in his sleep, but it didn't bother me all too much. Our room was rather small, so we could still hear each other when I was in the bathroom.
"Hey, Berwald," I heard Denmark call through the walls.
"Nn?" I stuck my head out of the bathroom door and looked out down our tiny little hallway. He was wearing his usual silly grin and was buttoning up his uniform shirt.
"What's your opinion of this place, huh? Was it like any of your other schools?"
I paused for a moment, recalling my past school experiences. Come to think of it, I didn't have very many friends at all, and I was almost always tallest of my class. I guess I hadn't noticed it until now, but people usually avoided me. Classmates, I mean. Well, in a little over a month, my opinion of this school seemed to be okay, though it was mainly the friends I had now that made my positive opinion solid.
I had to take the toothbrush out of my mouth and spit before I could say anything, "W'll," I started, pausing again, "Mah oth'r sch'ls wer'n't quite l'ke th's."
"But do you like it?" Denmark asked again, fumbling a bit for his navy tie. He had to walk back to the dresser to get it-where he had left it yesterday. He found it, and then quickly wrapped it around his neck like a noose.
I nodded, "Nn-hnn."
"Hey, Waldy? How many classes do you have with Norgey?"
"Two, ah th'nk." I said a little softer. I wasn't really sure. I had never really bothered to mentally count.
There was a small pause as I heard Denmark walk down the hall and trot through the open bathroom door. "Hey, move over, will ya? I need to brush my teeth too."
"Nn," I nodded, still scrubbing my teeth slowly as he readied his toothbrush. He paused for a moment before putting the toothbrush in his mouth and asked me, "Hey, d'you like anyone?"
He kept looking at me, obviously waiting for an answer of some sort. He blinked a few times as he started brushing his teeth.
I took the toothbrush out of my mouth, "H're, ya mean?"
"Of course!" He replied after spitting into the sink. His eyes half closed and his smile turned crooked, and he jabbed me in the ribs. "You like Tino, don'cha?"
I paused; the bristles of my new toothbrush hurt my gums. I had just bought a new one from the student store on campus. Did I…Did I like Tino? Like in the context of love? I knew I wanted to be friends with him, and I paid attention to him. But I didn't really know if I loved him.
"Aaahw!" Denmark cooed, "Lookit'chur face! You're blushing, Waldy!" He jabbed me in the ribs again and laughed through his teeth.
I looked up at myself in the small bathroom mirror above the sink. I couldn't really see too much of myself, it was mainly Denmark that was looming in front of the mirror. But I really didn't see how I was 'blushing'. My skin was the same color as it usually was. Maybe it had already gone away or something.
"I had a feeling you liked him!" Denmark smirked, wiping toothpaste spittle off of the side of his mouth, and doused his toothbrush in cold tap water.
"Ya did?" I asked timidly. I waited for Denmark to finish cleaning his toothbrush before I mimicked him.
"Of course! Tino gets all nervous and fidgety around you." Denmark started to examine his face in the small mirror, and was now toying with his wild blond hair as he continued to talk to me. "I've known Tino for a few years, I guess. So I know him a little. We've never really been best friends or anything, that's him 'n Norway…But anyway, I think you'd guys'd make a great couple. Heh heh," He smirked again, eyeing me for a moment. "A big guy like you'd keep 'im safe. He's a little reckless sometimes, ya noticed?"
I didn't really know quite what to say to Denmark. Here I was, considering the possibility that instead of just seeking friendship from Tino, I loved him, but was oblivious to my own feelings. Denmark had added that we'd make a great couple. Really? I found that a little strange to believe. And he guessed so quickly, too! Well, then again it wasn't like my social circle was very big. Maybe I…maybe I did like him.
Already, I imagined what it'd like if we were a couple. I know I probably shouldn't have, but my mind worked too quickly. I'd touch his hand and curl it around his, our fingers would interlock. I'd remember that soft, pale skin he had and that light blond hair of his. It looked soft, but I had never touched his hair. His hands were so much smaller than mine, and wrapping my hand around it would be more than easy to do. I could wrap my arms around him so easily and hold him tightly. I wondered if he'd hold me back.
I broke free from my trance, and looked up at Denmark, who raised a brow.
"Dude, what the hell was that?" He asked in a stupefied tone. "C'mon, stop day dreaming and let's get to class. I've already been late three times to my first period…"
That's not my fault. I wanted to tell him, but I wouldn't have had enough time to say it.
"Who d'you like?" I asked, now hurrying a little to make up for the time I had spent fantasizing about Tino.
"Norway," He replied bluntly in a nonchalant tone. He blinked at me a few times as he stood in front of the door, waiting for me to finish buttoning up my shirt and slip on my shoes.
"R'lly?" I asked, looking up at him while double knotting my right shoe. I knew he'd probably remark how oblivious I was, but then again, when someone presented information to someone else, the first response was usually questioning it.
"Yep," He nodded, "He knows, though, so it's not like it's a secret or anything." He smiled wryly, "But he always tells me to go away…" The blond let out a small sigh, but resumed his slight grin, "But it's no big deal, anyway. Hey, want me to tell Norway and Iceland 'bout you and Tino? Seriously, we could hook you guys up easy."
"I...uhm," I was fumbling over my words again. Could my stupid little day dream I had in the bathroom become reality one day? I found that a little scary to believe. But Denmark said it could. Easy. If he were to inform Norway and Iceland about it…I guess my chances with Tino could be better…But then again I didn't want to seem overwhelming with Norway and Denmark pestering Tino about it. That wouldn't be very good, either.
"Oh, c'mon!" Denmark protested. Since I had finished putting on my shoes, we picked up our school bags and left our room, already walking to our classrooms. "If Tino says no, then he says no, that's it. It's all about perseverance, Waldy!" He said the last bit in an overly dramatic voice that just sounded like something out of a public service announcement. I knew he meant it to sound comforting, but it didn't really.
"Ah…Ah dunno," I paused hesitantly. I saw consequences for each action, and both of them polar opposites. Even if I told Denmark that I didn't want him to tell Norway he probably would anyway. He just seemed like a guy who couldn't keep secrets very well-or at all.
"Pleeeeeeeeeease, Waldy?" Denmark chirped, pleading like a five-year-old for candy.
I sort of glared at him, but Norway strolled in with us, walking alongside Denmark. His steel blue eyes were half-closed as always, and he walked with proper posture and a certain strict manner about him. "What're you begging for this time, Denmark?" Norway said in a mildly exasperated tone.
"Oh, Norgey!" Denmark leaned against Norway's shoulder for a moment in a very informal morning greeting, which was reciprocated by Norway shoving Denmark off of him, followed by, "Get off of me!"
"Geez," Norway grumbled, glaring at Denmark, then glanced at me, probably wondering how I managed to keep up with sharing a room with him. I looked a little apologetic, and shrugged, hoping he'd get my message.
"Okay," Denmark held up a finger, resting an arm on Norway's shoulder again. "So! If it wasn't obvious enough already, Berwald said he likes Tino." Denmark spoke fast, and by the time he had uttered those words I almost felt as though I wanted to hit him.
I felt my face scrunch up, and I tightened my fists. I think I really did want to hit him. Denmark pulled back with his hands up, "Holy shit, Waldy! Don't make faces like that, man. Easy, we're doing ya a favor here."
Norway, calm and composed once more, added, "Oh? I had suspected as much. Tino's been fretting a bit more than usual, so I assume something's on his mind."
Denmark clicked his tongue, "Ivan's not pickin' on him again, is he?"
"…Not that I know of," Norway paused, exchanging glances with Denmark.
"Well, whatever…Think you can get Tino to go out with Berwald, here?" He leaned in closer to Norway's ear and I heard him whisper (his whisper isn't really a whisper, mind you), "I caught Berwald day dreamin' a little. He was blushing a lot. Really red!"
I slapped Denmark's shoulder with the back of my hand and tightened my face again. I didn't say anything, but after his initial reaction, a glare would be all he'd need. "Yeeeeesh," Denmark complained, "Just calm down, Waldy."
"Well," Norway said, focusing the spotlight of the conversation onto him. "Myself being far more subtle than you, Denmark, I can try to ask Tino a few things. Would that be alright?
I sighed a little, but nodded, "Y's th't'd be fine."
---
English class with Norway had gone well, as I had hoped. We were supposed to sit with our 'partners' for an assignment, so Norway and I were sitting next to each other the whole class period. We'd appear to be working whenever the teacher would roam around and eye the students, but most of the time Norway was discussing a game plane for 'Tino and I'. I already knew by the way that he acted that it'd be safer for me to trust Norway than Denmark.
Norway had said that Finland is intimidated by people that are significantly taller than him, which is likely to happen often as Tino is pretty small…but Norway was hinting that if there was something I could do to show Tino that I'd protect him, I'd gain his trust-according to Norway's theory. But Norway spoke in a tone that proved his familiarity with Tino, so I knew I could rely on his words.

I almost held my breath as I walked into my math class, cringing a bit upon that realization that this would be my first time seeing Tino today. Despite him and Norway being my neighbors, Tino had a tendency to want to be early and prepared, so he headed to classes before Norway would. I guess I would be too, but having to help Denmark prevented me. Tino was sitting in his usual spot, twirling a pencil between his fingers as he looked deep in thought, and scribbled something down on a piece of paper.
As I moved over to my seat, I glanced at it and quickly realized that it was not a math assignment that he had neglected. It was something else, but I didn't have that much time to analyze it without seeming suspicious. I sat down next to him, trying to take a quiet deep breath in and out to calm myself. Already, my heart was beating a little faster just being around him.
"Oh, hi, Berwald," Tino said to me, looking up from his paper. He was smiling lightly. At least he wasn't really avoiding me like he used to.
"H'llo," I muttered, and tried to smile back, but it felt weird, and I couldn't smile. Luckily, he didn't notice how awkward I was feeling, as he returned the piece of paper he was writing on. A little while later, we were supposed to be taking notes, and I was, but my mind was elsewhere. I wasn't really paying attention to what I was writing down, but it didn't matter.
I could hear Tino mutter words under his breath on occasion, and as I listened, I really appreciated his voice. It was cute. Even breathy muttered words I found to be oddly comforting. I imagined myself just reach over and touch the hand he wasn't writing with. I wanted to hold it-I wanted to see if his hands really were that much smaller than mine. But I didn't. I didn't move other than wobble my pencil up and down to keep up with the notes.
I was watching him attentively. So then I must like him, I told myself. I really must like him if I'm this interested in him. It must be more than friendship. Norway and Denmark weren't that surprised, so then why do I still doubt myself? I doubted that Tino would feel the same, as would anyone who felt insecure. Now that Denmark and Norway had brought it to my attention, I only wanted to be around Tino even more, but I made no movement in doing so.
The class progressed and I reread everything I had written down so I could understand what we were doing for homework tonight. I understood it, though some parts seemed a little difficult. I sighed lightly as worksheets were circulated throughout the classroom. Ten minutes passed and I had about six problems done. I was just trying to focus on getting the stupid assignment that would be homework if I didn't finish it in the remaining class time.
There was a loud scooting noise as Tino scooted his chair closer to mine and shoved his paper in my direction. "Berwald?" He let out rather weakly.
I turned over to look at him, feeling my face growing hotter around my cheeks. If I didn't think I was blushing prior, I knew I must have been now. My heart wasn't beating faster, but my face still felt hot. "Ye-y's?" I asked in a somewhat startled tone.
"Can you help me on these types of problems? I always get lost after the third step…There are too many Xs…"
"S-s're," I muttered lightly, picking up my pencil that I had dropped in surprise. I helped him for a few problems, and told him what he needed to do and what he was doing wrong, and he realized his errors.
"Oh, thank you, Berwald." He smiled lightly, speaking in a tranquil, gentle voice.
How would I go about telling him that I had fallen in love with him? Did he know already? I wanted to hold the hand that was so close to mine, but I didn't move.
"Berwald?" He asked, his voice ending on a higher pitch and sounded worried. "Are you…are you okay?"
"Hm, oh," I muttered, taking in another breath to try to clear my head. "N-nothing, Ahm fine."
Tino glanced at me for a bit, then looked back at his own paper, and started to finish another math problem. I had almost finished all of my math problems already, and sort of just stared at my paper for a moment while I thought. The burning feeling in my cheeks had died down by now. I felt relieved. I didn't want to bother him while he was trying to get his math homework done, but there was just something I was dying to ask him.
I glanced over at Tino, and he immediately noticed I was. He shot up, his big mirroring eyes of violet looked right into mine. I almost lost what I was going to say, but I slowly opened my mouth. "'R we fr'nds now, T'no…?"
"Friends?" He asked, blinking once.
I nodded. "'R we?"
He averted his gaze on me and looked around, "Yes, I guess we are." He refocused his gaze on me and smiled.
It felt as though I had just taken off weights strapped to my back. My shoulders relaxed as well as my clenched heart. And I smiled at him for the first time without hesitating.
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Ohohoho, a little bit of romance in his chapter. = 7 = Oh hurr, don't worry I'll try to work on ch4 soon too, but please give me ideas!! > 3 < Thanks for reading and reviewing!!