A/N: Yo this story was already awful, but here's a total revamp from the first time I published this. Four years older and four years later, sooooo. Yes. The story title is still a work in progress, apologies. Also, there's a quick cameo in here to the film "Odd Thomas", which my boy Anton Yelchin starred in.

Ludwig is definitely laid back in this AU b/c I'm not up for writing two equally socially-inept guys with crushes right now. Bear with me, I just finished semester exams today.

Disclaimer: Story based from the pairing idea from "Orange Blossom Special", by TwiGo. Hetalia belongs to Himaruya Hidekaz sensei.

Warnings: awful story, and crass language.

Buena suerte, y'all.

Ch.1: Thursday.

"-And so as I was trying to bring Lukas to the light of exactly how sociopathic reading depressing philosophy books at a private Christian school that doesn't even offer philosophy, just psychology, looks, then Frau snatches up my phone while calling me out in German. Well she forgot that this haughty piece of ass was raised in a Danish family that speaks South Jutlandic dialect, I send her some smart ass comment right back at-"

Sigh. What the fuck, Mathias is still talking.

"And y-y'know what, Ber" he snorts "She just shoots me this unimpressed look, walks over to her desk, and hands me a D-hall slip for an hour after school for a week. Hilarious!"

Berwald shoots him a look that was probably akin to Frau Angelou's.

"And soccer?"

"Oh shit." Mathias mumbles in, surprise, South Jutlandic.

"Both Coach and Ludwig are so going to have your ass hung up on the soccer cage wall."

It is now 13:00 (1:00 PM), and as always, keeping to his set in stone agenda, Ludwig Beilschmidt enters with Kiku Honda from the swim or dive team from the student parking lot, going to take a seat with Heracles, the Greek stoner that captains the Latin Certamen team. Berwald watches them move silently.

Beautiful.

Mathias swivels his head to where Berwald looks, "What you doing, pal?"

"'M people watching."

"You mean finding an excuse to ogle Ludwig" Mathias says,

"No, 'm people watching, Ludwig just happens to be one of the people I see."

"Honestly Berwald, you're luck is just awful. Socially inept, and wanting to get into the pants of mister stick up his ass, Beilschmidt, our dear captain? Fuck, man." He clucks his tongue, Berwald shifts in his seat, blushing like the young virgin he admittedly is.

"Fuck off, at least I don't get off from being abused by an apathetic private school boy."

"H-hey! Lukas and I were meant to be together forever y'know, the fortune said so."

"From that trashy old fortune telling machine back from when you two were ten."

Mathias sends him a childish look of "I'm still right". Berwald says nothing and checks his phone, seeing a Snapchat notification from Tino, his best friend.

It's a video zooming in disturbingly close on Lukas' face scrunching up in distaste whilst looking at his phone (probably texts from Mathias);Tino is so fucking cute.

Berwald looks back up through his lashes across the courtyard to Ludwig.

Another snap pops up from Tino, it's a message this time; 'Hey Ber! *winking kissy face emoticon*' 'Ber, I'm sooo sorry, but the Model UN club is going to run late tonight, we have last minute prep for our conference this weekend. Can you find a ride home? Sorry! *sad face emoticon*

Berwald types out 'It's okay, I've got it covered. Don't stay out too late.'

A thumbs up and yet another kissy face emoticon is his reply.

"Hey Mathias-" The bell rang, signalling the end of the lunch period. Berwald wouldn't see him again until soccer practice. He sees Ludwig and his friends take their leave, too.

"Just text me!" Mathias yells and runs off towards the physics class rooms.

Another sigh. This would be a long afternoon.

Statistics, Wood Shop, and AP Physics pass by, then suddenly the school day is finished, and Berwald finds himself in the soccer cage in the locker room, chattering filtering about between the various sports team cages. He hums a "yeah" and huffs out a laugh when the social cues call for it. Antonio, a Spanish alumni-turned university student home for winter break is the center of the noise in place of Mathias' absence (who was rotting away in D-hall).

Practice goes off without a hitch, despite the little bump in the road earlier- "Where is Køhler?" "Uh, he was assigned D-hall for a week by Frau Angelou." "Oh great. Everybody, laps around the field, go."- then an hour and forty-five minutes later, toweling off his freshly washed hair and calves slightly sore, Berwald checks his phone to see a text from his father.

'I'm sorry son, Mom and I are working late tonight for a large catering order tomorrow morning. Can you take the bus? Let us know when you get home safely.'

Fuck, Berwald didn't want to take the bus. The city bus always made him paranoid because he stood out like a sore thumb with his height and lanky figure. Okay, well maybe he didn't look that bad, towering height aside, but it wasn't Berwald's fault that he's so insecure. The atmosphere on the bus was just so...awkward, in the evening.

He checked the bus schedule and decided that he better head out. Berwald pops in his earbuds and pulls up his 80's playlist while approaching the student parking lot. He looks up from his phone and woah, what the hell, when did Ludwig get here? By here, he means he sees Ludwig leaving the main building, books in hand, waving to Berwald.

Then his throat clenches up, neck feels itchy, and suddenly Berwald's skin feels clammy.

"Hey, Berwald, 'sup?"

"Hej Ludw'g, c'tching the bus, y'u?" Fuck, his accent broke through, he thought that he dropped that habit.

"I forgot a few textbooks in my locker" Ludwig gestures with his Auto tech and Statistics textbooks.

"Say Berwald, where do you live? I don't mind giving you a ride home."

Berwald perked up, "Oh no! You honestly don't have to, it's no biggie."

"Bah, nonsense! Just tell me?"

Berwald consented.

"What the hell, Ber? It's really no problem, you're only a few neighborhoods over from me. C'mon, I'll take you, yeah?"

"You sure?"

"Hell yeah, it's fine, man."

He ambled off towards one of the few vehicles left in the student lot, an old grey Volvo that somewhat resembled Tino's even older hand-me-down Volvo. Berwald followed, and couldn't help but burst out into laughter when he saw the "Oomph!" and "Relax, I am German, I can drive" bumper stickers. How German.

Ludwig looked over and noticed the stickers, he laughed and shook his head at Berwald in slight embarrassment, hand running through damp and mussed golden locks.

"They're from my grandpa, I swear!"

Gorgeous.