Chapter 1

Move in day

Mathias's pov

Finally! I thought as I stared at my room, having just finished unpacking my clothes. Unpacking, of course, meaning I had tossed them haphazardly on the shelves of my IKEA cupboard, since I couldn't be bothered to do much beyond that. It wasn't neat but at least I could get rid of the boxes.

Collapsed boxes in hand, I stepped out of my ground floor room to find Berwald carrying one of Erika's boxes.

'Berwald' I exclaimed, 'you're not hitting on my baby sister, are you?'

Berwald rolled his eyes in reply before walking up the stairs.

I chuckled to myself. I knew that the Swede would never do such a thing, because, among other things, the tall, stoic senior was openly gay. Also, I was fairly certain Berwald only had eyes for Tino Väinämöinen, a sophomore who was also going to live with them. But I was overprotective of my little sister, who was just starting at Hetalia U; she was pretty, smart and funny, which meant there were frequently people hitting on her. Luckily for me , Erika was also romantically clueless so she'd never actually dates anyone.

'Mathias!' Speak of the devil and she shall appear.

'Yes?'

'If you're just going to stand there spacing out, could you at least space out while helping me get these boxes upstairs?' Since Erika was the youngest of them, she had been given the room in the attic, while Berwald and I, both seniors, were on the ground floor, and Tino, Lukas Bondevik (a junior) and his half brother Emil Steilsson (a sophomore) were going to be on the first floor, although they not moved in yet. Berwald had spend the summer there working and taking extra classes while our parents had wanted to us time to get ourselves settled, although I'm pretty sure they were more worried about Erika then about me, since it's a pretty big adjustment to move anywhere from Greenland. I'd spent high school in Denmark, where I was born, living with my grandparents so it hadn't been quite so drastic for me, although I don't think there's anything to really worry about.

After about an hour, Erika came down stairs, announcing that she'd finished unpacking. She'd even changed out of the yoga pants and baggy T-shirt she'd warn on the plane into a tan skater skirt and white blouse with a black belt.

'Mathias,' she said, 'I'm going to go look around, maybe pick some food...'

'No way in hell am I letting you go out by yourself on your first day. What if you feet lost? Or worse, some pervy teen takes an interest in you?'

At this, she turned, glaring before stepping towards me, jabbing her finger hard into my sternum, 'Mathias, I am eighteen years old, I certainly don't need you babying me or thinking I'm a delicate flower who needs protecting.'

I raised my hands in surrender, laughing a little, 'okay, okay, I get it, you're a big girl. I'm still going with you to make sure you get home safe.'

She sighed in resignation before putting her purse over her shoulder and walking away.

'Berwald,' I asked, 'is there anything we can pick up for you at the store?'

He looked up from his book, 'jus' some Daim bars,' he paused, 'nd coffee.'

'Coffee?' I asked, 'you never drink coffee.'

'Gotta pick up Tino 'morrow morning at 6.'

'Fair enough.' I reply before walking out the door after my sister.

Tino's pov

I dragged my feet sluggishly through the airport, dragging my giant suitcase behind me. My eyelids felt like lead and it didn't help that my back ached from the coach seats. I was dreading the hours I would have to spend unpacking the suitcase and the boxes I had shipped from my parents' home in Finland. As I walked through the gates, I could spot Berwald watching me intently, waving. His height made him easy to spot. It took a lot of self control to resist running to him but I gave a tired smile as I walked nonchalantly to him.

'Welcome, Tino,' he said with a small smile, giving me a slightly awkward one armed hug due to the six inch height difference between us. I blushed slightly.

'Thanks for coming to pick me up, Ber.' I said, 'you didn't have to.'

'Couldn't let you navigate public transport with this.' He replies as he picked up the suitcase I had been struggling with as through it was nothing.

'You don't need to...'

'Shh.'

We didn't say much as we walked to the car, I asked about work and school, he responded in short answers per usual.

'You said Mathias and his sister moved in yesterday, right?' I asked.

He nodded.

'What's Erika like?'

'She's nice.'

'Oh, come on, Ber, that's not very helpful.'

'She's like a small, pretty Mathias but she acts more like Emil. Also Mathias is overprotective.'

'Given how he tends to baby Emil, I can picture both of those things.' I chuckled as Berwald loaded my bag into the trunk as I hopped into the front seat, 'Speaking of Emil, when do he and Lukas arrive?'

'Emil gets in on Tuesday, Lukas on Thursday.'

'They're not on the same flight?'

'Lukas was in Greece with his Classical mythology teacher.'

'Oh, I forgot about that.' Lukas was a folklore major and was planning on writing his thesis on the similarities between Nordic and classical mythology. Since I was a history major, Lukas and I had talked a lot about mythology and its role in society.

'Tino,' Berwald startled me out of my thoughts. I turned to look up at him as he pulled out of the parking spot. 'You're tired.'

It wasn't a question but I nodded all the same.

'Get some sleep. It's a long drive.'

'But what about you?' I asked knowing he'd left the house at 4:30 to pick me up.

'M fine. You sleep.'

Berwald may be tall and intimidating but anyone who spent time with him knew he was one of the sweetest people ever. I smiled as wrapped myself in my sweater and shut my eyes.

'Tino.'

I woke to Berwald gently shaking me sand saying my name.

'Hmmm?' I mumbled.

'Tino, we're here.'

I rubbed my bleary eyes I stepped out of the car, loosing my balance and falling on him.

'Mathias made breakfast.' Berwald pointed to the open door.

'But my bag?' I asked heading to the back of the car.

'Already in your room.'

I blushed, 'Ber, you didn't need to.'

He shrugged and walked inside, and I followed a few steps behind.

'Welcome home, Tino!' Mathias called from kitchen. I waved in response before looking around. The Nordic House had an open concept kitchen, living and dining room which had been neatly furnished with IKEA chairs and tables; the group had allotted a specific amount of money for furniture which we gave to Berwald, since he was the most responsible, and would be living here for a few months before the rest of us.

Mathias carried out two plates of eggs and bacon, followed by a girl who was presumably Erika carrying two more. She had platinum blond hair that was loosely braided over her should and a pair of red glasses but besides that she was the spitting image of her brother, but much smaller: Mathias was about 5'11 while Erika couldn't be more than 5'2.

'You must be Erika,' I smiled.

She grinned and nodded, putting down the two plates and offering a hand, which I shook, 'I guess you're Tino? I hear you're a history major? I'm hoping to study classics.'

'Then I guess you'll see a bit of me in class.'

'Tino!' Mathias growled, 'Erika is off limits. Got it?'

That must have hit a nerve, because Erika practically attacked him, saying that she gets to make her own decisions and asking how she's supposed to make friends if he keeps yelling at them.

We proceeded to eat breakfast in an awkward silence, since Berwald doesn't talk much anyway, Erika and Mathias were glaring at each other from across the table and I didn't have the energy to maintain conversation.

When we finished, Berwald cleared the plates. I called after him, 'Ber, do you want any help?'

He shook his head

'Well,' I sighed, 'I guess I'll unpack.'