Winter seemed endless, its herald everlasting. Snow snugly blanketed around like a fresh white paper created such a fuzzy feeling and lingering of Christmas, but winter was never like that. No, harsh winds buffeted every moving thing as it howled, mourning terribly of the dread of winter. Along with frequent downpours and occasional hails, the weather was anything but. It had great effects on the students of Hetalia Academy as well. Being bundled up did no such luck as winter's attacks continued mercilessly? Students always came in drenched, chilled to the bone, and always, always grumpy. Even the happiest were downcast as they woke up every morning to another dreary day.

However, to a particular Finnish boy, the weather was something he simply overlooked. Tino Väinämöinen was, in fact, used to the weather as his home country had similarities in extreme seasons. His morning was just the same as he woke up, earlier than most would. His short, honey locks of hair were mussed up from tossing around the bed, and his violet eyes, like a lackluster jewel, were dull. It was until a chilling pass of air sent an involuntary shudder up his spine that Tino fully awoke and got ready for school. The scalding water cascading down his bare back shot pain up his spine, but Tino soon relaxed as his body warmed to the temperature. After a relaxing shower that soothed Tino from his fatigue, he quickly dressed and ate breakfast. He was putting the dishes away when a knock resounded through the empty room, accompanied by the faint echoes of rolling thunder. The Finn opened the door as a bespectacled blond with olive green eyes poised.

"Moi! Eduard!" Tino exclaimed and ran to hug his friend. The Estonian, slightly flustered with Tino's warm affections, promptly colored several shades before clearing his throat.

"Good morning Tino."

"Why, what brings you here this early?" the Finn asked.

"Well, I was hoping we could walk to school together. You see, Raivis left pretty early this morning to the library, and I usually walk with him. Besides, we haven't talked in a while." Tino smiled eagerly and returned the offer with another tender hug.

"Of course! Let me get my umbrella and we'll set off." Grabbing his book bag and umbrella, Tino locked the door to his dorm room while shifting a scarf around his neck. The two walked to school in the dreadful storm but paid no attention to the brooding weather as they enjoyed a conversation. As they arrived at the familiar rusty black school gates, Eduard bid Tino goodbye as he had to deliver Raivis his lunchbox. Left alone in spare time before school started, Tino vaguely wondered what he should do. It was the best- if not most obvious- choice to stay inside and warm himself by the fire in the lobby, or go find one of his friends. But somehow, his mind and heart concluded to staying wet outside and go exploring. So Tino set off in his own thrill of adventure, the rain unable to dampen his mood.

To the side of the entrance of school was a small clearing where students hung out in their free time, but today, nobody wanted to sit on the frozen ground and have rain struck upon them. But Tino noticed somebody crouching in the distance and cocked his head in curiosity. Hesitant, he made his way over, trying not to disturb whatever it was they were doing, but just enough to get a glance.

"Excuse me..." whatever words Tino was going to bring up quickly died out as the being turned. Tino noticed the look in male's bespectacled eyes: sea eyes slowly brewing a tempest within the deepest depths that swallowed Tino under his gaze. The young Finn froze in horror, body stiff in unthinkable fear. It was until the male slowly stood up to tower over the smaller blond that Tino got the message:

Run.

"Wah! ExcusemeI'msorry!" he stumbled out before running into the school corridors faster than a strike of lightning. He didn't stop his legs until he was safe and sound, hidden behind the lobby's couch. Tino breathed heavily as his heart slowly died down to its normal rate. What on earth had just happened? The flash of those hard eyes brimming with unreadable emotions made Tino shudder in fear. Oh, what had he done? Why, why, did he have to be so curious as to disturb the giant who probably wanted to be left alone?

The Finnish student exhaled a gasp as his mind continued to torture him, harboring thoughts of consequences with his actions. Was the giant a bully? Maybe he was going to hunt down Tino for bothering him. Or even worse, get mauled by a gang the giant was part of? The violent actions continued to resonate through his head as it slowly began to block off the rest of the world. So enraptured by his own fears, Tino did not notice a figure approaching him.

"And who is this?" But he definitely heard the voice as Tino let out a startled and unmanly squeak as he turned around to see another blonde beside him, however, his bushy eyebrows stood quite out; the feature seemed quite similar to Peter's.

"Ah! Arthur-san!" the Finn greeted to the student council vice-president. Arthur gave a wary smile.

"Why are you wet, Tino?" he asked. It was in that instant that Tino realized he had dropped his umbrella in the sheer stupor of his encounter outside.

"A-Ah...well...I...I forgot it at home," he stuttered, rubbing his arm sheepishly, partly as well to warm himself. Arthur raised one of his thick brows but made no further instigation.
"Um...Arthur-san? C-Can I ask a question?"

"Sure. What is it?" Tino scratched the side of his head.

"Well what's the name of a really tall blonde guy with glasses at our school?" Arthur knitted his brows together, puzzled over the sudden out-of-blue question. The Finn, noting the vice-president's confused look, decided to explain.

"I...uh, I saw him so I was just wondering who he was."

"Ah, well. By your descriptions...I'd say you probably ran into Berwald."

"Berwald...Berwald," Tino repeated, the name so foreign to his tongue. Yet as he repeated it, he liked how it sounded, how smoothly it rolled off his lips. While Tino mentally repeated the name to himself, thinking how appropriate it was to the latter, Arthur never took his eyes off the younger student, his sea green eyes gazing at the Finn intently.

"Are you sure you did nothing else with Berwald than meet him?" The blonde questioned, slowly laying out the hint that there might have been something going on between the two. But, Tino simply blinked.

"Of course!" His voice raised an octave higher and cracked slightly, a clue that Tino was lying. But the blonde did not want to get his vice-president stuck into any of his problems even if he hadn't met with Berwald…yet. The British male cocked another one of his shaggy eyebrows, not entirely convinced with Tino. Luckily, the bell rang that moment and Arthur dismissed the Finn. As the younger blonde disappeared behind a corner, Arthur let out a sigh, slightly disturbed by his sudden thoughts of Tino with Berwald.

"I really have hung out too much with Francis," he muttered softly before leaving the lobby.