A vibration from his phone woke Berwald up the next day, and not his usual alarm.

From: Tino~!

good morning sleepy head :D

Received: 5:45 am

He stared down at the phone screen now, slightly groggy. While he was rubbing sleep out of his eyes, it finally registered in his brain that Tino had woke him up this morning, and he owed him a text back.

To: Tino~!

Good Morning. Sleep well?

Sent: 5:49 am

No longer being able to convince himself that he was asleep, Berwald slowly sat up and pulled the covers off, reaching for his glasses on the night stand. The vibrating phone had pushed them away from their usual spot, and it took him a bit longer to find them. Once he had them he cleaned the lenses a little before setting them on his face. His phone buzzed again before he could do anything else.

From: Tino~!

Yes I did, u? Meet me at the cafeteria I want breakfast :P

Received: 5:51 am

To: Tino~!

I did. And okay. I'll be down in about 20 mins

Sent: 5:52 am

From: Tino~!

Good boy XD I'll see u there~

Received: 5:53 am

It was lucky that Tino wasn't there at the moment because he would have seen Berwald's cheeks burn a little. He wasn't sure why, but for some reason Tino calling him that made him feel… interesting things, to say the least. He shrugged a little, supposing that he was just too easy. Realizing that he actually had to get out of bed now, Berwald reluctantly gathered up some clothes and braced himself for the change of temperature between his room and the hallway. Fan! It was cold. He always remembered why he regretted sleeping in only boxers. Eventually, he made it to the bathroom and closed himself into a shower stall, washing quickly. He had said twenty minutes, but he preferred to be early. He finished his shower in record time and re-dressed in the stall too because he was pretty sure he could hear some hooting and laughter from the bad-… um, bad friends trio? What did they call themselves? Anyway, whatever they called themselves they just arrived in the bathroom, and Berwald did not feel like dealing with them right now.

It wasn't much anything personal. Berwald just felt awkward being naked in front of near-strangers. They always stared. He remembered the one time himself and Mathias were stuck on the same floor. He had been changing outside near the sinks, and Mathias walked in and saw him in little more than just his glasses. 'Dude, you're fucking huge! How many times do you fuck a week, man?' Had been Mathias's words to him, and that was possibly the most disturbing encounter he had ever had in his life. Needless to say he never got changed outside of the shower stall ever again. He just hung his clothes and the towel on the door and hoped that they didn't get wet, and they hadn't so far.

Berwald kept his head down and walked past the boys quickly. The rule with them was typically if you didn't see them, they didn't see you, and that was fine with him. He slipped down to the cafeteria and found Tino standing at the doors, taking out his phone.

"Hej." Berwald greeted, and Tino looked up and smiled sweetly.

"Hei Be*! I was just about to text you again. Come on, let's get some food~" The Finn sing songed, wrapping his hand around Berwald's own and pulling him in. Berwald could feel his cheeks tint, but if Tino noticed this he didn't let on. He simply walked with Berwald to the buffet and only let go to get himself a plate.

"Hn… pancakes!" Tino announced, picking up a few onto his plate and then almost saturating them with butter. This was interesting to watch. He had seen that other boy Mathieu Williams drench pancakes in syrup (to the point where his brother Alfred called it 'syrup with pancakes') but he had never seen so much butter onto a pancake before. Tino had proved to be a little quirky so far. Yesterday when they were eating pizza Tino took a pepperoni slice and picked off all of the pepperoni and set it into a neat little stack. That had been an interesting sight indeed.

Once Tino was done his pancake arrangement and Berwald settled on some eggs with sausage Tino walked them over to a table near the window. "I like this one~." He declared, and sat down next to Berwald. The Swedish man just nodded and the two started breakfast.

"Be, trade you some pancake for a sausage?" Tino said, offering a forkful to Berwald with a smile. Berwald's heart beat a little harder. That had been in Tino's mouth.

"S're." He responded, reaching for the fork. The other stopped him.

"Nu-uh. Open wide." The Finn grinned impishly. Berwald complied shyly, opening his mouth only slightly and letting Tino slip the fork into his mouth. He took the bite quickly, and he was pretty sure he could taste the Finnish male's mouth in addition to the butter. It was a heavier, sweeter taste, and he liked it. He only hoped he would taste it without another flavor one day. Tino seemed satisfied after that and took a napkin, gripping Berwald's chin with his spare hand.

"You have pancake on you." He laughed, tracing the man's lips under the napkin with his fingertips. Berwald could feel himself getting slightly light-headed, heart rate definitely faster now. Tino smiled and laughed good-naturedly again, and it almost looked like he was about to say something until he was cut off by a voice from behind him.

"Hey Tino!" The voice called. When he turned to get a better look he found that the voice belonged to an Eduard Von Bock. Tino seemed to know him from somewhere because Berwald was pretty sure that he had seen the two hanging out before on more than one occasion. So it came as a surprise to Berwald when Tino rolled his eyes slightly and apologized to him before turning to face the other with a smile.

"Moi, Eduard~." Tino greeted with a small wave.

"I haven't seen you in forever! How are you this morn- AAAH!"

Eduard never finished that statement. Instead he stared now at Berwald, eyes wide. Berwald was well-aware the Estonian boy didn't particularly like him very much. He wasn't oblivious to the dirty looks and the whispers in the halls that came from the boy's locker. He was almost surprised that Eduard had never ganged up with Mathias to pick at him, but at the same time he knew that the boy couldn't have. He was a coward, and Berwald knew it. He flinched every time the Swede threw a glance in his direction. Still though, the constant whispers of 'scary' and 'freak' really didn't make him feel much better at all.

"Eh heh heh… Um, Tino, who is your friend here?" Eduard stammered, still staring at Berwald.

"Oh, Eduard this is Berwald. Berwald this is Eduard. I'm sorry I forgot you two never met before." Tino giggled, cutely. Both men looked like they wanted to say something in protest, but both held their tongue. "Anyway, I've been fine Eduard, but Berwald and I should really get going now so I'm going to have to talk to you later…" The Finn continued, standing up with his plate. Berwald did the same.

"O-oh… Okay…" Eduard agreed quietly, looking dejected. Tino didn't seem to notice and gave a cheerful goodbye, taking Berwald's hand for good measure and walking away.

'I'm sorry, Eduard. You're on the back burner for now.' Tino thought, still walking with Berwald. In truth, he knew what he had just said was a lie. Berwald knew Eduard, Eduard knew Berwald (And they both hated each other, for that matter). That wasn't his fault though, he was well aware his long-time friend could be a really big prick sometimes. He was surprised Berwald didn't already take his fist to the other boy's teeth already for all of the shit he said about him day to day. But, Berwald had proved to be a better person than most, so maybe he shouldn't have been surprised at all.

He wondered what Eduard's reaction would be when he told him that now Berwald was his boyfriend. He couldn't help but grin a little thinking about the shock that was sure to paint his face when he heard. Oh, Eduard. Ever-easy to scare. He remembered leaning over a desk and talking to the boy, and Eduard's frantic whisper of oh my god Tino don't look now but he's staring at your ass. He knew that Eduard was only protective over him and that first time he may have been a little creeped out (if not also flattered) by Berwald's stares as well, but eventually the Estonian boy really started to get on his nerves. He remembered one day he purposely leaned over way too far to get a pencil that wasn't even there just to make Berwald stare, and Eduard nearly pass out.

Technically, he could have gone after Eduard for this. He knew his friend liked him, more than friends should, and it would be easy to bend him, manipulate him. But for some reason he didn't- couldn't do it. It wasn't that he was sentimental, and he sure as hell wasn't a good person- if he was he wouldn't be doing this to Berwald- but he just couldn't make himself go after Eduard. Maybe it was because he talked too much. Maybe it was because his hands weren't as nice. Maybe it was because he just couldn't even think about letting some not even hot, prissy-ass bitch fuck him-

Whatever it was, it all seemed to add up to the boy wasn't Berwald. Well, he didn't have Berwald's qualities anyway, and that was what counted. It probably would have been way easier to get Eduard than to Berwald, but it wouldn't have been at all satisfying. Ignoring the text in his pocket (probably from Eduard), Tino walked into the hallway with Berwald.

The Swede felt incredibly light. He liked this feeling of importance. Tino's own hand on his was a nice feeling, and he could definitely get used to going places like this. He stopped when Tino stopped in front of a classroom door (presumably first period class) and turned to face him, smiling sheepishly.

"Hei, sorry about that. He has a knack for dropping in at the wrong time." The Finn explained. Suddenly he noticed that the other's face was getting increasingly closer to his own and before he could even think about what was happening-

Ivan Braginski fucked it up.

"Priviet Komerade!" Ivan called, almost appearing out of nowhere next to the two of them. Tino's breath hitched and he jumped, turning to look at Ivan. His violet eyes were full of shock and… annoyance? Realizing that Tino would have kissed him, Berwald felt more than annoyance at the Russian.

"Moi, Ivan." Tino responded, voice almost sounding clipped and short.

"How are you this morning? You look stunning as always, if I do say so myself~" He smiled, that same creepy little smile he always did. It successfully pissed Berwald off a little more, and it appeared that Tino felt the same.

"I am fine, Ivan. Now if you'll excuse me I have some homework to finish that I put off so I really need to go." Tino smiled, gritting his teeth. He was so lucky that Ivan either couldn't read the atmosphere or really, really liked him, or else he may have been having a bone or two broken by now.

"Ah, I see. Well, let us talk later komerade! We really must see each other more."

"Will do." The Finn replied again, smiling just a little too wide too look genuine.

"Paka~" He called, walking off down the hall towards a scrambling Latvian student. Ivan must have really been having an off-day.

Turning back to Berwald after watching Ivan turn the corner, Tino smiled apologetically.

"I don't need to explain him to you. Ivan's just… well, Ivan I guess."

Berwald just nodded. Ivan being Ivan just ruined a near perfect moment. Tino probably forgot all about it already. Dejectedly, he moved to walk into his first class when Tino grabbed his hand and yanked him back towards him. They just stood like that for a moment, and ever so slowly Tino scooted back onto his tip-toes and gently pressed their lips together. Even through surprise Berwald's eyes didn't widen, but closed slightly as he leaned into the other. The connection was brief, chaste, just lips touching lips, but it felt amazing.

In a matter of seconds Tino broke the kiss to get off of his toes, smiling softly, almost nervously at the other. "Hei… I don't know if I did that right, but…"

Berwald just squeezed his hand gently "I pr'b'bly didn't… Ya were p'rfect." He mumbled. Tino squeezed back gently before pulling Berwald into the room, not saying a word more. It was best to leave it at that. Besides, he had just given his first kiss away to the man and if Berwald couldn't infer that he sure as hell wasn't explaining it right now. He needed time to reflect. So, he simply held the man's hand, sitting on his desktop while the other stood by him. They only let go when the first warning bell for classes rang, and Tino walked over to his seat next to Nikolai's desk-

Oh. That would be why Mathias thought he had been staring at the Norwegian.

He was surprised that even at the ten minute bell no one was ever there yet. No one to have seen Tino and him kiss, no one to have seen their hands connected, no one to tell Mathias to chill-the-fuck-out because it wasn't Berwald's fault some beautiful perfect angel happened to sit next to his boyfriend. However, at the two minute bell everyone frantically scrambled into the room, Nikolai once again blocking his view of Tino and Mathias once again glaring at him, arm around Nikolai's waist.

All was the same as it ever was except for the first time it really stood out just how many people seemed to know Tino- it made him wonder what the other had meant when he said he didn't want to be alone.

*Be is one of Tino's little pet-names for Berwald. It is not pronounced Bee, it is pronounced Beh. (Like eh) There will be more later. I see nick-names being one of Tino's quirks.

A note on this chapter: hello again~ Sorry about the delay, life happened. Not much to say here, except more characters are in the picture now, and yes more interactions are coming. I promise.

Please Review, and to all of you who did and do thank you~ Cookies for you!