When the four returned from Canada the day before the break ended, snow lay thick across the campus, with only the parking lots being cleared for staff to get around.

"I'm going for a walk." Matthew declared as soon as they'd dropped off their suitcases in the apartment. "You want to come?"

"Back into the cold?" Alfred asked, looking disgusted at the very idea. "No thanks."

"Suit yourself."

As he stepped out of the apartment, he was surprised by Lovino descending the steps above him, hands stuffed deep into his coat pockets. "Hey."

The Italian nodded a greeting, and fell into step with the other. "You trying to get out of unpacking too?"

"Huh? No, I just wanted to take a walk."

"Sure." He replied shortly.

"No, really. I like walking in the snow."

Lovino wrinkled his nose for a moment. "Why? It's too cold. I don't even drive when there's snow on the ground."

"Ever?"

"Ever."

He ignored the look of surprise on Matthew's face as they continued walking. It wasn't like there was ever actually snow to worry about on the roads where he lived. And when there was, he just didn't drive because it was too dangerous, (especially at the speeds that he went at) it was as simple as that. Actually, that Matthew's father had driven in Montreal when there was snow had scared him half to death, not that he'd ever let either teen know that.

"Hey, why don't we got though the park? I'll bet the trees look really pretty all covered in snow."

"Really? You don't even have a camera with you, and already you're talking about how 'pretty' everything would look."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"If you're a woman, no. But now…"

The Canadian stuck his tongue out quickly, before turning back, and leading the way to the nearby park. "It'll be nice."

"Also a very feminine thing to say."

"Oh shut up!"

"You know it's true."

The trees were heavily laden with the powder, occasionally sending crystalline showers to the ground. The entire place was silent, even the sounds of the approaching footsteps were muffled as Matthew and Lovino walked along the paths of the park. It really did look pretty, but he decided it would be best to keep his mouth shut this time.

"You should've worn gloves."

"I'm fine." Lovino muttered, shoving his hands even further into his pockets. "Gloves just make your fingers colder anyway, they're no good."

"True, but they're still pretty good for this!" With a grin, Matthew shoved the other over into the snow. "Get up now, I dare you!"

Lovino frowned, and stared at his bare hands, which he held above him to keep them from the snow. "Help me up." He growled. When Matthew didn't move, he finally drove his hands into the powder beneath him to leap up, and shove the other teen off the other side o the path. "You little shit! You got snow down my coat! It's fucking cold and wet!"

"Yeah, snow's like that." He replied from his spot on the ground. "But unlike you, I…" He pushed himself up to his feet, and grinned, "…have gloves, and am just fine."

The Italian scowled, but clicked his mouth shut, returned his hands to his pockets, which were cold again, much to his annoyance, and turned on his heel to walk away."

But Matthew wasn't about to let it end that easily. Where he grew up, exposing your back to someone so soon after pushing them into the snow was an invitation of war, and he'd never turned down such an invitation yet. So still grinning, he scooped up some snow, packed it a little bit, and lobbed it at Lovino's retreating form. His aim held true, and it smacked him square in the back of the head.

Lovino stopped, but didn't turn. He didn't even say a word. There was no swearing in either English or Italian, no exclamation that Matthew was an idiot. He could just tell from the stiffness in his shoulders that he was pissed.

When he did turn, Matthew was not disappointed. Hazel eyes flashed angrily, and his mouth was drawn in a thin line that stood out prominently pink against his olive skin.

Still without a word, he reached down to grab a lump of snow to throw back. But by the time it was ready, Matthew had already thrown a second, which hit him in the face.

Lovino gasped at the cold, eyes suddenly very wide. "Now you're in for it." He growled dangerously.

"Just try it Lovi!"

"Don't… call me that!" He shouted, throwing the snowball back at the Canadian, who blocked most of it with his arm.

"What's the matter? Can't get a good shot without gloves, can you?"

"You little…" He knelt down, and got a large handful, letting it numb his hands as he packed it down, and hurled it. While Matthew did try to block it, he wasn't as successful this time, and most of it covered his face.

"Hey! Looks like you actually can aim!"

"Why don't you just focus on trying to hit me?"

"With pleasure."

They continued like that, back and forth until they were both too tired to continue. In one final attempt to claim a victory, Lovino launched himself at the blond, sending them both flying into a drift.

"Oh shit! Jeez! You got snow down my back!" Matthew shouted, breathless, and half-laughing.

"Well, you freeze my back, I freeze yours, principessa."

Caught between laughing, and glaring, he tossed the Italian off of him, and got to his feet. "Come on, let's head back before we freeze to death."

"That'll make a funny headline. 'Two idiots frozen in the snow a hundred feet away from their dorms.' The readers will eat that shit up."

"I'll make hot chocolate."

"Who said I wanted any?"

"Well, Feli's way of warming you up will probably be pasta…"

"Do you have milk?"

"No, but we can pick some up at the campus store."

"Then what're we waiting for? Come on."

After a quick stop at the store, Matthew and Lovino sat in the kitchen, waiting for the milk to heat up while Alfred sifted through his vast videogame collection, convinced that they'd been robbed over the break and he was missing a few. The sad part was that he did this every year, after every break ever spent outside of the school, despite assurance that the school had the best security they could afford, and no one really wanted his games anyway.

"My Dead Rising is gone Mattie!"

"You brought it with you over the break. It's still in your suitcase."

"Oh… thanks bro."

Still smirking, the blond tapped the cancel button on the microwave before it started beeping, and pulled the now-piping mugs of milk. "How much powder do you want?"

"Surprise me."

"What is this? The great and picky Lovino Vargas doesn't have an exact number of scoops for his hot chocolate to be perfect? I don't believe you."

At first, he didn't get an answer. But after only a few moments, he was rewarded with a slightly pouty reply. "Three and a little bit for luck."

"That's more like it." He added the amount, stirred rapidly, sprinkled in some cinnamon, and slid it across the counter to his friend's awaiting hands. "Enjoy."

"You're kind of a dick, you know that?"

"Grow up with Alfred as an older brother, and Gilbert as a friend. It comes as second nature. What's your excuse?"

"My mother is a bitch."

"Ouch?"

"Really. She's got a stick shoved so far up her ass it gave Feli brain damage in the womb, and she won't even take the blame for it."

"That's just gross dude." Alfred called from the living room. "Like, seriously. That image will never leave my brain."

"I hate to agree with him, but…" His pause was answer enough. "You shouldn't talk about your mother that way."

"You say that now. But next time she comes over to visit, you get to sit in a room with her, and enjoy her chilly company, deal?"

"Deal."

They shook on it.

"But seriously, why are to so convinced that Feli has problems? You're always calling him stupid. I thought that twins were really close."

"Are you the one with brain damage? He's a complete idiota with half a brain."

"You don't give him enough credit. He's not really that stupid." Despite what the other may think, Matthew was well aware of how Lovino had dodged his pointing out that they should be rather close as twins.

"That's what everyone says. It's because he's adorable, isn't it?"

"Why would that have anything to do with his intelligence?"

"Simple. People don't see anything wrong with cute things being stupid. They just think they're being cute."

"Do I detect a hint of bitterness?"

The other teen snorted sharply, sending a slight spray of hot chocolate into his own face. "Like hell."

Again, Alfred leapt into the conversation, now satisfied that none of his games were stolen. "Would you two shut up and kiss already?"

"Wh-what the hell are you talking about Alfred?" Matthew stammered, already turning red.

"Nah, just screwin' with you bro. I haven't seen you turn that many shades of red since you were… thirteen? Yeah. That was a good year. I didn't know there were that many shades of red until then."

"You're a dick." The other two muttered in almost perfect unison, which only served to make Matthew blush even darker.

Elizaveta would have been proud Alfred if she'd been working for her.

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Thanks for reading~!

Yes, their bickering is usually about how mean Lovi is to his brother. And it's starting to annoy Al.