Hi! So the ao3 community that follows this fic got an update at the end of September, but I just now realized that I forgot to post it here!

SORRY

Anyway, this one is an intermission, a switch to Julchen's pov and the past. Mostly because writer's block is a bitch and Julchen is not, and also my matthew muse was just like 'goodbye lydia have fun trying to write w/o me", but he recently returned so I'm working on the next chapter right now!

and a few quick things:

1. This chap uses a bunch of german, but mostly endearments and easy stuff.

2. this chap mentions the Great Himaruya High (Their school has an official name now!) Food Fight, which is a food fight that happened because Julchen and Antonio were throwing pieces of food at Francis when he was sleeping and Jules accidentally hit Nyo!China in the back with gravy. There's a (spamano) oneshot in the ao3 series for it, but it's not at all necessary for you to read that to get this. Just know that it was basically axis vs allies, only Moni and Ali were still in middle school, so the Axis was Hungary, Nyo!Pru, Austria, Julchen, and Matthew (Who Julchen stole from the other team because he had nice aim and maple syrup)

3. If you're of the Tumblr persuasion, I started a tag for this "Fic: SYGF" and my url is hamsteakandpasta (Also I started writing the spamano version of this fic, in case you're into spamano and stuff :D)

It was Freshman year, during the middle of the Beilschmidt's bi-monthly "Everyone clear your schedules because we are going to eat as a family, and if you aren't there then you aren't sleeping in my house" dinner, when Julchen realized that her interest in the quiet boy with the fantastic aim from the Great Himaruya High Food Fight might be more than admiration.

"Oh mai'n gaht, Ai hab a cruff!"

"Schatz," Louise Beilschmidt, who looked almost just like Monika, aside from her scarlet eyes and deep scar, chided softly, "Don't speak with your mouth full."

"En'sch'di'ung, m'tti," Julchen said through food, then chewing and swallowing (and sort of almost choking) down her food, she started again, "I think I have a crush."

Akbar Beilschmidt ruffled her hair, "That's wonderful, my little mouseling, tell us about him?"

"Vatti, don't be so embarrassing," Julchen whined, "You don't make West talk about Ali!"

Monika, who had been trying to discretely text someone (Gee, Julchen wondered who it could possibly be) and block out her family's shenanigans, startled. "W-Was?"

"Vatti was trying to get me to talk about my new crush, and I said that they never make you talk about Ali, so it's not fair."

Monika blushed deeply and stammered out a weak, "Ali- It's not- I-I don't have a crush on Alice. We're just friends," and everyone at the table collectively rolled their eyes.

"Ja, sure, whatever. Anyway, the guy I like is, like, super quiet but he helped my team win the food fight-"

"I don't think anyone won that food fight, Julchen," Her mother interjected using her Stern Voice.

"-So he's totally awesome too," Julchen finished, as if her mother didn't say anything. "He's really skittish though, like some sort of bird or something. His hair's like Franny's, only less light-ish, and his eyes are a super weird color."

"You're one to talk," Muttered Monika, and when Julchen threw a spoon at her, she glared back.

"Don't be mean, Moniiiiii."

Monika threw her another scathing look, and returned to her text conversation.

"He sounds like a nice young man, Jule," Her father interjected, trying to ease the tension, "You should- ah, what's the word, Häschen?"

Louise tapped her chin in thought, "Hm, I think it's... 'pursue', Liebling. Your father and I think you should pursue this boy, Julchen."

Julchen buried her face in her arms, because her parents were so embarrassing, but...

Maybe they had a point with this whole "pursuing" thing.

Step one: Figure out his name, step two: Get him to notice her.

A month later and Julchen had had minimal progress.

She had "met" the boy - Matthew, Matthew Williams-Jones (And, honestly, Julchen Williams-Jones was a bit much, but Matthew Beilschmidt sounded perfect) - several times, and every single time, he introduced himself and asked for her name.

He, for some unknowable reason, couldn't manage to remember Julchen Beilschmidt.

Julchen, who daily did something ridiculous and attention-getting with the BTT, who was possibly the loudest person in their school, who was basically almost an albino.

"Oh! Hi! ...I'm sorry... What was your name again?"

And he couldn't even remember her name.

It was before classes, and she was by the huge oak out front of their school, where she, after much investigation (read: sort of kind of stalking), knew that Matthew hung out around in the mornings.

"Julchen, Julchen Beilschmidt. We have a class together," And I've told you my name three times this week. Normally, Julchen would just give up, probably ignore the boy forever, but this guy...

"Ah, sorry," This guy could smile sheepishly and fiddle with his glasses or that polar bear key chain on his bag and she'd forget why she was annoyed, "I'm really bad with remembering people... sorry."

Julchen waved off his apology, "It's fine, Birdie!"

Oh my god, Julchen paled as Matthew turned red, I just called a guy that I don't even really know a dumb, spur of the moment nickname. And it's not even something cool! Just "Birdie"; Gott, how unawesome.

"'B-Birdie'? Is that supposed to be me?" When Julchen's mortification faded enough so that she could look up, Matthew's cheeks were a light pink, and he was twisting a few strands of hair around his finger. Huh, she thought, so that's why that part's so much more curlier then the rest.

"Kesesese, of course, Birdie!" Julchen did what she always did when she unsure or embarrassed, talked and hoped that no one noticed her momentary awesomeness slip. "You seem pretty awesome, so you get an awesome nickname too! That's okay, right?"

Matthew continued to play with his hair and not look Julchen in the eyes, but mumbled out a quick, "Yeah, s'fine," before disappearing when the warning bell rang.

But when Julchen said hi to him two bells later, he smiled softly back at her grin and waved.

Mission Accomplished.

Aaaaaaaa so cute what nerds. Yes, I just gave them mutual 'unrequited' crushes because those kind of crushes are my weakness.

This was really fun to write, honestly. Oh, and their parents are 2p!Nyo!Germany and 2p!Prussia. All these guys have parents who are 2p and/or nyo. Hopefully the real chap will be up soon!

fingers crossed!