Try me all you want, you're just going to have to guess what she said!

/= [DAY 96] =/

The day started normal. Everyone woke up and began to vent their fears and annoyance of what the heck they were getting to get their significant others for Christmas. Charice didn't bother to figure out what the heck to do, because she was already freaking out about it. Rizal said that he was fine…and the others? Noooot so much.

She spent her gym period sitting in the bleachers watching the other guys play basketball from the safety of indoors while trying to figure out just what the hell the teacher wanted when she realized that Matthew was sitting quietly on top of the bleachers gazing into nothing with a blank look on his face. Charice stood up and scooted on next to him, noticing that he wasn't paying attention. So she decided to do so.

"MAPLE-CHAAAAAAAAAN!"

"GAH!" He turned his head to her. "C-Charice…don't do that…"

"Sorry, you just look out of it!" She laughed. "You got any Christmas plans?"

"I'm just going to be with Alfred and Arthur." He answered. "Though they might send me out of the house on the off chance that…they want to be alone."

…

…

…

…

…

…

"C-Charice? Why are you drooling?"

"Eh? Oh, nothing. I'm just hungry." She wiped her mouth. "You know, if that happens to you, you can just hang out with me and Rizal. He wouldn't mind the company."

"Really?"

"Well, out of all these nations that he would be forced to hang out with…the first choice would be Doitsu-ki, and the second one would be you!"

"W-why Ludwig?"

"I dunno, I don't question. They're best friends, from what I heard." Charice laughed. "How about Kumajiro?"

"He just hangs around me…if he remembers me."

"You say it like everyone's known this."

"But that's the thing…no one really knows me…"

"What, since now? What ever happened with getting your own identity?"

"It's…it's not really working out."

"From what I can see, that's right. And who the heck are you staring at?"

"Eh?"

"You're staring at someone."

"I am not!"

"Says the guy going back to staring at the basketball field."

"It's right in front of me…"

"Speaking of which…you've been dazing out a lot recently. Are you OK?"

"Huh? Uh…y-yeah, I'm fine…just…shopping for Christmas gifts, that's all."

"Why do I have the feeling that you're lying?"

"I-I'm not, Charice…"

"You don't seem forceful with that statement."

"…"

"You want me to give you something for Christmas, Matthew?"

"No, it's fine. There's isn't much that I want this Christmas."

"Much? That means that you do want something."

"It's nothing that anyone can give me."

"Says who?"

"Says reality."

"Riiiiight. Just tell me what this is, kays?"

"…"

"Does it have something to do with the guy you're staring lovingly at?"

"Um…"

"Come on, tell me tell me! I won't tell anyone about it!"

"…" Matthew fumbled a little bit. "…Gilbert."

"What about him?"

*silence*

"OH! OH!"

"Ch-Charice! People are listening!"

"I know, I know, but…really? I figured that you had a different taste of men…"

"I know, but…he's one of the few people who remembered me before everything happened…and…"

"Aaaaaand?"

"I was thinking about what he was scared of when we went into his world…the fact that he feared death so much more than I did…"

"It's common for people to think that. Heck, we nations have to think about it one of these days. We are immortal, but really…"

"Yeah…but for someone as strong as he is to be that scared…and still care for his brother…"

"The biggest smiles hold the deepest scars. I guess that quote applies here, huh?"

"Um…wouldn't that mean that it would apply to you as well, Charice?"

All she could do was smile back. It was a strange smile…a sad one, perhaps. One that made Matthew remember the conversation he had with Li Xiao. Still, he had to hide his fear. Charice looked more damaged than he did.

"I won't tell anyone, Matthew. I promise."

"Thank you."

/= [DAY 97] =/

"Ve~~~"

"Feli-chan? What's wrong?"

"Oh…Chari-chan…"

Charice looked at the rather quiet Italian as he sat in the garden staring at a huge clump of snow standing right in front of him. She couldn't help but sit next to him (hearing him coo a small "ve~" in response) and stare at the snow as well. For some reason, she wanted to step on it…but enough about that.

"Is something wrong?" She blinked.

"…snow is pure, right?"

"Hah? Um…unstopped snow is, yes."

"Wouldn't…wouldn't snow also be a mask?"

"A mask for what?"

"Hiding something. The snow goes on top of the ground and covers it to the point where you can't even see what is underneath…it hides what it touches."

"Doesn't it also protect?"

"Ve~?"

"I mean, think about it. The snow may be cold when you touch it, but underneath all that mass of frozen ice is a whole bunch of grass that's going to bloom during the spring time. And with that grass comes beauty."

"…"

"Basically, it means that while someone is hiding something, they still have a warm personality." Charice grinned. "You just have to…dig a little."

"…si."

"What the heck are you so worried about, anyway? You have nothing to worry about anymore!" She knocked on his arm.

"Well…it's just that…I've never really opened up to anyone…even Doitsu…and I'm scared to."

"Why? Because he's that freaking intimidating?"

"N-no…it's just that I'm used to smiling all the time…I don't know how he's going to handle it…"

"…you really need to stop being emo. It's becoming a trend and I really hate it."

"Ve~?"

"Doitsu is trying to help you this entire time. We all are! Heck, we've been trying to tell you this entire time! Sure, Doitsu-ki's the scariest guy since Barney, but you out of all people know that it's just a front! You know that, right?"

"…si. Kalte Hände, warme Liebe." Feliciano chuckled. "Cold hands, warm love. Thank you."

"Awwwwww. That sounds cute." Charice leaned in. "Did Doitsu-ki tell you that?"

"Ve…"

Since when did Feli-chan get so GOD DAMN CUTE?

"Italia! Where are you now?"

The two of them looked up to see that Ludwig had been looking for him for quite some time, leading Feliciano to stand up and instantly hug him. Charice wanted to listen, but all she heard were some scattered mumbles in Italian that she couldn't translate (despite her Italian class. WHAT THE HELL?)which led to Ludwig stroking his hair and whispering something that made the Italian coo and curl up closer to him.

…

…

…

"…too…cute…too…cute…too cute too cute too cute…must not eat RAAAAAAAWWWWWGGGG!"

"VEEEEEEEE~! GERMANY, HELP!"

/=+=/

"Hey, Gil-chan!"

"Oi, Charice! Having fun shopping for presents?"

"Not in the least. You?"

"I got everyone an awesome present this year!"

"Crashing into everyone's Christmas parties?"

"HELL YEAH I am!"

"Way to go, accuracies…"

"Besides, it's better than having to waste my money on something that no one probably likes, right?"

"Sure, or you could just go ahead and ask what they want."

"Now, where's the fun in that?"

"Yeah, I guess it's true- Canada has a crush on you."

"What?"

"FUCK!"

/=+=/

Ahahahahaha…we got a few more chappies to go.