#prudensu

Winter

They met in winter during the holidays.

Gilbert had a fight with his father and had therefore refused to return home during the Christmas festivities. He was stubborn, in fact; he was in the third year of Archeology, despite his father being against it, but he liked it. His father, a fine army sergeant, would like his son to follow in his footsteps, but Gilbert didn't want to. He wanted to explore the world and the past, to discover the mysteries of the world ... So he was much better off in the dormitory, rested, not listening to his father talking about his bad choices and comparing him to his younger brother, Ludwig, with his perfect grades as if Gilbert didn't have good grades too; he was one of the best on the course and seemed to be the favorite student of Professor Theodotus. Distracted by his thoughts, the red-eyed albino was startled when the lights went off abruptly. With his heart pounding, Gilbert soon realized that it had been a blackout, caused by the snow falling outside. ... Blizzard? This was bad; without energy, there was no warmth in his room. There was a fireplace in the living room, but he didn't know if he could use it... Oh, he didn't want to know, he was going there. Using the light of his cell phone, he put on a warmer outfit and picked up a blanket, full of bird drawings. He went into the living room and, to his surprise, two students, both blond and tall, were already lighting the fireplace.

"Berwald, see what I told you?" One of them said. "My plan worked.~" "I never said it won't work..." "Shhhh...! Let me brag a little!"

Gilbert said nothing, merely sat on the couch and curled up in his blanket. The blondes noticed.

"Hello!" Exclaimed the more extrovert; now Gilbert had noticed in his blue eyes. "You stuck around too?" "Ah yes!" "I'm Simon and he's Berwald." "Pleasure..." murmured Berwald; by the light of the fireplace, he looked scary...! "Don't worry, he's just a little shy!" Simon laughed, fiddling with a sack. "What is your name?" "Gilbert."

Simon took a packet of marshmallows out of the bag and held it out.

"Who's wants to eat?"

The other two agreed, causing Gilbert to leave the couch and join the Nordic. They were well together, and Gilbert could tell that Berwald was blushing; of embarrassment, perhaps. As if they were animals behind the food, Toris and Eduard, his classmates in History, appeared in the room. As soon as they saw each other, Toris and Gilbert exchanged rivalries with each other; they didn't like each other.

"Oh, do you know each other?" Asked Simon. "Unfortunately," they said in chorus. Eduard only shrugged, already accustomed to the friction between them. "Join us.~"

Eduard and Toris sat down next to Simon and ate the marshmallows, cuddled with the warmth of the fireplace. They kept talking and telling stories (and arguing...) until the light came back.

Spring

Simon jumped up onto Berwald's bed, clutching his pillow tightly. Then he looked knavish to the other.

"Darling," he began, in a half-playful and provocative tone. "Did you like that so much of the flowers I bought you?~" "I... liked them."

The Swede stared at the jar he had bought only to place that bunch of red roses Simon had offered on Valentine's Day. For his part, Berwald bought him a big bear (he knew very well that Simon liked stuffed animals, though he didn't admit it...).

"I'm the best boyfriend in the world, right?" "Don't exaggerate."

Simon turned to the other side, staring at the white wall.

"Hey, Teddy Bear, what do you think about Gil?"

Berwald didn't answer soon; since they met him, they went on many adventures together. They decided not to stay in the dormitory full time; they waged snowball wars, made snowmen, went skiing, and almost lost the albino in the snow; the German had to be wearing white clothes! It was fun while it lasted; Simon and Berwald did well to stay in the dormitory and not return home. But then spring came. Feelings came.

Without the white bottom of the snow, Gilbert looked more charming; exuded the comfortable warmth spring had to offer and bewitched anyone. His presence was beginning to become essential in the life of the couple. From the first day that Simon and Berwald considered him handsome, however, they began to find him attractive, more freed from the warm clothes... As if some insect had bitten and awakened them to reality.

"I'm confused," confided the glasses' owner. "Me too…"

Summer

That heat was too much for North Europeans.

Gilbert had convinced Simon and Berwald to have a picnic, but they didn't expect it to be so hot. Not even under the shade of the tree did the heat leave them alone. It was, as might be expected, the albino; he was covered in sunscreen, and yet he felt it would burn at any moment.

"I'm a dyiiiiiiiing!" "It was your idea," Simon complained, lying on the towel, with his head on Berwald's lap. "Suffer." "How much love do you have for me!" Gilbert continued his drama without noticing that he had caught Simon off guard; this took time to respond. The German thought it was because of the heat; the blame was always on the heat. "I have lots of love for you!" "Iiiih, be careful what you say or Berwald will get jealous...!" "Oh, I also feel the same..." Berwald began hesitantly.

Gilbert laughed, a believer who was only a joke of the Swede and oblivious to the feelings warmer than the time they were inside Berwald. The Dane turned, pressing his face into her boyfriend's belly. He knew well what Berwald felt; it was the same as him. That damned anxiety turned into butterflies in his belly that made him excited to see Gilbert's face, to hear his voice, to make him laugh and smile.

Berwald felt it, too. Close to Gilbert, he didn't know what to say and to remain serious; it was like the first time he'd fallen in love with Simon. That funny but annoying feeling that made his cheeks red whenever he saw him.

They were in love and without knowing what to do.

Autumn

The rain fell, silent and solitary. Gilbert stared at the slowly growing puddles, drop by drop. He heard his name and turned his red umbrella; he looked at Simon and Berwald, each with his own umbrella. Throughout that year, Gilbert had noticed that the three had grown up, changed. He didn't understand that change, but he felt it in him and in them.

"How homesick are you, right?" Gilbert commented; he was in the fourth year, the last he had to break before he graduated. "Yeah," agreed Berwald, adjusting his scarf. "And to think it's the last year..." Simon said, preparing to leap into a pool of water. "Time passes quickly!" "Don't do that." "How bland, Berwald!"

Gilbert laughed, now also wanting to jump into a puddle.

"Hey, Gil, we have something to tell you," Simon began, passing his hand through his hair. "Huhum ..." "What?"

The Norse looked at each other; they had to say or they would go mad.