"Hey birdie, I have to stop at the bookstore before I can take you home."

"That's alright Gil! The bookstore is one of my favourite places ever!"

In the two weeks since they had met, Gilbert and Matthew settled into a routine: Gilbert would pick up the blond on the way to school, around noon they would meet up in the foreign language hallway for lunch, and after school they traded off who's house they went to for dinner. Tonight's dinner was at the Beilschmidt house, but as usual Feliciano had invited Ludwig over for an afterschool study session, and Gilbert didn't have to worry about his little brother not getting home.

"We've been listening to my radio station for a while, why don't you put yours on?" Matthew asked, smiling as Gilbert blushed a bit.

"I do not think you would like mein music, birdie. How was your geometry test?"

"It sucked. It's really too bad Al isn't advanced like me, I'd love to see his grades…"

"Is Al giving you trouble?" Gilbert knew the tension that was between the twins; divorce was ugly when one lived with one parent and couldn't talk with the other because they were with the other parent.

"Oui, well a bit. He told me I'm an idiot for only getting an 87, and I'm a whole grade ahead of him in math!"

With a sigh, Gilbert said, "I failed mein geometry final at the end of the year. But I can help you if you want."

"I'd love that Gil! Maybe… maybe could you help me with physical science too?"

"You are not in advanced science? Mein Gott!" Gilbert teased the freshman, who laughed. "Sure, I would be delighted to help you."

The old red truck pulled into the parking lot of the bookstore. Looking up at the sky, Gilbert took note of the black clouds rapidly approaching. A storm was coming, that much he could tell easily. Matthew pulled his hoodie closer to him, trying to keep out the wind as he started for the bookstore.

"I think we should get home, Matthew."

The blond froze at the sound of his full name. Gilbert only called him that when something was terribly wrong, and when he turned back, he saw a huge bolt of lightning flash across the sky. He ran back to the truck, where Gilbert had opened the driver side door for the freshman to crawl to his seat. As the albino climbed in after him, the sky began to pour. Thunder rolled angrily above them, and the wind began to howl. At the next flash of lightning, Gilbert found himself being squeezed by a terrified Matthew. Nervously, the senior put his arms around the blond and gently rubbed his back.

"Shhhh, it is ok birdie. We will be ok."

Gilbert's voice startled the freshman, and he wrenched himself away and cowered in the passenger's seat. Whispering comforting words, Gilbert was able to coax Matthew to buckle his seat belt.

"We will go to mein house, Vatti will have hot chocolate for us, ok birdie?"

Matthew nodded, his face bright red. He was embarrassed at his reaction to the lightning, and ashamed that he had hugged the senior. Mentally making the note to apologize later, he hid his face in his hands and ignored the rain pounding on the truck. This was so awful; he had hoped that the older boy would be his friend. Gilbert watched the blond carefully, still shocked that the cutie had hugged him out of fear. Unsure if it was ok or not, he reached over and gently smoothed the curls sticking up out of Matthew's sweatshirt. The kid flinched, but said nothing. Through the fingers hiding his face, Matthew's face was visibly reddening.

The storm worsened as the truck wound its way back to the Beilschmidt house. Matthew flinched at every boom of thunder, and Gilbert often had to fight to keep his truck on the road. Finally arriving at the house, Gilbert had to pull Matthew after him. Even running, both were soaked when they went through the front door.

"Vatti! Can we have some towels bitte?" Gilbert yelled down the hall. The german shepards raced to them, followed by Adam.

"You two are soaked as rats!" he exclaimed, handing them each a towel. "Do you want me to dry your clothes, Matt? I am sure Gilbert can lend you some of his things temporarily."

"Th-that'd be great, m-merci." The blond was already shivering from the rain.

Gilbert led him upstairs to his room and helped Matthew out of his still-dripping clothes. Also stripping, Gilbert took their clothes down to the dryer at the end of the hall.

"You need a hot shower, the bathroom is right through here," Gilbert pointed.

The bathroom was a mess, but Matthew took no notice of that as he stepped into the shower. Gilbert stepped in after him, turning on the hot water as he did. The senior, who was used to group showers after years on the rugby team, paid no attention to Matthew, who was secretly checking out Gilbert's thin yet muscular form. They showered quickly, taking turns under the hot water.

Stepping back into the steam-filled bathroom, Gilbert looked around for towels. He passed one backwards to Matthew, who dried himself off quickly and wrapped the towel around his waist. Tying his own towel about his waist, Gilbert led the blond back to his room. When he turned to give Matthew some old clothes to wear, he couldn't help but stare for a second. Matthew's hair was a damp mess, and without his glasses on, his violet eyes flashed in the light. His pale body was thin with barely defined muscles that showed the blond had done physical work before. He took the clothes from Gilbert, blushing slightly.

"Merci, Gil," he whispered as he pulled his shirt over his head. Was it his imagination, or had the senior just been checking him out? If so, at least they were both awkwardly admiring each other…

"No problem birdie!" Gilbert responded, inwardly smacking himself. He didn't think the freshman was gay or even bisexual as Gilbert himself was, and the last thing he wanted was for said freshman to get creeped out.

Returning downstairs to the kitchen, Gilbert stole a few anise cookies from a jar. Adam saw this, but said nothing. The teenagers went to the living room, where a large fire was burning merrily. They divided up the cookies and sat on a thick woven rug.

"You boys better get your homework done!" Adam called from the kitchen.

"Ja, Vatti!" Gilbert yelled back, rolling his eyes and pulling a battered notebook towards himself.

Matthew giggled and reached around for his backpack, which Adam had kindly brought in for him. He pulled out a folder stuffed with papers, a colored-on calculator, and an ancient geometry textbook. After an hour of angrily glaring at the book, he was able to satisfactorily tell Gilbert all his homework was done.

"You lucky little stink, I have to finish writing this dummkopf story before I am finished!" Gilbert exclaimed cheerfully.

"I'll help! What's happening?" Matthew leaned over to look at the notebook.

"Well, we are writing short fairy tales. I have a hockey player and a rugby player, and they are going to end up together but I do not know how." The albino harrumphed and tossed his notebook away from him.

Matthew thought for a second, then said, "What if the hockey player was stolen by a wizard on the other team, and his best friend the rugby player had to go save him? And throughout that, they fall in love?"

Gilbert looked into his violet eyes, silent. "Do you think that would be a good story, birdie?"

Looking back at the maroon eyes, Matthew nodded. "Oui, it's a cute story."

A german shepard suddenly appearing on Matthew's lap broke their quiet moment.

"Thanks birdie!" Gilbert said happily.

"You're welcome!" Matthew couldn't help but think on how their eyes had connected…