Author's note: Nordic School AU. Tumblr prompt (aph-nordicroots): « A Nordic School drabble from Fin POV (….possibly with Den? —guilty pleasure) ». DenFin is kind of a guilty pleasure for me too.

As

Timo is depressed.

Which, he's vaguely aware, is his own damn fault. He had known Berwald was in love with someone else already when he met the Swede, and yet his heart had still held out hope for… something. He's an idiot and depressed and just wanted to cry right about now.

Of course, hiding between the on-campus high school and university's science building meant that unless someone was looking for him, no one would find Timo; he could cry all he liked. Eventually Berwald will probably come looking for him and hold him because that's what Berwald Oxenstierna does. He wants so much to hate the man for what he does to his heart, but he can't.

A hand on his back startles him, turning to find not Berwald but Christen. "Hey you," the Dane smiles, bigger than normal. "What's up?" Sitting beside the Finn, he wipes away several of Timo's tears.

"I'm an idiot is all."

"Can I let you in on a secret I've learned?" Timo nods. "We're all idiots. Some of us just hide it better than others." And then the hand on his cheek, the one that had lingered after wiping away tears, is joined by its fellow hand on the Finn's other cheek. "Hey Timo?"

"Ye-yeah, Christen?"

"What do you say to you, me, and dinner off-campus? My treat."

Timo quirks an eyebrow. "As– as–" He wants to make sure the Dane means as friends, because sometimes when Christen is around Timo finds it hard to concentrate and misses things. He doesn't know why.

The Dane grins to one side. "As whatever you want."

Timo is elated.