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Prologue

Tino giggled as his boyfriend handed him the plush deer with a bright red nose he'd just bought as an early gift, because it caught Tino's eye. It was almost Christmas, Tino's favourite time of the year. The streets were sparkling with lights, the snow was slowly falling, children running around in joy, a sight from every Christmas postcard ever.

And he'd be spending his favourite holiday with his favourite person!

Since he was studying in Sweden and his family would be in Russia, making some arrangements Tino didn't know about, his parents allowed him to spend the holiday with his friends and boyfriend.

The other said friends Mathias, Lukas and Emil, along with Tino and Berwald (the love of his life) had a group called the Scandinavia club, since they were all from different countries of said part of the world. Those were the best friends Tino ever had. They didn't judge him, didn't assume things. When Tino took up the courage to present as one of the "rare-men-kind", they were nothing but supportive and to Tino's shock, Lukas had presented also, which had his boyfriend Mathias jumping around the room with happiness.

The starts in a new school in a different country (Tino was a proud Moomin-pyjamas-wearing Finn) were difficult, sure. Then he slowly became friends with Lukas, and thus meeting and befriending the other three. Firstly he had been scared Berwald - he was so big and cold and unfriendly - but then the whole club had a group camping together, Tino and Berwald ran away when Lukas and Mathias got a bit too...affectionate (Emil was already asleep, thankfully). They chatted all night and became close just as the first morning sunbeams signalised the morning of another day.

And now he was here, happy as he hasn't been for a long time, full of expectations and excitement for the future.

Unfortunately, fate can be a bitch sometimes. And Tino's fairytale didn't end happily just yet.