(Sorry if 'The Norge' or 'The Finn' bothers anyone, but it's not all that different from 'the American' or 'The italian' and it's not meant to offend. :) and also, if you've any disagreements with human names being used, Lukas was listed on Papa Hima's list of names for Norway, and it's the one I'm using, so sorry! If you've anything to say, please say it nicely! :3)
"Tino, no," Lukas groaned quietly, his
navy gaze incredulous as the smaller man dusted snow off his shoulders and put his hands on his hips, beaming.
"Tino, yes!" he exclaimed, bouncing on his heels and throwing his hat in the air "it's already December tenth- we should've had a tree up ages ago! Come on, Lukas. What are you going to do, make me take it back to the lot?"
The Norwegian stared at Tino, eyeing is excited expression and his large, pleading eyes, the way he clasped his hands and smiled hopefully, gently nudging the monster of the tree he'd dragged in with his snow boot. There was no way he was saying no to a face like that. No way was he making Tino drag that tree back to the car. …. Damn.
"… Go get the ornaments then," he mumbled, tossing his book back on the couch and pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'll bring the tree in- and take off your boots, you'll drag snow all over and I just cleaned-"
"Kyllä! Kiitos!" Tino squealed, wasting no time in clapping his hands and tackling Lukas in a hug. The Norge rolled his eyes and pursed his lips briefly before reciprocating the gesture, discreetly rubbing Tino's back to generate some warmth and resting his chin on the top of his head.
"Ja, ja.. Hurry up before I change my mind," he joked, a ghost of a smile lingering on his lips as Tino quickly pecked his cheek and dashed off to the attic.
—
"…. It looks lopsided," Tino stated, biting his lip and tilting his head to the side. Lukas felt his face warm in embarrassment and he looked away, rubbing the back of his reddening neck.
"The base was being all weird- sorry about that," he mumbled, oddly sheepish about the whole thing. "Did my best.."
He was silenced by a wave of Tino's hand as the Finn adjusted the Santa hat on his head. "Oh, Lukas. Don't worry about it- it'll still be the best Christmas tree ever."
With that, Tino turned and stood on the tips of his toes, plopping a similar hat on the Norge's head and smirking in satisfaction. Almost instantly, Lukas raised a questioning hand to take it off, and Tino swatted at it.
"No, no!" he cried, shaking his head. "Keep it on! How can we decorate a Christmas tree without Santa hats? Who does that?"
Lukas stared for a long time. "Normal people?"
Tino's pout caused his lips to pull up at the corners, and he just barely managed to stifle a laugh that bubbled in his chest.
"Fine, fine," Lukas mumbled, plopping onto the floor amidst the decorations, reaching for a box. Tino stared and shuffled over.
"Lukas, what are you doing?" he asked slowly. Blue eyes blinked up at him.
"I'll pass you the ornaments, you put them on the tree- easy."
The Finn shook his head and pulled him up, tapping his nose insistently. "Luuuuuukas," he whined. "We're supposed to decorate it togeeeether. I'm not taking no for an answer. Get your butt up and help me!"
Lukas sighed. "But it'll look way better if you do it," he mumbled quietly. "I stink at these things."
Tino knelt and cupped his face in his hands, smiling gently at his flustered expression. "I don't care, Lu. The fact that we both decorated it makes it the best tree ever, right?"
Damn him. Lukas sighed and melted at his touch, cheeks flushed. "I guess."
"That's the spirit!" Tino exclaimed, kissing his forehead, causing him to turn an unholy shade of red.
Decorating was a painful process for Lukas. He went slowly, putting as little ornaments on the tree as possible, trying to look productive under Tino's watchful gaze. Tino said nothing- he just appreciated his presence.
In the end, the only reason they knew the sparkling behemoth before them was a tree was because of the bare spot on the top. Which wouldn't be there for long. Tino bounced on his heels, clutching a large, golden star in his hands.
"Quick, quick- lift me up and I'll put it up, and we can take a picture!"
"… Tino, there's this amazing invention called 'ladder', or 'stool'-"
"Lukas, just lift me up, will you?"
With a sigh, Lukas stood and hefted Tino up onto his shoulders, trying to stand on the tips of his toes without snapping any tendons. He wobbled a bit, and frowned. "Hurry up.."
Tino clicked his tongue at him, stretching. "So impatient. Wait, I'm trying to find the- oh dear- Lukas, Lukas!"
"Tino, what- stay still! Oh, helvete-"
Tino shrieked and clung to the tree as it toppled and swayed, flailing- forgetting about the Norwegian who was trying hard not to drop him.
"NONONONO-"
With a loud crash, the beast fell over, taking Tino and Lukas with it. The two lay in a mess of shattered glass spheres, broken Santas, cracked stars, and tangled tinsel. Tino sat up, dazed, wriggling his way out of a few branches and grunting as the pine scratched his cheek, eyes wide.
"Lukas? Lu? Are you okay?"
"Sitting… On.. My legs.."
With a gasp, the Finn rolled over and looked down at his lover, who was covered in sparkles and shredded silver bits, eyes narrowed.
"Look what you've done," he growled. "You've killed me with Christmas."
Tino let out a nervous giggle and blushed brightly as Lukas sat up and tried to take tinsel pieces from his hair.
"Hehe.. Whoops," he said bashfully, shrugging. "It.. It looked nice, in the end. You know, before it.. Fell…
Lukas sighed and looked at the mess they'd created. "… Least the trunk didn't break. Sure we can salvage this, somehow, put it back up. The decorations will hide most of it."
He reached out and patted Tino's soft head of hair, chuckling at his disappointed look.
"It's alright. We can start over, I guess.."
The Finn seemed to brighten at his offer, and leaned into his chest, smiling up at him as shy lips pressed against his temple.
"It's still the best tree ever," Lukas muttered, giving him a squeeze.
"Even if it's all over the place?"
"So are we, no?"
"Very true, Lu. Very true."