Tino was already asleep for the night, curled into a tight ball under his blanket. His breath was soft; Hana Tamago curled up against his pillow. A noise at his door disturbed his sleep. He was frozen in fear. Awoken by a strange presence in his room. Slowly, he turned his head. There was definitely someone there, silently making a broad shadow over his bed.

He couldn't help it. When the man took a step closer, Tino screamed. Hana Tamago jumped up and barked, unknowingly.

The light went on and Tino gasped. How foolish, it was just Berwald. He turned to leave the room, taking Tino's fear as anger.

"W-wait! I'm sorry Ber-"

"Mom!" A small blond boy ran into the room. "Mom, what's wrong?"

"N-Nothing…I just-uh, Berwald scared me…And stop calling me 'Mom!' I'm not a girl, Peter!"

"Yeah, well he can't be my Mom!" he nodded to the tall man with glasses standing quietly by the door, "So I guess you have to be 'Mom'!" He laughed.

"Ugh…What is it you wanted?" Tino turned to the tall man.

"Ah' was goin' t'ask if ah c'd sl'p wit you…"

"What?" Tino blushed red.

"Ah'll go back t'mah room…"

"Ah, no, it's-…it's okay…" He blushed a shade darker.

"I wanna sleep with mom too!" Peter jumped onto Tino's bed and bounced up and down, making Hana Tamago bounce as well.

"Um…" Tino looked at his lap and said, "Well, I guess we'll have to go to Berwald's room. My bed's not big enough for all three of us. Is that all right with you?" he turned up to the man with glasses.

He bent his head and thought for a moment then nodded, 'yes.'

"Yay!" Peter hopped off the bed and ran out the door, the small dog following him.

Tino stood up and said, "Well, I guess that makes four of us. Come on, let's go to bed." The taller man quickly turned away, hiding his blushing face. "Eh? Berwald, what's wrong?"

"Nuthin'…Th'nks…" Berwald quickly left the room.

Peter was already under the thick blanket. "Hurry up, Mom!"

Tino laughed softly, "I'm coming." He layed down next to Peter who curled up against him. He looked up and saw the taller man just standing there, near the foot of the bed. "Come on, you can lie down. It is your bed after all."

Berwald was in the process of deciding which side to lie on. He wanted to be close to Tino, but he knew the smaller man was still frightened by him, so he settled under the blanket on the other side of Peter, keeping a distance between them.

"G'night Mom! G'night Dad!"

"Good night, Peter, Berwald."

"Night…"

Tino closed his eyes tight when Berwald snuggled down. They said their goodnights as Hana Tamago snuggled against the back side of Berwald's knees. Only when Tino heard the larger man's breath soften did he open his eyes. He nearly jumped off the bed. His face was so close! He could even feel his breath on his cheek. Tino nearly jumped out of his skin when he moved. Berwald stretched his arm out around both Tino and Peter and pulled them closer. He's so close! He tried to wriggle free from his grasp, but couldn't, Berwald was too strong. Tino remembered the first night they had spent together after running away from that man's house. He shifted downward, trying to put more distance between them. Eventually he gave up and fell asleep.

Berwald woke suddenly, let go of his family and sat up, rubbing his eyes. He felt clumsily for his glasses and put them on. It was already morning. He gently shook his 'wife' awake. "Mornin'." Tino nodded as he sat up, yawning. They tried to wake Peter, but he just smacked their hands away and snuggled back under the blanket. They went about their day as they normally would. Tino had to go to the store and Berwald did some work around the house. When Peter finally got up, all he did was stare at the television.

Later that night, when the other two were snuggled in their beds asleep, Berwald lay still, staring at the ceiling. Eventually he got up and headed for his wife's room. He knocked this time, heard blankets moving around, then a quiet, "Yeah?" He opened the door saying, "'S me."

"Hmn? What is it?"

"C'n ah stay wit you t'night?"

"What for?"

"Can't sleep."

Tino sighed, "Do you want to go back to your room?"

"Don' hav'ta."

"You can stay here." He moved over, disturbing the small dog's sleep. She stretched and jumped off the bed to greet her 'daddy.' She received a small pet before he crawled into bed with Tino and snuggled under the blanket with him. Tino lay as far to the side as he could, hoping that the larger man wouldn't decide to come closer. He didn't, nearly hanging off the bed, Berwald quickly fell asleep. "Can't sleep, huh?" He snuggled down and fell asleep too.

For days, Berwald would make up lame excuses to be near him, always wanting to go with Tino when he went shopping, and coming up with reasons to sleep next to him; couldn't sleep, he was cold, had a bad dream. The smaller man didn't mind it so much, as long as he wasn't too close. It was true that he was intimidated by him, but he always felt safer when Berwald was near. One night, he walked in claiming he had a really bad dream. Tino let him stay in his bed as he'd done before, but Berwald lay really close to him this time, an arm draped over him. "Oh, um..."

"Nn?"

"Oh, it's...it's nothing." He snuggled against the other man's chest. He may be scary, but he's also warm. "Are you alright?"

"Hn?"

"You uh...normally don't hold me like this. Are you cold?"

"Mah dream..."

"It was that bad?" Tino felt Berwald nod above him. "Oh..." He gently wrapped his arm around Berwald's midsection and he could feel the larger man's heart suddenly beat faster. "Umm...Are you sure you're okay?" He felt him nod again. "Uh, G-good night then..." Berwald's heart slowed and his breath became deep with sleep.

Berwald slowly opened his eyes, could hear the soft breathing of the other man in the bed. He was curled up beside him but not against him. He turned toward Tino, gently cupped his hand against his cheek and leaned forward to kiss his forehead. The smaller man shifted and he quickly pulled his hand away. "Nh...Morning," he mumbled quietly as he sat up. Berwald nodded and slipped out of bed and left the room.

He stepped out of his room and almost ran into Tino. "S'ry."

"Oh, it's alright. I'm going to the store really quick. I wanted some salmiakki." He laughed quietly. "Do you want anything?" He absently started straightening Berwald's tie. He usually didn't wear them because he always put them on crookedly. "Why are you dressed so nicely anyway? Are you going out today?" He patted the tie down when he finished fixing it. Berwald shook his head. "Oh, well, I'll be back soon, alright? Make sure Peter doesn't get in trouble, okay?" He nodded. "Alright, I'm off then." He turned to leave but Berwald took his arm.

"Ah need tah t'lk to yah wh'n yah get back." Tino nodded and he let go, watching him leave.

Later that evening, Tino and Berwald stood outside. They sun was setting, making the snow glitter red. They'd been there for a while; Tino looked up, seeing the steady puffs of air escape Berwald's lips. "Are you alright? All day yu've been...spacing out."

"Ah...ah've b'n thinkin' 's all..." He looked down to Tino then quickly turned away as he felt his face get hot. "Uhh...Ah've...Ah've b'n tryin' tah fig're out how tah say this...an'..." He stopped. Stood silent for a long while before wrapping his arms tightly around Tino and blurting out, "Ah love you!"

Tino flinched. "Wh-what? You-you mean-" Berwald just squeezed him tighter. "I-uh..." He tried pushing him away, but he wouldn't let go. "Umm, Ber-"

"Ah don' want you tah s'me...l'ke th's..." He was upset, cheeks burning bright, blinking hard, and fighting back the tears. Tino didn't feel the same, that was obvious, and it hurt.

"Oh, Berwald, please? I want to see you," Tino said sweetly, and he couldn't help but listen. He let go and stood straight, lightly biting his lower lip. "Berwald, I can't say the same to you." The larger man's breath hitched and he bit down harder. "I'll have to think about it first, alright?" Berwald just stood there. "Alright?" He nodded. "Good, but just so you know..." He looked down at his feet, kicking at the snow. "So you know, I'll...I'll still be your wife, okay?" He looked up, smiling, a light blush on his cheeks. Berwald was surprised, but quickly wrapped his arms around Tino again, who hugged back and, standing on his tip-toes, kissed his cheek.

Berwald slowly opened his eyes, could hear the soft breathing of the other man in the bed. He was curled up beside him but not against him. He turned toward Tino, gently cupped his hand against his cheek and leaned forward to kiss his forehead. "W's just'a dream..." He took the sleeping man's hand in his and sighed. He lay like that for a while, both of them curled up on their sides, facing each other. Tino's eyes were closed in slumber and Berwald's quickly overflowed with tears. They dripped down on the pillow below his head.

Tino's eyes slowly flickered open and he gasped. "Berwald! What's wrong?" When he didn't answer, Tino asked, "Was it another bad dream?"

"Y'could s'y that..." he mumbled quietly.

"Oh, come here." Tino wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close, letting him bury his face against is chest. He stroked his hair affectionately and Berwald quickly wrapped his arms around the other man.

"M'bey s'mday...s'mday ah'll be able tah tell 'im..."

I just wanted to write some really cute fluff between these two. They're just too cute!
The ending was inspired by 'Things I'll Never Say' by Avril Lavigne.