Anders could handle almost everything.
Freezing cold weather? Sure.
After rereading Catch Perfect (my favorite Nordic fic of all time! which is saying something cuz it's not even mainly DenNor) by George deValier, I decided to add a bit more to this story and update more. Not that different though, jsut added few things and changed ages.
READ: Is there someone who is willing to help with writing Sweden's accent? I can't... I tried...
Near starvation? Of course.
Bleeding profusely on the streets? No problem.
But watching his friend, his family member, die slowly right in front of him?
Nope.
"Tino. C'mon Tino. Don't leave us now," Anders said. Tino was covered in all their jackets but was still shivering. His forehead was burning hot and he was coughing. All five of them were strong, they were survivors, so how did Tino get so ill?
"Bro, is Tino gonna die?" Emil asked Lukas, his older brother whom he was snuggled against.
"No Emil. Don't say that," Lukas said quietly. The thirteen year old had Emil and Tino against his chest, trying to keep them warm.
"An, let's j'st find s'meone's house to st'y in 'til Tino gets better," Berwald said to Anders, while glaring at him. They never agreed on anything.
"No. What if they bring us to the police? Or an orphanage?" Anders replied. Berwald stood up from where he was sitting. He was a bit younger than the fourteen year old, but already quite a lot taller than Anders.
"Wh't the hell, An. Tino is dying! And you r'fuse to st'y a couple of nights in a f'cking house until he gets better? I tho'ght we w're important to you!" Berwald almost yelled. Berwald only showed emotion when Tino was involved. Otherwise, he was almost as stoic as Lukas.
Anders became furious. He stood up and slapped Berwald. There was a stunned silence. "You don't understand. You guys are the most important people to me, the only important people. If we get sent to the police or an orphanage, we would be separated. Do you want that? Do you? Besides, don't you remember last time we were in a stranger's house?"
Berwald bit his lip. Last time, Tino and Emil were half beaten to death by the owner. "So you w'nt Tino to die."
"Of course not!" Anders yelled. "But you don't understand! I-"
"Shut up An. Tino is gonna die. We're sleeping in a house tonight. Emil is getting sick too!" Lukas said harshly. His usually stoic face was filled with anger.
"But..." Lukas glared at Anders. Anders's one weakness was Lukas. He could never refuse him. "... Fine."
With Lukas holding the sleeping Emil and Berwald with Tino, they walked onto the street, out of the alley where they just were. The road was deserted. It was really late at night and it was snowing. Anders glanced at a discarded newspaper on the ground. It said that today was the twenty-second. "Hey guys. I think it's almost Christmas! Most of the houses should be empty."
Emil was jolted awake by this sudden proclamation. "Christmas? Do we get presents?"
"Shush Emil." Lukas stroked Emil's hair soothingly. "Go back to sleep."
"Guys, this window's not secure," Anders said quietly. He lifted the side window of a nice house which led into the garage. "C'mon."
Anders boosted Lukas and Emil up and climbed up himself. He took Tino from Berwald and made sure that Berwald safely got in. They lay their jackets down on the ground in a corner and all except Anders fell asleep quickly.
This is nice, Anders thought, as he lay between Lukas and Tino. As long as we're all together, everything will be fine.