A/N:
This is the outcome of an rp with a total stranger, so I can only
take credit for every other paragraph, starting with the second one.
((So anything that involves, Sweden.))

Enjoy!
_

Tino breathed heavily as he hid behind the tree trunk. The viking had been
chasing him for hours and the Finn was now hopelessly lost in this forest. He shivers
and pulls his tunic closer to him, the night air chilling him. After a moment of silence,
Tino cautiously peeks around the tree for any sign of his pursuer.

Berwald didn't know why the Finn had run from him. Maybe he was just to intimidating.
But for some reason, which he couldn't explain, he wanted to get closer to the Finn. He followed
the path he thought the littler nation had followed, taking note of the broken twigs that suggested
something bigger than a deer had been through there.

Tino didn't see any sign of him and let out a sigh of relief, trying to catch his
breath. Why was the Swede following him? And he was so huge and silent and terrifying. But it
seemed that maybe he had out run the viking so, for now, the Finn could relax.

Berwald jumped slightly when a twig underfoot snapped suddenly. The forest at night had been
so quiet, he thought even breathing too hard would be loud, but that sudden noise would probably
alert anything near. He held his breath, listening hard for any movement, be it an animal, or the Finn.
Certain nothing had moved, he gingerly stepped over to a tree and sat down. The Finn was probably a good
mile ahead of him, and there was probably no use in finding him at night. The Swede just hoped that
beautiful Finn wouldn't freeze to death out in the Nordic night.

Tino's eyes snapped back open when he heard a twig snap. He frantically looked around again
but saw nothing. Perhaps it was just an animal, he should stop being so paranoid. The Finn wraps his
arms around himself for warmth and wonders how he is going to return to his home. He didn't keep track
of what direction he was running in so he couldn't tell which direction to head back in.

Berwald sighed. Alone again. That's how it had been since Norway and Denmark had gotten together.
He guessed it was probably because he couldn't exactly voice his emotions, let alone show them. Mentally, he
smacked himself for pursuing the Finn this far into the forest. After all, he didn't have much of a plan
after catching him, asides from taking him back to the others.

Now realizing exactly how lost he was, Tino panicked. How was he going to get home? And it was
steadily getting colder. The Finn comes out of his hiding place and starts to walk back in the direction
that he had just come from, hoping that this could be his path home. And perhaps the Swede had already left the forest.

Guilt creeped up into his brain. The Finn was probably freezing, and lost somewhere up ahead.
He couldn't just sit there, useless. If anything, he owed the Finn a way out of the forest.
He got to his feet, and followed the direction he had been going.

Tino shivered more as he walked, his teeth now beginning to chatter. He should have
dressed in heavier clothing, it was nearly winter. Should he call out for help? What if the Swede was
still here? But certainly dying of cold would be worse than encountering that terrifying man again.
Weighing his options, Tino finally takes a deep breath and shouts, "Help! Is anyone out here?"

Berwald stopped. The voice the wind carried he didn't recognize, yet it was close. Forgetting
a moment why he was out there, he pondered who it belonged to, before reality came crashing back to
him. It was the Finn. Maybe 100 yards or less from him. Without thinking, he followed its sound.

Not hearing a response, Tino became even more worried. He was going to be lost out here
all night. He yells again, more desperately, "Help! Please!".

The sudden tone change made the Swede worry. Perhaps the Finn HAD gotten way ahead of him,
and something happened to him. He'd never forgive himself if something had happened. His pace
picked up some, almost tripping over a fallen tree.

Tino hears a noise of something running, towards him it seemed. He couldn't tell if it
was a person or something he should run from so Tino didn't approach the noise but stood quietly, listening.

Berwald cursed the sudden silence, pausing and listening for any sound. Shaking his head,
he listened harder.

Tino couldn't hear the running so he shouted again, "Moi? Is someone over there?"

Berwald sighed, thankful. "Ar' ya' okay?" He responded.

Tino's eyes widened and his breath quickened again. "Y-you? Why are you following me!"

Berwald finally found his way over to the Finn and bit the inside of his cheek, not really even
knowing the answer. " 'M s'rry. Ar' ya' cold?"

Tino takes a few steps back, shaking his head and trying to hide the fact
that he was very cold. "N-no, I'm fine."

Berwald shifted his weight awkwardly. "Ya' so'nded scar'ed, ar' ya' sure ya'r alri'ht?"
He asked, trying to stress his concern, knowing he was probably failing.

"I'm n-not that cold..." His teeth still chattered, giving him away. Tino looked at
the man standing across from him and he seemed much less terrifying than he had been earlier.
But his face was still like a stone and he was still incredibly intimidating so the Finn backed
up more until he hit a tree.

Berwald inwardly sighed. He stepped back and undid the fur cape he wore, not noticing a
difference in the temperature. He tossed it over to the Finn. "Here. Use t'is. I c'n show ya' t'e
way ba'k, if ya'd lik'."

Tino hesitates for a moment but then wraps the cape around himself. He sighs, a little
too loudly than he would have liked, as he felt himself thaw out under the warm cape. He looks
at the Swede thoughtfully. Perhaps he had miss judged him because of his personality? He seemed
kind now... Tino nods and takes a step towards the other man, the too large cape dragging behind him.

Berwald managed a smirk, never noticing exactly how much shorter the Finn was compared to him.
He nodded, peeking up at the sky to get his bearings, before gesturing in the direction he'd
come from. "Shal' we?"

"Lead the way..." Tino follows behind him, still being cautious. How far had he ended up
away from the village?

As he lead, Berwald would move branches out of the way for the Finn. He couldn't think of much
else to do for him. He wanted to make up more for scaring him so bad, but for the life of him, he
couldn't think of what to do about it.

After some amount of walking, Tino asks quietly, "Really, why were you following me. I was terrified..."

Berwald paused for a moment, looking back at the Finn. "S'rry 'bout t'at." He stopped to help
the Finn over a rather large fallen tree. "I d'n't kno' w'at came o'er me...Ya'r jus'-" He bit the
inside of his cheek again. The last thing he wanted to do was weird out the Finn, but he had already
came that far. "Jus' beau'iful." He turned suddenly, not wanting to see the other's reaction, and
pressed forward again.

Tino stopped and blushed bright red. He had thought he had angered the Swede and that was
why he was chasing him, not this. "Oh, th-thank you I suppose." Tino had thought that the other man
was incredibly attractive but he was so stoic and... emotionless almost at times.

It felt like being punched by Denmark to the Swede, hearing those words. Not that he hated it.
In fact, he was kind of happy for that feeling, because he managed to look over his shoulder at the
Finn and gave another smirk. "We'l' be t'ere so'n..." He was regretting going the right way, almost.
He didn't really want to part from the Finn, but this situation was his fault.

He blushes even more at the smirk the Swede sent him. "B-berwald... right?". What was Tino doing?
He had just been scared by this man and now he was acting so bashful around him.

"Ja." He answered, half listening. His mind was still plagued with the situation ahead, but he
still made the effort to listen to him.

Tino nodded and continued to tread behind Berwald. "Well I'm Tino. If you wanted to know."

Berwald looked over his shoulder a moment. He couldn't believe that he hadn't even asked Tino
for his name, let alone give him his. "T'no." He repeated. " 'M s'rry f'r chasin' ya' bef're."

"Oh, thank you for apologizing..." Tino chuckles softly, "It would have been lovely to run
in the forest if I had been dressed properly." Tino tried to lighten the mood of their journey back.

"Re'lly?" He asked. He slowed his pace, hoping to be able to walk beside Tino, and prolong
their return to the village.

Tino nods and walks closer to Berwald, seeing him as much friendlier now. "Yeah! I actually
really like taking walks out here. I just normally don't stray so far..."

Berwald nodded. " 'T's not m'ch fart'er." He said quietly, feeling conflicting emotions. He was
happy that Tino was being more trusting of him than before, but sad because of the unknown ahead.

Tino looks up at Berwald, concerned at his tone. "Is something wrong?"

Berwald looked down at Tino, just now noticing the color of his eyes. How was it he could sense
when something was wrong, when his other viking friends couldn't? Maybe it was a fluke. He shook his
head, but his shoulders shrugged, sending mixed messages. "I-...wil' mis' ya' when ya' go ba'k to ya'r vill'ge."

Tino smiles slightly, flattered. But then he frowns in thought, "But why will you miss me? Are you leaving?".

Berwald shrugs again. " I wil' miss ya', 'cause 'm go'ng t' let ya' go h'me.
'M a vikin', we d'n't re'lly stay 'n one place f'r t' l'ng..." He stops a moment, seeing the
glow of the village up ahead.

Tino slows his walking to a stop, looking up at him sadly. He was beginning to
like Berwald and now he was leaving. "B-but... how much longer will you be staying?"

Berwald could see the sadness in Tino's eyes, and tried to pick his words carefully.
" T'is is ya'r home, T'no. We cam' her' t' invad' it. We d'n't re'lly bel'ng her'...N' matt'r how much I wan' t' stay..."

Tino holds onto Berwald's arm and prevents him from walking any further. He shakes
his head, "I don't want to go back yet."

Berwald stops, looking at the Finn confused, but simply says. "Ok'y."

Tino smiles brightly up at Berwald, "I mean thank you for leading me back but I
know that if we go back to the village you will be pulled off by your viking friends and then I'd be all alone again."

"Ya'r al'ne, too?" He asked, quietly, feeling his heart almost stop with anticipation.

Tino sighs and nods, "People in the village like me well enough but... I guess I just
stick to myself too much." He looks up into Berwald's eyes, "Unless there's someone I really feel
connected to of course..."

The Swede felt his cheeks grow warm at the words the clung to his mind, making him forget
how to breathe. "T'no..." He couldn't stop himself. "Wo'ld ya' com' wit' me?"

Tino raises a brow, "Come with you where?"

Berwald shook his head slightly before correcting his word vomit. "Wit' t'e ot'ers. T' my home."

Tino felt his breath catch, he wanted Tino to come with him? The Finn didn't have
much to stay for in this village but could he really leave? "But what would the other vikings think?".

Berwald pondered this question a moment. What WOULD they think? Then again, Norway and Denmark
seemed to be off in their own little world together, for the most part. He shook his head. "I d'n't t'ink it wil' matt'r."

Tino bites his lip as he thinks. He was seriously considering this. "I probably w-won't
make a very good viking..."

Berwald slowly and gently takes Tino's hands in his. "Ya'r perfe't t'e way ya' ar', T'no."

Tino smiles and looks away shyly. "W-well... I would love to go with you."

The Swede smirked. That word...Tino used it in regards to him. He gripped Tino's hands a bit tighter,
but remaining gentle. He let his eyes close, enjoying the moment.

The Finn looks up at Berwald's content face and smiles warmly, "You're very handsome... Especially now."

Berwald opened his eyes, looking down into Tino's. He admired the look on his face, and
the way the pre-winter moon left a faint blue glow on his features. "An' ya' lo'k v'ry beau'iful, T'no."
He gently stroked the Finn's cheek, admiring the softness, the warmth, even in the cold.

Tino feels his face heat up and he leans slightly against the hand at his cheek.
Berwald's hand was rougher than his own but it felt nice against his skin.

Berwald couldn't contain it any longer. There was something about Tino that had his emotions
communicating easier than they normally did. He took the chance. "T'no...I t'ink I lov' ya'..." He
whispered, trying to muster up a loving gaze.

Tino looks at Berwald, slightly stunned. This had to be a difficult thing for the normally
so stoic man to do and it made Tino feel even more compassion for him. Then, after a moment the Finn
smiles and wraps his arms around the taller man, mumbling "I think I love you too Berwald...".

Berwald felt his heart flutter like a bird, and allowed his arms to do the same to the Finn. He no
longer had to be alone. He had found someone, someone just for him.

Tino sighs contentedly in Berwald's embrace. Even though Berwald's arms were keeping him warm,
the freezing night breeze was still making the Finn shiver. Tino looked up at Berwald, smiling bashfully,
"I'm really enjoying this but... perhaps we should head back?"

Berwald nodded, taking his hand, and headed twards the warm glow not far in the distance. He no longer
resented that light, and was glad for it.

Tino gently squeezed Berwald's hand and smiled up at him as they entered the village.
"Where have you been staying?"

He points with his free hand to the bay just beyond the village, and what appeared to be a
camp on the bank. "Ther'." He stopped a second to adjust the fur cape around the Finn.
"Thou'h we ar' goin' back home t'morro'."

The Finn nods and looks towards his own home. "Since I am leaving... I think I'd like to
spend my last night here in my own house..."

Berwald nods, walking Tino over to it. He then brings the hand he's holding up to his lips and
kissed the back of it. "I wil' wait f'r ya' d'wn at t'e bay. I t'ink ya' sho'ld hav' t'is time alon'."

Tino smiles, "Thank you. I will see you in the morning." The Finn stands on his toes to
kiss Berwald on the cheek then retreats into his home to pack and sleep.

Berwald stands outside a moment, and feels himself grow warm with happiness, and he touches
his cheek. As he turned towards the bay, a bitter-sweet feeling crept over him. He was happy, for
the first time in a while. At last, he had someone to be his, and vise-versa. Feeling a tad sad that
he'd spend the night away from his new-found love, but still incredibly happy for what he had chased
down in the forest. He could feel it in his chest, that this was just the start for him and Tino.
Even though his emotions were back in check now that he was almost back to the viking camp, he still
wore the small smirk from hearing Tino say he loved him.