Ludwig waits impatiently for the world meeting to end. Why can't America, France and England continue their endless fighting and teasing after the meeting? He squeezes one of his papers to a compact ball in his fist. Beside him Italy have fished up a cat that Greece brought. He is holding it in his lap where he pets it. Ludwig takes a deep breath and tries to relax. He looks at the other end of the table. There, next to Finland sits Sweden. He seems irritated too, that and worried. He seem to have a hard time with Russia of late. Russia himself is sitting and glaring at Finland. Ludwig notice that about the same time as Sweden, who stares back at Russia. Ludwig watch as the two of them tries to stare hole in the others gaze. After a while Russia smiles one of his childish smiles as he leans back in his chair. Sweden turns to Finland who is now talking to him. Finland seems to completely miss the interaction between the two.
Ludwig have started to like Sweden. It started with a project about some car he needed a design for. Since then they have met some times and started to become friends. He haven't payed the other country much attention before, he never really seemed to have with anything to do. Sweden mostly hangs out with the other nordics and stays out of all the troubles in the rest of Europe. Tough he may have a stern and hard look he is a nice person when you learn to know him.
Ludwig is interrupted in his thoughts by America who ends the meeting. Finally. He collects his paper and pretends to be busy as he keep one eye at Sweden who is chatting, or more like listening to Finland. All around him other nations are rising and slowly making their way out of the room. Greece comes forward to him and Italy. He wants his cat back. Ludwig rises and heads out of the room as Sweden and Finland does the same. He walks up by them.
"Hey, Sweden. Here is the final papers on the results of your model. It is almost done now and it is going great this far." he hands some papers over to Sweden.
"Thanks." Sweden mutters as he takes the papers.
"How are you? You look tired." Ludwig points out.
"Mm. It have been tough lately." He looks quite sad.
"With Russia?" Ludwig asks as they walk down the corridor.
"Yes." Sweden seems a bit reluctant to talk about it. "It is just that…"
"Hey, Berwald! Wanna watch the game at my place tonight?" Denmark asks loudly as he pushes Ludwig away to take his place by Swedens side. Ludwig fels a bit sad. He waned to talk more to Sweden. He wonders what he was just about to say.
"Germany!" He turns around. Italy runs out of the conference room and towards him. He seems frightened.
"Ludwig, Russia was starring creepily at me. He is so scary!" Italy exclaims as he clings to Ludwig. "I want pasta." Ludwig sighs. Being allied with Italy is like having adopted trouble in human form.
"I don't have any pasta." Ludwig explains tiredly.
"But I want pasta!" Ludwig looks down on the rather unhappy nation at his waist.
"Fine." He sighs. "We'll go get some pasta."
Later that day Ludwig continues on a report he has to finish. When he is almost done his phone rings.
"Ludwig." he answers as he finish a sentence.
"Hello, it's Sweden." Ludwig puts the pen down.
"Hi." Silence.
"So, um, I wondered if you would like to watch the game tonight." Ludwig feels oddly glad that Sweden calls and asks him to do something not work related.
"Sure. Aren't you watching it with the other nordics?" Denmark had invited him to.
"Uh, no. Denmark is… well, anyway." Silence again.
"Hm." Ludwig glances at the clock. She is almost six. "The game starts at seven so I'll just finish some work and then I'll come over."
"Good."
"Well, see you later. Bye."
"Bye." Ludwig hangs up. It isn't so awkward talking to Sweden now as it was before they really knew each other.
Half an hour later his report is finished. He has also called his brother and canceled their plans for watching the game. Gilbert didn't seem to mind tough. He planned to show up at Denmark instead. Ludwig is just happy he is not there then.
Ludwig knocks on Swedens door. Sweden opens it.
"Hello." Ludwig greets. Sweden gives a short nod.
"Come in." Ludwig does. He haven't been at Swedens house much before. They walks in to the living room.
"Do you want something?" Sweden asks. "I have beer."
"That would be nice." Ludwig answers. Sweden heads to the kitchen to get their drinks. Ludwig sits down in the sofa and turns on the TV. Soon Sweden is back with the beer and some crisp bread.
"Did something happened with Denmark?" Ludwig asks as Sweden sits down beside him.
"Yes, he is being an ass again." Sweden sighs. "I don't understand how Norway can stand being with him all the time. That might be why he have been so grumpy of late."
"I suppose it won't get better with my brother crashing the party."
"Are Prussia coming to Denmark?"
"Yes, since we wouldn't watch it. He likes watching hockey with Denmark anyway."
"You don't do much together with your brother, do you?"
"Not very much, we go to the bar or watch some game together. We don't really have much in common. He mostly takes my money and invites himself along with half the world to my place and trash it." Sweden laughs at this. Ludwig thinks of Sweden and Finland. They are almost always together. He doesn't really know their relationship. He wonders if they love each other. He finds himself hoping that they don't. He wants to be someone special for him, and not compete with a lover.
He glances at Sweden who is focused on the game. The light from the TV is reflexing in his glasses and the blue eyes behind them. He doesn't show any emotions but still looks focused. Ludwig can't deny that he looks good. His eyes travels down his nose, mouth, jaw and neck. He wonders how it would feel to kiss that pale skin… No. He tells himself to stop. He should not think like that. He wouldn't like to be caught drooling over Sweden. That would be awkward. He returns to the game. After all, he doesn't even know if Sweden is even into guys. And if he is, he might as well already have a boyfriend. He tries not to think about it, but the thought keeps gnawing somewhere in his mind. He tries to ignore it and just have a good time watching the game with Sweden.
"Are you hungry?" Sweden asks when the game is almost over. He must have guessed by the way Ludwig is consuming the crisp bread. He is hungry.
"Quite. I haven't eaten much since breakfast. I promised Italy that we would go eat pasta." he sighs. He is not a fan of pasta.
"Hm." Sweden replies, not saying anything. They continue to watch. It seems as if Norway is loosing against that country that no one is really able to place. When the game is over and Norway lost, Sweden walks in to the kitchen. Ludwig grabs their glass and follows. In the kitchen Sweden turns on the stove and puts a skillet on it. Ludwig puts the glass in the sink. He watches as Sweden starts to scale potatoes.
"What are you doing?" he asks.
"Dinner. You said that you were hungry."
"Are you making dinner just for me?" Ludwig asks, and can't help but to feel very glad that he actually seems willing to do so.
"I suppose. I ate some earlier so I won't eat much."
"You know, you don't have to" He feels flustered and still happy.
"Don't think about it. Besides, you would probably have got something to eat if you didn't come here." Ludwig doesn't feel like protesting much more but he still feels like a burden.
"Do you need help with anything?"
"No, it's fine. Thank you, tough." Ludwig sits down on a chair ans watch as Sweden brings out ingredients from the fridge. Ludwig takes a good look at him as he is half turned away from him. Sweden is strongly built, quite like himself. They are about the same height, too. He watches as Sweden rolls up his sleeves, revealing his sinewy forearms. His look glides over his body, the muscles beneath the thin fabric of his shirt. He wonders how he would look like without it. Again he tells himself to stop being so perverted, but he can't really help it. He sits quietly and watches as Sweden cook. He likes to see the other work like this. He soon feels very hungry.
He hear the sound of a door opening and closing.
"Tino?" Sweden calls.
"Hi Ruotsi." Finland comes in to the kitchen. "Oh." He stops and looks at Ludwig. He seems surprised.
"We watched the game here since Denmark är en sån jävla…"
"I got it." Finland interrupts tiresome. "Anyway, I'm going to bed. Oh, and Ludwig, don't expect your brother to be home for a while. He crashed pretty well at Denmark." Finland says as he heads out of the kitchen. Ludwig sighs. He will not take any responsibility for whatever his brother is doing at Denmark.
Ludwig never thought of Sweden and Finland sleeping together. He wonders if they share room, and bed. The thought makes him feel sad and jealous. He soon forgets about it as Sweden fries the meet balls.
"It smells fantastic." he says. He is very hungry now.
"Good. It is done soon." Sweden puts a plate and cutlery on the table.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Ludwig asks.
"No, I'm not hungry. Here you go." He puts the food on the table. Potatoes, meet balls fried in cream and some kind of dark read jam. He is a bit suspicious at the jam but tries it anyway. It is not as sweet as he thought it would be and it goes pretty well with the rest of it. It all tastes delicious. He eats quick and much. Sweden sits beside and watches him.
"You sure was hungry." he comments. Ludwig tries not to throw down the food, but it is so tasty and he is so hungry.
"It is really delicious."
"I am glad that you like it." Sweden smiles. Ludwig almost stop shoving in food in his mouth completely. He have never seen Sweden smile before. He looks different, lively. He reminds himself of his food again before it gets awkward. Someway he made Sweden smile. He feels glad and almost proud. It feels as if he can be someone special to that man. He just have to get around his facade, which is not very easy. Though he just did it, even if it just was for a few seconds. He continue to eat. It feels a bit weird to eat so much when Sweden just sits there, but he don't seem to mind. Ludwig eats everything Sweden cooked.
"Thank you, that was really good." Ludwig yawns. The food is making him sleepy. "I should probably go home now." he looks at the clock on the wall. It it five passed eleven.
"This was fun, we should do something again sometime." Ludwig says as he is standing by the door.
"Yes, it was."
"Well, thanks for the food again." Ludwig says and smile. He can glimpse a smile in the corner of Swedens mouth. He feels glad. Sweden should smile more. He feels like hugging or kissing him as he is about to go, but controls himself. He wouldn't like to ruin all this with something awkward.
"Bye bye."
"Bye."
As Ludwig lies in his bed that night he thinks of Sweden. It had been fun to hang out with him. He wonder if there will be an opportunity to do something soon again. He yawns. It have been a long day and he should sleep. He falls asleep seeing Sweden smiling at him.