A/N: So, um hi. I know it isn't Christmas, but I promised my friend that I'd write her a Christmas fic and I just never got it done. So, besides the fact that I'm really late in the Christmas bandwagon I wasn't quite sure where I was going with this and then words happened on my page. I guess all I have to say now is enjoy, reviews are welcome and follow me on tumblr: iminvadingoslo(.)tumblr(.)com. I follow back, and I promise I'm funny (at least I think so). Oh, yes I almost forgot: I don't own Hetalia, if you didn't guess that by now.
Christmas was always of the craziest times of year for the Nordics. With Tino gone on Christmas Eve and not getting up till late afternoon Christmas day left present opening, dinner eating and movie watching on a weird schedule. Of course Mathias and Nikolas found things to do to keep busy. There was always cookies to bake, presents to wrap, decorations to straighten out and kisses to steal. Nikolas always insisted that he didn't appreciate the random kisses while he was trying to redo whatever Mathias just screwed up, but the Dane knew better. Maybe that was one of the things he liked best about Nikolas. The way he carried himself; mature, emotionless, cool and collected, stoic, and just the hint of an air of superiority. For Mathias the Norwegian's personality set his own crazy and childish personality off perfectly. Nikolas was truly his better half. Granted there were plenty of other reasons that he loved his partner-his smile, his laugh, the way his nose scrunched up when the Dane told a cheesy joke, and the way their hands fit together perfectly to name a few things- so there wasn't really any doubt in his mind that tonight was it. Tonight he would lay everything on the table and hope for the best. A soft melody, seemingly to have come from the kitchen, broke Mathias's reverie. He chuckled to himself as he instantly recognized the tune, and the voice that was currently singing along with it. Mathias took one last look out the window at the snow gracefully falling onto the ground and made his into the kitchen.
"The neighbors might think," the Dane watched as Nikolas danced around the kitchen, gathering ingredients to bake cookies. "Say, what's in this drink?"
"No cabs to be had out there," Nikolas immediately turned around to see Mathias leaning against the doorframe smirking at him. The Norwegian let out breathy laugh before continuing to sing along with Margaret Whiting. Both of the Nordics jokingly referred to this as their Christmas song. They found themselves singing this countless times over the years. In the car, in the grocery, and in the early hours of the morning dancing in front of the fireplace and sharing longing glances. They were those rare moments that Nikolas let the walls that he built over the years down. Mathias had that effect on him.
"I finally managed to clean up the flour. I'm not letting you touch this cookie mix." Nikolas pointed the wooden spoon accusingly at Mathias. The Dane just smiled his heart melting grin and put his hands up in mock innocence.
"Hey, it isn't my fault that they make flour so powdery. It's bound to get everywhere." Nikolas just rolled his eyes and turned back to the cookie mix. Mathias sashayed over to where he was standing and wrapped his arms tightly around the Norwegian's tiny waist while tucking his head into his neck. "You're gorgeous."
Nikolas sighed and tapped Mathias's hands. "Stop that I'm trying to cook."
"The cookies can be baked later. Come with me I want to give you your Christmas present…well one of them anyway." Mathias tightened his grip around his partner's waist.
"We always wait to open our presents with the others, and I have to bake these so they have time to cool." Nikolas tried to pry the hands from his waist with no avail.
Mathias planted kisses up on the exposed skin of Nikolas's neck. "I can't give you this present in front of them." The Dane breathed his words onto the expanse of neck.
Nikolas's breath hitched for a moment and his words came out mingled with a gasp. "It's not something sexual is it?"
"No, it's just that…I mean…" Mathias rested his chin on Nikolas's shoulder. "I just can't give it to you in front of them."
The Norwegian ceased mixing the ingredients to contemplate his decision. He set down his spoon and nodded. "Okay, yeah."
Mathias smiled victoriously before unwrapping his hands from Nikolas's waist and grabbing his hand to drag him into the living room. He motioned for Nikolas to sit down on the couch while he knelt down by the Christmas tree scoping out the present. Finding what he was looking for, he placed the box gently in Nikolas's awaiting hands.
"Wait don't open it yet I want to say something." Mathias sat in the chair opposite Nikolas, wringing his hands in his lap. "Well, how do I say this…" ,his eyes met Nikolas's before he continued, "I love you. I've loved you for a very long time, Norge. I-I…I can never explain the way I feel, but man you make me feel a lot. From the first moment I saw you I knew I had to figure you out, I had to befriend you, I had to love you. Look at us know. I'm still trying to figure you out, I don't think I'll ever totally understand you, but we've been in love for so many years. I can't live without you, Nikolas. I remember that one time you went to go visit Ice and when you came back you found me curled up on the couch crying because I missed you so much. You were so frantic, you called me idiot several times and I can distinctly remember you cursing yourself out for thinking you could leave me alone. You…you're my home, Nikolas. I know you find me annoying sometimes- wait who am I kidding? I annoy you a lot, but I also you feel the same way about me. I'm rambling now." Mathias let out a watery laugh. "Open it."
Nikolas held the small package with shaky hands. "Mathias are you-"
"Just open it." The Dane was seated at the edge of his chair staring directly at the present.
The blonde nodded and untied the light blue ribbon carefully and slowly opened the lid. A gasp was uttered from the Norwegian. Situated in the box was a simple gold wedding band, inscribed on the inside with Mathias's full name. He had planned on getting the same band with Nikolas's name inscribed on the inside so they'd never be apart.
Mathias got down onto his knee in front of the Norwegian, taking a depth breath. This is it, just ask him. "Nikolas Andreassen, will you do me the honor of marrying me?"
Nikolas stared at Mathias for what seemed like eternity. For a fleeting moment the Dane thought he overstepped the Norwegian's boundaries. That was until Nikolas replied with a short and sweet, "Yes." He fell off the couch and into Mathias's arms chanting 'yes' over and over and shedding a few tears.
"Here, Norge lemme help ya put it on." Mathias managed to slip the ring onto Nikolas's finger and envelope him a hug, shedding a few tears of his own.
After settling themselves down up on the couch, cuddling up to each other (neither of them wanted to let each other go), Nikolas spoke up. "You're right."
"Hmm?" Mathias quirked an eyebrow and peered down at Nikolas from where he was pressed tightly against his own body.
"You do annoy me. A lot." Nikolas cracked a genuine smile and stuck his hand out to admire the ring. "But you sure do make up for it."
The cookies never actually made it into the oven, but that was just fine by them. At the end of the day they had exchanged gifts with the rest of their Nordic family, received many 'congratulations' and 'about times', and made some new memories as fiancés. Nikolas was the same taciturn man with reserved emotions, and Mathias was still the same, loud and arrogant as ever, but one thing did change. They were happier. They had a concrete home with each other.
