Merry Christmas, guys!


Present Day - Christmas Day


"Tino, please stop," Emil whined as he rubbed his eyes, still half asleep. "I just woke up..."

"It's Christmas!" Tino replied, grinning like a cat.

Lukas laughed softly at his brother's disgruntled expression, and followed the other three into the living room, where the presents had been haphazardly placed under the tree.

"I'm so excited!" Tino sang, jumping up and down on the couch, causing Emil to roll his eyes.

"Just get this over and done with so I can go back to bed."

"Okay!" Tino smiled as he leapt towards the tree. "The first gift is to-"

The sharp, shrill ring of the doorbell made him stop. The Finn looked back in confusion, but Berwald stood instead.

"...I'll get it."

Lukas sighed and rested his head on his hand, and watched silently as Tino passed a gift to Emil (who had amusingly brightened at the thought of presents). The Icelander was just thanking the Finn before a loud curse in Swedish echoed throughout the house.

Tino glanced over at the door. "Berwald?"

The Swede strolled into the room, but Lukas could see that his walk was weakening. Berwald leant himself against the wall and shot Lukas a look that the Norwegian couldn't quite identify. He opened his mouth to question Berwald's strange behaviour before something, or rather someone followed the Swede in.

Lukas's throat went dry and he jumped to his feet. The sunshine gold hair was matted with dirt and the face was covered in drying blood, but he could clearly recognise the vibrant, sapphire eyes.

His eyes became clouded, and he slapped a hand over his mouth. "Oh my god..."

The person tilted their head at him for a moment, before a sheepish grin crossed their face. A hand consoled the back of their neck, and the blue eyes darted to the side for a moment.

"Is that...?" Emil murmured.

There was no sound but the quiet breathing of the four. The blonde at the door was breathing rather heavily, but Lukas could not bring himself to move. Tears began to make their way down his cheek.

"Hej, Lukas," the blonde greeted. "Long time no see."

That snapped him out of his stupor, and the Norwegian didn't hesitate to launch himself at the blonde at the door. Their arm wrapped themselves around his body, and he realised just how much he had missed this feeling.

"...Merry Christmas."

He looked up at them in surprise. "What...?"

"And for the record," they smiled down at him, "...I missed you too."

A rare smile made its way onto Lukas's face, but he couldn't care less - because now he had gotten his Christmas wish that he had wanted for the past three years.

"...Jeg elsker dig."

And Lukas knew without a doubt that this was real, and not just some sick dream. He was wide awake and this was reality.

After three years of waiting, Mathias had come home.