So, I guess it's technically Tuesday…lol. So here's Chapter 5.

Um…I hope you like it. Yay for awkwardness and such?

Again, I don't own any of this…

Also, this month, viewers from England have now surpassed views from Sweden. You were number two, what happened? And Denmark, you guys need to pick up the pace.

Still waiting for that guy from Sealand…lol.

Anyway, enjoy.

Diced carrots, potatoes, onions, and peas all went into the pot along with Danish bacon (at Niels' request). Berwald hadn't made this one in a while, but it was an old favorite. It reminded him of his childhood and of his mother, who had passed away when he was very young. His father, Viktor, didn't speak of Ragnhild much, but he knew that she was very smart but very frail and susceptible to illness. All he really had left of her were a faded picture, her wedding ring, and a few faint but pleasant memories, one of which involved her teaching him to make this very dish.

As the pea soup was simmering, the two men sat awkwardly at the table, each trying to avoid the other's gaze. Niels alternated between leaning back his chair onto two legs and resting his head on the table, pausing occasionally to look at the Swede as he made their dinner. The Dane had been a bit surprised that Sweden knew how to cook; perhaps he should ask about it later… At any rate, it was a nice surprise. The smells coming from the pot were quite enticing and he hadn't had good, homemade pea soup in a long while.

Between getting up to stir the soup and adding any needed spice, Berwald simply stared intently at the table, trying not to notice that he could sometimes see Niels' reflection in the shiny surface of the highly-polished wood. He reflected silently to himself that perhaps it could be a little less clean…

When the soup was finished and the Swedish man brought two bowls of the yellow liquid to the table, Niels finally broke the silence. Whether it was from courage or stupidity, Niels just couldn't stand to sit with someone without talking; he always had to start a conversation, and this particular topic had been weighing on his mind all day.

"Uh, Berwald?" The Swede sat down and then looked over at Niels, a hint of skepticism present in his demeanor. He had been avoiding the discussion which was undoubtedly coming since this morning - well, if he was honest with himself (though he often wasn't), he had been avoiding it for much longer.

"…Yes, Niels?"

"I want…no, I need to ask you something." His expression was serious, though a little nervous.

"Oh…Wha's tha'?" Berwald can't help but fidget as he uneasily ate a few spoonfuls of soup.

"Well, it's not so much of a question as just a topic, you know?" Niels swallows a bit of soup and sighs. Sometimes he really regretted not being able to be silent like the taller Swede; words just seemed to come out of his mouth sometimes and he really had no way to stop them.

"Righ'." The Swedish man's hand started to waver a bit now as he brought his spoon to his lips. He was anticipating the worst.

"I've just been confused about…us over the last couple of days. You seem different. Like, not quite yourself." Niels' expression is confused, but his voice seemed sure. He runs his fingers through his hair a few times - a nervous habit. "We usually fight a lot, but lately you've been doing anything you can to get along with me. I mean, we've even been spending time together and you let me stay in your house and borrow your skates. …I just don't know what to think right now."

Berwald blinks a few times, almost stunned that Niels would just come out and say things like that. It was true though. Berwald had been having tumultuous feelings about Niels for a few months now (honestly, about half a year), but just recently had he even begun to admit this to himself. He was still very confused, but at this point, he was quite sure he was falling for the man that sat across from him. "I…don' w'nt ta fight with you 'nymore… I…don't hate ya, ya know." The Swede bit his lip hard as he looked down at the table. "I-is somethin' wrong?"

"I don't know!" Pain and uncertainty spilled forth in the Dane's eyes and voice as the emotions he had been trying to burry suddenly sprang forth to the surface. Why couldn't he ever just shut up? It was too late now though. "I've been having these…weird dreams about you, and I just don't understand them. I've never really felt like this, especially not toward a…a guy…" Niels took a deep breath, pushed his bowl aside, and once again let his head drop to the table, hiding his face in his arms. What had he been thinking, saying something like that! Oh yeah, of course, Niels…Nothing. What kind of a response could you expect to that, really?

"Niels, I…" Words always failed the Swede at times like this, when they were so important. He could only watch in dismay as his friend had what could only be described as a minor mental breakdown. He had certainly gotten some emotion from the Dane now…

Berwald's mind ran with thoughts of what he could possibly say to help the man, but only one word came through as clear: act.

Berwald slowly moved his hand across the table, sliding it underneath Niels'. The Danish man's breathing slowed to normal, but he did not raise his head. All he did was gently squeeze Berwald's hand. After a few minutes, a muffled voice came from under the arm that was still wrapped around its owner's head. Berwald tried to move closer to hear him, sliding his chair around the table a bit.

"Wha'? Didn' really un'erstand…" The sentence was left unfinished since, right in the middle of it, Niels decided to sit up once more. His cheek was red where it had been pressed against the table, but it didn't seem to matter at the moment.

"I said…I think I…like you." His brows came together in an expression similar to one the Swede wore often. His normally happy/smug expression just didn't fit. He tried to take the words back, tried to explain himself, but he could only sit there, numbly hoping that the Swede wouldn't just walk out on him; Niels held his hand tighter, clumsily intertwining their fingers. He can't leave now, not when the Dane had finally started to feel happy around him; Niles wouldn't let him.

Berwald frowned at the serious expression and sighed. He just wanted Niels to be happy again, all of the time. If that meant Berwald was happy too, all the better, but his main concern was for the once-proud man that now sat next to him so…fragilely. He stumbled with words that would fit and they finally came:

"I f'l tha same."

Niels mouth opened as if to say something and he thought for a moment about what this meant, an expression of near-shock still on his face. He had been expecting anything but an affirmation such as this. Suddenly though, he straightened in his seat and grinned, his eyes quite immediately regaining their sparkle. "Well…" He wiggled an eyebrow and laughed softly to himself. "Do ya want to be my…boyfriend?"

Surprise would not have begun to explain the look on Berwald's face. At first, he was happy to see Niels' smile, but upon hearing the question that the Dane posed, the taller man's mouth opened and closed slowly as large, wavering eyes tried to keep their focus on the person before him (whose hand was still grasping his).

It wasn't that this was a horribly unreasonable result from the previous colloquy, because it wasn't. Berwald had simply never been asked this question before. He supposed that it was mainly because of his height; because he was taller, people just expected him to be the one to make the first move. Really, this felt nice for a change.

He cleared his throat and leaned back slightly, trying to clear his thoughts to make this reply the correct word. "Ah…yes."

For a moment, Niels look a bit stunned, but he then grinned his most winning grin and picked up the hand he had been holding, pressing it to his lips. "Don't worry, Ber. I'll be a perfect gentleman."

The Swede smiled mutedly in return, eyes open a little wider than they normally would be. "Tha's wha' 'm afraid of."

Niels answered this with a hearty laugh, but he did let the other man's hand go. After this, they returned to their soup, the no-longer-awkward silence punctuated only by conversations such as this:

"Really?"

"R'lly, Niels."

"Yes!", and the occasional smirk from the Dane to his new consort.

(A bit later.)

"So…Wha' now?" The two of them were still sitting at the table, having finished dinner but not really knowing what to do next. The fact that they were alone in his house like this was beginning to unnerve Berwald. He wasn't uncomfortable with the other man anymore, really…Niels just had this look on his face like he was planning something quite lecherous.

"Want to watch another movie?" Niels leaned forward a bit, an excited smile on his face.

"If I c'n pick i'."

"Okay, whatever. Just don't pick something boring." He stood up, gesturing for Berwald to go first, and followed the younger man into the living room. They stood in front of the Swede's bookcase full of movies (arranged first by genre, then by alphabetical order) for a moment before Berwald reached forward to grab one from the shelf marked with the label 'Horror', an apologetic smile on his face.

" 'S not tha best date movie…bu' 's really good." Niels nods and goes to sit on the couch as Berwald inserts the disc into the DVD player. The Swede then sits down next to Niels with the remote, pressing the play button before setting the thin controller down onto the coffee table in front of him. Berwald had seen the movie before, but films like Spiral never become entirely easy to watch. The characters were just too engaging, the ending too unexpected.

As the opening credits came up, Niels smiled and motioned for Berwald to move closer and he confidently draped his arm around the other man's broad shoulders; Denmark knew horror (read: gore) movies and he wasn't really phased by them, and, anyway, he had something planned. However, the next 90 minutes saw the Dane's confidence fade away into mildly-horrified interest, a smug look of "I knew it.", and finally a rather satisfied type of astonishment.

Through this, Berwald watched his partner's expressions with some humor, and he quickly decided that he was quite right; this was definitely not a date movie. Even so, he enjoyed the fact that Niels did apparently like the movie because it meant that they did have at least a bit more in common than fighting.

With the movie over, Niels leaned back in his seat once more (he had been literally on the edge of his seat), his arm encircling Berwald's waist as the taller man slouched to rest his head on the Dane's shoulder. "That was…interesting."

Berwald moved slightly to look up at the Danish man's face. "Ya didn' like i'?"

"Oh, no. I did. …I think. It was just…weird." Berwald nods slightly at this, at the same time rubbing his cheek on the slightly rough fabric of Niels' coat. After a few moments, Berwald tilted his head to look up once more.

"Hm…Wha' next?"

Quite suddenly, Niels' face lit up, as if he had forgotten something wonderful of which he had just been reminded. The Dane quickly sat up, causing the other man to do the same. He grinned and turned to face Berwald, his hand coming up to cup his cheek. He smiled and leaned in close, stopping when his face was just a few inches away from Berwald's.

"C-can I…?"

"Niels…" Berwald sighed and smiled a bit embarrassedly as he realized something quite important about this relationship - he was expected to be submissive. He winced slightly, not exactly sure how he felt about that. Though he knew this was a completely new experience for his Danish partner, it had now become obvious that it was going to be pretty new for him too. However…he liked the experience so far; it couldn't be that bad, really. Right?

As the Swede thought, the eager man beside him did as well, with a slightly more frantic pace. Doesn't he like me? What's that expression? Did I do something wrong? Wait, did that mean yes…? I'm so confused! Okay, think, Niels, think. What do you do in a situation like this? Suddenly, an image came to mind…it was Wales. ("Baa means no~") Ugh, no, no, that's not right… Ah, his mother. ("When in doubt, always say please.") Pfft, like that ever worked. Wait…it worked earlier today, skating… Maybe now, too?

Niels exhaled slowly and heavily, as if expelling most of his morals and sanity along with this breath, and leaned forward just a bit more, a bit to the side, placing a soft, sweet kiss on Berwald's cheek. He then spoke this word very sincerely and accompanied with a most charming expression:

"Please….?"

The usually serious Sweden closed his eyes and smiled at this, inclining his head slightly towards the lips of the Dane. Who could resist such a winning expression? And those pleading eyes…

"Yes…O' course."

As soon as he heard the words, Niels' face took on an expression not unlike that of a child who has just been given a very large and tasty piece of candy. With right hand still on Berwald's cheek and left arm wrapping more tightly around his waist, Niels happily moved that last little bit closer, eyes closing dreamily as his lips found those of his partner. Ever so slightly taken aback by his position, Berwald hesitated at first but soon found himself pressing minutely forward, joining his mouth with Niels' as his arms encircled the shorter man's waist.

They broke the kiss slowly, Niels' grin and sparkling eyes a bit in contrast with the other's atypically timid smile. Niels laughed softly at the light blush that tinted Berwald's face and brushed the tips of his fingers over the Swede's cheeks. Of course, this only made his blush darken, his head tilting down to avoid the Dane's gaze.

"Don't do that…! It looks nice on you. Really!" The Swede did not look up, a small spark of annoyance quickly dissolving the flush in his expression.

"Come on, Ber. It's not my fault you look so cute." This time Berwald did look up, to glare.

"I didn't mean to offend you, really. I just…I'm not used to this. I don't know what to say to you, Berry." This time Berwald sighed and leaned onto Niels' shoulder, hugging his waist once more.

"I un'erst'nd…'M jus' no' used at bein' called th'ngs like tha'."

"Didn't Tino…?" Berwald sits up, his brow creasing slightly.

"No."

"Oh…Well, I plan on making it up to you, bær." Niels practically beamed as he leaned in for another kiss, this one a bit more bold. Berwald returned the short kiss, a bit less brashly, but with a hint of passion.

Evidently, Niels took this small sign of consent to mean that the Swede wanted more, as he soon found himself on his back, lying spread-eagle across the couch with a rather lascivious-looking Dane between his legs and looking down at him. Eyes wide, Berwald leaned up to rest on his elbows, the Dane looking slightly confused but respectfully moving back a bit. Berwald had been quite surprised about how quickly Niels was trying to take things (not that he minded very much…); he just wasn't exactly sure he was ready for this yet.

"N-Niels…what 're ya doin'…?"

"Oh, heh. Nothing…" The Dane smiled sheepishly (Yeah, more like a wolf in sheep's clothing…). "I just haven't…been with anyone in a while. Sorry."

Berwald smiled coyly at this, lying back down slowly and motioning for Niels to do the same. The younger man playfully ruffled the other's already-messy hair. That explained it then. Okay… "I un'erst'nd. 'S fine."

Denmark breathes a sigh of relief (he had thought he might have offended him again), and looked up. "Okay, good. But…no?"

"Ne'er said tha'. Ya jus' surprised me." Niels moved up a bit now, incredulous but hopeful.

"So…" He kissed Berwald's lips chastely, his actions belying the salacious look on his face. "Yes, then?"

A moment of self-questioning later, Berwald nodded, now entangling his fingers in Niels' hair. Aforementioned Dane made a noise of glee and immediately set upon devouring the other man's lips (figuratively, of course), a tight embrace bringing the pair just a bit closer. After a few moments of ardent kissing, a slightly impatient Niels decided to stop asking with his words and start asking with his mouth - his tongue slipped out to gently skim across Berwald's top lip, a slim hand moving up to once again caress his cheek.

No thoughts this time - now-damp lips parted on their own, a silent but solid affirmative. They tasted and explored each other's mouths, tongues intertwining and briefly struggling for dominance before falling into a pleasurable rhythm. Berwald's hands gripped the Dane's hair and soon he found that he had linked one of his legs around Niels'. As his breathing began to quicken, the Swede moved away slightly, placing a few more gentle kisses on the Dane's lips before shifting to lie back again, not opening his eyes just yet. That was quite enough for now.

Niels issued a mental sigh as the kiss finally ended; he laid his head down on Berwald shoulder and rolled over slightly, this last movement almost putting him on the floor.

"Whoa…totally forgot I was on a couch." He floundered a bit before getting himself upright, waiting for Berwald to sit up so that he could sit down next to him. "So…"

"So?" Berwald shifted to sit next to Niels again, laughing softly, and the latter put his arm around the former.

"Why did you stop?", Niels said, teasingly. He saw Berwald's cheeks heat up again and he smiled.

"I jus'…didn' wan' ta go any further."

"Why…?" His voice was a bit whiney; his candy had just been taken back.

Luckily for the Swede, he didn't have to answer that as his phone began to ring just then. "Oh…'Lo, Peter." He blush deepened considerably, but his voice didn't show it. "Ah….okay. Jus' don' g't in any trouble, and come over at get s'me th'ngs firs', 'kay? Righ'. Love ya. too."

"Aw…What did he want?"

"He's, um, stay'n' wi' th'm tonight."

(And thus is how Niels and Berwald came to have a rather interesting night alone.)

So, yeah….review please and tell me what you think…I believe I may have done this part horribly…

Ah well.

As always, thanks to Water Goddess Yuki for all her help~

Thanks you for reading. I hope you liked it.

Also, if you hadn't noticed, I'm trying to update this every Tuesday…so yeah.

Lasciviously yours,

Emiline Vance