Sorry this is taking so long. I'm going through a bout of writer's block. I hope you enjoy this latest chapter and remember to review, I love hearing your thoughts.
At the end of the day, Berwald had called Tino to come pick up Sealand. He made the excuse he had lots to do. Sweden continued to tell Finland that he wanted to get most of it done so he could spend New Year's off as well. Tino seemed a little too happy to hear that he was working late. After they left, Berwald waited a while to ensure they wouldn't come back. The male nation closed the shades to his windows facing the hallway and pulled out his bottle of Mackmyra and a drinking glass.
Sweden had a lot of thinking to do. This was the only place he could do it without any interruptions. He truly loved his wife. Tino was awesome with Peter and very cheerful. He was good at making sandwiches and keeping the house filled with his laughter. Deep down though, he knew Tino didn't reciprocate the feelings he had for him.
Tino only saw them as good friends, unless he drank. That's when he would offer his body to be touched and held. The sex was great but he had never kissed him while Tino was sober. Usually the following morning, Finland would go see Norway or Estonia, to complain.
Berwald took a sip of the alcohol and removed his glasses. He leaned back and propped his feet up on the desk after slipping off his dark brown, leather shoes. Sweden was so confused by it all. He wanted nothing more than to make Tino happy and it seemed Belgium didn't want anything more than to make everyone happy, including him. She was the first one out side his family to give him a hug and smile softly at him.
"Belgium..." He couldn't get over her sweet smell and soft hair. Her kindness warmed him from the toes up. Bel's grin was beautiful in it's own right, not to mention she told him he needed to smile more. She liked him and he liked her. It was simple. If he didn't have Finland, he would make her his without hesitation. His mind replayed the hug they shared in the street that night.
He took a few more gulps of the Swedish whiskey. The heat from the alcohol reached his cheeks and hands as he poured himself another. Belgium... Tino..., he thought bitterly to himself. Berwald had known Tino for a very long time and yet this new Belgium had hugged him more times in only a few days then Tino had all year.
Sweden put the half full glass back to his lips and paused. He knew everything was slowly coming to a close. It had been for quite some time. The Swede never really wanted to admit it. Tino and he never really spoke, they were decent friends at best. His strong love for the man, had him hold on to every little thing but in the end he was just making everyone miserable, including himself.
He needed to be with someone that made him happy. Sweden could only think of one person. The large nation took a few more swigs of his whiskey. The alcohol trickled down his throat and into his core, clouding his mind. The pain of letting Tino go was almost unbearable but it was a greater torment to keep him against his will.
Sweden began to sob as a little behind the safety of his closed door. Hot hears, slid down his chiseled cheeks. He wiped them away with his thumb and index finger, clenching his eyes shut. Berwald used his white button up, to dry his face and tried to blink his eyes dry.
The man leaned back in his chair again and continued to stare at the white tile, office ceiling. His greenish blue eyes didn't catch the shadowed movement from under his door and he was to much into his own thoughts to even hear the light raps on the hollow wood. Sweden did hear his name be called out faintly. "Berwald", Belgium asked with concern in her sweet voice.
He sat up pulling his feet off his desk. A shocked look on his face indicated he was startled. Berwald stood to greet her. He adjusted his white button up and dark blue tie. The man dried his sweaty palms on his black slacks. "Bel. I d'dn't he'r you kn'ck." Belgium feeling horrible she started the poor gentlemen. "I'm sorry, mon cher! I knocked, honest! I... uh... I mean if you're busy I can come back later! Oh, gosh I'm terribly sorry mon ami." The poor woman groaned from embarrassment as well as turn six shades of red.
Belgium's dark green eyes fell to the floor as she went to step back out the door. Sweden stood there in shock for a moment, only to come to his senses quickly. "Wa't, is th're sumthing you ne'ded?" His greenish blue eyes saw her in her beautiful lavender colored dress, with little white snow men stamped all over it. As she turned, Berwald's colorful orbs fell on her ample cleavage that was being held at bay by three buttons in the shape of white snow men in black hats.
Her hair was tied up by a matching, lavender ribbon. His detailed eyes soaked in her image. Golden locks of curls danced on the nape of her neck and around her ears. Sweden chewed his bottom lip. His mind shifted, he began to wonder what she smelled like today.
"I uh, never had the chance to give you, your box of cookies and I saw you were working late mon ami. I'm terribly, terribly, sorry... Please forgive moi, for intruding." Her tone sounded almost desperate for his forgiveness, as she out stretched her arms, holding a little red box. Sweden licked his drying lips with his, moist tongue. The alcohol was more then just starting to take effect now. He started to feel the tingling sensation in his cheeks and fingers.
With his mind slowly clouding further, the tall Swede stammered briefly. "W..wan' to jo'n me fer a gl'ss or two?" Her eyes and smile brightened. Berwald's knees grew weak. He stopped himself from falling over, by placing a hand on his desk before he walked over to his liquor cabinet. Sweden pulled out a whiskey tumbler for her as she slowly stepped in, closing the door behind her. She then quickly took a seat across from him.
Belgium looked around the room. It was a nice, medium sized office. Hers was so small compared to his. He had no window view out side but he did have a brown, leather couch that sat to her left and some office plants spread through the non-decorated room. No pictures hung, just the ones on his desk. The man also had a spare, guest seat off to her right. Belgium spotted cookie crumbs in the chair.
"Did Peter enjoy the cookies?" A faint smile formed on his thin lips. "Ja, he d'd." Berwald let out a soft chortle, remembering how Peter quickly gobbled up the homemade gift. The man wondered if his son even tasted them. "He ate th'm r'ther q'ickly." Sweden watched the woman clap and giggle. "Good, I'm glad."
The Swede poured her a full glass and handed it to her. She eyed it with curiosity, turning the tumbler with her fingers. "I've never had whiskey before mon cher. Just wine or beer. Is it good?" Berwald blinked a moment. "Uh.. It's un 'quired t'ste." Belgium nodded before taking in a deep breath as she built the courage to take a drink.
Her face, twisted as soon as the bitter liquid assaulted her taste buds. She quickly swallowed it and started to cough. Her face was as red as a cherry. Berwald couldn't help but chuckle at his drinking companion's reaction. "N't g'od?" She shook her head and fanned herself. "You're .. you're right.. It is an acquired taste mon cher."
Bel coughed a little more until her chest grew warm. Not willing to give up on it just yet, she took another swig. She began to cough a little more but the alcohol was starting take effect. Her chest and stomach were now warm. Her cheeks were growing a bit more flush. Belgium wasn't a whiskey drinker as Sweden could see. He had to give her credit for not giving in though.
Belgium determined to tough through the gift her host had offered her, finished the glass. Her ears were pink and her cheeks were starting to become a little darker red. The female nation was feeling it tingling sensation in her fingertips and toes. She was already starting to experience the signs of being buzzed.
Berwald had to chuckle and being a Swedish Viking, he wasn't about to let his new friend quit on him so soon. "W'nt an'ther one?" He felt a little evil for doing this to the poor woman but he had a couch she could sleep on if she couldn't make it out of his office later. The man had no issues about sleeping on the floor if he had too. Sweden would be gentleman enough not to let her sleep alone in his office.
She looked unsure as a nervous smile, quivered on her lips. A warm, playful smile formed on his own thin lips. Instead of letting her say no, he poured her another glass. He figured this would be the last one. Berwald didn't want to completely intoxicate her but the nation's presence did lighten his mood quite a bit so he was reluctant to let her go so soon.
"Are you sure, mon cher...? I mean I don't have to work tomorrow but this is a place of work. Won't we get into trouble?" Sweden shook his head, his greenish blue eyes even to begin to smile. "Ingen. Every'ne has t'morrow off. 'fter dis I'll c'll a cab fer ya."
With his reassuring words, Belgium took another gulp of the bitter liquid. A shiver when down her spine. Sweden couldn't help but chortle as he gulped his glass down and begun to pour himself another. His greenish blue eyes, never left her tiny physique as he leaned back in his chair, holding onto his now full glass.
Berwald's mouth went dry as Bel pulled her hair ribbon out and golden strands of hair fell around her slender neck and framed her delicate face. It was uncanny how much she looked like the other Belgium. Her features were the same, the eyes were the same. The woman just looked younger and shorter. Knowing all this and seeing how comfortable she was around him, he shivered with delight.
No one was ever this at ease around him. Another chortle escaped him as his mind starting thinking how cute she was, drinking an alcoholic beverage she's never had before. Bel looked rather, out of place but was trying to appease her host at the same time, she took large gulp whiskey. Her face twisted at the sour, golden liquid.
"You 'lright", he asked playfully. It wasn't his question that caught her attention, it was his smile. She looked startled. His smile was beautiful, she thought to herself. It wasn't frightening at all. Of course, with alcohol in his system and in hers, Sweden seemed more relaxed. Bel was happy to see the man enjoy himself. "Oui, mon ami. I'm j...just not used to this..." Bel was shocked at her brief studdering, which had Sweden pause a moment before bellowing out in laughter.
Sweden watched Belgium's face turn all sorts of red. She was flustered. The man could see she had enough to drink so he finished his rather quickly. "Let's g't ya h'me." Bel smiled and nodded. Not to insult her host she finished her drink with disdain. She didn't like whiskey, nor it's affects. It wasn't like beer or wine, this liquid was nasty and strong.
Bel stood and quickly sat. Her limbs were weak and tingling. The world was tilting on it's end. It amazed her how quickly he could get up and move. "Dr'nk?" She helplessly nodded. "J..just a little mon ami." Belgium's lips were tingling and going numb, it was hard for her to speak.
Sweden wished he could stop chuckling at her expense but he couldn't. He found it to be very entertaining. Belgium wasn't like his brothers when they got drunk. They'd start fights, yell, bicker, and laugh at each other. The smaller nation in front of him, wasn't doing any of that. She just sat quietly, looking around, caressing her soft, pink lips. He knew the the alcohol was taking affect, when he couldn't take his own greenish blue eyes off her.
Sweden shook his head. "C'me on let's g't a cab. We'll t'ke ya h'me f'rst." Bel gave him a concerned look. Must have been the tone in his voice that set something off. "What about you, mon ami?" To much of Berwald's dismay, he can't lie when he's had a few. "I'm go'n h'me to h've a few." Belgium looked confused, her dark green eyes blinked at him.
"Won't your wife and son be home?" Sweden took in a sharp, painful breath at the word wife. "Igen, Tino has P'ter at h's h'use. We... We l've t'gether 'nly wh'n b'th of us h've off. If I'm work'n l'te, he t'kes P'ter to h's h'use. I won' see h'm fer a few days." Between his bitter tone and painful expression, Bel felt her heart sink. She couldn't let this man spend any more time alone, Belgium was determined to cheer up her only, real friend.
Belgium folded her hands in her lap and sat up straight. She was doing her best to fight the effects of the whiskey as her head was starting to feel fuzzy. "Then stay at my place, mon cher." She tried to smile sweetly but because she had difficulty feeling her cheeks, it became wider and cheesy looking.
Sweden felt a chuckle bubble up. "Ingen. I..." The smaller nation interrupted him. "No..., Berwald. I insist you stay with me. The gingerbread bake off starts tomorrow. It'll be good for you to get out and relax." Sweden wanted to tell her no but something about her dark green eyes, the way she smiled, made him feel warm inside and he knew it wasn't the whiskey.
" 'lright. Chr'stmas is in two w'eks. I gu'ss I cun st'y fer a few days." Belgium clapped her hands together and giggled. Sweden was still confused about his feelings but something, deep inside, told him this was for the best. Maybe it was his own lonliness finally getting to him after so long or it was the way she accepted him and enjoyed his company. He didn't know, his mind was fuzzy and his senses were dulled.
Sweden closed his eyes and chuckled to himself momentarily. Either way, it really felt good to know he wasn't going to spend the night alone.