Saturday

I was clumsy all day at work, nervous, distracted. I dropped three cups of coffee, somehow not breaking the mugs, though one of them chipped a bit. Eli made sure to scold me, but hugged me afterward to cure my pouting. Sometimes I think Eli would make a great mom. Other times I'm afraid she'd leave a child in an overfilled tub with a plugged in hair dryer wobbling on the edge. And I'm pretty sure she blow dries that hair of hers, so that's actually plausible!

With a bit of extra help from Eli, we got done right on time, the clock reading two as I hung my apron up, sitting down at one of the cleaned tables. Eli sat next to me, and made small talk to distract me, and pried apart my fidgety and wringing hands, sitting them back gently in my lap.

"Calm down Tino. If you act this nervous their first impression of you will be horrible! It's just Berwald's friends, relax!" She cooed, petting my hair sweetly, chuckling in her tinkling voice.

"I know, I know. Sorry Eli." I replied, doing my best to settle down, slouching a bit in the chair. But my posture straightened right back up as my phone vibrated in my pocket, and I raced to yank it from my pocket. A text from Berwald was displayed, informing me that he was waiting outside. I relayed this to Eli, then slipped into my coat, stepping out into the snow dusted streets. As he had said, he was just outside the door, waiting for me. I smiled, suddenly a lot less nervous, but twenty times as excited.

"Hei!" I greeted happily, bending down to give him a big hug, as I had promised. He returned it, holding my tightly for a moment before releasing me. "How are you today?" I asked, and he shrugged.

"Col'." He decided, making me laugh.

"I never would have guessed." I replied sarcastically, kneeling down next to him and taking his hands, releasing a warm breath over them as he had done for me the first day we met. I think he caught that, as his cheeks pinkened a bit, but he didn't draw them back. "So, where are we going, hmm?" I inquired, rubbing his hands between mine, enjoying the warmth just as much as he was, I'm sure.

"Where'ver ya wan' to. Ah'm fine with anythin'."

"Well that is not very helpful!" I informed him, standing back up.

"Ah know." He returned, sounding rather smug. I groaned lowly, trying to think of something that would take up a few hours, preferably for free. There wasn't much in such an industrialized area, and it was lessened again by the weather. I tapped a finger to my lips, going through an entire list of options in my mind.

"It's too cold to do anything outdoors, obviously... Well, if we stop by my apartment, I could grab some cash, and we could go see a movie, I guess. Sorry, I'm not very good at this..." I admitted, shrugging my shoulders as I accepted defeat.

"Hmm... How abou' the mall? Coul' walk aroun' an' window shop." He tried. Window shopping was cheaper than a movie, so why not? And I hadn't been to the mall in a while, so maybe there would be something interesting.

"Sure that sounds good! And it's only a few blocks away. You up for the trip?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in false doubt. He rolled his eyes, unlocking the wheels of his wheelchair and giving them a push. I chuckled, following, matching pace with him, letting him lead me the few blocks to the mall. I made some small talk as we went, not really bringing up anything particular, but not really avoiding any topics either. Conversation was always like that with Berwald; relaxed, comfortable.

The mall was in sight within about fifteen minutes, and I found myself surprisingly excited. Like I said, I haven't been in ages, and who knows, maybe there's something new that I can set my heart on and end up buying with the budget I don't have! I mean, what else is a mall for?

We made it through the busy parking lot in one piece, somehow, and shoved our way through the doors. I sighed in relief as the warmth from the building washed over me, warming my cheeks and the tip of my nose, which was pretty much numb at this point. I was just relieved that it wasn't dripping just yet. We decided to rest for a moment, to warm up, and found a bench for me to sit on. It didn't take long before I was shedding the outermost layers of clothes, Berwald doing the same next to me. He draped his coat over the backrest of the wheelchair, and did the same with mine. I gave him a grin, thanking him, for there is almost nothing I hate more than carrying around heavy articles of useless clothing. I mean really, what a boorish task!

Then began the game of window shopping. It's awkward to do alone, but fun with accompaniment, and, what luck, I have accompaniment today! But what Berwald would be interested in shopping for, I hadn't a clue. I made a point of letting him take the lead, that way I wouldn't bore him with my tastes. I had recently discovered that, despite hating it all throughout my childhood, I had grown to be quite the shop-a-holic. I didn't even realise until one day I found my arms full of bags of clothes and shoes, and I was HAPPY. Like, grinning! I was excited to buy new clothes, couldn't wait to wear them the day after... But I try to stifle that girlish tendency. I'm on a budget as is.

That's not to say that Elizabeta doesn't pay me well, because she does, more than I could ever hope for. I just put such a huge chunk of it away for going to college, someday, and moving out of my dingy apartment. I guess that is something I failed to address. I never got the chance to go to college. I was caught up in moving out of Finland right after high school, getting used to my new setting, and I just got straight to work to support myself. (Lucky for me, Eli has long been a family friend, and just happened to be hiring.) I do plan to go eventually, but I'd like to get settled in, and get to a point where I'm living comfortably before I even attempt it. But that made me curious, had Berwald gone to college? He seemed like he had, but who can say? Why not ask?

"Hei, Ber, did you go to college?" I blurted. He glanced at me, his face a little confused.

"Ber?" He questioned, making me gasp.

"O-Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just... I always..." I stuttered. I have a nasty habit of giving people nicknames, even if they don't want them. But he cut me off.

"I's alrigh', s'long as i's no' Waldy." He warned, his aversion to the name showing in his eyes.

"Waldy? Who calls you that?"

"Mathias."

"Oh..." I breathed, trying not to laugh. "But, um, Ber is okei?"

"Ja, tha's fine. And Ja, Ah wen'. Took some online classes after the acciden'. Have mah associates." He replied. I frowned.

"Well, damn, you make me sound uneducated. Well, I guess technically I am, but... Oooh, I don't even know what I'm trying to say!" I wailed, throwing my arms up in frustration. Color me surprised when I heard an unfamiliar laugh. I looked around, frantically trying to find the stranger that had had the gall to laugh at me, and what should I find, but Berwald himself, lips turned up in a soft smile, his eyebrows unfurrowed as he allowed himself to partake in the rare action. I think I gaped at him for a time, trying to drink in the expression while it lasted, as I was sure it wouldn't be around very long. Sure enough, a few seconds later he quieted, and his face slowly returned to its previous expression. He looked at me, his eyebrow raising a fraction, as if to say "what?"

"I-I've never heard you laugh before..." I realised, my eyes still wide.

"Really? Ya were makin' a funny face..." He pointed out, making me pout.

"Funny? Funny how?" I demanded.

"Yer face ge's red when yer frustrated, and yer scowl is so cute, Ah couldn' help i'. Sorry if Ah offended ya..." He said, getting quieter towards the end.

"No, no, it's alright." I assured, sighing. "I'm never taken seriously, why bother trying now?" I asked, shrugging then giving him a smile.

"Hm. Yer too cute fer anyone to take ya seriously." He agreed, making me flush.

"Well, you're too scary to joke, so I guess we balance out pretty well, huh?"

"Ja. Do ya min' if we go in here?" He inquired suddenly, throwing me off, forcing me to snap my face up to look at the store he was pointing to. I found it was one of those old fashioned house decoration stores, the kind that have things like snow-globes and assorted mugs. That place you go when you aren't sure what to get someone as a gift. (Because it has a little of everything, it is perfect for this purpose.) I nodded, a bit curious to see why he would want to go inside this particular store.

After being greeted by the flowery smelling, older ladies at the front, we began going down the aisles. We passed some chocolates, cards, books, shelf-trinkets, matching mugs and plates, pens, notebooks, scrapbooking materials, stuffed penguins, lam...

"Penguins!" I cried, running over to the shelf of stuffed toys, picking up a medium sized stuffed penguin and squeezing it to my chest. Oh how I adored these creatures! And it was so fuzzy, made of soft fabric that glided across my skin as I nuzzled it. I giggled childishly, lost in the moment I was having with this random stuffed toy, one that I had not purchased, did not belong to me, and had probably been through the same routine with several small children. Poor dear, if only I had the money to buy it!

Berwald reminded me of reality with a short clearing of his throat. I squeaked a bit in surprise, fumbling with the toy in my hands. He had an eyebrow raised when I finally looked at him, making me blush, as was so common with me these days. I realised how foolish I must have looked, cuddling with a stuffed animal like I was but five years old.

"S-Sorry, I... Well, um, I have a weakness for penguins, and..." I began to explain, but he held a hand up, silencing me.

"'S'okej. Do ya wan' i'?" He asked me, causing me to look down at the stuffed toy. Of course I wanted the little thing, silly as that is. But I had not stopped to get my wallet. Besides that, I didn't really want to spend the money on it, when it could be used more effectively elsewhere. The penguin in my hands seemed to deflate a bit at my thoughts, and I apologized to it mentally, assuring it silently that I was lying, that it was adorable, that I desperately wanted it. But, sighing, I shook my head, returning it to its shelf, and turning back to Berwald.

"No, I'm alright. I mean, it's just a stuffed toy, right?" I laughed awkwardly, trying to prove that I was indeed alright. He didn't seem convinced, but he didn't argue, so I walked away from the stuffed animal display, my mind made up that I would forget about the penguin that I was so enthralled with. He followed behind me, and, having seen everything, I assumed it was time to go. I made my way back up to the front, and was about to walk out of the archway that separated this store from the rest of the mall, when I noticed that he was no longer behind me.

I turned around, and, color me surprised when I found him at the front counter, handing the elderly lady some money, receiving the SAME stuffed penguin in return. I watched as he took it, sitting it in his lap as he wheeled over to me, stopping just short of mowing me down. He then handed it to me, looking rather pleased with himself. It took me a moment to understand what had just transpired, but when I did, I was far from happy. I scowled at him, making my glare as scary as possible. I saw his his confidence wither under my gaze.

"I said I didn't want it!" I exclaimed, frowning.

"Ah know... Bu' Ah coul' tell ya did." He retorted.

"T-That's not the point! We were supposed to be window shopping, not actually shopping!" I argued.

"Well, le's jus' call i' shopping, then." He reasoned.

"But... I didn't bring money to shop!" I protested.

"Tha's why Ah bough' i' for ya." He explained.

"Ooooh, you're too good at arguing! But I'm angry at you!" I decided, crossing my arms across my chest. The effect was dulled though, as the penguin was still there, getting crushed to my chest.

"I's a gif'. We're on a da'e, kind of, so Ah can give ya a presen', can' ah?" He asked, making my resolve falter.

"I-I... A date? Um... Since when?" I inquired, loosening my crossed arms.

"Since Ah like ya, an' we're ou' together." He informed me, making me flush.

"O-Oh... Well, I... I-If it's a date, I guess it's... Okei..." I reasoned, nodding to myself, solidifying my decision. Yes, buying the penguin for me was okei, if it was a date! I didn't know he was thinking of it that way. That changed everything. "U-Um, thank you..." I added on, as an after thought, pulling it away from my chest, examining it, then giving it a hug, smiling a bit. I looked back to him, and he seemed satisfied with that. But now I felt bad for snapping at him, so, as an apology, I lent down and pecked his cheek, feeling the skin heat up as I did.

Feeling like I had the upper hand again, I smiled, turning around to begin walking again. After a moment of being stunned, he caught up, matching my pace with ease. I walked with a smile plastered to my face the entire time, the fuzzy penguin in my arms reminding me how lucky I truly was to have found Berwald before anyone else. We continued to window shop/actually shop for a while after that.

-.-.-+-.-.-

Around five, he announced that we should start making our way to Lukas' house. He handed me my coat, and I slipped it back on, thanking him with a smile. Once we were both prepared to brave the cold again, we went through the doors. Just as expected, it had gotten cooler out as the sun went down, and the wind felt even sharper than it had that morning. I groaned, turning my back to it, trying not to get a face full of the snow that was currently falling in heavy sheets.

"Why is it always miserable outside when I need to go somewhere?" I asked no one in particular. Berwald reached out, taking my hand and giving it a squeeze as a form of sympathy. I rolled my eyes, turning back to the snow, gesturing for him to lead the way, as I had no idea where we were going. He took the lead, and I followed, staying at his side, but doing so with caution. Odin only knows when I'd end up walking into a busy street.

We made steady progress, despite the weather, and, before I could even comprehend it, we were standing in front of a small, but comfortable looking house. As I looked it over, I was impressed, and maybe a little jealous. I wish I could have a cute little house like this one! It was a creamy off-white, the accents a dull brick-red color. The front door was made of what I guessed was mahogany, a deep reddish brown. The yard was closed off by a fence of the same wood, completing the homey look, along with the smoke billowing from a chimney, promising a fireplace. Berwald reached up and rang the doorbell, the sound making me jump a bit, my nervousness rekindled. Was I under-dressed in my blue sweater and white jeans, or, somehow, over-dressed? But Berwald was dressed similarly, so surely not... Oh god, what did my hair look like? Was it sticking up oddly? Were my lips chapped? Should I have brought some kind of food to contribute to the dinner?

Before I could fret anymore, the door opened, revealing a man, around my age, maybe a bit older and just a few inches taller. His hair was a shade darker than mine, about the same length, though one side was pulled up with a clip. His face was sharper than mine, but still not squared, giving him a feminine look. But his body was built like a man's, however thin he may be. No ridiculous hips, like me. His eyes were a deep, almost indigo blue. And they threw me off. The seemed... Empty, void of anything, almost eerily so, like a corpse. He seemed to be staring, but not really seeing, or maybe he was seeing everything, but beneath the physical. I forced myself to look away, choosing to take in his attire instead. To my relief, he had a similar, navy blue sweater on, with blue jeans on underneath. That definitely made me feel better.

He observed me as I observed him, both of us taking in the other's appearance before we even tried to talk. Finally, he offered me the smallest of smiles.

"Tino, I presume?" I nodded, sticking my hand out abruptly.

"J-Joo, that's me! And, uh, you're... Lukas?" I guessed, trying to remember the descriptions that Berwald had given me. After staring at my hand for a moment, he took it in his, giving it a shake.

"Yes, that's correct. It's nice to finally meet you." He added, his smile widening just a fraction. He released my hand, then stepped inside of his house, holding the door open, gesturing for us to come in. Berwald went first, and I followed, looking down uncomfortably. I had been so awkward with Lukas! How had I already managed to mess up? "Alright, well, I'm nearly finished with dinner. It should only be about ten more minutes. If you'd like to make yourselves comfortable in the living room..." He hinted, and Berwald nodded. Lukas nodded back, retreating further into his home. Berwald and I stayed in the entry way, silence overtaking us for a moment.

"...He likes ya." He finally said, giving me a start. I looked down, making eye contact.

"H-He does?"

"Ja, he does." He reiterated. My eyebrow furrowed.

"Are you sure? It seemed to me like he just stared..." I admitted lowly, so Lukas wouldn't hear.

"Tha's jus' how he is. Bu' he smiled a' ya."

"And that means he likes me?"

"He didn' smile a' me for years." He informed me. "He doesn' do i' often."

"...Well, if you say so. Should I take my shoes off?" I asked, looking at the lovely hardwood floor with envy. Berwald nodded, taking a towel that I hadn't noticed off of a small table near the door, and he proceeded to wipe the wheels of his chair off. So they were prepared for us. I knelt down, ready to untie my boots, when I realised that there was something in my arms. And then I remembered, I was still carrying the stuffed penguin! I groaned in horror, making Berwald turn his head. "Why didn't you tell me I still had this? Not that I don't love it, but Lukas must think I'm crazy, carrying around a stuffed penguin, for no apparent reason, in this weather!" I whined, putting it on the table so I could return to the task of undoing my boots. I heard that foreign chuckle again, and snapped my head to take it in. He definitely wasn't the type to laugh very often, so I had to appreciate it when it did happen.

"Ah don' think he cares, Tino, trus' me." Berwald assured, shaking his head while trying to rid his face of the smile. I pouted, pulling one of my boots off.

"But I care! I mean really, who comes to dinner carting around a half-soaked stuffed toy? Ugh... But I love it... I really do..." I admitted, looking at it sadly. I felt a large hand place itself atop my head, ruffling my hair a bit. I turned back, my pout slowly melting into a smile as I pulled the other boot off and drew myself up, stepping over to him and giving him another quick little kiss, this time on the lips. This earned me a small, almost nonexistent gasp, which made me grin. I liked this. I liked this a lot.

"I hope you didn't mess my hair up any more than it already was..." I sighed, using my fingers to flatten it to the best of my abilities.

"...Y-Yer hair looks grea'." He mumbled, his cheeks showing a bit of pink. "...All of ya looks great..." He mumbled, so quietly that I almost missed it.

"Ha, thanks. Shall we go sit down? Er... Well... Go to the living room?" I suggested, and he nodded, laying the towel back on the table. I followed him through the house, assuming that he knew where he was going. Sure enough, I found myself in a living room, equipped with sofas and a fireplace. But I was surprised to find two other people already there. They both turned to look at us as we came in, or, rather, to look at me. One had been stoking the fire, but when we entered, he stood, standing at a huge height. I would put him at around six foot, meaning I felt quite small. His hair, too, was blonde, just a hint darker than Lukas', and styled erratically. His eyes were, from what I could tell, blue. This guy was a lot more masculine, his body strong, jaw squared nicely, handsomely. And that grin... He'd put a wolf to shame! This one had to be Mathias, so that left the one on the couch to be Emil. He remained seated, but he too was, according to my estimation, about my height, and almost as thin as Lukas. His hair was light, almost whitish blonde, framing his face softly, drawing me to look at his eyes. They looked indifferent, bored even, but the color... I was more than surprised to see that they were violet! I had never met someone else with eyes the same color as mine! He seemed to notice the same, as his eyes lit up, just a fraction, and his lips opened.

"Your eyes..." He mumbled lowly, standing up and coming around to the other side of the couch. After getting closer, he stared into my eyes, me doing the same, gauging the purpleness of them.

"I-I've never met anyone else with..." I started, trailing as he nodded.

"Me neither..." He agreed, blinking, then suddenly stepping back, as if a spell had been broken. "Ah, sorry, I guess you surprised me." He apologized, going back to looking bored.

"Oh, no, it's alright." I assured, giving him a smile.

"So, Waldy! This is the little minx, huh?" Mathias cut in, his voice loud enough for Lukas to hear, I'm sure. Minx? Is that what I was known as to Berwald's friends? Should I take it as an insult, or compliment? I wasn't sure, but Berwald growled, so I assumed it was offensive.

"Don' call 'im tha'." He warned, giving Mathias a pointed glare. To my surprise, Mathias didn't flinch.

"Awww, don't be sour Waldy, we're all friends! Right Emil?" He called, glancing at the one in question.

"...Whatever." Emil replied, stepping in front of Mathias, producing his hand. "I'm Emil." He said, his voice calm, even a bit soothing compared to Mathias' loud and boisterous one. I took his hand, shaking it gently.

"Tino, but I guess you kind of already know that." I replied, chuckling nervously. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, you too." He agreed, then returned to his place on the couch. Mathias, seeing that it was his turn, stepped forward. I offered my hand, but he bypassed it, grabbing me around the shoulders and pulling me into a bone-crushing hug. I gasped, not able to move, to return the embrace, or to fight it.

"Welcome to the family, Teeny-Tino!" He singsonged. Teeny-Tino? I had already warranted a nickname? And a ridiculous one at that... "So glad that you came! Waldy here has been pretty lonely the past few years, you know. But, I gotta say, I don't know how he got himself a cutie like you. I mean, no offense Waldo, but you usually scare all the prospects away. But then this little cutie showed up, and nOW!" He yelped at the end, dropping me back on my feet, his hand flying up to rub the back of his head. Confused, I looked around, and found a wooden spoon on the floor. Upon further investigation, I found a rather miffed looking Lukas, standing in the doorway, his position making it obviously that he had been the one to throw it. "Aw, babe, come on, I was just welcoming him! You know I only have eyes for yooooooou!" He sang, and Lukas sighed irritably, walking towards us to fetch the spoon.

"Frankly, I could care less who you have eyes for. I threw the spoon for Tino's sake, not mine. You and I both know that no one else would take you, so I have no reason to fret. However, Tino's lungs are a rather necessary part of him, and I'm sure Berwald wouldn't take kindly to you accidentally crushing his boyfriend to death. Leave him alone, and come help me set the table." Lukas commanded, and, like a kicked puppy, Mathias did as he was told, following behind Lukas obediently. I blinked, trying to process what exactly had just happened in my life, but I gave up on that pretty quickly. Clearly, adding Mathias to my list of friends would result in a lot of confusion, annoyance, and spontaneity. But it didn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. He'd be great for parties, I guess.

I returned to looking at their living room, taking in the crimson colored sofas, the dark blue and white throw pillows, the brick fireplace built cozily into the opposite wall, a flatscreen television hung over the mantle. Yep, I was definitely jealous. How did they afford all of this? Lukas had to be a doctor, or something of the like. I snapped back to reality as I noticed Berwald moving, and decided to follow him, not wanting to stand behind the couch awkwardly by myself. He led me to the loveseat that Emil wasn't occupying, and gestured for me to sit down. I did so, but sat up straight, stiffly. I always hated sitting on the couch of someone I don't know very well. It seems almost rude to me.

Emil was quiet on his side of the room, looking down at his hands in his lap, and I was scared to strike up conversation with Berwald, in fear of making Emil feel left out. So I too sat in silence, looking around desperately for something I could use to pique Emil's interest in talking. Finally, my eyes landed on a stuffed bird, but, believe it or not, it wasn't my stuffed penguin. (I had left that on the table by the door.) Sitting next to Emil on the couch was a realistically sized stuffed puffin, a little bow tied around its neck. I found it terribly cute, and I think Emil noticed.

"...This is Mr. Puffin. I guess it's like, illegal to have a real puffin and stuff, so Lukas got me him." He explained, his face remaining neutral, though it pinkened a bit.

"I see. I have a stuffed penguin with me today too, actually. Berwald bought it for me. I haven't named it yet though..." I realised, trailing off as I tried to think of a good name for it. To name it Mr. Penguin seemed like a rip off of Emil's puffin, so that was out. But... I wanted to keep penguin in the name. I mean, he WAS a penguin after all. Then it hit me, I'm a Finn! "Oh, Pingviini!" I exclaimed, grinning happily to myself.

"What does that mean?" He asked me, turning his violet eyes up to look at me.

"It's penguin in Finnish. Not very creative, I know, but if I tried to get creative, he'd end up with a name like bloody flower-egg." I explained.

"W-What?" He questioned, his face contorting just a little to show his confusion.

"Um, long story. Let's just say that's it best to go with the not-creative one." I replied.

"...Whatever." He said, dropping his eyes back to his lap. I forced a smile at his typically teenage response, and suddenly wondered how old Emil was. Berwald had said that he was the younger brother, so it could be plausible that he was a teen. I myself was just barely out of teen range, having celebrated my twenty first only last year. Speaking of, my birthday was coming up soon... I wonder if there would be a way to get Eli to buy me drinks again... I don't have enough money to afford it, as much as I throw back... Hmm...

"Hey, dinner's ready." Lukas called, poking his head through the doorway. We all turned to look at him, then got up, heading in his direction. After going through the doorway, I found myself in a dining room, a large table, also of a dark wood, sat in the center, lit by a small but gorgeous chandelier. Matching chairs surrounded the table, except for one space, which was left open for Berwald so that he could simply wheel up to the table. Considerate.

I waited until they had all taken their seats, making sure that I wouldn't be messing up some kind of order, then, to my relief, sat down to Berwald's right. Seeing that we had all chosen our seats, Lukas returned to the kitchen, bringing back with him a large platter. Upon it I found, not as much of a surprise, a large baked salmon. Berwald said he was Norwegian, if I remember correctly, so it made perfect sense. Luckily for me, it had been a while since I had had any kind of fish, so it was looking pretty good to me. He set that down on the table, then went to the kitchen once again, this time bearing side dishes to go with the main course. I looked at each in turn, and decided I wanted to eat everything. And I wonder why I can't loose weight...

"I hope salmon agrees with you, Tino. I forgot to ask Berwald what your preferences were." Lukas said, glancing at me.

"Oh, yes! Salmon is fine, no need to worry! I'm just happy to be here." I assured, smiling.

"Trus' 'im when he says tha'. Been eatin' burn' frozen pizzas everyday." Berwald added. I turned to give him a glare, which he avoided by conveniently turning to look at something on the wall.

"...Burnt frozen pizzas? ...Please eat well." Lukas commanded, having put all of the dishes on the table, and reclaiming his seat. Oh how I WANTED to eat well, but I was scared to touch the food. I didn't know the manners expected of me here. Were we to say grace? It was never a custom in my family, we always just went at it, or, for special occasions, passed the platters around to each individual. I looked around, desperately trying to observe someone else, to see what they would do.

"Oh, right. That's my cue!" Finally, Mathias grabbed a knife, cutting the salmon into sections, and then putting a piece on each plate respectively. Emil grabbed for the bread, leaning over his plate to reach it, pulling the little basket close to him. Lukas gave him a reproving glare, to which Emil rolled his eyes.

"Emil, I've told you not to reach over the table like that, especially when we have guests over." Lukas scolded.

"Whatever." Emil replied, taking his bread, then returning the basket to the middle. Lukas continued to glare.

"...And what have I told you about Puffin?" Lukas inquired, his voice still dangerous. I turned to Emil, and realised that he had brought the stuffed puffin to the table, and it was currently sitting between him and Lukas.

"...It's Mr. Puffin, and he isn't hurting anything." Emil reasoned, reaching for the butter this time.

"Emil." Lukas warned, his tone getting scarier as the conversation continued. It was tense for a moment, then Emil sighed, taking the puffin and sitting it on the ground. Lukas nodded shortly to show his approval, then returned to dinner. "Tino, would you like some rice? I'm not sure how they serve it in Finland, but I make it from an old Norwegian recipe that my grandmother gave me. It's made with milk, so it might be creamier than what you're used to." He offered the dish, and when I nodded, he handed it to Berwald to hand to me. I took a spoonful of the rice, the consistency of it similar to tapioca. And this was how I was served each of the sides. Lukas would explain what they were, then offer them to me. I accepted each, putting at least a little on my plate. I didn't want to come off as rude, and, to be honest, I wanted to try all of them. After everything had been passed out, Mathias made it obvious that it was time to eat, as he sat down and dug right in to his food. Everyone followed suit, including me. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Norwegian food was quite to my tastes, it was mildly similar to the Finnish food that I was so accustomed to. I guess it would only make sense, the two countries were rather close to one another. We were all pretty quiet, aside from Mathias, who reminded me of myself when I got around to talking. Lucky for them, I was still too unfamiliar with my surroundings to ease myself into a conversation.

"So, Tino, where is it that you work?" Lukas asked, cutting Mathias off in the middle of one of his sentences. Mathias looked a little surprised, but shut up.

"Oh, um, at Elizabeta's cafe, across from the high school." I replied, then took another bite of the salmon.

"Right, I've heard of it, but I've never stopped by. Is the coffee good?" He asked, obviously doing his best to keep the conversation going.

"Well, I don't really like coffee much, but usually the customers give us good reviews. We've got ourselves a few regulars, so I guess what I'm saying is yes?" I answered, giving him an apologetic smile, knowing I had given him a very round-about reply.

"You're a Finn that doesn't like coffee? I didn't know they existed... Anyway, I think I'll stop by sometime. I've been looking for a cafe that can brew a good cup. The place on the other side of town is too far away, and way too busy. They never have time to even pay attention. I usually get the wrong coffee, and when it is right, it's usually cold. I've stopped even trying to get it fixed." He informed me, making me frown. Did places with such bad service really exist? But I guess that made us look that much better.

"I'll definitely give you a discount if you do. Our snacks aren't bad either, not to sound arrogant or anything! My favorites are the cheese danishes. Eli makes them perfectly, and..."

"Danishes? I'm Danish! If they're from Denmark, of course they taste great!" Mathias interrupted, leaving me stunned for a second, his cut off making me reel in my words.

"Uh, joo, they're tasty, but I don't think they're actually from Denmark. Eli said they were Austrian..." I explained, and his face fell.

"Austrian? Then why are they called danishes?" He demanded.

"Because after they were invented, they became popular in Denmark, and eventually became a specialty there. Now quit pestering Tino. It's rude to interrupt." Lukas snapped, glaring at the Dane. He withered under the gaze, and shut his mouth, opting to push the food on his plate around instead.

"Oh, it's alright, really! If someone didn't interrupt me, I never would have stopped talking. Berwald knows, I did it to him at the cafe. I just lose track of how much I've said, and so I keep talking, and by the time I shut up I've talked for, like, ten whole minutes straight. Granted, most people stop listening about half way through, which, honestly, I can't blame them for. If I ever go into rant mode around you guys, please, cut me off, or I'll never stop! Like, when I was..."

"Tino..." Lukas cut in, making me hush for a moment. "You're doing it now." He pointed out. I blinked, thinking it over, then blushed.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! You see, I just get started and can't stop! I swear I don't mean to do it, but I just kind of do, and it gets even worse when I'm nervous, because most of it doesn't even make sense, and..."

"Tino."

"O-Oh, I did it again, I'm sorry! I..."

"Calm down. We aren't going to bite. Well, Mathias might." Lukas tacked on, glancing at his husband.

"Aw, come on babe, you know I only have teeth for you!" Mathias assured.

"As flattering as that is, you know I don't like to be bitten."

"Oh, I bet you'd be singing a different tune if we were upstairs in..."

"Finish that sentence and you won't have any teeth to bite with at all." Lukas snarled, his glare intensifying, almost as much as the blush on my cheeks. That was quite a topic to address over dinner...

"Anyway, we aren't trying to scare you off, or make you uncomfortable. We're happy Berwald found someone. It isn't something that happens every day for him. Sorry if we come off as eccentric, it's just how we are, but you seem a bit eccentric yourself, so I'm sure you're going to fit in well once you get used to us." He assured, standing up and gathering the dinner plates. Emil got up to help him, carrying them into the kitchen. Mathias stayed behind, and gave me a grin.

"He's right! I already like you, and that's more than Lukas ever said when I was the new guy, so I think he likes you too, and I think Emil has some weird crush on you because of those eyes of yours... Granted, he had a crush on Waldy's fridge for the longest time..."

"Shut up, Mathias!" I heard Emil call from the kitchen. A crush on a refrigerator? "You know you aren't supposed to bring that up!" He added, making Mathias roll his eyes.

"Whatever, if he's going to be part of the circle, he's going to find out eventually anyway!" He yelled back. He then turned to me, speaking a bit quieter. "Let's just say that the relationship didn't end very well, for either of them." I raised an eyebrow, turning to look at Berwald who was still next to me, though he seemed to be avoiding my eye contact. So this was a true story? They weren't just messing with me?

Fortunately for me, Emil and Lukas came back, balancing five bowls in their hands, and set them down on the table. I noticed a sweet little flush on Emil's cheeks when he came in, but opted not to make him suffer any further by questioning this apparent "relationship" he had had with Berwald's fridge, or the crush he apparently had for me. Some things are best left unknown. I instead looked at the bowls, wondering what they had made for dessert. To my surprise, what I found was quite familiar, a treat of my childhood.

"Omenalumi!" I exclaimed gleefully, causing Lukas to give me a small smile.

"Yes, I found the recipe online, and it looked easy enough. I hope I made it correctly... This was my first try. I wanted to make something that came from Finland, seeing as you are the man of the hour." He said, handing me the bowl. I took it, very much looking forward to the sweet treat. There were few things that I could cook at home, but this was one of them. Just some eggs, some applesauce, and a whisk, and you're good to go! I took a bite, smiling gleefully as the fluffy texture filled my mouth before quickly melting away, leaving only a sweet residue.
"Mmm, Lukas, you made it perfectly!" I informed him, quickly taking another bite.

"Not too bitter? I always skimp on the sugar a bit, but I did my best to make sure the measuring cup was full." He took a bite as well, not showing any change in facial expression to indicate whether he liked it or not.

"Not at all. I always make it too sweet, but you got it just right. I tastes just like when my mom made it!"

"Well, I'm glad you like it. I'd say you could take some home, but it doesn't exactly keep well."

"Joo, I know. But thanks so much, it was tasty!" I returned, sitting the now empty bowl on the table. Berwald and Mathias were also done, though Lukas and Emil were still slowly spooning the treat into their mouths, tortuously slow. "How did you like it, Ber?" I asked, lowering my voice a bit to be unobtrusive. He turned to look at me, then gave a short nod.

"I' was goo'." He offered, making me giggle.

"Are you just saying that?"

"No, Ah liked I'. Was jus'... Differen'?" He tried. I nodded, reassuring him.

"Joo, I can see where you're coming from. No worries." It is pretty much raw eggs, after all.

"Alright, well Tino, I have a question for you." Lukas announced, having finished his dessert. "Exactly how old are you?" He asked.

"Um, twenty one last December? Why?" I answered, though it was more of a question, to be honest.

"Good answer. Emil, bed." Lukas commanded, pointing towards the living room, most likely to the staircase there.

"I'm not five Lukas! You can't tell me what to do! ...And it's barely eight!" Emil snapped back.

"Well you're not twenty one either, so I CAN tell you that you can't drink. Go on." He urged, making a shooing motion. Emil glared, but got up, picking the stuffed puffin off the ground and heading to the other room.

So, apparently we were going to drink? I hadn't come prepared for that, but hei, who am I to pass up a free drink? And getting a little drunk was always a good way to get to know new people. (Or horribly ruin your chances of ever having a normal relationship with them ever, but, you know...)

Lukas began collecting the bowls, taking them to the kitchen, and Mathias followed. He returned only moments later, a small key in his hand. He saw me eying it curiously, and smiled.

"We keep it locked up, just in case. Emil is a pretty good kid, but he has his wild side too, just like his brother." He explained with a "you-know-what-I-mean" wink, twisting the key into a small cupboard near the head of the table. It opened with a quiet creak, revealing a well stocked alcohol cabinet. Lukas returned, bearing four glasses, each with a large chunk of ice inside, and handed one to both Berwald and I, holding on to both his and Mathias'.

"What do you like to drink, Tino? Lukas likes Wine, and I go for just plain draft. Gotta stick with the basics, yeah? Waldy here is the difficult one, he likes mead. Right? Like, who still drinks that? We have to import it all the way from Canada! But yeah, what about you? Are you a wine kind of guy too? Or maybe Schnapps?" Mathias asked, pulling a few bottles out to check what they were.

"Actually, vodka is my favorite, if you have any. If not I can go with whiskey." I replied. This got me quite a few stares, as it always does, but I did not retract my request. Speechless for once, Mathias pulled a bottle from the very bottom of the cabinet, the clear glass bottle easily naming it as my favorite. He grouped that with the other three bottles, and Lukas gestured for us to head into the living room. Berwald went first, then me, followed by Lukas, then finally Mathias. I trailed behind Berwald, sitting on the couch that he parked next to. Lukas sat on the other while Mathias went around, filling each of the glasses with our respective favorites. After each was full, Lukas took his, raising it up.

"To Tino, the first one not scared away by Berwald's face." He toasted, his voice sounding just as monotone as usual, strange considering he was toasting. But who was I to argue. I chuckled, and clinked my glass to his, followed by Mathias and Berwald as well. We each took our preliminary gulp, the vodka sending a shock through my mouth. But there was hardly a bite, and it didn't burn my throat, so they had bought themselves a decent brand. I looked at the label, reading Reyka. Ah, Cheap, but well made. I finished the glass, helping myself to another. I had about half of that one down before anyone spoke.

"You can really put that away, can't you Teeny-Tino?" Mathias commented, pouring himself a second drink as well.

"Joo, I get that a lot. I guess it runs in the family." I replied, smiling. Looking to Berwald and Lukas, I saw that they were both far behind Mathias and I. Berwald was just now nearing the bottom of his, and Lukas wasn't even half way there. This would be an interesting night.

A/N: I hate to cut it off, but, if I didn't, it would be waaaaay too long. Sorry dears, you'll have to wait for chapter eight for all that jazz.

I'm sorry it took me so long to post this... My hamster, Xiao, died, and I took it pretty hard. But I've got good friends and family that helped pick me up, and I'm definitely feeling better now. Chapter eight is written, but you won't be getting it for a while. This chapter was 10 pages, without author's note. Chapter 8 is fourteen. Like, ugh. It took ages!

ANYWAY, back to this chapter; I like the dynamics of relationships between the Nordics, I really do. I love how much Lukas picks on Mathias, I love how uncomfortable Mathias makes EVERYONE, I love how bored Emil tries to sound when talking to people, I love the little brolationship that Tino and Lukas always seem to develop in my stories... I just... All of it! I love them when they all get together!

I tried to make Lukas more of a parental figure, as he is kind of raising a certain teenage boy. I like how they bicker with each other though, so brotherly and whatnot.

Anyway, for anyone curious about Omenalumi: its literal translation is apple snow. To make it, you take the whites of eggs, beat them until they are light and fluffy, then stir in some applesauce, and nom away. Tasty, no? Turns out that I'm actually a little Finnish! Like, a quarter! (Or eighth... Aheh, one of the two, I forgot!) That explains how I saw the Moomins as a kid! Thank you grandma! Anyway, I got the recipe from her, and tried it out, and I love love love it! The rest of my immediate family was like "No effing way, raw eggs, gross, we are way too American for that, why do you have to be so weird, Riya?" But that meant more for me! The only downfall of it is, if you let it sit out, it melts back into liquid form, and is pretty much inedible. I've heard you can freeze it though... I'll have to try that some time. If you want a recipe, just search it! Lots will come up!

In other news, I ate my first piece of fish! Like, I tried catfish when I was, like, five, and it was morbid! I was scared of eating fish ever since. Then I tried a piece last week, and, lo and behold, it wasn't awful! I'm making it my mission to try some salmon next! World of seafood, here I come!

Gah, I have so many ideas for stories, it's unreal! Like, mein Gott! I'm determined to finish this one before I start another though! Time management and stuff!

Oh, ZOMFG, this already almost has 100 reviews! Like, holy Odin! You guys are absolutely fabulous, and I couldn't ask for more from my readers! (except that you keep reviewing... please? I love them!) I'm so glad to have such an amazing community of people who can appreciate SuFinny goodness! Which reminds me; My stories aside, which are your favorite SuFin fics? I'm just curious to see how many of you guys have similar favorites to me!

A quick pleas: Any unique ideas for dates would be uber helpful! I'm totally bad at romance and junk. (Has never seriously dated anyone. Like, for realz yo.) Anything could be helpful!

Alright, I'll go now before I can think of something long-winded to Tino-Rant about! Thanks again for your support, and WE ARE HALFWAY THERE! Only seven more chapters to go! See you guys next chapter, and please review if you have a second!

KuroRiya