Chapter Eight
Tino could feel his eyes burning but he was trying with everything in him to not cry in front of these people. He couldn't cry here, he would cry after he scolded Demark, drug him out of here with Berwald and was safe in his hotel room. If he cried here it would only make Ber feel worse, make Green feel like this was her fault, let Demark know that he was feeling the same thing they all were.
"Den, go to the hotel," Tino spoke the words slowly, attempting to make his words sound firm, "You aren't making her want to talk to you anymore then you were before. Please just…"
Tino broke off, shaking his head and looking to the ground and taking deep breaths in an attempt to control his emotions. He knew he hadn't felt this high strung in years, it was so long since everything…he had buried her…and here she was.
"You can't just tell me that we should leave," Denmark hissed, moving into Tino's space, "You can't just tell me that we should let her run away from us without a fight, I thought that you were a Viking Tino, I thought that you were strong."
"Bein' strong doesn't me'n you force your will 'n people," Berwald broke in suddenly, moving forward to push Denmark back away from Tino, "bu' what would yo' kno' about that?"
"What did you just say to me?" Denmark shouted, catching himself on a nearby table and rushing forward again to grab Berwald by the collar.
"Don't you touch him," Tino ordered, grabbing his own handful of Denmark's shirt.
"Back off runt," Denmark hissed, shoving Tino away and making him slam into a door.
Before Denmark got the chance to enjoy the small yelp of shock from Tino, Berwald slammed his fist into his nose, knocking him into the wall. Denmark felt his nose gush a quick release of blood down his face, dripping onto his shirt and the hand he had immediately reached up to smoother the blood. He didn't get the chance to pull his own punch as Berwald was suddenly on top of him, punching him again across the face.
The battle was quick, sudden and overly loud, no one had heard the shouts telling the pair to quit until Berwald felt a pair of small hands clutching at his arm. "Please stop!" the words were shouted into his ear, giving him pause. He had thought that the hands had been Tino's, but the voice was female…his head jerked to the side, allowing him to stare into Greenland's wide teary eyes. "Please?"
Berwald stopped immediately, standing quickly, and moving back to allow Denmark to stand as well. Her hands hadn't released his sleeve; he could feel the trembling through the clothing as she tightened her grip on him.
"Green? Are… yo' okay?" Berwald asked the question quietly, attempting to study her face enough to understand her thoughts, but it had been too long since they had spoke; he couldn't read her.
"Don't hurt each other anymore," Maliina whispered, looking up at him, sniffling loudly, "family isn't supposed to hurt each other."
"Green…" Tino spoke this time, moving quickly to Berwald's side, reaching out for her and stopping only a few inches from her, "I'm so sorry."
"You're family, please stop hurting it each other," she whispered the words again, looking down, her free hand clenching into a fist in her own clothing.
"Maliina…maybe you should go back upstairs," Matthew whispered from behind them.
"No," Alfred disagreed, grabbing his brother's shoulder and tugging on him slightly, "she wants to talk to them, she needs to."
Alfred pulled his brother into the next room, leaving the brother's alone with their sister for the first time in centuries. Tino's hands were still reaching out to her, wanting to give in to the brotherly instincts telling him to comfort her but unsure if she would welcome it. Berwald stared down at Greenland…Maliina as Matthew had called her, unsure of what to do, he had never been good with his emotions, let alone other people's emotions, but he had to do something her tears were ripping at him. Then there was Denmark, Mathis, sitting in the corner, blood running down his face and dripping onto his sister's floor and facing the pain he had caused so long ago.
"Maliina," Berwald said the name clearly, moving his hand to cover her own that was still on his sleeve.
That was it, the last straw that broke Maliina's pride, she threw herself at Berwald. She felt him stiffen startled but she didn't pull away, she buried her face into his chest, sobbing as she tightened her arms around him. He placed his arms around her, hugging her to him, and burying his face into her hair.
"I'm scared, I'm so scared," she continued, fisting her hands into his jacket, "but you're my family, I can't…I can't just…"
"I kno'," Berwald murmured, rocking the pair of them slowly, "It's oka'."
"How can I be scared and miss you all at the same time?"
"Sometimes th' heart and the he'd don' agree," Berwald answered.
"Maliina?" Tino whispered, moving closer to the pair, placing a shaking hand on her shoulder.
He didn't tighten his hand, waiting for her to shove him away or to be afraid; anything that showed that she wanted him gone. Instead she continued to stand there, clutching at Berwald's clothes. Inwardly he was relieved, he wasn't sure if he could handle her rejection again. He stood there awkwardly, not moving, not testing his luck.
Then she pulled away from Berwald and turned to him, her face streaked with tears and her eyes red. Tino felt his eyes fill up with his own tears, his own hands started to shake, and it only got worse when she snuggled herself against his chest as well. He couldn't stop his arms from throwing themselves around her or his tears dripping slowly out of his eyes, "It's okay," he told her, "we are your family, we are patient."
"Vikings aren't patient," she disagreed, chuckling wetly.
"We are Vikings anymore," Tino explained, attempting a laugh, but even with happiness bubbling in his gut he couldn't manage to get it past the lump in his throat, "We are modern now."
"You mean old," she whispered, pulling away slightly to send him a smile, though he could still see the fear in her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Tino asked, running his hands through her hair in a gentle motion.
"My soup might not be," she answered, her voice low as she slowly closed up on them, "pretty sure it's burnt."
"I can help…if you want…"
She nodded, looking down at the floor, "Would you like to stay for dinner?" she asked, glancing up between her lashes.
"We…woul' love ta," Berwald answered, smiling slightly and placing a hand on Tino's shoulder.
"I'll help with the soup," Tino volunteered quickly, directing her into the next room and then to the kitchen, leaving Berwald and Mathis alone in the hall.
"Do you think she'll ever…" Mathis stopped, looking away as Berwald turned his cold eyes on him.
"Stan' up and ge' out," Berwald ordered.
Mathis pushed himself up in an uncharacteristic show of obedience. He wiped the blood away from his face with his sleeve, smearing red across his cheek. "I…I won't give up on apologizing," he told him firmly.
"Leave," Berwald repeated, eyes following Mathis to the door before he opened his mouth again, "tha' may be what she needs fro' you… bu' do it nic'ly."
Mathis turned sharply, staring after Berwald as he turned and walked into the kitchen with Tino and Green. Trying…not giving up…he could do that. He was a Viking after all, he would make things right.
