Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand I'm back from the grave!

I'd never been on the trail at the park before. I don't know why, either, because it was very beautiful in the middle of the woods, and very secluded. Trees passed us by as Lukas and I carried on, making sure not to trip on any roots or rocks sticking out of the dirt and occasionally spying another balloon ahead. The lack of people around was nice and I could focus on the sound of wind through the trees and imagine the bird calls you would hear in the spring. Lucas, however, didn't seem to be as interested in the trail as our destination. It wasn't that he didn't like nature or was excited to get to the end; he just didn't appreciate it as much as I do.

Soon we came to a fork in the path and another yellow balloon tied to a tree branch on the right side. We were just about to take that path when I suddenly put my arm out to stop Lukas. I willed him to be still and his eyes questioned why I was so tense all of a sudden.

Right on time. That voice was unfamiliar to me and it was coming from ahead of us. There was someone else on this trail, and they were apparently waiting for us.

"What is it?" Lukas whispered. I put a finger to my lips and answered softly.

"I heard something…I have the sneaking suspicion we are being watched…"

Lukas took a second to observe "I don't see any-"

Now!

I only had a second's warning before there was a rustle and the sound of feet pounding on the soft dirt of the forest. In that one second, a million and one scenarios went through my head, all of them inspired by the countless horror novels and movies I've seen in my life. Was it a trap? Did someone lure us here somehow to kill us and dump our bodies in a log deep in the woods where nobody would find us?

"AH-HA!" The figure of a man suddenly burst onto the trail from the left and came straight for us at top speed. I shrieked and made a dive to the side to get away, but it turns out I was not his target. Lukas made a yelping noise as he was grabbed and the attacker hoisted him over his shoulder, the other kicked his legs in retaliation. I was about to shout for help when I heard a name.

"Mathias!" Lukas growled. "Put me down, dumbass! What was that for?"

"Bwahaha! Scared you, didn't I?" The spiky-haired man laughed as he struggled to keep Lukas in his grip.

"No, you didn't. Why the hell are you here?" Lukas made a twisting move intending on getting away and Mathias nearly lost his hold. Meanwhile, I was leaning against a tree trying to get my heart to return to its normal beat. Relief flooded my veins when I realized this was the fabled Mathias, roommate of Berwald. One look at his haughty grin and I knew why Berwald thought he was annoying. I would expect Lukas to think so, too, but apparently he liked the man enough to date him. He was wearing casual clothes but with a thin checkered tie loosely around his neck.

"I'm here to whisk you away somewhere fun and romantic," he replied with a smug grin that turned into a short grimace when Lukas knee'd him in the stomach. He didn't put him down, though the other was putting up a very good fight. Sensing that he wouldn't be able to hold him for long, Mathias quickly gave me a look over and a thumb's up before turning around back down the path we came from. Holy crap, he's adorable! Waldo sure knows how to pick'em. "So you're Little Tino, eh?" Fucking hell. "It's nice to finally meet the guy that has Berwald tripping over his own feet. Wish I could stay and chat, but I've got to get a move on. See ya!"

He turned his back on me without another word and strolled off, humming a happy tune. I got to see Lukas's face which was beat red with a mix of embarrassment and anger and he said one last thing to me before putting his efforts back on getting down from his boyfriend's shoulder. "Sorry about this, and have fun with whatever it is Berwald planned. We will have to properly meet sometime – ow! You dolt, don't do that!" I watched them go a little confused, but quickly pieced it together. Berwald must have had Mathias in on this too, just to make sure I was the only one that arrived at the mysterious destination. This was quite a lot of effort, wasn't it? I suddenly felt unworthy.

"Bye!" I waved to them not really knowing what else to say. I'm pretty sure they didn't hear me, though, what with Lukas strangling Mathias with his own tie at the moment. My back straightened and I looked to the path in front of me, determined to get to the bottom of all this excitement.

000

It didn't take long to reach the end of the trail. My feet took me out of the foliage and to a clearing surrounding a small lake. Almost a pond, really. In this weather it was devoid of much life but it was still beautiful the way the sky reflected off the glass surface. There was a well worn path around it and a small wooden dock extending from the beach, and that is where I found you-know-who sitting on a bench in waiting. His thoughts were beckoning when he saw me and waved me over with an inward smile. I smiled back as I trotted to meet him at the end of the pier, and in the water to his side was a small row boat. One look in his mind and I knew where this was going.

"Ber!" I exclaimed and wrapped my arms around his neck to pull him down in an embrace. He hugged me back without hesitation.

Did you make it here alright?

I pulled back so he could see my face and read my lips. "Yes, it was fine. Fun, too! You really went for it…oh my gosh, this is incredible. You surprised me!"

He really only understood the 'you surprised me' part out of my gushing, but that was all he needed. "Ah did?"

"Yes!" I dove back in for another bone crushing hug as I laughed, feeling very victorious since I was just able to get Berwald to smile. It was that big warm smile that he didn't make very often, the one I am always trying to pry from his lips. My heart fluttered at the sight and all I could do was press myself into his arms. This moment was so undeniably perfect.

Pride was the only thing really emanating from Berwald at the moment. Yes, I did it! Tino liked the surprise. He seems so happy, I wonder what else I can do to get this reaction again? Maybe I could…

"Woah woah," I pulled away gently. "Don't start thinking up any plans when I'm right here. Focus on this one."

Right, sorry. And this plan involves a kiss.

My blood rushed to my face at his thought. I'm shy, okay? It doesn't matter if I've already kissed him once or a thousand times, I'm still kind of bashful. Berwald knows this, but he thinks it's cute. At least he doesn't call me a wimp and demand that I man-up. It's not like I ever refuse him, anyway.

I stood on my toes and waited for him to lean down, which was almost instant. Our lips touched and, to my utter pleasure, that magical thing happened when we kiss. It was silent, it was bliss… But this kiss was meant to be sweet and short, and the magic left shortly after pulling away. It took a great deal of control not to pull him down again and make myself appear needy when just a second before I was so hesitant…but Berwald would probably like that, too. Either his standards were alarmingly low or I was his own personal fetish.

Still, it was very tempting. Recently I found myself craving his lips and the soft relief that came with them, if only so briefly, but the constant buzz of thoughts was very easy to handle when they were his and we were alone. Just me and him on this dock…

"A boat? Really?" I looked to the small row boat next to us floating on the practically smooth water and raised an eyebrow. Berwald caught my look.

Does he not like boats? Is it a little too much? Perhaps the idea is rather cliché…

"No, no!" I shook my head quickly to dispel his doubts. "I love it, really! Sure it's cliché, but I kind of like cliché. It's really different and unexpected, which is what this is all about, right?"

Berwald nodded, the corners of his lips still partially turned up as a remnant of the beautiful smile from earlier. "M'glad." Shall we?

He stepped into the small craft making ripples on the water's surface to cascade and spread out in all directions. One foot was still on the dock to keep it from drifting away too much and his hand was extended towards me to help me in as if I were a girl. It does kind of annoy me when he does that, but…well…there's no way around it, is there? Still, I smiled and took his hand. "Let's."

Once we were in the center of the lake, we settled down to enjoy the feeling of being adrift. It was chilly but Berwald prepared for that and had a blanket stashed in the bottom which he draped over my shoulders, and I insisted that we share. He didn't have a problem with that.

It was warm with the combined effort of the blanket and Berwald's arms around me. His coat was comfortable to lean against, so I did without shame. The only problem was that my head was facing away while I sat between his legs so I couldn't speak to him, but we remedied that with a piece of paper on a clipboard and a pencil. Berwald thought of everything, didn't he? As soon as we were settled in, I started interrogating him about his new job.

'When do you start?'

Monday. My shift starts at six and ends at four thirty in the afternoon.

'Long day. What will you be doing?'

My job title is being a 'mover,' which means I will be moving furniture around the store and to people's cars when they buy it. I'll also be building some displays.

'You mean you have to put together all those pieces you get from a big box? Let's hope they come with all the pieces! Haha, what kind of pay will you get?'

Enough to get my own place again. I have to save up for down payments, but I plan on moving out very soon.

I felt the excitement at the very thought bubble up inside him at that prospect. Not just because he was finally on the way to getting out of Mathias's place, but because getting his own place is a symbol to him. Some people measure success by money, others by friends, and to Berwald: his dwelling. 'A man's home is his castle' would be a very fitting quote for him. He saw himself rising up to become who he was and the unmistakable glow of pride was present in his mind.

I want Tino to see how competent I am, to see me with a real home. Will he be impressed? I want to see him smile when that day comes. It will have to be a place he approves of if I will ever have the chance to ask him to move in with me. If we did decide to live together, I wouldn't ever be able to stand his place. Way too small. I shouldn't really be planning that far ahead, though…

I held back the chuckle I had for his little train of thought and scribbled another thing on the paper. I wouldn't remind him that I could hear his thoughts, it's often better that he forgets. But I wouldn't just ignore them, either. Berwald is trying to impress me, isn't that cute? Little does he know that I am already impressed.

'Can't wait. But this means we will have to work around your schedule now!'

I probably won't be able to visit the library every day…

'That's okay. I can always go visit you.'

I don't want you to push yourself too hard and get a headache. He remembered our outing to the museum and another little incident when he took me out/I treated him to dinner a few weeks ago. I always feel bad about that, like I'm making him choose me or the rest of the world. I don't want to make him live the secluded life I live if he doesn't like it.

'You think about me too much.'

Do I? He internally smiled and gave a little squeeze where his arms hung loosely around me. I can't help it.

I squeezed him back, then went back to the paper. 'I know. I can't help it either…thinking about you, I mean.'

Awwww.

Berwald leaned his head down a bit so he could kiss me on the neck. I felt his smile on my skin and I leaned into it, for once not feeling totally embarrassed. It is nice to be alone…just him and me floating in the middle of the water. The gentle rocking of the boat and his warmth is therapeutic. I really don't care if he has a house, a job, if our dates are low budget and our outings never far from home. He's already given me so much that I don't know how I could ever repay him. I used to think I couldn't ever have close friends, I couldn't find someone who would accept me the way I am, and that it wouldn't ever work between me and…well, anyone. I mean, perhaps it has only been a couple short months, but something about the way Berwald held me made me believe that it was not just a dream. This would last, I was sure of it. And I knew that my premonition was reflected in him.

I am hardly one to talk when it comes to acceptance. Berwald has been struggling with that his whole life. I guess I have too, but for him it's different. I make friends easily, I just chose not to complicate things for my and their safety. Berwald doesn't have that choice at all. He thinks I'm the one that has it worse, though, which is kind of funny. Maybe I do but it doesn't seem like it. I've been this way my whole life and Berwald has only been deaf a few years. He used to listen to music, I sometimes hear the faint sound of a song he remembers echoing in his head from time to time, and I think of how much it must hurt that he can't ever hear it again. He wishes more than anything to hear what my voice sounds like. He wants to hear me say his name…but that will never happen…

He definitely has it worse than me.

A little nip jarred me from my thoughts and I realized I had tipped my head back for him. His lips were still on my neck leaving little kisses; I had my eyes closed and my arms reaching behind me, pulling him down. I didn't even notice until now how intimate this was getting. Damn, does he drive me nuts!

"Love yah."

"Me too," I whispered and turned my head so I could repeat myself in a quick peck. He let me have his cheek before he took my lips, slow and sweet. This is the way he reads them when words do not work.

He may have it worse, but he doesn't seem to care. Especially when he has me in his arms. To him, it is like life couldn't get any better.

Neither could mine.

THE END.

That isn't too abrupt of an ending, is it? I mean, I had more planned, but due to circumstances I kind of just had to end the story as quickly as possible.

You may have noticed my absence for, like, a month or so. This is because things are happening to me in real life that are very…life changing. Especially this weekend. For example: I'm not yet graduated from high school and I just found out that I have to move out. Exciting. If you want to know more, feel free to ask, but otherwise just know that I'll be okay and I don't know when I will write again, but I will eventually.

I've got one last SuFin story I have in reserves for you guys, though! It's all prewritten so I get to post the chapters on a regular schedule. Look forward to "It's Worth It" if you are one of my readers! :)

That's all, folks! Thanks for all the awesome views and lovely reviews for this story. It was fun!