Afraid of Love

Chapter Twenty-one

Berwald pulled up at the block of apartments where Tino lived. Unbuckling is seatbelt, Tino turned to Berwald and smiled. "Tonight was the best! I can't wait until next year's one. Oh, we should go to Luna Park sometime. It'll be awesome!" he climbed out the car. Tino paused, chewing his lip uncertainly. "Hey, Berwald, you wouldn't want to stay for a while, would you?" he asked shyly. "It's just that Eduard won't be home for a while and I don't really feel like being alone right now…"

Berwald quickly hopped out of his car and locked it.

Tino smiled, bemused. "I'll take that as a yes then." He waved him over and led him to his door, unlocking it and dumping his jacket on a chair. "Sit anywhere. I got to go pee." He half-sprinted to the bathroom.

Berwald quickly checked underneath the lounge, and was a little disappointed to find that his little slips of paper were still there. Had he found any yet? Surely he must have. Should Berwald say anything? But that would just be giving away that they were from him.

Tino returned, now carrying two drinks. Handing one to Berwald, he sat down next to him. But just as he did so, though, his phone rang.

"Hello?" Tino answered. Quickly his expression changed from one of panic to a forced smile. "Oh, hey Ivan! Long-time no talk!" He mouthed a quick 'sorry' at Berwald and stood up and paced slowly around the room. "Yeah, I'm sorry I haven't called. A lot of things have been happening, it think I was in the hospital like twice! I don't know, I lost count. Oh, no I'm fine! It wasn't serious. I kinda almost drowned the first time and was bit by a snake the first. …What? No, there are not snakes everywhere! I was camping! Yeah, yeah, I know, I should have been wearing shoes. Sorry. …. I was with my friend Berwald and some others." Tino paused and looked at Berwald. "Uh, yeah, he's actually right here." He held out the phone to the Swede, smiling apologetically.

Berwald took the phone. "…'ello?" he said cautiously. A voice with a Russian accent answered him.

"Why, hello! I am Ivan. You are Berwald, da?"

"Yes. Who is Ivan?"

The voice chuckled, unsettling Berwald deeply. Now, Berwald wasn't a person who was intimidated easily, but there was something about that voice… It sounded happy, but Berwald wasn't so sure that was how Ivan really felt.

"I am little Tino's big cousin! He is like my baby brother." The voice lowered, growing darker but somehow not losing its light tone. "Do not hurt little Tino again, or I will get rid of you?" Ivan seemed to instantly brighten after he delivered the threat. "Right? Okay, put Tino back on."

Berwald woodenly handed the phone back to Tino, who was chewing his lip nervously. "Uh, Ivan can I call you back tomorrow? I'm really tired and- jeez, wouldn't it be one pm there or something? Shouldn't you be going to work?"

"I go to work at six."

"Yeah, I mean-" Tino whispered. "I mean your other work. The not-so-legal work."

"That never ends."

"Oh, right." Tino giggled nervously. "Well, see ya!"

"Bye bye!"

Tino hung out and let out a relieved sigh. It was best to stay out of his cousin's 'activities'. "So, what did he say to you."

Berwald shrugged. "He told me to make sure you didn't get hurt again."

Tino quirked an eyebrow. "Uh huh, and I'm also sure he gave you his permission to marry me." Berwald flushed red at Tino's joke. "Come on, he threatened you, didn't he?"

"….No."

Tino scowled. "Ugh, he always does this! I could never make any friends because the second I brought them over he would scare them off by smiling at them! How can someone make a smile scary?" Tino sighed and sat on the lounge again. "Ugh, listen to me bitching. I have to be a little grateful, after all, he did practically raise me. I mean, his mum was there too, but she was always sick. He had to look after both of us."

Berwald wasn't sure what to do. Tino was looking pretty depressed and he was terrible with words. So he went with the only thing he could think of. Reaching over, Berwald lightly wrapped an arm around his friend. Tino stiffened for a moment. Berwald wasn't totally oblivious, he let go after a few seconds. He hoped that had helped.

AN- Thankyou guys SO MUCH for being so nice to me! I'm feeling a litte better now. I'm still a paranoid freak, but there's not much I can do about that. Okay, next chapter is a fresh chapter! New plot point, new POV! I hope next one will be back on track!