Song Titles: Next to You from the Parasyte OST and Next to Me by Otto Knows

The story went that on the day of the Reaper's execution, one of the riflemen in the firing squad pulled the trigger beforehand and ultimately killed the prisoner single-handedly. Apparently, the prospective young man held a vendetta against the infamous pirate, and when he saw his chance, took the other's life before all to see. Once he got his revenge, the culprit ran off before the rest of the officials pursued him into town. His identity and whether or not the man was apprehended remained a mystery to the general public, something the police kept to themselves in order to save face.

But what baffled the large town even more was the Reaper himself.

The pirate's body was never found - it simply vanished among the wheat and melted into the shadows.

Even though investigators later rushed over to the spot, all they saw was the blood that pooled there and nothing more.

But eyewitnesses say that the man was shot in the heart and definitely died that day.

Through and through, in this life and the next, the Reaper continued to remain an enigma and a haunting legend told across the seas for generations to come.

Berwald didn't give up.

He kept on fighting and kept on living.

He finally had what he so longed for and seized his freedom with his own hands.

He has escaped the North Sea King and the Draugen's clutches.

He was a free man.

"Good work today, Ber! See you tomorrow!"

"Mmn, thank you. G'night." Berwald packed up his tools and bid his employer a good evening before heading out of the shop.

Fortune finally seemed to smile upon him after having turned her back on him for most of his life.

After moving into a quiet and peaceful town, the Swede found an honest job in woodworking. His employer owned a quaint little shop specializing in making furniture, and when he saw the potential and unspoken diligence in Berwald, took the large man under his wing and made him his apprentice. The old man's hunch was proven right and soon enough, when he was ready to retire, he would pass down the store to the apprentice.

The evening air was cool and crisp with a hint of salt when the blond walked along the coast by himself on his way home. He was taking the long way back like he always did.

The sea glimmering with stars reminded him of the days when he was actually out there in the water as a pirate. They were fond memories to some extent – he saw things he never would've imagined, met colorful characters, and visited new lands. His horizon expanded to more than just the sleepy town he grew up in. But perhaps the reason why all of these things sounded so rosy now was because of a certain Finn who would be right there next to him through it all…who would walk alongside him on the shores such as this one, leaving footprints in the sand next to his.

It felt like so long ago since the two did something like that…

He wanted to take Tino out here someday to gaze at the sunset together before heading home for the night.

Someday…

But not today. Berwald didn't know when that day would ever come.

The free man found a place to settle in at the far side of town, away from the buzz of the central area. It was a small, humble cabin built for two that he was able to purchase with the gold that was given to him by his beloved. The little dirt path led him to the empty home and he opened its wooden door with a creak. Silence greeted him as he went along the dark hallways and fumbled to light some lanterns to illuminate the shadowy place.

In the living room where he set his stuff down, he passed by a wall mount that hung Tino's weapons – Huurre and Kuutamo, their barrels polished and crossed over each other for display; because that was all they were used for now. The white skull mask the other wore was also kept. It rested in a drawer with all the other knick-knacks from his life at sea.

Eventually he made it to the bedroom and lit the lantern sitting on the small nightstand. Berwald had a small collection of items as well. The folded beige coat and navy blue bandana were kept nicely in a wooden trunk near the single bed along with his beloved's hat, scarf, and tattered black long coat with the stitches on the back. A few gold coins could still be found at the bottom of the chest if he looked hard enough. His steel staff rested in a corner next to the headboard of the bed.

The cabin was chilly - a sign of uninhabitance, so Berwald started a fire in the small fireplace and mindlessly prepared dinner.

The wind howled through the windows and hallways while he worked in the kitchen, the hollow sound carrying with it the reminder that no one else was in the home except for him. The thought never failed to make his heart heavy and his hands slowed.

The winter's cold was approaching with the night.

Something came by the front door.

Knock. Knock.

"Hello, Ber? Are you in there?" The sound of someone entering and placing something down on the wooden floor could be heard.

And suddenly Berwald truly felt at home where he belonged.

He quickly set the plates and rushed over to welcome his beloved at the doorsteps.

"I'm back!" Tino's smile was in full swing as he was held by the other. Light shone in his eyes and he laughed freely when he was spun around while still embracing his lover.

"Welcome back!" Berwald immediately began showering the Finn with affection, holding his hand and guiding him to the dining table where the food on top was still nice and warm. "I made yer favorite. I also bought a box of salmiakki earlier this afternoon. Ya can have that after dinner," He smiled into the loving kiss he received for his efforts. It warmed his heart and made him ecstatic whenever he pleased the other, which was every day and very often.

"Aww you spoil me, Ber!"

"Not at all. I don't spoil you enough."

The Finn was a bit chubby now from being spoiled by the Swede and fed on a regular basis. No longer did he have to worry about a raid, rationing food, or keeping guard. The weight he put on was healthy and according to his beloved, much needed and loved. His days as a pirate were far behind him now.

The public execution was a blessing in disguise.

With the Draugen's crew focused on the Reaper's imminent demise, not much attention was paid to the runaway Lion of the North. This allowed Berwald free reign over his course of action.

Upon hearing of his beloved's sentence, of course the Swede nearly lost his mind and wanted to break down and cry.

But he didn't.

He did not allow his emotions to get the better of him this time and got right to work. He simply would not allow fate to play out this way.

While stumbling along in town, he saw the disheartened rescue group sent out to help free the rifleman before the day of the public execution. Discreetly, he met up with Ludwig and Feliciano in order to carry out a plan that would save Tino – whether he wanted it or not.

At this point in the situation, getting the Reaper out before he was shot wasn't an option, but the aftermath was still up for grabs.

They would have to fake the Reaper's death.

However, this part was the hardest to pull off – someone had to make sure that they would be close enough to "kill" the Finn without actually doing so. A dramatic and flashy near-death strike would do the trick.

It just so happened that while Berwald was pondering over this that he came across the police officer who caught and turned the Reaper in that night. The young man was riddled with guilt for what he has done and expressed his desire to repent. He had found out that the two men the pirate had killed were assaulting the woman and that the Reaper was simply helping her the only way he knew how. No one told him justice was such a fickle thing and he found himself caught between his duties and personal moral values. But with the Swede's very persuasive argument, the police officer leaned in favor of sparing the Reaper from his fate. He returned to Berwald the rifleman's heirloom flintlock pistols and grim mask.

With the help from this unlikely source, Berwald was able to take on the disguise of a rifleman responsible for the Reaper's reckoning and infiltrated the firing squad with relative ease. What was one more man eager to kill the notorious pirate?

Actually looking at Tino in the face while pointing the firearm at him made him question the entire plan and nearly ruined it.

He was tested on so many levels in that moment of stillness before the official order was given, but knew he had to do it in order to guarantee their future together. And so within seconds, Berwald broke the spell cast over the town and fired the rifle prematurely in order to feign Tino's death.

It was all so very reckless, but then again, the platinum blond always had that sort of effect on him.

Firing the shot at the smiling Finn was the hardest thing he ever did in his entire life!

He had aimed at the man's chest, seemingly going for his heart but not quite. If there was one thing he learned that was tried and true, it was that one's shot had to be deadly accurate on the Reaper, or else he would get right back up. In order to get this one shot right, he would have easily traded in a thousand bottle targets.

With the rising commotion, Berwald then made a mad dash for it and slipped away from the rabid crowd. In the meantime, Feliciano and Ludwig were already making their way around the crowd and into the fields in order to retrieve Tino and ran off with him before anyone else could suspect anything. Ludwig performed one final life-saving operation on the unconscious man before handing him over to Berwald to care for and wishing them both well. To everyone's surprise, Lovino appeared before them at the very last minute, having gathered supplies and Berwald's and the Finn's belongings to give to him as a parting gift.

The first few months of recovery were slow and half of the time the blond feared his beloved would not make it. But as time continued to march on and the sun continued to rise and set in the village he sought refuge in for the both of them, another day on earth with the other seemed more and more plausible. Tino finally opened his eyes to greet Berwald and realized what the other did for him. Cleared misunderstandings and heart-felt confessions rekindled their love and made it stronger than ever before.

His execution was the perfect cover-up and opportunity to escape. With his captain and everyone else on the Draugen thinking he was dead, his ties were officially broken. He had said his goodbyes; there was no need for regrets.

Berwald and Tino wandered the land for a while through lush forests and shivering cold fronts before deciding to settle in this town where the people were friendly and the landscape picturesque. And the farther they traveled together with the seasons passing them by, the less Berwald saw of Tino's manic side until it disappeared altogether one spring, gone with the winter's melting snow.

The former rifleman became a huntsman and worked with fellow hunters and fur traders to take down big game. Due to the nature of his job, he would often come home late and at unexpected hours. But he always did, knowing that a certain blond would be waiting for him once he got back.

Berwald hated the wait before the two would see each other again. He always felt incredibly lonely during those hours and even worrisome at times, fearing something might have gone awry during an expedition. Despite knowing that the Finn was more than capable of fending for himself, his imagination ran rampant sometimes during those dark hours.

As for Tino, he sometimes hated how his job required him to stay late and make his precious wait for him. Especially on a challenging hunt when his patience ran thin, the platinum blond's mind would wander and the depressing thoughts crept up on him. What if something happened to Berwald while he was away and the Swede wasn't there when he got home? The prospect of someone swooping in and taking his beloved away in the middle of the night still frightened him dearly. How much longer could they hold onto this bliss before it came crashing down on them from cannon fire, bullets, and blades?

No, neither of them couldn't think like that. They have already gone through all that and were never returning to it again.

"So what did you make today? Did you learn something new?"

"Mhm, I can show ya later. What about you? What did ya catch?"

"Oh you should've seen it, Ber! That elk was a clever girl,"

As they sat across from each other, had their dinner and talked enthusiastically, one of their hands would always reach over and hold the other's on the table. Using the other hand to pick up their utensils to eat, they would occasionally feed each other what was on their plate despite the fact that they were both having the same thing. Gazing longingly into each other's eyes after a short pause in their conversation, their feet would playfully knock into each other's under the table before they bursted out laughing from the silliness of it all.

With some moonlight left to spare after cleaning the table and washing the dishes, they made their way into the living room and spontaneously tried to dance to the melody they heard so long ago on the ship. Tino's footwork got better…but he was still tripping and stepping on the taller man's toes with his two left feet.

"Ready?" Berwald brought them closer, looking the other over his glasses and a playful smile tugging on his lips.

"Ready."

The two performed a dip…or at least that was the idea.

"Okay, okay…oh no no no I'm slipping! Ber pull me up!"

The Swede couldn't help but giggle when he brought the smaller man close to his chest, Tino's bubbling laughter joining his and bouncing all around the walls of the quaint living room.

"Nope, I can only twirl still," the platinum blond said between chuckles.

Some things never changed - like their love for each other.

Berwald kissed the man's thin lips. "That's okay. We'll get it someday," They could always try again tomorrow, and the day after that, and even the day after that still. It wasn't as though they were going anywhere.

From time to time they would hear word of the Draugen's conquests and acts of piracy on the sea near and far from them. The captain and his brothers were still at large and the crew wanted by officials. But lately, their movements have been more discreet and peaceful.

When they were done tripping over each other, the couple headed to their bedroom where they closed the door behind them and put out the lantern for the night.

"Mmnh…"

"You're so beautiful, Ber," After removing the other's glasses and placing them onto the nightstand beside them, Tino took the time to brush off the small bits of woodchips still clinging to his beloved as he began undressing him. The other smelled like fresh-cut timber, something the Finn couldn't get enough of. He kissed the man's shoulder blade exposed to him when he pulled off his shirt. He didn't stop shedding the other garments off that beautiful body until there was only skin to marvel and worship.

"No, you are," Berwald breathed out and returned the gesture, helping his beloved out of his hunting gear.

Shirts, undergarments, trousers, and boots all fell lazily to the floor as they made their way to the small bed.

Berwald hovered over his lover on the mattress, massaging the muscles he knew were still there on the other's body, kissing up and down pale skin decorated with scars. He saw Tino close his eyes from the ministration, humming pleasantly while reaching a hand out to run his fingers through his blond hair.

"That's nice, Ber,"

The taller man slowed when his lips reached the spot near his lover's heart. A scar caused by a bullet wound joined the one made by Ivan in that area. Berwald looked at it with guilt, knowing he was the one who made this mark on his beloved. Tentatively he kissed the spot, fingers running over the marred skin apologetically.

"Don't be sad, my love," Tino's voice broke through his conscience.

He felt warm hands cup his face and bring him up to meet a pair of lips. "Tino…I'm-"

"It's all right," the Finn shushed him with another kiss. He would continue to comfort his beloved until he no longer felt guilty for what he had done. "This is nothing, I've been dealt worse. Plus, I should be the one apologizing," He offered the other a sad smile. "I made you cry so many-mmn!"

Berwald could no longer stand seeing Tino so sad and being sorry for someone like him, so he decided to break away from the guilty cycle by kissing the man senseless and reaching for the oil in the drawer of their bedside table. "I love you, Tino," With violet eyes on him, he straddled the other before coating his fingers with the slippery substance and reaching around back to prepare himself. He only got so far as parting his cheeks and getting half of his index finger inside when strong hands reached for his own and held them there.

"Let me do this for you, Ber," Tino cooed, pulling the taller man down to sit snugly on his lap. He kissed the other's ear lightly while coating his own fingers with oil and picking up where his lover left off. "I want to do this for you."

Berwald was always used to having to do everything for himself to please the customer back at the brothel. He could only trust himself to get the job done in order to prevent incurring any more injuries on his person. But he knew he was in good hands now – he was in Tino's hands. He felt safe with the other and trusted him wholeheartedly. So without a second thought, he abandoned what he was doing and instead chose to wrap his arms around the platinum blond's shoulders, burying his nose into the crook of his neck and inhaling the scent of the other's recent hunt that clung to him while mumbling words of endearment.

Tino took his beloved's trust very seriously and carefully opened him up. With Berwald still embracing him from the front, he wound a hand around the Swede's waist and slipped it down under while the other hand remained on the man's lower back, stroking the sensitive spot there reverently.

When both deemed themselves ready, Tino rolled them over gently on the small bed, staring into cyan eyes for approval. He immediately received it and proceeded to join their bodies, becoming one. Legs wrapped around his waist and he locked lips with the other man before moving.

They searched for each other's hands in the midst of their lovemaking and found it. Hand in loving hand, the wooden rings Berwald made for the both of them intertwined and clacked against their melded fingers.

"I love you," Berwald chanted between kisses, rocking into Tino so that their hips remained close.

"I love you too, my dear,"

Their smoldering bodies continued their dance on the white bed accompanied by the orchestra of pleasured voices and sweet nothings.

It was slow and romantic, the lovers taking their time and enjoying all that the other had to offer. It wasn't a mad rush for satisfaction as if it would be their last. It wasn't some frantic, animalistic urge spurred on by the ever-present premonition that their lives were in danger. No, it was love – and each of them had a lot of it to give to the other. They had time now.

"Aaah," Berwald focused on every sensation, taking everything in and appreciating it. Tino's violet eyes were magnificent as they peered into his own cyan ones, their hands squeezed tightly together to his sides. The way his beloved felt inside of him was simply amazing, stretching and filling him, completing him in every way possible. With their bodies so close, his arousal rubbed deliciously between their stomachs, adding to the stimulation. Gentle waves of pleasure built up and collected with each thrust, each kiss, each touch.

"Ber…I'm…"

"Me too…"

Both of them closed their eyes during their climax, the image of their lover's face the last thing they saw before their world went blissfully white.

When they both came back down to earth and opened their eyes, smiles and warm embraces remained.

"Hm?" Tino noticed Berwald was still clinging onto his waist, his legs refusing to let him go.

Stay with me…inside me…was the silent request.

Tino stared in complete awe at the other man. He loved Berwald so much and Berwald him that he had to constantly remind himself that this wasn't all a dream. The surrounding warmth helped in this matter.

Repositioning themselves under the blanket in preparation for sleep, they both laughed and smiled carefreely as they laid there peacefully, lips constantly seeking their missing half, limbs entangled and bodies as one.

They held the other in their arms, fingers tracing idly over scars both old and new. Violet and cyan eyes continued to look into the other, promising to see each other again the next day.

"I love you, Berwald." Tino said with a beating heart, mended mind, and living soul.

"I love you too, Tino." Berwald responded quickly and without hesitation. He meant every word with all his heart full of love, healed body, and optimistic outlook.

The Reaper and the Lion of the North were no more – there was only Tino and Berwald now.

The Swede's story was not exactly like the ones in novels or seafarers' tales, but it was his story, his future...and he wouldn't have written it out any other way.

They no longer lived the life of adventure out at sea, the ones of legends told in full saloons and bars. No, they were now humble folks living with just enough.

But that didn't matter.

All that mattered was that they were at peace, free at last, and right next to each other.