Notes:

This fic has now an increased rating as a result of this chapter. Part of this chapter is nsfw, and the start of it has been marked with * should you wish to skip it. I couldn't stop myself, and this is the first time I've ever written nsfw content so I'm very sorry in advance. I hope you like this chapter, I'm not too sure on it as I'm having a bit of writer's block with this fic.

Any feedback is much appreciated!

Oh and Caoimhe is pronounced like 'kee-va', it's an Irish name :)

Chapter 17 – älskling

"Okay Emil, you can clock off now. It's 6:30." Sadık said as he stuck his head around the doorframe leading to the stockroom around the back of the counter just as Emil stacked the last of the boxes of olives that had come in on delivery.

He had just finished his induction shift at Venus, the Turkish supermarket that he'd interviewed for a couple of weeks back. Owned by Sadık, it was a small store ran by himself with the help of the other two employees, Iakovos and Caoimhe. Iakovos, or Isak as he insisted on being nicknamed, was quite short and stocky and probably a couple of years older than Emil who hadn't said much when Sadık had introduced them. Whereas Caoimhe was also 17 like Emil and quite boisterous in comparison with fiery red hair. She'd been in charge of showing Emil around and explaining what his job would be, and already she had got on Emil's nerves with her blasé attitude.

It was apparent that she didn't really take much pride in her job even though she seemed to know what she was doing. She was honest with the fact that she was only really there for the money. In a sense, so was Emil, but he at least wanted to be a good employee too. Luckily she'd gone home at 6, leaving Emil on his own in the back for half an hour of peace while he finished putting away the delivery.

He stepped down from the step ladder and untied his apron, hanging it up on the pegs by the stockroom door and followed Sadık.

"So how'd you find your first day?" Sadık said as he put his jacket on and held the front door open for Emil. He flicked off the lights once they were both outside and Emil shoved his hands in his pockets as Sadık pulled the shutters down.

"Fine, thank you. No complaints." Emil shrugged, and Sadık turned and grinned up at him from where he was crouched on the pavement fastening the padlock on the shutter.

"Caoimhe didn't drive you too crazy did she?"

Emil had to suppress an eye roll at the mention of Caoimhe as Sadık stood up and they began to walk toward the car park. He didn't answer the question, but realised he didn't need to as Sadık laughed at the expression on his face.

"You'll warm to her, I promise. She's a lot to take in at first, but she works hard despite the impression she might have given off."

They stopped by Sadık's car and he unlocked it with his keyfob, the lights flashing as he did so.

"Well you did great today, so the job's officially yours if you want it. It's not much I know, but for a student it's probably all you're gonna get, and I wanna make sure I give the young'uns who want to work an opportunity. I'll see you Sunday afternoon for your next shift?"

Emil couldn't help but smile a little as he nodded.

When he thought about getting a job instead of going to college Emil didn't really have a job like this in mind. But Sadık was kind, and he hadn't turned down Emil's application simply because of his age like every other place he'd sent his CV to. He'd given him a chance, and Emil was grateful. In a way, Emil was looking forward to learning a thing or two. Venus was a popular store in the heart of the downtown part of the city that Sadık had built up from the ground, and so he would learn a skill or two about business while he worked.

"Sure. I'll see you Sunday." Emil said, taking his earbuds out of his pocket and untangling them before turning to walk to the subway station, waving to Sadık as he got into the car. When he pulled out of the car park and drove past Emil just as he started down the steps to the subway station he honked his horn and waved at him from the car window.

Emil smiled as he put his earbuds in and pressed play on his 'feel good' Spotify playlist, a spring in his step.

Tino was pacing the living room when Emil arrived home just after 7pm. He'd been feeling more and more anxious as the day had gone on, and since he'd started to get ready for dinner at Berwald's he'd changed his outfit three times, not liking how everything he put on seemed to cling to him in all the wrong places around his stomach and thighs as he stood in front of the mirror.

He didn't feel this nervous at work when he saw Berwald, but the fact that things were beginning to move past just a co-worker fling probably had something to do with it.

"Hey, I'm home." Tino heard the door close and Emil's voice float through from the hallway. Peering round the door Tino watched as Emil hung his jacket up and kicked his shoes off before he looked up and saw him.

"Oh, Tino, you look nice," he said, following Tino into the living room, "are you going somewhere?"

Tino smoothed out his sweater and smiled, pleased at the compliment even if it was only from Emil who was never anything but kind to him. He'd eventually settled on an oversized, red wine coloured mohair sweater, skinny jeans, and borrowed a pair of Lukas's leather brogues that were polished and ready by the door for him to put on once Berwald was outside to pick him up.

"Oh I'm just going to Berwald's for dinner," he said, then wiggled his eyebrows a little as Emil held up his hand for a high five, a grin breaking out across his face at the news of Tino's date.

"But it doesn't matter about me, how was your first shift?" Tino didn't leave Emil hanging, playfully returning the high five and squeezing his hand a little before letting go.

"It was fine. Sadık is really nice, and the other employee's seem okay. My first full shift is on Sunday." Emil flopped down onto the couch, and Lukas came out from the bathroom, wringing out his hair with a towel.

"I'm glad for you, Emil, just make sure that this job doesn't interfere too much with your exams and graduation." Lukas said, and Emil rolled his eyes.

"It won't. It's just Weekends and a couple of evening shifts after school. Don't stress, Lukas."

Tino clasped his hands together, "I know you'll be fine. You can learn things from having a job that you just can't be taught in school." He said, then remembered something, "Oh, Leon came by earlier. I think he wanted to hang out but I told him you were at work. I said I would let you know."

Tino noticed a puzzled expression cross Emil's face as he sighed and dragged a hand across his face, and he glanced at Lukas for a moment across the room who just shrugged at his brothers' odd reaction to his best friend calling on him.

"I'm sure I told him I had my trial shift today. Whatever, I'll text him. Thanks Tino." Emil said as he got up from the couch and wandered to the kitchen, yanking the fridge open and taking out some left over mac and cheese from last night's dinner. He excused himself and took it to his room, leaving Lukas and Tino stood in the living room.

"Well, that was short and sweet." Tino said, chuckling a little and pulling his phone from his pocket as it vibrated.

"What else do you expect from Emil?" Lukas sighed as he took a seat on the couch, stretching out and placing a cushion behind his head.

"Oh my god, he's here already! It's only twenty past 7, he said half past!" Tino cried, his hand flying up into his hair and he tugged on it a little, glancing between Lukas on the couch and his phone in his hand.

"What should I do? Do I look too eager if I'm ready already? Should I make him wait until half past?" he began to ramble as he crossed the room and pulled the curtains back, staring at the car parked on the street below.

"Tino, for goodness sake, will you stop worrying? You've been drivin' me crazy fretting all afternoon. Don't make him wait. You'll seem like an asshole if you do that. I'm sure he would appreciate you being ready a little early." Lukas said, straining his neck to look at Tino over the couch arm.

Tino came away from the window and smiled weakly at Lukas, his voice of reason as always.

"But what if it's awkward?" Tino chewed on a loose piece of skin around his thumbnail and Lukas sat up, tossing the cushion to one side.

"It won't be awkward. But if it is, text me and I'll come and pick you up. We'll make an excuse." Lukas said, then paused as he began to stand up from the couch, "I'll come down with you to greet him if you want."

"No! No, that would be awkward. But thanks, Lu." Tino flailed and pushed Lukas gently back down onto the couch. The sentiment was sweet, and Tino knew that Lukas wouldn't have seen the weirdness in him walking Tino down from the apartment and waving him off as he got in the car like some sort of proud parent or sibling. Nope, too embarrassing.

He walked into the hallway and began to put his shoes on, bending down to tie the laces and then straightened up, peering into the mirror.

"It's just a quiet date. You were the one who wanted this, remember?" Tino muttered to himself as he subconsciously went to check his teeth in the mirror, before he remembered he didn't have to do it anymore now that his braces were gone. Thankful for the unexpected confidence boost that his now straight smile gave him, he took his jacket down from the hook and opened the door.

"Right, I'm going!" he called to Lukas as he started out the door.

"Have fun! Remember to use a condom!" Lukas called back, and Tino felt his face furiously heat up.

"Fuck off, Lukas!"

He slammed the door closed and draped his coat over his arm, quickly stepping down the stairs leading to the backdoor and making his way out into the alley. He didn't know if he were more annoyed at Lukas's sassy comment or the fact that he probably wasn't going to even be able to have sex tonight even if he wanted to with Berwald's son under the same roof. Once outside, Tino could hear the low thrum of the engine from Berwald's car and the headlights shone blindingly, bouncing off the brick wall of the back of Lukas's shop. Taking in a breath before his nerves got the better of him he walked over to the car and slid into the passenger seat.

"Hi Ber." He said, putting his coat by his feet in the foot well and reached for his seatbelt. As soon as he was in the car and his eyes fell on Berwald, his nerves seemed to disappear instantly. Berwald looked smart. He was dressed in a dark blue shirt and black jeans, and it looked like he'd had his hair cut too, it was cropped a little shorter. He looked hot.

"Hi. Wow." Berwald said, and Tino glanced up at him from where he was fiddling with his seatbelt as he clicked it into the buckle.

"What?"

"Nothin'." Berwald shook his head and grinned a little, looking away from Tino and casting his gaze out of the windshield as he put the car into gear and slowly dropped down from the kerb. As Berwald stopped at the intersection and waited for an opening in the traffic so he could pull out, Tino heard a small murmur and twisted a little in his seat to look over his shoulder at the back seat. There, slumped in his car seat, was Peter. His little blond head against the car door, fast asleep. His feet were bare and he was in a pair of blue pyjamas, the plush giraffe that Tino had noticed previously strewn across the back window ledge grasped tightly to his chest as he slept.

Tino turned back around and caught Berwald looking at him, his expression unsure.

"We drove around a little before we came to pick you up. He gets sleepy in the car and I thought it might be easier for ya if he was asleep." Berwald muttered, and Tino felt a little guilty that he had put this much thought into introducing him to his son. Berwald had obviously picked up on the fact that he was a little uncomfortable with the thought of Peter, and Tino felt bad that he hadn't tried to hide it very well.

"It's his bedtime at 8, so he won't be up for too long after we get back and he's had his dinner already-"

Tino placed his hand over Berwald's as it rested on the gear stick and squeezed it a little.

"Please don't worry. I'm looking forward to meeting him." Tino said, meeting Berwald's eye as he quickly glanced away from the road. Although he was still a little apprehensive, Tino knew that it must be taking a lot for Berwald to feel comfortable enough to introduce him to Peter and was probably feeling just as weird about it, if not more so, and Tino wanted to try and get used to the idea.

As they drove along the main road, Tino and Berwald talked quietly about this and that, and soon enough they slowed down and Berwald brought the car to a stop on his driveway. As he turned the engine off and began to get out of the car, Tino glanced at the outside of his house, a little brick end terrace with steep stone steps leading to the front door. He sucked in a breath then unbuckled his seatbelt and got out.

He closed the car door gently and listened as Berwald roused Peter from his sleep and lifted him from the car seat, closing the rear door with his hip and walked around the back of the car. Peter was still sleepy, and snuggled close to Berwald's neck as he blinked at Tino.

"Daddy cleaned the house for you. I helped." Peter mumbled, and Tino couldn't help but smile as a small blush broke across Berwald's face as he stepped past him and climbed the four steps to the front door. Peter was still blinking at Tino from over Berwald's shoulder as he unlocked the door, and Tino wondered why he'd ever been so concerned at the thought of the little 5 year old.

He stepped inside after Berwald and closed the front door, kicking his shoes off as Berwald set Peter down. The hallway was narrow, with a staircase immediately to the right and two open door frames to the left, one leading to the kitchen and one to the living room. The ceilings were high and the decorating style was modern and fresh for such an old house with a varnished wooden floor throughout. There was a wonderful smell coming from the kitchen and Tino followed Berwald and Peter down the hall.

"Tino look! I cleaned this for you today. Dad said we needed to make the house extra special." Peter took hold of his hand and pulled Tino toward the glass patio doors on the other side of the kitchen that led out into the back yard. In the darkness outside Tino could just make out a swing set and a little trampoline. Peter pointed to the glass door,

"I'm going to be a window cleaner when I grow up." He said proudly, then let go of Tino's hand and ran over to Berwald as he was stirring something in a pot on the stove.

"Dad, can I show Tino my things? Do you think he'll like my Lego zoo that I made?"

Peter swung from Berwald's leg, suddenly full of energy,

"Maybe next time, Peter. Right now ya need to go and brush your teeth please. Bedtime soon." Berwald chided, not looking away from the stove and Peter groaned,

"Do I have to?" he whined, then sighed, defeated, when Berwald simply nodded and pointed towards the doorway. He trudged out of the kitchen, disappearing upstairs. His anger at being sent to get ready for bed didn't last more than a couple of seconds though as Tino heard him singing a song to himself from the bathroom.

Tino wandered over to the stove and stood next to Berwald, peering into the pot.

"Mmm, that smells good. So what's on the menu, Chef Ox?" he said with a smile, nudging Berwald a little with his shoulder.

Berwald straightened up a little, pulling his shoulders back and Tino didn't miss the smirk on his face.

"Well, for starters we got fresh guacamole and dip, then for the main course it's a beef and red wine chilli. I haven't decided what we're having for desert yet, I thought you could let me know what you want."

Although Tino knew that Berwald could be quite playful, it still shocked him each time he said something that could be interpreted in a different way.

"Oh really? We'll I'll just have to think about that then." Tino said as he slid his hand into the back pocket of Berwald's jeans, looking up into Berwald's face then tiled his head up a little as Berwald leaned down and brought their lips together. The kiss was soft and sweet compared to the way they had last been all over each other in Berwald's workshop, but yet it made Tino's skin prickle over even more. The tenderness pretty much confirmed the feelings that were developing between the pair of them, both wanting to move away from just an office hook-up. Tino pulled away first, and placed his hand over Berwald's that had cupped his cheek.

Then at the sound of little footsteps coming down the stairs, Berwald stepped away, a sorry expression on his face, and scooped Peter up as he appeared in the doorway.

"All clean Dad!" Peter announced, smiling widely at Berwald, flashing his teeth then giggled as Berwald blew a raspberry kiss against his cheek.

Tino leaned against the kitchen counter and watched them for a moment as Berwald held Peter close to him, tickling him as he shrieked and writhed in his arms. Peter seemed like a good kid, and the way that Berwald was with him made him even more attractive to Tino, though he couldn't quite work out why. Perhaps it was the way his whole face softened when he looked at Peter as though he were the most precious thing in the world, or the way that he spoke to him, full of love and care. Whatever it was, Tino felt his heart warm.

After Peter had said goodnight to Tino and Berwald had taken him up to bed and read him a quick story, Tino sat in the living room nursing a glass of wine. He'd looked around at the photos on the mantelpiece and on the coffee table, the majority of them were of Peter from a baby up to the 5 year old he'd met today. One was of another child however. He looked to be a couple of years older than Peter, with strawberry blond hair and when Tino stood up to take a closer look at the photo he noticed that the boy was sat on the lap of a woman with long hair. She had the same crooked smile and expression as Berwald.

His attention had been drawn away from the photographs when Berwald came down the stairs and called Tino through to the kitchen. Just as Tino walked in he'd finished lighting a candle in the middle of the table and stood a little awkwardly beside it, fiddling with his shirt sleeves as he pushed them up to his elbows.

"Dinner's served." He said, then pulled a chair out for Tino and motioned for him to sit.

The meal was delicious; though Berwald brushed off the compliments when Tino told him so and refilled Tino's glass of wine whenever he'd emptied it.

Three glasses later, they were onto the main course and Tino started to feel a little intoxicated so he stood up to get himself a glass of water.

"Are you not having any wine, Ber?" he asked as he sat back down again and eyed Berwald's own half empty glass of water.

"Can't, gotta drive you back home later." Berwald said simply between mouthfuls, and Tino couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that Berwald hadn't thought that he might want to stay the night.

"Well, what if I don't want you to drive me home? What if I wanted to stay here?"

Feeling bold, Tino took his wine glass and poured some red wine from the near empty bottle into it then slid it toward Berwald across the table. Berwald looked up from his plate, to the wine glass, then to Tino, and Tino noticed him swallow thickly.

"You sure?" he said lowly, and only picked up the wine and took a sip when Tino nodded, his small smile hidden behind the glass.

Now that he'd met Peter and gotten comfortable with the idea that he would be around, Tino knew that he wanted whatever was between he and Berwald to go somewhere. He really liked him, and could either sit and ponder at where this relationship might go, or actively do something about it.

They had stayed up into the early hours of the morning after they finished dinner, and Berwald had gotten out another bottle of wine. Leaving the dishes in the sink, Berwald lead Tino into the living room and they'd sat on the sofa and just talked. Tino asked about the photograph and the other child, and Berwald had told him all about his family back in Sweden. His sister, Linnea, was the woman in the photo, and the boy was her son, Elias. Tino listened as Berwald described them and told stories of how Elias and Peter would play together when they visited one another, and gently squeezed Berwald's shoulder when he said how it had been a couple of years since he'd seen his family last.

There was a certain air of pleasant domesticity that Tino felt when he was with Berwald that he'd never felt with anyone else that he'd dated. At first he wasn't sure if it was a good thing for him to feel so soon, but as the night drew on, Tino thought about how he could sit on that couch nestled against Berwald and find out everything there was to know about him and never tire of being beside him.

As it neared 2am, the second bottle of wine was empty and Berwald had commented on how Tino's sweater was the same colour as he lifted it from him and tossed it to the living room floor. Tino was too tipsy to feel self-conscious about his body as Berwald admired him and nipped along the skin across his collarbone. They'd kissed on the couch until both of their lips began to get sore and Berwald ran his hands over Tino's body as he lay underneath him, a hardness now growing in both of their pants.

Tino had nearly tripped on the stairs in his haste as he and Berwald went up to the bedroom, trying to keep as quiet as they could as they crept past Peter's room. Once inside the bedroom, Berwald closed the door and Tino worked on unbuttoning his shirt between messy kisses, and as soon as his shirt was off Berwald stepped forward, pushing Tino down onto the mattress as the back of his legs hit the bedframe when he stepped back. Tino then watched for a moment as Berwald stood at the foot of the bed, gazing at him from underneath lust heavy eyelids and admired how incredibly sexy he was as he stood there shirtless, touching himself through his jeans, rubbing his hand against the bulge that was straining against the dark denim.

Tino undid the button on his own jeans and shifted so that he was kneeling on the bed, his knees sinking into the soft comforter. He wiggled his jeans over his hips and his ass, leaving them bunched half way down his thighs, not fussed about trying to take them all the way off and listened as Berwald drew in a sharp breath at the sight of his cock tenting his thin underwear. He was now incredibly hard, his pre-cum staining the grey fabric dark.

"God, Tino-" Berwald exhaled as Tino crawled forward best he could on the bed while his legs were restricted by his trousers half way undone and unzipped Berwald's jeans. Berwald rolled his hips forward as Tino yanked them down, pulling his boxers down with them, revealing his heavy erection. Tino watched as Berwald's face flushed and his mouth hung open slightly, a perfect picture of debauchery and longing to be touched.

"Ber, can I?" Tino asked, his voice low and breathy. He was now at the edge of the bed, Berwald's cock only inches from his mouth as he breathed hotly over it.

"Please." Berwald managed to groan between gritted teeth, and Tino thought that his legs were about to give way as he brought a hand into Tino's hair and balled his fist when he took the length into his mouth, pressing his tongue against the shaft. He placed one hand on Berwald's hip, the other in his pants to stroke himself as he hummed against Berwald's cock at the back of his throat. Berwald tipped his head back a little, only taking his hand from Tino's hair to quickly take his glasses from his face and toss them onto the bed before they returned to the soft blond locks. Then he groaned a little too loudly, removing a hand from Tino's hair again to clamp it over his mouth as Tino bobbed his head a little, swallowing deeply around Berwald's dick.

Tino smiled around it and swallowed again, liking the reaction he'd gotten the first time while drawing small circles with his finger on Berwald's hip.

"Fuck, Tino, I'm gonna come-" Berwald grunted, quickly pulling out of Tino's mouth before he could.

"I wanna come with you, wanna touch you." He said, his words coming out in shaky breaths as he kicked away his jeans and underwear off that had fallen around his ankles after Tino had pulled them down. Shifting on the bed so that he was lay on his back, Tino pulled his own underwear down, his erection almost painful and looked at Berwald as he climbed onto the bed and placed his arms on either side of Tino's head, palms splayed, so that he was gazing down on him. He watched as Berwald's blue eyes swept over his body before he leaned the majority of his weight on one arm, his biceps tensing with the effort as he lifted the other hand away from the bed and brought it to Tino's nipple, his fingers moulding the soft flesh around it before taking it between his thumb and first finger and twisting it causing Tino to buck his hips a little.

"Just touch me already, I need to come." Tino said, his words commanding, and Berwald didn't need to be told twice. He dropped down on the bed so that he was side by side with Tino and took both of their erections in his hand, pressing them together as he jerked them both off. He started off slowly, his thumb tracing the slit at the head of Tino's cock, then pumped faster and faster until he came hard, turning his face and groaning and panting into the pillow under his head, followed by Tino, spilling hot and thick over their stomachs as they were tangled together on the bed. Berwald looked at Tino as he came, but Tino wasn't looking at him and instead was watching how hot it was as Berwald jerked them off, their cocks pressed together.

Sunlight streamed in through the thin voile curtains the next morning, and for a moment Tino forgot where he was until he rolled over and felt Berwald's warm body against his own. He turned over fully so that he was looking at Berwald as he slept, his usually stern expression relaxed in his sleep.

Then, peering under the covers, Tino had to check that he was in fact naked as he thought back to last night to confirm that it hadn't been one big wet dream, a huge grin breaking out across his face as he buried it in the duvet when he realised that it had been real. His head was throbbing a little and knew he had a hangover coming on as a result off too much wine, but couldn't bring himself to care. It was worth it. He felt Berwald stirring, and when he brought his face from the duvet and tucked it under his chin so that he could get a look at Berwald, he watched him as he rubbed his eyes a little and cracked them open.

"Tino," he breathed, as though he couldn't quite believe that Tino was still there, naked and warm in his bed beside him.

"Morning handsome." Tino whispered, snuggling a little closer to Berwald and resting his head on his chest as Berwald kissed the top of it. He dragged his foot up Berwald's calf, humming to himself as he felt Berwald tense beside him.

"About last night…" he began, his foot trailing higher until his leg was draped over Berwald under the covers, "What does this make us?"

Berwald laughed, and Tino turned to look at him,

"You mean you wanna be more than just co-workers who make out in secret?" he said, and Tino placed a soft kiss against the crook of his neck.

"Mm-hmm. I want us to be co-workers who wine and dine each other until we sneak upstairs to fool around." He mumbled against Berwald's neck, then shrieked a little as Berwald slid his arm underneath him and rolled them over so that Tino was laid on top of him and wrapped his arms around him, pinning him there.

"I think we already did that part. How 'bout co-workers who decide to take things slow… co-workers who are-"

"Boyfriends?" Tino cut him off, smiling down into Berwald's face.

"Boyfriends." Berwald confirmed, and Tino pulled the duvet over their heads, bringing their lips together once again.

Notes:

Boyfriends.

Thank you so much for reading and for giving this fic so much love, I really appreciate it! I really hope that this chapter is alright. I know not much happened, but I this chapter is the peak of the story now so I wanted to be quite slow with it as the boyfriend's finally become official after the slow burn lol.

See you all next chapter! I promise it won't be so long before I update again.

-lumassen x