((So, I realized two things. I initially put the beginning of the story in October and had it snowing. I have changed my mind about this because it is simply unrealistic. I have never witnessed October snow in Louisville. Secondly, Tino was released from the hospital too soon. I guess I'll just leave it. Suspension of disbelief FTW.))

XxXx

It wasn't long until Tino found himself in his parents' living room, his injured leg propped up on a massive pile of pillows. Though the TV was on, Tino couldn't concentrate: the noisy shuffle and chatter of his parents bringing the suitcases through the front door was far too distracting.

Berwald, meanwhile, sat in a high backed armchair across the dimly lit, wood paneled room. His eyes, as intense as ever, were trained on Tino. "Shall I h'lp them?"

Tino, still groggy from his stay in the hospital, sighed. "No, it's fine." He said, trying not to think about the communication nightmare that would undoubtedly occur if he allowed the Viking to do so.

"Ve'ry well." Berwald focused his attention to the harsh mechanical glow of the TV. "Still don' understand how those pictures move."

Tino smiled at Berwald's naivety. "Don't worry about it, just relax. We've had a long day."

"Tino, how are you feeling?" His mother was standing in the doorway, leaning on the frame slightly. Her grey hair was plastered to her face with sweat.

"Tired." said Tino, "but I have Berwald here to keep me company."

His mother smiled, "I'm surprised. He sure is well behaved. "

"I thought you didn't trust him."

"Well, no, I don't trust Berwald completely just yet. A mother's gotta look out for her son, you know! Especially when he's hurt."

"Mom, he may be kind of clueless, but he's not a bad guy."

Tino's mother had taken a seat on the arm of the sofa. She patted Tino's cast lightly with a bony hand.

"He's a Viking, dear. Don't you remember what they taught you in history class?"

Tino couldn't counter his mother's argument. Vikings pillaged and burned, they even had the audacity to slaughter defenseless monks in Lindisfarne. How then, could Tino be sure that Berwald wouldn't turn on him? But still, Berwald's behavior was rather atypical for a Viking Warrior, and Tino never felt as though he were in danger around him. He glanced over at Berwald, who sat in silence. No doubt he was listening for English words he recognized.

"Tino hurt. Help?" Berwald was trying to communicate with Tino's mother in English. He sounded like a caricature of a caveman.

"No. I can take care of him." It was clear that Berwald didn't understand everything she had said, but realized that his aid was not needed.

"Perkele, Tarja, where will that Swede be sleeping?" Tino recognized his father's rough voice right away. The balding man stood in the doorway, the suitcases containing Berwald's clothing hanging from his hands.

"Marko, I told you already, we're giving him the air mattress!" replied Tino's slightly exasperated mother.

"You sure they won't share a room?" His father spat, "Bet that Viking's gay, too. Damn Swede."

"DAD!" Tino shouted, forgetting that Berwald likely didn't understand and therefore wouldn't be offended.

"You could at least be more welcoming." His mother added.

Tino watched as his father's face fell, almost apologetically. The man really had no filter between his brain and mouth, and it could be very off-putting to those who didn't know him. "Sorry, son. Guess I should be thankful you two aren't, well, intimate."

Tino didn't feel like arguing with his father, so he laid back. "Don't worry about it."

"I'll take the bags upstairs." and with that, he left the room.

A silent lull filled the room, and for a moment, nobody spoke. Finally, Tino's mother leaned over Tino's ear, letting loose a small whisper; "If you two are together, you can tell me."

He couldn't deny his feelings for Berwald, feelings that grew stronger by the second, but Tino couldn't bring himself to say anything. Instead, he just embraced his mother around the neck, allowing her maternal warmth to fill his tired body.

XxXx

After both Tino and Berwald's beds were set up, Tino's father retreated to the shed out back. He wouldn't show up until dinner was ready. Tino knew. Every time his father was under a great amount of stress, he would hide himself behind his latest carpentry project.

Tino's mother, meanwhile, had gone to the grocery store to pick up some salmon for dinner. She had almost taken Berwald with her; she feared leaving her son alone with him. Tino pointed out that he had lived alone with Berwald for some time, and his mother relented and allowed them to sit in the living room together. Alone.

Tino didn't want Berwald to leave his side; he felt strange about the fact but was through denying it. He liked, no, loved, the handsome Swede's company.

"Tino, what did yer f'ther call me?" asked Berwald. Tino opened his tired eyes and turned to Berwald. This was going to sting. Almost as much as the time his father had called his high school boyfriend a "flaming faggot". Maybe even more so than that time.

"Gay, homosexual. Both are words for men who don't fall in love with or have sexual attraction to women. I'm gay, I only like guys."

Berwald's eyes widened, "Like a fuðflogi?"

It took Tino a moment to recall one of Lukas' numerous rants on Viking society to remember what that word meant; one who fleas the female sexual organ. "Yes, exactly." Tino's voice was soft.

"Th'ts w't they called me." Berwald's face was downcast.

"Don't be ashamed," said Tino, placing a hand onto the side of Berwald's face, "Neither of us can change it."

"M'know, m' not ashamed t' love ya."

It sounded cheesy. Like something out of one of his aunt's trashy romance novels, But Tino didn't care. This utterance was the straw that broke the camel's back; the one thing that made Tino finally bring his love out of hiding.

"I think I love you." He whispered, drawing his face closer to Berwald's. It took him a moment to realize what he was doing. Instinctively, he shut his eyes and wrapped an arm languidly around Berwald's sturdy neck. In almost an instant, he felt a calloused paw of a hand cupping his cheek. Tino leaned in and forgot the rest of the world.

The dull pain in his leg no longer mattered, only the slide of lips and tongue against his own. They were entangled and desperate. A kiss, a mutual kiss. One that had been waiting patiently to take place. "I've instigated a make out session!" Tino thought as they finally broke away.

"M'sorry." said Berwald, "Only been here a short time, too soon?"

"No, not too soon. I've known you since before I was born." Tino grinned at what he thought was a cleaver comment. He would have to write that one down! "So, um, can we do it again? Maybe?"

Berwald didn't have to be asked twice. He leaned in for yet another kiss. Tino swore he felt his brain melt.

"VOI LUOJA!"

Neither Tino nor Berwald had heard the door open. Abruptly, they both ended their kiss and snapped their heads in the direction of the shout.

Tino's father loomed in the doorway, open mouthed and thoroughly covered with sawdust. "I come in to get a glass of water and find you…..you. Why couldn't I have a real son?"

Tino bit his lip. This was hardly new. Every boyfriend that Tino managed to bring home during his high school and college years got this same treatment. It was a Väinämöinen rite of passage. Marko, his father, attempted to scare away every man that touched Tino in the desperate hope that his son would "grow out of his queer phase" and find a nice young lady to settle down with.

Before Tino could act, Berwald stood up from his kneeling position and swaggered over to his father, towering above the short statured Finn and attempting to slice him to bits with his gaze alone. Of course, Marko Väinämöinen couldn't back down, even from a fight he couldn't win, so he lifted his head and clenched his fists.

"Don't!" Tino wished that he could get up and break up this fight like he did in the mall, but his injury made this impossible. Instead, he shouted. "Don't fight, damn it!"

"Son, I'm doing what's best for you, this man is dangerous."

"No, you just pissed him off. Back up and let me talk to him." Tino heard his own voice, it sounded alien, as though someone with an identical voice were shouting at him under water. No. He was feeling light headed. He couldn't pass out now, he just couldn't! As Tino's vision faded, he could have sworn that he saw Berwald rushing towards him, shouting his name silently.

XxXx

((I know that this chapter was short, but the next chapter will be uploaded within the next few days. Fun fact: Vikings could have sex with other men, so long as they were on top and produced offspring with a woman. Those who didn't could get into trouble with the law!))