Lars- Ladonia

…

Here we go, more characters! Also some Sufin, ladkug, and micronation ocs. The ocs being Björn and Eemeli. Björn is Peteradnan's oc for the Bjornsocialist republic in Sweden, Berwald's youngest biological son whilst Eemeli is my oc for Valtio, the micronation in Finland and Tino's only biological son. Also, Yrjan and Hemming are more Swedish micronations, personifying Jamtland and Wikingland respectively, but you don't need to know much about them yet.

...

"Hey, Lars?" Franz yawned as he stumbled through his front door, glancing in the hall mirror and sighing at his tattered dress and tangled hair.

The flat was still and quiet, and Franz couldn't help but feel more than a little nervous as he entered the sitting room, stylish and modern, decorated by Franz himself. Late morning sunlight filtered in through the windows, onto a motionless body.

But Lars Oxenstjärna-Edelstein was only sleeping, slumped at his computer desk, snoring and drooling over his drawing tablet.

"He's pushing himself again," Franz sighed. He walked over to his husband and nudged him awake. Lars blinked slowly, lifting his head up, ginger hair tousled and glasses askew.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Franz murmured with a small smile.

"Is it morning already?" Lars fixed his glasses and dived under the desk, presumably to retrieve his tablet pen.

"Afraid so," replied Franz, "I told you not to wait up for me."

"Well, I didn't, in the end. Where is that damn thing… Aha! Found it-OW!" There was a bump, and Lars emerged from under the table, clutching his head in one hand and his pen in the other. "I wanted to be there for you when you came in, so did a bit of work to pass the time." He stared at his computer screen and frowned, "it seems I didn't get a lot done."

"Well don't push yourself so hard!"

"But I need to get them done and-" Lars glanced up and cried out, "what happened to you?"

"Oh?" Franz looked at his bandaged arm and laughed, "not much! You should see the other guy! Well, you can't cause Peter killed him, but still…"

"How horrible for you both!" Lars exclaimed, standing up and pulling his husband into a hug.

"Sounds like we could both do with a nice relax and a sleep," Franz commented, taking off his shoes, a pair of pumps he found in the cloakroom at HQ. "Luckily I'm off until next week!"

"That's fantastic," Lars grinned, "we can spend some time together at last. If I can just get these few illustrations done…"

"I know. I'd love to get some drawing done myself. Never have any time to do that anymore." He sighed, "I hope Peter can manage without me for a few days."

"He can, probably," Lars replied, "is my brother okay?"

"A bit injured too, but he'll pull through. He's well enough to go to work before me though."

"That's making me worry even more," Lars groaned, plopping down on the sofa. Franz joined him. "You won't be there to keep him out of trouble!"

"I'm not his babysitter, I'm his partner," Franz rolled his eyes; "Peter can look after himself."

"I know, but…" Lars took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "after what happened with Yrjan and Hemming…. And Björn's condition is hardly getting any better… And Eemeli's always been a worry."

"I know it must be stressful," Franz agreed, "I wish I saw more of my sister too." Lars grimaced. "I know you two don't get along much, but she's family!"

"I know, I know," Lars sighed.

"And Peter will be fine; he's thirty! And if he does get into trouble, he has the other spies to back him up."

"If you say so…"

Franz rested his hand on Lars'. "Look, I just want to spend this week alone with you. Something has happened and… I just need to be with you, okay?"

"What happened?"

"This might take a while to explain…"

…

That evening

…

"Is he still asleep?" Tino asked his husband, who nodded. He sighed as he continued to wash the dishes whilst Berwald fidgeted with a newspaper, flicking through the pages, slumped at the dining table in his dressing gown and slippers. He ran a paw of a hand through his grey hair, wrinkled face creased into a glare of worry.

"Did he say anything to you when he came in?"

Berwald shook his head.

Tino sighed again.

"He just told me he was tired and would explain everything when he woke up."

The pair fell into an agonising silence, minds filled with worry. Tino's hands trembled as he washed glasses, and he had to squint to see them. He was elderly now, with silver hair and a pot-belly from a life of drinking and snacking on sweets. Tino hadn't allowed himself to become embittered in his old age, and was just as kind and jolly as he had been all his life. He was also just as lively, dividing his time between running around after his equally eccentric family and working as a paintball instructor. After spending his youth in the army, all he wanted was a peaceful life surrounded by his husband and children.

"He will explain everything when he wakes up then." Berwald's voice wavered ever so slightly. Even he couldn't hide his worry.

It wasn't like Peter to keep quiet about his job, not to his parents! He technically wasn't supposed to tell them anything- Andrei forbade it- but it was a rule that went mostly ignored. Peter told his parents about his missions, just as Franz did to Lars, and Tsvetan to Alin.

Peter particularly loved the thrill of recounting his various missions to the limited number of people he told, even if Berwald tended to worry for his safety. Tino did too- of course- but found himself too drawn in and amazed by the escapades to voice his concern. Usually.

And no matter how tired he was, Peter would always spare an hour or two to fill his parents in on what happened.

But today he'd barely said a word.

"Sweetie!" Tino gushed as his oldest child finally shambled into the room, hair messy and dinosaur pyjamas dishevelled. Peter grinned as his father led him to the dining table and hobbled over to the kettle, limping from an old leg wound received in action.

"Are you okay?" Berwald asked, abandoning his newspaper.

"Yeah," Peter smiled sleepily, "I got a bit burnt, but nothing major. It'll heal soon." Berwald looked at him expectantly and Peter rolled back his sleeves to reveal the series of burns. Berwald raised his eyebrows.

"Lighter," Peter explained, "on medical leave until Monday, thank fuck."

"Language! Fuck's sake!" Tino scolded, returning to the table with three mugs of coffee. "Get this down your throat," he told Peter, ruffling his hair. "My poor, brave boy…"

"Isi!" Peter rolled his eyes as Tino handed another mug to Berwald and kept the third for himself.

"Now," he began, "tell us everything." He wiggled in his seat excitedly.

"Well, we caught him," said Peter, warming his hands on his mug, "it was really cool! Car chases, guns, err… torture… the lot!"

Berwald squirmed. "Sounds dangerous…" he muttered, frowning.

"Oh, it's fine! I can handle it." Peter's smile fell. "Look, I'll tell you about all that later. There's something you need to know first."

"What is it?" asked Tino, "what's wrong?"

"You remember Alin, right? Alin Radacanu, Tsvetan's husband."

"Oh yes!" Tino exclaimed, "lovely man, really funny! Quite eccentric but I like that. And his little ones are so polite! Oh… he's okay, isn't he?"

"He… he was killed. Their children too… Andrei thinks it's this new 'Commonwealth' group that did it."

"No!" Tino covered his mouth with his hands, "not the three boys! They're so little… oh God poor Alin. And poor Tsvetan too! He must be devastated!"

"How's Andrei taking it?" Berwald asked quietly.

"Not well. He's distraught! It was Alin what raised him and all."

"I remember Alin mentioning it," Tino mused, "they didn't have parents or anything. Just each other."

"And where are Tsvetan and Andrei now?" asked Berwald.

"Just left the police station, last I heard, giving statements and all, and proving Tsvetan's innocence. Didn't take long."

"Oh, they didn't think he actually did it, right?" Tino sighed, "that's the last thing he needs, after what he went through."

"I think everything's sorted now though, Tsvetan's staying with Andrei indefinitely."

"If they ever want to come over," Tino began, slowly and anxiously, "you know, for a bit of company, that's fine. We'll cook them some dinner and let them stay the night too."

"I'll cook dinner," Berwald offered quickly, and Peter suppressed a giggle. Tino gave a huff, but didn't comment.

"I'll pass the message along," Peter promised, "I'm sure they'll appreciate it."

His parents nodded.

"I hope they'll be okay though," Tino sighed.

…

There was silence in the car as Andrei drove them home. Tsvetan rested his head on the dashboard, seemingly asleep as his brother-in-law barely noticed the lights around them or the rain that pummelled the windscreen. All around them, people walked or drove home in the evening gloom after a long day at work, huddled under umbrellas or enjoying the warmth in their cars.

"There's something I wish to discuss with you," Tsvetan began slowly, lifting his head up, eyes bloodshot.

"Go ahead, we're home anyway," Andrei pulled into the communal car park in front of a block of flats, found a space and switched off the engine. He glanced over at Tsvetan patiently.

"I can't do this anymore," he began, "I'm… I'm quitting the agency. There's just so much danger…"

"You can't." Andrei said simply.

"I'm going to. You can't stop me. After the funerals, I'm going back to Bulgaria. I'm leaving all of this behind."

"And you're certain?"

"Yes. Please, Andrei, I don't want it to look like I'm abandoning you, but this job has cost me my family and I need to get away from you and the DSA and Germany. I just want to forget."

Andrei was silent for a moment. "Isolation is the last thing you need, in the long run. May I at least attempt to convince you otherwise?"

"It won't do much good, but fine."

"There are… so few people who know about this. About the DSA and what it does and Commonwealth."

"And?"

"That knowledge is priceless, as is your knowledge of hacking and technology. You're a genius, and you're vital in this whole mission. It would take ages to train another like you and fill them in, and God knows we're not letting Agent Seagull near a computer. Last time he had to write a report, every time he'd finish a line he'd knock the computer off the desk!"

"Just buy the fucker a typewriter," Tsvetan scoffed, trying not to laugh.

"I'll think about it; might be cheaper, actually," Andrei agreed before his smile fell; "look, Agent Yogurt, you are a brilliant man, and we need you. I need you."

"You really don't, I'll just be getting in the way with my misery."

"I don't think you quite get it, huh, Borisov? I need you to help me get my revenge on the bastards. I need you to fucking crush them with me."

Tsvetan thought for a moment before grinning and grabbing Andrei's hand. "No mercy," he growled, "we'll bring them to their knees."

"For Alin."

…

After giving a recount of Im Yong Soo's arrest to his parents, Peter wandered into the sitting room with a fresh cup of coffee and sat in an armchair, pulling one of the many blankets Berwald had knitted over him for warmth. His youngest two brothers, Björn and Eemeli, were sprawled out on the three-seater, Björn lying across the sofa, head on Eemeli's lap whilst the teen stroked his hair affectionately. No one else would ever have gotten away with using Eemeli Väinämöinen as a human pillow, but Björn was special to him. Perhaps it was the similarity in age, and the fact that the two were considerably younger than their other brothers, but Björn and Eemeli were inseparable.

Eemeli was a rough boy, loud and boisterous and prone to fights, but his behaviour completely changed around Björn; he became gentle and protective. The hostile, rebellious attitude suddenly disappeared, but then again, Björn Oxenstjärna had that effect on most people. He was a gentle soul, polite and rather innocent, and very friendly, guarded closely by his entire family. He had Berwald's good heart, and Tino's cheerfulness.

He also had severe haemophilia.

Ever since Björn was a baby, his blood had been unable to clot properly, and bleeds took far longer to heal. He suffered from often spontaneous internal bleeding that damaged his joints, and attended regular physiotherapy sessions.

He had inherited the condition from his mother, Berwald's ex-wife, who was a carrier but not affected herself. Lars- the only brother who shared the same mother- had not been affected either, having not inherited the gene that caused it.

All of Björn's brothers fretted and worried about him, not just Eemeli, although the chubby Finn held a special place in his brother's heart, and always would. His illness was a part of everyday life in the household, had an impact on everyone's lives and had even prompted some members of the family to take drastic measures: Hemming- the third brother- for example…

At this moment in time, Björn was suffering from an internal bleed in his elbow joint, a common place to get them, although internal bleeds were rare for Björn, thanks to his medication. He lay on the sofa, unable to move his arm and holding an ice pack wrapped in a towel to the affected area. It was all routine for him now. He was curled up under a blanket, sleepily watching the telly as his brother played with his hair. Eemeli's worry was evident, from his deep frown to his trembling fingertips, buried in Björn's soft, blond hair.

Peter looked at the pair in concern, frowning as he sank further into the cushions.

"When did that happen?" he asked.

"Shortly before you got up," Björn replied.

"I thought your prophylaxis was supposed to sort that out."

Björn shrugged. "It prevents most bleeds, but doesn't mean I'm immune."

"I gave him an injection of factor pretty quickly though," Eemeli added, "so it shouldn't be too bad."

"A few days rest should do it," Björn grinned, "luckily I don't have a lecture until Wednesday, so I can just work on assignments until then."

"Might be hard typing with one hand though," Peter commented.

"I'll type for you!" Eemeli offered, and Björn rolled his eyes.

"That's sweet of you, little bro, but I'm perfectly capable of doing my own homework. Besides, you have Gymnasium and homework of your own to worry about."

"I can catch up," Eemeli mumbled.

"You bloody can't!"

"Is school and Uni going well for you both?" Peter asked.

"Not too bad," Björn shrugged. He went to a local university due to his poor health, and because he and Eemeli couldn't bear to be separated. He studied combined bachelors degrees in Protestant theology and philosophy in the hopes of becoming a vicar, mostly because he was a romantic at heart and loved the idea of helping people get married.

Eemeli planned to study psychology at university, and was fascinated by human behaviour and understanding how the mind worked, something that didn't come naturally to him. He was also fascinated by crime and the criminal mind, and hoped to become a crime scene investigator one day, and failing that, a mortician. His shelves were filled with crime novels and criminology books, which was a cause of slight worry for his family.

"We'll have to go back to the swimming pool sometime next week too," he told Björn, "gotta get some strength back in your muscles!"

"Of course!" Björn grinned, "I like swimming with you! It's funny when you dive bomb and get yelled at by the lifeguard."

Peter sighed audibly.

Björn's smile fell and he snuggled closer to Eemeli. "I remember," he began, suddenly small and vulnerable, "when I was really little, Yrjan would take me for long walks along the sea, back in Stockholm. And on holidays, they'd organise these hikes for me through woods and by lakes."

A gloomy silence fell over the three boys, only broken by Tino, who entered the room and nodded at Peter.

"Can I have a word, dearie?" he asked, and Peter stood up to follow him, frowning but saying nothing. Tino led his son into the hall, where he glanced around before beginning to speak.

"Look, your father and I have been talking and, err…" he stopped, faltering.

"Yes?"

"We, well… we really think it would be a good idea for you to quit your job."

Peter stared at his father in horror, jaw open. Eventually, he pulled himself out of his stupor and replied with a stunned 'what?'

Tino sighed. "We just want you to be safe, and you keep getting hurt because of this job. After what happened with Yrjan and Hemming, we don't want to see any more of our children in danger."

"But, this job is my life!" Peter exclaimed, "and it's because of Yrjan and Hemming that I'm doing this! I need to know what happened to them, we all do."

"I want to know what happened to them too- of course- but… not at your expense."

Peter was silent for a moment. "I can't," he finally sighed, "they need me there! Especially after what happened with Tsvetan."

"Tsvetan…" Tino looked down, "I know this sounds selfish, but what happened with Alin and Tsvetan has scared me. I cannot stand by and watch my husband and children die too! Please! This job, it has put Björn and Eemeli and Berwald in danger! And Lars too probably. Him more so because of Franz."

"Exactly! I need to find the people who did it!" Peter ran a hand through his hair, "they have to be brought to justice before they can kill any more people!" Tino didn't look convinced. "Look," Peter explained, quieter this time, "I will not allow what happened to the others to happen to you too. Commonwealth will be brought down, and the world will be a safer place. But you have to have faith in me, okay?"

Tino's lip quivered, but he nodded. "This goes against my better judgement, but fine. I'll say nothing more on the subject."

"Besides," Peter added with a wink, "if anyone tries to kill you, you can just shoot them."

...

You will find out what happened with Yrjan and Hemming eventually.

So some notes on haemophilia: it is a genetic condition that affects the clotting factors in the blood, and categorised as mild, moderate and severe, with severe being the most common. Due to the fact that it's caused by a mutation in the X chromosome, and is a recessive gene, it's mostly found in boys, who only have one X chromosome and thus won't have a dominant version of the gene. Although there's no cure, there are ways to treat it, usually injections of the missing factor either after a bleed, or regularly to prevent bleeding.