Thanks For The Story Again

"What was your wedding like Tino?" Elizaveta asked as Tino was bagging her groceries.

To tell the truth, it had been a very long time since he had thought of it. Well, not too long, but long enough. Back when he was nineteen and still trying to figure himself out. Funny how Berwald had not really changed since then. Fundamentally anyway.

"Rather sudden." He smiled. "Berwald just would not take no for an answer..." Just like when Berwald had decided that Tino was going to be his boyfriend after Tino first moved here. Embarrassing barely covered it. Then again, Tino was definitely not used to the... open atmosphere of Hearth.

"How many times did he ask you?"

"Ah... He didn't really ask," Tino admitted. "He sort of... proclaimed it."

"And you...?"

"I wanted to think about it, but I don't think Berwald understood that I hadn't said yes." Tino laughed. "But after thinking about it, I couldn't imagine saying anything but yes. A lot less drama than Antonio and Lovino had."

"Then again, did any of us expect Matthew?" Elizaveta grinned. "Thanks Tino."

"No problem." Tino moved to close the cash register. "Oh!" He turned toward Elizaveta, speaking before she could leave. "And Gilbert said he has been trying to catch you."

"Right. Thanks again, Tino!"

She left, leaving Tino to reminisce back to when he was a newlywed.

Then again, Berwald still treated him the same. There had never been any falter or decline of his attention. So he really did not need to reminisce. Except for the fact he had been younger then. Not that he was old now. It was rather a pointless interlude.

About to be interrupted. The door opened and Tino quickly stood up from where he was trying to figure out how to get rid of Berward's axe from behind the counter (because really, he did not need a weapon when the man could just throw anyone who was trouble out instead of killing them) to see someone he had not seen in a long time.

Though they had spoken. They were business partners.

"Sadiq!" Tino exclaimed, moving out from behind the counter. "You're in Hearth!" It was shocking. Sadiq had often said Hearth was not a place he would come to unless something came up. Which meant something had come up.

"Yeah," Sadiq shrugged, large grin the only obvious thing about his face, as his hat was tilted so far that Tino could not see anything above his nose. "It's been a while."

"What brings you in?"

"I got called in for a job, so I thought I might as well stop by." Sadiq shrugged. "Go over inventory in person, fix some things up. Use our time wisely, ya know what I'm sayin'?"

"Oh, absolutely!" Tino nodded. "Berwald!" he called into the back. "Sadiq's here!"

"If there's a better time, I can try and stop by later," Sadiq began, but Tino shook his head.

"It's almost always a good time here!" Tino admitted. "Part of the charm of owning a store in such a small town, I guess." He turned around when Berwald came in. "Pleasant surprise, right?"

"...yeah." Berwald shrugged. "Wh'?"

Sadiq looked over at him for a moment, thoughtful look on his face. "Apparently someone needed a caterer for a wedding."

"Oh, Lovino called you here?" Tino asked. Or Antonio, though that would have meant it was after Lovino's approval. Tino was not actually certain which one of those two was actually doing anything. Not that it was his place to ask.

"Antonio? Nah," Sadiq shook his head. "Feliks did, at behest of one of the grooms brother. 'pparently nothing's getting' done."

"Good luck with that."

And he meant it, because as soon as Feliks' name entered the conversation, Tino knew something was going to go wrong.


Notes:

Sadiq has done everything. He has been a physician, a car salesman, a construction worker, a lobbyist, a computer programmer, ect. Jack of all trades, no? He and Maddox would probably get along well.

I only have three more days of class before break, so I guess I will start trying to keep up my schedule again!