This was fun to do… I do not own Hetalia! REVIEW PLEASE I LIVE OFF OF THEM!
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The water left puckered Goosebumps on the boy's arms as they shuffled into the clear and rushing river water. Summer's lazy tone had made them all thirst for the splash of the waves and the currant of the streams as they waded farther and farther into the brook.
Tino's teeth chattered noisily as he advanced further into the bitterly cool water. Wobbling around in the rushing of the waves, he grabbed blindly for the long stalks of grass that grew along the stream, using them to balance himself before turning behind him to see the rest of his friends. Nikolas had planted himself on the sandbar; swishing his feet in the water while his little brother walloped and shrieked in the stream, giggling as he tried to catch minnows with his bare hands. Feliks had perched himself on a slippery charcoal colored rock in the middle of the river, he began to comb his hands through hair, smiling and humming a song.
Soon others joined in, the Italian twins who were brought last year to the village by their Grandfather, a sweet girl named Elizabeta who lived with her Austrian husband, and Eduard and Raivis, who lived together in a big long house with their adopted brother Liet. All at once the nine youths began to talk and splash in the water, all getting soaked and giggling in the streams gem blue water, all excited for tonight and tomorrow's festivities.
It was Elizabeta who first spoke up about the night's pre-Midsummer festival. She bundled up her skirts in her fists and trotted into the thick and swirling water, shrieking slightly at its firm coldness. Then, her green eyes shining, she turned to Tino.
"So…I heard you boys are going to be attempting the flower tradition?" she asked, a giggle in her voice. Tino's face immediately went red. All the sudden a big sprits of water doused Tino's back, he yelped at the sheer coldness.
"Yep! They have to, they have to!" chanted Björt, as he galloped through the water to Elizabeta, and hung onto her skirts, getting messy wet little hand prints on her pleated dress. Elizabeta scooped up the child and snuggled him to her bosom.
"The whole village is talking about it. Some of the elders say it will anger the Gods, while others see no fault in it. Either way, it is not a joking matter!" She warned playfully. Feliks smiled and stepped lightly into the water, wading at mid thigh to the pretty Hungarian girl.
"Then it like, really works?" he asked, excitement hitting his voice. Elizabeta gave a bright and vigorous smile, setting Björt down she nodded.
"Oh yes, how do you think I met my husband? Last Midsummer I did the ritual and during the night, I dreamed of him! The next week he asked me to marry him!" she said, twirling around, her apron becoming soaked in the water. Then, placing a finger over her mouth she stifled a laugh.
"I wonder who you boys will see in your dreams?" she laughed, her eyes lighting with amusement. Then, one of the Italian twins, the more even tempered of the two, smiled brightly. He had been sitting quietly on a huge slopping rock that dipped into the river, braiding cords of dry heather and bright blue Aster into wreaths and crowns for the celebration tomorrow. He paused in his work to pluck a nearby blue bell from its stalk and adding it to his newest creation.
"Does it really work sister Hungary?" The Italian asked, calling her by her fond nickname. The russet haired girl clapped her hands with glee, her long eyelashes accenting the joy in her gaze.
"It does Feli, it does! Who do you hope you will see?" she asked the chestnut brunette. The young boy paused, looking up to the sun. He then craned his head down to his lap, giving a boyish smile.
"Hmmm….I hope Ludwig…ve~" he said after a few seconds, his face blushing like a pink seashell. Next to him his brother scoffed.
"Don't tell me you actually believe in some stupid folklore? And really? The Potato bastard farmer?" The older twin asked bitterly. He crossed his arms over his chest and scowled down at the dry banks of the stream. But his twins face kept up its shinning demeanor.
"Ve~ it's a sweet tradition! And though we perform St. John's festival back home, this one sounds more fun Fratello!"* he said, swinging his legs back and forth. Feli was right, Tino thought. The festival that they held every year was fun. Tino sighed heavily. And it was all going to happen tomorrow, though there was much to prepare for tonight!
They would have a small feast tonight with the meat that the hunters brought, and then Tino would have to help Nikolas and Björt with decorating their stables and barn with greenery for good luck next year.* Tino would then have to help his aunt with the bread baking and the honeyed currants for tomorrow's feast which was always massive with many people! Tino felt a wave of nausea. Then he would have to go with the women to pick flowers for the silly tradition. He glared venomously at Björt… Why must his little cousin be so much of a pain in his Finnish ass?
But in an instant Tino's thoughts were disrupted by the sweet accent of the Hungarian woman once more.
"So Tino, who do you hope your husband will be?" she asked slyly, scooting over to the platinum blonde who just recently had been deep in thought.
"Ahh…" he started to say something but was cut off.
"Everyone knows Berwald, like, already has the hot's for him…" Feliks voice seeped through Tino's ears. In a split second the Finn's face grew as bright as the crown on a roosters head. Feliciano giggled softly, as he bent pieces of grass between his fingers once again, on his fifth wreath.
"He'd make a good husband." Nikolas said with laughter for once in his voice. Tino's face fumed, his hands balled into fists. There was no way in hell Berwald could like Tino, I mean sure, they used to be friends when they were kids, but that was a long time ago, and Tino just couldn't bring himself to even think of the possibility as the tall and outrageously scary Swedish man as his Summer husband. It even made him shudder with fright!
"Like, I heard that he's planning to ask you to be his Summer Bride!" Feliks shrieked with girlish giggles.
"But…I mean, he's so scary!" Eduard finally piped up, his hands pausing in their search for shells on the beach. It was then Raivis's turn to say something.
"He's so tall…like a bear on hind legs!" he peeped, still perched in his spot on a crooked apple tree, the green un-ripened apples budding from the bloom.
Tino fidgeted, feeling very uncomfortable at the sudden spin of the conversation. He flexed his feet under the water and tried desperately to change it, but the seed had been planted, and the Polish man Feliks would not halt in his gossip.
"Like, I heard he went with the hunters this morning to get a big boar to win your heart Tino! Isn't that like, so romantic!" The Polish man said with giddiness.
"Oh yes, because bringing me a bloodied pig carcass just screams, "I love you"." The Finn said sarcastically. He frowned and sat down next to Feli, who was just now fastening a few morning glories to the headdress.
"Well, I think it's like, romantic." The blonde Pole breathed into the air, clutching his hands to his heart. Björt giggled and plopped into the water, getting his doe hide chemise all wet.
"Tino should marry Berwald, then they can make scary giant babies!" he squealed with delight, eyeing his Finnish cousin. Tino just glared at the kid.
"Knowing Tino they'll just end up vertically challenged alcoholics." Romano said his elbows resting on his knees. The Finn gave him a dirty look before Feli caught his attention. The young Italian had fastened the wreath with the morning glories on Tino's brow, making his violet eyes show stark bright by his pale face and the glare of the sun.
"Ve~ Like a princess." Feliciano breathed, admiring his handy work.
"Like a summer bride."Elizabeta corrected, taking Tino by the hands, she lightly dipped into the water with the Finn and led him in a circular dance, her body moving with experienced knowledge while he just awkwardly swayed side to side. Soon Feliks joined in, placing a wreath of golden yarrow on his head and setting a coronet of enormous ruby red lilies atop Elizabeta's.
Raivis and Björt, joined by hands started hopping on the beach, jumping like frogs and laughing hysterically. Soon Feli had got Romano to dance and both Italian twins, with orange poppies in their hair, stomped their feet and lightly danced on the sand by the river, smiles on both their faces. Even Nikolas and Eduard, who had not gotten up to dance, wore grins on their faces as they watched their friends dance in the summer heat. And then it was all shattered by one voice.
"What do we have here? A Couple of Elves amidst us?"* The humorous voice of the Danish man made everyone halt in their steps. Slowly, the hunting party from this morning stepped through the thick river brush, the Danish man in lead, a huge lumbering axe on his shoulders. Everyone just starred.
That is, everyone else except for Feliks. The blonde man bolted out of the water to run to the brown haired Lithuanian and latched onto his side like a toddler at his mother's skirts. Liet, his face red, patted the girlish man's head with his hand.
Everyone knew something was going on between the two boys, but no one could quite guess what. Anyway, everyone let it alone and allowed the Polish man to do what he would. Who were they to place judgment on love?
Mathias, ignoring the two, stepped further onto the beach, immediately stalking out his prey. Stepping next to the Norwegian he lifted up his chin with his fingers.
"Ah…It is Maiden Bright Eye!"* his lips set into a jaded smirk. Nikolas just glared. The entirety of the inhabitants on the beach just stared.
Ludwig, the tall broad German cut through the silence. "We just brought back some game for the feasts today and tomorrow. A boar, a few hares and hens. " He informed them, his steely blue eyes looking for someone or something in particular.
Feliks gave a quick glance in Tino's direction and the mention of the boar, to which Tino just fumed and downcast his eyes in embarrassment.
"Ve~ Ludwig, did you hunt down some pasta?" the little Italian asked, tugging on the Germans arm. Said German just sighed and set the Italian sitting in the grass, trying to smile.
"Feli, Pasta is not an animal…" the German explained for the fifteenth time. The caramel eyed Italian just smiled and nodded.
"Hey, did you guys bring back anything tasty for me?" the other Italian twin asked, stepping toward the hunting party who had begun to wash themselves in the stream.
"I brought you some tomatoes, my little Lovi!" the Spanish man Antonio said happily, placing three ripe tomatoes in the Italian boy's hands.
The boy blushed but turned his back. "Ah…th-thanks….Bastard!" he breathed, tucking one of the tomatoes in his palm and biting into it quickly, tasting the sweetness of the fruit.
"So what were you guys talking about before we got here?" Ludwig's brother, Gilbert asked, scrubbing the last of the grime from his legs, a grin on his face. A small little hen's chick resting on his head.
"We were talking about how these brave young boys have decided to take the flower tradition to heart tonight." Elizabeta said a smirk on her lips. Tino's face once more blushed red.
"Kesesese…. Really now? Heh heh…" the Albino Prussian smiled wickedly. "All of you?"
"Like, no, just Tino, Nikolas and Me!" Feliks answered, adjusting the crown of flowers on his head. He stepped out of the river and made room for the sweaty and exhausted hunters, letting them have the rivers blushingly cool water to themselves.
"So Norge," as Mathias so lovingly called Nikolas, "Are you hoping you'll dream of me tonight?" He asked his voice cocky; he winked in the Norse men's direction. Nikolas rolled his eyes.
"The only dream I'd have of you Mathias, is one were your getting eaten by a bear." The Norwegian stated his eyes blank and hazy. Mathias snorted as laughter rose up from his throat.
"All I'm saying Norge is try to keep your little wet dream tonight under control. I don't want you exerting yourself tonight. You need all the strength you can get for tomorow." He said, scrubbing his back with a few blades of grass, trying to get a clump of mud off of his skin.
"Oh? And whys that?" Nikolas asked, tone remaining neutral.
Mathias's smile grew bigger, his white teeth flashing. "Because I'm going to bed you tomorrow as my Summer Bride." He said. The Norwegians face immediately grew flame red. Everyone was silent except for Gilbert's wild cackles. Then the Norwegian sat up as quick as a deer, walked over to the Dane, and, faster than it happened, shoved the man into the Stream with a big slap!
"I would rather sleep with a Troll than with you." Nikolas sneered, storming off into the meadow, leaving the sputtering Dane drenched in the water, a stunned look on his face.
"Well, we all know who's like, not getting happy fun sex time now, don't we?" Feliks voice broke through the thick silence. Everyone burst into laughter, all except the Dane.
Then, Feliciano yawned and a few of the boys looked to the sun. It was getting late, dusk was fast approaching and there was still much to do. So, wearily, everyone picked up their sopping wet clothing and started to climb the small banks up to the meadow, Ludwig helping Feliciano carry his wreaths for the Maidens dance tomorrow, Tino offering to help as well.
As everyone started walking away, Tino was left picking up the extra flower headdresses. Picking the first one up, a heathery crown of daisies, he admired its workmanship. Feliciano was certainly a pro at making these. Tino brought the cords of flowers to his nose and lightly sniffed. He then sighed with bliss at the wonderful aroma, until he heard a noise. It was a peppering noise, like little feet on dirt, but not so quite feet. Maybe hooves? No…maybe…paws? Yes, Paws! Tino turned his head behind him just in time to see a little white ball of fluff bound toward him and launch itself at the Finn. Tino fell backwards and landed on his back as the little fur ball started making whining noises and licking up along Tino's face.
Then, as quickly as it occurred, the little ball of fur was plucked up from Tino's face and the Finn was able to breathe again. He let out a small laugh as he wiped his face, feeling the air cooling the slobber on his pale cheeks, then; looking down at the floor he saw a pair of feet. Not paws, but huge, bearish feet. Tino's face paled. He knew those feet.
Daring himself to look up, only wishing he hadn't as he became face to face with his worst nightmare. Berwald. Berwald, who was holding a cute little dog in his arm. Berwald, who was shirtless except for a leather cord dangling against his back connected to a long sword. Berwald, who was covered with threads of blood. Blood. He was covered in sticky, smelly, pungent blood. Tino threw his head back and fainted, landing with a thud on the sandy beaches of the river, praying to the Gods he would never wake up again.
…
But unfortunately he did wake up. Tino stretched his arms high above his head, yawning and smelling the clean air, the smell of the late blooming flowers filling his nostrils. He cracked one eye opened and gasped. The sun had gone down slowly, leaving the sky a purplish pink. He sat up in a whirl and quickly winced. His head ached and his neck felt sore. He rubbed the back of his neck and groaned. How long had he been out? He wondered.
Pushing his feet up he stood up shakily, that is until he heard a pounding splash behind him. Looking behind him he almost fainted again. Tino's eyes met with a long and powerfully built back. Water droplets glistened lightly on the torso of the man, as the cool and lucid creek water slid off his bone pale skin like the softest of cloth. Tino felt his pulse in his mouth. He knew he was staring, knew the person could have turned around and caught the young Finn spying at any time, but still Tino could not tear his eyes away.
The man had cupped his hands in the river and brought the water to his head, cleaning his flaxen wheat colored hair. Tino had to stop himself from running into the water and touching that wild mess of hair. This man was more than handsome, he was frighteningly beautiful. And Tino hadn't even seen his face yet!
But, as a few seconds passed the person, much to Tino's delight, started to turn his head. Then, in that flicker of a gaze, Tino's eyes widened. He'd know that face anywhere. Blushing deeply the Finn couldn't believe it. He had been eyeing Berwald? Berwald was the handsome man Tino had laid his eyes on not but a few seconds ago? Tino felt hot embarrassment hit him dead in the face.
Then without warning, Berwald's cerulean eyes stabbed into him. Tino immediately stepped backward, hearing a soft crunch underneath his feet. Looking down quickly he saw in horror one of the wreaths that he had stepped on. Quickly hopping over the crown of flowers with his soft leathered boot, he gave out a string of Finnish swear words. He had broken it, a beautiful headdress of primrose and daisy, a work of art that Feli had created and he broke it under his heel. His heart sunk.
But before Tino could mourn the death of the crown, two paw like hands scooped up the crushed flowers and plucked them off the skeletal grass woven ring. Placing the ruined flowers lightly in the river, Berwald set to work re-shaping the oval that was the structure of the circlet till the grass was rightly set in place. He looked to Tino and back at the headband made of dried greenery.
"F'wers." Was all he said and yet Tino understood it perfectly. They were going to try to remake the headdress. So, together they walked along the river, the white little puppy in their company, searching the meadow for flowers. They walked a little ways down the river path till they found a new clump of daisy's to replace the old ones, and even a small thicket of heather. Sitting down the two men awkwardly inspected their mission, the white puppy affectionately looking at them from a clump of clover.
The few minutes working on the wreath were met with silence as Berwald didn't offer any conversation and Tino had to bite his tongue off to not leap into small talk. There was only one thing on the young Finn's mind. Berwald was handsome. The old Berwald, the one Tino knew as a child was gangly and awkwardly tall with stooping glasses and sharp, deep set eyes. The eyes were still there, but as the years went by Berwald seemed to fit into his gangly height, and his awkward body filled out. Nicely. Tino thought while biting his lip. Berwald was a great specimen of a man… Tall with a broad back, nicely sculpted muscles from all those years hunting, wide big hands that could bring the Finn so much pleasure….
Tino shook his head, remembering Feliks words. There was no way Berwald took a liking to Tino. They were friends. Berwald and he used to bathe as kids for Ilmatar's sake!* They used to crawl around the meadows looking for worms, and then dare Mathias to eat them for a bit of honey cake! There was nothing romantic between the two, and there was nothing Tino could do to change that. Berwald was not meant for him. He would find some nice big breasted Village girl for his bride tomorrow. Not Tino…
And then it hit the Finn like a ton of bricks. He had to get ready tonight! He would have to borrow one of Elizabeta's dresses and meet Feliks and Nikolas at the main pastures for the Flower Tradition with the rest of the women. Looking up at the sky he frowned. He only had maybe an hour to get ready for the flower picking, as it was already getting late. He sighed and looked back at Berwald, whose clumsy fingers were having a hard time tying a very stubborn daisy to the crown of fragile smelling plants.
Tino, letting his hands rest atop Berwald's, slipped the daisy through the wiry grass and tied it with his delicate hands. Smiling at his handy work he looked back at Berwald, whose eyes were wide, frightened, and whose cheeks were tinted. Tino raised his brows. Don't tell me he got embarrassed from a little touch like that? He thought with surprise.
"Ah… Thank you for helping me fix it, Berwald. I really appreciate it." Tino said nervously. He sat up and cradled the wreath in his hands, picking up the other ones that had not been damaged. Once they were all in his arms he heard a whining noise and looked down to see the cute little puppy had sat beneath Tino's feet.
"Aww…" Tino, readjusting the flowers, bent down to pet the dog on the head. The little dog nuzzled her head into his palm and whimpered happily. While petting the dog, the crown of flowers on Tino's head that he forgot about fell down on the sand. Picking them up he placed them around the dogs neck with a smile. The dog, puzzled why the pretty flowers had been placed on her neck, just barked, wagging her tail.
Berwald wanted to be that dog—minus the flower part of course. He wanted to be caressed by the Finn's soft healing hands. And tomorrow, if all went well and Tino accepted him at the bonfires, perhaps he would be the one doing the caressing, he thought with a blush. Oh Tino, his lovely beautiful Tino. How the little Finn looked even more attractive to Berwald's sharp eyes. Berwald suddenly remembered when they were young.
Berwald recalled when all the other kids were unkind or distant to him simply because he was different. When Berwald would run home crying to his mamma and papa because no one had said a kind word to him. But that was until he met Tino. Tino, who lived with his cousin's Björt and Nikolas near the tall pine tree. Tino who Berwald grew to love, simply because the Finn was the only one who ever talked to Berwald. Tino, the sole reason for Berwald's heart to have a beat.
Berwald had done everything in his power to get the Finn to notice him. Berwald would wake up every morning at three, the time his papa got up to go milk the cows, and wait, with mitted hands, and a red runny nose, outside the pines to say "Hi" or "good m'rn'ng" (if he was feeling braver), to the little Finn. He would often bring Tino apples and set them by the Finn's long house steps, or bring him summer berries when the weather was best.
By the time Berwald was ten, he had already begun to learn to use a long sword, along with the Danish kid, Mathias who he disliked greatly. Mathias and him used to play sword games all the time, with wooden weapons and berry paste as war paint. And always Tino, Nikolas, and Björt would come and watch along with a few other kids.
It was that day that Berwald knew Tino would be his bride. On that day it was sunny and bright and all the adults were getting ready for Midsummer. The kids, who had been shooed away from the feast table by their mothers previously, all crowded around the meadow that they knew well and decided to play a game to use up time till the festival. It was a game they all knew well. Mathias had named it "The awesome adventures of Denmark and the stupid Swede." Berwald always did hate that title.
The game always started with Björt, the dastardly dragon, stealing the fair princess Tino and hiding her away in the castle—or a crappy pile of rocks that Gilbert had constructed using his "awesomeness" as he so put it. Mathias would play the narrator, Nikolas always played the none-too-helpful Troll, Feliks played Berwald's talking unicorn, and then there was Berwald himself who always played the knight. That was the only thing Berwald liked about that game. It always ended with him saving the pretty Princess.
But this game had a particular ending that Berwald would never forget. After the usual narration-Nikolas the Troll fighting Berwald by the stream, then Feliks the Unicorn leading Berwald to the castle, and then finally the epic battle of Berwald fighting Björt the dragon,-and then climbing up the castle stairs to where the fair Princess Tino lived. All the while the on looking kids always clapped. Then it was time for the game to end with Berwald giving a "kiss" to the fair Princess. Like a thousand times before it was just a timid brush of lips against the Finn's cheeks and it was done. The game was over. But not today. Today Berwald, ten year old Berwald wanted a real kiss. So, after climbing the pile of rocks to the sitting Finn, hearing the cheers of the audience, he held Tino by the shoulders and kissed the boy full on the lips. Behind him the cheers quieted and the Finn, blushing and wide eyed pulled away with fright. It ended so quickly. Berwald was left on the pile of rocks, the rest of the kids long having left him. His princess gone. Berwald sighed from the memory.
Tino, noticing Berwald quietness for nearly five minutes, nervously laughed. "Ah…well, thanks again Berwald, but I have to get going." Tino said.
Berwald, brought back from his memory turned sharply to the Finn. He wondered quietly in his head if Tino remembered that day. He hoped Tino didn't hate him for it… Berwald just really wanted that kiss.
"T'no…" The name felt odd on his tongue. He had never spoken the Finnish boys name before and it gave him a little shiver.
Tino looked up at the use of his name. He had started walking up the drift path from the river and was following the burning lights of the village along the trail. "Hmm?" the Finn looked to Berwald, still walking. Berwald decided to follow, along with the little dog, waddling under the weight of the flowered collar.
"Do yoo rem'meber pl'ying in the m'adow?" he asked in his broken accent. Tino, having long since been able to decode the giant's words smiled.
"Yeah, that stupid adventure game of Mathias's. Why?" He asked, stepping over a rotting log, they were almost out of the meadow tall grass.
Berwald felt his face heat up. "D'yoo rem'meber the l'st t'me we pl'yed?" He asked timidly, trying to get the Finn's attention. Tino stopped in his tracks; the dog whining at the lack of movement began to nip at his light blue tunic.
Tino, eyes filled with nostalgia, slowly turned distant. Berwald swallowed hard.
"I remember…" Tino finally spoke, voice soft as butter, but as full of life as the earth. Berwald blinked. Tino remembered and he wasn't mad? He was okay with it? Berwald let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in.
Tino, blinking back emotions finally laughed nervously. "Ah… well I have to go now, don't laugh but I'm doing the flower tradition." Tino said, starting up his pace again.
Berwald's eyes snapped to attention. Flower Tradition? Does that mean that Tino…is looking for a husband? Berwald felt a glimmer of hope graze his heart.
"Yoo be in m'diens dance?" He asked, quickly. They were out of the meadow now, walking down the village paths. Women were outside dusting the doorstep, some stirring pots of potatoes on the fires, children standing on tip toe as they hung greenery and oak leaves around the stable doors and windows.
The night was alive, but tomorrow was when the real magic began.
Tino paused in mid step, reaching the tall pine that graced his aunt's long house. He turned to Berwald and gave a small smile, forcing himself to not blush. "I might be in the maidens dance tomorrow. Look for me if you wish." Tino stood on the tips of his toes and lightly kissed Berwald's brow, before pulling away and slipping inside the warm mortared house, leaving Berwald outside on the stoop, his face blushing like a Midsummer Bonfire.
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Okay, I had LOTS of fun with this chapter. Yeah for going into Berwald's childhood! Don't worry this will get M rated soon :D REVIEW DAMNIT
Authors notes:
St. John's Festival- A lot of Countries trying to get rid of their Pagan roots tried to substitute Midsummer with St. John the Baptist patron Saint of Genoa, Florence.
Decorating Long houses and Stables with Greenery- Brought good luck and health to people and livestock.
"What do we have here? A Couple of Elves amidst us?"- Elves were very popular not only in English and Scottish lore but also In Danish and Norwegian; they were adult like faerie people in Scandinavian lore.
"Ah…It is Maiden Bright Eye!"- An Old Danish faerie tale about a girl who pulls up a clump of heather and finds a little man with a red cap who grants her three wishes.
"Berwald and he used to bathe as kids for Ilmatar's sake!*"- Ilmatar was a Finnish Goddess who is the mother of the Finnish Hero/God Väinämöinen when she was impregnated by the Sea wind.
