Lukas had cleaned up and gotten dressed, but he remained almost in the exact same spot he had woken up in. He was mortified with what he had done, and with everything that had happened. He had cried a few times more, despite how he tried not to, but he constantly heard Mathias' painful words stabbing him over and over again, and then the sound of Berwald's nose breaking under his fist. Berwald hadn't hit him back, not once, but the anger on Mathias' face had been close to psychotic. And it was his fault. He was the cause of all of it.

He rolled over and stuffed his face in the pillow again, still sniffling a bit. After everything, after so much patients and careful steps, after their first kiss, Lukas had just thrown away everything that he had with Mathias. The day before he would have scoffed and denied feeling anything much for the annoying Dane, but, who was he lying for? Mathias had captured his attention since the day he had met him. Maybe it was just his nature to fight against his own affections, but, he didn't care now.

He loved Mathias. That was it. He loved him, and he had fucked up. He might never even speak to him again. God, he had been so angry…

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Lukas assumed it to be Tino or Emil, and kept his face buried in the pillow. Neither of them would open the door if he didn't tell them they could, but, the doorknob twisted and the door opened. He jerked up a bit and looked over his shoulder. His eyes widened and his throat closed.

It was Mathias.

"Hey Luke," he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, the other folded behind his back.

He was smiling a bit. Lukas sniffed and sat up, pulling the pillow defensively onto his lap as his legs folded in.

Mathias took it as an indication that he could enter fully, and shut the door behind him. Then, he slowly walked over and stood beside the bed, but didn't sit down.

"Look, I," he rubbed his mouth. "I'm really, really sorry. I didn't mean anything I said,"

Lukas stared up at him, and then stared hard at the far corner of the bed, but didn't say anything.

Mathias took a timid step forward, and then he felt something soft touch his cheek, accompanied with a small kissing sound. He blinked and turned his head, and then realized that he was staring into button eyes.

"I, ah, I got this for you," he said, tilting his head a little and offering him the small, stuffed bunny.

Lukas looked at it. It was pink and fluffy. Slowly, he took it into his hands and held it. Mathias was smiling down at him hopefully, and when he took the soft gift, he sat down on the bed a little ways away from him.

"And, I'm sorry I hit Berwald," he muttered.

He was so stupid. What a stupid thing to do. And to say. He was such an idiot…

Tears were starting to sting his eyes. Still, the stuffed bunny replaced the pillow in his lap. They were silent for a bit longer, and then Mathias sighed like he was going to leave. Lukas' chest tightened so fast he almost lost his breath.

"Stay." he ordered sharply.

Mathias blinked in surprise, and then began to smile a bit.

He kicked his boots off and sat cross-legged on the bed, facing him. Lukas barely waited for him to get situated before he pushed the blankets back and crawled over to him, and sat in his lap. Mathias held very still for a moment, but when he curled up against his chest and shoulder, he smiled and hugged him tightly.

He didn't feel like crying so much anymore. Instead, he pressed harder into the hug and felt Mathias' tall figure wrap him up tighter, resting his cheek on the top of his head.

"So, does this mean you aren't mad at me?" Mathias asked quietly.

Lukas wanted to hit him. He should be apologizing, begging for forgiveness. Somehow, Mathias had gotten it flipped.

"You idiot," he murmured, and then tilted his head back and kissed his cheek. "Of course I'm not,"

Mathias stared with his familiar surprised expression. His eyes wide, his dark eyebrows raised high, his mouth forming the beginning of a question word; Lukas couldn't help it, he had to kiss him.

He reached forward and put his fingers on his cheek, pulling him down slightly. Lukas tilted his head and closed his eyes as their lips came together softly. Mathias' lips were warm against his, and they were firm but he allowed Lukas to lead. They took their time slowly learning each other's lips in detail, which produced sweet kisses. Kisses of forgiveness. Lukas felt he didn't deserve them, and somehow, that made them even more precious.

"I love you." Lukas whispered against his lips when they parted slightly.

Mathias opened his eyes fully and held Lukas' face. "I love you, too. I love you so much,"

Lukas kissed him before he could carry on, but smiled.

"Shut up, Mat." he mumbled into his mouth.

"But," he began to protest, forcing Lukas to kiss him harder.

He laughed a little, sending soft vibrations through their lips, making Lukas smile, too, but then he gave up and kissed him back.

A little while later, Mathias was lying on his back and Lukas was resting his head on his stomach.

"But, hey, I'm really sorry I lost my temper so bad," Mathias told him.

Lukas swallowed, staring at the ceiling and holding the stuffed bunny to his chest. "Mat?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

He could feel him shift a little beneath him, and then a warm hand was securely placed over his hand. "I forgive you, Luke. It's alright."

Turning his head away he took a breath. He didn't want to talk about this anymore. He was going to cry again.

"And Luke?" he asked.

He turned the other way to look at him.

"I love you," he told him, his eyebrows raised and his face open and honest.

Rolling over onto his stomach, he climbed upwards onto his chest and held his gaze. "I love you."

A wide grin broke his face, and he hugged him excitedly and they slowly laced their fingers together.