Happy Birthday, Berwald!

[talks_to_nisse]

WHO: Berwald + Open to any and all close friends and adopted family
WHERE: Sindre's apartment
WHEN: Monday, 6 June, around dinnertime
WHAT: Time to celebrate someone who deserves to be reminded of how special his is to others. [To be run similarly to the wedding thread]

Comments

[oxenstierna_b]

Berwald took a deep breath, like an inversed sigh, and then held it in. He could feel words bubbling up in his throat, their shape yet unclear, but he knew he couldn't let them out.

There was a tingle on his skin where their elbows were touching, and he was suddenly very aware of how close Sindre was. He hadn't even... surely it hadn't been this difficult to be with Tino, before he'd confessed he returned Berwald's feelings, just to be near him without being allowed to touch? If it had, Berwald didn't know how he'd been able to live with him so long as just friends. Maybe he'd just gotten used to it, set the borders between from the beginning because he'd known... had thought he'd known that was all there would ever be. And at least Tino had known from the beginning what Berwald felt too, there had been no secrets looming over their heads.

Whereas with Sindre they'd already been close, he was already used to being able to hug him, even if it was mostly in emergencies. But Sindre thought of him as a brother, thought that was what Berwald felt too. And while he hated keeping secrets, even more so from Sindre... how could he tell him this, take the risk of having things turn awkward between them?

He couldn't.

"I supp'se I'm a bit tired," Berwald answered after a while. It only occurred to him then to wonder why the gift would be in the bedroom... was it something that couldn't be put in wrappings, too large maybe? Or maybe Sindre had noticed him rubbing at his back in the mornings, since sleeping on the mattress didn't entirely agree with it and gotten him a bed? Berwald rather hoped not, the room wasn't really large enough and he was only staying temporarily... oh well, he'd find out soon enough.

Curse you for guessing! <3

[talks_to_nisse]

Nodding, Sindre gathered up the discarded paper before standing. Quickly depositing it in the trash, he joined Berwald at the door to his room. Placing a hand on the doorknob, he hesitated a moment. In the moment of giving, it seemed like a rather odd gift.

Shaking that thought off, Sindre opened the door and stepped aside. Sitting in place of his old bed was a trundle bed, lower bed pulled out slightly to prove its existence.

"I suppose technically your present is a good night's sleep," Sindre told him. "Seeing as the bed will stay here. But you deserve to sleep on something better than just the mattress."

x3 sorry.

[oxenstierna_b]

Berwald tilted his head, considering the arrangement. Even if it was still a bit much... well, he had to admit logistically it was a good solution, since the bed wouldn't take any more space when closed up.

"Ah... thanks. 's a good arrangement. Wouldn't have thought 'f it," he said, scratching at his cheek and one corner of his mouth turning up just for a moment into a crooked little smile, almosr hidden by his hand.

/sobs in corner

[talks_to_nisse]

Sindre shrugged a bit. "I'm just sorry I didn't think of it sooner," he admitted. "You've been so helpful; you deserved more than just a mattress on the floor."

He smiled a bit to himself. "The hard part was getting it in here without you noticing."

Awww

[oxenstierna_b]

Berwald gave him a bemused look.

"Yeah... how did ya manage that 'nyway?" he had to ask. Even he might have had difficulties with such a sturdy bed and all those stairs... unless it went to pieces and could be taken on the elevator?

/tear

[talks_to_nisse]

Sindre tapped the side of his nose, grinning secretively. "We all have our tricks," he responded simply. In truth, he hadn't done much work at all. The nisse seemed to like having Berwald over much more than they had Søren, and they had almost been insistent that they get the bed up for him.

Glancing about the room, a thought occurred to him. "Is there anything else that might make your sleep easier?" he asked. "I know the mattress wasn't so great, but has anything else been bothering you?"

Re: /tear

[oxenstierna_b]

Berwald looked at him helplessly. If he said no, he'd be lying, but... The things that were bothering were all ones Sindre aleady knew about and had no power over in any case, so bringing them up again would be useless, or things Berwald didn't even know how to talk about.

"Naaw, I'm ok," he said in the end, with a little shrug and an attempt at a small smile. He was, after all, as ok as could be expected with things as they were. He'd felt worse in the past and it had gone past then so why not now?

[talks_to_nisse]

"Are you sure?" Sindre pressed. "Is it actually helping, having another person in the room?" He gave Berwald a rueful grin.

"Don't hesitate to say if there's something else I can do. You're a guest, and one who's been rather amazingly helpful. Making sure you're sleeping well is the least I can do."

[oxenstierna_b]

"Ah... 'es," Berwald answered, slightly flustered. He'd been trying not to think of that as the reason for it, rather than it being so he could make sure Sindre was ok. Although that might not have been strictly necessary, certainly not anymore.

"You don't... mind, d' ya?" he asked guiltily.

[talks_to_nisse]

Sindre frowned, a bit confused. "Why would I mind?" he asked, honest curiosity in his tone. "I offered in the first place, remember? My getting injured was just...convenient timing."

He shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure it was helping."

[oxenstierna_b]

"Ah, right..." he'd completely forgotten about that. "Wouldn't call it convenient," Berwald replied with a slightly strained, tired smile, and then shrugged.

"But... it does. And I'm thankful," he added, almost bashful in how he couldn't even look at Sindre and how awkwardly the words came out.

[talks_to_nisse]

Sindre couldn't help but smile back. "'s nothing," he said, waving it off. "It's not like I had to go out of my way or anything. Just so long as you let me know if it stops helping."

A slight pause followed, Sindre not sure what to say next. So he nudged Berwald toward the bed. "Try it out?"

[oxenstierna_b]

Berwald went to pull out the lower bed out better, testing it by pressing with his hand, before first sitting and then lying down on it, rather self conciously with Sindre still watching him. However, he crossed his hands over his chest, seeming to consider the feel of the bed very seriously.

"'s good," Berwald decided.

[talks_to_nisse]

Smile turning a bit relieved, Sindre carefully sat down next to him. "Good. I--It's always better when people like their gifts," he said, not quite admitting to feeling nervous about how receptive Berwald would be to them.

Lying there, Berwald looked so serious that Sindre couldn't help but reach out and ruffle his hair. He didn't pull away after, though, leaving his hand resting against Berwald's head.

[oxenstierna_b]

Berwald blinked, his expression becoming even more carefully neutral. He wanted to lean into the touch, and at the same time wanted to pull away but knew that both would be too telling.

Instead he lay still for a moment before rolling to face Sindre, hoping he wouldn't have noticed anything strange in his behaviour.

"'t really is very nice," he assured him earnestly, and then raised a hand to cover up a yawn. "In fact, could d' a test run right 'way."

[talks_to_nisse]

Berwald's yawn was catching, and before he thought much about it, Sindre had lay down beside Berwald. Carefully adjusting himself on his side, he kept the winces off his face so Berwald wouldn't see.

"It is nice," he agreed.