APH: You're Home Late. -Part 1/5 ((SwedenxFinland, Hanatamago))
There was the sound of metal clinking against metal, then a click, and then a long, grating creak. Tino popped his head around from the kitchen to catch a glimpse of the intimidating figure as it slipped inside from the cold night without so much as a word. The figure had its back turned towards the interior of the house, as if it were already contemplating going out again, and it closed the front door with a menacingly slow motion. Once the lock had been secured again, the figure simply stood there, staring at the wall for a good five minutes, as still and tall as a statue. If Tino had not been accustomed to these- Berwald's- strange mannerisms by now, he might have fainted on the spot. As it was, Tino knew that it was safe to approach the other man, who had finally quit staring at nothing and had stooped to untie his own knee-high boots.
"You're home late again," Tino commented. It was just an observation, he assured himself. What time the other man got home did not matter to him, after all. It really was cold outside, though. The sun had been down for hours. The Finnish nation felt a shiver sneak up his spine as an icy draft swept across the floor and swirled around his slippered feet. "Was it a long day at the office?"
"...Hn..." Berwald greeted in his usual way, glaring fixedly at the black laces tangled up in his hands.
Tino crouched down beside him and took custody of the nearest boot to offer some assistance. As he picked at the knots, he shot a curious glance up at the bigger man, whose brow was wrinkled in concentration. It was interesting to look at Berwald from this angle. Their faces were almost the same height for once. Tino could clearly see every blue speck behind those glasses...
Lest he be caught making eye contact, Tino looked away and cleared his throat. "Ahaha- there you go, Su-san!" After some furious work with his small fingers, the ties had been loosened and Berwald was freed. Tino straightened up again, smoothing out his apron.
"Y'cooking er something?" Berwald suddenly grunted after a long silence. He had just noticed the fine layer of flour coating the other's pale hair, like a snowfall.
"Eh? Um, yes! I even tried to make lingonberry jam, but I think I added too much sweetener... But maybe for you, it'll taste just right this time? Eheheh...." He heard his voice fade away at the failed attempt to lighten the dragging mood that hung in the air. He was used to awkward pauses with Su-san, but lately they had been especially uncomfortable. Perhaps it was his imagination, but Berwald seemed to have become increasingly tired over the past few weeks. He had been coming home later and later each night. At first, Tino had managed to fall asleep without thinking about it, but ever since the time when he had woken up in the middle of the night and discovered that his housemate had still not returned, he found himself anxiously waiting up with a bottomless mug of coffee. He had even abstained from dinner tonight so that they could eat it together, because at this rate, he barely saw the man anymore.
"Hnn. Smells good." Berwald shuffled past, down the hall, leading the way towards the kitchen and the source of all the torturously sweet and sour scents. Tino brightened a little at that remark. He hoped the meal had turned out well; he'd worked on it for hours.
"I- I'll serve you, then," Tino announced and waited for the other to pull up a chair before scurrying over to the stove, where a mess of pots and pans was simmering. He rummaged around with a wooden spoon, inspecting this and that and taking his time with the presentation. When he turned back towards the table, he had a plate piled high with Swedish delicacies. Su-san, however, was slumped forward in his seat, head face-down, fast asleep.
"....What do I do with you now?" Tino sighed, setting aside his neglected 'special' dinner. This posed a dilemma, since the bedroom was all the way upstairs. The taller nation was far too large for him to carry, and impossible to wake, even on the best of days...
At a loss for a better solution, Tino draped a wool blanket over the man's shoulders and sat down to watch him sleep. Eventually the food had cooled, untouched by either of them, and the strength of Tino's coffee had started to fail him. He rested his heavy head on the table, poking absently at the curl of Berwald's outstretched hand before he, too, drifted off.
XXX
((Part 2/? coming soon! :3))