Vinternalskare - Chapter Eleven

Title: Vinternälskare
CHAPTER ELEVEN

Pairing: Sweden x Finland (Berwald Oxenstierna  x Tino Väinämöinen / Sverige x Suomi)
Rating: T (Teen) not Quite M (Mature) But will be VERY close…. I'd Rate it "R" at the movies to err on the die of caution.

Credits & Disclaimers: Hetalia is © Himaruya Hidekazu I own nothing but this story's plot. Everything else is borrowed. Please note: this is Romantic AU (Alternate Universe.) This is pretty much all I write.

Synopsis: Tino has spent his entire life living and working in a brothel, Berwald is a farmer and handy man living nearby. Their meeting was uneventful but planted the seed. When they meet again under harrowing circumstances and are thrust together one cold winter, the seed... blossoms.


Thanks again to for being my awesome beta and for all your reviews and comments that really cheer me up more than I can EVER hope to describe and keep me going. Thank you so much for reading.


THIS IS TEMPORARILY UN-BETA'd. I wanted to make sure you all got it in time for Christmas. It will be edited for Boo-Boos later.

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Chapter Eleven: Gifts from the Heart


Tino had finished the toys for Peter and with just a week left until Christmas he was at his wits end on what to do for Berwald. So while Berwald was out in the barn doing his chores, Tino started poking around in dark corners in the house to see what he could find.

Tino was up in the storage area above the door when he uncovered buried in a back corner a bag of colorful rags, old worn linens and other items put in a basket and forgotten about. Tino inspected the cloth that was just waiting to be reused and he knew exactly what he was going to do. He just hoped he'd be able to finish in time. But he needed more he'd have to enlist a little aid and go ask Aleks for some help.

He found a sack and stuffed the nicest looking fabric remnants and rags into the sacking, all the thread he could find the needle and then shoved his feet into his boots and pulled on his coat.

He went outside where Berwald and Peter were in the barn with the animals and Tino grinned from the doorway.

"Bear, how far is it to Aleks house?" Tino asked and Berwald paused in mucking out the pens to look at Tino.

"Not far, just under a mile. Why?" He asked curious.

"That is a Christmas secret. Do you think you can manage without me for lunch? I left some soup on the stove and sandwiches on the counter. I should be back in time to fix dinner.

"I'd rather you not walk after dark. Have Mathias bring you back tonight. When you reach the road, turn left and just follow the road west, the first farm on the right with the big blue house is their place. We'll be fine Mama." Berwald said knowing Tino was probably on a mission for him for Christmas so he wouldn't pry. It would also give him and Peter time to make things for Tino for Christmas. They could be devious too.

Tino kissed them both goodbye and headed down the road at a brisk pace and arrived about fifteen minutes later. It wasn't far down the road at all. Mathias was outside, just coming out of the barn when he saw Tino heading his way.

"What on earth are you doing here Ti?" Mathias asked meeting Tino at the fence.

"Coming to see Aleks, I'm hoping I can enlist some help in making Berwald's Christmas present." Tino said patting his sack slung over his good shoulder.

"Well come in out of the cold, Aleks is in the kitchen making lunch. Are you hungry?" Mathias asked leading Tino toward the house.

"I ate before I came, but I can lend a hand inside at least." Tino grinned stamping the snow off his boots on the doorstep as Mathias opened the door.

"Look who I dragged in out of the snow." Mathias announced taking Tino's coat to hang up by the door. Aleksander poked his head out of the kitchen and smiled.

"Hello Ti. Come on in, it's toasty in here. Have you eaten?" Aleks asked as Tino set down his bundle by the door and headed into the kitchen to help Aleks.

"I have, but let me help. What can I do?" Tino asked rolling up his sleeves.

"Butter and mash those potatoes for me please on the table." Aleks pointed as he stirred some sauce on the stove, a bowl of fried frikadeller patties were already on the table covered in a towel to keep them warm.

"Berwald will be sad he missed lunch over here. I only left him leek soup and ham sandwiches." Tino chuckled as he mashed the bowl of boiled potatoes for Aleks.

"Mads and Berwald argue over which meatballs are better. The Swedes roll them and the Danes flatten them, to me shape is irrelevant they both taste the same to me. God forbid I serve Mads round meatballs. The world is ending if he has to eat SWEDISH meatballs and not Frikadeller." Aleks rolled his eyes bringing over the sauce and then poking his head out into the living room again.

"Alright you two, come eat." Aleks ordered and his brother and Mathias made their way to the large table in the kitchen. Unlike Berwald's house where it was one rather big room, Aleks and Mads' house was a bigger, two story farm house and had a separate kitchen and dining room from the main parlor and living area.

Tino joined them at the table with just a cup of tea and grinned happily. "So what brings you over?" Mathias asked around a mouthful.

"I am hoping I can borrow Aleks for an afternoon and wondering if you have any wool batting that's unfit for carding and spinning. I want to make Berwald a rag quilt for Christmas but I only have a week. I found some wonderful rags hiding up in his storage. I was hoping Alex could help me cut squares and help me tack some squares and batting together so I can finish sewing it at home. I don't have a lot of time and Berwald is not very helpful in giving me ideas for Christmas." Tino said and Aleks grinned.

"I can do one better. I have one of those new sewing machines. Best damn thing I ever traded wool for with Francis. I adore that machine. I can make clothes in no time at all. We can make a simple quilt by dinnertime. You're always welcome to come over and borrow my machine when you need it. We have plenty of wool batting too in the barn. You're welcome to some for quilting." Aleks said and Tino cheered.

"Oh thank you! We had a machine at… where I… used to live. I made Peter some pants on it once." Tino said embarrassed about his former life. Aleks just patted his hand.

"Then I won't have to teach you how to use it. And Ti, we don't care what is in the past. You're here now and that is all that matters." Aleks said and his tone was final. As far as he was concerned, Tino and Berwald were extended family down the road.

Tino's smile was grateful. Mathias grinned and gestured with a fork full of frikadeller. "Damn straight. We take care of our own around these parts. Even if I think you could have done better than that damn Swede for a husband." Mathias grinned evilly. He didn't mean a word of it.

Tino laughed. "I think I did just fine."

Erik just rolled his eyes. God he couldn't wait until he turned seventeen and was off to college in the Big City. Aleks and Mathias had scrimped and saved to be able to send him to college. They wanted him to have a better life and he so hated working on the farm. He was just not cut out to be a farmer. He had dreams, he wanted to be a writer and so Aleks was going to do everything he could to help Erik's dreams come to fruition. Even if the house would feel so empty come June and the lad was off to the Big City on the train.

After lunch, Tino helped wash the dishes while Mathias brought in a sack of batting wool and Aleks and Tino sat at the table cutting different size squares and tacking them around batting with pins.

It took a pair of hours before they had enough squares to make a rather large quilt. It had to fit on the bed after all and their bed was large.

They laid the squares on the floor to approximate the quilt and once satisfied. Aleks brought in his machine and set up at the table. Tino went right to work sewing the squares together and just as the sun was vanishing in the sky. Tino had Berwald's Christmas present ready.

"Thank you so much for helping me." Tino said as he stuffed the quilt back in his sack, it was much fuller now that is was stuffed with batting. It barely fit.

"Anytime. That is beautiful; He's going to love it." Alex said hugging Tino goodnight.

"I hope so." Tino grinned as he pulled on his coat and Mathias pulled on his.

"The bear would stick his foot up my ass if I didn't walk the city boy home after dark." Mathias said grabbing his rifle down from the hook and slinging it over his shoulder. There were wolves and it was just better safe than sorry to walk people unused to living in wolf country home.

It was just after sundown when Tino and Mathias arrived home and Tino lead Mathias inside. Berwald and Peter were at the table having a reading and writing lesson. Peter was learning so much faster than Tino.

Tino hung up his coat and hid his satchel behind his back. "No peeking Bear! Please Make Mads some coffee while I hide your Christmas present." Tino grinned and dashed back into the bedroom where he shoved the satchel under the bed for the time being. He knew Berwald wouldn't peek.

"And I won't tell you what it is either, unless you pay me." Mathias grinned and Berwald chuckled.

"I don't want to know." Berwald replied from the stove where he poured Mathias coffee to warm him up a minute before he went back home again.

"Want to stay for supper?" Berwald asked handing Mads the mug.

"YES! Aleks is making Rømmegrøt, pity me." Mathias whined and Berwald chuckled.

"Never let it be said I made you eat rømmegrøt. Aleks probably knew you'd eat here if he's making that for dinner." Berwald said as Mathias shed his coat and boots by the door and made himself at home next to the fire to warm up. Tino trotted out from the bedroom looking pleased with himself and headed right into the kitchen.

He set some potatoes on to boil and sent Berwald into the smokehouse to bring in some sausage that he started frying in a pan. In the cold larder were some canned preserved sliced carrots he set in a pan to heat up.

Once the potatoes were boiled, Tino diced them with onions and put them in a frying pan with some dill to make crispy fried dill potatoes, carrots and pork sausages for supper. Mathias was grinning like an idiot.

"Erik is going to be pissed he decided not to come with me. It smells great in here." Mathias said sitting at the table with Berwald helping Peter with his numbers.

"Tino is a good cook." Berwald said looking over Peter's slate.

"I'm a simple cook. So long as it doesn't burn it's a success in my book." Tino laughed from the kitchen bringing over a glass of milk to Peter. "Put your slate away now baby. Dinner is almost ready. Papa will you set the table for me please?" Tino asked and Berwald nodded and helped Peter put away his schoolwork before setting the table. Mathias chuckled to himself. Tino already had Berwald trained. That didn't take long.

Peter wanted to sit next to "Onkle Mads" for supper and so his chair was moved between Berwald and Mathias and Tino just hummed to himself, tickled at his son, as he set bowls on the counter. Peter adored Mathias and it looked to be mutual adoration as Mathias played with him at the table. He kept pulling a coin out of Peter's ear. It was "magic"! It was so easy to entertain and mystify little ones with slight-of-hand tricks.

Play was halted for supper and Mathias was singing Tino's praises for sparring him "death by Norwegian Porridge".

"It cannot be that disgusting." Tino said and in unison both Berwald and Mathias answered.

"Yes, it can."

After dinner, Mathias bundled up and headed home with a care package for Erik and Aleks of leftovers and Berwald went out to do final chores of the night while Tino got Peter ready for bed.

"Did you have fun with Papa today?" Tino asked as he bathed Peter in the tub and then scrubbed him dry in front of the fire before getting him dressed in his warm long underwear while his hair dried by the heat of the fire.

"Yeah, he helped me make a Chrissymass present for you Mama and I wrapped it all by myself too. Papa only helped me with the string." Peter said proud of himself and pointing under the tree at Tino's gift.

"What else did you do today?" Tino asked brushing Peter's hair by firelight.

"After we made your present, Papa and I did my alphabets. I can write up to 'G' all by myself now. Papa said I'm smart. I did my numbers up to ten and Onkle Mads says I'm a whiz-kid!" Peter beamed and Tino chuckled.

"You are smart. Papa and Onkle Mads are right. I'm proud of you baby." Tino said setting the brush down and snuggling on the couch with Peter a little before bedtime. His hair was still a little damp and Tino wanted it dry before he tucked Peter into bed.

Berwald came in and joined them on the sofa, Telling Peter a bedtime story as he did every night by the fire from an old book of Swedish tales he'd had since he was a boy. It was old and worn, but preserved and well loved.

Peter crawled up on Berwald's lap against his wide chest, a soft knitted blanket draped over them and warm from the fire and Berwald's deep, soft voice was comforting and lulling as he read to Peter from his book as his father had read to him at night by the fire. Berwald laid the book mark ribbon on the arm of the sofa as he turned to the tale they left off at last night.

"Tonight's story is called "Sweet-Laden with Good Milk." Berwald began and Tino got comfortable leaning up against Berwald just as Peter was cozy on his lap. Tino liked the stories almost as much as his son did. There was just something about Berwald's voice that was safe and comforting when he read to them by the fire. Berwald smiled to them both as he began, he had to translate into English as he read. This book was written in Swedish. It certainly helped him improve his speaking of English while he read to his loved ones.

"Many years ago a servant girl went into the woods one day to find the cattle. The animals usually grazed in the woods around Soasan. While she was looking for them, she saw two pair of pigmies, a boy and girl, sitting under the shadow of a large pine tree.


"It is best to be polite when on the trolls' own ground," thought the girl. So she addressed the troll infants in a very friendly way and invited each to partake of some bread and butter that she had with her in her little bag. The children had very large mouths, and ate with exceeding greed.


"When the girl was about to leave she heard a voice saying, "As you have taken pity on my children, you shall escape searching after the cows from now on. Go home! They stand at the gate."


"From that day the girl no longer had to search for the cows; they came to the gate every night of their own accord, sweet-laden with good milk." Berwald closed the book softly. Peter was yawning now.

"I think it is bedtime." Tino said standing and Berwald picked up Peter to carry him to bed as Tino went to turn down the covers.

Berwald laid Peter to bed and tucked him in as Tino leaned over to kiss his brow. "Goodnight my angel. Mama loves you. Sweet Dreams." Tino said quietly, Peter already drifting to sleep, and then it was Berwald's turn to kiss a sleepy tot.

"Sleep tight min son. I love you too." Berwald said laying his big paw of a hand on Peter's head as he blew out the bedside lamp and they left the door cracked so Hana could come in and out during the night as they left an already asleep four year old to dream of trolls and fairies.

Tino put away Berwald's cherished book back on the shelf as Berwald set about banking the fires for the night. It was adult bedtime too, even if sleeping wasn't in their plans quite yet. They shared loving smiles as they made sure the house was secure before heading into their bedroom to enjoy some private time together before bed.


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Christmas morning dawned and Peter woke up his parents by flying into their bedroom. "Santa came! Santa Came! You were right Mama! Santa CAME!!!" Peter danced and shouted and Tino and Berwald shared sleepy smiles as they rose to greet the morning with Peter. They had been up late getting his presents wrapped and under the tree.

"I told you Santa would come Baby." Tino said scooping up Peter to get him dressed. "But before we can open presents, chores and breakfast come first. Agneta, Lily, Mumbles and the rest all need breakfast too." Tino said taking Peter into his room to get him dressed while Berwald got dressed.

"We'll work fast Peter I promise." Berwald said chuckling and coming in to collect his frantically excited son to take him outside. Tino dressed and started breakfast. Oatmeal would suffice this morning. Especially considering Peter's stocking was filled with fudge and cookies and telling a four year old not to eat the sweets Santa had left him would be like ordering mother nature not to make it snow in winter. At least with Oatmeal in him first he wouldn't have much room for too many sweets.

Once back inside Peter was a blur across the room. He practically inhaled his breakfast. Berwald and Tino just brought their bowls and mugs into the living room so Peter could get to his presents. Tino went over to the tree and fished out the gifts for Peter and handed him his stocking from the mantle to start.

Peter was in little boy orgasmic bliss that morning. He had all new toys, just like Mama and Papa said Santa would bring! Santa had even eaten the cookie and drank the milk he had left out by the fireplace! Tino chuckled. He had eaten that butter cookie without feeling guilty one bit. Berwald had drained the milk glass with a co-conspirator's grin as they went to bed that night.

Tino then went and brought over the gift he had made Berwald and plopped the large bundle on his lap. "Merry Christmas my Bear." Tino said kissing Berwald's scruffy cheek, he needed a shave. But it was Christmas, it could wait.

Tino and Peter watched a smiling Berwald unwrap his gift. He'd not gotten a gift in years; he was almost as giddy as Peter this morning.

He was practically in tears when he saw the quilt Tino had made for him. He recognized some of the fabric as old shirts and linens he had either outgrown, ruined or were threadbare in places. He'd forgotten about that rag basket. "Oh Tino, it's beautiful. I love it!" Berwald said tugging Tino into his lap for a nice long kiss.

"I'm so glad. I borrowed Aleks' sewing machine. He helped me cut the squares and Mads gave me the batting I used. So it's sort of from all of us in a way." Tino said smiling and Berwald returned the smile.

"It will always live on our bed. I think it's beautiful." Berwald said as Peter brought over his package.

"From Me Mama!" Peter said and Tino happily unwrapped his present. It was a little wooden square that had been painted with a round face with purple splotches for eyes, white paint for hair and a big read squiggly line for a smiling mouth and the letters M-A-M-A. Peter had painted a picture of Tino and it was the most beautiful picture painted… ever.

Tino squeezed Peter tightly, Tears in his eyes. "Oh Baby I love it so much. Thank you sweetheart. Mama is going to hang it on the wall right next to Erik's picture." Tino said and Peter looked so proud of himself.

Berwald then gave the cloisonné keepsake box to Tino and he did cry over that and he was wiping his eyes as Peter brought over the last present from under the tree to Berwald.

"From me Papa!" Peter said and Berwald looked to Tino who only smiled. Berwald couldn't for the life of him think of when Tino or Peter had been able to sneak behind his back for Christmas.

He carefully unwrapped the paper from the gift and on a thick piece of tree bark, Peter had glued bits of string and ribbon and painted macaroni into the form of a "troll" from Papa's storybook. Well, it was more a blob of something with another red blob of something else on top but to a four year old it was a lovely rendition of one of Berwald's Tomte trolls. Whom he had told Peter lived in the house in the rafters and helped watch over them and the farm. They also lived with Santa and helped him make toys for good children. Peter loved those stories and that was what he had made for his Papa.

Berwald was all choked up; he loved the atrocious bit of artwork more than any fancy painting in a museum. He set it up on the center of the mantle to display it and then scooped up his son in a bear hug. "Papa loves it. Thank you." He said cuddling Peter and then leaning over to kiss Tino's cheek.

"When did you make that?" He asked and Tino just laid a finger beside his nose.

"If we tell you our secrets Papa how are we supposed to surprise you?" was all Tino said as got up to start preparing food for Christmas Dinner. Mathias, Aleks and Erikir would be arriving anytime and Tino needed to get the goose in the oven to start baking, Aleks was going to help with the rest of the trimming when he arrived.

Berwald started cleaning up the debris off the floor and went and laid his quilt on the bed and Peter was playing in a sea of toys on the floor when their guests arrived.

There was more small gift giving. Mainly cookies and treats and some knitted plush toys for Peter. Aleks and Tino were working away merrily in the kitchen, laughing and chatting like long lost brothers and making the house smell wonderful with a feast to feed kings while Erik read his new book in the corner and Mathias played a game of checkers with Peter on the floor by the fire. Berwald was of course helping Peter murder his "Onkle Mads" in the game. This was made easier by Mathias purposefully making terrible moves, no four year old wanted to lose after all. It was by far much more fun to win. After Peter took his pieces Mathias would make a big production about whining and complaining that Peter was just too smart for him to beat.

It was a very Merry Christmas, and the start of a new tradition. The holidays were always brighter after all when they were spent with family and friends.


TBC...
MERRY CHRISTMAS