Six years later, Tino comes home again, weary but smiling. The peace treaties they signed to end the wars linger at the back of his mind.
It is over. It is finally over. And now Tino can try to move on with his life.
It’s growing warmer, and the bud of spring is starting to blossom. Tino stops and looks down at the grass; some of the flowers are starting to come up.
Among them are a few snowdrops, their stems firm, the flowers bowed and droop towards the soil. Tino merely watches them for a moment before unlocking the front door and going inside.
When he comes back out, he’s carrying a small pot and a spade.
Tino takes care in digging up one of the snowdrops, watching where the roots begin and end, where he should put his shovel to damage it the least. It takes longer than he expects, but in the end he’s safely transplanted a snowdrop into the pot. And he holds it a moment, cradling it in his hands, before taking it inside with him.
That night, Tino has a slice of maitorieska with a glass of water, because there’s not much food in the house.
He sets the snowdrop next to the lamp and watches how the light casts shadows on the petals. He cradles the little blossom in his fingers and smiles, a tiny flick of his lips, for the first time in a while. ___
The daffodils are in full bloom when Tino thinks he hears a sharp animal sound in the distance.
His eyes shoot open and he turns his head so hard his neck hurts. His hand tightens on his glass of water as he squints and looks out across the land.
There’s nothing. The air fills with the sound of birds and spring.
Then something small and white seems to almost materialize out of the trees in the distance, hurtling towards the house with incredible speed.
Tino doesn’t move. Can’t. His hand starts to tremble as he watches the horizon.
An arm pushes aside the boughs, and someone comes out.
Berwald is thinner and his hair is dirtier. His glasses might be cracked.
Tino’s glass slips from his fingers and falls to the ground.
And Tino is running, running to that man in the distance, trying to put what speed he can into his legs so that he can reach Berwald before the man decides to turn around and disappear back into the forest. And with each step his heart seems to grow a bit more until he’s blinded by it, made dizzy with the purest happiness he’s ever felt.
Tino throws his arms around Berwald’s neck and pulls him close, tries to pull Berwald into his chest. Berwald stiffens underneath his touch.
“…’m…” He can’t finish his sentence, and as Tino pulls back to look into his face he sees Berwald’s eyes, sees the uncertainty and fear and sadness in them. And the tenderness that vulnerability makes him feel is enough for Tino.
So Tino leans up and kisses him, crushes their bodies together as they tumble to the grass, fingers fumbling at coat buttons and scars and the feel of everything after all this time.
The sun colors the world bright and warm, heating the ground underneath them as they touch and taste and sigh. ___
Tino looks up from his book and looks at Berwald as he scratches Hana-Tamago’s tummy. The dog growls and whines his pleasure to accompany his leg twitches.
“You and Hana-Tamago seem to have bonded well.”
“Mm.”
“Thank you for…for taking care of him.”
Berwald’s eyes flick up and meet Tino’s. “ ‘s nothing. He’s m’family, too.” A pause. “Miss’d y’, y’know.”
Tino doesn’t really know how to respond as Berwald returns his attention to Hana-Tamago, who is now trying to nip and chew at his fingers.
So he doesn’t. He puts his bookmark into the page, stands, and runs his fingers through Berwald’s hair as he starts for the door, opening it and stepping out into the mild, gentle air and the breezes that await him.
He looks up at the sky and smiles.
The clouds are starting to move on, and in between the cracks Tino can see the promise of stars. ___
…I, uh, really hope you enjoyed that, Anon. I feel like it felt better in my head. *bows* I do hope some other!anon will attempt to do another fill!
Holy... that was beautiful anon. Seriously, I can't have asked for anything better. I think I would have cried if I weren't sitting with another person in the room while reading this xD.
Seriously, that was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful, and it fits the mood and song so well, and fits Tino and Berwald so well that I can't even describe how happy this made me. Seriously, it was gorgeous. Your writing is beautiful, and I sincerely hope you write more for these two. I have such a thing for bittersweet things, and this perfectly filled that. It was sad, but hopeful, and the way you write their love makes it so that it's almost tangible.
Thank you so so much ♥ This is absolutely wonderful!
See, you've got me all jumbled up that I keep saying "beautiful" and "seriously".
Your fic did both the song and the pairing so much justice. For whatever reason I've always related that song to them. Now I think I like the song even more than I did before! ♥.
Okay, enough of my rambling <3 Thank you again. It makes me so happy >3
Maybe it's because it's completely freezing where I am right now, but... the fic just has all the strong, almost-indescribable emotions and feelings of winter. Your fic... it's absolutely beautiful and cold and melancholic, yet so warm because of the approaching of spring.
The part where Sweden leaves only for Finland to find out later is heart-breaking. I LOVE the way you write Tino, from his personality and resolve to the way he reacts to things. And OH GOD the way he doesn't seem to realise when they were having sex that Sweden was going to leave. TT^TT
Thank you so much for this, anon. I do hope you keep writing Sweden and Finland, because you do it so fucking well. As fellow SuFin shipper/writer, I salute you.
Now that I've had time to stop squealing - and sat down and paired the fic with the song... mmfffmm it was just as great as before but even better. I agree with the other anon on the feelings of winter - the fic perfectly portrays that indescribable feeling along with the hope of spring. Since it's that time of year where I live [and the snow is now melting under warmer weather] it just makes it that more striking.
I really adore how you wove parts of the video and song into the fic - the flame as a beacon, the snowdrops and spring.
I nearly cried when Tino grabs his gun to fight after seeing Ivan, and had the same sensation throughout the fic. It draws a lot of emotion out just by itself, and it takes a really powerful writer to do that. The way you word things is so eloquent and meaningful, and everything pieces together so well into something that evokes a great deal of emotion.
I love it when writing and music can do that for me, and your fic definitely did it. So, thank you again [for the third time. I'm sorry, I just can't seem to get the words right in describing how much I enjoyed it!]. You made my night! I hope my incessant OMFG THANK YOUS aren't too bothersome, writer!anon!
I...w-wow, thank you so much, OP and othernon! I - I was a bit worried about posting this here, because it was so different from the version in my head that I was a bit worried I was half-assing it. I'm just so glad that you both enjoyed this, and thank you so much for the wonderful and encouraging comments! Your kindness has really floored me, especially since this is only my second SuFin piece. I certainly hope that more prompts like this one come up for the pairing!
OP has RETURNED [I have the entry tagged so thats why i am creepily replying so soon. 8D /creep]
I'm so glad! i don't think you half-assed it at all. I hope that you do write more SuFin [and I think I might have read something else by writernon? it's got the same feel as another sufin fic i read recently. I'M SORRY IF THAT'S REALLY CREEPY LMFAO]
I'm glad you enjoyed the prompt! I thought all the writernons out there would be like "wow thats a terrible idea" and move on. I hope other people have prompts like this as well - at least I wouldn't be the only weird one who constantly relates music to writing and characters! ♥
This is just...just beautiful. I have no words for it. The feelings running through the story and Finland ajshjgsdhgajs;rg I love your take on them and the fact that Sweden was not there and yet Finland does not hate him for it—just. God.
That was AMAZING. You write these two very well. My favourite bit was Ivan appearing through the storm, smile first... A brilliant image; it sent shivers down my spine.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Winter Song [Final]
(Anonymous) 2009-03-07 01:32 am (UTC)(link)It is over. It is finally over. And now Tino can try to move on with his life.
It’s growing warmer, and the bud of spring is starting to blossom. Tino stops and looks down at the grass; some of the flowers are starting to come up.
Among them are a few snowdrops, their stems firm, the flowers bowed and droop towards the soil. Tino merely watches them for a moment before unlocking the front door and going inside.
When he comes back out, he’s carrying a small pot and a spade.
Tino takes care in digging up one of the snowdrops, watching where the roots begin and end, where he should put his shovel to damage it the least. It takes longer than he expects, but in the end he’s safely transplanted a snowdrop into the pot. And he holds it a moment, cradling it in his hands, before taking it inside with him.
That night, Tino has a slice of maitorieska with a glass of water, because there’s not much food in the house.
He sets the snowdrop next to the lamp and watches how the light casts shadows on the petals. He cradles the little blossom in his fingers and smiles, a tiny flick of his lips, for the first time in a while.
___
The daffodils are in full bloom when Tino thinks he hears a sharp animal sound in the distance.
His eyes shoot open and he turns his head so hard his neck hurts. His hand tightens on his glass of water as he squints and looks out across the land.
There’s nothing. The air fills with the sound of birds and spring.
Then something small and white seems to almost materialize out of the trees in the distance, hurtling towards the house with incredible speed.
Tino doesn’t move. Can’t. His hand starts to tremble as he watches the horizon.
An arm pushes aside the boughs, and someone comes out.
Berwald is thinner and his hair is dirtier. His glasses might be cracked.
Tino’s glass slips from his fingers and falls to the ground.
And Tino is running, running to that man in the distance, trying to put what speed he can into his legs so that he can reach Berwald before the man decides to turn around and disappear back into the forest. And with each step his heart seems to grow a bit more until he’s blinded by it, made dizzy with the purest happiness he’s ever felt.
Tino throws his arms around Berwald’s neck and pulls him close, tries to pull Berwald into his chest. Berwald stiffens underneath his touch.
“…’m…” He can’t finish his sentence, and as Tino pulls back to look into his face he sees Berwald’s eyes, sees the uncertainty and fear and sadness in them. And the tenderness that vulnerability makes him feel is enough for Tino.
So Tino leans up and kisses him, crushes their bodies together as they tumble to the grass, fingers fumbling at coat buttons and scars and the feel of everything after all this time.
The sun colors the world bright and warm, heating the ground underneath them as they touch and taste and sigh.
___
Tino looks up from his book and looks at Berwald as he scratches Hana-Tamago’s tummy. The dog growls and whines his pleasure to accompany his leg twitches.
“You and Hana-Tamago seem to have bonded well.”
“Mm.”
“Thank you for…for taking care of him.”
Berwald’s eyes flick up and meet Tino’s. “ ‘s nothing. He’s m’family, too.” A pause. “Miss’d y’, y’know.”
Tino doesn’t really know how to respond as Berwald returns his attention to Hana-Tamago, who is now trying to nip and chew at his fingers.
So he doesn’t. He puts his bookmark into the page, stands, and runs his fingers through Berwald’s hair as he starts for the door, opening it and stepping out into the mild, gentle air and the breezes that await him.
He looks up at the sky and smiles.
The clouds are starting to move on, and in between the cracks Tino can see the promise of stars.
___
…I, uh, really hope you enjoyed that, Anon. I feel like it felt better in my head. *bows* I do hope some other!anon will attempt to do another fill!
OP here <3
(Anonymous) 2009-03-07 02:16 am (UTC)(link)Seriously, that was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful, and it fits the mood and song so well, and fits Tino and Berwald so well that I can't even describe how happy this made me. Seriously, it was gorgeous. Your writing is beautiful, and I sincerely hope you write more for these two. I have such a thing for bittersweet things, and this perfectly filled that. It was sad, but hopeful, and the way you write their love makes it so that it's almost tangible.
Thank you so so much ♥ This is absolutely wonderful!
Re: OP here <3
(Anonymous) 2009-03-07 02:23 am (UTC)(link)See, you've got me all jumbled up that I keep saying "beautiful" and "seriously".
Your fic did both the song and the pairing so much justice. For whatever reason I've always related that song to them. Now I think I like the song even more than I did before! ♥.
Okay, enough of my rambling <3 Thank you again. It makes me so happy >3
Re: Winter Song [Final]
(Anonymous) 2009-03-07 04:45 am (UTC)(link)The part where Sweden leaves only for Finland to find out later is heart-breaking. I LOVE the way you write Tino, from his personality and resolve to the way he reacts to things. And OH GOD the way he doesn't seem to realise when they were having sex that Sweden was going to leave. TT^TT
Thank you so much for this, anon. I do hope you keep writing Sweden and Finland, because you do it so fucking well. As fellow SuFin shipper/writer, I salute you.
OP v 3.0
(Anonymous) 2009-03-07 05:33 am (UTC)(link)Now that I've had time to stop squealing - and sat down and paired the fic with the song... mmfffmm it was just as great as before but even better. I agree with the other anon on the feelings of winter - the fic perfectly portrays that indescribable feeling along with the hope of spring. Since it's that time of year where I live [and the snow is now melting under warmer weather] it just makes it that more striking.
I really adore how you wove parts of the video and song into the fic - the flame as a beacon, the snowdrops and spring.
I nearly cried when Tino grabs his gun to fight after seeing Ivan, and had the same sensation throughout the fic.
It draws a lot of emotion out just by itself, and it takes a really powerful writer to do that. The way you word things is so eloquent and meaningful, and everything pieces together so well into something that evokes a great deal of emotion.
I love it when writing and music can do that for me, and your fic definitely did it. So, thank you again [for the third time. I'm sorry, I just can't seem to get the words right in describing how much I enjoyed it!]. You made my night! I hope my incessant OMFG THANK YOUS aren't too bothersome, writer!anon!
Writernon here!
(Anonymous) 2009-03-07 06:29 am (UTC)(link)Re: Writernon here!
(Anonymous) 2009-03-07 06:37 am (UTC)(link)I'm so glad! i don't think you half-assed it at all. I hope that you do write more SuFin [and I think I might have read something else by writernon? it's got the same feel as another sufin fic i read recently. I'M SORRY IF THAT'S REALLY CREEPY LMFAO]
I'm glad you enjoyed the prompt! I thought all the writernons out there would be like "wow thats a terrible idea" and move on. I hope other people have prompts like this as well - at least I wouldn't be the only weird one who constantly relates music to writing and characters! ♥
Re: Writernon here!
(Anonymous) 2009-03-07 06:41 am (UTC)(link)I certainly hope I write more, too! (Would said fic happen to have been on page 36?
*keelhauled by kinkmeme hardasses*)Re: Writernon here!
(Anonymous) 2009-03-07 06:46 am (UTC)(link)[I had commented on it and noticed it was your first SuFin so put two+two together plus the writing style and was like "i wonder..."]
SORRY FOR BEING A TOTAL FANFIC CREEPER =x=.
;)~
(Anonymous) 2009-03-07 06:54 am (UTC)(link)But I'm very glad you enjoyed them both! Please look forward to my future fics, I'll do my very best to make them good!
Re: Winter Song [Final]
(Anonymous) 2009-03-07 06:37 am (UTC)(link)Re: Winter Song [Final]
(Anonymous) 2009-03-07 09:25 am (UTC)(link)Thank you.
Re: Winter Song [Final]
(Anonymous) 2009-03-07 07:46 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Winter Song [Final]
(Anonymous) 2009-03-07 08:36 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Winter Song [Final]
(Anonymous) 2009-03-09 06:04 am (UTC)(link)