A/N: Well, it's been a long wait. Life has just been totally dildos and I've had the worst case of writer's block. I swear on Charles' badassery that I WILL have the next chapter out soon. Enjoy your fluff with a side order of fluff and and extra fluff sprinkles. Reviews are love, yadda yadda, enjoi.

Skwisgaar woke later than usual, and opened his eyes to a mop of chestnut hair in his face. He blew it all away and snuggled deeper into Toki's arms with a small 'mmm' sound. It felt nice to be the first one awake, but kind of crampy. Wait, that wasn't it. He tried to sit up, then groaned loudly and fell over onto his side, clutching his lower abdomen. Gods, that hurt. He fought to sit up, stifling moans of excruciating pain into his hand. Once he finally managed to sit up, a sharp throbbing in his ass forced him back down. He rolled around on the bed, anything to ease the horrible ache in his stomach and ass. Toki stirred.

"God morgen," he mumbled, eyes still closed.

"It fucking hurts.." Skwisgaar complained hoarsely. One too-pale blue eye cracked open and fell on the Swede clutching desperately at his stomach.

"Sore?" he asked tiredly. Skwisgaar nodded. Toki pulled him close, pressing Skwisgaar's back into his chest, and started rubbing soothing circles into his stomach. Skwisgaar groaned and turned his head to the side. Toki rested his chin on Skwisgaar's shoulder and softly pressed their lips together.

"I think you ripped me apart, Toki."

"Oh, come on, Skwis, it's not that bad."

"Unnnghhh... Permit me tGo disagree."

"Try to sit up farther." Skwisgaar braced himself on Toki's muscular forearm and sat up, then fell back onto the Norwegian's lap, moaning in pain.

"God damnit, Toki, what did you do?"

"I'm sorry, Skwisgaar. Can you get out of bed?"

"I don't think so.."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of you today," Toki said, beaming childishly. Skwisgaar smiled slightly and captured Toki's lips in a kiss.

"Fine. Could you get me my guitar and a shot of whiskey for my throat? It's fucking sore."

"Okay." Toki pecked Skwisgaar on the cheek, then carefully climbed out of bed. He slipped on his pants and set off to the rec room.

Skwisgaar laid back, squirming uncomfortably. There were a lot of things that one would never expect from a man like Skwisgaar. One of those things was how easily he got attached to things. It was nearly impossible to worm your way into the Swede's cold heart, but once you were there, you stayed there. And he wasn't that bad of a person, when he wasn't being a total dick. Toki had managed to bury into the beating black lump of Skwisgaar's abused heart deeper than anyone else, and quicker than anyone else. The Swede cared immensely for his Norwegian boyfriend, and deep down, he knew it had turned to love a long while before he confronted Toki. That night in Toki's room seemed so long ago. He'd relived it so many times in his head, how lucky he'd been to hear that scream in the night. He'd always felt bad for Toki, when all he had was a freakin' teddy bear to fight off his nightmares. Skwisgaar knew the nightmares. No, he knew the memories. He knew how it felt to have no one in your life care about you. He knew what it was like to feel weaker, unaccepted, alone in a world of only darkness. He had a deeper connection to Toki than he'd ever had with a person. That feeling, he believed, was love. Toki had tried to convince him that love was real, unsuccessfully, for many years. Now, Skwisgaar believed. He felt an odd feeling, something strange, as if an unseen force was pushing him to say it. Tell him you love him, the voice chided. He began to weigh the pros and cons, but he was a man with limited experience in the relationship department. He couldn't for the life of him think of anything that could go wrong. He would say it tonight, the Swede decided.

After a stop to his room for clothes, Toki strode purposefully toward the rec room, arms idly swaying at his sides. He entered to see Nathan and Pickles watching, of all things, football. And not even real football, because Americans called it soccer. He spotted the black and white Explorer resting By the couch and went over to get it.

"Hey, Toki." Pickles tipped his beer toward the brunette.

"Tell your boyfriend to fucking keep it down. We could hear him screaming from the other side of the 'haus." Nathan scowled, but Pickles giggled.

"Dooood, he was screamin' yer name like he was never gonna see ya again." Pickles smiled and chortled.

"I tells him you says to be quiet, when he ament's too sores to gets out of bed." Toki said, grinning as he slung the Explorer's strap over his shoulder. Pickles fell off the couch laughing, nearly spilling his Tequila Sunrise. As the redhead always said, everything's funnier when you're drunk. Nathan mumbled something and turned back toward the tv. The Norwegian made his way to the liquor cabinet and poured a shot of straight whiskey. Carrying the glass and guitar, he walked out of the room. Toki realized he was starving and decided to make a stop at the kitchen. Jean-Pierre was idly messing with some kind of sauce. He turned and smiled a hideous, crooked smile.

"Good afternoon, Monsieur Wartooth. Congratzulations on your new relatzionship with Monsieur Skwigelf. Can I get you somezing to eat?"

"Good mornings, Jean-Pierre, and t'anks you. De usuals, fors me please, and Skwisgaar's usuals too."

As Jean-Pierre cooked Toki's eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes, and Skwisgaar's regular breakfast, toast, Toki noodled around on the black and white explorer. His fingers danced quickly and elegantly along the strings. He took in the faint bloodstains on the silvery steel strings, wondering how many times Skwisgaar had practiced until his fingers bled. His fingers slowed as Jean-Pierre placed a plate of food in front of him. "T'anks," Toki said, smiling at the disfigured chef.

"Pas de quoi, Monsieur Wartooth."

"Why don'ts you ever haves a strap on your guitars?" Toki asked distractedly, walking in Skwisgaar's striking white room. However, Skwisgaar wasn't in the room. Toki heard a groan and set Skwisgaar's explorer and their breakfasts down. Following the sound, he entered the bathroom. Skwisgaar had donned a pair of black track pants and was standing near the counter, long arms braced on the surface and his head hanging.

"I thoughts you couldn'ts gets out of bed."

"Whens you gots to goes, you gots to goes, Toki. Helps me backs to de beds?" Skwisgaar leaned on Toki, who just swept him off his feet and carried him to bed.

"Is it reallies hurtings dats bad?" Toki inquired, setting Skwisgaar on the fluffy fur blankets. Skwisgaar winced as his ass touched the mattress and laid back.

"Ja, your stupids sexy fuckingks dick splitteds me in half. Sex was greats, d'ough."

"Ja, it was pretty greats." Toki laughed. "I broughts you somes breakfasts."

"Toasts?"

"Ja. Just plain olds toasts, no butters, no jams." Toki handed Skwisgaar his bread and shot glass and set his humongous plate of food in his lap, sitting on the white bed next to his lover. He tucked in hungrily, scarfing down his bacon while Skwisgaar half-sat up and slowly chewed his single piece of toast. Toki shoveled eggs down his throat, Skwisgaar watching with a wide-eyed look of awe and amusement, just as he had done every morning. Er, afternoon.

"Gods, Toki, stops and chew or somet'ingks. It still be amazingks me how you eats dat much and stills haves a body likes dat, and nots like Moidaface." Toki paused in his egg-shoveling and shrugged as he swallowed his food.

"Ja, I guess." Toki finished off his eggs and moved to his pancakes, eating ever so slightly slower than before.

"Those Lingonberry?" Skwisgaar asked. Toki nodded and picked a bite up on his fork, offering it to the Swede. Skwisgaar opened his mouth and Toki fed him the bite of pancake. He smiled and moved a bit closer to the brunette beside him, placing his arms behind his head and laying on his back. Toki picked up the TV remote (Skwisgaar had never been a fan of the stomp-controls) and turned on the TV, idly flipping channels as he popped a mini-sausage into his mouth. He flipped until he finished eating and set his empty plate on the nightstand. He came across a real football game and settled in to watch it. He glanced upon the small bar at the top of the screen.

"Is a Norway versus Swedens game!" Skwisgaar perked up and moved to rest his head on Toki's lap, carefully turning on his side and curling up as best he could without hurting himself. "Is just beginnings," Toki commented.

"Ja, but any times is enough times for Sweden to beats Norway."

"Whatever's, Sweden ams just too suckies to scores a points."

"De scores ams zeroes to zeroes, Toki. Norway didn'ts scores eidders."

"We see abouts dat." They kept their eyes glued on the screen, watching the 22 players on the field, red and yellow jerseys flying after the black and white ball. They whooped and cheered, shouting in their native tongues just as their bandmates would have done if an American football game was playing. Skwisgaar jeered while Toki cheered as Norway's defense booted the ball to Sweden's half of the field. It was Toki's turn to jeer when a Norwegian forward blasted the ball way over the goal. At half time, Skwisgaar spent his time poking Toki in his ticklish ribs, laughing when he squeaked and jumped. They talked and laughed and cheered through the second half, although the score was still 0-0. When Sweden scored a goal in the last minute Skwisgaar hooted and sat up, then immediately regretted it, as he fell onto Toki. Toki laughed at him, but pulled him into his lap, where he half-sat and half-laid over Toki's thighs, resting back on his elbows.

"Dat's just anodders t'ing dat Swede's ams betters at den Norwegians; Football."

"Whatever's. I amen'ts de one what's ams too sores so sits up after sex." Toki laughed and placed a hand on Skwisgaar's stomach.

"Heys! Shuts up, dildos." There was a smile in Skwisgaar's voice as he elbowed Toki's ribs.

"Yes, dear."

"What's you tryingks to say, ah?"

"Not'ings, dear."

"Toki, shuts up wit de 'dear'. I know what's you ams tryingks to do."

"Whatever's you says, dear."

"Toki!"

"Okays, Okays." Toki giggled and ran a hand through Skwisgaar's still-tangled hair. He stretched over to the nightstand and rummaged in the drawer until he pulled out a plain black hairbrush. He ran the brush slowly through the blonde strands, admiring the golden shine. Skwisgaar made a small "mmm" sound and let his head fall back, hair spilling around his shoulders as Toki brushed the wavy blonde tresses. Toki combed through each side, then the back of Skwisaar's head, making sure to start from the tips. Skwisgaar pulled Toki down and pressed his thick lips to his lover's, looping his arms around broad shoulders.

"I.." Skwisgaar started, pulling away, then thought better of it. He had to wait. "My ass is feeling a bit better," he said, switching randomly to Swedish and smiling slightly.

"Enough to get out of bed?"

"I don't think so."

"Turn over." Toki nudged Skwisgaar's back with his hips. The Swede gave him a funny look but complied, turning on his stomach onto the bed and squirming until he found a somewhat comfortable position. Perching on the back of Skwisgaar's knees, Toki began to rub at his lower back, just above the waistline of his pants. This elicited a small purr from the blonde man, and he rested his head on his arms. Toki continued the slow massage, gently pulling Skwisgaar's hips up and rubbing small circles into his lower abdomen. Skwisgaar made a small noise of protest, but didn't pull away. Toki stopped anyway, wanting to hurt Skwisgaar as little as possible. He went higher and rubbed the Swede's pale shoulders until he fully relaxed under Toki's gentle touch.

"Do you feel any better?"

"Mmmh, Ja," Skwisgaar mumbled, eyes closed.

"I'll be right back." Toki departed, but soon returned with what looked like two miniature blankets.

"These heating pads will ease some of the soreness. Press the little button and put it under where your back hurts the most." Skwisgaar complied, letting out a small moan as the little blanket began to heat up. Toki turned the other heat pad on and draped it over the Swede's abdomen.

"Thank you, babe. Hey, how do you know all this?" Toki's eyes shifted around the room. Eventually, he just looked at his bare feet.

"Uh.. Multiple things, it's nothing really.. You know."

"Oh."

"Ja." Toki switched to English as he prepared to exit. "I hasn't exersckiseds since likes T'ursday. I'm gonna goes on a jogs. Texts me if you needs me, Ja?"

"Ja."

Toki ran a hand through Skwisgaar's silky hair, getting off the bed carefully. He bent down and briefly connected their lips, cupping Skwisgaar's smooth cheek with a calloused hand. As the Norwegian left, Skwisgaar threw an arm across his face and sighed. He couldn't allow another slip up.

Toki sat under a large tree. As he caught his breath, he looked out at the monstrous thing he called his home. His eyes paused on Skwisgaar's large balcony and he smiled, eyes lighting up as an idea formed itself. He grabbed several large pebbles and shoved them into his pocket. Picking himself off the ground, he made his way over to the side of the huge house. He picked up his dethphone and dialed the speed dial number two. A staticky voice came through.

"Yes, m'lord?"

"Um, I needs a big trampolines, or a sheets or somesings. Somesings dat coulds catch someones what's ams fallings. I's outsides by de east sides of de 'haus."

"Yes, m'lord."

Toki hung up and waited somewhat impatiently for the gears to arrive.

A few minutes later, four gears arrived with a large safety net. They assembled themselves with the net pulled taut. One spoke up.

"My lord, this is dangerous. You know Master Ofdensen dislikes when you put yourself at risk of injury."

"I be fines, just holds the t'ingy unders

me." the gears obeyed and he grasped one of the thick spikes that littered the exterior of Mordhaus. He slowly scaled the wall, using the spikes for hand and footholds. He made it to Skwisgaar's balcony with almost no trouble. He gripped the large iron bars of the balcony with one hand. With the other, he pulled a pebble from his pocket and threw it at the large glass sliding door. It connected with a loud tap! It then fell onto the balcony, it's job finished. Toki fixed his gaze into the panes of glass before him. Skwisgaar didn't notice. The Norwegian fished a few more small rocks from his pants and threw them in rapid succession, each bouncing off harder than the last. Now, Skwisgaar turned around. Toki smiled as the Seede's eyes bulged. He reached to the nightstand to grab something Toki couldn't make out through the glare.

Buzz... Buzz... The brunette's dethphone rang. He took it from his belt loop and answered.

"Hello?"

"Toki what's de fucks ams you doingks!? Gets down from dere befores you falls and fuckingks kills yourselfs!"

Toki smirked, putting the dethphone back in its place. He easily scaled the bars onto the balcony, then slid the door open.

"Toki! You dumbass dildos! What was you t'inkingks?!"

"Dat I'd surprise you." Toki sat on the bed.

"Ja, wit' a fuckingks heart attacks!"

"Calm down, Skwisgaar. I amen'ts goings to hurt myself by doings dat." He leaned down and gave Skwisgaar a chaste kiss.

"Well, Okays. But you does dat again and I gonna chops your fuckingks balls off, gots it?" To emphasize this, he grabbed Toki's crotch firmly. The Norwegian growled in response.

"Whatevers, you justs bluffing."

"Damn rights, but don't does dat again, okays?" Toki nodded and leaned in to give Skwisgaar another kiss. The Swede giggled. "There's something in your mustache," he mumbled against Toki's lips. With two fingers, he plucked a small piece of leaf from the brunette's whiskers. He flicked it to the side and crushed their lips together once more, balling his fists in the Norwegian's shirt.

"Relax, Skwis!" Toki detangled the blonde's hands from the fabric and laughed.

The pair spent the rest of the day together, just palling around. As it turned out, Skwisgaar was able to get up by dinnertime. They ate with the rest of the band, ignoring the weird looks shot in their direction. Skwisgaar was getting increasingly nervous as the evening wore on. He didn't know why he was nervous. He just was. He was relieved to see that Toki didn't seem to notice anything off. He doubted that the Norwegian could tell, as he'd always had trouble reading the atmosphere of a situation. They were sitting in Skwisgaar's room sometime after dinner when he finally grew some balls and worked up the courage to say it.

"I love you, Toki."

Toki froze. The five seconds in which he wore a deer-in-the-headlights expression seemed like an eternity to Skwisgaar. He felt the bubble of worry that had buried itself deep into the pit of his chest finally break. Toki didn't love him back. Oh, Odin. What did I do? Toki's prominent Adams apple was bobbing up and down, as if he was trying to swallow something very large and slimy. Finally, the brunette spoke, voice trembling.

"I'm... Fond of you, too, Skwisgaar." Skwisgaar let his head drop. He was hopeless. Tears welled in his eyes, but he blinked them back.

"I'm sorry," Toki whispered, taking off at a solid run towards the door, leaving Skwisgaar in pieces.

Toki sprinted down the familiar hallways and up staircases, not stopping until he reached the giant wooden door. He pounded on it with all his strength.

"Pickle!" he shouted, "Pickle please opens up! Pickle please!" He sank to his knees, tears erratically flowing down his cheeks. no. This can not be happening. I'm in Skwisgaar's bed having a nightmare, wake up damnit whycan'tIwakeup?!

The door opened, revealing a shirtless Pickles, his little beer belly barely hanging over the waistband on his dark jeans. "Gahd, Toki, what's wrong?"

Pickles extended a hand to Toki, who gratefully accepted it. The drummer held the door open and Toki entered, finding a bewildered Charles on the large bed, with no tie or jacket. Toki stood in the middle of the room, trying hopelessly to control his tears.

"What's wrong?" Pickles repeated, leading Toki by the shoulder to the bed, settling with the Norwegian in between the manager and himself.

"Skwisgaar t-tells me, He tells me he loveds me!" Toki put his head in his hands and let out a single ragged sob. Pickles frowned.

"Well, do ya love him back?"

Toki whimpered. "I don't w-wants him to dies, Pickle..."

"Die?" Pickles cocked an eyebrow.

"Everyt'ings I loves dies!"

Charles put his hand on Toki's shoulder. "That's not true, Toki." The Norwegian buried his face into Pickles' bare chest and wept. The drummer wrapped his pale arms around him, offering comfort until he calmed down.

"Ja! Ja it is." Toki's voice started taking on the tell-tale sign that he was about to go catatonic. It became eerily calm and collected. "Evers since I was ams a kids in Norge, alls de t'ings I cares abouts died after I realizes it."

"Look, Toki," Pickles began, slightly panicking. The last thing he wanted right now was an unresponsive Toki in his room.

"Ya always loved him back, reet? Then sayin' it wouldn't make a difference, if this was even true. Love doesn't hurt people. If ya love Skwisgaar, fuckin' tell him. It's that easy. If ya really love him, uhhhh... The power of yer love'll keep his ass alive, er whatever. Sounds crazy, but it works."

Toki sniffled, and his bloodshot eyes came back into focus. "You won't hates me if he dies?" He looked first into Pickles' green eyes, then to Charles' hazel ones.

"Skwisgaar is not going to die, Toki," said Charles, face stern as always.

"Okay. I goes to apogisecks. Takk, guys. You's ams really goodest pals to Toki." Wiping his face, he said his goodbyes in broken English, then left.

"That was very touching, Pickles."

"I might have overdone it. Just a little bit."

"I think it was exactly what Toki needed."

"I'll give the kid whatever, as long as he's out of our fuckin' hair."

Before Toki knew it, an hour had passed. Then two hours, then three. He sat in his room at his work desk, emotions stewing (along with some alcohol) in the pit of stomach. 11:48, his clock told him in cheerful red letters. He took one last swig of vodka and glanced out the door. Please don't be mad, please don't be mad, please don't be mad, please, Skwisgaar, don't be mad! He pleaded to whatever being would hear him, despite the fact he was nihilist and therefore didn't believe in any of that stuff.

He got up and trudged down the hall towards Skwisgaar's door. Uncharacteristically, it stood wide open. He took a deep breath and entered the room. Skwisgaar sat facing his TV, his left side exposed to Toki. His fingers were pale blurs across the neck of his Explorer. His hair was in his face, and when Toki looked closer, he could see the crimson stains on the grey of his jeans and streaking his ivory skin. Toki guessed that the Swede had been playing since the moment the Norwegian himself had left the room three hours ago.

"Skwisgaar?" he asked tentatively. Skwisgaar's fingers didn't even slow, and the blood still ran down his arms and onto his lap. There was even a bit on the bed sheets. He made his way towards the Swede, biting his lip in worry. He reached out and placed a hand on his lover's shoulder. To his horror, Skwisgaar shied away from his touch, brushing his hand away and hunkering down further over his Gibson.

"Skwisgaar, min kjærlighet, please forgives me. I justs... I didn't want you to die. Everything I love dies and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you died because of me. Please, don't do this." Toki let out a choked sob and cursed himself for the tears running down his face.

"I love you, Skwis, I really do." The brunette held his breath. Skwisgaar looked up, sapphire eyes glimmering beautifully in the light. A moment of gut-wrenching silence had Toki clenching and unclenching his fists erratically. Suddenly, Toki was attacked by 200 pounds of flying Swede. Skwisgaar's slim arms wrapped around Toki's waist and lifted him up, pressing their chests together and spinning them around. Toki laughed, despite the fact that he could feel the blood from Skwisgaar's billion-dollar fingers seeping through the fabric of his t-shirt. Setting the shorter man on the ground, Skwisgaar smashed their lips together fiercely, only breaking because he needed air.

"I love you too, Toki." Skwisgaar tightened his arms around his lover, pressing their foreheads together and looking lovingly into Toki's frost blue eyes. The smile lighting the blonde's pale face was one he'd never seen before, so contagious, so radiant and beautiful that Toki had to look away. Somewhat reluctantly, the Norwegian detangled himself from Skwisgaar's arms and led him to the bathroom. He cleaned and bandaged the Swede's battered hands, then took him back out into the room.

"What do you want to do tonight?" Toki asked, sitting on the bed and pulling Skwisgaar with him.

"I'm still too sore for sex.."

Despite his paranoia, he still suggested something that could potentially be dangerous, what with the yard wolves and klokateers and all. "Well, we could go for a walk."

Skwisgaar glanced over at the clock. "Now?"

"Sure. I walk around at night a lot. Do you want to?"

"Just let me put some boots on." Toki waited patiently for Skwisgaar to put on his boots, admiring the perfect body that he really did love, the one that he could lose at any minute. No. He wouldn't lose Skwisgaar. He was different. He had to be.

"Is something wrong?"

Toki gazed up into the concerned-looking eyes of his lover and smiled. "Of course not. Let's go." He took Skwisgaar's outstretched hand and pulled himself to his feet.

Together they walked through the halls of Mordhaus, each donning a light jacket, despite Toki's protests that jackets were for pussies. Trying to hide his underlying worry, Toki led the way to the front entrance of Mordhaus. Surprisingly, they had encountered no one on their trip to the front door. Toki opened the door, and together the pair walked into the early-winter chill.

Toki took Skwisgaar's hand and changed their direction slightly; He knew where he wanted to go. He led them to the east wade of the house, under the huge oak tree that he used as a resting spot. The leaves were gone, as it was early winter, but it was still a very impressive sight.

"Let's sit here, yeah?" Toki said, crossing the lawn towards the tree. He carelessly plopped down under the tree and gave Skwisgaar a cheeky smile. The blonde couldn't help but smile back. He groaned and braced himself against the trunk as he sat, but soon felt two strong hands guiding his hips down, taking off some of the pressure. He planted his ass next to Toki's.

"Thank you." He kissed the tip of Toki's nose.

"Can I be honest with you, Skwisgaar?" A hard lump made its presence felt in Skwisgaar's throat.

"Of course," he replied, a bit shakily.

"At first, I thought we were going to have a shit relationship. I thought you were still going to treat me the same as you always did, but with sex. I thought I was dreaming when you told me you wanted to be with me for me; For Toki. " Toki took Skwisgaar's hands into his own, intertwining their fingers idly. Skwisgaar's fingers began tapping at imaginary guitar strings.

"I thought we were going to have a shit relationship, too. I thought I wouldn't be enough to keep you happy. Fuck, I haven't had a real relationship with someone I cared about since high school. After that, it was just sex." Skwisgaar smiled sheepishly. The mention of high school got Toki thinking.

"You know, Skwisgaar, I don't even know how old you are."

"I am twenty-nine." Toki cocked an eyebrow.

"Really? Twenty-nine?"

"Yes. Why, how old are you?"

"I am twenty-six. Don't take it the wrong way, but I thought we had more of an age difference than that." Skwisgaar frowned.

"Do I look older than I am?" Removing his hands from Tokis, he felt his face, fingers running over the lines and contours. Toki took them back and pressed his lips to the knuckles of the Swede's right hand.

"No, I just thought you were gorgeous enough to look twenty-five forever." Skwisgaar's frown dissipated, replaced by a full-lipped smile.

"Oh, Toki," he swooned. He leaned in and trapped Toki's lips in a fiery kiss. In this kiss was more passion than Toki had ever felt from the blonde. It was as if every feeling the pair shared was transferred, combined, by one kiss. one press of lips on lips. In that moment, Toki knew. He knew what love felt like.

A/N: I feel like this chapter isn't up to par with the rest. Feel free to hate me if I take this long getting the next chapter out. Read and Review :3

edit 11/11: Happy 11/11 guys! I know I said that the next chapter would be out soon, but I lieds :c I only have about 500 words done as of today. I'll put it out as soon as I can.