Sweden x Reader: Bodyguard Part 4 (End)

You didn't stray far from Berwald after your confrontation with Ivan Braginsky.  After a few days you passed through Slovakia and finally entered Hungary, and you were able to breathe a sigh of relief.  You'd been told that Hungary was a strong enough country that Ivan hadn't been able to invade it.  You wouldn't be seeing him anymore.

You wondered how long Berwald was going to stay at Elizabeta's.  Hopefully you'd be able to spend a bit more time with him; you had grown rather fond of him after all the times he saved your butt.

You walked across the familiar rolling hills near Elizabeta's house.  When you spotted her house, you said “We made it!” and ran through a field.  Berwald trailed silently after you.  Elizabeta greeted you at her front door with a hug and then ushered you both inside.

She grabbed Berwald's hand and shook it emphatically, apparently unfazed by his stoic expression.  “Thank you so much for bringing _____ here safely.”

While they were talking, you heard a noise in the sitting room and walked over to see who it was.  “Arthur!  You're visiting, too?”

“Hello, _____.  You look well.”  He took a sip from his tea.

You smiled at your British friend.  “Yup.  It's all thanks to Berwald.”

He put his teacup down on a saucer.  “Berwald brought you here?  That beastly man?  Sounds like it was a very boring trip.”

“Arthur!” you said and tried to shush him.  You couldn't see him, but you knew Berwald was standing just out in the foyer.

“What?  All I'm saying is no one can ever tell what he's thinking...quite frightening, really.  He's like a modern day Neanderthal, with all that grunting.”

You felt your blood begin to boil.  It was unlike Arthur to bad talk someone.  “That may be true...but he's really nice.  And you're being very rude about the man who brought me here safely and in one piece.  I like Berwald just the way he is.  If I didn't know any better I'd say you're the beastly one here.”

He blinked.  “I suppose you're right, love.  I may have overreacted a bit.”

You huffed and passed Elizabeta as she entered the sitting room.  When you walked into the foyer you were surprised to find it empty, except for your bag sitting against a wall.

“Berwald?”  You peeked into the other rooms but there was no sign of him.

“He already left, dear,” Elizabeta said.

“He's not staying?”  Without thinking about it you ran out the front door.  He must have heard Arthur talking about him and left.  “Berwald?”  There was no reply and you didn't see him anywhere.  Then you turned around and saw his tall figure walking up a hill.  

You chased after him, breathless by the time you reached the top of the hill, but managed to say, “You left without even saying bye!”  He turned around to face you.  You blinked, and were taken by surprise as a few tears rolled down your cheeks.  Shock and panic crossed his face.  “If you didn't come with to visit Elizabeta then why did you agree to be my bodyguard?”

He ignored your question and said, “I left because you're too confusing.”

“I'm too confusing?  I can never tell what you're thinking.”  Your sadness quickly turned to anger.  “One minute I think you want to kiss me, and the next you act as if you want nothing to do with me!”

“It's the same for you.”

You crossed your arms.  “How so?”

He sighed and looked away.  A warm breeze ruffled your hair and made the tall grass brush against your legs.  He was silent for so long you wondered if he was actually going to offer you an answer.  “On the tenth night of our trip you kissed me in your sleep.”

“I did what?”  You felt your face grow warm.  “W-well...a kiss on the cheek, right?”

He still didn't look at you.  “On the lips.”  You pressed your hands to your forehead, beyond embarrassed.  That would explain why he acted so strangely that one morning.  And that was probably the reason behind that strange dream you had.  He continued.  “So then I couldn't figure out if it was just because you were sleeping, or if you really liked me.  But since you agreed with what Arthur said in the house I think I know the answer, now.”

Your shoulders slumped.  So he had heard.  Your voice felt small.  “I didn't agree with him, though.”

He stared at you with those piercing blue eyes.  “You said he was right.”

“No, I didn't!  Well, kind of.  I said he might be right...but that I liked you anyway.”  Clearly he'd left before you said that.  Your face felt as hot as it had back in the the restaurant of that inn, while you waited for his reaction to your confession.

He took a step toward you.  “You like me?  How much?”

You tucked some (h/c) hair behind your ear.  “A lot.  I would have kissed you that day you fought Ivan, if we weren't being shot at.”

He paused for a moment, then closed the distance between you in a few strides.  “You wanted to know why I agreed to be your bodyguard?”  He wasn't touching you, but by the way your skin tingled  under his gaze, he might as well have been.  He gulped.  “I've liked you for more than two weeks.”

You raised your eyebrows.  “How...?”

His cheeks reddened.  “Tino put up a picture of the two of you in his living room about a month ago.  You were the prettiest girl I'd ever seen.  I told Tino, and he wanted to introduce us while you were visiting.  I was too scared to meet you.  When he said you were leaving and there was a risk you'd run into Ivan I offered to keep you safe.”

Your heart was pounding.  “Berwald...but you acted like you weren't interested in me.”

He shrugged.  “Never thought you'd like me back.”

He was standing so close that you could feel his body heat.  You mumbled, “I might have to beat up Arthur after he said those nasty things about you.”

He grunted.  “Arthur already knew about my crush on you.  He didn't really mean those things.  I think.”

You felt like you'd been tricked.  Arthur was just trying to get a confession out of you.  Thoughts of Arthur vanished abruptly as you felt two hands cradle your face.  Berwald leaned forward and your heart thumped painfully.  You panicked and stole his glasses before he could kiss you and took a few steps back.

“Hey.  I can't see anything without those.”  He squinted his eyes and held his arms out in front of him.

You chuckled, suddenly feeling playful.  “Come find me.”  You dashed off a short ways away.

He grunted, but wore a small smile.  “I can only see shapes and shadows.”

“I didn't realize your eyesight was so bad.  Over here!”  You cringed as he walked into a small tree and fell over.  You were flattered he thought you were that skinny.  “Aww, nice try but that was a tree.”

You crouched down in front of him and offered him his glasses back, but he placed his hands over your face instead.  You felt his breath on your cheeks as he spoke.  “I don't need those to find your lips.”  His fingers slowly trailed down your face and traced the curve of your mouth.  His lips were soft and gentle as they found and caressed yours.  As gentle as his hand had been the day you first met him.

When he pulled back he said,  “I guess we won't be getting any dogs for the house.”

“What?”

“You're moving in with me.”

You scoffed.  “Well aren't you Mr Confident.”

He grunted and stroked your cheek.  “And someday you'll be my wife.”  He kissed you again, more deeply this time.  Then you remembered that he was a former Viking and was used to getting what he wanted, and you smiled.