Archive of Our Own ^beta

"...I'm getting married."

Everyone gathered at the table was silent. When they were asked to come over for dinner, nobody in the rather large family expected this. Every man and child at the table seemed like he was trying to convince himself that Mathias was joking, but no. Mathias was a shit liar.

Berwald was the first to talk. It didn't surprise anyone, since he'd known Mathias the longest. "Congrats," he said, raising a glass of beer. The realisation hit Eetu next, whose already pudgy face got wider with surprise and excitement.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" The man screamed, jumping out of his chair and holding up his own shot glass. The volume shocked everyone else into moving. Lars and Peter seemed confused, but just as happy as their father. Einar stuttered and spit out words.

Lukas's face was blank.

Mathias relaxed with the warm reception, made obvious by the large grin that split across his face. He laughed loudly, raising his own beer and urging the kids to raise their juice. Everyone toasted happily, and afterwards loud, mingled conversations blasted around the small dining room. It seemed no one could get more than a few words in before someone else had another question. How long have you known? When's the wedding? How did he propose? Did you propose? Can we see the ring? Lukas kept his face decidedly neutral, shaking his brother's hand firmly. "Congratulations," he said, but he wasn't even sure if Mathias heard him.

A party was immediately put into swing. The dishes were cleared from the table and the family moved into Mathias's living room, where a plate of snacks appeared out of seemingly no where. After the children began nodding off and put to bed, Eetu managed to produce an impossible amount of alcohol. "We party like Vikings tonight," grinned the short man sinisterly. The fluffy sweater pulled to his chin only darkened the image.

The brothers drank all night, laughing and exchanging stories and daring Mathias to do all sorts of nonsensical things. Once the night kicked down a bit, somebody convinced him to tell the story.

"Okay, okay," Mathias chuckled, leaning back into the couch. Einar was hardly awake, drooling on Berwald's shoulder, and Eetu was duct taped to the ceiling. Mathias grinned, looking around, as though for emphasis.

"Hurry up, will ya?" yawned Einar, his eyes darkly rimmed with alcohol and a party.

"Right, so, it wasn't romantic or anything at first. That's just not Daan's style. We were just sitting in bed one night, all cuddled together, and he just pops the question. He's just like 'Will you marry me?' And I'm like, I dunno!" Eetu laughed and Mathias waved his hands wildly. "It was so out of the blue! I had no idea. Eventually, I'm just like 'Sure. If you asked.' I'm thinking, now he'll let me sleep, right?

"Wrong. This asshole goes 'I'm asking,' so I get all defensive. It's late and I'd really like to go to bed. 'You better fucking ask me properly,' I said."

Berwald snorted. "Of course ya said that."

Mathias laughed back. "I know! So dumb. Anyways, a couple weeks later, and I know he's gonna ask. He's left his browser history open, his siblings are shit at secrets, and honestly he's not so good himself. So I'm just, alright, this is gonna happen. And I'm gonna say no, cause I'm not for commitment and all that.

"Fat chance. It's a beautiful day, kinda chilly, the tulips are blooming and the park is mostly clear. We're walking along, and he's super nervous. I am, too, because holy shit. And he- he gets down on his knees," Mathias begins to get emotional, "He gets on his knees and he pulls out this little box. I'm like, why the hell is the box so little? And then he opens it, and..."
He twirled the ring on his finger. Eetu had this look of bliss on his face, and Lukas knew he was reliving his own proposal. "It was damn near the most perfect ring I ever saw. I know it looks simple, but he spent so much money on it. You know how he is. And then I started crying," Mathias was actually crying now, just telling the story. Berwald squeezed his hand, mumbling words of encouragement. Mathias took a deep breath and grinned. "Sorry, I'm just... So happy... I'm gonna be with him my whole life." Eetu laughed and de-attached himself from the ceiling to hug-attack him, while Einar called him names. Lukas's frown only deepened.

Einar passed out first, a couch cushion tied to his head and two lampshades across his chest. Berwald eventually took the guy to bed and signed off himself. Eetu didn't find drinking very fun without his husband, so before long he, too, went off to bed. It was just Mathias and Lukas, then, and the clock read just after one in the morning. Mathias was running on leftover excitement, and he nursed the last of his beer. Lukas was silent, his eyes closed like he was napping.

Mathias, apparently, knew better, because he started talking again. He sounded worried, to Lukas's surprise. "Lukas, I... I know being the silent type is, sorta your thing, but you're usually great at parties. And, I really thought you'd be more excited about..." He spun the ring on his finger, and Lukas felt bad. "Well, I guess that's okay. I understand if you don't like him. Maybe I don't like him. What if this is a dream? What if-" The man was rambling now. Lukas smacked him.

Lightly.

Mostly.

"It's not that, stupid." He sighed. This is just him being sensitive. Mathias doesn't deserve a cold shoulder. "Well, when Berwald met Eetu, it was okay. He still hung out wth us and we did stupid shit. Remember the time we set fire to a furniture store and Eetu had to bail us out of jail?" The two men laughed, but Mathias still looked concerned. Lukas would have to explain everything, wouldn't he?

Ugh. He sighed. "So... After he got married... And then the kids... Well..." Mathias looked like he understood now. "He doesn't come over s much. And if you're with Daniël, then Einar and I..."

Mathias just smiled and wrapped his arms around the man. "Hey... Lukas, buddy, cmon! Ya gotta give me more credit here. You and Einar are the closest guys I have to brothers-"

"-Berwald is actually your brother."

"Hush, I'm trying to be sappy." Mathias grinned and Lukas felt his worries were uncalled for. He smiled back. "Yeah, see? Daan won't pull us apart at all. I love you, Lukas."

Lukas hummed. "Love ya too, dumbass."