Norway X Reader ~With Balloons and Candles

    “Another day, another day. When would this endless work ever end?” You muttered to yourself as you sluggishly drag yourself in the huge establishment.

    Today was another terrible work day and you are yet again considering about signing up those resignations sheets. However, the only thing that was stopping you from grabbing that beautiful pen of yours to that much anticipated resignation paper was the fact that you need this job.

    Well let’s just say after all the years you labored in studying the course of Accountancy, you ended up getting a job of a Food and Beverage Controller in a five star hotel at downtown. Hey, it might not be that sitting in a bank talking about finances job that you were expecting to be, but look on the bright side. At least your benefits are high.

    Now as you ventured in the building, pass through the front desk to sign for your attendance, you then proceeded to the back storage and do your job. And that was waiting for supplies to be delivered.

    Being a Food and Beverage Controller was such a pain in the ass sometimes considering on how you should keep a clean tract of deliveries, paying them on time, and even looking for the best deals you could get in the market. You ever wonder how you were able to do all of this without losing your wits.

    Sitting outside the storage room, you were humming a distant tune as you glanced down to your wrist watch. A delivery of frozen goods were scheduled to arrive today and it was part of your job description to make sure that the delivered products were in right condition and arrived on time. Hell, that kind of sound like a job for a Quality Inspection Chief, not a Food and Beverage Controller. Anyhow, you get paid for doing this so no point complaining.

    Five minutes before the delivery arrive. You thought as you then shoved your hands in the pocket of your coat. It was rather chilly that day.

    As your mind was about to float of to nowhere, yet again, you heard distinctive footsteps closing in making you turn your head towards that direction. It was your higher ups Lukas Bondevik. Th Food and Beverage Manager.

    You and Lukas have gotten quite close lately as the two of you started to work together. But at first, you have to admit. He was such a head ache. Fortunately you were able to apply your people’s management skills that you have been working on during your college years on him leading to this point wherein he’s no longer someone who act so distant from you as though you are a killer. You knew that skill would come in handy.

    “Hey there Lukas.” You called out as he sat just beside you on the footsteps of the storage room.

    “Hey.” He replied in a rather weak tone. You always assumed that he was sick or something. But then you realized that was just his way of speaking. ”I see that you are here early.”

    “Yeah. Kind of woke up earlier than usual today since my alarm was such a jerk.” You said slightly huddling yourself in. “It’s quite chilly this morning isn’t it?”

    “Well it is I suppose.” He replied in a casual tone. “But somehow you’d get used to it if you start going to work this early always.”

    You nodded your head in response, unsure to what to say in response to that.

 

 

    Being unable to answer after ten seconds, an awkward silence suddenly came about as you know it was quite late to have said something in response to that. So you have decided to open up a new conversation instead. However, your mind was blank on what to say and your people’s management skills tells you to not open up anything that would make the other person uncomfortable.

    Sadly the only thing that comes to your head was Ylvis and you know how much he hated that one time with that ATM machine where he gets utterly pranked by them and got broadcasted in the television making him ashamed of himself and not go out of his house for days. Good thing he was able to recover from that one after a while or it would be a major pain.

    You were about to point out how he was rather very well dressed up for today and was planning to ask what the occasion was when he suddenly said.

    “The delivery seems to be later than planned.” He said looking down on his phone to check the time and it was 3 minutes late already.

    “Probably got stuck in a traffic.” You said in an unsure tone.

    “Maybe.” He replied cutting off the conversation again leaving you with no answer after Another 10 seconds.

    Honestly, getting to be close with him was quite hard especially when conversations with him was rather hard to make and even harder to sustain. It always ends up in a dead end then silence. Not a single word would be spoken unless one of you would start another one which would most likely end up in dead silence after a few sentence exchange.

    Silence like this was already inevitable so somehow you got quite used to it, but something seems to be wrong today.

    You noticed on how restless Lukas seems to be. From fixing his neck tie, to running his hands through his hair, averting his gaze constantly from here and there, clearing his throat once in a while, to even focusing at you for a few seconds then back to endless looking to and fro. You know that this meant something, but you aren’t sure to what it is. He must be trying to pinpoint something or address something indirectly, although you are not really getting any hint with what he was doing.

    You are trying to convince yourself that it was just normal, but your better said was protesting a no, making you end up asking him.

    “Hey Lukas.” You called out receiving a faint hum in response. “Are you alright or something?”

    You saw a surprised look on his face. It was the look of a person when he hears something he never expects to hear.

    “Why do you ask?” He said rising a curios brow on you.

    “Well…I just noticed and I am just concerned that you might not be feeling well and stuff.”

    “Oh, is that so. Well, I am feeling fine today so there shouldn’t be any worries.”

    “Are you sure?”

    “Yes. I find myself in a good shape today actually.”

    “OK then…just let me now if you are not feeling good.”

    “Will surely do.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Hours at work always seems to be at various paces depending on the mood. If you are having a nice time, it goes so fast. If you are having a terrible time, it’s even slower than a snail. Unfortunately, today doesn’t to be one of those perk days. You don’t know why, but it seems like the whole time Lukas was staring at you with a certain look on his face. You can’t pin point what it was and even tried to pry it out of him. But you avail nothing.

    So the whole time the both of you were quite of spacing out of each other until your shifts are over.

    “Hey Lukas.” You called out to him as he was going out the gate. “Wait up.”

    “Oh (Your name), I almost forgot about you.” He said in a faint casual voice.

    “Well that suck if you literally forgotten about me. I mean, I am friendly neighbor just across the street.”

    “Yeah. About that, why don’t you just go ahead of me already since I have to go somewhere first before I head home.”

    “Oh, so you’re not taking a ride with me?”

    “Kind of. You see, I have to do some business with my brother later and I have to go now.”

    “Is that so?”

    “Yeah. It is.”

    “Take care then.”

    “So do you.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Parking your car in the garage, you can’t help but to worry about Lukas. Something was obviously going on and his housemates seems to have a hint to give you about it. To think, he hardly gets himself involve with his brother’s stuffs as his brother wouldn’t allow him too and him being slightly mature enough to understand it, backs off himself and tries not to get his nose down as much as possible in his brother’s business. So, why now?

    I better ask Matthias myself. He might let a few words slip. You though as you hoped out of your car and headed for the Nordic household, which was directly in front of your house, across the street.

 

 

 

 

    Pressing the doorbell for three times, you called out to let them know it was you. Most likely because you don’t want ending up like the delivery guy who got and angry Finland opening the door for being late in delivery.  So you are just taking precautions.

    “Guys! It’s (Your name) here.”

    “Oh good! Help arrived!” You heard Tino exclaimed from the inside as he rushed to the door to answer it.

    As the door savagely burst open in front of your face, you were about to say something but Tino cut you off saying.

    “Oh, your timing is just perfect. Now get in the kitchen because Matthias needs your assistance.” 

    Before you could have said anything in protest, he drags you off your feet, slamming the door shut and literally throwing you in the kitchen. Good thing   you didn’t hit any furniture because that wouldn’t be nice.

 

 

    “Oh (Your name), I see that you’ve came flying in.” Matthias said as he pulled off the mittens he was wearing.

    You want to ask him what’s going on and why Tino did just threw you like a sack of potatoes which you find to be quite rude, when Matthias didn’t even gave you a chance to speak.

    “(Your name), can you preheat the oven at 375 Fahrenheit, Gas Mark 5. Thank you.” He said as he then starts to pull out various sized bowls out of the cupboard.

    You were just jaws dropped by this.

    “By the way. While you’re at it, do the whipping cream already. Ingredients are all in the fridge and mixer is on the cabinets.”

  With that, he turned his back on you and proceeded with bringing out some ingredients out the shelves and the refrigerator. Seeing that you wouldn’t get any answer right now, you might as well just do what you’ve been told to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    (Your name) do this. (Your name) do that. You’ve end up running around the house doing their biddings with no clue why. Up the stairs, down the stairs, everywhere. You are like a machine that doesn’t have a stop button from frosting a cake, to hanging thing on th wall, to even tying up Hanatamago at the dog house outside. All were accomplished because you don’t have the guts to say NO.

    Your goal was to ask Matthias if Lukas was alright, but you ended up doing things you weren’t really expecting. And now you are standing besides Berwald tired of the things you have just done.

    “Wonderful. Look, we even made it just in time.” Tino exclaimed as he was staring at the beautiful decors hanging from the ceiling.

    “And I almost thought we would screw it up.” Matthias said wiping the sweat that formed on his brow.

    “Now all we have to do is turn of the lights and wait for---“

    “Oh Wait a sec.” You suddenly cut off Tino as you were gasping for your breath making the three of them turn their gaze towards you. Confusion was notable on their face, but so were in yours.

    “Guys. I’ve been up and down, all around the place doing stuffs I don’t know what for. I’ve been asking you guys about it ever since a while ago yet all of you said to just ask after work are all done. Now I can see that work seems to be done already, can anyone explain what the heck did I just did for the past 3 hours?!”

    “You don’t know?” Matthias said in disbelief. “It’s impossible. I sent you a message about this. I told you that we would need your help to prepare for the party.”

    “Party?” You said raising a brow. “First of all, my phone is low battery since I forgot to charge it this morning so I am pretty sure I didn’t read that message of yours. I just happen to drop by today unaware that I am scheduled to do work. Lastly, what’s the party for? Is there some Scandinavian celebration I don’t know because I am pretty much unaware of festivals and celebrations you guys do?” 

    Tino gasped in surprise as though he had just heard a mind blowing news. Somewhat like China became the least populated country in the world or something.

    “(Your name)…don’t tell me you don’t know about today?!” You could that Tino was in great shock judging by the emphasis he did almost in all of his words. Berwald too seems to be wearing a shock face.

    “Oh great. Probably it isn’t obvious but I don’t.” You said shrugging a bit and making a small smile hoping to get the answer already. “So how about spill the beans and tell me. I am pretty much not a Psychic to guess it nor a mind reader if you know what I mean.”

    Berwald slammed his hand on his face as Matthias and Tino then exclaimed in unison. “What?! You didn’t remember that today is Lukas’ birthday?!”

    You stared at them wide eyed.

 

    Slow mind processing in ….

    5

 

    4

 

    3

 

    2

 

    1

 

 

 

 

 

    “What?!!!!” You exclaimed out loud in an ear piercing yell making Berwald cover his ears and Tino just twitch in response. “Oh my goodness?! How could I have fucking forgot about his birthday?! It’s such a terrible thing! Goodness sake, I have sinned against him! No wonder why he keeps on looking at me! He was waiting for me to greet him ‘happy birthday’! And all I am is a bloody idiot of a jerk who have a memory span weaker than a gold fish!”

    “So…does that mean that you haven’t greeted him yet ever since this morning?” Matthias asked focusing his gaze on you.

    You shake your head in response. There was no point in lying here. You are just proven guilty.

    “Uh, that must be sad. Lukas has always been looking forward on your greeting for him since yesterday.” Tino said in a rather guilt giving tone making you want to just stab yourself in annoyance on how stupid you had been not knowing it was his birthday.

    “I am such a terrible and disgusting human being. I don’t deserve to live.”  You said feeling sorry for Lukas who must have been sad the whole day just because you are such a good friend.

    “But you can repent for it now.” Matthias said trying to cheer you up a little.

    “But I didn’t bought him anything as a present.” You said in desperation.

    “We could say that you helped in preparing.” Berwald suggested but you shake your head in refusal.

    “No. that’s not enough.” You complained. “I wasn’t even really willing to help at first. I just did it because I can’t say No to any of you guys.”

    “Oh stop whining because they are coming already.” Tino suddenly said as he peered down on a message from Emil. They are a block away from the house already.

    “Sit there and keep quiet.” Matthias commanded as he then turned the lights off and hid beside you and Tino behind the couch.

    You were really guilty of what you have done and wasn’t really sure whether showing here was a good idea. But at least that would have lessen it a bit than not showing here because that would just make you more of a sinner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    “Umm…thanks for showing up in my recital.” Emil forced himself to say as he tried not to let an awkward atmosphere to sit between him and his brother Lukas as they were walking on their way home.

    “Well, I should thank you for inviting me. It’s unusual for to do so.” Lukas said pointing out a great fact that Emil can’t deny.

    “It’s not like you’re always available to watch.” Emil said also pointing out an undeniable fact.

    “But you could always tell about those recitals. At least I would know that I am invited even though I can’t come. I mean, who knows I might just pop out of nowhere like a random weed.” Lukas chuckled trying not to sound like he was mad, but ended up sounding disappointed.

     “I’m sorry then.” Emil said feeling bad for what he has been doing at him.

    “Never mind about that. Things just happen.” Lukas said as they were already in the front door.

 

    He was about to ring the doorbell when he noticed that the lights were off.

    “Hey Emil, are the other home?” He asked turning to his brother who just gave him a blank look as if he doesn’t know.

    “I’m with you the whole time, so why ask me?” Emil said raising both hands to act effect to his acting.

    “How about calling Berwald to know?” Lukas suggested.

    “Well how about trying to open the door first?” Emil said stepping in front of him and use the front door keys to open the door.

    “Problem solved right?”

    Lukas just stared at his brother who seems to be acting weird for the past few hours. After his recital he has been on his phone for a quite while sending some of what he thinks to be messages. At first he thought it was just some random friend or something, but then it became suspicious for a while. But he has no business prying off his brother. 

    Shrugging off all the suspicion, he then entered the house first followed by his brother who closed the door behind them

 

    He was headed off to the living room to turn on the light when all of a sudden the lights turned on by themselves, confetti burst on his face, a loud shout of ‘Happy Birthday’ deafened him and the surprising sight of Matthias, Tino, Berwald and you jumped at him from behind the couch almost made him have a heart attack for real.

    “Happy Birthday Lukas!”

    A wide grin was on your face to cover up the fact that you were guilty as hell.

    “Well this is one of a surprise.” Lukas said as he was really much terrified by the confetti a while ago.

    “Did you like it?!” Tino exclaimed happily.

    “Well I almost believe that we won’t be celebrating it this year because I said that I don’t want too...so kind of like that.” He explained brushing off the strips of plastic on his shoulders.

    “But of course, we know that you still want a party even though you’d be celebrating your 60^th birthday.” Mathias exclaimed.

    “How about let’s finish talking and get the party started.” Tino said receiving loud yells of approval form you and Matthias. Although it was kind of weird on your side since, you know…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    The party went on with all the music, drinking and eating. Each of you sang your own version of the Happy Birthday song in various languages they know, you kind of just following what they were singing without actually knowing the words.

    It was such a merriment that time and Lukas was really having a good time of his life. He was even laughing like there was no tomorrow. And so was Emil who hardly spoke a word since the party started. Now he was just bragging on random things here and there with Matthias not wanting to be forgotten on the discussion.

    As the brag fest was at the peak, you took the opportunity to apologize when Lukas suddenly staggered to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

 

 

    “Hey Lukas.” You called out making him turn towards you with a glass at hand.

    “Hey (Your name). Want to drink water?” He asked handing you his glass that was still have filled with vodka.

    “No. I am actually here to apologize.” You said slightly fiddling with your fingers. “You know, for not greeting you earlier.”

    “That’s Ok (Your name). You must just be waiting for the party to greet me. That’s alright.” He said smiling awkwardly probably due to alcohol influence.

    “No. I actually have forgotten about your birthday today. If Tino didn’t remind me, I wouldn’t even be here.” You said feeling the need to tell him the truth as it was clumping up your chest. “That’s why I wasn’t able to give you anything as a gift. And I was even a git bragging that I would get you something sweet for a treat on your birthday in exchange of that treat you gave me on my birthday. I am such a shame.”

    He patted you on the head and said. “Don’t worry. I don’t harbor any bad feelings against you. My birthday is not your responsibility to remember anyway.”

    “Still. I feel bad for not living up to my own word of giving something sweet on your birthday as a gift.” You said frowning upon your own stupidity.

    “If you are that upset about my gift, then how about I just take this one as my gift then.” He said as he placed his glass on the kitchen counter.

    At first you didn’t knew what he meant but it became clear to you when he kissed you on your lips.

    You were not prepared for this and never have you kissed a guy before so you really didn’t know how to react. But it seems like it was just fine with him as he parted from you and a wider smirk was on his face.

 

 

    “(Your name), I have been wanting to tell you this for a long time. Will you be my girlfriend?”

    A faint blush crept your cheeks. “Why not?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEST BIRTHDAY EVER

~Lukas Bondevik