opened it not long after, surprised to see who it was.

smiled a little. "Hej." She held up a paper bag. "Thought we'd have a business meetin t'night." She was obviously joking.

nodded a little and opened the door. "Dorthe is out right now, so I don't see why not."

nodded. "Prob'ly with Søren." She shrugged. "I thought we could both use a 'Den free night'." She believed it was a good idea.

blinked a little before nodding. It wasn't a bad idea, he guessed. He hadn't seen many people besides Dorthe lately anyways...

stepped inside, she hadn't really seen anyone besides Søren lately too. "Y' look stressed." She said quietly, he normally looked stand offish and calm, not like this.

shrugs as he closed the door and went to make some tea. "I've had to work more lately, and Dorthe's emotions are rubbing off on me."

frowned a little. "Y' haven' even smoked in a while, have y'?" She knew and honestly didn't care. She hummed a bit as she took off her shoes.

poured them both a mug of tea. "Is it that noticeable?"

nodded to him. "Mhmm.. Y'er goin t' snap soon if y' don' just r'lax, y' know that." She put the alcohol in the fridge and freezer. "Maybe y' should smoke while 'm here. Does Dorthe not like it or somethin?"

rolled his eyes. "I won't snap. I've been fine this far. And it's not that she doesn't like it... I've just..." He shrugged a bit and sipped tea.

sighed. "Y' will. Y'er tense. 'S not like y'er a passive country. ... Why do y' think I drink?" She joked. She liked to drink because it did keep her calm.

sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't know what's wrong with me..."

"... Dorthe's stressful." She shrugged, she knew what Dorthe was like. She loved her, but she was still a pain in the ass. She grabbed a Heinekin. "Here. Drink." She opened it and handed it over.

sighs and shook his head a bit. "I've not drank in a while..."

sighs, she kept her hand out. "All the more reason y' need it. Jus' drink, 'lright?" She put it in his hands. "She's turnin y' into 'n old man."

huffed as he held the beer close. "I'm not an old man..." He took a very small sip.

raised an eyebrow. "... Ja y' are. 've seen older men who drink better than y' though." Maybe hanging around Søren made her a little rude..

huffed some more and just drank a bit more.

smirked, she knew she could get him to drink. She picked up a beer, opening it, and slowly began to drink it.

sighed and shook his head after. "She says you and the Dane are happy."

nods to him. "Ja. Amazin'ly enough we are." She smiled a bit. She was blushing embarrased, like a young girl with a crush.

sighs. ".. How do you do it?"

blinked and shrugged. "I don' know.. We jus'.. work. I seem t' need t' be with someone.. Completely opposite t' me.. 'nd m' personality. 'M guessin things with Dorthe 'ren't great..?"

leaned against the counter as he drank some more. "I don't know. She's acting so weird, and I just don't know how to handle it... I'm terrible with relationships."

"What do y' mean 'weird'?" She raised an eyebrow.

shook his head. "She's still miserable about me wanting to get rid of the titles with the marriage... she says I'm going against the vows to be with her, so really I lied to her."

stared at him. "... That doesn' make sense.. Marriages don' work with us. She should know that. No marriages work or are needed 'nymore.." She sighed quietly. "'Nythin else?"

shrugs. "That's all that's happened lately... The moment I said I wanted the titles gone, everything went down hill... but really..." He sighed, closing his eyes. "I've not felt the same since before the whole

marriage thing."

nodded, humming. "Hm.. Well.. Do y' still love 'er..?" She did wonder. He seemed more distant than normal.

had to sit down, already starting to not feel well. "I do. At least, I think so... I've not really thought much because she's always in my head... does that count?"

shrugs. 'D'pends on if 's a good or bad way. Can y' not wait t' see 'er? Or do y' dread when she comes home?" She was honestly just trying to help him.

sighs as he closed his eyes. "I don't know. All I think about is 'her'. Nothing about her, just... her."

nods to that. "Hm.. Well... Maybe y' need a little bit 'f time apart..?"

sighs. "We have. A lot."

frowns. "Maybe more time t'gether...?" She didn't know honestly.

didn't know either. "I just... think... I'm depressed."

didn't know what to suggest then. "... When was the last time y' painted? Y'er 'lways happier when y'er paintin."

shrugs. "Long ago... I don't feel like it anymore... or even working in my garden."

stared at him, shocked. "What? Nej. That's not right.. Why don' y' paint t'night?" Drunk painting would be fun.

shrugs. "I'm not in the mood... Just like how I'm not in the mood to drink, or smoke." He didn't want to do anything.

frowned, she needed to get him drunk... "Hmm.. Y'er jus' not feelin y'erself right now are y'?"

shakes his head. "I don't feel like doing anything. Just sitting and waiting for Dorthe. Then even when she's here, nothing."

"By the gods... Y'er whipped." She felt so badly for him.

frowns. "What do you mean?"

"Y' d'pend on Dorthe for everythin' don't y'? 'nd y'er pretty much lost without 'er... Right?"

shakes his head. "Nee... it's not that at all... I just... don't do anything. It's not because I feel I need her, it's just I worry for her..."

raised an eyebrow. "What? Why? Dorthe can take care 'f herself." She never knew her sister to be a D.I.D. type.

shakes his head. "Nee... she can't. She needs me constantly... I need to be by her too so she doesn't get hurt."

stared. "What? She never gets hurt. Or.. She never did I guess." She didn't understand.

shrugs. "She's had a few moments... she's recovering right now though, so she'll be okay... hopefully...'

a little shocked. "W-what do y' mean 'recoverin'?" She actually looked worried and a little shaken.

frowns. "She fell from a building not too long ago... She needed surgery on her back, and has been recovering since... it's why she went back to the Danes house for a while. To recover faster than here."

bit her lip. "I-I.. I can't b'lieve her.. She was never like this b'fore.. I was 'lways the bad one with r'lationships.." Finland being her largest mistake. She ran a hand through her hair. "Odin.."

sighed and just put his beer on the table. He didn't really like this...

frowned quietly, this was not what she had in mind. "She makes me angry.. But I do worry 'bout 'er.. Don' tell 'er that though."

smirks faintly. "I'm sure she worries about you too, even if she won't admit it."

nods. "Ja 'm sure.. 'S jus' hard t' forgive someone who took y'er eyesight from y'. Literally 'n eye for 'n eye in our case." She shook her head.

nods at that. "So I've heard..." He sighed and just sat down, resting his arms and head on the table.

frowned. "Has she talked 'bout that? Or 'nythin 'bout her past?"

shakes his head. "Not much... just the eye for an eye thing."

nods. "Odd, she's normally a loud mouth 'bout 'erself." She shrugged. "Do you want to watch a movie or somethin?"

shrugs. "I don't know..." He felt pretty miserable, and doubted she'd stay much longer.

actually wanted to stick around for a while longer. "Come on." She pulled him to the living room.

followed her, not really putting up any resistance.

glad he wasn't. She sat him on the couch and set up the movie. "Y' don' mind kids movies, right?" She hoped he didn't.

shakes his head. "I'm with Dorthe. What do you think?"

laughed a little. "True." She turned the movie on, and sat on the couch. "There." She was excited to watch this, she hadn't seen it yet.

just watched the movie idly. He felt like a terrible host right now for not being himself.

didn't mind. She was fairly content watching the movie just like this.

just felt like nothing... He was just a bit awkward feeling.

could tell, but she wasn't going to push him, especially after the movie started.

at least glad she was enjoying herself.

didn't mind silence honestly, she was just used to it from her life.

watched the movie quietly then, some what glad for company even if it was awkward.

agreed with him. She was just happy to get out of the house and visit a friend.

sighed after a while and ran a hand through his hair.

looked at him when he sighed. "Hm?"

shakes his head. "I don't feel like a good host."

shrugs. "'S not like y'er bein rude or 'nythin, I don' mind how y' are."

nods at that, guessing he'd continue being quiet.

completely fine with silence. She was normally silent anyway.

guessed it wasn't awkward too, since they were friends.

agreed with that thought and fact.

glad to not be alone at least.

sighed, she shifted and tucked her feet under her comfortably.

almost started to fall asleep.

did too, as she slowly drifted, her glasses slipped down her nose.

snapped out of it a bit and signed. "We should sleep."

blinked herself awake. "A-ah... Ja.. Maybe." She would have felt foolish for falling asleep like that.

got up and ran a hand through his hair. "The guest room should be set up, so you can sleep there."

looked at him and nodded. "Ah.. Tack, Niko." She smiled a little bit, she always felt odd smiling.

made a quiet sound as he walked her up to the room. He hadn't heard that nickname in a long time.

heard that sound. "Hm? Did.. did I say somethin wrong?"