"I tend to meet a lot of people because of my job. Though its mostly my students and their parents." Tino said. Sure, after the kids move up a grade he doesn't really see those people anymore. But that was okay. It was still nice to meet them and get to know knew people. And he'd get to know a new set of people when the next school year started. So that was great.

"Is that nice?" The people Berwald met at his job didn't impact him. Sure there were people that could be defined as bad, but his job was his job and he did it. He didn't do it to make any connection with people, good or bad, and maybe that made him good at it. He sighed a bit, staring straight ahead. "Meet most people online. It's easier."

"It's very nice." Tino told him. "I've met some good people online as well. Like you~ It's a good way to keep connected to people who live far away from you. Like my parents." He really needed to talk to them more. This conversation was making him miss them and he made a mental note to contact them sometime tomorrow.

Berwald smiled a little at that. He liked being singled out and felt very glad to meet Tino too. "True. Long distance is hard." He still knew people back in Sweden, but his parents currently lived in Jersey. He could drive over to see them whenever he wanted, but rarely did. "Yer fam still back home?" he asked. He'd gathered where Tino was from and they bonded over that online, but he didn't know much more than that.

"Yeah. They weren't very happy that I decided to move so far away. But they understood it was something I wanted to do." Tino replied. He thought back to the day he left home. It was both a happy and sad day. Happy because he was living one of his dreams by going to live in a foreign country. But sad because he'd be far from his family. The thought of it was making him sad now though, so he pushed it away.

"Why did you want to?" Berwald asked, unsure if he was prying. If he felt that close to his family and country, he would stay. Simple as that. They'd walked back into the park by then which was a little less crowded than earlier as the afternoon passed. "I came to 'Merica as a kid. Never really thought much about it. Would be nice to visit my birthplace again though."

"I always saw things about this country on tv and wanted to come visit someday. So I came here after I graduated to go to college. And I guess I just never moved back. I go home whenever I get the chance, like for holidays. But I love my job here and I don't want to leave it. Even if I could get just a good of job in Finland. Besides, if I hadn't stayed, I wouldn't have met you~" Tino told him. He looked around before he stopped walking. They had reached the point where he would need to turn to head home, though he wasn't sure if Berwald wanted to do anything else today before they went for drinks tonight.

Berwald paused as well, twisting his hands in the handles of his bag. They really should party ways, but he at least wanted to finish this conversation. "That's sweet." He ducked his head when Tino singled him out again. "Well, I'm glad to meet ya. We gonna head home now?" he asked. He didn't make a move to leave, feeling that he should say a proper goodbye this time.

"We probably should." Tino agreed. Though he didn't make any motion to leave. He wasn't sure if he was ready to leave Berwald's company yet or not. Sure, he was going to see the man again later. But he was having so much fun with him right now. It left him a bit torn about what to do.

"Well then, I'll see ya later," Berwald murmured after a pause. He leaned down and kissed Tino on the lips, savoring it just long to be considered more than a peck. He couldn't help but linger a second after all, having so few chanced to be close to another. But Berwald still turned away, saying another quick goodbye before he walked off, his embarrassment taking over.

Tino was very surprised by the kiss. Not that he didn't enjoy it. Because he did. Immensely. It just wasn't something he had been expecting Berwald to do. His face flushed a light pink and before he got the chance to kiss back, Berwald had alright day pulled away and walked off. He raised a hand to his lips and smiled slightly as he watched the other walk away. He stood there for another minute or so before heading home in an excellent mood.

When Berwald got home, Mathias sensed in his annoying way that something interesting happened during their date and tried to glean every detail possible. Of course, all he got was a contented hum and a 'good bye. See ya tonight,' as Berwald pushed him out the door. After that, Berwald plopped down on the couch to watch tv with Peter, ignoring the questioning that his son continued in Mathias' absence. Berwald still wasn't ready to explain everything to Peter because he wasn't quite sure how to start the conversation. After ordering the boy to bed, he headed out again, this time for The Dirty Dog.

Tino wasn't surprised when he got home and Lukas was sitting in his living room, reading a book. After she was unhooked from her leash, Hana jumped up onto his lap where he began petting her absently. He and Tino started chatting, well Tino started chatting with him as he went and got his supplies and sat next to him to continue knitting the scarf he was making for his mother for Christmas. They went on like that before they had to head out to the bar. Upon arriving, Tino could tell that they were a bit early, but that was fine. They stood outside to wait for Berwald and his friend.

Berwald arrived first and spotted Tino with another blonde. "Hey," he said as he walked up. He offered his hand to the stranger, murmurimg something that should have been his name as introduction, but didn't sound like much at all. Thankfully, he didn't have to keep trying because a loud voice exploded from behind him.

"Who's up for a wild night of drinking?!" Mathias strode up with a wave, a giant grin on his face.

"...Math..." Berwald warned. Not too wild he told him before. He didn't think Mathias got the message.

Lukas reached out and shook the stranger's hand when it was offered to him, though he didn't really understand what had been said in his muttered introduction. His eyes narrowed slightly at the sudden loud voice and his glared at the new arrival.

"I think introductions are in order. Berwald, this is my cousin/close friend Lukas Bondevik. Lukas, this is the guy I had been telling you about, Berwald Oxenstierna." Tino said.

"Pleasure." Lukas responded, turning his attention back to the man in front of him.

Berwald nodded his head to complete the greeting. Mathias had shouldered past him though to get a good look at everyone. "I'm Mathias Kohler. Wow, Ber met a guy like you online?" he exclaimed to Tino. "I knew I did my buddy right by setting his profile up!" He patted Tino on the head then ruffled Lukas' hair with a giant grin. "They're so little and cute!"

Berwald narrowed his eyes in a glare. "Let's go inside..."

Lukas knocked Mathias's hand away from him and leaned away before giving him a glare that clear said not to do that again. He just turned and entered the building once he was sure his point was made.

Tino didn't really mind when Mathias patted him on the head. But he would still prefer if he didn't. Even if he didn't say anything about it. "Let's go!" he exclaimed, following after Lukas.

The glare had no effect on Mathias though. The second he made it to the bar, he yanked a stool closer and ordered a round of drinks for all of them. "beer fine with y'all? Four beers then!" he exclaimed.

Berwald carefully sat next to him, offering the stool on his right to Tino. Of course, he tried to cut in about the beers, but didn't succeed. He said he would buy Tino a beer. "Next round is mine..." he claimed in a quiet voice that Mathias didn't seem to notice. But then, old rock was playing loudly in the dusky interior of the bar that smelled of stale beer and peanuts. Certainly not a high class place.

Tino took the seat Berwald offered him with a smile. He didn't have to look to know that Lukas took the seat on his other side. He opened his mouth to respond to Mathias, to tell him he would prefer something stronger than beer, but the man already ordered before he could.

"Going to have to see some id's first." The bartender told them, looking mainly at Tino and Lukas who looked younger than the other two. The two men in question both took out said id's and handed them over. He looked them over for a moment before handing them back and turning to the other two to check.

Berwald already had his id ready and flashed it without a word. Mathias made a bigger deal of it, whining as he fought to get the card out of his wallet. He obviously did not come prepared. Once that was settled, the bartender left to get their drinks. Berwald leaned over to mutter to Tino. "Best pace yerself. Tend to drink all night." Usually until they got kicked out at close. It's why they stuck to beer. You could drink more.

Once they got their drinks, Mathias raised his bottle in a toast. "O Berwald finally getting some!"

"Don't you worry about me. I can hold my alcohol pretty well." Tino told him. He's drunk all night before when out with friends. And what they were drinking wasn't beer. Well, he hadn't been. He got his drink and started to take a drink from it when Mathias spoke and choked slightly on it. He could see Lukas glaring at the other man from the corner of his eye.

Berwald elbowed Mathias hard in the ribs, not that it wiped the smile off the other man's face. "Remember...yer single," he decided to point out as the best comeback he could think of. It seemed to work because Mathias lowered his gaze with a pout before he gulped down half his beer in one breath. Berwald sipped his at a much slower pace. "Ya have no idea..."

Tino drank his drink quickly, feeling very awkward by what was just said. "So... Mathias... What do you do for a living?" he asked, hoping to ease the tension as he set down his now empty glass. Though the awkwardness was still surrounding them, he was curious about the answer to his question.

Although Berwald found Mathias annoying and often stressful to have around, he felt comfortable with all of his shenanigans, though the earlier comment pushed the line. He sighed and did his best to disappear into his beer.

"Oh?" Mathias asked, glad to be the center of the conversation and completely unaware he made anything awkward at all. "I'm a weapons specialist! I work at a local shooting range and train people how to shoot. But my real passion is ancient weapons!" His grin turned a little wild. "Ya know, swords, axes, spears....maces. The usual stuff." He'd finished his beer by then and called for a second.

"You work at the shooting range? Then how come I've never seen you there?" Tino asked. He goes to the local shooting range a lot in his free time and he's sure he's never seen Mathias there. But then again, he might not be going to the same one he works at. He thought there might be more than one in this city.