#estswe

However, Sweden wasn't quite like the rumours made him out to be.

Estonia kept a keen eye on him – hoping to find some weakness to exploit to Finland's benefit; but all he found was that Sweden mostly listened and hardly talked. He also couldn't help but notice that Sweden was gentle, surprisingly gentle. Something Finland either seems to not have noticed himself, or chosen to ignore. Estonia still tried to keep some distance between them, worried Sweden would perhaps show his 'true colours' at a moments notice if he said or did something to anger him. But Estonia was curious. A little too curious perhaps.

A curious fool.

“You like cats?” he asks as he find Sweden hunched over a litter of kittens that live in a barn by Estonia’s house. Sweden only nods, carefully stroking one tiny little black kitten gently. It's a stark contrast; someone so strong playing so carefully with something that barely takes up half his palm. “You're pretty, uh, good with them too it seems...” Estonia tries to smile, but it falters the second Sweden's turns his gaze towards him. “I mean, I'm sure you're good at most things,” Estonia blabbers and takes a step back. “Because you're very strong, I heard you beat Denmark and I always though that if anyone could do that they must be really strong-” “Breathe,” Sweden cuts him off with a calm voice.

Estonia stops and does as told. One breath. Two. Three. Four.

He feels his shoulders relax a little, and even more so when Sweden stops looking at him and turns his attention towards the kittens again.

Sweden doesn't look that scary when he's not glaring. Estonia allows himself to study him a little closer – to help Finland of course. No other reason.

Or so he tells himself  over and over again as he continues to stand next to Sweden and the kittens. It feels odd, this silence between them. Estonia wants to fill the silence with talk, but he can't think of anything to talk about that won't potentially make Sweden angry.

Sweden doesn't smile – or so Finland said. 'All he does is glare. All the time',' Finland's words echo in Estonia's head. However, he catches some glimpses of a softer expression on Sweden's face as he sits cross-legged with five kittens climbing all over him. They're brief and if he blinks he'll miss them, but they're there – a barely visible smile or a brief moment of a peaceful expression.

Estonia can't help but burn the images into his mind. Sweden looks scary at first, but Estonia is certain there has to be more to him than those rumours.

After all, no one can be so gentle and kind to animals and still be the monster that people whisper about. “When did you plan on leaving?” Estonia asks, regretting the words immediately as Sweden's gaze shifts from the kittens and towards him - glare appearing to intensify. “Am I bothering you?” he asks as he carefully stands up, and Estonia isn't sure he's capable of moving an inch any more as Sweden’s glare digs deep inside of him. “N-no. N-n-not at all,” Estonia stammers and doesn't dare meet Sweden's eyes. He'd need to crane his neck to do so anyway and that doesn't make the situation any better. “You're scared...?” Sweden remarks so bluntly it takes Estonia by surprise, uncertain if it was a statement of a fact or a question – it's pretty hard to tell with Sweden. “Well, I mean,” he swallows nervously before he manges to find the right words. “Yes... of course!”

“Of course...” Sweden repeats somewhat dejected. The silence between them is stifling, so Estonia tries to sneak a glance at Sweden. He's no longer glaring at him, in fact; Estonia can't quite place what expression Sweden is even making.

“I'll leave,” Sweden grumbles, and despite his unreadable expression, Sweden doesn't sound angry. “Outstayed my welcome,”

“Wait!” Estonia grabs Sweden's hand before he can really think any more about what he's supposed to do next. Sweden glares at him, and Estonia almost lets him go. Although, it's not really a glare. There's another emotion at the bottom of that stare, and it's definitely not anger. “I mean...” he pauses, but refuses to let go of Sweden's hand. “You do look really scary. And it's really hard not to flinch sometimes, but...” Sweden stares silently at him so Estonia figures he's allowed to continue to talk.

“You're not that scary... not really. Are you?” he phrases it as a question, but he offers Sweden a small smile. Sweden's trademark glare falters just ever so slightly and Estonia is certain he can see a trace of a blush on Sweden's cheeks. Sweden is blushing! Estonia wants to scream. He made the big scary giant blush!