Lukas awoke in the morning wrapped in a warm embrace, feeling more content that he had felt in a long time. Acquiring his dream job hadn't even been as satisfying as this. Something about Mathias' kooky apartment and the west-facing windows, their morning light soft and indirect, made Lukas' already euphoric mood that much more satisfying. He wouldn't trade a morning like this in the world. It was precious.

The night before had made Lukas feel as if he were on top of the world. Yes, everything about their pairing screamed 'stress' at the moment. But it also screamed laughter, joy, passion, harmony, and about a million other delightful things. Lukas hadn't felt so enamored and carefree in his entire life.

He shifted gently to face Mathias, looking over at the sleeping man with a sense of satisfaction. He couldn't believe he was in the bed of his childish coffee shop crush. Nothing about this moment felt real. Lukas nearly pinched himself, but decided against it as Mathias slowly opened his eyes.

"Good Morning" the Dane said, his voice barely loud enough for Lukas to hear.

"Good Morning."

"How did you sleep?"

"Very well."

"If you had to rate my Airbnb, how many stars would you give me?" Mathias asked, catching Lukas off guard. Lukas let out a laugh at the question, his morning grogginess causing him to become far more giggly than usual. Mathias watched on in joy as the Norwegian tried to hide his face amongst the pillows. Mathias loved embarrassing him, but he loved making him laugh even more.

"I love you" Mathias admitted suddenly, his face softening as Lukas laughter was silenced. Lukas felt his breath cut off, his heartbeat loud in his ears as he processed Mathias' words. Mathias read Lukas' face as silence fell upon them. The Dane looked worried. Lukas was just trying to comprehend. The confession may have been hasty, but Lukas couldn't help from feel the same way. For some reason it felt as though they were always meant to end up together. They had a fated bond.

"That's so embarrassing" Lukas replied monotonously, watching on as the blood drained from Mathias' face in response to the cruelest joke he could possibly think of. Lukas stared at him, completely stonefaced for a moment longer before busting out in laughter. Mathias looked horrified, his face flushed as he tried to decide whether to be embarrassed or confused. "I love you too, dumbass."

Mathias immediately kicked one of Lukas' shins from under the sheets, letting out a breath he had been holding for nearly a minute. "You're such an asshole! Don't scare me like that!" Mathias half-yelled, his voice an octave higher as Lukas wiped a few tears from his eyes, his laughter becoming less hysterical as Mathias laid on his side of the bed with a pout on his face.

"I'm sorry but the look on your face was totally worth it" Lukas shot back, still grinning as Mathias tried to express his anger a moment longer in order to make the Norwegian feel guilty. He ultimately failed, as the sound of Lukas' laugh reminded him why he fell in love with him so quickly in the first place. Mathias simply let out an inaudible sigh before leaning over to kiss Lukas on the forehead.

"So what's the plan for the day?" the Dane asked, now shifting upwards in bed, his still bare body feeling cold from the drafty air of his apartment. Lukas sat up with him, quickly reaching over to grab his shirt from the night before.

"I was thinking maybe we could go get my bike from the lab?" Lukas asked, slipping his arms through his shirtsleeves as he cringed. He didn't know if he was asking too much. "I left it there the day I worked last. If you don't want to go I completely understand."

"No- I'll go. Let's get dressed and make it a morning. We can get coffee on the way back" Mathias replied, surprising Lukas.

The two changed, albeit not quickly. Finding Lukas' pants was an adventure that neither of them had been prepared to embark on. After the mystery of the missing trousers had been solved, they slipped out of the apartment.

The two chose to walk along the water on the way to the lab, a chilly air forcing them to cling tightly to one another for warmth. On several occasions Mathias had hip bumped Lukas into the street, and Lukas had threatened to throw Mathias into the freezing waters. Mathias even managed to find a painted rock in a bush by a park they passed. It said "Don't chase happiness, let it chase you". Lukas fake-gagged before throwing it into the water. Mathias was devastated.

After the two turned the corner and strolled into the parking lot of the laboratory, Mathias halted. Lukas stopped with him and looked over to make sure the Dane was okay. He appeared expressionless. Lukas turned his head to the lab and let out a sigh. Working there was all he had ever wanted for the longest time. It was unfortunate that it was run by a maniacal lunatic and his evil worshippers.

"When I left your apartment yesterday and read the summons I got for the trial, I looked around to see what the media was saying" Mathias said suddenly, looking lost in thought as his eyes focused on the front doors of the laboratory. Lukas shot him a concerned glance, but Mathias couldn't seem to pull his eyes away from the building.

"Good things? Bad?" Lukas asked, now also looking at the entrance in an attempt at deciphering what exactly was so entrancing to the Dane.

"Bad. Of the people in the same experimentation program that I was in, only two were alive. One in a vegetative state and the other severely malnourished. Sixteen bodies. All of them people who had been on missing persons lists for quite some time" Mathias explained, his voice shaky. Lukas clenched his jaw. How could he have worked for such horrific people without ever realizing? It made him feel sick to his stomach.

The two stood in silence a few moments more, both silently paying respect to the people who hadn't been as fortunate at Mathias. They had avoided looking at the news in the days they had spent cooped up in Lukas' apartment. They both knew whatever found in the lower levels of the lab was going to be grim.

"Thank you again for getting me out of here" Mathias spoke, finally peeling his eyes away from the building and focussing them on Lukas.

"It was a team effort" Lukas replied with a reassuring smile. Mathias responded with a comforting hug, his arms wrapping around Lukas' shoulders as the Norwegian returned the gesture. "Now let's get my bike and get away from this hellscape."

-

We're so close to the end guys :( I really loved writing this story. Thank you for all the reads, votes, and comments over the years. You're a stellar audience. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you in the next one.