Mikael stared around the room. There must have been thirty or so Swedish hockey players all eating and drinking, and basically living it up at Peter’s party. He wasn’t quite sure how he got invited, but when the glossy invitation had arrived and he hadn’t had any plans that day, he had decided to go against the nagging voice in the back of his head and go to the party.

Most were chatting fervently and loudly in Swedish; their vociferousness brought on no doubt by the large amount of alcohol Peter had provided.

He moved slowly past the smorgasbord of food, alcohol, and Swedes towards the kitchen. A few looked up from their conversations to stare at him, but he doubted if they recognized him. He leaned against the counter, sighing. He had hoped Mats would be here, or perhaps someone from the Olympic team, but so far either they hadn’t arrived or they had disappeared somewhere.

He fidgeted, glancing around the kitchen and looking for something to do. His eyes zoned in on the cake on the table. It was blue and yellow, and decorated like their flag. He smiled, and then made a cautious sweep of the room before grabbing a knife from the cutting board. He doubted anyone would care if he took the first piece, but still… He surreptitiously placed the piece on a plate, grabbed a fork, and scurried out of the kitchen, looking for a quiet place to enjoy his treat.

He ended up in Peter’s den, or perhaps living room. Either way, it was deserted and he could eat in peace. He took a bite and allowed the sweet confectioners’ sugar melt on his tongue before swallowing. It was a dry and gritty cake, and the icing was too sweet, but he was too stubborn and lazy to stop eating or to get up and grab a glass of milk.

So he continued to eat, swallowing the cake and feeling it stick to the roof of his mouth and the sides of his throat. Its sweet perfume filled his nose, and he was glad he had taken only a small piece. He licked the bit of icing off the side of his lip and forced it down. His tongue felt dry and sugary, and he rubbed it against the roof of his mouth, trying to get rid of the taste.

He looked around the room at the various objects: pictures, paintings, rugs, lamps--his eyes categorized them all, placing them in neat boxes inside his head. His eyes settled on an ornately decorated mirror. It had a wooden frame that twisted and turned around--

He paused completely, holding his breath.

He cocked his head slightly to the left and stared at the reflection. He was wearing a blue shirt with and ensigma embroidered in yellow over his chest. He had on a stupid blue and yellow party hat. He was eating a cake with blue and yellow icing. No one could see, but he remembered putting on blue and yellow plaid boxers that morning. He groaned inwardly.

He was Captain Sweden. He was worse than the drunk fools at the World Cup games who had spray painted their bodies yellow and blue, and adorned blue and yellow wigs and capes.

He felt someone move in his peripheral vision but didn't dare look, too embarrassed. Two loud thumps from deep within the house were heard, and Mikael jumped to his further chagrin. Luckliy, the cake had only landed on his shirt, adding further to his lovely array of blue and yellow. He looked up to small chuckles, and when he saw who it was, smiled and shrugged. He brushed the cake back onto his plate and picked up his fork from the ground. He moved over to the couch to sit down.

He was handed a napkin and felt the couch dip down on his left. He was relieved and amused to find that his companion was decked out in blue and yellow too, and had similarly stolen a piece of cake. Only, unlike him, he had been clever enough to also steal a glass of milk. Mikael eyed it greedily, glancing from face to glass, glass to face, face to glass, in order to not so discreetly get the hint across. He was obliged and gulped half of it down, taking with it the too sweet icing and crumbs stuck in his mouth.

He handed the glass back, and then was greeted with a sweet icing kiss. When the kiss was broken he glanced over in the mirror to find his hat and hair disheveled and icing on his lips. He grinned, this time enjoyed the view of blue and yellow.