Noxious [DenNor]

9.

Norway wasn't so angry with the stupid Dane when he pulled into the driveway of the German household.  Actually, he was more resigned than anything. He stepped out of his car and, for the first time since his arrival, noticed a lone figure seated on the flagstone stairs that had been paved into the Earth.

It was a particularly tenebrous night. The surrounding pines were massive inkstains against a charcoal canvas. Sallow light spilled from tall windows on both sides of the house, but his location in the back was utterly devoid of light. That didn't stop his heart from jumping into his throat when he recognized the figure on the staircase by his tousled hair and bulky form.

Lukas was almost hesitant to close his car door, as it would stir the order of stillness by which the night was reigned. But then he scolded himself for even considering giving in to such a ridiculous notion. Open doors attracted rodents, bugs, and God even knows what else.

So he popped it shut with a jerk of his hip, then took a hesitant step in Denmark's direction.

"Mathias..." he began, immediately cursing the softness of his voice. He didn't want to be gentle with the stupid Dane! He wanted to make it clear as day that he was to keep his distance and that he was no force to be trifled with- Not a single peep about the day's earlier incident! So he clenched his jaw, stormed forward, and jarred to a halt mere feet away from Mathias, who sat still and silent, as though lost in thought.

"Where's my little brother?"

With slow, robotic movements that left Lukas with an unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach, the Danish man lowered his hands from his angular chin and upturned his face to him. Through the translucent layer of darkness between them, it was difficult to make out any well-defined features... Or anything, for that matter, that might have disclosed what Mathias was feeling.

"Leon came and picked him up."

Lukas felt his entire demeanor sharpen, from the immediate tension in his shoulders, down to the locking of his knees. "You mean Hong Kong?" he asked after a brief pause.

"Unless Ice hangs out with more Leons I should know of."

Lukas rolled his eyes. Even drunk, and occasionally stumbling over his own words, Denmark had a way of being a sarcastic shit. Nevertheless, he kind of had deserved that one. "Get in the car, Denmark. It's almost midnight, and I'll be damned if Tino doesn't start blowing up our phones at any second."

"Denmark?" The Dane's voice was sticky with disdain. He made no move to get to his feet. "Why the formality, huh, Norge? Are you angry with me? Because I'll be honest; I'm not that thrilled with you right now. I'm confused as hell, and kinda hurt."

Had he not been so rigid to get back to the car, Lukas might have cringed at the bitterness in Mathias's voice. It wasn't often this side of him came out, even after drinking as much as he must have.

"I'm angry that you took my brother out to get drunk with you. You could have shown at least a little bit of-"

"Oh, come on, Nor! Stop that! He's almost as old as we are, and you know it! He's probably had as many beers as I have in his life. Plus, all he had was a few Cokes." Finally, Denmark rose to his feet, but Norway realized just as soon that he wished he wouldn't have. The Dane was an imposing figure, one of the many factors that had earned him notoriety back when he'd been an axe-weilding viking. "Now, please. Just tell me why you kissed me, Lukas. And what you meant when you said you wish I told you something sooner. I didn't think I needed to tell you anything."

Then, as Norway's suspicions had started to pick up on, Denmark must have been truly clueless as to the nature of the ancient curse by which he was ensnared. And, really, what were the chances that he would remember something that, in the grand scheme of history, was so insignificant? Why, it had been so long ago that, as Norway was all too aware, the years between melted into days, while days were mere seconds in the grand scheme of it all.

In the end, all he could do was sigh. "It's nothing, Dane. Something I thought you knew that you didn't. And the kiss, mind you, was an accident. And if  you tell one more soul about it, I'll strangle you."

Lukas's hamartia was that he could lie with ease to those around him, but lying to himself... That was where things became difficult.

The truth, as unwilling as he was to admit it, was that he'd wanted to see what Mathias's lips felt like on his, just once. Since that day a few weeks ago when he had gone to Vlad and Arthur with the gut wrenching suspicion that something about Mathias's aura was off, some deep-rooted instinct within him had known that his time was dwindling.

When they discovered the circumstances surrounding the ancient curse, Lukas realized that his time had never been dwindling at all. The truth was, he'd never had any time to begin with.

Mathias's eyes were a spark among the black. While he knew it was probably only the reflection of some vague light source, Lukas felt tension rising in his shoulders.

"If it's really nothing, then why are are you acting so difficult?"

"Must just be my personality."

With a huff of frustration, Mathias turned his back to Lukas. "More difficult than usual, Nor. Don't play dumb with me."

Lukas narrowed his eyes. Who would have thought that comment would ever slip out of the Dane? "I don't play dumb for anyone; especially not you. I'm just trying to protect you."

"From what?" Denmark exploded. He whipped back around and paced towards the car. He slicked his long fingers back through his coarse, shadowy mane and laughed. "I mean, seriously! What is it you're trying to protect me from? Is somebody after me? Is it you, Norway? Are you trying to protect me from you?"

Norway felt his fingers curl into fists at his sides. He felt his composure chipping away with each word the stubborn Dane spoke. "Stop this and get in the car. You're obviously drunk, and I really can't stand to hear you speak right now," he hissed from between clenched teeth.

Denmark turned back around, penetrating the darkness with his fiery blue eyes. "You've seen me worse, Nor. This is nothing. What's so damn important that you can't even tell me what you're trying to protect me from?"

"I'm trying to protect you from hurting yourself, you drunk idiot!" Lukas stormed forward. His patience had run out, and he'd had enough of this conversation. "I'm trying to protect you from falling in love!"

That should have been enough to start a full-blown fist fight, which Lukas was more than prepared for. He stomped to a sharp halt, his body only inches from Mathias's.

The Danish man, however, must have gotten the answer he was looking for. A needle of shock pierced his chest when the wildfire in Mathias's expression diminished. He suddenly felt very large in comparison to his downtrodden companion, whose posture and fiery disposition died out like the Roman Empire.

Mathias side-stepped out from between the car and the Norwegian who cornered him.

Cautiously, Lukas watched as he rounded the car and stopped only when he stood outside of the passenger door. He laid his palms flat across the top of the vehicle and sighed.

"Alright, Nor. Just take me home."