Noxious [DenNor]

7.

Lukas Bondevik knew he made a mistake. He didn't need England and Romania to keep telling him, as they had done for what had to be the hundredth time.

Sitting in the comfortable, spacey parlor of England's home, he fixed his blue eyes on the lacy ivory window curtains as Arthur and Vlad let their meaningless lectures fall from their tongues like strings of angry saliva.

I kissed that stupid Dane. Why did I do that? Why couldn't I just let him be?

He had been fully aware of what he had been doing, from the second he rolled out of Denmark's bed that morning, down the moment electricity zapped through his body when their lips connected. He had been disappointed when Mathias didn't kiss back. Then again, maybe it was a good thing.

He didn't, after all, want the ancient curse to awaken and uncoil its wicked tendrils upon them both.

But Denmark didn't love him like that. No, it was an unrequited affection; one that Lukas had known and felt for years, but was unable to admit, even to himself. It was all for naught though. He would have to get over it, and he would have to demand that Mathias never, ever speak of the kiss again.

Ever.

"-thin ice, Lukas! You are treading thin, thin ice!" cracked Arthur's voice that, at this point, had all but risen to a shout.

Lukas held his fingers to his temples and squeezed his eyes closed. "I know that, Arthur. I know! Do you think I don't know what I did?"

At last, the room fell into silence. Lukas could hear a clock ticking in the next room, and he allowed himself to focus on that single noise until his heartbeat fell into sync with its endless ticks and tocks.

He breathed deeply.

"Norway, I know how you feel." He was surprised when Romania's voice was the one to shatter the silence. Lukas opened his eyes. At this point, they were narrowed into icy blue slits, but he didn't speak. Instead, he awaited an explanation from the red-eyed Romanian.

"I love someone, too... Someone who I love, but doesn't love me back..." For a moment, Lukas was sure he saw a shadow pass across his face. It was gone so fast, however, that he couldn't have been sure. Romania's lips were set into a rueful grin.

"I don't have it as bad as you, though. Nobody will die if he falls in love with me, but you get the gist of what I'm saying. You have to push these emotions away, Lukas. It's for the Dane's own good."

Another silence. This time, they all exchanged somber stares. Arthur had a look on his face like he wanted to say something. Norway watched as a line moved across his forehead. In the end, the Englishman made no move to speak.

"DO YOU WANT TO BUILD A SNOWMAN?"

It was in that moment that three grown men were startled silly by the shrill voice of a little girl. Romania shouted profanity, but it didn't take Norway any longer than a second to realize what it was that had caused such a ruckus.

"COME ON, LET'S GO AND PLAY!"

Exhaling feebly through his nostrils, he pulled his phone from under his thigh and read the caller I.D.

Denmark.

It had been at least three hours since his last attempt at calling him, but this was his twenty-third attempt of the day.

"Dear God, he's as stubborn as that American git," muttered Arthur. His face was dusted in various shades of red and pink as he stared down at his shaking hands, now folded neatly in his lap. He must have been trying to hide the fact that he had been scared shitless by Norway's Frozen ringtone.

"You don't know the half of it," muttered Norway. He was glaring at the phone as if it were a venomous snake, poised to kill him.

"...Norway, just answer the phone," Romania urged.

Norway shot him a viscious glare. "Why would I do that?"

"You owe him an explanation."

"He's owed me an explanation for twenty centuries."

"Yes, and you owe him one of six or seven hours. Time makes no difference. Just grow a pair and do it."

Norway furrowed his eyebrows and looked back to his phone. Was Romania right? Oh, maybe it would be best to get it over and done with. Taking a deep, shaky breath, Norway pressed his thumb to the green "ANSWER" button, then held the device to his ear.

"...Hello?"