This story has been revised to comply with FFNet's guidelines. The much longer full version can be found under the name Roesslyng at Dreamwidth, or yuuago at ArchiveofourOwn.

Negotiations

It was a warm evening in May. Tomorrow would be the seventeenth, and it seemed the very air bristled with a feeling of good cheer. Norway himself had seemed to have a bit of a spring in his step that day, and his mood was better than the usual, or so it had looked to Denmark when he and Sweden had taken him out as a pre-national day celebration of sorts. It was far more subdued than what Denmark would usually deem a 'celebration', but it looked like the effort had been successful: as far as he could tell, Norway seemed happy as a result of it; had even smiled at him. Damn it, Sweden had been right - some time spent outside and wandering through that little town close to Norway's old house before later retreating to a cafe had been exactly the trick. Fresh air and not a hell of a lot of excitement, that was what Norway liked.

Maybe, just maybe, it was having some company that did it for Norway, too. And not just Sweden's company, either. Denmark hoped so.

"Your move, Denmark."

"Yeah, yeah. Gimme' a sec; I'm thinkin'." Denmark looked up. Norway was looking at him from across the chessboard, chin resting on his hand, one eyebrow raised. As Denmark watched, Sweden, who'd sat himself close to Norway, leaned over and muttered something in his ear. Norway listened, tilted his head, then took a sip from his coffee cup, trying to hide his amusement.

"What's all that about?"

Sweden looked at him, pushed his glasses up a bit, and said simply, "Told'm if yer thinkin', we'll be in this place 'till closin'."

"Hey now. None'a them low blows, eh?" ...But even as he said that, Denmark saw again: Norway might have been hiding his face behind his mug, but by the way his eyes crinkled at the corners, it was obvious he was smiling. Well, maybe a joke at his expense wasn't so bad. That decided, Denmark made his move, then leaned back in the cafe chair and reached for his coffee cup. "Okay, there. Your turn."

He watched as Sweden whispered in Norway's ear again, a string of words that Denmark couldn't make out. "No helpin' him cheat. He don't need it."

"Wasn't helpin' me win," Norway said as he scrutinized the board.

"Well, what did he say, then?"

"Said them sunglasses make ya' look ridiculous. 'N I agree. Now shut up 'n let me think - both've you."

Denmark shut up. That had been part of the deal when he and Sweden had discussed the plan a week previous. "If he tells ya' t'turn down th' volume, then turn it down," Sweden had said. Then he sighed and waited until Denmark's protests had died down before explaining - again - that the point was to do whatever Norway wanted, whatever he liked - and Norway liked quiet.

If being quiet would make Norway happy, then shutting up for a bit wasn't any hardship, at least not for one day.

The click of wood on wood signalled Norway's decision. "Check." Denmark glanced at the board. One look was enough to tell him that he'd get no further. Then a look back at Norway, who had leaned back with a satisfied look on his face, and was now looking at him expectantly.

"Well?" Norway asked.

Denmark spread his hands. "There it is."

"Y'have to say it."

"You win."

Denmark could have sworn he saw a smile tug at the corner of Norway's lips. Maybe Norway wasn't the only one who won.

By the time they left the cafe and started on the long walk back to Norway's home, the sun had begun to sink, tinting the sky rose. They made their way together, talking, the sound of laughter ringing every now and then. As they left the main street to turn onto the long road to Norway's home, the trees alongside curved gently toward them.

After a while Denmark fell into step behind the other two. He strolled with his hands in the pockets of his light summer jacket, casual and careless. As he watched, Norway and Sweden walked close together, their hands nearly touching. He could hear Sweden's voice rumbling some comment that he couldn't quite make out, and Norway's quiet reply of "Is that right."

Their fingers brushed, then linked together. Denmark felt a strange twist in his guts upon seeing that, and couldn't place it. Where had that come from?

"Denmark. Denmark. You're laggin'. Pick it up a bit." Norway said it without even looking at him.

"Heh! Sorry, was just admirin' the scenery, y'know how it is," Denmark replied. He picked up his pace, striding until he was next to Norway, who raised an eyebrow at him. He knew that response had been inadequate, but he could hardly say anything else.

"Right." Without another word Norway took his hand and gave it a firm squeeze. Denmark hesitated, surprised that Norway would give him such a gesture of affection outside of the more private confines of his home, then squeezed back.

"Nor..."

"Ain't nothin but trees between here 'n my place, if that's what you're askin'. Not a public space, this." Norway said it casually, as if it was nothing.

But it wasn't nothing.

Denmark looked to Sweden, who met his eyes with a nod. Somehow, it seemed that their plans had turned out right. So far, at least. But even if the rest of the evening wouldn't go as planned, it still had been a good shot. Denmark knitted his fingers with Norway's and grinned.

The rest of the evening was spent in Norway's kitchen, with warm light and cool air filtering in through the open windows. They shared more coffee and spiked with a bit of something to taste. All said, Denmark couldn't have planned it better. Norway looked so happy - as much as he was capable of looking it, at least. Any tension gone, he was at-ease, the corners of his lips turning up at times, just a little bit, just every now and then. He made playful jabs at them - both of them, not only Denmark, but Sweden too - and as he spoke there wasn't any of the usual chill in his voice, only warmth.

If he were a slightly different person, Denmark thought, he'd be laughing. Maybe he was laughing inside.

"So. 'Spect you two'll be staying the night, then," Norway said as the evening drew longer.

Sweden cleared his throat, looking as if he wanted to say something, then simply nodded.

Denmark grinned. "You could say that, yeah."

Norway's gaze flicked from one of them to the other. He took a long drink from his mug, as if considering the matter carefully, then raised an eyebrow at them and said, "Wasn't expecting both've you. You'll have t'flip for who gets the couch."

"Actually, Nor, y'see, what we were thinkin' was -"

"Don't tell me you been thinkin'. No good comes from that."

Shot down before he'd even begun to explain. Not that he had expected anything different from Norway. Never one to be discouraged, Denmark rested back in his seat and looked at Sweden who, if the expression on his face was anything to judge by, had been anticipating it as well. "Wouldn't y'know it. You tell him."

"Tell me what?" Norway looked to Sweden with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion - and interest, Denmark noted with pleasure.

"Were thinkin' we could both keep ya' company tonight," Sweden muttered. He didn't look directly at Norway as he spoke. It was for the better, as Norway stared at him with one of those impenetrable looks he sometimes got, the kind that crossed his face when he was thinking something but wouldn't say it and expected everyone else to read his mind.

There was a brief, awkward quiet. Denmark fidgeted in his seat, wanting to say something and knowing that he shouldn't. Just as he was going to give up and speak, Norway finally responded. "D'you remember what happened the last time we tried that?"

Denmark looked at Sweden, and Sweden looked at Denmark. They remembered. It wasn't exactly something that was easy to forget. It had started well enough, but quickly dissolved into fighting, and not long after that Norway pushed the two of them out of the room, barred the door, and told them that they could entertain each other if they liked, but he'd have none of it. They'd later agreed that it had been a bad idea all around.

"Yeah, we remember. But Nor," Denmark turned back to Norway, grinned, and summoned the most convincing tone he could muster. "It'll work out right this time."

"Promise," Sweden echoed, nodding for emphasis.

"Besides, that was hundreds of years ago! We get along all right now, don't we? It'll go just fine."

"Planned it out ahead've time."

"Right, that too. Like Sweden said, there. Look, we've thought real hard about this - we won't go 'n disappoint you." Denmark said it, then let it hang. As he and Sweden spoke, each giving their case, Norway's eyes had darted back and forth, looking from one to the other. After they went quiet, he sat with his head against one hand and an unimpressed expression on his face. Then again, Denmark thought, Norway usually looked unimpressed - but that didn't make his reaction any more encouraging.

"So," Norway began. "You promise it'll be different."

"Cross my heart," said Denmark.

"And no fightin'."

"Promise," Sweden said.

"No arguing, neither."

"Right, none've that."

They promised it, and they promised it honestly. With how much he and Sweden had discussed it beforehand, Denmark reasoned, there was no way in hell it could go badly. They had gone over it in detail, plotting out a strategy step by step: how to avoid getting in one another's way, and how best to satisfy Norway. In many respects, both were the exact same thing. After knowing him for so long, the two of them knew what he liked.

It took Norway agonizingly long to give an affirmative. But in the end, he did, with a nod and a quiet "Okay".

"Want to have a word with you first, Denmark," Norway said, then glanced at Sweden. "Alone. If you don't mind."

Sweden blinked in surprise, then nodded. He excused himself and stepped through the back door onto the rear porch to wait. Norway watched him, and when he was sure Sweden wouldn't be able to hear him, he took his coffee mug and went to refill it, as if there was nothing out of the ordinary about the conversation they had just had, or about the situation in general.

"So you talked it out, did you. The both of you." He sounded as if he was unsure if he should believe it.

Denmark was aware that he had to tread carefully. "Yeah, we did," he said as he slipped out of his seat and went to lean against the counter, offering him a nonchalant smile. "Already told you we did."

Norway gave him a look, then took a long drink. It was one of those looks that Denmark never could be sure of; it was often so hard to tell what Norway was thinking. "Aye, that you did. I heard you," he said, setting the mug down, finally. "Find it hard to believe."

Denmark knew better than to ask why. Instead he just smiled and shook his head. "Guess I don't blame ya'. But we're really gonna' try this time."

"You two normally can't agree on anything. Drive each other nuts." Norway stood in front of him and gently pushed him back against the counter before looking up at him, his dark eyes serious and questioning as ever. "Give me one good reason to not go 'n think this'll end up with me kicking you both out've my bedroom again."

"That's easy. If you're between us, we won't even have to touch each other, y'see." Though Norway rolled his eyes and looked away, Denmark was sure that he had coloured a bit upon hearing that. He considered it, then decided to take a gamble. "Look at it this way," he said, resting his hands on Norway's waist, drawing him closer - unresisting, much to his relief. "Just think of it as like..."

"Like what?"

Denmark dipped his head and nuzzled by Norway's ear. "Like you just layin' back and relaxin' while the two've us do all the work."

For a moment Norway was quiet. Then, slowly, he leaned into him and muttered, "Go on." That's when Denmark knew that he had gotten through to him.

"Well," he said. "We'd be doin' whatever you want. Followin' whatever you say, y'see."

"An' that's what you two decided?"

"Yeah."

"I see."

"A'ccourse, we were't just talking to agree on it. Had to figure out what you like." Norway was silent, listening, letting him go on, Denmark realized. So he continued, slowly trailing his hands along Norway's sides while he spoke, doing his best to keep his voice at a low murmur. "Knew most've it already, but he told me some things I didn't know. Sounded good, too."

"Like what?"

When Denmark muttered the idea into Norway's ear, he could feel him tense up in his arms. For a second he was afraid Norway would pull away and reject the idea, even throw the whole thing out entirely and insist that it'd be the couch for him that night. Instead, after a moment, as if he had simply needed to think about it, Norway slowly eased up and sighed. "Let's just see if you two can cooperate at all afore we go gettin' into that," he said, leaning into him.

"Okay! Right. Sounds great. But if we can?" Denmark let the question hang.

"Then we'll see." Norway drew back a bit, and when he did Denmark could see that he was smiling the small, restrained kind that he usually had when he was trying not to smile. "You'd better behave yourself." It was an empty warning, and they both knew it.

"Don't you worry about that. Best behaviour. Promise." Denmark had hardly said it before Norway pressed close again and reached up to cup the back of his head. He knew what that meant and grinned before dipping his head downward to meet Norway's lips as Norway arched upward to close the distance. Their kiss was long and firm and Denmark had wanted it all day.

It didn't last long enough. Eventually Norway drew back, gently pushing Denmark away with a palm to the chest. "Enough of that," he said.

"But - "

"Need to have a word with Sweden," Norway interrupted, glancing toward the back door. "If we're to go and do this, it ain't just you what needs to say he'll cooperate." Without waiting for an answer, he slipped out of Denmark's arms and made his way out the door to the back patio.

Denmark leaned against the counter and watched them through the window. They were shadowy in the dim evening light as they stood out on the deck, at-ease in their talking as if it were a perfectly ordinary conversation. Norway stood with his hands in his pockets, his head tilted as he listened to Sweden's mumbling. He nodded, then said something which looked as if it might simply be "Okay", or maybe not. Then he stepped close to Sweden and went up on his toes to kiss him.

For a second Denmark watched as Sweden slid his arms around Norway's waist, then he compulsively looked away. There was something about it that seemed somehow too private, too intimate. He wasn't meant to see it.

When they stepped back through the door, Denmark busied himself with cleaning up after their coffee, as if he hadn't been watching them at all. He looked toward them and smiled, meeting Norway's eyes. If Norway had any suspicion that he had seen them, he gave no sign of it.

"So. Everything all right?" Denmark ventured, glancing to Sweden, who nodded. There was bit of stiffness in the gesture, but not as much as there usually might be, and not as much as might be expected to be there, even considering the circumstances.

"It's fine," Norway said, speaking for him. Then, looking to Denmark, he repeated, " It's fine," more firmly. Though he couldn't be sure, Denmark had a feeling that was meant as a go-ahead. He licked his lips, looked to Sweden again, and nodded.

"Right. So, then. What d'you say to me 'n you showin' Nor a good time?"

Sweden coloured, then muttered his agreement before wordlessly taking Norway by the hand; Norway, who Denmark realized, was looking at him and smiling.

Without further hesitation, they guided him to his bedroom.

Denmark rested in Norway's bed and listened to the sound of him breathing in the dark. It was a slow sound, relaxed, in and out, uneven. Norway wasn't sleeping.

He and Sweden had wedged Norway between them with the excuse that he was the smallest of the three. That excuse was one they had been using since the old days, but Norway still readily agreed to it. After they had cleaned up, emerging from the shower smelling like soap, Norway had fallen upon the sheets, rested back, and ordered the two of them to get to sleep because he wasn't about to wait on them, and he couldn't be having with the prospect of being exhausted in the morning either, what with having things that needed doing on his national day. In spite of his words, the way he sighed when they slid their arms around him made clear what he really wanted.

Denmark thought about it, and wondered if he had always wanted it. If he had always liked it like this, the three of them.

Probably not, he reminded himself. It wasn't difficult to recall the past and the way they had been over the centuries. No, probably not, all things considered. But now... Now, it was different.

It was completely different.

He was pulled from his thoughts as Norway stirred slowly and carefully beside him, as if trying not to disturb either of them. Denmark hesitated for only a second, then slid his hand over, grazing his fingertips against Norway's bare skin before touching one of his hands. 'See?' the gesture said. 'I'm awake too'.

Norway's breathing paused at that touch, his shoulders tensing, then with a sigh he relaxed and took Denmark's hand. For a while they stayed together that way. There was no need to say anything. Norway traced slow circles on Denmark's hand with his thumb and Denmark barely even breathed, biting down on his lip as he tried to stay quiet for him because that was what Norway liked. Quiet. Sometimes he liked it too much - it wasn't always good for a person, or so Denmark thought. But for this moment, in the dark and the quiet, he could abide.

Norway was the one who spoke first. His voice was soft, his lips near Denmark's ear, brushing against it as he whispered to him. "Sometimes your ideas aren't bad," he said.

Denmark could feel heat creeping over his cheeks, his neck, his ears. Come on, he told himself. You shouldn't be blushing at your age. He took a deep breath and licked his lips. "Wasn't just my idea," he said as quietly as he could.

He felt Norway move a bit in his arms as he turned to slide a hand over to Sweden. Though he couldn't see it Denmark was sure that Norway was taking his hand and checking to see if he was awake. There was no response from Sweden except for a sigh and movement as he turned over in his sleep. Satisfied with that, Norway pressed close to Denmark again and rested his head against his shoulder.

"No," he said. "It wasn't."

Denmark listened to him, thinking that he would go on, but Norway didn't say anything else. Instead he trailed his fingertips along his wrist. Norway's fingers were cold and Denmark took his hand, cupped it in his own to warm it. Even when cold, he appreciated the familiar shape of Norway's fingers linked with his own, their palms pressed together.

He tried to think of what to say. It had to be the right thing for once rather than something that Norway would roll his eyes at. He rubbed that chilled hand, kissed it, and tried to come up with something.

"Hey, Nor-"

Two fingers pressed against his lips, and Denmark stopped talking, blinking curiously at Norway.

Without a word, Norway lifted his head and kissed him.

Maybe, Denmark thought as Norway silently pinned him against the mattress, maybe he didn't have to say anything.

He didn't have to say anything at all.

The End