Chapter 2

Brianna's POV:

Arthur sat down across from me with a small sigh. He set a tea mug in front of me and sat looking like he was going to say something just couldn't. I sat there as the awkward silence filled the room. After about ten minutes he finally said said something.
"If you are going to stay for much longer there are some rules you must know for the people on this floor."
"Rules?" I sipped my tea hesitantly.
"Ja." Jak suddenly appeared in the kitchen again, looking slightly unamused, probably because of Den. "Iggy has like a hundred for each of us, unfortunately that means you'll end up with them too."
A small tri-colored dog followed Jak into the kitchen. It looked almost like a black and white fox, with no tail and pointy ears that stood up.
"Ah, where'd that dog come from?" I asked as it trotted towards me and licked my hand.
"Its Den's and it follows me everywhere. It has attachment issues." Jak leaned against the wall. "So are you going to go over your stupid rules now?"
"Well, you see I was going to go over your rules first and you wouldn't like hearing them." Arthur looked at the dog with a small frown. "If he is Den's then why is he following you?"
"Cause its a pain in the ass and is like its master always wanting me to give it attention. If you are going to do my rules can you do it in like twenty so I can get my coffee?"
"Yes I think I can manage that. Its almost nine why do you need coffee?"
"Cause I want it, bro. You got a problem with that?"
"No, and I'm not really your 'bro'..."
"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and walked out of the kitchen followed closely by the dog.
"What the dog's name?" I asked.
"He never named it, so we call it Dendog. Anyways, we have to be quick with her rules."
"Oh, okay!"
"Okay, Rule number 1, do not ask about her family. She doesn't like to talk about them much, also be cautious around her and Lukas."
"Who?"
"Representative of Norway, don't ask. Rule number 2, don't mention Denmark at all. She gets flustered and will most like not answer any questions about him. Especially if she has a relationship with him or not."
"But don't they, they live together?"
"Yes, but she insists that they aren't partners. Rule number 3, don't take her bananas. I don't want to get into that one when it specifically means Denmark."
"...I'm not even going to ask..."
"Good, I don't really want to explain. Rule number 4, don't bring up her issues no matter how many she has."
"There are a lot of don'ts in her rules..."
"Most of these are the shorter versions, since there are so many and she could be back any minute now."

"Oh, okay..."

"Rule number 5, don't take any of her alcohol unless she is so drunk that she would sleep with Denmark -explanatory really, so I'll go on. Rule number 6, don't make any sexual passes at her."

"Why would I do that?!"

"I don't know, just don't. Rule number 7, don't ask about her gender. She is a girl, Den's checked."

"Oh, okay. Is that it?"

"No, not quite. Rule number 8, don't ask why she's here. She got evicted from her home in Greenland and has to stay with Denmark because he's the only one that doesn't make her pay rent."
"And that's it?" I asked suspiciously
"According to her, yes. Anyway, Rule number 9, if she comes into the apartment, do not kick her out; no matter if she is sober or not."
"How often is she not sober?"
"At least every night. Finally rule number 10, failure to follow any of these rules will result in a serious ass kicking. I'm serious about that."
The door opened and Jak strode in with a Greenlandic flag mug and a pot of coffee. she set both on the table and took a seat. "Done?"
"Just barely but yes."
"Good," she sighed and rubbed her wrist and made a face. One most would not think twice but Arthur eyed her wrist.
"Are you hurt?" He asked with a concerned tone.
"Hm, oh nej nej. Its fine." Jak tried to grab for her mug and Arthur grabbed her wrist. She yelped out in pain.
"You are hurt, you are a horrible liar." He moved Jak's sleeve up. I was surprised to see cut scars and a bandage. Jak looked away from Arthur's concerned gaze. "What did he do?"
"Wasn't Den... it was me." She sounded broken.
"You did this to yourself?" Arthur peeled the bandage to reveal a long cut surrounded by some bruising.
"Ja, I did. I was upset about memories coming back and well you know the pain distracted me." Jak tried to pull her wrist away.
"You need to go to a doctor, or at least tell me, Tino, or Lukas."
"You think I'd ever go to that ass for medical attention!? I'd rather have Den fuck me!"
"Then let me look at it." Arthur took her wrist back and looked at the cut. He then got up and went to the bathroom.
"Who is Tino?" I asked trying to avoid bring Lukas into the conversation.
"He's Sve's 'wife'. The Rep of Finland and basically takes the place of everyone's mother. Basically, if you have a wound he will treat you. He was the one who bandaged your eye along with Brit." I reached up and felt the wound, although it was healing, it still hurt like hell and I could barely see out of it. Jak smiled, "He is also the one who looked after me in the Norwegian rule."
"What was the Norwegian rule?"
"From about 1261 Norway had control over me, later years his power diminished. But in 1814 Denmark claimed Greenland in his name. I'm sorry I don't like talking about it."
"So then are you like Den's slave?"
"Nej gods nej. I'm just one of the counties that he has control over, but in no means am I his slave."
Arthur returned with some new bandages, a first aid kit and a medical alcohol bottle. he placed them on the table then moved his chair so he was facing Jak. "Give me your wrist, Jak please be nice."
Jak made a groaning noise. "Love you too Arthur. Motherfucker that hurts!"
"Jak, watch your language." Arthur cleaned the wound with cotton balls and the alcohol. Jak winced quietly groaning. "I feel bad for Tino when you got into fights. Probably just like Mathias, you'd spit into your wounds, think they'd heal, then run off into another one of your stupid battles."
"They weren't stupid and the spit does work." Somehow Mathias had come in without us noticing. He looked as if he aged several years, his smile now replaced with a small frown. He looked at Jak's wrist with concern like that of... a lover. So they are partners or at least the closest thing to partners that two people living together could be. "So what happened to Jak?"
"A knife slipped when she was cleaning dishes earlier over here and I said I'd clean it for her." Why was Arthur lying to Mathias? If Mathias liked Jak this didn't make any sense to me.
"Aw, baby Jak is so clumsy." Mathias messed with Jak's hair much to her dislike. The smile was back and the youth had returned to his face. "Lad mig beskytte dig, min lille Grønland."
"Shut up, Dane!" Jak was obviously flustered at the comment made by Mathias.
"Du ved, du elsker mig" Jak turned bright red at the comment and muttered a few things under her breathe. I looked at Matthias and he winked. "I said 'you know you love me" in case you were wondering."
"You don't have to translate you know." Arthur finished and was bandaging the wound. "You are lucky that I know little Danish or else I'd be the one yelling at you for half the things you say."
"I don't swear that much!"
"No but most of your passes are in Danish." Jak interrupted she pulled her wrist away and covered it with her shirt sleeve. She poured herself a cup of coffee from the pot. "Alright so whose rules are next?"
"Ah well, how about later." Arthur tried looking everywhere but Jak.
"I'm the only one you have rules for, aren't I?" Jak narrowed her eyes.
"Yes, you are correct." Arthur had a guilty look on his face.
Jak smiled and sat back in the chair. "How did I know? You are always looking out for me how cute."
"I'm not cute!?" Mathias had a look of mock hurt on his face.
"Ja~, I mean nej.." Jak blushed and stared down at her coffee mug.
"So, Brit does this mean you don't have rules for me?" Mathias pulled a chair next to Jak and wrapped his arm around Jak's shoulder.
"No, but I should."
"Like don't have sex, he is diseased." Jak muttered under her breath.
"Oi, went to the doctors yesterday and had every test done! I'm clean!" he replied defensively.
"Brilliant. That's just brilliant." Jak muttered again. I've noticed that she uses a lot of sarcasm, especially with Den.
"Ja, will you have sex with me now?"
"Tassa eller asu!" Jak yelled and ducked out of the Dane's reach.
"Bedes?" Mathias said making a puppy like face.
"Naa, not now!"
"Later?"
"Sure..."
"When?"
"Never."
"Ah, Miss Jakkubiina?" Arthur tapped Jak's shoulder and she turned away from Den.
"Ja?" She looked very unamused, so he nodded toward the clock.
"Don't you have work tomorrow?" She stared at the clock and jumped up in realization.
"Shit. Ja, but I don't want to sleep in the same room as this klaphat!" She ran out of the room and back to her apartment. We sat in silence for a few seconds.
"Well, I'm gonna go, I need to sleep too. Bye!" Denmark got up and strode out of the room, leaving me alone with Arthur.
"Are you sure they're not sleeping with each other?"
"Positive, or else they wouldn't be like this. They would probably not fight so much about sex if they did. If they slept together Mathias would be more concerned about her drinking habit then when is the next time they have sex."
"So he doesn't care?"
"No, he does, he just doesn't want to ask her or hurt her with it. He may look and act stupid but he can be brilliant when he wants to. He is a good guy just thick headed and oblivious when it comes to certian people like Jak. But deep down he cares for her you saw that look he gave her. There are things that they never talk about but you can tell they want to, things that they have seen or heard that are just so hard for them to articulate with one another. Funny thing is that we representatives find humans funny yet we ourselves are funny and interesting. How cruel is this world?"
"Obviously not that bad if it can put us together, I mean you know have us meet." I blushed, once again I had let my mouth slip and said something really stupid.
Iggy smiled with a slight blush. "I guess you do have a point. I hate to break up this lovely conversation we have going, but I really do have to go to sleep and I do have work."
"Wait what will I do? I'll be alone." I didn't like the idea that I was going to be on the same floor as the Frenchman or the Danes.
"No Ms. Jakkubiina works here so you can spend time with her."
"Oh...so do I sleep on that futon there again?"
"Yes, I changed the bedding, but if you don't want that I can always let you have my bed, sorry it is the best I can offer."
"No, its fine I will sleep there."
"Alright, then. Goodnight, my love." He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and with a slight blush went to his room.
I sat there blushing for about five minutes then stood up and went to the futon and crawled in with the big tee shirt still on. Ok maybe this won't be that bad.