I'm sorry this took so long. My exams bit me in the ass and then this chapter got deleted three fucking times and then I couldn't upload it and I basically rage quit three times and I feel compelled to shoot this really crappy laptop I have to write on because my stepdad doesn't like me writing.

Yeah. Sorry for my small rant.

Thank you to all my reviewers, especially the one that gave me this prompt!

Always For You: The Compulsory Shotgun Talk

Lukas swallowed. Here he was. Sat in front of five nations that obviously had a bone to pick with him. And it wasn't a big bone either, it was one of the little fiddly plasticy ones that seemed to make up seventy-five percent of a fish's skeleton. The ones that always got stuck in your teeth. Right now, the metaphorical toothpick was advancing, heading right for the northern Scandinavian region.

"...so." Alfred said, giving Lukas a pointed glare as he strode back and forth along the room, making the Nordic nation gulp and shrink down slightly in his seat.

Norway fought hard to keep his outwardly impassive expression in place as he got more and more worried as to the intentions of the five nations in front of him. Anyone would be scared if they were brought in front of a panel for no discernible reason. Each nation was glaring at him like he'd killed their leaders, from Francis with a vaguely interested look upon his face, to Prussia who just looked furious. England's bushy eyebrows weren't distinguishable from his hair, they were raised so high, and Ukraine was trying to give Lukas a compassionate smile and for once completely failing.

"What," Arthur spoke up, his voice a low growl. Lukas chewed the inside of his cheek to keep from running away with his tail between his legs. "Are your intentions with Matthew?"

In hindsight, Lukas should have seen it coming. He should have seen it from the moment he sat buck naked on Matthew's kitchen counter, watching as his boyfriend adorably stuttered and tried to explain why he had a naked Nordic in his house. Alfred had been even more furious back then than he was now, his mouth hanging open like a fish out of water. He should have seen the signs, and now he had no preparation for this moment, which would ultimately dictate the future of his relationship with the Canadian.

When Lukas said nothing, Gilbert rose to his feet, fuming with anger. "Arthur said," he scowled, crossing his arms. "What are your intentions with Mattie?"

"Prusse, non," Francis said quickly, laying a pacifying hand on the ex- nation's shoulder. "Cela n'aide."

Gilbert looked like he would have preferred to siphon the skin off Norway's body and fashion it into a carpet, but reluctantly sat down. His evil eye didn't leave the Norwegian, however. Lukas swallowed again, the first cracks in his façade beginning to show as he sunk deeper and deeper into the cushions of the sofa. He looked along the sofa on the opposite side of the coffee table, eyes landing on each of the members of the panel in turn. He could do this. He wouldn't completely splinter under their intense gazes.

"I think," Katyusha said delicately. "We'd better say it in more simple terms. Norway, do you just like him for sex? Or do you love him?"

Lukas blanched. How was he to answer that question? It was far too early on in their relationship for serious declarations. They moved slowly up to each rung, and although the step labelled 'I love you' wasn't too far out of reach, he and Mattie weren't quite there yet. Lukas sometimes wanted to say it, in the middle of the night when he woke up with a dry throat and a thumping heart. But he never had and knew he never would until Matthew was completely ready for it.

"I... I don't know," Norway said quietly, trying not to watch the colour of Arthur's face go from red to slowly purple. "I like him."

Arthur rose to his full height, Lukas shrinking away even more. He opened his mouth, most likely to hurl abuse at the man that dared to treat his son in such a way, Francis stopping him just in time.

"It is still early days, non?" he reasoned, giving Ukraine a nod. "You cannot expect l'amour to blossom so quickly, mon cher Angleterre."

England huffed, but sat back down. Norway leant forward again, finally relaxing somewhat. At least Francis seemed to be on his side in this matter. And no one could argue with the country of love.

"Still," Alfred piped up again. "Lay one finger on Mattie, and I'll break your ribs."

"I would never do such a thing," Lukas said easily, looking dead into America's eyes, smirking inwardly at the dilation of fear he said in the blue eyes. "Not to Mattie."

"You know," Katyusha smiled. "I think Matthew is cute with him."

"Not helping," Prussia growled, looking close to manslaughter. "That isn't the point. The point is whether he accepts the Mattie is too young and too good for him."

Lukas shifted uncomfortably. He could hardly be called 'too old' for someone. He was one of the youngest Nordic countries, after all. Honestly, any nation would be too young for Mattie, except maybe Hong Kong. And the thought of Canada with Leon made him want to vomit, so he stopped thinking about anything in that vein.

But, for the sake of argument... "I know he is," Lukas tried to appear rueful, although all that occurred was the slight twitching of one corner of his mouth. "I am... Very lucky."

"Damn right you are!" Arthur almost yelled, being held back from lunging from Francis, who was growing more and more apologetic by the second.

"What's your profession?" Alfred demanded, sitting on the coffee table and waving his fist in Lukas's face. "Can you support my little brother? Can you provide a solid income?"

"Uhm, Alfred?" Ukraine asked gingerly, tapping the American on the shoulder. "...he's a nation. Just like all of us. Money isn't an issue for him, and it isn't for Matthew either."

The five nations fell silent, staring at Lukas, seemingly to intimidate him. And Lukas was successfully intimidated, all right. He squeaked quietly, before clapping a hand over his head and mentally berating himself for ever doing such a thing. He couldn't show that he could do something other than glare right now, not in front of Mattie's family. He was just embarrassing himself.

"I think," Gilbert said, after a moment of awkward silence. "You had better go."

Lukas's violet eyes met Gilbert's blood red ones, and they stared at one another, neither of them blinking or moving a muscle. That was, until, Lukas stood up, not breaking Gilbert's intense gaze, before turning on his heels and running out of the room.