Chapter Summary: Norway prepares for the arrival of some dangerous guests, but is interrupted by other problems.
Ch. 9: Preparations
October 31, 6:30 AM
The cages are mostly clean. He cleaned them yesterday too, but somehow Norway never feels like they are clean enough. It feels wrong to put nations in a cage, but how is he supposed to deal with the wolves otherwise? He does his best to make them comfortable, tossing a couple of Estonia's shoes under one cot and leaving Latvia's old running shirt on top of the sheets.
Every month he does this. It does get tiring after a while, but he supposes it's tiring to be cooped up in a cage when your blood is up and you're driven to hunt. Which might explain why one werewolf turned into six, despite his best efforts to keep them contained. He changes the locks every other month, but when the wolves do get out they're almost never broken; they're unlocked. That means that either the wolves have opposable thumbs, or...Norway glares at his imp. "You have to promise you won't go near them this month." The locks are made of iron now; many magical creatures, including imps, can't stand the touch of it. Still, he wouldn't bet lives on that holding back Denmark.
"I never have, dude. I keep telling you," Denmark lies, because he can, because he really has to. It's totally not his fault that the Slavic nations get all adorable when they wear those hairy costumes that are probably a Baltic tradition he doesn't know about. Yeah... Licking his lips, he picks up a broom as if to help. "Why do they need locking up anyway? All they do is fuck and pace around."
"And bite, if you get near enough and happen to smell good. You just don't notice because imps and demons stink to them. They prefer animals to demons, humans to animals, and fairies to almost anything else...and apparently vampires, but I would call that a special case." Norway shakes his head. When the wolves get out, there is always carnage: saliva covered pixie wings, a human corpse or two, maybe a changeling or an elf. Lots and lots of dead wildlife. The worst, though, are the survivors. "That won't stop them from biting you if you bother them. I've dealt with them for a long time now; when the full moon is up, there isn't much left that's rational."
"Hey, I get all irrational in the right moonlight, too." Denmark grins, using the broom to literally sweep Norge off his feet. He catches him as he nearly topples over. "When the moon is full and the stars are bright, all I can think about is..." He trails off, grinning shark-like as he tightens his grip around that pretty body.
Norway scowls. "I told you this yesterday we would have to wait a few days. I'm too busy; if you distract me, something could go very, very wrong."
Denmark chuckles, reaching up and tugging the hidden curl of hair Norge usually keeps under his hat. God, he's hot when he gets all buck-wild. "What could go wrong? Your funky little sleepover? Hah - your parties are more fun than Tino's." Leaning in, he kisses his mouth.
For just a moment Norway relents, returning the kiss. Then he pushes him away and goes to the cot, fixing the sheets. They're old and grey, already torn in places, but he doesn't feel bad for using them with their guests. They'll be shreds by morning anyway. "No, Mattias." At the very least, being down here with all the iron has got to be sapping the imp's energy.
Denmark pouts at the use of his full name; Norway tends to use it when he's all work and no play. Unfair, when all he wants to do is take him back up to their room and smooth the worry from his brow, fuck him into their pillows and curl around him. He's been tired himself lately, but fighting it. He can't stand seeing Norge so freaked out. Norge, who's never freaked out about anything. "C'mon, the thingies are fine. There are better things you could be doing, eh?"
"Things you want to do. Sometimes I'm tired or busy, Matt, or I just don't want to!" Norway shouts, tossing a pillow onto the cot rather more violently than he intended. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, turning back to ease the blow. "Look, I like being with you. I really do. But when you keep-" The phone rings, and he groans. "C'mon. We're finished down here for now."
Stung, Denmark steps back to let Norway pass. Well. Now he knows. Something hot and angry rises in him, and he kicks the bottom bar of one of the cages - instantly he's jumping back with a hiss that he will neither remember nor recognize as his own. His skin feels tingly, like it's just been shocked, and his heart is beating too fast. Denmark is confused. Where is he? Why does he feel all fuzzy? What just happened? He heads up the stairs and finds Norway on the phone.
Norway rubs his temples as he listens to Japan ramble. Of course, even the ones who are usually fine on their own are having problems today. "Wait, slow down. Vampire...kittens. You said vampire kittens." No, sadly, he has not heard wrong. "How did that - never mind. I'm going to stake Yao later. So he's out cold, but he was seeing things? What kind of things?"
On the other end of the line Japan rolls his eyes and pets through Greece's hair, raising a squirt bottle when he sees one of the kittens creeping closer. "He said that he saw France and some other person. And they wanted to have sex, but he's trying to be faithful to me. I... I also wanted to let you know," his voice drops to a whisper, "I've been having... urges."
"That appears to be going around. Anything specific?" Norway replies. He'd nearly forgotten about the incubi with all his preparations for the wolves and the fairies. He's going to have to find them, which will be difficult if they've gone full-form. No doubt they have.
"I'm sure you know what I mean, since you're the only one who's seen my true nature in the last century." His hands are shaking, fingers shuddering with the want to... reach.
"I meant anything obvious? Like extra limbs?" Usually Japan is good at controlling his more primal nature. However, every century or so the urges get bad. It's probably been about a century since the last time this happened. Just perfect.
"Not yet." Japan grits his teeth, his fingers dragging down Greece's cheek and sliding over his lower lip. It feels so good to touch... No! He yanks his hand away. "But I'm about three seconds away from jumping Hera."
"Okay, just hold on." Norway takes a deep breath, hissing it out through his teeth. "Don't do that. The cats took a lot out of him and no doubt Francis took what was left. He needs rest. Juice, things with sugar. Possibly a blood transfusion. You need to keep calm, get some relief to take the edge off - if you know what I mean."
"I can't, there's no one," Japan replies, eyeing Turkey. He's sitting on the edge of the balcony rail, trying to catch a butterfly. "I am never touching Yao again, and considering Sadik's a neko, he may take a liking to me in the wrong way."
"I don't think he'd mistake you for sushi, if that's what you- wait, how the do you know about him?" Norway hisses.
"I've slept with him," Japan snaps, his fingers dragging back and forth over Hera's lips, finally dipping inside, very gently. He bites back a moan. "Even if I hadn't, what kind of normal nation wants you to feed them anchovies and cream? That's just ridiculous." He drags his fingers away, shoving them into his pocket and pacing away from the bed.
"Hera's slept with him too, though, and he doesn't know. Sadik swore he always did it...subtly." Norway sighs. At least he is sure Japan can keep a secret. Norway, England, and Romania agreed long ago that it was best for the nations not to know about one another, lest they find a new reason to start a war. "Does he know about you? Because then you could just solve two problems at once."
"No. And he's not going to. What would he think of me?" Japan blinks back tears as he considers it. "He's adorable. Sweet. Caring. Kind. They both are. I'm... I'm a freak. With twenty-one tentacles just waiting to be let loose. No."
Those are not the first words that come to mind when Norway thinks of Turkey and Greece, but they're Japan's lovers and not his. "I'm pretty sure they would love it. But no, you're right; they shouldn't know. However, I want you to know I've dealt with monsters, and you aren't one of them. I'm serious, Kiku. You could be something beautiful if you would only see yourself that way."
Japan rubs his eyes with his sleeve. "Thank you, Lukas. That is very sweet of you to say." He sighs, squirting another kitten and watching with slight bemusement as a few of the others fly past the window, carrying another dog. "I think I'll call Berwald, see if he's willing to come check on Hera. He's good with medical emergencies."
"YES," Norway says, a little too enthusiastically. Call someone else, anyone else. England is half mad, Romania's managed to lock himself in some sort of parallel dimension, and no one else knows the whole truth. "It should be alright. Just keep an eye on him, and EYES ONLY. Get away for a minute to take care of yourself. Maybe a bath in salt water? It should slow things down, at least, until I can think of something."
"Call me if you find a solution," says Japan, hanging up after pleasantry-dictated goodbyes. He licks his lips, his eyes focusing on the prone Greece. So sweet... He wants to... NO. He squirts another kitten, and dials Sweden's number.
Norway sighs and leans back against the wall, feeling a massive migraine approach. Things will only get worse from here, of that he's quite sure. The truth is, he needs help. He can't do this alone. With the other members of the magic trio out of commission, his options are few. He takes another breath and opens his eyes to see Denmark looking at him cautiously, almost worried. That makes him smile. He reaches out and takes his hand, leaving plenty of distance so the imp doesn't get any ideas. "Matt, I need to make a very long distance call. Do you remember the runes?"
Raising his eyebrows, Denmark's expression shifts from worried to confused. Well, at least it doesn't look like Norge is going to kick him in the balls this time. "Like the old alphabet? Sure. It got cool again a few years back, so I got them all tattooed on my arm, see?" He lifts his arm, showing off the runes that circle his bicep.
"That's right." Norway smirks. Those tattoos were his greatest idea yet. They're like a tracking system for Denmark, even across dimensions - one simply never knows with an imp. Or Romania, apparently. "We'll go to the cave out back. I don't trust you with the crystals or the bones, but you can help draw the letters in the dirt. We're calling Odin, alright? You have to remember that. I'm going to ask his spirit to join me for a while, to help with things."
"Odin. Right. King-God. Totally remember him, dude. He was great. Just like me!" He grins, pulling Norge into his arms. "So, once you're done talking to the King of Asgard, wanna worship your earthly king for a little while?"
Norway smacks him away. "I am NOT having sex with you while I share a body with our old god!"
"Awe, c'mon! He'd enjoy it!" Denmark chases after him anyway, grinning. Man, once this whole party is over he's going to remind Norway why they started fucking in the first place.