I never ever imagined that I would get this much support. Thank you so much to all of my amazing reviewers. You guys are my inspiration and there is no way in hell I would still be writing without you guys.

This chapter is only around 1,300 words because one, I wanted to post something to keep you entertained, and two, the next chapter is going to be very long. I wanted to give you something to read while you wait for it to come out.

Chapter Ten

"LUKAS GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!"

Norway jolted awake at the cacophonous voice of a fuming dane. He blinked and sat up, attempting to clear the haze of sleep from his brain. After a failed attempt, the Norwegian was content with dozing off, but another furious screech sent him surging out from underneath his bed covers and bolting towards the stairs.

"LUKAS!"

Mathias's howl resounded off the walls in a deafening echo. Norway increased his speed tenfold and burst into the kitchen. The piqued scream was louder and more apparent from downstairs. Mathias's shrieking was emanating from the garage, and with a panicked yelp Norway hauled the leaden door open, but not before snatching the keys from where they'd been carelessly tossed the night before.

If looks could kill Norway would be a dead two times over. The fierce glower Mathias was directing at him could make even the most fearsome predator whimper and crawl into a hole. It was both icy and burning at the same time, absolutely impossible to match or meet. Norway froze like a deer in headlights, stock-still and terrified.

"Get. Me. Out. NOW."

At Mathias's threatening tone, Norway hesitantly inched forward on unsure feet. He unlocked the car with a dreadful click that echoed through the barren garage like the chime of a funeral bell. The passenger door slowly creaked open with an ominous squeak. A pair of boot clad legs swung out and landed on the concrete, followed by the rest of the menacing form. Mathias stepped towards Norway with measured, purposeful footfalls, his shadowed gaze not once looking away from Norway's fearful eyes. Only when he was inches away and looming over the Norwegian did he speak.

"I'm giving you five seconds to run. Then I will hunt you down and painfully slaughter you."

Mathias growled with demented grin. His eyes were filled with ill intent and a psychotic lust for blood. Oblivious to the approaching threat, Norway tilted his head in obvious puzzlement and pondered the previously spoken words. Five seconds to run? Wha—?

"ONE!"

Oh. I see.

"TWO!"

The Norwegian stared at Mathias in petrified disbelief. He looked at the Dane as if in a hypnotic trance. Norway's body refused to budge and his feet had been frozen in unmovable blocks of concrete. Time stopped, and he dared not breath for fear of starting it again.

"THREE!"

It's amazing what one can accomplish when scared for their life. All of a sudden, the world flew from a standstill to a full blown frenzied panic. Norway jumped out of his paralytic state and sprinted towards the exit, numbers ringing loud in his ears.

"FOUR!"

Norway's lungs went into overdrive as they strained to take in more air to fuel his heaving body. He had reached the stairs by now, and was in the process of lunging up them two at a time. It was at times like these that Norway sincerely wished he were taller and had longer legs.

"FIVE!"

A deranged cackle followed the dreaded, final number. The distant thud of foreboding footfalls could be heard approaching the stairs. The stomping grew heavier as Mathias plodded up the stairs, mind intent on one thing. Norway flung his bedroom shut, and scrambled towards his nightstand. Maybe if the Norwegian told Finland that Mathias had gone insane, then the three could arrive in time to prevent the Dane from murdering him. He desperately combed through his drawers, clawing madly through the mess for a working phone, but his search efforts were to no avail. Norway had foolishly left his mobile on the coffee table downstairs. Maybe he could sneak out unnoticed and grab it—

Too late.

The door slammed open with a force that dented the wall it struck. Norway flinched away from the oncoming man, curling into a protective ball by his place near the nightstand. He squeezed his eyes shut tight and waited for the final blow to come. Norway had made peace with his doomed fate the minute he had laid eyes on Mathias's vengeful stare. Though he didn't want to die, the Norwegian had accepted the end was inevitable.

When the anticipated suffering never came, Norway reluctantly opened his eyes. His gaze slowly rose from staring at the Dane's shining boots to his face. To the Norwegian's immense concern, Mathias's body was shaking strongly and his lips were pressed together as if in pain. His eyes were bright, possibly with fever? Norway cautiously straightened his body and placed a hand on the Dane's quivering shoulder.

"Mathias? Are you okay?"

That was the last straw for Mathias. He collapsed on the ground, writhing in laughter. The Dane clutched at his stomach and pulled at his clothing as he twitched on the ground. Soon he was spouting tears, howling incoherent phrases such as, "You should have seen your face!", or "That was hilarious, you actually thought I was gonna hurt you!".

As Mathias snickered, Norway was left to stew in incandescent silence. He was beyond furious that Mathias had deceived him, but even more so that he had fallen for it.

I did kind of deserve that. After all, I did lock him in a car all night.

With a miffed expression, Norway waited for the pealing laughter to subside before launching into a harsh tirade.

"Why would you do that?! I thought you were going to murder me, I could have called the police! What the hell were you thinking anyways?! Are you completely insane?!"

"Probably."

"Mathias!"

At Norway's berating tone, the Dane rubbed his neck and glanced away, still wearing a wolfish smile. He feigned indifference, but his self-satisfied looked gradually faded when he noticed that the smaller man was near hysterics.

"Look Lukas, I didn't mean it like that. Honestly, it was just a joke. I was just pissed at you for locking me in a car all night and wanted to get back at you."

Now it was Norway's turn to chuckle. He dryly coughed, embarrassed he had forgotten something as big as a human being when exiting the car.

"Yeah… I guess we're even then."

Mathias nodded in agreement. His guilt-ridden expression quickly morphed into another wide grin.

"Seriously though, you should have seen your face."

With an indignant shout, Norway shoved the cackling Dane out the door and forced it closed behind him. Though his actions spoke of anger, the Norwegian's eyes were twinkling with mirth and a small part of his mind wondered if he really had looked that funny. Norway released a fulfilled sigh and traipsed towards the bathroom, picturing Mathias's bright, laughing face the whole way, determined to make the Dane laugh more often. After all, such a pleasant face shouldn't be hidden behind a such a fierce glare.

—

Norway was acting a little OOC but then again, Mathias was being terrifying. Think about it, if you were faced by Mathias's glare, would you act like it didn't effect you and remain emotionless? Maybe Norway would have done that if it had been Denmark who had glared because they have known each other for centuries. It was not Denmark, but Mathias who was glaring and Norway barely knows anything about him or his behavior.

I forgot a disclaimer; I don't own the characters, yada yada yada.