Ej, really, Norge?

Norway looked up at Danmark, hugging him back tightly. "...Y-you! *cough* You id-idiot, wh-why..." He wanted to say 'why did you come back?!', but... that would take too much time right now. Especially since he noticed Danmark was hurt. Norway released him quickly. "J-ja. *cough* B-but how? T-through the fire?" He reached up and turned the water on in a short burst, soaking them both again.

He smiled. "Did you think I'd just le--" He coughed. "...leave you here?" He shook his head, unbuttoning his coat. He turned the shower on, getting it dripping wet, and pulled Norge up. He drapped the wet coat around Norge, and over his head. "Keep it on," he choked out.

Val pulled Norge out of the shower, wrapped an arm around him, kissed his forehead. "Jeg elsker dig," he whispered, before picking him up and holding Norge close and running through the fire, keeping Norway's face in his chest. He coughed a bit, almost stumbling and falling, and ran down the steps.

Denmark ran through the parlour, and through the door, and outside, where he got to a sizable distance away before setting Norway down in the grass. He smiled a bit weakly before falling over sideways, breathing hardly.

Mostly from shock, Norway did exactly as he was told, even going so far as to cling to Danmark when he bolted. He-- did he really just hear those words escaping Danmark's mouth?! Or was he already delirious from the smoke?

More importantly, they were outside, and Danmark was on the ground, hyperventilating. "V-Valentin?! *cough* A-ah..." He fumbled around, searching for his phone, which he immediately used to call for help. That done, he collapsed to his knees down by Danmark, doing anything he could think to help him. Mostly he started doing his weak water magic-- pulling small amounts of water out of thin air, cupping it in his hands, and offering it to his savior. He couldn't summon much water at a time, unless he brought down floods and rain, but he COULD do this.

Weakly aware of his surroundings, he passed up on the water and gripped/clung to Norway. He smiled a bit, and rolled over onto his back, continuing to hold onto Norge.

"A-Ah... N-Norge..." he whispered softly, "I-I... thought I lost you..."

Denmark couldn't have cared less if he was the King or not, and whether or not Kings were supposed to cry.

He began to whimper softly, small tears escaping his eyes. He cried into Norway's shoulder. "E-Ej... Norge... Hákooonnn... G-Good thing I didn't lose you..."

Norway was confused, but hugged the Dane back gently. "Ah... J-ja, it's good." He bit his lip against saying anything mean right now-- this was not the time for taunting. "I..." He trailed off, forgetting what he was going to say in favor of rubbing Danmark's back soothingly, bewildered by his tears. Finally he speaks, still stunned by Danmark's tears, and trying to comfort him regardless. "...It wouldn't have been so bad, losing me, right? You have... Sverige..." He'd pretty much decided he was imagining things back in the house-- after all, it was alright to wish when you thought death was right around the corner.

Valentin continued to cry gently, clutching at Norway's shirt. "E-Ej... O-Of course I have him..." He paused for a few minutes dedicated only to tears.

"B-But... N-Norge... Y-You're my b-best friend..." he choked out, pulling away slightly to look at him and smile softly. "...M-My best f-friend, Norge..." He coughed a bit. "I-I don't know what I would've done w-without you..."

Norway clenched his jaw against the sharp pain in his chest, barely showing so much as a twitch at Danmark's words while he desperately fought to keep his world together. To keep it from fallilng, from burning down around him... He pulled away completely, taking off Danmark's coat and handing it back to him. "...Ah." He closed his eyes against the break of the wave of an infinite amount of tiny glass shards tearing through him to rip his heart apart. Of course-- when had he ever been anything more than Danmark's best friend? He was, of course, completely delusional back at the house... Completely delusional. "Idiot, you still didn't need to come running back inside." He kept his face completely emotionless, drawing up more water and absently pouring it handful by handful on Danmark's burns. After awhile, he no longer cared what he was doing, so long as it wasn't thinking.

Now... Denmark was dense. One of the densest people you've ever met. But he was smart enough to realise that something was wrong. And he knew that it had happened all of a sudden. (Though, he was still dense enough not to make a connection between what he said and Norway's sudden mood change.)

Val blinked. "...Norge... Why would I have left you in there?" His breathing was regulated now, and he frowned when he was handed back the coat. "...Norge, it's snowing... And it's cold... Please put the coat back on?"

Norway shrugged noncommittally in response, continuing to focus on trying to keep Danmark's burns from swelling any further. "We both could have died in there, moron! You could have called for help instead." He shook his head. "It...It's wet. It won't help much anyway."

Really, though, he just didn't want it near him. For some reason, the cloth felt like it was scalding his skin; the smell was suffocating him; the very sight of it, stabbing his eyes. Really he wanted to get up and go somewhere where Danmark wasn't-- but, his best friend was hurt, and he couldn't just leave him here, like this.

"..."

He was silent for a moment. He looked down, allowing him to treat the burns. He mulled over reasons as to why Norge would've shifted moods so quickly.

Then! He had an idea!

He glanced back up at Norway almost shyly. "...N-Norge... Did you want to stay in the building...?"

Norway paused for a moment, considering. If burning down with the building meant that he didn't have to feel like this... Eventually, he finally glared up at Danmark. "...You-- You Moron King!" He felt the words explode from him in a near silent whisper. He stood upright suddenly and bolted away, off towards the river, no longer capable of dealing with his pain and frustration.

Never had Norway used a tone like that with him. His voice hadn't necessarily been raised, but...Denmark could still tell that something was wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong.

"E-Eh? N-Norge!" he called, half-jumping to his feet. As soon as he was standing, he ran, stumbling a bit. "...Norge! Don't g-go"

In the pit of his heart, he knew it must've been something he said.

Norway's ears barely registered Danmark's calls, but he paid no mind. He tore off through the snow, jumping over any obstacles that got in his way-- He just ran. Where? Where? Did it matter? Not really. Just so long as it was forward-- so long as it was away. Always running away, that was Norway. He almost wished he could say he cared.

Eventually, he stopped, heaving dry sobs and slumping against a tree just by the river's edge. The cuts and bruises and scrapes and mud all over him paled in sensation to the wonderful burning cold air in his overexerted lungs, the fire in his muscles. Norway turned and hugged the tree, clinging to it like a lifeline, sobbing softly into the bark. They had to come out, these tears... They had to, and here was a good place. Quiet, and full of decent spirits. Who were staring at him like they'd never seen a physical being cry like that before. Norway ignored them in favor of solely concentrating on the pain in his lungs and legs and side and his heart...

Danmark ran even faster. Longer legs to carry him over longer distances quicker. He made sure he kept the other in sight, no matter what the price was to do so. He bolted when Norway stopped, hoping to keep him from jumping into the river or something of that nature.

However...when he started crying...he stopped. Skidded to a halt. He bit his lip, and just walked up to him. He hesitantly touched his shoulder ever-so gently.

"...N-Norge..." Tears began leaking from his eyes again. "...N-Norge... I know it was something I did! I always do it! Wh-What did I do...?!"

Norway recoiled from the touch on his shoulder-- it burned so hot, leaving some kind of invisible mark on his shoulder. "N-nej... G-go away, Danmark." He didn't look at the Dane, choosing instead to cling to the tree tighter, hiding his watery face. The spirit of the tree he was hugging was a kindly, old spirit-- who knew quite well what was wrong. Thus, Norway wasn't really surprised when the tree shifted, poking and prodding Danmark away from him with its branches.

Denmark tried to ignore the tree, and got closer to Norway. "Norge... Please tell me what's wrong... I-I've...never seen you like this..." He pouted, trying to bring him in for a hug.

"Norge... Whatever I did... I'm sorry."

This touch-- it burned more. Norway flinched away, scooting around the tree to dodge Danmark's hands. "N-nej. It's nothing you did." Only what you said. "Just... leave me alone, Danmark." The tree spirit sighed, and continued to prod Danmark away.

Danmark was getting tired of the tree. Greatly tired. He dodged the branches, grabbing onto them with one hand.

"Norge. What's wrong? I want to know. I can help."

He prepped himself, let go of the branches, and lunged, tackling Norge to the ground as gently as he could. He refused to let him up.

Norway spoke in little more than a violent whisper. "Nej-nej! You can't help me, you can't." Not when his very core had turned to a burning ball of ice, a blizzard snowing fire racing around his mind and his soul. Norway clung tightly to the tree-- so when he was tackled, his hands scraped across the bark, burning them and shearing away the skin, making them bleed. He hissed in sheer pain, the burning in his hands incomparable to the searing hot pain everywhere he and Danmark touched. He gasped involuntarily, crying out in his anguished murmur. "G-get off of me!"

"Norge! I won't let you go! I-I... Hákon! Please! I can help!" He held Norway's hands gently, keeping him in place, but being careful of the cuts on his hands.

He hugged tighter. "Please... I don't want to see you like this..."

Pause.

"...W-Was...it something I said...?" he whispered.

Norway stopped thinking. Finally. However, this held painful consequences for Danmark, as he lashed out, tearing his hands away violently, making the skin open more. "Let go of me!" He kicked and flailed, instinctively rejecting the prospect of shattering his being again. He snarled out, "If you don't want to see-- leave! Go away!" His eyes had turned wild, completely unable to bear the all the injury done to his existence-- physical, mental, emotional, it didn't matter. He'd completely lost it.

Danmark was worried sick. He jumped back, not wanting to hurt Norge and not wanting to get hurt himself. So, he jumped to his feet, skidded a half a metre back.

"Norge! Hákon, you need to listen to me! I never meant to hurt you! I want to help you! B-But! Y-You need to tell me what I did!" He began crying himself, softly, rubbing his eyes with his burnt hand. He didn't mind that it hurt; for seeing Norway like this hurt even more than any physical pain. Ever.

He began to realise something...

As soon as he was released, Norway leapt to his feet, scrambling across the river bank. "Nej... nej, you s-stay away! You-- can't help me!" In his haste to put distance between himself and Danmark, Norway tripped on a rather large rock, and he fell face down in the dirt. He gave up on moving and crossed his arms in front of him, burying his face in them and filling the gaping gorge in his heart with streams of salt water.

His heart ripped in two. He absolutely felt like dying.

And then. Realisation finally dawned upon him.

Val went over and knelt next to him, tentatively resting a hand onto his back. He moved the hand up and stroked his hair gently.

"Hákon... Don't cry..." He rubbed his own eyes again and lay down next to him, holding him close. Gently. Ever-so softly.

"Kon... You... won't be mad... if I said I loved you...would you?"

Norway's world froze for a millisecond. Did he just...? Norway tried to shove Danmark away-- there was no way Danmark actually felt like that. He was just suggesting it to try and make him feel better! "D-don't mock me, you-you...! Don't make fun of my feelings, you bastard!"