Sum: At his brother's wedding, you share a beautiful moment, that's painfully short.
A/N: I was going to work on something else, but then life happened, and I was sad (still am), and this came out of it. I completely changed the wedding traditions that our dear Vikings brothers would have followed normally, but since this is an AU⊠Just roll with it, please. Thank you đ Also itâs kind of short, but ehhh
---
The scene couldnât have been more romantic.
A majestic venue decorated in the way that it deserved. Dark green ivy decorated with white flowers and fairy lights hung from the ceiling, creating a magical feeling. The light wooden chairs had sheer white cloths bound around them, a last-minute decision from the bride, but a good one after all. On the tables, only the finest flowers were placed, together with some silver diamonds and emerald diamonds, it created a beautiful scene due to the different tones of white and green.
In the background, the low tunes of a base guitar could be heard as a local band played a more up-beat song. All while people laughed and talked, clinking their glasses on the newlyweds, wishing them love and well, whereas others were far too busy running after a couple of children playing tag around the tables.
And all in the middle of this chaos were the two lovebirds, completely obvious to the world around them. With their arms wrapped around each other and their bodies pressed against each other, they slowly swayed to the music. Almost agonizing slow, but with both their eyes glued on another and filled with adoration the scene warmed everyoneâs heart.
âSickeningâ
His word made you snap out of your daze.
Next to you a smirking Ivar looked at his brother dancing with his wife. Ever since their first dance he hadnât let her go and it didnât seem as if he wanted to ever let her leave his arms.
âItâs love, Ivarâ The man beside you let out a breath, looking at how you dreamily stared at Torvi and Ubbe while the band started playing a slower song. At least now, the slow, swaying motion didnât seem out of place anymore. âSo, yes⊠Itâs sickening.â With a small smile you turned your head towards him, just catching how he pressed his lips together, hiding his laugh.
A comfortable silence fell over you two as you both watched how different couples walked on the dance floor to join the newlyweds. The lead singer of the band grinned as he saw how more and more people danced to their little ballad. Ivar cleared his throat, aware of the rising urge inside of him to take your hand in his and guide you to the dance floor.
The crutch in his left hand⊠and those awful leg bracesâŠ
Shaking his head, he turned his body towards you. Lifting his eyebrows as you tilted your head at him. With his hand stretched out, his eyes stared intensely into yours. His face was melted in his usual cold expression: jaw clenched, and eyebrows tilted. But his eyes expressed his true feelings.
No words were said as he let you closer towards his brother and sister-in-law. His crutch made a sharp noise every time it hit the ground, yet it didnât burst their bubble, nor anyone elseâs on the dance floor. Everyone was too caught up in their own world, enchanted by the music and romantic atmosphere. And then he halted, and his hand left yours. Your eyes met again; a nervous feeling overcame you as he paused. His hand hovering in the air as he gathered his courage. He could not sway like everyone else, nor could he waltz you around the room. Unsure, you lifted both of your hands to place them on his chest. His warmth comforted you, making your lips turn upwards. Carefully, his free hand found your waist. He couldnât offer you the dance he wished for, but he could hold you close as the music swelled up. The corners of his mouth went up, while you stared back at him. Unspoken words hung in the air, but no one dared to speak. Afraid to burst the bubble you were in, not wanting to stop pretending.
Only hours earlier, he sat beside his brothers, watching how Ubbe exchanged vows and put a ring around Torviâs finger, proclaiming his love. Ivar had been bored out of his mind the whole time, making faces and mumbling under his breath until even his own mother could no longer bear it. The way his shoulders had slumped the moment she scowled him for his childish behaviour had you snickering uncontrollably.
And now that same man stood before you, his mouth twisted as he thought of his next move. The hand on your hip disappeared all of the sudden. Taking a step back, Ivar watched how your face fell. Not wasting a second, the man took your hand in his, twirling you around before pulling you back towards him. Closer than before, until almost no space was left. Shock overcame you, while your heart jumped in delight. Not once during the night, or ever really, had you seen him dance. Let alone slow with someone. It all felt unreal, magical.
A moment that you wished could last forever.
âMind if I cut in?â
Alas.
Nothing is as fragile as a dream. And now, this one was over.
With a sweet smile she looks up at Ivar, the flower bouquet she had caught earlier clutched in her tiny hands. The moment she caught it had long escaped his mind, but the mere sight of it made the colour drain out of his face.
âOh no...â You let out weakly, scrunching your eyebrows at the sound of your own voice. âOf course.â
With your gaze averted to the ground, you missed how Freydis wrapped her arms around Ivar shoulders, Torviâs bouquet of flowers rested on his shoulders as she and Ivar both looked each other in the eye. She swallowed, and then smiled lightly, swaying to the song that slowly came to an end. His eyes danced around her, avoiding her silent questions. The painful scowl on his face evident for all to see, until he cleared his throat, finally collecting himself and bearing a tiny smile.
The scene couldnât have been more romantic. Which is why it hurt so much that you couldnât share it between you and him.
Iâm a total sucker for a modern Ivar, and holy moly was this no different! I am just about welling up over here, that was gorgeous and depressing and all round lovely â„ïžâ„ïžâ„ïž
Sum: At his brother's wedding, you share a beautiful moment, that's painfully short.
A/N: I was going to work on something else, but then life happened, and I was sad (still am), and this came out of it. I completely changed the wedding traditions that our dear Vikings brothers would have followed normally, but since this is an AU⊠Just roll with it, please. Thank you đ Also itâs kind of short, but ehhh
---
The scene couldnât have been more romantic.
A majestic venue decorated in the way that it deserved. Dark green ivy decorated with white flowers and fairy lights hung from the ceiling, creating a magical feeling. The light wooden chairs had sheer white cloths bound around them, a last-minute decision from the bride, but a good one after all. On the tables, only the finest flowers were placed, together with some silver diamonds and emerald diamonds, it created a beautiful scene due to the different tones of white and green.
In the background, the low tunes of a base guitar could be heard as a local band played a more up-beat song. All while people laughed and talked, clinking their glasses on the newlyweds, wishing them love and well, whereas others were far too busy running after a couple of children playing tag around the tables.
And all in the middle of this chaos were the two lovebirds, completely obvious to the world around them. With their arms wrapped around each other and their bodies pressed against each other, they slowly swayed to the music. Almost agonizing slow, but with both their eyes glued on another and filled with adoration the scene warmed everyoneâs heart.
âSickeningâ
His word made you snap out of your daze.
Next to you a smirking Ivar looked at his brother dancing with his wife. Ever since their first dance he hadnât let her go and it didnât seem as if he wanted to ever let her leave his arms.
âItâs love, Ivarâ The man beside you let out a breath, looking at how you dreamily stared at Torvi and Ubbe while the band started playing a slower song. At least now, the slow, swaying motion didnât seem out of place anymore. âSo, yes⊠Itâs sickening.â With a small smile you turned your head towards him, just catching how he pressed his lips together, hiding his laugh.
A comfortable silence fell over you two as you both watched how different couples walked on the dance floor to join the newlyweds. The lead singer of the band grinned as he saw how more and more people danced to their little ballad. Ivar cleared his throat, aware of the rising urge inside of him to take your hand in his and guide you to the dance floor.
The crutch in his left hand⊠and those awful leg bracesâŠ
Shaking his head, he turned his body towards you. Lifting his eyebrows as you tilted your head at him. With his hand stretched out, his eyes stared intensely into yours. His face was melted in his usual cold expression: jaw clenched, and eyebrows tilted. But his eyes expressed his true feelings.
No words were said as he let you closer towards his brother and sister-in-law. His crutch made a sharp noise every time it hit the ground, yet it didnât burst their bubble, nor anyone elseâs on the dance floor. Everyone was too caught up in their own world, enchanted by the music and romantic atmosphere. And then he halted, and his hand left yours. Your eyes met again; a nervous feeling overcame you as he paused. His hand hovering in the air as he gathered his courage. He could not sway like everyone else, nor could he waltz you around the room. Unsure, you lifted both of your hands to place them on his chest. His warmth comforted you, making your lips turn upwards. Carefully, his free hand found your waist. He couldnât offer you the dance he wished for, but he could hold you close as the music swelled up. The corners of his mouth went up, while you stared back at him. Unspoken words hung in the air, but no one dared to speak. Afraid to burst the bubble you were in, not wanting to stop pretending.
Only hours earlier, he sat beside his brothers, watching how Ubbe exchanged vows and put a ring around Torviâs finger, proclaiming his love. Ivar had been bored out of his mind the whole time, making faces and mumbling under his breath until even his own mother could no longer bear it. The way his shoulders had slumped the moment she scowled him for his childish behaviour had you snickering uncontrollably.
And now that same man stood before you, his mouth twisted as he thought of his next move. The hand on your hip disappeared all of the sudden. Taking a step back, Ivar watched how your face fell. Not wasting a second, the man took your hand in his, twirling you around before pulling you back towards him. Closer than before, until almost no space was left. Shock overcame you, while your heart jumped in delight. Not once during the night, or ever really, had you seen him dance. Let alone slow with someone. It all felt unreal, magical.
A moment that you wished could last forever.
âMind if I cut in?â
Alas.
Nothing is as fragile as a dream. And now, this one was over.
With a sweet smile she looks up at Ivar, the flower bouquet she had caught earlier clutched in her tiny hands. The moment she caught it had long escaped his mind, but the mere sight of it made the colour drain out of his face.
âOh no...â You let out weakly, scrunching your eyebrows at the sound of your own voice. âOf course.â
With your gaze averted to the ground, you missed how Freydis wrapped her arms around Ivar shoulders, Torviâs bouquet of flowers rested on his shoulders as she and Ivar both looked each other in the eye. She swallowed, and then smiled lightly, swaying to the song that slowly came to an end. His eyes danced around her, avoiding her silent questions. The painful scowl on his face evident for all to see, until he cleared his throat, finally collecting himself and bearing a tiny smile.
The scene couldnât have been more romantic. Which is why it hurt so much that you couldnât share it between you and him.
Sum: At his brother's wedding, you share a beautiful moment, that's painfully short.
A/N: I was going to work on something else, but then life happened, and I was sad (still am), and this came out of it. I completely changed the wedding traditions that our dear Vikings brothers would have followed normally, but since this is an AU⊠Just roll with it, please. Thank you đ Also itâs kind of short, but ehhh
---
The scene couldnât have been more romantic.
A majestic venue decorated in the way that it deserved. Dark green ivy decorated with white flowers and fairy lights hung from the ceiling, creating a magical feeling. The light wooden chairs had sheer white cloths bound around them, a last-minute decision from the bride, but a good one after all. On the tables, only the finest flowers were placed, together with some silver diamonds and emerald diamonds, it created a beautiful scene due to the different tones of white and green.
In the background, the low tunes of a base guitar could be heard as a local band played a more up-beat song. All while people laughed and talked, clinking their glasses on the newlyweds, wishing them love and well, whereas others were far too busy running after a couple of children playing tag around the tables.
And all in the middle of this chaos were the two lovebirds, completely obvious to the world around them. With their arms wrapped around each other and their bodies pressed against each other, they slowly swayed to the music. Almost agonizing slow, but with both their eyes glued on another and filled with adoration the scene warmed everyoneâs heart.
âSickeningâ
His word made you snap out of your daze.
Next to you a smirking Ivar looked at his brother dancing with his wife. Ever since their first dance he hadnât let her go and it didnât seem as if he wanted to ever let her leave his arms.
âItâs love, Ivarâ The man beside you let out a breath, looking at how you dreamily stared at Torvi and Ubbe while the band started playing a slower song. At least now, the slow, swaying motion didnât seem out of place anymore. âSo, yes⊠Itâs sickening.â With a small smile you turned your head towards him, just catching how he pressed his lips together, hiding his laugh.
A comfortable silence fell over you two as you both watched how different couples walked on the dance floor to join the newlyweds. The lead singer of the band grinned as he saw how more and more people danced to their little ballad. Ivar cleared his throat, aware of the rising urge inside of him to take your hand in his and guide you to the dance floor.
The crutch in his left hand⊠and those awful leg bracesâŠ
Shaking his head, he turned his body towards you. Lifting his eyebrows as you tilted your head at him. With his hand stretched out, his eyes stared intensely into yours. His face was melted in his usual cold expression: jaw clenched, and eyebrows tilted. But his eyes expressed his true feelings.
No words were said as he let you closer towards his brother and sister-in-law. His crutch made a sharp noise every time it hit the ground, yet it didnât burst their bubble, nor anyone elseâs on the dance floor. Everyone was too caught up in their own world, enchanted by the music and romantic atmosphere. And then he halted, and his hand left yours. Your eyes met again; a nervous feeling overcame you as he paused. His hand hovering in the air as he gathered his courage. He could not sway like everyone else, nor could he waltz you around the room. Unsure, you lifted both of your hands to place them on his chest. His warmth comforted you, making your lips turn upwards. Carefully, his free hand found your waist. He couldnât offer you the dance he wished for, but he could hold you close as the music swelled up. The corners of his mouth went up, while you stared back at him. Unspoken words hung in the air, but no one dared to speak. Afraid to burst the bubble you were in, not wanting to stop pretending.
Only hours earlier, he sat beside his brothers, watching how Ubbe exchanged vows and put a ring around Torviâs finger, proclaiming his love. Ivar had been bored out of his mind the whole time, making faces and mumbling under his breath until even his own mother could no longer bear it. The way his shoulders had slumped the moment she scowled him for his childish behaviour had you snickering uncontrollably.
And now that same man stood before you, his mouth twisted as he thought of his next move. The hand on your hip disappeared all of the sudden. Taking a step back, Ivar watched how your face fell. Not wasting a second, the man took your hand in his, twirling you around before pulling you back towards him. Closer than before, until almost no space was left. Shock overcame you, while your heart jumped in delight. Not once during the night, or ever really, had you seen him dance. Let alone slow with someone. It all felt unreal, magical.
A moment that you wished could last forever.
âMind if I cut in?â
Alas.
Nothing is as fragile as a dream. And now, this one was over.
With a sweet smile she looks up at Ivar, the flower bouquet she had caught earlier clutched in her tiny hands. The moment she caught it had long escaped his mind, but the mere sight of it made the colour drain out of his face.
âOh no...â You let out weakly, scrunching your eyebrows at the sound of your own voice. âOf course.â
With your gaze averted to the ground, you missed how Freydis wrapped her arms around Ivar shoulders, Torviâs bouquet of flowers rested on his shoulders as she and Ivar both looked each other in the eye. She swallowed, and then smiled lightly, swaying to the song that slowly came to an end. His eyes danced around her, avoiding her silent questions. The painful scowl on his face evident for all to see, until he cleared his throat, finally collecting himself and bearing a tiny smile.
The scene couldnât have been more romantic. Which is why it hurt so much that you couldnât share it between you and him.
Sum: A stranger seeks your comfort and healing hand after he has hurt himself... again.
A/N: I don't even know what this is... As some may know, I have graduated recently. And don't ask me why, but I am going to continue to study... So, this just came out... Next one will be better (I hope)
----
Evening had fallen over Kattegat. The day had been cold and the weather unpredictable. The heavy rain that fell out of the dark grey clouds made it hard to walk from one place to another. A shivering, dripping wet Hvitserk held his hand in front of his eyes in hope to shield them from the harsh water droplets.
What a good idea to go out and spar a bitâŠ
His clothes stuck to his body in an extremely uncomfortable way. The dulling pain he once felt due to the small cut on his side as a result of his little brotherâs axe, had quickly been replaced by a numb feeling as the cold slowly took over. He had to find shelter somewhere and fast.
The way back to the Great Hall wasnât that far, but in this weather felt like an eternity. And so, the couple of dirty and rundown houses, all abandoned by their previous owners suddenly became rather appealing. They were definitely not good enough to live in anymore, but more than enough to serve as shelter.
The door squeaked loudly as he entered the house on the far left. The small room was empty except for a table, a wobbly chair and some furs and blankets. A little bit of hay, probably stolen from a from a farmer, completed the makeshift bed.
Well⊠Anything was better than nothing.
The thought of a well-deserved nap quickly left his mind, however as the sound of metal being dragged over the floor filled the room. Whatever it was, the sound was over before he even knew it, making him question if he even heard something. The young man started breathing heavily, looking around the dark room for any sign of life.
He spotted nothing. Carefully, he took his first step. Immediately, he jumped back as a figure rose from underneath the blankets, sitting upright holding a knife out in front of them. The person stared into the black void, almost as if they did not know where he stood.
And you did not know.
As you held onto your knife, you tried to listen to the environment around you, trying to ease your racing mind. It was at times like these when you cursed the Gods, asking yourself if Loki himself had been there when your eyes completely stopped working. If he had been the one to sprinkle some kind of dust in your eyes and take your sight from you.
Hvitserk cautiously stepped forward again, walking until he was right in front of you. The sounds of his feet softly hitting the ground made your head perk up in his direction. As he walked around you, you tried your best to keep on pointing the knife at where you thought the invader now stood.
âWh-Who are you? What do you want?â You eventually stammered out.
Hvitserk frowned his eyebrows, not really knowing what to do. Bending down a bit, he waved his hands in front of your face. He felt stupid, but he had to try it. As he continued his movement, he knew why you kept on staring at him without really looking.
You were blind.
âI am sorry for invading your⊠home. But the weather outside is horrible and I thought I could wait out the rain.â The young prince watched how you slowly lowered your knife for a second, but quickly raised it again. Not quite convinced yet that he really had no evil intentions on his mind. âI am unarmed.â He added, making you finally lay down your guard and place your knife beside you.
âGood.â You nodded, âI heard the rain falling on the roof. I understand you did not wish to continue through that on foot. Stay as long as needed.â
Hvitserk nodded his head, forgetting that you could not see his grateful gesture.
âForgive me for being blunt,â He spoke up, âbut why do you choose to live here in this shack?â
âForgive me for asking, but I think you should not get into other peopleâs life without getting to know them first.â You fired back; venom laced in your voice. âNot all of us have a choice.â You point out, placing the knife back down on the ground.
Hvitserkâs eyes widened in shock. He only ever heard his own brothers talk back to him like that. Everyone else immediately bowed their heads as he said something, getting silent as they heard him speak.
âGood point.â He mumbled, sitting down next you. You heard the man fall down rather harshly, groaning as he did so. It was almost as if he had no control of his own body. The groans passing his lips were filled with pain.
âYouâre hurt.â You concluded, frowning your eyebrows at his discomfort.
Again, Hvitserk was flabbergasted. He nodded his head again. He frowned as he remembered you could not see his reaction, so he hummed, a bit distracted as he pondered how you knew about his condition.
You nodded at his response, folding your hands in your lap. âI can hear you shivering, and⊠I smell the bloodâŠâ
âWha-How?â
You chuckled, âItâs kind of an irony smell? Not very pleasant. Just, donât ask any more questions.â
Again, Hvitserk nodded, too stunned to say anything.
âWhat was it?â
For the first time since it happened, Hvitserk looked down to his side. The few beams of light from the evening sun showed how a big red spot had formed on his way back home. His shirt was still stuck in his wound, making him dread the moment it must be pulled out to treat the wound. He hissed, trying his best to conceal his pain as he started prying the clothing out of the cut.
âAn axe. Iâve been sparring a bit with my brothers.â
âIn the rain?â You grinned.
The stranger let out a breath, the corner of his mouth lifting up ever so slightly.
You licked your lips, straightening your back. âDreaming of becoming a true Viking warrior?â
Hvitserk hissed again as he pulled out the last bit of his shirt away from his shirt. âYes, you could say that.â
âDo you⊠Would you mind if I helped you take care of the wound?â
Hvitserk blinked. âNo, I cannot ask that. You have-â
âI only want to help.â You softly spoke out. Hvitserk sighed as he stared at you. He felt horrible to ask you, a lonely young woman living so far away from the vibrant centre of Kattegat, for help. For sure you had so few recourses to aid yourself, and now he was using that⊠Besides that, he was a bit doubtful of your skills. You were â after all â blind. That, however, did not seem to slow you down as you now slowly got up. He just wanted this to be over. His wet clothes were still sticking uncomfortably against him, but his skin slowly started warming up. This made the gash in his side sting again.
With your arms stretched out, Hvitserk watched how you skilfully made your way to the corner of your hut. There he saw how you fumbled around with a couple of bottles on the table. Your hands mushed together different products as you worked some kind of salve.
âGrab a cloth, please. You should be able to find one in that direction.â You said, pointing behind you. âAnd take something to throw over your shoulders, youâre still shivering.â
Hvitserk followed your finger, seeing different furs, blankets and cloths of all sizes thrown together in a big pile. Eventually his eyes landed on a small white one. Deciding that that one seemed the cleanest, he gently placed it in your waiting hand.
âSit down in front of me please. With your injured side facing me.â
Hvitserk did as you told him too, dragging one of the furs with him so he could warm up faster. Gently, your hand pulled the fabric upwards. It still itched and hurt, but the way you smiled in guilt distracted him for a second. As his shirt was finally out of the way, he helped you wipe away any blood around the cut. After that, you grabbed a bit of the strange looking paste.
âThis is a family receipt, you could say⊠It helps to stop the bleeding and keeps the wound clean. It serves its cause and buys you time to find a real healer to look after the injury.â You laugh, dabbing some on his gash. The wide smile never falling off your face.
Hvitserk stared back at you. He felt a bit ashamed, as he let his eyes feast on your beauty without you even knowing it. But he could not think straight, as he was completely transfixed by your actions. Just a few seconds ago, he saw a woman with a great weakness, now he saw someone who was more capable of surviving in this harsh world than he was.
He shook his head, looking upwards as he heard the last drops of rain fall on the roof. The rain was slowing down.
Time to leaveâŠ
âListen⊠I- I canât thank you enough.â He whispered out, making your head snap up. Your brows furrowed in confusion as the mysterious man struggled to stand up. The fur he had thrown over his shoulders was dropped onto the ground with a soft âthudâ. Hvitserk smiled, looking down at you. For the first time since he met you tonight, he could see the white glaze over your eyes. Hvitserk paused, not knowing what to say. âI- Thank you.â He grinned, quickly making his way out of your home.
âYouâre welcome.â You mumbled out, fiddling with your fingers when a sudden thought crossed your mind: he never told you his name.
***
âI am starting to think you get yourself into all kinds of trouble on purpose, just to enjoy my company.â
Hvitserk laughed, making you halt for a second as he suddenly fell out of your reach. This evening, the young man had entered your home with a cut on his forehead that neededto be treated. And instead of seeking out the aid of a classified healer, the man only found comfort in your touch. Strangely, Hvitserk even craved it. Over the course of a couple of months, the young prince visited your house multiple times. The fact that his true identity was still hidden made it even better, as he did not get any special treatment from you. You scowled him as he used foul language, you made jokes and werenât scared to put him in his place.
âWhat if I am?â He smirked, loving how your cheeks became a light shade of red.
A comforting silence fell as you applied a thin layer of your â by now â famous green paste on his skin, leaning back as you believed your work to be done. The man sitting in front of you immediately reached out, taking your wrist in his hand. Immediately, your brows furrowed in confusion. Had you missed a spot? Werenât you careful enough?
But the man simply guided your hand towards a clean cloth, helping you clean the salve off your hand, sighing as he was done.
âThere is no one in this whole city who can heal me as good as you.â
You sighed. âYou are an idiot.â
Hvitserk laughed, âYou should be honoured.â He made out between giggles, laying a hand on your shoulder.
âBecause I get compliments from a man who cannot pass a day without hurting himself?â
Hvitserk closed his eyes, biting on his lip to hold himself back.
âSpit it out.â You muttered.
Hvitserk grinned, amazed at how you picked up small details like the way he let out a breath to know how he truly felt.
âTomorrow, I will depart with the other men and women chosen to take revenge on king Aelle.â The little gasp you let out at his words did not go unnoticed by him. âIt is why I have been practising with my brothers. We want to be prepared to honour-... to honour Ragnar.â His voice sounded heavy, as if he felt a heavy burden resting on his shoulders.
âYou sound troubled⊠But I donât understand why? Youâre off on a voyage that will help you bring honour to your family!â
âFunny word, honour. I fear I will never bring it to my family.â
You scoffed, ready to object but he beat you to it.
âYou donât know me, princess.â He spoke, he suddenly sounded conflicted, even a bit broken. His hand caressed your arm, trying to distract himself.
âSoon you will fight with the sons of Ragnar. And after that, you shall be joining them in a great feast to celebrate the victory. You will share their glory.â You told him confidently, an almost unnoticeable smile stuck on your lips.
âThe sons of Ragnar?â He spoke, the tone of his voice suddenly changing. Suddenly he sounded saddened and helpless. As if he had to fight to get the words pass his lips. âDo I want to be remembered as one of them? Even for them itâs hard to find honour and glory of their own⊠The oldest son, yeah, he has a name already. The youngest too, even if it is one smeared by his legs and demeanour.â He then sighed out, opting to spit it all out. âI am afraid Iâll turn out to be like the other sons⊠Forgotten, not really making a name for myself. Only using my name to get around some people, only to be nothing more than a pawn for others.â He laughed a bit, hoping to conceal the pain laced in his voice. He did not know what overcame him, but it felt right to speak out the truth.
You leaned forward, reaching your hand out in the hope that he would grab onto it. âEach man is given a name at birth, my clumsy friend. And every man can decide who they want to be. You donât know the sons of Ragnar personally, right? They all have their own path to walk on. Who knows what the Gods have in mind for them? For you? Donât compare yourself to others. You are the only one who can walk your path.â You spoke out. With every word, you could hear his breathing slow down. Without thinking about it, you lifted your hand out of his grip, following his arm towards his shoulder. Finding his neck, you brushed his skin with your thumb, trying the comfort the man in front of you.
âWho gave you such wisdom?â
You grinned. âI believe in you, stranger.â
---
The next day everyone in Kattegat seemed to be in a frantic state, walking around like chickens whose den just had been disturbed by a wild fox. Everyone had gathered around the harbour to say their goodbyes to the men and women departing on this voyage. Never before had an army this big left Kattegat in search of vengeance.
Although you could not see the frightened faces of those who were left behind, nor the proud skip in the walk of those who would soon departure, the change in the atmosphere simply could not be missed. Mothers tearfully bid their goodbyes as fathers proudly proclaimed how their offspring will honour the Gods without any doubt. In the mess of that all, you had found a rather comfortable place near the harbour, at the side of the road. A perfect place for a rather shameful thing to do: begging for money.
Everyone may be in a rush with heads filled with all kinds of thoughts and emotions, these days gave the biggest chance to collect some money.
So far, however, your hopes had been crushed as no one paid any attention to your begging hand. They walked past you, not giving you even so much as a glance. Every footstep made you raise your head, hoping that at least someone would notice you.
Your outstretched hand felt heavy, as if someone was pushing it down with all their might. Slowly, you lowered your hand, feeling worries fill your mind. Your recourses were starting to run out, the weather was changing. What would happen to you if you could not pay for food anymore?
With your head between your knees, you tried to disappear from the world around you. People kept on walking beside you, never giving as much as a glance as their heavy footsteps slowly faded away. Sometimes you could hear the clattering of swords and shields, other times you heard men and women puffing as they probably carried heavy crates full of food.
Only the thought made your stomach rumble.
And then, you heard a couple of footsteps. One pair just passed you right like all those others, but the other person⊠They halted. For a few seconds nothing happened, and they you felt their presence next to you, as if they were kneeling. The stranger hesitated again, making you wait expectingly.
And then they placed their hand on yours. Their surprisingly warm hand felt heavenly against your cold skin, making you remember how long you had been out today. The chills that appeared on your arm made the person chuckle and your cheeks heat up. Carefully, the mystery person pulled your hand more towards them and only to place a rather heavy object in it.
Not trusting the person, nor the object completely, you lifted your head slightly, raising your other hand to feel the material. The leather bag felt old and filled to the brim with what felt like gold coins. The realisation made you gasp out loud, holding the satchel back out towards the man before you.
âKeep it,â His soothing voice spoke out, making your breath hitch for a second. Was that? âConsider it my payment for all the good care.â
Hvitserk laughed as he looked at your shocked state. Your body seemed frozen as you tried to comprehend his generous gift. Looking over his shoulder, Hvitserk noticed how some people stared at him oddly. Without a doubt they were wondering what their prince was doing, sitting on the ground next to a poor, unfortunate blind girl. He sniffed, placing his hand over the satchel, helping you hide it from their peering eyes. âBetter keep it covered, donât you think?â He said knowingly, making you nod your head quickly.
âI-⊠Safe voyage. And thank you.â You stuttered out, keeping your head down.
The young man in front of you lifted your head up with his finger, pausing for a second as he let his eyes wander over your face. âI wanted to hit myself yesterday, you know. Because once again, I ran away like a coward after you helped me. When I come back, I want us to spend more time together. But firstâŠâ He laughed, feeling his cheeks heat up. âI never asked your nameâ
You giggled, nodding your head. With a soft whisper, you gave him his answer. He felt truly ashamed he had not asked you before, but at the same time enjoyed the anonymity it gave. There was a mutual trust and the comfort your touch gave him, together with the shelter of your home, was all he needed. Until now. The boats were ready to depart, and he could not bear the thought of leaving you behind without knowing your name. The name that would comfort him and urge him forward.
Smiling, he repeated your answer in a whisper, giving it a place in his heart to carry with him. With a soft squeeze in your hand, you heard the man stand up.
âHvitserk!â A deeper, but raspy voice called out. âYou ready?â
To your surprise, the man next to you raised his voice as he answered. âOn my way!â
And in an instance, you felt your blood run cold. Your mysterious man, the person who frequently searched you to ask for your healing, was one of the princes? The realisation made you bow your head, reaching out for the satchel in an attempt to return it to the prince.
Hvitserk grimaced, kneeling down to press a feather light kiss on your head.
âI said you could keep itâŠâ He paused, giving you some time to collect your thoughts. With a deep breath, he once again placed the satchel next you, keeping it concealed from any wandering eyes with the cloak that was wrapped around your shoulders. And as he once again came closer, you were suddenly overwhelmed with the comforting smell of the forest in which he trained. Your stranger was Hvitserk, one of the sons of Ragnar.
âBe safe.â You made out, still too shocked to form more words.
Hvitserk grinned, taking your hand to press a kiss on your knuckles.
Sum: At his brother's wedding, you share a beautiful moment, that's painfully short.
A/N: I was going to work on something else, but then life happened, and I was sad (still am), and this came out of it. I completely changed the wedding traditions that our dear Vikings brothers would have followed normally, but since this is an AU⊠Just roll with it, please. Thank you đ Also itâs kind of short, but ehhh
---
The scene couldnât have been more romantic.
A majestic venue decorated in the way that it deserved. Dark green ivy decorated with white flowers and fairy lights hung from the ceiling, creating a magical feeling. The light wooden chairs had sheer white cloths bound around them, a last-minute decision from the bride, but a good one after all. On the tables, only the finest flowers were placed, together with some silver diamonds and emeralds, it created a beautiful scene due to the different tones of white and green.
In the background, the low tunes of a base guitar could be heard as a local band played a more up-beat song. All while people laughed and talked, clinking their glasses on the newlyweds, wishing them love and well, whereas others were far too busy running after a couple of children playing tag around the tables.
And all in the middle of this chaos were the two lovebirds, completely obvious to the world around them. With their arms wrapped around each other and their bodies pressed against each other, they slowly swayed to the music. Almost agonizing slow, but with both their eyes glued on another and filled with adoration the scene warmed everyoneâs heart.
âSickeningâ
His word made you snap out of your daze.
Next to you a smirking Ivar looked at his brother dancing with his wife. Ever since their first dance he hadnât let her go and it didnât seem as if he wanted to ever let her leave his arms.
âItâs love, Ivarâ The man beside you let out a breath, looking at how you dreamily stared at Torvi and Ubbe while the band started playing a slower song. At least now, the slow, swaying motion didnât seem out of place anymore. âSo, yes⊠Itâs sickening.â With a small smile you turned your head towards him, just catching how he pressed his lips together, hiding his laugh.
A comfortable silence fell over you two as you both watched how different couples walked on the dance floor to join the newlyweds. The lead singer of the band grinned as he saw how more and more people danced to their little ballad. Ivar cleared his throat, aware of the rising urge inside of him to take your hand in his and guide you to the dance floor.
The crutch in his left hand⊠and those awful leg bracesâŠ
Shaking his head, he turned his body towards you. Lifting his eyebrows as you tilted your head at him. With his hand stretched out, his eyes stared intensely into yours. His face was melted in his usual cold expression: jaw clenched, and eyebrows tilted. But his eyes expressed his true feelings.
No words were said as he let you closer towards his brother and sister-in-law. His crutch made a sharp noise every time it hit the ground, yet it didnât burst their bubble, nor anyone elseâs on the dance floor. Everyone was too caught up in their own world, enchanted by the music and romantic atmosphere. And then he halted, and his hand left yours. Your eyes met again; a nervous feeling overcame you as he paused. His hand hovering in the air as he gathered his courage. He could not sway like everyone else, nor could he waltz you around the room. Unsure, you lifted both of your hands to place them on his chest. His warmth comforted you, making your lips turn upwards. Carefully, his free hand found your waist. He couldnât offer you the dance he wished for, but he could hold you close as the music swelled up. The corners of his mouth went up, while you stared back at him. Unspoken words hung in the air, but no one dared to speak. Afraid to burst the bubble you were in, not wanting to stop pretending.
Only hours earlier, he sat beside his brothers, watching how Ubbe exchanged vows and put a ring around Torviâs finger, proclaiming his love. Ivar had been bored out of his mind the whole time, making faces and mumbling under his breath until even his own mother could no longer bear it. The way his shoulders had slumped the moment she scowled him for his childish behaviour had you snickering uncontrollably.
And now that same man stood before you, his mouth twisted as he thought of his next move. The hand on your hip disappeared all of the sudden. Taking a step back, Ivar watched how your face fell. Not wasting a second, the man took your hand in his, twirling you around before pulling you back towards him. Closer than before, until almost no space was left. Shock overcame you, while your heart jumped in delight. Not once during the night, or ever really, had you seen him dance. Let alone slow with someone. It all felt unreal, magical.
A moment that you wished could last forever.
âMind if I cut in?â
Alas.
Nothing is as fragile as a dream. And now, this one was over.
With a sweet smile she looks up at Ivar, the flower bouquet she had caught earlier clutched in her tiny hands. The moment she caught it had long escaped his mind, but the mere sight of it made the colour drain out of his face.
âOh no...â You let out weakly, scrunching your eyebrows at the sound of your own voice. âOf course.â
With your gaze averted to the ground, you missed how Freydis wrapped her arms around Ivar shoulders, Torviâs bouquet of flowers rested on his shoulders as she and Ivar both looked each other in the eye. She swallowed, and then smiled lightly, swaying to the song that slowly came to an end. His eyes danced around her, avoiding her silent questions. The painful scowl on his face evident for all to see, until he cleared his throat, finally collecting himself and bearing a tiny smile.
The scene couldnât have been more romantic. Which is why it hurt so much that you couldnât share it between you and him.
Sum: A stranger seeks your comfort and healing hand after he has hurt himself... again.
A/N: I don't even know what this is... As some may know, I have graduated recently. And don't ask me why, but I am going to continue to study... So, this just came out... Next one will be better (I hope)
----
Evening had fallen over Kattegat. The day had been cold and the weather unpredictable. The heavy rain that fell out of the dark grey clouds made it hard to walk from one place to another. A shivering, dripping wet Hvitserk held his hand in front of his eyes in hope to shield them from the harsh water droplets.
What a good idea to go out and spar a bitâŠ
His clothes stuck to his body in an extremely uncomfortable way. The dulling pain he once felt due to the small cut on his side as a result of his little brotherâs axe, had quickly been replaced by a numb feeling as the cold slowly took over. He had to find shelter somewhere and fast.
The way back to the Great Hall wasnât that far, but in this weather felt like an eternity. And so, the couple of dirty and rundown houses, all abandoned by their previous owners suddenly became rather appealing. They were definitely not good enough to live in anymore, but more than enough to serve as shelter.
The door squeaked loudly as he entered the house on the far left. The small room was empty except for a table, a wobbly chair and some furs and blankets. A little bit of hay, probably stolen from a from a farmer, completed the makeshift bed.
Well⊠Anything was better than nothing.
The thought of a well-deserved nap quickly left his mind, however as the sound of metal being dragged over the floor filled the room. Whatever it was, the sound was over before he even knew it, making him question if he even heard something. The young man started breathing heavily, looking around the dark room for any sign of life.
He spotted nothing. Carefully, he took his first step. Immediately, he jumped back as a figure rose from underneath the blankets, sitting upright holding a knife out in front of them. The person stared into the black void, almost as if they did not know where he stood.
And you did not know.
As you held onto your knife, you tried to listen to the environment around you, trying to ease your racing mind. It was at times like these when you cursed the Gods, asking yourself if Loki himself had been there when your eyes completely stopped working. If he had been the one to sprinkle some kind of dust in your eyes and take your sight from you.
Hvitserk cautiously stepped forward again, walking until he was right in front of you. The sounds of his feet softly hitting the ground made your head perk up in his direction. As he walked around you, you tried your best to keep on pointing the knife at where you thought the invader now stood.
âWh-Who are you? What do you want?â You eventually stammered out.
Hvitserk frowned his eyebrows, not really knowing what to do. Bending down a bit, he waved his hands in front of your face. He felt stupid, but he had to try it. As he continued his movement, he knew why you kept on staring at him without really looking.
You were blind.
âI am sorry for invading your⊠home. But the weather outside is horrible and I thought I could wait out the rain.â The young prince watched how you slowly lowered your knife for a second, but quickly raised it again. Not quite convinced yet that he really had no evil intentions on his mind. âI am unarmed.â He added, making you finally lay down your guard and place your knife beside you.
âGood.â You nodded, âI heard the rain falling on the roof. I understand you did not wish to continue through that on foot. Stay as long as needed.â
Hvitserk nodded his head, forgetting that you could not see his grateful gesture.
âForgive me for being blunt,â He spoke up, âbut why do you choose to live here in this shack?â
âForgive me for asking, but I think you should not get into other peopleâs life without getting to know them first.â You fired back; venom laced in your voice. âNot all of us have a choice.â You point out, placing the knife back down on the ground.
Hvitserkâs eyes widened in shock. He only ever heard his own brothers talk back to him like that. Everyone else immediately bowed their heads as he said something, getting silent as they heard him speak.
âGood point.â He mumbled, sitting down next you. You heard the man fall down rather harshly, groaning as he did so. It was almost as if he had no control of his own body. The groans passing his lips were filled with pain.
âYouâre hurt.â You concluded, frowning your eyebrows at his discomfort.
Again, Hvitserk was flabbergasted. He nodded his head again. He frowned as he remembered you could not see his reaction, so he hummed, a bit distracted as he pondered how you knew about his condition.
You nodded at his response, folding your hands in your lap. âI can hear you shivering, and⊠I smell the bloodâŠâ
âWha-How?â
You chuckled, âItâs kind of an irony smell? Not very pleasant. Just, donât ask any more questions.â
Again, Hvitserk nodded, too stunned to say anything.
âWhat was it?â
For the first time since it happened, Hvitserk looked down to his side. The few beams of light from the evening sun showed how a big red spot had formed on his way back home. His shirt was still stuck in his wound, making him dread the moment it must be pulled out to treat the wound. He hissed, trying his best to conceal his pain as he started prying the clothing out of the cut.
âAn axe. Iâve been sparring a bit with my brothers.â
âIn the rain?â You grinned.
The stranger let out a breath, the corner of his mouth lifting up ever so slightly.
You licked your lips, straightening your back. âDreaming of becoming a true Viking warrior?â
Hvitserk hissed again as he pulled out the last bit of his shirt away from his shirt. âYes, you could say that.â
âDo you⊠Would you mind if I helped you take care of the wound?â
Hvitserk blinked. âNo, I cannot ask that. You have-â
âI only want to help.â You softly spoke out. Hvitserk sighed as he stared at you. He felt horrible to ask you, a lonely young woman living so far away from the vibrant centre of Kattegat, for help. For sure you had so few recourses to aid yourself, and now he was using that⊠Besides that, he was a bit doubtful of your skills. You were â after all â blind. That, however, did not seem to slow you down as you now slowly got up. He just wanted this to be over. His wet clothes were still sticking uncomfortably against him, but his skin slowly started warming up. This made the gash in his side sting again.
With your arms stretched out, Hvitserk watched how you skilfully made your way to the corner of your hut. There he saw how you fumbled around with a couple of bottles on the table. Your hands mushed together different products as you worked some kind of salve.
âGrab a cloth, please. You should be able to find one in that direction.â You said, pointing behind you. âAnd take something to throw over your shoulders, youâre still shivering.â
Hvitserk followed your finger, seeing different furs, blankets and cloths of all sizes thrown together in a big pile. Eventually his eyes landed on a small white one. Deciding that that one seemed the cleanest, he gently placed it in your waiting hand.
âSit down in front of me please. With your injured side facing me.â
Hvitserk did as you told him too, dragging one of the furs with him so he could warm up faster. Gently, your hand pulled the fabric upwards. It still itched and hurt, but the way you smiled in guilt distracted him for a second. As his shirt was finally out of the way, he helped you wipe away any blood around the cut. After that, you grabbed a bit of the strange looking paste.
âThis is a family receipt, you could say⊠It helps to stop the bleeding and keeps the wound clean. It serves its cause and buys you time to find a real healer to look after the injury.â You laugh, dabbing some on his gash. The wide smile never falling off your face.
Hvitserk stared back at you. He felt a bit ashamed, as he let his eyes feast on your beauty without you even knowing it. But he could not think straight, as he was completely transfixed by your actions. Just a few seconds ago, he saw a woman with a great weakness, now he saw someone who was more capable of surviving in this harsh world than he was.
He shook his head, looking upwards as he heard the last drops of rain fall on the roof. The rain was slowing down.
Time to leaveâŠ
âListen⊠I- I canât thank you enough.â He whispered out, making your head snap up. Your brows furrowed in confusion as the mysterious man struggled to stand up. The fur he had thrown over his shoulders was dropped onto the ground with a soft âthudâ. Hvitserk smiled, looking down at you. For the first time since he met you tonight, he could see the white glaze over your eyes. Hvitserk paused, not knowing what to say. âI- Thank you.â He grinned, quickly making his way out of your home.
âYouâre welcome.â You mumbled out, fiddling with your fingers when a sudden thought crossed your mind: he never told you his name.
***
âI am starting to think you get yourself into all kinds of trouble on purpose, just to enjoy my company.â
Hvitserk laughed, making you halt for a second as he suddenly fell out of your reach. This evening, the young man had entered your home with a cut on his forehead that neededto be treated. And instead of seeking out the aid of a classified healer, the man only found comfort in your touch. Strangely, Hvitserk even craved it. Over the course of a couple of months, the young prince visited your house multiple times. The fact that his true identity was still hidden made it even better, as he did not get any special treatment from you. You scowled him as he used foul language, you made jokes and werenât scared to put him in his place.
âWhat if I am?â He smirked, loving how your cheeks became a light shade of red.
A comforting silence fell as you applied a thin layer of your â by now â famous green paste on his skin, leaning back as you believed your work to be done. The man sitting in front of you immediately reached out, taking your wrist in his hand. Immediately, your brows furrowed in confusion. Had you missed a spot? Werenât you careful enough?
But the man simply guided your hand towards a clean cloth, helping you clean the salve off your hand, sighing as he was done.
âThere is no one in this whole city who can heal me as good as you.â
You sighed. âYou are an idiot.â
Hvitserk laughed, âYou should be honoured.â He made out between giggles, laying a hand on your shoulder.
âBecause I get compliments from a man who cannot pass a day without hurting himself?â
Hvitserk closed his eyes, biting on his lip to hold himself back.
âSpit it out.â You muttered.
Hvitserk grinned, amazed at how you picked up small details like the way he let out a breath to know how he truly felt.
âTomorrow, I will depart with the other men and women chosen to take revenge on king Aelle.â The little gasp you let out at his words did not go unnoticed by him. âIt is why I have been practising with my brothers. We want to be prepared to honour-... to honour Ragnar.â His voice sounded heavy, as if he felt a heavy burden resting on his shoulders.
âYou sound troubled⊠But I donât understand why? Youâre off on a voyage that will help you bring honour to your family!â
âFunny word, honour. I fear I will never bring it to my family.â
You scoffed, ready to object but he beat you to it.
âYou donât know me, princess.â He spoke, he suddenly sounded conflicted, even a bit broken. His hand caressed your arm, trying to distract himself.
âSoon you will fight with the sons of Ragnar. And after that, you shall be joining them in a great feast to celebrate the victory. You will share their glory.â You told him confidently, an almost unnoticeable smile stuck on your lips.
âThe sons of Ragnar?â He spoke, the tone of his voice suddenly changing. Suddenly he sounded saddened and helpless. As if he had to fight to get the words pass his lips. âDo I want to be remembered as one of them? Even for them itâs hard to find honour and glory of their own⊠The oldest son, yeah, he has a name already. The youngest too, even if it is one smeared by his legs and demeanour.â He then sighed out, opting to spit it all out. âI am afraid Iâll turn out to be like the other sons⊠Forgotten, not really making a name for myself. Only using my name to get around some people, only to be nothing more than a pawn for others.â He laughed a bit, hoping to conceal the pain laced in his voice. He did not know what overcame him, but it felt right to speak out the truth.
You leaned forward, reaching your hand out in the hope that he would grab onto it. âEach man is given a name at birth, my clumsy friend. And every man can decide who they want to be. You donât know the sons of Ragnar personally, right? They all have their own path to walk on. Who knows what the Gods have in mind for them? For you? Donât compare yourself to others. You are the only one who can walk your path.â You spoke out. With every word, you could hear his breathing slow down. Without thinking about it, you lifted your hand out of his grip, following his arm towards his shoulder. Finding his neck, you brushed his skin with your thumb, trying the comfort the man in front of you.
âWho gave you such wisdom?â
You grinned. âI believe in you, stranger.â
---
The next day everyone in Kattegat seemed to be in a frantic state, walking around like chickens whose den just had been disturbed by a wild fox. Everyone had gathered around the harbour to say their goodbyes to the men and women departing on this voyage. Never before had an army this big left Kattegat in search of vengeance.
Although you could not see the frightened faces of those who were left behind, nor the proud skip in the walk of those who would soon departure, the change in the atmosphere simply could not be missed. Mothers tearfully bid their goodbyes as fathers proudly proclaimed how their offspring will honour the Gods without any doubt. In the mess of that all, you had found a rather comfortable place near the harbour, at the side of the road. A perfect place for a rather shameful thing to do: begging for money.
Everyone may be in a rush with heads filled with all kinds of thoughts and emotions, these days gave the biggest chance to collect some money.
So far, however, your hopes had been crushed as no one paid any attention to your begging hand. They walked past you, not giving you even so much as a glance. Every footstep made you raise your head, hoping that at least someone would notice you.
Your outstretched hand felt heavy, as if someone was pushing it down with all their might. Slowly, you lowered your hand, feeling worries fill your mind. Your recourses were starting to run out, the weather was changing. What would happen to you if you could not pay for food anymore?
With your head between your knees, you tried to disappear from the world around you. People kept on walking beside you, never giving as much as a glance as their heavy footsteps slowly faded away. Sometimes you could hear the clattering of swords and shields, other times you heard men and women puffing as they probably carried heavy crates full of food.
Only the thought made your stomach rumble.
And then, you heard a couple of footsteps. One pair just passed you right like all those others, but the other person⊠They halted. For a few seconds nothing happened, and they you felt their presence next to you, as if they were kneeling. The stranger hesitated again, making you wait expectingly.
And then they placed their hand on yours. Their surprisingly warm hand felt heavenly against your cold skin, making you remember how long you had been out today. The chills that appeared on your arm made the person chuckle and your cheeks heat up. Carefully, the mystery person pulled your hand more towards them and only to place a rather heavy object in it.
Not trusting the person, nor the object completely, you lifted your head slightly, raising your other hand to feel the material. The leather bag felt old and filled to the brim with what felt like gold coins. The realisation made you gasp out loud, holding the satchel back out towards the man before you.
âKeep it,â His soothing voice spoke out, making your breath hitch for a second. Was that? âConsider it my payment for all the good care.â
Hvitserk laughed as he looked at your shocked state. Your body seemed frozen as you tried to comprehend his generous gift. Looking over his shoulder, Hvitserk noticed how some people stared at him oddly. Without a doubt they were wondering what their prince was doing, sitting on the ground next to a poor, unfortunate blind girl. He sniffed, placing his hand over the satchel, helping you hide it from their peering eyes. âBetter keep it covered, donât you think?â He said knowingly, making you nod your head quickly.
âI-⊠Safe voyage. And thank you.â You stuttered out, keeping your head down.
The young man in front of you lifted your head up with his finger, pausing for a second as he let his eyes wander over your face. âI wanted to hit myself yesterday, you know. Because once again, I ran away like a coward after you helped me. When I come back, I want us to spend more time together. But firstâŠâ He laughed, feeling his cheeks heat up. âI never asked your nameâ
You giggled, nodding your head. With a soft whisper, you gave him his answer. He felt truly ashamed he had not asked you before, but at the same time enjoyed the anonymity it gave. There was a mutual trust and the comfort your touch gave him, together with the shelter of your home, was all he needed. Until now. The boats were ready to depart, and he could not bear the thought of leaving you behind without knowing your name. The name that would comfort him and urge him forward.
Smiling, he repeated your answer in a whisper, giving it a place in his heart to carry with him. With a soft squeeze in your hand, you heard the man stand up.
âHvitserk!â A deeper, but raspy voice called out. âYou ready?â
To your surprise, the man next to you raised his voice as he answered. âOn my way!â
And in an instance, you felt your blood run cold. Your mysterious man, the person who frequently searched you to ask for your healing, was one of the princes? The realisation made you bow your head, reaching out for the satchel in an attempt to return it to the prince.
Hvitserk grimaced, kneeling down to press a feather light kiss on your head.
âI said you could keep itâŠâ He paused, giving you some time to collect your thoughts. With a deep breath, he once again placed the satchel next you, keeping it concealed from any wandering eyes with the cloak that was wrapped around your shoulders. And as he once again came closer, you were suddenly overwhelmed with the comforting smell of the forest in which he trained. Your stranger was Hvitserk, one of the sons of Ragnar.
âBe safe.â You made out, still too shocked to form more words.
Hvitserk grinned, taking your hand to press a kiss on your knuckles.
đDing dong! This is the self-love inspector! Just doing a routine checkup to see if you are taking care of yourself. Remember, you are loved and you deserve all the nicest things in the world đđđ Send this to other blogs to remind them itâs self-love oâclock!
Thank you! Self-love is indeed very important.
Recently, I made the decision to keep on studying. So, I basically sentenced myself to a lot of work and study sessions and probably a lot of tears as well... XD
But, I will try to be kind to myself and take lots off time of to write and create.
Please, if you are a student remember to take time off! Good luck this year! xxx
Tag a quality blog, Youâre it! Quality doesnât mean that you have a lot of followers, or a lot of messages. It means that youâre nice to other people, and you deserve to be happy. If you get this message, someone is telling you that they love you as you are, and they donât care how many followers you have. Send this to 15 blogs who deserve it. If you break the chain, nothing will happen. But itâs just good to let someone know that you love them. â„ïžâ€ïžđ
Oh my thank you you sweet human!! đ„°â„ïž that goes right back at you 3000 times over!!!
I forgot how to copy the text do imma tag you all lovely people here:
Imagine Ivar saving you // You and Ivar love to raid // Being slave of Ivar // You save Ivarâs horse (from @lordavanti) [ALL COMPLETE]
~M~
Redamancy (from @moonrifles) [COMPLETE]
~O~
Aarhus Universitet (from @ofhoneyandrosepetals) [COMPLETE]
Hidden love (from @otakufrenchfries ) [COMPLETE]
~P~
Pity // God Jul // Move on (from @peaceisadirtyword â) [ALL COMPLETE]
Healing hands (from @premiere-gaou ) [COMPLETE]
~R~
Blue eyes (from @rosepetals-flyingbirds ) [COMPLETE]
~S~
Youâre different like me // Hmm ? // You are everything (from @squirrelacorngliterfarts) [ALL COMPLETE]
~T~
Five Brothers (from @teeninpanic) [ONGOING]
Loveâs labor (from @tra-sh) [COMPLETE]
~W~
Be ruthless // One look // Addicted (from @waiting4inspiration) [ALL COMPLETE]
I need you (from @writingstudent) [COMPLETE]
~Z~
Chance Encounters // Coming home // Best friend // Roommates // The summer people // No more blind date // My boss is a four letters word // Love letters and life lessons // The secret journal // Anyone but him (from @zuxiezendler) [ALL COMPLETE]
Different kind of lasers cast their violet and blue lights around the club as the extremely loud music kept on blasting through the speakers. The large room felt unpleasantly warm, making it seem small and cramped. Everyone - aside from a few that wished not to be in that sweaty mess - had gathered on the dance floor and were grinding on each other. Ivar and Ubbe, who both sat at the bar observing the dancing crowd in front of them, were both sipping on their drinks. Ubbe leaned on his bar stool, grinning widely at his younger brother Hvitserk, who easily charmed a local girl with his smile. The older brother laughed inwardly at her naivety. Her eyes were filled with adoration for the man standing in front of her, probably because he had seduced her with one of his rather unbelievable stories.
Ivar, on the other hand, seemed to try his hardest to show how annoyed he felt to be here. The scowl on his face had been stuck there since the moment his brothers had dragged him into the club, hoping the music would block out his constant moaning and evil side marks. Eventually, they gave up, leaving him behind at the bar. Ubbe, being the oldest and most responsible of them all, stayed with him, finding his little brotherâs behaviour rather amusing.
âLive a bit, Ivar.â Ubbe spoke up, slowly spinning the scotch around in his glass, snorting at Ivarâs scoff. âFeast your eyes. You have enough choice.â With a little nod, he made Ivar look from him towards the dancing crowd again. âFor sure one of theseâŠâ He paused and Ivar rolled his eyes as he saw what distracted his older brother. A woman who had squeezed herself into a ridiculous tight dress paraded pass them. She was without any doubt very gorgeous, but even in this dim light Ivar could see her hungry eyes searching for an easy prey. She needed a one-night stand and had no love or care to give.
â- Hmm⊠Lovely people can be worth your attention, right? At least⊠for one night.â He winked at the woman, flashing her his most charming smile while he drowned the last bit of his drink. With a loud clang he set the glass down on the bar, patting Ivar on the back.
âLoosen upâ With those last words of advice, Ubbe followed the mysterious woman who now made her way to the dance floor with a wide grin on her face.
Ivar chuckled, his eyebrows shooting up in disbelief as he too drowned the last bit of his drink. Turning his back to the dance floor and the crowd, he signalled the bartender that he wanted the same beverage again and sighed out loud. Only a few seconds later the cold drink plopped down before him as the bartender hastily made his way towards the end of the bar, where a man impatiently waved his hand trying to catch his attention. The agitated man looked expectantly as the bartender approached them, nudging the person next to him. Ivarâs face felt his face heat up as he saw you turn around, smiling politely as you gave the bartender your order. After which, the man you were accompanied with asked for his drink with a visible grunt.
Ivar watched how your smile never faltered as the stranger beside you leaned down to whisper something in your ear. The man stood proudly, with his shoulders held back and chin held up high. He knew he looked handsome. Ivar noticed how you looked up at the stranger and nodded your head to whatever he was saying. How you even leaned forward a bit to not miss out on any word.
It seemed like that man gave you the time of your life.
But Ivar saw right through it.
Your shoulders were slightly lifted, and your arms were tightly wrapped around yourself. And in doing so, you were hiding that beautiful, dark blue dress you chose to wear tonight.
You were uncomfortable. Extremely uncomfortable.
As your eyes wandered around the club, you eventually locked eyes with Ivar. His eyebrow rose as your face lightened up for a second. You felt your cheeks heat up, making you look down at the ground. Ivar cocked his head to the side, lifting his drink to his lips to hide his cocky grin. He faced the other way for a second, only to feel his eyes travel back towards you two. By now, the bartender had handed you your drink. This seemed to bring a much-needed distraction, as you kept your eyes focused on the drink in your hand. The man in front of you, however, did not notice this as he leaned closer again. His breath hit your face as he asked why you 'decided to finally enter his life'. His body was turned towards you, but you wondered if he was truly listening to your reply. His eyes roamed over your body, only glancing up when you left a small pause to let out a hum.
Brushing some of your hair behind your ear, you looked up at the man. Yes, he was tall, handsome but... oh so blunt. He was extremely proud of his looks and knew they were his biggest advantage in seducing women. Nevertheless, the attention he gave you - how fake it might be - felt good. So, you accepted it. Not a lot of guys ran after you. Besides, who did not love it when someone treated them as if you were the only one? Even if it was only for one nightâŠ
Your eyes, however, seemed to have a mind on their own, as they often travelled back to the lonely man at the other end of the bar. And to your surprise, he kept his gaze pointed at you. The playfulness in Ivar's eyes had slowly disappeared and his stare had become more intense. His jaw was clenched, and you saw his chest rise and fall rather quickly. It seemed that after a few seconds of just staring at each other, Ivar finally snapped back to reality, licking his lips slowly before shaking his head as the man in front of you stepped a bit closer, demanding your attention back. It did not fail in doing so, making you raise your eyebrows in surprise. And suddenly, you became aware of how close he was to you. By now, his body was almost pressed against you with his face only inches away. Pressing your lips together, you placed your hand on his shoulder to push him a bit further away.
Ivar grinned, feeling himself cool down as he saw you stand up for yourself. The grin on his face dropped immediately though as he felt one of his brothers wrap an arm around him, remembering how he sat far away from you and was still not relieved of their annoying presence.
âShe seems a bit preoccupied.â Hvitserk laughed drunkenly, patting Ivar twice on his head. âNext time better luck, brother.â
Ivar grumbled, shoving him away. Hvitserk stumbled a bit, almost unable to stay on his feet. Still, somehow, he managed to not fall over, shaking his head as he made his way back to the bar. With a dopey grin on his face, he raised his hand. Immediately, Ivar pushed it down, holding him back from ordering another drink.
âDonât you have a girl to look after?â Ivar sneered, secretly keeping an eye on you. Right now, the man seemed to have realised that the woman that stood before him was worth his time. It looked like the challenge you offered him only made you more interesting. Instead of blatantly staring at your boobs, his gaze was now fixed on your face.
âLife is short, little brother. Why only play with one?â Hvitserk bit back, leaning a bit closer to Ivar again making him back away in annoyance. âShe isnât into him, is she?â Hvitserk questioned out loud. Watching your interaction with the mysterious man. As Ivar stayed quiet, the older brother continued. âGo for it. Or would you rather stay alone? Eventually, she may succumb to his âcharmâ. Maybe she even bumps into someone else who could easily sway her off her feet!â
This made Ivarâs head snap towards his brother, who knowingly nodded in your direction. âYou never knowâ
His little brotherâs brows furrowed as he saw the man leaning down again, whispering something in your ear and smirking when you squinted your eyes first, only to nod your head enthusiastically. You really seemed to warm up to him. Ivar grumbled, tapping his fingers rapidly against his glass, ignoring the drunk giggles of his brother next to him. The unknown man flashed his brightest grin towards you, nodding his head once before seeming to excuse himself, leaving you to wait for him, alone at the bar.
You turned around as he left your side, facing the bar again. Taking your glass in your hand, you let your eyes wander and quickly caught yourself searching for Ivar. He wasnât sitting at the end of the bar anymore. Now, his seat was taken by Hvitserk, who waved excitedly towards you. Giggling, you waved back.
He was completely wasted.
And then, you felt a hand rest on your hips. Taking in a deep breath, you placed your hands on those of the intruder, trying to push them away quickly. Until a low voice made you freeze on the spot. âSince when are you such a scardy cat?â
âSince someone decided to put their hands on me, without any consent, may I add.â
Ivar chuckled, his warm breath hitting the exposed skin on your shoulder, making goosebumps appear. He stood incredibly close towards you, placing his crutch against the bar, only to lean against it with one hand to ease some weight off his legs. After which, his other hand slowly made its way from your hip to your arm, letting his thumb caress your skin in small circles.
âWhoâs your new friend?â He wondered, unable to hide his annoyance.
âSomeone I have met tonight. Heâs quite lovely, funny as well.â You lied. Ivar nodded his head behind you, not believing a single word that passed your lips, still it made him tense up a bit, squeezing your arm momentarily.
"Lovely."
âIvar, are we jealous?â you laugh, turning your head sideways to look at him. Ivar raised his brow, not meeting your eyes. He seemed to think about what to say next, but no words left his lips. Instead, he grinned wickedly, letting his hand wander until one reached your hand. Taking your hand in his, he grabbed onto his crutch, turned you around and leaded you towards the dance floor. Your brows furrowed in confusion. There was no way Ivar would invite you to dance, not with his condition.
Ivar had indeed no intention to ask you to dance with him, nor to stay even a minute longer in this club. Walking as fast as he could, he guided you through the crowd, angrily pushing all the horny and drunk people out of his way, ignoring their groans of discomfort and your silent apologies. His fingers were intertwined with yours as he pulled you with him, until you stopped him as you saw where you were heading.
Ivar felt your hand letting go of his, making him stop and turn around. You looked from him to the door behind him, frowning your eyebrows. The young man simply shrugged his shoulders, taking your hand again to continue his way to the exit. But again, he found that you were not moving.
âWhat are you up to?â You asked him.
Ivar simply grinned, softly pulling you towards him. Hesitating a second, you stepped closer, making him face the exit again, only this time with a big grin on his face. He knew that you would follow him without any question, but only wanted to bother him a bit.
âI am not leaving him behind like that, you know.â You started, grinning as you felt him squeeze your hand. âI â for one â am not a-â
âHe will find someone else.â Ivar grumbled, not liking the idea of you actually caring for that douche, âHe doesnât care about you, not like-â He stopped and cleared his throat, rolling his eyes in annoyance as your face lightened up.
âNot like you?â
He ignored you, walking towards the exit and pulling you with him.
âHe will find someone else, princess. Besides, you know I am the best choice to spend your night with.â
Different kind of lasers cast their violet and blue lights around the club as the extremely loud music kept on blasting through the speakers. The large room felt unpleasantly warm, making it seem small and cramped. Everyone - aside from a few that wished not to be in that sweaty mess - had gathered on the dance floor and were grinding on each other. Ivar and Ubbe, who both sat at the bar observing the dancing crowd in front of them, were both sipping on their drinks. Ubbe leaned on his bar stool, grinning widely at his younger brother Hvitserk, who easily charmed a local girl with his smile. The older brother laughed inwardly at her naivety. Her eyes were filled with adoration for the man standing in front of her, probably because he had seduced her with one of his rather unbelievable stories.
Ivar, on the other hand, seemed to try his hardest to show how annoyed he felt to be here. The scowl on his face had been stuck there since the moment his brothers had dragged him into the club, hoping the music would block out his constant moaning and evil side marks. Eventually, they gave up, leaving him behind at the bar. Ubbe, being the oldest and most responsible of them all, stayed with him, finding his little brotherâs behaviour rather amusing.
âLive a bit, Ivar.â Ubbe spoke up, slowly spinning the scotch around in his glass, snorting at Ivarâs scoff. âFeast your eyes. You have enough choice.â With a little nod, he made Ivar look from him towards the dancing crowd again. âFor sure one of theseâŠâ He paused and Ivar rolled his eyes as he saw what distracted his older brother. A woman who had squeezed herself into a ridiculous tight dress paraded pass them. She was without any doubt very gorgeous, but even in this dim light Ivar could see her hungry eyes searching for an easy prey. She needed a one-night stand and had no love or care to give.
â- Hmm⊠Lovely people can be worth your attention, right? At least⊠for one night.â He winked at the woman, flashing her his most charming smile while he drowned the last bit of his drink. With a loud clang he set the glass down on the bar, patting Ivar on the back.
âLoosen upâ With those last words of advice, Ubbe followed the mysterious woman who now made her way to the dance floor with a wide grin on her face.
Ivar chuckled, his eyebrows shooting up in disbelief as he too drowned the last bit of his drink. Turning his back to the dance floor and the crowd, he signalled the bartender that he wanted the same beverage again and sighed out loud. Only a few seconds later the cold drink plopped down before him as the bartender hastily made his way towards the end of the bar, where a man impatiently waved his hand trying to catch his attention. The agitated man looked expectantly as the bartender approached them, nudging the person next to him. Ivarâs face felt his face heat up as he saw you turn around, smiling politely as you gave the bartender your order. After which, the man you were accompanied with asked for his drink with a visible grunt.
Ivar watched how your smile never faltered as the stranger beside you leaned down to whisper something in your ear. The man stood proudly, with his shoulders held back and chin held up high. He knew he looked handsome. Ivar noticed how you looked up at the stranger and nodded your head to whatever he was saying. How you even leaned forward a bit to not miss out on any word.
It seemed like that man gave you the time of your life.
But Ivar saw right through it.
Your shoulders were slightly lifted, and your arms were tightly wrapped around yourself. And in doing so, you were hiding that beautiful, dark blue dress you chose to wear tonight.
You were uncomfortable. Extremely uncomfortable.
As your eyes wandered around the club, you eventually locked eyes with Ivar. His eyebrow rose as your face lightened up for a second. You felt your cheeks heat up, making you look down at the ground. Ivar cocked his head to the side, lifting his drink to his lips to hide his cocky grin. He faced the other way for a second, only to feel his eyes travel back towards you two. By now, the bartender had handed you your drink. This seemed to bring a much-needed distraction, as you kept your eyes focused on the drink in your hand. The man in front of you, however, did not notice this as he leaned closer again. His breath hit your face as he asked why you 'decided to finally enter his life'. His body was turned towards you, but you wondered if he was truly listening to your reply. His eyes roamed over your body, only glancing up when you left a small pause to let out a hum.
Brushing some of your hair behind your ear, you looked up at the man. Yes, he was tall, handsome but... oh so blunt. He was extremely proud of his looks and knew they were his biggest advantage in seducing women. Nevertheless, the attention he gave you - how fake it might be - felt good. So, you accepted it. Not a lot of guys ran after you. Besides, who did not love it when someone treated them as if you were the only one? Even if it was only for one nightâŠ
Your eyes, however, seemed to have a mind on their own, as they often travelled back to the lonely man at the other end of the bar. And to your surprise, he kept his gaze pointed at you. The playfulness in Ivar's eyes had slowly disappeared and his stare had become more intense. His jaw was clenched, and you saw his chest rise and fall rather quickly. It seemed that after a few seconds of just staring at each other, Ivar finally snapped back to reality, licking his lips slowly before shaking his head as the man in front of you stepped a bit closer, demanding your attention back. It did not fail in doing so, making you raise your eyebrows in surprise. And suddenly, you became aware of how close he was to you. By now, his body was almost pressed against you with his face only inches away. Pressing your lips together, you placed your hand on his shoulder to push him a bit further away.
Ivar grinned, feeling himself cool down as he saw you stand up for yourself. The grin on his face dropped immediately though as he felt one of his brothers wrap an arm around him, remembering how he sat far away from you and was still not relieved of their annoying presence.
âShe seems a bit preoccupied.â Hvitserk laughed drunkenly, patting Ivar twice on his head. âNext time better luck, brother.â
Ivar grumbled, shoving him away. Hvitserk stumbled a bit, almost unable to stay on his feet. Still, somehow, he managed to not fall over, shaking his head as he made his way back to the bar. With a dopey grin on his face, he raised his hand. Immediately, Ivar pushed it down, holding him back from ordering another drink.
âDonât you have a girl to look after?â Ivar sneered, secretly keeping an eye on you. Right now, the man seemed to have realised that the woman that stood before him was worth his time. It looked like the challenge you offered him only made you more interesting. Instead of blatantly staring at your boobs, his gaze was now fixed on your face.
âLife is short, little brother. Why only play with one?â Hvitserk bit back, leaning a bit closer to Ivar again making him back away in annoyance. âShe isnât into him, is she?â Hvitserk questioned out loud. Watching your interaction with the mysterious man. As Ivar stayed quiet, the older brother continued. âGo for it. Or would you rather stay alone? Eventually, she may succumb to his âcharmâ. Maybe she even bumps into someone else who could easily sway her off her feet!â
This made Ivarâs head snap towards his brother, who knowingly nodded in your direction. âYou never knowâ
His little brotherâs brows furrowed as he saw the man leaning down again, whispering something in your ear and smirking when you squinted your eyes first, only to nod your head enthusiastically. You really seemed to warm up to him. Ivar grumbled, tapping his fingers rapidly against his glass, ignoring the drunk giggles of his brother next to him. The unknown man flashed his brightest grin towards you, nodding his head once before seeming to excuse himself, leaving you to wait for him, alone at the bar.
You turned around as he left your side, facing the bar again. Taking your glass in your hand, you let your eyes wander and quickly caught yourself searching for Ivar. He wasnât sitting at the end of the bar anymore. Now, his seat was taken by Hvitserk, who waved excitedly towards you. Giggling, you waved back.
He was completely wasted.
And then, you felt a hand rest on your hips. Taking in a deep breath, you placed your hands on those of the intruder, trying to push them away quickly. Until a low voice made you freeze on the spot. âSince when are you such a scardy cat?â
âSince someone decided to put their hands on me, without any consent, may I add.â
Ivar chuckled, his warm breath hitting the exposed skin on your shoulder, making goosebumps appear. He stood incredibly close towards you, placing his crutch against the bar, only to lean against it with one hand to ease some weight off his legs. After which, his other hand slowly made its way from your hip to your arm, letting his thumb caress your skin in small circles.
âWhoâs your new friend?â He wondered, unable to hide his annoyance.
âSomeone I have met tonight. Heâs quite lovely, funny as well.â You lied. Ivar nodded his head behind you, not believing a single word that passed your lips, still it made him tense up a bit, squeezing your arm momentarily.
"Lovely."
âIvar, are we jealous?â you laugh, turning your head sideways to look at him. Ivar raised his brow, not meeting your eyes. He seemed to think about what to say next, but no words left his lips. Instead, he grinned wickedly, letting his hand wander until one reached your hand. Taking your hand in his, he grabbed onto his crutch, turned you around and leaded you towards the dance floor. Your brows furrowed in confusion. There was no way Ivar would invite you to dance, not with his condition.
Ivar had indeed no intention to ask you to dance with him, nor to stay even a minute longer in this club. Walking as fast as he could, he guided you through the crowd, angrily pushing all the horny and drunk people out of his way, ignoring their groans of discomfort and your silent apologies. His fingers were intertwined with yours as he pulled you with him, until you stopped him as you saw where you were heading.
Ivar felt your hand letting go of his, making him stop and turn around. You looked from him to the door behind him, frowning your eyebrows. The young man simply shrugged his shoulders, taking your hand again to continue his way to the exit. But again, he found that you were not moving.
âWhat are you up to?â You asked him.
Ivar simply grinned, softly pulling you towards him. Hesitating a second, you stepped closer, making him face the exit again, only this time with a big grin on his face. He knew that you would follow him without any question, but only wanted to bother him a bit.
âI am not leaving him behind like that, you know.â You started, grinning as you felt him squeeze your hand. âI â for one â am not a-â
âHe will find someone else.â Ivar grumbled, not liking the idea of you actually caring for that douche, âHe doesnât care about you, not like-â He stopped and cleared his throat, rolling his eyes in annoyance as your face lightened up.
âNot like you?â
He ignored you, walking towards the exit and pulling you with him.
âHe will find someone else, princess. Besides, you know I am the best choice to spend your night with.â
Sum: This was a request (thank you for that!) and I would like to apologize because it took so long and.. Yeah. The request:
"Hi đ„° do you still take request for Alex Andersen? Something like the OC is alex teacher at university and they fall in love with each other but the age gap is a problem so she broke up with him but BOOM they really love each other!! With some fighting and fluffy đ€€đ„Čhahah sorry if its bad đ„° thank you!"
Returning his friendly smile, you easily manoeuvred between the mismatched tables and chairs until you reached the one next to a small window. As usual, a silver sign stood on the table reading âreservedâ in a beautiful font. And as usual, you plopped down on the chair that gave you a look out on the street, sliding the sign to the end of the table so that it could be picked up by one of the staff members. Throwing a notebook and different prints out on the table, you breathed in deeply.
It had been a long day already... And it was like... what? â 11 a.m.?
âThere you go, honey.â
Without even looking up you already knew who stood next to your side, presenting a large cup of coffee with one of those delicious self-made biscuits.
âJer, I canât thank you enoughâ.
The man laughed, seemingly pleased with himself after seeing the frown on your eyebrows clear up for a second. He waved your gratitude off and returned to his kitchen.
Freezing for a second, you immediately collected all the pictures that had fallen off the table, carelessly throwing them back on the table. Refusing to meet the eye of whoever found enjoyment in your clumsiness, you side stepped back to your table. Hoping and praying that they would just go away. But they stayed.
âItâs good to see youâre still as clumsy...â
It was a good thing you were leaning against the table, otherwise you would have been knocked to ground right now.
âMister Anderssen.â You nodded your head.
The young man pressed his lips together in a tight smile at the greeting, feeling a sting in his heart that he believed to have been long gone by now.
The long silence that followed felt dense and awkward. He was trying to make eye contact, his lips were turned up in a little, comforting smile. He did not know what to say or feel as he looked at how your body seemed to turn away from him. Your arms were wrapped around your middle, your eyes glued to the pictures on the table without truly looking at them. And then, his gaze fell on the smallest amongst them. He could recognize that gloomy setting from anywhere. His heart jumped, he felt overjoyed and the smile on his face grew larger.
âYou kept it?â He breathed out, making it sound more like a question.
Slowly, he crouched down, careful not to make you run away. As he took the card from under one of the chairs, brushing some dust of it. Looking up, he waved with the picture he once offered you to use in your classes.
Nodding to himself, he kept his eyes locked with yours as he slowly came up. âYou kept it.â
âI didâ You spoke out softly.
***
âFuckâ
The curse had left your mouth before you could hold it back, as you watch yet another one of your cards fall on the ground.
It was good that none of your students had the habit of arriving in time for your class. Choosing to rather arrive just in time for the lecture to begin instead of showing some interest and being there before it began. Otherwise, they could enjoy this little comedy show as you desperately tried to stick those cards on a timeline.
You had never thought that one day, you would stand in front of class, as a teacher. Talking about something that had been a passion for so many years. Movies are a piece of art, a way to express and communicate. And now, you had the power to let others see that as well.
And even thought the path of being a teacher had crossed yours rather unexpectedly, it had made you happier than youâve ever been.
And it had let you to some beautiful and interesting moments.
Looking down at the picture in your hands, a warm feeling overcame you, painting a very small smile on your face. It was a simple photo of a man standing alone in the street. The sky was pitch black; the only light provided by a single streetlight on the far right. The yellow light cast dark shadows on the ground. And on the left, almost completely hidden in the shadows, you could see the silhouette of another man. His back was turned to the man he had left behind under the streetlight. And thus, he missed how the other reached his hand out in a desperate attempt to call him back.
Every year you would collect pictures to show off how a simple setting can bring out different emotions to an audience. This scene would often bring feelings of sadness, grief, loss, misery and heartbreak to your students. Ironically, this scene brought you only a warm feeling. The beauty of the shot together with the memory of how you had come across this movie, cancelled out those unhappy emotions.
Completely lost in the moment, you almost jumped up when two hands sneaked around your hips.
âMorningâ
His voice was raspy as he failed to conceal the chuckle that passed his lips.
âMorning, mister Anderssenâ
He laughed, rubbing his nose in the crook of your neck. He found it almost amusing how you spoke so formerly to him now when at night...
âMister?â
You rolled your eyes, fighting your way out of his grip. Without giving one look to the young man behind you, you picked up the card that fell out of your hands. Looking down at it again, you sighed and returned to your desk. The classroom needed to be ready before the students would arrive.
âI thought we made an agreement; you would not visit me this early to avoid suspicion, right?â
Alex smacked his lips, nodding his head slowly. He played with the straps of his backpack as his mind brought him back to that memory. It was around three weeks ago; you were collecting everything to go home after a long day when the young man suddenly sneaked in to share some âalone timeâ. Sadly enough, another student had forgotten her scarf that day and ran back to retrieve it. Even though you tried your hardest to not succumb to his advances, his willpower was way too strong. And the poor girl had almost walked in on you and him kissing. He had pushed his luck too far that time.
Still, if he could, he would not take that moment back. Every second spend with you was worth it.
âItâs nice to see you still like that picture...â He said, pointing to the card in an attempt to effort to change the subject. âAfter you told me what subjects we would discuss in the future, I immediately thought of that movie and-â
Alexâ voice died once your eyes met his. He was always the first to enter your classroom. In those moments you always could be yourselves. There was no reason to hold back. In that way, these few minutes of privacy would always be filled with love and jokes, stolen kisses and hugs. He couldnât really recall the precise moment his dream came true, and you returned his affection. The way to earn it had been long and filled with obstacles. The boundaries that needed to be crossed were great. And it felt unlawful, disgusting, wrong... And still, so right.
Now, as he stood only a few feet away from you, it felt like a mile. Your eyes danced across the room, only meeting his for a mere second before quickly darting away again. Your hands brushed some imaginary dust of the picture, while you tried your hardest to breath normally. Little signs of how the nerves started to creep up.
âIf you want other recommendations...â He tried, but again... The strength in his voice died before he even finished his sentence. Alex grew concerned as he watched you turn around and hung up the card. The whole thread portraying different scenery throughout film history over the last 50 years shook as you clumsily pined it next to a very bright photo, depicting two children running around at a fair.
Alex frowned when you still did not respond to him. Softly, he moved his hands to rest on your shoulders, trying to turn your body towards him. His head was lowered down a bit, a friendly look on his face as he shakily asked: âWhatâs on your mind?â. Hoping that whatever bothered you, he could help you solve it.
You didnât need to see his face to know how his eyebrows were scrunched up with concern. Or how his mouth was slightly twisted as he pondered over who or what could have made you behave so coldly.
But the reason was crystal clear to you.
The adoration you had received from the man in front of you was overwhelming. These past months have been a dream. Almost indescribable. Just as all those sappy quotes on Pinterest say: some things just need to be felt. And this, this felt great.
It had been great.
Felt.
Had.
You bite your lip, feeling nervous all the sudden. Turning around, you tried your best to avoid his blue eyes. They were hypnotizing, demanding for a reason, an explanation.
âMister Anderssen-â You started again.
âYou know, we never did that kind of play, but I am open to anything.â He tried. His attempt to lighten the mood was only met with silence. A silence that felt deafening. And it made his stomach turn.
With his finger and thumb, he slowly lifted your chin up, forcing you to meet his eye. He was a bit taller than you, and he loved that. He used it to his advantage on every occasion he got.
âWhatâs on your mind?â He asked again.
You sighed, feeling it was better to speak the truth. âThis.â You answered, âUs.â
Alex lifted one of his eyebrows, scratching the back of his neck. âUs? What's wrong with us?â
âYouâre smart, Alex.â You answered. âDeep down, you know.â
Alex eyes widened. He was speechless, dumbfounded.
âI am a teacher, your teacher to be exact.â
âAnd youâve been teaching me amazing things.â He snickered, wiggling his eyebrows.
You snorted, shaking your head. Until you remembered what you wanted to share with him, and your face went blank again. It was almost impossible to not give in, to hold back your laughter when he was around. But you had to.
âAlex.â You said, pushing him lightly away. âThe age gap is way too big.â
His hands tightened their grip on your hips as he turned your body more towards him. His eyes narrowed. And although they still sparkled, the hurt he felt could not be hid. The time he could hold back secrets had long passed.
âWhat made you start doubting us?â He asked.
You sighed, looking down at the ground.
âWhat if I said... What if the doubt never left? What if it was a thought that always bugged me?â
That made him halter. His muscles stiffened for a second. A millisecond in which he let the guard down and his pain became visible. But just as quick as it fell, the wall was back up again. He stood upright, the hands on your hips now slowly making their way up towards your shoulders. The corner of his lips was pulled up, a fine grin that silently asked you to laugh or say it was just a joke. That it wasnât the truth.
Alas, it was the truth.
The lingering thought that had been filling your mind with doubts and questions for a while now. Making you question yourself and your choices, but above all, the day on which you gave into his charm.
He was a young, handsome man filled with life and chances. He was almost at the end of the first big chapter in his life, ready to begin a new one, to step into an adventure. After this... Did he want to work somewhere? Move back in with his parents? Maybe he wanted to travel? See the world after being closed off from it after keeping his nose in his books all the time. He could explore, try to discover who he really was. And... Fall in love with someone else. Someone ⊠more of⊠his age.
How could you hold him back from that?
His thumbs started to stroke small circles of comfort on your neck, while he kept on trying to make eye contact with you. With each passing second, he felt himself grow more uneasy and lost.
âLittle one... Love.â Alex winced as he saw you flinch with each nickname that passed his lips. His voice pitched and he sounded in a rush, as he wanted to find a way to ease those doubts. âY/N, what...?â
The corner of your lip twitched in a weak effort in making a smile appear on your face. It failed horribly, as you felt yourself get overwhelmed by guilt and sorrow. âWe have to stop this now, Alex.â You managed to make out. âItâs done.â
In the back of the room, he could hear the slow ticking of the big silvery clock. It was only five minutes until the lecture would begin. Any time now, someone could enter the room and walk in on their teacher standing in a, what they would think, romantic embrace with her own student. It only made you more nervous and desperate to get out of his hold. To just say goodbye. To leave this all behind and start new.
Alex squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head widely. âThe age gap is just a number, not even a high one. You want me as much as I want you, right?â
âI do- I- I did. And now, I am ending it.â You said, biting the inside of your cheek to stop the stinging feeling in your eyes. âI am letting you go.â you whispered, finally pushing his arms away.
Alex breathed in deeply, stepping forward as you took a step back. Again, and again, you shoved his hands away. He tried to make contact, to touch your arms, to hold your hands, but every time you slapped his hand away. And his heart broke as you kept on avoiding him. He grew frustrated.
âWhat do you want, Y/N? Since when are you afraid? So, what if they say something? We- We are the ones in love! They-â
âAlex! Itâs done! I donât want this anymore. I don't want- I-â
At this point, he felt the blood in his veins boiling. His heart clenched. His stomach turned. âSo, we-this meant nothing to you?â
âThatâs a low blow, Alexâ You bit back.
âWhat do you want, Y/N?!â
âI donât want this. I donât want you anymore, Alex! This is done! Over!â
He scoffed, his fists clenched at his sides while his chest went up and down with every heavy breath.
âOver? Why are you acting like this? When have you turned into this scarred shell of-â
âI donât care if you donât see the problem. Someday you will. And you will understand I made the right call.â
The clearing of a throat ended the discussion sooner than Alex would have wanted. Another student had entered the classroom. Her eyes were wide open as she stared at her teacher and the class top student. Her mouth was slightly open as she tried to form a sentence, but no sound seemed to pass her lips.
You swallowed, quickly wiping a fallen tear off your cheek, stepping even further away from Alex, whose eyes were still glued to you.
âGood afternoon, miss Tuffin. Please take a seat.â
Alex slightly shook his head from side to side, unable to comprehend the situation.
âSo, mister Anderssen. Now that you know your answer, please take a seat.â You said quietly, flinching as your voice cracked a bit. Your eyes did not meet his anymore, even though he was hoping you would look him in the eyes again. He knew deep down you did not mean one word of the things you had said. "Class will begin soon.â
âY/NâŠâ Alex started, sighing as he noticed you close your eyes for a second, turning your body slightly away from him.
âY/N.â He tried again; his voice sounded a bit stronger, more certain. As if he had found his courage and willpower again. But then it crumpled again, his shoulders dropped as he frantically tried to make eye contact. âI am happy to see you again.â
This made you look up. âMe too.â You nodded. âHow are you?â
This made you laugh, the sound making his heart jump for a second. âAs if you needed any more improvement.â
Alex bit his lip, glad that you werenât paying attention to his red flushing cheeks. He breathed out deeply as he looked down at the different cards. His eyes glided over the different pictures depicting scenes of romance, hope, grief and so on. Without saying anything, he sat down, flipping through them one by one. Some of the pictures made the corners of his lips slowly turn up, while others made his brows furrow.
This gave you the opportunity to finally take a look at him. His hair had gotten longer since the last time you saw him. Back then it was cut short, but now his long locks were held together in a little man bun. His jaw was accented by a subtle beard. Itâs crazy how much he changed in a few months time⊠Yet he still looked as dashing as back then.
âI still think this one is the best.â He smiled, showing you the gloomy picture from earlier.
His words made you snap out of your daze, clearing your throat as you took a seat opposite from him after he arched one eyebrow, pointing to the empty chair.
âThatâs a shocker,â you shrugged, âYou came to me with that movie.â
Alex nodded, the confident smile on his lips reached his eyes for the first time, making them shine bright. However, that light quickly died. Absent-mindedly, he let his finger wander over the picture, contemplating if he should speak up about the shared past or not.
âI⊠I knew we would meet again, you know? Well, I hopedâ
You looked down at your coffee, once again escaping his eyes while wrapping your hands around the lukewarm beverage. It didnât offer you much comfort anymore.
âNow that I am older,â He lightly joked, âMore mature, more-â
âAlexâ You interrupted his train of thoughts. âDonât- Donât do that.â
âMaybe now you can give me the real reason as to why you gave up on us so easily.â He continued, his voice was low, almost a whisper but the sneer in it could not be ignored. All of the sudden, it felt as if you were on the artic. The blood in your veins ran cold as he had backed you up in a corner. Alex knew he could have pushed you even further away from him, but simply needed to know. The young man sat there before you with his heart beating loudly in his throat. His jaw was clenched, and his fingers lightly drummed on the table.
You sighed, not daring to look into his eyes. Before you even opened your mouth to answer his burning question, he softly spoke up again. âThe truth, please.â
You laughed dryly, now really feeling trapped under his demanding stare and the growing tension between the two of you. âI did not want to.â You confessed, feeling your eyes well up. âI really⊠I really loved you, you know? The time I shared with you was wonderful, and I want you to know that it wasnât your fault or anything⊠I just let myself get carried away by my feeling for you, Alex.â
âAnd why is that a bad thing?â He asked, not understanding your motive.
You grinned, looking at his confused face. âI was your teacher, Alex. We had this conversation before, I wasnât-â
His hand immediately flew towards your hand, making you fall quiet. âSo what? I never cared. Not then, not now. I am no longer your student, there is no reason anymore to hold back anymore.â
You snorted; he would never change. He would always be this cocky little brat and-
âWait. What do you mean⊠âno reason to hold back anymoreâ?â
He grinned, squeezing your hand a bit. âI always hoped we could meet again, so I could tell you should not be afraid of our relationship anymore. Or your feelings. Or⊠us. Donât say anything because I know that fear held you back. We can be together, Y/N! Please, just-just leave behind your doubts for once. Donât give a fuck about other people!â He said, his voice becoming louder with each word, growing with passion. âPut yourself firstâŠâ His face sprouted a smile, but it was not one of happiness or relief, no, it was because he felt helpless. He could feel you slipping right through his fingers again as he saw you shaking your head. He saw the doubts written all over your face. The questions rummaging through your mind. Was he being truthful? Was it unethical? Could you just start over again and continue this relationship? Was it worth the risk? âJust, choose with your heart for once. You know my feelings for you, but I am waiting for you.â
His words warmed your heart and made the corners of your lips turn upwards slightly. The worries clouding your minds made it hard to really focus on his words, still⊠You could no longer deny how he made you feel deep down.
As you licked your lips, the both of you suddenly got shaken out of your little bubble by a friendly voice complimenting the handsome man in front of you.
âMy dear boy, you could not have a better timing. She really needs someone to make her laugh and escape that world of hers full of work and deadlines she dares to call a life.â Jeremy laughed, waving off your shocked expression, knowing you were about to contradict him. âYou both need each other, children.â He paused, placing down two cups of coffee, accompanied with two large slices of one of his famous cakes. âListen to an old manâs wise words.â Without any further words, and still ignoring your shocked face and Alexâ gestures that he had not ordered anything yet, he left the table to go back to his counter.
From there, he watched how you both broke into a fit of laughter, figuring it was better to enjoy the food and drinks than let them spoil. As Alex shrugged his shoulders and took a careful first bite of the pie, you took a first sip of your new and cup of coffee, never breaking eye contact with him. And⊠it felt good.
And as the hours passed and the second slice of pie had been devoured, Jeremyâs heart filled with joy as he saw how your hand was still in the hands of that handsome boy.
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