A/N This is a spinoff of The Gathering Storm, and starts after chaper 20 of that fic.

As for warnings, this fic includes discussions/implications of a sexual nature, as well as discussions of rape and a main character death.

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Freyja strode into the dwarves' shop. Both Brokk and Eitri were minding the storefront, but since there were no customers to be seen, Freyja shut the door and locked it, turning over the sign in the window to indicate that they were closed. Neither of the dwarves protested, although as Brokk came forward to take her hand and lead her into the back, Eitri flipped the sign over again and unlocked the door.

I suppose they want me to 'thank' them individually... Freyja thought as she and Brokk went downstairs. To her surprise, however, instead of going to the bed, Brokk took her to the kitchen and grabbed a fur coat to wrap around her shoulders after she sat.

"Would you care for some wine or ale?"

"No, thank you..." She was surprised he didn't want to get straight down to business – usually he had no time to chat!

"It's been a while since we've seen each other." Brokk sat down across from her and took her hand in his. "You are here to speak about your daughter?"

"She told me nothing happened when she spent the night."

"Nothing did," the dwarf said quickly, as though afraid Freyja would get the wrong idea.

"I came to thank you for that."

"You don't have to thank us for doing the right thing. If I may ask, Freyja..." Brokk spoke hesitantly. "Why did you allow her to believe she was sired by one of us, when that was not the case? I understand that you were forced, and keeping that from her in childhood made sense, but she is a grown woman now."

Freyja's face paled. She opened and closed her mouth a few times. "Who told you?"

Brokk winced. "I apologise, that was tactless."

"Who told you?"

"Sigyn. She was upset, I am not certain she was even fully aware of what she was saying."

Freyja buried her head in her hands. "She should never have found out."

"How did she?"

"I told her." Freyja glanced up to see Brokk shaking his head. "What?"

"If you didn't want her to know, why did you tell her?"

"Because I had to! Because she needed to know the truth." Freyja was well aware of how contradictory she was being, and that only made her angry. "Because you went and blabbed about not being her father!"

"I never said I would have that pretense. Although it's ironic, that the only one of your daughters not kin to me is the only one that would accept it when she thought she was."

"And whose fault is that?"

Brokk scowled. "What exactly is that supposed to mean? Eitri and I made it very clear that we would sire your children, not be fathers to them!"

"Then why are you complaining that my daughters dislike you?"

"You never had a problem with the arrangement, why are they different?"

"Because they are not me! I never thought I needed a man, but the only father figure they have is their uncle. I would think that it's enough for them, but apparently they don't agree." Freyja stood up. "Now are we going to bicker or are you going to accept my thanks for not violating my child?"

"Violating?" Brokk repeated in anger. "You think that we would touch her without her consent? When she didn't want it?"

"That is not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" Brokk stood up as well. Despite being tall for a dwarf, Freyja towered two inches over him. "What did you mean, Freyja?"

"I am just emotionally volatile at the moment Brokk, I didn't mean anything!"

The dwarf stared at her hard for a long moment. "Why did you never tell me that you were forced? I could have been more gentle!"

Freyja took a deep breath. "I share my body with you. Not my soul. That is something I am never doing again."

Brokk shook his head. "I thought I meant more to you than an outlet for physical pleasure..." His eyes were sad.

Freyja held her head high. "And what else did you believe lay between us?"

"At the very least, trust."

Freyja snorted. "Trust is usually associated with fidelity, something neither of us has ever bothered with."

"Fidelity to what?" Brokk challenged. "I trust my mother but I do not lie with her, let alone exclusively."

Freyja opened her mouth to argue, but the dwarf had a point. "I did not need your gentleness, Brokk. All I needed was for you to stop when I told you to, and you did do that."

Brokk toyed with his beard a moment. "So you trusted me to stop."

"Whatever you want." Freyja shook her head, sighing. "I don't want to fight with you right now."

"But neither do you want to lie with me. You just think you owe it to me for not touching Sigyn."

"I owe no man my body!"

"I did not say you did! Freyja! What I am saying is that right now I would rather talk!" Brokk's voice was raised with frustration.

"I don't want to talk to you!"

"Then go. Go and don't come back."

Freyja's jaw dropped.

"I always fancied my brother and I friends at least to you, my lady. Do you think those gifts I had given you were payments?"

"That's how it started!"

"But that's not where I thought we were now!"

"Then where do you think we are?" Freyja shouted. "Huh? Where are we? What are we? And don't you dare say that you love me! Don't you dare ask me to love you!"

Brokk's shoulders sagged. Freyja frowned. She had never seen him look so sad! "Freyja, I do love you."

The goddess turned away.

"I have to tell you. I'm dying."

Freyja froze.

"Dwarves aren't like the Aesir and Vanir. We live long but we fall ill. I have been feeling poorly of late, so I went to the healers. I have a mass growing in my brain. I'll be dead within a matter of weeks."

Freyja turned back slowly. "Please be lying."

"No one wishes that I was more than me."

Freyja threw her arms around the dwarf. She couldn't believe it! Brokk returned her embrace weakly. She struggled to think of something to say.

"I can count the amount of people who will be at my funeral on one hand."

Freyja buried her face in his shoulder. "Do you want to get married?"

Brokk shook his head. "I might, if I thought you were saying for any other reason than to assuage your own conscience."

"I'm sorry. I'm a terrible person."

A sigh. "Selfishness is not uniquely yours."

Freyja looked up, hoping for a brief moment that he had lied to her after all... The fear in his eyes dashed that hope. "What's going to happen?"

"Eitri will keep the shop."

"But..." Freyja trailed off. What could she say- 'I don't want you to die'? 'It's not fair'? Brokk knew all that...

"It's not fair that I'm putting this on you, not with all else that is happening in your life." Brokk attempted to release her, but she just held him tighter.

"You've been the only man who has never run away from me."

"I'm sure Eitiri will be happy to know you're not counting him."

Freyja managed to laugh. "Sometimes I think of the two of you as one."

Brokk chuckled. "We are similar in many ways... I don't know how he'll cope without me. He and I have always shared everything." He met Freyja's eyes seriously. "Will you watch out for him, as best you can, after..."

Freyja nodded, eyes brimming.

"I regret not trying a little harder... to be a proper father."

"I never would have let you."

He looked at her, true fear in his eyes. "Will I have your companionship until the end?"

Freyja nodded. "Of course. I can move in if you want. Or you can move in with me. The stairs..."

"I'm not a cripple or elderly."

"Whatever you want, I'll do it."

"Just... be there when I need you."

"I will."

Brokk took her hand; she clasped it in both of hers. They stood in silence for a while.

"Do you need anything?"

"We're in my home, and you're offering me refreshments?" Brokk laughed. "I could use some tea, I suppose..."

She continued holding his hand as they headed to the kitchen, putting her free arm around him. He leaned into her, smiling.