Jared's thirteenth birthday began by being woken up at the crack of dawn. Us underlings, not of the Circle, were each told to wake him the way we were awoken our first day. This meant that I gently pushed his arm and whispered for him to wake up the way Ria had done for me. Ria, Njada and Athis barked a near identical "get up," which sounded a decent impression of Vilkas. Then Torvar took a bucket of water to the already sitting boy and said:

"Wake up you drunken sot," Torvar said.

Njada aned Athis laughed as Ria handed him a towel and I just rolled by eyes. Apparently Torvar had celebrated a little too hard after becoming a Companion, which wasn't a surprise at all.

"Gah, my bed," Jared said, glaring at Torvar. "You're the drunken one."

"Better not talk to me like that, you might not get in," Torvar said.

"Like you have a say in it," Jared said, fighting a smile.

"Hey, I have plenty say," Torvar said.

"When it comes to cleaning duty," I said.

"That was one time. I didn't know the guy wasn't the thief. How was I supposed to know he owned the place when he dressed like that?" he said.

"They stole his clothes, idiot," Njada said.

"Can you all get out so I can get dressed? You're all just staring," Jared said, shivering.

We left the room since it was his birthday and let him get dressed (and dried off) in privacy despite the room being shared between all of us.

When he was done we all followed him upstairs and out into the back courtyard. The Circle were all there waiting, all serious faced except Farkas who was grinning until Vilkas, noticing where my eyes were, gave him an even more serious look.

Kodlak stepped forward, eyes focused on Jared as the rest of us formed a circle around him.

"Jared, today you are here to be tested. If you succeed you will be an Apprentice to the Companions, which is a great honor. Here we will train you while you work so that one day you may become a Companion if your honor and skill proves you worthy," Kodlak said. "Until you come of age to be tested, you will be one of us should you succeed here. Do you accept these conditions?"

Aela shifted, looking bored and Skjor looked even grumpier than usual at the speech.

"I do," Jared said, tilting his chin up.

"Then let the test begin."

xxxx

After the test of basic skills, Jared became an Apprentice which was immediately followed by a day of revelry. There was feasting and storytelling, dancing and drinking (though I kept Jared's hands off of it). By nightfall most were lounging, half-asleep off of the good time. Athis, who had had a drinking competition he'd soundly lost to Torvar, was asleep with his head on Njada's shoulder. She feigned looking upset, arms crossed as she sat there. But her body was relaxed and she didn't make a move to shove him off of her.

I headed outside for some fresh air, looking over the wall at the sprawling land down below. It was colder now, the seasons shifting, and I could see little puffs of air when I breathed out. I shivered and reminded myself to buy a warm cloak in the market the next time I had a chance.

"You're cold," a familiar voice said.

"And you're stating the obvious, Vilkas," I replied.

I turned and saw Vilkas offering me a sword. I tilted my head but took it.

"What is this for?"

"To warm you up," he said.

"Most people would offer me a cloak or a coat."

"I have never been 'most people.'"

"You're still a person," I said softly. "And a good one."

Vilkas looked at me for a moment before offering the sword again. I took it and the dance began. His powerful blows were met with air and each time I tried to strike he would block, the force of it forcing me back. There was more than one time I feared Vilkas might break the practice sword.

I became aware of nothing but the two of us. Our feet, our postures, the way our bodies moved, tensing and striking. I was so absorbed that when the first snow of the season began to float down I didn't notice. I didn't notice the way the droplets melted as it hit our warm bodies. But it did strike me that Vilkas was almost glowing in the light coming from the forge as we fought near it, the water glittering off his skin.

That moment of distraction would have landed me on my back, my footing lost as I slipped on the wet cobblestones instead of dancing out of the way. I reached out instinctively with my non-sword hand and grabbed Vilkas by his chestpiece and he wrapped his arm around my back, the sword clattering to the ground as he dropped his weapon and I mine.

It was still just the two of us, standing with the warmth of the forge reflecting off our skin. For a moment, I couldn't look away from his eyes, the striking brilliant silver in the firelight. When I did I noticed the white dots of snow in his thick black hair and I absent-mindedly reached out, rubbing my thumb over the strand in my hand.

"It's snowing," I said in wonder.

I looked back to his eyes and realized Vilkas was looking over my face. I became aware of his arm on my back, of the small distance between us. It was like the world was slowly opening up and it was the two of us, pressed together, one hand in his hair, the other on his chest.

I cleared my throat and backed up a small step.

"Sorry," I said.

"You should be more aware of your surroundings," he said.

"I was focused on you too much," I agreed.

I flushed realizing how that sounded and looked away, trying to hide it. He didn't say anything for several long moments of awkward silence.

"Farkas missed you," Vilkas said. "He said you did not write him."

"Was I supposed to?" I asked, surprised.

"It is typical of couples," Vilkas said.

"We're not a couple," I said slowly, confused.

"Perhaps you should tell him that instead of leading him along," Vilkas snapped.

"I'm not! We're friends and we're… I guess seeing where things go."

"Where do you want them to go?" Vilkas said irritably. "Because I - he deserves to know."

"What? Do you want me to go get an amulet of Mara, settle down, and start producing little mini-Farkas's. Or are you worried he's too dangerous? Because the first isn't happening any time soon - I don't care about Skyrim marriage tradition. And the latter doesn't bother me. He's no more dangerous than you," I said.

Vilkas stepped forward, back into my personal space only this time he was glowering down at me.

"I am dangerous."

I looked up at him stubbornly.

"You're my shield-brother and I refuse to be afraid of you. Or him. No matter what you say," I said.

"Foolish -" he began but couldn't seem to find another word.

And then he put his arm back around me which was all the warning I got before he pressed his lips to mine. I made a soft noise of surprise but before I could even consider what to do he pulled away just as fast and intensely as he'd kissed me.

"I should… go."

Vilkas began to walk away and I went to grab his arm but he shrugged it off.

"Your sword," I said.

"Right."

He went and picked it up and left me staring after him, wondering where the kiss had come from or what it meant. I pressed my fingers to my lips and once again looked out over the land beyond but I wasn't really seeing it. My mind was remembering a harsh kiss, the feel of his stubble on my soft cheek, and a pair of striking silver eyes.