"What are you doing out here on your own?" Halfdan asks, when he finally finds Bjorn. All night he had been asked about their travels, about the things they had seen, the people they had met. He hadn't minded repeating his stories over and over, but every time he had wanted to go see how Bjorn was doing, someone had dragged him off, and it had taken him hours to finally get away.

"I have spoken to Torvi," Bjorn says, not taking his eyes off the sky. "We have agreed to end our marriage."

"How is she?"

"Trying to hide her pain."

"And you?"

"I am relieved," Bjorn admits, a guilty look on his face. "What does that make of me?"

"A good man."

"Does it?"

"You have told her the truth, and you are giving her a chance to…"

"I haven't told her a thing," Bjorn spits out, finally looking down at Halfdan. "I did not tell her about you."

"There is nothing to tell, Bjorn."

A long silence follows, until the door opens, and Lagertha comes out. She is looking heated, her face flushed, and she seems to be enjoying the cold night air, but when she notices her son and Halfdan, she comes over to them.

"Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine," Bjorn says, but his mother raises an eyebrow.

"Are you upset over what happened with Torvi?" Lagertha asks. "She will find love again, as I'm sure you will. There are other women out there."

"I know," Bjorn quickly says, doing his best to avoid Halfdan's eyes. Lagertha notices the tension in the air though, and she sighs.

"What happened while you were away?"

"Nothing," Halfdan quickly says, but his answer comes too quickly, and even he himself can hear that it is an obvious lie.

"Have you met someone else?"

"I have," Bjorn admits, and his mother nods, taking in this new information.

"And where is she now? Is she still out there? Did you bring her here?"

"Don't do this," Halfdan warns him, but he can see the determined look on Bjorn's face, and he knows that nothing he will say will stop him.

"I haven't met a woman."

"But I thought you just said…"

"Halfdan and I, we…," Bjorn begins, but before he can say another word, his mother's face turns ashen, and she looks away from them, bringing her hands up to her mouth.

"You are too old for this, Bjorn," she finally says, as she turns back to them. "When you were a boy, perhaps you could… now this… this cannot happen. Do you hear me?"

"Why not?" Bjorn spits out. Halfdan is taken aback by the anger in his voice, by the hurt, but he keeps quiet. He doesn't want to say the wrong thing and make this worse for either of them.

"Because you are to be married, you…"

"Why?" Bjorn asks, not even giving Lagertha a chance to continue. "What about Astrid, huh?"

"Don't you dare!"

"What about father and Athelstan?"

"Your father was married!" Lagertha snaps, not even aware of how loud her voice has gotten. "If you want to find a girl and marry her," she continues, before turning to Halfdan. "You too… you can have this too, but…"

"And lie to my wife? Hurt her?" Bjorn asks. "Because I will not care for her."

"And you care for him?"

"I do," Bjorn admits, the words sending a bolt of lighting through Halfdan's body. But Lagertha just shakes her head, a frustrated look on her face. "I will not marry again."

"I fear you will live to regret this decision."

"Yet it is my decision to make, is it not?"

"It is Bjorn, but…," Lagertha begins, but for just a moment, when she sees the determined look on her son's face, she sees Ragnar. She still remembers how protective he had been over Athelstan, how he had saved his life, over and over again. How he had chosen to put his trust in him, even when no one else would. How much he had cared for him.

She recognises the look in her son's eyes, and it makes her realise that no matter what she says, it will not change a thing about his feelings for Halfdan. So she places a hand on Bjorn's arm, and she squeezes it tight.

"I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I know."

Lagertha looks at Halfdan, but he can't tell if she is angry with him, worried, or hurt even. He can't read her, so he simply tries to look grateful, before she turns and leaves again.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to tell her, I just…"

"What happens now?" Halfdan asks, a little nervous someone must have overheard Lagertha and Bjorn's argument. "What does this mean for us?"

"I should have asked you before I told my mother."

"Perhaps, yes," Halfdan says, a shy smile on his face. "I'm not sure what…"

"You know how much I care for you," Bjorn says, but Halfdan just nods, before looking away from him, avoiding his eyes. "What is it that you want, Halfdan?"

"You heard what your mother said, we cannot…"

"Why not?"

"You know why not, Bjorn," Halfdan whispers, making sure no one will hear them. "You are Bjorn Ironside, son of…"

"Don't you dare use that against me," Bjorn spits out, but Halfdan can hear that he isn't angry. Instead, he is hurt, and there is fear in his voice.

Halfdan wants to tell Bjorn the words he wants to hear, but he can't. So he just shrugs his shoulders, before walking away, and going back inside, leaving Bjorn standing there, feeling like his insides have just been ripped out.

Halfdan is in bed, and he is just drifting off to sleep, when the door to his room opens. He sits up in bed, and reaches out for something, anything to defend himself with. But when he recognises the shape of Bjorn, even in the darkness, he breathes a sigh of relief.

"What are you doing here?"

Bjorn ignores the question, and Halfdan watches him as he gets out of his clothes, a determined look on his face. Halfdan has been here before, with men getting ready for a fuck, when he didn't want it. Where he would have to fight them off, where he would have to threaten to cut off their pricks if they wouldn't stop. For a moment the memories of those men go through his mind, but he knows that Bjorn is different. Bjorn wouldn't hurt him.

Bjorn gets into bed with Halfdan, and just feeling the warmth of his body, as he presses up against his back, makes Halfdan want to turn and kiss him. But instead, he keeps quiet, and he doesn't move.

"What do you want, Halfdan?" Bjorn whispers into Halfdan's ear, his warm breath on his skin giving him chills all over.

"You know what I want."

"Then tell me. I have told you what I want, what I feel for you, but you haven't told me a thing. I didn't even realise, not until tonight. I just assumed, but…"

"I chose to go with you, didn't I?" Halfdan quickly says, and Bjorn can't help but smile. "That wasn't just because I had something to prove."

"No?"

"You know it wasn't," Halfdan admits, and he can feel Bjorn's arm wrapping around his waist, holding him tight. "I have always thought of you as more than… sorry…"

"I feel stupid for not seeing it sooner," Bjorn admits. "I wish you had told me."

"Would it have made a difference?"

"Perhaps. Think of all that time we spent out there, away from…"

"Your wife?" Halfdan asks, and Bjorn can hear the teasing in his voice. He grabs hold of his waist even tighter, and kisses his neck, before bringing his mouth up to his ear again.

"Perhaps we can make up for the time we wasted, yes?"

"What are you suggesting?" Halfdan asks, but before he has even finished his sentence, Bjorn's hand has slid down to the edge of his trousers. "What if someone comes in?"

"So what? Let them," Bjorn shrugs, before sliding his hand into Halfdan's trousers, and grabbing hold of his prick. He can feel Halfdan tensing up, so he starts kissing his shoulder, up to his neck, until he ends up at his ear.

"Take them off," he whispers, and Halfdan does as he is told, but when he is about to turn to face Bjorn, he hesitates. "What is it?"

"Will you fuck me tonight?"

"Are you sure?" Bjorn asks, and Halfdan can't help but smile, knowing he has made the right decision, when he sees the genuine worry on his face. This isn't a quick fuck, a quick in and out, where he will end up feeling dirty, filled with nothing but shame and regret. Bjorn cares. For the first time, doing this with someone will actually mean something.

Halfdan kisses Bjorn, and for a moment, he feels like this is enough. Just being here with him, sharing a kiss, spending the night together, it is enough. But when Bjorn presses his body up against him, and Halfdan can feel his hard prick pressing up against his leg, it feels like a bolt of lightning goes through his body.

"Fuck me," he whispers, and Bjorn nods, before giving him another kiss.

Bjorn watches as Halfdan turns away from him, as he positions himself, preparing for what is about to happen. It sends a shiver through Bjorn's body, but when he realises that this is far from the first time that Halfdan has been in this position, that he has done this for men who used him like a piece of meat, he feels a hurt which cuts him like a knife. He feels like he should be protecting him, keeping him safe. Not do the same thing to him that those men had done to him.

"Is this truly what you want?" he whispers, and Halfdan looks over his shoulder, a confused look on his face. "Don't do this for me. I will let you take me again."

"I will take you again next time," Halfdan says, and even in the dark Bjorn can see the mischievous glint in his eye. "Perhaps even later tonight, if you wish."

"You…"

"What?"

"It doesn't matter." Bjorn smiles, and Halfdan turns his head again. Bjorn places himself behind his best friend, his lover, and he places a kiss on his neck, before carefully and gently pushing himself into him. He still remembers the pain he had felt when he had been in Halfdan's place, so he gives him a moment before continuing.

"Is this…?"

"Shut up, Bjorn," Halfdan laughs, and Bjorn can't help but smile, before kissing his neck, and grabbing onto Halfdan's hip, to get a better grip.

He had been with dozens of women, and it had been fine, it had been exactly what he thought it would be like. But it had never left him feeling satisfied. He had always been left longing for more, a part of him had been left feeling like it needed something else. So he had had more women, and sometimes he had even come to care for them. But none of them could satisfy them. Not truly.

But it had been that night, where Halfdan had taken him, underneath the full moon, where he had been left feeling satisfied for the first time in his life. It had left him feeling like he had finally figured out what had been missing all along. But being here, taking Halfdan, being inside of him, their bodies pressed so closely together that he can feel his heartbeat, it brings him so much more than satisfaction. It makes him feel like they are becoming one, like this moment is binding them together. Like they are making a promise to each other, in front of the Gods.

Halfdan brings his hand towards Bjorn's hand, which is still gripping tightly onto his hip, and he brings it down to his prick. Bjorn's touch is rough, but Halfdan doesn't mind. Not at all.

"Harder," he whispers, not even sure if Bjorn has heard him.

"What?"

"Harder," he repeats, "I can take it," he adds, and Bjorn can't help but laugh, before pushing into him with more force this time. Before, he had been nervous to hurt him, but when he hears the groan coming from Halfdan, and he watches him gripping onto the bed, he knows that he is doing something right. So he fucks him, harder again this time, while tightening his grip on his prick.

"Better?" he whispers, and Halfdan can hear just how much he is enjoying this.

"A little," he laughs, making Bjorn push into him with even more force. "Now we are getting somewhere."

"You are mad," Bjorn whispers, but seeing this side of Halfdan only turns him on more, makes him want to see what else is hiding inside of him. So he pushes harder and harder, feeling like he is being struck by lightning, every time Halfdan groans out.

But then Halfdan stops him, and he reaches out to grab his hand.

"Wait."

"Me too," Bjorn whispers, and he lets go of Halfdan's prick, and grabs hold of his hip again. He kisses Halfdan's neck, and with one final push, he spills inside of him. It makes him feel like they are now truly bound together, and when Halfdan turns to face him, he almost tells him. He almost tells him just how much this fuck has meant to him, but he keeps the words to himself, and when he sees Halfdan's hard prick, he reaches out and grabs it.

Halfdan can see that something has changed in Bjorn's eyes, even now, as he is getting him off, his mind is elsewhere. He is thinking about something. It makes Halfdan wonder if he is regretting it. If he wishes he was still with Torvi.

But when he comes, and he starts shivering, simply from the release, the exhaustion, Bjorn wraps his arms around him, and he kisses the top of his head.

"Is it alright if I stay with you tonight?"

"Do you want to?" Halfdan asks, ashamed at the shock in his voice. No man has ever spent the night with him, and after everything Bjorn has told him, he shouldn't be surprised, but he can't help it. He is still waiting for him to change his mind, to go back to Torvi, or for him to meet a woman and to marry her instead.

"I am not like those men, Halfdan," Bjorn whispers, before letting out a sigh, wondering if Halfdan will ever truly get over his past. "I want to be here, with you."

Bjorn and Halfdan have woken up a while ago, but they are still in bed, not wanting to leave the safety of this moment just yet. But just as Bjorn rolls on top of Halfdan, the door swings open, and Ubbe storms in.

"Halfdan, have you seen… oh…"

"Have I seen Bjorn?" Halfdan asks, trying to keep a straight face, as Bjorn climbs off him, and grabs the furs to cover them up. "Yes."

"I can see that," Ubbe laughs. "So ehm… I shall give you a minute to finish up here?"

"Make it ten." Bjorn grins, and his brother shakes his head, laughing, before leaving, and closing the door behind him. "Do you want to get dressed, or…"

"Or what?" Halfdan laughs. "Your brother…"

"Won't come back," Bjorn shrugs, as he throws the furs off them. Seeing Halfdan lying there, so naked, so exposed, it brings a small smile to Bjorn's face.

"What?"

"You are beautiful."

"Shut up," Halfdan laughs. "Now I know you are mocking me."

"I am not," Bjorn says, as he brings his fingers down to a large scar on Halfdan's chest. He traces it, before carefully touching a scar on his arm, realising any of these wounds could have killed him. Realising he could have lost him before he had truly found him.

"We should get dressed, go and see…"

"Yes," Bjorn quickly agrees, but Halfdan can tell that something is on his mind. He is too nervous to ask though. Not sure if he wants to hear the answer.