Warnings: swearing, Hvitserk sleeping around

It had all started when Hvitserk and you had been young.

At first you hadn't been in love with Hvitserk at all, but it had changed after years of friendship, you had developed feelings for him, and you had been quite certain that he didn't feel the same way about you.

Hvitserk and you had always been close, too close to be just friends as his brothers liked to tease him about that, which you had always denied.

When Hvitserk had one day watched his father kiss his mother passionately on her neck from behind he had decided to jokingly try that with you.

He had snuck up on you, wrapping his arms around you as he pulled you up against his chest so your feet rose from the ground and had planted a rather harsh kiss on your neck.

It was followed by a shout of his name from you as he let you go suddenly, running away as you giggled and followed, the two of you perfectly unaware of what the kiss actually meant.

Which was why when you caught up with Hvitserk you tackled his back, jumping and wrapping your arms around him, and burying your face in his neck, planting an airy kiss on the crook of it.

It had started a habit you jokingly had had over years, never thinking twice about it even when you gained age and maturity.

It was another reason why people thought the two of you would one day surely become more than just friends and you accepted their verdict, especially since you weren't entirely opposed to it.

But when Hvitserk came of a certain age he started going out with girls, girls that weren't you.

He met up with you as often as before but he liked to talk about his conquests, sometimes leaving you red in the face out of anger and humiliation.

The more you saw Hvitserk with other women the more frustrated you got, but whenever you were with him all that anger vanished and you were left in the positive, supporting atmosphere the two of you always shared.

Hvitserk usually greeted you with a kiss on the neck from behind, it had become a greeting whenever he saw the chance to sneak up on you and though he had done it already in front of some of the girls he had had none of them had said anything, or at least not to you.

Even though you usually ignored his conquests after he came towards you later than you had agreed on one day, still lacing his trousers as he moved towards you, grinning from ear to ear your anger finally got the better of you.

When Hvitserk moved to hug you you pushed him away, a confused look making its way on Hvitserk's face.

"What is it, what's wrong?", he asked you as he stepped towards you, though this time he kept his distance.

"You were with another of your girls just now, weren't you?", was your reply, which brought a cocky grin onto his face.

"Well, yes, it was fun, but what does that matter to you?", he chuckled as you bit your lower lip in anger.

When he realized that you seemed seriously hurt his grin fell, and Hvitserk grew serious.

"What's wrong, pup?", he asked you, reminding you of the nickname he had for you since you were children.

He had given it to you because like a wolf you were fierce and sincere, but not all that dangerous either, reminding him of a wolf puppy.

"I hate that you go around Kattegat like it was a brothel, but all the girls seem cheap enough that your title buys you your way in between their legs", you told him and Hvitserk looked more surprised than you had ever seen him.

"I don't know... I don't think...", he began to say but then frowned again, looking at you.

"What exactly are you saying?", he asked, leaning his head to the side in a questioning glance at you.

After a small intake of breath you nodded as you answered him.

"I'm saying that I'm in love with you and it hurts knowing that you don't seem to acknowledge that. That you never even saw it, because you apparently feel that I am so much of a sister to you that you didn't even think about that possibility", you told him, and all he could do was stare at you in shock.

"And now I fucked our friendship up, I know, but I had to say it, finally", you added and waited for an answer, which took its time.

For minutes you stood there, watching Hvitserk breathlessly, but he didn't move an inch, nor did he say anything.

He stood there, shoulders sagging as he stared at the ground in front of you.

"I never thought you'd think of me this way", he began.

"I mean I noticed sometimes but I didn't think that you'd actually like me, you know, like that", he continued and you winced at his wording.

You knew he was going to go on and say that he always saw you as a sister and that it was sick of you to think otherwise, so you turned around, letting your eyes wander over the forest that started behind the hut you had agreed to meet in.

"I mean I didn't think you'd be stupid enough to like me like that", he went on and you nearly rolled your eyes at his idea that you had had a choice in the matter.

You heard him walk towards you slowly, soft sound of warrior footsteps on the mossy ground, until you felt him snake his arms around your waist carefully.

"I don't know why I never said anything, I was scared I guess?", he told you as he pulled you flushed against him, his chest pressed to your back as he was towering over you from behind.

You felt his head lower to the height of your ear as he breathed against it, still talking, but you could feel his heartbeat that quickened steadily against your shoulder.

"I'm actually scared, you know. I'm not the type to be in a committed relationship. You know that, I mean, that's what you're angry about", he chuckled before he got serious again.

"Fuck, I mean, I'm in love with you for years now but I don't want to fuck it up, so I thought being friends with you would be better, safer", he said as he let his thumbs graze over the sides of the small of your back gently, having your breathing pick up in turn as well.

"I love you, you know that, but it's much more than just on the level of friendship. I just don't want to hurt you, and I'm sure I will, because that's just how I am", he continued as you felt one of his hands let go of your waist as he lifted it to pull your hair back over your shoulder, giving him access to the skin of your neck.

"I'm in love with you, more than you could ever imagine, and I never wanted to hurt you. But I want you to be safe of pain, and I think that's not possible if you're with me. You can see how fucked up my brothers' relationships are, or my father's", he reasoned and you nodded softly.

"I don't want to be safe", you answered stubbornly and he chuckled, sending a rush of breath over the exposed skin on your neck.

"I know", he whispered as he moved his head down, placing his lips delicately on the spot where your collar bone and shoulder connected.

"I know, and if I'm being honest, I don't want that either", he chuckled as he let his lips graze over the skin of your shoulder to your neck, pressing them there in another delicate kiss that sent shivers run up and down your spine.

"All I want is you", he breathed out, and the goosebumps only intensified.

When you turned your head to face him he kept you in place with his hands on your waist, grinning suggestively at you, but there was reassurance and love in his eyes to show you he was serious.

He leaned further in towards you, so your faces were inches from another.

"Be my girlfriend? I can't promise you I won't mess anything up but I can promise you I'll try not to", he asked you, a half grin gracing his face that made you chuckle as you set a hand on the side of it.

"I'd love that", you answered as you moved your face closer to his, finally connecting your lips.

It was better than you had imagined it would be, but you knew that Hvitserk had had more than enough practice to be an amazing kisser.

It was a delicate kiss, nothing rushed or harsh but rather just a soft display of affection, unlike so many kisses you had witnessed Hvitserk having with other girls.

It reassured you entirely, and you knew that he was serious in what he had said, that he meant it.

The relationship you would have with Hvitserk was flawless, and he didn't make you regret it even once.