Wherever you go, I will follow

4

"I'm home!" Ragnar shouts when he enters the Lothbrok house, mainly just to check who is there (there are always some people). Some yells come in return. He can only identify a few. He drops his bag near the door, and before walking into the living room where the yells were coming from, he sends a quick text to Athelstan.

@RL: I'm home, gotta catch up with the guys, call you later :*

As he enters the living room, he sees Björn thrown over the couch with his legs in Halfdan's lap, beside him Floki and Rollo, Lagertha is sitting on the floor, and there's some music playing softly. The volume of the chattering increases when they spot him standing in the doorway as everyone attempts to greet him simultaneously.

He sits down beside Lagertha and gives her a quick kiss. "Yeah, hi everyone."

When Björn asks how the trip was, he answers with something funny, as per usual, then they get back to their conversations. Lagertha, however, knowing him better than anyone, looks at him questioningly.

Ragnar shrugs. "We'll talk about it later."

Lagertha leaves it at that, but Floki overhears, and he asks with a giggle: "Is it a girl?"

He looks at his friend with a frown and tries to shake it off. "Sure."

His attempt goes awry though: Rollo huffs with an eye roll, and he can't not pick up on that. "What is your problem, brother?"

Rollo shakes his head, gulps his drink down, and leans forward with a hateful look: "You never deserved her."

"Oh, so that's what this is about? Really, again?"

"No. Still. You think you're so open and modern but this whole arrangement of yours is really only about one thing."

"And what is that?"

"It's so you can keep fucking women. You don't deserve her."

"And where is she in this? As far as I know, she also fucks people. Have you heard of Astrid?"

"I would be ashamed in your place that my girlfriend needs another woman to keep her happy. It is because you can't give it to her."

"Okay now," Björn chimes in, "that's enough. Mom is happy. Everyone's happy."

"Björn's right, Rollo," Lagertha agrees. "We've talked about this."

Rollo looks around the room, lets out an irritated huff, and after putting his empty glass of beer down, he exits the room, leaving behind an awkward silence.

Floki giggles into the tension. "So, what does she look like?"

Ragnar shoots a frustrated look at him. "Blue eyes, dark hair."

"That's it? I meant her body!"

Lagertha shakes her head in disbelief and takes a sip from her beer.

"Ehm, slim but muscular..." Ragnar begins. Floki eyes him suspiciously. He adds, just for the fun of it, "Hairy."

They all look at him with nearly visible question marks above their heads.

"Did I forget to mention? He's a he."

They burst out in laughter. Halfdan is hitting Björn's leg in his lap while laughing, and says: "That happened to me too once! You can never tell nowadays..." Björn pats his shoulder.

"Oh no, this was intentional," Ragnar clarifies with a grin. "Very intentional. He's beautiful."

Halfdan looks at Björn sideways, and shrugs. "Well, that too."