12 Days of Yule

Home For Yule

Eivor was fast asleep, traveling the realm of dreams when Mouse suddenly jumped on the bed, licking his face.
Eivor groaned, unhappy with the rude-and far too early-awakening.

He had returned to Ravensthorpe late last night after taking care of Reda's contracts and hunting some game for the upcoming Yule festivities. Now he just wanted to get some sleep in before Módraniht, the night the celebrations would begin.
"Go away, Mouse", he told the wolf with a dismissive gesture then turned onto his other side.

But Mouse persisted, nudging Eivor with his snout while whining.
Eivor tried a few more times to send the wolf away but then gave up, turning onto his back to look at the wolf.
" Fine. Show me what it is."

Mouse seemed satisfied, jumping off the bed and trotting towards the entrance, where it waited for Eivor to follow.
The drengr rose slowly, yawning as he stretched out his aching limbs. He really was looking forward to a break from all the work. And he certainly wouldn't complain about the mead either.
Eivor sighed, grabbing his cloak from the foot of the bed, where he had left it the night before, then followed Mouse out into the cold morning.

Overnight, snow had fallen, covering the trees and rooftops in a thin layer of white though when Eivor looked up into the sky to find dark clouds gathering, he knew that soon that layer would grow in size.
Around him the village was bustling, everyone preparing for the festivities.
He could see Petra and Wallace, preparing the game he had brought home yesterday while Arth did the same with the fish.
He briefly saw Alvis talking to the newcomers onto the other side of the small river, nodding in greeting before he followed Mouse to the barracks.
The mood there was similarly good, some of the Raiders playing Orlog while others set out to help with the preparation where it was necessary.
Mouse stopped outside by the docks where there stood a hooded stranger, his back turned to Eivor.
Many people had come to Ravensthorpe for the holidays but this stranger did look strangely familiar.
When he bent down to pet Mouse, Eivor noticed why.
Mouse was well trained, tolerating even the children when they wanted to play with him but he usually walked away when they did more than pet his head.
There were only two people in all of Midgard that he allowed to pet him the way the stranger was just doing.

"Ivarr?", Eivor asked carefully, approaching the man hesitantly. It seemed almost like a childish hope, given that Ivarr had last been in Ravensthorpe in the summer before he had returned to Repton.
Since then they hadn't really had time to see one another, with Eivor seeking alliances for his clan and Ivarr the leader of a great army.
But when the stranger turned around and let his hood drop there was no doubt in his mind.

"I told you you were too obvious", Ivarr told Mouse, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
But Eivor just stood there, rooted in place for a while. Over time and with enough other things to do, it was easy to forget how much he had missed the Dane but now it seemed to really catch up to him.
Finally the initial shock faded and his legs were carrying him towards Ivarr on their own.
The Dane smiled his usual half smile, letting himself be pulled into what couldn't really be described as a brotherly hug.
"You have been spending much time with Saxons, eh?", Ivarr asked, leaning his head on Eivor's shoulder so he could kiss the taller man's neck.
"You weren't around", Eivor replied in a whisper, returning the favor by placing a kiss on the shaved side of Ivarr's head.

Eivor eventually put their foreheads together, closing his eyes for a moment to really feel Ivarr's presence, his skin against his own.
"Maybe we should go inside", Eivor suggested, "you must be tired."
Ivarr smirked, seeing right through Eivor's words.
"Oh it can wait a little longer", he replied, taking a step back to pull himself from Eivor a little.
"Maybe I am tired", Eivor tried again, looking into the smaller man's eyes.
"You're a drengr, Wolf-kissed, act like it", Ivarr teased even though he already knew that Eivor would have his sweet revenge on the Dane for letting him wait so long.

"Come Mouse, um hungry, let's find something to eat."
Clearly, Mouse was at least as excited about Ivarr's return as Eivor, if not more, staying right by the Ragnarsson's side all the way to the longhouse.
Eivor just sighed dramatically, deciding to see if anyone needed anything before joining his lover once more.

Ivarr really had sat down to eat, Mouse having taken his place by the Dane's feet so the latter could occasionally slip him some food as well.

Eivor approached the pair quietly, wrapping his arms around Ivarr from behind when he was close enough.
If the Dane had been surprised by the arms around his chest he didn't let it show, simply turning his head to the side a little to place a kiss on Eivor's arm.

"I missed you", Eivor mumbled, his lips finding Ivarr's neck, devoid of bruises after all the time that had passed since the last time they had been together but Eivor was about to change that, his lips leaving being traces wherever they went.

Eventually the Dane stopped eating, leaning his head back against Eivor's shoulder as his eyes slipped shut.
"Will you come now or do I have to force you?", Eivor asked, placing a kiss above Ivarr's ear.
"Oh I would like to see you try. "
"Careful what you wish for", Eivor warned, pulling the Dane closer against his chest but Ivarr just chuckled, throwing his head back.

That was enough of a shock to make Eivor let go but he knew Ivarr well enough to see his next move and block the kick, catching Ivarr's leg.
The Dane smirked, trying for and landing a punch.
Eivor returned the favor and used the leg he was already holding onto to trip Ivarr, pinning him down.
The Ragnarsson was fast and lethal on a battlefield but when playfighting Eivor's physical strength tended to be the winning factor.
That and at this point he had all of the Dane's movements memorized.
Ivarr huffed but he didn't have much time to mourn his loss when Eivor threw him over his shoulder, carrying him over to his room.