What a grumpy man. I loved doing the Companions quest line so I thought I would include some love for the smart arse.
[Y/N]=Your Name
[Y/R]=Your Race
Fan art: http://spacesmilodon.deviantart.com/art/Vilkas-508321903
Hope you like it!
Sometimes I think Tilma knows too much
Just the two of us, me and Vilkas, sat In Jorrvaskr as we awaited the arrival of the circle. It was quiet today, most of the companions considered it prime time in the season to go hunting and bring back a few pelts, and the rest of the circle were all on an important job. Vilkas was sitting on the stairs while Tilma set the table for dinner, she didn't like anyone getting in her way. As for me, I stood across from Vilkas and leant against a pole.
"What are you reading?" I asked Vilkas who's nose was stuck in a book.
"A Brief History of the Empire volume three. Why do you ask?" He replied, nose not leaving said book.
"Ah yeah, I remember reading that one, sad book. The troubles that the Emperors endured were truly fascinating though I must admit." He stopped reading to look up at me for a moment, surprised by my knowledge of the book.
"How does someone like you know anything about literature?" He looked me up and down while questioning me as if the answer was on something I was wearing.
I had not long been here, just about two months in fact, but I looked like the people of this country for sure. I was a [Y/R] with long curly hair that I put in a ponytail more often than not, however, I didn't today. The hair hung loose around my shoulders and was slightly more springy today because of the humidity. I was wearing steel armour, gauntlets, and boots, and had propped my shield up against my leg as I de-tangled a long taffy treat. I could see where he was coming from though, I didn't really look like a scholar, I looked more like a thug.
"One acquires knowledge while on a few missions here and there. I get a few hours to myself while I am walking or riding to my destination so I bring a few books to pass the time." I said, a little laugh was heard from the middle of the room as Tilma walked past us with some dirty plates and headed outside.
"Don't say I didn't tell you so Vilkas." She smiled and left to clean the plates.
"Tell you what?" I enquired.
"She told me and Aela, once you came to us, to not judge you by the way you look." He huffed and returned to his book. "I guess she was right."
I smiled and returned to the treat in my hands. Ria knew I hated eating these things if they were in a bundle, so she messed with me every time I said I was having one by tangling the thing up before I could eat it. Wicked girl, but a good friend.
I sat down next to Vilkas as he flipped to the next page. We were silent as the fire pit crackled; it lit up the whole hall, every corner, every object, and every feature on Vilkas's face. I looked at him intently, he had no visible dirt on his face like some of the other Companions and for a guy who preferred to talk through problems first he had a lot of scars on his face. I guessed that scraping with bandits was harder with no shield. He had a scar in the same place as his brother: over his left eye. I never asked about it but it always intrigued me. His eyes seemed darker in the low glow of the fire and he looked at me with those icy blue eyes.
"What do you want [Y/N]?" He asked, closing his book but holding the pages in between his index fingers so he could continue.
"I was just looking at you, the light makes you seem like less of a grumpy old man." I smiled and Vilkas huffed and continued to read.
It wasn't long until it had gotten very warm, even for a [Y/R]. Then again, I was adjusted to this country's cold weather so it wasn't surprising when Vilkas and I both had to take off our armour to cool down. Under all that armour he was rather strapping. Sure, his shirt hung loosely around his waist, but it was barely staying together around his arms, it stretched with every move his arms made. I knew first hand that is arms are literally made of Skyforge steel. They could take a hit, and give them too. He swung his steel sword as if it were made of air and struck with suck precision that it sometimes scared me how accurate he was with the blade.
"Vilkas." I said in the mer form of a whisper, not removing my eyes from his figure.
"Yes?" Vilkas replied as he turned around to face me.
Crap. I needed to think of a question. I silently thanked Talos that he hadn't noticed me staring at him before.
"Umm...Well, er, I." Oh boy, I was in trouble.
"[Y/N]?" The look of pure concern was something I had never seen before on his face, it suited him well I must admit.
He came to sit next to me again, placing a hand over my forehead and the other on my cheek. He turned them over and rested his knuckles on my head, they were course and rough as if he had been in one too many fist fights in his life.
"You are hot. Too hot." He remarked.
Vilkas then went to tame the fire and dimmed it down making sure that it gave off less heat but still glowed enough to fill the room with light. I sighed as the hall cooled down, thankful he hadn't noticed that he was the cause of my sudden red-tainted face. He sat down on the step next to me once again and resumed his book.
"Any better?" He asked.
"Much." I replied as I fiddled with the steel dagger in my belt.
We sat there for a while as the hall cooled, and not one of us said a word. It was dim now but everything was still visible in the centre of the hall, however, behind us, where the living quarters were, was a lot darker. I looked at him as I was getting a little tired, he was drooping off himself. I smiled a little and lay my head on his lap.
"What are you doing?" He questioned with frustration laced in his voice.
"Laying down, what do you think." I said matter-of-factly.
"Well don't." That was when a glimpse of light had gotten caught in Vilkas's eyes. "What is that?" He asked, pointing to the amulet around my neck.
I sat back up an examined the necklace. I hadn't realised that I was still wearing one. I physically chocked on my own breath as I pulled out an amulet of Mara from behind my t-shirt.
"An amulet of Mara?" He questioned with is brows slightly furrowed. "You're not married?"
I shook my head, unable to respond.
"Surprising." He chucked with surprise. "Are you looking for marriage?"
I just looked at him with a blank expression.
"I did for a few weeks, but I decided that because no one wanted to marry me I would forget the concept." I looked down and inspected the amulet. "I hadn't even realised I was still wearing it."
Vilkas looked a tad hurt by this, but none the less turned the rest of his body to face me on the stairs where we sat. I laughed at his eager look.
"Interested in me, are you?" I looked at the man who now had a half-serious expression in his furrowed look, I couldn't quite make out what the other emotion was in the ever-darkening hall.
"I am." My smile faded into shock. "I'd be glad to stand by your side until the Divines take us, i...if you'll have me."
I don't understand it myself, but the emotions running through my head must have gotten to me because I started to cry. Vilkas suddenly softened his expression and, not knowing what else to do, he pulled me into his arms. All those weeks of travelling from town to town looking for a marriage partner and all I really needed to do was wear it around my home away from home.
"I will." I choked out. "Together, then."
"Together." He smiled and wiped the tears away from my eyes.
Then he kissed me.
Vilkas. The grumpy, hot-headed, stubborn man kissed me. I had no idea how long it lasted but somewhere in the midst of it I had stopped crying and gripped his shirt collar to steady myself. Vilkas had his hands on my cheeks and was in no way letting me out of his grasp. It felt like he had been waiting for this to happen and was fully prepared just as he would be with any sort of mission or job.
"Vilkas." I moaned, breaking the kiss. "I need to breathe."
He gave a breathy chuckle in response.
"How long are we waiting before telling the others?" I asked.
"How about we wait until they catch on to us?" He smirked.
"Vilkas!" I over-exaggerated. "I never thought I would see the day when you would be willing to pull a little joke on your fellow Companions!"
"Well I guess it will surprise them in two ways won't it?" He smiled and stood up. "We will talk about our wedding plans later, we should check on Tilma, she has been washing the dishes for a while, and maybe she needs some help."
I got up and followed him to the door and whispered under my breath: "I really never thought I would see the day."
We headed out the back doors to help Tilma. The sunset was quite amazing that night and you had a perfect view of it from Jorrvaskr. The light beamed from around the mountains and lit up the peaks. You could see all the ancient buildings with the sun setting behind them. Jorrvaskr's porch was at the perfect angle to see the Battle-Born farm, Fellglow Keep, and even the Ritual Stone. The streets of Whiterun were full of mothers and fathers trying to rally up their children and put them to bed, the stalls were closing, and the shops were shutting their doors for the day. I whistled as I stepped outside. Tilma sat outside on the porch with a smile as if she had been waiting for us all this time.
"I see everything, hear everything, and know everything." Tilma smirked.
I stopped dead in my tracks and so did Vilkas.
"Tilma...We-" Vilkas started but Tilma was faster.
"Oh, I'm a good keeper of secrets. Have to be, in this hall." She smiled and headed back inside with the clean dishes.
"Had she been listening to us all this time?" Vilkas said in shock.
"Yes, I think she must have been," I answered. "And by the looks of it, she had planned to leave us alone in a room that she made way to hot in the first place!" I dramatically gasped to Vilkas who frowned in return.
"She has some explaining to do." He growled.
Then we both heard the rest of the Companions return and I looked to Vilkas who was fuming with anger.
"Maybe another time." He begrudgingly added, kissed my cheek and headed in to greet the others.
I smiled. "She planned that to a tea, even down to knowing when the other would return." I laughed and followed Vilkas through the doors.