a/n: requested.
+
The ships had returned yesterday. Y/N had stood there by the shore to welcome her father, Torstein. He wasn't her actual father but had taken care of her since she was a small child. He had a relationship with her mother before she died in childbirth. He had promised her mother that he would always look after her child, raise her to be someone instead of one in the masses.
Torstein did just what he promised. Since he was close to Ragnar he and his family helped as much as they could. Making sure the small baby would survive the first months without her real mother. Years passed by and Torstein had grown more fond on the young girl than he had expected. Every progress she made filled his body with happiness and pride. He never regretted taking care of her.
Y/N had grown up closely to Ragnar and his family. She had played with Ragnar's son Björn for as long as she could remember. They were absolute best friends.
However when she stood there by herself on the shore when Björn stood with his mother by the bridge her heart broke when she couldn't see her father. Her eyes roamed around all the faces on the boats. Smiling slightly when she thought she saw him in the masses. However when her eyes had met Ragnar's her smile faded. His expression wasn't filled with happiness, instead sadness was written across it. He hugged his family before walking over to her and tears slowly made their way down her cheeks.
"Y/N, I'm sorry," Ragnar started before pulling her into his embrace. She didn't hug him back, her body felt paralyzed when the realization of her father never returning. She would never practice combat with him again, eat dinner with him again or fall asleep to him telling her stories about the gods which he had done her whole childhood. She was soon old enough to join them on raids and Torstein had promised her that, but that wouldn't happen now. It was only one year until she was promised to come with.
"How?" She asked, her voice cracking.
"One of Burgred's soldiers..." Ragnar started but she pulled away and started to run towards the woods. She couldn't stand there as people were reunited with their parents, lovers or siblings when she knew the only one she cared about wasn't returning to her arms.
She ran deep inside the woods, to the small stream she and Björn practiced to catch fish when they were ten. She fell onto her knees, her mind numb to the pain from the stones cutting into her knees. She let the tears stream down her cheeks. Her father was dead, the only one who she actually cared for at the end of the day since she somewhat always thought he would be there for her.
"Y/N?!" The familiar voice echoed through the woods, she didn't answer. She wanted to be alone as her body got consumed in the pain oozing from her heart. "Y/N!" He yelled again. Björn saw the familiar young woman sitting by the stream. Relief filled his body, he stopped running and walked over to her. Her cries broke his heart and he sat down next to her. Before she could yell at him to leave he pulled her into his side. Surprise filled both their bodies by his action, Björn by the fact that she didn't pull away and Y/N from his care. Björn kept rubbing her back as she cried into his chest.
Björn didn't know why it affected him so much that she slowly broke before him. They were close friends but it hit him on a much deeper level when she cried. Of course he had seen her cry before, not often but one or two times before but it was obviously nothing like this. He started to rock her slowly and gently back and forth to calm her.
Neither of them knew how long they had been sitting there with he sound of the stream in the background. Y/N was thankful for Björn being here and very thankful for the stream, the sound of it calmed her down as Björn almost cradled her. She bit her lip as she pulled away and looked him in the eyes. Embarrassment oddly filled her body but Björn didn't seem to mind.
The faint light highlighted her face beautifully. Björn smiled softly as he wiped her tears away with his thumbs. He thought she looked absolutely perfect right now even though her cheeks and eyes were puffy from crying. He had never really thought about how pink and plump her lips was. Without hesitation or thought he kissed her. Butterflies filled both of their stomachs as they shared the simple kiss.
They soon pulled away and Y/N's eyes widen as her whole face turned red. She quickly got on her feet and ran back home. It was awkward but she couldn't cope with the confusing emotions that filled her body. She couldn't handle it when she just lost her father.
Since their encounter in the woods Y/N had avoided Björn. She had stayed inside and only went out after making sure he wasn't around. It almost felt the like butterflies in her stomach hadn't disappeared and when she thought about it her heart started to beat quickly in her chest.
She had just visited Floki and Helga. Floki enjoyed a few days of rest before he would check the boats to see if they needed improvement before building some more. They both had been careful about talking about her father and she appreciated it.
Y/N stopped in her tracks when she saw Björn outside her door. He knocked and waited but she didn't say anything. Instead she looked at him. How tall he actually was, his blond hair that he so desperately waited to get longer. She wondered it she ever could braid it sometimes. She bit her lip when she noticed the way his muscles moved under his clothes. When Björn turned around and saw her she blinked quickly.
"Y/N I was looking for you," Björn smiled and she returned it.
"I was visiting Floki and Helga," She answered before walking towards her door. She walked inside and Björn followed. When she turned around Björn stood closer than she expected.
"I haven't seen you for days, how are you feeling?" He asked and she shrugged.
"It will probably take a while before I get used to be on my own," She mumbled and Björn stepped closer. The tension was thick, making her breath rugged as she almost struggled for each breath. She could feel his breath fan over her face and she looked at the ground. Her teeth sunk down onto her bottom lip. Her cheeks was stained in red as she tried to calm her beating heart. "I think you need to leave, I have a few things I need to fix," She mumbled and didn't dare to look back up at him. His breath was now fanning over her neck and with each breath her skin got covered in goosebumps.
"Are you avoiding me?" Björn suddenly asked and she let out a sigh. "Huh?" He hummed before placing his fingers under her jaw then tilting her head back up so their eyes met. His blue eyes were looking deeply into hers.
"I just...I..."she tried but it was pointless. Instead she smashed their lips together. She placed her hands on his shoulders and felt him place his hands on her waist. Björn groaned into the kiss as he pulled her body closer to her. He licked her bottom lip, begging for entrance which she granted him. She moaned into the kiss as their tongues danced together passionately.
"Do you still want me to leave?" Björn asked as he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers.
"No," And their lips was soon attached once again.