I Want to be Kind [-Thorfinn X Reader-] [Vinland Saga]

Rabbits and Kisses

It's been a couple hours or so since we started the hunt. Me and Thorfinn sitting in the snow covered in our furred coats. Still and silent as we wait for prey to cross our paths. Having covered our coats with the surrounding snow to help with camouflage. Me holding onto my bow, and Thorfinn ready to toss one of his daggers into the flesh of an unsuspecting animal.

We spotted a rabbit that was out searching for food. It's little nose sniffing at the snow, looking to pick up the scent of any greenery underneath. Every so often using its front paws to kick up the snow in front of it, only to sniff at the dead ground before moving closer to us. Looks like we were both hungry, but the two of us will be eating instead of him. The rabbit let out a squeal as Thorfinns dagger struck deep into its body.

I send a prayer up to Ullr the God of the hunt and of winter. Thanking him for allowing us to make a kill in this frozen sleepy forest that seemed to house no life within it. Thorfinn stands up, the snow on his coat falling from his back and shoulders. Heading over and removing his dagger from the animal. Coming up beside him I'm wiping the excess snow from my own body when I tell him "Good shot."

He cleans the knife off in the snow and grabs the rabbit "I can carry it if you want." I offer him and he shakes his head, his blonde locks swishing with the movement. "I don't mind carrying. Besides, if the other men saw you carrying instead of me I'd become a laughing stock."

I purse my lips at his words. "What's wrong with a girl helping out?" I ask him, I've always helped out with killing and whatnot why did this matter? "It's not that I don't think you're capable. I know you're extremely capable of anything I'm able to do." He tells me "It's just, I was taught it's a man's job to help ease the burden of the woman around him."

I can't help myself from smiling at what he said, completely forgetting my annoyance. "Well that makes you a better man than any I've ever known. Which isn't saying much because.. well you know the whole only been around Vikings thing." I chuckle, earning a small huff of amusement from him. "My sister always made sure to instill what she called 'being a gentleman' in me from a young age."

"Well your sisters got the right idea. Making sure that her future sister in law would be taken good care of by you. Cause I'm positive with manners like that you'd make any lucky woman happy." I say eyeing up the rabbit. Especially since he can hunt as well as he can, he'd make any wife fat and happy.

Thorfinn smirks at my words "You think so? Would you offer yourself up for that position and see if I could make you happy?" He teases me causing a blush to appear on my face. "I- Well, uh." I stammer not knowing how to answer his question. He drops the rabbit on the ground, moving toward me.

"Would that be a yes?" He asks cockily, his head cocking to the side in question.
Freaking out as I'm wondering where this comes from all of a sudden "Um, I'm not sure." I mutter as I take a step back, my back hitting against a tree as Thorfinn corners me. I could've sworn he could hear my heartbeat cause Gods it was just about to burst through my chest by how fast it was going.

He leans forward and I shut my eyes closed expecting a kiss. But instead my lips I feel the touch of two pillowy lips caress my forehead. Opening my eyes I see him leaning back with a cocky smirk plastered on his face. "Did you think something else was going to happen?" He teases, seeing my tomato face "Oh you're so dirty for thinking like that." He laughs and I want to smack him upside the head. "No, I didn't expect anything sleazy!" I say ducking around his body.

I quickly grab the rabbit and am about to rush back to the village when he comes up beside me and gently takes it from my hands. "Didn't I say I would get it." He says, a hint of laughter still in his voice. I respond with a huff and walk ahead of him trying to get control of my very out of control feelings.

Did I want him to kiss me on the lips and possibly make out? Was I disappointed he didn't? No, of course not. I was just upset because he was joking with me. That's all it had to be.

Ragnar spots us coming back into camp "Oh my! That's a tasty looking rabbit, did you two catch that?" Thorfinn glares at Ragnar. "Yes, we just caught it." I told him.

"Is that going to be your lunch?" Ragnar asks us and I hear Thorfinn mutter "Fuck off already." I shoot Thorfinn a glare for being rude but Ragnar either didn't care or didn't hear as he continues "Are you going to roast it?"

"Yeah why?" I ask him, Thorfinn is already beginning to walk off. "It's not healthy for you two to only eat meat. Why don't you both join me and Canute, you guys can add your rabbit to our stew inside."

Before Thorfinn has the chance to decline like I knew he would, I quickly grab him and say "That would be great! Thank you." As I drag Thorfinn into the house. "Look your majesty, we've got cabbage, string beans, and even a rabbit!" Ragnar announces and I see prince Canute in front of a cooking hearth. His hair was pulled back from his face and he was currently stirring a pot with stew in it. "A rabbit?" He asked as he spotted us.

I'm floored as I stare at the prince. "Never expected to see that." I say lowly as Ragnar and Canute continue their conversation. "No shit, neither did I, I didn't think nobles could cook." Thorfinn mutters back to me. "He looks.. Cute like that." I whisper.

"Hey! Stop your whispering, you'll need to clean and dress the rabbit." Canute orders us. 'He is more princely when it comes to cooking' I think in amusement.

We get to work cleaning the meat and tearing the pelt from the flesh. Gutting the animal and cutting up the meat into bite size pieces. Canute adds the meat into the stew and within thirty minutes the stew was ready to eat.

We sit there dumbfounded as Ragnar hands us our bowls. My stomach growling at the smell of it. "What's wrong? You both caught the rabbit, you should eat your fill." Canute tells us after noticing we still hadn't eaten any.

We both take a spoonful and take a bite. I take back what I thought earlier about Thorfinn being able to make a woman fat and happy. Canute was better husband material when it came to food. Because where thorfinn could provide the food, Canute could cook it into something entirely amazing that made my taste buds cry out with joy. "Where did you learn to cook like this?" I ask Canute in between bites as me and Thorfinn scarf down the food.

"It's a simple hobby I have. Ragnar taught me the basics and I figured it out from there." Canute says, taking a sip from his goblet. He was the embodiment of serene, as he ate his food with grace. "Though neither of you must tell anyone about this." He ordered us.

"Why? There's nothing wrong with it." Thorfinn asks, scooping some more of the stew into his mouth. "My father the king does not take kindly to me doing servant work. So I would appreciate it if no one really knew about this." Canute explains.

Ragnar starts talking to Canute about different ways to cook up and prepare rabbit. Me and Thorfinn listen quietly to what they say as we eat our meal. As I'm finishing up I think of how this is so normal. Eating a hot meal in a warm home, people talking about ways to cook instead of ways to kill. Happy that Ragnar invited us to join them for dinner. It was peaceful, a type of peace I've always wished for as a woman born into the life of a viking.

But it did not last. Thorfinn tenses up alerting me. "What's wrong?" I asked when I heard the banging at the door.