Reunion with Strangers (Viking Nordics x Reader)

A Splendid Surprise

Wow! It's been forever since I updated. Well, I'm still alive so here's your new chapter. Enjoy!  :)
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You nodded briefly, before scooting in your own chair with a slight creak. Lukas offered you his warm yet soft palm. For the second time this morning you slipped your fingers between his.

T-this is only to help him show me the way! Right?

Your chest became inflamed with an uncanny burning sensation. Not a pain, but a strong warmth. You hadn't felt this since... Since... Mom.

Lukas broke your moment of reflection with a abrupt stop. You barely missed slamming into him.

"Are you feeling alright?" Lukas asked, concern detailing the corners of his eyes. "You can go back to bed if you're not feeling well. We could always do this another time..."

You shook you're head furiously. The curiosity was burning much brighter than any mystery feeling you had at the moment.

Lukas hesitantly turned and began marching through the living room. He only stooped to snatch his jacket off a coat rack prior to pacing out the front door.

The chilly morning air engulfed you, nipping at your skin and swarming any tiny crevasse it could find.

Your body shivered violently to ward off the invasive wafts of cold air.

Lukas handed the large fluffy and puffy coat to you. You hurriedly threw it on, eager for the thick wool to shield you from the cold.

"Aren't you going to be cold, Lukas?"

He chuckled lightly.

"Of course not. I'm Norwegian after all. Besides, who did you think I got that jacket for anyway?"

Your face immediately burned a bright pink. You decided on viewing the scenery. Anything to avoid locking eyes with your unusually talkative companion.

You observed the clear waters of the lake and listened to the dull crunch of pebbles below your feet. A wood pecker was off in the forest somewhere, drumming rapid rhythms on a tree.

Even with all the activities going on around you, you could still only wonder one thing.

"Um... Lukas? Where are we going?" You inquired.

Lukas stopped swiftly, pointing towards a tight crack in the wall of trees. It was so confined, that you two would have to walk in a single file line in order to traverse its grassy path.

"Stay with me." Lukas ordered, or possibly offered? It was hard to tell with him.

Either way, you did as you were told. The last thing you wanted to do was get lost in there.

Lukas was the first one to slip into the hidden grove, you followed closely behind.

You two were strolling through a narrow path through the trees. Small sprigs lined the edges of the path, growing denser the father you traveled. Eventually, even the sun was blotted out by gigantic swaths of branches baring palm-sized leaves. Only thin beams of sunlight were allowed to trickle through the sparse openings in the canopy.

The tiny spotlights made the forest seem even more...magical.

A sliver of light shimmered like a beacon at the end of the path. The barrier of foliage eventually gave way to a sunny glade. It was a circular clearing of emerald green grass. Pastel colored flowers bloomed in bunches all over the place. A few birds glided from tree to tree, branch to branch, singing their lovely songs.

Situated in the center of the clearing was a sizable boulder, shaded by a short tree that curved towards the sun. In front of the two was a painting easel. A fresh, new, canvas was already prepared on the slender frame. A palette of paint was resting on a bed of grass beside the easel. All sorts of colors were dotted on the palette in vibrant blobs. Reds, oranges, yellows, greens, purples, and blues were all lined up on the slab of wood, creating a wonderful rainbow.

The sight made your stomach flutter and your burning sensation increase, causing a bright smile to light up your face. This place almost seemed... familiar.

"What's going on here, Lukas?"

The Norwegian remained as silent as usual, maybe even more so. Even with his lack of response you could tell he was smiling, just by the twinkle dancing in his eyes.

He guided you across the glade and stopped at the smooth boulder.

"Take a seat." He gestured towards the chunk of stone nestled against the tree.

You gingerly sat down on the slick surface, careful not to get your borrowed clothes dirty. You placed your hands in you lap and crossed your legs with a certain dainty grace. The pale pink leaves of the tree tickled your face gently, allowing another smile to grow. Your grin was still just as beautiful as ever.

"She's Perfect..." Lukas murmured softly. The quiet words barely reached your ears.

A fiery blush reached your cheeks, dusting them with a rosy hue. Luckily, Lukas was concentrated on preparing his paining materials. Your blush faded as he began to paint.

"Stay very still." And with that request Lukas began to paint.

Lukas swept the brush across the canvas, spraying simple greens and browns onto the crisp white. He spent quite a while swishing the brush back and forth, laying the foundation of the painting. Then, he started to use more advanced and complicated combinations such as vermillion and chartreuse.

After a long period of posing and smiling, Lukas eventually set his brush down and let out a sigh.

"What is it?" You asked, your brow furrowing slightly.

Lukas glanced off to the side, clearly avoiding eye contact. Lukas eventually brought himself to look at you. Disappointment was apparent on his face.

"Would you like to see?"

You nodded, clearly anxious to see the result of hours of work.

Lukas spun the easel around hurriedly, before casting his view to the ground.

"I couldn't fully match the beauty of the... Surrounding environment."

You normally would have comforted him, but you were unable to respond. Your face had lost all its color, and a lump was crawling it's way up your throat. You let out a few disoriented stutters.

"I knew you wouldn't like it..." Lukas huffed, pain lacing his words.

"...I-it's not y-you. I-I j-just need s-some fresh a-air..." You scrambled to your feet from the stone. You paced towards the entrance to the path.

Lukas snapped from his depressed mood.

"What? We're already outside."

You were already half way down the path. Your mind wanted to run, but your feet didn't know where to take you. You decided on scampering down the tunnel of trees. You broke from the woods and bounded toward the beach. There, your knees buckled and you kneeled down on the pebble clusters. You cupped water in your jittery hands and splashed it over your face. The urge to run was washed away by the cool water. It was soon replaced by the miasma of emotional exhaustion.

You stared at your reflection in the water. You were definitely the same girl from the painting... The same painting from Lukas' room... The same room from before you fell...