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"Ay, ay, ay, come on, Vilkas, old friend! The training ground is no place for a man like you to give up!" I chuckled, reaching out a hand.
He lay on his back, hands on his forehead as he caught his breath. We had recently been working on our hand-to-hand combat, as instructed by Kodlak. He moved his hands, looking up at me, "I'm afraid I'll have to stick to swords and arrows." He held out his hand.
We gripped each others wrists valiantly and I pulled him to his feet, "Did I go too hard on you?"
He chuckled, "You couldn't."
I let out a heavy breath, "If so, do you can handle another round?"
"With you?"
"Of course!" I winked, "Who else would waste their time with ya?"
"I can think of a few people."
He walked over to the benches and I took it as a negative answer to my figurative gauntlet toss. I followed him, sitting by his side, "Are you alright?"
"Course I am... Just tired is all."
I smiled gently, "Well that's easy to fix. Just sleep."
"I... can't."
"Why not?"
"At night, I-... I'm not sure how to say. My mind races, I suppose." He ripped his helmet off his head, tousling the sweat-slick hair that stuck to his forehead. He stayed silent, clenching his jaw and looking at the steel in his hands, "This belonged to my brother, you know."
"You say that as if he were not with us."
"And yet he is. He is too sturdy for death to knock over, and I, too stubborn. I've been told it's a weakness of mine."
"Being stubborn is no weakness. It means that you are harder to get to. Who made it seem like a bad trait?"
"No one of importance, I suppose. Some ginger thief."
"And you'd listen to a thief?"
"I said it was no one of importance." He glanced to me, "You already know who I do and don't abide by."
I hummed in response, leaning back comfortably, and admiring him. I sighed, "You're a dagger to my heart."
"As you're a knife to my back."
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from speaking out. I took a calming breath, "Still upset about that, then?"
"Aela hasn't spoken to me in months and refuses to fight by my side or defend me because of your choice words."
I frowned, "Choice words? You mean the truth?"
"She didn't have to know what happened with her mother. She didn't have to know that my family had any part of it."
My fingers toyed with the hem of my shirt peeking from under my armor, "Well, I'm... sorry for ruining what you had with Aela."
He raised a brow at me, "And what is it you think I had with her?"
"I'm... not sure." I looked to the ground, "But it's obvious you care about what she thinks of you."
"I care what everyone thinks of me. You know that."
I sighed, "You're an intelligent man, Vilkas. It baffles me, how you need others to hold admiration for you."
"I do not need their admiration. Just their common respect. As for admiration..." He glanced to me, "There are few people I wish to admire me. Some, I am sure, do."
"I admire you."
"And I, you." He paused, still staring into the rough metal helmet, "You are brave. Valiant." He set the helmet aside and turned towards me, his gaze smothering mine, "It's as if you were born by forge and brought up by the Divines themselves. You are a noble soldier, and one hell of a Companion. There's no one I'd rather have by my side on the field."
"And outside the field?" My eyes searched his, coming up fruitless. His emotions were always more difficult to decipher than my own, yet I still tried to understand.
He blinked a few times before looking away, a light blush covering his face, "Outside the field, you're..." He trailed off, at a loss for words. After a moment, he sighed, "To me, you have always been more than a sister of the shield. You have rough traits, as any other human does, but I feel as if you only have them to prove you're real. There are many women in Whiterun who have approached me for praise, and I have declined, as you are the most desirable, and for you I will wait whatever time given."
I was at a loss for words. My eyes scoured his features, searching for some hint to show he was joking. His eyes held pure adoration, and the contact made my heart swell. I smiled nervously, "You're boldness leaves much to be desired, Vilkas." I chuckled, "Had you said something earlier, you wouldn't have had to wait as long."
He stood up and I took it as my cue to do the same. I took his helmet from the bench, and pushed it to his chest gently, "We'd better head inside... Wouldn't want Kodlak thinking we were getting up to anything sweet, now, would we?"
He chuckled, "If he may not think it, then I am certain I shall."
I wrapped my arm around his, resting my hand in the crook of his elbow, "If you're free, I'm up for a drink or two. Maybe I'll stir something up at the tavern."
"I am certain you will." He looked around, making eye contact with Kodlak, "I must go now, but I will meet you outside Jorrvaskar at dusk. I trust you'll be there?"
