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Finan can barely breathe. Groaning, he clenches his fists and manages to choke out, “How in the hell are you doing that?”
A deep chuckle sounds from around his waist and Finan raises his head to glance down. Uhtred has taken his mouth from Finan’s cock and is grinning up at his lover mischievously. The image of Uhtred, mouth slick and eyes heated is one that haunts Finan during long, boring rides through the countryside. Getting him uncomfortably, and sometimes embarrassingly, hard as he watches Uhtred’s strongly built form sway in his saddle.
Uhtred hushes him as the Dane’s hand continues to stroke Finan. The rush of Uhtred’s breath along his oversensitive skin makes Finan’s head roll back to thud on the bed beneath him. All the muscles in his stomach clench as Uhtred returns his attention to Finan’s body. Enveloped once again by the wet heat of Uhtred’s mouth it doesn’t take Finan long. The orgasm feels as though it starts in his ankles as the muscles in his legs tense. His breath hitches and for a moment he is tempted to cry out, or at the very least curse. He manages to salvage the last remaining shred of his common sense and bites onto his fist instead.
His breath leaves him in a shuddering sigh and he’s still recovering as Uhtred crawls up his body to flop down beside him. Looking entirely too pleased with himself, Uhtred rolls onto his back and stretches. Letting his eyes drift over his lord’s half-dressed body and enjoying the view, Finan feels a different sort of warmth sink into his bones.
They have been on the road for months and it’s a relief to be settled for the winter. Especially since they had managed to find reasonably comfortable lodgings in a Mercian settlement. The people are happy to host Uhtred and his band of followers for a reasonable amount of silver and the promise of protection against packs of roving Danes. They were given use of a modest home on the edge of the village whose inhabitants had been unlucky during the last raid in the late summer.
Most of Uhtred’s men had returned to their homes in Winchester for the colder months and only Osferth, Sihtric and Eadith had remained. Finan was only mildly surprised that Sihtric had decided to winter with them, the Dane had spent several weeks in Winchester during the summer before rejoining with them in Mercia as the first leaves started to fall. Uhtred had sent him to gather information in Wessex. With Aethelstan in tow, Uhtred did not want to risk venturing too far into Edward’s territory. The King has no shortage of enemies.
A few of the villagers had raised an eyebrow, or two, at Eadith staying with them, but none dared to comment for which Finan is grateful. He would hate for them all to have to move on because Uhtred had opened a hole, or two, in a nosy, disrespectful farmer. Eadith had proven herself to be a valuable addition to their little party and not just by taking on the majority of Aethelstan’s care. Her presence made all their lives more comfortable although there were moments when Finan caught her staring at Uhtred in a way that tightened the skin on the back of Finan’s neck. The Irishman understood his lord’s appeal of course, but Eadith’s obvious admiration for their leader made Finan unsettled. The most unsettling part being that Finan cannot seem to decide if he is jealous of Uhtred receiving the attention, or of Eadith giving it.
It has been a long while since Finan felt as drawn to a woman as he did to Eadith and he had caught Uhtred staring back at her when he thought no one was looking. The gentle, if exasperated, care Eadith takes with both Uhtred and Finan makes the Irishman ponder the possibilities, but those fantasies just serve to further muddy the waters. Rubbing a hand over his face, Finan drags his mind away from its endless circles and rolls towards Uhtred.
Dozing lightly, Uhtred smiles with eyes still closed as Finan trails a hand from his lord’s collarbone to the laces on his trousers.
“They will be back soon,” Uhtred warns in a teasing tone, but he doesn’t resist as Finan pulls the fabric apart and wraps his hand around Uhtred’s member still throbbing from his attentions to Finan.
“Aye, you’ll just have to be quick then,” Finan pants as he presses open mouthed kisses onto the firm skin of Uhtred’s chest. Tracing a short, ragged scar over the Dane’s heart with his tongue, Finan revels in the sound of Uhtred’s laboured breathing. This is a relatively new development in their relationship. They have always been close, surviving the ordeal of the slave ship had inexorably tied their lives and their fates together. A bond created between them that Finan couldn’t have prevented even if he had wanted to. There is little more a warrior can hope for than to serve an honourable man and even if the silver had been somewhat lacking over the years, Finan never regretted a moment. By Uhtred’s side, he has known friendship and glory and he has been given a place to belong. And now, after years of resigning himself to unfulfilled desire, Finan has everything he wanted. It makes him unbelievably nervous having so much to lose and the fear drives him to consume Uhtred with a fervent passion whenever they manage a moment alone. Which isn’t often, unfortunately.
Uhtred pulls the arm resting under Finan free to bring his lover’s mouth back to his own. Moaning into their kiss, Uhtred’s teeth sink into Finan’s bottom lip as the Dane comes and his hips jerk with the strength of his release. Grabbing a discarded tunic, Finan wipes Uhtred’s seed from his hand before laying back on the bed. They share a companionable silence, both satisfied and reluctant to move from the comfortable mattress, or each other’s side. As content as Finan is, at moments like this he cannot help the dull pang of regret he feels. If only he had acted sooner, he and Uhtred may have had so many more years together like this, but, as Finan reminds himself, there has always been a line to get into his lord’s bed and Uhtred’s dedication to Gisela had been beyond question.
Sighing deeply, Finan pushes these thoughts away as he shifts onto his side to inch closer and mould himself into Uhtred’s body. With his arm trapped under Finan’s shoulders, Uhtred runs his fingertips along the skin he can reach tracing old scars and humming contentedly. Sleep tugs at Finan’s eyes, but he knows staying in bed with Uhtred is an impossibility. Even if the others surely know what goes on between the two warriors, it is another thing entirely to see them laying together in various states of undress.
Finan turns to face Uhtred without dislodging himself from the crook of his lord’s arm. “I’m about to fall asleep right here,” Finan warns him gently. Uhtred’s eyes are closed and Finan thinks perhaps the Dane is already asleep, but his brow furrows while his eyes remain shut.
“They can sleep outside,” Uhtred mutters. Finan presses his lips over Uhtred’s heart and grins against the skin there.
“Don’t think that will be very popular, lord.” Uhtred grunts, breathes deep and lifts his arm from Finan.
“Alright then, arseling, up you get.”
Sighing dramatically, Finan rolls onto his back. “If his lordship insists.” Sitting up now, Uhtred glances over his shoulder and smirks. Heart contracting painfully at the affection in Uhtred’s gaze, Finan clears his throat as he feels his cheeks redden. Nudging Uhtred with a knee, Finan follows him off the bed and gathers his tunic off the floor. Uhtred notices Finan’s eyes lingering as he grabs his own shirt from the table.
“You’re staring,” Uhtred says, pulling the fabric over his head.
The material clears his eyes in time to see Finan shrug. “So what if I am?” The Irishman asks, grinning.
Uhtred smiles but casts his eyes down to the floor. When he looks back up, Finan has difficulty interpreting the expression on his face, a rarity. “Come swimming with me tonight. There’s a decent little pond. It’s not far.” Finan gapes at him.
“You’ve got to be joking, lord. It’s absolutely bloody freezing out there. We’ll lose our balls for sure.” Uhtred laughs and walks over to Finan.
“And I thought you Irish were made of tougher stuff,” he teases.
Finan pulls his shirt on and holds out his hands. “Now, don’t try appealing to my vanity. There are limits to what a man can do.”
Uhtred slips his hand into the front of Finan’s trousers and pulls him close enough for their lips to brush. “Please,” he says into Finan’s mouth. Rolling his eyes, Finan scoffs gently without moving away.
“Just remember this moment when the parts you like so much fall right off my body.” Finan murmurs back before leaning in and running his tongue along Uhtred’s bottom lip. Unlike the frenzied kisses they had exchanged earlier, this press of lips is unhurried and sumptuous.
“-don’t see why I have to stay here.” Finan and Uhtred separate as Aethelstan’s voice approaches the front door and Eadith’s sigh is loud enough to be heard through the wooden slats.
“You know why, Aethelstan. It is our duty to keep you safe.” Aethelstan walks in first and Finan exchanges an amused glance with Uhtred at the petulant expression on the young man’s face. The boy is even-tempered and brave, but he is still a boy and while the scouting mission Osferth and Sihtric had embarked on was supposed to be uneventful, Uhtred would not be convinced to risk the King’s heir. Finan often wonders what Alfred would say if he knew Uhtred was raising his grandson, and at the request of the Queen Mother, no less. Eadith rolls her eyes at Uhtred and Finan behind Aethelstan’s back and Finan grins at her as Uhtred walks over to their charge.
Clapping his hand on Aethelstan’s shoulder, Uhtred dips his head to meet Aethelstan’s eyes. “There will be plenty of opportunities for you to risk your life, just be patient. Although if you keep pushing Eadith the time may come sooner than you think.” Aethelstan ducks his head sheepishly and Eadith gives the boy a fond look, but Finan doesn’t miss the way her eyes rove over Uhtred and how she places a light hand on their lord’s arm as she walks past. When she notices Finan’s eyes, she smiles brightly at him and he cannot help, but smile back while his internal conflict only deepens.
“Come on,” she says, depositing her basket on the table. “For now, you can help me with the dangerous task of preparing dinner.”
--
Finan walks behind Uhtred through the silent forest. The sun set hours ago and there is a light chill in the air. Another month and Uhtred would be wearing his heaviest furs even inside. His lord may be stronger than steel, but the man does not like the cold. Which made their trip into the wilderness even more curious. Danes were fonder of the water compared to Saxons, but as far as Finan can tell they still feel the cold.
When they had left the house under the guise of a nighttime patrol there hadn’t been any fuss. Eadith and Aethelstan sat together with Osferth going through the boy’s lessons and Sihtric had been dozing in front of the fire. The monk and the Dane had come back from their trip to the village over with little to report, thankfully. All of them are looking forward to some peace and quiet. Once the snows fell and travel became difficult it would be even more uneventful. Finan gives it two moons before they start to get stir crazy.
They would cross that bridge when they came to it though and in the meantime Finan follows Uhtred through the trees and brush for what feels like a long while before they reach a smallish oval pond. The moon is nearly full above them and with the leaves missing from the trees, Finan has no problem making out Uhtred’s features. As they come to a stop at the water’s edge, Uhtred turns and grins at Finan before his hands move to the ties of his cloak.
Finan’s eyes widen. He was sure swimming was only a euphemism of some kind, albeit a kind of odd one for autumn. But Uhtred does love to fuck outdoors. “You aren’t serious, lord. We’ll fucking freeze to death halfway back!”
Uhtred just continues to grin as he pulls off his leathers. “Come on,” he says, clearly fighting laughter. “I’ll build you a fire after.” Finan continues to look aghast and Uhtred chuckles quietly. “Let me help you.” Stripped down to his breeches, Uhtred comes to stand in front of Finan, still smiling as he pulls layers off. Unsure about dipping even a toe into the water Finan enjoys being undressed by Uhtred. It is a little thing, but most often they must make do with shedding only the absolute minimum of clothing. Uhtred pulls Finan’s shirt over his head and despite the breeze a different sort of warmth starts in Finan’s belly as he reaches forward to put his hands on Uhtred’s bare hips.
They kiss slowly, tongues gliding against each other as Finan’s hands wander over exposed skin. Uhtred’s hands are preoccupied with the laces on his pants first and then Finan’s and soon they are standing completely naked together in the quiet of the night.
“See,” Uhtred says, lips leaving Finan’s mouth to travel down his neck and along his collarbone, the imprints of his mouth cooled by the slight wind. “Not so bad.”
“This part I can live with,” Finan replies hoarsely, grinning as he is busy trying to pull Uhtred even further into his body. He slips a leg between the other man’s wanting to feel the hardness of his lord’s cock against his stomach. With a quick step backward however, Uhtred is out of his arms, smirking and stepping into the water. “Oh, sweet Jesus,” Finan says wincing as he watches Uhtred submerge his whole body below his shoulders. Breathing out slowly, Uhtred casts his gaze skyward and stares at the moon.
Muttering to himself, Finan steps to the edge of the water and takes a deep breath. The first few steps aren’t too bad, the sun had been out during the day and at least Finan doesn’t have to break through a thin layer of ice. When the water is over his knees though Finan must do the rest quickly before he loses his nerve. His breath whooshes out of him like he’s been struck in the stomach as the cold envelopes his torso, among other things. Uhtred lowered his eyes so he could watch Finan enter and although he smiles it isn’t mocking. Instead there is that same fondness and affection Finan had seen on the Dane’s face earlier.
“Come here, you mad bastard,” Finan grumbles, reaching for Uhtred under the water. “The least you can do is try and keep me warm while you torture us both.” Uhtred complies and soon they are a tangle of limbs and mouths. Drawing back after a moment, breathless from the cold and from Uhtred’s embrace, Finan asks, “Truly though, not that I’m not enjoying myself, but why did you bring us all the bloody way out here?”
Uhtred tilts his head to the side as a cloud passes over the moon and it’s difficult for Finan to see his expression. “Is it strange that I want to do normal things with you?”
Finan blinks and jokes lightly. “We have swum together in the daylight and the warmth, lord, I’m sure of it.” The cloud dissipates, so Finan can see the serious lines of Uhtred’s face and at first, he doesn’t answer. Brow furrowing, Finan prods, “Uhtred?”
With a sigh that sounds as though it comes from the depths of his soul, Uhtred brings his arms up to rest on top of Finan’s shoulders. “It is… difficult for me to live in secret. More difficult than I thought it would be.” Finan’s breath stops abruptly, but Uhtred does not seem to notice. He loosely wraps his arms around Finan and presses his face into the Irishman’s neck. “I wish…” he murmurs before trailing off as his mouth finds another occupation.
Finan’s breath stutters out as Uhtred’s lips graze against the sensitive skin under his jaw. The silver light of the moon is bright once again shining over the water and Finan cannot make his voice work. Instead, he pulls Uhtred closer and surrenders himself to his lord’s touch.