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The boat floated softly along the water, the slow current pulling it along. A soft breeze cut through the trees and the wet heat of Vanaheim summer.
Heimdall lay relaxed in the boat, his head resting back against Freyr’s chest as they drifted along the river. The afternoon sun burned down on them, the occasional cloud and overhanging tree breaking up the harsh light.
Heimdall's eyes lay closed as Freyr’s hands slowly combed through his loose hair, braids having been carefully unraveled. Freyr looked down at Heimdall as he tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. If one didn’t know better they might have thought he’d actually dozed off under the heat of the sun.
“I love you.”
Heimdall’s eyes lazily opened, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the light. He kept silent as he tilted his head back enough to gaze up at Freyr. Humming softly Heimdall looked away, his gaze moving to take in their surroundings. Outside of a few trilling birds and the wildlife along the shores he didn’t have to stretch his senses to know they were alone. He hummed again, the knowledge they were secluded, allowing him a moment of softness, “And I you.”
His eyes drifted closed again but he could feel Freyr’s smile, could feel the heartbeat against his back quicken. “Wow, you must be in a good mood. I didn’t have to pry that out of you.”
“Then I take it back,” Heimdall responded in mock annoyance. He grumbled quietly as Freyr’s laugh jostled him before settling back into a comfortable position as Freyr’s fingers went back to playing with his hair.
They remained in a comfortable silence as the boat continued along the river, Freyr’s hand occasionally dipping into the water, his magic mixing with the river to steer them along. Heimdall would have preferred they’d be in Skidbladnir, floating among the clouds. Had someone not gifted it away without a thought, Heimdall thought to himself in quiet irritation.
Freyr shifted behind him, damp fingers running through his hair. While he couldn’t turn off his abilities to hear others thoughts and intentions, he’d long since stopped trying to pry, at least where Freyr was concerned. Still, he could feel Freyr’s pressing need to say something. “Out with it already,” he drawled out, “If you think any louder you’ll give me a headache.”
Heimdall could hear as Freyr’s heartbeat picked up again, the fingers stilling in his hair, “I’m not sure you want to hear it.”
A scoff was Freyr’s answer, “When has that ever stopped you.”
“Fair enough,” Freyr responded with a laugh, relaxing slightly before tugging on Heimdall’s hair, forcing his head back and his eyes to open. “Marry me?”
Heimdall raised an eyebrow at him, anyone else would think he’d looked less than impressed by the question. It hadn’t been the first time Freyr had asked, or the second, or the third. He let out a suffering sigh as he shifted just enough to turn his head to face Freyr, “I have no interest in the ridiculousness of the Vanir's overzealous approach at weddings. I suffered enough during the affair of your sister’s sham marriage by being forced to attend.”
Freyr rolled his eyes, head tilting to gaze down at Heimdall, “Then we can skip all of that. No need to have his royal pain in the ass be tormented so.”
“Can you?” Heimdall let out a bark of laughter, “As if you could forgo yelling from the rooftops how you finally got me to agree to such nonsense.”
“I think I could manage,” Freyr answered, his tone teasing before becoming serious, “We can keep at the extravagant customs to ourselves, if that makes his royal ass feel better.”
Heimdall hummed noncommittally as he stared up at Freyr. He turned back to his original position, back pressed against Freyr’s chest, his eyes closing once more. The boat rocked along with the slow current as Freyr’s fingers went back to combing through Heimdall’s hair. A quiet sigh escaped him as he accepted the silence as another denial.
“Very well.”
Heimdall felt Freyr still behind him; could feel the shocked expression as his gaze bore down on him. Heimdall’s eyes cracked open, tilting his head back to look up at him, “Don’t expect me to say it twice.”
He could feel Freyr’s excitement grow and he let out a suffering groan. Almost vibrating behind him he heard Freyr let out a wet laugh, his forehead coming down to rest against Heimdall’s.
“I swear if you start crying I will take it back,” he bit back, though no harshness was in his voice.
“No promises,” Freyr answered with another laugh, leaning forward enough to press his lips lightly against Heimdall’s, feeling as others' mouths curved into a soft smile.