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This is the longest Magnus has been gone since Catarina came into his and Ragnor’s lives. The more apparent it becomes that Magnus isn’t planning on returning any time soon, the more uncertain Cat grows of whether or not she should stay here with Ragnor.
It isn’t that they don’t get along - in fact, how well they get along may be part of the issue. There have been moments of tension over the past months, moments where Cat was almost positive he saw a deeper affection in his eyes, felt a shift in the tenderness of his touch and the softness of his words, but he always pulled back and closed off before they could turn into anything more.
It was easier to ignore with Magnus around. Magnus, always loud and vibrant and diverting attention and thoughts to himself, is the perfect buffer for them to not think about, well, them. Without him, there’s no excuse to pull away, no easy topic changes, or convenient distractions. In the quiet that settles now that it’s just the two of them, Cat has to admit that there’s positively something more than simple friendship there.
“I can leave,” she says suddenly over dinner. It’s too quiet, and whether that’s the lack of Magnus, or just how Ragnor feels being around her alone, she isn’t sure. “I know you only took me in when Magnus brought me around. Since he’s gone for now I can-”
“Do you want to leave?” Ragnor asks, frowning.
“No,” she admits. “I don’t.”
Ragnor considers her for a moment, then gives a sigh of relief, a small smile tugging the corners of his frown up into a grin. “Good,” he says. “Because I’d like you to stay.”
“Alright then. I’ll stay,” she agrees. Ragnor doesn’t have to spell it out for her, she knows what that means, what he’s implying. She smiles back and takes another bite of her food.
---
Things get easier for them after that. It starts with small things - figuring out which favorite foods they have in common and cooking them for each other, sitting together while they listen to music at night instead of on opposite ends of the room, inviting the other to keep them company on walks or trips to the local market.
Soon they’re holding hands during their walks, Catarina finds herself drifting off to the sound of music while her head falls to rest on Ragnor’s shoulder, and dinner is often followed by drinks which lead to stories and rambled thoughts and uninhibited confessions.
“I’m getting quite tired of waiting for you to kiss me, you know,” Catarina says one night.
“I’m sorry?” Ragnor sputters, the words more surprise than an actual apology, nearly spitting out his drink in the process.
“You should be,” she says matter-of-factly.
“I didn’t want to start anything we’d regret when Magnus returned,” Ragnor admits.
“I won’t regret kissing you. And Magnus will simply have to tolerate it, or leave again.” Catarina says this as if it’s the easiest thing in the world, because it is, at least to her. Ragnor likes her, she knows he does, or else she wouldn’t be saying any of this, inebriated or not. He just needs a little push.
Ragnor laughs at that. “So he will,” Ragnor agrees, setting down his glass and standing to cross around to her side of the table. He leans down far enough to place a kiss on her lips, and Catarina kisses back, the blue of her skin brushing white hair away from where it fell across Ragnor’s forehead in the process.
“See?” she says, smiling as they part. “No regrets.”
“None at all,” Ragnor says. “Apologies for waiting so long,” he adds, tongue-in-cheek.
Catarina hums. “You can make up for it by not waiting at all for the next one. Or the one after that. Or the one after-” her words are cut short when Ragnor’s lips catch her’s once more, and she smiles against them in satisfaction.
---
Though Catarina hardly faults Ragnor for being considerate initially, she’ll readily admit she much prefers their time together now that there’s no more tip-toeing around pleasantries and societal standards. Their touches linger, their nights together grow longer every day, their mornings earlier.
When Magnus does inevitably return, bursting back into the quiet calm of their lives with wild tales Cat wouldn’t have believed from anyone else, he notices the shifted dynamic between them almost immediately.
“It’s nice to see the two of you bonded while I was away,” Magnus says casually.
“Isn’t it?” Cat replies, mirroring his knowing smile.
“Does this mean there’s an open room? Catarina’s bed is better than mine, so if you two are sharing now...” Magnus continues, smirking.
“Magnus!” Ragnor sounds slightly mortified. “Ruin this for me and I’m kicking you out,” Ragnor threatens.
“Ruin this for you? I managed to find the one person other than myself who could tolerate you, you should be thanking me-”
Catarina settles back and watches the two of them bicker with a fond look, hoping she never has to let this go.