Work Text:
“Uhtred… you’re staring again.”
“Hmm?” The Lord hums, not moving his gaze. He feels Finan at his back, feels the man lean against him and Finan tucks his chin against Uhtred’s neck. He peers over the other man’s back, a smile on his face. It is perhaps a little too close but it is early enough and there aren’t many people around and after so many long months of holding this man in his arms and begging him to live, Finan finds he needs to keep close. And Uhtred certainly doesn’t mind. He leans back a bit against Finan and hums again as he continues watching.
Finan chuckles softly and rubs his cheek against Uhtred’s neck for a moment before lifting his head and attempting to look a little less intimate and a little more friendly. “Just go flirt with him.” Finan says softly, keeping his voice low.
Uhtred sucks in a breath and holds it for a moment. Of course Finan would catch him staring again. He really needs to at least attempt to be more subtle about it. But he can’t help it. The moment the boy turns from him, Uhtred’s eyes remain on him until he turns again. Uhtred loves gazing into those eyes of his but he’s trying to steal glances without being caught. He sighs and leans against Finan again. “If it were only that simple.”
Finan smiles and presses a kiss to the back of Uhtred’s head. “It is that simple, love. You’ve been in love with him since ye met.”
Uhtred sucks his bottom lip between his teeth and worries at it for a moment as he watches. Sihtric turns and steps down off the ladder he’d been on, working to repair a hole in the stable’s thatched roof. He steps away and bends down, grabbing an armful of straw and reeds. Uhtred sucks in a breath as he watches the way the boy moves. Finan chuckles again and then likewise sucks in a breath as the boy straightens up and steps on the ladder. “Simple, huh?” Uhtred smiles.
“He is rather appealin’.” Finan’s voice is deeper, thicker and he practically growls in Uhtred’s ear.
Uhtred nods and sighs. “We didn’t know each other long before… and I was gone a long time, Fin. We are strangers.”
“Aye, see… ye’ve said that.” Finan presses closer and moves his lips to the man’s ear. “Keep saying yer strangers an’ yet I’ve seen the way he looks at ya, the way he cares for ya, the way he’s nursed ya back to health these past months.”
Uhtred nods. “He’s done the same for you, too.”
Finan pulls his head away and scoffs. “He did it for ya, because ye asked ‘im. Not fer me. I’m the stranger.” Uhtred smiles and for a moment, he thinks maybe Finan could be right. “I am right.” Finan presses against him again and seems to read him. “But ya won’t know if ya don’t go flirt with ‘im a little.”
Uhtred bites his lip and continues watching the boy on the ladder for a moment longer. Then he nods and leans away from Finan. He stands up and feels Finan likewise stand behind him. And when he steps forward and Finan follows, he feels relieved. It feels wrong when the man isn’t with him and he can’t imagine doing anything without him and that includes flirting with the boy. He swallows and stops a few feet away.
The boy hasn’t noticed them yet, his attention fully on weaving the straw and reeds together. Uhtred can’t ever recall a moment where he’s snuck up on the boy. That makes him nervous for some odd reason. He shakes his head and turns but Finan is blocking his way. Finan silently grabs him around the arms and spins him.
Uhtred bites his lip and steps closer to where the boy stands on the ladder. The stable isn’t very tall and the boy isn’t really that high up on the ladder, just a few feet. And as Uhtred steps closer, he realizes exactly what part of the boy’s anatomy he’s come to be eye level with. And he shouldn’t. He knows he shouldn’t. The mere idea is stupid! And possibly dangerous. He knows Sihtric’s seax hangs from his belt and he knows how fast and deadly the boy is with the small weapon. And yet, Uhtred still steps closer, not taking his eyes off that perfect ass, so well on display under the boy’s thin clothes. Uhtred thanks the Gods for the high heat of the day that caused the boy to take off his armor while he repairs the roof.
Sihtric’s attention indeed is only on the hole in the roof. Odd summer storms had been plaguing them almost every night for a week and the winds from the one yesterday had damaged the roof. The boy wants to make sure the horses will be kept safe and dry if the storms return that night. He doesn’t hear his Lord sneak up on him, doesn’t know the man is so close to him. Until he feels the teeth on him. His eyes widen and he tries to spin, forgetting for a split second that he’s standing on the ladder. He stumbles and starts to fall but Finan is there, pushing Uhtred out of the way to catch the boy and keep him on his feet. Then Finan steps away again, slotting himself behind Uhtred. Sihtric blinks at him, still completely in shock. He turns his eyes to his Lord and opens his mouth slowly. He licks his lips as he tries to wrap his head around what he thinks just happened. “Lord… did you just… did you… bite me?” He says it, completely bewildered and confused and a million other things pass through his mind.
Uhtred is quick to jab his elbow into the giggling man right behind him. Finan grunts but recovers quickly and continues laughing. “Yes, Sihtric. It seems I have… accidentally bitten you.”
Sihtric blinks at him and opens his mouth slowly again. “I… uh… how… do you accidentally bite someone on the ass?”
Finan just laughs louder and Uhtred glares sideways at him. Finan steps back and holds up his hands, struggling to breathe for a moment as he tries to control himself.
Uhtred shakes his head and turns back to the boy. “Sihtric, I wish to see you naked.”
The boy sputters and chokes on air. His eyes widen and he swears he has misheard his Lord. Because there is no way the man has said that . His eyes shift to Finan, standing behind him still and looking even more amused.
Uhtred shakes his head. “Do not worry about Finan. He wishes to see you naked as well.”
“Oy!” Finan’s eyes narrow and he slaps the man’s arm. “Do not bring me into yer fumbled flirting attempt.”
“Well you do!” Uhtred accuses, turning to glare at him. He throws his hands up in the air dramatically. “You just told me you did! And don’t say I’ve fumbled it yet. You do not know!”
Finan rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “I said he was appealin’.”
Uhtred turns fully towards Finan and steps closer. “Do you or do you not want to see him naked?”
Finan’s eyes widen and he clenches his jaw. “Uhtred!”
Uhtred rolls his eyes and shakes his head as he turns back to the boy. Sihtric hasn’t moved and he still looks shocked. “Do not listen to Fin. Or he can just be excluded if he won’t admit it.”
Finan growls and turns sideways. He hides himself behind Uhtred and looks away from both of them. “Fine.” He grounds out, clenching his jaw. “I do.” He admits softly.
Uhtred smiles smugly at the boy. “See?”
Sihtric trembles a little as his Lord looks at him like that, as if waiting for an answer. The boy looks away and licks his lips. He’s still not entirely sure what game his Lord is playing at. Or if the man is being honest. “Is that… is that an order, Lord?” He asks softly, his voice shaking.
Uhtred’s eyes widen and he shakes his head. “No!” He answers quickly. “No, Sihtric. I would never order you to… to do something… like that. I would never ask you to do anything you don’t want to… to give me something you don’t want to.” He sucks in a sharp breath and turns slightly to look over his shoulder at Finan. “Maybe you are right. I seem to have fumbled this up.”
Finan laughs sharply and rolls his eyes. “Uhtred, I said ta go flirt with ‘im. Call ‘im cute or tell ‘im his voice is soft and sweet like honey or that we get lost in his eyes e’erytime we look into ‘em.”
Uhtred nods his head and turns back to Sihtric. “What Fin said.”
A blush spreads across the boy’s face at the Irishman’s words. He sucks in a sharp breath and nods his head. “Okay.” He says softly, still not looking at either of them.
Uhtred’s eyes widen and he steps closer. Finan follows, pressing against Uhtred’s back and both stare intently at the boy. “Okay?” Uhtred repeats.
Sihtric swallows and nods his head. He turns his gaze back to them, his face still red. He opens his mouth slowly and licks his lips again. “Yes... if… if I get… to see you, too…”
A smile spreads across Uhtred’s face and he’s quick to nod his head. “Oh yeah, Fin and I will be naked as well.”
Sihtric breathes out and looks away and trembles for a different reason. “But… not… not now.” He adds softly. “I have to finish patching the roof before the storms kick up.”
Uhtred is quick to nod his head and step around the boy, Finan a step behind him. “Then we will help you.”
Sihtric turns to watch them and smiles. He had been wondering how long it would take them to make a move.