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Chapter Text

Atreus barely had time to relax before the front door to his Midgard home was slamming open, startling him and sending him scrambling for his bow for a moment. He calms when a very familiar face enters the lighting of his home, eyes widening and mouth popping open in disbelief.

“Cale?!” Said hunter ignored him, eyes snapping to the raven that was now suspiciously silent where it stood perched on the table Mímir usually resided on. He quickly closed in on the bird, pointing an accusing finger while staring it did in the eye.

“Stay away from him.” Atreus blinked as the bird cawed – the sound coming out oddly defiant – before it was taking flight and leaving through the hole in Atreus’ roof.

The young god blinked, entirely unsure on what to say to the hunter that he had not seen in who knows how long. Cale apparently knew exactly what to say though, quickly turning toward him and pinching his ear between two fingers with anger flaring brightly in his eyes, “Have you learnt nothing from the people around you?! All the wrongdoings Odin has done to them and the resentment they hold and you still think it a good idea to go to him?!”

Atreus groaned, hands scrabbling against Cale’s own in an attempt to get him to let go. He hadn’t been treated like this since his mother was still alive, scolding him for running off without her knowing.

“What would you know?! You haven’t been there! You don’t know anything!” Cale pursed his lips for a moment, suddenly wishing Kratos and Mímir were here to keep him in check.

“No! You are the one that does not know anything! You are the one so blinded by what you want that you are willing to put everything- everyone on the line, just so you can have your way. You may think you are doing something good Atreus, but you are merely helping fulfil the wrong destinies.” The hunter let go of the young god’s ear, watching as he spun away from him to rub at the reddened spot.

“What am I supposed to do then? Just let my father die? Let everyone I care about suffer the consequences of Ragnarök?” Cale sighed softly, running a hand through his slightly overgrown hair.

“There are many branches that fate can take Atreus, and the one you are following will surely lead you down a path you won’t like the result of.” Said god scoffed, throwing his hands up as if he could let out all of his frustration with the action.

“How do you know? Everyone I ask says there’s no avoiding it. Everyone keeps telling me it’s the only way things can go.” Atreus slumped with the words, feelings seemingly getting the better of him. Cale felt kind of sorry for him honestly.

“People believe in fate differently here but it all ultimately works the same. There is a fate that is the most likely to happen, easily fulfilled and one that people try their hardest to avoid. But there are also smaller, harder to follow, fates that can take place. They are usually the ones filled with hardships and trials that can make or break a person.” Cale watched as the boy – because in his eyes he was still just that, a boy trying to be a man – thought his words over, mind working fast to connect dots that Cale laid out for him.

The hunter huffed out a fond laugh, ruffling his hair before turning and making his way out of the house, “You should get home to your father. You’ve stirred up quite a mess and have some consequences to deal with.”

Atreus snapped out of his thoughts, gaze turning confused as he followed after the other, “Wait your not going to come with me? Father and Mímir have missed you.”

Cale stopped at that, heart squeezing uncomfortably tight as he turned just enough to look at Atreus over his shoulder, “Maybe another time. I- … I don’t think now would be the best time to see them.”

The younger of the two knew that Cale had no intention of ever visiting them of his own volition but decided he would figure that out at a later date. He had caused quite a few problems and had to see how far those consequences had gone, “Alright then. But promise to meet me here when we clean this up. I can take you to where we’re staying, and you can meet everyone else.”

The hunter gave a non-committal hum, nodding once before leaving the house. Atreus stayed for a moment more, rubbing at his ear a little before grumbling to himself, “I can’t believe he did that to me. I’m not a child anymore…”

Chapter Text

Cale knew he should’ve listened to his gut. Something in his gut was telling him to leave, just forget about the raiders and get the hell out of dodge but he took one look at the trapped wolf and knew he wasn’t going anywhere until the poor thing was free.

Cale had managed to free him, finding that the wolf was just a little smaller than himself but still had some room to grow out a little more. The animal rolled on top of him and licked at his hands in appreciation, taking a rather fast liking to him considering his previous state of captivity at the hands of humans. Cale just figured it was the effects of Artemis and her penchant for animals.

Suddenly the wolf was standing over him though, crouching low and growling at whatever poor soul Cale had apparently managed to miss in all the fighting. He was just about to roll out from under him when a very familiar voice and grunt sounded from the newcomer’s direction, “Father stop. He’s just scared and trying to protect a friend.”

The hunter froze under the wolf, wondering on whether he could manage making a run for it before Kratos realised he was there. Unfortunately – because life hated him and the fates laughed at his misery – the god of war wasn’t that stupid and knew he was there, probably thought he was some random Midgardian trying to do a good deed or something.

“Are you alright?” Cale had no idea how to respond to that. Because of course he was alright he could handle himself fine. But at the same time he was faced with the man who hated gods and might still hate him for lying to him all those… endless winters ago. Eventually Cale sighed heftily, bringing a hand up to pat at the still tense wolf’s side.

“They’re alright buddy. Just some friends of mine.” The wolf seemed reluctant to move at first, growling and huffing in a way that reminded him of a younger Atreus. The hunter let out a soft sigh, giving him a brief scratch before bodily moving him out of the way, laughing at the startled yelp the wolf gave.

Cale took another moment to scratch behind the wolf’s ears before turning to an excited Atreus and stunned Kratos, “Cale!”

The boy ran toward him, barely sparing the wolf by his side any thought before jumping into his open arms. Apparently all was forgiven since their last meeting, Atreus ignoring their last interaction and acting as if this was their first meeting since that incident. The hunter couldn’t deny the warmth the action invoked in him, arms wrapping around the younger god tightly as he let out a shuddering breath.

“Hello godling.” The younger let out a huff of amusement, pulling back to look at his father who was now only a few steps from them.

“Did I hear ya say Cale, lad? Well, c’mon then! Let me see the lad, I’ve missed him too ya daft oaf.” Kratos grunted, expression turning mildly annoyed as he pulled Mímir’s head from his belt and held him out in front of him.

The hunter chuckled fondly, shooting the head a small smile as he waved at him, “Hi Mímir.”

Said man lit up like a torch at the sight of him, smile wide as he spoke with a slightly thickened accent, “Cale! Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes? How’ve you been lad? It’s been too long!”

The hunter hummed, all too eager to interact with the world’s smartest man. He’d prefer it over the stoic god that was staring him down with some unknown emotion in his features. They chatted for a short moment, Cale giving them a brief update on what had been going on in his life while Mímir and Atreus updated him on what they had recently been doing. It… was a lot to take in.

Eventually they decided it would be best to head back to Sindri’s house, the hunter becoming excited at the prospect of seeing the dwarves again. He hadn’t seen anyone since his whole thing with Baldur, too afraid of running into Kratos since they shared the same allies and all. He had run into Freya more times than he could count but at some point she had just stopped showing up. He didn’t know why but he also wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth either.

The hunter looked toward Kratos, noting the way he didn’t look angry or anything of the like, merely contemplative. Cale gave him a hesitant smile, shifting back slightly as he spoke, “Kratos… How have you been?”

Said god grunted, posture relaxing the slightest bit, “I’ve been well… We’ve missed having you with us.”

Cale’s mind blanked with the words, scrambling to try and line up the Kratos in front of him with the one he had last spoken to. Mímir could apparently see his struggling plain as day, laughing softly as he spoke with an undoubtedly fond tone to his voice, “Aye. These two have grown quite a lot since you’ve last seen them.”

Kratos grunted, features taking on a tinge of exasperation – which was more noticeable considering the man’s previous lack of any sort of emotion – before he was hooking Mímir back onto his belt, “Come. We should get back and discuss our plans.”

Atreus gave an excited response, already running ahead of them while Kratos stepped aside, gesturing with his arm for Cale to go ahead of him. A brief shot of fear runs through the hunter, mind running wild with scenarios where Kratos would take the chance to kill him then and there. But he trusted the man, or at least trusted his love for his son.

Right as Cale goes to walk off there’s a nip at his fingertips, the wolf he had rescued standing by his side with a look akin to a kicked pup’s. Cale bent down to be eye level with him, scratching at the sides of his face as he spoke, “What are we gonna do with you then? You got a pack to go back to?”

The wolf whined, tail dropping low and ears flattening against his head. Cale frowned at the sight, sighing softly as he gentled his scratching into lengthy pets, “I don’t have a home though… and I doubt Sindri’s gonna let you into the house.”

Kratos suddenly crouched down next to them, shifting back when the wolf shifted in front of Cale and snarled at him. The hunter rolled his eyes in mild amusement, wrapping an arm around the wolf’s neck and shaking him a bit. The wolf stopped snarling, but he wouldn’t move from in front of Cale, eyes pinned on the war god and practically daring him to make the wrong move.

Kratos did nothing though, keeping eye contact while he spoke in a softer tone than usual, “The dwarves have a courtyard. Your wolf can wait there for now.”

Cale – against his better judgement – shot the man a disapproving look, reaching around the wolf and smacking his knee lightly. A few nice words and he was already falling into his old habits, something he realised a little too late and decided to try and play off instead, “You can’t just decide things regarding Sindri’s home. That’s rude.”

The war god grunted, something shifting in his expression for the barest moment before he was standing, “Would you prefer we leave the wolf here by himself?”

The hunter grumbled lowly, giving the wolf another scratch behind the ears before standing and following after the older male, “Kurt as ever I see. At least that’s still the same.”

Chapter Text

Atreus had beat them inside, and Cale was still trying to figure out whether he was grateful for it or not. On one hand he had cut straight to the chase and ran in announcing, “Hey guys! I’m back and I brought our old friend Cale with me!”

Brok and Sindri had immediately ran over to greet him, the former punching his thigh in friendly greeting while calling him a slew of names, each more vulgar than the last. Sindri had given him the briefest of hugs, and though he had quickly become disgusted, it was still an amazing feat in Cale’s book, so he was happy regardless. He had been so caught up in those two that he had been thrown for a loop when he looked up and found Freya staring at him with… a very mixed reaction.

Cale had frozen by the door, fully prepared to bolt if she made a move toward him, while she stared him down from the fireplace on the other side of the room. Atreus looked shame faced for a moment, apparently having forgotten the bad blood between them in his excitement to have a friend back with them.

Kratos said nothing to either of them, though he did move the slightest bit, coming to stand just in front of Cale in a clear show of protecting him. It would’ve been sweet, and every dream come true if the hunter weren’t so adamant on accepting Freya’s wrath on his own. While he was only protecting those he cared about he still couldn’t fault the woman for it, not in a million years.

A man that looked vaguely like the Vanir goddess broke her out of their staring, her face turning soft for a moment as she nodded toward him and then looked back to Cale, “It’s good that you are in good health. We need all the help we can get.”

The hunter blinked at her for a long moment, entirely unsure on how to react before he gave a slow nod, “To you as well.”

It was awkward and probably not the best response he could have given but give him some credit here, he hadn’t talked to anyone in what must have been ten winters or something. It was hard to keep track of time when it was always winter, so he wasn’t entirely sure on that time frame.

Cale quickly turned to Sindri again, trying to break the awkward tension that now presided in the room, “Sin, I know how much you hate mess, but I brought a wolf with me since he wouldn’t leave. Is it alright if he just hangs around outside? If not then I’ll try and find some place to put him back in Midgard if you want.”

The dwarf looked reluctant but nodded regardless, “As long as he stays outside! But thank you for asking.”

The hunter nodded, shooting Kratos a smug look, laughing when the god’s frown deepened the slightest bit. Atreus looked between them with a large grin before turning on his heel, “I’ll go get Týr. Join us at the table when you’re ready.”

Cale hummed idly, following Sindri and Brok to their mini forge in the corner, “How’s the old bow holdin’ up then? Fuck knows what that cold’s been doin’ to it.”

The hunter shrugged, passing his bow off to the blue dwarf and laughing when his face quickly became dismayed, “What the fuck have you been doin’ to it?! Looks like it hasn’t been tended to since we last saw it.”

Cale scratched at the back of his neck, ignoring the way Kratos looked at him from the side, “Probably cause it hasn’t. Not many blacksmiths roaming around what with Fimbulwinter and all.”

Brok grumbled to himself, glaring at the bow as if it had personally offended him. He knew he couldn’t just throw the damn thing out – Cale had told him as much way back when he was still traveling with Mr. Grumpy and his spawn – but still, it was tempting to do so. Sindri stopped sharpening the sword he was working on, peering over his brother’s shoulder, and blanching slightly.

“Oh Cale… That’s awful.” Said man rolled his eyes lightly, going to pick up the bow.

“Well, if you guys aren’t gonna work on it-” Brok quickly snatched it out of his hands, Sindri going to grab their hammers before coming back over.

“We didn’t say that! We’ll make this shit brand spankin-fuckin new.” Cale gave out a joyful laugh, happy to be talking with two of his friends again. He had missed them – along with everyone else – and had always wondered if he could risk seeing them. Seems he had worried over nothing since Kratos didn’t seem to care much about his god status… Though that might have been a recent development in him.

Speaking of Kratos, the man hadn’t moved from his side once, constantly glancing at him and standing close enough that Cale could feel his body heat. He felt a little unnerved for all of it but simply pinned it down to the other not wanting him to run away again, probably wanting to talk about… all of that.

When Brok and Sindri finally finished with his bow it looked as if it was a brand-new bow. The only thing distinguishing it as his old one still was the carving that sat along the part his hand usually covered. Cale couldn’t help his wide smile at the sight, looking it over and pulling on it taught as a tester, “You two never cease to amaze me. Thank you for this.”

He went to reach for the hacksilver he had on him – an admittedly low amount but hopefully enough regardless – before Sindri was shaking his head, small smile on his face as he quickly spoke, “You don’t have to. Think of it as a favour for an old friend.”

Cale denied it for a moment, insisting he pay them something for the bow, but Sindri was surprisingly stubborn when he wanted to be, denying the payment with crossed arms and an upturned nose, “No. I refuse. You are our friend you are in my house, and you made the consideration of asking me whether I was ok on letting your pet wolf into my home. Unlike the rest of my ungrateful guests.”

The hunter could feel the way everyone cringed with those last words, Kratos minutely shifting beside him while Freya and that other guy quickly averted their eyes. Cale let out a fond sigh, reaching into his small hip pouch and dropping some crystals he had managed to find onto their bench instead.

“Fine then. Take these as a gift from a friend then. I’ve got no use for them anyway.” Sindri looked about ready to deny that as well, holding a finger up and opening his mouth before Brok cut in. The dwarf picked the crystals up to inspect them, turning them this way and that before grunting.

“These’ll do quite nicely thanks. C’mon Sin. I gots an idea for these.” Said dwarf huffed, already ranting at Brok for interrupting him but Cale could see the undeniable fondness in the action. He was glad those two had made up with one another, it was nice.

Atreus suddenly popped up beside him, pulling him from his thoughts, “Cale, this is Týr. You remember the tales that Mímir told about him right?”

The hunter nodded briefly, smiling at the taller god and inclining his head a little, “Pleasure to meet you finally. I’ve heard some great things about you.”

Týr gave a small bow of his own before speaking, voice softer than Cale expected, “I could say the same for you. Atreus and Mímir have told some exciting stories about your adventures.”

The five of them made their way toward the table, Atreus and Týr talking about some mask the former had managed to grab. From the way the conversation was going there was a lot that Cale was actually behind on. He would have felt worse for it if he wasn’t reminded of what he’d done every time he made eye contact with either Freya or Kratos, guilt churning in his stomach in an endless loop.

He let the others talk, simply listening in and trying to figure things out on his own at the moment. A difficult feat considering all the blank spots, but he felt as if he had the basic outline of this whole story, which was better than nothing at all.

When Kratos spoke up Cale paid special attention to the way he asked for Atreus’ opinion, a small part of him feeling as if he could cry with it. He felt a little like a proud parent, watching his child grow into themselves and become more comfortable with expressing themselves. It was enough to have him turning away in order to hide his laugh, missing the next couple seconds of conversation as a result.

When he tuned back in he heard the tail end of Týr saying he would lead them to Asgard, just like his shrine had foretold. Cale only had a moment to be excited before Brok was speaking up, incredulous and doubtful as he came closer, “’Scuse me… But if you got a way to Asgard, where’s that idea been this whole fuckin’ while?”

The hunter frowned, stomach now rolling with a different sort of feeling, that small voice that was an annoying buzz before now screaming danger at him. Mimir spoke up from his spot on the table, sounding as if he were going to protest like he always did when it came to Brok, but even he couldn’t deny the validity of the dwarf’s question.

“You… withheld Asgard?” Cale was beginning to feel the tension ratcheting up in the room around him, coming up to stand just behind Kratos in a silent bid of supporting him. It was an old habit he done when they travelled together, and one he had apparently held on to.

“You would have gotten us all killed,” Which, fair. Kratos probably would have, “And we needed to give Loki time to find his destiny.”

Cale felt himself tense at the name, glaring at the Norse war god. He had no idea who the hell Loki was supposed to be, but he suddenly didn’t like Týr as much as he had before, that sense of danger telling him to do something before everything else went horribly wrong. Kratos didn’t seem to catch on, conversing with Freya and Mimir about possible plans.

Cale kept his eyes on Týr though, noting the way he held onto the mask as if someone were about to take it from him, brows furrowed in what could be anger. When they finished talking Týr turned away from them, looking as if he wanted to escape as quick as he possibly could before Brok was stopping him again, “Slow down, y’damn spruce. I still want to hear the details on this, uh, new way to Asgard you got. Spill it!”

Týr quickly turned from the dwarf, looking for all the world like he was trying to escape, though his tone remained calm and even, “It’s an ancient path. We can’t reach it from here.”

For all of everyone’s teasing of Brok, always calling him slow or insensitive he was pretty intuitive when the time called for it. Stubbornness being more of a helping factor rather than the annoying trait his brother so despised. Cale quietly walked up behind the blue dwarf, watching as he got under the taller god’s skin and questioned him. While he was pretty much in the dark about all this he trusted Brok, and he wasn’t going to ignore the twisting in his stomach again.

“Brok, it’s okay-” Said dwarf sounded a little desperate when he interrupted Atreus, distress adding up as he tried to connect pieces that didn’t match up right.

“This ain’t right. All the pieces ain’t welding together true. Like what’s with him calling you ‘Loki’ anyway?” Cale watched as Týr turned away from them, stomach suddenly coiling in a way he only ever remembered happening one other time. Brok seemed heedless of the inherent danger though, already walking up to the other to try and turn him back around.

There was a split second where things slowed down, Týr’s hand reaching into his belt as Brok laid a hand on the god’s thigh. Cale didn’t have time to think it over, couldn’t bare the thought of what consequences might follow if he did. His body was lunging forward, shoving Brok back and out of the way in the same moment time seemingly reverted back to normal.

There was a sharp pain in his upper right thigh, the world fuzzing out with the sensation before he was falling back, the knife slipping from Týr’s slack fingers as he fell backward, “Son of a- Fuck you!”

Chaos suddenly erupted around him as Týr’s façade melted into that of Odin, his features slack with shock as he quickly backed away from him. He was rather quick on his feet though, hands reaching for Atreus and holding him against his body, a knife having materialised out of nowhere so he could hold it against the boy’s neck.

Kratos, Freya and that other guy closed in him, the god now notably panicked as he spoke some quick words to them. Cale didn’t know what, he was too busy huffing and groaning at the pain pulsing in his thigh still. Brok and Sindri were by his side, the latter panicked with hands fluttering around the wound as if he wasn’t sure on whether to pull the knife out or leave it there.

Brok was quiet, eyes wide as he stared down at the knife that came so very close to ending his life mere moments before, “I- I don’t know what to do! Cale what do I do? I’ve never had to do this before!”

Said hunter, took a couple deep breaths, blinking the fuzz from his eyes before speaking stiltedly, “You gotta grab something for me to wrap this in ok? Take Brok with you and get him to try and find some herbs to help with the pain.”

Sindri nodded quickly, grasping at Brok’s arm, and tugging him up with a surprising amount of strength before dragging him off. Cale was silently grateful to have them away from any harm, though he was still worrying for the other four that were still dealing with Odin.

They seemed to be at a stalemate, Freya adamant on fighting Odin here and now while Kratos seemed to be torn in two. Cale grunted at the effort of sitting up a little straighter, shaky fingers coming up to his mouth so he could whistle. He had no idea if it would work but it was better than facing this.

Apparently he had some impeccable timing because he saw that third guy throw the mask a little over Odin’s head, causing him to reach for it and allowing Atreus the perfect moment to turn into a wolf and bite into his arm. The god yelled in pain, throwing Atreus into a wall, and sending Kratos scrambling for his son. Before Odin could reach the mask Cale’s wolf barged through the doors, growling at Odin, and sending the god stumbling back a little.

He didn’t have much choice now, with no leverage and Freya and the other guy advancing on him it was either fight or flee. Luckily he had chosen the latter, quickly opening the door to the room he had previously come from and engulfing himself in a flock of ravens. After a moment he disappeared, leaving everyone with a tense stillness and instincts on high alert.

Cale slumped back onto the floor, wincing at the sharp pain that induced. Maybe that asshole had imbued something into the knife because this hurt a lot more than it had any right to.

Chapter Text

He swore he had only closed his eyes for a moment in an effort to block out the pain. But when he opened his eyes he was on something significantly softer now, the roof looking closer to him than before and something warm and heavy resting on his left hand.

It took him a long moment before he finally managed to blink his eyes open, slowly glancing to his right before looking toward the source of pressure on his left hand. There was a bookshelf to his right and the bottom of a staircase above him which let him know exactly where he was now. When he finally managed to look to his left he was a little surprised with what he found.

His wolf buddy was sat beside the seat he was on, head resting on top of his hand and nose nuzzled into his thigh – the one that hadn’t been stabbed thankfully – seemingly asleep and entirely unwilling to move. Atreus was next to the wolf, hand nestled into the fur on his head as he rested his head on the very edge of the seat by Cale’s knee, also appearing to have fallen asleep at some point.

Freya and that other guy were in the little alcove across from him, talking quietly between themselves as they did something or other. Kratos was sat at the table, staring into the fire with his arms crossed while Mimir sat on the table next to him, quiet for once as he thought to himself.

The hunter didn’t get the chance to wonder where Brok and Sindri were, the two showing up beside him with twin expressions of joy and gratefulness, “You’re awake! We thought we lost you for a moment.”

The god shot them a tired smile, waving his hand as he spoke with a raspy voice, “Can’t get rid of me that easily unfortunately. Will take a bit more than a knife to the thigh to take me down.”

Sindri shot him a disapproving glance but thankfully didn’t lecture him in that moment, seemingly deciding to save it for a later date. Brok was oddly quiet, eyes averted and hand fidgeting in front of him in a rather uncharacteristic manner. Cale tilted his head at him, silent questions dancing in his tired eyes as he waited for the other to gather his thoughts.

“You didn’t have to do that y’know. I would’ve been fine.” The hunter huffed out a fond sigh, shaking his head slightly in denial.

“Maybe… but there was no way I was going to risk it. Sindri would be heartbroken if something happened to you.” Brok suddenly turned on him, his usual brash demeanour making a reappearance as he gestured at Cale’s prone form.

“What about you? Y’think we wouldn’t of been sad if somethin’ happened to ya?” Cale couldn’t help his shrug, averting his eyes when he found himself unable to face all of the emotions in Brok’s eyes.

“I didn’t say that. But he’s your brother Brok, you were a little more important at the time.” Said dwarf scoffed, crossing his arms and obviously straining with the effort to contain his anger.

“More important my blue ass. Stop actin’ like a damn hero ya dumbass.” Cale huffed softly, left hand twitching under his wolf’s chin with an aborted movement.

“…Thanks for savin’ my ass.” The words were quiet, easily missed if it weren’t so quiet around them already. Cale didn’t do anything more than smile, knowing how shy and defensive Brok got when he got caught being ‘too soft’ as he put it. The dwarf took a moment to shoot him a grateful smile before turning on his heel and heading off, probably already thinking up some new weapon he could start crafting.

Sindri didn’t move for a moment, waiting until Brok was well out of earshot before speaking quietly, hand resting on Cale’s arm gently, “Thank you for saving him. I- … I don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d lost him again.”

There was a whole story there that Cale didn’t know about, but for the moment he merely nodded, bringing his right hand up to pat at the one still resting on his arm. He took a moment to note that Sindri’s gloves had blood on them still – probably a result of having tended to the wound in his thigh – a surprising enough notion that he wasn’t too sure how to respond anymore.

The other didn’t think much of it, squeezing his arm briefly before walking away, probably to join his brother at the forge. Cale sighed softly, closing his eyes again until he felt a presence at his side, peeling his eyes open to look at a pensive Kratos. At some point the man had replaced his son and the wolf, settling a chair by Cale’s side so he could sit there instead.

Freya and that other guy were also gone and the usual sounds of the dwarves working in their forge were absent for the moment, encasing the house in an unusual quiet considering all the beings inhabiting the place.

The two Greek gods stared at one another for a long moment, the silence charged with some sort of emotion that Cale was far too tired to try and identify in that moment. Kratos was the first to make a move, hand slowly coming up before settling on top of Cale’s left one, gentle and almost reverent if you were to ask the hunter’s tired brain.

They didn’t say anything for a long moment, Cale merely taking the chance to turn his hand around and grasp Kratos’ much larger one, intertwining their fingers and squeezing lightly. The war god sighed quietly, bowing forward until his forehead came to a rest on their joined hands. The younger male blinked tiredly down at him, thinking he was imagining the whole thing and Kratos wasn’t even there. Maybe he had actually died in that raider’s base and had hallucinated everything in some desperate want to see his friends again. Kratos promptly squashed those thoughts when he spoke though, voice quiet but the baritone of it making sure it carried over to him regardless.

“Odin had imbued the knife with poison, enough to kill a dwarf and incapacitate a god. Freya said it was a fail safe in case things went awry…” Cale groaned quietly. He knew that bastard had done something to it, there was way too much pain and drowsiness for it to have been a normal stab wound.

“Yeah that sounds about right… He doesn’t seem the type to play fair.” Kratos didn’t deign that with a response, moving his head slightly and giving Cale the sense that he was nuzzling into their still joined hands. He was beginning to get the feeling that the poison had messed with his head more than he realised if he thought Kratos – Mr ‘I-have-no-feelings’ – was acting all soft on him.

“How’s everyone else?” The war god grunted, refusing to make eye contact with him as he spoke to the floor.

“Fine. Freyr suggested they rest.” Cale made a noise of understanding at the name. So that was who the guy was, it made sense why he and Freya seemed so close then. The two fell into a comfortable silence after that, the hunter putting in some effort to actually staying awake for a little longer this time while Kratos stayed hunched over their hands.

Eventually, the bigger god made a small noise, drawing Cale’s attention toward him as he spoke quietly, as if he were afraid of what the words would possibly bring, “We- I thought I’d lost you again…”

Cale’s gaze softened with the words, heart beating painfully loud as he brought up his free hand to gently brush against the side of the other man’s face. The way Kratos leant into it – like he couldn’t quite help himself – made him wish he could freeze this moment and live in it forever, pain in his thigh be damned.

“You’re not gonna lose me that easily. Even if you can’t see me I’m always around somewhere.” The war god finally lifted his head from their joined hands, Cale going to pull his right one away before Kratos was stopping him, other hand coming up to keep it pressed against his cheek.

“Will you stay with us? Help us on the rest of our journey?” Cale tilted his head, looking at the other and noting how soft and… open he looked now. The two really had grown a lot, and Cale felt an inexplicable sadness at having missed it.

“What about your whole… aversion, to gods?” Kratos sighed, sitting up and away from the hunter, letting the hand on his face fall away but keeping a grip on his other one.

“Nothing has changed with my hatred toward them. They are a bane upon my existence and a danger to Atreus…” Cale bit back on the pain those words brought, nodding mutely as he looked away for a brief moment. Kratos was not having it though, gentle fingers bringing his face back toward him so he could rest their foreheads together.

“But I have learnt that there are some gods who can be good, and I am ready to make a friend or ally of them if they are also willing.” The younger of the two couldn’t help the snort that escaped him, closing his eyes as he spoke quietly into the space between them.

“You’ve changed since we last journeyed together… It’s a good change though.” Kratos grunted, and when Cale opened his eyes he swore the other man looked vaguely embarrassed. He huffed a soft laugh before pulling back, smiling when the god of war looked at him blankly.

“Suppose there’s no reason for me to deny you now. You guys look like you could use the help anyway.” The older man nodded mutely, though there was a glimmer amusement in his eyes that Cale relished in. The other god sat back in the chair he had commandeered from Sindri’s table, expression notably softer as he spoke quietly.

“You should rest more, regain your strength.” The hunter found it hard to argue against those words, eyes already beginning to close of their own accord as he hummed. He didn’t know what poison had been on that knife, but it must have been something strong to take this much out of him. Right as he was drifting off there was a soft, barely there pressure on the hand still joined with Kratos’ own, warmth spreading from the point of contact and making a home in his heart. It was nice.

Chapter Text

When Cale next woke he felt significantly better than before, he no longer felt overly tired or sick and even the pain in his leg felt mildly better. Though that might have something to do with the goddess currently bent over his wound, rubbing some sort of salve into it gently. For a moment he contemplated feigning sleep and pretending he had never woken up in the first place. But he knew the woman wasn’t stupid – and she’d probably push on his wound just to spite him for it – so he decided to ignore her, looking around to see if anyone else was up yet.

Freyr was in that alcove again with what could have been a map spread on the table, quietly muttering to himself as he looked it over. Kratos was still sat in a chair beside him, though now the god was asleep with his head tucked into his chest, arms crossed and moving with each inhale he took. Something about the sight warmed Cale’s heart all over again and he had to look away in fear one of the deities near him would hear just how fast it was beating.

“He cares deeply for you, you know.” The sudden words made his heart stutter, breath hitching in surprise before calming once more. He had honestly thought he and Freya weren’t going to interact more than necessary during this whole ordeal, reluctant allies until what needed to be done was done. But apparently the woman had other ideas, keeping her movements gentle and speaking quietly as not to wake Kratos.

Cale hummed softly, hand coming up to run through his slightly grown out hair, “Surprising considering our pasts.”

Freya gave an amused hum, patting the side of his thigh softly as a sign to lift it for her, “Yes. He has opened his heart and tried to learn for Atreus. You would be surprised by the things he does now in order to appease that boy.”

The younger of the two laughed softly, glad that the two had managed to work through their differences and become closer for it. But again, he was sad he had missed that, having grown to love the two in his own way. Freya seems to sense the change in his mood, wrapping his wound up slower than she really has to before she speaks again.

“He also tried changing for you. In the hopes that you might come back to him.” Cale frowned a little with those words, glancing between Freya and a still sleeping Kratos, confusion running rampant in him. Why would he change for him? What did it matter if Cale came back or not?

“You really don’t see it?” The hunter looked toward Freya, still frowning in confusion as he slowly shook his head.

“See what?” The woman huffed, finishing the wrapping on his thigh before patting it once more, a sign that she was finished now, and he could put his leg back down.

“You two are unbelievable…” A sudden voice spoke up from somewhere nearby, startling Cale into sitting up too fast and wincing when that made pain shoot down his leg.

“I know! Imagine how I feel having travelled with them since the beginning. It’s painful watching them sometimes.” Freya rolled her eyes at the sound of Mímir’s voice, helping settle Cale back onto his chair before responding.

“Thank you for your unneeded opinion Mímir.” Said head hummed from wherever he was, deciding not to respond this time round considering the animosity in the woman’s voice.

Once the hunter was settled again he shot a smile toward Freya, “Thank you. For both this and the leg.”

The goddess grunted, picking up a small jar and spare wrappings that Cale hadn’t noticed until now. Before she could leave he spoke again, knowing it was unwanted but still wanting to say something regardless, “I know you’ll never forgive me for it but I’m sorry.”

For a long while Freya didn’t move, supplies in her hands and head turned away from him. He wasn’t sure if he had just inadvertently signed his life away with the words, bringing up the sore subject that they had silently agreed to not bring up, but he felt he had to say it still. Besides, he had lived a good enough life, no harm in dying now.

Eventually she sighed heavily, placing her supplies down again before sitting on the edge of the seat, right next to his hip, “I am still so angry with you, and I don’t think that will ever go away.”

Cale nodded, not daring to open his mouth now. He understood the sentiment – would have been in the same boat if it were Atreus that had died that day – so he didn’t blame her one bit, “But having my brother back, and travelling with Kratos and Atreus… they’ve helped me get past the worst of those feelings.”

Freya turned to him in that moment, smile small and tired with everything in the realm weighing on her shoulders, “Now I only wish to kill Odin and finally put an end to everyone’s suffering.”

The hunter hummed his agreeance, shooting an encouraging smile back to her, “We’ll get him, one way or another.”

Freya nodded one more time, patting him on the thigh again before finally leaving, taking her supplies back to the alcove her brother still resided in. The two exchanged quiet conversation with one another while Cale looked toward Kratos, suddenly remembering what Freya had said beforehand. What had she meant with all of that? And why did it suddenly feel like everyone could see something he wasn’t aware of?

Chapter Text

Somehow Cale had managed to fall asleep again, which he had ultimately pinned down to something in the salve Freya put on him. But when he did wake everyone else was up this time around, mingling in the kitchen and dining area with one another.  He smiled at the sight of them, sitting up in his chair and swinging his legs over the edge. There was still a dull throb in his leg but whatever Freya had put on it was acting as a fairly sufficient method for killing the pain off, allowing him to stand on shaky legs and begin to make his way toward the table.

He managed to get about halfway before Atreus took notice of him, eyes widening as he rushed over and slung an arm over his shoulder, “You shouldn’t be walking yet! You’ll strain the injury.”

The taller male huffed out a quiet laugh, allowing himself to be led to the closest chair and be sat down in it before he was patting Atreus’ shoulder gently, “Thank you for the concern but I’m alright. It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

While the younger still looked worried over him he decided to accept the answer, nodding before making his way into the kitchen and helping Sindri with the food. Freya and Freyr sat to his left, the former taking a moment to smile toward him while the latter fully turned in his chair, facing him head on with a hand outstretched, “So you’re the famous Cale I’ve heard so much about then?”

Said hunter cringed with those words, semi reluctant to shake the proffered appendage but doing so regardless, “Nothing good I’d imagine.”

Freyr shook his newly freed hand side to side, making a vague noise before speaking, “Good and bad from both parties. You certainly leave an impression, that’s for sure.”

Cale groaned quietly, hiding his face in his hands while the Vanir god winced, “Not my greatest choice of words. But that’s not what I want to talk about! I hear, you’re also a god from a land far from our own. One might even say you share a homeland with our resident war god, the actual one not the phony.”

Freya snorted none to quietly at her brother’s attempts to make conversation, taking a drink from her cup as she mumbled something or other into it. Cale ultimately ignored her though, shooting her brother a strained smile as he responded, “I suppose that’s one way of putting it.”

Freyr looks a little flustered for a moment, hands flailing about as he stumbled over words, “I don’t mean it like a bad thing! I just mean- It’s interesting you know that you would both leave and come to the same lands without ever having known each other.”

Cale shrugged, not really knowing what Freyr was trying to say anymore. Apparently Freya knew exactly what was trying to be said because she was stuck laughing into her cup, still trying to hide the fact but ultimately failing to do so. Her brother took a deep breath – almost as if he were resetting himself – before turning to the hunter with another smile, this one a little strained around the edges but ultimately friendly still.

“Let me try again. Hi, my name is Freyr, I’m Freya’s brother. It is a pleasure to meet you.” Cale highly doubted that considering what he had done to his nephew, but he didn’t say as much, instead nodding as he responded in kind.

“It’s nice to meet you too.” Cale looked around them, finally noting that Kratos was nowhere to be found, along with Mímir but it was pretty easy to guess at where he probably was. He turned back to the others, unintentionally cutting Freyr off before he could start speaking again.

“Where’s Kratos?” The Vanir god slumped a little – looking wildly defeated for whatever reason – while Atreus came to the table to set some bowls down in front of them.

“Father said he needed to go get something and that he’d be right back.” Cale hummed in response, clamping down on the slight disappointment he felt with the words. He was kind of looking forward to waking up with the god, but it was fine, he was supposed to be travelling with them again after all.

Sindri came over to the table looking fairly chipper as he placed a mat down onto a side table, smiling toward Cale so widely he feared the dwarfs face would cramp, “I hope you’re well Cale. I remembered you telling me of a favourite dish of yours from your homeland and tried to re-create it. I hope it will be to your liking.”

Said hunter perked up with the words, finally registering why something had smelt so familiar all morning. He had simply passed it off as one of his usual bouts of homesickness, not realising it was the actual dish that his mother had once made him all those years ago, “Oh? What for?”

Before Sindri could speak Brok was cutting in from across the room, making his way over from the forge as he spoke in his usual brash manner, “Sin’s actin’ all grateful and shit cause you saved my life yesterday. ‘Fore you know it he’ll be kissin’ the ground ye stand on.”

Said dwarf blanched at the mere idea of that, settling the pot on the mat he had previously placed down, “Don’t even suggest such a thing. That’s- that’s disgusting. Do you know how many things could be hiding in the floor? Bleh.”

Cale chuckled lightly, shaking his head in amusement before responding, “Well, I’m just glad you’re both alright. Thank you for making this Sindri.”

Said blacksmith quickly went from disgusted to bashful, though there was no hiding the way pride rolled off him in waves, “It was my pleasure Cale. I had been wanting to try and cook something new anyway.”

Brok rolled his eyes as he sat down across from Freya, said woman standing in order to serve everyone their share of the meal. Atreus had taken the seat next to Brok, leaving a stump next to Cale and the seat at the head of the table free for Sindri and Kratos to take.

Right as Freya finished serving everyone who was present Kratos walked through the door, Mímir blabbering away on his hip and causing everyone to roll their eyes. Cale laughed lightly, feeling as if a weight had lifted from his shoulders at the sight of the people he cared about looking so carefree. Gods know they needed it after everything.

The hunter turned to wave at the approaching god, tilting his head at the bag he carried in his hand in silent question. Kratos nodded toward him, coming to a stop by his seat before dumping the bag on the table and ignoring the protests from Sindri. He spent a moment rummaging around in it before pulling something out, quickly hiding it from sight while upending the bag onto the table.

Cale made a surprised noise at the fruit that came tumbling out, eyes going wide while everyone else made varying noises of shock and awe, “Where did you get all of this?”

Kratos grunted, not bothering to answer as he took the stump beside Cale and placed Mímir on the table. Said head looked mournfully at the fruits in front of him, a borderline pout sitting on his lips as he spoke, “You’re a cruel bastard Kratos… Lad? What do ya think would happen if ya fed me one of those?”

Atreus’ face made some rapid changes between disgust, curiosity and discomfort, looking between the fruit and Mímir like he wanted to try it but also didn’t want to. The sight made Cale chuckle softly, also mildly curious on what would happen if they were to feed Mímir something. Maybe he wouldn’t be able to swallow it and would have to spit it out again?

Before he could contemplate it more a tap on his right shoulder was pulling him from his thoughts, causing him to look over to a slightly constipated looking Kratos. Cale frowned a little at the sight, hand coming to rest on his forearm as he spoke softly, “Are you ok?”

The other man grunted again, quickly looking toward the others when a loud sound of disgust escaped them. Apparently Mímir could eat and swallow… the end result was not so nice though. Cale laughed loudly when Sindri nearly passed out at the head of the table, Brok quickly reaching out to steady him before he fell into the fire behind him.

Atreus looked like he was gonna be sick, closing his eyes and tossing a cloth he had on him over Mímir and the resulting mess. Freya was pushing her plate away from her, having thoroughly lost her appetite while Freyr looked nonplussed by it all, eating his food with an amused smile and pulling his sister’s plate closer to himself.

The hunter snorted at everyone’s reactions, looking back toward Kratos when he let out a huff of what could have been laughter. The older man looked back at him, eyes notably softer than what they used to be. Cale smiled at the sight, heart warming in a rather familiar fashion. Something about his expression must’ve set Kratos off, because suddenly he was turning away from him, pulling something from his pocket before turning back to him again.

He seemed to be nervous again, eyes flicking between everyone and everything as if a threat was still lurking within the walls. Cale decided to wait him out, let him figure out what it was he wanted to do or say at his own pace since pushing him had never worked before. He didn’t have to wait too long before Kratos was turning back to him, eyes determined as he held his hand out.

When Cale looked down there was a crisp, red apple sitting there, shiny and looking as if it had just been picked off a tree. There was a moment where he didn’t think much of it, wondering why Kratos had gone through the effort of pulling it from the pack and hiding it when he could have just given it to Cale at the beginning.

Then an old memory popped up in his head, his eyes widening when he remembered the whole tradition behind apples and the meaning of giving someone one. He looked toward the other god, trying to gauge whether he was joking or not. Or maybe he forgot the whole meaning behind doing something like this and was just being nice.

But Kratos looked deadly serious, eyes hard but showing a hint of vulnerability that meant he knew the meaning behind it and was simply awaiting his answer. Cale still semi-expected the man to just drop the apple and tell him he was joking, even though the chances of that happening were lower than Fimbulwinter ending because it felt like it.

Slowly he reached out and took the apple, staring into Kratos’ eyes all the while and feeling the heat in his face spread down his neck and across his ears. He probably looked like the apple in his hands if the small smile the war god shot him was anything to go by, though he couldn’t help the wide grin that split his face in response.

Cale gave a soft laugh, finally averting his eyes as he bit into the apple, humming in appreciation when a rich flavour burst in his mouth. It really did taste like it had been freshly picked and he had to wonder where exactly Kratos had managed to find so many fresh fruit when everything was being drowned in snow. The other man didn’t seem too inclined to answer though, taking his hand beneath the table and interlacing their fingers. It wasn’t even the first time they had held hands like this, but it was the first time Kratos had started it, and that small fact made his heart beat out of his chest.

When they finally turned back to everyone else nobody seemed to take notice of them, too busy still expressing their disgust over Mímir and his unfortunate… predicament. The hunter shook his head in fond amusement, continuing to eat his apple as Kratos ate the food in Cale’s bowl since nobody had given him his serving.

Eventually everyone went back to eating – except Sindri and Freya, they were still reeling from before – exchanging short conversations between one another and ignoring Mímir’s incessant chattering from beneath the cloth. When Cale finished his apple he decided to help the head out, placing the core down before pulling the cloth away. He didn’t want to let go of Kratos’ hand yet, and from the way the god hadn’t loosened his grip once he was apparently in the same boat.

Mímir blinked rapidly for a few seconds when the cloth came off, huffing as he glanced around at everyone, “I’m going to assume it was Cale who helped me because you’re all a bunch of heartless pricks. Picking on me when I’m just a head. For shame on you all.”

Said hunter snorted none to quietly at the words, rolling his eyes as he cleaned up the… mess. It was pretty gross if he looked at it too long, “You couldn’t do this outside?”

Atreus looked sheepish all of a sudden, scratching at the back of his neck as he mumbled, “Oh. I… didn’t think of that.”

Mímir hummed, eyes squinted as he thought something over, “Yes, that would have been wise. Could have gotten that wolf of yours to clean it up, aye Cale?”

Said god scoffed, rolling his eyes as he stood from the table, letting his hand slip from Kratos’ own so he could walk – it was more of a limp really – into the kitchen and dump the cloth in a bucket, “I would have given you to Ratatoskr to make feed out of your beard if you had subjected him to that.”

Brok let out a rather loud laugh with that, Mímir grumbling lowly to himself as the dwarf made fun of him. The hunter shook his head, using the pump Sindri had set up to get some water into the bucket and clean off the rag, he’d have to ask how Sindri had managed such a feat when his house was in a place between realms.

A sudden hand on his waist pulls him from his thoughts, causing him to meet the concerned eyes of his newly dubbed lover, “You shouldn’t be walking yet.”

Cale thinks he knows exactly who Atreus takes after now, or maybe it was the other way around and the boy had just managed to rub off on his father that much. Either way it makes his heart stutter, soft smile taking over his features as he huffs out a soft laugh, “I’m fine. Freya gave me something that blocks the pain.”

The god of war grunted, still looking concerned and reluctant to let Cale walk. Said hunter rolled his eyes fondly, briefly squeezing the hand on his waist as he spoke, “Fine then. I’ll go sit down, ya big softie.”

Kratos didn’t seem at all upset with the name, sending him off with one last squeeze to his waist and watching him intently until he had settled back into his seat. Once he was sat down the older man turned back to the bucket, finishing what Cale had started without a single complaint. Cale had a feeling every tiny gesture this man did was going to send his heart into a frenzy, regardless of whether he was involved in it or not. He couldn’t find it in himself to complain though, far too smitten to care too much.

Chapter Text

Cale was currently sat outside on Sindri’s front steps, wolf companion sat by his side and taking a nap. They were waiting for Kratos and Atreus to get back, the two having gone to help out some lost souls in Vanaheim to kill some time. Cale wasn’t allowed to go with them, Kratos too worried about the state of his leg and saying he should heal up a little more before going out with them on their journey’s. It was sweet that he was so worried, but at the same time Cale was bored out of his mind with all the sitting around he had been doing. Though he supposed he could give the man this time alone with his son.

Everyone had been a little incredulous at first, wondering why the two would try and kill time when the possible end to all realms and life as they know it was fast approaching. But one look at Kratos and Cale knew.

He knew the man just wanted some last moments of normalcy with his son, a chance to pretend that everything was still the same as before and they didn’t have destiny hanging over their heads, threatening to crush them with its weight. They had all taken the time to fill him in on every last detail, from what had happened after Cale disappeared during their last journey, all the way up to what they had experienced on this one.

The two had led an eventful few winters, and Cale was constantly surprised with how… different, everyone was. He knew he should’ve expected it but still, it was a little disconcerting at times. He had missed so much and a small part of him was a little angry… whether with himself or not he’s not entirely too sure, though he supposes it doesn’t really matter.

He’s pulled from his thoughts when Freyr suddenly settles to the right of him on the steps, Cale having to settle his wolf down when he picks his head up and starts growling at the Vanir. The other god lets out a nervous little chuckle, keeping his eyes trained on the wolf as he settles down once again, though he seemed ready to attack at the slightest movement.

“You’ve got yourself quite the guard dog there.” Cale gave a small laugh as he shrugged, leaning over so he could ruffle the animal around the neck a little roughly. His wolf grunted, nipping at his fingertips in retaliation before settling once more.

“Got myself a good friend I reckon. Saved him from some raiders in Midgard, now he won’t leave me alone.” Freyr hummed, nodding along as he fiddled with his fingers. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but he wasn’t too sure on how to bring it up. Cale thought he’d try and help him along since he’d been doing this since their breakfast that morning.

“Are you alright? You’ve been on edge for a while now.” The Vanir god looked at him with wide eyes, mouth opening and closing for a moment before he finally managed to say something.

“How did you-” Cale shrugged, averting his eyes in mild embarrassment as he spoke. He was told it was a weird how observant he was sometimes.

“Just a feeling you gave off.” Freyr nodded, seemingly thinking his words over before he turned to face him better. He looked determined now, so concentrated on what he was going to say that he didn’t notice Kratos and Atreus coming through the gateway.

“I was wondering if you’d maybe want to-”

“Cale!” Said hunter smiled as Atreus ran over to them, bouncing on his heels by his side for a moment before crouching down and ruffling his wolf’s fur. Said animal seemed to finally relax with the attention, rolling over so he was now laying on Cale’s feet and his side was more exposed to the boy.

The hunter smiled up at Kratos as he approached, face notably brightening when he settled in on his left side a little closer than was necessary if they were merely travel companions. Atreus shot them a knowing little smile before turning back to the wolf, speaking lowly to him as he continued his petting.

They had told Atreus about it obviously, Cale thinking it wrong not to tell him and Kratos merely wishing to be truthful with his son. Honestly he had been fully prepared to disappear again, not wanting to make Atreus uncomfortable if he didn’t like it and not wanting to put Kratos through the effort of letting him down. Because he knew the man would always choose his son over everyone and everything else – not that he’d ever blame the man for doing as such – so better to save them both the pain.

Luckily Atreus was ecstatic with the news, ranting about how it was about time his father found someone and how he was glad it was Cale. The hunter was mildly confused with that, looking between the father and son duo with mild trepidation, “What about Faye?”

Atreus looked to his father with a raised brow, the older man looking… embarrassed, as he averted his eyes and grumbled, “She and I thought it best if I stayed when we found she was pregnant…”

Cale frowned, tilting his head in silent question. Of course, he’d stay if she were pregnant, they were married, why wouldn’t he? Atreus gave a rather loud snort with the words, rolling his eyes before he answered, “What father means is, they were good friends and raised me together when they found out about me.”

The realisation was slow but once Cale reached it he made a low noise of understanding, nodding slowly as he took that in. He had always thought the two were married, what with the way Kratos spoke of her and the way he hadn’t denied it when others brought it up. Granted, the man was rather content with letting people think and say what they want – as long as nobody brought up his past or harmed those he cared about that is – so he supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised.

Now the boy was constantly shooting them knowing little smiles, grinning so wide his face looked as if it would split whenever the two of them so much as sat near each other. Cale found it mildly embarrassing honestly, especially now when Freyr was looking between them with a questioning look painted across his face.

The hunter shot him a sheepish smile, “Sorry, what were you saying?”

The Vanir looked between them all again, his eyes lingering on Kratos for a long moment before he slumped, shaking his head as he spoke just loud enough for Cale to hear, “Ah, no need to worry about it. I just remembered Freya needed me for something.”

Freyr promptly left after saying that, leaving Cale to blink in confusion after him as Atreus laughed softly, “What was that about?”

Kratos grunted, hand coming out and wrapping around his waist in order to pull him closer, though his eyes stayed adamantly trained on the branches of the World Tree. The hunter was immensely confused now as Atreus’ soft laugh turned into a full belly one, the wolf at his feet shooting him an unimpressed stare while Mimir huffed quietly from Kratos’ hip.

When he tried finding out what was so funny nobody would answer him, not even Kratos who huffed a fond sort of sigh, leaning down to place a chaste kiss against the side of his head. The action placated him much faster than he was willing to admit, making him settle his weight into the older man’s side with nothing more than a token protest for being left out. They’d tell him if it was super important.