Chapter Text
It was impossible to say what had formed between them over the months they'd spent in the field.
They weren't family (or at least, most of them weren't). They weren't lovers (or at least, most of them weren't). According to some, many of them could not even truly be friends, given the differences in rank. That was fine, though; many of them had come up with their own words.
"This is my right-hand warrior!" Sigrun crowed when she dragged Emil over to meet her parents. "She's my mentor," Emil said in turn when his cousins wanted to know who the scary lady was and whether she could teach them anything. "He's... Emil," Lalli informed Onni when asked about his new friend, and only those who knew him very well were able to catch the small smile on his face.
Even the ones who hadn't named their relationships all had something to say: "He was like a big brother when my actual big brother wasn't there." "He made the weird ghosts go away." "She saved my life." "I had to babysit everyone."
Not many of them were introspective enough to muse on what they had become. Still, as they parted ways at the station, they could not help but regret that it was ending.
"I hope you never get the urge to do something like that again," Onni informed his cousins as they boarded the train that would take them to the dock, and from there to their home.
"No no, I'm good," Emil insisted as he followed his aunt and uncle, one cousin on each limb. Still, he could not help but look back, a wistful expression creeping into his eyes.
"Good vacation," Sigrun informed Trond and her parents after she'd finished her report. "I almost don't want to go back to work now."
"You don't look as sour as usual," Michael Madsen informed his twin that night when they went out for a drink. "Want to tell me why?" "You're imagining things," Mikkel stated bluntly, but was nevertheless smiling as he lifted his beer to his lips.
"Well, it looks like you had an adventure that gave us all a run for our money!" Reynir's siblings laughed as they journeyed home—all of them, together, as a family. "If you had the chance, would you do it again?"
Reynir smiled then—a small, secret smile that nevertheless carried more than a hint of sadness. "In a heartbeat."