"Welcome to the stables of the All-Father, Lord.", you bowed your head to escape his gleaming eyes. "We had not expected a divine visit."

For a moment Heimdall looked you up and down. He let one hand rest on the hilt of his sword while the other scratched his chin.

"Hm.", he tilted his head. "Of course you weren't expecting me. I did not announce myself."

"And you don't have to, Lord Heimdall!", Erik called out and hurried to his side with his head bowed. "It would be an honour to show you the stables. All the Allfather's animals are well cared for. See for yourself."

An annoyed sigh escaped Heimdall. He rolled his eyes, leaned his head back and gave the man a judgemental look.

"Someone can't keep their mouth shut, can they?", he asked, as if he was talking to a child, and gave Erik a moment to process the words. "Why don't you go back and pretend to work? Like you always do? I don't need your incompetence anyways. Go on, then. Shoo, shoo."

With a gesture he tried to get rid of the unwanted company.

But you knew Erik. He wouldn't just let himself be sent away. Especially not when it was a god he adored.

"Lord Heimdall!", with a sweet smile, Erik tried once against to get too close.

This time, Heimdall didn't grant him imprudence.

"Some cowards are too incompetent to learn, aren't they?", he asked, more to himself than the two of you. "Fools who do not want to hear must feel."

With his lips pressed together in annoyance, he moved aside again. But this time he drew his sword and rammed the handle into Erik's abdomen.

It was a dull blow, but no less painful.

Gasping, Erik writhed under the pain as his hands pressed down on the spot. He couldn't breath for a moment and his pale face turned so red that it looked as if he had a high fever.

"Erik!", you rushed to his side, worried. "Can you breathe?"

With mild interest, Heimdall watched the scenery.

His eyes dug into your flesh like a knife.

But after a while of staring, he frowned.

"What?", he mumbled to himself with a slight hint of angered confusion on his face. "Interesting..."

Ignoring Erik's pain, for which he was responsible with his harshness, Heimdall bent down and grabbed you by the arm.

Startled, you jerked back.

Your eyes met.

He looked annoyed. At the same time there was a restrained anger fuelled by impatience.

His lips moved and formed a smacking sound.

"My lord.", you gifted him a polite smile. "I don't want to be impolite. My apologies for Erik. He's a little thoughtless sometimes, but a good soul."

"Sure.", he shrugged with a cocky grin on his lips. "I assume he's also hardworking, loving and caring. He's always there for you whenever you need him. Oh no, wait. He's not."

You frowned.

"How do you want to know?"

A sigh made him roll his eyes.

"I'm the god of foresight. I know everything. That's my job. To know stuff.", almost offended he raised one of his eyebrows. "Do you live under a rock or something? Who wouldn't know me? I'm Heimdall."

Not wanting to add to his displeasure, you bowed your head and nodded.

"My apologies if I was rude.", you whispered.

"You were.", Heimdall's eyes wandered over you.

Why did he look at you so often?

There was nothing about you that could interest a god. But for some reason, his eyes were on you at all times.

It made you nervous.

Was he testing your loyalty to Asgard?

Did he want to know if you were feigning civility but actually loathed him?

No, there was no reason for him to be so suspicious of you. After all, none of this applied to you.

And you had no intention of being rude either. He had given you no reason to dislike him.

"You apologise an awful lot.", he curled his lips in a judgemental manner. "How boring."

The words were already on the tip of your tongue as you pressed your lips together and swallowed another apology.

He didn't seem to care much what you said anyway.

Instead, you turned your attention back to Erik.

"Can you breathe?", you asked and put a hand on his shoulder.

Still unable to speak, he nodded and tried to catch his breath. His face was still red. But he managed to open his tear-streaked eyes and look at Heimdall.

He smiled.

"I think I owe you an apology too.", he gasped. "I should not have touched you, Lord Heimdall."

Unimpressed, the god looked down at him.

"You didn't touch me.", he said soberly and turned away, but stopped again after a few steps. "I am waiting."

For a moment you were confused.

Heimdall gave you time to understand. But when a few moments had passed and you still didn't make a decency to move, he rolled his eyes and groaned.

"Come here!", he demanded, pointing with his finger to a spot at his side.

Uncertainly, you exchanged a glance with Erik, who was scowling as if he had learned the time of his own death.

"You shouldn't keep him waiting.", Erik said with a nod in the direction of the god. "Don't be rude."

"What about you?", you asked worried.

He pulled a face as a breath made his stomach flinch in pain.

"I'll be all right in a minute.", he pushed you away harshly.

It felt like he was about to lose patience. As if he was annoyed by your care.

It wasn't unusual that he acted this way. But this time it felt extreme.

As if the presence of Heimdall made him act up more.

With a hesitant nod you left him and hurried over to Heimdall, who had already crossed his arms impatiently in front of his chest.

"You're wasting your time with that ungrateful dog.", he chuckled, clearly amused by your effort.

"He's my friend.", you said.

His eyes locked with yours for a moment.

He huffed.

There was something he wanted to say. But he didn't.