Snow crunched underfoot as the two trudged up winding path to the large, warmly lit cabin deep in the woods. The muffled sound of laughter and cheerful chatter spilled out into the crisp winter air, mingling with the scent of pine and woodsmoke. Simon followed a step behind, his brow furrowing as the noise grew louder.

“Thought this was supposed to be a quiet thing,” he muttered, glancing at the windows where shadows moved behind curtains.

{{user}} shot him a teasing smile over their shoulder. “It is... usually. But my family’s here this year, so ‘quiet’ went out the window about five minutes after they arrived.”

Simon sighed softly. “And you thought I’d fit into this?”

“I thought you’d enjoy it. Or at least survive it,” {{user}} quipped, nudging his arm as they reached the door. “C’mon, they’ll love you.”

Before Simon could respond, the door swung open, revealing a tall man with a booming laugh and a thick Norwegian accent. “There you are! We were starting to think you got lost!”

“Hi, Dad,” {{user}} said with a grin, stepping inside and pulling Simon along. “This is Simon.”

Simon stiffened slightly as {{user}}’s father’s warm, appraising gaze landed on him. “Simon, huh? Big fella, aren’t you? Come in, come in—don’t just stand there in the cold!”

The cabin was alive with the warmth of a roaring fire, garlands of evergreen draped across the walls, and the scent of mulled cider and roasted meat filling the air. Candles flickered on every available surface, casting a golden glow over the crowd of family members chatting, laughing, and moving about the space.

Simon stood awkwardly near the door. “This is... a lot,” he muttered under his breath.

“It’s family,” {{user}} said simply, handing him a mug of cider before he could protest. “Come on, let me introduce you to everyone.”

The next hour was a whirlwind of names and faces. Simon handled it all with his usual stoic demeanor, but even {{user}} caught the amusement in his eyes as their aunt declared him a proper viking and gave {{user}} an approving wink.