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“Sig, can you hand me the basket?“ Ragnar asked after he had stopped the car and the door behind him had already flown open and Hvitserk had jumped out of the car.
The father followed him only with his eyes as he ran up to the door and rang the bell before his youngest even had the chance to climb out of the car.
Ragnar helped Ivar adjust his leg braces and crutches before the young man stood up from the car seat, and Aslaug and Sigurd waited patiently next to them.
The front door opened and Floki appeared. “Hey!“ He said happily and grabbed Hvitserk's shoulder. “Huh, how are you doing?“
Hvitserk gave him an uncomfortable smile and tried to push past him. “Hey, Floki,“ he said shyly.
By now, the parents and their two youngest sons had made it up to the staircase as well and Floki let Hvitserk go in, so that he could instead hug his best friend.
“Hello, old friend,“ Floki sighed contently as he hugged Ragnar. After this, he grabbed Ivar's shoulder and squeazed it lovingly with his left hand and nudged Sigurd's cheak with his right hand. “Huh, boys? Are you guys already up for birthday cake?“
“First, we would like to see the birthday kid,“ Ragnar said and hold up the basket that was filled with presents. “It's not everyday that you turn eighteen after all.“
Floki giggled. “She's inside with Helga, preparing everything.“
“And you're not helping,“ Ivar said teasingly as they finally walked into the house.
“I was trying to heat up the grill,“ Floki sighed: “but that thing is not doing what I want. You could help me, though.“
The man waited in his hall as his friends took off their shoes. Ragnar took off Ivar's shoes since the latter couldn't sit down anywhere and had to use his hands for holding himself upright on his crutches. In the end, Ragnar grabbed Hvitserk's shoes which his son had just randomly dumped anywhere in the room, and put them neatly next to his own.
They walked into the living room and it already smelled like a bakery.
“Helga, Helga, that smells fantastic,“ Ragnar called towards the kitchen where he heard his friend talking.
Helga looked around the doorframe and smiled at him. In the next moment, Angrboda appeared next to her mother.
“Come here, birthday Girl!“ Ragnar said after he had handed his wife the basket.
The teenager flew in his arms and giggled as her godfather squeezed her and kissed her head several times. “Happy Birthday, my dear child. The daughter I always wished to have.“
“Uh-huh,“ a female voice that Ragnar identified as the one of his own daughter, appeared behind him. “The daughter you always wanted to have.“
Ragnar made a grimace as he looked up and faced Gyda who had her newborn son in a baby carrier. “Just a phrase, darling, I promise.“
Angrboda giggled in Ragnar's arms before Aslaug grabbed her. “Happy Birthday, Angie,“ the woman said and hugged her tightly. “You're so grown up already.“
Ragnar looked around. “By the way, where is my grown up child? I mean the one who just left me earlier.“
“Basement, helping Ubbe with the beer,“ Gyda explained and only seconds later, the two men entered the room with each a crate of beer.
“Hey, Ubbe,“ Ragnar said while squeezing his shoulder and Aslaug kissed him on his cheak as he came to a halt next to her.
“Alright, alright, now everyone sit down,“ Floki commanded and the family members sat down around the big table.
Not much later, Torvi and her kids arrived, and after this Bjørn and his family arrived.
“What do you all want to drink?“ Floki asked, first looking at Ragnar.
“Coffee, please.“
“Me, too,“ Bjørn said.
“Coke,“ Ivar answered.
“I'll get a coffee, too, but I'll come and help you carry everything,“ Sigurd said and got up from his chair.
“I'll get a coffee, too,“ Aslaug said.
“Me, too.“
“No!“ Ragnar and Aslaug said at once after their middle son had requested his choice of drink.
Hvitserk groaned. “Coke then.“
“No,“ Ragnar said with a chuckle and looked at Floki then. “Sugar free lemonade if you have that, otherwise he drinks water.“
“Alright,“ Floki said with a cracked laugh. “We also got energy drinks in the fridge.“
“I'll get that then,“ Hvitserk said quickly.
“Yeah, Floki, give him one of these and you can adopt him,“ Ivar said with an ironically warning tone.
The older man giggled and walked towards the kitchen, Sigurd following him.
They came back with each a tray of cups, glasses, bottles and pots of coffee. Helga was also with them and carried a tray with a big birthday cake, cupcakes and cake pops.
“Oh, that looks amazing!“ Aslaug complimented her friend on the baked goods. “Did you make all of that yourself?“
“Angie helped me a lot,“ Helga said with a loving tone and patted her daughter's head after she had put down the tray.
The drinks were handed out and Helga cut the cake. While she handed out pieces of cake and the guests grabbed cupcakes and cake pops, Ragnar pulled out a lunchbox from the basket he had brought. He took out a plain chocolate muffin and put it on Hvitserk's plate together with a small white pill. Ivar next to Hvitserk also placed some pills next to his own plate.
“Do you want to try some cake, Hvitty?“ Helga asked and hold up a piece of cake, but Hvitserk simply shook his head.
He had always had food issues, so his parents had simply started to bring him his own food wherever they went, but Helga still always asked him if he wanted something else.
Everyone dug in their food and they all complimented Helga and Angrboda on the rich and creamy taste of the fluffy strawberry cake.
Hvitserk was only nibbling on his muffin, but didn't really eat much, which Ragnar didn't like since his son had to take meds at this time of day that he needed to control his ADHD and anxiety symptoms.
“You gotta eat that up, Hvits,“ Ragnar said silent enough that not the whole table was disturbed in their chit chats and would turn their attention on them. Hvitserk hated being the center of attention.
Hvitserk sniffed and leaned a bit back in his chair. “It's dry.“
“What do you mean it's dry?“ Ragnar frowned. “It's your favorite brand. I bought the same as I always buy.“
Hvitserk shrugged. “May be. But it's dry. I can't eat that.“
By now, the attention of some of the people around them had shifted to them.
“Darling, are you sure you don't want to try the cake I made?“ Helga asked. “I promise it's not dry at all.“
Hvitserk looked at the cake and made a grimace.
“That's a no,“ Ragnar chuckled. “Do you want to try a cake pop or cupcake. There are chocolate ones as well, see,“ He pointed at the chocolate cupcakes with cream and sugar pearls on top.
Hvitserk hesitated. He was really uncomfortable by now and even crossed his arms in front of his chest and tapped his foot by now. Ragnar was afraid to trigger an overload or meltdown, but he really needed Hvitserk to eat something before he took his medication.
“Come on, I'll get a cupcake now and you try, yeah?“ The father took a cupcake from the tray and put it on his own plate. “I will take all the cream and sugar pearls down and you can only try a bite, yeah?“ He carefully took the cupcake apart and placed a plain piece of it on Hvitserk's plate.
The younger man was staring at the piece of food now and he felt that everyone except from the young children where looking at him now and stopped talking.
He froze for a minute and didn't move at all until Bjørn suddenly sighed loudly and leaned back in his chair. “Come on, Hvitserk. Eat the damn thing. Helga put so much effort in them and they are absolutely delicious. Stop behaving like this.“
Hvitserk didn't move at first, but all his other siblings gave Bjørn now shocked and angry glances.
“Ugh, come on!“ Bjørn groaned. “As if you guys aren't sick of his theater everytime he's supposed to eat anything!“ Bjørn leaned forward to his younger brother. “Go on, eat the cupcake and then swallow your pill, so that dad and your mom won't have to deal with your hyperactivity for once.“
“Bjørn,“ Gyda hissed now at her brother and gave him a glare. She then extended her arm over Ivar who sat between them and softly stroked over Hvitserk's shoulder, but the younger brother just flinched and pushed her away then which made her jump softly. He continued staring at the table like frozen afterwards.
“It's ridiculous, Hvitserk!“ Bjørn hissed now at him. “Stop behaving like a baby!“
“You stop behaving like a baby now!“ Ivar hissed in return at his oldest brother. “Leave Hvitty alone!“
“Ugh, come on Ivar-“
“Bjørn, shut the fuck up or I-“
“Hey, hey, hey! Let's all-“
“Ivar, you little shit-“
The five siblings continued talking and yelling over each other in order to be the loudest, and none of them registered as Hvitserk first covered his ears with his hands and made a painful grimace with closed eyed. They only looked up to the object of matter as their brother started squeaking.
They all became completely silent at once, but it didn't really help and Hvitserk was already going through a full blown meltdown.
He had started to cry and sob and was by now even trembling. He pressed his hands harder into his head and squeaked in pain, but the pain didn't stop him from hitting his head with his hands now. He even wanted to smash his head into the table in front of him, but luckily Ivar's reflexes were fast enough to catch his brother's head and keep him from severely injuring himself. Ubbe's hands had also shot up from across his brother and had landed right between the head and the cutlery right in front of him.
Ubbe hissed as his hands had been pressed into the cutlery and after Ivar had successfully pulled Hvitserk fully up again, their older brother lifted his injured hands.
“Shit,“ Ubbe hissed and immediately pressed a napkin on the deepest cut where blood dropped out from.
Hvitserk's meltdown wasn't over yet, though, and he continued hitting himself, so after a short shocked glance at Ubbe's hands, Ragnar finally grabbed his younger son to prevent him from injuring himself or his siblings further.
“Sig, up,“ Ragnar only commanded, but Sigurd already knew what to do, so when Ragnar lifted the still wildly moving around Hvitserk up from his chair and struggled to hold him upright, Sigurd quickly grabbed Hvitserk and threw him over his shoulder. After over twenty years of meltdowns and living with another physically impaired family member, everyone, but especially Ubbe and Sigurd, had developed an extraordinary strength and the ability to even manage an abruptly moving body.
Ragnar helped Sigurd to carry Hvitserk in the hall and and when Sigurd sat down on the floor, he placed Hvitserk right next to him. Hvitserk was still sobbing and pressed himself in Sigurd's chest, so the younger brother hold him tightly.
Ragnar sat down with his boys and rubbed soothing circles in Hvitserk's back.
It took another few minutes until Hvitserk finally calmed down and stopped shaking and sobbing in Sigurd's embrace.
Sigurd had placed his chin on Hvitserk's head and was softly humming a song he was working on. Hvitserk usually liked listening to his music and it calmed him down.
“I don't want to try the cupcake,“ Hvitserk suddenly said hoarsely and it stung in Ragnar's heart that the simple question if Hvitserk would try a cupcake had brought them here. He couldn't stop thinking about Ubbe's injured hands in the room next door ow what damage could have been made if they haven't been strong enough to take Hvitserk out of the room.
“You don't need to,“ Sigurd whispered into Hvitserk's dirty blonde hair after a second where his father hadn't answer. He pressed a kiss to Hvitserk's head as well. “But you need to eat something.“
Hvitserk squirmed and tensed up in his brother's arms but didn't fight him off.
“You can eat whatever you want,“ Sigurd continued: “But I'm sure you'd like the cake pops. They're soft and not dry at all.“
“There are melted chocolate and sugar pearls on top of them,“ Hvitserk whined back.
Sigurd stroked over his brother's hair and kissed him again. “I know, but you know what? I can just take that down for you. You can't taste it then. I can also ask if Helga has a banana for you, if you want that.“
Hvitserk hesitated and just let himself be held by his brother for a few more moments until he finally nodded. “I don't want to go back in,“ he then added quietly. “It's embarrassing.“
“It's not at all,“ Sigurd tried to reassure him.
“Yes, it is. I hurt Ubbe and Bjørn hates me.“ He mumbled hardly understandable into Sigurd's chest.
Ragnar and Sigurd shared a look. They never really knew what Hvitserk took in during a meltdown and they had hoped he wouldn't know at least about Ubbe.
“Bjørn does not hate you,“ Sigurd mumbled and kissed his brother for the third time now. He liked to shower Hvitserk with love, in contrast to Ivar for whom Sigurd usually only had words of hate.
“He was mad at me because I always make everything so hard for you guys.“ Hvitserk's voice was thick of tears again.
Sigurd couldn't help, but hold him a littler bit tighter. “Bjørn is an asshole. We will just ignore him, okay? You and I. And you know what? Gyda, Ubbe and Ivar were also angry at him because we all love you and we have your back, do you get that now?“
Hvitserk nodded softly and Sigurd wouldn't have noticed it if he didn't feel it in his chest.
“Can we go back in now?“ Ragnar asked carefully then. He had let Sigurd handle the whole situation because Hvitserk had sought his comfort, even though it was hard for him to let anyone else take care of his middle child.
Hvitserk didn't answer, but he also didn't fight back when Sigurd pushed him softly away and pulled him up on his feet a moment later.
“Can you eat the cake pop if I don't like it?“ Hvitserk asked his brother shyly and Sigurd only cracked a laugh and pulled him in another quick hug.
“Of course. I'd eat every cake pop in the world for you.“
Hesitantly, Hvitserk took a step back and after seeing his father's and brother's encouraging smiles, it was actually him, who grabbed the door handle to walk back to the birthday party.
The family tried to stay cool and not make Hvitserk feel bad when they came back, so they just kept talking to each other and didn't even pay him any extra attention, not even when Sigurd had successfully skinned a cake pop and had placed a piece of it on Hvitserk's plate.
The older brother looked at the object of matter with narrowed eyes as if he was inspecting it, but after a few spare moments, he actually grabbed his fork and carefully placed a single crumble of cake on his tongue.
He made a grimace at first and his arms twitched slightly as if he was about to flap his hands.
Sigurd watched him, ready to put a napkin under his brother's mouth, in case Hvitserk didn't want to swallow it, and ready to grab the next cakepop, in case his brother decided he liked Helga's delicious baked goods.
For another moment, Hvitserk didn't say or do anything, then he softly nodded with a meaningful look at Sigurd.
Sigurd's eyes grew big and he couldn't hide the smallest relieved smile tugging on his lips. “Do you want more?“ He asked then.
Hvitserk hesitated, then he nodded ever so slightly. “But I don't want chocolate or sugar pearls on it.“
Sigurd nodded happily and grabbed the next cakepop, ready to skin it.
Ragnar had watched his sons carefully, just like his wife across from him, and now they shared a meaningful, but happy look.
From now on, they wouldn't bring extra chocolate muffins anymore, but would instead just ask Helga for her cakepop recipe, just so that Hvitserk could tell them that he only like Helga's cake pops of course. Or maybe he would wake up the next day and decided that he didn't like cakepops anymore. They didn't really know what would happen, but they were more than happy that their son had tried something new today and had even liked it, even if it just was for today, and even though the matter of object was nothing else, but chocolate cake. A win was a win.