Chapter Text
The Huldra brothers were smithing swords, axes, helmets and many more things. For once the dwarves weren't fighting as two (well, three) familiar faces stopped at their shop.
"Whadya want?" Brok asked in his always charming manner. The father told them what they needed and the small men got to work.
The young archer was stumbling around, kicking rocks and whistling. The boy was bored, that much was sure. So, he made his way to the workshops table. He was heavily leaning on it and waited rather impatiently, for the brothers to finish.
"Oh for fucksake! Whadya need ye lil fart?" Sindri only shot his brother a look, he told Brok many times to not refer to Atreus that way or use that kind of language! Sindri couldn't help but roll his eyes regarding his brother.
Atreus looked confusingly at Brok. "I- I didn't do anything?"
The blue man only huffed out: "Jus' making me hella nervous s'all! With yer poutin' and what not!"
The tattooed spartan only observed the conversation from above his sons shoulder, but Mimir gladly chimed in. "Leave the lad alone, will ya? I don't remember you being so squirmish, normally Sindri is all that!"
Sindri yelled out a offended 'hey!' as a respond to Mimir's statement, but his brother completely dismissed the head with a huff.
Atreus mumbled a quiet sorry to Brok. "Can I ask you a question?" The blue dwarf looked at his brother and shrugged. "Well, spit out 'fore I change my mind."
The boy's face lit up and asked something, he wanted to ask for a long time! "I was wondering why you are called 'Huldra Brothers', since Huldras are all female creatures and you are... well dwarves?"
Sindri chuckled at the boys need for knowledge. "Well yes you're right! We actually dont have anything to do with Huldras. But you see-" the dwarf was cut off by the head who made his discomfort known very loudly.
"That story is not suited for young ears! Shame on you! And I thought you were the responsible half." If Mimir could, he'd shake his head. But he was only met by two confused looking dwarves.
Kratos on the other hand wanted to be on his way. "How long until it is finished?" The blue dwarf answered with a little shrug "There's nothing we can do but wait for it to cool down and let the magic soak in." The marked warrior fought the urge to roll his eyes and stood there patiently.
Sindri claspd his hands together. "It's enough time to clear this little misconception!" Atreus raised his eyebrow, as did Mimir and the dwarf told the story of the origin of the 'Huldra Brothers'.
"Well you see, a lot of people such as yourself have wondered that very same question, as to why we were known like that among the Aesir, so they came up with story's themselves. That's probably the story Mimir knows-"
"And what is that story?" The boy asked, while innocent blue eyes looked up to the dwarf.
"Er... well now that really isn't suited for one so young." He said with a nervous smile, while Brok leaned against a table and crossed his arms, waiting for his brother to continue the story, as was everybody else.
"Anyway! As I was saying everybody wondered about our title. Only a few knew where it originated from. You see, the Aesir do not like people that are different."
Atreus tilted his head. "Do you mean other creatures?"
Sindri only smiled at him and answered swiftly. "That's true as well, but it's another kind of different I mean. You see... where you have your father and had your mother, my brother-"
"-fucks men! Women jus' dont get me swingin'" Brok interrupted. He had a smug smile on his face, while the boy looked slightly disturbed.
Sindri sighed heavily and continued "...right. And well I always liked men and women." The blacksmith said with a warm smile.
"The Aesir took us as lesser men for that." Sindri told them with a hurt expression.
Brok joined his brother side and clasped his shoulder. "So those cock suckers thought it was funny to call us Huldras 'stead of dwarfs."
Atreus looked to the floor, he was angry and sad they had to hear that, that wasn't fair! "Because they're females? Because you were no men to them?" The dwarves nodded and a silence came over the workshop.
Until Mimir spoke up. "Why didn't I know this?" Brok only shrugged and moved back to the tattooed mans purchase. "Dunno. Guess yer weren't part of all the insiders then."
The customer took the item and was ready to leave when his son spoke up. "But that's stupid and mean!"
The brothers looked at eachother and shrugged. "I'm glad you think so Atreus." The taller dwarf responded with a friendly smile. "But y'know we took that name and slapped them with a big ol' fuck you." Brok said with a laugh.
Kratos hummed and looked to his son. "Hm. The dwarves took this and turned it around, yes? Now, this is no longer something that can be used against them." The boy nodded.
With a smile, the boy and his father (and the head) turned to leave.
As they were walking away Atreus decided to ask something his father, so he looked up and spoke. "Father?"
"Hm?"
"Before mother..."
"Yes?"
"...."
"Atreus what do you want to ask?"
"Well, I was just wondering do you like men too?"
"Boy!"
Mimir couldn't help but burst out into laughter. The boy only shrugged and heard his father let out a exasperated sigh. "Where I come from, we did not care if you were with a man or a woman and many had both or just the one, but we did not care."
The boy's blue eyes widened slightly. "But it's not like that here though...?" His father shook his head and they strode along.
"Yet the dwarves do not care what others think. Nor should you, no matter the topic."
And like that, a comfortable silence overcame the travellers, until the boy got bored and asked for one of Mimir's stories!