#ylviscest

Vegard pushed a strained breath through his teeth, his hands splayed on the cold, hard rock face, his fingers dug into the cracks which held him. This was the most difficult part of the hike, and he had underestimated his climbing prowess. He took another hard breath as his tired legs forced him a little further up the 90° precipice to his goal. He inwardly cursed Bård for the ease with which he seemed to climb this section, but with his long limbs and slender frame, he had always had an easier time.

"Come on Vegard, you can do it!" The sound of his brother's voice reached his ears and he looked up to see Bård's head poking over the edge of the summit, and he grunted ferociously before pushing himself up once more, then again, then finally with one last cry of effort he managed to hook his leg up onto the flat rock which he had worked so hard to reach. He felt Bård's strong hands on his shoulders and rolled over onto the stone platform, his breathing ragged. Bård knelt beside him, grinning down, his face beaming with pride. "You did it!" He laughed while Vegard gazed up at his brother.

"I didn't think I'd make it" he said between breaths.

"How'd you find the strength?" Bård asked, his eyes boring into Vegard's.

"Because of you." he said, reaching up and tucking a strand of hair behind his brother's ear.

"Because of me??" Bård said, suprised, and Vegard nodded, his hand moving to grasp the damp material of Bård's jacket. He guided the younger man down and kissed him gently before pushing him away slightly and finding his blue eyes once again.