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shinjisdone · 2 years ago

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To Soften a Warrior's Heart (Vinland Saga; Thorfinn; Part 1)

Going insane over Vinland saga - and Thorfinn headcanons of him getting close/finding a friend (┛◉Д◉)┛彡┻━┻ (based on season 1, which I haven't even finished but its taking oVER MY BRAIN):

In which you have joined Askeladd's band...and grow closer to the Son of Thors. Though it is more difficult than anyone can could ever imagine...

[Headcanons of how it would be like to meet and crawl your way into Thorfinn's heart (based on season 1; both platonic and romantic)]

Part 2 is here - meeting Thorfinn at 16/17 years old and growing closer to him, slightly following s1 events

Part 3 is here - Thorfinn slowly feeling comfortable with you and considering you a friend

Part 4 is here - Thorfinn unwittingly opening his heart as he realizes he does not want you to die

Part 5.1 is here - sweet things Thorfinn would do for you (headcanons)

Part 5.2 is here - other sweet htings Thorfinn would do for you (headcanons)

Part 6 is here - Becoming Canute's guard while Thorfinn accepts your relationship and bond

Part 7 is here - Canute grieving over Ragnar and Thorkell catching up; Thorfinn leaves you alone for revenge

Part 8 is here - Thorfinn wins against Thorkell; Questioning your bond with Thorfinn

Part 9 is here - Meeting Leif and Thorfinn dueling Askeladd; Losing while Askeladd told him the truth of his constant losses

Part 10 is here - Thorfinn and you bound by heart; Promises of Vinland broken and abandoned

okay, okay, just bear with me here;;;;

We all know that Thorfinn throughout these 11 years has been alone AND lonely (even though I think he wouldn't be aware of it nor admit to it) even though he has been around Askeladd's band for so long. He's cold and crude, rejecting all kinds of possible connections, which at the end of the day cannot even be real connections considering all men there are war-loving warriors who live for the thrill of battle - and the one who doesn't is Askeladd, his father's murderer who uses Thorfinn as a tool.

So just - i m a g i n e with me. Thorfinn...building connections. Having a bond...while still being the piece of sht like he always is (I know that happens in season 2 (I think) but...just, let him have someone :,) No matter if platonic/romantic :,) Just...let this kid be okay;;;;)

[Mentions of murder, death, war, slave trade, violence against women and whatever awful things happened in the viking era. Only mentioned and used as examples. Mostly gender-neutral examples but female-leaning ones are there, too.]

Harsh beginnings (14 years old)

So, obviously, you'd have to meet while Thorfinn is still in the band. Having two children ranging from the age of 6-13 be vikings and kill people is....unlikely????? At least in the plot.

So here comes my brainrot and stupid headcanons but:

Either you meet where he was about 14 or when he was about 16-17 years old.

I think the later you meet him in these 11 years, the harder it is to build a connection, let alone trust with him since these cruel years have hardened his heart. And as a 14 y/o (or at least around that age range) Thorfinn was seen to be more willing to help civilians who he saw as bystanders (the english woman and daughter). He is NOT innocent at that age in any regard but perhaps during that time he still hadn't shackled that hopeful child in his heart.

You become part of the band for whatever reason. Your home was raided, you escaped slave trade or you see yourself as a warrior. Askeladd saw something useful in you - no matter if that was strength, wit, knowledge of foreign languages or talent for any skill that there is. You can be a useful chess piece and a good replacement for the men he had lost throughout the years. If not, it certainly won't be a loss for him.

Your reasons and goal for joining would not matter. You are just another face being here. Either you'll be here for a long time or not. It doesn't matter. Everyone dies. As long as it is Askeladd dying by Thorfinn's hand, he won't care for you.

The only thing that would be peculiar and worthy of his attention (at least for a moment) would be that you and him are about the same age - in this example, 14 years old.

I believe either Thorfinn wouldn't care after that and ignore you - or he would raise a brow and pout as usual, asking you what a kid his age is doing here. Are you a warrior? One his father would describe? In his dreams?

You can give him your reason (it just can't be revenge, that's his thing). For survival, for power, you're searching for someone/something or for simply wanting to be a viking. Thorfinn would shrug at this, thinking the more emotional/rational reasons just show how you're probably not the only one with such an ambition. The world is cruel and it seems like you're the product of its actions. If your reason is a bit more simpleminded or even selfish, he'd scoff at you.

Nevertheless, he would never think of you as stronger than him.

Perhaps due to his young age he would act more childish and irrational. Every comment you give needs a comeback, no matter if it is ill-mannered or just talking for the sake of talking. He'd find himself accidentally replying to you or even seeking conversation because you are about the same age as him. Never would he see you as a friend though. Thorfinn in general, no matter how old, is too absorbed in his thirst for revenge that it is hard to find a place for any other thing in his heart, both positve and negative.

In the morning, he trains to be able to kill Askeladd (which at that age, I believe duels with him are seldom due to his height and age). At midday, he hunts for himself to survive. At night, he is plagued by his dreams of his father. There isn't much place for anything else.

The boy would be more open to kind people in general. It happens unwittingly. Thorfinn doesn't truly seek out company but humans are social creatures, no matter how strong or stoic or cruel he may become. He's still a child before any of that.

However, he would find you odd to be kind and to be part of a viking band. Part of him believes you don't belong here. Another part prefers you like this.

You'd have to initiate conversations most of the time but younger Thorfinn might do so too, at least compared to when he is older. It usually concerns problems regarding the situation or questions about Askeladd and his decisions. Thorfinn is reluctant to tell you about Askeladd and his father and prefers to bark out brief explanations ("He's a bastard."; "He isn't my leader and I am not listening to him. I'm here to kill him so don't get in my way!").

Very open to criticize you but mostly about fighting stances or decisions made during battle. He thinks he doesn't know enough of what the right decision is with and about people (again, the incident with the English woman) or what it means to be a true warrior yet - a definition he won't be certain about even in the future. Instead he keeps his mouth shut about your moral choices and prefers to watch. The most he would do is ask you why you did that/said that. At best he'd inquire more, at worst he'd only hum, ponder about it for a minute before tossing the thought aside until a similar situation arrives.

BUT if you were to point out his flaws, ooohh, you can expect a snappy and bratty 'shut up!' from him real quick. The boy is defensive, especially when it comes to being a 'true warrior' or when he loses to Askeladd time and time again. If you try to help him with criticism, he'll brush it off or physically shove you away. It doesn't matter if you mean it in a condescending or helpful way, he wouldn't listen.

Regarding the battlefield, it truly depends on your talent and skills whether or not you'll be paired up with Thorfinn.

It's known Askeladd uses him as bait or to do the dirty work of the job but if he sees you as useful, he might pair you up. Again, it depends on the skills and situation.

Nevertheless, Thorfinn wouldn't like it.

He's used to work alone, too used even. He doesn't want and need help, in fact he believes you'd be a liability, which can partially be true. However, if Askeladd suggested it, surely he must have a plan...that's what most of you think at least.

Thorfinn would just cuss at the man, claiming his choice is stupid and he doesn't need help. He can do it alone.

The often you have a job together, the less he'll complain. He won't look forward to it (having you along doesn't make killing any more enjoyable no offense) but he'll silently agree. (Heavens forbid you mess up though. If you mess up and somehow survive, you'll surely get an earful of Thorfinn of how weak and useless you are, no matter what Askeladd might say. Just...be careful).

Now, they could be certain reactions/actions that might be different if you are female.

Female vikings were indeed real but their victories and deeds were not as often written down, at least compared to male vikings. Nevertheless, having a female, much less such a young one, a child, be part of a viking band (especially Askeladd's!) did leave a lot of the members with uneasiness and hanging jaws.

Thorfinn would raise both brows at that. Whether or not you are recruited did not matter and there wouldn't be much of a difference on how he would think of you and treat you - its just the fact that you are a girl makes him wonder to be frank.

I like to believe Thorfinn is very much aware of things. Of what it means to be a viking and what that could mean for a girl...not only the viking life but also just the lifes of women who just exist in this world.

Yet at the same time...he is kind of blunt. Thorfinn doesn't mince his words so he will directly ask you what the hell you are doing here. Don't you know it's dangerous?

A part of him thinks you're dumb for joining but another knows you probably have a good reason to. Perhaps this is your only way of survival, or whatever your goal is...

Still, he does not treat you any differently and he doesn't see a reason on why he should. He is aware but won't make any attempt to act different.

Maybe his criticisms will be more frequent and harsher because you are female. Why are you fighting? You aren't as strong as him. You think yourself a warrior? Girls don't fight. (Sometimes it goes into the bully boy logic where it's like 'duh, you cannot do thaaat. You're a guuuuurl'. Yes, he can be dumb like that. It happens not so often though - perhaps it comes from the life he used to have when he was younger. Where everything was easier and he always knew his sister and mother to be safe at home with father...and not fighting.)

He will be more harsh when pointing out your flaws when it comes to the battlefield. In general he wouldn't see you as stronger than him and he definietly would not if you are female. Later in due time he realizes that fighting for you probably means winning yet another day to live. So he shuts up after a while.

Afterwards he will only tell you to watch out.

As another young member of the band, you can expect the others to interact with you and comment on you as well. Things will most likely be the same as it was for Thorfinn, the men either giving neutral to mean-sounding comments, taunting you, or even be impressed by you due to you still being a child. None of them will be nice, as you can imagine though.

Some might even comment how you and Thorfinn are 'such good buddies!' The blonde will deny it with barks and shouts before going back on cleaning his dagger. No, you aren't 'buddies', you aren't 'friends'. You are just...someone tolerable to talk to and be with.

For whatever reason the thought of you two being friends bothers Thorfinn. He cannot explain why, it is an slightly uneasy feeling growing in his chest. Perhaps a defense mechanism or believing he cannot be close to people anymore. Either for his lack of trust in people or because the death of his father, who he was so close to, made him believe bonds aren't possible anymore. How can it be when something as close as a bond between a father and son was severed by the cruelty of men so easily?

Willingly calling you a friend...that's something Thorfinn can't do. Not yet.

Though you can imagine it gets worse when the band hops from 'buddies' to 'crushes'. The chances of that happening is very, very, very, very low but some newby birdbrain might think of calling you two that. The others would laugh while Thorfinn would point his dagger at the fool. He wouldn't outright hurt them, but he is definetly more pissed off than being called your 'friend'.

Thorfinn is here to kill Askeladd. He doesn't have time to 'play around' and 'catch feelings' and certainly doesn't have the time to listen to an idiot's rambles. The boy feels free to cut off their tongue though if they prattle for too long.

Again, if you're female, there will definitely be more comments about you, you can count on that. More taunting, more men looking down at you, calling you names and yes, grown men talking to/about an 14 y/o in disgusting ways. Sorry, but this was 1012 a.d and they are vikings.

Thorfinn is, as mentioned, very aware for his age. And while he will not make any attempts to help or protect you (he will in future once you become important enough), this behaviour will actually make him despise the band even more than he already does. There has always been a feeling of indifference for them. He could not care any less if they died right then and there but hearing and seeing this makes his blood boil. Even moreso if Askeladd does nothing to stop it.

They are not acting like true warriors in his eyes.

In general a younger Thorfinn would act more childish but more tolerable around you. He's defensive and brash and is usually very grumpy when responding to any kind of negativity. He is unwittingly open to kind people but is drowning in his obession of revenge at such an young age already, that the mere thought of you and him being friends (which is usually normal and easy for preteens) does not ever cross his mind. He cannot get a grasp on that concept, that's how deep he is in his revenge. Even if you do get along well it just - does not work for him. Please, don't blame him. The boy can't help it.

[Part 1 of so much brainrot. Vinland saga is living rent-free in my head. Askeladd...Thorfinn...PRINCE CANUTE OMG BRO THE MEANING OF LOVE I CANNOT-

...I just...need to talk about it...pls...it has become like air to me, I nEED TO TALK ABOUT IT]

[Part 2 will cover a little bit of your relationship when you're older but met when Thorfinn was about 14 y/o...and afterwards the difference when you meet at 16/17 y/o.

And man, the parts afterwards or whatever I'm gonna write whenever is gonna be aaaaalll about Canute's and Askeladd's journey and them being involved in your relationship with Thorfinn...not to mention HOW YOURE GONNA CRAWL YOUR WAY INTO THORFINNS HEART NO MATTER IF HE LIKES IT OR NOT. HE IS GONNA HAVE A FRIEND IM TELLING YOU]

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