Hakon always slept deeply after a few rounds in bed. That didn’t help Ajax much if the big man had him in his arms. They were like bars of iron, and only seemed to close tighter the more Ajax squirmed. Usually it was only for half an hour or so, but this time it was dark and the mage passed into a deeper slumber for the night. When he did, he relaxed his grip and eventually rolled onto his back.
Finally, Ajax could wiggle away. He took the opportunity to stretch, then go outside for a piss. Hakon hasn’t even let him do that in private, insisting on going on the tree next to him and seeing who could go further, like they were children.
Once he was done, he went inside and noticed Hakon’s satchel. He wasn’t planning to rob himself exactly. Just to see if there was anything interesting in there, out of curiosity. He didn’t find a money, not even a copper. What he found was the sunderstone.
When he touched it he knew he had to have it. It was Alecto. The woman who tortured him for no reason. The woman who was ready to let her monstrous sons cook him for dinner. Having it in his hand was a rush. It made him feel safe and powerful. Not safe because he had a big mage to protect him, but because he was holding the soul of his enemy - defeated, unable to harm anyone ever again. He would keep it. At least for now. It would surely fetch a good price, when he could bear to part with it.
Ajax put the sunderstone in an interior pocket of his tunic and prepared to sneak off. Then he caught a glimpse of smiling Hakon asleep in the bed. A man who had saved his life and treated him kindly. A man who was obviously besotted with him. Yes, he was proving clingy and bossy, but he deserved better. To steal the sunderstone was one thing. He felt as good a claim to it as Hakon - he’d suffered at Alecto’s hands, after all. But to leave without a word was different. It felt cruel and Ajax felt guilty.
So instead he shucked off his tunic and got back into bed, waking Hakon with a kiss. They’d go another round and then he’d leave in the morning. He’d be gone before Hakon even noticed the sunderstone was gone.
