W hen Bjørn visited a psychologist in 2011, he had no idea what to expect. “I’d been living in Amsterdam for five years and working as a graphic designer, but I was suffering burnout,” he says. “I love working with my hands, and through my psychology sessions, I discovered there were blacksmiths who make a living from it, so I decided to do a course in blacksmithing.
” To help him gain extra experience and learn outside the course, a mutual friend suggested that he email Jos, a local artist who made sculptures with metal. “As well as metalwork, I also make other things, like costumes and bodywork,” says Jos. “I was also working at a care home to support myself.
” That December, Jos invited Bjørn to his workshop to watch him at work and, although he noticed that Jos was handsome, he thought he was too young to be interested. “I stayed professional and at first we just talked about work. I showed him some of the chain mail I’d been working on.
” Bjørn was impressed by Jos’s artwork, and immediately felt a connection. “I was just coming out of a six-month ‘situationship’ and accepting that I just struggle in relationships,” he says. “I suddenly realised I really liked him.
It was a bit scary.” Before he left, he asked Jos if he could kiss him. “I didn’t even know if he was single but had this strong sense that he was The One.
” The pair kissed and arranged to meet again. They started dating but Bjørn soon began to panic. “I knew I wa.
