Hello Again

"Hello Again" is a [SEASON NUMBER] thread written on [IRL DATE].
==Summary==
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==Full Text==
Kettil Ericson: It was the harvest festival. With everything going on he was almost sure they would have cancelled it, and there was some debate over it. In the end it was decided that it should take place, if just to keep a sense of normality in these uncertain times. It was cool, the middling point where summer changed to autumn had left a slight chill in the air today, though as usual his hoodie shielded him from most of that as he stood, staring at the beautiful half-breed, the chatter of the crowed and music around him unable to keep his focus next to her. He'd waited, just like she asked. It had felt so long to him, but he waited and kept himself busy, and now here she was! And he as terrified. Iona was standing a fair distance from the boy as he desperately tried to work up the courage to go speak to her. After another few minutes he swallowed, clenched his fingers tightly into fists and stiffly made his way over there. "Hi." He said awkwardly from beside her.
Iona Lindholm: Iona shifted her calm grey eyes from the bonfire she was watching to look directly at him when he approached. The heat emanating from the flames warmed her cheeks, lighting up freckles peppered across her upturned nose, a small streak of flour left unnoticed on her jaw. She had come from helping the bakers in food preparation; it was a little different seeing her in her dark, fitted casuals rather than her varied armour pieces.
Her long rabbit ears twitched, and she gave a small, friendly smile, something she found to be doing more often coming to Haligan, "Hello, Kettil."
Kettil: He smiled back shyly and noticed the bit of flour on her cheek. "Hhhoow ars you?" He asks, trying to make small talk.
Iona: If she noticed the slur in his words she didn't let on, and nodded instead, looking back towards the bonfire, "I am alright. I'm... excited," she admitted, the glow dancing in her eyes, "We have many celebrations in Yrus, but none as big or grand as this. How about you?"
Kettil: His eyes stayed on her for a few moments before turning his gaze towards the fire. "I'm... Glad I suppose. It'll be nice to have a normal event with everything going on. I have to admit I'm a bit... Cautious about it all but..." He looks over at her and smiles. "I'm glad to have you here to celebrate with me." He blushed as he realized what he said. "Us! Us! I'm glad to have you celebrate with us." He quickly turns his gaze back to the fire.
Iona: Her face warmed up even further when he stuttered, this time by her instead of the fire. Iona was trying to act as calm and collected as she always was this entire time, and if this was a few months ago she honestly wouldn't have picked up on the awkward atmosphere, but she hadn't forgotten the little conversation they had before they left then.
Her ears twitched again, and she clasped her hands in front of her. She spotted her family dotted across the crowd, "Me too. It's been a rough couple of months, and it's good to be wary, but it's nice to have a chance to let loose."
Kettil: He nods in agreement. "It is. Just... Be careful with the drinks. Apparently it's old rebel tradition to spike it, so it might be a bit... Stronger than you're expecting."
Iona: "Oh?" she raised her brows and glanced at him. She recalled seeing Aria disappear in the crowd, and she had an odd feeling that was going to go a certain direction. Well, mother's not here, and father will keep an eye on her, so... she dismissed it. "You sound like you've witnessed it yourself..."
Kettil: He chuckles. "A few times. Mostly when my Dad was around." His falls just a little bit, the memories of his father bittersweet and confusing with Deoiridh's existence. "I remember the one time he always use to tell was on their last day of the war, after their trial with Midgardsormr they had Vox and Treepelt's wedding. He and Akkey got together and spiked the drinks and caused all sorts of mayhem together."
Iona: “Akkey?” she couldn’t help but ask incredulously, “My lightweight of an aunt spiked the drinks with your dad? The mayhem, I can understand though... Aria takes after her...” she sighed, her shoulders relaxing a little, “She didn’t tell us anything about that. What did they do?”
Kettil: He giggled. "They dressed up in King's clothes and threw flowers everywhere and declared a massive pillow fight. Of course everyone was too sloshed out of their mind to disagree."
Iona: "...okay that sounds like her," she laughed with him, the tension in her shoulders slipping away, "I have a feeling tonight might be crazier than that."
Kettil: He grins as he looks over at her. "Oh really? Planning on sharing or just gonna keep it to yourself?" He asked, gently nudging her in the side.
Iona: She chuckled, "I'm no troublemaker myself, I can't get creative enough. But it would be great if we did something even crazier." Iona tilted her head in thought, "Aren't a lot of the second gens magic users?"
Kettil: He nods, "Yep, although Lila probably won't go for it, Jari and Deo probably would, but I can't speak for anyone else."
Iona: "Well just those two sounds like a good start for mayhem, if you ask me," she laughed, glancing over to him and smiling.
Kettil: He laughs with her. "So what are you thinking? I mean, I could probably use some air currents to push things around. The other two's powers are a bit more destructive." He pauses to think for a second. "Ya know... I think Deo did hold onto her illusion magic."
Iona: She shook her head, giggling. She held out a hand to wave it off, "No, no. I told you, I'm not creative enough for something like that. I was just thinking out loud. You said mayhem and magic can get pretty chaotic so..."
Kettil: He hums as he gives it a think. "Well if we wanted to be a little silly we could have Deo set up some illusory chairs and tables and stuff, people could fall through. My biggest concern is not taking it so far as to actually get people mad at us, I would also prefer not to set any buildings or anything on fire." He chuckles.
Iona: "Maybe," she grinned, "Although it already looks like things are picking up without doing anything," She nodded towards the several people already being shaken by her aunt's frenzied teleportation around the hall. The volume only rose further as more drinks were passed around, "Some buildings might actually just be set on fire..." she laughed weakly.
Kettil: He laughs and turns back towards the fire, not really saying anything. Not really sure what to say. He knows what he wants to talk about but he's not sure if now's a good time, or if there is a good time. His feet tapped rapidly against the ground as these thoughts swirled in his mind.
She glanced towards the continuous sound on the ground, then up at him. She leaned in closwer, brows furrowed slightly, "Are you feeling alright?"
Kettil: He swallows as he looks back at her. She was closer now, too close. He felt like he was going to explode. His eyes dart down to her cheek for a moment and swallows once more as he reaches out and gently cups her cheek, using his thumb to brush away the flour that remained. He let his hand linger for a few moments, enjoying the feeling of her soft skin against his before quickly pulling it away. His face as red as the blaze before them. "S-sorry. Th-that was just... Bugging me." He muttered awkwardly, not looking at her.
Iona: Iona pulled her head back so quickly that her ears whipped in the air, avoiding his gaze just as hard as he was. Her heart was thundering in her chest and she was sure she was as red as the glow of the fire before them. What the heck what the heck what-- Her eyes were wide. The place where his hand touched her face burned in embarrassment, but also it admittedly felt nice.
She clenched her hands in front of her, silent for a very long time, before she barely managed a whisper, "Th-thanks..."
Kettil: "N-no problem." He replied. His heart was pounding as well. Could she hear it? How could she not? The sound was like a thousand war drum in his ears. He couldn't imagine it being as quiet as it truly was.
Iona: They stayed like that for another good minute or so that they gained confused looks from passers by. She gripped her elbow, still unable to look at him as her ears twitched nervously. Her face was so warm she was sure she would burst in flames like the bonfire. She cleared her throat, "Th--uh, I think. They're--serving the food s-so we can, uh..."
Kettil: "Ye-yeah. Let's um... We should um..." He pauses for a few moments and say. "Wo-would um... Would you like to eat? With me?" He quickly corrects.
Iona: She couldn't help stealing a glance towards him, flicking her grey eyes sideways as she continued to distractedly thumb the fabric of her shirt. Her ears twitched again before she replied hesitatingly, "Y-yeah. Sure..."
Kettil: He nods and leads her over to where they're serving the food and gets a plate fore himself before sitting at one of the tables they pulled out for the night.
Iona: Iona hooked her ankles together, sitting awkwardly across from Kettil, her ears twitching occasionally. She was still nervous and shy about the whole situation, but the aromas that wafted in the air were too enticing and made her mouth water, and she proceeded to eat, a small smile pulling at the corner of her lips as the party continued in full swing.
Kettil: Kettil gently kicked his feet back and forth as they ate in relative silence, his foot brushed against hers once but he was quick to pull it back and keep them stationary from then on. "So um... Is it good?" He asked, glancing up from his plate.
Iona: She nodded, finally calming down a little as she swallowed another mouthful of food. She pointed to a wedge of sheperd’s pie on her plate, “Yeah. Especially this. My father made it, I can recognize it anywhere.” She grinned a little, before glancing at Kettil’s plate, “What’s that?” She asked, nodding at one portion of his food that she hadn’t gotten for herself.
Kettil: He looks down at the meatballs swimming in their sauce. "Some meatballs." He replies. "Would you like some he asks."
Iona: “Um... sure,” she said a little doubtfully.
Kettil: He thinks about offering her one on his fork but dashes the thought as soon as it peeks into his mind. If she wasn't interested it would only make things more awkward. He wasn't sure if his poor soft heart could take that so instead he stabbed a fork into a meatball and slid it over to her.
Iona: She stared at it, still a little hesitant about the color, but Kettil seemed to enjoy it so it must good. She took the fork from his hand and blushed when their fingers brushed, but forced herself to ignore it and took a bite. "It's good," she said, the surprise evident in her face as she finished the rest, eyes sparkling.
Kettil: He snorts as he watches her wolf it down. He hadn't expected her to eat the whole thing but he certainly wasn't about to mention that. "That good huh?"
Iona: She scrunched her nose in indignation and plopped the utensil back on his plate, "Everything's tasty tonight, leave me alone," she protested but in good nature, relaxing a little more.
Kettil: He laughs as he leans his elbows on the table. "Do you want me to get you some more? Or something to drink or something?"
Iona: She waved a hand, "No, it's fine. I'm full. Although a drink would be nice."
Kettil: He nods as he stands. "Sure thing." Kettil says. "Any preference at all? There's Ale, Mead, bubble tea, though I cannot guarantee it's alcohol content."
Iona: “Anything will do,” she smiled as he stood, “Thanks.”
Kettil: He nods and comes back with two mugs, making sure she sees him take a big sip before handing it to Iona. "Here ya go, got some Mead for you "
Iona: She accepted it with a nod and a smile, “Thanks.” She took a sip of her own, her ears perking up as she tasted the familiar sweetness roll over her tongue.
Kettil: He noticed the twitch of her ears and smiled as he took a drink from his own mug. Sitting quietly he was wondering how to broach the subject, or if he should at all.
She sat with her ankles crossed, holding her cup in both of her hands as she watched the festivities with a small smile on her face. The guard from the dungeon, Sokka if she remembered correctly, was making a fool of himself on the dance floor, spilling beer all over the ground as he swayed to the music, and she laughed at his antics.
Kettil: He glanced over at where she was looking and chuckles. And then it's as if his brain is struck by lightning as an idea formulates in his head. "Hey once you're finished do you want to go dance?"
Iona: "Hmm?" she gulped down the last of her drink as he said that, and blinked when the question registered, "Oh. Uh... I'm not really a good dancer..."
Kettil: He chuckles. "Trust me you'll look like a ballerina compared to Sokka over there. Come on." He says as he holds his hand out to her.
Iona: Iona laughed and hesitated, before standing awkwardly and taking his hand. "Alright," she said, the pink returning to her cheeks once more.
Kettil: He smiles as he leads her to the dance floor and begins to move. He's no great dancer himself but he's able to keep time with the music and he's enjoying himself.
Iona: She squeaked a little under her breath as they began to dance, feeling very self conscious about the entire thing. She stared down at her feet so she wouldn't step on his toes, and as a result her long rabbit ears smacked him right on the head.
"Ah!" she yelped, horrified, "I'm so sorry!"
Kettil: He laughs and gently takes her hands. "Hey it's okay. I've had worse. Just... Focus on me, okay? Don't look at everyone else, they don't exist right now mk? Right now it's just you me and the music." He says as he starts to dance a little slower, hands still in hers, hoping that it'll help her calm down.
Iona: She took a shaky breath and nodded, her hands gripping his a little harder than she was intending to as she tried to concentrate on not hitting him any more than she already had. The party continued to roar around them, but she didn't really hear them as she did what he said and focused on him. She realized they were practically the same height, her cool grey eyes locking straight into his as they moved together.
Iona's face warmed up even more, whether from the drink or from embarrassment, but she didn't mind. She laughed, she was having fun.
Kettil: He laughed with her, the sound infectious as everything else just melted away, Sokka, the party, even the music was forgotten as he stared into those beautiful grey orbs. His stomach flipped as he swallowed, his cheeks burning hotter than even his sister's flames, but he doesn't let go of her hands. He holds on just a little bit tighter, afraid that if he dared to let go, even for a second, the moment would be shattered forever.
Iona: Her laughter petered out into a soft giggle, the smile lingering on her face as she started to become more comfortable where she was. She sighed, and her breath smelled like lemon and honey and mint all mixed together, it was sweet and sharp and cold. Her ears twitched, "Kettil..."
Kettil: His nose twitches slightly as the scent hits his nose, not entirely unpleasant. His stomach flips and he swallows as says. "Ye-yeah?" His voice nervous once more
Iona: She ducked her head down slightly, and her face was a little closer to his as she sighed again, her long lashes fluttering against her cheeks , "Thank you. For everything... You've been a big help to Aria and me."
Kettil: The half-breed swallows and nods, his heart beating faster than a Gronckle's wing beats. "Yeah well... I mean, you guys are my friends... I'd do anything for my friends." He says trying be humble and to sort of minimize it all.
Iona: She chuckled under her breath, "Right. Friends. Aria's still over the moon that you consider her a friend."
Kettil: He chuckles and nods. "Of course she's my friend. How could anyone not be friends with a little girl that sweet." He asks.
Iona: It was like the gods--well, goddess-- was listening right then. The half rabbit in question sped right by their feet in such a frenzy that she hit them and bowled them over as she left them in the dust.
"Gah--!" Iona cried, clutching Kettil's hand as she lost her balance.
Kettil: Kettil gasps as he squeezes her hand tightly, his other hand releasing it's grip to wrap around her waist. He stagger back a step or two but ultimately manages to keep them up. "Are you okay?" He asks, concern etched in his voice, his hands not moving from where they held her close to him.
Iona: "Y-yeah..." she had grabbed his upper arm to find her balance, "Still think that little girl's sweet? She's just a big ball of energy," she laughed straightening and looking up. Iona then realized how close together they were, and she could feel his warmth wrapped around her, and she caught her breath, ears twitching once.
Kettil: He chuckles as he pieced together what just happened. "Well... I don't think sweet and devilish are mutually exclusive." He says with a chuckle, which is cut short as he turns back, noticing just how close they actually are. Everything seems to stop. His breath catches, his heart skips a beat, he is still as a statue. He doesn't know what to do, his brain absolutely fried by the overload of emotion and sensation he is feeling right now. So he just stands there, holding her, dumbstruck.
Iona: She blinked multiple times as they stood there unmoving, blushing harder with embarrassment but for some reason not really wanting to let go. "U-uh... Kettil?" she asked carefully, "Are you okay?"
Kettil: That seems to snap him out of it. "O-oh yeah, I'm sorry are you okay? I just kind of... Zoned out there I'm sorry." He quickly tries to untangle himself from her, hoping that somehow it will reduce the sudden awkwardness of situation that has caused this cold stone to form in his stomach.
Iona: She nodded, "I'm fine..." they separated, but for some reason her fingers lingered close to his palm for a moment longer before they let go.
Kettil: It felt as if there was a small tear on his heart as she pulled away everything coming crashing back to his senses. His face still burned as hot as the sun. "Do you want another drink? I want another drink. Let's get another drink." He said before heading off to go get another mug of Mead.