icarus;

Ainsley: I forgot how nice it is to text you I love you.

Ainsley: I missed it.

Casimir: We're on the same page them.

Ainsley: Hey, you.

Ainsley: I love you.

Casimir: I love you.

Casimir: I forgot how nice it is to get a text from you.

Fiona used her hand to shade her eyes as she took in her bright, sunny surroundings. She didn’t know where she’d expected to be taken after being kidnapped, but whatever she was imagining was certainly nothing like the tropical island where she found herself now. She felt panic and anger bubble up in the pit of her stomach, but she did her best to shove it down, now was not a time that she could afford to act rashly. The first thing she needed to do was find out if her sister was here, and if she was okay. Or at least, as okay as one could possibly be when you were being held hostage. She looked out at the docks and regretted that she hadn’t taken up sailing when she’d had the chance.

Taking the beach before her, she spotted a path snaking through the woods. She set off down it, figuring that the worst had already happened, so what did she have to lose? As she walked she focused on trying to figure out as much as she could about where she was from the plant life and birds she heard, hoping maybe there was something that would give something away. Focused on her surroundings and not the path in front of her, Fiona didn’t notice as she barreled straight in to someone walking towards her. She stumbled back, catching herself just before she could fall, “I’m so sorry, are you alright?” Years of etiquette drilled into her mind taking over.

Casimir had the wherewithal to move just out of the way so neither of them directly collided with the other, but he caught her arms just as she stumbled so that she wouldn’t fall. At first, he didn’t recognized her, but when he came to his senses, he noted who it was, and he nodded his head with the ghost of a smile. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he said, righting her and himself and looking her over to make sure there wasn’t any damage. What a story that would be - he reunited with his fiance’s sister and the first time they did, he all but bulldozed her to the ground. “Are you okay?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as he crossed his arms over his chest. “When did you get here?” 

“Nice to meet you,” Leilani smiles, standing up from where she had been sitting near the shore. “Basically, yeah… I think it’s been a week? Haven’t really been keeping up with the days.” The blonde laughs, her arms instinctively coming to cross over her chest. The week she had been on the island had been… different. There was a lot that she still needed to learn, but that would have to come at a later date.

“It’ll getting easier, you know, keeping time. Especially now that we get to have phones,” he said, chuckling softly. “You came at a better time.” Casimir wasn’t necessarily an optimist, but even he could see that this was better than it was. Less restrictions and better relationships between them and the pirates. He was also sure that it was some sort of Stockholm Syndrome. 

Fingertips threaded through the sand, letting the small grains of sand ground her to reality. Sapphire eyes flickered up towards the sky, taking in the sight of the moon as a shiver ran up her spine. Leilani never did well with change, it was something that she truly hated.  She vaguely remembers when her mother announced that she was pregnant with her youngest brother… the almost hatred that she had felt in her chest at the thought of it no longer just being the four of them; but give her some slack, she was a child at the time. But now… now Leilani is somewhere new, surrounded by some people that she hardly knew, and faces that were brand new to her. Sure, the blonde was bound to get used to the new surroundings, but it’d most defintely take some time. Ears picking up on footsteps, her head turned. “Hi!” She called out, figuring she may as well make some friends whilst she was here. “I’m Leilani.” A warm smile turned up on her lips, trying to seem as open as possible to the person.

Casimir had finished with his run and was cooling down, walking and catching his breath as he made his way down the beach, his sneakers in one hand, and the other hand on his hip. Looking up when he heard a voice greeting him, he narrowed his eyes for a long moment, trying to place the other, but to no avail. “Hello,” he said, nodding his head once in response. He crossed his arms over his chest, shoes still in hand. “Casimir,” he told her, pointing at himself. “Did you just arrive?” he asked, an eyebrow raised in question. 

“I’m glad to hear it, it would be a shame not to take advantage while you have the opportunity. It isn’t every day that we’re all able to let loose like this. It’s nice.” She smiled, “Well in my not entirely unbiased opinion, the food tonight is excellent, and I think s’mores sound excellent, I hope you wouldn’t mind if I tagged along for that?”

Casimir nodded in agreement, probably on one of the only topics that he and a pirate might be on the same page for. He gave her a polite smile back, shrugging his shoulders as he gestured in the direction of the fire. “Please,” he said, jutting his chin out in the direction they’d be heading. “Lead the way.” 

Of course Katla knew that the Tulachs weren’t just throwing a huge party out of the goodness of their hearts, or a particular desire to show the royals a good time, but still, she was prepared to appreciate it regardless. Festivities on and around midsummer had always been a part of her life growing up, and it felt natural to continue to celebrate it now, even without the 24 hours of daylight. “I am having an excellent time, what about you? Are you making the most of the festivities?”

"Quite,” he said, nodding his head and turning to look for Ainsley, who had walked away for a moment, probably to get something to eat or drink. Finding her in the crowd, he smiled a little before turning back to Katla. “I haven’t had any of the food yet, but I’m getting a little peckish. Will probably go and make a few s’mores in a minute.” 

There was something about the flavor combination of whiskey and chocolate that Ainsley would never be able to get enough of. Smoky and sweet. The taste was so vastly different, yet it represented such an addictive dichotomy. 

Her teeth sank into a brick of chocolate intended for s’mores and she chased it with a sip of whiskey. “If you’ve never done this, I highly recommend that you start,” she commented to the person next to her. “It’s sinfully divine.”

Casimir watched his fiance with a smirk on his face, his eyebrows raised in amused curiosity as he watched her with her (admittedly) odd choice of snacking. “I think I’ll save it all for you,” Cas said, shaking his head as he held up the s’more that he had made for himself. He happened to enjoy the taste of chocolate and graham cracker together. “But then again, I wouldn’t mind if you shared some of the whiskey,” he teased. 

Katla let the bright sunshine cast a warmth all over her face and arms, she loved this time of year, and always had. Back home, it was marked by 24 hours of daylight, and she missed that, but the warmth that came from being so much further south was a welcome addition. She strode over to the bar, and picked up whatever themed drink they had put together for the event, and she turned to the person next to her, raising her glass, “Happy solstice.” 

Unlike he was before coming to the island, Casimir had decided to take it easy on the drinking. Given his past experience and knowledge of events on this island, he found it more important to stay sober and present than to get drunk and be out of sorts. He knew his limits, so he knew that one or two beverages would do nothing for him. “Happy solstice,” he said, raising his own. “Are you having a good time?” he asked, looking around at the party around them and back at her. 

Looking up as he heard Casimir approach him and sit down across from him, Fabien gave his cousin a smile. “Oh yeah?” he said in surprise, his eyebrows raised. “I feel like there’s a whole story there I need to hear.” Then he groaned. “I know you’re joking, but that’s the last thing I need to hear right now” he said. “Besides, don’t you have your own fiancee to worry about?” Last he heard, his cousin and the Scottish princess were head over heels for each other. He was happy for Casimir, glad at least one of them had a betrothal that would work out well.

“I would tell it, in detail, but I feel as though I need a little privacy,” he teased, wiggling his eyebrows because he was most definitely teasing him. He wanted to get a rise out of Fabien, wanted him to know that he was undoubtedly joking. He had, and never would have, an interest in his fiance. “What’s wrong, Fab?” he asked. “Trouble in paradise?” He took a piece of fruit and popped it into his mouth, laughing softly. “You know you can talk to me about it, if you wanted to.” 

Grace wanted to cry in relief once the door opened and she felt a rush of air and a warm beam of sunlight. Instead, she settled for throwing her arms around Casimir’s neck in a hug. “Thank you so much,” she breathed. “Oh, my God, I was about to go insane.”

Casimir tried not to act surprised when the other launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Awkwardly, he reached around, patting her back lightly. “All I did was open a door,” he told her, pulling back and offering her a smirk. “You’re okay?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Ainsley’s head fell back in a laugh when Casimir flipped them. Her hands rested on his abdomen and she flipped her hair back. “How about I tease you a little first?” she suggested, her blue eyes dancing suggestively. Her mouth dipped to brush against his neck and her hair flipped forward to tickle at his skin. Ainsley’s lips ghosted from his neck to his collarbone and down his broad chest.