A grin was one thing. A grin spreading into something wider was something else entirely. Idun decided she was not going to react, not even a little bit, and in deciding as much, a shivering flutter of heat brushed through her veins and she found herself watching his smile for a moment longer than anyone could really safely justify. She moved her gaze up to his, already knowing it was too late to act like she hadn't been staring. Idun aimed for neutral. It was her only real option.
It really did make her angry, the way this was all unfolding. Bragi should never have kissed her. It had been cruel. He wanted to get married and live happily ever after, and Idun didn't believe in any of that. Why kiss someone if you wanted to get married and they didn't and there was no suitable middle ground? The answer was simple: he wanted to torture her. He wanted Idun to be frustrated. And knowing that was probably the most frustrating part. She was doing exactly what he wanted her to do. And she was getting nothing out of it! This was terrible.
Still, Idun followed him with her eyes as he pushed out of his casual lean and moved beside her, stalking him with her gaze because she couldn't quite shake the sensation of a bittersweet kind of interest. What was so wrong with just kissing? Just enjoying each other and then going about life as they always had? When he met her gaze and thanked her, Idun huffed out a breath and looked down at the apple. She needed to cut another slice. Carefully. Right now. His eyes were smiling worse than his mouth, and Idun didn't appreciate how easy it was to slip back to that road, to the weight of his hand on her back, the feel of his hair through her fingers.
Idun was skilled with the blade and cut herself a slice easily. A moment ticked by. He had an apple to chew, it seemed safe enough to look back up. Naturally, Bragi was smiling around the fruit, glowing proof that he was the god of inappropriate temptation, and Idun felt helpless. What sort of god issued an invitation like that when he had no interest in following through? And this wasn't a chance meeting. Which only made it worse. "It's a fine time," she said, her brow nicked into a slight furrow. "And I do. I don't mind the work. I love it here, love every moment of what I do." She paused. Inhaled. Exhaled. Met his gaze when she felt like she was capable of doing so without shivering. That stupid kiss was getting locked in a box in the very darkest corner of her mind. It was settled.
"You saw the orchard," she pointed out. Bragi was as chipper as could be, smiling like nobody present had any reasons to be frustrated at all. Nope, not a single reason in sight. Just two old friends enjoying an impromptu apple picnic. "And you've seen me. Is there any other reason you came?"
To explain why he'd briefly taken up the occupation of Kissing Bandit, perhaps?