Idun didn't want Bragi to go through life waiting for something. She wanted him to find it. She barely knew him at all, and in three short meetings, he had managed to make her angrier and more frustrated than any stranger ever had, but Idun could see beyond all that and she truly wanted what was best for him. And she wasn't best for him. Idun didn't even know if she was capable of falling in love. It would be cruel to ask Bragi to wait for her, to wait and see, when she didn't know if she could ever trust him in a way that could lead to something greater. If she didn't even know what love felt like. Wanting to kiss him wasn't good enough, not for a god like Bragi. He was worth so much more than a few stolen kisses.
Oh, years and years would pass and Idun would realize how painfully in love she had already been, even then, especially then, but hindsight always did have a sense of humor. In the present, Idun just felt her chest tighten as she told herself not to press this any further. Before he had arrived, she could think of nothing beyond that kiss. Now, her thoughts kept drifting to a hypothetical life well beyond these kisses, but she had to stop herself, drag her consciousness back to the present. That life was meant for another goddess, not her.
They were going to be friends. He'd told her as much before he crossed that rift on the road. They were going to be friends, and Idun would be happy for him no matter what. Even if her chest tightened every time Bragi mentioned that goddess. Even if she felt her resolve slip when he brushed her hair back and looked at her with a smile that could melt away even the thickest frosts of winter. Idun couldn't offer what he wanted, what he needed and deserved, so she was going to offer friendship as a fitting alternative. "Your face lights up when you speak of her," Idun said. She let out a quiet laugh, and for a moment, a true smile formed in the place of her strained one. "That means a great deal, of course."
Anyway, if he could kiss her and then move on to some other goddess this quickly, her hesitance was probably warranted. She could be his friend and be happy for him and remain blissfully clear of heartbreak. It would all work out nicely. Even with the tightening chest and the melting frost and such.
"You know, I didn't grow up here. It's home, though. Do you know that feeling, when something is just...right?" she asked curiously. Bringing up the orchard was a stunningly easy way to distract her from everything else. Her body relaxed, her expression warmed, and when she met his gaze, Idun knew her eyes were smiling brighter than her lips ever could. "I can't imagine living anywhere else. But I'm the only member of my family able to make a good apple dish. It's a rather amusing fact when you think about it. My brothers are terrible at harvesting, too." She shook her head, pausing to bite into her apple half. Once she'd swallowed, Idun laughed brightly. "You're making me talk too much about myself. It's terrible. Tell me of your family."