That poet and Bragi were going to have to have another talk. His brow furrowed and his eyes widened. “That was a tad over dramatic,” Bragi said, “I wasn't that bad.” His tone had more than a hint of incredulity, but underneath the surface, a spark flickered for a second. He protested, but deep down he knew. He had been exactly where he'd wanted to be those last few months. He hadn't been anywhere at all.
Bragi watched as she took in all the pieces. He listened to the beats in the pause and waited for the click that would come when she put it all together. She was far too clever for her own good, the goddess Bragi loved. His Idun. He was fairly certain that the only reason she hadn't put it together before was because she hadn't wanted to. She didn't question why she never met his goddess. Why she and his goddess had uncannily similar qualities and backgrounds. If she had counted the hours in the days she would have realized that Bragi spent almost all of his free ones with her and left none for another love. Idun hadn't counted them. She hadn't questioned because she hadn't wanted the answers to those questions. Now she did.
Idun clapped her hand over her mouth. Bragi couldn't see her smile with her lips, but he could see it in her eyes. He smiled. His arm wrapped around again in a friendly manner for a second, and Bragi squeezed her shoulder. “Who in the nine worlds could compete with you” he said softly just above her temple near her ear. “except you?” He let go, and felt her fingers slip into his. Bragi closed his hand around them. “I met you in that tree” Bragi explained, “and then I couldn't choose anyone else. So I chose you twice.”
The ocean looked into the forest. The forest grew closer. Bragi smiled and nodded. Oh. Then he laughed and took his own tiny step. “I love you too” he said. “I hope you hear this one. You seem to have stumbled into a few too many transitional rifts.” He cupped her chin his hand, and stroked her cheek with a finger. The right hand didn't seem quite as broken with her chin in it. Bragi didn't just see the smirk, he felt it. Then he let go. Jondi most definitely lived. “You already did” Bragi replied. He smirked back.
He laughed again and gently shook the hand she was already holding. “Bragi. The pleasure is mine.” Then he wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her.