Night had fallen faster than she thought it would, but she'd been having a lot of fun throughout the day that she hadn't noticed how quickly the day was passing. So far, she had been spending almost the whole day around Holland, mostly kind of tagging along with him instead of her brother and other family members. She figured they'd want to spend time together as a family, so she was sort of doing her own thing. Sort of. She wasn't sure if he was having fun though...and if he was, he hid it pretty well. She had all but given up, but the day wasn't over just yet. As she led the way to the fields where everyone else was gathered, she headed towards a spot that was less crowded. There were a lot of wolves here, and while she would have been ecstatic to go jumping around among the sea of bodies chasing after fireflies, she doubted her pack mate would like that very much. Besides, they'd have a better chance catching the bugs without accidentally bumping into others right? She paused at the edge of the treeline, turning back to see if Holland was following. She set the glass jar that she had been given on the ground before moving forward a bit more. As her wagging tail brushed the taller grasses, a handful of fireflies lit up and started to take to the air. Kairi watched them for a moment before deciding to go after them, though she instinctively aimed to catch them with her mouth just like anything else. "Speak"

by now, he'd seen Torin and his mate and kids hanging around the festival. he would wonder why Kairi wasn't with them, that she seemed to be hanging with him instead of including herself. Holland was grateful for the company, but he felt a bit bad she seemed to not want to spend time with her actual family. he chose not to bring it up with her as they kept bumping into each other though. maybe Kairi and Torin had a fight. maybe they weren't getting along right now. such things were personal to ask. he'd follow after his... friend? was Kairi a friend by now? Holland didn't know. he didn't really have friends in Lirim right now. hell, he didn't have them anywhere else either. his people tended not to make friends since they could easily get killed in a battle. why form useless attachments? but this wasn't his land. this was Boreas. this was different. in his jaws, he carried a jar on a string as he followed. as the woman took off across the field, he went in the other direction to make sure she caught something. he wasn't going to crowd her. as his legs carried him forward, he'd dip the jar down and try to get something himself too. "SPEECH" attempt 1!

Her mouth clacked shut over some fireflies and as soon as she tasted them she couldn't help but wrinkle her muzzle and immediately spit them out onto the ground. "Yuck!" They tasted awful! Remembering they had to turn them in at the end of the night, however, she gently scooped the still live bugs into the jar with her paw and watched for a moment as they crawled around. She imagined it was hard to fly when their wings were wet now thanks to her, but she still had more bugs to catch. Problem was, she didn't want to catch them in her mouth anymore, and the only thing she could think of was to try and maybe swat them out of the air.

She stalked in the grass, waiting for more to come within reach, and when they did she leaped up and swatted at them with her paw, hoping to send them to the ground so she could scoop them up too. Holland seemed to be having luck as well, but he was doing it differently. Maybe she'd try that next if her new method didn't work well enough

Kairi 2nd attempt

success! he'd see the jar fill with three fireflies, earning him some tickets in the process. Kairi was having luck obtaining them too. he'd crane his neck up to look across to her, before walking toward the woman. he'd stop a short distance away from her. placing the jar on the ground and covering up the opening with his tail, he'd inspect her attempt. "I wonder what the prizes are..." he'd say outloud, frowning. or where the booth even was. maybe after this event, he'd go find it and see what they were offering for the tickets. "but... it's... fun, right?" was she having fun with him? he was having fun doing all the events with... her. maybe he should say that. maybe... damn it. no. Holland seemed to consider himself for a moment, shaking out his fur and turning away. he was embarrassed for thinking such things of a person he had recently met. returning to his usual grumpy self, the man would walk away from Kairi to collect more fireflies. he went back to his previous spot, hoping the fireflies would have calmed down by now. a few fluttered in the air and Holly would jump, trying to catch more. "SPEECH" attempt 2!

Success! She caught more, and after carefully scooping the dazed bugs into her jar, she turned to Holland as he approached. Ears tilted forward at his question, and she was curious about it too. "I wonder too. Probably some really cool things!" She didn't doubt any prizes offered were going to be good. She didn't see them offering ordinary things they could make or find themselves, after all. She hadn't been to the booth yet to see what they had to offer, mostly because she'd been busy enjoying everything else that she hadn't gotten there yet. Clearly Holly hadn't seen the booth either, and when he asked if it was fun, she nodded with a smile. "I'm not going to lie, I am having fun. Especially since y--," She stopped herself, realizing what she was about to say. Especially since you're here with me? She shook her head. She had to play it off, and fast. As a few fireflies floated in front of her, she sprang for them and aimed to smack them out of the air again. Hopefully that was distraction enough and maybe he wouldn't even notice she had cut herself off. She could feel her face turning hot, however, at almost blurting those words out. They just met recently, what the heck was she thinking? She shyly glanced over at him as he walked away, wondering if she was being a nuisance to him or if he really didn't mind her constantly hanging around. He hadn't told her to go away or anything...yet. But she feared it would come at some point if she was truly bothering him. They were opposite of one another. Where she was outgoing and stuff, he seemed to be more reserved. Their personalities were different, but so far...at least from what she could tell...he didn't seem to mind her company. Attempt 3 "Speak"

another successful turn of events. Holland would bottle three fireflies this time. he'd keep in mind Kairi's words, however, rushed at the end they had been, about the prize booth. maybe after they could go and browse. there was still plenty of time left. he remained ignorant about her cut-off sentence, even if he felt the same damn way. he was too awkward for little crushes. it just made him even more awkward, and conscious. what if he wasn't the only male that wasn't exactly related to Kairi in Lirim? would she look elsewhere? hell, would she be with him right now if she had a better offer? he kept his distance as he tried another round of firefly catching. she didn't seem in a hurry to bother him right now, and Holland kept his thoughts to himself. he felt flustered and was very glad his dark cheeks were, well, dark. she couldn't see his flustered face. the healer jumped again, trying to capture more as the rounds kept ending and the limit neared. only two more turns, if he was to understand the rules. but he was having fun. "SPEECH" attempt 3!

She had to admit, catching these fireflies posed a challenge but she was having fun doing it. She leaped into the air, bouncing around as she tried to catch them. She did better with some attempts over others, but truth was, she forgot this was supposed to be a firefly catching contest and instead was practically now just catching fireflies for fun. She'd glance over at Holland every now and then, and it seemed he was having some good luck with it. He had wandered a little ways, and briefly wondered if he was getting tired of her company. She had never crushed on anyone before, so the feelings she kept getting when she looked at him confused the hell out of her. She landed softly on her paws as she stood there and watched him. He was the only person she had really been spending a good amount of time with that wasn't her dad. Even though he was new to Lirim, she couldn't help but feel like she wanted to be around him more often than not. Was it her lack of socialization outside her family and the pack members she had known so long? She didn't think so...after all, she could have gone out and talked to whoever she wanted beyond the borders. She just never really did. And those she did come across never really caught her interest as much as grumpy 'ole Holland...weird.. Attempt 4 "Speak"

he didn't turn to look at Kairi, too focused on jumping into the air and... gaining only one firefly. xsa ol! he cursed in his head, his people's word for 'damn it'. and he'd been doing so well too. counting mentally, the two of them only had two more tries. he didn't even know what he wanted from the prize booth - only that he did want something. finally, he turned back to his partner for all these events. he caught her looking at him, and he hesitated under her mismatched eyes. did she see that terrible attempt? Holland thought, mentally kicking himself for not putting on a better show. it had been an awkward jump and an awkward landing. but she didn't laugh at him. she just stared. clearing his throat, he'd look away in embarrassment. the healer didn't know what to say and he wasn't going to make himself frustrated with trying. a few more fireflies flickered past and he immediately surged after them, bouncing into the air and trying in these final moments. with this hopeful capture, he only had one more turn. "SPEECH" attempt 4!

She hadn't realized just how long she was staring at him. Even when he looked back at her. She had sort of zoned out as she thought, but even she wasn't sure what she was thinking with her muddled thoughts. Her and Holland were just becoming friends...weren't they? Was this just how it felt when you became friends with someone? She frowned for a moment, feeling puzzled about it. She had had friends before...sort of. But none made her feel the way she was feeling now. Maybe it was a feeling you got when you were becoming best friends with someone? Could they even be considered best friends?

The more she thought about it, the more she felt confused. She shook her head to try and clear it, only when she did that, some fireflies that had settled there without her noticing fluttered away. Her eyes grew wide as she gasped and chased after them, the woman bounding forward as she focused on the bugs instead of where she was actually going. She leaped forward and swiped a paw at them, only then did she realized she was on a crash course straight for Holland.

She dug her heels into the dirt in an effort to skid to a halt. Only she wasn't quite fast enough. Holland had gotten caught in her crossfire, and he'd be the one to stop her tumbling head over heels. She stopped nose to nose with him, practically smooching the guy. Surprised, she blinked once or twice before quickly pulling away, the heat rising to her face and making her feel like she was about to burst into flames. "S-sorry! I-I didn't mean to do that..I..erm..." She felt her face burn and her ears fell to the sides. She was sure it she had paler fur he'd see how red she was.

Attempt 5

his fireflies either gotten or flying away, Holland was much more concerned with what had transpired in this moment. whether he obtained more bugs was not important. the healer heard Kairi's approach and turned just in time to be collided with. er, nose-to-nose with. if this was a cartoon, there would be a dramatic smacking noise as soon as their lips touched. but it wasn't a cartoon; it was just awkward. and wonderful at the same time. Holland pulled away, jerking his head back as soon as Kairi pulled back as well. his eyes were wide, mouth slightly open and he felt his lips quiver with stumbles. what the actual fuck? did they just... j-just... kiss?! Kairi was quick to apologize for her blunder, and he couldn't help feel - was that a mistake or was that a promising start? - a bit disappointed. play it cool, though. play it cool. "uh. it... it's f-fine!" he burst out, looking away. damn it. gods, he could still taste her (sweet) lips on his mouth. running his tongue over his jaws quickly, he dared not look back. "a-accidents happen." he blundered more, digging himself into an anti-social hole. a few more fireflies buzzed by his head as he looked for a distraction. snapping his jaws, he aimed to get more. but he dared not even look at Kairi still. he was afraid. why the hell was he afraid? "SPEECH" attempt 5!

Damn it all! He pulled back when she did, and she couldn't help but feel completely embarrassed at what just happened. It had been a total accident, one that even left her feeling like she wanted to melt into the ground and just disappear! She quickly looked around and hoped Torin wasn't anywhere nearby to have seen that, and luckily he wasn't. He probably wouldn't let her live it down if he had. Holland of course, was just as shocked as she was. Now she felt things would be awkward for the rest of the night...or maybe forever, she didn't know. She had to be more careful! That was the first time she had ever run into someone's face and kissed them! He said it was find and that accidents happened, but she didn't feel too reassured. Embarrassed about the whole thing, anymore firefly catching was completely erased from her mind and she stepped back with her ears flattened against her head as he tried to focus on more of the fireflies and didn't look at her anymore. She understood why. He was probably embarrassed too. So of course, she didn't hold it against him. She had never felt so embarrassed in her life! Why did she have to be so clumsy and inattentive?? Her dad would probably laugh at her if he had witnessed this, or tell her she needed to watch out for her surroundings. She had gotten too carried away with these stupid bugs...now she felt like her face was on fire. Grumbling to herself, she tried to find a distraction but all she could think about was what had just happened. She felt fluttering in her chest as she snuck a glance at Holland again, wondering if he felt the same way she did right now or if he wanted to avoid her for the rest of the night because of it. She was so confused...it was just a little accident...right? Swallowing, she noticed how dark it had gotten and figured it was probably really late now. There were still fireflies milling about but the activity from the other wolves that had been around had dwindled. They were practically alone now, and she wasn't sure if she liked that or not...she had been in his company since this event started. A whole day of games and fishing and firefly catching. She did have fun throwing fish at him earlier, but now she felt things were...different. But she wasn't sure if it was a good different or a bad different..."Holland I..." She stopped herself. She what exactly? Enjoyed spending the day with him? Enjoyed getting to know more about him? Enjoyed that kiss even though it was an accident? She really felt like she was going to spontaneously combust right there and then. "Speak"

with the last of his fireflies bottled now, he'd hold his breath. now he had no distractions and no viable excuses to ignore her. she felt her eyes on him, and Holland repressed an uncomfortable shudder. he had no way of knowing Kairi's feelings. she was too... easygoing. she was nice to everyone - at least that's what he'd seen so far. there was no way for him to know she felt the same as he did. what did he even feel though? right now, he felt confused. when he was fishing with her, he felt childish excitement. when catching fireflies, he felt hopeful. as he dug in the ground, it seemed more enjoyable with her. Kairi finally spoke, and he took in breath sharply. he still dared not look at her; he didn't want to see disappointment or anger. he decided to try to control the situation like he usually did, so neither of them would feel... what? embarrassed? before she could finish, he was already talking out of nerves. "all done" Holland spoke briskly, nodding at his catches. Kairi was done catching fireflies too. he spoke out of fear and frustration, trying to make light and make it go back to normal. "we... I... should go." we? no, there were no more events to do. she'd go back to her family. she should go back to them. still, he hesitated in leaving her here. Holland didn't even move, his head looking away from the pretty wolf and making an utter fool out of himself. "SPEECH" all attempts used!

She suppressed a frown as he refused to look at her after, but she didn't blame him. "All done." She looked down at her paws, feeling more confused now than ever. It had been an incredibly awkward moment for the both of them, and she knew he was an awkward guy to begin with. She didn't get to finish what she was saying, but truth was...she didn't even know what she had wanted to say to begin with let alone how to say it. Yeah he had joined Lirim not too long ago, and they were considered friends now...right? Initially, she thought the feelings she had were because of that forming friendship. But the feelings continued to grow stronger the more time she spent with him, then she chalked it up to some sort of feeling you got when you made a best friend. Were they considered that? Even so, she doubted this was a 'best friend' type of feeling. She knew what a best friend was, even if she never truly had one before. No, this was something...more. She had never been in love before nor felt this way about someone before him, and yet...here she was feeling those things that she knew nothing about. Despite his more reserved nature, he was unintentionally showing her what it felt like to really, really like someone. "We...I...should go." She still hadn't managed to find her voice. How to redirect the situation they were in. So she nodded and moved to follow him, but stopped after a few steps. Did...he want to be alone now? Her heart pounded against her chest as she thought it over. Doubts started to claw at her mind like a savage beast trying to rip through its prey. The uncertainty she was starting to feel made her almost turn around and run away. But she didn't want things ruined between them because of her hesitation. She had always been the type to just go for it. So why was she hesitating now? Sighing, she continued walking ahead, even passing him by with her eyes on the ground. "I'm going to check out the prize booth, you're welcome to come if you want but you don't have to. I know it's been a long day," There. An invitation if he so chose to accept or deny. Would she be hurt if he decided to leave? Probably. But she would hide that fact away if she could. Problem was, she was too much of an open book to hide things even if she wanted to. Her thoughts spun around in her head so fast, she didn't think it was possible to think as fast as she was. She wanted to say things, but she couldn't find the words. Swallowing back her indecision and doubts, she kept walking whether he decided to follow or not. "Speak"

he was so fuckin' stupid. it was like he had slapped her or something. the way she curtly replied to him... it almost broke him entirely. maybe that was exaggerating but he had enough self-awareness to know that he... what? liked her? more than a friend? and he was being such an asshole. "Kairi - I..." when he finally did turn, she had left. her form was padding off without him, and Holland was too cowardly to even say anything to her, to call her back and tell her what he thought. he numbly looked at her retreating form before hanging his head and walking off himself. he'd go see the prizes after she did, because he didn't want to act like an idiot again around her. or maybe, deep down, he was just too stubborn to say what he meant. /EXIT "SPEECH" END THREAD