MIDSUMMER'S MINGLE

[thewatchers]

MIDSUMMER CELEBRATIONS

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As both finals and the first Herald approach, darkness and uncertainty loom on the horizon. The celebrations held on the evening of the 21st serves as a way of cleansing fears and uncertainty - a time for reconciliation, peace, and reflection, purifying the old to make way for the new.

The midsummer celebrations take place in Soleil’s town square and the surrounding woods. Students can join the large bonfires set up by the staff, or have more private bonfires of their own if they so choose. Specially treated fuel and firestarters have been employed for the evening, to prevent accidental (or deliberate) arson; the bonfires that come from this equipment and fuel will never catch alight anything not deliberately thrown into the flames.


A. TOWN SQUARE
While the town square is usually bustling with all manner of people, today it has been cleared in order to build a number of large bonfires. Robed attendants stand quietly by each one with selections of herbs and flowers, as well as paper and wooden charms that can be folded or marked; these can be thrown into the flames in order to burn away symbolic representations of bad luck.

Attendees can freely take these offerings and feed them to the flames, or bring their own offerings - whatever they see fit - to burn.

A small selection of food is also on offer - small cakes and simple buns in both sweet and savory flavours. These, too, can be fed to the fire if you so choose, though they were made to be eaten.

B. THE WOODS
For the solstice, the woods around Soleil have come alive with light and sound. The various unused structures that litter Soleil’s woods are seeing some cleaning, too; you may come across robed attendants, older students and various staff attending to old graves and abandoned ruins, or building bonfires of their own. Many of them hold lamps on poles and sing songs - simple, traditional hymns about the rising of the sun.

If festival attendees desire peace and quiet, or privacy to build their own fires and reflect, the woods are well-suited for that purpose. Those who choose to take fuel and go into the woods will be cautioned that as darkness falls, supernatural visitors may come out to share your fire. Though they are entirely harmless and silent, seeking only to make their own offerings and lost in their own thoughts, their sudden (and strange) appearance may be alarming.

C. REMNANTS OF FIRE

After the bonfires have burned to embers, attendees will be offered the chance to jump or run over the glowing coals, as is traditional practice, for good luck. Whether as a test of nerves or a possible chance for a little extra luck - whatever your beliefs, it probably can’t hurt.

Unless you spend too long dancing around on the coals, of course, but that’s up to you.

Comments

[marmoron]

[Oh well NOW he's bristling a little.]

Watch it. I haven't actually agreed to this being a date.

[onebetter]

Then, you're rejecting it?

[ LOOK HE JUST WANTS AN ANSWER..............]

[marmoron]

Didn't say that either.

[onebetter]

Then what are you saying? Just reject me if you want to, all this uncertainty is getting under my skin.

[marmoron]

[That's getting a laugh.]

That just makes it better.

[onebetter]

You're a jerk.

[ POUTING. ]

[marmoron]

Yeah, yeah. Keep sweet talking me and see how far that gets you.

[onebetter]

[ Insufferable. Why is James into him again? Is that even a question he can answer? ]

Yeah, because calling you a jerk is the sure-fire dealbreaker for our complicated yet enduring friendship. I believe it.

Date or no date, Keith.

[marmoron]

A mystery for the ages. Just like our complicated yet enduring friendship as you're calling it.

[Sorry James, he is absolutely not done teasing.]

[onebetter]

For someone who claims to have no dating know-how, you're an expert in stringing people along.

[ He's not sincerely mad, but definitely grumbling. ]

[marmoron]

[A beat, then his grinning softens into a gentler kind of smile.]

Wouldn't that kind of imply that there was someone else I was considering?

[onebetter]

There better not be...

[ James' own voice gets quiter, more contemplative here and then, on impulse, he leans forward to press a kiss to Keith's cheek. ]

[marmoron]

[James leans in close and his instinct to back away kicks in, though not before the other leaves a quick kiss on his cheek and draws back himself. Keith stares up, eyes a little wide, heart fluttering behind his ribs. There had been a slew of joke responses he could have given, but for the moment he drops the facetiousness entirely.]

There isn't. [He swallows.] ..Just you.

[onebetter]

[ Keith hasn't pushed him away and Keith isn't getting angry. That's more than James expected, when he took the risk of following his instincts and simply leaning forward. Success makes him giddy. He smiles. ]

Good. I'm satisfied then.

[ Even without an answer on the date situation. Reluctantly. ]

[marmoron]

[Keith looks away after that, not quite knowing if he the tingling on his cheek is because he's blushing or because of James.]

Possessive.

[It's stated quietly.]

[onebetter]

So are you.

[ James isn't sure how true that actually is, it just feels like something that should describe Keith. More than that, he wants it to.

Not sure why they're still in the same spot after all this, he begins moving towards the changing room. ]

[marmoron]

[He actually has to ponder this one for a moment. How would he feel if James were to have these feelings towards someone else? Not too long ago, he'd have been utterly indifferent. Now....]

You really want me to think of you as 'mine'...?

[As James walks off towards the changing room, Keith walks further into the arena to pick up a grey-purple knife.]

[onebetter]

[ James pauses in the doorway for a moment, though he doesn't look back at Keith. These are the kinds of things that are hard to say when looking someone in the eyes, especially if that someone keeps dodging your date questions. ]

Only if it's a two-way-street.

[marmoron]

[Keith bends down to grab the knife, fingers tight around the handle. He isn't looking at James either, just keeping his eyes focused on the glowing purple stone set in the hilt of the dagger as he walks back towards the changing room.]

...come back to me after the fight is over then.

[onebetter]

I will.

[ This has turned oddly solemn, but James is fine with that. It's a promise to hold himself to, something to motivate him through the battle even if things should get desperate.

There are many people waiting for him on the other side, friends, family, but... Keith is counting on him in this direct, verbalized and immediately relevant way that is easy to cling to. ]