Hungry for more (Tagged)

[Deleted]

Late August 2026

He'd just gotten back from a slightly prolonged visit with Eeva. Things.. happened. Things he hadn't planned for, had most definitly not expected and had most certainly enjoyed... a lot! It was completely insane and even now his mind was still spinning about everything that had happened. Was he in love? Well, most certainly. Was he going to tell his siblings? No way in heaven or hell. They'd just butt in and completely ignore his sense of privacy, as they should. He wanted his siblings to ignore his wishes up to some point so that he didn't accidentally end up shutting them out completely again but well, he didn't want to share everything with them.

So as he entered the ice cream parlour after closing (not long after mind you) he knew both his siblings were likely to be in. It was one of those busy days that Vas often helped out a bit. Not to mention he'd asked them to hang out after they were done working to just.. have some sibling time. He hadn't known exactly what would happen when they'd agreed to that though. So as he walked in he greeted them and did something that was so normal for him but yet hadn't happeend in about seven years. He walked over to the back and opened up the freezer that had the leftovers of icecream that he could actually eat without getting sick and looked around for flavours.

When he eventually found one to his liking that also seemed like a both big and small enough portion he grabbed a clean spoon and sat at one of the tables, grinning at Vas, who was there. Maybe Felix was off somewhere or he had some important business to care for that had prevented him from coming but right now Ilija was in a very good mood. He opened the container and took a spoon directly from it. Their dad had begrudgingly allowed it, as long as he finished the entire container and put them with the dirty dishes afterwards. "Hey Vas, how's it going!" He said with a smile. "You don't mind if I eat, do you? I'm starving." He said, feeling so utterly normal that he forgot how weird that was by now. He took another bite and groaned slightly as he tasted just how delicious he'd forgotten icecream was. "Hmm, delicious." He said with a satisfied little smile. "Oh, Vas, would you mind helping me out with some decorations for my house? I think I need a few more." He said then, not even actively thinking about distracting her from his returned appetite.

vasilia abigail fortescue (and felix valentin fortescue if Audrey wants him in)

[vasilia abigail fortescue]

Late August 2026
@ilija and felix valentin fortescue (if he wants)

There were somethings that had been quite normal growing up that weren't normal now. Things that Vasilia had always felt sad about, but it was part of growing up. It would be nice if things never changed, but that was life. The thing was though, after things did change, and those changes became the new normal you didn't actually expect them to ever revert back.

Today, Vasilia had left the pub in the hands of her staff. She was giving some of her more senior employees a chance to prove themselves as she considered hiring a manager for the pub. She wanted to be able to help the Ice Cream parlour a bit more often, as her family could always use the extra help with their father's passing. After all, next to their parents Vasilia knew the parlour the best. She had quite a bit of useful experience that would benefit everyone. With moderation, of course. She'd been trying very hard to have a healthy work/life balance the last few months. While she still struggled with it every day, she had noticed how beneficial it was. Especially considering her current project of renovating the space above the pub...

Vasilia was just closing up the shop when Ilija entered. She gave him a warm smile. He'd said he would be stopping by, so it wasn't a surprise. She let him go about his business while she wrapped everything up. Satisfied they were done for the day, she turned to go join her brother. But she stopped, rooted in place and not believing her eyes. Ilija had gotten a carton of ice cream and a spoon... and was eating the ice cream straight from the carton. Something so normal and natural to Vasilia was completely uncharacteristic of Ilija in the past few years. She stared, mind reeling, at her brother's actions. That confusion only grew when he, quite perkily, greeted her.

Vasilia blinked rapidly, thoroughly confused. What on earth was happening? What had Ilija taken? She moved towards him as he spoke, mentioning decorations, and a house. Yeah yeah, she'd address that in a second. First, she pressed the palm of her hand to his forehead. She removed the hand after a moment and pressed it to her own, comparing the temperature to her own. It only made her confusion grow and she looked down at him like he'd grown a second head. "You look and sound like Ilija... Do you have a twin Mum and Dad never told me about?" Seriously. What was going on?

[Deleted]

Ilija knew he had been a bit of a stoic man in the last years. He hardly ever showed much emotion and when he did it was usually calculated and moderated. He was hardly ever very ethusiastic and every single one of his emotions had seemed dim and distant from an outsiders perspective, except for those few times that his PTSD made his restless nights unbearable with nightmares that shook him to the very core. For him to be this cheerful was... uncharacteristic. He was vaguely aware of it, but he just simply didn't care. He was in far too good of a mood to let it be spoiled by people expecting him to be a calm and stoic person when all he wanted to do was eat his ice cream and have fun with his siblings.

He had to forcefully hold down a laugh at the utterly stunned expression on her face as she watched him eating the ice cream. He grinned widely. "What? Do I have something on my nose already?" He joked easily before shoving yet another spoon full of ice cream in his face. He thanked the heavens that his father had always made ice cream free of cow milk protein and even more so that his sister had continued the habit despite his lack of appetite for it. He could almost kiss her out of gratitude for it right now.

He gave her a suspicious look as she put her hand to his forehead and then to her own, as if to check that he wasn't sick. Now that was almost insulting. Not to mention she was looking at him like he'd grown an extra head or two. Since he hadn't been working the very notion was ridiculous. Then she spoke and he groaned an rolled his eyes. "Yes, her name is Caitlyn and she's coming over for dinner tomorrow night." He said with an air of sarcasm to him. This was a side of him that hadn't come out since he was about seventeen years old and in those days Hannah had usually giggled from somewhere else in the room, sitting on a table or countertop while the family enjoyed some time together and his parented chided him for speaking while he still had ice cream in his mouth. It looked unseemly.

He then petted the seat next to him and motioned for Vas to sit as he finished his current spoon full of icecream. He looked at her, his face serious but a sparkle in his eyes. "Look Vasi, I'm just in a very good mood. You can question it or just enjoy the moment while it lasts. Or...." He said, taking another big spoon full. "...maybe it'll last and I'll be nagging you for dinner one of these days." He said with his mouth a little full. Perhaps he was acting a little bit immature but well, it had been such an incredibly long time since he'd been able to actually enjoy a pint of ice cream that he found it very hard to resist not acting on his whims just a little bit.

vasilia abigail fortescue (felix valentin fortescue optional)