Koningsdag (Rob)

[Deleted]

It felt like forever since Heleen had last had time to properly hang out with her brother. She knew he was busy with Lyra but she hadn't prodded about the details too much. She knew the pair had gone to their parents over Christmas but she hadn't seen him much since Sinterklaas herself. She'd noticed that she'd been keeping busy and isolating somewhat. She was tired and generally exhausted. Girls nights with Sienna were one of the few things she truly spent some of her free time on, but she had a feeling that her brother didn't feel fully comfortable stopping by out of the blue due to her roommate.

So she'd written her brother and pretty much told him they were going to their homeland for Koningsdag together to stroll the markets, buy cotton candy and buy some useless trinkets off kids. She'd gotten some orange T's for them, mostly so they could blend into the crowds properly. It had been a long time for Hel since she'd properly celebrated Koningsdag, but that only meant it'd be more fun to do so this year with her big brother. Besides, hopefully the distraction from the market would mean that he wouldn't notice just how distracted she herself tended to be lately.

It had all started the moment that the work project with Aleksander had begun, but that made it a bit easier. It was work related and everybody that knew her knew that she couldn't talk about anything work related. She didn't even mentioned the fact she usually had projects, considering that too much information. Everything was, except for a few of her coworkers that were friends. She occasionally mentioned her friend Felix, but rather sparingly and never in relation to work itself. That was all secret after all.

So as she finally saw her brother at the place they'd agreed to meet up she gave him a big wicked smile as she held the shirt out to him. "Suit up Epke." She said in a teasing tone. "We're hitting the flea market to line the pockets of children again." She said with a smile. She remembered when she'd been one of the kids attempting to make some money this way and every purchase was an achievement. "Plus I want some cotton candy." She notified him cheerfully.

EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK

[EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK]

27 April 2027

As difficult as it was to prise himself from his mate's company, Rob dutifully answered his sister's summons for Koningsdag. It was a celebration dissimilar to any he'd experienced in the UK, especially since every public holiday there seemed to revolve around sunny weather, alcohol, and a distinct impassivity to the world around them. In the Netherlands, it was a day to gather together with family and consuming excessive amounts of alcohol... well, maybe it wasn't as different as he had thought it was. In the past, Rob had made excuses not to return to the Netherlands to celebrate their national holiday, instead choosing to wear a bit of orange wherever he was. His own private celebration. But who was he to refuse his darling sister?

"I just hope we don't see Jitske," said Rob in a low voice as the pair of them wound through the market stalls. He pulled the orange shirt Halo held out for him over his head, and ruffled his hair. Immediately, the pair of them blended in with the crowd, and every face seemed familiar and distant at once. Rob reached out and tugged a lock of Halo's hair. "Can't we line our own pockets?" asked Rob with a frown. "I mean, earning an Order of Merlin and having a booming business at the apothecary is lovely and all, but sometimes a euro doesn't go amiss," he added with a chuckle. "Right, lead the way, sweet charity," said Rob with a grin.

Immediately, they came upon a cotton candy stall. "Either the king is listening or you're just really lucky," said Rob, passing over a few coins to pay for two bags of cotton candy. "Also, is it bad that I feel like I'd really like a tompouce. And a drink. Those people are drunk," he pointed out, nodding to a group of teenagers who were dancing to a beat that only they could hear. "Maybe we'll find a nice man who will buy us lots of drinks. I'm not opposed if you're not..." he added, a cheeky grin splitting his features as he glanced down at his sister.

@seph

[Deleted]

It had been quite some time since she'd had allne time with her brother, but Hel didn't quite mind. They were adults and had developed their lives very differently. He had the love of his life. She had... well not much. Secrets, but that wasn't new. She dreamed if course, but it was probably nothing. Why would it be more?

"Yeah I could do without seeing her." Hel admitted honestly. Unlike Epke, she didn't really have a good bond with her sister. She couldn't help but chuckle as he suggested lining his own pocket. "Do you really want to sit on a picknick carpet all day selling your old junk for a few euroes? It's been so many years since we last did that. I always ended up arguing with Jitske." she smiled at the memory, even as she rolled her eyes at their old antics. "She takes after dad with the business mindset." Then she fell quiet. She wasn't sure if she took after either of their parents. Neither seemed to have much of a creative spirit.

She looked at the cotton candy and smiled as Rob bought them both one. She didn't hesitate to bite into her own instantly. She smiled happily and giggled as he mentioned the tompouce. "There's a HEMA nearby. I suspect they have the orange variant. Or did you want them from an actual bakery this time?" She asked him. They'd never really gotten the expensive ones in the past but there was no reason not to get one now. It had been quite a while after all. "Are you trying to use my looks for drinks now? You must be desperate if you think that'd work." She said with a roll of her eyes. She glanced at the teens. "At least they make less noise than the girl on the violin. I don't think she's had a lot of lessons yet, poor thing." She shook her head a bit. Some parents were nearly cruel. At least her parents had never done that. Not that they encouraged her to even take up an instrument. Maybe one day?

EPKE ROBERTUS OPPEDYK