“You’re not coming out of this alive!”

  Johan grinned up at Note. His sword gleamed in the sunlight, his thin coat dancing in the wind as he stared back at Johan, eyes hard and unblinking.

  The ribbon was light in Johan’s hands as they circled each other, looking for openings. Note hadn’t been giving him any the entire fight - until he did.

  Note got distracted by the crowd. It was only for a split second but it was enough. With a flick of his wrist Johan attacked, his ribbon going straight for Note’s neck. The ribbon was snatched out of the air and the crowd roared.

  Johan only paused for a second to see Note’s way too eager, smug expression, before he launched. Combining Note’s strong hold on the ribbon together with a strong shove off of the ground, it was only a split second before he was in front of Note.

  He would have thrown Note off balance, but he had predicted it. The ribbon was pulled taut and Johan only had the time to blink before he was yanked through the air and suddenly he was held chest to chest against Note, one hand twisted behind his back as the sharp blade touched his throat.

  “Giving in?” Note taunted with a smug grin.

  It seemed like defeat. But if there was one thing Johan knew how to do, it was survive.

  Johan couldn’t help but smile. Note didn’t even know he had already lost. Johan’s ribbon tied around his ankle.

  At Johan’s smile, Note narrowed his eyes, but it was too late. Note yelped as he was thrown to the ground, Johan’s dagger against his neck.

  “Giving in?” Johan taunted back. Note stared up at him in surprise, his back against the ground.

  “I don’t.”

  “Huh?”

  The world spun and the next thing he knew, he was the one pinned to the ground, right arm held over his head and his dagger thrown away, the slack he had left in the ribbon was gone and instead wrapped around Note’s hand.

  Note grinned down at him and the blade was back against his neck.

  “...I give in.”

  The crowd roared and Odin’s booming voice declared the winner. Note staggered up to his feet with a triumphant smile before reaching a hand out to Johan.

  Johan gave a breathless laugh, and tok the hand.

  “Well done.” Note grinned and pulled Johan to his feet.

  “Likewise.” Johan huffed. His mind spun with the old men’s alcohol. “I’ll get you next time.”

  All he got back was a loud laugh. ”I’ll get us more to drink.”

  As Note left, Johan turned to see Signe and Vero watching him from one of the fur covered seats. He gave a mock bow and got a giggle in return. The party had moved outside to the firepit by now and the sun was just starting to go down around them.

  “Congratulations!” Johan jumped as Trym suddenly yelled beside him. For someone his size he was surprisingly good at sneaking up on people. He, like everyone else, was decked out in his finest clothes. Brown leather pants and a dusty blue tunic lined with fur.

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  “I didn’t win.” Johan informed him with a laugh, moving to one of the closer seats as Leif and one of the other fishers went to take the sparring ground.

  “No, but it was a great fight!” Trym exclaimed, radiating excitement. “I’ve never seen anyone use rope before!”

  “Oh, it’s not rope, it’s ribbons.” Johan corrected him.

  Trym’s eyes sparkled when Johan gave him the edge of the ribbon to look at. “A ribbon, huh? Do you have it all the time?”

  “Yeah! It wraps around my forearms.” Johan started pulling up the sleeves of his cloak.

  “There’s two of them?” Trym asks, looking curiously to Johan’s other arm. Johan laughed. “Oh, I see! It connects over your back! How does it work?”

  “I can control the red threads so I can throw them and stuff.”

  “That is so cool!” Trym gushed.

  “Trym!” Then suddenly Odin was there, throwing a big arm around his shoulders. “Let’s let Johan go back to Note, huh?”

  Johan frowned and turned back to look at where Note went off to. He was still standing by the table containing all the alcohol, watching Johan with an unhappy look on his face. When he noticed that he had been seen though, he quickly acted like nothing.

  “Don’t mind him-” Johan started but by the time he turned back Odin had already lugged Trym halfway to their seats.

  “You know you’re really annoying sometimes right?” Johan commented as Note sat down next to him, two full mugs in his hands. Note put on an innocent expression. “Don’t even try.”

  Note’s looked a little guilty at that. Johan couldn’t describe how unimpressed he was by it.

  “You’re supposed to be having fun with me tonight.” Note pouted. Hmm. Weird. Johan frowned and looked closer. Alongside the pout was a deep flush covering his face and neck.

  “You’re drunk?!” Johan accused. “When did you have time for that? You were only gone for a couple minutes.”

  Instead of answering, Note grabbed his mug and took a sip as if Johan hadn’t said anything.

  From what Johan had witnessed years ago, Note could drink quite a bit. The fact that he somehow managed to get drunk without Johan noticing was honestly impressive. He eyes the now empty bottle Note had left on the table. That wouldn’t be the old men’s one, would it? It was half-full when they got it and Johan had barely had time to get a couple sips.

  “Whatever.” Johan shrugged and chugged his own drink.

  Eyes were watching him and Johan calmly set the cup down on the ground next to them.

  “What is it?” Johan asked and Note’s head snapped away from him. He waited for a second but didn’t get an answer. Johan furrowed his brows as he saw Note clench his jaw. After a few seconds Note mumbled something under his breath but Johan could only make out “only tonight”.

  “Only tonight?” He asked and Note’s head snapped to him in surprise.

  Note opened his mouth when suddenly a screeching note from a fele sounded through the air. Johan looked to see Frey had started up again. He stood beside the fire, a wide grin on his face as he played, the red light lighting up the edges of his blonde hair from behind.

  That song was familiar. Johan paused, trying to remember. Around them people started to dance but Frey was watching him with a mischievous grin.

  Johan’s face dropped in realization.

  Suddenly Note started laughing.

  “It’s Fate’s-”

  Johan got to his feet, seeing red, but Note simply pulled him back down.

  “It’s a good remix.” Note said amused.

  “It’s not meant for partying!”

  Note just laughed and pushed his still almost full mug towards Johan. “Calm down. Here, have some more mead to ease up.”

  “The song isn’t meant for partying.” Johan insisted but Note just laughed and grabbed his hand, placing the mug in it.

  Johan looked unhappily towards Frey. Admittedly it was a good remix, but it was meant for serious occasions! Not for...a wedding.

  “Whatever.” Johan sulked into the drink. “It’s Signe′s wedding.”

  “That’s the spirit.” Note snorted.

  Still.

  One of the drunk old men stumbled past, one of those bottles in hand. Johan snatched it. “You don’t need this anymore.”

  The old guy just mumbled and kept going, Johan wasn’t sure he even noticed the bottle was gone.

  “Let’s go somewhere.” Johan grinned to Note, raising his brows in challenge. Note frowned towards him, clearly caught off guard.

  “Where?” Note asked cautiously but Johan just grabbed his hand and pulled him up to his feet.

  Nobody noticed when they left.