#icejin gift exchange
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Isa’s New Friend [Christmas Gift Exchange for Jelly]
A fic I wrote for this year’s Icejin gift exchange for @the-blueberry-jellyfish
“Oh, how I hate the holidays.” Lady Hiemal growled in annoyance to no one in particular as she shifted from foot to foot, tail lashing to and fro as she gazed upon her reflection shining from the shop’s window. A sharp scowl and narrowed red eyes stared back at her.
Only a few more minutes were left before the boutique would open, but to Hiemal, it felt like an eternity. She absolutely detested being around other people, being exposed to noise, and leaving the safe confines of her home. Suffering from intense paranoia and suspicion of other Arcosians was what kept the poor woman locked up in the confines of her bedroom for weeks upon weeks.
The second the double doors were unlocked, a wave of female Arcosians immediately rushed to the entrance, shrieking and frantically pushing one another. This shop sold some of the finest gowns and jewelry located on the planet, so it was no surprise that a majority of the ladies were determined not to leave empty handed and were even willing to resort to physical violence, if necessary. So many of them had been camping outside the boutique since early morning, all to get a headstart before the racks were completely empty.
“Uncivilized swine. Absolutely disgusting. Probably come from a pack of lower class vermin, I’d imagine. Hehe.” Though she found their behavior reprehensible, Hiemal managed a slight chuckle and the smallest hint of a smile threatened to register on her face.
Hiemal was careful to squeeze around the crowd that was already quickly forming and blocking the main entrance, somehow managing to get inside the boutique unscaved. Immediately, she grabbed a shopping basket and began to look over at the section in the middle of the building.
“Oh my!” Hiemal squealed in delight as she snatched multiple dresses, blouses, and gowns off the racks in rapid succession, stuffing them inside her basket quickly. She turned around rather fast and ended up colliding with another lady, unintentionally sending her to the ground.
“I’m sorry! Are you alright?” Immediately, Hiemal reached out to help her up. “I’m in a bit of a hurry, I suppose. Eager to finish my shopping and get back home.”
Isa graciously accepted Hiemal’s offer of help, taking her hand and standing to her feet. “Oh, it’s quite alright. No need for apologies. I’m Isa.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Isa. I’m Hiemal. Normally, I don’t much like to go shopping. But seems that it’s necessary when the holidays roll around.” While she talked to Isa, Hiemal continued to grab clothes from nearby racks, this time picking up a few items that were marked down by 20%.
“Oh, that’s a shame. I love shopping. Always so many new things to buy and try on! The holidays are a grand time to pick up on some amazing deals too!” Isa’s cart held fewer gowns than Hiemal’s did, but the top portion was crammed with perfume bottles, necklaces, and designer scarves.
Normally, Hiemal would be annoyed and put-off by Isa’s bubbly and energetic personality, but she surprisingly found it a bit endearing. “Well, you’re right about that. The discounts are definitely something worth bragging about. Almost tempting me to do this again next year. Almost.”
“You know something else? Holidays are divine for spending time with family. Are you doing anything special for today? Perhaps cooking a family dinner or something of the sort?” Isa’s eyes fell upon a sparkling set of earrings and she placed them inside her cart. Deciding she had more than enough, she wheeled her cart to one of the front registers to be ringed up.
“Actually, yes. I cooked everything last night so it would be ready to eat this morning. I know you and I barely know one another, but I am sort of spending today alone. It would mean a lot to me if you spent dinner with me, even if only for a few hours.” Hiemal had turned down any invitations to family events because she wanted to be by herself, but she was starting to regret it now. She hoped Isa would accept, spending the holidays alone was beginning to take its toll on Hiemal.
“I’d be honored! Absolutely thrilled!” Isa practically shrieked with excitement as she paid for her items, thanking the cashier with a gracious smile. “You didn’t even have to ask. No one should be spending today alone, regardless of the circumstances.”
Hiemal paid for her items and proceeded to leave the boutique side by side with Isa, the two continuing to talk about various topics as they walked to Hiemal’s home which wasn’t very far away from the shops.
By the time they’d finally arrived at their destination, it was evident that a friendship was beginning to develop between the two ladies. Hiemal didn’t think it was possible to befriend someone so fast after meeting them, so she was a little shocked. Isa, on the other hand, lived for making friends and prided herself on being easy to get along with so this didn’t come as a surprise to her in the slightest.
The second they entered Hiemal’s home, Isa immediately complimented the other woman on her expensive taste in decor and marveled in awe at the gorgeous paintings hanging from the walls. Though Hiemal never once mentioned her riches, Isa could tell she must have been from a wealthy, noble family and probably was the type to be humble about it.
As Hiemal walked upstairs to place her new clothes inside her bedroom closet, Isa continued to observe the ornate furniture and she was especially drawn to a rather gorgeous piano that sat in the corner of the den. Sheets of music and paper scrawled in messy handwriting sat in a pile. Not wanting to pry, Isa chose to ignore it and came to the conclusion that Hiemal must enjoy music and fine arts. Not uncommon for Arcosians with royal or noble blood coursing through their veins.
“You have a beautiful home, Hiemal. Very spacious, I might add.” When Hiemal reappeared at the bottom of the stairs, Isa quickly turned to give the woman her undivided attention, not wanting to ignore her. “At the risk of sounding downright nosy, I noticed a lot of pictures on the walls. Some of other Arcosians. Are they related to you or close friends of some sort?”
“Family members.” Hiemal sat down on the loveseat and took a sip from her coffee mug. “I requested that they ignore my presence for today because I would only bring them down. It’s easier on others if I’m miserable by myself. I invited you here because you seem immune to negative energy and to be quite frank, you are very pleasant to be around.”
Isa’s face fell when she heard that Hiemal genuinely believed she was a burden to her family. She didn’t know what illness the other woman was suffering from, but either way, it broke her heart. She went to sit next to her, placing a comforting hand on Hiemal’s shoulder and giving it a light squeeze.
“Your loved ones adore you, rest assured. If something happened to you, they would be heartbroken. I know your brain must be mean to you at times, but you have to know that in the eyes of your family, you matter so much to them.”
Hiemal sniffled and reached up to wipe away the fresh tears quickly spilling from her eyes. “It’s difficult to believe that. I feel like they’re so much better off. It’s like I do nothing but drag everyone down and they deserve better than that.”
Isa lightly shushed Hiemal and massaged her shoulders gingerly, allowing her to cry and pour out her emotions as she saw fit. She whispered words of encouragement to Hiemal and did her best to cheer her up. It wasn’t easy, but at some point, Hiemal did start to perk up slightly
The two spent the rest of the evening watching festive movies, playing board games, sharing cups of coffee, speaking of their family, and eating side by side inside Hiemal’s enormous dining room.
The meals that she prepared were nothing short of splendid, in Isa’s fine opinion. She complimented Hiemal on her cooking and baking skills multiple times in between bites of food, making the other female blush heavily. She wasn’t used to being complimented on anything, so Isa’s words were greatly appreciated.
Though Isa certainly didn’t expect to be invited over to a stranger’s home for the holidays, she was grateful that she and Hiemal happened to cross paths. She made a new friend in the process and seemed to make Hiemal’s mood fifty times better than it would have been.
Towards the end of the night, Hiemal retired to her bedroom, but not before embracing Isa in a tight hug and inviting her to stay the next morning for breakfast. Isa wasn’t in a hurry to leave either way, but the realization that Hiemal had already formed this close bond with her was truly heartwarming.
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Icejin HCs- Unions
These are the hcs @yourfriendlyneighborhoodspork and I use in our rps and when developing our characters. You don’t need to agree with them. If we’ve missed anything that would fall under this section, let us know and we’ll gladly add it in.
After a couple decides that they'd like to stay with each other exclusively, they start arranging their union, the icejin equivalent of marriage. The whole ceremony is completed over the three days, with each day having specific traditional practices.
Day one is a more casual, intimate setting. This day is typically a small party between the two people and their family and close friends. It's usually put together by the couple's families and is meant to be fun and easygoing. The evening consists of the families and friends bestowing gifts upon the couple and wishing them well. During this time, the couple will also show, but not exchange, special head jewelry that symbolizes their union. That is reserved for the final day. Originally, this jewelry contained pieces of the couple’s actual biogems. It was an act of commitment and a literal showing of them sharing themselves with each other, but in modern times, icejins just have jewels that match their biogems placed in the jewelry. The symbolism is still there, just not the extreme body modification.
The second day is considered the most important of the three and is by far the most serious. This is the day of the actual ceremony that officially unifies the couple. It’s to be done in a stoic manner. There's to be no goofing off, or it's said to bring the couple bad luck. The couple dresses up in beautiful, ornate outfits and jewelry, covered in various gems and metals. They also wear big headdresses. The bigger and shinier, the better. It's a big, showy day with as many guests as possible. All the guests wear at least one thing that's blue, to give the couple luck. The couple’s families wear clothing with lots of metal on it, which is meant to ward away bad spirits and negative thoughts. The ceremony is held indoors, usually, at whatever venue the couple prefers. The couple makes their grand entrance and then, in their elaborate clothing, they perform a series of trials together, one for each of their six gods. Once they succeed, in front of all their guests, they will pledge their loyalty for one another. The day ends with a massive meal, which should be as much as the couple can possibly afford. This is meant to be a demonstration to their friends and family that they will prosper.
Examples of what they wear for day two are below. The jewels on their headdresses for this day traditionally match their own biogems.
The third day is a massive, celebratory party. Its goal is to be fun and eventful, where everyone can celebrate the couple and their families coming together as one. Once again, many people are invited. It's on this day that the couple finally get to exchange their union head jewelry and wear it. There are also a few traditional games for the couple and their families to play that signify the families joining as one, and also is a time that they can start bonding and making memories. While some icejins wear their head jewelry all the time, most don't and it isn’t expected. But it's very common for them to wear it to special occasions or nights out.
An example of their union head/horn jewelry is below. These are the pieces they showed each other on the first day. They give their partner jewelry that matches their own biogems, so that after they swap they wear each others’ color of gems.
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