hot to go

Whether I'm gonna curse you out or
Take you back to my house

Having always wanted to see the so called 'Eye of Fire', Flora thought that aside from her mother, there was no one better suited to showing her the way than the Archon of the land himself. That, and it seemed like the sort of appropriately sinister and isolated place for the conversation she wanted to have with her might-as-well-be-step-dad.

Bundled up for the weather in clothing she'd borrowed from her mother, the trek into the heart of the Queen's Gambit was largely uninteresting owing mostly to the fact that as a dragon, it wasn't as though she and Sunjata could carry on much of a conversation. It was the fastest way, though.

No sooner had they landed, the Doubletake slid from Jata's back and eyed the Eye with clear disappointment. "That's it?" Glancing at the Flood to see if he was pulling her leg (despite having seen that this was indeed the centre of the maze for herself), Flora sighed theatrically. "Really is just a bowl of fire, huh?"

flora

I haven't decided yet
But I'm gonna get you back

Table by the bestest Sky!

// now we are hanging out in the backyard //

There isn’t many things better to do than join Flora in exploration – even if LongNight meant that it was dark the entirety of the time. Perhaps it might make the location more impressive, so of course he was in agreement the second she asked. That, and it’s been a while since he’d felt like he’d really stretched his wings.

Bundled up equally as much as his basically step-daughter, Sunjata has always been against the cold and snows – much to Hotaru’s dismay, he knows – but luckily the trek there has him mostly in his dragon shift, until they land in the space nearest to the Eye of Fire, where he shifts back into himself, joining her at her side and flashing her a bright and crooked grin in the crackling reflection of the flame. “That’s it.” He says with an accented chuckle, shrugging lightly before he draws the scarf up further around his neck.

“Supposedly if an Abandoned jumps across the fire it’ll amplify their magic.” He shrugs with uncertainty, because he’d never once been Abandoned nor has he heard of anyone doing such a thing to find out. “It’s said to be the place that the first of the Abandoned came into their magic. So I guess it would make sense, but… Never heard of anything or anyone trying.” Flashing her a small shrug, he drifts closer to the fire in the bowl to claim some of its warmth.

the flood

// looking at a new point of view //

Whether I'm gonna curse you out or
Take you back to my house

Gazing at the dark bowl beneath the fire, it seemed to Flora it was better suited now for the ancients than for the abandoned. "Really? I bet it isn't true, or someone would have put it out a long time ago." You know, cause of racism and whatnot. "Cool that it stays burning, though." Then again, given that this was Caido, an ever-burning flame wasn't really much to write home about.

"Okay so......you've probably guessed we aren't just out here for some LongNight sightseeing." Grinning up at Sunjata, Flora flashed him a mischievous smile that she'd absolutely inherited from her mother before turning back to the flame and warming her hands on its aura of heat. "I, uhm...learned something. Something that you also know. Something about Jack." Despite being thousands of miles from Torchline or even a body of water, Flora still felt a touch apprehensive speaking about the captain's secret, as if he might just appear. Indeed, tugging at her scarf to ward against a chill she felt in her bones rather than on her skin, the Doubletake glanced toward the Flood to see if he knew what it was she was talking about.

flora

I haven't decided yet
But I'm gonna get you back

Table by the bestest Sky!

// now we are hanging out in the backyard //

“Unless they can’t put it out.” Sunjata says thoughtfully, before shaking his head, uncertain of whether or not anyone has tried in that regard either – given that Sunjata had slowly started to stretch his fingers into King’s End further once the war was over and he’d had some time to deal with the trauma of that entire ordeal. But he nods that it was a cool thing that it remained, especially right now in the face of all this stupid fucking snow.

Turning his steel gaze back toward Flora when she starts to speak and her grin turns positively mischievous and coy, Sunjata huffs a laugh immediately and groans out a “oh this can’t be good” because yes, he’s seen her mother do it time and time again to him, and gods if that isn’t an indicator that something is about to go down.

What he doesn’t expect, though, and its with a slight deer in the headlights look to her, is to hear Jack’s name fall from her lips in a way that seems like a secret yet not secret, and he immediately filters his mind back toward his time in Torchline dealing with the Captain and everything else revolving around it. “Yeah? What’s that?” He’d promised Jack not to share that secret, so he lets her speak on it first. While the two men didn’t get along any longer, it didn’t mean Sunjata wouldn’t continue to keep that part of his knowledge secret enough.

the flood

// looking at a new point of view //

Whether I'm gonna curse you out or
Take you back to my house

Biting at the inside of her cheek, Flora's gaze will seem to flit from left to right, not quite able to look entirely at Sunjata but having to focus on one eye at a time. Eventually, she sighs and turns away, her teeth still nibbling at the inside of her mouth. "The, uh..." Tapping at her temple and then making her fingers go woOoOOoOOOoo to indicate mental fuckery, Flora raises an eyebrow.

"He said you knew, back before the war and that Nate used it for...stuff." What stuff that was they hadn't actually gotten into, but if they were both going to keep cautiously playing cloaks and daggers about the whole thing, Flora thought that was enough information for Sunjata to know that she knew that he knew.

"I guess I just..." Tugging at her hair before inspecting her split ends in the firelight as if that was her biggest worry, the Doubletake gave her head a little shake. "I found out and then kind of had a meltdown about it because it felt like everything I'd ever known and done with him was one big lie, and...I guess I wondered what it was like for you?"

flora

I haven't decided yet
But I'm gonna get you back

Table by the bestest Sky!

// now we are hanging out in the backyard //

Watching her curiously, Sunjata’s head tilts a fraction avianlike as the question is aired so roundaboutly that it seemed they both didn’t want to talk about it. But he gets the gist, realizes that she does know, and he exhales a soft little sound in a puff of white clouds before he nods. “Ah, yeah, that whole thing.” Working his jaw slightly as Nate’s name is mentioned, he nods again. “I knew when I became Governor. It was kinda our deal.” He starts to offer at first, before the explanation is aired and he really has to think back to when it had happened, what was occurring in the great land of Torchline during his most dramatic years to see just how he had taken it.

His nose wrinkles and his face scrunches slightly as he recalls it and shakes his head, focusing on Flora with a weak smile replacing the content one earlier. “I think I took it well, actually.” because everything else had been falling apart. “I can’t really remember when I found out, but uh, it was when my father was around. I think he was the only one that believed that I wasn’t the one that attacked Vai… After, y’know, your fathers tag teamed me into a dream where Remi killed me.” His nose wrinkles at the memory. “So I was honestly just glad to know that I wasn’t losing my mind, y’know?” Shrugging a bundled shoulder he exhales a sigh. “I’d have probably taken it worse if everything else in my life wasn’t falling apart at the time.”

Stepping a little bit closer to her, he reaches out to wrap an arm around her shoulder and tuck her into his chest. “It is kinda shitty having someone able to know every single thing you’re thinking, though. At least he shuts down with the migraines because of it.” Because woof, if Jack didn't have to deal with those, Sunjata imagines he would've been even more of a pain in his ass than he already was.

the flood

// looking at a new point of view //

Whether I'm gonna curse you out or
Take you back to my house

At first, Flora is nodding along agreeably enough. Yeah, yeah, Governor, shady transactions, something about Nate; all of that she'd more or less gleamed from the little bit that Jack let her in on. What came next, though, had the queen nearly staggering away from the fire and falling into the snow, such was her surprise.

Vai? Her Vai? "They W H A T?!" Whether or not it would come to a surprise to the Flood that the Taliesin's had conveniently left out that tidbit of family history, Flora didn't know. Not only did she not know that Vai and Sunjata had even known each other, it all having occurred so long before she was born, but that her fathers had killed him? Even in a dream, that was more than a bit of a dick move.

With her lips open and her cheeks pale, Flora numbly leaned against Sunjata's bulk, blinking silently into the darkness that flickered all around them. Unable to really hear the rest of what he'd been saying—migraines and such—Flora found herself shaking her head against him, before pulling away enough to peer up into his face. "Sorry, but what? I knew you were all close and then...well you weren't, but I thought that was the war, not...gods, what?"

flora

I haven't decided yet
But I'm gonna get you back

Table by the bestest Sky!

// now we are hanging out in the backyard //

Not realizing that Flora didn’t know about Vai and all of that, he really hadn’t meant to derail the conversation from her feelings – and it’s with a small sheepish wince that he realizes she’d likely have more questions. So he offers a quiet nod, before pulling her in against his chest, letting her lean against him for however long she needed before her voice pipes up again and she looks up at him where he meets her gaze.

“There was… A lot.” He admits with a soft little laugh. “We were close, despite that being back when I was Safrin’s. Vai was like a mom to me and helped me during the Climb fever we all had and whatever else. She saved my life when I got struck by lightning.” Shrugging lightly, the basic explanation offered before he continues. “But then after all of that and I got healed, my dad arrived when the portals were still active and went fucking around. He broke my wing at first. Started spreading rumors to ruin my hold on Torchline as its Governor. And it worked.” Reaching up to brush a few stray strands of her blonde hair from her shoulder back behind her, Sunjata clears his throat and continues. “So we had the same accent and Vai was attacked by someone with the accent, and given nobody had seen him yet they just assumed it was me. I was trying to numb away the shadows at my house, thinking they weren’t real when Remi and Ronin showed up. It uh, felt really real. Even if it was just a dream. Took Jack’s magic and cooperation with me to get my father to come out of the shadows, even if it was after he fucking kidnapped Nate.” There’s a line of rage that blooms suddenly in the grimace to his lips, the twitch of the scar that almost feels like its burning with the memory. “Took a lot to keep your mother from getting involved too so she didn’t get taken as well.” Because back then they had been a trio, that had been before everything had happened with the fire at the Slagveld, and gods it felt like ages since.

“But Jack believed me. He helped me when I needed someone to believe me.”

the flood

// looking at a new point of view //

Whether I'm gonna curse you out or
Take you back to my house

Hearing stories about Vai from someone other than her Fathers' had Flora's heart fluttering in her chest. Even if the context was surprising, she couldn't help the way she melted adoringly against the Flood to hear him speak so fondly of her nona, and to hear the impact that the witch had made on lives other than her own. Unfortunately, the story took a turn, and it was with a quiet frown that the queen listened.

Not understanding much of it, though easily able to parse the tension despite not knowing anything about Sunjata's father, Flora flinched at the mention of Vai having been attacked, only to audibly gasp to hear that the Flood had been blamed for it. "But..why would you?" Why anyone would attack Vai was beyond Flora, but even more so was the idea that it was someone she was close to? From everything Sunjata was describing, that's precisely how it was she met both Remi and Ronin, once upon a time. "But..what does killing you accomplish? Even in a dream?" Flora wants to know, not because she doesn't believe Sunjata, but because not one damned thing seemed to make any sort of sense.

Kidnapped Nate? "Gods, what the fuck." It was all she could think to say as the story just kept snowballing and becoming worse and worse.

"Wait, so...he just helped?" Flora's opinion of the captain had plummeted rather drastically after having heard about his easy manipulations of her, and though it was surely her own daddy-issues at play, she was rather keen to seem him redeemed, even in some small way.

flora

I haven't decided yet
But I'm gonna get you back

Table by the bestest Sky!

// now we are hanging out in the backyard //

“It was the accent, and my father’s propaganda.” He explains with a small shrug, keeping his arm around her if for nothing else but to share her warmth amongst the fire and to ward away the chill of LongNight’s long cold fingers surrounding them. “They figured that if I really thought I was going to die, I’d confess. I didn’t know it was a dream until after, but, I didn’t confess – obviously – because I didn’t do anything.” So they’d gone through with it all until they were satisfied enough that Sunjata hadn’t done it.

At least, that’s what he remembers.

Snorting an unamused agreement, he conveniently leaves out much more dire and drastic dramas surrounding the shores of Torchline in favor for trying to pull the conversation back toward Jack. “I have been through quite a bit.” He says with a soft sound of a laugh bubbling from his chest, able to laugh about it now rather than in the moment, he thinks he’s come a long way.

“Yeah.” He admits with a small shrug. “And any issue we had in Torchline after that, Jack was my go to. He knows what goes on that people don’t tell him. You can solve a lot of problems before they become more with him in your pocket.” Which, yes, could be an invasion of space, but could also be really beneficial. “Ascended had the ability to utilize power after drinking from someone, right? So when the Slagveld burned and we didn’t have any direct ideas of who had done it, Jack let Nate use the very same magic on him so he could know what happened that night from Jack’s point of view.” it had been incredibly helpful, but also spurred more drama when the one who had done the deed in the first place was Flora’s own mother and his current girlfriend-basically-wife.

“I will say that he’s not my biggest fan since I left. We had a good thing going between the two of us that I ruined by leaving.” But war and duty had called and had brought him here in King’s End, away from everything else to start his own region, his own new life, leaving the scars of the past behind.

the flood

// looking at a new point of view //

Whether I'm gonna curse you out or
Take you back to my house

"Okay, but if someone attacked me with your accent, I'd never just believe it was you." Flora says defiantly. Whether she would or wouldn't was hardly what mattered in the moment; as far as she could tell, Sunjata had been done dirty, but her own parents no less. "Oh...I mean, I guess I get it. That's still..." Pausing, it was a touch difficult for Flora to parse her allegiances, but given that it was all history and Sunjata's was the arm around her shoulders just now, it was much easier to view what her fathers' had done in a much colder light. "...I mean, you thought you were going to die."

Frowning up at Sunjata as he laughs if only because she's sure there's still hurt about it all somewhere even if he's able to joke about it now, Flora nods. "Oh. Oh wow. That's..." Fucking clever as shit. "-really smart." If only Flora had been interested enough to ask who the arsonist had been. Alas. Maybe it would come up at Christmas their next family dinner.

Laughing at that, Flora grinned. "Yeah, he's pretty bitter about you ruining the shores of King's End too." She adds, relaxing now that they were in far easier conversational waters.

"I guess I just...I mean, imagine if Mom could just read your mind, and had from the beginning. Maybe it's too complicated with you two, but you know what I mean. Wouldn't you think everything she'd ever said or done was just because you'd wanted it? And like..." Clearing her throat and trying to make it sound entirely hypothetical, Flora added: "..what about stuff in bed. How would you ever know that it wasn't all just one big game?"

flora

I haven't decided yet
But I'm gonna get you back

Table by the bestest Sky!

// now we are hanging out in the backyard //

“Thanks, Flora.” Sunjata hums, smiling down to her as any previous pent up rage vanishes in the flicker of a second. Whether or not it was true, in the moment it was nice to hear, and it was something that Sunjata files away in his mind for later. For now, though, he nods his head to her comment of him thinking he was going to die. “Yeah, it sucked. But, Remi apologized to me recently about it and after I broke his nose I feel a lot better.” At the tournament not that long ago, actually, but he truly does feel better about the entire ordeal.

As for the rest of the suggestion over utilizing Jack’s ability – at a cost, of course – meant that he beams toward her as she makes her clever comment (because its such a far and few between compliment for the Flood that Sunjata can’t help but the brighten at). Of course, the bright smile doesn’t last, not when he rolls his eyes over the comment of King’s End’s shores. “Hey, I didn’t do that. The people here did. I’m not gonna tell them no, he just needs to get a better boat.” Bold words coming from him, of course, but in companionable company, Sunjata finds it easier to get off his chest.

Listening diligently and loosening his hold on her enough to allow her the space to speak comfortably, Sunjata nods his understanding with a little wince. “Well, I think he’d probably have to care a great deal to change himself to do whatever you wanted.” He admits, shrugging a broad shoulder. And maybe it isn’t what she wants to hear, but it falls from his lips anyway. “I can tell you that if he doesn’t wanna do something in bed, he’s not going to. Regardless if you want it or not.” Jack was stubborn, and maybe he actually cared about Flora enough to make those changes to benefit her.

“It only really benefits him if you take his words into consideration and base things off of it.” He shrugs casually. “The worst thing that happens is that you get someone that’ll do everything you want to do, and if your thoughts don’t align with the ones he tries to put on you, then you don’t have to do it.” Easy as that. Not as simple as her mother’s power which could quite literally compel people to do things. This was more mind games territory. “He can’t force you to feel the way you do. He just knows how you feel.” He leans in with a waggle of his brow and a characteristically Frey smirk. “It doesn’t hurt to have a perfect fuck time and time again, does it?” Even if it was a game for Jack, so long as Flora was satisfied and didn’t let Jack try to puppet her, where was the harm?

the flood

// looking at a new point of view //

Whether I'm gonna curse you out or
Take you back to my house

"Ohho." Flora's grin turns roguish then as she peers up into the Flood's steely gaze. "I did wonder how you managed to break his nose." It seemed far too gentle a touch for the way the demigods were going at it on the beach, but also not the sort of thing that could have just been an accident. "Well, good for you. I hope it helped at least, 'cause....I mean, I guess there are things I'd "die" to prove that I didn't do, but...y'know, not just because Remi said so." Even if he was her father. "I'm sorry that had to happen to you." She adds, nudging him softly (though for all his strength she could have thrown her entire weight into the gesture and he'd likely have not moved one inch).

Laughing, her eyes alight with mischief as much as firelight, Flora crinkles her nose up at him. "I'll be sure to tell Jack you said so if it ever comes up." She jokes, already able to imagine the look on his face if she was ever brazen enough to make the suggestion. Then again, now that it was in her mind, he'd probably just pluck it out when she saw him next.

As for changing? Frowning a touch, Flora nodded. "Yeah, I mean...I could have pieced it together for myself, but he did come right out and say that he uses it for his benefit." Which, of course she understood. That was the worst part about it all, she just...gods, she just wished she could have known about it from the beginning.

Before she thought so many embarrassing things.

"How...do you know that?" Casually enough asked (she hoped), Flora could only assume that Jack must have frequented King's End (or the Haulunani back in the day), which is how Sunjata knew about what he would or wouldn't do in bed.

Grinning at that, had they not been so deep into their current conversation Flora might have interrupted her own thoughts to tell Sunjata just how different he was to Ronin, who, not a few days prior, had been awkward as all hell in his attempts not to talk about anything sexual with his daughter. "You can say that again. And I guess when it's just sex I don't mind. He sure doesn't make the mistakes a lot of men do and it's nice not to have to always interrupt to say the things I want."

flora

I haven't decided yet
But I'm gonna get you back

Table by the bestest Sky!

// now we are hanging out in the backyard //

“It was a cheap shot, but I do occasionally fight dirty.” Sunjata drawls with his own mischievous look, before it softens into an easier smile – one that has him nodding to her apology even as she nudges him regardless of whether or not it does much to the statuesque pillar he is these days. “Thanks.” He’d gone for a while assuming he’d deserved everything that came his way, but to hear her apology helped soften the blow even if it were such a long time ago.

Chuckling in response to her telling Jack, he shrugs casually, grinning a lopsided smile down toward her. “He’ll find out one way or another, I’m sure.” A dramatic, exasperated roll of his eyes is accompanied with the words, until she speaks again and she harbors his full focus. “Maybe you could ask one of the gods to get you some kind of mental barrier to prevent him from reading into it when you don’t want him to?” He suggests thoughtfully, though the idea of Safrin has his smile fading slightly. He’d left it vague enough for her to pick amongst the rest.

As for how he knows whether Jack would do or not do things in bed, Sunjata shrugs and steps away from her with a small amused grin, walking around the little bowl of fire in case she reacted to things not unlike Melita did. “Eh, it was a long time ago but we did sleep together once.” Which, yknow, hopefully doesn’t ruin anything between the two of them.

Anyway.

Another soft laugh leaves him, wincing at the fact that he knows she’s right in the mistakes men make, how he’d worked to prevent himself from doing the same. As far as he was concerned though, everyone had a great time back when he was considered Caido’s bicycle, even if it had been years since he’d done anything of the sort. “See, exactly. And if that’s all you want, that’s all it’s gotta be. You don’t have to let him try to worm his way in to guide your feelings.” If she felt strongly enough about something, he’s positive the Doubletake would stop for nothing to not give in. Jack trying to sway or not.

the flood

// looking at a new point of view //