Top of the World

"Yes... perhaps." Ronin was purposely vague, though his smirk suggested everything he wasn't saying. Pleasure was pleasure at the end of the day, and while he tried to be attentive and thorough to any partner that tumbled into bed with him, sometimes anticipation was too much - Ronin rather took it as a compliment. He realised then, of course, the other implication of Remi's comment, arching an eyebrow curiously. "But not for men?" That Vervain had spoken about them was strange, but then he had heard from Ashetta that she had a penchant for tales and myths and such like, so perhaps it wasn't as odd as he thought. "I think they are just... a different word for the same thing. God, deity..." He shrugged his shoulders, smiling to Remi, though he was honestly concerned by the other man's descriptions of what he had encountered. No, that didn't sound like what Ronin had seen at all. "One of the worst experiences...?" The invite was there, for Remi to say more, but Ronin wouldn't push him. He smiled and nudged the alchemist gently, taking up his mug once more. "It might be what was needed, but I can still feel guilty about having to do it," he said. The mention of his own deity encounter had Ronin brightening up again considerably, and he smiled to Remi with honest excitement in his face. "I went to the Glade to see the glowstones one night when I couldn't sleep, and she was there. Safrin, she called herself," he explained. "I've never seen anything like her in my life. She made me feel... like all the weight was lifted from me." His gaze grew distant as he remembered. "She said she could help to defeat that monster, the one outside the Spire." ronin begin again, as the storm

1/5

Not that the bounty hunter wasn't a confident man as it was, but speaking the words to his friend about Safrin would renew his sense of purpose and make his testimony all the more convincing. Gradually as Ronin speaks both men are filled with a sense of strength and determination. For what? That is hard to say.

Catching Ronin's gaze Remi held it for a moment before being forced to break away. There was knowing that what and who he was might be acceptable here, and then there was publicly jumping head first into those waters. Then again, given how the two had met, he did know a good enough deal of the waters in which the former-captain tended to tread to feel fairly safe around him. "Ah.' The alchemist said simply, storing the two words away for later rectification with Vai. She'd know if they were meant to refer to the same sorts of things. Nodding, Remi nibbled the insight of his lip for a moment. "I saw my mother." He said slowly, looking down and creating a feature from his palm to fiddle with. "Or..I think I did. Perhaps it was just a creation by the god, but I am not so sure. She came to me in the woodlands and bade me to follow. I did, but where she led was just a swamp. She spoke to me as if no time at all had past and the strangest part was that it did not feel like any had. I did not even question her being there." Pausing, Remi ran a hand through his curls and as he did so he raised his eyes slightly, enough for Ronin to see the flush of crimson suddenly on his cheeks. "She told me to wait ... that we were to meet someone ... but ultimately what she was suggesting was.." Remi broke off. Even now the words sounded too horrible and too absurd to say. He hadn't ever actually considered saying yes, had he? No..no of course not. When he looked back at that memory, he'd shied away from her request immediately. Right? "..death. Death as a way for us to be together. When I realized...well, that is when the beast took over." Frowning sadly, a shine of tears glossed over Remi's pale eyes and though Remi had no masculine-provoked hangups about crying in front of another man, he still grabbed desperately for his drink and drained the contents. "I killed her then." Remi whispered as he pulled the empty glass away from his lips, his eyes staring very intently into the bottom of it. " I remember how she tasted." He managed before his trembling lips forced the words to dissolve on his tongue. Massaging one of his eyes with the heel of his hand, Remi sighed and leaned against the table. "And then I met him. Ludo. It was he who granted me this-" Remi murmured, causing his glass to levitate slightly. "Though I know not why." As the bounty hunter relayed his experience with the supernatural, Remi sat up to politely listen. Not really wanting to hear more about the gods than was strictly necessary, the alchemist found himself feeling quite drawn to the story and focusing more on what Ronin was saying about Safrin than with his experiences with Ludo. "And? Can she? How?" R E M I I followed your ashes into outer space

I saw my mother. Ronin's eyes widened a fraction - these days he could barely remember his own mother, but he recalled her as a cold woman with impeccable morals and high hopes for her two sons. He was perpetually a disappointment (and while he felt she'd have given grudging praise at his promotion to Captain in Northaven, his new life as a bounty hunter would have taken him right back to square one). Remi's mother, though, he knew little to nothing about, only that she must either be dead or missing for him to mention her so. His story was horrific in more ways that once, and Ronin sipped at his drink just to give his hands something to do. To kill one's own mother, whether or not she was a shade... he couldn't even begin to imagine the pain. "I am so sorry," he murmured, his voice lacing with sincerity, and without thinking he reached out to clasp Remi's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "If ever you need anything, even just an ear to lend... I'm here, okay? Might not know what to do or how to help, but I'll always be here." Safrin's presence in their conversation, it seemed, was something of a balm, and Ronin brightened again as they continued to speak of her. "I wish you could meet her," he admitted, "and see for yourself. This Ludo you encountered... that god does not seem anything like what I experienced." He smiled softly. "She said that she could grant me a weapon, one that would help us to kill the creature once and for all," he murmured. ronin begin again, as the storm

Remi immediately shook his head. His friend didn’t need to be sorry. It was no ones fault, expect for Remi’s for being such an utterly naive and hopeless fool. Smiling into the the touch of the captain’s hand against his shoulder, Remi nodded. “There is...something else.” He said swallowing awkwardly. So far the only person who knew this was Rexanna and Phoebe; neither women he knew very well at all, and neither of whom knew Loren. But Ronin? This would certainly open up a can of worms that could never be closed again. The alchemist should have shrank away at the proposition of meeting another god, but with Safrin’s invisible effects winding their way into his system, he found himself leaning forward and nodding as if actually considering it. “Do we know anything more about the creature?” Remi asked a bit skeptically. It had attacked them and done significant damage...but couldn’t they just leave it alone? Why was killing it suddenly such a necessary task? “I believe Rory said it only attacks when one is too close to the spire. Given that there does not seem to be a way in...perhaps we could just let it be?” R E M I I followed your ashes into outer space

"Something else...?" Ronin tilted his head at his friend, a concerned frown on his face, and he nodded encouragingly should the other man want to continue. Soothed and focused by Safrin as he was, it was easy to keep his attention on the man before him, even if that wasn't perhaps the correct use for that feeling of motivation. He drummed his fingers lightly against the glass before him, glancing down at it only to realise it was nearly empty. Ronin knocked the rest back and finished the job. He hummed softly at the alchemist's question, shrugging his shoulders. "Yes and no? It certainly did not like Ashetta's lightning. So I believe going armed with something capable of burning it would be a good idea. And it's venomous... Isla - the healer in the infirmary - she found one of its fangs still in my shoulder." He wrinkled his nose. "I think she is trying to work on some sort of an antivenom...?" Remi did have a good point, and they could well just leave the creature there. But... that wasn't Ronin's way. "People are always going to want to explore. New people could always arrive... I don't want anyone to get caught by that thing unawares. It's... not good." ronin begin again, as the storm

"I..." Remi rubbed at his forehead as it creased with confusion and the inability to navigate his way through the words he needed to say. Watching as Ronin drained his cup, Remi poured them each another round. "I meant to tell you this, but never got the chance. When we arrived, I was in the temple with Duchess Ayelet. Ahh..Celosia." Correcting himself with a sheepish smile both because Cel didn't like her title but also because they'd already established titles perhaps were not transitioned over with them. "She prayed and this being appeared. It wasn't..." Closing his eyes to try and remember, Remi fumbled for the words. "It looked both like a man and a woman, if that makes any sort of sense. It is rather hard to describe. It took our clothing and bound us. It made us all want each other and told Cel to..." Blushing rather furiously, Remi swallowed, thought better of it, and downed about half of his drink. "It wanted Cel to sleep with the other girl present - Phoebe Steadman. I think I was meant to as well, but.." But it just didn't get that far. Given how Frey had made him feel though, Remi would have. And he might just have liked it. 'Anyways. The being left before anything actually happened." Glancing at Ronin, Remi exhaled a shaky laugh. "I haven't even gotten to the something else bit yet." He warned his friend, fiddling with his glass once again. "I was walking in the woods and a young lady and I came upon a shrine of sorts. That same being appeared and asked us what we wanted. Given my previous experience - and the fact that god was naked on the ground before us - I asked if sex was their currency. I am not sure if I would have gone through with anything, but I did want to know how we might go about gaining more information." His face properly crimson now, rather than looking embarrassed the alchemist merely looked sad and more than a little drunk. "Apparently that was the wrong thing to say." Pausing again, not knowing how to put the rest of the story together, Remi gave his friend a woeful stare. "It said it wanted and passion and love ... and that is what it took from me. I ... I've fallen in love with someone, but it took those feelings. I don't feel anything anymore." he concluded sombrely. "In your shoulder?" Remi hissed and shook his head. "You would bring a souvenir home with you, wouldn't you." R E M I I followed your ashes into outer space

Ronin lifted his mug in thanks as Remi refilled it, the hunter sipping at the drink and settling in to listen as the alchemist spoke about this 'something else'. The mention of Celosia had him arching an eyebrow - Ronin had met the former duchess, but hearing that she had been... praying? That was odd in itself, for Ronin had not realised that many in Northwind were of the religious ilk. Heck, he was only really dipping his toe into those waters now (and thankfully they seemed to be sweet, if his encounter with Safrin was anything to go by). Thinking better of taking another drink - and thanking himself when he heard Remi out - Ronin raised his eyebrows as he heard the tale of the alchemist's second encounter with a deity. Phoebe Steadman had been there too? He remembered the young midwife, for she had taken care of him in the infirmary after the fight with the Spire Demon. Not having realised he'd been holding his breath, Ronin exhaled deeply and shook his head to Remi. There were no words for that, but thank goodness no one had actually been forced into anything... "Wait," he blurted, "what do you mean you haven't gotten to it yet? There's more?" Now Ronin joined the other man and took a healthy swallow of his drink. He shrugged off the comment about his shoulder - an easily done thing when he considered what else Remi had to say. Ronin looked delighted for just a second - he was more than a little tipsy now as well, and how couldn't he be happy that Remi had fallen in love with someone? - before the reality of what the other man was saying sank in. "You don't feel anything...?" He shook his head, glancing away. "And here I am celebrating Vanya and I," he muttered. "That's... I don't know what to say, Remi. Does she know? That you were in love, I mean. And that it's gone now...?" because of course he assumed it would be a woman. Old habits. ronin begin again, as the storm

Remi shook his head glumly. Pale eyes that should have been shiny with tears were miserable yes, but still clear. It was hard to lament something you could no longer feel. Like a phantom itch or imagined pain, there was nothing within for Remi to grasp onto and point it. Nothing he could grapple with emotionally. Just an emptiness that wasn't quite empty. Already his soul had seemingly filled in the pieces, and though it should have felt like Frye had taken something from him ... ..it didn't. Which was of course the worst of all. "Oh, no. Please don't." Remi said immediately with a genuinely bemused smile. "I am truly happy to hear about the two of you." Does she know. Remi's jaw clamped down slightly as the urge to lie swept upon him; Ronin was not the only one with old habits to deal with. "He." Remi corrected, though his voice was low and his eyes were downcast. As with telling Vai, though perhaps not with the same amount of certainty, Remi couldn't imagine his friend being upset by this news. Surprised perhaps, but not upset. Even so, given the decades under which he'd constantly lived in a society that forbade precisely the sort of thing he'd just admitted, even now saying it out loud felt risky. "And no ... not yet. He's been difficult to pin down lately..." Remi said, running a hand against the back of his neck and deciding it was better just to come out with it now. Surely Ronin's next question was going to be who is it. "It's Loren." R E M I I followed your ashes into outer space

Ronin scrunched up his nose and shrugged even as Remi told him not to be sorry - it still felt like bad timing on his part, but at the same time he supposed that it was near impossible to imagine the bizarre circumstances that Remi had been through lately. The hunter was running a finger around the rim of his mug when the alchemist corrected his use of pronoun, and the confession had blue eyes growing wide with shock. But only for a second. Unable to help himself, Ronin gave quite an undignified snort and had to hide it behind a gulp of his drink. "Sorry!" he managed the second he had breath enough, a broad grin on his face, "I'm so sorry, I was not making fun. I just... suddenly our first meeting seems much more awkward, doesn't it?" His laughter was rich and amused, but that seemed to be the only part about Remi's correction that had snagged on him. Clearing his throat and wondering how damned strong the stuff they were drinking actually was, Ronin reminded himself that it was not exactly a happy moment that Remi was describing. There was more though, apparently. It's Loren. At that, Ronin's jaw dropped, and he looked a mixture of perturbed and delighted. "You and... and Loren? That... I mean, I'm..." He wanted to say he was happy for them because he was, but then how could he be happy when Remi had just said those feeling had been taken? "That explains a lot... were you the other man he kissed, perchance?" ronin begin again, as the storm

Of course he would bring that up. With a groan and an embarrassed grin, Remi ran a hand over his eyes and laughed. "If anything I would think less awkward probably." The alchemist said slyly. At least he liked the view Ronin had provided him with. Other men might not have so much. Actually having told Ronin suddenly made everything feel lighter. Or was that the drink? It was hard to say, but the swell of levity that fell over him was a welcome one. Remi couldn't read the expression on Ronin's face as his jaw dropped. Of course, he'd never in a million years would have guessed anything had happened between the former baron and duke, and so Remi merely assumed it had something to do with how prickly Loren could be, or perhaps just how strange all of this was. Now it was Remi's turn to look surprised and his fiddling came to an abrupt halt. Loren and told Ronin about that? Although clearly he hadn't told the hunter that it was Remi, just that he (Loren) had kissed someone. That seemed strange, didn't it? That Loren would mention that he had tried to kiss Remi, but not mention the alchemist by name? "I..." Remi was about to say that he was, but what reason did he have to believe that? "I am not sure. Maybe not. He only tried to kiss me ... at the time I did not let him." R E M I I followed your ashes into outer space

"Well it certainly explains why you were so keen to show me your sketches of beautiful ladies," Ronin said, his tone equally as sly, and he nudged the other man playfully and shook his head. "Hey, you look as much as you like. I am not shy." Though the alchemist was probably already more than aware of that by his naked emergence from the ocean all that time ago. It was certainly an interesting evening, for sure, Ronin sipping at his drink again (it was going down more and more easily, and he thought about blaming that on the garnish or whatever the berries had been) and arching an eyebrow as Remi continued to speak. Unknowingly, it appeared they were going to talk across each other without intending to. "Kiss, tried to... I don't remember, honestly. It was the night I told him that I loved Vanya, so I couldn't see him anymore." He shrugged. "I thought, because he had apparently started to show interest in someone else, that it would be alright. But..." He shook his head. "Things have never been quite the same since then. I'm glad, though, that you two... yeah. You'll be good for him - he's such a stick in the mud sometimes. I mean, after we fix what happened to you." Because they would, obviously. ronin begin again, as the storm

Snorting through his nose, Remi nodded. Ahhh yes. He'd forgotten about that. "Well...As we know this sort of thing was not allowed in Northaven....I did what I could to try and dissuade anyone from thinking otherwise about me." Shrugging gently, he took another sip from his glass, albeit a slightly smaller one. However as Ronin mentioned that Remi could look all he wanted, the alchemist choked into his glass. Wiping his mouth, he gave Ronin a challenging look before quirking a brow and shaking his head. "Well now that you have gotten yourself repeatedly stabbed, I am not sure I want to look anymore." "Couldn't.." Remi wasn't the jealous type as it was but the lack of passion for the Launceleyn made hearing this news startlingly easy. That did not mean his mind didn't wrestle with it though. "So he was...you two were?.." Ronin and Loren? That was going to take some getting used to. But Remi and Loren had been...something before the kiss. But if Loren had been with Ronin then... Closing his eyes to try and sort through the timelines, the alchemist exhaled slowly. It appeared that while Loren was happy to tell Ronin what was happening with Remi, the same could not be said for the Launceleyn and the alchemist. Something about that stung in a way Remi couldn't quite articulate, but quickly he pushed the sensation away. "I don't know how...the god said I needed to come back with precisely what it was it took from me. I do not know how I am meant to overcome this when I no longer feel the sort of passion that is required." R E M I I followed your ashes into outer space

"Ah yes, but of course." Ronin sighed and nodded in understanding. As a baron and with absolutely no sense of caring what other people thought, he had been afforded the luxury of picking and choosing his partners both in Northwind and Northaven. Then there was the fact that even if it was illegal, he didn't hate himself for his preferences. Not that he knew it was that bad, with Remi. And luckily, now they were gone from the place. He gasped in mock horror at the other man's apparent rejection, slouching in his seat and looking haughtily away. "Fine," he said. "Vanya likes my scars. She thinks they are manly and brave." He was grinning even as he spoke, Ronin too addled by the alcohol to keep a straight face. Locking eyes with Remi again, he nodded to him. "For a little while, yes... it would never have worked out, though." Arching an eyebrow as he heard out Remi's apparent solution to his problem, Ronin ruffled a hand through his hair. "Well... if you fell in love with Loren once, can you not do it again?" ronin begin again, as the storm