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+---- Thread: blood ties (/showthread.php?tid=10212)
RE: blood ties - Remi - 10-08-2024
[say]"Beh, allora immagino di non amarti."[/say] Remi counters, before immediately holding up his hands in surrender. [say]"Kidding."[/say] He adds quickly, not needing to offend his only other child before the first had forgiven him.
Listening to Jack sing his daughter's praises as if her accomplishments were things he was now entitled to as her boyfriend had Remi's hand tightening around his husband's beneath the table. Imagining how it had felt to have his husband's hands tangled in his hair in the hot springs rather than how it would feel to snap Jack's arm, the Bastion exhales softly. [say]"Mmm, we heard about that. Deimos also mentioned you went to see him."[/say] It's carefully said, if only because they were all aware of who might be listening, but no doubt Flora would understand his meaning even if Jack didn't. (Jokes on you though Remi, Jack understands everything a helluva lot better than you ever could).
The way Flora answers Jack, though, has Remi's fingers relaxing ever so slightly. What felt performative at first, r U hApPY w/ Me FlORa turned suddenly genuinely, at least on her side of things. Glancing sharply at Mateo and laughing under his breath despite himself, Remi shoots his son a look. [say]"Continua così e ti metto un calzino in bocca, mm?"[/say]
RE: blood ties - Ronin - 10-09-2024
For Ronin, at least, Flora doesn't need to posture all that much - he full well believes it, that she's one of the best queens that Torchline has ever had, if not the best. Still, that doesn't mean he has to be particularly glad of the fact that she'd brushed elbows with the Reaper, that she'd tackled the Oerwoud alone (whether or not she'd needed their assistance, necessarily), that she's giving that sort of smile to one of Torchline's most black-hearted men.
Still, biting hard at the inside of his cheek and sending a similar fuscia flush back down the bond to Remi, the Knight can at least manage a scoff at Mateo's contribution to the proceedings, and as the Bastion's grip on his hand relaxes ever so slightly, Ronin allows some of the tension to begin to unspool from his shoulders. [say]"If you want to talk about something else, where are your wedding bells these days?"[/say] he asks the botanist with a raise of his eyebrows.
RE: blood ties - Jack - 10-09-2024
The gold that fractures through the initial steel of Flora's thoughts is enough to give Jack pause in all of this, too, the raise of his eyebrow soft and thoughtful as he gazes down at the woman tucked against his side. For all that it had been a performative comment, there's no hiding the reality of the Doubletake's response, and Jack hides his own small smile behind a sip of liquor. [say]"Good,"[/say] he rumbles, his voice perhaps a touch quieter than before. [say]"That makes two of us, then."[/say]
Glancing back up as if having to quickly get his bearings against the other minds around the table - and that could be a dangerous distraction, he might realise later - Jack's hand relaxes around Flora's a little, as if to confirm that whatever initial prickles in her fathers' thoughts are starting to smooth out. Especially as conversation whirls towards the social butterfly of the proceedings, and he glances at Mateo expectantly for whatever fresh music is about to spill from his lips.
RE: blood ties - Flora - 10-09-2024
Wanting nothing more than to slip into Jack's lap and seal his words with her lips (and a good deal more, besides), the queen instead just beams up at him as she swallows down the butterflies lodged in the back of her throat. Having chalked up most of the captain's affections thus far as being mostly for show, there was no denying the way it had Flora on cloud nine to hear that he really was happy with her, however low of a bar that might have been.
Glancing toward Mateo ready to glare daggers in his direction—Flora of course has no idea what it is Remi has said to him—before her eyes can do much more than narrow, Ronin is swooping in with an unexpected burn that has the Doubletake gasping with delight. [say]"He's probably just waiting to find someone with a style he likes who's also his size so that he can steal their clothes."[/say] The queen teases as she downs nearly half of her gin in one swallow. The burn has her sighing with satisfaction as she grins at her brother over the rim of her cup.
RE: blood ties - Mateo - 10-09-2024
As Remi may well have expected, Mateo's jaw drops open at the insinuation, and he straightens haughtily in his seat and finishes the rest of his cocktail promptly, before holding out the empty for the Bastion to refill as penance. [say]"Hmph, non sei invitato al mio matrimonio, se mai ne avrò uno,"[/say] he informs him, though let's be honest, the probability of that ever happening is nil anyway, so Remi likely has little to worry about there.
Still, as the needle point of Family Bullying swings directly onto him, the botanist raises his eyebrows at his sister. [say]"You are evidence enough that I do not need to marry someone to steal their clothes,"[/say] he informs her. [say]"Besides, while you all enjoy your long, boring lives of monogamy, I will wave to you from my latest adventure."[/say]
RE: blood ties - Remi - 10-09-2024
It didn't escape the Bastion's notice that Jack didn't sound anywhere near as affectionate in his response to Flora as she had to him, but at least he'd said he was happy with her. In the interest of playing at being supportive, Remi lifts his glass in a silent cheers to the haPpy CoUpLe.
[say]"Semplicemente non voglio che questo venga incoraggiato."[/say] The Bastion hmpphs right back in response to his son, his head tilting ever so slightly towards Jack and Flora. Reaching obediently for Mateo's glass, Remi's fingers tighten affectionately against Ronin's as he rises, his sea-glass stare falling toward the man at his side. [say]"Once you have someone you love more than anything else, you will not want to share."[/say] He says of monogamy, and, having had an open marriage for long enough to feel suitably justified in his position, merely raises his eyebrows at Mateo as he pulses a complicated tangle of possessiveness and unwavering loyalty and affection toward the Knight.
[say]"Anyone else need anything from inside?"[/say] He asks, waggling Mateo's empty glass.
RE: blood ties - Ronin - 10-09-2024
[say]"I'm not so sure about that,"[/say] Ronin says of Mateo with a grin, since they're all giving their two cents into the botanist's love life at this point. [say]"Maybe he doesn't want someone he loves more than anything. Maybe he's content with multiple someones he loves an okay amount."[/say] Squeezing Remi's hand right back and grinning, whilst it's true that the livewire of their love is something he naturally wishes for all of his children (and like it or not, Flora certainly seems to be feeling that way towards the surly captain), he's not so foolish as to railroad them toward it.
Reluctantly letting Remi go, the Knight gives a gentle shake of his head and reaches out to help himself to some of the food since he'll have both hands to himself for a while. (He does punctuate it with another decent sip of liquor, of course, not wanting to let the buzz die where it seems to have kept him polite for now).
RE: blood ties - Jack - 10-09-2024
Settling back with Flora and letting his mind drift just far enough to enjoy the warm embers of her affection without getting too consumed by it, Jack glances quietly between Mateo and Remi and the conversation they believe they're having privately. [say]"There is nothing wrong with adventure,"[/say] he says with a slow shrug of his shoulders. [say]"You can always change your mind though, like I did."[/say] Case in point: Torchline's queen at his side.
Letting his gaze linger on the Bastion as he gets to his feet, Jack shakes his head. [say]"Got everythin' I need right here,"[/say] he assures him - and for good measure, he turns to lean in towards Flora, aiming to steal a kiss from her lips that cares very little for present company. Don't complain now, Remi - you were just thinking about how Jack isn't as affectionate towards Flora as she is in return.
RE: blood ties - Flora - 10-09-2024
[say]'So you do admit it!'[/say] Flora declares triumphantly, swirling the clear liquid in her glass for emphasis as she smirks in Mateo's direction. [say]"No wonder you never let me on La Verbena anymore. It's because you'd lose half your closet if I did."[/say] Sure, there were some of Mateo's things in her closet, but she'd bet he took more than she ever had over the years.
Later, perhaps, Flora will tease the good captain about just how thick he could lay on the charm when he wanted, but in the moment she was utterly undone by it. Sporting a crimson flush that spread over more than just the bridge of her nose, her mouth hardly had time to do more than crumple into a helpless smile before her lips were parting against his, her tongue begging him for more. Trying to hide how utterly breathless she'd become, as they parted the queen could only stare at the captain a touch unsteadily, her mind thinking of sex-swings and walls with her thoughts splashed out across them. Twisting slightly in place, Flora downed the remainder of her gin before leaning forward to refill her glass in order to hide the way he fingers had started to shake subtly.
RE: blood ties - Mateo - 10-09-2024
[say]"I never let you on La Verbena because you never come to visit me on her,"[/say] Mateo fires back triumphantly, though he promptly forgets the fight they're having as he properly thinks about the contents of his closet. [say]"I do have a few things I think you would like, actually,"[/say] he quips. [say]"I will bring them the next time I am in Torchline."[/say]
As for Remi and the things he's trying not to encourage, Mateo can only raise his eyebrows at the Bastion. [say]"Non ti ho mai preso per quel tipo di padre,"[/say] he says with a smirk he doesn't try to hide. [say]"And you see? I can always change my mind, papa. Or not."[/say] Making a gesture that asks Remi to shoo and go to get him his refill, by the time Mateo does glance back around it's to see his sister tongue wrestling with the captain.
[say]"Flora, this is not the Halenani,"[/say] he scolds her without sounding at all affronted by it, grinning and grabbing another sandwich from the plate.
RE: blood ties - Remi - 10-09-2024
Tutting, Remi shakes his head. [say]"Il tipo che vuole il meglio per i suoi figli?"[/say] But, Mateo might have a point, so before he gets himself into even hotter water, he sighs holds up his free hand in defeat. [say]"Senti, quello che sto dicendo è che non c'è bisogno di menzionare le campane nuziali, mm?"[/say]
Having just about missed Flora and Jack's game of tonsil hockey, as Remi turns away from the couple with his cheeks heated and his teeth clenched, he shoots his husband a warning looking before disappearing up toward the houseboat. [say]I am about one snide comment away from pretending to have been channelled.[/say] He complains through the attuned bond, his grip on his son's glass leaving several large spiderweb cracks emanating out from his fingers.
RE: blood ties - Ronin - 10-09-2024
For Ronin's part, he is Very Interested in the refill of the drink he's just poured himself and the food he's pretending to taste, such that it's only as Remi's voice drifts through the Attuned bond that he lets himself actually feel the way he wants to bite clean through his own tongue to stop from saying anything. [say]If you do, I will tell them I am being called to your side. With the void like it is, who can say we weren't Channelled?[/say] he grumbles mentally.
Still, for all of their (many) complaints, Mateo and Flora really do look as though they are enjoying themselves if not for vastly different reasons, and Ronin forces out a long, deep breath that has his shoulders relaxing and his glass pressed back against his lips. [say]"I think as long as you don't crash La Verbena, you can go on as many adventures as you can handle."[/say] He smirks to the botanist.
RE: blood ties - Jack - 10-09-2024
Jack, of course, knows exactly where Flora's mind has gone. He also knows the depths of the Taliesins' discomfort and how many more drinks it will take, more or less, before Mateo is passed out on the table.
But for obvious reasons, his attention remains mostly on the Doubletake, his fingers spreading in a warm starburst across her lower back and around her hip, letting him clasp her just a little more tightly. Thoughts of impatient hands grabbing at his hair and bodies unclothed to the bare minimum are all his own, and he finishes his rum in a smooth motion.
Grabbing up the bottle so he might make a show of pouring himself another, his head ducks towards Flora's ear as he lets the amber liquid slosh into the glass. [say]"You want to get out of here, love?"[/say] he whispers.
RE: blood ties - Flora - 10-09-2024
[say]"That's because there are always better things to see in Stormbreak than the inside of a boat that always smells like dog."[/say] Flora quips before moving onto the subject of clothing, her thoughts a good deal more loose thanks to the waterfall gin now sparkling through her veins. [say]"Y'know what we should do? We should have magical closets so we can always just...share."[/say] Whatever was on one side was on the other; not that she didn't want Mateo to visit of course.
Wanting Jack with the sort of recklessness of youth that had Flora dying to make up some excuse ("We'll do the dishes!") in order to drag him inside where he could fuck her against her parent's kitchen cabinets, as he leaned in toward her it took every ounce of self-restraint she had not to squirm in place to release some of the tension building between her thighs. Sipping in a breath that had no chance of making it to her lungs given the way her throat had all but locked up, Flora simultaneously flipped her brother off for his commentary as she pressed her lips whisper-soft against Jack's cheek. Gods I want you so much. She thinks, her mind like an aspen forest right at the end of the season: a riot of dry gold leaves and paper-thin white bark, just waiting for a single ember to set it all ablaze.