+- Court of the Fallen (https://cotf-rpg.com)
+-- Forum: Out of Character (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=26)
+--- Forum: Important (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=27)
+---- Forum: Archives (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=38)
+---- Thread: home is wherever I'm with you (/showthread.php?tid=2107)
Pages:
1
2
home is wherever I'm with you - Remi - 11-05-2019
Sitting at his workbench Remi looked the proper mad alchemist that was once the norm for him. Hair disheveled, shirt stained with all manner of inks and greases, the table before him a chaotic mess of gods knew what, and of course, a distracted smile on his face. Using the parchment he'd been given that allowed his sketches to come to life, the alchemist sketched out his latest design. Not a weapon, not a device for storing magic, not any of the things he'd been regularly asked to create as of late.
This was something new. Only it wasn't. It was a borrowed idea, from his childhood and from a friend.
This, was plans for a wagon.
RE: home is wherever I'm with you - Ronin - 11-05-2019
The sun had risen, in the end, and they had come to live at the alchemist’s guild now that his own was no more. Ronin had been to the guildhall already, to sift through the ashes, to pay his regards, to stand solemn at the place that held so many of his memories and say goodbye. And now it was done, and there were things to do (weren’t there always?). They were banned from the Greatwood now, for a start. Then there was the destruction after LongNight to clean up, the approach of Fiat Lux... and the mud.
Ronin was covered in said mud as he walked through the door, having had to fend it away from the guild as he returned from hunting down some pesky tangleweed. Now it covered him in thick and messy splodges, prompting a squealing laugh from their daughter. Aoife, of course, was colouring on a bit of parchment at Remi’s feet (like father like daughter).
“I never expected to add wet dirt to my list of hunter’s marks,” he said with a smirk, making sure to take off his muddy boots before approaching the alchemist, blue eyes lighting up at the sight of the wagon. “Someone has been busy,” he remarked, nudging his husband affectionately (and likely leaving him covered in mud). “What’s this for?” He meant the wagon, obviously.
RE: home is wherever I'm with you - Remi - 11-06-2019
Distracted by Aoife's happy squeals, Remi raised his head in time to see his husband begrudgingly stamping mud off of his boots before removing them. Putting down his pen and watching this process with an adoring and amused expression, he nodded thoughtfully towards their daughter as she cackled brightly again. [say]"Mmm, I suppose you are right. He did take his boots off, so I suppose we should not be too mad."[/say] He said in a conspiratorial voice, having apparently agreed with something Aoife said.
[say]"Slayer of wet dirt."[/say] The alchemist repeated with a dreamy sigh, grinning crookedly up at his husband. Playful as his tone was, he did feel his stomach flutter happily at the roguish sight of Ronin. [say]"I knew there was a reason I fell in love with you."[/say]
As Aoife went back to her colouring (one tiny fist plunged inside the top of Ronin's sock to keep him close), Remi pushed the bit of parchment over for his husband to better see. [say]"Well...Now that we are almost homeless, I thought that maybe our new home did not need to be so movable."[/say] Looking up at Ronin with a sly and almost bashful smile, Remi shrugged. [say]"Much as my life growing up on the road was miserable, there was something to be said about travelling and sleeping under the stars."[/say] When you took out the abuse and the whoring and drunkard of a father, it hadn't been too bad.
[say]"Look—"[/say] Pointing at various parts of the diagram, Remi explained. [say]"Magical wheels that can traverse any terrain. A roof to keep the elements out no matter how bad they are, but also ones that let you see where you are from the inside."[/say] (Via illusion magic likely, rather than just windows) [say]"And...it being bigger on the inside."[/say] At this, Remi scrunched his nose and ran a hand through his curls. The idea was obviously stolen from Ianto and his living situation. Only...Remi wasn't quite sure how to do that part yet.
RE: home is wherever I'm with you - Ronin - 11-06-2019
A little hand reaching into his sock was unexpected to say the least, Ronin flinching in surprise until he looked down and caught his daughter scribbling happily away. Content, now, that he wasn’t being attacked by ankle biting monsters (yet), his attention moved back to the sketch Remi had made. To see his husband so shy and excitable called back to times that Ronin thought were honestly long gone, the hunter resting his hands on Remi’s shoulders as he stood behind him, giving them a gentle squeeze.
“Ah, so you would have me be a travelling slayer of wet mud, I see.” He grinned as he heard out the plans, tilting his head and seeming curious above all else. A baron, it might have been assumed that Ronin would be woefully unused to the road - and that might have been the case too, were it not for his joining the army. As it was a wagon sounded fine enough, and with Remi’s hand in it, it would likely be more comfortable than anything they’d travelled in previously.
More than anything, though - to hear Remi speak with such fondness, Ronin was already sold on the idea, with or without the upgrades that the alchemist planned.
“Bigger on the inside, huh?” He smirked. “This sounds like quite a project. What about the artisan’s guild, though?” Ronin’s was certainly disbanded, but Remi still had a place of work here.
RE: home is wherever I'm with you - Remi - 11-06-2019
[say]"Among other things."[/say] The alchemist agreed with a fledgling blush, finding his breath happily caught in his throat as Ronin's fingers squeezed gently against his shoulder.
[say]"It will be. I...am not sure how long it will realistically take me, but given that all the portals seem blocked or otherwise off limits, I have a bit of time."[/say] Time to think, time to perhaps find Ianto or maybe even Safrin.
Twitching his lips and then releasing a lengthy sigh, Remi merely shrugged his shoulder's beneath his husbands hand. [say]"Well...We are not the most active. Are and Sascha keep to themselves mostly, and Deimos..might be leaving as well. That only leaves Amalia and if Deimos leaves..."[/say] The alchemist gave his husband a knowing look. [say]"I can work anywhere, as can they. I wanted this to be a place where we could work and share ideas, but more often than not it's merely where people come to ask for things."[/say]
RE: home is wherever I'm with you - Ronin - 11-06-2019
Whilst very intrigued about what these other things might entail, Ronin knew better to wait until little ears were out of range. (‘Little ears’, of course, meaning the toddler with her hand currently stuffed down his sock). The hunter wasn’t particularly bothered about the time aspect - heck, right now he was just pleased to see Remi excited about something, with some of the darkness lifted from his mind, even if it was only temporary. If making a wagon for them to potentially travel the world in - portals be damned, they’d find a way - made him happy, then that was what they would do.
Hearing the alchemist out about the artisan’s guild, Ronin leant in and pressed a kiss against the top of Remi’s head. “Then leave it behind, or put someone else in charge of it. That’s something we ought to agree on - no more people asking you for things. Or at least not so regularly that it feels like a chore.” Giving his husband a gentle nudge and letting his hands slip from his shoulders, Ronin admired the sketches anew. “Personally, as long as it’s resistant to fire, I’ll be more than happy with it.” He chuckled - no need for it to end up the way of the guildhall.
RE: home is wherever I'm with you - Remi - 11-06-2019
[say]"It is not that I mind the work so much as...I suppose I feel a bit used, at times."[/say] He said, shame flashing for a moment across his sunny stare. It wasn't in Remi's nature to so no, and for so long he simply had been a tool used to create other things. But now, knowing that the world needn't be that way, he found his old habits harder and harder to keep.
[say]"Agreed."[/say]
Shifting to give Ronin a better look, Remi could only chuckle and roll his eyes. [say]"Resistant? You sure?"[/say] He mused, shooting his husband a boyish and eager grin. [say]"And here I thought I make the entire thing appear to be constantly on fire. You know. As a deterrent to thieves."[/say] He was absolutely not considering that, but the idea was just as silly as him making something that might burst into flames like their last home had.
RE: home is wherever I'm with you - Ronin - 11-06-2019
Sad as it was to hear Remi speak so, Ronin absolutely understood his feelings. Especially after everything that had happened with Zariah, he was of the mindset that he never wanted anyone to take advantage of the alchemist again, even if it wasn’t malicious. Well meaning requests could still, ultimately, be a way of using Remi. Pulling up a chair to flop down into, Ronin scooped Aoife up and into his arms.
She squealed in outrage and delight both - being pulled away from her colouring coupled with being cuddled against her muddy father would do that. “On fire? I mean, I can definitely see the appeal,” Ronin said of the wagon. “But then we have a little ankle biter right here don’t we? That’ll deter thieves better than a fire!”
RE: home is wherever I'm with you - Remi - 11-06-2019
Giving his husband a pointed but amused look, the alchemist placed his chin against his hand and raised a brow. [say]"Child labour Ronin? Really? With our own daughter?"[/say] Tsking under his breath, Remi moved the parchment aside so that Aoife's flailing wouldn't throw mud onto it.
[say]"What say you then?"[/say] He asked, lowering his gaze to Aoife. [say]"I expect you will be wanting a wage as well? Will two pots of paint a week suffice?"[/say] To this, the star-child merely squealed as she thrashed animatedly around. Not unhappily so, merely enthusiastic in the use of her limbs and vocal chords. [say]"You drive a hard bargain. Three it is."[/say] So saying Remi reached behind him to pull out three small jars of paint: one green, red, and blue. Placing them before her, Aoife immediately dug her fingers in and placed them in her mouth. This was precisely why all of her paints were made from food at this stage, and why Remi only grinned brightly as Aoife turned to smear raspberry-red (literally ) fingers against Ronin's mouth.
RE: home is wherever I'm with you - Ronin - 11-07-2019
Remi’s pointed look earned a crooked grin from Ronin in return, the hunter shrugging and attempting (unsuccessfully) to contain their octopus-limbed child. “Is it child labour? Or is it just a chore? She’s old enough now for some responsibilities isn’t she?” He laughed, watching the display between Aoife and the alchemist with a fond smile and warmth in his eyes. “Three?” He objected. “You’re spoiling her, Remi.”
At least that’s what he would have liked to say, were it not for the little raspberry flavoured fingers that suddenly smeared into his mouth. Cut off by his own laughter, Ronin tried to control the application of his new lipstick, but of course it was to no avail. “Fine, fine’” he relented, glancing to his husband with a red mouth (and cheek and forehead). “Am I pretty, Remi?”
RE: home is wherever I'm with you - Remi - 11-07-2019
[say]"Oh responsibility mmm? Is that what we are calling it?"[/say] He quipped back with a snort. Somewhere deep down there was a comparison to be made to their respective upbringings, when it came to what constituted character-building responsibility and what was in fact merely child labour, but Remi was far too enamored with the sight of his husband and daughter to care for such things.
Watching the application of raspberry cosmetics painted across Ronin with unfettered warmth in his green stare, Remi nodded immediately. [say]"Mmm, the pink really highlights your cheekbones."[/say] He agreed, leaning across the table to kiss away a clump of paint with a roguish chuckle. [say]"But you taste even better."[/say]
RE: home is wherever I'm with you - Ronin - 11-08-2019
“That’s what I'm calling it.” Ronin beamed. With his arms full of Aoife he was in no position to muse on their respective upbringings, and instead he pretended at coy flattery in response to his husband’s compliments. “Be that as it may, it’s a little too sticky to want to wear for long.” So saying, he eagerly allowed the alchemist to lean in and kiss away some of the raspberry. Aoife squealed her joy at this display, holding up pink hands for kisses as well.
“Back to this wagon of ours,” Ronin said, “I imagine you’ll be constructing it using magic, so there’s little you’ll need from me other than for me to dab your brow and cheer you on.” He smirked. “But I’d still like to contribute, if it’s all the same. Just let me know what I can do.”
RE: home is wherever I'm with you - Remi - 11-08-2019
[say]"I am not sure that is up to you."[/say] Remi chuckled back, before his lips were otherwise sequestered by flailing fingers that demanded nibbles. Om-noming them loudly for Aoife's benefit, the alchemist devoured her hands and the paint both, before relinquishing and smothering her palms in kisses.
[say]'Oh, you are not getting off that easy."[/say] Leaning back and shooting his husband a mischievous look, Remi shook his head. [say]"I was definitely planning on having lots of heavy things around for you to move while I watched."[/say] He said with a smug grin, not bothering at all to try and hide the deepening dimples on his cheeks at the thought of his husband, shirtless, doing menial tasks beneath the warm sun.
[say]"I was thinking actually...I can likely take care of making the wagon move and be comfortable for the three of us. As for protection, do you think that is something Safrin might provide?"[/say] Not for him certainly, but for Aoife and Ronin?
RE: home is wherever I'm with you - Ronin - 11-08-2019
Remi was totally right - it absolutely wasn’t up to him, but Ronin was more than happy to give in to his daughter’s demands (for now when she was tiny, anyway). Still, he was lost and grinning like an idiot as Aoife flailed and giggled her way through the alchemist’s affections; the girl was left half flopped off Ronin’s lap, until he took pity and set her back on the floor. Good thing, because it gave him half a chance to clean up.
His smile in response was sly to say the least, Ronin raising an eyebrow and glancing back to the wagon plans. “Lots of heavy stuff, huh? I must be better than your magic to merit such a task.” Mentally he prepared himself for a lot of walking around stripped to the waist. At least he looked something more like himself than previously, and it wasn’t so embarrassing.
Protection was most definitely something to think about and it hadn’t even occurred to Ronin to call on Safrin. “I’ll pay her a visit. For Aoife, at least. I’d like to think that I could protect the wagon for us myself.” He winked.