[SE] no whisk, no reward

RONIN

the white knight

you and I burned out our steam

The turn of the season has been like someone twisting the shut-off valve to all of Ronin's worst tendencies, and quite frankly, all he can feel about it is relief. It's no question that he can be his most unreasonable (and angry, and possessive, and reckless) self during Leafchange, but with the particularly high periods of drama this year, it's left him wrung out and utterly exhausted, not just by everyone else, but by himself as well. Now, though? Remi is home, Flora is safe - and alive and not kidnapped - Hotaru and Sunjata are cured, and there's the smallest glimpse of a grace period before he knows he'll have to fly up to Stormbreak to bring a reckoning to the Reaper.

So for now? Ronin bakes bread.

It's mid-morning on the Northaven, the Knight having stoked their little woodburner to keep the place toasty and to warm the oven ready for his creations, and it's with the sleeves of his red sweater pushed to the elbow that he works the dough between his hands, muscled forearms focused on kneading rather than wanting to throw punches. And though there's still plenty of residual tension holding his neck and shoulders stiff, the quiet work evidently has him in the best mood he's been in for a long while.

chasing someone else's dream

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Now the ashes of tomorrow sing your sad song

Had it only been a handful of days before that Remi had teleported back into the Northaven (its shower, actually, as that's where Ronin had been at the time)? Only days since the Knight had kissed Halo's chill from his cheeks and not so subtly pretended not to notice Hotaru's scent clinging to every inch of him before scrubbing him clean and then guiding him into bed?

Gods, it felt like a year, and yet as the scent of coffee and flour teased Remi from sleep, the urge to simply sink away from the warm glow of morning very much suggested that the Bastion, not unlike the Knight, still hadn't quite recovered from the turbulence of Leafchange.

Rolling to the side and swinging his feet over the edge of the bed, Remi presses the heels of his hands against his eyes, pressing hard to ward away the lingering darkness of sleep as much as the melancholy that wanted to twist itself further around him. "Something smells good," he murmurs, voice rough with sleep as he tugs on a pair of sweatpants before opting to simply wrap a blanket around his shoulders rather than searching for a sweater.

Padding into the kitchen, Remi presses his lips against the column of Ronin's spine, inhaling deeply before resting his head between his husband's shoulder blades.

the lullaby

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

RONIN

the white knight

you and I burned out our steam

Glancing up at the rough sound of his husband's voice, Ronin allows himself a small smile and sets aside the dough he's just kneaded to rise. Another has been rising already for some time, and he moves onto this one to shape it and put it into the oven. 

"I haven't even baked it yet," he protests gently. "So that might just be the coffee you smell." Flicking his eyes over his shoulder to see Remi and his blanket cape enter the kitchen, Ronin finishes shaping his new dough and places it into a tin ready to bake.

Washing and wiping his hands, he feels the Bastion's presence against his back and relaxes further, closing his eyes for a moment as if to simply enjoy being with him in a moment free of tension and urgency. "Good morning," he murmurs, turning slowly to lean against the counter and welcome Remi into his arms, drawing the blanket around him more securely. 

"I hope I didn't wake you." He'd been intending to let him sleep for as long as he needs, and if his baking adventure had caused him to crawl out of bed early, Ronin has no issue in carrying him back there.

chasing someone else's dream

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Now the ashes of tomorrow sing your sad song

"Or you." Remi counters with a boyish smile as his lips brush over his husband's golden skin. Whatever the answer, the dough, the coffee, or the Knight, it's a rare thing indeed for the Bastion to wake up in a good mood these days, and so he doesn't bother to look too closely at any of the corresponding reasons for it lest he wipe the shine off.

"Even if you did, I don't mind." Remi mumbles as he steps forward into his husband's arms, slouching slightly in order to better fit against the Knight's chest and shoulders. "I don't often miss the abilities I once had with Ludo, but right now I wish I could dream us somewhere else." Somewhere with frosty snowbanks made of sticky snow with a roaring fire to keep them warm yet; somewhere with endless mountain ranges and a perpetually sun-drenched sky, or maybe somewhere far beneath the sea where everything was still and dark and deep.

"You said coffee, though?" Lifting his head from where he'd nuzzled against the crook of his husband's neck, Remi raises his eyebrows hopefully.

the lullaby

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

RONIN

the white knight

you and I burned out our steam

"Mm, or me. I have been doing my best to smell especially delicious lately, just for you," Ronin says with a boyish flash of teeth, twisting to slide the bread tin into the oven to bake and setting a timer, before his attention turns back to his husband. "Ah, it's not so bad where we are. Just close your eyes and imagine the world outside is somewhere different?" he suggests, one arm slipping around Remi's waist and the other teasing his curls into something not quite so chaotically just woken up.

"I did say coffee," he agrees, his duplicate stepping past Remi so the Knight doesn't have to let him go, preparing a hot cup of coffee and setting it down within easy reach of the Bastion. "Not that I plan to go anywhere today." No matter how many cups of coffee he drinks to wake himself up. Already shifting to get more comfortable in his place leaning against the counter, Ronin sneaks a kiss or two to the crown of Remi's head, letting out a soft sigh. "I didn't think I'd ever miss Deepfrost," he confesses, "but this practically feels like a vacation."

chasing someone else's dream

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Now the ashes of tomorrow sing your sad song

"Have I told you lately that you are the most thoughtful man I have ever met?" Remi hums, letting his lips wander from Ronin's neck to his shoulder in a trail of slow, languid kisses. He doesn’t bother opening his eyes, doesn’t bother standing any straighter or letting go of the blanket cocoon he’s created around them both. If anything, he melts further against his husband, like a sun-warmed cat finding the perfect patch of light.

"Mm, it isn't so bad, but..." Remi murmurs, voice low and still rough with sleep. Where once the Bastion had complained that the world of Dreaming was never real, now he felt similarly that mere imagination couldn't strike close enough to the tapestries the pair had once been able to weave together. "..the night we spent beside the frozen lake, with a thousand stars from Northaven and here glistening above?" He sighs softly; the fact that he'd been able to mercilessly fuck the Knight against a snowbank without risk of either of them succumbing to the cold hadn't hurt either. "I don't think we could have that unless we went all the way out to Halo, and.." Gods, given the way the last two times he'd been there had ended, Remi wasn't in a hurry to venture west unless he absolutely had to.

As the coffee is placed within reach, Remi lets out an appreciative sound but makes no move to take it yet. Instead, his fingers trace aimless patterns along Ronin’s back, his head tilting to rest against the Knight’s chest. "Don't say that. Every time we let our guard down I swear a raven immediately finds us to warn of some new threat," he says softly, lifting his gaze to meet his husband's before affectionately rolling his eyes.

the lullaby

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

RONIN

the white knight

you and I burned out our steam

"Mm, I don't think you've told me today," Ronin says with a smirk, feeling himself relax with every brush of Remi's lips, his body unlocking and releasing its tension as if helpless to resist beneath the touch of the other man. Letting his own eyes slip shut as well, it's easy to imagine that twinkling frost-scape and its spray of endless stars, the cold never touching them despite the frigid temperatures necessary to create such a place. "You're not wrong," he concedes with a low chuckle, "but there's something about the effort it would take to get there now that makes it seem all the sweeter, don't you think?"

Maybe it's just Ronin, but the fact that things aren't so simple and easy any more has him looking at them with fresh appreciation. Something something that old adage about things never being easy if they are worth it? Either way, he's content to hold onto this moment with just as much reverence, arching unconsciously into the stroke of Remi's fingers, his own hands smoothing further through his curls. "I'd object, but I feel like I'd eat my words if I did," he says, blinking his eyes open and grinning boyishly down at his husband.

"Though I don't think there's any harm in saying that on a personal level I feel a lot better," he adds, reaching for Remi's coffee so he can offer it to him with his own hands. "It's hard work, you know, being so insufferable all Leafchange."

chasing someone else's dream

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Now the ashes of tomorrow sing your sad song

"Selfishly I think I am inclined to disagree." Remi knows what Ronin means of course, and perhaps in another season when the pair hadn't just come off the heels of being forced to deal with the problems of the world over and over again, he might have agreed. "I feel no shame in wanting things to come easily." So saying, his eyebrows bounce a touch at the obvious innuendo as his sea glass eyes twinkle mischievously.

"Oh, insufferable is one word for it," Remi agrees, his smile curling lazily as he finally takes the coffee from Ronin’s hands, fingers brushing affectionately against the Knight's. His voice is all sleep-worn fondness, his expression equally unbothered as he takes a slow sip, letting the warmth seep into him. Lowering the cup, he tilts his head to squint thoughtfully at Ronin, as if seeing him properly for the first time that morning. “"But then, I do rather love seeing you lose your mind for a season if only because of how unbearably perfect you are the rest of the year." He teases, standing on his toes just enough to plant a soft kiss on Ronin's forehead.

Taking another sip of coffee, Remi lets his head fall to rest against Ronin’s chest once more, blanket and all, his free hand resuming its lazy path along his husband’s back. "And you’re wrong, you know," he murmurs against him, the words nearly lost in the fabric of Ronin’s sweater. "There’s no effort at all that could make me appreciate you more than I already do. But..." His voice grows softer, something wistful in its edges, before his lips curl in a boyish smirk. "...I do find myself loving you all the more as time goes on, if you can believe it."

the lullaby

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

RONIN

the white knight

you and I burned out our steam

"Oh?" Ronin wonders, before the meaning of Remi's words - and the extra layer of meaning beneath them - becomes clear, the Knight letting out a scoff of laughter and nodding to the other man in agreement. "Well if that's how you feel, I'm sure I can arrange for it," he says, releasing the coffee as Remi takes it to enjoy a sip - and stealing one of his own as soon as he gets the chance.

Scrunching his nose pointedly at the Bastion, as if to ask what word he'd use if not insufferable, Ronin tips his head forward to accept the kiss to his forehead, letting out a long sigh and promptly melting back into his husband's embrace. "I am hardly perfect," he rumbles, as Remi has likely expected he would, though in all honesty, the moment they share right now certainly feels that way. "But I suppose if nothing else, I can sleep well in the knowledge that losing my senses every year at least provides you with some entertainment."

Automatically letting his hand sneak against Remi's to relieve him of his coffee mug, Ronin sets it back upon the counter so he might feel more of the other man's affections against his skin, and he raises his eyebrows as he continues. The words seem to melt into his skin and coat his very bones, and it's with suddenly pink cheeks that Ronin tilts his husband's chin back up and against his waiting lips. "I can believe it," he murmurs softly into the kiss, "Because I feel the same."

chasing someone else's dream

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Now the ashes of tomorrow sing your sad song

Remi doesn't resist as Ronin takes the coffee from his hands, the warmth of the mug replaced by the far more satisfying heat of his husband's touch. He lets himself relax fully into the embrace, blanket and all, as though the fabric might be strong enough to shield them both from whatever the world might want to throw at them. His sea-glass eyes flutter shut as Ronin's lips meet his, and for a moment, everything narrows to just this—the press of their mouths, the way Ronin's hand feels so steady against his skin, and the unspoken vows that pass between them in the quiet; it's you, for me. It isn't just affection or comfort; it’s an anchor, a reminder of all the ways they've rebuilt themselves and each other over the years.

Pulling back just slightly, Remi’s lips curve into a soft, boyish smile, though his expression is tinged with a touch of mischief. "Careful husband," he murmurs, his voice low and warm, words brushing against Ronin's lips. "If you start agreeing with me too much, I might start to get used to it."

Remi shifts slightly, not pulling away entirely but angling his head to rest in the crook of Ronin’s neck instead. His fingers begin their lazy patterns again, this time venturing further, drawing small, looping shapes down Ronin’s spine as though committing every inch of him to memory despite how he probably knew his husband's body better than his own by now.

"Please tell me that other than waiting for your bread to rise, we don't have any plans for today?"

the lullaby

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

RONIN

the white knight

you and I burned out our steam

Smiling in return and letting his fingers reach up to whisper across Remi's cheek before they sneak into his curls, Ronin shrugs his shoulders. "Perhaps in our old age you've become sagely and wise," he suggests. "I might have to be the one to get used to telling you that you're right, mm?" He winks, and though there's plenty of jest and teasing in his tone, Remi does make plenty of good points. More than he thinks the Bastion gives himself credit.

As the other man settles against him like they are two puzzle pieces effortlessly fitting together, the Knight draws him closer if possible, head tilting to rest against his crown of curls, gaze watching the lazy movements of the ships moving in and out of Kaiholo through the window. "It's my great pleasure to tell you that, other than waiting for my bread to rise, we don't have any plans for today," he rumbles, grinning and glancing towards the oven. "Oh, and taking that loaf out when it's ready, I suppose."

chasing someone else's dream

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Now the ashes of tomorrow sing your sad song

"Sagely and wise?" Remi echoes with a low chuckle, lifting his head just enough to peer up at Ronin with a twinkle in his sea-glass eyes. "I suppose next you'll expect me to grow a long beard and start dispensing cryptic advice from somewhere in the Cordillera." The teasing lilt of his accent is paired with the soft stroke of his fingers brushing absently through Ronin’s sweater as he shakes his head adoringly.

But when Ronin tilts his head against Remi’s curls, that weight—solid and familiar—settles something deep within him. It’s not lost on him how rare days like this have become, how precious the moments are when the world doesn’t demand their attention, and he’s not about to let that slip by unnoticed.

His fingers trail upward, brushing through the dark hair at Ronin’s temple, deliberately catching at the few gray strands nestled there. "Speaking of which... it seems age is creeping up on you faster than it is on me," he adds with a boyish grin, the pads of his fingers lingering against the silver before withdrawing to meet Ronin’s eyes, knowing just how much the Knight used to loathe seeing whisps of gray in the mirror.

Before Ronin can argue, Remi is reaching for the Knight's hands to tug him towards their bed. "Come on," he hums, mischief swamping the affectionate glint of the emotions flowing between them. "There's something else I want to make rise in the meantime."

~FIN

the lullaby

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)