things that haven't happened yet

This scar I can't reverse, when the more it heals the worse it hurts

Remi smiles at that, and it’s not the kind of smile that fades quickly. "You’re not wrong," he says gently. "It was an improvement. A mercy, even, though Ludo might not frame it that way." There’s no venom in his voice—no bitterness—but a quiet honesty that speaks of someone who has made peace with the ghosts of his past, even the divine ones.

At Liam’s thanks, the Bastion tilts his head slightly, studying the man beside him with a flicker of fondness. "You don’t need to thank me for that. I think the gods want to be understood more than they let on." His fingers twitch, like he might reach for something—then still. "And anyway, if someone’s going to carry the weight of belief, it helps to know the shape of what you’re holding."

He lets his gaze drift again to the river, then back to Liam, something softer in his expression now. Then, rising with a subtle stretch of his limbs, Remi dusts off his hands. "But I should let you get back to your solitude—or your balance, I suppose." A quirk of a smile follows, quiet and warm. "It’s a rare thing, after all. Worth protecting."

~fin

REMI