don't know if you love me or you want me dead

the bastion

Remi glances back just in time to see Ronin nodding along to whatever is being said to him, and the sound he makes in response is low and amused. "Oh, they both are," he says, raising his eyebrows with enough emphasis to suggest there is a great deal of history behind the assessment. Not that there is any real complaint in it. Even as his gaze returns to Aithne, the affection remains, softening the edges of his smile.

When she offers her hand, Remi reaches across the table to take it. His grip is careful, warm without being crushing, the sort of gentleness that has been learned rather than assumed over the years. "Nice to meet you, Aithne. I’m Remi." He releases her hand after a moment, though the brief contact is enough for him to notice the chill in her fingers. His eyes flick from her hands around the mug to the door, then back again. "I can ask them to turn up the heat, if you like?" he offers, easy and matter-of-fact, before his head tilts slightly. Only then does his attention shift, not rudely but plainly, to the horns that mark her for what she is.

"My best friend is an Ancient," he adds by way of explanation, as if that ought to make the offer less strange.

I got a feeling inside that I can't domesticate
It doesn't wanna live in a cage,
A feeling that I can't housebreak

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!