Just a pit stop

I take everything seriously,

After spending the afternoon with Lena and basking in the sunlight, Zavien was ready to get home to Stormbreak. Sadly, the next skyship didn't leave for at least an hour. Hence, he was stranded in Torchline with nothing to do. As tempted as he was to find a clearing and swing his sword, his parched tongue wouldn't allow it and the sign outside advertising 'cold drinks' was enough to draw him in.

He wasn't unfamiliar with the bar setting, having had plenty of post-training alcohol in Stormbreak, so he settled into a stool at the counter, raising a finger to wave down the bartender. "One ale, please" Without another word, the drink appeared before him, the cold beverage already condensing droplets on the glass's exterior. Zavien took a sip, nursing the drink like a scorching coffee that needed to cool. If he was going to be here for some time, he might as well make it last.

Now that his goal had been obtained, he took a moment to observe his surroundings. The perpetually dusk lighting casted a fiery orange hue on everything, illuminating the early drinkers waiting for their buddies to get off work. It wasn't crowded, but pleasantly populated enough to keep him entertained by their boisterous conversations and clinking of tankards. A card game had already started at one table and Zavien peaked his head a little higher to see the pot growing along with their tempers. At this rate, they may break out in a fight before the night begins. Taking another sip of his ale, he sighed under his breath, "Gods help us." It was too early for this, but he still smiled at the simplicity. It was good to know that some things never changed no matter where you traveled.

Zavien

but I also take it lighthearted to recognize I can't control it.

honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago

Just because Remi no longer lived at the base of the upside-down waterfall, Flora had told him, did not mean he could stop making the gin he'd provided for her when he had. So it was that the Bastion shouldered open the door of the Hanged Man with a crate of gin in his hands and a rather bemused smile on his lips as he glanced around for the tavern's proprietor (who just so happened to be his daughter). Not seeing her, Remi shrugged to himself before making his way over to the bar. Just as he'd set the crate down, Remi felt an elbow in his back followed by the shove of one body against another. Apparently, the warring card players had moved their grievances from the table and were now in the beginning stages of letting their fists decide what the cards could not.

The crate shifted across the bar, spilling Zavien 's drink in the process and breaking at least two bottles of gin with a muffled crunch of glass. Straightening, the Bastion whirled around. Now, Remi was not the tallest of men, and while he no longer held the title of strongest demigod, in comparison to the cardplayers he might as well have been a marble statue come to life. With a tilt of his head and a slight feathering of his jaw, Remi had to do little more than set his green stare upon the men in order to send them scurrying back to their table muttering apologies.

Exhaling, Remi ruffled a hand through his curls before turning back toward the bar, only just then noticing Zavien's spilled drink and his broken bottles. "Ahh—apologies." Clucking his disapproval under his breath, Remi offers the other man an apologetic smile. "I will pour you another—what were you drinking?"

idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword

I take everything seriously,

Just as he'd feared, the shoving began with thrown accusations and promises of escalating violence. Zavien set his tankard down, getting ready to break up the budding fight. A worker - based on the crate - walked in, momentarily stealing his attention. Then, in a jumble of activity, the drink before him was being toppled over along with a few bottles of gin, disrupting the laid-back dusk atmosphere. He grimaced at the breaking glass that proceeded to scatter across the floor. Zavien could tell that this was only the beginning. However, before he could shout for a halt in their activities, the men were shuffling back to the table their tails between their legs. He hadn't noticed anything other than a glance from the worker and Zavien was immediately curious about what kind of power this seemingly ordinary looking man possessed to send them scurrying so quickly.

Picking up the remnants of his drink, he set it upright. With a smile and an unconcerned wave of his hand, he said, "Oh. It's fine. Just an ale." He then turned to the shattered glass, careful to avoid the sharp edges as he helped gather them. As he did so, he glanced back at the card table. The men carefully placed each bet, eyes watching the bar cautiously as if speaking at more than a whisper or moving too quickly might attract further wrath. Zavien chuckled lightly at the sight and nodded his respect to the new bartender. "You had quite the effect. Do people always react that way?"

Zavien

but I also take it lighthearted to recognize I can't control it.

honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago

"I can do that." Remi agreed with a crooked smile as he made his way around the back of the bar and grabbed a new glass. If any of the actual staff noticed or minded what the Bastion was doing, they gave no notice. "Things always get a bit rowdier the closer to LongNight it is." He explains a touch apologetically before setting the beer before Zavien and taking over the dragoon's efforts to clear up the glass. "Flora is not going to be happy about this." Remi chuckles under his breath; indeed the Hanged Man's proprietor would absolutely find some way of blaming the Bastion for the light delivery, not that he minded, of course.

"Mmm?" Were it not for the few silver scars that sliced across Remi's throat and up his forearms, he looked entirely unthreatening as he stood behind the bar in a faded chambray shirt with a rather boyish smile on his lips. "Ah, well." Glancing down, Remi raises his eyebrows thoughtfully as he takes a breath. "Unfortunately, yes. More than I would like." He admits before lifting his sea glass stare and smiling. "But I suppose it has its uses."

Holding out his hand over the counter, he introduced himself. "Remi Taliesin."

idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword

From the corner of the room a massive wine-spider scurries. Running toward you, it tries its best to crawl up your leg, hovering against you for warmth. Clearly something has startled it. Poor thing.

---

This is not a RE nor a rare creature. It cannot be used for levelling.

Wine Spider: These friendly arachnids can grow up to the size of a small housecat. With fuzzy bodies and spindly legs, they are often found lurking around wine racks or kegs of beer. They are almost always drunk, hiccuping and stumbling about. It is said that finding a baby wine spider in your drink is a lucky omen!

I take everything seriously,

He accepted the new beer with an appreciative nod, then finished clearing the glass pieces before settling back onto his barstool. Another look at the card table showed a settling of tensions, if not more frequent grumbles. He shook his head in disapproval. Everyone had to deal with LongNight, they shouldn't be causing trouble just because they were nervous about the approaching darkness. "That's not an excuse for their actions." Not that Zavien wanted them disciplined, but he didn't agree with inconveniencing others with your inability to hold your liquor or your money. Taking a sip of the ale, he pitied the punishment and blame the bartender might receive after their actions. "Well, if you need backup, I can attest to your innocence." He raised his glass to support the offer.

As the man introduced himself, he just let out a knowing, "Aaaah." With the name, Zavien understood a little better. Remi was one of the strongest demigods in the realm. That's when a memory floated back of seeing him on these same beaches just a few months ago. Smiling, he reached out his own hand. "Zavien Alexander. Pleasure to meet you up close. I actually saw you at the last tournament. You and your husband were really impressive taking on Deimos, twice. I thought you guys would get him for sure!" The battles had been very educational and Zavien had increased his training tremendously since then, even if he still wouldn't stand a chance against any of the participants.

A flash of something crawled across his pantleg, causing him to look around in curiosity. With a small smile, he noticed the stumbling wine spider climbing his body, tucking into his abdomen for warmth. He wasn't bothered by the little creature, so he let it snuggle closer while he took another sip of his new drink.

Now that he knew who the man was, Zavien had a blossoming curiosity as to why Remi, demigod of Mort, would be helping serve him a drink. Tilting his head, he asked, "Do you often work behind the bar?" The workers didn't seem bothered or even surprised by his presence.

Zavien

but I also take it lighthearted to recognize I can't control it.

honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago

"No, but..." Remi shrugs. "This is Torchline." Clearly the man opposite him wasn't from their part of the world if he took a bit of animus over a card game to be worthy of so much disappointment. Laughing warmly at that, the Bastion grinned and nodded. "Noted, thank you." Definitely not from Torchline, then.

The ahhh had Remi smiling a touch bashfully, hard enough for the dimples in his cheeks to show despite the days-old scruff. Shaking Zavien's hand before reaching for another glass to pour himself a gin, the Bastion raised his eyebrows before chuckling. "Nice to meet you as well. And yes, Deimos really goes to show that for all the tricks we are afforded as demigods, work ethic can get you just as far if not farther." There was no one in the entirety of Caido as far as Remi was concerned who worked harder than Deimos did. The few rounds that the Sword had been forced to go without his gloves had been a testament to that. "Especially in my new role as bastion rather than lullaby, I did not expect to make it as far as I did in the Tournament."

Lifting the crate and setting it behind the bar so that it wouldn't fall victim to any more disagreements, it was with a crooked smile that he shrugged in response to the other man's observation. "More often than you would think." He answered, ruffling a hand through his curls. "My daughter owns the tavern. At first I was merely a supply of alcohol—" He gestured vaguely towards the crates. "But if I am here, I do not mind helping out."

idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword

I take everything seriously,

Zavien smiled in response to Remi's comment. He supposed that the distinction was true enough. His admiration for the chivalrous Dragoons of Stormbreak had molded his perception of the world, but Torchline didn't follow such ideals. It's a land of stolen opportunities and molded destinies.

Laughing at the analysis of Deimos, he had to agree. The fact that the hybrid was able to hold himself against two demigods said more about his stubborn character than their abilities. "It seems like we could all learn to work a little harder." He thought mainly of himself and all he had to learn within his new Dragoon role. Whether it be combat or overall maturity, Zavien had a lot he would like to improve about himself. It just made him assume that others would want the same.

Remi's mention of his new role had Zavien pondering the change. He wasn't privy to the specifics, but he knew enough to understand that the defensive focus of being 'Bastion' would be difficult to use in a fighting tournament. Especially considering how offensive Deimos was. However, it also had him wondering how Remi was adjusting. "Are you happy in your new role with Mort?" An unspoken question accompanied it. A wondering of if Remi regretted his allegiance. Of whether he would have preferred another god or herald. Yet he wouldn't speak such a question aloud, lest he offend the god of death.

He found himself grinning in response to the demigod's crooked smile. "That's nice of you. I'm sure she appreciates it." Having heard of the proprietor, Flora, he was sure she didn't need the help, but he had no doubt that the presence of her father was always welcome. He took another sip of ale as he recalled the confident woman he'd seen at the tournament.

Zavien

but I also take it lighthearted to recognize I can't control it.

honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago

"Mmm, that is certainly true." Remi agrees, raising his glass slightly for emphasis before taking a sip. "It is one of the reasons I organized the tournament in the first place." He explains. "So often when we train we do not test the full limits of our strengths, and the few times that we do.." As in KQs and the like. "—it is situational at best." Being able to wholly unleash their abilities against others who could stand it (sorry Seren and Melita), had been invaluable in terms of learning their true strengths.

Raising his eyebrows thoughtfully, Remi's head tilts slightly as a roguish smile tugs at his lips. Running a hand up the side of one unshaven cheek before ruffling it through his curls, he exhales before nodding emphatically. "Very." He confirms. "My allegiance to Ludo came about accidentally...I did not have the best relationship with it at first, but when I asked it once to bring back a friend who had just died, I promised I would do anything for it." Remi explains, frowning down at his glass. Of course Ludo had opted to bring back said friend in the form of a companion, cementing what was to be a tumultuous relationship right there and then. "It called upon me years later into its service. I did not have a choice." Rolling his glass between his fingers, Remi laughs a touch hollowly. "All of that aside, the fact that I do not have to excuse myself from dinner or get up in the middle of night to..." The boyish warmth on his face fades as he nibbles at the inside of his lip. "..well, to kill someone, is certainly a relief."

Draining his gin in a single swallow the Bastion grinned before pouring himself another.

"She does, though not even I would want to be on my daughter's bad side." He chuckles. "Have you met her?"

idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword

I take everything seriously,

"I can understand that." He recalls his first fumbled attempts in the Feverlands. At least things seem to have worked out, having seen the carcass next to Tal's damaged ship. Things certainly could have been much worse. Nodding his agreement, he says, "If we don't train like it's the real thing, we don't know how we'll fair when it counts." It's also nice to see everyone get to show off their skills to their full capabilities.

Taking another sip of his beer, he listens closely to Remi's description of his relationships with the deities. Zavien tries to keep his face open and compassionate. Obviously, the path up to this point has not been easy and he doesn't have the words to give any comfort, choosing to nod in acknowledgement before giving his observations. "I've heard a lot about the heralds recently and few things have been positive. I'm sorry you had to endure so much under Ludo." He wasn't sure if he'd been able to put up with the same requests. Not that he's against killing if it's justified, but to be ordered to do so sounded dehumanizing. Tilting his head in consideration, he asks, "Looking back, would you have picked a different herald?" He knows it's a loaded question, but it still makes him wonder if Remi's experiences have changed his opinions on his past choices.

Leaning forward against the bar top, Zavien smiles at the thought of anyone standing against the demigod, even as he recalls the quiet confidence of the woman. "I haven't had the pleasure of officially meeting her, although I saw her at the tournament as well." Flora had been the center of most of the socializing and Zavien hadn't yet met anyone in her circle. Now that he's met Remi, Ronin, Koa, Deimos, and more, he wouldn't be surprised if they crossed paths in the near future. Especially if he continues to get stuck in Torchline, waiting for his transportation.

Zavien

but I also take it lighthearted to recognize I can't control it.

honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago

"Exactly." The Bastion agrees with a nod. "If you'd ever like to really test yourself, I am always available." He adds, flashing the other man a grin. "I am quite good at taking a punch these days."

Splaying his fingers in a what can you do gesture, Remi can only sigh as he finishes pouring himself his drink. "Had it not been for Ludo I would have lost my best friend. I would do it all again, endure it all, if it meant being able to see her." As for the other heralds? Laughing, a boyish gleam brightens the Bastion's sea glass stare as his head shifts uncertainly from left to right. "Never Safrin. I am not sure how much you know about her relationship with my husband, Ronin, but given all of the games she plays, not to mention surprise children, I can safely say I would still avoid her." Also, she positively hated Remi, but that was beside the point. Speaking of surprise children though: "The sex version of Frey I initially had no problems with. A good friend of mine, Phoebe, was its demigoddess for a number of years, but.." A touch awkwardly, given the nature of the story, Remi explains how he'd inadvertently stumbled upon Hotaru one day as she was praying to Frey, and how when the deity appeared it had forced its aura of arousal upon them and told the Valkyrie her quest would only be complete once both he and Hotaru had brought each other to orgasm right then and there.

Flushing at the memory, more out of frustration than arousal, Remi leans against the bar with his chin in his hand. "At that point my husband and I had an open marriage so it didn't feel like cheating necessarily, but.." Well, he'd married a man for a reason. Sighing, Remi shook his head. "...well, let's just say having sex in the presence of Frey is a surefire way to get pregnant." Feathering his jaw slightly, the Bastion reached for his glass. "Hotaru gave birth to twins, and as much as I love my children, it nearly tore my marriage apart." Even now Ronin couldn't be in the same room as Hotaru.

"Nature Frey seems alright though." He concludes with a laugh before taking a healthy sip of his drink.

"Ah, well, she is around your age I think." It was hard to tell these days, especially because Flora had been magically aged up thanks to Frey.

idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword

I take everything seriously,

Zavien laughs at the man's reference, remembering the nearly impenetrable shield providing the demigod's namesake. "I might have to take you up on that some time! Although I don't think my blows will feel like anything more than a thought against you." He gives Remi a good-natured smile, looking forward to training up to being a worthy opponent someday.

As the Bastion dives into his godly experiences, Zavien tries to keep his face neutral, nodding his head along for encouragement. It's easy enough with the talk of Ludo preserving relationships and Safrin's favoritism for Ronin. However, his cheeks redden at the descriptive conception story that follows. He takes a sip of beer to cool his face, using all of his willpower to keep from coughing in surprise at the nonchalance. It takes everything in him not to conjure any images. Instead, he sets his glass down and runs a hand through his hair, ruffling the golden strands enough to lay over the scarlet tips of his ears. "That sounds.... like a lot to process." Shifting slightly in his seat, he adds, "At least things seem to have worked out in the end." Zavien isn't privy to their relationship, but based on the tournament, Remi and Ronin's marriage seems to be intact.

Back on the topic of children, his mind overheats trying to puzzle out how the young man before him has a grown daughter around his age and Zavien settles on just laughing lightly. "That - uh - makes sense?" Math never was his strong suit.

Zavien

but I also take it lighthearted to recognize I can't control it.

honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago

"Maybe so, but at least you can let loose and not worry about having to pull your punches." The Basion replies with an easy smile.

Knowing full well the sordid affair he's describing—it's likely much worse for Zavien if he'd ever met the woman in question. Hotaru's beauty certainly lent itself to her legacy as much as her cunning and magic did, and Zavien likely wouldn't be the first to find it entirely unfair that the chance to bed the Valkyrie had been wasted on someone like Remi. Alas.

"Mmmmm." Remi agrees, noting the other man's flush but not drawing attention to it. If anything it was refreshing to meet someone who could still be moved by tales of salacious encounters with gods. Sadly for the Bastion, most of his friends had experienced too much of the same to even bat an eye. "More or less. If you chat with Ronin I would advise not mentioning Hotaru's name, but otherwise..." A boyishly affectionate smile tugs at Remi's lips that has him smiling down into his glass. Gods but he did love his husband, silly grudges and all.

"It absolutely doesn't, and yet." All Remi can do is offer the other man a shrug before nodding at his beer. "Another?"

idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword

I take everything seriously,

"Fair enough." He can't argue with that logic. The idea of attacking without any restraint has him excited to meet the demigod again soon. It would be a great opportunity to actually test his limits.

Having never met the Valkyrie, Zavien doesn't think he'll have a problem avoiding the topic next time he speaks with Ronin. Laughing heartily, he nods in agreement. "You can trust me when I say I won't bring it up." Not only because it's an uncomfortable topic, but because he can see how much Remi loves his husband in the youthful smile that brightens his face. Even as the demigod glances down into his glass, Zavien admires the overflowing affection evident. He would never do anything to endanger that.

At least Remi seems to acknowledge the confusing calculations of his daughter's age and Zavien chuckles along with the inexplicability of it. He shrugs his shoulders to dismiss the stress on his brain and takes the last sip of his beer. Although he is tempted to accept another, he shakes his head, smiling politely. "Probably not. My ship should hopefully be about ready and I don't want to be vomiting at the heights." Two drinks wouldn't get him drunk, but it might just upset his stomach enough to induce further nausea. "Thank you for the offer though."

Zavien

but I also take it lighthearted to recognize I can't control it.