[SE] thanks in advance

Zavien

The people in House of Midnight had been very sweet, going so far as to guide him part of the way down the path to the building where Sunjata's office was located. Zavien had even gotten a chance to say hi to Hawthorn in the process, promising that they'd have to catch up soon, after all, he has plenty to tell the courtesan. But for now, he has work to attend to (he's still trying to get used to that). 

He adjusts the sleeves of his gray jacket, taking a deep breath before knocking on the door. His eyes look to Sol next to him as he waits patiently for the Archon to answer the door, glancing up again when the door swings open. "Sunjata." The man is met by a bright smile and a nod of friendly greeting, Sol joining in with a chirp of his own. 

Offering forth a wicker basket filled with various cured meats and Stormbreak treats that Lena had helped him put together, Zavien explained, "I never got a chance to thank you for letting the Dragoons set up here during the Tower's fall."

Success is not guaranteed,

but the willingness to fight for it is.

// corn liquor tastes sweeter in this town
could it be it's the same as the last? //

He had spent part of the morning in the House of Midnight – dropping off some deliveries before he’s gone and squirreled himself away in their regional building. A small but lovely little house down the path from the brothel that truly seemed unassuming if one were to look at all the buildings in this particular section – but that was part of the point of it.

He’s just finished writing out a little letter to be sent shortly after he got done with the rest of his responsibilities here when he hears the knock on the door. There’s the sound of scraping of the chair before it opens, and when he’s greeted with Zavien it’s with a hint of surprise to see him. “Hey Zavien.” He murmurs, opening up the door wider to let him in. “Hey Sol.” He greets the little dragon with another warm smile.

Perking up once the door’s shut again to keep the cold out, he notices the basket, laden with a multitude of delicious treats. “Oh, you didn’t have to. Thank you, though. These look great.” Taking the basket with a slightly wider smile, he turns to set it down on the desk he’d been writing at before he turns back to the Dragoon. “How’s the clean up of Stormbreak going, anyway?” Unaware of the plans Zavien has (and even the fact he’s their new leader), he leans against his desk, giving the other man his full attention.

the flood

// i swear i've seen your face elsewhere before
just as familiar as a bottle and a glass //

Zavien

Sol accepts the greeting by trotting past Sunjata into the office, already on the hunt for treats after being told he couldn't have any of the basket's goodies. Zavien rolls his eyes, but the amusement is thick in their green depths, an apology in the curve of his lips when he turns to Sunjata. He releases his hold on the wicker handle, stepping into the office as he laughs lightly. "But we wanted to, and that's only the physical gift." Grinning, he shrugs his shoulders, hoping the second part will be equally well received. "We'd like to offer our services training your soldiers - if that's something you're interested in. After all, you did so much for us." Alys had suggested it, but doubt still lingered at whether it would be considered significant enough. 

His hand moves to prop on his sword hilt, always happy to discuss the city when the question arises. Zavien tilts his head, thinking through the things still to be done. "It's going well. We've started the process to start rebuilding the Tower, and the smaller projects around the city are getting done." He smiles, knowing that it's not much in the grand scheme of things. Meanwhile... "The biggest change has been the government..." he pauses for a moment, running a hand through his hair as he gives a sheepish smile, "I'll actually be leading now."

Success is not guaranteed,

but the willingness to fight for it is.

// corn liquor tastes sweeter in this town
could it be it's the same as the last? //

As Sol treks in looking for treats and snacks, it won’t be that hard for the little dragon to find something suitable. A bit of jerky left in the corner, originally for Petronella when he brings her here to snack on or stash away, might be enough to tide the dragon over and is easy enough to replace before the sea panther finds her way back here. Which easily leaves all of Sunjata’s attention onto Zavien and the basket of lovely little things he’s brought that are very lovely to have.

“Oh?” He asks before Zavien explains, his brows lifting as his smile brightens a touch. “Yeah, that would be great actually. Thank you.” He’d been thinking about asking ever since the Dragoons had come here in the first place, but it had felt wrong to ask them when their home had just been destroyed. So now? When peace was upon them and Zavien’s offering it out? Well he’s certainly not going to say no.

As for Stormbreak and how all of that is coming, the Flood nods while it’s explained to be going well with the rebuild of the Tower for perhaps the third time comes up again. He still keeps his involvement in the first Tower fall bit behind his tongue, instead offering another easy smile that suddenly turns to surprise. “No shit, really?” His accent hangs on the soft laugh that leaves him, pushing up from the desk once he’s set the basket down to clasp Zavien on the shoulder. “Congrats. Are you excited to take up the mantle?”

the flood

// i swear i've seen your face elsewhere before
just as familiar as a bottle and a glass //

Zavien

The little dragon does indeed find the jerky, pouncing on it like prey that might scamper away. He gives a small grumble of delight and lifts his head to show Zavien his prize before tearing into the food. The Dragoon doesn't pay him much attention other than a small pulse of approval through the bond, too invested in Sunjata's acceptance of his offer, a bright smile on his face. "Of course. Just let us know when would work best for you." Ideally once the Tower was rebuilt, but he didn't feel that he needed to specify that. 

Sunjata seems considerate enough a person - he had saved him after all - especially as he embraces the news with an exuberance that has him laughing. He's told enough people that his blush is a tint lighter than before, but his grin is just as sincere, laced with a blinding hope for the city. "I think so? It's still really new, so I haven't fully processed it, but I'm eager to do what I can for the people - if you want to call that excitement." Zavien raises an eyebrow, suddenly curious about the other leader. "Were you excited to lead King's End?"

Success is not guaranteed,

but the willingness to fight for it is.

// corn liquor tastes sweeter in this town
could it be it's the same as the last? //

“Sure. Let me know when you’re done with the renovations and we can chat more.” His smile is still bright, the gratitude filtering through his face even as he glances over at Sol to see him happily eating away at the jerky he’d offered. But his gaze flits back to Zavien when he laughs, reflected in Sunjata’s face in turn.

Nodding – because gods does Sunjsta get that, he chuckles himself. “King’s End? I wouldn’t say I was super excited? It just.. Felt right.” His brows furrow for a moment as he realizes how it comes out – but he doesn’t explain things very well. He never has. “I think I was more excited to rule Torchline back in the day. King’s End was just kind of… The place I’d fallen into, wild and untamed but still had hardworking people and I thought I could help them build it into something. I had the experience, I guess.” Shaking his head, his smile softens when he looks back at the little basket before his steel gaze flits up to Zavien once more. “It worked out, I think. And besides, I needed a fresh place to go. I wasn’t really welcome many places when I came here.”

the flood

// i swear i've seen your face elsewhere before
just as familiar as a bottle and a glass //

Zavien

Having known the man would be understanding, his smile was all the warmer for it, appreciative of the time the city would have to recover. "We will. Hopefully, they shouldn't take too long."

Zavien nods, finding it's his turn to understand the leader's meaning. He may not feel ready or prepared to lead, but as he's begun the process, things just... fit. It seems like no matter how inexperienced or clumsy he may be, as long as he puts the people first and tries his best, things will work out in the end, just like Sunjata. It makes him all the more adamant when he says, "It certainly did. You fit the role well."

Still, his eyebrows raise with undisguised curiosity. "What places weren't welcoming to you? Maybe I'm biased - with you saving my life and all - but I'd think people would want to have you in their region." He gives a low chuckle, but it's true that he doesn't know the Flood or his history that well, beyond knowing him as a demigod and the Archon of King's End. Zavien hopes he's not being insensitive, yet it' hard to believe there was ever a time Sunjata wasn't welcome somewhere.

Success is not guaranteed,

but the willingness to fight for it is.

// corn liquor tastes sweeter in this town
could it be it's the same as the last? //

Hopefully it doesn’t take him too long to get his city recovered. And as Sunjata speaks on the meaning of what leading was to him, a smile twists on his face that’s lopsided as he dips his chin in a quiet thanks. “Thanks.” He murmurs softly.

And perhaps it’s a bit of surprise to hear that Zavien hadn’t heard about everything that had happened in his past, though, and he’s unsure if it’s because he feels like it should be more well known – or perhaps Caido is healing and forgiving him for his past (not that he’d change much of anything. If he could go back, he’d probably try to fight for the New Gods if only so maybe Nate would still be standing by his side).

“Uh, well, a lot actually.” He laughs softly before he sighs, shoulders shrugging to loosen them a bit before he straightens. “Stormbreak, Torchline, the Greatwood when it was still ruled by someone.” He tacks them off, pausing briefly to tilt his head this way and that before settling. “I was banned from Halo for a while.” Which is thankfully gone now thanks to his help with the Family. “So really, the only options I had were the Hollowed Grounds or nomading in King’s End.” Which had been technically uninhabitable, let alone able to be ruled.

the flood

// i swear i've seen your face elsewhere before
just as familiar as a bottle and a glass //

Zavien

The light laugh has Zavien thinking he's left out of an inside joke, that Sunjata was once someone very different than he is now. It only becomes more apparent as the Archon slowly lists every region that he'd been previously unwelcome in. Zavien's eyes widen a fraction with each new area, his mouth parted in a disbelieving grin by the end. He laughs, shaking his head and crossing his arms. "Wow. I never would have guessed."

Tilting his head, he knows he should probably let the man get back to work, but curiosity has him asking, "I'm assuming all of that's in the past now? Since we've run into each other in a few of those places." First in Torchline, then Halo, he can't imagine he'd caught Sunjata in a moment of covert infiltration; and with his close relationship to Stormbreak's leader, there's no doubt that the man is always welcome there.

Success is not guaranteed,

but the willingness to fight for it is.

// corn liquor tastes sweeter in this town
could it be it's the same as the last? //

It wasn’t much of an inside joke as it was the people he’d aligned himself with at the time. “Eh, it was just a product of the last war.” He shakes his head, waving his hand as if to push it off a bit, laughing lightly that breaks into a soft sigh when Zavien asks if it was in the past, given he’d been to all those places recently.

So he nods, his smile turning a touch sad. “Yeah, it is. The Ascended aren’t a threat anymore so people aren’t really questioning my allegiance I guess. That and all the help I did with the void after I was healed from the infection.” He winces a touch but shrugs, switching up the small smile for a brighter one as he looks back at Zavien, like everything is fine and back to normal.

the flood

// i swear i've seen your face elsewhere before
just as familiar as a bottle and a glass //

Zavien

He catches the ache accompanying the words, the tenderness with which Sunjata acknowledges the past. It has Zavien proceeding with more consideration, even if it doesn't stop the optimism that always frames his thoughts. His smile is a little softer, gentle while brimming with a hope as he says, "Well, thank the gods all of that is over. Everyone deserves a much-needed break, and maybe a few fresh starts." He might not know the details but if things were as difficult as they seem, he hopes that Sunjata can wipe the slate clean, to begin building again. 

Shifting his feet, he watches as Sol smacks his lips of remnant jerky, proudly trotting back to his side. There's a fond rolling of his eyes when he looks back to the Archon, grinning. "Well, you'll have to tell me more about it over drinks some time. I've only heard great things about the House of Midnight from Thorn." But he knows he should probably let the man get back to work. His visit hadn't exactly been planned, and now that he knows the unbelievable amount of time it takes out of his day, Zavien doesn't want to impose. So he moves towards the door, nodding his gratitude as well as a polite departure. "I'll get out of your hair, but thanks again, and let me know when you want us here. I look forward to working more closely with you."

Success is not guaranteed,

but the willingness to fight for it is.

// corn liquor tastes sweeter in this town
could it be it's the same as the last? //

Hearing Zavien’s optimism is a wonderful little thing, even if the subject matter is less than happy. It does help to hear that there’s at least someone out there that is either unaware of the past the Flood had when it came to Caido and still appreciated his company and insight regardless. And maybe that’s because of the fact he had brought Zavien back to life, but whether it was or wasn’t, Sunjata wouldn’t complain.

“Sure. Let me know when you’re back in the area and we’ll give ya the grand tour.” He dips his chin to Sol as the dragon smacks his lips of the jerky that he’d offered and with it, his gaze flits back to Zavien as he announces he’ll take his leave. His smile grows brighter, still lopsided and crooked thanks to the scar that bisects it, but he thanks the commander anyway. “Thanks again for dropping by. See you next time.” He hums, letting the other man take his leave so he might be able to continue working, offering a warm wave and an easy smile as they depart.

- FIN

the flood

// i swear i've seen your face elsewhere before
just as familiar as a bottle and a glass //