it was always you

RONIN

the white knight

"Do you think... is this it...?" Ronin can't help but laugh out loud as they come to a gentle halt in the endless sprawl of flowers in Meadowreach. The day is a perfect snapshot of Longheat in King's End, though he can still smell smoke on the air from the wildfires he knows have been causing issues. They don't seem anywhere near here at least, but he's keeping an eye out either way.

He's also been keeping an eye out for where the meadow stops being the meadow and officially becomes the baby garden, hoping for a helpful brochure or a white picket fence or a prospective parents - this way! sign. But it's just a blanket of colour and fragrance as far as the eye can see, and even squinting over his sunglasses doesn't help. 

Squeezing Remi's hand and offering a helpless little shrug, he gestures around at the soft grass and the clusters of lilacs and peonies. "I feel like if we just roll around in the flowers here, we're going to ruin some family's picnic," he admits.

i'll get over it
i just gotta be dramatic first

REMI

the bastion

Darling, you never could scare me
Set me ablaze like you do

Remi lets out a quiet, almost sheepish chuckle, his agreement coming first as a nod rather than words, as if saying it aloud might make the oddness of it all settle more heavily on his shoulders. His free hand lifts to his curls, fingers raking through them that does double duty in the Longheat warmth, loosening hair from his neck and bleeding off some of the nervous energy humming just beneath his skin. The meadow is almost too perfect, too gentle in its riot of colour and perfume, and that perfection makes him acutely aware of the intention that has brought them here, in a way that feels strangely more intimate than any half-hidden tryst ever has.

"I...think? so?" he murmurs at last, voice warm but threaded with a soft laugh that betrays his own uncertainty, his thumb brushing lightly against Ronin’s knuckles where their hands are joined. Married for more than a decade, the pair have had sex in some wildly public places without issue, and yet coming here with purpose makes his throat tighten as he swallows, a pulse of heat rising that has nothing to do with the sun. "It feels… strange, coming here for this," he admits, glancing out over the flowers as though they might be listening, his smile turning wry.

Remi's gaze softens, something thoughtful and a little disbelieving passing through it as another realization settles. "It is odd, though," he says, head tipping slightly as he looks back to his husband, "that Phoebe is the one who made this place possible." Even just saying her name felt like tugging at a long-forgotten memory. A snicker slips out before he can quite stop it, low and fond, and he ducks his head a fraction, curls falling forward again. "Do you remember what her first offer was? When she said she would help us have a child, all those years ago?"

I'd walk over coals in my bare feet
If that gets me closer to you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN

the white knight

"It really does, doesn't it," Ronin says, the words tumbling out all at once on the heels of a sigh that's tinged with relief, as if Remi's admission has given him permission to feel and say the same. "I don't think we've ever had sex as like... a task on a to-do list. And this is sort of how this feels?" Laughing, because it isn't as though he doesn't want the Bastion every hour of every day, whether it's in a bed of sheets or flowers, he still can't shake off the intent behind their being here. "Maybe we should have arranged a date out here as part of this."

Having been casting his eyes across the waving stems and petals, as Phoebe's name colours the air Ronin's gaze flicks immediately back towards Remi, nostalgia and good humour kindling that innate glow within him. "I could never forget," he says through a chuckle, turning to gently corral the other man into his arms. "And if that were still the only way we could go about this, it would have probably stayed a dream," he admits. "Involving a third person in something like this feels even more clinical than standing in a baby meadow."

Drawing comfort from the familiar heat of his husband's body against his own, despite the Longheat temperatures, Ronin heaves another deep sigh and instinctively rolls his shoulders, like he can force them to relax. "I love you," he says quietly. "So much."

i'll get over it
i just gotta be dramatic first

REMI

the bastion

Darling, you never could scare me
Set me ablaze like you do

Remi considers that for a moment, his mouth quirking before he gives a boyish wrinkle of his nose, the expression somewhere between amused and resigned. "Yes," he concedes softly with a small laugh, "it does feel a bit like that." His shoulders lift and fall in an exaggerated little shrug, as though the idea alone deserves mockery, even as his thumb continues its familiar, unconscious stroke against Ronin’s hand.

When Ronin draws him in, Remi goes easily, melting into the embrace with a theatrical huff of a sigh, his head tipping back just enough to shake it from side to side. The memory of Phoebe’s original suggestion still has the power to make his brow furrow, lips pressing together as something between discomfort and disbelief settles there; the idea of both of them fucking her to completion is as nauseating now as it was then. His eyes flick up meaningfully, widening with emphatic clarity as he adds, "Honestly, the idea feels less clinical and more impossible." He stops there, the implication clear enough, his expression making it abundantly obvious that if that woman were Phoebe, it would have rendered the entire endeavour a non-starter.

The tension eases as quickly as it came, softened by Ronin’s warmth and the steadiness of his presence, and Remi lets out a quieter breath before inhaling deeply, the scent of flowers filling his lungs. Then his attention comes back to Ronin with sudden brightness, something effervescent bubbling up behind his eyes. Reaching up, he cups both of Ronin’s cheeks in his hands, thumbs brushing warm skin, his smile breaking wide and unguarded. "Ronin," he says, the name reverent and thrilled all at once, "we are going to have another baby.' The words fizz as they leave him, light and celebratory, and before the feeling can dissipate he leans in, closing the distance to kiss his husband deeply, pouring all of that joy and wonder into the contact without hesitation.

I'd walk over coals in my bare feet
If that gets me closer to you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Far across the gentle terrain, a group of High-Land Cows grazes peacefully, their large forms partially hidden by tall grass and low rises in the land. Long strands of greenery hang from their hides, swaying lazily as they move.

They remain close together, shifting only to reach better grazing, the sound of slow chewing and soft, contented rumbles carrying faintly on the air.

The group appears entirely unbothered by anything beyond their small, grassy world, a calm and grounding presence amid the rolling hills of King’s End.

---

High-Land Cow Areas Found: Hollowed Grounds, King's End, The Draig Cordillera — Common High-Land Cows are large, placid cattle whose thick hides are overgrown with long grass, moss, and low vegetation, causing them to blend seamlessly into their surroundings when they remain still. From a distance, a resting herd can easily be mistaken for gentle rises in the land or patches of overgrown pasture. Some rare variants grow sweetgrass among the vegetation on their hides, lending their meat a naturally sweet flavour when consumed. Despite their size and strange appearance, High-Land Cows are docile creatures, slow to move and content to graze for hours at a time. Challenge Rating: Moderate HP: 1500 | To Hit: +6 | Dmg: 35 Movement: Walk 25 ft. SPECIAL SKILLS Sweetgrass Variant: Some individuals grow sweetgrass along their hides, flavouring their meat naturally; Vegetative Growth: Grass and moss regrow quickly if trimmed or harvested; Weather Hardy: Unbothered by rain, wind, or temperature shifts; Unassuming Presence: Rarely draws attention unless startled or approached closely

TRAITS Living Camouflage: Grass-covered hides allow them to blend perfectly into natural terrain when unmoving; Placid Temperament: Naturally calm and non-aggressive; Thick Hide: Dense skin and layered growth provide natural protection; Grazing Behemoth: Can feed for long periods without rest; Environmental Mimicry: Often mistaken for part of the landscape at a glance ACTIONS Startled Shift: Suddenly stands or moves, startling nearby creatures who mistook it for terrain; Defensive Shuffle: Pushes or nudges with heavy bulk to create space rather than attack; Trampling Step: If threatened, may stomp forward, knocking creatures aside unintentionally; Low Bellows: Emits a deep, resonant call that can summon other High-Land Cows or warn off predators

RONIN

the white knight

Unable not to laugh at that, already Ronin is starting to feel whatever nervous tension has been held in his bones start to ease, the Knight nodding softly. "Luckily for us, she was kind enough to consider another way," he says, gesturing around at the meadow only to find Remi's hands suddenly clasping his cheeks, the fizzing joy he feels flooding down the Attuned bond and through his magic and causing Ronin's breath to hitch.

"Yeah," he sighs out, snared by that bright and boyish smile and finding it utterly contagious. "Yeah, we are." He's truly glowing now, radiating a soft golden light that will soon have flowers tilting towards it, and when Remi kisses him it feels so right that he's left wondering why he ever felt awkward to begin with. Then, of course, his eyes peep open to find a good place to swoon and he catches sight of the herd of cattle nearby.

Letting out a rich laugh, he steps in even closer to his husband, hissing an amused, "Remi, not in front of the cows," before his arm slips more firmly around his waist. Turning to dip the Bastion like they're two dancers in a ballroom, the gesture is meant both as something romantic and also to show Remi said cows, a smile playing across his face. "You think we should move a bit further into the meadow so our new addition doesn't get trampled, or worse?"

i'll get over it
i just gotta be dramatic first

REMI

the bastion

Darling, you never could scare me
Set me ablaze like you do

Remi chuckles softly under his breath as Ronin begins to glow in earnest, the sound warm and affectionate, his thumbs brushing along his husband’s cheekbones as he instinctively draws him closer and steals another kiss, lingering just long enough to savour it. An absent little mm? hums against Ronin’s mouth as his brow lifts, curiosity tugging him out of the moment just enough that he turns his head, eyes following the direction Ronin angles him in, taking in the slow, placid shapes of the high-land cows grazing contentedly in the distance.

"Well," he murmurs, amusement colouring his voice as he glances back to Ronin, “"I imagine they roam the whole meadow." His hands remain where they are, steady and fond, but his expression shifts as another thought tries to take shape. "Perhaps we should build a little fence around our..."He trails off, frowning thoughtfully, the words clearly catching somewhere between his heart and his mouth. "Seedling? Sapling?" Remi pauses, and then his eyes widen slightly as he settles on it at last, smiling again. "Our baby."

I'd walk over coals in my bare feet
If that gets me closer to you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN

the white knight

"Well, so long as they aren't liable to trample or eat any new sprouts that appear, they might prove to be quite the meadow-protectors," Ronin says with a smirk, his brow furrowing as he considers the cows for a second or two longer, before leaning back to draw Remi up to standing. "Our baby," he repeats, and even the word has warmth flooding his chest; the herd, wherever they are and whatever they're doing, are quickly forgotten.

"Never mind a fence - I'll probably just pitch a tent up here and hang out until they're ready to... er, bloom?" Laughing at the clumsy terminology, it nevertheless doesn't change what this will mean, and Ronin quickly closes the minimal distance between them to kiss Remi all over again. It's probably a good thing that he can find himself undone by the Bastion almost anywhere, because it means that even just making out like teenagers in a field of flowers is enough to have his hands wandering further, the Knight grinning and giving his husband's ass a firm squeeze.

"Do you remember going for a picnic up in the Cordillera on a day like this? I don't think I could keep my hands off you then, either."

i'll get over it
i just gotta be dramatic first

REMI

the bastion

Darling, you never could scare me
Set me ablaze like you do

At the mention of pitching a tent, Remi’s thoughts immediately veer in an entirely different direction, and he has to bite at the inside of his cheek to keep the boyish chuckle from escaping too loudly, his eyes flicking with unmistakable mischief before he realises what Ronin actually means. He nods then, amusement lingering, his thumb brushing idly along Ronin’s wrist. "King’s End is one of the few places we have never really stayed in before," he muses aloud, gaze drifting briefly over the meadow as if seeing it anew. A small shrug follows, easy and thoughtful. "I imagine we could settle out here well enough for a few…" The words taper off as a frown creases his brow, his attention snapping back to Ronin. "How long do you think it will take?"

Any further thought is swiftly derailed as Ronin closes the distance between them, lips finding his with familiar certainty and hands already roaming, and Remi feels a warm, happy flush bloom low in his belly, tightening there with unmistakable arousal. He laughs softly against Ronin’s mouth, breath hitching just enough to betray him, and slips one hand beneath his husband’s shirt to press firmly at his lower back, teasing and inviting all at once. "I am fairly certain," he murmurs with boyish amusement, "that the first part of that sentence was entirely unnecessary," before he tilts his head and kisses Ronin again, deeper this time.

I'd walk over coals in my bare feet
If that gets me closer to you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN

the white knight

"I knew that's where your mind would go," Ronin mumbles against Remi's lips, his fiendish smile stifled by their kiss, though the flare of mischief through their bond is impossible to hide. As for how long it might take, he scrunches his nose and shrugs. "Best case scenario, it's as long as Isla's pregnancy is expected to take," he reasons. Otherwise it'll take as long as it takes - Ronin will wait for however many days or weeks that might be. "I could always just hang out up here as a dragon," he adds, grinning.

Remi's hand against his bare skin is like liquid fire, Ronin's hips rocking forward with barely any coaxing needed, and he gasps a soft note of anticipation against the Bastion's mouth. "I'm a talker, what can I say?" he rumbles, only for the other man to seal his lips in another kiss. Clasping him more tightly now, the meadow, its inhabitants, the weather and even the time of day long forgotten, the Knight eventually has to part for breath and to glance around for a suitable bed of flowers. "Do you want to be fucked on the tulips or the daisies?" He laughs breathlessly.

i'll get over it
i just gotta be dramatic first

REMI

the bastion

Darling, you never could scare me
Set me ablaze like you do

The sense of ease trickling through the bond is infectious, Ronin’s ce qui sera, sera coating settling in Remi’s chest like the slow stretch of sun-warmed silk. With a shrug to match, the Bastion smirks, tipping his head as though the idea has only just struck him. "I could ghost around and keep you company," he says, the curl at the corner of his mouth going sly. "Wouldn’t even seem out of place here, mm?" A wraith in the tulips, a spectral father-to-be. King’s End would hardly even notice.

But the teasing cool of that thought is swallowed fast by the heat licking down his spine, kindled by Ronin’s mouth and hands and the casual press of hips that sparks a sudden, unrelenting ache low in his belly. Groaning—not quite frustrated, not yet desperate—Remi huffs, "Are you ever," the words barely audible before he’s meeting Ronin’s lips again with real intent. The kiss is slower this time, deeper, not rushed but full, and by the time his husband pulls back, Remi’s breath is coming hard through his nose, skin flushed and glinting with heat and want.

He doesn’t hesitate. Reaching down, he strips off his shirt in one clean motion and tosses it to the grass, curls sweat-damp and wild around his face. Stepping back into Ronin’s gravity, he grabs a handful of the Knight’s shirt and pulls him closer, hard enough to erase the space between them. "Gods," he breathes against Ronin’s jaw, voice low and ragged, "I don’t care." His hand slips to the back of Ronin’s neck. "I just want you."

I'd walk over coals in my bare feet
If that gets me closer to you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN

the white knight

"Not even a bit out of place," Ronin agrees, and later the mental image will be enough to really tempt him to make it into a reality. For now, though, his world is quickly narrowing to seaglass green and rough hands and messy curls, and he has no intention of wasting even a second in Remi's company. "I never hear you complain about how vocal I can be," he says through a wicked smile, reluctantly releasing the other man so he can tear off his shirt; alas, Ronin only gets a few buttons free before he's dragged back (oh noooo) against the Bastion.

"Daisies it is," he says, the words mumbled against the scruff of Remi's jaw, his hands dropping to the other man's hips. His husband will be able to feel the sudden crackle of teasing wickedness through the bond long before Ronin speaks again, but when he does, it shouldn't take too long for Remi to get his meaning. "How much of me do you want?" he whispers, and only a second later a second Knight presses up against Remi's back, as if to try and steal his attention entirely.

i'll get over it
i just gotta be dramatic first

REMI

the bastion

Darling, you never could scare me
Set me ablaze like you do

Remi smirks, heat climbing his spine in molten pulses, and he shakes his head. "And I never will," he murmurs, voice rough with affection and desire both.

Honestly, it was Ronin's fault for bothering with something that had buttons, knowing what it was they were going to get up. The Bastion doesn’t bother trying to finish the job for him; he claims his mouth instead, kissing Ronin deeply, hungrily, until his lungs ache and his fingers find their mark. As his hands drop to Ronin’s belt, the press of a second body behind him draws out a low, shaky moan that slips past his teeth before he can catch it. The sensation of being surrounded—caged—by his husband in stereo sends a fresh flare of want through him, rising hot from his core and tightening everything in its path.

He breaks from the kiss only just enough to speak, eyes blown wide and wild with hunger. "As much of you as I can have," he says, greedy and breathless, his hips rolling back into the twin behind him even as he yanks Ronin forward by the waistline, grinding against him with a teasing, desperate rhythm that betrays just how ragged his desire to delay has become. "All of you," he hisses, voice thick with arousal, "right fucking now. Have me."

I'd walk over coals in my bare feet
If that gets me closer to you

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN

the white knight

Ronin will never tire of this; never tire of the sudden fervor and need in Remi's hands, the way his breath grows ragged or his pupils blow wide, of every pulse of scorching arousal that licks between them. It could be dawn or midnight for all he cares now, and though the Knight's lips try to form words, they dissolve into a broken moan at the press and grind of his husband against him - against both versions of him. "Fuck," he whispers, while his duplicate is already busy unbuckling Remi's belt from behind.

"I guess I'll be the one laying in the daisies, then." Smiling helplessly and dragging his shirt over his head at last, he all but tumbles back into the bed of flowers now, intending to draw Remi over him to pin him into the soft grass. The duplicate is quick to follow, lips pressed to the back of the Bastion's neck, hands roaming ever lower until he can help to strip him of the rest of his clothes.

"We'll see who's more of a talker by the end of this, mm?" Ronin whispers, arching his back beneath the other man as if to encourage him to get a move on.

i'll get over it
i just gotta be dramatic first