[SE] Criss-Cross

BASTIEN

While he had already 'captured the sun' with Ronin, painting in the fields, Bastien found himself still wanting to make one of these traditional baskets. He was fascinated by myths, traditions, superstitions...wanted to understand and absorb all the culture he could.

Unfortunately for Bastien, his artistic talents didn't seem to translate to weaving. He was sat working by soft candlelight in the late evening on the doorstep of his sanctuary, by all means a wonderful relaxing location to make work in...but his damn basket was a mess. Lumpy, with random spiky bits he didn't know the origin of and more than a few loose ends. It would not hold anything, much less the sun.

Sighing with frustration, he leaned back against the door and sighed, the failed basket on his lap mocking him with it's shittiness. "Voice, if you would like to imbue with me basket making power...well...per favoure fallo." He mumbled up to the sky, irritated he could not seem to complete this simple task.

You standing beside me
I'm going to push back, push back, push back
With every word and every breath

there's a bulletproof bond

On his way back towards the guildhall, the light softly glowing in the doorway immediately caught the alchemist's attention. He wasn't terribly surprised to see that it was Bastien (artistic men and Bastien more specifically tended to have a flare for the dramatic), and so the alchemist quickly altered his course to meander towards the open door.

"That...is probably one of the worst baskets I have seen." Remi said with a boyish chuckle, his expression sunny and cheerful in the shadowy-candle light.

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BASTIEN

Remi's voice, the reflection of his own accent (something that still made him nostalgic, even though Remi did not share his home) made Bastien lift his head and look up, smiling at the judgement of his craft. "Well, Remi. I would like to see you do better. And without your magic hands. That would be cheating, hm?"

Bastien shifted to the side and patted the space next to him, quite liking the idea of some company on this evening. He had not seen Rexanna for a little while and was beginning to feel quite lonely in his guild, many of his members busy doing other things with their time.

He pushed the mess of a basket into Remi's hands, waiting for him to improve it.

You standing beside me
I'm going to push back, push back, push back
With every word and every breath

there's a bulletproof bond

Laughing and immediately agreeing to Bastien's terms, Remi nodded his head and indeed took a seat next to the artist. "You know, I was still an alchemist even before the magic." The alchemist reminded Bastien with a wry grin, waggling his fingers and accepting the pile of garbage basket that the artist had been working on.

"Did you know that there is a species of bird that sews a nest together? It pokes small holes in leaves and then weaves strands of grasses through and then pulls them taught." Remi said, gently shifting the basket and holding the sides with his legs as he began to weave the bits of straw and grass together.

"I am surprised to see you here alone. I hear your ...ahh, church? has been doing quite well."

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BASTIEN

"I was not aware baskets were alchemy." Bastien commented back with an equally wry smile, which slowly became genuine as Remi sat with him. He did like the company of the young man even if he considered him to be naive, found him refreshing in his apparently relentless cheerfulness and good will.

He watched Remi's deft fingers work on the basket, pulling his mouth to one side in an exaggerated frown as he saw that it was improving almost immediately. Perhaps Safrin had not let him know that there had been another part of his curse from before, the inability to make a basket. "And can you become such a bird? I would not be surprised." It would explain how Remi could make the basket so easily in a way that was nicer than the Alchemist being simply better than the Artist at it.

Shaking his head at the word church, Bastien smacked the door of the guild. "This-- place indeed is doing well, but it is not a church. No, I am out of that business, and good riddance to it too. This is simply a guild for the mortals among us to make art and enjoy it, with no interruption from the divine. You would be welcome if you wished, you know."

You standing beside me
I'm going to push back, push back, push back
With every word and every breath

there's a bulletproof bond

"Turning one thing into another? That is the basis of alchemy." Remi countered with a bright grin, nudging Bastien gently in the side with a sunny smile. 'Which is precisely what we are doing here: going from strands of grass, to a basket."

With a laugh, Remi shook his head. "No, just a hawk for me. I am afraid my beak and talons are much more suited to tearing things apart than putting them together."

Glancing over his shoulder and tilting his head slightly to the side, Remi's lips grew crooked as he chuckled. "My mistake." He said in a humbled tone, nodding approvingly at the lack of divine oversight.

"Me? Ahh, you are the artist Bastien. I am just an alchemist, but I would be happy to provide whatever supplies your..guild, then? requires."

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BASTIEN

"You could at least call it the beginnings of a basket. I did transform it slightly from mere grass." Bastien insisted, but his voice was also good-humoured. Though his pride was yet again hurt a little further when he learnt that Remi had no Attuned-given bonus to his basket weaving abilities, that he just could do it and Bastien could not. Perhaps, he tried to reassure himself, being a hawk somehow helped.

He was not too surprised that Remi turned down his offer. The young man had always seemed hesitant to try new things, to jump into anything too strange. "Well, I may use that offer, but I would say to you your alchemy could just as well be art as anything else. Turning one thing into another, you say? Is that not what I do with a canvas to a painting, or a lump of clay into a sculpture?"

Still, he did have uses for Remi's abilities beyond art. "Though if you did want to provide a service, I could always use more ah...creative lubrication. For the mind, I mean. Booze."

You standing beside me
I'm going to push back, push back, push back
With every word and every breath

there's a bulletproof bond

Remi laughed and shrugged. "You are right. I could have called it that." He agreed with a cheeky wink.

Nodding in agreement, Remi continued to weave the basket together, eventually working on the side which would support the handles. "I suppose. But for me, what I do is create things that are useful, and it is on that basis that they are judged. As long as this basket carries what it needs to, it is acceptable. With art though..there are opinions and feelings. It is not about utility anymore." With another shrug, Remi turned the basket in his hands. "That is why I do not consider myself an artist."

Creative lubrication at first made Remi think of some sort of sexual request, until Bastien clarified. "Ah! Well that I can certainly do. Just do not tell Edy that I am supplying alcohol somewhere else." He added with a laugh.

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BASTIEN

"The basket is not just judged on it's function, though, or every basket would look the same." Bastien pointed out. "People paint them, add weaving details, different shapes of handles...why? Because it impossible for a human to make anything for pure efficient function, yes, Remi, you included." He grinned, winking over at him.

"But ah, it is too nice a night to argue over art theory. I would greatly appreciate your help with the drinks. Don't worry, Edy shall know nothing. I believe she is upset with me anyway." He wasn't really sure, but since his 'death' and leaving his job at the Rathskeller, he hadn't seen her and the last time they had spoken had been an argument somehow different than their normal banter.

Bastien watched Remi's hands work for a moment, then asked: "So, Remi, what is going on in your life?"

You standing beside me
I'm going to push back, push back, push back
With every word and every breath

there's a bulletproof bond

"Perhaps the differences in design are based on function. Different sizes and shapes for different things." The alchemist countered with a cheeky grin and a boyish shrug.

At hearing that Edy was upset with Bastien, the alchemist could only grin. "Hopefully you do not rank high enough on her radar for that to be a problem." Remi said with a small and thoughtful smile, finding it much easier to speak of the Launceleyn-woman without thoughts and experiences of Loren clouding his judgement.

"Mmmm, oh, more of the same, I suppose. I still live with Ronin in the guildhall...there is a trip planned into the woods to see if the fae will trade with us.." So saying the alchemist shrugged gently, having no idea just what a terribly day that would prove to be.

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BASTIEN

"Oh, so endlessly functional. Never mind the offer of the guild, in no time you may turn it to a factory." He laughed, rolled his eyes.

Bastien was almost offended by the idea that he wasn't 'high enough on Edy's radar', but he shook it off. Remi was likely right. He was less close to the girl than he had once been, now that he no longer worked at the Rathskeller. He was sure she had a life outside the bar; and from what he knew of Edy it was likely an exciting one.

"Ah, with Ronin. I have seen him a few times lately." He smiled, fond of the Guildmaster. "Well, good luck, though I've heard they are not fond of the people here. What is it you are hoping to trade? Your artless baskets?"

You standing beside me
I'm going to push back, push back, push back
With every word and every breath

there's a bulletproof bond

Remi snorted with a laugh, eyeing Bastien of his shoulder and shaking his head with a rueful amusement.

"Mmm, Aoife keeps him busy. Sugar too." Remi said with a nod of agreement. At the implication that his baskets might not be warmly received, the alchemist shot the artist a feigned look of offense. "So I suppose you will not want this basket then either? I should just toss it away and leave you to fussing with the strands on your own?" He asked with a good-natured pout. "But as for trading...I have no idea. I am really only going because Ianto asked. I suppose I can create almost anything they need...but I am not sure what that would be, honestly. They seem so different from us."

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BASTIEN

"And you do too, I'm sure. It is rather adorable, your little family." This could have been condescending, but Bastien actually said it with a degree of fondness. He liked both Remi and Ronin and was happy to think of them supporting each other, whether it was romantic or not. It had to be romantic, right?

He reached for the basket and took it from Remi, lifting it up to study it in the light. "Oh, I suppose it'll do. ...Thank you." With a hint of genuine gratitude he rested it on his knee, amazed that Remi had managed to do such good work in such short a time. Was he getting slow or were baskets a skill not destined for him?

"They may not want a thing from you. I've been told they're quite hostile. Ah, but people often are when invaders suddenly appear in their forests." Bastien chuckled, acknowledging in his mind that a few wanderers was hardly an invasion of epic proportions. "If they do what anything from you though...take the drink and wear little clothing. You may as well make a good impression. Everyone likes a party."

You standing beside me
I'm going to push back, push back, push back
With every word and every breath

there's a bulletproof bond

Remi smiled a touch bashfully, colour alighting his cheeks as Bastien referred to it as his little family. It wasn't untrue at all, but it warmed Remi's heart considerably to hear it.

Raising a brow, the alchemist chuckled. "Nudity and alcohol. That would be your recommendation." He said with a grinning, rising from his position next to the artist and stretching slightly. "Here—" With a combination of earthen magic and creation, another basket woven with complete perfection from vibrant green leaves appeared in his hands. Offering it to Bastien, Remi winked. "In case you find yourself in need of another. And I will definitely think on your suggestion about what to wear when meeting the fae again." He added with a cheeky laugh.

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