the breath in my lungs

the baffled king composing hallelujah

Ronin let an arm move around Remi as he leant against him, the hunter nuzzling his cheek against the alchemist’s crown of curls. He said nothing regarding the other man’s feelings about what he had done - or indeed, the lack thereof; there was no rule about what one could and could not feel about a task like that. ”I suppose they are different,” he said slowly. ”Sort of, anyway. I realised I was dying or dead, but it was nice not to hurt,” he murmured.

It was a difficult thing and Ronin didn’t truly believe there was an answer for Remi that would give him closure. ”If it appears again and asks you to do such a thing, and you accept... perhaps take a different route? Spare them the lie?” It was all he could offer. ”I don’t know what this makes you either, Remi, but a thoughtless killer you most certainly are not. We would not be having this conversation if that were true.”

you trace my lines, stirring my soul

He couldn't have loved Ronin more in that moment. The hunter had every right to pull away, to at least be horrified at what Remi was saying if only for a moment. That he instead drew him closer, the bond between them just as secure as it was before Remi's death-count dramatically increased, was more of a gift than he could have ever expressed. Indeed, reaching for one of Ronin's hands and dragging it against his chest was a poor way of expressing his appreciation, but it was the best he could do in the moment.

"Let them go easily then.." Remi murmured, thinking on it. "Had I the power to take away pain I would have done so. Their panic as well. But illusion magic is just that." Tugging in a breath, Remi hummed an almost amused sound. "Perhaps I'll just ask Ludo for a bit of a magical boost." Remi was only partially kidding. "At first I thought of them not unlike animals...where fear would just spoil the meat and so death must be quick and concealed. But had you died that way...had Safrin just whisked you off before you even knew what happened.." The alchemist's body tensed and he bit the inside of his lip to keep his voice steady. "...that would not have saved you, or me for that matter, any pain. I wonder then if you're right. Slow, but with understanding..if that isn't a better way to go."

THE ALCHEMIST

the baffled king composing hallelujah

A smile flickered across Ronin’s face, and he turned to splay his fingers against Remi’s chest, feeling the slow thud of his heart. ”Yet another reason why you’re so much more than some killer. To make it a kinder death is not something many people I know would consider.” Kissing his curls, he hummed a low note of agreement regarding Remi’s ideas, though the alchemist would feel the flutter in his wedding ring at the thought of asking Ludo for anything.

”I trust you to make shrewd bargains with gods,” he said, despite his reservations. ”And to tell me if you need my help, or if you get in trouble.” With that said, Ronin would be behind Remi whatever he decided. ”Mm... if I had not known, it would have been worse. Not to say goodbye to any of you, or to be tricked...” He wrinkled his nose. ”Slow, but with understanding...” That did sound better.

you trace my lines, stirring my soul

"Maybe I should get a tattoo that says, belongs to Ronin just in case I find myself without my memories again." Remi's laugh was cold and short because really, it wasn't a terribly bad idea all things considered. Shaking his head against the darkness that loomed in the back of his thoughts, he tightened his grip on Ronin's hands. "I'll never let this come between us." Remi said at last, as if having decided something very important. "It can ask of me what it likes, but you will always come first."

Remi might not know what he thought of all this or how he felt about it, but he did know that for sure. Nothing in this world mattered to him quite the way Ronin did, and it wasn't an exaggeration at all to say that his husband would always come first, damn the consequences.

"There is just...one more thing." Remi said after a moment, his smile crooked and perhaps a touch bashful.

THE ALCHEMIST

the baffled king composing hallelujah

"It would be useful in case you were ever lost and drunk, too," Ronin said of the tattoo, the warmth returning to his smile as Remi spoke. Squeezing his hands back, the hunter closed his eyes for a moment, relishing the simple moment of closeness for what it was.

"The same goes here," he vowed, though his words were lined with quiet uncertainty. Not that he wouldn't always put Remi first - that was set in stone and it always would be. But Safrin had already proven that there were ways to make it seem as though the alchemist had never existed. And he worried about that.

Blinking his eyes open again, he tilted his head and gazed down at his husband. "And what's that?" he asked; Remi's smile was contagrious, and Ronin found himself the best sort of puzzled.

you trace my lines, stirring my soul

Remi snorted indignantly at that. "I have an excellent sense of direction, thank you very much. Even drunk I always manage to find my way back to you. Even if it does involve a brief nap on the beach." Interpreting the stormy silence in Ronin's gaze rather egotistically, that is, that it had everything to do with Remi and Ludo rather than Ronin and Safrin, the alchemist merely brought Ronin's fingers to his lips for a kiss, before mischievously nipping at his knuckle.

"I'm sorry to say that you are no longer married to a man who can make magical objects." The alchemist held out the hand not intertwined in Ronin's, palm up, as if the sudden lack of ability was evident in his skin somewhere. "I can still make things...but none are magical now. I can however, do this." A cup appeared (no surprise), but then it was suddenly filled with a dark red liquid. Wine, as it turned out.

THE ALCHEMIST

the baffled king composing hallelujah

"Oh, well I do find myself completely corrected. My apologies, sir," Ronin responded, flashing his husband a smile in response to his indignant snort, leaning in to kiss his temple and wiggling his fingers as if to try and prevent his hand from being nibbled on. (A token gesture if that). Settling back against the side of the wagon, he raised his eyebrows in surprise at hearing that Remi's magic was no longer functioning quite how it had. Could such a thing just... happen?

No matter, apparently, because all of a sudden there was wine. "Well look at that," he said, smirking. "I don't care what you say - I think that's pretty magical, myself. Luckily, I never married you for the things you could create. I married you because you're brilliant."

you trace my lines, stirring my soul

"Oh, so it's what's in that head that you married me for. I always wondered." He absolutely didn't, and the adoring look he turned to Ronin said as much.

"Mmm, I tried to make a bit of magical fishing net the other day and...nothing. It's the strangest thing." He didn't quite feel empty for the loss, though he did notice it keenly. "I didn't understand magic back in Northaven and I certainly don't understand it here." Remi shrugged a touch. He was a bit disappointed to have lost the ability, but it was a relief as well. Magic had been a burden and had developed into quite the chip on the alchemist's shoulder. He'd lived nearly all of his life without it, and he'd do so again if it came to that.

"Now so long as all of this hasn't totally sullied your mood," Remi stood, dragging Ronin up with him. "I was promised a swim." So saying, Ronin would find that the game of tag was not over, and would continue across the beach and into the surf, until rumbling bellies made the boys return back to the wagon.

~FIN

THE ALCHEMIST