[PQ] Dionysus Reborn

---

Enough talk. Bastien decided it was time for some action, to actually put into motion his plans from the last weeks. Painting pictures of Safrin and telling people he was going to do something was all well and good, but it wasn't doing anything. To fulfil his quest, to make himself feel at home, he needed to begin his project.

He had begun with searching for a building. Many of the buildings had been taken by this point but he had found a virtual ruin behind some houses, a knocked-out wall making a large room. This was all he needed. Some cloths to cover up the worst of the holes in the ceiling and a few candles dotted about and it was almost romantic. He had hung up the paintings of Safrin he had done, delicate studies from his memory that sparkled with fine blues and stars of pure white.

Of course, there was one thing such a group would need that he could not just gather from around him so easily: members.

He took his time to write the sign, though he had been so excited it had still only taken a few moments. Hung outside of the door and illustrated with pictures of moons and stars, it read:

FRIENDS

DO YOU MISS PLEASURE IN THIS DREARY PLACE?
COME TO THE CHURCH OF SAFRIN, A PLACE OF LOVE, ART AND HEDONISM.
PLEASE BRING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING AS A OFFERING TO HELP US BEGIN:
- ALCOHOL
- SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL
- DRAWINGS OR PAINTINGS OF SAFRIN
- AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION: WHY ARE WE HERE?
PLEASE BE WILLING TO HELP. BEFORE THE FUN WE MUST ESTABLISH OURSELVES.
BASTIEN DE ROSIERES.

The sign was large, on a canvas given to him by Remi, and Bastien spent time on the stars to make it eye catching. He was sure with it hung outside soon he would have plenty of people outside simply begging to be let in. He did not wait idly, moving about inside to clean and begin to move things from the floor, dropped bricks and dusty sheets. As he worked, he rubbed a thumb over the pendant on his chest, hoping all of this was pleasing his benefactor...even if it wasn't, it would be a lie to say this wasn't also for himself.
____

Sign up to help Bastien make a church! There will be a few rounds with different pretentious artsy tasks for each character; this will not be a high octane action thread but should hopefully be fun :)

In your first post please say what your character brings!

There are no free spaces for this PQ.

1. Bastien
2. Remi
3. Ronin
4. Vanya

Benefits of joining: You can be a member of the most rockin' cult club this side of the spire! And Bastien (and me) will be very thankful. ;)

---

Bastien

Drink So Deeply From the Cup That I Provide

He had promised his newly minted friend that he would consider the group he was starting. And, having seen the request for supplies immediately signed himself up. Alcohol was something that he could produce with ease, especially given the production-lineesque situation he had going in his shop. Remi actually found himself a bit disappointed that the artist hadn't decided to take one of the abandoned workshops nearer to him in the Settlement and not because he was looking for additional reasons to bump into the man. Tristan had been noticeably absent next door, and though Ronin and his guildhall were just up the road, the vacant windows and doors stared hauntingly out at the alchemist each time he looked out of his own windows onto the barren street. But surely Bastien knew best, especially when it came to Safrin and worship and all that. Or he at least exuded the confidence that he did. Trying to dress more nicely than normal (which really was just a variation on his regular theme of white and tan, albiet his pants were slightly less charcoal stained), Remi gripped a crate of various liquors and wines to his chest. Surely they would not all be consumed tonight, and so Bastien would hopefully have a supply for weeks to come. Then again he knew where to find the alchemist if he needed more. Awkwardly trying to both knock and open the door, Remi more or less fell against it causing it to loudly clang open. Looking sheepishly into the candle-lit room, Remi nibbled his lip with an unsure expression washing over his pale features. Had he made a mistake in coming here? Would his ignorance be a detriment to Bastien, or worse yet, to the deity to which he was trying to worship? Shifting the crate with boyish nervousness, Remi stepped inside squinting against the darkness. "Bastien? It is Remi." He called out, accented voice gently filling the space REMI I tried to tie my heart down, board up all the windows Oh but it's too late now, I let you get too close

ronin A man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets "You need a hand there?" Ronin's voice was a friendly chime through the door behind Remi; the guildmaster had seen the sign, and while he couldn't confess that he was much into the hedonism aspect, he'd met Bastien previously and they shared a similar devotion to Safrin. So he'd headed home, collected his own charcoal sketches of the goddess (all but the one hung above the hearth in the guildhall - that was personal) and brought them along to share with this new club... gathering... whatever. He certainly considered them beautiful, but if anyone asked he would of course joke that the beautiful thing he'd brought was himself. The parchments were rolled neatly and tucked under one arm and the charcoals were safe in a box in his pocket, giving him one hand free to help. Not that he could do much with the crate, unless Remi wanted to give it to him outright to hold. "I could help to drink them?" he said eventually, smirking at the bottles he spotted.

Vanya's attention had been easily caught when she read the name Safrin. The goddess had begun to play an important role in Ronin's life, had promised help in defeating the demon, and she was eager to understand more about this entity. The sea bird could not forget the way that amulet gifted to Ronin near whispered to her like the sighs of waves in the open ocean. And she certainly couldn't forget the look in the eye of her love.    Well. Vanya was no artist - the only beautiful things she made were constructed of shells and wood and whatever other odds and ends she could find. Though she did pride herself in impeccable handwriting that remained legible even on a rocking ship... She doubted that was the sort of beauty desired here, of course. Alcohol was not something she was currently friendly with in her condition, but that question... Why are we here?    Vanya wasn't surprised to see Ronin had answered the notice, and she looked only at him as she moved behind him and slipped her arms under his, her head peeking up and over his shoulder as she planted a kiss to his cheek. "I don't believe that's meant for you just yet," she said, glancing at the alcohol that Remi had brought. She moved around to stand at the guildmaster's side, one arm braced on her hip. "Hey Remi," she greeted warmly before she cast her gaze to the building about them, imagining it as the church spoken of on the flyer. Vanya had seen many churches in her travels, and she wondered just how one for Safrin would take shape. vanya I've got a love like religion.

---

Bastien jumped as Remi banged against the door, but swiftly recovered. He spun about to greet his friend, grinning when he spotted the booze in his hands.

"Remi! Oh, wonderful! You know, I did wonder if I could expect to see you--" He took out a couple of bottles and glanced at them, nodding appreciatively as if the names on them meant anything to him. "And with such supplies! You are truly a God among men." With a little wink to match the reference to their earlier conversations, he motioned for a spot on the floor where Remi could put the alcohol for now.

Before he could order Remi individually to do anything, Ronin and Vanya both entered; Bastien beamed and clasped his hands together, glad to see people arriving. Truthfully couples were not who he was after (they tended to bring jealousy with them for certain situations he was planning on) but any help was welcome at the moment.

"Ronin! And...ah!" He approached Vanya and dipped down to gently take and kiss her hand. "I assume you must be his lady love. Congratulations on your new addition, dolce signora."

He noted the alcohol had drawn the attention of both Ronin and Vanya. With a smile, he shook his head. "If all goes well, my friends, we can drink the night away..." He did not think to excuse Vanya from this, believing alcohol was good to help a pregnant woman (or indeed, anyone) relax. "..But there is work to be done first. I assume you have all brought your offerings...? Remi has gifted us the drink, which I am thankful for."

He looked expectantly at Ronin and Vanya, but didn't press too hard for now (he could see the paper under Ronin's arms and was sure Vanya would not show up empty handed) and merely turned into the room, gesturing about.

"So. There are things to be done. Remi, could you use your wizardry to help me hang up these cloths from the ceiling?" He held up a few fine cloths he had hand-painted, what had once been plain white sheets from the market now a deep blue and bearing detailed stars. "I would like you to help me decide which is best. Use your eye. Should it be this" He held up one with a elegant moon painted in the centre, surrounded by mirrored tiles, "- or this?" In his other hand he lifted one which bore intricate spirals between the stars, which in some places resembled the letter 'S'.

"As for you two..." He looked about. "Ronin. We need a creed, or a vow, or something...painted on that wall, there, I think." Gesturing to the back wall, he shrugged. "Whatever you like, as long as it fits. You are a man of Safrin also, eh? So you should be able to think of something." There was some of the blue paint in a pot against the wall, a large brush rested upon it.

"And you..." He glanced at Vanya then back about the place. He did not want to give her anything too taxing given her pregnancy. "Do you know any songs? It can be anything. Or any interesting writings, stories? This is to be a place of culture and the arts. I want to collect the local...or I suppose...otherworldly...mythos. There are paper and a pen with some ink over there." He shrugged towards a table in the corner, surrounded by a rough set of chairs (which he hoped to make nicer soon). "Anything you wish to write, my dear. Perhaps an answer to the question? I assume that is what you brought."

With a wink towards her he turned and began to hold the cloths up towards the corners on his tip toes, not quite reaching the ceiling despite his relative height.

--

Choose how your character tackles their task (or outright ignores it, up to you~) to help set up the building!

POST ORDER:

1. Remi
2. Ronin
3. Vanya

---

Bastien

Drink So Deeply From the Cup That I Provide

With a boyishly uncomfortable smile, Remi watched as Bastien's eyes appraised the liquor he had brought. Unsure what was appropriate for an offering or an event such as this, Remi had tried to bring an assortment that he thought might be suitable. But of course suitability is informed by context, which was precisely what the alchemist was lacking. Luckily though it seemed Bastien was if not pleased, at least satisfied with what Remi had brought, and the man released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. At the mention of being a god among men, Remi smiled crookedly and shook his head with amused disapproval.  "And women it would seem." He said with sly awkwardness seeing Ronin and Vanya enter. Smiling he placed the case down where Bastien had instructed, and smiled up at Vanya. Though his words were similarly accented as Bastien's were, his were not as poetic: "My belated congratulations. You look beautiful as always." He said simply with a warm smile towards the shapechanger. The last time he'd seen Vanya he hadn't even really seen her: he'd just heard her annoyed shouts from her bedroom on the night he and Ronin had passed out drunkenly in the hallway. No art expert was he and having never met Safrin before Remi felt as though he was a terrible judge for what ought to be hung. Still, despite the intricacies and light-play on the moon sheet, Remi was drawn towards the galactic spirals. Reaching out with delicate fingers, the alchemist stopped short of the cloth unsure whether or not the oils from his hands might ruin anything. "This one." He murmurered softly, before his eyes flickered up towards Bastien. Orders given, Remi watched as the artist physically lifted the sheets. The corners of his mouth quirked slightly as Remi watched Bastien reach despite the complete lack of need to do so. Humming under his breath, Remi cast his gaze upwards to see where they would affix it. Twitching his lips slightly and with the aid of his hands (completely unnecessary magic-wise, but it helped the alchemist focus), he tugged the sheet gently away from Bastien and let it gently float upwards. "Here?" Remi asked, fingers floating slightly as if he was physically maintaining the magic. Interior design and deity-worship were not part of his normal repertoire of decision making. Besides, if this was to be Bastien's church better that he make the call. REMI I tried to tie my heart down, board up all the windows Oh but it's too late now, I let you get too close

ronin A man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets Ronin smiled at the feel of his lady pressing up behind him, delight in his blue eyes. He turned to press his lips to her cheek in a soft kiss, slipping an arm around her whilst they made their introductions and Bastien explained just what it was they were expected to do. He glanced to the wall where the other man had indicated, spying the paints and nodding at the artist. "Back in Northaven, a friend of mine had started to teach me how to sketch and paint. It's something I miss, so I brought a few things I've been working on as an offering." So saying, he placed the scrolls down somewhere safe so he could get to work on their creed, vow... thing. He could unroll the parchments later. Tipping Vanya a wink, Ronin set off to do his work, finding himself before a large, intimidatingly empty wall. He began, at first, by painting an outline of elegant flourishes around where their creed would be written, though he didn't commit it to the wall just yet. He didn't really want to paint anything down that might seem foolish. And so, whilst the outline dried Ronin approached Vanya to petition to borrow some of her ink, jotting down his rough thoughts. He ended up with something he hoped was passable: Our work is a reflection of your grace. There is freedom in hardship, Beauty in suffering. We strive to share your wonder and your warmth. To write your name in the stars. This we swear. He wrinkled his nose and tilted his head. Is this the kind of thing Bastien was talking about?

Did Vanya know any interesting songs, writings, or stories? She grinned and nodded to Bastien, glancing over to the paper and ink.  She may not know any from this world, but Northwind had been abundant with those sorts of things, and there were very few places in their old world that the osprey had not been.    She flashed her best grin at Bastien with his wink before moving away. Normally so full of words to say, the osprey opted to save them for paper just then. She brushed a hand over her stomach as she found herself leaning over a tall table, the smell of paper and ink alway so familiar - all that was missing the creaking and rocking of her quarters. Pursing her lip, the Hali woman pulled the stopper from the ink, dipped the tip of her pen, and soon her space was filled with the sound of the pen scratching down quietly on paper.    Vanya smiled up at Ronin when he came to borrow from her ink, her only break before she returned back to her scrawling. After smoothly copying down a common and calm shanty often sang by her and her siblings in the quiet wake of a storm, she wrote in shorthand a few of the more traditional tales she had heard in her travels - she would fill them out properly after they were down. And then, in elegant script, she wrote her answer to Bastien’s weighty question. She gave it careful thought, but it was question that could never truly have a single answer. To live. She had little doubt it would receive more than a few scoffs or disappointment, but she wouldn’t change it - she was confident in it.    Briefly she glanced up to check in on the progress of her hunter, of Remi and Bastien. This church for Safrin would be something, wouldn’t it? vanya I've got a love like religion.

---

Bastien nodded as if Remi had made some kind of cosmically correct choice, though really he would have been fine with either. He still gasped as the cloth began to float up and out of his hands, having employed Remi's magic but still in awe of it. Nodding at the placement, he instructed Remi to loop it around a beam in the ceiling to let it hang, candlelight beneath catching the colours and lights in the cloth to give the whole room a blue, sparkling atmosphere.

As soon as the cloth was hung, he went to Ronin, to investigate what he had placed on the wall. His lips moved silently as he read the creed, a smile sneaking onto his face as he mouthed the last few words.

"Oh, belissimo. Wonderful. I could not have done better myself, Ronin." He resisted the urge to give him a celebratory kiss on the cheek, simply patting his shoulder instead. "This will surely rouse their hearts. Let us see what your lovely wife has got us too, hm?"

Swanning over to Vanya, he read what she had written over her shoulder. The sea shanty wasn't so much to his tastes, but he was excited to read the tales and the answer to his question - Bastien grinned, a huff of laughter escaping him. "So wise. The simple answers are often the best, hm? And we shall be doing plenty of living here."

Pleased with everyone's contributions he turned back to the room and clapped his hands together, grinning around at all of them.

"This is beginning to come together wonderfully! Oh, what to do next! There are so many wonderful things we could do to mark this beginning. We could all have a wonderful symposium, enjoy each other's minds and bodies in the most simple and elegant of ways. Open this drink and pour an offering for our benefactor. But...I think I know what should be done. Humour me, everyone, please."

He walked to the crate of drinks, opened one bottle of something which smelt strong and plucked four glasses from another box in the corner - they were mismatched, all bought at different times from different vendors and brought over from his home, but they would do. With a drink poured in each and given to each person (one left to the side for himself), he pulled off his shirt and went to grab some canvases and paint, the blue he had requested from Remi as well as other less relevant colours.

"The place has too much of me in it. Look at all of this work!" He declared, pointing to the paintings of Safrin on the walls. "It is not just for my devotion. Of course, not everyone here has met the bella signora del cielo notturno, but that is no reason to not create art." Passing brushes around and propping the canvases up against walls and chairs, he began to hum a tune and paint, a blue sketch line curving down the center of his canvas.

"Paint whatever you wish, you don't even have to use the brush. I want this to be a place where we forget the world outside, bounty hunting or alchemy or whatever it is you do. Here you are your soul and a paintbrush. Create. The Goddess, I'm sure, will respect any gift in her name even if it is not in her image." With a smile, he looked towards his friend whom had been so disparaging of his own talents in the past. "And Remi, don't tell me you are not artistic. Do what you can."

--

Describe your character's painting! Does their drink affect their work? Does it go well or not? Do they even paint anything? All up to you. :)

Order:
1. Remi
2. Ronin
3. Vanya

---

Bastien

Drink So Deeply From the Cup That I Provide

Following Bastien's guidance, Remi hung the painting as instructed, all the while feeling entirely self conscious. Not only did he not have a talent for interior decorating, but his magic was still fairly new and unpracticed. It took a few tries to drape and position Bastien's artwork just right, all the while Remi's nibbled on his lip as he concentrated with absurd amounts of focus as if he was doing something much more significant than merely draping fabric. But it did seem significant. After all if it was important to his friend, it was important to Remi. Continuing to fuss and fiddle as Bastien went to work with Ronin and Vanya, Remi was halted by the sound of Bastien's voice ringing out to address the group. Pausing and turning, Remi wrapped an arm around his waist as he listened. ...enjoy each other's minds and bodies in the most simple and elegant of ways.. Remi gulped, his eyes flashing towards Ronin and then almost as instantly flashing away. Of course images of the naked captain danced behind his eyes, sunlight and sparkling with water as he had been the first day Remi had ever laid eyes on him. Looking at Bastien was of no help either, especially as the man reached into the crate Remi had brought (grabbing the drink with perhaps the highest alcohol content) and pouring them each a glass. —enjoy each other's bodies, Bastien had said. And then he removed his shirt. Swallowing and awkwardly turning away, Remi looked down at the drink in his hand, and then before he could think too much more about it, he downed the entire thing. It burned and sizzled and sparked just as he'd concocted it to. Wincing slightly, Remi closed his eyes for a beat and then removed his shirt as well. His body once lean and uninteresting now sported more muscles than he'd ever really realized. It was also covered by the scars of a lion's paws. Pouring himself another drink and doing his absolute best not to look around the room at all, Remi reached for a canvas and some paint. At first he didn't know what to paint (not Loren's eyes again, never that again) he merely began with something abstract. Letting the paints mix as they would on the canvas, the alchemist ended up rotating it several times making adjustments as he went. REMI I tried to tie my heart down, board up all the windows Oh but it's too late now, I let you get too close

ronin A man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets Ronin let out an audible sigh of relief and flashed a bright grin to Bastien as he seemed to approve his work, accepting the clap on his shoulder graciously. (Hell, he probably would have accepted the kiss too if it was given). He stood back to make sure the creed needed no further finishing touches as the other man went to inspect his lady's work, though his breath hitched in his chest a little. Wife? Um? She wasn't, but that absolutely didn't mean that Ronin didn't like hearing it. In fact, his cheeks had dusted pink a little as he turned to the sound of Bastien's address, the guildmaster taking his glass and lifting it in a toast. A symposium...? Ronin was pretty sure they just called it an orgy back in Northwind, and he'd never been to one of those either. Still, he graced Vanya with a crooked smile and took a generous gulp of his drink - he didn't down it like his alchemist friend at least. "You sure you don't want to slow down?" He chuckled at Remi, tilting his head as both other men removed their shirts. "I never usually paint like this. Alright, then." Shrugging to Vanya, he slipped off his shirt and threw it at her playfully, taking another healthy sip of the burning alcohol before taking up his brushes and paints. He frowned, examining the blank canvas for a moment... before slowly starting to move his brush across the material. A ship began to form, after a while - one with a small bird soaring over it.

Vanya flashed a grin up at Bastien as he peered over her shoulder. She had just been drying another one of the many stories she'd heard in her life - this one about a man who was to be sacrificed to a dragon trucking the beast into devouring his captors and granted him a boon instead. It had been a favorite of Gideon's when he was small. "Wise?" she echoed with a smiling shake of her head. "Not a trait commonly attached to me."    The osprey accepted the drink, raised her glass in a toast, but it was to Ronin that she handed the glass to. She gave an apologetic shrug to Bastien as she did. "I'll have to come back and share a drink when the baby is born," she explained, watching as Remi downed his. "Should have offered it to you Remi," she quipped lighty. If there was one thing Northwind had been advanced in, it was medicine simply due to the seemingly all-powerful healers that could detect and heal any ailment or pain or ache - even death was not beyond their limits. Learning that alcohol was bad for pregnancies from one such healer when her father's second wife fell pregnant with Saiden had been confusing, but she would stand by it now at least.    She raised a brow as paints were displayed, canvases ready, and.. shirts came off. It was to Ronin that her eyes fell, something in her warming as it always did when he smiled at her, and she caught his shirt with a playful wrinkle of her nose. Well, if everyone was going to be without their shorts, she wasn't going to be wasting the opportunity to be dressed as she usually would be, and that was hardly dressed at all. While it was growing too cold outside to leave her skin free to the air, it was comfortable here, and she shrugged out of her own shirt without a moment'd hesitation. Not showing yet, she was all too happy to display herself in only the wrappings of fabric around her breasts. She was a Hali, and the Hali family were made up of beautiful people.    Now, painting.... that was another matter entirely. Vanya had made large and colorful flyers before, but her artistic skill started and ended with that. She frowned at the blank canvas, knowing she could form no shapes or scenes that would be recognizable,  but... Vanya picked up a wide brush, dipped it into the blue paint, and touched it to the canvas. She made broad, sweeping strokes, mixing whites and yellows the further up she moved. It would be like being beneath the water, looking up to the sun shining down through the surface. As she was working on the brightest part of the messy painting, she spared a glance for Ronin and his.. and she paused. "The Siren's Call," she said quietly, and her chest tightened. Her ship. She smiled, fighting against the quite suddenly overwhelming emotion in her - pregnancy did that, she recalled - and she placed her brush down to step over to him, brushing. Hand over his arm as she took in the painting - a recreation. "You paint better birds than I do," she said, glancing at him. vanya I've got a love like religion.

---

Bastien had not expected everybody to follow suit with his disrobing, but said nothing of it, simply smirking to himself as he continued to paint (he did wonder if he totally stripped, if his fellow painters would take that as instruction too). He had considered the people here overly conservative before, had thought most of them prudes from what he had seen - but maybe he had judged too soon.

His own painting was rather typical for him, a soft focus of two figures stood in a blanket of stars, patterns and delicate spirals surrounding them and exploding out from their heads as if emotion was bubbling from them visibly. The colours were a little garish, not his usual fare - he knew he'd need to come back and fix it. Still, it was good enough that he felt content to have it out among his new congregation.

Once he had painted to the point where he needed to wait for it to dry (and it was beginning to grow dark outside) Bastien moved about the room lighting candles and investigating the paintings the others had done.

As he walked up behind Remi he noticed the scars on his body, frowned just slightly as he wondered where they had come from - but now was not the time to ask. Besides, it was a mundane topic when such a wonderful display of art was waiting before him. "Oh, Remi!" Bastien clapped his hands together in a way not entirely distant from how one would congratulate a child. "It is beautiful! So wild and free! I wish I could shed my control like this."

He then moved onto Ronin, and his beautiful painting of a ship at sea. It meant nothing particular to Bastien, but he valued the artistry regardless. He clapped a hand on Ronin's shoulder, grinned at the canvas. "This is fascinating. A memory? Or just a story from your imagination? Either way, it is enchanting. I can feel the spray of waves."

Lastly he went to look at Vanya 's piece, moving in front of her canvas as she went to speak to Ronin. "Ah. A beautiful abstract using the colours of our lady. I admire this very much, Vanya. Do you paint often? You have a wonderful, naive eye."

Paintings appraised and shirts long gone, Bastien finally was beginning to feel like a king of Bohemia again. But one did not get such a reputation by being a bad host.

"If you'll excuse me for just a moment, I need to gather some things. Feel free to go through into the other area and sit on the cushions there." He left and quickly headed up to his home, where he gathered the food he had. There was not much. Rushing, he headed to the settlement and traded for enough that he wouldn't feel embarrassed at the sight of the meal.

By the time he came back, some twenty minutes later, Bastien had in his arms a few different boxes and plates of the best food he could scrounge up in this place. Some of the least burnt bread, a few meats, some cakes (though he found 'cake' here to be considerably less sweet than at home).

"To celebrate your hard work and creativity - a feast!" Spreading it all out on a table, he selected a couple of bottles of drink (and produced from a bag a bottle of juice for Vanya, as he had noticed she hadn't been drinking) to go with everything and then sat down, arranging it all out to look as appetising as possible with such poor selection.

""It seems I might have to wait til another night to get everything I wanted from this place, unless someone is willing. Please, let us eat and talk with each other. Tell me of a thing from your world you miss and admire. Personally, I miss the grand architecture of Venice. The mudhuts here hardly measure up to it. There were archways and gargoyles that took your breath away." He took off his shoes and laid back among the cushions, recumbent and looking for all the world like a classical demigod himself as he sipped from a glass.

--
Have your character discuss something they miss from their world, get a little drunk eat...maybe...get comfortable with everyone else?

Last round of tasks, after this there will be one more round to wrap up~
Post Order:
1. Remi
2. Ronin
3. Vanya

---

Bastien

Drink So Deeply From the Cup That I Provide

Remi felt himself straighten unconsciously as Bastien walked behind him. He couldn't quite tell if it was because he was self-conscious of his painting, or because he wasn't wearing his shirt. Either way, the alchemist gave the artist a sheepish look at his offered praise. As Bastien spoke to Vanya and Ronin—and then departed?—Remi glanced towards his shirtless comrades. "So this is...not what I had expected." It should have been though, Bastien was an artist, had mentioned orgies and had asked for alcohol. So far Remi was getting exactly what the man had described, and yet even so Remi found himself feeling surprised at every turn. Glancing sheepishly towards Vanya and Ronin, the alchemist felt a small and incredibly wholesome twang of jealousy. Each of them had someone. Each other. Swallowing the alchemist offered them each an affectionate smile before departing for the room Bastien had indicated. Slumping onto one of the couches, Remi placed a pillow against his lap/chest still feeling mildly awkward about being shirtless (but knowing that putting his shirt back on would simply draw more attention to himself) and for absolutely no other reason. Accepting another glass of something that he definitely did not make himself, Remi sniffed at it before taking a tentative sip. Listening as Bastien spoke, Remi wondered idly at the fact the pair of them sounded so alike, almost as if the alchemist should somehow remember the things the artist was describing. As he turned the topic of conversation back on them, Remi thoughtfully looked down, before tossing a furtive glance towards Vanya and Ronin. What did he miss? He missed the way things had been; his growing whatevership with Loren, his easy friendship with Ianto, his adventures with Ronin ... and while he didn't mind living in his small one-room home, he certainly didn't miss it. He didn't miss the looks of the nobles nor the scowls of those who considered the shapechangers a lesser race. Gently running his fingers along the seam of the pillow he was holding, Remi lifted his pale eyes towards the other two Northaveners with a cheeky smile. "I miss the ocean." He said, smile widening. REMI I tried to tie my heart down, board up all the windows Oh but it's too late now, I let you get too close