like the dawn breaks through the night

REMI

the alchemist

Walk me home in the dead of night,
'Cause I can't be alone with all that's on my mind

"Then change what you see." Remi whispered, pulling back if only to fill Ronin's field of vision with green eyes and a look of determination. Gods how he didn't want to leave Ronin, not in the way he had to, but Remi didn't know what else to do. Reaching for the Star's hands, he brought them up to his back so that he might catch Remi shortly. Shifting to become a hawk, sopping wet and fighting his own instincts to flail against the water, Remi forced himself to settle. With wings splayed like hands against Ronin's chest (hopefully held up by the hunter), Remi inserted his own mind into Ronin's thoughts.

Where Aoife's face had appeared in the darkness, Remi forced images of monsters to take her place. He made the memory of her voice sound crackled and distorted; monsterous.

If you're going to remember it, remember it as it was. Not as they wanted it to be. The hawk replied, his own mental voice thickly accented, but booming in comparison to Ronin's own weakly thought words.

So say you'll stay with me tonight.
'Cause there is so much wrong going on outside

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN if there's one thing i'm good at, it's surviving ”How...?” Glancing up, his tears washed away by the stream of water, Ronin’s vision was filled with warm, sea-glass green. His hands moved willingly to Remi’s back, only for the Star to gasp when his husband suddenly disappeared. Without the extra support, Ronin slid down to sit beneath the pouring shower, holding onto feathers and fluff. And for a small, yawning moment he felt utterly alone, before the familiar presence of Remi’s mind slid into his own. A shuddering sigh left him, Ronin’s eyes slipping shut. Remi was a balm on all of his sharp edges, the familiarity of something that wasn’t darkness and pain swamping his racing thoughts. Unhinged as the Star undoubtedly was, the images in his mind were remarkably easy to manipulate. ”It has been such a long night,” he mumbled, sounding exhausted.

REMI

the alchemist

Walk me home in the dead of night,
'Cause I can't be alone with all that's on my mind

Trying to keep his talons from touching or clasping against Ronin's more delicate areas as the Star slid down to the bottom of the wall, Remi slid his wings up and against his husband's neck in as much of an avian hug as he could muster. He wanted to feel Ronin, but his mental presence was likely much more effective just now than his hands or body might be. Knowing that didn't help silence the Alchemist's own wants and desires of course, but it did help.

Again and again, whenever the memories of LongNight slipped through Ronin's mind into Remi's, the Alchemist would change them to better mirror reality. Pain was replaced with manipulation, Aoife's sweet face swapped for the hideous monster who'd mimicked her voice.

Mmmm, so it has been named. The hawk agreed, his beak nudging softly against his husband's chiseled jawline, wanting to impart kisses against the stubble, but unable to just now.

So say you'll stay with me tonight.
'Cause there is so much wrong going on outside

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN if there's one thing i'm good at, it's surviving Ronin’s eyes closed, the Star’s fingers drifting up to dance along wet feathers, a mere ghost of the touch they might usually share. But Remi was right, and at least in this moment Ronin needed his hand held back out through the labyrinthine nightmare of his thoughts. He stumbled often, and he was slow to rise, but every whisper of reality inserted into his mind made space for him to breathe, for him to be. ”Rexanna is dead.” It occurred to him suddenly, wretchedly; such an early casualty of LongNight, he had barely noticed or remembered it towards the end. ”There was a door, it killed Ascended. I wasn’t there in time - I didn’t know.” Shaking his head, while there was regret in his voice at least there wasn’t too much guilt. The nudge of a beak against his jaw had his eyes opening again, Ronin gazing down at the hawk and resisting the urge to clutch him close, both because of the talons and because he was afraid of crushing him. ”Just a bit longer, please,” he mumbled. ”Then I’d like to go to bed with you.” And deal with his injuries, probably.

REMI

the alchemist

Walk me home in the dead of night,
'Cause I can't be alone with all that's on my mind

That...was not news the Alchemist expected to hear. Not news that he could reframe in Ronin's mind to lessen his grief, not news he knew how to process himself. She... The door. The door Sam had helped with. The magical door that the bookmaker had offered his fluid for, perhaps as penance for not helping with the ascended's larger plan to stop the monsters altogether.

And now Rex was dead.

Fuck. There was little else to say at that point. Remi's emotions were a cold slurry of what-ifs that left him frozen in Ronin's arms. Though hawks couldn't gasp, they could pant just as any other bird could, and Remi found his beak opening and closing as if trying to form words that his mouth was ill-equipped to make.

Bed sounds perfect. He said at last, shifting slightly so that water would bead down and off his feathers. Bed. Blankets, and warmth, and fingers and the sort of darkness they'd both been craving.

So say you'll stay with me tonight.
'Cause there is so much wrong going on outside

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN if there's one thing i'm good at, it's surviving ”Yeah. Fuck.” There wasn’t much more to say from there, Ronin nodding miserably and tilting his head up so the water could rain down on him, warm if not entirely cleansing. He didn’t have it in him to clean off any more than Remi had already helped him with, but that would have to do for now. If he could get dry and get the shrapnel removed from his body, that would be more than enough. It did sound perfect, and eventually Ronin made the painstaking decision to get up, a groan of discomfort leaving him as he forced his body into a standing position. The soap long washed away, he nudged off the shower and held Remi in front of him, giving a tired nod. ”Bibbity bobbity husband,” he said, like it was a spell to turn Remi back, though it was missing any of his usual humour or playfulness.

REMI

the alchemist

Walk me home in the dead of night,
'Cause I can't be alone with all that's on my mind

Trying not to flail too much as he was moved—Ronin was cut up enough without Remi's talons adding to the mess—he mentally grinned as he complied with his husband's magical words. Awkwardly shifting which left him tilting against Ronin for balance as his body filled out, when he did straighten, he offered the Star a boyishly warm smile. "That's another new trick you've learned." He mused in a low voice, knowing that neither of them were truly up for jokes just now, but not wanting to walk on eggshells any longer than was necessary. Everything was bad or worse, but they were still Ronin and Remi, and at least now they were together.

"Might as well remove all this while your skin is still relaxed from the steam." Remi said, not letting Ronin leave the shower. Instead, Remi sat on the ledge, before glancing up at the Star for both permission to begin, as well as encouragement to endure the pain of what was to come.

So say you'll stay with me tonight.
'Cause there is so much wrong going on outside

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN if there's one thing i'm good at, it's surviving ”I’m full of ‘em,” Ronin told his husband, shivering a little as the presence of Remi’s mind peeled away from his, leaving him alone with his thoughts again. But the trade off was sea-glass eyes and sopping wet curls, and a voice he had missed so hard that it had physically hurt. Letting blue eyes wander over his husband, the hunter nodded at his suggestion, much as he didn’t really like the idea. It was hard to like the thought of someone’s fingers digging around in your skin, even when it was someone you loved. Stepping forward so he was within Remi’s reach, all bruises and scars, cuts and punctures, he nodded and reached out a hand to brace it against the Alchemist’s shoulder. ”I’m ready. Let’s get this done,” he murmured.

REMI

the alchemist

Walk me home in the dead of night,
'Cause I can't be alone with all that's on my mind

Normally when the pair were in such a position—Ronin's hand on Remi's shoulder and the Alchemist looking up at him from waist-level—it was for an entirely more pleasant purpose. At the very least, hopefully Remi's mix of fire and earth to control the metal in his husband's skin, and telekinesis to pluck it out, the Alchemist could make things go as quickly as possible (another unusual goal for the pair).

Sliding over the waist-basket to deposit the shards of metal, Remi indeed worked as quickly as possible. He ignored all signs of discomfort from Ronin knowing that to stop and start again would cause far more pain to the already irritated skin. When finally the task was complete (or as complete as a non-healer could make it), the Alchemist pressed his lips to one of the few stretches of skin not marred by bright purple or red.

"Come on," He whispered softly, looking up from where he still knelt, all boyish affection and sopping wet curls, "let's get you into bed."

So say you'll stay with me tonight.
'Cause there is so much wrong going on outside

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN if there's one thing i'm good at, it's surviving Ronin appreciated Remi intensely in that moment; for all the discomfort, for all of his body having tried to heal around the metal in it, his husband was swift and thorough in his ministrations. Still, that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt, the Star forcing deep breaths in and out through his nose, trying not to tense every time one of the shards of metal worked its way clear. ”Fuck,” he hissed when at last it was all over, fingers trembling against Remi’s shoulder. Opening his eyes to gaze down at the Alchemist, the barest hint of a smile curled at the corners of his lips, and he slid his fingers into damp curls and relished the touch of warm lips over the stinging pain of before. ”I’d like that,” he mumbled, carefully stepping back so Remi could get himself to his feet. ”As long as you plan to come to bed too, anyway.”

REMI

the alchemist

Walk me home in the dead of night,
'Cause I can't be alone with all that's on my mind

Remi half expected to see starlight start to bleed through each wound as the metal was removed. That it didn't wasn't necessarily a comfort, because while the Alchemist knew his husband's body intimately, when it came to his Safrin-given abilities, he was often left quite in the dark.

"I absolutely do plan to. And to keep us both there for a good long while." Even had he known how displeased Vai was with him, Remi would still have expected her to look after Seren just the same, all things considered. For Ronin, if not for him.

Standing and sliding his hand into Ronin's, Remi led them as quietly as he could down the hall to their room. He didn't bother with lights or the curtains, instead just drawing back the sheets with a flourish and waiting for Ronin to lay himself down. Blood would stain the bedding, but Remi could not have cared any less about it. Softly moving to join his husband, the Alchemist propped himself up on elbow, resting his head in his hands, and gazing softly down at the Star. "You're home." He whispered.

So say you'll stay with me tonight.
'Cause there is so much wrong going on outside

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN if there's one thing i'm good at, it's surviving Their hands fit together like they always should did, like they always should have, and even damp and dripping from the shower Ronin padded after Remi on unsteady feet. The rest of it didn’t matter - not wandering through the house naked, not the mess they might make of the sheets, nothing. Remi was a beacon and Ronin followed faithfully. Their bedroom smelled the same; familiar, comforting. And the bed, the pillows, the blankets all folded and cocooned around him as he laid down, not something he thought he had done the entire week he’d been out there. ”I’m home,” he agreed in a small and whispered voice, the Star peering up at his husband with a face half buried in the pillow. Slowly and painstakingly, he shifted to reach out for Remi, because if there was one thing that didn’t feel right, it was having the Alchemist so far away now that everything else seemed as it should be. ”Don’t let me fall asleep, please?”

REMI

the alchemist

Walk me home in the dead of night,
'Cause I can't be alone with all that's on my mind

Moving closer, Ronin's injuries be damned, Remi let his free hand wandering across his husband's hip. His fingertips tried to skirt the wounds, but they were simply too plentiful for him to be entirely accurate in this. At least, not if he wanted to keep his eyes upon Ronin's.

It wouldn't have been any use telling the Star how he needed to sleep if he was to heal and recover his strength, but nor would the Alchemist suggest something like that anyways. There were monsters behind closed eyes and in the dreams that would surely come, and he couldn't fault Ronin for wanting to avoid seeing those faceless horrors again so soon. "You've been gone for what felt like an age, and you think I'm going to just let you fall asleep?" Remi asked with a crooked smile. "I can slink into your body, remember. No way I am letting you drift off that easily." He added with a wink and the silent promise that the only way Ronin would be allowed to sleep was when exhaustion finally took him into a dreamless slumber.

So say you'll stay with me tonight.
'Cause there is so much wrong going on outside

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN if there's one thing i'm good at, it's surviving Closer wasn’t close enough, and as Remi’s fingertips brushed across his skin Ronin drew himself flush against the other man. Cuts and bruises screaming in protest, fatigued muscles also voicing their discomfort, the Star gave not one single fuck. His arms circled Remi, needing his heat, needing the realness of him, and he stole kisses along the line of his jaw, the space beneath his earlobe, the scars against his throat. ”Good,” he rumbled, his lips still against Remi’s neck, his eyes pressing shut for a moment. Not for sleep, but for rest - at last, he felt, he could actually rest, the heartbeat thundering in his chest finally started to slow down. ”How was it here?” he asked, obviously meaning LongNight. ”Anything happen worth mentioning?”