deliver us

REMI

the lullaby

"Please don't ever say anything like that again." Remi groans, offering Amalia a pleading look. The very last thing he ever wants to imagine is anything coming in or out of the Launceleyn.

As Amalia steers the conversation into waters Remi had assumed she wanted to rid herself of, Remi nudges Ronin with his hip, fixing the Star with an amused stare. "I would like to talk about it. Because things have seemed awkward between the three of us ever since I woke up." Remi points out, though his hand does slink down the back of Ronin's pants to pinch the Star on the ass.

"I don't mind Amalia, genuinely I don't. I know Ronin mentioned, but this is an agreement we've had between us for a long while. Sometimes sex is just sex, and if that's the case, I'm not so selfish or insecure so as to stop Ronin." He explains. "By all means, if it happens again, it happens again. You don't have to tell me how...necessary it can to have sex with him." Though Remi's cheeks are flushed, there is a genuineness in his gaze that even the awkwardness of the topic can't overshadow.

"You're going through a really weird time. I don't want you to beat yourself up for doing things that make you feel better. Even if those things are Ronin." He adds with a crooked smile.

Maybe it's my fault for forgetting
Who I was when I was mine.

I've come to realize this one thing:
You couldn't fix what I couldn't find

Code taken from Sky who is utter perfection

& oh, poor atlas - the world's a beast of a burden

Ronin might not know what there is to talk about, but she knew that Remi would understand - for all the fondness Amalia has for the Star, it is the Lullaby with whom she ultimately has the most in common. So perhaps he will note her immediate regret at bringing up the topic, as well as her relief.

Awkward feels like an understatement to Amalia, who chuckles a little and tightens her hold around her chest. Though she does not look back at the men, her ears shift to a qilin's, turning visibly to make it clear she's listening to what Remi has to say. She can feel her body tightening and coiling, her bare toes curling on the warm ground as she tries very hard to keep from running off.

The idea that sex is just sex both comforts and bothers her, because for Amalia it isn't. "I... okay," she replies slowly, trying to keep the confusion out of her voice. And then she halts, nearly squeaking out the word: "A-again?" As far as the Shield had been aware this was a one-time thing. A product of circumstances and a comatose husband. Not something that would repeat.

Not that she wouldn't like to repeat it.

But.

Finally the girl turns back, now rubbing her wrist and looking down. "I... so, I understand. But the thing is... for me, it's not just sex." The flush on her cheeks only grows, if possible, and she wonders if her entire body is now red. Maybe she'll get lucky and melt. "I... I can't, um, I don't- I wouldn't want to do that with someone else. Someone I didn't, didn't care about. Which is- I'm not saying I'm in love with you, Ronin. No offence." The ghost of a smile flickers over her face, as she very briefly meets his eyes. "But s-sex is- I don't know. I don't have a lot of experience. Maybe I'm being silly."

you've been holding on a long time

RONIN

the darkstar

Luckily for Lullaby and Shield, Ronin not understanding means everything that goes on between them unspoken is lost on him, and he merely tuts at Remi and jumps a bit as his ass is pinched. ”Do you mind,” he asks the other man with a sly kind of smile, leaning against him comfortably as all that has happened (in minds as well as in bodies) tumbles into the light. Still, he can’t help but feel like something of a piece of meat at auction between them, the Star clearing his throat as if to get their attention.

”I think you’re being silly.” Helpful, as always. ”Hear me out. We already had sex and the world hasn’t ended, as far as I know.” He smiles a bit, rubbing at the back of his head. ”One thing guaranteed to stop it happening again is discussing it like I’m on rota, though.”

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

REMI

the lullaby

I don't mind. Not even a little. Remi hums into Ronin's mind, finding no better place to rest his hand that the swell of his husband's butt. However quickly the feeling of amusement Remi feels from the Star shifts to something similar to offence, and the alchemist immediately softens.

"I didn't mean for it to come across like that. I'm sorry" The Lullaby mumbles apologetically, though truthfully he wasn't expecting to have to reassure both parties about this. 'But you're right, whatever happens, or doesn't, is between the two of you. I only wanted you to know Amalia, that there isn't...anything, on my part." No anger, no jealousy, no resentment.

Unsure now whether or not he ought to say more, Remi pulls in a breath, frowning down at the ground for a moment before deciding that he did in fact have more to say. "Whatever you do think and feel about sex...it's okay. If it isn't just a physical thing for you, then it isn't a physical thing for you. Experienced or not, that isn't anything to be ashamed of. But.." Boyishly flushed now, his green eyes looking both bemused and awkward, he shoots a look from Star to Shield and then back again. "...don't be afraid to find out, alright? I spend a good part of my life not letting myself experience things sexually. I expected others to do the work for me, and that wasn't fair."

Leaning adoringly against Ronin, the Lullaby smiles. "You're allowed to want what you want, and you're allowed to not know what that is."

Maybe it's my fault for forgetting
Who I was when I was mine.

I've come to realize this one thing:
You couldn't fix what I couldn't find

Code taken from Sky who is utter perfection

& oh, poor atlas - the world's a beast of a burden

Ronin complains about being on rota and Amalia cringes apologetically, her discomfort increasing by bounds she did not know she could reach. "That's not-" she begins, her voice snapping with displaced frustration. Inhale two, three, four. Exhale.

Finally Amalia looks up, trying for the first time to meet Ronin's eyes. "I wouldn't have done that with anyone else. Wouldn't have wanted, or, or felt comfortable enough. You're my-" Again the Shield breaks off, closing her eyes and inhaling a deep, shuddering breath. "You both... you're my best friends, I think. You're important to me - like it or not, Remi -" and here she manages to almost smile almond gaze glittering with unshed tears, "- and, and, and I don't want to have ruined that. I've ruined enough things, recently."

Shrugging with a sudden self-consciousness, the Shield clears her throat abruptly, turning back to the black stone. "Anyway. It's... it's not like it'll happen again. We should- clues. We should look for clues." Smooth, Amalia. Smooth.

you've been holding on a long time

RONIN

the darkstar

Forgiveness comes instantly, Ronin leaning in to kiss Remi’s curls and hold him close, as if to tell him not to worry too much about it. There are more important things, after all, and he glances up at Amalia when she finally meets his gaze, his blue eyes softening. ”You’re important to me too,” he tells her. ”You haven’t ruined anything, I think that’s pretty obvious. Don’t you?” From the way the Taliesins still stand before her, welcoming and warm, Amalia clearly hasn’t stepped on any toes.

Her attempt to change the subject is such a clear thing that Ronin almost wants to roll his eyes, and he kisses Remi again only to unwind himself from around the alchemist. ”If it doesn’t happen again, that’s fine. And if it does? That’s okay too.” He moves over to her and, if he isn’t pushed away, he’ll wrap his arms around her in a hug. ”You think too much,” he says affectionately.

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

REMI

the lullaby

"Do we need to fight again?" Remi asks with a low laugh. "Surely you've not forgotten everything we said." He adds. Ronin was good, but not that good. They'd found unconditional love for one another that day on the beach, bloody and rain-soaked though they were.

Remi too notices the abrupt topic change and merely raises a brow at it. He might have said something more—something about how the only thing making this situation awkward was Amalia's unwillingness to talk about it—but Ronin, as ever, charmingly sweeps in. So as his husband disentangles himself, Remi merely folds his arms comfortably over his chest and smiles. What they have, the two of them—and now the three of them, he supposes—might not be entirely standard. It might also not be entirely what Amalia wants or needs, but it's what's on offer, free of judgement or strings.

Maybe it's my fault for forgetting
Who I was when I was mine.

I've come to realize this one thing:
You couldn't fix what I couldn't find

Code taken from Sky who is utter perfection

& oh, poor atlas - the world's a beast of a burden

Amalia doesn't anticipate the arms around her waist, or the (now very) familiar scent of Ronin to fill her senses. She tenses for a moment then suddenly relaxes, her body softening in his arms as she sighs and closes her eyes. "I've been told that before," the baker admits with a light chuckle, reaching up to press a hand gently against his. Whatever it is that the three of them are doing, it seems to be working for now. Maybe Amalia should take a lesson and simply let it be.

Almost reluctantly the girl presses her way out from Ronin's arms, turning back to look at Remi and make sure he's okay with this (not that he hasn't made it abundantly clear that he is). Clearing her throat, Amalia steps around the Star to approach the Lullaby, pressing a shy kiss to his cheek in lieu of saying more.

Then she turns abruptly, walking further into the darkness. "We really should look around, though. Some of us came here to do important things. Like save lives."

you've been holding on a long time

RONIN

the darkstar

With a warm smile, Ronin lets her go and watches as she moves to Remi - before of course sassing them again. He gasps dramatically, meandering back to walk with his husband (kissing his other cheek, so it won’t feel left out) and raising his eyebrows at Amalia. ”I’ll have you know that I came here and saved lives already. You two are evidence.” With playful haughtiness he strolls forward, heading for the altar and furrowing his brow.

”Not many lives to save in this place though, I don’t think,” he admits. Even if this were a place where Tanau might appear, it doesn’t look as though it’s been visited for a long time. ”He is supposed to like gems, precious metals, that sort of thing,” he says, like a river of diamonds might suddenly pour from the top of the cavern.

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

REMI

the lullaby

Remi can't help but feel that Amalia only comes his way to satisfy some internal need she has for balance. After all, kisses on cheeks have never really been something between the two of them, and though it feels forced, he understands and appreciates the sentiment. It's only when Ronin kisses his other cheek that the Lullaby rolls his eyes, tossing his hands with equal dramatic flair into the air. "Alright, alright. Plenty of me to go around." He huffs as if it's him, and not Ronin who is the choice cut of metaphorical meat here. (And also not so metaphorical).

"We've done a lot. Found this—" Pulling out the lily from his pocket, he twirls it gently between his fingers. "And I saved a man earlier from drowning." Was that man Ronin? Yes. Was he drowning because of something Remi had done? Also yes.

Maybe it's my fault for forgetting
Who I was when I was mine.

I've come to realize this one thing:
You couldn't fix what I couldn't find

Code taken from Sky who is utter perfection

& oh, poor atlas - the world's a beast of a burden

Perhaps it is just a gesture of balance, but balance is something Amalia lacks these days. She finds herself giggling at Remi's dramatic reaction to the second kiss, her anxiety either finally ebbing, or grown too large to take seriously anymore.

Amalia supposes that they're right in assuming they've done enough for now. And despite the healing effect of the spring, the Shield is incredibly tired- undernourished and worn ragged, physically and emotionally. So where normally she might have put up more of a fight now Amalia simply caves, shrugging with a resigned "Okay," and making her way back towards the men. "We should head back as soon as we can, anyway, I guess. Get the water to everyone who needs it."

you've been holding on a long time

RONIN

the darkstar

There’s still something niggling that tells Ronin to keep pressing onward, needing to uncover whatever there is to know about Tanau and his connection to the sickness. But perhaps there is something to be said for doing enough, at least for now. Running a finger along the edge of the altar, he turns and strolls back to his husband and Amalia, smiling to them both.

”She makes a good point,” he murmurs. ”You both do. Let’s get back home and make sure everyone else gets better, however short the time might be. More sane heads might give more ideas.” And he can always come back, in time, to commit more of an effort to the LongHeat god.

”Shall we, then?”

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

REMI

the lullaby

Gods if he isn't glad that Ludo hasn't set him upon some heroic path, as seems to be the case with his two counterparts. Quite content to simply go back and do his part in handing out the water, Remi grins sunnily at them both. "Well, look at us. Heading back before we get ourselves into trouble."

Chuckling, Remi leads the way back, an idea already brewing in the back of his mind. It's selfish he knows, but he can't shake the memory of the jungle and all that there was to be explored. With no commitments to trying to do anything more than provide water to those who needed it (and really, with his responsibilities as governor already coming to an end he didn't even have those obligations anymore), Remi's mind was free to be as selfish with his time as he liked.

~FIN

Maybe it's my fault for forgetting
Who I was when I was mine.

I've come to realize this one thing:
You couldn't fix what I couldn't find

Code taken from Sky who is utter perfection