take me by the hand

RONIN

Is it possible, to be exhausted even in a dream? Ronin doesn't know, but he certainly feels it. It's been a rough few days since his meeting - if you could call it that - with Cian, since the events with Remi and Finn, and he's been a little absent even in his subconscious. His dreams with his husband have been fleeting and troubling, sleep consistently evading the Star. Enough is enough, though, and his body finally flings him into a deep sleep where he can properly harness the abilities that let him dream with the Lullaby.

Ronin appears in a bleak, grey plane that swims uncertainly for a moment, before settling on a visage of the training grounds where he spends the most of his time these days. It appears as if painted in inks, stark black shapes towering overhead, and the Star squints up at them like he might just dismiss them with a thought. "Remi?" he calls, unable to keep the hope out of his voice.

soft spoken with a broken jaw
we step outside, but not to brawl

REMI

The Lullaby is there in an instant. Away go the inky and mottled colours of black that the world of their subconscious has been bathed in. Though Remi doesn't know what the training grounds look like, he paints them in jewel-toned colours with rich accents of ochre and gold.

"You are a sight for sore eyes." Remi says, the words leaving his lips just in the nick of time before they're pressed against Ronin's. The alchemist's hands swarm across his husband's body, tugging him closer that he might tether them to this moment of hopefulness amidst all they've collectively been dealing with.

Who are you? They ask. Death?
Sometimes... I say. But not today

RONIN

Ronin is about to respond in kind, but no sooner has he turned towards the sound of his husband's voice when Remi's lips and hands are all over him, and gods but if it isn't the best feeling in the world. Moaning his agreement into the kiss, Ronin is like putty between the Lullaby's fingers, guided closer, greedily seeking every part of him that he can possibly touch. Around them, the training grounds flood with further colour, as if Remi is the source of all of Ronin's creativity - and right now it feels like that might just be true.

"I missed you," he mumbles eventually, when he has sense enough, tumbling back with the Lullaby onto a cloud that suddenly hovers behind them to break their fall. "I'm fed up of this stupid place now. I want to come home." Ronin speaks as if it's as easy as all that, as if just saying it will be enough for them to whisk him away and put him back where he belongs. Eyes opening so he can gaze up at Remi, he takes a moment to simply look at him, to imagine that he's really there.

soft spoken with a broken jaw
we step outside, but not to brawl

REMI

"I missed you too." Dream-time was a funny thing, even moreso when the minds of the men controlling the dreams were constantly pulled and tugged. Like taffy, their dreams stretched long across the night, but for Remi and Ronin often it felt like only seconds.

Falling onto his back, the world rising and falling and softening all at once such that the experience was pleasant instead of shocking, the Lullaby tugs at the Star to keep him as close as possible. "Well, we haven't much of a home at the moment." Remi reminds his husband with a boyish smile, sounding utterly pleased about it. Being wanderers was always part of the plan. They were just...meant to be doing it together.

'Before I forget, there's something you should know. And..gods it feels strange to say this. It's a warning for the Order.'

Who are you? They ask. Death?
Sometimes... I say. But not today

RONIN

"I have a home - it's you," Ronin murmurs softly, the sentiment coming easily to him, corny as it might be. Remi flops onto his back and the Star is quick to follow, holding himself over his husband as the clouds fold around them, as the dreamscape blurs into colour and emotion. He's kissing Remi again before he can help himself, his fingers caressing soft curls and wandering down the strong musculature of his chest.

So busy is he lavishing his husband with attention and love that he barely hears, let alone understands the warning that Remi tries to give. Humming a note of annoyance against his lips, he pulls back enough to flash him a weary smile; it's as charming as he can make it, given the past few days. "All business already?" he asks, sitting back and astride the other man. "Fine, fine. What's the message?"

soft spoken with a broken jaw
we step outside, but not to brawl

REMI

"Well if that's the case, then you're grounded. Indefinitely." Remi whispers back before the words are hushed away by lips and quiet sighs of utter contentment and affection.

As Ronin rises up, Remi can only grin at the disappointment and annoyance he sees writ on his husband's features. Running his fingertips up the strong muscles of his husband's thighs, letting them linger and spread before rising to his hips, Remi just smiles boyishly. "Business already so we can be done with it." He says with a slow and adoring smile.

"Apparently Wessex and the Grounders are trying to prevent members of the Order from entering into the Hollow Ground. But in order to do so, they need to see a member of the Order using their compass."

Who are you? They ask. Death?
Sometimes... I say. But not today

RONIN

The hands against his thighs feel nothing short of amazing, even if none of it is real, and it's enough to have Ronin arching up a little. He hisses in a distracted breath, his fingers ghosting over Remi's, and his smile turns crooked. "Fine. Fine." He grumbles, hearing the Lullaby out as he starts to explain. And gods, if it isn't just the kind of bullshit he's come to expect from this crazy world. Still, he can't help but groan at the implications of his husband's warning.

"Gods fucking damn it, I'm going to have to speak to that dusty fuck again," he complains, obviously referring to Cian. Slumping back, his hands drifting back down to play along Remi's ribs and up his chest again, the Star does not look at all thrilled by it. "Why are they trying to stop the Order anyway? How do they know... anything about this? I didn't think the likes of Vi would advertise."

soft spoken with a broken jaw
we step outside, but not to brawl

REMI

Though not all of Ronin's grumbles are because of his fingers, Remi is content to keep trying to pry more and more of those sounds from his husband's lips. Raising a brow at Ronin's choice of phrasing though not commenting on it, the alchemist merely stretches beneath the Star's fingers, enjoying the touches he's receiving as much as those he's giving. "A dusty fuck." He muses, lazy and in love.

"When I moved into the Greatwood I bumped into Wessex. I told her I'd been sent there to keep an eye on things. It isn't like she was surprised to hear about it. Apparently, though she'd considered trying to ban us from the Grounds as well." That, he did take a bit of offence too. 'I'm genuinely not sure what the point would be. It isn't as though any of us have a desire to find ourselves back in the Grounds." This is darkly said. So many memories of blood and death there. So many ghosts that need even Ludo could chase away.

Who are you? They ask. Death?
Sometimes... I say. But not today

RONIN

"That's right. He's all stuffy suits and cigarette smoke and... and..." Ronin punctuates his ire with a snort of distaste that's entirely petulant and the result of too few nights' rest with Remi. Still, to look at his husband languidly enjoying himself is enough to soften him more than enough to let go of the irritation. Falling quiet to listen as the Lullaby explains the full story, Ronin busies himself in finding Remi's fingers, guiding his touch over the Star's body.

"Banning us?" He scoffs, of a similar mind to his husband. He's offended as well, wrinkling his nose. "I have no desire to return... but I'd also like to see them try to stop us." Ronin can't help it, clearly; he's tenacious at heart and he always will be. Letting out a long breath and forcing himself to let go of all of the frantic tension he holds, the Star instead conjures a smile for Remi.

"I'm sorry it's been so long. How are things? How's Mateo?"

soft spoken with a broken jaw
we step outside, but not to brawl

REMI

Normally so eloquent, or at least, the more eloquent out of the two of them, Remi can't help but grin up at his husband, his smile wide and foolish, as the Star utterly fails to communicate (with words) his dislike of Cian. Of course the bond between them—marital, attuned, and magic—tells the full story.

"Well, the Voice is involved predictably enough." But even this is said with a fair amount of skepticism. She was strong, but surely all the gods together were stronger? "I'll let you know if I hear anything else. It sounds like they won't be able to do much without the Order's ... assistance, intentional or otherwise." Shrugging, Remi would let Ronin deal with the smoky and dusty Cian about that one.

"Nearly ready to start speaking, I should think." The alchemist all but whispers, the sweet tone of his voice making even more round the syllables of his words. "He looks so much like you some days. Especially when he's being stubborn about something." Remi adds with a crooked smile. Sitting up, his hands now on Ronin's lower back to steady the Star and hold him close, Remi turns his chin up that he might gaze into his husband's eyes. 'How are you doing?"

Who are you? They ask. Death?
Sometimes... I say. But not today

RONIN

"Of course she is," Ronin mutters with a roll of his eyes. His opinions of the Ascended were very much the same as any other race (i.e. Ronin didn't give a fuck if they had fangs or hard cocks, as long as they weren't cunts), but the Voice is another matter. Especially since she'd given him that little memento in the form of a massive fucking scar in his chest. Nodding his agreement to Remi, Ronin shifts to try and balance as his husband sits himself up so the Star is properly in his lap.

"And I'll let you know anything I hear as well," he says, momentarily distracted and a bit breathless to have Remi so close. His fingers sneak up so they can run along the strong line of the alchemist's jaw, to slip up into the rich tangle of his curls, to brush a thumb across an unshaven cheek. Hearing that Mateo is almost speaking is enough to take his breath completely, his throat growing unexpectedly tight. I've missed so much, the bond between them screams, and it's not something he trusts to give words properly.

Instead, locking eyes with Remi, the Star's returning smile is guilty and sad. "Not great," he admits through a whisper. "Drinking, most days. Trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do with the Dragoons. Trying to get back to you." The last part is almost inaudible, Ronin shrugging his shoulders. "Tried to get into the Order, but that was a no-go. So I went to Safrin. I'm going to project to the Greatwood, the first chance I get."

soft spoken with a broken jaw
we step outside, but not to brawl

REMI

'You haven't.' Remi says, giving voice to the pulse of blue flint he feels slipping from his husband in sheets of ice. "All we ever do is talk about you. You're his favourite subject." He adds, sweeping his lips across Ronin's neck even as his husband buries his hands in the alchemist's curls.

However when his gaze is tugged back up, the soft affection in his sea-glass green stare is replaced by hazy strains of understanding, mixed with unfettered love. "Do you think if we both fly off the handle enough, they'll let us back together?" Remi wonders, only half-joking. "Well it's only for now, not forever." He adds. This wasn't the longest the pair had been apart from one another, but the last time they were separated like this, it had been in death. At least this had some sort of end date.

"You'll be able to project here?" And then, realizing what that entailed when combined with another of Ronin's abilities, it was Remi's turn to have his breath stolen. "Then you'll be able to be here?"

Who are you? They ask. Death?
Sometimes... I say. But not today

RONIN

It isn't the same, Ronin wants to say, but he appreciates the alchemist endlessly for trying, and so instead he buries his nose in Remi's hair and savours the feel of warm lips against his neck. "I can't wait to see you both again properly," he whispers into his curls, his hands drifting down now to curl around the Lullaby's shoulders, holding him close in a rare moment of peace and quiet and calm. Around them, the dreamscape melts and changes, a mere world of colourful clouds by now.

"It has crossed my mind," Ronin says with a half-hearted laugh. "I wish they'd realise that I'd be much more of an asset if I weren't distracted all the time by missing my family." He shakes his head. Yes, they're useful doing their separate missions. But neither of them is completely focused; surely, gods must notice.

Meeting Remi's eyes and smiling a little more warmly now as he seems to understand where Ronin is going with his idea, he nods, barely able to believe it. "Maybe," he whispers. There is, of course, a thread of trepidation that goes along with it - projecting that far, swapping places... it will take a toll on him. But it's worth it, to see his family.

soft spoken with a broken jaw
we step outside, but not to brawl

REMI

"I don't know about you, but Delphia has been no help." To be fair, the ghostly-girl wasn't necessarily equipped to help create a stronghold, but then again, neither was Remi. Groaning against Ronin's shoulder, he silently wonders if Amalia has been of any help. Whipping soldiers into shape didn't exactly seem like her thing either, though perhaps she had another task. Pushing these thoughts nonverbally into Ronin's mind, Remi lets himself linger in the warm silence around them.

'When will you be able to?" Remi wonders, unsure if this is the sort of thing Ronin even has an answer to. In all likelihood, it was a Safrin thing, which meant precisely nothing when it came to timelines.

It didn't do well to give Remi too much hope in situations such as these, but here he was, with butterflies bursting in his stomach at the mere prospect of it. Even if it was only for a day—for an hour—to be able to properly be with his husband again would be everything. But therein was the catch of course, because that was a high, high cliff from which to fall, should things not happen as he hoped they would.

Who are you? They ask. Death?
Sometimes... I say. But not today