here we go again

even my darkness shines for you

"How would you like me to look at you?" Ronin wants to know, waiting for Remi to amble inside with his boxes to give him space enough to head back out to the wagon. Still dazzling the streets with starlight, it doesn't matter the expression on his face - he's very clearly having a wonderful morning, and it shows to anyone who so much as glances in his direction.

He grabs another box - this one far too large for him to reasonably try and manage alone - and nearly trips over the doorstep and launches it into the shop as a result. Still, the mammoth task of juggling it without breaking or dropping anything inside goes a long way towards clearing his mind. (At least for the time being).

Scoffing at his husband's remark, he sets the box down and glances over to the welcome basket, where his robe has been set down. "I could burn off my clothes and then put it on. Maybe there's only one because the other one of us is meant to be naked," he suggests, and the flush to his cheeks tells that he knows which one of them he'd choose. "In all seriousness though, I think it might be Cian's attempt at humour. He mentioned blood oaths and orgies." Of course, Ronin hasn't yet found the note in the pocket of the robe, so there's still that little gem to come.

"Oh, fuck," he mutters suddenly, having gone back out to get another box. "I'm going to pretend you didn't tell me that. I'd forgotten the whole destroying the shrine business entirely. I'm meant to meet with Sunjata soon about this whole skyboat thing." He winces. Gideon, though? "He didn't seem that strange when I met him." He doesn't doubt Remi though, of course, and the Star's brows furrow in concern. "You think it's something worth keeping an eye on?"

the

DARKSTAR

Table coding by Sky

i've hidden all my fears in a book for only my eyes to see

"In a way that doesn't make my head buzz and my knees feel like that wagon is knocking them out from under me." Remi grumbles, though there's absolutely no mistaking the joy in his voice.

"Ah—Ronin—carefu-" But it's too late, and Remi is helpless as he watches the Star fumble for his footing. Wincing, then sighing a relieved woooosh of air (Ronin would have almost dropped the only box labelled fragile), he turns his attention toward the one robe in question.

Too busy biting the inside of his lip to give any indication as to his choice of who should be naked, Remi's expression becomes abruptly confused at the mention of blood oaths and orgies. "Come again?" For once this morning, Remi doesn't go for the low-hanging fruit, so great is his confusion.

"No...well...maybe. There was a lot of talk of punishment, of making our mark and changing the world for the better..of it being an honour..?" Trailing off, the alchemist can only give his head a weary shake before going out to unload the boxes which had come from the Hart's. "It was just..a lot."

THE

ALCHEMIST

Table coding by Sky

even my darkness shines for you

"I rescued it," Ronin says of the box labelled, he realises, as fragile, the Star smiling sheepishly and following the other man out to the wagon to collect the very last box. "What do we do with this?" he asks of the empty wagon. "Or are we meant to return it to that definitely honest merchant?" If it was up to Ronin he'd leave it abandoned in the street while they went to stuff their faces, but he imagines that's not the right impression to make upon arriving at the Pacifist Plaza.

Come again? Remi says, and Ronin has to resist the urge to make mention of the fact that he hasn't even come once (though suffice to say, with how things are with them at the moment, that kiss in the street might well have done it if they had lasted the whole twenty seconds). "He said it was part of joining the Order," Ronin clarifies. "I can't see the likes of... of..." He's going to say Sera or Gideon, but honestly, Ronin can definitely see them partaking in blood oaths and orgies.

"Anyway, I'm sure it was just a joke." He smirks, though the expression quickly fades into one of concern to hear of Gideon's... all of that, yeah. "Sounds intense," he agrees. "I'll keep an eye on it. For now, though, I think that's all the boxes unpacked."

the

DARKSTAR

Table coding by Sky

i've hidden all my fears in a book for only my eyes to see

Poking at the inside of his cheek with a frown, Remi glances out of the windows. "Oh...I hadn't thought that far ahead." He admits, turning toward Ronin with a flutter of his lashes, very much wanting to know what the Star thought they should do.

"Uh huh. Because the Order seems really casual. Definitely the sort of organization that would leave gag gifts." He's skeptical, but...well, if there was a blood oath and an orgy to solidify Ronin's place, what of it? "Bad timing to hand in your free-pass then." He says with a boyish snort.

Reaching down to pick up the wine bottle previously holding open the door and placing it somewhere safer (precariously perched on the top of box, of course), he narrows his eyes playfully as he gestures that Ronin should come along for long. "A blood oath and an orgy...Might not be so bad." He hums mischeviously. "Even more so if you can bring a +1."

THE

ALCHEMIST

Table coding by Sky

even my darkness shines for you

"Of course not." There's a sweetness in Ronin's tone that's entirely reserved for his husband, and in another time and place, he'd have slung his arms around Remi and squished a kiss against his cheek for good measure. For now, though? He imagines it, and that will have to be enough. "We'll return it," he decides, moving out of the door with his husband and locking it all up again (even more important, now that there's stuff inside that they've taken pains to get there).

"Tell you what - you can even ride in the wagon, and I'll pull you along. Then we'll find somewhere to eat?" Ronin gestures to Remi's 'chariot' as if they are both barons, and the alchemist is his date to a fancy ball somewhere.

With a smile that slants towards the crooked, Ronin takes up the harness again - whether or not Remi decides to take a seat - and begins to pull the wagon back the way they came. "I don't know," he says slowly, "I think I could manage an orgy just between the two of us." It will require a lot of time, creativity and magic, and really it'll just be a threesome between him, him, and Remi, but still. "And even if there isn't a +1 allowed, I'm sure they'd make an exception for you. Now, keep an eye out for some good cafes while we get this thing back where it belongs."

the

DARKSTAR

Table coding by Sky

i've hidden all my fears in a book for only my eyes to see

Ronin thinks of fancy balls, and...well, Remi is too. But in an entirely different way. "I do love it when you pull me...along." The pause is filled by the alchemist's crooked smile and eyes sparkling with mischief. If the pair were in any position to touch one another, Remi might have tried to flee in that moment, knowing he was about to receive some sort of physical retaliation from the Star (a smack, most likely).

'You know this place better than I, so I'll let you lead.' And then, because of what he'd said the day before, adds: "Even somewhere in the Silk Houses. I feel okay, today."

Hoping into the wagon but sitting as close as he could to where Ronin was pulling it, Remi's stomach ignites as his husband far too casually mentions how their own orgy might work. Frowning deeply into the palms of his hands and trying to ignore the heat he can feel rising into the tips of his ears, Remi clears his throat. "As much as I'd like it, I think you'd get jealous of yourself, honestly." But you know, only one way to find out.

"I'll get your thing back where it belongs." Remi repeats with a childish intonation under his breath, still undone by the thoughts of four pairs of hands trailing over his body, and the things his husband might do with more double the limbs to work with.

THE

ALCHEMIST

Table coding by Sky

even my darkness shines for you

"And I love it when you let me," Ronin murmurs - perhaps it's the fact that he's no longer facing his husband that allows him a bit more confidence, but he feels less flustered with such raucous commentary than when they'd been strolling side by side. The wagon is much easier to move now that there's only Remi sitting in it, and it rumbles along quite merrily back to the merchant's shop. "Even the Silk Houses? Alright - but if you start to not feel okay, you let me know, and I'll make sure we get food to go." He smiles over his shoulder to Remi.

Honestly, they're both thinking in intimate detail of the sorts of mischief they might get up to with two Stars instead of one, and Ronin can't help but bark out a laugh at the Lullaby's remark - probably because it's exactly right. "I'll end up knocking myself out to defend your honour," he agrees, though in reality (and in his daydream) things are much more synchronised.

"Don't," he hisses at his husband's continued innuendos, and though he laughs, the coil of heat in his belly is only proof of the fine line they walk.

Luckily, they succeed in returning the wagon without incident, and food manages to refocus the conversation into safer places. Ronin selects a little bistro for them just on the fringes of the Silk House - it's bustling, the food is warm and hearty and the coffee is strong, and they are able to dine outside in the fresh Flowerbirth air. Honestly, it doesn't last nearly as long as Ronin wants it to, for no other reason than because he thoroughly enjoys sitting with his husband, talking about their plans while he sneakily tries to play footsie under the table.

Nonetheless, soon enough they find themselves meandering back to the shop just after midday; a cool breeze ruffles Ronin's hair, and he holds out the keys for Remi, this time, to unlock the doors.

"Now it's your turn to take the lead," he murmurs. "I can't wait to see what's in these boxes."

the

DARKSTAR

Table coding by Sky

i've hidden all my fears in a book for only my eyes to see

'I will.' Remi agrees. And, he honestly would; buoyant as his mood is, Remi hardly thinks of Finn at all as they stroll nearer to the Silk Houses. It's impossible to be in that place without thoughts of the Spyglass, but Remi's mind is thoroughly tangled up in the presence of his husband such that thoughts of Finn have no chance of gaining purchase.

With a full belly and a tongue that is constantly being shooed out of the gutter, Remi accepts the keys from Ronin, making sure to take full advantage of how their fingers brush against one another in the exchange. Opening the door and taking in a breath of air that somehow feels like theirs, Remi shakes his head with an amused smirk. "Well, we should look for the box of candles, first."

Within the boxes, Ronin will find reclaimed wood from the docks to be used as shelves, nails with which to hang everything that came from a blacksmith and were previously used to shoe horses, an old wagon wheel that Remi plans on turning into a table, the clunkiest register that likely weighs as much Ronin does, and in the box marked fragile, broken multicoloured glass and bits of chalk.

"Since we're inside and don't need that bottle of wine to prop open the door...?" Remi says suggestively, waggling his eyebrows toward the Star and nosing at the fragile box wherein Ronin will find mismatched hand-blown glasses.

THE

ALCHEMIST

Table coding by Sky

even my darkness shines for you

Ronin really, really tries not to reach out and pat Remi's ass on the way into the shop, the Star ending up swatting his own hands as he hops up the doorstep. The boxes are as strange and as wonderful as he thought they might be, and Ronin is grinning as he gets everything into place that he possibly can right now. The clunky register is hauled onto the counter next to the welcome basket, the wagon wheel is rolled safely against one of the walls where it won't run either of them over, and Ronin carefully stacks wood and nails where they won't get lost.

"Hmm...?" He glances up, having been using the tips of his fingers which are partially shifted into smouldering feathers to light candles, flashing his husband a smile to see the wine bottle. "Now that is a fantastic idea," he agrees, carefully lifting two glasses out of the fragile box. He wipes them down before setting them before Remi on the counter that he might pour them both a generous housewarming drink.

Little does the Lullaby know, of course (or maybe he does know, whoops), that whilst Ronin is helping out down in the shop, his projection and his nimbus are busy upstairs in the apartment. Via the open windows, Ronin at least plans for them to be able to stay in their new home tonight, even if he doesn't have much in the way of furniture to deck the apartment out just yet.

the

DARKSTAR

Table coding by Sky

i've hidden all my fears in a book for only my eyes to see

Glancing over his shoulder, about to hiss a warning, Remi is utterly delighted to see Ronin lighting the candles with the tips of his fingers. Closing his lips around what he was going to say, the alchemist simply takes a moment to watch Ronin Ronin.

With a sleight of hand that's as terrible as it is charming, Remi throws the cork over his shoulder. "Oops. I suppose now we'll have to finish the whole thing." He mumbles apologetically, overpouring their first two glasses which leaves only a fraction left in the bottle. "To..." fresh starts, a new life, blah blah blah. Only that isn't what the alchemist says at all. "..you. For marrying me. For finding my ring when I threw it away. For being here when I realized how stupid I'd been to think being with you wasn't everything I'd ever want."

Remi's lips twitch slightly, not wanting to sour what had been one of the best days they'd had in months, but not being able to shy away from words he hadn't yet said and desperately needed to. "I will always do this with you. I'm so sorry for ever saying otherwise."

THE

ALCHEMIST

Table coding by Sky

even my darkness shines for you

"Oh noooo." Ronin, naturally, is all the bad influence that Remi needs, and he really doesn't need much to begin with. So off the cork bounces into the shop, likely never to be seen again, and the Star eyes their glasses as if to wonder whether he might not squeeze the very last of the bottle in there as well. Alas, they will have to share the last of the wine between them.

Lifting his glass, Ronin is about to cheers what he imagines is a very stereotypical toast, only for Remi to go and pull his usual trick of entirely melting the Star where he stands. Ronin has to drop his gaze lest he reach over the counter and pull Remi into a kiss that will definitely not be as chaste as the one earlier in the Plaza, and he huffs out a breath as if that might help to arrange his thoughts into some sort of an order.

Eventually, he shakes his head. "I'm sorry that it ever got to the point where you needed to say it. But I'm glad you did say it, because there were cracks in what we had that only threatened to get bigger. But now...? I don't think I have felt this close to you in a very long time, Remi. And we've barely touched." Smiling sheepishly, Ronin clinks his glass with his husband's.

"For what it's worth, though... You're always, always forgiven. Whatever happens. Whatever things might come up, whatever you might do, or might have to do. Even if you're not sorry - I'll always forgive you."

the

DARKSTAR

Table coding by Sky

i've hidden all my fears in a book for only my eyes to see

Remi nearly jumps as Ronin clinks their glasses together, so enamoured was he by the suddenly sly shade of blue Ronin's eyes had gone, or the blush rising up through the scruff on his cheeks.

His fingers are holding the bottom of his glass against the countertop, but he hasn't a thought in the world for the wine. "I don't deserve you." Remi whispers, fairly certain that should Ronin hold his glass more lightly, that the pulse from Remi's heart would cause it to clink again and again against the glass. "But gods am I lucky to have you." He says, wondering how in the world he wasn't supposed to pull the Star against him now.

On cue, something loud thuds upstairs, and it's with a gaze that goes from disgustingly adoring, to flat that Remi looks at his husband. "Have you been up there the whole time?" He demands, feigning outrage as he tosses up his hands.

So it goes that the wine is quickly drunk, boxes are opened and unpacked, and the little shop and the apartment above become much more of a home than either man would be able to remember having lived in.

~Fin <3

THE

ALCHEMIST

Table coding by Sky