clock w i s e

REMI

the alchemist

What good are hands
if there's nothing that they hold

There were precious few that Remi knew in Torchline anymore. With the Ark away for the season, Vai back in the Greatwood, and Sunjata and Nate no longer among those he counted as friends, there were only a handful of places Remi thought to go while Ronin took care of what had brought them here.

So it was that the alchemist found himself at the Halenani.

Drenched from head to toe as he shoulders open the door, Remi stands in the warm lighting as the wind howls outside and rivers of rain pour off of him. His curls are slick against his head as he shrugs out of his jacket leaving him just in a soaked white t-shirt and pants turned dark brown from the rain. "Is Maeve—" around, was likely the wrong question. It was monsoon season, where else would she be. "—free?" He asks of Amelia.

More than happy to wait—what else does he have to do—Remi opens the door and tosses his jacket out onto the porch. It wasn't going to dry, anyway.

And what good are hearts
if you bury them all alone?

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Maeve

Amelia looks up from the book she's reading, heaving a sigh at the sight of yet another man dripping water on the floor and asking for the Madame. She closes her book with a snap after marking her page, "Let me see if she's available." The girl replies curtly, turning to head up the stairs behind her with the unspoken instruction for him to stay there. It's a few minutes before she reappears with the Madame in tow. Maeve smiles at the sight of the Lullaby, drawing her cardigan more tightly around her frame against the slight chill that hangs in the air. "Going for a drowned rat look, I see." She teases, brow arching as a soft laugh bubbles up in her throat. "Lets get you dried up a bit. What brings you by?"

Maeve grabs a towel from a stack behind the desk, offering it to him and already beginning to lead him back upstairs to her chambers. Mostly to keep whatever conversation they have away from those who would wish to listen. Which is everyone in Torchline. Maeve isn't keen on airing her business and she does her best to keep her personal relationships private. Once they're back upstairs with the door firmly closed behind them, Maeve makes to put on a kettle for tea, intent on getting the demi-god warmed up. "How are things in Strombreak? How's Ronin?" She asks, glancing back at him over her shoulder as she flits back and forth in the small kitchenette.

I admit that I'm a little messed up
but I can hide it when I'm all dressed up

REMI

the alchemist

What good are hands
if there's nothing that they hold

Remi indeed stays as he's silently instructed to. He looks as out of place in a brothel as ever despite now having a body that would otherwise suggest he'd make an easy living working in one. "Mm, I was, yes." He agrees with a boyish laugh, his shirt clinging to his broad shoulders as he shrugs. 'How did I do?' He wonders, reaching out for the towel and instantly trying to dab off the wettest parts of his clothing so that he doesn't leave tracks throughout the halls.

"Oh...I just needed somewhere to pass the time." It's true, though not the full story. That can wait until they are behind closed doors. Besides, better that it sound to any ears listening that the alchemist is here to try again with the Madame.

"Well, weather is better there than here, I can tell you that much." He calls, helping himself to the bathroom. He doesn't bother to close the door—Maeve has already seen him naked in intimate detail—though he does wrap the towel around his hips when he's finished. Hanging his clothes over the railing where they might dry, soon the alchemist joins her in the kitchenette.

'As for Ronin...I will know more in a few hours.' Looking down at the ring on his hand, the alchemist can feel the thunderous pulse of his husband's heartbeat. What that means even he can't guess at just now, but the alchemist's grave tone suggests it probably isn't good.

And what good are hearts
if you bury them all alone?

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Maeve

"You have the drowned part down, love. Not so much the rat bit." Maeve offers as they make their way into her room and behind closed doors. She barely pays him any mind as he heads into the bathroom to strip out of his soaking clothes and affixing the towel around his hips instead. Only does she spare him a glance when he comes back out to join her in the kitchen, a smile curling on her lips as she shakes her head, "The weather is better everywhere in comparison to here. The monsoons spare no one." And they don't. Although she's hoping that they'll spare the Halenani for another season, but they're already getting some leaks. It has her a touch worried.

Once the kettle is on, she turns to face him, crossing her arms over her chest as her brow furrows at the sudden change in his tone. Maeve sets her lips into a thin line, looking up at him with concern, "Did something happen? Is he alright?" She asks, her voice pitching up higher with a sudden well of anxiety in her chest. The Madame had grown quite close with the Star during their travels and the idea that something might be amiss has worry swirling in her gut.

She shifts on her feet, letting them carry her towards the couch as her fingers come up to fidget with the pearls around her neck. Her bottom lip catches between her teeth as she lowers herself onto the couch, leaving the spot closest to the fire open for him to take.

I admit that I'm a little messed up
but I can hide it when I'm all dressed up

REMI

the alchemist

What good are hands
if there's nothing that they hold

"Mmmm. This is certainly a part of Torchline that I do not miss." The alchemist replies with a crooked tilt of his head. Folding his arms across his chest which hides the worst of his scars (save for the ones that line his throat, from where he had cut it himself), Remi leans against the counter with a frown. "Yes and no. He heard about something that happened." The alchemist explains, poorly.

Following Maeve toward the coach, Remi indeed takes residence closest to the fire. It takes a moment for him to find a position that's comfortable without being revealing, but once he does, he exhales a weary sigh. "Ronin just learned that...he is not the only one to have a child with Safrin." Remi explains in a tone that's measured, though the lack of melody in his accent gives away his worry. "That it is Sunjata—" Surely if Vai knew, everyone knew at this point, "—given how good of friends they are..or possibly were, now, it..." The alchemist shakes his head, releasing a few errant raindrops onto his shoulders.

'With all the tension between the two of us, and Sunjata and Nate, I can only imagine how things will go between them."

And what good are hearts
if you bury them all alone?

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Maeve

It is not news to Maeve. She was one of the first two be aware of the situation. After those directly involved of course. The Madame had known the last time she spoke to Remi about the gods on the beach. Her lips purse and she places her hands in her lap, "Right... The situation with Kamaria." She acknowledges softly. Maeve had yet to meet the girl. Both of them deciding that it wasn't the best time while she was still adjusting. However, she was rather intimate with struggles the Flood was facing without Nate and the situation as a whole. It was hard for her not to worry how things might between the two. Would he lose another important person in his life?

Maeve sighs, glancing back up at him as a frown threatens to tug at her lips, "He's been having a hard time. Without Nate and Ru. I've become... close with him in recent weeks." Close was a word for it and she still has marks on her throat from his last visit, the pearls he gifted her pressing against them as she continues to fidget. Her eyes lock with his and she considers her words for a moment, "I'm assuming he didn't take it well? Given what happened before I would be surprised if he had..." Maeve shakes her head, tucking her legs beneath her as she curls against the arm of the couch.

"Is he there now then?" She finally asks, arching a brow as she waits for the alchemist to confirm one way or another what exactly is going on.

I admit that I'm a little messed up
but I can hide it when I'm all dressed up

REMI

the alchemist

What good are hands
if there's nothing that they hold

Remi nods, assuming Kamaria was the name of the child. That Maeve referred to it as a situation implied she too knew of the drama it would cause. Had already caused.  Running a hand over his eyes and letting himself sink into the pressure, Remi exhales through his nose and nods. "I tried to remind Ronin of that." That without Hotaru and Nate, Sunjata would likely need someone to lean on.  So it was the alchemist is both surprised, but also not, to hear how Maeve might have already filled such a place in his life.

"No. He did not." Remi replies as his hands fall into his lap. "Mhmm. Given how taxing it was for the two of us to fly here from Stormbreak, I am hoping that he will be too tired for anything more drastic than words. But where Safrin is concerned..." Remi's fingers splay in his lap as his jaw feathers.

And what good are hearts
if you bury them all alone?

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Maeve

Maeve reaches over, placing a hand on his and clutching his fingers in a gentle squeeze, "I understand. I'm sure it is difficult all around. Should you need assistance with anything, I'm more than happy to help." Not that she's sure she can do anything. She offers her services anyway, more than happy to help the two men with whatever they might need. The kettle begins to whistle and Maeve releases his hand in favor of tending to it, bringing over the tray moments later. She pours his cup first, adding the amount of sugar cubes he used last time he took tea with her before passing it to him. After fixing her own cup, she settles back on the couch beside him.

"You're also more than welcome to stay here for the evening should you need accommodations. I have a spare room that can be ready at a moments notice." Maeve informs him over the rim of her teacup, taking a careful sip of the warm liquid as green eyes watch him closely.

I admit that I'm a little messed up
but I can hide it when I'm all dressed up

REMI

the alchemist

What good are hands
if there's nothing that they hold

Remi's lips rise at the edges. He wants to smile, but the emotion behind it just isn't there. Still, his fingers pulse against hers and he tries his best to ignore the sensations that dance from her fingertips. He can sense easily her genuine concern, her affection for the flood, but past that, he tries not to delve too deeply. There is more than what she's letting on, which isn't surprising, but it also isn't his place to steal the feelings from her. It's a relief as the contact breaks, and the alchemist finds himself lacing his fingers together in an effort to keep them occupied.

"Thank you. For the tea, and the offer." He reaches for his teacup, happy to have something to wrap his hands around. "Speaking of sleeping..." Remi says a touch wryly. "I...was hoping to ask a favour of you. I hope it is small and easily done, but.." The alchemist shrugs. For their brief moment of intimacy, Remi really doesn't know all that much about Maeve. It's possible what he is about to ask will be something she won't agree to.

And what good are hearts
if you bury them all alone?

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Maeve

The Madame had forgotten about his gift. The thought not crossing her mind when she went to comfort him. It isn't until she returns with the tea that she realizes his discomfort. Her lips twitch in what might be a grimace, but she hides it with a sip of her tea. "Of course. Think nothing of it." Maeve dismisses easily, waving her free hand when she lowers her cup to brace lightly against her thigh. His change in tone earns him an arched brow and a cock of her head as her nails tap against the side of her cup.

Apparently some of his own nerves have made a home in her belly now. Her thoughts torn between the man before her and the two others who are surely having some sort of confrontation at this point. "A favor? What ever could a demigod need from someone like me?" Maeve teases, attempting to lighten the mood as her lips finally curl into a slight smile as her more playful nature makes itself known.

I admit that I'm a little messed up
but I can hide it when I'm all dressed up

REMI

the alchemist

What good are hands
if there's nothing that they hold

"Oh, do not make that mistake." Remi says with a boyish shake of his head, his damp curls dry enough to bounce slightly with the gesture. "We are not so strong not to need help." It was true, little as they all seemed to remember it.

"Well, I..." Where to begin? "I can travel through dreams, you see." Remi explains, sounding adorably bashful about the things he could do. "But only with someone who I have dreamed with before. It is one of the ways I can travel around the world so quickly." He explains with a brief smile. "I used to have many dream-contacts in Torchline, but that number has gone down, quite quickly." And the ones who remained, like Sunjata? Well, Remi was quite sure he wasn't welcome in their dreams—or subsequently in their beds—anymore.

"I was hoping perhaps you would not mind if I used you for that. It would also mean I could take you with me, should you ever need to find yourself somewhere else quickly."

And what good are hearts
if you bury them all alone?

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Maeve

Maeve hums softly, raising her cup to take a sip of her tea as she watches him curiously, "This is true. Your husband would have starved had he not gotten lost with me." Her smiles moves into something bigger, a mischievous glint in her eyes before she grows serious once more. Ronin probably would have been just fine without her, but she's absolutely going to bring it up every chance she gets just to annoy the Star. It's one of her new favorite pastimes.

She considers his words, trying to wrap her brain around this newly shared ability. That is... something. Definitely not something she was aware could happen. Maeve's stomach twists nervously, brows knitting together, "Huh... How does it work exactly? You said you can only do it with people you've dreamed with before. What does that entail?" The questions come out quickly, strung together as gears clearly turn in her head to gain a better understanding of what this exactly means. "I don't really have an issue with it? No one that I can think of at least. I am curious as to how it all works." Maeve finally settles on, offering a small smile as she agrees to the favor he's asking for.

I admit that I'm a little messed up
but I can hide it when I'm all dressed up

REMI

the alchemist

What good are hands
if there's nothing that they hold

Remi snorts at that, nodding. "Food is the Dark Star's one true weakness." He says with a prophetic and ominous nod, before leaning forward with his brows raised conspiratorially. "If you really want to get under his skin, ask him what he thinks about crabs. If he's ever screamed girlishly and kicked one before." With a half-wink, Remi grins as he leans back against the arm of the couch.

Exhaling in such a way as to make his cheeks puff out slightly, Remi reaches up to ruffle a hand through his still-drying curls. "I would put you to sleep, and then enter into your dreams." He explains. "While in a dream we can do whatever you like, or not. It is one of the ways Ronin and I kept in contact with one another while we were apart." Remi adds with a smile that dimples his cheeks. "But that is all. Once I have been in your dreams once, I can visit anytime you are asleep. And if I do, I can send myself wherever you are. Unfortunately..." With a sheepish crinkle of his nose, Remi huffs out an amused laugh. "..I always wake up naked. Which is one of the reasons I thought of you. A man waking up naked here might not be as alarming as it is for others."

Rolling his wrist slightly, the alchemist smiles warmly at the Madame. "And if there is anything you want to do in a dream, you need only ask." The world could be exactly as she wished it, to live out vendetta's, to experience old memories, to find reprieve which might be hard to come by when awake.

"You should know...I could lock you away forever." Unhappiness drag's Remi's smile away as he looks, guiltily almost, down at his hands. 'All the things I can do...ultimately it is all for one purpose.' He wouldn't, but then, Remi had done any number of things in his life thus far he once thought he'd never do. A monster he might be, but the best he could do now was never to let anyone be ignorant of what he really was.

And what good are hearts
if you bury them all alone?

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Maeve

Maeve laughs softly, shaking her head, "I'm going to bring that up when I inevitably come to visit and he's going to be so mad that you gave away his secrets." She shoots back before their talk shifts towards the favor he's asking of her and the questions she poses in return.

She can only imagine the types of things the Lullaby and the Star got up to in their dreams during the time they were apart. Surely it wasn't all bad, but part of her is certain that they didn't deny themselves access to each other. The Madame doesn't comment on this even as her lips quirk into a smirk against the rim of her teacup. "That doesn't sound too bad." Maeve doesn't often dream. She's rather curious what they might find there together. If anything at all. Her brow arches as he explains one of the catches to doing so and a surprised laugh pushes past her lips. "Well, I could definitely see how that could pose an issue for some. Lucky for you my bed is empty most nights as of late." With Locke gone and Sunjata having to stay at home during the evenings, she doesn't have anyone to warm her bed.

Not that she's ever really allowed others to sleep in her bed after they finished their business. She didn't. Locke was the exception and Jata would be if he was able to stay. Still, the idea of possibly manipulating her dreams into whatever she wished them to be with Remi's help was appealing. She only takes pause when he tells her what else he's capable of. Her lips press together and she takes a breath, "But you wouldn't? You wouldn't do that to me, would you?" Maeve finally asks softly, letting her eyes meet his. There isn't trepidation in her voice despite the fact that he told her that he could ultimately put her into a coma. If anything it's curiosity to exactly how he will reply to her question.

I admit that I'm a little messed up
but I can hide it when I'm all dressed up