For forever and a day

laughing like children, living like lovers & I guess that's why they call it the blues. Sam had promised to come back the following day—well, evening—to see if Remi was up for going for a walk. Regardless of whether it was a smart idea, Remi was definitely looking forward to it. Staying in the same room without much to keep his mind occupied was grating mercilessly on his nerves. He’d counted the ceiling tiles, knew the sounds and smells of the infirmary intimately, and, because actually not much was happening, he hadn’t even been able to help or learn anything from Isla. Conjuring some clothes for himself—a warm creamed coloured wool sweater and some trousers—Remi sat on the edge of his bed experimentally testing the strength of his legs. With a frown, he immediately realized that strolling about was actually going to be much more of an activity than he had thought. Creating a walking stick, Remi heaved himself up from the bed, placing a hand over his ribs with a muffled groan of pain.

sam So please please please, let me get what I want this time Sam arrived in the infirmary looking down guiltily, as if everyone in there would know of his activities last time he had visited. They probably called him the infirmary pervert or something, he feared. But he had told Remi he would visit, and that was more important than any shame he could feel about that. As he entered, he heard Remi's groan and hurried over to see what the problem was, a gentle hand immediately going to his elbow. But Remi actually looked... nice, in a fancy sweater and with a stick he had apparently grasped from thin air. "A...are you alright?" He asked, moving to hold Remi's arm and stand beside him so he could help him walk. As concerned as he was though, he thought perhaps Remi did not want to be treated like a patient all the time. "You... you do look n-nice." He said, gesturing at the Alchemist's outfit, then gave him a small kiss on the cheek.

laughing like children, living like lovers & I guess that's why they call it the blues. Unlike Sam, Remi was not bothered at all about whether or not the infirmary staff knew what was going on. That partially had to do with his upbringing as a commoner; hardly anyone at all cared about what he was doing, and so he hardly thought that kissing Sam in his room was gossip-worthy. Grinding his teeth and trying to breath through the pain of his ribs shifting, Remi flinched as he felt a hand on his elbow, his eyes fluttering open to see Sam suddenly at his side. With an immediate smile, the alchemist exhaled an unsteady breath, allowing Sam to help support him somewhat as he did his best to stand straight. “Just stiff.” Remi said with a sideways smile. He wasn’t alright, not really, but the last thing he wanted was for Sam to suggest that they stay inside instead. Breathing in stale air day after day was more than he could bear much longer. Looking down, Remi blushed slightly and was surprised to feel Sam’s lips kissing him quickly on the cheek. “I am sure it will not be long before I am covered in charcoal or something else.” He said almost defensively, unsure really how to take the compliment.

sam So please please please, let me get what I want this time He hardly believed that Remi was 'just stiff', but Sam wouldn't push him for any more information. It was nice to pretend it was all alright. Slowly he began to take their first steps forward around the bed and towards the door. "W-well, you would look nice even with the ch-charcoal." Sam insisted, leaning back to grab a blanket in case Remi would be cold outside. "I was th-thinking that we would just go outside. I...I don't think w...we should go far. D..definitely not to the woods. " This was an attempt at a dark joke, but it came out too dark and he frowned at himself. They came out of the door and into the main infirmary; Sam flashed a smile at Isla and the other nurses as he went past then quietly asked Remi:"Has an...anyone mentioned... the o-other day? Which...I...a-am sorry about."

laughing like children, living like lovers & I guess that's why they call it the blues. “I suppose it is good that you think so, since I normally am.” Remi said with a crooked sort of smile, eyeing Sam for just a moment, searching for...something that he couldn’t quite place his finger on. Leaning heavily on the walking stick, Remi clenched his teeth, holding disgruntled air in his mouth and exhaling it in unhappy puffs every now and then. “Oh no? Why ever not?” Remi quipped immediately, nudging Sam playfully with his shoulder, which was of course a terrible mistake that sent pain shooting through Remi’s ribs. Biting down on a grimace, he forced himself to smile through the pain as they made their way out of the room. Flashing a smile at Isla and her cohort as well, Remi tilted his head toward Sam as they passed. “No, not to me.” The alchemist replied with a shake of his head before smiling gently. “Sorry? Why?” He asked, having some idea about the answer. Perhaps it was a bit uncharitable of him to ask, but part of the point of dating was to learn these things about each other, wasn’t it?

sam So please please please, let me get what I want this time "You are na-naturally handsome. Lit...little could st-stop that." Sam didn't seem too embarrassed to give out this compliment, considering it mostly simply a true statement. Remi was handsome, far more so than Sam could ever hope to be, and no smudges were going to ruin it. Luckily Remi didn't seem to mind his joke, but Sam was still conscious enough of it to not elaborate any further, only smirking and shrugging. They began to approach the doors; Sam pulled a face at the shrine as he went past. Whatever Gods there hated him wouldn't stop him from seeing his crush on hospital. Already he could feel a harsh breeze coming in through the door which made him shiver, but he just wrapped his arm around Remi tighter and answered him in a close whisper. "It...was ir-irresponsible. You could have be...been hurt, and we have p-plenty of time for that after you're better. And Ph-Phoebe saw us."

laughing like children, living like lovers & I guess that's why they call it the blues. “If you say so.” Remi said with a casual but slightly uncomfortable shrug. Raising a brow as Sam silently seemed to taunt the Temple, Remi nudged him gently. “What was that?” He asked gently, his tone softly inquiring, but without any pressure for Sam to elaborate more than he wanted to. “Oh, have we?” The alchemist quipped with a boyish smile as he looked down at Sam, trying not to wince as the ascended’s arm wrapped more tightly around him. His question was mostly meant playfully. Mostly. “Well the door was closed, Though I am not worried about what Phoebe saw. It was my room after all and you are—“ Remi tried not to let his voice trail off the way his mind wanted it too, but he really didn’t know how to finish the sentence. Smiling affectionately down at Sam, Remi’s lips parted slightly as he worried his bottom one for a moment as his smile entirely fell away. Tightening his grip around Sam to bring them to a halt, he turned towards him trying to press the ascended against one of the walls. “I do not see anyone around now..?” The alchemist whispered, limping near and resting an arm over the ascended’s shoulder against the wall. Lowering his head slightly so that his cheek brushed against Sam’s—his unshaven beard gently catching against’s Sam’s own— he brushed his lips softly against one of Sam’s ears. “I guess we know which of us is the more responsible one..” He breathed voice quietly amused and suggestive if not a little husky, teeth gently tugging against the lobe of Sam’s ear.

sam So please please please, let me get what I want this time "T-the Gods here are...are..." Sam frowned at the altar some more. "...They d-don't like me. They tried to hurt me, once."  Truthfully in his mind he had some far more colourful words for the deities beyond the shrine, but didn't dare to utter them when he was so close. Maybe Remi wasn't worried about Phoebe, but Sam had always been greatly concerned with other people's opinions of him. True, Phoebe had no power to stop him doing anything or to hurt him, but she might tell people. She was a teenager, and he knew more than most that they were prone to gossip and bullying. But while Remi was injured, it wasn't the time for an argument neither of them could do anything about. He was taken totally off guard as he was pressed up against a wall, a gasp escaping him. Sam knew what his hands wanted to do, how his body wanted to lean up into Remi's and encourage him to bite further down, the feel of teeth on him intoxicating. For a second he nearly gave into the temptation, hands shakily reaching up to cup the back of Remi's head as he closed his eyes-- But no. This was exactly what had happened last time, and now it was in an even more public place. Sam gently took ahold of Remi's shoulders and pushed him back, shaking his head. "..R-Remi. I am...flattered. That you w..wish to touch me so ba-badly. But we really must wait. An...anyone could see this, and you are hurt. Let's...go outside."

laughing like children, living like lovers & I guess that's why they call it the blues. “Mmmmmm.” The alchemist intoned with an understanding nod. “I too had a rather...unpleasant run in with one of them here.” As he pressed his wounded body gently against’s Sam’s, a smile curled onto his lips as he felt the man’s tentative fingers beginning to sift in through his curls. His tongue began to gently accentuate the touch of his teeth, until Sam suddenly pulled away, pushing Remi back. Luckily the alchemist’s emotional flinch in reaction to this was hidden by the physical flinch of pain he felt, and though his eyes had briefly squeezed shut they snapped back open searching Sam’s face as he spoke. Flattered. That you which to touch me. Anyone could see. Remi swallowed. He had been in a more or less secret relationship once. It had been unspoken, but Loren seemed quite satisfied with not having Remi speak—or really look at him, in public. Perhaps that was because of Northaven’s laws, but this wasn’t Northaven. This was a world where such things were fine. Where he could kiss who he wanted to, wherever he wanted to. But Sam’s hands on his shoulders were as clear a signal as the bookmaker had ever given, and something inside of Remi’s thawing and slowly rebuilding heart coiled and cried out with a fresh sort of agony that even his wounded body couldn’t match. Proportionately Remi was still the more experienced of the two, but that didn’t mean he was so confident in himself that he didn’t need reassurances as well. That he didn’t want to feel wanted as well. “Of course.” Remi said, the brightness of his smile casting a further darkness on the wound newly opened inside. “Is that blanket for me? I think I might like it.” If Sam handed it over, Remi would wrap it around his shoulders, biting the inside of his lip at the juxtaposition of cold cloth against him rather than the warm body he had hoped for. “Are you ready for LongNight?” The alchemist asked conversationally.

sam So please please please, let me get what I want this time Sam felt guilty as soon as he saw Remi's flinch, but the other man seemed...alright. He wasn't sure if he should regret pushing him away or not; on one hand Remi could be hurt both physically and emotionally but the other...he could feel the ghost of heat on his cheeks as he looked about to see if anyone had seen. It wasn't shame, not quite, more just a sense of what was right and proper. He obediently passed Remi the blanket and followed him outside, making sure Remi got sat down on the bench there before he did. There was a sense of something unsaid in the air, something that was making his throat feel clogged but...he didn't know how to break into it. The question distracted him from trying to think of phrasing. "...Well...um. I am a-always prepared at home, b-but I thought I might go to the..Rathskeller, since that's where my f-friends will be." It still sounded an odd sentence to come out of his mouth, Sam never having had the friends before to say such a thing. His eyes scanned the town around them, looked off into the distance; the Sam froze as he saw a flash of ginger hair not unlike his own at the end of a far off street. He couldn't focus well enough to tell if it was anyone he knew, but he still stiffened. After a moment, the figure moved around the corner and he relaxed, sighing and looking back to Remi. Somehow, the panic at the prospect of seeing his family had made him more confident in saying the difficult thing. "Remi. I d-don't want you to think I don't...want you. S-sexually. I do. Really." Trying to very much emphasise this point, he looked up and down Remi's body and smiled. "B-but. I am still...growing used to being out in p-public at all. If...when...a-anything like that happens. I wou-would like it to be. Just me and you."

laughing like children, living like lovers & I guess that's why they call it the blues. “Vai and I thought that being underground would probably be for the best. We gathered extra food for everyone as well ... hopefully if we are all together, it will be easier to keep everyone safe. I found two women out in the woods who hardly knew anything at all about LongNight and what to look out for.” Chewing his lip, the alchemist sighed wearily. His current condition would render him all but useless if something untoward were to happen during the upcoming week, and that too was frustrating. Remi’s pale gaze fell on the side of Sam’s face as the older man looked off into the distance, the alchemist assuming that, not for the first time, Sam was merely looking to see who was around. Who might see them. He blinked sadly, sighing inwardly. Turning his head towards Sam as he began speaking, Remi’s brows furrowed with slight confusion as Sam spoke into the worries the alchemist had just been thinking. But it was already too late; darkness and doubt had already clenched that soft and vulnerable place inside of himself, and all Remi could do was smile sadly and nod. Sam’s eyes on him felt placating and disingenuous. Rubbing his hands across his eyes, Remi took a breath. “No of course. You are right. I should not have. “ He said ever submissive, already resigning the spark of hope he thought he felt at being able to just be. Years of repressing who he was and what he wanted, and now he felt like he was being told to do the same again. Of course it wasn’t that as all, Sam’s request was more than reasonable, more than understandable. But that didn’t still the way Remi wanted to make a fist, or to slam a clawed hand against the bench and scour the wood with his claws. Instead, he just wrapped the blanket around himself and took a deep breath of cold air. “How are things at your new shop?” Remi asked, eager to ignore the gnawing sensation in his stomach and move on to lighter subjects.

sam So please please please, let me get what I want this time Sam nodded - he had too found people who seemed to know nothing of the danger coming. He hoped he would not see Outlanders dead in the streets after Longnight, but it seemed like a forgone conclusion at this point. Hopefully most of them would make it somewhere safe. He felt his comforting words had had their effect, from the way Remi welled up then seemed to accept them. Maybe he wasn't so awful at interacting with people at all! Remi wrapped the blanket tight around himself and Sam softly placed an arm over the back of the bench with his hand resting on the back of Remi's neck, lightly stroking his hair. "Th-they're alright. It hasn't been too b-busy, but...I think pe-people just don't like coming out in D-deepfrost. I got a c-cat and..." Sam trailed off as he looked again into the distance. The one figure from before was now three, two taller and one shorter; and this time he definitely recognised them. For a second he braced himself as if to jump up, but then looked to Remi. He couldn't leave him here. Sam made a noise that might have been the beginnings of a word, but found himself unable to make a coherent sound as he locked eyes with his father.

The Wordsworth family had not forgotten about their son. No, nothing so indifferent; he was a regular disappointing topic of conversation for their parents and a conflict for his sister, who had never been sure how to feel about it. But they did not usually have to see him in person, be reminded of their choice and the things they had done (or, as they liked to frame it, see what new shame he was bringing).

They were coming to the infirmary to pick up some medicine for Samuel's father, just a routine trip. The whole family had come so they could go for a meal afterwards. But none of them expected to see Sam outside the temple, especially not on a bench with someone they didn't recognise. The Sam they knew was meek, shy, hardly stepped out of his house or tiny stall. He didn't have friends. Even more so, he didn't have friends who he touched like that.

Evie leaned up to whisper something in her father's ear, some gossip or information she knew, but then seemed quite keen to simply walk past and into the infirmary. Sam's mother just watched, her copper hair tied back into a tight bun matching the rest of her, all neat and prim.

As always, his father (a tall man with brown hair and a fierce glare with the same grey-blue as Sam's eyes) saw something he did not understand and reacted with anger. Marching over to the shaking Sam, he gestured roughly at them both. "You think we let you out to be independent so you could do this? Who even is this? Evie says he's an Outlander. Have you really gotten so low?"

laughing like children, living like lovers & I guess that's why they call it the blues. Sam’s fingers against the back of his neck might as well have been a slap in the face. Had he really been so solely focused on himself, that he couldn’t see that Sam was giving him everything that he could? Shame spread across the alchemist’s features as his mind idly worried away the past few moments—even the day before in his room—wondering what it was that had come over him. When had he become so demanding? So sexually needy? He didn’t even know what he felt for Sam, and yet he felt rebuked simply because the bookmaker didn’t feel comfortable with Remi’s advances in public. Leaning back into the soft touch, Remi smiled. “Thank you for coming again today.” He whispered gently, leaning his shoulder slightly against Sam’s. “A cat?” Remi repeated, a delighted smile spreading across his features. He thought perhaps Sam was trailing off to be mysterious until he realized that the man’s steely-blue eyes were locked upon a trio wandering down the pathway. “Mm?” Remi hummed encouragingly, not hearing the almost-word his friend had not-quite said. “Sam, wh—“ He began, feeling the bookmaker shake and tense abruptly at his side. Pale sea-glass green eyes fell on the man approaching—his resemblance to Sam obvious—save for the utter lack of a smile on his face. Remi might have sat up slightly straighter if he had the muscles for it, but he was held back by both his body and 20 years of conditioning. Jigano had said that the class system he came from did not exist here, and yet the implication in the man’s voice was obvious. The alchemist wanted to reach out and take Sam’s hand, but he could only assume that would make matters worse. Remi couldn’t tell if do this was meant being with a man, or being with anyone in general (outlander or not?), and so he was at a loss for how he might help his friend navigate these waters.