[SE] hark the heralds

RONIN

"I don't know. Probably some bullshit about living and learning," Ronin mutters, though his own moodiness is clouding any response he might give at the moment. And their argument threatens to brew further, the Huntsman's brow furrowing as he glances up at Remi at last, tilting his head.

"Sorry, when I was trying to show you that I cared you got up and walked away," he points out, feeling small and tired and stupid, sitting at the table in his underwear, trying to navigate giving a fuck about his friend dying and his husband being jealous of it. "And it's not like you gave almost dying the weight it deserves, just flinging it out mid-conversation."

Sitting back in his seat suddenly, it feels more like stormclouds are brewing overhead than snow. "I'm sorry," he says slowly, keeping his eyes pressed shut and fighting to wrestle back his worry and his frustration. "It's been a long day, and I just... I'm not coping well, I don't think."

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

the lullaby

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

"Well fuck me for not wanting to be crammed onto your lap and having my feelings swept under the rug with an offer of dinner." Remi snaps back far more sourly than he means. 'And maybe if I didn't feel like I had to rush through everything on my mind with you all the time, I wouldn't have had to fling it out.' He adds, hearing the hurt and anger in his voice and being helpless to stop himself.

Really, everyone should just stop talking. No drinking coffee, just going straight to bed.

"I'm going to go cover the wood." He says, shoving back his chair hard enough to jostle the table and nearly spill his coffee. Petulantly, he doesn't bother to put his clothes back on, because he's upset and because doing so would detract from his storming out. So out into the blizzard he goes, with only his underwear and his poor communication skills to keep him warm.

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN

"Oh well that's news to me," Ronin begins, not having been aware that apparently there are more problems bubbling under the surface of their relationship that haven't been spoken about - again. "Hey--!" Before he can so much as try to continue the conversation, Remi is jostling and storming his way out of the boat. And Ronin, whose coffee has not yet been touched, gets a lap full of it instead.

It's really hot. Remi will doubtlessly hear that echoing through the door as he leaves, though not in so many words.

However long the other man is gone, by the time he returns he'll find the table wiped down and the floor mopped up, Ronin's empty mug left on the counter. As for the Huntsman, he's taken the hint that both of them perhaps should have done right at the beginning, curled up beneath the furs in bed.

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

the lullaby

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

Blinded by the testosterone flooding his system that reassures him in no uncertain terms that he's right, Remi ignores the colourful curses emanating from the houseboat as he flies to the shore. Demigod or not, it's cold, and without shoes or bodyfat, this has to be one of the worst ways Remi could have chosen to sulk. Still, he said he'd cover the wood and by all the gods he fucking will, frostbite be damned.

Returning ten minutes or so later, Remi naively expects everything to be as he left it (or perhaps Ronin on his hands and knees grovelling for being an insensitive prick), so when he finds the houseboat empty save for a husband-shaped lump in the bed, Remi has every intention of declaring that he's going to clean the hull and to prepare for some bumpy fucking seas. Before he can, there is a sudden tug of one of his curls, followed by what feels like a stick poked directly into his eye. In his mind, Oria looms large even as her petite frame crawls down his forehead to pull out an eyelash. Fine! Point made. Remi thinks grumpily, swatting his hands at her and snarling in the direction of his bed.

Stripping off his underwear if only because they're properly soaked now, Remi crawls into bed making no attempt to be quite or gentle as he does so (asshole). Flopping down on his side and making sure to ball up as far from Ronin as was possible while still being under the blankets, the alchemist glares at the wall and tries not to shiver.

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN

Of course it was never going to last long after that. Ronin is all prepared to quietly implode on himself for the night when it looks as if Remi is going to do little more than petulantly snarl at the bed, but even as he jostles his way beneath the covers, he's there. And that's easier to deal with than laying awake until sunrise hoping that the Lullaby is alright, so it's no surprise really, that it only takes a few minutes before he's shifting to roll over, reaching out to let his fingers softly graze against Remi's shoulder.

"I'm an idiot," he whispers. "Suffering from an extreme case of bruised pride. I think the coffee solved it though, if you can forgive me?" And even if Remi still wants to be angry, he'll at least find his husband a warm and pliable sleeping companion, rather than a tense ball of irritation.

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

the lullaby

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

Remi might have ignored his husband's apology were it not for the fingers that softly brushed against his shoulder. The Huntsman's questioning of himself and his abilities cut through Remi's sullenness like a hot knife through butter, parting away the section of himself that was hurt and shielding itself with anger from the part that could empathize and understand what Ronin was feeling.

Rolling over, his expression soft and his body freezing, Remi sighs as he smiles. "I'm an idiot as well." Sliding across the bed, the Lullaby settles himself where he normally slept: mostly on Ronin's side and pressed tightly against the Huntsman's side. "You saved Sunjata's life today. More than once, I should think. And we can train together if you think that would help, but...that thing..." Remi pulls in a breath and shakes his head gently. "I don't think you failed. I think you showed us just what we're actually up against."

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN

"We can be each other's idiots," Ronin says, smiling back at Remi only for it to suddenly dawn on him how cold the Lullaby is. "I never thought you'd take my breath away quite like this," he hisses, not that it stops him from wrapping his arms around his husband, more than happy to share his warmth. Only as Remi speaks again does Ronin relax, nosing into his curls.

"I can always do better. I think I'd gotten complacent, before that thing," he admits in a whisper, letting his fingers trickle down the length of Remi's spine. "And I don't think you are wrong, to feel how you do," he says. "Not that I wouldn't choose you every single time - but it's the first time all of us have been together since that dream. It's not so surprising that it brought everything back."

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

the lullaby

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

Remi chuckles quietly, reaching out a hand to slip it menacingly beneath one of Ronin's arms and sliding a foot up one of Ronin's legs. "Oh?" He hums, thawing both inside and out.

" To be fair, other than fighting each other...it isn't like we get much practice." Remi points out, finding himself pressing a kiss against his husband's throat without even realizing he was doing it. "I know you would." He mumbles, nosing Ronin's collarbones. "And of course I would want you to make sure Sunjata was alright, to keep him safe." The Huntsman would feel Remi's honesty through their bond, even as the alchemist sighed and shook his head. "I don't know why I feel so insecure about us when it comes to him, but I do, and I'm sorry for it. I thought I was past what happened." He admits, sounding both sad and guilty. "The jealousy goes both ways, though. I think part of it is missing having someone like that, the way you two have each other." Remi's relationship with Isla was now strained at best if only because of who and what they were, but even before that things had ground to a halt. As for anyone else? Remi just...didn't like anyone else that much.

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN

Ronin doesn't snarl or growl or squeak (thank fuck), but he definitely holds his breath as Remi's freezing hands and feet go roaming across his body. "It's fine," he grates out eventually, "I was feeling too warm anyway from where the coffee fell in my lap." If he says it enough, it'll be true right? Right? Grumbling a note of agreement that becomes much more like a purr as the kiss is pressed against his throat, his hand splays against Remi's lower back now, to keep him clasped close.

"It's okay not to be over it," he murmurs. "And while I can't just... never see my friend, at least I can keep that in mind now that I know. Now that we both know." Smiling against the Lullaby's curls, Ronin shifts a little so he might properly tangle himself up with the other man.

"Are you suggesting that we need to open up your friend group again?" he asks. "Because I bet there are a bunch of people in the Greatwood you could go and hang out with. Or do we need to invite Ianto over?"

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

the lullaby

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

Cringing, Remi raises his head. "It fell? On its own with nothing to do with me storming out?" He asks sounding hopeful, despite his grimace which suggests he already knows what Ronin's answer will be.

"And I would never want that. I want you to be friends, and I want you to protect him and keep him safe." Sighing and pressing his cold nose into the hollow of Ronin's throat, Remi smiles despite himself. "Honestly, if you asked me right now I'm not even sure what I would say you could have done differently. We were being attacked by that thing and three landsharks. It wasn't like there was much time for talking."

They'd been married for years now. Ronin had always been faithful. He had a tattoo for Remi on his heart for gods sake.

'Definitely not Ianto.' Remi mumbles, enjoying the tactile feel of his lips against the scruff on his husband's chin.

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN

"It was an accident," Ronin soothes, neither confirming nor denying that the coffee had fallen off the table all by itself. Because angry or not, he imagines that if Remi had intended to scald him, he'd have thrown the coffee at him with his own two hands rather than relying on a table and gravity. "I'm not so sure he's safe right now, but there's not much either of us can do about that," he admits, grinning and trying not to squirm at the cold press of a nose against his throat.

"Oh, there's a lot I could have done differently," he says softly. "We could have stayed closer together, we could have rotated our shifts to keep ourselves moving and to make ourselves smaller targets, we could have discussed strategy beforehand..." Ronin shrugs. What's done is done, but as always, he'll roll the encounter over and over in his mind now for days.

Smirking, he nods gently. "Not Ianto, then. I'll put up posters and ask if anyone wants to be your friend, maybe. But either way, you've always got me." As if to prove his point, Ronin wiggles enough that he might steal a quick kiss from the alchemist's lips. "Do you want to get some sleep yet?"

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

the lullaby

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

"I'm sorry." The alchemist murmurs guiltily. "My hands are still plenty cold if your lap needs cooling off.' He offers cheekily, his smile growing quite crooked.

"No? Why? He said things were going rather well for him when I saw him before all of this." Was it just because of Haai? Frowning and tilting his head, Remi can think of little they might be able to do for the Flood if only because of the difficulty of Nate. I thought Sunjata was stronger, Remi thinks, his uncertainty about the Flood's performance warbling colourlessly through their bond. Tensing his jaw and letting his thoughts bounce back and forth in his mind, Remi exhales and forces himself to relax.

Smirking to imagine what might go on such a poster (pros of friendship: tbd), Remi happily allows himself to be kissed, sinking into the warmth that his husband's kiss inspires. "I think that's probably for the best." He agrees, stifling a yawn behind one hand and hooking one ankle over Ronin's legs.

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

RONIN

"I'd like that, but my lap will probably protest," Ronin admits with a lopsided smile, nuzzling against Remi's curls and closing his eyes. "Perhaps you can convince me in the morning if I'm still feeling too hot," he suggests. He might be a little less sore at that point - the coffee had been pretty boiling. "Oh, I just meant that we've let him go now, and we both know he's not going to be okay," he admits.

He doesn't have the same sort of broiling thoughts about Sunjata as Remi does, but then that's probably for the best. One of them can think logically about the Flood while the other worries about the here and now. And regardless, it's nothing that sleep won't make feel a hundred times better. "I was hoping you'd say that," Ronin mumbles, settling bonelessly against the pillows. "I love you. I'd like all our fights to be in our underwear from now on please."

That's pretty much the last bit of sense (if you can call it that) Remi will get out of the Huntsman, Ronin quickly falling into a deep and exhausted sleep.

It doesn't stop him from waking fairly early, though. The blizzard has stopped, leaving the Greatwood as a veritable winter wonderland, and Ronin has bundled up as best he can in a coat and two scarves, peeping out of the windows at the knee high snow out on the banks. "I'm gonna clear us a path, Remi," he says. "At least we'll be able to find our way home then."

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

the lullaby

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

"What if we just put a bunch of food colouring on the snow ontop of our houseboat? Then we can see it from above." Remi suggests, lacing up his boots with a yawn. He'll leave the snow-clearing to Ronin (assuming his husband plans on just shifting and melting it all), and focus instead on making sure that there was no ice welling up on the hull of their home.

"You know what our house needs?" The alchemist muses, wrapping a scarf (one of Ronin's, of course) around his neck. "Music." For both inside and outside. It would certainly make chores like the one they were about to do seem much more pleasant.

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!