all's well that ends

run away and take me with you

They walk in silence, but that isn't to say that there's not a thousand things going through Ronin's mind. His coat is open and his arm is still firmly around Remi, as if the alchemist is lost and he's guiding him home. Which may or may not be true - they can't get to the Greatwood right now, not without one of them parting from the other (and that's not something he's willing to do), and so their old apartment above the alchemy shop will have to do.

The bell above the door chimes as Ronin leads them inside, the Huntsman raising his eyebrows at the state of the shop floor. (It's almost entirely wild by now, filled with seedlings and saplings and some sentient vines that come to say hello). Mateo has been busy, that much is clear, but Ronin doesn't have time to congratulate their son's green fingers. "Upstairs," he directs Remi with a small smile. "It's been a while since we were here, but I think we'll manage.

don't let go, i need your rescue
 

RONIN

REMI

the alchemist

Walk me home in the dead of night,
'Cause I can't be alone with all that's on my mind

It's still fairly early, all things considered, and so the streets that they meander down are not as empty as Remi would have liked. Anyone who meets his eye line receives a glare for their trouble, though in that moment should someone decide to throw a punch his way, he'd let them. And gladly.

There's something soothing about the chaos inside the shop. The vitality of what Mateo has created very much discourages violence if only because there's so much life here. "Do...you think the boys knew?" He asks, voice dry and head pounding. "..what do you think..." It's unclear what the Lullaby is asking, and as he mounts the steep spiral stairs he merely shakes his head.

Entering into a kitchen that appears only to have been used to collect water, Remi shrugs out of his jacket and deposits it on a chair covered in dust. Rubbing a hand up the side of his face and leaning into the pressing of his palm, the alchemist sighs wearilay. "Gods but he gets under my skin."

So say you'll stay with me tonight.
'Cause there is so much wrong going on outside

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

run away and take me with you

Ronin's projection steps out of him to meander into the bedroom, preparing the bed and the sheets for when the two men inevitably collapse in there later. For now, though, he sheds his coat and follows Remi into the kitchen, draping it over the top of the Lullaby's garment, and moves to search the cupboards for any remnants they might be able to use for a drink. Wine is the only thing leftover, it seems, and that will have to do.

"I think the boys were aware there was something wrong, but... I wouldn't say they knew much more than that. They were more interested in themselves," he says softly, both unwilling to lie but also unable not to offer some comfort to his husband. After pouring a generous measure of wine into two glasses, Ronin abandons them on the counter and turns instead to slip his arms around Remi.

Unlike the bathroom, there is nothing immediately suggestive or sexual in the gesture; the Huntsman's fingers slip into Remi's curls, as if he can tease out the frustration and the pounding in his mind from there. "I know he does. I'm sorry I left you in there with him - we never have to do that again."

don't let go, i need your rescue
 

RONIN

REMI

the alchemist

Walk me home in the dead of night,
'Cause I can't be alone with all that's on my mind

Though Remi both knows it to be true and wouldn't ask Ronin to lie to him, still his shoulders slump in guilty recognition. "Fuck." He huffs, glancing around their old kitchen with all the familiarity of a man inspecting a dream.

"It isn't your fault." And really, it wasn't. Remi was an adult who ought to have been able to manage terce silence with Finn, if nothing else. He could also have left the table at any time. Instead, he chose to stay. He continued to needle and try and carve an opening the Spyglass that he could fit himself into. In the end, he'd come away with nothing more than a bloody tissue.

Stretching his arms around Ronin's shoulders to tighten their embrace, the alchemist leans his forehead against his husband's shoulders. "You and October seemed to be having a nice time. I am glad for that, at least." He mumbles, meaning the words despite his dry tone.

So say you'll stay with me tonight.
'Cause there is so much wrong going on outside

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

run away and take me with you

"I should still have been there. I promised you I would be," Ronin murmurs, his voice muffled against the kisses he's pressing against Remi's curls. His arms tighten around the other man as well, clasping him close as if he might be able to prop him up against the stress that the night has caused. "Oh, you know me. I could have a conversation with an empty room and come away happy," he remarks with a smile, which isn't to say that he didn't enjoy his time with Tobi, but it's hardly something that he can't go without.

"What happened?" he dares to ask eventually, reaching out with one hand to snag his wine glass, taking a generous sip and offering it out to Remi. "I know I don't really understand what is between you, but I... how did it escalate so quickly?"

don't let go, i need your rescue
 

RONIN

REMI

the alchemist

Walk me home in the dead of night,
'Cause I can't be alone with all that's on my mind

Snorting at his husband's lyrical way with words, Remi fondly rolls his eyes and tries to grab hold of the fleeting feeling of okayness Ronin's wit inspired. It felt like reaching out for mist, where every swipe of his fingers simply dissipated what he was so desperately searching for, making the darkness on the other side all the more clear.

Finding it a shame that they couldn't get drunk the way they used to, Remi accepts the wine and takes a similarly large sip. "I...almost do not remember. I brought up the relic and he asked why I did not wait for the Order to organize the trek." The alchemist shrugs his shoulders, Ronin already knowing his reasons for not waiting. "Then...he asked what we were doing in the bathroom when I said that there was no ghost, and I told him." From there, things had taken a swift turn. "He bit the inside of his cheek hard enough to bloody his lip, talked about the death of his mother, and being a prostitute." Remi recalls with a bitter laugh. Any one of those things might have gotten him riled, but all three in such a short amount of time?

Scoffing, Remi heaves out a breath. "Then he told me to go fuck myself and left, throwing his bloody napkin at me." It was a one-sided retelling to be sure, but Ronin knew the alchemist well enough to assume he'd given as much as he'd got.

So say you'll stay with me tonight.
'Cause there is so much wrong going on outside

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

run away and take me with you

Ronin leaves the wine glass with Remi to enjoy, more than content to pour them more if he needs to, and as he gives his (biased, granted) explanation, the Huntsman lets his fingers tease through the Lullaby's hair. "That sounds quite dramatic," he remarks softly, finishing the braid he's started in Remi's curls and sighing. "Though I'm not sure admitting to having sex in his bathroom was the way to go." With a wry smile, he gives Remi a nudge.

"I don't think I have ever seen anyone bring all the worst parts out of you in the way that Finn does," he admits, dropping a soft and gentle kiss against Remi's temple. "And I'm not sure it's something either of you is doing consciously, but it..." Pressing his lips together, he shrugs. "I think we can politely decline any future dinner invitations, put it that way," he murmurs.

don't let go, i need your rescue
 

RONIN

REMI

the alchemist

Walk me home in the dead of night,
'Cause I can't be alone with all that's on my mind

Remi, enduring the braiding like some mild-mannered horse, shrugs. "Well, he asked. Why would I lie?" Of course there were plenty of reasons to lie, and neither of them had to look very deep to know why Remi had decided to so baldly tell Finn the truth.

"I think it is intentional." He remarks mildly. "I just...don't know what either of us intends. And the worst part?" Straightening if only so that he might stare into Ronin's eyes, Remi's mangled hand tightens against the Huntsman's shoulder. "I felt bad when he stormed off. I tried to call him back, but it was too late." That they would make their excuses should another invite come their way has Remi nodding sadly. "I know I was not always like this...and I really thought I could hold it together tonight...I'm sorry, Ronin."

So say you'll stay with me tonight.
'Cause there is so much wrong going on outside

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

run away and take me with you

Raising his eyebrows at Remi, Ronin doesn't deign to give the other man an answer. There were a lot of reasons to lie, propriety and manners being at the forefront whilst they were in another person's home at a party, but he doesn't push it. There won't be another opportunity like the one that the stars so unfortunately aligned tonight, and so all he can hope is to try and put it in the past.

He has no idea where to even begin with Remi and Finn's relationship with one another (however weird it might be) being intentional, and so instead he snags the other wine glass and takes a long, necessary drink from it. Once he's set it back down again, he meets sad, seaglass eyes and absently begins to unbutton Remi's shirt. "You tried," he says softly. "And I will never be anything but proud of you for trying. It's all I can ask, and I think Mateo will understand." Maybe not now, but eventually.

"But gods, if I'm not glad to have you to myself again," he admits.

don't let go, i need your rescue
 

RONIN

REMI

the alchemist

Walk me home in the dead of night,
'Cause I can't be alone with all that's on my mind

Feeling as ashamed of himself as he was tired of having to constantly stretch towards meeting expectations he knew he'd always fall short of, Remi absently watches as Ronin coaxes his buttons open. "I will make it up to him." After the conversation he'd had with Mateo the Lullaby is fairly confident that the boy wouldn't understand. Or that at the very least, it couldn't simply be swept under the rug.

"Why? Because I cannot cause us any more problems when we're alone?" Remi asks with a bitter laugh, not realizing just how salty he was about the whole thing until the words left his lips. "Sorry, I did not mean that." He mumbles, before pressing a kiss softly against Ronin's cheek.

So say you'll stay with me tonight.
'Cause there is so much wrong going on outside

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

run away and take me with you

He will leave that between Mateo and Remi; their son could be surprisingly mature and understanding sometimes, and at other times he acted his age almost to a fault. They wouldn't know which one Remi would get until the topic of conversation is breached. Still, with his brow furrowing at the sudden whipcrack of the Lullaby's emotions, Ronin accepts the kiss to his cheek and slips his hands against Remi's bare chest.

"I was going to say it was because I like seeing you able to be yourself," he admits with a smile. "As fun as dinner parties might be, it's not as enjoyable when I know you can't be comfortable. Perhaps we'll have to host one ourselves, and you can be in control of the guest list."

don't let go, i need your rescue
 

RONIN

REMI

the alchemist

Walk me home in the dead of night,
'Cause I can't be alone with all that's on my mind

Groaning and feeling more like a grumpy old man than he ever thought would be possible at 27, Remi huffs out a laugh and shakes his head. "I think that guest list would be very short. Probably just you and Vai...Felix too, maybe." As for the rest of his friends? Phoebe had gotten married without so much as mentioning that she was dating someone, Isla sent him a vial of her fluid in what was likely meant to be a parting "go fuck yourself", and he and Finn would likely never be in the same room together ever again.

Pressing himself into the warm hands against his chest, the Lullaby hums thoughtfully. "Maybe we could have a dream party. I wonder if I could bring more than just one other down with us...who knows. Maybe if everyone knew it was not real things would go more smoothly." Or more chaotically, but at least there wouldn't be the same type of consequences.

So say you'll stay with me tonight.
'Cause there is so much wrong going on outside

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

run away and take me with you

"However short the guest list, it'll still be a good time," Ronin says, and he means it, letting his hands slide around the Lullaby now beneath his open shirt, relishing the heat rolling from his skin. "A dream party?" He raises his eyebrows, coaxing Remi to drift away from the counter now so he can walk them backwards towards the bedroom.

"I think that might be a decent idea, actually. We could also host something a little bigger, and just let people come and go as they please?" It wouldn't be dreamland, but it also wouldn't be an intimate affair. "Might let people see you're just a big pussy cat on the inside." A big murdery one, granted.

"Or," he adds, "we can just not. You and I can go on roadtrips instead, and we can visit all the places you've always wanted to see."

don't let go, i need your rescue
 

RONIN

REMI

the alchemist

Walk me home in the dead of night,
'Cause I can't be alone with all that's on my mind

Reaching for the bottle of wine and forgoing his glass, the alchemist glances toward his ceiling before giving his head a shake. "Ahh yes. That's me." He says of being just a big pussy cat. Glancing down where scar tissue snarls across his chest, he raises a skeptical brow.

'Mmm, and if it's a big enough gathering, maybe no one will notice if I just...disappear for a little while." He adds, pushing open their bedroom door with an outstretched hand that he might be able to keep his other twined around his husband.

"Speaking of roadtrips...I still think we should go to the Cordillera." Remi suggests with a wide smile. "It is almost my birthday after all."

So say you'll stay with me tonight.
'Cause there is so much wrong going on outside

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!