[PQ] rewrite the stars

the wounds are open and bleeding out

Ronin waits at the top of the Barrows where the stone altar stands to Vi and Safrin. Above, the clouds are thick and brooding, promising a starless night come dusk. Still, the offerings on display at the altar are as pristine now as they were when they were placed there however long ago, untouched by time or by decay.

The Huntsman is happy to provide the stars where there are none, at least; he is surrounded by a halo of shooting stars as he awaits those who will join him to take care of the shrine. Uncharacteristically serious and with knuckles still wrapped from his previous encounter with a certain newly minted demigod, he doesn't expect Sunjata, at least, to be late.

---

This is a PQ to clean up the Vi/Safrin shrine at the Barrows!

1. Remi
2. Sunjata

THE

DARK STAR

Table coding by Sky

save your eyes for someone brighter than i will ever be

It really would be poor taste for him to not show up. That and he’s pretty sure he can’t handle another beating to his ribs. He’s healing, slowly, but it does make the trek to the shrine a bit more difficult – the Flood encasing his body with the edges of scales to help offer him a bit more support as he makes it to the ridge. A shrine he’s visited a few times, grown over, and Sunjata here forced to show up.

He works his jaw, taking what shallow breaths he can with an arm wrapped around his middle, staying silent because he thinks that’s certainly the best option – and it gives him more time to figure out what to tell Safrin when it comes down to it. So he waits, keeping a bit of distance, steel gaze casting on Ronin briefly before it cuts away to the shrine, awaiting the instructions.

don't hesitate to bring me to my knees

SUNJATA

aúsi, nos paramas // & still we stand

Set jaws and unhappy stares seem to be the theme of this meeting; a memo which the alchemist appears to have received. Looking appropriately unhappy having endured his meeting with Nate, his steps are slow and methodical lest he further antagonizes the bruises between his legs. With a fleeting look towards Sunjata, the Lullaby keeps caged the words that linger on his tongue. See, Ronin? He's learning. Remi finds he even offers the other man a brief nod as he passes, though unsurprisingly he has eyes only for Ronin.

I hate everyone and everything except for you. He whispers soundlessly, offering his husband a look that's both pained and infuriated. Despite his strength, being the bIgGeR MaN no longer came as easily to Remi as it once did when he was weak. But, this wasn't about him, and so he forcibly makes himself exhale the breath growing hot and stale in his lungs, pulsing affirmation to his husband that he was up for this.

THE

LULLABY

Table coding by Sky

the wounds are open and bleeding out

For as frosty as his greeting is to Sunjata (Ronin doesn't offer him even so much as a nod), he's as comparatively warm to Remi. It feels like he hasn't seen his husband in years, even though it can't have been more than a handful of hours, and he holds his shooting stars still so he can step up and press a wordless kiss against the Lullaby's cheek. I feel the same way. I'll have to kiss you better all over later, he sends back through their bond, before releasing a long sigh and stepping back.

"We'll start off easy. Things tend to grow quickly during Flowerbirth, so this place is a bit overgrown. Let's clean it up." A light bit of weeding. What could possibly go wrong? So saying, Ronin reaches down into the bag he's brought with supplies in it and takes out a few things they may or may not have use for; shears, gloves, that sort of thing. For the Huntsman, though, his talons do the work.

---

First round is a light bit of weeding around the shrine. EZPZ, right?

No post order!

THE

DARK STAR

Table coding by Sky

save your eyes for someone brighter than i will ever be

He is a bit surprised when Remi offers him a nod, but he’ll take it. It’s better than the alternative, after all – and perhaps this little switcharoo might actually allow the Flood the moment to get along with Remi again. Of course, all depending on how it went back home with Nate. For now, though, Sunjata returns the nod and remains silent still, carefully eyeing the starbolts that surround Ronin – wondering if he’s trying to compensate for something.

Tasks are given out, however, and Sunjata only offers a nod, moving quite gingerly to grab a pair of shears and a hand shovel, unable to reach into that part of himself that would otherwise shift his hands into something else. So he sinks down at the edge of the shrine where the weeds are at the furthest point from Ronin, and he gets to work digging and clipping, working his jaw with the twists and sparks of pain the movement cause his ribs.

---

Sunjata starts weeding!

don't hesitate to bring me to my knees

SUNJATA

aúsi, nos paramas // & still we stand

Just now Remi's frustration and annoyance is so resplendent that his husband's offer of full-body kisses has his snarl only lessening by a few degrees. What he wants is to be like the blight of a few years prior, decimating all that it came into contact with. Instead, he merely clenches his teeth together and nods steadily in Ronin's direction, knowing that once they were together and alone, all would be well.

"Weeding." The Lullaby says, glancing around. "Had I known, I might have brought some sheep." Whether this was an attempt at humour or if Remi was just being Remi hardly mattered. Like the other two, it was with beastial abilities that he completed his task. Unlike the dragons though, Remi extended limbs covered in dexterous suckers, which he splayed out into the grasses, grasping everything within reach, only to pull upwards. Looking like some mouldy octopus, the alchemist will take direction from the Huntsman about where the weeds should be piled.

THE

LULLABY

Table coding by Sky

the wounds are open and bleeding out

Ask him, Jata, and he'll surely reply for you, though you might not like the answer. (Maybe he's compensating for not digging a grave, throwing you in it and calling it an offering). Going about his task with deep concentration lest he pay too much attention to the Flood and shove him over like a child, Remi's methods of working do, at least, bring a smirk to his face. He goes about after them, directing here and there and gathering the pulled grasses and weeds into a large sack so it can be used for compost elsewhere.

"Much better," he rumbles. "Alright, the offerings here never decay, so this is an unconventional cleaning. But I'm sure our efforts will be appreciated..." Won't they?

---

Round 2! Ronin suggests cleaning the shrine. He's brought:

Vases to arrange the plants and flowers (1 person)
Tools to scrape away melted wax from any spent candles (1 person)
Cleaning equipment to scrub the altar (1 person)

Choose a task, no posting order!

THE

DARK STAR

Table coding by Sky

save your eyes for someone brighter than i will ever be

Honestly, he doesn’t want to ask. So instead, he focuses on his work, on pulling the weeds, on huffing quietly when he goes to stand – waiting for the next task as he wraps an arm around his ribs, gaze dropped to the offerings on the shrine as if he’s mentally calculating which thing to clean first. As for appreciation, there’s a part of him that knows better than to use his magic, given to him by Frey, on Safrin’s shrine…

But it’s still cleaning and it’s still an effort to clean it, and therefore it should count, right?

“Vases.” Sunjata rumbles quietly, staking his claim, and moving to gently take the flowers to arrange them and pick each vase, using his magic to create a bit of water to clean off the flowers from any wayward pollen or dirt that might have stuck to its petals. And despite it never decaying, it can’t hurt to have a little bit of water in the base of them, now could it?

---

Sunjata picks arranging the flowers in the vases!

don't hesitate to bring me to my knees

SUNJATA

aúsi, nos paramas // & still we stand

This is where things become tricky. Volunteering to help scrape away the wax, Remi is torn between doing so by gouging his talons into the stone and carving away every last bit of wax there is (because Safrin is a heinous bitch), or completing his task gently (because he loves his husband).

Running his tongue along his teeth as Remi stares at piles of melted purple and gold, he sighs and retracts his tentacles. Opting for one of Ronin's tools instead of his claws just to be safe, the Lullaby hunkers over the stone and begins to scrape away the wax with jerky and upset strokes. Unlike Jata who is pondering Frey and Safrin what they might make of this, Remi is mentally cursing Safrin, Ludo, and all the rest of them, wondering how he had wound up the demigod of the herald of death, only to be constantly scolding for being too murdery.

---

Remi scrapes wax

THE

LULLABY

Table coding by Sky

the wounds are open and bleeding out

Ronin, at least, has no thoughts at all about any of the gods except Safrin, and they certainly aren't curse worthy ones. There needs to be someone here to wax lyrical about the gods, after all, and this was Ronin's idea, so it's in a peaceful sort of silence that he gets to work. Digging out the moss from between the altar stones and scrubbing at them with a rough bristled brush and soapy water, he follows after his husband's wax scraping to complete the work.

"Thank you," he murmurs softly to Remi, his fingers brushing over the Lullaby's shoulders and the back of his neck, injecting as much affection through the touch as he can. Having completed their tasks and with the vases prettily arranged, Ronin steps back and digs in his bag once more.

"Here - this should help keep things neat from now on." He's produced a collection of star spangled saucers, as well as gold and white candles for them to sit upon. "Could you set these up? I'll light them afterwards." he says, offering Remi the purple and Sunjata the white, and splitting the saucers between them.



Round 3! Please plonk your candles onto the saucers.

THE

DARK STAR

Table coding by Sky

save your eyes for someone brighter than i will ever be

He’s careful to make sure the vases look as good as possible, the last thing he needs is to be cursed, after all. So he focuses intensely on his task, ignoring that Ronin and Remi are there despite hearing the scraping of moss and wax from the shrine’s altar, and when he’s done arranging them there’s a part of him that thinks his mother would have been proud with the arrangement. After all, he’d learned a thing or two from her own garden.

That’s beside the point, though, because the vases are arranged and Sunjata steps back, silent as ever with his arm around his middle yet again, his gaze finding Ronin despite his expression being unreadable. He takes the candle when offered and steps up to grab the starry saucers, and gets to work placing his candle on his saucer.

---

Sunjata plonks his candle on the saucer!

don't hesitate to bring me to my knees

SUNJATA

aúsi, nos paramas // & still we stand

Wishing suddenly that he still had his raccoon shift that he might just fold himself around the back of Ronin's neck and remain there until Sunjata left and the stars bled away into morning, Remi is forced instead to simply return Ronin's pulse of affection with a sigh.

Rising and dusting non-existent dirt from his hands, Remi glances at Ronin and his bag, wondering what the Huntsman would pull out next. Glitter? Sparkles? Scratch and sniff stickers? "Mmm." The Lullaby agrees with an inarticulate grunt, accepting the saucer and candle. Eyeing the former for a moment as if considering whether or not he could break it between his fingers (he could) and whether he should (he absolutely should not), Remi places his pairing in one of the corners where Ronin's flame might light up the shadows that lingered.

THE

LULLABY

Table coding by Sky

the wounds are open and bleeding out

If only Remi could still be a raccoon, then he could climb into Ronin's bag and stay there until everything was finished. Alas, he'd only be in the company of cleaning supplies, gardening tools and excess candles, but oh well. Waiting until all the candles are placed on their saucers, the Huntsman steps forward with phoenix feather-tipped fingers, using them to pinch the candle wicks to life as he circles the altar.

In no time at all they are burning merrily, casting Ronin in a warm yet eerie light. "I know how things are with you, Remi, so I'll not ask for a prayer. But if you have anything to offer Safrin and Vi, feel free. Sunjata, though..." He raises his eyebrows, obviously expecting much more from the Flood.

"I'll be asking for an audience with the Lady herself between Jata and I, once we are done. So if you want to stay, stay. But I'll also understand if not."

---

Final round! Ronin asks for prayers/offerings for the shrine now that it is all spick and span. He also tells Remi that he can feel free to leave afterwards if he needs to, as Ronin will be calling on Safrin.

THE

DARK STAR

Table coding by Sky

save your eyes for someone brighter than i will ever be

The candles are lit and Sunjata keeps his distance, eyes on the flame, arms to himself, feeling both entirely exposed and fragile because he doesn’t have the things at his disposal he once had to hide away from. He doesn’t have his ability to feel powerful anymore. But he does have the hope that Frey was right in saying that he’d be safe with them from the betrayal he’d done to Safrin.

His gaze flickers to Ronin when he speaks and when the blue gaze of the Huntsman meet his own, Sunjata can’t help the twitch of a frown that tugs at his scarred face. He doesn’t have much, not by means of offerings because he certainly thought he was the offering Ronin had intended to use, and despite the fact he doesn’t want to be here, he hadn’t intended on bringing much by means of his own offerings.

But what he does have is a little charm, a little bracelet that he and Kamaria had worked on during LongNight, and he steps forward to set the little starry, beaded, childlike charm among the candles and flowers and steps back in silence, awkward and a bit demoralized.

---

Sunjata places a starry charm made by Kamaria and him on the shrine for his offering

don't hesitate to bring me to my knees

SUNJATA