[seasonal event] blindsided

REXANNA they say that war is hell, but true hell begins when the battle ends — There was an honest laugh that escaped her lips at the imagery he painted and the knowledge of his age. She looked at him then with a wide, bright grin. “If old age is what claims me, I’ll outlive you old man” She teased with a wink sent his direction and another quiet chuckle. But as he began to speak of his home, her fingers continued their tracing — her soft fingers roving over his muscular figure. She tried to imagine the events and places he spoke of, but they all appeared to her as Halyven in its heyday. Arts and music and happy, vibrant people. But she enjoyed the image anyway, encouraging it to devour the very same city engulfed in flame and tumbling brick by brick. She nodded though, raising her other arm to rest on his chest and give her a place to rest her chin so she could more comfortably gaze at him. “I suppose people do what they have to in order to survive. Perhaps they mourn you and if you were to return you’d be some kind of martyr?” She added with a small crooked grin. If he was as famous and popular as he lead her to believe, it’d be nothing short of miraculous that he’d return. And with his reactions to her magic, she figured the people there didn’t harness it either. But she knew that he might like that answer, and it might put him a bit at ease if he were to return to that place he came from. “I think that hope is an immensely powerful thing. It’s something people can cling to despite everything that happens to them.” She nestled in a bit closer. “For the record, I hope you get to see your home again one day.” She offered with a kind smile — eyes dancing from his own dark gaze to his lips once again. “I’ll immensely miss your flair for the dramatics though.” She hummed to him with a smile, leaning ever so slightly closer into him. and you're the only one who's hands drip red. the real war rages in your heart; it always has.

"Ah! Everyone calls me old here. But I would challenge any of them to tell me I wasn't the most handsome man in the bubble!" He was mostly joking but there was a little bit of hurt pride in there. He had been called 'old' ever since he'd landed here by Edy and Phoebe and several others. Still, he knew Rexanna was only teasing so he laughed and rolled his eyes to show he wasn't seriously offended. Returning to Italy as a fresh version of Christ was definitely something that appealed to him. He could just see it now: coming down the stairs of the sanctuary clothed in gold and sparkling jewels with the sun hitting him just right, the people bowing to his feet and kissing his hands; thrilled to see their saviour return. Of course, they would have been worshipping his image for years and would immediately recognise him. "I hope that is the case, cara." It would certainly make all of his struggles here worth it. Bastien lifted his hand to gently stroke along Rexanna's jaw, considering her words. "Mmm. And I shall miss your charm and beauty. It is rare to meet a woman so fluid, so wonderfully made." He wasn't really sure how to sum up what it was he liked about Rexanna, but it was in her whole soul, the way she was as a person and not one single element. He pushed his fingers up into her hair and stroked down again, slowly letting the hair sift through. "Perhaps I should not wish so for home if it would mean losing the company of one such as you." Bastien Push back, push back, push back, With every word and every breath. What god doesn't give to you, You've got to go and get for yourself.

REXANNA they say that war is hell, but true hell begins when the battle ends — She grinned to him as he responded to her joke. “I’m not that much younger than you. You just have the option of throwing your wise experience around.” She added with a quiet chuckle. He wasn’t really that old, certainly not out of her realm of possibilities. Things just… were. He was older than she, born before her, but from a different world, so where did she really have any staying power? Perhaps when it came to being headstrong, which Bastien certainly was. She found it charming, regardless. But as she painted a picture for him, of returning like magic and those he had missed returning to stand by his side, she nodded lightly to him as he hoped it was the case. But that would mean leaving. And if given the opportunity, Rexanna would remain. She had nowhere else to go. His touch was feather light as he traced along her jaw, and her gaze remained on his face with the action though her lips twisted in a slightly crooked smile. “I’m honored.” She replied in her hummer, flirtatious tone. His hands moved again though, stroking her hair more and admitting that he might miss her and the people like her. She leaned into his touch slightly before she scooted closer so her face were inches from his own. “Perhaps the nostalgia of home is sufficient enough? To imagine rather than see?” Her voice was a near breathless whisper. “Less heartbreak in case things go sour, you know.” She said with another smile and light dip of her head. “There’s memories to be made here too.” She whispered, scanning his eyes and his lips again and how close they were. How close they were the first time she had teased him and left before he could kiss her. And the Masquerade has been a blur, she couldn’t even remember if they touched. But here, without so many bodies around and a comforting place he had given her, she could experience it. and you're the only one who's hands drip red. the real war rages in your heart; it always has.

"I'm not sure my experience is worth much when it is from another world." He pointed out, the words coming more serious from his mouth than they were meant to be. But it was true; here he was almost a newborn, thrust into a place knowing none of the lore, people or systems. His experience in speaking to people seemed useful in some ways and useless in others; it had so far landed him in quite a lot of trouble with a certain Goddess. Rexanna's words were obviously trying to lead them to somewhere that ended with his lips on hers. Bastien couldn't resist the temptation she laid out, though he intended to not go any further than kissing her, not now; she was special enough to him that he wanted that moment of them alone together to be more than a tipsy hook up in a bar back room. He shifted himself up and gently brought her chin forward until their lips met, confidently and assuredly kissing her with one hand in her hair and the other on her hip. As they parted after a gentle, almost chaste kiss, he grinned. "And what memories those could be, hm?" With that said he decided to give her a kiss to truly remember, leaning back in to press his lips against hers harder, more determinedly with a gentle sweep of his tongue across her lips once he had become truly acquainted with them. Bastien Push back, push back, push back, With every word and every breath. What god doesn't give to you, You've got to go and get for yourself.

REXANNA they say that war is hell, but true hell begins when the battle ends — She nodded to him, but she imagined that experience regardless of where it came from could still be utilized. She was doing it here – with her quick feet and wit, that she learned from another world. Regardless, she continued to run her fingers along his side, with a small crooked grin as her eyes flickered from his eyes to his lips – wondering if he’d take the hint. Luckily for her, Bastien seemed to understand. Rexanna leaned into his touch as he brought her chin forward, their lips meeting and she leaned into him gently. They parted then, and she bit down on her lip briefly as he spoke. When her lips parted to respond, they were met by Bastien and a flourish of passion deep beneath it. She pressed into him further, a slight smile on her lips as she returned his kiss – sighing softly into him. Her hand along his side clutched him gently to pull him close. “This?” She poised the question to him with a quiet laugh when they parted, gesturing with her hand to her with another quiet laugh. and you're the only one who's hands drip red. the real war rages in your heart; it always has.

"Well I'm quite sure I will remember you for as long as I live, Rexanna." Bastien smirked, meaning it. She was gorgeous and just the right kind of woman for him, the kind of woman that if he was prone to dreams of domesticity he could imagine staying with. As it was he could just see a lot of passionate nights in their future, a flirtatious friendship that would dare to slip into something different sometimes but never in actual words. Like basically all his relationships had been. He slid his hands down to hold at her hips just for a moment, leaned in to kiss her once more; then he pulled away. "But Signora, you wanted to come here to relax. And I would not take advantage of that. Let us stay and rest while we have the chance and how about in Flowerbirth we follow the story we have begun with our lips?" Bastien Push back, push back, push back, With every word and every breath. What god doesn't give to you, You've got to go and get for yourself.

REXANNA they say that war is hell, but true hell begins when the battle ends — “Mhm.” She offered with a knowing grin. But she understood, she wasn’t particularly fond of the idea of doing that in such an open storage room of all things. But she let her eyes linger on his, sapphire pools meeting his own dark gaze as his hands held her hips and he leaned in to kiss her once more before pulling away. As he spoke, a small kind of laugh slipped from her lips and she nodded to him. She moved away from hovering over him to rest her head back onto his chest. “This room is a bit stuffy for that.” She offered in agreement, a honey dipped sound drifting from her lips as she cuddled a bit closer to him under the soft blankets and on top of the feathered pillows. “Things might change in Flowerbirth.” She pondered thoughtfully. “If we do successfully take the barrier down, what does that mean for everyone here? Will everyone leave?” She thought aloud, wondering what else could be out there. What kind of secrets and other people might be hidden away beyond the Spire and its darkness. Would Bastien remain or would he be one of the few to flee toward something else – something better? Her fingers mindlessly traced his side once again. “Will everyone survive the siege?” She added perhaps a bit too quietly. Flowerbirth had promise, but it also had all the possibilities of terrible things. and you're the only one who's hands drip red. the real war rages in your heart; it always has.

To his relief she didn't take offence and settled back down on his chest. Gladly Bastien stroked her hair and listened to her speak, looking up at a random spot in the ceiling as he considered her words. The barrier and the siege had had little do with his experiences of here, really, his time mostly having been taken up with Safrin in one way or another. "I think I would like to go. See what else is out there. But that does not mean I could not return...what about you? Are you an explorer?" They weren't close enough for him to suggest travelling together, but if he was to put together a group of adventurers Rexanna would certainly be on the list. She had impressed him during his quest in the ruins with her bravery and tenacity. Her next question was one he could not hope to answer. "I..don't know. I know little of the siege. But...I think some may die. But they go willingly, don't they? It is their choice to die for this cause, just as I would choose to die for many of my passions. It...is love, in a way. Of course, I hope no one does. But if they do...at least we can mourn knowing they died in a way that they could be proud of." Bastien Push back, push back, push back, With every word and every breath. What god doesn't give to you, You've got to go and get for yourself.

REXANNA they say that war is hell, but true hell begins when the battle ends — She listened to the reverberations of his voice as he spoke, mentioning that he'd like to go and poising a question to her of whether she was an adventurer. A small smile crept on the corners of her lips before she spoke. "It depends on the adventure, I think." She hummed to him. After being on the run for so long, it had become hard for her to stay in one place. Some kind of old anxiety that always bubbled up with it, but as she lived in Caido week after week and month after month, she found it easier over time. And now, with all the options, she wasn't sure if she wanted to be gone for too long. She could be herself here, she didn't have to hide. She wasn't a prisoner anymore, and that was the main goal in her life. But now that it was accomplished, what else? As Rexanna poised her own question toward him, he responded in kind. A kind of half answer that was better than what she expected to receive. She chewed on her lip a bit while she continued to rest on his chest, softly caressing his side. "I offered to help. But is it childish of me to be worried?" She wanted to laugh at the idea, to be frightened of something that could open so much. "I offered my fireworks to help distract the monster, hopefully giving me distance from it. I hope it works." She added, removing her hand from his side and holding it closer to her face and recreating her small firework magic as it sparkled in her hand before she died it down again and splayed her fingers and hand along his abdomen. "But you're right. It's what we've chosen." She pondered thoughtfully, turning to look up at him from resting on his chest. "That's how legends are made, right?" A crooked smile played on her lips as her anxiety eased in its power. And her mind began to rest a bit on the tension that surrounded the Spire and its secrets. and you're the only one who's hands drip red. the real war rages in your heart; it always has.

"I guess that is an unknown for all of us. What could be behind that dark wall?" He had very rarely gotten the chance to waz poetic in Caido and now that he had it, Bastien wouldn't let it go to waste. "Perhaps we will find wonderful cities of culture or maybe treacherous lands with monsters to slay and quivering nobles to save, hm?" Which he would prefer wasn't clear; both would present an opportunity for him to make a name for himself. He smiled at her little firework display,  though did carefully watch just how close it was to his skin. Third degree chest burns from fire magic hadn't been a concern he'd ever thought he'd have to worry about, but visions of his nipples going up in smoke caused him to watch what she was doing very closely. "Legends are made many ways. You can become one just for writing a good poem or painting a beautiful picture. Running to a spire with a demon in it...well, fanculo, it wouldn't be my way." Running a hand down her spine, he smiled at her and let his hand stay at her hip for just a moment. "You need not concern yourself with that though, Signora. Your grace and spirit will be legend no matter what you do." Bastien Push back, push back, push back, With every word and every breath. What god doesn't give to you, You've got to go and get for yourself.

REXANNA they say that war is hell, but true hell begins when the battle ends — She listened to him, his curiosities of what was behind the wall. She couldn’t imagine something bad but instead a world of wonders – perhaps there’s vibrant, strong cities outside the barrier and the ones stuffed here were archaic in their routines. Or, it could go opposite – there could be nothing out there and the people within the barrier would have to be the pioneers, seeking for better fertile ground and a better life for their families. But as Bastien continued, he spoke of cities as well and the possibility of treacherous lands and quivering nobles. She laughed at the thought, nodding against his chest. “Noble’s really are poor at keeping themselves safe, aren’t they?” She mentioned, thinking of the nobles of her own homeland and how they’d rather sacrifice everything else but themselves. It made her feel a bit sour at first, but the people that had sold out Halyven had been nobles themselves. She had little pity for those and tried to live a stronger life – a better life, one from rags to riches, from dungeons to freedom. “I like to think that I break that mold.” She added with another quiet chuckle. But she dispersed her firework magic as Bastien grew silent to stare at it. Bastien began speaking again, his hand trailing down her spine and stopping at her hip and smiling to her, which she returned. “You flatter me, Bastien.” She hummed to him with a crooked grin. “But if we are successful, and the outside world is as interesting as it was here when I arrived, I’d love to go…” She paused, eyeing him curiously. “With you if you’ll have me.” She rolled her shoulders in a light shrug. and you're the only one who's hands drip red. the real war rages in your heart; it always has.

"Nobles are poor at everything except for self-aggrandising. Which I know I have been told too, but...ah. At least I have some skills to back it up, hm?" Bastien was not blind to his faults. He knew he was prideful, often vain; a skill he had picked up socialising in circles where one had to be those things to succeed. If you did not believe in yourself in the cutthroat land of art patronage, no one did. There was a beat of silence, then Rexanna tentatively asked her question. Bastien smiled, held her a little tighter. "Rexanna, there is no one I would rather explore great lands or vanquish beasts with." He promised her, and it was truthful; he admired her more than most in Caido, could see her being a very good companion for any travels he wanted to undertake. "But we should rest. You came here to forget your thoughts, after all, and we should not be filling your head with new ones." He gently reminded her, pulling the blanket up more around them and curling his other arm around her, moving to his side. Was it too intimate, to sleep like this? He found he didn't mind. Bastien Push back, push back, push back, With every word and every breath. What god doesn't give to you, You've got to go and get for yourself.

REXANNA they say that war is hell, but true hell begins when the battle ends — As Bastien spoke, she hummed a quiet chuckle to him in response. At least he admitted to his faults to some extent, and she didn’t hold it against him like Phoebe did. In fact, Rexanna enjoyed Bastien’s company, she found him humorous and entertaining, and to her she really didn’t require much else. If someone was good to her, she held nothing else against them. It was how she had chosen to live her life – having known some terrible people before, it was easy here to pick and choose. Bastien, was certainly not on that list of people to avoid for her. But as she poised her question, and he responded while he held her tighter and she, too, hugged him tighter. “It’s a date then.” She hummed. It wasn’t actually a date in her mind, but simply a marker of a companion to spend the time with to explore and indulge in adventures. She nuzzled her head against him lightly as she listened to the rumble of his accented voice when he spoke next. “I suppose you’re right.” She offered as he shifted to pull the blanket over them, turning to caress her. She rested her head on his chest more, her arm tightening around his side to his back and run her thumb along his spine. “Sleep well, Bastien.” She almost whispered, her thumb continuing it’s mindless touch until her breathing evened out and she fell asleep – comforted by the strong arms that wrapped around her and protected her from her thoughts and the terrible things that were happening outside. and you're the only one who's hands drip red. the real war rages in your heart; it always has.