[SE] blink twice

you are terrifying and strange and beautiful

"So... the Draig, huh? Finally doing it," Ronin murmurs as they go strolling through the Celestine, the Longheat sun beating down on the back of his neck. Their little demigod meeting is finished, for better or for worse, and he just needs a few minutes (or an hour or two) to regroup with his thoughts before they get to the next crisis. Inhaling deeply and letting it out again, he glances around for his husband.

"I'll pack a picnic for us, and some birthday banners. Perhaps some balloons," he continues, heading off the beaten path and into the fragrant trees and other foliage. It's mid afternoon and there are plenty of people in the Celestine, but for the moment Ronin just wants a little peace and quiet.

The huntsman

we are like birds of a feather, we are two hearts thrown together

Perched on Ronin's shoulder like some incredibly powerful accessory that the Huntsman might activate at any moment, Remi presses his beak against the scruff of his husband's cheek and lets out a low trill. Balloons? That is sure to get us noticed. He trills, not sounding at all displeased at the idea of intentionally attracting danger in one of the most dangerous places on the entire continent.

You did really well in there. Remi adds after a moment, as he adjusts himself on Ronin's shoulder. I think maybe I understand more about why Cian was such an asshole. It wasn't an excuse—The Eye had absolutely got what was coming to him and the alchemist felt no pity—but already he could see the weight of responsibility starting to take its toll on Ronin, who was arguably far better of a man than Cian ever had been.

THE ALCHEMIST

we will be forever as one, my brother under the sun

you are terrifying and strange and beautiful

"Listen, we don't know that dragons dislike balloons. They might come to join us for your birthday party," Ronin says with a grin, turning his head ever so slightly into the press of a beak against his jaw. Absently, his hand comes up so he can smooth gentle fingers through the feathers around the hawk's neck, and he meanders deeper into the gardens, where the trees can provide them some shade.

Grumbling, even at the compliment, Ronin's shoulders sag, though he's careful not to jostle his husband too much. "This is going to sound awful, and it will definitely help to understand why Cian is such an asshole, but... is it just me, or are we the only ones who seem to give a fuck about anything?" Even among demigods, there seems to be very little get-up-and-go with their comrades.

The huntsman

we are like birds of a feather, we are two hearts thrown together

Well you have just proven my point. If they like balloons, they are just as likely to come and see as if they did not like them. Remi counters, clicking his beak together. I suppose you could always shift into a dragon and we could see how you feel about balloons? He suggests, thinking that sounded like a good way to spend the afternoon regardless.

Fanning one wing to assist in keeping him balanced so that Ronin might shrug and grump to his heart's content, the alchemist mentally sighs in response. It does feel that way. Sunjata seems so wrapped up in his own life that I am surprised he showed up at all. Mildew seems...disconnected. And Noah? Falling silent, Remi tucks his wing tight to his body. He is just young, I think. Maybe not in age, but in experience with demigod fuckery.

Now that you have put it like that...I think that is why I tend to get so annoyed when others offer their input or their criticisms. I would happily see any of them try and do better. Or even...try at all.

THE ALCHEMIST

we will be forever as one, my brother under the sun

you are terrifying and strange and beautiful

"That does sound like fun," Ronin agrees, a smile creeping across his face despite himself. "Alright. Once we've finished our stroll through here, maybe we can find an empty enclosure and you can conjure some memory balloons. If I instantly want to bite them and pop them, we'll leave them at home when we go to the Draig," he decides, his smile only growing to feel the feather-soft wing fanning out behind his head.

"Mm, well... it's a bad time to be disconnected, wrapped up in one's life, or new to the party," he mutters, wanting to sound more sympathetic to his fellow demigods but equally seeming unable to conjure it. "Mm... it's a bitter pill to swallow when it feels like we're the only ones trying." It might not be especially fair, but at the same time, Ronin thinks he's entitled to be a bit selfish for a second.

"Oh, look..." Pausing, Ronin nods up ahead, where a hare is hopping about through the foliage. Hungry?

The huntsman

we are like birds of a feather, we are two hearts thrown together

Or not Remi chimes, clicking his beak again (which is as close to indicating a smile as he can come). Honestly, he's pretty certain that were he to see balloons in a form with claws and teeth that he'd want to pop them on principle. But he was happy to do Ronin's little test for the sheer joy of it.

Mhmmm. Remi agrees, and though he has only understanding a bit of sorrow for Noah, he can't seem to conjure anything less than contempt for Sunjata. Making an enemy of Safrin, losing his daughter, making a deal with Frey to save just his and Nate's life...only to adopt two more children? Disgust coats his mental voice, at least until...

..Remi is off Ronin's shoulder in an instant. Sleek and pale he shoots towards the rabbit. Remi should have had his blonde feathers coated in blood in just a breath or two, but as he closed his talons, the rabbit was gone. Careening to the left, Remi flaps his wings hard to right himself. Wh...at. He wonders, circling, scanning the ground for movement.

THE ALCHEMIST

we will be forever as one, my brother under the sun

you are terrifying and strange and beautiful

Ronin doesn't bother to add to Remi's mental list of Sunjata's sins; his wrinkled nose shows his agreement well enough, as does the sigh he lets out through his nose. And besides, there's something more interesting to distract them for the time being, though Ronin fully expects it to just be a snack for his husband rather than a mystery. But as the hare is simply gone, the Huntsman straightens up as well, turning around to look around the meadow.

Was it an illusion? he wonders, only to turn fully all of a sudden, nodding at the area just in front of them where the hare has appeared again. Or maybe it's a different hare - Ronin doesn't know. Try again - it's just a bunny, right? Can he help but sound amused? No, no he cannot.

The huntsman

we are like birds of a feather, we are two hearts thrown together

Ronin's suggestion is just a little too quick for Remi's liking. If this is some new ability of yours and you are just fucking with me... Trailing off as he too notices another splotch of brown and white, Remi opts to gain some altitude and circle above before descending. As he normally does the hawk is careful to ensure that his shadow doesn't dance in front of the rabbit lest he scare it away, and as he shoots from the sky it's soundlessly and swift.

Once again the rabbit is gone just as Remi's talons begin to close, though frustratingly the creature has the nerve to appear just a few feet away. Opening his beak and crying a loud trill of annoyance, Remi circles back around, diving instantly.

He misses again.

THE ALCHEMIST

we will be forever as one, my brother under the sun

you are terrifying and strange and beautiful

Oh sure, Remi. I've recently discovered the ability to create rabbits at will, Ronin drawls, though he's unable not to enjoy himself just a little bit as he steps back to give his husband more room to circle around and make his move. He knows Remi most likely means the ability to create illusions, but whatever.

Watching as the hawk dives and misses - and misses again - he even winces on the other man's behalf, moving to step forward and help when he notices a small placard nearby. "Blink hares," he says aloud. "A species of small fat rabbits, usually with piebald colouring. At first glance, they seem helpless, being clumsy and poor at running, but when they are in danger they can teleport short distances to evade hunters."

Raising his eyebrows at Remi, he tilts his head. "I suppose you could take that as a compliment, oh mighty hunter."

The huntsman

we are like birds of a feather, we are two hearts thrown together

You say that, but tell me this. If you did recently discover the ability to create rabbits at will, is this not exactly how you would show me.

Remi, who takes this as a challenge instead of as a compliment, screeches his annoyance. Putting almost every single bit of demigod speed and dexterity that he has at his disposal into his next attack, Remi can feel the blink hare's fur against his talons before the fucker is gone only to appear a foot or so away, happily munching on a bit of clover.

How many do you think Lena would be if this enclosure was...slightly burned. Remi wonders, and for a moment his pale belly begins to shimmer with stars as his body flirts with the idea of slipping into Ronin's draconian shift.

THE ALCHEMIST

we will be forever as one, my brother under the sun

you are terrifying and strange and beautiful

"Oh this is absolutely how I would show you," Ronin says with a grin, watching as Remi puts his all into grabbing at the blink hare anew, only for it to go teleporting away like the little bitch bunny that it is. "I'm pretty sure she'd be furious," he murmurs, raising his eyebrows at the starry belly that flickers across the hawk's form. "How about instead we go somewhere that you can actually let off some steam."

Meandering over to the blink hare, making sure his steps are slow and innocuous, Ronin bends to pick up the fluffy little lump. "It seems to only really teleport when it thinks a predator is coming for it, besides. What'd you think? A new companion for one of us?" Okay, maybe now he's just being an absolute shit about it. But the walk has certainly cheered him up.

The huntsman

i wish I could say I am a light that never goes out.
but i flicker from time to time

Landing in an angry heap, the hawk becomes a man who lays sprawled out in the clover. Predictably quite a few blink hares happily hop towards him to investigate. "I hate you all. Each and every one of you." He mutters under his breath as his vision is filled with a twitching nose and a spray of whiskers.

"Oh that sounds good. Sugar plays so well with other companions..." Sitting up, the alchemist is suddenly grinning. "Can you imagine her trying to get one of these?" At first he'd meant it as a warning, but now the thought of Sugar destroying the inside of their houseboat in an effort to catch one of these rabbits had him grinning like an idiot.

Opening and closing his fingers in Ronin's direction in an unmistakable gesture of come here, Remi pouts. "Come and kiss me. I was just bested by a gaggle of rabbits and my pride is wounded and only you can make it better."

RONIN

the dark star

The sight of Remi sprawled out in the grass surrounded by fluffy blink hares has Ronin grinning hard enough that it hurts his cheeks, and he gives the bunny in his arms a little rub behind the ear before setting it down where it can also hop over and annoy his husband. "We'd basically be sacrificing everywhere we chose to live to her talons," he says, not even wanting to imagine the chaos that would follow in Sugar's wake. "Oria might enjoy riding around on it though."

The come here gesture is enough even without the pout, so when Remi shoots both his way, of course Ronin complies. "Bested by bunnies, is it?" He sighs dramatically, settling himself on the blanket of clover and turning to lean over the Lullaby, disturbing a few blink hares, not that they seem too bothered.

"I think I'm pretty good at making it better for you. But you'll have to be the judge of that, I suppose." It's with a smile still on his lips that he presses them against Remi's, a kiss that feels fairytale-esque in their surroundings, but it doesn't stop the plume of heat that shoots straight south. Shifting further to stretch a leg across Remi's waist, Ronin deepens the kiss with a soft hum of encouragement, his tongue writing sweet apologies for the (clearly awful) hardships the other man has endured.

i'll get over it
i just gotta be dramatic first

i wish I could say I am a light that never goes out.
but i flicker from time to time

"I was just thinking that as well." In his minds eye he could see their table transformed into some sort of obstacle course for Oria and her rabbit to navigate, complete with frosty interference from Sugar. "Bested by bunnies." He agrees with a woeful sigh, draping one arm across his eyes to complete the facade and also to try and shoo one of the rabbits away.

Peeling his arm back in time to see the sky blotted away by blue eyes and a crooked smile, at first Remi lets himself be kissed like the troubled demigod that he is. It's only as he feels the distance between them dwindling that Remi ceases being kissed, and becomes an eager participant. Moaning soft encouragement that quickly becomes tinged with feral heat, Remi slips one of his arms around Ronin that he might persuade the Huntsman's body to follow through where his leg had been taking him.

Despite the rabbits hopping happily about and occasionally nudging against the two demigods, the only creature currently inciting Remi's instincts and attention was Ronin.