In the dark I hear a call

Isla

"I'm sorry," Isla mumbles, shifting to smooth her hands across the front of his shirt, as if there are creases she's trying to get rid of (there aren't, but it's an excuse not to look at him). "I'm not blind. I know it's difficult for you to be around me, and I don't want that for you. I just... can't stay away, either. You mean too much to me." And from her experience, things would be just as frustrating whether she was six feet away or climbing onto his shoulders.

She wrinkles her nose, part apology and part understanding, at the landscape of current affairs he presents. "That sounds very boring," she mumbles. "I haven't though, no. I did get your letter, and I posted a notice in the Grounds about it. What an odd place for a god to end up," she says, smirking a bit. "Getting himself into trouble, being grumpy if he's disturbed... sounds a lot like you."

we're gonna separate ourselves tonight
we're always running scared but holding knives

& doesn't the white page seem unfinished
without the dark stain of alphabets?

Around her lower back where both of his arms are now looped, Remi's fingers tighten against her, fully expecting the conclusion of what she has to say to result in her pulling away. That it doesn't, doesn't make his grip soften; not immediately, anyway, though he does exhale. "If it is going to be hard anyway— (huehuehuehueh) —I would rather at least have you close." Remi agrees, though gods it's an excruciating thing to have her against him.

With a snort, Remi nods. "I think he went out there to try and grow plants and just...overexerted himself. So he dug a hole and waited for either help, or to get his strength back." Remi shrugs again (and whether it was a genuine expression of uncertainty or just an excuse to feel his body against hers was up for debate). 'It does sound like something I would do.' He adds.

"And you? How are you, politics and wars aside?"

the lullaby

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

Isla

"I couldn't agree more. And it's been so long since I was able to see you like this. It makes me miss when things were simple. I wish we had taken advantage of those times more," Isla says sadly, letting her arms loop back around him so she can hug him properly, tilting her head to rest it against his shoulder.

As talk turns to Ghilio, she still can't help but chuckle about it. "It really does," she agrees. "It's dramatic at the same time as it's entirely reasonable. Do me a favour, though. If you ever overexert yourself and dig a hole to lay in, send a raven beforehand?"

As for how she is, Isla smiles warmly and nods. "I'm good. Never a quiet moment in the infirmary, as you can imagine. The Prince keeps me busy, as does Cal. I... well. I told him I loved him the other day," she murmurs.

we're gonna separate ourselves tonight
we're always running scared but holding knives

& doesn't the white page seem unfinished
without the dark stain of alphabets?

Laughing, with both relief and regret, Remi nods. "The things I would have done..." Then, cocking his head slightly to the side, he adds more softly: "Or not done."

Raising a brow, the alchemist considers this for a moment before grinning. "Perhaps I will put up a big keep out sign." He suggests. "Whatever I do, I am sure it will eventually come to your attention." Or...then again maybe not, based on what Isla says next.

Remi tries. He really does. It's unfair the way his heart stumbles over itself and how rage bubbles so quickly to the surface. If he could rid himself of the aggressively masculine instinct to simply rid the world of Cal that he might never have to share Isla, he would. Instead, all he can do is try and relax the parts of himself that have grown tense, and mentally chastise himself. "And did he say it back?" Remi wonders, leaning his cheek against the top of Isla's head so that she won't be able to see the angry flush in his cheeks even if she can no doubt feel the quickening of his heart.

the lullaby

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

Isla

"Oh? What would you have not done? I know our date wasn't exactly the stuff of romance novels towards the end, but I thought it was quite a magical night up until it went gloriously tits up," Isla says, unable to stop the giggle from escaping her lips at the memory. It's far enough in the past now to be amusing, especially given that they had made up for it afterwards. (The very last time they'd taken advantage of each other in that way, in fact, and that is something she definitely regrets not savouring).

"Because Keep Out signs have notoriously drawn more trouble than they are worth, you're right. You'd be saved by lunchtime the next day," Isla agrees. And while Remi tries to tether the monsters inside himself against the words she says next, the Remedy merely stands through it, aware of the way he tenses but knowing better than to look right up at him and draw attention to it directly.

"Yes, he did," she murmurs softly. "And I'm sorry that it makes you unhappy, Remi. I am." Hypocritical and possessive it might be; Isla is still sorry.

we're gonna separate ourselves tonight
we're always running scared but holding knives

& doesn't the white page seem unfinished
without the dark stain of alphabets?

"I was more thinking of the time after that." Remi admits, and now he's flustered for an entirely new reason as he recalls their sexual escapades that he'd knocked (literally in some respect) off the rails. "..in the room, when I tried..." Flushed and feeling like it his tongue was too large for his mouth, the alchemist clears his throat conspicuously (only, it wasn't). "It doesn't matter now, I suppose."

Running his tongue along the top of his mouth, Remi rolls his eyes. "At least if I am bothered I can say that whoever comes in was warned."

Well, if Isla had wanted to find a way to distract Remi's mind from all the ways it wanted her, she had succeeded brilliantly. "No, it doesn't. Or...it doesn't in any important way." Remi says on the end of a sigh, deflating. "I am happy for you, that you have the someone you always wanted." Someone who doesn't leave you at the end of the night and go home to someone else. "And I am glad that he loves you back."

the lullaby

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

Isla

"Oh, that time. I mean, you absolutely made up for it in the end," Isla reminds him, raising her eyebrows and sneaking a glance up at his face. "And I suppose that's true. Perhaps you ought to write the consequences of breaching the Keep Out clause, though. Otherwise people might not know what they're walking into, and that seems equally as unfair." Because, and she's sure Remi is aware of this now, he can be absolutely terrifying when he wants to be.

Not right now though, evidently. Isla's frown is sad, and she nods gently and draws back just enough to rest her hands on Remi's chest, as if the press of her palms might slow the thunder of his heartbeat. "Thank you," she murmurs. "I hope you know that just because I've made room to love someone else, it doesn't mean that I love you less. You're still my best friend, Remi. More than that - I don't even know if there are words for what you are to me."

we're gonna separate ourselves tonight
we're always running scared but holding knives

& doesn't the white page seem unfinished
without the dark stain of alphabets?

"See, that is the problem these days. People expect all sorts of warnings and explanations even if the rules are very clear." The alchemist replies with a huff. "Keep out is keep out, and if you do not keep out, well.." He shrugs to indicate that in his opinion, you got whatever consequences were coming to you.

Rather than helping, the meagre distance between them serves only to salt the wound, especially as Remi can't help but look into Isla's eyes. The corner of one side of his mouth twitches as if his frown were trying to shrug. "I know. It is the same for me." It was what had blinded him so spectacularly to Isla's feelings, back when they'd tried to be together. "I'm sorry. I do not mean to be like this, I really don't. I do want you to be happy, and to be in love with someone who loves you the way you want and need. I just..." One of his fingers taps thoughtfully against Isla's lower back as Remi shakes his head slightly. "I just...will always want to kill or at the very least maim anyway who you look at, the way you once looked at me."

the lullaby

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

Isla

Isla shouldn't smile to know he feels the same, but she does, and even though it's just as painful to be apart as it is to be together, she does melt back against him, keeping her hand pressed over his heart as if to subconsciously count the beats. "I believe it," she murmurs, "that you want me to be happy. It's what makes this doable. I just... I wish I knew why," she admits, murmuring the words against the side of his neck.

"Are you this way with Ronin? Because it feels as though you ought to be, but I also understand why you're not. It's not..." It's not the same as being in your head, is what she wants to say. But she also gets the impression that Remi will know that without her having to speak it aloud.

"I wish I could make it easier for you."

we're gonna separate ourselves tonight
we're always running scared but holding knives

& doesn't the white page seem unfinished
without the dark stain of alphabets?

"Why?" The alchemist frowns at that, even as his arms tighten around her. "Because I love you." He says, sounding as if he might laugh. "I am very complex, you know. I can want things for you that I simultaneously hate."

"Am I...horribly jealous and murderous?" Remi wonders, his grin audible in his words even as he absently leans his chin against the top of her head. "I am. Or...well, it is one of the reasons why we no longer have our Hall Pass when it comes to other people. Neither of us could actually manage it, and unlike with you, with him my feelings are ones I can act on." Particularly the more murdery ones.

"Alas, you only ever make it hard." Remi says, not at all bothering to try and act like the innuendo wasn't fully intentional. Not that it would have mattered much if he did; as a medic the alchemist couldn't even hope that Isla would be ignorant of the effect of having her in his arms would have on him. Add in outright talk of murder and their past sexcapades?

There was no chance.

the lullaby

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

Isla

"You? Complex? Pull the other one," Isla says, the grin audible in her voice, though it's not one of her wittier jokes. Remi is one of the most complicated and clever men she knows, and she can fully believe that he can love and hate something for her at the same time.

And gods, she doesn't know if she should be relieved or not to hear that Ronin receives the same treatment. There's no small part of her that's pleased, it's true, but it's also the part that doesn't really want to let him go, so it's not a thread that Isla knows she wants to start pulling.

"You two are so cute together," she mumbles, peering up at him with a girlish smile on her lips. "Nothing like two powerful demigods getting all hot and bothered over each other, mm?"

As for making it hard, Isla is equal parts delighted and surprised at his bluntness, scoffing out a laugh that she tries to hide against his shirt. "Listen, this isn't a problem for all the other gay men I definitely know and cuddle with," she informs him. "You're making it hard for yourself, if you ask me."

we're gonna separate ourselves tonight
we're always running scared but holding knives

& doesn't the white page seem unfinished
without the dark stain of alphabets?

Looking down at her (having to tuck his chin to his chest to do it), Remi raises an eyebrow as if surprised to hear that she—or anyone else, really—thought about he and Ronin together. 'Well,' Remi shrugs. "You've seen Ronin." Which is all the alchemist thinks needs to be said on the subject. Show Remi anyone able to resist the Huntsman's charms, and he'd become a pacific forever.

Feeling Isla's breath-less laugh against his chest, the alchemist frowns skeptically down at the part of her hair. "Haven't we both had enough death for one day, without you trying to make me jealous?" Remi wonders, meaning the words jokingly and realizing only after they'd left his lips the brutal edge of honesty they'd held. But his weren't the only words that rang with truth, and though he'd not gotten over the thrill of having Isla in his arms once again, Remi relaxed his hold on her.

It was slow at first, his fingers unlacing from where they'd been at rest against her lower back before sliding softly around the curve of her waist to finally fall down at his sides. He'd straightened at some point too, or at least pulled his hips an appropriate distance away, all the while staring guiltily down, his cheeks red. 'You're right.'

the lullaby

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

Isla

"I have seen Ronin," Isla agrees. "And I have also seen you. Put you two together and it's just meant to be." And she means it, despite all of the complicated feelings that come along with what they both are to each other. She grins up at him at his jealous comment, but anything Isla might say instantly dies on her tongue as she feels Remi start to relax his grip on her. It is slow, like embracing someone who is falling asleep, but soon enough he's created the most distance between them since she'd first seen him in the woods.

"I'm sorry," she mumbles. "It isn't as though I didn't encourage you." And whether that's a truth or a guilty truth is something that she'll examine later, in the small hours. For now, though, there's just a lingeriing warmth she can't quite feel, and Remi feeling too far away. "Shall we walk? It might be a bit easier..."

we're gonna separate ourselves tonight
we're always running scared but holding knives

& doesn't the white page seem unfinished
without the dark stain of alphabets?

“Even at your…least encouraging, It would still…I would still…” But there’s no use in finishing the sentiment, not least of all because it wouldn’t do either of them any good, and so the alchemist merely gives his head a single, deflated, shake.

As for walking? Remi looks up towards the sky for a moment, sipping in an awkward breath as he unstealthily adjusts himself with a quick shove of his hand. “If you like.” He mumbles on an exhale once his housekeeping is finished. Walking won’t do him any good; walking is far too easy a thing to distract himself from the pebble-blue eyed blonde at his side, but it isn’t a terrible idea, either.

“I think Ronin wants more kids.” Remi blurts suddenly, surprising even himself. With a look of shock, he glances over his shoulder towards Isla, considering holding his hand out for her to take, and then deciding against it.

the lullaby

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)