a taste of destiny

you are a terribly real thing in a terribly false world

8.00am he wakes up.

The morning is spent in quiet study. Breakfast, reading, a brisk walk to the Palace and back to (ironically) warm him up. Guitar practice next. Then lunch, then more study. Or - like now - occasional chores.

The rest of Finn's day - the parts where he comes alive - are not for discussion here. Because here we are caught at the tail end of his chores.

His feet crunch against the hard packed snow, picking out the routes that will be the least perilous with increasing certainty. A paper bag is clutched in one arm, brimming with fruits and vegetables from the greenhouse, and a scarf is wrapped around his nose and mouth to ward off the cold.

Turning the corner towards the house he shares with Tobi and their son, lost in thought and bundled in extra layers, to those not looking closely, Finn could be Remi at a glance. And if he knew as much? There's no telling how Finn might feel about it.

and that, I believe

is why you are in so much pain

FINN

the lullaby

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

I will speak to Finn, Remi had said, and at the time it seemed so very simple. Their last encounter had been entirely uneventful if not downright pleasant. But that had been the world of dreams, and now standing on Finn's doorstep Remi had absolutely no idea what to expect without past iterations of himself to serve as distractions. Looking at the cheerful wreath upon the door with no small amount of skepticism, Remi clears his throat and holds up a fist (presumably to know on the door), before thinking better of it. Stuffing his hand into his pocket, the alchemist turns away, makes it down one step, before shaking his head and turning back towards the door.

Pulling his hand out of his pocket, his fingers curl into a decidedly Italian shape as he soundlessly tries to convince himself of something—a losing battle if the disgruntled look on his face is anything to go by—before his shoulders hunch and he turns away.

For good this time, or...it would have been, had doing so not brought him face to face with his blue-eyed twin.

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

you are a terribly real thing in a terribly false world

Broccoli, carrots, new potatoes, sprouts. Apples, pears, and even some peaches - that's what Finn is reciting mentally as he makes his way to the house, trying to remind himself of the contents of the paper bag so he can put them away appropriately. His eyes are on the bag, in fact, which explains why he misses the fascinating conversation that Remi has with himself. It also means they almost walk into each other when he finally does look up.

He almost says hey or whoa, a combination of which has him blurting, "HOAH," in Remi's face, a second before he steps back onto a sheet of ice and promptly falls on his ass. Peaches and potatoes roll away down the street, spilling from the bag that Finn has unfortunately dropped.

and that, I believe

is why you are in so much pain

FINN

the lullaby

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

Remi's eyes widen and the look of horror on his face might have been comical were the reactions of the two men not entirely genuine. "S—" Sorry or shit might have come next were it not for the predatory flush of pleasure that rippled through Remi's fingertips and on his tongue. To see his prey Finn rendered so immediately helpless had Remi's instincts urging him to pounce, and it was only by a very weak tether that the alchemist remained as he was.

Flushed and with his lips still slightly open (and with claws inside of his mittens rather than fingertips), the alchemist gives his head a quick shake thereby scattering some of the snow which had accumulated on his curls.

"Sorry. I was.." If he offered Finn his hand, would the other man even take it? "..let me help." Straying around the former spyglass to corral some of the more evasive fruits and vegetables (the peaches seemed particularly keen to roll down the street), Remi proceeds to furiously scold himself while trying to gently retrieve Finn's produce.

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

you are a terribly real thing in a terribly false world

WHY ARE YOU OUTSIDE MY DOOR is what Finn wants to say, and it might soothe Remi to know that this would be his reaction regardless of who had showed up (though it's especially true of the alchemist). Instead he can only pant behind his scarf, scrabbling to try and get himself back to his feet even though he's a bit winded and he's gone down hard on his ass. "I... Thank you," he manages to wheeze as he gets to his feet, trying to gather some of the produce as well.

The peaches will be bruised but hopefully they'll still be good, and the ex-Spyglass finds himself rooted in one place when he's finally got as many fruits and vegetables as he can. With stormy eyes that seem lighter and greyer against the snow, he swallows hard and glances from Remi to the house and back. "Were you just leaving?" he asks, given that the alchemist had been turning away from the door when they ran into each other.

and that, I believe

is why you are in so much pain

FINN

the lullaby

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

Holding an assortment of potatoes and peaches against his coat, Remi nearly drops one as it slides against the fabric of his mitten where there are no fingers. Gasping and frantically adjusting (had he not been wearing so many layers his wings would have shot out to serve as extra hands), the alchemist grimaces, trying to decide between handing the items back to Finn or holding them awkwardly.

"...oh, no." Blushing and gritting his teeth, Remi looks at Finn's lapel and gives his head another shake. "I was hoping to speak to you, actually. About...well, about something." (you don't say) Gesturing at the produce, the alchemist raises his brows and hazards a glance at Finn. "Did you want...?" To take these? To put them inside? To let me put you to sleep so that we can put a forest around us and iterations of our youths between us to help keep things civil?

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

you are a terribly real thing in a terribly false world

There's a moment of pristine clarity where Finn thinks he can see them both from an outsider's point of view; flushed, bundled in more layers than seems necessary (but it absolutely is) and holding an assortment of fruit and vegetables. And it almost makes him laugh - almost. Because honestly, what in Caido could have engineered a situation like this?

Managing to keep his composure but with absurd amusement hiccupping in his throat, Finn bobs his head in a nod and holds out the bag for Remi to put the produce inside. "Thank you," he says again. "You wanted to speak to me?" Wow, they're both doing so well. "I... come in," he decides once his mind has caught up, plodding up the steps and fumbling for his keys to open the door.

"October said that Mateo was visiting."

and that, I believe

is why you are in so much pain

FINN

the lullaby

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

Dropping in his items as if tentacles might lash out at him from the depths of the bag, Remi offers Finn a hurried smile before stepping back to allow the ex-Spyglass access to his door. "Yes." He confirms, sucking in his stomach to let Finn pass (which does precisely nothing, beneath all his various layers).

'He is.' The alchemist replies with obvious relief, and had Finn been an attuned he'd have felt a warm blast of appreciation. "He missed Everest. Quite a lot, actually. I hadn't realized...apparently, they'd been trying to send letters to one another but they didn't get through, and..." Rambling, but finding it easier than doing anything else, Remi shrugs. "I'm waiting for him to suggest that he stay in Halo, to be honest. He's quite taken with the Greenhouse."

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

you are a terribly real thing in a terribly false world

Finn isn't an Attuned, but discussing their children does seem to have put the necessary distance between them (or rather, has raised a safe wall for them to talk over), because he's already relaxing a bit as he steps into the house. The boys are at said greenhouse and October is doing her rounds (Finn thinks, anyway), so it's just the two of them and the cozy little house.

"I think Everest has missed Mateo as well," he says with a sad sort of smile, unwinding his scarf from around his neck and unbuttoning his coat to hang it up, gesturing that Remi can do the same if he likes. "Would you like something to drink?" he asks, heading into the kitchen.

"I have been waiting for Everest to ask to go back to Stormbreak," he confesses. "I am not particularly well versed in body language and social cues, but even I can see that he dislikes it here. Is... uh, is that what you wanted to speak about? Mateo moving to Halo?"

and that, I believe

is why you are in so much pain

FINN

the lullaby

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

For a moment the pair might have been brothers given how similarly they strip off their outer clothes and hang them up. Were he at home, Remi's things would have been flung onto the couch, but Finn's presence has the effect of tempering just about everything he does, such that the alchemist appears almost tidy. Not by Finn's standards surely, but by his own at least.

"Oh..just..water, please." Water was a safe choice.

Following behind Finn like a displaced ghost, the alchemist leans against the kitchen's entrance and folds his arms over his chest. "No—" Said much more forcefully than Remi's rather sheepish expression might have predicted, the alchemist falls apologetically silent for a moment before shaking his head. "It really is not safe." He adds. 'Ronin is working on making sure the ascended cannot enter. After that...' Well, after that there would be a war, wouldn't there?

'No. Well, sort of.' Rubbing at one side of his cheek with his ruined hand, Remi sighs. "My memory...parts have been erased, recently." He says, as if it's an explanation for his behaviour. "I was wondering if you had any thoughts about skyships, and how best we might get them over the mountains, so that Halo can be more accessible."

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

you are a terribly real thing in a terribly false world

Nodding the affirmative, Finn pours them both a tall glass of water that has been chilled from a container outside the window, offering one of them out to Remi when he's done. Though as the other man's no rings out through the kitchen, the ex-Spyglass almost drops both glasses to the ground. He doesn't - luckily - and takes a hasty sip from his own drink before starting to meticulously put away the produce.

"I see," he says of Stormbreak, clearing his throat and leaning down to put something in a cupboard. It's as he straightens back up that Remi is explaining his full reasoning for being here, and Finn's usually stormy expression becomes somewhat thoughtful. "I am sorry to hear about your memory," he murmurs.

And then, "Everest has actually been researching skyships a lot lately. If you give me a moment, I will collect some of the books we have been looking at. My understanding is that there is something inherently magical at the core of each skyship which allows it to fly. I imagine that will require a boost of some kind, to reach higher altitudes or to adjust to changes more quickly..." Finn is rambling now, but what does one expect?

and that, I believe

is why you are in so much pain

FINN

the lullaby

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

Remi stills as Finn nearly drops the glasses, but makes absolutely no effort to assist; nor does he offer to help put anything away. Unsteady as the pair might be around one another, the alchemist knows enough to know that niceties do little for Finn as much as he knows that the other man won't want his assistance.

Flashing Finn a smile that is there and then gone again at the mention of his memory, Remi takes a hasty drink from his glass. 'Oh?' Looking surprised to hear that Ever was the one who had been doing this research, Remi listens as Finn speaks and watches the other man move seamlessly around the kitchen.

'That was my thought, yes. As a hawk I do not fly that high, and as a manticore I have never really had the need. Aside from issues of weather and altitude, I assume the ships might need extra plating or defences against dragons and whatever else they might encounter."

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

you are a terribly real thing in a terribly false world

"That is a good point," Finn agrees, finishing with putting his items away and neatly folding the paper bag, however crumpled it might have become from his journey. "So an increase in power from the core of the ship, extra defences against high altitude hazards... I wonder..." He tilts his head.

"Some creatures are averse to particular sounds," he says. "I wonder whether it would be possible to fit the ships with a device that emits a sound at a certain frequency, to ward off any attacks." He doesn't know if it will work on dragons, but... well, it couldn't hurt.

It's strange, how the two men can comfortably orbit one another when they are not the subject of conversation, and Finn is trying not to think too hard about it. "The ships would also need to be more robust in general," he thinks. "Not necessarily in size, but to protect against the weather conditions in Halo. It would be no good for passengers to arrive frozen."

and that, I believe

is why you are in so much pain

FINN

the lullaby

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

Remi watches with inappropriate intensity the way Finn's fingers smooth out the bag and fold it down. The minute movements of his eyebrows create unreadable lines on his forehead before his expression is forced into neutrality by a sharp pulse of will. "mmmmmm." He hums politely, feigning thoughtfulness as he takes a drink of water while his mind replays what has just been said.

"A sound to deter some creatures might sound like a dinner bell to others." Remi murmurs, before frowning thoughtfully. "But it is worth testing. Anything to keep dragons away. The other creatures can likely be dealt with. It makes me wonder though if skyship captains ought to have a few abandoned or such on board, to keep everyone safe."

Mention of warmth has Remi clucking under his tongue. He'd absolutely have overlooked that, were it up to him. "Right, right." Remi mumbles agreeably, puffing out his cheeks with a prolonged sigh. "And a skyport? Where would you place one of those?"

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!