stay frosty royal milk tea

Oh if time is a river lets be stones underwater

"Prometto." Remi agrees, tilting his head to press a kiss into his son's curls before gazing down at him. Red-rimmed eyes smeared with black given Mateo a distinctive look that only he seems capable of wearing, and despite the circumstances, Remi can't help but smile lovingly.

"War is a lot. But that is why we are going. To end it." With a roll of his shoulders, Remi wraps up his son with both his arms and his wings. He could feel the tide of Mateo's emotions beginning to shift, but he wasn't so naive to think that the storm had fully passed. Though Mateo's emotions flared brightly and were quick to pass, Remi was quite sure there would be more to talk about over the coming days once his son had had a chance to process his emotions more fully.

"I wish I did not have to either. " He says truthfully, hugging Mateo closer. "But after this, I do not plan on going anywhere for a very long time."

My spores been growing by the day; my days been shining bright

Nodding his understanding because he doesn't trust himself to speak again just yet, Mateo closes his eyes against the warm shield of darkness from his father's arms and his wings, the boy unsure of the last time he'd allowed himself to feel like this, to be like this. The past few seasons have been a blur of voices breaking, of hair growing in places it didn't used to, of feeling new things and sneaking out to the Silk Houses. It's a surprising relief, to drop all of that for a bit.

"Maybe when it is over we can live in just one place," Mateo says eventually, his voice muffled from where he's pressed against Remi (and also because of the feathery cocoon he's wrapped in). "Or... well. I suppose there will be more time, because there will be no war to prepare for," he adds. "Either way, I think I will leave the Collegium after it."

mateo!

Oh if time is a river lets be stones underwater

"That is the plan." Remi whispers, and though only moments ago he was pleased his son wasn't able to feel his emotions through the attuned bond, right now he wished he could. Luckily he had another avenue to communicate such things, and so with a gentle surge of ocean blue and sweet green, Remi pours his reassurances into Mateo through all the places they touch. "I do not plan on leading the Greatwood anymore, and Ronin..." Remi shrugs. They haven't really talked about it, but you couldn't exactly be mountain-recluses if you were still Commander of the Storm.

Though any good parent would have immediately said no, you will actually stay in school, Remi just hums a non-commital note in the back of his throat. "Afterwards things will be very different." Different enough that Mateo wouldn't need to be in school? Different enough because they'd all be living in isolation somewhere? Different enough because of a hundred other reasons? "Ti amo, Mateo. Più di quanto tu possa mai sapere.."

My spores been growing by the day; my days been shining bright

The rush of calm and reassurance has Mateo relaxing further against his father, and he nods gently. "Pa is only here because he has to be," he says with the air of someone who knows more than he lets on. That sense of duty and responsibility has skipped Mateo, it seems, but he can recognise when it's puppeting the Huntsman around. "I hope they are different," he mumbles. "I feel like we have been holding our breath for years."

The musical lilt of the travelling tongue has him smiling into Remi's shirt, reminding the boy of times when he was much smaller and much younger, and prone to needing naps. And if it weren't for the sudden mental reminder about showering and meeting Everest, he might have fallen asleep regardless. "Ti amo anch'io, papà." He smiles, reluctantly starting to straighten up.

"I should probably make sure all my plants are prepared, shouldn't I?"

mateo!

Oh if time is a river lets be stones underwater

The huff of laughter that leaves Remi's lips surprises him; holding their breaths indeed. "It does feel that way, doesn't it?" For him it was more like intentionally cramping a muscle and keeping it over-flexed, but screaming lungs came fairly close.

Wanting to resist the way he could feel Mateo moving in his arms, Remi lets his wings unfurl slowly as his hands move to rest on his son's shoulders. "If you need any help with them, let me know. I am sure we can rig up something to keep them watered, and for the others..." Looking over his shoulder towards the Devil's Klaw, Remi grins. "..I have heard there is no shortage of room in the Haven if you want to bring them with you. I will even help carry them there." He adds with a wink.

My spores been growing by the day; my days been shining bright

The hands on his shoulders feel just as much like an embrace as the wings that had been folded around him only moments before, and Mateo smiles up at his father with a warm nod. "I would like that," he says of the help. "And I think I might. I wonder if I might be able to take cuttings and seeds from some of the others, too - the ones that aren't so rare and dangerous, I mean."

It's hard to think about, but there's of course every possibility that Stormbreak won't be standing once the war is over. "Almost like a botanical library," he continues slowly. "So if I need to replant when it is all over, I will already have a list." Now that he knows he's going to the Haven, it's surprisingly easy to make those sorts of decisions.

mateo!

Oh if time is a river lets be stones underwater

"I do not see why not." Remi says with a shrug. He wasn't in a place to argue with Sunjata these days, but he certainly couldn't see the Flood begrudging his son the opportunity to do a bit of horticulture while a war was happening. It was certainly the least harmful of Mateo's pastimes if nothing else.

"Mmmhmm. You know, that is actually a very interesting idea. Maybe when this is all over we can start a collection of sees from around Caido. That way if a species is ever wiped out, we will be able to regrow it." With Mateo's terrarium such would be easy enough to do. Perhaps Remi might even be able to convince his son not to start with the deadliest plants.

My spores been growing by the day; my days been shining bright

The idea - like its contents, ironically - takes seed and blooms in Mateo's mind almost instantly, and the soft grumble that leaves the boy's throat is one of annoyance and excitement in one. "If only we had begun sooner," he murmurs, his mind already beginning to whir with the prospect of collecting a library of all of Caido's flora. "There is so little time..."

Turning as if to begin a master sheet of such a library, Mateo only remembers that he's still caught beneath his father's touch as he accidentally pulls against it. Blinking, the boy turns and moves back into Remi's arms, hugging him tightly. "Thanks, Dad," he mumbles into his shirt. "I'll behave in the Haven, I promise."

mateo!

Oh if time is a river lets be stones underwater

"They say that the best time to start something is yesterday, but the second best time is now." Remi says with a shrug, as if this kernel of wisdom might soothe his son instead of, at best, just making him confused.

Wrapping his arms tightly around Mateo and banishing thoughts of what if this is the last time...? as quickly as they come, Remi presses a kiss to the top of his son's head. "Well, do not be too good. I would not want you to die of boredom in there." A poor choice of words given the severity of the situation they were all about to enter into? Probably. But Mateo wouldn't be Remi's son if he didn't have to endure a bit of light traumatic joking from his father.

~FIN