[se] dare you to wash me away

if you need to, darling, lean your weight to me

Afternoon saw Remi Taliesin with flowers in hand walking away from Isla's medical clinic. He'd been informed by someone there that the Remedy had gone to the Court of the Stars with several sizes of bottle, jug, and vial to collect some of the healing water, and that if he wanted to find her, he should check there first.

Given the recent chaos, Remi was surprised that more weren't doing precisely as Isla was, but then, it had been nearly a season since Starfall first landed and other than a few scattered attacks, nothing too deadly had happened yet. Perhaps he'd missed the rush of water-gatherers when he'd been healing from his own trip to the island.

Spying Isla by the fountain, Remi made his way over as silently as he was able; conveniently, he had no shadow to stretch out ahead of himself to reveal his position. "Excuse me miss, but I believe these are for you." The Bastion called once he was just behind her, before holding out the flowers with an accompanying grin.

we'll float away

ISLA

Isla might not have the finely honed senses of an Ascended any longer, but her ears are acutely tuned to the lilting melody of a certain alchemist's voice. Kneeling before the fountain to fill one of her containers, it's with a quiet and private smile that she hears his gentle interruption, before turning to gaze up at him, shielding her eyes from the sun. "Sir, you must have me mistaken. I'm not sure what medicine I would make out of these."

Beaming at him, it's with hands still wet and skirts damp from the fountain that she rises to her feet, stepping forward to throw her arms around the Bastion in an easy embrace. "It's good to see you," she murmurs. "I thought it had been a while since you'd pretended to stub a toe to drop by the clinic."

Drawing back enough to see the bouquet properly, she lets her fingers whisper across the petals. "These are lovely - thank you."

she's a runner
rebel, and a stunner

if you need to, darling, lean your weight to me

"Well, I have heard that laughter is among the better medicines, so perhaps if you did something amusing with them?" Remi ventures as his smile grows crooked and his dimples deepen.

Always in Isla's presence is he forcefully reminded of just what incredible allure she holds for him, even after so many years and so many strange complications. While his mind no longer lusts for her (at least not outside of an intellectual exercise to see if that sort of thing was even possible), still he craved the warmth of her smile and the sparkle of her eyes, but nevermore so than when he'd been away long enough to forget what her magnetism was like.

Leaning forward slightly to return the embrace, Remi chuckles into her hair before shrugging in her arms. "Well, Ronin will not let me go to Skyfall again, so.." He straightens as she does. "Though I was struck by lightning as a bird just recently. Maybe you could make sure there is no permanent damage."

we'll float away

ISLA

"Do I look the sort of person to do amusing things with flowers?" Isla wonders, raising her eyebrows in playful challenge and rescuing the bouquet from his arms before he can demonstrate any number of things she might do with them to elicit laughter. For the Remedy's part, whilst all of her memories of Remi Taliesin are as intact as they ever were, she will never not be grateful for his presence in her life, such that for all he wants to see the joy in her expression, she's all too happy to give it to him freely.

"He won't? What a shame," she says in a tone dryer than Hak Etme, smirking and depositing the flowers into a small wagon to sit with the other containers of healing water she's filled up. She's about to ask if he'd like to stroll with her back to the clinic when he pulls his struck by lightning card, and Isla is instantly straightening up again. "Say again?" She blinks.

Gods, but she knows he's fine, but the doctor in her can't stop the knee jerk reaction. "The only permanent damage was done ages ago, I would think. To your brain, for being so stupid."

she's a runner
rebel, and a stunner

if you need to, darling, lean your weight to me

Raising his eyebrows in return, Remi scrutinizes her for a moment as he considers. "I...think it best I do not answer that." He decides after a moment.

"Hey now." Frowning playfully the Bastion nudges his friend gently. "I was going to borrow Flora's invisibility ring. It was going to be—" Snorting through his nose, Remi ruffles a hand through his curls as the bridge of his nose crinkles. "A popular opinion, I am sure." He agrees with a sigh, before letting his hand flop back to his side.

"I do have some news though." It's a terrible segue, but for all his time spent detailing his husband's tongue, his had never come away any more silver for it. "Can I walk you back?" So saying, Remi reached for the handle of Isla's wagon before helping her situate any remaining jars that might need to be adjusted before the trek back.

we'll float away

ISLA

"Mmhm," Isla agrees emphatically, accepting the nudge without protest if only because they both know she (and Ronin, by proxy) are correct. "I know you are big and bad enough all by yourself, but one of these days I'm really hoping you'll be tempted to know what it's like to work as a team with people." Giving his arm a gentle squeeze - she's joking, but not by very much - she's immediately intrigued by his news, taking a moment to settle the jars in the wagon, and also to offer him out a small cup of the water to drink.

"Just in case," she says with a pleading sort of smile. Just in case lightning has made scrambled eggs out of your heart and you haven't noticed because you're you. As for walking her back, naturally she's more than happy to accept both his company and his help, falling into step beside him and gently jostling against his shoulder. "Go on then - do tell."

she's a runner
rebel, and a stunner

if you need to, darling, lean your weight to me

"Well that is not fair. I would happily work with a team if anyone else wanted to go." Remi protests, glancing at Isla over his shoulder and doing his best to look entirely free of the criticism she levied at him that he so rightfully deserved.

Accepting the war with a hum of thanks before taking a sip, it's with a smile that nearly has water escaping from the corners of his lips that he regards the medic adoringly.

'Well,' And as they walk, Remi explains the entirety of what had happened: How he'd found Ludo, how the raggedy god had said he no longer wanted to play with Remi, how the then Lullaby had seen Mort and thought his time had finally come. Chucking bashfully, Remi scrunches his nose as he glances toward the sky. "Gods, it took me so long to understand what it was Mort was actually proposing. After seeing Aoife and Vai I really thought it was all over. That I would not have the chance to say goodbye to anyone and I just....stopped listening."

Glancing at the Remedy, he can only roll his eyes at himself. "But I did finally get it through my thick skull, and now I am...this." Holding out one hand as if the details of his new abilities might be written on his skin, he glances at Isla. "No more murder. Just protection." It's said with a palpable relief, and the sweetness of Remi's smile says all Isla might need to know about his thoughts of his new alignment.

we'll float away

ISLA

Rolling her eyes but not offering any further criticism - for now, at least - Isla falls into step with the Bastion, her hands clasped loosely together to listen to his news. And gods, if someone had asked her to guess what he was about to say, not in a thousand years would the Remedy have gotten it right. Her mouth falls softly open to hear he is now under Mort's jurisdiction, and as he concludes the tale - that he is a protector from here on out, rather than a killer - she steps ahead of him to halt the progress of the cart entirely.

"Remi, thats..." Isla's smile is full of joy, as are the tears that brim in her eyes, and she wastes no time in pulling him into an embrace. "Gods, that's the best thing I've heard in a very long time. I'm so happy for you," she whispers, holding him tight and pressing no shortage of kisses against his cheeks. "How do you feel?"

she's a runner
rebel, and a stunner

if you need to, darling, lean your weight to me

Drawing to a stop, the demigod blinks down at the woman before him with an amused if not slightly confused smile. Chuckling softly, he lets the handle of the cart fall into the sand before reaching out and curling his arms around her in return. "Stop, or you will make me tear up." He protests softly, before lavishing in the affection she heaped upon him.

"I feel..." Drumming his fingers thoughtfully against her lowerback as he tried to find the words, he could only push his lips together in a sideways smile. "..lighter than I have in years. Honestly, since maybe before you died." That had been the first domino in a series of events, some connected and some not, that had seen Remi Taliesin go from bumbling boyish alchemist to antisocial asshole. 'So many things just feel right now, and the ones that don't...Starfall and everything else we are going through...I don't know, I am just able to approach it differently."

Grinning, he adds: "To be a BaStIoN." It's said in a mocking tone, but there's no single word that suits what he is now, better. I would know, I looked.

we'll float away

ISLA

"If ever there was a time for tearing up, it's now," Isla protests, smooching another kiss against his cheek before clutching him close again, letting her head tilt to rest on his shoulder. Another smile curls across her lips as he starts to explain, the Remedy softly nodding her understanding. "I can't even imagine. It must be like starting again fresh," she murmurs.

Reluctantly stepping back to gaze up at him again, she tilts her head and considers his new title with a playful nudge of her hip. "The Bastion, huh?" she repeats, before consideration gives way to approval, and she allows him to pick up the cart again. (This time, though, she links an arm with him as they walk).

"I'm so happy for you," Isla whispers, leaning gently against him. "I bet Ronin is thrilled as well."

she's a runner
rebel, and a stunner

if you need to, darling, lean your weight to me

Laughing under his breath, Remi lets his arms fold comfortably around Isla in a way that suggests more than just familiarity. It's strange, the history that the pair both do and don't have; things which exist between them that both are and aren't real, or at least it seems that way to the Bastion when he thinks back on their complicated past. Still, it's all just to say that holding her close is as natural as breathing is to him, and when she parts from him, he releases her reluctantly.

"A bit, yes." He agrees, before wrinkling his nose a touch at the new title. "Mmhmm." How much it would make everyone think of a certain Dionysian he had no idea, but it did seem to fit well enough.

Reaching for the handle before accepting her arm through his, Remi runs his tongue over his teeth for a moment as a mischievous smile tries to overtake his features. "He..uhm, recently had a bit of an alignment change as well." Looking as innocent as he was able despite the way Isla would be able to feel the prickle of golden joy coursing out from where they touched, Remi just shrugged. "So yes, I would say he is very happy these days."

we'll float away

ISLA

"I quite like it," Isla says of the title, strolling comfortably along with Remi and smiling sunnily up at him. "I hope that Ludo wasn't too upset to lose you, though." Her grip on his arm might grow a touch tighter at the thought, because whether or not the Remedy has ever had any personal dealings with the trickster deity, she has been warped and changed by its will on more than one occasion. (All that is to say that if Ludo tries to cause trouble, Isla will happily try to throw hands with a herald).

Then talk moves to Ronin, and gods but Remi might as well have stuck out his leg to trip her up. Jaw softly dropping, Isla tilts her head up at the Bastion incredulously. "Shut your mouth," she whispers, like he's just spilled some very hot tea. "How? To where? That's... wow."

she's a runner
rebel, and a stunner

if you need to, darling, lean your weight to me

"Nah. I think I was what it needed at the time but lately..." Well, aside from Ronin, Isla was the only other one who had any true insight into what the innerworkings of the Bastien's mind was like and just how broken he'd been for the past few months, if not years. "...not so much." Smiling to himself to feel the change in Isla, both pressure-wise as much as the colour of her emotions, he sniffed and nodded.

Looking to Isla, Remi theatrically purses his lips together as he's instructed to shut his mouth, answering her question with hums from behind his closed lips. Just as he was about to break and answer her probably, one of the ghosts haunting the continent lately simply appeared before them. Standing quite still, it raised it's arms out to either side, apparently intending to block their path.

"Er.." Frowning, the playfulness having fallen from his face, Remi took a protective step forward. "I know you are not from Ludo. Whatever you are, whatever this is...." If Isla was still holding onto Remi's arm, she'd feel the muscle tense as he drew himself taller. "I am in no mood for it."

we'll float away

ISLA

"And that is no bad thing. You were what it needed for years - it's time you both had a break." Both is being generous, admittedly. She really only means Remi. And by a break, she means a permanent retirement.

Letting her initial tension melt away to hear about Ronin's news, Isla is busy trying to jostle the Bastion (and maybe step on his foot for good measure) as he takes her remark literally, and she'd be hassling him further were it not for the sudden and unwelcome appearance of a spectre before them. "Oh," she says softly, only releasing him as he steps forward.

"Do you suppose it wants something?" Isla asks, glancing from Remi to the ghost and furrowing her brow. "...Look at the clothes. It doesn't look like its from Torchline." From the furs and thick boots, she'd assume Halo if anywhere.

she's a runner
rebel, and a stunner