Remi Felix

Remi slides the plate towards her and she eyeballs it, pulling a face before picking up a lone slice of bacon and taking the tiniest nibble off the end before taking a fuller bite once she's sure it's not gonna set off a chain reaction of horrors; her stomach's tender.

"Uh, no. It's still cold. Just... you know. Working." Partying. "Trying to break through some writers block, just, you know, here," she says, scratching her head while she futilely tries to fork a piece of scrambled egg with the slice of bacon before tucking it in her mouth and talking around it, "minding' my own business, you know?" Like you oughtta be.

She turns around to grab ketchup outta the fridge. "You look like shit by the way." Rich, coming from her? Maybe. It's glib but not rotten, the way she says it. The vague hint of concern is there in her voice if one could sniff past all the vinegar it's soaked in.

Remi finished off their own eggs and bacon, platting it before turning to face blue. The plate smacked against a glass of water that had been in their blind sport. Sending the glass tumbling to the ground shattering across the ground and drenching Remi in water. "Fuck" Remi took several deep breaths, setting their plate down. "Its been an adjustment still." Remi said softly, letting their curls cover their scarred eye. Remi bent down slowly picking up pieces of the glass. "Things have also been weird with Vanessa. " Remi said with a shrug, slowly collecting glass. Their reflection broken and shattered pieces in the glass. " Nothing you need to worry about still." Their problems were not Blue's to shoulder. That was Remi's role.

Fear slowly started to creep along Remi's spine. Their had been fights, and skirmishes but staring down this new type of warfare it felt different. The defender was shaky as they climbed back onto their four legs. Death was a wolf on two paws. Remi's job was to stand between Death and their pack. Remi slowly circled to keep Yuisa on their right side. hoping it would buy them more time to adjust to the difference in their swimming vision.

"A hot shower and some clothes would be awesome. Maybe just like, two days worth if you guys can manage? I just ran into some.. uh.." How does he even explain it? "Weirdness. With my apartment. I gotta figure out some work again and get back to a lease as soon as possible, you know how it goes."

He pauses, and decides to just risk it. "Oh, right - sorry, I'm Jude." He holds his hand out with a warm smile.

Remi lead Jude through the halls, towards the the backroom they had set up as a small shelter the department had set up when storm had gone on longer than a week. "We've got a couple of extra beds for the night as well. Those are only for a night or two. " Remi paused, knowing topics of housing could always be a sensitive topic. "We've also go some paperwork for temporary housing and a job board if you need some leads." Remi offered. "Is there anyone I should call to let them know you're here?"

By the time her bedraggled head pokes its way out from under a nest of blankets and comforters, she isn't quite sure how long somebody's been inside her apartment. She knows who it is right away though, because she hasn't had bacon in her fridge in like, ever.

When she wanders out in her boxers and oversized tee, wrapped in a bundle of blankets that makes her look like some kind of pauper-king, she's glaring at Remi as they flip eggs and bacon in a pan. She shivers as she hears the AC try to roll the heat on. It doesn't work. She'll need to fix it. Again. Probably not just for herself. This is confirmed when she looks at her phone's cracked screen. Ostensibly, it's to check the time, but she can't help but see a terrifying two digit notification badge over her voicemail. Terrifying.

"...Does your own stove not work?"

She's not asking about the breakfast.

Remi plated the first batch of eggs and bacon, turning around to slide the plate across the counter towards Blue. They hadn't bothered to take off their hoodie, the chill in the air hanging in the apartment. Remi was still slightly disheveled from their over night shift, bags under the eyes,hoodie hung on shagging shoulders. Their jaw tightened slightly as the silence stretched in the air. Remi could offer to fix it, or to call someone, that might get something thrown at them. They couldn't say they worried, it would just cause another fight. "Eat, hate for food to go to waste." Remi turned back to the stove, unable to watch Blues face, to see the anger that simmered under the surface. "Been a hot minute. Anything new and fun?" The subtle dance began. The double meaning laced in their words. 'Anything I need to be worried about?'.

There's a sort of all-consuming rage in her, one best directed outside. She needs to crush something, somebody, and so she directs it at the path of least resistance.

Matteo is gone, and she's burying the memory in dubious anger. Anish wants to dwell, wants to make war on the vampires while they're in the middle of a war for the future of their kind in this city. Turned wolves mistakes. Turned wolves are beasts with no governance of themselves.

She is trueborn; in this she is proud. Of this she will not be ashamed.

Yips and blood-soaked cries of wolfen pain fill the air as she watches her Warwicks rip at Harford heels after an incursion into their hunting grounds.

Pah. Hunting grounds, as if these city wolves hunt, as if the don't lock themselves up and deprive themselves of their place at the top of the foodchain while offering safe harbor to mongrels who give each and every one of their kind a bad name. It is the mistakes that draw the eyes of hunters. It is the misbegotten who break treaties.

Matteo was driven mad by cursed blood; this alone is proof to her.

Yuisa sees the largest wolf among assembled Harford leap into the violent throng of fang and fur. That'll be Remi - the wolf's old man had been a known quantity to her family and a staple to their kind in these parts. He's, of course, gone now, with only this soft-hearted sack of meat and a sniveling brother to carry that legacy forward.

A good trophy to assert dominance and drive Harford into the mud where they can sink their teeth in once and for all.

A sharp howl breaks the grand melee of snapping jaws and whipping claws, Yuisa beggng attention. It's on two legs that she wades into the fight, and its with hands tipped with razors that she flings a runtish Harford aside. A barking sound of air pistoned through flaring, wolfen nostrils calls Remi's name, commands the attention of Warwick. It's an Alpha's shout - no different from any other wolves save that she's the heart to make it carry.

Flesh gave way under Remi's teeth as they tore into the nearest wolf, hoping to cripple them and send them limping away. They didn't want to kill but they would do as the pack demanded. This was there pack, they would defend it to the moon saw fit to call them home no matter what it took. A howl cut through the bloody haze that had taken the battlefield. Remi's golden eyes twitch away from their opponent, only one wolf could slice through the battlefield and command the attention of every creature that dripped in blood. Yuisa. Something was wrong. The wolf that Remi saw stood far to tall, risen above the rest on two legs. A maw of fangs, arms free to rip and tear. The wolf that lived in Remis heart recoiled at the sight, the thing that stood on the edge of the battlefield was nothing Remi had seen in the natural world.

The challenge was in the air, hanging heavy, understood as the creature moved across the battlefield. Remi wasn't sure if Yuisa was still a wolf or not, the form still carried the presence of an alpha yet Remi had never seen a wolf on two legs before. Warwick and Harford backed away from the Alpha, it was all Remi could to do stand their ground, digging their claws into the dirt. A low rumbling growl reverberating out of their chest.

He might have been brave right before it happened, but it seems like the more he thinks about reuniting and talking to people he used to - the more he wants to shrivel up in himself. His apartment's gone, so he doesn't have a place to retreat to. But Jude knows there's a few places and people in town that might give him a heads up.

And he's still wearing clothes that don't quite fit right and aren't warm. When he shows up to the fire station, it's for help, he says. No apologies to be made, no reuniting, just.. a normal guy in need of some resources.

"Hey - uh, is there anyone in I can talk to about.. shelters and free clothes and stuff? My feet are like icicles out here."

Remi took a beat to examine him, held tilting at the took in the soaked clothes. "I can help you out with that. We've got some stuff here in the station." Remi paused, biting their lip as they thought. "We can also offer you a hot shower as well. This winter has been…. long. Are you new in town?" Remi trailed off, they didn't have words for the weather. It shouldn't be lasting until may, let alone still be dumping buckets. But it was, and Remi couldn't control the weather they could control offering and hot shower and some weather proofed shoes. "How much do you need? Couple days worth, new wardrobe?" Remi pulled out a clipboard, ready to make notes on what they would need to pull.

She tightens up at the clap on her shoulder and nervously sips at beer - some local seasonal thing leftover from Christmas - and swallows it down along with the modicum of embarrassment caused by suddenly being the center of the bar's attention as Remi throws out a tidal wave of offers before they seem to realize and quiet down to a conspiratorial hush.

"Just a license, I guess-" is her first answer. She and Aria hadn't talked too much about specifics yet, and for Autumn, it was more about the promise - the idea that, no matter what came from now on, she wanted to meet it alongside her. "We don't even know if we want some big thing or not..." Another sip of beer aids her in trailing off as she rolls her shoulder a bit. "Of course I'm sure," she says - confused at why she wouldn't be. Then again, she might be asking the same thing if the roles were reversed here. "We'll probably start planning stuff once Spring hits," She's interrupted when a basket heaped with chicken-wings arrives - Aut's treat - and she doesn't waste much time in pulling a few onto her plate. "Not to mean it like you're a last resort or anything, but you're one of the only people I still know enough to ask. I know we haven't known eachother that long but... I don't know, you helped pull me out of a funk last Summer, and I know how to throw a punch because of you."

There's AJ, sure, but she's not about to inflict this on him - he'd probably say yes, but, well - neither she nor he need the stress of Astor involvement in planning a Wedding.

It dawned on Remi slowly the second half of the best man duties. "If your gonna give me this honor, than I'm gonna do this thing right. " Remi pulled out their phone, opening the notes app and typing out headline AUTUMNS WANTS. "I'm assuming the normal strippers, and penis straws wouldn't be like the bachelor party of your dreams. We could maybe rent out 205 Drive-In, do some old favorites on the big screen? I know they do the Wednesday horror nights but…." Remi paused, and underlined the headline, before setting the phone down. "I'm jumping so far. You said spring. But like you deserve to be celebrated and I want to make sure you don't feel like an after thought." Remi reached into the basket of wings, plucking one from the basket, not moving it to their plate but rather directly into their mouth.

"Did you ever dream about getting married as a kid?"

Autumn doesn't... do... the pack thing.

It's not that she hasn't tried. It's not that she thinks she's above it.

It's just that she doesn't think it works. For her. Anish seems to think it would be helpful, but she hasn't really thought through why or how that might be the case.

The Old Man preaches things like patience and pacifism while also making sure she knows who is in charge. The others give her space - space that she's asked for, certainly, but since Jude, she hasn't exactly felt like a part of things, and knowing that the person in charge thinks that taking her lick and learning her lesson is the way to go has done a number on any interest she's had in playing the part of the obedient welp.

So she's focused on other things - like life. Like friends. The ones who're still here.

"So uh. Yeah. We're uh, we're doing it!" A nervous breath of laughter. "Getting... married." Like it's still settling in. There's a commotion at the door as somebody slips on the iced-over steps that lead down into the basement speakeasy of The Heron club; several of it's patrons laughing at a stranger's misfortune; collective joy in the face of the inclement weather.

The furor dies a bit, and she turns back to Felix. "No clue when, just yet? But... you know... soon - hopefully before too long. I was uh... wondering if uh, you know - I don't even know if it's gonna be like, a wedding wedding, but if there is, I was wondering if you wanted to... you know, do the best... I don't know, best man- best- person, whatever?"

"Hey yo!" Remi let out an excited whoop, a grin breaking out across their face. A bright spot in the world that had gone cold. "Congratulations! I know y'all have worked hard to get to this point together." Remi clapped Autumn on the shoulder, squeezing slightly, barely able to restrain themselves from sweeping the other wolf into a large hug. Their hazel eyes barely sparred a glance as someone new entered the bar. Even the commotion that the ice caused couldn't distract from the larger wolfs joy at Autumns announcement. There was a twinge of jealousy under the tide of joy, the love Autumn and Aria held for each other was terrifying, but wonderful to behold. It made Remi yearn for it that next step. But part of Remi knew they couldn't ask that of Vanessa. The curse of being in love with someone who would never age. Remi wondered how Autumn dealt with the crushing march of time.

A girlfriend, then. Oksana would have viewed that as simply a hurdle, once upon a time. Breaking homes was quite good fun when she wanted to cause mess and mayhem without the blood accompanying it -- Though, she often made up for the lack of gore in the end.

There was a wistful tint to Remi's voice as they finally began to speak again. "Have you ever been on a street alone, at like 2am after a fresh snowfall? The whole world is this unique kind of silent. Then you catch sight of the snowflakes reflecting the light of a street lamp and you're reminded how every single snowflake is unique and the beauty in that. That's what its like watching Vanessa dance. " Remi felt their face start to flush as they realized how much they had started to ramble. Instead turning to deflect the from the vulnerability of their description "But I didn't catch your name? I'm Remi. "

If someone hadn't beaten him to the punch, AJ would have ripped the teeth out of this moron and watched them choke on it. Instead, there's a Samaritan preaching consent and permission and Astor's caught between being bloody impressed and double vision — not to mention the vibrations beneath his feet, encouraging him to get lairy.

They're funny too. They no less tear the amusement out of his stomach when they talk about percentages. The vampire's out of its depths, between Astor and the new arrival. An apology is a kind, merciful out for someone who had nearly bled him with their fucking fangs. AJ grips the vampire's chin, held steady by the stranger.

"Far kinder than I'd have been." He murmurs, dragging the sharp edge of a nail down the vampire's face; an intentional, penetrating streak of gold burrows and morphs the skin. But it's flesh deep; a scar and nothing more; it doesn't spread, just makes it known that AJ's spared them, as has the stranger playing hero behind them.

PROMPT: [...] — The vamp trades his freedom for a trinket, a [YELLOW GEM] that will duty-bind a werewolf to do one favor to you.

Dust might have suited them better.

Gold-flecked eyes flicker to the stranger; a gratitude he'll have to extend, now. Because his guard had been slipping, where his high is ravaging his inhibitions with every new line of blow, and every sip of the drinks he's improving by means of alchemy, some shouldn't dare touch. Cocky, ever since he aided in Godmaking.

He denies the voices in his mind anytime he thinks he hears them.

"You get off playing saviour, or are you just that nice, mate?" Questioning, behind a smile. Astor can't think of anything more infuriating than sparing a vampire in a trade and then owing someone else something for keeping his neck fang-free. He's got half a mind to pay them off for it, so he doesn't have to think about it again. "Cheers, I guess for — scruffing the cunt."

"You say nice like its a bad thing." Remi said with a slight chuckle. Raising an eyebrow at the question. "First thing I learned in kindergarten, treat others like you want to be treated. Golden rule yada yada." Remi shrugged slightly, trying to brush off what almost felt like an accusation. "Plus bodies dropping in the middle of a party tends to be a buzzkill." The werewolf felt a tinge of regret at their choice of costume, desperately wishing they had pockets to shove their hands into. They hovered uselessly at their side instead, twitching slightly at the want to do something. "Wasn't the first asshole I've scuffed, and probably won't be the last." Remi responded before offering their own hand. "I'm Remi by the way." They hadn't really thought this course of action all the way through. What came next. The awkward hovering of experiencing something with a stranger "Do you not do things to like.. be nice?"

For a moment, she wonders if she hated herself enough to be up on this stage - the attention she could get from showing skin was not comparable to the attention she could get from skill. Oksana did not bleed to be lesser.

A drink will do. Get her minds off of these women who would rather show ass than show talent. Dancing. Pah. A week with her, and these girls would know the difference between a pas de chaval and a rond de jambe rather than how to position a heel on someone's crotch.

Lips curling, she moves to the bar lest she dwell and the anger surges. She orders herself a rum, and barely registers being talked to before she catches a familiar scent - she can't quite place it, but it's enough for her to turn her head towards the person speaking. Her head tilts. She studies. Another smell comes from them, and her eyes narrow. Wet dog.

"A few." She murmurs, though she's not going to admit that her interest lies solely in making a bloody show for the patrons here. "Not quite, my large friend. I've been here once." She holds up her index finger, and takes a sip. "Not a fan of the view?"

There was a restlessness in their air that set Remis teeth on edge. However Remi knew better than to show weakness, better to play a fool then prey. "Theyre all quite good. Hard to go wrong." Remi offered with a smile, they would consider a decent amount of the dancers friends through Vanessa. They tipped their beer bottle slightly towards the stage. "Less about enjoying the view, and more about the fact my girlfriend works with them so I know them a bit to well." Remi shrugged.

césar’s honed into harford bullshit tonight, so he’ll play the responsible packmate, for once. he doesn’t know much about remi, but césar happens to think he knows enough. he’s heard from both avi and yuisa that there’s been fuckery concerning the wolf and warwick, and despite his lack of attachment regarding the pack, césar does care about that. it’s some deep, possessive instinct, more than any human kind of compassion for remi’s pain. regardless of what he feels, he’s approaching them all the same when he catches them at least close enough to where the alcohol is. césar needs a drink after spending the afternoon playing uncle to a little girl that deserves far better than she’s getting, anyway. still, he purposefully joins at remi’s side. he’s not a gentle man, but in this moment, being polite does flicker across his consciousness.

Amber liquid was half way to their lips when they heard the voice of one of their pack mates broke the ever grinding noise of the party. Remi shifted slightly so César was on the side with their good eye.

"Hey César." Remi tilted their glass in a mock toast before taking the shot. The older wolf unnerved Remi slightly. The lines blurring between wolf and man, tangled ever in each-other.

"Not exactly my normal haunt, but I'm also not gonna leave anyone hanging. Are you… ready?" It felt like a weird dance. Not openly acknowledging everything that was simmering under the surface. "Drink for luck?"

The best way for a party to get good is to go a little hard at the start, so the bar's set nice and high so there's no bloody boredom to take his mind. There's a DJ he's never heard of playing tracks in a warehouse that reminds him of Unit 58's bank holiday weekends. Mental, often underground and with a lot fewer ravers than he's seen tonight. Port Leiry's winning in some aspects. Imagine.

AJ's never saying that aloud.

Downside to going a little heavy on the blow and the alchemy influence from the get-go is that Astors let his guard slip; he's found comfort in a costume of humour and villainy that gets him praise, as much as it gets him wariness.

PROMPT: [...] — you're about to get your neck nailed by a stray vampire — [...]

Astor turns around because there's a cold, icy hand clamping on his shoulder. Vice-like, and enough to cut through some of the drunkenness and elation. What the fuck?

But AJ's slow — a bit sluggish amongst the crowd of rave-happy citygoers. He's still not sober, and magic isn't always fast to reach when he's using the same power to play into his euphoria. Chemistry and the arcane are formidable for it.

Thats when they spotted the vampire, hand clamped around a party goers shoulder. Remi had become well aquatinted with what a vampire looked like when they were about to feed over the last year. Based on the look on the other mans face however this wasn't a pre-negotiated scene or arrangement. Remi moved quickly grabbing the vampire by his hair, yanking his head back and away from the party goer. All the pent up werewolf energy and strength going into their grip. Their other hand moving to grab the vampires arm and pinning it behind his back

"Yo! You need to ask for consent before you go biting someone. " Remi growled into his ear. "There is plenty of people that are into that shit if you just ask. This town probably has more kink per capita then anywhere else in the state. Jesus man."

Remi yanked the vampires hair again and directed his attention to the man he was going to bite. "Say you're sorry." Remi said, pushing his arm futher up his back enough to cause some pain.