loccent | run with wolves

[ He had woken a little close to two hours before, with the sun shining through his curtains and the faintest hint of birds chirping beyond the window. Eun had been beside him, caught in sleep and peaceful dreams and he had been loath to wake her after their activities the evening (hours) before.

So he gets up, showers, and dresses in clothes that suit a quiet morning of fussing over his garden. When the sound of running water eventually catches - faint - on his ears, he sets down his shears to heat a pot on the stove.

There is a unique pleasure in hearing one's lover (because if nothing more, that is what they are to each other now, yes?) pad around in one's kitchen. He tells himself he does not deliberately track her movements and murmurs softly to his vegetables that perhaps he will make them both a salad for a quick snack later in the afternoon.

When she does not appear in his garden, it occurs to him that perhaps it would be good to finish up his work, fill his basket, and go back inside.

He makes a fairly domestic sight: a small, steel basket full of greens and root crops in one hand, weather-worn jeans and a loose cotton shirt. Asil leaves his shoes behindnthe door, happy to pad towards her barefoot. ]

Good morning.

[ The sight of her wearing his shirt warms him. And so, he comes over with the intention to greet her as a proper lover would - with a kiss. ]

[It is possible that among the things Eun packed in her bag last night, clothes were among them. After all, doesn't she have fresh and clean underwear on now? The fact that she's borrowed one of Asil's shirts to wear that morning is deliberate. Because she wanted to. Because she wanted his scent on her. His clothes on her. Because she wanted him to see her dressed as such. Little signs of not only her acceptance of their new relationship, but enjoyment of it.

There is much enjoyment to be had as Asil makes his way to the door. She glances up at she makes his way in, shoes left at the door but basket of greens and vegetables in hand. He looks like something off of a Harlequin romance novel, though she knows his own words would put them to shame. The appraisal in her gaze is overt, and appreciative. She smiles upon seeing him and puts her cup aside in favor of greeting him properly.]

Good morning to you too.

[Her arms reach for him before he makes it to her, and as his lips find hers they wind around behind his neck gently. He smells like the soap she used earlier in the shower, clean skin, and rich soil. What man needs cologne when he smells this way? Eun gives him slow, dragging kisses in her greeting, and pulls away slowly after.]

Thank you preparing the tea.

You are very welcome. [ He breathes in the scent wafting from the oven and frowns, trying to place... ] Cinnamon?

[ The peace that washes over him is immediate. His smile turns fond and he turns back to Eun, pressing his lips to her once again with feeling. ]

Thank you for making breakfast.

Happy to. [She glances over to his basket of fresh pickings and then back to him.] Are those for lunch?

[Eun is staying for breakfast, of course, and yes, she assumes she is staying for lunch. In light of how well things went last night, she'd happy spend a week at Asil's enjoying this first rush of passion and intimacy.]

Yes, though I thought I might check with you for food preferences.

[ He hopes that she stays for the day. That unlike their previous interactions, they can stretch things out much longer this time. ]

Would you like to have breakfast in the garden?

[ He lifts a hand to brush the backs of his fingers briefly over the apple of her cheek. ]

[She turns her head into his touch, kissing his fingertips. Nipping at the tip of one.]

That sounds perfect. It'll be a little bit before the rolls are ready to come out, and they'll have to cool before I ice them...

[Which leaves them a little time to kiss. Or talk. Or both.]

How did you sleep last night?

Soundly and well.

[ Sleep comes easier these days - even before Eun came to his life. But where he may have worried about old dreams after his first full moon run in years, there is no cause for concern today. ]

I would have woken you, but you looked so peaceful in my bed.

[ He had teetered between wide awake and tired last night, as a result of their lovemaking. He'd felt - they had felt pleased to have pleasured her, he and his wolf. ]

[Eun shifts a little, stretching her back on her perch on his kitchen counter. She does not look over-worn from last night, but it is clear that even having showered and tidied up, even after getting their breakfast going, she is still lingering in that post-sleep daze.]

I needed the sleep this morning, so it's better this time you didn't.

[Her eyes meet his easily, and she pulls him forward to rest against his shoulder. Briefly, her head turns in to kiss his neck and breathe in his scent, before she sighs, relaxing once more.]

Do you have more gardening to do today?

[ He steps close and in the same motion, wraps his arms around her, his precious Eun.

Mirroring her movements, he allows himself to press his nose to the patch of skin by her collarbone. ] Perhaps later. My children are doing well on their own today, and I have completed the routine of watering them for now.

[ A beat, then: ] Would you like to nap a little longer? The couch is comfortable. I could wake you once the buns are ready.

[As his arms wrap around her, Eun's response is immediate. A soft, pleased purr rises at the back of her throat as she in turn mirrors him. Her arms drop to wrap around him, and she sits there contentedly.]

I wouldn't mind relocating to the couch, but not to nap. I need to be waking up, not falling asleep already.

[She draws her head back then, but only so she can offer him a smile.]

I've been thinking a lot the last week or so and there are things I want to ask you if you have the time today. About Aspen Creek and the pack. General pack-slash-werewolf things in general.

I have the time. [ For that smile, he realizes, there are very few things he might not do. ]

You can ask me anything, mi amor.

I've been thinking that while Mason made a point of helping me learn to control and work with my wolf, and I have a basic understanding of how things work in our world...there is probably a lot that I don't know about yet. Especially since part of his pack was more distracted pursuing me than teaching me more.

[She pauses a beat, then adds:]

And with Bran making an offer to let me transfer to his pack here, it seems like it would be good for me to learn more about the peculiarities about this pack. How it might function differently from Mason's, what I could expect, or what might be expected of me...things like that.

[They're all topics she thinks will be significantly lighter than last night's, back in the barn or when they were in bed together. She could ask Bran and get an official answer, of course, or something vague that answers and doesn't all at once, but Eun wants the perspective of someone who is not alpha. Someone who would understand best the things that would be most relevant to her.]

[ He nods, intently listening to her words and the curiosity and determination that underscores each syllable. It If this were any other moment, he might revert to thinking less of Mason Conway. But given that the California Alpha's inability to navigate the challenges of balancing caring for his pack with all that that entails and teaching a young female wolf beyond the immediate laws has resulted in Eun walking quitr literally into his life - he will lean towards kindness and hold his tongue. ]

Perhaps we should move to the couch. This is a conversation best done sitting down comfortably.

[ He will offer his hand to her, a gesture that now comes instinctively less because of his own upbringing and more because it is a privilege when she allows him to care for her in small ways. ]

[Eun takes the hand he offers and allows him to guide her safely to the ground and over to the couch. Her free hand snags her tea, and she takes it with them so that it warms her hands as she leans up against him on his sofa.]

It doesn't have to be addressed all in one sitting, just to be clear, and I realize I could go to others for information--and I will no doubt--but I trust you to be forthright in your answers and explanations. Even if any of the truths may be unpleasant or take some adjusting to get used to.

Very well. [ He settles back, pleased for the opportunity to keep her close. ] Ask, and I will answer.

[ Not all aspects of what they are are comfortable. But it is better that she has the answers for what she does not know. Information, as Bran liked to say in private, is power. ]

Maybe let's start with something simple? [She takes a sip of her tea again, and cants her head to the side.] I don't think it would surprise you that after a month here in Montana I am already more than halfway convinced to accept Bran's offer to join his pack.

[Her free hand covers his, fingertips idly tracing nonsensical patterns on the palm.]

But the logistics of how I would make that work are definitely on my mind. Housing. Work. Money to support myself. And I do want to support myself. Bran's been very generous letting me stay in that guest cabin but I couldn't expect to occupy it indefinitely, or if I did, not without paying some sort of rent. Which takes it back to what income opportunities there are here...

[None of this is a question.]

How does it work for a new wolf here who hasn't had centuries to build up wealth like the rest of you?

Edited 2020-05-01 16:20 (UTC)

[ He watches her hand; enkoys the way touch comes so easy between them. He lets her words wash over him. Tries not to dwell too much on the possibility that she will stay, even as the wolf becomes alert at the reminder that her stay in Montana was originally just temporary. ]

Aspen Creek was built as a sanctuary. Bran is invested in making sure that we, as a species, survive. And that includes even the oldest of those us who have no other place to go.

[ He rests his cheek on the side of her head, calming the wolf. ]

For many of us, the Marrok provides. But for those who are able-bodied and sound of mind seeking solace and quiet - lile Peggy, to set wolves up for the transition to their new life here, Charles often arranges manageable loans.

A wolf that cannot support him or herself is unlikely to feel safe and settled. There is some truth in how money aids the presence of happiness.

We have had wolves who stayed with us who took jobs in the nearby areas. And with the rise of remote technology, others - and I will use Peggy as an example - find work that does bot require them to be physically present.

[Eun cannot sense his wolf's alertness or concern at the reminder that it was never a given that she would stay, but the way that Asil responds is enough for her to take note of it. Her fingers stop tracing over his palm and instead she laces their fingers together. A symbolic confirmation that she is there and not easily leaving them.]

For some reason the possibility of remote work hadn't occurred to me. I know it's a thing a lot of people do but in the Bay Area it's always people who have high-paying tech jobs. Most employers around there want their people in the offices or workplace.

[And there is not a single thing she knows that she could do remotely for others.]

A loan could be an option if I could figure out what it would be for and how I could pay it off, but the prospect of being in debt the moment I move here permanently doesn't appeal to me at all. [Giving his hand a squeeze, she purses her lips together briefly.] Maybe this week I'll head around Aspen Creek a little and the closer areas to see what's out there. I know a city like Missoula would have more opportunities but...it's just too far from here.

It is four hours away, Eun. I don't think it would be too much of a problem.

[ He holds her hand and ignorea the whisperings of his wolf that she could stay. With them. Because as appealing as it feels, he will not compromise her independence.

So instead, he offers reassurance and options: ] Anna has told me that remote work is not limited these days. Perhaps you could speak to her and Charles to see if there is anything that piques your interest.

Another way that we differ from other packs is that Bran does not require a tithe the way other alphas do. [ He pauses, allowing a moment of silence so she may process that. ] Charles plays the stock market. He is also very good at it, as it provides his wolf a hunt where no one dies.

A number of us live off investments. While myself and a handful of other old wolves have accumulated fortunes, the others do not. So Bran has Charles step in to help them grow what meager savings they may have. Or set up loans that help instead of hinder.

[Asil isn't the only one whose wolf is making their feelings known. After last night it is even more convinced of Asil's suitability, and Eun finds it difficult to disagree. But she is not willing to jump in during the rush of new love when practical thinking has always guided her so well in the past.

It is not the wolf that whispers in the back of her mind, questioning if her life was really that fulfilling when she was so practical that she would not let herself get entangled that closely with others.]

So it sounds like the first thing I ought to do is talk to Charles, and Anna, and get their feedback and input. Discuss what options I have with regards to loans and the expectations there, or seeing if Charles would help me work with the savings I do have... [She considers asking her parents for a loan, they both make good money, but they don't even know what she is yet. What she's become.] And Anna knows a lot of people so she would be a good resource for possible job opportunities. The lack of tithe...definitely helps while I'm getting started.

[She turns then to look at Asil, and presses a soft kiss to his mouth.]

And let me clarify an earlier point. Missoula is too far away from you. And too far from the community I want to be part of.

[ He tells himself that he did not stop breathing for a bit. Not even a little. But he is not entirely sure. So he breathes, and then lifts a hand to tenderly run his thumb along her cheek.

He does not know what to respond to that gentle declaration. So he elects to address other concerns instead: ] You could also speak to Peggy. She may offer alternatives as well, given that her situation in Aspen Creek is not the norm.

[Eun's eyes close a little at the touch, so she is certain he has heard her and understood, but that he goes on to mention Peggy again surprises her just a little. She nods, accepting his response. The lack thereof might have given her concerns if it were a week ago...

But it hasn't even been twenty-four hours since he told her that she had his heart. Since he took her to his bed and made love to her. For all of their enthusiasm and roughness, it had been making love in its own way. If Asil had any regrets in the morning, she's certain his behavior would be different from how it is now. Not wanting to push this time, Eun takes his silence as a sign of his acceptance of her statement, and continues. Everything else she's said has had to do with her, her choices, her life, her opportunities and what expectations she would face in moving. This may not be the life she imagined for herself but if she can make it work it certainly feels right for what it's becoming.]

I'll do that. Charles. Anna. Peggy. Bran as well, if I can get a moment of his time sometime this week. [She has no doubts he would make himself available to her, but Eun is trying very, very hard to be respectful of the fact that he is not just an alpha by The Marrok. That he is isolated here from the rest of the world does not make his duties any less--

--the timer for the oven goes off just then, and Eun releases Asil's hand at once, darting up before he can get up.]

Here just...wait there a minute. Let me get the rolls out and I'll come back, okay?

[Not waiting for an answer, she slips away, barefoot and bare-legged as she trots into his kitchen to remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven.]

[ He lets her go, watching her as she goes to see to the rolls. The scent of cinnamon wafts into the air and he choosing the momentary respite to address his wolf.

Yes, she is their heart and it is difficult to not outright say that they would gladly make her comfortable and wipe all worries about assimilating into the pack. But to do so would mean crossing a line, he is sure. Eun is independent and supporting herself as she carves her own way in life is a large part of why she has won them over.

So they will wait. They will answer her questions in complete truth. And then perhaps, they will see where the road they are on brings them. ]

[Eun checks the rolls before pulling the deep pan out, and she lays it on a towel to cool. The icing is already made, so she just sets another timer before heading back to Asil.

She appreciates his feedback, but more than that she appreciates that these "how do I organize my life?" questions with regards to the packs and everything do not somehow remind him of the differences in their ages and experiences once more. It isn't difficult for her, but she is trying to approach this as the adult she wants to continue to be. The woman she is further becoming.

Eun settles on the couch once more, pressed against his side. This time she drapes her legs over his knees comfortably.]

Rolls will cool, then I'll ice them and we can eat. [She grasps his hand and settles it on her thigh, letting her hand rest there as she gets comfortable.] I appreciate your feedback with this. If I were living my old life I'd know what was expected of me and what my options might be, but pack things and Aspen Creek do present some challenges I haven't had to consider before.

[Her fingers are back to toying with his hand, this time drawing along the inside of his fingers.]

I'm curious though...on a scale of one to ten, how much is your wolf responding to this conversation with a driving need to take care of anything and everything we've discussed so far? [She asks the question lightly, but with a slightly impish cast to her smile.]

Twelve. [ Part of him anticipates it, he realizes. So he answers with the truth. It is true. So little of his money goes to maintaining his home and the daily requirements needed to survive. A sizeable amount, he spends on his roses. But beyond that, he could do more than support her comfortably. Charles would not even need to step in. ]

But, [ Asil continues softly ] we can negotiate it down to seven.

We have spent enough time together, Eun, that I know what it means for you to support yourself.

[ He is also not unacquainted with poverty. There is a saving that it takes twenty years of everything going right before you can lift yourself up from whatever your present circumstances are.

He has had more than twenty years. ]

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