loccent | run with wolves

Entry tags:

verse: run with wolves

run with wolves | open post.

Characters

Asil, The Moor
A very, very old wolf and a member of the Marrok's pack.

Jang Eun
Previously of Carmel Valley, sent to Aspen Creek by her former Alpha.

Jesse Hauptman
Daughter of the Alpha of the Columbia Basin Pack

Joshua Brennan
Burden-bound. A Sin-Eater paired with the ghost of a long-dead soldier.

PREMISE

All the stories are true. Years ago, the Fae came out because technology was making it harder and harder for them to hide, and it's been a couple of years since the werewolves did the same. The world is changing day by day. Humans and the paranormal live side by side, but it's not easy nor is it simple. While the Marrok has taken great lengths and care to preserve the werewolves' PR front, everyone - wolf, fae, vampire and other - know that it's only a matter of time before the humans start thinking that perhaps the other stories meant to warn of the dark are true.

This is an open post set in the universe of Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series. The books are amazing and you should definitely check them out. More information via this Wiki link. The rules are simple: Drop a prompt, leave a tag, and let's play!

THREAD TRACKING

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Laughter comes easy these days. And it leaves him with a sense of wonder especially since it is borne from simple joy. ]

I promise to have the bed cleared of clothing and my bags packed away by the time you return.

I made migas the other day. There are some leftovers from that dish if you would like to bring some up.

[Eun loves that she can bring a smile to his face. It seems so easy for her, and yet she often gets the sense that it is not a usual occurrence for him. At least, not before she arrived, and not so openly the way he does.]

I'll get everything nuked then, and bring it up for us both.

[She cups his face in both hands and presses a kiss to his mouth with a hum.]

Don't take long, I'm going to be quick as can be.

[Pulling away, Eun slips out of Asil's bedroom and down to the kitchen to do just as promised, putting together a mix of leftovers and a few other things to supplement. Just in case they find themselves needing to replenish their energy somehow that evening.]

[ He sets himself to work, padding over barefoot to his closet to find the travel suitcases he keeps nested at the far end. It has been a long time since he's used these as previous excursions to the Tri-cities had only warranted a duffel. The bags are old, the style from over two decades ago, but they have rollers and they are sturdy and that is all he really needs.

He packs his things methodically, rolling where needed and filling in gaps as necessary. Everything is done in no more than ten minutes, and he sets the suitcase off to the side.

He'll be lounging on the bed by the time you get back, finally answering the neglected messages from his inbox. ]

I should be amused that Anna seems to be overly fussy about this trip

[Eun walks in, amused as well by his comment.]

You certainly could be. She's awfully thorough. Must indulge that part of her that wants badly to take care of us all. An omega thing, isn't it?

[The food is steaming on a tray, which Eun sets down somewhat in from the foot of the bed.]

I'm grateful, honestly. She's better at all of this than I am.

It is, an Omega thing, as you said. [ He sets his phone aside and smiles. ] And she cares deeply about pack.

So we all indulge her when she sends instructions in rapid fire succession.

Come here. [ It is a gentle request. He is not quite hungry, but he would like to rest for a little bit. ]

[Eun slides around the side of the bed and climbs up beside him. At once, she settles by his side, shifting to mold her body to his contentedly.]

What can I do for you, mi amor?

I wanted an excuse to curl up with you for a bit.

[ A quick kiss to the forehead at that.

Softly, he adds: ] I might be a little unsettled about traveling. But it will pass. Can I hold you like this for awhile?

Edited 2020-05-23 09:10 (UTC)

[She'd like to say that he doesn't need any excuse to curl up with her, carefully wrapping an leg across his as well, pulling him snug against her.]

You can hold me as long as you want. As long as you need. [She nuzzles against him slowly, gently.] What do you think is unsettling you about all of it? What worries you?

[ There is a pause on his end as he attempts to find the words to articulate what it is that crept under his skin once he'd zipped up his suitcase.

Finally, he breathes. ]

I do not know if this will describe it well. But it is a little like that first moment when you step into the woods here and realize that the size of the trees are overwhelming.

[ He takes a moment again, adds: ] I have not been to the coast in decades. The prospect of seeing the ocean again has me strangely anxious.

But in a way that is good. I think.

[Funny enough, Eun thinks that he describes it perfectly. Some things are best conveyed through a more abstract concept than defining terms.]

It makes perfect sense to me. I feel like the longer you stay in one place, your world starts to feel...encapsulated. No matter how large an area your world encompasses. It's not a matter of distance or size so much as...repeated familiarity perhaps?

[Carefully, she reaches up to stroke his arm, fingers touching him with care and affection.]

The prospect of leaving that space when you are so firmly entrenched in it can be exciting but also a shock to the system. Probably more so when the enormity of the world, like large forests and oceans, only serve to play up that contrast. Does that sound about right?

Yes. [ Her touch soothes him, and he reached over to stroke her cheek. Feeling a little less... vulnerable about expressing his concerns, he continued: ]

There is also the idea of seeing more people than I am used to. I understand California is... dense.

Denser than Missoula, at least. [ Because Aspen Creek numbers no more than 200 people at the most. ] What... what is it like?

I know you told me before. But if you do not mind, tell me again?

[His concerns are perfectly understandable. While Asil isn't agoraphobic, some of the things he expresses seem similar to someone who has similar challenges. That he stutters even briefly with his words makes a deeper impression on her. They have shared so much, emotionally difficult things, but even then she can't remember him doing that while they spoke.

She leans into the touch of his hand, before shifting, moving until her body lays atop his. There is something to be said for the pressure one feels in a tighter embrace, and Eun expects the whole of her weight to help.]

Well, it depends on which city we're talking about. I can tell you about Daly City and San Francisco first, or the whole, Carmel, Monterey area. Which would you like to hear first?

Perhaps, match your descriptions to our itinerary.

[ Her weight on his body helps in ways he has no words to describe. Tension bleeds away, and he drapes an arm over he waist. ]

I can picture what to expect better that way.

[Eun braces herself somewhat above him, enough that she can look him in the eyes. Enough that he can see her as she speaks.]

Okay, that's easy. Charles is going to land us in a little coastal town called Half Moon Bay. We'll grab the rental car that's waiting for us and hop onto Highway 1. It's called a highway but honestly it's just a long stretch of road that goes up and down the coastline. It'll probably be a little overcast, but you'll be able to see a mix of wide open fields and trees, and houses nestled in the hills. Sometimes a restaurant. There's a seafood place my parents and I used to go to...

You'll probably see the ocean here or there, but the highway is usually inset enough that it wouldn't be more than glimpses probably. When it's cloudy and the skies are grey, sometimes you don't even notice because the water goes grey with it, and it all looks the same.

It's a beautiful drive though. Peaceful. I think you'll enjoy it, though we won't be on the road more than half an hour I think.

[Eun lowers her head a little, allowing it to rest beside his. She shifts, turning a little so she can speak into his ear.]

Daly City is denser, but it's very suburban. Most of the activity centers around the mall, which is close to an actual highway, but we won't even need to pass through there to get to my parents' home. We'll be driving into the hills from the other side, and not going close to busier spaces. The hills can be steep here and there, but not like it is in San Francisco, and it's all mostly two story homes around there. It's denser for homes, but there are still a lot of trees among it all. There's foot traffic too, the bus system is alright and people use it to get around, but it's not...it feels like a town not a city like San Francisco is. Do you understand what I mean?

[ He shuts his eyes to picture it, though he is sure the images he conjures up differ in small ways from what he will actually see. The image she describes is peaceful - far from the busy city that he has, admittedly, had concerns over. ]

Yes, I do.

[ He moves his hand up and down her back. Her presence and achor for that grounds him. ]

[Eun's eyes close as his hands run over her back, all but purring above him for how good it feels. What is it about being a werewolf that touch feels so much better now?]

Mm, well, eventually we'll get into my old neighborhood and to my house. Around there, they have these two story houses that come in all different kinds of colors. Some more muted but...a lot of them are pastels. My house is sort of a light green with a white trim. We'll pull in the car in the driveway, but on the other side of the grass there's the stairs up to the front door. Which is on the second floor. I don't know why, it's just how all of the houses were designed and built. Like, all of them in these neighborhoods. Just like a lot of the ones on 19th...

[She's getting ahead of herself.]

My father has wind chimes he hangs on the porch, and when we step inside there's just a small area to take off our shoes, before we step into the living room. It's not very fancy inside, but it's all clean and tidy, and comfortable. [She smiles against his ear, and kisses it.] It's a three bedroom home. My room and my parents' room are on the top floor. The guest room on the same floor as the living room, kitchen, and guest bathroom. And there's the garage on the ground floor, of course. There are too many hills and trees to seethe city around us when we go outside, but it's far enough from the commercial developments that it's easy to see the sky above us. It's a neighborhood but I think it's one of the prettier ones, closer to the ocean and everything.

[And next is San Francisco. The part she imagines he'll be most anxious about.]

You know, you might do better in San Francisco than you think. I'd say only a third of the city at most, probably more like a quarter, is that difficult combination of densely packed, tall buildings and lots of traffic and people. And even then, it's never so packed that you can't easily get where you need to go. And we don't even have to go to those areas because they're usually the business districts and the touristy parts of town.

[She nuzzles into the corner of his jaw and sighs.]

Most of the places I used to visit had buildings no more than three stories high. They were quieter. Lots of little hole in the wall restaurants along the metro line. And there are a lot of beautiful parks. At night we should take wolf form and go into Golden Gate Park. There are bison there in the pen, and an arboretum full of flowers from all over the world...

[She smiles then, lifting up to look at him.]

There's a courtyard between the DeYoung museum and the Academy of Science museum, nestled right there in the park, and sometimes people bring their art there, or they hold concerts. There used to be a night once a week where people could come and dance to live music. It's beautiful there, I think you'd really like it.

[ He lets his head lean against hers, the sound of her voice lulling the tension he has not realized had been building deep in his chest. ]

Thank you. [ The words are soft but no less full of feeling. And he feels a bit more centered, knowing what they might expect. ]

I had not realized until this moment how... concerned I have been feeling.

My offer to join you on this trip is well-intentioned. But I had not allowed myself room to consider what it might mean once we moved beyond hypotheticals.

[Eun relaxes once more, curling in toward him. Her lips press against his cheek gently.]

I understand your concerns, and I know they are valid, but I do also think that the places we are going will be less difficult than you think. None of it is like New York City, and we won't be visiting the places that come close.

[Her lips find his neck, and she kisses him again, gently. Sweetly.]

And you will not be there alone. You will be there with me. And Charles and Anna. Your pack.

[ Her words ring with truth and because of that, he takes the opportunity to turn his face towards Eun so that his lips might brush against hers. He lingers on that kiss for a moment and then asks: ]

And you? Is there anything you would like to ask me? Or perhaps share about your pack?

If you have friends there, it would distress me if I mistook them for annoyances.

[Eun wonders if she'll be able to manage not kissing Asil as often as she does when in the presence of her parents. It's going to be difficult to limit herself to holding his hand.]

There are a few that I'm friendly with. One of the ladies. A couple of the mated men. I was never super close with any of them, but I can point them out so you know at the outset.

[Sighing, she nuzzles up against him once more.]

I admit...I am a little nervous too. About seeing my parents for the first time since my Change. About introducing them to all of you. [Not just Asil, but Charles and Anna too.] They seemed like they were adjusting to the idea but for all I know it could all feel different once we're all face to face.

Do you think it might be better if you and your parents had time to reacquaint yourselves first?

[ She had mentioned that she'd told her parents over the phone. But Eun was right in that sometimes conversations from miles away might feel different when revisited in person. Coming to terms with how their daughter was no longer human was a fair amount to take in without adding in any other potential complications - no matter how otherwise welcome. ]

Edited 2020-05-24 09:11 (UTC)

[Eun hesitates, because she hadn't considered splitting up once they had gotten to California, but his idea has merit.]

Maybe...maybe that would be best. They can start with one werewolf instead of four. You three can drop me off at my parents' home and head to the hotel. Settle all the baggage, clean up maybe, and meet me back after an hour or so, so I can make introductions?

[By then, she'll have had a chance to see how comfortable they are with things. It's possible they'll need more time, in which case perhaps they wouldn't offer to host them for more than a family dinner.]

I will let Anna know. And you can let us know also if they need a little more time with you before you bring in the rest of us.

[ Her parents sound like good people. If they are anything like John and Liza in their love for their daughter, he is more than happy to give them time to... acclimate as not to feel besieged by strange werewolves. ]

[Eun sighs, nodding her agreement.]

That works. The hotel is really close too, so we won't be far.

[Earlier she'd suggested a place close to her parents' home rather than in the heart of San Francisco itself. The hotels of San Francisco could be very, very nice, but those same hotels were usually in the heart of downtown, full of chaos and tourists. With Daly City directly next to the city, it had seemed better to suggest a quiet place for everyone to retreat to as need be, rather than force the four wolves to navigate around people and traffic on foot while they were there.

Besides that, the hotel rests in Daly City, rather than San Francisco. On the edge, but still. Eun doesn't know how territorial Thomas is of his city, but she hopes that he'll see it as a gesture of respect.

If they decide they want to upgrade to the expensive hotels of downtown later, Eun is certain they will be able to find something somewhere.]

If they seem to have adjusted to the news as well as I'm hoping, I think it should all go well. Mom, thankfully, isn't the sort to trot out the baby pictures at the drop of a hat, and Dad's not the kind of person to give a man I'm seeing a shovel-talk. Or shotgun-talk, depending on what phrase you're more familiar with. I think they both know that if someone made them happy I'd make them regret it myself. [Her lips curl up a little into a smile, thinking about it. Knowing that Asil knows well that Eun doesn't hesitate to make her anger known.] But I wouldn't put it past them to ask what all three of you do for a living. They're going to be very curious about you especially. Are you ready to answer all of their questions?

I am. [ There's no hesitation, no anxiety now. He's never had to present himself as a suitable suitor before, but if anything, the truth will suffice. ]

I plan to be as honest as I am allowed to your parents. Though I might leave my actual age out of our talks.

[ The humans knew that they were long-lived and immune to disease. But mentioning that he was alive when Charlemagne ruled might be better for once they were better acquainted. ]

And then have Anna lead any additional discussions on werewolves if your parents have other questions you cannot answer.

Characters

PREMISE

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject