He was bringing a brace of rabbits to his sweet woman. It wasn't much, but he knew she would be thrilled to see him. He reached a hand up and checked that his earring was still there, grinning crookedly as his eyes glanced over his new tattoo. She would be the first besides Rory and himself to see it. His tail wagged as he paused well outside of the border, letting a sweet howl ring out, calling her to him. He shifted on his feet, fidgeting and adjusting his tank-top and jeans he always wore. He was eager to see her, to give her the gift of the rabbits, and the necklace he'd found. He'd found a beautiful necklace with a stone hanging off of it. The stone was a deep blue green, and was carved like a bird. The cord it hung on was a white leather cord. It would look perfect on her.

The butterflies were silent today, and for once it didn't depress his good mood. Rather, it only buoyed him. He danced in a circle, a goofy looking shimmy, unable to hold still any longer. From the near by brush, a small white fox peered out, then disappeared from sight. Overhead, sparrows and robins sang. A close by brook babbled it's nonsensical lyrics. The day couldn't be more perfect. At least, not until Ayasha showed up. He danced another circle, grinning. His golden eyes caught the sight of the same arctic fox peering at him, and he playfully stuck his tongue out at it, laughing as it vanished into the underbrush again.

Ayasha was doing a patrol, something that she had increased since she made it into the second tier of scouting. She hoped that she would be able to get to be a Master soon but knew that it might be awhile. Dichali rode on her shoulder, making sure she was all right. Sky wanting to join left her upset but she was feeling better. It wasn’t like she could just stop the older woman.

A howl broke her train of thoughts and her ears perked up at the sound of the voice. Liam! Dichali took off as she ran through the territory to get to her boyfriend. She grinned at that thought and ran faster. She got closer to him and could smell him along with another welcoming smell. Rabbits? Liam had caught some rabbits?

When she got in sight of him, she grinned. He was dancing! She flew into his arms, not caring if she got rabbit blood on her. ”Liam!” She reached up to kiss and saw his piercing. ”When did you get that?” She was curious and wanted to touch it but figured that she could wait since it might be fresh. She held onto him and asked, ”How are you?” She would tell him about her achievement later.

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He laughed as he hugged her, kissing her fondly. "A pack mate gave it to me about three weeks ago. Rory. He's teaching me how to do piercings and tattoos too." He had felt so different since Ayasha had whispered away the butterflies, lighter and more friendly. And the tattoo he now showed her had helped it, had made his connection with her that much more concrete. It was simple, a claddagh above his left wrist done in black. His tail wagged as he kissed her again.

"I've missed you, but it's been hard for me to get out of the pack lands. Skye has had me under pretty close watch." His eyes darkened for a moment, until he remembered his gift for her. He handed her the brace of rabbits, then fished the necklace out of his pocket, hiding it in the palm of his hand. "Put the rabbits down, I have something better for you." His tail wagged harder as he waited for her to be ready. Once she was ready for him, he would slide the necklace over her head and straighten it out. The bird pendant would fall between her breasts, but the white leather cord it was on could easily adjust to make it shorter if she wished. He would nuzzle her shoulder as he put it on her, then step back so she could see it.

A smile touched his lips as he looked at her. "You are so beautiful, Ayasha."

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She was liked his laugh. He had never laughed before, at least not in a happy carefree way. Ayasha then decided that she would do whatever she could to make sure he laughed more often. She still wanted to touch it but was distracted by his tattoo. She gently grabbed his hand and looked at the tattoo closer. ”Did you get this done the same time? What do the symbol mean?” She kept her hand in his.

She frowned at the implications of what that meant. He had done something to make the leader angry. ”What happened?” She wanted to be stern about it but was more worried than anything. She did put the rabbits down and as she stood back up, Liam pulled something over her head, which she assumed was a necklace. He then adjusted it and nuzzled her shoulder. She was a bit distracted by his nose on her shoulder. But when she got a look at it, she gasped. It was a blue stone bird on a white leather cord. ”Liam, I love it! Did you make it?” She would love even if he hadn’t but if he had it would make even more special.

She smiled with all the words and actions of love that he was giving her. ”You’re amazingly handsome.” She considered telling him her news and decided on it. ”I advanced in my scouting rank.” She fiddled with the stone and suddenly felt the need to tell him how she felt. ”I love you.” She blurted out and then became shy and watched him to see what his reaction would be.

He couldn't help but to grin crookedly at her as she admired the tattoo. His grin widened as she asked what it meant. "The claddagh stands for three things." He looked into her eyes as he explained it. "The clasped hands stand for friendship. The crown stands for loyalty. And finally, the heart, it stands for love." Love, loyalty, and friendship; three things the mud hued male felt for the snowy angel in front of him. His eyes darkened again as she asked what he'd done to make Skye angry, he simply shrugged, a bit of his old attitude entering his movements.

As she did as he asked, though, his mood lightened again. Her joy at the gift made him grin again, his tail resuming it's wagging. "Sorry, kiddo, didn't make it. Got no talent in that way. But I did find it, and knew how much you would love it. Reminded me of Dichali," he teased. He hugged her again as she shared her news on her rank. It was good someone was moving up in the world, especially since it made her so proud of herself. And of course, he was proud of her too.

Her next words stole his breath away. Three words, words he thought himself, but didn't dare say. Despite his stillness, a smile stole across his face, the smile of the male he could have been if not for the minor issue that ran through his veins. He couldn't quite bring himself to echo those three words, but her took her hand and pressed it to the raised tattoo of the claddagh. He looked into her eyes as he spoke in a soft, warm whisper. "I got it for you."

OOC: Can I just say...AWE!

IC: He was happy as he explained to her what his tattoo was and what it meant. She gently stroked the tattoo, thinking of why he got that particular symbol. She had some inkling but realized that he would have trouble saying that he loved her. So she accepted the tattoo as his way of saying what he felt for her. Though it wouldn’t do for the long run but it would work for now. Her eyes narrowed as he didn’t answer her question but didn’t push him.

She loved his grin. She just needed away to keep him grinning. ”Oh. Thank you. It does, doesn’t it?” She was happy that he got it for her. He then hugged her, which she was happy about. She was happy that he was happy for her. She was a little surprised about it but happy nonetheless.

Even though he didn’t reply back, Ayasha wasn’t upset. He grinned and seemed happy that she said it. Then he grabbed her hand and laid it on his tattoo, saying that he got it for her. Her eyes widened in understanding of what he was telling her. She reached up and gave him a kiss, whispering, ”You don’t have to say those words back to me until you’re ready, OK?”

((They are adorable. And your aav is too! LOL))

He stood a good foot taller than her, but her kisses were still the sweetest thing on earth to him. He kissed her again as she made it clear she understood what he was saying, even though he didn't say the words themselves. "Ayasha, you are a wonderful woman." His lips curved into a warm smile, his tail wagging slowly. "Someday I will make you the happiest woman around. I mean it." He nuzzled her shoulder again, then kissed her neck gently. He meant what he said, he honestly wanted to make her happy, honestly wanted to see her happy. He knew the day he came to the borders to join with her would make it that way, make her happy. He couldn't do it yet, for many reasons. He couldn't, in good conscious, join a pack that was terrorizing the others. He didn't like the pack he was in, but they needed another body to protect the borders. Also, he wasn't old enough to be her mate, and he wouldn't join with her until he could be everything for her, until he could be her mate. That didn't stop him from asking softly, "Ayasha... how does your pack feel about outsiders joining?"

Ayasha blushed as he said she was a wonderful woman. ”You’re wonderful as well, Liam.” She nuzzled his chest as he promised that he would make her the happiest woman alive. ”I know you will. And you already have started on that process.” She was a bit distracted by his kissing her neck. She couldn’t hold back a moan at his actions. But also didn’t want him to stop.

His question about how her pack felt about outsiders joining made her sigh. ”Before Maska, we would have been fine with you joining. But now…It’s different. I wouldn’t suggest anyone joining right now. Not while Maska is still our leader. But I don’t know how long that will take.” She laid her head on his heart, listening to it beat.

She did think of something. ”You might want to talk to my mom, Ralla. She’ll want to meet you and find out if your good enough for me. I’ll talk to her first though.” She kissed his chest and hoped that her mother would like Liam. The darkness might be an issue but then again she might want to help him. She hoped that it was the latter and not the former.