Word Count → 473 :: hahaha he wants her so badly
He should have been more tense than he was, standing on foreign borders of a pack that sometimes whispered of darkness, but Shandom was oddly comfortable here; perhaps it was the confident knowledge that its leader cared about him, and would not want to see something awful come to pass for him. Naniko D'Angelo was a good woman, if not in the possession of several secrets of her own, and she brought a smile to the scarred man's face. The trip between New Dawn and Anathema was not a short one, and it was a testament to Shandom's affection for the female that he made it for her. Despite his flaws, Shandom remained a caring and loving man, and those he counted as friends were often friends for life. The Gamma could not say that about many wolves; in the insecure places of his heart, he was concerned Naniko did not count him dear to her. As a leader, she likely had many who she considered close. Such was the way of things.
Still, he stood with his head held high and arms crossed casually over his chest. He would not readily admit it, but Shandom enjoyed this pose because it highlighted the excellent strength of his upper body. In his Optime form, the scarred man had finally concluded that his arms were the most attractive part, and he had decided to flaunt them accordingly. Certainly, he tried not to be over the top about it (and he wasn't at the present moment), but he had to do something to compensate for the jagged flaw that practically ruined him. He had been truly handsome once. It was strange that the years of being a Nightslayer now outnumbered his years as a Qi'Vaex.
That was not a particular thought he wished to dwell upon, and instead he let himself concentrate on the crashing through the woods he assumed would be Naniko. The scent itself was enough to indicate the Angela's arrival, and a wide grin spread over Shandom's scarred face. She soon burst from the woods, his name on her lips, and the smile grew larger - he loved the way his friend spoke about him. Hey, pretty lady. How's my favorite Angela? The Gamma laughed, and spread his arms widely - it was something he'd learned not too long ago, and it was something he liked to call a hug. The beautiful woman was even more striking than normal, with her cares erased by whatever means she'd done it, and Shandom remembered exactly why he'd traveled so far to see her. She looks great, he thought to himself, dark eyes subtly taking in her body. Perhaps it was the lack of sex, or perhaps it was a true connection - regardless, the Gamma would have to force himself to keep the hug platonic.
Shandom is by nat; table code from the Mentors!
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