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------Situated neatly on their hill, the clan was probably one of the few with little need to fret over flooding. Perhaps encouraged by the abundance of water within the territory (or the excess elsewhere), a small herd of deer had found their way into Inferni. The hybrid had been tracking them for nearly an hour, subtly driving them south. Staying upwind of the herd, he made a series of fresh marks further south that would discourage them from running too far. Circling back around, he crept closer... closer... his large body low, an impressive feat for a seccui.
------When the timing was right, he charged. The herd, only half a dozen strong, took off. Upon reaching his marks, the leader panicked and changed course just slightly--perfect. Dashing along behind them, he slowed to a lope, ears erect as he watched the buck skid to a halt and the does pile up behind him. One stopped too late--the mud was slippery and she went tumbling over the edge of the Ravine. The others scattered but Anselm paid them no heed. His claws gripped the soft earth tightly as he peered over the edge--the waterfall was gushing full force, perhaps even more so. The water level looked a good metre or so higher than usual, and it took him a moment to even spot his quarry in the rapids.
------The tattooed wolf padded along the steep edge, trailing the struggling female until the channel widened, the flow slowed, and the ledges became less precarious. She was still fighting to get to shore, though her efforts were futile. She'd already inhaled far more water than was healthy and Anselm leapt down gingerly to the bank before casually strolling in and grabbing her by the throat. Bracing himself against the slippery rock, he yanked and pulled at his kill until they were on (relatively) dry land. Without wasting a moment to shake off, he tore in to the bowels: the liver, heart, and lungs were gulped down almost at once before he weaselled his bloody snout into the intestines and continued to feast. Every so often, as he chomped on more food, he'd pause to take a quick survey of his surroundings. As the minutes passed, he became less and less concerned; he'd already devoured the most prized parts, and soon he could simply savour the regular meat that clung to the bone. [/html]
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Hai! I'm a bit rusty now, sorry. :3
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It was already August, but not quite fall just yet. The weather had changed only slightly, when a cool breeze whispered by at night. The rain, of course, had not really let up at all. It had been a miserable summer. Ryan would have been fooled into believing it was still April, had she not lived through th past few months herself. So when the clouds today didn’t seem to be threatening rain just yet, Ryan was appreciative. She had been wanting to do a little strolling around Inferni after making her border run. Though she had decided to make more of an effort at being a better leader for Inferni, it seemed that lately her mind had trailed away again. DaVinci’s visit had toyed with her heart, but that boy had not come around for some time again. Ryan, too, didn’t dare to venture to Phoenix Valley. It would break her heart to hear the news that he was no longer living there.
She secured the auburn locks at the base of her neck with a bit of twine. The familiar purple dress was draped over her frame, while Ryan headed towards the river. She had finished her patrol and decided it might be nice to relax by the water for awhile – possibly let her paws drift along the surface of the water for a bit. But the smell of blood loomed thick in the air, and the young de le Poer’s interest was piqued. She turned and headed further down along the bank of the river, only to then turn away and follow a familiar scent swirling amongst metal. "Dad," she breathed softly, amazed to see him here before her. When had he come back? How long had he been living right under her nose? Though her mind was too busy to notice, the tantalizing smell of the kill was making her stomach ache.
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------Though he'd been back "in spirit" for almost a month, he'd only been here about a fortnight now. The first two weeks had been spent re-establishing his knowledge base of the packs. He'd hit up four out of the five, only bypassing the most distant one as it seemed less of an immediate concern. During his travels, he gathered all sorts of useful statistics on their numbers, gender distribution, and age distribution. In some cases, he'd even gained insight into their pack philosophies. Since he'd laid relatively low--he hadn't even found Gabriel to report his findings on the packs. No news was good news--if anything urgent had come up, he would've made it more of a priority to deliver whatever information he'd managed to dig up.
------Otherwise, the bronze hybrid was content to lay low. Solitary by nature, he'd made special appearances to chase random strangers away from the borders and that was about it. The rest of his hours were consumed by exercise, training, and his patrols. Occasionally he would come across Ryan or Gabriel's scent, but they were always faded and muted by the rain, giving him no strong leads. A good old fashioned howl may have been an appropriate choice, but Anselm was content to cross his bridges as he came to them.
------That didn't stop his ears from flicking eagerly at the single syllable he was so unaccustomed to associating with himself. His entire body perked up instantly, and his head swung around quickly as he took in the sight of his daughter--the only one who'd ever accepted him fully, and damn, was she a sight for sore eyes. His tail had begun to thrash wildly behind him without his knowledge, though as he became aware of it he gave his consent to let the action continue. Forgetting the food at once, he half-pranced, half-bounded over to the luperci, rearing up on his hind legs as a dog may greet his master. Claws retracted, he gently leapt at her, offering several licks to her cheeks before backing up and gathering up what remained of the deer's organs to present to her. "If I'd known you were coming, I would've saved more of the good stuff," he swore, ears falling back slightly at this admission. Maybe he had some parental instincts after all, even if they weren't especially good.... "Um. Shit, sorry," he muttered, realising he'd managed to make her a bloody, muddy mess by jumping up. [/html]
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<3
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Was it sad that this was perhaps the happiest Ryan had been in quite some time? It was a great feeling to know that Anselm was equally as eager to see her – atleast, he presented himself that way. And of course, she didn’t mind at all when he jumped at her to shower her in bloody kisses – the scent was more delectable than anything and she felt easily like a little girl again. It had been a long time since she had felt like a child.
When he backed away from her, she let her crimson gaze take him in. He didn’t look too bad at all, and Ryan was happy that whatever he had done while he was away had treated him well. "Thanks," she smiled, looking down at the food that had been offered to her. It had been awhile since she had last eaten, and she wondered whether or not she should call for Valkyrie to come snag some of grampy’s kill too. "Looks delicious," she suggested, before her face pulled into a frown. Ryan didn’t realize at first what he was apologizing for, but then waved it away once it became clear. "Oh, don’t worry." She grabbed at the hem of her dress, pulling the material away from her body to assess the damage. "Nothing a little cold water can’t get out," she assured him, as there had been plenty of other times when she had had to work out dirt and grime.
She settled onto the ground, crossing her legs beneath her like a pretzel. Though eating like this in Optime was a little messy and odd, she didn’t mind much. She picked at the offerings and raised them to her muzzle all the same, relishing the flavors that greeted her. "How’ve you been?", her words slightly muffled by the food in her mouth. She leaned slightly into him, appreciating the warmth radiating back from her father.
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------Greetings this enthusiastic were reserved for an overwhelming minority: basically Ryan and Gabriel alone, with a toned down version for Savina. Truthfully, he had been somewhat apprehensive about their reunion for fear of the questions she would undoubtedly ask, but something about the moment soothed him and jolted him into acceptance of his own mistakes and their consequences. It happened the instant she leaned in against him--much like every other realisation in his life. Anselm wasn't very good at gradual transitions (or being patient in general); everything happened explosively at once. Immediately he was reassured of his Purpose and Meaning in life. He wasn't here just for Inferni, he was here for his family, too.
------"Help yourself to the rest of the meat, too," he found himself saying, although he'd more or less assumed it was implied. He was simply eager to secure her the most nutritious parts first, lest someone else come along and try to nose their way into his catch. (Regardless of how unrealistic of a concern this was Anselm couldn't shake the lessons of his youth, which taught him to eat quickly before one was challenged for their kill.)
------Relieved that he hadn't permanently destroyed the clothing, he nodded a bit, suddenly curious as to why she chose to don the garments in the first place. It was peculiar how very different father and daughter could be; Anselm found human clothing restrictive and awkward, while Ryan seemed to use it regularly. Originally, he'd been delighted by the prospect of pockets in pants, but any kind sentiments toward the denim outfits had fallen away when he discovered a much more marvellous invention: the tool belt. Setting on his waist, the belt allowed him to carry just as much junk around without cramping up his.
------"I don't know," he replied to her question--a rather honest response. "I guess equilibrating is the best word to describe it," he elaborated, hoping she'd know what he meant. "It's a good thing, though," he added, just in case it wasn't immediately obvious. "How about yourself? It seems much has happened in your life since I left," he said encouragingly, the pride in his voice obvious. Anselm had to give her credit for stepping up to Inferni's subleader position... all while being a new mother, too! This lead to his next question, the identity of her suitor, but it wasn't time to ask about that just yet. [/html]
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Ryan chewed away happily at the food Anselm had offered her. There was nothing like the taste of a warm, fresh kill and she easily found herself liking at her lips after every bite. It was nice to be here next to him in the one place that she had to call home. And now she felt as if she had her family back – as much as it could ever be put back together. She turned her crimson gaze on him, though all the while still eating. It was good to hear that he had been well. Ryan had worried about him at first, though she supposed deep down that she knew he’d be alright all along.
"I’ve been doing alright, I suppose." She had survived her first pregnancy, her first heartbreak, and her first chance at leadership. It was strange to think of how much had happened in the absence of her father. Ryan couldn’t be happier now that he was back and could be a part of she and Valkyrie’s lives. "A lot of things have happened," she told him, though didn’t even attempt to penetrate the surface just yet. They had plenty of time to catch up. "It’s good to have you back," she told him, before wrapping her arms around his half-shifted frame and pulling him into an embrace.
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@#$%&He rested his chin gently on her shoulder as he leaned into her embrace--it was the best he could do in this form. "I'm glad, Ryan," he murmured softly into her fur, sighing lightly. "I know I'm far from making father of the year, but most of your siblings wouldn't even give me a chance." And wasn't that an understatement? Other than her and Maserati, none of them had been too pleased by his sudden reappearance. In the case of his dark, wolfish looking daughter, he could only figure she'd accepted him because of her outgoing personality, not by any merit of his own.
@#$%&"But it doesn't matter now. Now I know where I'm wanted and where I belong, and hell on the rest of the world." If any of them ever needed or wanted his help, they at least knew where to find him now. At this point, there were way too many factors beyond his control--there were too many of them in too many different places, and they could never all be one big happy family. Such was life. It wasn't like his life here was inadequate in any way, either. "I'm sorry I was too daft to see it sooner," he added quietly. It was rare for the man to apologise to any one for any reason, but this case was special. In these words was also a thank you for putting up with his antics.
@#$%&"Enough of the past. Gabriel tells me I'm a grandfather now," he said hopefully. "What name did you pick? How old are they?" I'm not too late again, am I? "And who is the father?" Is it the boy from Phoenix Valley that's been causing Inferni so many headaches? Countless questions danced through his mind, though he did his best to throw on the brakes here and give her a chance to respond. Regardless of the answers, the tattooed wolf had every intention of being a part of his (real) family's lives from here on out--though he knew enough not to promise forever. Nothing was constant, not even the ground they stood upon.
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"As long as I have a father," she murmured back as she let her arms fall away from Anselm. Ryan smiled up at him, glad that she had him back at all. Though she tried not to think of it too much, she had felt slightly abandoned when Anselm left – and it didn’t help that it hadn’t been too long after Ryan had found him. She had silently wondered if her appearance and claims had made her father wander off. She had convinced herself otherwise now.
One hand reached out to pat him softly along one shoulder blade, "Don’t worry dad. You have plenty of time to catch up on what you’ve missed." And with that, Ryan retracted her blood soiled hand and returned to bringing the warm meat to her lips. She offered her father a playful grimace when she realized she had left a smear of blood through his fur, but hey – payback, right? His interest in what had happened while he had been gone was great. She and Anselm hadn’t had much time to get to know each other, but Ryan had a feeling they would make up for it eventually.
"Valkyrie," she replied first, smiling as the image of her daughter came to mind. She was getting bigger and bigger each and every day – she was going to make a lovely woman. "She was born in January – almost eight months now – along with a twin sister." Her throat seemed to grow dry when the words left her maw, but she managed to continue. "She didn’t even have the chance to come into this world, but I gave her a name anyways. Gabriella." The little girl had found an eternal resting place along Inferni’s shoreline. She looked away from him, out over the lands of Inferni that rolled away. She would avoid the question of fatherhood for as long as possible, for the image of Hybrid still made Ryan’s stomach lurch horribly. Ryan had almost tricked herself into believing DaVinci was her girl’s father, only because that was what she had wanted.
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#$%@Idleness brought reward solely in moments of luck or coincidence; being proactive got him to the results he wanted sooner. Though her revelation had, in a sense, prompted his lengthy expedition, it had nothing to do with her in particular. Anselm had simply wished to know how many more situations similar to theirs may crop up in the future--he wanted to survey the extent of the damage, so to speak. It had been greater than he would have ever guessed, and it was certainly far too much for him to handle. Though instinct bade him to savour the moments that led up to it, in truth he'd never been ready to be a father; nothing about bringing rabbits and fish to a mate as their children bounced up and down to greet him fit into his lifestyle or his image. The caramel wolf was impatient when it came to children, and maybe it was for the best he could enter his relationships with Ryan and Valkyrie when they were already adults (or close to it). Meanwhile, he'd hope for the sake of the others that kind wolves like Gale and his mate had been more open-minded to adoption than he was. Ultimately, it wasn't his responsibility to be there for those that rejected him anyway--it was his responsibility to be there for those that sought his companionship or guidance.
#$%@Anselm was surprised when Ryan revealed his granddaughter's age--had he really been gone so long? That meant he'd been gone for nearly a year when her pregnancy was taken into consideration; he really was lucky she hadn't just wondered off herself while he was gone. Time had blurred together during his trip, weeks blending into months that were largely indistinguishable from the rest. He recalled his time with Maserati's family most clearly, as they'd been the first he'd discovered along the way and those most receptive to his presence. A few other packs had granted him temporary sanctuary along the way, but his children's judgement often sent him packing, just as frustrated as before. The alphas were always sceptical and their adoptive parents' looks accusing--he wanted no part of it. One day he woke up and realised it would always be this way, and then he had embarked on a rapid journey back home to where he belonged. His ears drooped slightly and he nudged her gently when she mentioned Gabriella--he had to wonder if the name was a tribute to his cousin, in some way, as the names were so similar.
#$%@"You've certainly taken this with much more grace than I ever did," he said softly, though not without some pride in his voice. Though he'd been partaking in the carnal delights of life since her age, he'd managed to escape the consequences where she obviously could not. He couldn't think poorly of her judgement; she was nearly two now, and she could make decisions for herself. Still, he couldn't help but wonder if things might have been different if he'd stuck around. Maybe she could have had a chance at the youth she'd seemingly missed out on... now there was no turning back. "Were you ready for it?" he wondered, not forgetting his unanswered question. "Did he help you?" I'm sorry I could not...
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The meal warmed her stomach and Ryan wiped the blood soiled hands on the hem of her dress, turning towards Anselm. She felt perfect now with a full belly and her father by her side. Valkyrie’s appearance would have only made things that much better and had DaVinci been there… "I don’t think so," she responded truthfully. "I mean, I don’t regret that I had Valkyrie, because I love her to death, but I just wish the situation would have been different. It was a lonely pregnancy; I had to do it all myself."
Her gaze was averted, awaiting the questions that would penetrate deeper to find the true meaning behind her motherhood. She didn’t want to admit that the pregnancy had been a result of a night gone horribly wrong, nor did she want to admit that the father was none other than the clan’s homosexual deviant. "Valkyrie’s father isn’t a part of her life and I prefer to keep it that way. She and her sister didn’t come out of love," her voice thinned to a sharp whisper, "and I regret that every day."
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» lo siento si esto es muy malo. -drunk.- D:
He could feel his heart sinking as she spoke. For a long while the hybrid was silent; he simply moved and rested his chin lightly on her shoulder. "Nobody helped you," he murmured softly. "Not Inferni; not Gabriel?" He couldn't quite decide if he was more angered or disappointed, and from there, he couldn't tell if it was with anybody else or himself. He would have hoped his daughter had received at least some assistance from their family, but he reckoned at the end of the day, it was his responsibility and his fault. He felt fairly awful for it, too.
"I'm sorry, Ryan," he repeated, though he knew no amount of words or wishing would be able to turn back the clock and set things right. What she said next struck him just as deeply, and for a moment he had no idea what to say. Had any of his children really come from love? It was doubtful--lust and infatuation were prime suspects. He removed his chin from its resting spot, then, peering at her face carefully. "But either way, life is entirely too short to live with regrets. Please don't dwell on the past--just learn from it and move on. We wouldn't be who we are or have what we have without our pasts--both the dark parts and the light."
What she had said was troubling on several levels--he hadn't wanted to assume the worst, but now he was growing uneasy. "The important thing is that they did not come out of hate--right? 'cause if they did, you really need to let me know who did it and I will fucking kill him," he swore, his gentle tone suddenly becoming very dire. His hackles raised at the very idea, and he found himself clenching his jaw slightly. He hoped she wasn't holding back the guy's name to protect the damn bastard--but she was better than that, right? | [/html]
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Y tu. D:
She leaned her head into his at it rested at her shoulder. "Inferni helped in the way that it could. And Gabriel has always been like an uncle to me. But no one could help in the way of a father." His words did mean a lot and his mere presence was a comfort to her. Ryan's fingers stroked the fur at ANselm's neck as she listened to his advice. "Well, I guess we can’t change the past, so either way we have to live with what we’ve done." But Anselm’s disposition changed, and Ryan turned to face him. She could see the sinew in his jaw tense and his words came out in a fury of hot breath.
Ryan gathered his face in her hands and pulled his eyes to hers. "Don’t worry, dad. Just because he and I weren’t in love, doesn’t mean the girls came from hate." She dropped one hand away, but let the other stroke gently the bone beneath an eye. "Besides, that’s the past now." She turned her frame, wrapping an arm around Anselm’s shoulder blades and pulling him closer. "We have to focus on the present and what’s to come." And with a coy sigh, Ryan admitted, "Valkyrie’s practically a woman now."
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His initial impression was that she had tackled the entire thing walking alone--now it seemed that while she had support, perhaps she had lacked the most vital components. Her words were somewhat ambiguous, and he couldn't quite tell if by "father" she meant Valkyrie's sire or himself. Either way he was relieved to hear of her relationship with Gabriel--that was more what he would have expected in the first place. The clan members all had their own lives and duties to deal with, but they looked out for their own. They rarely quarrelled amongst themselves and their strength was as a unit.
What she said next offered clues as to the nature of the night that lead to his grandchild's conception--it sounded like a one night stand, pure and simple. He wasn't sure why she felt so much shame over the incident. Then again, most of his similar encounters had been by and large consequence free, while hers obviously was not. He couldn't help but be immensely curious about the mystery man's identity--he had been ever since Gabriel had brought up the entire situation. It bothered him that Ryan seemed so hesitant to share... she had with his cousin, apparently, but she couldn't tell him?
"Does she know?" he asked dejectedly, knowing that she didn't want to talk about the past, but also knowing that Val would eventually come to realise how the world worked and ask about the identity of her father. After all, even Ryan had known his name before she'd come to Inferni. It also struck him as dangerous--Ryan had already lost out on her youth completely, and he really didn't want to one day hear about Valkyrie stumbling down the same path and having children so young. These kinds of things had a nasty habit of repeating themselves if not addressed properly. Between him and Ryan, they were already two for two--and like Ryan, Valkyrie wouldn't be as able to walk away like he had if something did come up. [/html]
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Yo queiro Taco Bell.
Her father’s words weren’t exactly what she had expected to hear. She had figured that perhaps he would agree with her statement of living in the present, and they would go on talking about things, and the rest of the day would be happily ever after. She hadn’t expected him to grasp onto the past, in a way. "She knows," Ryan replied simply. What her daughter knew about her conception was limited. Ryan had only told her what she had wanted her to know. She did think sometimes about what would happen if Valkyrie later found out more details of that night, but Ryan could only hope that that would be when Val was much older. For now, the girl knew all that she needed to know. Or at least, that was what Ryan thought.
"Her father," Ryan started, unsure of whether or not she wanted to finish, "is…", and her voice seemed to almost fade away. She couldn’t look at him when she admitted his name, and instead let her gaze travel out away from them. "Hybrid."
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» mí también. >P -Had already played in future threads as though he knew who it was, didn't want to lay up on it.- D: also T_T you'll have to bring Ryan back again when you can! Anselm will miss her. 
If anything were clear from the past, it was that Anselm was a selfish creature. He did what (and who) he wanted when he wanted, he said whatever he wanted (whether or not it was truthful or might hurt), and this situation, alas, was no different. When it came to a battle between the ego and the id, the id always won, leaving the super-ego to wallow and inspire guilt until the id convinced it to fuck off. As much as he wanted to respect her privacy and unwillingness to share, burning curiosity had consumed him more. Thus, when she spoke the man's name, he felt a mixture of mollification and revulsion.
"What? That bone smuggler?!" he exclaimed, oblivious to how harsh it may have sounded. Fortunately, though, his features dropped and he shook his head quickly, eyes wide. "Oh, hun, you can do so much better than that," he said, tone now more forlorn, yet gentle. Only now could he understand her hesitancy and despair--they'd hit another bump in the road, it seemed, but perhaps this one was necessary to shake things back into alignment. In all honesty, he could have never understood without her sharing this piece of information.
She had looked away, and he moved forward, nudging her chin gently up with his snout. "But I suppose you already knew that. Ugh, I'm sorry for pressing the issue," he said, now slightly disgusted with himself--touché, ego, you won in the end after all, and now his super-ego wouldn't let him live it down. "But now... now I understand." A pause. "Man that guy is a freak," he fumed, clicking his teeth together--it was obvious that while he understood, he hadn't completely digested the situation yet. Then he half-laughed, if only because he didn't know what else to do: "Hey, you want me to kick his ass anyway?" What he had meant to say was: I still love you and you have my support; as usual, things came out kind of wrong, but he really hoped she'd understand anyway. And now, if she wished to not speak on the matter any further, he'd be more than happy to oblige.
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I promise she will be back eventually! And your post in her leaving thread.... was. so. sad.
Maybe Anselm’s words weren’t graceful enough for the story books, but they were perfect for Ryan. At first, they came harsh from his muzzle, but she had to expect that. After all, Hybrid wasn’t exactly a knight in shining armor – a father would have to be mental to want to see his child together with Hybrid. But Anselm’s gentle touch brought her back and she knew things were going to be alright. He wasn’t runing off so that he could tear Hybrid limb from limb; so in retrospect, things were good. He was taking this very well. And at his last statement, Ryan couldn’t help but laugh. "I don’t think Gabriel would be too happy if you went beating on one of our Hydra." She couldn’t bring herself to say his name very much.
"I met someone who I fell in love with," she started, wanting now to divert from Hybrid and focus their attention on the man she wished was her daughter’s father. "I was hoping he might want to be Valkyrie’s dad, but he had to leave." He could have stayed, of course, but his homelands needed him. It still hurt – the fact that he was gone. It seemed everyone she held dear had left her at some point in her life. "I don’t know if it would have worked anyways. He and Gabriel didn’t see eye to eye." She offered Anselm a grin then, hoping he didn’t know much about the Inferni/Phoenix Valley troubles. She didn’t want her dad thinking she only fell in with the bad boys.
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Aww, looking forward to it! She can always go live with Maserati and Gale and Co. if she can't find DaVinci, in the meanwhile, they're a welcoming bunch. XD Maybe we can fade off here/soon, or do you have anything else in mind? o:
#$%@She always surprised him. She was never offended or distressed by his words, even when they came out awful and fucked up, like a battered and bloody cat in heat. She'd never interrogated or judged him for his actions. Once again she had acted with astounding grace, dispelling the tension he felt effortlessly in a way others could not. "No, I don't suppose he would," he mused with a soft smile, the last hint of malice having drained away completely. She really was the perfect daughter for him, and only now could he really see it. (Beyond that, she raised a good point--Inferni needed what strength they could get, and quarrelling amongst themselves would only weaken them both physically and mentally as a unit.)
#$%@She spoke again and he listened carefully; he actually had caught wind of the Phoenix Valley boy (he was good at that sort of thing), but he was beyond the point of asking any more tough questions or getting upset. "Things that are meant to work out have a habit of doing so on their own," he offered softly. "We found each other, after all." What were the odds of that, really? It was entirely possible they could have gone their whole lives without ever meeting. Maybe if that fire hadn't driven all the wolves south, he wouldn't have met Gabriel or joined Inferni, either. To him life was a string of chance events, but regardless of what happened he always seemed to wind up where he was supposed to be. (If he didn't, how would he know the difference?)
#$%@"Well, anyway, I know it's not the same, but I'll always love you, Ryan," he added, nuzzling into her side affectionately. That word alone was a breakthrough for him--it wasn't one he tossed around often, or quite possibly at all. "And I can always talk to Gabriel for you if you ever need me too," he added, then fell into a comfortable silence. For everything, it felt like the first time he was actually home.
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Oo, that's actually a good idea since Ryan always liked Maserati. :] And I'll end it here if that's cool.
'Things that are meant to work out have a habit of doing so on their own.' Ryan thought about that. Did that mean she would just have to sit back and let life steer her whichever way it pleased? Or could she influence fate with her actions? Maybe she needed to coax certain things in her life in order for them to happen. Maybe if she wanted things to work with DaVinci, she would have to go to him. The cogs were turning.
Anselm would probably never know how amazing it felt to hear him say those words. Ryan smiled and leaned into him, feeling the dampness teasing her eyes. No tears would actually spill over and Ryan wasn’t sad, but her mind had decided what needed to be done. Though she didn’t realize, this would be the last time she spoke those five words for a long time. "I’ll always love you, dad." How wonderful it felt to say that one word again, especially. No, not love. Dad.
"Thanks." She tucked an auburn curl away from her face before letting her gaze wander to their forgotten meal. "How about we take some of this to Valkyrie before it goes completely cold?" Her daughter was no longer a little girl and didn’t need deliveries, but it would be an opportunity to spend a bit more time with her father. After all, the clock was ticking…
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