Hushed Willows furnace
i'd raise the sea in your name
112 Posts
Ooc — torvi
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#1
Private 
if you have time/want to, of course! <3 c:
 

Deep in the thick boughs of the cascading weeping willows the dark wraith hunted. He'd had his breakfast and after that had hunted to contribute to a cache before he'd taken to continuing his fulfillment of the promise he'd made Banner: add to her feather collection; though specifically he had in mind the more recent promise: he'd find her a colorful songbird to celebrate her promotion that she could gleam feathers from — surely a delicate project due to how small they were but that was why he let that process to her and just brought her the corpse. The songbird had been hopping through the short grasses between the cascades of willow vines when Buchanan spotted it: it's blue hued feathers standing out in stark contrast against the green and brown of the world around it. The male cerulean warbler was small, bearing colors of cerulean blue, black, white and teal within it's plumage.

Buchanan wasn't sure how long he waited there, crouched in the shadows, waiting. Waiting until it was distracted wrestling a writhing, fat, pink worm from the soil before he launched himself at it, caging the small songbird in with his paws. It fluttered and screeched in terror, both of which gradually became weaker though this went unknown to the assassin as he busied himself with how to execute his plan. Killing it would be a delicate matter in and of itself, he knew, not wanting to present Banner with a horribly mangled body. Except as he spent time contemplating the best way to go about it, the fluttering and torrid screeching ceased and the bird was eerily still in it's cage. Slowly, he bowed his body down and moved his paws slowly, ever so slightly to peek to assess. The bird had died whether from heart failure from it's fear, or suffocation Buchanan couldn't be sure. For a moment as he moved his paws back to ensure that the bird's chest wasn't moving — it wasn't — the assassin frowned down at it.

It had suffered and in part, the dark wraith felt bad about that. He tried to execute quick deaths: to minimalism the suffering. The guilt was easy to brush off, however, in lieu of the fact that he had been intending to kill it anyway and it's death had been clean. Gathering the stunning warbler's corpse lightly betwixt his jaws, his grip light and easy upon it's delicate body, he made his way towards @Banner's place, unsure if she'd be there or out and about tending to her Beta duties. Regardless, Buchanan thought it was probably a good place to start.
you are my sun and i am your moon
helplessly, irrevocably drawn to you
there is nothing i wouldn't do for you
no love left to rye
376 Posts
Ooc — Mana
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#2
always! <3

Since her promotion Banner spent much of her time within the borders of The Keep.  Her early days of membership in the pack were spent elsewhere and though she had a bevy of exuses for her absences then, being away at a time like this didn't seem kosher to her.  Plus she apparently had a great deal of things to do as a leader, though none of these things had seemed particularly pressing before she'd earned her new title.  It was a wonder Stark did all of it by himself!  Though now he never had to do it alone again.  She felt especially proud that he trusted her to watch over the pack in his absence despite how emotionally exhausting it could be.

She just wasn't used to being needed or sought out for anything important.  That might explain why she shied away from it all when Stark wasn't off traveling.  And now that their ranks had finally filled out some, she felt even more secure in keeping a low profile.  Of course, she'd needed a couple of days to recover from her late night stroll with Buchanan.  Not that they'd encountered anything dangerous, but there was a lot of.. emotion that night.  And her outburst.  Though he likely saw it as a blip in the middle of an otherwise pleasant evening, to her it was a much bigger deal.  It meant a loss of control in a way she hadn't experienced before and, to be honest, it frightened her.

Naturally, waking up at what she assumed to be a very late morning hour also frightened her, though it was in a much different sense.  Banner blinked and looked around The Crook, disbelief clear as day on her face.  How the hell was she the last one up?  How did she sleep through Tambourine doing.. well, anything?  She rose with a groan and trotted slowly toward the larger mouth of their sleeping quarters.  .. the hell, she mumbled to herself, eyes narrowing as she looked around for any sign of her packmates.  The Beta could only assume that her mental exhaustion had been a little too obvious, just enough for Stark to let her sleep entirely too late this morning.  Or maybe everyone just went about their business and decided to leave her be for some miraculous and random reason.  Who knew?

She realized she'd been heading to her favorite tree when she'd made it about halfway between it and The Crook.  Banner paused and grumbled a bit to herself as the fog of sleep began to wear off.  She braced herself and gave her coat a mighty shake in the hopes that a bit of vigorous activity would help wake her up.  After a sharp exhale she was on the move again, headed to her tree with no real plans for the day.
and i'm a loser in love
so baby raise a glass
to mend all the broken hearts
of all my wrecked-up friends
i'd raise the sea in your name
112 Posts
Ooc — torvi
Offline
#3
Banner's place was empty of it's owner Buchanan realized as he neared it. Though Banner's scent was prevalent to this particular area the scents were not fresh enough to signal to the assassin that she was in residence or had been for hours. He assumed then that she was tending to pressing leadership duties, unaware that she had been sleeping in. Buchanan was an early riser and very rarely slept in what could be described as “soundly”. Conditioned courtesy of The Officer who had wanted his young prodigy to rise quickly in case he was needed to protect the elder. It was militaristic, in ways: noises were enough to rouse him from sleep, triggering his fight or flight instinct with an acute sharpness. Thus, when the dark wraith had made his way out of The Crook plenty of the Marauder's had been sleeping still.

He padded closer to her tree, affirming what he had already known to be true (just to be sure) before he sat down upon his haunches and with a gentleness was a juxtapose to the tally mark akin scars on his shoulder that relayed his (still inaccurate) kill count he laid the fragile and small songbird's corpse at his large paws: a eye catching jewel against the dark mahogany of his fur before he lowered himself to the ground into a sphinx like position, prepared to wait for Banner, confident that she would make a trip to her tree at some point through out the day. He considered calling for her but in the end decided not to because she was the Beta now and she had priorities that needed attended to, and the matter was not urgent. He and it could wait.

It wasn't too long of a wait, however, when the sound of approaching footfalls caught the assassin's attention. His ears perked atop his skull. His mercurial gaze studied what he could see through the willows, hoping that it was Banner. The Beta in question came into his view. For a moment he struggled to swallow around the lump that was his breath where it had caught in his throat, but he rose as she drew nearer and inhaled deeply greeting her softly with, “Banner,” dipping his head low in both acknowledgment and in submission. “I brought you that pevchaya I promised you.” He slipped in the Russian knowingly this time, a tiny little grin tugging at the edges of his lips. Granted, presenting her with the songbird was not his sole reason for seeking her out, but he'd been trying to give her the space she wanted and/or needed following the events of their night patrol; but keeping to his promises to her kept him busy besides aiding in the search parties for their missing members. Hunting birds for Banner's feather collection was for himself as much as it was for her and the assassin did not mind the “alone” time that often accompanied the hunts.

Buchanan leaned down and nosed the cerulean warbler's corpse towards her, mindful of it's delicacy.
you are my sun and i am your moon
helplessly, irrevocably drawn to you
there is nothing i wouldn't do for you
no love left to rye
376 Posts
Ooc — Mana
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#4
A pout was fixated on her dark features and she trotted along, mindlessly heading toward her very favorite willow tree.  Banner knew she must have looked like a petulant child to anyone who happened to see her, which is why her bright green eyes flicked to and fro for curious faces.  But no one was around.  She relaxed a bit, though the look remained on her face.  She was still sleepy - maybe she should have stayed in bed for a little while longer.  The Crook was always nice and cool and had been so perfectly quiet this morning.  Stark might have frowned upon her sleeping in so late, not so much because it was a lazy and childish sort of thing to do, but more because he'd be worried about her and ask a lot of questions.  Questions she didn't have answers to.

Snorting, she quickened her pace.  Stark wouldn't harp on her about anything.  He just worried about her, sort of like she worried about him.  Banner had always been able to convince him that she was doing just fine and even if he saw right through her, he still took her at her word.  When things got serious or her moods were too much to bear, he'd be the first to know as always.

Her pout turned to surprise when she found Buchanan at her tree.  Waiting for her.  With a wonderfully handsome smile on his face, no less.  She blinked rapidly and swallowed, her heart fluttering when he rose and addressed her.  Buchanan, she replied in a breathy voice.  The urge to rush to him and press her face into his warm fur was strong, alarmingly so.  She swallowed again.  .. pev.. ch..? she repeated pathetically, her confusion glaringly obvious.  God damnit she really needed to wake up earlier!

When he leaned down to nose something toward her it all became a bit more clear.  Buchanan, the large and scarred hulk of a man she'd come to know, was presenting her with a tiny, delicate songbird.  Oh!  Banner perked up a bit and focused her attention on the brightly-colored bird at his paws.  It had been a fat little thing, that was for sure.  His feathers were brilliant shades of blue with white and black rounding out the color pallette.  It's beautiful she murmured.  Quickly, her gaze shifted back up until she met his silvery eyes.  Where did you find him? she asked, head tilting to the side.  She hadn't seen any birds like this among the willow trees, but she also hadn't spent much time looking for them.  Her dark brown tail began wagging as she realized that he had fulfilled his promise and brought her feathers.  A gift.  For her.  Her cheeks flushed as she sucked in a breath.  Well, this was a different feeling.
and i'm a loser in love
so baby raise a glass
to mend all the broken hearts
of all my wrecked-up friends
i'd raise the sea in your name
112 Posts
Ooc — torvi
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#5
A soft chuckle slipped from betwixt Buchanan's lips when Banner attempted to repeat the Russian word for songbird. Her attempt had been ...cute, Buchanan found. Extremely so. He studied her boldly for a moment, mercurial gaze admiring her before the assassin blinked and glimpsed down at the small songbird, embarrassed for a few moments, that he'd been staring so unabashed and also because she was his superior and that, according to The Officer he had no business even looking at a superior's paws — which was ridiculous to Buchanan if only because he wanted to look at Banner, wanted to see her reactions and be captivated by the green of her irises over and over again.

She did not reach out to take the warbler from where he'd nosed it, and for a moment he worried that she didn't like it, or that it was too small, before she claimed that it was beautiful. Buchanan's gaze lifted to her face, a warmth spreading through his chest. Her gaze touched his, striking green meeting the cool silver of his own gaze and the assassin did not avert his gaze. She had been the one to make the eye contact after all so Buchanan was content. “I found him hopping among the willow boughs,” He told her freely and admitted in a low murmur, “he was distracted trying to catch a worm.” Otherwise, he would have put up more of a challenge and there would have been a good chance Buchanan would not have had a gift to present to her.

“Do you like it?” He inquired, gaze rising from the warbler to Banner, where it rested upon her hopeful that his lovely companion did, indeed, like the gift even though it was small.
you are my sun and i am your moon
helplessly, irrevocably drawn to you
there is nothing i wouldn't do for you
no love left to rye
376 Posts
Ooc — Mana
Offline
#6
The way he met her gaze made her chest feel constricted.  But it was in a good way.  Odd.  Banner offered him a happy smile while he explained where he'd found the blue-hued songbird.  So, the bird had been distracted, hm?  That sounded an awful lot like something she'd be caught doing.  Luckily the wolves of Marauder's Keep were the largest predators who lived among the willows or else she'd have some serious issues walking around with her head in the clouds.

I love it! she exclaimed quietly, startled at how the sentiment had burst forth without her sparing a second thought.  Of course she loved it.  Buchanan brought her a gift.  She felt momentarily torn: part of her wanted to inspect the creature and choose her feathers right then and there, but a much larger, more insistant part of her wanted to move forward and initiate physical contact with him.  To show him exactly how much she enjoyed the bird he'd hunted for her.  She fought back a frown - was that too forward?  Too.. much?  Ah, hell.  Carefully navigating around her prize, the short lady closed the distance between them and pressed her nose to his mahogany cheek.  And even though she had to crane her neck a bit to reach, she let out a low, affectionate growl.

Thank you, she said softly while moving her dark nose to rub along his jawline.  You didn't have to do that, she added.  And she knew that he knew that.  And he probably knew that she knew that he knew that.  Her mind could go on and on about why what she'd just said was completely pointless, but she felt it important enough to state anyway.  Banner didn't ever want Buchanan to feel like he had to do anything for her.  Those days were over for him.
and i'm a loser in love
so baby raise a glass
to mend all the broken hearts
of all my wrecked-up friends
i'd raise the sea in your name
112 Posts
Ooc — torvi
Offline
#7
Buchanan felt himself smile widely at her quiet exclamation, affirming to him that she loved it. Knowing that he'd been able to make her happy with something as simple as gifting her birds to add to her feather collection it warmed him, it caused a swell of affection in his chest. It was such a small thing: feathers. Yet, knowing that she adored them that only served to charm the Marauder's Beta to the assassin even more, and further solidified his desire to keep to his promise and bring her the birds that he was able to catch to her. There were endless birds in the Wilds and if Buchanan spent the rest of his life catching them all and gifting them to her then that was more than enough purpose and he would be very much okay with that; but it wasn't that Buchanan was all that selfless. As much as he delighted in seeing her add to her collection, it also allowed him to steal moments of her time, like he was currently. No doubt there were more pressing things for her to attend to but at the moment he couldn't bothered to be overly fussed with guilt about it. Surely, if it was overly pressing someone would call for her.

Buchanan watched her as she drew nearer, navigating around the cerulean warbler to close the distance between them. His docked tail gave a few unimpressive wags, his eyes closing the second he felt her nose press against his cheek. Instinctively, his head lowered a bit so she did not have to stretch quite so far. Buchanan responded in kind to her low, affectionate growl with a throaty rumble, a pleased purl of affection of his own starting in his chest and ending in his throat. He drew in a deep breath, consumed by her scent — easily the most pleasing to him. Already, Banner's touch was familiar to him and he reveled in it.

A soft shudder slithered up his spine when he felt her nose rub along his jaw, peeking a silvern eye open to glimpse down at her when she thanked him and told him that he hadn't needed to bring her the songbird. “I know that,” He affirmed for her softly. “I wanted to.” Buchanan emphasized, his attempt to reassure her that he wholly did it out of his own free will.
you are my sun and i am your moon
helplessly, irrevocably drawn to you
there is nothing i wouldn't do for you
no love left to rye
376 Posts
Ooc — Mana
Offline
#8
Good, she said quietly.  Because I like it.  Banner's eyes shone with a playful light.  Insecure thoughts fluttered in the back of her mind - was she being too forward, assuming too much, being too affectionate? - but she pushed them back.  It felt almost familiar for her to continue on with her display of affection by rubbing her crown down his throat in a languid, deliberate manner until her cheek rested against his chest.  She let out a contented sigh and closed her eyes to revel in the feeling.

I hope it didn't take up all of your morning, she murmured conversationally.  She recalled then what he'd looked like when taking down a crane all those weeks ago.  He'd been brilliant, a graceful and precise hunter, who took down his prey in what seemed like an instant.  Surely catching the small cerulean songbird hadn't taken as much concentration.  But smaller creatures tended to be tricky due to their size.  That, and the whole point of his kill had been to present her with feathers for her collection.

Oh!  She hadn't considered that before.  Banner cracked open one eye to give he small carcass another once-over.  It was in pristine condition, as she'd expected.  Hell, if she attempted to take down such a small target things would have been much more.. bloody.  More like an unmitigated disaster.  The Beta let out another affectionate purr.  You're quite the hunter.  Her compliment was surprisingly husky, which was odd for words that weren't meant to be sensuous.
and i'm a loser in love
so baby raise a glass
to mend all the broken hearts
of all my wrecked-up friends
i'd raise the sea in your name
112 Posts
Ooc — torvi
Offline
#9
Buchanan's lips tugged into a grin spread wide upon his muzzle when Banner admitted to liking that he wanted to hunt and bring the warbler to her. His docked tail gave a slow, deliberate wave, a phantom feeling shivering through the severed tail bone and muscles where they both tapered off. The muscles had mended around the severed bone, fur and skin had regrown albeit scarred. He did not often feel those phantom sensations and Buchanan was quickly distracted by the feeling of the crown of Banner's head following the curve of his throat, her touch descending to where her cheek pressed against his chest. Her touch brought small shivers to his spine. Buchanan recognized those little shivers to be positive and he hardly minded them.

His ears perked as she made an attempt at murmured conversation, and for a small while Buchanan was silent, as he smiled down at her nape, mercurial gaze flicking from her back to the territory around them, unable to help his hyper-vigilance. Though they were well into the Marauder's claim the need to watch and to protect was too far ingrained within him. “Even if it had,” Buchanan began with a teasing guile to his tone before he sobered up. “you're worth it.” Giving all of his time to Banner was something that Buchanan would have done happily and willingly and he knew it. He deflected her contemplation but there was truth to what the assassin had spoken her, even if it was not a direct “yes” or “no”. He didn't want her to get upset by assuming that it had taken up all his morning, yet at the same time he didn't want her to think that he hadn't put thought or time into the gift. He'd been looking for a couple of days for the right bird, knowing roughly what he was looking for but not knowing which one would be the songbird until he saw the cerulean warbler.

The dark wraith could feel his heart's pace increased like a rising crescendo of a deep war drum within it's prison of flesh and bone as she purred at him, attempting to salve the embarrassment of his racing heart when it dawned on him that she could probably hear it. He could not help how his body reacted to her, he only wished that it wouldn't betray him. The sound that the Beta had made had been enticing, as was the further compliment she made in a husky tone. “Mmm,” The assassin drew in a soft rumble of a hum. “I may have accidentally either scared him to death or suffocated him.” Buchanan couldn't be sure and it would remain a mystery as the corpse could not come back to life and tell either of them. He supposed it didn't matter, in the end: his goal had been accomplished. Still, while he appreciated her compliment he didn't feel right taking all the credit for this one.
you are my sun and i am your moon
helplessly, irrevocably drawn to you
there is nothing i wouldn't do for you
no love left to rye
376 Posts
Ooc — Mana
Offline
#10
Warth bloomed uninhibited in her chest when he stated that she was worth it.  Worth it?  She'd never heard that before.  Well, okay, from Stark maybe, but that was different.  Banner found herself often comparing every other wolf in her life to her dear brother - who could blame her?  The Alpha was her very best friend in the world, the only one who had ever taken her for who she was, both good and extremely bad.  She, in turn, loved him for everything he was and appreciated the way he cared for her.  So it wasn't so far out there for her to compare Buchanan to Stark.  One was the long-standing most important man in her life and the other was rapidly becoming a serious contender for that same title.

She cleared her throat.  And you're too kind, she pointed out affectionately.  Oh, but she loved it.  Banner didn't know how to take a compliment to save her life, hence the constant deflection and murmured apologies, but hopefully she'd be able to work on that.  She should have swallowed those words and thanked him.  Hell, she shouldn't have said anything at all - Buchanan semeed to be a fan of her physical displays of affection.  Thank you, she added after a moment's hesitation.  Had too much time passed between comments?  Ugh, she was awful at this.

But she shouldn't have worried about her awkwardness.  Rather, the rational part of her knew she shouldn't worry about this because her tall, scarred companion still enjoyed her company and hadn't run screaming into the mountains, but Banner had trouble just.. letting go.  He moved on with conversation and she seamlessly followed suit: A win's a win.  The Beta pulled back a step and turned her face up to him.  But duly noted, she said with a grin.  Wouldn't want you taking too much credit for the wonderful things you do for me, she added playfully.
and i'm a loser in love
so baby raise a glass
to mend all the broken hearts
of all my wrecked-up friends
i'd raise the sea in your name
112 Posts
Ooc — torvi
Offline
#11
this post is poop — which is why i shouldn't write when i'm sleepy, lol.

Kind? He toyed with the word inside his head for a moment, twisting and turning it over and over in his mind as if he analyzed it enough he could dissect it. He hadn't been speaking the words to charm her, and he hoped that she knew that he meant it. He only told her as he saw it: the truth. She was worth it to him. The Officer expected the truth from his subjugate despite that the elder himself often was deceptive and as they fell in the same vein, lied to him often. Buchanan might have been naive in social (and other) aspects of life, but he wasn't an imbecile. “It's the truth.” He insisted softly, hoping that he was communicating well enough though the assassin appreciated her appreciation.

Buchanan ghosted back a step as Banner pulled back, creating some distance between them, and he glimpsed down at her, amused that she was insinuating that he still had killed it even if it hadn't been through a preferred method. In a way, the dark wraith mused silently she had a point. He had still killed it even if it had been via an unorthodox and unintended manner. “Hmm” He drew in a contemplative hum, his docked tail giving an exaggerated twitch of contemplation. “You have a point,” He voiced his previous thought aloud, with an easy smile tugging the corners of his lips upwards to her “a win's a win” statement. “The kill might have lacked in satisfaction,” He had spent time watching and waiting only to crash down from the hunter's high when he realized the songbird had perished on it's own while he'd been considering how to best end it's life without mutilating it beyond recognition. “but it was clean. No blood soiled feathers, so that's a bonus, right?” He grinned again, letting out a small chuckle.

Buchanan supposed it was all about seeing the silver lining in situations. He might have been disappointed that he hadn't been able to see the hunt through to it's end that most successful hunts had it was still a success. He'd caught her a songbird, and it was in pristine condition. And most importantly: she liked it. He might have deviated from the plan but his mission had still been accomplished with success. “Well,” Buchanan drew in teasingly. “The Officer never tolerated lying, so I don't do it,” He admitted softly, his voice low, a small furrow to his brow for a few seconds before he smiled down at her again. “Besides, your pevchaya would be unrecognizable as a bird ...if things would have gone differently.” He chuckled with a lofty shrug of his scarred shoulders. Buchanan wasn't used to killing such delicate things and never for the purpose of collecting it's feathers.
you are my sun and i am your moon
helplessly, irrevocably drawn to you
there is nothing i wouldn't do for you
no love left to rye
376 Posts
Ooc — Mana
Offline
#12
shh!  i am imbibing so .. :D

His soft insistance made her falter.  Banner chewed on the inside of her cheek as she regarded him.  Oh, she hadn't meant to say the wrong thing!  It just kind of.. happened.  She bit down a little harder, causing a tiny jolt of pain.  It was enough to keep her focused in the moment.  She gave him an apologetic look but wasn't able to open her mouth and speak the actual words, mostly becuase she knew she'd ramble, but also if she loosened the grip on the inside of her mouth she feared she'd lose her focus.  Banner knew he meant it - he wasn't the kind of man to say words just to hear the sound of his own voice.  But..

With space between them he could more easily see her expressions, so she willed herself to relax again.  It wasn't too difficult due to the calming effect he had on her.  She offered him a small smile, ears cupping forward to take in every word he said.  She loved the sound of his voice - it was a deep rumble, mostly serious but surpriningly gentle though that could have been only for her.  It rolled through the air and sometimes she swore she could feel it in her very soul.  The Beta sighed softly, a random yet content sound.  You do get points for that, she added, her grin indicating that her words were a pathetic attempt at faux seriousness.  Points for what?  Ah, who knew.

Her head tilted to the side when he mentioned the Officer.  Banner knew Buchanan had killed his former master but she was glad that mentioning the monster didn't drag him down any.  Not this time.  Her tongue itched with the words she wanted to say. The Officer wasn't worth another one of Buchanan's thoughts!  But she gave him a thoughtful look instead.  Then it's all for the best, she said.  As long as he hadn't stolen the bird from a crying child she didn't really care how he'd killed it.  The point was that she'd been on his mind long enough to seek out a song bird and wait for it to be distracted.  Surely that task had taken a great deal of patience!  Regardless, I appreciate the gift.   Seriously, thank you.  Her words were soft but firm.  Banner wanted him to know in no uncertain terms that she truly appreciated it.  As it was now the third time she'd thanked him, she realized that he probably got the point.  But the dark chocolate lady was nothing if not appreciative!
and i'm a loser in love
so baby raise a glass
to mend all the broken hearts
of all my wrecked-up friends
i'd raise the sea in your name
112 Posts
Ooc — torvi
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#13
tiny post ;-;

Buchanan offered a cheeky twitch of his lips upwards when she agreed that the songbird's corpse, in pristine condition, was worth some points. Like his smaller companion, the assassin wasn't all to clear on what points he'd been earning, and brushed it off with the consideration that such was the point. It was a saying he'd heard during one point in his life, at least, and that had seemed like a good place to use it. She thanked him again for the gift and the dark wraith offered her a sage nod of his head, his cheeky smirk smoothing into a warm smile — just for her. “You're welcome.” He offered with a slight cant to his head as he studied her with unbidden curiosity in his mercurial gaze once more.
you are my sun and i am your moon
helplessly, irrevocably drawn to you
there is nothing i wouldn't do for you
no love left to rye
376 Posts
Ooc — Mana
Offline
#14
Buchanan openly studied her and Banner felt herself fidget.  Her cheeks grew hot again and she cleared her throat.  Well I'll just.. she trailed off and turned her attention to the small bird he'd brought her.  Right!  Better get that little guy in a safe spot until she could choose the feathers she liked best.  Her emotions were too haywire right now for the focus that required.  .. tuck him away.  The Beta finished her words in a murmur and briefly considered asking him if that was okay - did he want to watch her selection process?

Deciding to keep her mouth shut, Banner gently grabbed the small colorful bird and bustled over to an empty space in the roots of her tree.  She poked her nose around a bit until she found the perfect spot to store him.  With a wag of her tail she stuffed her prize in, nudging gently with her nose until everything was adequately hidden.  The other Marauders hadn't been all up in her business so far, but she didn't want to leave anything to chance.  Not with such an important gift!  Satisfied, the short female turned back to Buchanan with an easy smile on her face.  I'll choose the right feathers when I'm not so.. distracted.

She didn't linger on her choice of words.  Banner huffed playfully to her tall, handsome companion and trotted out from under the weeping boughs of her willow tree.  The thin veil of privacy provided by the foliage was nice, but so was this perfectly lovely late morning.  Banner blinked and looked up, noting the sun's position in the sky.  Okay, so maybe it was a perfectly lovely early afternoon.  Whatever.  She cast a glance back to Buchanan and sent an affectionate woof his way.
and i'm a loser in love
so baby raise a glass
to mend all the broken hearts
of all my wrecked-up friends
i'd raise the sea in your name
112 Posts
Ooc — torvi
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#15
He offered her a soft nod, sticking to his silence when she mentioned that she would tuck the songbird away. That was probably a good idea, lest it attract another predator or if one of the other Marauder's came about, though Buchanan doubted anyone would try to steal it while they were present. Except for maybe, he considered, Tambourine who as he was to understand it, was still just a little boy; but realized that wasn't a fair assumption to make considering he had yet to meet the child. As it was, Buchanan's knowledge of young children was zero for the most part. He'd never spent an extended amount of time around them, and as he'd been the only one The Officer had successfully kidnapped he had grown up without proper socialization and without other children to play with.

A sheepish grin formed upon the dark wraith's lips when she told him she would pick the feathers when she wasn't distracted. His mind began to work then and his sheepish smile ghosted into something a bit more guileful. He rocked on his paws for a moment as he contemplated that in his mind, chest puffing ever so slightly as the intense urge to tease her overtook him. He wasn't sure where the playfulness came from didn't, for once, question it. “Huh,” He drew, silvern gaze twinkling as he looked at her through his lashes for a few seconds. “So I'm distracting, am I?” He nearly purred to her, after her playful huff and affectionate woof, taking those as social cues that it was alright to tease and flirt — even though he had no idea what he was doing. Maybe it was best to not over think it: analyze it later and just enjoy it in the moment while it came naturally.
you are my sun and i am your moon
helplessly, irrevocably drawn to you
there is nothing i wouldn't do for you
no love left to rye
376 Posts
Ooc — Mana
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#16
He didn't follow her out from beneath the willow tree, so Banner stopped and narrowed her eyes in faux-glare.  Buchanan puffed up a little - a gesture she recognized all to well from her darling brother - and questioned in his wonderfully deep voice that he was distracting.  It took her off guard for the shortest of moments until a playful smile spread lazily on her maw.  Flirting wasn't something she'd ever engaged in, but the Beta had a feeling that they were headed in that direction.  The butterflies in her stomach were an easy clue!

I suppose so, she quipped.  You are the most handsome of all my gentleman callers.  The words came out in a low purr as Banner's bright green eyes shone in the afternoon light.  Of course there were no other gentleman callers.  Buchanan knew that.  Well, hopefully.  What was a gentleman caller, anyway?  Banner was certainly no lady.  She averted her gaze coyly.  Truthfully he was the most handsome of any male she'd met.  His honesty, self control, the way he carried himself - all of these were things she admired about him.  But the thing she most enjoyed about the stalwart male's company was how he treated her.  There were scant few wolves in her life who had ever treated Banner as.. well, normal.  Supported her when she needed it and backed off when she didn't.

Truly he was the only man other than Stark to really care for her.  She breathed in deeply.  Slow.  She'd requested to take things slow.  But.. was that what she really wanted?
and i'm a loser in love
so baby raise a glass
to mend all the broken hearts
of all my wrecked-up friends
i'd raise the sea in your name
112 Posts
Ooc — torvi
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#17
Banner's faux glare didn't go unnoticed by the dark wraith who grinned at her but shrugged out of the long, tangling boughs of the willow, ducking though the gesture was useless as the spindly and cascading limbs of the willow tree feel like a curtain to the ground and there truly wasn't any ducking to avoid them. A soft, amused snort of a noise left Buchanan when she called him handsome. Was he? He didn't really know. He supposed he had to be somewhat attractive as The Officer was careful to never scar up his face. It was one of the few places where he did not bear any, not even beneath the short fur that covered it. He had the noticeable tally scars on his shoulder and of course the permanent brand of ownership: the docked tail; and then there were the scars that no one could see: the psychological damage perceived as “lessons” by The Officer. The hostility towards strangers, the hyper vigilance, the instability when dealing with strangers, flashbacks or anything that he generally viewed as a threat. Not to mention the acute Stockholm Syndrome he still found himself suffering from despite that he'd freed himself despite that it hadn't really been for himself. Did those things make him handsome? Or was it just a general term? He drew in a soft breath, realizing that he'd been over thinking it. Right. He wasn't supposed to over think.

And then the second half of her other sentence took precedence. Gentleman suitors. Were there more? Buchanan couldn't claim that it would surprise him if there were other males pursuing her beyond himself. She was beautiful and there were so many admirable qualities about her. Her low purl did not assure that the dark wraith that she was teasing him precisely, but Banner didn't strike him as the type to lead on several guys at one time. Or to lead on guys at all. “At least I've got that going for me,” He offered her a cheeky sort of grin, his docked tail giving a few quick wags.
you are my sun and i am your moon
helplessly, irrevocably drawn to you
there is nothing i wouldn't do for you
no love left to rye
376 Posts
Ooc — Mana
Offline
#18
When he finally emerged from beneath the willow tree she turned around to face him.  Banner didn't have any destination in mind when she left the sheer confines of those boughs - maybe she just wanted to feel a little less.. claustrophobic.  Being close to Buchanan caused her heart to beat quickly and her head to get a little fuzzy.  These weren't necessarily bad things, but she wondered if it was normal.  Having no previous experience to compare her emotional and physical reactions to the tall, dark male, she felt a little self conscious.  Awkward, even.  What a surprise.  She sucked in a breath and slicked her ears back.

You have.. she faltered, not knowing exactly how to say what was on the tip of her tongue.  Instead of furrowing her brow and looking frustrated, Banner's dark brown features relaxed while her bright green eyes sought his own silvery gaze.  Meeting his eyes lately had worked wonders to soothe her.  There was no way she'd be able to explain that to him.  Hell, the Beta didn't understand it herself.  But she knew that she enjoyed it a great deal.  That thought put her restless mind at ease and her voice was thick with emotion when she spoke again: .. you have so much more going for you.

She felt her heart thud loudly in her chest.  Could he hear it from those few steps between them?  Banner drew in another breath and released it slowly.  Her body sang to be close to him again, but she held herself back.  She didn't want to get into the habit of curling herself around him every time her emotions grew beyond a level she could handle on her own.
and i'm a loser in love
so baby raise a glass
to mend all the broken hearts
of all my wrecked-up friends
i'd raise the sea in your name
112 Posts
Ooc — torvi
Offline
#19
She sought his gaze, and Buchanan found himself unable to look away from her bright eyes — that would possibly always remind him of the northern lights, as repetitive as it was it was the connect he made every time she met his eyes. Instinctively, his subservient mind whispered at him to look away. That as his superior, her gaze meeting his should have been an act of dominance, just as his gaze seeking hers should have been a challenge. Buchanan understood that her seeking his gaze was not her trying to dominate him and it was because she had sought it for a different reason entirely that he did not look away. He inhaled deeply, as she spoke, taking in her words, her voice heavy with her emotions in carefully.

She had a faith in him, perhaps, he realized. She knew what he had done, who he'd been. To an extent he hadn't had a choice, it was true, but he hadn't stood up and disobeyed The Officer either — not until a line had been crossed that shouldn't have been. He had taken the lives of those innocents without question before the child. Hell, he'd even enjoyed it. But Banner knew this. Buchanan had made no moves to hide it, had told her of it himself. A lot of his progress forward, working towards the giant abyss of unknown that was his future was credited alone to Banner. Without her, it was extremely likely he'd be stuck trying to replace The Officer as he had tried and failed to do with Phiipa. Being honest with himself about what he'd done — he held himself accountable for the lives he'd taken.

“That's good,” He murmured lowly, giving a sage nod, though some unidentified emotion had risen in his throat, and he swallowed with effort, almost breathless. “because I don't think I could stand it if someone else won your heart.” He admitted softly. It was a selfish thing. He was selfish. But Banner was good for him and she meant something to him. He'd grown to care for her quickly, quicker than he thought was possible. He hadn't even meant to, really. Caring for someone meant they were a weakness, and it meant that they could be used as leverage against you. “I'm-” He took a deep breath. “I'm sorry if that's too, ah, forward.” She'd asked to take it slow, though it was still unclear to him whether she'd meant them or the walk that night and knew that it was safe to assume both. He didn't want to ruin it, didn't want to scare her off, and he diverted his gaze worrying that by being as forward as he just was that he might have done just that.
you are my sun and i am your moon
helplessly, irrevocably drawn to you
there is nothing i wouldn't do for you
no love left to rye
376 Posts
Ooc — Mana
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#20
His soft admission hung between them and it sounded like music to her ears.  Banner blinked twice in rapid succession before letting out a sigh that sounded strangely.. content.  Such words had never been spoken to her before and they brought that lovely heat back to her cheeks.  The urge to close the gap between them was stronger than ever but she held herself back.  Buchanan apologized then for what he'd said and it caused her to panic internally.  Did he really not mean it?  Was he taking the words back?  No, then he quickly expaned on the apology and it took all she had not to heave a sigh of relief.

N.. no, she started, her voice small at first.  Please don't apologize.  Out of habit she began to chew on the inside of her cheek while she thought.  Banner had requested that they take things slow in a roundabout way.  It was sort of cowardly now that she thought about it, but Buchanan caught her meaning, which freed her of any responsibility to actually explain.  Like an adult.  Oh.  I'm just.. scared.  A pause.  I don't let others in very often because of my.. anger issues.  It's just easier..  Her gaze fell to the earth between his paws as she reached for how to explain herself.  Stark has always been able to handle me, so we're very close.  Okay, that was a random direction to take her little speech.

Banner wanted to say then that no one else had captured her heart, but with her words about Stark she thought it sounded far too awkward and decided against it.  So how did she let Buchanan know that he was the only one she thought of, the only one she wanted to spend all her time with, to truly let in?  I think you can handle me, she murmured, her bright green eyes searching his dark face for comfort.
and i'm a loser in love
so baby raise a glass
to mend all the broken hearts
of all my wrecked-up friends
i'd raise the sea in your name
112 Posts
Ooc — torvi
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#21
He'd never done this before; but then again Buchanan had never felt like this about anyone before. The Officer had turned him into less of an individual to the point where wanting things like this was lost to him under his command. If he'd ever thought about a picket fence life with a wife and kids, full of love and laughter it had long been crushed and tossed into the oblivion. Then again, he'd been taken by The Officer very young when girls had still had icky cooties. Despite this, Buchanan wasn't entirely blind to the lives that “normal” wolves lived: he'd seen it plenty of times over with each pack he infiltrated for The Officer. In a world where there was only the mission and the mission that would soon follow Buchanan didn't stop to miss what he hadn't and had known (at the time) that he'd never have. The endless possibilities of his future were a bit overwhelming for him at times and he tended to keep himself in the present because of it.

The present where Banner was telling him not to apologize, telling him that he hadn't been too forward though her startled voice didn't exactly reassure him. Though, he understood. He'd kind of dropped that bombshell, and kind of all at once let her know how he felt about her. He wasn't ashamed. No, because even if it would have been too forward at least it would have been out in the open. It was easy to accept that he didn't want to lose Banner: not in general and not to another man because Buchanan wasn't sure that seeing her with someone else wouldn't cause him pain. He was pretty sure that it would hurt. He wanted to assure her that she didn't have to be scared but how could he when he was scared himself? The Officer had been concise when he explained that “love” was a useful weapon. It could be exploited and though Buchanan had discovered that he very much enjoyed being a philanthropist that didn't mean that someone wouldn't hurt her to get to him. It put her in the crosshairs, too.

“I understand,” He spoke thickly when she admitted that her anger issues were why she didn't let anyone in. “I told you about how certain things will trigger me and I'll have flashbacks where I can't tell what's real, what's present and what is memory.” So, though, they suffered from different things he thought that it made them somewhat alike. He understood in the way that he knew how and he certainly wouldn't ever hold it against her. It was out of her control, just like his triggers, just like the flashbacks. His heart nearly skipped a beat when she admitted quietly that she thought he could handle her. “I think I can handle you, too.” He agreed in a quiet murmur of his own.
you are my sun and i am your moon
helplessly, irrevocably drawn to you
there is nothing i wouldn't do for you
no love left to rye
376 Posts
Ooc — Mana
Offline
#22
Her jaw moved a bit as she began chewing on the inside of her cheek again.  It was a mindless motion, something that worked to keep her grounded in the moment when her heart fluttered right along his his deep voice.  Banner nodded when Buchanan recounted his flashbacks.  She hadn't witnessed one, but they sounded incredibly intense.  If the pair continued on as they were, she supposed it was only a matter of time until that side of him revealed itself to her, but that didn't frighten her in the least.  It sounded so similar to what she went through with her all-ecompassing anger episodes.

She didn't, however, want to assume anything about his flashbacks.  Not being able to tell what was real - that wasn't something she'd experienced.  Everything in her hazy red rage was too real.  The Beta bit down a little harder than usual on her cheek and froze her jaw for a beat and it just happened to coincide with Buchanan's admission that he thought he could handle her too.  Her grip released and she moved forward two paces.  Still her she yearned to bury her nose in his fur, to take in his scent and let his warmth surround her with comfort.  But Banner hesitated.  This was a conversation they needed to have.  Well, as much as two wolves who spoke very little could have, anyway.

I think.. I can handle you, she said softly, her eyes roaming his much larger frame.  Phsically he'd overpower her any day of the week.  Mentally?  Yeah, probably that, too.  The scarred male had a great deal of control over himself in her experience.  Maybe if she raged out on him.  She tended to lose herself in that awful emotion and get into a state where she felt no pain.  It didn't last, naturally, and hurt like hell for days afterward.  Banner blinked and gave him a shy smile.  You know what I mean, she mumbled.  Damn, why did her face always have to heat up when she was around him?
and i'm a loser in love
so baby raise a glass
to mend all the broken hearts
of all my wrecked-up friends
i'd raise the sea in your name
112 Posts
Ooc — torvi
Offline
#23
Buchanan watched as she moved closer, a few steps but not close enough to touch and respectful of that the dark wraith remained still, though unbeknownst to him he yearned just as much to close the distance as his lovely companion. Mercurial gaze swept over her where it rested, warm and affectionate despite the cool, pale coloration of his irises. “I know you can,” Buchanan's concurred in regards that she could handle his flashbacks and the psychological scars that The Officer left him with just as he could handle her rage. He didn't mean it suggestively. His ears slicked back when she mumbled about him knowing what she meant, and he felt the heat rush to his own face. God, his face was so warm. He wanted to re-assure her but given that he wasn't sure it was appropriate or how to even do it in a chivalrous manner he thought it was better that he didn't speak. Was there any way to talk about being intimate in a polite, non suggestive manner? Probably. But he hadn't been socialized enough as a child to be able to put together how to do it without sounding like a pervert or embarrassing the both of them in the process, figuring that his agreement could serve a dual purpose.

Yet, their confessions — if that's what they were — left a singular and big question unanswered to the assassin; and followed by series of smaller questions. His ears cupped forth and he ghosted forward a small step, closing a small sliver of the distance left between them. Were there customs for this sort of thing? Oh, Buchanan knew what he wanted well enough but he wasn't sure how to go about asking it or even if it was appropriate to ask it now. He'd already knew he wanted to be with her, to spend his life with her; but that was just him, his wishes. There was a whole other person to think about. “I have to admit I have no idea about courting or anything,” On the aspects of a “normal” life The Officer had intentionally never taught him. He was embarrassed to admit it, but it was the (probably quite obvious) truth.

At this point, there seemed like only one logical thing for Buchanan to do. His stomach roiled and knotted with a sudden anxious flutter of nerves. He resisted the urge to lower himself into a submissive pose. Now wasn't the time for that, besides Banner was his Beta, it was true, but she wasn't The Officer. The Gamma took a deep breath and held to the belief that only the best things in life were worth the risk. “Will you-” He took another deep breath and offered her a smile. “-will you be my mate?” Not a question he would have ever seen himself asking, and because the nerves threatened to suffocate him he cleared his throat and spoke, “You can think about it if you need to, and if you're not ready that's — I understand.” And if you don't want to, I'll understand that too. God, he was awful at this. Way to go Buchanan, you probably made the most awkward proposal in history.
you are my sun and i am your moon
helplessly, irrevocably drawn to you
there is nothing i wouldn't do for you
no love left to rye
376 Posts
Ooc — Mana
Offline
#24
<3

When he agreed it almost felt like praise.  Banner straightened up and gave him a bright smile despite her awkard feelings from moments before.  Her dark tail wagged lazily, ears cupping forward with interest when he closed the gap between them even more.  Oh, how she loved being close to him.  The smile on her face was growing but she didn't care to temper it.  As far as she was concerned, all was right with her little world.  Marauder's Keep was calm, she'd been given a lovely gift, and the giver decided to spend his time with her.

Her head tilted just a bit when he spoke of courting.  Courting?  Huh.  Banner didn't know anything about that, either.  Her days were always full of avoiding others and even though she enjoyed observation from afar, she'd never bothered to study up on relationships.  That'd been Stark's thing.  Well, not so much relationships as.. flings?  It didn't matter - that was all his business.

Buchanan took a deep breath and asked her a question she never thought she'd be happy to hear.  Oh!  Oh.  It was, of course, follwed by a statement that he understood if she wasn't ready.  Banner drew in a breath much the same as he had done and closed the small gap between them by pressing her nose affectionately to his chin.  Normally it'd be seen as a submissive gesture (and she supposed it still was to some extent) but the low, contented purr that accompanied it spoke volumes.  Not content to simply touch him in this way, the short Beta pressed moved to nibble lightly at his strong jaw.  Yes, she replied in a breathy voice that came out much like a very happy sigh.  She felt so light!  Her heart was absolutely soaring.  Never in all her days did Banner think she'd experience something as lovely as this.
and i'm a loser in love
so baby raise a glass
to mend all the broken hearts
of all my wrecked-up friends
i'd raise the sea in your name
112 Posts
Ooc — torvi
Offline
#25
awww. <3 *squishes them*

Buchanan's heart beat was loud in his ear, so loud that for a moment it was effective in distracting him, in drowning out everything out. Nerves were not anything he'd ever experienced aside from the kind of nervous when he reported back to The Officer. These nerves were ...different. Sort of. He didn't fear Banner as he'd feared The Officer but that didn't mean that he didn't fear her rejection. Part of him was braced for it, despite the conversation that had led up to his proposal. As it was, Buchanan was a simple beast: one plus one would always equal two to him. He didn't often contemplate his thought processes too much, whether it had to do with his lack of socialization or just a trait of The Officer he'd picked up he didn't know and supposed that it didn't matter. He didn't need to analyze his feelings for Banner: it was obvious they were there and they weren't going anywhere, and that in time they would only strengthen. He'd already fallen for her and he wanted to be with her; and it was truly that simple.

She did not respond at first, and the anticipation built like an itch in his muscles that he couldn't scratch. She closed the distance that the two of them had slowly been closing and Buchanan felt the press of her nose to his chin. A bizarre gesture to the dark wraith, to the subservient who wanted to shrink away from the gesture he instinctively thought to be a submissive one. Her satisfied purr told him a different story; yet still it wasn't enough to assure him that she wasn't just being kind. Trying to let him down easy. He said that he'd understand but that didn't mean it wouldn't hurt. Naturally, he played through the worst scenarios in his mind, an instinctual conditioning of being The Officer's peon, his inferior for years. Omega's didn't get things. They were nothing and therefore they had nothing. It was the natural order of things. Surely, he'd upset some cosmic balance by being so audacious. Surely.

You're nothing, boy. Just a ghost. He was brought back, the illusion of his dead overlord's voice shattered by Banner's light nibbles along his jaw. He drew in a deep breath, expelled as a pleased rumble in his chest. So focused upon the way her light bites caused shivers of warmth down his spine he almost missed her answer. Yes. Yes? Yes. She'd said yes! For a moment he couldn't quite grasp it, but she'd said it — he'd heard it. He let out a breathless laugh, elated. Happier than he'd ever been in his life. It was still amazing to him how one small woman could make him so happy. But she did and he wouldn't trade it for the world. The dark wraith ducked his head to draw his tongue against the soft fur of her cheek in the wolven equivalent of a kiss, offering her a soft nip of affection shortly after.

I'm pretty sure you've made me the happiest man on the planet.” Buchanan admitted in a quiet murmur, making to draw his muzzle against her ear; because he doubted anything could ever compare to the euphoria he felt currently.
you are my sun and i am your moon
helplessly, irrevocably drawn to you
there is nothing i wouldn't do for you