have made the assumption they have been going on little dates BTS since he asked her, tell me if thats not good and ill edit <3
the last month or so had been rather blissful. teya found herself wholly focused in a different way. she made more time for sorana and left more work to maia, searching a better work-life balance than she had allowed herself in the past.
reyes remained in the back of her mind. she still expected him to suddenly appear but less and less did she dwell on what that might look like.
today she wanted to be outside brecheliant, and so she howled for
@Bronco in the gilded prairie just over the lip of the caldera.
windswept and tumbledown, she turned to him with a grin when he arrived, the corners of her eyes crinkling.
"can almost float out here!" she shouted exuberantly into his ear. she leapt a few times to demonstrate buoyancy, then landed near him with a more thoughtful look:
"when we tell sorana?"
100% correct :)
Bronco’s lifestyle hasn’t changed a great deal, though it felt as though he’d been given a new life to live. Still with his usual habits and responsibilities, but with the added pleasure of having someone to treasure and spoil. It cured him of his melancholy to tend to Teya, bringing colour back into his life.
He felt young again, and while he had none of the grace that his beau possessed, he too bounded through the field of goldenrod and dried grasses. Teya did seem to float; she was as radiant as a rising dawn mist- and she made him feel so good that he felt worthy of her.
He chuckled as her voice tickled the fur in his ear, before he looked at her more thoughtfully. Telling Sorana did not worry him.
”Whenever you’d like. But I think soon. She may already suspect something,” He noted. To him, her spirit had begun to glow, surely her daughter had noticed.
teya ducked her head and played with the strands of fur around bronco's shoulders. these past weeks with him had been — something unexpected. she looked up at him; she nosed beneath his chin and kissed gentle nibbles to the side of his mouth.
teya was more free with her affection than she had been with reyes, at least after that first time. the man of red fur was passionate, fierce; he had made her feel things she had not before.
and then he had taken them away, and she had sought them from other places. other people.
with bronco she did not feel like he was waiting to possess her.
"you make me happy," she whispered into the soft fur of his throat.
Bronco liked kids- and while he did wonder if Sorana might guard herself from him out of loyalty to her father, he hoped she might one day see that he was not trying to replace Reyes...And that Bronco was someone she could rely on to stick around. He wasn't a stranger to the child, anyway. His only worry was that she might feel as though her mother had given up hope on Reyes ever returning.
Maybe, someday, Sorana might realize that it was simply for the best.
He nibbled though the soft fur behind her ears gently. He could feel the way her spirit had become energized, and had made his own feel whole again. He couldn't be bothered to think about his failed relationships anymore-this one, he felt, was working. "You make me more than happy," He admitted into her fur. "I get excited every time I know I'm gonna see you. Just like a kid again, smitten..." He chuckled.
He wanted to discuss Sorana a bit more, so he could be better prepared for what to suspect. "What do you think that Pirate Queen Sorana'll think of this? How do you think she might react?"
bridget's face flared in her mind as teya pressed against bronco. she forced herself to refocus on sorana. "i not know. she older now — maybe she be angry." maybe she would feel replaced. maybe she would feel replaced by the potential bronco brought to the relationship shared between he and herself.
"you give me butterflies." her tones were a whisper.
and she knew why.
two seasons stood between them and spring. had they ever had this conversation? her stomach flipped uncomfortably but for the sake of her girl, the raven looked directly up into bronco's beloved face.
"i think sorana biggest fear might be younger siblings."
there was no other way to say it. she was silent now.
It would be hard for Bronco to not take it personally of Sorana chose to dislike him because he courted her mother. If Sorana forgave Reyes for disapearing, she would favour him over Bronco, likely. He hoped she wouldn’t feel unwelcome in the family he hoped to have with Teya- though apparently Teya already feared the same.
”Do you think she’d fear younger siblings because she’s be afraid she’d be replaced?” He asked calmly, before he shook his head and chuckled. ”In my family, a new batch of kids is just what it takes to have the older litter get closer. I helped raise two rounds of younger siblings and some of them weren’t even related by blood,” He said fondly. He paused, considering the trepidation that almost seemed to make her quiver, before he asked.
”You you want any more kids?” He asked gently.
teya was suddenly shy; she drew away and tilted her face into the wind until it licked her closed eyelids with an enlightening sensation. "i think she not want to lose more of me." and there was no way to articulate that, for it was mother-daughtering.
but little by little she returned to bronco. "and i not know." she was honest. "with sorana — i pregnant before i have choice. then reyes say he not want to be a father —"
teya's face contorted violently and she turned directly away from her beau now. the lashing air forced the tears from her eyes all the same and then swept them away. "so. i not know. do you?"
Get and humble, Teya had concerns for how her daughter might feel about her family changing. He could understand, though he’d never begrudged his own mother for marrying again after Colt’s death. But this was different- Reyes, for all they knew, was still alive. Likely a deserter, but that wouldn’t make Sorana take to Bronco any easier.
”She won’t lose you.” he promised her. She seemed to try and slip away from him, but by not, whenever she got concerned. First her face, then her body. He’d seen this before- but sought to nip the habit in the bud.
Things would be different with Teya, and he would make sure that things were different for her as well.
Her confession made his heart ache. Sorana had not been planned, and apparently not wanted by Reyes. He wasn’t quick enough to hold his breath to keep a soft growl from escaping him. He resented the man now.
”Teya, I will never take you from your daughter. I can only hope that she will accept me to be a part of the life you share. Though there’ll always be a bond you share as mother and daughter, and I’ll let that be the treasure that it is.” he said. ”And if we choose to build a larger family together, it will be because we both want to. I do want more children, but only if we both want them. And those children will be raised with Sorana as a sister, and she will be loved no less than they will be.” He said.
He shrugged, and moved closer, so he might win back her confidence with a gentle nudge to her shoulder, drawing close so that the wind couldn’t separate them. ”We have time, Teya. But I appreciate that you’ll talk about this with me.” He said.
teya wanted to believe him. she saw the earnestness in his face and heard it in his voice. and she knew, intrinsically, that bronco had been navigating this for far longer than herself. a sob rose in her throat; he was close enough to hear, even though the wind scoured down upon both of them.
and so, overcome, all she could do was nod. teya pressed closer and nestled her crown against his chest. "i never understand, bronco." her voice lifted to a soft keen. "he was so good as father. i send him away before she born. i not want to look at him."
"but — when reyes come back. come home. he love her. take care of her. i not know why he left. afraid he did not — mean to be away from her."
was she allowed the anger she still carried? all of a sudden she was crying, quietly as she could, as much from bronco's passionate reassurance as it was for anything else, everything tumbling like dominoes once the first fell.
She had every reason to feel conflicted about Reyes. He said he didn’t want to be a father, but then expressed a keen interest in the child…And now a truth came from her- that she believed Reyes had not simply abandoned them, but that something had happened to keep him away.
Bronco spitefully wished Reyes wouldn’t come back with a good reason. Hell. He himself had left before, disappeared, and with good reason but it’d ended his relationship because he’d never been fully able to explain the trauma.
She wept, and he felt bad for her, but he couldn’t help but notice the fear that crept into his chest. ”Are you conflicted about what you might do if he comes home, and has a good reason for having left?” He asked gently.
teya shook her head. "i not — scared of reyes." physical violence had never been part of their dynamic. "i think — maybe i afraid sorana resent me and go with him. especially if he meant to be here."
the raven swallowed. she felt odd now, having wept in front of bronco, and visibly drew the pieces of herself together until her fractures disappeared. "reyes and i over before he left. it everything else he might bring with him."
this was supposed to have been a fun date. and now all she could talk about was her loser ex. teya offered bronco an apologetic look before turning her expression out over the land.
He frowned. It concerned him that she did not fear Reyes, and he felt a pit sink in his chest, as though a heavy hunk of lead had been dropped down his throat.
He was wary she might still cling to some happy memories of Reyes, and how he was with Sorana, but it seemed she had no residual feelings for him. Sorana was her priority.
”How much do you know about Reyes and his past relationships?” he asked.
something was off with bronco. he narrowed onto reyes and latched there in a way that caused teya to tense. "i know he has children. i know towhee throw him out. then i meet towhee and she scream and roll around at my borders."
her hackles lifted. "what is it, bronco?" coolwater eyes searched him in consternation.
She tensed and as soon as her hackles rose he reached to soothe her, if she would let him. He was still learning her body language, and what she tolerated in times of stress. His instinct was to reach out and soothe, but he would need to learn if that was a good approach with Teya or not.
”All of that is true and…Yeah, I’m…Not too surprised Towhee was upset.” he said. Teya seemed to have a vague idea of his past, and while it might serve to suit him, it did not bring him joy to tell her a bit more about his experience with her ex-mate.
”Reyes and I lived here years ago, when the Redhawks was a pack. He and Towhee became mates which sort of…Took everyone by surprise because he never really seemed to like anyone.” He admitted. He’d been distant, bristly. Bronco’s memory was faulty and biased by now anyway. ”I think it was kind of a…She got pregnant, they decided to give mateship a go, sort of thing, I dunno.” It had made little sense to him.
”There was some argument, and he attacked my Mom. Broke her leg. She was pregnant and was due pretty shortly so it…He was hard to forgive for it. I think Towhee kicked him out or my Mom’s mate did, some…Something. I dunno where he went but it kind of wrecked Towhee.” He said.
He was quiet for a moment. ”I was kind of uncomfortable coming here when I realized he lived here too, but…I dunno. I figured I’d just give him space.” He said. Obviously, that had become easier when Reyes left. ”Knowing all that he’s done, to my Mom, Towhee, and you…I don’t forgive him.”
teya felt sick. bronco's touch was reassuring and she closed her eyes for it, but by the end of his explanation she was tense and bristling and wide-eyed.
her mouth spasmed into something between a sneer and a sob. she stared over the windswept land and tried so hard to remember if she had known any of this in the beginning.
or if it would have mattered.
teya had seen reyes as someone to be rescued. she had pursued him so hard due to her dislike for towhee, her insistence that reyes forget the woman who had shamed him and kept him from his children.
"he say he thrown out of caldera for attacking his son. responded too fast." her words were soft. "when he finally come to join, he tell eljay and i, yes, he fight with niamh. but not that."
apology and guilt was plain upon her face when teya finally looked at bronco again. "he not welcome here." it was all she could muster, the shock turning to pain and then twisting her gut. how oddly bronco must think of her! maybe he was disgusted by her choices under his gentle expression. "your mom, is she —"
He hadn’t been prepared for her to look this, but he remained still and quiet. The Reyes he knew was not the Reyes she knew. He shook his head softly when she asked about his mother.
”Dead. She dragged herself away to die.” He responded calmly. He grieved the litter of siblings he should have had to fire upon and raise, but he did not miss his mother’s madness. She’d chosen it over her children in the end.
”I’m sorry if this all upset you, I just…Had to wonder if you knew. And even if you did, sometimes it’s worth giving someone a chance to start over and be a better wolf.” Bronco said. He felt Teya had likely been trying to see the best in him. ”I’ll back your decision, however you see fit if Reyes does come back…Though that might be hard for Sorana to process.” He admitted.
He reached out to touch his muzzle to her cheek, featherlight.
teya stared at bronco when he pulled away. how could he possibly insinuate that she would take reyes back after all of that? and then telling her sorana would not understand — she wanted to react, and sharply.
but the care bronco had always taken with her reminded teya that she was not used to it, that she was used to searching for the ulterior where there might not be.
she let out her breath, her eyes softened, and she sought to press her cheek against his.
"i sorry, about your mom, bronco. and — i do not want reyes back like that. i not want him before you tell me this." she had already been upset beforehand.
she bit her lip and looked down, wondering if things had been marred in some way between them.
Leaning into his touch, she apologized for his mother- and deftly, rid him of a small fear he hadn’t realized had been holding him back a bit.
”That’s kind of a relief. I…Thought a bit about what might happen if he did. I would’ve respected your decision if you let him into the pack but honestly…I don’t want him here either.”
There’d been some fear that the man might come home, and somehow win Teya’s affection yet again. Or that he might return to be allowed with his daughter, only to be leering in the background as he and Teya courted. Bronco hadn’t wanted to suggest that Reyes be banned from the pack- but it was a relief to hear that Teya wouldn’t have him back either.
"when reyes kicked out of caldera, i offer him to stay in brecheliant. that he visit his kids there, or between packs." she had done so much to make him feel supported. "not my fault he has to do it again." sorana was old enough to meet her father outside brecheliant. teya didn't think she wanted to be involved in more than a protective role for their daughter.
this conversation reminded her of all the bitterness she still carried, and all of it that she had put down. she kissed bronco's cheek with a sigh and stood up, into the wind. it lashed at her and carried off a little of the strain. "run back with me," she invited, and this time it would not be a race, but a companionable and quick travel back to brecheliant.
He felt his fondness for Teya grow, now that the fear of having to tolerate Reyes, should he return, was gone. He smiled softly, and felt comforted by her resolution, glad that he had not forced a decision upon her. It had never been his intention to do so, regardless. He wanted only to court her, and now he could without worry.
She kissed his cheek and he uttered an affectionate grumble. He nipped for her jaw, and she invited him to run. ”Anywhere, with you,” He said in a low voice, and moved to her side so they could set a course through the grasslands together.
wanna do another? message/tag me! <3
it was straightforward with bronco. it had no shadows. and that perhaps was what she feared the most. reyes had always held his anger. teya had known this and until the end, she had accepted it.
loving bronco was easy. it was the rest she didn't know or understand.
the wind carried them away, and with it, a good deal of her trepidation.
