The Sunspire No other shotgun rider

Their current thread is wrapping up, which means that I selfishly want another! Heh

gonna set this to the day she gets back. Only if you have time lovely! Take as long as you need also, no rush ^.^

Having already greeted her brother upon arriving, and knowing that Amekaze would undoubtedly hear that she was back through the grapevine, Vienna naturally sought out @Sumayl almost instantly. His words echoed in her ears - 'Try to promise me you won't be gone too long' - and she winced, wondering if he was upset that her return had been rather delayed. The weeks had seemed to stretch on forever for her.

Equal parts giddy at seeing him again and nervous that he'd be miffed, she approached their shared den. She'd missed his warmth at night especially, for trying to sleep in strange places alone had been rather disconcerting and extremely lonely. Would he be there now, or was he off doing other things?

"Sumayl?" She stuck her head inside. "I'm back!"

I always want/love Vienna x Sumayl threads. <3 Also, Tokio Hotel's "Run, Run, Run" was a huge inspiration for the post, and worked well with Sumayl's feelings. ^-^

The weeks that Vienna had been gone had been horrendously long to Sumayl who had missed her with every passing day. Eventually, the time in which he had suspected her return — roughly, giving a few extra days for bad weather or something — and she had not still returned worry had begun to set in, keeping his loneliness company. It ate at him as he spent hours at a time patrolling the borders, sometime sitting in one spot too anxious to do anything other than watch, waiting for her. It was unbearable, thinking that something had happened to her, but her absence stretched on, stringing along his concern until, several times he contemplated leaving in search of her. Her trail heading towards Blacktail Deer Plateau was long gone by then but the golden Ostrega was fairly sure he knew the way. He did not venture to other pack's borders because he had no need too but he liked to think he had a rough idea of where they were located, least the one whose existences he was aware of, at any rate. He would have, but he stopped himself, remembering that she had wanted to do it on her own; and Sumayl did not think her incapable. His desire to protect her had nothing to do with a doubt in her abilities, but instead had everything to do with the simple fact that he was in love with her. No, not in love. It wasn't that casual. He was helplessly in love with her. If there had ever been any doubt in the golden Ostrega's mind of it before, it was gone now. There were no doubts, there lingered no uncertainty. His inability to be useful in her absence, distracted and worried until he felt like he might go mad, left no room for doubt.

Vienna was the only woman he wanted until the end of time, and it was that simple.

Still, Sumayl forced himself to continue tracking herds and hunting, knowing that when Vienna did return — because he was confident in that typical Suma narcissistic way that she would return — she would likely be disappointed if she knew all he did was sit, pine and worry for her. Or so Sumayl believed anyway and that acted as his sole motivation to tear himself from the borders. He had been heading back to the den he shared with her, though the emptiness it provided him with left little in the way of comfort, he returned to it, nevertheless. He wasn't tired — not really — but it was easier to sleep away the time then it was to do much else. Even patrolling the day ticked by with an aching slowness, and with his mood being so low he did not wish to risk the chance of running into Jace. His typical high spirits had hit an all time low, missing and worrying about Vienna as Sumayl did and it was better for everyone if he secluded himself from the world until her return, lest he do something that he would regret.

He heard his name as he neared the den, too far away to discern the voice or recognize it, and the Ostrega cringed thinking it was someone else. He didn't want to talk to anyone. He just wanted to mechanically go about his duties and sleep until Vienna returned to him; but it was the I'm back that followed shortly after that changed his course and opinion within a few split seconds. His pace, previously lagging, quickened and he drew in a deep breath, his heart nearly stopping when he saw Vienna's familiar form standing at the entrance of their home. “Vienna,” Sumayl called to her, managing to find volume so that it did not sound as breathless as he felt. He did not go to her, however, trying to decide if she was truly there or if he'd finally gone insane after all and his mind was giving him what it knew he wanted.

she is such a silly little thing but I love her

Her heart sped up as she caught sight of him, but excitement was tempered when he hung back, not approaching. She had tensed to run up to him, but let muscles fall slack, and her ears tipped back as she completely misinterpreted his actions. Crud, he was pissed.

"I know I was gone way longer than I should've been, and I'm sorry. But I went south instead because Summer was missing and I felt like I should look for him, and then I was going to stop by the plateau like I said, but there was this sad-looking wolf-thing, and it attacked me, so I had to go find herbs, and by the time that was done," she took a deep breath after letting loose that deluge of words, then fell silent, not looking at him. Maybe she should have just come straight back.

She wanted to keep prattling because it's what she did when she was nervous, but she didn't know how angry he was and didn't want to irritate him more. Though, as she thought about it, the imagined anger she put upon him ignited her own. What right did he have to be angry? She was doing her job to the pack, and yeah she'd been gone a while, but she had been looking out for a packmate. Could he really mind that? He'd agreed to this relationship knowing full well the wolf she was, so he couldn't have expected her to stick around all the time.

Now in a right good huff, she was ready to defend herself when he inevitably began to rip into her for being gone. Bracing herself, she raised her head, looking at him and waiting for his response.

She's so cute! <3 Also, slight PP. Let me know if you'd like me to change it and I gladly will. :3

Vienna did not come to him. He had watched the muscles within her body tense and coil as if she were prepared to run into his arms to him to greet him and then it was gone, her ears having slicked back to her skull. Sumayl was confused by the lack of enthusiasm on her part, not able to comprehend, at the given point in time, that it was because of him that she had ceased in her own movements. The distance between them killed him, caused his paws to fidget against the hard earth as he yearned to close it in the few strides it would take. He just wanted to be close to her. To feel her, to know that she wasn't a delusion of his mid, that she was truly, in the flesh back. “Wait, wait,” Sumayl broke his silence when she blabbered something, in a rapid, breathless (or at least Sumayl was sure she hadn't drawn a breath for the entire duration of her explanation) about a “sad-looking wolf-thing” that had attacked it. “You were attacked?” Sumayl's hackles bristled rigidly along his spine as the knowledge set into his mind. He would find whomever was responsible for hurting her and he would kill them. She didn't look too bad, but his second greatest fear had come to life, though, hadn't it? Vienna had been hurt and he hadn't been there to protect her. On Sumayl's scale of frightening things that definitely ranked up there with fire. The Ostrega had been helpless to protect his mother from that, too. He had watched her burn to death, and yet even as the fire consumed her it had been his safety she had been concerned for, screaming at him, three months old at the time, to run. To take his siblings and run. Sumayl had always assumed that Dhani had been the first to die by the flames. Sumayl hated feeling helpless. Never again had he wanted to feel as helpless as he had that day. He was reminiscent of it now, knowing that she had been attacked and there had been nothing he could do about it. He hadn't been there.

But Vienna seemed alright, from what he could see at any rate, and he stayed still until she had sucked in her deep breath before he surged towards her, overwhelmed with relief and regret and joy and love that he couldn't stand the distance anymore. As her head had risen to await his response, he assumed, he had closed their distance in a few strides, brazenly brushing his muzzle against hers, before pressing his nose against the crook of her neck for a few seconds, greedily taking in her scent, tendrils of her fur tickling his black, leathery nostrils. Her body was warm, and solidly there and that was all Sumayl needed.

“Don't ever scare me like that again, Vienna,” He murmured gruffly into her neck, his composure lost as everything came crashing down off the surviving high he'd been on. “I was so fucking worried.” He wasn't chiding her, more like letting his genuine feelings out, which wasn't something that Sumayl Ostrega did very often. “Do you even know how much I love you? How much it would destroy me if something were to happen to you?” It was the first time he'd actually told her he loved her, and while Sumayl wasn't one to make big fanfares over the dropping of the L word bomb he realized the significance of it, nevertheless. He pulled back some then, more interested in her reaction to his admission than he was anything else at the moment; though he had hardly forgotten her mystery attacker — but that was a topic to pick at when he wasn't confessing his undying love.

She'd gotten so fired up, so prepared for him to yell out his imagined anger, that his concern took her completely by surprise. That was the part he latched onto out of that? If she had half a brain at the moment, she'd know that of course that was the part he'd want to know about, but when she opened her mouth to respond, a whole lot of nothing came out as a result of her confusion.

Luckily he wasn't really waiting around for her to say something, and instead swept over, burying his nose in her fur. Immediately any anger that may have accumulated dissipated, and she pressed her forehead back against the side of his neck in return, a soft and happy whine escaping.

At first his words didn't sink in, as she was a little behind in her reactions for the encounter. "Not badly. It was some sort of thing, it looked a bit like one of our kind but completely different. Wrong, somehow. It didn't get me bad but I wanted to be sure." She hadn't wanted to risk having that recovery time, she didn't think she could stand it a second time. "I am sorry I was gone so long. I did meet a couple others. One was a healer." So the trip hadn't been a waste. She wasn't sure if further training from the girl she had met was an option, but it was a start and a contact she could possibly use in the future should she need it. The other meeting, well... She wouldn't get into that just yet.

Then, slowly, as the realization of the meaning behind what he'd said last dawned on her, she felt a happy glow building. She supposed on some level she had guessed at this, but to hear him say it was... Different. She couldn't really describe it, but it was amazing. "So you love me, huh?" Her tone was a little teasing, but her happiness would have been evident to even the most non-observant of souls.

Sumayl's golden gaze, having been lingering steadily upon her face, did not fail to take in the open and resulting closing of her mouth when it appeared that nothing was going to come out of it. If Sumayl Ostrega were of the bashful variety of the population he might have felt some embarrassment for admitting that he'd been nothing sort of torn up as her absence stretched longer than she, or anyone really, had anticipated. Except Sumayl wasn't bashful in any sense of the word and thus did not feel such a thing as embarrassment, for he had no shame at all in admittance. While he did not think it necessary (unaware that Jace had already ratted him out) for her to know the extent of his concern (i.e. the hermit like status the narcissistic fucker Ostrega had taken), it wasn't embarrassment that held him back.

The feel of her forehead pressing against his neck was like an electric jolt through his veins, energizing him in a way that nothing else could. Without the heavy press of concern and the knowledge that she had left and had been gone too long without knowing that he loved and adored her with every fiber of his being, narcissistic or otherwise, he felt ten pounds lighter then when he'd started the day out. Sumayl could barely concentrate on her words as she told him about the “thing” that had attacked her, though by all rights he should have. His focus was on her, but it lingered mainly in her touch. In the relief and warmth that it brought to him. At the moment, all that mattered was that she was alive and there, with him.

To watch as her happiness as his declaration of his love for her was to Sumayl like a blind man seeing the rise of the sun for the first time in his life. It was a stolen breath, joyous, stunning moment that he gave him the knowledge of how privileged he was to see it. She had not returned it, but Sumayl hadn't expected her too. That wasn't why he'd said it. Her tone was teasing but her face said everything. “Well not as much as I love myself, you know,” Sumayl rolled his shoulders loftily, giving her a cheeky grin. “But it's pretty close.” Classic text book narcissism.

"Well, I'm glad to know I'm in good company at least." She replied, in no way moving to put space between them. She intended to spend the rest of the evening glued to his side, whether he liked it or not. "Though I'm sure I can change that."

It did not escape her that she hadn't responded to his statement, and the fact that he hadn't even made mention of it made her almost want to, for it cemented the fact further that he did not press the point. She knew she returned the sentiment, and in fact had already told Jace as much. But to Vienna, the admission was a big deal, and timing was important. To say it now would be to make it seem a simple response, perhaps spurred by his own and not fully felt. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Plus, she kinda liked making him wait.

There was one other also, a reason she had not particularly meant to fall so hard so fast. And while she did not want to spoil this moment, Vienna wasn't the type to hold back, and she knew Sumayl wasn't either. This was something she'd been meaning to find out for a while, and while she remembered, she was going to bring it up. "I met my brother on the way in," she began (almost apologetically) by way of introduction and possible explanation for the question that was going to follow. "Are you happy here?" The questions still might have seemed to come out of the blue, but after hearing of his lack of socializing, she couldn't help but feel that he wasn't. The subject had to come up sooner or later, and sooner seemed better.

She kept her eyes on him as she asked, and she thought she knew him well enough to assume he would not lie to her. Tease, yes, and perhaps even omit, but never outright lie. And though most of her was glad for it, the selfish voice that lay in the back of her mind hoped that he would. If he wasn't, that he would say he was just so that she could go on without worry. She didn't like the voice, but she couldn't deny it's existence either.

Things had been going well, despite the slightly rocky start their reunion had gotten and though Vienna's words that followed her jibe about being in good company confused him at first, after analyzing them for a few moments dread rushed in to greet him. It settled like ice in his stomach, though he could not directly place why her words had unnerved him as they had. A swell of anxiousness rose within him and he shifted his weight, pressing his nose into the fur of her neck again to hide the anxiety her words had created, not really sure how to deal with it. Sumayl Ostrega didn't get anxious. He was cool, calm, collected. He had a narcissistic comeback for everything, except...he realized now that he didn't. There had been nothing as serious as this in his life before and he didn't want to mess it up, afraid that he inadvertently would. He couldn't lose Vienna. He couldn't, not because of something outside of his control and definitely not from something within his control. He had never meant to fall in love but he had and he knew that there would be no one else but Vienna for him. It was so undeniable to him that he didn't want a future that didn't have her in it. She belonged with him, and he her and that was something he felt in his soul.

Vienna mentioned that she had met Jace on her way back into The Sunspire and Sumayl felt his muscles grow taunt as he tried to rack his brain for anything that might have set Jace off on some tangent about him. Sumayl had actively avoided Jace since their last disagreement, which was nothing new. As long as he wasn't in the ebony male's presence than, for the most part, Sumayl was alright. Her following question had Sumayl's muscles taunter yet. For the most part he didn't consider his happiness because when she was around he was happy and didn't give a shit about anything else. Sumayl didn't mind Amekaze, though he did not know her well enough either way, and he didn't, really, socialize outside of Vienna. He understood how that could make it seem like he wasn't happy. He didn't know. He didn't know what he felt, or which answer was the right one. Though he favored himself to be mild tempered, he was angry at Jace. Angry at him for ratting him out to Vienna who hadn't, really, needed to know that Sumayl had been a recluse in her absence. If Jace thought Sumayl hadn't liked him to begin with, well now everything was worse, and the ebony male would be hearing about this, later.

“I'm happy when you're around,” It was the truth; but he couldn't lie to her even if he had wanted too (which he didn't). “You're the most important thing to me,” He didn't care about rank or anything else. Only her. Only the future together that he wanted. “I guess I could be more sociable but my perfection tends to breed resentment towards me pretty quick,” Sumayl teased, though his smirk didn't touch his eyes. Basically, what he had said in so many words was he was a confrontational, narcissistic asshole and no one but her really liked him. “I don't know Vienna. Your brother and I will never get along, I fear, and he's the Beta? I've tried to work out my issues with him but all I get is an attitude and a “well you're the one that always makes everything about you” or some bullshit. I can't even try to have a rational conversation with him because he doesn't want to hear what I have to say. When is that going to come back and bite me in the ass? When is he going to use his pull of power against me? Eventually, it's going to happen because he doesn't want to communicate with me,” Sumayl told her grimly, realizing that he might be killing himself in the process.

He wasn't sure why but he had a feeling that she might choose Jace over him if she were forced to make the choice. Probably because they were siblings, and siblings were supposed to be close. Although, Sumayl would chose Vienna over his siblings not because he didn't love them but because, eventually, someday, they would come back around and forgive him for it. That was the beauty of siblings, after all; but Sumayl was difference. He wouldn't be mad if his siblings chose their future spouse over him; for he couldn't be that for them and he wasn't going to be the one to make them happy for the rest of their life.

“I'm not saying I'm not at fault. I know I'm a confrontational, narcissistic asshole, I get that I have shit to work on, too,” He drew back slightly, figuring that this would either make or break them. He wished he could feel differently, convinced as he was that he was about to lose her. The best thing that had ever happened to him and he was terrified that his brutal honesty would cause him suffering for the rest of his life without her. “I'm tired of trying to avoid a leader of this pack. Someone who is supposed to listen to his subordinates and try to work out their differences with them without pushing it all back on them because it's not what they want to hear. It's one thing between two regular pack mates but a leader and a subordinate? Tell me that isn't going to come back and bite me in the ass.” Why did Jace have to be her brother? Why couldn't Sumayl just lie out his ass like any normal wolf would?

“I'm sorry Vienna, I know that me and Jace hating one another puts a strain on you and if I knew how to make it better, the magic fix it all I would, but I'm not going to change who I am because he doesn't like it,” Sumayl Ostrega would not change for anyone. “If I have to live as an Omega for the rest of my life to be with you then fine, I will. I don't give a shit. I told you I'm not going to make you choose, and I'm always going to choose you if I have to make one so I'll do what I've been doing. You make me happy, Vienna. I don't care about anything or anyone else.” As long as he had her then he'd deal with it because it was the only time he could deal with it.

Perhaps she should have waited and let this moment stay as it was, a sweet reunion of lovers. Instead she'd stomped on it, intent on tearing it apart. She had let it go so long, though, that she needed to know where they all stood. The not knowing was more stressful. She did not wish to lose him any more than he did her, but unlike him, she had hope that this conversation would instead bring them closer together.

She didn't smile as he joked, but instead listened silently as he finally spoke openly with her. Though she did not agree with everything that he said, she made no move to argue or defend, instead listening as one impartial.

She knew that Jace would never use his power to hurt Sumayl, especially not with his relation to her. He had more respect for himself, and for her feelings, than that. Yet it was not a far stretch for Sumayl to be worried about it, so she was not too upset by this. Some definitely would use such power to get even with one they did not get along with, but her brother was not one of them.

But then he drew back, and his words got a bit more acidic in nature. Her ears tilted back involuntarily as she listened, but she kept her face straight, a feat for one normally so expressive as she. Inwardly, she mulled them over. He apologized, and reinforced the fact that he was happy so long as she was, but it was not enough for her. Because knowing that he was unhappy, she would be so as well. It sorta came with the territory. She could not be at ease knowing that he did not enjoy himself save when he was in her presence, for she was too much a wandering spirit to stay in one place, and there would be times when they would be apart.

Nerves were on edge as she made to respond, his explanation finished. Now it was her turn to openly share, returning the favor. "I know my brother, and no matter how he may feel about you, he would not abuse his power. That aside, though, some just weren't meant to get along. Yes, this is upsetting, but I still wouldn't ask either one of you to change." She loved them too much as is.

She hesitated for a moment, unsure how he would take the request she was about to make. "I would like to give another go at it, if you are willing. But I want to be there. I don't want to force you two but... I want to be sure." Her voice got a bit quieter at that. "I can't be happy when you are unhappy. It just doesn't work that way. So if that doesn't work... it is up to you. But where you go, I will be there.". Her words were firm, decisive. She had done a lot of thinking on the subject. "So long as my brother is free to visit whenever he wishes." It was the one addendum she would not budge from, and this was the make or break moment. If Sumayl was so close-minded and petty that he would deny her brother from seeing her, she would leave him and not look back. But she was fairly confident that would not be the case, and her sorrow in leaving behind the home she had accepted in her heart would be acceptable so long as they were both happy and together.

Sumayl wasn't the type to lie and, if he could help it, he tried not to hide things from Vienna. Especially important things such as his thoughts and opinions when it came to her brother. Perhaps Sumayl was too brutally honest, but he'd never been the closed book sort and dd not like the idea of hiding his feelings, even if it meant getting what he wanted. In his eyes, there was no point in hiding something and getting what you wanted when, in the end, you were only hurting yourself by keeping it bottled up; not to mention the what would happen if (and typically it was always found out) it ever got out. It was too much of a bother for him to hide things. Sumayl should have had more confidence in Vienna (seriously where was that confidence that he horded all for himself?), in them but he wasn't ignorant and understood that his issues with Jace and the fact that they might never be resolved would be bound to drive a wedge between the two of them and end whatever they had going on. That was how life worked, wasn't it? Life didn't give guys like him a happy ending. It didn't even give him a very happy start, either. Watching his mother burn to death in the fire, hearing her screams in the height of a thunderstorm, in the electric crack of lightning as it shot skywards — it was not something he could ever forget. It haunted him, and reminded him of how much of a bitch life could truly be.

Sumayl's kept his gaze steady upon hers when she attempted to reassure him that Jace would never do anything like that but she wasn't present for the worst of their fights; she really didn't know why Sumayl feared it. It had technically already happened, though, hadn't it? When he'd tried to pull rank and tell Sumayl not to curse in front of Vienna like she was some sort of nun or something. The truth was, Sumayl probably would have cursed in front of a nun, too.

Sumayl's body stiffened, each wiry muscle pulling taunt beneath his golden coat as Vienna named her request, though Sumayl was left feeling a slight hesitation when the ending he had expected: 'work it out or i'm gone' did not follow through. “Want to be sure of what?” Though, Mr. Arrogant was actually afraid of the answer. It was an elusive statement and it left him with the icy, cutting dread that he'd been right, even if she didn't say it. That she wanted to be sure they (Jace and himself) couldn't get along before she broke it off officially with him; but Sumayl wasn't going to kiss Jace's ass and fill his head with meaningless flattery just because he knew Vienna was present. It wasn't who Sumayl was. He wasn't going to go into it being an asshole but something about Jace definitely rubbed Sumayl the wrong way and thus ended up bringing the asshole out, anyway. They were like fire and gasoline, though who was who Sumayl did not know and franky, it didn't matter. The end was the same: they were a ticking time bomb, and when the trail ended and the fire met the tank well...an explosion was the only logical ending.

“I will give it another try,” Sumayl consented before she could get around to saying what she intended to say next, sneaking it in, in the small pause she gave. But not for anyone else but for her. Sumayl was not very optimistic about it but he would give her the satisfaction and proof that she needed. If she was going to break up with him, though, he wished she'd just do it. This small fissure of hope in his chest was unwinding and the last thing he wanted was to be strung along. He'd rather take the cut now then deal with lingering pain later. Sumayl's ears cupped towards her when she spoke, admitting that she couldn't be happy when he was unhappy. Brow knitted as it furrowed, his eyes scanning her face in his confusion. Her words sunk in, slowly, batting with his previous convictions and assumptions, making let out a soft breath when she spoke that if he were to leave she would go with him. It wasn't exactly an 'I love you' but it definitely implied it. The hope blossomed within his chest, relieved at the fact that she did not intend to leave him over this; yet it was cushioned by a healthy dose of guilt, at the same time. “I'd never meant for you to have to make that choice, Vienna, and I'm sorry.” It was a rare thing: an apology from Sumayl, but his words were sincere and genuine. He hadn't ever wanted to put her in that predicament yet, that was exactly what he'd done anyway.

Clearly, she was too good for him.

“I don't care if he visits, only a little warning might be nice so we don't cross paths. It gets pretty ugly whenever we do.” Sumayl wasn't going to deny Vienna her brother — just as he did not expected to be denied his sister's visits ...where ever it was Chehlia had gotten to. Sumayl was not a dictator and had no intentions of taking away Vienna's freedom, and those freedoms included Jace visits.

Any bitterness towards the situation she felt was directed at just that... The situation. It would have been so easy to take it out on Jace or Sumayl, to say they weren't trying hard enough. And perhaps a part of her did... yes, perhaps she did. But she did so in equal measure towards each, and she knew that it was a vain sort of blame. Because she knew they loved her, and if she knew that, then she knew they would do all they could before they risked losing her. There was no way they weren't trying.

And while the prospect of leaving here was awful, the thought of him leaving without her was worse. "I know you didn't," she responded softly. That didn't change the fact that it had to be made all the same, but she appreciated that he appeared truly sorry for putting her in the position. She just had to think though - suppose she took issue with one of his own siblings? What would she wish him to do? Like he, she would never want to make him choose, but neither would she want to live with the unhappiness either.

"You would know." Unless Jace showed up unannounced (which he might do), he would always hear about it. "And if not, I don't think you could be faulted for avoiding him." The words felt sour in her mouth, but she wouldn't in any way hold it against him. She just hated that this was necessary so much. He could just walk away without a word.. Jace might even prefer that. Her ears twisted back slightly at the thought, but she knew it would work out. It had to.

I had to laugh at Suma, haha. He's so awkward when he tries to be romantic, lol.

At one point, leaving The Sunspire wouldn't have bothered Sumayl, and before things had become serious between Vienna and himself he had considered it with an resolute severity, unsure if he could bear to live under a Beta's rule that he could not stand. And in truth Sumayl knew he could leave it now, but it would be harder than it would have been, not even considering Vienna into the equation. Sumayl wasn't the kind of man that ran away when things became trying, and that included constantly disagreeing and fighting with leaders even if it seemed relatively stupid to keep putting himself in that position. Eventually, they would have to do something about him and the arrogance in Sumayl leaned heavily towards leaving with his dignity still in tact as opposed to being chased out. His ego, however, could be nurtured back to health but his heart, now that was a delicate thing. Leaving Vienna had never been an option and would never be an option. Theoretically, he could do it. It wouldn't physically kill him, but he would feel her absence in the way someone felt the absence of a lung. Cheesy as it sounded, she was undeniably his better half, so much apart of him in ways he had always scoffed at before, but now understood with a refreshing amount of clarity.

He was silent as she spoke, ears slicking back to rest at half mast as he inched closer to her, stretching his muzzle in an attempt to draw it slowly against hers. The golden Ostrega had been favoring his silence, contemplating heavily. If Vienna wasn't going to leave him, no matter what, and if he wasn't going to leave her, also no matter what, he knew that there was only one thing to do. He hadn't wanted to rush anything, but in the same vein there was no sense in waiting when had been spoken to be resolute upon both sides. It was okay that she hadn't told him she loved him yet, her words had been enough to convey it, without needing her to actually say it.

“I'm not trying to rush you or anything, and you don't have to answer this right here and now. If you want to take time or wait or something I'm okay with that,” It all made sense to him but he wouldn't push her. “but what do you say about making this official between us?” Sumayl was not a romantic. He didn't know how to be all sappy about it, probably would mess it up even if he'd tried but he drew back some, unsure to how to go about proposing. “Would you do me the honor of becoming my mate, Vienna?”

He didn't respond verbally to her assurance, though moved closer as though to offer comfort. He looked upset, and she didn't like that this was necessary, but she felt better for it. It was good to know where they both stood; he would try again, and she knew that he was aware she wasn't going anywhere. A part of her hoped with all her heart her brother and Sumayl would work things out, but a niggling voice in the back of her head thought of what an adventure striking out would be. She had no interest in leading a pack of her own, but to explore and make a home out in the unknown... of course a part of her would be elated at the prospect. It was too much to leave behind, but there would be a silver lining should it be necessary.

The touch comforted her, and she drew in closer. Finally he spoke, but when he did, it was to completely switch the tone of the conversation once more. At first she thought she had heard him wrong, but as he went on, she knew she wasn't mistaken. At first she was surprised, and then amused. He was asking now? Of course he was asking now. It was the most logical time, for they had just affirmed that they would stay together no matter what. A little thing like her lack of return to his earlier statement hadn't stopped him. He already knew. How could he not?

Knowing the jig was up, she still couldn't help jibing a little. "You're proposing now?" she asked, nipping playfully at his cheek. "What about the food? The flowers? The moonlight? I'm a lady, after all, and I don't know that this meets my standards." This was delivered haughtily. Didn't he know he had a high-maintenance gal on his hands here? She could have laughed aloud at the thought. Her, high maintenance? Good lord.

Sumayl felt Vienna as she had leaned into his touch and a small smile pulled, automatic and unbidden, across his lips. The worst wasn't over yet, he had the distinct feeling, but it was easier knowing where they stood on things. Together. If someone had told the playboy Ostrega that he would be standing here, (relatively) happy and content with the girl of his dreams, proposing to her — albeit without an ounce of romance — when he was younger he might have burst out laughing. He hadn't believed in love, let alone true love. That was fairy-tale bullshit. It hadn't existed to him. He had been content with getting what he wanted from girls on mutual terms and understandings and leaving them. He had tried that crush thing once and it ended up horribly for him and had thus resolved himself to the truth that he would be single but that he would fulfill his duties as a man in other ways. Maybe he would have consorts as to which he could sire children with. His imagination at the time, and the possibilities, had been endless; but this he had never seen coming.

Vienna had crashed into his life (quite literally) and he'd been blindsided by her but he didn't regret it. He had never pinned himself as a youngster as family man but with Vienna he wanted to be that man. Husband. Father. The whole nine yards. It was only a recent desire largely borne from being with Vienna, but it was the next thing that he wanted, second only to Vienna herself.

“Yeah, I'm proposing now,” Sumayl redundantly responded, despite that he understood she was jibing him. He hadn't expected anything less. Vienna had never stricken him as the type of girl to “fangirl” and swoon and he didn't expect her too. “If I attempted to woo you I might actually make you faint,” Sumayl spoke haughtily in return. “I mean with my perfection and everything.” It would be too perfect, he basically spoke but in reality she likely knew the truth: he did not harbor a romantic bone in his body. And if he did he would not know how to re-write it specifically for her when it was set to the selfish and horrendously short setting of 'getting him some' and nothing else.

"Hmm, maybe I'd like to see that!"  She'd fainted few times in her life, but her heart was definitely racing despite her joking exterior.  This was a massive moment, and though a decision she knew the answer to, one that would shape her days from now on.  In other words, a huge one, and the thought of it made her rather light... but in a good way.  In a great way, actually.

She held her tongue a moment, biting her lip as though considering, though really she was equal parts dragging him out and trying to pull her scattered thoughts back together.  Because though she might not be the most romantic either, she was still a spaz when it came to these things, and the internal 'eeeeeeeeee' of her thoughts was rather hard to shut up right now.

Finally, she couldn't contain it any longer, and with a beaming smile she met his eyes.  "Yep!". She was in if he was, and he was most certainly in. She'd never been one for poker faces. Nor was she the type to dither around when she saw what she wanted so clearly. And what she wanted was him, plain and simple.

"So, what did I just sign myself onto?" He knew her family, but she knew nothing of his (that is, unless Andalusia reveals things in that other thread, in which case Starr is messing up timelines again and the question is more teasing).

“I'd rather you didn't faint,” Sumayl laughed, rolling his eyes but with undeniable affection. “I know I'm hot shit but still. How would I explain it to our neighbors?” He teased her, a soft snicker leaving his lips as he considered having to call someone to assist him in reviving his recently fainted and newly minted wife (well at this point she hadn't actually said yes yet but he was ridiculously optimistic and confident). This promptly turned into a slight and momentary cringe as he considered Jace answering the call. The conversation about this was admittedly not something that Sumayl looked overly forward to having and did not wish to have a reason to jump start it. The chances of it ending in a fight between them was nearly a guarantee, even if their attempt to “try it again” as per Vienna's request didn't include informing him of their official status as Mr. and Mrs. Arrogant Ostrega. As Vienna dithered on her answer to his proposal, Sumayl's gaze failed to waver from it's place upon her. He got the sneaking suspicion that she was just stringing him along with her consideration, which felt to be taking a very long time to him. The logical part of Sumayl knew that he should have, perhaps, realistically been more concerned about it given his checkered history (and future?) with her brother but she had said herself that if he left he wasn't leaving her behind. That they would be together. Doubt, given this, was a very hard thing for Sumayl to find; even if his confident, narcissistic, and arrogant personality was taken out of the equation even for a moment. Vienna had confirmed all he'd needed to know and it seemed silly to the golden Ostrega not to take the final step and make them official. Especially when they were basically official anyway.

Vienna's smile was radiant as her blue eyes rose to meet his of gold, and for a moment Sumayl found it hard to breathe, taken by her as he'd been since the first time he'd laid his eyes upon her. She responded with a simple 'yep' and it was all that it needed. Aside from the equal swell of pride and joy within his breast, Sumayl had to admit that knowing he was officially her “mate” didn't make it feel any different. After a few seconds of consideration this was probably because they'd been practically acting married before hand; except it meant something different. Soon, the pack would know of their commitment to one another and that did make some sort of impact upon Sumayl. To know that everyone else would know that he was Vienna's and that Vienna was his, that they were a package deal from this moment to the rest of forever. For once in his life Sumayl had nothing further to say, feeling that good would be inappropriate, so instead he settled for silence.

It wasn't until Vienna's question, playfully asking what she'd just signed herself into, reminding Sumayl of a small tidbit of information he had never truly touched upon with her in any sort of detail. His family. He wasn't ashamed of his siblings, nor his foster siblings, or parents. Talking about his birth mother and father wasn't something he openly did, if only because he still suffered from trauma – especially surrounding his mother; and fed his biggest fear. Likely, she had been witness to the nightmares that hit him sometimes, unbidden and entirely out of his control, but if he had woken her she had never said anything to him; but aside from telling her he'd had a lot of siblings – which was true! - he'd never told her his last name (though in truth he'd never introduced himself to anyone using it), he realized. The bearer of the legacy. Sumayl did not realize the true size of the Ostrega family having never gotten the chance to learn too much about the sire name he carried, or it's origins. 

“Well,” Sumayl drew in a deep breath and let it out in a half sheepish and half cheeky grin. “I guess the best place to start is by your new last name – our last name: Ostrega.”

She giggled in return at the mental image he presented, her overcome with his charm and him attempting to justify her state to the pack.  Even the thought of Jace's reaction, and the inevitable connection that she would soon need to inform him of their new status, didn't put a damper on her mood, which just went to show how much she was walking on air.

Her answer wasn't exactly the most beautiful of responses, but then again, this entire situation was hardly the romantic proposal that one imagined.  It couldn't be more perfect to her, though.  And while their change in label might not make much of an impact on him, to her it meant the world.  She had just signed herself up to follow this man, wherever he ended up, and to no longer only consider her own feelings when proceeding.  This was huge for her, and honestly, a little terrifying.  Always she had been the conducter of her own fate, and now she was bringing in a copilot to call some of the shots.  She knew him well enough to know he would do nothing without first fully considering her own feelings, but it was still a huge signing over of trust and responsibility, one that she couldn't fully comprehend yet.

And the other thing that it meant, the possibility of children, she wasn't even going to think about yet.  Because if the previous was terrifying, the latter was absolutely unthinkable right now.  One step at a time.  While Vienna had nothing against being a mother, it was a hell of a lot of pressure to a girl who found it difficult to keep track even of what time of day it was.

"Ostrega," she repeated, trying it out.  She had to say, she liked the ring of it.  Still... "I don't know.  I personally like the sound of 'Sumayl Songbird'", she teased, though the name was more a middle or nickname than actual surname.  "Vienna Ostrega."  It was strange.  Vienna Songbird Ostrega.  Never had she put much stock in names, but this one was important.  It was the biggest sign of their new promise to one another, and she definitely enjoyed that.  She would wear it proudly, though she had no idea the network of relations she'd just obtained along with it.  One, however, did cross her mind, and her eyes widened.  "Oh my god.  Ostrega.  As in Andalusia Ostrega?"

Like Vienna, Sumayl was trying to take everything, specifically their relationship, though it would a lie to claim that his thoughts had not been preoccupied by what the future might hold for them. At this point, he was just grateful that she had accepted his proposal — that they were the married couple they'd unofficially been previous. It had been the only option that had made sense to Sumayl, given their refusal to let the other go, and her confirmation that she would follow him where ever, even if it meant leaving behind The Sunspire and Jace. Sumayl's ears cupped forth when she repeated his surname aloud, something akin to a shivering thrill rushing along the length of his spine. He had not been overly boastful of his last name — unusual though it was for Suma — though this was only because prior to Chehlia whom he had not seen since he was under the (incorrect) assumption that he was the only Ostrega in the Wilds and that it didn't matter to what family he belonged. 

"Sumayl Songbird, huh?" He teased her back with a soft laugh. It didn't sound too bad, if he was being honest, but he'd rather stick with Ostrega since it was typically the female that took the male's last name and not the other way around and he was a bit of a traditionalist (in some ways).

“I think Vienna Ostrega sounds beautiful,” And he did. He liked the sound of her first name coupled with his last name, never mind how tight lipped he'd been about it prior to this moment. Sumayl couldn't have bothered to hide his grin, even if he'd have wanted too. While their reunion might not have started off in a direction that he'd have called good, it had definitely taken the path to nothing short of perfect to him. Sumayl did not take much stock in the widening of her eyes, presuming that she was simply overtly excited about what ever had occurred to her before she spoke, capturing his attention, golden gaze studying her as her words sunk into his brain. “How do you-,” He cut the question off, though what he did not finish inquiring was written in the furrow of his brow. “Andalusia is my sister.” He informed her, still confused though the realization that she might, too, have made it to the Wilds was sparking a fierce hope within Sumayl's chest.

I'm gonna fade this if that's ok! <3

He favored the second option, as did she, and the sound of it from him made her glow.  Instead of answering, she merely pressed her side gently against his, watching as her second words sank in.  The question, for that name.  She knew she'd heard it somewhere, and that somewhere had to have been Andalusia's introduction.  She couldn't have mistaken that.

His sister.  Of course she was his sister.  That's why she was so great!  She grinned, wondering why the other woman hadn't said anything!?  It didn't matter that she hadn't mentioned Sumayl once in that conversation... she had to have known, right?  Right?  "I met her!  Well, sorta.  We bumped into each other in the valley north of here.  She's wonderful!"  Vienna's massive girl crush admiration for her fellow traveler was not something she could easily hide.  She would go on to answer any questions he might have about the encounter, all the while thinking how sad it was she hadn't known sooner.  She hoped perhaps they'd run into one another again, and could greet properly as sisters rather than simple friends, but that so rarely happened.  Imagine it, though.  Her, having a sister!  She could hardly believe it.