Phoenix Maplewood Grace under pressure

Totally cool! Life gets busy!

He could almost touch the tension that had built between them.  The lack of communication in their relationship was steady building a wall, pilling bricks higher and higher with each passing day. She sat a distance away and Reek smiled dumbly at her, hoping that would spurn something. Soon, she spoke. The wall may have been too tall to knock down outright, but there were holes, and holes could be widened.  

"Want me to rough it up for you?" he asked jokingly. It was easy to pretend nothing was wrong instead of facing the problem head on. Citali had made it clear that communication was the only answer, but Reek was afraid.  He rose to his feet, smiled at his mate, and took his opportunity to talk some sense into the rogue maple.  

He slunk around the tree in tight circles and put on his most mockingly intimidating face he could must.  "Now tree," he began. "I don't want any trouble, but you're going to have to stay away from my woman. You hurt her again— lights out buddy! Got it? Good."   He turned his gaze back to Saena and shot her one of his usual shit-eating grins.  Figuring that the tree had gotten the message,  Reek stopped his circling and returned to the side of his mate.

"That asshole won't mess with you no more," he continued jokingly.