Ravensblood Forest I'd rather drown

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She whined in protest yet when she met his resistance, the unspoken look of 'that's not going to work' she was quick to amend herself, pronouncing his name in full if putting more emphasis than she should have. And because Arturo had already been through four mischievous children prior to taking Chusi under his wing he was filled with the suspicion that she would not let the matter drop. He spoiled her and if it was within his abilities and fell within his reason there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her. His pupils narrowed in their pools of liquid glowing coals and he let out a low scoff. “And don't go asking anyone else in Teaghlaigh about it. They won't tell you, either and I'll know.” And if they disobeyed his order they would be punished for it. Arturo deigned to treat her as an adult as to not stifle her or keep her from growing up and yet at the same time he wished for her to maintain her naivety and childhood for as long as he could keep it so.

He felt the press of her head against his svelte, albeit broad shoulder and heard her admission of love for him. “As I love you, Chusi,” He admitted softly. They were not words that he often uttered, not even to his own children, though he had told them on occasion and felt confident that they knew as much without needing his verbal confirmation. Chusi had became his daughter in all the ways that mattered. She had needed him and unbeknownst to Arturo he'd needed her too, in a way. “About that,” Arturo broached shifting his weight slightly, pressing his spine against the den wall as he stretched as stiffly as he could in the confines of their spacious den without accidentally kicking her. “I've been thinking, how about you become my daughter officially? Take the name Fearghal as your own?” He inquired, though there was no pressure nor obligation for her to accept. He would not be upset if she rejected the offer to allow him to adopt her (and likewise for her to adopt him).

“Perhaps by then your need for revenge will have abated,” Arturo did not tell her that he suspected that Zephyr would not wait that long. He hadn't struck Arturo as the kind of man to give up easily despite how quickly he'd fled from Teaghlaigh's lands. Chusi's rejection had, ironically, stung him as much as his own had stung her's but when that ebbed Arturo suspected there might be resentment towards him. Of course, Zephyr could surprise him and let sleeping dogs lie. Nevertheless, Arturo deigned not to waste time thinking of him more than he needed to and hopefully, now, Chusi could put that to rest herself.

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