Sleeping Dragon pulse

Losing any of them had never been easy, although he'd once thought he'd simply be indifferent to them. That always was the case early on, and even when they were still small helpless blots and all he could do was guard distantly, provide, and dodge their hormonal mother's teeth. While never the "family man's" purest definition, he always did let them work into his heart somehow.

But absence left that space unfilled now, and he hoped if they persisted, they were no less of what they could be without him. His youngest, had they truly been born, would have never even known him at all.

His ears wiggled, and she sought some clarifications. He knew how it seemed. "Not.. exactly, but yes and no," Bad answer, although a start, so he'd not be surprised if she hazed him about it -- entirely deserving. He detailed soon after: "Everyone was comfortable like that though. And close. I was first there to be with Vi, so it was. Matteo was her younger brother, my adoptive eventually.. and Elettra's mate. He got cold feet about her first heat, but we, well, we warmed him up.." For first time, nervousness threatened to warm up his cheeks in telling her, someone he really cared for, about that and how ridiculous it would see out of Giamalva family context. (Honestly he'd not seen to the details but she'd not complained anymore after, so hopefully that encouragement had been enough for his brother to stick it to his wife proper.) But he did feel poor about it in retrospect, for Elettra most of all. In the end, Matteo had died mere weeks later and Dio hadn't been able to go to where they fled to either. Bad, bad timing.

"Last I saw any of them? They left with their mother to head south. A few days after, barely.. so then was the last time. They were.. what? A few months shy of a year." Tall, awkward, but not entirely unbecoming. He blinked thoughtfully, a little startled by how well he remembered them then. "Everything was hectic then, it was early winter, and Montorio wanted to stay back with us, but I made him get out too. He was better off helping keep their travels safe and likely would have just died otherwise.." he frowned. Plus Viviana would have wanted her best son close in Dio and Matteo's absence, despite what the almost-yearling would have preferred. "So you're right. They're probably out there," he sighed and shook his head softly. "Anyway. Have you ever wanted to worry about pups of your own?"