Broken Antler Fen Now you've got to work for a living.

She moved to kiss him.

Anyone else would have earned a flash of teeth without any consideration. For Teya the man held firm and welcomed the closeness, the touch of her so soft against him. The way she moved to welcome him close.

Reyes is quiet even after she has spoken. There is something brewing in the sky overhead but also nearer, behind his eyes, which only deepens as Teya rests her head against him. He doesn't want to move lest he betray her comfort, spoiling the moment. If he could hold on to this forever he would, gladly.

Why hadn't things been like this with Towhee?

He refused to keep that thought in his head; it didn't matter, she didn't matter. He knew that the relationship he had with Towhee was like this in the beginning - maybe that was why he coveted moments like this so desperately.

Teya, he finally murmurs her name close to her ear, not quite a whisper.
Will you... he wanted to ask something that he knew she wouldn't like, and hesitated. His tongue felt heavy. Rather than risk the possibility of a denial - or a repeat of what had happened with Towhee - his mind redirected; Reyes went on after that pause to ask, Come to the coast with me?

It wasn't what he'd wanted to say.
I wanted to take the kids for a visit, so they could meet their grandmothers. If I can't, if Towhee denies him such a request maybe... We could go, for a few days.