Swiftcurrent Creek neck full of mockingbirds, all calling your name

There was a stagnant pause between the two of them after Wren spoke—a glazed look in Akavir’s eyes as he looked to her, almost as if the man’s brain had just turned itself off.

In truth, it had.

Like the flashing warning on a computer screen when the hard drive failed to boot, his mind was in overload—

…. Warning: Cannot Compute.

…. Warning: System Failure.

It was as if a dozen failure messages were floating in his head. He opened his mouth to speak:

‘You like Silvertongue?’

But his jaws clicked shut without asking it. Nope, no, that’s not a good response to this.

‘You’re old man really did a number on you, didn’t he?’ Oh, fuck no, Akavir, that’s not it, either.

What he really wanted to ask her: ‘Did Arric put you up to this?’ But no… something about the clench of her jaws, the shiver that coursed through her. This wasn’t acting.

He hadn’t considered Wren interested in him in that manner—aside from underlying sexual tension there hadn’t been much indication one way or another. And now she talked about losing him.

He reached for her suddenly—wishing he could protect her from him. Hell, wishing he could protect her from herself. “I didn’t know,” was the only thing that came from him for a moment. But even if the paw he reached for now, to try to reassure her—he could feel something clicking into place. Something he hadn’t truly understood until this very moment—a flashback of Eshe, when he first saw her upon his return. Asking him about his children… talking about them, because… she had met some of them. Was interested in them.

Did Wren even know his children’s names, aside from Mae? “Wren… you know I’m a package deal, right? Three pups at home? Single dad? Tons of baggage…” He paused, the corners of his lips pulling down in a facial frown. “You’re not going to lose me as a friend, Wren… I won’t lie… I’m thinking about dating her. Doesn’t mean I’m not going to be here, still.”