Hideaway Strath [m] i'm spiraling, i'm sinking down

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The participants have indicated the following reason(s) for this warning: Mild references to sex

Days crawled by. It had been a month since he and Nyra had done the deed. It was becoming clearer and clearer that it'd taken — somehow — and with that, it also became clearer and clearer that he would become a father — somehow. Charles could not help but feel as though he should leave this place forever at the thought. He wasn't ready, that much he knew. He didn't understand why anyone would want to go through this. The only reason that he had was because... Well, because he wanted to prove to the world and to himself that he wasn't... fruity, or whatever it was.

The only relief was that he hadn't experienced anyone who told him off a lot, and he hadn't experienced anyone who was... Well, like Osiris. Or that hot healer who'd asked to 'inspect his wounds'. So far, all the dudes he'd met — which honestly, was really just Vein, well, up close anyway — were totally not in the bangable category.

This concluded Charles to declare himself officially ~* cured *~. He did all the things on the not-fruity list:
— do a woman
— not fall in love with fancy any more men
— don't think of Osiris
Damn it Charlie, don't think of Osiris! It's on the damn list, you idiot! he berated himself. Thankfully, he could totally focus on the existential crisis that becoming a father brought forward instead.

The coywolf was rather hungry, and he decided to dig up a cache someplace since he just knew that hunting would probably prove fruitless and frustrating. Might as well skip the trying part. There happened to be something fresh nearby, and Charles glanced nervously from side to side before he started digging it up, hoping that it didn't belong to someone who was nearby and totally didn't want him to eat their food for some reason or another.

Kyn has been so insanely preoccupied with his pregnant, now not so pregnant wife, that he didn’t even hardly notice the presence of a new blood in their pack. He had caught the scent a few days ago and at first he suspected a stray wolf had wandered into their pack lands, until he caught Nyra’s scent on what appeared to be another male.

Now, he moves to follow the scent once more and investigate further. With Simmik lying peacefully with their pups in the den, he excuses himself to go find him. He easily tracks the scent around the territory. It takes patience, but finally it seems like he’s found him. 

Before him stands a smaller wolf with impossibly huge ears. They make him look more like a fox than anything. Kynareth assumes he’s a coy-wolf based on his own experiences with how they often tend to look. His pelt is a deep chocolate with a pale underbelly and he has soft, yet defunded features. To the Grandmaster, he seems fragile. A thought that makes him smirk. 

With that, Kynareth’s heavy paws thump against the ground as he approaches in a lazy, unhurried saunter. His head level with his shoulders he fixes his own golden gaze on the smaller wolf before him. He can’t help the smile that deviously curls his lips upwards.

“Oh? So you’re the new blood then?” He asks, the deep baritone of his voice undeniably attractive as he hums the words. “What’s your name?”

Charles was high-strung as he finished uncovering the tasty treat hidden in the ground and started to pull it out. He remembered very vividly how Niamh had found him when he had been taking her cache, of all the things he could've picked. He didn't want to be chased out again, or worse — he didn't feel he was a part of this pack long enough to know they wouldn't do the same to him as they had those skeletons at the pack's borders.

When he heard a voice Charles fell backwards, releasing the food he'd been trying to pull out of the cache. With a bewildered look the coywolf turned his head, only to look at an impossibly large man. Perhaps it was because he was on the ground himself, so he quickly scrambled back to his feet, but it was clear on his face that he was intimidated despite the lack of aggression in the man's voice. Charles' tail instinctively ducked between his hind legs and he licked his lips in subconscious submissiveness while he looked at the man. His voice was deep and his face had this mix of attractive dangerousness and daunting handsomeness. Charles knew he was no catch himself. Why does that even matter? he thought wryly to himself.

There was a heavy silence between them for a long time before Charles eventually said, 'm Charles. He finally mustered some of his courage together and lifted his head, forced his tail to hang at a more neutral position, before he said: And you are? His voice was just a little too challenging and sassy, even though it was very clear from his body language that he was still afraid and still displayed the signs of submission such as licking his lips.

When he spoke, it seems he ended up spooking the poor fellow. Yet, he doesn’t feel bad one bit. It brings him a certain amount of satisfaction that he’s always had when frightening others. It seems the small, brown, bat-eared wolf loses his balance trying to pull something out of the ground and he’s reeling backwards and straight onto his ass. This entertains the Grandmaster even further. A very good first impression. Kynareth doesn’t keep his laugh to himself, rather he releases it in a chain of deep chortles. 

The man displays full submission to him and it pleases him. Ky shamelessly eyes him down like he’s a fresh kill to a hungry wolf. Golden twin orbs flick to his tail first, then the pink tongue that laps nervously at his whiskered lips. Meanwhile, the silence is loud. Kyn doesn’t mind it, it makes it easier to subtly scare him. Which is entertaining.

Yet when the other male finally speaks up he’s saying the name Charles and a wave of pure shock drifts through him. His previous conversation with Nyra comes to his mind. She informed him of her pregnancy with a wolf name Charles and Kyn’s mouth steadily drops. His circular brows raise a fraction too. No way Nyra — the savage, pale battlemaiden — mated with such a timid, small man. He would have to speak with her about this again later. 

While Kyn doesn’t give away what he’s thinking about, the surprise shows on his face before he schools it over with a devious smirk. The other has straightened up and found some confidence within himself to ask him who he is. He responds adequately.

“Kynareth Deagon of the Abby, alpha of this pack beside Nyra.” His voice is smooth and deep. His golden orbs twinkle with mischief.

So he moves forward. His posture isn’t horribly dominant, his head is rested at a comfortable height and his muscles are relaxed as he strides towards him. Moving to circle him, he purposely brushes his hind quarters with a broad shoulder as he moves around him in a loose ‘u’ shape. Stopping to stand beside him he looks down to the others own golden eyes.

“And how did you end up here, hm?” He practically purrs in that mischievous, up to no good, flirty voice of his.

There was a devious and somewhat mischievous smirk on the handsome man's face when he answered at last. Charles knew right away when he started saying his name that he was some big shot. He couldn't help but wonder if that was his perverted defect — leaders, not men — and maybe he should just find a pack that was led by women.

The way that Kynareth circled him made Charles feel even more uncomfortable. It made him feel like he was prey in the eyes of his Alpha. An unsettling feeling. The coywolf tried to think of something witty that he could retort to his Alpha's introduction while he was circled, but honestly, nothing good came to him. Why are you always so slow?! Charles had been so much better with Osiris, he always knew exactly what to say. But look where that got you. Charles might be just another face in the crowd here at the Saints, but at least he wasn't dangling at the bottom of the food chain like in Firefly Glen.

The man's flirtatious voice confused Charles. Did he hear that right? No, he must be imagining it, he thought to himself and shook his head.

The question came before Charles could think of something witty to say. It was like a dagger that pierced straight through his heart. How did you end up here? Ah...

Osiris —
Leta —
Running —
Niamh at Redhawk Caldera —
Running.

The coywolf swallowed thickly and it was clear to read on his face that the question struck a chord with him. After a few seconds of silence he seemed to find his defiance back and Charles said, What's it to you? His voice and sharp eyes displayed a defiance that his body did not hold in any way. Just getting a snack. He gestured at the cache. As if he was talking about right now, not about when he first came here. Because that was just too much to even think about, let alone say in words.

Kyn can tell there’s something about this coy. He can get the vibes. So, Kynareth would shamelessly flirt with him to make him drop his protective walls. Hell, even if Kyn thought he was completely straight, he’d still try his luck at wooing him. Though, he can sense his uneasiness. It doesn’t deter him, rather he enjoyed the cautious way the coy-wolf regards him with. It makes the chase that much more fun and Kyn is all about the chase. 

So he settles beside the smaller, intentionally brushing past him to stop in front of him. Facing him to actually have a normal conversation as he should be. Not circling him and making him feel more nervous than he should, but it’s too late for that and Don loves to play with his food before he eats it.

Though, when Kyn asked the question of the hour it seems he’s hit something a bit more sensitive. It causes him to quirk a brow and stare shamelessly at him. After a heavy silence the smaller is finally able to find his voice and the defiant tone only makes Kynareth more interested. He can tell Charles had to muster up the confidence to do so and it makes his smirk a bit more predatory. The flirtatious flicker in his eyes never leave as he eyes him down.

“Oh, copping an attitude with your alpha as soon as you meet him, huh?” He purrs back with a dangerous, but humorous warning in his tone. “I like it.” He hums then. 

So Kyn tilts his massive head to him. “What are you willing to tell me? I would like to know more about you if you’re going to be settling down in my pack. It’s only polite.” He says conversationally, he’s casual but flirty. He’s absolutely shameless in his intentions and it’s sure to spin the chocolate wolf’s head.

There was something thrilling about challenging Kynareth. It was like when Charles had told Osiris he was basically like the Beta of Moonspear instead of the Alpha of Firefly Glen, and had taunted him until he'd been pushed to the ground by him. Except there was something totally different here. It was as if... Well, as if he enjoyed it? Osiris had definitely not enjoyed the attitude, and that was the whole point. Charles just couldn't help himself. Doing bad things was like an instinct of sorts. It'd been the only way to get attention from anyone but Leta back in Easthollow. The only way to get attention from his mother.

A shiver ran down Charles' spine in the present as his Alpha warned him, but there was this playful tone to his voice that was... frightening, but also exhilarating? Oh, why did he have to be so handsome?!

I like it. Wait, what? Charles blinked owlishly in confusion as he tried to process what was going on. He liked... the attitude? Charles had only really met wolves who would either accept the way he was cause they were too insecure to tell him off, or beat him up for it. This was a first.

Unable to formulate a witty response to that, Charles was left to listen to the Alpha's next words. He was once more asked to tell about himself. Charles finally found back his guts — he looked like a roller coaster ride with a lot of ups and downs, going back and forth between confusion, uncertainty and such exorbitant amounts of confidence that it was clear he was faking it. The coywolf smirked and said with a heavy note of sarcasm, Well, I am full of charm, more handsome than I know what to do with, and very strong. All clearly lies, in an attempt to be funny but also avoid talking about himself. Well, he supposed he could talk about Easthollow. He just didn't want to talk about Osiris and Leta... I was born in a place, Easthollow. Not very interesting. He contemplated saying it was the same place as where Arlette was from, but Charles wasn't too sure if she liked talking about her own past very much. He guessed not. She had similar demons as his, except hers lingered in Easthollow while his were in Firefly Glen.

The Grandmaster can tell that his own reaction gained an odd one from the smaller. He smirks back at him for that. Perhaps he expected to be reprimanded, that’s not the case with Kyn. He doesn’t do that unless it’s serious disrespect and even then he’s soft with his pack. A simple snapping of teeth and lying the other on their back would do. Usually even his Golden eyes stare is enough to allow them to know they’ve caught his ire. Soon, Charles would understand that Kynareth desires to be a friend — a trustworthy one — as well as a leader. How would he expect his pack to come to him with their problems if they didn’t trust him not to try and kill them every time they did. It’s a trait his father didn’t get when he led the Saints. 

Well, I am full of charm, more handsome than I know what to do with, and very strong. At these words, Kyn doesn’t miss the sarcasm in them. This man has no confidence and Kynareth doesn’t know why. He wants to break him of that. Wants to help him find real confidence in himself and find ways to boast about it just like his Grandmaster. He listens to his sarcasm. Then he listens as he becomes a bit more serious and mentions his old homeland. Easthollow. He grins for a whole other reason then. 

Still, Kyn quirks a brow at him and smirks horribly. If allowed, he’d move to bump Charles’ shoulder with the massive crown of his head lightly. Offering up a flirty, almost dirty look back. “I can see that, sweetheart, no need to make me look bad.” He purrs then, a humorous, shit-eating grin on his handsome face.

Then he moves on to Easthollow, a more intense, possibly malicious grin coming over his face. “I know of Easthollow. I fought against them with Ursus once.” He hums casually. He remembers when he’d sunk his teeth into those wolves too. It was fun.

When the Alpha's head came near to him, Charles instinctively lowered his head and his tail tucked between his hind legs, ready to roll to his back if need be. Perhaps the sarcasm in his words hadn't been noticed and he had insulted Kynareth. It was a deep instinctive thing in him, fueled by the many days where he had pestered his mother to get attention until she eventually snapped at him.

Much to his surprise, it was only a bump to the shoulder — amicable, almost — which left Charles feeling a weird knot in his stomach. From his words it became clear that Kynareth did misinterpret what Charles said as truthful (or so the coywolf himself thought, anyway) but he decided not to interject, anyway. Charles straightened his body out again because he didn't want to appear meek and submissive. He wasn't really sure what to do with his Alpha's words, though. Was that a compliment? And...

Sweeatheart?

Before Charles could fully process the gravity of that word, Kynareth spoke again. There was a grin on his face that was eerie and chilled Charles to the bone. Soon it became clear why; he'd fought against Easthollow, with Ursus. Charles instantly felt the urge to say that he hadn't fought against the Saints, or Ursus, or.. well, anyone. But if he did that, then wouldn't he also admit to being a coward?

Charles remembered that he had been at the borders once, and a wolf had been torn apart there. Just thinking about it brought him back. Was that a Saints wolf? Or an Ursus one? Charles honestly knew little about Ursus — he didn't even know that its leader was a relative of his — because his mother had never told him much.

He swallowed thickly and said, .. Oh.. and though he tried to sound casual and look casual and act cool he totally failed, and looked pretty afraid. Quickly the coywolf added, They suck. though even he was not really sure what he was trying to say there.

He swears as he looks upon the smaller that he gets flustered. Is that the right word? Maybe. It makes a fire light in his belly at the thrill of the chase. It’s clear he has some type of affect on him and it only spurs him on further to continue his teasing. It brings him deep satisfaction and he can’t help but indulge himself when there is an attractive wolf near him. And yes, to Donovan, Charles is attractive. Small, shy, and appealing to the eye. How could he resist? 

Still, he can tell his admission to fighting Easthollow alongside Ursus irks him. Or maybe it puts him on edge? Ky can’t tell. He smiles at the new uneasiness that’s settled over the chocolate wolf and he chuckles as if entertained; because he is. He’s quickly figuring out that he likes making him squirm and perhaps one day he could make him squirm in a different type of way — beneath him perhaps. 

They suck. At that and the obvious fear in his stature and gaze makes him release boisterous laughter, open mouthed and gleaming dangerous teeth. He shakes his head and bumps his shoulder to the others.

“Relax, peaches.” He purrs. “The Saints have no squabble with Easthollow, only Ursus.” He tries and probably fails to comfort him with a smile. “You are a Saint now, I don’t give a fuck about your past, as long as your loyalty lies with me.” It’s not a threat, he says it casually, almost with a sweet, comforting tang to his voice too.

When Kynareth called him peaches, Charles was confused. What did that mean? It sounded kinda soft, but Charles'd never heard the word before so he couldn't be too sure if he should be insulted because he was being called another endearing word, or if it was something else. Since he didn't know, he ended up shutting his mouth about it.

Then Kynareth went on to say that the Saints had no problems with Easthollow now, only with Ursus, which confused Charles. Didn't he just say they had teamed up with Ursus to fight Easthollow? The coywolf looked visibly confused for a moment before he shrugged it off and said, a little braver again now, Well, they still suck. Honestly, Charles just never wanted to see them again. Never wanted to see his mother again. He just wanted to forget that they ever existed. That was why he was so loathe to talk about his youth.

Charles seemed to perk up a little when Kynareth said that he didn't care what his past was so long as his loyalty lay with him now. Honestly, Charles was still intimidated by the whole Saints pack and he still woke up afraid to be torn apart by them himself often, but he'd never tell. Besides, it was clear enough to see on his face a lot of the time. He'd made some sort of friends? but it wasn't as easy as it had been in Firefly Glen, where his nihilist aloofness seemed to garner him a lot more quick pals. Well, that's cool, 'cause I don't want to think about the other packs I was with either, Charles said in response to Kynareth's words, some defiance in his words; not towards the Saints or his Alpha, but towards his past and the packs that he'd been in. He didn't want to think about them too much. It was just too painful.

It’s seems the spunky little coy wolf has something against his old home. Kyn doesn’t care much about it, everyone has their reasons for not liking something or someone. Though he can’t help but laugh when he repeats his last words but a bit more confident this time. His choice of words only makes him smile and he almost wants to play into the immature dis too.

Kyn’s suspicion of Charles not liking his old packs is once again confirmed, but this time he sees the seriousness in his tone and face. He acknowledges it by offering him and interested quirk of his head, his smile never disappearing. 

So his urge to jump in the bandwagon wins and he chuckles. “Yeah, they fuckin’ suck, huh?” He says with a bit of a laugh in his light tone. 

Though he does realize that he has to get moving soon. Now that he’s made himself acquainted with his new pack member. He moves slightly away from the other make after bumping his head to his shoulder in a type of goodbye. 

“Well, darling, it was night to make your acquaintance. Perhaps I’ll come find you and bother you some more on a later date. Duty calls.” He purrs with a promise in his eyes.

When his Alpha repeated his words, somewhat, Charles wasn't too sure if he was being made fun of. It made him want to stick up for himself and say something — something bad — but he also didn't really have a good comeback, and so he just kept standing there grinning kinda stupidly, with a twist in his gut. A twist because he knew he would look like an idiot in front of his Alpha now. Everything up until now hadn't been exactly great. Maybe it was the lack of a Leta in this pack — a card he could play if he went too far to make sure he wouldn't get thrown out on his ass, at least — maybe he had a bad day, or maybe it was the fact that this man was a lot older and more intimidating than Osiris had been. He didn't rightly feel like a peer, unlike Osiris had; this Kynareth, well, he was clearly above Charles, and it made it harder to act out and be clever and witty with him.

In the end he found nothing good to say and so he just stood there looking a little defiant, a little meek, and on the inside, deeply annoyed with himself. Kynareth then called him 'darling' again and said that it was good to make his acquaintance. Charles felt a spark of defiance again. Why do you call me darling? Charles asked suddenly, as Kynareth said his good-bye. Do you say I'm like a woman? There was a spark of defiance in his eyes as the coywolf finally found his guts. There was something both enticing and terrifying about the promise in Kynareth's words and gaze, and the moment Charles finished speaking he already regretted saying anything at all.

Kyn continues to watch him stand there with that smile on his face and the Grandmaster can’t help but chuckle when he doesn’t say much back. The defiant look in the smaller’s eyes let’s Kyn know that he means business when he said that his last pack sucked. He seems he has high distain for them. He can’t truly blame him, he doesn’t know what he’s gone through, so he doesn’t question it. He doesn’t question it further because it seems Charles isn’t interested in speaking about it, maybe it’s the bad memories. Kyn doesn’t pry any further, only agreeing and moving on.

Just as Kyn says his goodbyes and is about to take his leave the other is bravely speaking. He’s asking — no, demanding — why he calls him darling and then draws up some assumption as to why he does so. Said assumption makes a grin come to his maw. Where his face had been fairly neutral when he’d turned to leave, he looks back to him and said grin spreads onto his handsome face. 

He wonders where this fire came from, but it’s not unwelcome. Like he said before, he likes it. So he allows a low chuckle to bubble up from his lips. “No, I don’t say it to offend you.” He explains smiling over to him. “I say it to tease you because I enjoy getting reactions. Take it as a form of affection, darling.” He purrs the last sentence back with a wink. “Perhaps you could give me a pet name as well, but I’m sure it won’t be as endearing.” He chuckles then.

An explanation followed, but it was evident to see that Charles was still skeptical and unsure whether to believe a word the man said. He tried to think of good horrible names right away, but Charles' vocabulary wasn't very great so he did not get very far before Kynareth said it would probably not be as endearing. Now it couldn't be offensive, because then it would be as if he'd known what Charles would do all along. Dang it, Kynareth was in his head.

Perhaps you have to earn a pet name first, Charles said eventually, a little haughtily. He wanted to be playful, but it was hard when he was so rattled by this Kynareth. Then Charles started to walk away, determined to be the one to leave instead. He really needed to get away from all of the thoughts in his head about Kynareth, anyway. See you later, he said casually over his shoulder as he started to leave.

Kyn watches the gears turn in the others head and he grins. It seems swift comebacks aren’t Charles’ style. That’s okay, the guy is charming in his own way and Kyn rather like flustering the hot headed, but shy coywolf. Even as he mentions earning a pet name Kyn’s brows raise in interest. Oh, he likes the sound of that.

Then just as fast, Charles turns his back on him and offers a casual goodbye. Kyn’s eyes glint with mischief and he grins back. 

“Yes sir.” Is all he hums back with a wink. He watches him go, shamelessly eyeing him up and down before he sets off on his own for the time being. Yeah, he could definitely earn a pet name from him, he knows teasing him in the future will be much too fun.