Redsand Canyon Whack fall the daddy-o.

After a long day of patrolling and even a little bit of hunting, Towhee returned to the soldiers’ apartments. Rather than step inside #1A, she padded next door and leaned on the doorframe, orange eyes glowing in the dusky light. Was @Maxim even inside?

Without even waiting for her eyes to adjust, Towhee said, Hey. Hey, you with the face. Let’s do the thing. I have a zit on my ass I need you to pop. She then backed out of the threshold and began walking toward the married housing, specifically to the little stone hut she’d already begun thinking of as “The Maxhee Pad.”

he had only just come back home and was roused easily by the presence of towhee. her words confusing more than anything else, but he reflexively followed her.

you need me to do what? he snorted with amusement, eyes crinkling softly as he looked at her.

although must of his attention was on her, it became clear rather quickly where they were walking to. it seemed they both had finally slept on it enough.

She didn’t answer him, but only because she hadn’t heard him. Towhee faced forward as she strode toward the married housing, feeling a little twinge when she realized she wouldn’t be returning to #1A. Maybe she would suggest @Killdeer take it, since it was the ideal location on the far end of the row.

She arrived at the chosen den, only now turning toward Maxim. Towhee gestured with her head before leading the way inside. She had left a dead rat in the back earlier, intended for Batman. It lay untouched and there was no sign of the bat. Maybe she’d offended him by her choice of prey. Weren’t bats just rats with wings?

Remembering Maxim, Towhee glanced at the Principales, currently back-lit by the twilight coming in through the doorway. She gazed at him for a beat before turning to grab the dead rodent and offering it to him by plopping it gently on his feet.

Consider this both a housewarming and a wedding gift, Towhee said. Sorry, I was on a budget.

it appeared she had already picked a place. which was fine by him, he wasn't even sure how they'd go about picking some place together, so perhaps it was the for the best that she lead him to where she wished to be. which she plucked a dead rat from.

and presented it to him.

he briefly stared at it sitting on his feet before he looked back to her.

a house warming and marriage gift. his features curled into a smile. only for him to have to sheepishly admit —

i did not get you anything. i will have to fix that, no?

You will, Towhee replied simply, nudging the carcass closer with a toe. If you accept this, that means we’re hitched officially. ‘Cause that’s totally how this works where I’m from: we exchange a dead rat to seal the deal on all business transactions. Of course, there was no truth to that whatsoever, but there also wasn’t anything remotely traditional about this entire arrangement, including the two wolves entering into it.

Giving him one last you-better-eat-this-rat-or-this-marriage-is-null-and-void look, Towhee sighed and retreated to the rear of the den, where she flopped onto a ragged old deerskin. Realizing she had taken up the entire thing out of pure habit, she scooted over to make room for her new mate. Gods, that was a weird thing to think. She didn’t like it. For that matter, she didn’t like the words “husband” and “wife” either.

I’m going to think of you and refer to you as my partner, Towhee announced decisively, and in case you’re confused by that ominous ‘you will,’ your gift to me will be giving me children and then helping me raise them.

his smile did not fade, nor did he falter when she declared that this was how it worked. a dead rat for business transactions. it was always so hard to tell when she was serious and when she was not. regardless, she looked at him in that you-will-eat-that-dead-rat way and he obliged.

so he ate the rat as was expected.

then went over and flopped down near her on the deerskin. he wondered if he could talk to @Tamar to have, ah, something...nicer prepared for the room, for towhee. maybe that would be his gift in exchange for a dead rat.

although he was rattled from these thoughts by her declaration. partner he would be called and he found it fitting. truthfully calling her his wife felt like it didn't match the terms they had set. they were partners though. partners in marriage and eventually partners in parenthood.

i'd like to get you an actual gift too, to make up for my lack of dead rat deal making. humor lacing his words and his gaze. maybe a fish. despite your warnings of being gassy.

She watched approvingly as Maxim devoured the rat. Guess we’re married now, Towhee declared to the room at large, laughing under her breath at the total absurdity that was her entire life, really.

He unabashedly flung himself down beside her. Towhee blinked, then relaxed into the envelope of his body heat and scent. Dude smelled nice. Reminding herself that they were mates now, she suppressed the hesitation she felt and thrust her snout right into his ruff, inhaling deeply.

She felt the telltale rumble and pulled back in time to catch his words. I’ll allow it, Towhee replied, then went back to sniffing him, explaining, I like your musk.

married. maxim of mereo was married. certainly a tongue twister. even more it was a brain twister, but he would not change these moments for anything.

he was a soldier, married to an impressive woman warrior who he would have and raise children with.

then she ruffled his, well, ruff. unaware of what exactly she was doing but not one to stop it either. instead he investigated her back. the action was not one of affection, merely investigation.

he pulled back, only to look around the room briefly. they would need more than just this one skin if this was to be a home for them, for children. but for now it would do. and at her declaration of liking his musk, he aimed to wallow into the deerskin some and offered her an inviting grin to do the same.

The word “intimacy” kind of fell under the same umbrella as “husband” and “wife,” meaning Towhee didn’t really want to think of Maxim in those terms. But there was a comfortable companionship between them as they nosed at one another. There was no affection to the touches, no flirtations or seductions. Towhee sighed, a noise of contentment and relief.

This was nothing like what she’d tried with Reyes. Her former mate flitted through her mind for a moment before she banished all thought of him. She stretched out her limbs before curling them, making sure to keep her healing leg safely stretched out in front of her as she let her chin sink down atop the other. Towhee closed her eyes, effectively shutting out the world.

A minute or two passed, then she cracked open an orange eye and found Maxim’s face in the darkness. Night, she said simply, smiling a little and closing her eyes again. She let out another sigh, and a toot to mark the occasion.

closing <3

he snorted softly at her toot. of course she would, he thought, but it was well and good. a gross sign of comfort that he would accept with a lazy grin.

night, he huffed softly. adjusted so he would be facing towards the mouth of the den, careful of her wounded leg.