His tongue slithered forth over his teeth, dampening his lips and chilling it with its absence against the wintry air. He considered the fact that he had used a past tense in his sentiment, that he had
loved her when he still did. A part of him had assumed that she had found another and settled down for good. Then, a question changed his thought pattern completely,
"Would you?" He nodded without hesitation. If fighting for her was not enough to keep him to her side, then he might as well be cursed; but everything carried in her response made him awaken within with an
instinctual need to prove himself.
"If you truly want me, would you fight for me? ...Take me as I am, for all that I am?" His mind raced to answer the question but he stopped in mid-thought. The old Angier, maybe even the Hollow wolf called Danton, would have regretted even suggesting that he would have done anything. He would have embraced every doubt he harbored and apologized for thinking that he could accomplish such a feat; as a second-born, Borden had always taken everything from him.
It was never more clearer now, however, as he continued to open up to bask in Elettra's aura that Borden was not here. Other members of his family - his parents, uncle, and younger siblings - were not here. It occurred to him finally that within Relic Lore he was able to stand as an individual if only he just gave up the skepticism and the belief that he would never become more than what he thought himself to be. He had to ask himself, Could I fight for Elettra? Yes, and I will. Could I take here for everything that was and is her? I've handled Borden. I've suffered Swift River's wrath. Who is to say I can't? And, lastly, Do I want her? ...Of course. The two words brought him back to the present.
Of course. Why else had his feet led him here, time and time again?
He caught her gaze, watching as her expression morphed and changed, and his brows rose in genuine concern. Elettra took a breath and he held his. "What's... What's wrong?" his tone seemed somewhat hurt and he attempted to search the depths of her eyes to find the answer.
"I'm pregnant."
His jaw lowered, confusion flickering momentarily across his mask-like features until he regained a hold of himself. The new Angier would not snivel at misfortune. He would not settle for things as they were. And, most importantly, he would not let his emotion get the best of him. His nostrils flared twice as he sampled her scent, it took more than a moment but he was able to pick up a note that seemed somewhat "off." It made his blood boil and a primal part of him terrifyingly jealous.
The emotion that came to harden his expression, if looked upon just briefly, seemed becoming. Otherwise, the way he wore the light scowl and the faint wrinkles edging up along the bridge of his muzzle, was something that seemed like it had come naturally to him. He stood up slowly, his sizable frame straightening to stand only a hair taller than hers. His pale gold eyes scoured her face once more, his nose and whiskers twitching. "You have all that I have to offer, Lady Elettra, what is it that you want me to do?"