Wild Rye Fields I'm blindfolded but I like what I see

Dios mio, if Askan kept making him roll his eyes like this, they were going to get stuck that way. That’s what his mother always said, anyways. Honestly, he was beginning to see what she meant. They way he was arguing was so juvenile – well, that’s your opinion. Of course it was his damn opinion! But that didn’t mean it was wrong! But what was the point of arguing, anyways? Belligerence wasn’t exactly a meritorious trait, and he hardly thought Askan would thank him for being a right thorn in his backside.

So he only huffed, and enjoyed the shared warmth between them for what it was worth, tired eyes slowly lidding as he stared intently as the back wall. The tail across his caught his attention, slowly bringing Reyes back to reality as the beta spoke back up, detailing his plans. Well, not quite. That was giving it quite a lot of leeway. But the man was not wrong. “What glowing praise,” he snorted, lifting his head long enough to nibble at Askan’s ear. Only just, and his head flopped back down, too enticed by the warmth. “The hell is wrong with him, anyways? Wolves ain’t supposed t’ look like that.”

What was that huff supposed to mean? Askan was trying to be nice, but it seemed as though Reyes saw it fit to throw it all back in his face. Rude. It was tempting to not even bother to try anymore, if this was what he was going to get in return. Sure, he'd stumbled a bit in his rebuttal of his-frankly ludicrous- compliment, but he hadn't been rude about it. Or at least he didn't think he had been. Reyes had always been swift to snap if he was rude, and other than the huff he hadn't really done anything in way of response. So that was a good sign, right?

He did have a point though, being compared to Icicle of all wolves was anything but a compliment, simply because the standards were so low. Anyone was better than Icicle, so to compare the two of them was hardly flattering compliment. He could see why Reyes was a bit miffed, now that he sat there and thought about it. The nibble to the tip of his ear was a suitable retort, and it felt kinda nice as well, so Askan wasn't going to complain. Which funnily enough he seemed to be doing less and less of that around Reyes these days. How strange.

At his question, the Selwyn shrugged a hefty shoulder. "He used to be worse. Literally skin and bone, nothing else. Stank like death. One time he gave me this whole sob story about how his family didn't love him, that he was always picked on. That kinda shit." He wrinkled his nose in distaste and curled so he could rest his chin on Reyes' back. Where it smelled good, unlike the prickly memory of Icicle's scent. "He would have died without Drestig. Me too, I guess. Think he likes collecting us strays."

Askan felt as though he'd earned his keep, that he'd paid Drestig back, but could the same be said for the pack's resident albino? The more he thought about it, the more resentful he became. So much so that his lips twitched in annoyance, like he was about to break out into a snarl. But he didn't, that sort of behaviour didn't belong here. This was a safe, happy place. He was good.

"I think Drestig's rubbing off on me as well." Askan admitted with a soft smile. He did adore that Old man. His gaze then flickered to Reyes' eyes and his smile did not fade. "I picked you up didn't I?"

(This post was last modified: Feb 26, 2017, 08:51 PM by Askan.)

“That’s ‘cos he just ain’t right, cabrón.” Maybe pack wolves could afford charity this time of year, but the newest member of Wild Rye Fields hardly saw the point. Icicle looked like he could barely truck through the snow, much less carry his own weight and replenish what he might take from pack caches. He hadn’t spent much time around the male ranked directly above him, but then again, he didn’t really want to catch whatever it was the other wolf had, either.

So he let Askan tell his story instead, shifting only when the shrug threatened to dislodge him from the beta’s shoulder altogether. His ears flicked forward and back before he shuffled, more effectively draping himself across the other male as he told the short story, bristling only when he was compared to Icicle for the second time in only a few minutes. Reyes huffed, nipping at the other ear. Did this guy not learn? “Hardly a mongrel, pendejo,” he growled, the sound vibrating through him, rumbling against his companion’s back. “Ain’t a stray, either. I was fine. I came because you asked – because I wanted to, not because I needed it.”

I don’t need anybody.

The moment you started to need a wolf, the moment they’d turn around and drown you in a river. Rip half your face off of your skull.

“I don’t need saving.

If Askan were in charge, he wouldn't have let Icicle in, or at the very least wouldn't have allowed him to stay for as long as he had. He wasn't pulling his weight, or paying his dues. He just lounged around all day and claimed that he was doing stuff when he clearly wasn't. Physical condition or no, the Selwyn thought it was just plain lazy of him. Even Percy did more than she did, even back in the days when she was smaller. So if a kid was doing more work than he was, surely that was a warning sign? A reason to kick him out, or whatever. He didn't know, nor was it his call so he had no right to think of this.

At his next string of words, Reyes grew irritable, his tone sharp, and of course Askan assumed he'd done something wrong. Again. How typical. The meaning of the ear nibble was lost on him, as he frowned, his eyes narrowing-what could be called worry. Reyes had a point though, didn't he? There was nothing gangly about him, and despite the fact he lived on his own and provided for himself there were no signs of malnutrition along his sides, or thighs. If he had, Askan would have surely noticed them by now, considering how much time they spent so close. For warmth purposes. From what he could recall, Reyes had been doing fine. Leagues better than Askan had when he'd been alone, he'd nearly died.

So to say that he didn't need saving was fair. In fact, wasn't it Askan who needed saving when they'd first met? Without Reyes who knows what would have happened to him. Who knows whether he'd even be alive, he could have died, be it from freezing or drowning. Askan furrowed his brows and pursed his lips in thought. Beside him, Reyes was stiff, his discontent obvious and palatable in their little shelter. What could Askan say to fix this? And why did he even feel like he had to? Had he really done anything wrong? Probably, knowing him. His natural inclination was to just leave it, but after...Considering the situation that didn't seem like the right thing to do.

"From what I've seen, I'd have to agree with you. Me on the other hand..." He coughed awkwardly, his face a little too warm. Damn it. "I uh, never said thanks for that, did I? So uh, thanks... I don't know what I would have done without you."

For a while, silence reigned, and Reyes considered simply closing his eyes and sleeping the irritation off. There was little other in the way of cures for a foul mood, at least as far as he was concerned, and part of him even wondered if his companion had noticed what he’d said at all. Ears pressed further against his skull and he sighed. Maybe he was being sensitive. Wait. No. Dios mio, Askan just needed to actually think before he opened his fat mouth once in a while, and—

Those blundering words caught his attention again, and this time, the former loner actually lifted his head, glancing at the beta with a squint. Was this some sort of lame apology? Or an attempt to make peace? Or did he actually-- Reyes’ thoughts came to a slow halt as he realized what was actually happening. He’d given up on any expression of gratitude a while back, once Askan had ripped open his shoulder, in fact, and-- “Yeah. No problem.”

Which wasn’t entirely true. But he was glad to hear it and, quite frankly, glad he’d gone after the idiot floating down the river on an ice drift. Reyes leaned forward, pink tongue flicking across Askan’s muzzle a few times. “You’re a pain the ass, cabrón. But you’re mine.” His ears finally flicked back forward, pressing his nose against the other wolf’s jaw before retreating. “Just try not to go out on any other ice flows, huh?”

Despite the shamble of an apology, Askan's words seemed to clear the air between them. A sudden rush of relieve flooded through his system and he couldn't help but smile just a little in relief. That was a close call, wasn't it? Askan felt as though he'd dismantled the tension pretty damn well, especially considering he wasn't any good at these sorts of things. Honestly, he half expected it to blow up right in his face. That Reyes would just take further offence and he'd bugger up his chance of continuing whatever this was between them. But no, things were good. It was fine.

Everything seemed right, as it should be between them, but of course as soon as Askan became complacent Reyes went out of his way to yank the rug out from under his feet. Rather than nibbling, as he soft often did, the rogue did something a little different. He seemed to have something else in mind. Instead of teeth, Askan was met with tongue. And not on his scruff or the tip of his ears, but rather the length of his snout. It was a little weird for sure, no one had licked him like this in years, ever since he'd gotten all pissy no one bothered to try anymore. But not Reyes, he threw caution to the wind and dived right on it. That was brave, Askan would never have had the guts to do that himself, to take the initiative. This sort of thing, not minding the company of others, it was all so new, and seeing as this was the first time he was proverbially dipping his feet it made sense that...You know, Reyes do the hard work.

But perhaps he was just complicating things needlessly, it was just a lick. Well four, well actually five but-he wasn't counting or nothing. But then Reyes had to continue and his words did shed a light on the nature of that little display. Being called a pain in the ass was nothing new, he'd almost glared at the insinuation, but any sort of focus required for such an action just sort of slid away. Like sand slipping through the gaps of fingers.

"You're mine."

Naturally, the first feeling Askan felt was offence. What the fuck? He was his?! How rude, how presumptuous! You couldn't own a person like that, you couldn't just rub your scent in and go all mine! What was Reyes thinking? What was Askan thinking? And the why fucking hell were his cheeks all warm like that. He could have given a guy a warning he could have...he could have.. A fuck it, the Yukon wolf couldn't really maintain this level of pissery when he felt all weird and warm and stuff. Whatever. That wasn't so bad, it wasn't much different from laying together and that was natural and easy. So by extension so was this, as well as the wet nose to the jaw.

He didn't know when or whether he had actually stiffened by or not, but by that point Askan was relaxed as could be. The whole mine was still a little too much to deal with, but rather than kick up a fuss, he swept it under the rug. Reyes swiftly changed the subject and rather than dilly-dally Askan was-as much as he could manage- eager to respond. Even if he frowned a little.

"It was an accident. But yes, fine. I won't. And you, don't do anything stupid either."

(This post was last modified: Feb 26, 2017, 10:35 PM by Askan.)

It seemed, to Reyes at least, that they had sailed past the most dangerous of topics, allowing an bumbershoot of peace to spread over the pair of wolves once more.  He exhaled, allowing himself to deflate more and more against the beta’s warm bulk, until he was little more than a fur rug plastered over a bump on a log.  It felt nice.  There was no reason to move, not when his limbs had grown heavy and his chest felt all warm.  (Surely just from the shared body heat between.)  His ear only twitched at Askan’s mustered response and he snorted, allowing heavy lids to fall shut over moonstone eyes.

“If you say so, cabrón.”  Like the other Rye wolf had any room to talk, to tell him not to do stupid things.  He was from far south, and still knew enough not to tread out onto the ice.  But he did not argue the point any further, wiggling only once to get a little more comfortable, and said nothing more.  It was good here, in this little den, hidden away from the rest of the world.  There was no reason to spoil the peace, and Reyes had no interest in making one, either.  Slowly, his thoughts drifted into silence, and the wolf was asleep.

Fade.

(This post was last modified: Feb 27, 2017, 04:40 PM by Reyes.)