[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"I just don't want you to feel trapped, or obliged, or-" her shaky voice cut off as Cassus grimaced, until she watched him prise one of their mouths from his chest. Already, their tiny teeth were coming in, and she knew how they could hurt sometimes.

"I don't feel - I mean, there's an obligation here but they're not - you're not - you're my family, you're mine - I was out there and all I wanted was to come home.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

She gave a shaky laugh, and flopped into the bed beside him, careful not to squash the pups. He rolled so that the three tiny furballs were on his chest and held by his arm, and wrapped the other one around her, drawing her close into his embrace so that she could put her head on his chest.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"We're not a traditional couple" she murmured a short while later, as their breathing began to even out.

"No" murmured Cassus, without opening his eyes. "Does it matter? We're a family, and if things move in a more traditional direction afterwards, would it be so bad?"

She tensed, and he squeezed her shoulders gently. "There's no rush, no expectation on my part - I just mean it when I say it doesn't matter."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Borealis nodded, but kept her thoughts to herself. It wasn't that she disliked him - on the contrary, he was an attractive male now that he was eating regularly, and seeing him embrace her pups - their pups - almost left her in tears, but the thought of opening herself up willingly to another male after than night made her tremble.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

A soft kiss was placed on her forehead, and she opened wet eyes to see his tired ones looking down at her.

"Stop thinking" he murmured, poking her forehead with his nose. "Whatever I said to make you upset, I'm sorry - I mean it when I say there's no expectations. I just want you all here to come home to."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Borealis closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of his chest. "We will be here - this is our home. And whatever happens in the future-" she paused, and he nuzzled the top of her head.

She swallowed, blinking away tears that she hadn't even felt well up, and taking comfort from the warmth and his steady heartbeat under her ear.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"I'm scared" she admitted at last, cheeks heating and voice small as she said it. Cassus tensed, but did not let go and she wrapped herself deeper into his one-armed embrace.

"I'm not him" Cassus whispered gently, voice slightly shaking as he understood what she was saying. "I'll never ask for more that what you give freely."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"I know you're not" she whispered, voice cracking as she forced the words out. "You have been nothing but a godsend since you came into my life, and I know you're the best thing that could have happened for them - but the thought of being- of doing- I want- I don't want to be scared.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Cassus grimaced, but held her close as she wept onto his chest. He had said what he said out of affection, but it troubled him how much his words seemed to have hurt her, or at the very least scared her.

"Slow, yeah? We'll just take each moment as it comes" he murmured, eyes drifting shut despite his best efforts.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

She felt his breathing level out, and forced herself to breathe. It was easy to rely on him, easy to be held in his embrace - less easy to forget the last male who had helped himself to her. His scent calmed her and terrified her all at once, and she hated herself for it.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

She willed herself to sleep, at least for a short while, and reminded herself that she was glad he was home.

Home. The very notion brought a smile to her face - it had been so long since she had a home, and a family, though she certainly hadn't anticipated something like this.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

She sighed, and opened her eyes, feeling her head rise and fall softly in time with his breaths. He was an attractive male, and she had already agreed to be his Mate - already signed and filed the paperwork. She couldn't stomach the idea he had done it out of some misguided sense of duty, so why had his suggestion troubled her so much?

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

She wondered idly what would have happened between them - if anything would have happened between them - if she hadn't borne Kale's pups, and moments later she was scolding herself for having that train of thought. The pups were hers - and even if some of Kale was present in them, she loved them, as surely as Cassus did.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Fondness bloomed in her chest, and her eyes watered for a different reason - the love he had shown them all, the adoration he held for pups that weren't his by blood but that he had chosen to stay with, the kindness and compassion and gentleness he treated her with, it was all too much.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

She slid out from under his arm, and scurried over to their makeshift washroom, splashing her face with water to clear out the tears. She couldn't bear to look at him - wrapped in the blanket, bare-chested and asleep, her pups held securely in his embrace. She refused to look at Ebele, though the Radill flicked her tongue as she watched her go.