More than a season had passed since Venom had asked Maverick to sire her children, and as each day went on worry seemed to take a stronger hold in her heart. She hadn’t expected her first litter, they had arrived out of season and without much trying. Venom had perhaps assumed the same would be true now as she was drawing more near a middle age. She had yet to voice any worry over the time they were taking, every breathtaking moment was enjoyable. However, she was a little older now, maybe there was a little cause for concern. Then again, Sirius had just fathered a litter in his and Zee’s advanced age. Maybe there was something deeper off.

The Empress did do her best to ignore the thought, to tell herself that she hadn’t even gone through a heat, and that any real worry could be had if they still hadn’t conceived after that point. Still, the fear crept in and took over her thoughts every now and again.

Maybe it was the dark dream she was having, or the cold at her side as Maverick got up during their sleep for a moment. The feeling of dread overwhelmed her and caused her to toss as she tried to shake herself out of her unconscious sleep. A soft whine left her lips as the dredges of the awful nightmare manifested within the body of reality.

"Venom & Maverick"

Maverick had not been privy to the worry taking root in his beloved's heart. Outwardly, she showed no signs of anything troubling her. She was as she always had been to him: the beautiful, confident, and assured leader of Ashen, matriarch of the Abraxas family, and the woman who very much held his heart. Their days were filled with love and adventure, exploring new islands whilst also enjoying the fruits of their romance together, many, many times over. In the back of his mind, Maverick knew what their attempts were for. Venom desired children with him, and he desired to sire them with her, so their matings did have purpose, but with the shadow and snow fae out of her season, the dire brute simply assumed they were having fun together and preparing for the eventuality of what would come. He had not known Venom's first litter was sired and birthed out of her season, or that she was worrying herself over those same expectations not coming true.

It was another warm summer's night across southern Boreas. After enjoying another evening tangled up in one another, the prince consort had fallen into an easy sleep with his love wrapped up in his arms. It was a deep, restful sleep that was only disturbed by the need for a late-night drink following their physical activities. With a soft grumble, Mav stirred, slipped carefully away from Venom so as not to disturb her, and exited their bedchambers to the pool of water in their common area. He drank his fill from the cool spring with gusto, and once satiated, he returned to bed. Except when he climbed back into the bed of plush furs, he found Venom shifting and tossing about in her sleep, whining softly to herself. Concern overtook his expression, and he swiftly settled in beside her again, large paws jostling her side gently while he tried to free her from her night terror. "Venom? Venom. Hey, wake up, Ven," he spoke in hushed toned, giving her a it of a firmer shake to snap her out of her prison of sleep.

"Venom & Maverick"

Venom was far too talented at hiding the imperfections that plagued her mind, and with her strange desire it was no surprise that Maverick had not yet caught on to her worry. Her subconscious was not unaffected, and the manifestation of it grew within. Resulting in her dreams becoming tainted with the unsaid weight that settled on her thin shoulders. Venom wasn’t one to doubt herself, but with this important task her fears gained the upper paw.

She twisted and rocked in reality as her dreams clung tightly to her, trapping her in the illusion of her greatest fear. Deep in the trenches of sleep, she wasn’t disturbed at first by Maverick’s return to the plush bed. His voice tugged at her gently, the soothing tones like a hot knife through butter as they slid through the fog to bring her clarity. Venom startled slightly as her consciousness snapped from cold dreams to the warmth of Maverick around her.

The Empress gasped softly and blink back the heaviness of sleep, her heart racing as she pulled in a few deep breaths. Instinctively pulling closer to Maverick’s form as she pulled herself from the nightmare. The terror subsiding substantially as she fully awoke. "Mav,” she breathed his name with relief as the memories of her sleep faded.

"Venom & Maverick"

Whatever Venom was seeing in her dreams, it appeared to be terrifying. That was all Maverick could discern while he watched his beloved twitch and thrash in her sleep, paws working as if to desperately fight or flee from some unseen threat. A wraith that plagued her sleep that he was powerless to fight against. Thankfully, right before he had to get even more physical with her, Venom snapped back into the waking world with a startled gasp. Eyelids blinked rapidly over her sunset jewels and the dire brute saw the confusion and panic in his fae's expression for a moment as she came to, sliding herself closer to his form while she got her bearings. Maverick was right there for her, already receiving her against him with open arms to wrap her up in his comforting embrace.

"Whoa, easy now. I've got you, love. You're safe," he whispered to her, giant paws rubbing over her back and side while he held her. His shadow and snow Empress looked up at him and breathed his name between shallow breaths, and he replied by lowering his muzzle to kiss the bridge of her snout. "Yeah, it's me. It's your Mav." Shifting his weight, Maverick moved to lower his bulk down to the bedding and bring Venom along with him so he could snuggle her easier and offer her the security of his tight embrace, keeping her held snug to his chest while still stroking her back to soothe her. "You're okay now. It was just a bad dream," he said while he went to pepper her forehead with gentle kisses. He didn't know what Venom had seen in her subconscious, but whatever it was, it really seemed to have rattled his usually steadfast lover.

"Venom & Maverick"

The fog of her memory fell over the terrifying dream as she slowly woke from the gripping terrors. The nightmare slipped away but the feelings that were brought with it remained within her heart. Holding her captive, her fears lingered in her heart even as Maverick woke her and held her tight. Tears streamed down her cheeks, part of her not even realizing the whole why of it. The fear that she would not be able to uphold this sacred duty.

Mav’s soft and comforting voice whispered into her ear gently, assuring her that she was safe. He acted as a rock and foundation that she clung to as the last bits of her dream dissipated. Venom took in a few deep breaths, she tried to calm herself, to forget the deeply buried fright as Maverick’s warmth and scent washed over her. His presence chased away the horrible memory. He kissed and soothed her, assuring her the dream was not real. She wanted to believe him but the feelings were true, even if the dream had not been. Was she faulty?

She inhaled sharply, gaining control of the tears as she clung to him. "Was it?” she questioned quietly, mostly to herself as her sunset eyes stared past Maverick’s dark sky fur. She couldn’t be sure her fear wasn’t the truth.

"Venom & Maverick"

Gradually Maverick felt his beloved Empress begin to settle and calm in his embrace, her panic soothed with kisses and cuddles and soft spoken words. Still, Venom clung to him, and in her sunset eyes Maverick saw a lingering doubt and fear that hadn’t quite been dissolved. His brow furrowed, teal eyes staring at her while he tried to discern what he was seeing. He’d never seen Venom in such a state before. Whatever she had seen in her subconscious had really rocked the Klein woman to her core. With one giant yet gentle paw, the consort stroked the back of his lover’s head, reclining his neck so he could peer down at her more easily. Something had her doubtful of his reassurances, but what, he couldn’t tell…

"What do you mean, Ven?" he asked in hushed tones, as if afraid to disturb the stillness in their bedchambers with excessive noise. Sizable digits cradled her head, running through her luxurious fur behind her ears. "What’s gotten you so spooked?" Whatever had infiltrated her dreams, it must have been truly terrifying for the shadow and snow queen.

"Venom & Maverick"

Venom took in a deep breath and released the air from her lungs slowly as she settled herself back into reality. Back into the safety of Maverick’s strong arms. He stroked the back of her head with a pale paw, reassuring her with his sweet kisses and gentle touch. Still, the doubts in herself held her caged as she whispered softly. She blinked up to look into Mav’s eyes as he whispered back, coaxing her softly to explain. What did she mean? He didn’t understand the nightmare was the fear she was living. Why would he? She had done everything in her power to ignore the fright that she was not fully capable.

He cradled her softly, observant enough to know it was not just her nightmare that lingered in her heart. If she could trust Maverick to wind himself so thoroughly in her life she could trust him with the fear that gnawed at her gut. "What if..” She paused, how did she even explain herself? Did he know how important this was to her? "What if I can’t conceive?” There was no shortage of trying, and the thought that it would never work had her stomach in knots.

"Venom & Maverick"

Maverick did not pester nor push for Venom to speak her mind to him. He knew that if she wanted to, she would tell him what was troubling her, but he would not force the truth from her. Whether she wanted a solution or simple support from him, he would give what he could to her. It was the least he could do for her when she was struggling. Eventually Venom calmed herself down enough to speak, her words broken with nervous pausing, as if afraid to give life to the words hanging on the edge of her tongue. Teal eyes bore into the Empress' sunset jewels, bidding her to continue and share her worries with him. The words she finally strung together took him aback, eyes widened and blinking in quick succession while his mind tried to wrap around Venom's fears. She was afraid that she wouldn't be able to conceive their children? There were so many follow up questions he had to this revelation, but he started with the simplest for now.

"Oh Ven, what would make you think that would happen?" he asked, offering his beloved one of his lopsided smiles while the paw that cradled her head moved to caress her cheek. "You gave birth to five incredible children already, each with stunning traits. Your fertility should be the least of your concerns." True, the couple had been making many, many attempts to breed over the past couple of months, and Venom had abstained from her contraceptive regiment (which turned out to be a bigger turn on for Maverick than he realized) but so far their attempts had been unsuccessful. But Maverick still believed that without Venom being in season, each mating they had was more just an enjoyable craps shoot than a guaranteed attempt. He didn't claim to be a healer nor an expert on a female's reproductive system (beyond his own intimate knowledge of them), but he was led to believe that chances of conceiving a litter out of season was exceptionally rare.

"You could never be the problem, my beautiful Empress," he reassured her in gentle tones, leaning closer to place a tender lick to the end of her slender snout. "If anything, I'd be the one with issues, and if that's the case, well then I guess I'll just have to try harder and more frequently with you." The playful, roguish grin that spread across his lips was as much an attempt at humor to lighten her spirits as it was a genuine flirt with the woman that had stolen his heart. "Where are these fears coming from, love? You haven't hit your heat yet this year. I'm not always as smart as I am handsome, but isn't conceiving outside your season highly rare or unusual?"

"Venom & Maverick"

She had him on her every word, but Venom’s attention was primarily on her paws. The dream felt so real, built off a real fear that had little base. It felt so much bigger after the nightmare. She finally looked up at Maverick, finding the care and curiosity in his eyes when she finally spoke, as surprise overcame his expression. Whatever he was expecting, it certainly wasn’t the fear that had been gnawing at her and erupted in her subconscious.

The first words to come to his mind swiftly tumbled out as his paw lifted to her cheek, comforting her with his affections and his words. Encouraging her with her previous success, she caught her breath as her sunset eyes lifted to his vibrant gaze. If there were any problems he was fully convinced of his own shortcomings instead of her own. He kissed her nose tenderly, promising that especially if that was the case he would keep trying harder.

He made her smile at least, but it was really the last bit that made her feel better. He pointed out biological facts that she couldn’t refute. Logic chased away her fears, she didn’t have to put so much energy into the frightful thoughts. They had time before that. "I suppose an exception to the rule isn’t something to go by.” She relented to him as her body snuggled closer to his own, still slightly rattled but the dreams fragments were finally leaving her. "I haven’t want to invite the thought into my mind, I suppose repressing it brought a manifestation in other ways.” She admitted softly as she buried her features into his neck.

"Venom & Maverick"

Gradually, Maverick could see his words of reassurance beginning to soothe the panicked Venom. The logic he spoke and the loving assuaging he offered did their work, calming her down to a point where he could cuddle her and feel her relax in his arms. It was when he caught a glimpse of the small smile on her lips that he knew he had won the fight against her fears. Venom agreed with him that an exception to the rule did not define the rule itself, though he could understand why the Empress had become so distressed in their inability to conceive a litter out of season when her only pregnancy to date had occurred out of season. She snuggled closer, her soft, svelte body pressing deeper into his while his strong arms lifted to entwine around her more securely. A hind leg lifted to drape over hers, covering her with himself as much as he could without smothering her. "The heart isn't always the most reasonable part of ourselves, and it's easy to see why you felt that worry, especially with how badly we both want this," he replied, validating Venom's emotions with empathy.

Venom nuzzled her face away into the thick fur of his neck, coaxing a lopsided grin from the lovestruck brute while he cradled and held his lover to him. He could feel her every breath washing warm over his skin and fur, tickling gently with each exhale. Giant paws slid up and down Venom's back, stroking over every part of her he could reach, mostly as a means to soothe her and work out the last lingering remnants of her night terror, but also partly as a bit of a flex for himself. The relationship he had with Venom grew less and less new with each day they spent together, but in its place came love and devotion, growing stronger and stronger still. No one else would ever get to touch his Empress the way he did, hold her the way he was holding her now. There was a bit of power in knowing that he was hers and she was his, this way forever. Mav enjoyed that knowledge, and he basked and reveled in it any chance he got. Tilting his muzzle down until his lips met the top of Venom's crown, the male kissed and nibbled gingerly between her ears, giving playful little nips at each shadow black appendage when his snout drew near them.

"Have I told you how much I love you lately?" Mav whispered in hushed tones almost right into Venom's closest ear. "I hate seeing you panicked like this, but I love knowing that it comes from you wanting to start a family with me so badly." The dire brute chuckled, a deep rumbling sound that Venom would no doubt feel vibrating against her slender form. She was absolutely perfect to him in every way. Beautiful, clever, compassionate, powerful, sexy... And after all, what red-blooded male wouldn't be enticed by the notion of his lover wanting to have his pups so desperately? "Would you like to try to go back to sleep, or stay up and cuddle for a bit...?" A roguish grin played on his lips while he whispered, "Or would it make you feel better if we took another try at making those pups right now, my beautiful Empress?"

"Venom & Maverick"

Her breathing came easier as Maverick held her and coaxed the fears away with waking logic. She would have eventually shook it off of her, but she didn’t have to face it alone. Mav was here for her, to be a comfort and the support, as well as reason, she needed. The star spangled man draped himself over her, wrapping himself around her protectively as he spoke softly to her. He assured her he could understand where she was coming from, but mentioned how errant the heart could be. But also how much it was the both of them wanted to have a family together. Her quest was not only for the furtherment of her bloodline, a duty to be expected. This was the truest form of devotion to the one she had come to love so dearly.

Venom was there to be strong for her pack and her people, and she needed someone that could be strong for her. Maverick filled that need completely. He held her protectively and spoke reason when her fears made her weak. Every day he proved the words he spoke to her, and Venom was more than grateful to have him at her side, now and forever. He was here for a lifetime. Mav comforted her, his paws rubbing her back comfortingly as his lips gently kissed her soft ears. Venom shuddered lightly at the playful nips at her ears before he whispered into them softly.

"Maybe somewhat recently,” She replied in equally hushed tones against his neck as he chuckled softly. The feeling reverberated through her entire body. He went further, asking if she would prefer sleep, snuggles, or to reassure herself with another little attempt at reaching their goal. Venom molded herself against him a little tighter, shifting her muzzle so she could gaze into his deep aqua eyes. Her ivory gloved paw trailing through his fur and up to his cheek as she grinned. Completely put at ease by him. "We should try again, help put my mind at ease.” There was certainly no shortage of effort between the two of them.

"Venom & Maverick"

From the day he met her, Venom had been a marvel for Maverick to discover. The austere, uptight woman he'd met at the border that warm summer day a year ago was a far cry from the woman he held in his arms now. In their time together, he had seen Venom in ways no one else had, bonded to her to a depth that he'd never experienced with anyone before her. He'd seen the stoic Empress drop her guard, seen the broken and vulnerable creature beneath the hardened mask she wore for her people and her family, and he'd seen the beauty of what she could rise to become with the right kind of treatment and nurturing. Likewise, he had let her in past his own walls, permitted her to see things and know things about him he had never shared with anyone else. Together they built a relationship on trust, and from that trust love had blossomed. Now Maverick couldn't imagine a life without his shadow and snow queen. She was his foundation, his future, his home. Everything he did and gave to her, he gave because he cared for her on a deep, unimaginable level he could scarcely believe he'd found. Looking back on who he had been before her, Mav realized just how empty his life had been, how hollow he had become. Venom had made him whole as much as he had done for her.

Every teasing nip and little toying he delivered to her drew faint shivers and shudders from his beautiful lover, each one making the brute snicker like a giddy pup as he played with her. She confirmed that he had, in fact, told her how much he loved her recently. "Well, I'm gonna tell you again, because I can't say it enough," he remarked, nuzzling at her crown with a love drunk smile on his muzzle. When he offered her the choice of snuggles and sleep or staying up for another round of baby making attempts, he felt his lover's svelte body mold tighter to his, her forelegs and hind legs tugging him closer to her. Maverick grinned; her answer was loud and clear. Rich aqua eyes held the sunset jewels of his partner, returning her grin while her white-gloved paw stroked his cheek. "With pleasure, my Venom," purred Maverick, bringing his lips closer to brush ever so softly against her own, not quite kissing her yet while his large navy-dipped paw slid down the feminine curves of her body to cup and squeeze her shapely rump, wordlessly appreciating and worshipping her body with his touch.

Venom was lean and sylphic, and easy for the dire brute to pull closer to him and mold her body into the contours of his own. With a ripple of muscles, Maverick held Venom snug to him while he shifted their position in bed, keeping them snuggled tight together while he lifted her hind leg over his waist and settled between her thighs. The star-speckled man held Venom's gaze while he aligned their bodies, refusing to let her go or unwind his paws from around her. The angle was a little awkward and different than what he was used to, but after a little shifting and wiggling, he found the angle he sought and pressed his hips forward to sink into Venom and meld their bodies together. That initial hot rush of pleasure, while familiar from their frequent lovemaking, never failed to steal his breath away in a heated gasp, dark teal eyes widening and alabaster eyelids fluttering while he lost himself in Venom’s vibrant eyes so full of love.

He released a content sigh, his breath mixing with Venom’s in their close proximity, a sound only her ears would ever hear. The paw around her waist pulled her rump closer and tighter to bring her hips into his, the other supporting her back flexing to grip at her silky soft fur and hold his lover to him. Maverick began to move with Venom, building a rhythm they were intimately familiar with as he worked on dispelling the unwelcome worry that had made its way into his beloved Empress' heart with the purest love and most exquisite pleasure he could give to her. Perhaps if they were lucky, this would be the time they conceived the pups they so desperately wanted.

"Venom & Maverick"

As much as Maverick learned about her, Venom had learned and discovered herself in the time they were together. He showed her a brand new side of herself that would have remained buried had he not found her that day. Their first meeting hadn’t made a huge difference, but he stepped into her life, saving it when she had fallen, and gained her trust in the deepest way possible. They had grown together, and filled each other’s cups in a way that would be impossible alone. He completed her, and she completed him. Maverick became part of her foundation, essential to her life in every way.

After so long together he had come to know every inch of her. His touch was soft but calculating as he teased her with his strong paws. Maverick attracted her like none other, however few partners she had. They were physically intimate before she’d known what her heart desired, so she knew him best in this way. Now that they were so intertwined, being vulnerable like this took on a deeper, more profound meaning. "Good, because I can’t hear it enough.” She giggled softly against his muzzle as he shifted to hold her closer. Venom’s body fitted to his form in perfect synchronization, like she belonged here tangled up in him. He purred in response as she egged him on, always a moment from being desperate for his touch. She never felt closer to him than in the highest forms of passion as they shared in heart, soul, and body.

He made her relax as he held her close, his protective arms warding off her fears as he distracted her with carnal pleasures. Even if their efforts were for not, the deeper meaning to their actions intensified every touch and motion. Maverick aligned their hips with a careful shift, pressing himself into her. Every time he’d steal her breath away, and this was no different. He banished all of her fears with waves of delighted pleasure, Venom’s thoughts became consumed totally by Maverick’s love. She gasped softly as her eyes rolled to the back of her head, little heated breaths falling from her lips in time with the rhythm of his body.

White gloved paws grasped at Mav’s shoulders and the name of his neck. Her toes curling into his thick fur as he made her lose all control. He’d long learned by now how to most efficiently bring her to ecstasy. However good he could make her feel, nothing would dispel her fears like finally giving him the family she wanted so badly to do.

"Venom & Maverick"