Onyx had been living life through the motions. She had been struggling and trying hard to find a place meant for her, but it always seemed to fall through. It wasn't that she disliked Elysium really, it was just the whole shape and foundations of pack life. It had been such a long time since Incendium had fallen and she wasn't old enough to have real pack responsibilities back then. She had always learned to care for herself even while living so close to her family. That seemed to change as they all grew older. Now they were finding their own paths. She felt like she was constantly at a standstill.

She had escaped the pack for some fresh air she supposed. Escape felt like a strong word, but at times that's just how she felt. The later the day grew, she knew she wouldn't be returning before the night was over. That was alright though since she didn't have any patrols lined in her name. She traversed through the nook that hadn't felt much different than her home in the north due to the abundant snow falls. She could have at least admired the different shapes of the trees and brush here compared to the pines of her home. But she didn't. Instead more lost in her steps as she moved forward. Maybe still with her usual grumpy aurora.

"Onyx Destruction"
F2U base by Snowylaika

This place wasn't much to look at this at time of year, but come spring it'd be all bright and vibrant. Not a place Kuroki could imagine Onyx fitting in. It felt like it had been forever since he'd seen her, so much had changed and yet at the same time it had not. Except for those pretty antlers that now adorned her crown, last time they'd met up they'd been little nubs. Bumps that had demanded to be poked at. "Yo! Onyx!" He shouted out to her, quick to bound across the space that separated them. The snow wasn't thick here, not nearly as deep as he knew Onyx would prefer. It was odd to see her this north, he thought she preferred life as a wolf ice sculpture, but apparently not. "Long time no see!" And of course he gave her a playful shoulder check. Why wouldn't he?

That vaguely familiar voice was difficult for her to mistake, Onyx didn't know many other wolves after all. Or at least very well. And honestly in this day and age she didn't even know Oki all that well either.

She didn't shy from him as he approached or bumped into her shoulder. Not out of character for her. An easily sarcastic grin on her face as she had only turned her head to see him. "Just what I needed, another prick in my life." She spoke somewhat under her breath though loud enough intended for him to hear. She'd keep moving forward too as if she wasn't interested. Onyx had respected Oki for a long time regardless of how she may have ever acted towards him. She should have given him the benefit of the doubt but she had a knack for driving everyone away. At least that's what she believed, and now she wouldn't even try to make things work.

"Onyx Destruction"
F2U base by Snowylaika

"Another?" Kuroki asked, pale brows rising. "How many pricks you got?" He struggled to ask that question and keep a straight face, his lips trembled at the edges, cause come on it was hilarious! He was hilarious! He couldn't hold the laughter back for long, not even a minute later and he was sniggering away to himself, smile bright and beaming as he looked over at Onyx. "Is the going that bad, huh? You do look sulkier than I remember, horny-er too." He said, flicking a paw to gesture at her pretty, dark antlers. She liked fine physically though, just seemed to be retreating into her dark place, where the world wasn't enough. Not what she wanted or needed. That was just the Onyx he knew, what he'd come to expect from her.

She drew a quick sigh as he went on asking about how many pricks she had. A valid question, if he were interested. Not that she showed it but a part of her hoped that Kuroki had the time of day to entertain her even while their meets had been so far between in their lives. Nothing seemed to change between them though. Always fire and ice.

"None. It seems they can't handle much of me." That initial sarcastic grin had faded long before while she still moved in step as if to get away from him. That wasn't the case at heart. It was what he suggested next that grabbed her attention. She went completely still and in a second turned to face him with a squint and raised brow. Her eyes flashed up towards her antlers that she had nearly forgotten about now that they had been a part of her for so long. But Oki, she knew he was just saying things to be silly. Silly or a full jerk. Maybe it depended on how you looked at him, or on what mood Onyx seemed to be in. Usually sour. "Can't be further from the truth." Sulkier or the horns. Both. Onyx was pretty closed off both ways. "You seem to be just as peachy as ever." Onyx's life hadn't been full of ruin. She'd never say that. But she couldn't help but look at Oki as some kind of royal brat given whatever he wanted or the freedom to do as he pleased. Simple enough. Onyx had just about the same, but she was raised to adapt to harsh environments. They may not have been so different but she would probably always think so.

"Onyx Destruction"
F2U base by Snowylaika

He laughed at that, head tipping back as her words met his ears. That sounded about right to him, he imagined lots of folk would find her a bit...icy, surrounded by jagged thorns that kept others at bay. A lot of time had passed since they'd last spoken, but Kuroki didn't mind the thorns all that much, they weren't enough to keep an oaf like him back. "Don't really have anything to complain about." He was quite happy, content with his lot and couldn't think of anything else to ask for. Sure, some might be bummed out about the pack but he'd just been going with the flow from the start. Being in a band served him just fine. "Surprised to see you here though, what you running from? " It was a stab in the dark, really, an educated guess just to get under her skin a little.

Of course he didn't. Oki was still living his life just the way he wanted. There wasn't anything wrong with that. Onyx could honestly care less about how he wanted to live his life. She didn't hold strong judgements over matters like that. And she didn't know his own lifestyle these days. She could just tell by the smell of him that things had changed. Maybe he could tell the same about her.

"Not." She commented as her gaze looked up at the winter redbud trees and blanketed snow around them. "Seems like a good way to spend my night off." Maybe mentioning her place inside the pack life of Elysium. A job, or whatever adults did she supposed. She never entertained much of a social life. That was no secret. "You seem to have made your distance from home." From pack life specifically she could tell. She wondered if that's what made him so cheery, or at least not so dreary like she was. It seemed to be the opposite for her. Moving away from the north and her family was not something so easy for her. But she also had this dragging weight of being stuck up there forever. Better to test her limits on what she wanted to do. That was better than not trying at all. "I guess breaking away from mama and dada is what's given you the joy of life." It was a joke obviously, and she couldn't know the history relating to Kuroki's family.

"Onyx Destruction"
F2U base by Snowylaika

He shrugged, light-hearted and unbothered by whatever angst made Onyx as prickly as ever. She had always been this way and he didn't expect her to change anytime soon, to do so would be to doubt her nature, to try and push her into a mould she simply couldn't fit. Live and let live, that's how Oki went about his days. "Gotta leave home at some point, I gotta live my life the way I want it or else it ain't really mine, is it?" He wasn't known for his deep takes, simplicity suited him best. He stepped closer then, pushing into her personal space in a way that might not be very wise. All things considered. "S'good to see you though. Even if you're as miserable as ever." He stuck out his tongue, the tip poking out from between his fangs.

Onyx could relate to how Kuroki responded, even if she'd show that cold side to her as if she couldn't care about her place in life. "Yeah, I guess." Showing weakness was definitely far out of character for her. So she wouldn't. hard as ever, heartless, maybe it's just where her experience had brought her. It seemed to keep bringing her to Oki though. She hoped it would let off on Cina.

Her lip twitched a bit as Oki had said it was good to see her. But again, she couldn't show that she cared. Maybe he caught onto it, maybe he didn't. For now it didn't matter. "Do you uh, have anywhere you need to be?" It was an invitation, certainly not a date. She wasn't considering that with him. Maybe still a little bruised from her last encounter regarding feelings. Uninterested. But it would have been different from any other time they had run into each other in the past. Even if she could just keep him for a little while by a fire. It'd soothe her more than he could know. All she needed was a friend. Hopefully consistent.

"Onyx Destruction"
F2U base by Snowylaika

"Not right now." He said, casually enough, catching her meaning. He'd noticed it wasn't much in her nature to ask others to stick around, so Oki wasn't gonna look this gift horse in the mouth. He wasn't here to unravel the how's and why's she acted this way, forever holding everyone back, not letting them get too close. It was her choice and as long as she could live with it and was mostly happy then he was content to leave her be. At least till they ran into each other the next time. "Got something in mind?" Oki wondered aloud, his gaze flitting away for a moment to look at the naked trees. "It ain't like hanging out with a friend is a chore, so I ain't gonna say no." He then added on, offering her a cheesy grin that he knew she'd find annoying and probably scoff at.

Inside felt like her heart skipped a beat, outside she kept that flat, strong exterior. Easy enough. She could tell herself that she wouldn't have blamed Oki for going about his way. But deep down she really did care. She found herself gravitating towards the familiars in her life. Oki was one of few. Maybe she'd crack open the more she let herself be around him. Today was not that day though.

"Well, I'm not really known for hosting." Just that bit of hard sarcasm that was a large part of her. But she could try her best to be nice for Oki. "I can get a fire going though."

After the fire was lit Onyx would settle down, certainly intentionally not right next to Oki. Her legs crossed as she fell silent and maybe felt a little awkward even in just those few quick seconds once everything was quiet but the fire. "I won't force you to stay long or anything. I've got to head back by the morning." It was more a call out that he may not have wanted to stay. Onyx at least knew she didn't know how to be fun though he may have already perceived that. Maybe, just maybe, if she had planned ahead of time. But even then? She wasn't known for much other than being grumpy and knowing how to fight.

"Onyx Destruction"
F2U base by Snowylaika

Oki was content to let her work, settle down by the fire as he huffed a happy sigh. The flames danced in the pitch black of his eyes, igniting them an orange as he turned his attention to the ice wolf. At her words he shrugged, all casual like none of this was a big deal, like hanging out with her wasn't a problem nor would it ever be. He was the kind of guy who didn't do things he didn't want to, maybe that made him irresponsible, but there were enough serious wolves in the world. All glum and aloof, too much like his sire. Would Onyx and Hattori get along? Maybe.   "It ain't no trouble." He reassured her, tail thudding against the ground as it wagged. "Don't care what anyone else says, you're about fine the way you are. Mostly." And of course, he had to stick out his tongue in an annoying blep, just to rub it in. "S'nice though. A lot has changed but you still liiike me."

The amount of flattery she felt would have gone unseen to Kuroki, though if one of her siblings had been around they may have caught that flint. Onyx was generally an agitated, grumpy sort of gal. But in age she did develop that sort of harsh, dry humor. Most got the cold shoulder but those who knew her were given a little more.

She wouldn't let Oki know, and he may never have just how much she wanted him to stay. Not just for the rest of the evening, but to be a constant in her life. She knew she was gritty which is why she came to terms with probably deserving to stay alone. She could follow her siblings sure, but she wanted more. She just wasn't quite sure exactly what she needed. It's what led her here today. Not the nook, but in the same stuck spot she was in Elysium.

"Well, I guess you've always been pretty decent." It was her way of not disagreeing because she did have respect for Oki even though she may not have said that straight forward. She almost wanted to thank him, or tell him that she appreciated it. She wouldn't show that sign of weakness though. "Don't seem like a lowlife little fucker, that's for sure." Regardless of how she had greeted him here originally. "Not to me at least." She assured him with a small crooked smile, eyes down into the fire.

"Onyx Destruction"
F2U base by Snowylaika

Kuroki laughed so hard he had to splay out his lips a little so he didn't tip over onto his side as he laid there beside the fire. Decent? That's high praise coming from her! He wasn't sure about the lowlife fucker comment though, he was pretty sure many wolves of Boreas and Auster looked down on him, thought he was stupid, dumb a waste of skin and bones, all that jazz. He didn't care what they thought nor did it affect him in any way, but it was high praise coming from Onyx. He met her smile with one of his own, all sabre teeth and dark eyes crinkling at the corners. "Mmm, I like it when you compliment me. Melting that icy shell of yours." He teased, like a brat.  "So what's gotten you all broody then? I can see the wrinkles on your forehead from how much you've been thinkin' lately."

That faint grin she had on her maw seemed to fade as Oki had asked her what had her all flustered. Well, mentally. And it wasn't much that he asked but moreso that he could look at her and tell. More of that sign for her to see even after their time and times apart, he was still one of the wolves that knew her best.

She paused, nearly stumbled on words to say to him. She felt like she could be honest with him at least. But showing any sign of weakness wasn't a part of her nature. That wasn't anything new. "I've joined this pack kind of recently." She wouldn't bore him with details, there wasn't much to give anyway. Just the usual what you would expect in pack life. Nothing exciting. Though, she wasn't sure if something to get her blood rushing was what she was after. "Lady seems nice and all or whatever. But, I don't know." Her gaze had been in the fire while she spoke with him now. Definitely more lost in thought. "Doesn't seem like there's any place I really fit in." Not that she showed it cut deep, but it did. Her siblings were finding their way in the world she supposed. She hadn't checked in in a while. Which made her believe so. She just seemed to be getting smacked by branches in her own path.

"Onyx Destruction"
F2U base by Snowylaika