We ain't kids no more

Athena pondered Amalia’s question for a moment when she asked about Vereux’s former pack and she’d slowly nod after a moment. “Yes… I think you’re right. It was Yifr wasn’t it?” Her voice sounded distracted even to her own ears. It was hard to focus on any one thing right now with her thoughts as scattered as they were. She gave a shallow chuckle at the consolation prize that Amalia offered of the fact that she was going to be an aunt. She supposed that was true. She was always happy to welcome more family, no matter how they came about.

Athena listened to Amalia greatfuly as she began to speak. Simply not thinking about Vereux for a moment was such a relief. She did love her brother in his own way and she hadn’t lied when she told him that she wanted to make the sibling relationship they had now work, but so much had been thrown at her in such a short amount of time. The emotions that she saw dance across her wife’s face while she filled her in on everything as well reminded her that for much of the time that her and Vereux had been together Amalia had been there too, giving her that support and loving her through Vereux’s disappearance and the heartache that came afterward. Athena struggled so hard to cope with her own emotions at times that she forgot to take Amalia’s into consideration.

She blinked when Amalia described her as her ‘goddess’ and ‘protector’ when she brought up how she had saved her when they first met. It had been easy to pick up on how Amalia felt back then, but she had never imagined that it had been that intense that quickly. A smile, a real smile, pulled onto her lips as Amalia nuzzled into her chest. She brought her head down to nuzzle into Amalia’s scruff, her eyes closing for a moment. “Looking back on it now, I had been just as obsessed with you from the start. I had tried to deny it so much because I thought I had to fit into this mold and expectations that my father made for me, but you had me as soon as I saw those blue eyes of yours.” She felt Amalia’s tears wetting the fur on her chest and she only wanted to hold her wife tighter. “You’re right, we do have each other. You’re all I’ve ever really needed.” She lifted her head again to look at Amalia’s face when she spoke about Vereux again, giving her own head a small shake in return. “No, Amalia, you were doing what you thought was best. I’ve told you again and again that you are as much a mother to those boys as I am. You were protecting them. I can’t fault you for that and Vereux doesn’t hold any ill will over it.”

She returned Amalia’s smile as her nose gently bumped her own. She gave Ama’s nose a small lick in return, replying, “I love you too, my beautiful healer.” She could feel that lump forming in her throat again and tears coming to her eyes, but these were different tears than the ones she had been crying most of the day. “I never thought I would depend on someone like I depend on you. Back then when I was young and foolish and so full of shallow dreams… But you are what keeps me together and you are what makes me strong. The only reason I’m able to be your goddess warrior is because you make me that way.” She paused for a moment, giving Amalia’s muzzle a small lick. “I know I’m not the most sensitive of wolves and I don’t always know when to stop when I’m talking about something. Just… please remember that I love you more than anything. I never want you to feel like I don’t. I love you more than my own life, I love you more than this world, I love you more than any of my family that was or will come to be.” She focused on Amalia’s beautiful eyes, the same eyes that had caught her heart years ago as tears pooled in the corners of her ruby and emerald gaze. “You are so precious to me, my gorgeous girl. The only wolves I might love more than you are our children.” She chuckled then, giving Ama a little grin. “You have no reason to be jealous of anyone.”

"Burn Baby Burn"