i've come to the realization

For all the uncertainties and all the doubts, feeling like he wasn't deserving of this life he was being offered, Maverick felt like anything and everything would be worth it when he saw Venom smile the way she did while she looked up at him. Her grin, a near-perfect mimic of his own, reassured him and promised him that everything would be all right. And strangely enough, he believed it. Venom had not once misled him or tricked him. She had told him no lies nor deceived him. Despite the nagging fear that something would go wrong and he'd wind up getting hurt again, Maverick was ready and willing to take that leap of faith with her and plunge headfirst into a real relationship for the first time in years. She was recovering from her own broken heart and he was overcoming his fear from his past abandonment. They each had their hurdles to overcome, yet in spite of all that, Venom still wanted him and she wanted to face those challenges together. If she was ready to stand by his side through his trials, then he would stand by hers through her own. That was what loyalty was, after all—making sure that no one you cared about faced anything alone.

All of his teasing commentary earned him a bright and beaming smile from the Empress, an expression that had been so rare on her visage when he'd first met her and had now become a commonplace sight. Her smile really was becoming of her; he'd have to make sure she always had a reason to smile. He still worried himself over how he'd stack up compared to her ex-husband in the long run. From what he'd gathered, her former mate had been a formidable force of strength and indomitable will. Calculating and cold, logical to a fault, but not someone you'd want to fuck with. Mav didn't doubt his ability to balance Venom out emotionally, but if he was going to be a permanent fixture in the Empress' life, she deserved a man who would be able to whisk her off her paws in a show of strength as much as he could with honeyed words. He'd have to make sure he stayed in peak physical shape for her, hone his fighting skills as well. Venom deserved all of the best, after all.

With emphasis on their shared ownership, Venom confirmed that they would be going back to their home, and then corrected him with a teasing grin that they'd be going back to their bed. Teal eyes lit up with sly enthusiasm, a husky yet giddy chuckle leaving the brute while he leaned in to nuzzle the side of his fae's cheek with his own. "You'd best get me back home then so we can christen it as such," he remarked with a seductive undertone to his words. The night was cold, but Maverick could think of some very effective ways of warming themselves up. With a bow and wave of his paw, he let Venom take the lead, setting the pace while he followed in lock step with her every step of the way back to Ashen—to their home and to his new life.

"Maverick"