Who made you a family man?

The more Maverick explained his situation to his brother, the more Gareth looked more and more gobsmacked and skeptical. Okay, he did have to admit, hearing about his wildcard brother actually starting to get domesticated was quite a stretch from the rowdy rabble-rouser he had always been. But hey, nobody said he wasn't going to raise a little hell in Ashen! Maybe he was just reconsidering his priorities in life, figuring out what he really wanted for himself. He and Gareth had both just turned four, approaching their mid-lives. Did he really want to keep being the lone ranger living like a rambler, hopping from bed to bed and from woman to woman? Pulling in pretty ladies to slake his lusts and keep him warm at night wasn't going to get an easier the more gray their fur started to become. Maybe it was time they both considered what they wanted for the rest of their lives—although he certainly had a pretty damn good incentive when Venom was the one he was "settling down with".

Maverick snorted and gave a dramatic roll of his eyes to Gareth's initial remark. "Oh puh-leeeeease! Like you were so worried about me all the time, Mother Hen," he quipped back with a dismissive wave of his paw. He smiled all the same and returned his brother's shoulder nudge. Secretly, Mav was a bit concerned over what his sibling might do now. The two of them had been partners in their travels for three years now, thick as thieves since the day they'd been kicked out of their home by their oppressive sire. With him finding a new life in Ashen, he worried about his brother flying solo. Sure, Gareth was the more mature and responsible of the two of them, but this was a huge dynamic shift for the siblings. Would Gareth ever consider finding a place to settle down as well, or by joining Ashen did Mav just guarantee a parting of the ways for him and his best friend?

Fortunately, Gareth didn't seem to have that on his mind yet, as he mentioned meeting Venom. Maverick's eyes lit up with obvious delight at the idea, his grin widening on his face. "Oh hell yeah, you gotta meet her, bro! She's awesome! Fair bit of warning though, she's sharp and sarcastic, so be careful with how much sass you give her, because she'll turn it right back on you." The taller brute chuckled, recalling the many verbal spars he had engaged (and occasionally lost) with Venom. That woman could hold her own in a lingual battle and it was one of the many things he loved about the Klein matriarch. "Oh, you can interrupt your busy day to meet my girlfriend, eh? Hmm... well, I do think I have some time available in between all the times she's booked with me in her bedroom, so I might be able to squeeze you in for a meeting," he teased back, laughing while rising to his paws. "C'mon, I'll bring you to meet her! Maybe if you play nicely, you'll even get to see around the pack without getting your toes bitten off." He uttered a dark chuckle, a bit of inside humor that would likely raise more questions with Gareth than answers. He'd just have to wait and see for himself.

"Maverick"