Teenagers scare the living shit out of me

Artorias' tense body softened under Briar's loving ministrations while she just lent him her ear while he vented all of the burdens weighing on his mind, his heart, and his soul. Nobody had said leadership or fatherhood was going to be an easy duty, but nobody had warned him about how hard it would sometimes be either. The sensation of his wife's paws scratching affectionately over his broad chest while she laughed at the irony of Ember basically embodying Artorias when he was her age made the giant brute quiver with delight, a happy murr rumbling in his chest. He leaned his cheek into her kiss, a knowing half smile playing on the corner of his lips as a bit of roguish mischief twinkled in his fire opal eyes. "Oh, I know exactly where she got it from. I'm just lamenting that she got it from me at all," he remarked with a chuckle of his own. To Briar's probably rhetorical question, Art simply sighed and shook his head. "No, I know I would've been the same when I was her age. I was the same. I tried to chase down my psychopathic brother all on my own, remember?" Art would never forget his first encounter with Oxx. He still had the scars to remind him...

Artorias' lips lost their smile as the worry crept back into his expression the more he dwelled on his thoughts. "But that's what I'm worried about, Briar. I thought I was invincible when I went after Oxx, and look at what happened. I don't want Ember to follow that same path with Sephiran." The Lord of Cinder shuddered to imagine even a fraction of the assault he had suffered at the paws of Oxx happening to his daughter. It was every parent's worst nightmare. Briar gave him some sage advice—meet Ember where she was at without trying to assert that he was right in this disagreement. Her remark about being strong-willed and passionate like him while also being addled with teenage hormones did get a chuckle out of Artorias as well, turning his head to look at his beloved wife while she sat beside him in front of their fireplace. "I know you're right, Briar, but gods damn, why couldn't she just be getting me upset by flirting with boys or something instead of trying to get me to start a war?" Artorias gave a more genuine laugh this time, finding it quite humorously ironic that his daughters taking an interest in boys was less of a concern for him than them starting international incidents.

Briar offered to speak to Ember for him and be a mediator for them, to which Artorias turned almost pleading eyes to his adoring mate. "Would you mind? Don't have the conversation on my behalf; this is something she and I need to talk out. But maybe soften her up to discussion a bit? She's so rigid in her opinion right now, I fear anything I say will just be deflected away." Artorias was deeply grateful for the partnership and support Briar had always provided him throughout their lives together. She truly was his best friend, his greatest ally, his everything. Lips turning up into a little loving smile, Art lifted one massive azure paw and rested it gently atop of Briar's, supporting her body while she leaned her side into his, his bushy tail happily sliding over to meet hers while they entwined together. Artorias lost himself in the rich turquoise eyes that had captivated him years ago, leaning in closer to affectionately boop his nose against hers. "Ți-am spus în ultima vreme cât de mult te iubesc?" he spoke in low, rumbled tones to his beautiful wife, pure love shining in his eyes for her—his Briar.

"Artorias & Briar Carpathius" | "Carpathian"