Silence of the Hillside

He could say that everything he felt just moments before was gone, like his heart stopped the moment she hesitated. But really, that wasn't true. When familiar words cut the air, words that could have come straight from his tongue had the roles been revered, he couldn't be mad. They both had their family obligations, he knew that. Maybe just for that moment when he asked he hoped that he'd be more important. More important than family, even more important than herself. Some stuck in the strange relationship they had could have lashed out, could have yelled and screamed, could have run for the hills. Not Cerberus.

He took a deep breath, the same desperate longing in his gaze when he asked her remained. It was a moment before he felt like he could breathe again and he would push his face carefully into the fur of her shoulder. Tears weren't there, they weren't deserved. Cerberus wasn't a beggar. But the full emotion of him if even still against her was probably more obvious than he wanted to let on. It wasn't difficult to notice given the situation at least. He wouldn't want to let go. He knew he had to, but he didn't want to. This wasn't the end for them, Mariah was one of the most important wolves in his life. He wouldn't just release her memory from this point on. Without pulling his face back from the comfort of her fur he spoke to her quietly again, "I'll always be here for you, no matter what." He couldn't keep coming back for her like this. He had to let go of the desire. The physical, the dream. But whenever she needed him, whenever she needed someone, he'd never turn her away.

"Cerberus Kline"