Time passed since she had suffered abuse at the paws of her mate. The time had been passed by slowly learning one another and becoming accustomed to each other as well. The incident had made them take a step backwards in their relationship, only Ikigai's forgiving nature allowing them to move forward once more. And move forward they did. The pallid fae worked to heal the man that had damaged her in a drunken rage and he had seen the error of his ways and had worked to rectify the problem. In time, they had begun to appreciate one another on a physical level once more.

Perhaps the time apart had built up within the purple brute or perhaps Ikigai's body was just that receptive, but she began to suspect that the next part of her agreement was coming to fruition within her. The slender fae had begun to feel rather nauseous in the mornings, her appetite coming and going. Along with that was a strange sort of natural intuition. Other various changed in her body indicated the same, and after a time, she could ignore the signs no longer. When she was sure, Ikigai sought out her mate to inform him of the news.

Today was Deimos' day for a long patrol, so Ikigai had time to prepare a nice meal for the man. She selected a tender chunk of bison and seasoned it well before coating it in honey and searing it over high heat. The chunks would be caramelized on the outside, but juicy and rare on the inside. She also prepared a few choice pieces of fruit which she sliced and set aside. Lastly, Ikigai brewed a robust tea that she sweetened with berries and left cooling in a nearby mountain stream. All she had to do now was wait for her mate to arrive.

"Iki"

As he and Ikigai found a better rhythm with one another following his mistake and he eventually healed enough to get back to the normal duties that were expected of him, Deimos began to work on something to give Ikigai as a thank you for her undeserved forgiveness. He wasn't so dense as to believe that all he needed to do to wash away his sins was to shower her in nice gifts, but he still felt like she had come from such luxuries and nice belongings that he ought to continue that on for her and perhaps find a physical token of his appreciation to give her. In between his usual patrols and hunts, he began to secretly gather a few materials here and there, stowing them away with his niece who had agreed to give him a bit of help in realizing his idea. She was far more skilled in crafting and creating than he was so even though he did do the bulk of the work, Avacyn did provide a bit of finesse that the gift needed at the end.

He finished his patrol and went to his niece's den, hopeful that the gift was finally ready, and indeed it was. He had brought her the last of the rabbit fur they needed to stitch together the final bit and with that the cloak was finally ready. He carefully folded the cloak and wrapped it with a piece of cloth to keep it a bit more of a surprise, tying it with a piece of twine to keep it bundled up, and then began following the mountain path to where he and Ikigai made their home. As he drew closer to their cave, he very quickly began to pick up on the aromas of cooking meats and his ears perked with a bit of surprise, the scarred man finding that he wasn't the only one with something to share with their mate tonight. Sure enough, as he approached he found Ikigai waiting for him with a delicious looking meal in full swing, his aqua gaze roaming over the spread with interest as a grin tugged at the corners of his lips around the twine that he was carrying his gift by. Setting the bundle down off to the side for a moment, he chuckled softly and came over to press a kiss to her forehead between the small horns that grew from her pale fur. "You've been busy," he commented with a small gesture to the meal she was preparing. "This looks and smells delicious."

"Deimos Medacium"

In time, the sound of approaching pawsteps indicated that Deimos was nearing the mouth of the den. Iki glanced towards the doorway when he entered, shooting the purple brute a smile before turning her attention to the last of the meat that she was just pulling off of the fire. She hadn't really noticed the package that he'd been carrying, so his surprise would remain that until he decided to give it to her. Iki placed the meat and fruits on a slab of warmed slate and placed the dish on a polished wooden table beside the freshly cleaned bed of furs.

Deimos came to her as she was turning back to him and he kissed her brow. Iki smiled softly up at him, almost lovingly, in fact. The woman's snake-like tongue protruded and flicked over his chin in response. "I figured you could use a nice meal after your patrol today." With one paw, she gestured for her mate to join her upon the plush mattress of furs. Once he did so, she settled beside him, curling in the opposite direction so that they faced one another, then lifted a piece of the still warm meat and offered it to him first.

"Iki"

Deimos lifted a skeptical brow as Ikigai told him her assumption that he could use a nice meal following his patrol. He did these patrols nearly every day, sometimes multiple times a day depending on who else was at work on any given day, so he didn't believe for a second that such an impressive meal was simply because he had been working. There had to be some other reason or purpose, but he wasn't going to question it when the smell coming from the scent of her cooking was currently making his mouth water. He joined her on the furs at her silent invitation, a slight smirk lingering on his lips as he settled facing her across the table that sat between them. She had introduced him to this perfectly maintained way of doing things and had certainly begun to spoil him a bit compared to the very simple, usually raw meals and makeshift beds he would have when he was living on his own. He enjoyed these frivolous things she preferred and slowly he made himself more acclimated to the idea of settling down and living with his new mate.

When she offered him a piece of the warm meat, he took it with a small nod. "Thank you," he said simply, before pulling off a bite sized piece of the glazed, roasted meat. A pleased rumble escaped him as he ate, savoring the flavor of it with a growing grin. "You spoil me," he told her with a chuckle, tossing her a grin before continuing to eat and share this meal with her. They fell into a mix of easy silence and small chatter about their day, what he saw on his patrol, plans for the days to come, and the like. With the life he had lived up until this point, this kind of normalcy had felt unattainable and even a bit foreign. He was still figuring out what this new normal was supposed to look like and making his peace that his days of wild roaming across the land were over, but Ikigai made the change pleasant and enjoyable all the same.

After a while and after most of their meal was eaten, Deimos leaned back with a contented sigh, giving his mate a curious look. "So, what is this all about, really?" he questioned with a smirk. "I'm certainly happy to enjoy any meal you cook, but this feels pretty extravagant for just a normal day." He waited for her answer with his inquisitive aqua gaze lingering on her, taking another bite of the sweet fruit that had accompanied their meal.

"Deimos Medacium"

The two settled into easy conversation while they consumed their meal. Deimos told her of his day and she told him of her own in turn. All the while, there was a nervous giddiness within the woman. She couldn't wait to see how he would react. Would it be a positive reaction or a negative one? If it was negative, how would she deal with it? They both knew that this had to come. It was part of the deal, afterall. A marriage between packs, bound by blood and made fruitful. The more she thought about it, the more nervous Ikigai became. Deimos thanked her though and Iki was all smiles, hiding her nervousness like a pro.

Once the meal was mostly eaten, Ikigai cleaned her paws on a scrap of cloth, ridding her digits of clinging fats from the meat. It was then that Deimos questioned her about the actual reason for the meal. Iki's marbled gaze flashed wider for just a moment as she mentally collected herself. The purple man stated the obvious and Ikigai chuckled. Well... he wasn't wrong. Time to reveal her reason behind the meal.

As Deimos ate his fruit, Ikigai took a deep breath, exhaling long and slow. "I've been suspecting for a while now, but I wanted to be sure before I mentioned anything," she began, bringing her gaze up to stare directly into the brutes blue eyes. "I'm pregnant," Iki spoke softly. "We're going to be parents." Then she quieted, though her gaze didn't leave his. Ikigai searched his face, hunting for any sort of reaction that might tell her how he felt on the matter.

"Iki"

While Deimos leisurely ate the fruit that Ikigai had put together and looked to her expectantly for an answer to why they were having such a lavish meal, he tried to guess what reason she could possibly have and came up short. He couldn't fathom what kind of surprise or news she could possibly have for him and he most certainly wasn't able to think of what she did end up revealing to him on his own. He could see the bit of nervousness that peeked out as he called her out on the meal that she had prepared and it made him even more curious. He waited as she took a deep breath and then she finally told him what all of this was about. Pregnant. She was pregnant. At first his mind couldn't comprehend the truth of it, the paw that had been about to bring the fruit back to his lips again stopping mid-air as he froze, his aqua gaze widening with obvious surprise as the words eventually began to sink in. He clearly hadn't had the slightest clue. Perhaps if they had been intentionally trying to have their first litter then he would have been less shocked, but considering where they were in this relationship and what they were trying to build he was completely caught off guard.

"You're... pregnant?" he asked almost as if he couldn't believe his ears as he slowly lowered the fruit back to the table in front of them. That initial disbelief and shock that was easily seen across his scarred face slowly began to shift into something deeper—a mix of excitement and awe while a grin began to tug at the corner of his lips. He dropped the fruit he had been holding, a bit of giddy laughter escaping him as he shifted a bit and reached across to her to catch her cheek with his large paw, leaning over the table to press his lips to hers in a joyous, celebratory kiss. He still didn't think that his thoughts had really caught up to the reality of it just yet, but he knew that this was the last piece of the puzzle to bring him to what his family deemed "successful" in their customs and traditions. This was a milestone that he had begun to believe he would never actually reach as the years slowly began to catch up to him and now here they were. Ikigai had shown him more patience and devotion than he ever believed he deserved and now she was giving him the greatest gift she could ever give him.

As he pulled back from his enthusiastic kiss, he lingered there for a moment, his paw cupping her cheek as his gaze met hers again and he gave her a genuine grin. He had spent so much of his life perfecting this hard exterior, keeping others at a distance and showing them only what he wanted them to see, but she always managed to find a way through that barrier and pull emotions from him to the surface that he couldn't control. After a moment his paw eventually slipped from her cheek and instead moved to hold her much smaller, uniquely dexterous paw in his own. There was a part of him that hesitated, but only because this had come upon them so suddenly and he hadn't had the chance to really delve into the family she was now a part of because of him or their beliefs. Having pups was the whole cornerstone of the Mendacium way of life, but did Ikigai even understand what this step meant for them? "I don't know how much Manea might have told you about our family or our customs before you agreed to be my mate," he began, giving her delicate paw a gentle squeeze, "but in Mendacium law we are to take only one mate and all of our children must come from our one mate. Once our children are born... that's it. You are my one and only and the same will be expected of you."

As he spoke his grin began to fade a bit, his expression growing more serious. "I know you will say that you made a promise and a decision and your insistence that you're going to see this through, but... forget the packs and alliances and all of that other bullshit. If there's even a hint of a doubt in your mind about us, our relationship, about being my mate for the rest of your life... now is the time to voice that while it's still early on." He didn't say it plainly, but he knew Ikigai was talented with healing and would certainly figure out what he was implying. If she wanted to back out now there was ways to do it, but if this pregnancy went on and she had his pups then that would tie them together in a way that would forever bind them in the eyes of the Ancients and he needed to at least make sure she understood the seriousness of that.

"Deimos Medacium"

There was no telling how the man would react and Ikigai waited with baited breath. It was only when Deimos smiled and caught her up in a quick, surprising kiss that the weight lifted from the fae's shoulders. His smile was infection and she found herself smiling in return, leaning in towards the man that would be the father of her children. She was glad that he was just as excited as she was. He'd mentioned how it was the job of each Mendacium wolf to find a mate and procreate. She was giving him just that. Not only was this what his family worked towards, but in providing him with children it would raise his standing.

As Deimos took her paw, Ikigai's gaze fell down to look upon their clasped appendages for a moment. She wrapped her digits around his thick paw and gave it a squeeze, bringing her gaze back just as he began speaking again. He spoke of Manea and of Mendacium customs. It seemed as though he was worried that she might have doubts about staying with him. Yes, they'd definitely had struggles but she believed that they were getting past them. The two of them were stronger now then they had been before they were promised to one another. That was how relationships worked. Did he have doubts about her? Ikigai opened her mouth to ask just that, but Deimos' next words had her jaws snapping shut.

Deimos hinted that, if she did have doubts, that now was the time to do something about the pregnancy so that they weren't tied together. Did he really know so little of her? The only way that Iki would ever destroy her own children was if something was drastically wrong with either them or herself. Backing out of a pregnancy because their relationship wasn't perfect would never even cross her mind. The woman's marbled pools fixed onto his own blue eyes and she spoke steadily and with conviction. "I could ask the same of you. Do you have doubts?" Iki continued to hold the paw of her lover even as cold resolve began to fill her gaze. "These pups will be born," she assured him.

Images of what her mother had gone through flashed in the fae's mind and her brow furrowed slightly. Ikigai released Deimos' paw and placed her own back on the furs. She would have the pups. It was what they had agreed upon. It was part of the arrangement. Why would she back out now? The worry that he might wish to escape her ate at the corners of her mind. She would not suffer through the same pain that her mother had. She simply would not.

The slender woman rose to her paws and she took a step forward, standing over the purple man that was still laying down. Her muzzle was close to his and her mercuric pools bore into his aqua gaze. Perhaps it was believed that she was weak simply because she lacked physical strength, but what she lacked in muscle she made up for with resolve and a sharp mind. There was a bit of ruthlessness in the woman as well, though she rarely had a reason to show it. Iki's muzzle slid along the side of Deimos' cheek before she spoke softly. "You and I are irreversibly tied together now." One paw rose to gently cup the cheek of her mate, her thumb pad stroking his amaranthine fur. "If you abandon us like my father abandoned my mother, may all of the gods help you, Deimos, for I will hunt you down myself and destroy you." There was heat in the woman's words. Heat and promise. She meant every syllable. Ikigai wanted to be with Deimos. She wanted to love and honor him, but if he left her... he would be dead to her.

"Iki"

There really hadn't been any expectation from him that Ikigai would accept the offer of cutting her pregnancy short. While he was still getting to know all of the intricacies of what made Ikigai who she was, he knew she was too virtuous and steadfast to back out of what they were creating here. Still, when she met his gaze with a resoluteness he wasn't expecting and turned the question of doubts back on him he was pleasantly surprised. He had learned very early on that there was a hidden strength behind the soft, delicate exterior of his mate but sometimes it still caught him by surprise when that strength showed through. "I have no doubts in you," he replied genuinely. His doubts were never in her. They were only in himself. Doubts that he could be a good mate, a good father, to be what she deserved. He had never questioned himself the way he had since he came to Elysium and wormed his way into Ikigai's life, but he wasn't sure if that was a bad thing. He had pointed blame at the world for his short comings for far too long and she was forcing him to face them head on. While that did sting, he didn't resent her for that.

When she insisted that their pups would be born with a hard determination in her silver, mercury gaze, a slight smile tugged at his lips while he looked at her with an appreciation he couldn't really put into words. "Good," he replied simply, watching her face and her expressions while he attempted to read the hidden thoughts behind those uniquely beautiful eyes. Eventually her paw pulled away from his own and he allowed her to do so, laying quietly as she seemed to think of something and let it cloud her expression. Ikigai rose and he watched as she moved closer, her smaller stature looming over him only slightly with him still laying on the ground. His gaze lingered on hers until her muzzle dipped to graze his cheek. The statement she made and the threat she paired with it finally made something click in his mind, an understanding behind the tireless dedication she seemed to have for him and the issue she seemed to have with his suggestions that she leave and find better. There was also a moment of pride and primal attraction as she outright threatened his life at the thought of him leaving her. As surprising as her inner strength was, it was also equally as attractive.

His large paw lifted to her cheek similar to how she was cupping his and he found her gaze, returning the same resolute heat and understanding back to her in turn. "I wouldn't dream of it, my love," he rumbled quietly. While the death of his own father had been a far different scenario than the abandonment of her own, seeing his mother break the vow that she had made to her father in his passing and taking another mate after him had torn their family apart and he at least could sympathize with the feeling of being betrayed by a parent—even if his betrayal was far less recent. He knew what that hurt felt like and he would never willingly choose to bring that kind of pain to her or his children. Thinking of his children as something that was a tangible thing and not a far flung idea in a distant future was still something that sent his thoughts reeling, but the more the truth settled in on his mind the more excited he became.

After a moment he leaned back, letting his paw slip from her cheek as he began to rise to his paws. "It feels insignificant and silly now after the gift you've given me, but... I did bring something for you," he told her with an almost bashful grin. He walked over to where he had left the package be brought, picking it up by the twine it was tied in and carrying it over to where they had been laying. He placed it at her paws and sat back while he waited for her to open it, letting her pull the strings loose and watching the bundle fall open to reveal the carefully crafted cape that was made up of a tougher, more protective layer of whine bison fur on the outside and soft, luxurious, dark rabbit fur on the inside. "I know these mountains can get cold and I don't know where all your travels as an ambassador will take you so... I wanted to at least make sure you stayed warm," he explained, offering her a little grin. After she had a moment to examine it, he helped to lift the cape and brought it around her shoulders, bringing it closed around her the top of her chest with a intricately carved silver clasp.

"Deimos Medacium"

Deimos had no doubts in her, but his tone and the look on his face let it be known that the doubts were entirely of himself. It hurt her to know that he feared his own actions. Yes, he'd messed up before, but they were only wolves. Wolves made mistakes. It was what they did after that made the difference. He was repentant and they had grown together because of his slip up. Though pained she had been, to Ikigai, the experience had been worth it.

Iki didn't really know what kind of reaction to expect from Deimos as she bluntly threatened his life if he should ever leave her and their children. She hadn't expected the flash of smoldering fire in his gaze but it made something burn low in her belly. That dark look of admiration made Ikigai lust for her mate. In that moment she felt a strength and power that she'd never experienced before and, truth be told, she liked it greatly. A massive paw rose to cup her cheek in turn and Iki reflexively pressed her cheek against it, marbled eyes closing for a moment as she relished in the touch. Deimos' words brought a current of electricity dancing up the fae's spine and she released a soft little groan of pleasure. They were on the same page as far as their children were concerned.

A moment later, the warm pads of Deimos' paw were leaving her cheek and Iki's eyes opened once more. He spoke and she watched with interest as he moved towards a wrapped package. The woman gave her head a slight tilt, dark ears perking as he drew near and placed the package before her. While Ikigai untied the laces and her gaze fell upon the piece of finery within, Deimos explained his reasoning for the gift. Iki gasped softly as she lifted the cloak, her eyes closing as she slid the silken rabbit fur against the shorter fur of her muzzle. The purple giant took the cloak from her a moment later and settled it about her slender shoulders. Once it was clasped, Iki stood, the cape enveloping her lithe frame. She could feel the warmth that the cloak provided but there were different things on her mind. Delicate paws brought the woman forward and she flicked her tongue over her mates chin, a sweet little gesture of submission before sliding her cheek along his own. "Thank you for the gift," she whispered into one amaranthine ear. "Between the warmth of the cloak and your warmth, I'll be able to melt the whole of winter." Surely he knew that he'd be traveling with her.

"Iki"

Deimos eagerly watched his mate's reactions to his gift, an amused smile tugging at his lips as she enjoyed the softness of the dark rabbit fur with a rare warmth in his aqua eyes. This cape had been a physical embodiment of his apology to her, an embodiment of the protection he promised her and how he hoped they could move forward together, but he hadn't been sure how much she would like it or what her reaction would be. He didn't want her to feel as if he was just trying to sweep away what he had done with gifts. The positive reactions he got from her made a warmth grow in his chest, his typically more detached expression softening with a fondness that he wasn't used to feeling. Ikigai had a way of pulling emotions up to the surface that he liked to keep hidden for most. He was quickly beginning to realize that maybe there really was something more to the goal of finding his soulmate than simply finding someone who was going to produce the most impressive generation of Mendacium wolves. His sister had always been such a stalwart believer in the deeper meanings behind the "soulmates" they were taught about growing up and he had always been dismissive of it, but Ikigai was starting to sway him despite his best efforts.

What captivated him even more than her reaction to his gift, however, was this more fiery side of her that was slowly coming more and more to the surface as they spent more time together. Ikigai had already grown and changed so much from the reserved, delicate young woman that fate had brought him to at Ashen's borders, but as he drew out and encouraged the subtle temptress that was hiding in her the more he was drawn to her. It was a part of her that he had doubted the existence of at first and now that doubt was gone. As she stepped forward to press a lick to his chin, a soft, low rumble sounded in his chest in response, the amused warmth in his gaze deepening to a natural appreciation and attraction. This was the mother of his children, the woman that was going to give him the one thing that every Mendacium wolf dedicated their lives toward, and when her cheek slid across his own and she whispered her thanks and her assurances that he and this cloak would keep her warm all winter long, any other thought besides his desire for his mate was blown out of the window.

Another quiet rumble left him as his large forepaws slipped under her cloak and around her back, sweeping her easily off of her feet and pulling her smaller frame up into his own, supporting her against him with one paw around her lower back and another between her shoulders. The cape that was still clasped around her neck draped around them, concealing his paw as it roamed further down her back and around the base of her long, silken tail, moving ever lower while his cheek pressed to hers and he caught the edge of a dark ear lightly between his teeth. "If I had my way you wouldn't need this cape to stay warm through the winter," he teased, imagining a world where they didn't have to keep to any responsibilities or duties to the pack where he could melt her as much as they pleased till the end of his days. That wasn't the life they led though, so he would enjoy his long searched for mate as much as he could between their various tasks.

With a chuckle, Deimos gave her rump a firm squeeze before scooping Ikgai up, slipping under her and pulling her onto his back to carry her into their den and to their large bed. Laying her out across it, he unclasped her cape and sat it to the side, fully revealing her lithe, beautiful frame as he gently rolled her onto her back under him. A small grin lingered on his lips as he leaned down over her, following the feminine curve of her jaw and neck with tender licks and light nibbles across her skin and through pale fur. Even though she didn't often speak her desires outright, he was quickly learning her more subtle way of suggestion. She had given him everything—trust and affection he didn't deserve, a life he had thought a lost dream, and now a chance at a real family that he had given up hope of finding. As he moved down her body, roaming his affections across her chest and lower to her stomach, he paused there with a moment of realization, as if the fact that he was going to be a father was really hitting him for the first time. He settled onto his stomach with his forelegs gently slipping under her around her waist, and he pressed a tender kiss to her belly before glancing up at her with a look of fathomless awe and adoration, a genuine smile tugging at his lips. He continued on then, worshiping her body and truly thanking her in the only way he knew how. He tasted and savored all of her for as long as she would allow, reveling in this moment and thanking the Ancients for allowing him this angel.

"Deimos Medacium"