GOD IS SHE

@carnivoroushowl inquired – "Have you ever been told there's no one more beautiful than you." That familiar husky voice rang out just before she walked from the shadows she'd skulked through, her tiny stature held with pride atop louboutins. Mallow wasn't a fool— her husband has long since spotted her.

"No one if you don't count Orion, of course." Long ombre tresses danced with the breeze, ambers like a fire beneath thick black lashes.

𝐇𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐩.The fresh blood has seeped into his mass; the body already properly disposed of. He's aware of the looming buildings. How they remind him of the dense forests of the Carpathians, and the privacy they offer when downing a kill.

Only they don't offer peace. Not like the forests; not like her. His palms face skyward. In his blind haze, he feels them twitch. Not paying attention to the lingering afterglow, but rather watching his wife stalk closer in the darkness. Xavier forces himself to stay still. Every inch of his mass wants to go to her like a love-sick dog. But he's tame, he waits until her voice beckons him.

" ...That's a lie. " His graveled voice leaks tenderness. He can't deny her compliment left him with... that butterfly sensation. It doesn't dissipate when his hands fall; it doesn't leave when he strides up to her. Xavier pulls her closer. A hand coming to hold her small waist, and to place a tender kiss on her temple. The scent of death and smoke lingers on his lips.

He hums, closing his eye. His lips hover over her skin. " The only beauty in this world... is you. "

"Be still my heart," she hummed playfully in return. A palm rested upon her bosom, the other on Xavier's hip. The scent of him may be an agglomeration of all nefariousness he's kept himself busy with, to her it was one she'd never get enough of. If there's a love-sick dog wolf, it would be her.

𝐇𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞. " Well, he's been staking his claim out in Nevada... in Vegas. " The capital of bland old men who scam in the open, yet no one cares to dismantle their thrones. Admittedly Airin hadn't a clue what his nephew was doing out there. It felt wrong to overstep the young adult's boundaries by keeping an eye on him, but now... with his mother here...

" ...That might a good place to start? Having control of commerce in a tourist, drug-infested city is nothin' to scoff at. "

An ever-so slight crack in her stark expression just before Mallow turned her head, jaws clenched. "Orion would flee at just a whiff of my scent, but with how much coke he snorted I would be surprised if he smells anything at all." The she-wolf remarked bitterly.

The sight of someone digging into a warm bowl of Red's famous beef stew always managed to put a smile on his face. Like no time had ever passed. The simple sight bringing back quite a few memories, or perhaps it was just the cozy atmosphere the stew along with the pub created.

Her words caused Bandit's eyebrows to raise in surprise. He had made sure to be subtle but she had still noticed. Of course she had. It was impossible to hide things from her.

So the wolf did take her up on that offer, leaning in closer only to receive a kiss on the cheek. It was only a little surprising but entirely welcomed. At least that meant she wasn't mad or anything.

And she was sure it wasn't just the seemingly never changing pub.

The beef stew's aroma was beckoning her to take another bite, but before she could, Mallow gingerly stroked his cheek. His stubble beneath her touch a nostalgic sensation. It was only fleetingly. Like she just needed to check it was still there.

deep down her consciousness wants to deaden the issue. isn't it enough that she's back, no questions asked? if it were an easy topic to drop, kayleen wouldn't be struggling this much. her arms loop around mallow's frame as an answer to her plea. "I want to try... and understand," why you left.

" 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥! " A purr stirred at the back of his tongue. He wished he could tell her all about his little adventures on the surface, but such antsiness is reigned in for the sake of keeping a level head. Yet, he rolled on the back of his heels; a single fang poked over his bottom lip.

" Why not, cumnata? Don't you have an army down there? " His sharp eyes glitter with mischief. " This place could use your womanly touch. "

Perhaps it wasn't so bad to crawl back into the light of day after all. Who knows what shenanigans awaited. "I suppose the surface has been ruled by bland old men for long enough." After the long battle, The Legion needed to regain it's infamy. And what better way to do so?

"...I've seen wicked," he said with a small grunt as he left the comfort of his armchair to go to the kitchen. "...You, Rose, may be many things, but you are not wicked. At least not like i have known wicked to be. You simply do what you must, at any hour of the day or night," a sigh trailed off his words as he began stumbling with glasses and bottles from the fridge. The sensitive microphone surely picked on the distinct, gentle clinking of glass and ice, even with the distortion. After helping himself to a serving of alcohol, Marcus took a small sip and turned around to lean against the kitchen counter, glass of brandy in one hand and phone in the other.

As if weighed down by something invisible yet unbearably heavy, her eyelids closed. Mallow remained quiet and merely listened to what was happening on the other side of the line. He was grabbing a drink, it sounded like. It wouldn't be the first time they shared a drink during their phone calls. In fact, was there ever a time they didn't?

A smile, a faint chortle. With opened eyes she took her glass and arose from her seat to drag her feet across the burgundy coloured plush carpet. "Manner of speaking, Hunter. I spend most of my time with them and they're as good of an advisor and soldier as they are a friend," she explained. "They're not quite the listening ear you are."

"...Rose," he acknowledged her, a smile in his voice. It wasn't her name, but it was what he knew her by ever since their conversations were strictly work related. She sounded as she always did, oddly foreign because of the unnatural distortion of sound. But also familiar in a pleasant way, the kind that would release the tension piled up into his muscles over a stressful day.

"...It's fine, most of my troubles are also work related, nothing i'm not used to. It's like you said, people never really learn what to expect when they close down on an agreement. Then they're surprised when it backfires," he sighed heavily, free hand rubbing the bridge of his nose and forehead as he settled better into his armchair. "...I feel like i shouldn't complain too much though. I'm not the one responsible for the wellbeing of an entire organisation and the people in it," a low, guttural chuckle trailed after his words.

"I would argue the organisation runs itself to an extent. I have people to fall back on. So if there's someone who can't complain, it's me." The way in which she said it had a lighthearted tone to it, matching the same energy his chuckle had. The burden of leading an organisation as grand as The Legion was a heavy one. Oftentimes she felt as though she was Atlas, carrying the world.

Yet, she wanted to offer Hunter a listening ear as much he offered his. To her they were equal.

"Hmmrr... Seems like you returned at the right time, today is beef stew day. I'll fetch you a bowl." Taking a drag from his cigarette he made his way into the kitchen to do just as he said. The aroma of beef, vegetables and herbs filling the room immediately as he returned with the bowl and a piece of bread to go with it.

Even more so with how she hardly gave it a minute before taking a bite.

The stew and its lush scent had overwhelmed her senses so much so, she nearly missed his hesitation. But, the she-wolf was ever sharp.

"It tastes even better than I remember," she hummed. Her bliss evident in how her features lightened up subtly. Taloned fingers tucked one of her bangs, now adorned with a lock of grey, behind her pointed ear. Rather than taking another bite, however, she leaned in some. Her seemingly ever-blazing amber eyes tempting his to meet her gaze. "You can take in my scent better if you get closer." Her tone was low yet oddly sweet.