[ P ] Across The Universe

C

lover smiled brightly from ear to ear to mirror his as she admired the way his mouth quirked up higher on one side than the other. It was one of her most favorite things about him that she loved infinitely. "Waiting is fine with me. S'just more time to spend with you, Cian. She shuffled closer to him and nestled her muzzle beneath his, giving him tender kisses beneath his chin as her tail patted softly against the ground as it wagged happily.

When Cian did mention the healers, she was remembering just why they were making this journey. With all the fuss the pups had made and just to be noticed and to hear their Papa's voice, she'd forgotten that they needed to keep moving. "I'm always wonderful with you around, Cian." She gave him another swift lick to the cheek and then with a gentle grunt, started to rise to standing again. "Shall we be off then?"

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

C

lover spoke of waiting with unwavering patience, and the young male felt fortunate, once again, to call her his friend, companion, and lover. He relished each kiss and his tail wagged with an enthusiasm only Clover could inspire. Cian stood again as Clover began to rise, leaning over so that she could use him for support.

Fiery eyes were still studying Clover’s side in awe. That was where their pups were growing. But soon, they would be growing out here, out in the world that was both beautiful and scary. "Shall we be off then?" The boy grinned. ”Yes, just one minute more.”

His voice lowered and he learned closer to Clover’s swollen belly. ”Hi little ones. This is your father – no, you don’t have to call me that. I’m your dad. Or, uh, maybe Papa?” His imagination could conjure so much – what the pups would be like, and the sort of wolves they would become. For now, they were still this invisible concept, made more real by feeling them stirring. ”I don’t mind what you call me, really. I just – want you to be alright, healthy.”

”You know, little pups, you’re pretty lucky,” he murmured in a soothing tone, still smiling wide. ”You will have the best mama. And – and we will do whatever it takes to keep you safe, and make you happy. You’ll – you will get to see the world for yourselves.”

”And, um, if there could be just a few of you, rather than a dozen…” He laughed, mostly joking, but it was still a mildly terrifying thought.



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

C

ian was ever attentive to her and she most certainly leaned into him as she lifted herself back onto swollen paws. She pressed her nose into his shoulder lovingly and when she went to resume their walk across the snowy plain, she paused at his request. Soft, pink hues took in this moment, cherishing it as she watched her best friend and lover begin to practice his role as a new father by talking in hushed tones to their unborn pups.

There was hardly hesitation before they started to squirm in an almost gravitational movement towards the low resonance of Cian's voice. Clover adjusted her stance to steady herself, letting out a breath as they shifted inside of her and she smiled down at the ember giant where he crouched nearest to her belly. "They already love you." She commented sweetly as she regarded her mate. "And I love you too, more than anything."

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

I

t was strange to see the changes that Clover had already gone through. She looked very different, but no less attractive. On the contrary, She was more prone to crying, but that was alright with Cian. She never complained, though. Clover was the strongest, most brave, most beautiful wolfess. He felt lucky every day. What had he done to deserve this wonderful life?

Clover’s melodic voice brought Cian’s focus away from her growing belly, though his fascination with the wiggling unborn pups had not waned. "They already love you." His smile seemed only to grow wider, though it seemed nearly impossible. But with Clover at his side, how could he keep from smiling?

His love spoke again in her familiar, sweet tones. ”And I love you too, more than anything." The young male felt the sting of tears welling in his eyes. The joy he felt felt impossible to express in words spoken. Still, he would try: ”I love you, Clover. And – our family. These pups, I already love them, even if it was--” His words came haltingly as emotion threatened to overwhelm. ”It was a surprise, all of this. But I’m so happy. I just -- you should know. It's all because of you.”




@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

C

lover knew with all of her being that Cian loved her, but there was something about when he said it that truly resonated with her. It meant the world to her that he validated his love for their pups as well, even when, like he'd said, they were a surprise. She noticed the tears in his eyes and that only enticed her own to emerge as well and she smiled, pressing her face into the comfort of the ember fur about his neck.

"They are the best surprise. I wouldn't change a single thing about anything that's happened and I'd do it again..." She leaned back, looking up at him and smiling, feeling heat radiating from her cheeks and up into the tips of her ears as she realized what she'd implied. "If...if, that is, you ever...uhm...if you ever wanted to..." Clover's gaze fell down to her feet as she shuffled them sheepishly before glancing back up at him almost coyly.

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

T

hey made a good team, despite their youth, and both envisioned a shared future. What more could Cian wish for? Clover agreed, calling their soon-to-be offspring the best surprise, and stating easily that she would do it again. Cian’s dark-rimmed ears perked forward at the latter part of his mate’s statement, just as Clover leaned back to look at him. Her smile made him feel so many emotions at once, and as the meaning of her words occurred to the youth, his kinked tail began to wag slowly.

She had continued, "If...if, that is, you ever...uhm...if you ever wanted to..." Cian did not miss the flirtatious nature of Clover’s comment, nor the way she peered downward for only a second or two. When her pale pink sights found his deep orange eyes, and Cian felt a familiar warmth spreading through his core. No other wolf could inspire those feelings inside of him, like a blissful fever shared between two lovers.

He cleared his throat, remembering how nervous he had once been around Clover, back when their relationship was still brand new. It tended to resurface at inconvenient times such as these: ”I w-would love to – I mean, if you want that.” He smiled his own sheepish smile as he suggested, ”Maybe our little family will be, um, will end up being one of those big ones.”




@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

A

s their eyes met, she could see reflected in his own deep crimson orbs the same yearning that she might not have ever felt had she not come to know Cian in a more intimate way. When his flustered response spilled forth, she couldn't help but giggle, which gently tempered that carnal desire that had made a brief appearance.

She sidled closer to him and simply reveled in his warmth for now. "I would love that...I really, really would." Clover buried her face in his chest and breathed him in, simply enjoying his presence and sighing dreamily as she imagined a whole host of pups, a huge family of sweet, little pups that they would raise together. "Oh, yes!'" She piped up cheerily, leaning back to grin at him. "The biggest family! As big as you'd like!"

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

I

n the very heart of winter, Cian did not feel cold at all. Not when Clover was so close. And certainly not while his love spoke of future litters. Future intimacy. It could have been a blizzard, and the young male would not have noticed it. The much smaller she-wolf nestled her face into the thick fur of his check, their scents mingling closely – though, of course, they could be even closer, but that was how they ended up in this place, at this time, with pups imminently following? It was strange, really, the way life was: how it began, where it came from, and what it could become.

Clover was swift to agree that their family would be a large one, bursting at the seams with pups and love and affection. "The biggest family! As big as you'd like!" At this, Cian glanced down at his beautiful mate with a lopsided grin and a sheepish laugh. ”Well, as big as you would like! I’m not the one who has to – you know–”

Except, they didn’t really know what was to come, what would happen next. And that was precisely why they needed to be close to a healer. Just in case. But those worrying thoughts would do him no good this day. He smiled despite all the uncertainties, and though he did not want to move an inch and spoil the closeness and the warmth two bodies provided, winter days were notoriously short. ”I guess we should keep moving. Once we find a nice shelter, I can go hunting. Several times, if needed!”

With a sigh, and with great reluctance, he pulled away from Clover, but still remained close so that the two could walk side by side, and his taller frame would be there, should the expectant mother need support. ”And hey, Clove?” His smile remained as he glanced at her once more. ”I love you.”


[exit]



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck