Dancing in the Rain

Mud sunk into her toes, seeping into the cracks, coating her skin, as her feet buried into the slopping grass. It was a beautiful feeling. Her pale skin was shimmering with droplets of water, a fine sheen coating her whole body.

The light summer rain had been intoxicating, demanding really. Sitting where she had been, cooped up for far too long, the rain had been a calling, and invitation there was no way she could refuse. Stuck in the house, had never been her style - she had been getting restless, unbearably so. It was a danger to anyone to stay near her too long; only the very brave or the very committed had been trying it at the moment. Fresh air and a movement had been long over due.

And the rain had sung to her.

Her long hair was darkened to a golden brown and plastered to her skin. It ruffled at odd angles as her hand had brushed through it. Her shorts, denim stretched around her protruding stomach to the point where it had almost refused, were water clogged, and almost black. The thin shirt she had been wearing, flattened, and stuck to her like a second skin, highlighting every curve - both natural and Scarlet aided - in a way that was both natural and suggestive.

In all truth, bare footed and drenched, she looked rather barbaric, wild, spinning childishly in the shower. But she didn't care - Vera had long ago grown to adore nature. It was the only thing that matched her untameable nature.

The rain had sung to her - so she had to go out and dance.

His head canted to the side slightly, gaze going from his private office in the Pack House to the yard outside. Work forgotten, he rose to his feet, walking to the window to gaze down at the woman in the rain. His lips curled upward in a fond smile without his permission; a common occurrence of late. Placing his hand on the window, he watched a moment longer before he was in motion, dismissing himself as politely as he ever did - which was barely at all - and nodding to the visitors. Brock was too distracted to even realize Zino's disapproval. It wasn't any day the other Alphas came to visit, as his rant had gone earlier, but this wasn't just any other thing he was abandoning them for.

This was Vera.

The Elder; one of the oldest werewolves to date - did nothing but smile and shake his head knowingly at Zino, explaining that this was completely natural. They'd all dealt with their mates pregnancies before, and this was nothing new to them. Zino's argument - Vera not being his mate - was shushed by the Elder.

Brock, however, heard none of this, for he was already down the hallway, on his way out the door. He paused under the overhang of the back porch, brown eyes following her motions carefully. The warm feeling spreading through him just watching her was odd, explainable, and inexplicably right. Stepping out of his shoes, he simply walked out to meet her, rain soon matting his hair and soaking through his white button up shirt.

All the while he watched her.

Without preamble or announcement, greeting or inquiry, the Alpha wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him. Intense brown eyes searching hers for a long moment as his fingers tangled in her hair, cupping the base of her skull. Slowly, he lowered his lips to hers, taking the time to simply plunder her mouth, tongue tracing hers with a careful sort of tenderness.

At the window of his office, the Elder smiled. "If that is not the love two mates share, then I do not know what it is."

Sneaking up on the wolf was near impossible. Even through the rain, she picked up the tell tale sign of movement through the house. Part of her was already reaching out to meet him, making it easy, to spin into his embrace when he appeared.

Her body relaxed against him as easily as if her were an extension of her own. The half that she had lost, and was only waiting for this moment to return to. Two pieces of the same puzzle - it was a tiny puzzle, but growing. And now that it was pieced back together, she wasn't going to let any of the pieces get lost again. Allowing him to set the pace, she kissed back, enjoying the affection and desire she was receiving well feeding her own into the action at well. When it was finally necessary to detach, she let out a mew of protest and did not wander far in the end.

"Aren't you supposed to be keeping the high and mighty company?" her voice was distracted, and low. Her heart and mind both obviously focusing on other things. Her one hand had wrapped around his back, grabbing a fist full of his wet shirt, the other one was currently tracing lightly up and down his arm. "Now that I mention it, aren't I supposed to make some appearance?" If she cared about the question, she certainly did not look it when a moment later, her lips had found his again.

A soft mew of protest flew from his lips as she pulled away, his hold on her tightening just the slightest bit. Licking his lips slowly, he opened his eyes against the rain just to look down at her, fingers brushing the wet hair from her face as a smile grew on his lips. She truly was beautiful, moreso every moment he watched her. If there was a time before they were together, it seemed trifle and unimportant, forgettable. This soft electricity that flowed between them, that was what seemed important, that's what was important.

"Oh... right..." He blinked, glancing up at the window to his office for a brief moment before his focus was back at her. "I suppose that was what I was doing, wasn't it?" Fingers trailing down her spine, he pulled her closer, caressing the growing bump that was his Scarlet. "Prolly should get back to that now that I think of it-" He leaned into her next kiss, closing his eyes and letting himself be lost in it, quite willingly caught under her spell.

Loosing a soft moan, he tugged her closer, unable to get enough of the sweetness that was her taste, the way the rain muted her scent just the slightest bit made breathing it in even harder, more of an effort.

"I-" He sighed happily, humming slightly. "You distracted me."

She kissed him slowly, and thoroughly. There was, as far as she could see, no reason to rush along anything. After all, she had all the time in the world, and was there really anyone more important than her at the moment? Was there ever? Vera explored his mouth with a careful sort of precision that stated that she was not going to miss anything. Nuzzling her nose against his, she pulled back for a breath, smirking at his word before she started again.

Shivering at the touch along her spine, a different part of her jumped with a different sort of excitement as his hand brushed over the bump Scarlet made.

Finally pulling back for a second time she smirked, eyes dancing bright with deep emotions, breath control, but just barely.

"Maybe that's my master plan," she chuckled slightly, nuzzling her nose along his cheek, just brushing his jaw line, "Distraction."

There was a time when Brock Cox could have recited the differences between each ingredient in Polyjuice Potion, while snogging someone. This little study tactic was one of the only reasons he passed the grades he had, before Kallie had stepped in and forced him to continue. Those days, however, had vanished with the appearance of Vera. He could barely remember his own name while their lips were anywhere near each other, not to even mention if they were actually kissing.

His hold on Vera tightened just that much as she pulled away. Even the smallest amount of distance was too much, as far as he was concerned. Pupils dilating, he let out a small guttural sound as her lips brushed his skin, and his hold on her got just that much tighter. "Mmm...?" He tilted his head slightly, allowing her more access as another moan vibrated from his throat. Something important... that was definitely what they'd been talking about... but why focus on that when her mouth was so deliciously close to his skin?

She pressed her lips a little more firmly against his skin, making the shadow touch of a few seconds before more solid, more obvious. Smirking slowly she ran tongue gently along his skin, until she had stopped at the crook of his neck. Again nuzzling her nose against his skin she paused, the shadow her lips ever present the movement of her breath soft and constant upon the area of her choice. That breath hitched in a way that could almost have been a light laugh, before she pressed her mouth done again, nibbling gently before she proceeded to suck instead.

Pulling back she looked up to meet his gaze, flickering to his lips again for a moment as she drifted closer, "Brockie." His name sounded almost like a soft moan on her lips, so close to his own. She took a deep breath, blowing out across his face, before taking in his scent in return. Leaning forward her lips brushed his for barely a second before she was spinning away, dragging a hand down his arm, pulling him with her slightly until finally the rain covering both of them caused her hand to slip out of his completely.

Singing to herself, music of the rain, she skipped to the back to the porch, before she stopped, turned around and hung off the steps, eyes inviting, daring him really to follow her.

"You know what I just realized Brockie," she raised an eyebrow, "It's appears that I've gone and gotten myself all wet." Her smile was just a little too innocent. "What am I to do about that?"

"Ver-" His head turned to nuzzle into hers, his lungs struggling to pull her scent deep inside. He never wanted to be rid of it, never wanted to be able to think of another scent in the rest of his long existence. A soft whine grew in his throat at her attentions his hold on her attempting to tighten as she pulled away, but eventually he let her go, hand attempting to prolong the contact until the rain allowed her to slip away.

"Volchitsu-" He was already following, his gaze following her almost reverently as she moved around in the rain. He caught her before she could slip into the house, holding her against his chest. His heartbeat had started to speed, and the familiar onset of panic was beginning to drag him down. He had to push through it. Kallie had said- she-

"Wait." The rest of his words seemed to have disappeared, left him alone and trembling in the rain. Deep brown eyes met bright blue ones, and he found himself lost in them, sinking ever deeper. This... this was a good idea, he reminded himself. He needed to stop- stop- stop-

"Wait." He repeated, his voice unbelievably soft.

She was spinning away when she was caught, merely extending the action so she was facing him again as she folded into his arms. Her impish little grin, wavered ever so slightly, slipping into something more curious and serious as she watched his expression. She could feel and hear his heart going. Cocking her head to the side she looked at him closely.

What was he...

"Brockie?" She worried her lip for half a moment before she let her smile soften easily. Whatever he would say, it didn't matter so long as it was coming from him.

"What am I waiting for?"

"I-" He blinked, eyes down on her as his mind continued to work. Surely this was- she was- he was- he needed to-

His eyes widened slightly, and the irrational fear of her disappearance gripped him like he was at Durmstrang again. His hold on her tightened, and he swallowed thickly. This would work out. Deedee and Morgan, Kallie and Eli, they had all- had all-

"I was- was-" He hesitated, the silence between them lengthening drastically. "I was thinking." The color to his face - which had steadily been draining - returned with a venegence, a blush that was almost hot to the touch spreading. "I had- I got- an idea." Somewhere, a part of him was laughing, as he would be had he been watching any other idiot attempt this. Perhaps he should just go- go off somewhere. Just-

Stop.

Breathe.

"I was thinking and I got an idea." He reiterated.

He was an idiot.

Part of her wanted to tease him, the words were on the tip of her tongue - it was just so natural to her, but another part of her was saying that it wouldn't help this situation at all. Whatever it was he was trying to say, she would just chase him away from it if she was anything but supportive.

He looked so awkward, she just wanted to kiss him all the more. Which, in the end she did. Lips brushing against his softly, a chase kiss she pulled back to smile at him softly, encouragingly.

"I like your ideas."

He leaned into her kiss, lips moving against hers before he pulled away. He couldn't think already, he didn't need- he shouldn't-

"The idea." He repeated, sure he sounded twice as dense as he knew he was. "It was- well I was- you know and-" He needed to stop talking. Snapping his mouth shut, he just gazed down at her, refusing to let his gaze wander anywhere else, as it wished to. He didn't want to see the scorn he was sure would brew there. He didn't want to see-

He was being rediculous. This was Vera. She was- his Volchitsu. She wouldn't- she would want-

"I was wondering if you would want to-"

Just get to the point. Say the punch line. Get it over with. Maybe if she didn't want to he could push it off as a joke and-

He placed his hands on her shoulders and held her back at an arms length. "I should have practiced." He muttered. "I should have- I could- I mean I-"

Stop talking!

His mouth snapped shut again.

Right, to the point. He was suddenly searching his pockets, ignoring the chant in his head that kept muttering, nearly fumbling with the small object.

please say yes, please say yes...

His hand wrapped securely around the case as he slowly, purposefully sank to one knee, trying to figure out if the words would come as they ought to. They'd better. This was the one thing, the one thing he couldn't mess up.

"W-will me marry you?"

What.

"I- I mean of course I would- but you- I'm asking- I mean-"

She was watching him with confusion still, furrowing her eyebrows slightly as she watched him start sentences and then not finish them. In all her time with Brock, all thirteen years of it, she had never seen him quite like this. A whole range of emotions she had seen, from one end of the spectrum (when she had first met him) to the other (there were numerous occasions of late) but not once had he seemed so.

Her gaze caught on his hand, too focused on trying to figure out what he was doing to protest being put at arms length. What did he need from a pocket? Why would he need to-

Blinking she watched him lower himself with no conscious reaction to what he was doing. Her brain could piece together what he was doing - there was really only one thing that he could be doing - but she couldn't- couldn't quite process what he was doing. It just didn't compute it didn't compute until.

She laughed. It was quick, nothing more than a half giggle, the words garbled as they were still music to her ears. Lowering to her own knees across from him he grinned at him pulling on his shirt slightly to brush her lips against his and stop his babbling.

"Shut up will you," she finally said, her voice doing funny things that she wasn't sure if she'd ever done before, "Did you really need to ask? Of course me will marry you."

Brock faltered, uncertainty flashing through his existence as he heard her barely contained laughter. Already, he was sure she was rejecting him- but at least this time he'd tried. At least this time-

He blinked. Once. Twice.

"I- I don't think that you're supposed to kneel too-" he informed her, quite breathlessly. "Isn't that a- there's a rule- somewhere-" He was happy to let her steal his words, leaning into her kiss with a slow, but optimistic feeling spreading through his chest.

"Really?" Not one to look a prized horse in the mouth, as it was, Brock surged upward, arms wrapping around her and hoisting her upward and evidently off the ground. The grin on his lips could have outshined suns, if the sun or its counterparts been in the vicinity. "Really?" He asked again, not quite believing it. "Are you sure? You could miss your chance you know, to date again, and- and- find someone who really deserves you. You'll be stuck with me forever."

The little bubble that was growing in her, that had steamed from her confusion of a moment before, expanded even more. Her feet wiggled above the ground, the mound of her stomach making the slightly familiar action slightly more awkward, though she hardly cared. His own grin was fuelling hers as much as the actual question and situation was.

Brock was the situation, all that mattered really. He asked, finally, actually - asked, actually wanted

"Brock Cox. If you still think that I want anyone else other than you, you are the most obtuse man in the universe," her voice was too light, grin too wide for the words to sound like anything but a compliment, even though in essence they were the exact opposite. "However, you are my obtuse man." Grinning again she kissed him once more, lingering this time.

"Now give me that ring so I can start bragging to everyone else how I get to spend forever with you."

"I am not obtuse." He argued automatically, narrowing his eyes playfully. "I'm just making sure. You can't just undo a marriage, we'd be together forever. I just-" He paused, eyes wavering slightly. "I just don't want to force you into anything you don't want to do." His uncertainty shined in his eyes, but he shifted slightly, keeping her upward and securely in his arms.

"A ring?" He asked blankly, emotion draining from his face to be replaced with confusion instead. "What do you need a ring for? Isn't marrying my amazing self enough?" His expression turned hurt for a brief second before he grinned up at her, the smile slipping off to be replaced by uncertainty. "I'd have to put you down to get it." He pouted, lowering her slightly so her feet just brushed the ground.

"It's not in the case." He explained belatedly as he placed a swift happy kiss on her lips. "I didn't want to lose it again." He flushed slightly, before reaching down his shirt and pulling up a thin chain. The ring hanging from it wasn't huge, but it wasn't small either. The simple yet elegant design was captivating, yet understated. Simple and familiar with a flare for the exstrodinary.

Taking her left hand in his, he lifted it to place a kiss on the back before slipping the ring onto the appropriate finger. He placed another kiss to each of her fingers in turn, before grinning at her. "Now, our engagement is official." He grinned winningly, brown eyes shining, before doubt, ever present, snuck into his eyes. "That is, if your sure."

Nothing in the world had been more satisfying than the feeling of the cold metal that slid onto her finger. It wasn't the first time that a ring had sat there - last time it had felt heavy, con-straining. Calling out her uncertainty but also demanding that she was never going to get anything better. Vera had been too use to being unloved back then - she had been desired, but never loved - that she would take Noel for fear that she had nothing else.

This time, the ring said she would get nothing better because there wasn't anything better. She knew that the moment that is was on her finger that it was never, ever coming off of her finger again. Never again in her life - it might as well have been part of her finger.

Slowly she pressed her hands gently on either side of his face, pulling him closer and kissing him softly, slowly. It wasn't demanding, but it was tender.

"How many times do I have to tell you? I want nothing more than forever with you. I don't think I could have survived if I didn't have forever with you."

There was nothing that was better than the thought of her being his- except perhaps the thought that with her, he’d also have another daughter, a happy growing family; Him, Volchitsu, Bree, Evelina, Andrei, and Scarlet. He would have his own family, his own pack away from the demands of being an Alpha, where he could be himself.

He would have Vera.

His lips pulled up into a grin against hers, arms wrapping firmly around her as he melted against her. “I’ll never stop loving the way that sounds.” He murmured, running his fingers tenderly up her jawline as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “You’re my happily ever after. You know that don’t you?”

He pulled away only slightly, before grinning again and sweeping her up off her feet, holding her bridal style in his arms. Turning toward the doorway, he kicked the door open, scattering the mass of lycans there and grinning at them all.

“Now for the announcement you eavesdroppers already know.” The grin he gave to Vera was radiant, slowly running the tip of his nose along the side of hers, relishing in her scent and pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. His voice rose, and he addressed the crowd again. “We’re getting married!”

There was barely a pause before the house erupted in sound, happiness, congratulations, happiness. The Elder gave them a knowing look before offering his highest honor – insisting that he be the minister to their wedding. By the way they were carrying on it was evident that if they decided to wed right now, in the backyard in the rain, they’d have a lively, loving and appreciative crowd.

He had his pack, he had his fiancée, and he had his family. What more could a man want?

“I’m very happy you said yes, Volchitsu.” He murmured, placing a kiss on her mouth that was sure to scorch her to the bones. “The details will all fall into place, but who cares about them? I have you forever.” He grinned. “And you have me. Always.”

The noise of the pack was deafening, a roar that made Vera sincerely hope that they knew how to control at a future time. If anyone woke up her child at a later date, they are going to be thankful that they are harder to kill than most people. At the moment however, it was muted, in the background. Their support was warming - she couldn't deal without it, but in the face of Brock it was entirely irrelevant. The whole world was entirely irrelevant in the face of Brock.

She melted into his kiss, letting out a soft breath, making a soft sound in the back of her throat, before she was back to just looking at him. Looking at the happiness, the pure joy that was spreading across his face, she felt her own grow. It was an expression that Vera would have given anything to put onto his face - even if it were going to hurt her. Vera wasn't a good person - she wasn't selfless, and she didn't always care about people; she lost control of her wolf on multiple occasions; she hurt people. Her temper was known for being unpredictable and unreasonable. She was both loved and hated - sometimes by the same people. No, Vera Parker wasn't a good person, but for Brock she would be anything, give anything. Maybe it was an unhealthy affliction, she was sure there were people out there who would say that, but the way Vera saw it was, it was just love.

Pure, unaffected, untainted love.

She loved Brock more than she loved herself, more than she loved anything in the world; maybe only Scarlet could rival that affection, that desire that something was more important than herself. It had never quite occurred to her, not even when Brock noticed her in a way that was more than just... Vera the slightly unstable girl who he always had to pick up again, that she could be the one to put that smile that happiness on her face.

She had always been preparing herself for the day when she had to focus on how happy she was for him because she would be dying in pain for herself.

Pulling away from the kiss, she murmured against his lips, "I love you. I always, always always have."

It was an odd silence, that she seemed to pick up amongst the roar. Maybe she only picked it up because she was the one that had been preparing to be that person for so many years - in so many ways, she and Zino had been the same, had both been forgotten, both been dying for attention from the same man who never saw them as anything more than the friend that was there when he needed something. Pulling away from Brock for the moment her eyes turned back to the crowd again, searching out that random silence, the one person who would smile because he had to, but couldn't.

Zino met her gaze with one she knew well. Taking a breath, she nodded slowly, cocking her head to the side. Soundlessly she mouthed one word, "Sorry."

Nodding his head back, he managed a wan smile. That was the best he could give, but it was enough to make Vera feel better for now. She would just have to find him someone better. That was it.

Turning back to Brock she kissed him again, quickly or so it started out to be, but she couldn't not linger, "You have good friends. You know that, right?"