Absolution (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"I can imagine how hard it is. She's so young and to lose everyone in your life that you held so dearly." Selena said as she looked towards Brogan and gave him a sad smile. "I think we understand her more than she probably knows."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Yeah... I've been talkin' with 'er here an' there. Seems like she definitely needs outside people t'listen tha' aren't Vincenzo. They've been a bit at odds lately too, but they're working it out little by little. I think once we get t'Italy, Valentina'll feel a lot better. Seein' Carmena'll be good for 'er."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm sure it will." Selena said as they finished up the meal and soon everyone was being served.

That evening, Selena gave up her bed to Kitty and Vincenzo with the promise that they would tend to Ruben when he woke in his crib. Kitty had never agreed to something more quickly in her life. It was quiet in the cabin at night, even with people sleeping everywhere.

It was how Selena heard him approaching as she knitted on her sofa, the soft approach of soft footpaws making her glance up towards the door. She was up in an instant, laying her things aside and meeting him before he could knock.

"My family is here." She said bluntly. "You said you didn't want to be around just yet."

She saw a bundle of supplies in his arms, knowing that he was still trying to make amends for the fight they had before he had left the last time.

 

[KieranSoares]

The black-furred Wolf awaiting her on the other side of the door looked wild and tribal in his deerskin clothing, a spear strapped across his back and s hatchet and knife at his hip. Kreston Maliar and Selena had met one another just after she moved into her cabin, when she'd found him caught in a bear trap rigged for werefolk by local Hunters and slavers. While he'd been almost feral at first, he'd calmed quickly, and had brought her gifts and supplies in thanks after his leg healed. It had become much more as his English improved and he came around more and more, and had culminated in the two choosing to become mates. Their relationship had been strained almost from the start as more Hunters and slavers came into the area despite King Brian's best efforts, and Selena's Wolf was often away looking after his tribe as a warrior and hunter. Selena's pregnancy had pushed them both as Kreston struggled to be responsible to both her and his people, but it meant that he was constantly off hunting to provide for both. Since Ruben's birth, Kreston had been skittish about Selena, knowing he had long since worn out his welcome despite his best efforts.

Now laying the bundle aside on the porch, Kreston straightened, his expression softening, even sad. "I know," he murmured. "But... I thought you could use some extra blankets from the village for them," he glanced down at the bundle. "I brought salt and some vegetables too. And something for Ruben."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He's asleep and my Ma is taking care of him this evening." Selena said as he mentioned Ruben.

As much as she got frustrated with Kreston, she would never deny him the chance to see his son. After Ruben was born, they had enjoyed a peaceful few weeks together as a family, but stress had soon torn them back apart. Kreston had to be gone and she wasn't as willing to let him back into her life each time that he returned.

Selena turned when she heard someone walking up to the side of the porch and saw Boar standing there. He had been minding his own business most of the time, but something had drawn his attention that evening. Selena glanced over at Kreston and then back at her brother, knowing that the moment could grow tense.

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar came to a halt as he saw Kreston, perhaps the first Wolf he'd seen up close since Ghell had disappeared. Seeing a seeming lack of friendliness between him and Selena, Boar raised an eyebrow, muttering, "Somethin' wrong, love?" He glanced to Selena, immediately protective thanks to his lack of trust in men outside their family.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Nothing's wrong." Selena said as Boar asked her and immediately took the defensive.

Turning to look back at Kreston, she let out a small sigh and lowered her gaze to the ground. "Stay here for a moment and I'll get Ruben."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't want to intrude, I just stopped by to-" Kreston stopped himself, knowing Selena was being generous letting him see the son he was never around for. "I... Thank you."

Boar watched this with confusion until it dawned on him who he was looking at, and he followed Selena inside, looking back over his shoulder as they left Kreston outside. "Selena..." Boar whispered so they wouldn't wake anyone. "... Tha's Ruben's Da?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena looked at her little brother as he asked that and she slowly nodded. She knew that he was smart enough to put it all together and she didn't need to say anything else. Instead, she quietly entered her room, mindful of Vincenzo and her Ma sleeping, and scooped Ruben out of his crib. The little boy whimpered as she entered the living room and she quickly took him out onto the porch for Kreston.

"You're welcome to keep him as long as you like." Selena said softly as she offered the little boy to his Da.

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar left the three alone, knowing it was likely a tough situation on both sides. As Selena emerged with Ruben, the little boy was immediately the center of his father's attention. Kreston took Ruben with the utmost care, the boy immediately snuggling against Kreston's dark fur. Kreston looked up as Selena told him he could spend all the time he wanted with Ruben, and he murmured, "I don't want to keep you up... I'll put him back to bed for you in a while... If that's alright." He knew he could move silently and not disturb her family.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena watched Kreston closely as he held Ruben against his warm fur, ever the doting father as he always was. No matter what was happening between the both of them, Kreston always took excellent care of his son.

"I'll stay for a while longer." Selena said as she moved to take a seat on the front steps of her porch. "In case he fusses."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kreston settled before her on the ground after taking a moment to open up the bundle he'd brought, pulling out a stuffed toy that looked like a little bear. It was a quiet tribute to the Ghis line, just a simple doll for an infant, but it let Selena know that Kreston had always listened to her and what she told him about her family, especially when she saw the bear had a royal blue ribbon around it's neck.

"I know he's too little to care about playing yet," Kreston murmured as he tucked the bear beside Ruben. "But I hope he likes it when he does."

 

[heartofcourage]

"All he cares about right now is eating, sleeping, and not being wet." Selena said as she watched Kreston interact with his son, offering him the bear doll quietly. "But he's becoming more and more aware of things. He spent all morning watching the window because he noticed there were birds flying by."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He'll be crawling soon," Kreston commented softly, enjoying the peaceful moment despite the rift between himself and Selena. He looked up at her, and though he didn't want to ruin the moment, he had to add, "... You look beautiful... Reinvigorated even. It must be good to have your family here."

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena looked down at the ground as he told her that she looked beautiful. She had no doubt that Kreston loved her, but she wondered if they would ever be compatible enough to live together. It was a hard thing to think about, especially since she had spent all of her childhood in uncertainty.

"They want me to go to Italy. I would have to take Ruben with me." She said softly as if she had considered the idea.

 

[KieranSoares]

"You should go," Kreston encouraged, remembering her telling him she'd spent time there. "It'll be easier with a big family to help, and your mother will have all the time she could want with Ruben while you relax."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Or I could leave him here with you." Selena said out of the blue, looking up at Kreston as he encouraged her to go to Italy. "Your family hasn't had any time with him. I'm sure that you would care for him just as well I could. You are welcome to stay here at the cabin with him as well, if you wanted."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kreston considered her offer for a long moment, but he ended up shaking his head slowly. "I'm at home about as often as I'm here," he admitted softly. "I know my parents would love to meet him, but..." His ears folded back slowly. "I haven't gotten up the nerve to tell them about him yet..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"What?" Selena asked, her head snapping up as he admitted to not telling his family about Ruben yet. "How can you not have told them that you have a son? Are you embarrassed of Ruben because he's human?"

Selena was stunned and she didn't know exactly how to feel about Kreston in that moment. He had never been ashamed of her or their relationship, but now it seemed that he wasn't ready for the world to know about his son. She wanted to lose her temper with him and rage, but instead, she remained deadly quiet until she heard his side of the story.

 

[KieranSoares]

"No, no, that's not it at all," Kreston told her quickly, though he looked down to make sure he didn't disturb their son. "I'd never be embarrassed of him... In fact, I'm glad he's human. It'll make his life easier..." He sighed deeply, looking to Selena again. "I wasn't... very responsible as a teenager. I was always in trouble and making stupid decisions, and it took my family and my captain years to get it out of my system. I'm... I'm scared of what they'll think of me... I was reckless when I was with you, blind, even. I shouldn't have become a father when I can't even be around to help raise him..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"So, you're saying it was a mistake." Selena said quietly, knowing that they had made a mistake, but she could never think of Ruben as anything but a precious gift in her life.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Selena..." Kreston sighed, knowing he would never win with her. "I can't say anything to you without sounding like he and you are some kind of burden or something I regret. I will never regret being with you or having Ruben. I regret everything else, though. I'm not a good father, I'm a terrible mate, and all I'm capable of is hunting and hiding from Hunters."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't ask for much from you. I've never asked for anything, in fact." Selena said as he argued that he wasn't a good father or a good mate. "I don't want to hear these words. I don't want to hear that you might have any kind of issue with how all of this works."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You don't ask for anything, no," Kreston murmured. "Not anymore. But you used to, just for one thing- for me to be around more often, especially when you were scared and worried about becoming a mother. And I wasn't what you needed. I'm still not."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You're not what I need and you can't give me what I want, but we're stuck together, Kreston." Selena said bluntly, looking at the wolf as he spoke about the both of them. "We have to raise him together. We made that promise to one another and we owe it to him. He deserves to have a mother and a father involved in his life, no matter how we feel about one another."

"And I stopped asking for things because I knew you weren't going to give them to me. I couldn't ask for more time when there was none to spare." Selena muttered, glancing down at Ruben as he continued to sleep blissfully unaware of his parent's argument.