Of a Visit to the Mate and Boy, Ain't She Great
Knock knock. Darklett doesn't really need to do that, but he does, anyway! The doorknob turns and the door opens. "Hellooooooo?" He steps through the door, his paws behind his back, holding something obviously. "Anyone home?"
Yes, anyone's home. Selene is! It's a bit of a different experience for the doe since their youngest left for the Patrol, but all the same the doe feels more comfortable here. At Darklett's call, there's a sound from a room deeper in the house and soon enough Selene pokes her head out from the kitchen. When she spies him, she smiles, wiping her damp paws on her apron. "Hi, love."
"Helloooo, love." Darklett grins, stepping further into the house, making sure to conceal what it is behind his back... Perhaps intentionally making it obvious something is back there. "Whatcha doing?" Grin. Smooch.
Selene's lips quirk with amusement at his 'sly' behavior, and she slips her arms back around behind his back, trying to seek out whatever it is he's got back there. Grabby! "... Nooothing, what'reyouhiding?"
"Mmm-mm." Darklett swings his arms to wrap around the doe, now concealing whatever it is he's carrying behind Selene instead of himself! Sleight of paw! Marvel at it. "Hiding? Why would you think I'm hiding anything?"
Which just earns Darklett a smack on the shoulder. "Darklett Fletchpaw! Don't you make me hit you." ... Uh. Again.
"Selene Fletchpaw!" Darklett looks shocked. "With such actions and such threats, I am suddenly inclined to return my secret surprise gift for you..." He grins and steps back from his mate, holding out a paw and letting what he'd been carrying unfold down towards the floor. It's a dress! A very, very pretty dress. "You are cordially invited to the Salamandastron Long Patrol Spring Feast."
Selene looks... surprised! To say the least. Her lips part in silent response and then she reaches out, taking the edges of the dress in her fingers so she can get a good look at it. FInally, after a little bit she looks up with a smile for Darklett. A smile that says 'huge brownie points, bub'. "... Okay. I take back my swat," Selene mumbles with a little grin. And reaches up on tippy-toes to give him a quick smooch.
Darklett's almost grinning ear to ear -- that is, when he's not returning that smooch, but it goes right back to a grin. "You like it?" Aw, he's proud of his purchase. "I thought you'd want to look great at the feast. Seeing as... Your family is so well-represented."
Selene takes the dress, starting to fold it purely out of habit in her arms as she turns, heading towards the bedroom to put it away while she continues talking. "I love it, Dark. It's the perfect color and it looks like it will fit me perfectly." Her voice comes nearer than and she reappears in the doorway, smiling at him while she leans against the door frame. "'Well-represented'. Now you've got both my boys," she teases him.
Darklett shrugs, paws lifting at his sides in a helpless gesture. "I really didn't foresee Cameron joining. I honestly didn't." The major almost seems apologetic towards Selene, stepping towards her. "...I hate that you're alone here, though, Selene." He kind of hugs her hips a little bit, speaking in a quiet voice with their proximity. "I kind of worry sometimes."
At the apology in Dark's tone, Selene's smile grows a bit more. Subdued. She shakes her head a little bit. She's made her peace with it, or there's at least nothing she can do to change it, anyway. "... I'm not really alone, Dark." Her paws rest over his. "I've got my friends and work." Whatever it is that Selene does. Seamstress? Ish.
"I know, but..." Darklett's muzzle sinks downward. "I just want to make sure you don't feel abandoned or anything. Or unsafe," which is more important. "...That and I don't want to have to run down the beach every time I want to see you, but I can see why you want to stay here."
Selene sighs quietly, tilting her head to look up at him. "... I can't help missing having my little boys hiding behind my skirts, but. They've grown up. That happens, I hear." Buuuut yeah. "... well maybe someday when you retire you can move in," she teases with a little nudge to his arm.
"...Oh, you'll let me move in with you?" Darklett appears half-giddy. Half because he's still kind of subdued from the subject matter, but hey. "Yeah... When I retire, I'm coming to Halyard. I told Keita I'd be a bouncer for her tavern." The major smirks, nudging her back.
Selene's muzzle twists with amusement. "You'd have to be better than that big hulking thing she's got working there, now. A wolverine or something?"
"Huhuh... Yeah." Darklett kind of looks unamused. "I might wait 'til he quits."
Poor Darklett and his vermin issues. XD "He's not so bad, really," she promises him. He gets another nudge. Grumpy Guss. "So how many seasons do you figure I have to wait, hm?"
"Oh, at least fifty." Darklett nose-presses at Selene's forehead, chuckling. "...No, really... I don't know. I always just assumed I'd feel like I need to retire when I'm ready, and I don't feel like I need to retire."
Selene nods her understanding, reaching up to peck his cheek again. "It's fine. You know I won't rush you, love."
"I love you so much." Darklett suddenly feels the need to remind her of this, even though he visits almost every other day and buys her dresses and things like that.
"... Love you, too," Selene murmurs. Her arms aer back to resting around his waist, now, and she stays like that for a moment, just looking up at him, and then she quirks a small smile. "Would you like some dinner? I was cooking."
"...I'd /love/ some." Darklett grins, smooching at Selene once more before letting her go tend to the food. "What're you making?" Snifff.
"Oh, just something I threw together. A vegetable stew," she call over her shoulder as she heads back to the kitchen and disappears inside. She stirs the pot a bit and nods to herself. "Looks just about done," she calls. And sorts out a couple of bowls of tasty steaming stew stuff. She comes back out to him balancing the bowls, along with their spoons, and holds one out to him. There's a small table in the front room, with a couple of chairs.
"Mmmm," Darklett approves preemptively. He takes the bowl and steps backward, turning toward the table and setting the stew down on it, pulling out a chair for himself to sit. "Smells delicious, at any rate..." Politely, he waits till the chef has a seat to tuck in.
Selene does indeed take a seat, watching Darklett with a thoughtful smile. It is nice when he visits. It /does/ get a bit lonely, really. "So how's Cameron doing? He doesn't get much chance to visit with his recruit training."
"He's keeping busy." Darklett takes his first bite after blowing into the spoon to cool it. After that first gulp, he continues. "...I honestly try and stay out of most of it. I don't want him feeling like I'm constantly watching him, you know?"
Selene nods her understanding. "No, of course not. It's not like I have the wives over there keeping occasional tabs for me or anything," Selene answers with a glance up at Darklett and a small grin. Ahh, mothers. "Not that I hear much. Our Cameron does tend to keep to himself."
Haha. Of course, the wives. "Good thing I know which wives to avoid. Wouldn't want you spying on /me.../" Darklett winks in good nature, though responds further, "Yeah. I haven't heard anything about him. With healers, that's... Usually a good thing." The major shrugs. "Usually."
"So do you think you'll be able to live with a son who's a healer?" Selene asks, while spooning a bit of stew into her mouth.
Pfffff. Luckily he didn't have soup in his mouth. "Absolutely." Darklett nods enthusiastically. "Believe it or not, I worry about our sons, too, Selene. Cameron being a healer... Maybe he'll just be an infirmary healer and never have to see the field... I'm okay with this. Very okay."
Selene is okay with it for the same reason. Healers don't die nearly so often as, say, FIGHTERS. DARKLETT. AND JAKK. Grumble mutter. She ducks her head for a moment while she focuses on the stew, nodding quietly. Tsk, how they make her worry. "You could maybe assert your influence on the patrol selections, even," she hints at.
"Yes. Yes, I could. I'm sure Rahier could always use a good Fletchpaw in his patrol." Darklett smirks. "Good idea," he states, before taking in a mouthful of stew. "This's good," he confirms after swallowing half of it.
That's a relief. Selene smiles to herself and nods. Good, good. "I'm glad you like it. It's a good thing spring's coming along soon, though. Stores always get low around this season."
"Mmhmm." Chew, swallow. "You'll probably be able to take home some leftovers from the feast, too. That'll last a week or so..." Darklett chuckles, dipping back into the stew.
"... That'll be nice." Selene smiles. "That is the /one/ thing I miss about the mountain. Never having to /cook/." She seems to finish with her stew, pushing it away and standing up.
Darklett smiles. "Well, the practice has done you well. This was great..." He drains the last of the stew, standing up and going to gather the dishes. "Think I'm gonna stay here for the night. Don't have anything going on in the morning."
Selene nods to Darklett, looking pleased as he gathers up the dishes. What a good mate. "That'd be nice," she agrees with a nod. "I have to go into the village to pick up a few things, but it shouldn't take me more than a half hour."
"Alright. See you when you get back." The major smiles, taking the dishes into the kitchen, humming to himself cheerfully. "Thanks for cooking!"
"No problem!" Selene calls over her shoulder as she heads for the door, and slips out.
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