[duke/rose/myu] the captain's got his boots on

[arbie]

Myu narrowed her eyes. She, again, did not move when Duke snapped at her. It seemed like he was about to explode, and Myu was there to take the splatter. She hadn’t thought of the consequences before during the fight, and now she knew that she could be in his bad books now. Not like she cared, or at least she’d like to take on that point of view to stay as the same Myu she was. No, there was no ‘was’ about it, she still is the Myu she knows. The one she was known for.

She snarled at Rose when she called her a bitch. Glaring at Duke’s daughter, as if making it a silent warning, she then looked at Duke as Rose walked away. Myu knew just as much as Rose knew this was not over. She knew this was serious, and this was not a one-off battle. This would continue, even if it would continue as childish banter. Hell, immature glares would probably happen if they passed by each other.

She glared in return, slowly calming down. Blinking, she stopped looking fierce and angry and tried to gather herself. Myu looked round at her stomach, observing the bite-wounds, then she looked back at Duke, as if challenging him.
“She puts up hell of a fight.” she commented casually, “Duke, I didn’t attack her for no reason.” she suddenly said, not bothering about the whole witty-comments.

[Paint]

If Duke hadn't felt so angry, at both of the females, he would've felt proud. After all, Myu was one of the best fighters he knew, and if Rose had held her own in a fight as vicious as that, then he had reason to be proud.

But fury was clouding his mind. He stared at Myu, as if trying to figure out what Rose could've said to make her that angry. It didn't take him long. After all, it was Rose, who knew exactly how to get under someone's skin. And Myu, who could get angry even faster than Duke sometimes. Hmm, not the best pairing.

"I don't want you two killing each other," Duke said simply. The words could have been pleading, or sad, or even angry and detached. But no, because the words held in them the most powerful of cold authoritive tones. It said, between the lines, I will come between you every single time. He didn't doubt it for a minute.

[arbie]

She waited for a response. Would he be angry? Would he be sad? Did he care about her enough openly to be sad? She didn’t really know. Myu sat on her haunches, not completely relaxed just yet, and licked the blood from her lips and the blood that stained below her eye. Myu paid no attention to Duke, she was bust cleaning the blood from her fur. She would go to a stream to clean the rest later. Myu was still listening, though, even if it was just one statement.

She nodded, looking round at Duke again.
“Hm, same. Me being dead wouldn’t be very useful.” she said. But she understood what he meant, and would try not to go for Rose’s throat again… Well, unless she passed another comment. Myu would be happy to say comments about her too if the time was right. She smirked daringly at Duke.
“You know I’m not sorry, Duke. But at least try and tell Rose to make sure she holds her tongue when talking about you badly so she doesn’t get any more scars.”

[Paint]

Duke grunted, and looked away from Myu into the fog where Rose had disappeared into. He focused on the exact spot she'd gone out of sight, as if that would help him to understand her. He frowned and turned back to Myu, glancing at her wounds.

"I'm not going to tell Rose to do anything, we'll only argue again," Duke murmured, looking at the gash in Myu's side. He frowned. "You should go and get yourself cleaned up."

He looked up and for a brief moment forgot all that had passed. He simply looked in Myu's eyes, and wondered what she had made of his last few statements when they'd been on the mountain together. The forest could burn down around them right now and he'd have no idea.

[arbie]

Myu shrugged, not really caring about what would happen if Duke told Rose that, but he was right. She had followed his gaze for a moment, as if expecting Rose to jump back in and go for her throat. She tensed a bit, but then relaxed and looked back at Duke. She nodded and slowly stood up, the wound on her stomach aching as the skin stretched at the movement.

"I will."

She stared back into his eyes. For a moment, she remembered when they were alone on the Cliffside. He needed her, and she needed him. This was pretty obvious now that he needed her. Myu didn’t want to seem egotistical, but Duke didn’t have Rose anymore. Rose helped him be Alpha, did he need Rose anymore after he gets a female Alpha? Myu really had her hopes up at that point, but then the wound around her eye made her want to go clean up again.

Myu backed up, as if indicating she wanted to go, but at the same time she didn’t. She just wanted Duke to ask her the question, but a very, very, very small part of her thought he might not want to.

[Paint]

He frowned, trying to think of something spectacular to say. But there wasn't anything amazing in his mind. It was very simple, really. Rose, who had proved to be so loving and loyal, had now most obviously broken the bond which held them together. Duke did not have Rose anymore, not like he used to, and it made him sad.

On the other hand, Myu was standing before him looking nearly expectant. He wondered if she wanted to be Alpha. He wondered if she wanted to be Alpha because she loved him back, or if she just wanted the power? He wanted to believe the first one, really.

"Myu," he began slowly. He couldn't thread enough emotion into his voice, which irritated him, but he wasn't going to fuss over it now. He had something to say and he was going to say it. He had to know. "Do you love me? Do you want to be my mate?" he asked bluntly. He wasn't going to sugar coat it, it was a pretty big job to offer a wolf who you'd had unrequited love for since you'd met her.

[arbie]

She hesitated, staring. This was totally different from when Rhyfel asked her, in fact, she didn’t even remember Rhyfel. She just stared blankly at Duke, amazed he had asked. Suddenly she had thought of the first time they met. Duke seemed a whole lot heartless back then, now that he had fallen in love with Anevay. They were so awkward back then, but right now, now she felt their bond was bigger than ever. Her heart raced, and it felt like she didn’t even have any wounds any more.

“I do love you, Duke.” she replied with whole sincerity, but found it a bit difficult to really prove it through her tone, “I love you a lot more than you think. Of course I want to be your mate.”
It felt very, very, very strange saying those words again. ‘I love you’. It was weird saying it once, let alone twice. She gazed at him and stepped towards him again.

[Paint]

Duke exhaled slowly, with relief and even happiness. Odd, happiness. It came in great amounts on rare occasions, especially for the Falling Moons Alpha. Still, there was that sense of dread and guilt that Duke knew he wasn't really the best mate for anyone. He felt like she should know this.

"Myu, as you probably know," he began slowly, frowning. She was his mate now, but maybe it would only last until the end of this conversation in the direction he was heading. Still, he'd never said this to Anevay and she had to learn the hard way.

"I'm not the Prince Charming type, and I know you're clever enough to know that. I'll be very protective, always, but I'll never be overbearingly sweet. I probably won't feel the need to wake up in the middle of the night and come and find you and be with you. I am essentially emotionally closed off... sometimes I can get past that, but most of the time this gruff exterior is all you will get from me. I want you to know that, in case you wonder why I don't act like I love you." He nodded to show he was finished with his little speech.

[arbie]

Myu listened. She knew half of that already, and she knew she liked moments of sweetness time and time again, but she didn’t need a mate that wanted to be with her in the middle of the night when they were separated. Myu nodded, completely understanding. She also hoped he wouldn’t be over protective. In fact, she’d probably need to tell him that. Just in case.
“As long as you’re not going to be over-protective. And I won’t fight your fights any more, Duke. You can stick up for yourself, I know that.” she explained.

It was odd. It felt like they were setting out rules for each other. Don’t be over-protective, don’t stick up for me, don’t expect clear love, all that. Myu kept a straight face, and backed up some more after that.
“‘Less you’ve got anything else to say to me, I’m off to clean up.” she said, tilting her head to the right. She decided not to treat him like an awkward friend anymore, “Hope to see you later."
she turned and began to walk away.

[Paint]

Duke nodded. They sounded more like they were arranging business than talking about an actual relationship, but he knew otherwise. Okay, so he wasn't allowed to be overprotective. He'd do his best. And he would stick up for himself as he always did, but he could sense that Rose would not rest easy in the knowledge that Myu was now Alpha female.

No, there was a storm brewing and he happened to be in the eye of it.

"I hope you feel better," Duke called out after her, feeling slightly more contented now. In more ways than one, him and Myu were perfect for each other. They didn't need all of this fancy public displays of love- they were clear of each other's characters and they still loved each other. It was all he would ask for from her.