Kubwa had been many things in his life, son, brother, father, lover, uncle, and grandpa; he'd never taken the role as mate until now. He sometimes watched her in the middle of the night, like he was now, chin rested on paws listening to her breath softly in her sleep, the moon shone off of the bracelets she adorned herself with. Every morning he couldn't believe when he awoke she was still there, still wanting him. That Yaya had sworn never to leave - she'd searched long and hard for him and she said she wasn't giving him up that easily.
She was pretending to sleep, it wasn't that simple when it came to tricking him, but Yaya had become a professional. The lioness let out a soft mumble and grown in her sleep and turned, pressing her body into his. Yaya knew why he watched over her, and although it disturbed her he thought she'd leave in the middle of the night, it was also a comfort to know she was safe while she slept.
She was the crazy and carefree to his fearful and worrisome - Yaya was sure they completed each other and was happy his sister had introduced them. The cream lioness knew Kubwa's past was sorted, that he had children - three of them that are known, and that he even had grandchildren. She didn't understand why he was so unlucky in love, losing two lionesses that he thought were perfect for him, and only having the occasional one night stand. Yaya had a theory, a silly one, but a theory none the less, that his past experiences were only there so they had time to find one another. Yaya was a bit younger than him.
"Oh, dear, Kub," she mumbled and groaned in her feigned sleep, pressing her face into his fur, and feigned a sleepy sigh.
"Good or bad dreams?" he whispered and then inhaled her scent, reveling in the sensation of her body against his, knowing she was there, truly. Kubwa was quite a bit older than the female, she was scatterbrained to his focus, energetic, to his slow pace. She was like a medicine from a healer, she brought him to life once again.
"Only good when you're around," she mumbled and opened her dark green eyes to look over at him. Yaya never spoke of their slight age difference, he brought focus and a mission to her life. The lioness wanted nothing more than to fit into the pride he belonged to, wanting to love and be loved by his family and friends. Belonging to a home.
She made something up on the spot, wanting to give him a reason for her feigned outburst, "We were running in the tall yellow grass, and you startled me." It was a good enough white lie as any, she wouldn't lie to him any other way.
He inhaled her scent again listening to her tell him her whimsical dream, he was so happy in her company. Yaya was ..well, Yaya. He loved her for all that she was, and everything she could be. Yaya was his space-case, his wanderlust that settled, and when she spoke of her dreams, or of him - his heart skipped a very cliche beat.
He surprised himself with his current thought, and further more surprised himself by speaking it aloud, by asking the question, "Yaya, will you stay with me, be my mate..have my children if that's what you want." The topic had been broached before but he was shy to agree on children - he was older than her, he hand older children - three of them to be exact.
"Isn't that what we've been doing, Kubwa? We are mates, just because you decide to ask now, doesn't mean that isn't the way it has been." Her voice was musical an alert. She was as surprised as he was at his outwardness. He said it was hard for him to open up, to tell anyone he cared for them - particularly after the lovers in his past - and his mother - the trust issues he had surrounding that were vague, but Yaya could tell that Anya and Enzi looked nothing like their much older siblings.
"I want to spend the rest of our lives together, you big fuzzball. Only if you promise, if you decide to open your heart to me, and trust in the fact that I will be here forever, and always. I'm not going to slip away from you."
He hadn't thought of it that way, yes Yaya'd been around, but that tiny, tired part of him was in fear she would slip away in the middle of the night, taking his unborn cubs with them. He'd been tormented knowing he had two children besides Tete, tormented that he loved and lost so many.
"I can open my heart to you, Yaya. It's my choice, and I'd choose that a million times over."
"I decided a long time ago that I want you, every part of you and I together."
"I love you.."
he buried his face into her fur, not wanting to show her the tears that were starting to flow, it had been so long since he opened the floodgate to his emotions. His breathing was heavy, and the hitch in his sides would be a tell tale give away.
"Oh you big fuzz ball," she teased again, and pressed her body into the warmth of his. "I love you too, thank you for finally saying it, for finally telling me the truth in your own words." They were built on a strange trust, he older -she younger. He was worrisome and stoic at times, and she was free and able to speak her emotions without a thought.
"Now go to sleep, so we can be happy in the dream world just like we are here."
She waited, waiting for the hitching in his pale sides to slow, and for his breathing to return to normal, and then slowly still for him to drift into sleep, emotionally exhausted. It was the first time he'd fallen asleep before, that he didn't wait for the sounds of her snoring.
fin
