[Eupe/Private] What a Lion Wants

[Meeko]

Meeko walked up to Paradise Rock with a sigh, a heavy thought on his mind.. He wanted cubs, and his marriage with Eupe was.. awkward.. Well, at least for her.. He was beginning to feel that maybe she wasn't so bad as a mate. In other words, he was just starting to maybe see her as a mate instead of a sister. But the doubts flooded his mind that she felt the same way. It disheartened him, and now that their cubs were reaching nearly adulthood, he wanted to have some more little ones frolicking along.. More then that, he had to tell Eupe something. He had to sit down and tell her.. Yes, tell her; right to her maw. It was heavy on his mind, she couldn't possibly accept the fact of what he was going to tell her...

Sighing, he walked up the rock, jumping a few loose rocks to a sturdy boulder, the stepping stones that led the way up. "Eupe.. Where are you? I.. I need to tell you.. " He paused with a heavy sigh, "I need to talk to you..." He finished instead, looking around for her. He let out a soft roar, a call for her. He was worried about what she would say, what she wuold think.. When he told her how he truely felt about her.

[Eupe]

She was laying deep in the jungle, her eyes closed and her head resting on her crossed paws, when she heard Meeko's soft keening. Her ocean-blue eyes opened and she surveyed her surroundings. He wasn't far off, maybe at Paradise Rock. She stood, stretched, and shook dry leaves from her immaculately white coat.

It took her all of two minutes to reach Paradise Rock. As she reached the small clearing, she brushed the hanging foliage aside with the top of her head and stepped into the dim sunlight. The clouds were a light gray and let little sunlight through them. A gentle wind gusted through the clearing, making her short white fur shimmer. She spotted Meeko's long brown mane up on Paradise Rock, as she predicted. She smiled gently, his presence always calmed her like a true brother would, whom she had never had before he had entered her life. She climbed the ancient stones with practiced grace and experience. She had traversed these rocks many times over the last few years, they never changed. Nothing really changed here, in the Oldlands.

As she reached the top, she sat across from him, tilting her head. "What is it, Meeko?"

Legend:
Thoughts
"My words"
"Others' words"

[Meeko]

Meeko looked around, standing there waiting. Falling back on his haunches into a sitting position, he spotted her climbing up the rock. Sighing heavily, he muttered, "Here we go..." And as she reached the rocks, coming closer and closer.. He walked over to meet her, his head hung low. When he finally looked at her, her head tilted in curiousity.. He sighed heavily.

"Eupe.." He started, looking at her. "I love you.. Not.. like a brother.. But like. Maybe this mate thing is not as bad as it seems.. I mean.." He looked at her, pleading with her in his eyes to say something positive, to not totally stomp on his idea of..

"I'm in love with you." He blurted out, looking at his paws. He felt the pressure build up behind his eyes, and swallowed hard to keep the tears from coming. It was not like a lion to cry in front of his mate. He looked back at her, worry in his eyes. His heart was heavy as he waited for her to say something, anything...

He looked at her, his eyes soft, hurting with the pain of knowing that she more then likely was not in love with him.. That she viewed him as a brother... He averted his eyes, swallowing hard once more. "Tell me that you don't hate the idea of it.."

[Eupe]

At first she heard a lot of mumbling, which worried her. She hadn't seen Meeko like this. She caught snippets of, "Not like a brother... maybe this mate thing is not as bad as it seems..." And then, when she thought he had lost his mind, he spoke as clear as he ever had and ever would have, nearly yelling it at her.

"I'm in love with you."

At first the idea seemed completely incomprehensible. He was like the brother she never had, they did everything together, shared ideas and views, and... and.... She stopped. We're perfect for each other. There was nothing she wanted to do without him and nothing she wouldn't do for him. She then realized that that's what love is, it means...

She looked up at him, her eyes smoldering. He looked half way to tears, which made her want to laugh. Perhaps that's another reason....

"Meeko..." She paused, searching for the words that could best express her thoughts. When there were none, she bent over and licked him gently on his right cheek. The right words occurred to her.

"All this time, I've considered you a brother, a true one. Never in my wildest dreams did I consider you anything more." She nuzzled his brown mane. "Now I realize that what we had considered a friendship was more than I had ever thought would happen. Wanting to be with you, do everything with you, is what love is. I'm married to the most wonderful, handsome, intelligent lion..." She looked up at him, gently smiling again, "who is also my Best Friend."

"That's what love is."

Legend:
Thoughts
"My words"
"Others' words"

[Meeko]

He looked at her, at first he could not read what she was thinking. It worried him all the more as he felt the tears build up behind his eyes. Swallowing hard to keep from bursting out crying, he looked back up at her. She looked like she was going to laugh. Perhaps at him, but something about her soft expression made him smile, truely smile and feel good about it. "Meeko.." His smile faded just a little, and he looked down. Then, on his right cheek, he felt a gentle tongue upon his furry face. Looking up at her with a goofy smile, he listened as she spoke. "All this time, I've considered you a brother, a true one. Never in my wildest dreams did I consider you anything more."

He felt a tinge of affection for her, wondering if she was going to say that she still considered him as a brother. "Go on.." He said softly, looking at her with soft eyes. What she said made him smile, made him feel like a madly passionate moment was passing between them.. Something deep and just between them. "Now I realize that what we had considered a friendship was more than I had ever thought would happen. Wanting to be with you, do everything with you, is what love is. I'm married to the most wonderful, handsome, intelligent lion..." He met her gaze, she was smiling that beautiful smile. " who is also my Best Friend."

"Eupe.." He said softly, nuzzling against her with his large handsome head, "I love you.. I didn't realize it right away.. But you are everything to me... I would give my life just to know that you are safe. I love you.. And.. I'd like to have some more cubs with you... If.. you want to?" He said, smiling, and licked her cheek. He gently nipped at her ear, in an affectionate way. Tears long gone, he was now smiling from ear to ear at her as he repeated, "I love you.."

[Eupe]

This was a huge moment for her. They had had cubs before, but it was never because of love of passion. It was because of their obligation. Now she saw what neither of them had realized a day ago, that she loved him too.

"I guess I've loved you all along." Which is sad, she thought, that I hadn't realized it all until just now.

"I love you... and I'd like to have some more cubs with you... if... you want to..."

She stood back and curled her tail over her paws, her head tilted down but her eyes looking up at Meeko, her Meeko. "I do." The two words that she had said when they were married, but they were different now. Now they were her words, not the words of tradition.

For once in her life, this was her choice. And she said yes.

Legend:
Thoughts
"My words"
"Others' words"

[Meeko]

He nodded, looking at her. "I guess I've loved you all along." She told him and he smiled, "Its okay.." He reassured her, "You realize it now, thats al that matters..." He said softly, and got ready as she told him "I do" to wanting cubs.. The realization hit him, he looked at her and made sure she was ready, then....

-some time later-

He got off of her, sweating heavily. His heart pounded against his chest. "Do.. Ya.. think th-that did the trick?" He breathed, sighing heavily from delight. He looked at her, love and passion in his gaze.

-A few weeks later-

The day was cloudy and gray, just like the day a few weeks ago when they had mated. Meeko was anxious, wondering if she was pregnant or not. He couldn't tell, but he had to know. Finally, he approached her. "Hey.." He said softly, nuzzling up against her. "Its been a few weeks.. do you.. think you're.. you know.. pregnant?"

[Eupe]

-just after some time later-
Her entire body was hot, sweat dotting her fur. Nothing gave her the inclination it could be so heated and passionate.

Meeko was exhausted, "... think th-that did the trick?" She chuckled warmly and purred, but gave no response. Instead she wrapped her paw over his neck and pulled him closer.

-a few weeks afterward-
She sighed in relief and silently thanked the gods.

"I'm so glad you asked. I've been waiting to tell you, but I always run away before I do. I don't know why... I just..." She shook out her fur and sighed again. I'm such a meerkat.

Legend:
Thoughts
"My words"
"Others' words"

OOC:: Sorry, not the most lengthy post ever.

[Meeko]

He looked at her, smiling as he remembered how she had pulled him close to her.. He gently wrapped a paw around her, nipping affectionatly at her ear. As she told him that she always runs away, he whispered, "I won't let you run away this time.. I'll hold you until you don't want to any more.." He smiled, licking her nose. As she shook her fur and sighed he nuzzled up against her. "I love you. Nothing, not anything will change that. Not me, not you, not anyone can change my love for you." He said softly.

Then the realization hit him. She was.. "Wait.. you're pregnant? You're sure....?" He looked into her eyes, smiling madly as he nuzzled her. "Wow, thats wonderful! Thats.. Amazing! Absolutly.. wow.." He was at a loss for words, fumbling with them. "Is there anything I can do? Get you an antelope? Massage your back with my paws..? Oh my, you're PREGNANT!" He said, dancing on his toes anxiously. "What will we name them, will it be a boy, a girl.. Twins.. Triplets... Oh boy I hope its a boy!"

[Eupe]

She chuckled gently at Meeko's sudden excitement. He acted as if this was her first time, as well as his. In many ways, it was. These cubs were special to her, for reasons unknown. Of course, she would always love Zuri and the rest of her children. She loved Meeko most of all.

"I'm fine for now. Just wait until later on, I'll be plenty aggravated you won't want to get anything for me." She yawned and stretched out her front legs, then walked over to a dry dirt patch and curled into a tight ball. "I'm just tired." She blinked lovingly up at Meeko, laid her head on its side, and closed her eyes. She breathed deeply, her stomach already beginning to bulge. She began to drift off to sleep.

Legend:
Thoughts
"My words"
"Others' words"