The Ties That Bind

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Time out in the forest, while it had to be sparing and done very carefully to avoid seeing and spooking humans about the presence of wolves where they shouldn't be, was always good for drawing the pack together. It gave the little ones time to play and be more used to their other form, and the adults time to walk on four paws and indulge in their instincts. Marina and the children were always ready to play, even going so far as to stalk each other in the brush, or to chase after birds or small rodents. Oscar was with them often, teaching them how to hunt even knowing they would never need to, and even Bella joined in here and there, though she was more prone to simply sunning herself or laying with the pups when they needed to rest. Aether was the only one that wouldn't play, watching nearby with friendly enough body language but never quite joining in. Maxim or Oscar often sat near him when the others stopped to play, and if any approached would give a small, warning growl to remind them that the younger wolf was not fond of biting, knowing he wouldn't himself.

As in human form, the teen was silent, and when they traveled often took the lead to scout ahead. Maxim trusted him to keep watch despite his age, and didn't want him behind when he had no way of calling for help if he needed it. Behind them Bella and Marina would often hover in the middle with the children, while Oscar took up the rear to be sure no one was left behind. Madeline fit in the center, or at Maxim's side, wherever she felt like being. When they began to make their way back from their journey, knowing the little ones were growing tired and everyone would be hungry, he only listened for the rustle of leaves in the trees above to attempt to track her journey. He trusted that she would come back to them, but when they finally caught up with her still gave a small wag of his tail in response to the warmth it gave him to have that trust confirmed.

In reverse of the process from before, Maxim was first to shift back and pull free his own clothing from the bags, pulling on a pair of pants before starting to pick out shoes and clothing, setting them aside in careful piles for the others wherever they had stopped to shift back. Again, he checked in with each of them when they were dressed enough for it, making sure no one had gotten hurt while walking or felt any lingering effects of the shift. When everyone was ready he picked Amethyst up into his arms to carry her back, and finally turned his attention to Madeline as well as he picked up the empty bags with his free hand.

"You're quite the impressive climber," he remarked with a little smile. "Thank you for that. How are you feeling? All right for the walk back? Simon will probably have dinner started by the time we get there."

Their human pup knew they would be back by dark, and the sun was already setting, so he was sure at least some of it would be started by the time they returned. If Madeline was tired, he was sure he could manage to carry her and Amethyst at the same time.

Opal and Jasper were quick to come to them despite clearly being tired, hurrying to Madeline's side to take one of her hands each.

"Maddie, you were so cool!" Opal declared, giving her hand a squeeze and smiling big and excited. "You have such big paws!"

Jasper bounced on his toes on her other side, too tired for actual jumping but eager to tell her what he couldn't when he had a mouth that couldn't form words. "Yeah, you go flying up the trees like magic! How do you do that!"

Maxim gave a soft chuckle, shifting sleepy Amethyst to a better position against his shoulder. "They've never seen a cat shifter before."
 
She opened her eyes as she heard them approach, smiling a little at Maxims tail wag, a surprisingly cute action for such an intimidating looking wolf. Closing her eyes again to give the others privacy to shift back, not that they seemed to mind all that much. She kept them closed, just listening to the sounds of them shuffling around and resting a little. Her side and her leg ached a little more than the usual aches and pains she associated with shifting, as she'd expected, but nothing too terrible. With how good of a day she'd had, she didn't think anything could dampen her mood.

Once she was sure they'd all changed back and gotten dressed, she opened her eyes and got to her feet, still leaning against the tree behind her. "Thanks, though I figured you'd know that already." She answered Maxim with an amused smile, referring to when he'd seen her climb in human form. "I'm fine, dinner does sound good though." Shifting did tend to drain a fair amount of energy, changing your entire body so much so quickly was quite the process, so it was only natural it would lead to hunger.

She smiled fondly as the children ran over and took her hands, a little surprised by their excited compliments but finding them very sweet. It reminded her of the first time she'd shifted, before it all went to hell, her brother had been there and his excitement and simple wonder had matched her own, and was quite like the pups now. "Lots of practice." She answered Jasper with a smile, "and what about you guys?" "You were so good with your hunting." She complimented them with a warm smile, as they made their way back.
 
Maxim only shrugged, not denying that he had known she could climb, given she'd done it in her human form as well. "Still. They were heavy bags, and I'm grateful." He didn't mind having to climb up himself, but it was nice to not have to.

It put a small, warm smile on his face to watch the little ones gush over her and have her praise them in return. Everyone was safe, relatively uninjured, and had gotten plenty of energy out. Marina was really the only one with any pep in her step anymore, and even that almost felt forced. Besides being a bit tired from all the running around and changing shapes, his wolves' desire to fulfill more animal instincts sated, leaving them pleasantly worn out and calm.

For part of the way back, Jasper and Opal kept up with Madeline's attention, reveling with varying levels of excitement and bashfulness at having her engage them with compliments and questions. Two thirds of the way there, Oscar ended up carrying them both, not because no one else would have volunteered but because in a fit of somewhat rare sibling rivalry they had both insisted that their feet were tired and they wanted him and not someone else. With Amethyst basically comatose against his shoulder, Maxim simply kept her to avoid the conflict of having two arms and three children, and stayed at Madeline's side to lead the way.

As expected, Simon was indeed already preparing dinner by the time they returned, using the small outdoor grill provided by the campgrounds to cook hot dogs en masse with a dish of cooked ones next to him that were covered to keep their warmth and several more on the grill itself. Aether was quick to jog ahead, put an arm around his human friend and snug up against his side, intent on helping but also just being close. Maxim chuckled at them as the rest followed with less urgency, stopping only to give Simon a little kiss on the temple in way of thanks before he would head inside.

"Our savior," he said with a smile, letting the boy go so as not to interrupt. "What would we do without you?"

Simon gave a little laugh at all the extra affection, shaking his head at them when he could but not pushing anyone away. "The rest is laid out inside. You should take the ones that are done here and start eating."

Bella stopped to check in as Maxim walked away to make sure Simon didn't need anything, and did pick up the dish of cooked hot dogs to take in. Inside the cabin, hot dog buns, condiments, and snacks had been laid out on the counters, with paper plates, napkins, and water bottles waiting.

Maxim chuckled at the sight, looking at Madeline with an amused smile. "He takes good care of us."

It wasn't a requirement, or even a spoken expectation, but Simon had gotten into the habit of making sure they had something to eat when they came back rather quickly after realizing how hungry everyone could be when after a romp in the forest.
 
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As they made their way back, she was happy to entertain the kids, their enthusiasm was very sweet. When they both declared their father had to carry them, she smiled in amusement, finding their rivalry rather cute. Falling into step beside Maxim, she allowed her mind to wander a little. The scent of the grilling meat reached her long before they got close to the cabin, her stomach eagerly anticipating the meal, shifting was exhausting work, and she'd expended a lot of energy today, especially considering how long it had been since she'd shifted and the fact that her body had only just recovered.

She joined in thanking Simon as she followed the others inside, not wanting to crowd him, especially when Aether clearly wanted to spend some time with him. "I can see that." She replied with an amused smile of her own, everything had been conveniently and thoughtfully prepared and laid out for them. After she'd placed her backpack neatly back atop her other bag, she grabbed a bottle of water and took a sip, waiting for the others to take their fill before she got anything for herself. "Does he always go to this much trouble?"
 
"Mm, not always this much," Maxim answered with a shake of his head, giving Amethyst a gentle shake back to awareness to give her a piece of an orange that had been peeled and left for others to eat. "Usually something, though, even if it's just things to snack on while we get dinner going."

"I'll get Amy's started," Bella volunteered, setting the tray of hot dogs down on the counter to get a plate and a bun. "You want ketchup, little pup?"

Amethyst gave a sleepy nod, picking her head up to bite the orange slice despite the way it dripped down her fingers. "Yes, please," she murmured, only mostly awake, and Maxim chuckled at the sound of her voice.

"Help yourself, Maddie," He urged, waving her on as the others started to filter in, Marina stealing a hot dog with no bun and eating with her hands as she waited to actually make a plate. "I'm sure you're hungry, too." He would personally wait until at least the children had been started off with their first plates, but he would eat soon, too.
 
She smiled a little at Amethyst's sleepiness, it was cute, clearly, she'd had a long day. Though from what she remembered the littles being like back at the home, she'd only need a short nap, and then she'd be full of beans again. The way Maxim was holding her and gently encouraging her to eat was very sweet, it made her think he'd be a good dad, assuming he wanted kids of his own. It made her think of her very first impression of him, he'd seemed so stoic, seeing how sweet, caring and gentle he could be had been a surprise, but a welcome one.

"I will." She answered him with an easy smile, and yet she still waited until everyone else had served themselves before she made herself a small plate. Whatever other strides she was making as she grew closer to them and more comfortable around them, that habit of putting everyone else above and ahead of herself was too ingrained to change. In fact, the more she cared, the worse it was likely to get.
 
One by one, each wolf came to fill plates for themselves and to help the little ones fill their own, Simon and Aether coming in with the latest batch of hot dogs once the grill had been put out. Dinner was a less boisterous affair than it was at home, though no less warm and welcoming, even Marina too tired to make much of a ruckus as they spread out to take up the seats at the table, the couch, or the floor. Appetites were big and conversations quiet, and after he'd made dinner for them Simon was barred from cleaning the kitchen despite being the first to finish a much smaller plate of food than the rest. As such, he was the first to be ready for bed, and after she was also shooed away from cleaning up he waved Madeline discreetly away from where children were being wrangled into bed clothes and the remains of dinner packaged up to be saved in the fridge.

"I feel a dog pile brewing," he explained with an amused little smile, talking low to her from where he'd settled on the couch since her bag was nearby and it would look as if he was simply explaining where she could get changed if she felt like it. "It happens a lot after the first hike, so you should call dibs on the couch now if you don't want to be a part of it. I don't think both of us are escaping, but I'll take one for the team if you don't want to sleep in a pile."

The thought of it only made him chuckle, rather than insist on his own freedom. He was used to the wolves being physically affectionate, really, and if he was uncomfortable being drawn into a sleep pile it was mostly because they all ran too hot and he preferred to be cool when sleeping. The way they would want the whole pack together, he was sure they would want whoever didn't participate to be on the couch nearby instead of in another room, so if Madeline wanted to escape he would let her have the high ground and join everyone on the floor.

"We're gonna take the kids to the big bathroom," Bella announced as she and Marina ushered Opal and Jasper towards the door to get their shoes. "Want to come, Maddie? There's more sinks there, if you want to wash up at all."

Simon gave them a little smile and just shrugged for Madeline. "You can think about it."

If she thought it over while she washed up and brushed her teeth, he would wait for her decision before he settled in himself.
 
Despite her hunger, she didn't eat much more than she usually did, growing up she'd learned to be satisfied with very little, and though of course things weren't as bad as they were then, her appetite still wasn't very strong. She tidied up her own dish but was waved off from doing any more cleaning, which was nice of them but did miff her a little. She always wanted to help, and she hadn't been able to do much while she'd been recovering, they hadn't let her, now that she was better, she'd hoped to be able to pull her weight again. Not that she was going to argue about it, she'd just find another way to be useful later.

She stepped over to the couch, curious why Simon wanted to speak to her privately. "Oh…" She blinked a little in surprise, "I uh…" She shook her head softly, trying to organise her thoughts, as she smiled at him softly. "Thanks, for the heads up, I appreciate it." It was nice to have someone who understood her awkwardness around the physical stuff, aside from Maxim anyway. Not that she hadn't made it fairly obvious to everyone already, she was sure, though she hoped they could tell it wasn't out of any sense of dislike or anything like that, just… fear, and perhaps… guilt.

Before she could make any kind of decision, Bella was calling out to her. "Oh, yeah okay." She agreed as she bent to grab her backpack to fill it with the few things she'd need to brush her teeth and get changed. Glancing at Simon, she smiled a little, looking a bit unsure. "I'll uh, let you know." She said softly, before turning to join the others and following them out the door. A sleep pile really hadn't been something she'd been thinking apart, especially since she'd gone to so much trouble to make sure she slept alone so she wouldn't wake anyone in the middle of the night. Though it sounded like even if she took the couch, she'd still be at risk of that, what with everyone crowding around it.

She still felt a little awkward and unsure about the idea, all her old fears still there. And yet, at that point, she couldn't deny that she slept better with someone beside her. Having someone she felt close to beside her, feeling their warmth, the steady beat of their heart, it was comforting. Besides, after the long day she'd had, perhaps she'd be too tired to have any nightmares, she certainly felt happier than she'd been in a long time, maybe that would also help put a stop to them, at least for one night.
 
Though she was still a shifter, Simon was at least aware that Madeline wasn't used to living with them, or being friendly enough with them to be okay with cuddling. He knew she deserved a fair warning, but she'd been getting closer to the pack so he had thought maybe she wanted to stay close even if she wasn't part of the pile. Still, if she didn't feel good about it she could always opt to sleep upstairs or in the small bunk bed area.

When Madeline was ready, Bella and Marina led the way out with a couple of flashlights, Opal and Jasper in tow and Amethyst left behind with the boys. At the larger bathroom facility there was room for everyone to wash their face and brush their teeth, even change their clothes in a stall if they wanted to. Jasper, at least, was still young enough to accompany them to the women's side of the restroom, and there were no other campers with them regardless.

By the time they returned, only one light was left on and almost every blanket in the cabin had been laid out on top of each other in front of the couch, with only a bit of walking room between blankets and cushions for whoever decided to sleep there and might need to get up without stepping on anyone. Oscar had laid down first, only to end up with Aether sprawled across 80% of his body, which only made the older man laugh. Maxim eventually joined lying perpendicular to them with his head resting lightly against Oscar's side, Amethyst tucked into her father's arm but with her feet by his shoulder and her head tucked up against Maxim's. Simon was still sitting on the couch, reading something on his phone with his feet propped idly on Aether's legs as if to simulate joining them without actually getting down. As much as he could be tense on a daily basis, the younger wolf was almost boneless now, halfway to sleep already.

"Oh, that's low," Bella said as they walked back into the cabin, eyeballing where the pile of bodies had already started with a little stack of pillows nearby for anyone who wanted one. "You started without us, jerks."

"You little bastard!" Marina cried with a gasp as she followed, dropping her stuff on the kitchen table and her shoes by the door. "No hogging the best spot!"

Aether, though he didn't turn his head to look at them so they could see the little smirk on his face, raised a hand to flip them off and only encouraged the two eldest children already chanting "Swear jar! Swear jar! Swear jar!"

Oscar only laughed at the suggestion that he was, apparently, the best place to rest, looking at them with some amusement on his face. "You're all being ridiculous. Settle down, settle down. It's time for bed, not shouting."

Maxim, resting easily already with one knee raised and a hand draped loosely over his stomach, looked to Madeline while the others were distracted and after a moment rested his other arm out next to him in a clear invitation, though there was only a gentle question on his face. If she wanted to join them, he wanted her next to him, but it was all right if she decided the answer was No.
 
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While she washed up, brushed her teeth and got changed into comfortable lounge clothes, the thought of what she was going to do when she got back, loomed in the back of her mind. She felt a little ridiculous having to put so much thought into it, but that didn't make it any less hard to decide. Old fears struggled against hope and desire, until she was just going around and around in circles, accomplishing nothing.

As they returned to the cabin, she tucked her bag away, no closer to a decision. Though she was distracted by the other's antics, laughing softly at the exchange, amused by the girl's indignation, Aether's smugness, and the kid's gleeful chanting. It was sweet seeing them interact, seeing how close they were and how much they clearly loved each other. She stood there for a moment, still feeling hesitant and unsure. Or she was, until Maxim caught her eye and laid his arm out. It was an obvious invitation, but she knew there was no expectation or requirement, and that he wouldn't hold it against her if she declined. She smiled a little, then, without further hesitation, not wanting to fall back into that cycle of overthinking, grabbed a pillow and made her way over to him, being careful not to step on anybody.

Setting her pillow down first, she laid on her side facing him, not letting herself think, lest she hesitate again, she snuggled up close to him, resting her head on his chest, much the same way she'd done in the hospital. She was a little tense, wanting to ask if this was alright, but with how close everyone was, she couldn't do that without being overheard. She knew if it wasn't he wouldn't have invited her too, but she couldn't help herself from worrying that she'd misread him, or that she was making him uncomfortable.
 
Maxim was quiet, calm in the mild, good spirited chaos around them as everyone started to settle in. When Madeline settled against his side he only gave a soft, content sigh, stroking a hand gently over her hair just once before leaving her be so as not to bother her. He couldn't have been more proud of her for joining in, despite how uncomfortable she could be with physical contact. Getting to traipse through the woods together, share a meal, then sleep tangled together made her feel more like part of the pack, and he hoped it felt the same way to her.

Bella laid on his other side and, after getting kisses goodnight from her father Opal claimed the small space between them with both her arms wrapped around one of his. Jasper wriggled into place somehow under one of Maxim's legs and over the other, spilling limply over onto Madeline's hip as if he'd lost possession of his bones. Maxim couldn't help being a bit jealous of his ability to sleep in such strange positions still, and beyond an amused huff didn't remove the boy, knowing he liked being a bit tangled and haphazard when they slept next to each other. Marina snuck in a bit less roughly than she might have otherwise, snuggling up against Madeline's back with slow, careful motions, giving the other woman time to change her mind before fully settling in with an arm draped over her side.

Simon waited for everyone to be settled before finally laying down in his claimed spot on the couch, pulling the last remaining blanket over himself as he settled and reaching a hand down to hold gently to Aether's for a little while as the wolf began to drift towards sleep, like he was included in the pile even while staying physically out of it. Even being human, he was glad that Madeline had joined in, if only because it meant she was getting more comfortable around the others.

Finally, with everyone settled and the cabin locked securely around them, Maxim could close his eyes and relax into the unique warmth of having his pack all around him, safe and together. After a run through the woods, drowning in instincts he usually pushed away, there was nothing quite like knowing they were all there, as if he could feel the sound of their quiet breaths in his chest. His pack was happy, tired, and well fed, and everyone was getting along, new member included. He didn't need anything else.
 
She relaxed once Maxim stroked her hair, since it let her know she hadn't just made a fool of herself by cuddling close when she wasn't supposed too. She glanced down as Jasper ended up over her hip, smiling with amusement at his rather uncomfortable looking sleeping position. As Marina carefully snuggled up against her back, she found herself amused by her slow careful movements, so unlike her usual energetic personality. She knew it was because the she-wolf was respecting her boundaries, which she appreciated more than she could say. When she finally settled, she put her own arm over Marina's, gentling pulling her closer, making it clear that she was happy to have her close.

She closed her eyes and sighed softly, letting herself relax completely. Her fears and doubts were quiet now, replaced with a warm feeling in her chest that went beyond contentment. It was joyful and oddly... nostalgic, as she found herself, not for the first time, wondering how she'd gotten so lucky to have found herself here. She thought she'd be awake for a while, worried about waking the others with a nightmare, but she drifted off almost as soon as she closed her eyes, and maybe it was the long day, or their presence, but she slept more peacefully than she had in a long time.
 
When pulled in, Marina gave a faint, pleased whine and snuggled close, though she didn't go so far as to toss a leg over Madeline's. With everyone close and comfortable, relaxing more fully than perhaps some of them had in a long time, it was easy to drift to a solid sleep.

Come morning, Jasper was first awake, picking his way out of his chosen, tangled spot as carefully as he could though it woke Maxim in the process regardless. He laid awake for a little while, just listening and watching groggily as the boy went and got himself water, then came back to wake his father. After a minute or two of hushed tones and sleepy morning cuddles, Oscar got up and took his oldest children to get dressed so they could go for an early morning walk, Opal just as eager to go and do something the moment she woke as well. More willing to continue sleeping, or at least dozing, Amethyst was deposited gently between Bella and Maxim in her sister's place, and once Aether had squashed himself into the couch with Simon the cabin was quiet again, the sounds of little ones getting ready taken into the next room to muffle them despite their valiant attempts at being silent.

It was a cool morning, and with the others still cuddled up warm and content around him - though he suspected only Marina had managed to sleep through the small, careful commotions - Maxim resolved to let himself doze for a little longer before getting up. He was sure the children, at least, would be hungry by the time they returned, and he knew he should lend Oscar a hand rather than continue luxuriating in the comfort of the rest of his pack. Soon it would be less of an ungodly hour for being up and doing things, and he would be ready to take care of them all again.
 
The next morning, she was gently woken by Jasper untangling himself from his pretzel like sleeping position. She blinked sleepily and stifled a soft yawn, a little surprised that she hadn't already been awake. Usually she was awake a lot earlier than this, either due to uneasy sleep plagued with nightmares and painful memories, or simply from her habit of never letting herself fully relax while she slept, in case she needed to wake up and leave in a hurry, as she often had to when she was living on the streets. So, why was she so relaxed? Why hadn't she had any nightmares? Why was she so content?

With her head still resting comfortably against Maxim, and Marinas arm around her, that she'd held close even in her sleep, the way a child might with a beloved toy, the answer seemed obvious. She hadn't expected to draw so much comfort from them, though really, who was she fooling at this point? Having Maxim holding her close had been a vital comfort in the hospital, and then Marina, comforting her after her nightmare, there was no point in pretending that she didn't feel better when they were close, and she knew what that meant. It was scary and wonderful at the same time, and after the purely joyful day she'd had yesterday, it was also... guilt inducing.

She laid still as all these thoughts tumbled through her sleepy mind, just listening to the soft murmurs of Oscar and the children shuffling around. Though she would have been content to lay with the others a while longer, one of the things she'd learned from living with a large group in a tiny place, the only way to guarantee you got to use the bathroom, was to be up before everyone else. Besides, maybe she could get breakfast started, assuming that doing so wouldn't wake everyone up. So thinking, she carefully began extracting herself from the sleep pile and getting to her feet.
 
Madeline moving might have woken more people if most of them hadn't been awake already. Marina, sleeping still, made a faint, plaintiff sound at losing the warmth she'd clung to all night, but didn't fully wake. Once Madeline had disappeared to take advantage of the empty bathroom, and Oscar had finally ushered the kids quietly out the door, Maxim finally got himself up and went about helping guide groggy Marina forward until she and Bella could tangle together with Amethyst squashed happily between them. After tucking a bit of blanket around them, he left them to doze the lazy morning away and took a moment to stretch, and to look fondly on the remaining members of his pack cuddling together for a moment before turning away.

When Madeline emerged he was already in the kitchen, making the first order of business a cup of coffee before considering breakfast - it was only instant, the cabin sans coffee pot, but it would do for the few days they would be there. "Good morning," he said with a content little smile, keeping his voice down and pitched gentle so as to let the others rest. "Did you sleep all right?"

She had stayed tucked against him enough that he hadn't woken at her moving, so he was hopeful the answer was yes and she hadn't just stayed because she was stubborn. He hadn't meant to just spring the sleep pile on her as they had, but he supposed if he'd thought about it enough to warn her she would only have had more time to get worked up about it. He was hopeful having a night free of bad dreams would help her feel closer to the others, even if only a little. They were pack, after all. He wanted them to be comfortable with each other.
 
She smiled a little at Marina's soft whine, feeling slightly guilty, but thankfully she didn't wake up. She took her time in the bathroom, brushing her teeth, showering and washing her hair, though she was still careful not to take too long in the shower, another rule of the group house, don't use up all the hot water. By the time she emerged she was dressed and ready for the day, her slightly damp hair loose around her shoulders, inconveniently the cabin wasn't equipped with a hair dryer.

"Good morning." She replied in the same soft tone, as she stepped into the kitchen to find Maxim. "You know what, I actually did." A soft smile on her face, looking slightly sheepish at the honest answer. That was something she was trying to be with him, with them, honest, and surprisingly, it was getting easier and easier. "Better than I have in a long time." "So, feel free to say, 'I told you so', crow a little, why not?" She teased with an amused smile, clearly she was in a good mood this morning, though she seemed a little distracted.
 
Maxim's answering smile was pleased, clearly, with some fondness mixed in and a bit of a teasing but no real mocking or anything overly smug. The last thing he wanted was to make her feel ashamed or embarrassed of any of her own feelings. It was difficult to be anything but pleased, really, the part of him that was wolf all but preening at the thought of his whole pack clustered together in sleep, as strange and cobbled together as they were. The swell of pride in his chest at their collective progress and how close they were all getting was difficult to suppress enough to 'find his chill', as Bella might say. He cared for them all so dearly, in so many different ways,

"I would never," he said with a hand to his chest as if offended, a briefly haughty tone to his voice but a smile showing in his eyes as he took a careful sip of his coffee. "I'm glad. I wouldn't have blamed you if you'd chosen your own bed, but I'm glad you stayed." With a little gesture towards where he'd set a pan or two heating on the stove already, he turned to set his coffee aside and start gathering ingredients. "I was going to start breakfast if you'd like to help. The kids will be hungry by the time they get back. . . After we've eaten, I wondered if you might like to take a walk with me."

Just the two of them, if she would allow it. She was still new to the pack, after all, and though they were frequently together out of necessity their time spent in peace, with no onlookers, was often interrupted by things urgent or benign. There were things he wanted to talk to her about, but mostly he just wanted to have a little time with her.
 
"Uh huh, sure." She replied with an amused smile, knowing he was too nice to act smug, but that he was probably still rather proud of himself. She supposed he had a reason to be, though she appreciated the fact that he wasn't rubbing it in. "You didn't give me a whole lot of choice in the matter, you know." Despite her words sounding annoyed perhaps, she was still smiling, and her tone was lightly teasing. Choosing to sleep on the couch when Simon was already fairly settled in front of everyone, would have been pretty awkward. Still, she wasn't actually upset about it, as she knew he hadn't been trying to spring it on her on purpose, though she did still appreciate Simon's heads up.

"Of course." She agreed with a smile, that was her plan anyway. She started gathering ingredients, bowls and utensils from the fridge and various cupboards, planning on making pancakes, a quick and easy, but still filling and tasty breakfast. Working quickly and with confidence, clearly she'd made them before, though she was careful not to make too much noise, not wanting to wake anyone else up before they were ready.

She paused and turned to Maxim when he asked about taking a walk, a warm, somewhat shy smile on her face. "Yeah, that... that would be nice." "To anywhere in particular or...?"
 
Maxim smiled sheepishly, knowing he had caught her off guard but swallowing any comments about puppy eyes. The joke behind the words was too easy, surely something that would've gotten a groan out of the dozing wolves still near enough to hear it. Besides, he didn't want to put too much emphasis on how much he wanted her there, not wanting to scare her off. It was a delicate balance, letting her know she was wanted without making her feel strange about it. He had to keep reminding himself that she had grown up with only humans for social reference.

Grateful for her assistance, he brought out the pancake mix they'd brought along, as it was easier than hauling the ingredients needed to make their own, and let her help with the mix-to-water ratio as he got a container of sausages out of the fridge. They had been cooked before they were transported, so all that was left was to heat them in a pan again. They would make quick work of everything together, he was sure.

The bashfulness in her smile put a little flutter in his chest he hadn't quite been prepared for, and he was unable to stop a small, touched smile of his own in response. Thinking that she was hesitant but still trusted him regardless made him feel a bit unreasonably warm inside, like her faith in him was a gift to be cherished. Perhaps it was just the alpha in him, but he truly felt like it was.

"Just around," he said with a shrug, picking up his coffee even as he handed over a ladle to pour out the pancake batter with. "Take in the scenery a bit more quietly than before." It would be nice, having a pleasant view while they took the chance to talk about things that couldn't really be discussed with company. He wanted to check on her and see how she was feeling about, well, everything. A lot had happened, and he needed to be sure she was still all right, or at least on her way to being so.
 
Though she would have preferred to make them from scratch, she thought they tasted better, she couldn't deny the premade mix was quicker and less mess to clean up. She didn't get much chance to do it lately, but she actually enjoyed cooking and baking. Growing up the way she had, she'd had to learn how to plan out meals, stretch and modify recipes and substitute ingredients to make things cheaper and go further without sacrificing too much on flavour. It was admittedly rather stressful at times, but it was also sort of fun, forcing her to be creative and experimental.

"Alright, sounds good." She said with a smile, pouring out the mix into a hot pan while they talked. It would be nice to get out and explore some more, the novelty of simply being here, out of the city and amongst nature again hadn't worn off yet. Especially after so much time spent cooped up in the house, and stuck mostly in bed from her injuries. It was also nice to just have some time to relax, without the threat of Alex, Farkas or his goons hanging over her head.

Between the two of them, breakfast didn't take long, especially since most of it was already done anyway. "It's a nice place up here." She commented as she stacked pancakes high on various plates, "do you guys always come here or...?"
 
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