The Kind of Man You Want in the End

@Leo

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So he had waited. Waited foolishly believing that the mother of his pups would come back knocking at his door with some common sense like she had the first time around, but days passed and soon his wait turned into weeks. Honestly? It kinda pissed him off more than her tantrum.

Fine, ok, maybe he was at some fault too. Earth-shattering to learn you're gonna have kids, yeah, he could understand her freak out, and frankly, he wasn't looking to be a dad either, but here he was. It took some time, but he had thought it over in the empty time. He could be responsible, begrudgingly, storming off alone and naive though? That's just fuckin' stupid.

He had meant what he said before, if she didn't want to stick around she could fuck off after the kids were out. He wasn't exactly looking for a picture-perfect family anyway, but hell if he was going to let her stupidity possibly kill his brood too. All things aside though, her commitment just to stick a point was something he could admire. Now if he could only find her...

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The day was approaching. Leo didn’t know how she knew as this was her first litter, but something within her stirred - letting her know that there was little time left to prepare. Instincts took over for the most part, eating what she could with as little effort as possible. Small meals here and there, leftovers from larger, more successful predators - as well as gathering as much soft materials as possible to make the delivery as comfortable as she could despite the circumstances.

I’m sorry kids, I would have wanted something more luxurious than this, but this is what mommy can do for now.

Leonna would have wanted that beautiful, picture perfect family she had dreamed of. A handsome husband to help care for them, spoil them rotten - and yet they would get what she could give. Maybe one day they’ll forgive her, she’d laughed to herself.

As she rested something within the caves stirred. Someone had walked in, not knowing who it could be she let out a warning growl. Remaining hidden to hide her swollen belly, hoping they would flee if threatened.

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Lingering the caves her scent laid thick, her pregnancy more than obvious now as he stepped into the dark. He wouldn't have to walk long before a growl sounded off cavern walls, but realistically he knew no matter how much she hated him, she couldn't hurt him in her current state. “Cut it I'm not here to hurt you.” Still, he'd at least keep his distance for now.

If his voice hadn't given him away then what light trickled in might as they gave light to the bright reds of his coat. “Would you really rather give birth here than hang around me with the safety of a pack?” The judgment was hard to hide in his voice as he leaned over to sniff at the moss-lined walls. It was musky and open to any creature seeking shelter. Not to mention, if she hadn't scouted the whole of the cave, one of the pups might wander off.

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Ah, so it was Aries who had somehow - and for some reason, had come to find her here. Of course she couldn’t go to far after their last argument, she felt heavy and sluggish than her usual breezy self. As if the weight in her midsection had kept her tethered to the ground - to the earth.

Even if at first she had hated it, the feeling had grown on her. A reminder that soon new life would be brought, ones that she had nurtured from the start despite their surprise presence. It wasn’t how she wanted to get them delivered, to begin a family of any sorts even if broken - it wasn’t their fault.

“Why do you care?” The growls had faded knowing who was behind the voice, but the bite still lingered. Angered by his flippant attitude toward their situation which was so easy for a man to do as the weight of their lives would be on her - a mother’s paws.  

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“They're my kids too.” Even though her growl had lessened it didn't help the one bubbling in his own throat. “Frankly, I'm tired of ya thinkin I don't, even when I tried to offer takin this oh so horrible burden off your paws.” His words were emphasized with a roll of his eyes before he went back to staring her down. A pretty face only bought you so much free grace and Leo was about out of hers. “So will ya cut this crap and come back already?” it shouldn't need saying that this was obviously the better move.

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He didn't care for kids, she remembered him saying. So maybe he cared a little just as Aries had stated as well, that he cared a little but simply just not enough for Leo to be happy about. “So now you're willing to care for them.” She sassed back, biting back a little pain in her belly as they danced about uncomfortably within. 

Any day now, she was certain. There was no real way for her to know other than just some instinct telling the soon-to-be-mother that they were just about to come and welcome the sun.  

A breathy pause took as he continued, demanding she would come back to where she had walked off from. Even Leo had to admit it was safer there, even if Aries wasn't as charming now as he was the day that this all began. “Fine!” The woman groaned, slowly getting up with heavy paws as she did her best to keep from falling over. 

“Only because there's an eagle around.” A good enough excuse to follow him back and not just quickly agree with everything he said. Because why would Leo just do that? With a disinterested look, she waited for him to guide the way back while she would hobble as fast as she could to keep up. They needed a new comfortable place for them, for the new arrivals. The sunspot would have to work quickly to beat the timer and make sure their beds were as comfortable as possible.

Before leaving she would grab a few of the pelts she had gathered - at least have a head start and not a complete new beginning when they were just sitting here.

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“I said I don't care for kids, not don't care at all.” He was quick to bite back at her accusation with a lash of his tail. He didn't want his own, but here they were. Even if he wasn't lookin' to be a father no son of his was going to grow up in a hole. Who said anything about a son? No one, but of course he's already assumed he's getting himself a boy out of this.

Luckily, she agreed before they got into another argument over gods know what. For a moment he stood there silently, not really expecting her to lay down her arms so easily, but eventually found his voice albeit gruff and quieter than his usual cocky tone, “Alright then.”

He watched as she moved to grab some of the pelts that lined the floor on her way out and would eventually follow her path picking up a few of his own for the journey back. It seemed they had a lot to work out before they were parents, but Aries wasn't some deadbeat. In the end, Leo would still be his baby mama, and hell if he wasn't going to treat her like one.

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“Same thing.” She sighed dismissively. Tired, but not defeated by his attitude. To her it sounded more like the difference between ketchup and catsup, same thing, different name. He could correct her all he wanted but the message was pretty clear as far as she was concerned. He was reluctant, and she had a litter that needed more help than she could provide.

They can argue about the nitpicking details later once she was ready to give birth to this accidental litter. There were more important things to deal with right now than fighting with some bullheaded man who had given her one good night months ago. Was it worth it in the end? Eh, the jury was still out on that one.

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Clearly words mattered little here, Leo had her opinion and therefore she was right about everything. He snorted for once biting his tongue to get this trip over with without one of them at each other's throats. It wouldn't matter in the end if he couldn't make his plea heard, he was a man of action at the end of the day not one of words. If she wanted him to beg then she'd have to wait a few lifetimes.

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