[ P ] Nice guys finish last

To say the last few seasons had been busy was an understatement. On top of Senka being pregnant and giving birth to his pups, he was busy reshaping his entire life. Having a list of favors to collect on made things easier, though there was still the occasional arm that needed twisting. Deals had been struck, contracts written, property purchased. His record expunged, Odysseus stepped into the light with his family name wrapped around his neck. One of Rionnach's many dirty noblemen, Odysseus had worked hard to legitimize his security business while also picking up a few others menial shops that offered a cover his less than savory endeavors.

No longer bound to the shadows, Odysseus walked the streets with all the confidence of the nobility in his blood. He was home. He was a king upon his throne, overlooking his wicked empire. It offered stability, a future, for his children. They would be taken of long after he and Senka were gone.

Leaving the redwood had been bittersweet and his housekeeper had wavered in her decision to stay. She had grown attached to the pups, had gotten used to the house being full, and now she was back to her solitary life. Odysseus had offered her to come with, but she refused, stubbornly clinging to old fears. The house remained his, a carefully guarded secret where they could escape to whenever they needed a break from Rionna. Just as he had done before. Before Senka, before the pups, before everything.

Rionna wasn't his first choice, but the look on Senka's face when he suggested Sussex told him he wasn't going to be winning that fight. Being in the city made things easier, but this city carried memories, it carried bodies that could, at the very least, cause him trouble. In the end, it was were they settled. The pups were thrilled to have a new place to explore, a larger staff to harass while Senka stepped back into the roll of managing a household like she had never left. A smirk tugged at his lips when he considered how long she wait before demanding to come out after hours with him.

A commotion in the foyer caught his attention, even with the sounds muffled by a wall. Rising from his place behind his desk, Odysseus approached and amusement was quick to spread across his lips. "Still causing trouble?" He teased, pulling the door open wider before assuring the servant girl that everything was fine and she could go. Amethyst hues settled on Onyxia first before movement behind her caught his attention. "And busy too." A brow arched in the question when he looked from her pups back to his friend.

"speech"

eat my way into perdition
to taste you

code // art

ONYXIA FEAR IS ONLY WHAT YOU MAKE IT

So much time had passed since she last saw Ody, especially considering the circumstances of their last meeting. Since then, she had been thrown into prison, discovered she was pregnant, been released by Ruel, and given birth to four children. On top of all that, she now had a new last name, a different identity, and was part of a royal family. Oh, and she couldn’t forget that she now lived in Rionna with her husband. "Whiplash" seemed like a fair assessment of all she went though, but she embraced the changes nonetheless. Despite everything, she was eager to see Ody and find out what he had been up to.

A young girl guided her down the corridor, her anxiety evident at the sight of a woman and her four children. "Fair," Ony murmured under her breath before glancing back to ensure the children were following.

Ody stood in the room, dismissing the servant girl with a wave before his eyes fell on her. He stifled a small laugh at the sight of her. "Busy is an understatement," she said with a heavy sigh. "But that's a story for another day. How have you been?" His scent was mingled with that of a woman and other, unfamiliar aromas, but she couldn’t quite place them. "Did I come at a bad time?" She questioned as she didn't wish to be disturbing whatever he was doing, or who he was doing it with.

code by claerie

back then, i was dauntless—

Rionna isn't the Redwoods, but it isn't Sussex either—and that's good enough for Senka. It hadn't taken much for Odysseus to back down from his initial desire to return to the port city, for which she'd been grateful; she'd hardly had to say a word for him to adjust his expectations and find a solution they could both be content with. It's not something she's used to, having her thoughts heard and cared about, her heart cradled. For all his sharp edges, Odysseus has a heart that Senka clings to with fervent affection.

She's busy going over modifications to their new home with a few members of their staff when she hears voices at the front door—which, admittedly, is not particularly strange. However, when she hears Odysseus head out to greet whomever it is rather than having them brought back to his office, she quirks a brow and looks questioningly at one of the maids, who shrugs helplessly. Naturally, curiosity pulls Senka away from her current task, and her toenails tap audibly on the floor as she heads down the hall towards the front of the house.

The scene that greets her is...unexpected. She halts in the doorway with her lips parted slightly in surprise, her olive eyes first taking in the monochrome woman she's never seen before, and then the absolute...pack of children at her feet. Senka blinks, as though it might clear her vision and make this scene more sensible, but nothing changes, and no puzzle pieces slot together.

With a slight shake of her head, Senka steps out of her semi-frozen state and approaches the milling group, halting beside Odysseus, though her eyes are locked curiously upon Onyxia. "Hello," she greets with a tilt of her head. "I'm Senka," she offers pointedly, introducing herself before Odysseus can; she's willing enough to play the part of a gracious host, but her stubborn refusal to be a doormat any longer shows in the subtle ways Senka asserts herself now. It's not out of disrespect to Odysseus, but something she's learned to find within herself, thanks to his bolstering her confidence. This new woman in her entry hall—whose herd of offspring deflate any concerns of a romantic relationship—may know nothing about the subtle changes in Senka, but Odysseus always notices.

—i'd burn so bright it blinded

code // art

His laugh is genuine. Busy is an understatement. He didn't even want to imagine. His hands were plenty full with two kids, four would probably be the death of him. She was rattling off questions then, asking how he was, if she was interrupting anything and as dark jaws parted to answer, Senka wanted in. Amethyst orbs zeroed in on her immediately, his expression warming without him realizing. She looks stunned at first, like she's trying to process exactly what she's looking at. Of all the guests that showed up at their door, Onyxia was first to bring so many pups with her.

But she doesn't loiter for more than a moment, coming closer to introduce herself. Injecting herself immediately, she lays a quiet but firm claim to her place in this house, at his side. And he loves every moment of it. Watching her veiled approval, there is something akin to satisfaction in his eyes. He's been lucky enough to see this new side of Senka coming out to play a little more everyday. She was still a gracious host, greeting business partners with a smile and a fresh drink, all while delivering the quiet message that this was her house, not theirs and she would be treated as more than a fixture.

"This is my friend Onyxia." That alone would likely blow Senka's mind. No one was introduced as his friend. "And her pack of children, apparently." A wry grin tugged at his dark mouth. Last he had seen her, she definitely hadn't been pregnant, he hadn't even known it was in the cards for her. Then his attention shifted to the kids in questions. "Straight down that hall, you'll find Denya and Arachne. Go play." With a little gesturing and the subtle command in his voice, he sent them off to go wreck havoc somewhere else in his house before turning back to the two women.

"speech"

eat my way into perdition
to taste you

code // art