Aerin Thomas: The door opens, and in he steps, setting the staff aside. He's been out checking around the house, and probably having a cigarette or four, more then likely. He adjusts the trenchcoat on his shoulders and moves further into the house, looking around. "Love?"

Ita McNairee: *its amazing what a little optimism can do to help a household. Ita's been bustling about ever since they got back from the roadtrip north, the house is clean, the laundry's done, pies and preserves are stocked up, food simmering on the stove.. the babys are fat and healthy, even the dogs are getting better behaved as she throws herself into make-work projects. Overall the mood in the house has been some semblance of normal for awhile but feigned happiness has began to wear thin the last few days, tension creeping into a pleasant pikey's frame as it seems they wait for the hammer to drop. the pikey clings a little ..too close,to the fat and healthy babies.. and Aerin's cigarette packs aren't lasting near as long as they used to. She's sitting in the kitchen as he comes is, charms and letters spread over the table, one babe on her hip, husky at her feet, archibald in his little chair... her head lifts and she hollers* En ee're darlin

Aerin Thomas: He makes his way into the kitchen, taking a lean against the door frame and watching her with a bit of a smile. "Hey, you. You look busy...as usual. Want me to take her?"

Ita McNairee: *she brings brown eyes off the table up to him, mouth opening to protest, then she softens. the man needed the comfort of babies too maybe.* aye.. Aulrecht darlin.. *she rises from the table with the scrape of a chair and a jingle. a heavy sigh as she slips an arm around Aerin's frame and lets him take the baby from her. she rests her head on his chest once she's settled*

Aerin Thomas: He takes Tori carefully, holding her with that faint little smile, and an arm slips around Ita at the same time. He leans his head down and gently kisses her forehead...no words come at this moment. He just supports the other, his breastbone warming slightly with his mate's head resting against it. There isn't tension to the lanky Garou's frame so much as weariness, but even that's shoved aside as he senses the need to be Ita's support.

Ita McNairee: *she nuzzles into his chest a little, a heavy breath breathed out as a sigh, hand stroking his back with a jingle, she hums softly and taps her barefeet on the floor, as though she'd been standing in line and was getting impatient. a kiss to his chest and she looks up* och.. thes es gien tryen. aye? *its a good natured smile, but weary, and a little tense*

Aerin Thomas: "It's getting there, yes," he says quietly, with a short nod. He sighs a little, bouncing the infant girl softly as he shrugs a bit. "We've been through worse...though not all this on top of each other. We're pulling through, though, love. Things aren't going our way. But they will." It perhaps lacks the conviction that it might otherwise have a month or two ago, but it's not completely faithless.

Ita McNairee: ah kain. theng's'll work oot. *she nods, eyes bright, she wipes at the corners with a hand, and rubs the garou's back.* och. jes .. thes waiten.. ets bolloz et es.. ah dinnae oonderstan 'ow they've nae caught me.. aye? *she looks back up. worry clear. * ah dinnae kain wha they're oop tae...

Aerin Thomas: "Thye haven't caught you because they don't know you're here...and as to what they're up to..." He frowns. "I may have an idea as to how to find out...I'm not sure yet, though. It hasn't...totally formulated inside my head quite yet."

Ita McNairee: darlin.. they can call me.. tha's ow they gaw me awa frem ye tha ferst time.. *she frowns in return, and looks up at him, nibbling her lip, her hand smoothing over his chest, fingers curling in his shirt, as though she needs something to hold onto.. just in case they do call her..* reckon claud's stoppen tha soomehow..

Aerin Thomas: He tenses at mention of that, visibly...something stricken coming to his face. "...fuck." The arm around the Rroma woman tightens...he's not letting her go. No way, no how. Not a chance in fucking hell.

Ita McNairee: Och.. Aerin darlin.. *she's crushed to him, curling close and nuzzling him with her head* dinnae reckon ah can gawn nae where tae fast darlin.. we're oot en tha boonies.. ah can only gawn as far an as fast as a horse'll take me.. aye? *she sings quietly, a little too weary and tense to be entirely reassuriring*

Aerin Thomas: "Yeah." He nods a little bit...he's still not all that reassured. Bliss is off with Marika, Ethan's still...a sigh from him. And he's gotta sleep sometime. "You're not going anywhere, love. Anywhere. I'll make sure of it."

Ita McNairee: och.. thes es sounden like a marriage *she gives him a wink, trying for levity, arms wrapped around his back as she pulls him close, and singsongs what seems to be their mantra* et'll be aulrecht. *she nibbles her lip* claud's gaw tae be stoppen em soomehoow.. jes dinnae kain hoow. ah'd feel better effen ah kained aye? *brown eyes catch his as she gives a weary smile*

Aerin Thomas: "Yeah, I know." He nods a little bit, looking down at her with a faint little smile. Tori gives a plaintive sound...Pay attention to me!, it seems to say, and he starts gently bouncing her again, grinning a bit before he looks back to Ita. "You know...funny you should mention that first part..." It's said tentatively, watching his love hestantly.

Ita McNairee: *a dark eyebrow arches up, a wry grin as she raises on her toes to kiss his chin, brown eyes on his* Och? *she cocks her head, nibbling her lip*

Ita McNairee: *the husky brushes past there legs with a rumble, plodding out to see what the crows are into*

Aerin Thomas: He smiles a little bit, keeping it light. "Well...I figure, we've been through so much since we've been together, thick & thin...if we were going to be torn apart, it would have happened long ago. And besides that...I love you. Deeply...incredibly. So I was thinking...if it was something you had considered as a possibility...we should consider marriage." Okay, it's not the most absolutely romantic way to go about it. Better then what he'd thought of a few times before, which was just 'You wanna?' He watches her with a small smile, shifting little Tori's weight on his side as he does.

Ita McNairee: ah didnae kain yer folk.. ye kain.. *she doesn't know quite what to say.. pikey having not ever.. really.. considered it.. clearly. she scratches her head.. * och..

Ita McNairee: *ok. so its not the most sweep you off your feet proposal.. nor is her response the resounding .. "yes!" and crying that it maybe should be.. but.. when have these two ever been traditional. she shifts from foot to foot, jingling mind trying to consider through shock, more stuck on what he just asked then actually working though the implications yet*

Aerin Thomas: He shrugs a little. "It happens, from time to time among our folk, yes." He chuckles slightly, then falls silent, watching her. There's a little current of nerves shooting through his body...barely noticable. Whether she says yes or no, he's determined to be okay with it for her.

Ita McNairee: *she bites her lip, looking up at him and cocking her head, rubbing his back with an odd look about her*

Ita McNairee: d10: per emp (wp): 2,7,4,10,2,

Aerin Thomas: d10: Per+Emp Back! (WP): 1,6,4,1,7,9,3,

Aerin Thomas -> Ita McNairee: He's nervous, yes. He didn't expect to be this nervous about it. Whether she says yes or no, he'll accept it, and although he'll be a little disappointed and stressed if she says no, he'll just deal with it and move on.

There's also, under his current mood, a deep sense of stress and depression still about him, but he's shoved it down. Something for him to deal with later, when their lives are less harried, dangerous, and stress. Right now, it's forget the past, forget the failures, focus on the now and what needs to be done. And that plan is...somewhat working, though not completely.

Ita McNairee -> Aerin Thomas: (Ita's uncertain. she very much wants to be with aerin, and will be, marriage or not.. and would be doing the blushing bride thing right now.. were it not for memories micha. and lex and aerin wanting an open relationship.. and the troubles there-in. she's thinking of joe as well.. there's so much in the way at the moment. she's tired and scared despite the happy front, and very much waiting for the axe to fall. this was probably not the best time to ask)

Aerin Thomas: His lips purse gently, and he sort of...draws back, without actually pulling away. "Never mind. Forget I asked for now...sorry." He keeps his expression calm, smile remaining present, only slightly muted. Accepting.

Ita McNairee: *she slips a hand up to tug his hair, pressing a kiss to his lips* darlin.. ah love ye. *she sings it quietly against his lips, rubbing his scalp through his hair* Love ye, an am gintae be wie ye. aye? *worried, making sure he knows, brown eyes a little desperate*

Aerin Thomas: "I know, love." He nods a little bit, smile quirking a bit, eyes shutting. "Always."

Ita McNairee: Aerin.. *she wimps softly against his cheek, lips finding his jaw, hands stroking him softly* .. jes fer noow? promise.. ? jes fer noow.. thes should aul 'appen when we've a moment tae take a breath. aye? wance we've talked about et.. *she grives a grin agains his neck and nibbles his ear, lullabying* och.. ye didnae expect yer gypsy nae tae barter.. ded ye?

Aerin Thomas: "No, I guess not." He chuckles slightly at that, and nods. "It's okay, love. I get it. Don't worry about it."

Ita McNairee: good. coome.. 'elp me put tha wee wans tae bed, an we'll gawn break soome commandments.. *a nip to his neck, she slides her hand down his chest with a jingle and moves away across the kitchen, glancing over her shoulder at him as she gathers the babyboy, a wink and an adoring grin*

Aerin Thomas: "All right." He nods a little bit and moves Tori to a slightly more comfortable position against his chest, looking to the little girl with a soft smile, waiting to follow Ita out of the kitchen.

Ita McNairee: *she gathers archie and takes the garou's hand, little scott jingling down the hallway to lead him away. he needed comfort and reassurance, she was sure, and physical was as good as any*

Aerin Thomas: ((FTB))