<3 Married At First Sight </3

She giggled softly. "Really?"


Ian turned towards the door raising an eyebrow in question. "Want me to get it?"

"I've seen a calf break a man's hand. They are cute and affectionate but don't know their own strength. They also like to suckle on fingers because cows do not have teeth in the upper jaw."

---

Paige took in a breath, eyelids fluttering. "Gunpowder. Chemicals. Not safe to." She moved as if to get up, pupils jumping between her and the other, since she was clearly going to try and stop whoever was there.

"I've never gotten to be around a baby cow. I'd like to experience that one day maybe."


He nodded watching her and then the door.

"It upsets me that bulls born to a dairy farm are slaughtered a week into their life." Leonidas admitted. "A waste of life always aggravates me."

---

Paige managed to get to her feet, stumbling into the wall and shut her eyes as if dizzy, features briefly flickering as she tried to shift and failed.

Amber flinched lowering her eyes to the bed. "A loss of life is always a sad thing."


He reached out to grab her arm and steady her.

"Especially death that can be prevented. Of course they are used for something productive but...I oft wish they could live longer lives."

---

There was another loud thump at the door and the sound of someone trying the handle.

Paige let out a guttural noise, full body trembling as she tried to force the shift again.

She smiled softly. "I agree. Every being should have the best chance at life."


Ian clenched his jaw as he looked to the door. "You don't have to shift. I won't allow them to touch you."

"Of course, life isn't quite as perfect as we make it out to be." Leonidas rolled his eyes almost half heartedly. "Perhaps we should rest, rather than speak of such grim topics."

---

"I don't care about that," Paige bit out. "I don't want them hurting you." She tossed her head, like a trapped horse and said, voice little more than a hiss and barely human, "You're mine and they can't have that." It was something she had obviously been trying to hide, but her territorial instincts were strong when she felt threatened.

"We should. There will be much time to talk in the days to come." She agreed scooting over to make room on the bed for if he wanted to join her.


Ian fixed his gaze on her. "I'm able to care for myself. I don't need anyone to protect me."

Leonidas made to check on Hester once more, giving the snake a delicate stroke of a fingertip to his head and being given a flicker of tongue in return before he crossed the room towards her.

---

Paige stiffened and replied, clearly struggling to keep speaking while her other half was still desperate to change, "That will not change my feelings, nor will it change an instinct born of centuries of my kind. Should it be a problem, let me know. I'm not going to shut half of myself down because I cannot control an age old feeling." And, before he could reply, she ducked around him in order to stand between him and the door at the same time the door opened, barely even flinching when she took two bullets, one to the shoulder and another to the gut.

Amber couldn't help but smile watching him with his pet.


Before he could even reply she moved and the shots went off. "What the hell is going on?!" He made to move around and see who was there.

"Would you like me to turn out the light?" Leonidas asked, paused at the end of the bed.

---

"My brother did warn you," Paige muttered, stalking with shaky steps towards the man in the doorway who was almost calmly reloading a gun. "Men pay a pretty price for the chance of my head." By the time the gun was lifted again, Paige had the hunter by his arm and, with an almost casual wrench, broke his arm and pushed him to the floor as he cried out in pain.

"Oh well um yes alright." She whispered with a tiny nod of her head.


He watched her with a sort of fascination he didn't realize was present earlier.

"Unless you wish to sleep by the glow of the lamp?" Leonidas hesitated at the quietness of her voice, feeling as if he had made her nervous.

---

Despite being barefoot, Paige lifted a leg and slammed her foot down on the throat of her assailant to a sickening crack and squelch of his windpipe, ignoring the gurgle from beneath her as she let go of his arm, clawed fingers coming back bloodstained. Her focus was on the corridor, body in a defensive posture and eyes wild and inhumane. She was so still it looked as if she wasn't even breathing.

"I do not mind either way. If you would like the light to remain on that would be fine." She answered after a moment with a small shy smile.


Where most other would probably be upset by watching this he wasn't. He even moved to lean against the wall closet to her and touched her arm. "Breath...it's alright."

"Sleeping in the dark is of no trouble to me." Leonidas offered with a smile of his own, moving to switch the light off and throwing the room into darkness. The only sign he had returned to the bed was the shifting of the covers and the slight dip of the mattress.

---

Paige looked at him from the corner of her eye, stance still protective and watchful, eerily reminiscent of a lioness on lookout. Then, suddenly, she chose to lean in, rubbing her cheek against his throat and shoulder in a moment of scenting before making a huffing noise and staring down at the body with her lip lifted in a silent snarl, toes curling against the carpet and fingers twitching at her sides.

Amber rolled over onto her side so that he would have a bit more room. Curling up a little on herself as she faced him.

"The treats gone..." He soothed lightly moving a strand of her hair back behind her ear. "Come over to the bed and rest now."

"Would you prefer for me to keep my distance?" Leonidas asked, voice quiet and soft.

---

Paige rocked on her heels towards him and then stepped away, just so she could shove the body out of the door, shutting it, fumbling briefly with the locks and then glaring at it, as if she could make it safe by sheer force of will alone. Her fingers were still twitching and now, instead of being still, she was breathing short and sharp, head turned in such a way she could see him as well as the door and even the window.

At first Amber remained quiet but only for a moment in which he would be able to feel her slowly inching closer. "No that won't be necessary."

"Would you prefer if we left here?" He questioned wondering if being somewhere else may help her to relax once more.

Leonidas was quiet himself for a moment before murmuring, "Then, if I may..." his arm gently settled over her waist, carefully pulling her to be held against his front.

---

"Just..." Paige finally managed to say, eyes drifting fully away from the door to him. "J-Just stay close until the anger goes. I've frightened Paige off." She gave a slightly hysterical laugh. "Thought I was going to hurt you too. No. No. Just keep safe. Always safe, have to be safe. Can't be taken, won't be taken." She gave a violent shudder, pacing to the window. "Hardest, always the first time is the hardest. Never know what it's going to be like, the first time." Her hand snatched out the grip the windowsill, plastic bending and creaking under her grip. "They could have gone after you and hurt you and the first instinct is always the worst, always..." she began rambling, shoulders hunching. "Have to look after, can't lose. Won't be happy, can't lose, hurt too much, hurt, no..."

Amber shivered gently at this the feeling being different for her but one she welcomed. She soon enough snuggled into him with a small content sigh as she moved her own arm around him.


"I'm right here an I'm safe, you're safe as well..." He attempted sooth her crossing the room as she did to lay a hand on her shoulder. "You did what you felt you had to and it'll be okay now. Paige will return shortly and I'm still here." Ian continued to whisper lightly rubbing her shoulder where he his hand was. "Tell me...this side of you is Paige as well or do you have a name of your own?"

"If you ever feel uncomfortable, just let me know. I will not be offended," Leonidas murmured quietly into her hair.

"The same for you." She whispered tipping her chin up to see his face in the darkness.

((I edited the post above for Ian.))

Leonidas pressed a kiss to her forehead as she tilted her head up and murmured, "I wish you a good night then, habibti."

---

Paige let out an almost pitiful whimper and pressed her face into the crook of his neck and shoulder, hands lifting to almost desperately tangle in his shirt. "T-They aren't allowed. Not you. Family is different, you're the first and the anger bubbled over and drowned out everything else because...because you're mine and hers and...They aren't allowed." Very slowly she started to calm, beginning to shiver before mumbling, "M - My name is Emuishéré. The one before thought it funny to call me a kitten. A-And I'm sorry for letting it get ahead of myself, I thought I was better than to...than to...I can't explain it." She made a noise of anguish and fell silent.

A blush crept across her cheeks as she lowered her face into his chest with a quiet "good night 
Leo..."


Ian encircled her in his arms rubbing small circles on her back. "Shh just breath. Nothing is happening to me I'm perfectly fine and in one peice. I'll remember your name but I may shorten it to make it easier...but for now just talk to me. Tell me what you mean by 'I'm the first'."