Tomorrow was it. The big day.
Wiley couldn't help but grin to think about it, how just twenty four hours from now he would be receiving an award for his achievements on the track team representing the college he attended. And even better? Kenai was at home waiting on him. The native had been planning this night for a few weeks now, ever since Wiley had informed him of the award and the banquet that came along with it. Of course Wiley didn't really know how long Kenai had been planning this night. He'd yet to be informed that anything special was happening being the native was determined to keep this a surprise for him. The giddy reward recipient was jogging home thinking that maybe Kenai was sick. The native usually stuck around even after all of his classes had ended to watch his lovers track meetings, but today the boy had gone home directly after his last lecture ended, only stopping long enough to tell Wiley he wasnt feel so well and wanted to go home to take a nap instead.
It was strange, but Wiley was certain it simply meant his lover had caught a cold or something that was going around their school. It wasnt common for Kenai to get sick but it had to happen sometime,
The worst possible time.
His big ceremony would be tomorrow and if Kenai couldn't come with him then...
Wiley wasnt sure what he would do. This was going to be one of the biggest days of his life and he wanted to share that with Kenai. But he supposed if his lover truly was sick then maybe he could ask Denahi-
Except Denahi would be at Sitka and Shiloh's house with Bane to celebrate their babies third birthday. Normally he and Kenai would have gone too, Sitka and Denahi's children both adored him. But if he was feeling bad enough to skip out on a track meet then Wiley was certain he'd be so sick that any plan for tomorrow would be cancelled in favor of rest.
He'd be all alone for his award banquet.
Wiley was already considering what would happen if he didn't show up when he finally approached his and Kenai's home. It was between where Sitka and Denahi lived, walking distance to their sacred willow tree. His lover had sat him down one day and asked him what kind of house he wanted, and after hearing everything he'd started on their forever home. Their family helped out, of course. Kenai did the most of it though.
The blonde still couldn't help but swoon as he approached to see the white porch, complete with a swing and blue shutters, a darker blue like to door to stand out against the softer shade coating the home. Kenai had all the lights off, but for some reason the backward seemed to be glowing.
Odd.
Wiley let himself inside, immediately calling out for his lover as he began flipping the lights on. There was no reply, but before he was able to worry Wiley rounded the corner to the large window over looking their backward. Kenai was hanging upside down from a branch of the large oak tree that he'd hung Wiley's tire swing in. He was doused in the soft glow of Christmas lights and candles that were lining the very back edges of their yard, seeming to lead down the jogging trail they had made together. The young native had grown substantially since their time as kids, but he was still the same little bird. His dimples were deep and his eyes the same warm honey color. He smiled radiant as the sun and he did it every day. He had grown much taller though, like Sitka, but his body was solid to match Denahi's. No more knobby knees or scrawny elbows. Kenai was growing into a man, and watching him was a blessing to Wiley. He loved to see the stages his lover went through, and he was happy that he got to experience them all.
As he opened the sliding glass door to greet his lover, Kenai swung himself down from the tree to meet him.
"Kwanita, you're finally home!" He was being enveloped by the native's caramel colored embrace, but only for a moment. Kenai was letting him go rather suddenly, leaving him with a soft kiss to the forehead before backing away.
"Now we can have our race!"
What race?
Wiley never had a chance to question his lover. Kenai was already kicking up dirt and heading down their trail in the hopes of gaining a head start.
And this was why he loved the boy so much. All these spontaneous and precious moments that left Wiley completely breathless, even after all these years. The track star took off after his wildly grinning native, so giddy now that his own cheeks were aching with the strength of his smile.
The entire trail was lit up, showered in the twinkling lights that were strung in the trees and the brightly burning candles that lined the way. He had lost sight of Kenai by now, but he could still hear the boys laughter ringing through the woods. This assured him that he was close, and it only had Wiley running harder, faster. He could never let Kenai win, it was his specialty and the native loved it. He adored seeing Wiley run, how free and joyful he was while sprinting and working out his muscles. The only thing that ever made his adrenaline pump faster or his heart beat harder was when he was touching Kenai. Other than that, running was the closest he came to the feeling and it was exhilarating.
Wiley was certain he was about to catch up to Kenai It seemed as though the trail ended not to far up ahead where there seemed to be a small clearing.
It was until the boy was already at the end that he realized where the lights had lead him. It was their willow tree, still standing strong and waving its hanging branches as though to say hello. The scaring of where Kenai had written of their love still stood out, but now there seemed to be fresh carvings, the bark still green as it dried.
"Wiley Grace Abercrombie,
You are my north,
My south,
My east,
My west,
My working week
And my Sunday rest
Will you
Marry me.
Be my Kwanita
Forever.
- Kenai "
Wiley was still blinking up at the willow tree in awe, even beginning to move forward in the want to trace over the letters when Kenai's arms caught him by his slender and race ready hips.
"My dear Kwanita, loving you is what makes me a man. Loving you....It's what my life is devoted to. God blessed me the day he gave me you, and today he'll be blessing me again if you say yes."
Wiley was unable to breathe in these moments, staring into the honey brown warmth of Kenai's eyes and being settled and embraced so completely in the native's loving hold. Saying no never once crossed his mind, he'd known ever since they'd met that one day he would marry Kenai, without a doubt in his heart. But it was hard to articulate his thoughts at this point, with his eyes blurred by the welling tears and his throat all but closed off by the intensity of his love. Kenai seemed to understand though, grinning his radiant and deep dimpled grin as he slipped a tiny black box from his pocket. Inside was not only a diamond ring complete with a tiny band, there was also the necklace they had spoken of a children. A betrothal necklace, hand carved by Kenai depicting a tiny bird sitting in the light of the sun.
And the band, Wiley was so entranced he didnt realize the engraving imprinted into the inside. Kenai took pleasure in showing him though, laughing giddily as he pointed out the two simple words.
"My Kwanita."
Still unable to summon his speech, Wiley could only press in for a kiss, smiling against Kenai's lips then as he felt the native slipping the rings onto his finger. The necklace was next, but Kenai had slight trouble with this. He was so over joyed and excited to be engaged that he couldnt seem to stop the trembling in his fingers, but eventually he managed.
As soon as the clasp clicked into place, the two were inseparable with how they held eachother, yanking away clothing and endlessly molding their lips together in the heat of their passion. They eventually landed with Kenai hovering over his golden boy, settled on all fours as he stroked Wiley's hair and swore fiercely of their love against his neck. Their bodies rolled together like ocean waves, and Wiley is almost able to make out a constellation of stars settled on the native's shoulder, but his vision is blurred at the edges as Kenai pressed into him, and then it is gone all together when he is finally and completely consumed.
When his vision finally returns, the only thing Wiley can clearly focus on is the mole on the native's collar, a dark speck among the caramel expanse of skin. It was the only thing keeping him together now, when the pleasure of Kenai coursing through him was threatening to send his eyes rolling once more. Wiley focused in on the dark star and sent his lips after it.
They were completely breathless and spent afterwards, but somehow Kenai was still able to roll Wily on top of his chest as stroke his fingers along the boys side.
"If we keep this up, pretty soon me and you will have a kid like Sitka and Denahi." The Native was grinning cheekily as he so often did, his dimples deep and his eyes seeming to glow their warm honey color even in the darkness. "Except I think our kid will be...I don't know, I dont want to sound arrogant but our kid is so going to be perfect. I hope it looks and moves like you, so graceful and golden. Thats what will set him apart, you know? Having a blessing from god as a mother." Kenai wasnt the scrawny little boy hanging upside down from their willow tree anymore. He was still cheeky and always smiling, making others laugh so hard they cry. But he was confident now, like he had a little secret key to the future and knew how wonderful it would be. He was tall enough to to use Sitka's shoulder as an arm rest, and his shoulders were threatening to broaden even more than Denahi's. The boy was the perfect mix of his brothers, with the sweetest personality possible.
And he was in love with Wiley.
It was too good to be true.
Maybe God really had blessed him.
Wiley leaned down, an pressed in for a kiss.
He never found that warmth again. Instead the boy found himself groggily blinking his eyes open, slowly becoming aware of his actual surroundings. It was his trailer, the home he'd moved into after leaving Sitka and Shiloh.
After losing Kenai.
Oh god, no.
The boy was scrambling to get up, his neck cracking with how frantically he was looking around the tiny space. This was impossible. He could not accept this, Kenai had to be here. That was no dream, it couldnt be, not again.
But there was nowhere to hide in the trailer, and Wiley was a werewolf now. If Kenai was breathing, if his heart was beating.....
Wiley would be the first to know.
His little bird was gone. This had happened before when he'd had such vivid dreams, but every time the grief is enough to collapse him just as it did the day his caramel colored future departed.
And just as those other times, he couldnt bring himself to believe it. The reality was unacceptable and Wiley found himself stumbling around the tiny home in his panic before nearly flying from the front door as it struck him to check the willow tree. Kenai had proposed to him there, once as kids and then again. It was real.
It had to be.
It was late December by now, and the early morning air was biting through any clothing Wiley had thought to wear. He'd been so frantic he hadn't stopped to dress. This left the boy to face the cold in nothing but a thin cotton night shirt and a pair of sweat pants. It was little protection but Wiley wasn't concerned. His adrenaline was pumping too fast for him to actual feel the sting of the weather. It wasnt enough to numb the ache in his heart through. Nothing was ever enough.
Kenai was alive though.
This was just a bad dream.
Except it wasnt.
The willow tree hadn't changed much in all the years. It welcomed Wiley under its low hanging branches, where it protected Kenai's grave site from the constant snow fall.
Kenai's grave.
His little bird was here, but buried.
The tree bore the same scars it always had, and nothing more.
It had been a dream.
A terrible, wonderful play on his imagination.
It was cruel.
And it left Wiley wailing, alone and trembling without even the warmth of his dream to soothe him.
