Of Little birds and Gods Grace

Wiley could only beam as the crown was place upon his head.
"Awww, bird!" He cooed softly, hugging the boy tight around his waist. "I love it so much, they're my favorite flowers." He reached up to gently run his fingers over them. "I wish I made you one." He whined lowly. "But it's okay, I'm excited anyways."

"Since you are so excited, Kwanita."  Denahi smirked down at the boy. "Why don't you start with your little vows, eh?"  The older native had positioned himself between the two, not having to say anything to make Kenai reach for Wiley's hands. "The two of you will exchange words, get the wedding bindings and then share a meal.  The best we can manage right now."

"Oh wow uh... I didn't plan anything." Wiley chewed his lower lip nervously, swaying back and forth as he held onto Kenai's hands. "So these are gonna be dumb and I'm sure yours will be really really sweet and great." He paused then, trying to think of words that could even begin to describe how he felt about his little bird. "Kenai. I always thought you had to be older before you could fall in love. Shiloh never brought boys home and he's really an adult. And I always thought that even when you find love, it usually fell apart, like my mom and dad's. But you make me feel more loved than anyone in this world and I'm only fourteen. And I already know that nothing could ever make me stop loving you. I promise I won't ever let our love fall apart. I know people will think we're just little kids having a fake wedding in their backyard but this is going to be real one day. I promise that I'll marry you for real one day. I will always be your Kwanita and I hope even when we're older than mean old crocodile and bears claw, you will still think I am a gift from God. I promise to always be with you and to make you smile every day and thank God that you have me. I promise that I'll do the same and I'll never stop smiling for you and giggling and kissing you under our tree. I vow that we're gonna have a long happy life together, little bird. And I vow that you won't be unhappy for any of it." He smiled softly as he finished, his eyes wide with his adoration for the Native boy in front of him. He hoped that one day their actual wedding could be under this tree as well, with the same paint markings on their cheeks.

"Oh Kwanita."  Kenai spoke breathlessly, his heart feeling as though it had lodged itself into his throat.  Happiness bubbled up in him, so much of it that the young native couldn't hold it all in.  His joy was in the pin-prick tears gathering at the crinkled corners of his eyes and the deep dimples as he smiled. It was the way his chest was heaving and his hands fumbling, all because there was so much love, he wasnt sure how to express it to the boy.
Wiley had always been better with words than him.
He wished he could gather all the syllables it would take to explain his love for the boy, but Kenai knew there wasnt any.  His feelings for Wiley were unbound. 
"Wiley."  His eyes were like honey, bright and rich with the intensity of his adoration.  Where was he to begin?  There was so much....
This, and this, and this.
"Little bird loves you more than anything. More than one soul should be able to love another.  Its unearthly, and stronger than any force that may try to challenge us. I have dreamed of our future together ever since the first day. Its always different.  Sometimes we go to college together and I get to linger around your class room and wait for you to get out, give you sweet kisses when your professors arent looking.  Other times im able to sit on a bench in a crowd and watch you run, your pink heels licking the pavement and teasing me.  I know what those heels feel like beneath my fingers.  You always win."  Kenai reached out to carefully brush a golden strand of hair out of Wiley's face. "Sometimes little bird sees himself trying to be a musician.  I dont ever dream of music though, just my fingers gliding over you like I am playing an instrument.  I know you so well and I steal your breath away each time.  Your giddy giggle is as sweet and pure as spring water. I have seen you as a social worker, always helping children and coming home tired but fulfilled.  You always lay in my arms and let me play with your hair.  You whisper my name against the crook of my neck, and I can feel your teeth when you smile."  Now that he had began, the words wouldn't stop coming.  So much that he loved, so many aspirations for the future they would make together.
And this, and this.
"Other times, and these are some of little birds favorites,"  His grin was sly and bright, dawning like the sun. "Kwanita tells me that he loves me by our kitchen sink.  We have a home, its small but its really cozy.  You wear a ring on your finger and I wear one on mine.  Usually you carry with you a little tan skinned baby, with blonde curls and blue eyes. You kiss me then, and we are happy. I hear birds in that one, too." The young Native's fingers intertwined with Wiley's. "No matter what though, my dreams always have you in them as the star, Kwanita.  I can taste the rest of my life when I kiss your lips, like blackberries and honey and just sweetness. After loving you like this, Kenai would be ruined for anyone else.  To me, you are a gift from god, nothing like a normal human.  You are ethereal and you catch a golden halo when the sun strikes your hair. I am lost in the way you race the wind and you win!  You are too beautiful to be bound by the heavy gravity that catches us all.  You are my favorite touch.  Your fingers always slide against my jaw so tender. The birds will sing of us for ages to come, because I echo our song every night with your name on my lips.  Our love will transcend all time and distance and we will be together forever. You are half of my soul, as the poets say.  Kenai will always be blessed to have you, his gracious gift, his best friend, his husband, his Kwanita."  
And Kenai kissed him, almost before Denahi had even been able to raise his hand.

Wiley had tears filling his eyes as Kenai kissed him. It was the longest kiss they'd ever shared, Wiley refusing to let it end. He was squeezing Kenai so tightly around the waist that his arms ached. It was a while before they broke apart and Wiley simply grinned at his new husband.
"I love you more than anything, little bird." The blonde boy murmured softly, still pressing Kenai close to him and keeping their foreheads resting together.

"But not more than Little bird loves you." Kenai answered back playfully, his dimples deep and his smile cresting. Denahi was passing him a tiny bag then.  The younger native reached inside and picked out two rings.  They were both wooden, cypress to be exact.  And polished to a fine shine. Kenai had carved them himself, leaving an engraving on the inside of Wiley's that read "My Kwanita." 
"Alright,  Put it on his finger and I will pronounce it." Denahi urged softly, watching with amusement as Kenai fumbled to slide Wiley's ring onto his finger.

Wiley giggled softly as he helped Kenai get the ring on his finger. Then he took the bag himself and plucked out Kenai's ring, slipping it onto the Native boy's finger with ease. He admired their hands together then, thinking the rings were the prettiest thing he'd ever seen other than Kenai of course.
"Okay, are we ready now crocodile?" He spoke eagerly, bouncing lightly in his excitement.

"One more thing."  Denahi spoke confidently but honestly he wasn't completely sure of what he was doing.   Sitka had only mentioned these few things when questioned about it. But the older native certainly wasn't going to let Wiley and Kenai know that he wasn't a professional.   The boys looked at him as though he could do anything.  Invincible.  
Denahi loved it.
"We have this jam you two made.  Exchange feeding eachother some of it and then I'll announce you husbands."

Wiley did trust Denahi about everything without even questioning the older boy. Their mean old crocodile was older and wiser. He knew everything. Wiley wanted to grow up to be just like him.
"Okay!" He chirped happily, reaching out to grab the jam, opening the jar and extending it to Kenai in front of him. He dipped two fingers into it then, getting a good bit of the sticky substance on his fingers before holding them out to the Native boy, giggling all the while.

Kenai's entire face blossomed red as Wiley offered out his fingers.  Slowly his hands came to rest at the boys hips, gently tugging him closer until Wiley's fingers could slip past his lips.  The jam was sweet, and of course his favorite flavor. It left the native wanting more, wanting to taste it against Wiley's lips.  Carefully he cleaned the sticky sweetness away with his tongue, taking extra time to tickle in between Wiley's fingers. When he finally pulled away, his pants felt tight in a way he wasnt accustomed to, but Kenai decided to merely ignore it.  They could take about that later, when Denahi wasnt watching. 
"Okay! Little birds turn!"  Kenai mimicked the boys movements, taking two fingers and scooping them into the jar before offering them out to Wiley.

Wiley couldn't stop his happy giggling as he leaned in to take the other boy's fingers into his mouth. He cleaned them thoroughly, enjoying the sticky sweetness against his tongue. He pulled back after a moment with a soft "mmm" sound, grinning up at his boyfriend. He too felt a strange sensation in his stomach but he thought nothing of it, merely so happy to be here doing this.
"Now are we done, crocodile?" He bounced on the balls of his feet, holding Kenai's hand tightly although now they were both sticky with jam.

"Yes Wiley, now you are done." Denahi playfully rolled his eyes at the boy.  He had meant his words to be harsher but the two were simply too adorable, their laughter contagious.  "Crocodile pronounces you married. Kenai and Kwanita Sandoval. Congratulations, chicken shits."  
Kenai was so happy he couldnt even bring himself to groan at the name, his arms flying around Wiley and holding tight around his waist. "My Kwanita! You are officially my husband now! We must have our first kiss as a married couple!" The young native left Wiley with a chaste kiss to his nose, turning to climb up the willow tree and onto a branch where he fell backwards, his knees hooking around the bark with skill. It was the only thing Kenai had ever excelled at. "Now kiss me Kwanita! Little bird loves to kiss you like this!"

"Okay but you have to come back down then so I can hold you!" Wiley beamed brightly as he took Kenai's face in his hands, bringing him in close for a deep kiss. It was different than their usual ones, more real and passionate although of course it was still sweet and innocent, like always. "I love you." Wiley spoke breathlessly as he pulled away, leaning back in for one more peck on the lips.

Kenai was so dazed by the kiss that he nearly fell from the tree, only managing to catch his balance at the last moments when Wiley's words brought him out of his trance.   "Kwanita, I  love you too.   But those words just don't do my feelings for you justice.   No words can express what you mean to me."  The young native lowered himself back to the ground,  his arms immediately reaching for Wiley once more.   He never wanted to let go of the boy. "I'll show you what you mean to though.   Im going to live my entire life proving to you how much little bird adores you, Wiley Grace Sandoval."  He spoke the name for sheer enjoyment.

"My name isn't so bad anymore now." Wiley smiled shyly at the other boy. He still preferred Kwanita but hearing his full name now made him extremely happy. Wiley Grace Sandoval. It was so much nicer than Abercrombie. "And you're right, the words aren't enough to tell you what you mean to me but I like saying them anyways. I love you, I love you, I love you, little bird."

"Forever and ever? To the moon and back?"  Kenai prompted softly, feeding off the boys words.  Wiley told him every day, over and over again, but the young native never got tired of it. In fact, it only made him want more.  He wanted Wiley completely, in the most innocent of ways.  But he knew that in time, he'd want the boy in other ways too, like Denahi wanted Bane.  That would be okay.  He and Wiley would cross that bridge when they got to it, but the most important thing was that they would cross it together.  He would never let go of his Kwanita.  No one would love the boy right.  They would love him, of course, no one could help but to fall in love with that smile.  But no one else would know to hold him around the waist so that when they started to tickle him he couldnt get away.  No one else would understand the overcoming joy he felt at merely watching Wiley succeed.  Thee boy could do anything.  He was heaven sent and made of start dust and day dreams.  Kenai loved to watch him win, racing the birds and the wind itself, his perfect pink heels laughing at the young native as they sped away.
God, Kenai loved it.
Wiley would always come back to him, panting and smelling sweetly of fresh sweat. Kenai lived for those moments, loved the way Wiley's eyes crinkled when he was so happy.
It would be that. Always. For the rest of their lives.  As long as Wiley would allow it.  Kenai would never leave him. If the young native had words to speak such a thing, he would have.  But nothing seemed big enough for it, to hold the swelling truth of his admiration and adoration and just love for the boy. He was reaching for Wiley's hands then, but he didn't have to look at them.  Those hands were etched into his memory, graceful, slender and petal veined, strong and quick and never wrong. 
"Little bird loves you to a million pieces and back again, Kwanita." But still, that would never do his love for the boy justice.
Kenai would just have to prove it to him, for as long as he would live.

A few nights later and it was finally the day they'd been waiting for. Tonight, they were supposed to join the wolf pack they'd been observing for the past month or so.
Wiley was beginning to get cold feet.
Denahi had told them to get ready because they were leaving shortly. Wiley had gotten dressed up in his best clothes, the ones he had used to wear when Shiloh would take him to church on Sunday mornings. He didn't know why but he felt like this was a special occasion he needed to dress up for.
The end of his human life.
He was getting scared, though.
A million questions were running through his head as he sat under the willow tree, waiting for Kenai and Denahi.
What if it hurt? What if he hated being a werewolf and then it was too late to go back? What if being a werewolf changed him and made him mean like the wolves that had hurt his big brother? What if there was a reason there were all these werewolf hunters, what if they really were all bad? What if he turned into a monster?

Denahi approached first, whistling softly in amusement at the sight of Wiley all dressed up. He didn't get to say anything though, Kenai was flying up behind him, tackling Wiley around his waste and rolling them both over into the grass. 
"Oh wow! Kwanita you are so gorgeous! All the flowers must be so jealous."  His smile was quick and sly, but still brightly sweet. The young native hadn't dressed up himself.  Instead Kenai had worn what he had gone to bed in, an old black tank top of Wiley's with the boys carrheart jacket buttoned up over it.  His pants were leather, something Sitka had made by hand.  And he had a crown of flowers sitting on his  head, an array of pink and white and purple. It was for Wiley of course, something he had picked and woven earlier in the day while waiting for the boy to show up.  They had come as soon as he had heard the birds singing their song.
"Is something wrong, Wiley?"  Suddenly Kenai's face was still, his drown eyes gleaming with concern.  He could feel the boys tension, knew the way his Kwanita breathed when he was happy and knew the glint in the blue of his eyes when he was troubled. Carefully Kenai placed the crown upon the boys golden curls, his tanned fingers coming up to cup Wiley's chin.  He tugged the boy up for a chaste kiss, his lips landing again on Wiley's nose and forehead when he let go.

Wiley let his arms wrap around Kenai's neck, looking up at the boy as their kiss broke apart.
"I'm nervous." He admitted quietly, his blue eyes cloudy with his worry.
He never admitted to being scared about anything, especially not when Denahi was involved. He never wanted the older boy to think he was just a little chicken shit. But this was different tonight. He had a bad feeling about this. "I... I don't really know if I want the bite, little bird."

"Y-You don't?"  The smile dropped away from Kenai's face, his brown eyes darkening with concern.  The young native never missed a beat though, immediately gathering up Wiley's hands and bringing them to his lips. "Well thats fine Kwanita! You don't have to do anything you don't want to do! Little bird wants you to be happy! The bites not that important."  His smile was back, affectionate and understanding.  He loved Wiley more than words could say.  He didn't care that the boy wanted to back out of the bite. "You are perfect the way you are, Kwanita.  A perfect gift from god. It probably wouldnt be right to change you anyways." His words were fiercely sincere, his lips still falling onto the boys fingers.

"Are you sure?" Wiley questioned hesitantly, pressing a soft kiss to Kenai's cheek. "I don't want to be a chicken shit." He murmured, his eyes flickering towards Denahi. "I just don't think it's a good idea... are you still gonna do it?" Really, he wished the boy wouldn't. But Kenai had been so excited, he didn't want to stop him from being happy.

"Course he's going to do it.  He isn't a chicken shit like you."  Denahi grunted teasingly at the younger boy, though honestly he doubted that Kenai would want to go through with it anymore either.  The boy always seemed to stick with whatever Wiley wanted to do, even though he himself had been so excited that he hadn't slept the night before. 
"Oh you shut up! You mean old crocodile!"  Kenai huffed back at the older native, his hands coming to wind protectively around Wiley's waist. "My Kwanita is not a chicken shit just for not wanting the bite.  You leave him alone before little bird skins you!" The youngest of the Sandoval's pressed the boy flush against his chest, hesitating a moment to think about what he should do.  He really hated to go now if Wiley didn't want to, but it would really be worth it when he was able to make his Kwanita proud of him.  But more than anything Kenai wanted the strength.  He knew what those werewolves had done to Wiley's brother, and if he himself was a werewolf then he would never had to worry about anything happening to his Kwanita.  He would be able to protect the boy always, from everything. 
"Little bird still thinks he will go though.  The bite will be good for him." Kenai decided finally, tired of always seeming so pathetic compared to his strong and graceful brothers.  His only skill was tree climbing and bird talking.  He didnt even do a good job of picking blackberries because he ate so many of them. 
That would all change today.

Wiley forced a soft smile, not wanting to keep Kenai home with him just because he had chickened out.
"That's okay. Good luck, you guys... I'll wait by our tree for you to get back. And then you can give me kisses with your fancy new fangs." He giggled softly as he rubbed their noses together lightly, then pressing a soft kiss to Kenai's lips.
He was sure the feeling of dread looming over him was just because he was nervous for them. Everything was going to be just fine.

"Hey,  hey!"  Kenai's voice was soothing, his smile gentle and tender ad he reached out to caress Wiley's cheek. "Kwanita, If you don't want me to go just say it and you know little bird will stay with you." He would never go and do anything if it would risk Wiley's love for him.  Kenai didn't want to get the bite if Wiley didn't want him to have it, no matter what he himself thought.  "But if not, we can always use our bird calls."  The young native pressed a playful and sloppy kiss to Wiley's lips.  "I'll have the birds sing to you every thirty minutes."

"Okay, the bird calls." Wiley nodded his head, reaching out to hug Kenai tight to his chest. "That works. You can go... just be careful, okay little bird?" He gave a soft smile, pressing his lips to the boy's cheek and lingering there before pressing soft butterfly kisses all over his face. "And make the birds sing every twenty minutes instead, alright?"