I Promise They Don't Bite (Atten Lewis)

Scowling at her laptop Reign debated for several long seconds about just throwing it through the window. Of course as that probably wasn't covered by home owners insurance or the computer's warranty she ultimately just sighed and slouched back in the dining room chair. This was not going as well as she had hoped.

The table looked like it had while she was writing her dissertation, covered in books, journals and notes and she had precious little to show for it. Reign had gotten it in her head she wasn't going to be able to play forever (despite the fact that the woman consistently ranked behind her had more than a decade on her) and was hoping to get herself published in a journal or two and lay some ground work for teaching. Maybe. It could happen, if she didn't throw the computer through the window. Funny how much came back to that.

Shoving her glasses on top of her head she rubbed her eyes and tried to think of a way to twist her thesis around or to reorganize what she'd already written in order to make clearer and more convincing. As she did so she quickly came to the conclusion she needed a second opinion. Either from the professor who'd advised her on her dissertation or from her father.

As if thinking of pop and home was some sort of trigger an email notification popped up in the corner of her screen. It was from her mother. Without opening it Reign had a good idea what the gist of it was, was she coming to visit at all this summer. She hadn't been back since the holidays and had to admit that it would be nice to sneak back for a few days. She always meant to visit more but for one reason or another never seemed to get to it. It would be nice to see everyone and maybe catch a Cubs game, even if she did have to buy tickets off a scalper.

The more she thought about it the better it sounded. And if the family was expecting her... well maybe. Yeah. It wasn't too soon and if you don't ask you don't get all and all that. Reign thought she'd send her mom a quick note saying she'd get back to her. That was the plan any way, but when she went to put her glasses back in place she found that they'd gotten caught in her hair. Rather convincingly too, it was going to take a minute to get them free without resorting to cutting her hair.

Lewis Kearney 11 years ago
Lewis reached out and gently helped Reign with her glasses, smiling as he unwrapped the tangles. "You know this isn't good for your hair. Causes split ends. At least, that's what google says."

After a few moments, he pulled her glasses free and put them right on her face, giving them a slight push up the bridge of her nose. He leaned in and kissed her gently before leaning a hip on her desk. Lewis peered at her computer and restrained himself from wanting to defrag it.

They had been together a year now, much to everyone's surprise, considering how they had started out. A rather thrown together one night stand with the Alpha's personal friend, and after the Beta nearly tore him to pieces over it, he continued to see Reign. They were pretty happy, at least he thought so (again if Cosmo online was correct), but he was happy and she seemed happy, so they must be happy. He had to stop over thinking these things.


"Is the writing not going well?"
Reign 11 years ago
Reign stopped fussing with her hair and held still when she felt Lewis helping. He tended to be better about this sort of thing than she was. Which was a bit awkward as both the hair and glasses were hers; although, Reign did have to concede that he had a better view of the problem.

"Google is right more often than not."

She agreed with a rather bemused smile of her own. Much sooner than if she'd done it herself her glasses were back in place and she kissed him back.

It really was an absurd start to a relationship but Reign knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth. What she'd come to find out in the course of a year though was that Matt really was a very good guy and she genuinely cared for him. Given her past relationships Reign was a bit reluctant to put a more specific word on things; but she missed him when she was touring or he was on duty and worried when he couldn't say what was going on with the Pipers.

His question brought a rather inarticulate reply that very clearly conveyed frustration.


"Not so well I couldn't stand to be distracted. I'm -way- out of practice. Do you think they'd publish footage from my last match instead?"

She asked hopefully despite knowing how absurd the idea was.

Glancing back at the screen, apparently her mouse had hovered over the pop up notifying her of the email. The name, Sorensen, Regan sat there and stared at her it was a bit of a distraction not as much fun as Reign's first though but certainly a distraction.


"I got an email from my mom."
Lewis Kearney 11 years ago
Lewis admittedly did not know if publishing a video of her playing was a good idea or not. "I like watching your videos. I've even learned a little bit from watching you." Granted watching her bend over and angle her hips this way and that usually led to other things when he did watch her, but he left that part out and just gave her a knowing smile.

He perked up at the mention of her mother.
"I wish my mother emailed more, but she's not as into the internet like I am. Well...neither are my brothers and sister. And my father." Lewis was a bit of an oddball that way, being the only technically inclined one in his large family. His brothers weren't Pipers, but involved in other physically demanding careers, and his sister was still in college in anyway.

"Are you going to read it? Want me to leave?"
Reign 11 years ago
That expression was a good look for Lewis and Reign gave him a lopsided smile in return wiggling her eyebrows slightly.

"I haven't practiced yet to day..."

In this day and age when families seemed to be getting smaller it was an odd thing to have in common but Reign liked that Lewis had a big family and a good relationship with them. It was sort of... well sexy.

"As much as I love her, there are days I wish ma would unplug."

Her mother and one of her brothers were something intimidating with computers. She'd learned enough to sound smarter than she was and when not to ask for details and that was enough for her.

"No. No need to go, I know what it says."

Reign picked up one of Lewis' hands and toyed with it while she turned the idea and the phrasing over in her head one more time. She was a big fan of his hands, she found them both strong and elegant, even down to the odd scars on the finger tips. She was a little nervous asking him but there was no point not going for broke.

"How'd you like to take a long weekend up in Chicago and meet every one?"

And she did mean every one. Two parents five siblings a brother-in-law, an infant niece, and a fiancée and possibly one set of grandparents. No pressure or anything.
Lewis Kearney 11 years ago
Lewis considered her request. Meeting her family. Hmm. Red had asked if Reign had mentioned anything about meeting her family members, to which Lewis replied in the negative, but thought it would be a nice thing until Red started to flail his arms and declare that meeting parents was a horribly bad thing. Lewis wasn't quite sure why. He loved his own family, looked forward to spending time with them, so why wouldn't he want to spend time with Reign's family? Red assured him that it meant commitment and not just sex, to which Lewis asked that wasn't being steady with Reign already implying commitment? Red left shaking his head, still leaving Lewis confused.

With a smile, Lewis shrugged.
"Sure, I've never been to Chicago. Not in the reals, at least. Their city computer grid is archaic, but improving." He stopped a moment and added, "Plus I'd love to meet your family. If you want me to."
Reign 11 years ago
Reign had no problem believing that Lewis had hacked or otherwise played with whatever internal systems Chicago had for anything from the school system to the police and anything in between. Instead of saying anything she just laughed and kissed him rather enthusiastically pleased he'd said yes so easily and with so little drama.

"If you think that's bad, wait until you see the public transportation."

Parts of the 'L' were over a hundred years old. But that was part of its charm.

"Awww Matty of course I want you to meet them. I love you. Really I should have asked you sooner but... well..."

It was a little bit of a surprise to be in love again. But Matt was so easy to love. He was one of the very best guys she'd ever known. Deep down honest -good- like very few people were any more it seemed. Not to mention he was a hell of a roll in the hay and made her laugh, what wasn't to love.

"It'll be fun. We'll have a cook out, take you to the beach, with lots of sun screen, and hit a Cubs game if they're in town. If you want to be a tourist I'll even take you to the top of the Sears Tower. And the family is going to love you."

It didn't take much to decide he'd fit in nicely. It might take a second or two but no one clicked with a family immediately. It really should be fun and Reign was excited.

"I'd like to meet your family too some day."
Lewis Kearney 11 years ago
Lewis found it funny that his inner monologue sounded suspiciously like Red.

Dude don't say it don't say it don'tsayitdon'tsayit!!

Lewis ignored the voice and reached out, pulling a bit of stray hair away from the side of Reign's cheek.
"I like it when you say that."

O. M. G. dude! DON'T!

"I think my family would love you-"

Matt, I swear to god. DON'T SAY IT!

"As much as I do."

Oh, see. You said it. Not cool, man. Not cool.

He did love Reign, Lewis was one hundred percent certain, despite his Inner Voice screeching otherwise. He appreciated the voice - it always let him know that whatever it was suggesting, the opposite was the right choice.

"Yeah, it'll be fun. When did your mom want you to visit?"
Reign 11 years ago
There was no way around that, it was just good to hear that. Loving some one who loved you back was damned special, not to put to fine a point on it.

With a smile she touched her forehead to his for a second, yup it was a very good thing.


"She didn't say for sure, just this summer yet. I haven't told her I'm bringing you with me yet either, but it will be fine. They'll be thrilled."

Of course her mother was rather anxious to meet Lewis, but Reign knew that by how careful Regan was when talking about her daughter's boyfriend.

"And they don't know about the wolf thing either... just FYI."

While not at all worried that Lewis would spill the beans or anything like that, it was just a heads up. Reign was having a hard time figuring out how to bring up werewolves to her family in general. Let alone that she was dating one. It was... complicated.

"Its really up to you, when you can string a few days off together without things melting down. I can promise reliable wi-fi and a basement to spread out in if something comes up though. I don't have another match until..."

Reign made an odd face while she tried to remember her schedule.

"End of September, beginning of October. I forget which."

All that time on her hand was part of what had inspired this miserable attempt at writing too. But that was another story.
Lewis Kearney 11 years ago
Lewis nodded about not mentioning anything pack related. That went without saying, even if they did know, but he figured Reign had a lot on her plate trying to explain her life to her family, if she planned on doing it. It was all he had ever known and his family stayed so deep within the pack that dating a human was actually out of the norm for him. Not that he dated much before Reign, anyway.

"I can go whenever. Things within have finally settled down and I can leave without worrying."

Without explaining the fallout of last November, Lewis could comfortably leave the computers behind without Dougie doing god knows what to them. Whether he was dead or not, whatever happened to him, Lewis hoped it wasn't a quick, painless death. That was another story, though.

"Just tell me when and I can clear it with LT, I mean Charlie, no problem." Lewis shook his head and felt the guilt seep in just mentioning LT. Demoted and suspended all in one swift move, Charlie had stepped up to the Lieutenant slot, and flawlessly at that. Weird turn of events since last winter.
Reign 11 years ago
"Well that's good. No more near death experiences for a while? I highly approve."

Reign did her best to keep her tone light and cheerful almost teasing. The truth was, however, she worried. The whole thing that had resulted in Matt's scar and gravely voice was a great example of why. There was a lot he couldn't tell her and Reign understood that and did what she could to be supportive.

Quietly squeezing his hand she didn't ask about or dwell on the LT/Charlie thing. It couldn't possibly be an ideal situation. Pipers were Pipers and a change like that... well... any way.


"Good I like this plan. I'll check with ma and see what she says. I was thinking the weekend after Labor Day maybe?"

Traveling with a horde of people on one last desperate attempt at a summer vacation was not her idea of a good thing. Crowds, rushing, lines; no bueno.

"Do you want to get a hotel or anything?"

Her instinct was no, he wouldn't want that. Although, while there was more than enough room in the big old house you never knew, sometimes it was a good thing to have a place to retreat to. Especially if you were out numbered. Either was was fine, she just wanted to cover all the bases.
Lewis Kearney 11 years ago
"After Labor Day works." Again whenever didn't really matter right at that moment. The Alpha was settled, his brood constantly protected, and he could monitor the Den from anywhere in the world. Lewis considered whether or not a separate place to have outside being with her family and wondered why it would be necessary.

"If that's what you want. Don't you all stay together? My family will resort to camping out in the yard, but that isn't too out of the norm, really. Did you want to get a hotel? Just us?" Lewis grinned, wondering if that's what Reign was suggesting - just time alone for the two of them. He liked spending quiet time with Reign, but he figured she would want to spend a lot of time with her family, too.

"I'm good with whatever you want, Reign. Whatever makes you happy."

Lewis heard his Inner Voice screeching at the top of his lungs, freaking out over Lewis' easy compliance.

DUDE. Will it kill you to be a little selfish sometimes? YOU ARE KILLING ME.

Ok, that was the right thing to say, then.
Reign 11 years ago
"I think your family has an unfair advantage when it comes to camping. We've never resorted to tents but we have spread out through two houses and an apartment or two, or more..."

Sleeping arrangements under such circumstances tended to be very fluid but they always worked. It was the parking and moving of cars that was a pain in the ass.

How her fella managed to be both innocent and suggestive at the same time Reign hadn't figured out. She'd given up trying it was just part of who he was.


"You know I was going to say we should just stay there. But when you put it like that... I could be talked into a change of plans."

It didn't matter how old you got some things were just odd and awkward when your folks were about and you were hanging out in the house you grew up in. Well less the house and more the parents. Of course disappearing to a hotel was a whole other set of questions.

"We should probably just stay there, but I do plan on getting you alone at least some of the time."

Her grin was a borderline leer. They both had big families and knew it was simple enough to disappear for a few minutes here and there.

Yeah and right there was one of the reasons she loved him.


"It makes me happy that you want to do this. Its a big deal. The rest is icing on the cake."
Lewis Kearney 11 years ago
Lewis reached down and took Reign's hands. Nodding, he agreed to whatever she had planned, just as long as he could be with her.

Ugh...

Ignoring his Inner Voice, Lewis pulled Reign to her feet and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Alright then, we'll plan for after Labor Day. This will be fun. I'm kind of excited to meet your family, although Red would say otherwise. I don't understand him half the time though anyway."

Grinning, he kissed her softly, letting it grow as he inhaled her soft, sweet smelling scent.

((OOC ready to out if you are!))
Reign 11 years ago
Reign was more than happy lean into Matt as he wrapped his arms around her waist and she couldn't stop grinning. She was excited too, this was going to be a good thing, that's all she knew and the fact that he wasn't dreading it made it that much better.

"Good, I'm looking forward to it too."

And as soon as they found out about it no doubt her family would be as well. Reign didn't -always- see all of her siblings when she visited but she had no doubt everyone would turn out for this.

His comment about Red made Reign laugh, just a little.


"Yeah well I'm not sure I'd take Red home to my mother either so..."

Happily and willingly returning the kiss she mused that she just might owe Red a Christmas card or something though for half throwing Lewis at her almost a year ago. She'd think about that later though.

((OOC... yup I think we're out ))