He was as tall as he was tall, and his eyes were the color they were. To describe his hair one would say that he had some. His face had all the features you'd expect, and none of the ones you wouldn't. "There he is," people would often say of him, but only when he was there. And they were right.
FUCK PEOPLE WHO VOTED TRUMP. I hate you with all my heart and I hope you burn in hell.
but most importantly, FUCK PEOPLE WHO DIDNâT VOTE KAMALA HARRIS.
You thought you fucking did something by not voting, well guess what, this is partially your fault. You allowed this to happen. By not voting for Trumpâs opponent, you let him win. I hope youâre fucking happy with yourself. Good fucking job.
Now everyone will suffer the consequences of your actions. Not only you americans, but people outside of the US as well.
You thought you stopped a genocide supporter, but you allowed another one, who by the way is much much worse, to come into power (AGAIN). You keep talking about how the system needs to be changed or whatever, and you joke about overthrowing the government, and that votes change nothing. Yet you donât do anything. You want a revolution? Then fucking start one. Come on, change the system. Overthrow the government, go ahead. âBoth candidates are evil and I donât want either to be president!â THEN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
Oh, you donât actually want to do that? It sounds scary and impossible to achieve? Then you better at least fucking vote next time. Make a difference.
A/N: I usually don't write Stucky, but... I dreamed this story and couldn't get it out of my head, so here we are.
Warnings: Angst, mentions of smut (non explicit), emotional blackmail, allusions to threats of suicide, mentions of miscarriage. Happy ending!
********************************
The sound of laughter rang painfully in Bucky Barnesâ ears as he downed his glass of scotch. Sitting at the bar, staring at the corner table, where the former love of his life appeared to be having a great time with his work friends. The music in the dim room wasnât quite loud enough to drown out the joking laughs and joyful conversation being had, leaving him to wallow in self pity as he watched Steveâs face light up with a big smile. He could still remember when Steve looked at him like that. Bucky dug into his pocket to take out his phone, having heard it vibrate several times in the past few minutes. Unsurprisingly, all the messages were from one person- his best friend, Mackenzie.Â
Mac: Hey baby, are you coming home soon?
Mac: It's getting late, the bed is cold without you!
Mac: Hello? Earth to Bucky?
He fought the urge to roll his eyes, a sick feeling washing over him at the thought of going home to her. Mackenzie had been his best friend since the first day of college. They met in their first class, and clicked immediately. Although, for the past few months theyâd been carrying on as more than friends, sleeping together regularly enough that she had practically moved in. Not that he had asked. The sick feeling intensified as he thought about how things had spiraled this far- heâd gone from having everything, to feeling alone and trapped.Â
Seven months ago
Sunlight filtered in through the curtains, and Bucky felt Steve shift in his arms as he began to wake. Bucky squeezed his arms tighter, not wanting to end the morningâs relaxation just yet.
âBuck, I have to get ready for workâ.Â
âFive more minutesâ.Â
Steve groaned in protest, but ultimately gave in. They had been officially dating just under three years, since junior year of college, and Steve still couldnât say no to him. Eventually, the two of them were forced to get up and ready for the day, Bucky swinging the bedroom door open to put on a pot of coffee.Â
As the two of them sat in comfortable silence at the kitchen table, Buckyâs phone started to buzz. With a frown, he checked who would be texting him so early.Â
âItâs a text from Mac.âÂ
âBig surprise.â Steve responded sarcastically, a less-than-enthusiastic tone in his voice.Â
âShe says she has something important to tell us.âÂ
âLike what? Sheâs decided to change careers yet again?âÂ
âSteve, thatâs not fair. She wants to find whatâs right for her.â
âI guess.â Steve mumbled, turning his attention back to his coffee.Â
Bucky knew Steve and Mac werenât as close as they used to be. Ever since he and Steve had become a couple, things were different between the two. Neither of them would ever admit to it, but despite Buckyâs best efforts to make them both feel important in his life, he couldnât help but notice the subtle eye rolls and underhanded comments. The three of them still got together often, but there was always an underlying tension.Â
That tension had been amplified since a specific drunken night out last month. The three of them were celebrating Steveâs promotion, drinking copious amounts of alcohol and hitting multiple clubs. Common sense flew out the window as the three of them stumbled through the door to Steve and Buckyâs apartment, somehow ending up on the bed together. Bucky couldnât remember who started it, but they had ended up having a threesome that night. It wasnât the first time Bucky and Mac had done this, but never with Steve, and not since he and Steve got together- their hookups had always been casual, with no strings or feelings attached. The next morning, all three of them decided to chalk it up to the alcohol, and leave it at that. After all, Mac was just a friend- she knew that night could never be anything more.Â
Bucky texted her back, telling her to come over after work. He kissed Steve goodbye before heading out the door, earning him a glowing smile.
âIâll see you later. Love you.â
âI love you too.âÂ
******
That evening's events would change the course of all their lives. Mackenzie came over as planned, hanging up her coat and greeting both men with a tight hug. The three of them sat down in the living room, so Mac could share her news.
âSo, something happened today. And it involves you two.â Bucky and Steve glanced at each other in confusion as Mac took a deep breath in.Â
âIâm pregnant.âÂ
Words evaded him. This was certainly not what he was expecting. Thankfully, Steve recovered from his shock faster.Â
âAre you sure? Have you seen a doctor?âÂ
âYes Steve, Iâm sure. And the dates line up with our little mishap, so one of you is the father.âÂ
âMac, I donât know what to sayâŠâ Steve trailed off, looking to Bucky to step in.Â
Buckyâs mind was running wild. A baby. Either his or Steveâs. Would Mac want to raise it? Did she want them to be involved? The longer he pondered, the more he realized this was good news. He and Steve had already talked about having kids one day. The timing wasnât perfect, but when would it be? And, the mother would be their best friend- what could be better than that?Â
Finally, he gathered his thoughts enough to break the silence.
âMac, we love you. We will support whatever you decide. But, I want you to know, I think this is good news.âÂ
âReally?â A smile grew quickly across her face. âI think so too! The three of us are always going to be in each otherâs lives anyways, we can raise the baby together! One big, happy family.âÂ
The visit didnât last too long after that, the two men soon wishing Mac goodbye and closing the door behind her. Steve had been suspiciously silent, and Bucky knew they needed to talk privately. He took Steveâs hand, leading him into the bedroom to sit on the edge of the bed.Â
âSo, what do you think?â He prompted softly. Steve took a breath, as if considering his words carefully.Â
âBuck⊠I donât know. I can see youâre excited and I donât want to ruin that, Iâm just not sure about this. It sounds like sheâs expecting us to all be a family. As in, she wants to be part of our relationship.âÂ
âI'm sure thatâs not what she meant. She just wants us to be involved with the baby.â Bucky moved his hand to Steveâs cheek, turning his head to look him in the eyes. âYou are it for me. I want to be with you. I want a family with you. I love Mac, but not the way I love you.â
Steve leaned into the touch, sighing. âOk. As long as she understands that boundary, Iâm in. After all, we were gonna have a kid one day anyways.âÂ
Bucky crashed his lips against Steveâs, muttering promises about how happy they were going to be.Â
Three months agoÂ
âI donât know what you want from me, Buck.â Steve looked as if he had nothing left, as if exhaustion had taken all the fight out of him as he stood across from his partner in their bedroom.Â
âI want you to be as upset as I am. But youâre not.â Bucky ran a hand through his hair, equally exhausted and in a much worse headspace.Â
One month ago, Mackenzie had told them she lost the baby. Bucky felt like heâd been punched in the gut. For three months, heâd been building a picture of his future family. Heâd been imagining making breakfast for Steve and their son or daughter, and living the life he had always wanted for them. Then, it was all ripped away. Mac was as devastated as he was, but for some reason, Steve hadnât reacted the same. Steve wasnât acting like this was a major blow, and it made Bucky mad.Â
âWe lost our baby, Steve! How are you not more upset? Didnât you want this too?âÂ
âOf course I did! Itâs justâŠâ Steve trailed off, looking away guiltily.Â
âJust what?âÂ
âIâm not convinced it was actually on the table.âÂ
That comment took Bucky aback. âWhat do you mean?â
Steve took a deep breath, his shoulders sagging under the weight of what he was about to say. âIâm not sure Mac was being honest about her pregnancy.âÂ
âWhat the hell are you talking about?â Now he was angry and confused.Â
âDonât you think the timing was a little strange? I made a comment about us getting married and moving to another city, and all of a sudden sheâs pregnant. She wouldnât let us come to any doctor's appointments. Then, when I start to question why she isnât showing, suddenly sheâs not pregnant anymore.âÂ
Bucky doesnât know what to say. Steve isnât making any sense. Unfortunately, Steve isnât done.
âAnd look whatâs happening now. Ever since the miscarriage, sheâs practically glued to you. Sheâs here all the time, she makes you go everywhere with her. She wonât talk to anyone else about it, not even me. In fact, sheâs done everything she can to cut me out so she can be alone with you.â
âNo. Youâre being ridiculous. Sheâs just upset, and she knows you donât like her.âÂ
âOf course I donât like her!â Steve raises his voice, the pressure of the last month finally breaking through his usual calm demeanor. âEver since we got together, sheâs done everything she can to keep her hooks in you. We try to go on vacation, and she gets into a fight with her mom and has to come with us. Every time we go out, she has to sleep here. She has other people she can lean on, but does she? No. Because it has to be you. I know sheâs your best friend and you care about her, but wake up! She will never let us have a life without her!âÂ
âThatâs not true, she wants us to be happy. At least she's been supportive. It feels like you donât care.âÂ
Steve runs his hands through his hair hopelessly. âI think I need to leave.â
Bucky deflates, the fight having left him. âMaybe youâre right, we should take a breather. We can talk tonight.â
âNo, Buck. I need to leave you. I love you so much, but I canât stay in this spiral with you anymore.â
The ringing in his ears prevented any other sound from getting in. He watched, paralyzed, as the person he loved most in the world gathered his things and walked out the door. He wanted to yell, cry, anything, but all he felt was numb. The worst part was, he couldnât even blame Steve. Bucky knew heâd been in a bad place, and that he took out his anger on Steve. He knew that Mac constantly needing support was draining on their relationship. Not knowing what else to do, he texted her and told her what happened.Â
Less than an hour later, she was there, sitting on the sofa with him.Â
âBucky babe, I know youâre sad, but maybe itâs for the best?â
âHow is this for the best? I wanted to marry him, and now itâs all gone to shit.âÂ
Mac takes his hand, stroking it with her thumb. âHe didnât understand, Bucky. He didnât care about the baby like you and I did.â
Mac leaned in, pressing her lips to his. Bucky broke the kiss quickly, shaking his head.
âThis isnât a good idea.âÂ
âCome on, Buck. Weâre both sad, we both need this. It can be casual, like when we were in college.â She leaned in again, kissing up his neck. Maybe this would make him feel better.Â
He picked her up and took her to bed, mindlessly going through the motions. Needing to feel something, anything, he began thrusting into her like his life depended on it. It all felt wrong. She wasnât him.Â
And, as he would quickly find out, âcasualâ isnât what Mac wanted. Over the next few weeks, they had sex another handful of times, always in a haze of sadness and regret. Mac spent more and more time at his apartment until she was practically living there. He tried to tell her that it was too much, but every time he started the conversation, she would break down crying, telling him how upset she was. Every time, he chickened out of telling her he needed space, drowning his sorrows in alcohol instead.Â
Present
Bucky stared at the messages on his phone, not having the energy to respond. Mac had been getting more and more possessive of him. She always had to know where he was, and what he was doing. Bucky knew she was sad and wanted to be there for her, but it was all too much. He missed Steve more than he could ever say. Thatâs why he had been sitting at this bar every night for the last week- he knew it was right next to Steveâs work. Tonight was the first time heâd seen him, and it lit a spark in him he hadnât felt in months. Yet, he wasnât brave enough to approach. Maybe Steve hated him for ruining their relationship. Bucky couldnât handle Steve hating him.Â
Lost in thought, Bucky hadnât noticed footsteps approaching him until it was too late.
âBucky?â
He turned slowly, already knowing heâd been spotted. Steve stood but a few feet away, looking Bucky up and down, a concerned look on his face.Â
âOh. Hey Steve.â Real smooth, Jackass. He could have smacked himself for how feeble that greeting sounded.Â
âWhat are you doing here?â
He couldnât admit the truth, so he made up the first thing that came to mind. âI was walking by, and saw this place. Thought Iâd stop in for a drink.â
Steve nodded, but didnât say anything. Unable to stand the silence, Bucky continued.
âSo⊠how are you? You look good.âÂ
âIâm alright I guess⊠you lookâŠâ Steve paused, seeming to ponder his next words before dropping the awkward pleasantries.Â
âYou look terrible, if Iâm being honest. Whatâs going on, Buck?âÂ
Embarrassment took hold as Bucky panicked over what to say now. He couldnât admit how pathetic heâd become, how lonely and depressed he was. He would have to lie his ass off to salvage any dignity he had left.Â
âItâs just been a long day. Iâm fine, really.âÂ
He could tell Steve didnât believe him, but thankfully, he didnât press the issue. However, what he said next made Buckyâs blood run cold.
âSo, you and Mac are getting serious now huh? She must be thrilled.â Steveâs voice dripped with contempt, as Bucky almost choked on his drink.Â
âWhat?â
âShe posted on her social media that sheâs living with you.âÂ
Shit. He hadnât been checking socials lately. âOh, yeah, but weâre not together. She just thought it would be good for us.âÂ
âBuck⊠she told me you two are a couple now.â
âWhat? When? You must have misunderstood her post.âÂ
Steve looked more concerned than ever as he moved slightly closer to Bucky, locking eyes with him. âIt wasnât a post, Buck. I came to the apartment a week after we broke up because I wanted to talk to you. Mac answered the door. She said the two of you were together now and that you didnât want to see me ever again. Did she not tell you I came by?âÂ
The ringing in his ears was back. Mac never told him Steve tried to see him. He spent the last three months thinking Steve left and never looked back. He always made it as clear as possible to Mac that he wasnât in love with her. He always thought that deep down, she understood that. Why was she telling people they were a couple?Â
âI have to go.â Bucky stood quickly, completely overwhelmed. He felt like he couldnât breathe. He could hear Steve calling after him as he rushed out the door, but he couldnât stop. He had to confront Mac.Â
He burst through his apartment door, out of breath. It turns out running is a lot harder after a few glasses of scotch. From the sound of it, Mac was in the shower, so he waited outside the door. A few minutes later, she emerged wearing a towel, smiling brightly when she saw him.
âBabe, youâre home! Why didnât you text me back? I thought we could shower together, but I got tired of waiting. Want to hop back in?â She winked suggestively, which did not improve his mood.
âMac, we need to talk.âÂ
âOk. About what?â
âI saw Steve today.â
Her smile faltered. âOh? Iâm surprised he wanted to see you. I mean, after the way he dumped you, I figured you wouldnât want anything to do with him.âÂ
âHe said he came to see me after the breakup, and that you sent him away and told him we were a couple.â
She scoffed, walking towards the closet. âWhat a liar. He just canât stop messing with your head.âÂ
âIâve known Steve a long time, and one thing he isnât is a liar. Heâs not cruel either. He wouldnât tell me something like that to mess with me.âÂ
âMaybe you donât know him like you thought you did.â She shrugged dismissively, throwing a robe over her body and striding back over to him. She ran her hands over his chest, stepping in close. âLetâs forget about Steve, and have some fun. What do you say baby?â
âEnough!â He had finally reached his limit. He took a step back, pushing her hands off him. âIâm sorry, but Iâm not doing this anymore. I am not your boyfriend. I told you over and over that we were never going to be together like that. I donât want to hurt you, but I need you to move back to your own apartment.âÂ
Mac stood speechless for a few moments, before her lip started to quiver. Bucky felt like the world's biggest asshole as tears began to fall from her eyes, and she threw herself onto the bed sobbing.Â
âMac⊠fuck, I didnât mean to make you cry. You can stay here tonight, I just think we both need some space. The way weâre living isnât healthy.âÂ
âIâm just so depressed, Buck.â Her words were interrupted by soft sobs. âI canât do this without you.â
He sighed, sitting down next to her and taking her hand. âYouâre stronger than you think. And Iâll still be here, as your friend.â
She sat up, looking into his eyes, her face red and puffy. âI need you. If Iâm alone, Iâm afraid of what I might do.âÂ
His stomach started to churn. He didnât see that coming. âWhat do you mean?â
âI just⊠might do something bad. But I wonât if youâre with me. You help me get through anything.â She squeezed his hand, smiling up at him.
He sat with her until she fell asleep, then moved to the couch for the night. He couldnât spend another night with her glued to his side, not after seeing Steve today. This was supposed to be the end, but now he felt more trapped than ever. How could he turn out his best friend when she might hurt herself? Part of him knew that there was a chance she was manipulating him, but what if she wasnât? After all, theyâd been friends for years- surely she wouldnât lie about something like that.Â
Bucky settled in for a sleepless night, his mind reeling and his stomach in knots.
*******Â
The next few days went by in a haze. Thankfully, Bucky was able to focus on work during the day- at least there, he could distract himself. As he packed up his things to head home, he decided he would walk instead of taking a cab. Maybe some fresh air and exercise would help him feel more like himself. The glass doors to the office swung closed behind him, and he breathed in the crisp evening air.Â
âBucky.â
He spun towards the voice calling his name, coming face to face with Steve, who offered a small smile.Â
âSteve? What are you doing here?âÂ
âI need to talk to you. Can we sit?â He gestured to a nearby bench, and Bucky nodded, following him to it and sitting down.Â
âSorry I bolted the other night. I wasnât feeling well.â
âYou looked like you hadnât eaten or slept in days. I called three times because I was worried about you. Finally I decided to just track you down.âÂ
Bucky shot him a confused look. âYou didnât call.â
âYes I did.â Steve looked confused also, but it only lasted a second before something dawned on him. âGive me your phone.âÂ
Tentatively, Bucky handed it over, and Steve tapped a few times on the screen before turning it to show what he had found.
âMy number is blockedâ.
âSteve, I swear I didnât-âÂ
âI know, Buck.â Steve interrupted. âIâm guessing Mac did that.âÂ
âFuck.â The hits just kept coming. Bucky dropped his head into his hands hopelessly. He had given her the benefit of the doubt for so long, he had convinced himself that she meant well. Now, his life was destroyed because of his own stupidity.Â
âI donât know what to do anymore, Steve.â Steve reached out and put a hand on Buckyâs shoulder in reassurance, encouraging him to say what heâd been needing to say for months.Â
âIâm fucking miserable. At first I was sad about losing the baby, but thatâs not it anymore. I spend all my time with Mac, and every time I try to ask for space, she freaks out and I feel like a jerk. The more I try to get away, the tighter she holds on. I just want to be happy again. I want to look at the future and feel something other than misery, but it feels like Iâm being dragged down a little further every day.âÂ
âOh, Buck.â Steve shifted closer, wrapping an arm around him. âItâs going to be ok. I promise.âÂ
Bucky lifted his gaze to meet Steveâs, leaning into his touch. âIâm so sorry Stevie. I ruined everything.âÂ
âNo, you didnât. And Iâm the one whoâs sorry. I should have realized Mac was lying when she said you were together.âÂ
âHow do I end this? I told her that night after I saw you that I wanted her to move out, and she said she might hurt herself.â
Steve pondered for a minute, but quickly formed a plan. Bucky wasnât sure what exactly this would accomplish, but he was willing to try anything. Both men stood from the bench, facing each other. Steve reached out, taking Buckyâs hand. It felt so wonderfully familiar.
âDonât worry. Iâve got this.âÂ
 Bucky expected Steve to drop his hand as they walked, but he didnât. In that moment, walking along the sidewalk hand in hand with the love of his life, Bucky felt more alive than he had in months.Â
*****
Sitting in the dark of his bedroom, Bucky questioned for the hundredth time why they were doing this. Steveâs entire plan consisted of him confronting Mac alone, while Bucky hid and listened from the bedroom. Steveâs theory was that Mac would react differently without Bucky around.Â
From his hiding spot, he heard the front door open and close. Their voices carried clearly through the cracked door.
âWhat the hell? What are you doing in my apartment Steve?â
âThis isnât your apartment. And I still have a key.â
Mac scoffed. âWhatever. Just get out before Bucky comes home, or heâll be pissed you broke in.âÂ
âFunny you should say that. I ran into him earlier. It turns out heâs very unhappy here with you. He said he asked you to move out.âÂ
âHe doesnât want that, we just had an argument. Iâm his girlfriend, he wants me here.âÂ
âHeâs not here Mac, you can cut the bullshit. Youâre not his girlfriend. You know heâll never love you in that way, so youâre resorting to emotional blackmail to keep him with you.â
âOh yeah? Did he tell you weâve been having sex?â
Bucky inhaled sharply. He hadnât told Steve that yet. He almost expected Steve to give up on this whole thing, but instead he chuckled. Not the reaction Bucky was expecting.Â
âThat doesnât mean he loves you. Sex is his coping mechanism for grief, which you would know if you knew him like I do.âÂ
The silence from the other side of the door indicated that Macâs revelation hadnât had the effect she thought it would. But, she wasnât ready to back down.Â
âHonestly, it doesnât matter if he loves me or not. Heâll never leave me, heâs too afraid to hurt me. Face it Rogers, Iâm not going anywhere. He has a kind heart, so there will always be something for me to use to manipulate him.â
âLike a fake baby?âÂ
âYou canât prove I lied. And if you tell him I did, he wonât believe you.âÂ
âMaybe he wonât. But I know you were never pregnant. You used it as a way to drive a wedge between us.â
âGood for you, you figured it out. Now, you should leave, because the second Bucky walks in that door Iâm turning on the waterworks and telling him you yelled at me.âÂ
Bucky had heard enough. Mac wasnât who he thought she was. He swung the door open, and her jaw dropped upon realizing heâd heard everything.
âBucky-â
âGet out.â
âBut he tricked me! I didnât mean it-â
âGet the fuck out! I never want to see you again.âÂ
Tears began to run down her cheeks, but this time, he was unaffected. Steve came to stand next to him, taking his hand.Â
âYou heard him. Leave, now.â
Mac fled the apartment, and Bucky locked the door behind her. The second the latch clicked, it was as if all the anger and stress melted away, and he felt like he might collapse from exhaustion. He stood with his back against the door, letting it take some of his weight while he tried to come up with something to say to the man standing a few feet from him. His brain was fried from the turmoil of the past few months, and he was drawing a blank. Luckily, Steve could sense exactly what he was feeling. He always could.Â
Steve closed the gap between them, and wrapped his arms around Bucky, pulling him into a tight hug. Bucky wasted no time reciprocating the hug, tucking his nose into Steveâs neck and letting out a relieved sigh as Steve ran a hand soothingly through his hair. Standing there wrapped up in each other, Bucky felt like he could relax for the first time in an eternity.Â
He wasnât sure how long they were standing there, but eventually the two of them loosened their grips on each other.Â
âI love you.â Bucky blurted out the words before he could stop himself. He froze, praying he hadnât gone too far too fast.
âI love you too. I never stopped.âÂ
It was all the ammunition Bucky needed to press his lips to Steveâs. They maneuvered to the bedroom, as they had done so many times before, crashing down onto the mattress. This time, everything felt right.
******
Bucky awoke to the feeling of a hand running across his back. He smiled and cracked his eyes open, feeling well rested and content. Neither of them wanted to leave the bed any time soon- thankfully, it was Saturday, and there was nowhere to be but here.Â
They threw Mackenzieâs things out into the hallway that afternoon- âgood riddanceâ, Steve had said. The next day, they went to Steveâs apartment to pack up his stuff and move him back in. The two of them didnât want to lose any more time together. They had a lot to talk through, but ultimately, Bucky was just relieved that he had the love of his life back.Â
The moment you step into the bar with your friends, you're accosted by the sound of drunk college students and upbeat music. Being the only bar on campus, this place is always busy, and loud, and the floors are often sticky. Yet, you love it nonetheless. Some of your fondest memories of the past two years have been made here with your best friends, Nat and Wanda. Nat pulls you by the arm over to the bar, ordering a round of drinks for the three of you. You scan the crowd, recognising a few faces from class, waving a quick hello to a guy you did a project with last month.
After a few minutes, your eyes land on a small group of guys at a table by the dance floor, and you stifle an irritated groan. It's Steve Rogers, captain of the baseball team, and his friends. Steve is nice enough, you'd met him on a few occasions as he is good friends with Nat. It wasn't Steve who you had a problem with, but rather, who he always had with him. Bucky Barnes, another baseball player, laughs at something Steve says, throwing his head back. For some reason, Bucky had chosen you as the target for his relentless teasing some months ago. He always found a way to poke fun at you, anything he could do to get under your skin. It wouldn't be such an issue if you could simply avoid him, but sadly, Steve's friendship with Nat and Wandaâs crush on that British exchange student who's with them makes that impossible. Unfortunately for you, your attempt to hide yourself out of view fails, and Steve spots your group.
âHey! Over here!â Steve waves you all over with a big, happy smile. You can't help but smile back, and begrudgingly follow behind Nat and Wanda to their table.
As you approach, you try to keep out of Buckyâs eyeline, to no avail. He turns to you, elbow thrown casually on the tabletop.
âHey, Y/N! Why the long face?â
âI don't know what you mean.â you try to keep your tone neutral, but even you can hear the annoyance seeping through.
âOh come on, you look like you just found out you owe a thousand dollars to the IRS. This is a party, loosen up a little!â
âI'm fine.â
âWanna dance? I bet I can turn that frown upside down.â
âNo thanks. I'm good here. Why don't you go by yourself? I'm sure you have no problem making friends, wherever you go.â Your voice drips with sarcasm, despite knowing he really does seem to make friends everywhere he goes.
He shrugs, turning away and heading onto the small dance floor. You swear you see disappointment flash across his face, but dismiss it as disappointment that he won't get to humiliate you.
âYou know he likes you, right?â you jump at Steve's voice next your ear, spinning around to face him. He looks down at you with an amused smile.
âHe absolutely does not like me. He's constantly making fun of me.â
âHe's trying to get your attention.â
You give Steve a look, and he throws up his hands in mock surrender. âHey, I didn't say he was smart. He likes you, he's just not sure how to get you to talk to him.â
âAnd he can't just talk to me like a normal human?â You roll your eyes.
âWell⊠he did try. Remember that time we all went to the zoo? He spent the whole day trying to start a conversation.â
You remember that day. It was a few weeks after you and Bucky met. âSteve, he laughed at me when I tripped on the sidewalk at the entrance. Then, when we passed the chimpanzee exhibit, he asked if I liked bananas, as in, he thinks I look like a monkey.â
Steve looks at you with a confused expression for a few seconds, before a light bulb must light up in his brain.
âY/N, he wasn't laughing at you. There were kids pretending to be giraffes a few feet away from you, he was laughing at them. As for the banana thing, I think he literally couldn't think of anything else to say. You were so grumpy with him right from the beginning of the outing, he was trying to break the ice.â
Oh. You were so annoyed with him after that trip, you ignored him the next time you saw him. That's when the teasing had started.
You idly sip your drink, lost in though, until its empty. You look out at the dance floor, expecting to see Bucky dancing to his hearts content, but he's nowhere to be found. Glancing around, you don't see him anywhere. Suddenly, there's a tap on your shoulder. Bucky has come up behind you, two drinks in hand. He puts one down on the table in front of you.
âI saw yours was empty. Just remember, its for drinking, not throwing in my face.â He jokes, but now that you're paying attention, you note some nervousness in his gaze.
âThanks.â You take the drink with a smile, which clearly throws him off.
âWow, no snarky comment? What happened to the Y/N we all know and love?â
âShe's taking the night off. Actually, I might take you up on that offer to dance, if you still want to?â
He stares at you in shock for a second before he shakes it off, taking your hand and leading you onto the dance floor.
For the first time, you actually have fun with Bucky. The two of you dance for a bit, before sitting down with some fries. Now that you're actually talking to each other like grown upâs, he's funny. And sweet. And unbelievably handsome. You'd have to thank Steve later for clearing things up.
At the end off the night, before you part ways, you hug Bucky goodbye. He circles his strong arms around you, and you squeeze him back tightly.
Part two to this. Angst with a happy ending đ because Iâm a sucker who canât deal with leaving things on a sad note.
*********
You stretch side to side, trying to loosen your aching muscles. Your baby bump was steadily growing, the life inside you causing you to feel tired, nauseated, and achy all the time, but you wouldnât trade it for the world. Despite the fact that you were now going to be a single mother, you were excited for the arrival of your precious little one. It had only been a few weeks since you left New York, and it still broke your heart every time you thought of Bucky. You tried to keep a positive mindset, but it was hard- you lost the man you thought youâd be spending your life with. Your sister did her best to console you, which in her case meant cooking you obscene amounts of food (not that you were complaining).
You loved New York, but California certainly had beautiful weather. You grab a glass of water and a pillow, planning to go out into the back yard and lounge in the sunshine, when thereâs a knock at the door.
âCarla, someoneâs at the door!â You call out to your sister, but receive no response. You try again, but it seems sheâs nowhere to be found. Rolling your eyes, you waddle to the door, pulling it open. You stifle a gasp, as you lock eyes with the last person you expected to see.
âHey Y/N.â Bucky Barnes stands before you, giving you a small, nervous smile.
âBucky? What are you doing here?â
âI had to see you. I called around everywhere to find you- Carla swore you werenât here, but I thought I should make sure. Iâm glad I did.â
You feel the tears start to come, but you blink them back. You refuse to break down in front of him again. âWhy?â
He asks you if he can come in, and, not wanting to be rude, you gesture for him to come inside. You take him to the kitchen table, where you both sit down. You stay silent, waiting for him to explain, telling yourself to stay strong. He was probably here because he felt guilty. But, guilt isnât a good enough reason for him to commit to raising a child with you.
âY/N, Iâm so sorry. I was a coward. I was so afraid that Iâd be a bad father, that my past would only hurt my child, that I pushed you away. I was scared, Y/N.â
âAnd you think I wasnât? This was a surprise to me too, Bucky! All I needed was for you to be in it with me, to want it as much as I did. But you donât.â
âThatâs what Iâm saying! I was scared, but now Iâm not! Losing you made me realize how stupid Iâve been. I want this child, I want us to be a family.â
âOh, BuckyâŠâ you sigh, completely torn. Heâs saying what you always wanted to hear, and this time, it seems like he means it. But, you canât be sure if heâs just saying all this because he misses you. You canât be sure he actually wants your child, and without that certainty, you canât take him back.
âBucky, you know Iâll always love you, but I canât keep doing this. Iâm about to be responsible for another person, and I have to think of them first. You lied to me before- I canât risk that youâre lying to me now.â
âI know, fuck, I know. Iâll admit, I wasnât honest with you about my feelings. But that night after we fought, I forced myself to confront what Iâd been avoiding. Iâm sure now, I want to start a family with you, get married, all of it.â
He takes your hand in his flesh one, the warmth of it bringing you instant comfort. His touch always made you feel so loved, so cherished. But underneath it all, youâre still not sure you can trust him.
âWill you please come home with me?â
âBucky⊠I canât say yes to that. You broke my trust, and my heart. Iâll need to return to New York next week anyway for work, but Iâm not moving back in with you. My sister has been helping me look for apartments, we found a few that look promising.â
He looks as devastated as you probably did a few weeks ago, and it almost makes you break, but you hold your tongue.
âOk. I understand. Just know, I wonât stop trying to prove to you that Iâm serious about this.â
With a last goodbye, you see Bucky out. Itâs so hard not to hug him goodbye out of habit. Youâre left with a hurricane of thoughts flying rampant through your mind, torn in two opposite directions- believe Bucky and take back the love of your life, or stay cautious to protect your babyâs future happiness.
***********
After returning to the city, you move your stuff into your new apartment. Itâs small, but nice enough, and close to work. Most importantly, it gives you and Bucky some space to work things out. Over the next few months, you focus on work, trying to distract from your growing loneliness. You do your best to stay positive, but you miss Bucky. The only times you saw him now were when you bumped into him at work, and when he accompanied you to your doctorâs appointments. After you had gotten back to the city, Bucky had begged you to be allowed to come to all your appointments. At first you werenât sure, but you decided in the end that it wasnât fair to ban him from having any involvement- after all, he was the father. When you had your first sonogram, heâd been so awestruck by the tiny life on the screen you swore he stopped breathing for a second. When youâd found out the gender, he hugged you tight, overjoyed by the news of your little girl, and for a second, it felt like nothing ever changed between you. Of course you were glad that the two of you could still get along, but, it made your heart ache whenever he smiled at you, or held your hand. Part of you wonders if you made a mistake.
Youâre walking back to your office for lunch, when suddenly, you feel a sharp pain in your belly. You steady yourself, waiting for the pain to go away, but it doesnât, and youâre becoming increasingly worried. Without wasting any more time, you text Bucky. Heâs there in minutes, wrapping a supportive arm around you.
âBucky, somethings wrong. Thereâs this pain- â you interrupt yourself with a groan as another pang hits you.
âOk, ok donât worry. Iâm sure itâs nothing, weâll just go see the doctor to check it out.â
You nod, allowing him to escort you out of the building and into a cab. He holds your hand the whole way to the hospital, reassuring you that everything will be fine. Once youâve been examined, the doctor assures you that everything is fine- it appears that your superhuman baby is growing faster than average, and you will likely need an early c-section. You hear Buckyâs relieved exhale behind you after itâs all over.
Bucky insists on escorting you home, fussing over you the second youâre inside. It makes you giggle, watching him run around your apartment like a headless chicken looking for water, snacks, blankets, anything to make you comfortable. He helps you to the couch, and piles pillows around you like a soft cocoon of safety. Once heâs satisfied that you have everything you need, he takes a seat next to the sofa, facing you.
âThanks for coming with me to the hospital. I was so afraid something was wrong.â
âYou donât have to thank me, Y/N. I care about her, and you.â
âIâm starting to see that.â You smile at him, and he smiles back. Heâs been so supportive and present the last few months, itâs obvious heâs trying.
âY/N, Iâve been thinking⊠what if you moved in with me, just for the rest of the pregnancy? That way I could be there if anything happens, I can cook for you, and take care of everything so you can get lots of rest. Then, once the baby is born, you could move out again⊠or you could stay a few months, and I can watch her much more often since Iâll be right there, I can even take some time away from work to help out, and-â
âBucky!â You interrupt his rambling, astonishment and joy bubbling up inside you. Thereâs no doubt in your mind now, that heâs in this with you. It took some time, and a lot of heartbreak, but you see a certainty in him that wasnât there at the beginning.
âWell⊠what do you think? I promise Y/N, Iâm serious about this, I want to be part of her life, and yours, if youâll let me.â
Words escape you, so you do the first thing you think of. You lean forward, a difficult task given your baby bump, and press your lips to his. Itâs only a quick moment before heâs kissing you back, brushing your hair behind your ear the way you like. When you break apart, you donât go far, his forehead pressed against yours, your hands in his.
âIf it wasnât clear- yes, Iâll move back in with you.â
He lets out a relieved chuckle, as if he canât believe youâve agreed. âI wonât let you down this time, I promise. I will love you, and our little girl, until the end of time.â
âI believe you. And I love you too, so much.â
With that, itâs like the stress of the past few months melts away, and everything feels whole again. You have the love of your life, your precious baby, and a future full of possibilities.
Summary: When you suddenly face a major life change, youâre confronted with the reality of losing the man you love most in the world.
A/N: ready for some morning angst? Look no further! Itâs a sad one, folks.
My Masterlist
**********
Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. You repeat those words in your head as you will your breathing to slow, your hand clutched to your chest as you sit on your bathroom floor. The day hadnât started out bad- you went to work, chatted with your coworkers, picked up dinner, then went home to your loving boyfriend. At least, thatâs what you had thought he was. Now, you arenât so sure. Who knew that things could go so tragically wrong?
The problems started three months ago. You were happy, employed by the avengers as a PR manager, and dating the love of your life, Bucky Barnes. Youâd been together almost a year, and you swear it was the best year of your life so far. He was kind, funny, and truly one of the best people you knew. There was no doubt in your mind that he was your soulmate. Then, you got pregnant. It was a total surprise, neither of you thinking Bucky could even have kids. After a little time to process, you decided it was good news- you always wanted kids, and although the timing wasnât perfect, you couldnât imagine starting a family with anyone else. Bucky was stunned, to say the least. You were a little disheartened when he didnât jump for joy, but you supposed it was fair enough for him to need some time. A few days went by, and he eventually told you he wanted to be there for you and the baby, although, you got the sense he was just saying what he thought were the right words. As the weeks passed, Bucky continued to assure you that he wanted this, that he wanted to be a father, but you knew something was wrong. It took a while before you admitted it to yourself, but eventually, the growing distance and uneasiness between you showed you that he wasnât ready. He would never admit that anything was wrong, but you knew- his smiles didnât reach his eyes, he never wanted to talk about the baby, and he started coming up with more excuses not to be home with you.
It all came to a head tonight. You came home from work anxious, after one of your coworkers had bombarded you with questions about where you were going to live once the baby came, if Bucky had proposed yet, when you thought your wedding would be. You werenât in a good frame of mind when you came through the door, immediately coming face to face with your boyfriend. You knew it was a bad idea, and that you werenât in the right headspace, but you couldnât stop yourself- you asked him if he ever planned to marry you. He looked at you in shock, but didnât answer the question. Heâd simply said you didnât need to talk about that now, which made you even more upset.
âWhen are we supposed to talk about it then? You never want to talk about the future. Weâre having a baby, Bucky. You canât just pretend it isnât happening.â
âJesus, I know weâre having a baby! As if I could ever forget, Itâs all anyone can talk about!â
âBucky, you swore to me that you wanted this. Iâm asking you one more time, do you want this baby? Do you want a life with me? Because I have no interest in spending my life with someone who doesnât want to be there.â
âI canât have this conversation again. I told you Iâd take care of you, can we just leave it at that?â
A pit forms in your stomach. Even though heâs not saying it, you know where this is going. âNo Bucky, we canât. Taking care of us, and loving us, are not the same thing. I want to raise my child with a partner, not someone who resents me.â
Bucky took a deep breath, his eyes downcast. âI do love you. This is all just⊠too much.â
You could practically feel your heart shattering. Unable to hold back your tears, you retreated to the bathroom, locking the door behind you before collapsing to the floor, your body wracked with sobs. Deep down, youâd always known he didnât want this baby, but part of you hoped so desperately that you were wrong, that he would insist that he loved you, and would love your child. After a few minutes, you hear the apartment door open and close, and you know heâs left.
That led you to now, with you still sitting on the floor, cheeks covered in dried tears. Once you get your breathing under control, you slowly get up and crack the door open, venturing out into your now empty apartment. It seemed so cold without him. With no energy to do anything, you crawl into bed for a sleepless night. Itâs stupid, but you hope heâll come home and hold you, like he always does when youâre upset. Itâs almost the next morning when you realize he isnât coming home.
You get dressed, trying hard not to let new tears form in your eyes. Not long ago, you were so happy and now, everything was ruined. You know what you need to do. You pack a bag, and call your sister to let her know youâll be staying with her a while. She always begged you to visit her new house in California. As you leave, you drop a letter on the kitchen table, and take one last look around the place you had called home for the past six months before closing the door.
**********
Bucky knew he fucked up. He knew it when you told him you were pregnant and he couldnât even muster a smile, and he certainly knew it now. Even now, as he sat at the bar drinking away his sorrows, he couldnât shake the image of you crying as you ran to hide in the bathroom. It broke him to hear you sobbing behind the door, and he couldnât take another second, so he ran, like a coward.
He downed another whiskey, slamming down his glass and signaling the bartender for another. What was he going to do? He knew heâd hurt you, which is the last thing he wanted. You were the love of his life, the most amazing person he could ever dream of. Once upon a time, he would have wanted nothing more than to start a family with you, to have lots of children with you. That was before Hydra. Before his time as the Winter Soldier. How could he be a good father, when he had killed so many people? How could he be a good example for his child, with a past soaked in bloodshed? Your baby would have to go through life with a reputation for being the Winter Soldierâs offspring. Bucky had let these fears and insecurities eat away at him, until he ended up pushing away the one person who could have reassured him. You always made him feel like he could be anything, anyone he wanted to be.
Unfortunately for Bucky, Sam called while he was at the bar, and quickly surmised that something was wrong. Bucky ended up telling him everything, and unsurprisingly, Sam told him he was being an idiot. Sam reminded him that you were the best thing to ever happen to him. Sam also reminded Bucky that heâs been great with Samâs nephews- they think heâs the greatest man alive, so how could he think heâd be a bad father?
After the call ends, Bucky sits for a while longer, stewing in his own thoughts. He knows he needs to fix this. He canât let his worries get the better of him any more, not when heâs hurting the person he loves most in the world, and losing the family he always wanted.
Bucky pays his bill, and leaves the bar. The sun is starting to come up- heâs been out all night. He kicks himself as he realizes youâre probably so worried. He makes his way home quickly, wanting nothing more than to crawl into bed next to his beautiful girlfriend, and tell her heâs sorry. Heâs going to make sure you know he does want this baby, he was just being a coward. As he turns the key and swings open the door, heâs met with an eerie silence. Peeking into the bedroom, he notices youâre gone, and so is your coat. Strange, you never go out this early. Looking around for a clue, he sees a folded paper on the kitchen table. A feeling of dread washes over him as he unfolds the paper, reading your handwritten letter.
Dear Bucky,
I love you, more than you could ever know, and the last thing I want to do is hurt you. But, I know that you donât want this baby. Staying together out of obligation wouldnât be right, for us or our child, so Iâm setting you free. Please donât worry about me, I can do this on my own. I hope you get everything you want out of life.
Summary: your wolf takes you on an adventure youâll never forget.
Series Masterlist
********
You close your eyes and inhale, breathing in the woodsy scent surrounding you. Itâs early, and a little chilly, making you hug your coat tighter around you. You take a moment to focus on the sound of water charging down the river, breaking on the rocks by the shore. Suddenly, your ears pick up the sound of footsteps.
âYou ready, little human?â
You open your eyes, turning to see James approaching, a warm smile on his face. You never tire of seeing that smile. You take his outstretched hand once heâs near enough, giving it a squeeze.
âAbsolutely. Letâs go!â
He leads you by the hand towards the foothills. Heâs taking you on an âadventureâ, as he put it. As far as you know, heâs planning to show you one of his favorite trails, that leads to a beautiful viewpoint only a few hours walk away from the village. Part of you thinks he just wanted an excuse to escape for the day, and have a little time alone with you.
In the year that youâve been living in the shifter village, youâve come to develop a fairly standard daily routine. You spend most mornings gathering herbs with Natalia, then creating medicines and herbal teas for the villagers. Youâve also taken on the role of teaching reading and writing to the children. James and Steven patrol daily, keeping an eye out for threats, before going out with the hunting party to catch and gather food. In the evening, most of the village gathers to eat dinner together, everyone animatedly telling each other about their days. Once the dayâs work is done, you and James retire to your little house, and finally enjoy some time to yourselves. He always makes sure to show you just how much he missed you. It wasnât that you didnât love your routine, because you did- you finally felt like you had a purpose, like you belonged somewhere. But, sometimes it was nice to have a whole day just to be with James.
The hours pass peacefully, comfortable silence mixed with light conversation. Strangely, the closer you get to your destination, the more on-edge James appears to be. You squeeze his hand again, asking if anything is the matter, but he denies it. Soon, you come across a large rock field, the jagged edges of boulders cramped together to form a treacherous path.
âAre you sure this is the way? It looks impassable.â You question, worried for a moment you might be lost.
âYes, this is the way⊠I forgot it was so challenging on two legs, I usually shift for this part.â
You roll your eyes playfully, nudging his shoulder. At least you arenât lost.
âJames, in case youâve forgotten, Iâm stuck on two legs. So, what do we do now?â
âWe continue. Itâs a difficult climb, but not impossible. I will help you, fear not.â
With a resigned sigh, you continue on. You manage to scramble over the first few boulders, but soon come across one that it too tall for you to climb. You look over at your tall shifter, who is swinging himself over the rocks with ease. He looks back at you, his signature mischievous smile on his lips. Before you know whatâs happening, heâs grabbing you by the hips, lifting you up high enough that you can grab the top of the rock and haul yourself over, your boots scraping across the rough surface of the rock as you try to find some traction.
âSee? No problem.â His cocky tone floats out from behind the boulder, before he launches himself to the other side, landing nimbly beside you.
You roll your eyes again, but allow him to lead on, until youâve finally cleared the rocks, and come to a narrow path. The path leads up the mountain side a while, and then, you see it- the reason he brought you here. The path opens into a rock clearing that sits at the edge of a cliff. You can see for miles around, sunlight illuminating the lush landscape. This was no doubt the most breathtaking view of your world you had ever seen.
âOh James, it's beautiful. Why have we never come here before?â
âI wanted to save it for something special.â You notice heâs picking his nails nervously again, and you frown.
âI wish you would tell me whatâs bothering you.â
âItâs⊠itâs not bothering me, reallyâŠâ
âJames.â
âAlright, alright. I brought you here, to give you something.â
âItâs not an eviction notice, is it?â You joke, but part of you is worried he might have bad news, with how heâs acting.
âDonât be silly, you know I canât sleep properly without you next to me.â He takes your hands, smoothing his thumbs across the backs in reassurance. âY/N, I love you, more than I thought possible. I never knew a piece of my life was missing, until I met you that day in the woods. The curious human girl who wanted to know all about shifters.â
He smiles at you, and reaches into his pocket, pulling out a small box. âI know we are already bonded in the shifter way. But, I want us to be bonded in the human way as well. I know you left that life behind, but I donât want you to feel like you had to give up all your traditions.â
He takes a deep breath and opens the box, revealing a ring. Itâs gorgeous, a sparkling diamond surrounded by smaller coloured gems. You almost forget to breathe, stunned not only by the glamor of the ring, but by what you assume it means.
âJames⊠what is this?â
âI found it in the river some years ago, and didnât think it right to throw it away. Now I know, it was for you. I know we donât do legal human marriages in our village, but with this ring, I want to make it known that you are as a wife to me. I plan to spend my life with you, and only you. If youâll have me, that is.â
âOh, JamesâŠâ you surge forward, capturing his lips in a passionate kiss. You break away, giggling at the look of relief on his face. âOf course Iâll have you, you sweet fool. I have considered you to be my lifeâs partner since we bonded under the full moon. You didnât need to get me a ring to convince me of your devotion, but I will wear it proudly all the same.â
He takes the ring out of the box, sliding it onto your finger with care. Then, he takes your chin in his grasp, bringing your lips to his once more. This kiss is slower, and deeper, as if heâs pouring all his love into it.
The two of you sit, curled into each other, enjoying the view in complete contentment. James brought some food to share, which you happily scarf down after walking so far. Eventually, you have to head back, so youâre home before the sun sets. Once back in your cozy cottage, you admire the shining ring on your hand. Your feet ache and youâre exhausted, but all you want to do is stare at the beautiful symbol of your love. James sits down next to you, taking your ringed hand and kissing it.
âI love you, my little human. I look forward to showing you just how much, every day.â
You place your other hand on his cheek, stroking his cheekbone with your thumb.
âAnd I love you, my wolf. There was never a doubt in my mind that I was yours, and you were mine.â
Chapter summary: with a bloody war on the horizon, you scramble to think of a way to keep your shifter safe. You discover just how far you will go, to save the ones you love.
Warnings: violence, smut
Series Masterlist
************
Tension runs thick in the air. As the shifters gather in the fields just outside of town, the hunters discuss their strategy. The plan they settle on is to go out to meet them, heavily armed, prepared to give their lives for the cause. The cause being, kill as many shifters as possible. You would do whatever was needed to stop them.
Your father orders you to stay behind as the men march forward, but your tormentor has other plans. Once your father is far enough ahead that he wonât see, Joseph grabs your arm harshly, dragging you along beside him.
âI want you to be there, to see when I take that wolfâs head as my trophy.â
You needed a plan, but you werenât sure what you could do. How could you stop an entire group of men? As you come out into the open, you see most of the shifters from the village are present. Most are already in animal form, the only remaining in human form are Steven and James. It doesnât take long for Jamesâ gaze to find you, and you notice his face soften just slightly.
âWhy have you creatures come here?â Your fatherâs voice booms across the open space, dripping with contempt.
Steven looks briefly at James, before responding. âWe know you are trying to find our village. We are here to propose a truce- do not bother us, and we will not bother you.â
Your father laughs. âIs that all?â
âIn fact, no. We want Y/N returned to us. In exchange, we will let you all live.â
âYou are delusional. You have no right to make demands, and it is you who will die, not us.â Your father raises his rifle, aiming at Steven.
âSo be it.â Steven growls, before shifting into his fearsome animal form. James shifts as well, just in time before the first shot is fired.
Thankfully, your father misses, but the attempt is all it takes to light this powder keg. In the blink of an eye, the hunters start firing their guns, and the shifters charge. Theyâre fast in animal form, and it isnât long before a few of them are close enough to knock the hunters down. James runs straight for you, and you start towards him, but are pushed to the ground by Joseph.
âWatch this, bitch.â He raises his rifle, aiming at James.
âNo!â Mercifully, youâre close enough to kick him hard in the knee, causing him to fall and drop the gun. Heâs only down for a second, before grabbing a knife from his belt and climbing on top of you, pinning you to the ground.
âTraitor! I wanted to see your father execute you for your betrayal, but this will have to do.â He raises the knife high, aiming to plunge it into your heart. You close your eyes, expecting to feel the blade any second. Instead, Josephâs weight is lifted off of you, and he lets out a blood-curdling scream. James has knocked him down, and sunk his teeth deep into Josephâs neck. You watch as he chokes, taking a few ragged breaths before his eyes go blank.
You donât waste another second staring at Josephâs corpse. Instead, you run to your wolf, wrapping your arms around his neck and pressing your face into his warm fur.
âI told you we would find each other.â
You pull back to look into his familiar eyes, and even though he canât speak, you know heâs telling you he loves you. Suddenly, James lets out a pained yelp, and falls to the ground. You gasp in shock, and notice quickly that heâs been shot in the shoulder. You collapse at his side, ripping a piece of fabric from your dress to stop the bleeding.
âGet away from it!â Your eyes snap up to your father, who is approaching, rifle in hand, prepared to deliver a fatal shot.
You stand, putting yourself between them. âFather, no! This can end now, just let us go.â
âUs? You really have been turned. Alright- you consider yourself one of them? You can die with them.â He changes his aim, now pointing his gun at your head.
For the second time, you see your life flash before your eyes. All you see is James, and Natalia, and Steven. Your true family. Heâs about to pull the trigger, when seemingly out of nowhere, a hawk flies down, hooking its talons into his eye. He screams as it tears at the eye, blood streaming down his face. He drops his gun, and you take your opportunity. You grab Josephâs blade, and run to where your father is crouched on the ground, plunging it into his throat. He looks at you in shock with his remaining eye, before collapsing to the ground with a final thud. For a moment, you feel as if the earth goes silent, and your stomach churns. This isnât what you wanted- but, you knew he would have killed you and all the shifters if he could. You glance up briefly to the retreating hawk, giving it an appreciative nod- you would have to thank her properly later.
âEnough!â Your yell is loud enough to catch the attention of the remaining hunters, who cease their movements when they see their Governor dead on the ground. Now that you have their attention, you must end this, once and for all.
âYou were offered a truce and rejected it, and look now- two of your own are dead, many others injured. The shifters are stronger than you. Accept their terms, and live in peace, or you will all die.â
The hunters look nervously to each other, but do not respond. That until Steven lets out a loud roar, making them jump. An older man, you believe his name is Nicholas, finally speaks up.
âWe accept your truce. If you leave here and never return, we will no longer seek your village.â
After what feels like eternity, the hunters finally move away. You watch as they retreat, and finally take a full breath once they are out of view, back within the village. You run to James, who has now taken human form, and is clutching his injured shoulder.
âJames, are you alright? Someone help, please!â
âDonât fret my little human, I am alright. I just need to be patched up, thatâs all.â He reaches for you, cupping your face with his hand, stroking your cheek with his thumb. You press your forehead to his, taking a moment to feel his touch.
âI thought I lost youâ
âNever.â
The other shifters help get James up, and you let him lean on you. Itâs a long walk home on foot, but itâs worth it. Thankfully, the others only have minor injuries. The villagers left behind run out to greet your party the second the houses are in view, and you smile as the shifters hug their loved ones, happy to see them safe. One of the elders attends to Jamesâ wound, which luckily isnât as bad as it looked. After being offered some food, and receiving a bone-crushing hug from Natalia, you walk James home. He insists he feels fine, but you can tell heâs exhausted.
Once inside the cabin, you breathe in the smells, relieved to be home again. You help him into bed, and take your rightful place, curled up beside him. He wraps his good arm around you, kissing you deeply before pressing his forehead to yours.
âI donât know what I would have done if we didnât get you back.â
âYouâll never find out. Iâm home now, and I will never be taken from you again.â
You listen to Jamesâ breathing slow as he drifts off to sleep. Despite the horrors of today, you feel like this is a new beginning. Your eyes droop, and you let out a contented sigh as you fall into the best sleep youâve had in days.
*********
The next morning, you wake to Jamesâ pained groans. Heâs still asleep, but you can tell heâs in pain from the bullet wound. You crawl carefully out of bed, not wanting to wake him, and head to the kitchen. You start on making him a tea, made from a herbal mixture that dulls pain. Youâre steeping the tea when he appears behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist.
âYouâre up early, my love.â His voice is sleepy, and he yawns as he tucks his nose into the crook of your neck.
âI wanted to make you something for the pain. Itâs almost done, just give it a minute.â
âI know how we can pass the time.â
You know exactly what that mischievous tone means. You bite your lip as he slides a hand under the skirt of your nightdress, his fingers trailing up your thigh until they reach your core. His other hand moves to gently squeeze your throat as he presses kisses to the side of your neck. You moan as he slips two fingers inside you, stroking your most sensitive spot until you come on his hand. You feel his hard cock poking against your back, and turn to face him. He claims your lips in a passionate kiss, and begins walking you towards the sofa, but you pull away.
âTea first.â
He groans, giving you that pouty look that always makes you giggle. âI donât need tea, I need you. Itâs been days, I need to feel you wrapped around me.â
âYouâre in pain, I can tell.â Heâs about to protest, but you put a finger to his lips and silence him. âIf you drink at least some of it now, I promise we can spend the rest of the morning naked, doing whatever you want. Please?â
You give him your best doe eyes, and heâs powerless to resist. With a resigned huff, he takes the cup, drinking the entire thing in one go. Luckily it had time to cool off while you were⊠preoccupied.
âThere. Now whereâs my reward?â
You shake your head in joking disapproval, before placing your hands on his bare chest, moving him backwards towards the sofa. Heâs pliant in your hands as you push him to sit down. You take your time slipping out of your nightdress, his gaze becoming hungrier by the second as you tease him. You climb on top of him, your legs straddling his waist, hands gripping the back of the sofa. James runs his hands over your back, pulling you closer so that he can lay kisses down your neck, and across your chest, down to your exposed breasts. You roll your hips forwards, and James moans.
âStop teasing me, little human.â
âBut you make it so easy!â
He growls against your skin, hands gripping your hips tightly. Being almost as desperate as he is, you stop your teasing, lifting yourself up, and grabbing his erect cock in your hand to line it up with your entrance. A wanton moan escapes your lips as you sink down, your cunt clenching desperately around him. Once he is fully sheathed inside you, you take a moment to relish the feeling of fullness, pressing your forehead to his. Once youâre adjusted, you begin rhythmically rolling your hips over his length. James continues gripping your hips, guiding you to pick up the pace. He throws his head back as you ride him, as lost to pleasure as you are. You feel your release approaching. James must feel it too, because he begins tilting his hips, thrusting up into you until you reach climax. He follows soon after, hugging you close as he finishes inside you. The two of you sit for a while catching your breath, basking in the afterglow.
You keep your promise, allowing him to bend you into whatever positions he wants for the next few hours. Eventually, and with many interruptions, you both get dressed and go for a walk along the river, hand in hand. A few shifters mill about, calling out a friendly greeting as you pass. As you look across the sparkling water, you canât imagine starting a new life anywhere else. You look up at James, and he smiles back down at you before kissing your forehead. Now, you know what it feels like to be truly happy.
The end.
A/N: thank you all for reading! Iâve already had a request for a Drabble, so stay tuned for that! I am always open to requests :)
I love into the woods. Absolutely love it. I have a question though is it just a 5 part series or will there be more? Itâs ok if itâs just 5, but I was wondering if you could do a Drabble on it? Reader and James going on an adventure or something, idk. Or maybe just mundane tasks. I love your work
Thank you for supporting my work! Into the Woods will be a five part series. However, I do sometimes write drabbles for my fics, so stay tuned ;)
Chapter summary: youâre happily living your new life with your shifter. Unfortunately, your old life wonât be so easily forgotten.
Series Masterlist
***********
You awaken to the sound of birds outside your window, and sunlight streaming in. Jamesâ chest moves up and down rhythmically with his breaths, and you curl yourself further into his side, your head resting on his chest. Youâve slept most of the day away, having been out all night. If you were still with your parents, you would never have been allowed to spend the day in bed, no matter how long the night. You sigh contentedly, and James begins to stir beside you.
âGood morning, my love. Did you sleep well?â He smiles sleepily at you.
âVery well. Although, I donât think itâs morning anymore.â You press a kiss to his neck, and he groans lightly. âWe ought to get up soon.â
You let out a surprised yelp as he suddenly rolls on top of you, gently grabbing your wrists and pinning them to the mattress above your head.
âBut I donât want to get up.â He gives you a pouty frown and you laugh, before youâre silenced by a kiss. âI want to stay here with you forever.â
âAnd how would we be spending our time?â
âI have few ideas.â He gives you a mischievous look, before reaching down and hiking your leg over his hip. You tremble with excitement as he kisses down the column of your throat, before sheathing himself inside you. He takes you fast and hard, and before you know it, youâre coming undone under him yet again.
He rolls off you, breathing hard. He takes your hand, and presses his lips to the back of it. âWe are never leaving this bed.â
You chuckle, moving back to your previous position curled into his side. He wraps his arm around you, pulling you in even closer. It isnât long before sleep overcomes you once more.
********
It isnât until the next day that you finally get dressed and leave the house, much to Jamesâs disappointment. Eventually he agrees that itâs time to leave your bubble of bliss, as he has to go help Steven gather some food.
You walk hand in hand with him, wanting to see Natalia. As you approach, the two of them are standing in front of their house, arm in arm. Both their faces light up when they see you and James walking together.
âLook whoâs finally crawled out of his cave!â Steven shouts playfully at James, clapping him on the shoulder once heâs close enough.
âGive me a break, we were tired. Come on, letâs go hunt down some food for our lovely ladies.â
As your men continue to poke fun at each other, you meet Nataliaâs gaze, and she gives you a knowing look, followed by a suggestive wink. You blush, but canât help but giggle at her antics. As the four of you converse, a fox comes running at top speed towards you. Just before it reaches you, it changes into a young boy.
âHumans! Humans in the woods!â
There is no more laughter now as everyoneâs attention is fixed on the boy.
âWhere are they?â Stevenâs tone is serious now, and you know why.
âNot far, theyâve crossed over the fallen tree upriver. They look like hunters from the human village.â
Your blood runs cold. It must be Joseph, and likely a few of his friends. They couldnât be allowed to find this place. Steven and James obviously have the same realization, as Steven begins barking orders to a few nearby men to intercept the human invaders. James moves to follow, but you grab his arm.
âJames, itâs Joseph, it must be. My father might even be with them. Theyâre dangerous.â
âI know, my love. I promise weâll be careful, but we need to stop them before they get here.â
Jamesâ arm slips from your grasp, and you watch as he leaves with the small group. They donât seem to be shifting- you suppose they will need to be able to speak with the humans. Distress rages inside you, and when you look at Natalia, her expression mirrors yours.
âHe wonât get here. Theyâll stop him, I know they will.â You take her hand in an attempt to comfort her, knowing how she feels about her ex-husband.
âI just hope they donât get hurt.â She squeezes your hand, and you can tell sheâs as worried as you are.
Natalia gets to work notifying the village, telling everyone to hide. You make your way to the other areas, doing the same. You suppose you should hide as well, but you cannot. You need to be there. If things go wrong, perhaps you could convince the hunters to leave. Against your better judgment, you take off running in the direction the men went. You vaguely hear your name being called behind you, but you push on. You slow your pace as you hear voices ahead, not wanting to be seen just yet. As people come into view, you sneak up carefully, positioning yourself behind a tree. You see James and Steven, and the others. Theyâre not far from the humans, who are on horseback. Peeking around the tree, you see your father leading the group, Joseph close behind with a sociopathic smile on his face. Bastard.
âWe have done nothing.â Stevenâs voice carries clearly, now that youâre close enough to hear.
âLiar! You foul creatures have stolen my daughter! I will have justice!â
âWe do not steal people. If your daughter is gone, the fault is your own.â
That is certainly true. Strange, your father seems to think you were taken. Youâre not sure why Joseph did not reveal your secret, but it canât be good.
Apparently, your father takes offense to that last statement, because the next sound you hear is a gunshot as he fires a rifle at Steven. Thankfully he misses, but the shifters scatter, hiding behind trees. Steven shifts, and you smirk at the look of fear on Josephâs face as he takes in the massive bear.
âY/N? What on earth are you doing here?â James looks at you in shock as he appears beside you, having chosen the same tree to hide behind.
âI couldnât stay behind, now while you were in danger!â
âMy sweet girl, you shouldnât have come. We will have to fight now, you must run back home.â
âWait!â You grab James before he shifts. âTake me hostage.â
âWhat?â
âLeverage my freedom to end the fighting, before anyone gets hurt! My father thinks you stole me, so offer to give me back.â
âY/N, no, I wonât send you back to those people.â
You press a desperate kiss to his lips, and take his face in your hands. âI will find my way home to you, I swear. I love you, James. This is the only way.â
You can tell he doesnât want to, but after a few tense seconds, he nods in agreement. James pulls a knife from his belt, and presses it to your neck before emerging from behind the tree. From an outside perspective, it looks violent, but his hold on you is gentle as ever.
âEnough!â James shouts loudly over the sounds of gunfire, and your father spots you immediately.
âCease fire!â
âRetreat now, or your daughter dies.â
âYou scum! You would kill an innocent girl?â
âTo protect my own people? Yes.â
Your father is enraged, and you can sense how badly he wants to keep shooting. You do your best to appear terrified, hoping itâs enough. You pray to anyone listening that this works.
âFine. Release her, and we will retreat.â You stifle your relief, keeping up the ruse.
âDrop your weapons first.â
Reluctantly, the hunters drop their guns and knives to the forest floor, and back away as one of the other shifters collect them. Once the shifters have all the weapons, James releases you, and you run to your father in mock relief. He dismounts his horse, wrapping you into his arms. Wasting no time, he helps you onto the horse, climbing up behind you. Your heart aches having to leave James behind, but you tell yourself you will find a way back soon. As you risk a glance backward, your view is blocked by Joseph, who glares angrily at you. You donât want to know what he has planned for you, now that youâve derailed his plan.
*********
As you approach your old village, your heart aches. All you want is to go back to the shifter village, but you need to do so in a way that prevents your father from coming for you. The horses' hooves click against the cobblestones of the square, and the group stops to dismount. Your feet hit the ground with a thud, and a cold feeling seeps into your bones. You recognize it- you always felt this way here, you just never knew any different. Your father excuses himself to debrief with the others, and instructs you to go home to your mother. You turn, and end up face to face with the last person you want to see.
âI hope you enjoyed your time as a shifterâs whore. Now, youâll get to watch him die.â
âWhat are you talking about?â
âYour father knows you were in their village. He will make you give him the location, so he can take his revenge.â
âI wonât tell.â
Joseph steps closer to you, making your skin crawl. He leans down, so his face is inches from yours. âIf he canât make you tell, I certainly will. And I wonât be gentle about it.â
You swallow, trying not to show any fear. âWhy did you tell him I was taken? Why didnât you just tell him Iâm a traitor?â
âBecause, this way, I still have blackmail on you. And, it made your father hate the filthy creatures even more than he already did, thinking they were defiling his innocent daughter. If only he knew you were willing.â
âYouâre disgusting.â
He laughs, a sick, twisted sound. Before he can retort, your father calls him over, and he walks away. You amble miserably to your old house, your mother awaiting your arrival. Instead of hugging you tight, or asking if you are alright, she pulls you inside, muttering something about not wanting the neighbors to see you in this state. She sits you down, cleaning your face with a cloth.
âAlmost two weeks in the forest, you look like a beggar. We must get you cleaned up and properly dressed before anyone sees you.â
You sit still, allowing her to fuss. There is an uncomfortable air in the room, and in a moment, you understand why.
âY/N, I must know⊠did they⊠touch you?â
âNo, mother, they did not harm me.â
âThat is not what Iâm asking. I need to know if one of them took your virtue.â
âOf course not.â You werenât going to tell her that you happily gave your virtue away. Multiple times.
âWell, thatâs a relief. Still, people will speculate, so we better keep you inside for a few days.â
Of course, she cares more about your image than your wellbeing. Youâre barely listening to her, too preoccupied thinking of a way to escape again. Perhaps youâll simply run away in the dead of night like Natalia did. When you go upstairs to your old room, you see that wonât be an option, as your windows have been nailed shut. You give your mother a questioning look, and she makes some excuse about not wanting you to be taken again. You know the truth- sheâs worried youâve become a sympathizer, and might try to return to the shifters. If only she knew how right she was. You flop onto your bed with a huff, settling in for a restless night. All you want is to curl up next to James, and feel his warmth touch your skin. You would find a way. You had to.
***********
The next morning, youâre woken early by a knock on your door. You didnât miss this. You begrudgingly make your way downstairs, to find your parents sitting at the table, waiting ominously for you.
âY/N, please sit down.â
You take a seat opposite them, immediately feeling like youâre in an interrogation. You know what heâs about to ask, and you wonât tell him.
âI need you to tell me exactly where the shifter village is.â
âIâm not sure. They kept me blindfolded most of the time, so I didnât see where it was. Why does it matter anyways? They have nothing you want now.â
âDaughter, this is not just about you. We have an opportunity to rid ourselves of the abominations, and we will take it. Tell me everything you know.â
âI know nothing father, truly.â
Your father makes an annoyed sound, clearly becoming frustrated with your lack of information.
âYou must know something. You cannot truly be this useless. Is the village in the forest, in a field, or near water? How far is it from where we found you?â
You hesitate, and he stands, anger coloring his features. âHave you lost your wits? Or perhaps, you grew fond of your captors. I should have known your weak mind wouldnât be able to resist temptation. It is my own fault, for allowing you so much freedom.â
Youâre stunned silent, and your father straightens, composing himself before he speaks again. âNo matter. We will find the shifter scum without your help, and slaughter them all. Then perhaps, you will return to your old self.â
Tears prick at your eyes, and you canât listen anymore. You run back to your room, locking the door behind you, and burst into tears. You need to get out of here. You need to warn them, protect them. Your father would be watching you closely now, you would need to be smart. In the end, you decide that youâll let things cool off until tomorrow. Then, you will apologize to your father, and pretend you want to help. Hopefully, Joseph doesnât spill your secret before then.
********
âFather, I am truly sorry. Youâre right, my mind was confused by their manipulations, but I see now that I belong here, with my own people. I wish to help you dispose of the monsters.â
He nods in approval, buying your act. You hate the words youâre saying, but they are necessary. He brings you with him to the meeting of the hunters for the next few days, where you share bits of information they already know, much to their frustration. Thankfully, Joseph isnât there, having been sent to survey the woods around the town.
Once the meeting is over, your father moves to stand beside you. He may have let you leave the house, but he wasnât about to let you wander about unsupervised. The hunters are about to disperse, when someone starts yelling in the distance, and everyone freezes. In no time at all, Joseph comes sprinting into the square.
âGovernor! Theyâre here! The abominations have come!â
Your father tenses beside you, and shouting breaks out as the hunters panic. You, however, are overjoyed. Your wolf is here, you can feel it.
Chapter summary: with the full moon approaching, you make bold move to show your wolf how you feel about him.
*SMUT ALERT*
Series Masterlist
************
You had been in the shifter village for almost a week now, and you hope you never have to leave. The people here are so kind and accepting- you were worried that they would hate you, but it seems James had spoken well of you. You and James have been growing closer, your feelings for him becoming undeniable. You know he has affection for you, but you aren't sure if his feelings are the same as yours. Needing to talk things out, you walk to Steven and Nataliaâs house to confide in your friend. The two of you get together most days anyways, going out into the forest to gather supplies, or simply enjoying the outdoors.
âWhat if he only wants me as a friend?â
âY/N, I see the way he looks at you. He wants you, you just have to tell him.â
âI canât tell him Iâm in love with him! It wouldnât beâŠâ
âProper? Youâre not in the old village anymore, people here are more honest with their feelings, and you wonât be shamed for them.â
âI know, itâs just⊠what if youâre wrong? Or, what if youâre right, and he wants me to be his? I donât even know how to be intimate, you know that topic wasnât discussed back home.â
âI have an idea.â She takes your hand, as if knowing that what she says next would scare you. âAsk to go out with him on the full moon. If he wants you, the two of you can bond, like shifters do.â
You inhale sharply. In your week here, you had begun to learn more about what the full moon meant for shifters. Not only did they spend the night in the forest, but those who were coupled would often make love under the moonlight. Youâd blushed when Natalia told you that part. Apparently, it was somewhat of a spiritual experience. Going out on the full moon with James certainly would cement what you were to each other. It terrified you, but perhaps you should do it.
âIâll think about it.â
âGood. And if you do, donât be afraid. James is kind, he will take care of you. You might even enjoy yourself.â She winks suggestively at you, making you laugh and playfully swat her arm.
That evening, when you and James are alone in his cabin, you muster the courage to have the conversation youâd been dreading. Heâs sitting at his table reading a book, so you sit next to him, tentatively clearing your throat to catch his attention.
âJames⊠can I ask you something?â
âOf course. What is it? You look worried.â His brow furrows as he notes your anxious demeanor.
âNothing bad, I just want to discuss, um⊠the upcoming full moon.â He nods for you to continue, so you take a deep breath, and charge head. âI was wondering if⊠if maybe⊠I could go out with you?â
âYou want to⊠go out on the full moon?â He looks unsure, and you fear youâve made a mistake.
âIâm sorry, you can say no, I just thought⊠youâre right, itâs silly.â
âI didnât say that, Iâm just not sure itâs a good idea.â
You can feel your heart breaking. You should have known he wouldnât be interested in a sheltered human girl. He took you in because heâs a good man, not because he loves you. How could you be so naive?
âIâm sorry I brought it up, Iâll leave you be.â
âY/N.â he grabs your hand, pulling you back to sitting. âItâs not that I donât want to. Iâm just not sure you know what going out together on the full moon entails. What it means to people like me.â
You look him in the eye, and see he looks just as nervous as you feel. You keep your hand in his, giving it a squeeze.
âI know what it means. Natalia told me everything.â
âShe did?â
You nod, and a small smile pulls at his lips. âIn that case, yes, come with me.â
âReally?â Youâre smiling now too, still terrified but also excited.
âReally.â
You go to bed that night full of anticipation. As you curl up on the sofa, you wonder if soon, you might be sleeping somewhere else.
*********
The day comes, and youâre a bundle of nerves. The closer the sun gets to setting, the more anxious you become. But, youâre determined not to let your fear get the best of you. You want to do this, you just hope you donât make a fool of yourself. Youâve decided to put on one of the robes- you needed something easy to remove. Youâre pacing in front of the window when James comes in.
âItâs almost time, the sun will set within the hour.â
âOh⊠alright, Iâm almost ready.â
He steps forward, taking your hands in his. âY/N, you donât have to do this if you donât want to.â
âI want to.â
He still looks unsure, so you do the first thing that comes to mind. You lean in, pressing your lips to his. Thankfully, he kisses you back, his lips moving against yours. You had intended it to be a quick kiss, but neither of you pull away. You open your mouth slightly, and James takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss, slipping his tongue into your mouth. You moan slightly at the feeling, and you hear him inhale sharply at the sound. He breaks the kiss and moves away from you, much to your disappointment.
âWe better stop, or I wonât be able to wait until tonight.â He presses his forehead to yours, then takes a step back. âIâm going to grab some extra wood for the altar before the ceremony starts. Meet me there?â
âI wouldnât miss it.â
You watch him as he hops down the front stairs, a spring in his step. You smile to yourself, excitement now winning out over your anxiety. If that kiss was a preview, you couldnât wait for tonight.
*********
It isnât long before the sun has set, and you meet the rest of the town in the clearing. A few elderly shifters stand by an altar made of straw and flowers, and say a quick prayer to nature before announcing the start of the full moon. James is beside you, holding your hand. Once the prayer is done and the altar is set aflame, the celebration begins. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Natalia and her bear head off into the trees. The rest of the shifters take animal form, including James, and begin to scatter. Your wolf looks at you, as if asking if you are ready. You nod, and begin walking beside him. He begins to pick up the pace, and before you know it, youâre running through the trees, your wolf at your side. The energy is incredible, and you feel free.
You run until youâre out of breath. James comes to a stop next to you as you catch your breath, and lets out a long howl. Your breathing slows, and James shifts, his naked form now standing in front of you, moonlight dancing over his sculpted muscles. Your own skin tingles with anticipation, knowing now is the moment youâve been waiting for. You slowly untie the belt on your robe and slip it off your shoulders, allowing it to pool at your feet, leaving you bare and exposed. James takes his time examining you, and you suppress the urge to cover yourself.
âSo beautiful.â He grasps your chin, tilting your head and claiming your lips with his. He places his hands on your waist, pulling you into him. His skin feels hot against yours, and you feel an unfamiliar ache form between your legs. You moan into his mouth, which spurs him on. Suddenly, he grabs the backs of your thighs, lifting you up. You wrap your legs tightly around his waist as he presses your back against a nearby tree. This was the second time you were being pinned against something, but youâre enjoying it much more this time. As you kiss, you feel him harden, his cock rubbing up against you. You gasp at the feeling, and he pulls away just enough to look you in the eye.
âAre you ready, little human?â
âYes. I want this, please James.â
He kisses you once more, using one hand to line himself up. The ache in your core intensifies as you feel his tip prod against your entrance, and you moan once again. With a swift thrust, he pushes his cock deep inside you. Itâs a tight fit, and painful at first, making you cry out. James lays soft kisses on your neck and face, whispering praise in your ear. Eventually, the burn fades, and is replaced by a pleasurable feeling. He begins to pump his cock into you slowly, making your walls stretch around him. He moans this time, pressing his nose into your neck.
âFuck, you feel so good. Are you alright?â
All you can do is moan in pleasure, but itâs enough of an answer that he hastens his pace, your back scraping up against the rough bark of the tree with every thrust. He glides into you easily, with how wet you are. You feel your muscles tightening, and dig your nails into his back as your cunt clenches down on his cock and a wave of pleasure crashes down on you. You cry out as he fucks you through your release. You expect it to be over now, but your lover has other plans.
James moves away from the tree, still holding you, and maneuvers you both onto the ground. Youâre now lying on a soft patch of moss, with him still buried inside you. With no preamble, he resumes his thrusts, taking you on the forest floor. If only your parents could see you now- being fucked under the moonlight by a shifter, covered in dirt- they would be horrified. It almost makes you laugh, but James lands a particularly hard thrust and your laugh turns into a pleasured scream. You wrap your legs around his waist as he pounds into you, and you feel your release approaching once again. This time, he only lasts a few thrusts with you contracting around him, before he spills his seed inside you with a loud groan.
Once he catches his breath, James rolls over so that his back is to the ground, and you lie on top of him, sore and satisfied. You whine as he slips out of you, and he laughs lightly at the wanton sound.
âDonât worry. You are mine now, you can have this cock whenever you want.â You blush, and bury your face into his chest, making him laugh again. You lie in silence for a while, with him softly stroking your back, listening to the sounds of the forest.
He takes you twice more before the sun comes up, and by morning, youâre thoroughly exhausted. You arrive home in the early hours, and crawl into bed, still covered in dirt, your shifter beside you. You drift off to sleep quickly, happier than you've ever been.
