Lone Wolf.
Waiting.
My eyes flutter open, and they feel a lot lighter than they have in months. Maybe it was the presence of a body flush against mine, but I've never been this well rested. I look down at Serena, still peacefully asleep. I hold her tightly, grateful for the little space the seat bench of my trunk allowed us.
Her name really did fit her; her features were so soft and beautiful when she was lost somewhere in her mind. With the light peaking in through the trees and through my windshield, the world could fall at her feet.
And she'd have no idea.
I press my lips to the top of her head as I rub her arms for warmth. Our clothes had gotten soaked, so we slept without them. Of course nothing happened, but...fuck, it was hard to keep my hands off of her when she was so godly. I traced her curves until I drifted off.
She stirs and I back away slightly as she rubs the sleep from her eyes and stretches. A tiny moan escapes her, causing my body to straighten. Okay, it was really hard.
"G'morning," she hums, smiling up at me. Her blue eyes were hazy and still groggy so I kiss her eyelids and chuckle. "Good morning, Serena."
Her lips curve into a breathtaking smile and I want to mold mine against hers. "D-Did you know that Serena in Spanish means mermaid?" I ask dumbfounded, suddenly nervous.
Giggling, she wraps her arms around my waist. "Oh, is that so? Well, since we're talking about mermaids, how about going for a swim?"
That's it? No witty remark on how lame that sounded? I shake my head in disbelief and chuckle, "Uh, yeah. That sounds great."
She smirks and sits up, her black and purple bra causing me to look away. "Or would you rather be doing other things?"
"What? N-No!" I wince. "I mean, that's not it. I'd love to...do other things, but I would just as much love to go swimming with you. Not that I'm thinking of other th-"
Her lips press to mine and she pulls away with a giggle. "You're lucky you're cute with and without the fur."
After we've walked back to the lake, we move away from each other to remove the little clothes we had before trudging into the water that seems cooler after the rain the night before. It's not long before I'm chasing her like I don't have a care in the world. Each time I catch her, I pull her into a deep kiss, unable to get enough of her taste.
Serena grins. "I wanna see you shift."
Her words cause my eyes to widen. "Wh-What? Why?"
"It's like magic," she whispers. "Last night, I was watching closely and I...I was mesmerized." Her fingers dance up my chest, tugging lightly at the necklace.
I sigh at her pleading eyes before floating further back, dipping down and letting the metamorphosis take over. When I throw my head back up, my fur is soaked and she gasps and laughs. I doggy paddle my way over to her. She giggles. "That was amazing."
I prop my legs up against her shoulders as my tongue hangs out and her laugh fills my ears. Her hands wrap around my lanky animal body, swiftly carrying me back towards the shore with her. I keep my head down as she clears her throat, pulling her underwear back on.
She sighs. "There. I'm ready to dry off."
Grinning, I shake my fur off, whipping my head and tail around and sending droplets her way. She jumps back. "Hey!"
I bark out an equivalent of a laugh before circling around her. I lean up on my hind legs and she scoffs. "Getting pawsy?"
She tugs on my ears and I snuff, shaking her hands away. She smirks and I narrow my eyes. You're doing it on purpose.
"C'mon, boy, I need to go get my clothes from my bag." She starts back towards the truck but when she sees me stay put, her hands rest on her hips. "Okay, okay. C'mon, John."
With a whine I hide behind a tree stout, causing her to sigh. "What's with you? Oh, you just don't want me to get dressed-"
I pop my head out, the plaid red shirt carefully propped up on my snout. If I could smirk, I'm sure that's what would be taking up my whole face.
"Hey, when did you..." She strides over, looking at the shorts and camisole at my feet. I give her a wink. She had called me magic, after all. But she just hadn't seen me dig out the outfit and bring it with me on our walk to the lake.
Serena kneels down, grinning as her hands shake my fur. "Thank you," she murmurs, resting her forehead to mine. I nuzzle my nose to her face and sit back as she gets dressed back up.
We sit for a long while, on the tree stump rather than the damp ground, and I lay my head across her lap, letting her caress my stomach. I couldn't lie, that felt good.
We lose track of time. But it seems like only a few minutes after, Serena sighs and looks down. "I have to go. It's getting late and my dad wouldn't hesitate sending a search party if I don't come back when I told him I would."
I whine low in my throat and bring my paws up to my chest. She liked when I played puppy; maybe I could get her to stay a little longer.
She pats my head. "C'mon, sit."
The command makes me growl and I sprawl further across her legs with my belly up. I roll around a bit, grinning to myself. Ha, you can't make meeee.
"John, I know what you're doing," she says accusingly and let my tongue wag out of my mouth. If she wanted to treat me like a puppy, then she'd have to pet me like one.
I poke my nose into her stomach until she finally scratches behind my ears, chuckling. "You're an oversized dog, I swear to God."
Whining, I nuzzle further into her and she groan. "Goddammit, John. I have to go." Her words sound almost sad and I sit up, my nose under her chin. She rubs my head as she shoots me a smile. "I'll be back tomorrow, okay?"
I nod in understanding and I follow her back to the truck for her to gather her things before helping her take down the tent we left last night. She stuffs it back in and takes my face in her hands one last time, ruffling my fur. I lick her chin softly before pressing my wet nose to hers. There was an unspoken agreement whenever I did that, and whether she read it the same way or not, I wasn't sure.
She stands and walks away, waving once before disappearing into the trees. I sit still and watch her go. She may not understand it, but I did.
I'd always be here, waiting.
~
The next day, my mind was racing with thoughts of Serena. I couldn't stop smiling even all throughout my meeting with the guys. Of course they asked again and again if I'd gotten laid, but that wasn't quite it. The excitement of seeing her again rose above all else.
I was in a good mood, to say the least. And I wanted to somehow repay her for that.
Dialing her number, I wait for her to pick up. My heart sinks the slightest bit when I get her voicemail. I figure she's just busy and return to the living room, where the guys were talking up a storm.
"I was thinking maybe as soon as this fall," Tim explains, causing my stomach to churn. It was already late summer. He couldn't be talking about tour already, could he?
"So we'll have time to record in the winter, right?" Garrett chimes in.
He nods. "Right. You guys can get to work as soon as you're back home, if you have material you want to work with."
Jared chuckles. "I'm sure John has been writing plenty, if his mood is any indication."
I roll my eyes. "Oh yeah, Jare, I have a whole notebook full about me getting laid."
"So you did get laid!" A bunch of them shoots out at once. I sigh as I collapse onto the couch, sipping from my water bottle.
"No, I didn't get laid," I mumble. "We're just...seeing each other."
"So you're s-seeing someone?" Pat asks curiously.
I can't help the small smile on my lips. "Yeah, I guess so."
Kennedy nudges me. "Oooh, what's her name?"
"None of your business. What's this about tour?"
"Oh no, you're not getting out of this one, Cornelius! What's her name, man?" Jared asks, all of them looking equally intrigued as to who was the reason behind my giddiness.
I scoff and sit back as I cross my arms. "What does it matter? There's no way you guys are meeting her anytime soon."
"Yeah, cause he's too busy getting laid," Garrett adds with a smirk.
I sit up quickly. "I'm not getting laid!" I mumble, getting angry. They wouldn't get the half of it on Serena and mine's relationship. We had a connection like no one else because she knew what I truly was, and she didn't judge me for it or treat me differently. It just...was.
I feel my annoyance only spur on when they continue to drop hints and make jokes about who I was 'banging.' By the time the meeting was done, I all but stormed out to my truck and drove away. I already knew where I needed to head to to release all the pent up frustration. I could already feel my back tingling, my shoulders blades tightening in desperation. My thoughts flooded. How was I going to make it through tour this time? If the band constantly nagged at me about Serena to get under my skin, I'm not sure how long I could handle it without shifting.
Serena. How many months would I have to go without her?
I reach the forest, parking my car in its usual secluded spot before striding toward the lake. My breathing grows ragged and I drop to my knees as I dig my hands into the ground. A snarl escapes me and all too soon I feel my limbs cracking, and I can't help but wonder: was this my true form, or was it the intruder?
When I open my eyes, my paws look soft beneath me. Everything felt still.
I sigh and look out past the water, past the various curves and slopes of the hills. Maybe a good run would relax me.
Leaves crunch from afar and I lift my head, all but jumping happily when I see Serena approach.
However, as she steps closer, I don't miss her hunched up shoulders and her sluggish walk. Her arms were wrapped around herself as her eyes stayed glued to the ground. She looks up, her red, tired eyes meeting mine. She smiles, but it doesn't quite reach them the way they usually do.
I walk up slowly, worried. I wanted desperately to ask what was wrong, but I merely nudge her leg with my head.
"Hi, John," she sighs, crouching down. I could feel the concern in my features but she merely shrugs and smiles, running her fingers through my muzzle as usual. I press my nose to hers in hopes of letting her know I was here.
I'd always be right here.
Her name really did fit her; her features were so soft and beautiful when she was lost somewhere in her mind. With the light peaking in through the trees and through my windshield, the world could fall at her feet.
And she'd have no idea.
I press my lips to the top of her head as I rub her arms for warmth. Our clothes had gotten soaked, so we slept without them. Of course nothing happened, but...fuck, it was hard to keep my hands off of her when she was so godly. I traced her curves until I drifted off.
She stirs and I back away slightly as she rubs the sleep from her eyes and stretches. A tiny moan escapes her, causing my body to straighten. Okay, it was really hard.
"G'morning," she hums, smiling up at me. Her blue eyes were hazy and still groggy so I kiss her eyelids and chuckle. "Good morning, Serena."
Her lips curve into a breathtaking smile and I want to mold mine against hers. "D-Did you know that Serena in Spanish means mermaid?" I ask dumbfounded, suddenly nervous.
Giggling, she wraps her arms around my waist. "Oh, is that so? Well, since we're talking about mermaids, how about going for a swim?"
That's it? No witty remark on how lame that sounded? I shake my head in disbelief and chuckle, "Uh, yeah. That sounds great."
She smirks and sits up, her black and purple bra causing me to look away. "Or would you rather be doing other things?"
"What? N-No!" I wince. "I mean, that's not it. I'd love to...do other things, but I would just as much love to go swimming with you. Not that I'm thinking of other th-"
Her lips press to mine and she pulls away with a giggle. "You're lucky you're cute with and without the fur."
After we've walked back to the lake, we move away from each other to remove the little clothes we had before trudging into the water that seems cooler after the rain the night before. It's not long before I'm chasing her like I don't have a care in the world. Each time I catch her, I pull her into a deep kiss, unable to get enough of her taste.
Serena grins. "I wanna see you shift."
Her words cause my eyes to widen. "Wh-What? Why?"
"It's like magic," she whispers. "Last night, I was watching closely and I...I was mesmerized." Her fingers dance up my chest, tugging lightly at the necklace.
I sigh at her pleading eyes before floating further back, dipping down and letting the metamorphosis take over. When I throw my head back up, my fur is soaked and she gasps and laughs. I doggy paddle my way over to her. She giggles. "That was amazing."
I prop my legs up against her shoulders as my tongue hangs out and her laugh fills my ears. Her hands wrap around my lanky animal body, swiftly carrying me back towards the shore with her. I keep my head down as she clears her throat, pulling her underwear back on.
She sighs. "There. I'm ready to dry off."
Grinning, I shake my fur off, whipping my head and tail around and sending droplets her way. She jumps back. "Hey!"
I bark out an equivalent of a laugh before circling around her. I lean up on my hind legs and she scoffs. "Getting pawsy?"
She tugs on my ears and I snuff, shaking her hands away. She smirks and I narrow my eyes. You're doing it on purpose.
"C'mon, boy, I need to go get my clothes from my bag." She starts back towards the truck but when she sees me stay put, her hands rest on her hips. "Okay, okay. C'mon, John."
With a whine I hide behind a tree stout, causing her to sigh. "What's with you? Oh, you just don't want me to get dressed-"
I pop my head out, the plaid red shirt carefully propped up on my snout. If I could smirk, I'm sure that's what would be taking up my whole face.
"Hey, when did you..." She strides over, looking at the shorts and camisole at my feet. I give her a wink. She had called me magic, after all. But she just hadn't seen me dig out the outfit and bring it with me on our walk to the lake.
Serena kneels down, grinning as her hands shake my fur. "Thank you," she murmurs, resting her forehead to mine. I nuzzle my nose to her face and sit back as she gets dressed back up.
We sit for a long while, on the tree stump rather than the damp ground, and I lay my head across her lap, letting her caress my stomach. I couldn't lie, that felt good.
We lose track of time. But it seems like only a few minutes after, Serena sighs and looks down. "I have to go. It's getting late and my dad wouldn't hesitate sending a search party if I don't come back when I told him I would."
I whine low in my throat and bring my paws up to my chest. She liked when I played puppy; maybe I could get her to stay a little longer.
She pats my head. "C'mon, sit."
The command makes me growl and I sprawl further across her legs with my belly up. I roll around a bit, grinning to myself. Ha, you can't make meeee.
"John, I know what you're doing," she says accusingly and let my tongue wag out of my mouth. If she wanted to treat me like a puppy, then she'd have to pet me like one.
I poke my nose into her stomach until she finally scratches behind my ears, chuckling. "You're an oversized dog, I swear to God."
Whining, I nuzzle further into her and she groan. "Goddammit, John. I have to go." Her words sound almost sad and I sit up, my nose under her chin. She rubs my head as she shoots me a smile. "I'll be back tomorrow, okay?"
I nod in understanding and I follow her back to the truck for her to gather her things before helping her take down the tent we left last night. She stuffs it back in and takes my face in her hands one last time, ruffling my fur. I lick her chin softly before pressing my wet nose to hers. There was an unspoken agreement whenever I did that, and whether she read it the same way or not, I wasn't sure.
She stands and walks away, waving once before disappearing into the trees. I sit still and watch her go. She may not understand it, but I did.
I'd always be here, waiting.
~
The next day, my mind was racing with thoughts of Serena. I couldn't stop smiling even all throughout my meeting with the guys. Of course they asked again and again if I'd gotten laid, but that wasn't quite it. The excitement of seeing her again rose above all else.
I was in a good mood, to say the least. And I wanted to somehow repay her for that.
Dialing her number, I wait for her to pick up. My heart sinks the slightest bit when I get her voicemail. I figure she's just busy and return to the living room, where the guys were talking up a storm.
"I was thinking maybe as soon as this fall," Tim explains, causing my stomach to churn. It was already late summer. He couldn't be talking about tour already, could he?
"So we'll have time to record in the winter, right?" Garrett chimes in.
He nods. "Right. You guys can get to work as soon as you're back home, if you have material you want to work with."
Jared chuckles. "I'm sure John has been writing plenty, if his mood is any indication."
I roll my eyes. "Oh yeah, Jare, I have a whole notebook full about me getting laid."
"So you did get laid!" A bunch of them shoots out at once. I sigh as I collapse onto the couch, sipping from my water bottle.
"No, I didn't get laid," I mumble. "We're just...seeing each other."
"So you're s-seeing someone?" Pat asks curiously.
I can't help the small smile on my lips. "Yeah, I guess so."
Kennedy nudges me. "Oooh, what's her name?"
"None of your business. What's this about tour?"
"Oh no, you're not getting out of this one, Cornelius! What's her name, man?" Jared asks, all of them looking equally intrigued as to who was the reason behind my giddiness.
I scoff and sit back as I cross my arms. "What does it matter? There's no way you guys are meeting her anytime soon."
"Yeah, cause he's too busy getting laid," Garrett adds with a smirk.
I sit up quickly. "I'm not getting laid!" I mumble, getting angry. They wouldn't get the half of it on Serena and mine's relationship. We had a connection like no one else because she knew what I truly was, and she didn't judge me for it or treat me differently. It just...was.
I feel my annoyance only spur on when they continue to drop hints and make jokes about who I was 'banging.' By the time the meeting was done, I all but stormed out to my truck and drove away. I already knew where I needed to head to to release all the pent up frustration. I could already feel my back tingling, my shoulders blades tightening in desperation. My thoughts flooded. How was I going to make it through tour this time? If the band constantly nagged at me about Serena to get under my skin, I'm not sure how long I could handle it without shifting.
Serena. How many months would I have to go without her?
I reach the forest, parking my car in its usual secluded spot before striding toward the lake. My breathing grows ragged and I drop to my knees as I dig my hands into the ground. A snarl escapes me and all too soon I feel my limbs cracking, and I can't help but wonder: was this my true form, or was it the intruder?
When I open my eyes, my paws look soft beneath me. Everything felt still.
I sigh and look out past the water, past the various curves and slopes of the hills. Maybe a good run would relax me.
Leaves crunch from afar and I lift my head, all but jumping happily when I see Serena approach.
However, as she steps closer, I don't miss her hunched up shoulders and her sluggish walk. Her arms were wrapped around herself as her eyes stayed glued to the ground. She looks up, her red, tired eyes meeting mine. She smiles, but it doesn't quite reach them the way they usually do.
I walk up slowly, worried. I wanted desperately to ask what was wrong, but I merely nudge her leg with my head.
"Hi, John," she sighs, crouching down. I could feel the concern in my features but she merely shrugs and smiles, running her fingers through my muzzle as usual. I press my nose to hers in hopes of letting her know I was here.
I'd always be right here.