In the weeks after, we would talk about our pasts, both what we had shared and our time apart. For the first time in years, I found I could talk about my father. And not just how I had lost him.
In turn, we got him to talk about what had happened to him. He had held onto the hurt and shame for so long, it was a struggle at first. It wasn't the easiest thing to listen to, much less to witness the effect it still had on him. But the more he talked about it, the less it seemed to grip him. After the way he had helped me, it was the least I could do.
It wasn't long before I was having to borrow a pair of Jim's boots in order to go outside. Just glad he had a pair I could fit into. I wouldn't have missed our snowball fights for the world.
They had started one day when we were headed to their place. Apparently, Brian wanted to test my...recovery.
We were almost half way to there, when I glimpsed movement out of the corner of my eye. I twisted around, but was still hit in the shoulder by the icy sphere. I froze for a moment, then with a whoop, ducked behind a high drift as laughter broke the stillness. Jim crouched beside me, a grin growing across his face as we began scooping handfuls of snow to return fire. The air was shortly filled with shouts and hurled snowballs. Brian and I had never been here together during the winter before, but we made up for lost time.
It didn't hit me until later that if that had happened even a few weeks ago, it would have sent me into a panic. But now, it was just a game.
One thing that day taught me was that sex in the snow might sound romantic, but in reality, you can freeze your balls off. But the other three didn't seem to really notice the chill. Even before they shifted. And I have to admit, when Jim was fucking me while I lay on Brian's bear belly as Paul plowed his cub kept me quite warm.
The holidays came and went in the blink of an eye. Don't know whether it was like Paul had said, or just the fact that time really does fly when you're having fun.
Not saying it was all fun and games. Jim would have put my old drill sergeant to shame. He pushed me harder than I had ever been push before. Had always been told that once a guy hits forty, he begins losing muscle. Suppose that's only for...humans. (So odd to think in such terms.)
So I was surprised to catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror one day.
"Damn!" I murmured to my reflection.
I had never been what you'd call scrawny. But I looked damned good. Even with my patchy coloration. Since I had shaved my body for so long, I didn't know how much fur I would have had, but now I had a soft pelt hiding a lot of my scars.
I turned to the side, running my hand across my furry gut. That was new, too. Considering how much Jim's been feeding me, it should have been worse. But Jim seemed to like it. And I wanted him to like it.
I turned back and struck a double bicep pose, loving the way my muscles heaved when I flexed. I could hardly believe that was me. As I looked at myself, my reflection reminded me of someone. But who?
"Hey, there," Jim said, looking in at me with a grin. "Looks good from this angle."
"Just...," I said, turned towards him, feeling my face burn.
"You're noticing the changes in your body," he said softly.
He tilted my chin up so he could look me in the eyes.
"And yes, you're becoming one hot muscle bear," he smiled tenderly.
"Thanks to you," I replied, shyly.
He chuckled happily.
"I suppose so," he said, pulling me close to him.
"I love you, Papa," I whispered, hugging him tightly.
I had never said those three words to him. I hoped he knew it, but something made me say those words.
"Oh, do you, now?" he whispered, kissing the top of my head.
There was something hidden in his eyes, something that loosened my tongue.
"I do," I whispered. "I think even if you hadn't...had to change me, I would have wanted you to."
"Daniel...," he began until, I put my hand over his mouth.
"I always thought I had a crush on Rick," I admitted, seeing the sadness in his eyes. "Maybe it was because he saved me. But maybe because he reminded me of you."
"That's silly," he said, shaking his head.
"Is it? Is it silly to believe that Brian was destined to become what he is now? Is it that much of a stretch to believe that we were meant to be together?"
"What are you saying, Daniel?" he whispered, his eyes smoldering.
"You tell me that we're loners, yet you moved half way across the country to be near your brother. Tony has the twins and they've been together for years, nearly as long as Paul was with Rick. Mark and Kip are raising Keith together. We may be bears, but we're also human. If we choose to remain together, even if one or the other takes a new cub, is that so wrong?"
"That's not the way...," he began, anguish in his eyes.
"Things always have been?" I asked, cutting him off. "Are you saying things can't change? I'm not saying things might not, but I just want you to know your new cub loves you very much at this moment. Is it wrong to want to build on that?"
"Do you really mean that?" he asked, searching my face.
"I've never meant anything more," I said intensely.
The embers smoldering in his eyes flamed to life.
"I love you, too," he said, pressing his lips to mine.
Did he really mean it? I have had plenty of cubs over the years and I have loved them all. But a true mate? I had to admit, I wanted it. I had envied Rick Paul's love and done my best to keep my jealousy of Brian's love for Paul under control. I'm sure Brian felt it, but if so, he chose not to mention it.
Daniel returned my kiss savagely, need answering need. His tongue searched my mouth as he pushed me back into the wall. He clutched at me, tugging at my fur, as if the flesh on flesh contact was not close enough for him. He began tugging me down to the floor.
"I think the bed would be more comfortable," I chuckled at him.
"I don't care," he growled. "I'll take you anywhere you want me, but I want you now."
He pulled me down onto the tile floor, his legs wrapped tightly around my waist as if afraid I might get away.
"Please, Papa," he begged. "I've got an itch only you can scratch."
"I'm sure Brian could reach it easier," I teased.
"But he's not my Papa," he said, grabbing my ears. "All I really need and want is you."
He hunched against me until my cock was at his back door.
"Your cub needs you to fuck him," he pleaded. "For a long, long time."
"I think that can be arranged," I grunted and shoved myself balls deep up his hot hole.
He let out a rumbling chirr that made me grin wildly as I began pummeling his guts.
"Oh, yes, my little cub," I panted. "You're getting close."
"God, I hope not," he gasped as he writhed beneath me. "I want this to last."
"Oh, this will last a long time, I hope," I said, bending to lick his throat, tasting his scent. "But you're close to truly becoming my cub."
He looked at me in confusion, then understand spread across his face.
"You're speaking bear!" he exclaimed, then groaned as my cock head rammed his prostate.
"And so are you," I laughed with delight, pounding harder.
With each thrust, we inched across the floor. He grabbed my neck, pulling me down into a passionate kiss. Abruptly, he rolled me over, grinding his ass into my groin. He forced my arm up before shoving his face into my pit. My scent made his rectum writhe around my turgid shaft, eliciting a guttural growl from my chest.
In the last few months, we had explored each others' bodies, learning our most erogenous spots. And he used all of them. He was driving me wild.
I clenched my jaw, struggling to maintain my form. He might have been able to take Brian, but even that wouldn't prepare him for a real bear cock. The clatter of my emerging claws echoed in my head.
I won't hurt him. I won't. I won't!
With a growl, I rolled him over, pounding him harder and harder.
"That's my papa," he babbled, his hands pawing through my chest fur. "That's my papa bear. Pounding my cub ass. Pounding his cub's ass."
He found my tits, his nails biting into my tender flesh.
"Danny!" I roared as I began filling his abused hole with my hot bear seed.
His breath whined from his lungs as his cock spewed its load between our furry bellies.
I collapsed onto of him, smearing his load across our bodies, while my cum seeped out of his hole, trickling down my balls.
"You called me Danny," he panted.
"I suppose I did," I said, smiling down at him.
He hugged me tightly, my cock still buried deep inside him.
"I love you, Jim," he said.
"I love you, too...Danny,"
"I hate to admit it," I said as I tossed a few more logs on the fire. "But you were right."
"About what?" he said from the couch.
He yawned and stretched with a shudder.
"It is nice being alone with you," I said as I rose and walked to him.
He sat up and pulled me close, resting his cheek against my furry belly. I reached down and stroked his silky hair. He smiled up at me.
"Well, as alone as we ever are," he said ruefully.
I dropped down, pulling him against me. He laid his head on my chest and I wrapped my arms around him.
"Have you given any more thought to...that?" I asked softly.
He let out a heavy sigh.
"A lot," he said. "And I can't make that decision for him."
"But if he were to be...taken by a cat...," I began.
"He would likely be able to take the feline spirits from me," he admitted.
"But if you...?"
"I'll keep a watch on him," he grumbled. "Just like Grandpapa did with me. But I won't push him. If it happens, it happens."
He tensed suddenly. I gripped his shoulder and he turned, giving me a brilliant smile.
"He told him!" he said gleefully.
"Who told who what?" I asked in confusion.
"Danny finally told Jim that he loves him. Not as cub to papa, but as man to man," he said, reaching up to caress my cheek.
"Really?" I said as my eyebrows flew toward my hairline. "And how do you know that?"
"Danny and I have talked about it," he said, his eyes shining.
"Wonder how Jim feels about that?" I chuckled.
He stroked my temple and I felt wonder, joy, and relief.
"You weren't peeking, were you?" I asked, grinning like a fool.
"Not intentionally," he replied. "But that much joy, I can't block out."