chilly mountain air filled your lungs as you awoke
laying in the morning sun, you basked in the moment
mom had worried too much about you striking it out on your own in such a place but the woods were your home
this was a little further north than you would like but the Appalachian wilderness greeted you all the same every morning
you'd wanted to get into a government job
fire watch was amazing to you
the solitude of the forest and the gorgeous view
after the war, the government was booming with everyone having time to sit on their hands now
sure there was always the next big scare around the corner
but as far as you considered it, civilization could pass your little place right by
your boss loved your attitude because you never asked for a relief since you started
some folks get squirrely out there by themselves
not you
you embraced it
had plenty to screw around with
you had taken up drawing I your off time
there was a little sketch book of half scribbles and landscapes next to the cot
a lack of music was a little annoying, the only real downside
a record player was out of the question due to power restraints and the radio was for emergencies only
you would just let the woods be your music
all in all there was a joy in the responsibility
the woods needed a caretaker and that was you
every morning you felt like you were on top of the world
but these woods had a fun way of reminding you it wasn't yours
you were just a guest
never once did you forget that
ever since you were little your dad had instilled that in every hunting trip
man made civilization to get out of these woods
the rifle in the corner of the room was a testament to that civilization
dad had instilled a healthy respect for the forest in you
you remembered that
he'd always try to get you to man up
didn't completely take
but respecting nature, that stuck
you'd seen what a pissed off boar could do after shrugging off a shot to the head
adrenaline pumping through it as it cleared a damn fence
it gored your brother
so you'd learned that nature was something to be careful around
however, it was a gift as well
your brother lost his leg that day and never wanted to go hunting afterwards
as brutally stubborn as your dad could be, he didn't push that
you'd learned a valuable lesson about the mountains and streams
the breeze cut through your jacket as you climbed down
it was a 60 foot climb down, the metal cold in your grip
finest steel the government could produce
on your back was a knapsack full of breakfast and your rifle
day old coffee and canned beans and hotdogs
the wood stove in your tower was small enough for the room and did allow you to cook if you wanted
this morning you wanted to go for a little hike to stretch your legs
with most of your shift being observation you wanted a chance to get up close and personal with nature
that and you could stockpile decent fuel for the the stove
your boss gave you bags of wood chips for the thing but you wanted some longer burning wood
it would be snowy soon and a stockpile seemed smart
this was your usual shift up here
spend a little time on the ground, then the tower
you'd have nothing to report for hours, then back down
occasionally you would have a campfire at the forest floor but you didn't like being down in the woods at night
part of respecting the great outdoors was knowing your limits
it would only be such a gracious host for so long
the fire and the rifle were your security
the climb up in the dark was the worst
you felt vulnerable the whole time
reminded you of being a little kid and turning the light off in the basement right in front of the stairs
you wondered if dad would be proud of you if he saw you out here striking out for yourself
sure the job paid and you weren't exactly stranded with no supplies but it really was like all those hunting trips
same curfew too
but right now, you had nature's bounty all to yourself
you'd have to collect some water from the rain catchers to boil up later
to an outside observer you'd look nuts going through a checklist to yourself but the routine helped
other men might hate the solitude but you were happy for the opportunity
it allowed you time with yourself
you looked over towards the mountains
you could get lost up here
maybe never come back down
but then mom would be sad
you didn't need that on your conscience
the urge to just become a hermit was strong though
school really hadn't done you favors, city life looked like hell
you didn't have a ton of options you actually liked
despite dad's insistence you hadn't exactly gotten more manly
your family didn't know
you at least prayed they didn't
you just had these thoughts you shouldn't be having
you'd heard rumors about guys like that
even got told they burned in hell
held in the same contempt as a fifth columnist
someone undermining the moral bedrock
it was the 50s and you just didn't do that sort of thing
you didn't even know where you could even do it
but you didn't want to settle down with some girl you didn't care about
get stuck in a marriage you didn't care about
running up into the woods at least gave you a good excuse to avoid it
you didn't really know what you wanted but you knew out here you didn't have to worry about it
the woods gave you time for self reflection without the pressure of the outside world
here it was simple
with winter around the corner you'd have to be prepared for boredom
not exactly like a common time for fires
that and you'd lose the sight of the canopy before you
you were ready for the weather, sure
multiple hunts had you trudging through snow enough as a kid
as rare as that got further south
you would treat the environment with the same caution you did now
only difference would be plenty more days of just sitting in the tower with a cup of coffee
if the weather permitted you'd have the free time to walk miles into Thurmond
as much as you appreciated the solitude, a diner burger wasn't exactly something you'd scoff at after nothing but canned food for months
you already had your boss show you around down there when you first came up here
the place was in rough shape as a train stop but still stuck around as a quiet little town
they had a post office you could have your boss send family correspondence through and a general store in addition to the tiny diner
they'd finally gotten roads to the town about thirty odd years ago from what the boss said
definitely not like the stories you'd heard of New York
but that suited you just fine
if you were going to live anywhere you'd prefer somewhere where you could be secluded
the hustle and bustle annoyed you
and it was close enough to civilization you could appreciate a decent burger
that future prospect dangled in front of you, giving you something to look forward to
mom and dad raised a hobo fantasizing about a meal and having peculiar thoughts about guys
it was enough to make you laugh to yourself
the little supply run was about two hours according to your watch
you'd seen the sights, relieved yourself at the privy away from the tower, and gotten cleaned up with a shower from the rain collected
it was easy to gather up wood and make sure the area was tidy after all that
this was the life
you'd have to climb the tower in a bit to observe again
at least you didn't have to worry about privacy out here
boss probably didn't need to know you saw the tower as boxers optional sometimes
after piling up more logs under the tower and throwing a tarp over them you felt accomplished
a bird flying overhead pulled you away from your thoughts
the birdwatching up here had been great
you knew some of them back home but up here there was some animals you were completely new to
the deer were about the same and you'd heard people talk about cougars up in these mountains
hadn't seen one
did hear one one night
sounded like it had gotten mauled out somewhere
probably a black bear
only thing that could tangle with a mountain lion, realistically
one last scan of your surroundings and you were content to climb back up home
might put some coffee on now for good measure
today was going to be a long one
you whistled as you climbed
some tune stuck in your head from years ago
helped make the climb a little less tedious
you probably shouldn't
your dad said you shouldn't do that in the woods
but that always seemed silly
you climbed up no problem
weren't looking forward to ice on that ladder come winter
might have to figure out a fix for that
be a neat project to take your mind off things
you fired up the stove and put the coffee on
through your binoculars you saw the same expanse as usual
no signs of anything unusual
perhaps you'd pick up a couple novels in town
you were always musing about little future plans with all the free time here
it felt good to just be with your thoughts
after a half hour of making sure the woods weren't on fire you laid back on the bed
your room really had it all
the crackle of the stove filled the room as easily as its heat
the shelf of canned goods was stocked
that spam stuff really was great
dad had been right about that at least
he'd picked that up from the war and loved that stuff
from the bed you could peak and see the mountains through the huge glass windows
maybe you'd sketch the view today
it would be something to do
you'd kick your feet up and do just that
you lost track of time as you focused on your horizons
sipping coffee and watching the skies
you'd sketched this side of the forest before
the curvature of the mountains
placement of the trees
movement caught your eye
you saw violent rustling
couldn't be confused for the wind
only one tree in particular swayed
then one next to it
and slowly they both returned to the usual stillness
had to be a bear
it was a rarity but it was the only thing big enough to cause a commotion like that
though, the second tree moving was peculiar
not like they were known for leaping from tree to tree
things were damn scary enough
maybe a big enough cougar
just more proof you needed to be on your toes out here
had to keep your rifle close
possibly set up some alarms with some empty cans around the tower perimeter as a little make work project
but after musing on that for a moment, you went back to sketching and thought nothing more of it
you'd get lunch ready and go back to observing before heading back down
another lazy day on the government dime worked for you
you figured this was like a cop job
better to have a boring day than ask for any excitement
another trip down the ladder
you scoured the route towards that shaking tree
careful not to go too deep into the bush
but you were a little curious
and your rifle was comforting
you wouldn't venture too far
you promised yourself that
despite an attempt at stealth, you couldn't help the occasional snapping twig
it was fall and the floor was littered with leaves and sticks already
the tree swaying had to be a mile away from your best guess
you weren't stranding yourself that far into the woods
your hike felt uneventful
birds and squirrels overhead made you on edge but you could instantly tell from experience what they were
it had been a long time since you'd stalked through woods like you were going to shoot something
caution eventually won out when you realized you'd been gone for an hour
if it had been a bear this would have been stupid anyways
despite the curiosity, you weren't that curious
you beat a slow retreat back to the tower
the sun wasn't quite setting but the last thing you needed was trying to get back before dusk and panic
you reached the clearing and home sweet home
and not a moment too soon
dark clouds were starting to roll in from the east
the rain catchers would be full tonight
you checked the barrels and made sure they were ready and in good condition again
listening to the rain patter on the roof would put you to sleep for sure
you made sure everything was good before the climb
tonight would be a good night
might fry up some spam for dinner when it gets dark out
your last observation of the day was the same as it ever was
but with the bonus of watching the storm clouds slowly roll in
it was enough to make you pick up the sketchbook again
it was nice to see your work improve over time out here
”what job could you get with that skillset?”
dad never understood it was a hobby first
never got it
the second you'd talk about expressing yourself you were treading dangerous waters
so you'd silently sketch and never show anyone
out here you could really enjoy it
no one over your shoulder
granted, no one to really appreciate it either
but you weren't in it for someone else's attention
you liked doodling and having the freedom for it was liberating
you ate a light dinner of meat and decided to call it a night
the stove had been put out and the tower was bathed in the dark by the time the rain started up
you closed your eyes and focused on the rain on the roof and windows
letting the noise lull you to rest
you were at the rhythm's beckoning
another quiet night
you were jolted away from promised blissful sleep by hearing something below the tower
sounded like a racket
you hopped out of bed and flung the trapdoor in the center of the floor open
you saw a shape sprinting away from the base of the tower and realized the woodpile had been knocked over
you hissed out a curse when you saw the covering over it was gone
but damn if you didn't want to go down there now
had to be some curious bear drawn to the smell of your cooking
for tonight you'd use the padlock on the trapdoor
might be hard for the thing to climb up here if it returns but you'd sleep a lot better if you knew it was secure
you sat in bed uneasy for a while before you finally found yourself resting
sure enough when you peeked down the ladder in the morning, you saw something had knocked over the woodpile
you climbed down cautiously
if you didn't know better you'd have sworn the pile had been raided
some of it was knocked over
hence the noise last night
not like you took a headcount of your logs
you were a little pissed at some of it getting wet but it was all extra fuel
you might attempt to use it in the fire pit at the foot of the tower
make some sort of use of it
wasn't going to burn right either way
you investigated the area
hooves
a lot of hooves in the mud
so it wasn't a bear
but that still didn't answer what had happened
why would the deer want your wood?
the tarp was intact and you put the wet wood on the edges of it as better weights
might as well make something of the situation
you'd go through your day puzzled and a little on edge
to ease your fears you decided on that primitive alarm system
a pile of cans was easy to come by
twine was essential out here too
you strung the twine with the cans between several trees
low enough in the brush to hopefully hide them
you wouldn't put them across the entire perimeter for your own sake
you didn't need to trip in the morning or dusk trying to rush around
just enough set up to give you a sense of control here
the rattling would hopefully spook them away
worst case you could have enough warning to have your rifle ready
it took enough time you decided to set up a fire and fry something up for breakfast at the fire pit
damn deer
starting the fire with some of the rained on wood wasn't easy but you were stubborn enough to make it happen
you would be sleeping with the door locked for a while but otherwise nothing had changed all that much
strangest thing though
wildlife didn't really stick around the tower because they knew a human hung around there
the birds were the exception
maybe a stray opossum
you had found those tracks before
no deer though
usually much too skittish
but maybe one got brave or dumb or even sick
that last idea worried you
you sat by the fire for a few hours with your thoughts before carrying out observation
with the rain water the urge to live a little with another shower was strong
you kept the rifle by the stall as you scrubbed down
with winter you couldn't do this much
it was one of the few luxuries you'd miss during those hard months
standing out here was already chilly as it was
you'd have to store water I containers in the tower to keep a steady supply around without it freezing
just thinking in the shower
which was interrupted at the worst time
soap was in your eyes when you heard cans clang behind you
panic had you wiping it away so you could make a grab for your rifle
you spun on the noise and saw the shrubs swaying
the noise had scared off whatever it was
you shouldn't have followed but you went as far as the treeline
standing buck naked holding a gun
not your proudest moment
the breeze made you shiver and you decided it wasn't worth following up on right now
you got completely cleaned up and dressed
once more into the brush
you couldn't spend much time scouting
but you found paydirt
very uncomfortable news
out in the mud
human footprints
bare human footprints heading away from the tower
you were in disbelief
they couldn't be old ones you left because you didn't leave the tower clearing without your boots
you were on full alert as you rose up from the tracks
you didn't seen anyone
you were even less inclined to follow a stranger into the woods
you'd heard stories of hillbillies and folks just going feral
there was an internal debate as you thought about it
should you tell the boss?
well, you'd retreat to the safety of the tower to think about this
why should you worry?
you had a gun and it was looking like just some creep
all you'd have to do is lock the trapdoor every night
yeah, that's all
it was annoying someone intruded on your solitude but you were able to defend yourself out here
you weren't some lost little kid
after last night this incident was just making you more jumpy
the rifle never left your side as you carefully did your errands
all the while, keeping watch towards the woods
nothing was going to sneak up on you and thankfully, the rest of the excursion was quiet
dinner, observation, sleep
you wanted to return to the mundane after that and hoped it would just go away
the following week or so was quiet
you were on edge the entire time of course
when your boss popped in for a status report and resupply you kept the incident to yourself
they might think you were going stircrazy
take you off this shift
you wanted your extended paid camping trip to last a while
Dave seemed to buy it
handed you extra food to boot
was really pleased with how you ran the place
then off he went to put your pay into your account at the local bank
paper checks and cash meant jackshit for you in the woods
a savings account meant it was at least working for you
he didn't have to do that but thankfully there were still some kind folks out there
once he'd left you relaxed a little
he wasn't a hardass like your dad but it was still your boss
not like you could go out for beers with the guy
or other stuff
you were alone with your thoughts once more
the leaves were falling now
you watched some slowly drift to the ground before you went about your business again
you started to feel comfortable again with time
occasionally, you'd come across deer prints
they'd be here and there around the treeline but that was normal
they'd be active trying to fatten up for winter
so of course you'd see them running around
well, that was also the peculiar thing
you never actually saw deer
after a another week or so you found a mystery
the human footprints further out
but they were among the hooves
it didn't startle you as much as it did originally
maybe just some mountain hermit
maybe
but you weren't as vulnerable as you were last time you saw prints like this
you made a note of the direction they seemed to come from
if you were feeling more adventurous you might have followed them then and there
but it seemed reckless
you'd need to prepare
plus the sun would be setting soon
you decided to mark it down as a task for a later day
procrastination, sure
but it wasn't exactly part of your job
after a couple days you had mentally prepared for it
you would do this
but you'd be ready for it instead of some impromptu trip
there was enough food and water in your pack
the forest was quiet that morning aside from the occasional birdsong
the plan was to set off far enough in the direction of those second set of human tracks
at least far enough until sundown was close
if you didn't have any new evidence you'd just write it off
hopefully this would be the end of it
after observation, you set off with your rifle in hand
it wasn't a rough hike up towards the mountains
there wasn't a trail but the brush was thin and when it became rough you'd clear it with a blade
you were just supposed to walk in as close to a straight line as possible
just A to B
that was the plan
then you'd be home in time for dinner
the birdsong eventually stopped accompanying you
that silence was a little unsettling
but you still pressed forward
you'd never been this deep into the woods up here
to calm yourself you whistled a little, sometimes switching to humming
something to fill the void
rustling to your right made you freeze
your eyes were focused on the brush
it was so thick you got only glimpses of brown fur through it
it had to be a deer
you backed up quietly
slowly
you wanted distance between you and any wild animal
the rustling continued
unfortunately you were so focused in front of you that you didn't see the approach from behind
the blow came suddenly and silently
you were out as you hit the forest floor
the brush rustled all around you

you awoke in a room
at least as far as you could tell
it was pitch black all around but you didn't feel a breeze
in fact the air felt stuffy
for autumn at least
and the floor was wood instead of dirt and leaves
you slowly got up
head still hurt like a son of a bitch
you felt around and you eventually came across your pack in the dark
it had been raided
your gun
you found it close by
whoever had you left you armed and only took your food
that was peculiar but you didn't take time to think about it
you needed out
your boots might as well have been cinder blocks on the wood floor but you attempted stealth
last thing you wanted was someone realizing you were awake
you were a little groggy and hoped to God you didn't have a concussion after whatever hit you
you felt stone walls and traced your hand until you finally found an opening
it was a rickety wooden door
locked
you would search the rest of the room, turning up nothing
then you heard steps outside
it sounded like leaves
so this had to be some tiny stone outbuilding
couldn't have been bigger than a shed
you took a page out of the opossum book and played dead on the floor
but you held your rifle now
with any luck that would give you the element of surprise
hated to have this thing in close quarters instead of something more appropriate but it's all you had
the silence after the footsteps was overwhelming
all you could hear was your own slow breaths
the room felt like a tomb right now
maybe you'd die out here
never found out in the woods
but you didn't want to resign yourself to death just yet
whoever had grabbed you was a creep
the thought had occurred they'd emptied the gun before leaving it
who kidnaps someone and leaves them with their loaded firearm?
hopefully you could at least bluff with it
after an eternity of sitting still with the barrel pointed towards the door you heard the steps again
they grew fainter
you gave it some time before exhaling
it still had to be night out there if you saw no light around the door
even if you got out you'd be at the mercy of whoever was around
you decided to sit in place until sun up
then you'd break out
at least then you'd be able to see where you were running to
the door was an old wooden one so a couple kicks might just bring it down
you sat against a stone wall and watched the direction of the doorway
just bide your time
that's all you had to do right now
stay awake and conserve your strength for fight or flight the moment you saw sun cracking through that door
it allowed you time with your thoughts
after being out in the solitude for so long you could handle that
it was just more of the same
some guys might break and get restless
you just kept your eyes on the door and waited
first ray of sunshine around the door would be the sign
you didn't know what lay in wait out there
whoever brought you had to be there
you just had to prepare for the unknown best you could
there would only be a brief moment to catch your bearings
then you'd head in the direction of the tower best you could
you felt that was easy to defend from
better than taking your chances out here
you couldn't read your watch to tell the time
for all you knew you could have been up here for a day or two
the moment you finally had dawn rear its face around the door you rose to your feet, grabbed your pack and quietly approached the opening
the panels were rotten enough to get a nice peek outside
it was woodland alright
you saw a few decaying buildings around
one that looked like a house
almost looked like a fire had gutted it
growth had overtaken much of the building but you could see stone
you were so preoccupied scouting you fell on your ass when an eye met yours between the gaps in the door
fun time to figure out the rifle was still loaded when it went off in your hand at the impact
a scream came from the other side of the door
so they did leave you with a loaded rifle
despite the initial surprise, you were quickly back on your feet and ramming the door
footsteps could be heard outside
they knew you were awake
possibly shot or at least scared off
maybe some feral folks that hadn't seen a firearm
you didn't want to stick around and ask questions
whispers and shouts
all over
so more than one
your shoulder slammed into the door harder and harder
it finally gave way with a loud crack
hinges and lock broke off the wood and you couldn't catch yourself from falling forward with the door
it all happened so quick
the first thing you realized when you came to was you were looking at a pair of bare human feet
then you scanned up and realized they were connected to a deer
it just had feet instead of hooves
you shot up and backed up
whispers and rustling surrounded the building
you aimed the rifle and the thing screamed at you
just like a human
and retreated from you
what the fuck did you just see
did that head injury mess you up that bad?
wait, shit
you looked around and realized pretty quickly you were higher up on the mountain
couldn't exactly place the tower at first but it stuck out when you calmed down for a moment
rustling to your right
human eyes on a deer face
and hands grasping the corner of the building
rifle pointed right at whatever that was
rustling from above
your eyes darted up to see a skinless deer looking down at you
it was alive and unbothered
what the hell
you had enough
you refused to stay
the screeching and yells intensified behind you
rocks were tossed near enough to your head you could see them whiz by
they threw rocks
deer throwing rocks
you needed away from this mountain right now
this was something you hadn't prepared for
some weird folk sure
not monsters
those were not deer
you didn't know what you just saw but those were not goddamn deer
it had all happened so fast but you were sure those weren't hallucinations
you saw something freakish and it sounded like it was still giving chase
you didn't dare stop
eventually the stones and noises stopped
but you didn't try to look behind you and confirm
with your luck you'd trip over a rock or root at that exact moment
it got to the point your lungs felt like they were getting stabbed
the adrenaline eventually gave out
you stole a glance behind you
it was clear and you collapsed against a tree
you checked your rifle and it gave you relief
once you'd regained your strength you got up and continued towards the tower at a slower pace
every little rustle in the forest put you on edge and you were constantly looking over your shoulder
when you got to the tower you climbed up to sanctuary
you did the lock and collapsed on the floor
God
whatever those things were you didn't want to meet them again
you were quiet
deep in thought
you heard someone climbing the ladder
out of fear you jumped onto the door
the lock and your weight would have to be enough
it couldn't be your boss
you heard soft knocking on the door
”sir?”
you froze
not even a breath escaped you at that moment
whoever it was would be an idiot not to realize you were here even with you being rigid in place
that voice was human
but could you trust the woods like that?
it was hard to believe
”sir, I want to apologize.”
the voice had a little accent to it
pretty local from what glimpses of it you got in town
you were confused
it probably wasn't the best idea to speak up but you did it anyways
apologize?
it was a dumb question borne from shock about the whole situation
the other side of the door was silent for a moment
”my brothers just got a little out of hand.”
you quietly thought about that
the hell were they talking about?
brothers?
you made no attempt to move
whatever was going on you weren't in the mood to trust a stranger
if that was a even a human on the other side
the conversation dying seemed to discourage whoever that was and you heard the clatter of someone climbing back down the ladder
you spent hours lying there
it had been insane
so much to process what you'd seen
you eventually moved to clean and reload your rifle
your closest friend
it calmed you
you checked your watch and realized how late in the day it was
they'd had you detained for a day and a half
not deer
you reminded yourself that fact over and over while you scanned the horizon
you at least attempted the bare minimum for work as a distraction
not a single damn reason to leave the tower today
you refused
at least cold spam felt like the greatest thing ever right now
damn things ate your food
had to have
you slept on the floor over the trap door
it felt safe
you'd worry about everything tomorrow
at least your sleep freed you from your fears for a little while
not for long
a knock on the door again
that knock cut through the twilight quiet like a knife
your eyes shot open
”please, sir.”
it was quiet
a pleading whisper
you had questions you didn't ask aloud
the voice was sweet
but maybe that was part of some trick
get your guard down thinking you were helping some young woman out in the woods
because what woman is just hanging off your ladder at three in the morning
especially whispering like that
you felt comfortable when you reached over and felt your rifle on the floor next to you
”come out. pretty please?”
no way
you were not falling for easy bait
”I'm sorry for peeping on you in the shower.”
oh
so you didn't imagine that
great
so this thing could have pounced on you while you were naked
but it apologized
at least it was polite about scoping you out at your most vulnerable
so considerate
you did what any rational man would do
informed the party on the other side of the door that you had a gun and they should leave
”my brothers just got a little rowdy but they meant well.”
again about his brothers
the hell was going on
”they just decided it was time for me to get married.”
you didn't initially think much of that statement but that only raised more questions
but you refused to entertain this stranger
no you weren't going to ask them to clarify
you repeated again that you had a gun and they needed to leave
”I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause any trouble.”
the sound of someone climbing down the ladder was a relief
you had a hard time sleeping again
somewhere along the way you finally did pass out from exhaustion
you awoke a little over an hour from your usual time
the sun was up
you couldn't put off going down forever and worked up the courage to undo the lock
the rifle barrel was used to push the door up
no chance you were going to get snatched down that easily
nobody there
there was an little wood box tied to the top rung
a rough job done with what looked like your twine
the box looked old
it fit in your hands
you were suspicious but opened it anyways
inside was a bed of dried flowers and a withered old paper sitting atop them
it had been folded to fit and you noticed when you unfolded it it had been a blank page out of a book
it still had the page number in the corner
there was meticulously handwritten cursive
you couldn't make out much of the writing
it hadn't been your best subject in school
you did catch that you were addressed as “gentleman caller”
at least that's what you assumed
you set the box and letter on the bed and made your way down the ladder cautiously
you refused to get taken by surprise like that again
hoof prints all around the place
you had learned not to trust tracks at face value now
whatever menagerie was up in there mountains was beyond an ordinary deer
but you were confused
speaking and writing
even that was a little out there
granted one of the things didn't even have skin
did one of those things have a crush on you somehow
you held your rifle tight as you patrolled the perimeter
as lonely and weird as you felt mentally for your tastes, deer wasn't one of them
bad enough you may have fancied guys
nothing seemed out of the ordinary around the tower
you weren't exactly enthusiastic to leave the area
there also wasn't a rush to try and escape the woods
the journey might see you get ambushed
your enthusiasm for adventure was gone
you just didn't want to get attacked again
speaking of, as nice as a shower might have felt, you weren't making yourself vulnerable like that
you ate and stayed on high alert all day
at night you refused to leave
the voice returned
it returned every night
you eventually put weights over the door instead of laying on the wood floor
but you could still hear the voice
and with the voice came gifts every morning
the gifts ranged from strange to macabre
all usually tied right below the trap door
the whispers were sometimes pleading
but you wouldn't respond
”come on, I just want to talk.”
whoever it was
whatever it was
you remembered the marriage talk and that only confused you more
the voice was never hostile
but you knew well enough that was a lie
the gifts ranged from a heart made of twigs to a necklace of squirrel skulls
how in God's name did you attract a stalker
let alone a woman
was it a woman?
probably wasn't human
”come on. I really want you to meet dad.”
every night
every night was some new plea
you'd roll over in bed and hope the problem would go away in the morning like it had so far
it was starting to eat at you
here you had thought yourself alone
but every night this visitor somehow eluded your tripwires and climbed up to the door
that's all they did too
you were waiting for the shoe to drop
they were toying with you
the boss would find the interior of the tower a bloody mess and you gone
that's how it would go
sometimes, your anger and annoyance would override your fear
you knew responding to whatever it was was what it wanted
but your frustrations boiled over
one night you sat there, eyes wide and something just snapped after the last “please”
you went off
this was supposed to be your little hermitage
you didn't mean to stumble into whatever cursed thing was going on up in the mountains
you'd have been happy being blissfully unaware and maybe just up and die of old age I these woods
alone
whatever attention and gifts you were getting lavished with wouldn't even work
you paced the small room while ranting, exploding at your visitor but all getting your own frustrations out
such as the fact that even if whatever was on the other side of the door was human, she wouldn't work
because you had a problem and only seemed to be attracted to men
you screamed that last part out
angry at yourself for your dysfunction as much as the violator of your solitude here
after that last display you got quiet
you'd spent your anger for the moment and it was good to just let it out for once
it was true though
dad figured something was wrong with you but couldn't quite guess it accurately
you'd come out here to get away from people
to just think about what was going on with your head
not like you could be open with this with anyone
then the voice got your attention again
”is that all? dad told me there was nothing wrong with me for that.”
you glared at the door
unable to really decide how to interpret that
you bet they were just trying to get on your good side
tell you what you want to hear so you'll open the door
the rest of the night you didn't respond
the voice left after calling you cute
you heard the descent down the ladder
you had questions that you buried
for now, you'd sleep in
get some sort of rest before the sun makes it impossible
might just stay up in the tower all day
could be worse ways to spend the time
when you woke up it was fifteen past nine
that was pretty late for you
you opened the door to another gift
a silver ring tied to the top rung
it looked old
it was a simple worn band
whatever it was kept using your twine
the ring was dull but the sun still glinted off it when held up to the light
you set it on the nightstand with the other trinkets
it was at least a mountain of evidence that you weren't just seeing and hearing things out here
this was very real
peeking down, you saw no one
like always your visitor was long gone before sunrise
there was something screwy going on and you had no idea how to handle it
you wanted to stay up here despite that stuff though
this had become a dream job of sorts and you weren't keen on getting chased off it
you weren't getting chased off that easy
there was just no solution to this you could think of other than simple endurance
whatever it was hadn't pushed its luck and tried to get into the tower
but would that last?
the week had become strangely routine again despite the visitor
intruder, you reminded yourself
this had been your place to think
to distance yourself
no appeals to marriage
no confusing thoughts
you were supposed to be out here because you didn't feel right out there
what that voice had said had bugged you
about how it was alright to be the way you were
it had to be a trick
that's what you kept thinking
it had to be
but it had been the nicest thing you'd ever heard
but maybe that was the point
to lower your guard
damn things sure was persistent
marriage?
the voice made your mind go all sorts of places it shouldn't
stuff that was too good to be true
you were watching the treeline today and thinking
if you grabbed a shower, you'd have the rifle next to you
after how grimey you felt that might be a godsend
cold shower might help with other things
if someone peeped on you so be it
you had decided on it after a moment of debate
the shower was fine
better than expected
you kept your eyes glued to the trees outside the stall
rifle within reach
it felt good
the birds were singing and the forest was finally feeling comfortable again
you took your time and allowed yourself the opportunity to relax
your tower, your land
after toweling off you felt the breeze
this was the life
your clothes no longer felt scratchy and uncomfortable after all that
a week without cleaning up was a bit much
you'd have to figure out how to get clean over winter
government didn't see that as a priority
maybe the showers had you spoiled
the rest of the day was normal
relaxed
you finally went up top for observation duty and realized something
the trapdoor had been left open
you made a habit of closing it
you stood there for a moment at the bottom of the ladder
you hadn't heard anyone around
but during the shower they probably snuck up there
you quietly climbed
this was your little home and you couldn't be scared of it
your ears were focused for any sort of noise above you
you heard nothing
maybe they raided your tower and left
you weren't really in a position to aim the rifle from the ladder
something you were very aware of
when you finally poked your head up you sat there slackjawed
it wasn't a deer
but it wasn't a human
and it was sitting on your bed like it was expecting you
it raised its hands and you nearly fell of the ladder in a panic
”please sir, relax. I just realized maybe I was going all about this the wrong way.”
sure enough
that was the voice of your nightly visitor
that didn't make your panic any less unfounded
you were trying your damndest to grasp what was in front you
the body of a human to an extent
definitely sitting upright
wearing a sunbleached dress
you could tell the flowers on it had to have been colorful at one point
brown fur covered all the bared skin
hooves terminated long deer legs
that had to be the click you'd hear against the metal rungs
how the fuck did it climb like that?
clawed hands now rested on its lap
they reminded you of a bear's
without the muscle to swing them hard enough to kill you
instead of a little deer tail, it had a full massive fluffy tail resembling a squirrel’s that laid across the bed
there were antlers
slightly misshapen ones but antlers none the less
so it was maybe a he
your eyes finally went back to his eyes
the irises were yellow but had a glint of something behind them you never saw in an animal
maybe he or it or whatever thought it was lightening the mood by smiling but a mouth more akin to a wolf's bearing all those sharp shiny white teeth at you did not comfort you
the smile faded when the panic it caused made you want to climb back down
”I'm sorry, I know I'm not much to look at.”
he was calm, attempting to reassure you
did not make an attempt to chase you down the ladder
that was what made you pause up there
it had you dead to rights but seemed more concerned with attempting to make a good impression
the slight accent in his voice did help
something you hadn't noticed while scared out of your wits every night
you weren't keen on climbing up in the tower but you held your place at the threshold, still trying to figure this thing out while it meekly let you appraise it
it had ears that flopped down and rested on its chest
reminded you of a rabbit's
the hair
that stood out
it wasn't all just fur
on its head there was a head of hair nearly shock white
it was braided and hung over its shoulder
the straps of the dress clung to wide bare shoulders
this thing was a garage sale of parts
it hadn't leapt off the bed so you maintained caution
”I just thought, maybe, if I came to you out in the sun you'd reconsider.”
it noted the confusion on your face
”I want you to be a part of the family.”
that did not comfort you
you started making your way down the ladder
it hopped onto its hooves and that made you want to go down the ladder faster
”that ring was my pawpaw's.”
that sounded like a protest
one that fell on deaf ears
you jumped from the ladder with about six feet left
”please don't leave me!”
you needed to get out of here
you turned and started bolting away from the tower when you heard a scream cut short by a crunch behind you
that stopped you
best you could tell when you turned that it had tripped and fallen the whole way
on its neck it looked like
you were silent
why had it been so desperate?
you approached the heap
no one was going to believe all this
a part of you felt guilty looking at the body
it had to be a swift death
you hoped
and you had been contemplating just dropping off the ladder earlier
the body looked fragile now
almost like a broken doll
your eyes met its own
and you felt a pang of sympathy for whatever it was
then shot back up
you fell backwards watching the heap pull itself together and manually reset a broken neck
the eyes met yours again and there was a life in them again
it pounced and pulled you into a hug on the ground
”I was so scared you'd leave. I'm sorry.”
the thing had your rifle buried between it and you
you tried to wrestle it off and it just held the hug
your arms were held at your sides so you rolled to get it beneath you
what the hell was this thing
you just saw it die
”I just think we'd be good for each other. dad said so.”
he was clutching onto you for dear life despite struggling
you were desperate to get the rifle free
”why won't you let me love you?”
that question was furious
he actually screamed that in your face
the tone took you aback for a moment and he tightened the grip
you nearly felt the breath squeezed out of you
you shot back at him
where the hell did he learn how dating worked?
this wasn't normal
he eased up a little
”so you really want to date?”
he looked hopeful
God he was insane
you realized something though
you weren't alone
in the pause between you two you heard rustling in the bushes
it had heard it too and panic flashed over the deer thing's face
”we were just playing.”
he shouted that out to the woods
was that those freak deer?
had to be
this thing called them brothers

of course, he'd screamed a few seconds ago
you could see rustling all around
the exact number of the things was beyond your guess
you saw three or four of them last time
and that was the ones you'd seen
this thing clutching on you wasn't part of that original deal
”follow my lead.”
it spoke in a hushed tone
clearly to you
”you run and they'll kill you.”
that could be considered a threat
but then you were released from the hug
you scrambled back away from it and were about to ready your rifle when he continued gently talking
”I know you're scared. just please listen.”
you had to fight your instincts right now all screaming at you to run
maybe you would get killed out there
even if you ran hard you don't know if you could escape to town
you refused to release the rifle but didn't ready it
you'd have to think of something
maybe climb back up the ladder before they got you
the tower did seem to hold them at bay
you didn't make it obvious but you slowly inched towards the ladder while the thing in front of you let you appraise him more
it held its paws in front of itself in an almost demure manner
”I know what it's like to be different. that's why you're out here right?”
you had thoughts of men, you replied
”I mean I'm a man and I had thoughts of you. it's not wrong.”
how could he know what wasn't wrong?
he probably lived out in these woods away from people for however long
”my brothers think I'm silly for this.”
God what was happening up in those mountains to make this “family”?
you were quiet on that last question
however you let him talk
if he talked he was distracted
he calmly approached you
”I know you want to climb that ladder but I want you to reconsider.”
you froze
had you been that blatant?
he couldn't be that clever
he pressed your back to the ladder and moved in gently
he was just short enough he had to look up to you but just tall enough his antlers weren't a threat to your face
”where are my manners? my name is Felix and I'd really like to be your wife.”
he smiled again and you felt no less uncomfortable
why was he doing this?
”because I love you? why else?”
you didn't even know him
this was insane
”did Snow White have to meet her prince to know it was right?”

that stunned you
what?
that's all you could say
he hugged you to the ladder and whispered to you
”can't we make this work?”
you hadn't forgotten the danger
this was all done under duress
”then let's go up there together. I really just want to talk.”
”please.”
he nudged his snout to point up
he was giving you the go to get into the tower
this creature was weird
but maybe you could still escape
but even locking yourself up there would be a temporary solution
you'd eventually need more food and water
any hopes to outpace the visitor were dashed when you realized the hooves were right behind your boots
you climbed into the tower and the urge to kick the visitor back down was there
practically taunted you but this “Felix” was quick to climb up
you backed into a corner and he took his spot on your bed
”is there anything I can do to change your opinion? you shouldn't have to stay in this bed all by your lonesome come winter.”
he regarded the interior and there was anticipation on his face

you looked down out the windows and saw a few of those things you recognized
there was more than one without skin apparently
”you can lock the door if you'd feel more comfortable. I know the family can be a handful.”
your eyes went back to the one on your bed
you'd taken it up on that offer
it was hard to lock the door without taking your eyes off Felix
you didn't trust this to not be a trap
it politely waited
so you had to ask
why in God's name was he so calm about the whole thing?
it was unsettling
you just expected the facade to drop any second
”am I not to relax around you?”
what?
”are you going to ravish me if I let my guard down?”
what?
just what was he expecting?
this wasn't how you imagined having a guy in your bedroom would go
but he seemed fine with the arrangement
his fluffy tail ended up resting in his lap
you didn't really have much to say here
the silence was getting uncomfortable and the tower felt oppressive for the first time since you'd come here
despite the deer thing's friendly face you refused to let your own defenses down

he had to understand why you were paranoid right?
this was all a lot
you pointed that out
this was crazy
”is it that crazy to meet a kindred spirit?”
he kept saying stuff like that
”because it's true. you came out here because you felt lonely and you didn't fit in. am I wrong?”
you shouldn't have confessed about yourself that night because this thing kept needling you on it
sure you isolated yourself
but you loved the solitude
it was relaxing out here
”it could be even more relaxed.”
the argument was ridiculous
the thing patted the bed next to it
you refused
it sighed
”I guess you could kill me if you really want your solitude back. would that make things better?”
you looked into his eyes when he said that
as scared and as fed up as you were you hadn't resorted to the rifle up here
down there, sure
you were panicked
scrambling
while you clutched it up here you hadn't tried it
when confronted with actually killing him here and now, you stayed your hand
maybe you just didn't feel comfortable doing it
since the danger had seemingly passed
you could offer excuses but he had cut straight to it
maybe you didn't want to pull the trigger now
the deer thing didn't push any more
just quietly watched you

you hated to think the thing was right
well it hadn't attempted to kill you yet
you sighed
maybe you had admitted defeat in the face of these circumstances
even if you shot it, you'd have those things down the ladder
you wouldn't get far
the situation was grim
so you'd indulge this thing
you asked if it was honest about the homosexual thing
was it gay?
you slumped against the wall opposite the bed
”of course. I've wanted a prince of my own since I was little and dad read me those stories.”
a monster that wanted fairy tales
you kept that comment to yourself
and it really was a guy?
it pointed to the antlers
yeah you figured
”it's a bit early to show you under my dress.”
well, you believed him
you flip flopped between considering him a creature and something sentient
you weren't exactly in the mood to trust him now
but you were finding it easier to humanize him
you had to ask
why did they come to you?
you'd spent at least a season without any nonsense
”you whistled. we heard that.”
oh goddammit
dad had told you not to do that
was this why?
he wasn't here to ask but you felt like maybe you'd brought this on yourself now
the deer thing getting up made you flinch
you fully expected to get attacked
instead he calmly approached and sat opposite you on the floor
he knew not to push his luck but must have been a little impatient

you watched him
”I promise I'm not going to eat you, silly.”
poor choice of words and he realized it judging by his face
the deer thing was trying to be friendly but this could be a trick
he sat with his strange legs somehow
knees on the wood floor
just anticipating your next move
but why?
you were still confused why specifically you were desired
surely there were men in town he could go for
you said as much
”I'm a firm believer of love at first sight.”
again with this stuff
he saw you weren't convinced
it didn't seem to deter him
then what seemed to be an epiphany hit him judging by his face
he pulled his massive plush tail in front of him and offered it to you
his eyes lit up with possibility
the brown fur looked soft
”you can touch it. please?”
this had to be a trick
had to be
he mulled over things
you could tell he was thinking
probably more like scheming
he slowly pushed the tail tip near your face
you stared at him
what was he doing?
”well, nothing. my tail just has a mind of its own I guess.”
the tail he was holding up to your face now
he frowned
that was still a rarity from this thing
you weren't foolish
his weird little tricks weren't going to work
he seemed to go back to the drawing board for a moment
then he turned around, facing his back to you
”I want you to trust me. so here.”
he let his tail rest on the floor
ge didn't look over his shoulder for a reaction, just sat there
”outside of showing you my belly, I can't be more vulnerable.”

you noticed something quickly enough
this Felix had wiggled himself closer to you
maybe he'd hoped you wouldn't notice
you still didn't trust him
the tail made its move without warning
the fluff surrounded your face, making you dodge away from it
”sorry. I couldn't resist.”
his face went to your “pantry” and his eyes lit up
”oh we loved that spam stuff.”
right, your food was missing from your pack
so these things were… carnivores?
”well, we aren't picky. part of the reason I gave you gifts was to repay the food.”
you'd have rather been left alone
he didn't respond to that
”I did also peek at your art.”
you had left your sketchbook up here
”if it makes you feel better it's gorgeous.”
high praise from your captor
the tail wagged in front of you
”could you draw me sometime?”

that was the first thing to really lower your defenses
the hobby had become fascinating to you
another thing to secret away
you didn't think you could show that to someone
yet someone had seen it
expressed interest
it was just another aspect of yours to be hidden away from polite society and this someone liked it
praised a part of you
it was ridiculous to get that hung up on such a thing
this visitor picked up on it
”I wouldn't mind being your muse.”
he glanced over his shoulder and gave you a subdued smile
this was him trying to win you over
he was definitely coming on as less maniacal compared to before
at least he wasn't trying to hug your ribs until they broke now
you finally relaxed a little
still didn't trust this completely
but you didn't think he'd kill you
you got up but he stayed sitting
maybe he figured out sudden moves would be met with a reaction
you looked outside
well this thing's family had made itself known
you saw more than a few strange things down there
antlers made of hands
more than a few trying to walk upright with none of the grace for it
at least one coughing black liquid onto the ground
you were up here for the long haul
when you squeezed around the deer thing to sit on the bed, you could see it fight the urge to get up
most likely to join you

this whole situation was throwing you curve balls left and right
you were stuck staring at this Felix
the deer thing just occupying your floor now
held hostage in your sanctuary
you didn't know if you could wait this out
”I promise I'll be a perfect wife.”
what if you were looking for marriage?
could be some pervert?
”pervert?”
you didn't feel like going further with that conversation so stopped while you were ahead
you didn't exactly get to get married unless it was a woman
that had been a plan for a bit
fake it until the grave just to make the family happy
but that wouldn't be fair to anyone
not to a wife
not to any kids
not to you
so you ran up here from the problem
two guys couldn't get married
much less whatever this arrangement was
was he really not getting that this whole situation was strange?
”love is strange, yes.”
oh this was impossible
you rested your head in your hands, the first time you'd taken your eyes off the thing

you realized how stupid that was and snapped your head back to glare at him
he hadn't moved
no lunge for you
just decided to quietly enjoy your company
you sighed
perhaps he finally grasped he wasn't getting anywhere and spoke up
”I'll leave for now on one condition.”
he wanted you to ask
that pause and that weird smirk told you so
fine
what was the condition?
”one kiss.”
was he really still on about that?
”of course I am, but I'll leave for today if you just give me one kiss.”
he raised his hand with one clawed finger
you were skeptical
this was giving the deer thing what it wanted
but if he left maybe that was your opportunity
you could get the hell out of the woods and to town
it would require you to practically sprint down the mountain
yeah
that could be doable
but then there was sun down
you were so busy weighing the pros and cons this Felix clearing his throat nearly startled you
”just one kiss. on the cheek of course. I'm not that cheap on a first date.”
you'd tried dates before but none this… unique
yeah you'd do this and he'd be out of your hair for a while
long enough to escape
you refused to relinquish the rifle even when you slumped down to your knees in front of him
you'd kissed girls before
but it was just going through the motions
so you could fake that here
easy
you went for a quick peck
right on his cheek
that seemed to delight him
”I know you're just as shy about this as I am but I'm sure we're going to get along great.”
he returned the kiss on your cheek
a couple frantic kisses with what his snout could do
”it's probably too early to exchange the big L word but just know that kiss is special to me.”
he hesitated
”would a hug be pushing my luck?”
the deal was one kiss
he sighed
”I did promise, didn't I?”

the deer thing took his prize graciously at least
you backed away and he saw himself down the ladder
it was a miracle he could do that with hooves
he was swarmed by his “brothers” at the bottom of the ladder
you were still shaken up looking at some of them
just looked like a parody of life
he seemed to calm them down with some words or noises you couldn't make up from the tower
he must have realized you were still watching and looked up
there was an urge to slam the door shut
you had your hand on the door
the thing blew you a kiss then skipped away, the family in tow
you shut the door then and locked it
you'd have to start packing if you wanted out
more food
you were starving after all this excitement
it didn't take you long to polish off two cans of cold beans
your excursion was stopped at the base of the ladder when you realized Felix was just standing outside the clearing of the tower watching from behind a tree
you had to ask aloud why he was still there?
you didn't care if that came off as rude considering your whole experience
”well I said I wouldn't bother you for the rest of the day.”
right
you realized he wasn't going to make this easy
he noticed the pack
”you're trying to leave aren't you?”
well, he was sharp
you didn't know if you could just outrun him down through the forest
there weren't any of his brothers around best you could tell
but maybe that was a trick
the deer thing kneeled by the tree
he didn't make eye contact with you
maybe he was trying to play on your sympathy
your foot hadn't left the last rung of the ladder
as tempting as a run for it sounded the tower was still safer
the deer thing moved its claws up and grabbed its antlers
you were confused until you heard and loud snap and he pulled the malformed antlers off his head
he whimpered as he got up
”please.”
you were shocked, looking at the broken stumps in his hair and down to the things he offered you as he slowly approached
there was a black liquid coming from the stumps
was that his blood?
you could have rushed up the ladder then
this was such a whiplash after the kiss
what happened with this deer thing?
the whole time you couldn't really find any words
you didn't fear this thing right now
there was an urge to retreat up to safety but this thing seemed so vulnerable now

perhaps you pitied him for this
you should have run
a part of your mind wanted to
but you looked into his eyes
he was going to cry
all while holding out his bloody horns to you
were these another gift?
he nodded as he got close but stopped himself from getting within arms reach
dad didn't raise a smart son
you cursed yourself as you took your foot off the ladder
maybe this was how you died
falling for some sobbing
you took the antlers and said screw it
was the hug wise?
no
might be the last thing you'd do
but you did it
at first the deer thing didn't respond to it
but his arms snaked around your back
you didn't get killed for letting your guard down and the deer thing stopped making choking noises
he hadn't burst into messy weeping but you knew if you hadn't done that he would have
it felt actually good to hold and be held like this
hadn't felt this since you were a little boy
the embrace was held for a while
Felix was the one to break it
”I'm sorry. I don't blame you for wanting to go. It's just…”
you stared at the antlers in your hands
”you feel right. I want you to feel right about me.”
you barely knew each other
complete strangers
”we can fix that, can't we?”
he sniffled
God, you shouldn't have caved in the face of this but he'd finally broke your defenses down
you couldn't stand the crying though
that was a weakness

you'd consider it
but he had to understand how unsettling this all had been
how'd he like to be held captive in his home by you?
”you can if you want.”
that wasn't what you meant
you gave it some thought
perhaps you really were the only human socializing he'd ever had
maybe he didn't know how to handle you as much as you didn't know how to handle him
you were still apprehensive about completely trusting him but that breakdown had made him feel all the more harmless
if he could behave himself and kept his brothers from attacking you, he was fine to hang around here
on the condition he at least announced he was nearby
”I can do that.”
you'd figure something out about this
maybe you could still get into town
just not today
you sighed and started prepping an outside fire while he watched
after all this you could stand to fry up an actual meal and not just settle for cold beans
the deer thing lit up when he saw you pull a can of spam out of the pack and your skillet
you saw the enthusiasm out of the corner of your eye
while you relaxed around him out of some pity, you weren't letting him out of your sight completely

you sat by the fire and cooked
the deer thing quietly stood off to the side
you weighed your options
it was probably smarter
you patted the space next to you and he nearly dove to the ground to sit next to you
in the firelight you allowed yourself to relax
you were just sharing a fire and a meal with someone
that's what it boiled down to
your company happily accented a slice of meat and it was gone within a second
did he even taste it?
your solitude was shattered but for now you accepted that

you were still paranoid about all of this
it was natural
when Felix rested his head against your arm you flinched
either he didn't notice or was polite enough not to comment
after the initial reaction you allowed it
there was a quiet peace now
you sat there until.you realized the sun was setting

you pointed this out
you had to get up into the tower
”can I come?”
the question was quiet
as if preparing to the rejection
but you didn't trust him around you while you slept
you tried to let him down gently
”that's fair, I guess.”
after spending hours being scared of him, to see him like this actually made you feel guilty
you couldn't explain why
probably shouldn't have tried to placate him
it wasn't smart
you needed to leave
but you saw him looking into the fire
the chipper demeanor gone
you did something incredibly stupid
you asked if he was able to head home before it got dark
that had been a hike to wherever their buildings were
at least that's where you assumed he lived
”I'll manage.”
your survival instincts were telling you this was a bad idea
would he behave up in the tower?
his face lit up
”really?”
”I mean yes. yes I would.”
it was getting chilly and after all this you didn't know about sending him back
you should have
he really did break through your defenses with that display
perhaps you were also a little afraid of retribution from his family if you rejected him here and now
these woods weren't safe and there was no reason to make them worse at the moment

the moment of pity there could have been bait to get his way
you considered that
there would be time to brainstorm a way out of this
you were almost missing the tense family dinners you'd have sometimes
this company was about as dysfunctional but at least you could trust family
the deer thing was an unknown
you didn't turn your back as you prepped the tiny stove for warmth tonight
he was instructed to lay over on the corner
you weren't trusting him any closer
your knife was next to you on the bed
if he attempted anything funny you'd be able to defend yourself
though you wondered if it would do any good after that fall and Felix just walking it off
the knife just made you feel more secure
you knew the rifle from experience wouldn't work for shit here
maybe if the knife was a little bigger, you'd feel more secure
eventually, you fell asleep while having an intense staring contest with the deer thing
exhaustion had finally won out after all
you awoke and nearly fell off the bed when your blurry vision locked back on the corner
he hadn't moved from that sitting position and he was awake
didn't he sleep?
the deer thing shook his head
could he sleep?
”not really, I just sit still for hours.”
well, you invited the thing up here
you just hadn't been prepared for him to spend the entire night staring at you sleep
at least you weren't dead
you took a moment to appreciate the role reversal from yesterday
but it put it all in a new perspective
you weren't terrified and clutching your weapon
the knife had fallen to the floor at some point during the night
and he had seen that

you glanced at the knife
he'd known you were vulnerable and did nothing with that
your eyes went back to him
just sat there like a stone
you weren't going to immediately trust him
but the implication that he just let you lay down in peace did make you consider him with a little less suspicion
the pitiful display last night wasn't an act to get in your good graces
or maybe he just wanted food
you still didn't know enough
but for now, he would hopefully leave
you got up and went through the morning ritual of checking the horizon
”so what do you do up here?”
he probably didn't think why you were out here, just that you were
you explained your job plainly
it was a simple one
just watch for fires
”so you protect us?”
he sounded like he was in awe
well the forest mostly
up until a few days ago you didn't even know anyone else was up here
you panicked when he slammed into you with a tackle
his arms wrapped around your waist
you caught on quickly he was attempting a hug
still didn't stop you from nearly bowling over
”my hero.”
really no
it was nothing
the flattery was strange after the initial panic over the fear of getting gutted had passed
you gently pushed him off

the deer thing wasn't taking the hint that you wanted him out of the tower
so you decided maybe he'd follow you
after making sure the coast below was clear, you climbed down
Felix followed but reminded you not to look up his dress
you weren't curious enough to do so
once down you tried to be subtle
you moved out of the deer thing's way and said you'd hate to keep him from his family
”that's so kind of you. I'll be by later today but I should be going.”
he gave you another hug
you hadn't been embraced this much ever
thankfully he left shortly after
actually skipped
you'd have time to get your stuff together and get out of here
despite the deer thing tugging on your heartstrings, you knew you needed to get out
packing was quick
you stuffed as much food as possible, ammo and made sure you had spare clothes
after one more pause on the horizon you retreated down the ladder
the area was still clear
so
why were you hesitant to leave?

Felix found you later tending to your firewood
blissfully unaware you could have just walked off
but something compelled you to see where this went
perhaps you were foolish to stick around
like you didn't know to get out when the getting was good
but now, you responded to the deer thing's greeting with a glance over your shoulder towards him
he was carrying a weaved basket with a cloth over it
you were curious but didn't directly ask him
your curiosity was sated when he pulled off the cloth and presented you with a pie
”I just really wanted to apologize for everything. I know this wasn't easy to deal with.”
you hadn't had any desserts like this since you'd moved up here
you stared at it and then asked what it was
”apple. the last ones of the season.”
apple pie did sound nice
it was cold to the the touch but that was nothing a stove top couldn't fix
the deer thing looked meek
probably hoping for your approval
well, you stayed, didn't you?
you didn't say that aloud
only gave it a passing thought
maybe you should leave
but the eyes staring up to you, looking for some answer
that was drawing you in
you still didn't know what to make of all this but you'd figure it out
your eyes glanced up to the nubs from his antlers
they looked alright now
you found yourself relieved they weren't in worse shape
maybe it was the antlers in your pack that had stopped you from leaving earlier
a reminder

it was hard to really figure out why you felt like this
maybe you'd done something stupid here and fallen for a trick
it was getting harder to be suspicious of the deer
you weren't going on a date or something
but he seemed to actually worship the ground you walked on and that put you in a difficult spot
you'd never encountered that
frankly, his behavior was weirder to you now compared to his appearance
he baked for you
hugged you
he was this damn happy to be around you
it was surreal to be around someone like this who knew about your issue
and encouraged it
you'd tolerate him for now
going about your business was easy, despite your fleeting suspicion
Felix stuck around
no doubt wanting your shelter come nightfall
and you'd probably do it
you ended up going through the day and saw the sun setting
you made the choice to let him up again
fine
you wouldn't run from this
you ran from your family to be out here
however, you were still sleeping with the knife

you warmed the pie on the stove along with a cold cup of coffee
then you looked over to Felix sitting quietly on the floor and got a second cup to spilt the coffee
you still didn't know what to make of all this but he had brought you food
it was the least you could do
he looked positively delighted when you handed him a slice of pie and the coffee
you had an ulterior motive with the pie
just wanted to make sure you weren't being fed something
you'd only eat it when Felix did
when the deer quietly scarfed it down your fears vanished
last thing you needed was to be drugged
you followed suit and ate your dessert
it was good, if a little lacking in cinnamon like you remembered mom used to do
but where was he going to get that out here
you looked at him
he looked at you
to his credit he was restraining his energy
you could tell he was trying to be on his best behavior
before you went to bed you tossed him one of your pillows and a spare blanket
you didn't care if he didn't sleep but you'd feel lousy if he was just sitting upright all night
plus that was still unnerving as hell to think about

you turned in and to your relief he copied you
you awoke to see he was still over in the corner
his back was to you
better than waking up to a staring contest
his ears were draped on the floor along with his long hair
it was your turn to watch over him
the blanket left a lot to the imagination but his hips stood out
he looked vulnerable
that lasted all of a second when he heard you get up and hopped up and turned to match your gaze
again he had to have just sat there all night
definitely not natural
it unsettled you less than yesterday's revelation
you hated to think you were getting used to this
didn't stop you from going about your day
at this point Felix had invited himself along the routine
what surprised you was the deer thing had taken it upon himself to help
firewood gathered and the camp organized
your area was always usually clean so he didn't have much to do
however, he then switched over tending to cooking over a campfire
you just sort of went with the flow, allowing him a presence
you still had your weapons but at the moment you gave him the benefit of the doubt
at least doing stuff like making coffee made him easy to keep tabs on
if he was going to try something you could see it
that's why you tolerated the idea
every time you went up to observe you left the door open to keep an eye on him
so far he wasn't doing anything that would give you pause but there was no reason not to be cautious

you kept waiting for him to excuse himself to go home
instead he just kept going about things
when he noticed a tear in one of your old shirts he wanted it forked over
it had been originally committed to eventual rags for cleaning and left hanging off the tower strut for whenever you felt like chopping it up
you were confused until he produced some sewing supplies
then further confused
he just had thread spools and a needle on hand?
under his dress?
”of course, I'd have to patch up my brothers all the time. what's a shirt compared to that? plus a good housewife should know how to do this.”
the response gave you pause
he set himself to the work
his fingers stitching the tear together
he just sat on the tower floor
you were shocked to see him work so quickly and gently on the fix
not even your mom was all that talented at it
once he was satisfied he held it up
then smelled the shirt
that was peculiar
”when do you do your laundry?”
he glanced over the shirt at you
well, it usually was rare to wash with the rain water
even then it wasn't the biggest priority
”as nice as you smell, that's not healthy. where's your soap?”
again, not a priority
you usually just boiled the clothes clean when you got to it
”well that's why I'm here. I'll get some soap from town and bring it back tomorrow. can't have my man a complete mess, can I?”
he rested the shirt on his lap
something you realized was a strategic move
he was a man alright, as much as the shirt tried to hide that

you didn't comment on that, instead circling back
what did he mean by “just go into town,” like that?
you doubted he could just waltz into town
Thurmond was a sleepy little place
you'd have heard talk around town
”oh I just have some friends go.”
friends?
”the birds, squirrels, rabbit's. you know.”
he just said that so matter of fact like you were supposed to know
but everything about him was odd so why question it?
not the strangest part of this
so he had minions
”sometimes my brothers go down there but they usually have to go at night.”
yeah you could see that
Felix had appreciated the change in subject apparently
he no longer held the shirt to his lap
”we don't like to take a lot from town. they need stuff too. but that's how I even got this dress.”
well that was nice of them
very considerate not to terrorize the town in broad daylight
the rest of the day was rather mundane
your company didn't leave the grounds
in fact, it was starting to feel like Felix was attempting to move in
you probably should have pushed back
you'd moved here for the solitude but the deer thing was slowly growing on you
he had toned down the energy from when he'd first shown up
he wasn't trying to cling to you now
respected the bubble you'd put around yourself now thankfully
just sort of hung around the clearing
it allowed you the space to think
your day in retrospect would seem dull to the outside observer
Felix didn't interfere with your day to day but also seemed fascinated by it
he would strike up small conversation here and there but when you started talking about the forest he was lighting up with energy again

you had hiked a fair portion of the forest but there was still plenty out there
the chance to share something knew with you practically had Felix jumping for joy
he knew of this really nice creek he wanted to show you
but you cut him off to his disappointment
you didn't say it but having him here was one thing
following him out into the woods was something you didn't trust to end well
you just didn't air that out
it was easier to come up with the accurate excuse you had to watch the forest
he approached and calmly looked up to you
”well now you don't have to watch it alone. plus, that creek isn't that far.”
he went over how cool the water was in the summer
he used to skinny dip in it before too
there was a bashful look in his eyes when he admitted that to you
maybe he was trying to entice you
however, you weren't keen on getting knifed or eaten in the woods
he didn't push the subject but you could tell this would come up again

the effort to maintain a polite air did at least keep Felix relaxed
you didn't know if you could handle another crying jag if you upset him
he just accepted “not now” for what it was and went about his day
there was at least peace
come nightfall he was in his spot and you yours
come daybreak he was there
he'd definitely invited himself into your camp but his going about cooking you breakfast did plenty to regard him more fondly
he seemed to enjoy your supply of canned meat
still unsettling behavior if you thought about it
granted, even herbivores will take some protein
but he wasn't exactly a normal deer to begin with
so you had to ask eventually while his guard was down
just what were he and his brothers?
you didn't want some excuse
they were unlike anything you'd heard of
you'd been curious
why wouldn't you be
”that's just how dad made us.”
after that cryptic hint, he excused himself to go down to the town for supplies
you didn't stop him but you'd pick up this conversation again
you realized you were hoping he came back

he didn't come back at sundown
you actually started to become concerned
had he vanished?
it couldn't have all been your mind playing tricks on you this whole time
that necklace of tiny skulls was real alright
it wasn't the wisest idea but you found yourself leaving the door unlocked
you sat up for a while
keeping a fire going while you sat there with a coffee on the bed
your watch said it was 11:37 when you heard a knock
given your past experience you had your gun trained on the door when you asked who it was
”just me.”
that was his voice
or was it?
well he did knock
you probably shouldn't let him in
but you told him the door was unlocked
he opened the door and you were thankful it was just the deer thing
you thought for a moment how strange that feeling was
but the deer thing had indeed gathered up supplies from town
he looked like he wanted your approval as he showed you soap
he'd also wrangled up bread, several cans of soup, a coffee cup and a newer dress
was there trouble?
this seemed like a lot to sneak off
even with an army of squirrels or whatever he had going for him
”just took a long time getting close enough to town. didn't want to alert anyone of course so we went in after dark. I hope you like.”
he was especially proud of the bright blue dress
he held it up like a trophy
”picked this off a clothes line.”
well you appreciated the stuff as long as it didn't put anyone out too much
he looked towards you for some sort of reply
it was a little confusing
he sighed but had a smile on his face
”I was hoping you'd ask me to model it.”
oh
”close your eyes, please.”
you eyed him suspiciously and he placed his hands on his hips
”we hadn't even gone on a date yet. as nice as you are, I'm not some floozy.”
but he admitted to peaking on you showering
he looked flustered

you did remember him mentioning that
it was hard to forget a peeping Tom
honestly, it was only fair
he still looked embarassed
but you pointed out he had seen your birthday suit
strange time to be a prude when he talked about skinny dipping
”but it's different here. it's intimate.”
and it was somehow different to be naked out in the woods?
he slipped his dress off after considering it for a moment
you realized he was naked under there
he wasn't trying to flaunt
on the contrary he covered his crotch with a hand as he picked the blue dress back up
you pointed out he had his modesty up here
you were both guys weren't you?
”yeah. its just different though. with you."
you thought about that
it wasn't like you were trying to look him up and down
but you didn't need surprises
he still looked bashful but managed to slip on the dress
you apologized for making him uncomfortable
”don't. I shouldn't be so nervous about my future husband.”
you let that remark hang in the air
the dress hugged him
it was a little less conservative than the old one
actually showed off his shoulders and chest a little
in the light of the stove he looked… different

you were attracted to men
as much as you hated it, it just happened
Felix here should have been repellent to you
he wasn't human
but he was just man enough your mind felt like it was tricking you
you shouldn't even be attracted to the man part of him
that night you went to bed and he took his spot on the floor
his spot
this really was becoming mundane
you stared at Felix's back in the dark
the orange soft glow of the fire was dancing over the fur
you shouldn't think about things right now
you turned your back on him and went to bed
the next morning was more of the same
he insisted on cleaning today
all your dirty clothes
he asked for your help getting water
you were still suspicious
”you can bring the gun, deal?”
you were sure it wouldn't make much difference but yeah you'd take that
the creek close by would be your water source
he'd boil the water in a tub and wash everything in hot water
it was chilly but still warm enough to do this
he carried the buckets to the creek and asked you to carry the full ones back
he eyed you as you easily hauled the buckets back
you had a couple trips to do before filling the metal tub
you almost wanted to use the rain water to save time but you'd need the drinking water
the deer thing set the tub above the fire pit and started getting that ready while you gathered more and more water
one of the trips you caught him smelling an old shirt of yours and he nearly panicked
no idea why he was shocked you were back
it was your place

the deer thing took to his new blue dress
his old one was washed with your clothes
you'd only ever seen him in one outfit
that made you think
did he want to dress up to appease you?
you quietly thought about that
he certainly seemed eager enough for your approval
was the dress part of that?
had to be
you did notice it was a bit more exposed
his shoulders were definitely bare to the world now
the other dress was a little more conservative
not like he was nude
it was just a lot more fur
you pretended you didn't see him smell your shirt earlier
hopefully he'd do the same with you staring at his shoulders
were you impressed?
you couldn't say that was the word
curious?
maybe?
hard to put to words how you felt
you let him go about his business as you did yours

the clothes were hung along the metal struts as he worked
it was chilly but the breeze would help dry them
Felix was thorough, even skipping a meal
the whole time you'd go about your observation duty
your eyes kept going to his bare shoulders as he worked
you could see hints of muscle on his back
despite how slim he was he definitely wasn't a woman
you tried not to think about it
at least work was a distraction
when you weren't studying the horizon you found yourself studying the deer thing
an idea occurred
you brought down your sketchbook and quietly drew him at work
he was in his own little world and didn't notice
this was a rare opportunity
you never drew people
the whole thing looked scenic enough you wanted to do something
again you were drawn to his back
you hoped you captured it
what were you thinking?
you shouldn't think about another man like this
you came up here to avoid these thoughts
and yet you were indulging yourself in this sketch and hoping it was accurate
both of you wrapped up around the same time
you set the sketchbook aside back in the tower as he was just finishing
he asked for your help with the tub
the hot water was dumped and the metal tub was left upside down under the tower
”now how about I start dinner?”
he got a chill after walking away from the fire for a moment
you realized you were automatically taking your jacket off to hand over halfway through it
maybe out of habit
you'd been told that was the right thing
but you stopped yourself
you shouldn't be thinking such things

over the following days, Felix made himself at home
he didn't return to where ever he came from
but you didn't push him out
were you starting to enjoy his company?
you didn't know
you didn't exactly know how to respond to any of this
he seemed utterly devoted to you, a level of intimacy you'd never known ever
but it could all be a trick
you always carried that thought in your mind
but on more than one occasion you forgot to fall asleep with your knife and you didn't wake up dead
he was a growing subject for your sketches
eventually he realized you were drawing him
couldn't exactly keep that a secret forever
he encouraged it
you didn't know why but he was fascinated by the idea
perhaps he'd lived in the wood stove for so long such things were alien to him
but you doing a portrait of him quaintly sitting on a treestump might as well have been handing him a hundred dollars
you didn't view your work as that praiseworthy
it looked like he was about to tear up and you wanted to stop that right away
so you gave him what was perhaps the second or third embrace you'd given him since he came here
that prevented any crying quickly enough
the sketches were just a hobby though
you didn't see it worth crying over
but you wouldn't question his taste too much
you released him when you figured he'd stopped
the deer thing was still a mystery to you in all honesty but he was content with his lot right now
at least you assumed he was

your boss was scheduled to come up
he had a set time so you always marked it off on your calender
you advised Felix
he needed to hide up in the tower while you talked to the boss
that's all he needed to do
you repeated that multiple times
he just needed to stay up there until the guy left
simple
to the deer thing's credit, the curveball did not come from him
there wasn't some comical flub where he revealed himself to your boss
instead your boss was the one that came out and said you weren't going to be needed during the winter
Thanksgiving had passed and no one was vacationing up in these mountains during the winter
so no fires
you had to ask what that meant for you?
you had planned to stay up here year round
”that was the original plan. but budgets change things.”
so why not stay up here for free?
it was desperate but you had nothing but the tower
sure you had money saved up
”you'd stay up here for no pay?”
well it wasn't ideal
you could see the gears turning in his head
wondering if he'd get into any trouble with his boss
he could just rehire you on come spring
no need to train again
”the winters get harsh up here.”
you had pay saved up to get supplies
this was practically a vacation to you
he seemed to consider it
”why not get an apartment down in town? I'm sure they have a room for rent for the season.”
but you enjoyed the isolation
you'd even do all your regular duties for free
everyone likes free stuff
”I don't want to find your body stiff as a board out here come spring. that's my issue.”

you had enough experience outdoors
you'd be fine
you tried to assure him
he was still on the fence
a room down in Thurmond wouldn't be the worst
you were trying to convince yourself that wouldn't be so bad
you could get by with part time work
but you wanted to stay up here
this felt like home now
no worries up here
it had spoiled you
you didn't outright say that
hopefully Felix wasn't hearing any of this
last thing you needed was him acting hysterical
the boss was debating it
but you honestly told him you'd be happy for this opportunity
more than once
finally you won him over
”if anyone asks I didn't sign off on this, hear?”
you nodded
happy to get this chance
he offered to take you down the mountain for supplies for winter
then you'd be on your own until spring
you said you had to get your wallet from the tower and you'd be down
really, you'd had the wallet the whole time
you just needed the excuse to talk to Felix for a moment

after several promises that you'd come back, Felix released you
he had heard everything with those big ass ears
even with them draped on his shoulders they were going to hear
of course, he was also actively eavesdropping
you'd pack enough supplies up here to get through winter
firewood was easy to come by
it wouldn't be easy but you'd manage
you went down to town in the boss's truck
he was understanding thankfully
you hit up the general store and filled up boxes of canned and boxed food
stuff you could easily do
your boss wondered why you bought a couple extra coats, pants and set of gloves
you explained it as in case the first pair got wet
he didn't notice the size difference thankfully
you'd had enough saved up to treat yourself
you got a new lantern and a blanket
he helped you bring it up to the tower and you said you'd take it up no problem
”don't do anything stupid out here. you're a good kid.”
you waved him goodbye and only when the coast was clear did you call up to Felix
he was hauling this stuff up the ladder with you
you handed him winter clothes and he looked at it like it was Christmas
you didn't know how he handled winters up here but you figured it wouldn't hurt
you'd taken a guess on the size but the coat still looked big on him
he appreciated the pants but said it wasn't necessary but it wasn't quite that cold out
he helped you load and store the provisions
practically lit up when he saw jerky
however, you cut off his excitement
with what the boss said you'd have to do a lot of work to prep for winter
you had to ask how he survived out here

”well dad used to chop the wood and make the fires like you do. we all stayed inside.”
well, you didn't expect a hidden secret but that was a lot more mundane than you expected
”we could share body heat.”
he looked delighted at his own proposal
a giant beaming smile as he hugged his bushy tail to himself
you crushed his hopes by asking about any other methods
the deer thing was pushing his luck if he thought the cold would immediately get him into your bed
you sat on the bed and gave him a glance
seeing him instantly deflate was a little much for you
you actually apologized
couldn't explain why there was a sudden guilt that forced that out
that seemed to perk him back up
you said you'd consider the offer
that finally brought his spirits back up
”well there's not really any tricks you haven't seen before up here. you were already pretty prepared for the cold before this.”
he gave the tower a look over
”maybe blankets over the windows? less heat escaping”
improvised curtains
true
you asked for his help hanging up the spare blankets you'd acquired and he nearly jumped for joy
you needed his help
that's what he picked up from all of that

you made mention of decorating for the holidays with Felix
he was helpful with the blankets
you used a hammer and nails to tack the blankets up
a sliver of wood sandwiched the blanket edge to make it easier
”you mean like Christmas? dad taught us about that.”
his dad sure did acclimate them to civilization pretty well for some reason
but yeah this was a sort of decorating
the blankets should hold all season at this rate
you weren't hanging them around the stove side of the room because last thing you needed was to burn the place down
you'd just have to live with the loss of heat there
maybe a better solution would come up next winter
that was funny when you thought about it
you wanted there to be a next winter up here
an old stool was your step ladder
probably a dumb idea if you went through a window
you gave the blankets a little overlap, ensuring no gaps
Felix was handing nails, wood and blankets up to you as you went
it was actually a big help
however, right as you were about to finish you lost your footing and fell backwards
Felix shouted and you felt him run under you
it wasn't a dangerous fall but with how cramped the tower was you could have broken something slamming the wrong way
you heard a pop when you landed and got scared
you leapt up and felt nothing
you looked at your feet to see Felix casually popping his arm back into its socket with another pop
his cheery demeanor didn't change
in fact he looked happier
despite your reluctance, you reached out to offer him a hand up

he'd broken your fall
or attempted to
you asked if he was alright
that was still unsettling
the deer flashed his teeth in a generous smile
those canines
his dad must have also taught him about smiling
he was still awkward with it
”right as rain. what about you?”
nothing felt out of place
the deer thing was delighted by that news
outside of when you tried to leave he always seemed to be filled to the brim with positive energy
you got back to work and finally had everything up
when you were looking at your handiwork from the stool he grabbed you from behind
his arms embraced your legs
you looked down over your shoulder to see him resting his face on the small of your back to look up to you
you asked what he was doing
”just keeping you steady you know.”
there was that smile again

as unsettled by that smile you used to be, it didn't seem to have the same effect as it once did
you excused yourself to allow yourself to step down from the perch
he was a good sport about it
after spending all day winter proofing you were ready to relax
you once again asked about his arm and he waved them about to demonstrate
you accepted that as a response and went about starting to cook up lunch

true to the boss's advice, it got harsh with the changing of the seasons
first snowfall was mindblowing to you
you'd never see much of any of it down south
yet you saw it coming down all around at noon one day
Felix was positively delighted
he had apparently smuggled cocoa mix from town just before the occasion
how does a bird even snatch that?
you sat in the tower and watched through the one part of the window left available
the blanket curtains did help with a heat retention but made a lousy view
the deer thing handed you a hot cup as you watched the snowflakes
you'd been prepping for this
you could do this
it was your chance to be a man
you'd endure this
Felix had been a bigger help than you'd admit
you still tried to keep your space with him though
that changed the next morning
sometime during the night he'd crawled into your bed
the deer thing was watching you wake up and you tried fleeing the second you realized what you were looking at
”you were shivering in your sleep.”
that was the first thing he offered up before you calmed down a little

he'd somehow managed to slip into bed and under the covers without waking you
he just cuddled up to you
you didn't leap out of bed and he didn't move
”I just worried. I'm sorry.”
you sighed
he'd been a help
you had to admit it
fine
he was no danger
you surrendered just a little
if he was going to do that you wanted his back to you
he pounced and hugged you
started saying thank you over and over
this was a trial
any funny business and he was back in the corner
he happily nestled his back against you
”can we stay up here a little while today?”
you weren't keen to leave the bed and the fire was still going
no doubt his doing
fine
something in you said it was right to slide an arm under Felix and pull him to you
you didn't reply but he was right
you were cold and his fur was a comfort
the giant bushy tail was sandwiched between you two
you accepted this

you'd thought about men like this but it had never been acceptable
out here the only one that knew was him and you
as unusual as this was, Felix was good company in bed
he kept the usual energetic glee to a minimum
you could tell with how he melted against you he had gotten what he wanted
he didn't push it
just accepted what he had now
to hold a man like this
you hated that you indulged yourself
you hated that you might want more
the fact you thought about burying your face in his neck
this was another man
dad would have killed you
you let the moment linger
he smelled nice
you hated to admit he smelled nice
your arms embraced him and he didn't push his luck
the bed felt warmer with him in it

you fell back asleep at some point
the sun getting blocked out and the warmth made it easy
when you woke back up you saw it had been three hours past sun up
you'd rested all that time using Felix as a heat source
he didn't object obviously
though you don't know how he functioned without sleep
he realized you were stirring awake but didn't move
”good morning sleepyhead.”
the voice was almost as warm as he was
another man could be like this?
you had a hard time thinking of him as just some creature out in the woods as he gently rubbed your arm with his hand
it felt surreal but amazing to receive affection like this
the intimacy made everything bizarre about it feel secondary
you then realized the elephant in the room
you wanted to blame it on just waking up but you were also rubbing an erection against Felix
he had been too polite to say anything apparently
you had to let nature call and eventually had to get out of bed
best excuse as any to make an awkward exit
you tried to move and not bring attention to it
he did the same, you realized
well he was a man like you
you didn't bring it up either and excused yourself down to take care of business
Felix was quick to follow after

it was freezing compared to your little home so you wanted to make business quick
you weren't taking off all your cold weather stuff for the out house and instead went for the trees
to your shock, Felix followed you
you insisted he not do that
you needed the privacy to take a leak
he seemed to understand and found his own tree nearby
after that weird little bonding session that violated your personal space, you went for firewood and made sure the camp was clear
Felix was out of your sight for a moment before a snowball hit the tower next to your head
you whipped your head in that direction to see him attempting to make another before you could return fire
this was a first for you
what snow you'd seen before at home was light and gone within hours
you rolled up your own snowball and pitched it at him
your throw got him in the side and he squeaked
the deer thing ducked behind the fire wood pile and you knew he was getting ready to attack
you ducked behind the tower
this was a thrill you hadn't felt since you were a little kid playing
you should have focused on survival but right now in the moment it felt good to distance yourself from those concerns

the snowball fight was a rapid exchange
Felix looked giddy
for once you felt no outside pressure
just allowed yourself to cut loose a little
no parents to appease up here
no stares
even your guilt felt like it was gone for the time being
the deer thing was a companion now
someone you could relax with
it had finally clicked
between the bed and down here it just felt correct
the mirth was normal
you felt a smile creep over your face
it was like a home here
eventually the weather had its say and you had to get back up to the tower
Felix was quick to follow
you came down off the high of that mock battle and you felt it right
you pulled the deer thing into a hug and laughed
he was surprised at first but hugged you back
that felt good
to just unwind
forget the pressure
you held the hug next to the fire for a while, Felix leaning into you

the snow was still alien to you but not to Felix
he suggested a snowman later
maybe another day
that little trek was a reality call you came from a very different climate
the boss may have been right but you wanted to tough it out up here
so you said you'd help with a snowman tomorrow
for now you might just hang out here for a while longer and keep warm
you had to ask why he was so giddy about the snow
the enthusiasm was certainly something
actually a break from how dour your old hunting trips turned out when you were younger
it was cute but a snowball fight was not the first thing that came to mind to you out there
”my brothers couldn't enjoy it like you can. felt like the freak in the family sometimes. reminded me of playing with dad.”
it had been a while since you'd thought about his family
they really just sort of dropped him off
weren't they coming back?
you let him sit on the bed next to you
”come springtime, yeah. right now they're sheltered up like us.”
as comfortable as you were getting around him, you didn't know about his family
you didn't say that part
part of you wondered what you would do from here
Felix was no doubt still deadset on that courtship stuff
you could have turned him away but something had made you stay
you could have chalked it up to him making you feel guilty at one point but part of you was coming around to the company
sharing a bed with someone was something you hadn't thought you could have
if you had taken a man as company out there in civilization you'd get ostracized
out here no one knew Felix was leaning on your shoulder as he watched you sketch the scenery of the cramped little tower
he was warm

it felt wonderful in all honesty
with the frost safely outside the deer was almost as good as the fire in the stove
you happily welcomed him into the bed that night
it was still alien but you were eager to keep warm
the deer thing quietly relaxed against you
his thing about not actually sleeping was still a little unsettling but you managed to get rest regardless
every night you welcomed him into the bed
it only made sense
every morning it was hard to get out of bed
two layers of blankets, your sleeping clothes and Felix made it hard to leave the comfort
you realized how easily he snuck into this by making himself valuable
he at least was polite enough not to mention when your morning wood was against him
maybe he liked it
didn't ask
what you started to realize was he was making you hard
it couldn't all be explained away with morning wood
more than once you caught yourself thinking and it twitched a little
you'd have fantasies you originally chalked up to isolation
but now they were growing common
you were attracted not just to a man, but some sort of half man thing
you could only blame that on the loneliness for so long
after a couple weeks into the winter you finally said as much
you were sitting on the bed and he had taken a seat on the stool so you could sketch him again
”the feeling is mutual. I just really want to wait until the wedding to do ‘it’, you know.”
he looked bashful
you'd forgotten about his insistence on marriage with how much he already lived here
”however…”
he slipped the straps of his dress off to expose his chest
”I suppose it's only fair if you get a gander. I've been wanting you to draw me like this for a while.”

”no funny business though. save that for the honeymoon.”
your companion caught the surprise on your face as he disrobed
he wasn't trying to do an elaborate strip tease, just sliding the dress down past his hips
he wiggled out of the dressing brought the tail around to his front
”I just thought, since we were this close.”
it was true you'd shared a bed for a while now
he hugged his tail as he sat back on the stool and after a moment of hesitation released it
he was completely bare for you to see
the deer thing moved his hand up to fix his hair back a little
on his face there was a warm grin, but his eyes looked a little nervous
this had to be a big deal for him
and you found yourself watching him
the fear you'd once felt around his inhuman physique was gone
he was peculiar alright
you'd seen him without a shirt on before but not all the way
where a dick would be sat a sheath
well he was part animal so it was going to be unusual down there too
he caught you staring there and nearly covered up
but he held himself back and nervously laughed a little
his body looked a lot more tense now
this had to be the first time he was this exposed to anyone
were his eyes always blue?
you scanned him up and down
the broken antlers were nubs now, nearly hidden in his hair
his fur was patterned here and there
you'd seen all this before though
but to finally see visual proof a man was in your fantasies was definitely something
you'd known you were attracted to men
but this had been a learning experience because the sheath with a red tip poking out from it didn't discourage you
you finally picked up the pad and pencil while Felix clamped onto the stool with his hands to prevent himself from hiding

Felix was just masculine enough you could see a small amount muscle here and there
there was a slight amount of pudge around his waist
not enough you'd catch if you weren't staring intently at him
maybe it was because he was eating well here
otherwise he was still a slender thing
bare thighs showed a light white fur pattern
you noted the red tip grew a little under your appraisal
you wondered if he'd be fully erect with you watching
you'd thought about other men’s dicks but this was definitely different
he was unique
you'd drawn him plenty before clothed
this was something else
no one had had this with him
or with you
with how strange your thoughts felt you didn't think you'd ever run into a guy that would indulge them
a naked man was in your room
you'd thought about it and here it was
Felix wasn't the only one getting hard from this
you made peace with the fact he was making you aroused
as aroused as you were, you hadn't forgotten that marriage thing from him
thinking with your crotch was a bad idea and you wouldn't fall for it

Edit

Pub: 18 Oct 2025 14:06 UTC

Edit: 21 Dec 2025 02:34 UTC

Views: 771