Growing Wild With You
(CONTENT WARNING: This work features explicit sexual content, themes of dubious consent, and unconventional sexual relationships. Additional tags include: Monsterfucking/Teratophilia, Feral/Possessive Behavior, BDSM.)
Chapter 3: All-You-Can-Devour
"Ngh… Ow…" Something pinches my shoulder, disturbing my deep slumber. I blink several times to adjust to the light, the side of Fern's big head blocking most of the view. He's pulling my shirt down my shoulder with one paw, holding my skin between his fangs gently. "Fern…!?" His fur is rough on my fingers as I grasp at his ear. "W-what are you doing?"
He removes his teeth to answer me, the inflection of his words as uniform as ever. "You're sleeping too long and I got bored."
"S-so that means you should bite me!?" He licks up my neck and I whine, everything tingling and reminding me of our evening yesterday with a hot flush. "F-Fern!"
"I'm not biting and you still complain. Is showing you affection out of the question?" He pushes me onto my back, pinning me underneath him and glaring at me interrogatively.
"H-hey, chill out!" I press my hands to his fluffy chest to fend him off, but it's only a suggestion compared to his strength. Waking up to an insistent lover isn't normal for me. The sleep hasn't had a chance to leave my eyes and they're tearing up from the heat in my face.
Fern respects the distance of my arms but doesn't stop scowling. "I'm completely calm, actually. You're the one who's getting worked up."
"I-I'm not used to this! Give me a second to wake up at least!" He huffs grouchily and lets me go, turning away and lying down like a puppy who hasn't gotten their treat. I sit up and fix my shirt, wrapping my arms around myself. It really is late, the midday sun unimpeded outside. "I don't even know why you want me so badly."
"Is it that important?" he asks, picking at the edge of his bandage.
"Well… It's important to me. Why would someone devote themselves to me when they know next to nothing about me?"
"You're special."
"How? You don't just like me for my body… do you?"
He looks my way again, a hint of regret in his eyes. "Of course not, you mean a lot more to me than—"
The doorbell rings, cutting him off. I sigh, getting out of bed with some difficulty. "We're continuing this conversation later!" I demand, wobbling a little on the way to the front door. I open it to find Kumiko, her long black hair decorated with a flower-print headband. She wears a stylish long coat and smiles brightly at me, once again a friend of mine that looks much more normal than I do.
"Joy!" she exclaims, wrapping her arms around me. She pulls away before I can hug her back, holding me by the shoulders instead. "You didn't respond to my text!"
"Text? I don't remember… Oh." I clear my throat. "S-sorry, I forgot to respond."
"Hold up, your neck is covered in bruises! What happened?"
My palm audibly smacks my neck to cover it. "N-nothing! I-it was nothing, really, I just—"
Her face lights up, jumping to exactly the conclusion I wanted to avoid. "No way, did you get with someone!?"
"N-no, I didn't! I-I just… Um…" It's impossible, my face is getting too red to deny it and an excuse isn't coming to me quick enough.
"They got your thigh too!" Kumiko says, putting a hand to her mouth. "They really tore you up!"
I knew I shouldn't have worn shorts. "D-don't worry about that! I-it's really not a big… deal?"
She lets go of my shoulders and takes a step back, her jaw dropping. It takes me a while to realize she's looking behind me. Fern quietly approaches, nuzzling my cheek and protectively embracing me with his head.
"What's going on?" He asks, likely concerned over the commotion.
My face gets redder. "O-oh, it's just my friend," I reply.
"I see. I'll start making lunch." He nips my earlobe and I jump. I'm left to address everything myself as he turns away. Kumiko's purse slips from her arm and hits the floor.
"You banged a beast!?" she shouts.
"K-keep it down!" I plead, picking up her purse. "The entire neighborhood doesn't need to hear about it!"
Rather than paying any attention, her brows crease ponderously. "Wait… I thought you were a lesbian."
"Is that really the important part here!? Just get inside already!" I take her hands and pull her inside, checking the walkway on either side for anyone and closing the door. I lead her to the kitchen where Fern is meticulously pulling out pans and turning the stove top dials with his teeth. It never ceases to amaze me what beasts are capable of doing without hands. "This is Fern. He's my, um…"
"Boyfriend," he finishes for me. I grumble, but it would be inappropriate to correct him.
"Fern, this is Kumiko. We've been friends since high school."
He takes a second away from his preparation. "It's nice to meet you, Kumiko. I'm glad Joy has a friend she can confide in."
She nudges me with her elbow and whispers in my direction. "Ooh, he's charming, isn't he?"
"Sh-shut up!" I mutter back. Fern probably heard the entire exchange, the faintest hint of a grin on his mouth as he goes back to cooking. "W-we met recently. Please don't go around telling anyone!"
She glances from Fern to the red bag that's hanging from the edge of the couch, then leans in closer. "He is the one on the news all the time, right?"
"Mhm."
"Is he loaded?"
"W-what?"
"Y'know, like, does he have a lot of money?"
"I don't know!"
It's the first time Fern's ever made food for me. Kumiko and I sit on the couch with sandwiches of fried bologna, Fern opting out of everything but the meat. Kumiko is surprisingly comfortable with the whole situation, expressing no further comments on my relationship.
"Oh, right!" Kumiko speaks up. "So there's this great all-you-can-eat sushi place I wanna go to tonight. You wanna come?"
I shrink, digging through my mind for my list of excuses. "W-well, uh… I-I'm kind of trying to save a bit of money, and, uh—"
"We'll go," Fern interjects, already finished eating.
"Huh!?"
"I'll pay for Joy. It would be lovely to have dinner together."
"B-but—"
"Great!" Kumiko says, smiling brightly. "I'll make sure to reserve a table you can fit at. I'm so excited!"
I glare at Fern over my sandwich, but he's ignoring me. Once Kumiko is done she thanks us for lunch, hugs me tightly, and leaves. Fern goes to the kitchen to clean instead of addressing my pouting, so I chase after him and grab his tail. "Hey, what was that about!?" I ask.
"What do you mean?" he replies disinterestedly, not bothered by the tail tugging in the slightest.
"You decided for me! What if I didn't want to go?"
"Why wouldn't you? Kumiko is your friend, isn't she? You don't have any other plans, do you?"
"N-no, but—"
"You aren't feeling under the weather today, are you?"
"I-it's not that, it's…"
"I couldn't very well invite myself if I didn't bring you along with me. Besides…" He finally turns his attention to me, using his intimidating height and a soft growl to pacify me. "I want to have a date with my cute girlfriend. I'm curious to see what you decide to wear. I might be hungrier for you than the food." I timidly step back, stopped by his bandaged foreleg around my waist pulling me into his kiss. He presses his tongue into my mouth, my knees sinking underneath me. I wrap my arms around his neck to steady myself, whining into his mouth while he tastes every inch of me. Fern really is a beast, his untamed desire intoxicating. Once he's finished he touches his brow to my forehead, our breath mingling as he gazes into my eyes.
"Y-you can't just do that…" I groan, falling under his spell pitifully easily.
"Kiss you?"
"You know what I mean…" I still need to have a conversation with Fern, but now's not the time. My mind is too full of anxiety over dinner tonight. What should I wear? What will people think of me? What if something happens?
"Hey, sweetheart," Fern says, bringing me back down to earth.
"Huh?" I blurt out, straightening up and letting go of him.
"You look worried. What's wrong?"
"It's… I-it's nothing, don't worry about it." Fern doesn't appear satisfied by my answer, but I leave before he can question me further. I avoid him for the next few hours of the afternoon, focused entirely on mentally preparing myself. After spending forever obsessing over my hair, I dig through my closet. These are likely the last few days of the year I can comfortably wear fishnets, and I accompany it with a thigh-length black dress that isn't too fancy. There isn't much to be done about the marks, so I wear a choker to distract from it. The moment Fern sees me stepping out of the bedroom, I wonder if I've made a mistake. His eyes don't go above my thighs for at least five seconds. "Uh… Fern?"
His eyes meet mine and he doesn't betray that he was looking anywhere else. "Yes?"
I pull down on my dress self-consciously. "A-are you ready to go?"
He gets up from his lounging position, his red bag already strapped to his leg. He bows elegantly, nose nearly touching the floor. "I'm always ready to escort a beautiful woman."
The shock hits my face in a splash of red. I'm getting wolf chivalry now!? "C-cut that out!"
It's a cool evening, the city alive with people enjoying their weekend. It's unusual walking beside a large beast, Fern adjusting his stride to match mine and keeping close. Humans don't care as much as I was afraid of, but every beast we pass gives me a strange look. "F-Fern?" I ask in a hushed tone, tugging at his shoulder fur.
He lowers his head to my level, ear poised in my direction. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" he replies, matching my volume level.
"Other beasts keep staring at me."
His snort is definitely from amusement this time. "I told you, didn't I? They can smell my scent on you."
"B-but I took a shower!"
"You'll have to try a lot harder than that. Don't worry, they won't bother you. They're simply recognizing my territory."
I cling to his fur harder, biting my lip. He needs to reserve comments like that for when I'm not in public.
"If it's too difficult to walk, you can ride on my back."
"N-no, I'm okay!"
Getting to the restaurant is easiest with a short train ride. Usually being in a confined space with other people stresses me out, but sitting alongside Fern helps. Perhaps it's because he's much more noticeable than I am. We arrive at the busy restaurant on time, and Kumiko and her girlfriend are already there with a table. To accommodate beasts, there's cushions on the floor as opposed to chairs. I sit on the opposite side from them and against the wall, Fern's fur brushing against my cheek while he sits beside me. I have an opportunity to hide my reaction as he becomes acquainted with Valerie, Kumiko's girlfriend. She's a very handsome butch woman, her confidence in who she is and in her relationship exuding off her like an aura. That element of her is something I've always admired, though I don't share conversations with her often. She runs her fingers through her short, slicked-back hair, calmly conversing with Fern.
Kumiko jumps in. "The other people I invited said they couldn't make it, so… I guess we're having a double date instead!"
I grasp at my dress tightly, not expecting my relationship status to be revealed just yet. Valerie gives a look of surprise. "You two are dating?" she asks.
When I flounder for words, Fern steps in. "Yes, she's mine," he says, his nose getting lost in my hair as he nuzzles me. It's impossible to hide a blush at that point.
"That's cute," she giggles, thankfully not appalled by the situation. "I'm glad to see you getting close with someone, Joy. Maybe you needed a beast all along?"
"H-hey," I stammer, covering my burning cheeks with my hands. "D-don't talk about that so casually!"
Fern cocks his head as the girls snicker. "What am I missing?" he inquires.
"Joy has always been really scared of beasts," Kumiko says, mirth still in her eyes. "I had to hold her hand during school assemblies whenever a beast was near."
"D-don't tell him that!" I exclaim, but my pleas are drowned out by their laughter. "B-besides, I was a teenager!" Fern is eyeing me, but meeting his gaze doesn't make interpreting his emotion any easier. "W-what?" I wonder if he's bothered somehow, but his tail touches my butt and wraps around me slightly.
I can certainly interpret the conniving tone of his next words. "So, beasts make you nervous, do they?"
"I-I mean… You're helping a little, but… Yes."
If a wolf could achieve a smirk, the way his lips curl and reveal his teeth probably accomplishes that. "I'll keep that in mind."
What does that mean? "Uh… Thank you?" Fern orders more food than the rest of us, with a strong preference for nigiri. He plucks every piece off the table delicately, making me look clumsy in comparison. I become absorbed in the good food and the warmth of the wolf beside me, my anxiety melting away. While Kumiko and Valerie are engaged in conversation with each other, I notice Fern staring at me eating. "Hmm? What's up?"
He leans in close to my ear, his voice only audible to me in the din. "Your mouth is so small and adorable… Maybe I should put it to good use later."
My chopsticks clatter on the table loudly, interrupting the girls' conversation. "O-oops!" I laugh nervously, putting my napkin to my face. The moment they continue I shoot Fern another angry look, but he's already pretending nothing happened. Just a single comment from him and I lose control over my body. It doesn't make any sense.
The night is a lot of fun and I eat enough for two of me, but being this social takes a toll fast. I'm the first to show signs of exhaustion, leaning against Fern. "You didn't have any alcohol, did you?" he asks gently.
"No, I didn't…" I reply slowly. I'd be concerned how I might act around Fern if I had any substances in my system.
"Do you need to get home soon?"
I nod, wondering how good of a pillow he'd be. I wanted to ask Kumiko and Valerie relationship advice, but my shyness prevented me from doing much other than listening. Fern assists me in communicating that we're ready to leave and helps me off the floor, something that's usually difficult for me to perform on my own. I hug Valerie and Kumiko goodbye and Fern pays for me like he said he would. The way home is quiet, not just because the crowds are thinner but also because I don't have the energy for words. Fern supports me the entire way, letting me hold onto him when it's hard to walk. The darkness conceals the color of my face, granting me some reprieve from hiding it myself.
Once we get home I face plant into bed, groaning. Fern pulls the sheets over me and nuzzles my neck, sniffing deeply. "F-Fern?" I whisper, the situation getting intimate quicker than I expected. He licks me and I whine, my nerves lighting up. His paws are planted around me, making escaping difficult.
"Let me take care of you," he says, confident and caring. It would be so easy to melt from him spoiling me, but…
"W-wait a second," I urge, struggling to turn over and placing my hands over his eager snout. "We need to talk."
He averts his gaze, already knowing what it's about. "You're not going to let me get closer until I reveal everything, are you?"
"You're putting in all this effort for me and I don't know why. Is it so difficult to explain it?"
He hesitates for a few seconds. "I don't want to burden you with my past."
Somehow I've hit a sore spot. How does his past relate to me? I hold his snout in my hands encouragingly. "Well… Aren't partners supposed to talk these things out? You're helping me so much, why can't I help you? I feel like a lousy girlfriend if I can't do that…" He sighs, but nothing else is coming out. "How do I know I'm important to you? You're famous, you could probably get anyone. What makes me special?"
That finally compels him to speak. "It's true that I've met a lot of people. My work means I'm beloved by many… But they only see my mask. They idolize me and place me on a pedestal. Nobody looks any deeper… except for you. When you discovered I wasn't perfect you didn't demonize me, you accepted me. That's why you're so important to me, Joy. You see me for what I truly am."
He stares directly into my eyes now, entirely honest. The idea that I could have such an impact on somebody is hard to believe, but I tear up a little at the touching notion. "R-really?"
"Yes, Joy. It means a lot to me. I'm not ready to talk about my past, but I hope that's sufficient for now."
I take a deep breath, many of my worries evaporated. "It is. Thank you for telling me." I'm about to plant a kiss on the end of his snout when he pulls back. "Huh?"
"I have a question for you now," he says, the atmosphere changing dramatically. His eyes are piercing and ominous, the lamp in the corner of the room casting a dark shadow over his face.
"Y-yes?" I pull the sheets higher over me.
"Why were you so quick to deny Kumiko's invitation?"
I gulp. "I-it's nothing, really, I-I—"
"You're a bad liar, Joy. You were avoiding the question earlier today, too. I satisfied your curiosity, now it's time you satisfied mine. It's only fair, isn't it?"
"C-c'mon, it's not really important, d-do I really have to—"
The growl he breaks into is almost as loud as the one he once used to drive me away, my shriek timed with the skipping of my heart. This time I can't get away, as much as I wish I could sink further into the mattress. My shoulders tremble harder than ever before, Fern awakening a primal fear. My hands cramp in their grip around the sheets. A whimper escapes me as naturally as the sweat on my palms as his growling maw reaches for my ear. "I decide what's important to me, sweetheart. Now, are you going to answer me, or will I have to force it out of you?"