Okay, here we go. Less than 500 words. Whoo, this was hard.

Prompt: Tree

It had taken him about an hour to find the right spot. He'd come late at night to shake off Alison's suspicions and escape the prying eyes of those who seemed to be constantly watching the house. His car was parked behind some trees out of view of the main road and he'd been breaking through brush for a while. His calves were prickled up from all the vines he'd gotten himself snagged on. He'd almost given up completely when he stumbled into the clearing.

Chris found it just as it had been all those years ago. Soft grass and thick-trunked trees providing a private wall for that of teenage lovers to hide behind. He fished a flask out of his pocket and took a long pull off it, letting the whiskey burn down his throat and into his lungs before he started his search. Every tree pretty much looked the same but his eyes were sharp and his feet held memories that he had almost forgotten.

The tree he'd been looking for was darker than the others, weather by time. Kneeling down in front of it, he realized he could almost hear the water from the nearby stream. He took another drink as his fingers searched for long unfamiliar markings.

"What are you doing here?"

"Jesus," Chris cursed, closing his eyes and rolling his shoulders to keep himself composed. He sat down in the damp grass and pressed his back to the rough bark. The wolf was glaring at him with glowing azure gaze, his stance as deadly as the rest of him. Every carved muscle, every hidden claw, and every barely concealed fang were made to shred people like him apart.

"Nothing," he lied.

"You said you'd never come back here," Peter pointed out, a lock of perfect hair falling into his eyes.

"I know what I said." His hand drifted up above his head, knuckles dancing over knife-carved lines. "But that was when I knew my father was following me to school and back."

"Do you really think the past is enough to keep me from ripping out your throat?" Peter growled out, the threat filling up the air between them.

"Wouldn't you rather fuck me?" Chris grinned, shifting his head in a subtle neck baring that made the other man scent the air. "It'd be a lot more fun."

There was a flash of (thankfully) dull teeth. "This is a dangerous game to play with me."

His laugh was blatant. "I haven't played with you in ten years. I think I'm overdue."

"Thirteen," Peter corrected softly.

"Thirteen years," Chris breathed. "It's your fault as much as mine. Get over here, asshole."

And as they fucked on the grass, the reminder of their past hung above their heads.

A warning. A promise.

PH x CA