His shield

26. Can't We Just Talk

  Hunter steadied himself forward, his brows furrowed. It was constant aching. His stomach always hurt and he just couldn't stop thinking about Celeste. It was a nuisance. He didn't understand anything of this. Falco just made him more confused! He could die?!
He was slowly drowning in his thoughts as he walked, accidentally stepping on Celeste's tail causing the wolf to jolt up and let out a loud cry. She turns, barking and snapping at Hunter ankles. "Watch it, Hunter!" She barks.
The male jumps, nearly falling over after accidentally stepping on her tail. He catches himself, jumping back slightly as teeth snap at him. All he could do was furrow his brows, a frown forming on his lips. "Sorry! Geez. Maybe if you weren't in your wolf form I wouldn't have stepped on your tail because as HUMANS you don't have tails." He growls in annoyance.
He just seemed to get more pushy with it. He was sometimes aggressive with the topic and then he remembered what Falco told him. Have a nice, calm talk and ease her into it. He lets out a sigh. "Sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you like that and I'm sorry I stepped on your tail. I was just in a bit of a daze." He grumbles, rubbing the back of his neck, looking to the side.
Celeste was near fuming as he yells at her, her own ears flattening before seeing Hunter's mood do a 180. She tenses as he relaxes, not used to him being actually mature about something. "Yeah. It's fine, just be aware of your surroundings more..." She lets out a soft huff, moving to lay back down only to be stopped by Hunter. Her green eyes widen as he kneels in front of her, looking to serious gold eyes. "Uh... yes?"
Hunter looks her over before lifting a hand to stroke by her neck and down her side. "Come here. I wanna talk with you, in my tent." He nods, standing up and without waiting for an answer he goes to his tent, plopping onto his bed with a grunt, waiting for Celeste.
"Okayy... He's being weird." She thinks to herself as she slowly walks forward, entering Hunter's tent. He rarely let her in here anymore since they got separate tent three years ago. She looks around curiously before jumping up onto Hunter's bed, laying down with a soft groan, looking to her friend.
   Hunter looks down at her before shifting uncomfortably. "I've been thinking a lot lately..."
   "That's never good." She teases, nudging his hand with her snout.
   He just gives her a blank stare, showing that he was being serious now. "We've known each other since we were eleven and I'd just like to express that I'm actually kind of hurt that I've never seen your human form. I feel like we have total trust with each other so I don't understand why you won't just... let me see you." He frowns, his tone of voice almost sounding defeated.
   Celeste huffs softly before her ears lay back a bit. She didn't want to talk about this. "Why was he so pushy recently? Why does he keep doing this?" She growls quietly, looking to the side. "I do trust you, Hunter. I really do. I just don't like shifting. What is it that you don't understand?" She looks him in the eye.
   Hunter furrows his brows in a bit of annoyance. "What is it that you don't understand that I should have seen your human form by now, Celeste? I've done nothing but protect you and be at your side. So why not?" She could begin to hear in his voice that he was getting upset. He was always so short tempered.
   A growl comes from the girl. "You just don't understand!"
  "You're exactly right! I don't! I don't understand it at all. I've been nothing BUT patient and kind and stayed out of your business. You know EVERYTHING about me but I know basically nothing about you! It's not fair to me or our relationship." Hunter interrupts with a deep frown on his lips.
   "Relationship? We aren't a couple, Hunter." She replies firmly, sitting up with her ears all the way back now.
   It hurt when she said that. It really did. He stares at her for a short moment before nodding. "You knew what I meant." He mumbles, getting off of his bed, moving to the desk in the corner. "Just go, Celeste. There's no use in talking about it anymore. You've made it clear and given me the same answer for eight fucking years." He nearly hisses the last three words.
   "Hunter." She gets off the bed, about to go to him before the male had shifted to his wolf form, ears laying back, snarling and snapping in her direction.
   "I said go!" He barks, his fur on his neck standing up. The older he was getting the more aggressive, dominant side was coming out of him.
   She whines softly, backing up a bit before huffing, turning around to trot out of the tent. Once she left the tent Hunter got back on his bed, shifting back to his human form and hiding under his blankets and pelts, tears coming to his eyes. He cared for her so much it felt like he was going mad.
    Falco was now sitting with Notaku at the fire, quietly drinking from a bottle of alcohol. He seemed to be in a good mood today. Celeste slowly made her way over, overhearing the two men's conversation.
    "I remember that! Yes!" Falco laughs, leaning slightly into his friend. "Thomas was so red, I thought he was going to burst." He snickers, looking over to see Celeste. "Hey. Come. Come." He waves his hand, gesturing her over.
    She pads forward, sitting down by them, already enjoying the heat of the fire. "What're you two talking about?" She looks up to them, hoping to have her mind distracted from hers and Hunter's fight.
   Notaku shrugs. "Talking about Thomas. Him and Falco were together in Falco's tent one time and it was at the beginning of their whole thing. They were getting very close to each other and it was late at night and I walked in on them. Thomas basically threw Falco away from him." He laughs.
   Falco takes another drink from the bottle, letting out a happy laugh. "That was truly a good night. That night is what basically made everything begin." He smiles lovingly. "After that night we finally started moving things along and he begun to sleep with me and give me casual touches. We begun to flirt a lot after that but I will have to say. Those three days before going back to war were my favourites."
   Celeste listened with a curious gaze. She was so happy to hear Falco actually talking about this. "Going back to the war? What do you mean?"
   A smirk came from the tattooed man. "Thomas was on the British army and I was on the American's. He was my prisoner for awhile until he switched and fought with me. I had to train him for awhile and my general gave the orders that we could go back and we had three days before going back and I spent that time relaxing and celebrating with him." He hums, closing his eyes with a smile on his lips. "I love him so much." He opens his eyes, looking to Celeste. "He's my world." He whispers.