The Fated Forest

Kyle never thought he’d set foot in his hometown again. It wasn’t that he hated the place itself. It was his father.

His father, Nick, was a vet—a blunt, old-school man who always put his work before his family. The townspeople respected him as a brilliant doctor. But to Kyle, he was just a blood relative who paid the bills. A stranger, really.

It happened right before Kyle graduated high school. Before moving out to start his own life, he came out to his parents. His mom, Jody, hugged him tight and told him she’d always love him no matter what. But Nick? He didn’t yell, and he didn’t welcome it either. He just didn’t care.

And that was their entire relationship. Unlike his mom, his father never praised him and never blamed him. He was always just watching from the sidelines. No matter what Kyle achieved, or how much he hurt, Nick never said a word. Looking at his father’s back, Kyle was always sure of one thing:

This man loved speechless animals a whole lot more than his own son.

When Kyle was twenty, his mom passed away suddenly, and the gap between him and Nick only grew wider. Kyle used to visit regularly for his mom, but after she died, he never came back. It had been six years since he last stood in this town. And he wasn’t here for a happy reunion—he was here for his father’s funeral.

Great Fork, the town where Kyle grew up, was surrounded by nature—a place where wildlife and people lived side by side. Hikers and campers from out of town were always coming and going. If things with his father had been different, Kyle would have happily spent the rest of his life here. Seeing his hometown for the first time in six years brought those old feelings rushing back, messing with his head.

“Missed this place, didn’t you?”

A voice spoke up from behind. Kyle had been standing on the wooden deck of his childhood home, staring out at the distant forest. It was his Uncle Joe, carrying a heavy cardboard box.

“...Of course I did. You know that better than anyone, Joe. Honestly, I wanted to stay here forever.”

Joe set the box of Nick’s belongings by his feet and stepped up to stand next to Kyle. He looked out at the woods for a moment, then turned to Kyle with a serious expression.

“Yeah... I know how you feel. But Nick... actually, never mind. Not today. There’s a mountain of things I need to tell you, but now doesn’t feel like the right time.”

“It’s okay, Joe. You don’t have to walk on eggshells around me. I’ve already made peace with how things were with my dad.”

Unlike Nick, Joe was a liberal guy. When Kyle came out, Joe welcomed him with open arms, just like his mom did. He helped Kyle pack up and move out of the house, and they kept in close touch even after Kyle left town. To Kyle, Joe was like an older brother, but also a father figure. In fact, Kyle had spent years wishing Joe was his actual father.

“...I’m an outsider, so I can’t really tell you what’s what,” Joe said. “But look, you’re not completely alone in this world. Don’t forget that. You can always talk to me about anything.”

Joe pulled Kyle in for a brief hug, then picked up the box by his feet and smiled.

“The house is mostly packed up, and you must be exhausted from the trip. Now that the funeral is over, you can take your time with the paperwork and shifting the property titles. Just get some rest today.”

“Thanks, Joe. Seriously. I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done.”

" Anytime, Kyle.”

With that, Joe went back inside, leaving Kyle alone on the deck.

Kyle walked back into his old room and looked around. That was when he finally figured out why things felt so off the second he walked in.

Nothing had changed. Seriously, nothing. It looked exactly the same as it did six years ago during his mom’s funeral. But it wasn’t because the room had been abandoned. There wasn’t a speck of dust anywhere. It was obvious someone had been cleaning it regularly, with a lot of care.

“...Did Dad do this?”

The moment the words left his mouth, a sudden wave of discomfort hit him. Staying in this room tonight was a massive mistake. The thought made him panic, and before he knew it, he bolted out of the house without a second thought.

Walking aimlessly through the night, a familiar glow caught Kyle’s eye.

It was an old bar that had been there forever. Kyle had never stepped foot inside since he left town right after high school. There wasn’t much to do in this tiny town, so his father and the other locals used to hang out here all the time. As a kid, Kyle used to vaguely wonder if he’d end up drinking here too once he grew up. But that future never came.

Anxiety hit him. His father’s old friends might be inside, or maybe some high school classmates he really didn’t want to see. But he had nowhere else to go. Kyle decided to kill some time at the bar, solely to drown out his messy thoughts with alcohol.

If he just drank alone and kept to himself, nobody would notice him. He thought it was an easy choice, just a way to get through the night.

Kyle had absolutely no idea that inside this bar, a meeting was waiting for him—one that would completely wreck his world.

The second Kyle stepped into the bar, his eyes locked onto the man standing behind the counter.

He looked to be in his late forties or early fifties. A handsome, rugged man with silver streaks mixed into his dark brown hair. He was easily six-foot-one. He had a massive, solid build, but it wasn’t the kind of flashy muscle from a gym. It was a natural, lean physique built from years of hard work and discipline, visible even through his fitted shirt.

Kyle found himself tracing the man’s frame in his mind, noting the toned abdomen and the lean lines of his torso, when a strange feeling washed over him.

He knew this guy.

Not the way he looked right now, though. The image flashing in Kyle’s mind was a much younger version of him. The more Kyle thought about it, the more he saw a vivid memory of this man in his youth, talking grimly with Kyle’s father, Nick. Driven by an irresistible urge, Kyle was drawn to the counter and took a seat right in front of him.

“Excuse me... I might be wrong, but have we met somewhere before?”

The man blinked in surprise, then stared at Kyle with a knowing, slow smirk.

“Depends. Are you asking me that as a genuine question... or is that just your opening line?”

“...What if I said both?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Kyle instantly regretted it. The presence of the man was overwhelming. Kyle realized he’d just taken a dangerous gamble without thinking.

This town was notoriously conservative, and the man was much older. There was no ring on his left hand, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t married. This wasn’t even a gay bar. What was he thinking? Flush with embarrassment, Kyle looked down and cleared his throat to hide the awkwardness.

But despite Kyle’s sudden panic, the man just let out a low chuckle.

“Well... I’m glad to hear that,” the man said. “Actually, if you hadn’t spoken up, I was going to talk to you myself. I’m Travis. I own this place. Nice to meet you.”

Travis flashed a warm, charming smile and held out his hand.

“I’m Kyle... Nice to meet you too. ...Honestly, this town is pretty conservative. I thought you were going to tell me to get out.”

Kyle found himself drawn to Travis’s hand—thick, warm, and weathered. A fleeting, inappropriate thought crossed his mind about those hands, but he lacked the courage to flirt with a man who was old enough to be his father. He quickly pushed the distracting thoughts away.

“The town is conservative, sure,” Travis replied. “But I’m not. At least, not like that.”

Travis’s answer sent a thrill through Kyle’s chest, a hint that something was beginning. But Travis’s smile was so casual and genuine that Kyle couldn’t tell if it was sincere or just professional courtesy. Trying to break the sudden tension, Kyle hurriedly blurted out, “A gin and tonic, please.”

“To tell you the truth, I was at your father’s funeral,” Travis said as he prepared the drink. “That might be where you saw me.”

Kyle gasped.

“Wait... you knew my father?”

“Yeah. Years ago, my dog got hurt and your father treated him. That’s how we met. From then on, I trusted him with all my dogs until he retired.”

Travis’s words made the old memories sharpen in Kyle’s mind. He remembered a man he’d seen outside his father’s clinic when he was just a child. He remembered him, and the little black puppy he was holding.

“Oh... You’re the one with the black puppy...”

“Yeah, that was probably my boy,” Travis said, his smile full of nostalgia. “Look... I actually knew you and Nick were distant. I don’t mean to pry into your family matters. But Nick used to talk about you a lot.”

“Huh...” Kyle let out a short breath.

It was hard to believe his father had ever talked about him. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t curious about what Nick had said, but he just wasn’t emotionally ready to hear it right now.

“So, Kyle, how long are you staying? Where do you live now? Did you manage to get some time off work? ...Don’t tell me you followed in Nick’s footsteps. Oh, sorry. I’m hitting you with way too many questions.”

Travis laughed a little awkwardly, and the fine lines around his eyes were incredibly sexy. Kyle couldn’t help but stare.

“Well, I got a week off, so I’ll be here for a bit,” Kyle replied. “I live in the next state over, so it’s only about an hour’s drive back. As for work... I guess it’s kind of similar to my dad’s. I’m not a vet, though. Maybe loving animals is just in my blood.”

Truth was, Kyle barely had any memories of his father as a vet. He’d never really hung around the clinic, and as he grew up, he wanted nothing to do with it. But by some twisted fate, Kyle was currently working as a vet assistant.

“I see,” Travis said. “I’m sure you have a lot on your plate, but I hope you can unwind a bit while you’re here. So, where are you staying?”

“Honestly... I was planning to stay at my dad’s place. But being in that house just makes me overthink everything. Before I knew it, I ended up here. I have a whole week left, and if I’m already like this on day one, I don’t know how I’m going to survive.”

“So... what’s the plan for tonight?” Travis asked. “If you want to keep relaxing here, I can push back closing time. Or, if you’re up for it... we could head over to my place and finish our drinks there.”

Kyle couldn’t tell if Travis’s words were real or just an alcohol-fueled hallucination. But even if it was a dream, the worst that could happen was waking up with a terrible hangover. Even if this guy turned out to be a homophobic serial killer and tonight was his last night on earth, he didn’t care. Kyle’s mind was that reckless, running on pure, frantic adrenaline.

Travis wrapped up closing the bar with practiced ease, then looked over at Kyle waiting at the counter. “Ready?”

Once they climbed into Travis’s Tundra parked out back, the reality of it all started to sink in. At the same time, Kyle felt his pleasant buzz beginning to fade. It had been ages since he’d spent the night with anyone. A messy mix of anticipation, excitement, and sheer embarrassment made him jittery. On top of that, the internal conflict of spending time with a much older, more experienced man was messing with him. Sitting in the passenger seat, he unconsciously clenched his fists, his shoulders going stiff.

Noticing how tense Kyle was, Travis reached over, gently wrapping his hand around Kyle’s clenched fist and rubbing it softly.

“...I can still drop you off at home. To be honest, I really want to get to know you better. But you’re going through a lot right now. I don’t want to feel like I’m taking advantage of you. Tonight...”

“I’m just a little nervous...” Kyle blurted out, cutting him off. “And honestly, because of everything going on, I just don’t want to be alone tonight.”

Saying it out loud felt like a confession—like admitting he desperately wanted this man to hold him. Overwhelmed by embarrassment, Kyle looked down and went completely silent.

“Understood,” Travis said softly. “But even if you’re looking at this as just a temporary distraction, I want you to know that’s not what this is for me.”

“Travis...”

“I know it’s hard to believe, coming from an older guy you just met,” Travis said. “But I want something real with you, Kyle. Something that lasts.”

“...Then that’s all the more reason I need to go to your place tonight.”

Travis’s truck left the center of town, heading into the deep woods. Kyle had known since he was a kid that a few houses were scattered out here, but he’d never guessed Travis was one of the residents. These woods had always been packed with wildlife. For decades, the townsfolk and the animals had coexisted, respecting each other’s boundaries. Over time, people had moved to more convenient parts of town, but the animals kept thriving in secret, keeping their ecosystem perfectly balanced.

“Living out here... you’re either married to nature, or you’re just a total weirdo,” Kyle said, eyeing the thick, muscular forearm Travis kept on the steering wheel.

Travis kept his eyes on the road, letting out a soft chuckle. “Or maybe both. Honestly, we’re the only ones left out here. The deeper part of these woods is a wildlife preserve, so the only people we ever see are government researchers, tourists at the visitor center, or hunters during open season.”

“...Why did you choose to live all the way out here?”

“My family has actually been here for generations... right in these woods. Sure, when I was younger, I craved the city and bounced around for a while. But I always ended up back here. This scenery, this air—it’s just where I belong. Maybe it’s coded into my DNA.”

Travis looked rugged yet completely at peace as he talked, his profile caught in the dim dashboard light. Kyle couldn’t tear his eyes away. He found himself secretly wishing those beautiful brown eyes would look only at him.

Suddenly, Travis glanced over. Kyle’s heart did a violent flip.

“Kyle, why did you leave this town? Did you just crave the city?”

“I loved this place,” Kyle said. “But I couldn’t stay anywhere near my dad.”

Without realizing it, Kyle gripped his own knees tightly. Noticing this, Travis wrapped his massive hand over Kyle’s fist, rubbing it gently to soothe him.

“Right... of course. I’m sorry, that was thoughtless of me.”

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

Even after that, Travis didn’t pull his hand away. Every time his fingertips brushed against Kyle’s skin, a warm, restless sensation bloomed deep inside Kyle.

“Go ahead, make yourself at home.”

Travis opened the door and invited Kyle inside. Watching Kyle as he walked in, Travis spoke in a calm, measured voice.

“Look, Kyle. Like I said at the bar, I can’t help but feel like bringing you here tonight is moving too fast. I don’t want to be disrespectful. It’s just... you’re so incredibly captivating...”

Kyle turned around and silenced Travis with a sudden, heartfelt kiss.

Travis froze for a fraction of a second, but then he leaned into the touch. Their lips pressed together with a growing intensity, a long-suppressed heat finally breaking through. They held each other tightly, the space between them disappearing as the kiss deepened into something fierce and hungry. Travis pulled Kyle closer, his hands resting firmly on Kyle’s lower back, drawing him in.

But then, Kyle suddenly broke the kiss and pulled back just a few inches. Travis looked at him with an anxious expression.

“Too fast after all?” Travis whispered, leaning his forehead against Kyle’s, his eyes searching Kyle’s for a sign of what he was feeling.

“No, that’s not it...” Kyle whispered. “I just don’t want to think about anything complicated tonight.”

“I get it.”

The temptation of Kyle’s presence was too much for Travis. He started to lean in, wanting to be close to him again, but Kyle pressed a finger gently against Travis’s lips, pausing him.

“Kyle...?”

“But... I don’t want this to be just for tonight. I need you to know I’m not just using you.”

“Of course I know.”

With those words, they leaned back into each other. Travis kissed him deeply, his touch becoming more insistent as he explored the connection between them. Kyle wrapped his arms tightly around Travis’s neck, clinging to him as if he were his only source of air. Witnessing Kyle’s intensity, Travis pulled back just a fraction, a soft, confident smile spreading across his face.

“You’re so focused on me, Kyle. It’s endearing.”

“...Am I the only one?”

“Not a chance. I am too.”

Travis took Kyle’s hand, acknowledging the heat and attraction between them. Kyle looked down for a split second, a mix of shyness and excitement hitting him, before leaning back in, craving that closeness once more. They pulled each other closer, desperate to erase any remaining space between them.

Feeling how much Kyle wanted to be near him, Travis lifted him effortlessly and carried him toward the bedroom. Kyle was laid down on the bed, feeling the comforting weight and the distinct, mature scent of the man before him.

“It’s been so long since I’ve wanted someone this badly,” Travis murmured.

Every word they exchanged felt completely real. Even if it was just a comforting lie to get through the night, Kyle didn’t care. In this exact moment, all that mattered was that this man belonged to him, and him alone.

They didn’t know if the other had a partner, or a family, or even each other’s exact age. Yet, they stared at each other as if they had been lovers for years.

Travis kissed him gently while unbuttoning Kyle’s shirt one by one. Impatient, Kyle pulled at Travis’s shirt in return. Tossing their discarded clothes off the side of the bed, they held each other again, feeling the direct heat of their skin. Hungering for more, Kyle reached for the zipper of his pants while Travis unbuckled his belt and threw it to the floor.

Looking at Travis now, Kyle felt a small wave of anxiety. But there was no turning back.

Travis, too, looked down at the beautiful young man lying on his bed. The stark reality of their age difference hit him for a fleeting second, making him hesitate. But it was already too late to stop.

As Travis slowly rubbed his engorged penis against Kyle’s own, Kyle felt like he was on the verge of climaxing right then and there; yet, desperate to savor every second of this intense intimacy, he fought to hold back the wave of ecstasy, even as his mind began to drift.

Seeing Kyle trembling as he held back, Travis whispered in a low voice close to his ear:

“Cum whenever you want. I’ll make you feel good as many times as you like.”

Travis gently grasped Kyle’s penis—already glistening with pre-cum—and began to move his hand slowly up and down. He occasionally twisted his wrist and caressed the tip with his fingertips, providing constant stimulation from every angle.

“Ah... Travis...”

Smiling with satisfaction at Kyle’s sweet, needy voice, Travis gripped both their shafts together and began to stroke them vigorously.

Travis’s thick, ripe shaft pressed powerfully against Kyle’s own, as if dominating it; the slick, wet friction created obscene, squelching sounds, and the skin glistened with a raw, primal sheen.

Overwhelmed by the sights and sounds, Kyle’s mind went blank, and he instinctively squeezed his eyes shut.

“Hey, open your eyes. I want you to look at me when you cum.”

Gazing at Kyle with eyes full of affection, Travis quickened the pace of his hand. Kyle had reached his limit.

“Go ahead... cum.”

At those words from Travis, Kyle completely lost control and climaxed.

Travis planted a gentle kiss on Kyle’s lips—still parted and ragged with breath—and whispered, “Good boy.” He then immediately slid his fingers down to the cleft between Kyle’s buttocks, beginning to caress the hidden entrance. Suddenly reminded of Travis’s size, Kyle instinctively tightened his embrace.

“…If you don’t want this, I’ll stop.”

Noticing Kyle’s anxious demeanor, Travis asked the question while gently kissing his temples and cheeks.

“It’s okay… don’t stop…”

At the sound of Kyle’s earnest voice, Travis nodded and resumed his caresses.

The fingers that had been wandering, gently caressing the rim, slid smoothly into him—aided by the release that now served as lubricant. Kyle thought of Travis’s thick, rugged, masculine fingers and felt a surge of arousal at the realization that they were inside him right now. But Travis was just as undone.

“Damn... I want to be inside you so bad...”

Travis’s desperate voice, raw and accompanied by ragged breathing, brushed against Kyle’s ear, making him ache to feel Travis deep inside him immediately.

“...Me too... I want you...”

At those words, Travis pressed the head of his shaft against Kyle’s tight entrance. Holding his gaze, he slowly pushed himself in.

“...Ah...”

Travis pushed deeper, carefully watching Kyle’s face for any sign of pain.

“Baby, are you okay? ...Look, see? It’s already in this far.”

Travis traced the line where they were joined, drawing Kyle’s eyes down to witness their intimacy.

“Ah... amazing...”

Travis’s presence was felt fully within him. Kyle placed his own hand over Travis’s, and together they acknowledged the place where they were connected.

“Travis... but... go deeper...”

“Mmm... you bad boy...”

With that, Travis lifted Kyle’s legs and moved to close the remaining distance, seeking the very depths of their bond in one go.

“Damn... you are so tight.”

Travis furrowed his brows against the surging pleasure, the intense constriction far exceeding anything he’d imagined as he began to slowly rock his hips.

“Ah... Travis...”

Dizzy from a pressure unlike anything he had ever known, Kyle clung desperately to him, trying to memorize that heat with every inner fold of his body. As Kyle whimpered, unable to hold back against the sensation of every single throbbing vein brushing against his inner walls, Travis lost his restraint and gradually picked up the pace.

“Ah! ...Right there...!”

“Do you like it here?”

As if testing him, Travis ground his hot length against that core over and over, making Kyle’s manhood twitch once more, growing harder by the moment.

“Ah... ah... ah...”

Travis moved his hips rhythmically, thrusting with steady precision against that spot over and over, drawing cries of pleasure from Kyle.

“Kyle, baby... let’s come together this time.”

“Y-yeah...!”

Travis leaned down, embracing Kyle tightly to press their bodies together, and shared a deep, passionate kiss steeped in desire. Kyle surrendered to the intensity of Travis’s embrace, drinking in his warmth and trembling with the ecstasy of being completely overwhelmed by him—feeling filled by his presence in every possible way.

Travis nibbled gently at Kyle’s wet, sensitive lips before sliding his hand down to caress his chest, his fingertips playfully teasing the hardened peaks.

“Ah, no... I’m close... Travis, I’m gonna cum.”

“Me too... I don’t think I can hold back anymore...”

Like Kyle, Travis desperately craved release from the heat building within him. Driven by a frantic intensity that stole his very breath, his movements grew fierce and unyielding. Amidst the chaotic, rhythmic storm of their embrace, drops of Travis’s sweat fell onto Kyle’s smooth skin.

“...So, baby, where do you want it?”

At the sound of Travis’s raw, primal groan, Kyle cried out, completely unraveled.

“Ah... Travis...! Inside... give it to me inside...”

“Yeah... Kyle... Damn...”

“Ah...!”

Feeling Travis’s hot release flood deep within him and savoring the wild, powerful throbbing, Kyle realized he had reached his own climax before he even knew it.

“Kyle... that was amazing... Are you okay?”

“Yeah... I’m fine...”

Still buried deep inside Kyle, Travis gazed at him with a look of tender affection, then held him close and rained gentle, chaste kisses all over his face.

“Come on, let me clean you up. Just wait a moment...”

With those words, Travis slowly withdrew from him. As he did, the thick, viscous cream spilled from Kyle’s opening. The sheer volume of it and the indescribable sensation made heat flare up in Kyle’s body once more.

Yet, feeling he had no right to ask for more, Kyle simply watched Travis’s back as he stepped out of bed, a bittersweet longing aching in his chest. After all, they were nothing more than two strangers who had met at a bar, sharing a single night of fleeting passion.