Onikuma Boyfriend: Victor Part One (complete)

When I was little, my parents moved to Alaska as part of my father’s job. It was the most remote and strange place I had ever seen. Having grown up with skyscrapers and cars all around me, the nature that took its place was like a whole other world to me. My mother hated it. She was constantly worried about wild animals, and lamented the fact that there was nowhere close by to shop. My dad, on the other hand, thought it would be a good thing for us. He didn’t like how materialistic we were getting. He had always tolerated it with my mom, but he didn’t want it wrecking his kids’ lives. 

He would take us hiking to show us the land around our new home. The foliage was so dense that it was hard to walk on the path, but I always had fun going on these little excursions. There was a stream running along our property too, where dad would take us fishing or let us splash around. 

Mom eventually came around. She was bored most of the time, so she took up reading, which led her to take up writing, which led to a full-fledged career for her. And so, one afternoon while she was trying to get some work done, she shooed all of us kids out of the house, because we were kids and therefore very loud. The four of us decided to play hide-and-seek; I was the youngest and designated ‘it’. I got lost trying to find my siblings, and wandered a bit too far into the woods before I realized the trouble I was in. 

I didn’t follow my dad’s advice to stay in one place. I kept wandering around, hoping to find my way back to somewhere familiar. I don’t know how long I was gone, but I was growing exhausted and hungry. Finally, I stopped, I sat down and cried. As I was whimpering, I heard a voice call out to me.

“Little girl,” it said. “Little girl, over here.”

I looked up through my tears. “Daddy?” I whined. “Daddy, is that you?”

“No,” the voice chuckled. “But I can help you find your father, if you’d like.” I could hear something moving along the trees in the shadows. “I can bring you to a place where you won’t be scared anymore.”

“Who are you?” I sniffled and wiped my snotty nose on my sleeve. “I can’t see you.”

“Then why don’t you come closer?” the voice said. “Come on. Come closer to the trees.”

I slipped off the log I was sitting on and started to inch closer. What can I say? I was young, gullible, and painfully trusting. Then I heard a low growl in the trees, and I took a step back. The trees shuddered with another snarl, and golden eyes peered out from the darkness. The shadows dispersed as the foliage parted, and a strange creature emerged. The creature’s body was long, pitch-black like night, and their eyes glowed gold. Their head was oddly sleek and skeletal, and their hands were long and claw-like. I screamed, and started to run.

The creature gave chase close behind me, gaining on me quickly and knocking my legs out from under me. I toppled to the ground, rolled down the hill, and fell into the icy river at the bottom. I screamed and cried as I tried to get to my feet. I splashed through the river while the creature stalked me from the top of the hill, looking down at me like I was a mouse caught in a trap.

I was growing cold, already exhausted and hungry. The river’s current started to pull on me. As I weakened, the strange creature slowly came down towards me, taking its time to extend my torment.

I did the only thing I could think of, and stopped fighting the current. I let the river drag me away. The creature plunged into the river, chasing after me, clawing its way through the water and tearing past rocks. It lurched towards me, but something knocked it away. The creature hit the other side of the bank, and something else splashed into the water. 

The new thing grabbed me. “It’s gonna be okay, I’ve got you. Hold on to me.”

The first creature snarled and lashed out, attacking whatever was trying to save me. The thing holding me fought back, swinging at it and roaring. It held me close to its furry chest, which was a lovely silver-blue in color, and so warm.

Eventually, the creature chasing me was knocked into the water, and didn’t rise back up. The thing holding me carried me to shore, still clutching me to its chest.

“It’s okay, sweetie,” he wheezed. He set me down to look me over. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

I sniffled and shook my head. I looked up at him, and saw that he was a massive, strange bear. I started sobbing again, and clung to him as he wrapped his big arms around me. 

“It’s okay,” he whispered. “It’s okay.”

I fell asleep as he carried me. When I awoke, I was back home with my parents. There were cops and emergency vehicles everywhere. Apparently, I had been missing for much longer than I thought. I was small and young, so whenever I tried to tell people what happened, they assumed it was the panicked hallucinations of a terrified child. 

No one has ever heard of a creature like the one that chased me, let alone any animal in the world that could speak. Certainly no creature like this bear, with his soft fur in such a lovely color, with eyes so deep and blue. I fell asleep before I got the chance to thank him properly, but I always remembered him.

My parents separated a few years later. I went to live with my mom even though I wanted to stay in Alaska, which I had grown to love. It wasn’t until after college that I decided to move back. My dad had extra space, and he had recently gotten into an accident, so he needed the help while his leg and arm healed. The injuries weren’t terribly serious - he fell while doing something stupid, and even he would admit that.

“The town is much bigger than it used to be,” my dad says to me as I bundle my bags into the house. “Not to your mother’s standards, of course, but there is a lot more to it than when you were a kid.” He groans with effort as he sits down. His arm is in a sling, and his leg is in a massive cast. He sets his crutches aside, then looks out the window. “It’s still a drive, of course.”

“Of course.” I wipe my brow, then sit down at the table with him. “Anything interesting?”

“Well, for the most part, I still have to order things online,” he chuckles. “But there are a couple of good restaurants. And there’s a shoe store.”

I laugh.

“Hey, that’s a big deal around here!” He grins. “Oh, something you’ll like - there’s the bookstore. Old Man Victor runs it. He serves coffee from time to time, does readings, does a lot for the kids here too. He’s got a whole section just for the young folk.”

I arch my brow and laugh. “Young folk, Dad?”

“Hey, to me, you’re still that little girl that got lost in the woods.” He smiles at me. “But it’s a cool shop. Old Man Victor is an interesting guy too. He’s always looking for ideas for the place, too. I bet he’d love to pick your big brain.”

“Oh sure, my party planning skills are going to get me famous out here,” I scoff. Back home, I had always thrown parties for Mom when her new books were released. Her friends liked my work, so they started hiring me out. It became a small business for me to plan parties for bored, rich women in the neighborhood. I made good money, built up a nice savings account, but I hated it. Dealing with those women was enough to drive any well-meaning person to the brink of becoming a supervillain. It was part of why I moved back in with my dad; I was sick of the parties. Even though I had moved away, I was still getting calls and e-mails from these women.

“No, I just mean you’re smart. You know ways to entertain and dress things up so people can have fun. Knowing how to do that takes brains. Not just anybody can do that.” My dad winks at me.

“Yeah, sure,” I chuckle.

After all the unpacking, I get settled into my new surroundings. Everything is familiar, but nature has a way of growing to becoming something new. Even though I grew up in this place for a big chunk of my childhood, there is a strange newness to it.

After a while, I decide it’s best to get reacquainted with the town. The drive there is about forty-five minutes, give or take whatever moose or bison decides to block the road. The town has indeed grown a bit - there are new buildings, and a brand-new storage shed for all the emergency vehicles and snow plows. There is even a new parking lot so people will use the tiny streets, but this requires some walking. 

I come upon the bookstore, which was once an empty building whose windows were covered with old newspapers. The large new window is pristine, with fine gold lettering on it that spells out the shop’s name: “Bear Pages & More.” I think the name is cute. My mom always said that a writer hates nothing more than a ‘bare page’.

The bells on the door chime as I walk inside. The place has a fireplace glow to it, warm, soft, and comfortable. The old wood floors creak as I walk on them. The wall by the door has a shelf built into it, stocked with books recommended by patrons. I head in that direction until I see one of my mom’s old books among them. I sigh and walk away, going towards a reading nook where there is a big, cozy armchair with stacks of books on either side. 

“Good afternoon.” A man comes out of a door behind a shelf. “I thought I heard the door chimes.” He is carrying a tray of cookies. He has long silver-and-brown hair that hangs in thick waves I can only envy. He sets the tray down on the front counter, then puts on a pair of thick glasses. “Was just getting everything ready for the after-school crowd,” he chuckles.

“Don’t worry about me, I just wanted to have a look around. My dad said I would enjoy this place,” I say with a smile. The man is quite handsome, exactly my type. He’s tall and wiry, wearing a shirt with sleeves that are too short for him. 

“You must be Mako’s girl then,” he chuckles. “He was telling me you were moving back into these parts.” He grins at me and shakes his head. “How is Mako doing after his little, uhm… mishap? I brought him some books after the incident. His ego seemed more bruised than his broken leg,” he laughs.

“You mean the jackass stunt with the four-wheeler?” I roll my eyes. “He’s fine, just dumb.” I hold my hand out. “My name is Naoko.”

He squeezes my hand tight as he shakes it. “I’m Victor, owner of this little establishment.”

I balk and nearly sputter. “You’re Old Man Victor?” I blurt.

Victor throws his head back and laughs. “Am I not?” He waves his hand down. “Well, that kind of became the nickname the kids gave me. Unfortunately, even their parents started calling me that.” He shrugs. “It’s better than some names I’ve been called.”

I sigh and let my shoulders slouch. “You’re younger than my dad though,” I grumble. “Sure, you got some silver in there.”

“Oh, that?” He runs his fingers through his hair. “I’ve had that since I was a kid.”

“Nuh-unh,” I scoff. 

Victor laughs. “Yeah-huh.” He turns and starts setting up the coffee pot on the front desk. “Some people gray young.”

“Yikes,” I murmur. 

“Ain’t so bad. Just hair.” He looks over to me and turns back in my direction. “I’m sorry, where are my manners? Is there anything I can help you with? Are you looking for anything?”

I shake my head. “Not particularly. I haven’t been out of the house since I arrived, so I just wanted to browse around town for a bit. Don’t worry about me. I’ll wander around for a while and find my way.”

Victor nods. “Well, if you do need anything, just let me know. You know me by name now.” His smile is lovely and gentle. “I’ve still got to put the coffee on, but I’m not busy.”

“It’s okay, thanks.” I start wandering all the aisles of the book store, not really looking for anything, but mostly enjoying the atmosphere of the shop. Eventually, I come across a big book about creatures and monsters in folklore, fantasy, and myths. There is a collage of creatures on the cover - and one which looks frighteningly familiar. I take the book and find a small space to read it. In its pages, I learn that creature on the cover has many different names, but the local people call it ‘Snare’. It is said to be a monster that hunts and eats children, often using their bones to torment and haunt their parents until they devour the parents as well. The book says the Snare is very much like the big bad wolf in Red Riding Hood.

“Did you find something?”

I jump from my seat, as well as my skin, when Victor rounds the corner. The book plops from my hands in my fright. “Oh, gosh! You scared me.”

“Sorry, Naoko.” He stoops down to pick up the book. “Do you like monsters?” he asks as he hands it back to me.

“Uhm-” I sigh as I clutch the book. “I mean, who doesn’t love a good monster? But there was a creature in this book-” I stop myself from divulging too much. I was told all my life I was ridiculous for making up such stories, and I’ve grown quite ashamed of ever telling the story of when I got lost.

“It’s a long story,” I laugh. “But there’s a monster in here that looks like my own personal bogeyman.” 

“Your own personal bogeyman?” Victor smirks. “Now that sounds like an interesting story. Which one?”

I point to the shadowy figure on the cover. “The book calls it a Snare, as well as a bunch of other names.”

“Hmm,” Victor sighs. “Snares live around here, you know?”

The hairs on the back of my neck bristle up. “What?”

“Quite common, really. One of the biggest threats besides the bears.” Victor brushes his hair away from his face. “Then again, bears aren’t even a threat if you’re smart enough,” he chuckles. 

“Are you saying that the Snare is real?” I balk as I follow him down the aisle. 

“Hard to say what is real and what isn’t.” Victor goes to the front counter, where he pours hot water into a cup and pours a fine powder into it. “Native Americans have monsters that exist if you speak their names. Elephants are thought to be the Biblical Behemoth. Dinosaurs might actually be the legendary dragons. And speaking of bears again,” he says with a grin. “They’re the old heroes of legend.”

“Huh?” I furrow my brow.

“Bear skeletons look eerily similar to human skeletons,” he explains. “So much so, that back in ancient Greece and the like, when they unearthed a bear skeleton, they thought, “Well, fuck, this must be some great man!” So then they buried that bear skeleton with armor and weapons.”

I start to laugh. “You can’t be serious.”

“As the day is long.” He stirs the contents of the cup, then puts some honey into it. “Here.” He hands it over to me. “Not as good as actual cider, but these little powder packets are quite good.”

“Oh, thank you,” I gasp. The paper cup is warm in my grasp, and the scent of cinnamon is a great comfort to me.

“Now tell me, why is a Snare your personal boogeyman?” Victor leans back against the counter. “If you care to share.”

I huff after taking a sip of the cider. “Well,” I start off unsurely. “I used to live here when I was little, and-” The door suddenly opens, making the bells chime loudly. A few kids come bounding in, stripping off their coats and backpacks.

“Ah, the after-school crowd!” Victor claps his hands. “Come on in. I’ve got the snacks ready. The study hall is set up and ready for you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Victor!” The kids start tearing into the snacks, then make themselves hot drinks before disappearing behind the bookshelf door.

“Sorry about that,” Victor chuckles. “Some of the local kids come here when their parents are at work.”

I shake my head. “It’s okay. I should probably head home and check on Dad. He said he would make dinner, but, uh…” I laugh.

“Very true. He’s been known to burn a dishrag even with two working hands.” Victor pats my back as I head to the door. “I would still very much like to hear about your Snare. Maybe one day you can share with me.”

My cheeks burn as he smiles. “Sure. This won’t be the last you see of me.”

I head home, but it isn’t long before I return to ‘Bear Pages’. I’m there almost once a week, wandering around trying to find something, or just talking to Victor. He tells me he has lived in Alaska for most of his life, having moved around with his family when he was young and then settling here when he was a young man. His blue eyes enchant me; they remind me of a comforting memory I can’t place my finger on.

One day I enter the shop to find Victor unpacking a box of new orders. Right on top is a pile of my mother’s new books.

“Have you read her work?” Victor asks as he scans them into the system.

“She’s my mom, so…” I heave a noncommittal sigh.

“Oh,” Victor gasps. “Really? She’s so popular in this neck of the woods.”

“Well, she’s good,” I say. I smooth my palm over the cover. “I’ve just grown up with her writing my life, so it’s nothing special to me.”

“Do you have the knack?” Victor asks.

“Knack?” I ask. 

“For writing,” he urges. “Do you enjoy it?”

“Oh,” I laugh. “Oh, gosh, no. I never even-” The shop lights flicker around us. A second later, there is a massive gust of wind, and the skies become horribly dark.

“There was nothing on the weather reports this morning,” I gasp as I rush to the window with Victor. 

The lights flicker again, and Victor grasps my shoulder. “I’m going to close up,” he says. “You can stay here with me until the weather passes.”

“Are you sure?” I gasp.

“Very sure.” Victor turns off the lights and unplugs anything from the walls. “My place is downstairs. It’s safe; I’ve got plenty of provisions. I know your drive home is a long one. By the time you’re halfway home, you’d be in trouble.”

He leads me to the back of the shop and unlocks a big red door, which leads down a set of stairs that end in a big kitchen. I realize this is his home, and it’s decorated very much like the bookstore upstairs; cozy, comfortable, and welcoming. 

“I’ll put on some coffee,” Victor says. “Go and make yourself at home. You may be stuck with me for a while.”

“I won’t mind that for a bit,” I say as I take a seat in the breakfast nook. I’m actually very excited to spend some quality alone time with Victor. I’ve not just been coming to the bookstore for the books. “I’m actually looking forward to it.”

Victor cocks his eyebrow. “Are you?”

My cheeks burn, and I know I must look like a big strawberry. “Well, in any case, I’m glad I was at the right place at the wrong time,” I chuckle. I fiddle with a bottle on the table. The glass is dark brown, and the contents are thick and heavy. “Is this a type of honey?” I ask.

Victor comes over and takes it from me. “Careful with that. That’s a medicine of mine.”

“Sorry,” I gasp. 

Victor places the bottle on a high shelf. “Quite all right. I’m not used to having company over, so I leave it out.” He takes coffee mugs from the cabinet then. “Now tell me, lovely Naoko, after all this time, what is your Snare?”

“My Snare,” I huff. “Oh gosh. You remember?”

“It was quite a tantalizing hint,” Victor laughs. 

I slouch down. “I’ve always been made fun of for it,” I grumble. “So I don’t much like going around blabbing about it.”

“I’m not one to criticize people’s stories,” he murmurs. “Go on. I’d still very much like to hear it.”

I sigh and lean against the table while Victor pours coffee. “Well, I was little and I got lost in the woods. That was scary enough for a five-year-old, but it got worse. This… thing came out of the woods. The Snare, I guess it was. It chased me, hunted me until I fell down a ravine and into a river.” I shiver as I recall the memory. “I was so scared, but then I was saved.”

Victor places a mug down in front of me. “What saved you?”

“It was a bear.” I look up into his blue eyes. “The bear-” I gasp, and then the lights go out completely.

“Oh shit,” Victor snarls. He pulls out a flashlight attached to his keychain and turns it on. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I chuckle. “The dark doesn’t scare me.”

“If you can wait a moment, I know I have some emergency lamps in the back. I’ll be right back.” He starts off, opening a door and disappearing through it along with the flashlight’s glow. He returns with a couple of lamps, which he places around his home.

He sets one on the table and huffs. “These will last for hours, supposedly.” He sits down near me. “We’ve just got to wait out the storm.”

“I’m okay with that.” I tuck my hair behind my ear. “There are worse places to be.”

“It’s been a while since I had a woman here,” Victor chuckles. “I’m kind of nervous about it.”

“Why?” I giggle.

“Well, for one, women are very dangerous creatures. They’re a different sort of hunter.” Victor brushes his hair from his face. “And well, I like you as well, Naoko.”

I bite down on my lip and ease in closer to him. I take his hand, holding it over the tabletop. “Then why are you nervous?”

“Being in an intimate setting like this,” he whispers, “feels like a trap.”

I smirk at him. “How can this be a trap? You think I planned the weather to be this way?”

Victor laughs. “No. I’m not saying it’s you who did the trapping.” He picks up my hand and kisses my palm. “But I feel given to impulses.”

My heart is about to beat out of my chest. “I don’t mind an impulse.”

Victor chuckles. “I’m a fair bit older than you, Naoko.”

“I don’t care about that,” I murmur. “We’re both adults, we’re both smart - I hope.” I run my fingers through his hair. “And I like you too.”

I move closer to him, pressing my lips against his cheek. Victor growls and turns his head, pressing his lips against mine. I meet his kiss, excited to deepen it; I want more. I wrap my arms around his neck while his hands circle my waist.

Soon, our clothes are scattered all over the floor, leading like a trail of breadcrumbs to Victor’s bed. His large, hairy body, is pressed against mine. My legs are wrapped around his waist, urging him to take me. I moan into his ear as his cock slips inside me. He’s so thick that in the first few strokes, he knocks me breathless.

A storm rages just outside the door, but Victor and I make love all night. I cling to his body, digging my fingers into his shoulders. I palm his chest and rub his thighs. I let him inside me until I am overflowing with his passion. He moans my name over and over, whispering it into my hair and panting it on my skin. He kisses my small breasts, my thighs, until my whole body has felt the touch of his lips. 

I’ve never felt such power before. He steals my breath several times that night, but always breathes life back into me. I am a shuddering, limp mess by the time we fell asleep. When I awake, Victor still has me locked in his strong arms.

“Good morning,” I whisper. 

“Mm,” he grunts. “Too early,” he growls. He kisses me and rolls me over so he’s laying on top of me. 

I run my fingers through his hair and down the nape of his neck. “Last night was amazing.”

Victor kisses me. “You remember,” he chuckles. “I thought for sure you’d wake up thinking it was a dream.” He then checks his clock. “I should see how things are and if the power is still off.” He rises up out of bed and I get to admire his naked body before he puts a robe on.

“Stay in bed, I’ll be right back.” He leaves but I decide to get up too.

As I’m searching for a shirt to wear, I see he has a work desk in the back of his bedroom. There’s a small bookshelf behind it where there is a collection of old picture books. One even looks handmade and bound with twine that is starting to fall apart.

“Why aren’t you in bed?” Victor snarls. He grabs me from behind and nuzzles into my neck.

I giggle and press against him. “You’re so cold!” I squeal.

“I’ve been outside.” He kisses the top of my head. “Power is working, so if you want a hot bath, I can run it for you.” He glances at the bookshelf. “What were you looking at?”

“Those old books,” I murmur.

“Those are my most precious possessions.” He kisses my cheek. “Only someone very special like you will ever get to see them.” He opens his robe and wraps it around me. “I have my own boogeyman story too,” his voice sounds weak and scared. “I promise, I’ll tell you that story one day.” He pulls me away. “But for now, I ask you to wait for it.” He leads me to his bathroom. “You go get a hot bath and I’ll make you breakfast.”