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The night sky is clear, stars and moon on full display. They couldn't have asked for better. Steve looks out across the patch of land his family has used to run together since before he was born. This is where he brought Nancy at this same point in their courtship; their first full moon spent together.
Nancy is just as impatient tonight as she'd been on their first date with Jonathan. Part of it is the moon. He can feel the urge to move, to shed his clothes and skin and seehearsmell the world in his other form. They can shift at any time but there's nothing quite like the night of the full moon. It's at least part of the reason Nancy has started pacing, leaves crunching under her feet.
He's glad that tonight she isn't nervous. That first date, it had been a struggle calming her nerves. This is the first time—only time if things go on as they have been so far—Nancy is the one doing the pursuing. Sometimes Steve feels like he spent all of his nerves while he was courting Nancy. He really likes Jonathan and wants things to go well. Better than well. Steve wants Jonathan as their mate. Wants him as much as he'd wanted Nancy.
He meant what he told her, though. It's hard to be nervous when his courting of Nancy went so well. Jonathan likes them just as much as they like him. Steve's seen others try and bring him gifts, make their intentions known. Steve and Nancy are the only ones who ever got a date out of it. So many dates. He's enjoyed every single one, but he can't deny how excited he is for this one.
A car pulls up to the house. Even if they were expecting anyone else, Steve would recognize the sound of Jonathan's car anywhere. Nancy pauses her pacing, staring where Jonathan should come from. They've walked a ways in so that his house is no longer visible. Only trees and fresh air surrounding them. As far as Steve can hear, Jonathan doesn't hesitate to follow along the path, either by sight or smell or a mix of both. It's Steve's space, his territory, and he and Nancy trailed their hands over a few more trees than usual on their way out here.
"You made it," Steve says as Jonathan joins them, looking as good as he always does. No jacket tonight, dressed in a simple tee and loose pants. They're dressed similarly; not much point in nice clothes when they're not going to be in them very long.
"I did." Jonathan reaches Nancy first. She bounces on her toes and he smiles. Steve loves his smile, loves the way it's more than just his lips moving up. It's the way the corners of his eyes crinkle and his shoulders stay loose. "Hi."
"Hi," Nancy says, swaying into Jonathan's space. He leans in, rubbing their cheeks and scents together. Since their first date, they've taken to doing the same thing every time they meet. Jonathan's scent is starting to naturally mingle with Steve's and Nancy's. They've spent so much time together now. After tonight, Steve doesn't think it will be very long before they're all permanently a mix of SteveNancyJonathan.
"Missed you," Jonathan whispers in her ear. She doesn't have to turn around for Steve to know she's grinning. He is, too, when Jonathan pulls away and comes up to him next.
"Hi," he repeats, and Steve is sure he sounds as dopey as the smile on his face feels when he echoes it. Jonathan's smile isn't nearly as silly as Steve's. Thankfully he seems to enjoy the way Steve can't help but wear his heart on his sleeve around him. They lean in, Jonathan's cheek warm against his own. Nancy's scent is clinging to him strongly. A low rumble starts in Steve's chest, a happy sound he can't help with the moon up.
"I'm glad you came," Steve tells him as they part.
Jonathan glances at his chest, but Steve doesn't have it in him to be embarrassed. He's not ashamed for them to know how he feels.
"Yeah," Nancy says, wrapping her arms around one of Jonathan's the way she does so often with Steve. Jonathan looks down at her, still smiling. For as standoffish as he'd come across over the years, it took hardly any time for him to get used to the way the both of them invade his space. It's been clear since the start that Jonathan likes them. The fact that he seems to enjoy them touching him at random moments, even when in public, makes Steve want to puff up his chest because no one besides his family gets to.
"I wouldn't miss it," he says softly, leaning in to kiss Nancy's forehead, then her mouth.
"Hey, where's mine?" Steve asks when they part. Jonathan rolls his eyes, but tugs Steve close by his shirt. It's hard to lose his smile long enough to enjoy the feeling of Jonathan's lips against his.
"Happy?" Jonathan raises an eyebrow, still holding onto Steve's shirt.
"Very."
Nancy rubs her cheek against the top of Jonathan's arm, unwrapping one arm from his so she can take Steve's hand. Steve presses a kiss to the back of it. "Ready?"
"Yes," she says, nodding hard. Her hand grips his tight. He's sure she's doing the same with Joanthan's arm. "Jonathan?"
"More than," he says, squeezing her arm quickly before untangling them. He wastes no time in pulling off his shirt. Steve grins at Nancy—she looks as excited as he feels—and does the same.
He wants to trail his eyes over every part of Jonathan. To take his time and see everything his clothes usually cover. Tonight isn't about that, though. Tonight is about running together. About spending time under the moon as their other selves. They are still them when they shift, but the world is so different from a wolf's perspective. Steve can't wait to see Jonathan with a wolf's eyes.
The shift washes over him, easy as breathing. It doesn't hurt; one of many things the movies get wrong. His bones crunch as they shrink and form a new shape but he's been doing this his entire life. He hardly notices anything beyond the world becoming something so different than it is through his human eyes.
His sense of smell is good in human form. As a wolf? He smells rabbits somewhere nearby, but not close enough to have caught his attention before. His focus is all on Jonathan, though. As a wolf his scent is deeper, wilder. Steve thought he couldn't get enough before but he needs it now.
Nancy seems to agree. She shakes her whole body, light brown colored fur moving with her before she walks straight into Jonathan's space. One of her ear twitches. Her tail, too. Jonathan bumps his head against her own. He's gorgeous as a wolf. Bigger than Nancy with dark fur.
Steve digs his paws into the ground, excited. When he joins them and Jonathan does the same to him, Steve feels that pleased rumble in his chest and doesn't—can't—do anything to stop it. Nancy rubs the side of her face into his neck, both of them surrounding him and his tail starts wagging the same as theirs.
He doesn't know how long it is before he pulls away, gesturing to start the run. His whole body needs to move. He needs to feel the wind in his fur, the moon on his back, the ground under his paws. Jonathan stretches out his front legs in a play bow, tail still wagging. Steve doesn't do more than pat the ground in excitement before Jonathan is up, bumping his head into Nancy's side—tag, you're it—and taking off into the trees.
Nancy looks at him with a wolfish grin and takes off after him, Steve not far behind her.
This might be the best full moon they've ever had.