The Treehouse

It was a typical homecoming. Crowds of families waiting for the returning troops. Wives, husbands and kids craning their necks in search of their loved ones as they climbed down off the buses. Despite the roped off lines, children sprinted across the open tarmac and flinging themselves into their father or mother's arms as duffels and backpacks were dropped. There were tears, laughter and the murmur of hundreds of voices all filling the massive parade square.

Our flight had landed about an hour earlier and after a brief bit of in-clearance, we were all hustled aboard the buses and shipped over to the parade square for release to a couple of weeks leave. But for me, having no family waiting, I hung back as the others slowly gathered up kids, spouses, bags and headed for the parking lot to go home to, no doubt, larger reunions of family and friends.

I wasn't really sure if she would be there, and patiently waited until the crowds thinned. But sure enough, standing much as I was in the back of the throng, I spotted her bright red hair. A slow smile spread across my face as I made my way towards her. She was much as I had remembered, thin with pale skin dotted with freckles, long red hair reaching halfway down to her waist and deep green eyes. An Irish-blooded waif from a long line of the same. She was wearing a pale blue sun dress, and had her hands clasped before her, waiting with that smile I remembered so well.

Walking up to her with my bag still slung over my shoulder, I paused about a meter away. Danni was only about five-foot-six compared to my six feet, two inches and, combined with her willow thinness and my generally fit physique, the differences couldn't have been more distinct. The light material of her dress fluttered around her legs and teased the long locks of her hair, bringing a flood of memories back.

Despite the silence, it wasn't awkward at all. She just looked at me, squinting a bit into the morning sun. I don't know what thoughts were running through her mind, but I wasn't bothered as it just felt comfortable somehow. I am sure we both knew that there were things to be said, but there was no rush. With a smile, she turned and with a nod of her head invited me to follow. We made our way through the parade stands to the parking area and I picked out her old Chev pickup from the line of vehicles straight away. She walked beside me, exuding what seemed a happy, casual air that made me feel right at home. Tossing my duffle into the bed of the truck, I climbed into the passenger seat as she got behind the wheel. Soon we were out of the base gates and headed west in the morning sunshine.

"Thanks for coming to get me," I said glancing across at her. He hair was tossing in the wind as we drove, windows down.

"Happy to," she replied with a small smile.

With that we fell into an easy silence as we made good time down the winding country highway.

It was a bit less than an hour later when we pulled up in front a low bungalow with a wide porch in front. Shutting off the engine, she swung open her door and said, "Come on," climbing down from the truck. I grabbed my bag and followed her up onto the porch.

"Have a seat," Danni suggested, nodding towards the swinging seat at one end of the covered porch. I dropped my bags and went over to sit down while she opened up the front door and went inside, returning a couple of minutes later with a pair of cold beers. Handing me one she sat in a nearby wicker rocking chair and took a small sip. I took a much longer pull and felt the golden loveliness I had missed so much wash down my throat. I finished to see Danni smiling broadly at me. She knew how much I had missed a cold beer while I had been away.

After a few minutes of silence, I broke it, "Thanks for all the letters."

Danni, smiled back, but said nothing.

With my parents gone and no siblings or other family, I didn't have much contact with anyone from home while deployed. I had broken up with my last girlfriend before heading overseas and most of my buddies were in the unit with me. So, mail call was a bit thin. But every so often over the years I had gotten nice hand-written letters from Danni. Just talk of home and of things happening in our sleepy community. Then, while I had been abroad the letters started coming once a month. Just the same sorts of thoughts and home news, nothing romantic. A touch of home to ground me and I appreciated it.

Since I had finished my first beer in only a couple of minutes, Danni, stood up and taking my empty turned to head back inside for a fresh one. As she walked away, my eyes naturally were drawn to her slim, girlish figure. There was definitely some conflicted thoughts roaming around my head in that moment. But I let it lie.

For the next hour we just sat on her porch and chatted about life at home. Danni never mentioned the war or what I may have been up to over there, which was appreciated as I knew most of my buddies were getting various versions of the "what was it like?" questioning. But Danni just seemed to know that if I wanted to talk about it, I would. I just really needed to be home and have some space to relax.

Of course, this wasn't my home. Danni had inherited this place when her folks passed on. My old house had been about half a mile away, through the fields. But someone else lived there now. My parents had long ago passed on as well. But I knew this place well. As kids we had spent a lot of time here, and even without having been inside again I could tell you where everything was.

Suddenly Danni had a mischievous smile creep across her face. Standing, she reached out her hand and said, "Come on, something I want to show you something."

I know I hesitated too long before finally reaching up and taking her hand, but she didn't seem to mind. She knew, probably better than anyone, how I might be feeling at that moment. Standing, I let her pull me across the porch and around the side of the house. My whole being was focused on that little hand in mine, pulling me so firmly along. Should I have pulled back, I wondered?

Before my confused brain could decide though, we reached the back of the house and she let my hand go to skip across the garden ahead of me, heading for the woods beyond the neatly trimmed yard. Twirling as she went, she once again gave me that sly smile, before turning back and heading into the lush forest. I gave a chuckle and followed, having no idea what she wanted to show me.

Once under the shade of the trees, the sun dappled down across the leaf-strewn forest floor as I followed her along a well-worn path. I admit now that my mind was torn between a flood of memories of running down this path as kids growing up and suddenly noticing how sheer and see through that sundress could be when the light illuminated Danni just right. Yet, as soon as I had those thoughts, I began the old internal struggle with them.

But following along, inner mind in turmoil, I made my away along the narrow path in Danni's wake. Cresting a small rise in the forest, the ground fell away into a wide bowl in the ground and I stopped dead in my tracks. There, in an old, gnarly tree was the old tree fort we had built as kids. But this was no ramshackle mess tacked together with more enthusiasm than skill. This was a little cottage built in its place complete with gingerbread scroll work and painted in deep greens with white trim. It even had a porch and honest-to-god windows. Sitting only seven or eight feet off the ground, it wasn't high up but it was definitely a tree fort...or tree house I guess now.

Danni was standing before the narrow, steep stair to the porch, hands clasped over her mouth but hiding a wide smile.

As I stood there a thousand memories flooded into me. The struggles hauling all the old scrap wood and bits through the forest to build the first one. The afternoons of pirates and Robin Hood make believe. The hiding out when our parents were mad at either of us. The sleepovers, camped out in the tree...but that last thought also brought other memories and images. Ones that in my innermost mind had been resurfacing more and more lately, after reading Danni's letters had often reminded me of those days in the forest.

Almost stumbling in a daze, I made my way down to Danni at the bottom of the bowl. She was almost jumping up and down in joy, and possibly nervousness, as she watched the emotions flood across my face.

"Do you like it?" she asked in that teasing way she had.

Up close it was even more impressive. The detail and care that had gone into making it must have taken ages. "It's amazing..." was all I could say.

Danni, without waiting grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the narrow, steep stairs.

"Come on," she urged, "let me show you the inside."

Turning, she started climbing up the steps, wide enough only for one, forcing me to follow close behind. Of course, that put her slim legs and behind right in front of my face and again a rush of memories threatened to overwhelm me. Soon though, we were on the porch and Danni paused just long enough to let me take in the view of the sheltered and private bowl surrounding the tree house. Then she grabbed my hand again and pulled me through the door inside.

The light inside was dim and it took a few moments to adjust. It wasn't very big inside, but there was a wide, comfortable looking sofa along one wall, covered in throws and pillows. On the other a big, padded chair that I remembered from the old days back in the main house. Its worn and tired covering seemed to fit in well with the rest of the décor. Gazing around, my eyes fell on a shelf with some framed pictures on it. Walking slowly over to it I saw a few of Danni and I as kids, dressed as pirates or our version of Peter Pan. Beside it was a picture of us at our high school prom, posed together. The last was a picture of me in my uniform I had sent her a couple of years ago.

More than anything else that picture of the prom clouded out anything else. It brought back so many memories, good and...not bad, but strange. It was a while before I noticed Danni beside me. Close beside me.

"You remember?" she said gently.

Turning to her, she was close to me but not quite touching. But there was an electricity in the space between us. I could feel it coursing through me. Staring down into those emerald eyes, I suddenly found all the conflicting thoughts and emotions start to slip away and only one thought remained: God, she was beautiful.

I started to reach for her, but she stepped away. Seeing my confused look, she smiled and reaching up pulled the top of her dress off her shoulders. Shimming a bit, it slid easily off her slim body to end up piled on the floorboards. Beneath she was wearing a little matching set of bra and panties with a delicate floral pattern like something a teenager might have worn. The bra covered only the tiniest of breasts, small and pointy...and erect nipples beneath the thin cotton.

She stood there in the sun beams streaming in through the windows, dappled with green and illuminating dust motes floating through the air where our movement had disturbed them. My eyes took in her beauty, which I had struggled so much with as we grew up together. Eventually, as I knew they must, my eyes fell to the small bulge in the front of her panties. The source of all my guilt and confusion for so many years.

Danni reached out for my hand and gently placed it on her breast. I let her and held it still as I felt the rock-hard nipple beneath the bra. "Remember these?" she asked quietly.

I slowly stepped in closer and brought my other hand up to cup her other little breast. After a few moments, Danni slowly turned around so her back was facing me and glancing over her shoulder said, "...and remember this?"

Sliding my eyes down to that perfect peach of an ass, I couldn't help but remember how much it had meant to me all those years ago. It had been my first time and hers just after prom on her eighteenth birthday. For a few years before I had abruptly left for the army we were at it like rabbits. Often here in the tree fort, but in her room at home, my room, even in school once.

I started to reach for her ass and she reached back pulling me forward and placing my hand on the smooth globes. Arching her back and thrusting that ass out, my hands slowly moved across the familiar curves. As I slid one hand under her cotton panties I caressed to smooth, baby soft skin.

"I think someone else remembers," she said slyly, nodding towards the tent forming in my uniform trousers. Looking down I could see she was correct and instantly became aware of a painful hard on straining at my zipper.

Turning back to me, Danni knelt down and slowly, carefully, pulled down my zipper. Reaching in past my briefs, she pulled my cock free.

"Well, hello there," she said. "I remember you."

With that she began giving me a slow, loving blow job. Licking the head and underside and flicking her tongue across the sensitive head making me gasp and shudder. I could feel my knees getting weak as she lovingly ministered to my throbbing hard on.

After a few minutes, she got up and leaving me, walked over to the sofa. Getting down on her knees with elbows resting on the back of the coach, she glanced back over her shoulder once more and said, "I think you remember what to do," wiggling her ass at me.

I think I was out of my uniform and across that room in seconds. From somewhere under a cushion Danni produced a small bottle of lube and passed it back to me. While I lubed up my aching cock, she slowly swayed her ass back and forth in front of me in the most seductive way imaginable. Cock ready to go, I wiped my hands on my thighs and then gently pulled those little cotton panties off her ass and down to her knees.

"Be gentle," she said. "It has been a while."

Nodding, I massaged her ass for a few moments, my hand lingering on the soft globes of her backside. But even if I wanted to, I could not have waited any longer. Lining up the tip of my cock with her little, pink rosebud, I started to push gently. There was a lot of resistance but I didn't want to push too hard and too fast in case I hurt her. But Danni had other ideas, with a determined sigh, she took a deep breath and pushed back against me. My cock popped past her outer ring. There she paused, panting gently. I decided the best thing I could do was just stay still. Despite that instinctive urge to push in deeper I focused on the amazing tightness of her special place. After a minute or so, she pushed back a little more until I was about half inside. Pausing again for about a minute, she turned and looked back at me, green eyes alight.

"Okay, over to you."

Needing no more encouragement, I pushed forward and began long, slow strokes. Each went a little bit deeper. Danni's hands clenched the back of the sofa and she was panting in time with my thrusts. Soon, I was stroking all the way in, to the hilt, and her panting started to turn to small whimpers and then moans. After that, Danni just laid her head on her arms and closed her eyes, giving herself over to the sensation.

While still amazingly tight, I could feel her relax and soon lost myself in the sensations. I would like to say I lasted for hours, but after so long away overseas this was just too much. My breathing became heavier and turned to grunts as my pace picked up. Danni could sense what was coming and when I made one final lunge, she pushed back hard against me. Pulse of cum roared out of my deeply embedded cock as wave after wave of pleasure flowed through me.

A little while later we were splayed out on the floor on a couple of thick throws. Skin glistened with sweat and the musk of sex hung heavily in the air. Danni lay along my side, nestled in under my arm with her head on my chest. I think we fell asleep that way for a while. Eventually though I reached down and pulled her up to me and before she could argue, planted a long kiss on her lips. That was something we had never done before and I think she wasn't sure how I would feel about it. Sex could be just lust, but kissing implied something more. I admit, I had had my doubts but no more. After a nice, long kiss, she slid back down to nestle once more into my side and I could see a broad smile on her lips.

A little while later, without saying anything, we dressed and made our way back to the house. In the fridge, Danni had some marinated steaks ready to go and handed them to me, along with another cold beer and pointed me to the BBQ out back. She puttered around the kitchen making a salad while I got the BBQ warmed up and the steaks on the grill.

I made an effort to not think about the implications of what we had just done, and what it may have meant to each of us. I was worried about what Danni might be feeling...and more than a little confused about what I was feeling. But Danni, in her usual calm, relaxed manner just went about bringing cling-wrapped dishes out to the picnic table, all the while a happy smile on her face. We still had not said a thing to each other since coming back from the treehouse and somehow that quiet seemed okay. Not awkward silence by any means...just happy simplicity. It felt somehow right.

I am sure most of her behaviour was for my benefit. Not only had I just come home from an operational tour with all the mental baggage that could bring, but now this had happened...again. I think Danni knew I needed some time to process everything. She had always been the quiet, smarter one and always seemed to know what I needed...often before I did.

I admit, I had thought about this...although every time the image of us together had popped into my head over the years I quickly and almost desperately forced new thoughts in to push those images out. I am not sure why I did. I was not particularly bothered about my sexual orientation; I was unambiguously hetero and straight. I had seen a lot of lean, naked men during my time in the forces and never once had there every been anything sexual in that. Just did nothing for me. I had dated lots of girls and slept with my share. All just the normal activities of a young, healthy male.

Danni was the wild card though. The one that never fit into my self-image of who I was. I had known here since I was about ten. We had hung around together and been best friends all through school. I had watched as she started to become more feminine as a teenager, although it was never a surprise as she had always been a bit girly, if also tomboyish. I had always defended her against bullies as best I could, but I couldn't always be there for her. We had many long chats about it all, hanging out in out tree fort. Even then she seemed to just calmly accept who she was becoming and I just went along with it all, without really understanding.

Lifting the steaks off the grill, I put them on a tray and carried it all over to the table. Danni came out with a couple of more cold beers and we sat down to eat.

"I can't believe what you did with the tree fort," I said around a mouthful of potato salad. "Or Tree House I guess I should call it now."

She smiled and told me how she had hired a specialist carpentry company to build it for her a couple of years ago. From what she said, I was guessing her manuscript editing job must be paying pretty well.

"But why did you do it?" I asked.

She paused, as if in thought, and then replied, "Oh, I guess, memories of happy times," she smiled.

Our conversation after that was the same as any two old friends getting together. We laughed about days gone by and relived old stories. There was the usual session of, "what ever happened to...?"

Eventually, we finished up and carried the remains of the meal inside. Danni shooed me off to the shower, while she scraped the plates and stuck them in the dishwasher. Leftovers went into Tupperware and into the fridge. I knew where the shower was and stripped down, climbing into the old-style bathtub with shower nozzle above one end. The water felt good and I just relaxed under it for a while. I must have been daydreaming a bit because I started when I felt a pair of hands on my back. Before I could turn to look, a bar of soap started getting rubbed over my shoulders and back. After that, Danni's small hands rubbed in the soap, making small circles across the skin.