Hearthway Hollow

Remi

Male Werebear x Female Reader

Even though the paper is called 'Hearthway Hollow Daily News' it actually only comes out once a week. The webpage is updated every day, but honestly, hardly anyone ever checks out the website unless there is an emergency.

The newspaper has been in print since before the town was actually founded. Mrs. Locklear's father, Abe, had started the paper back in the day as a way to keep the small Native community in the area connected. As time went on and the Locklear's accepted other weres into the Hearthway forest, Abe evolved the paper into something he had only dreamed about.

Nowadays, the paper is run by a small staff which included the editor, three IT specialists who handled the printing and other day to day technology crisis, and an ever-changing roster of reporters and writers, one of which was you. You had been working at the paper since you were in high school, starting out as a summer job where you answered the phone and ran errands, you went through the steps, writing obituaries and taking care of the personal ads, then slowly becoming a reporter. You had your own article every week that detailed a different point in Hearthway Hollow history. For a while now, you had been focused on the Locklear clan and how they played a major part in the founding of the town.

The current editor of the paper is Remi Mortimer. He was a reporter back when you first started. As long as you've known him, he's always been a big, lumbering grouch around the office. Then again, that's what makes him fun to tease.

Back when you ran errands for the staff, you were intimidated by him. After all, Remi was well over six feet tall and built like an armored tank. Meanwhile, you were barely over five feet tall and built like a jelly donut. You were never sure how his arms fit into the finely pressed button-ups he wore. You also could never figure out how his thighs, which might as well have been thicker than you.

As the years went on, Remi grew a little softer in the middle while you matured and grew into your curves. Remi was still intimidating, but you knew the big grouch well enough to know how to poke the bear without getting swiped at.

Back when you first became a journalist, it was Remi who was tasked with training you. This was within months of him being crown editor, but back then he had no clue. You had an inkling, having heard rumors when you ran errands and delivered coffee. The old editor, who was Mrs. Locklear's baby sister, had been wanting to step down for a long time and Remi had always reminded her of her father, Abe Locklear.

Well, anyways, during all this decision making, Remi had to take you everywhere with him. He often snarled under his breath he felt like he was walking around an untrained puppy on a leash hoping that it would find somewhere to pee only to take it inside and have it piss in your shoe. This was bonkers insulting to you, so much so you had considered pissing in his shoes.

Anyways, old memories. You and Remi worked well together now. Much like soldiers during the war, you both held old memories you both shared but dared not speak of. This kept you bonded forever and friendly enough that you didn't release the gory details to an unwilling mass.

One day, you're called into Remi's office. You're aggravated, as it's on a Tuesday and that's usually the day you spend doing the rough draft of your article before sending it to Remi. He knows this isn't a day for you to be bothered.

"Ok," you huff as you walk into his office and close his door. "What gives? You know I wear a metaphorical 'do not disturb' sign around myself all day on Tuesdays. What's so important that you gotta throw eggs at my door anyway?"

Remi's lip curls as you talk. You hate to admit even to yourself that this is attractive about him. He has pretty teeth, and they glow against the dark ocre of his skin and the blackness of his near-constant stubble.