Star Crossed [an old and terrible Star Fox fanfic]

C29 - Take Me On

"You scared me... so, so bad," Wolf firstly said, reaching down to pet one of Fox's ears.

"...I know," Fox yelped between his slowing and decreasing cries.

"I bet," the wolf sighed, but thought nothing more of his own scare-factor, as he set his hand on the fox's head. "But I'm here now..."

"I know!" Fox whimpered, holding Wolf tighter.

"Right here," Wolf whispered, trying to hold back his own tears, "I'm right here. I'm right here, Foxy."

"Thank you... so much, for everything," McCloud gushed, now pulling away from the embrace. He was still wearing his pants, but his shirt was set aside, his chest and belly being thus the most exposed. Wolf, in comparison, wore a tank top, and a similar pair of comfy-enough pants. "I don't know if I would be here without it all, nevertheless ALL of us...!" Fox nonetheless continued.

"That's just what I felt like I needed to do," Wolf simply and dismissively explained, now determined to make this urge: "Fox, get a little closure on all this. Tell me what you saw in your nightmare. Do you remember?"

"Way too well," Fox answered remorsefully, nodding his head. "I remember the attack on Corneria, and the panic of the people... and when I was ordered to kill you... and when I saw Andross die in front of me! And all the ships, locked in battle, never to get out of it all! Bombs the size of cities, beams the size of planets. Eternal war. Eternal destruction," he cried again. "I hate it all."

"It's not eternal, it's over now," Wolf resolved.

"It is," Fox tried to reassure himself. "It is. Man, when I was in it I feel like it hadn't even started, and now it feels like it hasn't even ended."

"All we have to do is deliver the news, Fox..." the wolf told, stroking the now calming fox's head. "Whatever is left to sort out will be however we want to do it."

Fox whined a little at this notion, and sniffled. "Wolf... I don't know..."

"Tell me. Tell me what's bothering you," O'Donnell urged, now leaning back to look at who was in his arms, then settling at his side, keeping his grey-furred hand firmly on Fox's cheek. "What were you woken up by?"

"I saw everything," Fox answered, shuddering. "Everything I've seen since the attack, everything I've come to know, and come to terms with, yet never really had the chance to let sink in. I feel like I've been everywhere and done everything, yet never been free to really think about what it has meant for me. It's so overwhelming. I've been in every situation from floating through endless space to the darkest of cells, to watching my enemy in burning anguish, and now they're nothing but nightmares!"

"That's what war can do, Fox," Wolf shuddered as he answered.

"It's awful, all of it," Fox shook his head, "but none of it as awful as what I felt last."

"And what's that?" Wolf asked.

"I was right back on Papatooine," McCloud shuddered as he squeaked out, "being told my father was dead, all over again."

Wolf said nothing, for a bit, then turned over. He shook, and tried not to let himself cry, not for the purported masculinity of it, but to try to assure to himself that there was nothing worth crying over now. He couldn't help but feel the same pain, though, as he remembered how he lost his parents to the asteroid. "This has shaped our whole lives," he sniffed, and turned back over.

Fox murmured something Wolf couldn't exactly hear. "What was that, Fox?" O'Donnell sweetly asked.

"S-So much change," Fox finally admitted what made him so perturbed. "And much, much more to come now."

"What's different about it, though, is that it is ours to make," Wolf told, grabbing Fox's shoulders. "It's our world to help change."

"I know, and I'm excited to see it," Fox told. "But I'm still so scared of everything."

"Why were you saying my name? In your sleep, I mean?" the wolf now managed to ask. Fox remained silent, unsure of how to answer. There was much he really needed to consider.

"What was it you said," the vulpine finally began to ask, "while you were in disguise as Bill, right before you killed the General?"

"Whatever came to my mind," Wolf admitted.

"So you were lying!" Fox whined. "It was an act, wasn't it! What you—"

"Just because it came to mind," Wolf advised, "doesn't mean I never meant it, or that I lied. In fact, I think it means the opposite. I said those things because I had needed to, for a long time, now."

"Say it again, then," the fox pleaded. "Say it all again..."

"I don't know if I have it in me," O'Donnell replied.

"What do you have in you, then? Say anything! Please!" Fox nearly began to cry again.

Wolf thought, and finally answered. "For the longest time I felt as though killing Pepper was what I'd wanted to do the most. But I was wrong."

"What is it, then?" Fox asked.

"This," Wolf replied.

He leaned in, closed his eyes, and softly met his lips with those of the fox across from him. Fox made a simple flinch, parting the kiss nearly as soon as it began. Wolf reopened his eyes, having done enough to get his point across. His warm breath washed over Fox's face and chest, as he looked down.

"Thanks for that," was all he said afterwards, as if to shy away in the event of it being ill-recieved.

Fox knew that there was a better chance of this affection, yet he was still considerably surprised. He didn't know what to say back, but he moved his snout closer in, gazing into Wolf's eyes. He couldn't muster any words, but hoped that this look would let him know that he wanted to know more.

Wolf saw this, and did this again, getting his lips more firmly onto Fox's. They met, and connected, and this was the moment they each felt that shock of approval run through their conscious. Fox put his hands on the wolf's gray, rough-furred chest, as he was pulled ever closer, their bodies fully meeting.

The fox turned his head, and deepened the kiss, his ears flattening. It was sadness that his body might have signified in any other case, with these signs, but Wolf knew that this was the look of ultimate gratitude and bashful excitement on his partner's face. He dared to slide his tongue further, and further felt McCloud melt within his tightening grasp.

Then, with a soft grunt, Wolf pulled back, and listened to the trilling Fox now beneath him. "I've wanted this for so long..."
"I'm— I'm a little tired," Fox tried to say.
"Oh— well, I— didn't mean that," Wolf blushed.
"Ah," Fox huffed, looking away.

"All I meant was for us to do that," O'Donnell explained, running his hand along Fox's cheek. "I... I do love you, you know."

"That much is obvious, now," Fox nodded, with a smirk.

Wolf heard this, and said nothing... then laughed. "I wanted to say it, though."

"It's alright, I liked hearing it," McCloud replied. "I've even dreamt of you saying it..." he added.

"Are you sure this isn't another one of those dreams?" Wolf warily asked.

"Kiss me again, just to make sure," Fox quickly urged, sounding much like a command.

"You bastard," Wolf jokingly replied. "I don't take commands."

"And why not?" the rightful vulpine captain asked.

"Because I've got you, now," O'Donnell growled. "And I'll do such things on my own terms."

"You, and what team?" Fox asked. "If anything, I've got you."

"Maybe," Wolf huffed in a feigned reluctance. "Fine. Captain's orders, then."

He lurched, almost lunging his snout down, to deeply kiss Fox once again. The two wrapped their arms around each other, and did this again, and again, not wanting anything less or more, besides the occasional confessional whispers into each other's ears. It was a while of this relieving, loving bliss, and before things could get the chance to go further, the two fell asleep right where they were.