When is this gonna end?
Fox tapped his foot on the metal floor of the stage, watching General Pepper's mouth move without hearing him speak. He glanced over at Falco who just seemed to be sleeping, and he snorted.
Peppy, on the other hand, was hanging on to Pepper's every word with a smile on his face. Fox rolled his eyes while he crossed his arms and looked over to Slippy who was twitching in his chair but was still paying attention to the General. Fox assumed he just wanted to be back at the Great Fox, and he had to agree with that.
Fox would rather be anywhere but that stupid ceremony in Corneria Park.
It was to commemorate the end of the war and applaud the efforts of the Cornerian Army in their valiant fight against the tyrannical Andross, but Fox knew it was bullshit. His entire team knew. It was just a bunch of semantics until Pepper gave out some medals to Star Fox.
What good are medals and pretty words if they can't bring back Bill?
Fox sunk further in his chair as his temples throbbed.
"-and I would also like to recognize the Cornerian Defense Force on Katina for maintaining their post despite heavy casualties during an assault earlier this month. You have all fought valiantly and earned a much-needed rest. We will be sure to identify those who perished in the fight-"
Fox's ears perked. He studied the crowd before the large stage with half-lidded eyes, catching groups of helmeted individuals in between the masses of civilians. Surely one of them could be his best friend, right?
A scowling Peppy broke Fox from his thoughts when he woke Falco with a sharp jab to the ribs. "Wh- what?"
General Pepper glanced back at them with a hardened gaze, not pausing his speech. Fox chuckled while he covered his hand with a mouth.
"Sorry, this is just boring." Falco wiped the sleep from his eyes and sat back up in his chair. "Why's it so damn hot?"
Fox flicked Falco's bare shoulder. "It's summer. 98 degrees out and that's not even the high today." He shrugged, grateful that he left his flight jacket on the Great Fox.
"I'm actually gonna die." Falco covered his face with a wing and Fox laughed, which earned him another glare from Pepper and more civilians to turn and watch them.
"You're tragic." Fox grinned and Falco stuck his tongue out at him.
"-applaud their brave and valiant efforts in the war, including destroying the maniacal Andross himself, I would like the Star Fox team to come over here to receive their medals!" Pepper gestured to the four individuals, and the crowd erupted in raucous applause.
Fox took the cue to stand as did his friends. He smiled and waved to the cheering civilians while he walked to the General, and they were eating it up. He didn't quite understand how they could stand being packed so close together in the heat.
He stopped next to the podium, and the General stepped down from it as he waved a husky in a suit over to them. The husky handed him four blue diamond-shaped medals and Pepper turned to smile at the team, his eyes shining.
"I present the Lylat Star to you four for your job in turning the tide of the war. On behalf of all of Lylat, I thank you, Fox McCloud." He put the medal on Fox's neck and shook his hand with a strong grip for an old hound.
Fox thanked him before walking to the other side of the stage to stand before the crowd. They hadn't ceased their cheers, and he continued to keep a smile on his sweating face while he scanned over the crowd.
Maybe he's down there?
The fleet of Katina was massacred; the chances of him surviving are slim to none.
But there's still a chance.
Falco stood next to Fox a moment later, not even trying to fake a grin. "Whatcha doin' Foxy?" He set his hands on his hips and looked at the crowd as well.
"Looking for someone." Fox felt his smile weaken and his shoulders slump. Falco set a hand on his shoulder.
"It's Bill, right?" Fox nodded and looked at Falco, who rolled his eyes. Maybe he really is...
"Don't cry you baby; he's right there!" Falco pointed towards the edge of the crowd, and sure enough, Fox could see him.
It was Bill Grey dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and khakis. He was waving his hands in the air with a huge grin on his face. Fox stared at him, the act of being polite forgotten.
"He's alive." Fox blinked and Falco laughed as he slapped Fox's back. He could hear Peppy shush them but paid it no mind.
"I've been telling you he would be!" Fox broke out into a stupid smile as his chest swelled. His head felt lighter than air and a tear pricked at his eye.
He was alive!
Bill gave him a thumbs up and mouthed something he couldn't quite make out, but it didn't matter. Fox did the same and Bill pointed towards the fountain off to the left of the stage.
"Got it," Fox whispered, which made Falco raise his brows. He wrapped a wing around Fox's shoulders and leaned down.
"I've got ya covered, don't worry." Fox fist bumped Falco before he composed himself and prepared to endure the rest of Pepper's speech.
Relief and joy washed through Fox in waves as he thought of his best friend. How did Bill survive? What was his story about Katina? Did he miss Fox as badly as he did? Did Bill's chest ache every time he thought of Fox?
Fox spaced out while the General rambled and he started to study the skyscrapers rising up over the trees of the park to pass the time. He could spot neon orange construction tarp covering the tops and sides of buildings to hide the scars of war, and they sent a sense of melancholy washing through him. Bandages were covering the gashes on the skin of Corneria and helping speed the healing process.
One day in the future any trace of Andross's reign would vanish, and nobody would have to live in a world where conflict was accepted as a constant of life.
Fox felt another tear come to his eye. A tarp was peeled from a high rise, revealing the pristine new glass underneath.
He was snapped from his stupor by a mass of blue moving across his vision. "Yo, he's done boring the crowd," Falco remarked. He could hear the crowd applauding even louder than before.
Fox turned his head and saw Pepper step down from the podium and turn around to exit from the rear of the stage behind a large blue curtain. Two soldiers moved the fabric so he could duck through, and just before it fell Fox caught the General taking off his red hat and starting to pant. He snickered as he walked with his team to the back. They all ducked under the curtain.
A caravan of cars awaited the group of Cornerian officials by the stage while Star Fox got nothing but a pat on the back and a wish of good luck. Fox heard Peppy complaining about the selfishness of the government nowadays but paid it no mind as his gaze settled on the twenty-foot tall centerpiece of a fountain.
Falco elbowed him. "We'll meet you at the coffee shop on 3rd and Lincoln." Fox nodded and started to jog to the fountain but he was stopped by a hand grasping his elbow.
"Might need these, Foxy." Falco shoved a pair of aviators in Fox's hand and winked. "Hide your identity."
"Thanks." Fox rolled his eyes and put the sunglasses on as he headed to the fountain.
When he cleared the vicinity of the stage he looked at the crowd that was starting to disperse. There had to have been at least ten thousand people at that ceremony, and millions more watching the broadcast from home.
Fox took the medal off and shoved it in his pocket before he walked to the fountain, where he sat on the edge and looked down into the water filled with so many rusting coins he couldn't even see the bottom. His reflection blinked up at him and it looked exhausted; his ears were drooping and there were bags under his eyes, but he wore a loose smile on his face.
"Dude!" A voice shouted from behind Fox, and he whipped his head around to see Bill running towards him.
Fox leapt up from his spot and grinned while he sprinted towards his best friend. They met in the middle with a rough embrace and Fox melted in his friend's arms while tears started to well up in his eyes. He kept them from spilling, but he knew it wouldn't last long.
"Been a while bro," Bill laughed as his arms tightened around Fox. His chest rumbled as he spoke and Fox had never loved the sound of his voice more.
"I thought you were dead." Fox's voice broke with the dam holding his tears back, and he cried into Bill's chest.
"Whoa, what?" Bill pulled away and held Fox by the shoulders. His ears drooped when he saw Fox's tears, and he lifted a hand for a second before dropping it.
"That attack on Katina..." Fox wiped his eyes and hugged Bill close once again. "Thought I lost you."
"I can survive anything." Bill rubbed circles on Fox's back with his hands. "I'm right here man. It's okay."
"I missed you so much." Fox let go of Bill and backed up a pace. He took a moment to look his friend over and found that his fur was shaggier and more unkempt then it had been in a while. His fur on the top of his head was starting to grow out; that wasn't up to Army code at all.
"I'm not goin' anywhere." Bill grinned and set his hands on his hips while he returned Fox's stare. Fox felt his stomach twist up in knots, and he broke his gaze.
"You look pretty casual." Fox sniffed and rid himself of the last tear on his face while he looked over the garish palm trees on Bill's bright blue button-up shirt.
Bill scratched the back of his neck and chuckled. "Yeah dude, I got discharged." He laughed harder at Fox's disbelieving look. "The General said he owed me a favor after that massacre, and I told him I wanted out," he explained after his laughter died down.
"Damn, how come?" Fox started to walk back towards the fountain and Bill fell into step with him.
"I was drafted into service when the War got bad, and I took my chance to get out." Bill shrugged before he shoved his hands into his pant pockets.
"I thought you had a knack for it." Fox sat on the rim of the fountain and Bill joined him. Fox clasped his hands together and cocked his head at his friend.
"Have a knack for flying, not for rules and regulations." Bill crossed his arms and looked up to the clear sky while his stormy grey eyes softened. "Dude, I always wanted to be a test pilot."
Fox's ears perked. "You've got the chance now!"
Bill hummed. "I just wanna slow down dude. Almost died a few weeks ago." He gave a lopsided grin and Fox rolled his eyes.
"What about when you broke your arm on that half-pipe and still insisted on taking your driving test the same day?" Fox laughed and set his hand on Bill's shoulder.
"Fair point, dude." Bill grinned and watched a vixen walk by them.
They fell silent and Fox stared down at the ground. He felt so much lighter with Bill next to him like he could accomplish any goal no matter how daunting it was.
"I missed this," Fox whispered, and Bill wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
"Me too." Bill grinned at him and Fox smiled back, his aviators masking his twinkling eyes.
"By the way dude, nice shades." Bill gave Fox a thumbs up. "You look great in them!" Fox scratched his neck as his cheeks burned.
"T- thanks, Bill." Fox checked his watch and saw that it was a quarter till six. "Crud, I need to go meet up with my team soon. Hate to cut this short." He frowned while he leaned into Bill's touch.
"It's no problem, dude." Bill released his grip and stood up before Fox did the same.
"Let's hang out tomorrow, okay?" Fox bounced on his heels and twiddled his thumbs as Bill remained silent, but he looked up to see a grin.
"Duh! How's… nine at this fountain?" Bill's smile changed into something more gentle and his eyes softened, which made Fox's heart melt.
"Of course!" Fox grinned and his heart started to beat faster.
"It's a date!" Bill winked and made finger guns at Fox, which made his hands tremble and ears twitch.
Fox laughed and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "See you tomorrow, I guess."
"See ya, dude!" Bill waved as he walked away and Fox did the same before he turned around.
Thankfully Fox's legs knew where to take him, for his mind was elsewhere as he traveled through the park en route to 3rd and Lincoln.
He scheduled a date with Bill! A date and they both agreed to it! Fox wanted to grin, he wanted to frown. His heart was racing, yet he felt a strange calm overtake him. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, and he could feel his heart rate start to slow down.
Maybe Bill felt the same as he did? Did he have feelings for Fox, or was that just him up to his usual tricks? He seemed… different during their talk. It could've just been because he nearly died, or…
Fox was ripped from his train of thought when he had to sidestep to avoid crashing into a wolf in a business suit that was talking into a phone and ignoring everything around him. He glared at the back of the businessman's head before continuing with his walk.
The sun was starting to fall from its zenith, and it lit the sky in an orange glow which reflected off of the glass high rises above Fox and made everything catch fire. He smiled at the sight before taking a crosswalk to get on 3rd Street.
The coffee shop was a small joint nestled between a hardware store and music kiosk so you had to be looking hard to find it. Fox frequented it before the war, and he was planning to do so once more. He stopped in front of the tinted windows and glanced up at the flickering neon sign above him named Sapho's before he entered the small building.
The interior was cramped with a counter taking up the back left quarter of the place and a stage in front of that. Tables and a few sofas littered the other half of the building, most of which were brown faux leather. The atmosphere was a mix of brooding and friendly with warm lighting contrasting a dark color palette, and Fox loved it.
"Fox!" Peppy called from a table in the corner as he waved him over. Fox smiled and sat next to Falco across from Slippy and Peppy. He took his sunglasses off and hung them at his neck.
"How'd reunion with your boyfriend go, Foxy?" Falco grinned while he punched Fox in the shoulder. He hid his face in a menu as it caught fire.
"I have a date with him tomorrow," Fox mumbled as he pretended to peruse the selection of drinks.
Falco blinked and cleared his throat. Fox looked up from the menu and saw Slippy's mouth hanging open and Peppy stroking his chin.
"You're kidding, right?" Falco rubbed his eyes, but Fox shook his head.
"It's what he called it." Fox rested his head in his hands and closed his eyes. He felt a warm and shaky hand come to rest on his shoulder a moment later, and he looked to Falco.
"Is that what you want?" Falco's eyes were soft and his smile sincere.
"I dunno…" Fox deflated. "I doubt that's what he meant it by." He bit his lip and shut his eyes and he felt Falco pat his shoulder.
"Bill's a funny guy, but he wouldn't joke about that." Falco stared down at the table. "Sorry for teasing ya."
Fox rolled his eyes. "What else is new?" A lazy grin appeared on his face for a split second before he looked across the table to Peppy.
"Hmm. You two have shared a bond since you were five; I'm not surprised." Peppy took a sip of his coffee and flashed an amused grin.
"Make sure to t-tell us how it goes." Slippy readjusted his hat and Fox gave him a thumbs up.
"Of course." Fox exhaled and felt a suffocating weight lift from his chest. "You guys are the best."
"Yeah, I know." Fox smacked Falco's shoulder and blew a raspberry at him. Falco snickered and flicked him on the nose, to which Fox yelped in surprise.
"So… what kind of grub does this place have?" Fox opened the menu and started to look for something for dinner.
Falco burped and patted his stomach as he set his fork down on the empty plate. "Damn, this place has great fillets!"
Peppy glared at Falco and he muttered an apology. "I'll go pay for this, you youngsters go wait outside." He grabbed the checkbook and got up from his seat before walking over to the bar.
Fox licked his chops and put his own fork on his plate of nearly-finished pancakes. He got up and exited the cafe with Falco and Slippy. The temperature was much cooler than the heat of the afternoon, although the sun hadn't quite gone down yet.
"Ready to head back to the Great Fox and get some shuteye?" Falco questioned after nudging Fox's shoulder.
Fox nodded. "Today's been exhausting." He scratched the back of his head. "Bill made it better, though."
"S-s-sounds like you'll have another one tomorrow." Slippy grinned and Fox rolled his eyes before he put his aviators on once again.
"I hope so." Fox smiled to himself as he thought of Bill, and the prospect of their friendship turning into something more stirred something up within his mind that he didn't know existed.
"Quit thinkin' about doin' it with him Foxy!" Falco pinched Fox's arm and he yelped before glaring at his friend. "Peppy's done, let's go!"
Peppy started off down the sidewalk and the other three followed him through the winding streets of the city to the local spaceport where the Great Fox was docked. The crowds of people and traffic were starting to shrink as everyone headed home, much to Fox's relief.
The sun was starting to sink into the horizon by the time they arrived at the dock their ship was located; it took a good twenty minutes just to get across a few blocks of the city. Everyone filed into the hulking metal beast and headed to their respective quarters to bunk down.
Fox bid Peppy and Slippy a good night and continued to walk with Falco down to the end of the barracks hallway where their rooms were located. Before Fox entered his, Falco tugged his arm.
"Make sure to get some beauty rest!" Fox aimed a halfhearted punch at Falco's head, but it was easily ducked by him.
"Screw off, you feathered demon." Fox flipped Falco the bird and smiled, to which he placed a hand on his chest and gasped in a most dramatic fashion.
"Why I never- I'm just suggesting that you prepare yourself for a very, very long day tomorrow!" Fox groaned before he opened his door and stepped into his room.
"Birdbrain," Fox mumbled as he set his sunglasses on the large mahogany desk by the door.
Fox peeled his dirty shirt and pants off and threw them in the overflowing hamper by his desk. Clad in only his briefs, he crawled into his small bunk and set his watch on the nightstand before grabbing his phone from the charger.
He situated himself under his covers and turned his phone on. A rainbow display lit up the screen for a moment before the boot completed and his lock screen appeared before him, a picture of him and his father smiling from when he was seven.
"Hey, dad." He unlocked his phone and opened his gallery.
Another picture of his dad greeted him among his favorited pictures, and he stared at it with longing. It was a picture of James, Peppy, and a sixteen-year-old Fox proudly showing off his pilot's license.
It was the last picture they ever took together.
"Peppy and all of us are all fine; we'll be taking more jobs soon to pay this ship off. Thanks for the debt by the way." Fox smiled and rolled to the side. "Pepper has been a little more strict on the planet lately, but I kind of understand. All these sanctions and security measures are driving me up the wall though, and I can't wait to leave."
Fox looked up at the glow in the dark star stickers on his ceiling, memoirs from his childhood and something he'd taken with him when he went to ear without much thought. They comforted him during the cold and nightmarish periods of sleep he had.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" He felt his cheeks warm up. "Bill and I are going on a date tomorrow! His words, not mine." He laughed before his expression sobered. "I don't know if he was joking… and I really hope he wasn't." The stars winked at him. "I think I'm in love with him, dad." He exhaled and closed his eyes.
"Bill is so sweet and caring and funny… jeez, I forgot how much I missed hearing his voice and hanging out with him. The war almost took him from me too." He sighed.
"Just keep watching over me, alright? I know I didn't tell you everything I should've when I was younger and I regret it, but I just want you to stay with me."
Fox turned his phone off, plugging it back into the charger on his nightstand before he snuggled up into his covers. He still felt cold, so he grabbed a spare pillow and curled up around it as he closed his eyes.
Sleep claimed him almost as soon as he shut his eyes, but a small part of him kept thinking about how much better it would be if something were different.
"I'm coming to your house, alright? Stay put and we'll talk." Peppy sounded tired and scared. Fox set the landline down on the table and stared, unblinking, out the kitchen window into the overcast sky.
He needed to run.
Fox grabbed the bomber and scarf from the coat hanger by the door and left his house after locking the door behind him. He descended the steps and bolted down the sidewalk as millions of thoughts coalesced inside his head.
His father was shot down? Betrayed? A declaration of war? He didn't know what to think anymore.
He dodged a mailman and jaywalked across the street. He passed through the entrance of his neighborhood and ran faster. Trees and people and cars whizzed by him. Thousands of voices in his head were clamoring for attention. Rain started to hit his muzzle.
It wasn't possible. It couldn't be! His dad promised he'd be home safe!
He entered a familiar neighborhood and sprinted down the worn sidewalk as his lungs burned and legs ached. They carried him down an old dirt road at the back of the place and turned him down a worn gravel path through some tall grass. The rain was picking up.
He stopped in front of a porch whose wood was old and cracked. The screen door looked ready to fall over on him as he knocked on it. The rain pounded harder and soaked him through the bone. Lightning flashed in the corner of his vision when he knocked again, harder.
A greyhound opened the screen door, clad in sweatpants and a hoodie. "Bro, we aren't supposed to hang out until to-"
Fox stepped into the house, wrapped his soggy arms around Bill's body and buried his face in his neck. Bill hesitated for a moment before returning the hug.
"What's wrong, man?" Fox felt the dam start to break in front of his best friend.
"My dad's-" He choked out a sob. "He's gone," he whispered as shivers racked through his body.
"Oh, damn." Bill hugged him tighter, and Fox cried into his shoulder.
He whimpered and whined and Bill held him through his shaking, rocking him back and forth ever so gently. Fox screamed and shouted, his voice cracking and broken.
Somehow they had ended up on the futon in Bill's room, and Bill had managed to take Fox's coat and scarf off and throw them into a corner. They laid on the couch and Bill kept holding onto his friend while his whole world fell apart.
"I've got you, it's okay." Bill kept repeating comforting words until Fox cried himself empty, and even after that he still held onto his friend like it was his only tether to reality.
"Stay here, please." Fox's voice was raw and scratchy. He dug his claws into Bill's back while he felt Bill rubbing circles on his.
"Never gonna leave you dude." Bill tightened his grip, and for those short few moments, they were the only things that mattered in the entire universe.
"They're gonna send you to war." Fox stated this as if it were fact, and Bill sighed.
"Just focus on me." Bill's fur tickled Fox's face and he breathed deeply, inhaling his friend's pineapple cologne. He felt his heart slow down, but he knew he'd be crying more later.
"I can't believe he's…" Fox couldn't finish the sentence as he felt his throat tighten. Bill hummed
and pulled away until they were staring at each other.
"Me neither." Bill reached a hand out and rested it on Fox's head, running his fingers through the smooth fur.
"I've gotta prepare a funeral. Shit." Fox covered his mouth and shut his eyes.
"Dude, don't think about that." Bill used his hand to bring their foreheads together until they were touching. "Just you and me."
Fox sighed, relishing the warmth they shared. "Th- thank you."
"I will always be here." Bill closed his eyes and grabbed Fox's hand, and Fox allowed himself a small smile.
No words were needed from then on. They laid there, the only two living beings in the entire universe tangled up in a futon couch.
Everything else dissolved into negative space, leaving them alone.
A/N: It's been a while since I've posted, I've been dealing with some self-esteem issues and writer's block. I would like to thank Reciprocate for pushing me through and helping support me while I've been writing this fic. I hope you all have enjoyed and that you'll leave a review.