Her Orange Miracle

by Groundis

Fox was a sweetheart, the kindest, gentlest soul she'd ever met. But there was more to him than that. Something aggressive, something exciting. Some small part of his soul that made her heart skip a beat and made her breath catch. She'd stop at nothing to uncover it. (Adult Content)

1. Chapter 1

Part One | Her Orange Miracle

Fox had two distinct parts to his personality. Not many people knew that about him, and even fewer had seen it firsthand. Over the past few months aboard the Great Fox though, Krystal had witnessed the other Fox slip out into the open for a few brief, exhilarating moments. Everyone thought of the orange fox as a gentle, sweet, shy person, and for the most part they were right. Fox's capacity for kindness and sympathy was unending. The number of times he'd slipped her one of his homemade blueberry muffins or stayed close by when memories of her home came crashing down proved that much.

She was irrevocably, hopelessly in love with Fox, every single thing about him. She wasn't afraid to admit it to herself, even if she hadn't worked up the courage to tell him yet. Everything about the orange vulpine drove her crazy, begged her to mash her lips rough up against his, dared her to pin him up against the nearest wall and demonstrate precisely how much she wanted him. The way his nose twitched every time he yawned, the way the tip of his tail flicked back and forth whenever he was excited, the way his mind would light up and encompass her in his radiant warmth... Fox was her orange miracle. The single most important person that would ever enter her life. After he'd rescued her on Sauria all those months ago, they'd become best friends almost overnight. She spent every waking moment in his company these days, her mind defaulting to longing and discomfort whenever they were separated. And every so often when they were together, if she was paying close enough attention, she'd be rewarded with a fleeting glimpse of the second side of her Foxy. His more... dominant side.

It only slipped out when he was caught off guard, and even then, only for an instant before he could scramble to regain control over himself. The first time she'd ever seen it had been after they'd received a particularly hefty bill for ship repairs. They'd been laughing and talking together in his office as he skimmed through the team's finances. He had a goofy smile on his face as he sat behind his desk, while she teased him from a springy blue couch along one wall. It'd been yet another perfect snapshot of the two of them, one that she'd happily stashed away alongside the countless other sublime instants she'd spent at his side.

In the midst of their conversation though, Fox suddenly fell silent, coming to an abrupt halt mid-sentence as he spoke. She'd looked over to see what was wrong, only to be met by a crushing look of defeat spread across the vulpine's face. His ears drooped at the corners, mimicking how he wilted in his chair. Krystal didn't even need to ask what the problem was, given the circumstances. The heat from his usually blazing furnace of a mind had been all but snuffed out. He looked... Depressed. Forlorn. The listlessness in his eyes hurt the vixen deeper than she'd ever thought possible, experiencing his pain just as acutely as he did.

She knew how stressful leading their little band could be. There were a staggering number of moving parts and large expenses that needed to be kept track of. Krystal had to hold back a small whimper in that moment. She hated seeing him like this, with his usual vibrancy evaporated off, with the life that typically danced in his eyes whisked away. A small voice in the back of her head cried out at her to help the vulpine, not only out of a sense of duty and debt to tod who had sacrificed so much for her, but also because seeing him happy, with joy in his posture and laughter in his eyes... It was electrifying. Nothing in the universe could compare to Fox's smile. Nothing in existence made her feel so free, so hopeful as his sheepish, goofy grin. In that moment, Krystal would've done anything to see it. She'd have done anything to put him back in his usual happy, shy mood.

That was the thought that changed everything.

A twinkling spark of inspiration pulsed through her mind. It was short, simple... and wonderfully transgressive. Her face and ears flushed with a devious heat the instant it popped into her head. Krystal bit her bottom lip anxiously, expectantly. She immediately knew that she needed to follow through with it. Maybe it was because she couldn't restrain the love and commitment she felt towards Fox for another second, maybe it was because she wanted so desperately for him to reciprocate her love, or maybe it was just because she couldn't stand seeing him down without trying to come to his rescue. Whatever the motivation was, it propelled the vixen to her feet, the couch underneath her complaining as she pushed off of it. Krystal closed the distance between the two of them in a few brisk steps, bringing her right next to the love of her life. He was looking forward with his head in one hand, staring in disbelief at the sheer number of zeroes on the screen in front of him. Krystal took a deep breath, butterflies flitting in her stomach. A little smile teased on her mouth, somehow simultaneously nervous and eager for the next few seconds. She clamped down on the shaky feeling though, holding it down and letting the love she felt for the vulpine take its place. After all... What was the worst that could happen?

Slowly, the vixen reached one hand out. She hesitated, her fingers hovering in the air next to him for a second before letting them gently come to rest on his shoulder. She ran her hand over his strong arm, massaging his muscles as she rubbed at the tense knots and stress just underneath his fur. Her touch seemed to shock him out of his reverie, his face flicking around to the soft hand sitting on him. It was only a second later before he began to follow her arm upwards. His jade eyes travelled along their blue path until they came to a rest in hers, their gazes locking over the few inches holding them apart. They were wide as dinner plates, she couldn't help but notice with a soft giggle. She wasn't anywhere near finished yet, though.

Without ever glancing away, she set a second hand on his shoulder, a quiet laugh escaping her as she leaned into him slightly. This was where the fun would really start. Krystal lowered herself down slowly, imperceptibly, bringing her chest even with his face. She couldn't help but blush as she pushed her arms together ever so slightly, purposefully teasing Fox with an unobstructed peek down her shirt. He gulped, the cords in his arms turning to rock underhand as he did his best to keep his eyes from drifting downwards. He failed miserably, much to her delight, his nose practically buried in her generous cleavage. The vixen bent forwards, practically pressing her breasts against the side of his head as she brought her muzzle up. She moved down an inch further, planting a single, tender kiss on the top of his head.

As her lips brushed lightly against his fur, the blazing inferno raging in his embarrassed, excited blush radiated out into her exposed chest. She lingered there, pressed up against him, for a few seconds longer than absolutely necessary. Only when she could tell that his mind was well and truly derailed did she finally pull back to see his handsome face, being careful to make sure his… view, was never interrupted. The chaos storming in his mind was adorably evident in his expression, she noticed with another short giggle. His breath came in rapid spikes, and one of his ears twitched anxiously at even the quietest noise far off in the ship.

Krystal quickly found herself lost in his huge, expressive eyes. He stared up at her with a feverish look of nervousness and excitement, fear and care…. If he had any response to what she'd just done, it was lost in the rolling waves of his storming thoughts. So instead, Fox's vision was simply fixed in hers, looking just as deep into her own eyes as she saw into his. The vulpine was at a loss for words, his lips parted slightly in shock. A small smile appeared on her mouth. Just as she'd planned. Now, she'd remind him why he never had to worry about anything, so long as she was nearby. She slipped every ounce of the protective devotion she felt for the orange fox into each of the next words she spoke.

"No matter what happens, Fox…" she started, placing a careful, delicate hand under his chin and guiding his face towards her own. Only a single, electric inch separated them at that point. His breath was hot and sweet on her cheek, his handsome features filling the entirety of her vision. "I'll always be here for you. Always."

In the next moment, she'd expected Fox to burst in mortification, blushing and stammering as he tried and failed to regain control of his mental faculties. It was one of the cutest things he did. She relished sending him into that dire tailspin, teasing him just enough to make his mind swirl with care and excitement. It never failed to elicit a coo of adoration from her. But, this time, something unexpected darted across his expression first. Something that she'd never seen before, something she hadn't anticipated. It only lasted for a fleeting instant before vanishing back into nonexistence. But what she saw was no mistake. Her breath caught in her throat, her own mind stunned into an exhilarated frenzy by what she saw.

In the second before Fox descended into the shyness that she'd anticipated… An unmistakable hunger flashed in his eyes. Her heart skipped a beat in her chest as his look gripped her, her body frozen in place by the power and will he suddenly exuded. Fire blazed in his eyes, their emerald depths glowing bright and sharp with a verdant flame. Every ounce of his mind and body was luring her in, announcing that he wanted nothing more than to pin her up against the wall behind them and claim her as his own. A shudder coursed down her spine out of pure, instinctual pleasure at the image that flashed in her mind's eye.

She'd never seen her Foxy like this before. His entire being, mind and body, was consumed with nothing more than pure, overwhelming desire in that moment. A pure, overwhelming desire that was directed entirely at her. Her knees went weak under his laser-like focus. She'd never wanted anything more than, in that moment, for Fox to give into whatever primal drive was coursing through his mind. For her normally shy and sweet vulpine to snap, to rip off whatever clothing separated them and do what she'd been fantasizing about since the day they'd met. It was a look of total want, of total love, of total thirst. And unfortunately, it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Only a single beat passed before the lust in his posture evaporated, leaving behind a vulpine who looked just as stunned by his own reaction as he was by her sudden advance. If Fox hadn't been reduced into a stammering, stuttering mess before, he certainly was now. His ears glowed bright red in embarrassment, his lips opening and closing as he desperately searched for any way to explain himself. Needless to say, nothing came. The two foxes sat in silence for an eternity, the air between them crackling with tension, ionized by the crashing waves of anxiousness, desire, passion, and love surging between them. Neither moved a single muscle, neither took a single breath as they sat in a dazed stupor.

Eventually, Fox managed to push himself to his feet, stammering out a nigh-incomprehensible excuse for himself as he stumbled his way out of the room. The door shut behind him with a click, leaving her alone in the office. For a long minute, all she could do was stand by his now empty chair, processing what she'd just witnessed in an uncomprehending trance. Her shock only lasted for so long though. And once it had faded, the vivid memory of Fox's sheer desire was still branded bright into her memory.

Krystal knew instantly, without a shadow of a doubt, that she wanted nothing more than for Fox to look at her again with those same wanting, desirous eyes. For him to be on the hunt, with only her in his sights. Every ounce of his will and being concentrated down into capturing her, and making her his own. Another shiver of delight tingled in her body, making her toes curl, making her bite her bottom lip. She needed Fox to look at her like that again.

Fox cared about her, she knew that much. Since the first day she'd joined the crew, he'd gone out of his way to make her feel welcome. From the small acts of kindness that he'd drop in her lap with a tiny smile and blush, to the devoted protection that always burned bright in his mind, Fox had given her so much. A small tear collected in the corner of her eye before she could brush it away with a trembling hand and a small laugh. Fox had made her happier than she'd ever thought she could be, after everything had been ripped out of her life with such brutality. She'd been convinced that she could never be this happy again. And the caring, loving vulpine had proven her wildly, wonderfully wrong. Now, she wanted nothing more than to make him as happy as he made her, to fill his own body with the same overjoyed butterflies that flitted in her stomach. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, with the vulpine that made her feel so ecstatic, with the fox she'd stop at nothing to please.

The way Fox had looked at her told her one thing in no uncertain terms. Even if he couldn't say it himself, at least some small part of his mind wanted her as badly as she wanted him. Krystal sank down in the chair he'd just vacated, taking a deep breath in, letting his lingering scent play in her nose. A devious grin spread on her lips as idea after idea raced through her head, each more seductive than the last. She'd get her Foxy to look at her like again. She'd get her Foxy to snap, and get to that small, animal part of his mind that she'd unearthed today. For her own sake, and for his.

/

"Good morning, Fox."

The vulpine glanced up when he heard Krystal's voice, watching her step into the room he'd been exercising in. A grin was quick to bloom on his lips when they made eye contact. "Morning Krys. Sleep well?" Fox set the weights he'd been lifting down, turning instead to face her as he wiped the sweat off his brow with a towel. A little relief flooded into Krystal's mind at how relaxed he looked. It had been a few days since their previous… learning experience about each other, and thankfully, it seemed to have been safely relegated into the past, little more than a memory. Not that she planned to keep it that way for very long. She dug her nails into her palms, doing her best to hold down the smile that was toying at the corners of her mouth. She'd been hoping to get him alone in the gym just like this, and now that her wish had been granted, it was time to see just how just far she could push and prod her Foxy. That could wait for a few minutes though. Getting to talk to the tod was always the sunniest part of her day. Just hearing his voice was a gift she refused to squander, no matter how many times she'd enjoyed it during their conversations well into the morning hours.

Speaking of enjoying Fox…

Krystal couldn't help it when the tempting words crossed her mind, encouraging her eyes to dart up and down his sculpted body. She'd be hard pressed to find a time when she didn't think Fox was the handsomest person she knew, but there was something special about the way he looked after exercising that never failed to get her heart pounding. His musky scent hung thick in the air, and his t-shirt clung to the contours of the defined muscles in his arms and torso. His already bright, warm orange fur glistened in the light with sweat. The vixen licked her lips greedily. It was a sight she was sure she'd never get tired of. One she hoped she'd get to explore with more than just her eyes someday. Eventually, she was brought back to her senses by an expectant look from the fox, shifting his weight to one foot and slinging his towel over his shoulder.

"Yes," she replied simply, shrugging and turning away in an attempt to hide the blush forming on her face. She said the first thing that came to her mind, trying to divert her attention away from his persistently distracting body. "I heard Slippy talking on his communicator again when I walked by last night. I may have overheard something interesting."

Fox arched one eyebrow at her, a curious grin on his mouth. "Oh yeah? What've I got to worry about this time?" His eyes narrowed after a second, a little worry slipping into his expression. "Don't tell me he's planning on filling up the cargo bay with those snack cakes again."

The vixen giggled, both at Fox's sudden seriousness and at the memory of the rows and rows of pink and blue boxes that had been stacked as far as the eye could see, each full of the treats that Slippy seemed dangerously addicted to. Needless to say, the toad had been polishing them off in record time. "Not as far as I know. Although, I'd keep a careful eye on the ship's manifest. He's down to his last few boxes," she finished with a sly look. Her teasing only seemed to fuel the vulpine's warmth, his crooked grin growing, his mind radiating a protective heat that she basked in like the warm summer sun.

"Well if that's not it, then what'd you find out, Blue Sleuth?" He went toe to toe with her teasing and poking, a bright laugh rumbling behind his words. Krystal couldn't help but giggle a little at the silly name, endeared by any nickname the orange fox could come up with for her.

"Apparently, the person he's been talking to every night is named Amanda," she began, seeing the vulpine's ears immediately shoot up at the female name. "It seems our mechanic has found himself a girlfriend."

Fox let out a quick breath of air, disbelief plastered to his face. "You're kidding," he chuckled, shaking his head and covering his eyes with one hand.

"I'm afraid not. It sounded like they were getting along quite well too," she replied, tail wagging lazily behind her. Fox sighed again, peeking out at her from behind his fingers.

"Well, good for him," Fox started, resigned. A hint of melancholy crept into his expression after pondering for a moment, making the tips of his mouth turn down. "I swear," he mumbled, looking off to the side, "at this rate, I'm going to be the only one left on the ship without-" The vulpine cut himself off abruptly at the end of his sentence. His shoulders went stiff, his eyes widening before darting to the ground, doing everything in his power to avoid her gaze and the words he'd almost let slip.

A jolt of excitement and pleasure crackled in her fingertips, pulsing down to the tip of her tail, making her shiver in unexpected pleasure. They both felt the mood in the room shift in an instant, the tone changing from lighthearted to something much more… Important. Intimate. She took a short step towards him, seeing his body tense at her proximity, his tail twitched anxiously behind him as he refused to meet her line of sight. Her heart fluttered in her chest at the words he'd almost said, at how close he'd been to admitting something that could change everything.

"What was that, Foxy?" she prodded, her voice somehow soft and playful despite the thrill now surging through her entire being. She could feel his mind sparking, short circuiting underneath the new pressure she was applying. If she was being honest, she wasn't faring much better herself. Her breathing was fast and her pulse faster, forcing her fists to ball up at her sides, clenching at the fabric of her sweatpants. Maybe, just maybe, if she pushed hard enough here, she could catch another glimpse of the other Fox. Maybe he would finally reveal that he really did want her as badly as she wanted him, in the grand culmination of the months she'd spent waiting and watching. Krystal kept her eyes locked on him, practically able to feel the heat radiating off of his body. She returned it with her own sweet, innocent look, all the while hiding the tempest rolling in her mind.

Fox gulped once, his eyes still fixed firmly on his feet. He had one hand on the back of his neck, rubbing it nervously. "Just that, uh-" he started, fumbling for words. His sentence came out haltingly, nearly driving her mad with suspense and anticipation. "I-I guess I'll be the only one around here, you know… Not in a relationship," he finished quickly. The orange fox did his best to slip the last word out casually, but he knew that the odds of him succeeding were direly low. His eyes peeked up from the floor after he was done, glimpsing the blue fox and trying to see if she'd noticed his stumble.

She had.

Krystal's heart leapt into her throat at the mere mention, at the simply possibility of Fox looking for something more with somebody. A bolt of lightning shot through her, making her fur stand on end in nearly unbearable anticipation, her stomach performing the flips that she felt like doing herself. Maybe he hadn't said her name out loud, but there was no doubt in her mind now. He wanted this just as badly as she did. Of course, she couldn't say so, not yet. Not when so much hung in the balance between the two of them, uncertain. But she'd be damned if she wasn't going to push as hard as she possibly could now. Every night since she'd met Fox, she'd dreamed of pulling him up against her body, of feeling his fur brush against hers. Of telling him that she'd protect him to her last breath, just like she knew he'd do for her. Krystal could see that dream dangling in front of her, just barely out of reach. The maddening closeness of it all only steeled her determination. She would get Fox to admit that he wanted her. That he loved her.

The vixen felt herself drawn closer to the orange fox, magnets tugging them together. She saw Fox flinch again, but he held his ground, peering up at her with that same shy care that never failed to stop her heart. "Well, at the very least," she started, her voice laced with mischief, "I'm sure you'll manage to beat out Falco." Despite everything, she managed to get a quick laugh out of her Foxy at that, a small streak of joy piercing the broiling emotions in his mind. The soft sound brought a smile to her lips. She'd never get tired of admiring the complex, vibrant canvas of his mind, displaying his masterful paintings of thoughts and feelings. "And besides…" she murred, closing the remaining distance between them, only a tantalizingly small inch separating her and the one person she wanted more than anyone else in the world, the one animal she, without the slightest hesitation, would give up everything for. The vixen brought one hand up, letting it trail down from his shoulder into his own shaky palm, her fingers playfully entwining around his. "I bet the person you're looking for is closer than you think."

They held each other's gaze for a long second after that, Fox's emerald eyes wide with disbelief. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to pounce on him and drag him to the floor, to pleasure him and be pleasured by him in every single way she could think of until they'd both been reduced to panting, blushing puddles of bliss together. The tension between them hung thick in the air, pulsing between their rapidly rising and falling chests, beaming between their wide, eager eyes. Fox didn't even try to speak. His lips were parted slightly in stunned silence, unable to form even the most basic of sounds. It took all of the vixen's self-control not to lean in over the inch-wide gap separating them, finally pressing her own lips up against his in a moment she'd only fantasized about. She couldn't give in so early though, not while he still hadn't said anything. The acknowledgment that her feelings were mutual needed to come from his own mouth first. She needed to be certain that he wanted this as badly as she did, and all she could do was wait in nervous expectancy until he was ready. More than anything though, she needed to see that hungry lust in his eyes when he looked at her. She would do anything to be the sole object of his desire again. Nothing was going to stop her from witnessing it a second time.

Krystal spun on her heel, pulling back from the vulpine and letting the spell between them dissolve into the charged air. Her tail flicked around to bat against his chest, the soft hairs on her tail brushing just underneath his chin. The love she felt for Fox was undeniable, permeating into every one of her thoughts. Now, she just needed to show him. And, fortunately, she'd come prepared with a plan to do just that. A devilish grin spread across her lips as she imagined the delights that the next few minutes were going to hold. She hadn't even gotten to the good part yet. An idea had been lodged in her head ever since their last run-in. She'd been hesitant at first about following through with something so… risqué. If she pushed too hard, the possibility that Fox would cut her off, turning cold and distant seemed like a sickening, all too real possibility. Now that Fox had let it slip that he wanted something more though, her worries seemed insignificant.

Krystal left the tod for a moment, striding instead over to the far wall and examining the various tools and targets that were hanging on pegs and strewn across the ground. One hand tapped at her temple as she scanned the equipment, and she could feel the vulpine's starstruck stare on the back of her head while her eyes darted from side to side. Eventually, she settled on the one object she knew better than anyone else on the ship: her staff. She reached up to the rack it'd been stored on, pulling it down and feeling its familiar, metallic weight in her hands. She gave it a few rapid spins, the rod more like an extension of her body than a weapon after all these years. Today though, it'd be serving a slightly different purpose from usual. Her grip tightened around its golden surface, the grooves on its face digging into her hands.

It's now or never, Krystal. You know what to do.

She took a deep breath, steeling her singing nerves. Since the first time Krystal had laid eyes on him, her fantasies had been littered with scenarios just like this one. There was no doubt in her mind how badly she wanted to do this, but Fox's potentially icy response had always stopped her dead in her tracks. Now though... She would go to any lengths to get her point across. This would get Fox to come clean, one way or another. She nodded once, making a soft noise in her throat. After a brief moment, Krystal looked back over her shoulder at the vulpine who was still standing frozen exactly where she'd left him. Only the anticipation flirting in her stomach stopped her from letting out an adoring coo at his stunned expression and the mix of excitement and hesitation clearly battling in his head. His eyes immediately snapped up to meet hers when she turned. If he thought this was a lot to handle, then he was in for quite the ride. By the time she was done, she'd leave him breathless and spinning.

"Come on, Foxy," she started, beckoning him over with one finger and a warm smile, "I need to get some practice in with my staff today. Could you help me with the stretches?" Her heart thundered in her chest, but somehow she managed to keep her voice level, deceptively innocuous. With a burst of effort, she swallowed her nerves, instead simply batting her eyelashes at him innocently, keeping her hands clasped safely behind her back. His eyes seemed to refocus on her as she spoke, the fog around his mind clearing slightly, pulling back the curtains to reveal a storm raging in his head. For a brief moment, Krystal worried she'd pushed too hard, too quickly. What if she'd accidentally scared him off, had ruined her chance with the one person she had left in her life? She steeled her heart for his inevitable retreat, for Fox to snuff out her hopes.

Only, he didn't flee.

With a quiet gulp and a quick nod, Fox took a few hesitant steps forward, eventually coming to a stop next to her on the training pads. Uncertainty, care, mischief, fear… Krystal could feel it all swirling in his mind, working its way into his features and diffusing into his posture. It was on the brink of overwhelming him. But above it all was something that lifted the weight on her chest. Something that very nearly made her gasp in relief.

She saw that warm, loving spark in his eyes.

It was the same protective glint that had greeted her when the vulpine saved her back on Sauria, that made her breath catch every time she'd seen it afterwards. Fox wasn't going to leave her. A deep breath filled the vixen's lungs, leaving her feeling light and bubbly. This would work.

There weren't many ways to send Fox truly over the edge. He was steady, a constant warmth in her life amidst all the cold uncertainty, which was part of the reason she loved him so much. But after having spent so long near him... she'd learned a few ways to send him into shock.

Without skipping a beat, she spun around on her heel, facing away from the tod and letting her tail lazily lag behind and flick in front of his nose, the sound of her jewelry clinking and tinkling echoing softly across the gym. She reached both hands up to the zipper on the front of her hoodie, toying with it in one hand before slowly, teasingly, beginning to slide it down the length of her chest. As the zipper moved over the swell of her breasts, the thin clothing first toppled off from around one of her shoulders, and then the other, eventually slipping down her back and revealing her bare arms. When the zipper finally reached the bottom of its path it pulled apart with a soft click, and the garment tumbled to the ground around her ankles, leaving her in nothing more than the form fitting tank top that she knew always ignited a fervor in Fox's mind. It hugged her chest in the most unfairly perfect way, the thin straps somehow magically managing to contain her ample bosom, accentuating her curves and inviting lingering eyes. Anytime he so much as got a glimpse of her in it, Fox would begin stammering jumbled sounds, usually bumping into a few pieces of furniture before excusing himself from the room. The vixen didn't need to be facing him to know that this occasion was no different. As soon as she felt the fabric collect around her feet, she could practically hear his pulse stop, could feel the massive surge of hot energy pulsing in his mind. His reaction only made her more positive that this was a good idea.

Not relenting in her offensive, Krystal's hands wandered down to her hips, toying with the elastic of the sweatpants she was wearing. She ran a finger underneath the clothing, feeling it pull away from her soft fur. After a moment of teasing, she slowly worked the elastic down from her waist, making sure to bend over just enough for the vulpine to get the perfect view of her shapely bottom. She couldn't help but giggle as she peeked back at him for a moment, seeing an adorable war play out on his face as he decided whether he needed to run or stay exactly where he was. And thankfully, the latter seemed to be winning out. She tugged the fabric down further, feeling it slip down over her rear, eventually falling down past her knees. The cloth hit the ground with a small sound, revealing her lower half clothed in nothing more than a pair of shorts that Katt had bought her earlier that month. In that moment, hearing Fox's gasp for air and sensing the hurricane raging in his mind, she decided that she'd have to listen to Katt's fashion advice more often. They hugged her legs perfectly, framing her curves and leaving just enough to the imagination to demand undivided attention. Krystal swayed her hips a little more than necessary as she turned back around to face the orange fox of her dreams, holding her staff lazily in one hand, letting it trail alongside her.

If nothing else, the embarrassed, astonished, and in no uncertain terms aroused, look on Fox's face made all of this worth it. But she was going to get more out of this than just another cute expression from the tod. She cocked her head to the side slightly, giggling at the rigidness of his back as she stepped towards him, making sure his view of her chest was delightfully clear when she bounced up and down a few times. "Thanks, Foxy," she started, hushing her voice to an enticing coo. "I promise, this will be… fun." She let the last word roll off her tongue in her most teasing tone, doing her best not to laugh at both how silly she was sure she must have sounded and at how prominent the heated blush in Fox's twitching ears had become.

However, his uproar seemed to clear when he heard her voice, the broiling turmoil in his mind simmering down by the smallest amount. Fox held her gaze with those expressive emerald eyes of his, even managing to give her a little grin in response. "Krys…" he started, a genuine care in his words even as he squirmed where he stood, "If - if you're nearby, I'll always be having fun. I promise."

It took all of the vixen's self-control not to break down then and there in a tidal wave of adoration and warmth, to throw all caution to the wind and tackle him to the ground in a passionate embrace and never, ever let go. With a burst of concentrated effort though, she managed to restrain her response to a sly smile and a shiver of pleasure. She swore, by the end of this, she'd make the vulpine feel just as ecstatic as he always made her feel.

Instead of responding with her words, she simply slipped to the ground in front of him, lowering herself down on all fours without breaking eye contact. She moved quickly enough to keep the delightful tension streaming between their bodies, but slowly enough to make sure he received the full view as she got on her hands and knees. A quiet breath escaping from Fox's lips let her know that she'd succeeded in her task, and with a light giggle, she peeked up to see Fox's eyes fixed rapt on her, not looking away as she'd half expected they'd be. Her soft laugh only seemed to make his mind burn brighter.

As wonderful as the feelings and emotions being swapped between their minds were though, she still had a mission to accomplish. Slowly, Krystal stretched out across the pads underneath her, the cold vinyl tickling the fur on her legs and stomach. She wiggled her hips for the vulpine as she readjusted herself on the floor, letting her body stretch out, feeling the tension in her bones and muscles fade away in relaxation. After a moment spent collecting herself, she pulled her body into its first pose. The vixen pushed her hands against the mats to lift the front of her body up, arching her back so she could look forward while leaving her lower half flat against the floor. This particular position had a few perks. It let her tease her chest out to him, as she purposefully pushed her arms together a little closer than necessary to squeeze her already voluptuous breasts together. Normally she would've been a bit more mindful of the cleavage spilling out over her top, but now, she only stretched her back out further to accentuate it. It left her lower half on full display as well, even allowing her to flick the tip of her tail around to playfully cover the small of her back. Best of all though, it let her look him straight in the eye in an effort to size up his reaction to her leaving her body on full display for his enjoyment.

She wasn't disappointed.

Fox's face, simply put, looked as if it was stuck in a state of perpetual shock. His jaw hung open slightly, his eyes wide and unblinking, the lines of his face drawn back in wild disbelief and warring incomprehension. He looked stunned. But, underneath it all, Krystal could tell that, without a shadow of a doubt… the vulpine was excited. Happy. It was clear from the bonfire in his mind and the little smile teasing on his bashful lips that even if every fiber of his being was screaming at him to flee, at least some small part of him was lapping up every second of this. A satisfied blush burned in her ears, knowing that she was having exactly the effect she wanted.

"Well, Foxy?" Krystal asked in a devious voice, motioning behind herself with her head. "Get down here and stretch me out." She held back a laugh, both at the ridiculousness of the words and their effect on the poor vulpine's already dwindling sanity. With little more than rapid nod and a short breath, he shuffled behind her. She could feel his eyes traveling up and down her body, tracing out the curve of her back, the sway of her hips. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to stay perfectly still for him, to let him commit her entire figure to memory. The mere thought that she was important enough to him to deserve such attention left her feeling warm and fuzzy. She wanted nothing more than for Fox to memorize her every detail, to exist perfectly for him inside all his wildest thoughts and fantasies. After a long, hesitant moment, he finally crouched down next to her, his glowing form only a few inches away. He didn't move for what felt like an unending eternity. She nearly went mad with anticipation as his hands hovered only an inch over her body. Eventually though, her patience was rewarded.

Gingerly, tenderly, the vulpine laid his fingers against her bare back, pressing down into her soft fur with his incendiary touch. Her mind exploded under his hands, bursting with pure euphoria. She bit her tongue, suppressing a long, loud moan as his contact sent a shiver of bliss along the length of her body. Her fur stood on end, crackling electricity arcing across her skin as his fingers drifted across it. It wasn't enough, she realized instantly with a needy pant. She wanted more. Once the vixen had reclaimed control of her thoughts, she vaguely realized that Fox was still holding back, avoiding touching her more than absolutely necessary. That simply wouldn't do. She threw him another longing look over her shoulder, doing her best to keep a calm, level tone as she spoke, to hide the thrill tossing and turning in her head.

"Y-you can do better than that," she managed, getting that blush she loved so much to bloom again on his face. "Don't be afraid to get a little rough, Foxy. I like my exercise a bit more… high impact." She let each word roll off her tongue with as much mischief as she could muster without letting her voice crack. To complete the moment, she flicked her tail to one side, wrapping it around the back of his neck for a split-second before uncoiling it just as quickly. Fox only blinked in sensory overload, frozen in place. Behind his overwhelmed exterior though, Krystal could feel something brewing in his head, something tantalizing, something exciting. A new confidence was blossoming in his mind. It was just a spark now, but... maybe she could kindle it into something more. "Now come on, use those muscles of yours for something other than saving vixens from bottomless pits."

Despite everything, that managed to get a little chuckle out of the vulpine. He hesitated for a small second, but mercifully, he eventually relaxed, scooting in an inch closer to her. "I don't know," he began with a surprisingly steady tone, "that worked out pretty well for you, didn't it?" Some of the worry on his face faded away as he spoke, replaced by a goofy smile. His voice lowered as he finished, barely above a whisper. "I guess since you're still here with me... It worked out pretty well for me, too." The softness in his words renewed the butterflies flitting in her stomach, nearly making her collapse then and there in a mess of whimpering and love. Goddesses, he was so sweet.

She was brought back to reality a second later though with a shudder of elation, as Fox's hands pressed down into her back more firmly. He hesitated less this time, slowly, carefully letting his hands travel down until they came to rest on her hips. His touch was still soft and cautious, but there was a new zeal behind it, an electricity that left her almost as stunned as Fox seemed. Doubt and worry still haunted his thoughts; that much was obvious. But, maybe, just maybe, there was hope.

After another moment, the vulpine grasped her around the waist, pressing down and arching her back even more than before. Her muscles strained against themselves under Fox's pressure, mirroring the tension she felt tugging at her heartstrings. Krystal could feel the already form-fitting top she was wearing constrict around her chest, her shorts molding to the contours of her legs. The vixen couldn't help but smirk just a little bit. Clearly, Fox wasn't oblivious to her wardrobe choice. Still blushing like a madman, she could feel him drink it all in, committing every inch of her body to memory. She loved the feeling of his eyes and hands pouring over her, learning her curves.

They stayed like that for several long, blissful seconds, simply reveling in each other's presence and the sheer delight brought about by the forbidden nature of what they were doing. Eventually though, Krystal decided to move her little plan into its next phase. As much as she loved the idea of Fox memorizing every inch of her body with his shy touch, she was dying for a shot at learning the vulpine's toned body too.

With a short sigh, Krystal finally lowered herself down, letting the tension flow out of her bones. She felt Fox jump a little as she did, stirring her fur. He pulled his hands away the instant she moved, the motion snapping him out of the trance she'd lulled him into. She immediately missed the warmth of his hands, the total pleasure she got from feeling his body pressed up against hers. It wouldn't be too long until she could experience it again, however. She stood back up, not even noticing the soreness in her arms and back because of the new excitement rolling in her mind. Her eyes lifted up to meet his own, and she was greeted by that sheepish expression she adored so much. His weight shifted anxiously from foot to foot, clearly unsure of what to do next. It was understandable, considering how fast she was determined to move this along. Behind his shyness though, Krystal could see that faint glimmer of joy in his eyes, that fire and vibrancy that she could lose herself in for days at a time. Despite everything...

He's okay with this. He wants this, just like I do.

It had to be true. She couldn't be wrong about something like this. All the signs were there, the nerves, the joy, the fire. If only... if only she could make him understand how she felt. If only she could show him that each and every time their eyes met in the morning, her breath was stolen away. If only she could tell him that whenever she saw his soft tail wagging, she wanted nothing more than to grab and hug it, never letting go. If only she could prove that she loved him.

You can, Krystal! The writing's on the wall! Go get him!

The words were practically screamed in her mind, desperate and exasperated. Every fiber of her being begged for the orange fox in front of her, crying out for the one person who had given her everything. She couldn't wait a second longer; she needed to feel his body against hers again. Gingerly, Krystal lifted his face up to meet hers with a hand under his chin. His emerald eyes locked inside hers when she did, held in place by the renewed passion beating in her pulse. She gave him a hungry smile, licking her lips as she spoke.

"Your turn now," she said abruptly, spinning him around with one teasing hand. Fox looked over his shoulder as he turned, catching his gaze with hers for a moment. His eyes widened when he did, clearly recognizing that he didn't have a choice in the matter from her fiery expression. Not that he seemed to mind at all, as he responded with a beaming smile and excited chuckle. With each passing second, she could see more confidence building in his posture, more certainty accumulating on his face. With an agonizing slowness, he lowered himself down onto his hands and knees, just as she had a few minutes ago. However, before getting in position, the vulpine did something that she hadn't anticipated. Something that primed a detonation in her mind and chest, something that nearly made her gasp and tackle him right there in the middle of the gym, disrobing and riding him into submission then and there.

Fox stuck his firm, toned rear out ever so slightly as he leaned down, bending over more than necessary for the most fleeting of instants. Krystal's eyes went wide and unblinking as she soaked up the sight greedily, only the shock of what was happening stopping her from reaching out and taking two handfuls of his cute orange ass in her grasp. He shot her a sly little grin over his shoulder as he moved, only further pushing her into her uproar. The mats underfoot squeaked as his knees pushed against them, and he came to a rest on the ground. He paused on all fours for a single excruciating, tantalizing moment with his backside dangling in the air. The vulpine's tail was flagged up high above him, giving her an unobstructed view of his mouth-wateringly cute butt.

Needless to say, Krystal's brain ceased its functioning as she memorized every divine detail.

The vixen could hardly believe what she was seeing. Was Fox... teasing her? The mere notion sent a million ideas streaking through her mind, each more devious than the last. Ultimately though, Fox lowered himself down to the floor, pushing himself up on his arms and arching his back into the same position she'd taken, abandoning his act as quickly as he'd started. Fox gave her an invitation with a mix of joy and embarrassment in his eyes, eventually opening his mouth to speak when she found herself unable to do anything more than stand and stare down at him.

"Well, Krys? I could use a hand down here," he said, nodding his head towards his back. Krystal didn't need to be told twice. The vulpine's words tore her out of her shock, suddenly leaving her painfully aware of the short distance between them. A distance she would have no issue crossing. Before she even realized what she was doing, Krystal found herself knelt down over the vulpine's strong body, straddling his torso between her wobbling legs. As she settled herself on top of him, she could feel their fur brush together again, sparks snapping across her skin at every place their bodies touched.

The only thing better than the feeling of Fox underneath her was the sight of Fox underneath her. The vixen couldn't help but marvel at his powerful form stretching out just underhand. His t-shirt clung to the well-defined muscles underneath the cotton, flaunting a set of muscles that she wanted to trace with her fingertips for days on end. His shirt lifted up on his back slightly, revealing some of the short orange fur just above the base of his tail. His pants fit perfectly around his backside, practically begging her to pinch and grab at it. The vixen had to restrain a giggle at the thought of how easy it would be to just let one hand snake down, to "accidentally" let her touch wander for the briefest of moments.

Instead though, she simply restrained herself to setting her hands up near his shoulders, feeling the soft fabric of his shirt against her palms. Fox tensed as soon as they came in contact again, but this time he was faster to relax, allowing her fingers to work away the tension in his flexing muscles. Her hands wandered further along their downward path, trailing along the ridge of his back before coming to a rest on his waist. She purposefully let her grip slide a little more as she pushed down, letting a finger or two slip and brush against the fur on his lower back. He stiffened at the feeling of her fur directly against his, but thankfully, didn't protest. On the contrary, she could feel the heat from his body grow as he shot her one of his goofy smiles, enveloping her in his protective aura. It was incredible, just how safe she felt with him. Just how at peace she was around him. It didn't matter how awful things were around them, how much the universe threw at them. As long as Fox was by her side... She could do anything. After a second, Krystal realized she was giving him an equally dopey grin, totally lost in their little private moment together.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, the vixen realized how impossible their current position was. All reason said that there was no way they could be so close and intimate right now, so uninhibited and taking so much pleasure in each other's simple presence. And yet, despite all that, Krystal knew one thing to be totally and completely true. Right now, whatever this was... It was right. This was the way things were meant to be. No walls between them, no pretense, no inhibition. Just the two of them, helplessly in love with the other. It was perfect.

Almost as if he could read her mind, Fox took a moment to glimpse her out of the corner of his eye, an unmistakable passion ignited in his gaze. He might've been too nervous to say anything out loud, but his expression cried out everything that his lips couldn't. The orange fox wanted her to keep going. His silent pleading only served fan the flames burning in her chest, to stir up more and more transgressive ideas in her head. A sly grin teased on her mouth. She'd be more than happy to oblige.

"You know..." Krystal started, one particularly enticing idea rising to the surface of her mind. Her hands glided down to the stitching of his shirt, teasing with the bottom of it. She took the white fabric between her fingertips, rubbing it gently with her nails before slowly, carefully, slipping a finger underneath it. Then another, and then another. Fox stifled a small gasp, his head locking forward as both her hands slid underneath his shirt, pressing delicately against his bare back. "I could probably get a better grip without all these clothes in the way," she teased. Fox didn't say anything, his only response the way his muscles melted underhand as she finally got her chance to explore the lines of his body.

"Is... is that so?" Fox stammered out, gulping at the end of his sentence. She could practically hear the nervous energy vibrating in his vocal cords. She let her hands wander a little further, grabbing more boldly at the vulpine's perfectly chiseled torso.

"That's right," she said simply, trailing one nail down his back, making a small swirl in the fur just above his tail. She could feel him shudder as she did so, his tail fluffing in pleasure. She made a mental note of his weak spot for later. "It's a miracle you had my staff when I was falling back on Sauria," she teased, "I would've never been able to get a grip on your giant muscles."

Somehow, the adorable blush raging in Fox's ears managed to darken, much to her delight. "You... You'd have been fine. I never would've let anything happen to you," he said bluntly, the sudden seriousness and care in his voice making her heart skip a beat. "Besides, t-they're not that big," he mumbled, squirming a little self consciously. "At least, not as big as some guys'."

She gave him a skeptical look, one eyebrow arched in amusement. "Oh, believe me Foxy..." Krystal teased, suddenly tightening her grip on his waist, her fingers settling on his toned abs. "You're plenty big." Krystal very nearly burst out laughing at the furious frenzy of thoughts that screamed through his head as soon as the words left her mouth. "In either case, you're built for speed." She leaned in a little closer to him, her muzzle coming to a rest closer to one of his ears, which fluttered at her movement. "And you'd be quite the prize for any vixen who could manage to catch you."

Fox froze at her words. All his muscles went stiff under her touch, every nerve in his body drawn into steel cables. She saw his jaw set, his fists clenching even as they held him up in his stretch. A pang of fear shot through the vixen. For a long moment, Krystal thought maybe she'd gone too far, pushed too hard. She sat in that uncertainty for what felt like an eternity, only given relief when a few short words came from the vulpine's lips. He did his best to sound relaxed when he spoke, but the way his voice wavered betrayed him.

"Did... Did you have anyone in mind?" Fox asked carefully, cautiously. He didn't move as he spoke, his sight fixed on a distant part of the room, keeping his eyes from meeting her intense gaze over his shoulder.

Of course I do! It's me! Me!

"Oh, you know, a girl hears things. And a telepathic girl hears even more," Krystal said noncommittally, nonchalantly. Internally though, the vixen was screaming at herself to stop the games, to tell the vulpine once and for all just how much she loved him, and proceed to get her fill of his body and mind that she'd been craving for the past weeks and months, here and now. "One of my favorites was the time a grocery store cashier thought that she'd love to, 'water your zucchini'. It was hard to keep a straight face at that one," the vixen giggled, practically burning up in the embarrassed fire radiating out of the orange fox. Despite that though, she heard him laugh beneath her, clearly amused by the line as much as he was mortified by it. He cast another glance over at her, the red in his cheeks mixing with the delight in his eyes to produce the sweetest face she'd ever seen.

"Well, it doesn't really matter anyway," he managed to get out between the laughter escaping his lips and the nervous wobbling in his arms. He sighed a little in contentment as Krystal playfully ran his fur through her fingers, calming him down just a bit.

Krystal pressed down on him again when she was done, enjoying the sight of his lean figure bending underhand, the muscles in his strong back pulling taut. "Oh? And why is that?"

"You know me, Krys," the tod began. "A one night fling is Falco's area of expertise, not mine." Fox chuckled a little at his next thought. "And I don't think that cashier is really the person I had in mind."

Krystal's tail whisked behind her energetically at that, her hands hesitating in their exploration as she processed what she'd just heard. "Is that your way of saying somebody's caught your fancy, Foxy?" she asked, barely managing to keep her voice from shooting up a few octaves in excitement and surprise. Normally a question like that would've forced the vulpine's brain to restart, stopping him dead in his tracks. Maybe it was just because of how far they'd already pushed the envelope today, or maybe he was just feeling especially bold, but either way, Fox only shrugged in response to her probing.

"Maybe," he replied simply, gently. Krystal was about to open her mouth to try and glean more vital details from the vulpine, but was interrupted by his body shifting underneath her. He lowered himself down from his stretch, almost making the vixen lose her balance as she sat just above his tail. A little disappointment crept into her mind when she realized Fox was rising to his feet, ending their current arrangement. Ultimately she obliged him though, swinging her feet from around the saddle of his back, standing up next to him. The vulpine eventually came to his feet as well, having to pull his shirt back down to cover his stomach from where she'd lifted it up.

Fox stood a little closer to her now than before, Krystal couldn't help but notice. His face and mind still burned with clear indecision, that much was obvious, but there was a new presence in his thinking, a novel sensation that her telepathy was seeing more and more clearly with each passing second. A newfound confidence broadcasted out from his thoughts, making his posture more relaxed, his smiles more carefree. It only took Krystal an instant to realize how much she loved seeing Fox in this bold mood. As fantastic as seeing his stammering and blushing was... This felt natural. Fox never had a reason to be nervous around her. And by the end of the day, hopefully she could convince him to believe that. The tod grinned down at her with that sideways smile she'd become so addicted to, bringing a gentle buzz into her chest, into her fingers and toes.

"So what now, Krys?" the orange fox asked, sticking his hands in his pockets. "I'd love to see how impressive you are with a staff, if you don't mind me watching." The vixen's mouth twitched up into a smile.

Sure... if you show me how impressive you are with yours afterwards.

Only a mountain of self-discipline kept the lewd words from exiting the vixen's mouth. Instead, restrained herself to a stifled giggle, imagining just how flustered Fox would be if she hadn't bitten her tongue in that moment. "Actually, Fox..." she said, taking a long second to bend over and pick her staff up off the floor, giving the vulpine another small sample of her ass that he devoured greedily. "I was hoping you could practice with me." Krystal tossed him a second staff from the wall that he caught gracefully in one hand, his reflexes sharp. The tod looked down at the weapon for a moment before glancing back up at the vixen, one eyebrow arched, skeptical.

"What, you want to spar?" Fox cracked a grin as he took his staff in both hands, weighing the unfamiliar object idly. "This doesn't really seem like a fair fight."

Krystal cooed back in response, twirling her staff around a few times before exchanging it into her other hand without missing a beat. "Aww, give yourself some credit, Foxy. I promise," she teased, "I'll go easy on you."

Fox smirked a little in response, his crooked, toothy smile bringing the flutter back into her heart. "Who said you were the one with the unfair advantage here?" Krystal's eyes darted down to his hands as he gave his own staff a few surprisingly adept spins, ultimately bringing it to a halt in a defensive stance across his figure. Once he'd finished, he looked down at her with cockiness in his posture, beckoning for her to bring it on with a quick nod of his head.

Krystal let out a low, pleased growl, a cunning smile blooming on her own lips. She crouched down, bending her knees and beginning to stalk around the vulpine in a wide arc. He rotated in place to face towards her the entire time, light on his toes, his handsome grin only increasing with each passing second. She shot him a coy look between predatory steps. "Just when did you become an expert with a staff?" she purred, readjusting her grip. "Have you been spying in on more of my training sessions than I've known?"

Fox's only response was an innocent shrug, shifting his weight onto his back foot. It was a cute pose for the vulpine, but with the staff in her hands, her prey in her sights, her inner hunter couldn't help but analyze it more closely. Krystal's eyes flashed, spotting her first opening: his left leg, exposed as his balance readjusted. It would be an easy target, but she wanted to drag their moment together out as long as possible, so she decided to start off slowly, testing the waters.

A lazy ripple propagated through the vixen's arms as she swung her staff around from behind her back, aiming in the general direction of his bared knee. Fox only had to flick his weapon to the side as she swung, letting her lethargic attack bounce off of his staff harmlessly. Ultimately they were back where they started, with Krystal circling and closing in on the one person she'd do anything to catch in her grip. Their relaxed exchange made a light laugh form in her throat, feeling a bit silly at the decidedly unhurried nature of their combat. The pace didn't last much longer, however. Her giggle was instantly interrupted by a flashing glint in Fox's eye.

Krystal barely had time to gasp before he was on top of her.

In the blink of an eye, Fox curled his body up into a tense, vibrating spring. His feet shoved hard off the mats, expelling the pent up energy to propel himself straight for the vixen. It was all she could do to barely stumble to the side in time, the orange blur whizzing right past her face, making her hair and fur whip in the breeze he generated. Fighter's adrenaline surged in her veins and kickstarted her tense muscles, her sharp eyes focusing just enough to see the wide smile on his face as he streamed past. In that moment, instinct kicked in, wresting control away from her brain and sending her into a state of pure reflex and muscle memory. Her eyes snapped onto the vulpine, her grip clamping down on the metal in her hands. Excited energy hammered at the gates of her mind, sending it into overdrive. All she could do in response was call out the one name that perpetually cycled through her mind, that her entire universe revolved around, unbridled ecstasy shining through in her voice.

"Fox!"

His head whipped around at the sound of her voice calling out for him, his burning emerald eyes suddenly laser focused on hers. The intensity that had ignited behind them, flaring in his soul, caught her off guard, sending her reeling once more. Ultimately, it was only the sound of his nails digging in against the floor below that brought her back to her senses, blinking a few times as she watched him land after his all-out assault. Her telepathy reveled in the sudden bonfire that had been lit aflame in his mind, a few sparks leaping between them and kindling a similar inferno in her own head, a fiery tempest of excitement and anticipation.

So, we're playing rough now, Foxy? Mm... perfect.

His smile was as infectious as his newfound vigor. His goofy grin spread onto her lips, joy filtering into her rapid-fire thoughts, each one processing every square millimeter of the vulpine's body for an opening, an advantage to press and take the offensive to the one person she wanted to claim as her own, to devote herself to for all eternity. And after a moment, her keen eyes found what she'd been looking for. As the vulpine scampered to a halt after his charge, he'd lost his balance slightly, needing to extend his hands out in front of himself to keep from toppling over. It was just a small vulnerability, but it was more than enough for her to leverage.

Without even needing to tell her body what to do, her legs shot forward, closing the distance between them faster than she'd thought possible. Before the tod even had a chance to react to her advance, Krystal wrapped both hands around him from behind, pinning his arms to his sides in an aggressive embrace, using her staff to box him in and sandwich his body right in front of her. By the time the vixen was finished, she had Fox entirely at her mercy, standing wordlessly, breathlessly still as she held him pressed up against her. The orange fox went completely still under her firm grasp, not moving an inch. Krystal growled in satisfaction. She put enough pressure on his chest with her staff to get the point across that she was in charge, but not enough to hurt him. His continued stillness and regular breathing was his only acknowledgement of the situation.

The warmth from his body radiated out into her chest while her breasts dug lovingly into his back. She took a deep breath, nearly losing herself in his heady, intoxicating, incredible scent. Now wasn't the time to get distracted though. She had to press her advantage. Krystal tugged the vulpine in even closer to her, letting her head come to a rest right next to his, her chin settling on his shoulder. She turned to the side as she did, nuzzling into the short orange fur of his neck before she could stop herself, her cold nose sending a shiver down through his tail. Her eyes rolled back as she breathed in again, a content sigh flowing from her lips at how sublime it was to encompass herself in his sweet scent, to be totally enveloped by his blazing mind and powerful body.

"Looks like I caught you, sneaky fox," she murmured, whispering the words into the scruff of his neck as she kept her muzzle buried in his fur.

Fox didn't move in response, keeping his eyes locked forward and moving no more than was absolutely necessary in his makeshift cage. He only breathed a short, level question out in response. "I - I guess you did," he began, his tone neutral and flat. "So... what happens now?"

Krystal hummed for a second, mulling over the endless possibilities for her captive. "I'm not sure. After all, there are so many ways I could have fun with you, Foxy..." she trailed off, giggling as she felt the cords in his arms and neck pull taut. She leaned forward even further, letting her muzzle play just underneath his chin for a long moment. The vixen's hips ground up against his backside when she did, the euphoric friction between her legs nearly making her weak in the knees.

As she stood there, her prize trapped between both arms, one particularly enticing idea floated to the surface of her mind that she'd only been able to dream of before now. Now though... Well, all she had to do was reach out and take it. She pulled back from underneath his chin, letting her nose bury itself in his neck again. Fox tilted his head to side ever so slightly, granting her full access to the sensitive skin of his throat, trusting her next to such a vital, fragile part of his body. As she lost herself in combing over his brilliant orange fur, a few last words escaped her lips, preparing them both for what was about to happen. She steeled her nerves, taking in one final lungful of the vulpine's scent before speaking. "You know, you naughty fox..." she smiled, coming to a sudden stop, "now that I've caught you, maybe I should just eat you up." With that, she stuck her soft, pink tongue out, letting it hover next to him for just a moment before running it along the length of his neck.

Fox shuddered at the sensation of the vixen's tongue lapping at the sensitive hairs on his neck, his rational brain shutting down. Pure instinct took its place, encouraging him to tilt his head further to the side in an effort to give her unrestricted access to his delicate flesh. Krystal herself nearly lost all control then and there as her taste buds were delighted with the unfathomable sweetness of her love. She knew instantly that it was a flavor she'd need more of. When the vixen finally reached the end of her first long, loving lick, she repeated the process over from the beginning, running her tongue over his skin and fur one, two, three, four more times before finally feeling temporarily satiated. By that point, Fox had been all but reduced to a puddle in her arms. Krystal brought the vulpine in closer to her chest as she smothered herself deeper into his heavenly musk, her prison being used just as much to keep him pressed up against her eager body as it was to keep him from toppling over in the breeze. The vixen wasn't quite done quite done punishing her captive yet, however.

Not missing a beat, Krystal began to kiss and nibble up and down the vulpine's neck, not letting a single spot go unloved or untouched. A small whine formed in the back of Fox's throat with each small peck, with each little nip. His tail beat erratically against her chest, a silent plea for her to continue on with her assault. A small smirk formed on her mouth even as she took another playful bite at the vulpine. She'd be happy to oblige.

Slowly, imperceptibly, her lips slipped upwards along the vulpine's jaw, advancing to his cheek and temple, leaving behind a trail of matted, wet fur everywhere she tasted. She glanced down at it, pride swelling in her heart at seeing the vulpine she adored so dearly, visibly covered in her affection for the whole world to see. Before the two of them could collapse into each other in a black hole of transgressive bliss, Krystal came to a halt near the top of his head, right over his short wave of striking white hair. She stood up onto the tips of her toes, eventually ending with one long kiss planted right on the top of his head. She'd demonstrate for the entire world precisely how smitten she was with the vulpine pressed up against her, their curves matching at every sway, their fur sparking at each touch.

As her pursed lips pulled back one last time, everything hit the vixen at once. She felt a singing tension burst in her core, forcing an inaudible gasp from her lungs as the full weight of their arrangement slammed into her like a freight train. The sight of Fox's shining orange figure, glistening in the light with his sweat and her kisses, the soft sound of his wordless panting and the frantic beating of his tail, the feel of his silky fur being run endlessly through her exploratory fingers, the taste of Fox dancing on the tip of her tongue, the aroma of their restless scents swirling together into an aphrodisiac that made her head swim... Altogether, it was a small miracle the vixen didn't give in on the spot, didn't admit her unshakable love for the fox in her mouth, didn't use her telepathy to overload his mind with the sheer jubilance that he inspired in hers. Instead, she channeled everything that pounded in her heart inwards. It was enough to lure a silly, content giggle out of hiding that she loosed into the vulpine's fur. Relaxation and contentment crept into her, branching into each of her limbs, all of her muscles.

Nothing could make this better. Us two, pressed together at our aching hips, the fox of my dreams drenched in sweat and kisses... This is perfect.

As it turned out though, she couldn't have been more wrong. In her blissful haze, her grip around the tod weakened, causing her staff to slip down an inch as the pleasure coursing through her veins allowed her attentiveness to wane. The vulpine shifted by the smallest amount inside her arms, his fur brushing against hers quietly. She didn't notice Fox repositioning himself inside her grasp until it was too late. What happened next was little more than a blur to the unaware, delirious vixen.

Before Krystal could even manage to yip in surprise, Fox sprang into action, a flaming mischief that she'd overlooked in her content daze raging in his mind. His hands shot up to the staff that confined him, taking it in his strong grasp. The sudden, vigorous display caught the vixen off guard, making her recoil away from her weapon instinctually as he wrested it out of her hands. He flung it away from the two of them in the next instant, clattering against the far wall, leaving Krystal standing dazed and shocked behind him. All Krystal heard was his satisfied, protective growl in her ears before Fox went on the offensive.

Before the vixen could even blink, could launch any sort of counterattack, Fox whirled around in her arms, his normally tranquil eyes burning a sharp, vibrant jade. Krystal's breath caught when she saw his dominant expression, his cocky smirk, freezing her dead in her tracks. She'd only seen that look on his face once before. It was a look that sent shivers of pleasure tingling down her spine, a look that made her toes curl. He stared down at her now, freed from his prison, his eyes full of pure, unadulterated lust.

She'd found the second side of her Foxy again.

No sooner had the realization set it than she found herself swept off her feet once more by the vulpine, both literally and figuratively. His strong hands bolted down on her shoulders, gently enough to ensure he wouldn't hurt her, but roughly enough to communicate that the tables had been turned. Krystal took in a sharp gasp of air as Fox forced her backwards, only coming to a stumbling halt when the vulpine had her pinned her up against the mirror behind them. All the vixen could do was blink in astonishment, at the hunger unmistakable on Fox's face, at his sharp claws digging into her back, piercing through the thin fabric of her tank top. The vulpine leaned forward until his nose was practically touching hers, his smirk swirling with a mix of love and possessiveness that made her heart stop in its tracks. Her lips parted in shock as she took in the dominance he exuded, but no words found their way out. Fox picked up the slack, licking his lips greedily before growling out a small sentence in her place. His pure, devious voice sent an ecstatic tingle crackling down her neck and back, making her shiver in animal, instinctual delight.

"What you didn't realize, Krys, is that..." the vulpine whispered in her ear, his hot breath warming her face and her heart as he trailed off. He let his nose nuzzle up against the side of her face, burying itself in the soft fur of her cheek. Despite everything, his authoritative posture, his commanding tone, his devious words... The small gesture combined with the total and complete devotion pulsing in his mind was more than enough to demonstrate that no matter what, Fox would never let anything hurt her, would never force her to do anything that she was uncomfortable with. Not that he needed to say so. She nuzzled him back ever so slightly, letting her nose trail against his temple, giving him unspoken, breathless permission to continue. There was nobody she trusted more than the orange fox in front of her. Without even the slightest hesitation, Krystal would entrust Fox with her life. That confidence made the next few seconds the most incredible, seductive instants of her life. With her encouragement received, Fox's muzzle slowly, imperceptibly lowered itself down to her neck, to the same spot that she'd been attacking just moments ago. He hovered there, pausing for just a moment before finishing his thought.

"...I wanted you to catch me."

As soon as the words had escaped his lips, Fox stunned her yet again with something that she'd never have expected. Something that she would never forget. Krystal went deadly still, every cell in her body freezing as a row of razor-sharp teeth sank into her neck, their needle points closing down on her throat. She had to stifle a quiet gasp as Fox bit down just a little harder, not enough to hurt her or break her skin, but enough to make her hold very, very still. Krystal's eyes went wide, submitting completely to the vulpine who held her firmly in his strong jaws and steeled grip. Fox growled satisfactorily when he felt the vixen melt into his arms. His claws dug in further as he tucked the blue fox into his frame, now completely in control of their teasing tango.

Krystal's pulse thundered at a breakneck pace, her breath coming in shallow, rapid bursts, but none of it was out of fear. On the contrary, as her fists clenched by her sides, Fox's newfound aggressiveness made her very nearly gasp in sheer excitement, almost made her heart burst in undiluted pleasure. She went limp in his embrace, completely submitting to the vulpine's advances, desperately surrendering herself to any plans the tod had in store for her eager body. Even with his deadly teeth clamped down right over the most vulnerable part of her figure, even if all it would take is a few more pounds of pressure for him to end her life... Krystal had never felt quite so safe, quite so warm in her entire life as she did right now. Fox could never, ever hurt her. Even if he hadn't said it aloud, there was no doubt anymore. He wanted to protect and devote himself to her just as badly as she wanted to do the same for him. Krystal wanted to stay just like this, with his orange body wrapped over hers, for the rest of her life.

Even if they only stood like that for a few seconds, to Krystal, it felt like an eternity spent with her heart thundering in her chest, completely at the mercy of the love of her life. She felt a small tickle in the back of her head as Fox tapped into their mental link, his next words being whispered directly between their minds, lust and love rolling off of his consciousness in thick waves.

After all... it'd be rude if you ate while I have such a delicious meal sitting right in front of me.

His resounding voice echoed across the corners of her head, its radiance making her tail quiver and shake. All she could do was whine in response, not daring to speak, hoping the quiet noise would be enough to convince the vulpine to continue, to take her body as his own, to make her squirm and moan as he caressed and explored every inch of it. Fox must have felt her joy and excitement surging through their telepathic bond, because in the next second he growled in satisfaction. The row rumble in his throat tickled her own, eliciting another sharp, yearning moan from her lips.

Slowly, imperceptibly, Krystal felt the tod's teeth slip upwards, their keen points trailing along her skin, separating her fur in their wake. Fox pulled back once he'd reached her chin, making a small sense of disappointment prick in the back of her head as she felt the pressure leave her delicate neck. She wouldn't be left like that for very long, however.

Krystal's heart nearly stopped when she felt something that she'd only dreamed of, something that she'd been desperate for ever since first laying eyes on him. Every racing thought in her head came to a screeching halt, locked in place by the miraculous sensation. She didn't even bother suppressing a long, shaking moan as Fox's soft tongue came to a teasing rest on her cheek, leaving behind a long, wet path as it trailed its way up along the lines of her face. The vulpine growled again when he heard the vixen's desirous cry, this time more aggressive and protective of the prize he held proudly between his teeth and arms. His next attack sent her even further over the edge, as he licked over the side of her muzzle, making her shudder in ecstasy as he lingered mere centimeters away from connecting their lips in what would be the most explosive, important moment of their entire lives. He continued battering away at the last scraps of her self-restraint, placing warm licks and kisses all along the length of her muzzle until the unrelenting waves of pure pleasure pulsing through her body left her seeing stars.

Even though she was sure that both of them wanted nothing more than to lunge at the other and shove their lips together in the culmination of months of hidden desire, Fox ultimately resisted the temptation, resigning himself to planting a single, tender kiss on her forehead. As overwhelming and intense as the past minutes had been, there was something distinctly sweet about the kiss. No matter how much they both simply wanted to rip each other's clothes to shreds and turn the other into a shivering, moaning mess of euphoria on the floor, their feelings would always be based on an immutable foundation of devotion, protection, and love. Warmth diffused into the vixen's entire body, filling every inch of her with a tingling glow, a silly smile slipping onto her lips. She could feel an identical joy bubbling in Fox's head. It spilled out across their intimate link, splashing her own happiness with traces of his. The vulpine's rambunctiousness simmered down as they reveled in each other's unspoken love. Instead of pushing on in their forbidden teasing, he chose to stand up on his toes, taking one of her ears in his mouth and playfully biting and gnawing at it. She leaned into the vulpine as he did, letting her head come to a rest on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him into a tight embrace that she never, ever wanted to end.

For one final time that day, however, she was proven totally, completely wrong.

Krystal almost didn't notice Fox pull back slightly. Her ear fluttered back into its normal spot when he let go, putting it back perhaps a little more wet and chewed on than before. The vixen's eyes were closed, gently rocking the vulpine as she held him in her trembling arms. She could have stayed exactly like that, breathing in his familiar, safe scent for the rest of her life and never have regretted it. She heard the vulpine's lips part though, letting out a soft, content sigh into her fur. Her eyes met his as she pulled back to look at him. The look in his gaze, the expression on his face... It all left her feeling more at peace than she'd felt since the very first time she'd laid eyes on Fox during that fateful day back on Sauria. What she saw in his eyes almost made her want to cry in joy, to wrap her arms and legs around his body, to claim him as her own, to devote the rest of her life to making him as happy as possible.

There was still that consuming lust on his face, that pure desire, that hunter's glint in his eye that was solely focused on making her his own. She was his prize, his prey, his goal. Krystal's ears flicked excitedly, knowing in that moment that he would stop at nothing to make her his. Beyond the hunger that made her legs shake though, there was still that shy, sheepish, genuine love glowing behind his expression that she adored more than anything else in the universe. His kindness, his gentleness, his love... It was her most cherished treasure.

The two distinct sides of him mixed together as they held each other in their arms, swirling together into a single, perfect expression. She stared into his glowing emerald eyes, her mouth open slightly, clutching his shirt between tremoring fingers. They were simultaneously cool and hot, soft and sharp, wanting and giving. He was her Foxy. She gave him a small smile, conveying as much warmth and happiness through her expression as she did over their mental bond. Fox returned the look instantly, shuffling in immeasurably closer to her. He was the sweetest person alive, the sexiest fox she'd ever seen. Her protector and her protected. She relinquished control over herself to her subconscious, whispering a few quiet, powerful words directly into his mind, putting a love into them that could only be evoked by the fox in her arms. Her words would change everything. Would finally rip down the last shreds of pretense between them. She issued one last quick lick to the side of his muzzle before letting them flow over her mind and into his.

My orange miracle.

Fox's eyes went wide for a long second, processing the soft words she'd just spoken in his mind. He seemed unable to believe them, unable to comprehend the idea that the love she put behind them could be real, could be genuine. Every cell in his body froze in place. Every muscle in his body stiffened into steel. For a brief moment, fear clutched at the vixen, worried that she may have horribly miscalculated and destroyed everything that she'd worked so hard to build between the two of them.

Somehow though, after an eternity spent parsing those three short words... His expression softened. A bashful, content smile teased on his lips as he pulled her in even closer, letting their bodies match up, letting their heat, their scent, their minds swirl and intertwine. After a few more seconds spent in that dazed heaven, a few of the vulpine's words echoed around her own head in response. They sent her just as far into shock as she'd sent Fox. They were three words she would never forget for as long as she lived and breathed.

My blue wonder.

With those two thoughts, the dams of restraint in their minds were destroyed, letting months of restraint and denial come flooding out all at once. Before she could even stop to comprehend his words, their position, or their situation, instinct took over for her. Seeing the vulpine of her dreams take up the entirety of her vision, holding the person who meant more to her then life itself, hearing the love dripping from his words... It was too much for either of the foxes to bear any longer. The moment had come.

They both leaned into each other at the same time, closing the last inch separating them before finally connecting their lips in a soft, earth-shattering kiss.

/

A/N: And a kiss for the holidays. Don't you just love these two? I know I do. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this! Lots of fun stuff happening here, I'm having the time of my life writing this little piece. It's a new invention straight from the labs at Poundis Studios: smutty fluff, or smluff! I wanted to try my hard and something just a bit more risqué than usual, but I knew that I'd have to write it just drowning in fluff at the same time. So Lo and behold, this came about! But yeah, this chapter was a ton of fun to write, even if it did take forever and was pretty challenging at times. I'd expect part 2 to come out at some point relatively soon, and... Well, that chapter's going to put the smut in smluff I expect. :P But yeah, this is just gonna be a short little 2-shot for the holidays before returning to your regularly scheduled programming.

I'll probably end up keeping this note a bit shorter than usual. Thanks again to Sani, Xengo, and Furfur for all their early input and ideas. They've all got so much good Fox/Krystal stuff, you should definitely go read it if you haven't already for some crazy reason. Anyway, thanks for any follows, fav's, or reviews in advance! If you guys enjoyed this even a fraction as much as I enjoyed writing it, my job will be done. I'm taking a short break from Brace for Impact and Curtain Call while I finish this up, just because I have so much motivation for this little project. Once I finish up the second half of this, I'll probably head back over and show Curtain Call some love. I can't wait to get to the action sequence I have planned for that.

Aaanndddd that'll do it. Happy holidays everyone! Poundis out.