AN: I wanted to include a phone call with Falco in this post, but it's going to have to happen in a different post. Probably its own post entirely, sometime later. This has given me a lot of difficulty, with the interaction between Fox and Wolf, and implementing what I want is proving nearly impossible.

I should warn you guys, though, that if you're happy about how this chapter goes, keep in mind that there are still going to be three more chapters (four more posts) after this one, and a lot can happen. I'll try to update again within the next week, but I can't make any promises. I really thought I'd be able to post this by July 1, and look what happened. All I can promise is that for better or worse, I WILL finish this thing.

Anyway, as always, any reviews are greatly appreciated, and thank you for reading.

Chapter 4

Fox woke up feeling slightly sore, and hungry beyond his expectations. He sat up in bed and saw that he'd slept all the way to one-thirty. He stretched and picked up his shirt only to realize that both changes he'd brought on board reeked of vulpine odor even worse than his bed did. There were, on occasion, downsides to being a fox, especially since piloting was the kind of work that encouraged a nervous sweat.

He took himself and his shorts to the kitchen for lunch. More space slop was on the menu. He opted for a sandwich, which was still space slop even if it tried to pretend to be real food. Biting into it, he finally started coming to life enough to start feeling horrible about himself again.

He'd been bad for Krystal. He was still bad for Falco. And of course, he'd always been bad news for Wolf. Maybe he was even bad for himself.

It sucked. Everything sucked, and he wished he had a bottle of wine to drown his self-pity in. The feeling was probably temporary, but it'd be a while before the food started making things feel better instead of worse.

The slow clacking of claws announced Wolf's approach before Fox had even finished half of his meal. The lupine strutted down the hall in a pair of bold purple boxer briefs, bearing no trace of his earlier mood, and Fox was forced to abandon his sulking-hopefully not for long, given that the alternative was more time with his rival on what seemed to be a particularly volatile day.

Fox's luck wasn't so great this afternoon. Wolf picked up some food for himself and sat down not across from him, as he usually had, but beside him in the booth, trapping Fox there with him.

Fox cursed quietly to himself.

"If it isn't sleeping beauty," Wolf said. "Nice outfit. Really like the top half. Taking after me?"

Out of the water, Fox felt a bit more self-conscious about his slighter physique. Between their side-by-side proximity, Wolf's thicker fur, and Wolf's stronger build, the difference between their size seemed even more pronounced than in the pool, and while Wolf's body language didn't suggest any menace just yet, Fox couldn't help but feel as though he was being threatened.

"It was the only choice," Fox replied, determined to keep his cool. "I'm using your laundry machine right after I eat. You can thank me later." Wolf chuckled. "How'd you know I was asleep?"

"Knocked on your door and heard loud snoring."

"Needed me badly enough to seek me out, huh?"

"I cleared my head like I said I would," Wolf replied. "There's a bit we need to talk about. Shouldn't have to, but you're thicker-skulled than I thought. Speaking of which, how long have you been awake?"

Fox took a peek at the clock.

"Twenty minutes."

"Feel awake yet?"

Fox had actually slept pretty well, and definitely did feel awake, but he didn't want conversation right now. He wanted to finish his lunch and retreat to his room, and maybe look over Wolf's data concerning the surface. He really didn't want to be trapped here at the dining table between the wall and a stronger wolf with something or another to prove.

"Not really."

Wolf shrugged.

"Thought not," Wolf said. His eyebrows narrowed. "So we'll talk until you are."

Fox rolled his eyes, eating some more and hoping Wolf would take the hint from his unresponsiveness. Naturally, he didn't.

"Before I start, I should warn you," Wolf said. "We're landing in fifteen hours. Morning's the least risky time. Got that?"

"Got it," Fox said. He repeated it back to Wolf, just to feign having difficulty processing. "Fifteen hours. Landing."

Wolf nodded.

"Good," he said. "So moving on. Shouldn't need to be awake for this one. Your ex. I want to hear what happened. She's done with Star Fox, yeah?"

Fox's throat tightened up a bit, making the next swallow of food painful. He'd expected just about anything else, even though he should've known the topic would come up again before long.

Hopefully, he could make this quick.

"Yeah. Been about three months," he replied, trying not to scowl too menacingly at Wolf. It was best not to let him know a nerve had been struck. "Maybe longer. We spent two months looking for you, Falco and I."

"I want details," Wolf said. He spoke again, intercepting Fox's attempt to protest. "About her, that is. No putting this one off. You'll have no luck telling me you need to be awake to talk about water under the bridge."

Wolf was definitely serious. He had that authoritative firmness in his voice that he'd used on his squad back when he led them against the Aparoids.

Fox fished in his head for a way out of the conversation.

"Fine. Just let me put some clothes on," Fox said.

"After you warned me about your shirts?" Wolf laughed. He scooted in on Fox. "Not happening. I doubt mine would fit on you, either. Got a better excuse to run away?"

After that failure, Fox didn't have the nerve to even try again.

"Why do you need to hear about my love life?" Fox asked, peeved. "Or lack thereof?"

"Lack thereof, huh?" Wolf menaced with a brief laugh.

Fox kept his poker face strong, hoping Wolf wouldn't find out how scared he was of a certain bird being brought into this conversation. He wasn't sure he'd be able to avoid betraying how he felt, one way or another.

"Yeah."

Wolf took a large bite of his own food, swallowed it after just a few chews, and then gave a tame shrug. It was actually a relief when he didn't press the issue of Fox's current interests, and went back to Krystal.

"Well, what happens if you take her back? I'd say it affects me quite a bit," Wolf replied. "How do I know you won't take her back and fire my ass a few months after I start to make myself at home?"

"She and I are done," Fox insisted. "And even if we weren't, you're a hell of a better pilot than her. I wouldn't kick you off for her, especially after all the work I'm going through to sign you on."

"You're telling me about the breakup anyway," Wolf said.

Fox really didn't want to get on the topic of his personal life here. Not with Wolf, especially.

"Can't you just take my word?" Fox complained. "Sign on and your position is secure. Krystal and I literally haven't spoken since she left. We're done."

From over his shoulder, Wolf gave Fox one of his less amused looks.

"I'm your obvious last resort. Don't pretend you'd take Wolf O'Donnell on as a teammate if you had any other choice," Wolf said. "I want the whole story."

Fox sighed. He shoved as much of his sandwich into his mouth as he could and gulped it down with a glass of water. The stuff practically dissolved on its way down his throat. He shuddered with loathing.

"You really think I'd fire you?" Fox said. "I respect you too much as a pilot. And I don't hate you."

"I know you don't hate me. I saved your life. Twice," Wolf replied, acid in his voice. Wolf cleared his throat. He didn't look at Fox while he spoke, staring across the table at the empty booth seat instead. When he spoke, the spite was gone and he sounded more collected. "I also know that reaching out to me was a move of desperation. You're keeping a story from me, and I'm going to have it."

Fox couldn't believe he was really having this conversation. It left a bitter taste in his mouth-even worse than what the space food's preservatives left.

"Fine," Fox said. He couldn't believe he was starting on this topic with anyone but Falco, but he forced himself to go on with it. "There was a scare on Sauria when the Aparoids came around. Almost lost her. Then a few of the missions afterward gave us a few more close calls. Almost lost her again."

Fox paused, collecting himself, and it seemed as though Wolf thought he was done. He jumped on the lingering pause to remind Fox that he wasn't getting off that easily.

"Then you cared. Not the sort of thing that leads to goodbye forever," Wolf goaded.

"Yeah? Well, she's a Cerinian. A telepath," Fox said. "Wasn't a problem at first. She's not that powerful. Could only read minds if the feelings were strong or the mind didn't try to resist her. But I started worrying before missions, because I'd seen her almost die. Thought some desperate things, and she could hear it. She started some fights over what I thought. Before long, I started some more over things she'd said after reading my mind. Didn't make either of us happy. She felt insulted by my lack of faith. I got angry because she couldn't acknowledge that I had a point."

When he hesitated, he expected Wolf to comment again, or perhaps add questions just to scramble Fox's brain a little more. Instead, there was a surprising silence, with Wolf patiently, expectantly sitting by his empty lunch plate. He seemed to know that Fox would give him the story he was after.

"She only heard the worst things I had to think about her, because they were always strong when I worried," Fox said. A bit of guilt panged at him, and he numbed himself to it just like he'd learned to over the past three or four months. "It shook her up. She was offended, and there was nothing either of us could do about it. She couldn't think about anything else during missions, got distracted by the hurt, and the close calls got closer and more frequent. She snapped at me more and more often, and I snapped back. By the time I asked her to leave, we'd seen each other's worst, and we both knew we can't even be friends. There's mutual disdain, and no desire to ever see each other again. She's gone for good."

Wolf waited a little longer, wondering if Fox had more to say, which wasn't the case.

"Sucks," Wolf said plainly, one arm resting on the table while the other supported his jaw in a classic thinking pose. "I'm actually a bit shocked. I guess I should've just taken your word on it after all, or just remembered that no one wants to talk to exes."

Wolf gave a few shallow laughs that made his chest fur fluff up. His stoic face contrasted with the goofy displacement of his fur.

"I don't know," Wolf continued. "I just figured you don't follow a cynic's rules, because you usually don't. Figured you were too much of a nice guy to have nasty breakups like the rest of us, or something. Didn't think I'd be this lucky."

He said the last sentence pointedly, with the trace of a laugh. Fox didn't bother to ask why.

"Well, you could have been right about that," Fox replied. "I do stay friends with my exes. Just not with Krystal. Telepathy is a bit of a monkey wrench. You know, we don't talk about it, and that's what makes us nice, but we nice guys think bad things just like everyone else."

"Profound," Wolf said. "Proud of yourself for that one?"

Fox wasn't sure how sincere or sarcastic Wolf was on that, but his mood was a far cry from his flagrant, biting sarcasm earlier in the day. Whether or not he actually meant it as a compliment, he wasn't making mockery.

Talking was starting to feel… easy? Less painful than he would've ever expected from his fiercest competitor, at least.

Fox shrugged in response to the lupine.

"Well, regardless, sounds like you're awake now," Wolf said. "So I'm getting on with what I hunted you down for. Remember my conditions for working with you?"

Fox hadn't forgotten; his mind was definitely on business for as long as he was out here with Wolf.

"Bounty cleared, competition, and some sort of understanding," Fox replied.

"Good," Wolf said. "I wasn't clear about the understanding bit, but now's as good a time as any."

Fox's eyes went wide, and he held up a hand in protest. There was definitely one particular understanding that they needed to come to, and Fox had decided that the best answer to that problem was a non-answer.

"Hold it. If this has anything to do with my father, stop right there," Fox said firmly. "I thought about it. We need each other now, so I have to be okay with you. I'd rather not know how involved you were or weren't."

"Can't say I'll respect that wish, but this has nothing to do with your dad," Wolf replied. Fox found it difficult to believe, but listened patiently. "Any idea why I didn't kick you off of this ship, pup? Have you thought about it?"

Fox shook his head, still as clueless as he'd been before his nap.

"No."

"Thought not," Wolf said. "For a clever guy, you're pretty dense, so I'll spell a few things out. I probably don't seem like the type, but I dated heavily during my Academy years. My exes weren't very ambitious. I competed with them and won all the damn time, no matter what the area was, and it got old. They didn't think much of it, and didn't care for me after a while, so things just felt stale, and they all thought I was a conceited asshole by the time things ended. Had a pretty good point, I'll admit, but they just didn't get me enough to see my point of view. I wasn't just a conceited asshole. I was an asshole who refused to stop improving. I was going to be the best damn pilot in all of Lylat, who put piloting ahead of everything else and didn't care who he stepped on or what it cost."

The thought of a younger Wolf dating anyone was quite amusing. He could imagine all the ill-fated quips that his exes had tolerated until finally one was the straw that broke the camel's back. Fox thought to pointedly ask Wolf who had ended his past few relationships. Based on what Wolf had just told him, he had a feeling that it wasn't Wolf who typically dropped the bomb.

Fox thought better of it. Snide remarks about exes would probably only prompt returned fire with the ammunition he'd just given Wolf about Krystal, and that was still a sore subject, considering that for all the animosity between the two exes, Fox still felt like the villain.

Sure, he'd come to Krystal's rescue twice on Sauria, but it was only for him to break her heart and turn her loose.

He'd done her wrong.

"Well, there's your problem," Fox blurted out. "Not many girls are into competing with their boyfriends. You might have better luck if you accommodate that."

As if Wolf were the accommodating type.

"See, that's what needs spelling out," Wolf said, flashing a wicked grin. He turned his whole body toward Fox, resting one arm on the table and the other on the back of the booth seats. Fox felt boxed in even more than when Wolf had arrived, and his brows raised. "That's what you're really not seeming to pick up on, even though I've given you every sign a guy could ask for." Devilish glee lit up Wolf's eyes, bringing Fox back to the old image of the younger, wilder Wolf from the picture that was presently a few feet behind him. "I don't date girls."

Wolf leaned in, closing the short distance between them. He planted the kiss on Fox's lips for just long enough to give him a taste, and then Wolf withdrew. He looked into Fox's widening eyes, and Fox looked into Wolf's by default, and the whole world started to spin.

Fox spent a moment in denial; he could've blinked and missed the kiss, so it was almost like nothing had happened at all. But the taste of Wolf's lips was still on his, the scent of his breath still lingered prominently around Fox's nose, and the lupine head was still right there, so close that Fox could close the distance in an instant for another shot if he dared. In this odd state of shellshock and clouded judgment, he realized that some part of him actually wanted to.

His mouth hung slightly open and his ears stayed perked up like never before. He didn't bother wondering how stupid he looked; he felt stupid enough to where his looks couldn't possibly come close enough to be of concern.

Fox cringed as he came to. He should've been prepared for something like this. It should've been far more obvious, but Fox had just been too sidetracked with appeasing Wolf and trying not to fall into any traps.

Neither of them spoke until Fox had settled enough for him to at least stop looking dumb. He got his willpower together and reminded himself that however awkward things got, his whole lifestyle was dependent on things going well between himself and Wolf.

"Yeah," Fox finally admitted. "I should've caught on."

It felt like there was no point even bothering to count all the hints he'd missed as realizations from the past few days hit him right and left.

"Amazing that you missed it for so long, between all the hints and red herrings," Wolf remarked.

"Red herrings?"

"I didn't take you to the pool to flirt," Wolf said, and while Fox wanted to ask what else there was, it wasn't worth going off topic.

"What happens now?" Fox asked.

Fox let out a cry of surprise as Wolf grabbed under his arms and hoisted him up. Wolf sat him on the table and pushed him against the wall, and before Fox know it, Wolf's body was pushing his against the wall, and two hands pinned Fox's arms above his head by the wrist.

"Now that you've let me pin you?" Wolf said. He scooted in even closer despite the awkward angle. "As much as I can get away with."

Fox's attempt to protest was cut off by a well-timed kiss, and for just a moment, Fox resisted, straining his arms against those of his captor despite the terrible leverage. With his trapped fox pinned so haphazardly, the taller canine had to contort himself to make his body touch Fox's at all, but that didn't matter. Wolf's bare torso pressed against Fox as much as he could make it, and a warm sensation shooed away Fox's desire to free himself.

For the moment, it didn't even register that he was Fox McCloud, or that the aggressive tongue in his mouth belonged to Wolf O'Donnell. The moment was alive, and Fox gave himself to it until Wolf finally got tired enough of the bad angle to break the kiss.

Wolf pulled Fox by the shoulders and dragged them both back on the table with Wolf on his back and Fox atop him. Wolf's arms closed around Fox's chest, while Fox's arms reached out limply beyond his head. Wolf's legs tangled with Fox's, and he ran his fingers through the fur of Fox's back.

Fox whined as his tension melted away. Wolf's hand reached into the back side Fox's pants and squeezed both sides of Fox's ass as the vulpine released his heavy breaths into the gray fur of Wolf's firm chest. His legs pried Fox's apart, spreading his ass, and a single finger met no resistance as it drew slowly toward dangerous territory.

Both hands left Fox's pants. The warm, fuzzy sensation left Fox, and reality started to set back in. It clicked in his head that he'd just kissed Wolf O'Donnell, and that his head was resting under the gray lupine's chin, breathing in the earthy scent of dried sweat along with some traces of chlorine.

Fox realized that his arms now hung over the edge of the table, and wondered when Wolf had slid them that far from the wall. He still couldn't force himself to remove his head from where it nested comfortably, but he could coax a few words out of his mouth.

"Why'd you stop?" Fox whined.

Fox bit his tongue. Those weren't the words he'd meant to say. He'd meant to ask Wolf what the hell he thought he was doing, what kind of game he was playing here… anything that could save some face, even though it was obviously too late for that.

"Because I'd have to take these off," Wolf replied, pulling the band of Fox's underwear and releasing it so that it slapped against the vulpine's slender waist. Wolf's words distorted a bit, with his mouth a little too close to Fox's ear. "I'm not going to fuck you on the table. We'll take this to my room."

Fox convinced himself that he wouldn't have to deal with the weight of reality as long as he kept his head on a patch of gray fur. He stayed as he was until Wolf gave a few rude pushes to Fox's shoulder, finally convincing him to sit up.

Looking into Wolf's face again brought conflict. He was still caught in the heat of their desire, on a pheromone-induced high, undeniably wishing that Wolf would finish what he'd started. At the same time, this was the same Wolf he'd considered an enemy for all this time, who he'd rightly treated with caution and distrust for as long as they'd known each other.

Habit warned Fox that he couldn't let Wolf get him pinned like he had just moments ago. The fact that he loved it didn't matter. Whether or not they were currently enemies, Wolf would always be his nemesis, and as reality set back in, Fox was determined as ever not to be defeated.

Fox scooted curtly off of the table, followed by Wolf. The haze was finally clearing from his head.

"This is a horrible idea," Fox lamented.

"Really?" Wolf replied. "For who?"

"Both of us." Fox wasn't in the mood to think about it, but everything he needed to say was already in the past. He'd fought with Wolf enough by now. "What would everyone think? We'd never live this down."

Wolf snorted.

"You've let fame get to your head, huh?" Wolf accused. "If you're worried about what the public thinks of you at this point, you shouldn't be. You're the only pilot who can contend with me, and you've saved Lylat twice from certain destruction. You can afford a few quirks."

Fox crossed his arms at his chest.

"You don't get it," Fox protested, even though he really wasn't sure what it was that he was saying Wolf didn't get.

Reason was beyond him at this point, and he just wanted to stump Wolf for long enough to breathe and figure out why he wanted something he knew he shouldn't.

"Worried about what your bird friend thinks?" Wolf guessed. "I wouldn't be. He's in no position to judge. Ever see the looks he stole at me when the Aparoids were still around? He'd have taken my knot by now if I had any interest. Lucky for you, I don't do little girls."

"Don't flatter yourself," Fox growled. "He's not into you."

"Seriously, though, have you seen what I'm talking about?" Wolf continued. "Bet it eats him up a few nights a week, thinking about it and knowing he can never have me. If he makes an issue of us starting a thing, he has no idea what he's in for."

The words came out louder and quicker than Fox intended.

"Damn it, Wolf!" Fox barked back. "He's not into you! Fuck off!"

He bit his tongue a few seconds too late. The snarl on his lips retreated, as if it could somehow turn back time or undo jealous face he'd made. He tried to shrug it off, but he knew he'd already made the worst response he possibly could have.

Wolf ran the trail from disarmed shock to short bursts of incredulous laughter. For the longest time, he didn't even talk, and Fox just slouched in place, realizing just how badly he'd fucked up.

Fox saw it on his face. Now Wolf knew everything.

"Holy shit," the lupine muttered in a low, soft voice that Fox hadn't heard from him before. Wolf shook his head emphatically, then picked his volume and clarity back up when he found the gumption to talk again. "You've actually fucked him, haven't you? Please tell me you two boy scouts aren't a thing."

There Wolf was, as though the world had been flipped on him, a dumbstruck laugh escaping him every couple of seconds. He looked somewhere between delighted and crushed.

"Just do your worst," Fox moped, now that there was no talking himself out of it. He slumped in his seat, breaking eye contact with his old rival.

"Trust me. If this were a better time, I'd love to," Wolf said. He sighed. "So what are you two? Boyfriends? Exes? Fuck buddies?"

Fox cringed. When he'd told Wolf to do his worst, Fox had expected teasing, not questions.

"Haven't I answered enough of your questions today?"

"Apparently not."

"Just drop it, Wolf. I'm not answering."

"Unwise, and not very fair, all things considered," Wolf said. "If you're really not going to answer my questions, I'll taunt and tease you for the next fifteen hours. Worse than it sounds. I'm really good at finding weak points."

It wasn't actually the threat that made Fox cave in. Rather, he realized that he really wasn't being fair here. Somehow, Wolf had taken interest in him, so the least Fox could do was let him know just how available he was or wasn't.

"Fine. But then you answer my questions."

"Deal."

Fox took a deep breath.

"He's straight," Fox said. "He was desperate for sex, so we did it. No strings attached, we agreed. I wanted more, and I still do."

Wolf cringed at that last sentence. For a while, neither canid said anything.

"You deserve better," Wolf finally said. "Are you sure he's what you want?"

"Two can play at that," Fox replied. "Are you sure I'm what you want?"

"Positive."

Wolf said it without a moment's hesitation, as though he'd been expecting that question for years. Fox felt his ears drop back just a bit.

"Why?" Fox asked.

"Lots of reasons, but you want something specific, right?" Wolf replied. He didn't wait for Fox's affirmation. "I've never had a boyfriend who could keep up."

Their history was definitely checkered. Wolf had made two attempts on Fox's life, and in turn, Fox had shot him down both times, devastated Sargasso, and left the Aparoid homeworld without so much as checking on him.

But for all the conflicts he and Wolf had in the past, Fox believed him. Even scarier for Fox, he actually felt just a bit… hopeful? Excited?

"Well, I'll be in my room," Wolf announced resolutely. He stepped over to the hallway leading to his room and stood at its mouth. "Wish we could finish what we started, but I'm not playing if you haven't decided what you want. Make up your mind and let me know. You'd better still be good to work with me when I land the ship."

"Wait, what?" Fox said.

Wolf scoffed in response.

"You think I'll fuck you while you haven't made up your mind?" Wolf replied. "Talk to Falco and clear up where you two stand. Don't worry. I'm committed to working with you two no matter what you choose." He rubbed his temple and let out a few bitter laughs. "I honestly never thought I'd get as far as we just did, and I was determined to fly with you. I just took a chance, and I guess I got lucky… or not. That damn bird was the last thing I ever thought would become an obstacle."

"He's not-"

Wolf held a palm up and shook his head, silencing Fox.

"You ought to save it," Wolf said. "Think. Come see me if you need to, but give it time or I'll just get upset again. I'll be in my room."

"Hold on," Fox said, but Wolf paid him no heed.

He walked away with extra strut, shaking his ass a little more than usual with each step. Fox couldn't tell if Wolf was trying to tempt him or taunt him… or both. Wolf shut the door to his room behind him, leaving Fox to wonder how much of that had really even happened.

When reality set back in, Fox realized he had to make a phone call.