Wolf Brother

Disclaimer: Star Fox and its trademarks are owned by Nintendo. Other characters are owned by me.

III - Hidden Emotions

Many minutes had passed since Fox kicked the ball, giving his team a victory for the match. The McClouds were having dinner at a nearby fast food. It was James's treat to his son who was just awarded with a trophy being the Player of the League. Since home would still be a car ride, they might as well eat up before leaving.

James was slowly twirling spaghetti pasta with his fork. "I knew you'll win, Fox," he smiled at him as he rubbed his son's head. "Your month's training paid off, after all. I was expecting you to win, kiddo!"

Wolf placed his chopsticks to the side of the plate he was eating and grabbed something in his bag. "Yo, Fox, here's something from me!" He handed out a box covered in red wrapping paper. "Let's just say that you're lucky to win, otherwise, I give you that for Christmas!"

Fox smiled back and opened the gift. "It's, it's a," he was taken by surprise from what he got. It was a red scarf. "Hey, this is the scarf I kept on telling you when we visit Giga Mall… How did you…?" He then put it on.

"I was saving up to buy you a present for Christmas, and well, I thought you'd win, so I brought it along just in case," he answered while showing his big stained teeth. "Anyway, that thing looks good on you. I think you should wear it every time you go out. It's getting cold since it's soon to snow."

"Thanks bro," he happily gratified him, wishing that he could hug him right now. "You're the best brother ever!"

"Well now, that was really quite nice of you, Wolf," James complemented him. "Oh yes, you'll be bringing bacon at home too, right?" Wolf wondered on what he meant.

Fox thought about it and explained, "What's the look, Wolf? Aren't you going to join the Academe General Quiz Bee contest?" Wolf was slightly silent for that time being. He couldn't tell him that he quitted. "Ah what the heck, I need to go to the bathroom!" He left the table, leaving his father and brother to talk.

"Dad," Wolf confessed after sipping water from a glass, "I… I am sorry… I forfeited the contest. They're going to send Bark instead of me… I mean, he's better than me anyway…" James wondered why he did that.

"But I'm sure you're quite intellectually fitted for the contest, so why'd you quit?" he asked while trying to comfort his son. He looked at Wolf's purple eyes, which he got from his mother. They were showing sadness hidden within the wolf's neutral look. "You don't usually quit without a reason… Tell me, what happened?"

"They," he started in a slow pace, "they were questioning me about my last name… They were forcing me to change it to McCloud… but I don't want to…" He then looked at his father's eyes and added, "But don't think it that way! It's not that I hated being a part of the McCloud family, it's just that I don't feel comfortable when I foresee the idea of me forgetting my dead parents…"

James was slightly saddened by his reason. He felt that his son wasn't still opened to the family that welcomed him. "Look," he nodded as he keenly looked at him, "there's nothing you have to feel bad about. You don't have to be a part of the family, because you are already a part of it from the very beginning. There's no need for you to fear about forgetting your mother and… father. I understand that you don't wish to change your name, too. It's all right to me if you forfeited, since it's your decision, and I know you chose that wholeheartedly, but the fact that you're still unsure about your place in the family makes me worried."

"But…"

"Wolf, I know it's wrong for me to say this, but, I feel that you haven't accepted me and Fox's mother as your second parents," he continued. "Are… are we not giving you the compassion you need? We both know that we cannot give you the love your late mother and father gave you, but we're trying our best… Fox's also looking up to you as a part of this family as his big brother, so, I hope you won't keep yourself secluded from us… You're important to our hearts… Besides, tomorrow is…"

"I… I am sorry…"

Fox returned, making the two stop talking. "Hey, looks like you two are done," he told them. "Aren't we going home?"

"Ah… yes, it's already getting late," James agreed as he stood up. "All right, let's go to the car. When we get home, I want the both of you to clean up and go to sleep, okay?" Wolf stood up and nodded. Fox smiled back.

Inside the car, Fox and Wolf were seated at the back. The older brother was silent, occasionally glancing at the lighted buildings they passed by. The younger sibling was wondering why he was so quiet.

"Uh, bro," he tried to talk to him to make him alive, "thanks for the scarf, again…" He pointed the cloth wrapped around his neck. "I know that you're going to give this to me even if I lose so that you could try and cheer me up." Wolf smiled for a bit, but never glanced at him. "You know, I could really tell that I'm a lucky person. Not all high school students like me have brothers like you… I mean, they really never cared about their younger sib, but you do… I… I just really feel happy about it, and I'm happy that I have you as a brother…"

A warm feeling touched the wolf's heart. He replied with a grin, "And not all younger brothers are tolerable like you! That, and… not all are warm and patient… I knew you were angry to me when I told you that I wouldn't come to watch… I was afraid that you might not like me anymore as a brother, but now though, you showed me that you liked me, even if we're really not brothers…"

"Aww, you make my eyes moist!" Fox smirked while feeling a bit mushy. "And, don't think like that, okay? We're brothers, no matter what! I mean, my dad is your father, so that makes us blood brothers, right? If people are trying to tell you that we aren't brothers, then beat them up! If you don't want to, I'll do it for you!" Wolf laughed from his statements.

James overheard their conversation. He was touched from their words. He was proud that they were already bonding like true brothers. Before, when they were young, when the lupine recently moved in, Wolf was isolating himself while Fox thought him like a stranger. Slowly, they grew up to know and like each other. He felt enlightened and said, "Raine, Lupus… I am proud that your son is being a good brother to my son… You mean our son? Heh, thanks…"

"Dad," Fox suddenly startled him, "who are you talking to?"

"Huh? Oh nobody!" he smiled back. He then stopped the car and told them, "Anyway, we're home! Get yourselves ready and go to bed, okay?"

After a few minutes of fixing up his stuff and getting himself ready for the night (brushing, taking a dip, and changing clothes), Wolf fell down flat to his bed in his room. He didn't worry much though, for the next day was weekend. No classes for him. He shut his eyes because he was so tired. However, only an hour passed, and he was suddenly awakened by somebody.

"Wolf?" Fox peeked from the door. "Sorry to wake you up, but…" Wolf came near him, and saw him carrying a snow globe with a picture of them along with James and his wife. "I was saving my allowance for this… When we went to the mall earlier to eat, and I went to the bathroom, I actually went to the snow globe maker and told him to put our family picture here…"

"Fox," Wolf replied with amazement. He took it slowly and smiled, "Thanks…"

"It's twelve o'clock in the night, so it's already tomorrow," the vulpine sincerely grinned. "Happy Birthday, Big Brother Wolf!"

"Thank you," Wolf replied with tears as he hugged his younger brother. "This gift… This family… will always be in my heart…"