HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Raidon dies.

FIRST CATCH

Needless to say, I like how this fic is turning out. Something to keep me occupied on the side. Imagine if I just worked on TS, though. I might just do that for a month. Chapter 7 is here, also. Thanks for all those who stuck by these stories for the longest time. You guys all really keep me in check. You're my sunflowers.

I also want to really thank my Patrons. You're all genuinely so generous. You're the true reason I'm eating while at uni lmao.

LuanOTP owns nothing.

It felt like it was about time they had reached back at the Great Fox; frivolous felines kicking on the back of chairs made the ride feel ten times longer than it actually was. Once the bird's aviation vehicle was fully docked, Falco Lombardi escorted Katt Monroe out of it and toward the more common rooms.

"Wow… This is what I call an aircraft carrier." mused Katt, looking around at the sleek and shiny metal walls to the corridor they walked down.

Looking about the interior, Falco acknowledged the linings himself. "I know. Can you believe it? Fox's old man pulled out a couple of loans to grab this thing."

"I wonder how much this'd go for on the market…"

Falco gave a side eye to his female companion's sneer, but carried on walking anyway. After a left turn, they both ended up in the common room, where three pairs of eyes laid their sights especially on the pink visitor.

The feline-falcon pair stood at the central door, while the main engineer of the team, Slippy Toad, sat on the couch across from a monitor. Peppy Hare, the veteran, was also next to Slippy on the couch. However, he was preoccupied with a bunch of papers in hand. Lastly, the captain, Fox Mccloud, was previously prioritised in leaning on the wall while on a mobile device. Bringing Katt back to base felt like bringing a girl home to meet his parents to Falco

Adjusting his cap, Slippy found a blush forming on his cheeks once facing direct eye contact with Katt Monroe. Peppy found himself in the same position, yet put an effort to make it seem less obvious.

"O-Oh! Katt! Glad to see you two made it back in one piece." congratulated Fox, coming away from the wall.

Falco looked to the relative West and scoffed. "Trust me, I'm just as glad."

Placing her hands on her hips, and swishing her hair to the side, Katt looked at the vulpine with half-lidded eyes. "Thanks for the escort, too. Was a really gentlemanly service."

Peppy had stood up after sorting his bones out into place. "We really appreciate your help on ZonessFox had briefed us on what happened 'n' all, so you're welcome to stay here as long as necessary to keep you safe."

Falco's eyes darted across the room for any signs that he may have missed out on; he never remembered that agreement being made prior to this. What worried him most was that there weren't any guest rooms on deck.

"My, my! I really appreciate that! Do I have a designated room at all?" asked Katt a little expectantly, clasping her paws together and looking to the side.

The 4 pilots of the team exchanged awkward glances, looking for solutions left and right. Unfortunately, no one seemed to have any sort of glimmer in their eyes.

"Well, looks like we'll have to sort this out the ol' fashioned way, boys." chimed Peppy, gesturing for Fox, Falco and Slippy to come closer to him.

"Old fashioned way?" Katt mused to herself, moving to an angle to properly see what was going on between the four team members.

Each of the StarFox crew members stood in a diamond crossed their arms, forming a fist with each hand to replicate a four-way Rock-Paper-Scissors battle. The creative project had four adults resorting to a child's game to resolve a dilemma. It amused Katt to see the likes of the more serious pilots, such as Fox Mccloud himself partake in such an elementary game.

"Ready?" Slippy called out. "Rock, Paper, Scissors, shoot!"

After the call, the only person who had a smile on their face was Slippy Toad himself, who had bested Fox and Peppy who were adjacent to him. The game was repeated again, until Fox and Falco were left to be head to head.

Fox threw his hand forward, and so did Falco. Furred hands clothed with fingerless gloves met a cobalt-feathered opposition. Shock came upon the captain's face the second that he realised that Falco had thrown a fully clenched fist. Looking back down at his own hands in denial, Fox stared daggers at his hands that formed a scissors; he had lost the game.

"Wham! You weren't even worth the trouble." exclaimed Falco, folding his arms in victory.

Smiling, Fox sighed and turned to Katt. "Aha, well, I lost fair 'n' square. Katt, you'll stay in my room for the time being."

Mentally, Falco fist pumped as hard as he could. Having Katt here was certainly a privilege in terms of having another person to talk to on this lonely ship. On the other hand, he was still able to remain a hold on his privacy.

Pursing her lips together, Katt stuck her tongue out through the corner of her mouth. "Well actually, I was thinking that Falco and I could just share his bed. It'd be just like the Hot Rodders, eh Falco?"

Fox, who clearly agreed with the idea, wore a cheeky smirk and folded his arms. "Well, that doesn't sound bad either. In fact, I think that's a pretty good idea."

The room erupted with Slippy's laughter once he had caught a glimpse of Falco's face. Avians such as himself deserved anything but this. It was simply too awkward and weird for him. Eventually though, Falco caved after some visual prodding from Peppy.

"Alright… Sure." the bird moaned, walking in the direction of his quarters. "Aren't you gonna come?"

Katt waved bonsoir at all her peers, before swivelling on her heel and following her comrade of old to his bedroom eagerly.

Now, they had entered Falco's private chambers, where the entire room had that classic smell about it. Katt had hung up her coat on the side next to Falco's, and got a good look around the place. It was quite roomy, but to be fair, they were in a massive space carrier after all. Otherwise, the place looked relatively normal. However, it wouldn't end there for the snoopy Katt Monroe. She peered left, and immediately indulged herself in the desk that had a few interesting things sitting on it.

"Ooowooo! What's this?" clamoured the cat, picking up an orange dragon with blue membranous wings and a talk lit on fire. Of course, it was a replica. "I didn't know you were into plushies, Falco. That's kinda cute, actually."

"H-Hey! I'm not! That was just a gift." Falco denied, shaking his head. Yet, Kat's face showed that she wasn't very convinced. Although, the avian could smell the smugness from where he stood behind Katt, and it made him seethe with embarrassment. "I-I'm serious!"

"Mhmm, don't worry, Birdie; I believe you." she calmly replied in spite, inspecting the rest of the room. "That's a lot of comic books, Falco. It's like a little teenager's room in here."

Falco took notice of his collection that was in a haphazard stack also, but shrugged nonchalantly.

"Video games get kinda boring, and Fox is really strict about the stuff we search on the internet, so comics are the next best thing."

Katt turned around, and placed a finger on her lips. To Falco, she looked to be in deep contemplation. Yet, she eventually shook her head and sat on the bed.

"Good to know more about you, Falco. Now, are we sharing the same bed? I'm really thinking about getting to bed soon."

The ace pilot unraveled his bandana, and glared at the cat in disbelief. "Geez Louise, Katt. You weren't kidding when you said you were demanding. You can sleep in my bed, I'll take the floor."

Immediately, a grin was slapped right on Katt's maw. "No way, Falco; you aren't embarrassed of sleeping with a girl are you?"

"Close it! It was just common decency, that's all." barked back Falco, but it wasn't enough to change the look on the cat's face.

"Falco, chill. We aren't gonna do anything funny tonight. Just sleep in the bed." reasoned the feline, still with a smile though. She then schooched up to one side to provide more space on the other. "There's plenty of space as well."

Falco rolled his eyes, but realised that she was right to believe that sleeping on the floor was a silly idea once he saw the amount of space on his bed. Was it always that massive?

"Alright, I suppose you're right. You can be next to the wall." agreed the avian.

"About time it clicked in your head. Now, could you turn off the light? I think I'm gonna get to bed."

"Sure thing, I guess."

Falco reluctantly forced his bones to get up from the desk and turn off the light. Thankfully, he still had a desk lamp that he'd use in those special occasions. After turning off the main light, Falco switched on the lamp, grabbed a comic book and got to work. This time, the cover had a pink quadruped animal and a bipedal red thing with a beak wearing a hoodie on it.

A couple of minutes of silence ensued. It was so silent that Falco could hear movement coming from across the hall. Probably Slippy again in need of a midnight buffet.

Although, shuffling then came from Falco's bed, Immediately clutching his attention from the book. The songbird could see Katt's glimmering irises under the starlight, and perhaps the dim help from the desk lamp also.

"Hey, are you still awake?" asked Katt, trying to keep her voice down.

"Nah, I haven't tried sleeping, yet." responded Falco in an equal level of volume. "Why? You need sumthin'?"

Katt shifted her head from side to side, covering a yawn with her paw. "No, no. I just really wanted to thank you, Falco. Like, on a personal level. I've never had someone so hospitable to me before. Thanks."

Leaning back in his chair, Falco caught somewhat of a blush himself. "Hey, don't sweat it. You helped us a bunch during the war, and… y'know… you were one of my best mates way back when."

A toothy grin manifested itself upon Katt's delightful smile, as she snuggled in bed further.

"That's the sweetest thing you've ever- wait, Falco are you blushing?" called out the cat, eliciting Falco to instinctively drift his attention back to his comics. "That's so adorable!"

"Ugh, goodnight, Katt." moaned the discomfited falcon. Rotating about in his chair. "Make sure you leave me enough space, too."

"Ahaha, fine. Goodnight Falco."

The StarFox member breathed a sigh of relief once he relished in the total silence. Granted, there was still a bit of shuffling coming from Katt. Otherwise, he was completely content.

"Oh, hang on, though." spoke the bedded feline aloud. "Is it alright if I leave this on your table?"

"Sure. Pass it here."

Katt seemed to be outstretching something in her hand towards her feathered friend. Falco took it without much mind, and found that the object received was something of a clothing item: a yellow vest.

"Alright, thanks. Goodnight."

"Night."

Turning back, Falco folded and placed the apparel in the corner of the desk, and got back to reading. Looking up a couple times, the avian noticed something interesting about the dew yellow clothing.

Wait… if her top is here, what the heck is she wearing?

Falco's chagrin started rearing its ugly head out for what felt like the 100th time today. Slowly, he peered over at his female companion, and witnessed her bare shoulders: no t-shirt, no straps, nothing. The bird's breathing grew restless, strained and erratic the more he thought about it.

Eventually, the StarFox war veteran forced himself to glare at the comic for just a little bit longer, before he too succumbed to the enticing attraction of slumber.

Early bird gets the worm. Actually, Falco considered that phrase derogatory. Anyways, the bird woke up nice and early that day, or whatever counts as early out in space. His eyes became open, and he sat himself upwards. He looked a right mess: His feathers were ruffled, his shirt a crinkled catastrophe, and his breath smelled toxic. Glancing left, Falco was shocked to see how graceful Katt appeared, while not even conscious. Wait…

Katt Monroe was sleeping in his bed.

It took Falco a second to calm down lest he wanted to freak out and make an uproar. Still though, his heart was off to a fast start.

Slowly, he crawled out of his own bed with a bit of a back pain, and looked at his face in the mirror opposite his desk.

You could really do with a shower, Lombardi. Especially after such a garbage day.

Thus, the bird left his room, and made haste toward the bathroo-

"Oof!"

"Ouch!"

Two pilots slammed into each other at a walking pace. To Falco, it felt like someone had just gutted and winded him. He was knocked to the floor with a loud clang, as his backside hit the freezing metal floor. Gazing upwards revealed the perpetrator - a vulpine with green shorts, topless and mohawk in a shaggy mess.

What caught Falco's eye the most was the fox's sleekly shaped torso. A simple gaze down at his pectorals were enough to dab a bit of red around his cheeks.

"Oh… Mornin', Fox. I heard watching where you're going is a good way to start the day." snidely sneered the avian, helping himself and his comrade up on his feet. "What are you doing up so early?"

Fox bashfully glanced at his feet. Falco wasn't the best reader of rooms, but he could for sure tell when someone wasn't acting right.

"I just couldn't sleep too well." truthfully answered Fox, sighing afterwards. "What about you? Is everything fine with Katt?"

Falco nodded humbly, before starting to sidle past his leader in the direction of the bathrooms. "Much better than I expected. Anyway, I was just off to get a quick ride in the Arwing before everyone started waking up."

Immediately, Fox frowned, as if he had just taken a bite into a mouldy sandwich. "Seriously? Even with what happened yesterday? Falco, just take the day off, will you?!"

Now the feathered wingman felt insulted. Furrowing his eyebrows, Falco responded with venom in his tone. "What's your problem, Fox? I just wanna go out on a cruise for a bit. Don't you miss being out there?"

"I know, I know, but… No. I said no, Falco. It's too risky out there right now."

It was too early for an argument, yet Falco felt his temper beginning to rise. "Well, I don't see how that's supposed to stop me going."

"Then that's an order, Falco." Fox argued back, glaring at the taller pilot under his command sternly, not shifting focus for even a millisecond. "I forbid you to go out there until further orders."

"So that's it, huh?" Falco retorted, placing one of his hands on his hips while he used the other for gesticulations. "I'm effectively grounded? Honestly, what's got you acting like my Mom all of a sudden?"

In the bat of an eye, Fox grabbed Falco's wrist with prompt speeds.

"Because I care about you, Falco!"

Fox now looked back down at the ground after that outburst, while Falco, the recipient of the exclamation, stood across from him. He hadn't heard his captain yell like that in a long time, and now that he had, Falco was left starstruck and wide eyed. Looking closer, the songbird could've sworn he saw tears in the young captain's eyes.

Performing a 180, Fox turned quickly, and left down the halls, stomp after stomp. Realising the source of that weightlessness Falco felt within him, he gave slow chase after the sobbing vulpine, holding an extended arm out.

"F-Fox, wait!"

"..."

"I… I c-care about you too..."

We wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy new year! The next chapter for That Sylveon should come out next year. Jajajaja. Anyway, leave a review if you have an opinion. Thanks loads to my s. I really appreciate it.

-LuanOTP