Chapter 15
It was a fast month. From the time of the painful homecoming had come and gone. Fox felt bad for the assumption he made of Krystal. She explained to him the reasons for her actions and everything was fixed. Panther had been upset that Krystal practically ditched him after homecoming. She had no regrets, he began to fall in the wrong crowd, the crowd that was certainly dangerous. She stuck with Fox, she knew he would protect her. She was happy to be around him, even if he had yet to ask her out. She figured patience would help her, the last time she was upset about him, he made the wrong assumption and it threw them into a deep hole. But they got out of it, together.
December had come, and the group was ready for Christmas, and Christmas break. Fox had still been struggling with Krystal, as far as trying to lay down the moves went. He knew he couldn't take being apart from her much longer so he decided for Christmas they would throw a party.
"A party? With everyone and their parents? Fox that's a great idea!" His mother raved about the idea for days. Fox began spreading the word, "Bring your parents if you want" He told them. Krystal wanted her parents to meet Fox's, for obvious reasons.
It was Christmas eve they had the party, and Fox was as nervous as could be. He wanted so badly to talk to Krystal, to tell her how he felt, but he just couldn't seem to get it out. Falco and Slippy were the first two to arrive, and they could tell Fox was nervous.
"I thought he was done with this being nervous." Falco muttered.
'Okay calm down, just don't worry. Take it easy, just talk to her like you usually do.' He could see her and her parents drive up and begin to walk up to the porch.
Fox ran back toward his room like a scared child as Falco and James caught him.
"No!youguyscantmakemegooutthere! imeanshelooksgoodandilookterribleanditjustwouldntw orktoday!" James slapped his son across the face.
"Pull yourself together son! You gotta go out there and sweep her off her feet! It's Christmas eve, there's no better time than tonight!" Fox slapped his face a few times to get himself back in shape.
"Right, I just need to go out there and say what I practiced." Falco paused and looked at james,then looked back at his friend.
"You…. You practiced what you were going to say to her?" "Yeah, course I did. I gotta be prepared." Falco had a look of disbelief on his face. "If you'll excuse me."
He walked off and moments later you could hear loud laughter coming from behind a closed door. Fox's ears drooped a little when he heard the laughter, but quickly he shook them off and tried to focus back on his mission. The doorbell rang and Vixy answered the door as they walked in.
"Hey Krystal!" Fox said as he quickly walked out, without paying attention to anything. He soon tripped up and landed roughly "Oof!" He echoed. Krystal couldn't help but cover her muzzle and try not to laugh. James walked up and held his hand out to Krystal's dad,
"James McCloud, it's nice to meet you." The two older foxes shook hands firmly. Fox regained his footing,
" Here, let me take those for you" He took the dish they prepared and the two liter drink they brought and walked to the bar area of the kitchen where the other food and drinks were. Krystal followed him and sat on one of the barstools on the other side of the bar. She watched her crush intently. He glanced at her for half a second and looked back down, then looked back up at her one more time. He smiled and went back to moving everything around.
She felt like she could just stare at him all day. 'He's so cute' She thought as she watched him.
Vixy was busy talking with Krystal's mom. "So Diane…. Let's keep this between us ladies, but does Krystal like my son?"
Diane leaned in close to Vixy whispering "Oh she's absolutely crazy about him. She talks about him every day!" Vixy had a happy smile "Fox really likes Krystal too, he just has a hard time with girls." "So we hear from Krystal" The two vixens shared a laugh as their husbands stood on the other side of the room, knowing exactly what they were talking about.
"So you think he'll ask my daughter tonight?" Rick asked James. He shrugged his shoulders "Knowing my son, I really don't know." The two vulpines laughed themselves. Everyone arrived and now started to socialize more.
Peppy had arrived and was eager to speak with James and Vixy. Just as he was nearly finished placing everything did Fox notice James and his friends laughing looking over at him.
He had a confused look on his face. He looked around his surroundings then turned red. He moved some cups around and purposely dropped some where Krystal was sitting.
"Geez sorry Krystal, can you pick those up for me?" "mhm" She told him as she leaned down to pick them up, and when she did Fox jumped up and snatched the missletoe that was hanging down and threw it at his father.
"Here you go." She said as she handed her crush the cups. He smiled to her and went on with his things. Everyone settled down, and as Fox was about to leave the kitchen did Krystal out of nowhere come up and hug him around his stomach. It had been a while since this happened and he seemed to have forgot how to react. He turned red a little and gently hugged her back. She was so happy that he had invited her into his house, and that she could be around him.
They all settled in and it seemed almost as if Fox was avoiding Krystal. He hadn't talked to her since she had gotten there, she was feeling a little sad about this. Eventually she wanted to be alone and went outside and sat on the porch swing, the same porch swing that she sat on with Fox a month ago when he dumped Fara. She sat out there in the semi cold wondering to herself.
"Son why aren't you talking to Krystal?" Fox sighed not even knowing the answer. "Listen, she's out there by herself, if you don't act now, I'm kicking you out." Fox laughed at his dad's joke. "Alright dad, wait here." He went back to his room and came back with… a present?
"I wont let you down dad." He walked outside to face her at last. He sat down beside her and put the present down on the ground.
"Why are you out here by yourself?" Krystal looked off to the open night, then looked back at Fox,
"Hoping for a moment like this." She said as she took his hand in hers.
"I was hoping for a moment like this too, I've wanted to give you this for a while, and I figured this was the best time." He handed her the present and she tore off the wrapping paper and opened the box, inside it was a….. shirt?
' what's so special about a shirt? No I shouldn't think like this, he went and got me something ni-' Her thoughts were interrupted as she unfolded the shirt.
"This… this is my shirt!" All those months ago when they first met, ripped her favorite shirt. And now he finally repaid her.
"I hope it's the right size, I took a look at you and guessed- er I mean-" She cut him off with an enormous hug and squeezed him tightly. "Fox it's perfect! This is so sweet! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" He tried to return the hug,
"Krystal… you're 'cough' choking me."
She let go of him, "Oh uhh sorry" She said with a nervous smile.
'It's now or never' he thought to himself. "Hey Krystal?" she turned to look at him. "You probably know this by now but, I… I really like you" The two both paused.
'He… he finally did it.' She thought to herself.
'great, she's spooked now, way to go McCloud.'
"No Fox." Just as he thought, his greatest fear had been met.
"I understand Krystal, I'll just leave you alone now." He got up and tried to walk back inside, but something stopped him. She was still holding onto his hand
"No, sit down." She told him. He did so and she looked him in the eyes. "I mean I'm not spooked. I like you too Fox, a lot"
She saw the biggest smile of relief come across his face once she told him that. "Krystal, if you give me one chance, I promise on my life that I will make you as happy as you can be and I will never hurt you or allow anyone to hurt you."
She began to cry out of happiness, and so did he.
"Yes, yes I will. I know you will give me a chance to do the same for you Fox. I… I want to stay with you." The two crying foxes embraced closely to each other as everyone else looked through the window watching the two happy people in their lives.
He whispered in her ear, "Merry Christmas Krystal."
Things were the way they wanted them to be.
Just the way the were supposed to be.
