He never knew when it started but Jessica had a way to make him tongue tied. Whenever it be after a date to the movies or suddenly in his shop when he is making pies. She always managed to catch him at his weakness.
Jessica had her arms wrapped around his neck, having pinned him to the wall of her apartment. He thought he was free to go when he said good night, but one wink and wag of tail later, he was being kissed by her, inside her apartment. She giggled when she pulled her lips away, her fingers giving his cheeks a friendly pinch.
"What are you so nervous about?" She smiled when she noticed his flustered face. She gave his nose a gentle boop.
Gideon chuckles nervously and pulled at his collar. "M-Miss Jesse, I-I really should get going."
"Do you really?" She whispered giving his shirt a tug, bringing him back close to her. "I'm not finished with you yet." She kissed him again, teasing him with each burning kiss. Gideon felt his chest rumbled in response, and wrapped his own arms around her waist. He pressed his lips against hers like glue, making her lean away from his sudden interest. She laughed slightly.
"W-wait, wait-" but he didn't wait. He captured her again, turning the tables on her. He switched places with her, making her be the one pinned against the cold wall. She blushed deeply when he pulled away, she felt his lips go to ears. She flinched from his touch.
"I thought you weren't done with me." He whispered, almost with a slight chortle. Her eyes slowly fell back on him, holding a slight smile.
"You flirt." She giggled again when he kissed her ears once more before resting his chin against her neck, breathing in her sweet scent. She sighed softly when she ran her fingers against his shoulder blades. They had been dating for three months now and she couldn't bring herself to ask him to mark her. She was slowly pushed away, making her pout when he slid passed her, escaping through the door.
"Good night, Miss Jesse."
She blew him a kiss. "Good night." She waved at him when he closed the door. She slumped against her couch dramatically and screamed in her pillow. She wanted to ask him tonight but again, for the fifth time, she chickened out. She was hoping for him to ask her. She could tell how much he wanted to mark her. She sighed heavily from the missed opportunity.
The next day, she was distracted. She wiped the sweat off her brow as her paws were soaked with motor oil and grime. She wiped her paws on stained handkerchief as she looked at the beaten station wagon.
She tucked the cloth into her overall's pockets before brushing her paws against her pant leg.
"Okay, the engine in now clear and oil has been changed." She said with a smirk as she checked marked it off her list.
An old leopard called Monty, laughed loudly as he slammed the front hood down. "What would we do without ya Jessica?" He said. Monty, being her boss, was actually friendly towards her than the male co-workers. She suspected it could be because she was female or that Monty just liked her best.
She dusted her paws when the car was taken away to be signed off to the owner.
"Okay Monty what's next?"
He scratched underneath his trucker hat, revealing his bald spot. "Hmm, a motorcycle."
"Oh my specialty." She winked when she crossed her arms.
"Just a check up, I'll leave you to it."
"See you later, Monty." She waved off, the sound of mechanics rang off in her ears as she saw the motorcycle brought to her, attached to the metal treadmill. It was a Harley, new, with cliche' flames on the body. It reeked of synthesized leather. She almost dropped her wrench when she recognized the smell.
"Hey Jessica." She turned to find her ex-mate. A red and tall fox with rough fur that felt like needles when you ran your paws through it. He had a denim jacket and jeans, with a white stained t-shirt. He smelled like he hasn't bathed in a month, but she remembered that he called it his "musk", back than, she thought it was attractive but now, it was disgusting. Her nose wrinkled and she was tempted to break his bike a second time.
"What do you want?" She growled. "A new headlight?" She asked raising her wrench up, ever so slightly. He took of his sunglasses, revealing his piercing yellow eyes full of fear for his precious bike.
"No, no, come on baby, I just came to talk."
She snorted. "Talk? About what? I already heard enough about you and your bike. In fact, I don't even remember you even letting me speak."
"Baby, I want to-!"
"Don't call me baby, Johnny!" She snarled, clutching onto the wrench. She pointed it straight at him making him swallow his words.
"I want you to come back to me." She rolled her eyes at him, making him take a step forward. "Come on, we had fun together. Hitting the clubs, the bars, traveling through the Savannah…"
"Oh yeah, I loved watching you dance with other foxes, paying for your drinks and sand in my face. What tons of fun." She said dryly. She turned away from him. "Sorry, not interested."
"What?" He rushed up to her. "Come on Jessica, I'm sorry we fought but I want you to give me a second chance."
Her eyes lowered when she gave him a pout. "Oh Johnny…" She raised her paw to gently cup his cheek, he smiled fondly at her touch when she gave him a pat. "You're not worth it." He frowned when she pulled away from him, holding a smirk.
"Besides-" she cooed. "I already have a new mate, and he is much better than you."
Johnny scoffed at her words. "Come on, Jessica, I know you like to play around but I didn't know you are liar."
She whipped her head back at him from the accusation. "Excuse me? Well fine, you don't need to believe me, I have nothing to prove to a shameful fox like you!" She huffed and she threw her wrench aside, making it clang harshly against her tool box in a loud crash. "Get lost, your bike is fine." She stated.
"Jessica-" he suddenly grabbed her paw, pulling her back towards him. "Just talk to me!" He demanded. Her muzzled wrinkled when she smelled a noxious odor of crickets and peanuts come out from his mouth.
"With a breath like yours, I'll keep my mouth shut!"
"What changed, Baby? We had tons of fun together didn't we? In fact, I remembered how much you liked it when a kiss you." He said raising his brows suggestively at her. She gave out a gag.
"Don't remind me. I might just throw up." She shoved his chest back, making him take a step back. She was about to pick up her wrench and beat the sense into him that she wasn't into him anymore. Maybe call in her supervisor Monty, she saw him throw out many animals before and she was sure he would love to do it for her. Until, her eyes suddenly moved to the right to see an unexpected visitor. Gideon stuck out in the dirty shop and employees while wearing his colorful apron and striped shirt. Holding a pie tin in his paws. His eyes quickly met hers and rushed right over in excitement.
"G-Gideon…" She stammered when he came right up to her. "What are you doing here?" Her eyes swiveled to Johnny who raise a brow at Gideon, who stood a little shorter than him.
"I apologize for interrupting you while you're at work but I had time in my break to bring over a strawberry cream pie for you." He smiled gently, placing the small pie tin into her open paws. Her eyes widen when she saw it was decorated with sweet and puffy whip cream, with sliced strawberries on top that formed a heart. She smiled fondly at the image and blushed lightly.
"Thank you Gideon."
Her moment was interrupted by Johnny's sudden irradiance. "And who are you, tubby?" He demanded, walking right in front of her, and poking Gideon right in the stomach.
"Leave him alone!" She snarled lowly. "In case, you didn't get it the first time, he is my new mate!" She proclaimed. Gideon mouth fell into a thin line when Johnny tried to appear himself bigger, asserting himself by poking Gideon again, this time more harshly in his stomach.
"You're kidding!" He laughed loudly. "This chump? A baker over me? I bet this guy is a pacifist! What a joke!" And poked Gideon again.
"Stop it Johnny!"
"Excuse me Sir." Gideon started with a hard tone. "I must ask you to remove your paw away from me."
Johnny snickered at his politeness. "Or what chubby? You'll eat my cookies?"
Jessica growled when Johnny poked him again. With one paw holding the pie, she used the other to grab Johnny's wrist, lifting it away from Gideon. "I said Stop-!"
"Let go of me!" And he hit her.
Jessica shouted out when she felt his knuckles hit the top of her head, smacking her right at the side of her head. The sudden force made her fall backwards, stumbling over her toolbox before landing on her back. She groaned softly when she rubbed the back of her head, with the pie facing down on the floor beside her. Ruining it. She touched the side of her head and hissed when she felt the small cut. She was ready to give Johnny a beating when he snorted.
"You should know better and stay outta the way, Ba-!" He was silenced when Gideon hit him right in his muzzle. His closed fist, hitting Johnny's jaw that Jessica heard a deafening crack. Johnny fell over, right on his knees, clutching his mouth. He moaned and cried pitifully when broken teeth and blood fell onto the floor. She stared at Johnny, dumbfounded and slowly looked back up to Gideon, who was slowly placing his shaking fist down to his side. As if struggling to control it from punching Johnny again. Gideon slowly took a breath, calming himself slightly.
"You should know….I'm not a pacifist." Gideon walked over to Jessica, taking her by the paws and gently lifting her up to her feet. "Are you alright, Miss Jesse?"
She opened her mouth, her eyes still set on Johnny, who was pooling blood. She nodded slowly. "I….I can't believe you did that." She whispered.
"What is going on here!" A voice shouted. Jessica turned around to see her Boss, with his paws to his head in utter shock of seeing a fox bleeding all over his floor. "Jessica! What happened?!"
Johnny stood up and pointed straight at Gideon. "Call tha sops!" He gurgled through the blood and missing teeth. His jaw had began to swell up to the size of a tennis ball. "He affsalted me!"
"What?"
Gideon stepped forward to Monty while holding a paw on Jessica's shoulder. "Yes Sir, it's true, I had attacked this fox but it was in reaction from when he assaulted Miss Jesse, as you can see…" He said showing him Jessica's bruised wound. Monty's eyes narrowed.
"It's true Monty." Jessica began. "He was just protecting me!"
"Ah! You don't need to cover for him Jessica!" Monty yelled over her making her wince. "Because I am calling the cops! On him!" And pointed right at Johnny.
When the police arrived, Jessica was relieved to see her brother, Nick and his partner, Judy. A relief to both her and Gideon. Judy was even more furious than Nick when they found out what happened to her.
"Oh how horrible!" Judy huffed scribbling it down in her note pad after she had interviewed her, Gideon, Monty and the witnesses that had seen the altercation from afar.
"Wait, I thought you were a pacifist." Nick said when he glanced at Gideon, who shrugged.
"I despise fighting sure, but I ain't one to shy from it when it comes to and when Jessica got hurt, well I….you know, couldn't control myself." Nick chuckled softly and placed a paw on his shoulder.
"Thanks for protecting her, Giddy."
"Well!" Judy announced, slipping her notepad in her back pocket. "We got everything we need for an arrest and battery charge, if you would want to press charges...after he comes out of the hospital."
Jessica grinned. "Tempting, but nah! I think embarrassment is enough for him. I don't think he'll be bothering me or Gideon anytime soon."
"Are you sure, Sis?" Nick asked. "You could sue him instead and get a lot of money." He smirked.
"No, I'm okay, really. Thank you." She said grabbing Gideon's paw. "Come on, you promised me a new pie." She giggled as she lead him away from Judy and Nick. She leaned her head against his arm, wrapping herself around him in comfort.
"Gideon?"
"Hm?" He answered, when they finally made it back to his pie shop.
"I want you to mark me."