Grown to Love

Chapter Twenty

It'd been a week since Fox was separated from his team. He was stuck under what he was only able to describe as "house arrest." He wasn't necessarily forbidden to leave his house but if he were to get anywhere near the main army's station, he would be seen as trying to interfere with General Pepper's work. While stuck at home, Fox grew sorrow. His thoughts drifted to Wolf and Peppy, thinking of how they both were. He stressed about Wolf's safety, knowing that he could be seen as an enemy to every Cornerian soldier and he stressed about Peppy's mental health. Knowing that he was stuck under watchful eyes of Pepper and be thrown into trouble if he interfered let Fox think of all the anxiety and concern Peppy must've felt. Fox sat at his kitchen table staring at the wall in silence. The words that escaped Leon's mouth to convert Wolf went off in his head over and over again. He questioned why those words and numbers set Wolf off and it began to irritate him that he couldn't figure out. He took everything Wolf had told him into consideration and tried to figure out why Andross wanted Wolf to be apart of his army so badly and why he'd go to extremes measures of keeping him as his own royal guard dog. He grunted in frustration and stood up. It was already late and the thinking he'd been doing for the last three days continued to take away Fox's sleep. He stretched and yawned. "This is all so stupid." He said to himself. He turned off the kitchen lights and made his way to his room. He threw himself onto his bed and stared at the clock. It read three-fifteen A.M.. He sighed and turned to his back, throwing his arm over his eyes. "Oh Wolf...why did you have to get stuck in this situation? Why couldn't Marcus just be a responsible parent? Why couldn't Pepper let you stay with us at the time? Why'd you run off?" He felt himself choke up and he rubbed his eyes. The memories of his past filled his head once again. At first it was the last few weeks that entered his head but it soon was the last few months. The remembrance of forgetting Wolf made him choke up even more and he turned to his side. He didn't want to remember that after losing Wolf he had forgotten him for so many years. Not purposely but to ignore the emptiness of his heart. He then remembered the last few years he was with his father. His eyes began to tear up as he remembered how heart broken he was when he lost his father. The aching only worsened when he would wish Wolf was there to comfort him but never had him there. Again he rubbed his eyes. Then it hit him. The memories of his childhood. Growing up with Wolf from the very start of his life. He felt his chest hurt with every memorable moment he had with Wolf, from his earliest memory to his last. His eyes tested up once more only this time he let the tears build and fall down his face. He lightly chuckled to himself as some of the memories he recalled were some of his most memorable ones. He recalled every time he and Wolf would laugh and have a good time. His own chuckling only began to fade as he remembered the heat Wolf was taken from him. The room grew quite as Fox closed his eyes and remembered that day in depth. He focuses on remembering not the terrible fate of having Wolf taken from him but the night before. The night he and Wolf confessed how they felt. Fox's eyebrows furrowed as the pain in his chest grew slightly. The two had grown up together from the start and would've been able to grow closer. In Fox's mind, he almost felt as if he and Wolf were grown to love each other. Then the pain hit him. The wave of every memory circling again and again. He began to cry softly to himself as he'd done so for three nights now. He clutched his pillow hard and let his tears fall. Three nights of this already happened and it would be only a matter of time before Fox drifts to sleep.
A sudden thud startled Fox. He sat up and looked up at the clock. It was five thirty. Two hours passed since he got into bed. No one was supposed to be at his house while Pepper has him separate from his team and even if they were to return, Fox couldn't quite pin out why they'd return at five in the morning. He got out from his bed and made his way to the door of his room. He opened it quietly and looked around. The House was dark and silent. It didn't seem like anything was moved around or broken. Fox sighed heavily and closed the door. "Must be something outside..." he said to himself. He turned around to face his bed but was quickly pinned back against the door. His breathes was knocked from him and he looked up, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dark. A purple eyes looked down at him as a glooming silhouette hovered over him. Fox's wars went back and he stood as straight as he could. "Wolf?" "I've been looking all over for you McCloud." Wolf's voice was serious and rough. Fox couldn't tell if it was actually Wolf or not. He wanted to believe it was him but something in his gut told him this was Andross speaking. "How'd you find my house?" Fox Questioned in a slightly serious tone. "You think Starwolf would let your team get away so easily? We're an elite team with our own methods of doing our job. You got away back on that planet but I'm not losing you this time. I promised Andross I'd bring you back to him and I plan on doing so. And when he's down with you, I'm going to rip you and your team to shreds. Once you're out of the picture, General Pepper will have no method of beating Andross and his army and the Lylat System will finally be—" Fox slapped Wolf hard across the face with the back of his hand; so hard that Wolf's eyepatch was thrown off. Wolf was in shock and wasn't really sure as to what had happened. He looked back at Fox with confusion. He stepped back. "What the hell? Why'd you do that?" Fox's fists shook and he leaned towards Wolf, raising both his fist and voice. "How'd it happen last time?! How'd I break you?! This isn't Wolf speaking! This is manipulation. This is Andross talking. Where are you Wolf?! Come on out. I'm done stressing about how you're continuously getting taken away from me." Fox breathed heavily. He then blinked slightly and stood back. The room was awkwardly quiet for a while. "Get out of my house." He said at last. "I'm not leaving without you. I've got a job to do." "You've ANY idea how weird this is?! This doesn't even feel real! You're in my house in the middle of the night threatening me, my team, and my whole planet after you've been manipulated through years of Andross's enslavement to you. You have no idea how confused and stressed out I am. If you were just patient enough to stay with General Pepper, we wouldn't even be here. Damnit Wolf, get out of my house! Maybe you're better off working for Andross after all." Fox breathed shakily, feeling his blood grow warm with all sorts of emotions. Wolf, really being slapped with all sorts of things, said nothing and walked pass Fox. He opened the door and was ready to step out. Fox's lip quivered and he turned back to face Wolf. "Wolf Wait." Wolf stopped and turned to face Fox slightly. "I'm just frustrated. I'm angry. I'm upset. Don't go." "You're really starting to freak me out McCloud. What is it you want me to do? Leave? Stay? Make up your mind." Wolf growled lightly. The tension between the two grew a bit. Fox bit his lower lip and ran over to Wolf, throwing himself into his arms. Wolf stood motionless and stared down at Fox as he heard him sniffle. Just like when he and Fox has first landed on the unknown planet and stayed with each other for a few hours as strangers, Wolf was unsure of what to do. His mind was telling him to take Fox and cuff him and to take him to Andross but his instinct wouldn't let him. Instead he patted Fox on the back. Fox's ears perked up and he looked up at Wolf. "You're a strange one McCloud..." Wolf said softly. Fox couldn't help himself. His heart ached and his mind was scrambled. He stared up at Wolf for a while longer before leaning forward and pressing his lips to Wolf's. Wolf's eyes widened at the sudden action. He wanted to pull away but at the same time he didn't. He was unsure as to why he felt like that but he didn't do anything at the matter. Fox then wrapped his arms around Wolf's neck and proceeded to kiss more, his eyes fluttering shut. Wolf shut the door behind him and began to kiss back. His hands moved to Fox's waist and he slowly pulled him closer. Fox slightly pulled away. He stared into Wolf's eyes and felt himself relax for the first time in a while. "Wolf..." Wolf said nothing. He placed a hand on the side of Fox's face and rubbed his ear slightly. Fox presses his face closer to Wolf's hand. Wolf blinked hard a few times and pulled himself away from Fox. He shook his head and looked around. "What..where..." he looked back at Fox and his heart skipped a beat. "Fox?" The change in his tone had Fox spring back a bit. "Wolf? Wolf that's really you right?" "I-I think.." Fox slowly made his way back to Wolf and placed both his hands on the sides of his face. "This is wrong...What Andross has down to you is wrong. You continue to leave and come back to me. Isn't there a way of ending this?" Fox whispered softly. He wasn't really talking to Wolf at that point but more to himself. Wolf pulled him close and hugged him tightly. "Fox...I want this to end. I hate this. I hate forgetting. This isn't what I want. You have to take me to Pepper. He's got to find a way of fixing this. There's GOT to be a way of fixing this." "I understand Wolf. I want to help you as best I can." Fox's adrenaline suddenly kicked in. "Wait, you're not with Leon are you?" Wolf thought for a second. "N-No I don't think I am. I don't recall being with anyone. I think I told Leon that I'd search for you no matter where you were. He didn't join me in searching so I believe I'm alone." Fox sighed with relief. "Good. I don't want him to trigger your memory change again. Not while I still have you." Fox hugged Wolf and rubbed his head under Wolf's chin. Wolf smiled slightly and held Fox with a relaxed tone. "Sorry I busted into your house.." Fox chuckled. "That wasn't your fault." A low and soft growl then began to escape Fox's mouth. He pressed himself against Wolf slightly more and his tail began to sway. "Fox?" Wolf looked down at Fox but Fox said nothing. He continued to do what he was doing, purring in a way, and steadied his emotions. Finally he spoke. "Wolf I miss you so much... I don't want you to leave me...not again." Wolf sighed. "I can't promise that I won't leave. It's not really something I can control.." Fox hesitated as he slowly looked up at Wolf. "Stay with me. Stay here for as long as you can." Wolf shook his head. "No, Fox. I-I can't. It can be risky. Leon might come searching for me. I don't want you to get hurt." "I could care less." Fox interrupted. "I just want to be with you again." Wolf gave up at that point. He couldn't figure out any other way of trying to talk Fox out of it. He pet Fox slightly as they stood in silence for a while. It seemed to bring the tension all around them down. Fox bit his lower lip and looked up at Wolf. He felt his face warm up and he quickly looked away. "Hey Wolf..." "Yeah Fox?" Fox pulled at the collar of his shirt slightly. "You remember last week? While in the cave? You mentioned the night we confessed to each other.." Wolf felt his own face warm up. "You're not gonna..." Fox sheepishly nodded. "I'm asking..." Wolf then pushed Fox back a bit. "This is such an awkward moment though. A-Are you sure?" "It's crossed my mind a few times. We never really have gotten to. I'd like to at least once." Wolf exhaled sharply and rubbed the back of his neck as he thought. "I mean, if you're completely ok with it and it's what you want, I-I wouldn't mind." The room once more grew slightly awkward in tension.