FicWad

Chapter 5: Shadow

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Wolf


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I had never been to Jack's corner before so I looked up the location on my communicator .It's one of those working class bars,a place where people didn't have to feel scared when they came in,and not a place to go to look for some excitement .I did arm myself but I decided maybe I shouldn't bring a blaster or a gun; I am still on parole .I made sure I hid them well before I left out though,years of being paranoid made me have that much sense .

As I strolled down he streets ,hands in my pockets and wearing a simple pair of jeans,some boots a t-shirt and a jacket,I blended in perfectly,no one stared .Also means they didn't notice the eye which was refreshing .They always notice the eye .


The sign to the place was glowing neon blue and tacky,the building itself I can tell was repaired from being devastated by the war,built over ruin .The inside though was not what I'm use too .Some crappy mainstream back ground music from a generation before me,no cigarette smoke (there was a no smoking sign when I came in) .I didn't smell any drugs,the alcohol was nothing but standard beers and liquors,nothing fun or exotic,no dance floor or lights and the bartender was an old butch of a deer,not one of those sexy chicks or dudes you see at night cubs .

I may have appeared to blend in with the drabness but it did not fit me .I also felt like an imposter dressed like this .I'm use to walking around looking like a damn commando and according to Leon,a 'stripper' though I say he's talkin' outta his ass .

I glanced around and saw Fox in the corner .I recognize him anywhere from posture to the way he holds his beer bottle,the look in his eyes when he's not playing games for once .

I don't like how serious he looks .

Our eyes met and he waved me over .I sat down in front of him and He smiled .

"Eh ,long time no see Mike,how ya' been?",he said in a voice that obviously wasn't his .

"Been cool,Joey,you?",I followed his actions,playing pretend .We shook hands and sat down with our beers .I saw Fox's eyes shift to the left and I followed them .

There was someone lurking nearby .

Great,I just got outta prison and now people are working to get me back in

"So I heard Amy's pregnant .Again",he said .I shook my head ,sipping my beer .

"Is it the same guy for once?",I asked .He laughed .

"This is Amy .I'll bet you money it's not",he said .

We bullshitted around for a while ,watching our little guest before leaving out of the place talking and laughing .

But after we got outside ,we immediately parted ways .As I left ,he sent me a map,showing his movements .

-Meet me here',it said under it .

I made my way to the location .The further I walked ,the better the city started looking and I feel annoyed because damnit,he even lived in a better place than I did .I mean,I just got outta prison,but really ? Not like StarFox is actually doing anything now,are they?

Whatever .It's none of my business .

Except that our follower was following him and not me .Remembering my days as a crook ,I started tailing the dog as he was following Fox .

I was starting to get board when I saw Fox cut through a parking lot,his follower close in pursuit and I ducked behind a car .I couldn't see Fox anywhere .But if I know anything,hiding was one of his best skills .Being a fox makes him cunning,lethal,in a way a lot of us aren't .

That's when Fox sprang up behind the guy and pistol whipped him in the side of the head and he went down .Fix immediately gripped him up and slammed him against a van,gripping his collar .

"Alright you son of a bitch,you been tailin' me for weeks .who sent you!",he demanded .

No answer .

Fox just chuckled and I think it scared the guy .Fox then punched him in the face,bloodied his nose from it .

"I'm not tellin' you shit ,pussy!",he said .Fox punched him in the face again immediately and when that got him nothing,he punched him in the gut .

"You think you're fuckin' tough,huh? You think you really doin' somethin' ,don'tcha?",he said,now kicking him to the ground .

"You're just somebody's lackey,somebody's bitch .Nobody's gonna give a damn about you if I kill you,you're replaceable .Bunch of little shits like you out here,don't got nothin' to ya' name,tryna fight your way up .Most of em' die you know .You wanna die?",he said,grabbing the now badly beaten pup by his collar .

"Y-you're Fox McCloud . . .how can you be do this?",he was crying now .

"I'm a fuckin' mercenary .I kill and beat the shit out of people for a living,just like you run around being the errand boy doing dirty work and and clock in at some shitty job at a fast food restaurant .Yeah,that's right kid,I been watchin' you too",Fox said .

I almost felt bad for the kid .Almost .

"I-if I tell you,he'll kill me!",he said .

"And I won't? Don't know what you know,who you know,what you saw .Might be better for me to kill you",Fox said .The kid just whimpered .His communicator dropped from his coat .

"Fine,don't tell me .But just know that he next time I see you,you're dead,got it?",Fox said,slamming him into a vehicle .The kid tried to go for his communicator,but Fox pulled a gun on him and he ran like hell .

If I were him ,I would get the hell out of town while I still can .That's what I did the last time I got in some deep shit with somebody who I knew could have me killed,I was a pup back then .

"Did you enjoy the show?",Fox asked .I stepped out from my hiding place in time to see Fox lighting up a cigarette .

"What the hell was that about? The great Fox McCloud beating up kids in the street?",I said sarcastically .Fox just flicked the ashes from his cigarette .

He still won't look me in the eyes .

"Punk had it comin' .Once you get in with a gang,you signed over your child hood",he said .I know exactly what he means .

"You really mean it ,don't you?",I said .

"Yeah,what's it too you?",he asked,his face in a scowl .I wonder if I helped make him cold or was he always like this .Back when we were us,he used to be a pure sadist and masochist,only he kept it in the shadows unlike Leon .Leon had no care what people thought of him,he stopped giving a fuck not long after we met .

I think it was back when he murdered his first lover .Or maybe the second one,I don't quite recall .

I can see that that name McCloud is a curse, a burden .A burden because of what people wanted James to be and he knew he could never be that .Drunken nights of him saying weird shit to me and tryna get me caught up in threesomes with whatever slut he had with him told me that much .Fox has pain as his vice and chain-smoking nights with tensions high and someone ready to get hurt was what he was into .Whether it was actual masochism or death-seeking,I can't tell .Personally,I say it's both .

He still won't look me in the eyes .

"You're cold as ice,McCloud .If your eyes were blue,it'd match your personality better",I said .

"Ice melts eventually .I say liquid nitrogen is closer",he said , tossing me the communicator .

That wasn't a joke ,at least not to me . I can't ever get use to seeing him like this .

"So ,what did you want to tell me?",I asked .

"Kovak",he said .

"What about him?",I asked .

"You got in a shoot out with him,but we know he's too much of a dumb fuck to be pulling the strings . I suggest looking in that communicator,I already got all the info from it . We can look through it for some answers ",Fox said .He took another slow drag from his cigarette ,blowing the smoke away .

"You know what?Why the fuck do you care?",I finally asked,looking at him .

And still,he won't look at me .

"I . .I owe you",he said .

"If it wasn't for you ,I'd be dead",he said .

"If it wasn't for you,I probably wouldn't have been in jail",I said .

"You know why I did it ,Wolf .If that's your real fuckin' name",he said .

"Not having this conversation with you",I said,ready to leave .

"Damnit ,Wolf! I loved you! I wouldn't do something that fucked up for no reason!",he pleaded,yes,literally pleaded .He's looking in my direction .

He finally looked me in the eyes .

I saw that he was being honest for once instead of dipping and dodging and implications .

"What does it mean now?",I said .The next instant I'm pressed against the van and he's close,close,too close,his paws against me chest,our muzzles almost touch .

And I smell a familiar smell on him,Falco .

That combined with the intense feeling of falling hits me full force,the fire,the pain .

And I threw him off of me,disgusted at myself for being so weak .

He looked at me and for the first time since I saw him after coming out of prison,he looks vulnerable,like the sweet little pup I remember him being whenever he was unsure of something and didn't know how to fake otherwise .But that smell .

"We're rivals,McCloud,that's all .We're destined to kill each other",I said,turning away .I felt him latch onto my arm .

"Only if we die together",he said in that haunting voice I'd heard before that I never knew if it was a he was being dramatic or dead serious .And when he says it sounds so inviting,and it makes my heart beat .And when I looked back,he had that same faceless expression and wild look in his eyes he gets when he knows he's doing something dangerous ,like that time that he snuck into Sargasso after our last break up ,just to see me .

"Get off of me",I growled and pulled away .

"You said it yourself,if you ever die,you want it to be in the sky .I feel the same way",he said .

"I said we're done here",I said,leaving .

"I'm sorry!",he pleaded .For a moment,I stopped .

That's all I wanted to hear . . .that's all I wanted .

"I'm sorry for what happened .I-I thought you were going bad again after everything we've been through ,after all we worked for,I thought you threw it away to be a common crook again and I was angry .I was angry that you went from being just Wolf to 'Lord O'Donnell' again .And I wasn't going to let that happen .I always knew there was something else in you . . .A-and I found it .I didn't want to lose it .To lose the real you",he said as I was walking off .I wanted to go back to him so bad,so so bad .

But I couldn't not now .As much as I wanted him,there was a chance,that I may have to kill him .And to have to kill my lover,I think,would be my undoing .

There's no wonder that Leon's unhinged .
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-So,what do you think ? I admit,I did a kinda dark take on Fox McCloud,more so than I've seen with other people . But I'm having so much fun !