A/N: I'd like to thank Reciprocate for being a huge inspiration for my work! He's helped me a lot with my writing, and he's a great writer himself! If you get a chance, you should go and read his work because it's really good stuff!

I also want to dedicate this fic as a gift to two people! It's a Christmas present for Doop, for being a really cool guy and overall being an inspiration to me. Like seriously, your art makes me so happy and keeps me inspired, and you're one of my favorite artists ever. This is also a gift for Reciprocate! I couldn't have kept myself going strong in writing recently without such a great guy like Rec helping me out and being my rock for this! I'm glad you've been such a help for me! Thank you both, and I dedicate this fic to you two!

ALSO: AHEAD

Suggested listening: When The Night Is Over by Lord Huron

I will wait here for you

Right here by the infinite sea

But I cannot wait forever

And I'll cry out to heaven

Please get me up from my knees

And I can't change this weather

So maybe I can change your mind

I don't wish you were dead

It's over. It's finally over.

The hangar greeted Fox as he set his ship down and took a huge breath. He unbuckled his harness and slumped back into his seat.

How long have I been out there?

Fox opened the cockpit and climbed out of his Arwing. When his legs hit the ground, he felt almost too heavy to stand. His confidence had shrunk now that the ground was under his feet.

Mason walked up to him and gave him a fist bump. "Nice work, Fox! You're an incredible pilot."

Fox grinned and crossed his arms. "Thanks. We always get the job done!"

Falco and the others were waiting for him with smiles on their faces. Fox returned the smile, but something about it didn't feel right. There was an odd nagging at the back of his head, one that he didn't understand.

Falco gave Fox a thumbs up. "Good job, Foxy. Wish I could've seen the look on Wolf's face when you beat him!"

Fox glanced away and bit his lip. Do you want to see the fear on his face? The anger? The sadness? Take your pick.

"Glad that's finally over, right boys?" Fox rested a hand on Peppy and Slippy's shoulders.

Slippy nodded. "Yeah! We can finally head back to Corneria!"

"Sure can, Slips." Fox smiled as he looked over his battered ship. New scorch marks took their place along the old ones from his previous fights with Wolf.

So much history between us. Does he leave the burns on his ship too?

"Are you guys really gonna leave now?" Mason asked with a frown.

Fox hummed and scratched his chin. Sure, they could leave, but the Equinox crew still needed help with the Legion.

"I don't think we'll go just yet. You guys still need help, after all!"

Mason's face brightened. "Thanks, Fox! I owe you guys a big one!"

"Any time, Mason."

Peppy cleared his throat. "I think this victory calls for a bit of celebration, don't ya think?"

Falco pumped his fist in the air. "Hell yeah!"

Fox followed his team and Mason out of the hangar and through the sweeping halls of the Equinox while his stormy thoughts cast a shadow over his mind. An emptiness clawed its way into his chest and settled there with a weight of a black hole.

Shouldn't I be happy I stopped Wolf? He was so close to destroying Corneria!

"Why? Why are you always hounding me? I flew across the entire galaxy! Yet you're still here!"

Wolf's words echoed in his head, and they didn't sit well with him. The entire galaxy…

He was so desperate, but why? He had nothing left after Andross's defeat.

Fox rubbed his forehead as his ears drooped. He's just a mercenary like me, this shouldn't bother him. He has the capacity for good.

Right?

"Fox."

Fox jumped and looked up and to the side, where Mason was looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "Are you alright?"

To think I'm short compared to Falco!

Fox sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. "Something isn't sitting well with me."

"What is it?"

"I don't really know… I can't put it into words."

Mason smiled. "Well, Hunter says I'm a pretty good listener."

Fox sighed. "Okay."

"Try to tell me what's going on." They had lagged behind Fox's team and started to walk more slowly.

"I should be happy that I stopped Wolf and saved my planet, but I don't feel happy. I feel…" Fox motioned to his chest with his hands. "Empty."

"Do you have a lot of history with Wolf?"

Fox nodded. "We fought on opposite sides of a war, but we're both mercenaries."

"So you don't like each other then?"

"Yeah- uh, no." Conflicting thoughts forced their way through Fox's head. "I don't know."

Mason hummed. "How did Wolf coming here make you feel?"

"I had hoped he wouldn't go this far. Didn't know he felt that way about Corneria either." Fox looked up at the ceiling. "I wanted him to turn over a new leaf. Guess I expected too much."

"Maybe it isn't too late for that. He might just be… I don't know. Maybe he's lost." Mason shrugged.

"Lost?" Puzzle pieces began to fit together in his mind.

"He's all the way out here. Can't get more lost than that."

Fox blinked. Wolf's hurt and broken face raced through his mind and guilt surged. "I need to think."

Mason nodded and patted his shoulder. "I understand. I hope you find what you're looking for."

"Thanks for listening to me, Mason."

"Anytime."

Fox caught up with his crew as they entered the bridge, cheering along the way. He joined them as they laughed and celebrated, but there was still that thought nagging in the back of his head. It clung to him even as he mixed in amongst the sea of sincerity.

What the heck do I do now?

Fox sat down on the bottom bunk of his and Falco's bed. He took his coat and flight suit off and set them on the floor before taking the boots off.

"Man, I'm beat," Falco said from the bunk above him. The quarters were cramped enough for just one person, but they had to make do.

"You can say that again." Fox fell back on his pillows and sighed. His pillow had never felt so soft.

A pair of boots crashed to the floor from above him. "We can finally go back home!"

"Yeah." Fox rested his hands behind his head and stared at the top of his bunk. "Corneria again."

"You don't sound too excited about that. What's the problem?"

"We still have to help Mason and his friends."

"I know, I meant after all this." Falco peered over the edge of the bed and smiled at Fox.

"How about a vacation after we get home?" Fox asked as a frown appeared on his face.

"Oh man, that sounds awesome."

Fox nodded to himself and climbed underneath his covers. "What would you do for your vacation, Falco?"

"Oh, hmm. Get drunk and have a couple one-night stands probably." Fox could practically see the shrug in Falco's voice.

"How elegant." Fox scoffed and rolled onto his side. "I guess some stuff won't change."

Falco laughed. "Well, how about you? What would you do?"

I'd lock myself in my apartment and feel sorry and lonely. You all would be having so much fun without me.

"Probably catch up with Bill and go sightseeing later," Fox lied with a fake grin.

"Man, you're so boring! Come hang out with me sometime!"

"And be around your ugly mug? No thanks, I'll just sit inside all day." Not that I don't do that anyway.

"Brutal, Foxy."

Fox lay there in silence for a few moments as he stated at the far door. He hadn't slept in at least a full day, but he only became more alert as light flitted through the small window by the bed every so often. He was so frustrated that he remained in wakefulness.

"Hey, Fox."

Fox turned back to the ceiling. "Yeah?"

"Do you hate that they're tall too?"

Fox groaned. "Ugh, yes! Every day I'm around them!"

"Thought I was always the tallest." Falco sighed as the bed adjusted and shifted.

"Least you know how I feel," Fox mumbled with a grin.

"Imagine getting one of them in an Arwing." Falco snorted, and Fox laughed with him.

"Their heads would stick out of the cockpit!"

Falco and Fox chuckled for a little while, but soon enough Fox heard a loud yawn from above him. "Gonna hit the hay," Falco said with another yawn.

"Alright. Night, Falco."

"Night, Foxy."

All was quiet again, and Fox was forced to recognize his thoughts. They clashed and fought in his head to take center stage among a whirlwind a chaos. His head began to pound.

Why are you always hounding me?

Because it hurts to see you so desperate.

The response was instant and it slapped him across the face. He blinked as the words rattled and shook around in his mind, leaving him more confused the before. His ears flattened against his head.

What are you doing to me? You normally make me just resent you.

No answers. Fox sighed and rolled over onto his side. Grey fur and a piercing red eye chased him into uncomfortable unconsciousness.

My one and only love

Leave me alone to wither and suffer

Enemies we are not

Friends we could've been

Reflection in the sky

I look up and try

"Falco- your six!"

Screaming of the G-Diffusers. Plasma bolts in the air. The stench of ozone.

"-can't hold 'em!"

Adrenaline surged.

"Fox, I'm going down!"

Were the screams coming from the G-Diffusers? Or did they belong to someone?

"It's time for you to fall, Star Fox!"

The sky was pure blue. Not a snowflake stained his vision.

And then that sky combusted with blood. Those were his screams.

Stars. There were stars everywhere. It was quiet; not even a breath could be heard. He felt weightless, untethered. But not free.

He couldn't breathe. Panic surged in his chest as he clawed at the void for a foothold, but there was nothing. It was gone, he was untethered and broken and scared and hurt and lost-

A broken Wolfen floated by, and the cockpit window gave off a reflection.

A wolf with a black eye patch and a bloodred eye stared back at him in mute horror. He looked down at his hands to see grey fur.

What have I done?

The stars faded into the darkness, and all that was left was a lone wolf in the middle of an eternal void. He screamed and cried for help, but there was no sound.

Only darkness.

Cold seeped into his bones and froze his blood.

"Hey, chin up. You aren't alone…"

A warm touch at his back dispelled the chaos and chill. "You won't ever have to be alone…"

Such a familiar voice, but from where? The wolf closed his eye and sighed, his mind melting into the abyss. Peace.

Warmth.

The birds fly by

A map falls to the side

Map of heart and map of the mind

Together leads to a final goodbye

Fox groaned as a shrill beeping cut through the veil of sleep. The dream was finally getting good, too!

"Why'd ya set the alarm, Falco?" Fox grumbled as he rolled onto his other side.

No answer, just loud snoring. Fox rolled his eyes and climbed across the bed to shut the alarm clock off before crawling back under the covers. He closed his eyes, but try as he might, sleep was not going to return.

On the one day off I've had in weeks, too! Thanks a lot, birdbrain.

Fox climbed out of bed and slid his boots on with half-lidded eyes. He grabbed his flight suit and coat and put them on before trudging out of his room and wondering how he would get revenge on Falco.

A few moments passed by and Fox found himself entering the bridge. He stretched his arms over his head and yawned as he walked to the front of the room.

Fragments of the dream came back to Fox as he rested his arms on the guardrail in front of the windows. He scratched his head as he tried to make sense of it.

Was I supposed to be Wolf? Why was I dying? Why was I alone? Why was he alone?

Fox shook his head. Of course, he had to come to mind now.

Wolf… you've lost your way again, haven't you?

Vylus stared back at Fox with its angry red and green gaze from the window. A Legion extractor drummed up a storm that enveloped his mind and filled him with a strange sense of sadness.

You came all the way to an abandoned system for what? How desperate are you?

Fox leaned on the guardrail and sighed. Hunter was off to his right typing on one of the computers that dotted the Equinox bridge, and the droning noise calmed him.

You've got the capacity for more, but you can't see it. Why?

Hands tightened on the metal. Fox narrowed his eyes and fixated on Tundria in the distance. Tundria…

Flashes of cold invaded his mind. A station. A bomb. Desperation. Adrenaline. Disappointment.

I'm not standing by and doing nothing any longer.

Something hot and white flooded his chest. Tundria reached for him, just as Fichina did so long ago. He felt a pull to that ball of ice, but he didn't know why.

Fox turned around and scanned the bridge. Mason was talking to Levi near the back of the bridge. He walked over to them and crossed his arms as he looked up.

"Hey, Fox. How's it going?" Mason smiled down at him and set his hands on his hips.

"Can you take a walk with me? We need to talk about something." Fox crossed his arms.

"Uh, sure. Let's go." Mason raised an eyebrow but didn't protest as he started to leave the bridge.

Levi frowned. "But what about my video-"

Mason laughed. "I'll catch it later, Levi! I promise!" He exclaimed as he left with Fox following behind.

The doors shut behind them and they walked down the main hall. Fox looked up at Mason as ideas formed in his head.

"So what's up? Is something the matter?"

"No, nothing's wrong." Fox sighed and adjusted his gloves. "I need you to distract my team for a while."

"Distract your team? Why?"

Come on, Mason. Help me out here. "I need to go to Tundria."

Understanding dawned in Mason's eyes. "Ah. Okay, I can take care of that."

Fox smiled in relief. "Thanks. I really appreciate this."

"Are you sure you'll be okay down there? You're fine going alone?" Mason stopped and bent down to put a hand on his shoulder.

Fox nodded. "It's gonna be alright. After all, you can't mess with the best!" He grinned and pointed to himself.

Mason laughed. "Well, I wish 'The Best' his due luck." He stood up and paused for a moment before looking back down. "I hope you find what you're looking for, Fox."

"Thank you."

Fox walked away from Mason and headed to the hangar as tension mounted in his chest.

Maybe I can get through to him. I don't like doing this dance anymore.

Fox arrived at the Equinox hangar, where only Eli was busy working on his repairing a damaged wing on his ship. He stopped and looked at Fox with a question in his eyes.

Fox held a finger to his lips as he walked to his Arwing, and Eli nodded before going back to his repairs.

Fox climbed into his Arwing and strapped himself in. He looked over to the flamethrower attached to his left wing and nodded to himself.

If we hadn't found these guys, I'm not sure we would've survived Atlas. Almost bit off more than we could chew.

Space rushed to greet him as the Arwing flew out of the Equinox. He angled away from Vylus and activated his hyperdrive towards the white ball of ice in the distance. A flash of blue light and a boom rocketed Fox into his reality while he stared at his reflection in the cockpit window.

Why did the Fox staring back at him look so exhausted, so... Unhappy?

I miss Lylat, that's gotta be it. Yeah.

His reflection wasn't convinced by that answer.

He shook his head with a huff and focused on the planet that was approaching. "Sage, are you there?"

"I am active and operating at full capacity," the robotic voice replied. So much like ROB back at home. Man, we should've taken the Great Fox.

"Can you tell me where Wolf O'Donnell crashed on Tundria? I'm trying to locate him."

A moment of silence passed. "I have marked the crash site on your map."

"Thanks." Fox turned the interface of his eyepiece on and saw a glowing yellow dot appear on the side of Tundria through the green glass.

Let's go.

Fox's grip tightened on his controls as his eyes gleamed in the starlight. Tundria was finally upon him, and he cut the hyperdrive to descend through the planet's atmosphere. The flames licked at his ship and skyrocketed his heart rate while he stared at them.

Breathe, Fox. In and out. You're okay.

The flames dissipated and were replaced with the pristine glaciers of Tundria. Fox cut the engines and began to skim along the surface of the planet as his heart grew quiet once more. The skies were clear and sharp with no snow in sight, just a bright day. He smiled at the simple beauty of the planet.

Wolf's coordinates were only forty units away. Apprehension coiled in Fox's stomach as the numbers ticked down.

Well if I die here, Mason better give a darn good excuse as to why.

Fox jumped a snowdrift and landed in front of a wrecked ship. The icon centered on that ship, whose wings were sheared off and cockpit glass shattered. No corpse to be found. A little of that tension lifted from his chest.

"Now where are you?" He muttered as he looked around the area.

"Alert. Blizzard incoming, seek immediate shelter or exit the atmosphere." Sage's voice was far too cheerful to make Fox feel calm.

"Sage, is there a cave system or a building nearby?"

"There is an abandoned refinery thirty-two units to the west. Picking up one heat signature."

Fox's heart leaped into his throat. It's him, it has to be.

He shot off towards the new marker as quickly as he could. The snow drifts shifted and blew away when he flew past them, and snowflakes cascaded down on the cockpit. If he wasn't so anxious, he would've marveled at the sight.

Fox stopped the ship in front of the broken down refinery and touched down on the ground. He looked down on the console to see that the temperature read...

"129 below zero?!" Fox's eyes widened. Good thing I'm wearing a thermal suit, jeez.

Fox unbuckled and turned around to grab a helmet from behind his seat. It was simple and grey, but it had a visor where his eyes were so he could see. He put it on, took a breath, and opened the cockpit.

He could only feel a slight chill from the rather intense wind. Good.

Fox climbed down the Arwing and hit the ground. His boots sunk a few centimeters into the ground and he stumbled forward a bit before regaining his balance.

"Seek shelter immediately, blizzard incoming."

"Yeah, I know, Sage." Fox trudged towards the refinery entrance.

The door opened with a creak and allowed Fox inside before it snapped shut. A darkened room met him, and the temperature increased quite a bit, but the display on his headset showed it was still cold enough to give him frostbite after a while. At least he had oxygen. He took the helmet off and shivered.

"Come to finish me off, huh, Fox?"

That familiar voice sent Fox's heart racing. He swallowed and followed the source of the voice to see a figure shivering in the corner of the building.

"W- Wolf?"

Fox heard a laugh as he made his way around some conveyor belts. "Aww, you were lookin' for me. Cute."

Heat rushed to Fox's face. "You're gonna do this again? Here?"

"Why'd you come to me?" Wolf's voice grew soft.

Fox blinked when he stopped in front of Wolf. Wolf was buried under a thermal blanket with cuts all over his face. A dull red eye bored into Fox's own.

Fox's throat went dry. "Uh…"

"Guess it's time for me to face the music." Wolf closed his eye. "And I just wanted some peace and quiet."

"I just wanted to talk to you." The words spilled out of Fox's mouth before he could think.

Wolf snorted. "Yeah, sure. Tell me how fuckin' terrible I did and how horrible I am."

Any anger Fox might've felt vanished as he gazed upon the broken man huddled under a blanket. He sat down next to Wolf and hugged his knees to his chest.

"What are you doing?" Wolf asked.

What the hell are you doing, Fox? He stayed silent.

"Why do you keep chasing me?" Wolf's voice cracked as he spoke.

Fox looked over and saw the broken man break even more. His ears were flat and frustration and anger and sadness were scrawled all over his face.

"Leaving you to die felt wrong."

"But why are you still chasing after me? Can't you just leave me alone?"

Fox's chest started to ache. He wanted to reach out a hand and touch Wolf, but he couldn't. I don't even have a damn answer!

Fox just sat there next to Wolf without saying a word. His anger had evaporated and was replaced with a consuming sadness.

"I guess I just want to help you. You feel lost, don't you?"

"Who the hell says that?" Wolf turned away from Fox. The answer was too quick.

"Why did you even come to Atlas? What was your plan?"

Wolf growled. "Make Corneria pay."

Fox rolled his eyes. "Did you really think half a dozen Primes and a makeshift spindrive would work?"

No response. Fox looked over to see Wolf staring at the floor.

"I understand why you feel like-"

"I was desperate, alright?" Wolf huffed and curled into his blanket. "I was."

Fox nodded and leaned back against the metal wall. "Your worldview was shattered. I get it."

Fox stared at the black ceiling as the words came more easily. Something was telling him to just talk with Wolf and understand. Try as he might, he could not find any hatred within himself to dish out.

"It's happened to me too."

Wolf finally looked over at Fox with a raised brow. Fox's heart stuttered and beat faster.

"What else could I have done?" Wolf asked. "There's nothing left."

"I… I don't know. But it feels like a waste to come all the way out here for nothing." Fox hummed and stroked his chin. "All you had was anger and a half-baked plan. Look where that got you."

"Why the hell do you care so much?" Wolf pressed his hands into his face and growled. "Why are you chasing me?"

"I don't know." Fox felt empty as Wolf's words stabbed through him. I'm losing him. "But we've got plenty of time to talk. There's a blizzard outside."

Wolf sighed and moved his hands back under the blanket. His face was downcast, which surprised Fox. Wolf looks so defeated.

"You wanna know how my life has been since Venom?" He finally looked at Fox with a neutral face.

Fox felt his stomach twist up as he nodded.

Wolf closed his eye and sighed. "Fine. It's been pretty damn horrid."

Fox winced. Man, I didn't really think of how it would be for people on Andross's side. Always thinking about myself over everyone else.

"Pigma and Andrew ditched me after you killed the mad doctor, and I ditched Leon to come here." Wolf scratched the top of his head. "I'd heard rumors of powerful stuff here, and the rest just happened after. Guess I just needed a purpose."

"So you decided to go after Corneria."

Wolf nodded. "Very astute observation, McCloud."

"So you were lost, huh?" Fox raised a brow and looked over to Wolf, who was only a few inches away. How had they gotten so close?

Wolf chuckled bitterly. "I've done some stupid stuff, haven't I?"

"You're just a merc like me. I could've been in the same position."

"But you weren't and we're here."

"How did you think any of that could've worked?" Fox crossed his arms and cocked his head.

Wolf shook his head and shivered. "I don't know."

Did you just not care? Was this just self-destruction? Why would you do this?

Why was there such a stabbing pain in Fox's chest?

"Any regrets?"

Wolf nodded. "Too many."

Fox bit his lip and looked down to his feet. "Do- do you mind sharing?" Oh, clever one. What is it gonna be next, his favorite food and color?

Wolf sunk further into his blanket. "Like I've got another choice." The howling wind outside seemed to grow louder.

Wolf sighed. "I should never have dropped out of the Academy. Shouldn't have taken that offer from Andross. Shouldn't have done this in Atlas, shouldn't have trusted Andross, shouldn't have tried to hurt y-"

Wolf stopped and Fox felt his heart skip a few beats. What was he going to say?

"W- what was that?" Fox edged closer, ever closer to Wolf. They were almost touching now.

"Nothing. It's nothing, just." Wolf shut his eye. "Just leave it alone." His voice cracked and faltered.

The air in the refinery seemed to grow even colder in the silence, and the wind just howled more and more. Fox felt both centimeters light years apart from that strange person shivering by him. He reached over and set a hand on Wolf's shoulder.

"Did you not… want to fight me?"

Wolf was silent as a few tears streamed down his face. Fox felt a pit of despair well up in his stomach as his entire world fell apart in a darkened room.

Fox wasn't sure what was real. If this even was real. Was he still in bed on the Equinox, dreaming?

"I didn't have a choice; did what I had to do. Can't break a contract without my legs getting broken." Wolf didn't shrug off the hand but rather leaned into the touch.

"Oh. So we could've been..." We were almost friends. Maybe in another world.

"Yeah." Wolf's voice was barely a whisper. "Almost." That whisper broke Fox's heart and sent something hot through his chest.

Fox wrapped his arm all the way around Wolf and drew him close. Fox felt his chest explode and his face light up and everything in his mind was screaming at him not to do that, but something else made him.

Something he was afraid of.

Wolf's breath hitched, but he didn't make any moves for a few minutes. But then Wolf's mask began to fall as he leaned into the hug. Something about that felt right.

Fox smiled and closed his eyes as he felt big arms wrap around him. All of the tension melted away in the arms of his rival, and his tail started wagging embarrassingly.

"Thank you." It was soft, so unlike what he was used to.

"You're welcome."

I guess that tough guy I encountered earlier was just a facade. Maybe he's not such a jerk.

After a little while, Wolf let go and Fox sighed before doing the same. Wolf started to laugh.

Fox raised a brow. "What?"

"We're hugging in a frozen refinery. You and me." Wolf snickered some more, and Fox started to laugh as well.

"Guess that is pretty weird." Fox leaned back against the wall. "But that's not a bad thing… is it?"

"Hmm. I guess not."

Fox closed his eyes. But I still don't even know what I'm doing.

"You still didn't say why you were here." Wolf raised a brow as he stared at Fox.

Fox swallowed as his heart pounded in his chest. "It's complicated, I guess. I don't really get it myself."

"I wanna hear it anyway."

Fox stared at his hands. "After we beat you, I felt empty. I guess I was upset you'd go to those lengths to get Corneria, and it hurt." He bit his lip while he paused. "I've been thinking that you're lost now. I wanted to help you."

"I didn't want your team to get involved. Didn't want to hurt you." Fox looked over and saw genuine regret and remorse in Wolf's eye. "I don't deserve to be forgiven for that."

"Why attack Corneria?"

Wolf shrugged. "Ran with an idea. I hate the idea of that dog sitting in the fancy chair above everyone else."

Fox smiled. "It is kinda fascist, isn't it?"

Wolf blinked and frowned at Fox. "Wha- you don't like Pepper? Thought you were his lapdog."

"He pays well, but he's not such a great person. Cornerian citizens don't really have a ton of freedom."

"You can say that again."

"Do you regret what you did?" Fox clasped his hands together and cocked his head at Wolf.

"Honestly, I regret it all. Hurting you especially." Wolf looked at Fox with something new and different in his eye. "Weird how it takes almost freezing to think of the heavy stuff, heh."

Fox's face should've exploded by now; why hadn't it done that yet? He felt hot enough to start sweating in the cold.

"Do you want to come back with me?" Fox smiled and scratched the back of his head.

"I'm just gonna be thrown in the brig, right?"

"I won't let that happen." Fox felt a flame ignite in his heart at the thought. I'll show them he has the capacity for forgiveness! Mason can help me!

"You can't go very far for me, you don't have reason to trust me!"

"I saw a trustworthy person open up to me just now." Fox smiled. "That's good enough for me."

Wolf laughed and shook his head. "You're so naive, McCloud."

Fox shrugged. "Maybe."

"Okay. Fine, I'll come with you after this blizzard dies down."

"Great!" Fox grinned as his tail started wagging. Wolf chuckled.

Fox felt the chill start to creep through his thermal protection. He shivered and curled into himself.

"There's enough space for two. Come on, don't want you to die." Wolf lifted the blanket and Fox moved next to him without a moment's hesitation.

Fox sighed at the heat under the blanket. Wolf is really, really warm.

"Thanks." Fox smiled and tried to ignore the drumbeat in his chest.

"You're a damn good pilot, you know." Wolf patted Fox's shoulder as he spoke. "Takes a lot to shoot me down."

Fox felt his face flush again. "Thanks. That really means a lot."

"You've shot me down… three times now? That's a pretty good track record."

"You don't have to word it like that!" Fox flicked Wolf's arm.

"Sorry that I'm impressed by your flying!" Wolf snorted and flicked Fox back. "Reminds me of the Academy…" he muttered quieter.

"Those were the days, huh?" Fox sighed and looked to the ceiling as vivid memories of the past began to pop up in his mind.

"You and that… Bill guy were inseparable!"

"Yeah, and we had quite the rivalry with a certain upperclassman before he dropped out."

"Could never beat you in the simulators."

C'mon, you're still great at fighting on the ground. I still remember some bruises I got." Fox smiled at Wolf. Man, that heat is so nice. Wolf's just a huge, soft furnace.

And yet there still was a voice in the back of Fox's head telling him to shut up and run away, fight and scream and get out. He ignored that tiny and desperate voice. That voice was stupid.

"What happened to that?" Wolf asked.

"You left, and the rivalry stayed." Fox shrugged, but those memories long forgotten came bubbling to the surface of his mind. The confusion and acceptance, but there was a longing under it. That primal thing he felt earlier was around even then.

"Was I just too young to understand?" Wolf's brows furrowed together as he stared intently at the floor.

"You did what you thought was right."

"It was the biggest mistake of my life, leaving."

Fox shrugged. "Maybe, but you weren't a fit for the Cornerian military."

"Neither were you!" Wolf snorted and cracked a small smile.

Fox crossed his arms. "Sure I was! I just wanted to form my own team more!"

Wolf rolled his eye. "Yeah, alright."

"Sucks we were too busy with our rivalry back then to get to know each other." Fox frowned as his ears drooped.

Wolf wrapped an arm around Fox's shoulder. "Let's make that time up, then."

"What if they don't let you?" Fox looked up at the ceiling where the Equinox was surely waiting on him.

"Then we fight for each other." Wolf drew Fox even closer to where he could rest his head on Wolf's shoulder.

Wow, this is really nice. It feels so great.

"Okay." Fox closed his eyes as his chest felt ready to burst.

Drowsiness overtook Fox with the feeling of warmth… of home. He lost himself in the world of dreams.

Don't hesitate

When the time comes, just act

The time for running away is over

Stand and fight for love and peace

"Bill, we did it!"

"What? What did we do, dude?"

Fox ran up to Bill in the middle of the courtyard while he panted. He held a sheet of paper to Bill's face and grinned while his tail wagged.

"We set the Academy record in the paired simulators! We beat Wolf!"

"That's so sick, man!" Bill high fived Fox as they both laughed.

Fox fell back on the ground and looked up at the clear sky. Bill lay next to him with a sigh, and together they got lost in blue.

Fox punched Bill's shoulder. "Only took two years." A squadron of Cornerian fighters screamed past and left trails of plasma cutting through the wind.

"And he'll be right back in the simulators tomorrow." Bill huffed while he crossed his arms.

"But we won today, didn't we?" Fox sat up to look at Bill, who was smiling.

"Yeah. We won today."

"Ready to go back to our dorm? Need to call my dad."

Bill nodded and got up. "As long as we can play video games later, man!"

Fox gave him a thumbs up. "You know it!" He started to walk back to the dorm. Bill joined him and they walked through the courtyard.

The future awaited them past that door. Fox smiled and accepted it with open arms and a wide smile.

An empty casket stood before him. Water fell from the sky. Emptiness everywhere.
Fox fell to his knees in front of a gawking crowd. I'm the stereotypical picture of grief, of course.

Emptiness.

It doesn't matter. He's gone. It's all… gone.

Fox felt someone lift him up and hold him gently while he stared at the casket. It was Peppy standing there with tears in his eyes.

Something inside Fox's heart grew rotten and black.

He wasn't sure how long he and Peppy stood there, but eventually, the crowd was gone and the casket had turned into a gravestone at a cemetery. How had he walked there? How long had it been?

It didn't matter.

"Fox, it's getting late. We should go," Peppy murmured while he touched Fox's shoulder.

"I'm staying." Fox's voice was quiet.

"Okay. Can you get to the Academy fine?"

"Yeah. Go."

Peppy sighed. "See you soon, Fox."

"Bye."

Peppy left and Fox was alone under a cruel and oppressive sun to stand and stare. The marble grave had a few painful words cut into it.

James McCloud

Father, Husband, Hero

Greatness never falls to earth

R.I.P.

Fox took the black coat off and tied it around his waist as he started to sweat in the heat. No tears would come. Everything was numb and grey.

He sat down in front of the headstone and ripped blades of grass up from the ground. No tears came for him.

The headstone of his father stared at him. No tears came.

Pigma Dengar's face was taunting him in his mind. No tears came.

Footsteps grew louder as they approached him. "Hey, dude. You doing okay?"

The tears came and he buried his face in his hands.

"Fox…" A cool voice filled with sorrow reached out to him.

The flood wouldn't stop, even as a calm warmth surrounded him. The hurricane enveloped the cracked heart and it would not stop.

"I'm so sorry…"

"He's gone. They-" Fox stopped as the words caught in his chest. "Bill, they-"

"They murdered him."

I'll kill Andross. I'll kill Pigma. They'll regret this.

Wolf? Did Wolf do this too?

No, he couldn't have. He's better than that.

But he dropped out and joined Andross.

"I've got you, man. I've got you." Bill hugged Fox close while he shattered.

His reality was collapsing.

I was following the pack

All swallowed in their coats

With scarves of death tied 'round their throats

To keep their little heads

From falling in the hope

And I turn 'round and there you go

And then oh you would fall

And turn the white hope red

As bloodied men on the battlefiel

Consciousness hit Fox like a brick as he jolted awake with a shout. Fear sent his adrenaline racing while he scanned his surroundings and clutched at whatever that nice warmth was.

Oh, right. Wolf.

"Fox? Hey, what's wrong?" Wolf held Fox with a soft grip and looked at him.

"My dad. Did you kill my dad?"

Wolf sighed and shook his head. "I didn't even know what had happened, I was on guard duty at the time." He rubbed Fox's back. "I never would have killed your father."

A weight lifted off of Fox's chest. "Okay."

"Bad dream?" Wolf moved his arm to wrap around Fox's shoulders and drag him close. Fox leaned his head on Wolf.

"Just some memories. About Bill and my dad, and you."

"I didn't do anything to your dad. I'm sorry you thought that."

Fox smiled, and Wolf smiled back with a strange expression that made Fox's chest heat up and his ears start burning.

"Hey, can I say something? It's gonna be kinda weird." Wolf chuckled and looked away.

"This situation is weird enough. Bring it on."

"I'm glad you found me and didn't wanna kill me. I appreciate it."

"Killing you is stupid. Too much history to just do that." Fox laughed and grabbed one of Wolf's hands.

"There's one last thing, though." Wolf's face wasn't far from Fox's now. Fox swallowed while butterflies flew in his stomach.

"What's that?"

And then Wolf's lips crashed against Fox's.

Oh. Oh. So that's why I haven't been able to keep calm today. Okay.

Fox wrapped his arms around Wolf's neck and drew him in before he could back off. He felt Wolf smiling, and he smiled back.

Thanks Mason. You… you probably knew before I did? This makes so much sense now.

Wolf was so warm. Fox felt his whole body burning up as he kissed Wolf.

Man, I'm so stupid. I needed this, need Wolf. Can he be any more amazing right now?

Wolf broke the kiss off as he started panting. "I've wanted to do that for years."

Fox felt he smile grow even bigger. And he just got more amazing. Wow.

"Can we do that again?"

Wolf laughed. "C'mere." He drew Fox back and started to kiss him again with such a tenderness that Fox swore he could've melted on the spot.

Everything makes so much sense now.

Fox broke off and hugged Wolf. "How long?"

"Since the Academy, I guess. What about you?"

Fox hummed. "I don't know. I didn't really get it until you kissed me." He laughed. "That was really great, by the way."

Wolf snorted. "Dork."

"So… are we like-"

"Together?" Wolf squeezed Fox even closer. "What do you want? It's kinda… quick, I guess."

Fox hummed. He's right, this did kinda just happen. But maybe this should've been resolved a long time ago. This feels right, even if my team will murder me.

"Let's do it. You and me."

Wolf laughed and kissed Fox again. Oh, this isn't gonna get old.

Bliss. It was pure bliss and happiness and it was letting go of fear. Almost like perfection.

"To think I was worried about you killing me when you arrived." Wolf rubbed Fox's ear and Fox sighed.

"Oh, right! The blizzard!" Fox hummed. "Sage, what's the weather like?"

"The blizzard cleared away an hour ago. You've been asleep for six."

Wolf raised a brow. "Who's Sage?"

"The AI that my new friends have. The one that's been watching over me." Fox sighed as heat rushed to his ears. She saw everything, didn't she?

"Oh, okay."

"The blizzard's gone. We can go now; my Arwing is outside." Fox didn't make a move to get up.

"You don't wanna leave either, huh?" Wolf chuckled and hugged Fox.

"Yeah, but we're gonna freeze." Fox sighed and got out from under the blanket. He stood up and reached down towards Wolf.

Wolf took his hand and stood up next to Fox. Fox swallowed as he looked up at Wolf, who was a few inches taller than him. His flightsuit was intact other than a few tears on the chest and legs, and he cradled an oxygen helmet in his left arm, just like Fox's.

Fox's brain shut down as he stared. "Wow, you're uh. Big. Nice suit. Muscles. Uh."

Wolf laughed and ruffled Fox's headfur. "You're really cute too, Fox."

Fox blushed before leaning up to kiss Wolf. Wolf smiled and leaned down to kiss him while he set a hand on the small of Fox's back. Sparks flew through his body as he stood there with Wolf.

Perfect.

Fox wrapped his arms around Wolf's torso and buried his face in the crook of Wolf's neck when they stopped.

"We gotta go."

Wolf sighed. "I know." He kissed Fox one last time before putting his oxygen helmet on. Fox put his own on just after with a burning chest and a dreamy smile on his face.

The two walked to the entrance of the refinery and opened the door. Fox blinked as harsh white light enveloped him, but he walked through the threshold to the frigid outdoors.

Had the snowdrifts gotten bigger? Fox couldn't tell; everything looked the same as before.

"Hey Fox, won't your Arwing be buried by all this?" Wolf raised a hand to shield his eyes from the sun.

Fox nodded. "Yeah, but our fancy Starlink tech lets me teleport our ships wherever, basically. You'd have to ask Slippy how it works."

"Okay then." Wolf shrugged.

Fox touched the side of his helmet. "Sage, can you get my Arwing out of the snow?"

"Affirmative. One moment."

The Arwing appeared without any damage in a flash of orange light. Fox walked across the snow and climbed on it with Wolf not far behind.

"Whoa, that's some sweet tech."

Fox nodded while he opened the cockpit. "My friends on the Equinox are geniuses. I'm glad we're on the same side!"

Wolf scrambled into the back while Fox got in the pilot's seat and closed the hatch. "I hope that'll apply to me too," Wolf murmured.

Fox started the ship up and took his oxygen helmet off. "It'll take some convincing, but we can do it!" He turned around and gave Wolf a thumbs up.

Wolf smiled as he took his own helmet off and set it to the side. "Thanks, Fox." He sighed. "Man, you're so great."

Fox scratched the back of his head and chuckled. "I'm not that great."

Wolf leaned forward and kissed Fox. Fox closed his eyes and cupped Wolf's cheek as that amazing and weightless feeling came back.

Nobody is taking this from us. I won't let anyone stop this.

"Ready?" Fox asked as he turned around and strapped in. The G-Diffusers hummed and the engines roared.

Fox felt Wolf's hand on his shoulder. "Yeah."

The Arwing took off and shot out of Tundria's atmosphere. Space called for them, and so did the truth. So did finality.

I found what I was looking for. Thanks, Mason.

Thank you, Wolf.