All I Ask of You (Fawks)

[Tori Ashwood]

Say you love me every waking moment
Turn my head with talk of summertime
Say you need me with you now and always
Promise me that all you say is true
That's all I ask of you

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Tori couldn't believe what had happened.

Snake had kissed her. Snake, the man she was forced to leave because she needed Fox, had just up and kissed her. Normally, most women would have been dancing at such a thing. Most women would have been delighted at the sudden gesture, calling it romantic, or lovely. But, for Tori, it scared the hell out of her.

Not just because it had been done suddenly, though that had played a major roll in it. She didn't like people rushing up to her; every sudden movement had her cringing or flinching backwards. Every jerk had her praying that the blow wouldn't land too harshly. But, this time, it wasn't just the flinching reaction beaten into her by her father that had her frightened. This time, it was the emotion that had come with the sudden action that had her running with her tail tucked between her legs.

Snake had kissed her, and she had kissed him back. It had been so easy, so natural. She hadn't even considered the consequences, or had Fox on her mind when she had kissed him back. Just... just him. That was all she had thought of. His kiss; the thought of being in his arms...

It made her feel so guilty.

Tori flung the door to her home open carelessly, only pausing when the sound of the door crashing into the wall triggered a memory. For a minute she just stood there, torn halfway between the past and the present, before she finally managed to remember where she was.

"Fox?" She called, reaching back to shut the door. She locked all four locks, then placed her jacket on the hanger - like always. "Fox, are you in here?"

God, she hoped so.

[Fox McCloud]

Somehow I found a way to get lost in you.
Let me inside! Let me get close to you!
Change your mind! I'll get lost, if you want me to.
Somehow I found a way to get lost in you...
The pain of it all, the rise and the fall, I see it all in you.
Now every day I find myself saying,
"I want to get lost in you... I'm nothing without you."

Fox had become... mostly nocturnal.

It was fairly easy, given his species. His jobs had moved away from the day time; unless he was specifically hired to do something while it was still light, he did everything under the cover of darkness, including seeking the jobs out. He didn't mind it, and he was sure to be awake to get the children ready for school in the morning and greet them in the afternoon, so he was mostly in the clear. Mostly. As it was, the two kids were in another room, politely keeping the noise down for their father.

He really hadn't expected Tori to be home that afternoon. As such, he had been sleeping; he was shirtless (thankfully, wearing pajama bottoms) and his hair and fur were tussled from all the tossing he had done. He was awake as soon as he heard the key in the lock, however, one ear pricking up though neither of his eyes bothered to open. The anthro gave a yawn.

"Fox? Fox, are you in here?"

"Grah... chudesnyi," Fox murmured to himself, even as a smile smile crept up his maw. Unexpected, but not unwanted. He liked Tori's company.

He sat up and pushed himself out of bed, bare paws making almost no sound as he padded into the front room. He fixed his head hair, at least, though he was completely oblivious to the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt (and he probably would have thought nothing of it if he had known). Fox wasn't trying to be sexy or a tease, he... was just somewhat oblivious to his mannerisms. They had long become habit by now.

Fox was surprised the children hadn't greeted Tori first, but he didn't bring this fact up. Instead, he simply called to her, "Am here," grinning with half-lidded, drowsy eyes.

[Tori Ashwood]

"Am here."

Tori's heart lifted when Fox's sleepy voice answered her, even as she mentally scolded herself. She had known that Fox slept during the day; she knew that. And yet she came barging in, making as much noise as possible, and then calling him. Waking him up. It was enough to bring her spirits down, if they weren't already six feet under.

She had just placed her keys on the ring hanging up on the wall next to the door when Fox walked in. She looked up, and immediately froze. Her eyes widened at the sight before her.

Damn. But... damn.

With the messy hair, and the lack shirt, and the... Guh. Tori couldn't even properly form a thought-sentence. He was... Just guh.

At that moment, Tori knew how to straighten everything out. Without even telling him hello, she walked over to Fox, took his face in her hands, and pressed her lips to his.

[Fox McCloud]

Fox's eyes popped open and he stiffened; not in unwant, but in complete and utter surprise. He hadn't expected that, not in the least. Still... He relaxed after a moment, returning the kiss. Gently, he reached down, one hand resting just above her hip, the other moving upwards to lay on her cheek, his thumb rubbing softly against her cheek bone.

Okay. Okay, this was more then worth being woken up for.

Fox let out a contented noise; almost like a whine, but obviously happier. He was glad he hadn't given up hope, now. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to be kissed like this-- the feeling as if your nerves were on fire, but a fire that healed, instead of hurt, and it was definitely a feeling he was happy to have back in his life.

The anthro pulled back ever-so-slightly for air, resting his forehead on hers. He smiled down at her, eyes still half lidded, and chuckled warmly. "Hallo."

---

((BECAUSE HE PRONOUNCES THE E WITH AN AH SOUND.))

[Tori Ashwood]

For a moment, Tori thought she had done the wrong thing. Panic begin to flare, and whispers of doubt formed in the back of her mind. Maybe he hadn't meant that he loved her like that. Maybe he was simply staying beside her because he knew how fragile she was, because he knew that, should she be left alone, she would shatter. The thought made her heart ache, though all Tori could do was kiss him deeper, trying to get the message across. 

But then he started to kiss back, and relief warmed her heart, calming the doubts. The hand on her hip, on her cheek, had her stomach fluttering, an unusual feeling. Now, she wasn't saying the feeling was unpleasant, and she certainly wasn't complaining; it was just new. Just like the fire in her skin. The same fire she had only felt when Snake kissed her. 

He broke away, and Tori quickly took a breath of air. She couldn't help the smile that had her lips curving upwards, even as he spoke. 

"Sorry to wake you," she murmured, trying to keep her manners up - despite what had just happened. As if the pink in her cheeks didn't totally take away from her effort. "I forgot you slept at night now."  

[Fox McCloud]

Fox murred, a sound he was sure he had only emitted once or twice in his life, his tail swishing back and forth as he looked at her. Just like Tori, to apologize for something so mundane after he no longer cared about it. In truth, he wasn't sure he would be able to sleep for a while now, and he honestly didn't really care. He was just happy to see her.

"Is fine," he murmured, his ears relaxing. "Not mattering. Being worth it, actually, and Fox can be sleeping later."

He wondered, though, what she was doing back so early. He had thought she'd had errands to run, a gang to handle... was it lunch time? But his internal clock didn't seem to think it was noon, even if his stomach was grumbling at him to eat (a fact he was so used to ignoring he was almost surprised his mind even registered it). The anthro held back a yawn, then cocked a brow.

"You are being home... earlier then usual, yes?" he asked, still not quite sure he was getting the time right. "Any reason?"

[Tori Ashwood]

Tori couldn't help herself. As Fox spoke, she leaned her head so she could rest it on his shoulder, in an attempt to get closer to him. She still felt a little guilty for waking him up when she knew he needed to sleep, but hearing him say it was worth it... Well that bolstered her confidence and eased the guilt - if only a little. So long as she wasn't waking him up for no reason, she supposed she was okay. 

At his question, she closed her eyes. She really did not want to talk about what had brought her home early. Not at all. And yet... She knew she had to. If they were going to have anything that vaugely resembled a relationship, she was going to have to tell him the truth. No matter how much it scared it. 

"I... I came home early because I had to talk to you," Tori murmured, glancing up at him from where her head was still resting against his shoulder. Her eyes were soft, but wary, "I went to go talk to Snake today. I had to clear the air between us, and... And I just... Words got said, and I think I built his hope up without realizing it. He ended up," she bit her lip, not wanting to confess the next part, but knowing she had to now. 

"He kissed me, quickly and without warning. I didn't know what to do, so all I could do was kiss back. I... I think he wanted to see if I had any doubt about... Or if maybe there was a spark between us." Tori reached for her coat, trying to grab a fistful of fabric, before remembering he was shirtless. So instead, she just placed her hand on his chest. 

"I love you, and I'm sorry..."

[Fox McCloud]

Fox wasn't quite sure how to respond.

The one thing that really registered... he wasn't angry. At least, not with her. He did feel a twinge of aggression towards Snake, but that... that was mostly a territorial thing, an animal nature he couldn't quite repress. Once his mind marked something as his, he was going to feel mad if anyone tried to take it from him. But, luckily, he didn't act on or say anything about these feelings. Right now wasn't the time to be an animal.

Cautiously, because he knew it was her emotional times, the times like these, when she was the most skittish, Fox brought up the hand that had been resting on her hip, placing it over the hand she had put to his chest instead and clasping it ever-so-slightly. He moved his head so his chin rested on top of her hair, and for one moment simply stood there, still and silent, just inhaling her scent. Words had always been hard for him-- especially English ones-- and he didn't want to slip up and say the wrong thing.

"Am loving you, too," he finally murmured. "And is not being your fault, Snake's actions, or your reactions. He is... man. He is clinging to something because he knows now he can't have it; is natural, especially when he is having feelings for you to begin with. Fox is not expecting for him to be over you so quickly... and Fox is not expecting you to be over him so quickly, either, Tori. Am not blaming either of you for this."

Okay, so maybe he blamed Snake a little. But, as stated before, now was not the time for instinct to override logic. If there was one thing he didn't want to do, it was to scare Tori away. Not now; not when they'd just gotten together. He moved the hand that was on top of hers, intertwining their fingers as best he could.

[Tori Ashwood]

When he took her hand, Tori relaxed slightly. She closed her eyes, pressing against him slightly; she felt the need to be closer, to feel him against her. It was a security thing, really. She had to know that he was there; that he wasn't going to just disappear because she made one little mistake. 

"I meant it, when I said I love you," she murmured, "I may not be completely over him, but you know I've made my choice." She squeezed his hand gently, "Snake left me for two years; I know you won't do that to me. Those children won't let you." Her eyes sparkled playfully. 

Tori knew it was more than just the kits holding him to her. Sure, the children loved her, and she loved them, but children alone couldn't tie people together. Not permenately, anyways. 

She straightened slightly; not pulling away, but just pulling her head off his shoulder. "Besides," she breathed against his lips, "you had my heart a long time ago." At that, Tori touched her lips to his again. 

[Fox McCloud]

Fox let out another contented noise, closing his eyes as he returned the kiss. Right then, he needed her; needed her close to him, there with him. He pulled her to him gently, letting a small shudder run down his body.

No, he had never expected him and Tori to end up like this... but he was very glad they had.

After a moment or so, he pulled back, cupping her face with both hands and pressing his forehead to hers in that sign of affection that was his custom. He murmured, quietly, but with as much sincerity as he could, "Ya tebya lyublyu."

---

((I was gonna have the kids pop in and be hungry, but I guess I'll do that next post. I have no idea how to shove them in there without making it all awkward. @_@
I AM SORRY FOR THE SHORTNESS.))

[Tori Ashwood]

He pulled her closer, and a gentle shiver went down her spine. Tori had never felt so warm, so safe, so… so loved in her entire life. She had never trusted another as much as she trusted Fox; a fact that was rather obvious by how close she had let him get to her, in both heart and body. 

When he pulled away, Tori sighed softly. She reached up, cupping his cheek gently. Her eyes met his, and she smiled softly when he spoke. 

"I'm hoping that means 'I love you'," she murmured. "I'm afraid my Russian is limited to 'wonderful', and... whatever curse words Falco has taught me. I'm sure there are more he's holding out on me."

Despite her words, as joking as they were, Tori was truly touched that Fox would say something like that in his native language. She wasn't sure why, but it warmed her heart. And that was enough for her. 

[Fox McCloud]

Fox chuckled, amused, and nodded. "Being right," he murmured, grinning from ear to ear. The anthro gave a playful wink. "You are catching on quick."

He moved back, then, deciding finally to answer his stomach's pleas. "Needing to eat now," he said, putting a hand to his belly, which then gave another rumble. "Or you will be scolding me for skipping lunch two days in a row." He hadn't meant to skip the day before... it had just happened, and by the time he'd realized it it was already dinner and thus too late to do anything about. Besides, he'd made up for it by chewing the bones of the chicken legs he'd eaten into a splintery unrecognizable mush.

Chicken was probably the only food he ate as if he was an actual animal.

Suddenly, his ears perked, one swiveling back towards the room the kids had set up in.

"DAAAAAD!" Jeremy yelled, running into the living room with a book clutched tight to his chest. The binding and cover were badly falling off-- a state it hadn't been in before Fox had fallen asleep. "Marissa broke my book!"

"I did NOT!" Marissa wailed back, stomping after him. "Jeremy did it!"[/b] Jeremy growled at that and glared over at Marissa, beginning to yap at her like a small dog would. His sister returned the favor in kind.

"Children, calming down!" Fox said over them, both ears pinning back as he frowned down at the two. "Is fine; we are fixing it!"

[Tori Ashwood]

When Fox admitted to having skipped lunch again, Tori's face fell. She took on the look of a scolding mother, her hands going to her hips and a frown forming on her lips. However, before she could even begin to scold him, Marissa and Jeremy came running in, yelling about a book. She sighed. 

"Kids. Kids!" Tori raised her voice just slightly, just enough to get their attention. The last thing she wanted was for the pair to fight, physically. God knew that wouldn't turn out well. "Calm down. The book can be fixed. It's all right."

With all the ease of a true mother, Tori stepped between Jeremy and Marissa. She gently took the book in her hands, looking it over for a moment before smiling. "Nothing that super glue won't fix. C'mon, Jer. You too, Rissa." She extended a hand, waiting for one of them. 

Tori knew how to make both of them happy. She and Jeremy could fix the book while she and Marissa fixed dinner. It would be a little difficult, but Tori was used to juggling tasks for the kids by now. Anything to make them happy.