It's Not Easy (2)

Everyone left at their own as 11 PM long swept their butts, taking many by surprise, not realizing how late it had become until a few gramps and grannies nearly fell slumped to the side. As everyone left, and the middle-aged man and his daughter were picking things up with a few of her aunties helping, Fox bid farewell to the others with his crossed arms and a few good words to each of them. Nala Loba then appeared beside him, stopping half a meter to his left.

“Captain…” Fox voiced. Nala Loba sighed a bit, seeming to have something to let out from her chest. Then, she looked at him, expressionless and in askance, “Can you let me stay in your place tonight and from then on? It shouldn’t take longer to read into some things.”

“Ah, mhm.” Fox was surprised, but he agreed with crossed arms. Nala Loba gestured to the road ahead. “Then, let’s go.”

“…” Fox looked at Nala Loba’s back before following suit. He gave the middle-aged man a look and thanked him, leaving the man flabbergasted. In the end, he did help ‘José’ get a hold of a chick, acting like a wingman. He only hoped ‘José’ wasn’t a rough guy, she seemed hurt.

Arriving at his cabin, Fox opened it and let her in. Nala Loba didn’t light any room until he did after closing the door. He could hear her take her disguise off. Turning around, he saw her marvelous countenance and resting face and eyes.

Feeling his eyes, Nala Loba looked back at him, just staring at him. She pointed at the stairs leading to the upper floor, “Hear, I’ll take a look at the bedrooms. Do you have anything to eat here?”

Fox shook his head, now realizing he never chose a bed, and he didn’t even know what was it like upstairs. He watched her go up slowly, slightly bending her back, maybe wanting to relax. A few seconds after she paced around the upper floor, Fox rushed out, adopting a calm walk into the minimarket once outside.

A few minutes later, he returned to the cabin. She was still upstairs, not making any sound. Fox let some frying pans and stewpots heat up and left some ingredients in the open before walking up, feeling some calm urgency from within the deepest corners of his self.

Fox walked up and into her new bedroom, of which there was only 1 in the cabin.

Fox opened the door left ajar, stepping into the bedroom with calid, orange light illuminating everything fairly. He saw his Captain on the bed, relaxing with her knees bent over the lower edge of the mattress as she stared at the ceiling.

Slowly, Nala Loba sat up and looked at him, patting the spot on the bed behind her. Fox maintained his silence and walked over, sitting beside her as she turned around slowly and faced him. Her legs crossed as they stretched on the bed behind him, and she looked at him.

“How is your progress? Found anything yet?” Nala Loba perfunctorily asked. Fox looked at her face, only separated by less than half a meter of distance. “A little more than you.”

“Saw those outside?” She asked again, nudging in the direction some groups of people always hang out until morning, though the walls obstructed the sight. Fox nodded, knowing whom she referred to, “They are from Sierra Caliente, mostly, but there’s also Coalition Party Syndicate and the Yobartes gang members. It feels like they’re trying to get together, an alliance at best.”

“Yes, it sounds curious. So, they feel threatened by the other two,” Nala Loba narrowed her eyes, showing great intention to do something, but restraining herself. Fox looked into behavior and narrowed his eyes a bit, then saying, “You’re bloodthirsty, Captain.”

“Not as much as you, firster,” Nala Loba said, weakly countering his remark. Fox didn’t know how to respond, so he just looked at her little nostrils and hummed, “Hmm.”

“Don’t you want to ladder up, Fox?” Nala Loba frowned, pondering as she let everything fall in silence before asking him that. Fox looked down at bit, accidentally staring at her knees. They were covered, but he could see the quirky shape they have. He lifted his gaze, almost snapping.

“I don’t think I want to become a Captain, Captain.” Hearing his remark, Nala Loba looked at him, feeling the comfortable warmth of the room try to invade her well-seasoned, trained senses. She muttered after a slow blink, “There’s something higher else than a Captain, without as much responsibility like the Butler, and as influential.”

“Hm… what is that?” Fox looked at her, confused and intrigued. The warmth and coziness of the bedroom, something entirely lacking elsewhere in the cabin, also affected him a bit. His breathing slowed, like Nala Loba’s, and his gaze became a little sleepy.

“!” - “!” Before Nala Loba could explain, feeling a bit at ease, a noise attracted them both from the outside. Without thinking twice, they rushed downstairs, making no sound as they hopped outside the windows after enhancing their hearing and not detecting anyone nearby.

They took different sides of the cabin to detour it before heading to the source of the commotion. A couple of groups faced each other from afar, with 2 people in between, who seemed to engage in conversations. One of them pulled a gun, though, while the other was helpless.

Fox hid to the side, followed by Nala Loba, who was a bit farther from a safe hiding spot. The criminals continued their little face off before both parties took a step back.

They observed the situation, appearing quite unusual. They couldn’t tell which was which, as these people wouldn’t talk of their associated organized crime band like they were paid to expose themselves. Unless they were whoring, but secret organizations don’t move that way.

A few people walked to their hiding spots. Fox was fine, as there was a blind spot hiding from nearby houses’ walls where these patrols were moving to and fro. But Nala Loba wasn’t. Furthermore, she was a beauty, so she had it harder to not stand out, even in the dark.

Fox listened attentively as Nala Loba remained tranquil, looking at him as the patrol walking a few meters before him would soon find a wild beauty hidden in a corner on the opposite side of the dirt street.

Calculating the time, Fox held a small pistol in his left hand, just in case, as he then roughly cleared his throat. The patrol near the corner of the building jolted, looking down just as he heard someone walk near him.

He turned around, wearing a dissatisfied expression, but the person walking towards him also thought the throat-clearing sound came from him. The latter said, “¿Qué estás mirando, pendejo? (What are you looked at, stupid?)”

“Oh, are you serious?!” The patrol, holding a weapon as the other bandit did not, followed after the latter. He strode dissatisfied, not caring about his duties. Fox nudged to Nala Loba to get moving. She didn’t nod but moved at once, hiding a little better but still slightly seen before jumping onto a smallish storage cottage not even more than 3 x 1 meters large.

Now, with the streetlights not reaching to the small cottage’s roof, Nala Loba was hidden in the dark. Fox looked at this before finally refocusing on the OCs having a bad talk to each other. He and Nala Loba continued to listen before nodding at each other when they felt it was enough. Coincidentally, they stared at one another at the same time to depart.

Returning to ‘their’ cabin, with the lights still on, Fox checked the small kitchen before getting to work with what he had. Nala Loba initially returned to her bedroom but came down to observe him, sitting on the sofa he has slept for 3 days now.

Once he was finished, he brought some entry snacks to her, one of them being seasoned, roasted asparagus on the domestic stove. She didn’t want to eat that; at first. After a whiff and a bite, she ate it with 3 fingers holding it, bite by bite.

Then, Fox brought some mediocre cut thin steak with smashed potatoes and a few carrots on the side, just in case she wanted something crispy, like he did. Besides, only carrots were second to oranges.

After bringing her his plate, Fox accommodated another sofa for her to sit more comfortably before going back to the kitchen to pick his plate. When he returned, she remained on the same sofa. Walking over and sitting in another, putting his plate down on a table, he asked her, “Why don’t you move to a better sitting place?”

“Here, it smells good,” said the wolf with her mouth full, munching on and on. Fox frowned a bit before looking up at her with an eased expression. She devoured the steak and brought the plate to her face to do the same with the smashed potatoes. A minute before Fox could finish, she extended her plate to him.

Fox pouted ever so slightly before leaving his plate on a small side table in the center before returning to the kitchen to serve her more. He returned only to find Nala Loba with his plate as she licked it clean, lying on her back as she reposed, but wanted more still.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Fox looked down as he gave Nala Loba her plate, wearing an expression of being hurt. She commented before wolfing her third plate, or 2 and a half, “You treated me like a younger person and your inferior before. This is the least that should be.”

“…” Fox lifted his eyebrows before lightly shaking his head. He picked his plate from her tummy, feeling her body shudder for a moment before relaxing. With his thumbnail against her clothes, feeling those jolts from her abdomen the most, Fox retrieved his plate after she calmed down.

“And you, Captain, are like an animal that is weary of even a dead rabbit.” Fox ‘fled’ at a slow pace when saying this. Yet, her words still echoed after a few seconds, just as he picked some cheap beer cans. “You’re not dead, nor a rabbit. You a fox!”

Fox stopped on the spot, contemplating and at a slight loss. He smirked out of nowhere before bringing a couple of large mugs to the living room. There was no TV, but if they wanted to, they could use their phones or WID’s holographic feature.

“Ooh…” Nala Loba stood up after finishing his plate and hers again while he was gone. Fox could only smile when he realized, and when she looked at the liquor with renewed vigor and the desire to know it, he felt a little silly. In his stupor, he didn’t realize his Captain was waiting for him to give her her mug. She looked up at him a few times, askance.

“Here…” Fox responded after the umpteenth glare. Like a tail wagging from her rear, Nala Loba slightly stood up from her sitting position and grabbed her mug. She sipped thrice before downing the thing.

“Hmf,” she looked down, slowly forming a spectacular grin from the left corner of her mouth. “It’s always those who only vie for the people who do the flavorful stuff.”

“Does it affect you?” Fox asked, drinking his a bit, not finding it likeable. He refrained from taking longer sips than tiny bits, and frequently. She shrugged a bit, her eyes returning to their true nature. “I have innate resistance, and a bit honed, but nothing like yours.”

“Oh…” Fox nodded a few times. He looked at his drink some more, then at Nala Loba’s face, whose resting eyes narrowed to a droop. Her head was tilted down to the left, and her mouth a little opened. She looked up, noticing his stare, and continued looking.

Nala Loba’s eyes fall to his mug again. Fox smelled his philtrum before saying after standing up. “For the food in the next few days, I’ll check some things and prepare some stuff. Let me start sorting a few ingredients already.”

When Fox was a minute into organizing the kitchen and making preparatives for tomorrow, he looked back, only to see her down his mug all the way down. Then, she burped and softly fell on the sofa sideways. Fox’s eyes blinked for a moment, his 6 irises-pupils intrigued as he shrugged, before becoming relaxed.

A couple of hours later, Fox finished the preparations. He turned and saw she was still there, having had thought Nala Loba would have left for her bedroom without letting him know. He walked around with doubt and felt baffled when he saw her sleeping, drunk self.

She wasn’t blushing, or reeking of alcohol, but she was clearly lying dormant like a drunk one. Fox thought, ‘So it does affect her, and she doesn’t have strong resistances.’

He looked down at his Captain. Now, there he was, in yet another dilemma of life. After pondering about his possible punishments, remembering Nol’s pained expressions as he was publicly beaten, Fox felt the ballsiest in the world as he picked his Captain up.

Her natural scent drifted into his nostrils. There was nothing he could do, his nostrils flared up in shame and self-reproach, all against his own desires. Fox was in pain. He felt hurt as he walked up the stairs and pushed her body to his chest.

She was well toned, and even though his palms were 1 or 2 inches away from touching when unnecessary, his fingertips were far too sensitive and well-trained. Just touching her legs and hips a bit for a good hold made him realize how tremendous she felt to grasp.

Fox carefully walked into the bedroom, bringing her face closer when stepping in, and helped her inside the bed. He had to grab her legs again to lift her so that the bedsheets wouldn’t be lonely below her. Although the bedroom felt so cozy and warm.

Fox looked at her just as he was about to cover her body with the last blanket, all thin but warming enough. ‘She looks like Teon…’

Seeing the similarities, Fox stopped, not wanting to unsee the image. Sleeping, not caring of vulnerability around him, and having the confidence to become all easily accessible. But that was only in the notion. Nala Loba was just… who could ever spawn such a creature?

‘But she’s not like Teon.’ Fox thought as his eyes hardened a little. He placed the covers on her, careful not to jolt her awake. He switched the lights with a button. The lights gradually dimmed until it was fully dark, with Fox closing the door afterwards, not knowing why he was so ‘protective’ out of nowhere.

Then, his mind definitely being off the bion work, he went back down and to the kitchen. He needed to get all the following days’ meals done, or he’ll be restless… restless…

Fox cleaned the sweat off his forehead as he remained in the kitchen all night long.

… During the following days, every hour, before 6 PM, Fox would arrive with Nala Loba, ‘José’ and ‘Wolf’. The days were spent without suspense. While they investigated the happenings around sometimes, it never involved direct action, although they could tell things were happening, just not the reason.

Little by little, days passed. Fox went to the workshop from morning to noon, returning to the cabin back to accompany his Captain to spend time. As he became used to the job as a counselor, Fox inevitably realized how, as Nala Loba began leaving a bit earlier, he always returned to a cabin with lights on.

He no longer went out at night, staying in the slightly lit living room and kitchen, even if Fox was alone downstairs. It was a way to return there from being elsewhere where he was fake. He could… relax.

Finally, the day to fill in their time in the task came. Fox bid farewell to the middle-aged man, and his daughter. Nala Loba didn’t show up, simply disappearing from one day to another. There was enough information to consider their assignation complete.

And so, Fox returned to Proteros, only returning by railway with silence in between him and his Captain. Then, the daily life resumed yet again.

. . .

The second floor of the Blackflower Boutique was like a beacon. After seeing the difference in the tall building, many people became curious and wanted to see why there was the same design for the first 2 floors only. After buying something, or gaining information from it, one would realize these were here since a few months ago already.

The sensation of an ‘old’ establishment attracted anyone. Fox saw the numbers go up like crazy, completely unlike before. They could definitely double their previous numbers. Furthermore, after returning from Désincá, he finished the shipping/delivery system for the Blackflower Boutique series.

It wasn’t really a big business yet, and a bit far from it, but according to the global conventions, they were already a ‘can reach far and wide’ business. The boutique only needed a better service on its online services, a bit more security, and a renowned reputation to truly try to get to the big leagues.

This was just the 9th month, 4th week’s 3rd day. It’s been a few days since he returned, but he was prepared for his next assignation. Furthermore, he was notified about the addition of a special agent who would accompany him, and both would work together.

That’s just how things work. Fox wanted to curse Luis, but he didn’t want to get bad luck indirectly from himself. After checking things with everyone, he left things to Pamela and Fabiola.

… Fox was sent to the west of the State of Proteros, far outside the capital, but still the capital state. He only spent an hour traveling by train, finding the train’s movements and vibrations enjoyable. These trips became more and more relaxing as he continued traveling.

He wore his disguise already, looking more like a young man in his 30-35s with a gadget to hide his hair and appear to have a short, elegant hairstyle. He wore a beige suit, smooth to the eye, and a bit effeminate. Fox didn’t like things with such obvious sides, but the only worse part here was the tightness around the armpits and groins.

Fox wore white glasses and a small white hat that didn’t cover his ‘perfect’ hair.

Arriving at the station, Fox walked out, holding his chin a bit too high, and his chest a bit too forth. However, his body was damn fine, and if he had a handsome face at least, he would’ve been taken as a supermodel, or just a rising star.

He walked holding a small case, with papers, IDs, permits, and, of course, hidden bions and pistol parts. After taking a ‘random’ PVT from one of Piya Sanctum District’s branches across the nation, Fox was brought to a PAB, a Police Arms Bureau. Below a SPD and above a PPO.

Just as he gave the White seconder 12 social points as a tip, Fox looked ahead and noticed that he wasn’t the only one who was given good disguises. He mentally sighed and whistled before walking to his boss, Nala Loba.

“I really can’t believe it,” Nala Loba beat him to it before he could say anything. Feeling her annoyance, Fox found it amusing. He smirked from the left corner of his mouth, but she won him to it again, “Don’t tell me. You asked to be sent with me? What? Was there anything you wanted to say?”

Being incriminated, but not bothered by it, Fox shook his head with a shrug. He smiled a bit ruefully, “No, oh no. I didn’t. I speak the truth. I would never do that.”

Nala Loba wore thick sunglasses, a white sun hat, and thick white gloves that accentuated an elegant, long white dress with a lengthy, open skirt. She wore white jeans to cover it all, though. But her fashion was really top-notch, too much for a place like a PAB.

When Fox spoke those words, Nala Loba looked at him fixedly. Either because she didn’t believe him or maybe anything else, she then lowered her head and offered no additional word regarding that.

Fox nodded a bit and gestured to the large precinct ahead, above a few staircases divided into different levels with small platforms between each other. “Shall we go? Miss Sara?”

“Yes, why not, Mister Medina.” Nala Loba had just pronounced her words, when she walked forth and left him behind. Fox lifted his eyebrows before following her. Walking side by side, they began their police affairs journalists.

The first thing they noticed when going in was the ease and freshness in everything everywhere. Fox looked at Nala Loba, who looked at him. She was supposed to be the big girl with experience here, but her gray, light blue eyes showed that she was as deluded as he felt.

“Ah! Are you two Medina and Sara? Good! Come over here. You can work in just a few desks, okay?” A police officer said before unceremoniously bringing walking into the crowd of a lazy and slothful environment.

With another exchange of eyes, Fox and Nala Loba walked forth, with Fox taking a step ahead of her, letting her face his back up close. Nala Loba sneakily looked up at him, resting her gaze on his shoulder blades before lowering her chin.

…