> /ksnet/mirr/foxtale

Written by Joshua Fox. Important Copyright Information - Please read!

(c) 2000-2001 by Joshua Fox. All rights to story content reserved. Characters Susan Felin, Debbye Squirrel, Cindy Lapine, Clarence Skunk, Chris Foxx, Rodney Lapine and Wanda the Vixen (c) Chris Yost. Characters Zig Zag and Max Black Rabbit (c) Max the Black Rabbit. Characters Sabrina Mustelidae, Tabitha Mustelidae, Tammy Vixen, Sheila Vixen, Tor the Dog and Amy Squirrel (c) Eric Schwartz. Characters Lilian Bartholomew, James Sheppard, Rhonda Badger and Tamara Rabbit (c) James Bruner. Character Marvin Badger (c) James Bruner after a description by Chris Yost. Characters Robert Fale, Joshua Fox, Jim Leard, Ralph Dix, Kris Coon, Shawna Coon, John Anderson, Aaron Cole, Wilde Cat and Tara Nadine (c) Joshua Fox. Characters Blue Wolfe, Kittiara Seng and Kyrin Cat (c) themselves. Character Thomas Woolfe (c) Mike Higgs. All rights to additional characters reserved by their respective owners. Story based on characters and situations created by Eric W. Schwartz and Chris Yost. Reprinted with permission from the author.

"So… uh, did you… I mean," Josh stumbled along as he spoke, sifting through the dictionary in his head and trying to find the right words. "Did you… have a good time?"

"Hmm?" Susan opened her eyes, having been relaxing just before to the soothing tones of Josh's voice.

"I mean, you know, on our date," Josh explained, holding the phone a bit more closely to his ear.

"Oh! Okay," Susan smiled, beginning to twist the phone cord between and around each of her fingers. "Well, actually I didn't."

Josh's shoulders sunk instantly, a frown pulling down the whole of his muzzle. "You didn't?"

"Nope," Susan continued, purring. "I had a great time."

Josh's head instantly fell backwards into the couch cushion, letting out a much-needed sigh of relief. "Ok, good. I'm glad."

Susan giggled as she continued to subconsciously play with the phone cord. "C'mon, did you honestly think that I wouldn't?"

"Well, kinda," Josh admitted nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was basically hoping and praying that I wouldn't completely repulse you by the time the night was over."

Susan laughed, rolling over onto her back. "Then you really are silly. I think it's safe to say that's something you won't have to worry about."

Josh smiled, scooting back on his sofa so that the cushion supported his back. "Well, you did say you'd go out with me again, so yeah, I guess you're right."

"You guess?" Susan laughed harder now. "Oh, Sweety, I'm going to have to work on you."

She paused momentarily, grinning as a thought came to mind. "Okay, let me put it this way."

Josh stayed silent, waiting for Susan to continue.

"If you ever have any doubts about whether or not I had a good time," Susan started, keeping her grin firmly in place. "Just ask yourself one thing: was I with you?"

Josh kept silent for a moment, taking that and turning it around in his mind. "Um, ok… and what's the answer?"

Susan laughed, trailing off into giggles after a few moments. "If I was with you, that means I did have a good time."

"Oh," Josh laughed at how simple it seemed. "I'll have to keep that in mind."

"You better," Susan warned him playfully. "I don't like repeating myself."

"Ooooh, should I be scared?" Josh asked kiddingly, shifting his weight to his right elbow.

"Nah, I don't think so," Susan started, a very mischievous grin coming to her muzzle as she thought. "As long as you keep me happy, that is."

An amused smile found its way to Josh's muzzle as he heard that. "Oh, really? And exactly how am I to do that, pray tell?"

"Well, you're doing fine thus far. Just make sure to keep it up," Susan teased suggestively, her tail slowly wafting over the sheets on her bed.

Josh chuckled even though he missed the playful hint, shifting his shoulders back against the arm of the couch. "I think I can handle that."

Susan grinned mischievously from her end of the line. "Oh, I'm sure you can handle a lot more than that."

"Oh? Like what?" Josh asked, hoping he could find something to help out with.

"You'll see," Susan replied, dreamily continuing to wind the phone chord around her finger.

Josh bit his bottom lip as the subject he had been putting off popped into his head. "So, um, do you want to make any plans for our next date? I mean, if you still want to go out again, of course." He quickly added.

Susan couldn't help but laugh at how quickly Josh had added that last part. "Oooooh, aren't we eager."

"Ah! No… I mean, yes! Uhm, I mean, uhhhh…" Josh fumbled hopelessly, starting to lose his cool.

Susan held her tummy as she laughed out loud. It took a few seconds for her to get control of herself. "You are just too cute, Sweety."

Josh blushed beneath his fur as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Heh, sorry. I guess I'm being a little silly."

"Just the way I like you," Susan teased, the tip of her tongue showing past her lips. "As long as you brought up the subject, where will you be taking me on our second date, hmmm?"

Josh clicked his tongue and looked up at the ceiling. "Well, seeing as we went to dinner, how about a movie?"

"A movie?" Susan replied pleasedly. Snuggling up in a dark movie theater; I like that. "That sounds very acceptable to me."

Josh's smile perked a little bit at the sound of Susan's approval. "Great. Any movie in particular you've been meaning to see?" He asked with a tiny yawn.

"Ah! You yawned," Susan pointed out with mock seriousness. "You know what that means."

Josh rubbed her eyes for a moment before responding. "What?"

Susan chuckled as he sat up straight. "Remember what you promised me earlier?"

Promised? What's she talking abou-. Then it clicked. "Oh, you have got to be kidding."

Susan grinned evilly on her end. "Nope! Remember, you promised me the second you started yawning that we would call it a night."

Josh chortled at that. "Taking advantage of my ethics are we?"

"Well, you're the one who said you never break a promise," Susan teasingly reminded him.

"Uh-huh. And I suppose that all the times you've yawned don't count for anything, right?" Josh asked bemusedly.

"Oh, of course not. I wasn't silly enough to promise, remember?" Susan poked fun at him, her tail now flicking about in mid-air.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Keep this up and I might think you're taking advantage of me," Josh chided back, finally sitting upright on the sofa.

Hmmm, now there's a nice thought. Susan purred and drew the tip of her tongue back into her mouth. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

Josh chuckled, standing and moving over to the phone jack. "Well, it is late, so I guess a little shut-eye couldn't hurt. I wouldn't want you losing any rest over me."

Susan giggled as she rolled over onto her back again. "Oh? That a subtle way of telling me I need some beauty sleep?"

"Ha! Hardly. If anything you've gotten too much already," Josh stated, trying not to trip over anything in the darkness of his apartment. "Get any more and that studio Sabby works for will be trying to sign you on."

Susan stifled a giggle this time, but simply couldn't hide her amusement. "So, what you're basically saying that with a little more beauty sleep, I could look like a porn star."

"ACK! No! No no no no no no! That's not what I meant! I meant-, I just- GAH!" Josh fumbled over practically every word that came out of his mouth. "I just, I and… sorry." He finally groaned, holding his paw to his forehead.

Susan grabbed her sides and laughed uproariously for a good minute-and-a-half before she finally was able to get herself under control. Once she had gotten over her little fit, she just shook her head and smiled. "Silly Fox."

Josh blushed furiously, his mind quickly racing to find a topic to jump to. "So, uhm, when would you like to go out?"

"Well, how about we go out on a limb and say Saturday?" Susan asked, already pleased at the idea of him taking her out again.

Josh thought for a moment before nodding. "Ok, sounds good to me. Want me to find out what's playing?"

"Sure. Want to talk again tonight?" Susan responded almost dreamily, bringing her knees up to her chest.

"Oh, I'd be more than glad to. I'll probably be back about nine or so. A couple buddies and I are going to grab a bite to eat at Furry's." Josh explained as he sat down on the arm of the couch.

Susan's ears perked up when she heard the name of the restaurant. "Furry's?"

Josh nodded as he moved his left arm back to prop himself up. "Yeah, nice place to grab dinner. You ever been there?"

Susan giggled as she thought back to Sabrina's first date with Chris. "Oh, I was there. Admittedly my mind wasn't exactly on the surroundings, though."

Josh chuckled. "Some lucky guy had your attention, I take it?"

"Something like that," Susan chuckled back, pulling the covers up over her legs.

"Heh. Well, I guess I better stop stalling and let you get some rest. Talk to you later, ok?"

Susan purred. "You bet, silly Fox. Get some rest."

"I will," Josh replied as he cracked his neck.

A mischievous grin once more found its way onto Susan's muzzle. "You promise?"

Josh rolled his eyes skyward, his smile turning to a grin. "Yes, I promise."

"Goodnight," Susan said softly as she hung up the phone, immediately stretching and letting out a long yawn. It was just too hard to say ‘goodnight' to him.

Susan sighed and pulled the blanket up around her shoulders, curling up and resting her head against her soft, fluffy pillows. As she closed her eyes, an image slowly formed in her head. She saw Josh standing at her front door in his suit again, holding that one flower and having the cutest look on his face. Susan smiled warmly as she kept that image in her head, fading off into peaceful slumber…

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!

Susan's eyes opened just before she had been able to fall asleep. Blinking a few times, she propped herself up on her elbow and sleepily picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"SUSE! Dang, who were you talking to all night? We were trying to call you!"

Susan winced and pulled her head back. The voice sounded WAY to awake and cheery for how tired she was. "Debbye?"

"Of course! But don't dodge the question! We were trying to call you right up to two o'clock in the morning! We finally just gave up and went to sleep." Debbye explained almost scoldingly.

"I still think she might have left the phone off the hook. You hear anyone in the background, Deb? I want to know if he's there," Came another voice from the other end of the line.

"What… is that Cindy?" Susan asked tiredly, moving the phone away from her ear so that Debbye's cheery voice wouldn't catch her off guard again.

"You bet! I had to sleep over because somebody wouldn't pick up their phone," Debbye chided, causing a small gigglefest between herself and Cindy.

Susan rubbed the bridge of her nose for a moment and yawned. "Aren't you two just a bit cheery and awake for this time of night?"

"Night? Suse, look outside. Its morning, girlfriend! Rise and shine!"

"Morning? What…" Susan turned around, seeing tiny beams of light shining through the bottom of the curtain covering her window. The beams fell on the top of the headboard, just a foot or so away from where she lay her head. "What the? What time is it?"

###

Josh placed both paws on his lower back, pressing them forward until he heard it crack.

"Aaaaaah, that's better," Josh moaned as he set the phone down on the table. Yeesh, I must've been talking for a while. Wonder how late it is.

Carefully feeling his way through the darkness, Josh reached the kitchen counter and felt around for his watch.

Now, where is that… Ah, here we go. Josh thought as he felt it under his paw. He brought it up very close to his face, trying to make out the time. Wonderful. Can't see a thing. Where's the brightener on this thing?

Josh winced as the tiny screen lit up, a suprisingly bright light which, inconveniently, was placed just and inch away from his left eye.

"Ow! Friggin' watch. Oh well, least I found the button," Josh held it up further away and tried to focus. This would be easier if I wasn't seeing spots. He thought to himself.

Finally Josh's vision cleared and he was able to focus. What? That can't be right. He brought the watch closer to him, taking as close a look as he could at the numbers on the watch's face. Aw, great. Figures this piece of garbage would be wrong.

Josh tossed the watch back onto the counter before padding into his room. He rolled over his bed and sat up on the other side to check his alarm clock. Now, let's see what time it rea-…

Josh sat there for a long moment with a furrowed brow, blinking as he looked at the clock. No, that can't be right. That would mean it's…

He quickly got up, padding back into the living room and turning into the kitchen area. With one swift motion, he pulled aside the curtain.

"OWW!" Josh shut his eyes tight and covered them with his paws after a huge ray of sunlight greeted him. He stumbled backwards blindly, finally tripping and falling backwards onto the couch.

Dang! Josh thought as he rubbed his eyes. Note to self: never do that again.

Josh slowly opened his eyes again, staring at the sunbeams shining through the window and illuminating the kitchen floor. So that friggin' watch was right. But that means Susan and I were talking for… He took a moment to do the math in his head. Eight hours!

"Whoa," Josh groaned, laying back so that he was comfy on the couch. I've never talked to anyone for that long. And I didn't even notice. I wonder if she did.

Josh yawned, scratching his headfur. I guess I better get up, but I did promise Susan I'd get some rest.

Well, maybe just a quick nap. He thought, stretching out and laying his head back against the armrest.