Love & Lattes - Songs for a Fox Ep. 05

Welcome back, my lovely reader~

If this is your first visit to the L&L series,

STOP

go read the first one 'Love & Lattes: A bunny's bounty' to get the best experience. This is a direct sequel and I

STRONGLY

recommend reading the first one so you're not lost.

Take your time, I'll wait for you to catch up. :3

♥

And with that out of the way...

Welcome back my lovely reader~

Let's jump ahead a few weeks into our calico and fox's relationship, shall we? You could say there's love in the air, but you'd be mistaken, that's not love you smell. Why that's just seasonal heat, and you know what that means!

Oh, there's still some development and romance, but we know where heat leads, especially when it's me writing it, right? <3

Okay, let's jump right in!

—♥—

Episode 5:

With everything I am.

Joseph slammed his gloved fist into the mounted bag suspended from his bedroom ceiling before responding to the knock on his door. It was the same knock it always was, not that anyone else but her would be in the house, to begin with.

"Come on in, Mom!" He panted the words out before making a few fainting hops around the bag and sending a few more quick jabs into it.

The older fox opened the door and patiently waited for him to finish his routine with a smile on her face. He made a few more flurries before huffing out and turning to look at his mother. "What's up, Mom?" He huffed the words, his chest heaving in the white tank top.

"I came to let you know breakfast was ready, honey. Don't forget to eat before you head to work, today." She spoke the words gently, her voice would have been hard to hear if he hadn't been so used to it and had such good ears.

The fox snarled and snapped off a quick shin kick to the bag with a heavy thump of sound before slipping out of his stance and lowering his heels to the floor, the groan of the chain creaked a bit before the bag settled into place once more. "Thanks, Mom, I was just finishing up here."

After a quick shower and getting dressed for the day Joseph sat at the table with his mother. Both of them had a mug of coffee and a plate of breakfast. The older vixen sighed happily, "It's been a while since we shared a breakfast together, hasn't it?"

Joseph nodded while chomping down some cooked meat, the workout had left him hungry and he washed the bite down with a gulp of coffee before huffing. "It has! Thanks for cooking... damn I missed your food!" He spoke the words in appreciation and kept eating.

She let him eat for a few moments in silence before finally speaking up once more, "How is your little girlfriend, honey?"

His ears perked up at the question and he swallowed another bite before responding, "Her name is Ivory, and we are doing well. Thanks for asking."

"Does she treat you well?" She gave him a look of concern, her larger heavier tail swaying slowly behind her in the kitchen chair.

Joseph nodded taking a few more bites, "She picks on me, teases me, and bosses me around. But I give her just as much, so yes, things are going great!"

His mother had to fight back a small chuckle, "Oh dear, that sounds adorable. When will I get to meet her?"

That question made him freeze up, he took a few more bites and sipped his coffee, holding the mug in both paws as he thought about it. He had not told her Ivory was an older female, or that she was a co-worker.

"Honey?" The vixen asked, prodding him.

"Y-yeah, I don't know Mom. It's not something I thought about, we've only been dating for a few weeks now. I don't want to freak her out, you know?" He huffed the words before sipping more of his coffee, "I mean... meeting my Mom is kind of a big deal, am I wrong?"

She huffed through her nose and gave him a flat unamused look. "But sleeping with her and saying you love her so early isn't, Joseph?"

The dog choked on a bite of food, forcing it down before barking out, "How the fuck do you know about me saying I love her?!"

"Joseph! Do not direct that sort of language at your mother!" She snarled the words at him in reprimand, her eyes shifting to look hard and fierce.

He drooped his ears and looked away, "S-sorry, I wasn't trying to be disrespectful, you just caught me off guard."

The vixen huffed and sipped her coffee before continuing, "It is fine, I know I caught you off guard, it was unfair of me."

He nodded and looked back at her. "But, how did you know I said I loved her?"

"Because you just told me..." She cooed the words with a proud grin.

'Son of a bitch, I must be doomed to live my life surrounded by women that know my buttons,' He thought to himself as he drummed his padded-fingers along his coffee mug. "Damn, Mom... Way to be a sneaky bitch... well played."

The vixen seemed proud of herself but then gave him a flat look and raised a brow, "You're moving really fast, try not to get yourself hurt, honey."

"I'm not trying to move fast, Mom! It's just... it's happening and I'm just... I think we are both just trying to keep up at this point..."

She folded her handpaws on the table after pushing her empty plate forward, "Well... back to the question then, when can I meet her?"

The fox clenched his teeth trying to think of something to satisfy her, "Ah... let me talk to her... maybe after graduation in a few days? I can't just spring it on her."

"That sounds fair." She nodded and read him like a cheap romance novel, he was holding something back. "There's something you're not telling me my little fox, best to get it out now instead of stalling until I meet her."

He groaned at his mother's perception skills and drooped his ears. "Fine..." He huffed and looked away, "S-she may be a little older than me..."

"What?! How much older are we talking, son? Are you dating some sort of deviant that preys on young men?!"

"No! Gosh... look mom she is in her mid-twenties okay? She has around seven years on me."

The older fox crossed her arms over her chest giving him a stern look, "That's still a substantial age difference, young fox..."

"Be that as it may..." He huffed and looked away from her gaze while awkwardly drumming his padded-fingertips on his coffee mug, "I love her, and she loves me... It's just one of those things..."

Her gaze softened and she shook her head. "What am I going to do with you? You fall in love easily just like your mother..." She huffed the words and stood, collecting the plates and moving over towards the sink to wash them. "She isn't instilling any bad habits in you, is she? Does she do drugs, smoke, or drink?"

"Drugs no, smoke and drink yes..." He huffed the then perked his ears up. "Ah, but... she has really cut back on the smoking since we started dating. I think she is less stressed so hopefully, I can get her to quit."

"You want her to quit?" The vixen prodded him to keep talking.

"Of course I do! I love her... I don't want her killing herself like that!" He growled the words walking over to the kitchen to top off his coffee and took another sip.

His mother smiled at the protective words over his new lover. "Does she drink heavily?"

"No, she has only drank lightly since I've been seeing her, I mean she may have before but as far as I have seen she doesn't."

"You seem to genuinely care, honey..." His mother sat the dishes in the rack to dry and toweled her paws off. "I will leave it to your judgment, but be careful... an older woman can be deceptive."

"I think she is being upfront with me Mom, we knew each other a while before we started dating, but I will keep that in mind." He nodded and sipped more of his coffee before cutting his eyes to the clock in the kitchen. "Damn..."

"Don't be late, my little fox." His mother moved over to him and rested a handpaw on his head, rubbing his ears and hair gently before kissing his forehead. "Have a good day at work."

Joseph blinks at her gentle touch and kiss before huffing softly, enjoying the strong comforting scent of her near him, it made him feel safe like it always had. "I will Mom..." He quickly gave her a hug before gathering the rest of his things and heading to work.

—♥—

"Good morning, Casanova..." Crystal purred at Joseph as he walked through the door.

"Good morning, what's with the nickname?" He grinned at the persian while moving behind the counter.

"Oh I've not had a shift with you in about a week, just felt I hadn't sufficiently teased you about... events." The cat cooed and gave him a playful wink.

He felt his cheeks burn under his fur and huffed, "Ah... R-right, I better go clock in!" He quickly escaped her teasing and slipped into the back to tie on his apron and clock in for his shift.

"Good morning, my fox..." Her breath was hot on his ear as she slipped up behind him. Joseph felt the fur on his tail and neck stand up, a jolt of pleasure running up his spine, his heart leaping to hear her.

"Good morning, my cat... I missed you..." He huffed the words, turning to Ivory whom had already surveyed she had enough time and quickly shoved her mouth to his in a hungry kiss.

The fox's eyes widened at her aggression and his tail wagged furiously. The next thing he knew he was pushed up against the wall, her chest to his own, her tongue lashing against his own, desperate to taste him.

He drank in all of her affection for several moments before parting his muzzle from hers with a huff and taking in a deep breath, "I-Ivory... we're at w-" His breath caught and he took in another deep breath through his nose before his ears jerked up sharply.

The cat purred at his reaction and pressed closer to him, huffing against his throat, "I'm burning up Joseph... I need you..." Her padded-fingers splayed across his chest as she huffed the words.

"Huff! I don't think... now is the best time for that, baby..." He clenched his teeth and took in another deep breath, she smelled feral and eager to be taken, the scent of her was tearing at his willpower, screaming at him to drag her to the floor here and now.

"You're right, it's not the best time for it..." Crystal's voice cooed out from behind Ivory.

Ivory hissed softly and clenched her teeth, looking over her shoulder and giving the persian a huff, "Guess I lost myself for a bit there..."

"Ivory... go stand in the cooler for a few minutes..." The other cat laughed the words and the blonde pulled from her fox and huffed hotly, her ears drooped as she sauntered off to the cooler to calm down.

"You okay there, Joe?" Crystal purred with a grin, looking at the fox who was still leaning against the wall trying to process the whole thing.

"Y-yeah... I think anyway... she isn't normally that aggressive..." He felt himself panting, his own body keyed up just from her scent alone.

"You've got your work cut out for you little fox..." Crystal mused as she turned away and looked over her shoulder. "I hope you will forgive me if I keep you two working different stations today..."

"Understandable..." He huffed and jarred his brain back into motion, pushing off the wall and following Crystal out onto the floor.

The first half of the workday went off awkwardly for both of them, each trading lusty glanced while trying to focus on their work. Her smell stuck with him the whole time and tore at him, it made him want to just say fuck the job and drag her into the bathroom or supply closet.

Crystal seemed very understanding of the situation and stayed patient with the duo. Ivory's lunch started before Joseph's did so they wouldn't be sharing one today, much to each of their displeasure.

Ivory was about ten minutes gone to her lunch when Crystal called out to him on the floor, "Joseph, come here..."

He quickly moved over to her with a huff, "What's up, boss?"

"Things are calm here, you can take your lunch early." She gave him a knowing smile.

"R-really!?" He yipped the words more excitedly than he should have, his tail rapidly thrashing.

"Sure! But..." She gave him a flat look. "No mating in the store, you understand?!"

He huffed and felt his face burn before nodding quickly. "Y-yes ma'am!"

"Good boy, well get going before her lunch is over." Crystal gave the fox the go-ahead and he was out the back like a shot. The cat sighed and shook her head, moving back to her work. "I really need to get laid..."

Ivory cursed her luck as she paced back and forth outside, rolling an unlit cigarette in her padded-fingers. She had almost brought it to her lips and lit it half a dozen times now before thinking better of it. She hadn't had a smoke in days but she really needed something to relieve this heat. She had half a mind to go to the bathroom and deal with it herself.

"Fucking... hell..." She snarled and kept pacing outside near the smoking bucket and bench then her ears perked as a scent caught her nose. A male, but not Joseph it wasn't canine it was feline. She cut her eyes to see a large leopard round the corner of the coffee shop, it took her a moment to recognize him before it clicked.

"Damn, Alex... didn't expect to ever see you again... couldn't take no for an answer?" Ivory huffed the words with an un-amused tone, a handpaw resting on her hip.

The large cat strode right over to her and gave her a confident purr, "You weren't answering me, so I thought I would come to check up on you, make sure my favorite kitty was okay."

Ivory looked disgusted with his words, "Yeah hard to respond to you when I had your number blocked. I told you cat, I wasn't interested. Maybe if you hadn't bolted on the first night..."

Joseph huffed excitedly as he made his way to the exit of the store then his ears jerked up as another scent caught his nose, another cat but a male? It totally smelled like a male. His breath caught and he moved over to the doorway peeking out. His heart sunk instantly seeing Ivory there talking to a large cat, a very large cat, bigger than him even.

"Come on babe, we had some good times and I missed you, been thinking about you for a few weeks now." The cat purred the words and leaned over her. Ivory backed up to the wall, she could smell him, he was in a rut obviously.

"Tch... Sorry, Alex, I'm seeing someone now, as I said before, pass." She hissed the words and glared at him, he was only about a foot from her face and she felt her stomach twist at both his feral smell and the intimidation of him bearing down on her.

"Yeah? I bet he isn't half the man I am... besides... I can smell it on you, kitty... you're dripping wet with heat aren't you?"

Joseph clenched his teeth feeling his heart race, he shook his head and huffed out feeling himself panicking some as he thought about it all, 'Fuck... is this real? Is she...'

"Okay, fuck you!" Ivory spat the words in the other cat's face with a glare, "I don't give a fuck how I smell, you don't talk about my boyfriend like that!" She hissed the words and moved to push past the cat to leave him behind.

"Don't turn your back on me bitch, we aren't done talking!" He reached out and grabbed her shoulder shoving her against the wall with a soft yelp of pain. "You've kept me waiting, you think I'm just gonna let you walk off like that?!" He sneered the words in her face a paw grabbing at her hip.

Ivory hissed up at him, tears forming in her eyes from the heavy bump to the wall, and flexed her padded-fingers. "I hope you realize how much I'm about to fuck you up, Alex... and not in the way you're hoping!" Ivory hissed the words, her eyes narrowing, her own sharp teeth showing.

That changed things. The fox snapped his teeth together in a furious growl his ears folding downward as he pushed out the exit of the shop, coming into view. That fucker was standing there, threatening his cat. The piece of garbage was touching his girlfriend. He stomped towards the two of them and everything just seemed to fade but the image of this cat and the tears in Ivory's eyes from him hurting her.

"Oh... is this your new plaything Ivory?" The leopard hissed the words and rose up off the wall to size the fox up. The cat was big, like the size of the wolf that had taken the rabbit from him, big. He easily had more than a foot on him and more muscle to boot. "He's a cute little thing, but a bit scrawny don't you think, babe?"

Joseph snarled out, his breath ragged and strained as his body shook, "Ten... seconds..."

The leopard grinned at the words still keeping a handpaw on Ivory's hip. "Ten seconds? The fuck does that mean, little pup?" He hissed the words in a challenge.

Joseph focused his dark eyes on the cats. "It's how long I'm giving you to let go of my girlfriend, and go fuck yourself!" He snarled the words and snapped his teeth together showing his sharp canines.

"You're kidding right?" The leopard let go of Ivory and stood to fully face the fox, "You think a little puke like you is going to scare me, pup?"

"Five seconds..." Joseph glared and spat the words his tail going rigid as he shifted to the balls of feet.

"I've got your five seconds right here, mutt!" The leopard snarled the words and lunged forward with a thrown punch. He was tall and his reach was impressive but the fox predicted the movement from miles away. The time he had spent in the ring sparring with bigger opponents paying off in spades in this critical moment.

Joseph jerked his head up and to the side, letting the blow gingerly brush his muzzle. He then shifted onto his right footpaw in a lunge, his left handpaw sliding gracefully into his back pocket.

Ivory saw a quick gleam of metal and heard a heavy thump, and the whole thing was over. Alex let out weak huff and dropped to his knees clutching his stomach, spiddle dripping from his clenched teeth.

"H-holy fuck..." Ivory gasped the words, feeling her heart leap at the scene.

Joseph glided his left paw back behind him in a fluid motion, dropping the brass knuckles back into his pocket where he had withdrawn them. "Be thankful I didn't use my right or aim for your ribs, kitten..." He snarled the words as the leopard just let out a coughing groan in response.

Ivory's blue eyes were wide at the whole display, her head still ached from the push to the wall but seeing her fox do that stunned her speechless. Then the realization of it all caught up to her and she felt her knees shaking but not out of fear, but out of pure unrestrained desire for her dog, for her magnificent Alpha fox that had come to rescue her.

Joseph huffed and looked back at Ivory while standing over the downed cat, "Are you okay, baby?" He growled the words strong and dominantly and Ivory felt her heart flutter violently in her chest at the sight of it all. She nodded several times her whole body feeling hot.

"Y-you're going to pay for this, dog..." The cat hissed the words glaring up at the fox and showing his sharp teeth.

"That a threat I hear?" Joseph reached back into his pocket and produced a small butterfly knife. He flicked it open flourishing it and spinning it casually in his handpaw, moving over to the cat. "You see kitty... I'm not a big guy, and only a fool fights fair... If you're promising retribution, I can just put you down here and now."

The fox rolled the blade in his grip showing off a good amount of skill with the small knife before anchoring it in his grip, "Fear for my life and my partners, all that... Probably probation on a manslaughter charge at the worst case..."

The cat's eyes widened as he approached him and he fell back, trying to scoot away slightly, but the dog was on him in a few seconds with the blade of the knife pressed to his throat. "I-I didn't mean it! I swear!" The cat practically screamed the words in panic.

"That right? You sure, kitten?" The fox snarled and pushed the blade closer to the leopard's open throat and pushed his forehead to the cats. Joseph locked eyes with him and huffed in his face, "Here is your one and only freebie... If you ever so much as look at my girlfriend again... I will murder you in cold blood, are we clear?" He snarled the words in his face, his spittle scattering across the cat's cheeks.