The next time Fox awoke he was snuggled up in a small box-like thing. His vision cleared after a few moments, allowing him to realize that he was in a little cat carrier being driven in a car.

"I hope that he'll be okay with what we set up," Noah was saying quietly, as if trying not to wake him.

There was a clicking sound before the car made a turn, then a slight bump and upward incline.

"He'll have to manage. He can't be moving around a whole lot while those stitches heal," Henry replied after turning off the car, then looking into the backseat.

"Oh. Someone's awake already, I see."

I see, too... and hear.

Noah glanced back for a second before hurrying from the passenger's seat and opening the back door. A moment later and Fox's carrier was in the man's hand as he tried not to sway it too much while he walked. Thankfully, they went through the garage, cause Fox knew that Noah was likely to knock his carrier into the doorjamb... he'd seen the guy try to bring in groceries several times.

Rest in peace milk, and eggs, and those little cookies that had been wrapped poorly.

"Are you making fun of my ability to carry things, brat?" Noah said as they stepped inside.

Yes, because you can't seem to step up the two simple stairs while not slamming something against the side of the entryway.

"He's not wrong," Henry chimed in, making Noah grumble.

"I didn't hear his response, but I don't think I want to."

When Henry just chuckled and headed for the bedroom, with Noah following him, Fox twitched his ear and took note of his body as he started to move around a bit in the little plastic box. His injuries ached, but they were definitely better than they had been.

"Alright, here we are," Noah said as he set Fox's carrier down... right in front of the big metal crate he remembered none-too-fondly.

It's a no from me, thanks.

"Told you he wouldn't be happy," Noah sighed as he carefully opened the carrier.

Fox didn't hesitate to raise his hackles and bare his teeth on a growl. He would not be locked up in that metal prison again. The carrier box was one temporary thing, but he wasn't about to sit in that metal trap for days on end.

"You can't just walk around with those injuries, buddy. You'll hurt yourself a lot worse if you pull on your stitches," Noah said as he knelt in front of the carrier, almost earning himself a warning nip.

I'm not an idiot, most of the time. I can actually follow directions if I absolutely have to.

"You can stay in here and not try to get on the bed or walk around much?" Henry asked with a raised eyebrow.

That's a tall order, but I—wait. Where is my collar?

"I took it off. You have an injury that it would rub against and I needed to treat and bandage it," Noah said as he held up the small fabric item with the little metal tag dangling.

I'll just take it, then, Fox replied as he tried to lean up and grab it with his teeth, but couldn't even manage the simple motion without wincing.

"Don't worry, I won't lose it."

Fox bristled and huffed. Lose it. Go ahead. It's not like I wanted it in the first place.

"You sure, kid? Oh, wait, you're eighteen now since you've been gone quite a while... but heck, you're still a bratty child," Henry joked as he poked Fox's nose, earning a snap that intentionally missed. Next time I won't miss on purpose, you cocky vegetarian.

Henry was about to tease him again, his mouth opening to do just that, when Noah put a hand on the man's head and rustled his hair as he stood.

"Let's not rile him up, Hen."

The look that Henry gave Noah for the nickname as he jumped up was quite hilarious. Noah grinned at him and they headed for the bedroom door.

I think not.

Fox forced his aching body to move and hurried past the two distracted men. Instinctively, he headed for the bathroom, but stopped at the entrance, just the slightest bit surprised.

I know I've been gone for a while.

"I guess it just became a habit to make sure that you had somewhere clean to go bathroom," Noah said as he walked over and gently scooped Fox up.

He still didn't like to be carried, at all, but he tolerated it when, instead of going back into the bedroom, he was carried out into the living room and deposited onto his doggy bed. The heated blanket was still there, but on top of it were a few more blankets for extra padding. It felt pretty darn good.

"I'll have your pancakes ready in a few minutes, but if you start wandering around, you're going back into the bedroom," Henry said as he headed for the kitchen.

I can get used to this.

He heard Noah chuckle and turned his attention up to the man who was walking in with his food and water bowls. Not having realized how thirsty he was, Fox hobbled from his bed just far enough to shove his head in the bowl as it was being set down on the carpet.

"Try not to spill too much."

I make no promises.

That comment earned him a tap to his nose before Noah walked away, only to return a minute later with another blanket.

"I was going to save this for when you got those dirty, since I figured you eating over here wasn't going to be the most cleanly thing, but you're already shivering," he said, making Fox prick his ears up in confusion. He hadn't even noticed that he was cold. It just felt like his body was aching everywhere.

He didn't argue about the blanket, and as soon as it was settled over most of his body once he returned to his bed, Noah plugged it in and turned it on. It felt amazing. He immediately started to relax and his eyes grew heavier by the second.

The smell of heaven woke him up a short while later, his sniffer going before his brain even turned on all the way.

"I think he's about to realize just how much we love him," Noah's voice, muffled slightly by the sound of the television in the background, said.

There was a deep chuckle in response, followed by Henry's reply. "You mean how much I love him? I'm the one that cooked."

Fox felt a small twinge of upset from Noah and honestly wanted to laugh. He didn't understand love. Who would love him, anyways? He was an annoying fox that just said snarky crap and ate everyone's food.

"And comes back only when he's hurt and almost dead," Henry added.

Noah didn't hesitate to follow that up with "and extremely missed."

The man's words had Fox's eyes finally blinking open to look over at the two men. Henry was curled up comfortably against the arm of the sofa with a book in his hand, askew reading glasses on his nose that had likely been Noah's doing... if the faint embarrassment he felt through their odd bond was any indication.

I told you that Noah belongs to me, you darn vegetarian.

Fox slowly slid from his mound of blankets toward the massive plate of pancakes calling his name. His body felt too heavy, but it thankfully obeyed him just long enough to get over to the food a foot or so away. As soon as he was within range, Fox slumped back down, then shoved his face into the syrupy goodness.

"But I cut those up for you, and cooked them," Henry said out loud, making Fox glance over at him with a bland expression, syrup dripping from his mouth onto the large serving platter someone had been wise enough to place under his food.

Noah can make them.

Noah glanced at Henry, then back to Fox several times, frowning in confusion.

We both can make them. Wouldn't you prefer two people willing to make you pancakes than just one? Who works a lot? And has started going to the gym? Doesn't seem like he'll have too much time to take care of your pancake addiction.

Fox flattened his ears and grunted, his chewing slowing as he used his fuzzy brain to contemplate the man's words. He didn't need pancakes all the time. Just most of the time.

He can cook extra and freeze them, Fox noted as he finished his meal, his belly satisfied, if not a bit over-full.

"You are one stubborn kid," Henry murmured before getting shoved off the sofa abruptly.

He managed to easily break his fall, but the look on his face was quite entertaining before he rolled over onto his back and pushed himself up to glare at Noah. Fox watched the interaction, and even flicked his tail with the slightest hint of interest when he watched Noah slip from the sofa and right into Henry's lap before the man could move.

"What the heck are you guys talking about without me?" he asked, clearly frustrated as he leaned forward, making Henry unintentionally lean back in response until he was only supporting his upper body on his elbows behind himself.

Twitching his nose at the scene, Fox sniffed, then glanced around until he noticed something sitting on the edge of the counter.

Hey, that's mine.

Ignoring the eyes he felt on himself, Fox sauntered into the kitchen and tried to hop up onto the counter. It didn't work. His body screamed at him before he even finished crouching down.

Annoyed, he walked in a few circles, then looked around the kitchen for an easier route up. The dishwasher was closed and running. None of the lower cabinets were open. There weren't any boxes lying around.

"Don't get up there, Fox. You need to rest for another couple days."

Glancing back towards the two, Fox was briefly surprised to see that Henry was pinning Noah down now, the two having switched places rather quickly. Noah definitely didn't seem as tolerant of the position as Henry had, but he wasn't surprised about that. He was a bit more immature at times.

"Wait."

"Who is immature?"

Of course they both heard that.

Sitting down, Fox tilted his head as he replied, both of you.

Noah leaned his head back on the carpet to give him an upside-down scowl as Henry just chuckled and stood up, finally freeing the other man.

"We're immature, huh?" he said as he walked over and nonchalantly picked up the collar on the edge of the counter, then began spinning it around his finger as he glanced down at Fox with a raised eyebrow.

Very, Fox scoffed as he turned around and crept back to his bed and heated blankets. He was just about to slip beneath the hot layers of heaven when he felt something soft but firm wrap around his neck. He turned and looked up just as Henry snapped the collar into places with a smile.

"You're right. We are immature... but it takes one to know one, little Fox. Don't mess with that or I'll take it right back off."

It actually doesn't, big Vegetarian.

Henry actually cracked up at that, laughing quietly as he sat down on the floor.

What? Fox asked, not understanding why the man was suddenly laughing at him.

When Henry reached forward and poked his nose, Fox grumbled and pinned his ears for a second before Noah dropped down next to them and quickly but gently scooped him up into his arms. It was uncomfortable with his injuries, but he'd give them man a minute before he considered fighting his way free.

"You call me vegetarian all the time, but you know that I'm a veterinarian," Henry said in response to his previously-thought question.

Feeling Noah's chest vibrate against him, Fox looked up to see the man trying to hold back a laugh.

"Vegetarian, huh?" he asked as he glanced sideways at Henry with a knowing smirk. "I don't know, he tends to focus a lot more on trying to get meat than vegetables."

Huh?

He preferred meat, too, though he could feel some sort of underlying joke in the man's words, too. While he was considering what had clearly gone over his head, Fox felt the collar around his neck loosen, then disappear. He immediately glared over at Henry as the man retracted his hand, with the collar in it, then held it up so that he could see the little dangling metal pieces.

"It has Noah's name and number on it... but not mind. I almost feel kind of jealous," he mused.

Give that back. It's mine.

Henry started messing with the tag, clearly trying to take it off of the little metal ring.

"We should get a tag with both our names on it. It would be safer in case you got hurt again, too."

That's my collar, so that's my tag. Don't take my tag off.

After a moment Noah reached over and took the collar from Henry.

"You would have been able to get it off easier if you didn't bite your nails down to nothing, Hen," he mumbled as he put the collar back around Fox's neck, then snapped it into place.

"If you want your name and number on his collar as well, why not go make a tag, too? I think that's pretty fair, right Fox?"

Fair? I'm the one that has to wear the added weight. It will also clink together and warn my prey before I can even get close. One tag is plenty, thanks.

"But you won't have to hunt if you stay here."

Fox rolled his eyes, making both men snort out an abrupt laugh before Noah unclipped his collar.

Will you two stop it? Just give it back and don't mess with it.

Noah tossed the collar to Henry before returning his hand to pat Fox's head, ignoring his pinned ears and quiet growl as he glared at the other man.

"Just let him go get a new tag then. I'm sure it won't take long."

Henry nodded and was just getting up when Fox reached over and took what was his, his fingers, not including his awkward thumb, wrapping around the rough fabric. He pursed his lips and gave a small tug while growing. He'd wanted to speak, but the only thing his mouth was able to do so far was growl, which at least got his point across, because Henry slowly released the collar to him.

Fox relaxed back against Noah, who had quickly reached over and grabbed one of the heated blankets to cover up his human self with. Fox's head now rested against the man's chest with the added height of his new form. He pressed the collar against Noah's shirt and stared at the little tag hanging on the big metal loop. That was his, and he didn't want to change it or lose it. He tightened his grip on the fabric as best he could before letting his eyes drift closed.

Just get another one if you need your name on it so badly, veterinarian.