Fox's Album

Lost

The alarm blared noisily in the morning. A hand fumbled on the bedside table searching for it to switch it off. However, the man lying in bed was already awake. He turned over, staring at the wall, his eyes red from fatigue. The trip to Italy had left him shattered, both physically and mentally. He had spent two days without leaving the house. He was exhausted, in every sense.

"What am I doing?" he asked himself at all hours since the encounter with that woman. He thought that meeting Nina Williams would provide him with answers. That he would uncover the identity of his biological parents and discover the origins of his birth.

All he received was a stab in the stomach upon learning the harsh reality. As he had suspected, the reason for his birth was for experimentation. Furthermore, his biological mother had rejected him in the worst possible way. He couldn't blame her; she had been forced to have him. He hadn't expected a hug from her, but perhaps kinder words. Even so, he helped her escape from the soldiers who were pursuing her. Upon returning to the UK, he sank into misery. He was lost. He no longer had a purpose.

He got out of bed and headed to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea. Just as he was about to pour milk into the tea, he received a call from his boxing gym coach. What started as a call from a concerned mister ended up turning into a heated argument. Steve accidentally knocked the cup, which shattered as soon as it hit the floor. The blond, furious, hung up the call and smashed the carton of milk he was holding against the floor. He struck the fridge with all the strength his left arm could muster, but was met with a sharp pain in his knuckles in return. He grabbed his hand, trying to ease the burning sensation somehow, but only felt the scar on his left arm, reminding him of what had been. What should have been. He fell to his knees on the floor, crying in frustration, wondering what his place in the world was.

"That bloody screeching noise again" Steve thought, another morning. It had been another night where he couldn't get a wink of sleep. At least he wouldn't have any more nightmares that way. He turned off the alarm and closed his eyes, seeking the arms of Morpheus. His peace would be short-lived upon hearing the doorbell. He got up and walked to the door, irritated. He was about to shout at the source of his disturbance when he saw his parents, his adoptive parents.

"Mum? Dad?" he looked at them incredulously and stepped aside to let them pass. His mother quickly hugged him and kissed his cheek. His father went to prepare tea in the kitchen, while his mother took Steve to the living room to explain that his coach had contacted them to discuss what had happened the day before.

"Blimey, it's not like I'm fifteen" Steve murmured, annoyed.

"Darling, you may not be fifteen, but we're worried about you" his mother said sadly. "You don't leave the house, you don't go to training. What happened in Italy that affected you so much?"

Steve sighed and lifted his gaze from the floor. He saw his father coming in with three cups of hot Earl Grey tea. He couldn't bear to keep looking at their worried eyes and broke down. He told them everything that had happened. Everything he remembered and the nightmares it caused him. Everything he had researched and everything that happened to him in his quest for the truth he so desperately wanted to know, which had consumed his life until then.

"I don't know who I am anymore" Steve declared through sobs.

"Our son" his father smiled. Steve looked at them in surprise, with glassy eyes.

"Come home for a while. Don't shut yourself away here" his mother comforted him gently. The boy simply nodded, embracing them. Suddenly, he felt transported back to when he was six years old, when he finally found a house, a home, and a family that loved him.

Two months later, Steve was a completely different person. Returning to his parents' house helped him a great deal. He had remembered what kind of child he had been after being adopted. He rediscovered the reason he had learned to box, by having casual sparring sessions with his father, and in his mind, a new idea of his professional future was slowly taking shape. He began to call his trainer frequently to discuss his new ideas for applying them to combat. Additionally, he consulted his friends, Paul and Marshall, to ask about martial arts techniques.

Mistery Man

"Good morning, Raven" I said cheerfully.

"Good morning" he replied tersely.

The more days passed, the more he caught my attention. I tried to find information about him in my boss's files, but there was nothing. He was a man without a name, the only thing that distinguished him from others at first glance was the X-shaped scar on his face. Even so, if you asked anyone, they would say they couldn’t remember what his face looked like. A common and forgettable face, marked by an X.

It took me a while to realise that I hadn’t seen Raven for a long time. One early morning, I asked my boss about it.

"Mr Chevalier, has something happened to Raven?"

"Why should I answer that question to a secretary?" he said with a smile.

"He was a man who often came to speak with you. I've only just noticed his absence."

Victor merely nodded and continued explaining my tasks for the day. The question of what had happened to him spun around in my head. And that question led to others. 'Where does he come from?', 'How did he get the scar?', 'What does he feel?', 'What does he think?', 'Does he have a name?'

After two years, I saw him one morning. He came to meet with Mr Chevalier as he usually did, as if no time had passed. For a moment, in shock, I couldn’t articulate a word and simply opened the door for him.

"Good morning" he greeted me as always.

"R-Raven" I said as I regained my senses, "Where have you been?"

He paused and looked at me, noticing my surprise. "Training".

"And is that it? Did no one worry about you?" I asked somewhat sadly.

"No one should, it's my job."

"Don't you feel anything? I mean, no one knows anything about you. I feel like I'm greeting a man who doesn't exist".

He noticed my worried expression, sighed, and approached my desk while removing his glasses.

"I don't know anything about who I was, or who I will be. I only know this. I only know how to hide, because that's what my job consists of. To be effective, quick, and invisible. I've accepted it and I don't feel bad".

His eyes bore into mine. I had never seen his eyes before. They were indifferent, serious, stoic... But at that moment, I glimpsed a hint of emotion in them.

"I understand" I glanced back at the computer momentarily. "But... whenever you come by here, I will greet you as I always do. Because to me, you exist, Raven" I smiled at him and managed to elicit a small smile from him as well. Then he stood up and went into Mr. Chevalier's office.

After the meeting with Victor, Raven came out. I was surprised, as he had never come out that way before. I only ever saw him enter.

"See you soon" he said goodbye to me.

City Law

"Your movements must be more precise! You need to use your opponent's strength to your advantage" I told one of my students.

I sense a bad omen about us very soon. It is strange that New York has not yet been affected by the war; however, I sense that this is about to change.

I recalled the words of an old friend of mine, Wang Jinrei. He told me that the instinct of a martial artist was rarely wrong, and that one must use their skills for good. It was during my last trip to China. The last time I saw him, he mentioned that he would go to find Jinpachi Mishima, a friend of his who had been consumed by demons because of his son. I never heard from him again.

"Mr Smith, a girl has just arrived at the dojo" one of my students said hurriedly.

"Let her in" I replied.

"Grandpa Leroy!" the little girl ran up to me.

"Xiaoyou, how are you?" I smiled upon recognising her, and soon Sugar, who had been napping, got up to greet her as well. "What are you doing here?"

Then I saw the girl's face darken. She told me that Kazuya had come to the city to wreak havoc, and that Jin was still missing. What I feared most was coming true. I immediately prepared my students for the fierce battle that would loom over New York, and I sought help from my old friend's student.

The day arrived, and we did everything we could to protect the citizens, but Kazuya seemed invincible. Then, Jin fell from the sky, confronted his father, and managed to neutralise him, but he disappeared again.

Summary: You've prepared a Birthday Party for Miguel, your co-worker and friend. This year it fell on Good Friday, so Miguel couldn't imagine what you were up to.

Before Tekken 6 events

Pairings: Miguel/GN!reader

Warnings: Cursed words

WC: 900

It was Good Friday, and your boss asked you to close the bar earlier due to the holiday. The streets of Buñol were filled with people crowding in the bright sun to enjoy the processions of the brotherhoods throughout the town.

Your boss and you quickly started preparing the decorations and arrangements for the birthday party of another bartender, your colleague Miguel. You, your boss, and Miguel's sister had been getting everything ready for a couple of days. Miguel was not someone who liked surprises, let alone a party for himself. But you decided to go ahead with it because ever since he had run away from home, he had done nothing but work at the bar, day and night, taking orders at the counter on the quieter days or throwing out the more troublesome customers on the busy ones. He deserved a party.

Your boss gave Miguel the holiday days off so he could go and watch the Holy Week processions in peace. Despite his tough exterior, Miguel was quite a religious person. He never left the house without the crucifix his sister had given him around his neck, which he always held in moments of helplessness or uncertainty, reminding him that no matter how badly he did things, his sister would be there with him.

Your boss and you had finished preparing everything when Miguel's sister arrived with him linked by the arm. Instantly, the three of you started singing Happy Birthday. Miguel sighed irritably and begged you to stop, but you ignored him. In the end, the boy managed a half-smile and smiled.

"Happy Birthday!" you approached him with a box wrapped in red and gold gift paper. You watched as Miguel opened it, surprised to find a new strap and nylon strings for his Spanish guitar inside.

"Thank you very much" he smiled at you as he leaned in to give you a kiss on each cheek. You blushed a little at his touch, as Miguel wasn't one to express physical affection, especially not in such a delicate manner.

Your boss opened a bottle of Rioja red wine and proceeded to fill four glasses. "To the best bodyguard and my second-best waiter! Happy birthday, lad!" the boss raised his glass in the air, and you all toasted to the birthday boy.

You spent the time chatting, eating tapas that the boss had saved especially for the occasion. After a while, Miguel sat on a high stool and began to play his guitar. You smiled at his sister and took her hands to dance around the room. Hours passed until the boss turned off the lights and appeared with a small cake covered in lit candles. Miguel started complaining about how absurd it was to blow out candles and how little fun it was for him. When you opened your mouth to sing the birthday song again, Miguel quickly interrupted you.

"Alright, alright! I’ll blow out the damn candles! But please, don’t sing!" and he approached the table to do what he had just said.

Once the candles were removed and the cake cut, you began to eat. At one point, Miguel's sister and the boss were very engrossed in a discussion. Then, your companion leaned over to you.

"I know you and my sister came up with this idea for the party. But how did she know I needed new strings for the guitar? I haven't played in front of her for ages" he asked you.

"I noticed. I see you playing that guitar during breaks and I started to notice how rusty the first strings were getting" you replied while biting into your piece of cake.

"So you’re spying on me. What a nosy woman who doesn’t respect privacy!" he joked.

"You’re such an idiot!" you said, irritated, while you hit his arms.

"Hey! I went to confess a couple of days ago! Don’t get me into another row" he grabbed you by the wrists to stop you.

"You moron. Next time, I won’t give you anything" you grimaced and ate what was left of your piece of cake.

"Now seriously, thank you. I really needed the strings" he said in a softer tone.

Summary: You see the calendar and you notice it's April 10, Steve's Birthday! You prepared a surprise Birthday party for him, inviting all his friends.

Fluff

Pairing: Steve/GN!Reader

Warnings: Alcohol mentioned

WC: 1.1k

In the morning, while you were drinking your English breakfast tea, you noticed the calendar. You were happy because April had begun, and it was noticeable in the air. The trees were starting to turn green with new leaves, and the birds began to sing in search of a mate.

Your mind was already wandering on how to organise Steve's birthday party. The 10th of April was approaching, and you had his surprise almost ready. You called Paul and Marshall to come to Oxford for that day. You spoke with his friends from the boxing gym and a few from university to invite them as well. Your plan was to prepare a surprise party for when he returned from training. His gym mates would come with him from there, while the others would wait in your flat with confetti and balloons.

You had already bought the decorations and some of the snacks and drinks you would have, without Steve finding out, of course. You happily accepted the suggestions for games and activities proposed by the other guests, organising that too. The only thing left was to set everything up without your boyfriend noticing.

"Good morning, luv" your boyfriend quickly kissed your cheek and began to prepare his breakfast. "There is something important coming up soon?" he asked upon seeing you absorbed in the calendar.

"What do you mean if there is something important happening? Your birthday is approaching, silly!" you said, teasing him. "Have you thought about what you want to do?"

"Shall we go out for dinner, just the two of us? And perhaps I'll go out later with the gym lot in the evening" he thought as he rubbed his chin with his fingers.

"Is that all?" you replied cheekily, and he leaned in to tickle you.

"What are you plotting, huh?" he looked at you mischievously. "I can't wait to see what you're going to give me" he went back to preparing his breakfast. "I'd like something like a new pair of boxing boots. Or some new lingerie for you to wear."

"Why would I give you lingerie for me to wear?" you turned around, incredulous.

"Because I like it when you think of me, darling" he kissed your cheek before taking a sip from his cup of tea. "I'm off to the gym. See you for lunch" he downed the remaining tea in one go and went to get ready.

In the following days, you refined the details. Steve told you how some of his friends had said they weren't free for his birthday and that he was a bit disappointed. You consoled him while internally laughing at how well your plan was working.

On 10th April, Steve left for his afternoon training. You welcomed Paul and Marshall, who had just arrived from the hotel, and they helped you set up all the decorations and prepare everything for when your boyfriend returned. Slowly, more guests started to arrive, and by the end of the afternoon, everything was ready. Only the birthday boy was missing.

You heard laughter coming from the hallway outside and asked everyone to hide. You turned off the light and concealed yourself as well. The living room was silent, except for the sound of keys in the lock and the door opening. As soon as the light was switched on, Steve was greeted with congratulations and confetti.

"Happy birthday to you..." the guests began to sing as Paul and Marshall appeared with a cake full of candles for him to blow out. When the birthday boy blew out the candles, Paul took a piece of cake in his hand and smashed it in Steve's face. The American started laughing heartily until Steve retaliated in kind. Thus, the birthday party officially began.

Before long, the presents were distributed: weights, gloves, and new boots, along with a few books. The gift that excited him the most was the special collection of all the Rocky films. He exclaimed his thanks for the films, while you lamented internally about having to watch them in a marathon with him. But you were still happy.

Throughout the night, you enjoyed activities such as karaoke, video games, and as the early hours approached, drinking games began. By 1:00 am, it was decided that the party would move to the nightclubs, and that’s where the celebration ended for you, as well as for a few others who had to work the next day. You stayed at home and wished everyone else a fun night. Steve said goodbye to you with a passionate kiss and left with the other guests who would continue the party with him.

Your alarm went off at 7:30 am, as it did every day. You were particularly tired, so you made yourself a coffee that morning. While reading some news on your phone, you heard someone trying to clumsily open the door. When you peered through the peephole, you saw Steve attempting to insert the key into the lock. You opened the door and the blonde stumbled inside.

"Good morning, love" you laughed lightly.

"Hello, darling. I'm going to bed" he murmured. "Thanks for the party. I had a great time." He kissed your cheek and hugged you wearily.

"Go to sleep, then. I can see you had a lot of fun last night" you affectionately rubbed his back and stepped aside.

"Goodnight, luv. I love you lots" he murmured as he stumbled towards the bedroom.

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