New Beginnings

Chapter 13 - The Unfortunate Return Of Sonic

With his heart pounding in his chest and his stomach aflutter Silver padded next to Espio, too lost in thought to pay attention to the discoloured sky or where they were even walking in the first place. He didn't know whether to laugh until his lungs burst or cry until he had no more tears left in his body, all he knew was that he had never, ever felt such happiness before. Was Espio feeling like this too, overwhelmed by such blinding elation and euphoria? Was this what true friendship felt like? He himself wouldn't know, Espio was the first friend he had ever had in his entire life. Though, despite their rocky start Silver got the feeling he was friends with Vector and Charmy also, or perhaps slightly-more-close-than-normal acquaintances, yet they certainly didn't make him feel as delighted as being near the chameleon did. He didn't dare hope it was a possibility, too afraid of the consequences of finding himself mistaken, but maybe he and Espio had something more, something closer than just any other friend. The thought made him want to start either laughing or crying all over again, perhaps both at the same time.

"We're almost there," Espio's voice sounded next to him, and he was slowly pulled from his jumbled dreamy thoughts until all of him was in the here and now again. With a final squeeze to his hand Espio let him go in full, and though the loss of warmth made Silver pout the raging fire inside his chest more than made up for it. Shooting a smile so bright it honestly made his face hurt a little at the chameleon he laughed as Espio blushed, the other quickly averting his eyes and looking to the side instead. "You stop that. I can already hear Vector and Charmy laugh at us," he was chided, though the ninja's voice was overflowing with warmth.

"But you're cute when you're like this," Silver assured him immediately, the chameleon merely huffing in response and affectionately batting at his side with his long tail. Immediately charging his head against Espio's shoulder with a terrifyingly intimidating battle cry -perhaps too strong of a retaliation, though the psychic couldn't help but feel victorious at Espio's surprised laugh and the small wrestling match that instantly followed between the two of them- the hedgehog almost lost all attention for the area once more... until the two of them rounded a corner, stumbling and laughing and grappling their hands while trying to push the other to the side, where his head twisted around and his eyes fell on a particular shade of blue that was making their way at them with... well, Sonic speed. His body froze, Espio's hands in his grip still.

"Hey guys!" the speedster laughed as he skidded to a halt in front of them, both the psychic and the ninja only able to stare back with how much caught in the act they were. Silver's elation instantly was pushed away by apprehension and hurt, cold and heavy in his chest and rooting his legs firmly to the ground. "Having fun?" the blue hedgehog asked, his ears flicking playfully as his eyes trailed over them.

With the cheeky grin that graced Sonic's face Silver felt his own only burn up even more, jolting into motion. Quickly dropping Espio's hands he scrambled back, clutching his shoulder as he stared at the ground and refused to make eye contact with the new arrival. "Funny, I see you do nothing but fool around with Tails, and Knuckles... Shadow, if he doesn't immediately bash your head in... or Amy, if she doesn't immediately bash your head in.... And yet it's only noteworthy when Silver and I do it as well? Clearly we learned from the best, so why are you surprised?" Espio shot back, Silver's ears only drooping more at the hearty laugh the chameleon's statement elicited.

"Touché. Sorry to interrupt, though, you looked like you were having a great time," Sonic chuckled, the statement confirmed by Espio's hum of agreement as Silver could only stare at the tips of his boots still. "I went to your house just now, but Vector said you were out and about, so I decided to go look for you in the city and see if you needed any help."

"We were out on the town looking for some work to do, indeed. Though that has all been completed for today. Quite successfully too, if I do say so myself," Espio explained. Feeling Sonic's eyes burn into his head Silver slowly looked up, very clumsily trying to smile back as the Blue Blur shot him a grin so kind it only made him want to either frown in confusion or run away entirely. Based on how his face felt his smile probably looked like something one could only force out when threatened with imminent death, though it did nothing to make the blue hedgehog back off. "Silver has been a great help today, not that I had expected anything different," the chameleon chatted with the speedster, his voice earnest as his gaze trailed over the slightly-panicking time traveller.