New Beginnings

Chapter 18: Recountings

He was warm, was the first thing Silver noticed as he flicked an ear and slowly began to stir. It was not like the burning heat of his city, but calm and gentle as he nuzzled against it and accepted its loving embrace. The warmth was wrapped around his back too, gently trailing down his spines and making him smile into the small hole of safety where his muzzle was resting. There was a rumbling noise in the background that didn't bother him, as well as a constant drumming of sorts against his face. It almost was as if he slowly rose and fell with the warmth... Waking up a bit more he flicked his ears anew as the warmth moved underneath him a little, making him mewl in protest. He was so comfortable, he didn't want the warmth to leave!

With his whimper the warmth began to shift only more, trailing over what little was exposed of his cheek. "Silver?" quietly sounded near his ears, soft and breathy and making him perk up immediately as he recognised the voice it belonged to. His eyes flying open in his enthusiasm to get up with earlier drowsiness forgotten immediately the hedgehog pulled his face back from where it had been resting in the crook of Espio's neck and shoulders, shooting the chameleon a bright, beaming smile as their eyes met. Though he couldn't remember the events leading up to this he had to have fallen asleep on the other, lovingly getting his body pet throughout his rest. "Did I wake you?" Espio asked softly as he placed his fingers against the hedgehog's mouth before Silver could call out the other's name, the touch sending a shiver down the hedgehog's spine as he froze up.

"...You didn't..." he whispered back, his voice feeling very shaky and unsteady as it came out in an awkward croak. Slowly his eyes drifted shut at the tingly sensation on his lips as Espio chuckled. The sound was mesmerising... A confused frown made its way onto his face as he realised everything about the other he was snuggled up to so closely was... Swallowing thickly, his heart unexpectedly beginning to thrum and jump in his chest and his stomach feeling all jittery all of a sudden, he shook his head to add some weight to his statement. He honestly wasn't sure if he could trust his speech to carry him along for now, but why was he feeling so weird?

With a soft hum the chameleon removed his fingers from his mouth and began to massage him behind his ears instead, the hedgehog's pout at the loss of contact morphing into a content smile immediately. "I'm glad. We do need to be quiet, though; everyone else is still asleep." Following the other's tail with his eyes Silver smiled at their companions that indeed were resting still, Sonic sprawled out on the couch Espio sat leaning against and Charmy on top of Vector's head as the crocodile laid on the other sofa, both snoring loudly. He remembered that much; everyone had been making preparations to fall asleep while he had laid snuggled up to his dear friend, so warm and comfortable he had never wanted to get up again. His back tingled, as did his quills; had the chameleon really been petting them the whole time he was resting? The mere thought made him feel fuzzy all over again as another shiver rushed down his spine, realising that despite his usual aversion to getting touched by others it hadn't been an unpleasant feeling in the slightest. Odd.

Settling against Espio a bit more closely Silver smiled as a blush barely made its way onto the ninja's face following his movement, dissipating after only a moment as the chameleon smirked down at him and picked up the gentle caressing. With a quiet purr rumbling out of his own chest -he didn't trust his voice just yet, why was his throat feeling so strange?- the hedgehog's own hand slowly trailed up to stroke the patch on Espio's torso, running a finger over the line between purple and pink. Grinning at the slightly sharper inhale of the other's breath he peeked up cheekily as he let three of his fingers wander around instead, immediately needing to suppress a giggle himself as the chameleon's tail began to brush over his sides in retaliation. What even was he doing, skittering his fingers over his friend's body and not startling like usual when the other returned the favour? He truly felt safe near Espio, Silver mused as the two of them made eye contact and Espio's tiny smile made his heart beat even more quickly, safe and protected and cherished and...