New Beginnings

Chapter 29 - Foreboding

Murmuring quiet shushes Espio held Silver close against his chest, quickly making his way over the paths leading from the beach back to the Agency. Behind him the thunder that had the hedgehog so upset rumbled threateningly, and the chameleon quickened his pace as he rushed into the street their house was located in. Silver was quiet, too quiet, burying his head away into Espio's chest and holding on to him like his life depended on it; was he truly that afraid of the weather? He had mentioned the Ifrit... Espio could come up with some ideas as to why the hedgehog had fallen so silent and scared just before the thunder struck. Perhaps a summer storm was a sour ending to their evening, but he could not think about that now; his one priority was to get Silver somewhere safe and comforting, somewhere the other was shielded from his memories and fears. He had to protect him.

As he had expected one light in the Agency was still on, Charmy's voice clamouring from the open window of his small bedroom as Vector's resounded above it in a clear attempt to be more quiet and yet failing miserably. Multiple variations of "I don't want to go to bed," and "You're going to bed right now," bounced around in the air outside, shattering any form of fragile peace the night might have carried, but Espio paid them no heed as he unlocked the door and lifted himself and the trembling hedgehog inside before closing it once more. "We're safe, Silver," he whispered, frantic golden eyes meeting his as he turned on the dim light of the hallway and clumsily undid the strap of the shamisen from where it was slung over his shoulder to place it on the ground. "The storm can't reach us inside."

All he got was a trembling nod in return, and Espio swallowed worriedly as he looked at the ash-grey muzzle of the other. That wasn't just from the flickering ceiling light, he was certain... "It's okay, small one. Have no fear," he repeated once more, though even he could pick up on how empty his words were as the other only stared back before Espio averted his gaze. Unwilling to put the hedgehog down he went up the stairs with him snugly in his embrace still, turning the light off again before faltering. Charmy and Vector had not faltered in their shouting match in the minute he had needed to enter – which would likely result in another noise complaint sometime soon – and while he had long learned to sleep through that the already-frightened psychic likely would only get more afraid. And the sky outside was rumbling still, accompanied by the occasional clap and piercing flash sneaking in through the windows as he came upstairs... "I'll put you to bed in a moment," he told Silver, making his way over to the door in the middle of the hallway that was half-opened and tip-toeing through. "First these two need to shut up."

Neither Vector nor Charmy heard him come in, the bee half-dressed in his little pyjama jacket as he refused to dislodge himself from his hiding place inbetween the ceiling and the clothes cabinet while Vector seemed awake and alert as always from where he was yelling and waving his hands around on the floor. "You're going to sleep, and that's final!"

"I'm still not gonna come out of here!"

"Yes you are!"

"No I'm not, I'm-"

"Ahem."

Despite their noisiness both yelped with a shriek and whirled towards him as Espio loudly cleared his throat, though, and the ninja wasted no time in bristling and glaring at his rowdy colleagues. "What are you two doing?"

"He doesn't want to go to sleep!" and "He doesn't want to leave me alone!" resounded simultaneously, and the chameleon narrowed his eyes as the bee and crocodile sent each other a slightly-guilty glance.

"Which is enough reason to be staying up and yelling the whole street awake at what I can only presume is after 11 in the evening?"

"Aw, Espio, c'mon," Charmy pleaded as he wrenched himself free from his hiding spot, the furniture nearly tumbling forward as Vector rushed to catch it with a yelp. "It's not that late! Uh- Silver's not sleeping either!"