◤𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕒𝕞𝕪◢ - It Started With Vomit!

Chapter 29: Gossipmongers

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me." Sticks winced, referring to the headline playing across a tiny office television in the corner of the blessedly quiet room. It was after-office hours. Therefore, those who remained were some unfortunate staffers who hadn't finished their work within an allotted time frame—or Sticks, who remained adamant about hanging out with Silver for a few extra hours.

Upon returning with three bags full of snacks, the badger got comfortable, ready to help her friend sort through information, estimates, and feedback due on Manager Vector's desk the next morning about a software upgrade project. 

Digging into a half-inflated, half-actual bag of cauliflower chips, "Are we certain that Amy isn't being held hostage, and that she's truly marrying out of love?" Sticks asked, and Silver snickered, punching in numbers efficiently on a slim, sleek keyboard, only pausing every so often to have a sip of coffee that had been lying, mostly untouched, for most of the day.

"Do you want me to email the sheet with an attached file?"

"Yes, please," Sticks crunched down voraciously on an unfortunate slice of crisp goodness. Then, after passing a few minutes diligently silent and focused on the task at hand, "Do you believe, deep within your heart, that we should stay out of this?" she brazenly queried. "Even if Amy said not to get involved?"

"Why start now, am I right?" Silver got up and walked to a printing station as Sticks began to stretch. Leaning against the machine, he massaged the bend of his neck therapeutically, cracking some joints in the process. "It's not like you respected Rouge's wishes, either."

"Hey!" She choked out her words, affronted by his passive-aggressive accusation. "I did what I did out of concern! With a clean, content conscience!"

"I hadn't said you didn't."

"You implied I hadn't!"

Silver's cheeks coloured bright pink, as they always did when he felt cornered into conceding—or in this case, acknowledging Sticks' truth. Then, aware of approaching footsteps, the hedgehog moved away from the printers and ran towards a random desk, ducking for cover after an incoming wave of white nearly clashed violently with his shoulders—sharp cauliflower bits moving at dangerous speeds, propelled into motion by a brutal female assassin.

"WHAT THE HELL? ARE YOU CRAZY?"

Sticks launched another deadly round, laughing maniacally as she lept onto Silver, who had tried barrel-rolling behind another person's desk. "No. Why would you think that?"

Pinning him to the ground, she quickly climbed atop his abdominal cavity, and Silver warned her to get off, claiming that he's never hurt a woman before. But Sticks only pushed harder, taunting him with occasional pressure mitigations as she jokingly poked fun at his high-pitched screeches and spineless surrender. 

Sticks didn't believe him, and she made sure that Silver knew by abusing his deliberate composure, making it seem like she would rise off his stomach only to suddenly double down on the assault.

Miss badger even went so far as to make claims about how his laid-back, effeminate appearance, quite literally, spoke for itself. 

"I mean, which normal guy enjoys frequenting restaurants on their day off?"

Taking hold of her right shoulder with his left hand, "This guy, apparently," Silver puffed, deciding that that was the last straw. He elevated his legs to her waist, gauging her reflexes before crossing them around her neck and pulled both her hands to his face as he made a full swing right. "I may not workout religiously like Knuckles—"