"Choose me, Henry."

Chapter 8: A New Trouble Arises

Henry doesn't know what to think of Charles's kiss... On the other hand, it was nice, but Henry thought Charles hated him. Also, trouble arises in more ways than one...

Charles groaned in pain as he shifted, he tried to open his eyes, but couldn't. He felt something soft against his back, he lifted himself but had to lay back down cause his head pounded immediately. He now opened his eyes and looked around, he was in his tent. He was confused as he rubbed his temples. Okay... What happened last night? The last thing he remembers is staring at Henry cause of a reply and then everything became a blur after that.

He rubbed his eyes as he groaned again, "Arggh! What happened? What did I do?" he thought angrily as his tent flap opened.

He glanced at the person who entered his tent, it was Dave carrying a tray full of food. "Hi, Charles," Dave said happily as he went over to him, he put the tray of food down on a table next to him. "I brought you some food for your hangover."

Charles looked over the food, and he saw a plate of eggs, slices of watermelon, a banana, packets of honey, and a cup filled with coffee. He took the fork that was lying next to the plate and started eating the eggs. He ate as Dave sat next to him, he picked up the cup and drank it. He felt instantly better, he turned to Dave with a smile on his face. "Thanks for the food, Dave," he said.

"No problem, Charles." Dave replied happily.

Charles ate in silence while Dace watched him. "Did you eat already?" Charles asked Dave as he ate a watermelon slice.

Dave glanced at him, "Yes I did." he replied. "After I was done eating, I gathered food for you, and headed over here."

Charles nodded as picked up two watermelon slices, he ate one and gave the other to Dave. Dave thanked him as he started eating the watermelon, and they ate in comfortable silence. However, Charles has something on his mind. What happened last night? He turns to Dave who is eating his watermelon, he needs to know what happened last night. He doubts Dave knows, but on the other hand, Dave does know what food to give to him to cure his hangover.

"Hey, Dave," Charles said tentatively. "What happened to me last night?"

Dave's eyes widen when Charles asks him that question, he finishes his watermelon as he stares at Charles. "Well... Henry called me last night, telling me you were drunk," he explained. "I went over there and I found you practically on top of him."

Charles's face was now scarlet while Dave was telling him the story, he stared at Dave who smiled at him sheepishly. Charles took note of Dave's face and he could tell Dave was not telling him everything. "What else?" he asked gingerly.

Dave's face went a deep red, "Uh...I...you..." he started.

Charles raised an eyebrow at him, "Yeah?"

"You... You... YoukissedHenry!" Dave exclaimed quickly.

Charles didn't quite catch what Dave just told him, he stared at him in confusion, "What?" he asked dumbly.

Dave took a deep breath and exhaled, "You kissed Henry." he replied slowly and calmly.

Charles blinked at him for a moment, "I DID WHAT!?" he shouted.

"You kissed Henry."

"B-But why?"

Dave shrugged as Charles now remembered him kissing Henry. Oh my God!

Henry was in a clearing, he was sitting against a rock. He was thinking about last night, why did Charles kiss him? It just came out of nowhere, he wasn't expecting Charles to do that to him. He was expecting insults and comebacks, but not a kiss. He sighed as he saw Harry the hedgehog coming towards him, he held out his hand, and Harry climbed on it. He brought Harry close to him, Harry squeaked at him, and he brought him up to face to kiss him.

"Heh. Thanks, Harry." Henry said as he chuckled, Harry squeaked at him. That means you're welcome.

"You know what, Harry?" Henry told the hedgehog. "You're a better kisser than Charles."

Henry laughed at his joke while the hedgehog watched him in confusion, after a few seconds he stopped laughing. He smiled at Harry, he had to admit, Charles was a bad kisser. He's not joking either. To be fair in Charles's defense, he was drunk, and the kiss was sloppy. Henry's face fell as he thought about the kiss, why did Charles kiss him!?

Does...he have feelings for Henry!?

Henry closed his eyes as he started to overthink the possibilities of why Charles kissed him, and none of them weren't good. He was thinking it could be a prank and Charles was messing with him. Or Charles is planning to use him by luring him into a false sense of security, or humiliating him, or... Henry started to sob quietly as his mind kept giving him worse possible scenarios, he put Harry down and put his face in his hands. Harry climbed on top of Henry to try to cheer him up, Harry then heard something.

He quickly climbed down and headed toward the source of the sound. He spotted a familiar black, spiky man. 

"Hey, Harry." Rupert greeted the hedgehog as he picked him up. "How are you?"

Henry heard Rupert's smooth voice, he quickly wiped his eyes to get rid of evidence he was crying. "Where's Henry?" Rupert asked as he looked around. "I need him for something."

Henry stood up and went over to Rupert, "Hey...Rupert." he said weakly. 

Rupert put Harry down and turned to Henry, "Oi Hen-" he stopped when he saw Henry's eyes were red and puffy. Rupert's mood instantly became angry, "Who made him cry!? Who made Henry cry!? Who made my Henry cry!?" he thought as he growled. 

He stepped closer to Henry without him realizing it, Henry's face became warm upon Rupert's closeness. Rupert suddenly realized what he just thought, his face was also warm. Why did he just think that? There was a tense silence, the two men stood in front of each other with their faces red, and warm. A sound of chittering broke the silence between the two men, they both shook their heads as they looked down to see Harry bumping his head against their boots.

Rupert got out something from his pocket and gave it to Harry, it was a small slice of a banana. Harry took the banana and left them alone. "All he wanted was food, silly hedgehog," Henry said as he giggled. 

"Ya," Rupert replied.

"So...what do you need me for?" Henry asked.

"Oh right! The General wants us for a meeting." Rupert replied. 

"For what?"

"He said it's important." 

"Then let's go," Henry said as he headed back to the base, Rupert nodded as he followed him.

Henry and Rupert went to the General's tent, they went inside the tent and saw the General with Charles and Dave. Galeforce, Charles, and Dave looked over at them. Charles's face went red upon seeing Henry and Henry's face also went red...well even red. Rupert saw this and narrowed his eyes.

"Okay, sir," Charles said firmly. "We're all here."

"Good. Now I specifically asked for you four for a reason." Galeforce explained.

"What is it, sir?" Dave questioned.  

Galeforce stared at Henry and then at the others. "It looks like...the Toppat Clan is...somehow back," he stated slowly.

Rupert's eyes widened at the reveal and so did the others, he checked over to Henry who was bowing his head as he trembled, Galeforce noticed this too. The General stepped closer to Henry who was still bowing his head down, he put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Henry. I know this will be hard, but we need your help to stop the Toppat Clan once and for all."

Henry looked up to look at the General, his eyes lit up with fury. He nodded stiffly as Galeforce went back to his desk, he didn't want to face the Toppat clan, but he was eager to get revenge on them. Also...there might be hope he will see Burt again...

He hopes though. 

A/N: Yes the Toppat Clan is still around and we get to see Burt! I'd like to know if I should put a warning out now or later about Sven in this story.