\\Řøćķý Wăţëŕš//

\\5//

Although they were upstairs, the loud music was barely muffled. It's low hum sent vibrations up the floorboards and were easily felt through the hard wooden seats that had been haphazardly thrown aside a barren, crooked desk. The ruby red fox stood at the over side of the desk, leaning over as though she was a cards dealer.

The poor hedgehog was practically strapped to his seat, the much taller hedgehog that had taken him a few days prior was holding him in place. He felt stupid - he was just a prisoner. Perhaps maybe even a bargaining deal. When the taller male was done parading him in public, he was merely thrown into his room and at the crew's beck and call for whatever they felt they needed. He missed his old crew, his old life. Anything was better than the miserable existence he was forced to endure because he was susceptible to any form of affection.

"How much are we talkin'?" The fox raised her brow. Mephiles shrugged "How well can you carry out such a simple task?" The fox snickered "This sorta' job is child's play. Practically our break." She smirked at Mephiles. Mephiles nodded in approval, taking a small bag and throwing it on the desk. "There's more to come if you can actually do as I have asked."

The fox merely smirked "I hope ya carry cash then." She winked playfully at Mephiles and scooped up the small bag, taking a peek. She grinned in delight at the bag and returned her gaze to the two hedgehogs. "It'll be done tonight!"

__________________

Sonia smiled warmly at her two brothers. Sonic couldn't help but return the smile, helping himself to a cup of wine - Shadow's wine to be exact; he had claimed it upon finding it aboard. It wasn't like he measured how much was in the bottle - hopefully.

"C'mon! I always won!" Manic whined, recalling their many competitions at golf. Sonia shook her head firmly and stood up, smoothing out the wrinkles on her red layered trail skirt - something she adored no matter how impractical it truely was. "Grab me a rod and an egg and I can prove to you who won." She grinned. Manic dolled his eyes, edging back into a barrel on the deck. "It's dangerous." He merely replied, stepping on Sonia's skirt purposefully. "See?" Sonia tilted her head challengingly.

"Let's just pack this up-" Sonic interrupted, noticing Shadow's approach. The blue blur quickly picked up the bottle of wine and gave it to Sonia, who embedded it within the many layers of her skirt. Shadow seemed to notice, given how he eyed her skirt, however he didn't press about the matter.

"Need anything?" Sonic asked with a wink. His original plan was to act normal - however the wine was clearly talking now. Shadow looked at Sonic blankly. "What did you do?" He asked. Sonic shook his head "Why would you blame me? What happened?" He asked. Shadow raised his brow. The two stared at one another for a few moments, Manic and Sonia snickering being the thing that broke the unofficial staring contest - which Sonic would have definitley won. Shadow glanced at the two expectantly. Sonia opened her mouth, her green brother quickly silencing her with a light nudge.

"If I find out any one of you did something there'll be punishments." He spoke in a deadpan manner. Sonic couldn't help but smirk - recalling how Shadow would punish 'everyone' for anything Sonic did and would subsequently need Sonic for petty tasks such as helping him find something in his amazingly organised office. Sonic could practically get away with murder on the SS. ARK.

The ebony hedgehog raised a brow at his now husband. "Wanna be treated equal to everyone don't you?" He asked. Sonic's false sense of security came crashing down at that moment, wiping the smirk off of his face in a matter of milliseconds - which must have amused Shadow as he was smirking. "Well what do you want?" Sonic asked. Perhaps by changing the subject Shadow would forget - an unlikely outcome but one that could happen.

"Can't I talk to you without needing anything?" Shadow cocked his head. Sonic shrugged "Most we've done aboard the ship is chart courses and try to organise everything." Shadow nodded along, by now Sonia and Manic had become disinterested in the two and had walked away, and tapped his chin thoughtfully "Is that so?" He asked "Well then next time we dock I'll find somewhere for us to go." Shadow concluded, giving Sonic a small peck on the cheek. It was quite amusing to Sonic; noting how Shadow's boots allowed him to do such a task without having to lift himself up slightly. Thick soled boots and slightly heeled boots were an necessity to Shadow's ego at this point - much to Sonic's amusement.

_________________________________

809 words/Published 8th January 2023