Im Not Worth Your Time

03. Flying Feelings

Winter is nothing but sugary sweet to Tails, spending time talking to him after an interaction with fans. Tails shy and shaky at first feels at ease talking with Winter the more they interact with one another, it may have been easier to speak with him but the melting feeling in his chest still lingered as long as he was with him.

"Wait really?! You never signed to a record label?" Tails asks, shocked someone with a voice as incredible as his wasn't making more money publishing songs.

Winter shakes his head, "As fun as that sounds, cooking and doodling is more so my thing. I keep the possibility in the back of my head though, especially in the event this place might go under"

"You'd probably sell out arenas though!" Tails says, sounding very passionate about the potential for Winter's success.

"Maybe I would..."

Tails looks down at the wood desk in thought, wondering what he wanted to talk to him about next. Then he began to wonder, just how interested was this seemingly perfect stranger was in becoming friends with him, did he really want to just hang out and play video games with him all day? Sit in a diner late at night laughing at jokes? Banter on and on for hours about their niche hobbies?

"H-Hey... Why do you wanna be friends with Tails so much?" He asks, looking down at the table.

"I just do" Winter responds, looking down at the desk as well, a soft smile on his face.

Tails looks up at him with sparkly eyes.

"The little guy is kind of like me, he was made fun of for being smart... Me and my siblings were made fun of for that too... as well as being hybrids" Winter explains.

"A... Hybrid?" Tails asks, curiousity taking over for a moment.

"My mother is an arctic fox, my father is a wolf" Winter explains, he looks back at his large fluffy tail, "I have the feeling the wolf mixing in with the fox is the reason, I'm different"

Winters ears droop when he remembers all those fights he used to get into at school. At least he had friends that would stick up for him though. Seeing Winter's expression change made Tails heart swell with sadness, seeing him frown also made him sad.

"O-Oh... Well, I think it's cool that you're a wolf and a fox at the same time"

Winter laughs a little, appreciating how kind he was, "Thank you Lyle"

Tails just narrowly avoids correcting him, revealing himself to him to him would have made the situation irreversibly awkward, especially considering he failed to tell Winter who he actually was. He silently fights the regret in his chest, the one that screams at him for not being straightforward about who he actually was.

"So uh..."

Tails ears perk up, he looks up with Winter meeting his gaaze.

"Is there anyway I can make up for that shitshow earlier?" Winter asks, adjusting his messy hair.

"N-No, you don't have to give me anything! Really! You don't!" Tails says, waving his hands frantically.

"Lyle, please, I'll feel guilty if I don't make it up to you. You got hurt at one of my resturaunts events, please let me treat you! My way of saying sorry for your leg almost being broken" Winter says, a serious frown on his face.

Tails grumbles, seeing the guilty look on his face and can't help but immediately cave in. Interestingly enough though he already had something in mind...

"W-Well... I do like your voice. Listening to you sing made my night, especially with the terrible night I had tonight"

"...How about a free membership for the Heartburn Lounge?" Winter offers, looking at him to see if this offer would satisfy him.