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“How many days off do you have left?”
“I think…I think I have two,” Espio said, his eyes closed as he lay in the summer heat. “Pretty sure it’s two. Or three.”
“You sound unsure, that’s not like you,” Knuckles grinned, looking over at Espio. The two were laid at the base of the Master Emerald, with Knuckles leaning against the gem’s stand, while Espio sprawled in the grass. “What happened to Mister Organisation?”
“Shut up,” Espio laughed, blindly stretching out his leg just enough to kick Knuckles lightly. “It’s easy to lose count of the days when everything’s this perfect.”
“Perfect?”
“Yes, perfect,” Espio smiled. “The sun is shining, the breeze is gentle, and I’m away from the city with a handsome echidna,” he opened his eyes and looked over at Knuckles, who chuckled lightly, hiding the light blush that spread on his face with his hand as he rubbed his nose. “It’s a welcome change from all that’s been going on.”
“I’m with you there, man,” Knuckles said. Between the war, and then the infection that was spread, there had been little time to relax. Espio, Knuckles knew, was still having trouble adjusting to normality, plagued with memories of endless battles and his two best friends being lost to him. It was normal to feel like that, of course, but even Charmy had bounced back quicker than Espio. Knuckles suspected that was why Vector had relieved him of his duties at the Chaotix Detective Agency recently, giving him some time to spend away from the busy city life, and with someone he cared about.
“You’re so lucky, with everyday being this nice, and calm, and totally free to do whatever you want,” Espio sighed.
“It’s sure got its perks,” Knuckles shrugged, “but it’s lonely. Nothing but me, myself, and I. I’d like to spend a week in the city with you guys.”
“Then you should,” Espio said, sitting up. “Why don’t you come and visit us for a bit?”
“Es, the emerald,” Knuckles said, gesturing behind him.
“It was unguarded during the war.”
“Yeah, and Neo managed to get a hold of it, remember?”
“Yes, when the war was won, remember?”
Knuckles laughed. “You’ve got me there.”
“Well, I think you should come down to the city, just for a few days,” Espio said. “I want you to.”
“If you want me to, I guess I can’t refuse.” It was Espio’s turn to blush, turning his head away in hopes that Knuckles didn’t see the red on his cheeks, but Knuckles saw it. They were painfully new at this whole relationship thing, with the two confessing to each other during the war, but only just having the time to act upon those feelings. It would have perhaps been easier if at least one of them was a romantic, or even knew vaguely what they were doing. “Have things slowed down at the agency?” Knuckles added, changing the topic.
“All back to usual. Thank god we were able to save so much after the infection, or the electric bill would not be paid right now.” Knuckles remembered how swamped Espio, Vector and Charmy had been after every crisis that had been thrown their way, how many people turned to them to find those they loved. “Actually, can I confess something?”
“Be my guest,” Knuckles waved his hand.
“Sometimes, when business is slow, I really miss the chaos of the days after the infection. I miss the hundreds of people coming through the door, and the piles of paper, and the absolute madness of it all.” He looked over at Knuckles, seemingly transforming from the serious, level-headed character he usually was to someone more fragile, more delicate. “Does that make me a bad person? That I wish people were suffering just so I’d have something to do?”
Knuckles gave the softest of smiles, before answering. “I don’t think so. I think it just shows how much you like helping other people, you know?”
Espio paused for a second. “You think?”
“Yeah, I do.”
Espio grinned, his usual self appearing once again. “Well, I’ll trust that, since it’s coming from you.”
“You should. I am very smart.”
“Sure, Knux. Sure,” Espio laughed. Knuckles loved his laugh, and the way his eyes brightened while he laughed. "Maybe one day you'll stop thinking with your fists, and instead, with your brain."
“I’m not even gonna pretend not to be offended,” Knuckles grinned. “And besides, I prefer to think that I’m led by my heart, not my fists.”
“How poetic.”
“You’re just being mean now, Es,” Knuckles said, but the toothy grin on his face gave him away as not being serious at all. “I’ve changed my mind. I’m never leaving Angel Island again. Forget my week in the city, buddy.”
“Right, as if I believe that for a second,” Espio smiled. “And even if you did mean it, I could just tell Charmy you promised you’d come. You wouldn’t want to disappoint a kid, would you?”
“Charmy doesn’t have a single thought in his head,” Knuckles waved him off. “He’d forget about it in a day.”
“He’s got thoughts. Mainly about takeout food and not cleaning his bedroom.”
“Okay, mom,” Knuckles laughed as Espio dived across the grass to tackle him. “Hey! You can’t deny that you sounded like one.”
“If it wasn’t such a perfect afternoon, I’d kill you, Knuckles the Echidna,” Espio grinned, as the two playfully fought, rolling around in the grass. “Lucky for you, I can’t be bothered to clean up any bodies right now. But you know what I can be bothered to do?”
“Go on,” Knuckles said.
“Eat!” Espio suddenly released his grip on Knuckles. Knuckles fell back to the ground, while Espio looked down on him from his place next to him on the grass, the sun hidden somewhere behind Espio’s head. “I think we should get food. Fancy takeout, in honour of Charmy.”
“You know there’s no takeout places on the island, right?”
“But there’s places down on the planet,” Espio grinned. “Let’s go to the nearest city and pick-up pizza. Then, we’re gonna come right back here, and eat it.”
“Okay, sure,” Knuckles said, pushing Espio’s head aside and sitting up. “But I’ll go get it. You play guardian for forty minutes, okay?”
“Yes, Commander Knuckles!” Espio saluted. “I hope you succeed on your mission, sir!”
“Yeah, alright,” Knuckles said. As quick as lightning, he leaned forward and planted the tiniest, shyest of kisses on Espio’s cheek, before jumping up. “Okay, see you!”
“You play a dirty game, Knuckles!” Espio yelled after him.