Work Text:
Tails' workshop was a lovely place to hang out, Charmy decided. High windows let the spring sun hop over the huge tool shelves, wrapping dust particles in the air with a warm, golden glow. A faint smell of oil, metal and paint was paired with the gentle whirring of an engine. Somehow familiar and comforting.
Usually the two would meet up somewhere appropriate to play, read comics, or watch the Chao In Space trilogy for the hundredth time - Director's Cut version, thank you very much. Today however, the fox really needed to fix a little something on the Tornado. Charmy had simply opted to buzz around the genius while eating crisps.
"So what does that do?" they asked, pointing at a well-polished piece of machinery.
"It's the auxiliary generator!" Tails exclaimed, way too happy to share his mechanical knowledge. "It provides energy by absorbing the-"
"And that?" the bee continued, a large metallic orb now in their free hand. "Oh wait, this looks cool too!"
The young mechanic sighed amusedly as his friend kept flying around, poking and peeking at anything of interest. If one thing about Charmy would never change, it was probably their hyperactive tendencies.
"How about you pass me the tools I need, so we get this finished quickly and can chill in my room instead?" the fox offered.
"Ya got it capt'n! What’re yer orders?" his younger friend replied, putting the crisps away and striking a pose on top of the plane.
"Get down there for a start, you rascal!" Tails shot back with a laugh.
Charmy's " help " did not make the repairs any quicker, although it did turn out much funnier.
"I told you to put on an apron." Tails groaned.
"But grey doesn't suit me!" the bee replied as they removed their gloves.
"Well now your outfit pays the price of your hubris."
Of course fiddling with a faulty engine was a risky business. Oil and rust stains were a common occurrence in workshops, and not the easiest to remove. The fox was always prepared, his gloves made of an easy-to-wash material he invented.
Today, the washing machine was full with Charmy's attire instead.
"Espio is gonna kill me..." the young mobian complained.
"Your clothes will be fine," Tails replied before jumping up the stairs, "I improved that washing machine two times already. Just borrow something from my closet in the meantime."
In an instant, the overexcited bee had shuffled into the bedroom and was peeking at clothes.
"Let's see, let's see, which hoodie shall I steal..."
"Hey!" the genius protested with a laugh, "you better return whatever you pick, or my revenge will be swift and terrible!"
Charmy simply gave the other a cheeky grin before looking at the closet again. The fox rolled his eyes and sat on his bed, then checked his phone. They were supposed to meet Team Dark for a tabletop session at 7pm, which still gave them plenty of time to hang out.
"Yo! Is that a kilt?" his friend asked with enthusiasm, brandishing a piece of flannel over their head.
Ah. Of course, out of all the clothes stacked on the shelves, the bee had to stumble upon
this one
. Tails couldn't help a tight feeling in his chest as he replied:
"No, it's not a kilt, it's..." he paused for a second, eyeing the item his friend was holding. "It's a skirt. Almost forgot it was there really, I've never worn it."
"Oh?" Charmy tilted their head. "Why is that?"
The fox squirmed slightly, grabbing the edge of the bed cover between his fingers. This was awkward.
"I'm just… a bit conscious of what people might say, I guess?"
Charmy’s eyes jumped between the garment and their friend, puzzled.
Tails sighed and gazed at the window. His reflection was staring back, its messy fur turned a dark orange over the years. He bared his fangs for a second, the translucent image returning his move.
The room felt way too silent now.
"Guys don't really wear skirts." he finally explained, turning back towards his friend.
"Oh!" Charmy gasped, suddenly understanding the issue at hand. "Dude, who cares. Guys can wear whatever they want. Even Sonic has been wearing a dress at that gala this spring." they remarked as they studied the piece of clothing.
"Well yeah, but he's a world-famous hero. When celebrities do stuff like that it's always ' revolutionary ' and ' a daring fashion move '." the fox groaned. "Plus, you don't dress normally at a gala in the first place."
Suddenly, two determined hands grabbed his shoulders. The bee was staring right into his eyes, a soft yet resolute energy in their smile.
"Hey. If you don't feel like wearing it it's alright, you know? There's no obligation."
The fox faintly nodded. Of course he knew that.
" But ," Charmy added pointedly, "you should also feel okay expressing yourself. You're Tails, the brilliant mechanical genius and one of the coolest heroes of Mobius… also, my very best friend."
"Shut up, you're embarrassing." Tails chuckled nervously, gently pushing the other back.
"What I mean is, if you wanna wear a skirt, I won't let anyone talk shit about you." the bee continued, slapping their fists together in a menacing gesture. "You'd rock it anyway, so haters gonna hate."
"Thanks… You really think it'd look okay on me?" the canine asked in a small voice.
Charmy grinned. Tails knew that smile by heart; so many times it had adorned his friend's round face.
Mischief .
"I think that, in this case, there's only one way to find out..." the bee teased, waving the skirt right in front of their friend’s nose.
Tails let out a chuckle, getting up and grabbing the piece of clothing with a dramatic gesture.
"Fine, fine, you win. Give me a minute you sly devil."
After some time fiddling with his outfit and trying - without success - to comb down his locks of hair, the young genius shyly came back from the bathroom. He felt a hint of anxiety building up as Charmy froze in the middle of a comic book, scrutinising him silently, mouth slightly agape.
" Wow ."
"Is that a good wow or a bad wow?" Tails joked nervously.
"Oh a good one! You look really really good!" his friend hastily replied, now visibly flustered and closing the book they were reading a bit too abruptly. "Wait no, I mean, it uh, it looks really great on you."
The fox laughed, and Charmy groaned with embarrassment.
"How do you feel in it anyway?" they asked.
"A bit weird, but… I think I actually like it." Tails said as he spun in front of the standing mirror.
In addition to the red flannel skirt, he had opted for a bold black eyeshadow. He experimented with makeup a few times before, but only in the presence of Sonic or Amy. Wearing it now along the skirt, with his best friend’s obvious approval, made him feel oddly confident.
"I’m wearing it tonight."
When the two mobians stopped in front of the Team Dark flat, Tails was feeling a flurry of emotions. Anticipation, excitement, worry, it was all mixed up and building in his chest. He adjusted the hem of the skirt, his tails fluttering nervously behind him. Any hesitation was crushed however, as the bee at his side immediately rang the doorbell a few times.
"GOOD EVENING, LITTLE ONES." a robotic voice greeted them. "PLEASE ENTER THE PREMISES AT YOUR OWN RISKS."
"I hope you brought soda!" Rouge shouted from further in, making the duo chuckle.
"Hi Omega, hi Rouge!" they exclaimed in unison, passing the former badnik and setting the bag of groceries on the coffee table. "We got lemonade and cola." Tails added as the bat got up from the sofa.
"That’s perfect." She stopped and gave the fox a slightly surprised glance, then smiled. "I love the skirt, it suits you very well."
"Th-thanks! Trying something new, I guess…" he said, rubbing his neck sheepishly.
"You should try that more often, then."
"Where’s Shadow? What’s planned for today’s session?" Charmy asked, flying around the living room excitedly.
Tails giggled as the bee almost crashed into the hedgehog, who appeared from the kitchen wearing a dark burgundy apron.
"Hi. I’m here," he said in his usual low tone, "just preparing brownies."
"Oh brownies! Can I help you?" Charmy asked, before being grabbed towards the sofa by Rouge.
"No hun, you’re staying here. Your character sheet is an unreadable mess, so we’re gonna make you a new one."
"I WILL RETRIEVE THE DICE." Omega announced as he went into the corridor.
Shadow smirked, then turned to the fox.
"Tails, do you want to help me in the kitchen?"
The young mobian nodded eagerly. He loved cooking, and there was only so much he could learn from living with Sonic… Microwaves were fairly limited.
With two pairs of hands, brownies were quickly finished and put in the oven. Tails started meticulously cleaning up the flour and chocolate powder on the table, while Shadow took on the dishes. It was a comfortable silence, occasionally broken by laughter from the other room.
"Your eyeshadow looks really good, by the way." the hedgehog suddenly said.
Tails turned to face him. Shadow was giving him a small smile, but there was something else - like a glimpse of pride - peeking through the usually stoic face.
"Thank you." Tails mumbled, then with an amused nod: "It actually means a lot from someone with impeccable eyeliner every single day ."
The dark mobian chuckled at the compliment.
"It’s a practised skill. Would you like me to show you my technique someday?"
"Maybe, if that's okay?" the fox replied hesitantly. "I don’t know many guys who wear makeup."
"Of course it’s okay. You know…" Shadow stopped his sentence as he glanced at the living room, and Tails followed his stare.
Charmy and Rouge were on each side of the wooden coffee table, arguing good-naturedly about whether robbing random NPCs for a greater quest was morally acceptable. Behind them, the wall was covered in pictures taken at various occasions: birthdays, random parties, and even post-battle celebrations.
A few were framed, standing out among others. An enlarged print of an archive photo of Maria Robotnik. A group shot of Rouge, Amy, Sonic and Ray waving transgender flags at the Pride. A selfie of Team Dark from the roof of a building, set against a beautiful sunset.
"We all choose to exist a certain way. Who we are, what we believe in, how we present ourselves to the world. It’s what makes every one of us unique." Shadow explained. "There’s no ‘ right ’ way to define yourself, to live your own life. It will always be something for you to decide, and for you to figure out." The hedgehog paused, feeling his inhibitors for a few seconds. "It’s… a messy process. But it’s never something you have to face alone."
Tails hummed, pondering the advice. It sounded a lot like something Sonic would say - although he wouldn’t mention that to the hero’s rival. Still, these words made him feel more self-assured.
"Thanks, Shadow. I’ll try to remember that." he murmured.
"Don’t mention it. We’re all in this together, aren’t we?" The hedgehog shook his head, unable to repress another smile. "One big messy family."
That’s when Omega decided to barge in the kitchen, a post-it reading " Omegas - The Most Awesomest Berserker " stuck on his shoulder.
"UNCHARACTERISTIC CHEESINESS DETECTED. HYPOTHESIS: SHADOW IS SICK."
With an annoyed huff, pretending to ignore Tails’ laugh, the hedgehog turned his back to the robot and opened the fridge.
"Shut up and help us bring the snacks."