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Punk-rock music blared through the car, windows open, going 90 on a freeway. Vector relaxed in the driver’s seat, wrists resting atop the wheel while the stars above lighted his path. Along with his headlights. What? Vector doesn’t want to lose his license again! Beside him in the passenger’s seat was Espio on his phone, probably texting Vanilla that they’ll be back a little later than expected to pick up Charmy. The croc cracks a smirk, using his peripheral to sneak peeks at Espio each time he can without getting dangerous. What a night, yeah?
“So.” Vector broke the silent car ride thus far- which honestly hasn’t been much. They just got onto the freeway and had a good hour and a half to get back to the Chaotix Base, “How’s it feel to have killed the Sonic the Hedgehog?” Espio huffed out a sigh, putting down his phone as Vector reached an elbow jab into the side of his companion’s arm. “I got a real hotshot in my passenger’s seat, don’t I?”
“Vector, please .” Espio’s eyes went to the window, scanning the horizon speeding by. “I made an embarrassing mistake, not understanding how the game was played, and put our friends in danger. Even jesting about it just… doesn’t feel right.” Vector gritted his teeth as he saw Espio’s frown and crease in the little area between his eyes. Did it really bother him that much? Everyone accepted his apology and everything! Even so, he’s still bothered. Vector took one of his hands off the wheel briefly to turn the radio down a good few notches. “Vector?”
“Ya know it’s just us, Babe .” Espio’s posture fixed completely upright. He reached for the rose he used for his costume, twirling the stem between his fingers. Vector smirked, thumb unconsciously tracing over his engagement ring. “You don’t have to use my name for everything.”
“I know, Amor, I just really didn’t want to ruin Amy’s birthday by accidentally announcing our engagement.” Espio says a little too quickly, spinning the rose kind of fast now. “Though I suppose I did ruin it in other ways-”
“Babe I will stop this car right now on the middle of the freeway if you say some dumb crap like that again.” Vector, to prove his point, switched over a lane on the freeway as though he was going to pull over. “You did not ruin Amy’s birthday. We all had a good time! We ate cake and everything! No hard feelings!” Espio’s silence told Vector that he was not convinced. Jeez, this idea must be stuck pretty good in Espio’s head! Good thing Vector’s stubborn. “Look, was Sonic mad at you for the blowdart? Was Amy? Or like- anyone ?”
“No.” Espio answered after a small pause, staring down at his rose.
“See! No hard feelings!” Yet again, the lack of response was telling. Vector groaned, running one of his hands through his scales- the other being on the wheel at all times. “Babe? If this is bothering you that much I can always just ring Amy and ask. We literally have her number.”
“No.” This ‘no’ was immediate, unlike the previous one. “We don’t need to call Amy. I suppose I am just… upset at myself for lack of intuition or my ignorance of how the game was played. I figured I was to follow the rules, yet I was lured right into the train’s plot. I am more upset at myself than anything.” Espio finally let him slump a little bit in that chair, rolling his head over to look at Vector rather than out the window. “I wish the others were more upset at me, for I was the reason our entire party was almost captured by Eggman,”
“Eggman Shmeggman, Babe!” Vector exclaimed, veering the car a little with his outburst. Used to this by now, Espio simply grabbed his armrest. “I think you’re putting ‘ too-big-for-your-britches ’ standards on yourself again! It’s not like you could have known!” He knew Espio was going to counter, so he just kept on going. “And don’t give me that ‘ it’s my job as a ninja ’ or any of that crap- NONE of us knew the train was even remotely related to Eggman! So don’t you even.” Vector didn’t realize he was going 110 at this point, foot pushing harder on the gas pedal with his emotion-driven speech, but there was barely anyone else on the road this late at night so it wasn’t a big deal… as long as there were no cops around.
Espio took a moment to collect his thoughts, not knowing how he wants to refute Vector’s, honestly good, points. But he gave up on that. “Thank you, Amor.” He finally relented with a small smile. “You are much better at these social gatherings and understanding complex emotions than I am.”
“And you’re much better at keeping stealthy and keeping calm on missions! Oh- and with Charmy! He’s so hard to get to do things, ya know?” Vector let a hearty chuckle rumble through his chest, seeing his topic change work perfectly as Espio lights up.
“Speaking of Charmy, Ms. Vanilla said that she would be willing to allow Charmy to have what she called a ‘sleepover’ with Cream, as long as we come and pick him up before noon. That means we can turn in early if we so choose.” Oh hell yeah sleep . Vector could use a good few hours just completely passed out right now. As much fun as it was plumbing Knuckles into a pulp in Monkey Ball and seeing his fiance literally figuratively almost get away with murder, he was tired . If Crocs hibernated, Vector would be none the wiser because he could hibernate right now and not have a single complaint. Well, if he hibernated he wouldn’t be able to make money, so maybe he’d have one complaint. He was broken off from his train of thought via a small laugh from his beloved. “It seems I have suggested a good idea?”
“Oh yeah, Babe, great idea. I can sleep ‘til noon.” Vector let out a large yawn, jaws snapping together at the end of it. Realizing he accidentally veered into the next lane, he quickly checked his surroundings and merged lanes. Whew! Good thing nobody else was there! Out of the corner of his eyes, Espio was shaking his head.
“Please stay awake until we get home, Amor. I don’t have the energy for another crisis today.”
~💜 💚💜💚 💜 💚~
Vector flopped onto the bed face first, arms spread out like a starfish. Face being met full of pillow and comfort, he smiled and closed his eyes. The bed was so nice and soft and warm and oooh he was already drifting off . Vector rolled over to his side of the bed, the left side, as Espio calmly sat on the right edge. The only light in the room was the bedside table’s lamp, which Espio was using currently for something or another. He didn’t care. Vector was just ready to pass out.
“I’m setting the alarm for 10, since you always insist on ‘five more minutes’ at least five times, ensuring we have plenty of time to get ready and pick up Charmy by noon.” Espio’s so cute when he’s being smart and thinking ahead. Vector patted the spot on the bed next to him, causing Espio to go pink in the face and roll his eyes. Reaching to the lamp, he clicked it off. The room was now entirely dark. As Vector’s eyes adjusted, Espio lifted his arm and draped it over his body, pulling Vector close.
Both being cold-blooded creatures: Vector a Croc and Espio a Chemeleon, sleeping next to each other and sharing what little body heat they had was very important, and also very special to the two of them. Vector’s large arms and tail enveloped the small Chameleon as Espio’s tail curled around Vector’s left leg. Vector reached to cover the two of them with the plush blankets, Espio nuzzling into Vector’s chest. That never stopped giving the man butterflies, Espio softly laughing to himself as Vector’s heart rate jumps from the gesture.
“Hey, Espio?” Vector broke through the small whirring of the fan in the corner of the room, voice lowered so he doesn’t bother his beloved against him. “You know I love you, right? More than anyone or anything.”
“More than money?” Espio immediately quipped, earning him a tail smack on his back as he giggled into Vector’s chest. “I know, I know , My Love. And I love you more than anyone or anything as well.” His hands wrapped around Vector’s waist, digging into the scales. “I am very thankful to have such a doting, strong, intelligent, cunning, snarky, handsome-”
“Okay okay we get it, ya little flirt!” Vector grabbed Espio by the horn and dragged him up, peppering kisses all over his face. Espio’s legs just barely made it down to Vector’s belly when their heads were at the same spot like this. He’s so small, and Vector loves that. Espio rested against the pillow Vector placed for him, in the darkness looking lovingly to where his eyes most likely were. “But I’m serious. I love you. I wouldn’t have given ya a ring if I didn’t.” even in the darkness, he could tell that Espio was beaming.
“And I am serious as well.” Vector responded, tilting Vector’s snout down so he can press a kiss to his cheek. “I love you too.”