Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A dull thump cut through the quiet night, snapping Espio awake.

His hand instinctively reached under his pillow, fingers curling around the handle of a kunai. His other hand felt around in the dark until it found the cord dangling from his bedside lamp.

He gave it a tug. 

Instead of flooding the room with light, the space remained bathed in darkness. 

He tugged it once more, twice, before sighing.

It seemed their power had been cut again. Unsurprising, given how Vector had been scrambling to secure a paying case in the past days, and Espio had overheard him grumbling about overdue bills more than once this week.

One would think a world-ending apocalypse would grant leniency, but no such luck. 

For a moment, he sat still, straining his ears to figure out what had woken him. 

Vector’s loud snores rumbled from down the hall, steady and familiar. He couldn’t sense the faint vibration of beating wings, and the overall lack of noise confirmed Charmy was also asleep. He might be small, but Charmy managed to turn getting a midnight glass of milk into a cacophony of noise that always ended up with the three of them sitting around the table sipping on a midnight drink together.

Satisfied that nothing was amiss, Espio slid the kunai back under his pillow and sank back under his blankets. His muscles loosened, and he let out slow, measured breaths.

But just as sleep began to close in, another thump shattered the quiet.

Espio shot upright, kunai back in hand. He hadn’t imagined it this time.

The sound came again, reverberating through the detective agency. 

It was coming from downstairs. 

He slipped out of bed, kunai poised at the ready, and made his way towards the stairs in practiced silence. The thumping grew louder with every step, insistent.

The main room was empty, lit only by a faint sliver of moonlight seeping through a slit in the curtains. 

Espio swiveled around at the sound of another thump, this one unmistakably coming from the front door.

His kunai gleamed faintly as he crept forward, narrowing his eyes at the door. Who would come knocking at this hour? Surely no client was desperate enough to come this late in the night? 

A faint metallic scrape answered his thoughts, sending a shiver of unease down his spine. It sounded almost as though two pieces of metal were grating against each other. 

He tightened his grip, moving towards the window, intent on catching a glimpse of whoever it was.

But the next thump didn’t stop at the door- it shattered it. 

Wood splintered under the force, scattering across the floor. 

Dark shapes loomed in the doorway, shuffling forward in stiff, unnatural movements. They bumped into each other, clinking and clanking, their fur reflecting the moonlight and red eyes lifeless.

Espio’s stomach dropped. 

Zombots.

He staggered back, bumping into the desk. The phone toppled off, clattering to the floor as he scrambled towards the stairs. 

Vector. Charmy. He needed to warn them. They needed to get out.

He vaulted up the stairs, feet barely touching the steps. He rounded the corner and nearly slammed into Vector. Relief washed over him. 

“Vector!” he hissed, spinning around to see how close the Zombots were. “Grab Charmy. We need to leave!”  

The Zombots had followed him up the stairs and were quickly closing in, their metal claws scraping against the railing.

Espio’s brow furrowed when no reaction came from Vector. He whipped back to Vector, urgency sharpening his tone. 

“Didn't you hear me? We need to-”

The words died in his throat.

Vector’s eyes gleamed in the dark, but not with their usual expressive gold.

They were a soulless red. 

“No…”

Espio’s chest tightened. He was too late.

Maybe... maybe there was still hope for Charmy.

Esipo shook himself out of his daze. There would be time to process this later.

Vec- the Zombot before him finally reacted, swinging its fist in a wide, clumsy, arc. Espio ducked low, the air whooshing just above his head, before hightailing it down the hall. 

He burst into Charmy’s room.

“Charmy! Get up, we need to leave!” he shouted, voice sharp as his eyes zeroed in on the bed.

He rushed to the small, motionless lump beneath the blanket, his heart pounding.

“Come on, Charmy!” he said, reaching for the shape.

Before his hand made contact, the lump shifted.

The blanket slid away, and his eyes met fur that glimmered gold in the faint moonlight.

“Charmy?”

The same red, soulless eyes stared at him. 

He jerked back. 

How was that possible? How had they gotten in? 

Sudden movement drew him from his thoughts as Vector clambered through the doorway, effectively cutting off access.

His eyes glanced to the window, only to find it locked. He wouldn’t have time to unlock it and slip out, especially not with Charmy hovering by it.

He was trapped.

He’d failed them again.

How could he have let this happen a second time?

The clinking and clanking drew nearer. Vector’s arm outstretched, reaching for him.

“I’m sorry,” Espio whispered.

The once-familiar sound of beating wings, now accentuated by metallic clinks, buzzed behind him.

“I’m sorry I failed you again.”

Then he knew no more, and all that remained was darkness.

A dull, metallic, thump cut through the quiet, snapping Espio awake.

His kunai was in hand before he even processed his own ragged breathing or his clammy palms.

The sound came again, and his gaze snapped towards the bedroom door. It was coming from downstairs.

“Charmy! How many times do I have to tell you to stay out of the kitchen cabinets?!” 

Vector’s voice boomed through the agency, quickly followed by Charmy’s high-pitched wail of, “You promised pancakes!”.

The familiar squabbling carried on, lost to Espio’s ears as his heart pounded in his chest. 

It had just been a dream. 

Nothing more than a horrible dream.

And yet- it had happened. 

It was his fault Charmy had gotten infected. He’d let Charmy slip away, back into the city, even though he’d claimed to have him. He should have been more alert in the Resistance base, he should have noticed that one of the refugees they’d picked up was infected. 

Vector had been turned right in front of him and he hadn’t done anything. Vector had been turned, saving him and all the other refugees because Espio had failed to keep them safe.

He wouldn't fail again.

Chapter Text

The stars shone brightly overhead as Espio scanned the roads leading to the agency. A cool breeze swept past, and he shivered lightly but didn’t shift from his perch.

From the roof, he had a full 360-degree view of the surrounding area. Nothing would sneak up on them. 

The only disturbance in hours had been a slightly intoxicated wolf stumbling home, fumbling with his keys before disappearing inside. Since then, everything had been quiet. Peaceful. 

But Espio wouldn’t let his guard down.

He’d made that mistake before.

If he had to stay up all night to protect Vector and Charmy, so be it. He was a ninja, trained to push beyond exhaustion. He didn’t require as much sleep as they did, and meditation would carry him through the day. Sleepless nights were a small price to pay for their safety.

The night stretched on slowly, the world quiet and devoid of noise beyond the occasional chirp of crickets. Nothing approached the agency.

Only when the first streaks of sunrise peeked over the horizon did Espio finally move. He slipped back inside through his open window, landing soundlessly in his room.

Most mornings, he was the first awake, heading downstairs to meditate leaning against the lockers in the main room. However, this would be one of the days he meditated in his room instead.

He settled cross-legged on his bed, exhaling slowly as he cleared his mind. His senses stayed sharp, tracking the creaks of the floorboards as Vector made his way down the hall.

They were safe.

The following night passed much the same. Quiet and calm as the city slept, bathed in shadows.

Espio pulled his blanket tighter around himself, blocking out the breeze. He remained on watch until dawn, slipping back inside with daybreak.

Exhaustion weighed on him. 

It had been too long since he’d practice the art of staying awake multiple nights in a row. He’d gotten too comfortable.

No matter. He’d make do.

Perched on the roof, he kept his silent watch.

When Vector asked if he was alright at breakfast, he just nodded. Speaking felt like it would drain what remaining energy he had left.

He ignored the concerned glances and whispering behind his back throughout the day. Let them be concerned, it meant they were safe.

Night came again and Espio felt as though he was sleeping with his eyes open. That didn’t matter, he had to protect them.

Vector stood first, Charmy held firmly in his grasp as he began the complicated task of corralling the bee to bed.

Espio moved to follow, body moving lethargically. His limbs shook under his own weight.

He just… had… to get… to the roof…

One step. Then another.

The next thing he knew, the ground was rushing up to meet him.

Strong hands caught him before he hit the floor.

 "Whoa, Espio!" Vector's voice was sharp with concern. 

Buzzing filled the air as Charmy flew over, “Espio? What’s wrong?”

Espio forced his eyes open, but the world swam in and out of focus. He clenched his jaw, “I’m fine.” The words came out weaker than intended.

Vector scoffed. “Yeah, sure. People who are fine definitely go around passin’ out in the kitchen.”

Espio tried to stand, but Vector didn’t let go. The crocodile eyed him skeptically. “When’s the last time you slept?”

Espio didn’t answer. He didn’t need to.

His silence spoke for itself.

Vector exhaled loudly, muttering something under his breath before shifting his hold. Before Espio could protest he was hefted into Vector’s arms. A startled noise escaped him before he could stop it, one he would forever deny. “C’mon, you’re going to bed before you keel over.”

“I need to-” he tried to get out.

“You need to get some sleep,” Vector cut him off. “Look, I dunno what exactly your brain is telling you, but runnin’ yourself into the ground ain’t doing anyone any good, least of all yourself.”

Charmy hovered beside them, expression scrunched in worry. “Yeah! You always lecture me about getting enough sleep, but what about you?”

Espio looked away, swallowing any words before they could be spoken. He hadn’t meant to worry them. He just… He couldn’t let anything happen to them. Not again. How was he supposed to protect them if he was sleeping?

But as Vector set him down on the couch, before perching himself on the end, Espio couldn’t summon the strength to argue.

He startled slightly when Charmy pressed himself against his back, a warm and fuzzy weight.

“I’ll keep watch tonight,” Vector said, draping a blanket over them. “You get some sleep.”

Espio blinked sluggishly. His body ached. His head was heavy.

But with Vector keeping watch, maybe he could rest. The crocodile would protect them.

Espio startled awake, heart pounding.

His nightmare clung to him, vivid and so very realistic.

The Zombots, they’d gotten in again! They’d hurt-

“Hey, you’re finally awake! ‘Bout time, too. We were just about to sit down for breakfast.”

Espio spun around, nearly toppling off the couch in his haste. Vector stood in the kitchen, a spatula in one hand, and a frying pan in the other. The crocodile flipped a pancake, only for it to nearly go flying out of the pan.

“Damn, I thought for sure I’d nail that one,” Vector muttered, setting the pan back on the stove top. 

Espio couldn’t help but stare at his friend. No metallic sheen. No blank, soulless eyes. Just Vector, scales their usual green and eyes their normal expressive golden hue.

If Vector was alright, then that meant-

As if on cue, Charmy buzzed into view, hovering upside down with Vector’s old Game Boy clutched firmly in his grip, tongue sticking out in concentration.

When he noticed Espio watching, he flipped upright and held the device out to him. “Can you help me beat this level? I’ve been stuck on it foreveeeeeeer!”

Espio exhaled slowly. His pulse was still racing, the remnants of his nightmare still clinging in his mind. The only noise was Vector in the kitchen, cooking pancakes for breakfast, and Charmy’s wings buzzed without any metallic noises.

They were safe.

Charmy hovered impatiently, waving the Game Boy in front of his face.

“Helloooo? Earth to Espio!”

Espio blinked at him, the tension in his shoulders loosening slightly.

“What makes you believe I would do any better than you?” he said, waving the bee off as he stood on wobbly legs. He kept a hand on the couch as he rounded it to the kitchen.

Charmy pouted but zipped over to the table, setting the device down in favour of the plate of pancakes Vector placed in front of him.

Espio slumped into his own chair, exhaustion still weighing him down. 

“Did anything…” 

“Nothing happened. Well, except for Charmy falling off the couch at one point.”

“Espio was hogging all the space!” Charmy whined around a fork full of syrup drenched pancakes.

“Don’t talk with food in your mouth Charmy,” Vector reprimanded before placing a plate of uneven pancakes before Espio. “Eat up.”

“Yeah, can’t be a grumpy ninja when you’re hungry!” Charmy said, showing a disgusting mouthful of smushed pancakes.

“Charmy, what’d I just say,” Vector sighed. “But he’s right. You need energy.”

And of course, Vector was right. How could he protect anyone while running on empty?

He dug into his pancakes, albeit not as… vigorously, as Charmy. They were warm, and the first was a tad undercooked, but they were good.