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Today, Tangle had a problem.
She knew Whisper loved her. The two have been living rather cozy together for a while now in their little apartment in Spiral Hill Village. So why was she struggling so much to get ready for their first actual date? It's supposed to be simple. They've booked that nice Spagonian restaurant in Central City. Then they're going to go home to have homemade poundcake. There's not a single world ending threat in sight.
And yet, trying to get ready for her first date felt like a world ending disaster in the making.
She was pacing around Jewel as she thought about this, the beetle looking up at her in confusion.
“... Tangle? You said you wanted to meet up here, but… you've just been pacing around. And not saying anything.” The beetle's concerned words snapped her out of it, the girl blinking as she finally took notice of her surroundings. They were currently in an isolated corner of Emeraldville, where Tangle hoped no one would overhear her worries.
“Right right right! Sorry, my head's all over the place today!” She said with an anxious laugh, grinning wide. “I'm excited! And freaking out! But mostly excited! But also really really freaking out!!” She grabbed Jewel by her shirt, pulling the beetle off the ground and eliciting a small squeak from her as she continued. “I've never been on a date before! My first date! I'm so hyped! But I'm so scared I'm going to mess it all up and I need your help! Please please please show me how to not mess it up!!” Jewel gently fluttered her wings as she tried to regain her bearings.
“D-deep breaths, deep breaths!” The small beetle chuckled out, trying to stay calm in spite of the rough handling from her bestie. “I'll help you, just uh, just set me down please?” Tangle blinked, and let out a small nervous giggle as she slowly let Jewel back onto the floor. The lemur rubbed her nose, an apologetic grin on her face as she attempted to get herself a bit more composed.
“Sorry about that Jewel! I got a little carried away, hehehe!” The lemur curled her tail into a spiral shape, and excitedly sat down on it as if it were a chair. “So!! I need your help to make sure I can do this date on Whisper's level! I want you to help me be… be all proper and polite and junk!”
The beetle's eyes widened as she stared up in surprise, before shaking her head with a chuckle. “... Tangle the Lemur. Asking me for advice on how to be prim and proper… Next you're going to say you want to take those dumb advanced classes your mom tried to put you in after all.” This elicited a huff from the lemur, Tangle pouting and grumbling as she sank into her seat a bit while Jewel laughed a little. “Kidding, just kidding! I'm happy to help, but I don't know if I'm the most ‘elegant’ person around. I can at least give you some advice.” She moved to stand next to Tangle, watching as the lemur's big fluffy tail tip snaked out from the improvised chair to form a spot for her to sit on and happily taking a seat. “So, what are you the most worried about?” Tangle thought about it, the lemur's expression shifting to a more neutral one.
“...I guess… I'm scared of making a scene. I know I'm not the most… patient or controlled person. And we're going to a fancy restaurant! I'm going to be expected to sit still for like, an hour! How does a normal person even do that?! And my outfit—will they expect me to wear a dress? A suit? I don't own anything like that!” The lemur waved her arms around dramatically, and Jewel couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
“So, you want help with your manners and your… clothes?” Jewel leaned against her, laying her head against the lemur's side and scratching her chin as she thought about it. “...While I think you should be yourself… being forced to sit still for that long might be difficult. Maybe if you… focus on her? Or set yourself a goal, like… if you do this, you'll be allowed something afterwards! Like that!” Tangle ruffled her own pompadour, trying to think. Suddenly, a new voice entered the area, one that was far more regal in bearing.
“...I do believe she'll need more than that.” Blaze strutted into the scene with a small sigh. “Forgive the intrusion. I was in the vicinity helping with a controlled burn of excess waste, and as I went to leave I could not help but overhear your woes… and Tangle? I fear if you are truly going to dedicate yourself to this path, you have a lot to work on.” The purple cat looked the lemur over, her eyes narrowed slightly as if her fiery gaze was piercing into Tangle's soul. “...Definitely need a suit or dress, but your form is the true challenge. You slouch. Your leg bounces. You're constantly looking everywhere but right in front of you… at her. Not to worry though...” She got closer, looming over the Lemur who let out an anxious gulp. Her eyes were practically glowing with a fierce determination. “...Jewel. I will require your assistance if we are to make this date go perfectly.” The beetle nervously chuckled, but nodded.
Tangle squeaked as Blaze grabbed her by the tail, beginning to drag the Lemur away towards a space that would be easier to teach in. Jewel was stunned for a moment, but chuckled and shook her head as she followed along.
Tangle hoped Whisper's day was better so far…
Sonic the Hedgehog. World renowned hero. Nicest guy around. Occasional annoyance. Hard to get to stay still in one place.
And Whisper's last hope.
Whisper was watching far up above, perched atop one of the ear-like structures on the large, fox-like visage of Tails's lab in Emerald Town, west of Central City. The masked mercenary was here for a very important job. Her target had just arrived, currently stretching as he began to walk towards Tails's door.
She raised her wispon, and steadied her breath as she peered down the sights, aiming right at his smug face. She couldn't help but smirk, her finger already squeezing down on the trigger…
ZZZZP!!
A blue laser flew through the air, hitting… the dirt on the path. The hedgehog was gone, as if he had never been there.
“Dang! You almost had him too!” A voice from behind her said with a hint of mock surprise. She slowly lifted her mask and turned her head slightly, one of her blue eyes slightly opening from its squint as she looked at the blue hedgehog; he was currently peering at the spot he used to be in, as if trying to figure out what happened to the target Whisper had been aiming at. He grinned at her as he turned to face her. “So, what's got you shooting at me? Deciding to try out that whole 'enemies to friends' thing? Because you're already a LITTLE late on that, Whisper!” Whisper gave him a small smile, shaking her head.
“Need your help. Wanted to get your attention before you could run off. Also…” She held her wispon tight, her opened eye narrowing slightly, her smile briefly turning into something more mischievous. “...need to keep you on your toes. Make sure you're not slacking.” The blue hedgehog laughed at this a bit.
“And what were you going to do if it had hit me?” He asked, a smug smirk on his face. She simply shook her head in response.
“It wouldn't. You're Sonic.” She said rather simply, causing him to chuckle a little with a slight hint of nervousness.
“...riiiight.” Sonic said, shaking his head too. “So, let's talk about something other than shooting at our friends. You need help?”
“Dire importance. Global peril. Inside to talk. Now.” She kept her demands to the point. Sonic's eyes widened, and he nodded. She slowly slid down the exterior of the house, landing on her feet and heading for the door. She knocked roughly on it. “...Tails. Need help… please.” Sonic lined up behind her, curious. She glanced back, able to see him currently halfway between anxious and excited by the idea of a problem to deal with. Soon, the door opened, and a short fox boy was staring up at her in confusion.
“Whisper? I saw you perched up there for hours on my camera feed, what are you—” He was interrupted as the wolf walked inside without a word, brushing past him. Whisper could hear him seemingly dumbfounded behind her, whispering to Sonic. “Is she okay? I haven't seen her tensed up like this in a long time…”
“Beats me. But whatever it is, it's really affecting her. Maybe it's a new super badnik? Or Tangle got hurt.. do you think Eggman's messing with things?” Sonic responded, seeming just as confused. The wolf found an arm chair in a cozy living area, and sat down on it, finally looking up at the confused duo following her. She took a deep breath, the two leaning in to listen to her direction situation.
“...First Date. With Tangle. Needs to be perfect. Or… I need to be perfect. For her.” The wolf finally blurted out. “If I fail… better off dead.” The two just stared at her in silence, Sonic scratching his head as he tried to get his thoughts together. He finally found his voice after a moment.
“...Are you… are you sure this is…? I mean, no offense but… are we really the best people for this? Why not go to Amy?” The wolf stared at him for a moment, glancing to the floor before she responded.
“...Amy's good at… advice for romance. But I already love Tangle. I just… need help… matching her. Nice place. Spagonian Restaurant… Lots of unfamiliar people. Out of my comfort zone. If I freeze up… if I can't match her energy… she'll realize how boring I am. And… who better to ask than… you two?” She took a moment to look to the side. “...Tangle thinks of you two… like brothers. So I'll trust you to know her.” Whisper admitted. The two stared at her with wide eyes; Tails practically had stars in his, his jaw slack from surprise. Sonic meanwhile grinned at the thought, closing his eyes and shaking his head.
“Okay, first off, that's really sweet to hear. Secondly, you are one of the least boring people I've ever met! Thirdly… just be yourself?” He ended that sentence with a small shrug. “Like I'm not a date guy, but… doesn't Tangle love you for you already?” He then noticed the way Whisper was staring at him, and looked to the side, realizing she wasn't going to just take that for an answer. “...Though a survival guide for being more active and at her speed might not be a bad thing if you really, truly need it, I guess… uh… hmm…” He took a seat next to her, before continuing.
“Okay, so you'll want to be invested and active in the conversation. Like, more than just a small nod or an 'mhm.' You'll need to try to raise topics too. Like… let's practice. Tell me, what's on your mind right now?” He asked, leaning back. The wolf took a moment.
“...Tangle,” she stated very simply. He sighed, shaking his head a little, before he then smiled back at her.
“...Okay, give me a bit more than that. You're thinking of Tangle. Tell me about her. Tell me about what you love about her; really try to get across what's in your head rather than the basic stuff.” He leaned in, waiting to hear her response. She grumbled and fidgeted, before taking a moment.
“... She's light. Makes it all worth it. When I'm… at my worst. She's there to pick me up. To make me… not. Even if I'm fighting it.” She explained, fidgeting with her wispon a bit. Sonic nodded, smiling a little.
“That's a start. We've got a few hours, right? Tails and I will help you get a bit more out of your comfort zone.”
“O-ow! Is that really necessary?!” The lemur huffed, pouting as she shook her hand. She was sitting at a facade of a dinner table hastily put together in one of the uninhabited buildings of Emeraldville, and was now grumbling at the cat sitting across from her. Blaze shook her head, sighing as she set the ruler back down.
“This is but standard training for any princess of my caliber; You will learn to be proper, or else.” She shot Tangle a stern glare. “...Whisper is worth it, right? Or are you going to give up so easily on the goal you set?” She leaned forward, her eyes narrowed. The lemur's heart pounded, her breath becoming short, and she found herself brought back to a moment from her youth as she stared into those intense golden eyes.
Tangle was staring into another pair of golden eyes, suddenly. A pair belonging to an older lemur, staring down at her with a disappointed scowl on her face. Her mother was looming tall, dressed in a nice navy blue suit with yellow accents and taking a drag from her cigarette with her right hand, while her left hand held a wooden spoon. Her fur was a bit disheveled, and her hair was laying back in a mullet of sorts. Tangle herself was sitting in a chair at a large, nice table. She felt… small. Alone. Afraid. She had been kicking her feet too much and now her hand stung. The older lemur sighed, and her voice rung out, low and slightly rough.
“...You do know how important this dinner is, right dear? I need you to behave. No antics. No distractions. You're either here for dinner… or you're not. Now, let's try this again. Back straight. Legs centered. And try not to talk. You'll just embarrass yourself.” The older lemur glared down at the younger Tangle, who flinched as if the movement of her eyes on their own was a devastating attack. “...A good child is seen. Not heard. Right, dear?” The younger lemur felt herself freeze up, words locking themselves away from her, and she could only nod. The older woman smirked slightly, slowly nodding back. “Excellent. And remember… one wrong move out of you, and you're going to go to bed hungry… at best. Do you understand me? Tangle?... Tangle…?”
“...Tangle… are you okay?”
The lemur blinked, finding herself back at the Emeraldville dining setup. The golden eyes she locked onto were no longer the cold demanding eyes of her mother, but the concerned, worried eyes of her friend. Her body was shaking slightly as she tried to get her bearings, and Blaze then continued speaking, her voice a bit softer now.
“...I see I have… maybe been a bit too harsh on you. I forgot for a moment that you and Whisper are not nobility, and I should not be training you the way I was trained. Will you forgive my lapse in judgment?” The cat asked, reaching out to gently hold Tangle's hand and try to soothe the area she had hit. Tangle just stared at her for a moment, before the lemur gave her a small smile.
“Of course.” The lemur took a moment to simply breathe, her body's tremors dying down. “...I do wanna keep going but… maybe a bit less harsh? And no hand hitting.” Blaze nodded as she held Tangle's hand a bit tighter between her own, her own smile returning.
“Indeed. If you feel I am slipping into that state again, please speak up.” The cat then finally leaned back, letting go of Tangle's hand and straightening up. “Okay, next I believe we should practice your etiquette when ordering your meal. Try to keep your posture straight if you can... but no pressure.” Tangle straightened up a bit, and Blaze looked over to a doorway on the far side of the room. “Now, the server is going to come up and ask for our orders. How are you going to respond?” She made a beckoning motion towards the door, where Jewel shyly emerged, the beetle fluttering over.
“Greetings, Miss Lemur and Miss Cat. Now, would you be so kind as to give me your orders?” The girl smiled a bit anxiously at the two, and glanced towards Blaze. Blaze nodded, closing her eyes as she recounted her order with a smile.
“...I will have the tortellini with pesto for my main dish, and for the appetizer shrimp lemon. For my drink, a glass of your finest sparkling beverage. And you, my dear?” She opened her eyes, gesturing towards Tangle, who gulped at being gestured towards with a slight blush coloring her face. She looked over at Jewel, and smiled.
“I'll have the uh… the… the um…” She glanced back at the menu, nervously chuckling. “...B-bring on the pasta?” She gave Blaze an anxious grin, and the cat just shook her head with a slight chuckle.
“...You've sat still longer than last time. Yet I believe we have located your biggest problem at current. You should know your order before the waiter arrives to make sure things go smoothly. Let's give this another try.” Blaze gestured for Jewel to move away, the beetle waving shyly as she disappeared into the hallway again. Tangle straightened up again, and seemed to be lost in thought as she stared at the menu on get table. Blaze seemed pleased that she wasn't giving up at least, and continued. “...Perhaps you could better figure out your order if you discussed it with your dining partner. Why don't we give that a try?” Tangle thought about it for another moment, before looking up at Blaze with a smile.
“...That sounds perfect. Let's give it another shot!” She cheered triumphantly, accidentally lashing her tail out and striking one of the props they had set up. She quickly coiled it back in as she tried to get back into the proper seating position. She looked back at Blaze, who couldn't help but let out a snicker as she shook her head in disbelief.
“...Your indomitable spirit will serve you well. Let's take it from the top.” Blaze leaned back, ready to reset the scene once more.
“Oh! How is… the weather?” Whisper asked, her voice a bit more clear but still on the quieter side. “...I think the weather is… nice today. Clouds are.. good. Shade of gray… reminds me of you!” She continued, the wolf glancing at Sonic for approval. The hedgehog smiled back at her.
“See? You're getting there!” The hedgehog grinned as he leaned forward. Whisper's smile brightened, her tail wagging. Sonic continued, “Next… compliment something she's wearing.” He then looked to Tails, “Any other ideas to help her out, little buddy?” The fox scratched his chin, his twin tails swishing behind him.
“...I think she's got everything, she just needs to practice. Maybe… eyes more open?” He tilted his head. Whisper blinked, and tried to open her eyes fully beyond the squint. Having her eyes on display for the world felt… vulnerable. But… if it was for Tangle… She offered a shy smile.
“...Like this?” She asked, her tail unable to stop moving behind her. Tails nodded, and gave a thumbs up.
“Yeah! It helps you appear more attentive and shows the trust you're placing in her.” The fox boy smiled, and then glanced at Sonic before looking back at Whisper. “Final test. Try giving Tangle a compliment on her outfit while looking at Sonic.” The wolf blinked, and glanced towards the hedgehog. She took a deep breath.
“I… love your outfit. How the darker colors accentuate lighter ones. Make them seem much brighter than they are... Like how bright you are.” Her voice was still not quite there and she felt herself start to quiet near the end, but Sonic's grin made her feel a bit more confident.
“There you go! You've done it perfectly. I think she'll love it, no matter what. The only thing left is your clothing.” The hedgehog gestured towards her outfit, the wolf blinking in confusion. He chuckled, "…If you show up to your date armed to the teeth and looking ready to go mercenary mode, you might get some… interesting reactions. It's just dinner, not one of Eggman's bases. Wear something… casual. Er, fancy casual. Like a jacket and slacks.” The wolf looked down at her outfit, grumbling a little. She didn't want to leave her kit behind… what if something bad happens? But… if it's just for one date.
“...Not bad idea.” She mumbled, before looking back up at Sonic. “...Don't really have the… options though… and there's not enough time before the date to shop."
His grin widened in response.
“You give me a color you like and I'll go buy it faster than you can even blink. My treat,” he said with a slight tinge of smug bravado. The wolf blinked, and looked around as she tried to think of the color she wanted. She then looked back up at him, a slightly bigger smile on her face.
“...Anything in Orchid Purple?”
“... And that's the dessert portion of dinner finally complete.” The cat said with a slight sigh. She glanced up at Tangle and Jewel, and a small smile was on her face. “...It's been a bit… difficult, but…”
“...But…?” Tangle and Jewel said in unison, leaning in closer with their cheeks touching. The visual made Blaze chuckle.
“...I do believe you have this in you. Now, one final test. What would you do if something went wrong… on her end?” The cat looked up at Tangle, her golden eyes locked on the lemur's. “...Anything can happen on a date. Especially a first one. If she has an issue… what do you do? No time to think. Respond with the first thought in your head.” Tangle thought about it.
“...Easy. I do everything in my power to fix it. No matter what.”
“Even if you were going to split the bill and she forgot her card? I have heard tell that this place is rather pricey.”
“I'm not afraid of credit card debt! I'll pay it back in no time!!”
‘What if she has a wardrobe malfunction?”
“My tail is nature's censor bar!”
“And if she spills her beverage on her fancy attire?”
“I'll happily grab a napkin and wipe it up before it can even THINK of staining her clothes!”
“What if she needs to leave suddenly in the middle of dinner?”
“I'll leave with her to make sure she's okay!”
“What if the restaurant is devastated in an earth shattering explosion and she lays dying in your arms?”
“...I uh- I uh… I'll rush her to the hospital?” The lemur stared at Blaze with a concerned look, and the cat blinked.
“...Perhaps I have… escalated these hypotheticals a bit too much.” She admitted as she looked to the side. “...Yet I believe your responses have been rather telling. And I have come to my decision.” She leaned back, closing her eyes as she paused rather dramatically. Tangle could feel her own heart racing as she and Jewel braced themselves for Blaze's verdict.
“...You improved. Not perfect, but… good enough, I believe. No need to be truly perfect on your first date.” She smiled at the lemur, looking at her with a smug expression. “...Were you after my heart, I would give you at least a second, maybe third chance to get more put together and come to know you better before I decide whether or not it is working out between us. You clearly intend to try for her, and that is far more than a lot of people will offer in this world. You would be a lovely first date to have, Tangle.” The lemur's eyes widened, and her cheeks slightly reddened.
“Th-th-thank you…? Uh, that means a lot! In that case… I think I better head off to get ready! I need to find something fancy to wear… which is uh…” She blinked, a bit self conscious as she thought about it. “...not something I have…?” She looked to Jewel, who simply chuckled. Blaze then got out of her chair, and walked towards Tangle. She gently grabbed Tangle by the shoulder.
“...For all your efforts, I think you deserve a reward. Jewel dear, will you help me and Tangle find the perfect outfit for her? I think she would look rather nice in a dress.” She began to drag the Lemur away, the girl looking pleadingly to Jewel for help while the beetle followed along with a snicker, unable to stop herself as she fluttered after them.
“...Don't worry Tangle, we'll let you choose the color!” the beetle said with a slight tease in her voice, and a big smile on her face.
Whisper took a deep breath. She fidgeted in her clothes, looking down at them—a very casual purple suit jacket, white t-shirt, dark purple slacks, and black dress shoes. Her gear and Wisps were… safe. Tails offered to keep an eye on them for the date and she really appreciated it; the amount of people trustworthy enough to watch her stuff and keep her wisps company could be counted on one hand. The wolf grumbled as she ran her fingers through her hair, not used to having it down. She looked around… where was Tangle…? She was currently standing outside the restaurant.
“Yo, Whisp—ah shoot, er, hello Whisper!” She heard a rather nervous sounding voice behind her say. She glanced back, and her eyes widened, her heart racing as she finally laid her eyes on Tangle.
Standing there was a rather flustered Lemur, smiling awkwardly at her. What caught Whisper most off guard was the outfit… a stunning, long cyan blue dress with white accents, elbow length gloves, and the cutest slippers she's even seen. She even had a flower in her pompadour. Whisper's jaw fell slack at the sight.
“...I'm so underdressed for this." The wolf thought to herself, her heart racing.
Tangle, meanwhile, was staring deep into Whisper's eyes, as if getting lost in them. The two simply… existed, in this moment. Tangle finally glanced at the restaurant door.
“...Mm… Should we… go in… my lady?” She said with a slightly shaky grin. Whisper tilted her head in confusion… my lady? She nodded, smiling.
“Yeah, let's head in.” She reached out and grabbed Tangle's hand, a motion that sent a shiver through the lemur's body. The lemur's cheeks were bright pink. She clearly wasn't used to Whisper being… forward. The two stepped closer together, and began to enter the restaurant.
Jewel bit her lip as she watched the two enter the building. She was sitting at a cafe across the street, hiding her face behind a newspaper. She fidgeted with it a bit. “....C'mon Tangle… you can do this.” She said quietly to herself. She then jumped as she heard a voice from behind her.
“Jewel?” A young boy's voice. Jewel glanced over to see Tails looking over at her… also sitting at a café table nearby with a newspaper. He also had a large duffle bag with him, and was surrounded by wisps trying to hide behind the newspaper. Jewel put two and two together, and smirked, sighing.
“...Don't tell me. Whisper?” She asked with a teasing tone in her voice. Tails nodded, sighing as he shook his head.
“...And I'm going to guess Tangle on your end. Whatever will we do with these two?” He chuckled, a big grin on his face. “Whisper came to Sonic and I to get help being more… active in the conversation. She was afraid of being boring.” Jewel scoffed at the notion.
“Boring? Oh, that poor girl… she could do nothing and Tangle would find something to be interested in. Tangle came to me wanting to learn how to be prim and proper, a sentence I never would have expected out of Tangle given… well, that's besides the point.” The beetle had quickly stopped herself from rambling too much about her friend's problems. Tails nodded.
“And I doubt Whisper cares about whether or not Tangle is proper. But they're both… well, in their own heads a little. We'll have to see how they handle it. If it goes badly…” he sighed, shaking his head. “...But I think they'll be fine.” He flashed Jewel a small smile.
“I agree.” The beetle said, leaning back in her chair. Two of the wisps flew up to chirp at her, and she giggled as she scritched Blue's chin. “...They both will.”
Tangle was faced with her greatest challenge yet.
Staying perfectly still and keeping her manners intact. She kept her legs locked in place, her tail tucked in behind her, her willpower fueled by the fear of letting Whisper down; she was doing even better than she had by the end of her training with Blaze. If her mother saw this, she'd probably be proud. A thought that sickened her. She just had to wait for the waiter to come by.
“So… Tangle! How did your morning go?” The voice cracked through the stillness of her mind. She looked over at the wolf, seeing… those beautiful blue eyes, opened wide and staring right into her soul. The lemur couldn't help but gulp as she tried to think of a response.
“W-well… uh… good! I… hung out with… I mean… I enjoyed spending time with my friend Jewel…?” The Lemur stumbled over her words a bit, getting more embarrassed by the second. She was caught off guard when Whisper… giggled? Or at least tried to…? She smiled shyly at the wolf. “...How was your morning?”
“Oh, it was nice! I tried to shoot Sonic!” Whisper blurted out with an attempt at glee. The two simply stared at each other for a moment, in complete silence. Tangle took a moment to mentally process it.
“...Tried to shoot Sonic?” She asked, leaning forward for a second before correcting herself. The wolf nodded, seeming to sweat more.
“Mmhmm!! Shot him good! Or I would've if he wasn't fast! Get him next time. I'll. Yep.” Tangle could swear the wolf girl in front of her was fighting a losing battle against receding into her chair, but more than anything Tangle was just completely caught off guard, any response she could think of immediately dying. “...He'll be dead! Because I'm good.” The wolf tried to add on with the most fragile looking smile Tangle's ever seen.
“...you're very… good, yes.” Tangle blurted out, wanting to be supportive. “...I'll… help? I can… hold him down. Easier to… shoot.” The lemur gulped, feeling like she was sweating bullets. The two continued to stare at each other, unsure of what to say. Finally, there was a gentle cough as a waiter, a rather unamused border collie, passed by their table.
'"…Have either of you ladies decided what you wish to dine on this fine evening?" He asked, glancing between the wolf who seemed to be minutes away from hiding under the table, and the lemur who currently felt less like a prim and proper person and more like a statue that was beginning to erode. Tangle wanted to say something, but she had completely forgotten to talk about her order with Whisper. The entire concept of Spagonian cuisine was lost to her.
"Umm… I'll umm… I'll have a uhmmm…" The lemur stammered, trying her best to come up with something, anything. Eventually, Whisper finally perked up, the wolf having forced herself to sit up straight as she cleared her throat.
"We… need a moment, please." She said with her voice a bit shaky, looking like she might crumble into a pile of dust if she's fought back against at all. The waiter simply quirked his brow as he looked at her, before nodding courteously.
"Of course. Take your time." He glanced at the two girls before sighing as he made his way to another table, leaving them in… relative peace. For now. Whisper sighed in relief, slumping against the table for a moment as she closed her eyes, the wolf clearly feeling a bit overwhelmed. Tangle stared at her, wanting to do something, to reach out and help, but she was afraid to break her posture. However, as the moments passed… the lemur braced herself. She didn't care if she looked proper. Her tail began to move on its own. It slooowly but surely crept through the air above the table towards the wolf's face, and playfully rubbed against her cheek. She felt Whisper's claws dig into it as the wolf quickly grabbed it for comfort, and the lemur couldn't help but smile. Whisper took a moment to return the smile with a small nod.
"….Thanks. Tangle." She mumbled, a little sheepish as she buried her face into the fur of the tail. "…Really… making this… the worst date, aren't I?" She tried to sit up. "Wanted to.. be more confident. Be more… energetic. For you." She admitted shyly, looking down at the surface of the table. One of the finger-like tufts of fur at the end of Tangle's tail pressed against Whisper's chin to lift her head up to look up at her.
"Hey, when did I ever say you had to be like that?" The lemur asked with a smug lil smirk, giggling as she gained a bit more confidence. "I love you the way you are! You're always so insightful and you… usually know how to make up for my mistakes! And you're so cool! When you're quiet you seem all mysterious and edgy and awesome!! And even outside of that, you've got so many neat little interests that I love to hear about in the rare moments you do talk about them! Every word of yours is a treasure!" The lemur's perfect posture broke fully as she leaned in and pressed her hands down on the table cloth, stars in her eyes. "I was scared of being all over the place and ruining the date for you!! I had to learn manners and junk and ohhhh I've already screwed it up but I'm not gonna let you beat yourself up!!" The wolf looked up at her in confusion, one of her normally squinted eyes reopening.
"…You hate that kind of stuff though. Besides… Like you a lot. As you are." Whisper admitted, smiling up at her. "…Your energy… reminds me I'm alive. Awake." She leaned against the tail, giving it a small kiss, which caused Tangle's heart rate to skyrocket and her cheeks to turn a bright, burning red! The lemur stuttered over her words for a moment as Whisper continued. "…and don't think dating you… is a mistake. Although… maybe I worried too much." The lemur finally found her ability to talk again after a moment, huffing.
"Y-you… are you sure?" She asked, leaning in closer. The wolf simply nodded, closing her eyes and smiling.
"Positive." Whisper responded, slowly leaning back up. "…You don't have to worry so much about your manners. This place is nice, but… well, you're nice the way you are. If you want to slouch, go right ahead." The lemur let out a sigh of relief, and relaxed, her tail slowly but surely coming back to her.
"Ohhh thank Gaia…" She mumbled, huffing. "…Mom doesn't win this one." She said to herself with a smile. She felt like a weight was off her shoulders. She sat upright with a big grin, trying to shake off some of the nerves. "So… what are you thinking for dinner?" She leaned over, trying to see the menu Whisper had in front of her. Whisper smiled shyly as she glanced back down at the words in front of her.
"Mmm. Honestly… not sure. Might try… chicken parm? Might get some sparkling water too…" She tilted her head, before looking back up at Tangle. "…What about you?" The lemur looked back at her own menu, a bigger grin beginning to form.
"I think I'm going to grab some spaghetti alla puttanesca… and maybe some soda." Tangle read off, smiling. "Sounds like we've got our meal sorted out! Want me to call the waiter back over?" She asked as she looked at Whisper, her tail starting to swish around more. The wolf nodded in response, leaning back in her chair.
"Yes please."
Jewel sighed, watching through the window with squinted eyes from her hiding place across the street.
"…I can't really tell what they're saying, but they seem to be… relaxing?" She glanced back at Tails, who was currently feeding Cyan and Green pieces of a muffin. "How do you think they're doing? Got any fancy ways to get a better read on the conversation?" Upon hearing this, Tails looked up at her, and shook his head.
"I could probably come up with something, buuuuut… I don't want to intrude on their privacy that much!" He said with a small, nervous chuckle. "I think we can trust them to figure it out. For now, let's just relax." Jewel thought about it for a second, before leaning back into her chair with a sigh.
"Yeahhh, you're right, hehehe! I just… worry a lot. Especially when Tangle's happiness is involved. I just feel like that girl… well, she's my best friend. And she deserves the world. And if the world hurts her…" She glanced downwards, fidgeting in her seat. "…What if I'm not fast enough to rescue her from that hurt?" She blinked as Blue and Orange nudged against her in reassurance; although Orange in particular made a sound remarkably like an annoyed huff, its brows furrowed as it looked up at the beetle. Jewel blinked, tilting her head as she looked down at the little rocket-shaped wisp. "…What's that supposed to mean?" She looked up to Tails, the fox looking over the situation and giving her a small smile.
"I don't need a translator for that one. They're upset you don't have more faith in Whisper, I think! I can picture what they're saying now; 'Do you really think Whisper would hurt her, or let her get hurt?'" The fox boy leans over to gently pet Orange to help calm them down. Jewel blinked as she absorbed the message, and glanced over at the restaurant.
"W-Well… I didn't mean to imply that… I just… worry a lot, okay?" She nervously wrung her wrists, looking apologetic. "Sorry if I implied anything bad about Whisper, Orange…" She said directly to the wisp, giving it a polite bow. It let out something that sounded like a sigh, nuzzling against her cheek in acceptance. The fox boy leaned back into his seat, smiling.
"Don't worry about it! I don't think any real harm was taken. Just have more faith in our friends!" He gave her a thumbs-up, which she giggled at and returned.
"Of course! Tangle and Whisper always come through any challenge!" She glanced back to the restaurant window, where she could just make out their shapes on the other side of the glass. "We just need to believe in them…"
Whisper grumbled a little as she stared at her plate. She idly scratched at her chin. She didn't want to make any kind of fuss, but…
Well, the portions were a bit… different from what she expected. The chicken parma looked delicious! But it was a bit… small. The plate wasn't that big, and the portions were… lacking, especially when compared to the heaping plate of spaghetti that Tangle was already digging into. As Whisper looked at her girlfriend's plate, Tangle clearly noticed the look in her eyes. The lemur's gaze shifted from the plate to the wolf, putting two and two together. She finished slurping down a noodle rather loudly, Tangle grinning at Whisper.
"…I don't mind sharing, Whispy! Tell you what… gimme a bite of that chicken, and I'll let you have as much spaghetti as you want!" The lemur winked at her, making the wolf's cheeks turn a bright pink. Whisper nodded, smiling more.
"… A fair trade." The wolf flipped her fork in her hand as if she was wielding a blade, and stabbed deep into a chunk of chicken. She lifted it up, dangling it over Tangle's plate and smirking at her. "…Take your chicken." She watched the lemur stare at the bite, having clearly not expected Whisper to be so forward. The girl then eagerly HOMFED over the end of the utensil, pulling away and chewing at her bite.
"Mmm!! Whispy you GOTTA try a bite of that before you start hogging my spaghetti, it's really, really good!!" She exclaimed with stars in her eyes, her tail swished around excitedly behind her, startling a server who had to narrowly avoid its eager path. The wolf chuckled and nodded, stabbing another piece away and taking a bite for herself. She chewed for a moment, closing her eyes to enjoy the flavor… Tangle was right, this was good. It almost made up for the smaller plate… Almost.
The wolf ate a bit more of her chicken, before leaning in to snag some of Tangle's spaghetti with her fork, bringing it to her mouth. While she definitely preferred the chicken, this was definitely good; with the power of sharing their meals, they might just both get a filling dinner in spite of the portion sizes. As the meal went on, it quickly became apparent that they were making… a bit of a mess. Well, mostly Tangle, who had definitely gotten sauce on the tablecloth now. She was slurping her spaghetti rather loudly with not a care in the world… something Whisper couldn't help but love. The wolf chuckled, shaking her head as she leaned across the small table to dab at the Lemur's cheek with her a napkin.
"…You're cute… when messy… You know that, right?" Whisper said with a tease. The lemur's cheeks turned pink, the girl's eyes darting around as she tried to pull away from the napkin. After Whisper pulled away, Tangle huffed as she stopped leaning back.
"…W-whisp…" Tangle mumbled, glancing away all embarrassed. The lemur leaned in, all blushy as she tried to distract herself with her food, taking another bite of spaghetti. At the same time, Whisper was leaning forward to take a bite herself…
And as the two slurped, they quickly found themselves leaning in a bit further as it turned out they had grabbed the same long noodle with their forks. They both stared at each other, eyes wide, their hearts pounding as it settled into their minds that they were connected by the same noodle. Tangle finally grinned, and happily slurped more on the noodle, the two leaning much farther over the table than before as the lemur's actions set their lips on a collision course, Whisper's eyes widening and her face turning practically pink as she got closer!
SMOOCH!!
Whisper's vision went white for a moment as she and Tangle locked lips, the entire world disappearing around her. She held there for what felt like an eternity… even when Tangle started to pull away, she reached up to grab the lemur's cute fluffy face and lock her there for a moment longer, which elicited a small squeak from her girlfriend. Finally, after a minute, Whisper released the lemur, and watched her pant as she pulled away, all flustered.
"…I… Whisp… oh… ah… wow…" The lemur fumbled over her words, stunned from the intensity of the kiss. Whisper simply smirked, and shook her head as she began to steal another bite of food.
"…. Better recover fast… or I'm taking all your noodles." The wolf teased with a smug little grin. Tangle blinked, and pouted as she immediately dug her fork back in.
"Hey, don't take it all! I still need to eat too!" The lemur said with a pout as she raced to get a bite, unable to stop herself from snickering a little. Whisper couldn't help it, beginning to laugh back, two finding joy in the ridiculousness of it all.
Jewel watched with baited breath when, after all this time, the two girls finally exited the restaurant. Tangle was sheepishly rubbing the back of her head while Whisper just shook hers with a snicker. Tangle's dress was slightly dirty from spaghetti sauce having dripped onto it… It took every ounce of restraint the beetle had not to run up to them, not wanting to reveal herself yet as she tried to hide more subtly behind her newspaper. The lemur brushed herself off, smiling at the wolf.
"So, what do you think Whisp?" She grinned over at her girlfriend, wrapping her arm around her. "Did we have an amazing first date or what?" She pulled Whisper in close, and Jewel's eyes widened as she looked over the two. Whisper looked away for a second with a smirk.
"…Was a mess. But… wouldn't be against doing it again." She turned back to face Tangle and pressed her nose against the Lemur's cheek, giving her a kiss. "…Maybe… less fancy next time. Or at least… somewhere cozier." The wolf then glanced over Tangle's outfit. "…Wouldn't be against you wearing that again. It's cute…" Tangle blushed quite a bit in response, but her face quickly turned into a big grin.
"You should see yourself! You rock that suit, Whisp; I think you could pull it off even outside of dates! Imagine rocking up to kick butt in a suit, you'd be the coolest person ever!" She playfully booped the wolf on the nose, causing Whisper to huff and look away as her tail began to wag rapidly behind her. Jewel couldn't help but giggle as she saw this…
A mistake, she quickly realized, as Whisper's pointed ears suddenly swiveled in her direction.
The wolf glanced over, and her eyes locked on the beetle's, opening slightly from their usual squint. She quietly reached up to tug on Tangle's tail to get her attention, the Lemur looking confused initially before her gaze followed the wolf's…
Jewel really wished she could curl up and vanish right now. Albeit, that was until Tangle's confused look split into a grin as she excitedly waved at the smaller girl.
"Yooo Jewel!! Thanks so much for earlier!" She grinned, before her gaze turned to the fox boy sitting near Jewel who had tried his hardest to curl up behind his own paper to vanish. "Oooh, what are you doing here Tails? Is there some kinda danger in the area or are you researching something?" She blinked as she watched the wisps poke their heads out from the other side of the newspaper, the fox smiling shyly.
"W-well… I'm babysitting the Wisps for Whisper! And I uh… wanted to be close by in case anything went wrong!" He chuckled a little. "I wanted to be sure that if like, Eggman attacked the city or something, you two wouldn't be pulled into the fight and could just keep your date going! That and the Wisps were getting restless, they wanted to be able to see Whisper, hehe." He rubbed the back of his head anxiously, meanwhile all the wisps rushed to circle around Tangle and Whisper and eagerly nuzzle against them, earning a laugh from the lemur as she wrapped her long tail around both the wisps and Whisper to pull them all in for a hug.
"Don't worry little guys! We ended up having a lot of fun!" She then gave Tails a thumbs-up," And thanks for holding down the fort little guy! I imagine Sonic's probably doing laps around the city to make sure there's no trouble?" Tails nodded in confirmation. The lemur continued, "Awesome! Whisp and I are going to head on home; we're going to treat ourselves to some homemade poundcake! I hope I wasn't too much trouble today!" She smiled down at Jewel. The beetle simply shook her head.
"Nonsense. Today was your special day, and I was more than happy to help! You two have fun, okay? I need to get back to Emeraldville. With Lanolin away at Vanilla's for the day someone needs to keep an eye on things. You two have a great night." She gave a courteous bow to the lemur, a smile on her face. Tangle grinned, and nodded as she swept Whisper up off her feet just as suddenly, the wolf's eyes very wide now in surprise. Tangle snickered as she began to carry the wolf off, looking down into her eyes.
"…Let's have a better date next time, agreed?"
"…It'll always be better… with you…"