Unlike the rest of Jet's house, the balcony was quiet and undisturbed. A few lanterns hung off the wooden railing, offering balmy lighting. There was a secluded little chair in the corner, and, wanting to escape from the chaos of the party, Tails made his way towards it.
He plopped himself down on the cushioned seats, releasing a sigh. He rubbed at his puffy bloodshot eyes, hoping to halt the tears before they made it down his face. Why did this bother him?
Sonic was attractive, he was bound to find a girl one day! And that girl(Amy, was it?) had been pinning for him for years. He was happy for him?
Wait, why was there a question mark there?
The fox sighed, leaning back on the chair. Frustration welled up in his chest. His hands curled into fists. There was nothing wrong...Sonic had seemed happy after all.
He bit down on his lip. "I'm proud of him."
"What are you doing out here?"
Tails yelped, his head snapping upwards. He turned to see a cobalt furred hedgehog with bright green eyes. He blinked. "...Hi."
Sonic furrowed a brow, glancing back into the house before walking towards the fox. "You alright?"
"You kissed her." The words leaped out his mouth before he could stop them. He stiffened, watching as the hedgehog's eyes widened.
Sonic lowered onto the chair beside Tails, forehead crinkling. "Why does it matter?"
The two sat in silence, the fox's eyes actively avoiding his friend's gaze. He felt the other's eyes on the back of his head. "I...Did you enjoy it?"
Sonic let out a little chuckle, a blend of disbelief and amusement. "Guess so."
Tails' ears perked. "Was it like in the movies? With time slowing down?"
A bark of laughter. "Nope! Nothing's slow for me, buddy!"
They met eyes.
Sonic's smile faded as soon as he saw the traces of tears on the kit's face.
"Tails?"
The two stared at each other. "There..uh...was something in my eye." The fox fumbled with hands, averting his eyes.
Sonic's hand clutched his chin, tenderly pulling his head upwards. He scooted closer, holding the fox's face. "Here, let me see."
He really believed that!? Tails opened his mouth to object, before realizing how warm Sonic's hands were on his cheeks. The kit froze, mouth agape, as the hedgehog scrutinized him.
"There's a lot of vapers here. Maybe it's the particles from the air?" After a beat of silence, Sonic released the fox's face(the kit let out a little sigh of relief) and rested his hands at his sides.
Tails shook his head, opting to survey the balcony. He forced the thoughts of Sonic's gentle touch out of his mind and allowed the butterflies in his stomach to disperse. But they didn't feel like butterflies; rather vehement moths.
"Do you like her?" He asked. "Amy, I mean."
"She's nice." Why did he stiffen like that? "Let's talk about something else."
A frown. "She's your first kiss."
"Why do you care so much about my first kiss?"
Tails recognized it as a challenge. Sonic quills were rigid and taut, and his eyes flashed. He felt tempted to defend himself and deny the implications of Sonic's words, but found himself realizing that he was obsessing over it.
The silence this time around wasn't companionable. It was chilled, just like the weather that day. Tails could taste the alcohol and smoke drifting in the air and cringed internally. Why had he agreed to come here? He glanced at Sonic. There was his answer.
He felt something press against him.
"Everyone was chanting. Her friends, my friends, everyone." Sonic said, leaning on the fox.
"What could I've done, Tails?" A sigh. "Just say no? Walk away?"
Tails fumbled with his hands, replaying Sonic's words in his head. He took a gander at the hedgehog's expression; lips pressed together, eyes beckoning and confused.
"I'm not sure."
Green eyes met blue. They ogled at one another. Tails leaned in closer. They stared at each other, and the fox could see every detail if the other's face. His peach muzzle, bright Emerald eyes which usually shone with childish joy, and the triangular ears that resided at the top of his head. They twitched and perked, and the fox felt as if they were staring at him as well.
His mouth went dry. His gaze wandered to Sonic's lips, small and thin. For once, they weren't curved in his usual carefree grin.
Had he ever looked at his friend in such detail before? Had he ever taken note of the hedgehog's smile or eyes or ears? No, because they never mattered before...
That's when they kissed.
It was precipitous, and Tails wasn't entirely sure who started it. He had made an attempt to get up, but it was as if his body rebelled, pulling him forward instead.
The caress of Sonic's lips was warm, just like the touch of his hand. The sensation of freedom, the one Tails got after finishing an assignment or after the bell rang to signal the end of the day, burst through him, and Tails wrapped his arms around the hedgehog's torso, skillfully avoiding his quills. It came naturally. Too naturally. And Tails realized he had this same kiss, with this same person, before. He realized that he loved every second of this, every gust of adrenaline. He realized, judging by the fact that Sonic's eyes had slipped shut, that the hedgehog was enjoying it too.
And at that moment, Tails and Sonic knew that they were nothing that they thought they were.