Hi everyone! Welcome to the first fic I've managed to complete in over two years, and the first Sonic fic I've managed to complete ever!
After reading TheEnigmaMachine's Iron Oxide, I was randomly inspired to write this, and as such, Sonic and Metal's characterisations are heavily inspired by their work.
Please let me know if you find any typos, or have any other critiques. Thanks for reading!
Sonic was sprawled on a beach chair. Taking a sip of some fruity drink that Tails had concocted, he looked at the ocean fondly and smiled. It had been an extremely busy few weeks following Eggman's latest scheme. Tails had been preoccupied with repairing Metal for a lot of that time, while Sonic and Knuckles worked on stabilising the glaciers that held together the Land of the Sky. Eventually, Tails and Metal were able to lend their abilities to the efforts. After that, they had things with the president to organise, and all sorts of other activities that Sonic considered nothing more than bureaucratic nonsense. Having seen Knuckles off that morning, this was Sonic's first true moment of rest since rescuing Metal. He had been lying on the beach since, and he was very happy to spend the whole day not moving from his spot.
Preoccupied as he was with his contentment, he hadn't noticed that someone had joined him until they sat on the adjacent chair. Looking over, he saw Metal, poised almost like a princess with his back straight and his hands folded neatly in his lap. Sonic snapped his head back to the chair before forcing himself to relax again. Since that fateful day, Sonic had spent barely a moment with Metal, some invisible but tangible and distracting tension forcing him to keep his distance. In his company, he felt warm, breathtakingly warm, even for someone sunbathing. But still, he kept a calm demeanour and took another drink. He refused to let anything, even the strange warmth beginning to spread through his chest, get in the way of his long deserved rest.
Metal beeped quietly. "Tails told me I should enjoy the sun, as well." As Sonic watched him stare at the water, he knew he felt it – whatever it was – also. They were linked, after all. Sonic had tried and failed to put his thoughts about Metal out of his mind over the past few weeks. The almost overwhelming but pleasant warmth he felt in Metal's vicinity was nothing new, and he was sure that it was there to stay. Sonic was known throughout the land for his calmness in even the direst of situations, but around Metal, the warmth would engulf him and stop his capabilities of rational thought. He would forget what he was doing, often leading him to panic and make a fool out of himself. He could still hear Knuckles' laughter from when he ran straight into a glacier after he slipped and fell into Metal's arms. He was sure that he would never live it down, and the idea that he, Sonic the Hedgehog, could ever stand in for Mr. Owl was infuriating and embarrassing.
Even so, he could never stop himself from wondering – Does Metal feel warm, too? Slowly looking to Metal again, he saw he was still studying the ocean. His gaze had an inquisitive quality to it, as if he was trying to soak it up just by looking at it. Sonic didn't realise how long he must have been staring until Metal turned that same curious gaze to him. His optics brightened as if to smile. "Is something the matter, Sonic?"
Sonic jumped and scrambled to say something that wouldn't make him sound like a schoolgirl. "You could – uh, I mean, you can relax, y'know," he said, gesturing to his own lax pose, "you don't have to sit like that."
Metal beeped in laughter and Sonic felt his face grow warm. "I am perfectly comfortable as I am. Thank you for your concern." Sonic didn't say anything, but he did slam the last of his drink before nodding. He could still feel Metal's gaze on him. He figured that he should have a real conversation with him. Tails and even Knuckles grew to be better friends with Metal than him, and he felt guilty. Some small part of him wanted to say that it was Metal's fault that he turned into a thoughtless pile of goo, but he knew that he didn't do it on purpose and didn't deserve to be ignored. He was treating Metal unfairly because he was – what? Wonderful? Intoxicating? Despite all that, Metal's gaze was still affectionate, and Sonic noticed that any semblance of calm he felt was slipping away.
"Metal," he began without thinking, "d'you ever feel embarrassed?" The robot in question cocked his head slightly in response, and Sonic had to stop himself from choking on nothing. "It's like, y'know … kind of a mild form of panic, I guess? You might feel warm and your heart – uh, processors? They work faster and you find it sorta hard to think."
Metal laughed again and shook his head. "I do not ever feel … embarrassed. Though you do seem to be embarrassed yourself," he said, not unkindly.
Sonic sat up sharply. "Never!? What about when you saw up Sara's dress?"
Metal laughed again, and Sonic felt as if he should be annoyed instead of revelling in it. "I had more important things to concern myself with at the time."
That was definitely true. Sonic likely wouldn't have even noticed if they hadn't been linked. "Still … thinking back on it, you don't get embarrassed? I didn't actually, y'know, see it, but I still kinda did and I'm …" His voice puttered and ran out of steam. "Embarrassed." That wasn't entirely true – he was embarrassed, certainly, but it had little to do with Sara. Metal signalled no and Sonic felt an irrational burst of exasperation. It wasn't fair! Sonic the Hedgehog was suave; the president was elected on the basis that he personally knew the unshakeable hedgehog, for god's sake! Metal made him feel so warm, and … elated? But he was alone in that if Metal didn't feel the same! Was Sonic exaggerating their link and creating issues, acting like a child, over nothing?
Metal leaned over and put his hand over Sonic's, causing the troubled hedgehog to look up in shock. "You're showing signs of distress. I have learnt that physical contact can be comforting in such times."
Sonic smiled. It was a small, eager smile, very dissimilar to the cocky smirk that Metal was familiar with. Against all odds, Metal's hands were not cold at all. Warmth seeping into his own, Sonic felt somewhat at ease. Looking into the robot's eyes, he said, "You're right, Mets. It does help." Metal looked down, quietly murmuring the nickname to himself. Sonic had said it without thinking, but he certainly didn't regret it as he saw the resulting mild red glow of Metal's optics. "See! You do get embarrassed!"
Metal looked up and let out a series of exasperated beeps before exclaiming, "I do not get embarrassed! Only you do!" Sonic could only laugh in response. He dimly registered feeling relieved, only for Metal to pull him onto his own chair and into his lap. With a yell, he landed face down. "Who is embarrassed now?"
The warmth was everywhere – he could feel Metal's chest and lap pouring strangely pleasurable warmth into him. The weather was still hot in spite of the sun being lower in the sky. He had the urge to pull himself more into Metal's frame. When he realised this, he felt his face flush and the need to scream. "It takes more than that to embarrass me!" He flipped over, and with both of his hands, he gripped Metal's face and pulled it closer to his own. "I'm calm, I'm cool, and I'm collected!" he proclaimed with a faint air of delusion.
Metal's optics grew bright red in a matter of seconds. Sonic could feel the heat of his face in his hands, just as he could feel victory in the weird competition. Ignoring his own blush, he grinned. "Looks like I – "
Metal closed the distance between them, beeping amusedly as their faces made contact. Sonic had an internal meltdown for three seconds – Oh my god, is he kissing me!? – but then Metal's warmth fully enveloped him. He wound his arms around his neck, drawing him closer. He felt Metal's arms snake around his waist, and any embarrassment the either of them felt left their systems. Logistically, Sonic had no clue how any of it was happening, but it was so electrifying, he couldn't bring himself to care.
Plunk! They pulled apart at the sound of a glass hitting the table. Dazedly noting that the sun had moved even further down, he realised that the sound came from Tails replacing his drink. He knew his face was burning, but what had happened was way too good to be something embarrassing. He lazily grinned at his best friend and breathlessly greeted him. "'Sup, Tails?"
The yellow fox simply rolled his eyes and laughed. "Yeah, whatever. I'm not even gonna ask." Collecting the empty glass, he left, still softly chuckling to himself.
Metal was dead still, his optics unfocused and dim. Sonic poked him and received no acknowledgement. "Mets," he said. He watched as Metal's eyes refocused and grew almost impossibly bright. "Mets, what d'you think?"
Metal looked directly at Sonic, beeping happily if somewhat shyly. "I believe we can call it a tie."