Like Brothers...

PG-13---Sexual humor, mild swearing

All right, summary time. I actually enjoyed this idea. The beginning is not of much importance, just something to add that humor that I'm so well known for around here. The end is more of the big point. This is a random idea that popped up into my head one day when I was thinking about how Charmy, Tails, & Cream in Sonic's world are so much younger than the rest. So this is the end product. It does take place after my first story "Hidden in the Present". ENJOY!

All Sonic characters © their rightful owners. Maria, Amethyst © me...LZ---◊

"Okay, come on, admit it. You've been through more guys than bullets when it comes to that."

"Oh come off it, Vector!" Vector began to laugh after Maria spoke.

Espio looked at Mighty and put his hand to the side of his mouth pretending to block Maria from seeing his words.

"She goes through a lot of bullets, too." Espio and Mighty started to laugh also.

"Hey, you." She pointed to Espio and he looked at her, "Yeah, you. Never...NEVER... compare a girl to her gun. It's just plain insultin'."

Mighty looks at Espio and where Maria can't see, puts his hand up flicking it back and forth, making cat noises along with it.

"Meow. Hiss." As he did this, Maria turned around and slapped Mighty's arm. It did not affect him much, of course, but Maria thought it was worth a try. "Um, ow?" he said being sarcastic and mocking towards Maria.

"Oh, shut up!"

"Oh, and it is not denied." Espio said and Maria threw the pillow she was holding at her chest at him. He caught it.

"That's so not fair, you're a ninja, you suck."

"Isn't the sucking your job?" Vector asked grinning widely. Espio and Mighty continued to laugh. The guys were definitely enjoying this.

"You know if Mister Ninja Master over there didn't steal my pillow, I'd suffocate the both of you with it."

"You might want to watch what you say to me, Maria, I am the one training you."

Maria just leaned back and crossed her arms glaring at Espio for a few more seconds. Then she looked at Mighty. He just smiled and pulled her legs, which were lying across his lap, closer to his stomach.

"50. 63. 94. Just let me know when I'm gettin' close." Vector said as they laughed.

"For your information, Vector, you're way off. But I'll tell ya, it's more than you'll ever get." Maria, Espio and Mighty all started to laugh.

"Oh! Dissed by a girl, Vec. That is pathetic." Mighty said and Maria smiled big.

"I'm betting ya, he'll end up an 80 ye--, wait, a dead virgin." They all continue to laugh as Vector glares at Maria.

"Yeah, and you're just going to end up dead." Vector stood up and started to walk over to Maria. She continued to laugh until she saw the crocodile approaching then sat up and flipped over the back of the couch avoiding him. She looked over the top, just peeking, and looked at Vector standing in front of the sofa.

"I can see it all now. 'Vector Crocodile' written on your grave, 'Virgin he was...Pure he was not.'" All except Vector laughed aloud.

"You need to teach this girlfriend of yours to keep her mouth shut, Mighty." Maria stood up and Vector ran around the couch after her. She ran away as fast as she could, into a different room. She ran behind a wall and hid hoping Vector wouldn't find her. Suddenly, she felt something grab her tail, and before she could look to see what it was, she was pulled out and hanging above the ground. She looked up and saw Vector.

"Ouch, hey Vector!" She yelled as if he were far away from her. "That is connected to the rest of me ya know. Ouch! Let go!" Vector started to walk into the room where Mighty and Espio were still. He carried Maria the whole way by her tail. He walked up behind the couch where Mighty was sitting and held Maria out in front of him. "Heh, heh. Hi, Mighty"

"Hey babes."

"I do believe this thing is yours, Mighty." Maria crossed her arms and glared up at Vector, who was still holding her upside down.

"I guess it is." Mighty smiled as Vector dropped Maria onto his lap. "Oof." Mighty's breath was knocked out of him slightly.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine." She sat there holding her head.

"Is it bad if all the blood went to my head?" Mighty pulled her closer to his chest and she leaned against him. She still held her head because it was throbbing. Mighty lightly kissed her forehead. Maria just smiled up at him graciously.

"Oh come on, haven't you two ever heard of PDA rules?" Espio said.

"Uh--"

"Those were only enforced in school, Espio. So what the hell you talkin' about?" Mighty said cutting off Maria's confusion.

"Okay, not good with acronyms, explain?

"Public display of affection rules." Vector said sitting back down where he was previously.

"Oh, I see. So display of affection as in...this?" Maria said looking up at Mighty and wrapping her arms around him. She went close to his lips and started kissing him passionately. Mighty continued by kissing back, moving from her lips to her neck every so often. They went on, ignoring the others.

"Damn guys. Get a room." Vector said rolling his eyes.

"No kidding, you're going to fog up the windows." Espio added smirking. Maria parted from him and tilted her head back to see Vector and Espio.

"I'm sorry, do we make you uncomfortable?" She looked up at Mighty and gave him a short kiss. Then looked over to Espio.

"No, no." He said shaking his head back and forth. Maria got up and walked over to him very slowly.

"Would you like it better, Espio," she paused and sat down next to him, lying across his lap. His eyes widened and he looked over to Mighty, who just smiled and shrugged about it. "If I let you in on the excitement too?" Maria wrapped her arm around Espio's neck as he tried to pull away.

"Mighty, your girl is so messed up." Espio pushed her off the couch and she landed on the floor.

"Man, chill. I was just joking around. No need to get all pushy." Maria sat up and started rubbing her head again. She leaned against the front of the couch and closed her eyes. She tried ignoring the pain but she wasn't very successful.

They all heard a high-pitched voice come from another room after a short moment of silence.

"Hey guys, I'm back." Just then Charmy flew into the room heading towards Maria. He flew over and sat down on her lap.

"Hey there, bud."

"Why are you sitting on the floor, Maria?" He looked up at her and she glared sideways at Espio.

"'Cause some people 'round here have some real nerve." She smiled back down at him and looked up at Mighty who smiled at her.

"Oh, yeah, and you don't fall anywhere into that do you?" Espio said with a smirk at Maria.

"Oi, I'm a girl. I have a birth right to it."

"Oh bullshit!"

"Yeah, that and lame excuses."

She looked at him and leaned her head back on the couch.

"She is the one you're teaching, Espio. That would make most of it your fault." Mighty said pointing into thin air.

"Well, she's the one who's always got a gu--," Vector cut off his sentence when he saw Maria doing a slicing motion with her hand in front of her neck. Signaling him to stop.

"A what?" Charmy asked curious.

"Nothing, never mind. It's not important, Charmy." Maria's soothing voice was heard trying to cover up Vector's stupidity.

"You wouldn't understand." Vector said not meaning any harm but didn't notice that he had either.

"Maybe when you're older." Espio added.

"Oh." Charmy dropped his head and flew up out of Maria's lap. Mighty watched as he flew out of the room and didn't say another word.

Maria looked at Charmy until he was out of sight. She then shot her gaze from Espio to Vector and back again. They just looked back at her.

"Shit you guys," she said standing up and walking after Charmy who had just gone out the front door. She was no later out of sight as well.

"Damnit, Maria." Mighty sat up and walked out of the room following Maria who was obviously troubled over what had happened.

Espio and Vector just sat in silence, not entirely sure as to what they should do.

Mighty walked into the room where Charmy and Maria had gone. Maria was standing in the doorway, leaning on the doorpost looking outside. He walked up to her and saw what she was looking at. It was Charmy.

"He's not too happy is he?" Mighty asked walking up beside Maria also looking out at the little one. He was sitting on a low limb on a nearby tree. They could tell he was crying, at least a little bit.

"They shouldn't have said that to him. They know how he is."

"Yeah well, boys 'ill be boys. It happens"

"Mighty, that's not a reason. Don't try passin' that bullshit by me."

"I'm sorry, you're right. It's just," Mighty stopped, looking at her and waiting for her to look back.

"It's just what?" Maria looked him straight in the eyes; they seemed to melt Mighty right where he was.

"There is no reason for it, you're right. But people don't always use their head, just like some don't use their heart." She looked at him, seeing and feeling the truth and concern in his voice and his gaze. She looked down then back out at the little bee.

"You need to talk to him." He gave her an odd look before she continued. "He knows you, he'll listen to you."

"Maria I really don't think--"

"Who else if you don't? Vector? Espio? Ha, yeah right." She looked at him. "I would, but Mighty, I'm not one to talk to kids."

"What are you talking about, he adores you, Maria."

"I'm the girl Mighty, of course he's going to like me. I'm like the mom he didn't have before." She showed a slight smile that was no later wiped away. "I know because I've been there."

There was another silence as Mighty thought about her stories concerning her family, her friends, and practically her life.

"What am I going to tell him?"

"Easy." She looked up at him once more with serious eyes. "The truth."

Mighty looked at her and sighed rubbing the back of his head. His gaze was drawn to Charmy, still outside on that branch. He looked back at Maria as she started to speak.

"He's only 6 years old Mighty. You guys may forget it, but I don't."

"Maria, I--"

"He's young, but he doesn't deserve to be treated like he doesn't matter. He can't be looked down upon."

Mighty knew what she was talking about: her young sister, Amethyst. The only sister she had, she left, and she'd regretted every second from then on out she wasn't with her. She treated Charmy like a little brother, more so than anyone else. They all knew this, and Charmy couldn't be happier about it. It was just something in Maria that gave a certain glow, one that said, "It'll be all right" to anyone who took the time to see it.

"Alright," Mighty spoke in a soft, quiet voice and Maria looked at him.

"Thank you Mighty." She went to him and gave him a kiss. "Just remember, all you have to be is like brothers." She then walked out of the room. Mighty watched her leave out of the corner of his eye. Mighty took another look at the little boy sitting way out there, before he could approach, and sighed once more.

"Like brothers..." he thought to himself and walked out toward the tree. That's all he had to be, a brother to him. Maria needed him to be there for Charmy. Not to be like her when she left her sister. Things needed to be taken advantage of, before it was too late.

He reached the tree and leaned against it. Without looking up at the troubled bee, he spoke.

"Hey there, kiddo."

THE END-◊

WHOA! CLIFFHANGER! HAHA! SORRY! JUST COULDN'T HELP IT!