Star-crossed Lovers

Chapter 2 – Chaotic Deja Vu

For the remainder of the day, Vector was pampering Espio, treating him like a king. Espio didn't know how to take all of Vector's very generous offers, because he wasn't used to being treated so nicely. Vector did all of the cooking and the cleaning for the remainder, and he even played with Espio and Charmy at the park, which is something he never did before.

Later that night, Espio went into Vector's room and saw how tired he was. Vector yawned and Espio chuckled to himself. "I guess you deserve to be tired, Vector. You have worked so hard today to impress me, and you have done such a good job."

"Really," Vector asked.

Espio sat down next to Vector on the bed. "Yeah, but I think you could've toned it down a little. You really didn't have to act as a footrest so that I would be comfortable on the couch."

Vector blushed a little bit. "I guess I wanted to do it for you, Espio. I didn't want you leaving on me, like I said before."

Espio smiled, something that he wasn't particularly known for. "Well, you've definitely earned my stay." To show his appreciation, Espio decided to give Vector a little hug, which was a little unusual. Vector didn't know that Espio could be so affectionate in that sense.

The two of them separated and Espio stood up from the bed. "I think we both should get some shut-eye. We've had a long day." Vector nodded and Espio exited the room.

Vector smiled and blushed a bright pink again. He didn't know that he would be capable of bringing himself together in one day for Espio to stay. Vector lied down in his bed and turned off the nearby lamp, making the room completely dark other than the moonlight shining through the window.

The next morning, Espio woke up early as he normally does and began meditating in his own room. This was his way of starting his day properly since he wasn't the biggest morning person.

After some meditative relaxation, Espio got up from his bed and exited his room, curious as to what the new day will bring to him. When he did, though, there was silence.

No, there wasn't silence. Espio could faintly hear noises coming from both Charmy's room and the den. He kind of figured that Vector was watching TV and Charmy was playing video games in his room.

Espio smiled and thought that he would be nice for Vector this time and make him breakfast. Espio grabbed all of the ingredients that Vector had used the day before, and cooked up a very similar batch of pancakes. Unlike Vector, Espio did not learn his cooking from his mother. Espio learned his cooking, because it was a requirement for the shinobi ninjas to 'be able to feed themselves'.

While he cooked the pancakes, he thought back to when some of his friends a few years ago taught him to cook this delectable breakfast pastry. They had taught him really quickly the first time, and despite Espio's quick reflexes, he had managed to make a really poor batch of pancakes. He remembered how much people he made sick and how much he laughed that night.

He finished the pancakes and called out to Vector and Charmy, "Hey, breakfast is ready! Come and get it while it's still hot."

There was no response. "Vector, Charmy! Your pancakes are going to get cold if you leave them here.

Again, there was no response. Espio didn't know what was going on, because he could distinctly hear that there was noise coming from the den and Charmy's room. He went away from the kitchen and entered the den to find that Vector was indeed sitting there, watching the Mobian sports channel.

"Didn't you hear me, Vector? I've been trying to tell you that breakfast is ready."

Vector didn't ever avert his gaze from the TV when he said, "Yeah, that's nice, Espio. Why don't you bring me a plate so that I could eat in here."

Espio's confidence lowered significantly. "We probably should all eat in the kitchen at the table. You know… as a team!"

"Espio, as you can see, I am very busy at the moment. We'll eat at the table together at dinner or something. Oh wait, scratch that, there is a race between Team Babylon and Team Argus around that time, and I can't miss that."

Espio sighed to himself and couldn't believe how ignorant Vector could possibly be, despite his behavior from the day before. As he exited the den, he couldn't help but think that there was a sense of Déjà vu. Vector was back to his old, "I don't want to do anything" self again, and Espio didn't like it at all.

Espio went back into the kitchen and grabbed two of the plated with pancakes on them. He then went back into den, refusing to give Vector a good look in the eye, and just put his plate of pancakes on the table next to him.

Vector turned his head again, "Pancakes again? I just cooked that for you guys yesterday."

Espio got infuriated and was now prepared to lose his cool. "Yes, well, maybe the Vector that cooked us those pancakes yesterday can come back to us now, because right now he is being lazy and inconsiderate like he always has been!" This made Vector feel briefly guilty. "I thought you had changed yesterday when you did all of those nice things, but I guess now that you've got me to stay, that you don't have to do anything for me anymore."

Vector almost felt like a tear was going to form in his eye. "Well, I guess I'm staying, but ol' inconsiderate Vector seems to be staying too." Espio then stormed out, leaving Vector in complete shock. He has never been legitimately yelled at by Espio, no one really has.

That's when the feelings that he felt for Espio came rushing back. He had completely forgotten just from one night's rest that he appreciated Espio for everything that he did. He felt really guilty that he couldn't be there for him.

He then tilted his head up, watching as Espio walked by the den after he delivered Charmy's plate to his room. Espio then went back to the table, eating his own cold pancakes, something he didn't really like.

As Espio began eating his pancakes, Vector turned off the TV and went out of the den with a frown on his face. He went over to the kitchen and grabbed a glass from one of the cabinets and filled it up to the brim with water. After the faucet shut off, Espio said, "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. It's not proper of me to do so."

"You made it sound like I didn't deserve to get yelled at."

"You DID deserve to get yelled at, and much more if you ask me. However, that does not change the fact that it is not proper to yell at a friend."

"You still think I'm your friend. I thought you would be mad at me for a really long time." Vector sat down at the table next to Espio.

"Considering your attitude from yesterday, I know that you are capable of changing for the better. Also, looking at the way you walked here and the way you are talking to me right now, it looks like you're going to do something to make it up to me."

Vector looked at him blank-faced, completely dumb-founded at how easily his emotions and intentions can be read by Espio. Vector then pulled himself together and said, "I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," Espio said, as he went back to eating his pancakes.

Vector then continued sitting there with Espio in the awkward, watching him as he ate his pancakes. 'Even the way he eats is smooth and gentle,' Vector thought. 'He's so unbelievable.'

Espio then moved his head up from eating and saw that Vector was still sitting at the table, staring at him. Feeling awkward, Espio said, "Vector, is there something else you wanted to talk to me about?"

When Espio spoke to him, all thoughts of reality rushed back to Vector and he said, "Oh, yeah. Sorry." Vector lightly chuckled to himself as his snout turned a very light pink. "I got a call very early this morning about somebody who is in need of our detective services."

"Really, but why would anybody call us at this time? Hardly no one knows who we are since we haven't been advertising ourselves for quite a while."

"Well, I used my computer to send advertisements all across the internet yesterday. I kind of hoped that somebody would be hooked in, and now somebody is!"

"Great, when do we start," Espio asked eagerly.

"The guy asked us to be at his home by sunrise tomorrow. He didn't give a lot of details about what we're going to be looking for tomorrow. All he told me was his address and that his name was Bernard."

"This seems pretty exciting, Vector. We haven't done any detective work in a long time, and I am eager to try out some of my new moves."

Espio then tried to show off by doing a collection of swift flips, which was making Vector so much more. He liked it when Espio shows off.

"Yeah, I can show off my new moves, too." Vector then pulled off some mediocre, robotic punches and did a poor kick into the air.

Espio chuckled to himself. "Looks like you'll need a bit of training before heading back to work, Detective. You've been sitting in that den of yours; you seem to have lost all of your strength."

Vector blushed in embarrassment. "Well, what did you have in mind, Master Espio?" Vector then bowed.

Espio chuckled to himself. "Why don't we go for a little run to make sure that we can still get our limbs moving? Besides, I think you're going to need a bit of a warm-up before you go through Master Espio's training program." Espio smiled to himself.

Vector looked at him somewhat blankly. "Espio, you're crazy."

"Yes, well, maybe you'll think twice before making fun of my pancakes. I think that just earned you twenty push-ups, Detective. Go!"

Vector laughed briefly to himself again and dropped down to give Espio his twenty push-ups, which he had a lot of trouble doing. He barely got to ten when his arms began to struggle under Vector's great weight. After the twenty, his arms gave in and he fell to the floor.

While on the floor, Vector said, "Maybe I'm not in good shape."

Espio shook his head. "Not even a little. You shouldn't have shown off those new moves of yours, Detective."

Vector got up from the floor and smiled over to Espio. "Let's just get running."

Espio nodded and let Charmy know that they were leaving. Charmy faintly said good-bye in the midst of his video game, and the two of them left the house.