Division 4

"Ahh, this is going to taste so good, I can tell." Sonic removed himself from the meaningless game he and Cream had been playing, pressing himself against the wall and closing his eyes with a groan. "I'm sooo, uh…" he paused. It was rare he ever used the word 'starving' in front of his rabbit friends, and he was afraid Cream would run from him again. All he needed was another month or so of this sickening weakness.

"…starving?" Cream giggled, poking a finger at his stomach as it growled.

The hedgehog chuckled, wrestling Cream into his lap with angelic ease and care, his grasp soft as a cloud but firm and commanding as a cat's hold on a toy. "Mmmhmm! Something you were afraid of for a looooonggg time!" Cream flushed with embarrassment and swatted at him, he moving away from her ladylike slap. Hey, he would take a hand over a hammer any day! "Hey, it's cool. I forgive you!" He laughed as she tackled him to the floor.

"You shouldn't forgive her so easily, you know." Vanilla's muted laughter filled the kitchen as she watched the two laughing and tumbling in her peripheral vision. "Cream, go easy on him, dear! He bruises a lot easier now!"

"Aww, let her play!" Sonic dismissed, submissive as she sat on him, he belly-down. "Besides, I'll heal as soon as I have a proper meal…ow! Easy on my kidneys there, little one! Where did to learn to cook—ow—like that, Vanilla?" He wriggled his way out from underneath the child rabbit and righted himself. But he barely had time to take a breath before Cream had glomped him, pinning him to the floor again, her giggles much more audible than before.

"It comes with time and experience." Vanilla explained. "Who do you think taught Amy?"

"I did." Sonic bragged, squealing as Cream rolled him over onto his back. "I missed you too, but you don't need to torture me!" (This being directed at Cream).

The older rabbit sighed. "I'm just glad you won't have to take any more pills. It makes me nervous having your medicine in the house."

"Yeah, I'm not usually taking medicine of any kind, huh?" Sonic had managed to hold Cream's onslaught off with his hands and he became mournful as he thought on this.

"Well," Vanilla interjected, "with any luck, you'll never have to do this again."

"He won't. Not ever." Cream promised, giving a short nod of conviction. Sonic lifted her up into his arms and walked her to the kitchen.

"You know, you've gained weight, Cream." Sonic teased. "I can barely hold you."

Cream lay against his shoulder, and if one had not known she'd been afraid of him before, you would think they were the best of friends. And they were, in some aspects. "Aww, that's cause you're all weak and mushy, Sonic."

"Mushy?" Sonic laughed at her description. "Like an old pear?" He looked lovingly down at her, instincts completely dead.

"Nah, more like ice cream, cause you're still sweet." Cream affirmed, meeting his gaze.

Sonic smiled sentimentally and hugged her close. "I really missed ya, Cream."

The rabbit's skinny arms wrapped around his neck as she hugged him back. "I missed you, too, Sonic. A whole lot." Then, he pulled away and sat up in his arms. "Mother? Can Sonic stay the night? Please?" She begged.

Vanilla glanced at Sonic, reading his reaction. Sonic didn't seem to mind, but he looked so weak and tired…the worst thing you could do to Sonic was tie him down. "That's completely up to him. I don't mind if he--" but Cream interrupted her.

"Yay!" She bounced in his arms. "Yayayay! Sonic can stay! Sonic can stay!"

Sonic rolled his eyes. "Your mother said it was up to me." He reminded sternly. But Cream's responding pout appeared too much for him, and he huffed before speaking again. "Okay, okay, I'll stay! It's not like I have to—oof!" He gagged as Cream strangled him. "To stay the night, I need to survive, here."

Cream nuzzled her white cheek against his face, relaxing her grip a little. The spot where she nuzzled was quickly becoming warm, not just from friction but from love. Sonic nuzzled her back, his body so warm that it made his muscles tremble. "Thank you." Cream whispered. Then, she pulled back. "Ew!" She scrunched up her face in disgust.

"What?" Sonic asked in alarm, being woken up by her reaction.

"You smell funny!" Cream declared, to which Vanilla's eyes widened and Sonic guffawed.

"Cream! How rude!" Vanilla scolded in a stern tone. "Apologize to him right—Sonic?" She observed the hedgehog as he leaned into the counter to keep himself upright as he laughed.

"AHHAHAHAHA, I, oh!" Sonic gasped, trying to catch his breath, giggles still lingering in his throat. "It's okay, Vanilla," He sighed, finally getting his fit of giggles under control. "I know I smell funny. Hopefully, that will be remedied once I eat meat again."

"Yeah! Yeah!" Cream chimed in, still comfortable in his warm arms. "And your fur will be a pretty blue again!"

Sonic laughed, but the reminder his fur was not blue made him sorrowful a moment. He kissed the tip of Cream's black nose and held her close, his chin on her shoulder so that she would not see him crying. But Vanilla saw it all too clearly.

The older rabbit crossed the room and placed a hand on his shoulder. "There, there, dear." She whispered. "It'll all work out. Patience."

Sonic picked up his head from Cream's shoulder. However, Cream had gone to sleep. The hedgehog kissed the top of Cream's head and held her warmth close against his body, watching the hot dogs Vanilla was making jump as they boiled on the stove.