(AN: Ah hah hah... forgive me. I should have posted this earlier today since this was done, but ever since Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been consuming my life since last night, I COMPLETELY forgot to upload today's chapter! Oops! Well, as I return to my game, a new month arrives. So enjoy some Espio celebrating his birthday, some Espio angst, and most importantly, sex!)
WARNING: Chapter contains mature sexual content, please read with your phone close to you so no one can see what's on your screen.
Espio rolled over in bed, eyes opening when he didn't feel Vector's large body stop him mid-roll.
"Ve-vector? Are you there?"
Just then, a party whistle was in front of his face, noise deafeningly loud as the chameleon could hear the crocodile say, 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ESPIO!"
Espio shook his head and looked at the two in front of him, smiling. He could see that Vector held a tray with various breakfast items on it.
"You guys… this… you didn't have to do this." Espio said.
"I know money's gettin' tight 'round here, but we didn't wantcha to go a birthday without havin' SOME kinda celebration. So, eat up. It ain't much cause of our grocery shortage, but hey, it's somethin'," Vector replied. "Try to make it quick though, ya gotta go to work, dontcha?"
Espio smiled, cutting into his eggs. "Thank you though, Vector. It means a lot."
"Hey, I helped too!" Charmy said.
"Yeah, servin' a drink…" Vector muttered.
"Well, I'm glad you helped too, Charmy," Espio replied. "Vector needs all the help he needs."
"Yeah, we-…wait, what does THAT mean?!"
"Oh nothing… I better continue eating…"
As Espio spread jam on the only slice of toast on his plate, he looked at his boyfriend. He could tell there was a hint of stress to the crocodile, and it was becoming easier and easier to notice. It was understandable, Vector had still been trying to get a job, even after all the job applications he got, no one called back. It only infuriated him more. It even got to a point where he sold some of his DJ equipment. Even then, almost all the money he had gotten went towards bills.
On the other hand, the fuchsia reptile himself had now been working two jobs. His other job was at a grocery store on the weekends, where he would continue to stay there until Vector found a new job.
After finishing his breakfast, he quickly got out of bed and into the shower. Vector got out Espio's uniform and made his bed, showing what he had done when the chameleon entered inside the room.
"Ta-daaa!" Vector said.
"Oh thanks, hun," Espio said, quickly getting on his uniform. "You're a lifesaver."
"No prob. As I said, want yeh to have a good birthday. Shame ya ain't able to stick 'round a bit to open presents."
"Trust me, Vector, if I wasn't almost running late, I would open presents in a HEART BEAT. I know you and Charmy got me caring gifts."
"It's nowhere near like whatcha got me fer mah birthday…" Vector thought to himself, wanting to not look at his boyfriend. He knew he would be disappointed if he saw what his gift was.
He shook his head. "Why am I bein' negative? I promised mahself when I woke up that we would make this Espio's day."
"Alright Vector, I'm heading off now," He kissed his crocodilian boyfriend. "We'll celebrate after I get off of work, okay?"
"Alright, have a good day!"
Espio only seemed to have a slight nod as he yelled, "SEE YOU LATER, CHARMY!"
"BYE ESPIO!" Charmy yelled back as the chameleon quickly left the apartment. As Vector stood in Espio's room, he headed towards the bee's room.
"Hey, Charmy, I know yer a kid and it's the weekend, and yeh'd rather be playin' video games or watchin' cartoons instead of havin' face to face contact with yer "parents", but…"
"But?..." asked Charmy, reading one of his old comics.
"…ya wanna help me again cook?"
"Hmm… what are we making?"
"Espio's birthday cake."
"Birthday cake? Oh, you know I'm in!"
"Alright! I think I have some money left over, let's head down to the store and see what we can get."
Espio finally saw the grocery store, riding his bike into the employee's parking area and locking his bike into a pole. He ran to the back entrance where he clocked in. Just then, his boss, Charlie, stood in front of him.
"Late by one minute, Espio. This won't reflect well on your paycheck…"
"I…" Espio sighed. "Yes sir… I understand."
"Good. Don't make that mistake again; otherwise it'll be a rain of demerits for you. Now, I need you to stock up the chips. We've been getting complaints that we don't have enough of the hot wings flavor."
The chameleon frowned. "Yes sir…"
Meanwhile, Vector and Charmy entered the closest market by the apartment, wondering what type of cake to make.
"Does Espio like chocolate?" The crocodile asked. "Chocolate is always a guaranteed safe zone."
"Not in huge amounts!" The bee replied.
"Really?"
"Yeah, really! He says it gets too sweet for him. How about we get him something different?"
"But I dunno how to make a cake!"
"We could always buy one at the bakery here."
"Charmy, the cakes there are expensive. I dunno if I even have the money for it…"
"We should still look!"
Vector shrugged. "Yeah, might as well take yer word fer it."
Espio placed cardboard boxes full of chip bags on the shelves as a customer came up to him.
"Excuse me sir, do you happen to sell hot doughnuts here?" He asked.
"Erm… what?"
"Hot doughnuts, fresh made doughnuts! Do you sell them or not? I tried asking the bakers, but they wouldn't answer my questions! Such rude, unreliable people."
"Sir, I couldn't tell you. I don't work at the bakery department."
"But you work here! You should know!"
"I don't… because that's not my department…"
"You have no reason to give me that tone! Your supermarket is so unreliable, rude people working, not serving what I ask for; let me speak to your manager!"
Espio simply sighed. Already he was done with today.
"Excuse me, ma'am. I have a question," Vector asked the dragon baker behind the counter.
"Hm? Oh, what can I help you with, sir?" She asked.
"Yeh see, mah boyfriend's birthday is today. And I wanna give him somethin' good fer a cake. The problem is, we're running low on money, and I dunno if I should make him a cake or buy him one."
"Ah… I see your predicament. Well, I'll see what I can do. We do have cheap cakes for sale. How many are in your household?"
"Countin' this lil' guy, three."
"Three people? Okay, I think I got it. We could probably make him a small cake. It shouldn't take me too long to prepare, give it… half an hour?"
"Will it be expensive?"
"Compared to our normal sized cakes, it should be enough for even your budget."
"Oh, thank ya lady. Yer a real big help."
"You're welcome, sir. Now, what flavor would you like the cake to be?"
"Hmm… Charmy, yeh said Espio isn't the biggest fan of chocolate…"
"Ooh, maybe we could do vanilla!" The bee said.
"What he said."
"Plain vanilla…" The dragon wrote it down. "Anything that should be said on it?"
"Happy birthday, Espio."
"Eh-espio?"
"E-S-P-I-O."
"Ohh, okay… and color of the fondant?"
"Hmm… purple!"
"Small purple fondant coated vanilla cake, with the words 'Happy birthday, Espio' on it… okay, I'll get started right away!"
Charlie went up to Espio, who finished stocking all the chips.
"There you are, Espio. There's an empty check out aisle, and I need you to fill in. Make it snappy!"
The chameleon, who's back hurt from all the stocking he had been doing, simply nodded before quickly running to aisle 6, where the light was turned on. He sat in the chair behind the counter as a few customers came by to pay.
Espio put on a fake smile, and said, "Hello, how are you today?"
"Yeah yeah, can I swipe now?" The female customer said, her children running around and screaming like banshees. "You little brats better stop!-"
Espio simply kept to himself as he swiped all the groceries the woman had on the conveyer belt, bagging them along with it. The children kept pushing and pulling the car back and forth, continuing to scream.
"Keep it together, Espio…" He told himself.
Meanwhile, the woman was having a conversation on her cell phone.
"…yeah, so the family's coming over and with my kids, I just don't even know how they'll take to my brother's kids and…"
"Okay… 109.82 is your total…"
"Oh, hold on a minute, Salma, I'm at the store,"
The woman swiped her card, only for Espio to see the dreaded words on the computer monitor.
"CARD DENIED".
"Eh heh heh…" Espio tried to pull off an innocent face. "Ma'am, I do believe your card has been declined."
The woman sucked her teeth. "Hasn't your grocery store replaced these inconvenient machines?! This exact same thing happened last week, and I'm getting tired of having to use another card in order to…"
The chameleon stayed silent, the woman swiping her card again.
"…unbelievable no grateful…" She continued to mutter under her breath. Meanwhile, her kids had spent the time running up and down the aisles, screaming.
When her card was finally accepted, Espio quickly handed her receipt and wished her a good day. The woman simply walked off, giving her kids some sort of snack to calm them down. The reptile sighed.
"And I thought Charmy could get hyper…"
The next few customers were many of the same customers the cashiers at lunch would tell stories about.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY COUPON'S EXPIRED?!" An old turtle complained about. "I'VE BEEN A LOYAL CUSTOMER FOR 30 YEARS, AND THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT YOU KNOW!"
Espio simply wanted nothing more than death at that moment.
"Well, it just so happens my wife happened to throw a shoe at my head, and I ended up having to go the hospital! Ended up divorcing her on the grounds of domestic violence, that sure tells you somethin' 'bout them crazy girls, eh?" Another man, for some reason telling Espio his life story, said.
"Sir can you just… please go now? I couldn't care LESS about your life experiences," The fuchsia reptile thought.
"And… it's done sir!"
"Looks delicious! And well made!"
"Thank you, sir! Okay, your total will be 12.99."
"13 bucks? Hmm… lemme see… uhh yeah! I can afford it, speak of the devil."
"Oh, isn't that splendid! Cash or card?"
"Cash."
"Alright, I need thirteen."
Vector handed the dragon the money as she counted correct.
"Yup! You have the correct amount, let me get you your receipt and the cake is all yours!"
The receipt was printed out as she handed it to the crocodile.
"Enjoy! I hope your boyfriend has an amazing birthday!"
"Thanks! Alright, Charmy, let's head back home."
"Alright! I can't wait until we eat cake!" The bee exclaimed. "Espio is gonna love it too!"
Thirty minutes had passed.
Espio slowly started becoming less and less attached to life in that half hour, so many annoying, and persistent customers. The rush of people didn't stop. It almost seemed like the horrible people were sent here by the other cashiers so they didn't have to deal with them.
"I want to make a complaint!" Someone who didn't even have a shopping cart with them said. "I asked if you had any more of the chocolate brownie snack cakes, and someone told me you didn't! Can't you check in the back?!"
Espio simply looked at the woman. "Ma'am… I'm a cashier."
"Besides, there's nothing IN the back..." He thought as well.
"But you work here! I'm going to heed this to your manager! No one is reliable at this store enough to help me get what I want!"
"Is this lane open?" Another woman asked.
"Yes… ma'am. The sign is lit up to signify that it is."
Silence between the two persisted until she said.
"Can you show me where there's an open lane?"
"Can you hurry up?!" Another man complained. "I only have half an hour for lunch!"
"Well it's not MY fault you picked to get a premade sandwich from a fucking grocery store for lunch," Espio thought to himself.
"Honestly, don't they train you workers to work faster?"
All the stress culminating from the day, attacks, cursing, everything but the kitchen sink, was starting to hurt Espio BAD. He almost felt like breaking down, and he considered himself a man who tried not to break down often.
When the man paid, he opened the sandwich right in front of him and still had on his angry look.
"Hey, this sandwich isn't warm!"
Espio at that point, wanted to slam his head onto the counter; making sure his horn cracked in half.
"Sir… of course it's not warm. You got it from the cold foods section."
"Can you not be so considerate as to warm up my food?! Now I have to eat this cold! In fact, no! I want my money back!"
"Sir, you can't return food items. It's store policy."
"Like hell I can't! Call your manager, I want to speak to him! I will get my money back, and I WILL get my warm sandwich!"
Ultimately, the chameleon HAD to call Charlie to assist. When the desert rat arrived, Espio had to give back the money, and he had to warm up the sandwich in the break room. When the man left, he shot the reptile a dirty look as Charlie loomed over Espio.
"Another three demerits, Espio. You know the rules. The customer is ALWAYS right."
When Charlie left, Espio simply felt numb. He wanted to cry at his counter, but couldn't, as the lady behind the working man was the next customer. It seemed like she heard the whole thing, as she was telling her kids, "Now kids, this is why I want you to go to school and become successful at life, otherwise you'll end up like this man."
That was the breaking point.
When the transaction was finalized, Espio seeing that there were no more customers in his aisle, he turned off the light and quickly ran to the bathroom. He got into one of the stalls and locked the door behind him. He sat on the toilet seat as his hands shook, the voices of Charlie, and all the customers ringing through his head.
Espio began to sob, covering his face. His back was aching, but he didn't care. He just wanted today to be over.
He just wanted Vector and Charmy to be with him right now.
LATER THAT AFTERNOON
"Alright, the cake's ready, and so are the presents, I bet Espio's gonna get a huge surprise when he sees this!" Vector exclaimed. He couldn't wait to see how his boyfriend was going to react.
"Espio's a big guy now, right?" Charmy asked.
"Ripe ol' age of 21! He ain't gonna get smaller, ya know!"
"What are you going to make him for dinner? I don't think we have money to go out to eat."
"We don't! But hey, remember all that stuff we got at the deli grocery?"
"Ohh, that!"
"Yeah… don't worry though, that won't be until later tonight."
"Do you think Espio will like what we did? I mean, compared to MY birthday party and what we did for yours…"
"I know yer worried, but Espio will love it no matter what."
Meanwhile, Espio was biking down the street back to Avalon Avenue. He was mentally and physically exhausted from the day, wanting nothing more than to take a nap when he got home. Perhaps they could celebrate his birthday later that night…
Regardless, the chameleon knew that until Vector got a new job, he had to do this to continue getting a living.
As Espio chained up his bike in the apartment's parking lot, he entered inside the complex and got on the elevator to the third floor. Making his way to the apartment, he got out his keys and opened the door.
Just then, he saw a smiling Vector and Charmy, holding a cake and saying, "Surprise!"
Espio dropped his keys, a smile forming on his face as he felt himself get emotional once again.
"Yo-you guys… you didn't have to…"
"But we did, Espio! And we're here to wish you the happiest of birthdays!" Charmy said.
"So come on and take a load off, I'm sure today was tirin' enough dealin' with the world's dumbest people."
Espio simply nodded. "Yeah… they were dumb…" He then walked over to the two and hugged his 'family', the stress of today leaving him. Embracing Vector and Charmy reminded him how happy he was to have them around.
After sitting Espio down to sing him Happy Birthday (waiting for after dinner to have the cake), Vector and Charmy decided to give the chameleon his gifts.
"It ain't much," The large green reptile said, the dinky pile of gifts in front of the chameleon. "But it's the thought that counts."
"Oh, be quiet, hun, you know I'm not the world's most materialistic person," Espio said, opening the first gift. It was a meditation fountain from Vector.
"How pretty… and this would fit perfect on the living room table… I've been wanting one of these and they're quite expensive- ohh Vector, you didn't need to spend THAT much money!" Espio said.
"Ha ha, I didn't! I know mah ways!" Vector laughed. He then thought to himself, "If by ways, I mean findin' it at the pharmacy fer five bucks…"
"Still… this looks so pretty. I think I know the best place to put it on the table," Espio set down his gift. "Vector, come here!"
Espio jumped towards Vector as he grabbed the smaller reptile, lifting him up and kissing his as the crocodile set the chameleon down.
"Charmy, did you get me something?" Espio asked. Charmy had an envelope in his hands.
"I… did! It's worse than Vector's gift though…" The bee seemed ashamed.
"Oh, don't be sad, Charmy. I'm sure your gift is fantastic…"
Espio opened the envelope and found a homemade card. A poorly drawn Charmy and Espio were on the cover, the words 'TO THE BEST NOT DAD EVER ALONG WITH VECTOR' were written across the top. Upon opening it, the fuchsia reptile found two bills from the bee's allowance.
"Oh, how thoughtful of you, Charmy! You didn't have to do this…"
"But I wanted to help you out with money! I said I'd do it, so I did it!"
"D'aww, come here and give me a hug."
Charmy buzzed over and hugged the chameleon, Espio returning it as Vector came in to hug as well.
After a dinner of beef stew, and birthday cake for dessert, it was soon time for Charmy to head to bed. He yawned, rubbing his eyes after he had gotten done brushing his teeth.
"Want me to tuck yeh into bed, Charmy?" Vector asked, cleaning up the table as Espio set up his new fountain in the living room.
"Okay…"
Vector picked up Charmy and carried him to bed, pulling off his covers and placing the bee into bed. As the crocodile tucked him into bed, the insect kissed Vector's cheek. He felt touched by it, and smiled. Vector got up, and looked behind him.
"Night, Charmy. Love yeh,"
"I love you too, Vector…"
Vector turned off the lights and shut the door behind him. Finally, Espio had gotten done setting up his fountain, and stared at it as the water made its noise.
"It's so calming… reminds me of… home…" Espio said.
"Guess mah gift was a good one, eh?" Vector replied.
"Certainly."
"Yeh know… Charmy's asleep now. Ya wanna bust out the drinks and have ourselves some adult time?"
"As much as I'd like to, I'll have to pass, I have work tomorrow. You know that, Vector."
"Well, maybe we DUN have to get drunk. Ya know what we could always do?"
And just then, Vector reached closer, and rubbed Espio's back.
"Oo-hhhhoho… I see what you mean… but Charmy's asleep," The chameleon replied.
"As long as ya don't moan like they do in porn, then he won't hear anything. Besides, how do ya think parents have another kid? Have sex while their other kid is asleep."
This only excited Espio more, and just before any more words could be exchanged, the two ran to their bedroom, shutting and locking the door. Clothes were ripped off of each other faster than ever, and the two collapsed onto the bed, nude.
Somehow, despite the fact that minutes later, Espio was hanging onto the bedsheets, feeling Vector's underside slap back and forth, not enough noise was made to wake up Charmy.
"Ah, oh- Vector!" Espio moaned, gripping harder to the sheets.
"R-Right there, babe?"
"Yeah… C-Could you cum a little faster? My foot's asleep."
"Wanna… unf… change positions?"
"P-Please…"
Vector pulled out as Espio rolled over to the side, sighing in relief as he felt the blood flow in his legs again.
"Oh, that feels so good…"
Vector lay across the bed as Espio got on top of him, positioning his cock right above his tailhole and sliding in easy thanks to all the lube. The crocodile let his tongue out as the chameleon bounced up and down, jerking himself off. The sounds of the room were nothing more than slaps.
The two reptiles kissed, bringing their arms up to each other as Espio took a finger and began to tease Vector's tailhole. The crocodile visibly shook, biting his lip as the chameleon simply pushed a finger in. This garnered a response from Vector, which was to take Espio's body and have him go deeper and harder. It was getting harder for Espio to keep in his noises.
After more time passed, the crocodile came into the condom, some of the cum oozing out of it too. Espio got off of Vector's dick as the large green reptile took his boyfriend's own dick into his hand, and jerked him off until he came, allowing it to splash over his body. By the end, the two were sweating hard, mainly not helped by the fact only the fan on the nightstand was on.
"Did you set the… *huff huff* alarm?" asked Espio.
"Taken…" Vector took a breather. "-care of…"
Espio exhaled loudly, falling asleep quickly as Vector held onto his boyfriend.
"Happy birthday, Espio…" He whispered, kissing his forehead.
Just before he fell asleep himself, the crocodile felt Espio put his arm around his stomach, clearly hearing what he had said.
END OF CHAPTER 21
Next time, on Rooming In…
Vector… finally finds a job?!
And in other side plots, Charmy finishes the first grade and… Barby's ready to give birth?
Finally, when things get happier, bad thoughts return back to Vector…