But? (Tails x Zooey)

Requested by grimlock1997

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The sound of the crickets, a soft rustle as a slight breeze passed through the trees, fragments of discussions trickling out through open windows. Grey outlines to clouds could barely be seen, the sky black and dark, a sort of mist hanging over it. The sky loomed so close to the ground tonight… like a storm was coming. But it was perhaps sort of cosy in a way…

"…Zooey?"

"…Yes?"

They had been walking. And then they had stopped.

"…Did you hear that?"

Zooey nodded. They both glanced around the quiet alley, almost subconsciously grasping for the other's hand…

-And then there was a manic laugh, and a loud thud accompanied with creaks and flashes of light, the ground shaking as the robot appeared. It came out from behind the corner of a building, and it was almost a relief to see Octopus-bot instead of… dunno, some shady looking gang. Though that didn't mean Tails was glad to see the robot.

"Tails!" Eggman exclaimed. "What an unpleasant surprise!"

"Likewise," Tails muttered. He was just going to walk Zooey home, but of course Eggman ha-

Thud

-"Z-zooey?"

"Oops – did I hit your girlfriend?"

Shut up, Tails wanted to yell, but he ignored the human, instead running up to Zooey, who was just standing up and- and she looked scary. And she was glowering at the robot, adjusting the sports tape on her wrists, and now Eggman fell suspiciously silent as Zooey started to stride towards the robot angrily and – was that a cut on her leg?

Tails felt a spike of worry and anger, but then Octopus-bot attacked and Zooey charged – and Tails had been sparring with her a bit, but-? Though he didn't have time to worry. As if Tails had somehow caused it, the clouds and misty veils then suddenly lifted… just enough for a sliver of moon to show. And then Tails stumbled, had barely time to think, oh no-

-and then his arms stretched, and he could somehow hear his gloves ripping over the deafening sound of his pulse in his ears, and – gahhh- his chest hurt – and now the ground was farther away, because he had gotten taller again, and he had to help Zooey-

He sprung into motion. Quite literally. Long, powerful arms with sharp claws easily drew him to his feet, and then he was running on all fours towards Octopus-bot and Zooey who – who had… trashed one of the tentacles? –also, that cut looked bad. Terrible. Completely horrifying.

Eggman was going to pay for that…

And… the tentacles snapped really easily, when he tugged at them. -And then the robot proceeded to spray ink on him, and Eggman started shouting profanities, and then Zooey started shouting back and… well, the fight didn't take long, but Tails somewhat embarrassingly thought that everyone in the whole village must have heard it by now…

Scraps littering the ground, Zooey panting and pressing a hand to the cut on her leg – bleeding down her leg – while Tails slammed a giant fist into the glass of Octopus-bot's cockpit, was how the fight ended. His chest heaving, every vein in his body cold with anxiety concerning Zooey and with his lips in a sneer aimed towards Eggman, who was fleeing cowardly in his Egg mobile – that was how Tails ended the fight…

And as soon as Eggman retreated, Tails sprinted towards Zooey, almost slipping in the ink and the mess, the full moon casting eerie shadows across the ground as he went. Zooey just gave him a look, and then she winked, but her hand was crimson and her leg – the gash-!

"You're hurt!" He exclaimed, almost shocked at how loud and gruff it came out.

"So I noticed," she said with sarcasm and a, somewhat, reassuring smile.

-And then Tails scooped her up in his arms, and she yelped and tried to get down, but Tails just said, "I have a f-first aid kit in my house – c'mon-"

-and then she pressed a finger to his lips to silence him. "It's not that bad," she said quietly. Her eyes were like lakes, like… like deep springs of water, deep and blue and- his eyes widened as she kissed him. It wasn't like they hadn't done it before, but-

But, but, but?

It was night-time. They had just won a fight. Who cares?

-and no one would have, and if Zooey hadn't been injured then Tails wouldn't have minded kissing her silly. Maybe. But honestly, that cut looked nasty, and they really had all the time in the world for this…

Later.