Tails x Carrotia
Requested by: Missplayer30
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Bearenger was much taller than Tails, but what else is new. Falke Wulf was still incredibly annoying. Carrotia wasn't taller than Tails, which was a small victory. And most shocking of all – the trio managed to act almost completely civil. They carried around some new flashy Extreme gear, Falke had changed his outfit, Carrotia had grown out and dyed her hair… and for so many years Tails had forgot about them and been glad he didn't have to see them. And now they had called him first.
"So how's life treating ya?"
"Good," he states, so simple and abrupt that Falke bursts into laughter. "I have friends." How much should I say? "I build planes, and gadgets, and. Some Extreme gear too."
"Ex Gear?" So now he's interested. "Could ya take a look at mine, something's wrong with it…"
(He fixed it. He didn't really want to, but he fixed it since it was such an easy problem anyway. And Falke grinned in delight, grabbed the board, and took off, stirring up a cloud of dust as he sped away.)
The conversation was trickling slower... "So," Tails tries. "What do you three do nowadays?"
"Odd jobs," says Bearenger. Carrotia swats at his arm.
"Nah. We do… treasure-hunting?" she frowns. "But mostly we compete in Ex Gear tournaments."
Tails nods. "I tried competing in some tournaments too, but…"
"I saw you in the news!" Carrotia exclaims, suddenly. "You were wanted like… twice? Naughtier than us, haha. But then you saved Station Square? And something else, I think?"
"Yeah." More awkward nodding. 'Something else', yeah, sure. "Though my brother did most of the work-"
"You have a brother?!"
"Kinda, he adopted me. Sort of. Well," Tails clears his throat. "Was there… Did you have anything special to discuss…?" Or is this just a reunion? Class-reunion for the not-classmates who hated each other as kids?
Carrotia and Bearenger looks at each other, and then the bear glances off at where Falke is still fooling around, flying circles around palm trees. Carrotia runs a hand through her bangs – she still has that bright ribbon – and says at last, "We're correcting our past mistakes. I… wanted to see you, and…"
"We're sorry we did what we did?" Bearenger fills in, voice rumbling and strange around the apology.
Tails just stares, for a few seconds. For more than a few seconds, processing. And then he smiles, feeling something close to hope, and says, "Wow. You really have matured."
"And so have you," Carrotia retaliates. "You're tall! And… there's something else." She tilts her head, narrows her eyes. "…Have your eyes changed colour?"
…How did she notice? "Yes, actually…" He trails off. "But you. You three have really changed."
Bearenger looks pleased. Carrotia just pauses—and then she hugs Tails, so suddenly that he's freezing up with battle-reflexes- "Thank you! Thank you," and she's just hugging him, so he hugs back, and she's smiling…? "Thank you Tails. And – you're cute. You've matured into a young, handsome fox-"
"T-thanks?" Tails pats her back, flushing. At least Carrotia is flushing too- and then she has to kiss his cheeks, of course, so that his whole face blushes bright red.
"Thank you," she breathes at last, and lets go, stumbling a step backwards. She blushes, Tails blushes, trying to form a sentence beginning with anything else than what, and Bearenger tries not to smirk. "So, I'll see you around…? Maybe?"
"Yeah, yes…? Yes?"
Tails swallows. And smiles, a little.
A/N: Confession: I've never played Tails' skypatrol.
