Chapter 6: The Date

"Thanks for inviting us out to eat you guys!" Frostfire said to the two hedgehogs who were pigging out on food by the stand at the beach. Sonic had ordered tons of chilidogs, Manic ordered only a drink, and Frostfire and Shot had ordered nothing yet. Sonia was laying on a towel on the beach tanning. "It's always a treat to get out every once in a while!" A couple days had past and the entire group had gotten to know each other more. While Frostfire and Shot surely would learn more about their hosts, the five of them had become close in the short number of days that carried on.

"Hey, no prob! Always a pleasure to have you two with us!" Sonic replied with a smile. "Right bro?"

"Yeah, as long as I'm paying, right Sonic?" Manic said with an almost unamused tone.

"Yep!" Sonic responded in a lively tone, ignoring the tone of his brother's remark. Wolfing down his fifteenth chilidog, he added with a laugh, "Totally!"

While Frostfire may not have had feelings for Sonic, she couldn't help but giggle at him for being a dork. Shot blushed, convinced he was cute when he eats. Manic sighed at his brother, leaning back irresponsibly in his chair.

Frostfire glanced at Manic the moment his eyes were directed toward the ocean. She marveled at how the fresh salty air blowing against his face, deforming his hair into a different look, only increasing his overall handsomeness. But what she truly had planted her eyes on was his eyes. She completely got lost in his deep brown hue. She could almost hear him breathe in and out it got so quiet. Looking at him as intimately as she was almost begot such a ridiculous face to wear. While she knew it was impolite to stare, she couldn't help but worsen the matter by sighing rather loudly.

"Yo, Frost, what gives? You're all spacey…" Sonic inquiringly asked Frostfire. He had noticed her ogling for about a few seconds.

Frostfire's face had adorned a new shade of red almost unheard of. "I, uh…" She regretfully looked away from the green hedgehog who has heard his brother and looked to the Snow Leopard.

"What's up?" The thief also queried her.

"N-nothing…" Frostfire gulped with an awkward smile. Sweat rolled down her face not from the heat but from embarrassment. "I s-stare a-a lot…" Frostfire cursed within herself at how easy and obvious she was making herself look.

"Only at the hottest hedgehog here though, huh?" Manic winked at Frostfire and snuck a smug look to his brother.

Sort of looking away again, Frostfire replied, trying not to sound too conspicuous, "Heh, y-y… Yeah. Definitely…"

"Uh, excuse me?" Sonic's pride had been hurt. "We all know that title belongs to me. I am the hedgehog hunk after all…" Sonic's fulsome grin cultivated on his face.

"H-He's got a point..." Shot admittedly added, also looking away from her crush.

"See?" Sonic hollered. "Even SHE agrees with me!" The Hedgehog had totally glossed over the Squid's actual meaning in her statement. He put his arm around Shot, feeling very sure of himself.

Shot tensed up and scooted away slightly. "Of course I'm right…" She stated and blushed worse. Sweat also rolled down her face.

"If you're a hunk, Sonic, and if your sister is beautiful, surely Manic has got some looks on him too… it's only logical." Frostfire continued to try to now show her true feelings.

"Sure Sonic's a 'hunk' but I'm that and smarter. So, ya know who's better." Manic said leaning in his chair again.

"Tch, whatever, bro." Sonic sneered.

"Can't argue with that!" Frostfire happily agreed, almost losing her foothold on masking her infatuation on him.

"Definitely..." Manic chuckled.

Frostfire bit on one of her claws, contemplating on possibly saying something. She looked away shyly, unable to withstand Manic's features any longer.

With his last chilidog eaten, Sonic announced, "Well I'm gonna go lie on the beach, see if I can get a tan." He turned to the two girls. "Ladies? Wanna join me?" Sonic offered.

"N-No, thanks, I burn easily." Frostfire replied. Being of the Tundra, she was not quite used to the sun, even after all this time being so far from the snow and ice.

"Guess I could go play in the ocean..." Shot sighed, looking at Frostfire.

"Sonic won't like that, heheh..." Manic chuckled with a big smirk.

Sonic shivered at the mention of water; Frostfire also shivered. "Well it's not my thing but… Bye…" Sonic zipped off to the beach and laid down for a tan.

"Don't worry about Sonic, my friend." Frostfire consoled Shot. "Go, be where you should be. You probably miss the water." The Snow Leopard gave the Squid a big friendly grin. Shot nodded and slowly got up to head to the beach. Manic glanced over at Frostfire as Shot left. Frostfire noticed him doing so and blushed, as this was her usual reaction to the Hedgehog, and didn't look directly at him. "I-I'm really glad I decided to come here. I wanted to see her in her home where she's happy. I'm not sure how long she's missed water but I'm glad she's here." She said slowly exhaling, taking in the serenity of her little vacation.

"You don't think she seemed kinda sad?" Manic asked.

"I know she is." Frostfire replied to Manic. "That's why being in the water is the best thing for her. Calms her down." She had got so lost in the beauty of the coast, she had wondered if Manic was looking at it with her. He wasn't, however. She regretted peeking at him. Her heart raced as fast as his brother could run.

Manic simply shrugged. "At least we're alone now." He once again leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed, slightly smiling. Frostfire took advantage of him unable to see her look at him. Her eyes grew wide as she was caught by surprise with those words. She was unsure of what to say.

"What does he mean by that?" She thought to herself. "Ehh?" She began to say out loud. "You… Wanted to be alone?" She cautiously asked Manic. He chuckled and raised one eyelid, looking at her. This look almost made Frostfire melt where she sat.

"I thought you did."

Frostfire blushed heavily. She hadn't thought that excusing her friend would invite the possibility of such a consequence as this! "What makes you say that?"

"I thought you - er..." Manic halted his words as if he were moments from falling off a cliff. "Sonic can be pretty annoying around the ladies..." He suddenly said, changing his words. The blush on his face had Frostfire wondering what was on his mind.

"With his 'I have it all' attitude I'm sure he can be." As they say, curiosity killed the cat. "But eh… you thought what, Manic?"

"I - thought you found him annoying is all." Once again catching his words before they spilled over the verbal edge. Manic's pretending to be aloof and refusal to give her a straight answer had her shiver. What did he really want to say?

"He's only a little annoying. Probably more annoying for you since you are his brother." Frostfire's curiosity again got the better of her. "Y-you okay?" She asked scratching her head. "You seem… different… I can't put my finger on it but you're not yourself."

Manic stared at her blankly, almost sitting there as silence befell them for a moment. "Am I?"

"Y-Yeah…" Her voice broke and she cleared her throat. She was terrified of being too noticed. "Uh… you're usually more… Relaxed, chilled out. It's like your somewhat jumpy today or something."

"Jumpy? I haven't jumped out of my seat, have I?" He relaxed sort of smiling. As if she summoned his down-to-earth self, he displayed it for her almost flawlessly.

Frostfire couldn't help but giggle at his wit. "I suppose not… perhaps I am just imagining things." She said, looking toward the ocean. She was hypnotized by the constant turn and tossing of the waves.

"So, Frost..." Manic softly and unexpectedly said, returning his seat to the proper position. There was a distinct seriousness in his voice that enforced the rapid heartbeat she felt. It skipped a beat as she turned to him.

"Hmm?"

He smirked slightly. "Is this a date?" He asked.

You could have knocked Frostfire over with a feather. The pigment of her face changed to red. She momentarily panicked, thinking every word she had said before this question of his had been so obvious.

"J-just cuz we're here? A-Alone?" Frostfire stuttered.

"I've kinda got the feeling you like me more than a friend." Frostfire's face could not get any redder. She wanted to run as far away as possible. If she could have Sonic's speed, just once, this would be the moment she'd use it. Instead, she had to covertly avoid the subject.

"W-What ever gave you that idea?" She gulped as sweat rolled down her cheek.

Manic rested his chin in his hand, looking at Frostfire intently and stirring the straw of his drink with his index finger. "Well, you do act kinda like Shot does around my brother..." His smirk made Frostfire feel naked as her heart pounded in her chest.

"I… I do?"

Manic chuckled. "Guess it's the family charm." He replied with a wink.

"W-well… um… I wasn't expecting you to notice how I acted… I-I guess…"

"How could I not notice when you're so good to look at?"

Frostfire could not believe the words that came out of his mouth. Sure, he has flirted with her before but this time the flirting seemed so genuine…

"W-What?" Frostfire swallowed hard. Manic just smirked and looked at her. Frostfire whimpered a little, still unable to wrap around the idea that she was good-looking, and playfully shoved him. "Tch, you're just flirting with me just to flirt… I've seen you flirt with your female thief friends…"

"You're not jealous are you?" Manic stuck out his tongue in response to her shoving him.

Looking to the side, she replied, "Should I be?" She wanted to say 'No' but instead, she flirted. She had debated over and over in her head if this was a good idea.

"Who knows?" Manic told her in an alluring tone and winked.

Brushes hair off her face, she said, "I'm surprised you haven't settled down with one of the many fans or thief friends that are probably way prettier than me or Shot." He simply shrugged and fooled with his straw again, almost as if he wanted to say something but chose not to. Frostfire felt the pull to bug him on his unsaid thoughts but instead laid her head on the back of her hands. She whimpered a bit and looked at him longingly. She admired his features while he wasn't looking.

Manic looked at her with a curious smile. "The puppy dog treatment, huh?" His smile grew to a friendlier one. It was as if he was in her head. She meant to sit up straight and act like she wasn't doing anything, but instead she got up.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about…" She said looking away from him.

"You leaving?" Manic asked inquiring of her odd behavior.

"I, um… left something in the van… She lied, turning around to leave in the wrong direction of the van, totally unaware of her actions. Manic grabbed her hand and pointed to where the van actually was.

"The other way, the van's the other way, babe."

Frostfire felt paralyzed from the head down. "Did he just call me babe?" Eventually her thoughts became words. "D… Did you just…?" She blushed as she gazed upon his smile. He simply winked at her. Her legs suddenly became jelly. Luckily, she had the seat to catch her from falling and inflicting further damage upon her soul. Coming up with something to say about losing something and regaining composure, she said, "Ehh… oh, s-silly me… I had it all along…" She looked away from Manic and unknowingly drummed with her fingers onto the counter and nervously bounced her leg.

Manic chuckled. "What were you looking for?"

Frostfire scratched the back of her head, having to make something up only to fail. "N-nothing… its nothing…" She told him with a sigh.

"You never answered my question from earlier..." Fortunately, he dropped the matter.

Frostfire gulped. "W-Which was?"

"This a date?" He smirked as if he knew what he was doing, as if he were toying with her emotions. Frostfire closed her eyes, unable to comprehend such a thing.

"O-Only if you want to be…" She said looking away, blushing.

"Sure, why not?" Manic responded with a chipper voice and a smile.

"Cuz there's probably a good lookin thief girl with your name on her heart…" Frostfire couldn't imagine it any other way.

Manic shrugged yet again. "Aren't I in plenty of girls' hearts? Including yours?"

Frostfire was taken aback from this response. "I, uh…" She looked away and brushed her hair back again.

Manic leaned far back in his chair again. "Unlike Sonia with every guy she meets, I don't plan on hooking up with every girl who gives me goo-goo eyes..."

Frostfire admired that about him. She knew that if he were to choose a girl, it'd be a girl he'd want, not some girl to mess around with.

"W-What if one wanted to hook up with you? J-just one?" Frostfire cautiously said, transitioning into her secret. "He already figured it out so I might as well tell him…"

"Why do you ask that?" He asked innocently.

"C-C-Cuz I know of one…" She once again looked away and fidgeted. "I'm not sure y-you'd want to hook up with her b-but… she's eager t-to see if you're interested…" Frostfire cleared her throat, cursing herself for even bringing the topic up and hoping for the best.

"Hmm..." Manic thought, giving her a mischievous smirk. "What color are her eyes?" He said, adding to his impish game of cat and mouse.

"B-Blue…" She told him. "If I am going to do this without fainting, he has to guess…"

"Just blue, huh?" His answer alarmed Frostfire.

"Oh, by the Aurora, he knows!" Frostfire twiddled her fingers and gulped. "Th-They also might be orange…" She added, referring to her heterochromia eyes of blue and orange.

"Which is it?"

Frostfire began to panic. "G-Guess…" She looked him dead in the eye. "I should have said both! Wait, no I am glad I did not…"

"Hmmm... She sounds beautiful..." He smirked. Frostfire's eyes twinkled at the word 'beautiful'.

"Me? B-Beautiful?" She thought as she awkwardly stared at him, blushing like crazy. "R-Really?" She asked him, overlooking the obviousness of her words.

Manic nodded coolly. "So, where can I meet this beautiful girl?" He said eagerly and winked at her as to say, 'I know it's you." Frostfire's heart soared. He liked her! She wanted to jump for joy, cry, and scream even. But all she could do was continue with the game they were playing.

"Sh-She's on the beach… N-Nearby…"

Manic looked at her curiously. "Do you mean she'll walk along the beach with me?"

"Sh-She'd walk to the ends of the earth with you…" Frostfire's voice began to waver some as she tugged on the collar of her cloak. "As long as Sonic doesn't follow…" She chuckled, trying to make a humorous joke.

Manic chuckled. "She's sounding cuter by the minute, can't wait to meet her..." He winked again.

"W-Well. like I said, she's nearby…" She said looking away but at the ocean this time. Suddenly there was warmth between her and him as he put his arm around her and kissed her cheek.

Frostfire's fur stood on end, as if she were shocked. He simply smiled at her. Her heart melted inside her chest. "Y-You found her…" She still had to look away, especially with how close he was. She embraced his warmth like she had never before. Something about it made it feel very special. She could sit there for hours, feeling his arm around her as it had brushed against her fur and hair.

"I'm good at finding things." He winked again.

"I thought your specialty was theft, not detective work…"

Manic shrugged. "I may not be Espio… But you are a gem worth finding, babe."

"Babe…" She shivered in pleasure. "Never has a word sounded so sweet…" He looked at her waiting for her to respond. "M-Me?"

Manic nodded. "Ya must be hard of hearing."

"B-But I-!" She had no words to come back. All she could do was bask in his adoration and gloriousness.

Sonic, interrupting, came back with a nice tan and said, "Well I'm back and I feel be-" He noticed his brother's arm around Frostfire and simply said, "Bro…" Sonic comprehended the situation and huffed with surprise.

Manic, ignoring Sonic's words, began to tease him. "Where's your date, bro?"

Sonic blinked. "What?" Frostfire giggled at his obliviousness.

Manic laid on with the sarcasm, as it was his one of his many talents. "Uh, let's see, what was her name? She had this black jacket and poor taste in guys... You know the one?" He said, referring to Shot.

"Hey hold up… Any girl interested in me has great taste, thank you very much…" Frost snickered. "Besides, I'm not a thief…" Frostfire heard the rudeness and enmity in that statement and growled and popped her knuckles, defending Manic's pride. Now that he had officially made a move on her, she did not hold back. She would now defend him to the DEATH. Anything to prove she would remain loyal to him. Especially after the Espio incident… "Uh, I mean… Thieves are cool… Y-Yeah…" Sonic said turning his words around, saving his hide from possible agony.

Manic smiled at Frostfire. He admired her actions even though it wasn't necessary. "Take it easy, babe." He told her, sweat dropping a bit.

Frostfire blushed. "Okay…" She looked at the cowering hedgehog. "But Sonic…" He cringed a little. "This thief right here has values… Unlike some thieves on the street. So can it. Now... Hurry up and go make out with your, erm… date."

"Who are we talking about again?" Sonic was as oblivious as ever. Both Frostfire and Manic facepalmed hard.

"Where, is, Shot?" Manic asked his brother.

"Uhhh, swimming. Why?"

Manic shrugged. "For some reason I thought you knew how to treat a girl, but..."

"Tch! I know how to treat a lady!" Sonic interrupted him. "I was just tanning… I'll prove it to you…" He came up close to Frostfire and made his eyebrows dance. "Hey…" He said irresistibly. Frostfire rolled her eyes and shoved him away with her hand to his face.

"Wrong girl, dude." She told him.

"You really don't have a clue..." Manic grumbled and facepalmed again.

"What do you mean? I have a slew of girls who want me! You've got a small group and well, uh… her." Frostfire glared at Sonic.

Manic shook his head. "Just because you have girls swooning over you doesn't mean you have a clue about them..."

"I know that they know what they like!" Sonic flashed a smile. "Besides, what's it to you?"

Manic sighed. "Nevermind..." Manic whispered into Frostfire's ear. "I swear he has half a brain, heheh..." Frostfire giggled and blushed at the tickle his breath left against her ear.

"Okay well, if anyone needs me, especially the babes, call me. I'll be playing volleyball with myself… See ya!" With that, Sonic raced off.

"Back to just us…" Frostfire said as she shyly looked at him.

Manic noticed the look. "Like what you see, beautiful?" He winked at her. She looked away as she was insanely blushing.

"M-Maybe…"

"Hey, you want something to eat?" Manic asked. "You haven't eaten the entire time you've sat here…"

"W-What do they have?" Frostfire looked at the menu.

"Plenty. Pick something."

Frostfire scanned the menu. She eventually came across a flour tortilla filled with cheese, a savory mixture of three-cheese blend and creamy jalapeno cream, and chicken that was folded in half to form a half-moon shape. "I-I'll have this..." She said pointing to it.

"The quesadilla, huh?"

"Y-Yeah…" Manic could tell by the uncertainty in her response that she's never eaten one before.

"Ever had it?" He asked.

"No." She replied.

"They are good… Try one!" Manic said handing her one of the already made Quesadillas that were on the griddle.

Frostfire looked at it smelled its glorious cheesy scent, then took a bite. It was as if her entire mouth exploded into one fun-filled party. "This cuisine is pure heaven!" She remarked, eating much like Sonic had earlier. Manic laughed at her silliness.

Sonic, who was some yards away from Frostfire and his brother, noticed Shot happily swimming as he finished his one-sided game of volleyball.

"Yo, Shot!" Sonic waved to the Squid at play. She slowly receded herself from the water and headed to the hailing Hedgehog.

"Y-Yes?"

"What say we go for a little walk, hmm?" Sonic asked Shot.

"A walk? Wouldn't you rather just run?" Sweat rolled down her face at the sound of her own joke.

Sonic laughed heartily. "Yeah, sure, but unless you want me to carry you, you won't be able to keep up with me," Sonic smirked. "I'd think you'd prefer a walk with me." He winked at Shot.

"Wouldn't mind being carried..." Shot mumbled under her breath. "Alright." She told him.

"What was that?" Sonic chuckled.

"N-Nothing...!" Shot protested and insisted.

"I'm pretty sure I heard you say you wouldn't mind being carried…" Sonic smile turned into a rather evil smirk.

"J-Just cuz I'm lazy..." Shot asserted adamantly.

"Yeah sure…" To his character, he was quick as lightning and scooped Shot up into his arms with a big smile. "All you had to do was ask, gorgeous." He then walked beyond the beach, into a more foresty area, and began making headway towards wherever his feet decided to tread.

Totally not suspecting such an action, Shot gasped and squeaked softly, to which Sonic chuckled. "W-Well aren't you just a big flirt..." She said.

"Yep!" Sonic said with a wink. As the two continued on their little adventure, Sonic looked up at the trees surrounding them whose branches swayed in the wind. "It's a good thing everything Eggman has left untouched kept its beauty. It'd be hard to sight-see when I felt like it." Sonic wore a soft smile.

Shot leaned against Sonic a bit. "I-It is nice..."

Sonic smiled at her and set her down some ways away from the beach. He faced against the wind, letting the wind blow against his skin, feeling his quills shudder with its current blowing through each quill. Sonic inhaled deeply and let out a calm but happy sigh. "A guy could get used to this…" Sonic said, stretching afterwards.

The Squid stared at him for a bit too long, then she snapped out of it. "Aren't you already used to this?"

He looked at her. "Well yeah, but I like to live every day like it's new and fresh. Gives me clarity of mind."

"That's admirable…" Shot marveled.

"Thanks!" Giving the Squid another soft smile, Sonic looked around for a tree to lay under. Once he spotted a big enough tree, he headed for it and laid underneath. "Ahhh… Nothing like a good nap…"

Shot followed him. "Nap? You're gonna nap right now?"

"Heh, sorry… it's just beauty calms me down. They sometimes put me into submission." He said looking right at her and winked.

"What, you get pollen in your eye?" Shot asked, referring to the wink he sent her.

Sonic rolled his eyes. "You know very well I winked." Sonic yawned.

Shot nervously paced around for a bit. "So... You're gonna nap?" She asked again. Sonic, who had already fallen asleep, snored softly with every other breath. "Aaand you're asleep..." She sighed with a huff of a laugh. Sonic turned on his side and groaned softly. Shot couldn't help but watch him sleep. His quills twitched for a moment. As Shot sat and inclined herself against the tree that Sonic was taking a nap under, she soon found herself asleep also, dreaming of the hunk that slept next to her. About a half hour later, Sonic woke up to find the Squid in her slumber.

"That is too cute…" He said picking her up and headed back for the van, laying her on the bed inside. "Sleep tight, gorgeous."