Worth Protecting
"Mngh..."
Surge groaned from her seat on the edge of the bed. Rubbing her arms with her hands. Her face scrunched up and looking away from the door. Instead eyes moving to the dresser in the room or closest thing away from the current situation. The expression on her face was as clear as it had been for the past couple hours.
"..." Slipstream looked at her in silence, eyes as soft as usual. He was leaning next to the door with a sympathetic yet somber expression. Scarf wrapped extra tight for today. "If you're still not comfortable enough to talk yet then we don't have to. I can wait as long as-"
"No! No... I do want to talk and get it over with just..." Surge glanced at him before rolling her eyes back and flopping on to the bed. Staring blankly at the motel ceiling. "Last night was... ''Easier'', I guess, cuz I was having a rough night and let it all out. But now I'm aware of it and it's embarrasing as fuck."
She was always rather blunt and straightforward with how she felt. Well, they both were in a way. But even she seemed to struggle with them at times. Espescially for something like this. Good Gaia it felt weird.
"Is this like how you feel about your emotions all the time? Just over thinking on em really hard?"
"...Yeah, a bit like that," The robot weakly replied. Nervously scratching at the sides of his quills, fingers treading through the light grayish blue fur as he tried to figure out what to do. "If it's of any assistance to you, I also feel pretty bad about something. The mistake I made and mentioned last night I wanna talk about it after this, even if it's a little scary too..."
"Hmph, yeah but it's you. Can't be that bad-"
"Please, get mad at me for it..." Slipstream stared downwards as he clutched his quill. Regret fresh om his face. "Please."
"...?" The tenrec leaned herself up a bit to look at him. Holding a puzzled look with a raised brow. "Well that's not ominous at all." She muttered half-heartedly. She was at least partially sure he was blowing it out of proportion, just kind of how Slip was when it came to his mistakes or failures and... sort of like how she was right now.
With a lowering of her shoulders the tenrec started.
"I... Look I said what I said last night and I meant it. The idea of losing you is... It pisses me the hell off and I hate it!" Proclaimed Surge as her hands balled into fists and pressed against the cushions. "Not just you, but everything I have. It's why I've been keeping you and Kit extra close and out of harms way—And why shouldn't I?! I'm just keeping you both safe!"
The tenrec wildly gestures with her hands as she crossed her legs and sat. Thinking back to all of the bad things that happened. Like that damn masked ferret, the natural disaster, the kidnapping- Everything!
"I don't think you shouldn't. Protecting what matters to you is common, at least given what I have seen seen and learned. And I want to protect you too..." The robot paused and let the words hand for a moment, his mutual care, but it did not feel like enough. "Even when we're together, like right now, sometimes a thought crosses my circuitry about danger and I resolve myself to be ready if something happens."
"So we're in agreement then!" She said, raising her hands up high. Hopping off the bed as she regained her usual smugness. "You stick with me, I protect you from whatever happens! And we get to enjoy being together every moment, problem solved!"
"It's... Surge as much as I care about you which I promise is a really really huge amount, I- I don't think I want to always be directly beside you every moment. Not that I dislike spdnding time with you! I do! I really do it's a lot of fun and it makes me happy!" The hedgehog started slow but his tone became a bit more frantic as he tried to prevent any misunderstanding.
"Then what's the problem?!" Surge put her hands to her hips and leaned towards him, with a slightly upset expression. Barring her fangs for a moment before tilting her head a bit, remembering last night. "Look, I know I said I end up clinging to you -- And I can do that less ‐- cuz you help me feel better. But you said I could ask you for help so I... don't get it."
Her voices trailed off as she attempted to step back a bit. So closeness was bad? Or too much of it? Both of them seemed to not quite understand it well, or explain it. But, that did not stop them from trying... And try Slipstream did.
"Well, what about when there's two differing things we want to do? Or one of us wants to do something alone because it's personal. Then we might argue, or one of us ends up unhappy or unsatisfied and... Yeah maybe sometimes that will happen and we can hopefully compromise or something else but why can't we also be comfortable with being seperated sometimes?" Slipstream shrugged his shoulders as he did his best to format the query. "Is that so wrong? Shouldn't we also be able to choose alone time if we want to...?"
"It's..."
She took a hot minute to think. Proccessing the words and thinking on what he meant, scratching her head or picking at her ear as she did. Her mouth hung upon then closed to, Surge slowly got what he meant and saw his point. But as she did a new thought formed. And the tenrec regained a smaller bit of her usual temper.
"Okay, fine, I get that. But what if I need you and you're not there?! Or worse YOU need help and I'm not there?!" Surge pointed her finger to Slipstream's chest, poking him right below the scarf. "I know how you fight, and it's always trying to spare your enemy and holding back Slip. If you get in REAL danger and I'm not there to bail you out like last time you're going to get killed because you won't!"
The scarf wearing robo-hog stared into Surge's eyes. The genuine concern was very clearly present, and it did feel good to be cared for. But also came with a knowing realization, as now he was the one who looked away. Turning to stare at the corner of the room. The topic was, a very dark one to say the least.
"...I think this is the point where I should bring up my mistake. And as I said earlier please, don't hold back," Said the robot in a somber tone ss he slowly slid off the wall and-
"Wha-a-at are you doing?"
The robot quickly kneeled downwards before getting on all fours. Provoking the tenrec to step back and look on in confusion. As Slipstream went as far down as he could go. Performing a dogeza in apology. Which the tenrec didn't recognize, but the meaning was hopefully conveyed.
"I'm very sorry but I made a poor decision without thinking and did something I deeply regret and hope that you can one day forgive me for," His voice was soft and weak, almost sounding on the verge of tears. If he could cry anyways.
"Dude it cannot be that ba-"
"I lied to you to avoid an arguement."
"...What?"
"When we were teamed up with Silver and I said I needed his help with something I lied about what it was. I found the bad guy and had already beaten him up and I knew that if you found him you'd finish him off and-"
Slipstream was cut off as Surge rushed forward and grabbed him by the collar of his scarf. Lifting him up high before pressing him against the wall of the room.The look on her face was as clear as the rays of light from the sun, or of a lightning bolt striking through the darkness. She glared daggers into him, and Slipstream felt that was only right. Clenching her free hand into a fist.
"...Go ahead, I deserve it. I did somethimg terrible and I swear I never will again but I still deserve to be punished for it," Slipstream took one last look at Surge in her fury, apology written all over his face. Before closing his robotic eyes and preparing himself for a blow to the face.
"..."
CRASH! BZZZAT! CRA-KSSSHK!
For a moment the hedgehog's eyes remained closed. But as he felt himself fall to the floor and the several loud noises of destruction confusiom befell him. Quickly opening his right eye and then the other, raising a hand to move his fur tufts out of the way so he could see it in full.
The bed was caved in at the center, a impact mark hard enough it looked like it reached through the floor, the dresser gad been tossed through the window, a night stand ripped in half, and several other things had either gained electrical burns or been broken to pieces. In essence the entire room was in disarray and destroyed. And standing in the center, clutching a broken piece of wood into splinters with her hand, was none other than Surge. Huffing and puffing with lingering rage, havimg turned the entire bedroom into a reck-room. Before turning back to the robot.
Who, along with the place in the room surronding him was utterly unharmed. Before he could question anything Surge rushed toward him, slamming her fist into the wall just beside him. Placing herself over him and pinning him down so she couldn't escape.
And he remained silent as he stared upwards at her. A similar face of anger pointed at him, lip curled and filled with something he could not describe.
"I'm angry--VERY angry--with you... But I'm not gunna fucking hurt you! You dumbass!" Surge shouted directly into his face, arms sealing off any escape from her words. He was going to listen to her, very, very closely. "Sure, maybe I get rough sometimes when we play around, but I HATE seeing you hurt. I would never hurt you, never."
Then she took her first out of the wall, swiftly raised it above the hedgehogs head, and with the lightest force she could use gently pressed her hand against his soft head.
"The worst I'd ever do is bonk you on the head when you're being stupid, lightly hit your arm, or pinch your cheeks," As she said the following actions she then did them in sequence, making the hedgehog very aware of what she meant. Holding onto his cheek so she could bring his face closer. "And maybe bite you a bit too if I feel like it. But I'd never seriously injure or hurt you."
To finish off her declerarion she lifted a finger and pressed it against his small triangular nose. Boop.
"Got that Slip?"
Slipstream nodded in confirmation. Moving his head up and down as much as he could. But he did not speak, not yet.
"Good," Surge did not move back, staying very close. She had quite the aura of intimidation. And it barely easyed even a tiny bit. "Now onto the next thing. I know you're a goody-two-shoed robot hedgehog who doesn't want to kill, but I thought you were okay with me doing so? Like with say a certain narcissistic prick named Sonic that needs a thrashing? Hmm?"
She tapped his nose again, as if signaling it was his turn to talk. And so Slipstream prepared himself. Closing his eyes for a momemt and thinking om how to phrase himself.
"...You're right- On both things. And that's why I know what I did was a mistake, and if you go after him to finish the job this time I won't stop you," Slipstream did his best to steady his voice despite how nervous he felt, tugging at his scarf's fabric as if searching for courage. "I think the worst thing someone can ever do is to distort life, even just one life. Because to distort life is to pervert the natural freedom and autonomy all are entilted to and born with, to force one's self onto another is the worst evil, and it deserves punishment."
The robot paused. It took a moment but eventually he held firm and found it. With one last blench of his scarf he opened his palms outward, as if fully exposing himself to be freely judged.
"And that's also why I don't think I personally have the right to end a life. While it's not exactly a distortion, and death is a part of nature, to me it comes close because it takes away that person's freedom and autonomy by ending their life. But I also think enacting punishment on someone guilty and deserving of it is justifiable, it's why I do what I do to protect life and enact justice," As he explained his morals the hedgehog looked upwards at her.
"So that's your version of a precious moral code?" Surge stated rather bluntly as she tilted her head. Her angered expression had lessened a bit but she still pouted.
"It's not as precious as you," Slipstream answered her question just as bluntly. "I am loyal to my sense of right and wrong, nevertheless I am also loyal to you and I refuse to be disloyal. My care for you, as per the bond we share, is more important to me than anything. And to distort that connection of both our lives by being disloyal is something I would never freely do, I promise you that Surge."
"...So basically what you're saying is, you choose me over anything?" Surge stared wide-eyed for a moment. She was trying to remain a bit mad but it wasn't really working, his sincerity was nice as usual. Her tail gently wagging ethusiastically behind her. "You must of been made with like a sack of sugar in your circuits, you're too good at this sweet talking thing."
"Wha- But it's not sweet talk! I mean it!" He gestured frantically, flustered at the idea she thought he was being dishonest.
"I know, just messin' with ya.," Surge finally leaned back a bit but still used her foot to keep him in place. There would be no moving till this was over with. "But hurry up a little okay. So what do you mean exactly?"
"Okay... What I mean is, while I don't like the idea of doing so myself, it's what you choose and I respect that. I'm not going to help you destroy someone, but I'm not going to stop you either. It'd be different if this was about someone innocent, but this is someone guilty, and I still believe evil deserves to be punished," Slipstream raised a finger and politely pointed at her. "Getting in your way also goes against what I think is right, because you're special to me, so while our moral codes may differ at times--and maybe still will--my loyalty as a friend won't change."
"My moral code? Since when do I have one of those?"
"You said you'd never hurt me a moment ago, because you hate it and think doing so is wrong. I'm sure you think the same goes for Kit. And I think the same when it comes to hurting you, I'd never do so as well and hate it," Slipstream gently raised a hand and placed it over where his heart would be were he made of flesh and not metal. "That's a moral code, or at least the start of one. Which is why I trust you and your view on this, you're a kind person and care for others not a murderer, so I believe that you wouldn't kill innocent people or purely for fun because of your heart."
"...And you're really fine with that?" Again, she hesitated to give an opinion yet. As if slowly working up to the finale as she asked each question. "Completely fine? And if I--WHEN I eventually do it... You'll still support me?"
"I... Yeah, yeah I am. Maybe someone else will view me as wrong for doing so and I won't lie I feel a bit guilty about it. But I'm willing to bear that too, because this isn't about what others think is right, it's about us," Slipstream removed his hand pointed at her, hand close to her heart. "This is my freedom, and it's what I choose to do with it, and I'll accept all the consequences that come with it because to be free without regrets doesn't mean you avoid the consequences of your actions."
His hand lingered there for a moment, as he looked up at her. Each staring into the other's eyes, light blue to dark blue. Then, after a moment, Surge reached out her hands and clasped his. Holding onto it tightly as she lowered herself down onto the floor where he was and keeping his hand steady, and right at her heart It was important, really important, that they touch right now.
"..."
Her expression softened, only the faintest of anger left with her, but not the anger of someone fuming with rage. But of someone determined and righteous. And so she took a deep breath, letting him see and feel that, before she started.
"Okay... Yeah, that's okay with me too. And thanks, Slipstream. I know I don't really, say it as loud and proud as you do, but I do appreciate the respect, care, and just everything you feel and do for me," Surge spoke softly, a tone that she was using for maybe the first time ever. "And so that's why, it's really important, about what isn't okay with me."
With a small squeeze of Slipstream's gloved hand, she removed her right. Before mirroring his point, pressing her finger very genly against the soft grey fur of his chest. Right as where his heart is.
"If I have a heart, then so do you. And it bet it's just as soft and gentle as you... Which is why you have to fight to protect that too okay?" She pressed further into him, as if she could touch his heart directly. "I know you're a heroic person and that you want to help protect people's lives, so protect your own too as much as you would mine. If it's between your life or ending someone else's to stay alive, choose yours. Because if you get destroyed that hurts me, it hurts Kit too and everyone who cares about you, and most of all it hurts your self and all of that is worth protecting."
The tenrec's words flowed like an electric charge. From one core to the other. A gentle, righteous, ferocity on her face. And so after listening the hedgehog raised his own hand, and took hers. Holding onto each other.
"...You're right. I know you're right," Slipstream always spoke wothout confidance or certainty in himself, but his confidance in Surge remained. And the words of a new oath found their bravery to be. "So if it's necessary to protect my life or others then I will kill to do so, not out of malice but to do as I always have and fight. And if fighting is a sin, then let me be damned."
And with that a smile made it's way onto Surge's face. A very bright, ear to ear, toothy smile that came straight from the heart. And looking at it with his own eyes, Slipstream made another silent promise to protect it forever.
"So, you can sound cool when you want to~! Hehehe!" She lightly teased as her fingers fully wrapped themself in his hands, and she giggled happily.
"Hahaha," And rest assured the expression on his face was certainly the same. "Thank you very much Surge, and uhm are we cool now?"
"Yeah, we're cool... And thank you too."
To be a cherished part of someone's life, that's the greatest honor one can receive...
The End, for now, until the next Starting Line comes
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Thank you for reading.