Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ The risks you take to be accepted ❯ A week later ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Manic woke up earlier to get in a short workout before getting ready for school.

 Sonic was still fast asleep, kicking the blankets off himself as he ran in his sleep.

 Manic laughed softly. He quietly did a few pushups and lifted a few small weights before hitting the shower.

*

 Manic thought about the talk he had with Sonic the day before as he scrubbed his spines with shampoo and let the warm water soothe his tired muscles. He was a little iffy on using the Chaos emeralds now but, whenever he thought of going back into how he used to look, he did lean closer to the side of using them if it meant he kept Surge.

 They got along so well and he hoped they could continue that regardless of what he looked like. 

 Manic sighed. “C’mon, you didn’t slip into an eating disorder, you’re not going back to using the emeralds.” He thought. He enjoyed the warm water for a few more minutes, then turned the water off and pulled the curtain open.

 Sonic was brushing his teeth at the sink.

 “Dude, not cool!” Manic yelled as he jerked the curtain closed.

 “You never wear pants and sometimes you wear an open vest instead of a shirt.” Sonic replied.

 Manic opened the curtain. “Oh, right.” He said, stepping out of the shower. He wrapped a towel around himself. “It’s still kinda… uh… like an invasion of privacy.”

 Sonic rinsed his toothbrush. “Think of it as being in a locker room.”

 “Last I checked, our locker rooms didn’t have any of Ma’s little plaques hanging up and didn’t leave you with any sense of dignity.” Manic said, drying himself.

 “Fair enough.” Sonic replied. “I’m sorry, bro. Do you want me to leave?”

 Manic stepped over to the sink. “You may as well stay.” He said, getting his comb out of the drawer. 

 Sonic got a washcloth out of the closet, then turned the shower. “Don’t pour the whole bottle of cologne on yourself.”

 “Yeah, very funny.” Manic muttered. He put on a little cologne and headed out of the room.

*

 Manic headed into the school as he shut off his phone and slid his headphones around his neck. He looked up and froze as he saw a picture of himself from last year plastered on the bulletin board.

 The picture was just some random one from the yearbook they decided to use for student of the month.

 Manic groaned and ripped the paper down. He balled up and threw it into the trashcan. He headed to his first class (history) and took his seat in the middle of the room and by the window.

 Manic leaned over the desk and drummed his fingers on the desk. “I hope Surge hadn’t seen that.” He thought as more of his classmates made their way into the room.

 *

 Manic got through the school day without seeing Surge. He was somewhat relieved as he was a little anxious about Surge’s reaction, but he also missed her. He knelt down to unlock the chain around his hoverboard.

 “Hey, Cute stuff.” Surge said.

 Manic flinched and gave Surge a nervous grin as she walked over. “Hey, Babe, what’s up?”

 “Hadn’t seen you all day and I thought you’d like to hang out.” Surge said. “We can do our homework together.”

 “Yeah, sure.” Manic replied. He unlocked the chain. “I usually take my hoverboard to school.”

 “Oh, you live nearby?” Surge asked.

 “Yeah, just down the road in the little light gray house with a black roof.” Manic replied.

 “I can run that far.” Surge said. “I’m at least as fast as your brother.”

 Manic picked up his board and got up. “Alright, let’s go.” He replied. He got on his board and led the way.

 Surge ran alongside Manic.

 Manic glanced at Surge. “You weren’t kidding.”

 Surge laughed. “I’m holding back.”

*

 Surge and Manic made it to Manic’s house.

 “Kinda small, isn’t it?” Surge asked.

 “It’s a three bedroom, two bathroom place.” Manic replied. “It’s bigger than it looks.”

 Manic led Surge up the walkway and unlocked the door.

 “Oh, congrats on getting student of the month.” Surge said.

 Manic flinched. “Uh… thanks.” He replied. He led Surge inside. He cleared his throat as he closed the door. “So… uh… what did you think about the picture they used for it?” 

 “It was cute.” Surge said, walking into the kitchen.

 Manic followed Surge. “Cute?”

 “Yeah.” Surge said, opening the fridge. “I mean I know it was an old picture, but you were adorable. You all don’t get frozen pizza much, huh?”

 “There’s chicken tacos.” Manic replied. “The chicken is in the red bowl, the toppings are in the little boxes beside it, and cheese is in the drawer. I’ll get the shells.”

 Surge pulled the containers out of the fridge as Manic got the box of taco shells and plates out of the cabinets.

 “So uh, would you have gone out with me if I still looked like that?” Manic asked.

 “Yeah.” Surge replied. 

  Manic helped Surge put together the tacos. “But… between that and how I look now, which do you prefer?”

 Surge looked at Manic. “Uh, you had to be about twelve in that picture, right?”

 Manic grimaced. “That was last year.”

 “I thought you were seventeen.” Surge replied.

 “I am.” Manic said. “Took a while to lose my baby fat.”

 “Really?” Surge asked.

 Manic sighed. “I told Sonic you wouldn’t go out with me if I didn’t use the emeralds to get in shape.” 

 “Hey, I didn’t say that at all.” Surge said, putting the containers back into the fridge. She turned to face Manic, letting the door close on its own. “You’re cute no matter what.”

 “… you didn’t answer.” Manic replied.

 “Manic. I don’t care about that.” Surge said, sitting down. “There’s worse things than that. Wanna know why I’m a cyborg?”

 Manic flinched. “Wait, what?” He asked. “You are?”

 Surge nodded. “I wouldn’t think that would be a problem for you.”

 “It’s not, I’m just surprised.” Manic said, sitting down beside Surge. “I never would’ve guessed. I’d say it’s cool you’re a cyborg, but the way you worded that makes it sound like there’s a tragic story behind it.”

 “There is.” Surge replied. She picked at her food. “The guy I was dating a couple of years ago beat me up. Kit saved me, but the doc he took me to saw it as a great opportunity to test his cyborganic system and messed it up. Second doc fixed it. Still paying that guy.”

 “How do you know that stuff?” Manic asked.

 “My first doc was Robotnik and my second doc was Starline.” Surge replied.

 Manic slid his plate aside. “I’m sorry I asked.” 

 “I’ve been around enough sleazy Mobians to know who’s legit or not.” Surge said. “That’s why I let you sit with me. So no, I don’t care about that.”

 Manic nodded.

 “I’m sorry you went through that and you thought that you had to do that to get my attention.” Surge replied. 

 “I’m sorry you’ve gone through all of that junk before.” Manic said. “You’ve been through a worse situation than I have.”

 Surge ruffled Manic’s spines. 

 Manic grinned.

 Sonic and Sonia walked in.

 Manic sighed. 

 “Bro?” Sonic called as he walked to the kitchen. “You home? Tell me you’re not upset about that-”

 Sonic’s eyes widened as he saw Surge. “Oh….”

 “It’s fine, she saw it too.” Manic said, sliding his plate close to himself.

 Sonic and Sonia started making themselves tacos.

 “That’s good.” Sonic said. “So are you gonna hang out for dinner, Surge?”

 Surge looked at Manic. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

 “You don’t want to put up with Sonic either?” Sonia asked.

 “Hey.” Sonic protested.

 “You’ll develop a tolerance at some point.” Sonia said.

 Sonic rolled his eyes.

 “I mean, you’re… well, you’re not that annoying.” Surge said, shrugging.

 Sonic and Sonia joined Manic and Surge at the table.

 “I can tolerate you.” Surge said.

 Sonic raised an eyebrow. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

 “…That was a compliment.” Surge replied.

 “Same to you.” Sonic said. “I’m glad you and my bro get along well.”

 “Thanks.” Surge replied.