Whew.



Metal was right about me opening his letter while he was gone, because I think I would've died on the spot while reading it in front of him. His speaking and writing style were very similar... He wrote with honesty, he was open, and his words were beautiful. I couldn't believe this guy was my boyfriend.



His words were like what he said at the amusement park but dialed up to a hundred. He elaborated his feelings from our birthday date. He told me how he felt with each touch, each embrace, each kiss... Aaaahhh!!! I got way too excited whenever I thought about the letter. I needed to calm down!



How could I look at him and not be a total disaster?! We were leaving for the mountain resort today, too. I thought I felt his hold last night, but he was somewhere else when I actually woke up. Maybe I imagined him here, honestly...



I got my suitcase fully packed with everything I needed for the trip, including all the clothes I bought for Metal. Ahh, I was excited! We were going to have so much fun and be so romantic. The last time we spent nights somewhere other than my house or his base was when we were in the RV to Little Planet... We already became so much closer since then. I let out a whimsical sigh and held my hands over my heart. I twirled around in my room as I imagined what we'd do on our vacation...



My door opened, making me stop and look over. Metal was there!



"Finally," he growled out as he paced over to me. He was walking quite fast-- He p-picked me up just as fast!



!!!



He k-kissed me! One of his arms held me up while his free hand grabbed the back of my head. That was... W-wow. Damn. That jolt felt strong in the best way. I wasn't sure if he was more passionate or if the letter was making me way more into it than I already was.



After he moved his muzzle away, he gave a slow nod, his eyes horizontal bars. "I wanted to kiss you for a while."



"H...Hey..."



He looked at me normally, like he didn't just do that. "Hello, Rosy." He gently put me down and my legs folded underneath me; I barely saved myself by collapsing onto my bed. He continued, tone neutral: "I must be serious with you for a few moments. I will interrogate you now so our upcoming date is uninterrupted by our separate duties."



"Sure...~" It took a few seconds for his words to reach me. "Wait, interrogate?" I raised a brow at him.



"Yes. You were crawling around in the vents in my Master's base. Why?"



My eyes widened. "Oh... Huh... I guess you have access to security cameras and stuff like that, right? Whatever, that was forever ago. I clearly have nothing," I said, crossing my arms.



"Okay... Rosy, I'm just going to be honest with you. I think this is the best route for the both of us." He held me by the chin, angling my head up to look directly at him. My face was on fire. He continued: "I've been ordered to research you, which means my Master knows you might have knowledge about Cavalier Sonic. I have no intentions to deceive you or gather information about you without your knowledge. Give me what I want. I will know if you're lying."



"R-research me?" I posed a little. "What kind of research?"



"Y...You will not seduce me!" he snapped, letting go of me. Hehe, I got him. "Give me something I can report."



I thought for a little while. "Well... I do appreciate your forwardness. You promise nothing we're going to do together you'll use for Eggman? Even if I say like, something really personal?"



"I promise. He is not seeking vulnerability, anyway. He wants motive."



I thought for a little while more, then I offered my pinky to him. He intertwined his with mine without a second thought. My tail thumped against the bed. "Okay... I was looking for Cavalier Sonic too, but he was taken before I could try. Either I accidentally tripped an alarm or whoever stole him did... Either way, I got caught by some gas and then I woke up in a cell."



"Were you there alone?" he asked.



"... Yes."



"You're lying to me."



"Did you see anyone else in the cell?" I huffed back.



He squinted at me, leaning down more at my eye level. "Were you alone when you broke into the base?"



"Yes."



"You're lying to me," he emphasized, much more firm. I was kinda really into his tone? Was something wrong with me?



"G-give me a second," I said, gently pushing his face away from me. I needed a moment to decompress.



He snatched my hand and brought his face even closer to me. He was so hot...! "Rosy, I know you. I know when you are lying, and I know you would not break into the base all on your own."



"I broke into Eggman bases on my own before!" I exclaimed, blushing more. "I even broke into Prison Island! No one helped me with that."



"I didn't say you weren't capable. To be clear, you wouldn't break into that specific base on your own. You would go into enemy territory to help someone, in this case, Cavalier Sonic. But how would you know he was there? And even then, how would you carry him out by yourself without being noticed?"



"Not to brag, but check this out." I flexed my free arm in front of him. He let go of me, his focus very much on me.



"Y...You..." He crossed his arms and turned his head away, but his eyes kept flicking in my direction. I playfully swung my legs. He let out a much more dramatic sigh. "Fine, I'll ask this: Were you searching for Cavalier Sonic for us, or did your friends put you up to it?" He kept his focus on me, but kept his head turned away.



"I searched for him on my friends' behalf."



He turned his head back towards me. He knew I was lying. "... Very well. I'll report that, then." He tapped his claws against his arms as he kept them crossed, somewhat lost in thought. "I know you were with someone else, but I don't need to interrogate you anymore."



"Whatever helps you sleep at night, handsome. I can totally carry Cavalier Sonic all by myself is all I'm saying."



"Mm. Test your theory. Pick me up."



My face got hot again. "Uh...! I mean, I could carry your base form fine. You can't weigh that much more." I cleared my throat and stood up, examining him. He tilted his head as he stared at me, his gaze challenging.



"Do it, then."



I took a deep breath, then put my arms around his lower torso. I steeled myself and tried to lift with my legs-- Ohhh God he was heavy. I was able to get him off the ground, but I could not move.



"What?!" Metal was pretty shocked. He underestimated me!



I lowered him and took another deep breath. "How have you not crushed my furniture?" I wiped my forehead. "No, wait, hold on. I can do this." I took off my gloves with their ring weights and shook my wrists. "Let me try again, I can do this."



"Rosy--"



"I'm doing this!" I yelled, holding him tightly again.



Hah! I lifted him fully with much less of an issue and even walked around to show off. His turbine was whirring, which meant I totally impressed him. I proudly put him back down.



"If you would like to feel like a princess, you know who to ask," I said, puffing my chest.



"R...Rosy, I was just messing with you," he quietly replied, averting his eyes.



"... Huh?" I blinked at him.



"The hammers the Egg Hammers have are heavier than me. I knew you would be able to lift me fine. I altered my weight to give you trouble. Why don't you ever show this strength to me?!" He aggressively pointed at me, but I think he was actually flustered.



I blushed too. "We had a huge fight last week!!"



"No, it was sparring! I want you to give me your full power!" he yelled, his voice more desperate than angry.



"Y-you have my bio-data, right? You should already know my strength!" I stammered back.



"I do, but there is nothing exciting about punching myself," he grumbled.



"I'm... starting to realize we both have issues." I went for the suitcase I packed and made my way out of the room in hopes of cooling down. He followed behind, extremely interested. I was getting too flushed to look at him again...!



"What do you mean by that? Rosy."



"Y-you said you were done interrogating me!"



He growled in frustration as I went outside to go put the luggage in the car. After a moment, he followed out in his disguise. He continued our conversation: "I am done. I want to make out instead."



"Metal...!"



"There was a unique tension during my questions." After I put the suitcase away, I went back inside the house and he followed me closely behind. I shut the door, making him immediately shift back to Neo. We stared at each other for a brief moment.



I blushed more and lifted my arms; he scooped me up and lovingly held me close. I grabbed onto his quills when he eagerly kissed me. We needed to leave soon, but I was gonna be a disaster if we didn't let out some of that 'unique tension' before the long drive to the resort.



We just needed to not get carried away...





We got carried away!!!



I groaned as we were stuck in obnoxious traffic; land or air, it didn't matter, the lanes everywhere were stuck. I let my head fall against the steering wheel. "Dammit! This is why I wanted to leave earlier!" I whined.



"You weren't complaining before," Metal said beside me, picking at his gloves while in his disguise.



"Sh...shut it!" I said, my face red. "Ugh, I wish our stuff wasn't bulky so we could just fly there."



He tilted his head at me. "Do you not want to have a long drive together?" he asked.



"I do...! But I just worry we won't get to do anything at the resort today," I said with a sigh. "Nnnh... I'll try to calm down. I loved our drive to Little Planet, and this one shouldn't take as long anyway. The drive through the mountains will be amazing to experience together." I snorted to myself. "Why am I the one complaining about being too slow and not you?"



"I'm never bored when I'm with you. I don't want to take any second together for granted," he said softly. I could tell he was looking at me from the corner of my eye. When I glanced at him again, he gave me such a sweet look...



"Awh..." I leaned over and kissed him. "Control your cuteness because it'll make me wreck the car."



"Noted," he teased a little. "Either way, I will demonstrate my speed and skills when we race."



I giggled back. Thankfully, the traffic started to get more momentum again. I was able to drive, albeit at a slow pace. "How often have you raced on the snow before?"



"Very infrequently, but I like it."



I smiled more. "Same here. Maybe we'll be evenly matched."



"I will give you a sliver of hope before I rob it at the final moment. I will be victorious, Rosy. Repeatedly. I am already thinking of what I'll make you do since I'll be the Winner."



I laughed. "Oh, really? Pride comes before the fall and you're being pretty prideful," I said with a smirk.



"I am simply stating the facts. Your previous win, though impressive, was a one-time occurrence." He firmly nodded and crossed his arms. "You will not suffer under my superiority, so do not worry."



"I'm sorry, is this the same guy who wanted me to punch him earlier?" I asked.



"The desire to see your display of strength through battle and the act of mercy while superior are non-conflicting concepts," he huffed. I laughed since he replied so fast about that. He was incredibly sure.



I offered him my hand; he took it, intertwining his fingers with mine. We relaxed our arms in the space between us.



I took a deep, relaxed breath. "I feel like not much has happened, but at the same time, way too much has happened. Do you ever feel that way?" I asked, glancing his way.



"Yes," he replied. "I often have many conflicting feelings at once."



"Yeah? How are you feeling right now?"



"Happy... Calm. Enamored. Irritated. Dreadful."



My eyes widened. "Dreadful?"



"Don't worry about me, Rosy. I am feeling the positive emotions more." He leaned against the passenger side's window and stared out. "I've just been thinking too much."



I squeezed his hand with mine a little. "Ah yes... One of your biggest weaknesses," I lightly teased. "Will you join me in the hot springs? It'll be a nice way to relax and not think for a little while."



"I suppose I can in my disguise, though I don't know if it'll actually relax me."



"Oh, it totally will. And I promise I'll behave~"



He turned his head to look at me, squinting. "Another lie."



I giggled. Our conversation died down some. I wondered what made him feel something as strong as the word 'dreadful'... He hadn't really described anything that way before. I hoped he would tell me eventually.



We pleasantly traveled down a bunch of roads, taking what was hopefully the fastest path if the map system in my car could be trusted. Luckily, there was another map in the car and he didn't complain about our route... Mostly.



He threw his head back and let out a soft groan. "I am feeling restless. Let me drive."



"Nope. Ask nicely."



"You are so bossy, yet you get onto me for commanding you even though you clearly like it."



My face was red. "C-context! There's context!"



"What context?"



"We're in the car and you're just telling me to do something without any tone inflections or anything, you're not giving me a flirty look or whatever. It doesn't make me crazy, I don't know what to tell you. Also, you like when I command you around."



"I have never looked at you flirtatiously when commanding you. I'm unsure I can do that in my true form." Pfft, debatable. "Also, no I don't. You're just cute when you do it, like when you're excited or when you're huffy. I usually prefer humoring you."



"Exactly! So you like it."



He grunted at me, but I saw him smile from my peripherals. "May I please drive to escort you, my beautiful queen, to our destination?" Ooh, sarcasm.



I laughed. "You're sounding way too much like me. I think we're hanging out too much."



"Probably." He gestured for the wheel. "I want to drive."



"Okay, but it'll cost you a kiss," I teased.



"Even better."



I pulled over to the side of the road for us to switch seats. Before getting out of the car, Metal gently held the sides of my head with both of his hands and he leaned in...



Whew... This was another kiss that was fighting for top ten. Our kiss slowly ended, but he clearly wanted to do it again. Ugh... Me too...



Screw it. I kissed him back, deeper. I pressed my chest against his and oh God I was getting carried away again. I pushed him off of me before I was going to lose myself in the moment.



"Rosy," he growled, threatening. His face was as red as mine.



"No! No Rosy!" I yelled back. "We'll never get there at this pace!"



I turned away and got out of my car before I could change my mind. When he got out too and our paths were about to cross, I put my hand on his chest to stop him.



We stared at each other.



...



"What?" he asked.



"This car is important to me," I said.



He narrowed his eyes. "You insult me."



"She and I have been through a lot together. Please be gentle." I lightly patted him, then continued to the passenger side.



We got back into our spots and he started the car after adjusting the seat which took FOREVER to get right for me so he better fix it back.



He glared at me after I watched him for a bit. "I haven't even started driving and you're already judging me. You watched me drive a car a ridiculous amount of times, including the RV," he scoffed.



"I barely let anyone drive my car, so you should know this is a sign of true love."



His expression immediately lightened. "I choose to not take your behavior as insulting, then..." He clicked his tongue as his focus went to the side. "Why are your mirrors so--" He grunted and adjusted the car's mirrors. "Do you have impaired vision?"



"You better put it back the way it was when we're there!!" I yelled.



"I will, Your Highness." He began driving and I watched the road like a hawk. I eventually calmed back down... I mean, he was a good driver... But I also watched him ram into so many walls with a car during races. I guess I did as well, to be fair.



"Y'know, about that royal speak... Let's talk about those robot designs," I said with a grin. He gave me an unamused stare. "Is that a future-you thing only or is it also a now-you thing?" I asked.



"Regality carries a demanding presence. Do you not think so?"



I giggled. "It does! So you think I could pull off a ball gown, huh?"



"Obviously. Ask harder questions."



We continued our banter and talked about whatever was on our minds the whole drive through. Time passed in the blink of an eye, but we made some record progress. The weather got colder and colder as we got closer to our destination... And we went through the most beautiful green mountains.



I was glad I could sit in the passenger seat to take in the view without needing to focus on anything else. When I glanced back over to Metal, he was blushing even though he wasn't looking at me in the moment. Was he watching me when he could? Hehe... My tail had a mind of its own.



He offered me his hand this time and I took it. Our conversations slowed down as we absorbed the wonders around us. There were some moments I felt like Metal and I shared a soul... Going through those long stretches of road with the mountains turning green to white... That was one of those moments.



Breathtaking.



"Hey, Metal," I said, looking over at him. He didn't look back, his focus on the road.



"Hm?"



"Wanna know one of my favorite things about you?"



"I am extremely handsome," he replied without skipping a beat.



I laughed. "Other than that."



"Tell me, then."



I smiled more, looking back out at the scenery. "Your sense of what's important."



We glanced at each other at the same time. He went back to the road. "What do you mean?"



I played with his hand as I sat there. I felt the fabric of his gloves and intertwined our fingers again. "Like, you honor pinky promises and shooting stars... Because of it, I know you really mean all the sweet things you tell me." I sighed a little. "I was just thinking about what you said on our last date... how you began to understand the beauty of the world by the way I look at it."



We were quiet for a little while, but it was nice.



I looked at him fully this time. "Want to know my favorite part of the world's beauty?"



"What is it?" he asked, voice soft.



"It's you!" I beamed, kissing him on the cheek.



He turned red very fast, but he didn't break his focus from the road. "Your declaration is a very roundabout way to call me extremely handsome," he said very quietly.



"It's true though," I sweetly replied, lifting his hand to lean my head against. "I'm realizing my favorite moments are seeing you in the environment... like when you're surrounded by flowers, at the base of a tree, or drenched in the rain... Those are moments I can't ever forget."



"I could say the same about you, Rosy..." We were quiet for a little longer. His face only deepened in shade. "I love you," he muttered.



"I love you too," I said back just as gently. I loved him so much...



We passed a little mountain village, which meant we were almost at the resort. Luckily for us, there was still some light in the sky. I started thinking about the cozy fires we'd cuddle up against, sharing a blanket while watching the snow outside, making out to keep each other warm in the snow... Did he have to stay warm in his organic form? Either way, we were gonna warm up, heh.



But first... some other types of action! I gasped and pointed out. "Look! There's the slopes," I beamed. The gondolas were still running, too! Yay! "Okay, we need to warm up first because it's been a hot minute, alright? Afterwards, we're going to race, and I'll kick your ass."



"Let's make the bet right now," he huffed. "When I win, you must recognize me as the superior skier and you have to do it in the voice."



"Wow. What voice?"



"You know the one."



I blushed heavily. "Th-that's ridiculous! You're using your side of the deal for that?!"



"It's embarrassing for you and deeply pleases me. This is how these bets go," he said, tilting his head up.



"Fine! When I win, you're going to tell me why you were so buddy-buddy with Big at the birthday party and you also have to accept any of my follow-up questions."



"That's none of your business!" he yelled back, blushing.



I squinted at him. "It's embarrassing for you and deeply pleases me," I mocked in a higher tone.



"How does that deeply please you?! There is nothing romantic about it! And you're asking for two things, not one! Denied."



We pulled up towards the resort and went towards a large, protected parking area. It took me a minute to notice because we were mid-argument. "Um, okay, one: you're rarely embarrassed, so knowing what gave you that reaction when I went up to you sounds super cute to me, and two: I know you'll give me a totally unsatisfying three-word answer!"



"It's not my fault you want to ask a question that might have a simple, straightforward answer. This is a date. Ask for something romantic, not cute."



"Being cute can be totally romantic!" I yelled. "Why are you freaking out anyway, huh? Scared you're gonna lose?"



"I'm not freaking out! You're the one who was freaking out. I will increase my reward, then, since you insist on the follow-up questions. We will also have an extravagant battle in the snow without weapons."



"Those are two totally different things!" I yelled. "My follow-up questions are related to what my main question is!"



He narrowed his eyes at me. "So you admit the follow-ups are separate from the main question. Therefore, also two things."



"Yeah, and are you gonna tell me what's romantic about an extravagant battle?" I snarkily asked back.



"Combating your power is thrilling to me! We've established this!" he emphasized with both hands. Wait--



"The wheel!" I yelled. "Oh-- we're parked." How long were we parked? I blinked and looked around.



He growled. "I am extremely annoyed with you, yet I want to ferociously kiss you."



"Okay, how about this. If I win, you explain the Big thing with twenty words minimum, no follow-ups. If you win, I feed your ego with the voice. Regardless of who wins, we'll settle our differences back in our room. That sound good?"



We stared at each other for a second. He narrowed his eyes, then offered his hand. We shook hands-- he tugged me closer to him and kissed me. He let go of my hand when our mouths parted. "Fine," he said, blushing.



I caressed the side of his face with one of my hands. "I love when we make up," I said with an airy sigh. "Now fix my seat and mirrors back."



"We will have to settle many differences in our room," he grumbled, playfully pushing me away.



I pressed back to smooch him, then finally got out of the car. Time to grab our stuff!



The resort looked beautiful from the outside, but the inside was even more gorgeous!! I've seen pictures online a million times, but in-person... Wow! I eagerly rolled my suitcase into the main lobby while Metal walked beside me with our skiing gear. He was back to being wary, eyes subtly checking the corners of the area and all the people within it.



I had a great chat with the person at the front desk and gave them the card and information for our reservation. We received our card keys and made our way to our room. We were on a pretty high floor, which I preferred; the convenience of being on lower floors was nice, but I wanted the view.



"So have you stayed at any hotels, egg-shaped or otherwise?" I asked Metal while we took the elevator up to our room.



"No. I'm barely sure what the purpose of staying at one is beyond a place to sleep," he replied.



"It can be nice to have a change of scenery away from your usual home, for one. That's one reason I went to a hotel after you confessed to me. I wanted to be away from everybody and organize my thoughts."



"That didn't help since clearly the Hedgehog was there. And me, but I was ordered to be," he scoffed. "Why were you crying that night? You never told me."



"Uh, you basically told me my life was a lie, so I had a few things to sort out. And I had a fight with Sonic too, so I felt pretty terrible," I explained. "I remember the panic I had when I actually wanted to see you there." Ah, what would past-me think now?



"... I didn't know my confession would make you question your life," he muttered. He frowned and furrowed his brows, not looking at me.



I gently nudged him to shake him off his train of thought. "Hey, I needed it. You read my letter to know that. How many times have you read it now?"



"Five-hundred and thirteen."



I giggled. "How can you reread something so much? Don't get me wrong... it's really charming." I fixed his coat a little; it was then I saw the flower pin I gave him near his collar! I blushed... I was wearing mine too, but I didn't think he'd actually keep wearing his.



"It's my favorite letter," he softly replied. "I have an image of the letter in my files, so I read it that way most often. I could never grow tired of your words, Rosy."



I smooched him on the cheek again. I definitely wouldn't mind some more letters from him, either... I, uh, heavily implied I read his last one before we left for the resort. My face reddened when I thought about it.



We got to our floor and walked down the hall to our room. There were only a couple of rooms up here... Rouge really got us something fancy. I unlocked our door and went in first-- !!!



Wow!!! It was huge! It was basically a house all on its own... it... Honestly, it might've been bigger than my house. The colors around us were so warm and inviting, hardwood floors, soothing red furniture, cozy yet modern appliances... There was even an electric fireplace! I got distracted from Metal while I looked at everything. The bed was massive and comfy! Giant TV! Perfect couch for cuddling! And the view was as amazing as I expected--



Metal closed the thick, black-out curtains in front of me.



"I was looking!" I snapped.



He shifted into Neo in front of me. "I've been organic all day. I need to feel normal for a minute," he sighed. "I scanned everything here... I should be fine in my true form."



I calmed down as quickly as I got riled up. His voice was gentle and a little tired. He liked his ability to transform, but I think he got antsy if he wasn't Neo for a while. I couldn't ever be irritated at him for that... I reached up and lovingly rubbed the side of his face.



"Do you like the room, Rosy?" he asked.



"Yeah!! Wow! I almost don't want to go back outside. Almost." I poked his nose. "I'll unpack while you decompress, and then it's time for the race of your life. I'll become your ultimate rival."



He chuckled. "Rival is not the word I'd use for you."



"Aw, really? It's my color palette, isn't it," I joked, gesturing to my outfit. Oh, shoot. I needed to get in my ski outfit anyway.



I put our suitcase on the bed and put all of our clothes away... I might've over-packed a little with my amount of 'emergency outfits', heh. I left out a sweater and scarf for Metal; he didn't want me to get him a ski outfit while shopping because he's lame, but he did at least let me get some goggles for him. He had ways to fight off the weather that I couldn't, in any case.



When I next checked for Metal, he was casually exploring the hotel room. He walked out of the bathroom and checked out the fireplace, figuring out how to turn it on. I took my time in getting dressed in a bold pink and white skiing outfit. Light green accents as well just for that extra pizzazz. I readjusted my gloves, then checked my boots. Instead of my usual headband, I put on a knitted beanie to keep my head and ears warm.



"Woo! I'm ready. Okay, get dressed now," I said, aggressively tapping to the clothes I left out.



"Pushy," he said, walking over to me. He gently lifted my chin. "... And cute." I happily wiggled.



When we were all ready, we headed out to the slopes right outside. We saw endless blankets of white, sculpted into different courses for different levels of skill. The horizon had tall, forested mountains very similar to the one we were on. Even though there were some people around, the area was so huge that I felt like Metal was the only one nearby. I'm sure he really appreciated the seclusion.



I immediately felt the cold smack me in the face! Home was a lot warmer, but i didn't mind the change at all. Both of us skied before, so we could afford to use a slightly more intermediate course to warm up. I gazed at the route to take... It looked pretty fun! I was getting pumped.



Metal grumbled under his breath about something. I looked at him. "What?" I asked.



"Nothing. The skis feel a little weird," he said. "The ones I had before attached directly to my body."



"Ooh... Maybe you're a little greener because of your new form. Should we go to the baby slopes?"



"I'll shove you," he hissed. I laughed.



"No, but seriously, if you want to do something else to get used to your skis, we can."



He pushed me to the side, making me briefly freak out. I thought he was going to push me down the slopes, but he wasn't that much of an asshole. "H-hey! I care about your safety too, jackass!"



"I'm extremely durable." He jabbed his ski poles into the snowy ground. "Let's race."



I huffed, shoving him back. "You know what? Yeah! This race counts! First one to the bottom wins." I adjusted my goggles over my eyes, Metal doing the same with his. "I'll count us down."



We both got into position.



"Three... Two... One... GO!"



We both pushed ourselves off and sped down the mountain. I was a little worried I forgot how to ski at first, but as I felt the rush, it all came back to me in an instant. I felt a little less rigid and began to move with the course. Metal and I were still head-to-head; when I looked at him, he was grinning. He lowered himself and sped ahead of me.



Gah! I really had to take this seriously. I leaned down too and managed to get ahead of him. He took a ramp while I went around it; I heard his laughter from behind me, and then--



H-he landed right in front of me! He nearly kicked some snow on me as he took a turn, too. I could tell his ego was already sky high and that needed to be fixed. He was too far left from the next ramp, so I aimed for it to get a speed boost. I took off into the air and felt the rush of wind; it was amazing. The view was beautiful and my heart was pounding with excitement!



He glanced behind-- hah! I landed right by him and caught up. I had to take every advantage I could get because he was going to tell me about Big and I wasn't going to voluntarily do the voice.



The bottom of the course was close... There was a large, flat area ahead, but we had a few more smaller slopes we could use. I focused on going as fast as I could, making sure my movements were tight to keep up the momentum.



I got into the groove. I had this on lock. Metal was fast, but I was precise, and that's what often gave me the edge. I reached the bottom and got myself to stop. Whew! I did it. I grinned, lifting my goggles up.



"Ah, there you are." Metal was-- dammit! He was in front of me, turned towards me and playing with his ski poles like he'd been there for ages.



"What the hell!" I screamed, tossing my poles into the snow. "How did you get ahead of me?! I was in the zone!"



"The answer is simple, Rosy. It's because I am--" He leaned towards me and cupped one of his ears with his hand.



I let out a loud sigh, grabbing my poles again and sliding over to him. I rubbed under his chin and gave him my most soulful stare. "It's because...~" My face heavily flushed. He always wanted simple things, but wow if this didn't ruin me. "B-because... Man, do you really want me to do it right now?" I asked, glancing around to make sure no one was around.



He laughed. "Are you saying you want your debt to linger the whole day?"



He got me there. I blushed more, then took in a deep breath. "Metal... I realize now." I gave him the soulful stare again, taking his hands in mine. "You are the superior skier...~ You're so skilled and fast! Would you give me the honor to race with you again? Please?"



His tail was wagging hard because he was such a dork. His eyes were closed, head slightly lifted and face entirely red. "I will always be happy to race with you, my true love," he said in a light tone, rubbing his nose.



I giggled at his response... He was way too cute. I kissed him on the cheek. "Okay! Let's do it again."



We went back up the mountain and raced some more times on a few different courses. Metal did win most of the time, but he fell flat on his face on one of them and it made me laugh for like five minutes straight. He pelted snowballs at me, leading to a whole playfight right off the course.



I was feeling too cold and also getting kinda hungry. The sun was starting to go down... I wanted to have some dinner, then soak for a while in the hot springs. Metal carried me on his back to the gondolas so we could go back up to the resort without scaling the whole mountain.



I could be crazy, but I thought Metal had a lot of fun skiing, like, more than I expected. I was glad we could do something that resonated with him so much. He had a cute and soft smile the whole time we were in the gondola, and finally, we went back into the resort.



Part of the reason this resort was so expensive was the restaurant; some people visited just for the restaurant. I was feeling too tired to dress back up, though... I decided we could do that the next day and order some room service in the meantime.



Metal cuddled me up to him on the couch while in his true form, still and content. I played with my phone, enjoying his hold and waiting for some food. Metal already brought up making food of our own, but I told him I wanted us to not have to worry about it. Maybe he loved cooking too since he acted pretty confused, hah! He accepted that trying other foods would be good for that fancy dinner I wanted to make him sometime at least.



"Rosy?" Metal asked after a little while.



"Yes, cutie?"



"Recently, I have been thinking of the fortune you gave me..." He looked down at me, making me turn myself over and face him while still sitting in his lap.



"Yeah?"



He averted his eyes. "I have to make a decision that is very difficult for me... And I'm wondering if it's the 'sacrifice' I must make to maintain a happy life with you. At the same time, I wonder if it's not actually the sacrifice and it will make everything worse if I do it."



I smiled a little. "The overthinker strikes again," I jokingly responded. "Can I ask what the decision is?"



"Removing part of my programming," he said.



My eyes went wide. "... What part?"



The stare he gave me confirmed exactly what I thought. He didn't say it, but I knew.



"Holy shit," I said under my breath. "You're thinking about doing it? For real?"



"I tried the method you showed me, of making a decision without thinking about it, in turn revealing which I believe is the better choice. For me, this would be removing the anti-rebellion patch. But it's... complicated. Do..." His voice faltered. "Do you remember when I told you my greatest fear?"



I thought for a second. "Being replaced?" I asked.



He shook his head. "No. My greatest fear is that you cannot be fixed..." He held me a little tighter. Of course... How could I forget? The way he cried out completely shattered my heart. He was in so much pain when he told me... I put my phone down and hugged him back.



"Oh, Metal... I'll be fine," I replied.



"It's not to doubt your skill," he said, his voice soft. "It's... If I remove the patch, I can't ever return to my Master. He would look into why... Inevitably, he would find out I'm with you. You would become one of his greatest targets."



"I mean... Sonic is one of his greatest targets. Look at how he gets along."



"No, you don't understand," he said, firm. "Sonic matters to my Master. No matter how badly I wanted to kill him, my Master wanted to wait for the perfect moment. It had to be an earned victory, a grand display that casts the world in fear. But in the act of betrayal... There is no such process. You do not matter to him. He will view you as a person who tampered with his things, and for that, you deserve no spectacle. Only death."



I got out of his arms and stood on the couch so we could be at eye-level. I frowned at him. "Respectfully, Metal, he's tried to kill me before. You said yourself he'd probably have killed me if Sonic never stopped him and rescued me on Little Planet."



He gave a slow nod. "But... I imagine your life would be in danger so much more frequently. One mistake could lead to your death, and I wouldn't have the insight into his plans. And since he created me, he can--"



"Metal," I interrupted, holding up one of my hands. "You know what you're describing?" I put my hand back down, giving him a serious stare. He didn't reply, giving me room to continue: "How everyone lives every day when he is doing one of his schemes. A core difference is that I'm more capable of protecting myself, and so are you. Maybe you wouldn't know his future plans, but you know him."



"You would have the direct experience..." He was quiet, deeply in thought. "Despite everything, I can't help but feel that continuing the way things are now is smarter. Even in our situation, we can spend all this time together. I interrogated you earlier today and all it did was make me excited. What if the sacrifice is simply hiding so my data won't be altered or erased?"



I opened my hands to him, gesturing him to put his in mine. He eventually did, but he refused to look at me; he was in his own head. I closed my hands with his and let my arms fall as I stepped closer to him. "I take fortunes seriously, but at the end of the day, they don't dictate your future. You do."



He slightly hung his head, not speaking for a while longer.



I sighed. "I know this is a big decision for you for a lot of reasons... but don't think about all these what-ifs. We'll always be in danger in some sense, so... do what your heart says."



He let go of my hands, then pulled me in. He pressed the side of his head to my chest, squeezing me around my waist. The way he held me was like when we were in the rain... He acted as if he'd never let go. I put my arms back around him, one around his back spine and the other at one of his quills.



I felt my heart beat against him. Was he... listening to my heartbeat? Even in such a serious conversation, I couldn't help but blush...



"I said your heart, not mine," I quietly joked.



"You would not live in fear?" he asked. His tone was... hopeful? A little sad, confused...



I smooched him wherever I could reach. "Fear is the last thing I feel when I'm with you, Metal... The horrible old man wouldn't change that."



After a while, he gently let go of me. He didn't seem like he wanted to keep talking, but at the same time, he was still deep in thought.



Knock, knock!



"Oh! That must be the food. Let's eat... Then you really need that soak in the springs." I caressed his head and smiled wide when he glanced at me.



Hot springs time! We were in a private pool by ourselves in these gorgeous, softly lit caverns. Or rather, I was in a private pool, while Metal stood there in his disguise and stared at the water like it was going to bite him. His clothes were off except for his shoes and gloves.



"You gotta get fully naked, buddy," I said with a smirk.



"I hate when you call me that. Also, why does it matter?"



I giggled. "It's the rules of the springs! You need to wash yourself off too before you get in... I didn't peg you to be so shy. You're basically naked constantly. Other than the belt, I guess."



"My outer shell protects me. I feel too soft and exposed, even though it shouldn't matter." He grimaced. "This is supposed to be relaxing, but I am incredibly stressed."



"I'm so close to just dragging you in the water," I laughed.



"Fine." He walked away towards the showers we came from before going to the springs. After a few minutes, he came back, this time without anything, but he was still staring at the water like it was a hazard.



I grabbed his arms and pulled him into the water. He nearly pushed me away, but then completely froze when I put my arms around him and slowly dragged him into the middle of the pool with me.



I smooched him and fluttered my eyelashes at him. He got less tense, but as he did, his face got more red. I gently let go of him and settled against one of the ridges of the pool, resting my arms on the outer rim.



"Just feel the warmth of the water, breathe in the steam..." I took in a deep breath... "And relax," I slowly sighed out.



He waded over to me, then sat near me. He took a deep breath, face still clearly agitated, but he was trying his best. I giggled.



"What?" he huffed.



"You just look so frustrated still."



"I'm fine."



I grinned at him, then offered him my hand. He took it, so I let our hands sink back into the water together. I moved a little closer to him, crossing our arms together as I intertwined our fingers.



I closed my eyes and enjoyed the quiet moment with him. The water was hot and soothing, the steam felt great against my face... I put my other arm back into the water, then sunk down so only my face was above the water.



I channeled my inner-Big and cleared my head. I focused on what I could feel in my environment. I enjoyed the quiet, serene moment.



After a few minutes, I opened my eyes and checked on Metal. His eyes were closed and his head hung forward a little. His expression had softened... he was totally relaxed. Ahhh... When I looked at him like this, I really wanted to caress his face and kiss him, but he deserved to have a moment when I wasn't all over him. I fought the urge and honed in on the comfort of our hands locked together.



"Rosy?" he asked.



My eyes were closed again, but this time I didn't open to look. "Hmmm?"



"For our bet, why did you want to know about my interactions with Big?"



I chuckled. "What do you mean why? I knew you tolerated him after we went fishing, but I didn't expect you to willingly go talk to him again and I know he didn't approach you first." I tilted my head over and finally opened my eyes. Metal was staring ahead, relaxed gaze but deep in thought again like he often was.



"... I suppose it's fine to tell you for... precautionary reasons."



I snorted. "Sure. You don't have to. You're right; you can do your own thing and I don't always have to know about it."



His face was naturally flushed from the water, but I liked to think he was a little flustered, too. "There were no options for anyone to judge my cooking when I was practicing. I made food for my Master, but his reactions told me nothing. Big was the only other organic person who saw me and didn't immediately want combat, so I offered him food and he gave me what I wanted."



"Aw...!" I leaned my head against him. "That's so fun. He became your taste tester?" I grinned. "So, why were you still doing that at the birthday party?"



"... It's..." He shifted in his seat. "Additional feedback never hurts."



"Awww...!" He wasn't going to say it, but I knew exactly what he was telling me: Big was his friend. "Wait, does he know you as Kai?"



"... Maybe? I don't know. Maybe he treats everyone like that. I didn't tell him, but it felt like he knew me."



I smiled. "You don't seem bothered by it."



"I'm not." He let out a soft sigh. "He's not annoying and sees no amusement in compromising me. The same cannot be said for the Bat."



"If it means anything, I freaked out pretty badly when Rouge told me she knew." He was being open with me, so I gave him the same honors. "What scared me was that I didn't think anyone would trust you like I do, and they'd just think I'm some lovestruck idiot."



He gave me an irritated grunt. "Do not speak of yourself so negatively."



"I'm not! I was worried people would think that. They don't get to see you like I do... They haven't experienced what we have. So... they would assume it's a scheme or something. But after my freakout and how Rouge treated me afterwards, I realized how silly it was. I don't care what anyone else thinks about us. I would deal with it, and people should know me. And I hope they'll learn about you-- at your own comfort, of course."



Eventually, Metal looked fully at me. He frowned a little. "Do you imagine telling others the full truth? In your head, I mean."



"Sometimes," I replied. "I love getting to show you off as Kai, but I think about showing off who my actual true love is." I playfully nudged him. "All that being said, I'm happy I get to spend time like this at all with you... Before, we couldn't even do that. I mean, did you imagine we'd be at a random resort, soaking in some hot springs?" I giggled.



"Definitely not," he replied, slightly smiling back. "... I imagine it too."



To me, his words meant his decision about his code was obvious. I couldn't believe I was witnessing it... He was really close to removing the code that prevented him from disobeying Eggman. Maybe a long time ago he wanted to be free to take control and dominate with his own power, but this time, he told me about his concerns and... He wanted to live his fullest with me.



I wasn't sure we could ever be truly separated, no matter where our journeys would take us. We were bound together. Maybe we always shared a soul, which is why I saw him so clearly. I just needed to open my eyes.



I softly kissed him just to tell him I loved him. He was surprised, but his face turned even more red. I giggled, slightly leaning back when he moved closer to me. He returned a kiss, his free hand caressing the side of my head. I let out a slow sigh as I enjoyed the moment... Enjoyed him.



When our mouths parted, I leaned in for another. He-- he pushed me back! I glared at him, grappling one of his shoulders.



"No," he huffed, turning his head away. "What's going to happen is that we'll start making out, and then you'll push me off of you and tell me you don't want to get carried away, and I will be more angry and romantically frustrated than I am right now."



...



I laughed. "I guess I am that predictable, huh?" I said with a grin. "How are you feeling? Pretty relaxed?"



"No. I want you," he grumbled.



I... Damn. "O... Okay~ Let's go back," I said with a giggle.



His grumpiness immediately vanished.



We left the springs together, which was great because suddenly it was way too hot. Though we weren't in the water for too long, it was very refreshing. We'd likely do a lot of racing outside the next day, maybe explore the mountain village we passed before reaching the resort and return to the springs again to get some longer relaxation in. I held Metal's hand as we went back to our room together.



The second we got back, he scooped me up! I squealed with laughter and let him carry me to wherever he wanted. We settled our differences after our skiing bet, restoring all balance to the world and all that good stuff.



There wasn't really much to watch despite the super fancy TV, and I wanted to stay close to Metal... While I tried to rest, I asked Metal about his collection of letters from me and I asked him to share the ones he liked the most. He mentioned my last letter was a file that he frequently read through, so I assumed he had all of them... And he did!



Honestly, we must've talked for hours. I thought I'd fall asleep to the sound of his voice as he read my embarrassing lines as a kid, but instead, I got so inspired to talk about each memory. We bantered, laughed, shared more loving moments together.



I fell asleep at some point, but I didn't remember when.



All I knew was, when I woke up, Metal wasn't there anymore.