Under the night sky, the LED lights of the train station, the wind blowing around the boys fur as they sit there. Tails collecting himself before beginning to regail Winter with the tail of why he hated Sonic.

"After Cosmo died, I uh... I didn't know how to go on. For a while I actually shut myself in my room, did nothing but cry and throw things. She was the only one who understood me, the only one who made me feel complete and after she sacrificed herself to save the planet. I felt broken, like a piece of me had been ripped away"

"So that's why you didn't make any public appearances all of last year... You were in mourning" Winter says, the wolf had initially been told Tails was not making any public appearances he just didn't know why at the time, now he finally had an answer as to why he wasn't in the public eye for half a year.

Tails nods, confirming that was the reason.

"I spent a lot of time in my room either playing videos games, working on things in the hideout or watching... Um...-"

"Porn" Winter says, practically reading his mind.

Tails nods, scratching his head and looks away from Winter.

"Hey, I'm not gonna judge you, it's okay" Winter says, messaging his hands.

"...I don't deserve you" Tails says, managing to give the wolf a smile.

"And sometimes I feel like I don't deserve you.... But here we are" Winter says, smiling back at him.

He notices a sports drink ad with Sonic as it's spokesperson, Thunderstorm Hydration...

The fox grits his teeth, normally his blood pressure would rise but since Winter was here with him, he was strangely calmer, his blood more a simmer then a boil, he continues to tell his story...

"I was practically a shut in from November until April, rarely coming out of my room, never leaving the hideout, leaving every now and then to fix something for someone. I was trapped with thoughts of self harm, the only thing keeping me company was the darkness... Until one day, Sonic came to me, at first I was not interested in talking to him, I just wanted him to leave me alone... But he didn't, he stayed, he fed me, comforted me, and he did it for a while. Once day he asked me, if I could have had anything in the world what would it be?... I told him, because I was just so starved of love, that I just wanted someone to love me and in a moment of desperation, I asked him... Will you be my boyfriend"

"What did he say?"

"He said yes... And for a while, everything felt like it was going to be alright, I had someone who I already had history with there for me, someone who I thought would be by my side forever. Things got pretty steamy between us in the summer, the whole summer I spent time doing things with him... Like playing twister... Naked. The worst part is, I enjoyed it... I enjoyed it a lot... He made me feel like I had a purpose, like I'd finally found someone I could love"

"Aren't you two supposed to be like brothers?" Winter asks, his head tilted to one side.

"We're not related. We're more like adoptive brothers if anything, but I always just saw him as a close friend" Tails answers.

"Fair. You're a fox, he's a hedgehog" Winter answers.

Tails climbs into Winter's lap, this next part was definitely going to make him pretty upset and Winter could tell.

"Everything was great until October... I was in the mood for action that night... If you know what I mean. I jump on Sonic and kiss his neck like I always did when I was in the mood for messing around... Wanna know what he says?"

"What?"

"...That we should stop. I thought it was a joke at first, until he pushed me off of him... I remember feeling so confused, I didn't know what was going on, I loved him, why didn't he love me back? Did I do something wrong? Did I make him upset? The world I worked to rebuild was crumbling before me, my mended heart was shattered again... And by him of all people... Needless to say... I felt like he took advantage of me, like I had been used as a toy and thrown away. I felt like my body was just another plaything for him. I remember hating him, I hated him so much. It was supposed to be yet another playful night of shenanigans in bed which then turned into me losing my cool and going off on him. I ran out of there, heart broken... The darkness creeping it's way back into my heart. Again... I just wanted to sit somewhere in some sad alleyway and maybe starve to death"

Tails squeezes Winter tight he was fighting hard not to just breakdown and cry in front of him. Winter gently rubs his back as the fox sniffles, fighting back tears. The fox looks up at Winter with a shaky smile.

"But then I met you... I met a new friend, a new ally, someone I could grow to appreciate. And I thought maybe... Just maybe... All I wanted was a friend I could confide it, someone to bring me comfort when I need it, someone to hug when I'm feeling less than stellar, someone to hold hands with while I run around an entire city trying to escape crazy fans"

Winter snickers at that, so does Tails who lays his head on his chest while the wolf continues to message his back.

"I think if I hadn't discovered you, I'd probably be laying in some dark corner starving to death. Because of you and your amazing voice... I saw the light again! I realised maybe life is worth living, if I'm living it with you"

Tails hugs him a little tighter, letting himself cry as he smiles at him, "I'm so glad I met you Winter, and I can't wait to make new memories with you and hangout all the time. I just hope you'll always be there for me, okay?"

Winter sighs and kisses him on the forehead, Tails yips and looks up at him, "I will always be here for you. Don't worry"

"Thank you" Tails whines, closing his eyes and grinning, he looked like he was at peace now that he'd finally.

Someone as nice as you should be showered with love... And I can't wait to be your thunderstorm...

The two sit there, Winter letting Tails cuddle with him as he sniffled, eventually their train arrives and they take it back to Nightstar City. Tails fell asleep on the train as it barrels threw the darkness towards the vibrantly lit metropolis, Winter takes a small quilt from out of his bag and covers Tails with it so the fox stayed warm throughout the trip, then he looks out the window at the lights in the distance as the train sped down the tracks. The lights of houses, businesses, office buildings big and small.

The wolf groans, Tails opened up to him about his struggles but he couldn't open up to Tails about his... Because well, you wouldn't want to tell the guy who just today declared you his new best friend that you were a hitman for hire. He wanted to tell Tails his troubles but didn't know how to tell them without risking exposing himself as part of The Four Seasons. He decides for now, he's just not going to talk about them, it was for the best anyway.

When the train gets back to Nightstar City, Tails is awake by then wiping his eyes as the train slowly rolls into Kennedy Station, the fox notices the quilt on him and blushes slightly, his twin tails wagging, he couldn't get over how thoughtful Winter was. When the two get off the train he folds the quilt and gives it back to him as they walk to the subway in an underground passage within the station.

"Keep it" Winter says.

"Eh?" Tails goes, confused by what he just said.

"I said keep it. It's yours now" Winter responds.

"But it's yours!" Tails says pressing it into his arm.

"Nope, yours now!" Winter insists, pushing it back gently.

Tails blushes harder and smiles at him, "Thank you...I'll treasure it"

"Mhm" Winter says, petting his head.

At this point, it was now time for the boys to head their separate ways for the night. Tails was taking the subway further south so he could get to Senkawa Airport in Cloverton to pick up his plane and go to the hideout, while Winter was taking the subway up north to Aldgrove where he lived.

"Well fox, until next time" Winter says, holding out his fist.

"Until next time" Tails responds, fist bumping him.

Winter waves as his train arrives first, Tails watches from the window waving and jumping up and down, Winter laughs as the subway train pulls away from the station. Tails' hands drop to his sides, the fox wraps the quilt he gave him around his neck making it sort of into a makeshift cape.

It was nice, it even smelled like him, as his train pulls into the station, Tails begins to feel it now, him and Winter were done hanging out for the day... No more kind, thoughtful, nice smelling wolf. It was back to work now... He hates it, hates it so much, he wishes he could go home with Winter and sleep on his couch. Reluctantly, he steps on the subway train just as the doors close and sits down, opening his phone to see a picture Winter sent to him.

He opens their messages and sees Winter sent him a funny picture of Tails stuffing his mouth full of the mint chocolate chip waffles he had earlier, staring at Winter as he photographed him in all his silly glory trying to swallow a whole waffle, cheeks big, crumbs all over his face. Tails immediately starts laughing, he had to admit to himself, he did look pretty silly.

The fox spends the rest of his time on the subway and on the bus looking at pictures the two of them took together, his favourite one was the one where they were hugging eachother on the train to Fleetwood. He decided on the way back to the airport to stop at a photo store along the beach in Cloverton to get the picture printed out.

When Tails gets back to his room in the hideout, he places two frames on his desk, a picture of him and Winter hugging eachother on the train and a picture of just him the night he revealed himself to him, the teary eyed wolf smiling brightly for the camera. Remembering that day always made him feel warm inside, a reminder that there was someone who cared, someone he could love. The fox covers himself with the quilt gifted to him as he drifts off to sleep

I'll see you soon... Wolfy...

---

Winter walks up the steps from the subway station, the wolf couldn't go home, not yet... Spring's contact had managed to trace back the person who had hired The Four Seasons to destroy Team Sonic, the wolf walks down a street with brownstones, light from holographic street signs dimly glowing as he approaches one covered in ivy... His sisters home.

He knocks on the door, waiting outside for a moment, the chilly air blowing his fur around. Spring finally opens the door, hand behind her back, when she sees Winter she sighs and puts the pistol in her hand down, the pink eyed fox wearing a green blouse and jeans.

"Ah there you are... Where have you been hermano" She asks, crossing her arms.

"Out of town, I just got back not too long ago" Winter responds.

Spring steps out of the way and let's her brother inside her home, Winter takes off his trainers and leaves them by the door.

Spring's home was more contemporary, the only thing out of place being the amount of plants around the house, when she wasn't murdering people she was a botanist, a well known one at that. She brings Winter to her living room, her laptop open.

"So what have you got?" Winter asks, sitting on the sofa.

"Raffy came through... For once. He traced the IP address back to this device" Spring says pointing at the screen.

There was a dot on a map, pinging the location of the device, Winter noticed it was in the Kanasaki docks. Winter clicks on the street view icon and sees it's a warehouse near the water, he recognises where it is too.

"Musashino Pier... Right here in the city"

"I checked that place as well, it's abandoned, hasn't been used since 2074. A perfect place for a snake like our amigo here to set up shop. Raffy also told me whoever gave us the job had some top notch encryption too"

"Hm" Winter goes, thinking for a moment, "...This is interesting"

"Should I forward the info to Team Sonic?" She asks.

"Yeah, do it, send it to Summer and Autumn as well" Winter responds, "I need to think..."

"Want something to eat before you go home?" Spring asks, picking up her laptop.

"Sure" Winter responds, a slight smile on his face.

Spring makes Winter some soup and then the wolf leaves for the night walking back towards the Subway station, going home the wolf has a lot on his mind... What was Team Sonic's next move gonna be? Who the hell wanted them dead? Why did they want them dead? Why was Tails so cute?
.....WHAT.

The wolf shouts when he realises Tails suddenly popped into his mind. The wolf bangs his head on a lamp post.

"The hell was that?" He says to himself, angry at himself that he'd have that thought at all, "Why am I thinking about him now of all times?!"

Winter concluded to himself that he just felt bad for what happened the other day... Ignoring the part where he literally just wondered why his friend was cute.

When the wolf gets back to his house he changes into his house clothes, does his laundry and drops himself onto his bed, literally as he's about to go to sleep, his phone chimes... Tails texted him. He looks at his phone and sees the fox sent an animated emoticon of him holding a sign that said... Missing you.

Winter chuckles a little and sends one of himself crying. Then he sees the little dots on the left side of his screen, and a message appears...

> Having a hard time sleeping?

Sorta <

> I can't sleep too, I wish I could hug you, you're so soft

Of course you do <

> Hey! You can use me as a pillow too you know!

You're not an object goofy <

> Haha! I know. But if you wanna treat me like one I'm cool with it!

Winter smiles and shakes his head, the idea of Tails offering to let him use him as a pillow just sounded so funny to him.

> Wanna know the nickname I gave you?

What? <

Tails gulps, the fox wonders if he would find it silly... But he throws his worries away, this was his best friend, he wouldn't judge him... Right?

> Wolpy

Wolpy?... <

> Crap typo
> Wolfy

For a moment Winter doesn't respond, Tails wonders if maybe he shouldn't have decided to speak about it, maybe Winter was laughing at him, or he thought he was cringey.

But in reality Winter was frozen, his face felt warm, eyes wide... The wolf slaps himself and starts typing again.

Oh that's cute <
I guess <

Tails jumps for a second, happy Winter liked it.

> You do? I honestly thought it was kinda cringe

Well I don't think so <

Tails can't help but jump around and shout excitedly before throwing himself back onto the bed, kicking his feet around excitedly.

> You just made my night

The wolf smiles, it felt good to talk to him... Really good.

I'm glad I made you happy <

> Can I come have lunch with you tomorrow?

Sure <

> Maybe I could come every day during the week! I can imagine the fun we'll have!

Are you sure you want to do that? You don't have to? <

> Your restaurant serves good food, can you blame me?
> Also I just said, I like being around you.
> You make me feel soooooo happy

Winter sighs, the idea of having lunch with him most days didn't sound bad actually, he'd have the chance to grow closer and learn more about him.

Alright funny little nerd, you can come over for lunch <

Tails sends an emoticon of him jumping up and down excitedly much to Winter's amusement.

Tails who can barely contain his excitement burries his face in his pillow and an excited squeal follows. There's a knock at his door, Tails gasps and looks up, it's Sonic. He goes from excited to aggressively immediately, the sight of him just bought out the animosity in him.

"Tails can you keep it down we're trying to sleep" Sonic says.

Tails growls, rips his lamp from off the table and throws it at Sonic's head, the hedgehog closes the door to block the heavy object from hitting his head, it shatters on the ground, leaving glass and porcelain all over the floor. Needless to say when Sonic opened the door again, he was not happy.

"What the hell!" He shouts.

"Who the hell?! Why are you opening my door you asshole!" Tails screams.

"Because you're being loud and we can't sleep! You don't live alone you know!" Sonic responds.

"Don't ever open my door unless I say you can. Fuck off!" Tails shouts, picking up one of his thesaurus books and throwing it at his cranium yet again.

Sonic yet again uses his door as a shield.

"Holy shit! You're still mad at me?! Tails this happened over a month ago and I apologised to you! When will you move on?!" Sonic shouts, his temper starting to bleed now too.

"You used me! Of course I won't let it go! Close the door right now, I won't ask you again!" Tails shouts, picking up his tool kit and preparing to throw that at him.

"Oh my god! You're behaving like a small child! You know buddy! As I see it we're both in the wrong, me for saying yes to that, you for coming at me the way you did. Now that we've established that, can you please stop fucking throwing things at me!" Sonic shouts, his blood boiling under his skin.

Tails drops the tool kit on the floor and turns away from him, ears low, fists bawled, "Just go away"

Sonic sighs, annoyed that even after over a month later, he's still angry at him, treating him like he was the villain. It wasn't fair to him... It just wasn't. He closes the door and walks off.

Tails shaking from how angry he was looks back at his phone, he had lovingly named Winter Wolfy in his contacts... He wondered if Winter was already asleep, he just wanted someone to talk to.

> Hey are you there?

Winter hears his phone ping and rolls over to get his phone, when he opens the messaging app. When he sees Tails' message he begins to wonder if something is wrong...

Yeah, I'm here, barely... What's wrong? <

> I had a fight with Sonic

Winter frowns, his heart aching a little bit. He just hoped he was okay.

Wanna talk about it? <

Tails sniffles and smiles when Winter asks that, he wanted him to ask. He really did, he was like therapy for him.

> Mhm