This will be a "girls being girls" chapter, so if you don't like girl drama and hot boy talk then you can skip, but it's very cute, I promise hehehe. >:D

Also, I drew a reference for Olive WOOHOO

The SS Endurance escorted the truck of survivors back to Restoration HQ, flying above and rigged for silent running as it steadily hovered above the truck

Zombots were scattered throughout alleyways, not taking notice to the ship. They'd get distracted by their fellow zombots, knocking over cans and tripping over curbs like a senseless horde. Of which, that really was what they were.

Sonic had arrived earlier and waited for the truck to thunder up towards the hangar. The hero hedgehog was pacing along a rooftop, searching the skies until he spotted the SS Endurance. Pretending to wave it in, he followed downwards inside.

Survivors began to step off the Endurance.

. . . . .

You and Olive stepped down the dropped hangar door ramp, gently chatting to each other. Your partner spoke up first, "I'm sorry about your helmet (Y/n)."

"It's fine- I was able to operate fine without it-" You mumbled.

"And I- watched your fight with Shadow. Are you ok?"

"Fine." You repeated, "I just don't understand how it came to that. How wasn't he told? Or understood that everyone was vouching for me? That just- wasn't the Shadow I've been afraid of this whole time."

"It was weird. I'll go talk to Rouge about it and let you know if somethings up." Olive stopped to the side, changing her direction so she could, indeed, go talk to Rouge. However, before she could go report, small paws gently pulled at her pant leg.

You both looked down.

A little wolf-dog boy with whitening tan fur and red eyes that filtered in a light orange glow looked up to your own (e/c), and then to Olive's. He looked to be 7 or 8, and was terrified. His poor body was shaking ever so slightly and his expression was worried. The littlest bit of tear began to fill the corners of his eyes.

You felt bad for the small child, kneeling down to-

"K-KAT!? Oh my god!" Olive flinched so fast it almost knocked you back. She was hugging the small child, who hadn't been crying in fear, but joy. He knew Olive. This was a reunion.

Your canine compadre held the little boy in her arms and tossed him in the air happily. "I can't believe you- yo- HAHA! You're alive! We'll you'd still be alive but you're like, not infected and still have a mind of your own."

The little boy went emotionless in confusion.

"-Which is a good thing!" you finished Olive's sentence, trying to keep that ray of sunshine that was just beaming into the room right now.

Olive drew the boy, Kat, closer to her in a hug, "We need to get you to your- brother."

Olive was now the one who looked emotionlessly confused, but really it looked kind fear...

'HO HO HO!'

ROMANTIC FEAR. Oh yes, you remembered far too well. The dots connected, this little dude looked familiar.

Olive brought the topic of her crush back up when you first came back to Restoration HQ. That 'hot tan were-hog' as she liked to call him. He was actually just a hedgehog though, with a little bit of canine from his dad you thought. And now, who knew that she was dreaming of as an adult in her prime. This must be their little brother.

You chuckled to yourself and walked up to Olive, "Oh boy, do you want me to take him? You were going to go talk to Rouge right?"

"NO. I got this." Olive's heart beat like it was about to just pop out of her chest. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves now that she's got leverage for trying to talk to her crush again.

"Gee if you seem so excited about it then why haven't you talked to him at all?"

Olive propped Kat up on her arms and held two hands around her neck to be safely held. "I- no particular reason... Ro-"

"Is brother here!?" The little kid cheered up instantly, even before Olive could tell him where they were going, but he guessed right anyways.

She nodded, "Yes he is, do you want to go say hello?" Kat shook with excitement, smiling widely and nodding up and down with enough velocity to be a heavy rocker at a concert, throwing his fists up and down as if to first bump the air.

You girls chuckled and made your way to this "brother" figure, Olive walking in front as she knew where he was stationed. Of course. The three of you chatted, and Kat became obsessed with your stories, the good ones about where you were saving people of course. He wasn't too young to know about who you used to be, but you played it safe.

"And then, the dinosaur came crashing through the wall! RAAWR!" You made two little T-rex fingies and pretended to maw at Kat, who chuckled at your playfulness. Olive was a little surprised, especially knowing you as the hardcore combat super soldier partner of hers.

"You're so cool (Y/n)!" you hummed a giggle and Olive pretended to look offended.

"UH!? Aren't I cool too? I fly those big ol' planes. I even flew the one that brought you here."

"Sure, O-."

"Olive?" A masculine voice called out from behind a series of tall, training badniks that were definitely meant for combat training before the metal virus. It was a small training area rigged up with old Eggman bots that give a distinct look of beaten, repaired, beaten, and then repaired again for the sake of training.

Behind one of the bots emerged, what Olive will call ✨him ✨. You had to admit, despite the beads of sweat and the ashy patches on his fur, this rough individual that your best friend rather beloved was a handsome one.

"I-Yeah, hey Roman." she answered. You knew she was telling herself to play it cool, be casual, and try not to protest your love to him so fast.

Roman, as he was called, stepped to the side and was looking at the floor, brushing himself off and clearing that ash and dust from his tan fur, "What's up, need somethin-"

"BROTHER!" Kat jumped from Olive's arms and almost tossed her right over, but you were there to catch her and save the embarrassment. Your quick reflexes caught her arm and she VERY quickly recovered herself in a panic. Nodding thanks for the save.

Roman, usually stoic and serious, became frantic and smiling. His chest heaved in shock at seeing his family run towards him. He couldn't speak, just huffing in disbelief and stuttering any words that tried to come out.

"Kat!" He finally called out, falling to his knees and tightly hugging the small wolf-kid. Roman placed his hands on the sides of his little brother's head, examining him in disbelief, "How did you even make it? I thought I lost you out there."

White little Kat was explaining his survival story, you and Olive walked over and stood close by the two boys. You looked at your friend. She had a kind expression and soft eyes as she looked at the two, the empathy of family creating a warm atmosphere throughout the dull training room.

Roman soon stood back up to face the two of you. Olive stood up straight as she could and tried to keep that warm smile as she stared at her old friend and still current crush. The hedgehog stepped forwards and took Olive's hands, "Thank you for bringing my brother home. He was, is, all I've got. I could literally marry you right now."

Roman had to have been in some lunatic state, there was no way he said that, and when he realized he did, he shook his head and pretended to ramble about something irrelevant.

The poor border collie was as bright as a tomato, blushing hard at the interaction unfolding and proud of the compliment she just received. "O-of course! I was surprised when I saw him too. And- even if she didn't know who it was she was rescuing, (Y/n)-"

"(Y/n), that's seriously you?- What the hell happened to you?" Roman narrowed an eye at you, his tone back to serious but still curious. His eyes looked at your war torn scars and battered armor. (Optional:) Especially the massive scar that cressed your right eyebrow.

"Ah you know-" You began to twiddle your thumbs together in classic cartoon fashion, while glancing at Kat who was still currently in the mindset of admiring your hero adventures. "-uhhh just fighting zombots and totally no longer trying to take over the world anymore."

A wide, guilty smile plastered itself on your face and your head scrunched into your shoulders at the tall guy in front of you who was definitely defensive about you being here.

Roman tap his little brother on the head, messing with his hair. His glowing red eyes soon met your (e/c) again, narrowing, "You've got Olive's trust, but I haven't forgotten what you did 5 years ago."

You sighed, "You have a right to be mad and upset with me, but just know I am sorry and I want to stay fighting for the right side this time."

The tan hedgehog huffed and pat his brother on the back to go run off towards some of his stuff, in which the little kid went and pulled out some old stuff he recognized, an old plastic dinosaur caught his eye.

Now it was you three adults. Roman's arms were crossed and Olive was still calming down from his abrupt compliment, you, stood casual but strong.

"So, Roman, what's with all the little kiddy training badniks?" You playfully taunted the already edgy boy.

"T-sk, you know I could beat up more of these stupid pieces of metal than you." He arms tightened and his fands turned into fists.

"I- No, no you couldn't." Olive shocked her head gently and turned to you, "I know you hate the name, sorry (Y/n), but you know she's still got (N/n) power right?"

Roman hesitated because Olive was right, you were still one of the most powerful people here, who even knocked down Shadow just even earlier today but you kept that little bragging right to yourself.

"Whatever- I'll make my own team and surpass Team Noble no problem now that Eggman's back." Roman picked up some of the equipment off of the ground, and tried to go back to his training.

"Team Noble?-" Olive spoke softly in confusion. There was Team Sonic, Dark, Chaotix... Noble.... Wait.

"Is that supposed to be us?" You leaned forwards, intrigued about this name. "You need three people for a team and it's just us two."

"I thought your dragon daddy friend applied for it and Rouge accepted." Roman tossed a rather sifted towel over his shoulders and tilted his head, confused as to, "Why don't you guys even know this?-"

You sighed, "If it's Rouge, she has a bit of a communication issue." Noting how she failed to tell Shadow about you-...

"NO WAY! We could go ask!" Olive jumped and turned to you to go, but-

"Hold on Olive, I wanna talk to (Y/n) for a sec." Roman stopped you first.

You turned to face him, and then Olive, back and forth, "Sure, I'll meet you in the control center Olive."

She nodded and went on, letting go of the fact that her crush wanted to talk to you instead but, even so, that 'marry you' compliment was quite enough too. As she left, you yelled back to the flustered girl, "I promise I won't steal your boyfriend."

There was just frantic yelling around the corner and you chuckled, turning to the tan hedgehog and nodded, "You know she likes you right?"

Roman sighed and nodded as well, "Mhm, ever since we were younger, before all your little supervillain spree, I could tell she was flustered."

"Hey, I said I was sorry about that."

"I know, I shouldn't keep hammering it into you since it's clear you really are trying to change."

"I appreciate the notice." The two of you stood there, watching the corner Olive left behind and was probably spying from, "Anyways, what did you need?"

"You were the infamous (N/n), if you know skill I want you to show me it sometime."

"So you want me to train you?" You smiled, knowing he would deny help from another fellow fighter.

"Hell no, I just want to see what you can do." Roman bared a little bit of his fangs.

"In due time my boy, you will be as powerful as me one day." You gave a bow as you started to walk backwards to leave, pretending to be some all-mighty powerful wizard talking to an apprentice. "If I'm ever back, check my mission log and if there's free time ask me then. See you man."

He didn;t say anything, just went back to his brother. You, didn't round the corner, yet-

"BLAH!" You yelled, suddenly rounding the corner to jump Olive. She was a little further back but still got a good spook.

"How dare you!"

"HOW DARE YOU!" You sarcastically responded, laughing as you helped your friend up. "You know I don't care for guys or whatever right?" (Either in an aromantic or lesbian way, or you're just not looking rn, I gotchu covered :))

"Alright- but anyways. Cream and Sonic were looking for you. I'll see you in the control room later."

"Sounds good, be back in a bit." You parted ways down the corridor, eventually finding one the Cream and Sonic playfully chatting.

Hope that was ok :) playing this chapter on Roman's birthday, April 20th 💥

I'm not super good at writing flirtatious moments but I kinda want to MAYBE, just MAYBE, make an x reader. I just don't know for what characters, or even if it may be a different series/franchise/fandom, who knows.

Chapter Length @2370 Words