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Cooling heat of late summer breezes swept through the hundreds of thousands of people on the edge of their seats desperate to see the conclusion to the most exhilarating and captivating race imaginable. Cheers encouraged it to come to its eagerly awaited close, the clouds of the pure blue sky seeming to drift along faster with every motivating scream.
Extreme Gear that flourished in all colours that could possibly be concocted through their shimmering fresh paint jobs hovered over the finish line, inches between one another and only the odd few anywhere behind.
Tails sighed, knowing for sure he was going to be one of those left to lag behind. He just couldn't keep up. He never believed he had the skill. Sure, he could craft a hover board for his pals now and again to every aspect of complete perfection in the eyes of professional riders, but actually being able to come anywhere near first place in a race was a whole different story.
The little yellow fox's saffron board that illuminated the shade of happiness came to a forced slower pace from his own intentions, the frown carved into his fluffy face radiating with an opposite emotion. He'd skidded over the finish line engraved into the ground as the last of the eight racers that had competed for what felt like hours but was only minutes, another deep sigh allowing his fuzzy chest to carefully rise and fall in a breath of defeat.
It certainly wasn't the first time he'd experienced this kind of thrash, but he gave a small smile to the digital podium that congratulated the top three places as he leapt from his board and leant his exhausted body against it. Those who had snatched the most coveted places appeared one by one, from third to second to first.
In third place was Jet, the Legendary Wind Master who wanted to claim himself as the fastest creature in the universe, but this race had proven that he just wasn't fast enough. Tails' smile grew once Sonic came on screen, his best friend and perhaps even brother who he knew for certain to be the fastest thing alive. His smile dipped downwards, however, as he realised Sonic to be in second.
Hmm, how did he not win? He always wins!
Tails felt a little uncertain when the cheering for first place silenced any other sounds of the peaceful nature surrounding the track, the beaks of birds tweeting in their own private nest building lives to be zipped closed by the congratulating screams.
Tails gave a gasp into the soothing summer air when (Y/n) appeared on screen with the title of first place labelled across her part of the podium. He wasn't completely sure who she was, only having noticed her perhaps once or twice with...
Team Babylon!?
Tails gulped once he realised (Y/n) to be the newest member of Jet's team that the egotistical bright green hawk wouldn't stop boasting about her recently. He could hear extolling of his rival team from behind him, his vivid yellow tails anxiously wafting to the side as his body turned to see (Y/n) being applauded by the members of Team Babylon.
The sight of her in real life suddenly made his stomach churn and his heart miss a few beats. He felt himself shrivel up into the corner of the room, not wanting to breathe too loud so for the popular group to notice him.
Especially not (Y/n). Because even though he couldn't wait another second to harass her with the millions of questions about her that spiralled through his brain, he couldn't find the hidden confidence to confront her. And especially not if she was being praised by someone like Jet the Hawk, who currently had an arm over her shoulders and a smug grin across his beak.
But even though she was accompanied and praised by those Tails had made rivalry and perhaps even enemies of before, he still had a strange sensation gnawing away at him deep inside. It confused him, but he just shrugged it off.
Tails reached for his board with another sigh, a gloved hand slipping around the bright yellow coating with a sturdy grip as the other adjusted his goggles that balanced above the tuft of saffron hair that sprawled from his forehead. He gave another sigh, noticing his friends to the other side of the track and knowing he would need to join them at some point.
But that would mean passing Team Babylon, and he knew he would receive some form of aggressive criticism on his way past.
And he would also need to pass (Y/n), the girl he had only seen for about five minutes but already felt a strange tingle whenever he came into sight. He shook it off again, innocently holding his hover board like a schoolboy taking his books to exactly that. His feet enveloped in oversized crimson shoes stormed past the group, hearing a few stifled laughs as he hurried past.
But Tails couldn't resist another glance to (Y/n), standing proudly within her team as the four of them high fived one another in a circular motion. He smiled, the throbbing heat of the sun watching him from above feeling like it broke through his chest and sent the same infectious feeling to his heart that pounded at the same pace as his feet.
Which, in fact, seemed to slow down in distraction. Tails came to a stop trying to pull his body towards his teammates that observed with tilted heads and raised eyebrows, but it was like the enticing aura that radiated from (Y/n) tugged him backwards. She leant to the wall that separated the roaring crowds from the track, Extreme Gear in hold that glistened with the same shade as her fur/quills/feathers.
She seemed engrossed in conversation amongst her team, cheekily rolling her eyes with a sarcastic smile to Jet's continuous praise for himself and his oh so glorious self only. Tails froze when he noticed her (e/c) glittering beautifully in the afternoon sunlight lock with his own quivering sapphires.
It was only a second, but Tails could feel the same warmth that projected into the depths of the dusted track from the blazing sun above spread across the pure white fur of his muzzle. His eyes that matched the shade of the sky widened as he spun on his heels to scurry past and head to his teammates, who already seemed to have cracked the case through the hundreds of clues dotted here and there.
Tails could feel himself becoming a blushing mess, a gloved hand raised to bury his heated face into it as the other kept hold of his hover board. He couldn't turn back, but the beauty of the new Babylonian teammate enticed him backwards. He knew he had to keep going, although he could practically feel himself dying to know all the tips and tricks (Y/n) had used to score the most coveted place on the podium.
Sonic's chuckles pulled him away, however, the embarrassment suddenly overtaking the feeling of nervousness. Tails grunted with both hands shielding his deep red cheeks, Sonic slowly approaching with another stifled laugh and an elbow to his shoulder.
"Come on, buddy." Sonic chuckled once more, a gloved hand ruffling the vivid golden fur of his brother's head before scooping his Extreme Gear that matched the vibrant shade of blue of his own quills that balanced against the walls keeping the crowd at bay.
Tails sighed, this time with relief.
Good, they didn't notice.
He brought his board to his chest and hastily caught up to Sonic and his other teammates Knuckles and Amy. Sonic spun on his heels embedded into the depths of his oversized scarlet shoes midway through a stride into the distance, a wink and the formation of a peace sign between his fingers allowing further cheers and screams to echo through the ocean of fans.
Tails purposefully kept behind the team, his twinkling sapphires leaping for a final glance at Team Babylon to catch (Y/n) once more if he could. And he did, a deep sigh and an absentminded smile crossing his already pink cheeks as he just about managed to peep at (Y/n) speeding alongside Jet into the distance.
Up ahead, Sonic noticed Tails absence, the vibrant blue speedster spinning on his heels into the aureate sand the race track blended into as it faded away once again. He smirked once seeing Tails practically wandering backwards, the two fluffballs behind him wagging like that of a dog. Sonic zipped towards him, gloved hands to the dazed fox's shoulders and swiveling him around with a squeak of surprise.
Tails' startled sapphires locked with Sonic's bold emeralds, the hedgehog now wandering backwards to keep the two of them face to face. Tails held a hand to his burning cheeks once again, attempting to hide all the clues the crew had pieced together unbeknownst to him.
Sonic smirked to Knuckles, the vivid red echidna also slanting his feet backwards while adjusting his goggles with a monstrous fist. The two of them stifled a chuckle each, Tails becoming desperate to prevent the teasing he knew to be inevitable to be voiced by Knuckles' deafening growls to the whole world.
"Sonic, it's not what you think it is, really..." Tails stuttered.
Knuckles chuckled. "What, you definitely totally one hundred percent don't have a crush on that girl?"
Tails' beautifully blue orbs widened again, Sonic carefully keeping another laugh silent to take into account his brother's uneasiness.
Amy turned to Knuckles, the pink hedgehog whose quills matched the shade of a flourishing rose sending a beaming smile to Tails.
"Oh my gosh, really!? Tails has a crush!?" She squeaked, the three of the humiliated fox's friends keeping their attention locked to him like their eyes glistening with hope were the keys to unlock his deepened embarrassment.
"Guys..." Tails whined, feeling a pat to the back from a warmly grinning Sonic and another ruffle to the characteristic fur that sprung from his forehead.
While preparing himself for more playful chiacking as the afternoon progressed into a peaceful night.
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