"Thanks," Espio muttered, looking at the ground and flat out refusing to even glance in Marco's direction.
"For what?" Marco's deadpan expression didn't change, he didn't even blink, but he was still taken aback a little by the confession.
"For not abandoning me, I guess," Espio frowned even more.
A small annoyed sound bubbled in Marco's throat and he instantly scooped Espio up into his arms in a hug. "We're family. I'm going to take you back into my world, introduce you to everyone else, and you can be a turnip farmer for all I care, but we're family. Family never abandons each other, got it? Jeez..." he ruffled Espio's head despite the lack of hair. "You kids are going to drive me nuts one of these days."
Espio squirmed to try to get out, but he soon gave up. He was getting too used to Marco doing this to even bother at this point. "You're already nuts," he huffed and objected.
Marco smirked and cheerfully nuzzled the chameleon to drive him more crazy, "Aye, but my way is more fun."
"What's so special about your world anyway? I'm not a pirate," Espio glanced off into the distance.
There was a wry grin from Marco at that and he set his adopted little brother on his shoulders. "Freedom matey. Besides, you just want to protect people, aye? We need more help with that, a lot more help." Marco wasn't ready to admit it out loud yet, but for all the time he spent in the Garden trying to learn more to help his family, no matter which way he looked at it, even just trying to get as many of them to survive as he could would be a struggle.
"But it's not my world," Espio poked the bald patch of Marco's head. Seriously, that pineapple haircut was weird. What was Marco even thinking when decided to give it to himself? Or was it just the only way could have any hair left?
"So? I don't know everyone I wind up protecting sometimes, matey. And Pops sure as hell didn't. But wouldn't you like to have someone guarding you back as best they can?" Marco wandered off, strolling through the Garden like he owned the place, same as he did anywhere really, "Then you'll really never be alone if you don't want to be." And sometimes, even if Espio did want to be, but Marco kept that part to himself.
Espio silently thought it over and poked Marco's head again, "Where are we going?" Crazy bird.
"On an adventure, so you can see freedom. Also someplace warmer," Marco nodded.
Espio rolled his eyes, "You know I didn't pilot this place to cold climes."
"You weren't a pilot last month," Marco stuck his tongue out one last time before switching into phoenix to take off flying.
"Idiot," Espio muttered quietly, but snuggled into the feathers. Sometimes there was something to be said for nakama that wouldn't leave no matter how much you tried to get rid of them.
It can totally be fluffy without shippy! IDK if it worked XD BUT I TRIED XDDD
"For what?" Marco's deadpan expression didn't change, he didn't even blink, but he was still taken aback a little by the confession.
"For not abandoning me, I guess," Espio frowned even more.
A small annoyed sound bubbled in Marco's throat and he instantly scooped Espio up into his arms in a hug. "We're family. I'm going to take you back into my world, introduce you to everyone else, and you can be a turnip farmer for all I care, but we're family. Family never abandons each other, got it? Jeez..." he ruffled Espio's head despite the lack of hair. "You kids are going to drive me nuts one of these days."
Espio squirmed to try to get out, but he soon gave up. He was getting too used to Marco doing this to even bother at this point. "You're already nuts," he huffed and objected.
Marco smirked and cheerfully nuzzled the chameleon to drive him more crazy, "Aye, but my way is more fun."
"What's so special about your world anyway? I'm not a pirate," Espio glanced off into the distance.
There was a wry grin from Marco at that and he set his adopted little brother on his shoulders. "Freedom matey. Besides, you just want to protect people, aye? We need more help with that, a lot more help." Marco wasn't ready to admit it out loud yet, but for all the time he spent in the Garden trying to learn more to help his family, no matter which way he looked at it, even just trying to get as many of them to survive as he could would be a struggle.
"But it's not my world," Espio poked the bald patch of Marco's head. Seriously, that pineapple haircut was weird. What was Marco even thinking when decided to give it to himself? Or was it just the only way could have any hair left?
"So? I don't know everyone I wind up protecting sometimes, matey. And Pops sure as hell didn't. But wouldn't you like to have someone guarding you back as best they can?" Marco wandered off, strolling through the Garden like he owned the place, same as he did anywhere really, "Then you'll really never be alone if you don't want to be." And sometimes, even if Espio did want to be, but Marco kept that part to himself.
Espio silently thought it over and poked Marco's head again, "Where are we going?" Crazy bird.
"On an adventure, so you can see freedom. Also someplace warmer," Marco nodded.
Espio rolled his eyes, "You know I didn't pilot this place to cold climes."
"You weren't a pilot last month," Marco stuck his tongue out one last time before switching into phoenix to take off flying.
"Idiot," Espio muttered quietly, but snuggled into the feathers. Sometimes there was something to be said for nakama that wouldn't leave no matter how much you tried to get rid of them.