Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The atmosphere is strange.

It's like a pink version of Christmas. You can smell it for miles in all the schools, Institutes, Companies and establishments all over the city. Even the whole world. That smell of candies, chocolates, cookies, teddy bears bathed in perfumes, red and white roses, more chocolates, more cookies, more teddy bears, more damn roses...

Valentine's Day had arrived, that moment in the month of February when everyone is crazy about expressing their feelings to that special person in some way, or better said, in the most romantic way possible.

On one side, teenage boys were walking from one side to the other, with bouquets of colorful flowers under one arm, and some teddy bear under the other.

Ha! How original...

The girls, on the other hand, went through every possible bookstore, looking for envelopes and colorful sheets of paper to write romantic letters, secret admirer letters, or love confession letters. Then they would run home and douse the letters with their favorite perfumes, in order to give a clue to their crushes as to who sent them the letter.

Poor naive girls... Someone please tell them that hormonal teenagers are also idiots who don't notice hints even when they're stuck on their noses.

Anyway, have a good time, lovebirds in love!

Then there were the bachelors, walking home after buying a big tub of ice cream, ready to watch the afternoon soap opera, and crying because the main character Alejandra is not reciprocated by the handsome Pedro Sanchez.

What nonsense, isn't it?

While for some it is a special day of roses, and for others a day of ice cream and sad music, for everyone else it was just a day.

Yes, even though it was a worldwide known holiday, it was still a new day, and as such, there were still people who had to go to their jobs, take care of their homes, go to school, do paperwork, travel, in short, attend to their own business.

And that was the case for a certain jackal... or at least, that was what he intended to do when he got up that morning.

But no. He knew that something had to be different this time, and the reason was, there was now someone else in his life. Someone who knocked on the door of his heart without warning, and settled into his life as if it were his own home.

Zero stopped in the middle of the street when he realized what he had just thought. What the fuck was that thought? Are you a Romeo now?

It must definitely be the strong sweet smell of the candy in all the stores that must be making him dizzy. He would never think something so cheesy. It wasn't his style at all. Because yes, Zero hated candy and chocolates, or rather, sugar in general. And the pile of colors everywhere was also driving him crazy. The whole thing seemed too stressful for him, and way out of his taste.

His morning coffee? Bitter and black. His favorite muffins? Cheese-filled. His closet? Mostly jackets, coats or suits in shades of white, black, gray and beige. Did he wear brightly colored clothes? Yes... if the wine-red T-shirt, which he never wore, counted as a bright color.

So, what was he doing, in the middle of a city bathed in colors and smells he didn't like? Why not just go home, if he found it all so unpleasant?

Very simple...

He was also looking for a gift.

What a mess he got himself into, and all for falling into the games of that silly red wolf.

[That same morning]

"Hey Zee!"

Someone was calling and shaking him gently to wake him up.

"Mhn?"

"Do you know what day it is today?"

"...My day off?"

"Nooooo!...well, yes. But also, Today is Valentine's Day!"

"Congratulations. Good night," Replied the jackal, snuggling further into the sheets.

"Come on! Get up sleepyhead!"

That person held the sheets and pulled them off tightly, causing the jackal to curl up into a ball in the middle of the cushions, trying to keep warm.

"Gadget please... what do you want?" holding back the yawn was impossible, and trying to stay awake was even harder.

"We have to get up now! We have to plan something for today. Remember we agreed to look for a surprise gift!"

"Don't do this to me...you know these dates aren't my thing"

"Hohoho! Sunset Hill's most coveted jackal. The unattainable Emotionally Unavailable Gallant. The salon tough guy... Not capable of doing something as simple as looking for a gift?"

Okay. That mocking, defiant tone hadn't sat well with him. Being competitive and a sore loser had its disadvantages, and that damned wolf, knew how to take advantage of them.

Without hesitation, Zero quickly sat down on the bed, facing Gadget face to face.

"All right, you've got my attention"

"That's my boy!" said the wolf, moving a little closer to his partner "Here's the game. We must find a special gift for each other, but it can't be just anything... It must be something that will make us cry with joy!"

"Why so extreme?"

"To give it drama?" Gadget just chuckled a little "The only advantage we will have, will be to give clues as to what we want"

"The problem, is that I don't really want anything"

"Then it will be an even bigger challenge for me! I must find a gift that can really impress you!"

"You know it's not necessary that..." the jackal stopped when he saw that Gadget really seemed excited by the idea, the best thing was not to ruin his joy "Forget it. But then, what about you? What do you expect to receive?"

"Mmm... Actually. I would like to eat a cute heart-shaped chocolate this year"

"You know I can buy it for you everywhere, right? You just have to-"

"Cooked by you"

"... Huh?"

"Yeap"

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Maybe~"

"Ah, I get it! You want to challenge me because you know I'm going to fall for your tricks, don't you?"

"Maybe~"

"Because you know I won't refuse and I'll listen to you, right?"

"Maybe~"

"... Can I even try to refuse?"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Oh C'mon! You know very well that I don't like sweets, don't you? Of all the things I can cook, why does it have to be something sweet? I can cook you anything else you want, you know?"

"What's the matter Zee? Can't you make a simple chocolate? Is that too much of a challenge for you baby?" There it was again, that damn mocking and defiant tone.

"Of course I can!"

"Really?"

"Try me!"

"It's a deal!"

"... OH FUCK!"

And there was the reason for his current situation. He had fallen into his boyfriend's games without realizing it... again.

But hey, a deal's a deal, and Zero wasn't looking forward to Gadget winning the game and using the affair to blackmail or taunt him later. He definitely had to win the deal.

Now, the first step was to find the ingredients.

It wasn't difficult considering he wasn't the only one with plans to cook homemade chocolate, in fact, in several stores there were signs displaying the ingredients he needed with nice offers.

The jackal was about to enter one of those stores when his phone rang. There was no need to see who was calling him, as he recognized the ridiculous ringtone that the wolf himself took the liberty of setting, that noisy tune from the game Kirby.

"...What now?" He answered the call unwillingly.

"Have you given up already baby? And that we just started the day" answered the wolf.

"Who said I gave up! I'm working on your nonsense right now"

"Really?! Oh my gosh are you really doing it my love?"

"That's right! I already have the ingredients, the mold, the wrapper and the poison. I'll be back home to start preparing it soon"

"Eh?... poison?"

"Anyway. What were you calling me for? Did you need something?" Zero did his best to keep from laughing.

"I'm sure you said ‘poison’..." muttered the wolf "Ah! Yes! I was calling to tell you that the deadline is 6pm. We should meet at the central park"

"Why so late? Where will you have lunch?"

"I've got it figured out, don't worry. But yes, that will be our deadline. Don't be late. I love you!"

"Wait! Gadg-" The call ended "... Do you really have to go that far?"

The jackal could only sigh in frustration, and without further ado, he wandered into the store to buy the ingredients he would need, omitting the poison of course. That last, he only said it to annoy the wolf.

It didn't take him long to find what he needed, thanks to the previous list he had made on his phone, so he set out to walk to the register to pay.

There were only two people in line before him, but the jackal was quick to recognize the girl in front of him, and he couldn't help but curse under his breath at his bad luck when she also noticed the jackal's presence.

"Hoho! Look what Cupid brought us!" she said, with her typical smile.

Oh fuck...

"Good morning Amy..."

"Hello ZerofluffyPooh! What brings you here on this beautiful morning?"

"Nothing special. Just Gadget and another one of his shenanigans"

"Oohh!" The pink hedgehog noticed the basket of groceries the jackal was bringing, and immediately understood where the whole thing was going "You'll make him a Valentine's Day present?!"

"Keep your voice down!" having said this, even though there weren't that many people around "He just wants me to make him a sweet. It's nothing special"

"You mean a Chocolate, don't you? I thought you didn't like those things?"

"I don't like those things"

"Oh? And how do you expect to prepare something special if you won't prepare it in a special way?"

"... What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on! Everyone knows that, in order to prepare something special, you have to give it the special touch, 'love'. Besides! Chef's rule number one, never cook angry. Chef's rule number two, to be sure you've achieved your goal, you must taste what you've prepared"

"I don't need to taste it. It will turn out fine. I just need to follow the recipe"

"You really have no idea what you're talking about, right?"

That damn mocking tone of voice of the girl's. Had they really all agreed to tease him today?

"I don't think it's a big deal... It can't be that hard to prepare a chocolate"

"Then, I recommend you take this with you too" Amy walked over to a small shelf where there were some books, and picked up one that was a bit thick "Trust me, you'll need it"

The title of the book was "How to make a special chocolate", and when the jackal opened it to check it out, he found an introduction with over a hundred different names of chocolates!

"WHAT THE F-"

"It can't be that hard to prepare a chocolate, right Zero?"

The girl just finished putting her things in the register to pay for them, and with the most mocking smile possible, simply left without saying goodbye. Enjoying the jackal's perplexed face.

Zero simply stood there, open-mouthed, not knowing what to do in the face of such a discovery, even as the girl at the register called out to him, to tell him it was his turn to pay.

What the fuck was that thing in his hands?

Cocoa was just one, so why was there such a variety of chocolates?!

Whose bright idea was it to create so many?! This was just another pain in the ass for the jackal! How would he know which would be the best choice? Did they all use the same ingredients? Maybe Gadget would have a favorite chocolate and Zero never knew?

Yep... Zero was in serious trouble. Now, the chances of losing the wolf game had increased by 78%.

He was screwed.

The lady at the register called him again, in a slightly higher voice, scolding him a bit for holding up the line with the other customers.

Zero didn't give a damn about the other customers. He paid for his things and ran home as fast as he could. The matter had become more serious and more difficult than he had thought, and if he didn't hurry, the deadline would come before he could finish his part of the deal. When he arrived, he dropped the shopping bags on the kitchen table and ran to the bathroom to wash his hands for at least five minutes. Having naturally long, thick nails had made caring for his hands almost a daily ritual.

When he felt ready, he returned to the kitchen, but not before pulling his hair into a high ponytail. However, when he wanted to grab his ever-loyal gray apron, which always hung on the hanger next to the kitchen, he found only a pink apron, which Gadget wore as a mockery when it was his turn to prepare dinner. Obviously he wasn't going to wear that thing, but after searching for his own apron for a few minutes, he found that it was in the washing machine, along with other clothes.

He remembered that it was Gadget's turn to do the washing that day, but apparently his boyfriend was so excited about the whole Valentine's Day thing, that he just forgot something as simple as turning on the damned washing machine.

Well... fuck that.

Sighing defeated, he went back to the kitchen, and feeling a strange shiver all over his body, he simply put on the stupid pink apron.

While cheerful colors were not his thing, there was something about that garment that made him feel even more uncomfortable. It was as if someone was watching him or recording him from somewhere in the house, and the jackal prayed to all possible gods that it was just an assumption.

Okay, enough of the games, time to concentrate on the main issue.

Zero started moving bags around, sorting out utensils, pots, molds and ingredients to make sure he had everything he needed to prepare the homemade chocolate.

He remembered the book Amy had given him at the store, but didn't see the need to use it yet. He needed to practice with something simple first. So he looked up a video tutorial on his phone and followed the preparation steps as precisely as possible.

When the initial preparation was ready, he placed the soft dough in small cloud-shaped molds, and after a few minutes in the fridge, they were ready to serve.

For a first attempt, it looked pretty decent, and in texture and color it was just like the one in the video tutorial, but now the problem was...

"Chef's rule number two, to be sure you have achieved your goal, you must taste what you have prepared"

Taste it? Was that really necessary? Something in his stomach and his conscience was tingling, telling him that he had to do it. It was something similar to a bad feeling, which did not allow him to trust the good appearance of his work.

And he had no choice but to accept his defeat against his own conscience.

Carefully he removed one of the pieces from the mold, and taking a deep breath, he put the chocolate in his mouth.

One bite, two, three and the mass melted around his tongue, allowing him to taste the result of his work.

And...

Chapter Text

"...WHAT THE FUCK!!"

One moment, he was eating a chocolate, and the next, he was with his head stuck in the toilet, puking up everything he could possibly have in his stomach.

That thing could not be called chocolate! That thing was an insult to all the sweets in the world!

The taste was horrible! It was like chewing mud, mixed with rotten egg and four tons of bad sugar. It was a goo, and for a second, he was sure that's what eating a worm must feel like.

He couldn't give Gadget something like that. It was as if his joke, about putting poison in chocolate, had come true.

But no! He couldn't give in. Not just because of the deal, but because, at the end of the day, Gadget deserved a special gift.

Ever since they met in high school, Gadget always gave him little gifts, which he knew Zero would like. It was as if every detail, no matter how minuscule, had been carefully thought out to fulfill his goal of pleasing the jackal.

It was only a few years later, when they formalized their relationship and continued with it, even after graduating and entering the working world, that the wolf admitted that small details were his method of conquest.

Zero, on the other hand, did not have the slightest touch of a detail-oriented person. Everything he gave the wolf on certain occasions, were things that Gadget openly said he wanted to buy or have, things that were in fashion, or things that the wolf would stare at in the showcases. But he never thought about whether he really liked all those things. Of course he was happily grateful for them, but to be honest, he never took the time to find out what things his boyfriend really liked.

And now he had a slim chance to brighten Gadget's day with a sincere gift. Something as simple as a chocolate. Gadget actually looked excited by the idea of eating a silly chocolate, prepared by Zero's own hand. And now that he noticed, it was the first time Gadget had directly admitted what kind of gift he wanted to receive...

To disappoint the wolf on this occasion, would be the worst mistake of all.

So, there was no time to lose! It was time for a second attempt!

Pushing aside the possible negative scenarios in his head, the jackal finally deigned to pick up the book.

Now, he was determined to get serious about making a chocolate that his boyfriend would really like, looking through the index for some titles that looked appealing to him. Luckily for him, underneath the names of the chocolates, there was a short description of what they represented. A way to give them special meaning if they were offered as gifts.

"All right, the most popular choice is Moulie chocolates, and giving them as a gift means A sincere token of affection and Friendship, so..." Jackal read aloud the options "No. That's too typical. I need something more special"

Flipping through several more pages, he stopped at another that seemed almost as simple as the previous one.

"White Chocolate Hearts. They express pure and sincere Love... Neither. It's still very simple... and sounds almost stupid"

Feeling his patience wearing thin, he flipped back to the next few pages. They all had ideas that sounded cute but were too simple with too little special touch.

The famous Pocky, a variety of bitter chocolates, chocolates filled with fruit or jelly, chocolates with strange names that the only thing different about them was their shape... All them too boring!

Or they were, until he found a recipe that looked eye-catching, where the illustration included a bottle of Whiskey and a bottle of Rum.

"Chocolates filled with liquor paste? What the-?... As a gift, they represent the Desire of Unbridled Passion at the time of-" Before he finished reading, the jackal ripped the page out and crumpled it tightly, while feeling his face was red with embarrassment "... We haven't gotten there yet. We don't need this!"

Without hesitation, he threw the crumpled page into the trash can, and was about to close the book and discard its use, until he noticed the page next to it.

"Eh? This chocolate is called Kiss?..." He said, as he read carefully to the review "… They express Tenderness, Gratitude, Affection and Love. Also, they are a good way to say 'I love everything about you, even the smallest details'..."

Indeed, the illustration showed a small chocolate, in the shape of a squashed drop, which in no way resembled anything related to a kiss, but there was variety. They could be filled with different flavors of creams or be plain, and even so, they could be beautifully presented if given as a gift with another chocolate. Moreover, the reference image showed a round white box, in the center of which rested a heart-shaped chocolate, and around it, there were several small Kisses.

That was it! That was the perfect chocolate gift!

"I GOT IT!"

He was now determined to prepare the most delicious chocolate his culinary skills would allow. Using a pair of pots to hold the book steady and upright so that he could follow the recipe on the page more easily, the jackal set to work.

He first made several small attempts in other molds, which he kept testing to be sure he found a flavor that met his expectations, and before he knew it, his palate had become accustomed to the sweet taste.

After a few hours, he finally got a really nice taste, even for him. It was creamy but not enough to be viscous, it wasn't overly sweet but it wasn't bland either. It was just perfect.

It took him no more than a few minutes to repeat his creation, to put it in the large heart mold, and take it to the fridge.

Next up were the Kisses. They were not difficult to mold, but filling them with the cream was a real challenge. In the end, he had to use a large syringe, so as not to spoil the little creation.

And VOILA! The chocolates were ready, and he still had enough time to bathe and get to the agreed place with minutes to spare.

When he set out to arrange the chocolates, he decided that it would be best to put them in a black box with a square shape, since putting them in the heart-shaped box would ruin the surprise factor. So, he arranged them in a shape similar to the picture in the book, then closed the box and secured it with a nice golden ribbon.

At first glance, it looked quite elegant and pretty. But then, he saw the remnants of small chocolates left in the molds.

There were too many to just throw away, and he thought maybe the wolf would like to eat them later.

"Naah! I should just put them in another box with a nice decoration, and it'll be like an extra gift!" he said, before he started to sort them out.

As said, Zero put the remaining chocolates in a black rectangular box, and decorated it with a green ribbon.

Without wasting any more time, he ran to the shower and got ready. When he noticed the time on the clock, he saw that he only had an hour left to meet Gadget. Time had passed so quickly while he was busy, and he hadn't even had lunch yet!

Oh well. It didn't matter.

He might as well invite Gadget out to dinner somewhere. That would be more bonus points. Hurriedly, he ran to grab his jacket and put the box of chocolates in a bag. Walking at a brisk pace, he could still make it with minutes to spare. There was nothing to worry about.

And so it was. Zero arrived at the park in a timely manner, noticing that almost everywhere, there were people selling roses, heart-shaped balloons, or more chocolates. There were also couples walking around, and others kissing in areas where they thought no one would see them.

Love was literally everywhere!

While Zero didn't ask Gadget where they would meet, he did have an idea of where the wolf might be, and that place was the Cherry Blossom Tree, in the center of the park.

It didn't take him long to get there, just in time to see Gadget in the distance, arriving at that spot as well.

Before the wolf could see him, Zero took the box out of the bag and arranged the green ribbon, which had become a little messy and... wait a minute...

A green ribbon?

.

.

.

Oh no.

Oh hell no! Oh fucking hell no! HE HAD THE WRONG BOX!

The box with the golden ribbon was the right one, and he had left it at home! While the one he had in his hands, was the one containing the chocolates of the small molds!

HE HAD SCREWED UP!

The problem now was that Gadget was already there, and if Zero went back home to get the other box, he would definitely be late, and the wolf might get scared, thinking that his boyfriend might have stood him up.

But he still had a few minutes. If he ran as fast as he could, he could still make it. The apartment where they lived was not so far away. It wasn't time to think, it was time to run!

As if his life depended on it, the jackal turned and ran as fast as his legs would let him. Anger and desperation seemed to make him run even faster than his average speed. He might as well compete against Sonic side by side, but this was no time to think about that.

He opened the door to his home, almost breaking it down, and ran into the kitchen to pick up the damn box with the golden ribbon, which rested quietly on the kitchen table, and leaving the wrong box right there.

Not without first making twice sure that this time she was indeed carrying the right box, she left the place and ran back in the direction of the central park, hugging the bag with the box against her chest so as not to spoil the gift.

And there he was again, in front of the big pink flowering tree, where Gadget was waiting for him calmly sitting on a bench while looking at his phone.

Zero straightened up, and tried to arrange his disheveled hair and clothes, to look more presentable, calming his breathing and walking slowly to where the wolf was, who was quick to notice his presence.

"Hi Zee! You're just in time!" The boy greeted, flashing his bright smile.

If only you had seen how I had to run to get here! Thought the jackal "Of course. You know I love punctuality" He tried to look casual, but couldn't help but curse his stupidity for the previous mistake.

"Well! Let's not waste any time! I can't wait to see your gift and to give you mine!"

"Eh? Are you sure? Don't you want to take a walk first or something?"

Despite the suggestion, the previous mad dash had left his legs quite sore, and he prayed to the gods that Gadget would refuse. Luckily, the stars aligned to hear his prayers and take pity on him.

"No! I can't wait any longer! The anxiety is killing me. Please Zee!"

"... Okay. I don't think I'm able to deny you anything today"

"Great! You're the best!"

With some innocent laughter, both boys sat down on the bench, where the wolf was before. And Zero, who was always someone very athletic, couldn't feel more grateful just relaxing his exhausted legs on that seat.

"Okay, then... you first Zee!"

"Huh? And why is that?"

"My gift... I don't think I can beat you. I don't even think you'll like it..." Gadget had lowered his gaze, as if he was suddenly... afraid?

Zero saw no reason for the wolf to worry like that. He remembered telling him that he didn't want any particular gift, but coming from Gadget, he was sure that any gift would please him.

But the best thing for now, was not to spoil his mood any further. So carefully, he took the box out of the bag and placed it on the wolf's lap.

"Oww... but, I wanted a heart-shaped one~" said Gadget, while pouting.

"Yeah, I know! But before you complain, open it first. Silly wolf!"

The wolf only let out a soft sigh, as if he was a little disappointed, but at no time did he stop smiling. Or at least he did, until he was able to open the gift in his hands.

When Gadget removed the top lid of the box, his eyes filled, almost immediately, with many treacherous tears that did not take long to escape, but still he kept smiling, in fact, it even seemed that his smile had become even bigger.

As if about to touch some precious jewel, the wolf's fingers trembled as they barely grazed the heart-shaped chocolate.

"Did... did you...you really...this..."

"Don't even think about me buying it... Anyway, when we get home and you see the mess I left in the kitchen, then you'll have no doubt that I made that thing myself"

"Can I-!... Can I try it?!"

"Gadget, for the love of Anubis, I prepared it for you. It's yours. You can do whatever you want with it..." The jackal had a strange feeling, and hastened to correct his words "No. Thinking better of it, eat it. Knowing you, I wouldn't be surprised if you wanted to keep it as if it were some heirloom"

"Oh? Now you read minds too?"

"Eat it, or I'll eat it myself"

"But you don't like chocolates!... or do you?"

"I do not like them. But in order to make one that tasted nice, I had to try a ton of other chocolates first! Don't ever ask me for something like that again, I beg you!"

"...Oh, I see" The wolf dried his tears as best he could, and his excited face changed to a... seductive one?

"Gadget?.... Oh no! I know that look! What the fuck are you thinking now?!"

"Nothing special, it's just..."

"What?"

"You said you had to taste a lot of chocolates to get a good taste..."

"Yes?... so what?"

"Does that mean, your mouth tastes like chocolate right now?"

That trick was called "Hiding an indecent proposal in an innocent joke", and that was Gadget's damn specialty.

Because yes. Gadget was absolutely nothing like he appeared to be. The innocent appearance was just a mask.

The first impression, from whoever met the wolf, was the image of a nerdy, four-eyed, weak, introverted guy. All those people were left with their mouths agape when they discovered that the nerdy-four-eyed-weak-introvert was really nothing of the sort.

For starters, Gadget wasn't a nerd; he was a freaking genius in several subjects. Nor did he have poor eyesight or anything like that; the wolf himself once told Zero that he wore those glasses to give himself an "Aesthetic" touch.

He was not weak at all. In fact, he was the one who did the heavy chores around the house without any effort, not to mention that he could stand up to anyone who wanted to bother him without a problem and without any help. It was something Zero could observe firsthand when they were still in high school.

And what about being an introvert? Dude, that wolf had no problem seducing the jackal who was considered the worst juvenile criminal in town. Offering him gifts almost as if he were a tribute to get the attention of a god, and chasing away anyone who approached the jackal with other intentions.

At first, Zero was genuinely curious about the "jerk-faced guy," as it was obvious there was a lot more to him than met the eye. But after a while, when he realized he had let his guard down too much, it was too late to walk away. And he ended up accepting the wolf's feelings almost without thinking about it.

And that brought them to the resolution of their current moment.

Zero already knew the wolf well enough to see through its mask and understand his true intentions. And that allowed him to understand that, behind that question, which sounded very silly, was implicit the message of "I want something more... I want to go further than this"

Nope!

His heart and libido were not yet ready for such a proposal.

The best thing to do was to escape.

"EAT THE DAMN CHOCOLATE!" Zero felt like his heartbeat had increased to a thousand per second. He could literally hear his own heart beating like crazy, and he feared the wolf could hear it too.

"Hahaha! okay, okay!" The wolf returned his attention to the box in his hands "Oh wait! Aren't these Kisses? I read about them in a recipe book a while back. I think they meant-"

"Eat. The. Chocolate"

Zero knew his face was red with embarrassment, and what was worse, because of the earlier shout, several people had turned to look at them, probably thinking they are arguing, and that annoyed and embarrassed him even more.

"Oops! Okay, sorry! But it will depend on how it tastes, whether I give you my gift or not. Ready?"

"Do it!"

The wolf didn't take the chocolate to heart, his first choice was one of the small chocolates. A kiss. But before putting it in his mouth, he examined it some more, before looking at the jackal getting a little nervous.

"... You really didn't put poison in it, did you?"

"THAT'S IT!"

"Waaahh!! noooo!!"

That shitty wolf had finished with his patience!

And he hadn't even tasted the damn chocolate yet!

Chapter Text

The chocolate and tickle rampage seemed to have no end.

Zero insisted on holding Gadget's chin tightly, to force him to open his mouth, in an attempt to shove a handful of chocolates into his boyfriend's snout.

The wolf on the other hand, was trying to hold Zero's hands, as a defense mechanism, since he was sure that if that pile of chocolates reached his mouth, he would definitely get stuck and die of suffocation, before even checking the taste.

The situation was comical for Gadget and stressful for Zero, but they were so caught up in their bubble, that they simply didn't notice that they had caught the attention of those passing by.

Now several people were looking at them, not understanding what the jackal was trying to do, or why the wolf was laughing and crying at the same time. No one wanted to get involved in a possible "Couples Problem", so most of those who saw them, turned away and pretended not to have seen anything.

"Okay! okay! It was a joke! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Gadget shouted. And when it looked like Zero was going to try to force him to literally swallow the box of chocolates, the wolf took it and put it in his lap "I'll eat it! I'll eat it! Zero please! I'll eat it!"

"Just do it!... damn it"

Between the laughter and the screaming, and the jackal's blushing, it seemed as if they had gone back in time. To when they were dumb teenagers, and very much in love, laughing at anything silly, not caring about the people around them.

"I hope you get poisoned by that..." Whispered the jackal in an annoyed tone "...or choke yourself eating the heart-shaped chocolate" At least, they both knew he didn't mean it.

"You know you can't live without me, baby!" Gadget could barely speak. He was still catching his breath a little, after laughing and screaming so much.

"Really? Why don't we check it out?"

"Nope! Or at least, not yet. I still don't give you my gift, remember?"

"And you still haven't eaten that shit, remember?"

"Haha... ah, oops? Sorry. I'll eat it now"

The wolf finally brought the small chocolate close to his mouth, but he didn't eat it right away, rather he examined it for a couple of seconds. The color looked quite pretty, and the aroma was sweet and appealing. Enough to make his mouth water.

But he shouldn't keep the jackal waiting any longer, or he would definitely make him really angry. It was time for the fire test.

Gadget simply took the small sweet into his mouth and held it in his teeth. It was amazing that he could feel the sweetness just by holding it like that. And when he bit it all the way through, and began to taste it, all his senses were blocked for a few seconds.

The wolf became suspiciously very still, and Zero couldn't stop some unpleasant thoughts from flooding his head.

Oh no, he didn't like it! Maybe it was too sweet, or too bland maybe?! Or did I get the wrong box again? I gave him some bitter chocolate by accident?! Damn it, Gadget, say something!

The poor jackal's mind was already a mess. He was about to panic and run out to buy some chocolate from some store, to make up for his mistake... if it wasn't for one thing, which stopped him just in time.

Gadget's tail.

The wolf's tail began to wag back and forth. Gently at first, but after a few seconds, it was shaking vigorously. It even gave the impression that Gadget would fly off like a helicopter if his tail kept wagging like that.

"Ga-Gadget?" The jackal couldn't figure out if that reaction was good or bad "Are you... are you all right?... don't you like it? I can go buy some water if the chocolate tastes bad…"

Instead of giving an answer, the wolf's head slowly turned, like a robot's head, to look directly at Zero.

The jackal became nervous, but for different reasons now. He was getting scared of that attitude. But he didn't dare say anything else when he noticed Gadget chew a little more, then finely swallowed.

"Who are you?" was what finally came out of his lips, after what seemed like an eternity to Zero.

"W-what?! Now what's wrong with you? You're not-"

"Are you an angel?! Are you the angel that fate sent for me?!"

"What the hell... Gadget, what are you saying now?!"

"I JUST FEEL THAT I LOVE YOU MORE THAN I LOVE MY OWN LIFE! MY BEAUTIFUL PRINCE!" cried the wolf, blushing and holding the jackal's hands "How is it possible that I didn't ask you to prepare this succulent delicacy earlier?! I feel like I've missed the best thing in this world!! The taste melts my tongue!"

"SHHH! Keep it down! People are watching us!" Even though it sounded like scolding, Zero was holding his laughter.

"MY LOVE! Do whatever you want with me! I'll do whatever you ask me to do, as long as I get more of this delight all to myself!!!"

"Shut up! You're exaggerating!"

"I'm serious now!! If you were competing in a cooking contest, I'm sure you'd win! And I would be your biggest fan! YOUR NUMBER ONE FAN!"

"I said shut up! Holy Chaos... There are more of those at home! I made quite a few. So stop the fuss!" Zero looked away a bit, feeling shy about what he would say next "... and if you liked them so much... I can make them for you anytime you want" The last was a soft whisper, but Gadget managed to hear it anyway.

"REALLY?! Oh Chaos what was that good thing I did to deserve this angel of a boyfriend! Would you really do that for me Zee-chan?!"

"Yeah goddamn it! But shut the hell up!" the jackal covered his face with both hands "... And where the hell did that nickname come from?"

"Sounds nice for you!"

"It's for girl's..." There were still people looking at them sideways, so the jackal tried not to raise his voice any higher "Besides, it's very otaku!"

"No It's not!"

"Yes it is..."

"It's not!"

"It is!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Nope!"

Zero was quiet for a second, but then played backwards "Nope!"

"Yes!... I mean, no! I mean... agh, never mind!"

"I won..."

"Yeah... But seriously..." Gadget took another small chocolate and began to eat it. Taking his time to savor it "They really are delicious Zee... I'm not going to lie to you. At first I thought you wouldn't do this, and I'm not implying anything wrong. The chocolates that are sold at this time of year are delicious, so I wouldn't have minded if you had bought me those, but..."

"So you were really joking back then?"

"Well... yes? I mean... I would never have forced you to do something that would put you in a bad mood" The wolf took another chocolate, but stood for a few moments looking at it instead of eating it "I know you don't like to cook, or at least, not when it's something very elaborate. So, what kind of boyfriend would I be if I got mad at you for making you do something you don't like?"

"It was something you wanted. I guess that changes the point of view"

"The point of view?"

"Yes. It would have been very different if, in addition to blackmailing me, you had set some condition. Something that would make me feel obligated in a bad way to give you something"

"... and that's not what I did? That specifying that it be a heart-shaped chocolate was almost blackmail? I practically forced you, didn't I?"

"No. If I had felt obligated, I would have prepared something spontaneous, not caring if you were going to like it or not. But you proposed this as a game. Basically, you gave me to understand it was worth a try, to give you a special gift"

"So, you did this even though you knew you didn't need to do it? I'm sorry. I really didn't mean for you to feel obligated to do it"

"As I just told you, you didn't force me, nor did I feel obligated to do anything. I wanted to do it. I wanted to give you something that you would like enough, and I went out of my way on my own to make it" A soft chuckle escaped the jackal's mouth "I wouldn't have eaten almost 1kg of chocolates to find one that tasted good just for the heck of it. Don't you think?"

"Woah... you really went all out, didn't you?"

"Yeah. Because I just realized something... and it made me feel selfish somehow. I never gave you anything you wanted from me, and-"

"Zero what are you talking about?! Many times you've given me fantastic gifts!"

"Let me finish" The jackal sat up straight, leaning his back against the bench and lifting his head to look up at the sky "I know you like it when I give you gifts, but they're always things you're already planning to get. If I didn't pay attention to that, you'd just go and buy whatever you feel like anyway..... But you've never asked me for anything directly before"

"Wait... you're saying that... just because I..."

"For a relationship to work, both must do their part, or it will become monotonous in the end" the jackal sighed, closing his eyes for a moment "Ever since high school, you've always given me things. But even in the little details, I could tell you cared about me liking it. I on the other hand, just gave you random things, without even stopping to think about whether you would like them or not..."

"I like everything you give me, because it comes from you"

"And that's the problem"

"... Eh?"

"I know you accept those things because they come from me. But let's put it this way. I know you don't like yellow clothes, or perfumes that smell like orange, or food that has a slimy consistency. If I give you some of that, would you really accept it, knowing that you don't like it, just because I'm the one giving it to you?"

"How did you know about the slimy food?!"

"Your mother told me about it. Besides, it's obvious you're disgusted by oysters... Don't change the subject young man! Answer my question!"

"What do you mean 'young man'. We're the same age-"

"Gadget..."

"Right. The question... Well... I guess I wouldn't like it. But if it's something you had the will to give me, I guess-"

"What if it's not? What if it's just something I randomly saw and just gave it to you without caring if you'd like it?"

"I definitely wouldn't be happy about that! Even though I know you wouldn't do something like that. But... what does this have to do with heart-shaped chocolate? We seem to be getting off topic. I think you lost me a bit on the slimy food haha"

"My point here, is that we should be more honest with what we want. If I had given you some bitter chocolate, or something spicy, and you didn't really like it I would have felt bad in the end"

"It wouldn't have been your fault. I would have been the one responsible for not specifying, wouldn't I?"

"No. If it would have been my fault. Because we've been together for years, and while I know what things you might like or not like, you always care about making me happy... and I want to do the same… but I feel like I don't know how" now the one who felt like crying was the jackal.

He felt hurt for some reason.

It was as if those words, that speech, which was supposed to be for Gadget, had been more like a scolding to himself, for realizing so late that he was doing something wrong, even if he didn't know exactly what it was.

But the red wolf didn't think like that.

Gadget's eyes were bright, and his cheeks were red, but a small smile decorated his mouth. To Zero, the wolf looked like a child who had been given the toy he wanted so badly. He looked happy.

"Zero... you go out of your way to make me happy, the same way I go out of my way to make you happy, or maybe much more. You just don't realize it" The wolf carefully placed the box with chocolates aside, to take the jackal's hands and hold them close to his chest "Just the fact that I wake up next to you every morning. Just the fact that you smile for me... damn, just the fact that you look at me, and blush, makes me want to hold you tight and never let you go"

A lone tear escaped from Zero's right eye, and Gadget hurried to wipe it away.

Zero was no longer smiling, now he looked... sad? Disappointment couldn't begin to cover the jackal's features.

No, no. Anything but that!

Zero shouldn't have that expression on his face. Grumpy, sarcastic, bossy, maybe shy, and the list could go on, but sadness shouldn't be part of it.

"...Zero?"

"I don't know how. I don't know how it is that I can make you happy, Gadget. Sometimes I've even... thought I'm not enough for you"

"W-what?!"

The wolf had always been sure of one thing, from the day he met Zero, he knew that the jackal was a free spirit, wild and almost untamable. But he was also cheerful, brave, and very very kind. Even if his rough appearance said otherwise.

The problem was that people got carried away with how he looked, and never took the real time to get to know who was hiding under that look that said, "What the hell are you looking at? You want trouble?" 24 hours a day.

But Gadget had seen him. He first saw him one rainy day, there was no one on the streets, but the wolf saw Zero crouched near a tree, looking after a little bird that had been hurt by the wind.

The next time he saw him was in a park. There was the jackal again, looking after some little children who had gotten lost, and he stayed with them until their parents arrived. And so many other occasions Gadget paid attention to.

Zero helping an old lady carry her things. Zero playing with a kitten. Zero kindly helping a man find an address.

The jackal was an angel who never refused help to anyone who asked for it. Or so Gadget thought at the time. Maybe it was an exaggeration. Or maybe it wasn't.

That's how he decided he wanted to get to know him better when they were in high school. First he started by asking a couple of people what they knew about the jackal, although most of the comments were not good, at least he could find out that the guy didn't like very sweet things, but he loved desserts with fruits.

That's how it all started. Gadget would give him fruit desserts. At first they were anonymous, until the jackal himself discovered the wolf leaving the desserts in his locker.

That day he almost got into a fight, when Zero asked him how the hell he knew the combination to his locker, and maybe he thought Gadget was a stalker. He no longer remembers what happened next, but he knows he woke up in the infirmary, with the jackal by his side apologizing, looking quite remorseful. Whatever he had done to him, it seemed like he had crossed the line.

After that, they talked more, even if it was only for the jackal to continue apologizing, and more gifts were given, and trust grew, and the feelings in Gadget's heart as well. In the end, the indomitable fierce that Zero the Jackal was, transformed into a cute and kind guy. Who blushed and smiled every time Gadget gave him a gift.

Looks can be deceiving. But Gadget was sure that after meeting him, he fell in love with both sides of the same coin. Zero's happiness was Gadget's happiness. Even if the jackal himself didn't realize that.

But Zero was right. Giving and never receiving was wrong. Gadget was so happy to coddle Zero with anything, he didn't realize that his boyfriend felt disoriented not knowing what to give in return.

And the worst part was the part of falling into monotony. If he realized it, the day would come when he wouldn't know what to give to Zero, or the jackal would no longer want to receive anything from him, or in the worst case scenario, the jackal might feel harassed and get tired of it.

Many relationships that looked good ended in nothing because of that.

When only one side would show affection in an almost exasperating way, not allowing their partner to give similar displays of affection to maintain a harmonious balance in the relationship.

Finally giving way to feelings of inadequacy.

It was no wonder Zero felt like a lost child, not knowing what to do. Not knowing what kind of gifts could be considered "special" to Gadget, he would obviously see himself as being at a disadvantage, and he was nowhere near getting into the vicious fucking cycle of...

"Maybe I'm not enough for my mate. Maybe he deserves someone better than me. Maybe I should let him find someone who does know how to make him happy"

Damn it! How come he didn't notice it before.

"Gadget... are you sure that... I make you happy?... I mean. Am I really doing enough for you? Even when we both know perfectly well that... I'm not really doing anything?"

The wolf didn't know what to answer, but the jackal's beady eyes, gave away how much he wanted to cry.

How come a day, which should have been beautiful and fun, was about to turn into a moment that only portended sadness? How come he never realized that Zero practically had to be 'guessing' what might be a good gift, risking the wolf not liking it, just because Gadget was never straightforward enough about his own tastes?

Asshole! Say something to him, you idiot! You caused this, but he thinks it's his fault! You're going to make him cry! Fix your damn mess! It was either Gadget's conscience seemed to be screaming at him at the top of its lungs.

"Zero. If you truly did nothing to brighten my days. If you truly didn't make me so happy, then I wouldn't be wishing daily to want to have you with me forever" Gadget gently kissed the jackal's knuckles, and the reassuring gesture seemed to be enough to keep Zero from starting to cry.

At a glance, it was obvious that Zero wasn't eager for his statement to simply stay that way. Problems with being a sore loser, even in arguments. But before he could refute further, Gadget's phone rang.

He felt mild annoyance at the fact that he had to let go of his boyfriend's hands, to check who had dared to interrupt their date. But his thoughts were quickly displaced when he saw who the sender was and what he wanted.

It was a message from Sonic, and it just read "It's time. We're ready"

"Just in time..." Murmured the wolf.

"Eh? Did something happen?"

"Yep! It happens to be time for me to give you my gift, Zee-chan!"

The wolf put his phone away again, and picked up the box of chocolates, to close it again, careful not to drop anything. When the golden ribbon was neatly back in place, Gadget stood up, holding out his hand for the jackal to take, inviting him to get up and follow him somewhere.

Only then did Zero notice something. Gadget wasn't carrying anything that resembled a gift or a package. He still remembered the rules of the game, but if Gadget hadn't really thought of anything, why did he suggest this strange competition in the first place?

No. On second thought. Gadget had mentioned, in a hushed voice, something about "maybe his gift wouldn't like him".  That could only mean that the wolf did have something, but was keeping it hidden from view.

They both walked at a slow pace, until they were practically under the cherry tree. Right in front of its large trunk.

"Okay... here we go..." Zero felt how Gadget tighten his grip on their hands a little more "Shit, I got nervous!"

"...Gadget? Why did we come here?"

"Don't be scared... it's just..."

Before he finished speaking, several people appeared from the other side of the large tree. As if they had been hiding there, waiting for the moment to appear.

They were very familiar faces. Faces they both knew very well. Their families and their friends. Sonic, Amy, Tails, the Jackal Squad, Silver, Blaze, Knuckles, Rouge, Cream, and so on, several more people. They all formed a semi-circle around the couple. All of them holding a star-shaped balloon.

Zero scanned everyone present with his eyes, one by one, to check that they were really there.

He would steal Gadget's word, since now, the one who was more than nervous, was the jackal. But when he was about to ask his boyfriend the reason for the presence of all those people, he almost had a heart attack when he returned his gaze to the front, and found Gadget kneeling in front of him.

"If you didn't make me so happy, I'm sure you wouldn't think I really want to spend the rest of my life with you, would you?" The wolf smiled, and from his pocket he pulled out a small light blue box, like Zero's eye, and extended it towards the jackal "But I'd really like to know if you wish the same. That's why I've come today to ask you..."

The jackal was sure that his body had forgotten how to breathe, because his chest tightened, and what people described as 'butterflies in the stomach' was definitely the only explanation for the tickling sensation he felt in his belly.

Disgustingly just like the damsels in love, who appeared in cliche movies, Zero covered his mouth with both hands, as if that would hide the huge grin that was painted on his face.

"Zero the Jackal. Will you do me the honor..." The wolf moved his other hand to open a small box, revealing inside a beautiful silver ring, with a ruby jewel of an intense red color "... of marrying me?"

As if the world had gone silent, and only the two of them existed at that moment, the first thing the jackal did was cry. Shedding tears, as if he had never cried before, was not an answer, but his chest was so full of overflowing emotions, that his body could not express it in any other way.

Gadget stood still. Patiently waiting for an answer. And Zero would give it to him. He was sure what his answer was!

"Yes... YES! YES I WANT TO MARRY YOU!!" Now it was his turn to shout, not caring that others were watching.

Gadget's smile grew much bigger, and he leapt up to catch Zero's mouth, in a kiss of pure happiness.

His loved ones began to shout and clap. Congratulating them, and tossed the balloons towards them, as Gadget stepped back a bit to carefully place the ring on the jackal's finger. And it fit perfectly!

A couple of lights came into view. It was obvious that their friends were taking pictures of them, but none of them cared. They loved each other, and had no problem letting everyone who saw them know it.

"Remember I said that, the special gift, should make us cry with joy?" the jackal nodded, still smiling and crying "Well...looks like I won this time, doesn't it?"

"I think this is the first time, in my entire life, that I'm absolutely fine with the idea of losing..."

The truth was that neither had lost yet.

They still had plenty of time to do their best to make the one they loved so much happy.

Valentine's Day. The day of love was only one, but they had the rest of their days left to love each other...