There he was.

Antoine had been missing all day and, while the others hadn't really worried, Bunny had noticed something off about the normally boastful coyote. He'd been quiet and solemn right after a successful mission he had played a part in, and that never happens. After looking around for a while, Bunny now found him, sitting on the tree stump that was the entrance to their HQ.

"Hey, 'Twan, I was lookin' fer you. Y'all right?" Bunny asked tentatively, taking a seat beside him.

"Hmm?" Antione looked up and found Bunny beside him, asking if he was alright. "Yes, I'm... fine."

The pause was too obvious for Bunny to ignore and, having never really been the type to leave well enough alone, she plowed right on ahead. "No, it's not all fine! Antione, what's wrong?"

Nothing. That's what he'd meant to say, the words he was expecting to come out. But instead, he heard something else entirely. "Me. That's what's wrong." His words dripped with acid and self-loathing.

"You? What's wrong with you? Are y'sick?"

If only he were. Just blame it all on a sickness that would be over with some medicine and rest. But this was something far more serious than a sickness. There was something wrong with him that couldn't be healed.

"No, I'm not." He didn't want to talk about it. Really, really, didn't want to talk about it. Didn't want to open up and show Bunny just what he was.

"Then what is it?" Mon dieu, couldn't she take a hint and leave him be?

"I said, it's nothing - it's..." Antoine trailed off, trying to think of what he could say to make Bunny go away.

There was a pause and, just when Antoine thought that the rabbit was finally going to leave, Bunny said, "is it because you were afraid earlier?" Softly, inquisitively.

Antione caught his breath and felt sick. He looked beside him and found Bunny returning his gaze inquisitively. "Ah knew it," she said.

"Okay, so you know. Are you going to say something about? Tell me to be better, braver?" Antione snapped defensively.

"No, ah was gonna tell you that you don't have to beat yourself up so much about it, 'Twan."

"And why not?!" He cried, standing up. "You've realized it, I'm a coward!" He began to pace in front of the tree stump, "I've thought that I could be great, but I'm not and I never will be! My father was a great general of the army! He was brave and smart and protected Mobius for years. And now look at his son!" He turned to face Bunny, who involuntarily flinched, and gestured toward himself, " quaking in fear in front of the enemy! Bunny, I-" he cut himself off and broke eye contact, as if he didn't want her to see him. He turned and looked away. "When you got caught by that wire earlier, when the robot almost stepped on you, I... hesitated. I didn't want to go save you. I didn't want to be anywhere near those monsters. You were sitting there helpless and all I could think of was myself!"

There. It was said. His deed had just been shoved into the spot light, for all the world to see. Any pretense of bravery was gone, any attempt at pretending to be anything different from what he was shattered. It was, perhaps, more frightening than the monster that had stared at him earlier, because this threatened something precious. This threatened his pride, his manhood!

This threatened his friendship and trust.

Antione waited for the sledgehammer, the disgust and loss of faith his friend used to have for him. He didn't wait long but he didn't get what he expected.

"But you came back for me anyway, didn't you?" Devoid of disgust or dissapointment.

Antione turned around nervously but his eyes told him the same as his ears: Bunny was looking up at him, meeting his gaze, with sympathy and kindness.

"But, I... I wasn't," Antione tried but Bunny cut him off, "weren't what? Weren't fearless and fool-hardy, like Sonic? Didn't stare down the machine with your chest puffed out? Antione, does that really matter?"

"I- no, it's not that. What I mean to say is, I hesitated. In battle, there's no time for hesitation, for second-thoughts and indesicion. You're my colleague - and a dear friend beside - but even though I should have turned back imediately, shouldn't have quailed..." he trailed off.

"Do you know what Sonic was doing?" Bunny asked unexpedetly.

"What Sonic was doing?" He parroted.

"When my ankle got caught, where was everyone, when ah needed them? Sonic, for all his barvery, jumps to conclusions too quickly and is reckless. At the first sign of danger he plowed ahead, miles in front in no more than a second. Sally was right behind, giving out orders and trying to keep up with him, while Boomer was following those orders. For a second, no one noticed me; they were too busy." Bunny leaned forward and stared up at him, eyes shining. "No one but you."

"Well, but, that's just because we were closer," Antione argued lamely.

"Doesn't matter! What matters is that you saw me when I needed you, and you came to my rescue! The reason why I'm sitting here right now, alive and unhurt, is because of you.

"You did hesitate, yes. And that does make a difference on the battle field. But when you were scared, when all you wanted to do was save your own skin, you instead leapt into the line of fire and got both of us out of there alive. Sonic only arrived to defeat that thing after you had saved me and blinded it.

"What I'm trying to say is, fear isn't something to be ashamed of. Just because you're not fearless, like Sonic, doesn't mean you're not brave. Going up against your own fear like that takes courage and strength of will. That's nothing to sneeze at." She got up and went to him, putting an arm around his shoulder, "you came back for me and saved me. No matter what, that's what matters in the end."

There was a silence as Antoine stared off into the distance, watching the beautiful forest that was their haven. Then, "you really think so?"

"I know so," Bunny said confidently.

The two friends eyes locked and they smiled. They looked out at the forest around, listening to the night sounds and generally enjoying each others company.

Finally, and with noticeable reluctance, Bunny said, "how about we go back inside? Sally's on kitchen duty and I want to be there to make sure no one dies."

Antoine chuckled.

I've just recently started reading the Archie Sonic comics. But while I haven't reached the part when these two get together, I do know that they do. I was afraid at first that their relationship might be rushed and one of those pairings that you feel was done for no other reason then that the two were single. But it seemed, from the first time we see Bunny, that the creators were planning on these two ending up together, and they even share a sweet moment in issue 23, so I'm very happy about that. I wanted to create here the beginning of these two's relationship, planting the seeds of their love, so to speak. Nothing romantic but cute and fluffy :3