A/N: To better understand the context of this story, please, read "Love Me Later", the prequel to this fiction. Or not.

*Sonic/Nicholas are used interchangeably. The same for *Miles/Tails.

The Good Life: An Epilogue to An Epilogue

Fat

*Nicholas – formerly nicknamed *Sonic – sat by the window of his loft apartment, eating a stick of celery.

The wooden floors were a brown that matched his natural hair. The plants that lined his window sill, matched his eyes. His skin – a bit more olive, as the sun of Spagonia gave his milky complexion some good color. He was eating a stick of celery. Why? He was married. Happy. And fat. He gained weight being a newly-wed for a little more than a year, but he was still slender and lean. He stood at about 5'10, went running every morning and ate pasta somewhere around three times a week. But he felt, fat.

Very fat.

He'd gone up a size.

Everyone told him that's what happens when you're happy. You get fat. Especially *Miles. Miles was the first to say something.

"Sonic –"He began. It was the previous evening, and they sat in a trendy restaurant. They decided to go there since it was Miles' last night in Spagonia. He had been visiting the country for work; a conference of the western world's most renown technology professors. The two had very little time together, so agreed a good dinner would be best.

Nicholas looked up from his meat and cheese plate and arched an eyebrow. "Nicholas," Miles corrected himself, "my mistake. I guess I was getting into old habits. Nicholas, I wanted to point out to you…" Nicholas stopped, holding to his lips, a piece of prosciutto. Miles shook his head, in what Nicholas understood as judgment, "You've gained weight."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm telling you as a friend. I don't know what you and Amy have for dinner, but your face looks so full. And you eat whatever is on the table," Miles leaned in, lowering his head and hunching his shoulders, to speak in a whisper, "the bread here is stale and you devoured it in one go."

Nicholas' eyes widened. How dare he?! Just because Miles was some famous Professor and his lifelong friend did not give him the pass to call him fat. How dare he?!

"*Tails –"Nicholas began.

"Now who's falling into old habits?"

"Yeah, I've gained a few pounds, but it's not like I'm a house or anything."

"No, certainly not. I don't think I could be seen in public with a house and not attract attention." Miles rested his chin in his palm; his fingers covered his mouth. He looked away from Nicholas. His blue eyes seemed filled with disgust, or so Nicholas thought. The younger man's silver wedding band was now visible and Nicholas could see the judgment all over his face.

He had been married too – to their old friend, pet named Cream – for a few months now. Only a few. How could he judge him? He hadn't been "comfy" enough in his marriage to put on his own few pounds, yet. He was still moving things into her apartment and adjusting to cohabitation. It was still new, and nerve wracking, as Cream's mother – Vanille – would be at the apartment often.

Nicholas laughed. Tails, always took the back seat to his friend's dominate nature, yes, but as he aged and they became equals – Sonic discovered what a snarky, judgmental, but compassionate and loving friend he was. By calling him fat, he meant well.

"What?" Miles asked. He looked back to Nicholas with a furrowed brow. His golden locks brushed over his forehead and he clenched his fist. He was embarrassed. He was right, and yet Nicholas had the nerve to laugh at him. "What?!"

"It's funny. You're just – you'll see." Nicholas smiled and as the waitress walked by, he reached out and touched her arm, "Love, could I get another basket of bread, please? Thank you." As the waitress walked off Miles frowned, deeply. Nicholas turned to him with a grin, "I'll start eating healthy tomorrow. Next time you visit, you'll see. I'm going to be in tip top shape."

Amy Rose, Nicholas' wife, entered their loft apartment. She saw her husband standing by the window eating celery. Amy walked over to him, 'yoinked' the celery from his mouth and tossed it into the nearby trash bin.

"You're not fat." She said and kissed him on the cheek. He smiled and as she headed into the kitchen, he watched her full bottom and noticed, she had gained weight as well.

But in all the right places.