So, yea, basically, this is the moment where we all pretty much fell hook line n sinker for Elise; the moment of her development and like the best part in the game.

I love them so much you have no idea

reuploaded since I didn't like the last one

"Sonic!"

It takes him a second to detangle his thoughts and try to remind himself that they're fine, that Elise is not dead, and that if they stay on this airship any longer that's how they're going to end up. She'd looked so relieved when he'd found her–he doesn't want it to be all for nothing. She'd told him how she was lucky he had found her, how she'd daydreamed of the ship crashing and him being too late.

He's going to make sure that doesn't happen again. Not this time.

But of course, Sonic's pulled out of his head by something beautiful and surprising; Elise, radiating pure confidence as she points the way to the nearest cliff, quicker than even he was a trying to find a way through.

There's no fear in her eyes when she turns back to him, only concealed excitement and unabashed assurance that they're going to be completely fine, and, wait, this is not the same girl he'd picked up when Eggman had first attacked, right?

"Aren't you worried?"

She straightens herself in his arms, shoots him the cockiest grin he's ever seen on her face, and recites word for word; "If you have time to worry, you run, right?"

Crud.

Screw the falling process. He is six feet deep, forehead over ankles for this girl.

And judging by the look on her face, maybe she knows it, too.

"Elise."

"Mm-hm?"

"We're about to jump off a malfunctioning airship."

In the nearby distance, one of the strips of metal explode, and the shock waves are enough to lightly rustle Elise's hair as she grins at him.

"I know."

"And you aren't worried?"

"Because I'm with you," she says lightly, ruffling the top of his head. "It's because I'm with you."

He smiles sheepishly, and tosses her up in his arms, both to secure his grip on her and because holy shit, when did she get so cute?

They barely make it up to the cliffside once he shoots off for the nearest metal ledge and tears through the other few nearby–all with Elise laughing like they'd gone for a walk in the park–but they do, thank the stars they do, and they land face-first into the grass, and suddenly she's not in his arms anymore.

But she's fine–more than fine, really–her arms are spread out wide and a blissful expression rests on her face.

She looks so much better when she isn't worrying about the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Elise peeks one eye open, and then another, and his hand makes a beeline for her own, pulling her up to a sitting position.

She takes a deep breath, and then–"Homygod."

"Right?"

"We could've died."

"Exactly."

"Our lives would've ended."

"Yup."

"That was way too lucky."

"I know."

And then, to his earnest surprise, she starts chuckling, which then turns into loud, pealing laughter. It's as infectious as it is suiting for her, and he finds himself laughing alongside her.

He's never been fond of his particular brand of laugh–it's boisterous, sounds hysterical and sometimes he snorts, which gives him way too much unwanted attention. It's a piss-poor excuse for a one, but the first thing Elise does right after she's finished is bump her her head against his side (how'd she get so close and when?) and say, "You have nice laugh."

When he turns back to look at her she's gazing out into the ocean, pointedly refusing to look at the now sinking airship, hugging her knees to her chest. Her face is full and flushed, and overall, just–happy.

"Oh yeah?" he asks.

She glances at him from the corner of her eye, arching an eyebrow, daring him to question her, as if to say, yes, this is something I wholeheartedly believe in and something I want you to acknowledge, before looking back out to the ocean.

"Yeah."

She scoots just a little closer to him, and they both pretend that they didn't see her do so.

"Hey," he says, just a few minutes later.

"Hm?"

"You've got a nice smile."

Her eyebrows raise, her face is pulled into a look of initial surprise before it blossoms into a smile so bright it puts sunlight to shame.

look at them

look at my beautiful dorks

sega bring Elise back you cowards