#taingey

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Tails/Nine

I definitely don't think this pairing would come first if I were forced to come up with which individual pairings within the polycule shared their first kiss first to be honest 😂. Why? Well, while Nine does have some issues over not being the "only him" so to speak, I personally think canon Nine doesn't have nearly as many issues with Mangey and Sails as he does with Prime!Tails, and that some of his issues with Mangey and Sails really began with Tails. I think before actually meeting him Nine would have this idea of Tails as Sonic's "perfect little buddy". In this case, he would assume that Tails is nice and sweet and always does whatever Sonic wants and is Sonic's perfect little supporter that always helps Sonic but never has opinions of his own or opposes Sonic in any way. Essentially, I think to him Tails is everything he is not, the "perfect" partner in Sonic's eyes, and also a doormat. Tails is both the fox he can never be (jealous) and the fox he can never be (derogatory, "I'm better than you"). Prime!Tails, meanwhile, knows everything he knows initially from Sonic most likely, and after everything...I think Sonic would have a lot to say about Nine. That's all to say that Tails would get that Sonic cares about him a lot, would get that Nine probably liked Sonic a lot, would probably see him in a similar light to Shadow, and may see some of Nine's actions as "over the top" due to only knowing as much as Sonic knows or actually says. So initially I think Nine would be jealous of Tails while holding onto some of that strong dislike, and Tails would be secretly jealous of Nine, but ultimately seeing him as a guy who is rough around the edges, intelligent, and perhaps a bit unstable.

That also being said, I think it would do the two of them good to actually talk about themselves and open up to their insecurities/pasts to each other. I think becoming more open and talking about those things would allow the two to understand each other (and exactly what makes them so different and similar) much better, but I also recognize that something like that's going to take a long time and is probably not going to happen all at once. Realistically, unless he specifically feels like doing it at one point or another, getting Nine to explain himself and his story is going to be like pulling teeth for the most part, and I can see Tails being the type to try to relate to him while straying away from using specific examples (since Tails isn't the type of guy to me that goes around talking about what happened to him either). I think that what's revealed will probably happen over time in bits and pieces, and maybe at some point someone will manage to work one or the other into feeling comfortable enough to vent a bit.

With that in mind, I think that when the two properly meet, it'll surprise them just how far off they were in their characterizations of each other (mostly Nine, but you get it). So I think their first learning curve would be dealing with any jealousy between them + any identity crisis + Nine instinctively not wanting to let go of that version of Tails he made up in his head easily + learning who the other *actually* is.

So...their first kiss. I can't see it being at any other point than a bonding moment between them—something that combines the vulnerability of opening up (which can bring hearts closer) and the ongoing jealousy causing tention to snap. Tails has learned bits and pieces about Nine by now about him being "picked on" as a kid and being tormented until he eventually created a way to fight back (no deep details), or what it was like living in the place he grew up in. Likewise, I think Nine would also know very little about how Tails was also picked on, about how he used to follow Sonic around, etc. Aside from that, I think they'd start to gather more about each other's true personalities by actually hanging around each other or by both happening to be on missions with Sonic at the same time. I think Nine would come to realize that Tails has no problem meeting Sonic sass to sass or telling him that he's being an idiot (mind you, depending on the situation Tails is likely to be softer about it in the way where he explains what he's thinking and asks Sonic what he thinks without specifically saying Sonic's idea is stupid), and that when Sonic isn't rushing in without a plan he's looking to Tails for direction and advice. Likewise, I think Tails would start to realize that Nine is a bit deeper than he assumed and wonder more about what exactly happened to him.

But, of course, the question is how they actually start opening up, and to that I say: Sonic? Sonic. To me, Sonic is both the elephant in the room to them and a shared interest. So...I can see the two hanging alone. Maybe Tails and Nine were both on an adventure with at least them and Sonic going to stop Prime!Eggman's plans, and maybe Sonic is seemingly fast asleep at their camp on the way home. Sitting by the fire with Tails, having just finished eating, Nine can't help but think back to his first meeting with Sonic (when Sonic was explaining how there's nothing like eating a chilli dog with your best pal when everything's said and done). Then, he thinks about Sonic, conked out in the tent and patched up. Sonic's lucky he has such a good natural healing factor, otherwise he wouldn't be able to be as reckless as he is, Nine thinks. Sure, his actions earlier stood the best chance of defeating Prime!Eggman so he didn't have much choice, but still it shouldn't have had to come to it.

And yeah, Sonic being reckless or self sacrificial isn't a foreign concept to Nine. It's just that now...after everything...he can’t help but be afraid of what will happen if something actually does Sonic in one day. So, he asks Tails aloud, "How... How do you deal with him like this?"

"Sonic?"

"He's always so... He doesn't always listen, he's reckless, he's always pulling those dangerous stunts right at the last second. Even I think it's a miracle he hasn't–" Nine cuts off, and the two sit in silence for a moment.

"Sonic is...like that, you know? Frustrating at times? Yes. Stubborn? Absolutely. Even now that he's...changed a bit, he still pulls off those grand stunts and brushes off my advice sometimes while practically begging me to tell him what to do others. He's much better at the whole teamwork thing than he used to be, but he's still Sonic."

"I know all that. I know all that stuff about how he's stubborn and frustrating but always comes through when it counts and turns things around, but that...that wasn't the question."

"You deal with him, don't you?"

"It doesn't mean I can't be– Doesn't mean I don't...worry sometimes." Then, Nine adds, "And don't tell me you don't."

Then one thing leads to another in the back and forth and Nine is like, "When I met him...I thought I'd found the exception. Everyone else only thought about themselves, about living day to day and taking everything out on those smaller or weaker to feel powerful about themselves. But Sonic... He almost made– makes you believe in hope. And then... Then I found out that he was as stubborn and selfish as anyone else."

Tails chuckles a little at that.

"Not that any of that matters now," Nine adds.

After a few moments, Tails opens his mouth. "You know, I thought the world of him too, once."

Huh, is all Nine thinks.

"Of course, I still think he's cool now. But back then I remember... He used to run away when he noticed me following him, so I had to do whatever I could to catch up. And for a while...nothing mattered. He was my hero. That was all."

"So...he's not now?"

"Well, I suppose he always will be it's just... Well, I only wanted to be around him, so how he acted didn't matter."

"So you thought the world of him, but you were let down, and you decided to stick with him anyways?"

"I mean, well. It's more complicated than that, but... Isn't it the same with you?"

Nine sighs, looking down at his shoes. "I...suppose."

Tails shoots a look at the tent before casting his gaze down at his own shoes.

"The point is...I get it. I don't like worrying about him either, but...I've made peace with it." Then, Tails adds with a chuckle, "As well as I can, anyways."

"...Not as if there's anything else you can do," Nine agrees.

There's a moment of silence, then, before Tails smiles. "Well I'm sure we could try, but nothing stops Sonic the Hedgehog from doing anything—not when he sets his sights on it."

Nine chuckles weakly, remembering bitter and fond bits of memories alike. He can concede that this is true. After all, back then, as the universe was falling apart, Sonic would never give up on the universe's inhabitants just as he never gave up on him.

"One time, there was this hot pepper eating contest in Station Square. It was a promotional thing for a new restaurant or something. And the moment someone mentioned that the prize could involve chili dogs..." Tails shakes his head.

"Like a lifetime supply?"

"No, I think it was... Ah... I don't exactly remember. It was probably a gift card or something. Those people were probably just saying the restaurant had chili dogs—which turned out to be true. But you know Sonic!" He laughs. "Didn't read the terms. Just entered as fast as he could. I tried to tell him that we had to meet up with the Chaotix on business, but..."

"So...let me guess. He made a remark about how it'd be over fast because speed is his thing, implied the contest would be easy as cake, and overestimated his ability."

Tails looks to Nine. "Yeah, heh. You've pretty much got it. The whole time, though, I couldn't convince him to quit."

Nine nods, still facing forward. "The trademark stubbornness. Good at times, not so good other times."

"Heh, yeah. I'm pretty sure he thought it was one of those contests where you try to eat the most, because his impatience was palpable. The contestants would eat a pepper one at a time in rotation, and they all took their time."

"And you were late to your 'meeting'?" There's a bit of an edge to Nine’s words, but it’s a genuine question nonetheless. He doesn't fully understand the point Tails is trying to make by telling this story, but, eh... Talking to Tails so far is...better than sitting in silence. At least, that's how Nine feels about it.

Tails laughs, and Nine turns to him at the sound.

"No, not just late! He was sweating, nearly about to pass out. I had to rush him to the agency, Vector put him on the desk, Charmy pulled a leaf from somewhere to fan him with, and all the while Espio was off getting a 'traditional shinobi remedy' or something. All of that for a prize he didn't even win."

"Pffft. Sounds like him."

And so eventually the two end up trading stories of Sonic and his stubbornness (some funny and others concerning), Nine ends up smiling a little, and the two don't realize how close they are until everything stops. The only light illuminating their faces is from the fire, and neither of the two can see the stars, too focused on the others' face. And, perhaps, one of them decides to take that step on a whim. The kiss is chaste, but reciprocated (much to the surprise of them both).

And that night, as the two lay in the tent, Tails is surprised. When he first met Nine he hadn't thought things would progress like this, and yet...it's something Tails doesn't mind. To him Nine has become fascinating (both in his familiarity and in his alienness), and he's begun to suspect something with the way his heart warms at the prospect of simple things—Nine's happiness, his laughter, his enjoyment. In fact, I think it's possible for Tails to have (in hindsight) been waiting for this to happen. I think it's hard for Tails to balance mild jealousy and his growing interest in both Nine and making sure he (and the other variants) have a chance to coexist in this wide universe without becoming even a bit attached or starting to care more genuinely. So (especially if he's kissed the other variants before now), finding out he likes kissing Nine wouldn't really bother him. If anything, he's likely to be...pleasantly surprised it happened. He'd be a bit pained if Nine rejected him, but he'd be happy if things...continued as they are now (just with some added traditionally romantic stuff).

Meanwhile, I think Tails would be Nine's first kiss out of all his first kisses with the variants. Why? Well, I think if Tails is Nine's first, then it makes everything else a bit easier. Resolving his hangup on Tails (by learning about his true self and having him kiss Tails about those feelings) is something I think that could allow him to feel more comfortable in accepting any feelings for the other two. So I'd like to think that Nine's head races while he lies in the tent. He has to grapple with the fact that he liked that kiss, and it shakes him a bit that it was with someone he'd once held resentment towards. But I'd like to think that he ultimately doesn't reject the kiss or those feelings, not after all the time he's been spending getting to know Tails.

Maybe Nine moves on, thinks about that kiss every once in a while, and their relationship just eventually progresses at a natural pace. One day they're making out in Nine's lab in The Grim or Tails makes him breakfast in the morning (causing Nine's heart to squeeze) and Nine doesn't know how they got here.

So uhhh yeah anyways. Tldr; no matter what I think Nine and Tails have this slow burn relationship, so it takes a while before they kiss. I think they kiss over the usual getting closer to someone/caring for them stuff + their shared Sonic interest. I think their first kiss is on a whim, after they bare their hearts to each other a bit, and I think it's a gateway to future kisses.

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Tails/Sails

Hmmm you know... I think these two shared their first kiss cause they decided they wanted to see what it would be like. Either it's the first kiss out of the entire group because they decided to try it for science (because neither is holding out for anyone else to kiss them (specifically non-tails variants)), or it's not the first, but it’s "for science" (aka, an excuse to kiss each other to see if they like it).

If it's in a situation in which they kiss because they've never been kissed before and aren't holding out for it to ever happen (in what one might consider a traditionally romantic way anyways), then I envision this happening well into the sort of mentorship Tails ends up starting with Sails. By that point I can see them becoming friends after sort of bonding over what makes them similar (and I think Tails would research pirate culture just to understand Sails better).

If it's a situation in which they kiss "for science" as a clear excuse, well. That one's a bit self explanatory. They're kind of grappling with the confusing not exactly clear platonic or romantic nature of their feelings, and they both hope a kiss will clear things up and want to use it as a safe excuse to kiss the other without it necessarily having to be serious if the other doesn't like it (essentially, at least if they enjoy it and the other doesn't, they can pretend it doesn't mean anything).

With that all being said, to me they're the type to be more casual about the affection and the kisses most of the time, but once in a while they get in the mood to participate in...less casual kissing.

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Tails/Mangey

I've said once before in a previous Tailscest post that I feel Tails would be the jealous type deep down (the kind of guy who's jealous and possessive, but also has learned to keep it under wraps for the sake of his image and for not tying Sonic down). Specifically, I also mentioned a theoretical happening in which Mangey hides behind Sonic on instinct when scared, Sonic comforts him, and Tails can't help but see himself in Mangey (because that's what Sonic used to do for him when he and Sonic were both younger).

I think, at first, Tails would be...baseline nice to Mangey. He's another version of him, so he has no reason to be mean or anything outright. At first, though, he's not sure what to think of Mangey I think, so I think his gateway to understanding him is relating to him. This means that, early on, I think Tails kind of thinks of Mangey akin to a largely nonverbal, younger version of himself—an opinion that will shift and change as Tails properly gets to know Mangey better.

As for Mangey, he has no reason to dislike Tails. Sonic has only good things to say about him, and Tails being nice off the bat gives Mangey a good impression. So I think Mangey would start to learn more about Tails by following him around, tasting the food he likes to eat (could this mean that he may eat off the guy's plate, lick the plate later, or out of the trash? ...maybe), sitting in while Tails is working in his lab, etc.

I envision their first kiss going...like this more or less. Either Tails is on a solo mission and Mangey decided to follow him, or Mangey is sitting in on one of Tails' late nights. And then...thunder strikes, scaring them both. Before Tails knows it, Mangey is curled around his legs, shaking.

Thunder strikes again, Tails tenses up, and Mangey yelps. Tails is scared, he can't deny that, but he can't help but be conscious of Mangey. So, practically running on instinct, he sinks to the ground slowly, whispering to Mangey about how "it'll all be okay soon" and if he could "please let go for a second" so Tails can kneel down. Tails wraps his arms and tails around Mangey, pulling him closer, just before the two hear thunder again.

Mangey all but throws his arms around Tails, whimpering, as Tails tries his best to keep his cool (this long running fear of his has never failed to make him feel...a bit dumb for it). And then, as Mangey is whimpering and Tails is trying not to tremble or cry, his thoughts drift to where they always do when he's afraid or hopelessly alone.

I wish Sonic was here.

And then...a moment of clarity. Despite the fear, despite how his brain is just barely affording him the braincells to act rationally, he remembers how Sonic has always calmed him down (ever since they were younger). Still holding onto Mangey, Tails slides a hand up Mangey's back and kneck, resting it around the top of his head. He begins to scratch Mangey just begind the ears, ever so gently.

"I-I'm here. It's... It's going to be okay." In an attempt to calm himself down further, Tails takes deep breaths. "You're not alone. Y...You have me, okay?"

It takes a little while of this, but soon Tails is able to tune the sound of the thunder out a bit better, and Mangey stops whimpering. The two are still afraid, but each other's presence (and Tails' attempts at comfort) manage to make them both feel more comfortable.

And then, once the thunderstorm has passed, there's a moment of utter silence. Tails shifts his hands to Mangey's shoulders, and he lifts up just high enough on his knees to press a kiss to his forehead. At that, Mangey makes a sound—a barely audible purr. Tails strains his ears just a little to hear it, but it causes him to smile nonetheless.

Soon enough, Mangey unwinds his arms and tails from Tails. Though he had already grown interested in Tails, this event serves the purpose of allowing him to grow closer to Tails emotionally too. To me, this event in particular takes place after the Mangey/Sails first kiss. So, Mangey sits on his knees, mirroring Tails.

Tails pulls his hands to his sides, only watching as Mangey settles his hands on his (Tails') shoulders. He assumes Mangey is just repeating his actions from earlier, but, to his surprise, Mangey leans forward, pressing his lips to Tails' own instead.

Mangey lingers at Tails' lips for a second or two, but he doesn't pull back before swiping his tongue across Tails' lips.

An act as bold as this causes Tails' face to heat up, and he can't help but cover it in embarrassment (especially once Mangey begins to giggle).

Now, while I don't think Mangey would be as clingy with Tails as he is with Sails, I think the two would be able to hang out more casually than before (whether this means Mangey curled up across Tails' lap, or the two engaging in parallel play in the same room), and I think Tails has an easier time becoming accustomed to Mangey's presence from this point forward. In addition, I think that while Tails still can't help that jealousy, he kind of adopts a more protective stance when it comes to Mangey (which is to say that he can't help but relate to Sonic and the kind of fondness Sonic must have for him as well), where he knows Mangey can take care of himself but perhaps...takes care of him or begins to spoil him a little more than the other variants (if not because Mangey is cute and Tails is both heavily relating to him now and sort of projecting himself in Sonic's role of the "person and their little buddy duo" phenomenon).

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Nine/Sails

Okay so I'll be real with you. My immediate brain thought is telling me that it would be really funny if Sails kept debating Nine over stuff like "Is water wet?" or "Is a sea dog a sandwich?" and they kissed to break the tension or something.

But, for you anon, I will cook up more of a serious answer 😂

Now, aside from culture differences (and of course, uh, after resolving what Nine tried to do to Sails), I think they would come to be like colleagues. To me, they'd have scientific discussions (over different subjects, though, because, despite the shared prowess with technology, the two would be obsessed with different fields of study in my opinion), Sails would share a bunch of riddles with Nine, Nine would show off some of his technology and give Sails some advice for his own contraptions, and Sails would ask questions like "is water wet?" just to argue with Nine about it. I think that Sails would consider Nine as fun to mess with, but also as someone he ultimately likes hanging out with (if not for keeping his mind sharp). Likewise, I think Nine would consider Sails annoying, but hold respect for him deep down and would consider working on inventions *with* Sails once Sails improves a bit. And I'll be real with you, anon. I think that just like how getting closer to Sails and Mangey would assist Nine in getting close and vulnerable enough with Tails to share a kiss, he allows himself to open himself up a little bit more (both emotionally and with uh the idea of kissing other versions of himself) to Sails and Mangey.

With that in mind. If Nine finally kissed Tails as interest and jealousy intertwined, then I think Sails and Nine would kiss...more out of self interest. Sure, Nine deals with the jealousy involving Sonic, same as Tails, but he and Sails are (more or less) friends despite their shared interest in one hedgehog. This means that they do start to spend time together outside of him probably even sooner than Nine does with Tails. So if I had to imagine their first kiss...

I can imagine the two out on an island on a beach in No Place, both chilling under artificial shade. Out of nowhere, Sails decides to start up one of his "discussions" to annoy Nine a bit for fun. So, he makes a blanket statement of something he believes—something he's sure Nine will oppose him on—but Nine doesn't.

Rather, to Sails' surprise, he keeps agreeing. But it's not ingenuine either. If anything, it’s probably a coincidence.

Nonetheless, Sails' repeated attempts to say something annoying taper off as the two enter genuine discussions about the topics (why they each think what they do/agree, their experiences, the history of the thing, etc).

And it's moments like these that they both remember why they enjoy each other's company.

So they talk and info dump and become enamored with the other's knowledge and all of that, until finally, as one is looking at the other (listening intently), the other turns at the right moment.

Actually, perhaps Nine is info dumping before just so happening to look at Sails, and Nine...tapers off. Something pulses in Nine's heart as the two lock eyes, and Sails leans in, sliding a hand up to cup Nine's cheek.

Sails moves slowly, as if giving Nine every chance to refuse this, and Nine...never does. So Sails presses his lips to Nine's, squeezes his eyes shut. Nine allows his own eyes to fall closed, relaxing into the kiss. Most likely, these feelings between them have been building for a little while, so Sails steals a few more before pulling back, opening his eyes to look at Nine as if he's waiting to see his reaction.

But to Sails' surprise, Nine only smiles before leaning back in the chair he brought with him.

There's something about the kiss that makes them both feel a little giddy, and yet...it feels normal. Maybe, as they spend their last moments they can alone (devoid of responsibility), the two interlace their fingers, relaxing.

Quite easily (although Nine perhaps keeps it as secret as he can for a while), I think they'd fall into kissing casually or making out while alone. Depends on the mood.

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Nine/Mangey

Now, in terms of relationship, while I think Sails giving Nine a chance (and of course Nine being apologetic) definitely made things easier than they could have been, I don't think Mangey is as initially comfortable with Nine as he was with Sails and Tails. So I think more often than not (in the beginning) Mangey sticks to watching Nine from afar or being cautious around him.

As for Nine, post Sonic Prime canon I think he holds some genuine respect for Mangey and does recognize him as a capable and formidable adversary (even if Nine thinks himself to be better than him). After everything too, he's a bit apologetic (as I said earlier) and can’t really blame Mangey from being cautious (although he probably finds the spying annoying. Nine is the kind of guy who wants to let someone in on their own terms rather than just deal with them staring over his shoulder or intruding in his space). If anything, he's grateful (and surprised) that Mangey and Sails decided to give him a chance and form some kind of relationship with him despite everything he (Nine) did.

In this case, I think Nine and Mangey are able to grow closer (and Mangey grows to trust him more) just by the proximity, how well Nine and Sails' relationship progresses (starting with the friendship aspect of it), and just by the fact that Nine (despite still being "rough around the edges" so to speak) isn't actively betraying anyone.

Now for their first kiss...

I'd like to think that Mangey (when he feels like it) gets in one of those "if I do this will you reward me?" moods sometimes. And sometimes that means he's asking for berries or snacks, and sometimes it means he's asking for something special, and sometimes it means he wants a little kiss as a prize. I also think that Mangey started the "kiss as a prize" thing after his first kiss with Sails.

So while it's not uncommon for Sails and Mangey to be working on a project as partners, it's also not uncommon for Mangey to play assistant on some of Sails' solo projects. Likewise, I think Sails and Nine grow accustomed to working on separate projects in the same lab (or partnering on one) eventually. So, imagine

Imagine Nine, Sails, and Mangey in Nine's lab in The Grim. Sails has grown much more proficient with technology and inventing since being mentored by Tails—enough now that Nine feels comfortable trying to build something with him. Mangey is playing "lab assistant", so Sails plays along, asking for Mangey to fetch things for him, and then giving him a berry when Mangey inevitably holds his hands out for his reward.

Now, Nine generally prefers to fetch things on his own, but he's worked in the same room with Sails and Mangey enough now that he isn't as afraid to trust Mangey when he needs to. So, Nine asks Mangey to fetch something for him.

Of course, to his mild annoyance (since he's used to this now) Mangey points to himself as if to say "What will I get it if I do it?" Then, Mangey pulls his hands behind his back.

"Kiss?"

It's not the first time Mangey's asked, and it won't be the last. By now Nine's learned that if you don't give Mangey a reward while he's in this mood, he won't do the thing, and trying to make him only makes things worse. So, usually, he just sort of brushes the kiss offer off and figures out some way—any way—to fetch the thing on his own (in which his last resort is calling Alpha Grim Sonic to his location and asking him to help).

This time though (for the record, this would occur both after the Tails/Nine and Nine/Sails first kiss), he decides to just do it. So Nine gives Mangey a forehead kiss.

Mangey (although he does clearly enjoy this, given the fact he's got a smug smile on his face now) shakes his head.

"What?" is the first thing out of Nine's mouth. "I gave you a kiss."

Mangey shakes his head again, and points to himself.

And after a bit of back and forth, Sails shakes his head, and informs Nine that Mangey will only do it with a kiss on the lips.

Nine rolls his eyes, he procrastinates, he sighs, he stares, but eventually...he beckons Mangey closer and slowly (and a bit embarrassed, though he wouldn't admit it) presses a kiss to his lips. Nine turns away after that, face warm, and neglects to turn to look at Mangey when Mangey gives him whatever it is he asked for.

Sails probably teases Nine about it later😂

Nine is largely touch adverse, but he's generally okay with it if he's the one who starts the physical touch or if someone asks first, and if he's used to someone he can handle their sudden touch a bit better. With this in mind, I think out of the three Mangey would be least clingy to Nine, but, as they grow closer and more used to each other, Nine starts to become more comfortable with Mangey snuggling up to him (both if he wakes up and Mangey is suddenly there, or in the case Nine offers for Mangey to chill with him). This, I think, also leads Nine to being a bit more proactive in going on solo journies with Mangey or hanging out with him alone in Boscage Maze.

With that all being said, though, I think for a long while Mangey has to trick/convince Nine into giving him kisses (and has fun doing it) until Nine becomes more used to the casual intimacy and accepting of his own feelings.

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Sails/Mangey

For these two (especially after the s3 interactions) I can see their first kiss being a more sweet and casual endeavor. Like...I can imagine Mangey at Sails' side, assisting on one of Sails' projects. They're up fairly late, and Sails has just decided to take a short break and put it all down while Mangey's sitting nearby. After Sails puts it all down and turns around, Mangey runs over and winds his arms around him. On a whim, he brings their faces closer, swipes his tonge across Sails' lips, and buries his face in Sails' chest. Sails, although a bit surprised, wraps his arms around Mangey in turn. He supposes if he thinks about this a bit it could be a little weird, but it feels...normal. Honestly, what's more pressing to him is that that's Mangey's idea of a kiss. So Sails chuckles softly, presses his lips to the top of Mangey's head. And perhaps, next time he gets the chance, Sails shows Mangey what a "real" kiss looks like (even though Sails barely knows better than Mangey does).

With everything they've been through together, I can imagine Mangey as a little clingy when he's with Sails. Likewise, I think Sails comes to enjoy just chilling with Mangey. I can imagine them as a pair that just sort of clicked with ease, so while their first kiss isn't at all planned, it opens them up to more kissing as a form of casual intimacy (and possible participating in "practice kissing"). Compared to the Tails/Mangey relationship, I feel as if Sails and Mangey consider each other more of equals and are a bit equally protective over the other and their well-being.

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Thank you so much for the ask, anon! I really love talking about the Tails variants and my Tails/Tails variant ships, so I enjoyed answering this question quite a lot😊💖

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Tails/Nine

This already sets up a fairly large hurdle for Tails and Nine's relationship, which requires getting to know each other better (reconciling who the other actually is with the kind of fox they expected), the opening of hearts, and for each to deal with any negative feelings towards each other.

So, as I said in the kissing post, I can only see Tails and Nine having a slow burn relationship. Tails is the catalyst for Nine's identity issues and a reason for insecurity in his friendship with Sonic. I think that with Nine also, he built up an idea/image in his head of Tails based on a combination Sonic's stories and the idea of fox he (Nine) personally isn't like that he believes Sonic expects from Tails and is naturally expects out of Nine (a take built off of negative feelings by default, likely around S2 era). As for Tails, he likely gleaned what he could about Nine from Sonic's stories and his first impressions.

However, on top with having to surmount the hurdle of negative feelings and learning to open themselves up to each other, the (potentially even bigger) hurdle is Nine's lack of understanding when it comes to what love is.

I don't know if I've said it here before, but I personally read Nine to be on the aroace spectrum. I think that before he met Sonic (and eventually became friends with him), he didn't recognize that he was lonely. He'd always thought that he was better off without anyone else and that letting anyone in would be opening yourself up to betrayal (after all, he didn't believe in the inherent good in people anymore), but being with Sonic opened him up to feeling things he had never felt before.

Positive feelings towards someone else, a sense of warmth when being cared for by this person, being the center of that person's attention, feeling a real sense of hope for the future, experiencing friendship, the feeling of working towards shared goals, the wish to live your future with that one person beside you. And because Sonic's presence came to fight the loneliness deep in Nine that he himself hadn't acknowledged before, when Sonic was gone and Nine became alone again (after Nine gets captured in Episode 6, post the S2 finale, and post the s3 finale), the loneliness started to feel more like an open wound. After becoming friends/best friends with Sonic, I believe Nine's own loneliness became impossible for him to ignore (which perhaps was even more lonely now that he'd had a real taste of being around/with someone who made him happy).

To be clear, Nine was feeling a lot of things for the first time. And I don't even particularly believe he'd finally come to consider those feelings for Sonic as any specific type of love by the end of Prime. I just think that he'd come to accept that he liked being Sonic's best friend, that Sonic made him feel things, and that what he really wanted is for Sonic to be at his side.

So this also means that...I think Nine realizing his feelings for Tails would have to happen very slowly. While the realization moment would likely be Nine realizing that he's become attached to Tails too and cares about him, it would probably take some help and self reflection to actually sus out the exact nature of his feelings (feelings I think he will never be able to easily categorize as romantic or platonic).

For Tails, I think he has better grasp on romance, friendship, and love than Nine does. To contrast Nine, his realization of feelings moment would not be when he realizes he cares about Nine, but I feel like it would either come when he realizes he's begun to factor Nine's existence into his future as being someone he wants near him, or when it hits him just how much he considers Nine's future happiness, how good it feels when Nine is happy.

I think Nine would be in denial for a while due to the many reasons already stated. And I think Tails would be in subconscious denial until either someone calls him out for how he acts around Nine/treats him, or until Tails starts to compare his feelings for Nine and Sonic (or maybe they even happen in that order😂)

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Tails/Sails

As I went over in the first kiss ask, more than likely (especially with them spending more time together than they usually might due to the mentorship) they'd end up grappling with the confusing nature of their feelings over time. So, rather than a solid realization moment, I feel as if these two would have some feelings curiosity for a while. So their "moment" would be less based on the moment they discover their feelings and more focused on the moment they confirm the nature of their feelings (or at the very least confirm that they do have some more romance aligned feelings among the jumble).

A kiss is a pretty decent way to attempt to feel out one's own feelings, and (in cases like these) both enjoying it can potentially be a confirmation on its own. So...yeah. the setup from the first kiss ask. Somehow the two end up agreeing to try a kiss "for scientific purposes" as an excuse to guage their own feelings and the other's feelings, and when the two clearly like it, well...the experiment has served its purpose.

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Tails/Mangey

Starting with Mangey, I think (comparative to Tails) his realization will come fairly quick and easy.

Now, since Mangey starts out on pretty good terms with Tails (triple threat combo of having no reason to dislike Tails, Tails making a good first impression with Mangey, and Sonic having good things to say about Tails), all I feel that's required for him to develop specific feelings for Tails is for him to get closer to/learn more about Tails, and for Tails to prove himself trustworthy. I mentioned during the first kiss ask that Mangey would probably be curious about Tails and want to learn more about him from the getgo (in this case, because Tails seems interesting, because Tails is another version of himself and that's interesting, and because Sonic seems to like him). This setup makes it so that even before Tails himself really gets to know Mangey, it's possible for Mangey to learn more about Tails. On top of that, it's fairly easy for Tails to prove himself trustworthy in this case. All he really has to do is convey to Mangey that he (Tails) cares about him (Mangey) (stuff like Tails rescuing him or helping him out during a mission, giving him a snack/treat, etc).

Honestly, with that being said, I don't think Mangey generally has big realization of feelings moments with anyone. I feel as if his feelings kind or shift and grow over time. Then, when that moment of realization does come, it's more of a moment of acceptance. In other words, he just sort of realizes/notices that he's started wanting this person to be around him forever, or notices the urges he had where there were none before, or that it's comforting to be around this person now and kind of rolls with the punches on it. In a "Oh, so this is our relationship now" kind of way. His relationship with Tails is no exception here.

And by the time Mangey's feelings for Tails have developed fully, I think he'll have already come to terms with the fact that his feelings have changed a little (that, well, their relationship gotten stronger and he's gotten closer to Tails so it's only natural he'd want to spend time around him and show him neat things and he feels like kissing him sometimes), as opposed to having some big realization moment.

This is also one of the few cases among the polycule members where I don't think a first kiss will cause one of them to realize or confirm the nature of their own feelings. With the Tails/Mangey first kiss in particular (as detailed in the first kiss ask), that is a moment I feel could allow Tails to recognize the nature of Mangey's feelings for him (assuming Tails doesn't just assume that Mangey isn't aware of the meaning of the gesture). Mangey would have already accepted his feelings by that point. However, as for Tails' own feelings, I think the important part of that scene for him (rather than specifically the kiss) is how it functions as a bonding moment between him and Mangey. It allows the two of them (from Tails' perspective) to overcome some obstacles and grow closer to each other (which also naturally allows Tails to improve his idea of who Mangey is and deal with any lingering jealousy better).

As for Tails, I think his realization of feelings moment will take quite a bit longer to hit, and I think part of the reason for that has to do with that bit of jealousy he has over Mangey that I mentioned in the first kiss ask. I feel as if Tails will have to get closer to Mangey and get to know him better for feelings to grow, and dealing with his bit of jealousy and incorrect first impressions of Mangey is naturally entwined with that.

With that also being said (kind of like with the Tails/Nine answer from earlier), I feel as if Tails will have to eventually start recognizing the way his feelings are becoming muddled/changing a bit and compare his feelings for Mangey with others he has feelings for to sus out the nature of them.

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Nine/Sails

I kind of touched on it in the first kiss post, but I believe that Nine wouldn't be able to recognize his feelings for anyone else until he (at baseline) deals with his hangups on Sonic and Tails.

To clarify, I think he's the type who suffers from a phenomenon where he can genuinely have some type of thing going on with others and harbor secret feelings for them, but isn't able to recognize what's going on (and in some cases fully feel those feelings) as long as these relationships are overshadowed by the ones he's hung up on.

As for Sails (like all versions of Tails in my readings of them), I think he's a fox who cares quite a bit about actions ("actions speak louder than words"). So, especially after S3, I think Nine would need to consciously make amends with him, not backstab him, and prioritize the well-being of him and others for Sails to be able to fully trust him. It's at that point I think Sails' feelings would be able to grow, especially if he and Nine start hanging out together and getting to know each other better. With that, I'm not sure how sure Sails would be in his own feelings. Rather than having a solid realization of his feelings, he seems the type to me to go through interactions, which then cause the puzzle pieces to click into place, until he eventually has enough of an idea of his feelings to take a leap of faith on them. So when he realizes his feelings for Nine, it'll be after that buildup of beginning to feel "some kinda way" over simple things like Nine rambling or smiling or getting annoyed, and it'll be after realizing he likes spending time with Nine.

Now, with that being said, I feel like Nine's default setting right now when he realizes his feelings/realizes he cares about someone deeply is a "Seriously? I'm attached to this person? Really?" (even when he doesn't dislike that person in any way). I also think that Nine is just the type where his feelings build under the surface for a while until sort of suddenly surfacing and becoming an issue for him. So, post actively dealing with his hangups over Sonic and Tails and allowing himself to open up to other people, he'd be on the path to allowing his feelings for someone like Sails to finally surface and no longer be overshadowed. In fact, it's very possible for that scene I painted in the first kiss post between Sails and Nine to be the moment where Nine realizes he has feelings and attachment towards Sails (otherwise, why would he like and reciprocate the kiss?)

Maybe one random day Sails looks at Nine and it squeezes his heart. He doesn't 100% know what it means. He doesn't wonder "why him?" He just takes note that he's feeling something simmering in him just under the surface, and he takes note of the proof that Nine does care about him (even if Sails does annoy him sometimes). So, when the time is right, Sails follows his heart. Maybe that moment of solidifying what he's feeling for Nine is like that moment from the first kiss ask, when Sails takes a leap of faith and goes to kiss Nine (giving Nine many chances to back out), only for Nine to reciprocate.

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Nine/Mangey

As with Sails/Nine, it would definitely have to be post Nine dealing with his hangups and actually allowing the walls around his heart to come down.

Mangey needs to be able to warm up to Nine and trust him, which requires Nine actively helping and showing that he means no harm to him or the other variants. But I think once things get to the point that Mangey no longer registers Nine as a threat, his feelings just kind of grow naturally. Instead of having a realization of feelings moment, he most likely becomes clingier to Nine than before as time goes on, and he would look for excuses to spend time around Nine. I feel that when his feelings realization does come, it's a bit like...quietly flipping on a lightswitch that's set on a pretty dim setting. So there's fundamentally a shift in his relationship with Nine and how he sees him, because Mangey's realized he wants to keep Nine in his life going forward, but that he's changed a bit suddenly is more apparent than why it happened. If that makes any sense.

As for Nine, I feel like it'll take a little while for him to warm up to Mangey in general. Before I even factor in him dealing with his hangups, one hurdle is bridging the gap between Nine getting used to Mangey's presence around him/getting used to hanging out with Mangey, and Nine having a realization that he specifically enjoys having Mangey around and would like him to continue to be around in the future. I feel as if this was easier for Nine to do with Sonic during the events of Prime because he was specifically seeking out a home and Sonic (the only person who'd ever cared about him as Sonic had at that time) was someone who felt...special. What I'm saying is that the events in Prime (including Nine considering what he wants for a future) lined up just so that he could bridge that gap and realize that he wants Sonic around (even if he potentially had to twist some things around to justify it being more/other than his personal want to do so), which Nine doesn't really have the benefit of in the post canon scenario the prime polycule au takes place in.

With that being said, at this time I think that Nine's "realization of feelings moment" will be a bit sudden like it was with Sails. I know this is probably cheating at this point, but I feel like the Ninegey first kiss scenario from the linked post is a good moment for Nine's realization to happen. By this point, Mangey would have already accepted that he likes Nine and wants to be around him, but, for Nine, a moment such as kissing Mangey on the mouth would be a bigger push towards him grappling with actually having feelings (especially if he's been pushing down inklings of realization for a while).

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Sails/Mangey

I don't think there ever really needs to be a distinct realization of feelings moment between Sails and Mangey. They bonded and clicked quickly and easily, and so I see them taking things like being clingy/around each other, caring for each other, prioritizing each other's well-being, and wanting a future with each other (like Black Rose/Rusty Rose) to be a given for their relationship. They'd only get closer as time goes on and so I see them taking these changes in stride, not really thinking too hard about the nature of their relationship and feelings. They're the type I can see getting together and becoming casually intimate (even in traditionally romantic ways) with each other without doing self reflection.

Of course, the idea that they never end up thinking on the nature of their relationship isn't fully realistic (as there are other people in this world), so it would probably be outsider povs as they talk to Mangey/Sails about their relationship that has them consider the nature of the thing. But, even then, them loving each other would be a given, so I don't think parsing out some of the nature of that love would change their relationship much.

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Thank you so much for the ask, anon! 🥰