Chaos: Well, this is just a one-shot I wrote ages ago. But it isn't that bad, despite the fact that Sonic is teensy bit OOC, and...ah, I suppose they all are, except Amy. Not noticeably, mind you. Well, enough of the burbling. Read on! And don't forget; there will be no other chapter. There is no storyline. Well, perhaps someday I'll think of one, but for now this is it.

Flower: And thankyou in advance for any reviews I get! I love you all! (grin) Oh, and Sonic plays the guitar. Sorta. Because I think it suits him.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Sonic sat on the lip of the cliff, sea swishing quietly below him. The sun, almost sunk now, cast orange rays over the water, shimmering in a thousand highlights. Sonic flicked uninterestedly at a few strings of the guitar on his lap.

The notes rang out softly, a couple clashing, but he didn't notice, too busy staring into space with chin in hand. A couple of footsteps sounded behind him, but he didn't turn, already knowing who it was.

Shadow was spooked.

Sonic was normally so energetic, and hated the kind of sappy scene he was staring at now. He opened his mouth to say something, kicking himself for trying to be a peacemaker. It never suited him.

Sonic cut him off before he had time to draw breath.

"Leave me alone, Shadow. I don't want any sneering just now."

Shadow was frustrated. A single step wrong and Sonic would go zooming away, just as he had when he'd seen Amy hugging him outside her flat. He swallowed and tried,

"Sonic, it's not what you think..."

He paused. Rather than running, Sonic turned slightly, swinging legs half over the cliffedge and letting the guitar slide away. He had a terminally bored expression.

"Go on." he deadpanned, face giving away nothing.

Shadow tried hard not to sound like an idiot. His normally calm exterior was being wrecked by this entire situation.

"It's just...you were in the restaurant, and she was late, and I thought I'd go see what was wrong. Just because I was bored, you see..."

Damn. He was messing this up, big time. Sonic's bored expression looked more fixed now, as though he was growling behind it.

"And I got there, and knocked on the door and she came down and asked what was up and-"

He stopped, realising he was burbling like a fool.

"I asked when she was coming to meet you. She said in an hour. I asked what the time was. She said 6.50. It was actually 7.15. Her clock was broken, I think. I heard jeering, looked round and saw you running past at the end of the street, all those people laughing at you. Amy realised and started crying on my shoulder...and I didn't want her to, I mean, well I didn't mind, she was upset, it's just that..."

Damn it, damn it, damn it. He was only making things worse. His face was growing hot under Sonic's dark gaze, only adding to the impression that he was making it all up.

He could almost see Sonic's thoughts.

Amy knows I don't like her.

She probably thinks Shadow is nice...he looks a lot like me.

She wants revenge on me.

She goes out with Shadow and leaves me hanging.

Shadow tries to make it up so they can hurt me again later.

"Sonic..." he began plaintively, all premise of former hostility gone. Sonic shook his head, smiling bitterly.

"That's a nice little story, Shadow. You should be a writer someday."

His smile was fast turning crooked.

"Y'know, I did like Amy a bit. I mean, she's only twelve, I would never go out with her, but she's fun to be around. If she wasn't so clingy. But you and her...I would never have seen that. Do you have any idea what that will look like to the press?"

Shadow said nothing. He had already lost.

Sonic lost his smile and turned away, back to the sea. An uncomfortable silence descended upon them. Shadow made one more futile attempt.

"Sonic, I swear I didn't..."

"Whatever, Shadow. Now shove off. I don't want to talk to you." Sonic's voice quavered alarmingly and the blue hedgehog clenched his fists.

Shadow was, dare he admit it, terrified. He didn't know Sonic well enough to be able to bear comforting him. Not that he'd be able to anyway...not with those accusations hanging between them.

It was almost a relief to-

No, dammit, it was a huge relief to be able to dash away at top speed and leave Sonic to his romantic cliff edge and accusing thoughts. He didn't stop until he was far away from Station Square.

In her apartment, Amy was crying her eyes out.