Tails sat there at the table, idly running a gloved finger along the rim of his solo cup. He had his other hand propped on his elbow and supporting his head as he leaned slightly forward.

He was tired.

The last few days had been a hell of sorts for him, and now he was expected to forget it all and act like it all okay; just dirt under the rug. Well, he was doing that, but it didn't make him feel any better. In fact, he was feeling progressively worse as this night dragged on and on.

Tails sighed heavily. He shouldn't be upset, not right now. Today was Bunnie and Antoine's big day. They had gotten married, with Sonic as Best Man of course. Princess Sally had been the Maid of Honor, and her brother had officiated.

For all intents and purposes, it had been a beautiful wedding.

But now was the reception, and all Tails could really bring himself to do was hide off in this corner of the plaza, at a smaller table he had found all by its lonesome. He deeply wanted to be alone, but between the Freedom Fighters and his parents, not to mention the entire Royal Family, Tails was hard pressed for a moment to himself to recharge. Putting up a fake smile and chipper attitude took more out of him than he had anticipated. It wasn't as if they wanted or needed him there, he had no real part in the wedding itself and he had no bearing whatsoever on the following activities. But, he was still required to congratulate and gush and just be there.

It wasn't that he wasn't happy for the two, of course; Tails had been wondering when they would tie the knot for a while now, as was everyone else. They loved each other, that much was clear. And it was breath taking to see two people be able to find that love in one another and settle down (or, as much as Freedom Fighters could anyway).

But Antoine's timing was, in Tails' opinion, absolute crap.

After the absolute shock of a lifetime, and probably the worst day of his entire life (sans the day Robotnik first rose to power) Antoine comes along with the seemingly fateful words of doing something he "should have done a long time ago". Well, Tails had been momentarily impressed. Was Antoine going to track Fiona and Scourge down and arrest the entire gang? Was he calling in the Zone Cops? Going straight to Headquarters so he could rip out every photo Fiona had been in, officially kicking her out of the FF for her complete and utter betrayal?

No.

Instead, Antoine had dragged Sonic, Tails and Amy to where Bunnie was, and then proceeded to propose to her. That had been his big plan.

Tails had felt like he had been kicked in the stomach. He was simultaneously delighted for them but also so hollow and numb from being rejected by who he had thought was the love of his life. He had promptly muttered his congrats to the two and, pacifying Sonic's delayed concerns, lit off to his parents' home. Maybe Fiona had been right, he was still a snot-nosed kid who ran to his folks. But then, he had gone so long without them…he didn't feel guilty or childish in the least. Besides, the hugs from his mother had temporarily smooshed together the breaking pieces of his heart.

But now he could feel them cracking again, in even smaller pieces, and all he could do was sit there as a gentle breeze carried the sounds of music and laughter of the party to him.

"Can I join you?"

Tails, who was startled by the feminine voice, had not enough energy to jump. So, he found his gaze turning to the source and was almost glad at who it was. Amy Rose.

"Sure." Tails cleared his throat, his voice coming out raspy.

Amy would have been one of the people he wanted to avoid had it not been for her being just as hurt—if not more—by recent events, as he had been.

"I saw you were sitting alone." Amy said quietly.

"Yeah." Was all Tails could muster. He was now once again gazing at the party still going towards the front of the plaza. Vector was booming with laughter with something Charmy had said. Sonic, Knuckles, Julie and Sally were at the punch bowl (in that order). Tails wanted to smirk but it came out as a grimace. He decided to look beyond that particularly awkward mess. Bunnie and Ant were holding hands and speaking with Elias. His parents were chatting with Sonic's folks. Others were scattered about but before he could name them in his head Amy spoke again.

"I figured I'd join you…I don't really feel like hanging out with them either."

Tails blinked, rather shocked by the truth of her words. "You-?"

Amy shook her head and looked down at her gloves, picking at the seam between her pointer and thumb.

"I…I don't want to be such a novelty."

"What do you mean?" Tails was thoroughly perplexed by that statement. He turned to her more fully in his seat, his morose thoughts forgotten for the time being.

"Did you hear what Sally did?"

Tails shook his head no.

"She shoved me into a room where Sonic had been, and I was so excited to see him…I just…" Amy sighed. "Well, you know how quick he is to get as far from me as possible, especially when I'm like that…"

Tails tried to dispute that, for her own sake, but she stopped him.

"No, don't try to deny it. I know. I have eyes, don't I?" she looked down again, for said eyes now held a new shine of unshed tears. "But I also have ears. I overheard Sally and someone else talking about it. Like I was some kind of punishment for him." Amy blinked away her tears.

"Amy…I'm sorry." Tails replied quietly after a moment. He took her fidgeting hand in his own. "You…you really don't deserve that."

Amy smiled a bit despite her own sadness. "Thanks Tails. But yeah…I figured of all the people here tonight, you would understand. You've never…you've never been mean to me."

Tails laced his fingers together on the tabletop, not quite feeling deserving of the praise, however defeated it was.

"I guess I do." He merely replied.

"They look beautiful, don't they?" Amy gestured to Antoine and Bunnie as they took the dancefloor for their first dance as husband and wife.

"They sure do." Tails breathed, his chest clenching in a sick twist from it all.

They sat in companionable silence for a moment. The music was pleasant—a special recording from Mina as she was still on tour and unable to attend and sing personally for the couple. Sonic and Knuckles were whooping, making Antoine blush horribly and loose step, almost tripping on Bunnie's dress. But she was used to it and merely laughed warmly, kissing him on the nose as they twirled.

"I wish they would grow up." Tails' gaze had turned into a glare and he had to look away sharply, ashamed at his misplaced anger.

Amy looked a bit taken aback. "Who?"

"Sonic and them." Tails gestured vaguely. The group had moved from the punch bowl to the deserts, but still in that odd formation, just so Sonic and Sally wouldn't have to be close and thereby awkward because of it. Tails thought it utterly ridiculous.

Amy tsk'd, noticing the odd placing as well and leaned back in her chair, relaxing more as she talked with the fox. "I kind of agree, really. One more reason to stay out of their way. I would probably be bodily pushed right into Sonic for Sally to make her escape."

Tails chuckled, but it was humorless. "Probably."

"I think they care about you, though. For what it's worth."

Tails perked up an ear. "How d'you figure?"

"Well…Sonic had always wanted you by his side. And Knuckles, he's been training you right? In combat?"

Tails nodded.

"And Sally…she was like an aunt for you for the longest time…I mean, everyone loves you, Tails."

"They love you too." Tails tried but Amy sighed.

"No…I don't think they do. I think they see me as a cheat."

"What?"

"Because of the Ring of Acorns. I should be your age or even younger, but no…I wanted to speed up my life to be a better match for him. Lot of good that did me."

Tails made a face. "You're not that much older than me."

Amy grinned slyly, mirth brightening her green eyes. "What, is that an offer of some kind?"

Tails blushed but found himself laughing genuinely for the first time in a while. "Haha, we would be the odd couple, wouldn't we?"

Amy crossed her arms in mock offense. "Well, if it's not an offer I don't know what is!" her smile betrayed the tone of her words, and Tails was finally relaxing too since the event had begun.

"You have a pretty smile." He couldn't help himself say. If it had been any other time, he would have choked before saying something like that to Amy Rose of all people, but now? Now…things felt different. Like, for the first time, he was really seeing who she was. And he felt…comfortable.

Amy tinged pinker than her fur and huffed a laugh. "Thanks, Tails. You do too."

They both sat once again in silence, smiling to themselves and feeling awfully warm despite the cool setting in as the sun set behind them.

"Uh-oh, Blue Blur, three-o'clock." Amy whispered and Tails looked to their right—sure enough, Sonic had finally noticed Tails' absence from the group and had spotted them. He was making his way towards them but caught sight of Amy, very obviously hesitating and looking as if he were weighing the pros and cons of voluntarily approaching Tails if Amy was around.

"Look at him, he really isn't subtle, is he?" Tails smirked, almost fondly at who he once considered his best friend. He still cared about the hedgehog, but he was having second thoughts on if they really were friends now. Sonic sure thought so, but then, he had glazed over everything pretty fast. He didn't notice the turmoil inside Tails.

Sonic didn't notice a lot of things, really. Not lately anyway.

"Mmm…I should cut him some slack. I'll leave so he can stop looking like a fish out of water trying to decide how to avoid me if he comes over." Amy began, about to get up when Tails' hand shot out and held hers again, holding her there.

"Don't you dare."

"But—"

"But nothing, you stay and I get to avoid being fake-happy for a while longer."

Amy smiled ruefully, understanding the sentiment. She then turned back to the table in her seat, pointedly looking at his hand still clasped atop her own.

"Well, I'm obviously staying…you can, uh, let go now." She almost giggled, thinking he had honestly forgotten what he was doing.

He hadn't.

Looking back to where Sonic was shrugging at himself and walking back to where Vector and Knuckles were chanting as Charmy was chugging some kind of fizzy drink, Tails simply left his hand where it was.

"I think it's fine like this."

Amy raised a brow. "People will talk."

"Whatever, it's not like I care anymore. I…can't really bring myself to feel anything much anymore." His voice had gone quiet and he suddenly felt colder than before. His heart was falling into his stomach again, only it was taking its sweet time; his heart slid down like molasses, cold and sludge-like.

"That's not entirely true and you know it, Tails. You're going to have to tell him—them how you feel."

Tails snorted, sounding much more like his Anti counterpart than the usually happy-go-lucky kid he used to be before all this drama.

"What about you?" he asked, turning back to her.

"Me?"

"Why don't you tell them it's not cool to use you like a punchline to a bad joke?"

"I dunno…maybe. I shouldn't make waves though." Tails didn't like the very un-Amy way that sounded. "I don't have anyone else, aside from you guys in the FF. My cousin has his own family now to care for, and I don't see Team Dark accepting my application." Amy chuckled. Tails joined her, imagining how Shadow would react.

"You never know." Tails vaguely tried. It was, after all, a truth (if not a cliché).

Amy followed his gaze to the crowd and saw that Sally was glancing their way as she whispered something to Julie-Su, who sharply turned her head to them then quickly made to look away.

"I think our time of being unnoticed is coming to an end." Amy sighed once again. She had been rather enjoying her time with Tails. And she secretly loved how he voluntarily was holding her hand. His was warm and strong…and his voice brought her peace. She knew she could trust him while she so often wondered with the others.

"So…let's dance." Tails broke into her thoughts about him. Amy simply stared at him, not expecting so bold a move. He was still Tails, nerdy engineer and chao enthusiast.

But then, Amy did like that about him. So her answer was not as surprising.

"Sure."

He took her hand fully in his own, and she felt a delighted shiver down her spine. She was not used to this kind of treatment from a boy, but she liked of liked it. Tails may have been somewhat younger, but he was far more respectful to her feelings than anyone else had been so far. And, she noted as he led the way past several tables (including Sonic's who was gaping at them now), that he had a very determined streak much like her own when he set his mind to something.

When they reached the floor, Amy became a bit nervous.

"I haven't um, actually danced with anyone before." She confessed, trying not to see how many eyes were on them. Tails shrugged.

"Me either, but who cares? It can't be harder than beating up Robotnik."

Amy giggled and had to agree he was probably right about that. Tails then took her waist as she took his other hand. They may not have experienced it till now, but they at least knew what dancing looked like.

"There, see? Piece of cake." Tails smiled softly.

"You look exhausted, you sure you wanna dance with me?" Amy replied even softer, able to look at him up close and personal as they danced and she felt suddenly worried. He had dark circles under his eyes.

He shrugged again, pulling her closer in the process. "I'm tired, but I'll be fine. You're…helping, actually."

"…I am?"

"Mmm, yeah. I don't have to pretend around you. You get me, I guess. At least, tonight."

"Same here." Amy now felt tired too, but she loved being with Tails. It was as if she were getting to know him for the first time ever, and it was comforting to know she was easing his own pain, however small a way it was.

"I don't think I want to wake up tomorrow." Tails whispered over her shoulder as they swayed to the music. Amy gasped, mistaking his meaning for a second.

"Why?"

"Then this, whatever this is, might be gone. After tonight." Tails stated. His voice was running out of emotion and he seemed resigned to this fact, even if it did worry him.

Amy practically hugged him, causing Sonic's parents (who were closest to the pair) to smile and whisper behind a paper plate about the new development developing right before their eyes.

"I won't change if…if you don't." Amy promised.

Tails hugged her back. "Deal."