a/n: Forever a struggle.

He slid a fizzing glass of clear liquid towards her. The ice tapped softly against the edges.

"Drink up. You'll feel a bit better."

"Thanks," she mumbled. She picked up the pills from the table and tossed them into her mouth, then picked up the cool glass and took a swig from it. Condensation ran down onto her fingers before she set the glass down, the liquid still fizzing and popping lightly.

"I take it you didn't mean to get yourself smashed last night, eh?"

"Not really. I didn't mean to end up here, either."

"That's life for ya. Worth it?"

"Hell no."

Sonic chuckled and poured himself a glass of grape soda.

Rouge looked around at the lack of clutter, or of anything for that matter. Barely any plates and the ones she saw clearly were made of paper, disposable. The kitchen sink was clean and the floors were clear. Besides the thin layers of dust, the place looked like it had barely been lived in. But then again, he wasn't paying for this ground floor apartment. It was a gift from the city.

She felt the throbbing in her head lessen. The morning sun streamed in through the window behind her head, over the stove. He looked the same as ever, fur smooth and quills pointing from the back of his head. Those green eyes carried the usual warmth, with a small bit of impishness always tucked away for whenever he needed it.

"Amy doing okay?"

"Eh, she was a bit miffed when I decided to take you home. But she'll understand."

"Will she?"

"I'd like to think so."

"What is it with you two?" She leaned forward and put her arms on the wood table.

"What is what?"

"She's been chasing you for years now. What was it, you met at Never Lake?"

"Yeah, about there. Eggman was messing with Little Planet, and she got nabbed by Metal Sonic a while after we got there. So naturally...I rescued her. She never forgot it."

"What about returning her feelings?"

He shrugged and leaned against the chair nearby. "I don't think it'll happen."

"Why not? You tease me all the time," she said.

"You make it easy," he replied with a smirk. His hand tapped his chest and then pointed to Rouge. She looked down at her undone shirt and then shrugged. "I bet you bother Shadow all the time with stuff like that."

She tilted her head in response. "I do. What's your point?"

He laughed. "You're made for each other. Well, as made as you can get for an ultimate life form and a flirty treasure hunter."

"You have a way with words."

"I try."

"Heh. So, about you and Amy."

"I almost dodged it."

"Almost." She gestured to the chair he was leaning on and he nodded, taking a seat. He held the glass in between his hands, feeling its coolness. "So?"

"I don't hate her."

"That much is obvious."

"I...it just hasn't crossed my mind is all. Nothing to really do with her, but I don't do romance. Never have, probably never will."

Rouge hummed a bit as she rested her head on her hands, elbows pressed into the table. "That so?"

"Yeah."

"Not even a fling? Never thought about it?"

He caught her sly grin and chuckled.

"Something funny?" she asked, still smiling.

"Yeah, you. You're a trip sometimes."

"Answer the question, Big Blue."

"You're all kinds of woman, I can tell you that much."

"You'd get part marks for that answer."

"Sheesh. You're really drilling me, here."

"Not yet, I'm not."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oi."

"Stop dodging, hon. For me?" Her smile was yet again genuine.

"Like I said, you're really attractive. Understatement, I know. But...the other parts just don't materialize, you know? Not unless we're having a conversation like this."

"So you really are pure of heart, then."

"I guess you could call it that."

"Hm."

"Weird, huh?"

"Not exactly. It's just who you are...and it explains a lot, actually. The candour, the selflessness, the attitude...if you were thinking of girls all the time, you probably wouldn't be you. And you're not...you know. Are you?"

"No."

She nodded, noting how casually he took the question.

"Ever think you were?"

He leaned back and folded his arms in thought. "Never did, no. That's never come up either."

"I see."

"I'm not normal, I guess. That's how things are."

"So, about Amy."

"Yeah."

"Are you gonna let her down easy? She won't be a little girl forever, you know. I think she really believes that she still has a shot with you."

"I dunno what I'll do. I just know that it'll probably hurt her, somehow."

"Why not just give her a shot?"

"Different worlds, Rouge. That's all it is."

"Different worlds?" she asked. He simply looked at her, and she took a moment to parse his words.

Very slowly the understanding began to sink in.

"Different worlds..."

"Yeah."

"I don't think...you would hurt her like that."

"Not on purpose. But I'd be the death of her either way," he said with a solemn smile.

"You shouldn't think like that, hon."

"Think? I'm living it, remember?"

She sighed and took another sip from her glass. "You're a better man than you realize."

"I'm not so sure."

"You and Shadow are a lot alike," she said. She smiled and shook her head."Not that you haven't heard that one a million times before. But honestly, makes you think you would-"

"There's a difference."

"A difference," she echoed.

He smiled and got up.

"Yeah. He wasn't born running. I was. She'll never catch up to me, Rouge."

"...that's not the kind of ending you deserve, Sonic."

"That's life for ya."

"Is it worth it?"

He grinned and nodded.

"Did you mean what you said? Earlier, I mean..."

He paused for a moment before giving her another smile. "I did."

She tapped her fingers on the table, pursing her lips.

He shrugged. "I'll get us breakfast, I guess. Fight with Shads over bathroom duty?"

"He's away on business with Omega. The place...is just a bit empty. You don't mind, do you? That I'm using you for company."

"Not at all. Always nice to hang out with a friend."

She looked up at him as he said that, a moment passing between their eyes.

Somehow, she had found something in that mess of thoughts.

He scoffed humorously, breaking the brief silence.

"You know what I'm thinking...don't you?" she asked, almost anxiously.

"Depends on what you're thinking."

She traced a finger along the edge of her glass, looking away from him. "I never did like...all the strings myself."

Her eyes flickered back to him. He gave her a quiet chuckle and a deliberate look before turning on his heel.

"I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Yeah."

She leaned forward in her chair, hearing the door shut as she propped her head up on her folded hands. His glass of grape soda was half finished.

"Really arrogant of me, isn't it?"

A smile came to her lips as she picked up his glass and sipped from it.