"So what are you going to do about it?" Knuckles asked, mid push up and a sweat drop sliding down his nose. "You can't just stop it from happening."

Tails rocked in his work chair, "I know! I don't want to stop it, I just want a chance to step in if it's a trap, is all."

Knuckles grunted, landing on his knees to catch and breath. He reached for his canteen and twisted the cap in his off hand before turning to the nervous fox. "Okay, but what if there's no trap?" He inquired, taking a quick sip before pausing again. "What if there's no trick and Sonic may just be on a date?"

"Psh, it's not a date." Tails spun away in the chair, staring down at a map of Central City over pages of blueprints. Knuckles furrowed his brow.

"Tails, I hate to break it to you," He got up from his mat on the floor, taking the towel around his neck and wiping his forehead, "but when you start acting like Sonic is, after asking to hang out with somebody, it's a date."

Tails casted a look over his shoulder. "What do you know about dates?"

"Oh-ho, I know dates." Knuckles boasted, putting fists to his hips. "I know exactly what's going through Sonic's head. Hard to be cool when you're too busy trying to keep yourself from saying stupid things or from sweating," Knuckles stopped, holding a thumb to his chin, "You know, I don't think he's ever behaved this way around Amy, either."

"Knuckles, it's not a date." Tails countered, turning to stand out of his chair. His tails gave a kick start and he took off across the room, landing before a crate and sifting through the scrap. "They'll probably just do what they always do-banter, race, and then fight. It's what it could really be is what has me concerned."

Knuckles shook his head, rolling up the athletic mat. "I think you might be a little too overprotective, buddy."

Tails held a crooked pipe in one hand as he turned to the echidna across the workshop. "Are you not worried at all? It's Shadow!"

"Eh, I guess." Knuckles shrugged, leaning the mat against his small corner of equipment, before pulling up a coiled jump rope. Tails rolled the bar around in his palm as the echidna did his sets.

"You know what he's capable of, aren't you not a little suspicious of how willingly he's wanting to hang out?" The fox approached the hopping echidna.

"I'm aware!" Knuckles huffed, the rope crossing over him like a barrier.

"Okay then." Tails exhaled, tossing the pipe aside. The piece of scrap's clambering loudly across the concrete flooring ceased Knuckles in his exercise, the red echidna watching as the fox paced around the grounded plane which sat in the shop's center.

"Look, man." Knuckles dropped his jump rope and moved across the shop to speak behind the fox, who had slumped to a crouch before his plane's engine. "I get it, I'm a little suspicious of the guy too. But we can't just get in the middle of what Sonic's trying to do."

Tails held a subtle glare at the plane, though softened as he felt Knuckles join him at eye level. "After knowing Sonic for so long, I know how you feel. I've seen the guy get banged up bad, but he bounces back…but this is something that's just different. Ya gotta look at it how it is, Sonic likes Shadow." He stopped, "Like, like-likes Shadow."

Tails pouted, crossing his arms. "But he's a jerk!"

"I know!" Knuckles laid a hand on the fox's shoulder. "Oh, I know. Trust, I am not a fan of that moody punk either."

Tails knelt in thought, Knuckles eyeing the younger fox and sighing before speaking. "What if I talked to him?" He asked, shaking the fox lightly. "I'll see if he wants to grab drinks tomorrow and see what he thinks, pick at him a bit?"

Tails chewed his lip before turning to the echidna. "You'd do that?"

"Of course, you guys are like family to me." Knuckles smiled, "I may not be as worried, but I don't want you tearing yourself up about it so," He patted the shoulder. "I'll talk to him."

Tails nodded, turning back to the plane. For a few moments the two knelt there, a breezing whistling outside the walls. Before long, a hand reached up and laid over Knuckles before Tails turned back to smile. "Thanks, Knuckles."

Knuckles smiled back, giving the fox a shake. "No problem. Now, how's the Tornado doing?"

Tails sighed, dropping the hand to turn and motion both his hands aggressively. "I still can't get this thing to work! I've reviewed every note I've written on engine tune-ups, exchanged parts, periods between run throughs and decommissioning…"

Knuckles blanked. "Wow, that's…bad."

"Yes," Tails cooled, offering a smile. "I think it's just age. I've never had to rebuild it, just off of it." He lowered his head. "Maybe it's just time to scrap it and start fresh, so much time's gone into it, but I can't just-"

"Then don't." Knuckles said, the fox turned to him. "You are the smartest guy I know, you'll figure it out. Maybe you just need to walk away from it for a while and work on something else."

Tails gaped, "But what if something happens and we need it! We can't fight back against Eggman if the Tornado's busted-"

"Eggman hasn't made noise in years, Tails." Knuckles tried to calm the fox. "No bots, no messages, nothing. I'm not saying to not keep up defenses, but maybe try to live a little, ya know?"

Tails stood up, walking away to face out a nearby window. Knuckles watched him, a weight sitting in his gut. The small gold fox with such a vast mind had grown into a space of constant danger and aided him, his friends, and so much more at the cost of allowing himself to ever turn it off. The echidna stood to his feet, eyes falling to the seemingly permanently grounded jet and its faded blue and yellow paint.

"I'm going to go lay down." Tails said suddenly, his twin tails drooping on the ground as he turned to the stairs. Knuckles watched this, and exhaled as the fox ascended into the home above.

Shadow had spent the rest of the day around his cottage, toiling away at patching, de-patching and re-patching the door, and maybe enjoying the gift he was given by Sonic.

He laid on the couch with it in his lap the following Tuesday morning, through the tiny speakers-which he learned were in each ear, very cute-soft swaying guitar played from one of the local stations. The notes added color to the small home, varying in each track either somber or soaring added a new aesthetic to the black hedgehog's lonesome day to day.

The painted eyes still creeped him out, though.

He reached down and flicked the dial which acted as its nose. A smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Okay, perhaps he found more enjoyment in the small token than he would admit, as well as finding himself in quick reflections smiling in thought of the blue hedgehog's words the previous day.

How had he discredited Sonic for as long as he had, or how easily he found it was to meld with his usual jesterings and at times childish ways? Shadow toyed with the thought as he held the radio in his hands, palms squeezed upon the painted pink circles of its cheeks. How was it that it was now that he could humor the hedgehog in his musings?

With every question, Shadow never pondered, nor gave an answer. Simply due to the fact that, maybe there was an obvious one to give. Though it wasn't one he could hear himself. Not alone.

"Communicator," He said, balancing the radio in one hand and holding his wrist close to his face. "Call Rouge."

The screen on his wrist flashed, calling written across flashing in green lettering before blanking out to a black screen and thin green line.

"Hey, Shadow." Her voice came with the sounds of running water. "How's the whole hermit thing going?"

Shadow sneered, "It's going perfectly fine." He paused, "What are you doing?"

"I'm running myself a bath!" Rouge squealed, "I'm taking after you and having myself a little me time, and nothing beats a nice soak."

"Okay," Shadow blinked. "Good for you, I supposed."

"You asked," Rouge giggled, "Ooh, is that music I hear? Are you at a restaurant?"

"No, it's my new radio." Shadow smirked, lightly tossing the Radio in his hand. " A dainty little blue one…with ears for some reason."

"Interesting! Where'd you find it?" Rouge asked, the squeaking of the faucet picking up on the communicator.

Heat came to Shadow's cheeks, turning away mumbling from the device on his wrist.

"I'm sorry what?" Her voice came again, "I couldn't hear that."

"Sonic gave it to me!" Shadow snapped, before exhaling upon hearing another squeal come through on the device. "Enough of that incessant noise, Rouge!"

"I'm sorry!" Rouge beamed, "That's so damn cute, Shadow! He bought you a gift, he's taking you out-"

"Calm down," Shadow placed the radio back in his lap to bring his free hand to scratch one of his ears. "He stopped by yesterday to inquire about the location of our meeting."

"Your date?" She quickly asked, possibly grinning wide to the grumbling that followed.

"AND," Shadow continued, "we ended up simply talking about how we didn't know much beyond the surface of one another. Even mentioning his desire to do so."

Rouge giggled, "And what did you say, Romeo?"

"There was nothing very eventful discussed…besides him mimicking me, followed by me mimicking him…and him attempting to get me to laugh…and being very close-"

"Oh chaos, Shadow!" Rouge shouted through the communicator. "Just say you love that boy!"

Shadow glared across the room, imaging the bat standing in his living space. "What would that do?"

"It's the Law of Attraction." Rouge explained, "I read about it months ago, you speak something into existence. It's like a motivator, it's not magic."

Shadow brought his stare back to the blue radio, a soothing acoustic guitar fading in as the bat continued. "It's not rocket science, Hun. It's the most natural feeling to everything ever, and as untouchable as you like to think you are," she snapped her fingers, "it's got you wrapped in its web."

"...and say I don't believe in it," The hedgehog pondered, "Say that I speak it into existence a-and don't believe it-"

"We'll never know till you do~!" Rouge chimed in, sing-song tone as the instrumental continued in the background. "It's just you and me, Shadie. You won't blow up."

The black hedgehog sighed, laying back on the couch with radio in toe in the crook of his elbow. The sunlight beaming in through the window beside the front door, the mass of flourishing life beyond the cottage vibrantly bathing in the sunlight. Few stray god rays coming in through and warming the edge of his couch, and the subtle rustling of the foliage behind the walls fleshing out the frequencies coming through the tiny plastic ears.

A hand stroked the side of the radio's face, its powder blue plastic finish lacking the warmth and life he imagined the face he would replace it with would be.

"Fine," He mumbled, "...I've fallen in love with him."

"Hmm…" Rouge's voice came through the communicator. "Falling in love with who, Shadow? I don't know if it counts unless you say the name-"

"Sonic, damn it!" Shadow shouted into his communicator, his cheeks a deep crimson. "I've fallen in love with Sonic The Hedgehog! There, I said it! Happy?!"

A deafening silence followed. His own huffing of the energy he pushed forth into the words, having sat up in his place on the couch. The radio had fallen to the floor with a light thud, guitar strumming playing all the while more distant on the hardwood.

"And now," Rouge spoke again, her words curved by the smile within them. "How do you feel?"

Shadow blinked, laying there. Before long, the sound came flooding back into his mind. Birds chirped a little louder, the wind whistled against the paneling of his walls, and the creek splashed along the gravel outside. He breathed in, taking in more air than he had ever previously, and breathed out in a small smile teasing on his lips.

His lips were tight, before his voice came out in a whisper, hardening at the edge. "It's infuriating how effortlessly cute he is, Rouge."

"Aw, there you go!" Rouge giggled, "He is just a ball of cuteness, isn't he?" On the other end the bat heard grumbling as the hedgehog picked up his radio and flicked at its dial nose. "Boy, you are a child."

"I am the. Ultimate," Shadow paused, teeth bared before the communicator, "life! Form! I will not allow myself to be referred to as anything less." His arm shook holding the led screen to his face, eyes staring daggers as every word hissed through his locked jaw.

Rouge rolled her eyes, sitting up to extend her wings in the tub. "Of course you are, dear. When you're done seething in your love rage, I'll be heading to the spot tonight. Would you like to come?"

Shadow breathed, eyes shut in a last ditch effort to regain control of his emotions. "Sure."

"Oh, Eric! Where could we go? Nobody in the world would accept how a woman could fall in love with an iguana!"

"My dear Eloise, there's no reason to worry or fret! Not a place on this planet I would rather be than in your precious hands!"

Sonic sniffed, digging into a half eaten bag of pretzels crisscrossed on his bed. "You tell her, Eric. Nothing will stop you!"

The proclaimed hero of Mobius, spent his day perusing the leftover films Rouge lend him for confidence building, as she put it. More so however, the blue speedster had developed fondness and comfort in these movies. Most being rather run-of-the-mil and predictable, he still loved the scenes of the lead roles flirting and spending time together.

Also, perfect mental fodder to picture himself in.

"Yo Sonic!" Knuckles' booming voice pushed the door open, stepping in face first to be blinded by a rainfall of pretzels and a falsetto rattle. "What are you doing in here-"

"Minding my business!" Sonic squealed, juggling the remote between his hands in a panic to turn the television off. As the screen blinked away, the two grown adults stood staring at each other-Knuckles scratching his head and Sonic rosy cheeks hidden behind a blanket. "Have you ever knocked in your life? You have knuckles to do that!"

"Right," Knuckles mumbled, leaning in the doorway. "Well I was going to ask if you wanted to get drinks tonight."

Sonic. Still hiding his face, furrowed his brow. "What's the occasion? Aren't you on a health kick?"

Knuckles waved a fist. "Eh, what's a pint or two? Besides, maybe a break from all the-" He held up his hands and closed them-"-research would be good for you."

Sonic blinked, "Ya know, I'd take your sarcasm seriously if you weren't always wearing mittens."

"It's a choice!" Knuckles stomped, "I'm not taking back talk from a guy eating pretzels and watching lovey dovey crap in the middle of the day. Get a job."

Sonic pouted, throwing the pillow behind him. "I'm just nervous! What if I do something or say something stupid?"

"You're still on this?" Knuckles laughed, "Look dude, you gotta relax. You saw him yesterday, and that went fine."

"Because I was there for like five minutes!" Sonic paced the small space between him and the echidna before huffing and dropping back to sit on the bed's edge. "Plus I still want to make sure I pick a place that's good enough, but everything seems to be booked up."

"Who needs' em'?" The echidna placed a hand on the television. "Just grab food to go and have a lil' picnic down by the beach."

Sonic blinked, followed by Knuckles dropping his arms. "Are you telling me that never crossed your mind?"

"Shut up," Sonic dropped his head, rubbing his neck. "Just…shut up, you."

Knuckles chuckled, betraying their difference. "Well alright then! Now put a pin in it and come out of here for the night. My treat."

The blue speedster glanced at the pile of DVD's on the shelf, rolling his eyes before turning back to the echidna. "Alright fine, but nowhere crazy."

Halfway out the door, Knuckles nodded. "Know just the place…"

Within another booth of the Pining Noir, another night Rouge sipped her wine, savoring the flavor as the warmth spread through her body. Across from her she peered over the rim at the grumpy hedgehog.. "Aw don't look at me like that." She smirked.

Shadow pouted, narrow eyed and dropping them stare daggers upon his new ridiculous beverage before him on the table half finished. This particular abomination was within a plastic blue coconut, decorated with several different types of fruits and shaded with a dainty little umbrella. Its toxic aroma lingered on his tongue, abused with possibly four types of what the humans call rum and fruit juice to cut.

"Why do I always end up with drinks like this," He gestured to the brightly colored concoction.

"Because it gets you drunk the fastest." Rouge winked, "Why? You want something a little more grown up?"

She extended her wine glass, swishing the royal red liquid within the glass by rotating her wrist. Shadow grabbed the glass and held it under his nose, his nostrils were met with a fermented scent he shivered at. Under Rouge's noddeding to taste, he tilted the glass to his lips, taking in and being hit with a sweet burning flavor and swallowing.

HIs eyes squeezed, pursing his lips and nodded. Rouge held her laugh as her friend coughed, "Heh, how's that?"

"Honestly," Shadow smacked his lips, "not half bad."

Rouge smiled, pouring another glass to replace the one now in Shadow's possession. Together they sat in their booth sipping red wine, the dance floor had few visitors that night. Bodies of drunk humans swaying bumping to bass staggering one another as they hoot and holler. Beyond them in the corner of the room, a separated group were setting up instruments and plugging in big speakers.

Shadow stared, his head slowly swimming in his already second glass of cabernet. He spun his glass from the bottom, having yet understood how to hold it. The bodies blurred together and he found himself staring much longer than he had known as Rouge waved a hand before him.

"So he came by," Rouge smirked, fingers drumming on the table top, "and he bought you a radio for your house? That's so sweet, Shadie!"

Shadow swished the glass, "Yes," He said, voice nearly inaudible behind the music.

"Tsk, Shadow." Rouge smacked the table. "You are absolutely smitten with that boy."

"Ugh, stop." The black hedgehog hid his eyes behind a hand, but the bat reached across and pulled it away, revealing cast down eyes. "This is…a lot. He is very adamant about us getting to know each other."

"Of course!" Rouge laughed, "because he's obviously into you! He's paying for the date, he's bringing you gifts, he's coming to your house to see how you are?"

"Okay?" Shadow rolled his eyes, sipping from his glass as the bat crossed her arms.

"Either he's courting you, or stalking you." Rouge pondered, "Which movies did I give him?"

"What." Shadow blinked.

"Nothing, forget it." Rouge shook her head, leaning over the table. "How was the appointment the other day? Never heard from you after."

After a sip, the hedgehog shrugged. "They asked questions, and I answered."

Rouge frowned, swirling the wine in her glass. "I know you hate them, but it means alot to me that you went."

"I understand," Shadow said, his expression softening. "She inquired a decent amount regarding my proximity to Sonic…"

Rouge failed to hide her smile. "Yeah, I figured maybe if you started opening up about your feelings, it'd be easier to come to terms with them."

"I didn't wish to have to discuss them with a GUN doctor," He moaned, "Besides, I have my doubts that this will even make it past that night."

"Psh," Rouge laughed, "Shadie, you have no idea how much simply saying yes probably did to Blue."

Shadow rubbed his face, intoxication working its way through his body's movements. "I can't imagine."

"So," She tapped the rim of his glass with her own. "Let those thoughts fall by the wayside, as they say. Nervous?"

Shadow sipped again, eyes shut to the tanging sweetness on his tongue. "I'm never nervous."

"Right..." Rouge gave a smirk. "You're all prepped and ready for a day alone with Sonic."

Shadow shrugged, leaning back into the more comfortable cushions of the booth, eyes pasted to the glass between his fingers. "I don't know, Rouge. Only that I will be with him..." The words stumbled over each other on their way past his lips, Rouge furrowing her brow at the pace the hedgehog was ravished by the wine.

"Say," Rouge played along. "Tell me, what is something you would say to him?"

"Hmm?" Shadow mumbled, sipping at the glass again.

"Sonic," She giggled.

"Where?" Shadow sat up and turned around the room, panic clear in his gruff voice pulling a guffaw from the bat across from him. With that, the hedgehog sat back down with a stern glare.

Once her laughter died down, she waved him down. "No, no. What would you tell him?"

"I don't know." He glared, swirling his glass. "Do you think I have a speech prepared?"

"You very well could, hun." Rouge laughed. "Talk about yourself, tell him something you like! I'm sure he'd find amusement in you kicking rocks alone in the forest monologuing to yourself." She smirked against the glass, "Course, there's nothing wrong with that."

Shadow grumbled, crossing his legs beneath the table. "I do not monologue to myself."

"You like a lil time to brood, it's fine!" Rouge joked, "Hey, I sit around my apartment writing memoirs, people like to indulge in themselves. It's totally normal."

"I do not."

"Yes, you do."

"I do not!..."

"Knuckles, why are we going to the club?" Sonic groaned, hands stuffed into the pockets of a blue letterman he hid from the night's cold air. "I agreed to drinks, not a night on the town."

Knuckles waved a hand, leading the begrudging hedgehog down the block. "Please, what you need is a night to unwind a little. All this Shadow this, Shadow that got you all nutty."

Sonic pouted, "I haven't been nutty." He scoffed. "You just hate that I'm trying to make something of a relationship, while you've yet to even flirt back at Rouge."

"Hey, I'm playing the long game." Knuckles called back, turning the corner with Sonic behind him. "Now shut up, and let's head inside. It's freezing out here."

Sonic glared after the echidna passing through the shaded entrance. He gazed up to see the illuminating sign of the club. Pink and bright, Pining Noir. His stomach was uneasy, having not gone out to a club in a while. He gazed down the block, the fading tail lights and growing headlights appearing up the horizon line of the moon between the large buildings.

He sighed, head down as he passed between the inflatable trees and through the threshold.


A/N Rather than post a 6500+ word chapter, here's part one of Tenderness!

-MMM