This chapter has been updated as of 09/08/2020
Saturday, November 20th, Noon, Amy's Bedroom
Amy stares at herself in the mirror. Her swimsuit had looked so cute at the mall, but now that it's party time, she's not so sure. Maybe she should have gotten the one with the skirt after all, since it would hide the tops of her thighs. She pinches her thigh fat and frowns.
"Princess?" Her dad's voice floats in from her closet door, and she can't stop her lip from wobbling as he comes into view. "What's wrong, honey?"
She doesn't want to cry, but something about her father's concern makes her feel like a child again. Tears flood down her cheeks. "I'm fat!"
He holds his arms out and she rushes over, burying her face in his chest. "Who's been filling my baby girl's head with such terrible lies?"
"It's not a lie," she sobs, "everyone can see it!"
"Honey," he consoles, "I don't know how to tell you this, but it's all in your head." She sniffles. "You are pretty as a peach."
"You think so?"
"I know so."
She hesitates. "But, you're my dad! You have to tell me I'm pretty!"
"I do?" He sounds surprised. "No, I don't remember signing anything like that. Feed you, clothe you, give you a roof over your head, sure, but tell you you're pretty? That's not something I have to do."
That earns a small smile. "Dad," she protests with a giggle, "I'm serious."
"Me too, princess. You're not fat."
"I am, though."
There's a pause before he switches tactics. "Okay, perhaps you are a little on the bigger side," he concedes, "but I thought you kids were into that these days? What do the kids call it now? Being thick?"
She's not sure whether to laugh or to cry as she pulls away. "Yeah, being 'thicc' is good, but I'm not thicc."
"What? Why not?"
"Because, I'm just fat."
He frowns. "I don't follow."
"Thicc is like... sexy. It's girls with big butts and stuff. I'm not sexy."
He considers for a moment. "I don't think I can comment, baby girl. But, you're dating Sonny, right? He's pretty popular, so he must think you're something special."
Amy laughs. "Dad, he goes by Sonic now, remember? Honestly! No one has called him Sonny in, like, six years!" Still, he has a point. Sonic is super hot, and popular, and is just about the coolest guy ever, and he's dating Amy! She can't stop herself from smiling at the thought.
"I've known him since he was in diapers, I'll call him whatever I like."
"Dad!"
He laughs, raising his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, Sonic it is. Now, I'll let you finish getting ready for your party. Don't forget, we told Cream we'd be leaving in about thirty minutes."
"Alright," she replies absentmindedly before pulling a white crop top and a pink strappy dress over her swimsuit and considering her figure once more in the mirror.
...
Everything about Rouge's house screams opulence. Even the back yard is massive; with more than enough room for the fifty-some guests to hang out. The pool is spacious, surrounded by a double row of columns and topped with a glass roof. The water is invitingly clear, and a delightful array of floaties bob on its surface, just waiting to be played on. A quick glance around reveals a few larger floaties resting against walls, and a giant swan floaty that's being used as extra seating next to the dance floor.
The fact that there even is a dance floor -complete with DJ!- is incredible, and after a quick internal debate, Amy decides to head there first. It doesn't hold her attention for long, though. There are people to talk to, splash fights to engage in, and snacks to munch on. Amy hardly contains herself, happily flitting between activities and conversations whenever the whim takes her.
She's in the middle of eating a burger when she hears the sound of something scrabbling against rocks, along with some very familiar muffled cursing. She glances behind her to see a stone wall, but that's not surprising. Also not surprising are the slender fingers gripping the top of it with their chipped black nail polish. She glances around. Everyone seems to be distracted or busy, so she surreptitiously stands up on the bench, giving her just enough height to see over the wall. Sure enough, Manic is attempting to climb it. He's so focused on where he's putting his feet that he doesn't notice her, and she can't stop herself from taking advantage of the situation.
She lets out a sharp boo and grabs his wrists, causing him to yelp in surprise and slip. He falls to the ground with a loud thud and she hastily pulls herself partially onto the wall so she has a better view of him.
"Ohmigosh, Manic! Are you okay? I'm so sorry!"
He glowers up at her for a moment before his face melts into its usual carefree expression. "No worries, brah. Could you give me a hand?"
She laughs. "Why don't you just come in the front door?"
He gives her an impish grin. "This way's more fun."
She laughs again; that is such a Manic answer. "Yeah, okay."
Another glance around—if anyone's noticed her they don't seem to care—then she holds a hand out for him, using the other to brace herself. He grabs the proffered hand in both of his, and she gives a sharp heave. Coupled with him using his feet to kick off, it's enough to get his arms over the wall, which is more than enough for him to scramble the rest of the way over. He lands on his feet next to the bench, then grins up at her.
"Thanks boo," he says as he helps her off the bench.
"No problem," she laughs. "So, what now?"
He shrugs, grabbing the burger off her plate and taking a bite.
"Manic," she squeals, not sure if she's more upset by him stealing her food or by him actually eating someone else's partial burger.
"What?" he asks around a mouthful of food.
"That was mine!"
"So?"
"So, I was eating it."
He has the decency to look abashed, at least. "Right, sorry. Where can I get my own?" he asks, putting the burger back.
She stares at him. "I don't want it now," she says, astounded by how oblivious Manic can sometimes be to what is and isn't acceptable behaviour.
He frowns. "Why not?"
Seriously? Does she have to spell it out to him? "Because it has your germs," she explains. "It's practically the same as kissing you."
He has the nerve to laugh at that. "It really isn't."
"Yes, it is!"
He shakes his head. "No, kissing Sonic is practically the same as kissing me. Eating a burger I took a bite out of, though? Completely different."
She gives him a funny look. "How in the world is kissing Sonic the same as kissing you?"
"Um duh? We're genetically the same? We have basically the same mouth and basically the same germs. So, really, if you kissed Sonic, then by your logic you'd have kissed me too."
"Not at all!"
Manic shrugs, grabbing the burger again. "I'm just applying your logic to the situation," he says before taking another bite.
She opens her mouth to tell him why he's wrong, but stops when she notices the gleam in his eye. "You're being deliberately frustrating!" she accuses, earning a soft chuckle.
"Guilty," he admits.
She wants to chastise him, but he looks so self-satisfied that she has no idea what to even say. She settles for giving him a playful shove. He staggers for a moment and it occurs to Amy that Manic is much skinnier than his brother, and perhaps she pushed him a bit harder than intended.
"Did you just shove me?" he asks in a mock-indignant tone.
"I would never," she assures him, giving him her most innocent expression. He responds with a stern look and a huff of laughter before he shoves her shoulder back. She obviously can't let him get away with that. She shoves him again, causing him to stumble and drop his burger. For a moment, they both stare at the fallen food.
"I am so sorry," she tells him at the same time that he says, "Oh hell no."
He lunges, she dives, and very shortly the two of them are wrestling on the ground like they're in elementary school all over again. At first, it's entirely harmless, but Amy has always been too competitive for her own good, and Manic has a tendency to take things too far. That, coupled with the hard ground beneath them and the fact that Amy's still in her swimsuit, means it isn't long before she lets out a pained yelp.
Manic immediately lets up, and she holds out her skinned elbow. "Aw shit, sorry Ames. Do you know where the first aid kit is?" She shakes her head and he glances around. "Well, let's get you cleaned up first, and then we can figure out what to do after." She nods and he guides her back to the table, where he grabs some bottled water and a napkin, and proceeds to work on getting the dirt out.
"What happened?" Shadow asks, emerging from the crowd with Rouge.
"Also," Rouge adds in, giving Manic a funny look. "I don't remember inviting you."
"You didn't," Manic replies with a laugh, "but Sonic isn't answering his phone, and mum wanted to talk to him."
"So, what, you figured you'd get dolled up and drop by?" Rouge asks, and she has a point. Manic's wearing his favourite leather jacket, the one he spent an entire summer modifying with studs and patches and fabric paint, an incredibly tight pair of pinstripe pants with zippers all over, knee-high lace up boots, a ring on each finger, and a touch of eye makeup. He winks, opening his mouth to reply, but Shadow cuts in.
"Can this wait? I believe we came over to see what happened to Miss Rose, not to argue motives with party crashers."
Manic flushes. "Dude, you don't gotta be a dick about it."
Shadow raises an eyebrow. "Your friend is bleeding."
Manic's flush deepens. "Right, sorry. We were fighting over a burger and she scraped her elbow."
Shadow and Rouge each raise an eyebrow in unison, turning to Amy as if to say 'really?'
"I didn't want his germs all over my food," Amy huffs. Rouge snorts, but at least Shadow nods.
"Can I see?" He gestures to her elbow. She holds out her arm and Shadow very gently uses his fingers to turn it this way and that. She squirms at the way his feather-light touch tickles, and he murmurs a soft 'sorry'.
"How's it look?" Amy asks, more to fill the silence than anything else.
"Seems fine," Shadow says, "but you should probably put a bandage on it, I don't imagine you want chlorine in it."
Amy snorts, "Probably not."
"Alright, I'll take her inside. Shadow, can you help Manic find his brother?"
Shadow frowns. "I'd really rather not."
"Damn dude, harsh. Is my company really that bad?" If Amy hadn't known Manic for her entire life, she probably wouldn't have noticed the hurt undertone in his otherwise joking voice.
Shadow raises an eyebrow. "You're fine. It's your brother I'd rather not interact with."
"Oh?" Manic asks as Rouge guides Amy away. "Why not?"
"The last time we spoke, we had a disagreement."
"About what?"
"None of your business."
Anything else they say is drowned out by the music and the crowd.
Inside, Rouge waves down a passing member of her father's staff and asks him where the first aid kit is. A few short minutes later, the girls rejoin the party. Outside, Amy sees Shadow and Manic talking to Sonic by the pool. Her eyes meet Manic's, then he glances at Rouge, puts his finger to his lips in the universal gesture for secrecy, and disappears into the crowd. Amy isn't concerned with Manic's antics, though. How can she be when Sonic is right there? She takes a deep breath to calm her racing heart.
It's time for wooing.
"Sonic!" she calls at the top of her voice, waving and jogging towards him.
He jumps, saying something she can't quite hear, and stumbles backwards into Shadow, elbowing the reserved teen just hard enough to knock him off balance. He stumbles towards the pool, and Amy breaks into a full run. She extends her arm to Shadow as he falls backwards, and he grabs it. Unfortunately, he's heavier than expected, and her momentum is not a great addition. Instead of heroically saving him from falling into the pool while fully clothed, she falls in with him.
Amy's unable to stop herself from shrieking when she loses her balance, so when she hits the pool's surface, she has no air. Water rushes up her nose and into her sinuses. It's agony. She wonders if she'll drown.
Shadow's hand tightens on Amy's, and then she's being pulled through the water. She breaks the surface and sputters immediately, coughing up the water in her lungs. Shadow pushes her to the edge of the pool where another set of hands grabs and heaves her from the water. Amy collapses on the poolside while Shadow climbs out next to her.
"What the hell, Sonic?" he demands.
"I am so sorry," Sonic replies, eyes wide. "I didn't mean to knock you in!"
Shadow glowers at him. "Obviously. But that doesn't answer my question. So I'll ask it again. What the hell, Sonic?"
He swallows and shuffles uncomfortably. "I don't do well in water," he explains, his eyes darting to Amy and then quickly away. "I didn't want to get knocked in."
"I see," Shadow replies in a dangerously flat voice, also glancing at Amy. "Remember how I said I wouldn't interfere if you didn't make it my problem?"
Sonic swallows and nods.
"It is dangerously close to becoming my problem. Get your shit together."
Amy blinks up at Shadow, feeling disoriented. He glances down at her, and perhaps it's just her imagination, but his expression softens.
"Are you alright?"
Amy nods. "Yeah, I'm okay."
"Good." He starts walking away; she scrambles to her feet.
"Where are you going?"
"To see if I can find a change of clothes," Shadow replies, gesturing at his sodden sweater, slacks, and shoes. Amy nods again, and he walks off. She turns to Sonic, and is surprised to see a frown on his face.
"What was Shadow talking about?"
"It's, uh," he starts, "it's just, ah, nothing. It's nothing, never mind him. Are you alright?"
Her throat still feels prickly, and it's unpleasant to breathe through her nose, but it should pass soon enough. "Yeah, I'm alright."
Sonic's shoulders slump with relief. "I'm really glad to hear that," he says with a smile, and Amy feels butterflies forming in her stomach all over again. He's just so beautiful, she can't handle it. "How about we find you a towel?" he offers, and she can't stop the smile that overtakes her features.
"Okay." She loops her arm through his. He grimaces at how wet she is, but is unable to get his arm back.
...
Saturday, November 20th, 2:23PM, Rouge's Bedroom
Shadow waits in Rouge's room with a scowl. Turns out he'd forgotten his swimsuit the last time he was here, so he's wearing that now. Unfortunately he hadn't also forgotten a top, so he's stuck waiting while Rouge finds him one. While he could go out without a shirt—he's in excellent shape—the idea of being so exposed in front of so many people makes Shadow uncomfortable. He fingers the starburst scar on his chest as he waits. It's been fifteen minutes now, and he's beginning to wonder if Rouge forgot about him.
Eventually, she returns with a black tank top that has two patches of white resembling some sort of draconic, serpentine creature. It's a bit loose, but it will do.
"Where'd you find this?"
Rouge shrugs. "I was asking around and Knuckles offered it. Sonic offered a white tee, but I didn't think you'd want his help."
Shadow snorts. "No, I want nothing to do with that pathetic child."
Rouge raises an eyebrow but otherwise ignores him, choosing instead to change the topic. "So, I overheard Amy lamenting the fact that her swimsuit doesn't seem to be wooing Sonic."
Shadow shrugs. "Of course it isn't, Sonic has no interest in her. What does this have to do with me?"
Rouge grins, and Shadow doesn't like that expression one bit. "Well, I told her there's a much better way to woo a guy." Shadow raises an eyebrow and waits expectantly. "Spin the bottle. He spins her, she gives him a good one, and he's wooed."
Shadow blinks. "You mean that kissing game they play in terrible movies?" he asks, not quite believing what he's hearing. Rouge nods. "Isn't that a little juvenile?"
She laughs at that. "Probably, but it's my birthday and I've never played it before. Now seems as good a time as any."
"Right. Do you actually think it will help Amelia with her idiot boyfriend, or is this just an excuse to play?"
Rouge waves her hand dismissively. "Does it matter?"
"I guess not. In either case, I'm not playing."
"Oh come on," she pouts, "we're not playing until most of the guests leave, but we need two more guys."
Shadow frowns. "Why?"
"Well we have four girls and two guys already, and I want a nice even mix."
"That sounds like an excuse to get me to play," he points out, and she grins at him.
"Come on, please?" she purrs.
"I don't want to kiss anyone here."
"So I'll give everyone three chickens. I mean, one in eight, that's less than fifteen percent, right? Odds are you won't even need all your outs."
"Rouge, enough. There is absolutely no way I'm agreeing to this stupid game."
...
Several hours later, the party starts to thin out and Shadow finds himself sitting with Rouge and a few of their classmates at the refreshments table, picking at the food as they wait for people to leave.
"We just need one more guy and then we can play," Rouge says, and Shadow curses himself for letting her blackmail him like this. She's holding the outfit he came in ransom, including his shoes. Abandoning his favourite sweater would suck, but leaving behind his shoes and walking home barefoot? Out of the question.
"What are we playing?" a familiar voice asks, and Shadow is surprised to see Manic emerging from who-knows-where.
"Spin the bottle," Amy pipes up enthusiastically.
"You're still here?" Rouge asks a hair after Amy's reply.
Manic shrugs. "There's free food."
She raises an eyebrow at that. "For my friends," she points out, and he glances at the table they're all at, still very much covered in food.
"Apparently you don't have enough friends. Are you unpopular or something?"
Shadow watches Rouge's eyes widen at Manic's words, and for a moment he wonders if she's mad. Then she laughs.
"Alright, you can play," she decides.
Manic blinks. "Wait, really?"
Rouge takes on a sultry expression. "What's the matter, performance anxiety?" she all but purrs, earning an awkward laugh from Manic.
"I just didn't think I'd get this far, is all."
Once it's down to the eight of them, Rouge leads everyone inside to one of the living rooms where they sit on plush carpet while the cleaning staff deals with the aftermath of her party. Shadow sits next to her, and Manic goes to sit on his other side but Amy grabs his sleeve.
"We should sit boy-girl-boy-girl," she tells him. Manic gives her a funny look.
"Why?" he asks, and Shadow's with him on this one.
"Because that's what it advises on the app we're using," Amy answers.
All eyes turn to Rouge, who shrugs. "Might as well do what it says," she says.
They wind up sitting in a loose circle: Rouge and Shadow, then Cream, Sonic, Amy, Manic, Sonia, and finally, a beefy guy with dark skin, red dreads, and purple eyes named Knuckles. Shadow knows him from detention, and he's not sure if the fact that he actually knows everyone involved makes this better or worse.
Rouge grins once everyone is situated around Amy's phone. The app is simple; a little bottle that, when tapped, spins. "Alright, well if everyone's ready-" She's cut off by Shadow clearing his throat. "What?"
"Aren't you forgetting something?" he prompts. She blinks at him, then laughs.
"Right, yes, of course. Rules. Everyone gets three chickens, which you should probably use wisely," she shoots a meaningful glance between Sonic, Sonia, and Manic. "The chickens are single use. If someone were to use their last chicken on, say, Knuckles and then spin him again, they'd have to kiss him on the second spin. Also, generally the person who does the spinning should initiate the kiss. Oh, and maybe don't kiss for more than thirty seconds; save that for your own time. Any questions?"
"Um," Cream begins in her tiny voice. "I'm only really playing because Amy is my ride home, but I've never kissed anyone before? Do we, ah, have to kiss people on the lips?" she flushes as she says it.
Rouge considers. "No kissing Cream on the lips if you spin her. If she spins you that can be her call."
Shadow frowns. "What about me? I've also never kissed anyone, and am not playing by choice."
Rouge snorts. "You are seventeen, that's on you. If you don't want to kiss someone you can use a chicken."
Shadow glowers at her. "Fine."
"Great, then I'll go first," she declares with a triumphant grin, leaning forward to tap the little bottle. It spins for a while before slowing down and ultimately landing on Sonic, who laughs when she saunters over.
"Be gentle, it's my first time," he jokes, earning a laugh from Rouge.
"Well then, with respect to your girlfriend I'll go easy," she teases. Shadow wonders if anyone else notices the way Sonic's smile falters at that.
"Right, thanks."
Rouge leans down and gives Sonic the briefest of pecks before returning to her seat. It's Sonic's turn to crawl into the middle and tap the button. Again, a spin that would really be better if it were a bit shorter. As it starts to slow, Shadow sees that it'll either hit Manic or Amy. He glances up to find Amy sitting with baited breath. Everything about her posture screams anticipation. She squeaks, and he glances back to the phone, which has landed very solidly on her.
Someone—Manic—wolf whistles.
"Better make it a good one," Rouge teases.
Sonic laughs at that, but it sounds strained. Amy doesn't seem to notice, though. He turns to her, and she stares up at him with her big, sparkly eyes. Shadow feels a bit nauseous seeing such rapt adoration directed at someone so clearly undeserving. Sonic is a jackass for leading her on like this.
Sonic holds out a hand, which Amy takes. He pulls her into a standing position, earning another squeak from her. He then wraps an arm around her waist, pulls her close, and dips her, all in one fluid motion. She squeaks yet again, and Shadow can see her cheeks growing pinker than her hair.
Sonic leans in, then presses a very chaste kiss to her cheek before he lowers her back to her seat and retakes his own.
For a moment she just looks bewildered, but Shadow sees the disappointment creep into her eyes. Everyone else is too busy laughing at Sonic's antics to notice. Such a dramatic build up leading to something so small is apparently hilarious, but Shadow doesn't see the humour in the situation.
Amy sighs then, burying her disappointment behind a bright smile, and joins in the laughter. "I guess that makes it my turn?" She crawls forward and hovers her hand over the phone. Rouge nods, and Amy taps the button. The bottle spins. For a second it looks like it's going to land on Shadow and a part of him wants it to so she can get a real kiss, but thankfully it lands on Rouge instead.
Amy smiles nervously as Rouge beckons her close. They share a peck, and then Amy scurries back to her seat, face flushed. She keeps glancing at Sonic to see what his reaction is, but he doesn't seem to have one.
Rouge leans forward and taps the button, and this time the bottle actually does land on Shadow. Under different circumstances, he may have allowed this. He's known Rouge forever, so she wouldn't be a bad choice for a first kiss, if Shadow were to put value to such things. However, she bullied him into playing, so on principle...
"Pass," he says, dead-eyeing her. She falters and laughs.
"Shadow, you only get three chickens, and you're using one on me? Be reasonable."
"I told you I didn't want to play," he reminds her.
"Well, yes, but-"
"Pass," he repeats. She laughs and shrugs.
"If you insist. Your turn."
He blinks at her. "I beg your pardon?"
She gives him a very innocent smile. "Well you still have to spin," she tells him. "A chicken isn't a re-spin, it's just a denial of the current spin."
He gives her a dirty look. "I see. You probably should have said so when explaining the rules." She hums softly in reply, before gesturing at the phone. He rolls his eyes and complies. He already knows what he's going to say when he taps the bottle. It spins, and the moment it stops he passes.
Manic laughs. "Brah, you don't know what you're missing," he teases.
Shadow raises an eyebrow. "Pass," he repeats.
"Dude, don't be such a spoilsport. I have it on good authority that I am a great kisser."
Shadow snorts and rolls his eyes. "Right." Manic pouts, but something flashes in his eyes and he crawls forward.
"I'll just have to show you," he declares, and for a second Shadow wonders if his pass is being ignored. Then Manic taps the bottle and Shadow lets out a breath of relief.
The bottle lands on Sonic, who stiffens. "Yeah, that's a hard pass, you sounded way too serious just now."
Manic snorts. "Oh come on, Sonic. People love twincest. Let's give them a show."
"Yeah, no, I'm good, thanks."
Manic pouts, retaking his seat. "Y'all are boring."
Sonic spins himself, then re-spins Amy, who seems ecstatic. Until he presses the briefest kiss imaginable to the corner of her mouth.
Rouge laughs when Amy spins her again. "Careful now, I might start to think you rigged this," she teases, before they share another peck.
Rouge then spins Cream, and leans across Shadow to press a swift kiss to the younger girl's cheek.
Cream spins Sonia, and gives her a gentle kiss on the forehead. Sonia in turn spins Manic, who waggles his eyebrows at her.
"Pass," she says. He laughs at that before turning to Shadow with a wink.
"Ready to see what you missed?" he taunts as he leans forward to spin the bottle.
It lands on Amy and she has just enough time to give Manic a questioning look before he tackles her. She squeaks, form rigid, but shortly melts into the kiss. Her toes even begin to curl, and Shadow is intrigued despite himself. He's never had much interest in kissing people before, but the idea of making someone react like that isn't unappealing.
After a little more than thirty seconds Manic pulls away. "Made ya blush," he teases, flicking her nose. She just stammers, no real words coming out, and he turns to Sonic. "Brah, you need to up your game; I just made your girlfriend swoon with a kiss. Maybe we should find her a better boyfriend."
Sonic gives his brother a look. "Are you volunteering?"
Manic scoffs. "Bro, don't be gross." At that, everyone stares at him. "What?"
"You just had your tongue in her mouth, and you're calling Sonic gross," Knuckles points out.
Manic laughs. "Well, yeah. A kiss is just a kiss, but actual dating? Amy's like my sister, it'd be as bad as dating Sonia."
Rouge snorts, then glances at Amy who's still dazed and laying on the floor. "Amy, sweetie, it's your turn," she coaxes.
Amy blinks a few times before sitting up. "Right, right."
She leans forward, hits the button.
This time the bottle stops almost halfway between Shadow and Rouge. He's about to say something when Rouge stands up.
"Awesome, I will not be shown up by a party crasher," she declares, before stepping over to Amy and pulling the shorter girl to her feet. The bottle is very much more towards him than Rouge, and a part of him feels cheated that Rouge is taking his place. The feeling confuses him, but he is a fairly competitive person. It makes sense that he'd want to prove himself superior. Except, there's no way his first kiss is going to top what was clearly a very practised move, so perhaps it's best that Rouge is the one to show Manic up.
"Wh-" Amy begins, but is cut off by lips crashing into hers. Rouge's hand snakes into Amy's hair, and Shadow doesn't know if he should avert his gaze or not. Amy whimpers, and he swallows uncomfortably. It's definitely been close to thirty seconds again. Finally, Rouge pulls away.
"So," she purrs, "which of us was better?"
Amy's cheeks have passed pink and gone straight into red territory. "Um," she squeaks. "It's, ah, hard to say? I mean. Um," she looks so flustered that Shadow can't help but step in.
"Let the poor girl have a breather," he finds himself saying. Amy shoots him a grateful look, but Rouge frowns at him.
"Fine, she'll tell us after."
Shadow rolls his eyes. "It's your turn," he points out.
Rouge spins Knuckles, who shoots Sonia a nervous look before letting Rouge kiss him very briefly.
From Knuckles it goes to Amy, then back to Rouge. Rouge spins Sonic, who spins Shadow, and that's a strong pass. Then Shadow spins Cream, and Rouge seems disappointed as Shadow kisses her hand. Cream spins Sonia and Sonia, who spins Rouge, who spins Shadow. He glowers as she tries to kiss him, backing away until he's trapped between her and the couch. Then he holds up his hand between the two of them, and Rouge frowns.
"You're that much against it?" she asks, sounding surprised.
"You blackmailed me into playing," he points out.
"Well yeah, but-" she cuts herself off when she sees his eyes darken, then laughs. "Whatever, I don't want to kiss such a killjoy anyways. Pass."
He blinks and feels a large part of his irritation fade away. Rouge has always pushed him more than he'd like, but she always stopped before truly crossing any lines. Sure, she skirts them sometimes, toes them others, leans so far across them that it's a miracle she doesn't fall, but she never actually crosses them. It's one of the reasons he lets her get away with so much. He reaches forward and spins the bottle, not out of a desire to keep playing, but to show that he appreciates her gesture.
It slows, lands on Amy. Shadow swallows, feeling his cheeks grow hot. He has no more chickens, and there's no special rules for Amy. So it looks like his first kiss is going to be-
"Pass." Shadow blinks, and Amy gives him a soft smile. "You're out of chickens, right?" He nods once. Her eyes are very warm. "Well, I'm not going to make you play. So, all my chickens are reserved for you."
He swallows, feeling a strange pit forming in his stomach. It's such a small gesture but, ironically, he could kiss her for it.
Then Amy spins Rouge again, much to everyone's surprise. "You just can't get enough of me," Rouge teases as she waits for her kiss.
The spins start getting further and further apart as everyone devolves into conversation. Rouge spins Cream, and everyone talks for a bit. Cream's still laughing at something Sonia said when she remembers to spin, and the little bottle icon winds up pointing at Knuckles. More chatting and jokes, with increasingly infrequent spins. Knuckles spins Manic, and then declares him a better kisser than Rouge, much to everyone's amusement.
Eventually Amy's phone rings and her dad tells her he's on his way, and that's the end of the party. Everyone gathers their things and says their goodbyes. Rouge gives Shadow his clothes back, and in turn Shadow gives Knuckles his shirt back.
Shadow definitely has no plans to do any of that ever again, but as he lays in bed and drifts to sleep, he's forced to conclude that it wasn't entirely horrible. There were a few fun moments throughout the day, like lounging on a bench and watching Manic throw popcorn at their classmates, and it ended on a decent enough note. He supposes today wasn't a complete waste after all.