A/N I hated everything I originally wrote and completely redid this chapter. Excuses aside, it's finally out and there are only two more chapters planned for this story! In the last chapter, I will announce my final plans for the next story to come. Right now, I am still deciding between going straight into the prequel (which makes the most sense to me), taking a break from this series to write a zombie shadamy story (a rated M story I've been dying to write more than anything), and a Sonic Riders shadamy story (a story I want to write to simply get it in writing before I forget all of the juicy details I came up with/but not as pressed to write because the others feel more important). If I am undecided at that point, I will try a poll on my account to get your opinions.
I hope you enjoy ^ -^
Chapter 13: Never Say Goodbye Again
"Alright, that's the spirit, red one! Don't let up! Show him the strength that gave you the mark of the Robust!"
The veins of Knuckles neck bulged as he arm wrestled a brawny knight. Flourishing a grin, his eyes glittered at his struggling opponent.
"Don't you think it's time to give in, buddy? If you keep this up, you might not be able to do your afternoon rounds tomorrow," Knuckles chided with a smirk.
"I… c-cannot give in here. Even if it is f-f-fruitless, I dishonor my family name and lay down my d-dignity as a knight if I s-simply let go," the knight struggled breathlessly, gaining a bit on Knuckles.
"You're really giving it your all, huh? Guess I should take this a bit more seriously then."
And with that, Knuckles used all of his strength, tightened his grip on his foe, and smashed the knight's hand to the table before them, earning shouts of victory from the knights surrounding them, mugs clashing as alcohol spilled over.
As the defeated knight stood, his face covered in shame, Knuckles held out his hand with a chuckle. The knight simply gave him a look of question.
"You put up a good fight! Thanks for the competition. I enjoyed the challenge."
The knight warmed at his sportsmanship, shaking his hand, before letting someone else sit in the chair in front of the red echidna. As another eager competitor clamored into the spot, buzzed and egged on by the others around him, Sonic squeezed through the rowdy onlookers, carrying two large mugs filled to the brim. He handed one to Knuckles as he nudged him, his flushed cheeks indicating his buzz.
"Thought you could use some more fuel, buddy," Sonic laughed as they clashed mugs, the two taking gulps of their beverages.
"Ah, thanks, Sonic. This is exactly what I needed to keep it rolling," Knuckles thanked before turning to the next poor sap who dared to challenge him.
Crackling his knuckles, he placed his elbow on the table as the shouts energized him.
As Sonic watched and cheered on his friend with a smirk, he looked behind himself and waved to Sally, sitting with the others in a calmer corner of the knight's quarters.
Sally returned his wave before the blue blur turned to the match before him. Sally chuckled to herself at his behavior as she leaned against the wall next to the make-shift table where Rouge perched, Cream next to her and Tails just across from the two as they discussed the situation between Shadow and Amy.
"So, she ran away from him? Why?" Rouge questioned, a bit distraught.
Tails shook his head, cupping his drink in thought. He twisted his namesakes behind him, curving into himself as he thought critically about the details he remembered.
"I'm not sure. When we led them to that balcony, they seemed to be in good spirits. We weren't able to hear much of their conversation once we left them alone," Tails amended.
Cream sipped her fragrant, non-alcoholic drink, chiming in.
"It must have been something he said after we left them alone. But what could he have said to make her so upset?"
Rouge hummed.
"Maybe it was the corny romcom lines I told him to use to woo her. I hope he knows I was joking about that," Rouge mused.
"Maybe something he said frightened her? Or maybe we all misinterpreted her affections toward him and she's never actually seen him as anything more than a friend?" Sally added.
Mid sip, Rouge slammed her drink on the table, earning looks from the three other Mobians beside her and the knights that danced an upbeat jig near them.
"That's a load of bull shit! I've interrogated the two of them and have done a thorough investigation on their relationship, for years, might I add, and there is no way that's true. I firmly believe that not only do those two love one another, but that they were meant for each other. To think none of you believe me is absurd," Rouge gurgled, ears sharp and at attention.
Cream shook her head, hands up in defense as she tried to call Rouge down. Tails stiffened and watched as Sally determined if she should intervene. Rouge pulled away from their attempts to calm her.
"Whatever. Believe what you want, but when morning comes, Shadow will come down those steps with Amy by his side. I have faith that he will get what he's been fighting for. He deserves it. Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to go collect myself in the ladies room," Rouge huffed, standing abruptly and attempting to leave the table.
She made it past Cream's chair, but failed to notice a knight in mid swing on the dance floor step out of bounds, shoulder-checking the inebriated bat. Cream, Sally and Tails watched her slam into their table, all tensed and ready to catch the bat as some of her drink spilled onto her dress.
"Hey!" Rouge bellowed, catching herself on the table.
"Oh, I am so sorry, my lady. I meant you no harm."
As the others offered her help and a handkerchief, she waved them off, placing her drink on the table near Cream's beverage and standing steadily on her own.
"No, it's my fault. One too many drinks and an emotional breakdown tends to dull my situational awareness. Don't mind me."
As the knight nodded to her and went about his jig, Rouge sighed, reaching for her cup on the table and walking off to find a place to collect herself, all with her back to her mobian partners concerned for her.
"I'll be back," the bat huffed with a gentle sway of her hips.
As Tails and Cream shared a look, Sonic came over to join them, noticing Rouge's departure.
"Hey guys, one of the generals said they're going to put on a little light show using some low-level magic to celebrate the return of the king and queen in their own way. When Rouge gets back, do you want to join? Heard it's going to be quite the show," he explained, red tainting his muzzle.
Tails hummed in thought as Cream perked in interest.
"That sounds wonderful! Tails?"
Tails shook his head, his exhaustion beginning to show.
"I don't know, Cream. We should get to sleep. We've got to leave tomorrow, remember?"
Cream sulked at Tails' dismissal of the event and took a sip of her forgotten drink. Confused by the pungent taste, Cream pulled back from the cup and looked into it. It looked like her drink, she thought, but now she could see some form of dark sediment settling at the bottom now that she was almost finished with it. She shrugged, assuming it was simply the sugars and leaves they'd mixed into the water to make her drink. She found she kind of liked the taste, anyway.
Sally moved beside the fox and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Tails. I know you want to leave at daybreak, but there will be plenty of time for you to rest if we leave later in the day. You can sacrifice a little bit of time tonight to make the night special for a certain someone, can't you?" she suggested.
Tails gave Sally a look of uncertainty and then turned to Cream who sipped her drink and pouted with a light hiccup. He sighed, giving in and letting his anxieties take a backseat, much to his dismay.
"Okay, but when I'm ready to leave tomorrow, I don't want to hear any complaints," he concluded.
"Okay, little buddy. Tomorrow morning, you call the shots," Sonic agreed.
Rouge returned to their table, composed and somber, taking her place and looking at the blue blur in question.
"What's going on, blue boy? Looks like you've gotten everyone here all worked up in my absence," she mentioned as she sat, taking a sip of her drink.
"We're going to go see a magical light show now that you're back. That is, if you're sober enough to make it out that back door over yonder," he teased.
Rouge sat with a dignified air about her, speaking to him, with her eyes closed.
"I'll have you know I swapped my drink out for some water."
"Well, then I guess it's settled. Let's grab Knuckles and follow the crowd," Sally beckoned to the eager knights leaving the quarters.
As Knuckles headed their way and they all stood to join the masses, Sonic tripped up on Sally's skirts and nearly face planted into the ground. Cream, witnessing the whole encounter, burst out into a fit of uncharacteristic laughter. Her giggles wracked her body to the point she had to wrap her arms around herself as she shook.
"Cream… you okay?" Tails asked, approaching the rabbit.
Sonic collected himself and faced her with a smirk.
"Glad I could make your night, sunshine. They don't call me a class act for nothing!" he beamed with his teeth, both of his thumbs directed toward his face.
"No one calls you that, Sonic," Sally muttered, brushing by the blue blur as a creeping suspicion brought her before the rabbit.
Tails grabbed her by the shoulders as her fit of laughter died down. His eyes furrowed as he noticed the red under her muzzle and the fog in her eyes. She wiped away tears as she swayed in his grip.
"Cream, you look a bit out of it. Are you feeling okay?" he asked, touching her forehead and noting its warmth.
"E'm fine, T-tails. Mr. Sonic is sooo funny," she stammered.
Sally marched up to the young couple and confiscated her drink, shaking her head in disapproval.
"Of course she's not okay. She's been sipping on the remnants of Rouge's drink without a care," Sally reprimanded, sniffing her cup before showing the remaining liquid to Tails and then setting it down and crossing her arms.
"I must have picked up the wrong cup on my way to the ladies room," Rouge thought out loud.
"Maybe if you'd have been a bit more aware and put together, Cream wouldn't be tipsy right now," Sally's irritation spiking at Rouge's lack of concern.
"Hey, it's not my fault she can't tell the difference between some punch and a spiked drink!" Rouge snapped, a headache beginning to form.
"Ladies, ladies, chill. We're having a good night. Cream will be fine. Nothing a bit of water won't fix. Relax," Sonic amended.
Knuckles finally made it within earshot and raised an eyebrow.
"What's going on here?"
"Ugh, you know what? I feel a headache coming on and a light show will only make it worse. I'm heading to bed," Rouge finalized, walking away.
"Rouge, hey-!" Knuckles tried, but Sonic held him back.
"I wouldn't do that, Knux. Seems her night turned sour and I don't think you're in the right state to console her. Anything that comes out of your mouth when you're hammered always sounds like an insult," he explained, beckoning his red friend to the opposite doors.
Tails brought one of Cream's arms over his shoulder as he used his namesakes to hover the two of them above the ground.
"I'm going to call it a night. Cream needs some water and some rest, so I'll take her to her room now," Tails amended, not keen on watching a light show with a bunch of drunkards with swords.
"Okay, buddy, be careful."
They went their separate ways for the night, emotions on high in the still of the starry night.
~.aAa.~
The sizzle and cracking of the magic-ladden light show was much like the fireworks back home. Sonic marveled at the display as he noted the differences. One knight, a yard away for safety, moved his arm in infinite motions, speaking in garbled chantment before multicolored sparks flashed before him, creating simple shapes. As he began to dance in the clearing behind the fortress, four other knights joined him, drumming up their own chantment and dancing in tandem with their leader.
"They move very gracefully for knights that have been neglected for years," Sally vocalized as she approached the blue blur from behind, offering him a mug filled with water.
As he took the beverage, he grimaced.
"Yeah, well I'm sure under Riven's shitty rule, dancing was the only thing they could do in secret to relieve their stress and express themselves. I couldn't imagine waiting so long to be liberated. I'm much too impatient. I would have taken matters into my own hands sooner," Sonic mumbled into his cup.
"Yes, but you would have ruined everything in the process. Remember, this isn't Mobius, or Knothole, this is Aumoris, a mystical country driven by things like oracles and prophecies. The prophecy alone was probably enough to keep all of these knights at bay for all of those years of abuse. And now, they are free of the dark prince and can do as they please, without repercussion," Sally amended, leaning against the stonewall they'd drawn themselves to.
"Speaking of repercussions, how's Knux doing?" Sonic inquired.
"See for yourself," Sally mumbled, nodding to the left.
On the other side of the door, sitting in the grass with his back against the stone wall, Knuckles rested, sulking as stared lifelessly at the light show. Sonic scoffed, noting the tipped mug of water beside him that Sally had given to him. Sonic remembered hearing him mutter something about Rouge, before losing him in the crowd of drunkards. Sonic thought that he had simply meandered to the front and passed out in the grass or something, but it looks like he was sober enough to keep himself out of harm's way.
"He only had a sip of his water before I walked away to find you. I think he's a bit torn up that Rouge decided not to join him." Sally voiced.
"Well, better that he sulk than get Rouge any more worked up than she already is. I promised Tails there would be no more delays tomorrow and if they were to get into it now, who knows what nonsense we'd have to deal with in the morning, let alone the trip home," Sonic explained, chugging his water.
"Sonic, look!" Sally exclaimed suddenly.
Both of their eyes caught the beginning of the aerial portion of the light show as it began. Three winged Aumorians soared, circling their heads as they brandished red sparks, forming a flame as they danced in the air.
"Hey, that's pretty awesome! Wonder what I could do with some of that enchantment?" Sonic smirked, addressing Sally with a cheesy grin.
Sally drew her eyes from the spectacle to playfully regard Sonic with a look of skepticism.
"Sonic, I think you'd be a danger to yourself and others even with the simplests of enchantments. Let's leave the pretty light show to the professionals."
"Come on, Sal, you know I'm the king of caution," he joked, placing his free arm over her shoulder, drawing her in.
"Yeah, the king of throwing caution to the wind," she said in hush as she noted his closeness.
"Heh, I guess I should listen to my fiance. She knows my weaknesses all too well," Sonic whispered.
As Sally caught the hint of alcohol on his breath, she broke his gaze and drew into herself. Sonic noticed her hesitation and slowed his advance.
"What's up, Sal? Are you still… on the fence… about us?" he questioned, the tension tangible.
Sally crossed her arms and regarded him solemnly. Sighing, she looked to her side, the sparks of the light show reflecting in her eyes.
"Sonic, there are a few things that are still eating at me. I just don't know if now is the time to address them," she explained, fiddling with her engagement ring that rested in its chain around her neck.
"Shoot, Sal. I'm all ears. I want to clear things up as much as any anxious fiance would."
She hesitated, warily checking her surroundings. Sonic placed his emptied mug in the grass and readjusted himself to try for some privacy, standing in front of Sally with his arm placed against the wall by her head. He regarded her with a calm and open demeanor and used his free hand to brush a hair from her face.
"You can tell me anything, Sal. I want to know what's running through that head of yours. And please, don't hold back, okay?"
As the tension in her body fled, she warmed at his sincerity and broke.
"I … I want to know what you said to Amy tonight… she seemed upset, but then… relieved. I want to know if what you said to her will bring me relief too."
Sonic stilled, looking down with a subtle frown. Sally held her breath as the lights flickered, outlining her fiance in a hypnotic, multi-colored glow.
"I guess whatever you said was only meant for her ears," she whispered.
"I had to tell her the truth. I thought that if I didn't say something then, I'd never get the chance to, considering I may not ever see her again."
Sally stiffened and found his gaze, unfazed by his honesty, presuming too much as her eyebrows furrowed.
"And what was the truth? That every waking moment of our renewed relationship has been burdened with her name? Or that her disappearance caused you so much anguish that even I couldn't bring you comfort or make you forget?"
Sonic pressed closer to her, frustration bubbling in his throat.
"I apologized for hurting her… that day you and I reunited."
"You shouldn't have to apologize when you did nothing wrong," Sally amended.
"Sally, I apologized to her for being selfish! I didn't apologize for not choosing her over you. I'd choose you in a heartbeat, no matter the circumstance. Everyone knows that."
Sally deflated and decided to simply listen as Sonic's jaw tightened.
"I know that from your perspective, Amy is to blame for her own feelings and actions, but I didn't rebuke you for her, Sally. Not once did I claim she was the one. I remained truthful through it all, about my feelings for her and for you. I let her know what was to come for the future for you and me, and whether she forgives me or hates me, chases me or lets me go, I won't change anything. No matter what, I'll marry you AND I will remain her friend."
Sally regarded Sonic with thawed eyes, a glimmer reflecting off the surface as the light show neared its climax.
"I knew what I meant to her, Sal, and if she were any random girl, I wouldn't have held on to this guilt for so long, but Amy isn't just some strange, obsessive girl. She's my friend and teammate and she means a lot to me. And I let her down. And it hurts more than letting down any subject of mine, because she's family. I think you of all people can understand that, even though you might not feel the same way about her."
Sally released a sigh deeper than Sonic had ever witnessed from the princess.
"I have always viewed Amy as a misguided child who just needed attention and guidance from the right person, and I always tried to be that person. And I still regard her in that manner. It's just, after a while, I just wished it weren't you she attached herself to, as shallow as that sounds," she admitted with a cringe.
"She was young Sally. And so was I, but I knew better. I knew that our relationship dynamic, the fangirl and her hero, made any move I made important to her. Every word I said to her affected her and, to a degree, it still does, because I'm still her hero, her childhood love. I may not be her number one anymore, and I'm okay with that, but as any leader, my every waking breath speaks volumes to those who follow me, Sal."
She processed the look of honesty in his face as her mind relaxed in resolve.
"A future king's gotta say the right thing or face the consequences. One wrong phrase or misused word could result in complete chaos. As much as I seem to throw caution to the wind, Sally, I know that an effective ruler needs to be careful with his words and actions alike. And I'd think that would be something you'd want to hear, considering you want to make me a king, no?" he finished with a diminished version of his trademark grin.
Sally sighed, eyeing the blue blur with a subdued look, before fiddling with the charm on his shoulder plate.
"I do like the sound of progress on your part, in becoming king and in resolving this issue."
Sonic brandished his trademark grin, but his eyebrows furrowed as his eyelids lowered with a plea.
"Sally, is it possible for you to forgive me for sending your heart through turmoil?"
She blew her bangs from her eyes, relaxing as he lifted her chin gently.
"Of course. As long as we make a promise to discuss boundaries when we return to Mobius."
He chuckled at her request, no longer worried. Butterflies erupted in Sally's chest at the sound as she lowered her eyes to accept him.
"Deal."
As his last words were buried in the cacophony of whistles, crackles, and shouts of celebration, Sonic captured her lips in an affectionate press of promise and sincerity.
All the while, a tipped mug rested on its side without its sulking red friend.
~.aAa.~
The kitsune's footfalls echoed as he swiftly headed in the direction of Cream's guest room, a tray in hand. He pressed the urge to use his namesakes to propel himself down the wide corridor as his legs ached with a plea for rest, but he knew if chose to fly, he'd exhaust his only means to get to his own room after taking care of the flustered rabbit that awaited him.
When he'd left Cream earlier in her room to get a few things to help with her current state, she'd fallen into her bed with a giggle and a careless smile, still in her evening gown and shoes. He figured she would drift off into a worriless sleep, but as he left the room, she'd called for him and sat upright. Before exiting, he told her he'd be right back, and she stared at him, through hazy eyes, as still as a rock as she nodded. He only hoped she hadn't gotten impatient and gone into the endless halls after him.
As he approached her doors, he knocked politely.
"Cream? It's Tails. Is it okay for me to come in?"
His blood ran cold at the prolonged silence and, after checking to make sure he was in the right place, he plastered himself to the door at her lack of response, pressing his ear to the left door as nothing but rustling echoed through the wood.
"T-tails? Is that you at the door?" Cream asked loudly.
As relief loosened the worry that had seized his whole body, he responded quickly.
"Yeah. I've got a drink that will make you feel better and something for your head," Tails responded a little louder, noticing she sounded a bit out of breath.
"Come in!" she huffed as she bid him entrance.
Tails dismissed the sound of her obvious struggle and waltzed in to find her in an odd state of undress.
"Oh, Sorry, Tails. Ah, I could barely hear you knock. Ugh," she struggled between gasps caused by the entangled fabric that squeezed her at every jerky movement.
As Tails registered her current predicament in the center of the room, heat rushed to his head.
"C-Cream!"
Cream was a half-clothed mess. Her dress had completely fallen off of both shoulders, one sleeve wrapped around her waist, the other enveloping one of her ears. The shear covering that blanketed her top half from before had drifted to her knees, cinching the skirt into her legs, begging for the rabbit to make the wrong move and seize her legs, inevitably leading her to come clambering to the ground. Even though all that could be seen was a leg and one cup of her bra, this didn't stop his heart from racing again, for a different reason entirely.
"Hm?" Cream hummed as she stilled, watching Tails turn frantic as she gave him a look of question.
The items on his tray clattered as he stuttered an apology. He rushed to place the tray on the wardrobe to the right of the door and swiveled around to slam and lock the door. He pressed his back to it and slouched forward, clutching the fur above his heart in an attempt to calm his frantic heartbeat.
"Tails, w-what's wrong?"
She tilted her head lightly as she hopelessly wondered what could have possibly startled him so suddenly. Tails dared to look up at her to respond, forcing himself to be objective while trying not to find her blatant lack of modesty alluring.
"You-You're naked! And you have the window open!" he managed through his twisted tongue.
"Silly. No one can see me up here!" she remarked with a wide, toothy grin.
Tails brushed aside his embarrassment and chalked up her situation to one thing: the alcohol. With this information, he approached her promptly, pursing his lips and ignoring the warmth calling to him.
"Here. Let me get you out of that thing," he muttered, prying the shaw from her legs and untangling her from her fabric entrapment.
She giggled at his touch as he pulled the sleeve from her ear and unwrapped the other from her waist. He regarded her curiously as he paused.
"What's so funny?"
She wiggled in his arms.
"Don't you remember? I'm ticklish," she hummed with a wobble.
A light curve on his lips lit his stressed features minutely as he gingerly tugged at the seams. He let the hem of her collar fall past her waist, revealing her upper body to him. He released a breath as he stilled.
"D-do you think it will be easier to lift this thing over your head, or would you rather take it off the other way?" he asked, ignoring the stirring in his stomach.
"Hm, I think I can shimmy out of it."
She shook quickly, nearly losing her warped balance as the dress fluttered and pooled around her feet. Tails shook his head at her youthful glee as she fell backwards, landing on the soft cushion of her bed.
"I'm free! Hehe," she cried, arms held acutely above her head.
Tails noticed the glint of colored fabrics standing out among her neutral-colored bed sheets and reached for them.
"What an interesting choice in sleepwear. If I didn't know any better, I would have assumed you rummaged through my clothes to get this shirt."
Cream sat up abruptly, clutching a pillow to her chest as she reacted to his light teasing.
"You know that's my favorite shirt of yours! You brought that on purpose. Besides, you only wear it when it gets chilly in your workshop. All other times, it's mine for the taking!"
He laughed at her light outburst as he unfolded her choice in night wear bottoms.
"And… since it's one of the only shirts you ever wear… it smells like you."
Tails caught the shift in her voice and gave her a curious side glance, catching the flush of her cheeks as she sheepishly went into a heated trance, looking away with the pillow covering her midsection. He cleared his throat.
"Did you need help putting these on?"
She gave him her hazy eyes, swapping between the clothes in his hands and his face, his expression flushed, yet composed and gentle. As her thoughts scrambled, she felt embarrassment suddenly take over.
"N-no. I can do it."
She stood upright slowly as Tails handed her the bottoms. She tugged the opening apart with steady hands, bending over and lifting a leg with confidence. All the while, Tails moved to catch her as she tilted, the rabbit seemingly unaware that she was not sober enough to handle such a task.
"Okay, I shouldn't have let you even attempt to put those on yourself," he amended, holding her shoulders to steady her as her head wobbled.
"The… room is spinning a bit," she mumbled warily.
He brought her hands into his palms and lifted them to his plated shoulders.
"Here. Hold on to my shoulders while I put on your shorts," he ordered softly.
She nodded meekly, shifting to lean forward onto his steady body as he kneeled, lifting the article from the ground and opening it up for her to step into. She wavered as she got both feet into the whole, but was steadied as he quickly lifted the shorts and secured them at the waist. As she blinked away her disorientation, he pulled the drawstring tight without warning, bringing the dizzied girl to his chest.
"Ah! Sorry. I d-didn't mean t-to…"
He trailed off as Cream's eyelids eclipsed her chocolate eyes, hands on his chest as he tried to ignore the press of her body against his own. He swallowed with his heart in his throat.
Get it together.
He pried their bodies apart gently, reaching down and quietly tying her drawstring under the pressure of her dazed watch.
"There. Now for your shirt."
Before he could twist his torso and grab her top, he felt her small, burning arms snake over his shoulders. His heart stopped and he faced her, her hot breath grazing his neck as she leaned into him.
"Tails."
He swallowed once more as the tone in her voice. He muffled a gasp, his gloved hands hovering just over her waist.
"Cream, y-you should…" he began, but the rabbit had tightened her hold on him.
She shushed him gingerly, drawing a hand to graze over his lips before cupping his cheek and planting a kiss on it. The kitsune closed his eyes in an attempt to keep his composure, but found himself thawing at the feel of her soft press against his chest.
He relaxed and embraced her, one hand wrapped around her middle, the other rubbing circles at the small of her back as he started to drown in her. As his thumb grazed the clasp on her bra as he held her, the feverish girl tightened her grip
"Hehe. You're so warm, Tails."
He hummed contentedly at her, but stiffened when he felt their innocent warm travel through his body in a strange manner.
"Tails?"
He found her cloudy eyes hesitantly, afraid he'd go under again, but found nothing but genuine worry and disappointment in her eyes. He took a moment to breathe, releasing some of the heat that had collected within him, and drew the shirt between them.
"H-here. Lift your arms for me."
She wavered, but took a step away from his warmth and did as she was told. She wiggled at the sensation of the clothing grazing her body as it came over her, and as her head broke the surface of the collar, Tails was in her view, bringing the long sleeve over her midsection and fixing her tousled curls. She melted into his hand as his fingers grazed her cheek.
"Cream, I brought you something to help with your, um, current predicament," Tails announced, brushing off their heated exchange with difficulty.
She perked as he walked toward the wardrobe, grabbing a few things off the tray.
"I'm fine, Tails, really. I've heard Rouge talk about waking up with bad hangovers, but that only happened when she drank too much. I didn't have much to drink, anyway," she explained, already seeming to sober up a bit.
Tails regarded her with a stern look, handing her a glass with water and a small, rainbow-colored bean that looked like a piece of candy.
"What's this?" she asked, perking up at the thought of a possible treat.
"This isn't what you think it is. It's actually medicine. Ovaria says you swallow it whole, like a pill. It will keep you from regretting your choices in the morning and lessen your hangover."
She pouted, but took the beverage and the pill. Tails nodded in approval as she took the pill with ease, drinking half of the glass.
"Great. Drink the rest of the water. I have one more thing for you to take. This one will help you sober up."
She sipped on the remainder of the water halfheartedly as Tails returned to the wardrobe.
While he did this, Cream huffed at the plain taste of the water, wishing for the potent tang of Rouge's drink and the effects that came with it. She closed her eyes in frustration and snapped, thrusting her arm forward to give her boyfriend the cup.
"Tails, I don't want this-"
Thunk!
The standoff between the two lasted a moment as Cream continued to hold out the half-emptied glass and Tails looked down at the spilled mug on the ground he'd dropped as he turned into her outstretched arm. The dark liquid tainted the stone as the mug rolled to a stop. Tails let his irritation show, sighing angrily as his face was overtaken by annoyance.
"Cream, can you grow up for just two seconds? I thought you wanted to be mature, yet here you are acting like a child," he grumbled, a notch louder than Cream was used to.
The rabbit shrank back, paling and apologizing under her breath.
Tails took the cup, collected the mug from the floor and turned to the door.
"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."
He closed the door behind him as tears began to well in the rabbits eyes.
~.aAa.~
Under the watchful eye of the fortress guard, Knuckles trudged a path of sullenness on his way to his quarters. He used the wall as a crutch on his journey and made turns that seemed familiar to him, reaching a few deadends in the process. When the same guard saw him going back and forth down the same corridor, he directed him through a path unknown to the echidna and instructed him on the easiest way to his wing of the fortress, where the guest quarters awaited him.
"Heh. I'm not even on the right side of the fortress. Man, I'm pathetic. No wonder Rouge doesn't want me around," he muttered to himself, passing vacant rooms littered with cobwebs.
Twenty minutes of his trek passed in silence, when the sound of rapid clicking on the stone alerted the echidna of someone approaching. He paused, pinpointing the echo to prepare for a potential fight, fists up in defense.
"Damn it. I can't believe I fell for that!"
Knuckles relaxed and shot a look of confusion at the ebony hedgehog, who'd just emerged from an intersecting corridor, breathless and irate.
"You okay, Shadow? You look like you got into a fight with a bunch of adoring fans, if I'm being honest," Knuckles explained, shuffling toward the hedgehog as he finally took notice of the other person in the hallway.
Shadow shook his head as he wiped at the lipstick and saliva tracked on his muzzle, fixing his shoulder plate and cape as he tried to reclaim what was left of his dignity.
"I went after Amy over an hour ago, and I somehow mistook another for her. I followed the imposter through this chaos-forsaken fortress, just to be cornered by her and her little followers in an uninhabited room. It took everything I had not to throw them through the wall," he explained, pacing in front of the echidna.
"I'm guessing a couple of royal mean girls were trying to ruin your reconciliation with Amy?"
"Sabotage is what it was. But I'm not going to let them win. I'm wasting time here and I refuse to let another minute pass me by filled with regret," he shouted, stomping by the echidna.
"I have to go. Give Rouge my regards," he grumbled before kicking on his hover shoes and propelling forward.
"Yeah, okay," he mumbled with a sullen sigh.
Shadow's departure was actually a blessing in disguise, as Knuckles used his trail to get back to the guests quarters he'd traveled so far from. As he counted the doors, trying to find his room, he noticed a ghostly figure wandering the hallway in the darkness before him.
"Hm?"
He blinked profusely, rubbing his eyes. As the figure grew hips and ears with every flutter, he hobbled forward, realizing that the ghostly figure was Rouge, wrapped in a white robe.
"Rouge."
Although she couldn't hear him, he went after her.
~.aAa.~
Tails returned to Cream's room, drink in hand, rubbing his neck with guilt.
I shouldn't have snapped at her like that.
As he entered, a cool breeze greeted him.
"Okay, Cream, I warmed it up as well so you…"
He trailed off when he realized the rabbit was nowhere in sight. Looking from her vacant bed sheets to the closet on the opposite end of the room, he relaxed when he spotted the window, it's curtains disturbed.
He approached the window expectantly, but didn't see Cream beyond the tower walls. It only took the kitsune a moment to guess where she could have escaped to. Tightening his grip on the drink in one hand, he placed his free hand and his foot on the sill and leapt into the air, catching himself on the wind current with his twin tails.
It took him a few seconds to reach the roof of the tower, a circular space lined with decorative black fencing. He picked up a light sniffle as he perched, finding the small teen huddled over on the far end, wrapped in a quilt.
Tails sighed, shame disturbing his face as he approached her. Before he kneeled to her level, he caught the flashing lights of the light show they were missing below.
"Cream? Hey, look at me."
The shuddering rabbit peaked through her crossed arms to find her boyfriend's sky blue eyes littered with remorse. She sniffed.
"Hey, I didn't mean what I said earlier. I'm just a little stressed is all. All of this.. It's not your fault. Here, drink this," he whispered delicately.
She wiped her eyes on her sleeve, gripping the warm mug with a small frown. As Tails crossed his legs in front of her, she took a sip, recoiling suddenly.
"Bleh! This tastes rotten," she coughed mid-swallow.
"Heh. Well, if you want to drink adult beverages, you'll have to take adult medicine to get better."
Her nose twitched over the beverage and she reeled at the slight stenched laced in the steam. She looked at him skeptically.
"Don't worry. Ovaria said it's safe for consumption. I warmed it up to help with the taste. Drink up," he explained, leaning back on his arms as he peeked through the guard rails, catching the last bits of the light show.
She sipped the putrid drink, swallowing quickly in an attempt to escape the taste, to no avail. She stuck out her tongue in distaste.
"You didn't happen to bring a cookie with you to take this down with?" she tried.
He shook his head, smiling wryly at her.
"Nope. You'll have to stomach that whole thing without any assistance."
"Ugh. This stinks. Guess growing up isn't all sunshines and rainbows like I think it is then, hm?"
"I'm no full grown adult, but from my observations, no. The moment you become an adult, you are burdened with more responsibilities and expectations than in your youth. As much as I would like to tell you that it gets easier, I'm afraid it doesn't. But that's the price of freedom, really," Tails speculated.
Cream sighed miserably. Tails' ears perked in her direction.
"You were right about me."
He gave her a look of question.
"I am just a child. I want to grow up so badly, but I don't have the ability to do that! I get tipsy after a few sips of alcohol, I don't have the stomach for adult medicine, and I'm emotionally unstable! I can't fight on my own, nobody trusts me and I can't handle the consequences of my own actions. I don't want to be this way. I want to be valued as an equal on the team and I want the freedom to do as I wish. I hate being chained down by adolescence!" she conceded.
Breathless, she glared at the Aumorian sky, the twinkle of starlight bubbling as they refracted through her tears. Before she could blink them away, a thumb wiped them aside.
"Cream, you don't have to be an adult to have freedom, and you certainly don't need to prove yourself to be an adult to others so soon."
Cream faced him, teardrops staining her quilt.
"If I don't, our friends will just keep leaving me behind."
"Cream, protecting you is in their nature. It's in my nature. We don't keep you out of harm's way because we think you are weak. We just want you to live another day, and if that means that we may pay with our lives, so be it. Cream, you are strong and capable. You've come a long way with the team and we aren't going to abandon you without warning."
"But, when you guys rescued me, Shadow said-" Cream began, a wet pool rising in her eyes.
"Forget about what Shadow said. He says plenty of things he doesn't mean in the heat of the moment. That goes for the rest of the team."
Her tears slowed as his words churned in her mind. Tails lifted both of her hands into his, begging her to hear him.
"Cream, if you really want to speed up your growth, here's my advice. Start with making adult decisions first. Adult decisions are hard and sometimes impossible to cope with. Sometimes you have to step up and take on a heavy burden, given you have the capacity to do so. Sometimes you have to bite your tongue, even if you are right. Sometimes you have to backpedal and take a step down and accept that you are needed elsewhere. Knowing when to make those hard decisions is part of growing, but the important thing is knowing you can't do what you want and expect everyone to be okay with it. Unfortunately, you can't have your cake and eat it too."
Tails rubbed the back of her hands with his thumbs, watching her blink thoughtfully.
"The rest will come naturally with time. As the others see your growth, they will start to treat you accordingly," he finished.
She released a shaky sigh and retracted her hands, looking skyward.
"But…"
Tails lifted a brow.
"But?"
"I feel so small. So… insignificant. Not just to the team, but to the world. Our world at least. I'm not a shining hero like Sonic, I'm not a guardian like Knuckles, a former agent like Rouge, or… a super genius like you. I thought I felt small before, but this trip to this world makes me feel like a speck of dust, especially from where we stand right now," she detailed, squirting harshly at the sky, scrutinizing its vastness.
Cream's features relaxed as Tails sat next to her. Shoulder to shoulder now, looking at the sky with the same perspective.
"Well, I guess it's a good thing you want to grow up."
"What do you mean?" she questioned.
"As you strive to grow, you'll find value in yourself, Cream. All of us are like specks of dust to the universe, but what makes the weight of feeling so small bearable is the growth of our personal value. And only you can determine what that means for yourself. Being a reckless hero all of the time isn't going to make you valuable to the universe. True value starts from inside."
Cream smiled to herself as a gust ruffled her curls as if affirming the kitsune's statements.
"So don't be so hard on yourself. Start small and the path to your maturity will follow."
Cream shifted into him, drawing his gaze.
"And what about us?" she whispered.
"Us?" he asked in hush.
"How can our relationship progress… in the direction I would like to go?"
The brush of his bangs made her involuntarily lower her eyes, his forehead flesh with her own. Captivated by the emotional depth of his gaze, she held her breath.
"We take it slow, one step at a time. And while we're at it, we relish each step and make it worthwhile. There's no rush for us, Cream. We can do whatever you'd like, when we're both ready, okay?"
She breathed him in, her heart fluttering impatiently.
"Aye, aye, captain."
Her thoughts were fleeting as he kissed her deeply, the starry sky glinting in renewal, with promise of a new beginning.
~.aAa.~
"This hall never ends."
Rouge harshly muttered to herself, her muscles tensing with some effort as her exhaustion slowed her progress. She just wanted to get to her room without another horny guard asking her if she needed help getting to her quarters.
Yeesh. I wasn't born yesterday. I know a lustful man when I see one.
When her door was within view, a faint click of uneven foot steps brought the irritated twitch to her left eye. With a huff and flip of her damp hair, she abruptly twisted around.
"Look, buddy, I'm not interested in your… Knuckles?"
The echidna watched her, half-lit by the flickering candlelight. He looked worn, his eyelids heavy as he held his stomach with one arm, slouching slightly as his eyes glistened with an emotion that brought a blush to her cheeks.
"Rouge…" he muttered, finally within earshot.
He neared her slowly as she visibly relaxed. She crossed her arms, looking to the ground.
"Sorry, love. I thought you were another needy guard. It's unfortunate that the ladies' communal bathing room is miles away from my room. How's a woman supposed to undress and unwind knowing there are wolves lusting after their scent by the door?"
As Rouge was eclipsed by his shadow, she looked up to find his violet eyes tainted with longing. It took everything in her to keep from falling into the depths while his scent gave her the invitation to dive in. He brought a hand to caress her cheek.
"You look flustered. Did those guards try to harm you?" he asked huskily, not a hint of humor present.
She pressed into his palm, lowering her eyes as she found comfort in his touch.
"No, they were just very persistent. I thought I was going to lose my robe to one of them, but he seemed like he was under the influence, so I flew off and cut him some slack."
Rouge's gasp lightly bounced off the corridor walls as Knuckles closed in. With her back to her door and his heated breath on her face, she quivered as his caressing hand dropped to her shoulder, traveling to her arm as he examined her.
"Did he touch you?" he grumbled lowly.
She could only imagine what was going on in his head after what she'd just said. Her sarcastic flair left her as she realized he was likely simmering under his somber facade. She gave him a once over, noting his hostile, yet protective arch of his chest as he surrounded her. He placed a hand on her door, recapturing her eyes with an underlying intensity in his own.
"Rouge, did that bastard touch you?"
Rouge felt her neck grow cold. She swallowed, trying to keep her voice even.
"No. I'm fine," she muttered, but her voice hitched a moment after.
Knuckles was slowly searching her form, moving the soft robe from her shoulders ever so slightly to check for marks. As the cool air licked at the exposure, she involuntarily jerked into him, the fragrance of her bathing soap escaping the folds of her coverings.
"Tell me what he looks like so I can go make it apparent that you're off limits," he murmured into her shoulder, squeezing her arm a bit.
Rouge felt the sharp edge of his canine against her collarbone as he spoke and decided to change her tactic. She shifted, prompting the raise of his head to her eye level. She traced circles on his muzzle, lowering her eyes in a sultry manner.
"No need for that, big guy. I'd rather you stay here with me, in case those bozos try to find me themselves. That sounds like a better plan, don't you think?"
He caught her lips abruptly with his own, startling the bat. With her ears perked at attention, she pressed at his chest as he moved against her. When he pulled away, she caught her breath, shoulders caving in.
"Wait. We should go-" she tried, but was cut off by his lips once more.
This time, his tongue entered, drawing a muffled moan from the bat. She struggled to meet his intensity, overwhelmed by his sudden attack, fighting to keep from melting in submission. When he pulled away this time, a wet trail stretched between their lips.
"W-what…. What's the big idea?" she managed between a gasp.
He ignored her question and continued his assault. Trailing kisses on her neck, Knuckles pressed into her neck, hands enveloping her waist. Rouge felt her body lifting into him as he crushed her, all the while fisting the fur on his chest and failing to keep her light moans to herself.
"Kn-nuckles, w-we're still in the h-hallway."
Her robe began to loosen from his ministrations, the fabric falling off of both shoulders as she squeezed her thighs together. While he groaned against her, she tightened a hand around the opening at her chest, not wanting to reveal herself in the hallway.
"-and who knows who the princess will choose."
Rouge flushed in embarrassment, feeling ashamed that she hadn't heard the chink of armor sooner. As she pulled the ties of her robe tight, Knuckles slowed down and glared at the approaching guards. The guards were too busy conversing and hadn't noticed the two getting intimate in the dim light by her door.
"Knuckles, let's go inside."
The echidna's eyes flashed with a hint of violence as the guards caught sight of them. The two guards slowed, coming to a complete stop as if the echidna's threat were tangible. He bared a canine in warning.
"Damn it."
Reaching back for the doorknob, she twisted it, pulling the echidna with her as she fell in. She closed it behind herself swiftly and silently. The guards wiped the sweat from their heads and cautiously continued their rounds, now hesitant and weary.
With her hand on the lock of the door, the bat released a shaky breath.
That's enough excitement for tonight.
She broke from her thoughts when firm hands snaked around her waist once more. Spiking her annoyance, she slapped them away and they retracted. Turning to face him, hands balled.
"What the hell was all of that for? And in the hallway, no less!" she seethed.
He was calm, now, a hint of shame evident. He opened his arms defensively, moving to bring her back into his embrace.
"Rouge, I'm sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me. I don't want to blame the alcohol, but-"
She pushed him away and he stumbled back, blinking at her.
"No! Just… ugh. Whatever."
The bat smoothed her hair, a blush still evident on her muzzle as she held herself with whatever dignity she had left. Knuckles watched her closely, backing up a few steps to plop himself on her bed, placing his elbows on his knees. He felt himself decompress, his eyes following her across the room as she headed for the wardrobe.
"I've had enough of this place already. As much as I love a good adventure, I think I'm ready to mess around in my own house now."
Knuckles raised a brow as she reached into the overnight bag he'd brought her from home, thinking she would surely rummage through the new clothes and undergarments Ovaria had provided for her. Did she not want to try the stylish underwear on? Things like that usually keep her up all night, in front of the mirror, swapping pairs to find her favorite combinations.
"First Sally's off the wall comments about Shadow and Amy, then Cream gets tipsy, and now this. Hmph, I can't go one evening without someone giving me a reason to kick them into next week," she grumbled, untying the robe and letting it sink to the ground.
Knuckles glued his eyes to her figure as she exposed herself. He watched her tail twitch in agitation as she bent over to find suitable undergarments and sleepwear. Knuckles instinctively found himself turning his head in an effort to see more of her while she fummed. He let out a low chuckle.
"I guess we're both no good when we've had too much to drink," the echidna added.
Rouge shot up, shifting to glare at him, hands on her bare hips.
"Shut it! Don't think you're off the hook yet," she spat.
He blinked at her, swapping between looking at her irate face and her bosom. A small sweat slipped down his head at seeing her eyes turn cold.
"And look away! You don't get to appreciate this body with the way you acted a moment ago."
He cleared his throat and stared at the bed sheets with a bit of red gracing his under eyes.
"I'm sorry things aren't going as planned," he apologized genuinely.
She sighed for what seemed like a lifetime, the following silence stretching longer than it should have.
"It's not your fault…. Or Sally's really. I just don't want her to be right…" the bat muttered, ears low.
"Right about what?" the echidna asked, turning to the bat who continued to rummage through the bag, her undergarments firmly in place on her body.
"About … Amy not actually wanting Shadow…." she mumbled, shaking her head and throwing a loose long sleeve over her head.
"But they have an obvious attraction to one another. Even I can see that. What makes you think that she's right?"
Rouge zipped the bag and headed for her bed, crossing her arms and facing the echidna with a critical gaze that went right through him.
"Because …. Because Sonic intervened tonight… and I don't know where Amy's head is at after their conversation. Not to mention she ran away from Shadow and I can't fathom why. Why would any girl run away from the talk, dark, and handsome ultimate lifeform when he's on his knees, begging for her!" she exclaimed.
Knuckles shrugged, eying her half dressed state.
"I don't know. Maybe he didn't do that… the whole on his knees, begging thing," He suggested as she rolled her eyes.
"I was exaggerating."
He shrugged, getting on his feet and nearing her cautiously, her glare directed to the ground.
"Whatever he said to her must have put her off. Even then, why would she run away? Is there something about Shadow that she can't accept? Maybe she doesn't think it will work out? Or maybe they're just too different, no matter how much they get along," Rouge ruminated.
Knuckles enveloped her as she crumbled into him, desperate for answers, but wanting nothing but to cover her head in her blanket and sleep.
"Rouge, have some faith in him. I know you care for him, but you have to let him do this on his own. Relax. He's the ultimate life form, after all. Even if he gets rejected or they don't work out, he'll still find a way to cope."
Rouge huffed into his chest, pouting.
"I hope you're right. I don't think I could handle it if he came home with us, eternally heart broken."
Knuckles hummed.
"Maybe we should change the subject."
Rouge scoffed.
"I've been stressing about this all day. Good luck getting Shadow and Amy off of my mind."
Knuckles pulled away from her, taking a few steps toward her sheets. Rouge looked at him in question for a moment before he pulled her with him. With a light jerk of her arm, Knuckles brought her on top of him. With the firelight pulsing in his eyes, she warmed at his efforts. As she bent low to kiss him, he lifted a hand to rub her cheek.
"Rouge, even though you may not admit it, you care for your friends more than you do yourself. Sometimes, you have to let them make their own decisions and take care of yourself for once," Knuckles whispered.
Rouge blinked, gripping his hand on her cheek and frowning.
"And how exactly do I do that, big guy?"
His free hand gripped her thigh, squeezing enough to draw her attention elsewhere, while he smirked.
"You just have to let me take over."
Rouge lost her breath as Knuckles turned her over in one movement, smoother than she thought possible for the echidna. She placed her hands on his chest as he towered above her, his intensity from the hallway returning.
He grabbed both of her hands in one of his, his palm squeezing her hands together as his heart raced underneath. Rouge felt her own heart swell as she melted into his expression, her mind frazzling. He put both of her hands on the pillow above her head and placed his legs around her hips, watching her squirm defenselessly.
"W-what's your plan here, exactly?" she asked, flustered.
He flashed his teeth with a sideways smirk, air leaving his nostrils as he marveled at the rare sight of her caught off guard, arms above her, thighs locked. Her shirt lifted and ruffled in several places, and Knuckles found that he could wait no longer in ravishing every inch of her.
"To remind every thirsty sucker in this kingdom that you're taken."
And without letting her register his last statement, he moved to delve into her, every sigh and lilt that escaped her lips encouraging him to push the limit of their lovemaking, with no regard to who could hear them.
~.aAa.~
A gentle current sung sparks of life into the darkened hallway as the ebony hesitated in front of the grand doors of Amy's bedroom. The torchlights had gone out and the fallen purplish leaves had found their way into the tower through some forgotten window, hissing as they skittered across the stones. Yet, the ebony felt disheartened by the vacancy of her personal hall, the pessimist in him reminding him to take a hint and walk away.
Even this dreaded corridor wishes to seal my fate.
Shadow felt a sudden headache come on, as Rouge's nagging and berating echoed through his mind. Not only would she be less than enthralled at his lack of success of the night, but she'd decimate him and his pride once she found out he gave up.
Groaning inaudibly, Shadow sought to back down from his endeavor, but inwardly vowed to try first thing in the morning, for that would be the last and only moment he could convey his feelings to her.
Before leaving the hallway, he pressed a hand to her door, placing his forehead on the wood and closing his eyes as if transmitting a message that would penetrate her dreams and bring her solace.
You deserve the world, Amy Rose. Please don't take my carelessness as a sign that you deserve to be eternally alone.
At that, he moved to walk away, but his ear twitched as he caught a faint whimper piercing the quiet, his instincts telling him to be alarmed. Jumping to fight rather than flight, he gingerly massed his ear to her door and focussed, the barely audible sobs behind the door skipping off the stones of her room in inconsistent waves. As he held his breath, the noises of her grief heightened as he deciphered the words she sliced herself with.
"I can't do this."
Shadow's heart raced as a shot of adrenaline made his veins run cold. She was awake, and, to his dismay, she was crying alone in the midst of her inner turmoil.
She needs someone to talk to. Hopefully my company will suffice.
He brought his shoulder back and reached for the door handle. He opened the door just enough so that he could lean in to see her, but he found her room vacant. A few candles were scattered around the room, burning at various levels of intensity, but not one reflected off of Amy's distressed features. On further inspection, he noticed her toiletries were scattered on her vanity table, and her evening gown was haphazardly tossed over her chair.
Shadow slid inside and locked the door behind himself. It wasn't until he saw the ruffled overnight bag sitting ajar by her wardrobe that he caught a glimpse of the moonlight stretching across the stones past her bedside. At the end of the moonlit trail, her balcony doors rested open, a whisper blowing in remnants of colorful flora into the room. With a breath, Shadow started forward, making not a sound as he approached the source of the tears.
"I know they all have expectations for me, and I really don't want to let them down."
Before Shadow stepped into the moonlight, he took in the sight of Amy at the edge of her balcony. He imagined she was glaring at the sky with the tone of her voice as her quills fluttered in gentle streaks across her shoulders.
"The only person you should be worried about letting down is yourself, rose."
Startled, the rose twisted around, bracing the guardrail behind her as she faced her intruder.
"S-Shadow."
His heart ached at the subtle quiver of her lower lip as his name fell off of her lips. She pursed her mouth a moment later, trying to hide her disheveled mental state. She drew a hand to her chest as she sniffed, an air of desperation enveloping her form as her eyes fluttered furiously to rid herself of her tears. Her merlot-shaded nightgown hiked to her mid-thigh as she assumed a defensive stance, looking as if she were preparing to jump.
"I'm sorry if I frightened you. It was not my intention to scare you, nor was it my intention to upset you tonight. I think I was a bit ahead of myself and misread you."
He stepped into the moonlight cautiously. He lowered his lids in concern as she relaxed a bit. Guilt colored her features as she looked anywhere but at him.
"It's fine, Shadow. Really. You can go to your room and get some sleep. I'm sorry if I worried you," she apologized, roughly scrubbing a stray tear from her muzzle.
Shadow took a few steps toward the rose as she focused on the ground.
"If you really want to be alone, I will honor your request, but before I go, will you at least answer one question?"
She caught his eye and nodded.
"Sure. I think I can do that," she sniffed.
He furrowed his brow as she prepared for his question.
"Where do you plan to be tomorrow morning, on the ship with the others, or on the surface waving them goodbye?"
The rose visually stiffened. As her face went dark, the ebony took a few more steps forward.
"I don't know."
"Why? Is Aumoris not good enough for you?"
She scoffed.
"Frankly, I'm not good enough for Aumoris. I feel like I have too much to prove, and if I stay, I'm going to struggle everyday trying to fit into a mold that I feel isn't meant for me. Not the Amy Rose that I am now, at least."
He was within arms reach of her now, but she didn't seem moved by his proximity.
"But they are your real family, rose."
"You and the others are my real family!"
Her outburst didn't faze him, but as she brought her face to his, she paled, blinking as she realized just how close he was now. Shadow lifted an eyebrow in question as he watched her steadily, her emotional state crumbling before him.
"I don't even want to know what my life would be like without you guys. Sonic has always been my hero, my idol, and my friend. Argentine is wonderful, but Knuckles is my brother. He taught me how to protect myself and befriended me when others thought I was unbearable to be around. Tails never once criticized me and he considered my feelings even when Sonic left me in the dust."
She caught her breath.
"Cream and Rouge are my best friends and I couldn't bear it if I never saw them again. And you… you've treated me like a princess long before I discovered I was one. Your companionship means so much to me, Shadow, and if I lose it just to gain loyal subjects, I won't be happy knowing what I left behind."
Shadow internally smirked at her compliment to him, but remained objective. It wasn't time to switch topics quite yet.
"But what of the secrets Aumoris has to offer you? I'm sure this kingdom has much to tell you about yourself and your origin."
Amy shook her head.
"Living and fighting alongside the freedom Fighters has taught me more about myself than any Aumorian stories ever will. I was sent away when I was six, Shadow. Any stories that involve me at a time in my life that I can barely remember simply describe an outline of the person I am now. Those memories aren't worth it to me, and neither is the throne."
Uncertainty ran cold through her veins as she recoiled a bit at her own declaration.
"And yet… I can't help but wonder what it would be like if I stayed, lived on my own terms, and learned more about my mother, father, and Argentine. Their stories are probably rich and exciting. There must be so much that happened before I was even born, so much family history."
She curled in on herself, eyebrows furrowed with grief.
"What do you want then, Amy Rose?"
She shrugged.
"I just want to be happy, Shadow. Whatever I decide has to include some form of happiness for me, no matter what happens after," she mumbled miserably as moisture began to pool on her muzzle.
As she sniffed and tried to keep her composure, Shadow drew closer to her. At feeling his heat near her face, she drew back, her lower back hitting the guardrail as Shadow's hands gripped the bar on each side of her. Her heart sputtered as she looked up into intense ruby eyes, recognizing the expression from earlier in the night resurface.
"Then maybe what I tell you next will help put your mind at ease?"
She blinked, swallowing.
"Yes?"
He cupped her cheek, thumbing the rampant moisture that had collected there.
"Rose, no matter what you decide, where you choose to be, I want to stand by your side, if you'll have me."
Amy's breath hitched.
"You said that earlier tonight. I wasn't sure what you meant by it."
He huffed lightly, moving to kiss her forehead.
"You are my everything, Amy Rose. You've taught me how to love the simplest of things, to see living as a gift rather than a burden, and your companionship has been invaluable to me. I couldn't bear to be without you for more than a few days."
He lifted her face to match his eye level. His ruby orbs glittered with sincerity and Amy didn't know what to do with this vulnerability.
"I'm enamored with you. I know that I might not show it in a way that is easy to recognize, but I've come to see you as more than a companion. I want you, and I refuse to leave your side until you understand that."
"Shadow," she breathed, her mind numbing as his words refused to compute.
"I'm not sure how you feel about me quite yet, but I know that my company brings you peace and comfort at least. No matter where you decide to find happiness, I want to be right there to help you find it. So, even if you decide to never see your friends again, at least there will be one person you'll never have to say goodbye to ever again."
Amy stopped breathing. She froze in place as Shadow leaned away and released her. The ebony swallowed as he noticed her face was devoid of any emotion. He frowned, lowering his head to dismiss himself and allow her time to process his words.
"If you don't want me to stay by your side, by all means, bring it to my attention and I will disengage. For now, I'll leave you be."
Amy barely picked up the click of his hover shoes on the stones as he slowly headed back into her room. Her mind kept tossing and dissecting what he'd just said, unable to believe what she'd heard.
Enamored? That man is in love with you, Amy Rose! Rouge was right. And he's been showing you this whole time. He's the first to act when you're in danger, he has given you the attention you've alway sought in Sonic, and he has treated you softly and with care. He's always been your shoulder to lean on, even when Rouge and Cream were clearly available to comfort you instead, and he has never left you. He's willing to follow no matter where you go… and you're letting him get away at this very moment.
As she jerked from her thoughts breathlessly, she wasted no time in heading to her bedroom to find him.
Halfway to her door, Shadow only had time to twitch an ear at the sound of her footsteps before her hand pulled at one of his. He turned to respond to her gentle request, only to feel the smaller hedgehog lunge onto him, pressing her lips to his own with her eyes closed.
He blinked as she drew back from her prolonged peck. Now in his hold and staring right back at him, Amy flushed furiously and began to stammer with an embarrassed sweat.
"I-I'm sorry! T-that was way more romantic in my h-head."
Before she could run away from him, he chuckled lightly, drawing her in with a hand at the small of her back. With the other hand, he moved a stray quill from her face as she shrank against him.
"I guess I should respond in kind."
Shadow lifted her face by her chin ever so slightly as he leaned in. Amy closed her eyes, the pressure building in her head. When he finally captured her lips, Amy felt instantly intoxicated. As his lips moved slowly against her own, she responded subtly, feeling her inexperience crippled her a bit.
He separated from her with a genuine smile, keeping her close. Amy pushed on his chest as she tried to dust the fuzz from her mind.
"Shadow, I've never done this before. I've only ever watched movies and read books on love."
Shadow brought her back in, turning her and drawing her into a wall. As he pressed a hand to the space beside her head, she shivered. She fell into his gaze once more warmed by his body and chest burning at his tangible intensity.
"You don't have to do anything. Let me take control. The rest will come with time."
Shadow continued to exchange steady, sweet kisses with her. As she relished in the feel of his soft lips against hers, she responded with the same pressure. But before she could get used to it, he pulled away, causing her to blink at the loss of heat.
"Hm?"
Amy heard the clatter of something metal falling to the ground along with fabric. Before she could look for the source, Shadow returned, free of his cape and shoulder piece. Hyper aware of him now, Amy pressed into the wall as he encased her once more with his body, this time with a riveting desire in his eyes, but nearing her with a slow, tender approach. Every movement was measured, as if he was afraid he would scare her off.
Shadow slid his forearm on the wall above her head. His other hand brushed the quills from her shoulders. Drawing his hand up her upper arm, he stopped once he reached her cheek, gracing it with the back of his fingers as if he were treasuring something precious. All the while, Amy held her breath, hiding the urge to shudder at his touch.
"Just tell me when this becomes too much for you."
She breathlessly nodded. His thumb trailed her lower lip, the heat from her heated breathing escaping. Amy found his gaze as she tried to hold herself together, her heart fluttering in infrequent waves with all of his attention focussed on her. He leaned forward, wetting his lips as he sought her lips, the quiet piercing as Amy anxiously awaited his kiss.
His kiss was more satiating than the previous pecks they'd exchanged a moment before. With her mouth slightly opened and unprepared, he kissed her with a depth that reminded her of the emotional swirl that seemed to overtake his eyes when he looked at her. Now that he was unleashing his emotions physically, she felt she might drown in this flood of intimacy.
"Ahh."
Her whimper fled as they parted. Keeping her close, Shadow moved against her as he drew his lips to her neck. He breathed in her scent, taking note of the floral fragrance of her bathing soap mixing pleasantly with her natural aroma. Shadow placed heated kisses along her collar bone, pulling the dainty strap of her night gown off of her shoulder for better access. Sliding a hand to the small of her back, he melded her to his body, encouraged to continue by her small sighs and hitches in her voice. Quivering against him, she bit her bottom lip as her mind started to blur.
As his kisses slowed to sensual tempo, Amy gasped as she felt his canine graze the sensitive skin of her neck. She arched into him, her knee jerking upward instinctively and colliding with his middle. He groaned at the inadvertent shove as Amy stiffened and mumbled an apology, only to squeal at his light bite. He placated her discomfort with a lick to the harmless bite, turning her brain to mush.
"S-shadow."
He cupped her face and resurfaced with a passionate return to her lips. As Shadow turned his head to deepen the kiss, Amy gripped his chest fur desperately. Shadow moved his hand to the back of her head. As each subsequent kiss grew in intensity, Amy felt her legs tremble. A trail followed when Shadow pulled from her. Unable to stand on her own, Amy's legs gave out under her, but Shadow caught her in his iron grip. She blinked the heat from her head as he kept her up.
"Rose, do you want me to stop?" he muttered hotly, pressing their foreheads together.
"No. I-I want to keep going. My legs just…"
"Then hold onto me."
He wasted no time in lifting her by the waist, using the wall to steady her as her arms reached for his neck and her thighs squeezed around his torso. He headed for the bed and placed her on the plush surface softly. He crawled on top of her, drinking in the sight of her hot and bothered, the hem of her nightgown lifted, exposing her thighs as Shadow moved to straddle her. With her straps falling off either shoulders and her cleavage rippling with every rise and fall of her chest, Shadow was having a hard time keeping himself together. But he found her eyes a moment later, eyelids fluttering to clear her mind and eyes full of glittering affection. He cooled, one of her hands reaching for him.
"Shadow."
He arched his muzzle into her caress.
"Yes, rose?"
"Don't leave, okay?"
His handsome smirk made her heart do flips. He kissed the palm of her outstretched hand before moving it to his chest. As Amy felt his heartbeat quicken, she fell into his gaze once more, a look meant for her and only her.
"I'll stay for as long as you want me."
He leaned into her, kissing her first before sucking on the delicate spots on her neck, drawing sweet moans from her lips. As she arched into him, he responded by entwining their fingers and pressing that hand to the bed, pinning the rose in a display of utter devotion as they melted into the Aumorian night.
~.aAa.~