"Sorry, blue boy. Shadow isn't up for hanging out today."

Sonic frowned, tilting his head. "Oh? Why not?"

Rouge looked thoughtful for a second, as if fishing for words. "Well...he's just not in the mood today, so let's just leave him be, eh? Besides, we can grab a chili dog without him."

"I guess...but we kinda had plans," Sonic said, his voice trailing off. "Did something happen?"

"He...he gets depressed sometimes, and today is just that day. It's not personal, it's just...Shadow," Rouge replied gently, placing a reassuring hand on Sonic's shoulder. "I'll pal around with you for a little while."

Depressed? He seemed fine yesterday...or, as fine as Shadow ever was. Sure, he got upset a lot, but to completely ghost Sonic? That was odd, even for him. Sonic knew nothing about depression or mood swings, or all the things Shadow normally kept bottled up. Did he usually get like this? Rouge was closer to him than anyone. Did she know something he didn't? She normally did, but when it came to serious things about Shadow, she kept her lips sealed.

It was strange hanging out with Rouge instead of Shadow. Not because she was a woman or because she was a bat, but because she didn't match the typical fast-paced excitement Sonic was used to. They strolled through the marketplace of Station Square, the sun casting a warm glow on the bustling street. The smell of grilled meat wafted through the air from a nearby food stand, making Sonic's stomach rumble.

If Shadow were with him, Sonic would grab him by the hand and drag him to the food stand, insisting they eat something. But with Rouge, things felt...different. Slower. He glanced over at her, her eyes scanning the area with a grace and purpose that was almost unnerving. Her wings would stretch and flex every now and then, her big ears on a swivel as they picked up every little sound. Her heels clicked against the pavement, far different from hearing Shadow's air shoes.

But Rouge was company in the sense of the word, and she knew it. She led Sonic to a quaint little café that was nestled between a game shop and a flower vendor. "This place has the best chili dogs in the city, or so I've heard." She winked playfully.

Sonic wasn't used to talking to Rouge for very long. Sure, they had their banter and their spy missions together, but their conversations were usually short and to the point. Now, with the silence between them growing thicker than the chili on the hot dogs they were about to eat, he felt like he should say something.

"So...uh, can I ask something about Shadow? Without it being...you know, weird?" Sonic ventured tentatively.

Rouge looked at him while sipping casually on her soda, her eyes seemingly reading his soul. "You can ask me anything, Sonic. But remember, I'm not a therapist. I just know Shadow as well as anyone else around here."

"Well, yeah, but you guys are like this." He held his hands together tightly, trying to show the bond he saw between them. "I just don't get why he'd blow me off like that. We're friends, right?"

"Like I said, he's depressed and wants to be alone. That's all he told me, blue. Some days, he just needs his space," Rouge replied, waving her hand dismissively. Her voice was calm, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes that she couldn't completely hide.

"I thought he and I were close, though. Not like you and him, but still," Sonic mused, poking at his chili dogs.

"Shadow is Shadow. He tells no one what he's feeling, not even me," Rouge said with a shake of her head. "But he cares about you, Sonic. More than he lets on."

"Did he tell you that?"

"Not with words, but with actions," Rouge said, watching Sonic's skeptical expression. "He might be a bit...standoffish, but he's always there when you need him. Just because he can't say it out loud doesn't mean it's not true."

"How am I supposed to just know he cares when he won't even tell me?" Sonic said with a heavy sigh.

Rouge chuckled, setting down her soda. "Look, it's like trying to read a book that's written in another language. You just have to know the signs."

Sonic huffed and looked out at the bustling crowd, his eyes searching for something familiar, something that could make him feel better about the whole situation. "But what if I miss the signs?"

"They come again. Shadow is a...complicated hedgehog to read, but it's obvious when he's down," Rouge said, her voice a mix of humor and sincerity. She leaned in closer, her eyes meeting Sonic's. "Just give him time, hun. He'll come around when he's ready."

So Sonic did just that. He waited. And waited. The days turned to weeks, and he still hadn't seen him. He tried to occupy his time by chilling with Tails or going on solo adventures, but the thought of Shadow's sadness never really left him. He'd catch himself wondering if he'd done something wrong, if there was something he could have said or done differently to stop this whole mess. But every time he saw Rouge, she'd just give him the same answer: "Just give him time."

How much time, Rouge never specified. So, Sonic waited, filling his days with the usual heroics and banter, but he kept wondering what Shadow was doing, where he was, and why he didn't want to be with him. Sonic tried to think back to before Shadow had gone radio silent, trying to think of something he might have done to upset him, but all he could recall were them talking like normal. But he supposed that Shadow was like a volcano, and if you poked him too much, he could erupt without warning.

Sonic decided that if Shadow wouldn't come to him, he'd come to Shadow. So, he bought him a gift from the local gift shop: a small, tiny plushie of a dog, which was as close as he could find to something that might cheer up the brooding hedgehog. It was a bit of a gamble, but Sonic figured everyone had a soft spot for something, and maybe this could be it.

He stopped at the steps to Shadow and Rouge's house. He took a deep breath, gripped the plushie tightly in his hand, and knocked on the door. It took a moment before he heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

Rouge appeared in the door frame, tilting her head when she saw Sonic. "Hey...Sonic? What's up, hun? Oh, cute little puppy, is that for me? You know I love dogs," she said with a smirk, reaching out to take the plushie.

"No, it's for Shadow," Sonic said, his voice tight with hope and nerves. "I thought...maybe it'd cheer him up. Can I come in?"

Rouge frowned, looking torn. "I appreciate the thought, Sonic, but I don't think he's in the mood for visitors," she said, her hand hovering over the plushie. "I can deliver this to him, though, if you'd like."

Sonic's ears drooped. "But I want to talk to him. Make sure he's okay,"

"That's sweet, but...I don't know if it's the best time," Rouge said, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. "But, okay, I'll let you in. Just don't take it personally if he's not his usual chatty self."

"Yes, got it!" Sonic exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air.

Rouge led him up the stairs to Shadow's room, the floorboards groaning under their weight. Sonic looked around at the minimal decor on the hallway walls, feeling like a stranger in his friend's space. They reached a door, and Rouge gave him a final warning look before gently knocking on it. "Shadow? It's Rouge. Sonic is here to see you, hun."

There was no response.

Rouge sighed, stepping to the side. "Well, I warned you. Don't say I didn't. I'll be in my room if you need me," she said, placing the puppy plushie on top of the doorframe. She then walked away, leaving Sonic alone with the closed door.

Sonic swallowed hard, his nerves rising up in his throat. He'd been in Shadow's room before, but never without Shadow knowing he was coming. And it was always when Shadow had specifically allowed him to be there. This felt different.

"Shadow? It's me, Sonic. Can I come in?"

Again, no response. Sonic could feel his heart racing. If Shadow was angry with him, he wouldn't want him to see him like this. But if Shadow wasn't mad...if he really was depressed...Sonic needed to help. He reached out and turned the doorknob gently, taking the plushie with him.

Shadow's room was...not what Sonic expected.

Organized down to the tiniest detail. Everything had a place, from the neatly folded blankets on the edge of the bed to the meticulously arranged books on the shelf. The curtain was pulled tightly closed, leaving the room in a gloomy half-light. The only sound was the distant ticking of a clock. Sonic took a tentative step inside, his sneakers making almost no noise on the carpeted floor.

Then he saw Shadow. He was laying on his bed facing the wall, his body tense and his breathing shallow. Sonic froze, half expecting him to jump up and yell at him, but he just lay there, unresponsive. Sonic approached slowly, setting the plushie on the bedside table.

"Hey, Shads..." he said softly, keeping a bit of a distance. "Uh...what's up?"

Shadow didn't reply. The only reason Sonic knew he was even awake was the slight movement of his ears as he breathed. Sonic swallowed hard, feeling like he was standing at the edge of a cliff with no idea if he should jump.

"I, um, brought you something...a little puppy because you like dogs, right?" Sonic said, his voice trembling a bit.

Shadow didn't respond. He didn't even seem to hear Sonic.

"Uh...so...yeah, I just came to say hi...Rouge told me you were upset, so...I wanted to check on you..."

Still no response. Sonic sighed, his hands clenched at his sides. He was used to Shadow being quiet and distant, but this was something else entirely. He'd never seen him like this before.

"Uh...you awake? I mean, like...I know you're awake, but are you like...there?"

Shadow still didn't respond. Sonic sighed and ran a hand through his quills. He had no idea what to do. Shadow was clearly upset, but he didn't know how to get through to him. He felt useless.

"Uh, okay, well...um...I like your room. It looks...sterile. Not a bad thing! I guess it's kinda like my place, you know? Just less chili dogs and more chaos emeralds." Sonic tried to lighten the mood, but there was still no reaction from Shadow. "Um...you know what? Just...give me a thumbs up if you want me to leave and...I'll go. Just one thumbs up..."

Sonic waited for a moment, his eyes glued to Shadow's still form. He held his breath, hoping for some sign that Shadow was still with him.

Shadow raised his arm, and Sonic felt a rush of relief...only to realize that he wasn't giving him the thumbs up, but rather, a thumbs down.

Sonic tilted his head. "Uh...down? So...do I stay, then?"

Shadow still said nothing, but scooted closer to the wall, leaving a small gap open on the bed.

"Oh! Okay, uh...cool," Sonic said, cautiously sitting on the edge of the bed. "So, uh...you want to talk about it? You don't have to, but I'm here if you do..."

Shadow didn't answer, so Sonic just sighed and laid on his back, staring at the ceiling as he rambled absently about his latest adventures. He didn't know if Shadow was listening or not, but at least he was trying. He talked about Tails having tried to invent a new type of hover board, only for it to end in disaster, and how Knuckles had somehow managed to get stuck in the sewers. He talked about the weather and the food he ate and the places he'd been to, all while Shadow said nothing.

"I, uh...tried my first cup of coffee the other day. Purely awful, I don't know how you do it, man. Tasted like dirt, honestly," Sonic mused. "I heard it stunts your growth, too. Is that true? I guess not, but I just heard it through the grape vine. Oh, and I got this cool new pair of shades, check it out!"

Sonic reached into his quills and pulled out a pair of black sunglasses, placing them over his eyes. He made a face, striking a pose with his hand on his hip and his head tilted to the side. "Whaddaya think? Too much?"

Shadow didn't say anything. He didn't even move except to let out a sigh, his ears drooping slightly. Sonic frowned. Maybe he was making things worse by trying to cheer him up. He took off the sunglasses, placing them on the bedside table.

"Sorry...I'm not really good at this stuff, I don't know what you want me to do," Sonic said softly. "I'm a talkative guy, believe you me, man, I can talk all day, but I don't know what to say to you. I don't want to make things worse."

Sonic glanced at Shadow, whose body language didn't change at all. Sonic felt helpless and useless. He didn't know how to make Shadow feel better. He didn't even know if he could.
He sighed and laid back down, staring at the ceiling as he tried to figure out what to do. He felt like he was failing as a friend. He didn't know how to help someone who was feeling depressed. He'd never had to deal with something like this before.

"I'm sorry, Shads...I don't know what to do," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "You and I are kinda too different, maybe? I'm a little out of practice with this...cheering you up business. You know, I'm starting to think that-"

Shadow rolled over in one quick movement, wrapping his arms around Sonic's waist, burying his face into his chest. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut, his breathing shallow and unsteady. Sonic froze, his mind going blank. This wasn't something he was used to, and it certainly wasn't something Shadow would normally do. Sonic didn't know whether to hug him back or just let him hold onto him, so he settled for awkwardly patting Shadow's shoulder.

"Uh...okay...this is happening...um...there there? You okay?" Sonic stammered, his heart racing.

Shadow still didn't say anything, but he tightened his grip around Sonic. Sonic could feel his body trembling ever so slightly. Sonic swallowed hard, his brain trying to comprehend what was happening. Shadow was normally so stoic and reserved, yet here he was, clinging to Sonic like a lifeline.

"Shads...uh...okay, uh...so we're cuddling? Are you...like...okay?" Sonic asked softly.

Shadow said nothing, but he let out a soft sigh and relaxed his grip around Sonic. Sonic slowly wrapped his arms around him, gently holding him in a loose embrace. He could feel Shadow's body slowly relaxing as he let out another deep breath, his breathing steadying and slowing down. Sonic patted his shoulder awkwardly again, his heart still pounding in his chest.

"Okay...so, um...do you wanna talk about it?" Sonic ventured softly. "Because you can. I'll listen, whatever it is."

Shadow said nothing, but he didn't pull away. His breathing had calmed down, and he was no longer shaking. Sonic rubbed his back gently, feeling the muscles beneath his glove.

"I...got you this, here, you can have it." Sonic reached for the plushie and handed it to Shadow. It felt weird, like he was giving his friend a present for not crying. Which seemed like an odd thing to do, but then again, Sonic was a hero, not a therapist.

Shadow slowly raised his head and looked at the plushie, his eyes half-lidded and tired. He stared at it for a moment before pushing it away. "Do I look like a child?"

"Ah, there he is." Sonic gave him a lopsided grin. "So, you're doing better now, yeah? I mean, I don't want to assume-"

Shadow huffed, his face buried in Sonic's chest again. "Don't be obtuse. Just...stay."

"Oh, uh...okay?" Sonic said, his heart racing. "But are you okay now? Cause I can-"

"Shush." Shadow gripped Sonic tighter, his claws digging into his skin. "Just stay."

Sonic was confused, but he wasn't about to deny him when he seemed like he needed the company. He settled back down, gently holding Shadow while they laid in silence. Sonic had never seen Shadow like this before. He was always so calm and collected, knowing everything and everyone around him. But right now, he seemed lost.

"Hey, Shads...if you want to talk, you know I'm here, right?" Sonic said softly, stroking his quills. "I mean, I've been told that I'm a great listener...sometimes. I talk a lot, but it's not my fault!"

Shadow didn't respond, but his breathing was slow and steady. Sonic figured he'd fallen asleep, so he just kept holding him, wondering if Shadow really did feel better with him around.

"It's her birthday month." Shadow finally said after a moment.

"Hm?" Sonic blinked. "Whose birthday?"

Shadow looked up at him with red eyes, his expression pained. "Maria."

"Oh," Sonic said, understanding dawning on him. "I'm sorry. Is that why...you know, this whole thing?"

Shadow nodded, burying his face into Sonic's chest again. "She would be around 62 this year. If she'd lived."

"Yeah...it's hard losing someone," Sonic said softly. "I'm sorry, Shads. I had no idea."

Shadow didn't reply, but his grip on Sonic tightened. Sonic wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close. "You're a lot like her, you know. She would have loved you." He said softly.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Shadow replied. "She wanted to come to Earth so bad...to see the flowers and the animals...the grass. And the sky."

Sonic smiled softly. "I bet she would have loved all those things."

"She did." Shadow sighed.

"Do you...get like this every time her birthday months comes around? Rouge said something about you getting depressed." Sonic asked hesitantly.

Shadow shrugged. "No. Yes. I don't know."

Sonic stroked his quills soothingly. "I'm sorry, man. I don't know what it's like to lose someone like that, but I know how it feels to be alone. I've been there."

Shadow looked up at him, his expression unreadable. "Don't try to patronize me, hedgehog."

"I'm not!" Sonic insisted. "I mean it. I know what it's like to feel alone. But I know you have Rouge, and she's like your sister, right?"

Shadow gave him a wry smile. "More like a mother, if anything."

Sonic chuckled. "Okay, that too. But you've got us, too. You've...got me. If you want."

Shadow sighed, resting his head on Sonic's chest. "You talk too much."

Sonic laughed and kept stroking his quills, letting the silence envelop them again. He felt bad for Shadow, he really did. He couldn't imagine losing someone so close to him. But at least he had Rouge and Tails and Knuckles and everyone else who cared about him. He wasn't big on making friends, but whether he wanted to or not, he had a family now. A dysfunctional one, sure, but a family nonetheless. Shadow wasn't sentimental by any means, but Sonic knew he had to count for something in that department.

"Thanks, Faker." Shadow whispered.

Sonic smiled. "Anytime, Shads."

They stayed like that for a while, just holding each other in silence. Sonic found himself drifting off to sleep, his hand still entangled in Shadow's quills.

"Hey, Shadow..." Sonic said, his voice thick with sleep. "Tomorrow, you and me, the beach, we're gonna go chill out and make sand castles. It'll be fun, trust me."

Shadow scoffed. "Sand castles? I don't do childish things, hedgehog."

"Nope. We're gonna do childish things together. And it'll be great. You'll see." Sonic smiled.

"You're an idiot," Shadow muttered.

"Yeah, but you love me for it."

Sonic didn't see it, but Shadow smiled. "I guess I do."

And so, Sonic and Shadow went to the beach, and they made sand castles just like Sonic said. They even had a water gun fight, which Sonic totally won, despite Shadow's protests. Sonic didn't know what Shadow was going through, and he didn't pretend to. Just seeing Shadow running to the water to refill his water gun, a small smile on his face, made Sonic's heart skip a beat. He liked to think that he helped Shadow through his troubles, and even if he didn't, he still enjoyed spending time with him.

They were different, but that didn't matter. Sonic didn't care if Shadow was moody or reserved. He was still his best friend, and Sonic would do whatever it took to make sure he was happy. And if that meant making sand castles or having water gun fights, then so be it.

And who knew Shadow was such a talented water gun sniper? He never missed a shot, no matter how many times Sonic tried to sneak up on him. Maybe he had skills that he didn't let on, but either way, Sonic was happy just being able to spend time with him. Then again, Shadow used actual guns on his missions, so maybe water guns were easy for him. Either way, Sonic felt like he'd seen a side of Shadow that few others had. A side that only he got to see.

"You know, you're really good at this, Shads," Sonic said, admiring their sand castle. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was sturdy and detailed, with little windows and doors made out of seashells.

"Don't let it be known that I'm talented at making sand castles."

"Heh...alright, Shadow.