Chapter Text
“Kid, can you believe them?”
Rouge gestured to Sonic and Shadow through a big bay window, locked in some superfluous argument that took them racing through Amy Rose’s back garden.
Tails continued to munch on some chips and dip and rolled his eyes. “At this rate, they’re gonna miss dinner! They always do this whenever we all get together.” Amy was hosting her friends for pasta that night, and as always, Sonic and Shadow would use this as an opportunity to rehash whatever “rivalry” they had.
“Oh, honey, it’s not just these group gatherings either,” Rouge pouted. “I can’t seem to pin Shadow down to do anything with me and Omega. It’s always ‘Can’t that day, I’m racing Sonic.’ And when we do get him? He spends half the time checking if Sonic has messaged him!” Tails laughed at Rouge’s Shadow impression and sat down on the couch next to her.
“Seriously. Do you know how much time Sonic spends primping before he goes to bother Shadow? He’s never been that clean in his life!” Rouge pictured Sonic blowing out his quills, moisturizing, and putting on his nicest gloves and went into such a fit of giggles that she interrupted Knuckles and Vector’s conversation across the room.
After she caught her breath, she said, “I really think one of them needs to put on their big hedgehog pants and ask the other out.” She dramatically sighed and put one hand to her forehead. “But alas, they’re too clueless to know what feelings they have.”
“I don’t know. They’re both pretty smart guys…I think they’re aware of their crushes but are in deep denial.”
“Either way, I think they need a little interference from their closest confidantes and dearest friends.” Rouge had a wicked glint in her eyes that Tails readily matched. “But let’s make this interesting for ourselves. If we can figure out they were genuinely unaware of their feelings, I get…a fake Chaos Emerald for my jewel collection. In pink, please.”
Tails nodded in affirmation.
“What do you want if you win?”
The fox pondered this for a moment. “I need some new transistors for my mech, but they were discontinued. Can you get me some from the GUN stockpile?” Rouge beamed. This was a win-win either way for her. More gems or a little heist are always a welcome reward.
“Oooh! You’re on.” The two shook hands just as the hedgehogs returned from outside, windswept and out of breath from running at their limits.
Rouge wrinkled her nose at them. “What was it this time?”
“Which one of us,” Shadow scuffed his toe on the ground bashfully, “likes Amy’s cooking more.” Sonic also flushed.
“Clearly neither of you care that much!” Tails started. “We’re just about to sit down to eat, and you’re outside fighting instead of helping or waiting patiently!”
Rouge put a hand on Tails’s shoulder. “The kid said it better than I ever could. I’m starving!” Rouge dragged the ultimate lifeform away from the blue hedgehog, who was already starting to rile him up again. Likewise, Tails nudged Sonic towards the other end of the table, situating him between Knuckles and Silver.
Long after Tails and his big brother returned home from an evening of food and laughter, the fox was tinkering in his lab, attempting to decompress before bed. He was mindlessly welding wires and circuits, letting all his nervous energy out. The quiet was short lived as he heard the flap of wings and the click of a window latch from behind him. He jumped to his feet, soldering iron in hand.
“Woah, kiddo!” Rouge the Bat screeched. “It’s just me.” She tossed her short hair and stuck a hand on her hip.
“What are you doing here? It’s so late.” Tails gingerly set down his weapon and perched back on his stool.
Rouge gestured to her comfy clothes and lack of makeup. “Don’t you think I know that? Anyway, I had to stop by before I got my beauty rest. We need to scheme a little about how we’re gonna set up pitiful lovesick hedgehog one and pitiful lovesick hedgehog two.” The fox gave her a sleepy stink eye.
“It really can’t wait? You have my phone number, and I—“
“It cannot!” She cut him off. “Look, I’m taking Shadow to the mall tomorrow to pick out a birthday gift for Knuckles. Shadow’s useless in a store, so please help me? And bring Bluey along, obviously.” Rouge had a rare dreamy look in her eye at the mention of Knuckles.
Tails scrunched his face tighter. “Sonic hates shopping. I don’t see how that’s going to help.”
The bat rolled her eyes. “Exactly. We’re great strategists, so we can find the perfect present, and those boys are stuck together until we say we’re done! And they won’t bring their brawling to the mall since they have some sense. They have to, like, talk to each other.”
“Oh!” Tails smacked his hand to his forehead. As smart as the fox was, he was still a naive kid. “I got it now! Yea, we will be there.”
Rouge shimmied back up towards the window from which she came. “Glad you see my point. Meet us at the really fancy department store? With the insane jewelry section? Around lunchtime?”
Tails gave her a thumbs up.
“Well, then, toodaloo!” And in an instant Rouge was gone, window shut and curtain drawn as though she was never there.