Sonic leaned back against the cool stone, hands behind his head, a wide grin spread across his face as the breeze tousled his quills. Beside him, Shadow stood with arms crossed, his usual expression of mild irritation intact.

"I still don't understand the point of this." Shadow muttered, eyes flicking to the side to glance at Sonic, though he quickly redirected them toward the view from the mountain's peak.

"That’s why we’re doing it, Shadz!" Sonic said, turning to face him. "You said you wanted to understand relationships better, right? Well, this is part of it. Sometimes you just gotta spend time together, enjoy the moment, y’know? Plus, I figured you'd appreciate the view."

Shadow's eyes softened, only for a second, as he took in the scenery before them. The sun hung low in the sky, casting hues of orange, pink, and violet over the horizon. The wind was gentle, whispering through the trees below and carrying the scent of pine. The world seemed far away from this spot, where the air was thinner, and time moved slower.

"I could've reached this peak in mere seconds," Shadow said flatly, but there was something less sharp in his voice. "You insisted we hike."

"Yeah, well, that’s part of the experience. It’s not just about getting to the top. It’s about the journey!" Sonic teased, giving him a light nudge with his elbow. "Besides, the view is even better after you work for it."

Shadow considered that for a moment. He had always been the type to rush toward a goal, to complete a mission as efficiently as possible. Slowing down like this was new to him and a little unsettling. But Sonic, being his polar opposite in more ways than one, seemed to thrive on spontaneity and taking things slow when it mattered. Although he was also the one to not stay in one spot for a long amount of time.

"I suppose..." Shadow said, his tone hesitant, "that there is value in the quiet moments. But this still seems like a waste of time."

Sonic chuckled softly, pulling out a small basket he'd carried along. "Alright, tough guy, if the mountain’s not impressing you, how about some food? I packed a little something."

Shadow raised an eyebrow. "You? Packed food?"

Sonic winked. "Don’t act so surprised! I’m more than just a speed demon, y'know." He opened the basket and pulled out a couple of sandwiches, some fresh fruit, and a small thermos of hot chocolate, knowing Shadow wouldn’t go for anything too sugary because of his training. "Here, try this. It’s simple, but it hits the spot."

Reluctantly, Shadow took the sandwich and sat down on the edge of the mountain, his boots barely hanging off the cliffside. He took a bite, eyes still gazing out at the view. The silence stretched on, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was... peaceful. Rouge and Tails had set up fairy lights around the trees for the two of them.

"This is tolerable." Shadow finally admitted, finishing the sandwich and setting the wrapper aside.

Sonic smirked, satisfied with the reaction. "You’re welcome."

For a while, they sat in silence, the only sound being the wind and the distant calls of birds as the sun continued to dip below the horizon.

After what felt like an eternity, Shadow spoke again. "So, this is what people do on dates? Just sit and talk? Or not talk?"

Sonic nodded. "Pretty much. Sometimes it’s about sharing a moment. It doesn’t always have to be big or flashy. Just being with someone. Someone you care about is enough."

Shadow turned his gaze to Sonic for a brief moment, processing his words. It was strange to think of relationships that way. He had spent so much of his life driven by purpose, by missions and objectives, that he never took the time to simply exist alongside someone. Yet, here, with Sonic, there was a comfort he hadn’t expected.

"I see," Shadow said, though his voice was quieter now, more thoughtful. "I suppose I still have much to learn about relationships."

Sonic stretched his arms above his head, yawning lazily before resting his hands behind him. "Eh, don’t sweat it. You’re doing great. And hey, you’ve got the best teacher around."

Shadow gave him a sidelong glance, the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at his lips. "That remains to be seen."

They sat in comfortable silence once more, watching as the last of the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, the sky darkening and stars beginning to appear.

Sonic leaned back, feeling satisfied that Shadow was starting to understand, if only a little, what a relationship could be like. "You know, we should do this again sometime," Sonic said casually. "Maybe find another mountain or hit the beach."

Shadow didn’t respond immediately, but as the stars twinkled overhead and the night set in, he finally nodded. "Perhaps."

It wasn’t a resounding yes, but for Shadow, it was enough.

Sonic grinned to himself, knowing they were making progress. Slowly but surely, he was teaching Shadow how to open up and share moments like these. And maybe, just maybe, Shadow was beginning to appreciate them.

*Sonic's POV*
I decided to make small talk as we walked down, trying to get Shadow to open up more. I wanted him to trust me, I wanted him to know it was okay to do so. So I was asking him questions about himself, why he was at G.U.N., how he was with Rouge, what his favorite things to do were.

"Tell me something you haven't told anyone else." Shadow had been answering calmly until now. But this question seemed to linger in his mind a bit longer than it should have.

For a long moment, Shadow stayed silent, staring out into the distance as if lost in thought. The wind rustled through the trees, the only sound between us. Finally, Shadow sighed, a sound that felt heavier than I had ever heard from him.

"Maria."

I straightened at the mention of her name. I've heard bits and pieces of Shadows past, I knew how tough it was for him to even mention her name, so I never pried.

"She was the only person who ever truly cared about me. She wasn't like the others at the Space Colony. She didn't see me as an experiment or weapon. To her, I was just... Me." I was shocked to hear Shadow open up about his past.

"She sounds like she was very important to you." I wasn't sure what to say, but I didn't want to ruin the moment by saying something stupid either.

I could have sworn I saw Shadows eyes darkened but not out of anger but pure sadness instead. "She was more than that. She was my purpose. Her last wish was for me to protect humanity, and I failed her." He clenched his fists. For once in my life, I was seeing Shadows' vulnerable side. This time, I didn't have a quick comeback or a snarky remark. I just let the silence fill the space between us.

"You know." I finally spoke after a few more steps down the mountain. I was looking down at our feet to see where we were going. "You might feel like you failed her, but look at everything you've accomplished since. Maybe you're not following her wish perfectly, but you're still here. Fighting for something." I looked up and gave him a warm smile.

"I keep going for her." Shadow met my eyes, his eyes flickering with a hint of surprise, and then he slowly looked ahead of him.

"That's more than enough." Shadow held my hand after that. We kept walking in silence.