*Sonic's POV*
"Okay?" I glanced at Rouge, who shrugged at me, looking just as lost as I was and everyone else was. Shadow walked towards me, then grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to him, causing me to freeze in place and feel a bit nervous. Just what was he doing now?

Is this one of his ways of getting back at me for making him eat that chili dog? No. This felt different. It felt like he was actually trying to protect me. Keep me safe. I was standing right in front of him, his hand now letting go of mine and resting in my shoulder, but my back could feel his torso. We were too close, and it was making me lose focus.

"Erm. Shadow? What's going on?" I asked. Everyone had lost focus on what we were supposed to be doing and couldn't stop looking our way.

Just before Shadow could say something, Amy snapped us all back into reality. "Guys. The robot went inside the base already." I moved away from Shadow and went to take a look.

"We gotta move. Let's go!" Rouge said as she extended her wings and took flight in direction to Eggmans base. Everyone else started running that way as well, but before I could, Shadow grabbed my hand again and made me turn around.

"Not now, man. We have to -" I stopped talking when I realized Shadow was just staring into my eyes. There was no anger behind his, and not even his usual cold stare was visible anymore. He looked like he wanted to say something, something important, but he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Sonic." He called out, more like a whisper.

My ear twitched, and I moved my hand away. "This is the second time you say my name and not full of hatred. What's going on? Are you dying?" I joked, letting out a soft laugh at that.

"I -" Shadow was quickly interrupted by Amy, who slammed her hammer in the ground beside us.

"Guys! We have to go! Stop standing around!" She shouted. My ears perked up, and I nodded.

"Right. Sorry, Ames." I looked at Shadow. "We can talk later, Shadz." I dashed off the Eggmans base.

*Shadow's POV*
"Stop." I watched as Sonic left then looked down at the brat who was talking to me. "You don't like him."

"Like him?" I scoffed.

"Stay as far away from him as possible." She threatened, then ran away.

Who does she even think she is to try and order me around?

I can do whatever I want, I will not listen to a brat like her.

"I do need to stay away from him." I mumbled and looked at my hands, chills running down my spine as I remembered his touch and the way I was acting, I felt like there was a hole in my stomach. Why did I do that? Why was I suddenly acting this way? And in front of everyone too.

I stayed where I was at and leaned against a tree, deciding not to go in with them. I watched to make sure Rouge came out okay, and when I saw her and the rest of them getting out with Sonic holding the emerald, I chaos controlled home. Just looking at him from far away made me feel strange.

I knew it wouldn't take long before Rouge showed up at my house to talk about what had happened. I wasn't sure what I was going to even tell her. I didn't know what was going on. Why I suddenly pulled him closer, why it felt like I ran out of words, I wasn't even sure what I even was going to tell him.

I didn't know anything. I was confused about how I suddenly went from hating the man for being around me with his hyper attitude to suddenly wanting him around me all the time. I couldn't understand. So maybe talking to Rouge would help?

"Open the door!" I knew it was her before she even said anything by the way she was banging on the door. She sounded mad, and I knew she was going to raise her voice at me. I opened the door and let her in, then closed the door behind her. "What the hell was that, Shadow? You just left us there? And what was up with the way you were acting with Blue? Are you two like secretly dating or something?" My ear flickered at that last part. I guess it would make sense why she would think that.

Wait. No.

"No." I shook my head. "We aren't. I don't know what's going on. I can't get that stupid hedgehog out of my head, and when he's around, I am not myself."

"Is that what this is about?" Rouges voice softened, and she looked at me with a smile. "You're in love with Sonic?"

"What?" I froze.