~Ğøōđbýę~

~9~

Tails had explained what had happened in extreme detail - even giving everyone a look at how memories work. Amy, of course, was in shock and often clutched Knuckles arm, which the echidna was less than please with, and repeated what the young fox's words. Rouge was listening carefully and didn't try to distract from the matter at hand, leaning against the couch and nodding at Tails' words.

Sonic however, couldn't pay attention. It was ignored by the rest of the group because it was normal for Sonic, but Sonic couldn't help but overthink the situation. Shadow was getting his memories back, that was becomming obvious, but would be be the same? Would he still feel the way he does now about Sonic? What about Amy?

The thoughts clouding his head were slowly giving Sonic a headache.

"So, who's memories should be extracted first?" Tails asked, breaking through Sonic's thoughts. Rouge raised her hand. "I've been with him since he was woken up. We should try give him our memories in order of how he met us." She suggested. Tails nodded in understanding, raising his hand to his chin and cupping it as the thought for a while.

"So, it would go Rouge, Sonic, me, Knuckles and then Amy?" He reluctantly asked. Everyone just shrugged, it had been awhile since they first met Shadow. "Just do me last." Sonic suddenly spoke. "It'd probably be better for everyone." Rouge nodded in agreement "Yeah I doubt he wants to learn about his love life before he learns about everyone." She laughed. "He never told me anything about what was going on between you two. I just had to be there." She reminisced.

"Be there for what?" A deep voice asked. The group turned their heads towards the source. Shadow was there, curious as ever. Rouge just smirked, crossing her leg over the other. Sonic knew she was a good liar, remembering the time she had persuaded Shadow brown cows make chocolate milk.

"Well, hun, you were always the type to shut us out." She shrugged "We were close, don't get me wrong, and we had fun, but you never let us help. You never even told us if you needed help." Sonic looked away, that was all true. Shadow never liked to worry anyone close to him and suffered in silence for as long as he saw fit. It had always upset Sonic and was a common reason the fought.

"You didn't mean us harm." Sonic jumped in, interrupting Rouge - who was not pleased. "You always did that when something was wrong so you didn't make anyone worry." Sonic paused as he reminisced. "It was always something we loved and despised about you." He laughed. Shadow throwned. "That doesn't sound like me." "Do you even know who you are?" Knuckles asked, eyebrows raised.

Sonic stood there in shock, looking at the red echidna in astonishment. How, despite his low IQ and dumb mannerisms, was he able to as philosophical questions.

"Knuckles, now isn't the time to play Guess Who." Rouge called, her face souring. Knuckles scoffed, muttering under his breath as the conversation continued.

"I always found you distant Shadow." Amy shrugged. "Although I guess it was just jealousy on my part." Shadow raised a brow, clearly intruiged. "We liked the same guy." Amy elaborated. "One of us did get him, but I don't like telling." Shadow just nodded, clearly thinking hard about who it could have been.

"Atleast he accepts he's gay." Knuckles smiled "We won't have to explain that all over again." Rouge burst into laughter, as did everyone else aside from Shadow.

______________________________________

*3 years prior*

The white bat watched the ebony hedgehog as he paced around her club. He was clearly conflicted about something. He never usually overthought to that extent at social events - especially times as simple to understand as Knuckles' birthday.

"What's botherin' you hun?" Rouge asked as she walked over, stopping Shadow from pacing as she grabbed his shoulder. Shadow avoided eye contact however and looked down, his confidence lowering greatly. "You can tell me anything hun." Rouge reassured. "I won't get mad."

Shadow sighed and walked over to the bar, sitting nearby Sonic and the others. Rouge joined him and sat at a stool, waiting for Shadow to begin.

"I like someone and I'm not supposed to." Shadow whispered. Rouge looked at the male in somewhat shock. "Define 'like' for me." She stated, trying her best not to smirk.

Shadow looked down in thought as a frown crept onto his features. "I get nervous around them, I sometimes stutter. I always feel weird and awkward and can't stand still." Rouge chuckled "Hun that's just your social skills." She pointed out. Shadow shook his head. "No, it's only around one person." He explained, looking at the group to his left before looking back at Rouge.

"Who is it?" Rouge asked, getting more and more intruiged as every second passed. "He's a boy." Shadow muttered in distress. "So?" Rouge asked, raising her eyebrows and cocking her head to the left. "So it's wrong!" He hissed back. Rouge brought a hand to her face and sighed.

"Times change, Shadow. Men can like men and women can like women now. You can like any gender or genders." Shadow shrunk into himself and shook his head "No! It's punishable- Maria told me about how wrong it is." Shadow reasoned, more wuth himself than anyone else.

Rouge sighed. "Shadow. You were frozen for over 50 years - you didn't know what a mobile phone was. Things change with time and now it's acceptable to be gay, bi, lesbian, straight - or whatever you may be."

Shadow sighed, slumping over and folding his arms on the bar, his head falling onto his arms in tow. Rouge just watched patiently as he had a mental battle with himself, Sonic noticing and making his way over.

"Why's he so upset?" Sonic asked the white bat. Rouge kept his eyes on Shadow, watching as he tensed up at Sonic's voice. "Oh just explaining to him LGBTQIA+ stuff." Rouge shrugged, turning on her chair to face the lapiz hedgehog. "Why?" Sonic asked "Because." Shadow interrupted, his head no longer hidden away and his posture straighter.

"I'd be happy to explain!" Sonic smiled, taking a seat by Rouge. "I'm actually pansexual." He explained. Rouge looked at Sonic, slightly confused. "I thought you were omni?" Sonic shook his head. "Nope, I just kinda click with people no matter their gender." Shadow tensed up even more, Rouge now clicking on with what was happening.

"How about you explain what being gay is for Shadow?" Rouge asked with a smirk, slyly winking at Shadow as she got up. "I'll get us some drinks." She then walked away and began to watch the two from afar. "What's he doing?" Knuckles asked, Amy and Tails at his side. "Unknowingly helping me tell Shadow he's gay." Rouge nonchalantly explained, sipping her drink. Amy was the only one to dwell on those words. "Wait... what!?" She exclaimed, earning everyone's attention.