FOR YOUR HEART-BOOM

☆Ch4

"Ahem... where are you going, Sonic?" Tails asked the blue hedgehog, who got up around 8AM, so he could head for the Canyon and wait for Shadow there. But he got stopped by Tails, who happened to just conveniently visit the hardware store, for he needed to get some new tools for his inventions and saw Sonic walking in sneaky fashion across the village.
"For a walk? Is that... something I shouldn't do, or....?" Sonic raised an eyebrow at the way the other's tone indicated the hidden suspicion and Sonic wasn't THAT oblivious to not notice it, while acting innocent.

"Come with me," Tails replied instead, paying for the new tools he managed to get he gestured with his head for Sonic to follow him and the blue hedgehog sighed before indeed following the twin-tailed fox boy towards his workshop. Upon arrival, Tails set the bag with the tools down and started tinkering with his newest invention by the work table.
"So, spill it, Sonic. I know, that something is off. You.. were different yesterday," he spoke up and glanced at Sonic to make sure he won't run away from the conversation.

Sonic held his hands together and nervously twiddled with his thumbs, feeling defeated under Tails' observations.
"Well, alright... first, promise me, that you won't tell anyone?" he said in questioning tone with a nervous smile on his face. Tails made a gesture with a wrench in his hand over his mouth as if zipping it up and nodded afterwards.
"My mouth is sealed," he promised, giving the hedgie a sense of comfort and safety.

"Okay, so... it's about Shadow," Sonic forced the words out through the lump in his throat, originally expecting rather Amy having this kind of conversation with him, for she was a sweet and caring person, who was willing to help with relationship stuff and such. Tails was kind and caring as well, but not really an expert about relationships, hence Sonic chose his words wisely to avoid any misunderstandings.
"Shadow? What about him?" Tails asked curiously while unscrewing some screws and replacing them with a new ones in a metallic plates of his creation he worked on for a few days by now.

"I.. I am worried about him, for some reason. He never showed up yesterday," Sonic replied carefully, completely leaving out the part about Shadow never answering his attempts of connection via the communicator he gave the hedgehog practically behind Tails' back.
"You know, even someone like him can get busy or something sometimes. Though, I wonder why you seem to like him," Tails spoke in serious tone, now carefully applying some wires to the creation.

"I.. WHAT? I don't like him!" Sonic got instantly defensive, his face turning red and sort of betraying him by revealing the truth in subtle way.
"Sure you don't. Then why worrying about him and blushing so bright?" Tails finally looked at him, getting his suspicions confirmed by the sight of the flustered hero.
"I don't know! Maybe because you sorta ship us here right now?" Sonic panicked and tried to somehow talk his way out of this, not wanting any of his friends to know about his little secret crush exactly on the ebony brooding hedgehog.

"Ship you? No, I just stated the obvious~" Tails smirked and continued his work on the creation.
"Yeah, whatever," Sonic brushed it off the best he could while waving his hand in denial gesture.
"I noticed, that recently he comes to the village without picking a fight with anyone, though. Did anything happen between you two?"
"I convinced him to stop hurting you all," Sonic admitted, trying his hardest to not blush any darker.
"Wow... okay, good, that he actually listened to you," Tails replied and gave Sonic a soft smile.
"I had to do it, Tails, because... I just couldn't handle it anymore, the way he always attacked you all first," Sonic sighed and the fox boy placed his hand on Sonic's shoulder for comfort.

"Regardless of the reason behind his actions, I am relieved, that he finally stopped. And.. thank you for that, Sonic. You are a good friend to us all," he said in genuine tone, making Sonic smile too now.
"I am doing my best, hehe," Sonic chuckled while blushing a little for a different reason this time.
"If it's okay with you, I will see you a bit later, buddy," he added, excusing himself once again, so he could see Shadow.
"Let me guess, you're going to see Shadow," Tails straight revealed his suspicion openly, making Sonic jump and gulp nervously.
"I-I, well, don't get mad, please," Sonic pleaded him with puppy eyes - which Tails found hard to resist - knowing, that he can't hide it from the fox anymore, so he just dealt with it.