— Տᗩᗰᗴ ᗪᗩY ᗷᑌT ᗩᖇOᑌᑎᗪ ᗪᑌՏK —
Sonica was finally walking home, a little more relaxed than usual. But still with a few lingering doubts.
// "If I train everyday..." //
She considered a few possibilities to finish her thought.
Then she paused as she noticed something pink and blue by her doorstep.
// "Are they..." //
She walked closer and saw— Amy and Sonic. They were seated there, playing cards!
// "Why are they here?" //
---
Amy's ear twitched as she heard the gait and looked up, "Sonica!"
She quickly rose to her feet and scooted over to the emotionally-messed-up, blue, female hedgehog while Sonic got up slow, stretching his arms.
"Sonica, I— Um," She clasped her hands together in front of her, lowering them as she spoke, "I am sorry for what happened in the morning. I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have lashed out!"
// "Even though it's you who acted too high and mighty, Sonica, I shall be the bigger person by moving towards friendship and peace." //
Sonica, meanwhile, was silent.
// "She's apologizing? But you're supposed to keep being angry and hate me." //
Sonic stood beside Amy, crossing his arms over his chest. He didn't say anything, just kept his head turned to the side. But he was thinking.
// "Oh, don't look so surprised now. Just sort things out so I can go to sleep." //
Amy took a small breath before continuing.
"I was angry because when we were in our most vulnerable and dangerous situation, you did not help us. My first thought was that... you wanted us dead. But—"
"But I know that wasn't your intention!" She waved her hands frantically and glanced at Sonic.
Sonica had expected many things.
Another argument.
Another lecture about how selfish she is.
But an apology?
That was... sensitive.
Amy looked back up at her, offering a small, nervous smile.
"I don't expect you to forgive me immediately. I just wanted you to know that I regret what I said."
Sonica's hand slowly moved up and touch her quills, an unsure habit.
// "What am I even supposed to say to that?" //
Her eyes shifted briefly toward Sonic.
He was still standing there with his arms crossed, looking anywhere but at her.
Then his eyes flicked toward her.
Their gazes met.
They held the eye contact for 2 seconds before Sonic immediately looked away.
Sonica narrowed her eyes slightly.
// "Is he here to accompany Amy?" //
Amy noticed the silence and gently nudged Sonic with her elbow. [ A silent message: "Your turn." ]
Sonic glanced at Amy sideways, muttering under his breath, "I already said I wasn't apologizing."
Amy stared at him. A silent warning.
Sonic stared back. A silent rebellion.
"Sonic..." Amy drawled.
Finally Sonic groaned and rolled his eyes to the side.
"Fine. I am sorry." He muttered, short and dismissive.
He looked at Amy, "Happy now?"
Amy sighed.
Sonica blinked.
// "They act like a couple." //
She looked at the two of them, completely unsure of what to do with this sudden display of... decency.
Her fingers slowly curled against her palms.
// "Will it be okay? There is a small positive possibility..." //
She exhaled a deep sigh and looked at the pink hedgehog. "Sorry."
Amy and Sonic paused.
"Huh?"
Sonica shook her head. "Nothing. I heard you. You can leave now."
// "What are you doing, Sonica??" //
Amy's tiny hopeful smile wavered. She slowly looked at Sonic then at Sonica.
"Um... I guess that's progress! Yeah!"
Sonic shook his head, looking at Amy. "Are you serious, Amy?"
"Shut up, Sonic." She muttered, nudging him by her elbow. Then forced a chuckle, "Well, it's just..."
"We kinda waited for you since morning, so... Don't just dismiss us!" Amy finished, starting to lose her cool.
Sonica froze.
// "Since morning?" //
Amy and Sonic looked at each other again, probably deciding they were done here.
Then Sonica... blurted out.
"You didn't have to."
Amy's expression softened and her smile returned to her face, "I know. We didn't have to. We, well, 𝗜 just 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 to."
Sonica's eyes widened just a fraction.
// "Why is she saying this?" //
She looked away, pretending to inspect the ground beside her.
"...Why?"
Amy's smile became gentler, "Because that's what friends do!"
Sonica's ears twitched.
// "Friends." //
// "Am I going to be a hypocrite?" //
Sonic, meanwhile, scratched the back of his head and glanced at the sky, "Okay, this is getting way too emotional for me."
Amy shot him a glare, "Nobody asked you."
"I know," He shrugged, "I just wanna go home. Which is right... there." He gestured to his shack near Sonica's house.
Sonica looked at him.
Then at Amy.
Then back at him.
The corners of her lips almost twitched before she pinched the bridge of her nose.
"You're both strange."
Amy's face immediately lit up.
"Is that a compliment?"
"No."
"Aw."
Sonic roller his eyes.
// "As if you are very normal, Sonica." //
With a relieved sigh, Amy clapped once and smiled, "Okay, Sonica, thank you so much. I feel a lot lighter. I gotta go home now. And hey, don't worry. We don't hate you for not helping us right away. Our bond of friendship is not that fragile!"
She gave a friendly wave of goodbye and walked away, humming to herself. She then paused mid-step and looked back at Sonic and Sonica.
"Did I forget something?" She asked, scratching her head.
Sonic shook his head, "Nothing I can remember, Amy."
"Okay," and she left.
---
Sonica blinked and glanced at Sonic, expecting him to leave too.
But Sonic stepped closer, invading her personal space. He pointed an accusing finger towards her.
"Something is different about you. I know it."
Sonica squinted her eyes at him. Only a fraction, "I know. But why are you still here?"
He stared at her for a moment, "Because... Because I can! I am your neighbour! And you're weird!"
Sonica raised an eyebrow, "That's your reason?"
"Yes."
He lowered his pointing finger, but didn't move away.
"I've been watching you since you showed up. You barely talk, you act like you don't care about anything, and you keep pushing everyone away."
"Even though Amy and the rest have been practically dying trying to include you."
He narrowed his eyes. "And half the time, you look like you're walking on eggshells."
"It's weird!" He added abruptly.
Sonica froze. Completely.
// "What is he saying—?!" //
Sonic noticed. His eyes narrowed again.
"There. You did it again."
"Did what?"
"That."
He gestured vaguely at her face.
"That weird little thing where you suddenly look like you stepped on a landmine, then act all fine again."
Then he immediately looked away, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Not that I care or anything—!"
// "Then why are you still talking?" //
Sonica crossed her arms, "You seem to have a lot of observations for someone who doesn't care."
Sonic's ears twitched.
"I have eyes."
"Convenient."
"Very."
A brief silence settled between them.
Sonic glanced at her hands.
His eyes lingered on them for a second before moving away.
He remembered the morning.
The single punch that had brought down a robot as huge as Hexa-TitanBot.
"You have some superpower-like thing, don't you?"
Sonica froze again, feeling like an arrow passed through her chest.
He was dropping one bombshell after another.
// "HUH?!" //
"I do not!" She denied.
"Liar!" He stepped closer, pointing at her again. "You want me to believe that someone like 𝘺𝘰𝘶 destroyed Eggman's giant robot with just 𝘰𝘯𝘦 punch? Yeah, right! Unless you have some superpower!"
"It was just luck. I probably hit at its core." replied Sonica, trying to sound steady.
"Luck. Core. Sure, why not." Sonic muttered under his breath sarcastically.
But he noticed the way she immediately pulled her hands behind her back, ears pressed against her skull.
His expression changed for just a moment.
Was it concern?
Then it disappeared almost immediately.
// "Tch. I didn't mean to notice stuff like that." //
"...You know, if you're capable of bringing down a robot as big as that, at least don't blow up your own house."
"I didn't."
"Yet."
Sonica stared at him.
Sonic abruptly turned on his heel.
"Anyway, I'm going home!"
He took a few steps toward his shack before stopping.
Without turning around, he added—
"Don't do anything reckless."
Sonica blinked.
He immediately continued walking, "And don't get the wrong idea! I'm just saying it because I don't wanna wake up to some unwanted chaos next door!"
Sonica watched him disappear toward his shack.
// "What just happened...?" //
She slowly rubbed her arm, a frown finally visible.
// "He's weird..." //
// "Who does he think he is?!" //
// "Indecisive, fickle hedgehog!" //