For how Long will the Red Rose Grow

Cordially Invited

Oof rereading the last chapter it had sooooo many typos even after I checked it over three times before posting it :/

Guess I'll be editing that later

Anyways, new chapter! I'll try to stay more consistent with these updates, as well as other stories too!

(Specifically "Some Pokémon Teams for Peeps" and "Racing Through the Primal Jungle")

Enjoy :)

—SuperHedgies

——

Dealing with the fits seemed a bit easier with Tails at his side. He at least knew he wasn't alone in this anymore, as much as the thought of Tails knowing his death was imminent hurt his soul. The little fox had been researching Hanahaki nonstop since he'd discovered Sonic's dirty little secret those few weeks ago in the depths of Eggman's lair.

Sonic also had noticed the attacks he'd been having and lessened slightly after they'd gathered six Emeralds in the workshop. All they really needed now was one more, and they could stop Eggman.

If they can really perform miracles like we've seen them do, Sonic thought hopefully, maybe they could cure me of this humiliatingly demeaning disease.

Most of Tails's research bore no fruit, with each fictional story of it being different and practically no real cases documented. It seemed near impossible to find a solution to the problem aside from the love Sonic felt burning in his chest being requited.

"Surgery is an option," Tails had told him the night after he'd witnessed the gruesome sight, "but you won't like it."

"Oh joy." He'd replied sarcastically, looking across the room at his twin-tailed buddy. "Why? What's it do?"

Tails had turned his sky blue gaze from him to his computer. "It has a high mortality rate, for one, and two it also removes any feelings for that person completely. You wouldn't even feel friendship." Sonic's heart had sunk then, and still did at the thought.

He didn't want to do that to Shadow. Correction; he couldn't do that to Shadow. As much as it would shatter his own heart, it would probably hurt the ebony's as well. Then Tails and anyone who he fucked up around would know it was Shadow he loved so dear and true. A love he then wouldn't get to have.

Surgery was a no-go.

So back to the drawing board, they were, looking for any breaks in the lore or loopholes in its effects. Occasionally Sonic would have to go hack his lungs out, and Tails would be right there with him. According to his friend, he was still in the beginning stages of the disease.

It got worse from there. Great. He already felt like he was slicing his throat open with each flowery fit he endured, and that was apparently minor. He felt his gut knot with terror and anxiety at the new knowledge.

He tried to begin slowly distancing himself from his friends, though with little success. He wasn't a recluse, but a very big extrovert. He hated being alone, without his dearest allies at his side. He hated the hurt looks on their faces as he declined their many offers to take him out to eat or to the movies.

But he would hate to screw up again and reveal his disease to others more than that. He already felt like crying at night now that Tails knew, and that was just Tails and no one else. Then again, Tails would've been the hardest to break the news to, if I was planning to at all.

He still refused to reveal to Tails the source of his ailment, much to the fox's dismay. Sonic didn't even have the heart to tell him battling Eggman was more of a challenge than fighting for oxygen.

He couldn't stop fighting him, though. He couldn't let Eggman have his way, and he couldn't let Tails do it all alone. He wasn't even going to let Knuckles or anyone else face the mad genius without his speed at their backs, as minimal as it was at the time. The Hanahaki had severely limited his speed, down from Mach One to barely over a hundred miles an hour. He was barely able to maintain it before he couldn't get oxygen to his lungs.

And this is just the beginning.

"Amy called earlier," Tails spoke from their silence as they battled it out in Super Smash Brothers, "she wanted to know if we wanted to go out to dinner tonight with her and some of the others."

Part of Sonic wanted to shout no, to scream that word to the heavens before he had to double over in a fit of flowers. Yet another part of him wanted to cry out unending 'yes's, yearning for social interaction with someone other than the one person who knew of his dehabilitating condition.

Instead, he just shrugged, put on a smile, and said, "Sure."

Tails eyed him warily, nearly costing himself the match. "Are you sure you're feeling up to it?" He wrinkled his nose as he was knocked off the stage by Sonic's main of himself.

"Yeah, I feel pretty great." He replied as he spiked a stock off of Tails in the game. "Besides, I can always bring an Emerald with me. Hide it in my quills."

"That would ensure your lungs would be working better." Tails mumbled, focusing more on the Smash match. "But what if you have to cough?"

"I can always excuse myself to the bathroom, or stifle a small one with my hand." He answered smoothly. "If they ask, hay fever. Or maybe I've had a cold recently and it's not out of my system yet."

"I'm not sure that'd fool everyone."

"It'd fool enough." Sonic cooly countered.

Tails sighed when he lost the match, closing his eyes. "If you're sure." He opened his eyes again. "I'll let her know we're in."

"Sweet." Sonic grinned. "Who all will be there?"

"As far as I know," the fox began, "you, me, Amy, Knuckles, Blaze, Silver, Rouge, and maybe Shadow." Sonic's heart nearly stopped.

"Maybe?" He echoed, trying not to sound too faint.

"Yeah." Tails reaffirmed. "He has something he has to do this evening, but if he can make it he said he'd probably show up." He was texting Amy their answer, balancing the red and blue Switch joycons on his leg. Sonic set his purple and orange ones on the oak table beside the couch. Shadow might not be there.

But he also could be.

"What time is the dinner? I need to know when I should get ready." Sonic chuckled, fluffing his quills jokingly. Tails rolled his eyes and laughed at his antics.

"Six o'clock." Tails replied. "She said she's added us to the reservation number."

Sonic chuckles and checked the time on his communicator watch: four-thirty. They still had time for another match or two.

"Hey Tails?"

"Hm?"

"You up for a rematch?"

The fox sneered competitively.

"You're on."