Whiskey and regret (sonadow

Telling tails!! (Chapter 2)

Sunlight streamed through the windows of Tails' workshop, casting long shadows across the floor. Inside, the scent of machine oil and metal hung in the air as Tails worked on a new invention, his back to the door. He was lost in concentration, adjusting wiring and tightening bolts when the door suddenly burst open.

"Sonic?" Tails turned just in time to see the blue blur zip through the entrance, moving faster than usual, looking agitated.

"Hey, Tails! I need your help with something," Sonic said, not wasting a second as he shot straight past his friend and into the back room where Tails kept extra supplies and a spare travel bag. His movements were quick, his hands grabbing things almost at random: gloves, shoes, a few personal items.

Tails blinked in confusion, wiping his hands on a rag as he followed. "Whoa, whoa, Sonic, slow down! What's going on? You're packing?"

Sonic zipped back into the main room, dumping the bag onto a workbench, sorting through it rapidly as if he was running out of time. "Yeah. I'm heading back to the castle for a bit."

Tails raised an eyebrow, watching as Sonic grabbed some more stuff, tossing it into the bag. "The castle? You haven't been there in weeks. What happened?"

Sonic froze for a second, his hands hovering over the bag. His back was turned to Tails, but his shoulders tensed. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to keep moving, shoving more things into the bag as he finally spoke. "It's... about Shadow."

Tails' eyes widened. "Shadow? What happened with him?"

Sonic let out a groan, zipping up the bag before running a hand through his quills. He turned to face Tails, looking more frustrated and confused than Tails had ever seen him.

"He told me he loves me."

Tails blinked in shock, his brain taking a moment to process what Sonic just said. "Wait, what? Shadow... Shadow said he loves you?"

Sonic nodded, rubbing the back of his neck as if he didn't even believe it himself. "Yeah. Last night. I ran into him at this bar — he was completely wasted. And then he just... blurted it out. Told me he's been feeling that way for a long time."

Tails' mouth opened and closed for a second, struggling to wrap his head around it. "I... I don't know what to say. That's... surprising, to say the least."

"Yeah, no kidding," Sonic muttered, grabbing the bag and slinging it over his shoulder. "I didn't know what to do, so I panicked and just... left."

Tails frowned, stepping closer. "You just left? What did you tell him?"

Sonic shrugged, shifting awkwardly. "I told him I couldn't deal with it right now. Then I bolted out of there before things got even weirder."

Tails sighed, running a hand through his bangs. "I guess I can understand why you'd be overwhelmed, but Sonic, you know you can't just leave him hanging like that. Even if he was drunk, Shadow's not the kind of guy to joke about something like that."

Sonic groaned, sitting down on a nearby stool and dropping his bag on the floor. "I know, I know. But, Tails, this is Shadow we're talking about. He's never shown any sign of this before. One minute he's all brooding and distant, and the next he's telling me he loves me? It doesn't make any sense!"

Tails tilted his head, thinking. "It might not seem like it, but maybe it's been building up for a while. Shadow's always been closed off. He probably never felt comfortable saying anything until now."

Sonic folded his arms, staring at the floor, his mind racing. "But why now? Why like this? I mean, it's not like I haven't known him for years. He's never been... like that."

Tails gave Sonic a gentle look. "Sometimes people don't know how to express their feelings until something pushes them over the edge. Maybe that's what happened. The alcohol might've given him the courage to finally say what he's been feeling."

Sonic groaned again, running both hands over his face. "I just don't know what to do. I need some space to think, figure out how I feel about all this."

Tails watched Sonic closely, noticing the tension in his friend's movements, the restless energy that was driving him to pack and run. "You're not avoiding him, are you?" Tails asked cautiously.

Sonic's head shot up, and his expression twisted into a mixture of guilt and frustration. "No! I mean... maybe? I don't know! I just... I need to get out of here for a bit. Clear my head before I do something stupid."

Tails smiled softly. "It's okay to take time to think, Sonic. Just remember that Shadow's probably waiting for some kind of response. Don't leave him hanging too long."

Sonic nodded, sighing heavily. "Yeah, I'll talk to him. Just not today. I'll go back to the castle, take a few days, and figure things out."

Tails gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Take as much time as you need. Just... make sure you're honest with yourself about what you want."

Sonic smiled weakly. "Thanks, buddy. I'll be back soon. Just gotta get my head on straight."

With that, Sonic hoisted the bag back over his shoulder and headed toward the door, Tails watching him with a mixture of concern and support. As Sonic was about to step outside, Tails called after him. "Hey, Sonic! Don't forget to at least let Shadow know you're leaving."

Sonic froze for a moment in the doorway, his hand gripping the frame. He didn't turn around. "Yeah... I will."

But as soon as Sonic was out the door and speeding toward the castle, the last thing on his mind was telling Shadow anything. All he wanted was to get away from the mess he'd just stumbled into.

The trip to the castle was fast, even by Sonic's standards, the world blurring around him as he pushed himself to go faster, hoping that somehow running would make his thoughts quieter. But even with the wind rushing past him, Shadow's words from last night kept echoing in his mind.

"I love you, Sonic."

He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, trying to drown it out. It didn't work. The knot in his chest only tightened.

By the time Sonic arrived at the castle, he was out of breath and mentally exhausted. The tall stone walls rose before him, looking almost as imposing as the situation he was trying to escape. He stepped inside, the grand halls as empty as they were familiar.

Sonic made his way to his room, tossing his bag onto the floor before collapsing onto his bed. Finally, some peace. Some space to think.

Except the quiet only made his thoughts louder.

With a groan, Sonic rolled over and buried his face in a pillow. He was supposed to message Shadow, tell him he was leaving, but he just... couldn't bring himself to do it. Not yet.