"Get hell away from me!"

Shocked green eyes meeting angry blue ones, tears streaming down a fox's cheek as he looks on at his comrade with confusion and rage.

"Tails, I... didn't know how else to say it-"

"Don't give me that lame excuse Sonic!"

The fox storms out of his room as he growls to himself, Sonic hastily following behind him.

"Tails! Why are you surprised!? You knew I would be hesitant about this!" Sonic says, sounding somewhat frustrated with his friend.

"Hesitant?! It looked like you wanted it, it felt like you wanted it!... It felt like you wanted me... And I wanted you!"

He grabs the key to his plane from the bowl and makes for the door.

"Look I'm sorry... I know you wanted this but if I'm being completely honest, I'm scared! Scared what people will think of us! Not just me! What we did could ruin the way people see us! Not to mention-" Sonic shouts.

"Well maybe you should have just said no In the first place!" Tails screams, looking back at him with even more fire in his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Sonic freezes, the shock on his face comparable to that if witnessing a loved one die, he looks down at the ground silently.

"I... I didn't want to see you sad-"

"Don't call me! I won't pick up!" Tails says as he opens the door and slams it, pulling the hood of his jumper over his head as the rain comes down.

The fox gets in his plane and takes off leaving their island hideout for Nightstar City, hoping to find something there that could soothe his cracking heart, the entire flight he sits in the cockpit wiping his tears and watching the rain flow over the glass as he flew towards the brightly coloured city. He felt like he had been taken advantage of, like he didn't actually matter.

He lands at an Airport next to the beach and turns the engine off, a sloth in a mechanic suit walks up to the plane recognising who it belonged to, almost surprised he got to see it up close.

Tails gets out of the cockpit and looks over at him, "What"

"N-Nothing, it's just I'd never expect to see someone as cool as you land here at an international airport" He says.

"I don't care right now" Tails says, closing the cockpit and walking away from the plane.

The sloth watches as he walks towards the terminal building, then back at his suped up plane. The rain dripping off it's metal exterior in an almost satisfying way.

Tails ends up walking from the airport down the street in the rain in nothing but his hoody, some shorts with his insignia on the right leg and his sneakers, he's cold but doesn't care, or rather he couldn't bring himself to care.

He looks around at the couples and groups of friends as he passes them by on the street. Seeing all these people enjoying themselves, happy with eachothers company, it made him remember a certain someone, an alien who he hoped he would spend the rest of his life with... But alas, couldn't.

His stomach growls in pain, he had been flying for a while and in his fit of rage back at the hideout neglected to get a snack or something to eat before he left. He pulls out his phone so he can see the time.

10 October 2099
8:15 PM

Seeing his lock screen with him and Sonic holding onto eachother back when they were simply just good friends made him angry so he turns his phone off and sighs, walking into a grade level subway station. If he could just find somewhere in the city to eat, maybe it would take his mind off what happened earlier.

When he gets to the platform there's no one there but him, it was around that time when the city subway began taking trains out of service and sending them to their respective yards... Less trains, less people, a car passing by the station every now and then or a flying automobile passing above his head.

At last, a train slowly crawled into the station and it opens up so he can go inside and sit down, the fox feels tired, the anger and exhaustion getting to his head, so he closes his eyes and dreams....

Morning light streams three the curtains as Tails sits up in bed and stretches and looks next to him, "Good morn-"

But there's no one there.

The tired grin on his face disappears, maybe they were in the kitchen making him something to eat, he slips on some slippers and goes downstairs a hopeful smile returning to his face.

"Hey, you weren't in bed! What's for breakfast?"

Yet again, no one in the kitchen. Making his smile disappear again, his heart was starting to sink like a pit opening in his chest.

He goes outside hoping to see his love in the driveway, car waiting... But as you've probably surmised... No one there.

The broken fox looks around, yet there's no one around his heart sinks deeper and deeper. Then it hits him, his chances of having this kind of life are slim, even without his work on Team Sonic holding him down, would there be anyone else who would want to be friends with a short, nerdy fox with a mutated tail...

There were only 2 people who would have loved him, who he thought he'd have a chance with, one of them was dead and the other didn't want him the way he thought he wanted him.

Realising that fact, he collapses on the concrete and starts crying

"No... I don't wanna be alone... NO.... NOOOO!"

Tails sits up immediately shouting loudly, looking around realising he was still on the subway, at this point there were more people on the train and they almost immediately started looking at him albeit unable to recognise who he is with the hood covering is face.

"This is 63rd Street, transfer is available to the 1, 2 and 9 trains"

Tails stands up immediately, twisting his tails together so they formed one large one and hurries off the train. The rain still pouring as he comes from out of the station, he wipes his face feeling the tears streaming down his face as he walks down the noisy street, tech vendors and illegal implant upgraders trying to peddle passerbys with the promise of life changing technology implants.

"Hey kid! Wanna be taller?" One of them asks, looking down at Tails with a cybernetic eye.

Tails walks right by him not saying a word.

"Hey! I'm talkin to you!" The peddler shouts, annoyed at the fact Tails ignored him.

Tails stops walking for a moment and looks back at him, "What I want... You can't give me"

Then he keeps walking leaving the peddler flabbergasted.

The glowing holograms with cute cartoon characters in cosplay, showing off ads for opportunities to live among the stars, and for opportunities to find love. That was the thing about Nightstar City at night, it was always a glowing hub of vice and temptation... Quite literally too.

And it was Tails who was almost tempted to give into these temptations, but the hunger in his stomach would not allow him to, at this point he was low on fuel and it was making him dizzy, still he refused to turn back and go back to the hide out. He needed something to eat.

That's when he sees it, a restaurant at the corner, he opens his phone to check how much money he has....

e23,560.33

More than enough to get a huge meal, he goes into the restaurant, somewhat tired and spaced out.

"Welcome to Burning Hearts! Is it just you today?" The receptionist says.

"Huh?... Uh yeah"

"Would you like a towel sir?"

"...Sure"

"Very well, I'll be right back"

She promptly leaves to go fetch the soaked fox a towel, Tails looks around at the people eating and dining happily... That does not make his stomach feel better, the grumbling gets worse. He decides to look around at the glowing shapes on the walls and near the huge windows... He sees the glowing neon purple heart on one of the walls. The next thing the fox notices is the line of people waiting to enter the Heartburn Lounge, the fox began to wonder why they were so excited to enter.

When the receptionist comes back with a towel Tails turns around and takes the towel from him, "Thank you"

"You're welcome!"

"So uh is there some sort of event tonight?" Tails asks, looking back at the line of excited mobians.

"Mhm! Our brands creator discovered he has a talent for singing a few years ago so he's been performing every Friday night for our Heartburn Lounge guests! Tonight is one of the nights where it's free! So you're more than welcome to go into the lounge!"

"Oh" Tails goes, he looks back to the doors and then back to her, "I'll go then..."

"Excellent! I'll give you a wrist band so you can go inside!"

She gives Tails an orange and black wristband, Tails looks down at the wristband and notices the the melting neon hearts on the paper as if they were animated effects, it's almost mesmerising to him.

"Yeah, I like the effect too"

"Is this Digiset?"

"Mhm, it's something Miles Tails Prower invented! Even now I still find it amazing how he managed to make this material but it's so useful and beautiful too!"

"O-Oh... Yeah"

"Technology is amazing isn't it?"

"Y-Yeah"

"I better handle these other customers, you enjoy yourself now!"

She then goes back to the desk so she can handle the other customers coming into the restaurant. Tails looks down at the wristband and then back at the door where the line was.

"Music and food... Doubt that will cheer me up.... But what the hell"

He goes to the door and down the hallway, the room is crowded lots of bright colours, people talking amongst themselves, he manages to find a seat close to the stage next to one of the decorative neon melting hearts on the walls, watching as people sat around and stood in their desired spots in anticipation for the show that would soon start.

A dog in a black suit and orange bowtie approaches him.

"Good evening sir, is there anything you'd like to eat tonight before the show starts?"

Tails thinks for a moment, then realises there's no menu on the table.

"Uh there's no menu..."

"Of course not! Here in the Heartburn Lounge you can order absolutely anything you want, weather it be a huge dinner for twelve or a simple salad!"

"O-Oh" Tails responds.

The fox thinks for a moment, so many choices now that he knew he could order anything he wanted. Still though, what if the food ended up being more then he could pay? He definitely did not want to have discussion with Sonic about money in the event he bit off more than he could chew... That's when he realises though, he doesn't care about the dent he makes in Team Sonic's funds.

"Do you need some time?" The waiter asks.

"Huh? Oh no sorry... Can I have a plain cheeseburger, barbecue ribs and a strawberry lemonade?"

"Of course!"

The waiter takes a moment to write everything down and looks back at Tails.

"Anything else?"

"No, that'll be all"

"Splendid! Your food will be here soon"

Then he walks off, squeezing through the large crowd. Tails spends the time before the show looking at a picture of him and the girl he couldn't save, Cosmo... Whom had planted a flower in his heart, he remembers how empty he felt after she died, how he thought he could find love with someone else. He thought that person could have been Sonic... But that didn't turn out well didn't it.

He bangs his fist on the table, startling the waiter who came to give him his food and drink, the dog almost dropping everything on the floor, Tails looks his way and then back down at the table, taken back by his own reaction sort of.

"Sorry... I'm not having a great day"

"Oh... That's understandable. Hopefully the music helps you feel better. Here's your food, enjoy the show!"

"Thank you"

Tails picks up the cheeseburger and takes a bite of it, almost immediately his tongue is assaulted by spices and flavours, it makes his eyes sparkle excitedly, very rarely had he ever had food that good. Something overtakes him and the starving fox ends up demolishing his food, everything tasted perfect, better than Amy's cooking if he dared to believe it.

He slams the empty glass that not too long ago had the strawberry lemonade in it on the table and exhales, a meal may have done the trick after all because Tails can feel he's no longer as angry as he was before he ate.

"Wow... I've gotta come eat here more often" He says go himself.

That's when he notices the lights dimming, the show was starting. The crowd starts cheering excitedly awaiting Winter to come on stage.

A screen on the stage begins to light up as Winters form emerges from the floor. Tails looks on resting his head on his hand, he's not expecting the show to be special by any means but hes hoping whatever music comes out from that room would quell the remaining bit of rage still screaming inside his body.

"Hello Nightstar City!" He shouts throwing his fist high into the air.

The crowd errupts, cheering him on as he looks onward for him, the fox stays silent at his table while the crowd goes insane at Winters appearance.

"Ready to make some noise!?"

The crowd cheers even louder this time, Tails had to admit, he liked his energy, how colourful it was.

When the music starts he begins singing, a sweet song fills the walls of the room as he walks towards the end of the stage.

"Stars up in the sky
Why do they have to be so high?
I wish I could reach up to you
But despite everything I do
You remain out of my reach

Yet you fly high
Ohhh fly high
You are the one I see in my dreams!
My one inspiration that I can't seam to let go!

Tails could feel something in his chest, it wasn't strong enough for him to really realise it first, but it felt like a small fire slowly growing into a bigger one. His voice was almost like therapy to him, soothing an angry heart, making him go from cold to warm. As he continues on watching him pour his heart into the melody, he can't help but feel drawn to him.

I wish I could be somebody like you!
I wish I could do the things that you do!
I wanna be a hero like you!
Save the world like you!
Do all that times two!

You lift up my soul
Light up my heart
Please don't ever let it go dark

Who was this mystery stranger with such a beautiful voice? Was it how energetic he was on stage? Was it his mysterious red eyes? Tails didn't know what it was, maybe he was desperate, desperate to not be alone, desperate to finally find someone who actually loved him. But why was he drawn to this stranger?

His cheeks become warmer the more he listens to him sing. He never knew a stranger could have this much of an effect on him, he felt like he was melting sort of.

Tails originally planned on leaving halfway throughout the show but found himself staying it's entire length! Enamoured with the white furred wolf on stage and his heavenly voice, the way he danced around made his heart throb.

"...If you want my body let me blow your mind!"

And just like that it was over, Tails snaps back to reality as Winter waves to the cheering crowd coming down the steps so he can sign autographs and greet the concertgoers. The fox wanted to talk to him, even if it was just for a few seconds but the crowd was huge and Tails had a hard time pushing threw.

Being on the shorter side didn't do Tails any favours either, the bigger audience members nearly trampling the poor fox, Tails struggles as he gets pushed around and stepped on. His heart is screaming, he's confused, he's scared, what if he got trampled to death? But then the fox feels something pulling him up, out of the coward, forwards... A gloved hand.

He's pulled into the light, shocked onlookers watching as the hooded fox is thrust into the spot. Tails' heart calms down, being able to breathe again was nothing short of a relief, he looks up to thank whoever it was that pulled him out of that death... Winter, who's looking down at him with concern in his eyes.

Tails gasps, he can feel his face turning red his chest fizzing up like a soda, he chokes on his words as he looks up at him with big sparkly eyes.

"Are you ok?" Winter asks, smiling warmly at him.

Tails struggles to speak, he opens his mouth but words don't come out.

"Are you hurt?"

Tails shakes his head, Winter gives him a sunny smile and holds him close, when he does that Tails yips like a scared puppy

"I'll take you to my office, okay?"

Tails looks up at him and nods sheepishly.

Winter looks back up towards the crowd, visibly displeased with how rowdy everyone was being, and how one of his own concertgoers was almost trampled to death.

"Guys! Please for the love of all that's holy, pay attention and don't rush up just to see me! This poor fox almost got trampled to death!" Winter says over the microphone, "I will return to continue signing autographs once I give this guy some medical attention"

The crowd parts way to let Winter and Tails pass threw, Winter holds his hand to keep him from getting swallowed up by the crowd again. Tails can feel his chest bubbling and fizzing even more, the warm feeling from holding Winter's gentle hand was something he wish he could feel all the time. The white wold looks back at him and smiles.

"You're gonna be ok" Winter says,

"Mmm" Tails moans, still in a love trance.

When they get to Winters office, Winter sits Tails down on the couch.

"Ouch" Winter says seeing Tails' swollen leg.

Tails winces as he applies disinfectant to his leg, Winter takes a greenish coloured packet from out of the first aid kit and takes out a neon green coloured cloth, putting it on Tails' leg. It felt worse than the disinfectant but it was followed by a cooling sensation.

"Faluride, it's useful for stuff like this. Your leg will be better as fast as Sonic can run" Winter says looking up at Tails.

The fox jumps, his heart skipping a beat, still not able to believe Winter was this close to him, who could have known a terrifying experience like the one he had could have gotten him closer to this stranger. Then the fox notices a calendar on his wall, a picture of Tails during a charity photoshoot, the fox wearing a black suit and tie, he jumps a little when he sees hi

"Say, what's your name?" Winter asks as he packs the first aid kit away.

Tails was nervous, it appeared he was a fan sure but, he didn't know for sure...

"Uh... Uh... L-yle"

"Lyle? What an interesting name" Winter responds, then he notices his Tails wrapped together to form one big one.

Winter wants to touch it but doesn't wish to make "Lyle" uncomfortable so he figures asking directly would be a better approach.

"Hey so... That's a pretty interesting tail you got there"

Tails gasps, "O-O-O...Oh yeah, i-it's d-deformed..."

"Deformed huh?" Winter says, the back of his hands on his waist.

"Y-Yeah" Tails stutters.

Winter sighs, under the impression his new acquaintance was insecure about his tail. Tails looks over at Winters seeing how big and fluffy his was.

"W-Was your tail always like that?"

Winter turns around and looks at his, "Yeah, I was born with a big tail... Haha. Sometimes I wonder if I can use it for other things then helping me balance, like flying!"

"F-Flying?"

"Mhm... Flying"

Tails is surprised to hear that Winter wanted to learn how to fly with his tail, intrigued to hear more he presses him with more questions.

"W-Why do you want to learn how to fly?"

Winter laughs and scratches the back of his head absentmindedly, "Well, I have this dream, it's kinda silly... Have you heard of Miles Prower?"

"Tails? Th-That guy?" The fox says, somewhat shocked.

Winter nods, "Since he bursted onto the scene, my one and only dream is to just have the honour of being his friend, or being in his life. He's the coolest, most unique person on the planet, smart and capable, a hero! If you ask me, he's way better than Sonic... He's cool too though"

Tails' face turns strawberry coloured, he really was a fan of him, wanted to get close to him.

"You kinda remind me of him" Winter says as he opens the personal fridge under his desk and takes out two bottles of ice tea, handing one of them to Tails.

"Oh god! Haha!" Winter goes feeling a little embarrassed.

"Huh what's wrong?" Tails asks.

"I forgot to tell you my name... I'm Winter... Winter Morningstar. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lyle..."

He holds out his hand for Tails to shake... The fox reluctantly shakes his hand, looking up at the friendly wolf.

"Nice to meet you too" He responds, giving Winter a small yet comfortable grin.