*Shadow's POV*
"I'm sorry." He said as he sat beside me and rubbed my back. I wasn't used to physical touch, so I had to control myself from pushing him away. "Why did you let me keep talking to you about going on dates or helping you find someone if you had feelings for me? I feel so stupid. Chaos, why didn't you try to stop me before I left on my date?"

"What?" I asked, taken back by his words.

"I mean, were you just going to forever keep it to yourself? And watch me go on date after date?" He started scolding me. "What is wrong with you? I can't believe you didn't tell me when you saw me. Or when I tried to get you with someone, or when I was talking to you about the people I've dated while we were working together at the bar yesterday." He sounded angry.

"Are you -" I was interrupted.

"You've had so many chances on telling me how you felt, and you didn't. How long have you felt this way?" He finally let me talk.

"Before you left." I said as calmly as I could. Outside, I was still and with a straight face, but inside, I was dying and forcing myself to speak. "You have your life set, I didn't want to change it."

"That is the dumbest thing I've heard you say, ever." Sonic softly chuckled at me, then shook his head. "I have to go to work." He said as he looked at the time. "We can talk about this when I am back, if you're awake. Unless you want to come again?"

"For your boss to make me work again? I am fine." And just as I declined, the image from the day before appeared in my head. Sonic was popular at the bar, and as jealous as I was, I couldn't do anything about it.

"A little extra cash never hurts."

"Why did you even get a job? Aren't you rich?" He nodded.

"Yeah, but I like the simple life." He stood up. "Plus, I rarely use my family's money." He walked to his room then came back wearing a grey bandana on his head. "I'll be back later then."

I nodded, couldn't keep my eyes off the bandana he wore, which caused him to walk back towards me while smiling. He reached out to me and grabbed my face, taking me off guard yet again. He moved my face to look down, meeting his eyes, then let go.

"I wear a bandana to keep the quills in place and because it gets hot at the bar with so many people there. I promise we will talk more when I come back." Sonic walked out of the house with anything else to say.

*Sonic's POV *
I was thankful that my job actually saved me from that. I was so close to breaking while talking to Shadow that I wasn't sure how much I could take. I needed time to think and was even more thankful that Shadow decided not to tag along.

"Hey, are you there?" Spike snapped his fingers in front of my face while frowning. "If it's about the guy I set you up with, I already took care of him."

"Spike. What do you do for a living?" I asked when I saw the smirk on his face.

"Oh, relax, I didn't kill him." He waved his hand in the air. He soon placed his hand on his muzzle, then his elbow on the counter as he leaned to talk again. "I'm a professional boxer." I dropped the glass I was holding and threw the towel I had on my shoulder at his face.

"You can defend yourself, and I'm taking hits for you?" I glared at him playfully, making him laugh.

"This is the 2nd glass is 3 days. You're lucky you bring in a lot of business, or your boss would have fired you. That and the fact you aren't in town much. When are you leaving again?" Spike passed me back the towel.

"Not for a good while. Shadow is staying here and -" I stopped talking.

"Whoa, your face is red." Spike pointed out, making me realize just how bad my face was burning. I dragged the bandana down and fixed it, so it covered my muzzle. "Are you sick or something?"

"Shadow likes me, and I don't know what to do." I confessed as I started to clean up the glass on the floor.

"He likes you?" He repeated what I said, and I nodded. "Isn't that a good thing? You've been looking for 'the one' for so long or at least someone who takes relationships seriously. You're more compatible with an old friend than anyone in this shitty little town." He shrugged.

"But we weren't really friends. And I want to go out with him, but I am scared of getting burned again. Maybe it was better that I never saw him again." I messed around with the bandana as I looked around.

"Do you not remember the number of times your brother and I tried to get you to talk to your best friend? It's good to at least have Shadow back in your life. I say go for it, man. Maybe you'll meet the others again someday. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"No. I mean, yes. Yes, Spike, you know I do want to see them again, but at the same time, I know their lives will be different if I come along."

"Think about this. Is your life any different now that Shadow is in it? And if it is, is it really a bad thing?" Spike said as he leaned over the counter and grabbed a whole bottle of whiskey. I snatched it back instantly and poured him a drink.

I was speechless. He had a good point.

"I'm leaving early." I said as I passed my waist apron to a waiter and paid for Spikes tab. "You're all paid for. I have to go. Thanks for the talk." I patted his back and dashed off to my house.

It wasn't midnight yet, so I was hoping Shadow would be awake. When I walked inside the house, I smiled at seeing there was a wrapped up plate of food at the table. I walked closer and saw Shadow was asleep on the couch. I smiled and decided to get closer to help him lay down correctly, but when I took a single step closer, his eyes started to slowly open.

"Why are you covering your face like that? It's creepy." He yawned and stretched as he sat up correctly and rubbed his neck since he had slept wrong.

"Oh. Sorry. I had to at work." I explained, but it earned Shadow to raise a brow. "Not like that. No one tried anything." I chuckled. With the way Shadow acted, I wasn't sure if he was the jealous type or if he didn't care enough to get jealous. "Can we talk?"

Shadow nodded as he scooted to the side so I could sit, and I did. I looked down at my bandana, which I was now holding in my hands, and messed around with it. Wrapping it around my fingers and tugging it as I came up with the words I was about to say.