A/N: this fic is set before Forces and is kinda rushed? like I found it in my folder and was like "yeah, I can repurpose this"

title is from the song by superfruit

But anyway HAPPY 27TH ANNIVERSARY SONIC!

.

"I'm home honey!" Comes Rouge's standard greeting, and then comes the thud as she dumps her bag on the floor. Shadow doesn't look up from his phone – he's perfected the act of looking uninterested. She sits down in the sofa next to him and shoves his legs out of the way, and when he does look up with a scowl she holds up a… mission report? There's a lot of papers.

"We've got a new mission."

Shadow quirks an eyebrow.

"Guard duty – the President is going on a vacation."

"And why is this our job? He's got bodyguards."

"It's a goodwill thing… on a cruise ship. They even invited Princess Elise of Soleanna, the Commander, and, of course, Sonic."

"Sonic."

"Sonic," Rouge says. "Because he's famous, popular with kids and also because-"

"He can't swim." Shadow interrupts curtly.

"Well, then it's good for him that we'll be around to throw a lifesaver at him."

Shadow doesn't think that Sonic will show up. He doesn't know if he prefers it that way, or if… it would be more interesting with the blue blur around. It's the latter, but Shadow doesn't acknowledge it and goes back to his phone, even though he can't remember why he was on this site to begin with.

It feels like he's forgotten something.

A week later…

Shadow has a very modest black backpack slung over his shoulder, while Rouge shows up with two rolling suitcases, a designer luggage bag and a large pink purse. Omega helps carry her second suitcase, but Shadow knows the duffel bag he's holding is his. They greet each other, and then they start waiting. Hanging around in the terminal while waiting for the President and his entourage is tedious, and soon Shadow starts noticing things while checking for potential threats…

Tails, standing alone by the vending machines, seemingly hard in thought about different soda flavours. Knuckles, out cold on a bench, a ratty backpack as his pillow. Amy Rose, toying with a pastel-pink smartphone while sitting atop a suitcase. Even the Chaotix, Vector arguing with a staff lady, while Espio and Charmy goes to join Tails for snacks.

A vital piece of information must have gone right over Shadow's head at some point. Something like, 'not only was Sonic invited, so was his whole crew!'

…Except Shadow can't find him. As time starts to run out and people are starting to shuffle toward the doors, Shadow still can't spot him, and based on his team's behaviour, they can't see him either. Amy and Tails are turning around and around, while Knuckles has awoken and is eyeing the exits and escalators suspiciously.

Shadow looks over the room once more, and look, there's the President. Time for work.

Team Dark grabs their bags and start walking to meet them, but just then Sonic zaps into the room, and the President changes direction. Shadow, Rouge and Omega treks after him and his personnel, while Tails, Amy and the rest come rushing at them from the other direction, with Sonic being caught in the middle of the crowd.

Shadow is already exasperated.

"Sonic!" greets the President.

"Hello," answers Sonic, and looks like he's about to say more but then Amy tackles him with a hug and exclaims,

"I'm so glad you're here! I thought you'd miss the ship-"

"I'm never late-"

"You were 37 minutes late," Tails quips back.

"I'm fashionably late, there's a difference-"

"We're all going to miss the ship if we don't start moving soon," Knuckles interrupts, and Shadow mentally gives him a point in his 'tolerable to be around'-people-list.

"Don't worry, the cruise won't start before I'm aboard," says the President confidently, because he is The President and he can pull any string he wants. Remind Shadow why he is doing this now again?

"Sir," says a woman who might just be his secretary. "I'd still recommend that we go on-board within the next ten minutes, especially as Commander Tower is waiting for you on deck four-"

"Yes, right…"

They all start moving. Shadow hangs back to guard their rear, letting Rouge take the lead, while Omega sticks to the middle of the crowd. Shadow gets a few curious looks: did no one warn Sonic & co. that they'd be here? Or maybe… Shadow needs more information before he can draw any conclusions…

The cruise ship is white and blue, dotted by wide swatches of glass and sweeping balconies. It's large, but Shadow has seen bigger cruise ships than this. There's already crowds out on the balconies, standing by the rails to watch the seaport glide away as they set sail. Shadow doesn't care much for that, but his schedule depends entirely on what the President has or wants to do, so it could happen that they'll be going sea-gazing…

Though first they'll have to put away their luggage.

Later…

Sonic had agreed to this birthday get-together cruise-ship goodwill party for one and one reason only: he'd finally get some time to read that novel he bought two years ago! …And also because Tails really wanted him to go, and then all his friends rescheduled just to come, and really, the ship was going to be big enough to run on if you're careful not to crash into anyone, and it was just a very convenient holiday opportunity anyway, and seeing as Tails never took any time off…

Looking at the kid now, swatting water at Amy in the pool, and Sonic doesn't regret it. Tails' usual idea of relaxation was to head down to the workshop and work for five hours straight, so it's good to see him out in the sun.

-even if it's by the water.

Sonic himself is lounging on a deck chair with a novel, some sort of pink fruity drink in a jug on the table next to him. Knuckles has been stopping by with a glass a few times to steal from it, but this time he's carrying a chair as he comes. Sonic has to remove his sunglasses to raise an eyebrow at him, and as he leans over to place them on the table in one smooth motion, he accidentally knocks over the jug-

-he tries to look suave and like he totally meant to do that as he looks at Knuckles, juice pooling pitifully on the floor.

"Hiya, Knuckles," Sonic says, and leans back into his chair casually. "If you're looking for Rouge, I haven't seen her."

"No, I'm not, why would I be looking for-" Knuckles cuts himself off, looks down, and sighs. Then he puts the chair down anyway, unfolding it. "I'm going to sit here," he announces.

"Cool?"

Knuckles gives him a look, and Sonic grins at him. Knuckles shoves at his shoulder, and Sonic shoves back, and then Knuckles almost smiles. "You're completely insufferable, have no self-preservation instinct, and you're probably a bit crazy-" he holds up a hand, and Sonic's mouth shuts- "-but you're my best friend. So I guess I'm obligated to say it: happy birthday, Sonic."

There's a few jokes he could put here. Instead Sonic smiles and says, honestly, "Thank you, Knuckles. Thanks for all these years."

Knuckles looks away and quickly says, "Hah, well. 'All these years' – you're getting old ain't you?"

"Still younger than you," Sonic quips back. "Compared to you I'm still full of youth, my whole life ahead of me-"

Knuckles kicks at his foot, and Sonic kicks back good-naturedly.

Later…

When Shadow enters Rouge's suite, Omega is standing in front of the mirror, adjusting a glittery bowtie fastened to his chest compartment. Rouge is nowhere to be seen, but he can hear the sound of running water and something muffled which might just be a chorus. Shadow – puts his bag down, and says, "Why… are you trying on a bowtie?" There really is no other way to word a question that absurd.

"ROUGE DECLARED IT APPROPRIATE TO WEAR A BOWTIE WHEN ATTENDTING CELEBRATIONS."

"What celebration?"

"AMY ROSE ISSUED AN INVITATION FOR A SHARED MEAL AT SEVEN PM."

Shadow nods in understanding; He doesn't understand anything. There is something immense he has forgotten or misremembered and it's going to drive him up a wall trying to figure it out, so maybe it's best if he just plays along. At least he remembers his own name this time, even if he has not a clue why Amy Rose would invite them to some… celebratory dinner…

A door opens and Rouge steps out, framed by steam and clad in long purple bathrobe. She spots him. "Shadow dearest," she says gleefully, immediately targeting him. "Do you want to try on a bowtie?"

Meanwhile…

"Amy, it's just a dinner, I am not going to wear anything special-"

"Hush," Amy orders, and spins back around to loot through her seemingly bottomless bag, dumped on Sonic's bed. Sonic himself slumps in his armchair, looks out at the glittering ocean through the window of his cabin, and when he looks back at Amy she's brandishing a paper crown with a hopeful expression.

"Alright, alright! I'll wear that crown..." Sonic concedes in the hope that she won't shove any more ties or jackets at him, and lets her crown him. She looks at him for a moment, and Sonic doesn't say anything, just raises an eyebrow.

"You look good," is her verdict. Sonic smiles a small smile of relief, and Amy smiles back. She's already outfitted herself with a deep blue dress which shimmers in indigo when the light hits it just right, and swapped her normal headwear for a blue diadem.

"So do you," Sonic says, because c'mon. She's put effort into this. Amy just beams at him with her whole everything, though then she says,

"Wait a minute," and turns back to her bag. Sonic waits while she grabs something and turns back, holding her hands out with a silvery necklace resting there. It looks like a little piece of moonlight. "Help me with the clasp? It's really tricky…"

"Okay, sure," Sonic agrees, and carefully accepts the necklace. Amy turns her back to him and Sonic steps closer, and then he realises his mistake. They're standing very close to each other, and Sonic has a hand brushing her quills out of the way so he can fit the necklace around her… well, neck.

…Her skin's very soft, Sonic thinks absently, while the rest of him hooks the clasp in place at the speed of sound and steps away from her even faster. "There you go!" He exclaims. "Necklace in place, all laced around the neck, ta-dah!"

Amy giggles and turns to face him. "How do I look?"

"I already told ya Amy, you look… nice."

She takes a step closer, or maybe she just somehow teleports across the floor, but in whichever case she's just way too close. This can't be happening, because he doesn't even like her like that- "Thanks for the help!" He says quickly, cutting off any conversation before it begins. "See you at dinner, yeah?"

"Yeah," Amy agrees, and glances away. "I was just…"

Seconds pass.

Amy grabs her bag and walks to the door, while Sonic just stands and stares. When she looks at him he quickly waves at her, and Amy sighs. And smiles, a little. "You're my friend, right?"

"I sure hope so," Sonic answers.

"Yeah," Amy says. "Oh, and happy birthday, Sonic." She smiles a bit sadly and opens the door, hand on the handle, and Sonic lunges across the room-

"Amy, Ames, hold up- You're my friend, alright? You're one of my best friends and I'm – very glad you're my side."

-Amy looks at him again. It's with a grin. "Yeah. I – gotta go."

Sonic salutes her and she grins wider, closing the door.

Later…

Light from the setting sun shines through the massive windows on deck nine, and their table is bathed in warm golden light. Espio is teaching Charmy how to eat using chopsticks, Vector is enthusiastically eating steak while holding a conversation with Vanilla, while Cream is talking to Amy, Cheese eating dessert with a tiny spoon. Rouge is flirting with a sputtering Knuckles, Tails is trying out small bits of foreign food while Sonic keeps trying to get him to dip it all in that outrageously spicy sauce from Chun-nan, and Shadow sits next to Omega and thinks, this is all so domestic.

He thinks, I don't need to be here. He thinks, I don't understand why we're doing this.

Shadow doesn't say anything, and eats another few bites of chicken.

The volume rises as the sun descends, with people finishing up their food, and then Amy clangs her fork against her glass. Somehow it gets the attention of nearly everyone, and Amy smiles brightly and says, "So as you all know, we're all here today because it's a very special day…" This is it. The explanation will be- "It's June the 23rd!"

…Shadow very slowly puts his head in his hands, and just – that.

"Happy birthday Sonic!" Cheers someone, Charmy? and then people start singing 'happy birthday to you' with Amy in the lead, and Shadow can't. He forgot about birthdays. He forgot about Sonic's birthday and now he's apparently attending Sonic's birthday party and he didn't even bring a gift-

It's Faker, he thinks absently. What does it matter?

The ARK. Maria, excitedly giving him a wrapped up box, it's a present, Shadow, look- The Professor sticking candles onto her cake, the frosting blue and white- a day off, no tests, no examinations, birthdays were sacred- Shadow! Go on, open it-

Oh fuck.

Later…

"Are you okay?"

"What?" Shadow looks up from his book, and Rouge is looking at him.

"You were acting strangely at dinner hon. Is something up?"

"I'm fine," Shadow bits out. "I… forgot about Sonic's birthday."

"…You forgot?"

"I don't have a present."

Rouge stares at him. And then she looks away and starts to laugh. "Oh Shadow, you poor thing…" He glares at her with the intensity of a thousand suns, and she says, "Why don't you just explain the situation to him?"

"What." Shadow states.

"He'll understand," Rouge says. "Blue is exactly like that, and you know it."

Shadow doesn't answer.

Later…

Sonic is reading in bed when someone or something knocks on his door. He puts down his book and reluctantly gets up to open the door, and then he just stares.

"Hello, Shadow…?"

"Hello," Shadow answers. Sonic makes a 'come-in' motion, and Shadow steps inside. Click, goes the door as Sonic closes it, and then Shadow says something which sounds almost crazily suspiciously like, "Happy birthday Sonic."

Sonic says, "What?"

"Happy birthday," repeats Shadow. He gives Sonic a flat look.

"Wow, thanks?" He tentatively smiles and even more gingerly sits down. "Thank you."

"I," begins Shadow grimly. "Forgot. To buy a present."

"…Yeah? I mean, that's fine! I don't care about presents, really," he gives a little laugh. "I told Tails and Amy not to get me anything this year, but Amy still got me a satchel and a-"

"You don't care for presents?"

Shadow just looks at him, and something comes over Sonic. Sentimentality, maybe. "Shadow, I don't really care about things. What would I do with – I dunno, potted plants? Jackets? Board games?" He throws a hand out, gesturing. "I just want my friends with me, that's all."

Shadow stares. And then he huffs out a breath and says, "Rouge was right about you."

"Oh? What'd she say?"

"You're too good sometimes," Shadow says, amused, a small smile teasing his lips. "Happy birthday, anyway."

"Thank you," Sonic says with a smile. "Didn't think you'd actually show up, at first."

Shadow says, completely deadpan: "I'm full of surprises."