AN: I don't feel like waiting until next week to post the finale. So here it is now. Enjoy!

Replies

TheGameNguyener: I agree, Mario could have been less aggressive with how he started his lecture. Mistakes were made by both of them, but neither one of them were exactly level-headed at that point either. Thank you for the review!

TemUltimate: Thank you for the review!

Pamitydesu01: I'm not gonna lie, it did hurt writing that chapter a bit since I spent so much time actually getting them together. But, it had to be done. Thank you for the review!

LEGOSonicCraggerFan: Interesting theory. Thank you for the review!

Italics = Flashback

~Chapter Twelve: Memories of a Better Time~

Date night was a rather unorthodox thing for them. While most couples in the mansion would watch a movie or head out to Smash Plaza for dinner, Mario and Sonic took to the training room to hone their abilities. After all, if anyone could notice flaws in the others attack pattern, it would be them.

"How was that?" Sonic asked Mario, setting the Sandbag back up and waiting for feedback. Mario pondered on the question for a moment before rising from the bench and wandering over to the Sandbag.

"Good..." he began. "But there's still room for improvement. For example, instead of using a homing attack after spindashing, how about using a double punch and kick combo?"

"I hadn't even thought about that..." Sonic mumbled, backing up so he could try Mario's strategy. "Get outta the way, otherwise you're gonna get spindashed."

Mario stepped back from the Sandbag as Sonic backed up, launching into his signature move and colliding with the Sandbag, uncurling and delivering a couple of punches and ending with a kick that knocked the Sandbag back a couple of feet.

"Oh wow, that did a lot of damage," Sonic marveled, clearly surprised. "How did you know that would be more effective?"

Mario could only shrug. "I've been watching your battle style, and figured you needed to go a bit more hands-on with your enemy instead of relying on your quills."

Sonic quirked an eyeridge. "Huh, I never really thought about my battle style that way before. Thanks!"

"Prego," Mario replied, before eyeing the Sandbag. "Now it's my turn."

Mario eyed the Sandbag with determination, before racing forward intending to slide into it before using a Super Jump Punch and finishing with a fireball. Before he could execute the strategy however, he found himself tackled to the ground by Sonic, his arms pinned above his head.

"Sonic, what-"

He was cut off by a soft kiss, Sonic snickering before standing and helping Mario up. "Sneak attack," was all he said, Mario blinking before sighing and shaking his head, slightly amused.

"I should have seen that one coming."

"Shoulda, coulda, didn't," was Sonic's reply. "But now you'll know for next time." Clapping his hands together, Sonic stood off to the side and motioned towards the Sandbag. "Now enough distractions from me. I'll let you know what you need to improve."

/~/

The sheets smelled like Mario.

It was driving Sonic completely mad. Every time he tried to fall asleep Mario's familiar scent would find it's way to his nose, bringing every memory between them up to the surface. Eventually it got to the point where he completely snapped, stripping the bed of all it's sheets and discarding the pillow cases on the floor.

Great, now he was cold. But it was better than reliving all of the memories they'd made together that didn't actually mean anything anymore. His eyes fell onto the picture of them pinned on the wall next to the bed, and scowling ripped it from it's spot and tossed it under his bed. He didn't want to look at it right now.

Why did he feel like this? So he didn't have a boyfriend anymore, that shouldn't matter, right? He had way more important things to focus on than a relationship anyway, like taking care of Eggman. Besides, this gave him time to reflect on Mario's negative traits; tiny reasons that may have led to them breaking up in the future like... like...

...

Sonic's mind drew a blank as he tried to think about something, anything, that Mario had done wrong in their relationship, but nothing came up. Sure, they had snarked at each other simply because it was the nature of their friendship, and they'd still kept their rivalry alive, but Mario had been nothing but good to him. Sonic's heart twinged but his stoic mask didn't crack, even as more memories began to play through his mind. How he'd play the guitar and quietly sing as Mario fell asleep on his shoulder, how he'd find Mario asleep in the Smash Mansion's library and since he looked so peaceful he'd grab a blanket and drape it over both of them before falling asleep next to him.

Sitting up Sonic's gaze fell onto the blankets he'd discarded in a heap and his heart ached again; it reminded him of the blanket forts he and Mario used to make. He violently shook his head in order to wipe those thoughts from his mind, but everything was reminding him of Mario. Why was everything reminding him of Mario?

'Because,' a little voice in his mind spoke. 'You didn't just lose your boyfriend. You lost one of your best friends as well.'

Sonic's face drew a blank, his mouth going dry and a chill shooting through him as he tried not to think about the fact he'd lost the one person he told everything to. Things not even Tails knew. Things that he thought he'd take to the grave with him, and in turn Mario had shared his own secrets, things he'd never told Luigi. They'd trusted each other, and now... that... was... gone...

'I need to get out of here.'

Silently, Sonic began to zip around the room, stuffing a few keepsakes in his quills as he passed by them. He briefly considered taking his guitar, but realized it would be more of a hindrance to him if he brought it with him. It would still be here when he came back after all.

Sonic opened the door to his room as quietly as he could, and crept down the hallway to Tails' room. He cracked open the door and peeked inside, relieved when he found Tails fast asleep in his bed.

"I'll be back soon, buddy," Sonic whispered. "I just need to leave for a bit."

With that Sonic shut the door and headed out into the cool night, a light breeze ruffling his quills. He didn't need to think about where he was going to go, he already had a destination in mind.

He was going to go home. Home to Green Hill.

/~/

Dr. Eggman lay in a hospital bed in another lair, recovering from his broken rib while deep in thought. He was aware that at some point Orbot had brought in his dinner, but he hadn't touched it. He wasn't hungry.

His thoughts were focused on Sonic, and how he'd nearly managed to kill him. Eggman had to admit that he was surprised by that level of violence coming from him; and intrigued all the same. Though it did carry the disturbing implication that Sonic's grip on his morals was loosening. Meaning he may try and kill him again.

He couldn't let that happen. He needed something to counterattack, something that was sure to destroy Sonic first before he had the chance to destroy him once and for all. Something powerful, something destructive.

Something... infinite.

~End~

AN: I'm so sorry to anyone who expected a happy ending. But I didn't want a happy ending this time, I wanted something different. Anyway, I want to thank you guys so much for reading this story and for the positive reception, and also I had an absolute blast reading your reactions to certain things in the story. It's safe to say I got the exact reactions I wanted to get out of certain scenes, and as a writer there is no greater feeling. So thank you.

Mario and Sonic's story doesn't end here however; I have plans for more stories about them, but first I need to finish Throughout the Years. That's my main priority at this moment, and I'm not going to start any more multi-chaptered projects until that one is finished. I may post some various oneshots though if I get inspired.

Anyway, thank you again for reading, and I hope I see you in the reviews in my future projects!

~Steel

P.S: Hey, if you liked this story, check out it's small sequel Over!