Random jolt of inspiration. Nothing much.

This sort of...fluttering thing; it had never happened often. In fact, Sonic only began realizing it not too long ago. Only when she twirled and smiled at him and things would seem to slow down and her quills would almost graciously flew around her gorgeous face, when the lights would hit her just right and shades would engulf her perfectly, or when he noticed her eyes would change color when she looked towards the sun; it was then that he went into those momentary trances, when the dimensions started to tumble all around him, and there'd be absolutely nothing but her.

Deep down, he knew. His head knew it, but he was best known for his refusing stubborness and almost admirable ability to run from the brightly-colored truth after all, and in this aspect, it really wasn't worth the battle. Even his pals started to push him on towards commitment that would seriously do the blue dude good, purposely directing their "guy" conversations so that Amy and him as a "thing" would become the item of attraction. They were seeing the toll on Amy after Sonic's certain actions that brought her hopes flying, and every time, he managed to have them super-sonicing down.

It was over a game of Jenga that Sonic was brought to a corner and became unable to deny it any longer, even stubbornly.

"So, Sonic. You finally gonna come to about Amy?" Knuckles slowly eased a block out of the tower, pumping a fist in the air when he noted the shaking blocks settle.

"What are you talking about?" Sonic asked, though he totally knew where this conversation was heading. Knuckles usually did this on a regular basis, bringing up the pink hedgehog into conversations she seriously didn't belong in.

"Face it, hedgehog," Knuckles growled, and, OF COURSE, Tails always joined sides against the blue hedgehog, adding, "You so love her."

"Face it, guys," Sonic countered, becoming unnecessarily tense and stiff, "I so don't." He placed a victory block into his pile.

"Do you realize how much you're hurting her?" Knuckles demanded.

"Do you realized how much you're killing ME with your constant bickering?"

"Amy loves you so much, Sonic," Tails said, his voice soft and sincere, as he stategically yanked a block out of the tower. No one got how he did that. "She's known for so long that you love her back, but she won't wait forever, you know."

Pft. Amy wouldn't leave him! She always came running back into his arms, chasing him to the other ends of the planet. Well, except lately. She's been sort of disant...but she wouldn't leave him! Sonic was so sure of her die-hard affections that he could only chuckle at the threat. But Tails went on to say, "she said so," only adding more fire to the desperation by quoting her very words, "I don't think I can handle it anymore. I've been wasting my life on this love that just doesn't want to be catched. I can't keep this up."

Much to Sonic's knowing irritation, this statement bugged him. FREAKED him, even, because he knew that even she was able to break down. She couldn't hold on forever, and he'd been depending on her for so long to keep up this hovering relationship that had never been anything more. His friends could see the sudden demise of his confidence, noting the worried frown that crumbled up his brow. How could he not see it himself?

Knuckles continued on. "So you better confess, ya doofus. You'll regret it for the rest of your sorry life if ya don't."

"Like I care," Sonic growled. His turn came around again, and the game had started to get a little more challenging with the multiple gaps within the foundation. He eyed one that seemed like it could render useless, and concentrated on specific manouvers. Tails sighed in sync with Knuckles' face-palm, but suddenly a sly grin eased up his face.

"Sonic," he inquired, "you like pie, right?"

Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"What about apples?"

"Sure." He brought his focus back to the tower, his gloved hand slowly taking hold of the chosen block and carefully bringing it out with much delicacy.

"Radishes?"

"Hate em!"

"Chili-dogs?"

"Love them."

"Amy?"

"Love her."

Sonic jerked then, and the tower came crumbling down upon his extended arm as Tails had jumped up from his sitting position and was pointing a finger at him with a knowing, yet rather surprised, grin. Knuckles hadn't even noticed for a few seconds, Sonic's confession seeming too natural. His jaw did dropped before he was bringing his arms around him in a laughing fit.

"Told you!" he was yelling. "Told you, told you! TOLD! YOU!"

Sonic's widened gaze switched between the two. "No, I don't...You were playing with my mind!"

Tails grinned. "Even your head knows it now. Really, there's no point in fighting your own brain..."

"No. No, no, no, no, no, I didn't-"

He brought his face into his hands, rubbing his temples with his thumbs. "No way. No way."

"What are you gonna do now, Sonic the hedgehog?" Tails sneered.

Sonic could only shake his head. "No way."

Yet, it all made sense. It was that reasonableness, and that...relief that fluttered somewhere in there, that frustrated him the most. The fact that he didn't want to deny it anymore, that his innervoice was almost saying, "finally!", was what he wanted to strangle. He was totally fine with his proclaimed confession, not even bringing himself to TRY to reject it any longer, and it was so wierd, yet so natual and great and strangely...blissful.

He needed to run.

He got up, not even looking down at the blocks he knocked over, and strode straight to the door. The guys deserved to pick up the mess.

"What? Running away again?" Knuckles called after him. "Just stop by Amy's, at least. Dang, it's kinda admirable she put up with you for so many years."

Sonic didn't stick around to see what Tails had to say.

Cause oh, did he run.