Love Me

Chapter 32: Tackle Me

Morning strikes, the sun rises, the grass sways on the hills of the Emerald Hill Zone as Mighty and Ray stand over Knuckles who's covered with a black tarp at this point. Sonic and Rouge are outside talking to Mighty as they try and help the armedillo find clues as to who murdered Knuckles. Nine and Tails watch from the balcony of Nine's room as the police officers search the nearby area.

"Hey Nine" Tails says.

Nine looks over at him.

"Can I count on your confidentiality" Tails asks, looking at him with serious eyes.

Nine looks back at the tarp covering Knuckles, his gloved hand with his signature two spikes sticking out from underneath.

"Yeah" Nine goes.

The two take eachothers hands as they look down at the crime scene below them. To Tails, Nine had become a little brother to him, a secondary person to protect, to Nine, Tails was someone to look up to, to understand, to mold himself like almost.

"Why don't we get something to eat and head to the workshop" Tails says.

"Sure"

---

Four days have passed now, Tails is in his room putting on a dark blue silk jacket, a nice white stripe on each shoulder, a new pair of goggles he made for various uses including style of course. Tonight was the night he was gonna ask Sonic out on their first real date and he was determined to impress Sonic and give him a good time while also trying to take his mind off Knuckles' untimely death.

The fox puts on some fancy white gloves, adjusts his unplugs his phone and closes up his diary so he can lock it up and hide it in the drawer on his desk. He looks in the mirror and checks himself before going out and knocking on Sonic's door.

"Sonic! It's me Tails! You there?!" Tails says.

He doesn't hear anything so he knocks on the door again. Yet again he's met with silence so he knocks again, not a sound. Tails presses his ear against the door and doesn't hear anything so he peaks inside and sees Sonic sitting on the bed, sobbing, tissues all over the floor. Tails frowns when he sees Sonic like that, it hurt to see him suffer like this... But at the same time, he doesn't regret doing what he had to do.

"Sonic... A-Are you okay?"

"...Why me"

"What?"

"Why my family Tails!... Why us!" Sonic shouts.

"I don't have the answer to that question Sonic... Let's just hope Mighty and Ray find whoever did it"

"I oughta find this asshole myself and tear him apart" Sonic growls, bawling his fist.

Tails sighs and slowly walks inside, taking a tissue from the tissue box and wiping Sonic's nose and mouth.

"Sonic you've been like this for 4 days... It's not good for you to shut yourself down like this" Tails says, taking another tissue to wipe his face with.

"I've lost two people Tails... Amy and Knuckles, who's next?! Silver?! Sally?! Tangle?!-"

"Sonic I get that you're scared, believe me I've been there but I know this won't keep happening forever. The police will find whoever did it and lock them up without a doubt, for now... Just hold them close, spend what time you can with them, let them know you love them, protect them if you can. Life's short after all, and we only get to do so much"

Tails kisses his cheek, Sonic manages to smile. He sighs, "Thanks Tails... You're the best"

"Anything for you Sonic" Tails responds, embracing him tightly.