Why me? (Sonadow)

The fire crackled softly as the group settled into camp, the warmth a welcome comfort against the cool evening air. Above them, the stars began to twinkle in the darkening sky, their light brushing over the rocky plateau.

Amy leaned forward, tossing another stick onto the fire. "We've been through so much lately, and the next Emerald's going to be even harder to get. I think we deserve a little downtime tonight, don't you?"

Knuckles snorted, arms crossed. "Downtime? Don't tell me you're planning some team bonding nonsense."

Amy grinned. "What's wrong with team bonding? It might actually make you less grumpy, Knuckles."

Rouge chuckled, lounging against a nearby rock. "Oh, I'm all for it. Watching you all spill your secrets could be the entertainment I need tonight."

Sonic laughed, sitting cross-legged near the fire. "Guess that's settled then. What kind of bonding are we talking about, Amy?"

"Oh, I've got ideas." Amy's eyes twinkled mischievously. "But let's start simple. How about a game?"

Shadow stood slightly apart from the group, arms crossed, as if debating whether to stay or retreat to his usual solitude. Sonic glanced at him, a flicker of concern crossing his face before he turned back to Amy.

"I'm in," Sonic said, grinning. "What's the game?"

"Truth or dare!" Amy declared, her enthusiasm drawing groans from both Knuckles and Shadow.

"No way," Knuckles grumbled. "Last time we played that, you made me wear that ridiculous flower crown."

"And you looked fabulous," Amy teased. "But fine, we'll keep it low-key. Everyone shares something the others might not know about them. Easy, right?"

The group exchanged wary glances but eventually nodded. Rouge went first, recounting a funny story about one of her heists gone wrong. Knuckles reluctantly shared a memory of a prank the Chaotix pulled on him. Tails talked about the time he accidentally invented a self-destructing toaster.

When it was Sonic's turn, he grinned. "Alright, something you guys don't know... I once got stuck in a tree because I was trying to race a hawk. Took me hours to get down."

The group laughed, and even Shadow's lips twitched slightly.

Amy turned to Shadow, her expression expectant. "Your turn, Shadow."

Shadow's eyes narrowed. "Pass."

"Oh, come on," Amy urged. "You can't just skip!"

Shadow hesitated, his gaze briefly meeting Sonic's before he spoke. "Fine. I... used to read poetry."

The group blinked in surprise, and Sonic tilted his head, a lopsided grin forming. "Poetry? Didn't see that one coming."

"It was Maria's favorite," Shadow muttered, his voice quieter.

A brief silence fell over the group, the mention of Maria sobering the mood. Sonic, sensing the shift, reached out instinctively, his hand brushing against Shadow's as he passed him a stick to poke the fire.

The contact was fleeting, but it sent a jolt through both of them. Shadow stiffened, his hand lingering on the stick for a heartbeat too long before pulling it away.

Neither of them acknowledged the touch, but Sonic's fingers tingled, and his heart thudded a little faster. Shadow, meanwhile, kept his gaze fixed firmly on the fire, but his mind reeled from the unintentional contact.

Amy broke the silence with a gentle smile. "See? Team bonding isn't so bad."

As the conversation drifted back to lighter topics, Sonic and Shadow remained quieter than usual, both hyper-aware of the moment they hadn't dared to mention aloud.

Later, as the fire dwindled and the team began to settle for the night, Sonic stole one last glance at Shadow. The other hedgehog stood near the edge of the plateau, his gaze fixed on the stars. Sonic felt the pull again, stronger now, as if something was inevitable between them.

And in Shadow's mind, the fleeting touch echoed, a spark of something he couldn't ignore.