Nothing but Shadamy Headcanons

Why I ship these two

Common Tags:

Not a Headcanon

Submissions

Fanart

Platonic

Sad

Clingy - cuddles, hugs, kisses, and affection

Chivalry - anything related to Camelot and/or Shadow acting like a knight in shining armor

Chao

Quills

Song & Dance - anything music-related

The Ultimate Wife Form - Amy being a badass

SDS - Shadamy-Descendant-Silver

UpLIFTing - Shadow carrying Amy or vice-versa--yes, there IS enough for an entire tag. I have a weakness

Light in the Dark - Amy fitting in with Team Dark

Everyone Ships Shadamy - usually Sonic or Rouge, but many others agree

Fanfictions:

Shadow Sensations, 24.1K words Shadow and Amy went out one night. She didn’t realize it was a date until he kissed her at the end. Now, it’s all she can think about. Contains strong language.

Knight and Day, 16.9K words Shadow, the head knight, has developed feelings for Princess Amy. He’ll do anything to keep her safe and happy, even if it means embarrassing himself in the process. Medieval AU.

Shadow Sitting, 10.5K words Amy asks Shadow to babysit her Chao. Shadow goes a little overboard.

Shellshock, 10.5K words Part 1 - Silver is a descendant of Shadow and Amy. Blaze is the only one who knows this. She watches on in amusement and frustration at the obvious resemblance, knowing she can’t share her knowledge with the three hedgehogs for fear of messing up the timeline. Part 2 - Later, the three hedgehogs team up to help escort a group of turtle hatchlings to the sea. Shadow discovers that Silver isn’t so bad after all...but that’s not the only discovery he makes.

Glitch Version 1.1, 10K words Shadow’s normally-flawless Chaos powers have been on the fritz lately, and he suspects his conflicted state of mind is to blame. Unfortunately, the situation only worsens when he’s around Amy Rose. Revised version of the one from the Shadamy Zine.

All’s Fair in Love and War, 8.8K words Amy Rose is Aphrodite’s best cupid. With her trusty tarot cards, magic, and hammer of love in hand, she takes on her most challenging assignment yet: Shadow the hedgehog, Ares’ right-hand man.

Bootstraps, 6.8K words Part 1 - Shadow has an embarrassing problem while getting ready for a wedding. Knowing Amy would never judge him, he enlists her help. Part 2 - Amy teaches Shadow how to make cookies.

In a Pinch, 5.9K words Shadow and Amy get snowed in together on a Christmas Eve mission, which makes her miss a “date” with Sonic. Shadow steps in to cheer her up.

Total Recall, 5.8K words Shadow wakes up in an unfamiliar bed with amnesia and finds that a vaguely familiar pink hedgehog took him in, promising to take care of him until he remembers everything. He keeps a journal while he’s there so he can at least remember some things over time.

Bringing a Hammer to a G.U.N. Fight, 2.9K words Shadow is required to go to a fancy event for work. Commander Tower forces him to do something unreasonable to look “professional.” He complies, but when Amy sees how Shadow is treated, she decides she’s had enough.

Shifting Gears, 2.8K words Sonic gets pulled over for speeding while driving with Amy one night. Given his past experience with cops, he tries to get her to flirt with the cop to get him out of it, much to her irritation. When the cop turns out to be a G.U.N. agent they know all too well, Amy turns the tables.

Rose-tinted Glasses, 1.6K words It’s not often that Shadow feels trapped, but he winds up in a tight spot at the DMV. Amy comes to his rescue.

I have an AO3 account for these and some of my longer headcanons if you prefer that format.

Submissions & Prompts

My ask and submission boxes are open. Feel free to send in shadamy ideas for any continuity--main series, Archie, Sonic Boom, etc.--as these two are adorable everywhere. I do get pretty busy, so if it takes a while for me to reply, don’t take it personally. I’m always happy to get questions, even if I don’t answer them right away.

Also: I’d ask that you only send in one ask and/or submission at a time, please! Things get backed up as is, and I want everyone to have a chance to interact with the blog.

No character bashing, please! This will never be an “Amy dates Shadow because Sonic is mean” type of blog.

I like to add a response at the bottom of submissions when I post them because I like friendly shipping discussions, but if you don’t want me to do so with yours, let me know.

I also love answering prompts. Feel free to send me asks! Here’s a list of all the canon sources I’m familiar with.

Communication

Want to make fanart or write fanfiction about any of these? Feel free! I’d love to see your work, so either tag me or drop me a link so I can reblog and share it!

Sonic seemed surprised, too, but Shadow brushed off his questions and strapped himself in next to Amy on the plane. Although Shadow was trying to seem casual, Amy could see his fists were clenched more than usual.

Unfortunately, Amy didn’t have time to think about it because her focus shifted between Shadow and the window. She looked down to the ground thousands of feet below them, and her brain drew a certain parallel, one that she always tried not to think about. Sonic and Shadow both noticed she was tense, but she gave a smile she hoped looked convincing and just said she was excited. Sonic shrugged and smiled back, but Shadow studied her expression for a while longer, making her feel transparent.

Amy’s nerves skyrocketed when the plane leveled out at its maximum height. The attendant was running through the instructions one last time, but her gaze kept flicking back to the open hatch of the plane. Her stomach lurched.

“Miss? Miss?”

Amy jumped. The attendant, a friendly sugar glider who reminded her of Ray, was tilting his head down to try and make eye contact with her, concern wrinkling his forehead. Realizing she was biting her nails, Amy tore her hand away and forced another smile. “Sorry, sorry! What is it?”

“It’s important to remember the procedure, ma’am. Are you alright?”

Shadow’s low voice came from her right side. “They can’t force you to do this.” Amy looked up, and he met her nervous expression with a reassuring nod. “I will get you down from here. Just ask.”

Amy nodded, but her expression remained tight.

It’s not me I’m worried about!

The attendant looked between the two of them, then showed her a kind smile. “Your friend is right. You can always ride back down in the plane if you’re not comfortable.” The pilot cleared his throat from the cockpit, and the attendant chuckled. “No refunds, though.”

Amy laughed stiffly and tried to pay attention for the rest of the explanation, ignoring the rumbling of her stomach and the weight of Shadow’s gaze.

At last, he finished and unbuckled the three hedgehogs in preparation. Sonic sprang up from his seat and stretched his legs with a smirk. “Alright! You guys ready?”

Amy’s smile was wooden as she stood. “Yep! Let’s go!”

She could see Shadow nod out of the corner of her eye, but he remained silent.

Sonic saluted. “Sweet! I’ll see you at the bottom. Last one there’s a rotten Eggbot!”

With that, he bolted toward the hatch. The attendant didn’t have time to protest before Sonic launched himself off the edge.

“Woohoo!”

Amy breathed deeply and took two hesitant steps forward. Even over the roar of the plane, the soft footfalls behind her made her heart race.

Don’t follow me.

Don’t jump.

I can’t do this again.

A hand rested on her shoulder. Gentle as it was, it still made her jump.

Shadow’s expression was equal parts compassion and intensity. “No one will blame you if you change your mind.”

Amy hastily shrugged his hand off and backed away. “I-I’m fine!”

Shadow glanced back and forth between his hand and her expression. His jaw clenched. “No, you’re not.” He stepped closer again, holding his hands up as if she were an injured animal. “Just hold on. I’ve got you.”

Amy’s breathing grew fast and shallow in the thin air, worsening with every step he took closer toward her...and toward the open hatch behind her. She shook her head and pressed her hands against his shoulders, holding him back. “No! Don’t get any closer!”

The sugar glider laughed nervously, extending a hand. “Ah...it’s alright! Plenty of people get nervous. Don’t feel pressured!” His head whipped around, and he hissed toward the cockpit. “We really can’t do a refund? Just this once?”

Amy shoved Shadow back harder than she’d meant to, and both of them staggered. “Stay back! I’m fine!”

Shadow’s eyes flashed, and Amy saw his shoes light up in preparation for a burst of speed. She choked, then whipped out her hammer in the same breath. She adopted a defensive stance, even as her teeth chattered. “I...I s-said stand back! I’m warning you!”

Shadow halted immediately, and Amy heard his breath get caught in his throat. His eyes were locked on the open hatch, wide and unseeing. At last, he gritted his teeth and shook himself out of his stupor. “I’m not letting you do this!”

Shadow dropped into a crouch, as if preparing to strike. Amy’s heart pounded rapid-fire in her veins, and she lifted her hammer in preparation to counter him, but then the plane shook and rumbled around them. The turbulence knocked Amy off-kilter, and the parachute in her pack threw off her balance. A sharp whine of panic left her throat, and she stumbled back a few steps toward the hatch, flailing her arms as she went.

A curse left Shadow’s lips, and he was an inch away before she could blink. He yanked the hammer from her shaking hands. Amy’s heart seized, but instead of attacking, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. She could see the flash of an emerald in the corner of her eye, and a frantic but confident voice muttered, “Chaos Control!”

In a blinding flash, they were gone.

The sugar glider flinched, then blinked his eyes open.

The pilot checked over his shoulder, similarly dumbfounded, then sighed.

“How about a fifty percent discount?”

--

Amy froze the moment her feet met the ground, eyes wide and heart pounding.

The arms pulled her closer, and a whisper met her ears.

“Shhhh...it’s alright. I’ve got you.”

A ragged gasp tore through Amy’s throat...and she broke. She threw her arms around Shadow and dug her fingers into his back, shaking as tears spilled from her eyes. He combed his fingers through her quills soothingly. “It’s okay. I—”

“Don’t go!”

Shadow paused again, then scratched gentle fingers along her back. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here. It’s—”

“You have to stay!” Amy blurted, still burying her face in his chest. “Don’t go back up there! I CAN’T HANDLE IT AGAIN!”

Shadow finally stopped. He pulled away, holding her by her shaking shoulders. He frowned, searching her expression for answers. “What do you mean, ‘again?’”

Amy’s heart clenched. She tried to blink back the tears, but they kept falling. “Th-the...” Another sob broke through. “Th-the ARK! All those years ago! Y-you—”

Amy’s voice died, and her eyes squinted shut. Shadow’s voice was softer than before. “What are you talking about? We were just standing. I didn’t fall.”

Amy’s head snapped up. She searched his face through bleary eyes, finding nothing but blank confusion.

Somehow, it made her blood boil. A growl, hoarse and weak, rumbled in her throat, and she took ahold of her quills and yanked at the roots. “It’s like I’m the only one who remembers! Even Sonic doesn’t care, and he’s the one who didn’t catch you!”

Shadow remained silent for some time aside from an inquisitive sound...and then he choked. Firm but gentle fingers looped with hers, coaxing them out of their death-grip on her quills and relieving the pain. Amy tilted her head up.

Sympathy and shock clashed on Shadow’s face. “You saw that? When I...”

Amy sniffled and nodded. “Everyone else was at the closest window, watching, but...” She paused to take in another shuddering breath. “They were all crowded around it, and there wasn’t any room for me, so...I...I found a lower one, and it had a better view of—”

The scene that had been seared into her brain for years forced its way to the surface for the millionth time. She pressed against the glass, helpless as the silvery sheen faded from his body, a star losing its luster as it fell to Earth. She’d stubbornly plastered herself to the window alone for what felt like years, certain that a flash of gold would swoop back down to be the hero she knew.

Instead, the doors slid open to reveal one hedgehog. Not two.

Shadow’s voice was quiet, but it still made her flinch as he drew her out of the memory. “It’s okay. I made it. I didn’t...”

Both of them winced.

“I’m here. Really here,” he repeated, his tone heavier than before.

“But you weren’t. For so long,” Amy croaked, averting her gaze. Her eyes squeezed shut, and she held herself. “I had nightmares every night. For months.” Her tears were starting to dry, but her body still heaved with exertion. An involuntary whimper left her. “Sometimes I still do.”

Amy remained there for a few moments, wondering if Shadow would say anything. Instead, his arms wrapped around her once more to hold her close.

“I’m sorry.”

Amy’s muscles locked up, but he stayed put, and the tension eventually melted out of her body. She tucked her head underneath Shadow’s chin and rested her cheek in his fur until she stopped shaking. Her throat was raw and she could feel a headache building, but her breathing and heart rate were evening out.

Shadow pulled away only after she did. “I know what it’s like to have images you wish you could erase. If I’d known you would see that, I...”

“It’s my fault,” Amy cut in.

Shadow paused with his mouth open, visibly baffled, then sighed and practically rolled his eyes. “You are not going to take the blame for that.”

“But—”

Shadow shook his head. “I told you I was keeping a promise that day, not making one. That promise was made before you were even born. You reminded me of someone very important to me and convinced me to keep it, and I’m glad you did.”

Amy opened up her mouth to speak, but he held up a finger. “I’m old enough to make my own decisions. I chose to help our friends. I chose to fight my prototype. I chose to fly out there knowing there was a chance I wouldn’t make it back, and I chose to push Sonic away because I knew he only had enough energy left to make it alone. I have no regrets about that day, and if you want to blame someone, it’ll have to be me.”

Amy started at the declaration. Her heart fluttered oddly.

Shadow’s intense expression softened. “I know a thing or two about nightmares. I’m sorry I became one of yours.”

Amy’s heart swelled, but then a few laughs escaped her, lightening her mood. “You don’t have to be so dramatic about it. I’m always happy to have you around.” She was rewarded with a shy smile. She soon groaned and held a hand up to her face. “Probably shouldn’t have picked skydiving, of all things. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that...”

Shadow’s smile and stance grew more casual. “I’m still glad you invited me.”

Amy scoffed. “Why? So I could latch onto you and cry all over you?”

Shadow snorted and brushed off his chest fur, smirking. “No. So I could keep you from doing something stupid.” Amy balked, so he nodded. “I’ve never wanted to try skydiving. I just came here to stop you from jumping out of that plane, or at least keep anything from going wrong.”

“Skydiving isn’t that dangerous,” Amy argued. “There are tons of safety precautions. We have parachutes for a reason,” she insisted, pointing to her own pack.

“And what happens if they don’t deploy?” Shadow asked, tugging at one of the straps on her shoulder.

“It will! The attendant said they inspect the equipment regularly.”

Shadow’s eyes met hers. “And you trust him? For sure?”

“Of course I do! He’s nice!” Amy protested, puffing her cheeks out.

“What if he wasn’t in charge of that? What if someone else packed it wrong or there was a defect at the factory?”

Amy stalled out. “Well, uh...that’s what the reserve parachute is for.”

Shadow crossed his arms. “And if that gets torn?”

“Hmph!” Amy pulled out her hammer for the second time that day and held it over her shoulder. “I can propeller hammer to slow myself down. I always have a backup plan!”

“How long?”

The smug smile dropped off of Amy’s face. “Huh?”

“We were ten thousand feet in the air. How long can you propeller hammer?”

Amy gaped, glancing from her hammer to Shadow again. “What do you...”

There was a weariness behind his eyes that wasn’t there before. “I know you get dizzy. How long would you be able to keep that up? Fifty feet? A hundred? The full ten thousand? How long would it be before you were just falling?”

Amy looked back at the hammer, then put it away. “Shadow...”

“What if it does deploy, but you get tangled in the strings? What if you wind up off course? What if you fall in water and no one’s there to disentangle you?”

“Sonic would definitely—”

Shadow gestured to the sky. When Amy squinted, she could just barely pick out a blue dot all by itself. She bit her lip. “Well...the attendant would have...”

“What if it were Eggman?”

Shadow’s arms were still crossed over his chest, and his feet were planted. She shook her head and placed a gentle hand on his cheek. “Come on, Shadow. If I let all of that get to me, I’d never get to actually live my life. I’m not going to let a little risk get in the way of a good adventure!”

Shadow kept his steely gaze on her. “I know. You’re a magnet for trouble. You’re the most reckless person I’ve ever met.” He took in a breath, held it for a few seconds, then sighed. He reached up and held her hand, leaning his face into it. “And you remind me of someone I’ll never get back. I can’t not worry about you.”

Shadow didn’t look away. The pain in his eyes ran distant and deep; his tears were long gone, leaving only the resigned visage of one who’d long since decided: never again.

Several moments passed before Shadow let out an exasperated sigh. He uncrossed his arms, but he didn’t let go of her hand. “So that’s why...if you’re going to keep foolishly putting yourself in danger...”

“Hey!”

Shadow scoffed and pulled the Chaos Emerald out of his pack again. Her eyes widened as he held it between them, staying close. “I want you to bring me with you so I can always get you out of it.”

Amy froze. Despite the playful jab, Shadow’s features were stone-serious in the glow of the emerald. His hand didn’t waver in hers. He didn’t even blink. Amy was sure most would find the intensity unsettling, but the idea of someone focused so much on her, caring so much for her safety, after a life like hers...

Amy’s cheeks spread in a slow, easy smile. “Sounds good, but I think we should probably keep our feet on the ground for a while.”

Shadow’s features relaxed, and he squeezed her hand warmly. “That works for me.”

Maybe a little certainty wasn’t such a bad thing.

Years later, Sonic teased them about having landed before him, saying he’d always known Amy fell fast and he wasn’t surprised to see Shadow did, too.

Shadow had been built to protect those around him, and the cactus was no exception. He immediately latched onto it, diligently following the enclosed directions to a tee.

After months of ensuring the cactus had exactly the right amount of sunlight and water, Shadow noticed something alarming: little red nubs had formed among the thorns...and they were getting bigger. The directions hadn’t mentioned anything like them. He checked out a book on plant care from the library, but it was mostly focused on flowers, so the section on cacti was very limited; his specific variety didn’t even have an entry of its own. Terrified that his beloved cactus might have some kind of disease or fungus, Shadow again took its name literally and decided to ask an expert.

Amy had always wanted to get to know Shadow better, so she visited him right away, happy to help a friend in need. Shadow brought her over to the cactus, and she looked it over.

Amy was no authority on cacti, but she’d lived on Earth long enough to suspect what was going on. She took out her phone and looked up the name, smiling when her suspicions were confirmed. She pointed to the pictures of the species in bloom, sporting vivid red flowers like the nubs on Shadow’s. She told him he must be taking great care of it if it was already growing buds.

Shadow’s eyes widened. He hadn’t considered a cactus was capable of that. She asked why he hadn’t searched online for the answer himself, and he shyly admitted that although he was wired for using technology like weapons and vehicles, he still wasn’t used to the internet.

Amy’s heart softened at the endearing situation. She asked why he’d sought her out for help; Shadow had closer friends, and if he’d just wanted a plant expert, Silver would’ve been a better choice. He bluntly told her he thought hedgehogs would be the best at diagnosing a hedgehog cactus, and she was his favorite hedgehog. Amy’s heart fluttered, and she burst out laughing.

Seeing her chance, Amy asked if he wanted to start growing a garden with her. She’d always been interested in flowers, and it was obvious he was a natural. Shadow agreed.

The two of them worked together from then on, and their fondness for each other grew as the flowers did. Amy told him how thoughtful his coworkers had been to give him the cactus in the first place. Her faith in the kindness of others made her just as blind to their intentions as he was.

Rouge didn’t have the heart to tell them.

--

She was an expert at bypassing any walls that a person could build. If Amy wanted to be your friend, you only had a few years at most before she’d find her way in. Even if Shadow hadn’t privately harbored a soft spot for her since their hug and the talk aboard the ARK, he still wouldn’t have stood a chance. He kept his distance as best he could by leaning on his introversion, a boundary she respected, and he cut back on quality time by never initiating their hangouts. She didn’t mind, as she was used to reaching out first anyway. His plan left room for her friendship while maintaining a buffer to keep things under control.

It was working until the fateful day when Amy broke up with Sonic. After an unexpectedly short time, she’d dried her tears, and the sunshine had returned to her face. Shadow ignored his better judgement and asked her how she’d recovered so quickly. Amy smiled and explained that although it had hurt at first to learn that she and Sonic wanted different things in life, she’d always value him as a friend, and she was glad that they were both closer to finding what would make them truly happy.

After that, though, he couldn’t help but ask how she could be so content when she’d wasted so much time on something that ultimately went nowhere.

Amy’s demeanor changed completely. A harsh scowl crossed her face for a moment. Seeing Shadow’s genuine confusion, she took a terse breath and toned it down, though her expression remained stern. She explained that she’d never feel love was a waste. Her fondness for Sonic had helped shape her into the person she’d grown into, and those years had brought memories she’d always treasure. Her feelings for him and their relationship, however brief, were something she’d never regret.

Shadow stood there for a long time, stunned. Amy’s face softened with concern, and she asked if he was alright. Shadow remained rooted to the spot. Eventually, he muttered a quiet “sorry” and teleported away.

To most people, the event would have been a sweet, fleeting moment with a friend, but it reverberated in Shadow’s mind. He’d always taken Amy’s words to heart, and those words had never let him down.

—

Shadow stood at the window on the ARK where Amy had reminded him of everything important to him. The same window where he’d stood with Maria overlooking the planet they’d failed to reach together, the one he now called home, and both hers and Amy’s words came back to him, forcing him to reexamine his feelings and his past.

Painful as it sometimes was, Shadow couldn’t bring himself to regret his love for Maria and Gerald, regardless of how fleeting their time had been. He dreaded the thought of how empty his life would feel without his memories of them and how different he’d be if he’d never made his promise. Rouge and Omega came to mind, too, and a stab of pain lanced through him as he thought of the depths he knew he’d have fallen into without them.

Past that, though, all the light and love Amy had shared with him shone through, and he knew what he had to do.

—

After taking a few days to muster up his courage, Shadow set aside his introversion and sought out Amy first for once. He told her he’d thought about what she’d said and he understood. He said he was done being afraid of love and he knew he’d regret it if he never confessed to her.

Amy’s eyes went wider than he’d ever seen them, and a light laugh of disbelief escaped her. Shadow only had a few seconds to fear rejection before she hopped forward and pulled him into a tight hug. She eagerly accepted on the condition that they’d take things slowly in the wake of her recent breakup. A rare smile spread across Shadow’s face as he hugged back and told her he had all the time in the world.

—

Over the years, Shadow did lose the ones who mattered most, at least in a physical sense. Rouge was the first close friend to go. Omega lasted quite a bit longer, continuing on as long as he could until his systems began to fail and any replacement parts broke down.

Amy didn’t last as long as Omega did, but she took extremely diligent care of her health to hang on as long as possible. As the end approached, Shadow truthfully let her know he didn’t regret their relationship for even a moment. The memories—and family—they’d built together would always mean the world to him. Her smile, though tearful, brought him solace for the rest of his days.

—

((Sometimes I see people online casually state that Shadow would never pursue a romantic relationship because he’s immortal and he wouldn’t do that to himself. They say it like it’s a given and it just makes sense.

I can’t think of a more horrible, toxic outlook for him to have.

This is exactly what she goes through in Sonic Battle. It’s very uncomfortable. My buddy who runs @shadowxamyweek​ has a lengthy post about Amy’s eating disorder and dangerous exercise habits. As far as I’m concerned, it’s fully canon. The post is definitely worth reading, but it’s pretty heavy. Anyone who’s interested should mind the warnings. Amy breaks the fourth wall on Sonic Channel to stop readers from asking about her weight, as she’s self-conscious about it, and they further fed the flames with the side story art on May 27th, 2022:

Soft serve ice cream is her favorite food. It’s sad to see this on an otherwise beautiful, badass picture.

Luckily, IDW’s getting it right! There’s a preview page for the upcoming Crossworlds arc, and it includes this panel:

She’s finally fighting the one who deserves it. My girl is healing and looking super cute while doing so 🥲 And my other friend @shadowsfascination​ pointed out that she’s wearing sweatbands here instead of her usual weights, too.

I like to think things are getting better for Amy now because she’s not getting left behind anymore, which was part of why she was insecure.

(The other reason is because she was hoping Sonic would like her if she were thinner. That...hurts. Thank god he’s never actually said anything negative about her appearance.)

It sure would be nice if she got an apology or some kind of acknowledgement for the neglect, though, and I think Shadow could do that for her. Not that he needs to apologize, but I think he’d be perceptive enough to spot the problem and bold enough to confront the others on how they treated her. I’d love to see her get a really solid support network for this. She deserves it.

And not only could she cook new meals as you suggested, but Shadow could help with that, too. I’ve always loved the idea of her teaching him how to cook. If he asked her for help, I have no doubt that she’d step up immediately. Unlike some of the more “honest” heroes, I could see him pretending to be bad at it so she’d “need” to stop by more often, and every time she did, he’d know she was getting a proper meal. Love language through subterfuge. Rouge would be proud. He could have an “I don’t know much about being a good host, but I know you don’t let your guests go hungry. You’re not allowed to starve in my house” mentality. Driven by her compulsion to help people and a desire to finally get to know Shadow better, I believe Amy would decide it’s worth it, at least some of the time.))

(I know you’d never blame her yourself, but it’s an approach I’d rather avoid in a general sense.)

I hadn’t thought about the gap between the eastern and western portrayals of sonouge, but I think you’re right. Rouge has an extensive history of flirting with Sonic...

[Sonic Battle, 2003. Yes, she really said that. It makes enough sense in context, but. Like. Rouge. Think of the children! 😵‍💫]

[Sonic Chronicles, 2008]

[Sonic Colors, 2010]

...but he usually doesn’t flirt back outside of western media:

[Archie Sonic Universe issue #2, 2009]

[IDW #6, 2018 & #80, 2025]

[Crossworlds, 2025]

[IDW #59, 2023. That last one is Evan Stanley, but literally everything else is Ian Flynn. That’s kind of hilarious. This man has been single-handedly steering the sonouge ship since at least 2009. What a champ]

The Japanese dub of Crossworlds completely erased their flirtation:

Sonknux has been following the same pattern as sonouge in American media these days:

[Sonic Frontiers, 2023, Ian again. I can’t be the only one who thought this was going somewhere other than a fist bump]

[IDW 2024 Annual. Written by Iasmin Omar Ata rather than Ian, but it’s still IDW]

But although Sega is letting Ian have a field day with Sonic in English, they’re not really translating it into Japanese to my knowledge. That Frontiers scene that arguably screams sonknux in English is much less emotional in Japanese. I think that’s a shame because these interactions feel the most like Sonic to me. Fun, free, casual, playful, charming. I love it.