"Sonic?"
The voice was the first thing the Hedgehog picked up as he gained consciousness. It was familiar one that made him feel safe and comfortable, like a friend was slowly waking him up from sleeping in on a cool summer weekend. Unfortunately, that impression was quickly broken by a dull, pounding pain spreading through his head and the vague sense that something was wrong. His green eyes fluttered open for just a moment, only to see a burst of painful white light so bright that it that practically forced his eyes back shut.
"Sonic?" Came the voice again, more anxious this time "Are you OK?" 
That voice... he knew it, he knew he did. But why couldn't he place it? Sonic slowly forced his eyes open, one by one, the headache worsening as he adjusted to the brightness. He pushed through it to try to make sense of his surroundings, though his vision was too blurred to really make out much.  Aside from the bed he was lying in, there was little else in this room he could define. Four white walls...a cabinet, maybe, and a few chairs...one of which seemed occupied by a fuzzy, light brown blur. That brown blur, Sonic figured, had to be the speaker. He still couldn't quite make them out, but for some reason he still felt assured by their presence for some reason. No small feat considering Sonic didn't even know where he was, and that told him that this speaker was someone he could speak back to.
"What happen-" Sonic began, cutting himself off with a sudden coughing fit. He felt an overwhelming rush of nausea as the figure immediately rushed to his side. Sonic continued coughing as the figure took hold of his arm, pressing an object that the hedgehog couldn't quite make out against it. Sonic felt a slight pinch, one which barely registered relative to the stomach pain and the headache, followed by a chill in the same spot. For a moment he panicked - who was this and what were they doing?
"It's OK, Sonic," the voice came again, along with its calming effect. "You're back in the med lab at home, I just gave you something to help your head and your stomach a bit." 
The speaker was true to his word; the stomach pains and headache began to fade as Sonic's vision quickly began to clear. Soon the brown blur came into focus, revealing none other than his old friend Tails. Sonic couldn't help but smile, the last of the pain fading as he focused on the soft blue eyes of his companion.

"I'm so glad to see you awake Sonic, I... We've all been really worried about you." The fox said, quietly disposing of the shot, "You nearly got killed in the desalination plant back there, for a moment there we didn't really know if you'd make it." 
"Desalsa-what-now?" Sonic mumbled in response as he rubbed his eyes and sat up in his bed. "Sorry bud, I'm still waking up I think. I can't remember that much of anything."
"Don't worry about it." Tails laughed nervously, "We were shutting down another chemical plant Eggman set up for one of his plans. We took it out, but... it turned out to be a trap. He set up pretty clever self-destruct sequence on that one.” Tails took a seat next to the bed and looked at his friend with a smile. “I'm just glad you're awake again.”

Sonic leaned back, staring upwards as he strained to remember the events Tails was talking about. Some memories were starting to filter back, bits and pieces at least. He could make out the silhouette of the plant Tails was talking about, a gigantic gray monolith, and the sprawling blue and yellow tubes snaking through the insides as he raced through it. There was a badnik or two that he effortlessly took out and... something else. Something important. Was it a new Badnik? Another evil plan? A secret Chili Dawg recipie? He couldn't remember, but he knew there was something. Whatever it was, his gut told him it was too important to let just go.
 
"Tails!" Sonic exclaimed as he looked back to his friend, "Something really important happened back there! I...just can't remember what." 
"The best thing for you is to rest up a bit." Tails cautioned. "Even if it's only for a day. The blast put you in the hospital, I'd be strange if it didn't knock out a few memories."
"This is too important to drop." Sonic replied, looking down with his brows furrowed, eyes shifting left to right as he strained to recall more. "I know This may not be scientific, but there's this feeling I have deep down, it's telling me we need to figure this out now. But the last thing I can think of is a bright flash..." He paused and looked up at Tails, his solemn expression breaking into a smile as their eyes met, "Thanks for looking out for me though, bud. I knew I could count on you to help out."
"Thanks!" Tails said, blushing a bit & nervously scratching the back of his head while shyly glancing away. "I was at the plant with you, though, and I can't think of anything that wouldn't have been blown to bits by the explosion. Then again, I could have missed something important that you saw."
"Maybe you could help go over what you remember?" Sonic offered, "That could jog my memory, right?"
"Actually, I've been researching ways for how to recover memories." Tails quickly replied, beaming, "I was worried that you might have lost a few so I wanted to be prepared. Mind if we try them out first?"
"You are just the sweetest scientist." Sonic chuckled, "Of course I trust you to try them out. It wouldn't even be the first time today that your know-how made things easier on me, after all!" 
“Let's try this out before you give me too much credit.” Tails replied, “This hasn't been tested out like the machines I usually put together.”
Sonic smiled, certain his friend was just underestimating just how smart he was.

“One thing I found is that smell is tied pretty closely to memory.” Tails began, “so I tried to recreate the smell from the plant.” He reached down to pull a dark green sack out from under his seat and held it next to the bed. “I took some stuff from what was left over and stuck them in this bag. It definitely smells like the plant, maybe if you open it up and take a little whiff it should help out." 
After a long pause (and a bewildered look) Sonic took the sack, quipping "This does feel a little less... uh... precise... than science you used to put together the Tornado. I still trust you though." With that Sonic opened the sack, held up under his slim black nose and inhaled deeply. 
The smell, a horrid kind mix of swamp, sewage and chemicals, immediately brought tears to his eyes and sent him lurching into another coughing fit, knocking the bag off his lap and off the bed. Fortunately Tails caught it before it landed and spilled any the any of the rancid contents all over the room.
"Sorry, guess I should have warned you..." Tails said, resealing the sack and tucking it back under his chair "The water treatment plant smells pretty bad." 
Still coughing and gagging, Sonic gave Tails a thumbs up to signal that, awful odor aside, the technique had worked and memories were starting to trickle back in. Closing his eyes to focus, Sonic could start to see that there was more to the plant than the usual mechanical maze with an army of Badniks. He could make out the real goal he and Tails were going for; the the central computer running the whole thing. He could recall bouncing on top of Eggmans minions, as usual, and effortlessly making it it all the way to that goal. He could see there was a massive, white and gray room housing the central console, a room that was easily 4 or 5 stories high. After that, though, things started fading again.
"You OK Sonic?" Tails concerned voiced snapped Sonic back to the present. 
"Doing great actually." Sonic replied with a smile. "That actually worked pretty well. I still don't have all memories back though. Were there any other tricks you know of that don't reek like that?" 

"I have just the thing!" Tails replied, excited to help out again, "I've heard that caffeine can help you remember things a bit, so I brought a couple cups of coffee with me,  Should smell better too."
With that, Tails reached back below the seat and pulled out a couple warm cups of coffee. Sonic was a bit worried about them being anywhere near that gross, smelly sack, but he trusted his friend to keep things clean. Besides, he was more than eager to try some coffee if only to help wash out the rest of that smell. He closed his eyes and took a deep, slow sip, pleasantly surprised by how smooth the drink was. Looking back at Tails to pay him a complement, Sonic was surprised to see that he was drinking the other cup he had brought with him. 
"I didn't know you were drinking coffee now, you always complained getting too edgy after drinks like that." Sonic commented with a smile.
"Well, I have been up for a while now." Tails replied, "After the first 24 hours I really needed some energy to keep at it. I really don't like coffee, but I'm not just a kid anymore either so I shouldn't get too anxious now." He leaned forward and put his hand on the bed next to Sonic "Especially now that you're awake."

Sonic stared back into Tails light blue eyes as more memories began to flow back to him. The enormous, empty clean plant core he had pictured before began to fill in with details he had forgotten. The grime on the walls, the dim lighting, and the control console they needed to use to shut down the plant. Sonic realized he could never figure out how to use a computer like that, prompting his memory to fill in another detail he had forgotten – Tails working on that console in the plant with him.
"Quick question," He said to Tails, “Did you help hack into that plant to shut it down? If so, I think the coffee really is helping.”
"I kind of helped hack the plant core, sort of.” Tails began nervously, “But Eggman bothered with more security than just a few robots for us to take apart this time." 
"That may have slowed me down, but I doubt it was a problem for you at all, right?" Sonic smirked. Tails glanced away, looking uncomfortable.
"It was where I screwed up, actually." Tails said, "I think the plant was set up to self-destruct if it detected anyone breaking into the system." He started anxiously rubbing his hands together and stared off into space for a moment before softly adding "And I definitely got busted... it was my fault that you nearly got yourself killed back there."
"WRONG!" Sonic loudly responded, prompting Tails to snap out of his state of regret and back to the present. Sonic scooted over to the far side of his generously sized bed and pat the empty space that opened up, prompting Tails to hop up and join him. The fox looked a bit stunned by the offer at first, but seemed happy, if nervous, as he climbed up on the bed next to his friend. 
"It was Eggman who nearly killed me back there.” Sonic firmly stated, wrapping an arm around Tails as he laid next to him, “He's always the one to nearly get me killed, so don't go and blame yourself for it." 
Tails nodded silently, settling down next to Sonic before cautiously resting his cheek on his shoulder. Looking down at his friend Sonic felt a rare longing to stay in place, if only to stay in this position with his friend forever. But he still felt that something was missing, something that seemed even more important than before. 

"How is it that we managed to get out before the place came down, anyway?" Sonic said quietly.
"We didn't." Tails replied, lifting his head to look back at his companion, "The timer was too short for both of us to make it out in time. I think you could have made it, honestly, except that instead of running out by yourself you grabbed me by arm and started running out of there. I tried not to weigh you down, but it was still way slower than you could have gone alone. We were nearly at the entrance when the explosions started to go off."
"I think I can remember some of that." Sonic replied. "I remember that massive, steel door at the front of the plant closing in front of us."
"Yeah, that's right!" Tail added hopefully, "We were so close to getting out...” 
“Eggman is really stepping things up if even I couldn't make it out before it closed.” 
“Only because you were pulling me out of there with you. You really are a true hero Sonic, you didn't hesitate to help me for a second!”
“I wouldn't be the worlds fastest hedgehog if I hesitated!”
“No kidding!” Tails laughed. “I thought we were goners for sure, by then we only had a few seconds before the place blew."
"I remember now,” Sonic continued thoughtfully, “That little sliver of light poking through those panels right as the front doors shut. After that, all we could see was some red light from the explosions going off in the plant, a dim light that was getting a lot brighter really fast.”
“You kept your cool though.”
“I just know what was important.” Sonic replied, looking back at Tails with a wry smile. “That light pointed out more than just a threat, it showed us an opportunity. It lit up a shadow between the door and the wall, and there was a spot for us to hide. One that could maybe, just maybe, give us cover from the blast. Desperate move, but it looks like it worked."
“Well, other than you being in the hospital trying to figure out your memories.”
“Way better than the alternative. Besides, I'm pretty sure that whatever I'm trying to remember has something to do with the place we hid out in.”
“You...you think so?” Tails replied, his voice turning anxious. “How much do you remember?”
“After finding our little hiding spot...” Sonic looked back to Tails and sighed, “Not a thing. What happened?” 
"Sonic, you didn't really save us, you saved me. The cover you were able to find, it was only just enough for one of us. I couldn't think straight by then, but you shoved me in there so fast it was like you didn't even have to think about it at all." Tails looked up hopefully "Did that jog any other memories loose?"
"'Afraid not, bud.” Sonic replied, “I just remember, well, mostly remember, making out that hiding spot. The only things coming back to me after that are a flash of light, a surge of heat and the sense that there's something really, really important that I'm missing"
"You really can't remember?" Tails asked, surprised, "The only reason that dark corner worked as cover was because you were willing to be the cover. You were basically a shield, going out of your way to make sure the blast couldn't hit me, even if that meant you got the worst of it. But you can't remember any of that?"
"None of it. Like you said, not everything we forget can always come back.” Sonic replied, shaking his head in frustration before looking back to his friend. Despite the situation, he couldn't help but smile as he turned back to Tails, there was always something encouraging behind those bright blue eyes of his. "Don't get the wrong idea, though, I'd save you again in a split second. Even if I can't remember every detail, I still know what's really important."

Tails blushed and looked down, somehow looking even more unsure than before. After a long, silent moment he whispered; "Do you really think that the important thing we're looking for, that it has to do with that hiding spot?". 
"Without a doubt." Sonic replied, "Whatever it is, it's important and it has to do with that spot. Do you have any clues? This is gonna drive me nuts 'till I can figure it out."
"I... probably don't know..."Tails began, his voice fading as he turned back away. "I have a hunch.. but its probably wrong... and its kind of rude and you deserve a good friend after all you've done..."
"As a friend, the best thing for your to do is to tell me all you can. Even if it's a dead end." Sonic said, rubbing Tails' back to help him relax. "Whatever it is you have to say, worst case is that we're still friends."
"Sonic...I..." Tails looked back at Sonic, hesitating as his eyes starting to water slightly. The fox shut his eyes and took a few deep breaths to collect himself before saying "I'll just say what I said before the blast, when I thought it may be my last chance." Tails wrapped his arms around his friend, swallowed and opened his eyes, looking straight into Sonics eyes with a surprising, if fragile, determination while whispering "Sonic... I love you."
Sonic, feeling warmth from both his friends embrace and his admission, smiled wide. "I sort of knew...and definitely hoped." He said, staring back deeply into his friends eyes for a moment before adding "To be clear, I really love you back.” 

Tails always knew Sonic cared about him, but this response took him completely off guard. His mouth dropped open and he froze, his blush deepening as he felt a familiar intense tingling filling spreading through his chest, a kind of nervous passion tempered with relief. Despite himself, a tear escaped his eye, darkening a streak of his light brown fur as it began working its way down his cheek.  
“How long have you felt like this?” Sonic asked while calmly wiping the tear away, “We've been together for a long time, after all.”
“Since always!” Tails exclaimed, a little louder than he intended. “I mean, since you first helped me with those bullies way back when I was a kid.” He added, lowering his voice in embarrassment. “I knew I felt differently about you. Whenever I was around you it made me feel warm inside, like I was safe. Before you all I can remember is getting picked on because I was different...Just a weird deformed fox kid who liked machines and stuff.”
“Those kids were dummies.” Sonic replied, “Different just means that they're missing out on great new stuff. I'm surprised that you understood love back when you were so young, though. Even I didn't get it yet, we were both really just kids back then.”
“Oh, I definitely didn't understand love at all.” Tails added. “I kind of thought of us like brothers for a while, I didn't have much family after all. It wasn't until I grew up that I understood that it something more than that. I can still remember realizing that I wanted you to...hold me. It actually freaked me out, I was always scared that it would mess up our friendship.” 

“No need to fear, cutie.” Sonic declared, wrapping his free arm around Tails and pulling him closer. Despite his assurance, Tails instinctively tried to pull back with with an anxious look in his eyes. Sonic felt an unseen object poking his thigh and realized that Tails already had an erection, plus he was doing a very poor job trying to hide it. Sonic was getting aroused too, feeling complimented that his newfound lover both couldn't help but express his feelings in the most ancient, normal way he could. He held Tails tightly in place and whispered “Don't worry, I'm getting turned on myself.”
“Ahh...” Tails moaned, relaxing a bit, but only for a moment. “Er, Wait, weren't we trying to remember something important?” Tails said, tensing up again with his transparent attempt to change the subject.
“You are too cute...but you really should give yourself some more credit, especially for how you feel.” Sonic whispered back, “Knowing that you love me was exactly what I was trying to remember all along. I don't feel like I'm missing anything anymore. I'll be honest, some of my memories are still gone, I still don't remember saving you...but I can remember what's important to me. And part of that is knowing that I'm important to you.”
“I'll find out how to get that memory back” Tails said with a fresh look of determination, “You saved my life, it's the least I can do, I want you to know-”
“That's not what's important, love.” Sonic interrupted, “Even If my memory never comes back, even if I never see back to that beautiful moment where you told me you loved me for the first time, it's not what's important. It would be nice, but a few words and me nearly getting killed in an explosion aren't really the core of anything in the end. What matters is who we are and how we feel.” Sonic, now blushing, gave Tails a wide grin and asked, “You want to know a little secret from me, one that I think will make you feel better?”
Tails paused, then nodded, starting to relax a little.
“I don't even remember the exact time I realized I loved you.” Sonic whispered, his expression taking a seductive turn. “It was a slow, steady thing that happened bit by bit sometime in the decades we've been fighting against Eggman. Just like there's no single thing I can point to where you suddenly became a inventor, or no single moment when you grew into your body and I realized just how pretty you are. I'll always treasure the memories we both have, but not a single one is as important as who we are now or the feelings we have for each other now. After all, who knows how many more memories we can create now that we know how much we want each other?” Sonic felt Tails ease up and saw a smile spread across his face. The fox was looking more relaxed now than he had in a long time, so much so that he couldn't help but give Sonic his own seductive look. 
It was a hint Sonic didn't miss. He quickly but steadily reached his arm further down, going from rubbing the foxes back to his butt. Tails started to moan again in response, but caught it in his throat, still a bit unsure of how to express himself. He couldn't control his cock, though, which twitched a few times in an automatic response Sonic could feel rubbing against his thighs. Sonic pulled his lover closer, so close that their noses were nearly touching, so that Tails could feel that Sonic had grown an erection of his own.
“How about we try making new memories right now?” Sonic whispered, “There's a lot of firsts we haven't covered yet.” 
Without a second of hesitation Tails leaned forward, closed his eyes and and planted his lips on Sonics, catching him off guard to plant a full, deep kiss. The hedgehog's eyes widened in surprise at Tails sudden burst of confidence, slowly closing as his focus switched to the welcoming embrace of his partner. The two lovers were overcome with a feeling of warmth and compassion that was greater than any one sensation they could recall. The feeling Tails had from having his furry bottom rubbed, the sensation Sonic felt from feeling his own tongue being massaged by another and the feeling the both of them had from their hard members pushing gently together could define how they felt. Like Sonic had said, it was a bit of everything that formed the love that they had for each other, combining into an intense emotion that was beyond compare. They continued to make out for longer than either cared to note, time seeming to hold still until Tails finally pulled back from the kiss.

“S-sonic” Tails said, rubbing his ass aggressively against Sonics hand, “I'm so close.”
“Me too.” Sonic replied, “I'm gonna cum any second now.” 
“Do you want to fuck me first?” Tails asked, resting his chin on Sonics chest and sticking his ass in the air to better show off his curves.
“This will be the first time I ever say this, but I think we ought to take it slow.” Sonic replied. “At least for your first time. I did just get blown up, after all, and I'd hate to hurt you by accident after all that.” He firmly grasped Tails ass, but this time extended a finger down into the crack. “How about I finger you a bit?” Sonic asked, beginning to massage his lovers tight little fox hole. Tails shut his eyes and moaned, fully uninhibited this time, as a small spurt of pre flowed out of his cock and onto the sheets. “I'll take that as a yes.” Sonic smirked, pulling back his arm and spitting on his finger before getting back to work in his lover. 
“Ahhh...yes!” Tails cried out, his eyes lighting up as Sonic slowly, steadily worked his finger inside. He reached down to hold Sonics throbbing cock and began gently rubbing the tip.
“Omph, man, you really do want it.” Sonic grunted as pre started to flow out from his own cock in response. 
With the two focused so much on each other neither was going to last long before coming. Tails know how hard and fast to rub Sonics cock, when to use the pre as lube and just how to softy coddle those blue balls. Sonic could feel how Tails ass was desperately milking his finger, trying to suck it further in. But Sonic knew how to take his time, inch by inch he steadily worked his finger in to slowly tease Tails' prostate and savored the feeling from teasing it more and more. By the time his finger was all the way in, both their cocks (and a surprising amount of the of the bedsheets) were moist with pre. Both stared deeply into the others eyes the whole time, speaking only with moans and increasingly deep panting as each gradually worked the other closer and closer to orgasm. With their eyes locked, they came together in another passionate kiss, each moaning uncontrollably with pleasure. The kiss was the last straw for them both. Both their cocks pulsed hard as each member shot long, white streaks of cum across each others chest and stomach. The two continued to kiss as they shuddered in ecstasy, eyes rolled back as they were overcome with the moment. Sonic slowly pulled his finger out of Tails pulsing hole, and soon after the peak the two finally broke their kiss. Sharing a look of mutual fulfillment and admiration, Sonic and Tails felt their connection was even more intense than before. 

“I guess we should clean up, huh?” Tails whispered after a while, still locked in a wet, sticky embrace.
“Probably.” Sonic said. “This place have a shower that we can share? I got a whole lifetime of new memories to make with you and I still have a few lost ones to try and make up for.”
“I'm not too sure, but I don't think it really matters.” Tails responded, beaming at his friend and lover. “Thanks to you, I think we've solved the key behind memories in general, y'know? It's about how you make them...especially when it comes to making them with people you love and people who love you.”
The two shared another loving look and a quick kiss. A warm loving feeling returned to both of them despite the mess they had just overcome, as well as the mess of cum all over them.