[There's a tremendous difference between hearing about something, studying something, and seeing it. For all the times he's intensely studied Sonic and his friends, never once has Neo stopped and actually considered their actions. He knows Amy loves Sonic because she says it. Seeing it laid out for him like this - her relentless pursuit, her dedication to the man who saved her, and the feelings Sonic has toward her that slip through the bond...
Is that what love is like? Rather than a foreign concept that he's only heard of in passing, this is something real, something tangible.
—And isn't it a bit comparable to his own situation?
After all, he is entirely dedicated to pursuing Sonic. He would chase him to the ends of the earth and beyond - and that this point it isn't just to ensure Sonic dies at his hands. He can't kill Sonic here in any way that matters, and yet he didn't hesitate to chase him down today, just to see what was troubling him so. And as for dedication? Well, how much more dedicated can one be when their entire existence revolves around another person? Eggman's orders or otherwise, this is what Neo has chosen for himself.
Sonic is the center of his world. Isn't that love?
...Impossible. I do not have feelings. There's no reason to compare our situations at all.
But he's starting to understand why Sonic always runs from Amy. Why he ran from this entire topic of discussion to begin with. Sonic's afraid. He's afraid of not being good enough. Sonic, of all people, being afraid of such a thing... it's truly baffling. The confusion is still present, of course, but it's slowly being outweighed by determination, that Sonic just needs to take a step back to realize he's being so stupid about all of this—
And then Neo's thoughts are abruptly derailed by Sonic's statement.]
...What?
[The sudden force at which Sonic's thoughts are shut from his own mind causes him to recoil a bit. No, that... That makes sense. They're getting too tangled in each other's thoughts, and there are things that are best kept separate, but...
...Ugh. This is doing his head in. Neo finally moves to let Sonic up entirely, moving to sit in the snow beside the hedgehog so he can direct his gaze to the trees rather than Sonic himself. He's starting to see why Sonic didn't want to think about this.
I can't be whatever it is you want me to be. I simply don't have the capacity to feel like others do. But this changes nothing. You understand that, don't you? That no matter what, I will always be your rival. Anyone would be lucky to have you. You'll make someone very happy someday. ...I hope you won't forget me.]
no subject
Is that what love is like? Rather than a foreign concept that he's only heard of in passing, this is something real, something tangible.
—And isn't it a bit comparable to his own situation?
After all, he is entirely dedicated to pursuing Sonic. He would chase him to the ends of the earth and beyond - and that this point it isn't just to ensure Sonic dies at his hands. He can't kill Sonic here in any way that matters, and yet he didn't hesitate to chase him down today, just to see what was troubling him so. And as for dedication? Well, how much more dedicated can one be when their entire existence revolves around another person? Eggman's orders or otherwise, this is what Neo has chosen for himself.
Sonic is the center of his world. Isn't that love?
...Impossible. I do not have feelings.
There's no reason to compare our situations at all.
But he's starting to understand why Sonic always runs from Amy. Why he ran from this entire topic of discussion to begin with. Sonic's afraid. He's afraid of not being good enough. Sonic, of all people, being afraid of such a thing... it's truly baffling. The confusion is still present, of course, but it's slowly being outweighed by determination, that Sonic just needs to take a step back to realize he's being so stupid about all of this—
And then Neo's thoughts are abruptly derailed by Sonic's statement.]
...What?
[The sudden force at which Sonic's thoughts are shut from his own mind causes him to recoil a bit. No, that... That makes sense. They're getting too tangled in each other's thoughts, and there are things that are best kept separate, but...
...Ugh. This is doing his head in. Neo finally moves to let Sonic up entirely, moving to sit in the snow beside the hedgehog so he can direct his gaze to the trees rather than Sonic himself. He's starting to see why Sonic didn't want to think about this.
I can't be whatever it is you want me to be. I simply don't have the capacity to feel like others do.
But this changes nothing. You understand that, don't you?
That no matter what, I will always be your rival.
Anyone would be lucky to have you.
You'll make someone very happy someday.
...I hope you won't forget me.]