Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Maria sighed. 

Another day, another dead end.

Six years and still no sign of Sonic.

Chaos, she hoped he was alright. She still remembered the look on his face when he realized Shadow was hurt, the last thing he saw before he ran away too fast to follow…

There was also still no sign of Shadow yet again. One year of a hedgehog that was mentally and physically in his late teens and who was going through an edgy phase let loose upon the world because he stormed out of the house because she committed the horrible crime of forgetting to get coffee beans at the store.

And the neighborhood gossip asked why she never had children of her own. Shadow was the cause of every single one of her gray hairs. Why her grandfather had to give her a little brother that had to age to adulthood so slowly was beyond her. Sonic had been affected too after the transfusion, albeit not to the same extent. Which probably explained everything now that she thought about it.

Maria sighed again, plopping down on the couch to flip through the channels again. Choosing a random reality detective show by someone named Vector the Crocodile, she sipped her tea…

…and immediately spat it out upon seeing a very familiar blue hedgehog on the screen.

“What the f- where is this???” she demanded, pulling up the episode description and immediately groaning. “Bygone Island… of course he ended up where my idiotic cousin chose to live… at least I can hack into his systems for information I guess…”

Hacking into said idiotic cousin’s systems took no time at all. She was able to confirm that Sonic was indeed on that island and safe.

Maria stared at the footage for far longer than she should have. How could she not? This was the first time she had seen her other little brother in years.

Sonic had grown in the past six years. Now he looked to be around eighteen or nineteen, not far off from how old he actually is. Thank Chaos, she didn’t have to deal with another hedgehog that stayed in his teenage phase for far too long.

Sonic looked desperately in need of a good quill brush, but he otherwise looked perfectly healthy. Good. He was taking care of himself at least that much.

She was already making plans to head to this island when a video involving another hedgehog caught her eye.

All she could do for the longest time was put her head in her hands and wonder where exactly she went wrong with Shadow. Why had he thought being an edgy try hard villain was a good idea? Why?

Maria sighed and opened her email to inform everyone that she would be out of town for the foreseeable future.

She had two little brothers to retrieve.

Shadow stared at the scene.

He turned around and ran through a cold waterfall, drying himself as he ran back.

No, his idiotic rival was really sitting in the middle of the forest cooking something in a pot over a campfire.

Had he been transported to an entirely different world? It was the only thing that made any sort of sense.

He lived in this wonderful world of denial before the idiot had to open his mouth and ruin it.

“Shadow, I’m really not in the mood. If you’re going to try and beat me up, can you at least wait until after I’m done eating? I finally found the time to cook something so I get food that isn’t shitty shit from Meh Burger without the whole town finding out and dragging me into a cook off or something, and I will get so pissed off if you ruin it.”

Shadow blinked. He had many questions now. First… “How did you notice me, hedgehog? You have not taken your eyes off of the slop you call food for an instant.”

Had the blue idiot tensed when he asked that? “I can sense your ridiculous amount of edginess from here,” he said, stirring whatever was in the pot.

Shadow narrowed his eyes. “An evasive answer.”

Now the blue idiot rolled his eyes. “Seriously, not in the damn mood.”

“Why are you swearing?”

“The show got canceled. I’m free to curse as much as I damn well please.”

“Ah.” Shadow paused. “...Damn,” he whispered, knowing a small grin was tugging at his lips and not caring because it felt so good..

The blue idiot snorted. “Not so above it all, are you Shads?” he said, finally looking at him with a grin.

Shads.

He should punch him for daring to think he would accept such an inane nickname from someone such as him. Nicknames implied that they were friends, that there was anything other than a deadly rivalry between the two of them.

Yet why did his heart suddenly feel warm from it? Every other time he so much as looked at the other hedgehog he felt nothing but anger and annoyance…

And why did he feel hurt as he watched the realization of what he’d said cross Sonic’s face and his whole expression drop as he turned back to stare at the pot? “Seriously though, I’m not in the mood to fight. If that’s what you’re looking for, come back later.”

“Did something happen with that idiotic village?” Shadow asked, surprising himself. Why did he care?

The blue hedgehog just snorted. “What didn’t happen with them?” he said, stirring whatever was in the pot.

Whatever was in that pot smelled really, really, really good.

Before he could stop himself, Shadow said, “...I will not fight you if I get some of that.”

The blue hedgehog just stared at him with wide eyes, mouth open. Finally, he looked like the idiot he was. “Uh… sure? I was planning for leftover chili, but it’s not like it tastes as good heated up, so you can have some if you really want it still?”

Chili. Of course it was that. At least there were none of those hot dogs around, and the smell was very appealing.

It actually reminded him of Maria’s.

Maria… Shadow missed her. Some days the urge to go home was overwhelming.

Then he remembered the lecture about worrying her he’d get and the urge dissipated. Best to delay that as long as possible.

Shadow dragged over a fallen log. Much better to sit on that than on the ground. And it gave him an excuse to watch the hedgehog opposite him.

The blue hedgehog was completely tense, spines standing up defensively, jaw tight as he stared at the chili. Something truly must have happened with that idiotic village for him to act like this.

Shadow didn’t care. He truly didn’t.

He was simply bored and figured asking about it would pass some time as they waited for their meal to finish cooking. “What happened with the idiotic villagers this time? Have you finally realized that they mean nothing and deserve to be attacked by the idiotic ‘scientist’ that thinks naming himself after an egg is a good idea?”

The blue hedgehog snorted again. “Please, I figured that out a long time ago. You think I like getting turned on every other day?” He shook his head with a sigh. “They’ve never apologized for anything. Nevermind that I save them on a weekly basis because they can’t do anything on their own.”

“Why do you stay here then?” Shadow asked, surprising himself. “Your pathetic friends?”

“They aren’t pathetic, you edgelord!” the blue hedgehog defended, shooting him a glare. “But no, they aren’t the reason why. Tails would come with me if I left, he’s my little bro. Zooey being here might make him pause for a moment, but he has a plane to come visit. Knux followed me here to begin with, doubt he has that much attachment to this place if we left. If nothing else, Ames would be happy to go somewhere with more clubs for her to join. Sticks… probably depends, I’ll admit, but I can see her sticking around us- heh, sticking around.” 

Shadow growled. “You had better pray that the food finishes quickly, hedgehog.”

The blue hedgehog just raised his arms in defense. “But yeah, no. I’m not worried about losing them.”

“Then why? Are you a masochist?”

He didn’t answer the question.

Instead, he stirred the chili some more and gave it a small taste test. “Good news, chili is done Shadow!” he grinned, grabbing a couple bowls out of a bag and tossing one at him.

Shadow blinked, easily catching it. “I require a spoon.” Said spoon hit him in the face a moment later. He growled and told himself that starting a fight would only ruin the very good smelling food in front of him.

By the time he had convinced himself of that fact, the hedgehog opposite him had already gotten his own bowl ready and was chowing down, expression showing just how happy he was with it.

Shadow got his own bowl of chili at a far more sedate pace. Expecting nothing, he took a bite-

And almost let slip just how good it was with a moan.

It was far spicier than he preferred, but that did not detract from it was by far the best food he’d had since running away, and he kept shoving it in his mouth, savoring every single drop of this glorious meal.

He was almost finished with his serving before it hit him that it tasted exactly the same as the chili Maria made, just hotter.

Shadow froze.

He took another bite.

No, he was not imagining things.

He was truly tasting Maria’s chili recipe for the first time in a year.

“Please Shadow? Please join us making dinner?” Sonic asked, green eyes pleading.

Shadow almost cracked. Sonic rarely asked for anything, always saying he could take care of himself even though they’d found him curled up under a bush, shivering because his body was unable to take in the amount of Chaos Energy he needed to use his powers.

He was saved by Maria putting a hand on Sonic’s head. “Sonic, Shadow is banned from cooking after the last incident,” she reminded him.

Sonic just pouted. “But how is he supposed to learn how to make chili so he can have it whenever he wants?”

“I guess you’ll just have to learn how to make it for him, won’t you?” Maria smiled.

Sonic grinned, bouncing in place as he nodded. “I can! I’ll make you all the chili you could want Shads!”

“I’ll hold you to that, Sonic,” Shadow said, letting a grin tug at his own lips.

What. The. Hell.

“Sonic,” Shadow whispered, staring down at his bowl, “why do you know Maria’s chili recipe.”

Sonic didn’t answer. When Shadow glanced up, he saw the most shocked and terrified look he had ever seen on Sonic’s face. “Sonic. How. Do. You. Know. It.”

Sonic’s mouth opened and closed a few times. “Um… well… it’s a funny story-”

They were cut off by the sound of an aircraft flying through the sky.

Normally neither of them would think anything of it. The fox flew through the air often enough that everyone on the island was used to it.

What they heard was not the sound of the fox’s plane.

No, this was a completely different plane, one that Shadow unfortunately recognized.

“Maria,” he whispered.

Sonic’s eyes were as terrified as his. “Shit,” he whispered.

They shared a moment of terror. Shadow didn’t know why exactly Sonic was scared of Maria, but he wouldn’t complain. He would accept any ally in hiding from the most terrifying person he had ever met no matter who they were.

Even if it was Sonic, who he thought he had never met before he arrived on this stupid island.

“You want to start on a burrow under the bush over there while I put the stuff away?” Sonic whispered.

Shadow nodded and ran off to start on the burrow as Sonic hurriedly started putting the pot and bowls back in the back and extinguished the fire.

They both knew hiding was futile, but they had to try.

Chapter Text

Sonic was shaking like a leaf in the wind, only instead he was a hedgehog curled into a ball hiding in a tiny burrow under a random bush. He kind of hated himself for this, but he couldn’t help it.

At least the other hedgehog next to him was doing the exact same thing.

Shadow… Chaos, all the memories he’d tried and failed to repress kept coming back every single time he saw him.

They’d just been playing around that day. Why did trying to harness his Chaos Energy while doing something besides running have to hurt someone he’d thought of as family, as his brother? All he’d done was try and create a shockwave using his speed. Shadow had done stuff like that all of the time, had even walked him through how he did it in hopes that it would help him.

Sonic could still remember the excited look in Shadow’s eyes as they got ready to try it out.

Now those eyes rightfully looked at him with nothing but hatred.

Shadow had apparently even lost his memories and yet he still remembered enough to hate him.

It’s what he deserved, wasn’t it?

Maybe he should just leave this stupid island. He could leave in the middle of the night, leave his communicator in that stupid shack, leave a note for his friends so they wouldn’t try to find him.

He’d only end up hurting them too.

“Hedge- Sonic, are you crying?”

How the hell was Shadow able to- oh yeah. Stupid ability to see with bad lighting. Sonic was really glad Maria had filtered out the creepy alien DNA before the transfusion, but he kind of wished he could see in the dark too and not just rely on his sense of smell and hearing.

Why was Shadow actually looking at him with concern though? “Why are you acting like you care?” Sonic forced himself to spat, determinedly looking away from him.

Shadow didn’t answer.

Instead, an all too familiar hand landed on his shoulder.

The shock was enough to make him stop crying all together. “...Shadow. What are you doing.”

“Comforting you.”

“...Why?”

“...I don’t know,” Shadow said, voice full of nothing but confusion.

Okay, this day had officially entered his top five weirdest days. Even back then Shadow wasn’t the most comforting guy ever. Why was he doing this now after everything? This was just weird.

Now the emotion that reigned in the tiny burrow they were willingly stuck in was confusion rather than fear.

That changed when the scent hit their noses.

A should be extremely weird combination of flowers, coffee, and metal… Sonic wanted to cry again. He hadn’t smelled that in too long.

It almost made him want to come out.

He couldn’t bring himself to though.

Not when he could still remember the shocked look Maria had given him after the accident.

If Shadow had blamed him even when he couldn’t remember, there was no way Maria wouldn't.

And then he heard her voice and a tear fell out despite his best efforts.

“Shadow? Sonic? I know you two are here, would you please come out?”

He wanted to, oh how he wanted to, but he couldn’t. She may have said that kindly, but he couldn’t come out and look at her face, not when he knew exactly what her expression would be.

After a minute, he heard her sigh and say, “Okay, so we’re doing it this way.”

The next thing he knew he and Shadow were being lifted up by a giant shovel and dragged away.

Sonic’s worry over what she’d say to him was overcome by one single thought:

Where did she get that giant shovel?????

Maria sighed as she dumped her two idiotic brothers on the floor of her plane. 

Neither of them uncurled. They instead chose to just shake a little bit in what she recognized as fear. Warranted for Shadow, but Sonic being so fearful of what she’d say to him…

Her plan had been to yell at Shadow for his stupid decisions first, but she couldn’t leave Sonic to wallow in misery like this longer than she had to.

Maria knelt in front of Sonic, not too close so she didn’t get pricked by his spines, but close enough that if either of them reached out they could easily hold onto the other. “Sonic? Whenever you are ready, could you look at me, please?” she asked, making certain to keep her voice light and kind.

For the longest time, the only sound was the ticking of the clock in the corner.

Kneeling was starting to get difficult- she wasn’t as young as she once was- but she didn’t care.

A slight bit of pain was nothing compared to reconnecting with her lost brother.

Eventually, the blue spiky ball uncurled just enough for her to see two green eyes peeking out at her, both of them full of fear.

Maria gave him the gentlest smile she could. “I am so glad to see you, Sonic!” she said.

Now those eyes were filled with confusion.

Said confusion only increased when she reached out and very carefully patted his forehead. “You look like you’ve been taking care of yourself! I’m glad! I remember you refusing to take a bath a few too many times. Glad you got out of that phase!”

Sonic just stared at her, confusion clear on his face. “You… you don’t hate me?” he asked, voice tinier than she had ever heard before.

Maria felt her heart break. He thought she hated him?

Not for the first time she cursed all of the people that had thought Sonic meant nothing after his parents died and left him alone. He should never doubt that the people that mattered cared about him.

“No, I don’t,” she whispered, stroking his forehead some more. “What happened was an accident, and even if it had not been, I could never hate one of my little brothers, no matter what. Be disappointed, yes, but I do not feel even that towards you. No, I’m only relieved to see that you are alright.” She retracted her hand, only to hold it out in an invitation as she repeated, “I could never hate you.”

She didn’t expect Sonic to leap into her arms for a hug, but she welcomed it.

He was hugging her tight, but she didn’t make any move to let him go. All she did was hold him, carefully rub his back, and refused to care about the way he was getting her coat wet.

Maria did glance over at Shadow once, finding that he had uncurled as well, his face the picture of shock as he stared at nothing, eyes completely unfocused. Hopefully he was remembering the good times between him and Sonic so maybe she wouldn’t have to be quite as harsh with her words when it was his turn.

Eventually, Sonic completely relaxed in her arms, tears apparently spent for now as he leaned against her, breaths coming far more evenly than before.

Regardless, neither of them made any move to let go until the silence was broken by the other hedgehog in the room.

“What the hell is wrong with me?” Shadow asked, still staring at nothing.

Sonic started laughing and oh, how Maria loved that sound. “Lots of stuff, Shads!” he said, finally letting go and smirking at his brother.

Shadow not even reacting to that proved just how shaken he was. “How did I forget about Sonic?” he whispered, looking lost.

“You should know that Chaos Energy is unpredictable by now,” Maria said, raising an eyebrow at him. “Did you never listen to my explanations about it? Or did you ignore that just like you ignored all of the attempts I made to teach you that pretending to be an edgy try-hard villain would never get you anywhere?”

Things were not back to how they had been, not even close. Maria was not foolish enough to believe that would happen so fast.

And yet she could not help but feel happier than she had in years as Shadow hunched in on himself while Sonic gave him a shiteating grin. “...You looked through Eggman’s files before you came here,” Shadow muttered, looking anywhere but at her.

“I did,” Maria said. “Please explain to me why you thought your actions were wise ones.”

“Yeah, explain them, Shads!” Sonic chimed in, grin still on his face even when Shadow shot him a look. “Wait, how did you know to look here in the first place?”

“Vector the Crocodile’s detective show came on the television,” Maria said, looking at her youngest brother. “I was very surprised when I saw you featured on that particular episode and that was how I found you after searching for the past six years.”

She wished she could wipe away that fragile look on Sonic’s face. “...You… you were looking for me?” he whispered.

Once again, Maria wanted to punch anyone that made him feel less than he was.

“I was,” she said, shoving those thoughts away as she usually did, instead choosing to reach out and clasp his shoulder with a soft smile. “I refused to leave you be to believe that everything was your fault.”

She refused to let anything ruin that fragile hope in those green eyes.

It reminded her of when they first found Sonic and told him that they could help him with his unstable Chaos Energy.

“In fact, I doubt Shadow blames you for what happened, correct?” She asked, turning her head to give the other hedgehog a Look.

Shadow shuffled in place, not looking at them. “...No. I don’t. I don’t remember all of the incident, but I do know that it was not your fault.” He tilted his head, glancing at them before looking away again. “...What exactly happened that day?”

Sonic shrugged, looking just as confused as him.

Maria sighed. Of course neither of them knew. “I caught some of the footage from the last intact camera I set up around your training area. It appeared that Sonic attempted to use Chaos Blast and it backfired. It was not necessarily a terrible idea, but Chaos Energy works differently for everyone. We did the transfusion to stabilize the amount that Sonic already had inside him. It can’t give someone the same exact abilities, nor can it make anyone more intune to Chaos Energy than they already were. I explained this when it happened.”

She had made sure to explain it all to both of them before they even started the process. She loved her grandfather and did miss him, but she had never been happy with the fact that he never fully got Shadow’s consent to use his blood to help heal her when they were younger.

She refused to even contemplate doing the same thing.

Neither of them said anything for a minute.

She did catch Shadow briefly look at Sonic with a contemplative expression, however.

Which made her remember that she still needed to discuss Shadow’s recent actions with him.

Maria clapped her hands and smiled at Shadow.

Judging by the way he started inching back with a wary look on his face, he knew exactly what was coming.

There was no hiding, however.

“Now that we got that out of the way, Shadow, would you mind explaining why you thought your recent actions were good ones? For instance, why did you stop them from immediately sending my idiotic cousin’s counterpart back to his world in favor of letting an anomaly spread?”

Ah, now Shadow was fully curled up into a ball. Hedgehog instincts were far too strong for alien ones to overcome, as she had seen many times. “...It seemed like it would be good for my image.”

Maria rolled her eyes, getting comfortable on the ground. She wasn’t going to stand up anytime soon. “Yes. Your image. That would obviously still exist if the world was destroyed by an anomaly.”

Shadow’s sigh was hard to hear over Sonic’s laughter.

As it should be.