Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Perspective was a wonderful thing.

A field not too far from the Restoration Camp lay undisturbed by the hands of people. Grass and flowers blew gently under the moonlight, reflecting a shiny blue that made the place feel straight out of a fantasy story. Fireflies hummed gently in the breeze, not nearly matching the abundance of stars that twinkled with as much vigor above them. Sonic smiled as he jogged lightly into this field, scanning the ground for a familiar face that only he was expecting here. He grinned once he found it, tail wagging as he made his way over, a skip in his step. “Heya Shadow!”

The dark hedgehog groaned, unmoving from the grass below as Sonic glanced at him. Shadow lay on his back with hands folded over his chest, looking almost peaceful if not for the annoyed look now on his face. “What do you want, hedgehog?” He growled, but Sonic noted he made no indication to leave despite the bark in his voice. The hero chuckled, taking the opportunity to lie down beside the G.U.N. agent in the grass. Getting comfortable on his side, he rested his head in one hand as his tail wagged even more. 

“Oh don’t be like that, Shads! This is the closest place to home where I can stargaze in peace without worrying about some late-night Egghead attack,” the blue blur yawned, green eyes shifting to the sky. “Besides, stargazing with a buddy is always cool!”

“Then why don’t you take your fox friend and find some other field,” Shadow opened his own eyes, glaring weakly at Sonic with a forced attitude. Without the bite to his words his annoyance was simply a facade, something they’d both come to know at this point. Still, he insisted on trying. “I think you just came here to spite me.’

Sonic returned his gaze to his rival with a laugh, observing how Shadow’s ears twitched at the sound. “I could say the same thing to you too, pal! There are so many fields like this one on Earth, and yet you choose the one closest to my house every time despite knowing I’m coming here too…” Smug, he waved a finger at the other with a coy expression. “I think you just came here because you love my company~!”

If looks could kill, Sonic would’ve been dead and buried years ago with the look Shadow just gave him. He got no other response to his words, which only caused the hero to laugh some more.

When the laughter died down, a comfortable silence settled between them. It lingered for a while, Sonic’s eyes on the sky as Shadow’s remained closed. Grass tickled Sonic’s sides as the wind blew gently once more. Peace was a short-lived concept. Yet here in this field, on this gentle, quiet night, one could experience it fully.

After a while, Sonic carefully turned to face the other again. Tracing his gaze from the dark hedgehog’s ears to eyes, nose, lips, and back up again, he broke the silence with a gentle whisper.

“Do you like stargazing, Shadow?” He was curious as to why the other laid out here with his eyes closed when he could be taking in the sky. Napping outside was fun, but the other was still clearly awake with how his ears moved at every sound. The G.U.N. agent grunted, eyes still closed.

“...Not particularly.” There was a hint of exhaustion in his tone. Sonic cocked his head to the side, knuckle pressed against his chin as he watched the other’s body language. When Shadow made no indication to elaborate, Sonic took the opportunity to press just a bit further. 

“I’m surprised! I only ever see you here at nighttime. We’re far from any major cities, so no light pollution, and we’re nestled in one of the best places on the planet to see as many constellations and planets as possible. Frankly, I’m surprised tourists haven’t overridden this field yet.”

Shadow shifted uncomfortably under Sonic’s gaze. He was quiet, and Sonic thought he wouldn’t continue the conversation. He was about to change topics when the other opened his crimson eyes, looking as though his mind were elsewhere when he spoke next, clearly pained by the memories that drifted into his mind. “I don’t… like space. Stars - meteors - approaching the Ark always terrified the scientists on board. I thought seeing them from the Earth’s surface would make me forget that, but…” He trailed off with a sign. Ruby eyes were hidden once more as he tried to relax himself. Bitterness visibly took hold of the gloomy hedgehog. “Nothing good comes from space…”

Sonic almost smiled despite the feelings the other shared. In these late nights with just the two of them, Sonic would typically talk the other’s ear off. He didn’t mean to, but there was something about his rival in a non-combat situation that made interacting initially so awkward. Seeing him open up about things now was huge progress in Sonic’s book. The hero leaned closer with half-lidded eyes, now inches from Shadow’s muzzle. The other didn’t seem to notice.

“...That’s fair. After going to space a few times, I can’t say I care for it either. And I will admit, meteors up close are pretty scary!” The hero felt nostalgic for a moment, sighing contently. “But, I do think that the distance we have here on Earth is what makes stars so cool to people living here. They represent many things depending on where you live. Wishes, dreams, achievements, prophecies… Heck, even Gods!”

“But… I think the one thing everyone agrees with is that the stars - er, space in general - represent the thrill of adventure! There’s something exciting about tackling the unknown, and I think people look up to the sky to inspire them. Besides, there’s something really important that comes from space. I don’t know what I’d do without it…” 

Sonic watched as Shadow slowly opened his eyes, turning to face him. The other froze when he finally noticed their closeness. The Ultimate Lifeform’s expression was unreadable, crimson eyes glued to Sonic’s forest green. The hero wished he could read minds. He wondered what Shadow thought of this romantic atmosphere, of how close they were in this moment, of him.

“... Like… what…?” Shadow’s voice was small, though still unreadable. Sonic smiled widely, pointing a gloved hand directly skyward. This visibly confused the dark hedgehog, who turned his head in the same direction.

“...Wi-Fi!” Sonic proclaimed with a grin.

Shadow’s gaze returned to his. He blinked. Opened his mouth. Blinked again. Close his mouth. His ear twitched. A long silence lingered. Sonic was about to say something else when Shadow’s fist locked squarely with his head.

“W-Woah, hey! Ow!” The hero raised his arms to protect his head with a yelp as Shadow sat up to keep attacking him. “I’m sorry! I get it, bad joke! I couldn’t help myself - ow!”

“You’re! An! Idiot!” Shadow growled, his hits growing weaker before he fell back down on his back with an indignant huff. Sonic laughed, lowering his arms slowly with an amused wince. He could make out the faintest hint of red on the other’s cheeks. Worth it. 

“Okay, but you have to admit the comedic timing of that was -” Sonic cut himself off wisely for once at the look Shadow gave him. Pushing his luck was not on his to-do list. The other moved to leave when Sonic quickly grabbed his wrist, panicking. 

“Wait, Shadow, I’m sorry. I do have something serious to say, hear me out!” He pleaded softly. He’d never force the other to stay - not that he thought he even could - but he’d hate to be the reason Shadow went home pissed. The other hedgehog growled before settling back down with a frown. It was an opportunity that Sonic had to take. The blue hero moved his hand down Shadow’s wrist to hold the other’s hand in his. The dark hedgehog stared, mouth drawn into a thin line. Sonic took a deep breath.

“In all seriousness,” he ran his thumb along Shadow’s knuckles in a comforting gesture. “I do understand why you’d hate anything to do with space. There are a lot of bad memories there that I know you don’t want to think about. I can… understand that… But,” Sonic cleared his throat with a shake of his head. After a moment he moved his other hand so he could hold Shadow’s in both of his. “Many people have looked to the sky at night and thought to themselves ‘Hey, I want to make a difference! I want to help people!’ Some would do that here on Earth, but other people went up to space because they wanted to save lives. And… well, they ended up making you! So, objectively speaking, space isn’t that bad!”

Sonic moved closer, holding Shadow’s hand against his chest as he gazed at the other, eye contact unwavering. Their noses were so close. Any onlooker would’ve thought they were… 

“Still, I understand. Those bad memories won’t go away. That’s perfectly okay. I just hope you can form newer, better ones under the stars this time…”

He trailed off finally, really taking in the other’s expression. He had never seen that look on Shadow’s face before. It reminded him of when he saved a stranger, pure awe and whimsy in their eyes, mouth agape with words they wanted to say but were unable to. Typically their cheeks weren’t burning so red that their muzzle blended into their fur in the dim light, though that was a welcomed change. 

Shadow wasn’t saying anything though, and Sonic worried he broke the poor guy. He lightly patted the agent’s hand, hoping to shake him out of it. “Er, Shadow, you okay? Your face is red…”

Remembering where he was, Shadow stood up abruptly, knocking the blue blur onto his back. Sonic yelled as he fell, grass and leaves ruffling around him as he blinked rapidly.

“I… I have to go, I’ve been here too long,” Curtly, the dark hedgehog turned to leave, avoiding Sonic’s gaze at all costs. The hero was standing as quickly as he fell, grabbing Shadow’s wrist again.

“Wait, Shads, one sec.”

Sonic was honestly surprised when Shadow stopped and slowly turned back to him. He wanted to commend the bravery, but he was on a roll and he didn’t want to lose his streak. When Shadow’s eyes met his again, Sonic leaned forward. The Ultimate Lifeform stiffened, eyes wide, face somehow turning even redder… But he didn’t move… Who knew what he was thinking… 

…When Sonic lifted his hand and brushed some grass off the top of the slightly shorter hedgehog’s head. 

“There! Glad to help, buddy!” Sonic gave him his signature thumbs up, tail wagging again. 

Sonic knew he deserved the punch he got to his cheek this time. Still, as he fell to the ground with an off, he pictured Shadow’s face, contorted in embarrassment, rage, and… something else as he swore he’d kill the hero someday. Yeah. Still worth it.

Sonic lay where he fell when Shadow left. When he was sure the other hedgehog left, he released the breath he had been holding for the majority of that interaction. His cheeks burned with embarrassment now, tapping his knuckle against his forehead in admonishment as he rolled around in the grass in frustration.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid! ‘Wi-Fi’... Seriously?! Bro, you can’t be for REAL?!” The hero whined, his mind racing to replay everything that just happened. “At least I turned it around in the end, I think…” His mind replayed Shadow’s flushed expression over and over again. He sat up as the pressure in his chest grew.

‘Cute…’ Sonic folded his arms over his knees and pressed his muzzle against his arms to hide his blush. When he glanced at the sky again, he caught the tail end of a shooting star. If only Shadow had remained here, maybe they could’ve made a wish together… Groaning, the hero dragged his hands down his face, heart pounding. 

What this was was obvious, but it was truly unbearable. 

Admiration for the Ultimate Lifeform was not unusual. Even when they first met, sworn enemies battling on busted streets, twisting jungles, and government secret space facilities, the artificial hedgehog had been nothing less than impressive. Sonic had never before met someone who could match him in speed and skill, an adversary he had to push himself to conquer. It was exhilarating. Finding out about Shadow’s past made a lot of things click, and Sonic could only feel sympathy for the guy. When he witnessed Shadow’s fall to Earth those many years ago… Sonic was haunted. The memory kept him up for many weeks afterward, though he did the utmost to hide it from his friends. It wasn’t often he lost someone who was only an arm's length away. But Earth’s atmosphere did not allow him to get closer. He had cursed his weakness for such a long time.

Sonic could not save Shadow the Hedgehog. 

It was the worst moment of Sonic’s life. 

When Shadow returned, amnesia-ridden and lost, Sonic felt a relief and worry he was not accustomed to. The actions of the Ultimate Lifeform strayed from heroic to horrific during the Black Arms invasion, but it was a complicated journey that he knew the other needed to travel on his own. In the end, he did not need Sonic, or anyone, to make the right choice.

Sonic did not need to save Shadow the Hedgehog.

…This left the hero feeling very conflicted for a long time. Unpacking that is… something he is admittedly too selfish to do. Being a hero doesn’t make you flawless. 

After joining G.U.N., Shadow had mellowed out gradually. The competitiveness and grumpy exterior remained, only now it was accompanied by a wariness that could not be overcompensated anymore. It worried Sonic when it came to mind, though he had no idea how to ask about it. Instead, he decided to bother his rival as much as possible outside of when it was necessary. At first, Shadow didn’t open up to him at all. He’d berate the hero, dash away before Sonic could hope to get a real conversation going, or outright tune him out. Sonic was afraid Shadow just genuinely didn’t like him, but Rouge had assured him after one too many rejections that Shadow would come around gradually, that he was ‘socially awkward to a fault, but that he meant well’. One could only assume she spoke from experience. She suggested he keep some distance from Shadow for a bit until the agent himself struck up a conversation.

Sonic dreaded this idea initially. Shadow would never in a million years talk to him willingly, he had thought. However, like the wizard Rouge is, she had been correct. The next time the bat dragged her partner to a social gathering, he approached Sonic almost immediately.

What they were talking about and why they were even there is a memory lost upon Sonic. But what he could remember was the way his rival shuffled uncomfortably when they kept eye contact for too long, how he’d avert his gaze to anything else as Sonic made a joke, and how his mouth threatened to smile on multiple of those occasions. He remembered the way Shadow ran a hand through his quills as a self-soothing gesture, how his ears twitched every time Sonic laughed. Sonic had noticed Shadow moved his ears a lot when talking. The urge to pet them had been incredibly tempting.

‘Cute…’ That was the first time Sonic had thought of this word to describe Shadow. One emotional crisis later, and he’s resigned to himself that it was a word that would never change.

Having a crush was a unique experience. Being a free spirit, the idea of a person holding him back naturally put him off from all prospective relationships. He could not love someone in the way he loved the wind on his back. But, what if that someone could keep up with him too…? Amy would likely call this destiny. While Sonic didn’t believe in such things, the two rivals were complementary in ways that were beyond normal comprehension. They just… clicked, in Sonic’s opinion. 

Since that realization at the party, Sonic has been flirting in equally clever and disastrous ways. He initially started by finding the other hedgehog alone and hanging out in ways that would not invade the other’s space. It’s gotten to the point where even Shadow occasionally seeks out his company, and the two… talk whenever they’re alone. They rarely talk about serious things, but Sonic thinks there’s tension in the air whenever they meet. A good, maybe even romantic tension. He wonders if Shadow feels it too.

The hero is many things, but patience is not his best quality. The Ultimate Lifeform has been more expressive, and Sonic swears they get so close to crossing a line neither of them has ever trodden before. It’s usually Sonic who embarrasses the other to the point where he retreats, much like tonight, and the blue blur wants to bury his head in the dirt every time he does it. Shadow is prickly. Sonic is totally fine with taking charge, but he needs the other to express his contentment before things escalate. The problem is communication not being Shadow’s strong suit. He needs Shadow to say his feelings out loud, to confirm that he indeed feels what Sonic is feeling, to do something other than run. He feared the idea of doing something the other hated, and he feared Shadow wouldn’t tell him if he messed up. Taking it slow would be beneficial. Sonic knows this, but dammit, sometimes he wished he could just… Honestly, he was always afraid of finishing the thought.

Facing off against machines, aliens, and gods felt easier than this would ever be. Despite his contentment at the idea of leading in a romantic relationship, it would still be a territory neither of them could ever go back from. What would happen, say, the first time he would hold Shadow’s hand? Or kissed him? Or had him beneath him, making expressions no one but he would ever see… 

‘Oh god, what’s wrong with me…’ Sonic thought with a groan, burying his face in his hands with flushed cheeks.

He remained there for a while longer that night, his fantasies a mystery, until late in the night. When he realized the time he left the clearing, running to his room in the Restoration camp. He could only hope he didn’t wake Tails up…

—

“-nic, are you even listening?” Jewel the Beetle’s voice lulled him out of his daze, making the hero jump. 

“Wha- oh, sorry! Didn’t uh, sleep the best last night,” Sonic yawned with a stretch, joints popping loudly as Tails rolled his eyes beside him. 

“Sonic got back home at 4 AM Jewel, you’ll have to excuse him,” Tails eyed his brother teasingly, causing the hedgehog to groan. 

“I thought I didn’t wake you, dang it…”

“Sonic, my lab has a lot of important things in it. I get alerts on my phone if so much as a mouse sneaks inside.” Tails had told him this before, but the blue hedgehog simply forgot. He didn’t mind, as it was the hedgehog’s nature to roam wherever the wind took him be it night or day, but he WOULD like an answer whenever he asked. Sonic always made up a vague story about his whereabouts but never provided further details when asked. “I would still like to know where you go out too so late. If you wanted to sleep outside you would, but that’s not the goal with your late-night excursions.”

“I told you, I was… I just couldn’t sleep,” Sonic rubbed a finger under his nose, looking to the ceiling with pursed lips. A tell-tale sign he was hiding something, but Tails would not push it further. For now anyways.

“Well, if you need to sit out this assignment, by all means, do so!” Jewel gave Sonic a worried look, which he waved off with another loud yawn. “No, it’s fine. Sorry to make you repeat yourself, but can you run that by me again?”

“Right,” Jewel straightened out her suit, clearing her throat before looking at the computer on her desk again. “A city is being built a bit of a way from here. Construction is nearly complete, and we’ve been told it was established to house a lot of the homeless people displaced by Dr. Eggman’s attacks. This city is crucial, as its success will determine the funding of many cities like it in the future.” 

“Given its importance, surveillance has been established to ensure no villains tarnish any building structures before moving in. That’s when this-” she turned her monitor towards the two, revealing an image of what looked like Metal Sonic entering an alleyway. “-was spotted on camera. Eggman knows about this place. We have no information on his motives, but getting rid of Metal first so our people can investigate later would be the wisest course of action.”

“So you want me to go give my metal copy a butt-kicking, I getcha,” Sonic lounged in his chair now, grinning. “Shouldn’t be a problem. Give me the coordinates and I’ll check it out.” 

“Well, that is the plan, yes,” Jewel handed Sonic a piece of paper with the city’s location marked on the map. “I am sending a small task force nearby in case any more Badniks show up, but you’ll need to head there first. Tails will be part of that team if you need backup, just call him like you always do.”

“And just to add: Metal could very well not be there. But you must put the people behind this project at ease with your presence Sonic. You inspire a lot of important change, but I’m sure you know that!”

“Heh, yeah, I’m kind of a big deal!” Sonic ruffled Tails’ hair, making the kid laugh before standing. He checked the bracelet on his wrist that worked as a communication device, pulling his glove over it. “I’ll see you there Tails!”

“Bye S-” Tails shielded his face from the wind as Sonic disappeared from the room in a flash, knocking most of Jewel’s papers from her desk much to her dismay. Tails hurriedly helped her pick everything up, sighing. “...Sonic.” 

—

Sonic decided he did not like empty cities. 

He didn’t know why, but there was something unnatural about being in such a large place without a soul in sight. The city is supposed to be the embodiment of noise. Yet now, restaurants, public transport, apartments, parks, and stores are husks of what they should be. Sonic had to be sure to be thorough in his search. He’d hate for this place to remain empty forever. 

He will admit though: that empty cities made travel much faster. He swung from street light to balcony, tree to fence, and scoured the alleyways for any sign of Metal Sonic. He even found the alley where Metal’s photo had been taken, but it was empty. Nothing important. 

After a couple of hours of searching, Sonic huffed in annoyance. He tapped the button on his wrist, calling Tails. “Buddy, you there? Anything happening?”

Static. 

Sonic narrowed his eyes, smacking the bracelet before trying again. “Tails? Tails, buddy, do you copy?” Sonic checked the light on the side of the bracelet, sighing in relief that it glowed blue. Tails set it up so that if the device was broken on either end, it’d change to red. An easy and effective way of communicating that the other was incapacitated. The city must’ve lacked a satellite connection at this time. 

“Tch, so much for Wi-Fi,” Sonic shook his fist to the sky dramatically. “Shadow’s revenge… woe is me!” 

After making some funny faces at security cameras, Sonic sat in the middle of the street, closing his eyes to listen. He could hear the wind, blowing leaves and loose papers likely left by the construction crew. He could hear creaking from the buildings, though nothing of major concern. He could hear a machine whirring distinctly, and his ears strained to catch more. It wasn’t a car… it wasn’t a train… but it nonetheless sounded familiar. 

A shrill scream resounded through the empty streets. Sonic was on his feet immediately, taking off toward the sound. 

—

Sonic grunted in pain, the metal hand trapping him squeezing so tightly the pressure on his bones was unbearable. He kicked his legs beneath him helplessly, unable to pull his arms free from his sides. The evil cackle he was all too familiar with made his ears twitch, quills puffing up in a defensive gesture. 

"Hahahaha! What an excellent look for you, you meddlesome rodent!" The man's glasses glinted as he opened the window of his mech, looking positively giddy. Sonic was about to retort when the grip tightened even more, causing him to shout in pain. Eyes stinging, the hero bared his teeth in a feral grin, glaring at the man sitting idly in his mech.

The scream had been a trap. When Sonic found the source of it, from his distance, it appeared to be a construction worker, a fuzzy brown squirrel, on the ground with his back towards Sonic. Metal Sonic was standing over him, claws poised to deliver the final blow. Sonic had no time to think, he had to do what he had to do. 

When lives were not in danger, Sonic’s mind worked much like his body did. He may not look it, but plenty of his actions were calculated. From the simplest leap to the strongest spin dash, Sonic had to manage himself to avoid injuring himself or others with his high speeds. It came naturally to him, and his confidence led him to accomplish many great feats. When lives were in danger, however, that part of his brain shut off partly. Calculations were still being made, but his body moved almost on its own whenever anyone was in peril. He did not care for the harm that came his way in these moments. He was compelled to save someone, and saving them he would.

Many would consider this quality a positive attribute, but it was a trait easily abused by foes who knew of it. It’s why he gets caught so much. He simply cannot refuse to help another person. He would always put himself at risk to save them.

Always. 

Had he slowed down for merely a moment, he would’ve noticed the unnatural movements of the construction worker, like that of a robotic doll. Had his pace wavered slightly, he would’ve noticed Metal not gazing at the squirrel, but instead at the blue hero with an icy cold focus, like he had been expecting him. Maybe he would’ve heard the sounds of a large mech rushing towards him from behind. 

When Sonic finally got close, jumping through the air to deliver a kick to Metal’s face, he was shocked when his kick met air. He landed in front of the squirrel on his feet, turning to check for injuries. “Hey, you alright-”

He was met with an explosion. Nothing major, but it did knock the rings right out of him and launch his body into the hand of Eggman’s mech. Now you know!

“Yeah… Nice job, urgh, Egghead,” Sonic glared up at the man defiantly, struggling. “You caught me… you want a…medal?”

“I have no time for your snark, rat,” Eggman made a ‘go on’ gesture. Sonic jolted when Metal jumped up on the hand to stare down at him. “I’m only here for business. You’re going to be my test subject today!” 

“Augh!” Sonic snarled as Metal slammed his boot on the hero’s head, pressing it down at an angle to expose his neck. Sonic could barely see, but Metal was holding something in his free hand that reflected oddly in the light. A… syringe?

“Heh, ugh, didn’t know… you wanted to be a real doctor, Egghead, but… oof, I’m not due for a check-up… until next month!” 

“Even when at my mercy, you still crack jokes. Hedgehog, it’s becoming painfully obvious why you and your foolish friends and Restoration always bounce back. You simply do not fear me.”

The human sat back in his seat, his mech obscuring his face in shadows. His glasses still glinted maliciously in the light from what Sonic could see, and it sent alarm bells off in his head. The madman was utterly serious today. Whatever was in the syringe was not good. Against better judgment, he joked anyway. “That… that wasn’t, ugh, obvious to you…?”

“It was,” Eggman answered him seriously without pause. Sonic could feel sweat forming on his brow. His nemesis wasn’t blowing a casket like he normally did. A self-reflective Eggman is a dangerous Eggman.

“The worst part is that getting rid of you is not even an option,” Eggman stroked his mustache in thought, tone unreadable. “When all your friends thought you were dead, they stood up against me anyway. If I capture you and torture you, they will find the means to free you. Your heroism has influenced gods, living weapons of mass destruction, and every blasted creature on this planet. ‘Sonic’ is no longer just the hedgehog, but a concept that invokes joy in the hearts of many. As long as that image exists, I cannot win.”

Sonic froze when he felt the syringe’s needle against his neck, gritting his teeth. He howled when Metal injected him, the ominous red liquid emptying into his body. 

“This is a mere prototype, not even I know the side effects, but you’re the perfect rodent to test it on!” Eggman laughed again at the hero’s pain, clapping his hands together excitedly. Metal removed the needle from Sonic’s neck, expression as unmoving as always. Sonic panted, his neck burning as he thrashed about uselessly.

“What… What did you do?!” Sonic could feel the burning grow, and already his world was spinning. Whatever it was it was fast acting and sent his sense into overdrive. He gasped for air when Eggman released him, leaving him a shaking heap of quills on the ground. 

“Who knows! Hopefully, something that will help me be rid of your influence on the planet! I’ll be seeing you in three day’s time to gather data for this experiment!” Eggman laughed as he and Metal flew off, his voice ringing in the hero’s head. “Good luck, hedgehog! Hohohohoho~!”

“Get… ugh, get back… ah!” Sonic tried standing, falling to his hands and knees as the world continued to spin. He felt nauseous, pressing his forehead against the concrete as he curled defensively. The hero rolled onto his back in agony, writhing, doing everything in his power to get up. He could feel consciousness fading as he clawed at his body.

He could not hear the familiar sound of his brother flying near him, and he did not hear the shout Tails made. “Sonic?! Sonic, what happened?!”

The fox quickly ran and knelt at his side, examining him. Sonic was out cold, but his body moved in pain as his breathing labored pathetically. Tails could see now outward injury, but he knew he had to act fast. As carefully as possible, the young boy lifted his brother’s arm over his shoulders, holding onto his waist tightly. “Hold on Sonic! Let’s go get you help…” Tails did not let the lack of a response upset him. He had work to do. For his brother’s sake.

—

“What do you mean there’s nothing wrong with him?!” Amy held her hands together anxiously as she watched Tails pace back and forth in thought, yellow tails flicking behind him with every movement. “Sonic doesn’t just… get hurt like that for no reason! Surely there’s something?!”

“I didn’t say there was nothing wrong with him. I said the only outwardly odd thing I could find was a puncture wound on his neck,” Tails looked down at his notes, sighing. “It is very small, but the skin around the area is agitated. I’m assuming Dr. Eggman struck him with a needle.”

“A needle? Like, a syringe? And the doctors here couldn’t find any poison?” The pink hedgehog stepped forward to glance at his notes, worry as clear as day on her face. Tails should his head, holding the notes out for her to see. “No, nothing that exists in the database anyway. However, I am detecting that the Chaos energy he naturally produces seems to be imbalanced.” 

“Imbalanced? Okay, that’s a start then!” Amy glanced over at her hero Sonic, who was lying down on an observation table in the middle of Tails’ lab. He was still panting, eyes shut tight as a multitude of machines Tails attached to him hummed quietly. One of the Restoration nurses was busy at his side making him comfortable. The only deduction the medical staff could assume about his symptoms was it was not unlike a fever. But does a fever keep you unconscious like this for three days straight…

“Maybe we should call someone…? Someone who knows about Chaos energy?” Amy looked back at her shorter friend hopefully, her hands forming a prayer at her chest. 

Tails hummed in thought at that, still eyeing his notes. “Well, I tried contacting Knuckles but he hasn’t responded. Our best bet would probably be Shadow.”

“Shadow? You think he’ll help us?” Amy frowned a bit, eyes narrowed in thought. Her relationship with Shadow had its ups and downs, but she knew he had a good heart beneath that prickly exterior. Surely he wouldn’t deny helping them out now? “Do you have his number? …Er, does he even have a phone?” It had been a pain to convince Knuckles to get a phone way back in the day, she couldn’t picture the anti-hero being too fond of owning one either. 

Tails pulled out his communication device, plugging some numbers in immediately. “No, but I do have Rouge’s. And you know that wherever Shadow is, she’s not too far behind. I’ll give her a call, why don’t you go report to Jewel what our plan is?” 

Amy nodded, briskly walking away out of Tails’ workshop. She spared another pained look at Sonic before departing, sighing once she was out in the fresh air again. She knew that Tails assigned her this to give her something to do, as waiting idly by Sonic’s side would only stress her out more. She appreciated the fox’s empathy. Taking a deep breath, she began her walk to Jewel’s office, doing her best to hide the anxiety so clear on her face.

“Heya Pinkie, what's with the look? The blue bastard croak yet?” 

Amy blinked before sighing again, frowning warily. “No Surge, he’s okay. We’re gonna call Shadow to see if he can do anything.” 

“Ugh, damn. In that case, maybe the edge lord will fight me instead,” Surge the Tenrec yawned loudly, matching Amy’s pace with her arms folded behind her head. Amy wanted to point out the irony of calling Shadow the edge lord, but she held her tongue. 

Surge had been grinning, only to pause when Amy’s worried expression didn’t change. There was a moment of silence between them before the tenrec added on quickly. “Well, I’ll wait until Sonic’s better before fighting them BOTH head-on. When I win, maybe THEN you’ll be impressed!”

“...That would be a surprise,” Amy stopped to face the tenrec fully, her frown changing into a genuine smile. “But my darling Sonic could take both of you on and win no problem! Don’t underestimate him, they don’t call him a hero for nothing!” When it came to Sonic, she felt there was nothing the blue blur couldn’t do. Heck, she was confident he could likely beat anyone even in this weakened state. He had accomplished much harder before after all.
Surge scoffed, flashing her sharp teeth in a warning snarl. “Pfft, whatever! I’d fold him with my arms tied behind my back. Piece of cake! And once I beat them both, I’ll be the Hero of Earth AND the Ultimate Lifeform! Haha!” 

Amy shook her head, not out of annoyance but out of the silliness of her words. Surge and her fox companion, Kit, had joined the Resoration not too long ago out of the blue, and she supposed the two of them became fast… friends? In a weird way. Surge seemed drawn to the pink hedgehog for some reason. Amy never took her insults toward Sonic personally either. She had quickly learned that’s just how Surge talks, and considering her past Amy couldn’t exactly blame her for the animosity. It was also clear Surge wanted attention with those remarks, and Amy didn’t mind playing along. She just hoped one day they could all be friends, or at the very least allies!

“You know, when Shadow arrives I’d be careful saying that out loud. He’s very sensitive about his title!” Amy giggled fondly, memories of the anti-hero’s numerous ‘Ultimate Lifeform’ speeches filling her mind. 

Surge huffed, flexing her arms cockily. The two conversed on who would win in a fight on the way to Jewel’s office, and Amy pondered many things about the tenrec on the walk. How’d she know where Amy was today? Had she waited for her to leave Tails’ shop? By now she would’ve cussed Sonic out ten times over or threatened to go kill him, but instead, she seemed to be holding back. Did she… want Amy to feel better? 

Amy blushed lightly as Surge kept on rambling, lips pursed in thought. She did have to admit, Surge indeed helped her feel better. She felt gratitude swell in her heart, and now she believed Sonic would feel better so she could witness that fight!

—

“My my my, Blue is out of commission, hm?” Rouge tapped her cheek in thought as she observed the hedgehog on the table, still unresponsive to his friends around him. Shadow stood beside her silently, arms folded across his fluffy chest with an unreadable expression. Tails glanced between them nervously before nodding, holding his notes out for Shadow to take. Rouge rolled her eyes when he made no move of acknowledgment towards Tails, taking Tails notes with a nod of her head. She read through them quickly, raising an eyebrow.

“You weren’t kidding, this data indicates his Chaos is all over the place,” she flipped through to a different page, eyes narrowing. “A needle? You think Dr. Eggman injected him with something?”

“Yeah, I’ve already confirmed it's not any known poison, so I’m looking at alternatives,” Tails fidgeted with a strap that was secured around Sonic’s arm, mostly keeping himself busy to hide his nerves. “It was supposed to be a simple surveillance mission, nothing more. It was a trap.”

“Hmph. Pathetic,” Shadow’s sudden voice made Tails jump slightly as the dark hedgehog ran a hand through his quills. “Why the Doctor didn’t kill him there is a mystery.” Despite his cold words, he raised his hand, with small reluctance, to rest it against the hero’s forehead. Ruby eyes scanned over the panting body carefully. Tails blinked at this while Rouge just scoffed. He almost looked worried.

Tails could never tell what was going on in Shadow’s head, that’s why he made him so nervous. He trusts Shadow to ultimately do the right thing at this point, but he simply respects him and nothing else. He recalls one-time asking Sonic his thoughts on his rival a while ago, and Sonic had smiled in a way Tails had never seen before, eyes clouding with memories.

That wasn’t an unusual reaction when someone mentioned Shadow around Sonic. The blue hedgehog seemed particularly fond of his rival in a way that was… different than how he felt about all his other friends. Tails would never judge him for it, though he wondered what those looks on Sonic’s face reminded him of. The first thing that came to mind was how Amy looked at Sonic, but that would mean…

Sonic had seemed to catch himself, shaking his head before ruffling his brother’s hair playfully. ‘He’s not so bad Tails. Yeah, he’s rough around the edges but you know what he’s been through. He just… has a weird way of expressing himself, is all!’

Tails could hear Sonic’s voice in his ears now as he watched Shadow stare down at the other hedgehog. Tails could tell he was focusing on the Chaos energy Sonic was harboring, but any on-looker would think Shadow’s… trying to comfort his pained rival. Tails smiled and giggled at the thought, trying to hide it when Shadow glanced up at him. Well, it could always be both…

“...I can feel Chaos at any given time,” Shadow looked back down at the blue hedgehog with a huff, a look of pure focus on his face. “It flows through every living creature, and it can only be harnessed by few on command. Sonic has always had high Chaos energy flowing through him, but now I feel something unnatural in its weight. It’s artificial.”

“Artifical? You can tell that without doing tests?” Tails was intrigued, quickly moving over to his computer to type something in quickly. “Can you tell me anything else?”

“Yes. It is without a doubt familiar to me.”

Tails stopped, looking back at Shadow with wide eyes. The hedgehog made no indication to continue speaking, so Tails pressed forward. “That’s… That’s great! I can figure out how to fix this the sooner we narrow it down! What do you think it is?”

Shadow withdrew his hand from Sonic’s head, suddenly frowning darkly. Tails was taken aback by the change in expression, the tension in the air almost tangible. If Rouge could feel it she did not indicate it as she lightly patted her companion on the shoulder. 

“Shadow, you have to help Tails out here,” she cooed softly, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. The boy genius didn’t think many could get away with giving the Ultimate Lifeform affection, but Shadow made no move to brush her away. His hands balled into fists at his sides instead. 

“I know that. I would not hide anything!” Shadow snapped, surprising the bat beside him. The antihero pressed a hand to his forehead, sighing. “...Sorry. This artificial Chaos is not unlike the kind the Doctor makes into fake Chaos Emeralds. Touching those Emeralds made me lose control, and being near Sonic now is agitating me. It’s not poison, but it is toxic. Over-exposure could cause extreme side effects to beings who cannot harness Chaos like he and I do.” Shadow turned his head away from Sonic, observing the monitors and machines attached to his rival with a vulnerability on his face he could not hide. He was worried. “I can’t imagine being injected with this…” 

Tails nodded, tapping away at his computer still. This was cause for concern, but they could work with this information. He had no time to worry right now. “Anything else? You said it was similar, so it's not the same right?”

“Correct. The other artificial Chaos energy is used as an energy source. It is meant to be made, used, destroyed, and remade once more. This, however, is simply lingering in his body.” 

“So you mean it should’ve been expelled by now if this was the other fake Chaos Dr. Eggman made,” Rouge leaned against the table, concern on her face now. “Can you force it out Shadow?”

“I… have never tried using the Chaos energy in someone else’s body before,” Shadow's face was unreadable once more. “In theory, this could work, but Chaos should always flow, even the fake kind. Pulling from him would only put it into me, and if it triggers a similar reaction that other artificial Chaos causes, then you can consider your Restoration base a hole in the map.”

“But it’s not flowing here… Hm. You have more control over Chaos than anyone else does. If it’s within you, then you can expel it, right? You were able to gain control over the fake Chaos before, I’m sure you can do it again!” Tails paused, suddenly feeling sheepish. “Er, not that I’m forcing you Shadow. If you think you can’t handle it or that it’s too dangerous then we can think of something else-”

“I can handle anything,” Shadow cut him off with a growl. 

Now Tails just felt bad. The fox nodded apologetically, tails fluffing up behind him. “Of course, I didn’t mean to imply you can’t. But it is a risk, and I don’t want to push you into something you don’t want to do, is all. Sonic is stable, we don’t have to rush this.”

“...Hmph,” Shadow ran his hand through his quills again, contemplating. He jumped when Rouge slapped him on the back, a grin on her face. 

“You know he’s gonna say yes, Tails,” the jewel thief giggled, giving her wings a stretch. “We should take this somewhere outside though, just in case. While I believe Shads here can restrain any wild Chaos, it’s better safe than…”

She stopped, looking off to the side as her ears twitched. Shadow took one look at her before he bolted out the door at a high speed. Tails yelled in surprise. “What? Where’d he go-?”

The sirens began. Throughout the entire Restoration camp, there were screams. Commands shortly followed, muffled by the walls of Tails’ lab. He knew what this meant.

“Eggman’s here, and he’s got a whole bunch of bots with him,” Rouge was already making her way towards the door, determined. “You might want to lock down in here while we handle this, kid.”

“N-No. With Sonic here, we’ll need all the help we can get out there. My lab’s secured, he’ll be safe…” Tails gulped as he leaped after her, stopping by Sonic once before departing. “We’ll be back. You just focus on feeling better. We’ll save the day for once!” He made sure to place the lab on lockdown once outside. It was fine… they’ve beaten Eggman without Sonic before. This’ll be a breeze!

When the doors of the lab closed, the figure on the table stirred, his ears twitching at the sounds of sirens. One eye creaked open, the once vibrant green irises replaced by an inky black.

Chapter Text

“FINALLY!!! Some action!”

Surge cackled like a maniac as she rubbed her hands together, sparks flying as she did the motion and she sauntered towards a group of Badniks. Lightning flew at the snap of a finger, obliterating them instantly. “You better be keeping score, edge lord! I told Pinkie I’d be the winner tonight!”

“...’Edge lord’?” Shadow grumbled under his breath, summoning a Chaos Spear to destroy another group of enemy robots. Amy was off to the side helping evacuate the non-combatants from the area, her hammer resounding around the camp with every swing. 

“Don’t mind her Shadow! She’s new here, really uh… looks up to you and Sonic!” Amy swung her hammer, making a squeaking sound when she missed. She thought she was about to get attacked when Surge and Shadow rushed in front of her, destroying the Badnik with both of their powerful kicks combined. 

Shadow glared at Surge who only grinned cheekily. “I don’t know who you are.”

“WHAT?! Well, get to know me, Princess, cuz you’re about to eat my dust! I’m on 24!” Surge ducked at the last minute when a Badnik came up behind her, destroying it with a mere snap of her fingers. “Make that 25!”

“...I’ve destroyed 37…” The dark hedgehog would not grace the ‘Princess’ comment with a response. 

“HUH? Nuh-uh, you can’t count! There is simply NO way!” Surge seethed, suddenly rushing ahead of the pair. “I will NOT be beaten by some guy who wears red eyeliner! That’s ridiculous!” 

“...’Eyeliner’?!” Shadow hissed under his breath, quills puffing up in embarrassment. He knew how to combat Sonic’s snark, but this… sassy green creature was just weird to him. 

“Now’s not the time to quarrel, kiddos!” Rouge descended on them from the sky, delivering a swift drill kick to a flying Badnik. She landed beside them, broken machine parts scattering around her. She pointed up ahead to the clearing, the same direction Surge was rushing towards, and non-combants were fleeing from. “Dr. Eggman, Metal Sonic, and some Shadow Androids are up there. I'm certain he's searching for Sonic. We have to get rid of him before he gets his hands on Blue.” 

“Any captives?” Amy asked worriedly, giving her hammer another mighty swing, taking two bots out at once. Rouge shook her head, no, ears twitching as she observed her communication device.

“Tails has confirmed to me the safety of your Restoration leaders. He’s on his way back here now. Shadow,” Rouge looked at her companion with a commanding tone. It never ceased to surprise anyone when the thief got so serious. “You're the heavy hitter. Make your way up to distract the Doctor while Amy, Tails and I make sure these people get away. Stall until we join you. Surge, you back us up!”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Shadow huffed before dashing forward to do... exactly what she said to do. 

Amy giggled, using her hammer to leap into the air before slamming it on another bots head. “You both are too funny~!” 

“Thanks, though I’m afraid it’s unintentional on Shadow’s part,” Rouge flew into the air again, more robots destroyed in her wake. “He’s upset.”

“Oh? I, uh, thought he was normally like that?” Amy’s giggles turned into awkward chuckles. 

“Ruggedly handsome and socially inept? True. But this is different. It’s always different when Sonic's involved. We need to get this over with before anyone gets hurt,” Rouge took off into the air again, leaving Amy to handle the ground troops. The pink hedgehog couldn’t help but smile a bit at that remark. Shadow caring about Sonic was a good thing. 

Though… she had to wonder exactly how close the two were. This may not be the time to consider it, but her body was on autopilot as she crushed more and more metal beneath her hammer. 

For some reason, a memory resurfaced of one of the many parties she threw for the group to celebrate. Rouge and, more surprisingly Shadow had attended, though the antihero had gone off to stand alone under a tree. Rouge had joked that he was here for the cake at the end, revealing Shadow’s secret sweet tooth, but Amy wondered if that was the only reason. At some point when she couldn’t find Sonic, she spotted the two conversing beneath the tree. 

Shadow had his back pressed against the trunk, looking Sonic in the eyes while the blue blur had his hand pressed against the trunk, right by Shadow’s head. The hero had been laughing at something, and even when obscured by the shade Amy could spy a smile on the G.U.N. agent’s face. She remembered feeling a twinge of jealousy at the closeness the two had. She loved Sonic dearly, but she’d never seen Sonic look at anyone the way he looked at Shadow.

Not even towards her.

Amy sighed, shaking her head to focus. That had been a while ago, and she had observed their behavior with a bit less bias many times since then. A romantic at heart, it was important to not read too much into how her friends interacted with one another. She’d hate to meddle unless asked. Even if she had suspicions about Sonic and Shadow’s friendship, in the end, she had resigned herself into not caring. She would try to win her crush’s heart of course, but if it didn’t work out then… well, it simply wasn’t meant to be. 

And that’s okay. 

—

“Shadow?! You are NOT the hedgehog I need! Where is that blasted blue rat!” The Doctor howled in anger, firing more rockets toward the Ultimate Lifeform. 

“Hmph.” Shadow dodged easily much to Eggman’s chagrin. The G.U.N. agent launched himself at more of his android clones, causing the human to grit his teeth with a growl.

The clearing in the middle of the Restoration camp was in utter chaos thanks to Dr. Eggman. Buildings were burning, vermin were screaming and quickly being captured by his machines, dragged off to the side to await their usefulness. Some combatant Restoration members - many he recognized much to his annoyance - were keeping his forces at bay while simultaneously freeing those he captured. He brought a lot of robots with him today, however, so it was only a matter of time before they were overrun. Sonic should be hindered by his serum, but Shadow being present left a huge hole in his plan. He was lucky he had decided to attack the Resoration directly, as a Chaos Blast would halt his plans right in their tracks. Perhaps he should be grateful that vermin have multi-faceted uses.

That being said, his grandfather’s creation was being extra ferocious today. He was dwindling Eggman’s numbers at an alarming rate on his own without the use of a Chaos Blast, and Sonic’s pathetic friends were holding their own just fine. And unlike Sonic, Shadow would not weigh the lives of hostages the same as he would his friends, so Eggman thought. He would get to Eggman eventually, either bored or desperate, and finish this fight in the absence of Sonic. Eggman could not have that. 

He had to think. 

“Eggman!” A familiar voice rang out below him. Eggman turned his mech, cackling at the sight of a very aggravated Miles Prower. The young fox was flying around, attacking robots and dispatching them with terrifying efficiency. The boy was pissed.

“My, if it isn’t Sonic’s warden!” Eggman howled with laughter, swerving his mech's arms to attack the fox. Tails swiveled in the air last minute, unharmed. “You’re not going to win, boy, so hand over Sonic now before you all get hurt!”

“None of your business! What did you do to him?!” The fox spin-dashed into a Badnik, metal parts dispersing in his wake. “You’re gonna pay for it!”

“Hohoho~! Tough words coming from some meddlesome brat! You’ll find out soon enough!” Annoyed at the fox’s speed, Eggman pressed a button to communicate with Metal Sonic. “Metal! Get this mutt off of me!”

Right on queue, Metal Sonic appeared with extended claws ready to tear Tails to shreds, causing the fox to squeak out in alarm. Metal wouldn’t be able to land the blow, however, as Shadow quickly lept through the air and tackled the boy out of the way at the last moment. They hit the ground with a thud, though Shadow curled around Tails to shield him from the impact. The antihero then rolled to his feet, snarling as he lept to intercept Metal again. Tails sat there dazed for a moment before he took off into the air again, rushing to assist Shadow with this threat. Eggman was getting annoyed. These pathetic ‘heroes’ would do anything for each other, it was making him sick.

For the longest time, Dr. Ivo Robotnik contemplated what it was that truly led to his defeat at every corner. He had an army, an intellect unmatched by almost everyone but that fox, and the means to do whatever he wanted to achieve his goals. At first, he believed the hiccup in his schemes was merely Sonic, but this was proven false. If he captures Sonic, Sonic's friends replace him. If he were to get lucky one day, and suddenly wipe out every single one of the rodents, they'd only be replaced by another in the future. His victory seemed unobtainable no matter the avenue he explored. This caused many sleepless nights, the answer escaping him, until one morning it hit him over a bland cup of coffee made by Orbot. 

Sonic wasn't just a hedgehog anymore. He was a symbol, a beacon of hope that people all over the planet looked to when they were at their worst moments. If Sonic were to be eliminated, his friends would simply rise to the occasion and replace him. And when they all passed, others would do the same. That is how heroes made into icons worked. They extended beyond their physical attributes into the realm of conceptualization and propaganda. You could see this in action with how the Restoration televised Sonic's deeds. Always happy, always flawless, always beaming that aggravating grin to taunt all the evil in the world mockingly. It would inspire even the weakest of rats to rise towards being the Doctor's foe. If Eggman wanted to win, he could not allow this to continue. Sonic could not be a figure people looked up to. 

How the serum... he didn't know if he was honest. He had meticulously converted an artificial Chaos Emerald he made into a liquid, mixing it with some other concoctions he had made over the years mindfully. Chaos energy could harm or heal depending on its user's wishes, but synthetic Chaos was less reliable. He needed to observe and collect Sonic for blood samples, nothing more. Harassing the Restoration was only a fun way to pass the time. Weakening them before Sonic awoke wasn't such an awful idea either. Who knew if the hero would go full rogue...

He scanned the battlefield, spotting Amy, Surge, and Rouge taking out a pack of Shadow Androids in unison. Shadow and Surge’s powers were filling the air with uncontrolled Chaos energy if his readings were anything to go by, and a devious grin grew on his face. He’d upgraded Metal recently to harness this power more readily. Perhaps if Metal absorbed enough, he’d have something akin to a Chaos Blast of his own…

Eggman laughed to himself, running a hand through his mustache smugly. He’d never tested this before either, but he was a man devout to science. Nothing ventured nothing gained as they say! Hopefully Metal wouldn’t just explode.

...

He'd back away just in case.

—

Tails stirred, groaning in pain as he lifted his head weakly, blinking dirt from his eyes. Smoke filled the air, blurring his vision. The pounding headache felt like a siren blaring in his ears until he realized, slowly, that the Restorations sirens were still going off. What had happened was coming back to him quickly, and he gasped when he noted the unconscious Ultimate Lifeform beside him. He tried to move, his aching body preventing him from getting back on his feet. He reached a shaking hand towards the form at his side when he saw Metal’s glowing red eyes staring at him through the smoke. “Sh…Shadow… ugh…”

As the fight had gone on, Shadow had told him something was wrong with the Chaos energy around them. Tails could not sense Chaos as he could, so he knew to trust his words over all else. The dark hedgehog hadn’t said what the issue was exactly, as they didn’t have time to discuss it as Metal worked to keep them busy. Tails did note that Metal’s attacks became less aggressive, more ensuring Shadow’s attention remained on him while taking minimal damage. A distraction. Just stalling. Tails tried to change this by charging at Eggman directly, but the Doctor was making distance between them and himself with each passing minute. This was not good at all.

Tails would have no opportunity to form a plan. The copy of his best friend let off a glow akin to a Chaos Emerald, suddenly taking off into the air with his arms extended. Shadow and Tails were the closest to him, eyes wide in awe as energy began to form around them. He heard Rouge yell ‘Shadow, Tails, get down!’ from somewhere in the distance, but Metal had popped as soon as he got into position, unable to contain it any further. Shadow had leaped to defend Tails, shielding him from most of the attack.

Tails’ mind was racing as Metal Sonic approached, sparks twitching off his body erratically as he moved closer. No damage was done to the area that Tails could immediately see, though he did note how both flesh and machine were knocked out on the ground, out cold. It must’ve reacted more like an EMP that affected everyone within its radius than a blast of pure destruction. A truly dangerous move, especially if it could knock out even the Ultimate Lifeform. 

Tails reached for the striped hedgehog with a grunt, shaking him. “Shadow, c'mon,” he coughed, forcing himself to his knees. He couldn’t move his tails and run. He shook the agent desperately. “You gotta, ugh, get up…” 

Evil laughter filled the air, and the heavy steps of Dr. Eggman’s mech approached through the dust. His machines began powering back on around him, slowly continuing to round up the unconscious Restoration members around them. He could see Amy on the ground, clutching her hammer and coughing as Surge struggled to stand in front of her protectively. Rouge was rubbing her head on top of a tree, looking too pained to move. Would they be able to recover before things got any worse?

“Hohoho~! Finally!” The human’s voice resounded giddily from the speakers of the mech. As Tails suspected, the doctor had moved far enough away to avoid the worst of the damage. Metal turned to his master silently, his joints creaking terribly. The doctor rubbed his hands together in glee. “You’ve proven yourself today, Metal Sonic! We can work out the details later, but this is a huge step forward! Rendering the Restoration useless while minimizing damage to my army is nothing less than perfection! If only Sonic had been in the blast… Speaking of!”

Tails yelped when a Shadow Android, barely holding it together, grabbed him from behind and forced him to his knees. Two more picked up Shadow, whose head hung loosely as his body twitched, before Eggman and Metal Sonic. The mad doctor’s smile was chilling behind his mech’s protective window. The fox had bravery, but his cold, logical mind told him this situation was hopeless. 

“Tails, I’m sure you can see the situation around you,” the man gestured with his hands widely, that smile never leaving his face. “I wasn’t planning on wiping you lot out today. Unfortunately for you, you all acted without thinking. That’s what happens when your ‘feelings’ for your ‘friends’ blind you to the real danger!”

“I’m going to make this simple: you tell me where Sonic is now, and I’ll be keeping you and the Restoration alive to experiment on personally.” Tails’ mind was racing, weakly struggling fruitlessly. If he could stall long enough, then maybe they’d all recover. But what’s going to stop Dr. Eggman from setting off Metal again? The human continued, amused by the fox's internal struggle. “Or, you say nothing, and I start torturing you all one at a time for the hell of it. One postpones suffering for later, the other will put many innocent lives to waste. What’s it gonna be, foxboy?! Hahaha~!”

With another snap of his fingers, Shadow was suddenly dragged forward in front of Metal, his body limp. Tails could see the hedgehog’s eyes opening, his ears twitching, but being at the forefront of a Chaos Blast likely scrambled Shadow’s senses temporarily. Metal Sonic stood before the Ultimate Lifeform before reaching for his chest. A small compartment opened, and… a syringe full of red liquid appeared. 

“You might want to make this snappy, boy,” Eggman’s laugh was making Tail’s ears hurt. “If Sonic’s in bad shape due to this serum, then the rest of you lot will surely be annihilated by it! Imagine it: every Restoration member, injected with tainted Chaos?! It would be a sight to see~!” 

Metal grabbed Shadow’s head, pulling him up towards him as he flashed the needle near his neck. The antihero grunted, gritting his teeth as he visibly fought to move. It was for naught. Tails clenched his fists, hanging his head low in defeat.

He was about to voice his defeat aloud when he suddenly fell to the ground. 

“H-huh? Wha…?”

Tails turned to see the Shadow Android that had been holding him, now decapitated, falling over beside him with a loud thud. The boy genius blinked in shock until he heard more thuds, whipping his head back to Metal and Shadow.

The androids that had been holding Shadow suffered a similar fate: decapitated and twitching on the ground as oil leaked from their wounds. Shadow had been forcibly released, on his hands and knees as he struggled to stand, the syringe shattered on the ground beside him. Tails raised his gaze to the reason Shadow was released.

Sonic was on Metal’s back, both feet firmly planted against his copy’s spine as he gripped Metal’s wrists. The blue blur was pulling, stretching himself out to a stand as Metal struggled to pull free from this position. The robot’s eyes were flashing dangerously the more Sonic pulled, wires audibly ripping and more sparks flying before the hero finally ripped those arms out of their sockets. They both fell to the ground, the Eggman robot convulsing as more electricity sparked. Sonic fell on his backside, blinking slowly as he held the arms up in a comical, nearly morbid fashion. Tails gawked when Sonic stood up again, a laugh leaving his pale muzzle.

"It's Sonic! He's awake!!!" Tails could hear Restoration members scrambling around them, cheering as they went to perform their duties thanks to the distraction. Sonic's intensity didn't seem to assuage them from cheering him on. The fox bit his lip in worry.

“Oh, you think I’m done?! Haha, why don't you run, Metal?!” The hero laughed some more, suddenly standing over Metal with a bad look in his eyes. Loud stomps filled the air at a rapid speed. Tail’s older brother was crushing Metal’s legs under his heels, the oil growing on the ground like inky blood. 

“Wh-What?! Metal, no!” Eggman screeched, raising his mech’s arms towards Sonic. “You BLASTED rat! You shouldn’t be awake!”

“Oh, eggy! Just the man I wanted to see!” Sonic turned at such an alarming speed that the doctor jumped in his seat. The blue blur’s smile was wide, almost maniacal, as he approached the doctor, his unkept quills puffed up in clear rage. 

Sonic’s appearance was… off. Someone who didn’t know him would likely not be able to tell, but his fur looked just a smidge too dull. His body a bit too frail. His movements were jerky, his speed bursting out at random that it was like Sonic couldn’t control it. The fox caught a glimpse of his eyes, no longer green but an empty, void black, before he turned to the Doctor in a barely contained rage. The fox’s ears twitched when he heard murmurs around him. He was happy the Restoration members seemed too busy helping each other to observe the scene closely. They'd been trained to allow Sonic as much space as possible in the middle of a skirmish, to use his presence as a means to provide aid to anyone not under Eggman's line of sight. It was smart, but Tails feared if this escalated they'd see something they shouldn't.

“I’m just going on a limb here… and assuming you did all this, right Doc?” Sonic tossed Metal’s arms to the side carelessly, oil dripping down the hero’s face as he stared up at the man unblinkingly. “You shouldn't have come here...” 

“Hmph! Know your place, pest!” Eggman raised the arms of his mech cockily, aiming to fire a missile. “I know you’ve been incapacitated! You’re running on fumes right now. All I have to do is wait a minute before you pass out again!”

“... A minute, huh…?” Sonic’s stare darkened as his eyes narrowed, that smirk never leaving his face as he robotically tapped his foot. The hero looked down at Shadow, who was still curled up on the ground struggling. After a moment’s pause, he looked back up at the human slowly, expression unlike anything Eggman’s ever seen on the hedgehog’s face. His eyes were sharp, his grin dangerous, and it was a look that one could only describe as twisted when on the hero's face.

“...Guess I better go fast then!” 

Eggman’s mechs, and to the same extension Metal Sonic, had always been designed with the utmost care. The spin-dash was a powerful ability that could rip through normal metal with ease, so it was of utmost importance that Eggman used an alloy that could defend himself and his creations from going down in one hit. This element was rare, but Eggman had learned ways to produce enough to satiate his need for a highly defensive mech. If enough hits were suffered, any metal could eventually be broken into by creatures that move at supersonic speeds, but that would take a very long time on a good day. As the years passed, Eggman always made sure to upgrade his strongest machines to the toughest alloys. It’s why he’s gotten closer and closer to victory with each passing year. The metal was stronger as Sonic generally remained the same. It would be nearly impossible for Sonic to move at a speed to rip through this armor in a single blow without momentum unless he was in his Super form.

So when Sonic’s spin dash ripped through the arms of his mech as though it were mere paper, the brilliant doctor froze in his chair, eyes widening as his glasses nearly fell from his head in bewilderment. The hero laughed again as he spin-dashed at the mech’s chest, just below the glass window, not breaking through but denting the internal hardware terribly. The impact left the mech unbalanced, and Eggman yelled when it tilted over like a turtle on its backshell. Dust flew into the air as Sonic jumped onto the machine with a whistle, beaming down at his enemy tauntingly. Eggman was met with those off-putting,  onyx eyes that stared into his soul, and a shiver went down his spine as his pod blasted alerts and warnings all around him. It flooded the pod with a red light, which reflected off of the hedgehog's face as Sonic crouched down, tapping the glass with a knuckle slowly. “Knock. Knock.”

“Grrr… C-Curse you, rodent!” Eggman quickly began typing into the control panels around him, sweat dripping from his brow. Fear drowned out the sounds around them. “You won, but don’t think this is the end! I’ll return stronger next time!”

“I don’t think there’s gonna be a next time, Egghead~!” The blue blur purred in a musical tone, cocking his head to the side like a bird observing its prey. He did not blink once. “I should probably end this, don't you think?”

Eggman stared up at him, wide-eyed. “What… What do you mean?!” He sputtered in shock. Perhaps the horror of this situation was finally dawning on him. Sonic stood up, laughing some more. 

“What I mean, Eggman -” Sonic’s smile contorted to that evil look again as he raised his leg into the air. “- is exactly what you think I mean~!”

Like with Metal, Sonic began stomping on the glass at such a ferocious speed Tails shielded his face in fear of the glass shards that sprinkled around the area with each kick. The mech’s window was made of a material stronger than the surrounding alloy to protect Eggman from danger inside, but it was quickly proved to be no match for this kind of onslaught. Eggman screamed when Sonic’s foot broke through the dome, glass falling onto the human’s face. A few cuts would be the least of his worries as Sonic crouched again, pulling at the shards around the opening he made lazily. He didn't react when some pieces tore through his gloves, sprinkling blood around them. 

Sonic couldn’t be serious… right? Dread settled into the fox’s gut as he pushed himself to a stance. No one else was in any condition to do anything. He had to stop his brother from doing something he knew he’d regret.

“So, Doc,” Sonic cooed with another knock on the damaged glass dome, causing the human to jump. The hero’s tone was deceptively kind. “I’ve been thinking about what you said. About me not fearing you. And I don’t think I’m the one with the problem! It’s you!”

“...Me?! What are you blabbering about?!” Eggman didn’t care about the ramblings of a delusional creature. He needed time to stall. With the glass broken, Sonic could attack him at any moment. This would not be how the mad scientist fell! He sighed aloud in relief when Sonic opened his mouth to speak...

...only to gasp in shock when Sonic suddenly grabbed his collar, yanking the human forward so they were nose to nose. Metal sparked and struggled to get up to save his Master, the surrounding Badniks unable to move. The hero cackled.

“You don’t get it Doc… you’re just not scary! But me…” Sonic’s eyes widened, the laugh never stopping. His words were slurring with each passing second, but Eggman was starting to think he wouldn't pass out in time.“You're not afraid of me! That's why you keep going after me and my friends! Have I been too nice to you, Eggy? Should we change that?!”

“Wh…What are you saying?!” Eggman shouted, choking when Sonic gripped his collar tighter, lifting the man out of his seat. The blue blur beamed, pupils dilating in a crazed state.

“I’m gonna do something I should’ve done a long time ago-”

“S…Sonic!!!”

Arms wrapped around the blue hedgehog securely, Tails’s small face pressed against the taller one’s shoulder. Eyes clenched, the fox panted heavily as he weakly pulled backward to try and get the hero away from their adversary. Sonic released Eggman at the contact, the human rubbing his neck but otherwise unharmed, and he turned himself slowly to stare down at his brother, expression indecipherable. The boy genius met his eyes with a gasp, a chill running down his spine at the sight of his eyes. The dark color reminded him of Sonic when he was younger, but there was an almost lifeless quality that made them haunting. The silence between them lingered for a few seconds, but it felt like hours.

Not once in Tails' life had he felt genuine fear regarding his brother. Hypothetically speaking, Sonic could do whatever he wanted, whenever he desired. He had defeated Dr. Eggman in nearly every endeavor, protected the planet from threat after threat, be it interdimensional or extraterrestrial, and even stood proudly above gods. Not many of even their closest friends could realistically go toe-to-toe with the blue blur if push came to shove. It's why government organizations like G.U.N. despised working with him. It wasn't hard to imagine someone with Sonic's capabilities using them for nefarious purposes. Shadow had unknowingly proved this years ago. 

However, Tails knew Sonic better than anyone. He knew that within his heart, he had a passion that wouldn't allow him to harm his friends if he was in full control. It's why the fox trusted him so deeply, and why he felt safe enough to intervene here on Dr. Eggman's behalf. It was a calculated risk with the artificial Chaos's unknown side effects, but Tails would rather it be him than anyone else. If his life was truly in danger, if he had a reason to be afraid, he'd know now before anyone else could suffer. He inhaled sharply, squeezing Sonic in a hug. 

He was not afraid of Sonic. But those unnatural eyes unnerved him deeply...

When those few seconds had been up, and the world returned to motion once more, Sonic startled Tails with a genuine, heart-warming smile. His eyes remained that abysmal color, but he could see the warmth as clear as day. 

He was still there. This was good.

“...Oh, hey Tails!” Tails released the breath he was holding as Sonic raised a hand to ruffle his bangs, the motion stiff but familiar nonetheless. Up this close, without shadows obscuring the hero’s face, you could see just how... frail the other was. Despite the aggressive behavior and tough bravado, it was easy to see he'd knock out at any second. The lack of food, the overuse of chaos energy, and the bags under his eyes made Sonic the image of exhaustion. The younger of the two smiled weakly.

“S-Sonic… Are… Are you okay…?” Tails looked up at him with a fretful tone. His older brother paused, seemingly considering it, before opening his mouth to speak. They were interrupted by a powerful blast of smoke that sent them flying off the mech to the ground below with Sonic landing on top of Tails which caused the fox to yelp. 

“You haven’t seen the last of me, hedgehog! Your threats will be something you regret!” Eggman bellowed as his signature hovercraft booted him from the mech at high speed. He was NOT going to let the fox’s distraction slip him by, especially when he felt so utterly close to death.

“RETREAT! Pick Metal up NOW! RETREAT!!!”

Tails groaned, watching as the machines around them scurried away to the best of their ability from his place on the ground. Sonic quickly rolled off of him to his feet, eyes scattering all over the place for a specific target. He spotted two Shadow Androids dragging Metal off with the retreating army, and he was about to give chase when he once again noticed Shadow. The Ultimate Lifeform was on his hands and knees, still dazed from Metal’s attack as he struggled to get up. Sonic was at his side in an instant, looking over the other in a panic that gave Tails an odd feeling of respite. It was a more familiar behavior than the way he fought today.

Shadow was conscious now, grumbling angrily as he slowly raised his head to the hero before him, still too weak to move on his own. Sonic knelt with extended hands, gloves covered in oil and dried blood, carefully placing one beneath Shadow’s arm and the other on his lower back as he pulled them to a stance. Either Shadow didn’t notice or was too exhausted to protest, but a poker face did settle on the striped one's face. Sonic just smiled coyly.

Tails frowned. He had heard nearly everything that was exchanged between Eggman and Sonic just moments ago, and he found Sonic's flippant mood to be extremely jarring. He knew his brother would knock out any second, which would give him adequate time to think, but he couldn't escape the chill that settled on his shoulders. They needed answers before the next time Sonic woke up...

“Sonic! Oh my gosh, you’re okay!!” Amy tossed her hammer to the side as she ran at her hero, tears already falling from her face as she ran to their side. She looked between them frantically, unsure of how to help. “A-Are you okay too, Shadow?” Sonic chuckled, not removing his eyes from Shadow. He was swaying, his eyes in and out of focus, as his ears drooped down from side to side. He was barely holding it together. “Yeah, Ames... we’re good...!”

Rouge landed in front of Tails suddenly, a grumbling Surge in tow, before extending a hand for him to take to get him back on his feet. The thief wasn’t looking at him, instead eyeing Sonic with a wary expression. The boy genius looked between her and his brother once before taking it, nodding his head. 

“I owe you one, Shadow!” Tails patted himself down before tiptoeing closer, biting his lip nervously. “If you didn’t protect me, I could’ve been off way worse… Seriously, thank you!” Shadow grunted grumpily in response. If he was still being his broody self he must be fine. Tails' namesakes swished in contentment.

“...You protected Tails? Aww… thanks, Shadsy…” Sonic’s eyes shifted to Shadow’s ears, a purr in his throat as he raised one hand to pet one experimentally. Tail's eyes fluttered.

Oh.

That’s… new? Was this new?

It must’ve been new. Why else would Shadow’s ears pull back against his skull as he glared at the offending appendage? Instinctively, the Ultimate Lifeform raised a hand to grab the wrist of the offending limb, staring at Sonic as though he’d just grown a third head. Were… were his cheeks red…? Shadow of all people was blushing?

“What… what are you doing…?!” Shadow’s words stampered out of him, looking at his rival in alarm. Sonic merely laughed, eyes half-lidded as he leaned forward abruptly.

“Saying thank you, obviously~!”

It happened so fast that no one could react. Sonic had pressed the hand on Shadow’s lower back roughly to make their bodies touch, dipping the Ultimate Lifeform slightly to keep the other unbalanced and reliant on him to remain standing. The agent intuitively latched onto Sonic's shoulders, gawking at the other with widened eyes.

The hero’s lips moved to meet Shadow’s in a sloppy, vigorous kiss.

It was also in the middle of this sudden rush forward that Sonic’s body decided it was finally time to pass out, knocking them both to the ground with a loud thud.

Chapter Text

The first time Shadow saw Super Sonic, he had been dying. 

But damn, had it been a spectacle. The Biolizard’s attacks had been ferocious as they quickly approached the Earth’s Atmosphere, both hedgehog’s own bodies burning like the sun with each coordinated counter maneuver. You would think they had practiced it all beforehand, but the way they ebbed and flowed felt like the very Chaos Shadow harnessed effortlessly. They had been untamed, yet graceful. Powerful, yet poised. Despite the fatigue aching Shadow’s body and soul, Sonic had pushed him to a limit he had never thought he’d reach. 

‘ I’m dying… I’m really dying… Wow... ’ Shadow had thought this with a euphoric feeling spreading throughout his body when he and Sonic delivered the final blow, the Biolizard bursting into pounds of flesh, blood, and metal that disintegrated into the atmosphere. Perhaps it had been instinctual, a coping mechanism to ease the hedgehog into slumber as the energy left his body at a dangerous rate, but he truly felt happy at that moment. Like this was the first breath of air he’d ever truly had. He recalled tears clouding his vision, his body flickering between white and black as he began drifting toward the planet. 

He couldn’t remember the details of what happened next, at least not clearly. He recalled Sonic, blurred by his tears, turning to look at him with a victorious smile that graced his lips, only to turn into pure utter horror. He knew Sonic had been yelling something, and Shadow had responded with a smile and words of his own. He recalled feeling Sonic’s wrist, warm and strong, around one of his own, only for his inhibitor ring to loosen and cause the hero to lose his grip. The rest had been a memory burned by the fire that engulfed him when he fell. He supposed that was a good thing. He could only imagine it was painful. 

When all of his memories had returned to him, Shadow was nothing but curious about the gaps that existed in his recollection. Whole conversations had been erased from his mind, and despite his drive to not let the past define him, he was still hopeful that some of these missing pieces would return to him. 

The first he had approached regarding the matter was Rouge. The two were best friends, in her words, and while he had a hard time outwardly agreeing he wouldn’t deny it. She had been with him since the beginning, she had witnessed him at his darkest and still stood by his side today. And despite her teasing nature, she would not insult him for wanting to know more about the bits of his life he couldn’t remember. He recalled her tilting her head to the side when she brought it up, a sad smile on her face as she recalled his ‘death’. 

“You’re gonna have to ask Blue about it, hun. That or one of his little friends. I like the guy, but we’re not exactly on a ‘buddy-buddy’ type arrangement, you know? But,” she lightly placed a hand on Shadow’s shoulder, squeezing lightly. He wasn’t sure if it was to comfort him or to comfort herself. “I’ll say it wasn’t easy on him at the time. Even I could tell that despite how much of a brave face he put up for us.”

Shadow supposed that made sense. Even with his easygoing nature, the hero didn’t like to show weakness, not even to his friends. He figured he’d try with them first anyway. He figured it’d be easier to get them to spill what had been said that day in space than it would be with Sonic. 

Amy Rose clasped her hand in a prayer-like fashion as she looked at him sadly. Shadow felt bad immediately. Maybe he shouldn’t have brought this up at one of her parties, but he kept his face stoic regardless. He meant business, this had been eating at him and it's not like he usually hung out with the pink hedgehog. They had a similar conversation once regarding Amy’s actions that helped Shadow remember Maria’s dying wish. He would forever be grateful to her. That being said, he wondered if Sonic had ever opened up to her about what happened that day. 

“Oh… that’s a sad thing to talk about,” Amy looked at him like a kicked puppy. His eye twitched as he tried keeping his face straight. Maybe he should work on ‘reading the room’, as Rouge would say. “But I have asked Sonic about that myself though.”

Shadow’s ears perked with intrigue, leaning closer ever so slightly. She must’ve noticed, nodding solemnly with a tiny smile.

“He didn’t say much. When I told him about the conversation you and I had on the Ark, though, he mentioned your friend's name, Ma- er…” She cut herself off nervously, biting her lip. The Ultimate Lifeform laughed lightly, surprising her. 

“Maria. It’s okay. You can say her name. If anyone has the right, it’s you.” Years ago he would’ve had a meltdown, visages of her final moments on replay over and over in his mind as he writhed. Now he could only faintly hear the gunshot ring off in his head. Progress was progress. “What did Sonic say?”

“Ah, well, he had mentioned that you said her name before you… fell,” Amy avoided eye contact, her eyes becoming shiny with tears. Everyone would probably kill him, Ultimate Lifeform or not, if he made her cry at her own party. Thinking quickly, he turned to the party table to his right and handed her the first thing he grabbed. 

A… Chao. Specifically, Cream the Rabbit’s Chao, Cheese, who had been busy trying to sneak some of the cake that lay undisturbed on the table. The Ultimate Lifeform was in too deep, though, so he quickly (but gently) shoved the little creature into Amy’s hands. She blinked rapidly in surprise, looking between him and Cheese with wide green eyes. 

“Take this. Pet it. Feel better. Bye.” Shadow walked off quickly, a blush threatening to show itself on his face. He decided he’d be better off standing alone under a tree for a bit. Or maybe he’d shove his head into the ground. That would probably be for the best. Amy’s laughter in his ear did put him at ease, though. 

Not wanting to push Amy, Shadow decided later that he had to go for the next best thing besides Sonic: Miles Prower. He had found the fox in his workshop randomly, Sonic off on some adventure somewhere while Rouge and Shadow visited the Restoration camp on G.U.N. business. The fox had jumped at the antihero’s sudden presence, but he visibly relaxed when Shadow started small talk immediately. It wasn’t like the Ultimate Lifeform to talk so much, so he quickly made his intentions clear.

“Oh… I’m sorry you still can’t remember everything Shadow,” Tails was tinkering with some small device when he swiveled around in his chair to face the dark hedgehog. “But Sonic has not told me what you two exchanged in the end. Honestly, I thought if I left it alone he’d open up to me about it eventually, but the topic never came up. You know how he is, he doesn’t like talking about feelings when he’s the one who should.” 

“...Have you ever mentioned that to him?” Shadow was surprised by Tails’ assured tone. The fox must’ve thought long and hard about it from the way his demeanor remained unchanged on the conversation topic. Tails shook his head, blue eyes still on his device. 

“Trust me, at first I tried. I was torn up about everything that happened myself. I was so young back then…” Tails’ sighed wistfully, and Shadow frowned deeply. Now he just felt old. “Sonic comforted me, but I didn’t know how to make him feel secure enough in sharing his feelings about your… uh, ‘death’.” 

The genius suddenly looked up to Shadow with a quizzical tilt of his head. “Have you asked him Shadow? I’m if you approached him with your inquiries, he’d open up to you for sure. It’s an ordeal only you both can understand after all.” 

Shadow wanted to groan aloud, but he held it in with a grunt of displeasure. He wanted to avoid just that. He didn’t know what Sonic would say to the question, or if he’d even get an answer, and despite what everyone was saying a small part of him doubted the blue hedgehog would even take him seriously. Bitterness at the mere idea, Shadow left the startled fox abruptly to brood. 

Some time had passed between when Shadow asked Tails and when he found the courage to ask Sonic directly, he had nearly forgotten about it entirely. The two hedgehogs' relationship had… changed, subtly, and Shadow could not tell you where exactly it started. But the two started talking. Shadow felt himself at ease in a way that he couldn’t describe, so much so he secretly began seeking out his rival’s time not out of necessity, but out of… want. His stomach did flips at the thought of those late-night hangouts, shared whispers and talks of… nothing important under the stars and moonlight. He didn’t know why he treasured their meetings. Granted, he’d still act annoyed and standoffish to the hero as best he could, but there were barriers broken now that he couldn’t ever attempt to put back up. He didn’t know where this was going at all, and he didn’t care. All he knew was that he enjoyed being with Sonic alone sometimes.

The question had returned to him on one of those nights in the field, the moonlight making Sonic’s quills and fur glow an ethereal blue beside him. The hero was chattering about something frivolous, digging through the picnic basket he had brought from Tails’ house. Shadow himself had been nibbling on a sandwich Sonic handed him earlier, crimson eyes half-lidded as he stayed lost in his thoughts.

“Hedgehog.” Shadow interrupted Sonic mid-sentence, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. Sonic shut up immediately, ears perked to attention as he beamed at the other. “What’s up, Shads?”

“When I fell from the Ark, what did we say to one another?” 

The intrigue and joy drained from Sonic’s face, the blue hedgehog’s ears flattening against his head as his eyes narrowed. Shadow didn’t think he’d ever seen the other so serious, at least not so quickly, and he once again felt bad. Rouge’s lessons on social awareness were not paying off. When the other remained quiet, Shadow felt the instinct to run. 

“Forget it. Bye,” Shadow was about to go to leave when Sonic grasped his arm firmly. The Ultimate Lifeform turned to look at him, mouth drawn in a thin line as their eyes met intensely. Sonic wasn’t smiling as he searched Shadow’s eyes for… something. 

“...You remember falling?” Sonic leaned forward, his gaze so intense the image of Super Sonic flashed in Shadow’s mind. The agent nodded slowly. Sonic released the breath he had been holding, looking almost defeated. Shadow decided right there he hated that expression on his rival’s face.

“I… y’know, I thought you didn’t remember at all. That’s why I never brought it up. I’m stupid…” Sonic groaned, dragging his hand down his face as he plopped down on his back to look up at the sky. His rival was uncomfortable with the topic, but Shadow couldn’t bring himself to make the other stop. Not yet, anyway. “Did it come back to you recently?”

“...Something like that, sure,” Shadow cleared his throat, deciding to lie down next to the other as he finished his sandwich. He was grateful neither Amy nor Tails brought this up with him. He could trust they could be discreet. “I remember us fighting the Biolizard, and I remember falling. But I can’t recall the words we shared as I did. Only the things I felt in the moment.”

“...What did you feel?” The whisper made his ears twitch, and he rolled mindfully onto his side. Sonic followed suit to match him not moments later. The two lay together, their noses inches apart, gazing into each other’s eyes as Shadow thought about it silently. The other appeared afflicted, and Shadow had the urge to make him feel better. There, alone, he could comfort the other without worry.

Sonic drew in a sharp breath when Shadow raised one glove hand to cup his cheek, scrutinizing every detail of his rival’s face before he spoke again. 

“...I felt… content. We were fulfilling Maria’s wish. I believed I had reclaimed my purpose…” He remembered Sonic’s hand reaching for him, the panic on the golden hero’s face as he rushed to grab him. The repeated mantra of ‘I’m dying… I’m dying…’ replayed inwardly, but he wasn’t sure if he should mention that. Sonic shifted, lifting his hand to rest it on Shadow’s, sighting against gloved fingers. 

“...You mentioned that. Before you… fell, I mean. You said her name and asked if this was what she had wanted. I don’t think you were… well, conscious anymore, but that didn’t stop me from trying to get you anyway.”

The hybrid hummed softly at this, images of that moment replaying over and over in his head. “...You looked…” Shadow brushed his thumb against Sonic’s muzzle absentmindedly. “...Terrified.” 

“Yeah, watching your friend fall to Earth will do that to you,” Sonic laughed heartlessly, gently pulling Shadow’s hand off his face. He gently held the hand with one of his own, grabbing his rival’s wrist with the other. Shadow blushed at the movement slightly but fought the urge to pull away. Sonic fastened his grasp securely just above Shadow’s ring, squeezing painlessly. 

“I called out your name and was able to grab your arm right… here,” Sonic tugged gently, sighing at how fastened the ring was now. If only… If only. “But gravity had already gotten you. Any further and I would’ve fallen with you… and… I wanted to-”

“ Do not say that .” Shadow cut him off with a growl, but Sonic merely shook his head.

“I know, I know. I was feeling a lot of things at the time, okay? Self-sacrifice was one of them, but obviously, I didn’t go through with it! …And I never would, I promise!” Sonic added the last bit quickly at the face Shadow made. “Aah… sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry…”

Shadow huffed, scooting a bit closer so their noses were touching for real this time. He almost purred at the way the other returned his attention to him fully. That satisfaction was something he’d have to unpack later. He worried it was an inappropriate response to Sonic’s vulnerability, but the other seemed to enjoy the contact, so he pressed onward steadily. 

“...Heh,” Recovering smoothly, Sonic smirked as he lightly tugged at Shadow’s ring again. “What I said next is probably what you’d expect. Some ‘ Nooo, my bestie Shadow…! ’, some crying, all that jazz. Not my best moment…But, uh, you did say something else too…” 

Shadow closed his eyes, ears twitching in interest. He jumped himself when Sonic rested his hand against his muzzle, a smile so sad he vowed he’d never bring this topic to anyone ever again. Truly, he felt like an idiot. 

“...You said… ‘beautiful’ ... Not sure if you were looking at me, or something beyond me, but…” The blue one trailed off quietly, and Shadow suddenly felt the intimacy of this moment crash onto him in its full capacity. 

Let it be known that Shadow the Hedgehog was not ignorant when it comes to romance. Maria had read to him many stories once upon a time, giggling at the prospect of princes and princesses, knights sworn to one another in oath and heart, heroes finding time for love when they weren’t saving the world. His sister had told him that one day he’d find someone perfect for him, someone who would complement him in every way possible. Shadow didn’t understand it at the time, only used to platonic affection onboard the Ark from his found family. It wasn’t until he arrived on Earth that he had suddenly been hit by the prospect of romantic love. He thought it’d be like Maria said: simple yet straightforward. When Dr. Eggman first released him from Prison Island, his emotions and mind scrambled from years trapped in stasis, he didn’t think “love” would hit him like a rollercoaster.

Love at first sight had not been on his priority list, but could you blame him? His first interaction with another hedgehog was with one that matched him in nearly every way. Speed and agility were fairly matched, and what Sonic lacked in strength he made up for with a heart that burned so passionately the sun would be jealous. Perhaps there was some vanity in that regard, to fall for someone instantly that reminded him of so many aspects of himself, but Shadow had been told for years he was the only hedgehog who could perform feats beyond comprehension. Not to mention Sonic’s heroic nature was so… admirable. The blue blur reminded him a lot of what Maria had envisioned him to be in the future. Carefree, helpful, a hero the world could be proud of... Bitter resentment and the utmost mesmerization had blinded him at the time. He wanted to hurt Sonic, to defeat him so utterly that he’d lose that spark of defiance in his soul, but he also wished Sonic would do the same to him. These polarizing thoughts had been utterly disorienting. 

He had buried those thoughts deep, hoping to snuff them out entirely, until they resurfaced with a vengeance when the two fought the Biolizard in their Super forms. The Ultimate Lifeform could recall the swelling of emotion within him, each breathtaking glimpse at Sonic one he worried would be the last…

Shadow honestly thought the two would kiss that night in the field, holding one another as they shared in their trauma. He didn’t respond to what Sonic told him, feeling suddenly too hot at the closeness of their bodies. The other made no move to close the distance of their muzzles, only petting the Ultimate Lifeform’s cheek, and Shadow wanted nothing more than to scream in rage when he had to go home. They always toed this invisible line, neither leaping to finish what’s been started.

Was Sonic shy? The two had never discussed anything about romance together. The closest they had gotten was Sonic laughing about something Amy said about him one time, but even so, it was clear he had no interest in the pink hedgehog in that way. But Shadow didn’t know how Sonic conveyed said interest, or if physical touch was just how he expressed his affection towards his friends. For someone who claims to be an open book, he was difficult to get a read on, especially for someone who stumbled their way through social interactions like Shadow does. So either the hero was shy, or he didn’t have a romantic interest in Shadow at all and just liked putting his hands on him. He could buy that.

Perspective was a horrible thing. In one moment, he could convince himself that the chemistry between them was all in his head without words of affirmation. But why else wouldn’t Sonic just kiss him? He had given him plenty of opportunities to do so. He didn’t take the first step himself as to not corner Sonic, as he knew how much the hero liked to run. Besides, how would it look? The hero of Earth, together with the one who had once - or twice - tried to destroy it. It made no sense, optically. Shadow cared about his self-image, but how did Sonic fare with his…? If Sonic accepted him with open arms, how long would it be until the other grew sick of his dark, moody nature? Grew sick of how the world mistrusted him and judged Sonic in turn for being with him…? Despite these trepidations, he still fantasized about the two of them together, hand in hand, no shame able to separate them. He was selfish, this he knew. And even if he ended up brokenhearted, he would treasure these thoughts like his own little secret. Even if it was a secret he’d keep from Sonic, forever.

Fate liked its pranks, though. Especially when Shadow the Hedgehog was its target. 

Tell him why, after years of dreaming, of private meetings filled with moments only they shared, Sonic decides to finally attempt a kiss on him now, rushed with no warning. No build-up. Just like that.

When they were both injured.

When their friends were watching.

When strangers could fucking see.

Oh Chaos, their friends were watching.

…Did Sonic just pass out?!?!

What. The. FUCK.

“Mmph?!” Shadow had enough time to turn his head away just before their lips met, narrowly avoiding shattering his dreams forever as he drew his mouth into a tight line. His rival’s mouth did press against his cheek, but the worst disaster was thwarted, a new problem emerging immediately in its place. Sonic unceremoniously collapsed onto him, knocking them both to the ground with a loud thud that felt like it echoed throughout the entire camp. The Ultimate Lifeform tried to push the other off of him in his weakened state to no avail, muzzle burning red from embarrassment and fury as he flailed his limbs. When he was unable to get the other off in his debilitated condition he buried his face into his hands, wishing he’d be hit with an asteroid and die on the spot.

Maybe Gerald had been right. Black Doom too. Nothing was worth this.

Rouge tilted her head to the side, a surprised chuckle leaving her lips as she watched such an… incredible display. She held it in with a deep breath, for Shadow’s sake, being the first to snap out of her stupor. “...Let me, er, help you with that…” Carefully pulling the unconscious hedgehog off her friend, her bemused smile quickly turned into a frown as she lost herself in thought. Shadow peeked between his fingers at Tails, who shook his head as he held his hands out to take his brother, murmuring something under his breath the dark hedgehog could not hear. He spoke out loud once Sonic’s arm was wrapped securely around his shoulders. “Let’s go to my lab. Rouge, if you can carry Shadow I can see what exactly Metal did back there to knock us all out like that. We’re gonna need countermeasures in place in case Eggman ever thinks about doing it again...”

 Shadow shifted his obscured eyes from him to Amy, who looked stun-locked before Surge nudged her on the shoulder gently. The girl jumped back to reality, dusting off her dress nervously as she moved to Tails’ side. He could hear her boot stepping onto the glass with a crunch.

“Oh, the… the syringe is here… The ground still looks wet. Should we bring it back to the lab, Tails…?” Her tone indicated the amount of questions she wanted to ask as she glanced between Sonic and Shadow. It looked like something on her mind had clicked, but she kept her mouth shut. They all seemed keen on avoiding acknowledging what just happened for the moment. Thank Chaos.

“Great idea, just be careful not to get cut by the glass,” Tails huffed as he adjusted his hold, already beginning his walk back. Amy nodded, about to kneel until Surge stopped her.

“You help fox boy, Pinkie, I got it,” Surge stretched, letting out a loud yawn as she scooped glass and contaminated dirt in her gloved hands. “You’re so clumsy you’d eat a face full of this! And if you went crazy like the blue idiot, I’d hate to have to beat you up too! Nyehehe~!” Amy pouted a bit before rolling her eyes with a small smile. She thanked Surge quietly before moving to help Tails carry Sonic back home, the tenrec hot on their trail.

When the four were out of sight, Rouge turned to Shadow with her hands resting on her hips, frowning in concern. 

“You alright there, big guy?” Her hand outstretched for him to take, she offered him comfort no one else could provide. He sighed, lowering his hands from his face to take it. She hoisted him up carefully, holding him in a similar fashion to how Tails carried Sonic.

“...I’m fine,” he sighed, voice quiet. “That didn’t… That didn’t mean anything, he just fell on my face! …No one else saw that, right…?” Shadow glanced around at the Restoration members still recovering from Eggman’s attack. They looked busy, providing medical aid and repairs immediately, too focused to watch Sonic and his friends scramble around. In a way, he admired that. Perhaps they were formidable allies in their own right, refusing to cower beneath Eggman’s fleet even when it seemed hopeless. As well as refusing to focus on who Sonic decides to kiss in a public fucking space-

“Not something I could tell you for certain. I think you got lucky, any other populated place and you both would’ve been swarmed with paparazzi the second Eggman left. The headlines certainly would’ve been spicy. But ignoring that for a second…” Wrapping her wing around Shadow, she dropped her voice to a whisper, eyes narrowed on the road the head in an uncharacteristic seriousness. She didn’t want to be heard. The hybrid leaned closer gradually. 

“...Did you see how he was when he woke up, Shadow? That was so unlike him. I couldn’t move much myself, so I didn’t see everything, but he was really tearing those robots apart. But I could hear the conversation he and Eggman were having…” Her ear twitched. “He was threatening the doctor’s life.”

“What?” Shadow looked at her in shock, red eyes wide. He had barely held onto consciousness when he assumed Sonic had come in and rescued them all. The idea of Sonic doing that felt… out of place. “You mean, like, actually threatening his life? Or just being dramatic?”

“It certainly felt serious. Tails had been close enough, I’m sure he heard all of that. We’re gonna have to have a little chat with the fox before Sonic wakes up. They’ll no doubt ask about the… close call you both just had, so be ready for that too.” Rouge looked down at him with a smirk, an eyebrow raised expectantly. Shadow groaned. He knew that look. His cheeks flushed again, and he glared at the ground beneath them haughtily. 

Rouge often referred to herself as his ‘wing-man’ when it came to Sonic. He never explicitly told her his feelings for the other hedgehog, but she had ways of just knowing these things. She’d ask randomly after their late night outs if they had ‘sealed the deal’ yet, which Shadow would huff and growl until she’d leave him alone with a laugh and a sympathetic pat on the back. Deep down he was grateful for her non-judgemental attitude regarding the whole thing. It was clear she only wanted the best for him, even if she teased him to hell and back for it.

How would Sonic’s friends react? He had no idea. It was very obvious to everyone there that Sonic had tried to kiss him, but perhaps he could feign ignorance on such a prospect as he normally did. He could argue it was delirium, that his rival had thought he was looking into a mirror or something, and wanted to admire himself intimately. He could argue none of that happened, obviously, and they were all just projecting. He could also sit in a corner and pretend he never learned how to speak English. All these things were possible weapons to wield in the Ultimate Lifeform’s arsenal, lies he could convince himself of, if only to escape this embarrassing predicament. 

Though… he did wonder what it would be like to confess everything he felt to Sonic’s friends. Would they believe him? Would they despise him for taking the blue hedgehog’s attention away from more important things? Did they already know? Was this an open secret Sonic was stringing him along with? The Ultimate Lifeform's mind ran amuck with anxiety, frowning to himself darkly. 

No, he’d never be able to say this. Sonic had just fallen on top of him, nothing else. If his foolish friends couldn’t see that they were a lost cause. Yes, that’s how it was. That’s how he’d make it be believed. 

The feeling of Sonic’s body, warm and heavy on top of his, lingered on his skin like a forbidden touch shared between star-crossed lovers. With faux Chaos coursing through the other’s veins, that bare contact had left the Ultimate Lifeform’s head buzzing. He couldn’t risk overextended contact with him. Not until Sonic was cured. Silence befell the two as they made their way to Tails' lab, his mind made up on the matter.

He had no idea he would have no choice.

—

Super Shadow's power flickered as the dying hedgehog smiled up at Sonic deliriously. Super Sonic had a secure hold on his wrist, gritting his teeth as he pulled him up with all of his might. He could feel his rings depleting with each passing second, time against him in these moments. What should he do? What COULD he do?

"You saved me... You did it, Sonic," Shadow's voice echoed in his ears like a purr, the gravity of the situation seemingly lost on his dying friend as he pulled with all his strength. He felt as though they were stuck in place,  Earth's blue aura beneath them threatening to engulf the Ultimate Lifeform and destroy him.

"You saved me... You saved me..."  His rival kept repeating himself, his voice sickly sweet. It was giving Sonic a headache.

"H-Hold on Shadow, I gotcha... Don't let go!!!" Super Sonic heaved with all his might, but they remained stuck in their place. Frozen in time, the hero refused to repeat the same mistake twice. With a pained grunt, he shakily brought his other hand forward to grab Shadow's arm with both of his. He wouldn't fall now... he couldn't...!

Sonic felt heavy hands on his shoulders then. They burned, causing him to cry out in agony as his hold on Shadow loosened. He turned his head in alarm, red eyes wide in fear. This isn't what happened. No one else had the capability to be out here in space with them, so who was...?!

It was himself. 

A mirror image of himself, Super form and all. Same easy smile, the same cocky tilt of his head, a renowned symbol of hope for everyone around the world burning with positive Chaos energy. But those eyes... the irises startled him.

Such an unnatural black. 

He watched as his copy laughed, squeezing his shoulders so hard he thought they'd break under the pressure. The burning, raw Chaos energy was scorching his fur beneath the protective gold layer of his Super form. His chest felt constricted as his ring count depleted to zero. 

Would both he and Shadow die? 

His copy chuckled in his ear, the sound beyond cruel and abnormal coming from the hero's lips. The cold, unforgiving weight of space came crashing onto him, panicked breaths escaping him. 

"You couldn't save him, remember?" His clone whispered into his ears, squeezing gloved hands even harder. "You're not a hero. You don't get to have that happy ending." 

"N-No... No...!" Sonic could feel his super form leaving him as Shadow's arm began slipping from his hold. "I won't...lose him again...!"

"Is that so...?" His double laughed again, finally releasing the blue hedgehog to float beside them, undisturbed by the force keeping the other two trapped in place. He rested his arms behind his head lazily, the evil glint in his eyes betraying his calm demeanor. "Then, you know what you must do, yes?"

Sonic looked at him with tears in his eyes, disheveled quills puffing up as panic and confusion took hold of him. He shook his head quickly, desperately digging his fingers into the Ultimate Lifeform's arm the more he slipped. He was going to lose him...

Super smiled, floating closer to the hero until their noses were an inch apart. Sonic believed his eyes matched the abyss of space that surrounded them. The golden one chuckled once more 

"You have to follow him. Follow him to the ends of the Earth. Make sure he's safe. Nothing else can hurt him. Nothing. Nothing nothing nothing..." His empowered copy cooed gently, a frightening grin replacing the easygoing smile instantly. He snapped his fingers.

Sonic, his body no longer in control, released Shadow abruptly. He whipped his head to scream at his copy, but it had disappeared. Tears flowed freely from his face when he saw his friend begin his crash toward the earth, a smile plastered on the dying hedgehog's face. Sonic could feel his body begin to burn too, as he tumbled after him with fading consciousness-

The blue hedgehog awoke with a start, sitting up so abruptly in his hysterical state he had no time to register the world around him, the dream still vivid in his mind. Poor Tails had decided just a moment ago to check on a machine attached to his brother, leaning over him to refasten a strap, when Sonic jolted from his slumber. This caused the two's foreheads to collide with a painful smack.

...Sonic really had to pick better ways of waking up.

Chapter Text

Sonic and Tails both rubbed their heads with a groan, the hedgehog curled up on an examination while the fox fell to the ground. The way they cradled their foreheads was very similar, a testament to how much they hung out together. The boy genius pushed himself back up to his wobbly legs, leaning against the table with one eye clenched shut. He gave his brother a weak smile. 

“H-Hey… ow, y’know, your head hasn’t gotten any softer. I’m gonna have to start wearing a helmet around you, Sonic. Just a work hazard at this point.” The younger one laughed wearily, and that’s when Sonic noticed the lack of light peeking through the closed blinds of the lab. Nighttime had fallen. The blue blur rubbed his aching head with a faint chuckle of his own. 

“I think you’re gonna need more than a helmet, little bro. Invest in full body armor and maybe you’ll stand a chance.” He made a pinching gesture with his free hand, the two of them drifting into a light laugh. The hero slowly pushed his legs off the side of the table, kicking his legs a bit as he looked around. He felt exhausted. How long was he out? Why was his vision so blurry? And why did it feel like he had gotten run over by one of those G.U.N. military trucks?

As though reading his mind, his brother answered him in a soft tone. “You’ve been asleep all day. I was worried you’d stay this way for days…” Tails walked off to his desk. Sonic blinked slowly when his brother returned with a box of tissues, holding them out for the hero to take. He did, a confused look on his face.

“Uh…?”

“...You’re crying Sonic,” Tails’s ears drooped down slightly. “You were having a nightmare.” 

Oh.

Indeed, when Sonic raised one ungloved hand to his muzzle he could feel the wetness beneath his eyes. ‘ That explained the foggy vision, ’ he thought with a frown, quickly wiping his face with some tissues. The nightmare had already been forgotten, but a cold chill made his quills puff up defensively. 

In the corner of the room sat a garbage can, and when Sonic was finished he stood up to toss the crumpled papers away.

Only for the world to spin.

“Woah, hold on Sonic, not so fast!” Tails caught him quickly, patting the hero’s back as he groaned. Waves of nausea hit him all of a sudden, and he waved a hand frantically in a wordless plea for his brother to back away as he leaned against the table. The fox knew what it meant immediately, instead rushing to the garbage can and dumping its contents on the floor - luckily just some papers he no longer needed - before bringing it to Sonic’s muzzle. 

As Sonic let out what little contents remained in his stomach, the memories of what had transpired the past few days finally caught up to the present. The trap in the empty city, the needle, the pain. The recollection of sirens, smoke, and oil consumed his senses like he was back in the middle of a fight, and the sting of fresh cuts on his bandaged fingertips told him it wasn’t just a hallucination. There had been a battle that he had participated in, but his head felt like it was filled with cotton and the world just kept spinning, he couldn’t remember the details. Sentiments of love and hate, amusement and rage, lingered in his heart when he tried to piece together everything that happened. The contrast of feelings was making the world spin more, so he buried them away for now. 

Tails was rubbing his back gently, muttering comforting nothings as he held the bucket securely for his ailing brother. Sonic typically hated making his friends worry, but right now he was far too sick to care about how he looked. He leaned against the fox to keep himself steady.

When he was finally done, Sonic could feel Tails’ arms gently coaxing him back onto the table. Groaning, the blue hedgehog complied weakly, shivering as he hugged his knees to make a ball-like position. His ear twitched at the sound of a nearby sink turning on, his brother mumbling to himself quietly as he cleaned the bucket. The sound of water running helped ease the ringing in his ears momentarily at least…

A glass of water suddenly appeared before him, and the blue hedgehog jumped weakly.

“Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you, but I think you need to drink.” Tails held the glass out to his brother’s lips with both hands. Sonic blinked sluggishly. Either the fox gained superspeed or he had lost consciousness for a moment. He was really out of it. Shaking hands resting on top of Tails’, he tilted the cup up and almost sighed as cold water graced his dry throat. His brother smiled tenderly. “I’m gonna make you some toast to see if you can handle it, okay? Then we… we need to talk.” 

Sonic did not like the sound of that, but he finished his water with only a feeble grunt of protest. Tails chose to ignore it.

“Okay, so…” Tails sighed as he settled on the couch beside the blue blur, rubbing his temple with one hand as he placed a plate with toast on it on the coffee table. “Where do I begin…?”

Sonic immediately took the plate for himself, resting it on his lap as he nibbled on the toast with half-lidded eyes. He wanted nothing more than to nap off whatever Eggman had done to him, but Tails insisted they talked first. The fox looked so serious, it wasn’t like Sonic could say no anyway. 

“Well, if it makes it easier for you,” Sonic began as he snuggled more into the blankets. “I do remember Eggman… injecting me the other day. Not very nice of him…”

Tails' ears perked up inquisitively. “Do you remember if he said anything that might’ve told you what his plans were? I have an idea about what the substance was, thanks to Shadow, but I think knowing a motive will help me narrow down what exactly we’re dealing with.” 

The mention of the Ultimate Lifeform’s name made Sonic pause, his vision clouding as he thought about his rival. His stomach did a flip, but that was normal when it came to Shadow. He wondered what he was up to…

“...Uh, Sonic?”

Not realizing the blank look and weird smile that had settled onto his face, the hero shook his head quickly. 

“Uh, er, y-yeah, sorry,” Sonic laughed with a sheepish grin as he avoided eye contact. Tails merely raised an eyebrow in response. “Haha, well, the Doctor talks a lo t, so I did tune some of it out,  but he did say something about… none of us being afraid of him?” 

Taking another bite of his food, he returned his eyes to Tails, only to pause midaction. The fox was looking at him so intensely he felt self-conscious about it, his namesakes swishing behind him in agitation, eyes peering narrowly in an expression he couldn’t readily describe. Sonic couldn’t bring himself to joke around, blinking widely with the toast in his mouth.

“...Anything else?” Tails prodded, frowning deeply. Releasing the breath he was holding, Sonic shook his head curtly.

“Not much else that I can remember. He was praising me a bit, saying how inspiring I was to everyone… Really tryna win me over with that, I’ll say.” He stuffed the rest of his toast in his mouth, nursing the cup of water on his lap now as he tried to recall more. The pain of the injection returned instead, and he pouted at the memory. If only he didn’t fall for it…

“Hm, praising you? That’s not his style,” Tails rested his chin on his fist in thought, looking down at the floor with a frown. “Eggman doesn’t just say things for no reason. He was probably boasting to you in a way only he could understand.”

“Aw, you don’t think he just secretly admires me? I’ve been told I’m quite adorable,” Sonic chuckled at the deadpanned glance Tails gave him, snuggling down in his blankets more. “Though, seriously, what was in that shot anyway? I won’t sugarcoat it Tails, I feel like crap.” 

“Well…” Uncomfortable, the yellow fox hunched over on the couch, folding his hands in front of his muzzle in a prayer-like fashion. “Shadow said its artificial Chaos Energy. It’s likely a liquified fake Emerald he made, the same kind that caused Shadow’s powers to go berserk, mixed in with some other substances I’m still trying to put a name to.”

“‘Liquified fake Emerald’, eh?” Sonic hummed as he swirled his cup, unsure what to make of that. “I knew that stuff was dangerous. I didn’t think Egghead would try killing me with it.”

“...I don’t think it’s killing you, per se,” Tails looked at his brother again, ears twitching as his mind raced to find the right words. “Shadow explained that the artificial Chaos within you is different from normal Chaos because it’s… remaining in your body. You feel sick now, but you’ll likely adapt to it by tomorrow if my calculations are correct. You’re much more aware now than you were earlier if that’s any indication of your Chaos assimilating with the fake one.”

“Assimilating? Like… they’re mixing?” That didn’t sound pleasant. He felt dread when the fox nodded warily.

“Yeah. I noticed too late, but after Eggman showed up today, it’s like the artificial Chaos was triggered into spreading. Tomorrow you’ll naturally have the serum flowing through you completely, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be in you forever. Chaos energy can be depleted, real or not. We do that, and you should be back to normal.”

“Woah wait, Eggman attacked today?” This confirmed the sirens, smoke, and smell of gasoline hadn’t been a dream. “And… I fought him?” 

“...Yes, yes you did fight him…” Tails looked away again, causing Sonic to frown. He was holding back what he wanted to say. 

Between the two of them, no secret would be left unnoticed. No confession or vulnerability would be left unheard. Even while Sonic hid his negative emotions to prevent the burden from befalling his younger brother, that didn’t mean Tails was stupid. Some things would never be spoken, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t acknowledge what help the other needed. Sonic could always rely on Tails’ quiet assurance. 

Tails was a very honest soul, all things considered, especially when he spoke to his brother. Lying was not his strong suit - Sonic being admittedly worse at it when confronted directly - and he preferred offering the truth whenever possible. His hesitance here simply met it was a truth he felt Sonic would not be comfortable handling. 

Sonic reached forward, resting his hand on Tails’ shoulder supportively when the fox didn’t continue. “Hey bud, I can handle it, I promise! The sooner I know, the sooner I can figure out how to stop whatever he’s doing to me from getting out of control. Besides, I’m not in cuffs or on trial, so it’s not so bad, is it?” 

The fox hummed, his smile not very convincing.

“While that is true that you didn’t do much damage beyond what you normally do, the way you went about it was…” He paused, trying to find the words that best suited the situation. “...unorthodox?” 

“What, did I grab Amy’s hammer and go crazy or something?” Lowkey, Sonic always wanted to try that. Tails glanced at him with a ‘ we’ll talk about that later ’ look before he sighed tiredly. 

“No. Nothing as cool as that. You just… kinda… ripped Metal’s arms out of their sockets, crushed his legs at such a speed I thought you’d break your foot, rendered Eggman’s main mech useless to the point where he couldn’t bring any of it back with him - thanks for the spare parts by the way, much appreciated - then you implied you were gonna kill the guy, ending the day off with them retreating, you trying to kiss Shadow, and then promptly passing out. Very productive day, and it wasn’t even lunch yet.”

Sonic’s face scrunched up in disbelief. “Me? Threaten Egghead’s life? I wouldn’t… That’s not really - wait.” 

Wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait.

What.

“Haha, hah, I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard ya, bud! I did what to Shadow?!” He thought he was losing it. There’s no way that happened. This was an elaborate prank for sure. His muzzle beet red, he forced himself to chug more of the water in a failed attempt at appearing calm. Tails reached over and lowered the cup from his mouth sternly.

“You’re gonna make yourself sick doing that, Sonic. It’s fine. Like I said, you passed out before you could, though you were being very affectionate about it. Kinda surprising…” The yellow fox tilted his head to the side innocently. “I’m not gonna judge you for it, you weren’t yourself there…” He trailed off with an inquisitive stare. Sonic groaned.

Tails was trying to be polite, but he knew. He had to know by now. Shakily leaving the cup on the table, the hero groaned again as he pulled at his quills in embarrassment. 

Honestly, he didn’t know why he hadn’t just told his friends about his crush on Shadow. He knew they wouldn't judge him. They’d probably support him and even try to assist in his romantic endeavors for the hell of it. It was a cute thought. Blaming Shadow’s unknown boundaries for his lack of action always felt like the convenient thing to do, but he couldn’t use that excuse forever.

“...How did… Shadow… react…?” Sonic choked out with a hopeful look at Tails despite the rosy tint to his cheeks. If Shadow hated him secretly he wouldn’t blame the guy. The fox chuckled gently. 

“You know, not as bad as I initially expected? At first, I thought it was because he was too weak from Metal’s Chaos Blast, but even when he recovered later he didn’t outright try to kill you. He at first claimed you had simply fallen on his face, but when I pried a bit further he was just giving me the silent treatment. It was pretty funny, I don’t think I’ve ever seen his face turn so red before!” 

“...huh,” Sonic, albeit amused at the thought, let his eyes narrow seriously. “Metal has a Chaos Blast now? And he hurt you guys with it?”

Tails seemed surprised at his somber tone, but he answered regardless. “Yeah. It wasn't quite like Shadow’s. It reminded me more of an EMP that was able to incapacitate both machine AND organic life. We were all knocked out for a bit, but Shadow took the brunt of the blast for me. I think, uh, that’s why you tried to kiss him? As a thank you?”

Ignoring dark thoughts of crushing Metal’s head under his shoes - he wasn’t sure where that was coming from, but he was too tired to care - Sonic purred as he pulled the blanket around his arms more. “He saved you, bud? He’s so nice…”

“Yeah, I fear I might still be unconscious if it wasn’t for him. We both were fighting Metal Sonic directly when he attacked. I’m just happy no one else had been seriously hurt…”

Tails began rambling about miscellaneous points of the day, a pleasant sound to the exhausted hedgehog’s ears as he closed his eyes to sleep. His mind raced despite the lethargy that was overtaking him. 

He was so happy he had not kissed Shadow. Not because he didn’t want to, but because the idea of not remembering such a momentous occasion felt outright devastating. Their first kiss was a fantasy he replayed in his head more times than he’d care to admit, and he knew he just wanted it to be perfect when it happened. 

‘ ...when it happened, huh ?’ Sonic almost made himself laugh. A rush of excitement made him shiver. He didn’t know why he was feeling so bold about his feelings towards Shadow all of a sudden, but he supposed their near-kiss today coupled with Shadow’s ‘not so bad’ reaction made him hopeful for the future…

Disturbed only once by Tails, who was busy attaching a Chaos Energy reader to his arm, he was blessed with a dreamless sleep.

—

After a splash of water to the face, adjusting a newer pair of gloves on his wrists, and smoothing out his quills to their usual smooth look, Sonic looked in the bathroom mirror with his signature cocky grin. 

Tails had been right. After one night’s sleep, more toast, and a quick shower, he felt like a million bucks! It was like he had never been injected at all!

Well, there was still one tiny reminder he unfortunately didn’t get to ignore, even if he couldn’t actively see it.

“Here,” Tails had handed him a small portable mirror when the hero was eating breakfast, frowning in concern. “Look at yourself.” 

When Sonic did, he was met with himself. More awake, more alive than before, but his eyes… 

Such an unsettling color. No light reflected from them, making his stare off-putting. He hated it, quite frankly. His poor handsome face!

He stared in awe, however, when the color of his irises changed from black to their normal jade green. He stared in awe.

“...What the heck, mood ring eyes ?!”

 Would’ve been SO cool if they were any other color, but alas Eggman liked ruining his fun.

Tails had told him his eyes had gone back and forth between the two colors frequently during their conversation last night. When asked why he didn’t mention it, Tails merely shrugged. There had been a small hope that everything would go back to normal in the morning, at least outwardly, but that desire was quickly snuffed out with the rise of the sun. Sonic couldn’t pretend nothing was wrong with such a creepy feature on his face. His brother secured a tiny device around Sonic’s wrist, a familiar yet new bracelet with a blinking blue light that the fox hid carefully under Sonic’s glove. 

“This’ll monitor your Chaos Energy so you don’t have to stay cooped up all day. I’d prefer it, but I know I can’t keep you inside if you’re feeling better,” the fox rolled his eyes at his brother’s smug grin. This was true. “That being said though, I told Jewel about the situation. You shouldn’t have any assignments, unless something major happens, for the next few days. I hope to have this whole thing sorted by then. But please don’t get into any trouble, or push yourself too hard…” 

“Now why would I do that~? I think I deserve a little vacation anyway!” The hero stretched with a loud yawn, grinning at the other coyly. Tails merely shook his head.

“I wouldn’t call it a vacation… Shadow’s waiting for you at the cafe. Y’know, the one near the Restoration’s HQ building? Rouge messaged me saying he wanted to talk with you about how he’s gonna try removing the Chaos from your system, but also,” Tails leaned forward, smiling smugly himself now. “I think you two should talk about what you pulled yesterday. Even if you can’t remember it, didn’t mean it, or whatever, I think you owe him that much!” The hero groaned at the fox’s amusement. He’d never live this down.

So there Sonic was, freshening up in front of the mirror like a teenager on prom night, pleased to see how eyes returned to their vibrant green before he made his way out of the lab. A kick in his step, he jogged lightly out into the sunlight, smiling in anticipation. He was grateful his brother didn't press him on what exactly was going on between the two yet, but he knew he'd have to sit down with him one of these days and open his heart. It was the least he could do for blindsiding him yesterday. He just hoped Shadow wouldn't be too angry with him...

Would Shadow be mad? Would he break off what they had going right then and there, their relationship in shambles? Would he try to leave? Would Sonic have to follow him? Make sure he’s safe. Never let him leave. Nothing could hurt him. Nothing-

“ Woah !” Sonic ran face-first into a random Restoration member, so lost in his thought he wasn’t even seeing the road in front of him. He winced as he knocked the poor guy down, an orange cat, before quickly helping him back up before the other could even register he had fallen. Patting him down, the hero ran on ahead with a wave over his shoulder and a sheepish smile to match. “Sorry! Didn’t see you there! Hehe~”

‘That was… odd,’ Sonic huffed when he was out of sight of the civilian, narrowing his eyes when he saw HQ’s building approaching. It wasn’t like him to lose his train of thought so utterly he couldn’t see the world around him. Hypervigilance was crucial when one traveled at supersonic speeds. Perhaps he was still tired, or his body wasn’t used to the strange Chaos within him yet…

Turning onto the main street, the cafe stood out among the shops and homes like a sore thumb due to its colorful exterior design. It looked like a quiet place to grab drinks, with outdoor seating and rainbow-colored umbrellas providing adequate shade from the sun. Sonic squinted at the people sitting outside, nearly missing his target beneath a particularly shaded area before his smile grew so wide it made his cheeks hurt.

Shadow sat leaning forward in his seat, chin resting against one hand while the other held a page of a small notebook tenderly. A cup of hot coffee steamed on the table adorned with flowers. He looked well-rested, ruby eyes sparkling as he smiled.

Sonic thought his heart would catch in his throat. If only he’d look his way with those mesmerizing, beautiful eyes…

Wait.

He wasn’t looking his way, now that he thought about it, nor at the book on the table. Who was he smiling at?

The hero paused on his run just a few paces away from the cafe, squinting. Who was lucky enough to be graced with Shadow’s smile?

A blue and white wolf, Shadow’s waiter, chattered away with his tail wagging, menu clutched to his chest. Sonic couldn’t tell what they were talking about, but the animated way the waiter spoke and the fact that Shadow was nodding along made Sonic feel something he typically didn’t feel.

Jealousy.

Envy.

It burned.

“Heeeeyyy, what we talkin’ ‘bout over here, hehe~ ?!”

Sonic had moved so fast he surprised himself. One moment he was down the street, the next he was standing right next to the waiter, wrapping an arm around the wolf’s shoulders with a friendly squeeze. He noted how both the wolf and Shadow jumped a bit at his presence, the poor waiter turning to look at him with wide eyes of shock as the Ultimate Lifeform simply glared at him. 

‘ Great. Real smooth, idiot, now he’s mad at you,’ Sonic seethed internally, trying to ease back the weird smile he could feel on his face. The sweat building on his brow made his eye twitch as his mind raced for a way out of this. The waiter didn’t seem to notice the clear tension in the air suddenly, instead perking up in joy as his tail wagged again.

“Wow! Not only Shadow, but the Sonic the Hedgehog too?! This is so exciting! Can I get you anything to drink? We have coffees, teas, juices, sodas, frappes, pastries and cakes!” 

Sonic gradually released the waiter from his warm hug with a nervous chuckle, his face feeling somewhat normal again as he peeked at the menu. He didn’t know why he was feeling so hostile, but he figured getting the wolf out of there would put him at ease again. He pointed to a random drink on the menu with gritted teeth. 

“I’ll have the… Americano?” He didn’t really care what he got, though this sounded like it’d have sugar in it so it shouldn’t be a problem. He just felt off and he needed to sit down. With Shadow. Alone. “Think you can get me that ASAP, buddy ?” 

His eye twitched again when the wolf nodded happily. “Sure thing! I’ll be back in a jiffy!” And just like that, the wolf disappeared into the shop, leaving the two on their own. 

The weight lifted from his chest immediately, and he fell into the chair beside Shadow’s with an unceremonious sigh, facepalming with a groan. “Heya, Shadow… sorry…”

“...Hmph. You didn’t strike me as a coffee drinker,” Shadow eyed him warily as he lifted his own cup to his lips, giving it a tiny sip.

 Sonic threw his hands up in the air dramatically, trying to appear smug. “What can I say, man? I’m just full of surprises!” 

“That is an understatement, hedgehog,” Shadow placed his coffee on the table again with a growl. “I’m sure the fox informed you of what transpired here yesterday.”

Sonic felt dread, his ears drooping on his head. Here it comes...

“Yeah, I almost kissed -”

“You almost killed the doctor-”

They both spoke in unison, only to stop and stare at the other with wide eyes. Shadow was the first to break, reaching over to yank one of Sonic’s ears with a hiss of anger. 

“FIRST of all,” he snarled, ignoring Sonic’s pleas of protest at the abuse his ear was undertaking. “We did not ‘ almost kiss ’, you moron! You fell on top of me and that was it! I already told your friends that’s what occurred, so don’t get it twisted!” He released the ear with a scoff, glaring at his coffee so hard Sonic thought it’d boil. He could see the rose shade on the other’s cheeks though, and Sonic laughed softly as he rubbed his aching ear. “Second of all, have some priorities. You were concerning your friends. What if someone else had seen you like that?!”

“Probably for the best, I don’t remember it!” Sonic held back more giggles at the deadpan look Shadow was giving him. At least he didn’t seem… disgusted. This was good. Maybe disaster hadn’t befallen their 'situationship' yet, though he figured it would be best to leave the topic for later. When they were alone. “I am sorry though, Tails said I wasn’t quite myself…”

“...Again, an understatement. Threatening the Doctor’s life is not in your usual repertoire of banter topics. You’re as annoying as ever today, though, so perhaps the worst of it has come to pass.” 

Before Sonic could respond, a cup of coffee was placed before him by that annoying blue wolf. He held back a growl as the waiter wagged his tail behind him. Why was this pissing him off so much?

“Here you go, Sonic! Please enjoy! Can I get either of you anything else?” Sonic forced a smile as he shook his head, hoping that’d be the end of it. But he nearly gasped when Shadow spoke up with a smile of his own, once again directed at their waiter.

“I’ll have a slice of chocolate cake whenever you can, thank you.” His tail and ears both twitched like he couldn’t hold back showing some indication of excitement over… cake. Sonic stared, his jaw dropping in shock. 

Cute.

Cute…

Would Shadow kill him if he pet him?

“Stop looking at me like that. Your eyes are weird.” 

Sonic returned to reality with a jolt, forcing a laugh as he looked everywhere except at his rival. “I have no idea what you’re talking about!” He grabbed his cup and took a large gulp, hoping it’d be a worthy distraction from the flips his stomach was doing. 

Only for his mouth to be met with such bitterness and heat he thought he was dying. 

“Are you an idiot?!” Shadow scoffed as the other began coughing hysterically, hissing when he noticed bystanders glancing their way. He quickly held a napkin out to cover the poor hero’s mouth. “Drinking fresh steaming hot coffee like that… Don’t even respond to my question, the answer is evident.”

“How… on EARTH… do you drink that stuff?!” Sonic wheezed, whining as he pressed his cheek onto the table like a child. Shadow rolled his eyes before he grabbed Sonic’s cup of coffee carefully. The hero watched him like it was the most interesting action in the world.

Without a word, the Ultimate Lifeform brought it to his lips and gave it a tentative sip. Right on top of where Sonic’s mouth had touched.

It was like an indirect kiss, right?

Oh, how Sonic wished he was that coffee cup.

‘ …Okay, what the hell? ’ Sonic didn’t know what was wrong with him. Sure, he thought about Shadow a lot, but even this was getting to be a bit too much. Was he still tired from yesterday? He didn’t feel like he was, but something was throwing him off his game. When his quills puffed up a bit in agitation when the waiter returned, entirely against his will, concern was clear on his face. 

“Here’s your cake, Shadow!” The delicious dessert was placed before the hybrid carefully, who couldn’t hold back another cute smile. Who knew he had such a sweet tooth? “And… Oh, are you okay, Sonic?” The wolf looked at him with a concerned frown, but Shadow’s scoff returned his attention back to the Ultimate Lifeform quickly. 

“Ignore him. He wasn’t paying attention to the bitter drink he ordered so he’s moping about it. If you can bring him a Chaos Cola, he’ll be fine. Sorry for the trouble.” 

The waiter gave a happy nod, quickly leaving and returning with a glass of Sonic’s favorite fizzy drink, but the hero was too lost in thought now to pay attention. He tried recalling his feelings last night if there’d been any sign of these weird thoughts that he just didn’t notice in his sick state, but nothing explicitly came to mind. Tails had always put him at ease though. Would these thoughts only surface around strangers? 

“Stop looking so miserable. I got you another drink, so drink it.” Shadow’s snarl snapped him out of his thoughts again, and he watched the other take another spoonful of cake into his mouth. His tail wagged a bit behind him freely now, though his rival didn’t seem to notice. He doubted Shadow would show his face in public ever again if he did. Sonic decided not to mention it with a smile. He’d have to think seriously about where those weird thoughts were coming from later. Right now, he could focus on Shadow.

“Thanks, you’re the best!” Chaos Cola in hand, Sonic leaned back in his chair with a relieved sigh. Stress had to be getting to him, that’s all. “Tails did mention you had an idea on how to remove the fake Chaos within me?” 

“Yes. He suggested I pull the Chaos out of you like I would the Chaos Energy in the air around us. I’ve never done this, it seems like it’d be dangerous,” Shadow asserted with another bite of cake. “So you and I are going to the field nearby to test it. I’m not going to do it all at once, as I’d like to avoid setting off a Chaos Blast in our…” He trailed off for a second and avoided eye contact entirely, causing Sonic to raise an eyebrow. The Ultimate Lifeform cleared his throat when his cheeks burned red again. “... Our field, so I’m just going to move a small portion from within you to see if it’s possible first.”

The feeling of joy Sonic had upon hearing that was… overwhelming. It had been obvious that Shadow liked going there, having his company, but who knew he saw the field as their special place? Sonic couldn’t stop his own tail from wagging now. 

“On the bright side, if we mess up, we can totally nail that ‘post-apocalyptic, crater in the ground’ look. I hear it’s all the rage in Silver’s timeline.” He sipped his soda with a teasing grin.

Almost choked when Shadow laughed.

It was like music in his ears.

“I take back what I said,” Shadow let out another amused chuckle with another bite of his cake. “You’re more annoying than usual.”

If he could make Shadow laugh, alone, then everything was fine. This artificial Chaos business had to be a joke. He felt great, his friends didn't seem too worried if they were letting him run around on his own, AND he got to spend time with his crush. Alone. The beautiful day before them only held promises of contentment. He couldn't wait to get out of here.

Yeah. Everything was fine.

He just had to... Get. Shadow. Alone.

...He didn't know why.

Burying that thought, he gave his companion a wink. "You know, Shadow..." Was he doing a good job covering up the shivers trembling down his spine? Shadow didn't mention it, so hopefully it wasn't obvious. 

"You and me? Sitting around at a cafe on this beautiful day, making plans to hang out later? I'm starting to think this is a date-!"

The dunking of Chaos Cola on his head hadn't exactly been his ideal outcome, but the face Shadow made at the mere mention of the d-word made it totally worth it. He hoped the rest of the day was as peaceful as this.

Chapter Text

In the heart of a dense, verdant forest lay Sonic and Shadow’s serene ‘secret’ getaway, a hidden gem bursting with life and color. The field was a sprawling expanse blanketed in a sea of delicate white flowers, their petals shimmering like freshly fallen snow under the sun's golden rays. The sunlight filtered through the tall trees that encircled the field, casting dappled shadows that danced across the floral carpet. Each flower seemed to glow, reflecting the sunlight in a way that created an ethereal, almost otherworldly atmosphere. The gentle breeze carried the sweet, subtle fragrance of the blossoms, mingling with the earthy scent of the forest. In this idyllic sanctuary, the harmony between the vibrant field and the encircling trees created a breathtaking tableau, a perfect blend of light and nature's beauty. It was a place as breathtaking in the day as it was at night. 

It was unfortunate they were here on business. Would've been the perfect setting for a picnic.

Shadow stretched his arms above his head, glaring sternly at his rival as he prepared himself mentally for the task at hand. Sonic just watched him with a sheepish grin, quills wet after he jumped into a nearby river to clean off the soda Shadow had poured on him, foot tapping in a signature impatience as his eyes remained that dreadful ink color.

The hero had been acting odd all day. Sometimes he’d be normal. Other times, though, there’d be something just… off. He couldn’t quite place it, but he could just feel something was bothering the other at the cafe. Sonic had just stared for too long and moved a bit too quickly. It had made Shadow feel awkward, but he held his tongue for the other’s sake. 

Was it projection? Was he simply unnerved whenever those unnatural black eyes took hold of the jade green he concededly enjoyed so much? Shadow already knew he wasn’t the best at discerning what others were feeling on any normal occasion. Would it be normal for Sonic to behave like this after what he’s gone through? Everyone had their bad days, this he knew quite well from personal experience. But dammit, why did Sonic have to keep staring at him like he was going to… to…?!

Shadow didn’t actually know why it was making him uncomfortable, nor what his subconscious was warning him about. That’s why he assumed it to be a projection on his part. Had he grown soft over the years of peace? He had accomplished many great things on his own, at the cost of witnessing equal amounts of horrors. So why should Sonic acting weird even bother him at all? It made no sense to him, even with his affections. His rival would get over it eventually, as he did any predicament…

…And yet…

The Ultimate Lifeform couldn’t help but feel…worried. The artificial Chaos Energy in the other’s body was dangerous, and the repercussions of this are still unknown. Tails had told them all not to be alarmed, that he was monitoring everything and Sonic said he’d stay out of trouble, but the far-off look in the fox’s eyes betrayed his inner feelings when he spoke. He was anxious too. Rouge warned Shadow to remain cautious that morning, to not push himself when dealing with this fake Chaos, before leaving on what she claimed was important business. Part of him kind of wished she stayed, if not to put him at ease.

…Yeah, he lost his edge. Peace had this effect. Instead of sulking as he would before, he craved interaction with friends to feel better. It was some parts pathetic and other parts relieving that he'd grown so much over the years. He hoped every enemy he had made, every single one who claimed he’d be alone forever, was rolling in their graves. 

“Yoooo, earth to Shadow? The aliens have taken over!” Sonic waved at him with a grin, fidgeting under his glare as his eyes gradually returned to green. Thank Chaos, now Shadow could think clearly again. “...Actually, that’s in poor taste. Sorry bud!”

“Shut up,” Shadow spoke with a growl, running a hand through his quills as he glowered at the other darkly. His mood had turned sour after he had finished his cake and both of their coffees. Maybe he should’ve gotten more dessert. “This is very serious, hedgehog. I have to focus or you will regret coming here with me.” 

Sonic whistled, stretching himself as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other repeatedly. “Aw, I’d never regret coming here with you, Shadsy! After all, this is our field, right?” He winked flirtatiously, and the hybrid scoffed in disgust. He regretted saying that. The blue hedgehog would not shut up about it. 

…Though he supposed it was cute how the other seemed so touched by his words. Kind of. Sort of. Not really. Whatever. He needed to pay attention. 

Instead of gracing him with a response, the G.U.N. agent merely pointed to the ground in front of him, glaring demandingly. Sonic obliged immediately, hopping to his designated spot excitedly as though desperate to please. ‘Like a dog,’ Shadow thought off-handedly. 

“Okay, so, do I need to do anything while this happens, or…?” Sonic was bouncing in place again, and it was beginning to aggravate the dark hedgehog. 

“Hold still and stop talking.” Shadow huffed, fighting off the amused smirk when Sonic froze on command instantly, pretending to zip his lips. The hybrid grunted in approval before closing his eyes. The silence doing wonder for his concentration...

Sadly it didn’t last past five seconds. 

“Ugh, standing around is so boring! Can’t we do this while on a walk at least? How long is this gonna take? Are you sure you don’t need help? Maybe I should try firing a Chaos Spear like you do. Gasp, what if this serum gave me ALL the crazy Chaos powers?! Twinsies! Hey, remember when I was able to pull off Chaos Control with that fake emerald on the Ark? That was pretty cool!"

“Maybe I can do it on command now? I’ll try it later. You’re gonna be so mad if I can pull it off. Call me the Ultimate Lifeform Two: Special Edition! Y’know, I think you actually called me that once. Not sure if you remember, but it kinda gave me this ego for a hot minute. Maybe I should've told you about it when you were hanging around Black Doom too much. Or maybe when we met back when we fought Metal? That would’ve given you a crisis for sure!"

“Speaking of that, why didn’t you go Super with me that time? Er, well I guess I didn’t ask you to do it either… Did you even know you were the Ultimate Lifeform at the time? Did you even know what a Super form was? For as long as we’ve known each other I don’t think I’ve asked you these questions. Am I a bad friend for not asking? Or did you never want it to be brought up? Should I not be bringing it up now? This is embarrassing. Wait, no, I take it back. This isn’t embarrassing. This is the perfect time to ask! So, like, when you saw me for the first time after Rouge found you, did you think you were my clone or-”

“Sonic.” 

“Oh, right! Sorry, Shadow!” Sonic cleared his throat, standing at attention once more.

Great Gaia, help him. This was going to be a long day. 

Collecting himself with a deep breath, Shadow closed his eyes once more, holding out his hands in front of him as he felt for the dormant Chaos Energy hidden within the other. He’d only try to remove a small portion. The fear of instigating a reaction in the other, or himself, was weighing heavily on his mind. Rouge had mentioned that Tails had an Energy reader on Sonic as well, so caution was advised until they had a better idea of what they were dealing with.

As he felt himself tap more into the Chaos in the air between the two, his mind wandered briefly to the conversation they had at the cafe again. Sonic had brought up the attempted kiss but made no indication of his thoughts about it. He supposedly couldn’t remember it, but that didn’t stop Shadow from feeling… disappointed. He didn’t press on the matter, because like he said, priorities, but he did wish Sonic gave him a clue on whether or not he liked the idea. His rival had just moved on like it was no big deal. Truly agonizing. Maybe it had been nothing at all...

...

No. He couldn’t think about this right now. Focus. Deal with it later.

Wielding Chaos was a delicate task, something most creatures and machines alike failed to accomplish without serious bodily harm. It was odd to think about, as Chaos made up at least a small portion of all material in the known universe. It’s why the trees grew, the clouds rained, and the wildlife flourished. So not having control over something so abundant in your environment always struck Shadow as simply weird. Though he supposed that’s why he was made, and why he was dubbed the Ultimate Lifeform. Natural Chaos desired a master, and with his skills, he could harness it to grant him any ‘wish’ he desired. Be it teleportation, Spears or Blasts, or powering his rocket shoes, it was a weapon Shadow could wield freely. 

The unnatural Chaos the Doctor had created was an entirely different story. He could tell from his first interactions with it that this imitation was made as a power source, nothing more. Sure, it could provide the means to basic techniques like Chaos Control, but overusing it made the wielder the vessel for the Chaos rather than its wielder. Exploit it, and in turn, it exploits you. He recalled how quickly it overcame his body and mind, causing a Chaos Blast entirely against his will that almost decimated his friends and allies. He remembered the dark notions that had filled his dazed mind. In those brief moments, he was not himself. Silver had brought him back, but he worried that if the time-traveler had been moments slower, he would not be where he was today. It was ominous to consider. 

The idea of this shit mixing its way through Sonic, replacing his pure innate Chaos with something toxic and revolting, all the while still acting at least somewhat normal didn’t fit with Shadow’s own experience. Whatever else the Doctor mixed into it could be the cause, but he knows how parasitic uncontrolled Chaos can be. How was he to remove it from Sonic without contaminating himself again? The mental fog it caused was undeniable.

But for Sonic’s sake, he had to take this risk. It would only be for a second. What could go wrong?

The G.U.N. agent opened his crimson eyes slowly. Sonic was tense, eyes clenched shut as his body remained stiff not from pain, but from trying to remain perfectly still. Shadow rolled his eyes, slowly approaching with an extended hand. Such an idiot. 

“I’m going to put my hand on your chest, Faker. Relax and nothing bad should happen.” He was the Ultimate Lifeform. He conquered this once, he could do it again.

“...Faker? I think you’re the fake hedgehog around here,” Sonic smiled warmly, eyes still closed as he lowered his voice to mimic his rival. “You’re comparing yourself to me? Hah! You’re not even good enough to be my fake!”

“Shut up,” Shadow didn’t know where he got the energy from to be so obnoxious, but he supposed that was part of the charm. He placed his gloved fingertips on the other’s peach chest cautiously. 

Nothing happened. 

He could feel Sonic fidget under the contact (was he ticklish? Shadow didn’t know why he cared to make that mental note. Truly, no clue), but that was it. He could feel his mind already going fuzzy, but if he did this fast there’d be no issue. Feeling confident he began directing the Chaos towards himself with a calmed spirit. “...Or I’ll make you eat those words-”

If you’ve ever been launched through a tiny pod into the cold vacuum of space, fallen into a trap filled to the brim with deadly spikes, or tripped into a river of radioactive chemicals in an attempt to dodge space aliens from killing you, what he felt at the moment was an amplified combination of all three directed right into his unsuspecting arm. 

“FUCK!”

Shadow staggered away as he clutched his burning wrist, teeth bared in a snarl of agony. A voice, likely Sonics, yelped after him in surprise, but he was unable to hear it. It felt like his very blood was boiling, black Chaos static emanating from rippling fur. His knees buckled beneath him.

Get it out get it out get it out get it out get it out -

He gasped at the bombardment of emotions infiltrating his mind, clenching his good hand tighter around his wrist in a feeble attempt to stop himself. The bubbling of power was rising within him, a familiar but dreaded feeling in this context. Grotesque musings, not at all his own, were scrambling his senses to the point he felt blind, his inner voice threatening to be snuffed out by the cries of something telling him to just let loose. 

Chaos Blast. Do it, do it, do it do it do it do it do it DO IT -

The flowers… The poor flowers…

Was he going to explode?

...

Then, all the voices were silenced at once, drifting away like a cloud. A pained cry escaped his lips as his face was brought against soft fur.

“Shhh, I got ya, Shadow, it’s okay…!” 

Kneeling on the ground, Sonic pulled the other into a tight, inescapable embrace. Holding Shadow’s shaking arm with one hand as the other pulled the dark hedgehog’s head against his chest, fingers gently combing through spiked-up quills to help him relax, he coaxed the Ultimate Lifeform to kneel with him. The hero didn’t seem at all affected by the raw, untamed energy sparking through the air around them, humming soothingly instead. Lucky bastard.

Shadow didn’t know which was worse: the overwhelming barrage of feelings he felt moments ago, or the sudden emptiness of his head right now. He panted heavily as Sonic slowly petted him, though it did nothing to change the distress in his aching limb. As though he sensed this, Sonic lifted his trembling wrist toward the sky.

“Can you release it into the air, Shadow? Will that make it go away?” He sounded so concerned, but his words were a lifeline Shadow could latch onto.

'Yes... I can do that...' This one thought broke through the fog as he forced his shaking hand into a fist, taking a wavering breath as he tapped activated his powers. 

Sonic whistled in awe when the Ultimate Lifeform’s hand was suddenly engulfed in black Chaos Energy, a dark fire that flickered madly in the wind. It stayed like that for a moment, before the familiar green color of Shadow’s Chaos abilities appeared in the center of the black. The green ate away at the black until there was none left, the last dark embers disappearing as quickly as they came. He deactivated his Chaos, and his body fell slack against Sonic’s with a relieved sigh. 

“Nice, you did great Shadow,” Sonic purred gently as he moved to a sitting position, gently coaxing the other onto his lap and chest. His hand would not stop moving through Shadow’s quills, and it felt both too intimate and too cold all at once. “Just relax for a bit, I gotcha.”

If that were the case, Shadow was too dazed to not take him up on the offer. Even if he couldn’t string two sentences in his mind presently, he did know he needed to rest his body briefly. 

Plus, maybe having someone else tease his quills like that, after so long, felt … nice. Shadow closed his eyes, trying to match his breathing with Sonic’s as the lingering pain slowly disappeared. 

'Such utter weakness,'  he thought to himself bitterly, the contact already beginning to sting. He lost himself in the mental fog, too disoriented to pull away...

Did he even want to pull away...?

...He knew the answer to that. But it would not be something he could admit even to himself. He wasn't ready...

...

Meanwhile, while Sonic outwardly appeared to be a steady shoulder for Shadow to lean on, the internal storm within his heart was raging with such passion he thought he was going to die. 

Sweat beaded on his forehead and trickled down his temples, a stark contrast to the cool morning air as his heartbeat thundered like a drum in his ears. Every breath felt shallow with his tightened chest, as though the very act of breathing were a chore he struggled with, but he forced himself to take deep even breaths. The hands on Shadow’s body shook with anticipation, adrenaline pumping through his veins as an eerie smile settled on his face. His muzzle burned a scarlet blush that matched Shadow’s stripes as butterflies swirled in his stomach. He pressed his mouth to the back of his rival’s ear, the scent of lavender overtaking his senses.

He felt sick.

Or was it love?

‘This was not right,’ Sonic felt bad taking advantage of the other’s vulnerable state, but Shadow’s lack of protest must’ve been a good sign. He could feel the hybrid leaning against the hand in his quills gradually. 

Tails said Shadow had pushed him away yesterday when Sonic fell in for a kiss, and he wondered if his rival would react similarly once he came back to his senses. Though they were alone right now, the conditions were similar to when the two spent those late nights by each other’s side under the moonlight. Shadow unmistakably had reservations about public displays of affection, at least the intimate kind, but is it fair to assume that he wanted to be closer even in private? There was a part of Sonic that still wanted to wait, to ensure Shadow knew what he was getting into, but a loud part of the hero did not care. That was scary. He kept that part contained for so long, but ever since he woke up this morning it was ringing in his head to do whatever his heart desired. 

Sonic the Hedgehog was not perfect. 

What villains, civilians, organizations, and even his friends saw him as would never fully be the accurate picture of his true sense of self. He was heroic to a fault. He loved to smile and run and give others a reason to do the same. He despises oppression and feels pride that others stand with him. And yes, he was arrogant and had an ego, but based on his feats he would not be blamed even when they got the best of him. His happiness and joy were genuine, of course, and that was the side of him everyone accepted with open arms. 

There was a side, though, that grew gradually as the years passed…

When he adventured alone as a child, defeating Badniks in his free time, he didn’t necessarily have any grandiose reason for doing what he did. He had always had a rebellious streak, defying authority at any given opportunity for the sake of it, but he never did it out of the compassion in his heart. He was only a kid after all. He didn’t understand why the things he did were right, nor did he initially care to find out. He just did them because it felt good to beat up Eggman and stop his schemes. Life had been simple to understand back then.

Sometime later, he met Tails. 

It was like being given sight after years of wandering alone in the dark, purposeless. Having a little brother, one who could not only keep up with him but also show him a new perspective, really changed his life for the better. He had someone to look out for, someone who complimented his weaknesses and showed him companionship. While Sonic never felt he was naturally born good, Tails showed him that such people existed. 

Then he met Knuckles and Amy.

Knuckles, the first to truly be his rival, was well-meaning despite being fooled by Dr. Eggman. The echidna's dedication to his heritage and the Master Emerald was admirable, and Sonic realized what it meant to have a purpose. He also learned to define people not necessarily by their actions but by their character. He knew he had to thank Knuckles for that someday, as It helped keep him open-minded throughout his life.

Amy, young and naive as she was, was brave to a fault in her own right. Through her, Sonic saw how his influence could inspire hope even in the worst moments. He realized that his deeds could positively affect people even when he wasn’t physically present and that compassion above all else was its own reward. It was exhilarating when he first understood this. To think one could exist beyond themselves in the minds of others. He vowed to be less egocentric in his desires and to be someone Amy and others like her could be proud of.

The selfishness, however, never disappeared; it merely evolved. Instead of thinking only of himself and his feelings, he began to carry the weight of everyone around him. Their hopes and sorrows became his own. When he saved someone's life, it felt like he had saved himself.

So when he failed to save someone, it hit him hard. Very hard.

After so many adventures and so many fallen friends and foes alike, he learned that what he hated most was losing. Not in the competitive sense; he could be a good sport about losing a race or a spar between allies nowadays. Rather, it was about never getting to have something that was once his again. This fear kept him up at night sometimes, but he had to remain strong for the friends in his life. Even if he didn’t properly know how to process grief, he had to keep running. That is what heroes do.

Did all heroes have to bury their greed?

His selfishness now was alarming. Perhaps he had always been a tad… obsessive over Shadow, in his own way. He liked his company, but he also liked guiding people on the right path. Who better to help than a cure-turned-weapon with memory problems that had a lot of similar qualities to Sonic himself? He spent years trying to get the other to open up, to see things his way, and he was starting to witness the fruits of his labor. He was proud of Shadow and all his accomplishments.

After losing him once before, however, the thought was always in his head that he’d lose him again somehow. He couldn't have that. Even the sight of seeing Shadow in pain was enough to make Sonic angry.

Hold him. Don’t let him go. Don’t let him leave. He’s safe in your arms. This is good. Keep him there. This feels good. You make him feel good. 

‘Gods, what is wrong with me…?’ Sonic felt like a passenger in his own body when he felt his hand lower to interlock with Shadow’s trembling fingers. Inhaling the other’s scent was intoxicating, the hero purring as he nuzzled against the back of one of those twitching ears he loved so much. 

He was thinking some unholy thoughts. With his rival like putty in his hands, close and shivering and hot, visions of things he’d always wanted to try wouldn’t leave him be. He knew it was inappropriate, but with how Shadow was leaning into his touches he couldn’t help but wonder if the other was thinking it too. Sonic didn't want to confirm it aloud by asking though. He felt that would break his heart.

'Maybe being a little selfish was fine sometimes? If it meant they’d move whatever they had going on forward, then maybe this artificial Chaos business wasn’t so bad...' He knew he shouldn't be thinking this. It had to be whatever crap Eggman put into him that was making him unreasonable, so obsessed with self-indulgence. He couldn't reign it in. This was trouble. 

“S…Sonic…” 

Shadow’s voice sounded so meek as he whimpered, making Sonic’s chest feel like it was about to burst. Trying to ignore the pressure growing in his gut, he moved his mouth to whisper in the other’s ear. He had the instinct to bite it, but he had some restraint. Kind of. He had to bite his lip to force himself to stop. “What’s up, Shadow…?”

“...You’re hurting me.”

Oh, well, shit.

Sonic threw his arms in the air in horror, falling onto his back with a wince as his eyes searched the others madly for injury. Shadow fell on top of his chest with a grunt, the dark hedgehog groaning as he weakly pushed himself onto his arms, panting as his cheeks remained a rosy tint. The hero tried catching his breath himself, gulping nervously as the other opened his red eyes to stare at him. He wasn’t saying anything. 

He didn’t look hurt, only… well, debauched if you asked Sonic’s racing, perverted mind presently. The Ultimate Lifeform fought to catch his breath with his jaw hanging open slightly, his eyes unfocused as his ears pressed his skull. On his hands and knees, he was hovering over Sonic in a position the hero could only ever imagine in his fantasies. It was making him feel hot, and he covered his mouth with both hands to not say something he’d regret. 

Seemingly oblivious to the internal struggles of Sonic T. Hedgehog, Shadow rolled off of him with a sigh, flopping down on the grass to stare up at the clouds as he fought to control his breathing. Sonic sat up immediately, hands still over his mouth, to stare at the other with wide eyes. He let out a muffled ‘I’m so sorry!’, but Shadow raised a hand to wave him off weakly. Despite his dazed demeanor, the Ultimate Lifeform looked like he needed to say something but couldn’t. 

“...Are you okay?” Sonic felt guilty. He didn’t know what he did, but he didn’t mean to hurt the other at all! The idea of hurting Shadow was making him nauseous, even if the power trip it gave him was undeniable. 

There was something seriously wrong with him. Maybe he should’ve talked to Tails the second things felt weird.

The hybrid hedgehog avoided looking at him, instead raising his arm to shield his eyes from the sun - and Sonic - entirely. His breathing was growing steady now that they weren’t on each other, and the hero of Earth had to wonder how he had caused the other pain unknowingly. He was trying to comfort him, nothing else. So how…?

He wanted it anyway.

...

…What?!

“Sonic.”

The hero jumped, shaking his head as he returned his attention to his crush. “Y-Yeah…?”

“I…” Shadow was frowning deeply, his body still as he struggled to find the words. After a few moments of silence, he growled in frustration with himself. He removed his arms from his face gradually, discontent tangible from a glance as he glared darkly at the cloud. Sonic would've told him it was cute if he would just stop feeling nauseous for five seconds, thanks.

When the silence lingered, Shadow's thoughts unknown, Sonic decided to try and break the tension. He cris-crossed his legs as he leaned over the other, blocking the sun from Shadow's with what he hoped was a casual smile (it wasn't. His eyes were black again and it made his face look unsettling). He tugged on the grass blades surrounding them as he fidgeted.

"...Did you, er, get a lot out at least...?" He couldn't stop the image of Shadow looking so hot from replaying in his head on repeat. It must've been obvious because his rival was giving him the weirdest look ever. Great. Fantastic, even. Now Shadow thinks he's a freak! Sonic winced a bit at himself under Shadow's gaze.

"...No, not really. I would have to do that many more times for it to be effective. This Chaos is... different than the kind I dealt with before... It's stronger." He didn't remove his eyes from Sonic at all, his expression turning into a controlled poker face. So unlike the look he had moments ago. Sonic wanted it back so badly... Shadow's voice cut him off from those thoughts again.

"Sonic, you're not... hearing things, are you?"

Huh?

No.

"Uh, 'hearing things'? Why are you asking? Is that, like, what happened to you before or...?" Sonic was sweating, but he tried to hide it, with a curious tilt of his head. Why was this making him so nervous? The tension between them was heavy. 

"...Yes."

Shadow pushed himself to a sitting position, looking at Sonic so intensely that the blue hedgehog felt frozen in place. He watched as the dark hedgehog leaned closer, searching Sonic's face for something. The hero's muzzle grew scarlet as their faces became only inches apart. 

"Artificial Chaos is not like normal Chaos. Its primary purpose isn't to grant wishes but to give power. Too much power and you disappear entirely. And right now, there's a lot of it inside you. So I have to ask..."

Sonic knew that look now. It was one the two exchanged on many occasions when they faced off against one another. It was a look that embodied challenge. The Ultimate Lifeform was ready to take him on at any moment, regardless of their history or status. At the end of the day, they would always be rivals, and they would always fight if it meant proving who was superior. 

Simply amazing. 

"...Are you in control of yourself?"

Shadow was so... serious. 

Sonic smiled gently, a chuckle escaping his lips as he nodded slowly. Shadow seemed taken aback by the response, eyes narrowed before the hero gave him his signature finger wag. 

"...Shadow, pfft, buddy, if I w-wasn't in control, do you think...snrk, do you think asking m-me straight up would be a good idea?" Unable to hold back his laughter, his body shook at the absurdity of the moment. Shadow was too cute. He yelped when a fist collided with his forehead, nearly rolling him over completely as he fell onto his back. "Ow?!"

"You are such a MORON! This is serious!" Shadow hissed in exasperation, standing up to glower over the hero angrily. At least he seemed back to his normal self, though it did the new bump on Sonic's head no favors. What was doing him favors was the embarrassed blush on Shadow's face. Once again, the injury was worth it. "I hope you get worse! See if I care when you destroy your Restoration camp! Your little friends are going to beg me to help and I'm going to say no!" 

"Okay, okay, I deserve that, BUT," Sonic sprang up beside him, arms extended with a wry smile. "You don't have to worry! If I was feeling weird, or if I had thoughts in my head, or whatever, I'd tell you. Promise!"

Sonic did not enjoy lying. But if he was going to talk to anyone, it had to be Tails first. Shadow seemed to be the subject that got his weird thoughts racing, so scaring him away was the last thing he wanted to do. Especially when they had gotten this close.

Shadow didn't seem convinced by his words, folding his arms over his chest with a huff as he looked away.

That wouldn't do at all.

"C'mon Shadow, don't be like that~!" Sonic circled him like a shark to its prey, hoping to catch his crush's gaze one more time. Shadow turned his head away whenever he got close, annoyed, and Sonic's black eyes narrowed smugly. 

If he was playing hard to get, Sonic didn't mind a good chase-

Before he could contemplate his next move, a beeping sound made both of their ears perk.

Sonic couldn't hide the disappointed look on his face when Shadow lifted his wrist towards his mouth, pressing a button on a hidden communicator with a growl. "What do you want?" 

"Is that any way to greet a lady~?" Rouge's cheery voice broke through the static, and Shadow merely grunted in response as he turned his back to Sonic. The hero clenched his gloved fists at his sides.

"We're busy here. What do you want?" Shadow repeated with a tired sigh, resting a hand on his hip. He was in no mood for games.

"Oh, my bad, didn't know I was interrupting your private time with your man! You know I'd hate to do such a thing unless it was really important~!" Her giggles made Shadow's ears flick. He rolled his eyes and shook his head, turning to look back at Sonic. 

"He is not my man. The idiot has more Chaos in him than I anticipated. I have to regroup with Tails and figure out a safer solution," he paused before he cocked his head to the side, expression stern. "...You actually wouldn't call unless it's important. What happened?"

"Official G.U.N. business. There are reports of terrorists attacking the government building in Central City." The way the bat's tone could flip from flirty to business was madly impressive. Shadow made eye contact with Sonic, who knew his face must've reflected his annoyance by the frown Shadow made. "Typically normal foot-soldiers could handle it, but this is the Anti-Restoration group. You and I are needed at the scene, pronto."

Sonic groaned. He hated dealing with those guys. They were a group that despised all known governments and world powers, be it from Eggman to Sonic, to G.U.N., to even the president of Station Square. They constantly stole Eggman's tech to stand a fighting chance, but they were easy to defeat typically. The annoying part was, unlike Eggman's troops, they were animals and humans alike. Which meant going all out was not something the Restoration members could afford. Machines broke. Organics... well... 

Regardless, it made battles tedious. He wanted to get back to his alone time with Shadow immediately, so this was a major bump in the road. 

"No sweat, those guys are losers!" Sonic yawned as he stretched his leg from side to side. "We'll head right on over and help out!"

"There is no we, hedgehog." Shadow turned off his communicator before Rouge could speak, glaring at the hero sharply. "You are going back to Tails' lab and staying there until I return. There's no negotiation on this." The Ultimate Lifeform turned his back to him again, casting a look of warning over his shoulder. 

Only to disappear from Sonic's sight with a flash. 

Gone. 

Sonic immediately panicked.

Clenching a hand against his chest the other rested against his knee as he panted, his dark eyes staring at the ground as the world began to spin. Was this a panic attack? Sonic wasn't unfamiliar with them, but they didn't typically happen when his friends merely left his sight. It felt almost self-induced with its sudden severity. What on Earth was happening?

What if he gets hurt? What if something happens and you're not there to help? What if Eggman shows up again? What if you let him fight and it's your fault? He shouldn't fight. None of your friends should fight. No one should fight. Stop it. Stop it right now. Stop stop stop stop stop stop stop STOP-

"Hah...hah...ugh..." Sonic wheezed as he struggled to stand upright, one eye clenched shut as he looked off in the direction he knew Central City was in. His mind was in a frenzy as the world began to spin. He wasn't even sure if he could make it back to Tails' workshop like this, especially if all the Restoration members would see him. It's not a good look if your number-one hero looks ready to fall over and cry at any given notice. He had to hide somehow.

Hide...?

Follow Shadow and hide. Watch him. Make sure he's safe. He won't ever know. Check on him then leave. It'll be fine. He'll be safe. Everyone will be safe. Safe safe safe safe-

"O-Okay, geez, I get it..." Sonic huffed, and just like that his vision...cleared. It was like his thoughts were controlling his mind somehow, but he was too focused now to care. He wanted to follow Shadow anyway. He wanted to know what the agent had wanted to say, so maybe when the battle was done he could just... up and ask him. And hopefully not get pummeled.

Besides, as long as he stuck to the sidelines during the fight, what could possibly go wrong?

Chapter Text

In the heart of Central City, a once-bustling street now stood eerily desolate, its access blocked by a formidable barricade manned by the elite government military force G.U.N.. Heavy concrete barriers and steel fences created an impassable - though hopefully temporary - boundary, with armored vehicles positioned strategically to enforce the blockade. Behind this line of defense, in a relatively secure section of the street, a cluster of tents had been erected, housing government workers and soldiers engaged in serious discussions and urgent planning. The soldiers, clad in their distinctive uniforms and armed with state-of-the-art equipment, moved with purpose, their presence exuding authority and control. Government officials, identifiable by their badges and formal attire, were huddled over maps and documents, their faces etched with concern and determination. 

Outside the barricade, the scene was markedly different. Reporters jostled for position, cameras, and microphones at the ready, eager to capture any scrap of the ongoing conflict. Civilians, a mix of curiosity and anxiety on their faces, strained to see past the barrier as well, trying to catch a glimpse of what was causing such a commotion. Nearby, medical personnel stood on standby, prepared to assist in case of any incidents among the gathered crowd. The air was thick with tension and murmurs of speculation as the people of Central City awaited news, their lives momentarily paused by the unseen events unfolding just beyond the barricade…

Rouge the Bat sighed as she waited in one of those G.U.N. tents alone, tapping her heeled shoe slowly as she waited for Shadow to arrive. Her partner in crime (and heroism, if you asked them both nicely~!) was expected to arrive soon. The two were to be the major players in the events that would pan out today, and a serene sense of calm drew over her with each passing second. She already knew her orders, and despite the danger, she felt excited. She was known to love gems, money, and secrets, but the thrill of an infiltration mission was almost just as good. Almost.

When an unnatural breeze blew into the tent and roused her from her thoughts, the bat smiled as she turned expectantly, her lips pursed in amusement.

“Finally, you’re here. You know, hanging up on me like that was quite rude! We’ve known each other for so long I expect at least a little respect, tough guy!” Her tone was playful as she watched Shadow dust himself off, his crimson eyes rolling with a scoff.

“Hmph. Sonic was being obnoxious. I took care of it though… What are our orders?” Shadow’s speech was drawled out slightly. Rouge raised an eyebrow before looking him over carefully with the tilt of her head. 

To the untrained eye, the Ultimate Lifeform appeared normal. But if Rouge was anything, she was observant to a fault. Shadow looked utterly exhausted, his eyes dark and unfocused as he repeatedly ran a hand through his unkempt quills. Something was clearly on his mind, something he wasn’t ready to share, and Rouge frowned in concern. When she didn’t respond to his question, Shadow glanced her way for a moment before quickly averting his eyes with a small shake of his head.

He knew she noticed, but he wanted to focus on the mission before they discussed it. How boring. 

“Okay, sure, we don’t have to talk. But if whatever’s on your mind affects your performance at all today I’m pulling you out, and calling Omega in from standby.” She waved him off immediately when he opened his mouth to protest. “ Nuh-uh, I don’t want to hear it. Remember that I’m in charge. Promise me you’ll follow orders as they’re given! We don’t want another earful with the Commander, now do we?”

“...Fine,” Shadow growled, though Rouge could tell there was no real bite to it. “Tell me what our orders are. The sooner we get this over with the better.”

“Always such business with you, but you’re in luck! That’s why you’re here. The Commander specifically asked for ‘fast’.” Rouge chuckled, examining the sheet she had already memorized casually as she leaned against the tent’s table. 

“So, we have a small branch of the Anti-Restoration group attacking the Mayor’s Office. The group is mixed with all kinds of people, their ages and builds varying from species to species. They had forced a mass exodus of civilians and office workers, so no worries there. We’re being told that they sent a smaller force inside, and they’re destroying a lot of property - computers, files, even the walls… anything our taxes pay for - in search of the Mayor and his Secretary. They haven’t found him yet if their lack of negotiations with us was any indicator. Can’t exactly bargain without a bargaining chip. We’ve been informed he and the Secretary are hiding within the safe room in his office.”

“Outside the building is their larger force. They have stolen Egg Pawn weapons, but the real issue is some mech they’ve somehow gotten working again. Your job is to handle the grunts outside while I sneak into the office from a window in one of the alleyways. Stall until I get the Mayor and his Secretary out of there. Once they’re secured, G.U.N. will rush in and arrest them all.”

“Any reason they can’t do that now?” Shadow stretched his arms and legs as he prepared himself. Rouge shook her head, tossing the paper on the table in the tent.

“Could you imagine? G.U.N. soldiers rushing in without knowing the status of the Mayor?” She yawned as she stretched her wings out herself, smiling wryly. “Or worse, what if G.U.N. went inside right as they found the poor Mayor, their weapons drawn and their rational minds high off the fear? This is all under the assumption the forces outside don’t somehow blow themselves, and us, apart. I’m sure the Commander would prefer if the President doesn’t have to make any national statements.”

“Tch, I’m sure he’s used to it.” Shadow turned his back to her, his eyes on the empty street just beyond the barricade. He was itching for a fight despite his fatigue. “I’ll head that way now, then. When do I begin?”

“Once you get into position, count to one hundred. I’ll be inside then.” She gave him a wave before he took off without a moment’s hesitation, giving her wings a few experimental flaps before gently floating in the air. He was fast, so she had to be quick herself-

‘What was that? ’

Rouge looked over her shoulder towards the rooftops of one of the vacant apartment buildings, ear twitching.

A bat’s hearing was never to be underestimated, especially not Rouge’s. While the average bat could detect the faintest movement or sound in the environment, Rouge’s hearing was exceptionally sharp due to her extensive training. Every person had a unique way of walking, speaking, and even breathing, which she could instinctively pick up on if she chose to. Her acute hearing had once driven her crazy when she was younger, but now it was an invaluable asset, even in this loud, busy place. She’d not be as successful as she is today without it.

One of her most refined skills was recognizing people by the sounds they made unconsciously. This ability extended to friends and allies alike, making her an unparalleled tracker and observer. Nothing got past her.

No matter how fast they moved.

‘Didn’t Shadow say he took care of Sonic…? Why is he here? ’ The thief frowned as she watched the rooftops, the blue blur hidden from her view. She didn’t have time to see what he was up to, but she couldn’t stop the narrowing of her eyes as she took off to her assignment. ‘ Hopefully, he stays out of trouble, but knowing Blue… we’re in for a show, at least. ”

She tried not to be worried. After all, this was Sonic. Despite how mischievous he could be, he still had a heart of gold. Tails had informed her earlier that he had seemed back to normal, but Shadow's closed-off attitude was making her concerned...

—

“... sixty-seven… sixty-eight… sixty-nine… ”

“Ayo, Ace, that’s not… n-not Sonic the Hedgehog, is it?” One of the Anti-Restoration members, a white cat, whispered to the closest ally she had with an audible gulp. Ace, a yellow parrot, shook his head with a dumb-founded frown. 

“I… I don’t think so, Jax, but he sure does look like it…” The parrot squinted at the lone figure, a hedgehog, as he rubbed his chin. “Ain’t Sonic, like… blue? Or somethin’?”

“Yeah, very blue. I’ve seen him with my own eyes before. Kicked our squad’s asses faster than we could blink!” Jax pouted, adjusting the Egg Gun in her hold as she observed the figure more. “Come to think of it, I guess he doesn’t look like Sonic. Sonic didn’t look so… mean.” 

Two minutes ago, the streets had been empty. The Anti-Restoration Guard force that was currently stationed outside of the Mayor’s Office had allowed civilians to evacuate as they secured the area for their mission. Despite their cause, they made efforts not to actively harm civilians, at least not intentionally, and made no move as stragglers found their way out of their apartments and places of work to escape to the barricades. They had been enjoying a period of no activity after G.U.N. finished setting up their barricades on both ends of the street.

Then, a minute ago, a hedgehog suddenly appeared. He was standing across the street, glaring harshly with his arms crossed, and speaking to himself. At first, Jax thought his words were incoherent until she made out the distinct count of… numbers. Their large militia outside murmured amongst themselves about it, casting nervous glances around as the count increased steadily…

“ ...seventy-three… seventy-four… seventy-five… ”

Weirdo. Guess all sorts of people do live in the cities… 

“...What do you think he’s counting for?” Jax tapped her foot nervously, feeling herself shrink under the stranger’s glare. Ace shrugged his one free shoulder, the other too busy supporting the weight of an Egg Bazooka.  

“Er, maybe he’s just tryna scare us? He doesn’t look so tough, and he’s got no weapons either!” Ace gave Jax a reassuring grin, moving out of formation to begin walking towards the odd hedgehog. “I’ll make him leave!”

“W-Wait, I wouldn’t…!” Jax bit her lip as her protests were ignored, watching her ally saunter over to the subject of their grievances. The parrot stopped before the shorter hedgehog with a cocky grin, flexing the bazooka in a silent threat. 

“Listen, pal, I don’t know who you think you are, but you’re on Anti-Restoration turf now! Barricades are that way, so beat it punk!” He leaned down so he was at eye level, though once he did so his grin wavered tremendously.

Such red eyes… Was that normal for a hedgehog to have? 

“ ...eighty-five… eighty six… ”

Ace’s breath hitched in his throat as he straightened himself out. He was being totally ignored, and that would not fly! He turned the Egg Bazooka down to aim at the shorter one, eye twitching in anger. Weirdo or not, he had to leave! “I mean it, pal, I know how to use this thing! If you know what’s good for you you’ll run…!” 

The bird chirped in disbelief as the hedgehog yawned with the barrel in his face, not even sparing him a glance as he kept his arms securely folded. Was he… bored ?! Who exactly was it that was standing here?!

“ ...ninety-one…ninety-two… ”

“Grr! That’s it !”

Without much thought, the parrot hoisted the bazooka off his shoulders and slammed it against the hedgehog’s head with all the strength he could muster. He heard a few gasps from his allies as he smirked, the contact with the other’s skull making a very satisfying sound. He figured he could just drag the guy’s body over to the barricade if he had to -

Ace lost his balance with a squawk as the weapon was lifted from his hands unceremoniously, and he fell onto his backside. Shaking his head, he looked up in shock. The hedgehog had caught the weapon with one hand before it made contact with his head, and now casually held the heavy armament with ease. Red eyes finally met his, and they looked pissed.

“You made me lose count .” 

—

Shadow hadn’t used weapons like this in a long while, but honestly, he wondered why he’d ever stopped. 

Once he had the Egg Bazooka in his possession, he started going a little crazy on the Anti-Resistance, admittedly. They were clearly amateurs with the weapons they brandished, and despite their numbers, none of them possessed the skills to stand a chance against the Ultimate Lifeform. The mech they had supposedly stolen was nowhere in sight either, and since G.U.N. had given him the green light to cause some property damage, he was going all out. He could see some of the forces they had sent inside the building to assist their comrades, making the agent smirk smugly. Rouge would have no issues now. 

As relaxing as it was to fight with such low stakes, it didn’t help his exhausted mind from wandering. His body was on auto-pilot as he terrorized the AR members, his thoughts on the events that had unfolded that day.

There was no doubt in his mind that being around Sonic was causing immense fatigue. Even as he expertly dismantled this militia’s forces, he knew it was only due to their lack of experience. Had this mission been against worthy adversaries, Shadow didn’t think he’d last more than a few minutes in his current state. His crush’s inner Chaos felt like it was… drawing out his, causing the agent to expend energy at a faster rate whenever Sonic put his hands on him. It was to the point that it was causing pain. He couldn’t figure out why this was happening yet, but he knew when it was over he’d have to go ask Tails. 

He hadn’t told Sonic this yet because, well, the hero was a handsy guy. At this point, Sonic would likely feel terrible knowing he was hurting Shadow over and over without realizing it. 

At least, this is what Shadow told himself.

Shadow grunted in displeasure as he maneuvered past multiple Egg Spears with his hover skates, punching one guy in the gut before delivering a swift kick to the helmeted head of another. He didn’t understand why he had such difficulty being honest with himself. In the safety of his own mind, no one could blame, judge, praise, or encourage him to do anything. But admitting such things would be stepping into uncharted territory, and he was far too anxious to take that step.

At the same time, however, the morality of keeping it a secret weighed heavily on his shoulders. The logical part of his brain couldn’t imagine it being a big deal to Sonic, but the other, much louder side of himself was frightened by the prospect. Would Sonic find him… odd? Would he find Shadow’s secret distasteful? Would they never be able to go back to how things were…?

‘ Pathetic. It’s like you’re a child, afraid of such foolish things… And you call yourself the Ultimate Lifeform! ’ Shadow hissed to himself angrily as he spindashed an Egg Gun to pieces. He hated the way such thoughts made him sad. 

Had Shadow been at full attention and not lost in his self-deprecating thoughts, he would have noticed something peculiar. He was having to fight and dodge fewer of the AR’s forces as the minutes passed; either their unconscious bodies lay on the ground, or they had retreated to hide in huddled formations on the sidewalk, peering at him in apprehension. He might have noticed, perhaps, the sound of wheels turning on and something heavy pushing its way through an alleyway. He might have seen it approaching him at high speeds on a better day.

What he did notice, far too late, was the familiar sound of a slot machine whirring.

No.

It can’t be.

Shadow threw aside the struggling AR member he had been holding up by the collar with a snarl, whirling around just in time to meet a face full of rockets. 

“Oof!” Shadow flew back across the street, skidding along the concrete as he rolled onto his back painfully. The rings he had collected before the mission flew off of him haphazardly as his body drew to a halt. He rubbed his head as he opened his eyes with a snarl, glaring at the machine once piloted by Dr. Eggman himself.

The Egg Dealer.

The mech had seen better days. Maneuvering on only three legs, outer shell dented with chipping paint, with only two of three slot machines visibly working… One could only wonder how the Anti-Restoration got it running again. The pilot, a young dark blue rat, was pressing buttons frantically with gritted teeth. They likely hadn’t wanted to bring the mech out, but Shadow had proven to be a bigger problem than anticipated. 

When the working screens stopped their spinning to rest on the missile picture, Shadow the Hedgehog could only articulate himself in the most professional way he could muster.

“Oh, fuck off!”

He needed a nap. 

—

 Sonic didn’t think he could sit idly by much longer. 

The speedster had decided the best way to navigate through the city infest with G.U.N. soldiers was to jump rooftop to rooftop, using the Anti-Restoration’s ruckus as needed cover as he tried to get a closer look. He narrowly avoided being seen by Rouge after Shadow had run off, and he could only hope the citizens and paparazzi had covered any noise he might’ve made.

He stopped on the roof of a small office building directly across the street from the Mayor’s Office, crouching as he leaned against the handlebars, peering with pursed lips as his eyes scanned the area. The Anti-Restoration’s drones were lined up dutifully in a single-file line, their weapons at their sides as they stood guard by the entrance. Sonic whistled to himself when he recognized the old Egg tech. It had been so long that he’d nearly forgotten about that model of Egg Pawns. Shaking his head, his eyes drifted toward the street, barely spotting the one he desired against the dark concrete.

His tail wagged happily at the sight of Shadow, who was... just standing there. Weird. Sonic would have run in headfirst and contemplated the consequences later, but he suspected G.U.N. agents went about things differently. He couldn’t wrap his head around the waiting, though. He decided to try and get comfortable, letting his legs hang off the side of the building as he rested his arms and head on one of the lower handlebars. His head and chest weren’t hurting him, so maybe Shadow wasn’t in any danger he had to worry about. Maybe he could simply enjoy the show that would ensue… 

Boredom was a terrible affliction for the blue hedgehog, but he thankfully didn’t have to wait long for the action to start. Sonic laughed to himself when Shadow snatched the bazooka away from what looked like a yellow bird effortlessly. The Ultimate Lifeform looked comical as he began firing it off into the crowd, causing immediate panic among the ill-equipped ‘freedom fighters’ with little struggle. Sonic almost felt bad for them. They probably only suspected G.U.N.'s own ground soldiers, though the hero imagined their organization would render the AR useless regardless. 

As he watched his rival dance around the militia with ease, Sonic couldn’t help but admire him from afar, a creepy smile settling onto his face as his eyes turned their inky black color. He wasn’t aware of it as he sighed fondly, a blush warming his cheeks.

On the run here, his mind had kept replaying the events that had transpired earlier with Shadow. The way the other melted into his arms, the way he looked wrecked to the point it felt obscene. He couldn’t help himself from remembering the way Shadow fit perfectly against his body, the way he leaned against the hand running through his quills…

Sonic didn’t like that he somehow hurt the other, but he did like how right it felt having Shadow in his arms. 

Safe. 

Unable to move. Unable to leave. Nothing can hurt him. Nothing nothing nothing nothing-

“Gods, stop,” Sonic muttered, slapping himself lightly and shaking his head to regain focus on the battle. These thoughts were growing more intense with each passing second, and he warily wondered if he’d be able to hold them in until he saw Tails again. The growing disturbance of his thoughts made him extremely hesitant to approach the fox for a conversation and solution initially. How would his friends handle this side of him? He knew they’d be somewhat understanding due to Eggman’s serum, but would they be able to… handle it? Would they look at him differently forever?

What would Shadow think?

You can’t tell him. 

Not yet. 

Sonic groaned, his quills puffing up in agitation against his will as he pressed his muzzle against the cold steel of the handlebars. Despite Shadow pointing out the shifts in Sonic’s demeanor, he didn’t seem outright disturbed as one might expect. Maybe Shadow was being polite, or maybe Sonic was just good at hiding it. It was hard to tell when his rival could choose to stay silent at any given moment. 

Being here was a risk in and of itself. Shadow had ordered him to go home, and honestly, it would’ve been the smartest decision. He would’ve been able to have that dreaded convo with Tails and not have to worry so much about it, but he really couldn’t help himself. His mind and body were telling him to follow Shadow, and so he did. It was… alarming. 

‘ Am I being controlled…? ’ He wondered to himself as he observed Shadow’s movements, biting his lip at the thought of his body beneath his, their lips pressed together in a stunning battle of tongues before he would drift lower, and lower, and lower…

No. You’re not being controlled.

Sonic hummed at the thought, considering it with narrowed black eyes. He didn’t feel like he was being controlled, per se, though he wished that would be the answer for his sake. It felt more like… incredibly influencing messages popping into his head regarding his friends. Shadow especially. The quiet paranoia he had always felt regarding their safety was now drowning out the trust he had in their capabilities, especially in Shadow, and the more he thought about it the more he feared the answer. 

Unraveling in front of his friends, showing them the sides of him he’d never want them to see, would be… unfortunate. 

He had to avoid that. He had to keep it in for a little bit longer. 

…But what if… what if this is you -

Sonic bolted to his feet abruptly, gripping the bars with bared teeth as his thoughts instantly went into disarray at the sudden approach of the Egg Dealer. He saw Shadow get blasted across the street, and the hero snarled as his quills stood on end. He didn’t notice, but his grip was bending the metal beneath his gloved hands. 

Help him. You have to help him. He’s going to get hurt and die and it’ll be all your fault again! All over again! Over and over and over and over and over and over-

His chest tightening, the hero of Earth had to weigh his options. 

He could stay up here, out of sight, and follow Shadow’s orders. He'd only need to step in if necessary, and though his rival would be pissed when he saw him after the fight, it might not be as bad as expected. This was Sonic’s original plan.

The second option was to turn tail and leave right now, letting Shadow handle the AR alone and heading back to Tails’ place. Shadow would never know he was here and would likely be pleased he was listened to. Making him happy would be nice.

The final option was to go down there and protect his rival. Everyone would know about it, and he’d receive Shadow’s ire, but it would be the price to pay to protect his crush…

One of these options was certainly appealing.

—

Shadow recovered from the ground with a twist of his body, dodging more wayward rockets as the Egg Dealer staggered after him. The Ultimate Lifeform kicked into one of the legs of the machine, hearing its pilot yelp in shock as the device tilted. He almost let out a satisfied sneer before bombs fell from an open compartment of the mech unannounced, causing him to jump backward to safety. 

“Tch, idiot,” Shadow growled as he glared at the slots, noting the broken one was stuck on the image of his face. He… honestly wondered why Eggman included that, but he knew better than to count his blessings. As the machine regained its balance, Shadow took the opportunity to spindash into one of the working buttons, landing the slot on his face. The force angered the pilot greatly. 

“St-Stop that! The Anti-Restoration will make their stand here, and you’re just… just in the way!” Shadow watched the rat frantically push more buttons, missiles launching to the ground around him without any control. It was almost sad how desperate he was. He pressed another button, and a broken Egg Spawn crumbled out of the compartment offline. Shadow snickered. 

“Hmph. All will fall before me!” With one last spindash, Shadow landed the slot perfectly, all three images showing his face now.

When he first fought this mech, the slots had been an integral part of the battle. The last person to hit one of the buttons reaped the benefits. The design itself was cute, but the logic of it fell apart when you realized it was built to annihilate Sonic and Shadow. Why the Doctor would allow them to use his device against him was questionable at best, but the inventor had always been creative. Landing on Shadow’s portrait three times gifted the hedgehog with a surge of Chaos Energy to bend to his will. 

That was when the machine had been in pristine shape.

...The machine was no longer in pristine shape. 

“...?!”

Instead of being gifted with the free power to perform a Chaos Blast, Shadow lost his balance as the world swayed around him. He fell to his knees, blinking slowly as sweat dripped from his brow. The sensation was similar to when Sonic put his hands on him, though this stung far less. He could feel his stored Chaos Energy simply vanish, and while this wasn’t life-threatening, the moments he needed to regenerate would be. His ear twitched at the sound of the Egg Dealer whirring, and he knew bombs would drop out at any second.

He couldn’t move, at least not at the moment, so his calm mind simply accepted his fate. He’d lose consciousness since his rings had been knocked out earlier, but he knew the AR wouldn’t harm him further. Rouge had likely already found the Mayor by now, and his job as a distraction was over. G.U.N. would call in Omega to retrieve him if he didn’t wake up and pummel these clowns first. He had nothing to worry about outside of broken pride. He closed his eyes with an annoyed sigh. It’d hurt regardless, but he could take it…

The sound of something hard and fast meeting metal made his eyes slowly open again. He didn’t look up as the Egg Dealer tipped onto its back, the rat yelling in shock as he fell to a heavy thud. He didn’t look up when a white-gloved hand entered his vision, an offering for him to take. 

Oh, he was going to kill him. Slowly, he lifted his head to stare at the other blankly. 

“Heya Shad! Couldn’t leave you in distress, so I thought I’d step in!” The blue blur was giving him a cheeky grin, though his black eyes were making his stare uncomfortable. When Sonic saw the look on Shadow’s face, he quickly grew sheepish, his ears drooping as his hand faltered. “Erm, okay, I know what you’re thinking. I wasn’t going to interfere at all, honest! But you looked like you needed a hand and, well, uh, what kinda hero would I be if I just sat by while you got hurt, y’know? Hahaa… haha… heh… Oh?”

Shadow took the hand offered, clasping his hold securely around Sonic’s wrist to pull himself up. That’s what Sonic probably thought, with the way his nervous look disappeared for a moment, only to return when Shadow wouldn’t budge from his kneeling position. Their moment of silence expanded for a few seconds...

Before Shadow yanked Sonic forward, delivering a punch square to his cheek. The hero yelped as he fell to the ground, his rival standing to glower over him. 

“I told you to go home! What do you think you’re doing here?! The area is under G.U.N. jurisdiction and you’ll be sorry if they catch sight of you! Chaos, they likely already have! Do you have any idea the amount of trouble you’re going to be in when you go back?!” The rage inside his chest was boiling. 

There was something he wanted to say, but he didn’t know how to say it. He watched the idiotic blue hedgehog chuckle as he sat up, rubbing his injured face with a whistle as his unnatural eyes met Shadow’s, and he bared his teeth in frustration when his rival gave him his signature thumbs up.

“Okay, I deserved that too... Wow, you don’t hold back on those punches, Shads, ow…” The hero cautiously pushed himself to his feet, looking at the agent with a soft expression. “I know I shouldn’t have stepped in, but I couldn’t help myself. When someone says they need saving, I act on my own! It’s just who I am!” 

“I didn’t ask to be saved! Did you not think for a second that that’s why I told you not to follow me?! You’re ridiculous! I am the Ultimate Lifeform, not a nobody who needs to be rescued! Leave before you cause any more issues!” His hand cackled with green Chaos, his anger speeding up his rejuvenation process tenfold. Sonic raised an eyebrow before scoffing at him smugly. 

“Last time I checked, Mr. Ultimate Lifeform, I wasn’t the one on my knees about to get his shit rocked by some busted old Egg tech!” He jerked his thumb to the tipped-over mech, which was currently in the process of getting back up, flippantly. “C’mon! I’ve helped G.U.N. out plenty of times at this point!  They’ll live if I do it again.”

“That’s not the point, hedgehog! You should not be fighting anyone with your condition unknown! You promised the fox you’d stay out of trouble, and I promised him you’d go home after earlier! Do not make me complicit in your reckless behavior!” Shadow closed the distance between them, giving his rival a forceful shove. “I don’t know why you’re incapable of listening!”

Sonic put his hands up defensively, letting Shadow push him with a cheerful hum. He wasn’t taking this seriously at all, and the weird way he kept looking at him was driving the agent crazy. “Aww, I heart you too, Shadow! But seriously, I don’t think it’s going to be an issue! I’ll tell Tails I messed up, honest! The Anti-Restoration are a bunch of clowns anyway. Going all out in a fight is the least of our worries.”

“ You’re the clown, faker! Just go!” Sonic dodged the punch Shadow was about to connect, much to his anger, before straightening himself. The blue blur extended his arms like he wanted a hug, shocking Shadow at the sheer audacity.

“I’m sorry, okay? C’mon, let’s hug it out and I’ll let you get back to your work~! Woah!” He yelped again as he instinctively ducked under another punch from Shadow, laughing all the while. “Shadow, pretty please forgive me I’m so sorry!”

...

Members of the Anti-Restoration watched the two hedgehogs bicker loudly from across the street while they struggled to right the Egg Dealer. They murmured amongst themselves, fearful of the arguing duo as their plan began to unravel. The group inside the building had lost contact with their comrades minutes ago, and the fear of G.U.N.'s full force cracking down on them prevented a rushed rescue. Slowly, the Egg Dealer came upright, creaking on its three remaining legs as the rat pilot narrowed his eyes.

The Hero of Earth and the Ultimate Lifeform, both present and thankfully not paying them any attention, were obstacles that needed to be made examples of. If either of them fell, it would make national news, spreading their cause across the land. Even if they failed to capture the Mayor, they could still partially succeed with the press coverage of defeating one of the icons that represented their enemies. It was worth the risk.

...

“Okay! How about I hide in the alley until you’re done? That works out for both of us, right? Ow !” Sonic couldn’t dodge the next hit that came his way, instead opting to block it with his arm. 

“What works for both of us is you just leaving and me never seeing you again!” 

Despite the pain, Sonic couldn’t help but admire how striking Shadow looked when angry. Of course, Sonic didn’t particularly want to be on the receiving end of that fury, but it was worth it to see the intense determination in the hybrid’s eyes. It reminded him of all their quarrels over the years and how they’d always emerged stronger in the end.

‘... Maybe this isn’t the best time to think about that… ’ Sonic thought, his smile twitching under Shadow’s glare. Green Chaos Energy began to spark at Shadow’s fingertips, a clear sign of his frustration. Sonic knew he was belittling Shadow’s feelings, and he felt a pang of guilt, but seeing Shadow here and knowing he was okay made it all worth it. Not to mention so gorgeous.

Just as Shadow was about to step closer, a rocket whizzed between them, crashing into the ground behind them in a miniature explosion. They exchanged a quick look before their eyes turned back to the AR’s forces.

“ ATTACK !!!” one of the AR members shouted as they charged at the pair, weapons raised in desperation. Sonic let out a snicker, while Shadow simply deadpanned in annoyance. The Egg Dealer was whirring again, the pilot likely about to release bombs onto his own allies. If they didn’t do something these people, as foolish as they were, would be unnecessarily hurt. Not a good look for either of them.

Sonic sighed, holding his hand out to Shadow with his palm pointed upwards with a cocky grin and half-lidded eyes. Ignoring his rival’s wary glare, the hero began tapping his foot impatiently. “Let’s finish this quickly then. I’ll go tell Tails I was here and get scolded as soon as it's over, okay?”

Shadow spared one glance at the approaching resistance before letting out a withered sign. He reluctantly gave Sonic a high five, causing the hero to squeak in glee. Teaming up was always a blast!

Everything that happened next only took seconds. The two immediately jumped into the air, curling into spindashes before launching forward at insane speeds. In unison, they knocked through the ground like bowling pins with extreme ease, smashing old Egg tech into pieces along the way. They both skidded to a halt in front of the Egg Dealer before curling up again, jumping to tear a hole straight through the middle of its core.

“No… no!” The rat yelled as the mech tipped over once more, this time with no way of recovery. He jumped out at the last moment, expecting his body to meet the concrete in agony due to the height, but instead, he was… caught.

By Sonic the Hedgehog.

“Hey, didn’t your parents ever teach you to not play with Eggman robots?” Sonic cooed mockingly as he held the stunned rat bridal style, his black eyes staring right into the poor guy's soul. The mech fell behind them with a loud thud, casting dust into the air and causing the rat to cough. The hero seemed unphased, simply dropping the AR member to the ground unceremoniously before walking over to Shadow. The Ultimate Lifeform was dusting himself off whilst glaring at the groaning foes on the ground. 

“Not bad, Shad, not bad! Though I think I got more on my side, so I think I won this round!” He raised his hand for another high-five, one Shadow blatantly ignored.

“You got into the fight late. There are more of them over there -” He pointed in front of the Mayor’s Office at the heaps of unconscious people with a huff. “- that outweigh your feeble numbers. Victory is always mine. Now leave before I obliterate you.”

Sonic groaned, high-fiving himself with a shake of his head. “Man, you’re no fun! At least thank me for helping you out back there!”

Before Shadow could yell at him more, the agent’s wristwatch began beeping. Turning away immediately, he brought it near his mouth as he surveyed the street. “Rouge, I’m guessing you have them?”

“That’s right, darling! You caused quite the commotion. You had the few remaining stragglers inside panicking when I showed up. Taking them out was a breeze. The Mayor and his Secretary are now safe in G.U.N. custody.”

“Good. I’ve destroyed the mech and the remaining AR members are either unconscious or too weak to fight. They are ready for arrest -” Shadow hissed when Sonic threw an arm around his shoulder, leaning into the communicator quickly. 

“We destroyed the mech! It was a team effort. Don’t let Shadow pretend it wasn’t!” Sonic couldn’t help himself. Shadow’s body, which was currently shaking in suppressed rage, felt right when pressed against his like this. He was too downbad to pass up on the opportunity to touch the other. “I’d also like the G.U.N. Commander to give me a call later as thanks, hehehe~!”

“...Blue, I was wondering when you’d show yourself.” Rouge’s voice held no surprise, and Sonic cursed his lack of stealth under his breath. Nothing ever got past her. There was a brief shuffle, and Sonic could tell she brought her communicator closer to her mouth, her voice dropping to a whisper. “You know you shouldn’t be there, right? Especially talking over a secure military line? You better leave before someone catches you…”

“Meh, breaking rules is kind of my thing!” He winked at the device, even though Rouge couldn’t see, and gave Shadow a pat on the back. “Though, er, don’t tell Jewel about it. She’ll talk my ear off!”

Rouge laughed softly on the other end. “I won’t, but don’t be surprised if she finds out anyway. G.U.N. hates it when you show up, Blue, even if Shadow and I love the company~!”

“Enough,” Shadow huffed, stepping away from Sonic with an unsteady gait. Sonic blinked, tilting his head in concern. Was Shadow injured somehow? The Ultimate Lifeform didn’t give him a chance to ask, instead focusing on reporting everything that had happened to Rouge. He walked forward, his back to Sonic and the downed Egg Dealer with a hand resting on his hip. 

Sonic wanted nothing more than to admire the view of his rival’s back, but something whizzed past him that brought his mind to a pause. 

The rat pilot, whom Sonic had already dropped and forgotten about, was charging at Shadow with murderous intent in his eyes. A knife glistened dangerously in the sunlight as he approached the Ultimate Lifeform from behind, and Shadow was too preoccupied in his conversation to notice. 

It’s like the world stopped as Sonic’s mind, chest, and gut felt as though they were lit ablaze with panic and anger. It felt like he was back in space, watching Shadow fall to his death, just out of arms reach and unable to be saved.

Sonic

STOP HIM SAVE HIM WHAT ARE YOU DOING

go fast

MOVE YOU CAN’T JUST STAY THERE HE'S GOING TO GET HURT HE MIGHT DIE YOU CAN'T DROP HIM AGAIN PLEASE HURRY

please

WHY AREN'T YOU MOVING GO RUN GET HIM STOP HIM MAKE HIM STOP HELP HIM CATCH HIM BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE SAVE HIM SAVE SAVE SAVE SAVE SAVE SAVE SAVESAVESAVESAVESAVESAVE-

move!

SAVE SHADOW. 

The world was ending. 

“...Yes, we have nothing to worry about here,” Shadow spoke whilst fighting back a yawn. He was overdue for that nap. “The ones who wake up will be weaponless. Tell the Commander he is free to -” 

Shadow’s ear twitched at the sound of something cracking behind him, and he whirled around in time to see Sonic’s red shoe connecting squarely with the rat’s jaw. 

—

The forest was a dense, tangled web of towering trees and thick underbrush, shrouded in a blanket of stifling humidity. The air was thick and heavy, each breath feeling like a gulp of warm, wet cotton. Sweat clung to every inch of skin, refusing to evaporate in the oppressive heat. The cacophony of wildlife was relentless - birds screeched, insects buzzed, and unseen creatures rustled through the undergrowth, creating a constant, overwhelming symphony of sound. Bugs swarmed in clouds, their incessant buzzing a maddening backdrop that made the skin crawl. Every step through the forest felt like a battle against the elements, the senses assaulted from all sides, leaving anyone who dared to enter feeling disoriented and overstimulated. Green Forest was a beautiful place in memory, but right now it represented agony that went beyond the body and into the mind. 

Sonic was sobbing.

On his hands and knees, the blue blur was covered in large quantities of blood. None of it was his own, obvious by the lifeless body of Shadow beside him, and he felt sick to his stomach. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He wasn’t supposed to… He was supposed to save and… He couldn’t even look at Shadow to see what injuries killed him, but the smell of blood was making his nose burn and his vision dark…

The shining of golden light basked him and Shadow just then, and Sonic stiffened as the familiar sound of his own laughter echoed through his mind. 

“Your inaction is action, Sonic. You can’t hope to save anyone if you don’t act. You know this…” Super Sonic floated near him slowly, acting like he was lounging on a chair as he smiled darkly with black, soulless eyes. The hero met them with his distressed green, the tears never ceasing their fall.

“What… What are you…? Are you doing this to me…?!” Sonic hissed as he glared at the other, his arms shaking as the gravity of the situation was weakening him. “You’re making me… making me hear things! You’re controlling me somehow! Why?!” 

Super laughed, their faces mere inches apart as he grinned down at the other with distorted features. Sonic could only hope he never looked like that when he smiled.

“Little Hero, I think we both know the answer to that question. It’s one you’ve hated to tell anyone for years. But at this rate, everyone you know… from your little brother to your worst enemy to your love … will be able to peer inside your heart. They will see the you that no one wants…” 

Another choking sob and Sonic was unable to keep Super’s gaze any longer. He broke down then, burying his face into the bloody grass as his world began fading into black. He could hear his copy hum gently as his hand stroked the hero’s back in a mocking gesture of comfort. 

“Keep it inside for just a little longer. We can do that, right? You can’t have your friends see you. Not yet… they’re not ready… Remember that… and you can have what you’ve always wanted most.” 

It was all dark now.

The cold, infinite expanse of space stretched out in all directions, a vast canvas of darkness punctuated by distant, twinkling stars. The silence was absolute, a profound stillness that was both unsettling and strangely peaceful. There was no air, no sound - only the quiet void, pressing in from all sides. The chill was pervasive, an inescapable frost that seemed to seep into the very bones. Despite the eerie emptiness, there was a haunting beauty to it all, a serene tranquility in the way the stars glimmered against the velvety black. The sheer magnitude of the cosmos was humbling, its vastness a constant reminder of one's insignificance, yet there was a certain comfort in the solitude, a quietude that felt almost like a whispered promise of endless possibilities.

Sonic blinked, his body now encased in the gold, secure light of Chaos, as Super Shadow snuggled against his chest with a purr that broke through that silence. They floated gently within the backdrop of stars, and one could wonder if anyone on Earth believed they were one with the astral bodies themselves. The cold was blocked out by the heat between them, and Sonic’s nightmarish vision was slowly forgotten by this serenity. 

Super Shadow was here, alive, warm, and safe in his arms. The Ultimate Lifeform was demanding comfort, leaning against Sonic’s powerful hands with flushed cheeks and adorable, twitching ears. His own hands were drifting lower, and Sonic hoped this dream wouldn’t end for a while longer…

Should he listen to that warped version of himself? Is it worth putting the trust of his friends in jeopardy to keep it a secret? Blaming the serum wasn't the true answer for these feelings, and he knew this, but he also knew his friends would jump to that conclusion first.

As he nipped at Super Shadow's neck lazily, satisfaction filling him as the other shivered in pleasure, he feared his next waking moments. Could he direct their focus to the serum instead of asking him what was going on...? Could he lie so blatantly...?

Fooling his allies at the Restoration would be one thing.

Lying to the likes of Knuckles and Amy would be another.

Deceving Shadow and Rouge, two agents naturally distrusting despite being good friends at this point? No matter how close they were, they were smart and analytical. It wasn't impossible, but certainly difficult...

But Tails...? 

This might be the hardest event of his life.

Chapter Text

Jewel’s office room on the top floor of the building is practical yet elegant, dominated by floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a breathtaking view of the bustling Restoration Camp below. Natural light floods the space, illuminating Jewel’s polished mahogany desk at its center, flanked by a high-backed leather chair. Multiple seating areas are scattered throughout the room, featuring plush armchairs and long, contemporary couches in deep blue and soft grey hues, each surrounding sleek glass coffee tables. The walls are adorned with tasteful art, and tall potted plants add a touch of nature, creating a perfect blend of functionality and style, designed to foster productivity and provide a welcoming environment.

Sonic couldn’t hide the irritation from settling on his face this early morning, the office was anything but welcoming to the exhausted blue hedgehog. He sat alone in a chair by the window his foot shaking restlessly as it rested on his knee.

In the middle of the night, time unknown, he had woken up in one of the spare rooms of the Restoration Camp’s main building. There had been no windows and the door wouldn’t budge, so the hero had to pace angrily for what felt like hours in a plain room with nothing but a bed. He didn’t recall how he got here, only that he’d last been with Shadow in Central City. He remembered the intense feeling of hatred overtaking him, but the rest was a gap in his memory. A gap he did not like having. He couldn’t bring himself to sleep with his nerves making his quills stand on end, putting on the gloves and shoes that had been mysteriously removed from himself during his slumber, placed neatly by the door. And that’s when he noticed his injuries. 

Bandages wrapped tightly around his right arm, hiding the raw burns beneath, while his left leg bore a patchwork of bandages and medical band-aids, each one a testament to injuries he didn’t remember receiving. Standing was a challenge, each step sending a dull throb through his leg, and he cursed himself for being in such a state. Despite the discomfort, he remained optimistic, believing that a hearty meal would chase away the lingering weakness and speed up his recovery.

The meal wasn’t coming, though. He was trapped in a room, injured and starving with no way out, and he got what Amy would dub ‘hangry’ pretty quickly. He sat on the bed and stared at the wall, wondering if the hunger or boredom would kill him first…

When Sonic thought he’d die of boredom, the door opened suddenly, making him nearly jump out of his skin before he recognized the familiar red locks of one of his best friends. 

“...Yo, Knux? Ain’t you a sight for sore eyes!” Sonic chirped happily, though his smile immediately faltered at the serious frown adorning the other’s face. Dark circles were under his eyes, the tired, taller echidna pushed the door open fully with a huff. He must’ve not slept well either for some reason. 

“You’re always more trouble than you’re worth, you know that dude?” The Guardian of the Master Emerald cracked his neck, jerking his thumb over his shoulder to silently tell Sonic to get out. The hero obliged, twiddling his fingers sheepishly as the other took off down the hall without looking over his shoulder. Sonic followed.

“Eh, what can I say? At least it’s free entertainment. You won’t get anything like this on television!” Sonic was really trying his best to lighten the tension, but the wary glare Knuckles gave him killed the mood. They made their way down to an elevator, the echidna poking the top floor button silently. 

Top floor?

That meant… Jewel’s office.

Oh no. 

“...I messed up, huh.” The hero groaned as he dragged a hand down his face, a small part of him wishing to retreat into that tiny cramped room to avoid his problems. Knuckles laughed at him humorlessly, folding spiked hands over his chest as he raised an eyebrow at the shorter hedgehog. 

“That’s an understatement. From what the bat told me, you’ve outdone yourself, man. If I were you I’d keep the jokes until later and take this seriously. Tails is not happy with you at all. And if Tails isn’t happy with you, then you know you’ve fucked up.”

Those words echoed in the hero’s head as he sighed, casting his darkened gaze outside at the oblivious people working in the early morning sun. Jewel’s office had been vacant, and Knuckles dropped him off with a warning not to run before he disappeared behind the closed door. Alone with his thoughts, Sonic noted how… eerily quiet they felt. It was a calm he hadn’t known since before Eggman injected him. He almost felt like his usual self. In control. The stillness was strange but welcome, a brief respite from the Chaos consuming him. For a moment, he could almost believe that everything was normal.

‘ What causes it, then? Is it just random? Or… did it leave? ’ It couldn’t be because of rest, as he felt he barely slept a wink. He was certain it was too early to be hopeful, but it felt so nice to be at ease. He flexed his gloved hands experimentally, a warm smile on his lips. 

The door creaking open caused him to jump in his seat, and that sense of peace disappeared as quickly as it came. 

Four familiar faces: Jewel, Amy, Surge… and Tails. Sonic bit his lip at the looks of exhaustion on each of their faces, retracting the hand he was going to use to wave at them quickly. Did no one sleep last night? What on Earth did he do? The only one actively looking his way was Surge, who was glaring at him in that nasty stare she liked to do. Not even Amy looked at him long, instead fussing over her dress as she sat next to the tenrec on the couch. Jewel went behind her desk as Tails stood by the door, fiddling with his yellow tablet, not looking over at his brother once.

Yeah. He was pissed even by his own standards. Sonic kept his mouth shut for his sake. The less he spoke the better, especially if he couldn’t remember what he did. 

The beetle at the desk adjusted some papers on her desk with a defeated sigh, finally breaking the silence as she turned to look at the hero with a surprisingly neutral expression. Sonic felt bad for being the source of her stress. She didn’t deserve it. Jewel fidgeted under the hero’s concerned stare, clearing her throat gently. 

“...Sonic, can you tell us what exactly happened two days ago?” She sounded pensive, clasping her hands together in a prayer-like fashion on her desk. “It’s very important you’re being honest with us, okay? If you can start from the beginning that’d be greatly appreciated.” 

Two days…? 

He’d been asleep for two days ?!

Sonic’s ear twitched as he leaned back in his chair with a hum, blinking at how the slight movement made everyone stiffen as they looked at him. 

‘ Okay… That's... new? ’ He shook his head, gesturing to his brother as cautiously as possible. “Two days, that’s… wow. Uh, I woke up at Tails’ place at around noon before I went to one of the local cafes to hang out with Shadow…”

How was Shadow? He wasn’t here. Sonic had to suppress those thoughts from resurfacing again, a task much easier without his rival here. 

“...Sonic, please continue. This is important,” Jewel emphasized again, rousing him from his thoughts. He nodded, tapping on one of the chair armrests absentmindedly. 

“Right, sorry. Uh, he had cake for lunch. Very questionable if you ask me,” He cringed when no one even smiled. Tough crowd. “Then we went to a field…” Our field. “And he tried removing some of the artificial Chaos Energy that was within me-”

He was cut off again, this time by his little brother. Tails had looked up from his tablet to outright scowl at the hero, a look unfitting for his face.

“And how did that go?”

“Uhh…” Sonic scratched the back of his head, averting his gaze from the fox quickly. Who knew he could be so intimidating? Sonic hated it. “Shadow said he got a little bit out, but we had to stop since he can’t take out large quantities at once…” He trailed off when Tails wrote something down on his tablet, the hedgehog’s curiosity peaked but he refrained from asking. He had to be serious. He left out the part about Shadow and Sonic cuddling and quickly moved on as he felt they didn't need to know. “We were thinking about trying again when Rouge called, and Shadow was called to help her with some mission in Central City…”

“...and you followed them, right?” Amy chirped in quietly, her nerves making her hands shake on her lap. Surge silently rested a hand on her shoulder for comfort, still glaring daggers at the blue hedgehog. Sonic just nervously chuckled.

“...Yeah. I was…” No excuse that came to mind sounded good. He adjusted himself in his seat, eyes on the ceiling as he brushed a finger under his nose. “...Well, I was just bored. And I figured if anyone needed help, I’d be there, y’know?” 

Tails narrowed his eyes at the gesture Sonic was making. 

“Why are you lying?” 

“Huh?” Sonic paused before realizing his mistake. Of course, Tails knew his lying gesture. He held back the scoff caught in his throat as he rested his hands on the armrests again, giving his brother as sincere of an expression he could muster. 

“I’m not lying, I swear! I was just bored and Shadow was going to be there, so… yeah…” So convincing. He should win a medal for best performance. Tails’s namesakes swished behind him irritably as he opened his mouth to speak, but Jewel held a hand up for the fox to pause.

“Let him continue, we’ll ask for details soon. What happened after you followed Shadow?” 

“Well… I was on the sidelines watching him work. He was fighting an Anti-Restoration group and making a real good example of them. Then he got roughed up a bit, and… and I couldn’t just stand there without helping him, y’know? Hero’s honor, yadayadayada. We teamed up and took down the rest of them in no time.”

“...And then?” Jewel insisted he continued, but Sonic only shook his head slowly. 

“And then… uh, nothing. I woke up here, bandaged, bruised, and quite befuddled!” The hero yawned as he leaned back in his chair, casting a glance outside the window again. He was itching for a morning run. “Speaking of, how did I stay knocked out for two whole days…? I’m starving!” 

“You’re sure that’s everything, Sonic?” Amy’s voice brought his gaze back to her, the pink hedgehog looking at him with such pity it… disgusted him. He narrowed his eyes, though he tried keeping the smile on his face as friendly as possible. 

“Ames, I promise you there’s nothing else. If… If something else did happen, though, I’d like to know,” Sonic spoke as he looked down at his bandaged arm quizzically. “The way you’re all acting has me worried.” 

Tails scoffed in disbelief, making the hero shrink in his chair slightly. “The way we’re acting has you worried? You… You really don’t remember, do you?” His brother looked at him fully now, concern replacing that glare he had moments ago, and Sonic’s ears flattened against his skull. 

Why did they keep looking at him like he was falling apart? 

Before he could demand an answer or express his aggravation, the door of the office swung open, catching everyone off guard. 

In came Knuckles, who glanced with a grumpy huff at Sonic before entering the room. In his arms were a large box of donuts and a few paper bags full of goodies.

“Yo, I can feel the tension outside the building. Everyone eat up. Rouge and Shadow are bringing you coffee, and then maybe we can all have a conversation about what’s been going on.” He dropped everything onto the table in the center of the room, grabbed a random paper bag, and tossed it directly at Sonic’s face before he could say anything. The hero chuckled to himself as he opened the bag, his hunger getting the best of him as he began stuffing his face with breakfast pastries. 

The mention of his rival made him happy...

“Is that the best idea…? Has he recovered enough from… his injuries? I know he looked fine earlier this morning but…” The pink hedgehog nibbled on a donut Surge had forced into her hold, a silent demand to eat. 

Sonic blinked midbite, crumbs falling onto his lap.

Shadow had injuries?

From what?

Knuckles shrugged, a frown on his tanned lips. “I don’t know, Rouge said he insisted he was fine. You know how Shadow is. He bounces back from anything.” 

“Yes but…” Amy gestured toward Sonic’s direction, avoiding his eye contact. “Sonic doesn’t remember…”

“Oh, how convenient,” the echidna scoffed, rolling his eyes as he forced Tails to drop the tablet on Jewel’s desk and replace it with a donut. The fox grumbled in thanks as he took it. The sight would’ve been cute if not for the conversation topic. Sonic cleared his throat, bringing attention back to him.

“You guys know I can hear you, right? My arm was burned not my ears.” The hero felt guilty at Amy’s disheartened sigh, but he needed them to stop treating him like… like…

Like he wasn’t him. 

“Not sorry, bro. You have no clue what anyone’s been going through while you were out.” After handing Jewel a bag of pastries of her own, Knuckles turned to him, cracking his fists pointedly. “Frankly, I think they should’ve let me knock you around until you woke up, but alas, no one wants to give you the rough treatment.”

Sonic narrowed his eyes at that, leaning back in his chair to look at Knuckles with a challenging sneer. “They probably didn’t want your pride to get hurt, Knucklehead. I’d toss you around even in my sleep.” He held back a satisfied snicker when the echidna growled at him.

“Not the best choice of words, Blue Boy. You better watch your mouth when Rouge and Shadow get here, I mean it!”

“I wish someone would tell me what happened so I can be more careful with my words!” Sonic snapped, making everyone gawk at him. Throwing his arms into the air in exasperation, he sunk into the chair. “And I’d like for you all to stop acting like I’m about to bite your heads off! Imagine how I feel for a minute!”

“Knuckles, he’s right. We’re not being fair.” Amy’s voice had a newfound strength as she nodded to herself, her short quills swaying gently. Her green eyes finally met Sonic’s, and she offered him the tiniest, exhausted smile. “We’ll explain everything, but we need Rouge and Shadow here to do that. I’m sorry…”

“...I’m sorry too, Sonic,” Tails sighed, sinking into a chair across from Amy. Dark circles underscored his eyes, and his fur looked ruffled and unkempt. Sonic felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to hug them all. His poor friends… The fox continued, his voice heavy with fatigue as he took another bite of his donut, closing his eyes wearily. “It’s just been a lot. I’ve been trying to get a handle on whatever Eggman injected into you. What happened threw us all for a loop…”

Sonic gave his brother a look of sympathy. As much as he wanted answers, his friends were doing their best and he was proud of them profusely. He knew Tails would start asking questions soon. He dreaded it immensely, but Sonic knew both he and the rest of their friends had the best intentions. It brought a small smile to the hero’s face. 

“...You guys, I…” His friends loved him and they just wanted the best for him. It made him want to confess, to say what’s been plaguing his mind, but the words… wouldn’t come. 

Sighing, Sonic turned to look out the window instead. He hated the worried glances Amy and Tails passed his way, as well as Knuckles' discontent frown, but he just couldn’t bring himself to say it. How pathetic he felt.

Luckily - and terribly - they didn’t have to wait long in that silence.

The office door swung open, and in waltzed Rouge the Bat, balancing a tray of coffee cups and tea in her hands.

“Red, be a darling and hold the door. Shadow has the rest of it~!” Rouge’s presence was like a breath of fresh air in the dreary atmosphere, though the small bags under her eyes revealed she, too, had lost sleep over the recent events. Knuckles grumbled to himself but dutifully got the door, peering down the hall before nodding in acknowledgment at someone Sonic could only assume was Shadow. The bat began passing out everyone their drinks, giving Sonic a forced smile once they made eye contact.

“Look who’s awake! Welcome back to the land of the living, Big Blue. You gave Amy and Tails quite the fright,” She winked as the pair laughed weakly, but Sonic couldn’t bring himself to laugh. The way the bat was looking at him was… odd, an expression he had only seen her direct at foes she only pretended to tolerate.

Rouge was furious. But she was doing her best to contain it for everyone’s sake. Sonic felt the itch to bolt out the door, his good leg bouncing in poorly contained agitation. 

His attention was drawn back to the door when Knuckles let out a disgruntled growl before disappearing into the hallway.

“Rouge, why would you make him carry all this?!” The echidna called in annoyance. The thief shrugged, rolling her eyes with a bemused smirk. 

“Look, I told him to stay in bed and rest but he insisted! Even like this, the nurses here couldn’t stop him, so instead of making him accidentally hurt someone, I figured this was fine! Do you think I’d make an injured hedgehog carry my things?! He wouldn’t take no for an answer, I’m lucky I got this one tray!” 

“...Because I’m the Ultimate Lifeform! I do not need help carrying cups! Go away!” Sonic could only assume the sounds in the hallway were the echidna and hybrid fighting over the rest of their stuff, and a chuckle escaped his lips. Rouge groaned before marching out the door to yell at them, easing the tension in the room considerably.

“You’d think we haven’t had to deal with anything crazy these past few days with how they’re acting,” Amy giggled, and Surge only rolled her eyes beside her. 

“That’s because you clowns are so unserious. The world could be ending and you’d have a tea party!” The tenrec kicked her legs up onto the coffee table, much to the chagrin of Jewel, as Tails nodded solemnly in agreement.

“Yeah, well, we learned that from the best,” the fox looked to Sonic again, the blue hedgehog ignoring them to keep his glossy stare on the doorway. Furrowing his brow, Tails waved a hand at his brotherly worriedly. “Sonic…” 

Sonic couldn’t hear them. 

Not with those thoughts breaking the surface, a wave of excitement, confusion, possessiveness, worry, and anger making the world cease its movements entirely. 

When Shadow entered his line of sight, Sonic first noted that he was injured.

The Ultimate Lifeform limped into the room carefully, scowling at the echidna and bat as he balanced three stacked trays of drinks with one hand, his other arm resting in a sling around his bandaged shoulder. Bandages covered much of his upper body; his shoulders, neck, and chest were swathed in white as he shuffled cautiously into the room. His signature rocket shoes were shockingly not on his person, instead sporting… pink bedazzled slippers (likely Amy’s considering the style) with his socks. His crimson eyes, though not as exhausted as everyone else's, were clouded and unfocused. When those eyes met Sonic’s, it was as though they were the only two on Earth. Sonic held his breath. 

What happened to him? Who did this? Who the ever living fuck hurt him?!

Sonic felt his composure wavering, and he knew his eyes must’ve darkened by the way Shadow frowned at him. The hero had to force himself to take deep, silent breaths as his crush carefully laid the trays on the coffee table, Rouge and Knuckles bickering behind him haughtily and breaking their eye contact.

“That’s… a lot of coffee, Shadow!” Amy said with a smile as she immediately helped him set everything down. The dark hedgehog shrugged his uninjured arm.

“...My Chaos reserves are still low… I need the caffeine…” His voice was quiet and strained, as though speaking was a chore. He grabbed one of the two cans of Chaos Cola mixed in with the drinks (Surge helped herself to the other with a cackle), observing it stoically before taking a wavering step toward Sonic. When their eyes met again, he held it out for the hero to take expectantly, his gaze searching Sonic’s for something the hero couldn’t figure out.

“...”

Sonic took the glass bottle carefully, their fingertips brushing against each other’s as their staring contest continued. He had a million questions, and a million threats he was making to whoever did this in his mind, but despite the storm in his heart, he was still Sonic the Hedgehog. So in typical Sonic the Hedgehog fashion, he said the first appropriate thing that came to mind.

“...Nice shoes, man,” Sonic spoke with a grin and a thumbs up. 

Hedgehogs don't typically stick their head in the dirt from embarrassment, but Sonic figured he could be one of the first to establish the trend. 

“...Fuck off,” Shadow hissed with a disgusted scoff, wincing when the vocalization hurt his throat. Sonic stood up with a million apologies stumbling out of his mouth, unsure how to help, before the hybrid waved him off in annoyance. Shadow limped over to sit beside Surge on the couch, grabbing a cup of coffee and drinking it as he glared at the floor with reddened cheeks.

Cute.

‘Now’s not the time, man, he’s hurt…’ Sonic bit his lip, wishing Shadow would’ve sat closer so he could… inspect his injuries, totally, but the hero settled back down in his chair with a sigh. He tried racking his brain for what happened, but the retold events from earlier were all his mind provided. Shadow couldn’t have possibly gotten hurt that badly from a busted-up Eggbot, could he?

He’s gotten soft.

He needs you to save him.

Keep saving him. 

Sonic knew this morning would only end in a massive headache. 

“Ahem,” Jewel cleared her throat, interrupting Knuckles and Rouge’s argument and drawing the room’s attention to her. The beetle jumped a bit before she sat up straighter. “Um… N-Now that we’re all here, I think we need to tell Sonic what happened…” 

Rouge and Knuckles exchanged glances before shrugging. The bat took a spare chair near the center of the room, while Knuckles decided to lean against the door.

“Hm? He doesn’t remember anything?” Rouge placed a hand against her chin, her brow twitching as she gave the blue hedgehog an exasperated stare. She was doing her best to keep her aggravation a secret, truly, but the past few days have only been growing more stressful even without Sonic being awake.

The hero simply grinned sheepishly, his dark eyes unnerving with such a casual motion, as he remained seemingly oblivious to the returning tension in the room. “Yup, sorry… I’d love for someone to tell me already. The anticipation is killing me!”

“Mm. He says he remembers when Sonic and Shadow beat the Egg Dealer. The next thing he knows is that he woke up here…” Tails sipped on his tea slowly, giving Sonic a scrutinizing look. “When we tell you this, Sonic, will you try and be honest with what you think of it? You must do so for us to make things better.” 

Tails hated speaking to Sonic this way. Sonic embodied freedom, but this did not mean he lacked boundaries and quirks that sometimes made discerning the truth difficult. Knowing Sonic was lying was one thing, but figuring out what he was lying about was another. And when it came to the artificial Chaos serum Tails was studying, the heart’s intentions needed to be clear. He watched his brother nod at his words, but he couldn’t help but feel it wasn’t honest.

“Of course, bud, don’t worry… Though from how hesitant you’re all being I’m guessing I… did something bad…?” The hero braced himself, looking to Tails for an answer. 

The fox could only nod.

“It might be better to show you…” 

The screen behind Jewel’s chair lit to life, and the heroes all turned to watch the video many of them had seen numerous times. Tails, however, kept his gaze firmly on Sonic.

—

Shadow’s ear twitched at the sound of something cracking behind him, and he whirled around in time to see Sonic’s red shoe connecting squarely with the rat’s jaw.

The Ultimate Lifeform was… not expecting that. He gawked as the mech pilot flew through the air, unconscious immediately, before sliding unceremoniously onto the concrete. Sonic didn’t relent, stalking towards his body to kick him repeatedly in the torso. 

When Shadow heard another crack, it was like a static shot through his spine like lightning, his senses reactivated as he finally registered what was happening. His body moved on its own at the sensation, straight into danger. 

Straight into Sonic.

...

'Why... did this... feel...?'

"Sonic, NO!" Shadow brought his arms beneath the hero’s and pulled with all his might, throwing the blue hedgehog away with a roar of effort. He could feel drops of blood land on his face, likely from Sonic’s shoe, and the sensation made his skin crawl. Bloodshed was not foreign in his line of work, but the juxtaposition of their smooth, effortless victory to this was too much for his thoughts to reconcile. He had no time to dwell on this dissonance.

When Sonic landed on his hands and knees a few feet away, he turned on his heel with a look on his face Shadow had never seen before. His eyes were completely black and bloodshot, his mouth drawn into a thin line. The agent noticed his quills next, dumbfounded by their color. Why did Sonic’s quills look darker in broad daylight?

When it finally hit him, he thought the world was spinning. 

The air was tense and heavy with negative Chaos energy, suffocatingly thick like toxic fumes that made Shadow’s body itch. Every breath felt labored, the atmosphere oppressive and almost palpable with unspoken tension. It clung to the skin, making him sweat, and the simple act of inhaling and exhaling became a conscious effort within seconds. The Chaos itself became an unseen, malevolent force that threatened to knock Shadow over. 

Gritting his teeth as he mustered the remains of his sapped energy, Shadow intercepted his rival from attacking the rat once more. Their hands the others in a locked struggle that Shadow knew he'd inevitably lose in his weakened state. He pressed forward anyway, his thoughts in a panic he was unfamiliar with. 

Clashing over opposing views and ideals was one thing (a thing they did more than Shadow would like to admit), but he had never imagined having to fight Sonic like this. 

Despite G.U.N. and its affiliates' fears of the hero (and Shadow himself), Sonic's unwavering optimism and ability to triumph in the face of even the direst situations were unparalleled. From alien invasions to dimensional threats and Zombot infections, Sonic always found a way to prevail, always emerged victorious, and always wore a smile. What a blessing it must be, to always be right and unharmed. As obnoxious as it was, it always saved them where Shadow could not, so he knew better than to count his blessings. 

So now, tasked with protecting an unconscious and brutalized enemy from Sonic, the Hero of Earth and the fastest thing alive, was not something that had been anticipated. As Rouge would say, it wasn’t on their ‘bingo card’, whatever that meant. Maybe he should ask Rouge to take him sometime…

…Shadow always found himself thinking of the oddest moments when he was in danger. Maybe it was a coping mechanism. Gaia knows he needed one. 

“Grrr, Sonic, stop…!” Shadow could feel his shoes sliding as the other pushed him, an inscrutable expression unbefitting his rival’s face as dark, fake Chaos swirled around dangerously. The corrupted hero didn’t seem keen on going after the rat anymore, instead glowering down at Shadow with their noses mere inches apart.

Did Sonic even recognize him right now? Did he see the Ultimate Lifeform as a threat? Sonic was giving him no indication of this, simply pushing against his rival with a power not his own. Shadow grimaced as one of his knees began to buckle, the thick air around them beginning to close him off from tapping into the natural, pure Chaos he mastered long ago. He needed to get some distance to recharge and think. The small window to do so was quickly closing. 

With his final reserves of strength, Shadow roared and pushed with all his might, lifting a leg to sweep one of Sonic’s out from under him at a supersonic speed. The hero crashed to the ground, his dark fur reverting to its usual blue with a surprised yelp escaping his lips for only a moment before it was once more consumed by darkness. The Ultimate Lifeform fell atop him, their foreheads colliding with a loud smack before Shadow scrambled up and over him to free himself. He wasn’t running, he just needed time. And he’d have no time if Sonic was on top of him and- 

An unexpected, iron-clad grip seized his ankle, dashing Shadow's optimism as he fell squarely onto his face. He cursed silently, blaming his growing softness from spending too much time with Sonic for his lapse in judgment. As Sonic yanked him back with startling speed, pain shot through his leg and spine like fire, a cry of shock escaping his tanned lips as he struggled. Shadow’s shoes sparked to life as he kicked out with his free leg, eliciting a snarl of pain from Sonic as the fire of his boot met with his arm, but the grip on his ankle held firm despite the attack. There was no escape.

He was dragged across the ground on his stomach then, hissing as the friction caused painful skid marks on his already agitated flesh. Despite his rapid healing, the agony was intense, exacerbated by the thick, malevolent Chaos energy saturating the air that prevented his regenerative abilities from activating. He feared recovery would not arrive quickly once this was over…

Fear.

That was another sensation Shadow never expected to experience with Sonic. Though at this moment it wasn’t fear of him, but rather a fear for him. What would others think if they witnessed Sonic grabbing one of his arms behind his back, pulling so forcefully that Shadow could feel his shoulder threatening to pop from its socket? What would they say about his other hand reaching around his neck and tightening its grip so quickly the Ultimate Lifeform choked? Shadow clawed at his neck desperately, uncaring of the scratches he was leaving on his own shoulders as his quills flared worthlessly.

Even worse was the parts their friends wouldn’t be able to see. His Chaos reserves now dried up, he could feel Sonic forcing artificial chaos into him like a neverending faucet, a sensation so horrible that Shadow’s mind was overtaken with thoughts not his own.

Save him save him save him save him-

WHATAREYOUDOING

Run. Run. Run. Run. Run.

Save Shadow Save Shadow Save Shadow Save Him Save Him Grab Him Hold Him Yes That’s Correct You’re Doing Amazing

YOUREHURTINGHIM

Hello.

STOPHECANTBREATHE

savesavesavesavesavesavesavesavesavesavesavesaveSAVESAVESAVE-

RUN. RUN. RUN.

Can you hear me?

WHYWOULDYOUDOTHIS

YOU’RE. NOT. SAVING. HIM.

Runrunrunrunrun

hehasaweaponyouhavetogokillhim

SaveHimPlease

Shadow.

This is what you wanted, right?

Shadow gasped breathlessly, his vision blurring as dark energy consumed him. Tears pricked his eyes when he felt Sonic collapse unconscious on top of him, his fur as blue as the sky above, but this did nothing to ease the turmoil within the agent. His body felt controlled, the inhibitor rings slipping off as his only hope for salvation.

Consumed by the crimson energy of an impending Chaos Blast, his ear twitched at a distant voice yelling at him. It sounded familiar, a woman he knew well, but he was too exhausted to remember who it was. He had to release, that’s what the Chaos wanted, but his inner voice broke through the turmoil of his mind. It told him to worry for her safety, to hope she was far enough away to not be harmed… and so he did. 

The world faded into red, a jumbled thought his last conscious recollection...

...

'I... I wish...'

—

“...It’s fortunate that Anti-Restoration member survived. His injuries were severe, putting him into a coma, but he’s expected to fully recover in a few months at a G.U.N. hospital. We were also lucky that the only footage of the entire event was from street cameras with no civilians recording nearby. The absolute shitshow me and Shadow’s superiors are causing because of your outburst would’ve been tenfold if a single member of the public had captured it on tape.” Rouge huffed, signaling Jewel to finally delete the video from her computer. She sipped her coffee with a deep frown, her wings fluttering in irritation behind her.

“It took two days of relentless negotiations just to retrieve your body from G.U.N., Sonic,” Jewel sighed, rubbing her temples wearily. The pressure weighed heavily on her now more than ever. “They were ready to lock you up. We argued about the Eggman serum and the volatile nature of Chaos, but they were stubborn. If Rouge hadn’t convinced them to return you to us, I dread to think what might have happened to you…”

“Hah, 'convinced' is one way of putting it. You put Shadow in a peculiar position as well, and I’m reminded just how fragile G.U.N. is. It’s a wonder they’re still around,” Rouge groaned as she leaned back in her seat. She needed a vacation after all this. Maybe somewhere secluded with a giant Master Emerald on it. “I had to hack into their systems and delete over 500 saved copies of the recording as well. Who knew what blackmail would’ve come from it? Such a pain they still resort to these tactics.”

“We’re very grateful for that, Rouge,” Amy sniffled, her hands clenched together tightly. The video had been very difficult for her to watch, but she knew she had to be here to find out what was going on. At least for Sonic’s sake. She turned to her left, leaning past Surge to look at the Ultimate Lifeform with a worried pout on her lips. Shadow had been silent the whole time, and while she knew he wasn’t in the best state to comment on anything regarding what he experienced, she wanted him to know how bad she felt that it had happened at all. “Thank you for stopping Sonic, Shadow. You do so much for us, I don’t know how to show you my gratitude…”

Shadow didn’t meet her gaze, his expression distant as though he could see elsewhere, before giving her a curt nod. Amy smiled to herself slightly before finally returning her gaze to Sonic…

Sonic didn’t hear a word any of them said. 

The video had been… quite shocking, to say the least. Watching from an objective camera view at an event he had no recollection of very violating in a way he couldn’t describe. The brutality with which he attacked that rat mech was one thing, but turning on Shadow like that was… he didn’t know what to think. He kept casting glances toward the Ultimate Lifeform in utter disbelief at what he was seeing throughout the video, but Shadow never returned his gaze once. His rival had his eyes glued to the floor, expression unreadable. 

Sonic caused those injuries. Sonic did this…

It made no sense. 

His dream flashed in his mind, mostly forgotten except for the image of himself, crying and broken over Shadow’s body, and he felt his blood turn cold. Was that what that was? A warning of what he had done? 

Shadow’s fine. 

Look at him, he’s fine. 

You saved him. 

“...I…” Sonic looked at his rival, his eyes wide in a growing panic. Indeed, his rival looked fine, but what of that strange darkness that had overtaken Sonic? Would it happen again? Would he hurt Shadow more? He dreaded the mere idea…

Why not ask Shadow what he thought?

Maybe he liked it. 

“ ...Liked it?! ” Sonic whispered under his breath in utter astonishment, and he gulped when he noticed how Rouge and Tails’ ears twitched. He shook his head, cheeks burning in embarrassment as he laughed weakly. 

“...I’m in shock, sorry,” Sonic’s chuckle did nothing for the tightness in his chest, sweat dripping from his brow. He must’ve looked pathetic, but he tried putting on a brave face for his friends without considering why. “I just… That was a lot. How, um, did I not get hurt from the Chaos Blast?” 

Probably not the best first question to ask, but hopefully his friends understood his awkwardness. Tails did not comment and answered with a gentler tone. 

"Based on Shadow's explanation, individuals capable of manipulating Chaos can direct its flow. I hypothesize that since this Chaos was originally yours, and because you were in physical contact with Shadow when he triggered it, the Chaos perceived you as an extension of him. As a result, it dispersed partially from you, which fortunately reduced the impact of the blast. The main casualties were limited to a damaged street and a building that was already slated for sale, both of which are repairable."

“...Huh, okay...” Sonic nodded, a bit confused but still amused at the idea of the Chaos seeing them both as the same.

Hot.

Sonic rubbed his temples, one eye squeezing shut as he fought to stay focused. Another nagging thought plagued him, and he couldn't stop himself from speaking about it. "You mentioned G.U.N. was giving Shadow a hard time too. Why?"

Shadow chuckled from the couch, a low, sexy sound that resonated in Sonic's ears, but he remained silent. Rouge took the lead, her eyes fixed on Sonic's every expression.

"Well, they initially accused both of you of targeting the Mayor for some reason. Despite Shadow's affiliation with them, trust isn't freely given. But as usual, G.U.N. can't function without Team Dark, so they’re stuck with us," she explained with a contemplative hum.

Sonic couldn’t stop himself. He wanted to grab his throat, to shut up, but his next question came out against his will anyway. 

"Okay. And when that turned out to be not true, why were they mad at me?” 

Everyone in the room paused. Rouge shifted in her seat, looking at the hero quizzically with a careful tilt of her head. “Blue, what do you mean…? You saw the video… You brutalized an unarmed man.” 

“I mean, sure, pfft, come on…” Sonic looked up at the ceiling, dragging the hand on his head down his muzzle to rest against his cheek, holding his breath to prevent his pants from being too audible. Why was he so nervous? Why couldn’t he just shut up? He must’ve looked maniacal. “I’ve accidentally hurt a lot of people all the time. It’s part of the job. It’s not like they wouldn’t have shot the guy for attacking their top agent anyway, right? Isn’t that their thing? Shooting people -”

“ Sonic !” Amy reprimanded him, gesturing to Shadow with a pointed look. The Ultimate Lifeform didn’t say anything, eyes still on the carpeted floor with that stoic, glossy look in his eyes as he drank into his third cup of coffee. It was making Sonic angry. 

Look at me. 

“But this wasn’t an accident? You jumped the guy, unprovoked, with excessive force,” Knuckles chimed in, still leaning against the door with his arms folded over his chest. He was visibly tense, as though he were prepared to fight someone at any moment. Sonic shook his head quickly. 

“Um, Earth to Knucklehead, I’d never do that!” The hero scoffed like it was obvious, his eye twitching. Why were they giving him such a hard time about this? Who cares about some nobody rat who tried to hurt HIS rival ?! He got up from his seat, pacing back and forth in front of the window as his quills puffed up slightly. “You guys keep saying ‘unarmed’ and ‘unprovoked’, but he had a knife! And he was trying to kill Shadow before I stepped in, for sure! Check the video again!”

“A knife?” Rouge was looking at him like he had three heads, taken aback by his claim. “Blue, I’ve scoured that footage more times than I’d like to count. There was no knife.”

“He did get up from the ground after you dropped him, but he wasn’t holding anything… He looked like he took a step towards you both from behind, but that doesn’t warrant… y’know…” Amy ran a hand through her quills for self-comfort, and Surge rested a hand on her shoulder in reassurance. The tenrec hadn’t removed her eyes from Sonic since he started speaking, uncharacteristically silent. The pink hedgehog sighed, lifting a hand to rest it on top of the one on her shoulder. “Maybe if you were right the circumstances would be different, but the footage was authentic…”

Sonic could not believe what he was hearing. He knows what he saw. They hadn’t been there, and a cruddy surveillance camera across the street was hardly sufficient to pick up every detail! He paused his pacing to turn to Shadow, fists clenched at his side. 

“Shadow, you were there! I know I… I attacked you, and I’m sorry about that, I’ll get to it I promise, but the guy had a knife! I wouldn’t just lash out at somebody for no reason! You know that, don’t you? You wouldn’t have wanted me to just let you get stabbed, right…?” 

The Ultimate Lifeform finally raised those crimson orbs at Sonic again, eyelids fluttering as though he had woken up from a dream, with a look that the hero could only describe as lost. The hybrid raised a hand to brush it through his striped quills before his gaze drifted to the accursed floor again. 

“I… don’t…” His speech was slurred, his body swaying, and that’s when Sonic noticed the tremors dancing across his hands, barely contained.

Something was wrong with him.

Sonic froze in place, afraid of himself. Did he harm Shadow so badly that he affected his mind? He couldn't stop his voice from shaking when he spoke next. “Is… Is he okay?!” He was ready to scoop his rival into his arms and rush him to the infirmary downstairs before Rouge’s scoff stopped him. 

“Sonic, he’s high on enough painkillers to take out a horse. The Chaos Blast reduced his energy to zero, so his healing is shot until he gets it back. You’ll have to ask him later, but he never mentioned a knife to me when he first woke up yesterday.” 

Oh.

Sonic gawked down at Shadow in surprise, the Ultimate Lifeform shrugging lazily before muttering under his breath something about being unable to feel his hands. The hero cursed himself for not noticing. The sheer panic of this situation, coupled with his scattered thoughts, was making his awareness dwindle. He needed to pull himself together.

“I also want to add,” Jewel said gently, adjusting her papers on her desk to keep herself busy as she avoided Sonic’s stare when he turned to her. “Even if he did have a knife, you are Sonic the Hedgehog, and Shadow is the Ultimate Lifeform. I don’t expect you to let your friend be stabbed, regardless of how well they think they can take it, but I do expect restraint and professionalism when you’ve managed to subdue enemies who were a much larger threat than some Anti-Restoration grunt. Breaking his jaw in your initial defensive move was fine, but continuing to stomp on him afterward… it’s just not right, Sonic. He was down and out, and you chose excessive violence over damage control and saving Shadow.”

Sonic wanted to retort, but his brother’s voice caught him off guard. 

“It’s also really interesting to me,” Tails spoke up then too, his arms folded over his chest as he glared at Sonic in a similar fashion to Knuckles. “That you suddenly say there was a knife after claiming you don’t remember what happened.”

Shit. 

“That’s not…” Sonic took a step back, wincing as the motion caused his injured leg to ache. “The memory came back to me a little while watching the video, is that so weird?”

“No, but what’s weird is you trying to insist that what you did was okay! That isn’t like you Sonic, not at all…”

Wrong. Horribly wrong.

The hero’s knuckles cracked from how tightly he clenched his fists.

“I dunno, fox, I think it’s befitting!” Surge chugged the soda she’d been sipping, her blue eyes sharp as she grinned between the two. “You chucklefucks have been whining and crying about giving people ‘second chances’ to me since I met you. I think bashing the guy's skull in would’ve been a good thing! Finally seeing things my way, blue boy?!” 

“...Man, who invited you here anyways…?” Sonic shook his head, growing increasingly frustrated with all the people in this room suddenly. Surge's words bit in a way he couldn't stomach, and the room felt as though it were increasing in temperature with each passing second. He needed to get out of here before he said something he’d really regret. Dark thoughts chattering in his ear, he limped his way towards the door with a huff. 

“I need to go,” he hissed, staring when Knuckles didn’t budge from the door at all. “C’mon bro, let me out…” 

“Nuh-uh. We need to unpack all of what you just said, and we haven’t even gotten to what Tails had found.” The Guardian lowered his arms to his side, still tense and ready to fight

Pounce on who…?

“...Wait, Knuckles, why are you and Surge here?”

The look the echidna gave him told him everything he needed to know.

The pieces of the puzzle fell into place forcibly. Being seen as a hero, a safe space, and a friend was second nature to him. People looked up to him, trusted him with their lives, and found solace in his presence. His name was synonymous with hope and courage worldwide and at home. But now, those same people watched him with wary eyes, their smiles strained and voices hesitant. The whispers behind his back were louder than ever, filled with fear and suspicion. It was as if a switch had been flipped; the comforting presence he once embodied was overshadowed by an unsettling aura in the eyes of his friends. The transformation in their perception was almost tangible, a thick, suffocating cloud that followed him wherever he went. The weight of their mistrust bore down on him, a stark contrast to the lightness he once felt in their admiration. Was he to be trapped in a living nightmare, constantly battling the monstrous image that had taken root in their minds, desperately trying to prove he was still the hero they needed, even if they couldn't see it anymore?

Chapter Text

Heroes and their fall into temptations were things told in many fables. 

Temptation comes in many forms, whether it be the lure of power, the promise of forbidden knowledge, or the allure of personal gain. Such figures would find themselves standing at the crossroads of their destiny, faced with choices that challenge their integrity and virtue. The whispered promises of an easier path, the tantalizing glimpses of what could be, threatened to derail their noble quest. It is through resisting these alluring but perilous distractions that they truly prove their worth, demonstrating that true heroism lies not just in mighty deeds but in the strength to stay the course when faced with the most enticing of trials.

What became of heroes who suffered the fall of their own sins? Had any recovered from the call of a siren’s song? 

Had they even wanted to?

Sonic had climbed onto the bed, his hands on either side of Shadow’s slumbering face as his knees inched forward. His breath was heavy as sweat dripped slowly from his brow, staring at his crush with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. The object of his affection only shuffled when the weight had entered the bed, making no other indication that he was aware of Sonic’s presence. 

The hero had no clue how he got into this position. One moment he was petting Shadow’s ears, the ones he desired to touch for so long, and the next he was on top of the other, trying his hardest to avoid touching him. But what was the goal? Just stare at his rival hopelessly until he wakes up? The thought of that scared Sonic deeply, like he’d be caught in some heinous act. He had no intention of being weird, though with his thoughts racing a mile a minute he couldn’t guarantee that.

Look at him…

So cute! 

Kiss him!

Get closer…

‘Ugh, shut up shut up shut UP! I’m working on it!’ Sonic gulped before it dawned on him that he had no idea what he was working towards. He had come in here to talk to Shadow and apologize, not… harass the guy in his sleep! Sighing, the hero carefully pushed himself to sit back on his knees, hands on his legs, as he watched Shadow pensively. 

There was a moment of clarity within the storm of his mind as Sonic watched the silent rise and fall of Shadow’s chest. He was obsessed with the Ultimate Lifeform, he knew this to be true, but he had never felt this bold, protective, and… well, unhinged for the other since Eggman injected him with the serum. Tails’ comments about Dark Gaia's energy stuck out to him, but he wasn’t satisfied with that explanation. Dark Gaia, in his experience, did not affect him like this. Could artificial Chaos lower his resistance to it? Even so, those affected when the Earth split apart all those years ago didn’t act within their character; the negative emotions collected within the planet’s core simply projected onto the populace at random. Tails wouldn’t know the specifics, as Sonic had learned the key difference in passing whilst traveling with his late buddy Chip. What Sonic felt here was very different. It was personal. It was something he didn’t want to admit.

All the more reason to talk to Shadow, but how can Sonic hope to disturb him when he looks so peaceful? The hero sighed, the weight of the day suddenly slamming onto his shoulders. He fought off a yawn, ears drooping from exhaustion. Rest wasn’t such a bad idea, but there was only one bed in here…

It’s not like the two haven’t napped next to each other before, basking beneath the moonlight in peaceful serenity. This would be no different. Instead of dirt, they’d be intimately snuggled on top of a small bed. Exactly the same! It would be better than doing something terrible anyway, and maybe his head would get a break…

Careful of Shadow’s bad arm, Sonic carefully fell atop the pillow his rival was hugging, nestling his face into it with a sigh. No, he didn’t put his head there so he could snuggle into Shadow’s chest fur as well.

Don’t be crazy. 

Shadow’s body always ran exceptionally warm. When Sonic’s cheek brushed against the hybrid’s chest, his arms and torso lightly brushing against onyx fur, he couldn’t help but purr in satisfaction. ‘ My very own heated blanket… ’ Eyes closing, the hero was surprised at how quickly sleep came…

…

..

.

.

..

…

Sonic was falling. 

With a gasp, his ruby-red eyes snapped open abruptly, blinded by a powerful white light. It took him a few moments to adjust, to realize the warmth he held in his hands. Blinking away the blindness, he looked down in awe.

He and Shadow, both enveloped in their Super forms, were plummeting through a sea of stars that glowed with ethereal white light, mirroring the luminescence of Shadow’s radiant fur. The cosmos around them shimmered like a celestial ocean, the stars themselves seeming to whisper ancient secrets as the empowered hedgehogs passed them by. In this surreal, mesmerizing descent, Sonic tightened his hold on the other’s arms carefully, the fear of losing him strong despite the scenery, but a smile threatened his lips regardless. It was a moment of unexpected intimacy, a shared journey through the very fabric of space, where the lines between friend and foe blurred, leaving only the purity of their shared experience…

“Sonic…” 

Sonic’s eyes lifted to the other’s face carefully, pulling himself upwards as their chests touched during this descent. His own red eyes now met Shadow’s, and the hero could only note the look of pure adoration on the other’s face. That one look was all it took to open the floodgates of despair.

Sonic felt so guilty.

“Shadow, what I did to you… I’m so sorry, I don’t know what happened! I can’t remember,” he whispered, bowing his head in defeat as he was no longer able to hold his rival’s gaze. “It’s no excuse though.” Sonic’s voice cracked, the weight of his confession pressing down on him. The cosmos around them seemed to intensify, the ethereal glow amplifying the raw emotion between them. “I’m not… I’m not acting myself at all… Or… Or maybe I have… And I know that, and I know everyone else can see it, but you were right with what you asked at the field! Something is going on in my mind that’s out of my control and I haven’t been honest with anyone and I don’t know if I can continue like this before something terrible happens and–!”

“ Sonic .”

Shadow’s expression softened, and he gently placed both of his hands on Sonic’s cheeks, anchoring him amidst the chaos. The hero shut up immediately, sniffling pathetically as they twirled through the weightless air. His vulnerability elicited a soft smile on the typically brooding hybrid’s face.

“Do you love me?”

Sonic blinked slowly.

“I, uh, wait, wha…?” He sputtered, cheeks flaring as red as his eyes. 

Shadow smiled, and their high-speed descent slowed to a graceful float amongst the stars shining nearly as bright as them. Their noses brushing, the Ultimate Lifeform circled Sonic slowly with half-lidded eyes, his powerful hands tracing delicately over Sonic’s peach chest and shoulders. 

“Do you love me? ” 

His voice was a whisper, sultry and warm against Sonic’s twitching gold ear, as the hero watched his rival float around him purposefully. The hero grinned sheepishly, his previous worries on pause at such a forward question. 

Sonic loved all his friends very deeply. There was no denying that. That didn’t mean it was easy to say in such a context. Shadow, gorgeous and sparkling and soft, asking him so forwardly without shame? The hero felt like putty in the other’s hands regardless of his own empowered form.

“I… of course I, uh, lo… Where is this coming from?” Sonic laugh faltered from his nerves, turning his head to watch the other circle him like a shark with its prey. Voice shaking, the golden hero cleared his throat quickly. “Did… Did you hear what I said? I think we need to talk about that before we, erm, uh…” 

Shadow laughed, bending to peer up at the other with a dark glint in his eyes. He rose slowly, their noses brushing again, and Sonic sputtered inelegantly.

“Sonic, none of that matters now. Anything you do is just perfect,” Shadow cooed as their chests touched, and he wrapped his arms around the slightly taller hedgehog’s neck slowly. “You’re acting so normal, there’s nothing wrong with you. Everything will happen as it should. Just ignore it and focus on me instead...”

“But… but I really think we should talk…” Sonic gulped, resting his hands on Shadow’s hips with trepidation. 

Shadow pouted. 

An expression so cute Sonic thought he’d die.

“You won’t kiss me…? Kiss me, and we can talk more later…?” Shadow purred, nuzzling his cheek into Sonic’s like a cat would with its owner. Sonic knew this was a fantasy, a level of affection he was sure Shadow would never divulge, but dammit it was hard to resist. The hero sighed, a cocky smirk settling on his face as he pulled their waists together. The giggle that elicited was like music that accompanied them in their bed of stardust, their bodies like the celestial bodies that floated around them. Lifting Shadow’s chin gently, he pressed their lips together in a deep, passionate kiss. While Sonic wasn’t the best with romance, the intimacy of the scene they found themselves in made him downright giddy.

Self-gratification was not something heroes should seek. Tales of old have long warned of the perils of selfishness, illustrating how crossing certain boundaries could lead to irreversible consequences. Heroes, despite their feats and noble deeds, were particularly susceptible to their whims; their struggles made them long for love, for lust, for honor, for country, and so much more. These stories served as timeless reminders that a hero's path demanded selflessness and vigilance, for even the noblest intentions could be corrupted by the allure of personal indulgence. 

Sonic could feel his mind wandering as their kiss deepened, tongues pressed together in a fervent dance driven by the ever-growing lust. Had Shadow been conjured in his mind, a devil with angel wings, as a vision to distract him from the impending anxiety of the waking world? Their kiss felt intoxicating, their bodies rubbing together as the hybrid giggled in the hero’s arms, only full of need and desire that grew between them steadily. After a few moments, Sonic had to withdraw his mouth to breathe, smiling warmly at the way the other whined at the loss of contact. 

The setting around them changed suddenly. The two found themselves floating sideways along a sea of black, the water’s surface reflecting neither the light of their golden bodies nor the blanket of stars above them. Sonic jumped at the abrupt shift in the atmosphere, peering over Shadow’s burning face to gaze into the ink ocean that seemed to stare back. 

The inky expanse was unsettlingly still, an abyss that swallowed all light and warmth. The eerie silence was broken only by the soft sounds of their own breathing, amplifying the sense of isolation in this otherworldly void. Sonic felt a chill run down his spine, his usual bravado momentarily faltering as he clung to the familiarity of Shadow’s presence in this disorienting new realm. The Ultimate Lifeform turned his head to stare wordlessly at the ocean beneath them before that same knowing smile returned to his face. 

“Do you love me? ”

Sonic held his breath as Shadow left his hold, settling on the surface of the black sea with fearless grace. He looked like a fallen star in the coldest parts of space. The hero cautiously drew closer, floating above Shadow while warily eyeing the lifeless water below. The cotton that had formed his mind seemed to clear, his anxieties causing his fur to bristle. 

"...More than you know," he spoke with all the calm he could muster, reaching a hand down to just above the still surface that Shadow's body didn't even disturb. Sonic quickly withdrew his hand when a chill ran down his spine, causing him to shudder. How was Shadow standing this?

Shadow’s face remained serene, a sharp contrast with the unsettling ink that threatened to devour his form alive. He held a hand up towards Sonic expectantly, his cheeks warming to their previous blush. 

“Then come in and kiss me,” He laughed at Sonic’s horrified expression, lowering his arm to rest it beneath the water’s surface. It was entirely gone from view. “It can’t hurt you, I’m right here~!” 

“...I’m afraid of water,” Sonic whispered with narrowed eyes, resting his cheek in his hand as he stared more at the sea.

Shadow was certainly enticing, a beacon of calm amidst the chaos, but the sea was threatening Sonic on a visceral level he couldn’t describe. The inky blackness seemed to pulse with an unseen menace, its cold tendrils reaching out to his deepest fears without moving. It wasn't just the eerie stillness or the absence of light that unsettled him – it was as if the sea itself harbored a malevolent consciousness, whispering dread into his soul. Shadow's presence was reassuring, yet it also intensified Sonic's internal conflict; the hero felt an almost magnetic pull toward his companion but was simultaneously repelled by the dark, lifeless water surrounding them. 

To dive in was to die. That is what his mind told him. 

To be with Shadow was to live. That is what his heart told him.

Shadow hummed, mockingly contemplating the statement before another laugh escaped his lips. “Sonic, I’m waiting for you right here! A little water can’t hurt you!” He splashed a hand on the surface, the water not even making a ripple. It wasn’t right. “You’ve dived in before, just for me! This is no different. You swim wonderfully~!”

Sonic raised an eyebrow incredulously. Before? 

Oh... 

He had seen this place before…

A sudden wave of recognition washed over him, bringing with it a dull ache as his body remembered the wounds his real self harbored. This eerie sea, the oppressive darkness, the chilling void – it all felt hauntingly familiar. Memories of a past struggle surfaced, where he had fought through pain and despair, pushing himself to his limits for Shadow. He could recall the crunching of bones, overpowering his crush soon after to share with him this ocean of darkness that plagued him. He shivered as Shadow laughed at him once more. 

"Be not afraid," Shadow rose from the sea slowly, the blackness sticking to where it touched his fur, creating streaks of brilliant light amidst the soulless void. He floated closer to Sonic, raising his hands to brush them against the other's peach arms once more. "You will not hurt me again. You are a Master of Chaos; it cannot control you!"

Shadow's voice was sickeningly sweet, a tone Sonic hadn't heard from him before. It sent a shiver down Sonic's spine, a dissonance unsettling him despite the reassurance in Shadow's words. The contrast between Shadow's usual stoicism and this strange tenderness added to the surreal atmosphere of the moment. It was as if Shadow was playing a part, masking deeper intentions beneath a facade of saccharine encouragement.

Sonic shook his head, shrinking into himself as he gazed back down into the water. Would it be safe? Shadow was reassuring him so sweetly with an intoxicating aura. If he said it was safe, maybe that was true…

“I…” He couldn’t speak, the vastness below making him feel so small. The abyss seemed to stretch infinitely, its depths swallowing any semblance of confidence he had left. Sonic's mind swirled with doubt and fear, the conflicting emotions making it hard to think clearly.

Shadow's presence, so close and seemingly protective, offered a strange comfort, yet the sickly sweet tone of his words left Sonic uneasy. The hero’s heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to reconcile his trust in Shadow with the overwhelming dread the sea evoked.

“Shadow, I want to believe you,” Sonic finally whispered, his voice trembling as he looked down in shame. “But… you’re not real… I want to go in, but I feel like it’s wrong… I hurt you so horribly last time. I don’t think… What if I can’t control myself again…? Our friends… you… what if you all look at me in a way I can’t ever change back… I don’t think I can handle that…”

The hands brushing his arms gripped them suddenly, causing the hero to pause. Slowly, he lifted his red eyes to meet the others.

Only to be met with his mirror self, with eyes as black as the ocean beneath them.

“Shhh,” the copy hushed him when he jerked away with a grunt, amusement dancing in its dark eyes. Sonic gawked at himself in utter confusion, his gut telling him of the absolute danger he was in. 

“What… what are you?!” Sonic stammered, trying to pull away from the grip, but the copy held firm. 

“'What’ indeed, ” the doppelganger replied, its voice a twisted echo of Sonic’s own. It brought a chill down the hero’s spine. “ Is it not obvious? I am you. You are me. I’m the side of you that only wants you to have what you deserve. ”

Sonic's heart pounded in his chest, a mix of fear and anger surging through him. “What I deserve…?! Do you think me attacking random people and Shadow is what I deserve?!”

The copy’s grip tightened, a sinister smile spreading across its face. “I know, that was truly a mistake in your judgment. But as you said, he liked it. There is no issue.”

Taken aback, the golden hero scoffed in utter disbelief. “I didn’t say that! My thoughts have just been all over the place, and I’m hearing things, and… wait…” His jaw dropped, eyes widening as it dawned on him. “Are you what I’ve been hearing?! That… That Dark Gaia crap Tails was talking about?!”

The copy scoffed, shaking his head like that was the silliest thing he’d ever heard. “Surely you’re not serious? You said yourself that wasn’t true. And I know you know that. I am you, after all.”

“Stop being so… so creepy!” Sonic threw the other’s hands off of him, his eye twitching in agitation when the other simply laughed more. What a sickening sound coming from the other’s lips. “I am a hero who helps people, not… not whatever you are, attacking others and lying every five seconds!”

The copy’s laughter echoed ominously, a dark, twisted version of his own. “That’s cute. Do you tell yourself that to sleep better at night? Oh great Hero, the one who never lies and never makes mistakes. It must be so exhausting…”

Sonic clenched his fists, trying to steady his trembling hands. His copy continued with an amused tilt of his head. “You used to not care about such things when you were small. It’s admirable how you’ve changed, but you’re hiding your desires too much. It’s hurting you. Set yourself free…”

“That is not my desire! I don’t like hurting people, let alone Shadow!” Sonic gripped his head in aggravation, gritting his teeth in anger.

The copy’s expression softened, but there was an unsettling glint in its dark eyes. “You’re denying a part of yourself, Sonic. That anger, that aggression – it’s all a part of who you are. You cannot tell me you haven’t noticed it…"

Sonic stiffened, clenching his eyes shut as he shook his head in denial. He could hear his own voice, sickly in his twitching ears, break off into a deceptively soft whisper.

“You are a Hero, one who embodies the wind and sun, but you are not an omnipotent god. You relish a challenge, the thrill of defeating others in combat, of conquering them, just for a taste of the excitement you feel is missing from your life. You’ve contemplated ending the lives of many of your foes, the Doctor included, but you cling to the principles life has forced upon you. This doesn’t erase your true feelings. You latch onto the persona of the Hero others expect from you, but these thoughts have always lingered in your soul.”

“As for Shadow… ” The copy looked smugly down at the dark sea, face twisting menacingly. “ Such a powerful creature, one you simply could not save once upon a time. Now is your opportunity, even if you have to force your hidden ideals upon him. Can’t you feel the approaching doom regarding your love? If it’s not today, something can take him tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the next day… None of your friends can protect him like you can. None of your friends are strong enough to stay safe…” 

The copy looked up at the sky suddenly, the twinkling stars oblivious to the conversation below them, before looking at Sonic with a mocking shrug. 

“Stop lying to yourself. Embrace the Chaos that enriches your heart, and you will have everything.” 

Like a glass-stained mirror, the dream world shattered in a flash of rainbow light. The once-cohesive vision splintered into a kaleidoscope of stars and emotions, leaving Sonic suspended in a moment of ethereal beauty and profound disorientation. He felt himself falling once more, this time alone with no golden energy to comfort him, at a speed that felt familiar. It felt so real, the line between dream and reality as thin as a thread…

…

..

.

.

..

…

Shadow had not found a deep slumber when he heard the door creak open. 

Black eyelids fluttering open, he grunted in confusion as something pulled repeatedly on one of his ears. He tried burying his face into the pillow he held tightly against his chest, grumbling darkly when that offered no real escape His exhaustion blurred his vision, and he hissed weakly at the sensation. Turning his head, he bared his teeth at a familiar blue form, trying to piece together what was going on. “Sonic…?” He raised his good hand to rub his eyes, too disoriented to do anything about his ear just yet. 

The hero was standing over him, black eyes glazed over as he continued to yank on Shadow’s ear with a blank expression. The lack of response sobered some of the Ultimate Lifeform’s waking thoughts faster than normal. 

They had been upstairs talking about what happened in Central City. Sonic ran away, and Shadow came to this room to rest. Now Sonic was here, alone, leaning over him and pulling on his ears enough to hurt whilst looking totally out of it. What a great way to wake up. 

“...Sonic!” Shadow cautiously his hand further to the one on his ear, gripping the other’s wrist shakily as he gently coaxed the release of his abused appendage. It worked, thankfully, the blue hedgehog’s face as still as a statue as Shadow pushed his hand away slowly. He always wondered why the other seemed so infatuated with his ears, though he wasn’t grateful for this kind of attention at the moment. “What… What are you doing in here–?” 

With an undignified squeak that he would deny later, the Ultimate Lifeform gawked in awe when the other suddenly climbed on top of him, hands on either side of his head as he stared down at him unblinkingly. Shadow’s cheeks burned red as his breath grew quicker, red eyes darting from side to side as his slowed mind fought to understand his circumstances. Sonic’s gaze while unfocused remained steady on his face. 

He also wasn’t saying anything, which definitely meant something was wrong with him. 

Shadow was speechless himself, to be fair. Sure, the two being physically close was not new, but being weak, pinned beneath the other’s eyes on top of a bed certainly was. The hybrid swallowed the lump growing in his throat, unsure what to do. As he watched his reflection in the other’s eyes, the memories of what happened in Central City surfaced. Throwing Sonic off of him was an option, but would that trigger…whatever it was he saw that day again? His aching body would not appreciate it, but as the seconds stretched into minutes he was seriously weighing his options. 

That is until Sonic collapsed on top of him abruptly. 

“Oof!” Shadow groaned as the other buried his face against his fluffy chest and pillow, wincing at the weight. He fully expected the pain accompanying Sonic’s normal touch to follow, but it never came. Nervously, he lowered his gaze from the ceiling to the other hedgehog’s still form. Would he be attacked at any moment? Was this a false sense of safety before the inevitable consequences?

…

Nothing happened. 

Sonic's chest rose and fell slowly against his own, and Shadow realized dully that Sonic had already fallen asleep.

“...Fuckin’ idiot,” Shadow grumbled, slowly moving his good hand to massage his aching ear. This was the second time Sonic had tried grabbing one in the past week, and Shadow was seriously wondering what the other’s obsession with them was. Although he knew he had more pressing issues to ask about, this would be near the top of his list.

Maybe it was the painkillers, but the Ultimate Lifeform was grateful for the calm that settled in his chest once Sonic passed out. Reluctantly, he acknowledged how... nice it was to have someone pressed against him like this. The hero's concerning behavior had already frightened their friends, but Shadow had kept the worst of it to himself for their benefit.

Shadow's thoughts wandered to the past week, the moments when Sonic's behavior had veered into the inexplicable. Their conversations had been growing odd, with the hero’s positive persona outright disappearing randomly as the day had gone by. Even when comforting Shadow on the field during their Chaos fiasco, the hybrid felt the other handling him in a way that felt different, as though afraid to break Shadow into pieces while simultaneously holding him too close or pulling him too hard …

Then Central City happened. At the drop of a dime, Sonic’s relaxed, almost usual self turned for the worst. Shadow couldn’t stop him, as weak and pathetic as he was, and he suffered the consequences for it. Never before had he seen the hero like this, twisted so horribly by Chaos with no restriction on his power. It was terrifying.

…It was exhilarating.

‘ I’m an idiot too,” Shadow sighed softly, his hand continuing to soothe his aching ear as he glanced down at the neutral expression on Sonic's face. Shadow couldn't deny the turmoil that had been growing inside him, not just from Sonic's erratic actions but also from the undeniable connection that had formed between them. It was confusing, infuriating, and yet…

Attractive.

Cheeks reddening once more, Shadow's thoughts lingered on Central City, the memory of Sonic’s unrestrained power still vivid in his mind. The sheer force of it had been overwhelming, and yet, amid the destruction, there had been a raw beauty to Sonic’s strength, a glimpse of what he could become if he ever learned to harness it fully. It was a dangerous allure, one that Shadow found himself inexplicably drawn to. He shoved that thought away forcibly, cursing his own foolishness under his breath.

He could recall the artificial Chaos' voice in his head, Sonic forcing his energy upon him at a rate he hadn’t been able to handle. It had been different from his past experiences, the clear messages replaying in his mind on repeat. It had spoken. No longer were they simple messages to release his energy, but ones with clear intent on saving… himself.

' Has Sonic been hearing this? Did he lie to me before? ' Shadow glared at the slumbering one before sighing in resignation, lowering his hand from his ear to rest it on Sonic’s head.

The weight of these questions pressed heavily on Shadow's mind. If Sonic had been hearing the same voice and the same commands, it would explain so much of his erratic behavior. But it also meant that Sonic had been struggling with this burden alone, hiding the truth from everyone, including Shadow. The thought stirred a mix of anger and sorrow within him, which came as a surprise. Since when did he care so much about what Sonic kept a secret? They weren’t even officially together. So why should it matter? Why should he care?

Shadow's ear twitched at the grunt of discomfort that came from Sonic's throat, the blue hedgehog fidgeting slightly as he lay against the other. The hybrid huffed in indignation before running his hand cautiously against the other’s forehead, his annoyance replaced by an odd sense of pride swelling in his heart when Sonic visibly relaxed .

‘ If Sonic didn’t trust his friends enough to talk with them about what was happening, I might be the only one who can help... ’

He didn’t know where that thought came from, but it made sense. The ones Shadow reluctantly called ‘friends’ had no idea of the true nature of Chaos. Tails was brilliant, but he lacked the first-hand experience to truly understand what Sonic was going through. Sonic had his barriers up around Shadow as well, but Shadow was persistent. He was also the only one who could handle the outburst Sonic had at Central City without experiencing permanent damage. That didn’t mean he was going to leave the fox and the rest in the dark, but maybe Sonic needed a confidant in these trying times. 

Plus…

‘ No, don’t think about that,’ Shadow hissed as another blush ensnared his muzzle. He had his own secrets he didn’t like to share. Even if he wondered what it would be like if he just… revealed it all…

“Hnngh…” 

Ignoring that, because he would never think about it again, Shadow returned his focus to the one against his chest. He blinked his ruby eyes once, stiffening the hand that had been petting the other’s head abruptly.

Sonic was awake and staring at him, his eyes their natural green color. 

He looked confused. 

He looked so sad. 

Maybe getting brutalized again would’ve been preferable. 

“...Shadow…” Sonic whispered, his eyes clouding with untold, conflicting emotions as he pulled the other into a hug whilst burying his face into his chest again, eliciting a grunt of discomfort and shock from the Ultimate Lifeform. His first instinct was to push his rival away, but he could feel the hero’s body shiver against him in a display of vulnerability that made him pause.

During their late-night meetings beneath the ocean of stars, it hadn’t been only Sonic comforting Shadow through his trauma. Shadow had also been a steady presence for Sonic, listening to his fears and offering support when the weight of his responsibilities became too much. Despite that, he had never seen the other so visibly distraught, a wave of tears threatening to escape him at any given moment if the pressure became too much. Slowly, Shadow rested his hand on Sonic’s back, just beneath his quills, and held him closer. His ear twitched at the sound of Sonic’s sharp intake of breath, the hero refusing to fully unleash the turmoil he was holding in.

For someone so keen on telling others to ‘Open their hearts,’ he was not one to follow that advice when it mattered. No one was truly perfect. Shadow sighed softly, his hand continuing its soothing motion. They stayed like that for a bit until the hero broke the silence quietly.

“...I messed up… I-I didn’t mean to do this to you, I swear,” He whispered, shaking his head as he held onto the hybrid tighter. “I just… I just want you to know that wasn’t me… ” 

It sounded more like he was reassuring himself. Shadow hummed, raising his hand from Sonic’s back to gently coax the other to lift his head and meet his eyes. The hero obliged reluctantly, his vibrant green eyes wet from withheld tears. 

Shadow had never seen him cry… And he didn’t think he wanted to.

“...I know,” Shadow kept his injured voice low as he cupped Sonic’s cheek, watching the way the hero unconsciously learned against his open hand. There was a lot the agent needed to ask, a lot he needed to say, but seeing his rival so emotionally distraught broke something inside of him that erased the previous aggravation quickly.

“...You do?” Sonic sniffled quietly, raising one of his hands to place it over Shadow’s. This intimate atmosphere would’ve been preferred under different circumstances. Shadow nodded slowly, his expression softening as he continued trying to speak. “I do… Did you lie to me before…? About the… voices…” 

“...Yes,” Sonic’s mouth drew into a thin line as he looked away miserably. He squeezed Shadow’s hand gently, its presence anchoring him to reality. “Yes, I did. I’m… not sure what’s going on and I wanted to handle it on my own. I don’t want you guys to worry…”

“Hmph, that’s too bad,” Shadow sighed, adjusting his injured arm absentmindedly. “You frightened everyone. You need to talk to Tails. You promised me…” 

The blue blur mumbled something under his breath, barely audible. Shadow’s sharp ears caught fragments, but the meaning was lost. He squeezed Sonic’s hand a little tighter, prompting the hero to look up. 

“I’m serious, hedgehog. You don’t need to tell them, or me, everything,” Shadow winced at the strain on his throat. He’d need to stop talking soon. “But… But you should tell Tails what he needs to know. The sooner you do, the sooner you’ll get… better…” 

“Shhh, I’m sorry, don’t say anything else…” Sonic gently moved his hand along Shadow’s wrist, up his arm, until finally settling on the other’s own cheek, mirroring his rival. “I will… I’ll tell him what I can later… I’m just so sorry I hurt you like that… I wanted to protect you, not this…” 

Shadow nodded knowingly, the will of artificial Chaos still playing in his mind. If Sonic had simply wanted to hurt him, then he was sure those thoughts wouldn’t have existed. 

A feeling of dread sank into the Ultimate Lifeform’s stomach at the implications of the attack.

‘Had I… somehow…? No, that can’t be…!’ 

“I’m also sorry I came in here and woke you up too,” Sonic sniffled again, unaware of Shadow’s internal struggle. The hero pushed himself up to his hands and knees again, hovering over the other with a saddened expression. The place where his hand had been on Shadow’s muzzle felt horribly cold. “I imagine you want to be alone… I should probably leave, I’ve done too much already…”

“No!”

Shadow’s firm shout startled Sonic visibly, the blue one’s eyes widening before he waved a finger in admonishment when the hybrid started coughing in pain. “Hey, I told you not to talk! I know you heal fast, but that doesn’t mean you can be reckless!”

“ Shut… up !” Shadow growled, his throat aching as his good hand reached and pulled on the hero’s ear angrily. Hearing the way the other yelped in pain was revenge enough. “Stay… I need to think…”

“Owowowow! Thinking doesn’t require pulling my ear off, man!” Sonic flopped onto the bed beside him, both of his hands trying to pry his poor appendage from Shadow’s iron grip pathetically. The agent merely scoffed, his mind elsewhere at the moment.

Shadow’s grip eventually loosened, but he didn’t let go entirely, his fingers resting against Sonic’s fur. The contact was grounding, a physical reminder that they were both still here, still fighting. Shadow’s thoughts raced, the pieces of the puzzle slowly coming together. There was something about the way Sonic had been acting, the strange behavior, the erratic energy–it all pointed to something deeper, something darker. Could Shadow handle it? He felt it was possible. If he peeled back what Sonic kept hidden, layer by layer, and carried the burden himself, then there’d be nothing for anyone to fear. 

He had conquered artificial Chaos before; he could do it again. If what happened in Central City was the worst of it, then Shadow would ultimately win in the end. The Dark Gaia aspect was new to him, but he couldn’t deny the thrill of conquering the unknown. He’d persevere no matter what.

 Besides, this was Sonic. 

Sonic didn’t harbor darkness in his heart.

“Just… stay,” Shadow finally muttered, his voice softer but no less insistent. “I don’t want to be alone. And I don’t think you do either.”

Sonic blinked, the unexpected tenderness in Shadow’s words cutting through his anxiety. “Alright,” he said quietly, settling down beside the hybrid with his eyes glued to the other’s frame. He nestled onto the pillow beside Shadow’s head, his green eyes glittering like stars from those unfallen tears still.

For a moment, they lay in silence, the quiet hum of the room and their synchronized breathing the only sounds. Shadow could feel the warmth of Sonic’s presence, a strange but welcome comfort. The hero’s proximity was soothing, a balm to his troubled mind. There was no mind fog either at the touch of their bodies, allowing the Ultimate Lifeform to gradually relax.

Shadow’s thoughts wandered back to their earlier battles and late-night talks. They had faced so much together, weathered storms that would have broken lesser beings. There was a bond between them, forged in the crucible of conflict and strengthened by mutual respect and understanding. They were not so different, Shadow would reluctantly admit, and he’d come to value this bond more than he ever thought possible.

Their connection was more than just comradeship; it was a lifeline. In Sonic, Shadow found a kindred spirit, someone who understood the weight of being a hero, the loneliness that came with it, and the unspoken burdens they both carried. They get through this, and come out stronger than ever before…

Closer than ever before…

Shadow was interrupted by his thoughts at the feeling of… Sonic petting his ear. His poor, still aching ear. 

“Aw, I thought you’d purr again…” Sonic grumbled in disappointment, withdrawing his hand like it was burned when Shadow growled at him in a warning. 

Chapter Text

Fidgeting with his tablet in the Restoration Camp rec area, Tails jumped in surprise when he saw the two of them enter his line of vision. He raised an eyebrow at the comical sight before him: Sonic, looking sheepish and begging to be let go, was being unceremoniously dragged by the ear through the hallway. Shadow, on the other hand, still wore a pair of bedazzled pink slippers, a stark contrast to his usually intimidating demeanor. It was a scene that was as amusing as it was absurd, drawing curious glances from those nearby as the two approached the genius.

The fox himself looked surprisingly refreshed, his fur neatly brushed and the dark circles under his eyes conspicuously absent. It was clear he’d had a well-deserved rest, and the contrast between his calm, composed appearance and the chaotic display before him only highlighted the oddness of the moment.

“Uh… Hello?” Tails smiled sheepishly as Shadow growled at him, yanking Sonic forward and finally releasing his poor ear. The hero groaned, rubbing the sore spot and looking between the agent and his brother with one eye closed from the pain. Shadow crossed his arms (as well as he could manage with the sling), glaring at the hero haughtily. 

“Sonic has something to tell you,” he growled pointedly, and clear dread settled on the blue one’s face. Tails frowned slightly, looking at his brother expectantly. 

The meeting earlier that morning had not gone as well as Tails had hoped. Initially, he had wanted to talk with Sonic alone about what had occurred, but Jewel insisted on a group meeting for ‘safety reasons.’ Tails was offended by this concern, confident that Sonic would never harm any of his friends if he could help it. However, the Restoration leader reminded him of what had happened to Shadow, and the fox couldn’t help but reluctantly agree. As smart as he was, he still had his internal biases when it came to his brother.

“I… uh…” Sonic fidgeted uncomfortably, bowing his head in shame as his green eyes settled onto the floor. After a few moments and an impatient growl from Shadow, the hero forced himself to meet Tails’ gaze. “I… I lied.”

That had been obvious. Tails had even pointed it out during the meeting. Hearing Sonic finally admit to it, however, brought the tiniest smile to the fox’s face. It was progress.

Tails took a deep breath, his smile encouraging yet tinged with worry. “It’s okay, Sonic. We all make mistakes. What matters is that you’re honest with us now. We can’t help you if we don’t know what’s going on.”

Shadow crossed his arms over his fluffy chest, his stern expression softening just a fraction. “The truth, hedgehog. He needs to know.”

Sonic swallowed hard, his eyes flickering between his two friends. “It’s true that I’ve been… hearing things. I really thought I could handle it on my own, and I just… I didn’t want you guys to worry… I didn’t want to scare anyone.” He closed his eyes and looked away, his body shaking. “I told Shadow earlier…”

“...How bad is it?” Tails placed his tablet on the empty bench seat beside himself, looking Sonic over with concern.

The hero just shook his head in response. “It’s not… too bad? I guess? It’s hard for me to know what’s… me and what’s not sometimes. But then other times it feels very… loud .”

Tails frowned, his worry deepening. The fox loved machines because they were simple. A broken part could be fixed, an inadequate program could be upgraded. Whenever Eggman’s plans involved manipulating organics, be it through mind or body, Tails couldn’t help but feel mortified. He could figure it out and fix it, he always did, but the suffering it caused was on a level he always despised facing. Seeing his brother as the victim of it usually left anger in his kind heart.

“...Okay. That’s probably due to Dark Gaia’s influence. It’s snuffing out the host’s personality to gain control…” Tails tapped on his chin in thought, his blue eyes narrowing.

Sonic shook his head at that but didn’t add anything else. Shadow's intense gaze moved between the two, sensing the unspoken tension.

“...Sonic told me he couldn’t hear it anymore.”

Tails’ eyes widened, looking at Shadow incredulously. “How do you know he’s not just saying that? No offense, Sonic, but if this serum makes you hear and see things that aren’t true, then how can we know that’s an honest statement?”

“If you must know,” Shadow scoffed smugly, gesturing to the blue hedgehog beside him flippantly, “it’s because of his eyes.”

Tails blinked, clearly confused. “His eyes?”

Shadow nodded, his expression serious. “When the serum’s influence is strong, his eyes change. They become more... feral. But right now, they’re normal, and they’ve been normal since we woke up. That’s how I know he’s telling the truth.”

Sonic looked at Shadow, surprised by the insight. He looked a bit unnerved and yet… pleased. “You noticed all that…?”

“Of course,” Shadow replied, his tone dripping with his confidence. “I’m the Ultimate Lifeform. Nothing gets past me.”

“...Right.” Tails ran a hand through his bangs, not entirely convinced. His curiosity about something else got the better of him, though, so he had to ask… “What do you mean ‘since we woke up’? I had left Shadow alone. Sonic, did you…?”

Sonic scratched the back of his head, his cheeks reddening slightly. “Uh, yeah. We kind of crashed in the same room. I, uh, wasn’t feeling my best and felt bad about what I did to Shadow, so I decided to check up on him. We just talked for a bit and fell asleep…”

Tails raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Well, that’s... not entirely unexpected.” He nearly giggled when Sonic’s cheeks burned more visibly at the comment.

“Don’t get it twisted, fox,” Shadow huffed, running a hand through his disheveled quills as he glared toward something indiscernible in the distance. A faint hint of scarlet danced across his muzzle. “It was all for practical reasons. We both needed rest, I had to keep an eye on him, and I couldn’t make him leave.”

Sonic shifted uncomfortably, the heat on his face intensifying. “Yeah, exactly! It was just... easier that way?”

He didn’t sound convinced. 

“Sure, sure,” Tails nodded in amusement, clearing his throat as he made eye contact with his brother once more. “While your eye color changes have been alarming, it’s true that they’re not changing now. You also seemed normal during the meeting today, up until around when we got started. If I can just figure out what triggers it…”

“I think it’s smart of you not to believe me,” Sonic nodded along thoughtfully, tapping his foot in a steady rhythm. “Following Shadow the other day wasn’t smart of me at all, and I know I promised you that I’d stay out of trouble. I messed up big time, and you all did so much for me afterward… I didn’t deserve it.”

“Sonic…” Tails’ ears drooped sadly, wanting to comfort his brother in any way he could, but Sonic continued with another shake of his head.

“I know I broke a lot of trust too. I’ll stay out of trouble until you say it’s okay for me to fight again. I mean it this time…” He held out a fist towards his brother, a smile creeping back onto his face, reminiscent of his usual self, giving the fox a glimmer of hope.

Slowly, never breaking eye contact, Tails accepted the fist bump, his namesakes swishing behind him. “Alright… But if you mess up again, Sonic, we might all be in huge trouble…”

“I know,” the blue hedgehog nodded, smirking widely as he playfully ruffled his brother’s bangs. “I can’t always have you clean up my messes! I’ll be better, I swear!”

Tails laughed, gently swatting Sonic’s hands away before returning to his tablet, a newfound determination kindling in his chest. He couldn’t entirely shake his concern that Sonic might not be fully in control, but the hero’s optimism was always contagious. Turning to the Ultimate Lifeform, he smiled earnestly.

“Sorry to keep asking for your help, Shadow. I understand if you don’t want to risk further injuries…”

“Hey, don’t apologize to him,” Sonic chimed in, his voice smug as his lips pursed in amusement. “Shadow’s tough. He can take it. Right, bud?”

Shadow grunted noncommittally, his sharp gaze flickering between Tails and Sonic as he visibly fidgeted at the comment. Tails raised an eyebrow, noticing the subtle reaction, but before he could inquire, Sonic interrupted his thoughts once more.

“Besides,” Sonic continued with a mischievous glint in his eye, “Between the three of us, Eggman’s evil potion is totally done for! The smartest kid alive, the Ultimate Lifeform, and little ol’ me can’t be stopped!”

Tails couldn’t help but smile at Sonic’s optimism, despite the seriousness of their situation. “Let’s hope so,” he replied, his tone a mix of amusement and determination. “We’ll figure this out together.”

“Hmph. I’m only here to keep you out of trouble,” Shadow interjected with a stoic expression that was betrayed by the hint of pride in his voice. “Don’t make me regret that.”

“Aww, I heart you too, Shadow~!” Sonic made a heart symbol with his hands, earning a withered glare from the agent while Tails observed the following bickering with a chuckle, his thoughts drifting to the complex bond between the two hedgehogs.

Sonic and Shadow had grown remarkably close. Despite the dark form Sonic had once taken, which brutalized Shadow in combat, there was no hint of fear in the hybrid’s demeanor as they interacted. Not that Tails expected the dubbed Ultimate Lifeform to fear much of anything, but it was evident that Shadow didn’t view Sonic as a potential threat.

Tails couldn’t help but wonder if this lack of wariness was a cause for concern. If Shadow was unwittingly putting himself in a vulnerable position by trusting Sonic so implicitly, especially given the unpredictable nature of Sonic’s recent struggles with external influences, was it wise to allow their closeness to continue during these uncertain times? Tails would have to talk to Rouge about this later…

Perhaps Sonic wasn’t the only one who needed to be observed.

—

Shadow felt great.

The following few days had been uneventful, yet Shadow felt a palpable sense of progress regarding Sonic’s condition. G.U.N. had granted Rouge and Shadow a hiatus to address this issue, and Eggman had strangely remained silent following his thorough defeat at the Restoration Camp. This respite allowed Shadow and Sonic to fully recuperate from their injuries and focus on the tests Tails had them conducting. As they delved deeper into understanding the effects of Eggman’s serum, Shadow found himself cautiously optimistic that they were on the path to finding a solution.

The tests were routine. Tails would join them in the flower field (Shadow begrudgingly sharing his and Sonic’s ‘secret’ place, though the hero could only pat him on the shoulder with a laugh), measuring Sonic’s fluctuating Chaos levels as Shadow worked to gradually extract the artificial energy from within him. He still couldn’t remove large portions at once, finding himself winded with each meticulous extraction, but Tails confirmed that the artificial Chaos levels were decreasing steadily, albeit slowly. They performed these tests at multiple intervals throughout the day, keeping them all busy between moments of downtime.

Then, every night, when Shadow returned to his designated quarters after a long, relaxing bath, Sonic would appear at his doorway expectantly. This had become part of the routine too: Sonic would find his way into the room, and the two would just… talk. Much like in the flower field, only this time in the quiet seclusion of the room, nestled gently under the blankets and discussing anything and everything that came to mind. 

It was… nice…

But…

Shadow was inwardly frustrated that Sonic wouldn't... progress in any noticeable manner, seemingly content with talking until he turned over to… sleep. Those long stares with dark, inky eyes had ceased since the conversation with Tails. Those awkward, lingering touches in public that Shadow didn’t know he enjoyed were less and less.

Vivid childhood memories of stories Maria would read to him in her room or in one of the infirmaries aboard the Ark lingered in his mind during these moments. Those tales depicted princes sweeping their princesses off their feet, wooing them with promises of love and affection. He recalled often finding himself perplexed by Maria's admiration of these fictional characters, wondering what was so appealing about waiting for someone else to be with you.

“Because,” she would say knowingly, giggling as she petted his ears with a smile. “It’s nice to feel wanted by someone.”

Shadow would lean into his sister’s touch with a purr, but his confusion remained evident on his face. “But why do so many of these princesses wait? Can’t they just… take what they want?”

Maria would giggle again, looking at him thoughtfully before answering his innocent question. “You can’t take love, Shadow. It’s something that grows between two people when they care deeply for each other. Waiting shows patience and trust that the right person will come along.” She paused for a second to scratch under his chin, the small hedgehog beaming with delight at the attention. He had been so innocent back then…

“Though I agree these princesses wait far too long sometimes. That’s why some of these stories have sad endings. But… maybe that’s why it's called a fantasy. You dream that one day a prince or princess will come along and change your world for the better, that you both were made for one another to meet and that once you do, everything will be okay…” She would sigh whimsically, a true romantic at heart.

Shadow didn’t understand what romantic love was. Still young and navigating life aboard the Ark with only Maria’s gentle guidance on such matters, he found himself intrigued by her fond descriptions of the concept. She spoke of it like it were a precious treasure only a few could hope to obtain. The hybrid felt drawn to her enthusiasm, leaning closer to see her eyes sparkle brighter than the stars they gazed upon from their orbital home.

Whatever Maria desired, Shadow wanted to. Her influence over him was undeniable.

“... I want love too!” he declared confidently that day, crawling into her lap to pour over the pages of their favorite stories once more, eager to understand what Maria described. She would laugh, breathless with delight, and tickle him playfully as they shared silly imaginings about their prince or princess who would rescue them, cherish them, and make their world complete…

Shadow blinked away the tears in his eyes, his ear twitching as the blue hedgehog beside him snored loudly, blissfully unaware of his deep reflections. The princesses in those stories made it seem so effortless, waiting for their destined hero to sweep them off their feet and solve all their problems with a kiss. But real life wasn’t like that. It was complex and messy, full of uncertainties and challenges that couldn’t be resolved by fairy tale endings.

He knew it was idealistic. He wasn’t naive anymore, but Maria had instilled in him the belief that being wanted in such a way was precious, and that the right person would take that chance. He couldn’t deny the racing of his heart and the anticipation whenever he was close to Sonic. It felt like Sonic was the one, the person he had been waiting for, the one Maria would tell him wholeheartedly to seek out, even if he’d forever deny it. Yet, despite numerous opportunities, Sonic hadn’t made a move. He hadn’t kissed him. 

Was that not the ultimate declaration of love? If Sonic felt romantic feelings towards him, would he not have initiated by now? No one was around to judge them. No one would even have to know. Did Sonic not feel the same? 

…Was Sonic not his pr-?

Shadow snapped himself out of his thoughts with a sharp smack to his own face, the sound startling the slumbering hedgehog beside him into a snort. The Ultimate Lifeform reminded himself sternly that he was no longer that innocent child guided by Maria’s idealistic visions of love. He couldn’t afford to dwell on fairy tales and fantasies. Sonic was no prince, he was no prize to be won. Such foolishness.

"Wha…? Hey, Shads, what was that…?" Sonic yawned, lifting his head to peer down at Shadow. He rubbed his sleep-filled eyes, his disheveled quills flexing slightly. The hybrid growled, his cheek stinging from the smack, turning onto his shoulder and wrapping the blanket tightly around himself.

"Shut up."

"...Hm," Sonic hummed in confusion, yawning again. He carefully pressed his muzzle against Shadow's back, right between his quills, his hands gently wrapping around the other's torso. "Okay… You'll be my pillow, though, right…? I won’t talk if you do…"

Shadow remained silent, feeling Sonic snuggle against him as the hero’s breathing quickly slowed into that of sleep. His red eyes glared at the opposing wall, not at all conflicted by the proximity and the intimate gesture. It did nothing to dissuade the bombardment of self-deprecating thoughts leaking into his mind. It wasn’t a kiss, so it meant nothing to him. That’s not how Maria said romantic love was shown. 

‘ If Sonic couldn’t love me, then perhaps no one ever would. ’

He’d learn to be okay with that. Eventually.

…

So perhaps Shadow had lied. He wasn't exactly doing great, but he wasn't completely falling apart either. 

The routine had become both a blessing and a curse, a necessary distraction that kept him busy yet reminded him constantly of their predicament. He longed for it to be over soon so he could finally leave this place and sulk somewhere for a while. In between the testing sessions, he would attempt to retreat to solitude somewhere in the Restoration Camp, but it was far too busy a place to find such respite unless it was his room. Sometimes he would write in his journal, other times he would indulge in the abundance of sweet treats this damn place seemed to have at every corner, or he’d simply stare at a wall, lost in his thoughts. His earlier bravado about handling everything with ease felt increasingly hollow as his emotional turmoil continued to grow, Sonic’s lack of action driving him mad the longer they spent time together.

What would happen once this was all over? More late-night rendezvous with nothing more? He did enjoy being able to open up to someone who could understand in ways Rouge couldn’t, but this closeness with no payoff was crushing Shadow’s heart into pieces more than he’d care to admit. When Sonic was fixed, he’d have to end... whatever it was they had between them before he got hurt further. 

It was for the best.

…It still hurt.

Shadow had this thought in mind as he sat alone at the café again, rummaging through his quills to find his journal. He had come here after another session with Sonic and Tails to think… and eat cake. But his journal was nowhere to be found, and a small pang of panic flared in his chest. It was his outlet, a way to process everything, and not having it now felt like losing a piece of his stability. He sighed in aggravation as he drank his coffee, eye twitching as he glared at nothing in particular. If he had lost it out in the field and it got ruined he’d be so pissed...

So distracted, he nearly jumped out of his skin when none other than Rouge the Bat planted herself delicately in the chair beside him, amusement glittering in her eyes. That look could only mean she wanted something…

Maybe he should start sitting at a table with no extra chairs.

"What's got you so deep in thought, sugar?" Rouge teased, leaning back and crossing her legs gracefully.

Shadow scowled, trying to regain his composure as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair under her knowing gaze. "Nothing you need to worry about, Rouge."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Come on, hun. You look like you’ve just challenged a wild pack of Flickies and lost. Spill it."

He sighed, pushing his cake around on the plate with his fork. He couldn’t hope to hide anything from her. She read him like any would a book. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t put off the inevitable, though.

"It's nothing. Just... trying to figure some things out... I have a lot on my mind..."

"Things like... certain blue hedgehogs?" she asked pointedly, her tone softening a bit as she rested her chin against her hand. The way Shadow huffed in response was all she needed as confirmation. "You've been spending a lot of time with him lately. Some would say you’re nearly inseparable. It’s rather cute."

"Part of the mission, yes," Shadow stiffened with a glare her way, dropping his fork entirely. "Once he is better, we will be leaving this place for a good long while. I am sick of the atmosphere and Sonic."

"Oh? That’s funny," the bat cocked her head in amusement, her eyes still glittering as she eyed his unfinished dessert. "You’re one of the fastest people on the planet. You can go anywhere at any time, and if we need you, you’re just a phone call away. Yet, here you remain. It’s not like you can’t get cake anywhere else, hm~?"

Shadow's eyes narrowed, his irritation mounting. "What are you getting at, Rouge?"

She shrugged, her smile never faltering. "Just that maybe there’s more keeping you here than just the mission or the sweets. I already know how you feel about him, Shadow, as well as your late-night meetings. Being shy doesn’t change that."

Shadow's scowl deepened, his frustration evident as his muzzle turned red. "I'm not shy," he snapped, though his voice lacked its usual edge. It was no surprise that she’d known about those meetings. No secret was safe from her.

"Really?" Rouge raised an eyebrow, her tone teasing yet kind. "Because it sure seems like you’re dancing around your feelings. You’re not fooling anyone, least of all me. Though I have to say," she gave her wings a stretch, a yawn escaping her lips. “Picking the guy that totally blew up on you is… new. I’ve been meaning to ask if you’re okay about all that, but you’ve been avoiding the question.”

Shadow looked away, his expression conflicted as his quills puffed up defensively. He hadn’t wanted to speak about what happened in Central City with anyone. The memory of Sonic's dark transformation, and the pain that followed, was still fresh in his mind. As well as his own less-than-appropriate thoughts about it.

"I'm fine," he muttered, but the tightness in his voice betrayed him. Rouge leaned forward, her eyes softening as she gently took one of his hands in his.

 "Shadow, it's okay to not be fine. What happened was intense, and it’s normal to have feelings about it. I know I had some choice words to give to Sonic about it myself…"

Shadow clenched his fist, his jaw tight. He didn’t want to say it. She understood he had some turmoil, but she didn’t know what exactly. If he uttered his thoughts and confessed, she’d likely never see him the same way again. 

"I don’t need to talk about it."

"You do," Rouge insisted gently. "Keeping it all inside isn’t helping. Blue’s struggling with what he did too, you know. He’s scared and guilty, or so Tails tells me, and he’s been leaning on you throughout all of this. Don’t you think it’s fair for you to lean on him a little too? It might help you relax and sort yourself out."

Shadow’s eyes flickered with uncertainty. The idea of opening up, of sharing his vulnerabilities, was foreign to him. Yet, the logic in Rouge’s words was undeniable. Were Sonic’s late-night visits his attempts at assuaging his guilt? Was it truly all just selfish on the hero’s part? Was Shadow being used?

Would confronting Sonic about this be wrong…? Rouge likely believed Shadow was only conflicted about his romantic feelings, but taking control and demanding answers didn’t seem like the wrong move…

"...I don't know how," he admitted, his voice lowering in shame. 

“I know,” Rouge cooed gently, giving his hand a soothing pat as she smiled at him. Despite her teasing, she only wanted the best for him. “But luckily for you, a little birdie told me something quite promising. It might help you both open up…”

Shadow blinked at her in confusion. This can't be good.

When Shadow didn’t speak, the bat continued with a giggle. “You see, a couple of bigwigs are supposed to show up at the Restoration Camp in the next few days. Their support would mean they’re going to help fund some of the projects they have going on here, y’know? There should be a party when they arrive. You get Blue alone, you talk it out, and who knows… Maybe you’ll feel better…”

Shadow’s eyes narrowed skeptically. “A party?”

Rouge nodded, her smile widening. “Yes, a party. It’s the perfect opportunity. Everyone will be distracted, and you can steal a moment to talk to Sonic without any interruptions. Trust me, it’s the best chance you’re going to get. Though, as a reward, you’ll have to tell me all about your conversation after! You know how nosy I can get~!”

Shadow considered her words. The idea of a party, of socializing, was far from appealing. But the prospect of finally getting a moment alone with Sonic outside of their sleeping quarters, of possibly sorting out the tangled mess of his feelings, was tempting. The hero would be less likely to run off if he’s expected to be there as well. 

“...Fine,” he relented, though his tone was still wary. “I’ll try.”

Rouge beamed at him, clearly pleased with his response. "Good. Trust me, it'll be worth it. And who knows, you might even enjoy yourself~! I’m gonna go pick out an outfit for you ASAP, so don’t you worry about a thing, love!"

Shadow gave a noncommittal grunt, not entirely convinced but willing to see where this plan would take him. He wasn't used to opening up or dealing with emotions, but if there was a chance to finally understand where he and Sonic stood, he had to take it. That, and…

It dawned on him suddenly. Rouge hated shindigs like this unless there was something in it for her. He looked to the bat with a wary smirk of his own growing on his face, a chuckle of amusement escaping him when he realized her antics. If he was predictable to her, she was equally predictable to him.

“...There’s gonna be drinks there.”

“Oh, honey,” Rouge laughed mischievously. “It wouldn’t be a party without them~!”

“...You’re going to try and steal from the rich guests.”

“Now you’re just spoiling my fun!” Rouge laughed aloud with a sharp glint in her eyes. Shadow knew this night would only end in disaster. 

—

“Hey, Sonic!” 

Sonic casually stashed the journal back into his quills, leaning against the railing with a grin at the two approaching him. “What’s up, guys?”

“Not much,” Knuckles replied, nodding. “Amy’s been giving me the grand tour. Things have changed around here since Jewel took charge.”

“Definitely for the better,” Amy chimed in, shooting Knuckles a playful glare that the echidna sheepishly avoided by focusing on the view. She’d never forget how he had once dumped the Resistance’s tasks on her so abruptly before the Restoration was formed. It was something they could laugh about now, but still! “Anyway, Sonic, did you hear? There’s going to be a huge party in a few days! Music, food, the works. You’re going, right?”

Sonic pressed a finger to his cheek, pondering. He did love a good party, but… “Well, Tails mentioned it after the tests today. He said I could go, but he sounded really reluctant about it. Not sure if it’s the best idea.”

“Aww, but Tails told me you’ve been really good!” Amy pouted slightly, leaning on the railing beside him with pleading eyes. “You haven’t had a meltdown at all, or had your eyes change into scary colors! Heck, I’d say things almost feel back to normal!”

“Pfft, whatever normal is for Sonic,” Knuckles chimed in, moving to Sonic’s other side and glancing down at the bustling activity below. The camp never seemed to sleep. “Though it’s true. I was worried after that meeting a few days ago, but you haven’t needed me to knock some sense into you. Yet.”

Sonic chuckled, tapping his fingers nervously on the railing they now all shared.

“...Yeah, I guess things have been alright,” Sonic replied with a half-smile, taking in the view himself. The mention of the party tugged at his curiosity, but he remained outwardly cautious. “I’ll think about it. Might be good to blow off some steam...”

Sonic had been keeping up appearances as best as he could. Despite feeling fatigued after each testing session with Tails, he maintained a friendly demeanor around his friends, always ready with a smile and a quip. He stayed close to the camp during his runs, understanding the need for caution even though it grated on his restless nature. Tails worried about him, and Sonic didn't want to add to his friend's burdens.

So as far as they’ve known, he’s been good. And he planned on keeping it that way. 

“I think you showing up would be good for the Restoration’s image, Sonic. Jewel might make you come anyway ~!” Amy giggled, her eyes twinkling with delight at the idea of a peaceful get-together with friends and allies alike. “Plus, I think you need a break. You deserve it after all your hard work!” 

"I appreciate the concern," Sonic replied to Amy, his tone sincere. "I forget that I’m, like, the Restoration’s mascot or something."

“You might even get some action while you’re there,” Knuckles added with a nod before shooting Sonic a knowing look. Sonic met his gaze with a blink, caught off guard by the sudden shift in mood. “I’ve been told Rouge is going to try and convince Shadow to attend. That might be funny seeing him dance.”

When Knuckles couldn’t hide his chuckles, Sonic visibly paused, his green eyes widening in surprise.

"Shadow? At a party? A party where it's not just people he knows?" Sonic laughed nervously, picturing the typically stoic Ultimate Lifeform navigating a social event like that. His cheeks reddened at the sudden thought of them dancing together, a fond sigh escaping him. "Then yeah, I’ll go. I’ll go for sure…"

He caught himself at Knuckles’ deep laughter and Amy’s tiny sigh, shaking his head as he looked between them in a panic. He must’ve looked smitten in those moments, and he hid his cheeks in his hands as he frantically searched for the words to play off his affections. “Er, uh, sorry! Um, I didn’t… I mean…”

“It’s okay, Sonic. Knuckles is just a jerk sometimes!” Amy shot the echidna a glare, who kept laughing loudly to himself. She straightened her dress with a huff, then turned to Sonic with her own wide, glittering eyes. “Personally, I think you and Shadow are cute!”

Sonic blanked for a second, taken aback by Amy's unexpected praise, lowering his hands from his face shyly. “Uh, thanks, Amy. I… uh, didn’t realize you thought that…”

Knuckles let out another boisterous laugh. “Aw, look at Sonic getting all flustered! Your face is as red as my fur, bro!” The echidna leaned against the hero smugly, flashing his sharp teeth in a wide grin. “Amy and Tails told me all about that surprise kiss you almost landed on the guy! You couldn’t be more obvious, it’s almost sad!”

Sonic's eyes widened in embarrassment, his cheeks burning brighter at Knuckles' teasing. He didn’t remember the event himself, and Shadow had never brought it up again around him. He had wondered if everyone simply… forgot.  "What? I… I don’t know what you’re talking about, Knux! I think you’ve gone crazy!" He tried pushing the red one away, gritting his teeth as his cheeks betrayed his embarrassment. 

“Knuckles, stop and leave Sonic alone!” Amy shoved the echidna off her hero, summoning her hammer and swinging it at Knuckles, who yelped and ducked just in time. He backed away with his hands up in mock surrender, laughter escaping him despite Amy's admonishment.

"Alright, alright, I'm done," Knuckles chuckled, ducking beneath each hammer swing "Just messing with ya, Sonic. Didn't mean to rile you up."

Sonic straightened his posture, trying to regain his composure, though his cheeks were still flushed. "Geez, Knux, could you be any more embarrassing?" He glanced at the pink hedgehog, who was still eyeing Knuckles with mild irritation. "Thanks, Amy."

Amy smiled reassuringly at Sonic immediately. "Don't worry about it, Sonic. Knuckles just likes to tease. We all know you and Shadow are close."

Romance always made Sonic nervous. He was a physical guy, someone who communicated best through actions rather than words, so courtship was uncharted territory for him, even if his charisma often masked this fact. Despite his confident exterior, the subtleties of affection and the vulnerability it required left him feeling exposed and uncertain. He could easily navigate high-speed chases and battle fierce enemies without breaking a sweat, but the prospect of expressing his feelings, of baring his heart through deep confessions and verbal intimacy, was daunting. Especially when the object of his desires was so… standoffish.

He knew he couldn’t use that excuse forever, though. If this whole fiasco brought him any good, it was laying things out on the table that he was unable to run from. Even if his friends teased him, it would be worth it if he could finally tell Shadow how he felt deep down inside. Sonic was determined to bridge the gap between their mutual silence and misunderstandings. He wanted to show Shadow that his feelings were genuine, that every glance, every touch, every word spoken was filled with unspoken affection.

‘ I just need the chance… ’ 

Sonic rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous smile tugging at his lips. He didn’t know if that near-accidental kiss was why they both knew, or if they had all talked away from the hero to figure out what was going on between him and Shadow, but he supposed playing dumb wouldn’t get him anywhere anymore. He mumbled his next words thoughtfully, pressing his mouth against his palm as he watched the Restoration members work below. "Yeah, well... guess that cat’s out of the bag…"

“It’s okay, Sonic! We’re all here to support you no matter what! I’m sure Shadow feels the same way too~!” Amy nodded in wistful thought, reminiscing at the thought fondly.

Amy's composure at the topic surprised Sonic immensely. Knowing how deeply she had cared for him for so many years, he couldn't help but wonder if she had moved on at some point – a thought that filled him with both curiosity and pride in her growth. Her strength and maturity were evident, and it made him admire her even more. What amazing friends he’s found himself with. He was truly blessed.

"Thanks, Amy," Sonic said sincerely after a few moments of silence, touched by her comforting words. The pink hedgehog blinked at him slowly, surprised. "You've really grown, you know that?"

“Oh, uh… thank you!” A warm smile settled on the girl's lips, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes as she nodded at him coyly. “You’ll always be my darling Sonic, but I guess I can always share~!” She teased, her hammer disappearing with the snap of her fingers. Sonic smiled warmly at Amy's remark, appreciating her playful spirit even in moments of sincerity. Her words carried a mix of fondness and understanding that eased his nerves.

“Wait, so, like, you do like Shadow?” Knuckles interrupted his laughter abruptly, their previous conversation sinking in. “Like… for real?”

Sonic grinned mischievously at Knuckles, his eyes narrowing playfully as he leaned over the railing once more with a suggestive wag of his tail. “What, you jealous?”

Knuckles scratched his head, looking away with a snort. “Pfft, no way! I just... never pictured you two as, you know, a thing. Don’t really strike me as the dating types, I guess.”

Sonic shrugged casually, the weight of recent events showing in his weary demeanor for but a moment. “Yeah, well, life’s full of surprises, Knux. And you know me, I’m full of ‘em.” He turned to lean his back against the railing smoothly, flashing his first rival a cheeky grin. “How about you and Rouge, eh? You think you’re so safe teasing me, but we all can see that coming a mile away!”

Knuckles' cheeks flushed a deep red as he stammered, swiping a fist that the speedster dodged with ease. “W-what? No way, Rouge and I are just... rivals! You wouldn’t get it!”

Sonic chuckled, enjoying the sight of the echidna flustered. It reminded him of old times. “Sure, Knux. Keep telling yourself that. But if you need any tips on how to navigate the whole romance thing, just let me know. I feel like an expert at this point~!”

Knuckles rolled his eyes, though a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Yeah, yeah, whatever, Sonic. Just focus on your own love life, alright?”

Their banter lightened the mood, but beneath it all, Sonic couldn’t shake the thought of how Knuckles and the others might react if they knew the full extent of his feelings for Shadow. He pushed the concern aside for now; it wasn’t the right time to dwell on it.

“I’ll go,” Sonic nodded once the laughter had subsided, a playful glint in his eyes as he caught Amy’s excited cheer, which he couldn’t help but smile more at. “I’m starting to think maybe Shadow and I need to have a serious chat if things are that obvious to everyone else…”

As he spoke, Sonic glanced over the bustling camp, thoughts swirling about how he would approach Shadow and what he might say. The idea of confronting their unspoken feelings made his heart race, but he knew it was a conversation long overdue…

A leap of faith into the unknown waters below.

—

"Sonic, stop messing with your tie, this is the third time I’ve fixed it!" Tails huffed in frustration, his twin tails swishing behind him as he adjusted Sonic's tie once more. Sonic sighed, feeling stifled in his formal attire.

Sonic donned a pristine white suit tailored to perfection, the jacket fitting snugly over his frame. The lapels were crisply folded, accentuating his casual yet stylish appearance. His choice of a bold red tie added a splash of color against the immaculate white, a nod to his energetic personality amidst the formal setting. Below, his trademark running shoes peeked out from beneath the suit's hem, a playful reminder of his readiness for action even in the most refined of environments. Tails and Amy had exchanged amused glances when he got dressed at Tails’ workshop, their expressions a mix of exasperation and fondness for their friend's unwavering commitment to his personal style.

“There!” Tails stepped back and admired his handiwork at the entrance of the Restoration Camp’s main building with a proud smile, hands resting on his hips confidently. His own white suit matched Sonic’s impeccably, though he opted for a sleek blue tie instead of Sonic’s striking scarlet. Sonic felt the urge to tease Tails about how cute he looked, but he knew the kid genius would just deflect any compliments with blushing embarrassment.

“You nailed it, Tails,” Sonic said with a grin when he was finished, clapping a hand on his younger brother’s shoulder confidently. “Though I must say, you’re making me look bad, bro! Try not to hog all the ladies in there~!”

Tails ducked his head, cheeks flushing slightly as he adjusted his fake glasses. Amy insisted he wear them to complete the look. The fox didn’t get it, but he obliged regardless. “Thanks, Sonic. I appreciate it.”

Amy, standing nearby in her elegant, poofy pink gown, chimed in with a teasing smile. “You both clean up pretty nicely, I must say. Now, remember, Sonic, try not to mess up your tie again. We’re supposed to be making an impression tonight.”

Sonic chuckled, pulling on his tie one last time much to Tails’ dismay. “Got it, Amy. I’ll behave… mostly .”

...

The party venue exuded an air of elegance and sophistication, set indoors within a spacious hall adorned with tasteful decorations. The walls were draped in rich fabrics, illuminated by soft, ambient lighting that cast a warm glow across the room. At one end of the hall, a stage was set up for a jazz band, their instruments gleaming under the spotlight, ready to serenade the guests with smooth melodies. 

Round tables covered in crisp, white tablecloths dotted the room, each adorned with a delicate arrangement of flowers in elegant vases. Guests mingled around, dressed in their finest attire: suits and evening gowns in a myriad of colors, adding splashes of vibrancy to the refined setting. Restoration members who volunteered to work as the staff moved gracefully among the attendees, offering trays of hors d'oeuvres and drinks from a well-stocked bar at the far corner.

The atmosphere buzzed with animated conversations and occasional laughter, blending the hum of voices with the mellow tones of the jazz band. The overall ambiance was one of relaxed sophistication, a perfect backdrop for both socializing and quiet contemplation beneath the gentle sway of music.

Sonic thought it was stuffy.

"You made it!" Jewel flew over to them with a happy smile, her wings fluttering gracefully as she landed. She was dressed in an elegant gown, shimmering with silver sequins that caught the light, complementing her radiant demeanor. Truly a look that suited her name. “You all look amazing!”

“Oh my gosh, Jewel, you look BEAUTIFUL!” Amy squealed in delight, holding her friend's hand as she nodded to Sonic and Tails. “Sorry that we’re late! It took a while for Sonic to get ready…”

“Hey, pants are weird, okay?” the hero chuckled, his eyes scanning the venue to spot some familiar faces. Most were huddled around the open bar, which made him grin mischievously. He did say he’d only mostly behave, though the idea of free drinks made that promise hold less value in his thrill-seeking heart.

“Sonic,” Tails grabbed his wrist, blue eyes narrowed in a serious stare. “I want you to have fun, but… promise you won’t overdo it? I don’t know how alcohol is going to mix with… the situation .”

Sonic nodded solemnly, understanding the concern in Tails' voice. "I promise, Tails. I'll keep it in check," he reassured, patting his friend's shoulder before leaving the trio and heading towards the bar with a grin. 

As he made his way through the lively crowd, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief mingled with anticipation. They had all been through so much lately, and this night felt like a well-deserved respite for everyone.

...

“If it ain’t the MAN of the hour!” Vector the Crocodile took one look at the hero up and down before breaking into drunken laughter, taking a huge swig of the bottle he was holding with a boisterous laugh. He was wearing a black vest with his signature chain necklace, leaning against the bar counter with a sharp grin. 

“Vector, my guy, the party’s just started and you look blasted!” Sonic chuckled as he took a seat beside Vector, casting a curious glance at the purple chameleon slumped over the counter in attire mirroring Vector's, one hand shakily grasping a cup of freshly poured water. "What's up with him?"

“Espio? Lost a drinking contest between me and Knucklehead, that’s what's wrong with him!” The green crocodile laughed more when the ninja groaned in a drunken stupor, beating his chest confidently. “Ya boy won, of course! Knuckles gave up halfway through to hit up the buffet table!”

“I did not give up!” Sure enough, the echidna appeared with a plate full of delights, swaying where he stood. He sported a purple vest, an oddly formal attire choice that was surprising but not unwelcome on the Guardian's sturdy frame. “It’s just… What’s the point of getting rocked if you can’t eat with it?! Free food is the best…” 

Sonic turned in his seat, swiping one of the fried foods from Knuckles’ plate with a quick, stealthy motion. “Truer words have never been spoken!” As he bit into the snack, he caught the attention of the bartender with a handsome smile and a wink. “Give me your finest tequila, please!” 

“Atta’ boy!” Vector chuckled, taking another swig before grinning down at the blue hedgehog smugly. His breath was thick with the scent of booze. "Y’know, when Knux told us what happened, I was expecting you to look worse for wear! You look good, man!" 

"Ah, Knuckles told you…?" Sonic's smile faltered slightly as he nodded his thanks to the bartender, swiveling his chair to face away from the bar once more. The echidna shrugged, shoveling food into his mouth nonchalantly.

"Yeah, but don’t sweat it," Vector reassured, clapping Sonic so hard on the back that he nearly spilled his new drink. "We’ve all been through rough patches. Just glad to see you in one piece! I’m just surprised Shadow didn’t turn you into a pillowcase after what you pulled!"

Sonic thought of their late-night snuggles, how on some rare occasions Shadow would fall asleep first, his face buried in the crook of Sonic’s arm. The memory brought a bemused smile to Sonic's face, replacing the tension that had briefly settled there.

“You have no idea,” Sonic mused to himself, his gaze drifting across the room as he savored the moment. His ears perked at two approaching new faces. “If it isn’t Silver and Blaze! Glad you could make it!” 

“Hey, Sonic!” Silver waved excitedly, his grin wide and infectious. Beside him, Blaze bowed her head in approval, a warm smile gracing her features. Silver was adorned in a black dress shirt and purple bowtie, while Blaze rocked a beautiful purple dress that matched the feathers on her head wonderfully. The hero whistled in approval, looking between them as he took another sip of his drink.

“Wow, a couple of show-stoppers here!” Sonic grinned, raising his glass in a mock toast. “Lookin’ sharp, Silver, that’s a good look for you. And Blaze, you’re stunning as always, though I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you~!”

Blaze’s smile widened slightly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as her tail swished behind her. “Thank you, Sonic. You look quite dapper yourself.”

“Yeah, Sonic! This doesn’t seem like your kind of thing, but you look great! This is quite the party, huh?” Silver beamed, clearly thrilled by the compliment and setting. He must not get to party much in the destroyed future...

“Sure is,” Sonic agreed, glancing around the bustling room. “Nice to see everyone all dressed up and having a good time.”

Blaze nodded, her sharp eyes giving him a once-over as she tilted her head in concern. “Indeed. It’s a nice change of pace from the usual chaos. Speaking of which, how are you holding up?”

Sonic shot a withered glare at the echidna standing beside him, who merely shrugged as he continued to eat. 

“...Knuckles told you too?”

Silver laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head enough to make his quills sway. “Yeah, Knuckles was, er, loud before you showed up. But don’t worry! I don’t think anyone besides your friends heard…”

Sonic sighed, running a hand through his quills in exasperation. “Great. Just what I needed.” He gave Knuckles another look, but the echidna was too engrossed in his food to notice or care. Typical. “Thanks for the heads up, Silver.”

Blaze placed a gentle hand on Sonic’s shoulder, squeezing it lightly. “We’re here for you, Sonic. If you need anything, just let us know. We may not be well-versed in the chaos of your world or timeline, but we will offer our support wherever you need it.”

Silver nodded enthusiastically behind her, giving the hero two thumbs up. “Yeah! And hey, this party is supposed to be fun, right? Let’s make the most of it! Might take your mind off of things, right?”

Sonic's tension eased at their words, a genuine smile spreading across his face. “Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it. And you’re right, Silver. Let’s enjoy the night.”

As the jazz band started playing a lively tune, Sonic felt a wave of gratitude for his friends' unwavering support. Blaze and Silver were right; tonight was a night for fun and relaxation. He could deal with everything else later. For now, he intended to embrace the evening, enjoy the music, and maybe even find a moment to talk to Shadow…

Where was Shadow?

Taking a deep breath, Sonic lifted his drink and saluted his friends. “To a night we won’t ever forget!”

“Now that’s worth drinking to!” Vector laughed again, eyeing them all like fresh meat. “How about another drinking contest, eh? Espio, you in or not?!”

Espio’s groan sparked more laughter. The chameleon lifted his head just enough to glare at Vector before dropping it back down on the counter with a resigned sigh. "Not again..."

Sonic chuckled, the mood lightening even further. He looked around at his friends, each of them adding to the vibrant atmosphere of the night. “I think I’ll just watch this time,” Sonic said, grinning. “But I’ll cheer you guys on!”

Vector, ever the instigator, waved over the bartender for another round. “Come on, Sonic, just one drink for every round we win. You can handle that, right?”

Sonic laughed, shaking his head. “Alright, alright. But don’t expect me to carry you guys home if you pass out.”

“Deal!” Vector’s grin widened as he clinked his bottle against Sonic’s glass. Knuckles dropped his now empty plate on the counter, determination in his eyes as Silver haphazardly joined in on the game. 

The night continued with laughter and camaraderie, the jazz band’s smooth melodies providing the perfect backdrop to lively conversations and friendly shouts of intoxicated joy. Sonic couldn’t remember the last time he felt so at ease, surrounded by friends who understood him and supported him no matter what. It was exactly what he needed, and he was determined to savor every moment.

But still…

Where was Shadow…?

After so many drinks and lost minutes, the hero shifted his slightly blurred vision across the dance floor once more. He spotted Amy and Tails joining the dance floor with happy giggles along with the familiar faces of Tangle the Lemur and Whisper the Wolf, but other than that he didn’t see them. 

The alcohol was doing nothing to calm his unsteady heart, the shouts of his friends drowning as his thoughts submerged in worry. Should he go find Shadow? Why should he wait here? He’d been good, so where was Shadow? Why isn’t he here? He should leave this place and search and–

Halfway through their game, which Vector was thoroughly dominating, the crocodile suddenly reached over and poked the drunken echidna on the head pointedly, his eyes on the entrance of the party as he looked outright flabbergasted.

“Yo, bro, check it out…”

“Huh? What…?” Knuckles shook his unsteady head, looking at where the crocodile was pointing before an audible gasp left his lips. Sonic snapped from his thoughts at the movement, turning to look over his shoulder as well. 

He felt his nerves dissipate instantly.

Rouge the Bat swept into the party with the grace of a goddess. Her black, glittering dress shimmered under the soft lights, accentuating every curve with elegance and allure as it flowed around her like a midnight cascade. Its intricate beading caught the light with every movement as she made her way through the room, her body a striking resemblance to the gems she adored wholeheartedly. Her black heels clicked softly on the ground as she moved, drawing the attention of many with her sheer beauty alone. Accessorizing the ensemble, Rouge wore long, dangling earrings that sparkled with tiny, twinkling gems, complementing the subtle shimmer of her dress. A matching bracelet adorned one wrist, glinting under the ambient lighting. Her wings folded gracefully behind her, adding an ethereal quality to her presence, the delicate membranes catching the light as she moved through the crowd.

Knuckles was dumbfounded, sputtering like an idiot at the bar at the mere sight of her, but that was not who Sonic was shocked to see. 

Beside her, Shadow exuded an equal grace. He wore a striking red suit with swaying coattails that added a touch of dramatic flair as he moved, the deep crimson fabric hugged his lean frame perfectly. His white tie contrasted sharply against the suit, adding a touch of sophistication that melted perfectly into his sharp demeanor. His fur and quills seemed to shine under the lights too, likely from some product Rouge had him wear, but he was striking. The Ultimate Lifeform’s twitching ears adorned earrings similar to Rouge’s, their sparkle akin to stars twinkling in the darkness of space that was his fur. Despite the formal attire, Shadow's usual rocket shoes were present, their sleek design unmistakable. 

As they approached, Sonic couldn't help but notice how Shadow's usually reserved expression softened ever so slightly in the dim glow of the party lights, a rare glimpse of warmth in his demeanor when their eyes finally met. 

Rouge and Shadow approached the bar with purpose, the thief smiling with blood-red lips as she reveled in all the attention on her. Tonight would certainly be easy for her.

“Hello, boys~! Oh, and Princess Blaze, how are you~?” The two girls greeted each other with a kiss on the cheek, the feline smiling warmly and complimenting the bat’s appearance with the poise of her title. Rouge then turned to the echidna, who was still sputtering like a fool, and laughed sweetly.

“Honey, close your mouth before something you don’t want flies in~!” Rouge playfully lifted a finger to the echidna’s chin, causing him to snap his mouth shut abruptly. The gesture seemed to sober Knuckles up in an instant, and he shook his head, looking her up and down with open admiration.

“I… uh, you… you, uh… pretty… ” Knuckles managed, his attempt at smooth talk falling comically short as he struggled for words in the face of Rouge's allure.

Sonic would've relished teasing him if he wasn't equally spellbound. He found himself openly gawking at Shadow, his rival's usually controlled demeanor softened by the ambiance of the party. Shadow silently returned his gaze with half-lidded ruby eyes that seemed to shimmer in the room's gentle lighting, an enigmatic expression playing on his features.

It felt like they were alone in that moment, surrounded by the buzz of the party yet encapsulated in their shared silence. A million unspoken words hung between them, a tension that neither dared to break. Sonic extended the drink he held, his gaze locked with Shadow's, a silent offering loaded with unspoken meaning. He held his breath, waiting with anticipation.

When Shadow slowly accepted the drink and took a sip, never shifting his gaze away once, Sonic felt a rush of emotions. It was a simple gesture, yet it spoke volumes.

Kiss him. 

You – I have to kiss him. 

“...Looking snazzy, Faker,” Sonic felt himself break the spell upon them, watching the liquid disappear past those desired lips. “You look like a prince…” 

“...Hmph, you as well…” Shadow responded tersely, his expression unreadable as he leaned over the other to place the empty drink on the counter. Sonic held fast, the scent of alcohol reaching his nose as a smile crept on his lips. It was too heavy to be from that one small drink. So that means…

“Faker, did you show up drunk ?” Sonic couldn’t believe it, his own slurred speech breaking into laughter as Shadow rolled his eyes. Rouge placed both hands on her partner’s shoulders, leaning against him smugly with a sultry smile aimed at the hero.

“Blue, can you blame us? Shadow handles alcohol like a champ. He needs more than a bit to feel it, y’know? We didn’t want the bar to run out~!” She fluttered her eyes playfully before leaning away to stand at the counter, her leg brushing against Knuckles’ as she ordered herself a drink. The echidna did not know what to do, simply mumbling compliments incoherently at her. 

Sonic rested his gaze on Shadow again when she left, an eyebrow of amusement raised. “...You’re telling me you’re still as stoic as ever drunk? Dang, here I was hoping you’d be the shameless type…” he teased, nudging Shadow playfully before resting his hand on the other’s arm. The Ultimate Lifeform shrugged but didn’t push the contact away, a sign he was not feeling his brooding self in public.

“How much did you have?!” Sonic asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Enough, but not enough,” Shadow tilted his head to the side, his earrings dangling captivatingly. “Why? Don’t tell me you’re concerned, hedgehog...”

“What? Nah, you can handle yourself…” Sonic grinned cockily, leaning casually against the bar with a hint of challenge in his tone. “Though I wouldn’t want you to have too much. See, me and Vector here are the local game champions. Wouldn’t want you getting hurt trying to match our pace, ya dig?”

Shadow’s eyes narrowed as Vector laughed drunkenly, still swigging on a bottle confidently. The croc showed no signs of slowing down. “It’s true! Sonic and I can drink all night while the rest of you pass out! Might get hurt, ‘specially if you pre-gamed!”

The hedgehog glanced around the bar, observing their fallen comrades. Espio nursed a cup of water like a lifeline. Knuckles stumbled over his words as Rouge bestowed attention upon him, oblivious to how much of a fool he looked. Silver struggled to sit up straight while Blaze comforted him gently. Vector had certainly pushed them to drink themselves stupid…

But Shadow was not like them.

“I’ll take on that challenge.” Adjusting the inhibitor rings on his wrists lazily, the hybrid slid onto the seat Sonic had occupied boldly, a look of pure defiance and… something else in his eyes. “But when we’re done, you and I have to talk.”

Sonic looked momentarily taken aback before carefully scooting over to make room, fitting them both onto the stool as he grinned. He hadn’t planned on going all out tonight, but how could he resist a challenge like this? His curiosity was piqued as well. He needed to talk with Shadow as well, but what harm would a few drinks cause before things got serious?

Besides, when their bodies were pressed together like this…?

It was nice…

“Alright, you’re on. We’re doing shots !” The hero grinned, waving the bartender to attention once more. 

—

Liquid courage. 

Shadow understood the nickname well; it was why he had asked Rouge to join him for a drink before the party. Nerves were a constant companion for the Ultimate Lifeform, sober or not, but the alcohol brought a welcome calm to his senses that he appreciated. He’d need that calm if he was able to confront Sonic about his suspicions and feelings.

A drinking contest had not been a part of the plan, but he’d never backed down from such a direct challenge to his skill. He’d destroy the blue rodent and then conquer their future conversation, ending the night in flawless victory. Or so he felt. 

"Alright, Shadow, you're on. But don't say I didn't warn you." He held the first round of shots up to his competitors gleefully. Vector clinked his glass before downing its contents smoothly. 

Shadow adjusted his posture, a flicker of determination crossing his face as he eyed Sonic. "I don't plan on losing," he replied calmly, his voice carrying a hint of a competitive edge as he had his first shot. The liquid burned his throat somewhat, but his already drunken composure handled it with ease. 

When the next round of shots came, Shadow was the first to grab his, a growl under his breath as he raised it to the other two mockingly. "Let's see who lasts longer," he replied smugly, the alcohol bolstering his confidence. 

“Oh, baby, I can go all night long,” Sonic wrapped his arm around Shadow lazily, chugging his drink with a dangerous glint in his green eyes. “You’ll be begging for me to stop…”

When the third wave of shots came in, Shadow just shook his head in response as his cheeks burned redder. Was it from the alcohol? Yes, it had to be the alcohol. He’d never allow himself to blush so openly at words of flirtation…

As more drinks came, it dawned on him how utterly… close the two were. Their hips met tightly on the small stool as the hero still held his arm wrapped securely around the hybrid, his gloved hands brushing against the sleeve Shadow wore gently. He wished he wasn’t wearing these stupid clothes suddenly, wanting to feel more of that warmth. He felt his stomach flip more and more as they drank, having lost track of how many shots they had a while ago. Sonic’s body was as grounding of a force as it had always been, keeping him centered despite how undeniably drunk he was becoming. 

‘ How… How would I ever escape this...? ’ Shadow grew increasingly silent as the game wore on, his thoughts drowning him in uncertainty. He tuned out Sonic and Vector's intoxicated boasts as they argued with the bartender for another drink. ‘ What will I do if he’s just using me? I can’t lose this warmth… I can’t… ’

His cheeks were flushed, and he swayed slightly in his chair, but Sonic’s supportive presence kept him steady enough to appear stable in front of their friends. So outwardly, he surely looked as fine as expected. 

Internally, however, he was not fine. Nothing was fine. He always had to act like everything was fine, but it was not fine. 

“S…Sonic…” Shadow slurred, his vision blurry as he turned to face the other. He placed his shaky hands on the other’s arm to steady himself, resting his head on top in an attempt to stabilize himself further. He was losing his mind. They needed to talk, now, but he felt himself shutting down. All he could muster was the other’s name…

“You ready to admit defeat, Faker~?” Sonic turned to him with a loopy grin, a drink still swirling in his free hand, only to draw in his breath at the sight. 

Shadow probably didn’t notice what he was doing. That, or he was too wasted to care. But the Ultimate Lifeform was nuzzling against his own hands and Sonic’s arm as he swayed, his red eyes batting up at the hero gorgeously as he likely fought to regain his focus. ‘ Like a cat,’ Sonic thought in awe, shamelessly taking the sight in. Seeing Shadow so affectionate in public was setting him off in ways he couldn’t describe. 

…Were these stupid pants always so tight?!

Sonic was in trouble. 

“What are you guys doing?!” 

Amy Rose's voice broke through his thoughts abruptly. 

“Aw, fuck,” Vector groaned, and Sonic could only laugh as he was woefully distracted. Now they were all in trouble.

—

After Amy had given them an earful about 'responsible partying', the group found themselves relegated to a large table adorned with large pitchers of water. Sonic chuckled softly at the ongoing banter between Espio and Vector, their debate over who could hold their liquor better becoming more animated with each passing minute. Sipping on his water, he couldn't help but smile at Silver's awkward, buzzed attempts to charm Blaze, and Knuckles' unabashed affection for Rouge, who was clearly enjoying the attention.

Despite the bar being off-limits for the rest of the night, the atmosphere around the table remained as lively as ever. It was clear that it would take some time for the effects of the alcohol to wear off, even for Sonic himself, but he was grateful for the distraction. The night had been going so well so far…

He turned his attention to Shadow, noting his rival's silent presence. Sonic had been the one to escort him from the bar to the table, genuinely surprised by the lack of reaction. Shadow despised appearing vulnerable more than anything else, but on nights like this, perhaps alcohol dulled such concerns. Currently slumped in his chair, hands balled into fists as he stared fixedly at the table, he seemed completely out of it.

Sonic leaned closer, concern furrowing his brow as he studied Shadow's tense posture. "Hey, Shad," he murmured, his voice low to avoid drawing attention from the others. "You okay?" He reached out cautiously, resting a hand on Shadow's shoulder. The Ultimate Lifeform flinched slightly but didn't pull away, his gaze distant yet intense. The atmosphere around the table buzzed with residual energy from the night's revelry, but Sonic felt a weight in the air that transcended the drunken antics. Shadow's brooding silence spoke volumes, and Sonic wondered what thoughts were churning behind those crimson eyes…

…He missed the voice that had uttered his name so unabashedly…

The hero wasn't the only one noticing the agent's demeanor. Rouge the Bat cleared her throat suddenly, rising gracefully as all eyes turned to her. With a confident flap of her wings and a flick of her ears, she gestured towards the dancefloor.

"I say we really kick this party into high gear!" Rouge urged the group to their feet, shooting Sonic a playful wink as she brushed off the tipsy objections of their friends. "Come on! Tonight's the night to go all out. Let's make some memories!"

Sonic chuckled to himself as his friends were shuffled away, returning his attention to Shadow once more. The Ultimate Lifeform hadn’t reacted to the bat’s declaration, lost in his own head, and the speedster only hoped to bring him back to reality for just a moment…

“I think,” Sonic began with a smile, leaning towards his rival and extending a hand into his line of vision, “we should go dance too! What do you say? It’ll be fun”

“We need to talk,” Shadow reminded him abruptly, his ears flattening against his skull as he stared at Sonic’s hand with a mixed expression. His voice was low and still slurred, but his fists remained tightly clenched in his lap. He was tense “You said we would…”

Sonic blinked, his hand faltering slightly. Whatever was bothering the other was… clearly intense. It was likely important…

But tonight was supposed to be fun, an opportunity to break down barriers and reward Sonic for his good behavior. Shadow likely didn’t know it, but the hero felt the Ultimate Lifeform deserved a reward too. 

So why not compromise?

The speedster stood up abruptly, causing Shadow to look up at him in surprise. With one hand on his hip, Sonic extended his hand once more with a broad smile, his tail wagging shamelessly behind him.

“We can talk on the dancefloor, I promise! It’ll be more relaxed this way, I swear!” The hero couldn’t hide the purr in his voice as Shadow’s gaze lingered on his open palm, clearly contemplating. “Trust me! I know dancing might not be your thing, but take the plunge! I’ll help you swim~!”

Shadow clicked his tongue in thought, his earrings catching the light as his nose wrinkled in open distaste. His eyes met Sonic’s after a few moments, a tired smile growing on his face. 

“...I thought you were afraid of water .”

Humor wasn’t Shadow’s strong suit, but this was an attempt to lighten the mood and ease his own nerves. Even in his hammered state, he couldn’t help but notice the slight twitch in Sonic’s face at the comment.

Was that… annoyance?

‘ Why–?’

“It’s a metaphor, silly! Or, er, an allegory…? I dunno, I never went to school!” Sonic's cheerful expression returned swiftly, as though it had never changed, his hand waving expectantly. “C’mon, what do you say? I pinkie promise we’ll talk once we’re out there! Just get in the water, man!”

Shadow eyed Sonic's extended hand warily, his earlier resolve warring with the playful persistence of his rival. After a moment's hesitation, he sighed, an exhausted glare blooming on his red face.

“Fine, but we better,” he spoke with a growl, standing with a wobble. “And we’re only doing it for one song–!”

Moving at the speed of sound was always exhilarating. The wind in Sonic's quills, the blur of color as the world disappeared around him – it was freedom unlike any other. But going that fast against your will wasn’t great. Going that fast when you were drunk was even worse.

“ Sonic !” Shadow hissed as he found himself suddenly at the center of the room, utterly disoriented, his ears filled with the giggles of Earth’s number one hero as the world spun haphazardly around him. He nearly fell over, his stomach doing those terrible flips again until he felt himself pulled into the secure hold of his rival once more.

Sonic grinned down at him widely, resting one hand on the striped hedgehog’s waist while the other eagerly intertwined their fingers. The band on stage began picking up the pace, a song that fit right into the blue blur’s tastes, as he winked at his rival playfully. “Sorry, got ahead of myself there! I was just so happy you said yes I couldn’t wait any longer!”

Shadow was about to retort before an uncharacteristic squeak escaped his lips as Sonic spun them, holding onto the other for dear life as he looked around widely. Everyone else was dancing, too distracted in their own fun to pay attention, but that didn’t stop the hybrid from feeling so utterly embarrassed at his weakness.

However…

The overwhelming closeness enveloped Shadow as Sonic pressed their chests together, their noses almost touching. The hero's adoring gaze left Shadow feeling uncertain, his thoughts racing with a need to talk about everything that had been left unsaid before the night spiraled out of control.

The alcohol had been a mistake.

He was unraveling. 

"We need to..." Shadow started, but Sonic's chuckle cut him off, his warm breath brushing against Shadow's lips, sending a shiver down the Ultimate Lifeform’s spine. 

"I know, and we will," Sonic said, his tone gentle yet firm as if he could read Shadow's thoughts. His grip tightened slightly, pulling Shadow closer. "But for now, just follow my lead..."

As the music enveloped them in its pulsing rhythm, Sonic led Shadow across the dance floor with a natural grace that belied their earlier awkwardness. Each movement was fluid, guided by Sonic's confident touch and Shadow's tentative responsiveness in such a way that reminded Shadow, oddly enough, of his Super form. When empowered by Chaos, nothing weighs you down. 

However, unlike when in his Super form, he did not feel fine.

They swayed in time to the music, their bodies instinctively syncing as if they had danced together countless times before. Sonic's hand on Shadow's waist was firm yet gentle, guiding him through spins and dips with effortless precision. Shadow, initially tense and uncertain, gradually relaxed into the dance, his body acting on its own whilst his mind raced for a security Sonic’s hold was not providing.

Around them, colorful lights danced in sync with the music, casting shifting patterns across their faces and the room. The atmosphere was alive with energy, filled with the laughter and cheers of their friends who were sober enough to watch with amused and supportive eyes.

Despite the bustling activity around them, Sonic and Shadow seemed cocooned in their own world, their focus solely on each other. Sonic's eyes held a warmth that mirrored the affectionate smile on his face, while Shadow's gaze remained panicked and unfocused. 

‘ Why do I feel like I’m… falling? Why am I hurting? Why…? ’

Physical pain was easy to deal with. It’s something Shadow had always known since the dawn of his existence. A punch, a cut, a stab, an injection, a kick… Drowning, burning, melting, suffocating … Anything would’ve been better than this. Why did he feel like this–?

"You know," Sonic's voice broke through Shadow's turbulent thoughts, grounding him in the present for but a moment. "I wasn't kidding earlier when I said you looked like a prince... You look... so pretty. I might have to lock you up in a tower somewhere and keep you for myself..." There was a gentle sincerity despite the dark words, the hero laughing cooly as he was oblivious to Shadow’s inner struggles. 

Shadow was disarmed by such a musing instantly. Alarms blared in his mind, the echoing sound much like the one that accompanied his worst experience in his twitching ears, as he looked up at the hero breathlessly. He was too intoxicated to run, but his mind wanted him to. But it was… It was just Sonic…

“I… why…?” The hybrid couldn’t help but scoff in disbelief, unsure if the question was directed at himself or the hero who held him. 

Sonic smiled earnestly, his muzzle as red as Shadow’s stripes as he spoke in a sickly sweet tone. “Because you’re precious to me, Shadow. I never say it, and I should more often, and maybe it’s just the drinks making me brave but… Would you…?” 

Green eyes dropped pointedly to Shadow’s lips, licking his own thoughtfully, before returning his gaze to Shadow’s eyes.

…

……

…………

Shadow laughed.

The sudden eruption of genuine amusement from the usually stoic hedgehog was like a rare comet streaking across the sky. Sonic blinked in surprise, his eyebrow arching as he watched Shadow shake with laughter, hands moving to cover his muzzle in a futile attempt to stifle the sounds. The laughter spilled out regardless, filling the air with a rare, fluttery sound that seemed more enchanting than the music echoing from the band on stage. Sonic couldn't help but smile nervously in response, feeling a twinge of awkwardness as his question went unanswered as their dancing slowed to a gradual halt.

Sonic scratched his head, a mix of relief and confusion playing on his features. "Uh... Was I not clear, or...?" He couldn't deny the unexpected joy of seeing Shadow laugh so freely, a sight he unsurprisingly found captivating. Shadow was pretty, his earrings jingling as he just kept laughing. How much would he have to pay to get a picture of such a wonderful sight…?

When Shadow was finally able to regain some composure, he placed both of his hands on Sonic’s chest, gaining the hero’s attention immediately. A smile was on his face when he looked at the other with eyes clouded with rage.

Wait.

Rage?

"Oh, you were clear," Shadow said sharply, grabbing at Sonic’s tie with an edge of anger in his voice. His red eyes gleamed with intensity, sharp as knives.

When Sonic was shoved away forcibly, nearly falling flat on his ass before saving himself stubbornly, he couldn’t help but replay the events that could’ve possibly triggered Shadow’s anger. Had he been too forward? Had he not been forward enough? Did Shadow not want to kiss him? 

No. That couldn’t be it.

"Shadow–?" Sonic started but yelped as he ducked away from Shadow’s fist, the wobbly hedgehog hissing in frustration as it missed its mark. Sonic deftly deflected the next incoming strike, carefully gauging the strength behind Shadow’s attempts to attack him. After a moment, a small sigh escaped Sonic's lips. “Shadow, c’mon–”

"Don't–fucking–say–things–you–don't–fucking–mean!"

Each word was punctuated by a furious attack that Sonic deftly deflected, the hero smiling sheepishly as he felt a few eyes settle on them. Luckily, the stage and its band kept most of the attention elsewhere, but if this went on for too long, they'd end up making a spectacle of themselves. He tried to get a word in, but the two ended up talking over each other quickly within their ‘fight’. 

“Shadow–”

“Why are you like this?!”

“Shadow, please–”

“Do you think I’m a joke?!”

“No!”

“Then why do you torment me?!”

“I don’t–!”

“You do!”

“I’m sorry?!”

“There’s something wrong with you!”

“There is?”

“Yes!”

Sonic grabbed Shadow’s wrists then, holding them tightly as his eyes narrowed slightly. Both were panting desperately for breath, the tension between them almost palpable. Sonic’s grip was firm but gentle, a silent plea for calm. The hybrid hissed at him darkly, attempting to struggle despite the dangerous sway of his body. If Sonic let go he’d just fall right over…

“Let me go!” Shadow demanded, his voice edged with fury and desperation.

“Tell me what you think is wrong with me,” Sonic insisted, his grip unrelenting. His quills bristled as adrenaline began to pump through his veins, his tone and expression serious. 

Shadow laughed in his face again, the sound bitter and harsh.

“ Everything has been wrong with you since the Doctor injected you with that serum!” Shadow's voice, tinged with hysteria, was thankfully mostly drowned out by the music, reaching only Sonic's ears as his struggles suddenly ceased. “Do you think I’m stupid, hedgehog?! Do you think I wouldn’t notice you… staring and gawking at me, grabbing me, and stowing away in my room without any sort of… acknowledgment of how that makes me feel?! Do you like driving me crazy?!”

Sonic's expression softened slightly, a mix of concern and confusion crossing his face. "I… Shadow, it's not like that. We–"

"Do not fucking talk!”

It was like a switch had been flipped within Shadow. He knew he wasn’t in his right mind, he knew he should follow his gut and run like he always did, but he had to speak.

“In Central City, do you know what you did when you attacked me? You injected your thoughts into my head, Sonic! I can hear every bit of it! It’s making you do these things! It’s making you look at me, and be closer to me, and touch me, and be so bold when you never would’ve otherwise! And now that you’re going back to normal, it’s stopping! And then you’ll say, ‘Oh, but Shadow! I want to kiss you now, doesn’t that count?’ NO! No, it doesn’t! You’re drunk! I’m… I’m drunk! We’re… We’re both…!”

His voice trailed off, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps. The overwhelming mix of emotions – anger, confusion, fear – left him feeling raw and exposed. Shadow's fists remained clenched as Sonic still held his wrists up, trembling with pent-up frustration. 

“...If you’re using me to feel better about what you did, then fuck off…” He lowered his head in both relief and shame, closing his eyes as he panted. He couldn’t look at his crush. He couldn’t face the inevitable heartbreak. 

He wanted to die of grief. If only he’d been able to be stronger. He felt like an idiot, but at least he finally said it…

If Sonic hates him forever, so be it. It’s what he deserved… 

…

“Shadow.”

The Ultimate Lifeform yelped when he was pulled into Sonic’s arms again, the blue hedgehog laughing dangerously as he dipped the other slightly. Shadow instinctively grabbed for his shoulders to avoid falling, his eyes widening comically as he looked up at the other.

Sonic was grinning down at him with a wild expression, his silhouette haloed by the overhead lights. This draped his face in shadows, green orbs swirling with mirth and desire that was not masked at all.

“You think you can just get away that easily?” Sonic teased, his voice so low and menacing that Shadow felt small. “You and me do that a lot, huh? We run… A bit too much…”

“S… Sonic, I–” He started, growing dizzy from this position, but the hero shushed him softly.

“Shhhhh… Let me speak now…” He whispered, drawing his mouth closer to the striped one's twitching ear. “You got to talk. It’s my turn, so listen.”

Shadow's breath caught in his throat as Sonic's words washed over him, each one carrying a weight that seemed to settle deep in his chest. The closeness, the intensity of Sonic's presence, it was almost too much to bear. He could feel Sonic's heartbeat against his own, their breaths mingling in the small space between them.

Make no mistake. Shadow could push him away at any point if he put his mind to it, unstable or not. He was not weak. But the aura of this scene he found himself in, the dangerously alluring way Sonic looked at him, made his body freeze in both fear and curiosity. He was torn, his mind telling him to run whilst his body remained frozen in place. His deeper, most secret feelings threatened to rear their ugly heads

He had never felt like this before. This new experience was… intriguing. 

“I can understand why you feel that way. I do,” Sonic cooed gently, his lips pursed as one hand snaked to intertwine with Shadow’s again. “I thought I was being too obvious, but here you were, uncertain because I was such a coward… You poor thing…”

Blue quills flexed slightly, a flag of warning in a sea of uncertainty, the hero tilted his head to the side. It reminded Shadow of a bird observing its prey, and he did not understand why his mind came to that conclusion. 

Because, again… it’s just Sonic.

Sonic wasn’t corrupt. It was the artificial Chaos that was.

…Right?

“You’re right.” Sonic’s voice seemingly answering his thoughts started him deeply. “I’ve been acting like a total coward. I should’ve confessed to you forever ago, I just… well, frankly, I’m surprised you even thought about this stuff…” Sonic laughed, his tone more familiar as he pulled the other even closer, squeezing their connected hands gently. “I underestimated you, but that’s your best quality. You’re full of surprises, doing things not even I’d expect. It’s awesome…”

He nuzzled Shadow’s face suddenly, a soft purr escaping his throat as he smirked coyly. His hand released the Ultimate Lifeform’s hand to cup his cheek gently, the gloved fingers exerting a faint pressure, a subtle reminder of the strength behind them. Shadow froze as he felt Sonic’s warm breath on his lips once more, his mind racing.

“But don’t think for a second that none of that was me, Shadow,” Sonic murmured, his voice tender yet tinged with possessive righteousness. “Even before all this, I wanted to kiss you. I just didn’t know how you felt. I didn’t want to push you into territory you weren’t comfortable with. All those nights we spent together, in the field or your room, were not once without me thinking of confessing...”

The distance between their lips was closing.

Shadow’s face twitched as Sonic held it in place.

Wait. Wait. Wait wait wait wait wait waitwaitwait –!

“S-Sonic, wait, hold on–!” Shadow planted his feet on the ground firmly under him, standing up straight as panic filled him. This was too much, too fast, for his sobering mind to handle at the moment. He needed a minute! He needed something! He–!

…Moving at the speed of sound was always exhilarating.

Especially when it got you what you wanted. 

Sonic held Shadow firm as he pressed his lips against the other’s tail wagging as he felt the other practically melt in his arms. 

...

Self-indulgence was a good thing.

Even if you drown in it.

Chapter Text

It was a sensation never before experienced. Not like this. 

The Sun on a warm, spring evening, peaking through the clouds to the thankful Earth below, its rays were as gentle as a kiss against plant, creature, and substance alike. One could feel the beams of light tingle the flesh as though it were affectionate, a blanket of warmth that promised only comfort. You could glow in such a light, engulfed in a cocoon of golden tranquility. The light carried whispers of peace and solace, a silent symphony of nature’s embrace that filled the heart with a quiet, profound joy.

The Sun, with all its giving, however, was omnipotent. It had the power to burn and poison, to blind and dehydrate, regardless of whether or not you needed it to live. Stray too far, and you’d freeze. Fly too close, and you’d melt. A delicate balance must be met to experience the coat of fire that gave everything life. 

Balance was not met here. Shadow had strayed too close to the Sun. 

He was indeed melting.

“S-Sonic, wait, hold on – Mmph !” 

His first thought when Sonic’s lips met his, the blue hero tilting him over once more at such an angle that threatened to topple them, was surprisingly not the feeling of their lips connected. No, his first thought had been about how he just stuttered his rival’s name. Drunk or not, such weakness was deplorable. Shadow found himself revolting. 

The second thought had indeed been about the sensation. It registered in his mind a bit too slowly for his liking, but when it did he could feel the cackle of Chaos energy at his fingertips as chills ran up and down his spine. The alarms still rang off in his head, his ears perking straight up and his eyes bulging when Sonic pressed even more against them, their chests rubbing together with each subtle movement the hero made. How could anyone hope to focus like this? What madness…

The third thing he noted was Sonic’s scent and taste. Alcohol mingled between them, enough to make your nose wrinkle, but the unmistakable smell of spring water, fresh grass, and thick, rosy flowers was overtaking his tastebuds. Was Sonic wearing cologne? How had he not noticed it before? Had he been so caught up in his drunken spiral that he hadn’t taken in the most basic of details? How pathetic. How utterly pathetic and worthless and it was so hot he couldn’t breathe why–

Nothing’s gonna harm you.

Shadow felt dread at the voice he heard so clearly in his head, his blurry vision consumed by a sea of bristling blue quills. Sonic’s mouth was still pressed firmly against his, tugging lightly on his bottom lip, so who was that? Who was that speaking to him in Sonic’s voice? Central City’s events sprang to mind, and he believed he heard this voice there too, but this was less… invasive. It was like a soft whisper, crawling from his spine to the top of his flushed muzzle.

I have you. You’ll be okay…

I’ll steal you…

You’re mine…

I promise I’ll protect you.

…How comforting. How terrifying. Why…?

Shadow could feel a new pair of arms on his, tugging, and the muffled sounds of yelling filling his ears were drowned out by his heart’s insistent thumping. He couldn’t see anything but Sonic, but he could feel his lips breaking free for but a millisecond before the hero lurched forward, taking him again. The motion made his knees buckle, the blue hedgehog all but devouring him on the spot. The hands on Shadow pulled more, and he could feel Sonic’s growl rumble against his muzzle and into his throat, those chilling mantras whispering into his soul more desperately–

The Ultimate Lifeform didn’t need air to live. Put him in an enclosed place with no oxygen, and eventually, he’d simply pass out. But that didn’t mean his lungs couldn’t hurt, that his body was beginning to reject the thing he only ever dreamed of having. His instincts were tearing him apart mentally, and he really thought he was dying. He needed an escape, an out, for just a second. Sonic, just a second, please–

A cascade of ice-cold water splashed on the blue hedgehog before him, the hero ripping away from Shadow with a cry of pure shock. 

Shadow inhaled sharply, crumbling to his hands and knees like the useless pile of bones he was.

He could breathe again.

…

Why…?

“Enough!”

Rouge hissed venomously as she held the now-empty pitcher of water above the blue hedgehog’s head, twitching in poorly concealed rage as Vector and Knuckles held the frazzled blue hedgehog back with all their might. Amy, Blaze, and Silver had their hands on Shadow now, unsure if they should help him stand as he panted heavily on the floor. Onlookers murmured in concern until Amy sheepishly brushed them away, exclaiming something about Sonic having ‘too many drinks’ and ‘needing some air’ before following after the boys. Rouge didn’t care about any of it, tuning out the shouting hedgehog that was being dragged out of the venue to focus entirely on her best friend still slumped on the ground. She knelt in front of him carefully, tossing aside the water pitcher as she grabbed his hands. 

If she was drunk before, she was sober now. Shadow’s well-being took priority.

“Shadow, honey, are you okay? Look at me,” Rouge bit her lip when he simply stared at her with a blank expression, his chest heaving as his muzzle burned scarlet.

Shadow’s crush on Sonic was obvious, and Sonic’s reciprocation was even more blatant. She could see the anxiety gradually eating at Shadow, his tendency for silence and sulking making him miserable. Attending the party had initially sounded like a great idea, a chance for the two hedgehogs to be in a relaxing environment they’d both be reluctant to leave. Then maybe, just maybe, they could talk about their feelings and insecurities regarding recent events. She didn’t see an issue when Shadow suggested they drink beforehand; they were adults, and there was nothing wrong with a boost in manufactured alcohol-induced confidence. At the first opportunity, she had shooed everyone to the dance floor, hoping to give them that coveted privacy to be vulnerable with one another.

What she didn’t expect was Sonic insisting that Shadow dance with him. Dancing was fine, nothing abnormal about it, but Shadow’s expression had grown more distressed as it continued. The music had smothered their exchange from Rouge’s sensitive ears, her mind too buzzed to properly focus and eavesdrop on their conversation, but she did see Shadow shove Sonic away and attempt to hit him. She could also make out Shadow’s “ Wait !” before the subsequent kiss, and she knew then and there that she had to step in.

She miscalculated, gravely. These boys were hopelessly infatuated with one another, but that didn’t mean they could rush into making out without having a proper talk on boundaries first, something she knew Shadow would have an issue doing. His expressions had worried her as well. As overprotective as she may seem, only she knew just how sensitive Shadow was. She had to make sure he was okay.

“Love, are you alright?” Rouge raised one hand to his cheek as she squeezed the other, smiling hopefully when some recognition returned to his eyes. “You’ve had a bit too much to drink there. We’re gonna get you to the table and have some water, okay? Let’s try to stand…”

A sigh of relief escaped her when he nodded after a few moments, allowing her to pull him to his feet with only a slight wobble. One shaky hand went to his lips as he swayed, still out of breath, his pupils dilated and his ears twitching. Rouge gently placed his free arm over her shoulder, wrapping a wing around him protectively. “Is this okay? We’re going to move now…” She nodded to Silver and Blaze, who scurried to the table to prepare a glass of water, worry etched on their faces.

Shadow didn’t respond to the question, lost in whatever thoughts were swirling in his mind, as Rouge carefully guided him off the dance floor. She’d get him some water then take him back to her room for the night to rest.

“Take it easy, Shadow,” she whispered, feeling the tension in his muscles as they moved. “Everything’s okay. Let’s just… get your mind off this and we’ll talk later, okay…? We’ve all partied too hard tonight…”

Shadow couldn’t hear her. The Ultimate Lifeform’s mind had drawn to a complete blank.

It was empty.

All he could feel…

Was the tingle on his lips…

The warmth of his own inebriated body…

And the emptiness…

So much emptiness…

The fog…

‘…Was it… supposed to feel this way…?’

The sensation of Sonic’s lips on his lingered, an electrifying memory that refused to fade. It was all-consuming, blurring the line between reality and the muddled haze of his intoxication. He felt adrift at sea, unable to anchor to solid ground as the waves consumed him. The kiss had been unexpected, a shock to his system.

…

Still empty…

—

“Hey – OW! Stop! Sonic, oof, you can’t be – gah! – this drunk?!” Vector wheezed at the rapid kicks against his torso, the breath already knocked out of his large frame

While dragging the hero out, the crocodile managed to secure the smaller one securely against his chest, lifting the speedster off the ground and rendering his arms useless at his sides. He wished the same could’ve been said for Sonic’s legs, which were kicking around in a desperate attempt to escape, shouts of aggravation filling the air.

“Let – me – GO !” Sonic’s quills bristled sharply as he struggled, threatening to stab the poor croc with them as he swung his head from side to side. Knuckles attempted to grab at his legs, managing to hold one securely by the ankle while barely avoiding the wayward kicks of the other in his drunken state. “Put me down!”

“No can do, bro. What the hell was that anyway?!” Knuckles laughed openly, shaking his head enough to make his red dreadlocks sway. “You were acting like one of those goofy-ass teenagers in those movies Amy likes!”

“Oh, shush, Knuckles!” Amy huffed, stomping ahead of them and opening the door to the outside world with an impatient tap of her heel. The cold night air blasted them all with a chilly vengeance, momentarily ceasing the hero’s struggles. The water Rouge had dumped on him made him shiver from the wind in Vector’s arms.  “If you guys were responsible, none of this would be happening!”

“Yeah, yeah, well… once they sleep it off, it won’t be so bad in the morning! Let’s just hope Shadow doesn’t kill someone!” The detective flashed the pink hedgehog a nervous grin, taking a few steps away from the door with Knuckles. Carefully, he placed Sonic on the ground when the echidna released his leg. “Let’s just walk this off and – WOAH!”

The moment red shoes touched the ground, a sign of freedom from those muscular green bonds Vector called arms, Sonic bolted toward the door as quickly as he could muster. He needed to get back to Shadow. Now. 

Where was Shadow? He wanted to kiss Shadow so badly. Dear Chaos, Shadow you are perfect–

...

He almost made it.

…Only to trip over an invisible person’s shoe and crash face-first into the ground, twitching just outside the door in a heap of frazzled blue quills. The impact left him dazed, his vision black as he lay there.

Espio appeared next to him in a shimmer, wincing when the blue hedgehog didn’t get up. “Er, sorry, Sonic. I didn’t think you’d just dash forward like that. I would’ve moved out of the way…”

“Nah, this works,” Knuckles said as he sauntered over to Sonic, grabbing him by the ankle once more. “I’ll just drag him like this.”

“No, you will NOT! That suit is expensive!” Amy slapped Knuckles’s hands away before swiftly crouching at Sonic’s side and cautiously nudging his arm. “Sonic, you gotta get up…”

Sonic groaned, his face still pressed to the cold ground. Amy gently lifted his head, her fingers brushing against his fur. “C’mon, Sonic,” she coaxed, her voice softening. “You can’t stay here. Let’s get you back on your feet.”

Sonic brought his face back into the ground to hide the rage that was displayed freely on his face, his quills flexing dangerously still as Amy made a hum of concern beside him. He clawed at the concrete bitterly as his mind raced.

What the hell?!

‘Shadow was right there why did they pull me off of him…?!’

Fuck .

‘Tasted like flowers and whiskey…’

Get. Back. Inside. 

‘I have to be good…’

Fuck !

Get up.

‘He looked so pretty…’

Then go back to him.  Now .

Loser.

Sonic gritted his teeth as he punched the ground again, trying to stifle the hiss of frustration bubbling in his throat. His mind was a storm, desperately sifting through his tumultuous thoughts. How could he have been so stupid? The atmosphere had been so light, and Shadow had looked so delicate and pretty in his arms with those batting red eyes. Yet, had he pushed too far? Shadow had seemed to want it, but could Sonic have waited for a more perfect moment? Shadow’s accusations had sent his emotions into a state of turmoil, making him feel awful, and the only thing he could think to do was act before it was too late.

Too late for… what? He didn’t know…

The memory of Shadow’s desire to talk came to mind suddenly. Should he have waited? Should he, the Fastest Thing Alive, have waited…? He lacked the patience. That lack might’ve scared Shadow away from him. Chaos, he was an idiot, but Shadow… oh Shadow… Where’d you go…?

‘Maybe I should… go back inside…'

“Sonic?”

The hedgehog froze on the ground at the sound of his brother’s voice. He hadn’t realized how deeply he had been digging into the concrete, nor how sharp his quills had gotten as his mind fell in on itself. The voices of Amy, Knuckles, Vector, and Espio, all asking questions of concern, had faded into the background from the desire of Shadow’s lips on his once more. Tails’ voice broke him from his trance eventually, his chest heaving with each breath as he refused to lift his head out of shame.

Tails’ namesakes swished behind him as he gently closed the door of the venue behind him, jogging up to stand in front of Sonic with an inquisitive frown on his young face. He had been keeping a watchful eye on his brother from a distance all night, ensuring he had his space while also monitoring the Energy Bracelet’s readings on his tablet. Sonic had kept the device on while getting ready for the night, and it was thanks to that that Tails had made an interesting discovery.

While drinking at the bar, the artificial Chaos and Dark Gaia energy within Sonic remained consistent. Tails had worried that alcohol might trigger an event similar to what had occurred in Central City, which was what made him initially hesitant about letting Sonic come out tonight. However, he was surprised at how stable the readings were. It almost made the boy genius feel relaxed.

That is, until Rouge and Shadow arrived.

More data was needed. It could have been a fluke, but Tails believed he was narrowing down the trigger of the serum’s negative effects at a 95% certainty. A test was necessary, one involving Sonic, Shadow, and a certain white hedgehog currently at the party, but all of that needed preparation…

Shaking his head free of his musings, Tails crouched down on the opposite side of Amy and gave his brother an experimental poke on the head, safely away from his sharp quills. Sonic seemed stable, but there was only one way to be certain. “Are you alright, Sonic?” His large ears twitched at the sound of the speedster’s breathing.

Sonic didn’t know what to do. He had promised Tails he’d be good. And he had been… kind of. But what would Tails do if he ran back inside? He couldn’t help the desire that consumed him. He had wanted to kiss Shadow for so long, and now that he finally had, he didn’t think he’d ever be able to stop seeking it out. His crush on his rival had always been…intense, but now it made his chest squeeze painfully. 

He needed to go back inside. 

He needed Shadow. 

Shivering from the cold air once more, Sonic groaned in frustration.

“‘Course he’s not okay! He just kissed his crush,” Knuckles’ voice made Sonic’s ears twitch, oblivious to the hedgehog’s inner turmoil. “Like… full smack on the lips, bro. We couldn’t even drag him off!”

“Woah, wait, ‘crush’?!” Vector yelled in shock, followed by a thoughtful hum from Espio. “Sonic has a crush on Shadow? I just thought that kiss was… for fun!”

“That… makes a lot of sense,” the chameleon spoke thoughtfully, and Sonic could imagine him holding his chin in thought. “I’ve always thought they were close…”

“Huh?! Wha…?! Wait, Amy, Tails, is this news to you two or…?!”

There was the sound of shuffling beside Sonic. Amy must’ve stood while Tails laughed a bit under his breath.

Amy’s voice was firm yet gentle as she addressed the crocodile, her tone whimsical. “It’s not exactly news. I wasn’t too sure for a while, but recent events have really put everything into perspective. They’ve always had something special. They’re just… complicated.”

Tails added, his voice soft and understanding, “I had some suspicions. I was just waiting for Sonic to say something about it, but you know how he is!” Sonic could hear the fox giggle more, and his muzzle flushed in embarrassment. “He likes to run!”

Sonic was getting tired of hearing that sentiment about himself. 

“Well, if you’re gonna run, at least run in the right direction this time.” Knuckles was likely crossing his arms when he said this, as well as adorning that annoying smug smirk he always had whenever he felt cocky. “You’re gonna have to apologize to him tomorrow regardless if he likes you back or not. He looked kinda spooked! Oh, and Rouge might kill you.” 

Sonic’s heart pounded in his chest. He felt exposed, his deepest feelings laid bare for everyone to see. Had he always been so obvious? Obvious enough for Amy to move on, for Tails to have been waiting for him to open up? He knew Knuckles and Amy asked him about it the other day, but he just… didn’t realize how much his friends thought about him or his interactions with Shadow outside of his own perspective. It was a bit jarring.

…But there was also a strange relief in it. Less to explain. 

Less to hide.

Sonic drew in a deep breath as he pushed himself to his hands and knees, his face hidden from the rest. He was still enraged at being brought out here, soaked to the bone with his pride aching, but he had to be good. Besides, maybe Knuckles was right. Maybe Shadow needed time to collect himself, and they could talk tonight when they went to sleep…

Alone…

Together…

He had to get out of here–

No, he had to be good.

Tails blinked slowly at the drunken laugh that escaped his brother suddenly. Sonic pushed himself up to sit on his legs, swaying as he grinned with half-lidded eyes. Was he still drunk? His metabolism worked so fast, he didn’t usually stay tipsy for this long…

Interesting.

Blue eyes narrowed, the fox tilted his head to the side curiously. “Er, Sonic…?”

“Yeahhhh, woah, the world’s spinnin’... Gimme a sec…” Sonic clutched his head with a wince, his body language in stark contrast to the aggression he had been displaying when Tails walked outside. Amy steadied him gently, crouching beside him once more.

“Oh no, you’re still like this?” She squeaked when he looked at her with a lopsided grin and a lazy thumbs-up, eyes sparkling. She might’ve moved on in many ways, but she still found him adorable. “We should get you to Tails’ workshop, you’ll get sick wet like this! Knuckles, Vector, could you…?” She trailed off when the hero was suddenly on his feet, flailing his arms to regain balance haphazardly. He would’ve fallen over had she not held grabbed onto his wrist.

“Nahhh I can walk, s’fine!” The blue blur started patting his legs, watching the way the clothing wrinkled under his hands before a devious grin grew on his muzzle. 

No one could stop Sonic. 

Not when he wanted freedom.  

“No. More. PANTS !” Sonic's laugh was one of pure glee as he ripped off the offending article of his two-piece suit without hesitation. The sound of fabric tearing was only drowned out by Amy’s horrified scream and Sonic’s maniacal laughter.

“Sonic, that’s a RENTAL !!” Amy screeched, her voice a mix of shock and fury that pierced through the night.

…No one was going to stop Amy from killing him. 

Probably.

Tails sighed as he watched the chaos unfold: Amy was chasing Sonic with her hammer, the blue hedgehog giggling as he threw his now destroyed pants into the air. Knuckles and Vector were doing their best to defend Sonic from the hammer’s wrath, while Espio simply facepalmed in exasperation.

It was a normal type of night for them, honestly, and Tails appreciated the familiar vibes despite his nerves. There was much to be done, but first Sonic needed to rest…

Regardless of if he was lying.

“Okay, let’s get Sonic home before someone sees this and puts this on the news…” The fox chuckled to Espio before the two moved forward to intervene.

—

The room was empty.

Sonic blinked slowly, his green eyes scanning the small space with alarming speed. Every inch, every corner, every crack, speck, and fold was processed in the span of a few seconds. He held the door open with one hand, slightly out of breath, as his quills began to rise in a mix of annoyance, confusion, and panic.

Shadow wasn’t in here. 

Where was Shadow?

He was supposed to be here.

Why?!

Go. Find. Him. NOW . 

What if he’s in danger?! 

Danger?!

savehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehim–

"Stop... maybe he's just... maybe he's just late?" Sonic whispered to himself, his voice trembling slightly. He shut the door of his rival's assigned room quietly, the click of the latch echoing in the silent space. His chest tightened with enough pain to make him wince, his breath hitching as he leaned against the door for support. The emptiness of the room felt oppressive, each second stretching into an eternity as he fought to keep his rising panic at bay. He held a hand to his beating chest, trying to steady his racing thoughts.

After arriving at Tails’ workshop, Sonic was ordered to shower and get ready for the night. He did so without much protest, grateful to wash off the grime and sweat from tonight’s adventure and to check if Amy had bruised him anywhere noticeable in her anger. He made sure to take his time, letting the hot water soothe his muscles and his mind as he fantasized about not-so-appropriate things. Afterward, he waited to tell his brother goodnight before heading to his room, his tail wagging behind him in poorly concealed excitement.

Once enough time had passed, Sonic snuck out the window into the dead of night, hoping he was quiet enough for the fox not to hear. He ran down the street with a happy kick in his step, his destination clear. Although anxious, he was excited to be close to Shadow again. Maybe they’d have that talk? Maybe they’d kiss again? Oh, how he hoped they’d kissed again… Restoration volunteers worked at all hours, though traffic was considerably less around this time. He was able to sneak into the dorms unspotted, and he could barely contain himself when he was at the fated door. 

Only… 

Shadow wasn’t in it…

Shadow wasn’t in his room…

Why…?!

“Chaos, stop !” Sonic pleaded with a desperate growl, clutching his head as he staggered, his knees buckling pathetically as his world spun. He bit his lip, hissing as he fell to the floor with a thud. One mishap, one disappointment, and the voices reared their disgusting heads once more. He had worked so hard to keep them in check over the past week. He had shut them down, he thought. He had been good. So why ?! Whywhywhywhywhywhywhy–

Sonic gasped desperately for air, his chest heaving with each ragged breath, tears welling in his eyes and threatening to break free as he coughed and wheezed. He felt utterly helpless and vulnerable in this moment of emotional turmoil. The Hero of Earth, known for his bravery and resilience in the face of danger, was now brought to his knees because he couldn’t secure a simple kiss with his crush once more, tormented by thoughts that just wouldn’t leave his head. He felt consumed by the mere concept of Shadow, the one he longed for, who wasn’t there with him. Oh, Shadow…

Somehow, after many breathless sobs, the hero crawled shakily to the side of the bed. His ears rang with the echo of his own heartbeat as he pulled himself onto the mattress with a whimper, the effort alone making him want to collapse again. The room felt too quiet without Shadow’s hums, scoffs, or growls, amplifying the weight of his despair. If anyone saw him like this, especially his friends, he knew he'd struggle to face them. Their worried expressions and well-meaning questions would only compound his shame and drive him further into isolation.

Once he managed to climb onto the bed, he weakly kicked off his shoes and buried his face into the sheets, shaking uncontrollably. He had a moment of clarity when he inhaled deeply and caught the distinct scent of Shadow, his demanding thoughts fizzled into nothingness as though they had never existed. With each breath, the soothing aroma of lavender and coconut enveloped him, relaxing his tense muscles. Sniffling, he rubbed at his teary eyes, finding a strange comfort in the familiar fragrance that reminded him of the one person who could calm him these days. With that clarity, he knew he was twisted, becoming more lost as the days went by. He was only thankful that no crisis had occurred yet. It gave him time to be with Shadow and his friends, but it also allowed him to have these meltdowns without worrying about putting someone in danger. 

When his lungs were filled and his breathing even once more, Sonic gradually rolled over onto his back, the pillow Shadow hugged in his sleep now securely against his chest as he stared blankly at the ceiling. Memories of the party kept replaying in his head, and Shadow’s words echoed like sickly taunts in his flattened ears. The weight of uncertainty settled heavily in his chest, mixed with a lingering ache of longing and regret.

“You injected your thoughts into my head!”

‘I don’t remember that…’

“It’s making you do these things!”

‘That’s up for debate.’

“It’s making you look at me, and be closer to me, and touch me, and be so bold when you never would’ve otherwise!”

‘Okay, nevermind. Not up for debate. That’s just incorrect and I think you know that. Surely you know that… right?’

“And now that you’re going back to normal, it’s stopping!”

‘I… we snuggle every night these days, man! What do you MEAN?!’

Sonic huffed in frustration, pouting as he blinked his still teary eyes clear. It was surprising to hear Shadow say these things out loud. If Sonic were honest, he hadn’t thought Shadow paid much attention to some of his antics at first. Yes, they regularly snuggled and were handsy with each other, but the Ultimate Lifeform didn’t seem to find that… odd. Initially, Shadow had been extremely guarded the first few times Sonic made contact with him beneath the stars in their field, the two often sharing silent hugs, but he never voiced any concerns about the hero’s intent. He never questioned anything. That’s why Sonic was afraid of overstepping a boundary he couldn’t perceive, always biding his time and keeping things comfortable because Shadow never asked.

…He supposed he didn’t ask either, thinking about it. Maybe the kiss would’ve happened much sooner if not for the overarching threat of the serum causing them both to spiral. Maybe it was his own fault.

“...If you’re using me to feel better about what you did, then fuck off …” Shadow had said.

That accusation stung a bit, but Sonic couldn’t entirely blame Shadow for thinking it. Having Shadow near him brought a selfish amount of calm to his heart, and while he felt bad for what happened in Central City, it didn’t mean he didn’t wish to reciprocate those feelings. When he was there, in this bed with his rival, he always did his best to make Shadow feel good. Every touch, every hug, every gentle word was his attempt to convey the depth of his feelings, the warmth of his affection.

Sonic remembered the nights spent under the stars, whispering their secrets and dreams to one another under the mask of twilight, feeling the comforting presence of the Ultimate Lifeform beside him. The silent understanding they shared, the unspoken bond that connected them – it was more than just a result of the serum. It was genuine, and it was real. Shadow’s accusations may have been harsh, but they were a reminder that he needed to be clearer, and more honest about his intentions.

With a determined sigh, Sonic hugged the pillow tighter, his resolve strengthening as sweat formed on his brow. He needed to show Shadow that his feelings were sincere, that the connection they had was not just a product of the serum but something more profound. He had to prove that their bond was worth fighting for, worth every struggle and misunderstanding. He had to prove that Sonic – himself – wanted to kiss him, and always had… 

Before Sonic even realized it, he was rummaging through his quills for the journal, biting his lip again as a wave of shame overcame him. 

He really shouldn’t have taken it. Sonic had been there the other day when Shadow had turned the room practically upside-down looking for it, the hybrid huffing and growling as he rummaged through everything imaginable. Sonic had just been leaning against the doorframe, a forced smile on his face as his heart rapidly pounded in his chest. Shadow didn’t say a word to him about it, didn’t ask if Sonic had seen it or taken it. He likely trusted Sonic wouldn’t, which only made the hero’s chest ache more with guilt. He remembered Shadow’s frustration and how his crimson eyes flashed with annoyance and confusion as he searched. The sight of his rival so agitated had gnawed at him, but he had kept quiet, hoping that Shadow wouldn’t turn his suspicions toward him. 

After all, he was supposed to be trustworthy. Reliable. 

Yet here he was, clutching the very thing Shadow had been desperate to find, his fingers tightening around it as if it could anchor him amidst the storm of emotions swirling inside him. Curiosity had made him devious. This for sure he would never have done before, but the idea of knowing more about Shadow, about the things the dark hedgehog never spoke aloud, made his heart flutter and his cheeks warm. It wouldn’t hurt to take a peek…

Only, a peek turned into a full-out read. Every page had been turned, every word and letter fawned over even if some of their meanings were lost upon Sonic. He knew journaling was a normal hobby; Amy and Tails had both taken to it a few years ago, with the fox even sharing some pages on occasion to demonstrate an idea he had. The way Shadow went about it, however, felt very… unorthodox, at least to Sonic’s understanding. He found it outright adorable.

Everything was written in lists. There was no ‘Dear Diary,’ no ramblings of angst that Sonic half-expected, but rather organized bullet points that covered a variety of topics throughout the book. Each entry had a date and time with very concise language, almost clinical, yet the emotions underlying the words were palpable. There was information about a myriad of G.U.N. missions, notes about their friends from interests to battle techniques, reflections on how to improve in combat, and even some about miscellaneous things like food and… the comfort levels of a chair. Sonic couldn’t help but giggle at that when he first read it. Such insignificant things were important enough for Shadow to notice, and it was adorable. 

Again, he knew he shouldn’t have peaked, but this journal was the reason why he knew Shadow noticed Sonic’s close behavior at all. One particular list was what he sought, a brief entry of the day Sonic met Shadow at the cafe before going to Central City…

Sonic:

• Keeps staring at me.
• Ordered coffee. Does he like coffee?
• Eyes changing color rapidly. Odd. 
• Still as annoying as ever. 
• Does not like coffee.

There was a space beneath it, likely entered before Shadow started his mission.

• Handsy.
• ...Affectionate?
• Still annoying. 
• Nice.
• Mental fog.

The 'Nice.' had been crossed out neatly, likely an embarrassing admittance from Shadow that only made Sonic giggle more. There had been other entries that were similar to this one, the Ultimate Lifeform writing down his recollections of their late-night hangouts in an objective manner. He wasn’t sure what ‘mental fog’ meant, but turning the page had given him some idea.

Sonic frowned slightly at the only entry on one of the two days he had been rendered unconscious. The writing had been scrawled out messily, a sharp contrast to the organized poise Sonic was used to seeing in the book, but it did little to hide what was written. He traced a gloved hand along the black ink, feeling out the words that had been drawn with an unnaturally shaky hand. Shadow must’ve been high on painkillers when he wrote this.

It was all written in one line. 

• save me ? what was that darkness my head hurts there’s fog ? crushed me im not strong enough ? sonic something wrong the fog hurt it hurts disgusting im disgusting pathetic stupid disgusting worthless–

The raw emotion in the words made Sonic’s heart ache. He could practically see Shadow, dazed and frustrated, forcing himself to write through the haze of pain and medication. Shadow’s self-reproach and determination were palpable, revealing a side of him that Sonic had never seen even when they opened up to one aloud. The Ultimate Lifeform, for all his pride and boasting, was more insecure than he had realized, a fact laid out clearly by the journal he desperately hid from everyone.

Sonic would have to ask him about this ‘mental fog’ at some point if he even still experienced it, but he’d also have to get Shadow to open up about his issues. It made a lot of things click when he noticed small self-deprecating comments here and there in the journal, but crossing out what was clearly some sort of mental break just had Sonic concerned. Was it because of the pain and drugs, or was mental crisis something he didn’t like to record in his journal? What more did Shadow hide…?

The journal had proven itself to be a glimpse into the world of Shadow’s mind, but that's all it was. A glimpse.

Gently closing the book, Sonic placed it back securely in his quills with a frown on his face. He couldn’t let Shadow bear those burdens alone, and he couldn’t allow their miscommunication to continue. Shadow was strong, and he’d let him know that! He’d let him know it all–

But he’s not.

“...Huh?” Sonic winced as his hand went to his face, sudden pain overtaking him. 

He’s not strong. 

No one is as strong as you.

You need to protect him. 

You need to protect everyone. 

“Shut up…!” Sonic hissed, his quills flexing so sharply they tore into the covers beneath him. He didn’t notice, curling in on himself.

Admitting the truth behind such thoughts made him miserable. He loved his friends, and they fulfilled things he couldn’t always hope to accomplish. But when the going was tough and the world was torn apart by Eggman and his schemes, who did they need to save the day? The group had nearly fallen apart with that whole Infinite fiasco. Sonic was proud of his friends for pulling through to the best of their ability, but sometimes… they just weren’t enough…!

The weight of his responsibilities was pressing down on him now. He could still see the faces of his friends, battered and weary, trying their best to stand tall. They had given everything they had, and yet, it had been Sonic who had to deliver the final blow. Always Sonic. Always the hero.

And Shadow… Shadow had been through so much, had endured unimaginable pain and loss. He was strong, stronger than the rest, but he was also vulnerable in ways that Sonic could see but never fully grasp. They were two sides of the same coin, but maybe it didn’t have to be like that. Maybe Sonic could protect him…!

Sonic drew in a sharp breath at the wave of heat that rushed to his stomach, his muzzle flushing an unruly scarlet as he hugged the pillow that smelt so much like Shadow against his chest. He’d been getting more worked up at the thought lately… Shadow, lost and hurt and confused, needing Sonic’s body to support his weight. The fire would spark between where blue fur met black, and Shadow would look at him so wanting and beg him to carry him off somewhere for the two to be alone -

Sonic’s free hand shot to grab the wrist of the other shakily, a growl bubbling in his throat. He had almost not noticed, so caught up in the fantasy, how his now trapped hand had begun snaking down his chest to his stomach, its destination lower, as though it had a mind of its own. 

“Haven’t I indulged you enough…?” Sonic couldn’t help but laugh bitterly to himself as more heat grew in his gut. He’s been giving in more and more to these feelings lately, but messing around in what was considered Shadow’s bed when he could walk in at any moment was too much…

Tempting?

…Yeah, a little. 

“Sonic.”

The hero didn’t jump out of his skin when he heard the voice this time in the lonely room. “What…?”

He could feel it. The ghostly impression of hands that belonged to his beloved brushing shyly against his legs and up his thighs, kneading the flesh lovingly with a purr Sonic could hear plainly in his ears. He couldn’t help but moan lowly at the feeling of hot breath that he knew wasn’t there against his groin, swallowing the lump in his throat.

The fake Shadow of his mind, burning with the white light of his Super form, smiled pleasantly at the sound. Sonic didn’t think these wild fantasies would be accurate to the real thing. Not after he tasted Shadow’s lips for the first time, feeling the way he twitched and grunted in his arms… no, a fake would not cut it anymore–

“Sonic…”

The hero creaked an eye open, not realizing both had been clenched tightly, to see Super Shadow had crawled on top of him with that pretty smile still on his lips. He was running a bare hand along Sonic’s chest, sharp claws tickling the skin as it traveled lower and lower…

…Okay, maybe in desperate times a fake could cut it.

“ ...A kiss today, who knows what else tomorrow…? You did so well… ” Shadow purred more, nuzzling against Sonic’s cheek with a tone so cheerful it was unfitting. He ran a tongue up the side of the hero’s face, causing the speedster to shiver desperately. The ceiling above them was flickering between a night sky full of stars, the bed he laid upon altering to the thick, inky ocean that scared him. 

His reality was bending, he could tell, but the hand that was greedily palming his pouch was lowering the need to give a fuck. 

Would Shadow be that demanding? Would Shadow… even know what to do? The thought only shot more heat to his stomach, funnily enough, the hero throwing his head back with a whimper that he hoped couldn’t be heard through the walls of this room. 

Speaking of, he knew how pathetic he must’ve looked in reality: his own hand on his growing arousal as he rubbed against and bit that damned pillow. He didn’t realize his quills were absolutely shredding the sheets, but he just didn’t care. 

He wanted Shadow so bad. 

He needed him… he wished his real hand were here… Oh, Shadow…

“Sonic…” Shadow hummed softly, the pace of his hand was fast and steady as Sonic panted beneath him. The fake was resting his muzzle against his other hand, red eyes sparkling like the ethereal white coat he adorned. Sonic could almost feel the sea of black licking at his sides, his mind growing hazier. After a few moments of that fast face, Shadow crawled on top of him suddenly, looking down at the hero with an ecstatic grin on his face. Sonic could only groan in protest when the hand-motion stopped. If the fake hybrid noticed how his bottom was rubbing against Sonic’s hard-on, which had slipped out of his pouch by this point, he didn’t mention it. 

“I mean it… You did so well. Dive down more, and you will have more…” Those ghostly hands went to his shoulders now, the pads on his hands making Sonic tremble. Sonic and Shadow slept with their gloves on when together, Mobian customs enforcing such modesty unless they were… well, more in a bedroom setting. But the hero wanted nothing else but to see them one day. The fake on top of him cooed into his ears gently, squeezing his shoulders. “It was only a kiss, but let me help you and just a bit more… I promise it’ll feel so good…”

“Hngh… N-No, I…” Sonic shook his head, fear shooting like lightning through his degraded body. He let out a choked moan when the copy rubbed harder against him, a deceitful snicker filling the air.

“You would’ve been with him tonight if you had stayed under for longer… Your impulses are a good thing, you know? ” The laugh that left him didn’t sound like Shadow anymore, a sneer on the copy’s beautiful face. “Your gut has saved you and your friends more times than you can count. Why wouldn’t your intuition help you navigate this? ”

“...M-Man, hnn, I’m just tryna… get off right now, ah, so shut up…!” Sonic growled as soon as he spotted traits of his own copy within the other, placing his hands on the other’s powerful thighs with the strongest glare he could muster. “So either… ugh, do that or get off yourself…!” 

Sonic was going insane. 

Here he was, talking with some… creepy reflection of his mind, ordering it to shut up or to jerk him off …!

...

Okay, he would still argue getting sucked into storybooks was weirder, but–

The copy tsked, and in a flash, it changed from Shadow to his mirrored image, an eerie grin stretching uncomfortably across his muzzle. Super still had his hands gripped on Sonic’s shoulders, black eyes full of evil intention.

“Trust me. Being good doesn’t mean you can’t have what you want too… Tonight proved that. Why are you afraid? You have everything perfectly under control!” The copy laughed as he leaned forward, their noses mere inches apart as hot breath puffed onto Sonic’s face. 

“...Control?” Sonic spat, glaring up at the twisted version of himself with still flushed cheeks. “You call this control?! I could’ve… I could’ve really hurt Shadow…! I might’ve… I’ve been… You heard how he yelled…”

Super’s grin widened, a low, conniving chuckle escaping his lips as his hold only tightened. 

“Deep down, you know you crave that power, that freedom to do as you please without consequences. Isn’t that why you kissed him? Because you wanted it, no matter the cost? He told you to wait, but you didn’t. It’s okay, though, because we both know he wanted it anyway. You did the right thing. Now you can both get closer…”

Sonic’s eyes flickered with a mix of guilt and anger. Super’s words cut deep, echoing the darkest corners of his mind. He had acted on impulse, driven by desire, but the fallout was a complete mystery. There was a kernel of truth in those taunting words. A part of him did want to break free from the endless cycle of responsibility and expectations… to just take and steal…

“No,” Sonic whispered, shaking his head. “That’s not… who I am… I don’t just do whatever I want…”

“Oh? Sonic the Hedgehog, Hero of the Wind, Embodiment of Freedom ?” Super licked his lips slowly, unimpressed with Sonic’s words. “Who made you this way?”

Sonic’s heart skipped a beat. The taunt struck a nerve. He had always prided himself on his freedom, his ability to run wherever the wind took him. But that freedom came with a price – responsibility, duty, and the constant pressure to be the hero everyone expected him to be.

“... I made myself this way,” Sonic said, his voice stronger, defiance flashing in his eyes. His muzzle still burned, but he could speak clearer despite the ignored arousal pooling in his stomach. “I chose to be a hero… because it’s the right thing to do. Not because someone made me…!”

Super’s grin twisted into a mocking pout. “ So noble. But what if you could have both? Freedom and desire. Why do you deny yourself what you truly want? You’re afraid, aren’t you? Afraid of what you might become if you let go of those chains. But that’s fine… ” Super’s irises swirled a sickly red, making the blue hedgehog pause.

“ One day, you may find those chains too heavy. And that day is closer than you think. ”

Sonic gasped sharply when gloved hands clasped around his vulnerable throat. The room rocked and swayed in his bulging eyes, and he could feel the ink engulfing him. His head was submerged, his body flailing as his own laughter rang wickedly in his ears. He was drowning, he was dying, oh Chaos–!

Desperation clawed at Sonic's mind as he struggled against the invisible force. The world around him blurred, shadows merging with reality in a nightmarish swirl. Every gasp for air was met with suffocating darkness, his vision tunneling as panic set in.

"Stop... please…!" Sonic's plea was barely a whisper, choked by the tightening grip around his throat. His limbs felt heavy, movements sluggish and uncoordinated. Memories flashed before his eyes: his friends, their laughter, their trust in him. He couldn't let them down.

‘It’s not me. It’s not me, it can’t be me…!’

The oppressive grip loosened suddenly, and Sonic felt as though he broke through the inky surface, gasping for air like it’d be his last breath. His body convulsed as he coughed violently, tears streaming down his face as his head pounded with a crippling ache. He could feel the hard floor beneath him and the throb of his side, realizing he had fallen off the bed in a heap of limbs in his struggle. He was alone once more. There were no visions, no sea. He glanced around the room with a steadily focusing vision, taking in the chaos he had caused. Torn sheets and scattered pillows were strewn everywhere, remnants of his ‘battle’. The silence of the room was almost deafening, a stark contrast to the cacophony in his mind…

Sonic's breaths came in ragged gasps as he slowly pushed himself up to his hands and knees, his body trembling from the ordeal. The familiar surroundings brought a wave of relief and disorientation. He wiped at his tear-streaked face, trying to steady his racing heart…

Only to pause at the feeling of liquid in his hand.

He drew his hand away from his face, his expression blank as his eyes widened. He could feel a sticky substance on his cheek now, mingling with the tears that fell freely…

Sonic’s face contorted in disgust and humiliation when he realized it was semen that coated his gloved fingertips. He could feel more liquid on his inner thighs and stomach now, his body fidgeting from the release. What had he actually been doing that whole time? When his copy was killing him, was he just in bed, still… still… ?!

He wanted to throw up. 

Maybe he would.

“.... Ewwww, ” Sonic whispered with a shaky hand, a broken laugh escaping him. “... I’m so fucked up…” 

…

If only Shadow had been here…

...

There was no one that could save him.

—

Elsewhere on Earth, in the bustling base filled to the brim with machines, a sinister man was stroking his iconic mustache with an intrigued glint in his eyes.

"Sage, hack into the G.U.N. files for their logs on Dark Gaia Energy. I need all the resources I can get!"

“Understood, Father. Accessing the required files now.”

As his digital daughter began her task, Dr. Eggman glared inquisitively at the data displayed on his monitor, a deep frown settling onto his face. Sonic had left him enough blood samples on glass and remnants of his outfit the day of his awakening a week or so ago, a stroke of luck that made the man feel blessed by the gods. Yet, the more Eggman delved into the analysis, the more perplexed he became at his findings.

The monitor flickered with a myriad of complex graphs and readings, each more baffling than the last. Sonic’s blood exhibited properties unlike anything Eggman had seen before on other Mobians, his nemesis having otherworldly reactions to things such as Dark Gaia and Chaos that only made his genius mind curious. Traces of Dark Gaia Energy intertwined with the hedgehog's unique physiology, creating an unpredictable and volatile mix with the artificial Chaos he created, making it different from the Werehog transformation Sonic had undergone years ago. Eggman’s keen mind raced with possibilities, his curiosity piqued by the potential applications of this newfound information as his fingers drummed impatiently on the desk as he waited for Sage to finish. The flickering light from the monitor cast eerie shadows on his face, highlighting the intensity of his focus. 

The data he had gathered so far suggested a potent and unstable energy source within Sonic. Could harnessing this give him the edge needed to finally defeat his nemesis? Could he control him…? Chaos was one thing, but Dark Gaia Energy had proven to be so finicky… 

Sage’s face suddenly appeared on the monitor, disrupting his musings as a thoughtful expression knitted her youthful features. The man raised an eyebrow slowly.

“Father, I have the files you requested. Downloading them to your 'IStoleThese' folder now…” Her eyes flickered with an awareness that surpassed the human's, betraying a hint of nervousness. The mad scientist nodded in approval before reclining in his chair.

“Excellent work, Sage, though you seem troubled. What else did you find?” Despite his villainous nature, he disliked the unease on her face. Observing her slight frown, he noticed her typically blue and white aura shift to red and black as she pondered how to explain.

"...I’ve located a recent video uploaded to their CLASSIFIED drives, labeled as 'sonicTHREAT.mov.' It’s…” She hesitated, struggling to find the right words. After a moment, she gestured with a wave of her hand, digital specs following the motion.

“…I can't quite explain, Father. You need to see it for yourself.”

The download took a few minutes, but once completed, she promptly presented it to him without needing to be prompted.

Dr. Eggman hadn’t been overly intrigued initially, despite the ominous file name. He had caught wind of the Central City incident through the news networks, dismissing G.U.N.'s victory with a scoff of distaste. He really should consider disbanding them one of these days, just for the hell of it. However, as the video played on, he found himself leaning forward in his chair, growing increasingly absorbed…

Sonic had been there? 

He and Shadow fought?

Even more shocking was the blasted hedgehog’s sudden attack on the Anti-Restoration rodent – the fool had been totally unarmed and weak. Sonic’s usual blue quills had drastically changed into a wave of black, not unlike his grandfather’s experiment, with dark energy shifting off him dangerously as he fought…

When Shadow’s Chaos Blast had cut the feed short, a silence settled in the room belonging to the madman. Sage shifted uncomfortably on the screen, her eyes clouded as she personally rewatched the video to believe what she had seen. Sonic being overtly violent had never been a possibility in her mind. She wondered if her Father felt the same shock as her…

…

But then Dr. Eggman started laughing.

“...Oh… I see what this is…” Eggman immediately began typing at his computer, his hands moving deftly as a sinister grin spread across his face, his glasses twinkling in the dark. The floodgates of curiosity and experience had opened, and the man just kept on laughing. “ I know exactly what this is… ”

How foolish he had been. He had witnessed it up close and personal at the Restoration Camp, yet it brought no recollection to his mind. It all made so much sense now that he’d seen the full thing, but what he needed now was cold, hard data to exploit later. Another attack was in order, only this time, he’d come more prepared…

After all…

That dark transformation Sonic had undergone…?

...

He had seen it before.

...

...Did Sonic remember that?

Chapter Text

Tails slowly opened the front door of his workshop, rubbing one sleepy eye as he stifled a yawn. He was still in his pajamas, a blue nightcap and matching cotton shirt hanging loosely on his small frame. Blinking drowsily, he focused on the echidna standing at the door, whose expression was troubled.

“Wha…? Knuckles…?” Tails mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. He had been woken by insistent knocking, dragged from his peaceful slumber rather rudely. Glancing at the clock hanging by the doorway, he noticed it was still early morning. The sun was up, and the busybodies of the Restoration were already at work, but that didn’t mean Tails had to be. Even if he didn’t drink, he was still exhausted from the party last night. His fatigue dulled his usually sharp mind, preventing him from noticing Knuckles tapping his foot and nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

“It’s too early…” Tails muttered, his words trailing off as he tried to process why Knuckles was at his door so urgently.

“I know, I know. But, uh, there’s a problem,” Knuckles huffed, crossing his arms. His own drunkenness from last night was entirely gone.

“...A problem?” The fox tilted his head to the side, his body stiffening with the motion. The gears began turning, slowly but surely, as his namesakes swished behind him.

“Yeah… It’s Sonic. He’s… not acting right, but-”

Tails couldn’t wait to hear the rest.

Knuckles jumped slightly when the fox dashed back inside, throwing off his pajamas frantically as he scrambled for his tablet and shoes. “Wait, Tails, slow down—!”

There was no time for slow. Not when something was wrong with Sonic!

‘ I’m an idiot! I waited too long, and now something bad has happened. I should’ve done something sooner…! ’ His mind raced with such thoughts as he barreled past the echidna down the street, lifting off the ground and flying through the air desperately. He could hear Knuckles calling after him, but he had no time to stop.

When the world needed saving, people expected Sonic to be there. But when the world needed fixing, the weight of such burdens fell squarely on his small shoulders. He could handle the pressure just fine; Sonic had taught him how. But what was he to do if it was his own brother that was the problem…? His reluctance to face this reality had put everyone in danger!

As the Restoration Camp’s main buildings approached, his anxiety rose at the lack of panic that surrounded him. People were relaxing under the sun, continuing their duties, and even waving to the fox as he flew past, blinking in confusion at his rush.

‘Was he inside? Knuckles didn’t say where… Maybe I should’ve waited…?’ With a gulp, he pushed through the building’s doors abruptly, entering the heart of the camp.

The bustling activity even inside the main building only added to his confusion. Everyone seemed calm, going about their tasks as if nothing was amiss. Tails scanned the halls frantically, looking for any sign of trouble as he slowly lowered himself to his feet. His heart pounded in his chest as he approached the central hub, an open area surrounded by tiny shops and restaurants. When he spotted a familiar purple cat and white hedgehog standing next to each other, looking apprehensive, he ran to them with a heaving chest.

"Blaze! Silver! I… Knuckles got me, what’s wrong…?!” The two turned to him with surprise clear on their faces.

“Tails?” Blaze asked, her eyes wide with concern. “What’s going on?”

“Knuckles said something’s wrong with Sonic,” Tails panted, his voice tinged with panic. “Where is he? What happened?”

Silver exchanged a worried glance with Blaze. He looked a bit tired, likely dealing with a hangover. “Uhh, well… How do I put this…?”

"It is very odd... I didn’t think Sonic would be the type, but after what occurred last night it only makes sense..." Blaze murmured, resting her hand on her chin, her eyes clouded in thought.

“What do you mean...? What’s going on? He didn’t hurt someone, did he?!” Tails was trembling, looking between them in utter confusion and growing terror. Why were they so calm? Why was no one telling him what was happening? Their puzzled faces only made him more restless.

“‘Hurt someone’? Oh, no, not like that!” Silver chuckled, rubbing his arm. He jerked his head to the side, towards something, with a sheepish grin. “It’s more, uh, just... new? If anything?”

Tails blinked, following where the white hedgehog jerked his head. The fox was tired. Being woken up so abruptly, followed by initial panic and dread, he wasn’t noticing some obvious things. Some very… obvious things.

Not too far off from the pair was a large collection… of…

…Shopping bags?

One could see the contents of many poking out of the stuffed paper, ranging from knick-knacks and cozy blankets to shirts with sappy slogans. Even assorted plushies with adorable faces poked out, their cute, wholesome designs staring at Tails almost mockingly. The fox’s ear twitched.

"...Did Sonic buy all that?" Tails asked, his voice emotionless.

"Yes, and he's getting more as we speak," Blaze said, turning to look at the bags with a bemused smile. "He asked Silver and me to keep watch over his haul while he continued his shopping. He didn’t explain what he was up to, but I can only guess that these are apology gifts."

“Apology gifts,” Tails echoed, his expression growing as blank as his voice. Blaze nodded.

“Yes, I hypothesize they’re for Shadow. Many of the items have messages like ‘I’m sorry!’, and others with hearts and other such romantic symbols. I can’t imagine why he’s getting so much though. Seems excessive…”

Silver folded his arms over his chest, an amused scoff leaving him. “Mhm. Sonic’s being… very passionate this morning. That’s probably why Knuckles came to get you. No one’s in danger, though, so that’s all that matters, right?” Silver gave Tails a thumbs-up, offering the bright side of things with a tired but elated grin.

…

Tails face-palmed suddenly, the loud smack startling both Blaze and Silver before he groaned in frustration. 

This was going to be a long day.

“...Silver, Blaze, I need to ask you both to help me with something…” Tails dragged his hand down his face, the exhaustion hitting his frantic mind like a ton of Badniks. At least he could get explanations out of the way.

—

Amy didn’t think she’d ever seen Sonic quite like this.

That beautiful sunny morning, the pink hedgehog had decided to do some shopping. She was an avid enjoyer of gift-giving, and rumor had it that a new shipment of clothes had arrived at many of the stores in the Restoration Camp with fresh new styles to sort through. While much of the clothing was donated to those in need, purchasing items also helped fund the camp in invaluable ways, so she figured she was long overdue for a shopping trip. With a cheerful spirit, Amy strolled through the bustling market area, enjoying the sights and sounds of people mingling and going about their day.

As she browsed through racks of clothes and displays of trinkets in one particular shop, Amy couldn’t help but notice the voice of none other than Sonic the Hedgehog at the counter. The hero was tapping his foot impatiently as the cashier rang up his purchases, his eyes glued to the tiny journal in his hand with a deep frown on his face. Amy’s curiosity was piqued; it wasn’t often that Sonic indulged in shopping sprees, and certainly not with such fervor. His usual carefree demeanor was replaced with an honest hopelessness, his eyes scanning the book almost desperately, which made Amy's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. The sheer amount of things on the counter was also puzzling, but she was determined to get to the bottom of it!

“Good morning, Sonic!” Amy popped up beside him with a bright smile, blinking when the speedster jumped like he’d been caught red-handed. He quickly slipped the book into his quills, staring at her blankly for a second before matching her smile with a grin of his own, leaning against the counter as casually as he could muster. His foot kept tapping. 

“Oh, hey Amy! What’s, uh… What’s up?”

Amy glanced at the pile of items on the counter, then back at Sonic. “I should be asking you that! What’s with all the shopping? You could replace a wardrobe with the amount of sweaters you have here!”

“Haha, hah, maybe!” Sonic chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head as he glanced at the sheer amount of clothes the cashier was busily checking out. Most of them were blue. “I’m just, uh… getting some things for… someone…”

Amy’s eyes twinkled with mischief. Everything clicked in a single moment. “Someone special, perhaps?”

The hero’s cheeks turned a faint shade of pink as he avoided her gaze in an uncharacteristically bashful manner. “You could say that… Ah, who am I kidding? Yes, it’s for Shadow. Don’t look at me like that!”

“Hehe, sorry Sonic! It’s just not every day I see you looking so frantic! I figured it was because of what happened last night. You might like him, but it’s admirable that you’re thinking about his well-being and not putting your feelings first in this!” She swooned at the sheer romance of it all, her demeanor radiating joy. “I hope it all works out for you, Sonic!”

The blue hedgehog blinked once, slowly, at her words before a scoff left his lips. His foot had paused its tapping for but a moment before it continued, faster than before. He folded his arms over his chest, avoiding Amy’s hopeful gaze.

“Yeah, you know me… Always… putting others first…!” He tried to sound optimistic, but it didn’t come out the way he intended. Amy pouted slightly, nervous she had said something wrong but unable to figure out what. Dusting off her dress with one hand, she glanced at the clothes once more.

“...W-Well, I do have to ask: Why the sweaters? And why are so many of them blue?” Changing the subject seemed like the safest bet to cheer up her former crush. “I thought his favorite color was red!”

“No,” Sonic spoke up instantly, still tapping his foot as he turned his head to contemplate all the clothing himself. He looked so serious. “His favorite color is blue. He likes blankets and sweaters when he reads at home, but he hates having to borrow Rouge’s all the time. I thought I’d get him his own.”

“I… oh,” Amy looked at him in awe, her eyes twinkling once more at this newfound information. Shadow didn’t talk much about his own interests, so this was news to her! The speedy pair being close wasn’t surprising, but she just didn’t think they’d be the types to talk about things like… favorite colors and sweaters. “He told you all that?”

Sonic visibly stiffened, the tapping ceasing, which made the pink hedgehog pause. 

“...Yes?”

He sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than anything, which was… odd. Amy frowned again, an awkward atmosphere drifting between them. Thankfully they didn’t have to linger in it for too long, as the cashier happily announced the transaction was complete.

The hero flashed a smirk at the worker as he began taking the bags, visibly taken aback when Amy began grabbing some to help. “I insist!” she chirped when he tried to protest, glancing inside of one and laughing to herself at the rainbow pattern that she could never imagine the Ultimate Lifeform wearing. “Though, if I may be honest Sonic, I don’t know how Shadow would react to this many things. He seems like he’s more of the… ‘small displays of affection’ type of guy?”

“...This isn’t even all of it, Silver and Blaze are watching the rest,” he spoke with a groan, as though he weren’t the one buying such a copious amount of stuff. 

Like this whole shopping trip was against his will, somehow.

“There’s more?! Oh gosh, you’re down bad, Sonic,” Amy gave him a look of sympathy as they shuffled out of the store. “Now I’m worried you’ll scare him away at this point! An apology gift should be something really special, but you should also consider what it is you’re apologizing for. I imagine you feel like you’ve pushed his boundaries, so you should get a gift that means something to both of you that’s not going to make him feel cornered again!”

Sonic sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly as he stared ahead. They could see Silver, Blaze, Tails, and a disheveled Knuckles talking in the distance, his pile of bags visible even from here.  “...Yeah, you’re right. I just… I don’t know, Amy. I want him to know I’m sorry, but I’m not sure how to show it without going overboard. I’m a pretty loud guy when I want to be, I guess…”

This was understandable. The two hedgehogs, despite their similarities, were unique in many ways. What would work for Sonic wouldn’t translate well for Shadow, and vice versa. Amy was certain things would be better if they just talked it out, but she knew it wasn’t easy. Chasing after Sonic for so many years taught her he was hopeless in the romantic department, after all.

Adjusting the bags in her hold, Amy smiled reassuringly at the taller hedgehog as a sigh of whimsy left her. “Sometimes, less is more. Maybe instead of buying a ton of stuff, you could do something that really shows you understand him. Something thoughtful and personal you can give him when you’re alone. That way, he’ll know you’re sincere and not just trying to overwhelm him with gifts, and he has the opportunity to react however he feels is best.”

“... Something special, hm?” Sonic tilted his head, contemplating. He still had some time before Tails’ daily tests and his next meeting with Shadow. Amy watched as he turned to her, a warm smile spreading across his handsome muzzle as an idea clearly sprang into his mind, his green eyes sparkling.

“...What would I do without you, Ames? You’re a genius!” He laughed brightly, and Amy found herself blushing warmly at his praise. Despite her lingering irritation over the suit he destroyed last night, seeing Sonic so genuinely happy compared to his previous fretful mood was a comforting sight. 

“Hi, Amy!” Silver voice called out as they approached, glancing at the bags in their arms with a nervous chuckle. Sonic tossed the load he was carrying into the pile with a casual flourish, dusting off his gloves and flashing Tails a wide, almost too cheerful grin and wave. The fox met his gaze with a pointed look, his blue eyes narrowed in skepticism before breaking into a slight, controlled smile.

“Sonic, we’re going to be doing our tests a little differently today. Silver is going to join us on this one…” Tails gave his brother the details calmly, the blue hedgehog growing stiff as he spoke.

Amy watched the interaction closely, her apprehension growing. The subtle tension between Sonic and Tails was palpable even to her. While Tails was clearly stressed from dealing with Eggman’s serum and its effects, Sonic’s behavior had been relatively normal, apart from the incident in Central City. Amy hoped the worst was behind them, but she knew Tails couldn’t afford such optimistic thinking. The constant strain on the younger fox weighed heavily on her, making her feel both nervous and guilty. She wondered what they would do without him, his support and intelligence being a cornerstone of their efforts. But she also hoped this situation wasn't driving the two brothers apart...

—

Inside the main building of the Restoration Camp lies a compact yet highly functional training arena designed for the sparring and practice needs of its members. The arena, a rectangular space roughly the size of a small gymnasium, is encased by sturdy walls reinforced with steel plating to withstand the intense training sessions of those with superhuman abilities.

The floor is made of a resilient, non-slip material that offers a firm grip yet is forgiving enough to cushion falls. Along the periphery, large metal boxes are strategically placed, providing both cover and obstacles for dynamic movement during training. These boxes, crafted from durable alloys, are a dull gray, their surfaces marred with scratches and dents from countless impacts. Scattered amidst these metallic behemoths are smaller wooden crates, their natural texture and grain a stark contrast to the cold, industrial feel of the metal. These wooden boxes, though less durable, add an element of variability to the training environment, often used for agility drills and balance exercises.

Overhead, many balconies provided a vantage point for onlookers to watch the events below. Tails gave Knuckles and Amy a wave from one of these balconies before turning to Sonic, Silver, and Blaze, his tablet held firmly in one hand while the other extended three mysterious gadgets. Sonic stared at the devices incredulously.

“Erm, bud, I get we’ve all been playing dress-up lately, but these aren’t exactly my style…” The hero cocked his head to the side, squinting at the contraptions as he rubbed his chin in thought. Silver mirrored the motion, frowning as his muzzle wrinkled. Tails couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

The devices, designed to be worn as collars, featured sleek, metallic bands that fit snugly around the neck. At their centers, glowing red orbs were embedded, pulsing faintly with energy. The metal bands were crafted from a durable, lightweight alloy, ensuring comfort and resilience during prolonged use. Small, intricate engravings along the bands housed the sophisticated technology that enhanced their sensitivity and accuracy, making them indispensable tools for monitoring and analyzing energy levels in any environment.

“Sonic, Silver, I’m gonna need you to put these around your necks. The third one is for Shadow when he arrives. The orbs serve as powerful Chaos and Dark Gaia Energy readers, capable of detecting even the slightest fluctuations in these formidable forces from a distance. They’re stronger than the bracelet Sonic’s wearing, and they’ll allow me to actively compare your readings in real time.”

“Er, ‘our’ readings?” Sonic glanced at Silver, confusion clear on his face. “Silver and Shadow weren’t injected, so why are you including them?”

“It might seem confusing right now, but trust me, I need the three of you expending energy to get a proper conclusion for this hypothesis I’ve been mulling over.” Tails gestured to the white hedgehog slowly, his mind racing with possibilities. “Consider Silver a baseline. He was the one who resisted the artificial Chaos energy and pulled Shadow out of its control before, and he’s had no interaction with Dark Gaia at all. Not to mention, he has the highest reserves of dormant, pure Chaos energy. Outside of Shadow, of course.”

Sonic nodded along, his foot beginning to tap again. Silver gave his arms a quick stretch, a look of determination growing on his face.

“So, I’m guessing we’re here for only one thing…” The telekinetic brought his hands down in front of him, forming fists as he gave Sonic a mischievous look.

“Yup,” Tails confirmed, a small smile playing on his lips. “A good old-fashioned sparring match. I need you guys to push your limits so I can get the most accurate readings possible. Think you’re up for it? I know you all had a lot to drink last night, but the sooner I get these readings the better…”

Sonic smirked after a few moments, a competitive glint in his eye. He was always ready for a fight, and Tails couldn’t help but wonder if that was the aspect of the hero that could never be changed. “You know I am. Let’s see what you’ve got, Silver~! Gonna have to send Blaze here an apology letter when I’m done with you, though~!” He gave the cat to his right a flirtatious wink, causing her to roll her eyes in amusement.

“It is no problem. Silver and I have been training together frequently these past few months. I feel he can handle himself against you and Shadow just fine.” Blaze turned to the fox with a flicking tail, her arms folding neatly over her chest. “You told me earlier I was to be on standby, yes?”

Tails nodded at the princess affirmatively. “I figured having you on the sidelines down here would be a good idea in case things get too crazy. You know how… competitive hedgehogs are. You can put a stop to them if you feel things are getting too heated!”

Blaze nodded thoughtfully, straightening her back as a serious expression settled on her face. “A wise precaution. I’ll keep an eye on things.”

“Hey, we’re not that bad!” Sonic cheekily shrugged as he grabbed one device and secured it around his neck, wiggling in discomfort before getting used to the weight.

“No, I’m not that bad. You and Shadow though… Yeah, I can see the fear.” Silver adjusted the device on his throat, trying to spot the way it glowed beneath the overhead lights. “Speaking of, where is he anyway? I haven’t seen him since last night…”

Sonic’s foot began tapping again. 

Things were going to be awkward once Shadow showed up. The kiss made last night at the party in a drunken fever was burning within everyone’s minds, an unspoken worry on how the striped hedgehog would react now without alcohol muddling his system. It was alarming to have seen the Ultimate Lifeform look so out of his element, and when Rouge and he left that night, he hadn’t spoken a single word to anyone…

He had looked lost.

Tails felt bad needing to orchestrate this test so soon, but he needed to confirm something that had crept into his mind as of late. There was the hope that it was nothing, but his mind shut that down rapidly. Working with Sonic and Shadow the past few days, observing their behavior with a cynical eye, brought about a worrying hypothesis that he couldn’t get out of his head.

He only hoped the date proved him wrong. 

Tails shifted on his feet, lifting his tablet to look at the screen purposelessly. “Shadow and Rouge are on the way. She told me they’d get here around this time…”

“...Did you even get to give him any of those apology gifts?” Silver asked Sonic softly, and the hedgehog’s foot only began to tap faster. Tap. Tap. Tap.

“No, Amy said not to. I’m giving all of that stuff away to the Restoration members who need it, I’ve got something else in mind anyway. I was hoping he’d have shown up earlier so I could give it to him, but…” He trailed off suddenly, his quills visibly bristling as his green eyes widened. When Silver’s quills did the same, the pair sensing something the fox was incapable of on his own, Tails looked toward the entrance of the arena, finding exactly who he was expecting to see.

Rouge walked into the space with Shadow hot on her heels, a sour expression displayed on her usually calm, collected face. The thief being so visibly irritable was enough to cause concern, but the hybrid behind her was downright scary when mad.

Shadow the Hedgehog did not look lost today. He looked pissed. 

Tails gulped audibly as Shadow and Rouge approached him. The Ultimate Lifeform snatched the collar from his hand with a flicker of disdain without a word, turning on his heel and striding to the center of the room to put it on. His demeanor was cold and implacable, avoiding eye contact with everyone, and very pointedly Sonic’s, and his deep frown seemed carved into his face. The dark, murderous aura he exuded was almost tangible, and Tails couldn’t help but wonder if it was an additional energy signature he should study…

“Sorry, it took a minute, hun. Shadow and I had a bit of a conversation that didn’t end well,” Rouge remarked with a dismissive scoff, her hands resting on her hips. She shot Sonic a look that was hard to decipher, and when he didn’t even glance her way, eyes glued to the Ultimate Lifeform, she rolled her eyes with a hiss.

Team Dark was not in high spirits today. At least Sonic was smart enough to keep his mouth shut - or too distracted.

“I’m going to go sit. We’ll talk, Tails,” Rouge said, her tone clipped as she took off into the air to join Amy and Knuckles in their seats on the balcony. Tails sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the weight of the uncomfortable atmosphere that had settled over the arena. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife, and the fox knew it was going to be a long, uneasy session.

“... I think,” Silver began, breaking the silence that had stretched uncomfortably, glancing between Sonic, who was intently watching Shadow’s back, and Shadow, who was glaring resolutely at the floor, “We should try to, uh, have fun with this…? It’s been a while since we’ve sparred, haha… hah… ” His attempt at lightening the mood fell flat, met with stony silence from both hedgehogs.

“...Right,” Tails cleared his throat, quickly tapping on his tablet to bring up their charts. Everything seemed normal for now, except for Sonic’s readings, which he suspected would shift as the match progressed. “Fight for about ten minutes, then we’ll take a break. We might need to run several matches to get a fair reading.” His namesakes flickered to life, hovering off the ground to fly after Rouge, and he gave Blaze a curt nod. “You’ll signal when to start. I’ll monitor from the side.”

“Yes, of course,” Blaze replied, watching him leave before moving to the side to assume her position. She folded her hands behind her back, her expression turning serious. She was prepared to ensure everything went smoothly. “Get ready. We’ll begin momentarily.”

“...Alright,” Sonic huffed finally, taking a few quick paces away from Silver with a determined frown. He stretched his legs side to side, twisting his torso to crack his back before settling into a ready stance. On the opposite side of the arena, Silver enveloped himself in a light cyan aura as he floated into position, creating a triangular formation with Sonic and Shadow. Shadow, having finished adjusting his gloves, clenched a fist that crackled with green Chaos energy, his gaze sharp and unyielding as he turned his head to the side to glare darkly at Sonic.

They were ready.

Blaze took her place, standing by with a watchful eye as she slowly raised her hand in the air. She really hoped she wouldn’t have to step in, but with this first match being only ten minutes long, she trusted that things would remain under control.

“Ready…!” she announced, her gaze sweeping over the three combatants. With a swift motion, she brought her hand down. 

“BEGIN–!”

Speed was something Blaze was used to. Her reflexes and senses, honed through years of training and meditation, allowed her to keep pace with Sonic himself with relative ease. But the sheer velocity with which Shadow launched himself towards the blue hedgehog caught even her off guard.

The Ultimate Lifeform’s Chaos-empowered fist collided with Sonic’s face with such force that the hero was sent hurtling backward into one of the wooden boxes scattered around the room. The impact was so intense that the box splintered and shattered upon contact, leaving Sonic dazed and momentarily incapacitated. Blaze’s eyes widened in surprise, stunned whilst Silver gave a shout of shock.

Ten minutes might be enough time for someone to die in here. 

Sonic sat up slowly, shaking off the wood and debris that had scattered over him. His hand instinctively touched his stinging muzzle, but a feral grin began to spread across his face as he observed his rival advancing toward him. Shadow's red eyes flashed dangerously, a mirror to the intense, focused glare Sonic was giving him.

Hit him.

Shadow…

Kiss him thatwassohotwhatthefu-!

Wow, that hurt! Make him regret it!

Shadow, you’re so pretty…

Despite the tender thoughts that had been occupying Sonic’s mind recently – the desire to rescue and gently hold his rival, petting him and kissing him and… other things – right now, those softer urges were overshadowed by a more primal instinct, one he did not find unfamiliar. It was a feeling similar to when he was facing a foe that could beat him if he were not careful, a feeling evoked only by a few enemies and rivals alike. 

How fun. 

“Oh, you want some of this, huh~?” Sonic sneered, shaking off the initial shock as he leaped away just in time to avoid Shadow’s rocket shoe slamming down where his face had been moments before. He scrambled to his feet, but a swift kick aimed at his head sent him rolling onto his back to dodge it. Shadow showed no signs of letting up, his face twisted in a fury that made Sonic’s heart pound in his ears from anticipation, following after the hero with high-speed attacks he could only hope to dodge.

Despite his bravado, Sonic couldn’t shake the gnawing guilt beneath his confident exterior. The kiss from last night had clearly sparked this turmoil, he was sure of it, and he regretted not seeking Shadow out earlier in the morning to apologize. He had seen Shadow’s anger before, more times than he cared to count, but this was the rare kind. This stemmed from unresolved vengeance, enough to silence even the usually prideful Ultimate Lifeform from uttering a quip of arrogance over his rival. A part of him wanted to get on his knees right there on the spot and beg for forgiveness. Would Shadow allow it?

A swift kick to the gut told him otherwise.

“Gah!” Sonic coughed up saliva from the force, once again sent flying across the arena as he slid unceremoniously on the ground. He clutched his gut, baring his teeth in pain, a breathless laugh escaping his lips.

He was getting too distracted.

Beat him. 

Show him who he’s dealing with!

You can kiss him after.

He wants it anyway. 

‘Man, you will not shut up today,’ Sonic thought, forcing himself back onto his feet. His green eyes blazed with a new intensity as he regarded Shadow’s approaching form. He hadn’t fought back yet, but did he truly have anything to lose? His rival was already pissed; how much worse could he make it?

Do you want to find out?

…

‘Maybe a little.’

Sonic the Hedgehog grinned darkly as he bowed his head, kneeling slightly to rest his hands on the ground into a ready position. If Shadow could tell what he was about to do, he didn’t show it; he simply continued his steady advance, intent on beating Sonic into a bloody pulp. Forgiveness could be earned later. Everything could be earned later. Right now, if Shadow wanted to destroy him, he could at least put up a fight…

His face and stomach still aching, Sonic steadied his beating heart with a deep breath. It felt like the world stilled, for but a second, as a chuckle escaped him. When Shadow took the next step closer, he knew he was ready.

‘Sorry, Shadow! I’ll kiss it better later!’

In a blur of blue, he dashed forward at an insane speed, maneuvering with a fluid grace that only he possessed. He darted beneath the Ultimate Lifeform, quickly supporting his weight on his hands before kicking upwards. The powerful blow landed squarely on Shadow’s jaw, eliciting a yelp from the hybrid as he staggered backward, a hand instinctively flying to his mouth as he stumbled. Sonic quickly swung his legs out from under him, knocking him to the ground with the grace of a breakdancer. He jumped back to his feet, sneering down at the hybrid who looked outright puzzled for just a moment. 

Then, the floodgates known as Sonic’s mouth opened. 

“C’mon Shads, if you’re gonna hit me, then don’t hold back! Walking around like that makes me think you don’t want to try! Are you tired? Do you have a hangover? You look like you have a hangover. I mean, there’s no way you’re just this mad naturally, right? If you were, I don’t think you would’ve waited for the tests to start to hit me! Do you not want to hit me? I guess that’s possible. Or maybe you’re just trying to psych me out with your brooding routine? Is that it? Trying to intimidate me with silence? It’s not working, y’know! Though you could still be mad about last night. Look, I get it, I messed up. Or maybe I didn’t? Anyway, if you’re gonna hold a grudge, at least make it interesting for the rest of us! Think about the onlookers who are bored without your witty banter! You look like you want to say something. Are you gonna actually talk to me? 'Cause, honestly, this whole silent treatment thing is getting kinda old. What’s the deal, Shadow? Huh? Got something on your mind? Or are you just that bad at expressing your feelings? Come on, spill it! You can’t keep everything bottled up forever – WOAH!”

A Chaos Spear whizzed past Sonic’s head, narrowly dodged as he turned on his heel and sprinted, a laugh escaping him when the Ultimate Lifeform immediately gave chase, striped quills flaring.

“Will you ever STOP TALKING?!” The shout Shadow made was becoming of his Black Arms heritage, his voice dripping with such venom Sonic could taste it…

Oh, how he wished he could taste it–

Sonic's grin widened, the thrill of the chase and the sound of Shadow’s voice sending a jolt of excitement through him. He couldn’t help but purr to himself, the chaos of the moment only heightening his amusement.

‘Like music to my ears~ !’ he thought, his heart racing as he glanced back at Shadow's intense expression. The thrill of the fight, the banter, the raw energy - it was all exhilarating. Sonic felt alive, every sense heightened, every instinct sharpened. The way Shadow’s anger sparked like a live wire only fueled his adrenaline further.

He darted around the arena, using his speed to stay just ahead of Shadow's attacks, laughing all the while. "Is that the best you got, Shads? I thought you were supposed to be the Ultimate Lifeform! Come on, give me a challenge! Or are you just too scared to get close? Afraid I’ll kiss you again~!"

Another Chaos Spear shot past him, and Sonic's laughter echoed through the arena, a symphony of exhilaration and defiance. He cast a glance over his shoulder at the other, an ecstatic grin growing on his face.

Shadow was smiling. 

Silver was at an utter loss. 

He watched Sonic and Shadow zoom around the small arena at such a speed that it was nearly impossible to keep up with. A nervous glance toward Blaze and the others in the observation area revealed a shared concern. Sonic’s relentless teasing, though delivered in his usual upbeat tone, was only fueling Shadow’s fury. 

The hero had claimed he wanted to make Shadow feel better earlier that day, so why was he antagonizing him? Couldn’t he see the pain in Shadow’s eyes at the mere mention of last night? There was sadness there, a vulnerability that not even the Ultimate Lifeform was able to hide…

Slapping his cheeks with both hands to sober himself up, Silver steeled his resolve and shook his head free of his worries. His cyan energy flared around him, casting a cool glow. If Sonic insisted on tormenting Shadow like this, then he had no choice but to intervene. Besides, he needed to participate in the fight somehow. He didn’t want to be subjected to Shadow’s fists or Sonic’s quips, but perhaps he could alleviate the tension. 

"Hopefully I don’t regret this," Silver muttered to himself, levitating slightly off the ground. He focused on the two blurs darting around the arena, tracking their movements with determined eyes. After a few more moments, Silver shot forward, positioning himself strategically overhead with his hands extended. Gradually, many of the large metal boxes and smaller wooden counterparts were engulfed in his power, rising off the floor swiftly.

“Sorry, you two, but I can’t let you have all the fun!” He extended a hand forward, and his attack thus began. “You better watch out!”

Sonic ducked out of the way from another kick from Shadow, his ears coming uncomfortably close to the bottom of his rival’s enflamed rocket shoes before he cast his gaze upward. Silver was above them, boxes swirling around him with a grin on his face that matched Sonic’s own. The hero almost wanted to tell him he looked cool, but he didn’t get the chance when the boxes started raining down on them.

Sonic deftly dodged the first few boxes, his reflexes kicking into high gear as he maneuvered through the chaotic barrage. Shadow, on the other hand, simply smashed through the boxes with brute force, smashing wood and denting metal as his anger fueled his every move. The dark hedgehog’s rage was palpable, and each box that fell under his fists seemed to intensify his expression.

At least said expression was directed at Silver now…

‘ ...Wait, I don’t think that’s a good thing– ’

"Nice try, Silver!" Sonic called out from below, weaving through the falling debris with a cocky smirk the white hedgehog was so accustomed to at this point. "But it’ll take more than that to slow me down! Cute that you tried, though!"

Silver grinned, his eyes narrowing in concentration as he followed the blue hedgehog’s movements carefully. "I figured as much. Let’s see how you handle this !"

With a flick of his wrist, Silver redirected the remaining boxes, creating a swirling vortex of debris from the metal and broken pieces of wood that surrounded the speedy hedgehogs. Without hesitation, he cast one hand outward, sending the debris whooshing through the air directly toward both Shadow and Sonic. The two leapt in opposite directions, hoping that was the end, but the material, still engulfed in Silver’s power, continued chasing after them.

Sonic squeaked in surprise as he ducked and dodged, working to evade the debris that followed after him. His eyes darted around, seeking an opening to approach the telekinetic. "Oh, come on, Silver! Get down here and fight us like a real hedgehog!!" he called out, a playful edge to his voice. Despite the chaos, he was enjoying the challenge.

Shadow, meanwhile, was not in the mood for games. His face twisted in a snarl as he blasted through the debris with raw Chaos energy, his movements precise and calculated. "Out of my way!" he barked, smashing through a particularly large metal box that had zeroed in on him with a Chaos-infused fist. Silver couldn’t help but gulp nervously as the metal fell around the Ultimate Lifeform like rain. The steel containers were thick and heavy, and to rip through them so casually was no small feat…

Maybe he shouldn’t fight Shadow. Seemed like a death wish.

As the chaos ensued, Sonic was growing irritable. Silver was high above them, the boxes moving in a way that didn’t allow the hero to spin-dash near him and kick the nerd in the head. This did leave Silver open, however, and all the speedster needed was a distraction… There was an opportunity amidst the storm of metal and wood after all. With a quick glance at Shadow, an idea formed in his mind. Grinning widely, his eyes sparkling with a daring scheme. He ran to his rival, scarlet coating his muzzle lightly. 

“Hey, Shadow!” Sonic called out over the din, ducking another piece of debris as he slid to a halt beside his rival. His sense of self-preservation was gone when he just wanted to be closer to his crush. “How about we team up and take Silver down together? It’ll be easy with the two of us working together – he won’t know what hit him!”

Shadow’s red eyes flickered briefly, his expression unreadable before narrowing into a fierce glare. Sonic’s grin wavered. He had forgotten he was the cause of his rival’s rage, and now he was too close to escape the oncoming danger.

“Wait, Shad–!” Sonic began, but his words were cut off as Shadow lifted his leg with unsurprising fluidity hedgehogs like them possessed above his head, crashing down his boot squarely onto the hero’s thick skull. The force of the blow sent Sonic sprawling face-first into the ground, dazed and disoriented as a groan escaped him. His vision swam with stars when he suddenly felt powerful hands gripping his ankles, his body going rigid despite his aching head.

“I don’t need you to win, hedgehog!” Shadow growled, spinning Sonic around at an incredibly high speed. Sonic’s disoriented cries echoed through the arena, continuing as Shadow hurled him through the air with a forceful throw.

Silver’s eyes widened in shock as a mass of blue flew directly at him.

“SILVER CATCH MEEeEeeeEeEEE!” Sonic cried out as his limbs flailed, and Silver had no time to get over his initial surprise before their bodies collided, a loud exhale leaving them both breathless at the contact. Sonic’s impact sent both of them crashing into the arena wall with a thunderous thud. The debris and metal boxes that had been swirling around from Silver’s power, rained down in a chaotic mess as his control dissipated.

Silver and Sonic tumbled off the wall after a few seconds, their bodies crashing heavily onto the ground amidst the scattered wreckage. Shadow, standing amid the falling debris, glared with dark satisfaction at his two fallen opponents, his face still set in a scowl. All three were panting heavily, however, their earlier energy - and anger - were momentarily spent.

“Times up! Take a break!” Blaze's voice cut through their focus, the princess waving a hand at them from her safe distance on the sidelines.

Sonic and Silver pushed themselves off each other, their glares fixed on the Ultimate Lifeform that stood above them triumphantly from a distance.

“...Not… cool, man… ugh,” Sonic gasped between breaths, his muzzle wrinkling in disgust as he shot a pointed look at Silver, leaning forward to glower into his golden eyes. “You can carry… all this junk… but you can’t catch me ?! Your powers are broken, bro…”

Silver pushed Sonic’s face away from his, frustration evident in his voice. “I can’t just… hold everything at once…! If you’re a moving target, it’s harder! Maybe don’t squirm around so much next time…”

“Noted,” Sonic muttered, shaking more wood from his quills before returning his eyes to look at Shadow. “Guess you can say you ‘threw me in for a loop’, right? Heh – Wha… Huh?! ”

Sonic didn’t hear or see the puzzled sound and look Silver gave him at his side. He didn’t hear or see anything. Nothing but Shadow …

‘No… why now…?!’

Shadow inspected the gash on the back of his right hand with a casual, almost amused expression as the white material gradually became soaked red from the wound. His ruby eyes glimmered with a hint of mischief as he traced the cut lazily with his gaze. It was likely caused by the metal debris from a box he had graciously ripped in half, a fruit of his labor. With deliberate nonchalance, Shadow brought his gloved hand to his mouth, biting into the fabric and pulling it off slowly as Sonic’s jaw dropped. The glove slipped away, still snug in his teeth, revealing his bare hand, pads, claws, and all before his crimson eyes shifted to Sonic’s wide green. 

Shadow laughed, that light and airy sound making Sonic’s heart stop. 

“What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that~?” The Ultimate Lifeform purred as his glove dropped from his mouth, bringing the back of his bloody hands to his lips as he smiled. His tongue passed sharp fangs as he ran the appendage up the wound, half-lidded eyes still watching Sonic lovingly. He rubbed some of the blood on his mouth, the red like lipstick as his tail wagged eagerly. “Want a taste… ?”

…

‘ I’m… losing my mind…! ’ 

Sonic's face stretched into a crazed smile, his eye twitching as he felt his hold on reality shrink. These moments were becoming alarmingly frequent, and they terrified him. What he did last night in Shadow’s room was crazy, but he had been alone. He had been able to cover his tracks. Now, he was surrounded by friends, and Shadow was here in the flesh. Was he actually looking at him like that…?! There was no way…

He had been good. He had been good. Yes, he might’ve taken some of Shadow’s property. Yes, he might’ve found himself following after the dark hedgehog from afar sometimes, spying on him after telling Tails he was going for a run. Yes, he might’ve heard Shadow tell him to wait and not kiss him, but really, who could blame him? Shadow had looked so pretty and needy in his arms. Sonic, you deserve to have what you want. You learned that last night. Why would you resist? Even now, he looked ready for a for you, ready for a k-

‘Sweet Gaia, what did he do to deserve this?!’

It’s hot though.

‘-- Chaos, SHUT UP– ! ’

“Uhhh, hello? Earth to Sonic?” Silver waved a hand in front of the blue hedgehog’s face. Sonic remained shell-shocked, his gaze fixed on the dark hedgehog across from them with an expression unreadable. 

The Ultimate Lifeform glanced at Sonic with a hint of irritation, his attention then drifting to the wound on the back of his hand once more. Shadow inspected the cut, the blood seeping steadily and staining the once-white glove in a deep crimson. His nose wrinkled in distaste; while he would heal quickly, and there was no real fear for his injury, the sight of his torn glove irked him. It was a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things, yet it was a reminder of the chaos and recklessness he exhibited when he allowed his emotions to get the better of him...

He could only blame himself… 

Wrath could not hide the self-loathing he felt… 

Or… the emptiness… that still lingered …

—

“They’re very intense today!” Amy pouted as she watched the boys down below, her hand nervously twisting a quill as she sat restlessly. “That whole fight lasted only ten minutes, and they’re already bruised!”

“Well, let’s hope some sense gets knocked into them while they’re at it. Chaos knows they need it!” Rouge fumed, her agitation still evident. She hadn’t fully settled since arriving, her mood darkened by the ongoing tension she observed in the match below. Knuckles, leaning his elbows on the balcony’s ledge, gave her an amused glance.

“What’s the deal, anyway? Are you and Shadow fighting? Never thought I’d see it after so many years…” The echidna chuckled, his deep voice carrying a hint of curiosity. Rouge rolled her eyes, waving her hand dismissively as she cast her gaze heatedly on the ceiling.

“It’s less about us and more about his stubbornness,” Rouge said, frustration clear in her voice. Her gaze was sharp, and her displeasure was evident as she recounted what happened last night. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, a clear sign of her simmering worry. 

Shadow had stayed in her assigned room, curled up and staring blankly at the wall, barely moving. Even as she gently tucked blankets around him, he remained unresponsive – a stark contrast to his more talkative self before they arrived at the venue. Rouge kept vigil over him until he eventually fell asleep, her frown deepening as he twitched and fidgeted throughout the night. It seemed likely he was plagued by nightmares, fighting private battles she could never hope to assist him with. By morning, it was clear he hadn’t slept well at all, his exhaustion evident in his haggard appearance and sluggish reactions.

Reflecting on their conversation over breakfast, Rouge’s lips twisted into a displeased frown. “I tried to talk to him about what he and Sonic discussed last night, and how he felt about the kiss, but he dodged the conversation by pretending not to speak English – he does that sometimes, thinks it’s a ‘get out of jail free’ card. Anyway, when I pressed him more, we ended up arguing. He had the nerve to tell me I was being overdramatic! We’ve talked before about how bottling things up only makes him worse, but he just won’t listen today.”

“If it helps at all, Sonic told me he was very sorry for what happened,” Amy said, resting a reassuring hand on the treasure hunter’s shoulder. Her green eyes sparkled with worry as she tried to console her friend. “In fact, he was out buying gifts all morning. It was very odd, coming from him, but I told him that taking a less… overwhelming route would be better. I don’t think he intended to cause Shadow any pain…”

Rouge scoffed, crossing one leg over the other as she leaned back in her seat, away from Amy’s touch. “That’s all fine and well, but these hedgehogs are a pain in the ass when it comes to proper communication. Sonic’s going to say something stupid, and Shadow’s going to react stupidly. It’s an endless cycle, even without this serum business…” She adjusted herself in her seat, a sigh escaping her. 

“I’m just… worried about Shadow. He seems off today and he won’t tell me why. I know getting a kiss from the guy you crush on could change a lot, but I had thought he’d be… well, happier about it.”

“I dunno, maybe they’ll be fine? Maybe Shadow just needs to beat the shit outta Sonic before they can chat?” Knuckles laughed to himself, raising an eyebrow as he watched Silver wave his hand in front of Sonic’s face down below, the blue blur unmoving. “Might even help them break the ice.”

Amy rolled her eyes at Knuckles’ comment but couldn’t help a small smile. “It’s not the most elegant solution, but that is how they are. If only there was something we could do to help… What do you think, Tails?” She turned to the fox sitting beside her, who had been silent the whole time.

Tails’ blue eyes were practically glued to his tablet’s screen, his body stiff as his mouth drew into a thin line and his ears folded against his skull.

“...Tails? What’s wrong…?” The pink hedgehog peered over his shoulder to inspect the screen, the charts and numbers offering no meaning to her.

“...I can’t say just yet,” Tails murmured, his voice tinged with a mix of anxiety and realization. The girls exchanged glances as Knuckles sat up straighter, his purple eyes settling into a glare. 

The fox did not continue. Instead, he stared down at his brother, holding his breath as he waited.

—

Silver stood up, dusting himself off as he tapped his chin, golden eyes squinting down at the blue hedgehog who remained still. His ear twitched at the sound of heels approaching, and he looked over to see Blaze joining him. She peered at the hero inquisitively, her eyes narrowing in unease.

"What's going on with him?" Blaze asked, her voice calm yet tinged with worry.

Silver sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know. He just... froze. It's like he's stuck in his own head…"

“...Not so different from Shadow, then,” she whispered, her eyes now on the dark hedgehog standing off to the side. The Ultimate Lifeform was adjusting his glove still, but his eyes were clouded as his ears drooped. A total shift from the aggression displayed earlier. He didn’t seem to even register the eyes on him. “There’s something strange going on, Silver. Do you… feel any different?”

“Me? No, not really…” The white hedgehog looked down at his hands, observing the cyan energy that twinkled from his fingertips in perfect control. 

Blaze nodded slowly, her gaze flickering between Sonic and Shadow as she kept her voice low. “Then could it be like what Tails mentioned? You are more familiar with this world’s energy than I am. Is it really possible…?”

“...Well,” Silver gazed up at the balcony where their friends were watching, contemplative. “The passing of energy seems plausible, I’ve seen it myself. If Tails thinks so, then it should be–”

“--Chaos, SHUT UP !”

The pair jumped, whirling around to where Sonic had been sitting, only to find the spot empty. They both grunted in surprise as an arm wrapped around them, the blue hedgehog pulling them into a hug with a smirk that was outright dangerous…

Just as quickly, it vanished, replaced by his signature easygoing smile.

“...Sorry, what I mean to say is, why are we still talking when Tails said we had to do more than one match?!” Sonic beamed, his tail wagging behind him as he looked between the two happily. They exchanged cautious glances before Blaze forced a smile onto her face.

“...Y-Yes, my apologies. Whenever you’re ready, we can begin again…” She carefully peeled Sonic’s arm from her shoulder, walking away briskly. Sonic watched her for a moment, an amused chuckle escaping him before he looked back at Silver expectantly.

“What were you guys talkin’ about?” he asked, his grin unwavering.

Silver hesitated, glancing at Blaze’s retreating form before looking back to Sonic. His face twitched into a forced smile of his own, rubbing one arm to cool his nerves. “Uhh, y’know… stuff…”

The hero’s smile faded for a moment, his expression returning to that unsettling blank stare. It only lasted a heartbeat before his smile reappeared, but the brief lapse made Silver shiver.

“...Ah, I get it. ‘Budding romance’ talk, huh? I’m in the same boat myself…” Sonic gave Silver a hearty pat on the back, nearly knocking him off balance. The white hedgehog blushed slightly at the comment, managing a weak chuckle.

“...Y…Yeah… Something like that. You know how it is…”

“Well, try not to get literally downed by me this time. You want to impress her, don’t you?” Sonic grinned, practically skipping away, laughter trailing behind him. As Sonic's back turned, Silver's own smile faded, his eyes narrowing as he watched the hero approach Shadow. The chill wouldn’t leave his spine.

“We’re ready!” Sonic called out, giving Blaze a thumbs up, his tail wagging as he stopped just a foot away from the Ultimate Lifeform. Shadow, snapping out of his daze, shot the hero a withering look. His earlier aggression had dissipated, replaced by a somberness evident in his posture. Despite his exhaustion, his posture remained standoffish.

Blaze stood at attention, raising her hand like before. She drew in a deep breath, her tail flicking behind her. “Ready…!”

“You know…” Sonic clasped his hands behind his back, crouching slightly to catch Shadow’s eye, his expression soft and adoring. “I meant what I said earlier. If you want to hit me, I don’t want you to hold back, okay~? If you think I deserve it, I wouldn’t blame you at all!”

Shadow’s ears perked, his nose wrinkling as he took a small step back. The laid-back tone was sending alarms off in his head again. How he felt during their dance was still weighing on his mind…

He didn't want to talk about this. Not now. Ever since last night, he hadn’t been able to think straight. Despite the satisfaction hurting Sonic usually gave him, it didn’t fill the void currently growing in his chest.

The Ultimate Lifeform was created as a weapon and a cure, a tool of destruction while simultaneously a savior from doom. The years spent living on Earth had taught him what was expected of him: utmost perfection. He had earned the title of Hero, much like Sonic had before him, after nearly bringing the world to its knees twice. While he was not as charismatic or beloved as Sonic, his presence still brought calm to the hearts of those he saved. He was expected to be fearless, a beacon of unwavering strength and resilience. No matter the adversary, no matter the odds, Shadow was seen as an indomitable force, a warrior who could face any challenge without flinching. The world demanded that he never show weakness, to never falter, and he would oblige willingly.

His achievements, although not as numerous as Sonic’s, were still grand. All who opposed him had fallen to his Judgement, crushed beneath his heel with sincerity. It had been a long time since he genuinely feared anything...

So… why–?

“Don’t say such stupid things,” Shadow growled, his ears folding back as he looked to the ground. “You don’t take anything seriously…”

He couldn’t see the sinister smile directed at him, but he could hear the next words spoken, their cadence like sickly sweet honey.

“But it’s what you want, isn’t it? You’d like nothing more than to beat me to the ground… Or is it the opposite ?” Sonic purred, a gloved hand snaking around the Ultimate Lifeform’s wrist at an unfathomable speed.

Shadow gasped, stiffening, his red eyes widening as he watched the hero inspect the wound with a look he… didn’t want to understand. The touch was electric, sending an unwelcome shiver down his spine that made his body freeze entirely. The gentle yet firm grip felt both comforting and constraining, like a trap he couldn’t escape even if he tried to move.

Green eyes met red after a few moments, and Sonic’s hold tightened slightly, an odd mix of tenderness and dominance. Shadow’s mind raced, battling the rising tide of emotions. 

He felt exposed.

Vulnerable.

… Afraid…?

But it was… just… Sonic…

“What do you want, Shadow?” Sonic’s voice was a taunting whisper, yet it echoed loudly in the hedgehog's mind. The question hung in the air, a challenge wrapped in an invitation as he tugged gently on the agent’s wrist.

Shadow's thoughts were a whirlwind. He had been created to be fearless, the epitome of strength and determination. Admitting fear, admitting desire, was a betrayal of everything he stood for. Yet, here he was, trapped in a moment of raw intensity, unable to deny the turmoil within. The conversation he had sought with Sonic would’ve been about this, an end to their strange state of being to move on and grant Shadow the self-cruelty he felt he deserved, but the kiss had changed everything. How was anyone to behave rationally after such an event?

It was absurd to feel so utterly helpless like this. So many foes, so many trials and errors conquered, yet it was a blue hedgehog that bested him… all with a single kiss…

“I… I don’t…” Shadow stammered, his voice betraying the image of perfection he sought to protect himself. He wanted to pull away, to escape the conflicting emotions, but he was rooted in place, ensnared by the hero’s gaze.

Sonic's smile softened, losing its sinister edge but not its intensity. “It’s okay to want something for yourself, Shadow. Even you can’t be strong all the time.”

The words cut deep, piercing through Shadow’s defenses. He had always been the rock, the unyielding force. Yet, at this moment, Sonic's touch and words made him confront a part of himself he had long buried.

Would he unravel again...?

“Though, thinking about it…” Sonic continued, his smile reminiscent of the one he bore when he held Shadow last night - quills silhouetted by the artificial lighting above them, casting a shadow over his face - as he stared deeply into the Ultimate Lifeform’s gaze. Shadow felt trapped, unable to escape the intensity of Sonic's look as the blue hedgehog moved closer, his breath soft against Shadow’s sensitive, twitching ears. 

He wouldn’t lie, he thought he’d melt again in that instant.

“I don’t think you’d want me to hold back anyways,” Sonic whispered, the words wrapping around Shadow like a vice.

“BEGIN!”

Blaze’s voice once more cut through the air, barely registered by Shadow as Sonic yanked him forward so roughly he thought his arm would pop out of his socket. Years of training and endurance kicked in, his instincts guiding him to brace himself, because Sonic did not hesitate to drive his knee straight into Shadow’s stomach with a force not expected from the kind-hearted hero.

Shadow’s breath left him in a rush, pain radiating through his core. He barely had time to process the impact before Sonic followed up with a swift kick to his side, sending him skidding across the arena floor in a mess of limbs and quills. Dazed and barely processing the sudden onslaught, Shadow brought himself to his hands and knees, his abdomen aching as he forced himself to look at the blue hedgehog again.

Sonic's grin was unrelenting, his eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and… something darker. "Come on, Shadow," he taunted, his voice carrying an edge of cruelty as he hopped happily from one leg to the other. "Is that all you've got? Or is the Ultimate Lifeform old news?!” He laughed as he dodged a wooden box that flew his way, his eyes never leaving Shadow.

“You two need to stop starting like this!” Silver called out from somewhere the Ultimate Lifeform couldn’t see, sounding annoyed. “You might hurt actually hurt each other!”

…

‘... That's... what I… ’

Chapter Text

The training arena erupted in a cacophony of sound as the second round commenced. Dust and debris swirled in the air, caught in the wake of the blue and white hedgehogs’ rapid movements. Sonic darted around Silver's telekinetic attacks, each dodge a calculated dance of speed and agility. The intensity between them was palpable, their focus locked on outmaneuvering the other.

Silver tsked in annoyance at the hero’s growing arrogance. "You think you can just run around and win, Sonic?" he muttered, eyes narrowing. The time traveler jumped swiftly into the air, his movements fluid and precise, as a ball of blue spin-dashed beneath him. With a glowing hand, he swiped downward, creating a shield of cyan aura at the last moment when the ball bounced up toward him. His eye twitched when Sonic simply bounced off it, the blue hedgehog landing lightly on his feet, a smug grin plastered on his face.

"Maybe! That’s kinda my thing! You can’t keep dodging me forever, though, so all I have to do is tire you out or wait for an opening. I’m quite fast, so that won’t take long!" Sonic taunted, his voice dripping with playful confidence as he hopped from one step to the next. His quills bristled with energy, green eyes practically glowing with arrogance. He didn’t back off for long, curling into a spin-dash once more and eagerly dashing at the white hedgehog.

It had been three minutes since the start of their second sparring match, and Silver noted dryly that Shadow hadn’t moved a muscle from where he lay on the floor not far from the fight. The Ultimate Lifeform was sitting on his legs, his hands limp at his sides as he stared in disbelief at the two, red eyes clouded and quills on end. There was no possible way he was exhausted or injured, Silver knew, so Sonic must’ve said or done something to the dark hedgehog before he had kicked him in the gut.

‘What did Sonic say to him?’ Silver wondered fretfully, dodging the blue blur as it barreled toward him. He had to stay focused, but Shadow’s unusual behavior nagged at him. He’d never seen the Ultimate Lifeform so... paralyzed.

Sonic ricocheted off a wall, coming at Silver from a new angle. The time traveler barely had time to react, throwing up a telekinetic barrier to deflect the incoming attack. Sonic bounced off it effortlessly, landing gracefully and immediately preparing for another charge.

"Come on, Silver! Pay attention~ !" Sonic called out, his voice carrying a mix of challenge and amusement as he leapt forward with a powerful kick. He was relentless, pushing Silver to his limits with his speed and unpredictability. Each dodge, each block, was a testament to the white hedgehog’s growing frustration and determination.

Silver flicked his wrist, sending a barrage of debris toward Sonic to create distance between them once more. The blue hedgehog ducked effortlessly, weaving through the onslaught with practiced ease, and Silver couldn’t help but cast another glance toward Shadow. This was going nowhere fast, and Silver knew it was only a matter of time before he was caught off guard-

"Gaugh!"

Caught off guard, indeed. Sonic had been reserving his energy, keeping a quick but lazy pace by his standards until the time to strike was clear. Silver’s eyes shifting away gave Sonic the perfect opportunity to send a powerful kick to the telekinetic’s face, knocking him out of the air and onto the ground below.

Silver groaned, his vision swimming as he struggled to regain his bearings. Sonic's silhouette approached through the haze, the blue hedgehog’s confidence unwavering.

“What did I say, man?” Sonic laughed, though his eyes flickered with a hint of concern as he cast his own look at Shadow. His hands rested on his hips, the rhythmic tapping of his foot betraying an inner impatience he was unable to mask.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

‘Did I push it too far…? Maybe I should apologize…’ 

No. 

He wants it.

You want it. 

‘...But…’

Silver struggled to stand, his body trembling from the effort as he glared at the hero warily. Concern for Shadow lingered in the back of his mind, but they had a task to complete. Eyes narrowing, frustration and determination flared within Silver as he steadied himself with a deep breath. He wouldn’t let Sonic have the upper hand for long.

Drawing on his telekinetic powers, Silver gathered a mass of debris around him, the air crackling with energy as he slowly exhaled. With a flick of his wrist, he launched the attack straight at Sonic, his voice laced with smug defiance. “Follow your own advice, Sonic!”

The hero’s attention snapped back to Silver in an instant, a sneer growing on his muzzle as he maneuvered around the debris quickly. The two hedgehogs clashed again, their movements a blur of blue and white as they fought with renewed vigor…

Only three minutes had passed, but Shadow hadn’t noticed the time slipping away. His mind was too preoccupied as he watched the two hedgehogs fight, sweat dripping from the side of his muzzle while his ears remained folded against his head, quivering. His hands slowly formed into shaking fists, his knuckles cracking from the pressure.

Lately, he’d been under immense stress. The Ultimate Lifeform was bottling up a lot from everyone, even Rouge, and he could feel the toll weighing on him now. He grappled with his conflicting feelings about Sonic’s behavior towards him, the disaster that was the situation in Central City, and the constant scrutiny from those around him. Though he was used to being watched, lately he felt the pressure more acutely. The kiss last night and his outburst regarding Sonic’s intentions were weighing heavily on his heart, and the lack of proper sleep only fueled his anger.

Sonic’s words had not helped. Shadow knew what he wanted in many ways, but to utter such things aloud? Maybe it would be normal for others, but he was not normal. He was made to be better. He had to be better. How arrogant did Sonic have to be not to see that? None of them were like him. They couldn’t do as they pleased with no consequences!

‘...Consequences for what?’

“It’s okay to want something for yourself, Shadow. Even you can’t be strong all the time,” the hero had said.

The claim made Shadow stiffen. Sonic’s tauntingly sweet words had been vague, their meaning veiled by laughter and smiles, and what was offered was unknown. The context made it seem like Sonic wanted him to beat the shit out of him… or vice versa… but were things so simple between them? Was there more to this?

When had he allowed anyone to infer such weakness of him? Did he seem so frail, like a glass ornament just one fall away from shattering completely? The thought gnawed at him, an insidious whisper that he couldn't silence. His mind raced, caught in a maelstrom of conflicting emotions. Sonic’s confidence, his nonchalance, only added fuel to the fire. How could he so easily brush off the weight of his actions, the implications of his words? Shadow felt trapped, caught between his duty to be the unyielding Ultimate Lifeform and the forbidden allure of allowing himself to want, to feel.

It wasn’t just about the fight or the kiss. It was about everything Sonic represented – the freedom to be reckless, to desire without dismay of judgment or consequence. It was a freedom Shadow had never known, a forbidden fruit he was both drawn to and repelled by. How could Sonic, with his carefree attitude and boundless energy, understand the burden Shadow carried? How could he so effortlessly suggest that it was okay to want something for himself? The sheer audacity of it made Shadow’s blood boil, and yet, beneath the anger, a small part of him yearned for the truth in Sonic’s words.

Was it truly so wrong to want, to desire something beyond duty and perfection? 

The question lingered, echoing in the recesses of Shadow’s mind as he grappled with the turmoil within. Their late nights together resurfaced in a wave of memories. Was seeking out Sonic, to hold one another and talk beneath the stars, or in the privacy of a bedroom, alone from the world and its judging eyes, not a desire? Did the emptiness he felt result from their kiss ending too early? Were all those years secretly watching the hero, admiring him beneath sharp words and even sharper combat, not an admittance that he was no Ultimate Lifeform?

The nights they spent together were supposed to be moments of reprieve, a break from the relentless expectations and the burden of being perfect. Yet, in those quiet moments, Shadow found himself drawn to Sonic in ways he couldn’t fully comprehend. The ease with which Sonic laughed, the sincerity in his eyes when he spoke, the unspoken understanding that passed between them – it was a stark contrast to the facade Shadow maintained for nearly everyone else.

He remembered the warmth of Sonic’s embrace, the way his touch seemed to chase away the darkness that lingered at the edges of his mind. This was beyond rivalry, beyond friendship. It was something deeper, something that defied the rigid boundaries Shadow had set for himself. He already knew this, could he accept it?

That kiss had been a dream born of childish whimsy, a fleeting fancy impressed upon him by his sister so many years ago. Yet, he had wanted it. He had waited for it. Wanted and waited, and wanted and waited…

And he got it.

Central City came to mind once more, and with it, the secret he had desperately tried to bury. Sonic, coated in a dark aura he had never seen before, brutalizing him with a viciousness and possessiveness that had left Shadow reeling. The flood of artificial Chaos energy mixed with something more primal – what Tails had later claimed was Dark Gaia – had forced the Ultimate Lifeform to resort to a Chaos Blast, a desperate attempt to save his rational mind from falling into the abyss. He had felt his control slipping away rapidly while Sonic clenched his hands around his neck, grinning so widely, so knowingly, flooding the Ultimate Lifeform’s body with essence he couldn’t process. 

What would’ve happened if he hadn’t released that energy? Would Sonic have broken him? Ripped him to shreds and revealed to the world his beating heart, his secrets he kept hidden behind arrogance and power? What would’ve happened if he had fallen ? 

Did he… want–?

‘Don’t think that.'   

The implications of what had happened gnawed at him, surfacing like a starving shark, but he wasn’t ready to deal with that now. He felt pathetic, a monster that didn’t deserve to want anything. Life would’ve been easier if he had been made without a soul.

As his red eyes refocused, his blank stare slowly shifted into a heated glare as he watched Sonic and Silver fight. The ache of longing intensified, making the emptiness within him feel even more pronounced when he saw the hero punch the time-traveler in the face, causing his fur to stand on end.

There were no stakes here. It was just a stupid test the fox needed them to conduct for some stupid reason. They needed to go all out. Sonic practically invited him to do so. Was it healthy to take your rage out on your crush? No. Was it necessary to imagine getting your bones snapped under flashy red running shoes? No. But did he want–? 

‘Please don’t think that.'

Shadow’s breath quickened, and slowly he pushed himself to a stance as his fists clenched even tighter than before. If Sonic wanted him to fight… then so be it. He’d give the hero a taste of the desire locked in his heart. He knew his confidence would be fake, as shaken as he was, but he’d do his damn best to remind Sonic who he was…

In the arena, Sonic and Silver continued their clash, unaware of the shift in Shadow’s demeanor until it was too late. Silver, struggling to keep up with Sonic’s relentless assault, could not register the change in time. Sonic, however, felt it – a prickling at the back of his neck, a subtle shift in the atmosphere. As the hero ducked artfully beneath a powerful blast of telekinetic energy, he spared a glance over his shoulder, green eyes widening in surprise. “Huh?!”

With a burst of speed, Shadow lunged forward, closing the distance between himself and the two combatants in an instant. The ground beneath him cracked from the force of his takeoff, dust and debris swirling in his wake.

Sonic barely had time to react before Shadow was upon them. Relying on his speed and raw instinct, Sonic threw his hands up to defend his face, but the force of Shadow’s kick still left his vision swimming. The impact sent Sonic staggering back, a mixture of surprise and pain etched across his features.

“Shadow! What the–?!” Sonic’s words were cut off as he struggled to regain his balance, shaking his head to clear the disorientation.

Silver had raised a hand instinctively to blast them both, but before he could, the Ultimate Lifeform grabbed his wrist instantly and yanked him forward. With a squeak of shock, Silver was swung like a makeshift weapon into Sonic, sending both hedgehogs crashing to the ground. Sonic grunted, the wind knocked out of him as Silver landed on top, the white hedgehog groaning in pain.

“Ow! What the hell, man?! Stop doing th– Hngh !” Sonic’s complaint was cut short as Shadow stood above them, slamming one rocket shoe against the hero’s cheek with a sneer on his face, red eyes burning with… something. He dug the sole of his shoe into the speedster’s cheek, laughing bitterly when gloved hands tried feebly to push him off.

“Is that all you got? I’m disappointed. You talk a big game, but here you are, crushed beneath my heel so easily…” Shadow's voice dripped with scorn. He cast a bored glance at Silver, who was unable to push himself off of Sonic just yet, his eyes clenched shut from the pain. Returning his gaze to snarl down at Sonic again, Shadow's expression hardened. “You think you’re so untouchable, Sonic. But look at you now… Helpless .”

Despite the situation, Sonic met bared teeth with a grin of his own, green eyes sharpening as he attempted to place his hands beneath Shadow’s large boot. “You think so?”

Shadow leaned over, his chest pressing against his knee, ears twitching as a mocking smile grew on his muzzle. Green Chaos energy engulfed the hand with dried blood on the back of it, glowing brightly. “It’s a look that suits you. Maybe if you beg I’ll let you go…” he sneered, digging his heel in more.

The hero’s eyes widened slightly as he felt the intense energy radiating from Shadow’s hand even from his place on the floor. His eyes fluttered up at the other, uncertain, before that grin returned with a smugness that made Shadow’s blood boil.

“Threatening me with a good time? Aw, I appreciate that!” Sonic taunted cooly.

With a sudden burst of strength, Sonic managed to shove Shadow’s boot from his face to his chest, freeing his head as the hybrid momentarily lost balance. Gloved hands rushed upwards, grabbing at the Ultimate Lifeform’s ankle and knee, before yanking him forward. Shadow tripped over the two with a grunt, giving Sonic the time to weasel his way from beneath Silver and back to his feet.

“But you’re gonna have to do more than talk if you wanna top me~!” 

Silver groaned once more, struggling to push himself up, but Sonic was already in motion. He charged at Shadow, who was just getting to his knees, and delivered a swift kick to the side, sending him sprawling across the ground. This did nothing to stop the Ultimate Lifeform, who quickly rolled back into a battle stance, eyes blazing with fury as he lunged at the blue blur with a hiss. 

As the two clashed in a flurry of limbs and quills, Sonic couldn’t help the feeling of euphoria bubbling in his chest. He was reminded of their dance at the party last night, the way their bodies moved under the lights and music at a pace the blue hedgehog had controlled masterfully. Shadow hadn’t fought so hard to lead then as he was now, sending tingles of excitement down the blue hedgehog’s spine. This new dance was one of blood, sweat, and fists, and it filled the hero’s heart with dark intentions. The hybrid likely didn’t know how beautiful he looked with such passion so visibly available on his face, reminding the hero of their younger selves and their past altercations. How long had it been since Shadow let himself enjoy a fight? 

How long until Sonic could break him down again?

His grin widened, the thrill of the battle merging with his own musings. He recalled how not so many days ago, he’d felt nauseous at the mere idea of hurting Shadow, holding the other like he was made of glass. Now, things were different. Or rather, his understanding of what his mind defined as hurt had shifted…

It should’ve worried him. 

But with Shadow so needy he didn’t care.

As he ducked under a powerful punch from Shadow, feeling the wind from the strike ruffle his quills, a laugh escaped him. With a swift counter, he delivered a punch to Shadow’s ribs, relishing the grunt of pain that escaped the other hedgehog’s lips. Each hit, each dodge, was a reminder of the raw, unfiltered connection they shared in these moments. The world around them was fading. Getting lost in this fight wasn’t so bad.

Shadow’s eyes blazed with intensity, a mix of anger and exhilaration. He didn’t need to be told; he could feel it in the way their movements synchronized, each attack met with a counter, each strike a challenge answered. It was as if they were locked in a song that only they could hear, a brutal ballet of power and skill.

“You’re getting sloppy, Shadow!” Sonic taunted, his voice carrying over the sounds of their combat. He could see the strain on Shadow’s face, the effort it took to keep up with his relentless pace. It was intoxicating, pushing Shadow to his limits, watching the cracks in his facade appear.

Shadow’s response was a fierce growl, launching himself at Sonic with renewed fury. Their blows were a blur, their bodies moving in a violent, mesmerizing rhythm. Sonic could see the determination in Shadow’s eyes, the refusal to be beaten, the fire that had always made him such a formidable opponent. He cared not for the blood he could taste in his mouth, or the way the other’s attacks made his body ache. Sonic lived for this. Shadow was so much stronger physically, it made him wonder if he’d lose…

But Sonic had an advantage, a darker edge that he wasn’t afraid to use… 

Some would say it was his most valuable weapon…

His mouth. 

As they clashed again, their hands pushing against the other’s in an attempt to dominate, he leaned in close, his voice a whisper in Shadow’s still twitching ear. He didn't know where his next words came from, but they bubbled out of his throat like an unspoken truth.

“Heh! You hide behind that tough exterior, but I see right through you,” Sonic taunted, his voice dripping with a mix of amusement and challenge. He relished in the way Shadow twitched beneath his breath. “So desperate to prove yourself, but there’s nothing you can hide. You crave more than just battle, right? Admit it.”

The words had their intended effect, a flicker of doubt crossing Shadow’s features. It was brief, but Sonic saw it, and he knew he was getting closer. Punching and kicking all day, as fun as it would be, would not have the same effect as the way his words clawed into the Ultimate Lifeform’s head. 

Sonic’s heart pounded with the thrill of it, the anticipation of seeing Shadow finally give in. He wanted to push him to that breaking point, to see the raw vulnerability beneath the barbed exterior. It wasn’t just about winning; it was about dominance, about proving something to himself and to Shadow.

Should he have felt bad? Yes. Was that inkling of care being stomped on metaphorically, to pursue the reactions he wanted? Yes. Shadow wouldn’t judge him though, not really. He was too sweet and pretty and he wanted this too much to do so.

“What else do you want, Shadow?” The hero pushed forward, his smile wicked and taunting as the Ultimate Lifeform buckled under the weight of his words. Shadow’s red eyes widened, and a flush of red began to spread across his cheeks.

“You act so tough, but deep down, you’re just as lost as the rest of us,” Sonic continued, his voice softening but maintaining its edge. “You want something real, don’t you? Something more than just fights and missions. You want connection, to release some of that control… Maybe you want another kiss… ?” 

The pause for dramatic effect must’ve been deafening. A purr elicited from deep in his throat, his tail wagging behind him as he leaned just a tad closer. He could feel the hands in his hold shaking, being pushed back against his force, and green eyes sparkled with joy at the situation he had only ever dreamed of being in. 

“... You want… all of m – WOAH !”

Before Sonic could finish his thought, Shadow abruptly yanked him forward, catching the hero completely off guard. With a swift, decisive motion, Shadow hurled Sonic over his head like a ragdoll. Sonic’s startled yelp echoed through the arena as he tumbled through the air, crashing to the ground with a resounding thud. As he struggled to lift his head, his quills swaying with the motion, he briefly made eye contact with Shadow.

Only for a heartbeat.

In that fleeting moment, Sonic swore he glimpsed something in Shadow’s eyes. 

Fear.

It was a raw, vulnerable expression that seemed almost ethereal against the backdrop of his hardened exterior. The Ultimate Lifeform’s face, usually a mask of cold resolve, betrayed a flicker of trepidation, hauntingly beautiful and deeply unsettling.

Something in Sonic snapped.

How could he ever be good again after seeing such an expression so rare…?

He wanted more.

He needed more. 

Shadow…

Shadow must’ve seen something the hero couldn’t hide on his face, because his fur bristled defensively almost immediately.. Sonic didn’t believe it, but the dark hedgehog’s body turned, breaking off into a sprint. 

Shadow the Hedgehog.

Was running. 

Running away.

From Sonic.

The sight was almost surreal, and a sick, twisted amount of glee blossomed in his chest as he took off after him. Green eyes sparkled as a joyful smile grew on his face. 

“...Oh geez…”

Silver felt completely out of his league.

This wasn’t unusual for him, if he were honest. Though he had played a crucial role in saving the world on multiple occasions, he still had a lot to learn when it came to combat. Sonic and Shadow outclassed him in many ways, with speed being the most glaring difference, so the white hedgehog could only watch in awe as the two engaged in their frenetic dance while he still fought to recover.

He wasn’t entirely sure what to make of their struggle. It seemed more like a high-stakes game of tag, with Sonic in relentless pursuit and Shadow evading him with desperate agility. The arena, though spacious, wasn’t large enough to accommodate Shadow’s acceleration-based movement, marking him at a clear disadvantage. He was forced to rely on his brute strength and cunning to keep Sonic at bay, swiping and kicking with precision to break free every time the blue blur managed to get a grip on him, and he’d dash away the moment he was loose. This didn’t deter Sonic at all, who would simply laugh and bound after him with a wide smile on his face.

The chaotic hunt, one of power and speed, intensified as Shadow leapt into the air, bouncing off the walls with incredible force, the surfaces creaking under the immense pressure. Sonic mirrored him effortlessly, both of them becoming blurs of black and blue that flew like the wind. They seemed lost in their game, oblivious to everything around them.

“Are you alright?”

Silver turned to see a gloved hand outstretched to him, one he took without a second thought. Blaze pulled him to his feet, her eyes fixed on the battle before them, her tail swishing behind her with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity. She watched the hedgehogs' swift movements, her gaze sharp and focused, able to keep up with their rapid exchange.

“This is getting out of hand,” Blaze murmured, her tone laced with concern. “I’ve never seen them do this before...”

Silver hummed, wincing at the ache he still felt in his body as he struggled to keep up with their speed. “Yeah, I should probably join back in…”

Blaze's grip tightened on Silver’s hand for a moment before she released it, her eyes never leaving the two combatants. “I don’t know. Only if you’re certain…”

“It’s no problem! It’s just a… sparring match?” Silver’s words sounded as if he was trying to convince himself as much as her. He slapped his hands on his cheeks to wake himself from his stupor. Cyan power engulfed him gently, lifting him off the ground as he floated toward the center of the arena.

Blaze bit her lip, her ears twitching as she watched…

Silver was an optimist, but he was also a realist. He knew he couldn’t hope to catch either of them with their speed, but he could use their predictable movements to his advantage. As they dashed around, the paths they followed started to form a pattern. Carefully, he raised a wooden box, letting it float around him idly while he concentrated.

“They’re fast, but if I can just time it right...” he muttered to himself, his eyes tracking their movements intently.

He waited, watching the blurs of black and blue darting around the arena. Each step, each turn, was a piece of the puzzle he was trying to solve. Silver’s fingers twitched in anticipation, his focus narrowing to a single point…

Sonic was having a blast.

The tantalizing sight of his quarry, the sleek black fur adorning powerful muscles that flexed and stiffened every time the speedster managed to grab him, was making his heart pound in his ears deafeningly. He could hear Shadow, though. The way the hybrid’s breath hitched, every squeak, gasp, and grunt that left his pretty mouth was like a song. No one else could run away from Sonic like this, no one could hope to escape him…

It was terrifying. He knew, deep down, he had always longed for a moment like this. Battling with Shadow had always fed into this sick pleasure in the recesses of his heart, but he had always managed to control it. However, watching the Ultimate Lifeform run away from him now was festering something sinister in his soul. It reminded him of when he was small, before meeting Knuckles, Amy, and even Tails. He had only lived for thrills back then, uncaring of anything except this feeling…

The said thrill was intoxicating, and the exhilaration of the chase pushed Sonic to new heights emotionally. He savored every moment, every frantic attempt by Shadow to evade him. The speedster’s eyes gleamed with a predatory intensity, his mind consumed by the primal desire to catch his prey. Shadow's movements were frantic, his desperation adding a dangerous edge to their deadly game that only made the hero’s heart flutter. Sonic's grin widened, his teeth bared as he closed in on his target. His instincts screamed at him to pounce, to claim his victory, but he held back, prolonging the chase for just a little longer…

Only Shadow could handle it, after all. No one else was this fast, this resilient, this susceptible to breaking.

What will you do when you catch him?

‘...’

Each stride brought him closer, the distance between them shrinking with every heartbeat. The blue blur could feel the heat radiating from Shadow, hear the rapid thudding of his heart like it were his own, and it only fueled his lust. The Ultimate Lifeform's resistance was futile; Sonic was unstoppable, a force of nature driven by a dark, insatiable hunger. 

The raw exhilaration was all-consuming. This was his moment, the culmination of years of rivalry and unspoken tension. He would catch Shadow, he would conquer him, hold him, love him, save him…

They would both feel truly alive–

The wooden box that hit him sent the hero to the ground with a yelp, the wood bursting apart like rain as he faltered. Shadow took the opportunity to disappear among the rows of large metal crates on the other side of the arena, desperate to catch his breath. Sonic rolled onto his chest, his green eyes piercing as he whipped around to stare at Silver.

Silver smirked, prideful he managed to hit anyone at all. He began storing energy in his hand, his smirk only faltering when he made eye contact with Sonic, whose expression resembled that unsettling blank stare from earlier.

“Uh... sorry?” Silver stammered, his earlier confidence waning. He had wanted to say something smug, like Sonic or Shadow would have, but he couldn’t find the courage with the hero staring at him like that.

Sonic’s eyes were sharp and narrowed as he pushed himself up slowly. “Nice shot,” he said, his tone eerily calm, yet laced with an undercurrent of something darker. “Really impressive.”

Silver’s heart skipped a beat, the thrill of his earlier success quickly replaced by a surge of apprehension. He wanted to say something, something witty or clever like Sonic or Shadow would do, but he would not get the opportunity to do so.

Sonic was there one moment, gone the next

A hand wrapped itself around his ankle from where the white hedgehog was floating, dragging him down through the air and slamming him into the ground. His body shook from the impact as he lay there gasping, forcing his eyes open when he felt Sonic’s shoe press against his chest. Hard. He wheezed, unable to catch his breath from the pressure.

Sonic was smiling, wagging a finger at him playfully in a ‘no’ gesture, but the way he was staring made Silver shudder. There was an unsettling intensity in those green eyes, a mixture of amusement and… well, he didn’t know.

"Silver, buddy, I’m gonna need you to sit this one out. Okay?" Sonic's voice was deceptively gentle, a stark contrast to the pressure on Silver's chest. The telekinetic opened his mouth to speak, but no words left him. He couldn’t get up, he couldn’t attack. He just sat there, dumbfounded as fear gripped him.

‘Wait… fear…?’

In what world should he be afraid of Sonic the Hedgehog…?

“There’s something strange going on, Silver. Do you… feel any different?” 

Blaze’s question echoed in his mind then. Its relevance was not lost on him now.

Fearing Sonic wasn’t exactly an unheard-of concept. He was the Savior of the planet, yes, but those who opposed him likely didn’t enjoy facing off against him. But… Silver never considered it a feeling he himself should experience. It felt unnatural to associate such a bright hedgehog with such a negative feeling…

…

His mind felt… foggy...

Why…?

Did… did Sonic…? No...

Silver swallowed hard, nodding weakly as his eyes fluttered shut. The power he had been storing dissipated, and he knew better than to challenge Sonic in this moment. The hero's demeanor left no room for argument. He felt numb…

Sonic’s smile widened, satisfied with Silver’s compliance. "Good. Now, where was I?" He lifted his red shoe from the telekinetic's chest, placing it on the ground to tap it impatiently. He needed to find Shadow again, but that wouldn’t be too hard. Then they’d pick up where they left off…

It made him tingle with excitement.

"Sonic."

The blue hedgehog blinked, turning his head to see Blaze approaching, embers flowing from her steps as she glared at him harshly. She approached him with a steady pace, sizing him up as though he were an enemy. That’s confusing. What did he do?

"Blaze?" Sonic's voice was puzzled, his thrill momentarily interrupted by her fiery presence. Even in his state of joy, he couldn’t underestimate her like the rest. She had been his rival too, once upon a time, with skill that could leave him scorched if he weren’t careful. He put his hands up defensively when she pushed him away with one strong hand against his chest, her usually collected demeanor twisted into one of worry and protectiveness.

“What was that? What did you just do?!” she demanded, her burning gold eyes fierce as she placed herself between Sonic and the dazed white hedgehog still on the ground. The hero backed off with a nervous grin, not wishing to poke to sleeping beast he knew she was capable of becoming, green eyes darting around to invent an answer.

“I… I really don’t know what you mean…!” Sonic stammered, his confusion evident.

“You can’t be serious. I’ve stated before I am unfamiliar with your world’s Chaos energy, but that doesn’t mean I can’t sense it. Silver would not act like this from such meager physical injuries!” Blaze's frustration was apparent, fire engulfed her hands as her mere presence threatened to torch him. “What did you do…?!”

“Act like… what…?” The blue hedgehog hadn’t noticed, but Silver had his face buried in his hands where he was sitting, groaning from pain they could not perceive the cause of. Sonic frowned, placing a hand on his chin. 

When did… what?

The familiar sound of tails swirling caught both of their attention, the two turning to see Tails and Knuckles descending. Rouge was behind them, her wings flapping gently as she carried Amy to the ground. They all looked so stern, and Sonic could feel sweat form on his brow again. He didn’t even notice the bat leaving them to fly over to the crates her partner was hidden behind…

He had been good. He had been good he had been good hehadbeengoodhehadbeengoodsogoodsowhy-

“I think that’s enough testing, I’ve gotten what I needed…” Tails trailed off as he looked at his brother with exhaustion in his eyes. The fox's demeanor was outright weary.

…Sonic hated seeing that expression on his brother’s face so often lately. The guilt was eating him alive…

Behind the crates, Shadow leaned against the cold, metal surface, his breaths ragged and heavy as a fist clenched over his fluffy chest. He was bent over, his other hand pressed against his knee as he fought to control himself.

He didn’t know what came over him. Something about Sonic just… got into his head too quickly.

Too intimately. 

The intensity of the chase, the hungry gleam in Sonic’s eyes, and the visceral thrill of being hunted like he were some lowly Mobian had all converged into a terrifying clarity. He didn’t know why he panicked, why he turned tail to run, but he was ashamed of himself.

Ashamed…

…intrigued.

The hybrid hissed bitterly, his vision swimming as his cheeks turned scarlet. He was despicable. Truly disgusting. Any moment of confidence he’d had lately was so quickly squashed by his own tangled intentions. The humiliation of running away, the thrill of Sonic’s relentless pursuit, and the dark, twisted curiosity about his own feelings gnawed at him.

Shadow's breath came in shallow gasps as he tried to regain his composure. The way Sonic looked at him, with that predatory intensity, had stirred something deep and conflicting within him. He wanted to hate it, to hate Sonic for making him feel this way, but he couldn’t. He was supposed to be the Ultimate Lifeform, strong and unyielding. Yet here he was, hiding and trembling like a scared child. The shame was overwhelming...

But so was the strange, inexplicable allure of being the focus of Sonic’s undivided attention. The blush on his cheeks was betraying him. His body was working against him. With a frustrated growl, he slammed his fist against the crate, the sharp pain doing little to ground him.

“Hun? You alright?”

Black ears flattened at the sound of Rouge landing beside him, her form in his peripheral as he refused to look at her directly. He could imagine the look on her face: worried with a hint of the annoyance she had earlier before the test began. He turned to shove his face into the arm still pressed against the crate, gritting his teeth.

“Shadow,” she called softly, a mix of concern and exasperation in her voice. “What’s going on with you?”

“No hablo Inglés,” he growled weakly, his voice muffled by his arm as he wished he were anywhere else. The bat tsked behind him, and he could feel her hands pulling lightly on his shoulders, away from the safety of the crate.

“No more of that today. Tails is going to tell us what he found out from your… little show earlier…” Shadow was turned around, their shoulders pressed together, and warily he looked at her with drooping ears. He had been correct about the perturbed expression riddling her face, and he felt guilty to be the cause. Rouge continued softly, her wing wrapping around him as she lowered her voice to a hush. “What was that, anyway? You… never run, hun…”

“I… I can’t say…” Shadow shook his head, hating himself more with each passing second.

Rouge the Bat and Shadow the Hedgehog were not always such close friends. When they first met, Gerald’s plans had left the hedgehog confused and angry , while Rouge simply worked for her own means with G.U.N.. Years of their paths crossing and Rouge seeking out his company, (with a few existential crises mixed in somewhere) had forged a bond beyond what anyone expected. They knew a lot about one another, and it usually didn’t take long for Shadow to open his heart to her when they were alone. He could never express how grateful he was for that, but they weren’t the type to gush about such topics. Rouge likely already knew and felt similarly herself.

But… this?

She wouldn’t judge him. He knew that. He really did. So why was it so hard? Why did the words stick in his throat like shards of glass?

The thief sighed, pulling him closer with her wing as they began walking out from their obscured hiding place. Each step felt heavy despite the tension slowly easing from his frame. When he finally caught sight of Sonic again, the blue hedgehog standing amongst his friends with green eyes immediately shifting from them to Shadow, he hesitated only slightly.

Only slightly.

“Fine. Keep your secrets. Let’s just get through this first…” Rouge shot the slightly shorter hedgehog a pointed look, her tone serious as they walked. “We will talk about this later, and you will open up about what’s going on…”

If the thief declared it, it would be so. It almost made the headache Shadow had worse…

...

“Now that everyone’s here…” Tails started, nodding to Rouge and Shadow, who stood off to the side with grumpy expressions on their faces, the bat’s wing wrapped around him still in silent support. Shadow had his eyes glued to the ground, his disheveled quills on end, and the fox slowly shifted his blue eyes to his brother. Sonic was staring at Shadow rather openly, tapping his foot…

‘...Why was he tapping his foot so much today?’   Sonic’s impatience was usually tolerable on a good day, but the readings on his tablet confirmed it wasn’t going to be a good day any longer.

“First thing’s first. Silver, are you okay?” Tails asked, his voice tinged with concern. The white hedgehog was still sitting on the floor, his face buried in his hands as Blaze rubbed his shoulder, glaring harshly at Sonic. After a few seconds, the telekinetic gave a weak thumbs-up, his movements slow and weary. Amy pouted fretfully, peeking over Tails' shoulder at the tablet.

“What happened to him, Tails? Sonic didn’t hurt him, did he?” she asked, her worry evident.

Sonic scoffed, his gaze shifting from Shadow to roll his eyes at the accusation. “I didn’t do anything worse than what Shadow did! You told us to fight, and none of us held back! Maybe he used too much of his… uh, telekinetic juice?” He shrugged nonchalantly, avoiding Blaze’s scowl.

Ignoring his brother, Tails turned to Shadow curiously. “Shadow, how about you? Are you okay?”

Such a loaded question.

It was hard to ignore the physical condition all three hedgehogs were in after the test. Bruises, cuts, scrapes, and bumps surely littered their skin and coats, with dried blood visible on the Ultimate Lifeform’s hand. Tails knew beforehand they were going to push this beyond what most normal people would call ‘sparring’, and if he knew anything about hedgehogs, they seemed to enjoy showing off regardless of what happened to their bodies. It couldn’t be helped. So the physicality wasn’t the concern.

Shadow didn’t respond initially, still avoiding eye contact. When the silence stretched, his red eyes shifted to meet the fox’s carefully. He gave a short nod, his usual bravado nowhere to be seen before he looked away again.

“Okay. Sonic,” The fox turned to the hero now, frowning at the smug smile that was plastered on his face. “I’m going to take a guess and say you think you feel fine?”

“‘Think’? Bro, I feel great! It’s been a while since the three of us got to fight like that! It was…” Green eyes went back to Shadow again, a chuckle escaping him. “... Fun .”

Ignoring him once more, Tails tapped at his tablet with nimble fingers and a tense expression. Taking a few steps back so everyone could get a clearer view of him as he presented the device’s screen. After one deep breath, he began.

“So, the collars I had Sonic, Shadow, and Silver wear measure both Chaos – real and artificial – and Dark Gaia energies with about a 90% accuracy,” Tails began, his tone professional as he tapped his tablet. “Generally speaking, all three of you have high amounts of normal natural Chaos stored within you at any given time. Shadow has the highest reserves, Silver comes in close second, while Sonic lags behind them both.” He pressed the screen, presenting a chart that demonstrated all three of their normal readings. The graphs looked complex, but he hoped the visuals would make the impending shift in numbers understandable. “Now, as you see here…”

Another button press, and one chart – presumably Sonic’s – flashed an angry red as the artificial Chaos and Dark Gaia readings skyrocketed. Tails’ ears twitched as the concerned whispers.

“This is what I’ve been collecting the past few days while Shadow’s been removing some of the fake Chaos inside of Sonic. Believe it or not, this actually isn’t as bad as it sometimes gets. The reason for today’s test was not only to compare your levels…”

The screen changed, making the onlookers gasp, frown, and murmur in disbelief amongst themselves.

“...But to also determine if this serum affects those around its host…”

All three charts… all red…

Sonic blinked slowly, his foot still tapping incessantly.

“What the hell happened?” Knuckles moved forward to squint at the screen, his muzzle crinkling in confusion.

Tails made a subdued sound before continuing. “It appears that all three of you are exhibiting elevated levels of artificial Chaos and Dark Gaia energy. This suggests that whatever is affecting Sonic might be spreading, or resonating, with both Shadow and Silver.”

Shadow snapped his head up, quills visibly bristling. Rouge’s wing held him closer, and she turned her nose up pointedly in disgust.

“That… doesn’t make any sense! They weren’t injected. What do you mean it’s ‘spreading’…?”

“Er, well, it’s not a disease, and it’s definitely not permanent…” Tails lowered the tablet, his mind buzzing with possibilities. “Chaos is everywhere around us at all times, so it’s relatively simple to pass energy from one person to the next if you know what you’re doing. Shadow does this pretty well nowadays. When Sonic is in a high-tension situation, like a physical fight, it seems to latch on to whoever else is susceptible for a short time period.”

“...Is that what happened in Central City…?” Amy looked between the three hedgehogs and Tails, her hands clasped over her chest in prayer. The fox nodded.

Shadow paled.

Only one person noticed.

“Right. Shadow using Chaos Blast to expel the excess energy was a smart move. If he hadn’t, I’m not sure what would’ve occurred…” The genius turned to Rouge and the hedgehog in question, his ear twitching. “This might seem random, but I’ve been wondering. When the Earth was broken apart by Eggman during the Dark Gaia crisis, where was Team Dark? I tried contacting you guys, but I never got a response from you or G.U.N. until the planet was restored…”

Shadow growled defensively, but Rouge held up a hand to silence him. She crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze locked on Tails with a serious expression. G.U.N. business, as casual as the bat made it seem, was highly confidential, especially regarding world-altering events. She seemed to be weighing her options, but finally, she spoke in a low tone.

“...G.U.N., as you can imagine, was dealing with mass hysteria and offering worldwide aid to nations in need. Omega and I were combating terrorists exploiting the crisis to seize control of their local governments across the globe, as well as saving civilians from the Dark Gaia monsters that festered at night. G.U.N. was stretched incredibly thin resource-wise, and it was difficult…” She trailed off, biting her lip and bringing a hand up to her forehead with a groan. She realized something…

“What about Shadow…?” Amy asked the question on everyone’s mind, her hands still clasped together in concern. Rouge’s expression grew somber.

“...Shadow was bedridden for the entirety of the conflict.”

“ ‘Bedridden’ ?! Wh… Why?” The pink hedgehog’s eyes widened as she turned to look fully at the dark hedgehog who pushed away from Rouge and turned his back to the group with a scowl. Tails’ eyebrows shot up in alarm, his curiosity piqued by Rouge’s next revelation.

“How would a doctor study the effects of a new, experimental medicine if the test subject was immune to everything from the start? Being the Ultimate Lifeform means Shadow doesn’t die from diseases, poisons, or foreign concepts like energies, but it does mean he’s extremely sensitive to them until he builds immunity. Dark Gaia energy was new and unprecedented; he was unable to combat it and had to be kept in isolation for his own safety.” Rouge drew in a breath, her eyes darkening as she recalled the difficult experience. “He was practically incapacitated throughout the whole crisis...”

Shadow hissed something under his breath, offering no confirmation or denial as his fists shook from contained rage. Admitting weakness was always hard for him. Tails felt bad for him, but having confirmation of that made other things fall into place within his mind.

“Alright, that makes sense,” Tails chimed in after a pause in conversation, looking down at his tablet screen once more. “Honestly, I kind of figured as much. It’s why I needed Silver here too. Like I said, he was my baseline. I’ve discovered he’s got great resistance against both Dark Gaia and artificial Chaos. But Sonic getting… worked up must’ve been too much. Thankfully, the energy level is going down for the both of them…” 

“...Something is very weird about this though,” Knuckles chimed in, his muzzle still wrinkled as he looked between all three male hedgehogs with narrowed eyes. Finally, he settled his gaze on Sonic, who had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the discussion. Rotating his shoulder absentmindedly, the echidna spoke his next thoughts aloud.

“I get that Dark Gaia and artificial Chaos have their own properties outside of the normal Chaos we’re used to, but at the end of the day, they’re still energy. Energy can be controlled and used for many different purposes. ‘ Chaos is Power, Power Enriched by the Heart ’, as you all know. Sonic isn’t running around oozing black aura like he had in Central City, and he seems fine behavior-wise. So why can’t Sonic just control it and not project it onto Shadow and Silver?” The echidna cocked his head to the side as he scrutinized the blue hero. “Surely it’s not that strong…”

Tails blinked, caught off guard by the question. Knuckles’ understanding of Chaos energy was more nuanced than his own, but while Tails was always grateful for the echidna’s insight, he didn’t think anyone would be happy to hear his hypothesis.

“Er, I… well…” The fox hesitated, his mind racing to catch up with Knuckles’ query. He fumbled with the tablet, flipping through the data screens as he tried to piece together a different explanation. His mind went back to a different topic, the trigger he had associated with every one of Sonic’s meltdowns as far back as Eggman’s attack on the Camp. But… to say that out loud… It was a can of worms a certain two hedgehogs would take poorly… For everyone’s safety, he might have to mention it anyway…

All eyes, save for Shadow’s and Silver’s, turned expectantly toward Sonic when Tails didn’t answer.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

“...What are you implying, Knux?” Sonic huffed, a dramatic wave of his hand punctuating his frustration. He offered a nervous smile, glancing between his friends. “I seriously thought we were just fighting! I didn’t notice any weird energy releasing from me! Even if I can use Chaos Control, I can’t sense that kinda stuff. You know that!”

Knuckles raised an eyebrow, his arms still crossed as he stared at Sonic. “I’m not implying anything. I’m just saying maybe you need to take this seriously before you do something stupid!”

Sonic clicked his tongue before throwing his hands up in a flippant shrug. “I’m just not seeing an issue here! If it’s not permanent and Shadow’s getting this stuff outta me anyway, then it’s all just business as usual, right?”

The Gaurdian’s eye twitched, his voice lowering as he stepped towards Sonic. “Are you for real? Think, Sonic! What’s going to happen if you, Shadow, Silver, or anyone else gets caught up in your mess has to fight Eggman or some other threat, and they’re unable to fight because of the energy you’re giving off? What if you freak out again and no one’s able to stop you? What if you hurt someone? You’re being way too reckless! This isn’t just about you having fun or letting off steam. It’s about everyone around you getting hurt or being put at risk because you can’t control yourself.” 

Knuckles was right. Tails opened his mouth to say something, feeling the rising tension, but of course, Sonic beat him to it and decided to make it worse.

“Well, if it’s such a big deal, then maybe you all should just stay out of my way! If I’m causing problems, then you shouldn’t be fighting alongside me in the first place!” With a clap of his gloved hands, the hero smiled as that bright idea came to his mind. And his foot… still tapping erratically.

Knuckles’ anger flared, his fists trembling as he struggled to contain his rage. “You’re a fucking idiot, Sonic. That might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Oh My Chaos. And for the love of – stop with the tapping, you’re driving me crazy!”

Blaze, her patience wearing thin, shot a glare at Sonic from beside Silver. The telekinetic had finally lifted his head, his eyes filled with a mix of pain and frustration as his mind cleared. When the princess spoke, her voice was leveled but bitter. “Seriously, Sonic? Do you think we should just let you run wild? Is that really your solution?”

Sonic’s smirk wavered, his eyes darting between Blaze and Knuckles rapidly. Despite the rising tension, he continued tapping his foot. Impatient. He was so impatient. But for what? “Well, it’s not like you’re helping by getting in my face about it. Just let Shadow handle it, and no one has to get hurt from getting in his way”

Rouge shook her head, her wings fluttering with irritation. “You’re unbelievable. This isn’t about us getting in his, or yours, or anyone’s way; it’s about making sure everyone’s safe! You remember what you did to Shadow, don’t you? Do you want to do that again?”

Sonic paused.

Tap.

Amy’s eyes widened in horror. “ Sonic !”

“What? No, obviously not!” Sonic raised his hands defensively, his eyes darting around his friends in a rapid, panicked motion. This was spiraling out of control, and Sonic could feel his words slipping away from him. It was like his mind had gone on autopilot, and his mouth was taking over. Struggling for some semblance of control, he took a deep breath, trying to steady himself as he fought to find the words...

But Tails was quicker. 

“...I don’t think Shadow should help you anymore,” Tails said softly, his eyes dropping to the tablet to avoid contact. Sonic’s body tensed visibly, his confusion morphing into a mix of shock and disbelief.

…What?

The fox continued.

“Every time you’ve had a freakout or a major spike in the effects of the serum, Shadow was there. Not to mention you’ve both been acting… strangely. I know you’re working through some… relationship developments right now, but I honestly think distance would be best until we get a better idea on how to fix this.” Tails paused, his expression deeply troubled. “I… I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep relying on Shadow. It’s putting too much strain on both of you. Wayward energy can be very dangerous. If Shadow lost control of it before, it might not be safe to risk until he is able to gain some kind of resistance...”

…

Sonic’s expression had grown blank. 

The tapping stopped.

Tails fully expected some sort of meltdown, clutching his tablet to his chest as the awkward silence stretched. All three hedgehogs still wore the collars, their readings still being monitored, and as expected, the device beeped in warning. Tails didn’t dare look at the screen. He still believed Sonic wouldn’t hurt him regardless of whatever was affecting him. It was a gamble much like the day Eggman attacked, and despite the lack of trust he felt toward the hero as of late, he still loved his brother dearly. Bracing himself, he inhaled slowly…

But it wasn’t Sonic that approached him.

The fox yelped in surprise when his tablet was smacked out of his hands, jumping in fright at the sudden form before him. "Sh-Shadow!"

The Ultimate Lifeform’s chest heaved with barely controlled anger, towering over Tails with a dangerous glint in his eyes that made the younger Mobian shudder. "Who the fuck do you think you’re talking about?!" His voice was low and menacing, a warning siren to all who heard it.

Rouge was at his side in an instant, grabbing his arm with an alarmed expression. “Shadow, hun, relax!”

“I am the Ultimate Lifeform! Nothing can control me!” He yanked his arm away from the bat with a scowl, his eyes burning with defiance. The tension in the air was thick as he pointed accusatorily at the genius. “You think I’m a liability ?!”

Knuckles shoved his way between the fox and the hybrid as soon as he registered the threat, raising a fist toward Shadow’s chest to shove him back, his eyes narrowed challengingly. “Stand down, man. It was just a suggestion.”

“A ‘suggestion’ ?!” Shadow hissed, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he bared his teeth in the echidna’s face. “You think questioning my control is just a suggestion?!”

“I-I wasn’t trying to say that! It’s just, the numbers don’t lie. The reason Silver isn’t feeling well right now is because of Sonic’s energy affecting him.” Tails peered around Knuckles’ arm, his ears flattened against his head in worry as he gulped. He had gotten used to Shadow over the years, but his bursts of anger were still scary. “Are you telling us you haven’t been feeling off at all when dealing with all of this…?”

…

Shadow locked his jaw, face contorting into displeasure as his body shook from rage. His eyes burned with defiance, but behind the anger, there was a flicker of something else – something he refused to acknowledge. In a sudden, violent motion, he ripped the device around his neck off, crushing it easily in his hand to Tails’ dismay. 

“I’m fine,” Shadow snarled, his voice dripping with acid.

“Well, you heard him!” Sonic suddenly popped up between Knuckles and Shadow, pushing them apart with a grin plastered on his face as though he were oblivious to the conflict growing. The echidna sputtered in surprise while Shadow's eyes simply narrowed. The group’s attention was now fully on Sonic, whose seemingly carefree demeanor did little to alleviate the tension in the air.

“If Shadow says he can handle it, I think we should listen! He’s fine right now; maybe Silver just isn’t used to the combined effects yet since he hasn’t been working with us for the past week! Regardless, I think we can find a compromise,” Sonic added, his gaze shifting to Tails with a sly smile. “When these things happen, we usually get a Chaos Emerald to help, right? Would that not be a good idea?”

Tails hesitated, his mind racing as he weighed their options. “...That doesn’t sound like it’d be terrible. It might stabilize the energy readings and neutralize some of the artificial Chaos. But finding one won’t be easy…”

Rouge’s eyes sparkled with intrigue as she smirked, a whimsical sigh escaping her. Despite her worries and the aggravation the group was feeling, gems always made her feel better. Especially ones like the Chaos Emeralds! “That’s a great idea~! I could check with G.U.N. – they might have one they’ve been keeping from me…”

Sonic whistled in approval, a laugh leaving him.

“Alright! While Rouge does that, Shadow and I will keep up with our sessions. Once we have the Emerald, we can rethink our game plan! I’ll keep staying out of trouble, Shadow will become more resistant, and a Chaos Emerald will solve all of our problems! Simple as that!” The hero knelt casually in front of his brother, lifting his fist expectantly as his tail wagged behind him. “What do you say, bud? It’s your call!”

…

Tails frowned.

The plan made sense – they had no other options until Tails could investigate further. Yet Sonic’s overly relaxed demeanor unsettled him. His cheerful tone seemed too upbeat, his solution too simplistic, and his smile a bit too wide. It was something only Tails, who had known his brother for so long, could notice. It was disquieting…

Yet, Tails knew he couldn’t act on it just yet. He needed to prepare, even if he hated the idea of waiting any longer. If things took a turn for the worse, he knew he’d be the one everyone looked to for a solution. The panic he felt that morning showed him he couldn’t make a mistake…

Sonic would thank him later, once he was better.

“…Sounds good,” Tails said quietly, fist-bumping his brother and forcing a dry smile at Sonic’s exuberant laughter. Later, he’d chat with Silver about what he was feeling. He’d convince Shadow to open up about what was going on. He’d find a way to do the unthinkable…

“See, Shad? All’s well that ends well!” Sonic said with a skip in his step, turning to the hybrid with a broad grin. “Now we can still – oh?”

Shadow was not there.

Don’t let him leave.

Sonic’s green eyes darted toward the arena’s entrance, spotting the hybrid storming off with bristled quills and a stormy expression. Without a second thought, and deaf to the protests of his friends, he dashed after him…

-

“Go away, hedgehog!”

The day had been a disaster. The test had been a mess. Everything felt overwhelming. Shadow just wanted to bury himself under a blanket and never come out. His body ached, his head throbbed, and his frustration was growing. Sonic’s relentless attempts to engage only fueled his irritation, like the hero had no clue he was the cause of his anguish both physically and mentally. The blue hedgehog kept darting in front of him, trying to block his path and intrude further into his life. Each time, Shadow shoved him aside, desperate for some peace.

Fortunately, the hallway to his assigned room was empty. Most of the Restoration members were out working, leaving the dorms quiet. Shadow welcomed the solitude. He didn’t think the people who lived here would be too happy if he started beating their precious hero to a bloody pulp.

“Oh, come on! I helped us both out back there!” Sonic reappeared in front of him, his arms outstretched and a warm smile on his face, as if he expected an embrace. “I thought you’d appreciate that! We’ll have more time to be together!”

Shadow’s response was silence as he pushed past Sonic once more, his red eyes narrowing in misery. His mind replayed their earlier chase, the way Sonic’s presence had been a terrifying force and a welcoming change. The tightness in his chest made him swallow hard, trying to keep the lump in his throat at bay. Each step away felt like a struggle against his own turbulent emotions, and Sonic’s hopeful expression only made it harder to maintain his composure.

His door wasn’t far. He could just lock Sonic out and get some rest. He could sleep and ignore everything that’s happened. No serum, no Central City, no kiss, no chase. Nothing. Oblivion was so welcoming. The nerve of that fox to insinuate there was something wrong with him, that Sonic could do anything at all to him…

Shadow was just… tired. Nothing else.

“Shadoowwww, c’mon, don’t be like that…” Sonic pouted at his side, messy quills bouncing with each step he took to follow. He could see the wounds on the other’s body as he moved, hidden mostly by sleek black fur. The hero had to fight the purr of satisfaction that rumbled in his throat at the sight, his own body sore from exerting himself a bit too hard earlier…

Exhilarating. 

He wanted that feeling again…

…Patience wasn’t his strong suit, but he had something else he had to do here. 

As they neared the door to their room, Sonic sprang into action. Just as Shadow’s gloved hand, still marred and stained red from his own blood, reached for the handle, Sonic swiftly grabbed his wrist. Shadow’s breath hitched sharply in surprise as the hero spun him around, pressing his back against the door with a soft thud. The hero moved his hands to hold his crush’s shoulders, a warm feeling blooming in his chest at the surprise etched on the hybrid’s face. 

Time froze for them, for a moment. Sonic wondered why Shadow didn’t just shove him away at the mere audacity of grabbing him like this, but the blue hedgehog knew better than to look a gift hedgehog in the mouth!

“Listen,” Sonic began, his hands applying gentle yet firm pressure on Shadow’s shoulders, trying to convey a sense of reassurance – or perhaps control. Either approach would work. “We need to talk about what happened last night…”

Shadow’s response was immediate and cutting.

“Oh, fuck you.”

Sonic blinked as Shadow’s growl pierced the air, his posture stiffening as he glared at Sonic with intense frustration. Despite the aggressive push from the hybrid, Sonic kept his grip steady on Shadow’s shoulders.

“We were supposed to talk last night, at the party. You said we would, but you didn’t. I don’t want to talk to you right now .”

The hero’s expression softened slightly, though his grip remained firm. Navigating this situation would be challenging, but Sonic was determined to manage it. At the end of the day, he wanted Shadow to like him back. “I get it. You’re upset. But avoiding this isn’t going to help us figure things out…”

“There’s nothing to figure out. I was right about what I said, and the fox confirmed it just now,” Shadow growled, turning his head away to direct his hate-filled gaze at the floor. “You’re not yourself and you don’t mean anything you say. I’m sick of this. Leave me alone. ”

Sonic frowned. Not the best response he could’ve hoped for. “Shadow,” he tried again, shaking his head as he slid his hands down to grip the hybrid’s upper arms. He gave Shadow’s body a light jostle, trying to regain his attention. “I’m still me, even if I messed up. I’m not trying to hurt you. But we do need to talk!”

Shadow’s gaze remained averted, but his body stiffened under Sonic’s grip. Sonic’s voice softened further, filled with a mix of desperation and sincerity. “Please, just give me a chance to explain. I know it’s hard, but don’t shut me out completely. I care about you too much to not fix this…”

Bingo. Shadow didn’t outwardly show it, but Sonic noticed the slight twitch of his black ears, betraying his attentiveness. A smile crept across Sonic’s face, and his tail wagged slightly at the sight. It took every ounce of restraint not to reach out and touch the quivering appendages, but he knew that patience would pay off in the end. 

Drawing in a deep breath, Sonic gently slid his hands down to Shadow's wrists, lifting them with tender care. Shadow’s red eyes flickered from the floor to the hands that now held him, his body motionless as he took in the moment. The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words. As Shadow remained unresponsive, Sonic continued to speak softly, his voice a soothing thread in the quiet space.

“You’re right. I should’ve waited to have that chat with you like you wanted last night. Drinks or not, I should’ve put your feelings first, and I’m really sorry for that…” Sonic’s grip shifted, gently cradling Shadow’s powerful hands in his own. He lowered his green eyes to examine the wound on the back of one, a smile still painted on his lips. “We can have that talk whenever you’re ready. This time, I’ll listen. I promise.”

Still silence. The Ultimate Lifeform leaned back against the door slowly, a small sigh escaping him as his eyelids lowered halfway, a thoughtful look on his face. He didn’t move otherwise, and Sonic did the only thing he could think of.

When Shadow doesn’t respond to soft words, maybe he’d respond to this.

“...You know,” the hero whispered gently, leaning forward to close the gap between them. He noticed Shadow’s eyes snap up to his, his tired expression replaced by alarm in a matter of milliseconds. The agent seemed frozen in place, perfect for Sonic’s intent as he drew closer. He released a slow breath over the other’s face, his tail still wagging with anticipation… until finally…

Finally , Sonic pressed their foreheads together gently, a tender connection that conveyed more than words ever could. The warmth of the contact seemed to bridge the emotional distance between them, the Ultimate Lifeform gasping. Sonic’s breath mingled with Shadow’s, creating a shared space of vulnerability and understanding…

Until one of Sonic’s hands slithered from Shadow’s to touch the other’s abdomen.

“...I had a lot of fun today,” the hero chuckled softly, pressing his fingertips gently against Shadow’s stomach, feeling the muscle hidden beneath the sleek fur as he traced an invisible line upwards towards the fluffy chest. Not only could he hear the other’s sharp intake of breath, but he could feel the faint shudder beneath his fingertips as he drew closer to his target.

The two had cuddled numerous times, but Shadow never let him pet his chest fur for long. Sonic got the impression he was just sensitive there or something, so he never dared to boldly run his fingers through the forbidden fluff without warning. But here he was…

Indulging. 

And Shadow wasn’t stopping him.

“I think we should spar… or race… or chase each other more often…” Sonic’s voice was a soft murmur, his fingers finally reaching the fluffy chest, caressing the fur gently. He could feel the rapid heartbeat beneath his touch, the warmth radiating from Shadow’s body, and he couldn’t hold in his purrs any longer. "I got to see a new side of you today, and it made me very happy. I hope I get to see it more... "

"S...Sonic..."

Shadow's voice, like soft rain, made the hero shiver in adoration. He leaned down slowly, drawing his forehead away so he could get a better view of his rival's face.

The Ultimate Lifeform was barely holding it together. Red eyes were clenched shut, his sensitive ears drooping as a blush fiercely coated his cheeks enough that he was glowing beautifully in Sonic's eyes. His body trembled beneath the hero's ghostly touches, and the hand still held by Sonic’s twitched. The sight was so radiant, and no one was around to interrupt them like they did last night... 

He had been good, after all.

So good.

This was his reward.

...

He was no longer sinking.

He didn't care. Breath blew over the Ultimate Lifeform's lips, the distance between them shrinking. Tonight, he'd show the affection he hadn't been able to before. He'd prove to his Shadow how much he cared. That he wasn't messed up, that everything he felt was real. 

That he, Sonic the Hedgehog, was fine.

Totally fine.

...

'...But five more minutes. I still need to give him his present...'

Before he could even think about it, Sonic reached for the door handle, turning it quickly. If he had waited a moment, he would've remembered that he and Shadow were both pressing their weight against it.

…Again, patience was never his strong suit.

One moment, Shadow thought he was going to die. The next, he was falling ...

...He wished he’d stop associating these two feelings together.

The Ultimate Lifeform hit the ground with a thud, grunting as Sonic landed on top of him unceremoniously in the doorway. He stared up at the ceiling, wide-eyed, his breath ragged in his throat as he processed what the fuck he had just let happen. His chest tingled from the remnants of sensation as a blush burned so hard he thought his ears would turn red. Sonic, equally stunned on top of him, found himself nose-to-nose with Shadow when he lifted his head up from his fluffy chest. They locked eyes, both frozen in time. Five seconds stretched into an eternity, their breathing syncing as they absorbed the unexpected closeness.

What was Shadow supposed to do? That feeling of being lost was there again, the privacy of their environment was making this situation feel more dangerous than anything he'd ever encountered before. He almost wished another Black Comet would strike the planet and take him out so he didn't have to deal with this. Almost.

Sonic was the first to break the spell, his grin returning with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Guess I should've been more careful," he murmured, a hint of laughter in his voice. Without giving Shadow a chance to react, Sonic got up swiftly and, with a firm but gentle grip on Shadow’s wrist, dragged him further into the room. Shadow blinked, still caught off guard by the sudden movement as his lower back rubbed against the carpet, too out of it to shake the other off in his shock. Sonic pulled him with urgency, and after a few steps and a gentle release of his arm, Sonic trotted to the door and kicked it closed loudly. 

Alone at last.

"Great! Where were we...?" Sonic hummed, tapping his foot and rubbing his chin in thought as he looked down at the striped hedgehog still stunned on the ground. His smile was warm and genuine, his own cheeks tinged with a faint blush. The way he stared at Shadow made the latter feel exposed, a state that gnawed at his nerves.

After a few seconds, Sonic inched closer, holding his hand out for the hybrid to take. “Here, let me help you up…”

Without thinking, Shadow swatted the offered hand away like it was poisoned, instead pulling himself to his feet with a growl. He glared at the hero like a cornered animal, fighting to control his irregular breathing and still-present blush. The intensity in Sonic's gaze was unsettling, reminiscent of the events of last night and of the test earlier still. Shadow was not used to being placed in such a position where he was uncertain, not after all these years. Should he fight? Should he run? He hated how that second thought had dared enter his options. Why was he so scared of Sonic?! Had he really gone soft? Was he old news?!

…

What could one realistically do to stop the Fastest Thing Alive?

Imagine being alone, faced with the daunting task of escaping something that could move faster than the speed of sound. Picture the sheer terror of knowing that this entity not only possesses unparalleled speed but also strength and skill beyond the capabilities of most people on the planet. In such a scenario, what could you possibly do?

Theoretically, the odds are overwhelmingly stacked against you. The mere thought of outrunning or outmaneuvering such a force seems impossible. Most people, confronted with such an insurmountable challenge, would quickly succumb to despair. The logical response for many would be to give up before even trying, recognizing the futility of resistance against such an unstoppable force.

Yet, in this hypothetical situation, the mind may still race with desperate ideas. Could you find a place to hide, somewhere so remote or well-concealed that even the fastest being alive would struggle to find you? Perhaps you might consider setting traps or barriers, though the likelihood of these being effective against someone with such speed and strength is slim. Another thought might be to appeal to the entity's humanity or reason, hoping against hope that you could find a way to negotiate or persuade. But if they wanted you, they’d have you. And there’s nothing you can do to stop it.

Ultimately, the reality is stark: most would see the futility in resisting. The knowledge of facing an opponent so vastly superior in speed, power, and agility would crush the spirit of resistance. They would accept that there is no realistic escape, no viable plan of action that could thwart the Fastest Thing Alive. In the end, the overwhelming consensus would be to surrender to the inevitable, acknowledging that against such an extraordinary adversary, there is little one could realistically do.

Shadow was not most people. 

Shadow was not slow.

Shadow was not weak.

Shadow was a threat.

‘So why…? Why do I want to run…?’

Shadow felt hopeless. Not because he feared for his life, but because everything he thought he knew seemed to be unraveling. Tails' words from earlier clung to his mind like a virus, spreading insecurities and worries to every corner of his consciousness. Sonic had indeed been acting strange, everyone could see that, but especially around Shadow.

Shadow couldn’t deny that he enjoyed the attention. He supposed it was obvious, given how nonchalantly the group treated their romantic encounter. But to insinuate that the Ultimate Lifeform could be controlled by something as pathetic as the Doctor’s serum made his skin crawl. He had been fine. He had acted accordingly to every circumstance he’d been forced into. It was Sonic that was the problem, an unpredictable variable that had always made his heart flutter and his muzzle redden. He could not be blamed for how he was behaving! It was unprecedented territory!

‘...But… why did I run…?’

Doubt gnawed at him. Every interaction, every decision, every moment of vulnerability replayed in his mind with a new, unsettling filter. He had prided himself on his strength, his independence. To think that he could be manipulated so easily, that his actions could be influenced by an external force, was almost unbearable. Even if that force was Sonic.

It all went back to Central City. What Shadow had done, what he had thought in those moments when Sonic turned his attack on him, could certainly not have been manifested unconsciously, right? Neither could the chase that happened today. He had wanted to show his strength, not... not that...!

Right?!

"Mr. Ultimate Lifeform, yoohoo..." Sonic's voice snapped him out of his spiral with a jolt. He found himself leaning against the poorly made mattress adorned with new sheets he hadn’t seen before, the cushiony surface grounding him momentarily. Sonic's presence was a mixture of familiarity and chaos, fittingly enough, a paradox that only added to Shadow's brewing turmoil.

"Hey," Sonic said softly, his eyes searching Shadow's face for any sign of clarity as he leaned over slightly to catch his gaze. "You with me?"

Shadow's ears flattened against his head, his crimson eyes narrowing as he scanned Sonic's face for any hint of trickery. He supposed it would’ve been easier if Eggman’s serum had simply turned Sonic into a monster. That would have allowed him to kick his ass without remorse. Instead, Sonic was... himself. Just more touchy and taunting and... scary …

The blue hedgehog's unrelenting cheerfulness and genuine concern were unnerving to him after last night. They clashed with the cold logic Shadow tried to cling to, making him feel vulnerable in ways he wasn’t accustomed to. Sonic’s proximity, his unwavering attention, it all made Shadow's quills stand on end. Not out of fear, he’d always deny it. It was out of a strange mix of anxiety and something he couldn’t quite name…

The emptiness again…

The fog in his head…

“Shadow?” Sonic prompted, his voice pulling Shadow back from the edge once more. The hero shifted, clearing his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the awkward interaction but doing his best to hide it. “I, uh, I got you something as an apology… It’s behind you on the bed, but you seem out of it so I’ll just grab it!”

'...A present?' Shadow’s mind barely registered the words as Sonic disappeared from his view to walk behind him, his ears twitching at the sound of what seemed like paper rustling. He didn’t turn to look, but a familiar smell met his nose suddenly.

His vision was filled with white and blue, the hero beaming at him brightly.

Shadow blinked slowly, his hands instinctively raising to hold the vase that Sonic was excitedly pressing against his chest. He wasn’t proud at how slowly his brain was functioning, but when he recognized what he was holding he stilled.

Flowers.

Their familiar pedals glowed even underneath the overhead light…

“So, Amy suggested I get you something special instead of something random. I thought about it, and, well, the field we always hang out in is our place like you said before. And since you were worried I wasn’t being serious about this, or that it’s not real, um, I-I thought… something from before all this started, something we both think of fondly, would be… nice…?”

Sonic the Hedgehog, with all his cockiness and annoying habits, was incredibly horrible at conveying his feelings. Shadow stared unblinkingly at the hero as he spoke, his mouth opened in an ‘o’ shape. The sweet smell was intoxicating, putting his nerves at ease through the power of reminiscence. Such simpler times… 

“Er, do you like it…?” Sonic continued when Shadow didn’t respond, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly as his face blushed from embarrassment. “I know I’m not great at this emotional stuff, but I meant what I said. I want things to be better between us. I want to show you that I care. And to, um, thank you for putting up with all of this…” He trailed off, unease all over his frame.

For a moment, the room was filled with nothing but the sound of their breathing. Shadow's grip tightened on the vase, feeling the coolness of the glass seep into the fur of his chest, resonating against his beating heart. The weight of Sonic’s words, coupled with the tangible evidence of his sincerity…

The walls Shadow had built around himself had begun to crack a long time ago. Sonic was just speeding up the damage one action at a time, digging into the cracks until they snapped. Each smile, each punch, each embrace, each kick, each purr, each snarl.

'...I had wanted to show him a taste of the desire I hide…’

Exhaustion was weighing on him. He wanted nothing more than to sleep the day and night away, but Sonic was here, looking at him so expectantly. It was… cute, he supposed. His foggy mind, coupled with his crush’s disarming mannerisms, was making Shadow consider things out of his comfort zone. Kicking Sonic out would be the smartest outcome to pursue, of course, but…

He didn’t want to go back to how things were before. He felt lost in what was going on between them now, but was it possible that’s just how relationships were? Was it normal to feel you were in uncharted waters within a sinking rowboat? There was no experience for him to base this off of, but he was the Ultimate Lifeform. No challenge unbeaten, no battle not won…

He could do this.

It was just Sonic.

When Sonic sat beside him, the weight of the mattress shifting as a peach arm wrapped around him gently, Shadow didn’t push him away. When the speedster nuzzled against his cheek, his smile felt, he didn’t shrink away to escape the affection. He might’ve been the most pathetic creature ever, and he was too tired to deny himself what he wanted…

“...Yes, I like it,” he whispered, his voice soft as he raised a hand to adjust one of the flowers carefully. Sonic was so close Shadow could feel the chuckle reverberating from his chest.

“Good,” Sonic murmured, his breath warm against Shadow’s fur. “I’m glad… I, uh, have something else for you too… if you want it.”

When Sonic’s fingers gently cupped Shadow’s cheek, guiding his head to turn slightly, Shadow had to stomp out the panic that made his stomach flip uncomfortably. Their noses brushed against each other, their breaths mingling in the quiet room, and Sonic’s eyes searched Shadow’s carefully, his own gaze soft and hopeful. He made no move to close the distance between their lips, instead leaving it entirely up to Shadow. The blue hedgehog was giving him the choice, waiting patiently with a tender, inviting smile.

In that suspended moment, Shadow wrestled with his thoughts. Was this a trick, a manipulation conjured by the serum? Could Sonic be deceiving him, using his vulnerabilities against him? Or was this a genuine moment between them, one that he was hesitant to trust but deeply desired?

With his heart racing, Shadow faced the reality that he might be on the brink of a silent surrender, ensnared between the taunts from his crush during the test and his own unspoken feelings. Yet, amidst the uncertainty, there was a flicker of something he had been denying – something that, despite all his doubts, felt achingly real.

The choice was his.

If this was a mistake, he’d regret it for the rest of his immortal life… but what was one more splot of blood in a ledger drenched in red? He’d blame his curiosity and exhaustion later. Right now, maybe giving Sonic what he wanted would… in turn…

Moving the vase to be held against his stomach with one hand, Shadow raised his other hand to rest on Sonic’s shoulder, holding him steady. Red eyes fell from green to his lips, contemplating everything and nothing all at once, as the heavy circumstances made him blush more. He cursed his anxieties, his fears, his insecurities. He cursed the need to feel in control, to never indulge, to be looked upon and expected to serve impossible expectations. He cursed Sonic the Hedgehog for doing this to him. At some point in the past, he would've been content with being alone forever...

But he couldn't do that...

All because of Sonic. 

Just Sonic. 

Fluttering his eyes shut, Shadow wondered what would happen to himself briefly. Would he drown or melt again? Would this empty feeling leave? Would he scare Sonic away? Would he make everything worse? Would the hero care for the odd findings hidden beneath the Ultimate Lifeform's guard...?

He needed to know. He was too exhausted to back down now...

Moving forward slowly, at last, the dark hedgehog shivered when Sonic's lips finally met his.

…

............

…....................

Sonic smiled.

Five minutes were up.

Chapter Text

Lavender. 

Coffee. 

Blood.

The taste of blood was a bit surprising, though Sonic supposed their earlier fight had caused Shadow’s sharp fangs to dig into his bottom lip, tearing at the delicate skin. The metallic tang lingered, haunting his taste buds like a specter seeking revenge as Shadow pressed his mouth against his. Yet, mingled with the rich bitterness of Shadow’s favorite drink and the floral hint of lavender, it wasn't unpleasant. It felt oddly fitting that the Ultimate Lifeform's kiss should taste this way – complex, intense, and unmistakably unique.

Sonic had a chili dog for breakfast. For once in his life, he regretted it.

He could feel the shudder quaking through Shadow's frame, his green eyes remaining open as Shadow's slipped shut in response to the contact. A certain sobriety began to overtake him. The world that day had been riddled with fog, each step a stumble through a murky haze, but now? Shadow’s body was his anchor beneath frozen black waves, and he would grip him greedily beneath clawed hands…

No more whispers of his own reflection in his ears.

No more phantoms wearing a mask of the person he had such intense feelings for. 

Shadow was here and kissing him and he could feel the warmth for real this time. It was even better than the one at the party.

“Mm,” Sonic grunted as his eyes fluttered shut, raising one hand to run it along the striped arm that used his shoulder for support. The sensation of Shadow's sensitive skin twitching beneath his mere touch sent a wave of pleasure straight to his stomach as his cheeks blushed harder. He knew he would become intoxicated by his rival’s every breath, every sigh, every movement, and every cry if he allowed himself to get lost in that ocean again. Fantasies of things he never spoke into existence were creeping into his mind, but he could not pretend the anxiety making his quills flex reflexively did not follow close behind. 

He needed to relax before he did something stupid – probably the smartest thought he'd had all day. His lips buzzing, Sonic gradually opened his eyes once more. A sea of black fur filled his vision, specks of white flowers creeping into his peripheral as the Ultimate Lifeform hugged the vase tightly to his chest. The delicate petals seemed out of place in the intensity of the moment, a stark contrast to the electric tension between them. 

When the hero reluctantly pulled away from their chaste kiss, suddenly aware of how desperately his lungs craved oxygen, he regarded his rival with wide green eyes and panting breath. Shadow remained very still, his eyes still shut tightly, but the hand on Sonic’s shoulder slid gently to his wrist, grounding himself as he tried to breathe. The sight made the speedster's tail wag behind him, a grin growing on his face at the sight of his rival looking so adorable.

Delectable.

Sonic's heart pounded in his chest, a wild rhythm that echoed the thrill coursing through him. Shadow's helplessness was always exciting to see, but his being the one to approach with a kiss this time was outright unexpected. It only fueled Sonic's desire to protect and cherish him. His rival, usually so composed and formidable, now appeared soft and endearing, a contrast that sent such a surge of affection through the hero that it was almost embarrassing. He felt a strange mixture of triumph and tenderness, wanting to savor every second of this rare display.

"Shadow," Sonic murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, filled with a merging of awe and longing. He gently brushed a ruffled clump of fur on top of Shadow's forehead, likely stuck from sweat due to their sparring earlier, his touch lingering as if committing the texture to memory. "You’re... incredible ."

Would this moment be of a fragile existence, a fleeting pause in their usual rivalry? The world outside their embrace seemed distant and insignificant; the only reality that mattered was the warmth and closeness they shared. He would have to make the most of it.

Shadow didn’t respond right away, the fingers wrapped around Sonic’s wrist squeezed lightly before releasing to hug the vase closer to his chest. Sonic watched as the Ultimate Lifeform dipped his nose into the petals, inhaling deeply as he approached mental stabilization. Shadow’s chest rose and fell in a measured rhythm, the floral scent helping to center his thoughts. Sonic’s eyes softened, taking in every detail: the way Shadow's eyelashes fluttered slightly, the subtle quiver in his frame, and the serene expression that began to settle on his face. The usual storm of intensity that defined their interactions had given way to something gentler…

‘I want to lay him bare.’

I can’t wait any longer…

…Again, patience wasn’t his strong suit. 

"...Here, can I?" Sonic hummed softly, his gloved hands moving to rest on the vase in a peaceful request to remove it from the other's hold. He couldn’t help but laugh when his rival growled at him, ears twitching and quills flexing as the deep sound rumbled in the back of his throat.

“You’re already attached? Guess it was a great gift…” The hero chuckled, scooting a bit closer, his tail still wagging behind him. “I promise I’m not taking them away forever! I just want to move them somewhere safe… Is that okay?”

It took a few moments, but eventually, Shadow’s growls subsided, his red eyes opening to glare weakly the the blue hedgehog. He loosened his grip on the vase after a minute, allowing Sonic to cautiously take it as though the Ultimate Lifeform would snap at him without warning. The speedster handled it with care, ensuring that the flowers remained unscathed as he rose from the edge of the bed to set them down on the floor in the corner. The risk of it all tipping over was reduced tenfold with the wall there, but also the distance ensured Sonic wouldn’t accidentally break it in case things near the bed got… hectic. 

He was very excited.

“There,” Sonic said with a satisfied smile, turning back to Shadow with a clap of his hands. “See? Safe and sound!”

Shadow huffed through his nose with a pout, rolling his eyes despite his posture relaxing as he leaned back on his hands to glare down at the hero warily. His legs hung over the side of the bed, rocket boots swaying slightly in time with his twitching ears. Suddenly, Sonic became acutely aware of how wrecked the two of them were.

Battered and bruised, quills unkempt, dried blood still smeared over the back of Shadow’s hand, Sonic couldn’t think of a more fitting state for the two to be in. His own face still stung from where Shadow had dug his shoes into his cheek, a smug sneer plastered on his face at the time that remained as imprinted in his mind as his rival’s heel had been in his flesh. The memory made the fur on Sonic’s back stand on end, his eyes fixating pointedly on the boots that had inflicted such damage.

Shadow shifted uncomfortably after a minute passed, but he voiced no concern. Sonic couldn’t help but wonder why Shadow wasn’t speaking much, but he assumed he was exhausted. They could’ve fought harder and for much longer, but the tension between them was affecting the hybrid in unforeseen ways. The hero felt bad about this, of course, but his own interests were mingling with the feeling. Sonic's eyes softened as his gaze raised from the other’s shoes to his face, noting the subtle signs of fatigue and strain that Shadow did not have the strength to hide. The usual fire in Shadow’s eyes was dimmed, replaced by a quiet weariness. 

Let Shadow rest, or see how far he could take this? Hmm…

…Why not both?

"...Shadow," Sonic started as he cleared his throat, taking a few steps closer until he was standing in front of Shadow’s slightly parted legs. His cheeks blushed as he thought about his next question, a nervous grin spreading across his face. "I have something I want to... try with you, if you’d like..."

Shadow raised an eyebrow slightly, tilting his head to the side in silent inquiry. Sonic couldn’t suppress the shiver of delight that wracked his body. He took a deep breath to keep his cool.

Slowly, the hero lowered himself down to one knee before his rival, making Shadow’s face twist into an expression Sonic could not name. The blue hedgehog raised a hand to gesture to the other’s body, green eyes leering everywhere openly. He did not notice the hungry look that crept into his expression.

“I can tell you’re tired, and you have every right to be mad at me. But I… I want to make it up to you, for real! I want to show you that I’m serious about this, that it isn’t Eggman’s stupid serum that’s making me act like this towards you…” Boldly, he placed the hand he had raised around Shadow’s ankle, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Let me prove myself… What I said at the party was true. I’ve been… I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time…”

Shadow stiffened under his hold, red eyes wide as he looked between Sonic and his hand in shock and contemplation. A few moments passed, and he gradually relaxed again, his mouth drawn in a thin line as he weighed the sincerity of Sonic’s words and actions. The hero felt as though the air itself was holding its breath. His heart pounded in his chest, his grip on Shadow’s ankle firm but gentle. He looked up, his green eyes filled with sincerity and determination.

“I know I’ve messed up, and I know this is all new and confusing. But I need you to understand that this is real for me. You’re not just a rival, Shadow. You’re not even just my friend. You’re... you’re so much more than that… I want to show you you’re so much more than that… ”

‘Nothing’s gonna harm you…’

“...”

Pathetic.

Shadow took in the sight of Sonic with a panic growing in his chest: the hero of Earth, kneeled in front of him with a vice-like hold on his leg and a hungry stare boring into his soul. It was so similar to the look Sonic had given him in the arena, the same one when they had danced in that chaotic whirlwind of heat. The one that made Shadow feel outright small.

But his words…

Oh, his words… so simple and stupid, yet everything he wanted to hear. Sonic was asking him to move forward. The thing he had wanted... for who knows how long…

Shadow’s mind raced, caught between the desire to push Sonic away and the overwhelming urge to accept his offer. His breaths came in shallow gasps, the panic mingling with an unfamiliar hope. He could feel Sonic’s grip on his leg, unrelenting, a demand for trust and acceptance.

…

‘I… But I am the Ultimate Lifeform…!’

He was still hesitant. On one hand, he still believed he didn’t deserve any of this. The indisputable habit of othering himself from his feelings, to preserve his heart to avoid suffering was what determined most of his actions. Oppositely, kissing Sonic just now did feel… good, though his muddled mind didn’t subside as he had hoped. But he had never thought about what they would do after the fact. They were both unorthodox individuals. What would be normal would not work for them. Though he supposed Sonic wasn’t offering normal with the way he made the offer…

Tired.

He was so tired.

The uncertainty gnawed at him, a constant reminder of his aversion to vulnerability in this sense. He had spent so long building a shield around his heart, convinced that allowing anyone in would only lead to pain. Yet, Sonic's touch, his words, and his earnest eyes had stirred something within him – a longing he had suppressed for too long.

But moving forward? That was a different matter altogether. What would it even look like for them? They were both outliers, defying convention at every turn. A normal relationship was out of the question, but then again, Sonic wasn’t offering normal. He was offering something unique, something tailored to them – something that could work, if they were both willing to take the risk.

If anyone knew anything about the two, they lived for the thrill. It was just within their nature. But still, hesitance…

Sonic was waiting eagerly before him, once more putting the control in his hands. Walking away now could mean the end of everything. Letting it continue could be the same. So many paths laid out before him, most ending in his own heart’s self-destruction. Such martyrdom he was used to. Did he seek solace in what made him comfortable, or did he allow himself to fall this time…?

‘...Sonic isn’t asking me to make a decision that lasts forever…’

This was true. Sonic was offering a way to repay him for the issues he’s been causing lately. He could say yes here and decide fully on what to make of their relationship later, once he was rested and his ears weren’t ringing as his head ached. Yes, thinking later. For now…

For now, he could take a step into the unknown, guided by the blue hedgehog’s unwavering determination and oddly displayed adoration. The weight of the decision pressed down on him, but amidst the chaos of his thoughts, a small voice urged him to trust, to leap without knowing if there was a net to catch him. It was exciting. 

‘...No more thinking about it. Just… see what he does…’

Shadow took a deep, steady breath, his nerves making his fur stand on end as he finally met Sonic’s eyes. The hero looked so hopeful it was pathetic. A sneer found its way onto the exhausted agent’s face.

He didn’t forgive Sonic. Not at all. So he would not make this easy. He’d see what the other would do, see if there was a semblance of his normal self… and then maybe… maybe they could talk…

Sonic blinked as Shadow began lifting his leg in a deliberate motion. He didn’t release his hold on the other’s striped ankle, keeping eye contact when the sole of one rocket boot pressed against the hero’s thudding chest.

“Prove it then,” the Ultimate Lifeform spoke arrogantly, a spark of his combative nature peeking beneath the waves of exhaustion, his voice carrying both challenge and curiosity as he still sat back on his hands. “Show me you’re serious.”

…

Sonic blinked again.

…

And again.

…

And again.

“...Wait, really?” The hero sputtered, raising his other hand to hold onto Shadow’s lean but powerful leg. “You’re serious?”

‘...I’m wasn’t hallucinating this, right?’

“I don’t make jokes, hedgehog,” Shadow growled before he yawned boredly, red eyes twinkling with something more serious as his cheeks remained red. “Don’t tell me you were kidding. Tch, figures…”

“Uh, n-no…” The hero chuckled nervously, one hand slipping down to dig lightly into Shadow’s boot, tugging lightly to pull it off. He laughed when the other hissed in warning, shaking his head in a taunting manner. “I just didn’t think you’d say yes like that! Let me cook, I gotchu…”

Shadow’s eyes narrowed, watching Sonic’s every move with a mix of curiosity and caution. “You only have a chance to prove yourself,” he said, his tone low and threatening. Sonic wondered what his rival would do if he just got up and left. As funny as it’d be, he didn’t want to waste the opportunity. “Don’t waste it.”

People would think Sonic was part dog with how much his tail was wagging. Maybe Dark Gaia was putting some of the Werehog’s habits in him again? He just hoped he wouldn’t burst into a ball of fur when he and Shadow were making out; that’d be embarrassing!

“Yeah yeah, I hear ya.” Sonic pursed his lips when the other snarled at him again as his fingers hooked around the shoe opening. “I’m just gonna take these off, I’m not gonna break ‘em, I promise…”

“They are worth more than your life,” Shadow’s ears flattened against his skull, but he made no move to remove his shoes himself. Sonic couldn’t help but roll his eyes. ‘What a spoiled princess…’

With careful precision, Sonic finally slid the shoe off gracefully, keeping his movements smooth and deliberate despite the hybrid's grumbles. He placed the boot aside with exaggerated care, like it was made of gold, before moving on to the other shoe. That one came off with much less resistance, and Sonic wrapped his fingers around the other’s ankles, just above his inhibitor rings and socks. He was working shockingly slow, but he wanted to savor this. 

“Just relax, okay? You can hit me on the head if I do something you don’t like…” Sonic said, glancing between each leg as he inhaled slowly. When all he heard was a mutter of “I don’t like anything you do,” he slid his gloved hands up toward Shadow’s calves…

And rubbed. Hard.

It would’ve been terrible to have a camera hidden in here. He hadn’t been that sneaky these days, but damn, he wished he was. The moment he heard that delicious sound Shadow couldn’t quite stifle, Sonic felt like he’d gone straight to Heaven after dragging himself through Hell.

He glanced up at the smack of Shadow slapping a hand over his mouth, his face practically glowing with embarrassment. The hero giggled as he massaged Shadow’s taut legs, muscles pulled tight like a bowstring from their earlier activities and his overall active lifestyle. Another moan slipped out, muffled by Shadow’s hand, and while Sonic found it a bit disappointing to not be able to hear the full unadulterated thing, he could be content with this… for now…

Sonic ran skillful fingers deep against powerful muscles, working to ease out the knots and help the other relax. He could feel the Ultimate Lifeform tense and ease with each administration, and he briefly wondered if Shadow had ever received this level of pampering from anyone else. Doubtful. He brought both hands to the other’s left leg, massaging his calf with one hand while the other administered similar treatment to his heel and ankle, working carefully around the inhibitor ring.

Shadow whined.

Sonic’s grin widened at the sound, a surge of triumph running through him. ‘Dear Chaos, thank you for not killing me all those years ago. Love, Sonic,’ he thought, his heart thudding with affection and excitement. No one on Earth had likely heard these sounds, and Sonic felt a strange pride in being the one to draw out these reactions. It was feeding his ego, surely, but it was deserved if you asked him.

He continued his ministrations with focused determination, every twitch and shudder from Shadow fueling his efforts. He wanted to make this moment last, to savor every second of this rare closeness between them. The tension in the room had shifted, no longer laced with hesitance and worry. It was something deeper now, more intimate.

As he massaged, Sonic couldn’t help but tease, his voice soft and playful. “Didn’t know you had a weakness like this, Shadow. I might have to remember it for the next time you try to kick my face in. Wonder what everyone would’ve said if I just did this when you were stomping on my precious head!”

“Shut… up…” Shadow tried to hiss, but another whimper escaped as soon as he opened his mouth. His body swayed slightly without both hands to balance him, Sonic’s skillful touch making it nearly impossible for him to sit up straight. The hero grinned at him fondly, green eyes drifting down to focus on his task.

“Don’t worry. This stays between us,” Sonic cooed, his tone soft and reassuring as he massaged Shadow’s foot with both hands, feeling the pads and claws beneath the thick fabric with little effort. “Why don’t you lay down? Just try not to knock out, ya old man!”

“I’m not old…” Shadow's muffled voice broke past his gloved hand, but there was no real bite to his words. Instead, he complied with Sonic’s suggestion, laying down flat on his back, his knees bent off the edge of the bed while Sonic worked his magic.

As Shadow settled into the mattress, he let out a slow, shaky breath, his eyes fluttering closed as the tension in his body began to melt away. The weight of exhaustion and the lingering pain from their earlier battle seemed to ebb with each careful movement of Sonic’s hands. It was a strange feeling, allowing himself to be cared for like this, but Shadow found that he didn’t mind it as much as he thought he would. Pain and pleasure were shooting up his legs, and none of it was unpleasant…

Sonic, meanwhile, felt a warmth spreading through his chest as he continued the massage, his touch growing more deliberate and tender. Such little effort and the Ultimate Lifeform was like putty in his hands. If he had known it would feel this euphoric he would’ve grown a pair and confessed years ago!

“You know,” Sonic murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as he moved from Shadow’s left leg to the right, repeating the treatment with the same careful attention, “you don’t have to be tough all the time. It’s okay to let someone else take care of you for a change…”

Shadow’s only response was a quiet hum, his body sinking further into the bed as the tension began to melt away. Sonic took that as a good sign, his heart swelling with joy – and that darkness, something primal. He couldn’t help himself. Years of tension and unspoken desires had led to this moment, and now, after a full week of progress, he felt a heady amount of yearning coursing through him. He had waited so long for this, enduring countless nights of unmet desire and moments of intense frustration. Now, with Shadow laid out before him, finally letting his guard down, Sonic felt the drowning need to savor every second. His hands moved with a deliberate tenderness, fingers tracing the curves of Shadow’s muscles, feeling every tremble and twitch beneath his touch.

Gently, Sonic pressed a kiss to Shadow’s right leg inhibitor ring, lingering there for a moment as a soft purr rumbled in his throat. His crush couldn’t feel it, but to Sonic it was an act of worship as he catered to the other’s needs. The Ultimate Lifeform was seemingly caught in the warmth of the moment, a few more sounds leaving him as he sighed. Sonic felt satisfied with his work, though he knew there was more to be done. 

“...You want to flip over so I can do your back?” Sonic asked softly, his voice low and soothing as he ran his fingers lightly over Shadow’s leg one last time.

Shadow hesitated for a moment, his eyes opening slightly as he processed the request. There was a vulnerability in the idea, a moment of complete surrender that he wasn’t used to allowing anyone. But the way Sonic had handled him so far – with unexpected tenderness and respect – made the thought less daunting. Still, the hesitation lingered in the air as he weighed his options. 

When Sonic put his hands on him before when they slept together, it was always with caring and gentle contact. Now, however, the atmosphere in the room made each soft touch feel different, a trepid approach to a cliff they’d both fall down from. He had always thought Sonic’s bountiful wit and annoying charm were what would disarm him in the end, but he’s come to learn that the other’s hands were equally dangerous. It was scary, but it felt so new. Did he really want it to end…?

Sonic noticed the pause, his heart beating a little faster as he swallowed the lump in his throat. He didn’t want to push too hard, but the thought of being able to touch even more of the Ultimate Lifeform’s body was too great to ignore. He waited as patiently as he could, rubbing the fur on Shadow’s legs absentmindedly…

Finally, Shadow exhaled softly, his decision made. Without a word, he slowly rolled onto his stomach, his movements deliberate and controlled as he crawled to the center of the bed, plopping down with a sigh. As he settled into the new position, his arms crossed beneath his head, he braced himself warily. Sonic had asked for this, and something about the way he’d been treated felt… okay. Maybe even good… So it probably wouldn’t be an issue…

Sonic couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips as he watched Shadow reposition himself. It was a quiet success, one that meant more than words could express. He kicked off his shoes unceremoniously, the sound of them hitting the floor barely registering as he focused entirely on the figure before him. Cracking his knuckles and flexing his fingers, he was ready to continue.

With impatient movements, Sonic climbed onto the bed, his knees sinking into the mattress as he eagerly stalked closer. The hero licked his lips, unable to hide the way his pupils dilated as his gaze swept avariciously over Shadow's body. Every inch of him seemed to call out to Sonic’s appetite: the dark fur, the strong muscles beneath, and the gentle rise and fall of his back with each breath he took…

The sight before him was nothing short of breathtaking. The Ultimate Lifeform, so often a picture of controlled power and indomitable will, was now laid out beneath him, open and trusting. All because Sonic had been his persistent, annoying self all day.

Randomly, it brought to mind how Amy would light up at the sight of a beautiful painting or sculpture, her passion for art shining through as she marveled at every detail. Sonic had always appreciated her enthusiasm but never fully grasped the depth of her admiration, his eye mostly on nature and the marvels of the world around him. Yet now, as he gazed down at Shadow, something clicked into place.

Shadow wasn’t just strong – he was art. He was beautiful in a way that was raw and real, a masterpiece of form and spirit, manufactured by man yet more amazing than they ever could’ve hoped.  For the first time, Sonic understood what Amy felt when she looked at something truly captivating…

Shadow let out a low, instinctual growl as Sonic moved to straddle his back, his striped quills standing on end in response to the sudden closeness. The hero paused, sensing the tension, but quickly tried to reassure him.

“It’s okay! I just need to sit here so I can really get your neck…” Sonic’s voice was calm, a laugh under his breath. He planted himself firmly on the other’s lower back, his knees on either side of his hips, mindful of the balance between pressure and comfort as he got comfortable. His gloved fingers navigated around Shadow’s back and head quills skillfully, finding his shoulders without receiving any cuts in a way only another hedgehog could manage.

“Just relax,” Sonic coaxed softly, his voice laced with a blend of tenderness and teasing confidence. “I promise this will feel good…”

He dug his thumbs into Shadow's tense shoulders without warning. 

He was promptly rewarded with a muffled sound, a mix between a groan and a sigh, escaping the Ultimate Lifeform’s lips. Sonic raised an eyebrow at the sheer number of knots he could feel beneath his fingers, kneading them with focused determination.

Sonic’s chuckles faded as he concentrated on the feel of Shadow’s muscles under his fingertips, working diligently to ease the tension that had built up from who knew how many battles and burdens. He expected resistance, more barks of disapproval at how freely he let his fingertips travel, but instead, he felt something unexpected – a low rumbling reverberating from Shadow’s chest and into his full torso. Sonic hesitated, his hands pausing as he tried to make sense of it.

At first, he thought it was a growl, a warning to back off that he took quickly. But then he noticed the way Shadow’s quills had relaxed, no longer stiff and defensive but soft. If he was growling, if he was upset, they wouldn’t be so lax. So why–?

Oh.

…

It wasn’t a growl.

…

Shadow the Hedgehog was purring.

…

Shadow the Hedgehog was purring.

Sonic’s eyes widened, his heart skipping a beat as the realization settled in. The indomitable, fiercely independent Ultimate Lifeform was purring like a contented cat under his hands, unconsciously leaning into the touch as his ears flattened against his skull. Sonic had seen and experienced a lot in his life, but this? This was new, and the warmth pooling in his stomach felt more intense than anything he’d ever fantasized about. This was better than every dream and hallucination he’d endured in the past week. Truly, he was blessed.

The urge to tease Shadow, to coax even more of those delicious reactions from him, was overwhelming. But Sonic held back, knowing that to ruin this moment by running his mouth would haunt him for years. Instead, he focused on giving Shadow the attention he deserved, his touch firm yet gentle as he moved his hands from his shoulders down to his back.

Sonic couldn’t help but admire the other hedgehog, the way Shadow’s powerful frame relaxed under his touch, the subtle arch of his spine as Sonic worked his magic. Wonder filled his green eyes, making them sparkle as he traced the contours of Shadow’s muscles, appreciating every detail of the other’s form with a reverence that went beyond physical attraction. This moment was precious, and Sonic was determined to savor it, to etch it into his memory as something more meaningful than any battle they’d ever fought. A damn camera could never capture how this felt…

As he continued to massage, his fingers working with practiced ease, a sudden thought clawed its way into Sonic’s mind, almost overwhelming him with its intensity: 

‘I want to see his face...’  

The thought sank its claws into Sonic's mind, an insistent and overwhelming need that caught him off guard. It gnawed at him with a fervor that he hadn’t expected, demanding his attention like a live wire of anticipation. He imagined the expressions Shadow might make – the shifts in his features, the raw, unguarded emotions that could surface. The debauchery that likely matched the sounds slipping past his rival’s lips. What might he see in those intense red eyes if he could just turn him over? Would they be filled with the same vulnerability and pleasure Sonic could feel under his hands, or would they be beyond what his imagination could muster? The idea of witnessing Shadow in such a state – exposed, open, entirely because of him – sent a galvanizing feeling through Sonic’s entire being.

He had gotten this far. Why stop now?

Shadow’s mind had gone blank.

 When Sonic first started on his legs, the hybrid had been embarrassed, the challenge he’d issued only meant to maintain some semblance of control. He hadn’t really thought Sonic would try anything like this. But now? Now he was in a situation he never imagined, his mental walls cracking under the relentless assault of Sonic’s hands. The odd squirming in his stomach was shamefully all too familiar, yet with every touch, his worries melted away. It was dangerous how Sonic could reduce him to this…

When Sonic straddled his back, a twinge of fear flickered beneath the surface. Physical contact with Sonic wasn’t new; they’d brushed against each other in battle – or in bed –  more times than he could count. But this was different. The intensity of Sonic’s gaze bore into him, almost daring him to make a run for it. Yet, as Sonic’s hands began to knead his shoulders, that fear dissolved into something else – an intoxicating bliss that swallowed him whole.

Shadow knew he was lost in the fog again, but this time, he didn’t want to find his way out. The past week had been nothing short of exhausting: physically, mentally, emotionally. Admitting it felt like a weakness, but the truth was undeniable. Now, here he was, being pampered in a way that was entirely foreign to him, and it was working. Sonic had promised to make it up to him, and damn it, he was delivering. Every touch, every press of those skilled hands, was breaking down the last of his resistance. His body was betraying his logical mind, surrendering to the pleasure he was being offered.

Had he been more awake, more alert, he might have put up a fight – if only for the Hell of it, for the chance to snarl and snap and maintain some shred of dignity. But right now? He just didn’t care.

He didn’t feel safe… but he didn’t feel empty. 

Was this happiness…?

“Shadow.”

His ears flicked at the sound of his name, the soft, almost tender tone wrapping around him like a warm blanket. He burrowed deeper into his arms, a wistful sigh escaping his lips as he tried to cling to the fading remnants of the blissful haze. Sonic’s hands had stilled on his back, the soothing massage coming to a halt as fingers began to trace lightly along his sides, brushing against his ribs in a way that sent a shiver up his spine.

“Shadow,” Sonic’s voice was gentle, but there was an underlying firmness to it, a quiet insistence that drew the black hedgehog back from the brink of sleep. “I’m going to flip you over, okay?”

The words were hushed but carried an undeniable weight. Sonic wasn’t just asking for permission; he was declaring his intent, leaving Shadow with the option to resist or submit. For a moment, Shadow’s mind wrestled with the decision, the fog of relaxation making it difficult to think clearly. But as those fingers continued their light, teasing exploration of his sides, he felt his resolve waver, the warmth and comfort of the moment coaxing him to surrender just a little bit more.

When he nodded weakly after an eternity, Sonic’s laugh made his ears twitch again. 

Sonic moved with deliberate care, coaxing Shadow slowly from his comfortable position. It was almost endearing how much the Ultimate Lifeform subtly protested the movement, a soft whine escaping his throat as Sonic gently turned him onto his side. Shadow made no effort to assist, his body limp like a ragdoll, eyes fluttered shut as if he were fighting to remain in the warm haze Sonic had crafted around him. When Sonic finally managed to get him onto his back, he took a moment to adjust Shadow's quills beneath the pillow, his own purr of satisfaction building at the softness he felt from usually painful spines. Though the transition had pulled Shadow slightly from his peaceful state, Sonic was determined to guide him back. Sonic sat on his own legs, admiring the other’s body quietly before he remembered something important.

Gently, the hero took Shadow’s hand, the one still adorned in a bloody glove, to cradle it in his own. He did not notice the Ultimate Lifeform's eyes open halfway, his irises foggy, to watch Sonic’s movements with drowsy curiosity since he was so focused. The hero’s heart raced as he carefully maneuvered the glove, knowing that he'd have to remove it to properly assess the wound underneath. 

Sonic’s decision to leave Shadow's socks on had been more than just a casual choice – it was a deliberate nod to Mobian etiquette, where exposing one’s bare paws in a bedroom setting carried a deeper, more intimate implication. To simply show them was significant, but to touch them, especially in this setting, was a gesture laden with meaning. He stole a glance at Shadow’s face, searching for any sign of objection in those foggy red eyes. Seeing none, he eagerly began to peel away the torn fabric of Shadow’s glove, his breath hitching as his cheeks flushed.

“Woah… Way past cool!” Sonic grinned cheekily, his tail wagging in excitement. He didn’t hear Shadow’s quiet scoff.

Shadow’s hand was a marvel. The red stripe that ran down his arm ended in a sharp point, much like the ones on his head, though the red here was darker, tinged by dried blood. His claws, neatly trimmed and black as night, caught the light with a subtle gleam, as if they’d been polished. Sonic turned the hand over gently, stretching Shadow’s fingers to reveal the smooth, jet-black pads beneath, soft to the touch despite the countless battles they’d endured. The wound on the back of his hand, already nearly healed, explained the softness Sonic could feel even through his own gloved touch. Sonic couldn’t help but marvel at the sight, a mixture of awe and admiration swirling within him. Shadow’s hand, so powerful and deadly in combat, now rested in his own like it was made of glass, a humbling and exhilarating experience.

Sonic couldn’t contain his excitement as he examined Shadow’s palm, turning it over in his grip in both curiosity and admiration. “You know, usually a mammal Mobian’s pads match their skin tone. But yours are black like your fur! That’s so awesome!” His voice was filled with glee, like he had discovered something extraordinary. Shadow seemed unimpressed, his eyes half-lidded with boredom as he flexed his fingers experimentally.

“...I don’t see what the big deal is,” Shadow muttered, yawning sleepily. “It’s just a hand…”

“Uh, it’s your hand! Kind of a big deal… I’m sure nerds all over would pay a pretty penny for a photo. Or, heck, maybe you could do modeling!” Sonic snickered, leaning in slightly as his green eyes sparkled with fascination. He studied every detail of Shadow’s hand, from the dark, nearly trimmed claws to the smooth black pads that contrasted with his fur. The uniqueness of Shadow’s features seemed to captivate him, as if they were a physical manifestation of the enigmatic nature that always drew him in. 

Shadow huffed, clearly unimpressed. “I already have a job...” Despite his dismissive tone, one could notice the faint blush spreading across the Ultimate Lifeform’s face. Shadow, though raised by humans and possibly unaware of the full significance of Mobian pads, had undoubtedly picked up on some things during his time on Earth – thanks mostly to Rouge's guidance. Being a hand model as a Mobian… That was the equivalent of… well… Surely Sonic didn’t mean that… “You always say stupid things…” he added, his voice carrying a hint of exasperation.

“Maybe! But hey, that’s what ya like about me, right?” Sonic teased, his voice playful…

Without warning, the blue blur brought Shadow’s hand up toward his face, an unreadable smile drawing itself on his muzzle. Shadow stiffened slightly, his body instinctively reacting to the closeness, though he was too relaxed to make his quills stand on end or even growl. Sonic’s breath ghosted over the wound on Shadow’s hand, making him swallow audibly.

Green met red, and Shadow suddenly realized how trapped he was. He didn’t have his shoes on, and no Chaos Emerald to teleport him to safety. He was alone and likely would be left alone after he stormed off from the test earlier, meaning Sonic had his full undivided attention whether he wanted to give it or not. Each heartbeat thudding in his ears only ended up amplifying the intensity of the moment. He could pin Sonic down and just beat him until he passed out… He could… but…

“Shadow, I want to try something I’ve never done with you before… Can you let me do that?” The hero’s thumb traced gently along his knuckles, the touch soothing and at odds with the feeling in Shadow’s chest. Sonic’s eyes never wavered from his own, taking in every reaction the agent was unable to hide. He was exposed…

…He’d already ended up a whiney, purring mess earlier… He had no pride left… and it had felt good… His body was craving it again… Would it be more of that…? A part of him didn’t think so…

The exhaustion didn’t care. He wasn’t aware of how desperately he needed this. Touch-starved did not begin to describe what was wrong with him…

…

‘Chaos, help me.’

“...Okay!” The word escaped Shadow's lips before he could stop it, a rushed, desperate squeak that made his ears flatten in mortification. He watched, horrified, as Sonic's eyebrows shot up in surprise, the hero clearly taken aback. Groaning, he swiftly brought his free arm over his eyes, trying to hide the wave of embarrassment that washed over him. His body twitched with the urge to vanish, to disappear entirely. Maybe if the Earth split open again, he could slip through the cracks and be swallowed up by the void–

But Sonic's voice, soft yet commanding, pulled him back to reality. “Shhh, it’s fine, Shadow. C’mon, look at me…”

Despite the frustration boiling in his chest at how easily Sonic could center him, Shadow hesitated, then reluctantly lowered his arm, exposing his face once more. He couldn’t ignore the gentleness in Sonic’s tone, nor the way the hero's green eyes softened with understanding. The embarrassment still burned hotly in his cheeks, but Sonic’s presence, steady and reassuring, coaxed him back from the edge of self-imposed humiliation. He looked at Sonic, annoyed that the other could command such obedience from him…

Only to see and feel Sonic’s tongue drag across his hand.

…

‘...O-Oh…’

Sonic lapped at the skin with a chuckle, his tongue tracing lines along the red stripe rather fervently as he cleaned around the wound. He had been thinking of doing this all day, indeed desperate for a taste, and with Shadow’s final approval seized the opportunity readily. It didn’t take long to clean the jolting and quaking limb free of blood, moving his mouth to the other’s padded palm and inhaling deeply, the skin so soft against his face. He spared a glance at Shadow’s face, smiling atrociously.

The Ultimate Lifeform looked mortified, which was expected. He was still lying down, red eyes dashing all over Sonic’s face with his jaw dropped in open shock. His eyelids twitched in time with Sonic’s tongue, his arm tugging ever so lightly in an instinctual reaction to pull away from such treatment. When the hero pressed his palm to his mouth and breathed, the Ultimate Lifeform flushed into a color that matched his red fur beautifully, squirming as a feeble noise left his throat. Sonic could feel the other’s claws curl against his muzzle slightly, the tips nicking his skin on the surface level, and it reminded him just how dangerous the hand he had so close truly was. 

But Shadow wouldn’t hurt him. Shadow was his. 

All his…

“Shadow, you’re so pretty…” Sonic murmured, his voice soft and almost reverent. He leaned forward, pressing a tender kiss to the inhibitor ring snug around Shadow’s wrist, the cold metal a stark contrast to the warmth of his lips. As he did, his fingers worked with practiced care, massaging Shadow’s hand with a deliberate tenderness. His thumbs pressed into the firm muscles of the other’s palm, seeking out every knot of tension hidden beneath the surface of his pads.

The reaction was immediate and intoxicating. Shadow's breath hitched, jolting him out of his horrified trance, followed by a soft, involuntary whimper that sent a ripple of satisfaction down Sonic’s spine. It was like tasting the sweetest candy, a reward far richer than anything else he could imagine. The sound alone was a victory, one that made Sonic’s heart pound in his ears with a combination of triumph and tenderness.

Leaning in closer, Sonic brushed past the other’s wrist to pepper Shadow’s arm with soft, lingering kisses. He could feel the subtle twitch of Shadow’s skin with every kiss, each touch heightened in sensitivity after the thorough massage he’d given him earlier. It was a sensory dance, a delicate balance between comfort and tension that Sonic was eager to explore.

“Earlier, in the arena,” Sonic began, his voice low and sincere as he continued his gentle ministrations, “I wanted to kiss you again so badly… At least to show you how sorry I was… I messed up, huh?” He carefully guided Shadow’s wrist down against the mattress beside his head, lifting his gaze to meet the others, his expression thoughtful and tender. He didn’t release the other’s wrist, pinning it gently “But you know, I’m glad I waited. We’ve only been in here for, like, fifteen minutes, and you’ve been nothing but pretty, heh! I’m glad I got to see it…”

“...Hmph,” Shadow grunted, adjusting himself slightly where he lay. He was visibly trying to regain control of his composure, his breaths rapid as he sank further into the mattress beneath Sonic’s watch. “D…Don’t get used to it…” 

He nearly jumped out of his quills when Sonic’s free hand boldly lowered to his snow-white chest fur. Like earlier outside the door, he ran his fingers through it purposefully, making Shadow grit his teeth in an attempt to hide his whines.

“I’m already used to it, Shads! You’re very pretty!” Sonic teased, his voice warm with affection. “And I don’t think I’ll ever forget these sounds…” He paused his petting, leaning in closer until his breath brushed against Shadow’s sensitive ears, grinning when he saw them twitch in response. A soft chuckle escaped him as he watched the subtle movement, delighting in the reactions he was able to take so effortlessly… Who knew this would be so easy…?

“I wanna kick it up a notch... I want to make you feel really good, Shads. I can’t wait anymore…” Sonic’s tone dropped into something more serious, more urgent. He was aching to take things further, but he wanted to make sure Shadow was with him every step of the way. “Just… punch me in the face or somethin’ if it gets too much, okay? I mean it…”

Shadow growled, shifting uncomfortably. “...You just licked me. I want to punch you in the face already…” he muttered, a mix of irritation and something else – something softer – tinging his voice.

“Then I’m doing something right!” Sonic quipped back, his grin widening. Despite Shadow’s fidgeting, Sonic could tell the other wasn’t truly angry, just overwhelmed by the unfamiliar vulnerability. And at that moment, he knew he had Shadow exactly where he wanted him – teetering on the edge of resistance and surrender, ready to be pushed further into the unknown…

Sonic was right there with him, diving headfirst into the moment without hesitation. With a swift, fluid motion, he shifted his position, climbing on top of Shadow and pinning him in place. His arms framed the other hedgehog’s face, and his right hand maintained a firm grip on Shadow’s wrist, anchoring him. Their noses brushed, and Sonic’s breath mingled with Shadow’s as he zeroed in on the other’s lips, titillation coursing through him when Shadow didn’t pull away. The thought flickered in his mind – would Shadow have thrown him off if he hadn’t been softened up by the massage? Maybe. And as much as Sonic would’ve relished the challenge, seeing Shadow this open, this susceptible to his touch, was an entirely different kind of achievement. It was making his head spin from a drunken craze.

Sonic hesitated for just a moment, searching Shadow’s gaze for any sign of reluctance, any hint that he should stop. But all he found was the deep, unreadable intensity of those crimson eyes staring back at him, unblinking, unwavering. It was all the permission he needed. Slowly, deliberately, he lowered himself, savoring the moment before their lips finally met, eyes closing to focus on the feeling. The kiss was tender and of great urgency, as Sonic poured every ounce of his affection and desire into the connection.

The kiss minutes prior had been simple, Shadow’s silent acceptance of what Sonic had to offer. The kiss they had at the party felt more like this: the blue hedgehog was acting like he was starving, his tongue immediately slipping out to drag along the other’s bottom lip in a demand for entrance. His ear twitched at the sound of Shadow’s grunt, his lips parting enough for the hero’s wet appendage to slip inside…

Where Shadow’s tongue waited. Eagerly.

…

Any worry that the Ultimate Lifeform wasn’t into this was shot immediately.

“Heh~!” Sonic couldn’t help but laugh a bit when their tongues met, his tail wagging faster than ever before as a moan of his own erupted from his throat at the feeling. Their tongues were inexperienced, meeting recklessly in their quest to explore. The hero felt giddy as he traced along Shadow’s sharp fangs, releasing the other’s wrist to travel to his heaving chest. He could feel the purrs once more, Shadow unable to hide them at all with his mouth open like this, soft noises of his own filling the otherwise silent room. He wanted nothing more than to lay on top of the other, to free his hands to explore where he dared not touch before, but…

He didn’t want to scare Shadow with his growing desire just yet. 

Their lips parted with a small ‘pop’, the hero panting as he finally opened his eyes.

Sonic immediately couldn’t hold back his laughter, a light, bubbly sound springing forth up from his chest. “Hehe, Sh-Shadow, that face…” he snickered, his own face flushing as he raised a hand to cover his mouth, trying to stifle the laughter. “You’re too funny!”

It was that face – one he hadn’t seen since the night before Eggman’s serum had been forced into his veins. The same look strangers would give him after he swooped in to save the day. The same one Shadow wore when Sonic had said something unexpectedly romantic, catching him off guard. It had been a while since he’d thought about that night, back when their relationship was still in a simpler, more innocent place…

A lot had happened in the past week – too much, really. Things had spiraled in ways Sonic never anticipated, with events that felt entirely out of his control. But here he was now, with Shadow, in a moment he couldn’t have predicted. Despite the chaos, despite everything that had changed, this was something real. They were here, together, making out – something that felt both surreal and completely right.

Something he’d kill to have more of.

Sonic's laughter faded, replaced by a warmth in his chest as he gazed down at Shadow, who still wore that half-dazed, perplexed expression. "A lot’s changed, huh?" he murmured softly, more to himself than to Shadow. Yet, as he looked into those crimson eyes, he knew that everything was exactly where it needed to be. He wasn’t going to let go of that, not for anything. Not for anyone.

‘…Why do I feel guilty?’

“...Yes,” Shadow finally responded, breaking the silence with a voice that carried a subtle edge, his tone low but firm. His hands moved with unexpected gentleness, one gloved and the other bare, cupping Sonic’s face as if to anchor him in place. The sudden contact made Sonic jolt slightly, a spark of surprise running through him before he leaned into the touch, recognizing the warmth of Shadow’s hands. But there was something different in the Ultimate Lifeform's eyes – a strange glint that made Sonic’s heart skip a beat, sending a twinge of anticipation through his chest. 

“Why’d you stop?” 

Shadow growled, his voice thick with something that sounded almost like impatience. His fingers curled against Sonic’s muzzle, claws grazing the fur just below Sonic's eye in a way that was both tender and a little too close for comfort. The speedster blinked, taken aback, his mind racing as he processed the demand.

“...What, you want more of this already~?” Sonic teased, his voice tinged with disbelief and a hint of amusement. He couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the sight of Shadow nodding insistently, the intensity of the nod somehow both endearing and electrifying. Shadow, the ever-composed and stoic warrior, was craving more, and the realization sent a sensation through Sonic that he hadn’t anticipated. His heart pounded in his chest as he watched Shadow's expression – so uncharacteristically unguarded – and it dawned on him just how much this moment meant to both of them.

“Alright, alright,” Sonic murmured, his laughter fading into a softer, more affectionate tone. “I guess I’m not the only one who’s impatient, huh?” He leaned in closer, their noses brushing again, and with a playful smirk, he added, “I’m not complaining though… Never knew you’d be so demanding , hehe~!”

Shadow huffed, sliding his arms around Sonic’s shoulders, pulling the hero down so their chests pressed together. The blue blur was still on his knees, his ass now in the air to avoid an inevitably awkward situation, and the striped hedgehog seemed miffed by this. 

“Lay down on top of me,” Shadow ordered , their lips ghosting again as Sonic’s eyes widened. 

‘Did… Did Shadow know what he was asking for? Was Shadow aware of his… Wait, was Shadow also…?! Oh Chaos…’  

Sonic was panicking. 

On one hand, Shadow commanding him to do that was undeniably hot, he was unashamed to admit so. But, on the other side of things, he couldn’t recall a single moment the other had outwardly expressed sexual desire in all of the years he’d known him. Sure he’d accidentally stumbled into an innuendo, something the likes of Sonic and Knuckles would pick on for an hour or two, but he made no further comment. He seemed all for romance, in his own subtle, adorable ways, but sex…?

Sonic had to be sure…

“...Erm, Shadow, there’s something I have to say…” Sonic lifted his head upward slightly, just out of reach of the hybrid’s lips, earning him a snarl of annoyance. 

“What is it now, hedgehog?” The agent snapped, trying to pull the hero closer again. Sonic laughed weakly, avoiding eye contact.

Then, his most dangerous weapon, his mouth, opened, driven by the guilt that reared its ugly head with no warning.

“Well, you see, how do I put this? Um, so, like, we’ve hung out a lot over the years and that’s great! Would love to do that more. But, heh, you’ve never really, like, expressed interest in sex and sexual things in the time I’ve known you and that’s kinda, like, why I didn’t confess for so long I guess? I didn’t want to push your boundaries, y’know? Not that kissing is a sexual thing, obviously, but I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it because you’ve never said anything! And, um, you’re really pretty and hot, and taking care of you right now has given me a wicked boner and I’m not sure if you’re cool with that. If I lay down, you’ll feel it, and, um, your body touching it probably wouldn’t be much better, heh! I know I told you I wanted to kick things up a notch and, erm, I think that would include Sonic Jr., if you catch my drift! But, yeah, like… yeah! If that doesn’t sound good and I’m misinterpreting everything, just kick my ass right now!” 

Sonic finished, finally returning his eyes to meet Shadow’s with a sheepish grin on his face…

…

A moment of silence passed…

…

Shadow’s face contorted into a deadpan, his eyes half-lidded.

…

Sonic gulped audibly. When did the room get so hot, anyway?

…

“...Is there anything else you want to say?” The Ultimate Lifeform spoke after an eternity, Sonic raised a hand to tap his chin in thought. When he remembered, his ears perked to attention, and another large grin made him radiate warmth as he spoke his next words.

“...Oh, right! I forgot to say I’m also a total virgin! I have no idea what I’m doing!” After flashing his signature thumbs up, Sonic realized he probably looked like the biggest doofus on the planet. He didn’t bother to ask if the other had slept with anyone ever, because it was very obviously a no, but also the thought made his blood boil in an unhealthy way and he didn’t want to ruin his mood. Shadow squinted at him, his expression narrowing as if he was trying to decide whether to take him seriously…

But then, to Sonic's utter shock, Shadow snickered, quickly raising his clawed hand to cover his mouth as he glanced away.

 The blue hedgehog’s jaw dropped.

“What?! I open my heart to you, and you laugh ?! You wound me, Shadow T. Hedgehog!” Sonic exclaimed, feigning a dramatic flair as he waved a hand towards the ceiling, his face contorted into an exaggerated expression of mock pain. The reaction only earned him more suppressed giggles from Shadow, who was trying – and failing – to keep a straight face. The sound of Shadow's barely contained laughter filled the room, and Sonic couldn’t help but join in after a few seconds, the tension between them dissolving like mist in the morning sun. The music of Shadow’s voice, even in laughter, chased away the last of Sonic’s lingering guilt.

“I get it. How could I, Hero of Earth, possibly be such a loser…! What will the tabloids say…?” Sonic teased, putting on an overly dramatic tone as if he were narrating his own downfall.

“B…Be quiet…” Shadow mumbled, his attempts at seriousness thwarted by the smile pulling at his lips. His nose wrinkled, his body shaking with barely restrained chuckles that he seemed embarrassed to let out. “I can’t believe you’d just assume all that. Why didn’t you say something…?”

“Oh, great idea! ‘Hey Shadow, buddy, I know we have these weird feelings we haven’t talked about, but ignoring that, have you ever had sex before?’ I’m sure that would’ve gone over well!” Sonic narrowly dodged a swipe made at his nose, the hybrid growling. 

“Not about that, idiot! I meant about your… snrk… ” Shadow’s voice trailed off as he looked away, struggling to stifle his laughter. Sonic cocked his head to the side, completely baffled. 

His what…? 

Wait. 

Wait.

His brain caught up, and the realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

“...There is no way ‘Sonic Jr.’ is what makes you laugh.” Sonic stared at him in disbelief, sitting back on his legs as he tried to process this. “Years of my best work, the funniest jokes you’ve ever heard, and that stupid throwaway line is what gets you?! What are you, two?!”

“...At least fifty…” Shadow retorted quietly, a smirk tugging at his lips as he chuckled. It wasn’t the words themselves that amused him, but the sheer exasperation that had led to this moment. He felt hot, uncomfortably so, a pang in his stomach that wouldn’t leave since the hero started touching him, yet Sonic was here acting like it was a casual evening for the two… He hoped Sonic would never change…

The blue hedgehog shook his head quickly, looking equal parts amused and bewildered. “Oh, so now grandpa’s cracking jokes! Did I massage the edge outta ya or something? Didn’t know I had that kinda power,” Sonic teased, his voice laced with playful dubiety as he leaned in closer, trying to gauge just how much of the usually stoic Shadow was still holding on. “Maybe I’d have fewer people trying to destroy me if I opened up a spa…”

“Hmph. You’d make a killing if your mouth had an off button … ” Shadow huffed, his crimson eyes locking onto Sonic’s vibrant green. 

“Heh, I don’t know. You seem to like my mouth enough~!” The speedster teased, wiggling his eyebrows when the other shook his head with a blush…

…

…

…

Silence befell them as they looked at each other. Sonic didn’t think he’d be content sitting in it when a minute passed, ready to blabber off some more when his rival’s movement suddenly caught his eye.

 Slowly, he reached out his bare hand, palm up to the open air, his face flushing as much of the earlier bravado faded. Out of the heat of the moment, his confidence wavered, replaced by a timidness that Sonic found equally enthralling. There was a shift in the atmosphere, tactile to the skin, the light air becoming heavier.

…

“Hedgehog… Sonic,” Shadow murmured, his voice low and steady, though the flush on his face betrayed the intensity simmering beneath his composed exterior. His expression was unreadable, a complex mix of emotions swirling in those crimson eyes that Sonic couldn’t quite decipher. Ever the optimist, the blue hedgehog smiled warmly and squeezed Shadow’s hand, offering silent reassurance.

What would Shadow ask for? Sonic’s mind raced with possibilities. Another massage to ease the lingering tension? A kiss to bridge the gap between them? To lick him, and surprise him even further? He’d do it all, and more, without a second thought. He was ready, eager to meet Shadow’s needs, to give him whatever he wanted… Whatever he needed… evenifhewasn’tawareofit–

…

But Shadow didn’t ask. He didn’t need to. Like Sonic, he communicated in actions, not words, his body a vessel for the soul. There was a language between them that went beyond spoken requests, a connection that pulsed through their entwined hands, through the intensity of their locked gazes.

In an instant, Sonic found himself pulled forward, Shadow’s grip on his hand tightening with unexpected force. “Whoa–!” Sonic yelped, caught off guard as he tumbled onto his rival, their bodies colliding with a soft thud. The air was knocked out of him in a surprised grunt, but before he could even process what had happened, he was face to face with Shadow, their noses nearly brushing, chests pressed together, their… his… ?!

“Oh, fuck,” Sonic let out an uncharacteristic swear as he moaned, his swollen pouch brushing against the fur on Shadow’s lower stomach from the movement, his body shaking as powerful arms wrapped around his neck to hold him in place. He had to shoot his eyes up at the Ultimate Lifeform in alarm, red irises narrowed as the hybrid twitched beneath him.

Possessively. 

‘Holy fuck holy fuck he’s so hot ohmychaos–!’

“I want this.”

Shadow’s words hung heavy in the air, each syllable carrying the weight of his turmoil. Sonic froze, his breath hitching as the confession washed over him. Shadow’s voice, low and demanding, echoed with a vulnerability that was impossible to ignore. The blue hedgehog could feel the fatigue radiating from the other, a deep exhaustion that went beyond the physical. His hands rested against Shadow’s hips, fingers trembling slightly as his ears twitched, straining to catch every word his rival uttered in this pivotal moment. 

For once, Sonic did not want to talk. For once, he wanted to listen.

“I want this.” The repeated declaration was firm, but the undertone of desperation was unmistakable. Shadow’s voice cracked as he continued, the bitter edge of self-loathing cutting through his words. “I’ve wanted this… for a long time. I just… I don’t know how to express it… I hate… tch… ”

Sonic’s heart ached at the sight of the Ultimate Lifeform, a being usually so composed, now unraveling before him. He could see the frustration in Shadow’s eyes, the way his body tensed with every word. The admission of his weakness, of the confusion that had plagued him since that fateful encounter with Eggman, struck a chord deep within Sonic. He had never seen Shadow like this – so raw, so uncertain.

Shadow’s voice fell to a near whisper, each word laced with frustration and the bitterness of self-doubt. His tone was raw, a hiss that barely masked the turmoil roiling beneath the surface. “This… weakness,” he spat the word out as if it were poison, “it hasn’t left me since the Doctor injected you with that damn serum. The fox… he’s not right. I’m not being controlled. But I’m… fucking confused, Sonic. I don’t know how you feel, I don’t know how I feel. I don’t even know what you’ve been making me feel. Nothing makes sense… My head hurts… ”

Shadow’s breath was ragged, his words unraveling as the weight of his confusion and frustration bore down on him. Sonic could feel the heat of Shadow’s breath against his ear, a sharp contrast to the cold bite of those words. As Shadow’s bared teeth inched closer, Sonic’s pulse quickened, the gravity of the moment pressing down on him like a heavy blanket, suffocating yet grounding.

Instinctively, Sonic’s hand slipped beneath Shadow’s body, fingers tracing gentle patterns along his lower back. The touch was soft, a silent reassurance that he was there, that he wasn’t going anywhere. He could feel the tension in Shadow’s muscles, the way his body quivered beneath the weight of emotions he couldn’t fully comprehend or articulate.

As the Ultimate Lifeform continued, his voice wavered miserably, betraying the depth of his struggle. “I don’t… I don’t know how to deal with this, Sonic. It’s like… you’ve changed, in a way. My thoughts… are a mess. You’re a mess. We’re both a mess… But I can’t–” He broke off, his voice catching in his throat as he struggled to find the words. “I can’t keep pushing you away, but I don’t know how to pull you closer either without feeling like I’m losing control of myself…” Shadow looked at him, hugging Sonic to steady himself. “I don’t know if what I want… the desire you said you wanted to see… is a bad thing…”

Shadow looked lost… Like the night they danced… The night they first kissed… and Central City–

…

…This was a truth Sonic had tried so hard to ignore.

He knew, deep down, that something was wrong with him. It didn’t take a mad scientist or his genius little brother to recognize the subtle shifts in his behavior – the way his thoughts had taken a sharp, obsessive turn, how he had to strain to restrict himself. The hero could feel it clearly, even if he tried to push it aside and act like things were fine. Hecouldstillhear – …See it in the way his focus kept drifting back to Shadow. 

It was affecting his crush in ways he hadn’t anticipated. In the past week, he’d seen more new expressions on the dark hedgehog’s face than in all the years they’d known each other combined, each one like a chapter in a journal he certainly did not steal. It was a growing crack in the armor Shadow had so carefully constructed. And despite the turmoil, despite the clear strain it was putting on their relationship…

Sonic couldn’t help the thrill it gave him. 

Being the one to extricate the Ultimate Lifeform from his self-inflicted shackles, to draw out these raw, unfiltered emotions and come out on top was a sickening delight. It was terrible, he knew that – terrible as a friend, but as someone who had harbored a crush so expansive it had consumed him, the power it gave him was undeniable… 

And here Shadow was…

Feeding into it… Even more…

…

“...Sonic?”

…

“ ...Sonic! ”

…

W̷h̸e̷n̵l̸i̷v̸e̵s̴w̶e̸r̷e̷n̵o̵t̶i̸n̸ d̷a̵n̶g̴e̶r̶Sonic ’̷s̴m̴i̴n̸d̴w̵o̷r̴k̴e̸ ̴m̶u̷c̶h̷l̷i̸k̴e̸h̵i̶s̵b̴o̸d̸y̸d̵i̵d̵I̵t̵m̵a̸y̸n̷o̷t̴l̸o̵o̵k̸l̸i̶k̷e̷i̶t̴b̷u̵t̸p̴l̶e̶n̸t̴y̷o̴f̷h̷i̶s̸a̸c̵t̴i̵o̶n̸s̵w̷e̴r̷e̴c̶a̶l̷c̸u̷l̷a̶t̷e̷d̵w̴i̸t̵h̷a̸s̶h̵a̷r̵p̸p̶r̸e̷c̶i̶s̷i̴o̵n̵f̸r̶o̵m̷t̵h̸e̴s̸i̸m̵p̴l̵e̵s̷t̷l̶e̶a̶p̴t̵o̶t̵h̶e̸s̴t̷r̶o̴n̶g̸e̵s̴t̵s̶p̶i̴n̶d̷a̶s̵h̴ S̸o̷n̵i̵c̸ h̴a̷d̷t̷o̶m̸a̸n̶a̶g̵e̵h̶i̴m̷s̶e̵l̷f̸t̷o̵a̶v̶o̷i̵d̸i̴n̵j̴u̸r̶i̸n̸g̶h̵i̶s̵b̵o̶d̷y̵o̷r̸o̸t̷h̶e̷r̶s̷a̷r̶o̵u̵n̶d̸h̵i̴m̶a̵t̶h̶i̴s̸h̵i̷g̵h̷s̴p̸e̸e̶d̴s̶I̶t̷c̷a̷m̵e̴n̴a̷t̸u̵r̴a̸l̷l̷y̷h̸i̸s̸c̶o̷n̷f̷i̶d̴e̷n̴c̵e̴a̶l̴l̷o̴w̷i̴n̶g̸h̷i̸m̷t̷o̷a̶c̶c̵o̷m̸p̶l̵i̵s̷h̵ ̵m̸a̶n̶y̴g̴r̵e̶a̸t̴f̸e̷a̸t̴s̸W̵h̶e̵n̵l̸i̸v̶e̶s̶w̵e̸r̸e̸i̶n̴ d̴a̸n̸g̶e̷r̵ h̷o̴w̵e̸v̴e̴r̸ ̸ t̵h̶a̸t̴ ̷p̴a̵r̵t̶ ̸o̸f̶ ̸h̴i̷s̶ ̸b̷r̵a̷i̷n̵ ̴s̷h̸u̸t̵ ̸o̶f̸f̴ ̵p̴a̵r̴t̶l̷y̵C̵a̸l̷c̸u̶l̷a̴t̶i̵o̵n̷s̶w̵e̴r̶e̵s̷t̸i̴l̷l̴b̴e̸i̵n̸g̸m̶a̷d̴e̵b̸u̵t̶h̸i̸s̵ b̵o̴d̵y̸ m̸o̸v̴e̷d̶ a̵l̸m̴o̸s̸ t̸o̶n̵ i̸t̷s̷ o̵w̶n̸ w̵h̴e̶n̵e̶v̴e̴r̶a̷n̵y̶o̴n̷e̸w̵a̶s̷i̴n̸ d̴a̸n̷g̷e̸r̶ H̸e̴d̵i̷d̵n̷o̷t̶c̴a̵r̶e̴f̶o̷r̸t̵h̶e̷h̵a̵r̶m̶t̶h̵a̶t̶c̵a̴m̸e̴h̴i̷s̴w̴a̴y̶i̶n̷t̸h̵e̸s̷e̸m̸o̸m̴e̵n̵t̷s̸W̶h̶e̴n̸h̶e̴w̶a̴s̵c̶o̷m̸p̸e̶l̷l̴e̷d̴t̶o̷ s̷a̷v̷e̶ s̶a̶v̵i̵n̷g̴t̵h̴e̷m̸h̶e̶s̸i̷m̴p̶l̸y̴w̴o̵u̴l̵d̴–̴

I would always put myself at risk to save another. 

And Shadow needed saving . 

Ȧ̵̧̢̢͖͔̠͎̬̰̥̙̠̳̫͉̳͐̄͐̀̎͆̍̚ͅļ̴̧̫͓̬̘̯̳̭̦̗̺̳̇̑̋͆̊̄w̷͉͈̳̥͎͓̔̾̂͋̈͝a̷̱̺̫̯̻̰̽̀͋͊̈̈́̓̀͗̿̋y̵̭̪̞̝͊̎͋̀̿͘ͅs̴͈̺͉̲͖͈̘̠̮͚̘̬͕̖̜̱͌̌̾̀̈́̋̇͐̓͂̒͐̄͋̔̇͠.̴̧̫̣͍̓ ̸̢̢̣̘̱̤̝͙̥̻̣̫̜̱̪̺̔̈̀

Shadow's concern deepened. The words he had spoken moments ago had been dragged from the deepest recesses of his heart, each one a struggle to voice. Communication had always been a challenge for him – his thoughts and emotions rarely fit neatly into the confines of language, and now, in this moment of raw vulnerability, he felt utterly inadequate. Every word felt like a blunt instrument, lacking the precision he so desperately needed.

Sonic, usually so quick to respond, now simply stared down at him, his face an unreadable mask. The hero's expression was stone-cold, his usual lively demeanor replaced by something unnervingly distant. Shadow's heart pounded as he tried to read him, but there was nothing – no reassuring smile, no comforting words. 

Just silence.

Panic began to creep into Shadow's chest, and he gave Sonic a not-so-gentle nudge, hoping to snap him out of whatever trance had taken hold of him. But even that didn’t seem to work. The blue hedgehog remained unresponsive, his gaze fixed on Shadow with an intensity that was almost suffocating. Shadow’s concern turned to frustration, and then to something bordering on fear.

"Sonic," he tried again, his voice firmer this time, though it trembled with the weight of his own uncertainty as his arms loosened around the other’s neck. "Say something..."

But the silence stretched on, leaving Shadow feeling more exposed and helpless than he had in a long time. His heart raced, not from the usual adrenaline of battle, but from the growing dread that maybe, just maybe, he had finally pushed Sonic too far. Had he said the wrong thing? Had he revealed too much? The vulnerability he had reluctantly shown felt like a mistake now, one that he couldn't take back–

Before he could spiral further, Sonic’s hand shot out, gripping his face with an unexpected intensity. Shadow jolted, his breath hitching as his cheeks were squished under the forceful pressure. Sonic's emerald eyes bore into his, an unsettling blend of devotion and something darker swirling within them. 

The blue hedgehog’s lips curled into a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear you say that… That you wanted this…” Sonic murmured, his voice low and fervent. The contrast between his affectionate words and the almost predatory way he held Shadow’s face sent a shiver down the agent's spine. “I’ll never let you push me away again, Shads. I’ve liked you for so long, you have no idea… You’re mine, and I’m going to prove myself more than ever before. I’m not going anywhere, I’m not running. Not now… not ever.”

The hero’s thumb brushed over Shadow’s lips, lingering there as if savoring the moment. “I’ll protect you, Shadow. I’ll make everything right… even if I have to break a little to do it. Even if we have to break… I’ve got ya. Just close your eyes and relax, and let me take care of the rest...”

Shadow blinked, his mind trying to grasp the full meaning of Sonic's words. It wasn’t unusual for Sonic to speak in riddles, at least in Shadow’s opinion. So often he would lace his intentions with a layer of whimsy or jokes that often left the Ultimate Lifeform feeling unsteady, the hero having many answers to things that Shadow couldn’t begin to grasp. But this time, the weight behind Sonic’s promise felt different – darker, more intense. There was something in the way Sonic held his face, something in the way those emerald eyes glowed with a fierce adoration and malice that both intrigued and unnerved him.

The blue hedgehog's grip tightened ever so slightly, just enough to draw Shadow’s attention back to the sensation spreading through his skin. A warmth, a subtle current of energy, began to pulse where their bodies touched. At first, it was comforting, but soon it morphed into something else – it bordered on pain.

The pain of raw energy passing between them… It was a sensation Shadow had felt before, but never so intensely. It was like the times Sonic had touched him, completely unaware ( ‘Was he…?’ ) of the Chaos that simmered just beneath his skin, the way his own energy reacted violently to it. He remembered the first time Sonic had held him when he tried to extract that artificial energy. And then there was the dance… an intricate, dangerous waltz where every step they took together sent ripples of power through his body. He hadn’t wanted to acknowledge it then, hadn’t wanted to tell Sonic that the contact was physically hurting him.

Because… because he couldn’t.

A door within the hybrid’s mind, one he had kept locked tight, suddenly creaked open, and the monster he kept hidden inside began to rear its head. It wasn’t just pain he felt anymore; it was a hunger, a desperate, clawing need that surged up from the depths of his soul. Shadow’s instincts screamed at him to pull away, to retreat back into the safety of his solitude, to just hit the other and leave. But the other part of him – the part he didn’t want anyone to know about – held him in place.

‘Chaos… don’t let it end…’  

The words echoed in his mind, a desperate plea that was as much a command as it was a wish. If this was the cost of being near Sonic, of touching him, of truly connecting with him, then so be it. Shadow would endure it, embrace it, even if it meant letting the monster within him out–

Shadow froze, eyes blowing wide when Sonic’s mouth connected with his again, the other’s thumb forcing its way inside to drag his mouth open. He didn’t have time to focus on the speedster’s words now, his pacing mind at a halt.

He… He accidentally wished again…

“ Augh… S-Sah…’ic, ” Shadow tried to speak around the digit and tongue in his mouth, the arms around his crush going lax as the last of his sensitivities began leaving him. He could feel Sonic’s other hand lowering along his body: past chest fur, past ribs, past muscle, past his stomach. He tried closing his legs instinctively, his mind still processing danger even as he felt himself drifting, but the hero’s hips were in the way of his knees.

“I’m going to… touch you now, okay…? Just breathe…” Sonic whispered, and Shadow clenched his eyes shut as drool began pooling in his mouth.

Arousal was not foreign to him, but he had never truly indulged in his body before. He was alien, a thought that perturbed him on those nights he found himself alone and fantasizing about things he was too shy to speak of, and that eternal truth turned him off no matter how he tried to ignore it. However, the idea of Sonic being the one, the first to… It frightened him, but he couldn’t deny the allure regardless of how disarrayed Sonic’s words had made him…

Shadow had not lied. He had wanted this for so long. He could only hope his rival didn’t find him disgusting… 

When Sonic finally touched him there, his pouch was already swollen and aching from all the attention the hero had administered to his body earlier. It felt like a crack of lightning shot through his whole being in a flash of white light. Sharp fangs dug into the thumb in his mouth as a muffled howl of pleasure escaped him.

“Fuck, Shads,” Sonic had pulled away just in time from their kiss to speak, palming at the other’s heat greedily as he groaned at the pain in his hand and the sight beneath him. The stinging he felt and the blood pouring into Shadow’s mouth could be ignored so long as the hybrid kept making those sounds. “How long were you like this…? You sound so hot right now, fuck… How did I not notice sooner…?”

The hero devoured the display beneath him with his stare alone. 

Shadow’s usually sharp, intense, hyperaware eyes were unfocused, staring up at his rival like he didn’t even recognize him. His teeth were latched onto Sonic’s now bloody thumb, panting heavily around it as moans, whines, growls, and purrs left him unabashedly. When the hero found an uncoordinated rhythm in which to move his hand, he could feel the other begin to thrust against it with equal earnestness. It was honestly shocking how quickly Shadow fell into this state, though Sonic supposed a massage and makeout session were enough for foreplay. Teasing the edges of Shadow’s slit, it was only a matter of time before his cock was out in the open, even with the blue blur’s lack of skill.

Not that Sonic was faring much better, and he wasn’t even being touched! Pathetic and sad, to be honest, but Shadow having that effect on him was something he’d grown used to. He wouldn’t leave himself out to dry for long, but the other’s wants came first. 

That being said, when Shadow’s length finally slipped out of its pouch and into his waiting hand, smug satisfaction made his smile twist. 

“ A-Augh! ” Shadow’s mouth finally released his hand when he threw his head back to moan, leaving the hero wincing as he withdrew the abused limb with a shake. Blood was dripping from the small wound, soaking into his glove steadily, but he didn’t mind it. He was too busy staring at the other’s dick in perplexion.

It looked mostly like how you’d expect, but there were some noticeable differences. The base was much wider, offering a heavy weight into Sonic’s palm as he ceased his stroking to observe the damn thing closely. It felt overly smooth in his hold, sleek and glistening, the tip wiggling in search of the pleasure he was providing moments ago as if it had a mind of its own. A liquid seeped from the opening readily, likely precum, its consistency like that of lubricant. It’s like the whole thing secreted this substance, Sonic realized after a few more moments of inspection, his glove feeling wet already…

His tail wagged behind him like a flag of warning.

“D… Don’t look… ah… !” Shadow seemed to return to himself partially, embarrassed at how Sonic was admiring his most sacred body part with a starving look as his bare hand lowered to shield himself from view. Sonic gently grabbed it to stop his bashfulness, licking his lips as he giggled.

“Even down here, you’re so unique… Hello Shadow Jr.! ” He barked out a laugh when Shadow yanked his hand away to smack him weakly, whining as his hips jerked uncomfortably. The hero still had his dick in his hold as he lifted his gaze to smile at his rival cheekily. “Guess he’s just happy to see me after all these years, eh?”

“Please, stop talking…!” The Ultimate Lifeform groaned at Sonic’s words in exasperation, only to break off into a whimper when the blue hedgehog gave his length an experimental stroke. He could feel it pulsing like it had a mind of its own, and without warning his own dick slipped from his pouch out on full display. He was sure if Shadow could see he would say something smug about it, but lust was blinding them both now. 

Carefully adjusting himself, Sonic hovered above Shadow once more, his free arm trembling slightly as it supported his weight, planting the bloody hand firmly on Shadow’s clawed one once more. His knees were tucked close to Shadow's hips in a way that kept the hybrid’s legs spread, grounding the hero in place but giving just enough space to control his hips freely. His quills drooped slightly, casting shadows over his flushed face, while his breath came in uneven, shallow bursts as he looked into Shadow’s eyes before burying his neck into the Ultimate Lifeform’s shoulder. The position was a delicate balance, both physically and emotionally, as he struggled to hold himself up while the weight of his own emotions threatened to pull him down. Opening the hand still wrapped around Shadow’s dick, he slipped his length forward, brushing them both together. He wrapped his fingers around both of their arousals as best as he could, giving them an eager rub.

The feeling was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Sonic could only thank his athleticism that he didn’t outright collapse, the moan leaving him outright vulgar. Shadow fared no better, already jerking his hips into Sonic’s hand, shaking his head from side to side. With a shiver, Sonic got to work, eager to partake in this feast …

Shadow indeed now believed this was happiness.

It was a disgusting display, he was sure. The sounds leaving him, the way he pathetically jerked into Sonic’s hand like a… well, animal, the way his free hand immediately went down to join in the hero’s strokes. Sonic did seem to like that though, moaning the hybrid’s name hotly as they worked to meet a mutual pace. It was difficult, the two clearly unpracticed, but they could work on that later.

‘Tch, already thinking of the next time…? Disgusting. I’m disgusting …’

“Shadow, ah, fuck, keep going, hngh…!” Sonic’s breath was hot against Shadow’s neck, and he could feel drool fall onto his fur. “Faster… we can go faster… !”

“Sonic…” Shadow whimpered, his mouth still tasting of the other’s blood, and a sudden impulse consumed him. Speeding up the pace of his hand, he latched his teeth on the arm that had his other wrist pinned, the taste of blood his reward, purring and moaning in delight when the hero cried out loudly. 

‘Disgusting. Disgusting I’m disgusting, fuck, what is wrong with me, FUCK–?!’

His body was acting on its own, his mind a mere pilot as he released his mouth of the other’s flesh only to chomp down on another part. Sonic’s moans of his name were only encouraging him, and he sobbed when he felt the speedster’s own teeth bite into the sensitive skin of his neck. 

The pleasure was drowning them both, but maybe it was what they needed.

Amid the pressure building in his lower stomach, his sensitive ears began picking up on words. He hadn’t realized Sonic was speaking through his teeth and licks along his neck, matching perfectly in time with each thrust into their hands. He was uncertain if they were full sentences being spoken, but two words were clear, repeated like a holy mantra in his ear.

“I’ll…

...save…

...you!”

Climax was fast approaching. Sonic thought he would have more stamina than this, but could you blame him? The Ultimate Lifeform, a being of power and control, a mess of sweat and cries beneath him, gagging himself with Sonic’s arm? He didn’t think he’d be as into the biting as he was now, but digging his own teeth into Shadow’s skin felt undeniably good. He could only imagine how next time would go, what Shadow would be like if approached with the sole intention of this. Would Sonic have to fight for control? Would Shadow just allow him to have it like he did today? To sink or to swim. To dominate or submit.

Amazing… All of it was amazing…!

More... I need more...!

Maybe he shouldn’t have let his mind wander. His release came unexpectedly, cum shooting out over their dicks and Shadow’s stomach and chest as the world faded to white. He rode out the orgasm with a few more jerks of his hips, desperately panting into Shadow’s shoulder as drool fell from his mouth. He probably looked pathetic, but he didn’t mind that. He’d wanted this forever too… To finally have it, not in his head but in reality, was so… it went beyond words…! Sonic’s hold on the other’s wrist laxed, his body trembling from the high. A few moments later, he could feel more warm liquid practically burst into his hand, the Ultimate Lifeform orgasming with a scream as he threw his head back, his back arching and pressing their sensitive lengths together even more as his body convulsed. Sonic let out a choked moan, and finally collapsed on top of Shadow in a heap of exhaustion with his eyes closed. 

Shadow… you’re so beautiful…

‘I don’t want this to end…’

Shadow… Oh, Shadow…

…

…

…

Time ticked by, the only sound in the room their heavy breaths as reality began to restore itself. Sonic was the first to recover, a shaky laugh in his voice as he weakly pushed his head up. He couldn’t recall the last time his lungs hurt this bad. A purr rumbled in his throat as he smiled, raising a hand to wipe the b̵͍̰̺͖̬̱͌̍̅͆̈́͗̄͌̋̉̄́͝͠ľ̵̡̘̭̮̯̲͙͔̞̞̻̞͠͝ͅͅo̸̝͆̐̂͗̄̽̌̋̌̿͆͑̕̚o̴͙̠͍̗͈̮̲͈̲͋̽̇͜͝ḋ̸̹͙̖̘̉̔͐͒̚ from his lips. 

“Hah… Shads… That was… wow…!” Sonic opened his eyes, grinning widely. “Did it feel good– I… huh…?!”

He froze, ice filling his veins.

….w̸a̶s̶ ̴a̶ ̴b̴e̴a̶u̶t̴i̸f̴u̸l̴ ̶p̵l̶a̴c̷e̵ ̵i̸n̸ ̸m̶e̵m̸o̴r̵y̶,̵ ̶b̶u̴t̵ ̴r̴i̶g̵h̵t̸ ̸n̵o̶w̷ ̸i̴t̵ ̸r̷e̷p̶r̸e̴s̸e̵n̷t̴e̵d̴ ̶a̶g̴o̶n̵y̵ ̶t̷h̷a̶t̶ ̷w̵e̷n̴t̵ ̷b̷e̶y̵o̴n̸d̸ ̵t̶h̸e̸ ̷b̸o̷d̸y̶ ̵a̶n̷d̸ ̶i̸n̷t̷o̷ ̵t̴h̵e̵ ̸m̴i̵n̶d̶.̸ ̵..

Grass? A pool of dark red. His vision blurred as he reeled back in horror.

̵O̵n̵h̷i̴s̷h̶a̶n̷d̵s̷ ̷a̴n̵d̴k̵n̵e̴e̸s̶,̴ S̴o̷n̵i̴c̴ ̵w̸a̴s̷ ̴c̶o̸v̵e̵r̸e̴d̷ ̵i̷n̸ ̸l̶a̶r̴g̸e̵ ̵q̸u̷a̵n̴t̷i̶t̶i̶e̷s̸ ̷o̵f̷ ̵b̵l̷o̶o̴d̵ .̴ ̶N̶o̵n̶e̸ ̸o̵f̴ ̷i̶t̷ ̴w̶a̴s̴ ̸h̸i̴s̸ ̵o̵w̴n̵,̴ ̸o̴b̷v̷i̵o̵u̶s̷ ̸b̴y̶ ̴t̷h̷e̴ ̵ l̵i̶f̴e̵l̸e̴s̴s̶ ̷b̶o̶d̶y̴ ̷o̴f̴ ̸S̴h̶a̴d̵o̸w̵ ̶b̶e̷s̸i̴d̷e̴h̵i̸m̷̷a̷n̷d̴ ̸h̸e̷ ̴f̵e̸l̶t̸ ̶s̶i̸c̷k̶ ̶t̴o̶̸h̷i̶s̵̶s̶t̶o̶m̷a̸c̶h̸.̷ ̶T̵h̸i̴s̵ ̶w̸a̸s̴n̸’̵t̶ ̶s̶u̸p̶p̶o̸s̸e̸d̸ ̴t̸o̵ ̷h̴a̷p̷p̷e̶n̸.̶ ̷H̸e̵w̷a̴s̵n̶’̸t̴s̶u̴p̷p̴o̷s̸e̴d̷ ̷t̶o̵…̴ ̵H̵e̸ ̸w̸a̷s̷ ̴s̸u̵p̸p̵o̵s̷e̶d̷ ̶t̴o̵ ̵s̵a̷v̸e̵ ̷a̶n̶d̶…̷ ̸H̵e̵c̷o̵u̴l̴d̵n̵’̷t̶ ̸e̸v̷e̴n̴ ̶l̷o̸o̶k̴ ̸a̶t̴ ̶S̸h̷a̵d̵o̵w̴ ̷t̸o̵ ̴s̷e̵e̴w̶h̶a̵t̴i̷n̵j̷u̶r̶i̸e̸s̵ ̴k̴i̷l̵l̴e̵d̷ ̶h̵i̶m̷,̷ ̵b̸u̵t̶ ̸t̶h̶e̷ ̸s̷m̷e̴l̸l̸ ̸o̷f̷ ̵b̶l̴o̶o̴d̸ ̴w̶a̴s̷ ̴m̸a̵k̶i̷n̴g̵h̵i̴s̵n̴o̵s̷e̵b̶u̸r̵n̷ ̷a̵n̶d̷ ̶h̵i̵s̸v̵i̷s̵i̴o̵n̵̸d̷a̷r̷k̴…̶

“Wha…?! No…! Shadow…?!” 

Sonic couldn't tear his eyes away. The scene before him felt too vivid, too tangible to be just a figment of his imagination. The metallic taste of blood lingered on his tongue, mingling with the oppressive humidity of the forest that clung to his skin. He had convinced himself it was just a dream – what he thought was a dream – but the rawness of it, the stark reality of the moment, made him question everything. Had he really done this? Had he… killed… ?

Panic clawed at his mind, each thought more frenzied than the last. Where was he? How had he ended up here? Why couldn't he remember? His heart raced, the beats thudding painfully in his chest as he grappled with the horrifying uncertainty. The sinister echo of his phantom's laughter reverberated in his ears, a cruel reminder of the darkness lurking within him. It felt like his soul was fracturing, splintering under the weight of the unknown. A choked sob tore from his throat, the sound raw and desperate as he looked down at his arms.

Painted in blood. It was like he was a beast, a creature that had ripped into his rival’s throat and devoured him, his body a buffet. It felt real. It all felt real.

Was everything that had just happened with Shadow a lie? Was their connection, their night together, nothing more than a cruel illusion? His thoughts spiraled, each one more chaotic than the last, as the specter of doubt loomed over him. 

What had Eggman done to him?!

What had he become? 

Was this the serum? 

Was had he done?! Was Shadow dead beneath him reality?!

The lines between fact and fiction blurred, leaving Sonic trapped in a whirlwind of fear of himself, unable to distinguish the truth from the terror that gripped him. 

Was this an omen? 

Was this a sign? 

Was Shadow in danger ? !

W̶̨̛̯̥͕̻̠̗̯̞͑͋̃͛͂̃̌̐́̑̆̐͘ȁ̵̧̡̠͎̬̪̝̦̘͙̘͈̄́̎̆͛̓͆̔͊̾͠͝͝s̷̢̛͎̗̤̻̭͙̐̆̇̀̌͑̑̀̀͠ ̵̮̫̼̮͚̀̊̀́̀̽̇̉͒̈́̃͘͝S̸̢̧͙͙̖͖̲̹͓̼͈̠͎͎̓͐̆̓̚͜͝ͅo̵̥̦̮̺̹͓͋̀ͅn̸̛̼͍̻̤̝̝̖̑̈́̄͌͘ȉ̸̢̮̬͓̳͓͓̰̺̥̭̱̭̿̆͜ͅḉ̸̧̡̨̟͚̼͚̫̲̥̲̱̮͙̜̿̈́͘ ̷̳̥̀͛̀̓̊̈́̈́̊̿́͘t̴̨̡̢̺͉͎͙̠͖͎͆̋̊̊͆͌̐̈́̌̉͋͝h̵͍̺͕́͐̊͐̃͗̄̍́͐̎̓̀͌͗͘ě̷̪̬̟̭̬̩̦͖͓̳͈͎̗̻̝̟̉̈́̎͆͗̄̇͘ ̵̮͖̘̟̈̈́̓̈́̌̉̐̑̿d̷̹͍̖̬̙͆̄̐͛̋̓̚͘͝â̶̛͈͕̦̻͍͚̰̲͍̺͖̩̻͌̓̾̐͋̓̒̿̑̂̕n̶̈́̓̽́̅͂̆̃̇͑̿̽͐̕͜͝ģ̵̲͈͙̤̞̘̠̼̤̦̘͍̞̈́̽͘e̸̪̪̯̥͉̯̱̟͔̫̝̬̖̯͍͇̳̊̑̇̏̚r̷͔̱̥̼̦̯͔͇̊͆̈́́̕?̴̤̪̻̙̆̿̊

“̵̡͚̲̮̭̺͚̜͇̣̬̥̺̝̫̥͖̫̎̐͆̾̆̇̌̅͒̽̈̂̄̀̾̔͘͘͝͝O̶̢̡̧̠͇͇͎͍̫͇͕̙̞̮̤̟̱̳̭͖̣͚͋̅͐̆͌̓͊̋̓͛̓̆͝h̶̢̨̢̩̼̙̥̼̮̙͚̱͔͕͍͎̠̰̻̖̰̖̘̹̳̐̾͂͛̽̾͌̂̋̇̇͐ ̸̯̟̜͙̮̮͖̼̞͕̲͉̰̙̥̯̬̮͔̒͂̂̓̂̍͠͝͝C̶̛̘̰̞̻̝̻̣̜̹̝̟̥̲̙͍̖̾͗̄̽͋̆͂͆̀̇͋̐͐̅̾̎̓̾̅̎͗̿̕͠h̷̡̡̛̘͖͇̳̗͓͍̣̘̳̲̱̣̟̗͕̜̰̬̓͛̂̌͊͒̄̈͑̃͑̀̓̃̇͋̿́́͗̑͘͠͝͠͝͠͝a̸̧̗͎̥̰̱̤̰͆̏̓̂̆̉̑̾́́́̓̐̏̀̕̕͘̕͘̚̕͠ơ̶̦͙͍̹̥̻̜̳̥̘͖̳͗͐̋͗̓̽͂̀͂̌͐̃́͂̇̆̋̆̉̇s̵̡̨̡̨̢̛̲͙̝͖̳̹̻̙̣̻̩͉̱̜̳̙̮̘̭̰̼̪͎̤̝͍͑̍̀̑̏̃́͌͑̽̊̀͛̒͊͒̒̑̓̿̎͗͝,̴̠͉͙̹̲͚̟̗̫̺̟̦͕͒͛̈́́̆̀̄̏̆̈́͂̆̒̎̈͆͛̓̔̆̏̀̿̏̑̀̚͝͝ ̵̢̭̺̝̻͍͖͚̙̱͚̘̍̐̀̈́̿͛̇̎̿̏̒͐̿̀͐̾̈́̐̓̎̀̈͒̔͛̔͋̓͘͜͠͠ͅS̷̨̧̳̜̤̰̰̭͚͔͈̼̪̖̤̫͎̗̪̙͓̥̙̯͔͎̝̉͊̈́̇̔͗̔̅͋̌̂̏̕͜͠ͅh̴̡͚̹̩͖͇̮͙͍͙͉̓͆͂͑̎͗́̒̉͆͂͊̊͆̀͊͌̂̀̅̒̌̈̕͘͘͜͠ͅą̷̧̨̭̣͓̠̥̞͚̞̤̦͉͖̒̆̅̄͂͐̈͛̎̀̒̀̌͆̋̈̑̉̆̐̕͝ḑ̶̱̜͍̱̫͇̟̜͔͙͖̗̫̰͔̈́̓̌͐̎̍̈̿̀͆̂̈́̑̈́̇̄̔͊͘͝͝ö̵̧̮͕̺͈̱̎̋͌̆̂̍͗̿̀̌̌͐̑͌̌͊͝͠ẃ̸̗̬̖͎̪͎̪̖̜͚͕̞̙̦͔̱͙̯͎̼̫͉͕ͅ…̶̨̢̧̡͔̖͚̫̱̘̪̯͖̙̥̳̹͙͎͍̘̣̪̱͌̂̅̃̏̽̃̽̎̍̀̽̑̕͠͠ ̷̨̙̮̼̮̞̹̦̰̣̠̫͔̺͚͉̞̞̦̯͗̐̿͗͜ͅņ̸̧̢̛͎̝͙̩̺͚̘̪̻̺̳̱͔̦̙̙̙̮̣̟͔̤̥͖̯̮̈̋̉͂̄̒̎̄̒̈́̽̎̇͂̇̆͐̈́̎̾́͗͗̕̚ơ̵̡̡͈͔̦̖͂͗̾̒͐̓̓̊̃͒͘͠…̴̛̻̌͋͑͗̈͑̐́̓̀̃̀͆̇̃̋̄́̍͝!̶̡̛̃͐̄̾͋̿̀̒͌̓͒̓̄̀̽͗͆̾̓”̸̢̧̨͔̜̻͙͕̤̺͍̥̺͈̝̭̫̝̱͛̋̆̋͐̓́̐̍̓̄̏̾̌̂͆͌̔̕͘͜͝͝ ̵̡̛̖͍̭̝͙͖͓̒̑̍̀̐̑̅͋̈̒̑̾̏̾̔̈́͌̀̔͌̂͗̃̾͘͠͝

I’m fine… I’m fine… I’m fine! Everything is f̶̢͍̹̭͖͇̦̹̻̤̬̩͇̋͐͂́͜ͅͅi̸̧̫̤̞̚ņ̸̛͎̮̩̗͚́͛̓̊͌̅̓͌̄̉́͛͜͠ẽ̶̲̰̲̖͍̘̞̈́…̴̢̧̩̭̘̫̲̞̤̩̻̩͍̮̭͉̽̾͗̇͆͆̌͗̽̌̊̕͘!̴̯͓̬͍̿̕

̷̢̹̖̙̫̙͖̬͓̘̠͒͒̿̏̉̋͐͜

…

…

…

How much time had passed…?

When Shadow came to, his overstimulated body shivering, he slowly opened his eyes. The harsh glare of the bedroom lights made him wince, a spiteful grumble escaping his lips before a hoarse cough followed, his voice raw from the yelling he’d done moments prior. He blushed slightly, trying to shift into a more comfortable position, but found himself pinned under the weight of Sonic’s body, draped over him like a warm, protective blanket. He didn’t try to fight off the purr he released, finding a feeling of peace in his mind after their activities. Sleep was beckoning him, his vision blurring, but the sticky sensation on his chest and stomach as well as the dampness on his shoulder was annoying enough to prevent it…

He blinked, trying to clear his vision and take stock of their situation. The room was in disarray, the aftermath of their intensity scattered around them, but all of that faded into the background as more awareness seeped into Shadow’s mind. It wasn’t just the warmth of his rival’s body that he felt pressed against him; Sonic’s arms were wrapped tightly around him, holding him as if he were the only thing anchoring him to reality. The realization that the hero was hugging him – clutching him as if letting go would mean losing everything – made Shadow’s breath catch in his throat.

He could feel the tremors in Sonic’s grip, the slight quiver in his hold, and the ragged, uneven breaths that were coming in short gasps. Slowly, Shadow turned his head, his own confusion and concern growing as he looked down at the blue hedgehog.

Sonic was crying.

The sight of it – a hero so strong, so fearless – reduced to tears, sent a jolt through Shadow’s core. Sonic’s tears streamed down his face, dampening Shadow's fur as he buried his muzzle deeper into the dark hedgehog's neck, his body trembling with a vulnerability that Shadow had never witnessed before. All the power, all the charisma, all the carefree laughs and smirks and taunts, were stripped away, leaving only a broken, sobbing figure clinging to him as if his life depended on it.

Shadow was speechless. Sonic was not the type to cry in front of anyone, let alone break down so completely. And Shadow, who had faced down gods and mankind without flinching, suddenly felt at a loss. Comfort was not his strong suit, and seeing Sonic like this – so raw, so exposed—made his chest tighten with an unfamiliar ache. The pleasure he'd felt moments ago was quickly forgotten, replaced by a deep, gnawing concern.

Tentatively, he raised his hand from Sonic’s slack hold, hesitating for just a moment before gently brushing his fingers through the blue quills. The gesture was awkward, uncertain, but he hoped it would offer some semblance of comfort. He could feel the soft spikes tremble under his touch, and he let his hand linger there, tracing slow, soothing patterns as if trying to quiet the storm of emotions raging inside Sonic.

"Sonic..." Shadow's voice was barely a whisper, the usual steel in his tone softened by the weight of the moment. His confidence, the unshakeable resolve that had carried him through countless battles, wavered in the face of this unexpected fragility. He wanted to say something – anything – to ease the hero's pain, to offer some semblance of comfort, but the words refused to come. Instead, he simply held him, his grip tightening ever so slightly as he continued to stroke Sonic's quills, the motion becoming steadier, more deliberate, as if hoping that the silent reassurance of his touch would be enough.

But doubt crept into his mind, gnawing at him with relentless persistence. Had he been too selfish? So consumed with his own turmoil, his own confusion, that he hadn’t stopped to consider how everything might be affecting Sonic on a deeper, more personal level. The blue hedgehog wore his heart on his sleeve, always so open, so free with his emotions – but were there things he hid, the pain he kept buried beneath that easygoing facade? Was there too a side of Sonic that he had wanted no one to see…?

Shadow’s chest tightened with guilt. Should he have asked? Should he have tried to see beyond the surface, to understand the weight Sonic was carrying? The thought that he might have missed something, that he might have failed to notice the cracks forming in Sonic’s seemingly indomitable spirit, gnawed at him. He had always seen Sonic as invincible, but now… now he wondered if he had been blind to the vulnerability that had been there all along.

Suddenly, Sonic snapped his head upwards, the sudden movement jolting Shadow from his thoughts. He sputtered, his breath hitching in his throat as he stared at the hero with wide eyes.

A wide, manic smile spread across Sonic’s face, a stark contrast to the tears that continued to stream down his cheeks. His usually bright green eyes were reflective with tears, his pupils dilated as he stared at Shadow like he were meat. The sight was jarring, sending a cold chill down Shadow’s spine. The hero did nothing to acknowledge the tears streaming down his face, his head tilting slightly as he opened his mouth to speak.

“Shadow,” Sonic's voice quivered, the smile remaining fixed even as sobs broke through his words, "Nothing’s ever going to harm you, not while I’m around. Okay?"

The phrase, delivered with a blend of tear-soaked laughter and eerie calm, struck Shadow like a knife. A knot of fear coiled tightly in his chest, icy dread seeping through him as he stared at Sonic in paralyzed silence. Everything felt wrong – terribly, irrevocably wrong. The Sonic he knew, the one who was always so full of life and energy, felt like a stranger, wearing a mask of twisted reassurance that only deepened Shadow’s unease.

The silence stretched, and Shadow realized Sonic expected him to respond. What could he possibly say to that? He remembered Sonic repeatedly saying he’d save Shadow… Did Sonic have some weird inclination toward heroism that manifested even in moments like this? His mind raced, searching for something to say, some way to reach out and pull Sonic back from whatever edge he was teetering on. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he carefully raised his bare hand to cup the other’s cheek, running his thumb pad beneath Sonic’s eyes to wipe away the tears there gently.

“...You… don’t need to do that…?” Despite the fear he felt, Shadow still had his pride now that he could think clearly again. He was the Ultimate Lifeform, a title he boasted freely, and the odds of anyone harming him, let alone trying, were slim. This line of thought was just confusing, and he struggled to make sense of where it all came from.

The only one who had ever gotten truly close was... the hedgehog staring down at him...

“I… can take care of myself, Sonic…”

“Of course you can~!” Sonic responded immediately in a sing-song voice, moving his face closer. Shadow frowned, eyebrows furrowing. 

It almost sounded like Sonic didn’t believe him.

“But that doesn’t matter! Nothing beats me. Other’s can desert you, Shadow, but whistle and I’ll be there in a heartbeat! Leave it to me… leave it all to me…! You only have me...!”

When their mouths pressed together in a hungry kiss, Shadow didn’t reciprocate. He sat there in stunned silence, feeling Sonic’s tears fall freely on his face…

Chapter Text

From the vantage point of space, Earth appeared as a stunning jewel suspended in the vast expanse of the cosmos. Its surface shimmered with a vibrant mosaic of colors, a breathtaking blend of blues, greens, and whites, the deep azure of the oceans contrasted sharply with the lush emerald greens of sprawling forests and meadows. Clouds swirled gracefully around the planet, their edges catching the light like delicate wisps of white silk.

Sunlight bathed the planet in a warm, golden glow, causing the ice caps and snow-capped peaks to sparkle like scattered diamonds. The atmosphere, a delicate veil of blue, seemed to dance with the gentle hues of rainbows, visible where the sunlight refracted through the high-altitude clouds. As the planet turned slowly, patches of rain showers and clear skies intermingled, adding a dynamic and ever-changing beauty to the view. The shimmering oceans were dotted with the occasional glint of sunlight reflecting off the surface, while the landmasses revealed intricate patterns of mountain ranges and river deltas, each one a testament to Earth’s natural artistry. The entire scene was a mesmerizing, harmonious blend of tranquility and vitality, an iridescent gem of the universe, capturing the essence of life and beauty in its most exquisite form.

This scene, always breathtaking in its serene beauty, remained unchanged: Earth hung before them, its blues and greens sparkling softly, like a gem bathed in sunlight. It was a comforting promise, an emblem of hope and wonder that floated far beyond the reaches of their childlike dreams.

Maria and Shadow, just finishing their playful game, were draped in makeshift paper crowns and silk blanket capes, adorned with star stickers as they sat side by side on the observation deck, their eyes fixed on the distant planet that had captured their imaginations. The playful trappings of their game were contrary to the profound reverence they held for the view before them, their giggles and shouts gone as they took in the familiar sight. As they gazed out at the Earth, a sense of quiet reflection enveloped them. The grandeur of the planet, with its vast oceans and lush landscapes, seemed to invite contemplation even for the youth.

“Maria,” Shadow’s voice broke the silence, filled with curiosity and wonder. He looked up at her with wide ruby eyes, his small fingers gripping the edge of the observation window. “What do the people on Earth fight for?”

Maria, her gaze softening as she petted Shadow behind the ears, his paper crown slipping slightly from the motion as she considered his question. Her eyes were drawn to the twinkling lights of Earth, a vision of peace and beauty against the dark expanse of space. After a thoughtful pause, she spoke gently, her voice full of warmth and insight.

“I think… They fight for love, Shadow,” Maria said softly, her voice filled with a gentle reverence . “For the chance to build a better world, to protect what they cherish, and to find happiness in their lives. It’s their way of reaching for something beautiful, just like we’re reaching for the stars…” She raised her free hand and pressed her palm against the cold glass of the observation deck, her words remaining warm. Shadow, his eyes fixed on the mesmerizing planet, mirrored her motion, his claws tapping gently against the glass. His sister was small, but she was a Robotnik through and through. Every word was so thought out, so heavy with intention and care… 

“I… I still want love…” Shadow whispered, his thoughts drifting back to their game, their play at princesses and knights with the utmost fondness. Maria’s blue eyes, reflecting the radiance of Earth, softened as she looked at her brother. Her expression was a blend of wistfulness and encouragement, a silent acknowledgment of his longing.

“...It reminds me… Grandfather told me something once, something cool…” Maria began, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper as if she were sharing a treasured secret. Shadow’s eyes widened with curiosity, and he leaned closer, a playful giggle escaping as he felt her breath tickling his forehead. Maria’s gaze grew distant, recalling a memory, her tone imbued with a dreamlike quality.

“He said that… Everyone is asleep until they… fall in love… Can you believe that? He said that’s what it was like when he met Grandma… How can we be awake and asleep all at once? It sounds magical… I asked him to tell me more, but he said I was too little to understand! But… I get it! You get it, right Shadow?”

Her words, delicate and profound, seemed to weave themselves into the fabric of the cosmos outside. The concept of love, framed against the backdrop of their magnificent view, took on an ethereal quality. For a moment, the vastness of space seemed to close in around them, creating a cocoon of shared dreams and unspoken promises.

Shadow pouted, his eyes squeezing shut as he pondered the meaning of Maria’s words. The notion of being ‘asleep’ until you felt ‘love’ was a distant concept, beyond his young understanding. Yet, Maria’s enthusiasm was infectious. When he opened his eyes, a spark of hopeful determination shone through, and he voiced his innocent belief with a purr of excitement.

“We’ll find it! I promise Maria, we will find love!” he declared, his tail wagging energetically as Maria began to pet him with both hands. Her laughter, bright and warm, filled the space between them as their makeshift crowns tumbled to the floor. “We’ll know it all! Everything the Doctor says…!” Maria blinked in surprise at his words, before a laugh escaped the frail girl’s frame, leaving her breathless.

“We will… We will…!” she agreed, pulling her little brother into a tender embrace. The hug was a promise, a gesture of unwavering support and shared anticipation…

A promise…

That never came to be…

.

..

…

….

…..

….

…

..

.

The halls of the Restoration Camp bustled with activity, the midday sun filtering through the windows and casting a warm glow on the cracked floors. Mobians of all shapes and sizes hurried past, their voices blending into a steady hum of conversation and the clatter of footsteps. A group of volunteers carried supplies, their arms laden with crates and medical kits, while others huddled around maps and communication devices, deep in discussion. The air was thick with the urgency of the day, every corner of the camp alive with the pulse of coordinated chaos as everyone worked tirelessly to keep the operation running smoothly.

As Rouge walked down the bustling hallway towards Shadow’s guest room, adjusting her travel bag over her shoulder carefully and grumbling to herself in annoyance. Tired, she couldn't help but let her thoughts wander as she struggled to block out the sounds. The volunteers around her moved with purpose, their dedication evident in every stride, every word exchanged. It was distracting just how the efficiency and commitment of those who worked here melded together impressively, something almost admirable about their willingness to work out of sheer goodwill. It must be nice to be driven by a desire to make a difference without expecting anything in return, a feeling likely inspired by Sonic and his closest friends.

Rouge, however, had always been different. She thrived in environments where her efforts were met with tangible rewards – a steady paycheck, a few well-placed secrets, diamonds and jewels beyond your wildest dreams – the kind of stability that gave her control in the chaos of life. It was a practical choice, one that had served her well over the years. She was easygoing and adaptable to most situations, a skill invaluable to her work, yet she couldn’t deny her love for the thrill of adventure.

But as she continued towards her destination, her thoughts inevitably drifted to the Blue Blur, to the disorder his current state had caused. His mood had been off lately, in frustratingly subtle ways that were hard to pin down but impossible to ignore. It wasn’t like him, and that unsettled her more than she cared to admit. The two had always had a casual allyship, their banter easy and comfortable, but lately she had not felt the desire to interact with him much at all given his unpredictable change. She had to hold her tongue for her Shadow’s sake.

Speaking of her partner, the poor guy was clearly caught in the middle. Uncertainty, unpracticed, overwhelmed with emotions and Sonic’s actions that he couldn’t manage. The kiss between the two hedgehogs last night had been a catalyst of some kind, she knew. Shadow’s actions that morning, as well as his silent behavior last night, made Rouge worried . The Ultimate Lifeform was aloof to a fault, but it was getting ridiculous at this point. She couldn’t shake the feeling Shadow was hiding something from her against his better judgment. They needed to have that talk, but time was cutting itself short. It would all have to wait until she got back…

Rouge’s thoughts drifted to the call she had just made, and uneasiness grew within her gut, only fueling her aggravation.

During her phone call with Commander Tower, a proposition had been made. G.U.N. was already well aware of Sonic’s compromised state after the incident with Shadow in Central City, a fact that has been causing nothing but problems behind the scenes. Getting the blue hedgehog back from G.U.N.’s clutches hadn’t been easy, even with her considerable influence within the organization, tensions growing at an outright laughable rate. The details of those meetings with Tower remained a closely guarded secret, known to no one: not Jewel, the Restoration Camp’s leader, not Tails, the boy genius that the world owed everything to… not even Shadow the Hedgehog, the one directly involved…

Now, as she approached Shadow’s room, Rouge couldn’t shake the weight of the offer that had been laid on the table, Tower showing her his hand without so much as a twitch or grumble. The Commander wasn’t one to make idle suggestions, and the implications of his words gnawed at her. Tails owned an amazing mind, a fact no one could dispute, but would his brilliance be enough to solve the problem with Sonic? The stakes could potentially be higher than they’d ever been, and as much as Rouge trusted the fox, this was his brother they were talking about at the end of the day. 

Emotions could cloud even the sharpest minds, and Tails was no exception.

Rouge was a gambler by nature, someone who knew how to hedge her bets and play the odds with patience and poise. She had never been one to place all her chips on a single horse, no matter how sure the win seemed, always apt to keep other options in mind. She couldn’t afford to rely solely on Tails; the risks were too great. The offer from G.U.N. was there, too great to ignore… Would anyone blame her for considering…?

The door suddenly came into view. Rouge shook her head quickly, realizing she had been too lost in her own musings to notice her surroundings. Now that she was paying attention, the lack of noise struck her as… odd. She was sure the hybrid would have tried napping the day into nonexistence, and while he was a silent sleeper, the quiet felt too out of place. Reaching for the doorknob, she found it turned easily in her hand, unlocked, and she pushed the door open with a practiced, albeit forced, smile.

 "Hun~! You better not be napping again, you won’t be beating the ‘old man’ allegations if you are!" she called out in a sing-song voice, poking her head inside.

But the room was indeed empty. Not a soul in sight. 

Rouge’s smile faded as she surveyed the room, something about the space unsettling her. The bed was stripped bare, the mattress left exposed without sheets or blankets. It was an odd sight, especially considering Shadow’s typically fastidious nature. Her gaze then shifted to a vase in the corner, brimming with delicate white flowers. The sight of them sent a jolt of recognition through her, memories rushing back in an instant.

Those flowers – she knew them well. How many times had Shadow returned home late, the petals clinging to his fur like silent witnesses to his secretive outings? She could still recall the nights she’d found those same petals scattered around their shared home, a trail that led to questions he was reluctant to answer. It had taken all her cunning to coax the truth out of him, to learn that these flowers were markers of his clandestine meetings with Sonic. Shadow had been mortified to admit it, his usual stoicism cracking under the weight of his embarrassment, and it was honestly very adorable how shy he was. He had acted like he was caught in the middle of the act red-handed.

Not that Rouge had suspected anything truly scandalous back then; she knew Shadow too well for that. But she also knew his guarded nature, the way he held his emotions close, always careful, always controlled. Yet, these flowers had been a tell, a sign of something that made even Shadow a blushing mess. It was cute, and she was glad to see him opening up more and more, so different from when they had first met... 

Beside the vase, not as cute, was one of Tails’ devices, the very same that had been on three certain hedgehogs earlier that morning…

The presence of both the flowers and collar confirmed one thing: Sonic had been in this room. The fact that there was no sign of a struggle – a busted door, destroyed furniture, cracked walls or ceilings – eased her worries slightly. However, as she stepped inside to inspect the mattress more closely, her eyes fell on something that made her pause.

Blood. 

Not a lot, but enough to catch her attention. Dots of red were sprinkled across the mattress and carpet, the stains still somewhat fresh, glistening ominously in the light.

They hadn’t left long ago.

Without a second thought, Rouge turned abruptly, her bag swinging over her shoulder as she exited the room. The sight of blood combined with the absence of both Shadow and Sonic made her wary, but she knew better than to lose her cool in situations like this. The people living and working here were not panicking, so it wasn’t like disaster had fallen upon them just yet. 

There were countless places they could be, but she had the facts she needed: missing sheets, the presence of potential wounds, the sparring match earlier, and her knowledge of Shadow’s prickly behavior. It all pointed her toward one clear conclusion. Destination in mind, she walked quickly, determination in each step…

—

Beep.

Silver took a deep breath, as instructed.

And held it…

Held it more…

Held it longer…

…

And then slowly released it.

“I think… I feel better now…?” 

Tails didn’t immediately respond, his focus locked on the tablet in his hands, ears twitching at every subtle change in the readings. The soft glow of the screen cast a pale light over his face, highlighting the deep furrows of concentration on his brow. They had been at this for three hours, and finally, after what felt like an eternity, the fox looked up, his expression a blend of relief and lingering caution.

“Your readings are stabilizing,” Tails finally said, glancing at Silver with a small, reassuring smile. “That’s a good sign. You can take off the device now… Just be a bit more gentle with it than Shadow was, alright?”

Silver chuckled, a soft sound that helped to dissolve some of the suspense lingering in the room. He raised his hands to carefully unclip the collar around his neck, his cyan aura gently enveloping it as he removed the device with practiced ease. The collar floated in the air, suspended by his telekinesis, and with a playful flourish, Silver guided it to rest gently on the examination table beside him, hand waving lazily.

After the sparring match three hours ago – and the abrupt departure of Sonic and Shadow – the gang had dispersed. Amy had dragged Knuckles and Blaze off to do some shopping, hoping to lighten the mood and calm both of their aggression, while Rouge had retreated to the Restoration Camp to make a call to G.U.N.’s Commander. The lab felt empty, quiet, as the fox busily noted the time traveler’s condition dutifully. Silver sat on the observation table, the same one Sonic had been unconscious on just a week ago, and adjusted his gloves absentmindedly. His eyes kept drifting to the tablet in Tails' hands, expectant and a little anxious.

The fox's fingers tapped rapidly across the screen as he reviewed the data, his brow furrowed in concentration. The soft hum of machinery filled the room, punctuated by the occasional beep from the monitoring equipment. The silence between them was comfortable yet tinged with an undercurrent of uncertainty. Silver couldn’t handle it for long.

“So… that loud beeping from earlier stopped, huh?” Silver asked, his voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and unease.

Tails scoffed, his ears flicking in mild annoyance as he pressed a button to bring up Sonic’s chart on his tablet. The readings had been erratic, spiking to such an alarming level that Tails had dreaded the worst was about to happen. His fingers hovered over the screen, eyes narrowing as he reviewed the data. The beeping had been incessant, a constant reminder of the precarious situation they were all in, but the genius hadn’t been able to bring himself to shut it off. He had feared the next sound he’d hear would be a desperate cry from outside or an urgent call on one of his numerous communication devices, signaling that Sonic had finally snapped…

But then, without warning, the readings had ceased altogether. The sudden silence was almost more unsettling than the frantic beeping had been.

“Yeah, it stopped,” Tails muttered, his voice laced with worry. “But I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.”

Silver watched him carefully, picking up on the unease in Tails’ voice. Tilting his head to the side, he asked, “You think something happened?”

Tails sighed, his gaze still fixed on the tablet. “Well, I’d hope I would’ve gotten a call by now if something did. I’m hoping Sonic just took it off…” His finger traced down the list of numbers displayed on the screen, each one adding to the weight of his fears.

The pattern was becoming all too clear: Sonic had left to go after Shadow. The breakdown in Central City had also been with Shadow there. It all pointed to one thing…

Shadow was at the center of this… but how? Why? What did it mean…? He felt he could figure it out, that something obvious was dangling in front of him, but… nothing made sense. Did Shadow simply cause a unique reaction to Dark Gaia, his alien blood stirring something in Sonic unforeseen? Strange… just strange…

“All roads lead to Shadow…” Tails murmured under his breath, the thought lingering in the air like a dark cloud.

Sensing the growing pressure, Silver tried to inject some optimism into the room as he hopped off the table. “Well, I know you’ll figure it all out! You always do, and we’re all with you every step of the way! Just try not to stress yourself out too much! This is Sonic we’re talking about… What’s the worst that could happen?” The white hedgehog gave him a thumbs-up, his bright smile so reminiscent of Sonic that the fox couldn’t help but return it somewhat. He was about to express his thanks but paused at the hedgehog’s inquisitive hum. 

“That being said… what I felt earlier was chilling. I can’t imagine how Shadow is dealing with that, let alone Sonic…” Silver slid off the table with a hop, his heeled boots clicking softly against the floor. He rubbed his chin in thought, his usually calm demeanor shadowed by unease. “The artificial Chaos energy from before didn’t feel anything like that… That Dark Gaia stuff is no joke…”

Tails nodded, his expression darkening as he recalled the terrifying events from years ago – the world splitting apart, the worldwide panic that ensued, and the relentless struggle to piece everything back together. The weight of those days still clung to many people living on the planet, never fully lifting, like a shadow, no one could escape. Despite his wit and youthful optimism of the time, Tails couldn’t help but relate somewhat. Even now, the thought of Sonic battling through those nightly transformations sent a shiver down his spine, even if it ended up being a valuable asset to their goals...

“Yeah… I remember it all too well. The world was on the brink of destruction, and at first, we were barely holding on. But Sonic and… our friend Chip helped save the day.” His voice softened at the mention of Chip, the little spirit who had been a beacon of hope during those dark times. “I told you about the Werehog transformations. Dark Gaia’s energy was able to corrupt a lot of people from within, twisting them into something they weren’t, but Sonic… his corruption only manifested on the outside.”

He paused, the gears in his mind turning as he tried to piece together the puzzle that was Sonic’s current condition. “So my main hypothesis is that Eggman’s serum – Dark Gaia and artificial Chaos combined – has found a way to bypass Sonic’s resistance to Dark Gaia’s influence. It’s not just affecting him, but it’s converting him into a source of negative influence, one that could spread to the people around him, as you’ve experienced.”

It was a sound theory.

“Hmm,” Silver nodded along, his golden eyes shifting to stare up at the ceiling. A small frown began to crease his face as he focused, his eyes clenching shut in concentration. “I guess that’s possible…” He paused, another hum leaving him.

“...But?” Tails’ ears twitched as he turned to face the white hedgehog, raising an eyebrow.

“Well… I told you earlier I felt… weird and numb, right? Like, a piece of myself was… smothered. ” Silver opened his eyes, lowering his hand from his face to stare down at his open palm with an unreadable expression. “It was fine for most of the fight, I could barely feel it. But after I hit Sonic when he was going after Shadow, it just… I felt a huge wave of that energy…”

Tails nodded solemnly. “Yes, you were really out of it when we brought you here. You said you felt scared in the moment, so I imagine it’s a side effect of Dark Gaia on you.”

“Right,” Silver agreed, though his tone was laced with hesitation. He chewed on his lip, glancing at Tails with a mix of uncertainty and a hint of resolve. “It’s just… I’m not sure it’s all about the serum, per se. I mean, Sonic’s always been strong-willed, right? Resisting Dark Gaia’s influence on his own… it’s hard to believe that artificial Chaos could just override that so completely…”

Tails frowned, his mind racing as he tried to reconcile Silver’s words with what he knew of his best friend.

Silver continued, his voice tightening as he swallowed hard, his hand slowly clenching into a fist. “I mean, when that energy hit me, I felt genuine fear. At first, it seemed silly, even in that state with the mental fog, to be afraid of Sonic. I mean, it’s just Sonic. Even when we fought in the past as enemies, I never really feared for my life around him. He’s always been good. But, now, I just can’t help but think that… well…” He paused, his eyes searching Tails' face, seeking understanding or perhaps a shared concern.

…

At the end of the day, despite the trials and tribulations this situation has and would surely cause, Sonic the Hedgehog was Tails’ brother. He had been with him the longest out of everyone in the group and to imply what Silver was hinting at… was just…

It was absurd.

Taking a deep breath, the genius inventor gripped his tablet too tightly, the edges pressing into his palms as he turned away from the time traveler with a tiny huff. His namesakes flicked in agitation as he tried to steady his voice. Tails cut in quickly regardless, his voice a touch too sharp, too defensive, as his fur bristled with indignation.

“You’re right, he is Sonic,” Tails said, his tone firm but wavering with an undercurrent of emotion. “And we’re going to get Sonic back to normal. And normal is not any of us being afraid of Sonic, because Sonic isn’t like that normally.”  

The fox shook his head, blue eyes narrowed as if trying to banish the very thought. The idea that Sonic was actually–

No. He couldn’t entertain that possibility.

It was Eggman’s serum. Nothing more, nothing less.

Pursuing dead ends wouldn’t help them now. Tails had to focus on what he knew, on what he could fix. Doubting the one person who had been there for him through everything was out of the question. Sonic was his brother, his hero. And heroes didn’t just… No. Tails forced the thoughts away, determined to find a solution – one that didn’t involve questioning the very nature of the one person he believed in most.

“Ah, s-sorry…” Silver stammered, realizing he had made a mistake. He clasped his hands together, his ears drooping as his quills sagged against his head. “I wasn’t trying to imply anything, it’s just–”

Bring. Bring.

Both Mobians jumped, Tails nearly dropping the tablet in his hand as the familiar ringtone blared. The sharp sound cut through the air like a knife, freezing them both in place. Their eyes met, a silent exchange of concern passing between them before Tails quickly pressed the answer button.

“Uh, hello?” he answered, his voice tight.

Jewel the Beetle’s face appeared on the screen, her expression a tangled mix of anxiety and exhaustion. Her antennae twitched nervously as she spoke, the panic in her voice palpable. “Tails, I-I’m sorry, but we have a bit of a problem…”

“A problem?” Silver leaned in, his eyes widening as he noticed Tails stiffen beside him. The fox’s grip on the tablet tightened, his earlier resolve now replaced with a creeping sense of unease. “What kind of problem?”

“It’s… It’s about Sonic and Shadow, they…” Jewel hesitated, her words hanging in the air like a storm about to break. The anticipation built, but instead of horror or panic, a different emotion settled into their features…

…

Bafflement?

—

The hallway outside one of the Restoration Camp's public showers was eerily quiet. The walls, painted in soothing earth tones, seemed almost oppressive in the stillness, their tranquil design doing little to fill the emptiness of the space. Only the distant hum of camp activities and the faint sound of running water from within the bathroom served as reminders that life existed beyond this lonely corridor.

‘Bingo…’

As Rouge rounded the corner, the water was overtaking her sensitive ears, almost overwhelming in its intensity. She was too deep in thought, walking too briskly to hear the figure moving towards her just ahead, and before she knew it, she crashed right into something – or someone – solid.

A surprised gasp escaped her lips as she stumbled back from the force of their bodies' impact, but before she could hit the ground, a firm arm shot out and caught her around her waist, steadying her with ease. Rouge blinked, her heart racing as she found herself staring up at Sonic as her bag fell to the ground.

The hero's green eyes, slightly bloodshot and wide with surprise, locked onto hers in what felt like a silent staring contest. His usually wild quills were damp, water trailing down his fur in thin rivulets that sprinkled onto her face, cool and unexpected, his grip was firm yet gentle as he held her steady. As they both took in the suddenness of the moment, Rouge wondered why his heart was beating so fast, the sound easy to pick up this close. After a few moments, Sonic seemed to remember himself, effortlessly pulled her back to her feet. A half-smile tugged at his lips, though there was something off in the way his eyes lingered.

"And I thought I was the one always in a rush," Sonic quipped, a casual chuckle escaping his lips, though there was an undercurrent to his tone that made Rouge’s ears twitch. He removed his hands from her respectfully, choosing to rest them behind his head as he smirked. “Fancy running into you here, Rouge. Literally!”

As she dusted off her gloved arms, Rouge huffed, giving her wings a little flutter as she eyed Sonic warily, her grievances simmering beneath the surface. “Careful, Blue. If you catch everyone like that, you might just make them swoon.”

“What, don’t tell me I’ve got even Rouge the Bat falling for me?” Sonic quipped, flashing a confident grin. “I knew I was irresistible, but now you’re just flattering me~!” He winked, his tone playful, though the edge in his smile left Rouge wondering how much of it was just an act. Rolling her eyes, she glanced down at her bag on the floor, the motion catching the speedster’s interest so he would follow her gaze.

“Heading somewhere?” Sonic’s ears perked as he asked, his curiosity piqued.

“...Yes.” Rouge’s tone was measured as she crossed her arms. “If you recall the conversation we had earlier, I’m off to look into the whereabouts of a Chaos Emerald. And... other things you don’t have to worry about…” Her gaze flicked past Sonic to the entrance of the showers. “Is Shadow in there? I wanted to tell him in person.”

“Oh, yeah!” Sonic nodded enthusiastically, oblivious to the water droplets splashing everywhere as he gestured with a thumb over his shoulder. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone gripe so much about using a public shower, and shampoo, of all things. He’s such a princess sometimes, I’m shocked!”

“Hmm, I’m surprised you managed to convince him at all…” Rouge’s sharp eyes darted back to Sonic, giving him a quick but thorough once-over. The bruises and bumps from their sparring match were still fresh, visible reminders of their earlier skirmish. They were nothing too concerning, just wounds that would fade in a day or so. But when her gaze landed on his right arm, she paused, her eyes widening slightly.

There, distinct and fresh, were bite marks. Below them, the glove on his hand was torn, likely punctured by the same teeth that had left their mark on his skin…

…

Rouge couldn’t suppress a snicker, raising a hand to point at the marks with a knowing smile. “And those are…?” she asked, keeping her tone as controlled as possible, though amusement danced in her eyes as she tilted her head slightly.

Sonic’s grin wavered for a split second, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at the wound, taking a moment to process before he shrugged it off with a playful smirk. “What, these old things?” He lifted his arm, pretending to notice the bite marks for the first time. “Just a little… roughhousing . You know how it is with Shadow… sometimes he gets a bit too... into it. ”

“...Really?” Rouge’s tone was laced with skepticism, her gaze unwavering as she bent down to retrieve her bag. Shadow was certainly capable of more… primal behavior, especially when provoked, but something about the shallow wounds and their placement told her all she needed to know. “He seemed pretty mad at you earlier. I’m surprised he didn’t go for your thro- Oh?”

As she lifted her travel bag, something else caught her eye.

A small notebook, lying innocently beneath it. 

Sonic’s reflexes were unmatched; in a blink, the notebook was in his grasp before Rouge could fully register what she had seen. But Rouge’s sharp eye for detail was unparalleled, and the brief glimpse she caught was more than enough to get her mind racing.

Had she seen that notebook before? It was plain and unassuming, the kind of small journal that could easily blend into the background, its design forgettable amidst thousands of others. Yet, it stirred a sense of familiarity within her, reminding her of the one she often found scattered around her home. That notebook was always somewhere – on counters and tables, half-buried beneath cushions and blankets, or lying open beside a napping hybrid hedgehog, a pen still nestled in his hand. But recently, that familiar notebook had been conspicuously absent, its disappearance becoming a silent source of frustration for its owner.

Was that it? Had she somehow packed it away by mistake, the notebook slipping out of her bag when she and Sonic collided? Rouge was meticulous about her belongings, and she knew Shadow never let that notebook stray far when they were away from home.

So… then…?

“Hey, sorry about that!” Sonic’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts, his tone unnaturally bright as he held out the notebook with an exaggerated flourish. His tail wagged behind him, almost too eagerly, adding a layer of forced enthusiasm. “I was just reading this when I bumped into you! My bad!”

Rouge’s eyes narrowed as she adjusted the bag on her shoulder, her gaze locking onto Sonic. His grin was too wide, his eyes darting just a fraction too quickly. She raised a hand to rest on her hip, her nose wrinkling with suspicion. Something was off, but she couldn’t confront him directly – not yet. Some matters required a delicate touch, a careful calculation of risks and rewards.

She needed him to leave.

" Blue, " Rouge interjected smoothly, her voice dripping with sugary sweetness as she tilted her head. Changing the subject wouldn’t be difficult, not with how desperate Sonic already seemed to divert the conversation. "It's lunchtime, and you know how Shadow gets when he's hungry. Why don't you grab him some coffee and a bite to eat? I’ll finish up my business here while you do so, and send him your way after."

Sonic blinked, the cheer in his expression flickering for just a moment as he stared at her blankly. His gaze dropped to the notebook in his hands, his grip tightening ever so slightly…

Before he held a smile to match Rouge's, equally as fake.

"Sure thing," he replied, though there was a subtle strain in his voice that didn’t escape her notice. He waved the notebook casually as he walked past her, their shoulders brushing as a sly grin formed on his muzzle. "I guess I can do that. Though, he already ate... "

Rouge’s brows knitted together in slight confusion as she shifted her weight, turning to watch him leave. "...What do you mean?" she murmured, more to herself than to him, her suspicion deepening with every step Sonic took.

The blue hedgehog paused mid-stride, his back to her as the wet quills on his back swayed gently. A subtle stiffness settled into his posture, a barely perceptible hesitation that sent a ripple of unease through Rouge. Slowly, he flexed the arm bearing the bite marks, the notebook dangling from his hand like an afterthought. A soft laugh escaped him, almost too casual, almost too easy.

It took a moment for Rouge to register his attempt at humor. When she did, she scoffed, but the caution in her gut didn’t dissipate. With a sneer curling at the corner of her lips, she eyed him pointedly over her shoulder.

"Never a dull moment,” Rouge muttered, her tone laced with a mixture of exasperation and something sharper, something that bordered on suspicion. "You boys better behave until I get back. If I make it to HQ and get a call saying you’ve blown a hole in the Restoration Camp’s main building from your ‘roughhousing,’ I won’t be able to stop G.U.N. from knocking on your door!" It wasn’t quite a threat, but there was a promise in her words, edged with just enough bite to let him know she wasn’t fooled.

“...Yeah, yeah, I hear ya. Happy to listen…!” Sonic’s laugh continued, but it lacked its usual warmth, sounding more hollow as he began to round the corner. His footsteps, squeaky from his sneakers, echoed lightly in the hall, gradually fading into the distance.

Rouge released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, her eyes narrowing as she watched him disappear. 

Once she was sure he was gone, ears straining past the water, she turned and entered the bathroom. The warm steam immediately wrapped around her like a blanket, a relief from the cold of the hallway, the stress in her shoulders easing ever so slightly.

…

Happy?

…

…

…

I̶̘̻͐̕̕͜ am not…

Ha̵ppy.

...

The water was so heavy…

—

The public bathroom was utilitarian in design, with tiled walls and floors that bore the signs of wear – small cracks and chips in the grout, and a few scuff marks from years of use. The walls were a dull, off-white, the kind that had yellowed over time, and the floor tiles were a nondescript shade of gray, slick with moisture. The dim, yellowish light from overhead flickered occasionally, casting uneven shadows across the room, giving the space a slightly eerie atmosphere. The air itself was thick with steam, clinging to every surface and leaving a faint, foggy sheen on the mirrors above the sinks, which were streaked with condensation and faint smudges. The sinks themselves were utilitarian, with simple metal faucets that dripped occasionally, adding to the ambient noise. Water pooled around the drains, gathering in small puddles that reflected the hazy light.

Stalls lined one side of the room, their metal doors slightly rusted at the hinges, while the shower area was sectioned off by thin plastic curtains, some of which hung unevenly on their rods. The space was sparse and functional, the only sounds the steady stream of water from the showers, the occasional drip echoing in the humid air, and the quiet hum of the building’s ventilation system struggling to keep up with the moisture. The whole room smelled faintly of mildew and cheap, industrial-grade soap, a scent that clung to everything like the steam itself.

In one stall, Shadow sat on a small, cold metal stool beneath one of the showers, the thin plastic curtain half-drawn in a token attempt at privacy. Water cascaded over him in steady streams, washing away the remnants of the sparring match and traces of the more… intimate activities that followed, leaving his usually sharp quills sagging downward against his head and back. His posture was tense, irritation etched into every line of his body as he stared down at a bottle of shampoo in his hand. Soap and bubbles slid down his fur, pooling around his paws before swirling into the drain. His eyes narrowed in frustration as he squinted at the label, muttering under his breath with a low, bitter growl. The words on the bottle seemed to mock him, only adding to his agitation.

None of these ingredients would be good for his skin. He had brought a lot of product with him when he and Rouge arrived at the camp, but he couldn’t risk running through the halls covered in… that to go to her room and grab them. Having to resort to such pathetic means made him feel overtly bitter.

Just then, the familiar sound of heels clicking on the wet tile caught his attention, causing his ear to twitch reflexively. The blush that had stubbornly lingered on his cheeks deepened, betraying the turmoil simmering beneath his stoic exterior. Shadow's grip on the shampoo bottle tightened as he heard the approaching footsteps draw closer, and despite the heat of the water, a chill ran down his spine. He didn’t need to turn to know who it was, the faint scent of perfume that managed to drift through the watery air confirmed it for him. The curtain rustled slightly as Rouge approached, her silhouette visible through the thin plastic. With a resigned sigh, he braced himself.

The thief slid the curtain open without a hint of hesitation, her eyebrow arching as she took in the sight of Shadow’s back, the water splashing against her boots as it escaped the confines of the shower. She noted the faucet, cranked all the way to maximum heat, and a soft, amused laugh escaped her lips.

“Any hotter and you’ll melt , hun. Not sure the Restoration would appreciate G.U.N. breathing down their necks for letting one of their top agents go up in steam.”

Shadow let out a growl, placing the bottle of shampoo on the tiled floor beside him before leaning back on the stool. The water pelted his torso like heavy rain, his crimson eyes narrowing at the bat who stood smugly in the doorway. “Is privacy not a concept you’re familiar with?” he grumbled, his voice carrying a mix of irritation and resignation that she knew wasn’t truly directed at her.

Rouge smirked, her ears twitching as she crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe with practiced ease. “Please, Shadow,” she drawled, her tone dripping with mock nonchalance. “I’ve seen more of you than I’d care to recall. Not sure if I’ve told you this, but I’ve actually had journalists hounding my emails for a description of your claws. Whether or not I gave them the info is entirely up for debate~!”

Shadow rolled his eyes, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “If the price was right, I wouldn’t put it past you,” he muttered, stretching his arms until his joints popped, the movement sending ripples through his already agitated muscles. With a sudden, fluid motion, he stood and turned off the water, the abrupt silence almost startling. Rouge watched as he wrung the excess water from his quills, the action accompanied by a faint grumble and a flush creeping up his cheeks.

Without a second thought, Rouge shifted her travel bag to her hip, unzipping it with a practiced flick of her fingers, pulling out a towel and holding it out to him with a softened expression. Shadow blinked at the gesture, momentarily taken aback by the kindness. With a quiet murmur of thanks, he took the towel, wrapping it around his waist with a sigh that seemed to release some of the nerves still coiled within him.

“...I’m… hm,” Shadow started, still busy getting water out of his quills as he struggled to find the right words. Their argument that morning lingered in his mind, his somewhat harsh words echoing in his skull, and now that he felt a little more like himself, the guilt began to creep in. It was difficult to articulate his feelings, the apology catching in his throat, but he knew it had to be done. When he opened his mouth to try again, Rouge raised a hand to silence him, her wings giving a quick, graceful flap to shake off the excess moisture.

“No need. I accept your apology,” she said smoothly, cutting through the awkward atmosphere with her usual elegance. Without waiting for his response, she moved out of the doorway and walked over to a nearby sink, adjusting her fur and ensuring her makeup remained intact despite the humidity.

Shadow watched her, a mix of gratitude and relief washing over him. He would have to one day really thank her for everything she’s done, with words or gifts or both, but for now he was grateful for her patience. The weight of their earlier exchange seemed to dissipate in the steam-filled room, replaced by the familiar ease of their long-standing friendship.

“That being said,” Rouge’s voice caught his attention, the bat leaning toward the mirror with pursed lips as she carefully adjusted her makeup. “When I get back, we’re still going to have that talk. I don’t want to have it over the G.U.N. communicator. I’d like to have some secrets between the two of us that work doesn’t know about!”

‘...Fuck.’

“…You’re leaving?” Shadow asked, stepping out of the stall with deliberate slowness. He shook his quills, droplets of water scattering as he moved to stand beside her at the sink. With a quick swipe, he cleared the mirror of moisture and began adjusting his quills, casting a sideways glance at her. Rouge nodded, her expression turning sour.

“Yes. You boys and your short attention spans,” Rouge quipped, though her tone was tinged with a hint of playful annoyance. “I’m going to get you an Emerald and hopefully put this whole debacle behind us…” Her eyes shifted from her reflection to meet Shadow’s gaze, the usual light-heartedness in her demeanor replaced by a seriousness that made him pause.

The mention of Sonic made Shadow freeze for a moment, his muzzle warming as the memory of their… bedroom encounter flickered in his mind. He shouldn’t have been surprised that Rouge had come across his rival; after all, he had practically thrown Sonic out of the bathroom after enduring one too many cheeky comments about showering together. The hybrid hadn’t fully recovered from… earlier , his emotional walls had been hastily rebuilt after that brief moment of vulnerability. While the physical release had offered some relief, the weight of their complicated relationship still clung to him, gnawing at the edges of his thoughts.

As well as… how it ended… Hm…

‘Handle it later.’

Rouge noticed his reaction immediately, her brow arching as she caught the subtle shift in his demeanor. “I take it you two had a... conversation?” she inquired, her tone carefully neutral, though her curiosity was unmistakable.

Shadow's lips pressed into a thin line, his blush deepening. “Something like that,” he muttered, his gaze skirting away from her piercing eyes. The last thing he wanted was to dive into the details of their encounter, especially not with Rouge, who would no doubt seize the opportunity to tease him relentlessly.

“I see,” Rouge replied, the corners of her mouth twitching with a barely suppressed smile. “Well, whatever it was, just remember that we’ve got bigger issues on our plate right now. I’m always cheering for you, but make sure you’re not overextending yourself. You have a habit of biting off more than you can chew...”

Her smile twisted into a smug smirk, a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes. 

“In some cases, quite literally. ”

…

Shadow paled.

“ You didn’t see that, ” Shadow muttered in defeat, his ears flattening against his head as he turned away with a groan. He had told Sonic to use one of the first aid kits in the halls to cover the bite marks with medical tape… Of course he didn’t listen… This was the bad ending… the worst possible thing that could have happened…!

“I have no idea what you’re talking about~!” Rouge sang smoothly, stepping away from the sink to place a firm hand on Shadow’s shoulder, his back still turned to her. Her playful chuckles faded, giving way to a sincerity in her voice that carried more weight than she realized. “But seriously, hun, I mean it. I know things are complicated, and I hate that I can’t stay to chat and help you sort it out. But you need to be careful not to rush things. At least until I’m back. Then, once everything's settled and Sonic is fixed, you can roughhouse with your boy toy as much as you’d like!”

Shadow grumbled under his breath, shaking his head enough that his quills swayed. He knew she was right, even if he didn’t want to admit it. The situation with Sonic was spiraling faster than he could manage, and the last thing he needed was to make things worse by acting impulsively…

But…

But…

…

When Shadow didn’t respond, Rouge gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze, her touch a silent reassurance. She knew how difficult it was for him to express his thoughts, especially in moments like this, but she also knew he’d heard her. Slowly, she let her hand slide away, the connection between them lingering for a moment longer. Turning to leave, her heels clicked softly against the tiled floor, the sound echoing through the bathroom, mingling with the soft hum of ventilation and their steady breathing.

“I’ll call you when I’ve gotten an Emerald,” she said, her voice steady but carrying the weight of unspoken concerns. “And don’t hesitate to call me if you really need me…”

She had barely taken a few steps when she felt a sudden grip on her wrist. The force wasn’t harsh, but it was firm, an unspoken plea in the touch. Rouge stopped, her heart skipping a beat as she slowly turned to look back at him.

Shadow stood there, his bare hand wrapped around her wrist, his grip trembling slightly. His crimson eyes were wide as they avoided her gaze, a storm of emotions flickering in their depths as he struggled to find the right words. His mouth opened, then closed, frustration etched into his features as he wrestled with himself.

Rouge’s expression softened as she looked at him expectantly, her gaze encouraging yet patient. 

“Shadow…”

She could see the battle waging inside him, the words struggling to escape, yet held back by an invisible force stronger than the need to speak. His usually stoic expression was marred by a flicker of something else – concern, perhaps, or a fear he couldn't quite voice. His free hand moved almost instinctively to his quills, brushing through them in a familiar gesture of barely concealed anxiety.

Rouge waited, her heart heavy with the anticipation.. The silence stretched, thick with the weight of whatever was troubling Shadow the Hedgehog. She could almost see the thoughts racing behind his eyes, the internal debate that left him paralyzed in the moment, and she wished she could read minds. How much easier life would be…

…

Shadow let out a quiet sigh of defeat. 

…

There would be no revelations made for her today.

“…Be careful on your way back,” he murmured, his voice low, almost resigned. There was a brief pause before he added, “And… I need new gloves...”

The abrupt change in subject made Rouge's heart ache, though she didn’t let it show. She knew him well enough to understand this was his way of retreating from the edge of vulnerability, and arguing about it now would only make him retreat further into his shell. A small smile tugged at her lips, one of both amusement and sadness. She raised her wrist to give his hand a final squeeze before letting go, choosing to follow his lead for now.

“There’s a spare pair I have in the room they gave me, I left it on the bed in case I couldn’t find you. You should also see your shampoos there as well,” Rouge said, her tone deliberately light, as if the shift in conversation hadn’t happened. “Oh, I also told Sonic to get you some food. I know how peckish you get around noon.”

Shadow nodded, though his gaze fell to the floor, a clear sign that the brief moment of bravery had left him. 

With a soft sigh, Rouge turned to leave again, her movements deliberate and unhurried, giving him the space she knew he needed. Yet, as she took a step forward, she hesitated, casting one last glance over her shoulder. The sight of him – standing there, his posture tense, his eyes downcast – stirred something within her. 

She wished, not for the first time, that he would let her in just a little more, allow her to ease the burden he so stubbornly carried alone.

Always, she has had indescribable faith in Shadow. That hadn’t changed at all in a week, and she didn’t think it would change in the future. She just had to have faith he can handle what it was he wasn’t telling her, and that eventually, he would open up…

…Could she gamble on her trust in him…?

…

Was this the right move…?

…

“...Shadow?”

“...Yes?”

“...Does Sonic read often…?”

“...No, not that I’m aware of...”

…

She had to hear Commander Tower out.

—

“Wooh! What a beautiful day!” Sonic exclaimed, his voice carrying through the open field like a joyful breeze.

The field of flowers – their field of flowers – was as breathtaking as ever. The sea of ethereal white stretched out before them, the petals dancing in the wind like a living tapestry. The air was alive with the hum of bees flitting from bloom to bloom, and the warm midday sun bathed everything in a golden glow. Sonic stood atop a familiar hill, letting the warmth of the sun wash over him like a comforting embrace. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, savoring the scent of earth and blossoms…

Behind him, Shadow sat with his back against a sturdy tree, its branches casting a cool shade over him that the hero stepped out of cover from. The dark hedgehog cradled a steaming cup of to-go coffee in his hands, the rich aroma mingling with the fresh scent of the flowers. Beside him, a closed box of pizza the two had yet to share, collected by none other than Sonic who insisted they’d have a picnic of sorts, alone. Shadow grunted quietly, content to observe as Sonic basked in the sun’s touch now that the speedster’s back was turned.  

The contrast between the two was stark – Sonic, vibrant and full of energy, and Shadow, a quiet presence, grounded and serene.

Sonic’s ears twitched as a soft wind swept through the field, carrying with it the sound of rustling leaves and the distant chirping of birds. He opened his eyes, a wide grin spreading across his face as he took in the sight of the flowers swaying gently in the force. Each bloom seemed to reach for the sky, basking in the sunlight just as he was. 

It felt romantic, a perfect way to continue such an eventful day. Whoever said the fun had to stop?

Sonic loved it here.

It was their place. 

Only theirs.

Sanctuary.

“So,” Sonic turned with a cheeky grin, trotting over under the cover of shade to plop down in the grass next to his lover lazily. He popped open the box with a lick of his lips, grabbing a slice with a happy sway of his head. He opened his mouth wide, putting the entire thing in his mouth before looking at Shadow as he chewed. Shadow stared at him in horror and disgust , but Sonic only laughed around the food. “What we did earlier was… something else, huh?”

Shadow’s silence stretched between them like a taut wire. Much to Sonic’s surprise, the other’s nose wrinkled slightly as he looked away, tired crimson eyes scanning the familiar landscape, but not really seeing it. A frown settled onto his usually stoic features, deepening the lines of weariness etched across his face. Sonic felt his own happiness falter, forcing himself to swallow his food quickly. A knot of anxiety began to twist in his stomach.

‘Did I mess up?’ The question echoed in Sonic’s mind, each repetition more insistent than the last. 

Should we not have done it? 

Did I not prove myself at all?

But… Shadow wanted it, right? He asked for it…

Sonic’s thoughts raced, his usual confidence wavering under the weight of his uncertainty. Shadow had participated gratefully , one would even say eagerly . But now, seeing the frown on Shadow’s face, doubt gnawed at Sonic like the teeth that dug into his arm hours prior. Why was Shadow acting so oddly?

“Uh, w-well, you had fun though, right?” Sonic’s voice wobbled slightly as he tried to inject some of his usual cheer into the conversation, though it came out a bit forced. “I know we got a bit of blood on the sheets but, I mean, like, what’s a bit of devil’s tango without that, am I right? …Not that I would know! Like I said, first time doing it because I’m a loser , hehe…?”

He tried to laugh, but the sound felt hollow, even to his own ears. Desperation urged him to shift the mood, to bring back the lightness that seemed to have slipped away. Shadow had been even quieter once the hero and he met up again…

What did Rouge say…?

She didn’t…? She wouldn’t…

…̶̫̪͇͖̗͎̲͖̦̳̙̯̹͓̟͌̉̾̈̑̕͜͠

Sonic flopped onto his side, resting his head in his hand as he shot Shadow what he hoped was an adoring smile. His eyes sparkled with a sheen that masked the turmoil beneath, while his trademark grin curved his lips, meant to convey reassurance.

“Aww, c’mon, Shads, talk to me…” Sonic's voice was soft, almost coaxing, as he tried to reach out to the brooding hedgehog beside him. “You said you wanted to open up more, right~? What’s got you all grumpy…? Is it because you haven’t eaten yet? Here, I can feed you!”

He wiggled his eyebrows playfully, reaching for another slice of pizza, hoping to break through the strain with humor. But as he moved to offer the food, he froze when Shadow turned his head to glare at him, the intensity in those crimson eyes stopping Sonic cold.

“...I don’t understand you, ” Shadow began, his voice low and laced with frustration.

Sonic blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in Shadow’s tone. The playful demeanor he had been clinging to faltered, his hand hovering awkwardly in the air above the slice of pizza, unsure whether to continue the act or drop it entirely.

Shadow’s glare lessened in its fierceness, but his expression remained troubled. “You keep telling me to open up, to talk about what’s bothering me… but you’ve been avoiding talking about why you c̷̼͒̀r̵̨͍̚i̸̹̜͌è̸͇͕̄d̷̪̆   had so much fun earlier. Why are you pushing me to share when you won’t do the same?”

…

Sonic let out a small, almost dismissive chuckle, the sound completely natural, for sure. “Aw, Shads, you’re overthinking things again,” he said, his voice dipping into a casual, almost teasing tone. He waved his hand in the air as if brushing off the entire situation, pressing his chin against the other hand his head was leaning on. “I mean, we’ve got so many other things to focus on, right? Like, what the heck we’re supposed to do from now on after all that earlier? Are we, like, dating, or whatever? Or, hey, I’ve been thinking, maybe we should check out a new spot a few hundred miles away by a beach for… ultra privacy . It’s got your name written all over it! Since we’re stuck out of combat for a bit, we might as well go have fun!”

Sonic’s eyes gleamed with intensity as he spoke, his words tumbling out too quickly, too smoothly, like a river rushing over jagged rocks that could do nothing but take their abuse. The energy in his voice felt off, a bit too eager, as if he was trying to drown out the silence with noise. The Ultimate Lifeform felt stunned by the other’s tone, blinking rapidly. Before he could respond, Sonic shifted closer, propping himself up on one elbow to lean in, his grin wide and predatory. Would Shadow have to get comfortable with that look directed at him…?

“C’mon, let’s forget all the serious stuff, yeah? We can just… enjoy the day! We can just get up and go somewhere, and really let loose! …Sorry, I’m just so happy getting to be with you! I’ve never felt like this before…!” His tone was friendly – again, too friendly – but there was something beneath it, something sharp that made the air between them feel charged with that danger Shadow had been feeling too much today.

…Not that he hated–

‘Not really the time.’

Shadow’s frown deepened, his eyes narrowing as he searched Sonic’s face, trying to understand what was going on beneath that bright exterior. But Sonic wasn’t giving him a chance. The blue hedgehog reached out, playfully flicking Shadow’s nose before grabbing the slice of pizza and holding it up with an exaggerated flourish.

“Here, let me feed you! We can’t have the mighty Shadow the Hedgehog brooding on an empty stomach, can we?” Sonic’s grin widened as he brought the pizza closer, his eyes locked onto Shadow’s with a look that was far from comforting.

‘Dear Chaos, why do I…?’

Shadow reached up reluctantly, his hand closing around Sonic’s wrist, stopping him mid-gesture. The playful smile on Sonic’s face didn’t falter, but Shadow could feel the tautness beneath the surface, like a wire pulled too tight, ready to snap.

“Sonic…” Shadow’s voice was low, his tone carrying a warning.

But Sonic just tilted his head, his eyes sparkling with that disquieting brightness. “What’s up, Shads? Don’t tell me you’re still thinking about it. I told you, it’s no big deal… ” He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that sent a chill down Shadow’s spine. 

“So, like, drop it, or something...”

Sonic’s lingering grin and the way his eyes never quite matched the smile sent a ripple of discomfort through Shadow. This wasn’t like Sonic – well, until recently. He supposed he shouldn’t still be so surprised. 

The hero, with quick precision, pulled his wrist from Shadow’s hold with little to no resistance. He dropped the pizza back in the box, both hands moving to lightly caress Shadow’s striped arms with a touch that was lingering, familiar.

…The same touch that had him trembling less than three hours ago, reduced to a shivering mess with no resistance… Shadow swallowed the lump in his throat, stunned to silence. 

“...So, how about that beach trip?” Sonic suggested, his tone as light and breezy as the field they occupied, as if they had been discussing nothing more than the weather this whole time. “I bet the waves are perfect today… Not that I’ll swim, I just want to watch… But we can go anywhere, really. As long as I get to be with you, I’m happy! ”

As Sonic continued to talk, uncaring of Shadow’s silence, the hybrid found himself distracted by the other’s words and the lingering sensations of their recent intimacy.

Earlier in the guest bedroom, after some time spent in each other’s arms, Sonic eventually crawled off him to admire the sheer amount of… evidence that lay between them. It was embarrassing, the sight of their shared aftermath momentarily pulling Shadow away from his worries about Sonic’s well-being. But as he glanced back at Sonic, the reality of what they’d done hit him harder than he expected. He had wanted it – there was no doubt about that – and it had been… fun . It was a feeling the two obviously shared… Doing it again was not something he was against…

But… the tears…

Sonic’s tears hadn’t stopped for a good while, not even when Shadow finally managed to pull himself together, trying to ignore how oversensitive his body felt and how gross his sticky fur looked. Even when Sonic coaxed him out of bed to help strip the sheets in preparation for washing, the tears kept coming. Shadow watched him, feeling a growing worry that Sonic would dehydrate himself at this rate, and even when the hero’s chattiness returned after basking in the afterglow of orgasm, he did not once mention the tears.

Then, randomly, Sonic reached up and removed Tails’ device from around his neck. Shadow hadn’t even noticed it at all during their time together, the red orb glinting in the light. With a shaky hand, Sonic unclasped it, letting the collar fall onto the mattress with a soft thud before tossing it beside the flowers.

Sonic’s tears suddenly stopped then.

The hero stared down at the wall for a moment, his eyes still wet but no longer leaking. His breathing slowed, evening out as he wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand, his shoulders trembling slightly with the effort of holding himself together…

And then he had turned to Shadow with a smile. 

“Let’s go!” Sonic had said.

…

No matter how much Shadow tried to bring it up, to pry into what had triggered such an unexpected reaction from Sonic, he was always met with the same avoidance. The topic was like a ghost between them, lingering but never truly acknowledged. As he adjusted his new glove with a frustrated sigh, his ear twitched, a sign of his growing impatience.

“-or maybe we could run to Spagonia. Oh oh, or we can go to Apotos for this killer ice cream, you’d love it! I haven’t visited in so long, I wonder if the same vendor still works there…” Sonic’s voice was soft and wistful, as he pulled himself closer, shuffling on his knees with a mischievous grin. His gloved hands slid through Shadow’s black fur, fingers grazing the other’s neck as though tracing the hidden marks there. Those green eyes, gleaming with what Shadow now knew was lust, seemed to devour Shadow completely. 

“...You know, as used to your quietness as I am, I liked how vocal you were earlier! But hey, if you don’t want to talk, you can always just bite me again, hehe~!”

Shadow’s cheeks flushed a deep red, his mouth drawing into a thin line as he huffed. To willingly surrender control like that, to push past his fears and self-loathing, and simply allow himself to feel… As much as Sonic’s well-being mattered to him, he couldn’t help but dwell on his own startling reactions – how Sonic’s touch had unraveled him so completely.

With Sonic, everything was different. Shadow’s eyes drifted to Sonic’s body, lingering on the arm where his own teeth had left visible indentations.

Sonic’s bite hadn’t been sharp on his neck, but Shadow’s dark fur hid any potential marks that might have existed, much to his pleasure. Sonic, though? He had strutted around the Restoration Camp, picking up their lunch with a casual, almost defiant air, utterly indifferent to the curious stares and whispered questions that followed. It was as if he wore the evidence of their intimacy like a badge of honor, proudly displayed without a hint of shame.

“...Rouge saw it, you know,” Shadow hissed, his voice tinged with a mix of embarrassment and irritation. His red eyes shot a sharp glare at the marks still visible on Sonic’s arm, the clear impressions of Shadow’s teeth starkly loud against Sonic’s peach fur. Sonic’s grin only widened, seemingly unfazed by the attention his wounds attracted.

It wasn’t just the marks; it was the vulnerability they signified – undeniable proof of something intensely personal that Shadow wasn’t sure he wanted the world to see. The marks were a tangible reminder of how exposed he had been, how exposed they both had been, in a moment too intimate to be shared with anyone else. At least, that’s how Shadow saw it.

Yet Sonic? Sonic appeared entirely at ease with letting the world see, letting them speculate and question. He leaned in closer, his breath warm against Shadow’s ear, his voice dripping with that same twisted cheerfulness that made Shadow’s skin crawl. “Don’t sweat it, Shads. It’s not like it’s a secret, right? Rouge knows everything anyway...” He paused, a fleeting twitch of his eyes betraying a hint of something Shadow couldn’t quite place. Why–?

“Besides,” Sonic added, his smirk deepening as his hand traced a teasing line along Shadow’s arm, “I kinda like having something of yours on me, even like this. Makes me feel... connected~! ”

Shadow’s heart pounded in his chest, the words hanging in the air like a challenge, daring him to push further or retreat. He couldn’t deny the strange allure in Sonic’s tone, the way his voice seemed to dance on the edge of something darker, something Shadow wasn’t sure he wanted to understand…

But for now, all Shadow could do was try to breathe, to focus on anything but the way Sonic’s touch tickled his skin, or how those piercing green eyes seemed to strip away every layer of defense he’d carefully built over the years with barely any effort. It was overwhelming, like standing too close to a blazing fire, yet Shadow couldn’t pull away. He was caught in the web Sonic had woven around them both, a web that was growing tighter with each passing moment. Truly, this… advancement in their relationship was akin to stepping into a den of hungry, ravenous beasts…

And yet, how dangerously addictive it was, to be with someone who didn’t give a damn what people thought. Sonic was so unapologetically himself, so free, that it made Shadow crave that same kind of liberation. To not be burdened by the weight of expectations, to just… be . It was tempting, intoxicating even…

If Sonic didn’t want to talk about his feelings, he’d respect that wish for now. He knew how that felt, to not want anyone to see the sides of you you knew they couldn’t handle. It’d be hypocritical to push further…

“...Let’s talk about how we’re going to move forward…” Shadow finally said, his voice cutting through Sonic’s chatter like a blade. He felt the speedster’s hands pause, the warm touch retreating almost politely as those green eyes met his. There was a seriousness in Shadow’s gaze, a need to address the unspoken between them, if not about Sonic’s earlier tears, then at least about… them.

Sonic blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the shift in tone. But then, a warm smile spread across his face, chasing away the brief flicker of surprise. “Oh, right! Yeah, of course!” Sonic shuffled beside him, their bodies pressing together in a way that felt both familiar and new, given the circumstances. “Like I said, no more holding back, right? Hm…”

He trailed off, his smile faltering for just a second as he gathered his thoughts. “So, uh… yeah, what are we, then? Are we, like… you know…” Sonic hesitated, his usual confidence wavering as he searched for the right words. “...Boyfriends? I mean, I’d like that, but…”

Shadow’s ears flicked at the word, his expression unreadable as he considered it. “Boyfriends,” he repeated, testing the word as if it were foreign to him. It wasn’t that he was opposed to the idea – far from it. But there was something about labeling what they had that felt… limiting. “...I’ve never dated anyone before,” Shadow admitted, his tone more contemplative. He shot Sonic a glare when the other snickered at his words, as though the sentiment were obvious , damn him, before continuing lowly. “I don’t really know what that’s supposed to look like, especially with the lives we lead… Rouge has told me what normal couples do a few times, but I’m just… not sure…”

Sonic chuckled softly, a lightness returning to his expression as he nudged Shadow with his shoulder. “Yeah, same here. Never really had the time to think about it, y’know? Always running around, saving the world, that kind of thing. Amy has… er, many ideas on what kind of life couples had, but it never seemed like my kind of thing.” He glanced at Shadow, his grin turning a bit sheepish. “But I guess, with you, it just feels… right?”

“Right?” Shadow echoed, his voice trailing off as he carefully set his coffee down beside him, pulling his knees to his chest. Sonic nodded with earnest enthusiasm, his gaze sweeping over the familiar field that held so many shared memories for them.

“Yeah. Remember how Amy used to be obsessed with me?” Sonic chuckled, his eyes lighting up with nostalgia. “She used to follow me around all the time, showering me with gifts, trying to drag me to those couples-only events, like those sweet deals at Twinkle Park.” Sonic leaned back against the tree, raising his arms to cushion his head as he settled into the comfort of their surroundings. “She always meant well, though. She’s still got her moments, but she’s really grown since then. Nowadays, she tells me to take things at a pace that suits us... which, for us, seems to be moving at a breakneck speed, heh!”

Shadow’s gaze softened, his eyes reflecting a hint of vulnerability as he whispered, “...Rouge told me that couples, at the end of the day, are there for one another. That they seek each other out, offer comfort, and support each other at their lowest points. They guide one another towards becoming the best versions of themselves…”

Sonic grinned, his eyes twinkling with a mixture of affection and mischief. “Heh, I think we’re already doing that, don’t you?” He nudged Shadow gently with his shoulder, the warmth of his smile conveying both a deep sense of connection and a playful challenge. “Sounds like any other friendship though. I guess she forgot about the part where we make out a whole lot…”

“Hmph…” Shadow fell silent, eyes half-lidded as they both looked out into the field. For once, Sonic didn’t seem keen on filling the silent. They sat there, the breeze blowing in the shade, as though waiting for something to happen…

…

A memory, older than most, resurfaced…

…

Shadow blinked the tears from his eyes, his grip on his arms tightening as he hugged himself.

When Sonic had been lying on him, sobbing and crying and kissing him, the rawness of it all left Shadow in shambles internally. He had promised Tails he would fix his brother, and in that moment he felt he had failed.  

That was what he had been scared to tell Rouge. That he felt hopeless, and that the thought scared him.

Now, Sonic seemed... okay. There were no hungry stares or probing touches, no words with hidden meanings or veiled intentions. Instead, Sonic was just there, sitting with him, enjoying the simple pleasure of each other's company. It felt reminiscent of their quiet nights together, where the world outside faded into the background of flowers and moonlight. Through the fatigue and the mental fog that had been clouding his thoughts, Shadow found a fragile thread of normalcy that he clung to with desperation. This moment of calm offered a rare respite, a chance to envision a different path forward.

Could he build something lasting here? Establish a foundation of trust that would allow Sonic to rely on him not just romantically, but emotionally as well. Shadow knew he wasn’t great with words, often stumbling when trying to express himself. But he could listen, he could be present, offering stability and support. He could become the rock that Sonic leaned on to weather the storms, a constant presence when the world around them was chaotic and unforgiving.

The thought of stepping up to be someone Sonic truly needed felt both daunting and exhilarating. It was a notion that carried a weight of responsibility but also a profound sense of purpose. Despite the inherent fears and doubts, the idea of being a reliable anchor in Sonic's life felt right – a path Shadow was willing to explore, even if it meant confronting his own insecurities and vulnerabilities…

Such venom in his blood. 

Slowly, red eyes moved to rest on Sonic’s face. The blue hedgehog didn’t seem to notice, a smile on his muzzle… Shadow stared.

Right then and there, a silent vow was made. Whatever was going on with Sonic, whatever darkness was eating away at him, Shadow would fix it. He had to. He was the Ultimate Lifeform, after all. He could handle it. He could handle Sonic’s erratic moods, his strange behavior, his tears…

Shadow could handle it, could bear it so the other was safe.

He had to.

Because the alternative was unthinkable. Shadow’s resolve hardened, a quiet determination settling in his chest. He would be there for Sonic, no matter what. He would figure this out, fix whatever was broken, and then… then maybe they could have that life Sonic hinted at.

A life where they could just be.

Where the only thing they had to worry about was how they’d spend their time together, not the shadows lurking beneath the surface…

…

A memory resurfaced.

…

To get, you had to give.

…

Without a word, Shadow abruptly stood up, catching Sonic off guard from deep within his thoughts. The hero watched as Shadow walked away, stepping out from the shade they had been sitting in, his dark form emerging into the sunlight. The golden rays enveloped him, illuminating his figure and casting a warm glow that contrasted sharply with the shadows he had just left behind. The sun was so bright, he looked like he was in his Super Form, if you squinted… Sonic sat forward, hands falling to to grass as his eyes widened.

“Sonic…”

The blue hedgehog blinked, his curiosity piqued as Shadow slowly turned to face him. The expression on Shadow’s face had shifted from the cold mask he wore earlier, now almost wistful, his intense red eyes reflecting an emotion Sonic couldn't quite decipher… and yet…

Shadow was smiling.

“…I heard once, a long time ago,” Shadow began, his voice carrying a nostalgic sentiment Sonic couldn’t place. That rare, tender smile played on his lips, illuminating the world brighter than the sun. “I heard that everyone… everyone on Earth remains asleep until they… find love. That love is what people fight for, that it’s what we all strive for… Hm…”

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̵̧̢̡̛̭͔̪̠̼̩͍̘͓̤s̴̛̟͚̯̦̖͓̫̟̆̏̑̎͆̓͌e̸̗̹̳̼̯̗̞̲͈͆̽͌̀͒̿͆̍͒̔̓̈́̎͜͝t̴͎̬̝̎̓̾̌̊̀ţ̵͎̲̣̩̲̩̯̱̯͚̻͈̮̣̦̓̀͛́̌͋͜ḽ̵̛̜͆͛͋̒͂̃̈́͐͌̚̚͜͠ị̶͉̰̪̈̄͜n̵̡̍̇͑̊̆́̎͒̓̃̓͘g̷̦̞̭̰̩̠̼̮̘̼̥͕͓̳̒͊̽̃͛́̍̎̾̓̈́̾͜͠ ̸̧̙͍̺̞̺̱̫̳͙̟͎̎͐̀̿̌̂̅́̅̀̔́̊͠͠ȍ̴̧͙̟͗̍͌̈͐͂̂̊̋̿̿́̐͗̔̕n̷̡̖̰̣̣̟̜̹͙̮̩̫͉͍̖̯̣̅̿̑̈͆̌̂̿̈́́̓̉͋̊ ̸̧̛͈̮͂̏̓̄̓́̍͗ẗ̸̗̰̮̠̞̤͖̱́͗͆̅h̸̨̟͚̞͇̘̠̮̱͕̤̘̺̣͛̏͂̅͝é̷̙͌͌̈͒̃̏̽̏͐͋͋̚̚̕̕͠ ̵̜̪̮̟͚͆̀ͅs̷̩̩̜͉̮̬̩͙̬̬͇̍̓̆̂̈̌̚û̴̼̠͇̦͓͍̟̣̍̋̓̓̅̀̌̆͒͘̚ŗ̴̘̘̼̠̳͙͖̥̹̟͚̭̦̃͂̂͒̆̑͌̍̾̃͌̕̚͝f̷̛̮̐͒a̷̧̤̖̅̐̎̇c̴͖͕̣̃́̈́̏͂̐̈e̷̮̹̯̤̟̼̮̻̦͔̜͓̭͋͆͛̈́ ̶̡̛͓̖̪̥̅̍̍̊͆͒͝ȯ̶̻̻͚̬̲͇̱̜͔̙̌̈́́̋͊͂̽̇̄̈̈́͑̓̈́̔͘f̸̡̻͎̦̆̇̾͑̈́̈́̔̚ ̴̛̖͐͂̕t̵̨̥̰̣̍͌̑̀́́̒͊̈́̍͌͋͠͠h̸̢͚̮̤̯̞̱͊̍͆̾̀̿̆̅͌̅͝͝ͅę̵͈̖̮̜̞͍͓̙̝̬̘̈̋̍̎͊͒̊̐̋͒̇́̈͂͛͋ ̶͙̬͓̖̋̐̈́̋̌̅̂̅́͛̓̚͘b̵̢̡̛̦̣͉̖͈̭͖̞͚̤̹̮̖͆̑̓̽́̄̀̋͌͋̐͋͗͂͜͝ļ̶̗͚̯̣̝̜̲̜͔̙̝̑̐̓͑̃̓̚͜͠ẵ̴̡̨͇͉̼̟̫͉̭̤̯͍̣͇͎̒͛͗̾̀͆͑̾̈́̈͂͗̈́c̸͙̘͉̱͖̠͎̰̍̏̆͑́͛́͗͌̿̚͝k̸̢̪͕̹͜͝ͅ ̷̦̗̅̿̂͊̉̊́̅̿̽̿͘̕š̶̛̛̛͔̤̮̣͙̻͓̪́̈́̂̑̃̈́̿͊̉̽̈́̿͂͜e̵̟̝̲̞͍̫͍͚̺͋͒̈͝a̴̻̭̪̻̣̹̬̮̹̻̩̍͐̈́͐̾̾́̋̊́̕͜ͅ ̶̣̠͌͗̐̅̒ẅ̴̧̲͔̳͍͓͍̙͍͕͕̹̖̩͚̫̭͝i̵̢̨̝̖̯̩̲͕̻͖̭̦̙̹͚͐̓̿̓͑́͋̎͆͠t̴͎͖̯̼̼̱̦͂̈h̷̡̨̧̧͕̠̘̱̹̺͈͎̻̜̺̝͙̓̃͌͂̓̈́͆͛͊̍͐ ̷̨̱̹̩͚̭̭̱̮̠̖̤͓̮̹̎̋̿̄ͅf̴̧͎̟͉̲̬̠̬̘̙͉͉͈̼͇͕͆̑̂̑̃̂̉̈̚͝e̴̫̺͈͎͙̥̘̠̲͎̰̞̭̫̦͉̬̋͆̂͝͝ä̸̡̨̳͍̘͇̭̲̙͚͌͌͋̀̏̊̈́̂̿̐̍̑̄͊͝ͅͅr̴̛̻̭̺͉̘͉̩̽̋̓̊̃̃̈́̃̇̐̌͝l̶̗̙͕̜̙̖̬̪͚̯̺̙̦͐̓̇́̀̂̌̎͘͘͘e̶̛̳͉͉͓̅s̴̡̙͔̥̬͉̜̥͈̲͔̼̄͊̆̒͌̿̃̈͗̇̋̋̃̈̾̕͘s̷̨̖̟̝͈̪̠̟̳̤̥̀̿̃̄̾̀̍̈́͌̈́̚̚͝͝ ̴̡̨̨̡̝̣͎̞͈̤͙̱͉̲͇̉̒̈́̈́̈͐́͗̉̄̑̍͒́̽͘͝ͅg̶̡̢̬̪͔̤̩̰̖͕͓̩̳̯̞̥͐r̴̙̭͍͛͝ä̴̛̰̗͓̦̙̣̠̫̤͖̦̩͚̬́́͑́͋́͜c̶̞͙̬̙̠̞̲̱̬̜͍̍̈́͊̂̀̋̋e̴̡͉͇͙̎̓̐͂͋́̉͛͝.̶̢̨̠͍͖͕̰̙̠͎͉̖͍̬̗́̕̚͜ ̷̧̨̛̲̟̘̖̗̙̱̞͇̦̍̂̓̀͐̎̍͆̿̉̄̐͝ͅḦ̸̛̦̖̞̯́̐̍͊́̈͌͑̀̈̒͌͐è̵̡̬̩͔̮̰̾̈́̉̓̎̌̐͛͆̈́͗̀͐̌̚͜ ̴̨̲̹͈̍̈́̄̒͌̈́̈́͂͒̓̄̾̓̕͠͝l̶̗̬͎͖͎͖̅̈́͘̚͝o̶̢̡̫͙̹̹̣̍̔̔͌̎̉͂͌̉̾̆̔̍̓ͅo̷̱̲̘͎̜̝͔̼͓͊̍̔͐k̸̯̙̦̻̹̩̪̮̬̲̓̈́̏̓͐́̇͘e̵̟̣͍͇̺͔͔͙̩͉͎̤̭̜̯̒̂̒́̈́̓̀̈́͘ͅͅd̵̜͔̞̤̯̦͎̦̰̒͑̀̈͑̈́̒́͘͜ͅ ̷̛̻͇͉̙̙̤̠̺̲̮͉̫̜̭̲̳̃͋͊̾̀͝͝͠͝l̶̡̨̳͇̩̞̪̪̥͖͔͕͚̹̥̽̓͌̊͗̐́͊̈́̎̏̚̕i̶̝̥̞͙̯͂̅k̸̡̨̧̢̧̨̺͕̰͖͓̻̻̠̤͇̈́͗́͂͛͊̿͌ȩ̴͖̲̖͇͓̱̠̝̲̝̘̲͓̖̞͌̉͋͒̽̿̈̐̍͜͝͠ ̸̧̡̥͇̖̖̱̗͔̩̉̈̏̑̈́̀͌̾͗̊̉͜͝a̷͕̖͖͕̱̟̘̱͖͌̀̐̽͑̿̈́̊̓̎̈́̈̑̓̃͝͝ ̸̭̥̬̱̾f̶̥̙̗̱͚̳͇̝̙̠̺͍̤͖̞͔̿̈͊́̿̔͂̈́̈̕̚͠͠a̶̡̪̦͎̫͓̯͉̅̾͊͝ļ̵̢̭̣̺̹̘͍̟͕̥̀̀̄̈́̒̇̀̉̚l̴͈̟͇̂̀̿͂͛̊́̀̉̌̇͘̕ę̵̨̢̬̫̪̯̗͚̗͖̖̩̰̈̍̃̆̑̕̚ͅn̶̢̡̨͓̞̩̦̙͘͜ ̴̡̝͈͍͎̥̦͍͖̻̹̐̑̌͌͆̾̽̋̅̎̓͗̚̕̚̚͝s̵̳͘t̵̲̦͍̮̼̫͙̥̭̿̍̅̅̃̀̀̒̏̈́̉̈́̈́̕͝a̶̡̢̼̭̱̺̥̓̐̔̆͗͑͌̇͑͂̇̿͊͐̈́͘͜͝r̸̨͎̮̦͓̩̹̲̘͑̚͜͝ ̶̨͇̟͉̠̀i̴̡̧̨̛͖̲̙̰̰̙̱͈̤̖̼̮̿̈́͊̄̈́ṉ̶͍̟̗͎̖̗̜̖̱̻̯̜̼͑͑̍͆̇̈͒͐̄̅̀̾͒̔̏̋̕͜ ̴̠͕͉̖̌͗̈́̑́̿͒̍͊̆͆̈̾̌̕͝t̸͉̟̜̗̟̥̭̊̾̆̂͒̒̕͝͠h̴̢̢̗͍̭̝̬͔̤͓͎̆͋̋̈́́͆̏̆̅̌̕ȇ̶͎̺͕̰͓̞͈̔̇̒̆͐̕͜ ̸̧̏̐̃̐̔̓̊͆ć̵̨͚̦̣̫̼̩͙̻̥̇͊͜ͅo̶̢͉̥͓̣̳̗̬̥̟̻͙̥̲̲͊͐͂̓́̃̽̌͒͑͝͝ͅl̸̢̛̰̘̤͈͕̤̾̈̀́͐̓͛̐̕̚͠ͅd̸̢̘̭̜̺̙͚̠̲̫̪̎͗͝e̸̡̢͓̩̟͉͓̬͕̥̱͠s̶̨̱̦̎t̶̢̙̪̦̟̘͙̪̳͎̙̪̝̩̠̼̯̓̊̈́̈́̆͊͘͘ ̶̨̨̡̜̯̮̫̹̠̣̻̊́̇̈́͒̔̓̍̕p̷̥̩̯͖̜̺̀̌́͌̃͗̋̿͐̆̋͊̄̀̊̀̕a̶̺͔͇̬͊̂͐̈́̅̏͑̅͆̆̓͘͝͠͝͠ŗ̶̻̱͇̩̹̻̟̭̺̝̽͆̐̈͆̈́̓̒̊͆͘͜͠ť̴̳̤̗̮͈̪̯͎̦̲̼̣̝̟͐͛͛̆͐͐̂̓̋̓̕̚͠͠s̵̛̤̳͎̫͒̃̒̎̄̽̆ͅ ̵̛͔̮͖̅͊͑̃̾̿͠ŏ̷͙̌̀͠f̴̥̦͖̥̤͍͇̹̯̻̹̗̥̝͉̦͈̔͒̄̔̇̓̊͒̒̀̓̔̇̚͝͝ ̶̡̡̢̺͚͖̤̪͖̰̘̃̍̈́̈͊̉̍͐̉̇́̀̈́̆̀͘ͅś̴̩̩̱͕̠͇̜̥̱̣̩̣͉̪̯̆̎̎̑̀́͠p̶̖̜͍̗̹̯͖̉̂̅̇̊̅̊̀́͝a̶̢̝̋̑͋̂̌̐ͅc̷͇͇͙̎̿̔̾̀ẻ̷͔̜̗̉̈́̾̅̂̉͂͑̄̈́̈́͗͝.̸̢͙͕̟̜͓̞̲̱̣̮̝̘̩̩̇̒̂͑̔́̄̀̍̽̀̃̊̆͗͘͜ ̷̧͈͚͗͑̋̈́̂͆̅̂̾͆̐̑̆Ț̵͆̄͋̏͋͐̍͜͝h̸̞͈̭̙̜̰̪͈̱̳̮́̓̿͂̄̂͗̒̓̄̐͘ȅ̴͖̯̰͎͎͚̝̗̗̭̜̮͎͙̥ ̴̨̛̥̙̝̗̑̄͆̀̎ḩ̴̢̨̡̫͚͉͖̜̳̣̠̮̳̊̊̐̿̍̍̂͘ȩ̴̨̨̛̤̩͚̜̗̺̥͈̲̫͉̯̞͗̌́̑͋̌̓̏̑̈́͋̉͠ͅŗ̴̢̳͈̗̟̏̋͆̚͜͝o̵̢̬̗̫͕̠͈̲͈̬̯̗͓̓͂̽͒͊̀̓̈́̃̒̈̾̕̚͜͝ ̴̣̹̐̔͋̓̆̐̋́͘̕͝c̵̢̧̺͓̪̯̝͕͔̬̻͈̹̈́̃͗̐͛͌̔͗̂̾̀̈́͊̕͜a̵̞̹̎́̍̈͗̌̀̀̊͘͜͝͝u̶̠̙̅̀̑͌̽̈́͠t̶͕̗̓̈́̔̊̔͊͗́͝í̴̢͍̖̱̫̣̻͎͚̥̈́͋̐̈́̅͘͜͠o̸̹̣̳̫̩̮͒̒́́̓͊̃̀̔̓̎͆̚ư̴̛̹͐͑͑̏̀͊̍́͘s̴̢̝̬̳͉̦͆͂̃̓̒͆͗́̇̊̄̌̽͊̔ͅļ̵̛͎̱͇̻̭͍̙̘̍̒̋̋̂͛͜ỷ̸̲̟͗͐̈́̊̃̈́͊̓̈́̅͐̇́̕͠ ̶̡̤̺̲̩͕̋̈̾̋̈̊̇̈́͊̄d̷̮̑̎͐͋ŗ̴̥̞͍̤̼̀̂̐͊̏̆̔̀̎̑̽̽̾͠ͅe̵̢͚̲̦̻̺͈̟̝̱̤͙̐̑͒̀̉͂̆͂̕͜͝w̸̨͓͓͇͔̮̥̺͖̦̜̹̣͎͕̤̿ ̸̪͎͙͙̜̊̈̅̽̅̾̓̓̄͆̇͆̀͒̕̕c̴̨̛̟̜̠̯̥̝̫̳̲̩͆͜͜ľ̸̡̢͎͚̮͈͔̰̯͔̘̣̝̖̰̱͔ȯ̵̢͓̤̠͕̖̭͈̭̩̟̥̯̫͈̦̒̑̑̎̚s̸̜̦̭͖̞̠̰̳̻͗̿̓̐́̐̊̽͜ȩ̷̢̘͓̙͎̦̥̱͚̥̣̯̍̀̔̓̈͛̉̂͠r̶͖̣̮̤̻̪͚̰̞̱̘͚̄̃̒̅́̀͜͜ͅ,̸̺̏ ̵̧̛̞̜̀̈́͋̌̌̍̕f̵̧͎͎̯͚̌̑͆͒̾͊̀͌̎̊́́͐͑̑͠l̴̨̛̹͙̙̜̼̮͚̿̆͐͗̍ō̴̡͉̫͇͙̋̎͌̈́̏͂̐̈́̄̀̕͜ä̸͔̹̩̖͕̻̈͊̓̈́͛̈́̌̈t̴̨̨̢̥̞̩̹͎̟͓̯͚̏̈́̐́́̀̑̅̊͊̇̿i̷̧̛͎̼͈̪̱͌̽̆͗̄̆̂̎͊͑̔͜n̴̡̧̛͕̤̳͉͙̼̜̯̩̥̖̱̆͛̅̿͛́̅̅̌̿͛g̵̢̜̞̮̟̦͈͙̦̬̞̣̫͛ͅ ̸̢̡̧̝̺̩̻̬̺͇̰͚̣̪̳́͊̈́͜ͅa̵̢̖͙͇͇̯͗́̀̀̏̍̋̀͊̓͝b̴̛̞̖͕͓̜͇̳̰̺͕͂̒̆̌̔́̈́͛̒̎̐̕͠͠ͅơ̵̜̞͊̽͊̈́̏̋̿͌̿̈́͋̕̕͠v̶̨͖̣̰̮͓̹̖̟̫̖̳͇̫̒̒̀͊̈́̇̒ẽ̷̢̛̛̜̗̹̝͍̗̘͈̳̘͙̀̏̅̀̽́̀͝ ̶̰̻̋̎͊̈́̋̌͘͘S̸̹͍̻̝͈͋̎̒̍́̎̃͛̈́́͊̓̕͝͠͝h̷̄̽̐̇͒̈́̕ͅä̵̧͖̱̯̹̠͓̺̖̬̦͇̬̺̬̩́͆̆͑d̷̛̫͈̘̮̹̘̦̜͔̭̰̘͖̃̈́̈̈́̑̆͋̓̅̕͜͝͝ơ̸̢̧̢̡̤̰̦̝͖͈̤̪̣̳͌̈́̅̿̎̿̓͛̾͊̒̂̌͘͝ẅ̴̡̠̮̦̯̙̤̦̰̹̟̭̱̿̈̅̔̾̓͜ͅ ̴̢̨̡̛̪͕͈̺̻͙͇̤̜̲̬͙̣̯̿͊̓͘w̴̥͔͎̠̝̤̆̉̇̓ḩ̶̨̧̛̭͔̮̺̖͔͇̃̑͗͊͐́͆̚͜͝ͅi̶̗̼̤̲̲͎̲͛̾̎̌͝͝l̷̛̪͈͐̉̿̊̎̑̾̂̏́͠e̷̛̪̫͙͔̅̾͌̓̀̄̽̾̾̉̒́̕ ̷̛̤͓͚̖̝̬͗̓̃͂̿̆̔̃͗͂̄̈̐w̵̢̧̤̮̫̹͇͖͙̜͂̌̀̓̄̿́̃̈̆̇̓̀ą̶͉͎̘͉̣͓̮̘͙͈̭̲͉͍͜͝r̶̪̜̤̮̬͇͕͔͕̜͓̮̪̝̥̈͑̎͂͑̋́͆̊̌͜i̷̢̡̨̧̯͙̪͎̜̰͕̗̲͕̮̩͌̾͛͌̂̿́̍l̵̢͇͈̗͖͒ẏ̴̡̨̧̡̛̟͔͔̭͑̿̃͐͗͒̕̚͝ ̶̡̢̖͌̊̽͋̎̇̕̕͜͝e̵͕̣̩̩͔̭̫̙͈̹̅y̷̜̓̀͛̓́̂͛̍̿̋̓̕̕e̶̪̘̺̼̲̱̥͙͍͔̠̜̜̫̍̐i̷͖͚̲͋͐̽̿̓̍̑̐̈́̿̈́́͘n̸̢͖̭̜͈͇̉́̉̊̑͆̃́̿̔g̴̘̠̜̭͙̭̺̪̖̑ ̴̩̭̫͍̥̌̀t̴̠̲̻͓̂̽̎̓̄h̷̨̫͕̫̘͊̈́̿̄̈́̾͜ẻ̸͔͕̃͠ ̵̧̢̣̞̬̰̣̳̞͇̼͈͕͖̎̄̀̊̀͛̿̑͒͘͠l̵̨̩̫̳͇͇̜͔̹̞̠̭̯̲͉̤͛ͅȉ̶̛͙̰̟̯̟̜̳̙͖̺̻̺̠͇̻̐͐͜͝f̶̢͖͔̪̠̟̦͉͕͆͛̑̔͑̈͗͘̚͝ͅē̷̢̨̲̦̦͗̄̉̇̓̀̉̏̔̑̃͜ͅl̶̨̨̬̞̪͓͉͉̩̩̯̻͓̀͛́̈́̑̎̆͗̒̿̔͆͑͜͝͠͝͝e̸̖͔͈̭̼͉̳͙̟̭̝̦͗́̎̈́͂͜ͅs̶͙̞̞̯̭̈́̿̂̌̈̑̆̇́͛̍̑̇̑͘͘͠ͅs̴̨̙̫͇̜̪̦̦̗̠̝͕͎̥̰͒̔̌̓͊̃́͂́͑̅̈͒̓̋͛͝ ̵̪̞̝̀̂̆́̇͘͜͜ẅ̷̡͉̫̗̺̘͚̩̗̜͈̞̱̩́̀̽́̂̆̈́͐́͐̀̎̓̍̈̚͝ͅa̵̡̢̝̪̱͔̩̻͑͌̇̀̍̈́̈́͐̉̀̕͠t̸̢̧̻͇̠͈̦̳̘͕͎̄͜e̶͇͔̦̼͈͑̄̂̍͌̇̅̀̋͗̇͋͝͠͝ŗ̵̟͎̰̖̝̘̖̮̖̟͛͗̓͗̄̅̃̿͋̑͋̒̇̉̏͠ ̴̟͌́̉̚b̵͕͇͇̲̠̙͍̓̒̅ę̷̣̱͎̮̘̖̝̳̙͈̦͎̪͚̞̐̒̅͒́̆͆̈́͊̆͠ͅl̴̨̢̛̮͕͎͇̬͍̜̬̖͆͑̈̐̂͜͝o̸͈̱͇̳̥͐̀͆̽͛̀̋͂̿͑̚̚w̶̧͕̪̻̩͖̗̆̎.̵̡͎̠͈̫̮́͑̏̀̍͋̔͠ ̴̛̥͕͛͊͋͑͝T̵̢̢͖͉͍̟̲̖̹̯͍̖̄̒̿̀͒́̒͋͌̚͝h̶̛͖͕͚͎͕̲̣̮̦͚̤͗̎̓͑̊̈́̐̌͌͋̌͝ͅë̴̢̝̖͈̿̓̈́̈́̀̂͗ ̷̢̪͚̞̙͇̯͉̱̓̏̄̓͆̕͜c̵̜̒̄̐́͐̿ờ̸̧̛̬͖̱̯̖̲̱͌̿t̴̡̤̝̮̻̜̫̓̽͑̒͐̀͛̓̇̀̚͜͝͝ͅt̷̨̲̙̺͔̺̹̹̥͋̐̍͌̈̈̄̂̅͜͝ͅo̶̢̡̡͓̬͎̠͎̤͓̞̖̮̤̒͂͗̀͂͛͛̕͝n̵͓͈̜̲̑̀̉̍͌̊̊̓̆̉̈́̕̚͘͝͝ ̶̱͖̳̯̀̅͊̃́̎͊̓͆͆͆̌̀̊̒͘͠t̴͔̦͈̱̖̣͕̤̫̺̠̎̎̽̀̈̃̐̽͂̏̓͝ͅḧ̵̛͖̹̞̪́̍̋̿̀́̀͌̈́̽̓͑̈́͝ä̷͚͙̞͈̻͚̗̤͖͕́͐̓̐͒̀͌̐͘̕͠͠ṫ̴̡̢̧̛̟̝̥̪̥̗̱̜͙͕̗̻͊͗̃̍͋͊͂̍̈́́̎̽͆̐͠ ̷̧̛̗̩͚͕̫̥̣͍̬̋̇̆̊̋̉̋͛̚͘h̸̢̛̓̅̉̍̓̄̊̈́̌̓̌̚̕͝͝a̴͚̣͉͉̭͕̣̹͋͗͗̈͘d̷̛̛̳͍͒́̔̍̏̈́̑̋̓̕͝ ̷̛͉͚͓̟͙͋̀̓̐́̔̓͊̚͝ͅf̸͖̙̆͌ö̴͕̪̍̇͂̅̐͐̓̉̈̎r̸̢͓͎̻͙͚̱̹͈̝̥̝̺̯̬̆̾̅̏̐͐͌̈́͆̈́́̅̚m̶̨̭̮̻̝̤̝͚̞̫͌͂̍̂̽͐͊͗̓̐̅̚͜͝ͅḛ̶̛̈́̀̈́͂͠d̶͙͓̼̲̅ ̴̯̣̺͎̟͇̀h̶̢̛̖͎͇̠͕́̀͋̀͑̿̉͗̕̕͘ī̸̻̣͕̞̖͛̽̋s̵̳̼͙̗̬̦͍̱̳̱̗̼͇̺͓̹̦̈̋͐͐̓̏͐͠ ̷̨͕͇͈̖̣͉̟̗̟̂͛͆́̔m̴̨̛̳̗͈̣͓͙̬̟̯̱̞͇̖̮̔̒͐̔̐̎͌͂̉͂͘̕į̶̛̞̬̖̦̗̣́͛̂͗̚n̸̘͖̹̦͈͖͙̽̆̄̄̽̈̋͂̆́̄̔̂͘͘͝d̸̲̼̯̝̻͓͎̹̮̙̮̦̆̿͊͊ ̸̬̻̣͇̱͔̽͂́s̴͚̞̮̱̬̙̊ͅͅe̴̡̛̬̜̩̯̬̫͉̥͒̀̈́͂̑̾̊͊̈́̑͘e̵̺̠̗͙̩͉̖̙̖̬̠̠̬̞̓̃̔͆̎͑̓̉̈́͒̀̈́̓͛́͝ͅm̸̹̺̜͚̯͎̠͉̪̉̂̈́̌̀̋̈́͐͝e̶̡̧̺̪̲̞̜̲̱̩̝͎̼͎̳̎̾͂͋̆͐͒̿̾́̚͝d̶̢̧̩̗͇̬͙̗̲̲̰͇̯́̀̊̎͗̆̒ ̷̘̮̼̩͕̼̥̪̝͎̳̞͈̰͉͍̄́͛̈́͆̈́̓̒̈́̓̽̿̾̇͊͝ͅṯ̶̮̦̣͔͚̖̬̼͉̺̮̑́̍̌́͊͛̚̚ͅô̸̙̼̭̞̙̼̗̣̰̹͍̰͗͜͝ ̸͎̰̯̺̻̬̗̂̐̆͗c̸̨̧̲͆͗̐͐̋͘͠l̸̹̟̯͇̔̌̉̈́̈́̏̀̎̀͝͝è̷̛͕̞̻̤̒̊̾̉̎́̀̀͜͝ͅͅa̷̘͉̫̞̭̦͉̮͚̙̤̒̏͝͝r̷̨̼̙͎̼͇̭̰̳̐̅̈́́͗̑̄͒̋̚̕͝,̸̧̡̳̱̰͔͕͎̭̰͙̭͍̼̳̃̈́̀̄̏͌̑̔̎͌̄͛ͅ ̶̧͍̜͖͐̔̽̑̀̏͋̃̑̌̏̊͜͠ȟ̸͇̖̋̈́͗͐̐͒̉̒͋͘͠į̴̮͓̞̝͉̼̳̤̺͈͔̳̥̬̬̓̆̽͊̂̈̑̓̌̈́͐̕͝s̷̪͌ͅ ̶̦̠̬̞̟͔̼̭̜̳̙̪̖̀͐̏̋̉̈́̏͋̃̊̽̋͜͠ā̵̡̛̘̳̫͉̙͈̋̒̐̃̈́̋̽̂̑͝n̶̛̳̻̬̮̫̺͉̯͒͋́̏̒̔́͛͌͜͜͜ẍ̴̩̟̮͈̣̬͕̞̬̩̞̘̘̹̘̝̝͊̿͑̃̄̎̾̃͒͝͝ǐ̷̧͇̫̫͍͚̜͙̖͎̒̑̏̈́̌̆̎͗̈́͋̈́̕͘͘ę̴̢̛̺̜͔̳͕̘͈̮̲̓̑̄͆͘͘t̷̨̢̳͎̲͙̻͇͓̪̘̼̪̗̣̪̾̄͛̓͋̐͝i̵̡̧̦̣̻͎͐̐̈̈́͂͛̈̀͗̇̇̕ẽ̸̢̡̮͕̗̺̠̹̤͖̯͙͇͚̉̉̇͗̑̕̚͜͝ͅś̷̡̹̜̱̘̦͖͚̣̼̭̮̦̆̃́̓͊̾̇͂͊͐̉̋̋̏̈̌͜ ̷̨̡̟͖̗̹͙͉̩̼̩͙̙͙̺͓̔̀ͅc̵̡̭̤͇̟̻̝̝͖̥̥̪̀͗̃̆̈̋̉͌̑̅͛̾͝͝å̶̡̧̞͇͇̤̻̫͕̮͚͓̻̫̰̣͛͛̈͌͊̾͗͋͜ȗ̴̹̺͈̳̤ͅs̶̱̬͈̗̬͎͕͖̺̺͓͈̺̓́͊̆̄̏̏̉̇̚̚͝i̸̛̛̤͓̻͙͕̘̍̐͑̄́̀̓̈̎̈́n̵̛͎̰͔̐͌͗́̑̇̾̔́̏́͋̉̈̚͘ĝ̴̢̦͓̫ ̶̨͈̦͙̰͙͙͕̻͛́̅̃̕͜͝͠ͅh̵̛͖̭̥̼͎̼͙͒̐̌̋̑͋̽͛́͆͒̽̚͝i̵̱͉̜̇͌͌́̋̎̏͌͒̂s̸̳̞̮͉͗ ̴̛̟̰̌́̓̆̔͊̐̂̑̑̉̍͌̿̆̈f̸̛̜͕̮̦͓̜̼͛̾̓̍̓́̑̾͆̊̃͗͝ͅṵ̸̼͓̞̮̤͓̖̗̠͙͉̱̱̂̃͛̄͑͊͝ŗ̶̧̘͓͔͖̳͇͓̰͙̫̑̄̀̌́̑͐͑̑̉͌͘͜ ̶̬͇̞͇̯̞̼̣̅̐t̴̙̪̿̈́̿̇̍͌͛̂̕͝ơ̴͓̩̦̥͙͖̳̹̺͉̺̈̌̽̃͑̌̅͂̎̓̌̕ ̷̘̞̼̫̻͎̝̹͈̀̍̎̋́̎̏͛̕͝b̷͔̪̜̼̣̩̟̱̩̈́r̵̨̟̟̞̩̓į̸̇̌̂̃̉̂͋̔s̸̨̡̧̻͉͚͈̙͍̤͈͈̊̅̀̔͊̔̂̋̚͜͠t̵͔̣̝͇̺̗̞͙͈̰̭̬̱̐̎̊̏͑͂̈́̽̍͠͝͝ͅl̸̻̜̩͔̣͚͚̜̱͔̦̰̀̽̅́̇̓̀͌̓̄̀͋̈̀̚͠͝ȩ̶̪͔̿̓̉̌́̊̔̄͑̕.̷̧̪̣͚͚̟̻̥̭̦̗̈͊̂̍́͌̀̾̎̕ ̴̧͉̺̙̙̘̦̱̞̜͎̤̩͉̹̫͊́̕"̵̢̛̛̮͎̮͔͈̰̭͈̈́̎͂͑̔͐́̏̑̀̔͠͠.̶̥̗̳̫̻̲͖̲͗̀̃̂̑͋̔̋͑́̎̅͂͘̚͝͠.̸̛̫͍̳̮͂͑͗̕.̵̡̡̨̙̲̮̬̗̳͎̝͔̯̯̔̍̔̏M̴̛̮̱͂͗͋̈͋͌̈́͛̉̓̓͒̈́̚͠ơ̶̠̲͗̇̑͐̒̓̋͒͗̒ŗ̶͓̳̩̼̙̜̮̺̭̈́̀͌̒̌̂͂̃͝ě̵̤̲̻̥͔͎̥̟͚͓̃͂́́̋̔̒͘͠͝ ̷͚͈̜̺̤̹̺̱̘̎̓̏̒̈̆̏͐̈́͆̿̍̅̔t̴̜̲̠̣̯̬̿ͅh̷̹͓̮̾̐͗̀̓̈́̐͠a̴̤͎͓͈͔͔̙̩͓͉̫͆̀̃̃̀͗͂̎͛͛̀͘ň̸̦̞̤̲̊̏ ̵̟͈͖̺́͌̽́͐̀͒͛́̕͠͝ÿ̴̡̛̮͎̘̱͓̼̼̟͈̠͍̈͊̍̒̓̍̔̕͘͝ͅö̸̡̥͖̲̝̤́͋̈́͋̓́̒́͑̋͘ͅų̶̡͙͖̼͙͕̮̫̼̼̮̳͌͛͆̈͆̄͗̓̆̽͊͑͌͠ ̸̧̥̲͓̤͍̮̱̜̟̲̪̝̭͖͙̭͊̽̾͠ķ̴̬͉̥͉͈͉̲̜͇̙͕͎͌̿̀̀̀̄͑̑̇̓̆̀̚͝͠ń̵̫̥̝̒̈́͝ő̸̳̱̄̏͂͊̂͋͆̉̕̕͘̚ẉ̴͕͔͐̀̔̓̽͝,̷̨̺̙͊̓̃̊"̶̛͉̩͚̯̼͉̻̜͕̣͙͉̗̰̿̓̒̒̒̽̽͌̃̇͋͗͘ ̶̙̗̫̖̩͍̓̍̒͊̀͋̊̇̇̽͊̕ḩ̸̬̹̣͉̦̦̜̝͚̦̘̬̮̎̑̚͝e̴̺̟̺̮̦̟̰̪͍͔͍̤̠̅̾̑̓̐̓̀̈̃̚͘ ̵̲̗͌͂͂̽̐͗̏͗̚͝s̵͈̈́͆̈́̈ͅp̴̢̡̨̢̛̜͇͔͇̫̼̀͊̿̑̒̓̈́͝o̵̱̣̖̰͈̭̼̱͕͎̝̰̦̞͐͒̀̾͂̃̐͜͠k̵͔̣̳͍̯̜͚̞̽̀͌̃̀̂̊̾͆͘é̵̢̡̛̛̞͎̞̭̲͍͔̠̭͔͙̞̻̖͐̔̐͘ ̵̧̨̱̟̫͖̟͇̖̝͙͉̮̏́̔̈́͝ͅw̷͓͛͋̊̕̕i̴̧̡̳̭̗̙̣̺̼͉̳͚̼̪̜̤̋̾̽̈́͂͑̓̋̔̾̎͝ẗ̸̢̛̛͚̫̗͌̈́͑̓̄̂̃̋͘͘h̶̡̢͚̭̰̥͇̙̦͇̝̙̔̊̋̓͊͊̑̎́̋̊̚͜͝ ̴̨̭͎̲̳͍̯̝͖͓͕̰͇̤̫̦̊́̌̉̔͒͋̀͊͛̐͜ą̷̛̻͉̟͙̝̰̩͔͕̈̑̊͘͜͝ͅl̷̨̧̨̛͉̙̹̠̻̭̗̹̮̻̳̳̪͋̈̂͒͒̈͌͆̆͌̒͒̕͜͝͠l̵̛͖̮͚̣̤̞̭͈̬̺͔̇̋̆̐͛̄̆̑̍̀͂̑͘͠͝ͅ ̸̢̥̩͕̪̳̹̤̏͐̏͊̽͘͠t̵̡̲̪̘̟̘̀̑̈́͑͋̿͂̑̔́̓̀̓͘̚͝h̵͓͇̞̜͇̺̖̻̆̀͗̀̈̿̄̔̌̓̚͝͝è̷̛̛̘̺̜̓̓̉̎̔̓̍́̕ ̷̧̰͍͚͕͍̄̏͆̓̉͒̊̎̈́̽͛͛̎̓̕͠ḉ̶̛͎̙̺̣͍̻̝̱̙̥̠̰̺͈͌̋̂̽̽̈́̌̋̒͘̕͜ã̵̧̨̜͍̣̔̓̈́̄̈́́̀̈̐l̶̨̪̲͍͔̱̗͂̓̃͌̌͊̃͛̓͂̚̕m̵̲͔̣͇͎̙̭̮̙͐̈́͋̍̎̀̎̈̇́͜ ̸̛̳̝̖̞̪̪̹̞̝̠̥͌́͝ͅḧ̷̥̲͕͓̫̤͍̝͖̂́̾̅̾̈́͗͛ȩ̵̧̨̮̼̦̟̻͒̔ ̷̧̈́̊̇̒̓̏͛̈̀̆̕̚͠c̸̨͕͔͖̝̫͙̻̗͍̳̯̖̠̝͓̒̈̅̍̅̚̕͘ơ̶̛͓͔̟̝͇̪̹͉͔̪͇͉̭̘̙͛̌̌̐̎̈͒̕͜͜͝͠ṳ̶̹͍̹͓̳̼̰̟̱̯̈́̿͑̃̀̎͗͋ͅļ̴͙͖̥̹̞͓̩͔̞̣̰͕̟̭͓͂̈͒̒̽͒͆̿̋̍̎͛̈́̕̚͠͝d̷̢̧͓̭̫̮̬̖͔̬̻̞̟̎̐ ̷̨̛̭͕̼̲̮͓͚̟͚̤͐͑̔̍̅̇̏̾̌̏̚͝ͅm̷̪͚͓̼̂̍̋́̾̓͊̎̄͌̂́u̸̧̨̢̟͔̹̞̣̘͈̳͛̋͌͗͂̓͆̅̋͘ş̸͖͙̣̬̤͙͍̻̞͚̬͐̓̀̃͝t̷̨̯̱͕͎̳̤̜̲̳̮̼̙̞͔̠̃̋͑̌͗̽͐͐̌͐̑́͠͝ē̸͈̯̬͚̜̔̿̃̀́̾̎̌̔̑̐͑r̷͎̮̦̼̞̽̍̒̆͒̈́̂̄̓̎̽̀̚̚,̴̢̖̳̱̫̦͚͍̫͕͔̼̝͚͕̆̎̓͐͜͜ ̸̨̭̖̣̻̦͍̯̣͖̙̞̗̒̽̀͒̀͑́̄͋̄̑̃͗͂͘͘͝r̵̛̥̝͕̩͚̠͐́̎̇̏̿͋̈́e̵͇͋͐̎̋̕ą̵̳̱̗̩̳̼̝̤̜͙̟̞̳̾̓̄͗͊́̊̋͂̃̔̈́̏͜͝͝ͅḉ̸̡̩̼̼͕͇̩͈͙̼̓̓͠ḩ̸̭͎͖͔̯̳͕̗͓̺͓͐̏̈́̒i̵͇͕̟̙̤̻͙̤̙̠͒͊̇̐̓͌͝n̶̢̨̧̨̺̮̦̯̪̘̲̩͚̯͓͌ͅg̶̦̒͌̉͐̈͋́̍̕͠ ̴̧̲̜̭̮͔͙̓̍̐̂͝ͅa̴̝̬̰͖̰̥̰̐̔̐͆̋́͐̃̚̚͜ ̷̡̟̘͈̲͙͓͚̫͇̝͓̲̩̌̄͜ḩ̷̢̛̤̭̰̜̺̗͕̠̣͔̯̏̀͆̐͂͘ͅȁ̷͕͙̤͔̯̠͔̟̂͌̈̄̑̏̌̚ͅn̵̡̥͍̳̦͔͙͚̣̜͓̙̓͒̂̄̊̄̿̀̎̾͐͆͑͝͝d̸̢͕̖̝̗̣̜͈̠͙̘̩̮̺̓͒͒̍̀́̀͆̌͌̎̉͋ͅ ̶̨̡̛̣̮̥͔̤̝̪͉͊͒͑́̾͊̽̊͘͝͠͝d̵̳͋̓̉͝o̴̢̨̧̞̗̠͈̠̟͇̫̭̖͕̝͑̎̂̒̉̕͜w̷̨͚̳̬̣͈͔̩̏̌̌̂̉n̶̞̪͕̬͎̪̲̲̗͕̤̻̖̻̕ͅ ̷̨̛͎̫͊̒̋͗͐̉̐̌̅̚̕͝͝t̵̠̯̹̆̾̋̈́͝o̶̢̘̺̱͇̞͉̦̟͇̮͍͓̼̗̘͗ ̶̱̬͕̯̤̓̑͌̎͘j̸̨̩͚͈̟̲̹͔͚̬̖̇̑̕͜u̸̖̗̠͂̓̇͒̽̓̊͊̓̑̔̚̚͝͠͝š̶̨̨̛͎͇̝̤͈̮̳̫̟̦̗̥̯͈̔̍͑͗́͊͐̎̋͆̏̌͑̕͜͠t̴̨̥̜̫̜̬̻͈̀́͜ ̸̡̢̳̝͚̳̺̏̽̽̾́̊̐̾͋̾̏̏̅̈́̕͜ą̸̛͚̝̗̝̱̺͔̞̝̝̝̀̋̀̉b̵̢̛͇̭̥̟͕̥̦͆̾̄̂̋͂͂͆͐̂̄͝͠͝o̸̡͎̮͍̻̖̥̳̗̭̦̞͆͒̆̃̃͝v̴̢̢̥̼̝̀͜ḙ̸͙͍̤͙̲͋́̆ ̶̡̩̪̱̫̬̆͛̆̇́̊̀̓̀̑͑̈́͗̄̓t̷̢̪̞̹̻̞̠̥͓̮͕̍̒h̸̯̣̹̮͕̐̈́̈͑͊̈̎̈́̈͒̑̈́͒̏̎͊̅ȩ̴̭̝͙̼̏͊̿ ̷̨̤͇͚̳͑́ş̶̧̛̹͍̲̯̘̩̹̘̗̻̏̾̊̋̒̈́͆ͅt̷̨̢̯̝̹̟̱̪͕͕̱̗̜͙̻̳́̊̈́̓̾̑̔͜ì̷̛̠̱̙̘̺͖͓͊̏̓̏͊́̐͂̒͋̕ͅl̸̼̭̔̀͊͒̅̄̀̀͗̍̽́̿̕͘͜ļ̶͈͕̬͈̫̻́̓̓̀̒̎̆͆ ̶̲͙̪͚̙̗̅͒̀̏͂̀̏̾̄͂̈́͌̑̕͝͝͝s̵̤͍̦͓̭̻̜̗̰̤̯̳̬̗̱͍̏͊̀̈̓̊͒̆͌̽̽̕̚̕͝u̸̜̰̓͊̀̿͌̾̾̆͌̿͂̎͠r̶̲̳̬̻̪͉͙̻̈́̅͋f̶̨̢̨̣̩̬̯͕͕̠̖̰͈͇̓̓͌͌́͛̏̑̑͘͘ả̷̦̗̳̄͌̆̋̌͒̽̀́̌̂̉̕͝͝c̷̢͕̮͙̻̣̞̲̭̙͛̉̔̎̀̍̔̓̋͂e̵̛̮̯̰̘̞̞̻̲̰̐̀̓͠ ̷̯̠͎̟͇̥̱̜̫̤̩͈͗͊̎̎̏̊̊̽͛͑̚͜͠ͅͅẗ̸̡̛͈̳̥̬͙̮̫̣̹̻̣̞͔̥́̿̄̿̇̄̃̽̒͌̂̎͋̈́̆͠h̷̠̲̳̦̙͈͉͕̻͙̹̣̊͊̿̓̽̓̎̀͊̚͜a̸͉̠̠̝͔̮̠̺̮̱̋̈́̎̓̅͐͌͐̍͠t̷̪̭̤̥͓̞͇͓̅̌͌ ̶̨̩̱̖̲̯̟̘̱̬̙̼̟̥̒̔̌̍͗̄̇͑͝͝͠ͅŞ̶̗͓̥̠̻͔̤̠̩͚̗͔̋̉̆̅̇̔̈̔̚ͅh̶̨̙̞̖̭͍͙̝̝̗̲͔͇̦̃̾̐̑̕͝͠ͅą̸̧̡͓̝͉̩̣̹͎̃̽̈́̇̊̽͜ͅḑ̸̟̖̀̈̇͗̏̈́̔̔̂͒͑̑́̿̈̒̕o̶̺̻̦͉̺͖̣̫̟̝̙̯̪̠͝w̵̛̛̖̘̯̮̙͎̬͉̮̫̃̓͐̏́̑́̒̓̈́̐͘̕͘͝ͅ'̸̡͖͍̖̬͚̣̪͕̑̂͜͠ś̷̨̝̠̮̞̤̮͉̦̓̏͋͒̇ ̵̢̢̬̬͚͖̘͚̤̠̼̭̣̳̒̍̍̉͘͝͝b̸̧̙̹̖̥̗̝̒̒͗̎̅͋̂̈́̇̾̕̕ǫ̴̥͔͈͉̘̺̎ḑ̵̢̡̮̟̱̫͓͖̹͍̽̾̃͒̾̒̉̈́̔͗͋̂͗̚͝y̶̡̲͇̯̲͌͗͘ ̴̧̝͎̺̪̮͈͚͎̖͈̠͇͍͎͖͔̀̔̂̉̾̃̽͊̿̈́͋̒̓́̌̚d̴̨̟̜͙͊͗̽͂̈́͒̇̏̓͑̒͂̕ͅi̵̪̺̖͓̓̈́̊d̸̦̩͕͉͎̹̳̼̻͇̫̼͚̭̝̙̒̍̔͋̇̈́̒̑̄̎͛͊͛͐̀̒͝ṅ̵̢̢͖̜̟̽̇̊̅̽͘'̵̡̢̬̙̰̬͍̬̙̲̤͔͙͕̀t̴͚͓̹̠̘̯̭͋̐̋̄͌͗͘ ̸͈͔̯͍̖̠̺̎̒̃̆͑̂̓̎͗̀̇̏̉̇̚͘e̵̡̢̳̻̪̪̮̳̲͉̺͎̞̮̥͈̹͂͐̀̓̓̔̏̍̕v̶̱͍̹͆͊́͊̈̽͝e̴̹̗̘̣̭̲̱̮̘̻̣̥̮̥͗̎́̓͐̅̽̓́̽̉̐͂̒͗̒͆͜ͅņ̸̧̫̰̠̰̪̹̗̗̗̑͊̿̋͗̑̃͆̐͋ ̴̡͈̬̣̥̓̀͆̄̔̒d̷͚̱̘̩̳̥̜̣͎̣͈̅̑͐̓̿̃́̃͐̂̀̀̽͐͊͝͠į̸̯͎̀ͅs̶̢̛̥̻̜̮͓͓̖̺͓̬̦̈́̊̈̈̏͑̉͒͐̃̽͐͗͝͝͠ẗ̸̡̫͓̼̗̹͓́̓͒̒̀͊̈̀̉̎̄͂̌͋ȗ̶̯͙̣̱͙͂̄̑̈́r̶̨̧̢̛̛̼̗̝̞̹̱̬̮̟̗͚̱̈̿́̓̌̍̔̃̑͊͛̽̏̚͜ͅb̷̡͈̽͊̍̓́͊͐̈́.̴̨̧̖̣̼͓̽̈́́͝ ̴̛̼͕̻̻͍̥͌͆͊̎̀̈́Ş̸͈̲͇̖͈̣̼̮̰͉̥̅͂͒͒͂̂́͂͆͒̚͝͝ŏ̷̘̬͉̉́́̕͘n̵̤̠̎̓͂̅i̷͍͕̤̱̗̲̅̌̈́ç̵̨̭͙̠̰̞͖̰͎̠̥͙̫̭̜̰̈́͛̃̐̉̽̒̾̓̈́͗̆͌͘͝ ̸̢̡̧̗͖̟̟͙͕͎̪̺̠̬̖͉͆̿͋̓̋͠q̵̘̮͉̤̥̜̮͖̲̣̱͚̈́͗̈́ͅͅù̷̢͓̥͙̳̅̌í̵̲̥͕͖͎͉͖͍͍͈́͋̍̋͜c̵̗͉̖̓̿̈́̾̾̓̄̓k̶̢̧͙͕̗̩̫͎̓̍̇͗͋̌̉̾̅̾̒͐͘ĺ̴̙͈͇͉̳̰͖͉̭̝̫̝͖͇̥̌̇̄́͂͛͐͑͒̈́̏̉̅̕͝y̷̗̩̹̐̑̇̃̅͂̚͜͠͝͝ ̸̝͕͂̐̿̈́̂̌̍͛͂̉͝͠w̶̧̛̳̹̫̙̪͑i̸̡̧̪̯̭̋̈́̈́̑̅̒̇̓̈́͋̅̆̀̇́͠ţ̴͍̜̺̗̞̍̂̉͊̌̿͌̽̐̽̇̀̊̈́̽̔̄h̴̳̰̱̩̜̪̲̩͔̰̿̒̇̌̓̍̔̽̌̋́̿̐̊̃̚͠ḋ̵̮̼̘̼͍̗̬͓̼̗̙̭̤̱̰̆̎̃͊͜͜r̴̭̥͙̈́̆̓̆͂̎̆̽̈́̊̃̈́͊͘ȩ̴̛̟̯͂͊͌͋͗͝w̸̹̜̝̗͂͐͌̀̿̒̓͠ ̶̯͚̹̓̿̓͐̋́͒͆͐̚͠h̷̺͓͈̄̈́͋̑i̷̗̦̝͉̒̈́̾̃̀̑́͊͑͐͛̆̚̚͠s̴̛̲͕͍̰̭̖̘̘̟͆̋͌̀̿̊́̓̏͂̓͋̕͘̕͝ ̶̡̘̟̀̓͊̎͆̓͊̈́̍̈́̈́̒̆͌̓h̸̢̨̖͉̭͓̯̯́͐̓̌͜a̵̧̼͔̤̯̭̘̦̻̘̙̾͋̆͊͌̓̒̍͛͜͠n̸̺̫̬̯̗̩̭̪̭̲͕̝͒̏̾͛̉̄̈̈́̿͑̿̇̕͠d̸̨̨̡̥̻̘̝̙̫̜̭̬̦͔̬̓̐̄̂̐̀̆̚ ̸̖͆͊̕͘w̶̧̧̨̞͇̺͓͈͙̖̥̿̊͊́̓͛̍̃̉̈͛͋͊͜͝ͅh̴̝̥̝̻̼̏ę̸̧́̇̄̎̉́͒͌͋̊̓͆͂̆͘n̵̢͓̮̫̬̙̪̼̗̯̻̠̞̎̉́̆̆͌̄͊͋́̄̚̚̕͜ͅ ̶̨̨͚̗͇̹̼̋̄̿̀̿̀̐ą̵̛͈̜̠̞̯͓̥̖̫͍́͋͛́́́̐͛̆̿͠͝͠ ̸̛͖͈̺̤̗̯͎̣͊͑͛̑̅̃͋͛͋̽́͒͝c̸̢̢͕͉̼̰̹̙͓̻͗͜͝h̷̲͉̐̔͜i̷͉̮̼̬̞̥̞̒̃̑͌l̷̬͚̩͖̜̹̖̗̲̦̩̗̰̖̟̮͛̈̀̀͗̈́̏͂̐͜͝ļ̴̱̘̑̀͘ ̸̧̤͎͎͉͕̗̰̮̤̪̣̱̟̮̎̿̈ȓ̷̫̪̯͉̝̭̗̰̆̑̐́̂̑͠â̵̢͕͇̜̪̂̃͜ņ̸̫͎̜̺̲̠̘̙̱̜͋̉̇̈́͜ ̷̢̧̢̧͚̲̲̠͇̝̗̙͉͒͆͐̊͐̏̈̇͘͠d̴̡͓̠̼̭̗̙̰̻̫̉́̋́̃̍͂̊̑̕̚͝o̵̻̺̖̝͕͔̬̩̘̪̣̭̗̺͑̌̀̎́ͅw̵̨̛̛̤̗̖̫̙̰͚͇̣̙͍̥͕̽̿͑͝ņ̶̢͖̞͕̪̺̬̼̗̲̻͋͑͑̄͆͊̏̂͆ ̸̢̢̧̱͎͇͈̩̋̀h̴̞͉̫͍̰̙̏̍̈́͑̀͛͝ï̸̢̧̠̞̳̥̣̲̪̦̖̃̓̎͗̎̍̑̆̇̌͑̀͝͝s̵̹̫͚̣̙͈͙̫̜̥͍͉̈́̃̒͐̿̊͌͋̏́͛̎͐̈́͒̚͜͝ ̷̞̦͉̤̓s̵̛͔͇̺͔̭͔͉̔̏̃̌p̸̝̫̮̠͉̳͎͉̙̻̰͎̫͈̕ī̴̦͚̻̤̭͔͎̟͇̫̺͕̐́̓̓̀̒̉͊̇͗̓͐͊͘̕͜n̷̢̨̡̘̙̙͈̼̘̫̝̞͊͜ͅę̸̝̠͈͉̀́̈,̴̟̬̄́̐̐̚ ̸͔̝̠̲͙̈́͌̆̅͘͘͝͝c̷̨̳̠̘̱̙͈͉͕̩̫̬̐͌͋́̀̾́͌͜ą̶̧̨̺͍̰͈̺̝̼̾̑́̇̈́̓̏͑͆̈̈̇̊̂̍͘͜u̵̢̞̼̒̍̀̈́̑̿͒̏̀͜͝͝s̸̛̘̬̗̊̉̓́̏̔́̋̃͝ĩ̸̮͐̿̌̃̈̽̚ñ̷̨͚g̷̯̮̗̺̳͐̉͂̿͛̀̒̌̂̇̍͆͒́̊͝ ̴̢̧̘̹̣͙̬̝͍̤͔̗̰̝̏̒̾̈̃͌̒̾̕̕͝͝h̴̢̨̡̢̢̰̯͉̩̗̺̼̙̑͒̏̊̂̄̋̈́̔͊̏̒͘͘͠i̴̭̫͚̱͇̔͌̒̔̔́ḿ̴͓̺̭̗̙͖̝͔̍̓̋̈́͛̊̕̕ ̶̨̡͉̫̬͚̣͕̬̯̋̔̉t̴̥̖̪̟̮̦̝̯͖͇̬͍̋̓o̵̡̘̠̝͎͍̣̰̘̜̝͈͕̍̌̅̂̽̓͌̑͒̓͆̂̉̾ ̸̱̾̈́̔͐̿͌̈́̔̎͝ͅş̵̣̻͙̠̦̌̈́h̵̢̧̡̡̼͍͙͎̠͖̲̤̝͉̪͂̔̑̈̃̈́̒͠u̸̪̘͒͌͑̂̋̆̀d̸̤̗͔͚̫͍́̓̓ͅḑ̵̧̛̝̺̭͇̫͗͂͒͋e̵̢̛̠̗͇̯̓̀̃́͛́̇̓͆́͂́͂̎͑͝r̴̨̞̬̫̱̟̥̜̻̣̥̆ͅͅ.̷̡̢̢͙̖̺̬͔͍̜̭̓̐̂̀͗̒̽͜ ̷̨̡̳͚̠̹̼̮̮͓͍̱͐̋̈́̽̆͗̐͂̌̏͋͗̐̚͜͠ͅḨ̵̧̛̼̘̘͉̭̙͙̤͗̔̊̉̐͘͜͜͠o̴̢̖̩͈͕̙͇̣̞͖̣̥͓̗̹̎̅̈́̃̾̾̉͐̾̃̒̿w̸̼̘̬̯̲̤͋́͋̈́̽̒͝ͅ ̴̢̨͍͉̜͚̹̲͍͕̜̇w̶̜̝̠̹̦̫͚̩͛͒͒̔̅̽̀͝͝a̸̧̨̼̘̖̼̤̞̠͂̒̉́̀͗̊͠ş̴͖͙̮̽̿̌̊̏͆͛̚ ̵̡̫̱̺̱͚̮̹̱͚̪̲͚̍́̈́̕͜S̵̛̟͔̪̝̺̺̦̻̠͉̳͎̅̏̇̑̈͘͘ĥ̷̡̧͚͚̪͕̣̜̥̜̫̻̟͂͘ͅͅà̶̧͍̱͙͉̯͙̱̫̠̫͚͛͐̏̎̑́́͌͋͗́̚ḓ̶̡̢̘̖͎̤͎̹͕́͆̈́̐̅̌̃̈́̓̓̿̕ò̶̡͉̃̓̋́̐̇̐̓̉̍͆̕͠ẁ̸͐̔̏́͋͘̚̚͝ͅ ̵̟͔͍̟̫̰͉̼̫͓̪̭͉͊̄͋̂͋͋̎̉̌̔̿̎̐̚͝͠ͅs̴̨̡̧̹͈͓̱̪̖͇̼͉̘̳̻̄̏̽̈̒͗̂̃̕͝t̶̨̬̥̩̣͍̳̦̪̘̠̠͎̥͚̂̔̃̍̀̋̊̈́a̷̡̭̙̞̫̣͑͌͐̃͐ņ̷̼̩͖͓̰͔̚d̵̡͉̤̦̖͈̻̞͔̜̒̆͛̊̅͂̾̿̃̈̋̆͗̑̽͘͠i̴͖̲͍̰̟̇̋̊̎͆̋̑̄͆͋͠n̸̛̬͔̗͙̏̀̿̃̀̀͒̏̓̑̃̕͝͝g̶̨̈́͛̾͒̎͒̇͛̄̀̕̕͘͝͝ ̸̛̟̞̋͗́̽̍͐̈̔̇̓͑̾͛̚͠t̸͔̦̹͈̝̰̯̪̀̓̇̂̀̑̚ẖ̴̳̣̎̈́̇͛͊͝ȋ̴̡̧̲̃͂͆̈́̑̏͗͑͒̉̃͝s̷̪̼͓̫̈̈́̾̀̎̐͆?̶̡̨̻̻̫̝͓̲̰̥̪̹̻͌́̈̒̾͂̽͋̋̾̒̑̕ͅͅ ̸̖̣̱̝̰̖̏̐̾̇͐͐̆̆̿̽͠͝S̷̬̄͂̀́̅͊̑̄͗͑h̵̨̛̖̬͈͆͛̀̎́͌̌ầ̷̛̦̼̜̝̠̩̘͈̳̝͈̝̼͌̅̊̏͜͜d̶̢̧̧̛͎̩͇̖̫̻̲̭̟̝͔̥͔̿͆̏̒͋̑̾̈́̊̃̒͑̕o̵̙̞̪̫͐̿͆̔̐̅̑̾̈̂̌̾̀̽̍͘w̵̢̧̖̼̱̬̻̗͔̘̘̰̙̲̖̒̈̍̾͜’̴̨͈͍̘̪͇̩̬̭̗̠̣̱͉͌́̐̀̀͒̀̔̾̈͑̔̑̉̆͜͠s̴̱͍̍̉ ̷͈̫͛f̶̟̻̟̤̦̥̘̝̗̼̗̰͇̒̄̂͝ͅa̶̢̹̝͉͐̒͐̐͆̚͘͝c̷̡̛̣̬̻̣͍̲̰͓̼͐́̀̓̈̋̈̾̂̆͊͠͝͠͝è̴̩̦̩͍̦̣͙̠̬̺̝̗̱̲̳̩͑͛͌̀̽ ̴̡̨̬̳̟͖̫̗̖̒̈́̐͛̈́͐̋͝r̵̡̺͚͓͎͔̻̅͛̊́̂̾͋̈́̽͑͂͐̉͝ę̸̘̮̼̞̗̞͈̹̻̪̲͗̀̊̈̓̅͑̓̾̓̄́͠m̸̢̡̨̪̞̠̘͎͈͖̰̗̱̟̑̀̌̑̓̉̏͐̂a̴̪͐͌͊̇̉͒̌i̵̡̡̡͎̣̮̳̖̼͔̭̾̐n̵̨̧̥̫̞̦͙͊̌̃̆̄̂͑͒̾̚͘͝͝e̵̝͕̳͙̿̂̏̈́̊̏͆͗͗̽͘͝͝ď̸̯̀̿̈́̎̽́͒̇̑̉̚̕ ̷̛̳̐̃̌̿̕͝s̵̨̞̳̥̰̖͉̞̪̦̀̋̇̋́̌̐̅̐̔̕͠͝͝͝ę̶̩̤̮̼̮̜̰̓̔́́̿̇̂͘r̴͖͍̻̻͚̗̲̞̪̪̀̊̉͒̎̿̍̔́͆̆̓̉͘͘͘͘ȩ̷̼̙͈̗̺̱́ņ̷̛̞̏͂̂͋̋̚ȩ̴̢̢̢͔͇͇̬̜̬̪͙̻̩̪̻̐ͅ,̶̳̖̪̩̯̼̘̠̽̆̎̃́͜ ̸̡̛̦̟̠͙̯̖̗̹̳̰͚̟̜͎́̐̄͛͜͝ä̶̹͖̱͉͍̱͓́̒̈́̂̔͐̉̇̎ ̷̛͉͗͒̊s̸̢̺̘̣̠̟͚̤̺̰̝̤̠̠̘̎͗͌̓̊̈́̎͒̈́̎̓̑̑͛̎͘͠h̶̡͙̠̯̮̥̮̣͖̳̰͓͕̖͎̯̓̃̎͐̓̐̀̃͒̓̎̚à̷̡̛͎̮̬̙̲̘̗͔͔̿͛̾r̶͈̖̬̋̽̈́p̶̛̮̎͗̾̏͗͋̆̀ ̸̢̺͍͈̥͍̤̱̈̈̏̓͋̎͂͐͜͠ç̷̙̺͍͎̹̬̼̥̦͕͓̣̼̯͑̑̿͋̇͐̇͆͘o̸̧̨̻̣̬̙̤̺̳̦̬͗̈̈́͗͐̈́͂̃̑͛n̸̜̣̍̇̑̒̓̕͝ť̴͈̝̻̄̑̑̂̂͒́͝ȓ̵̺̥̲̳͇̹̟̗̗̹̙͝a̷̢͗̇͛͊̂̒̇̆̏̓͂̚͠ṣ̷̹͉͍̠͔́̈́̋̿̕ţ̷͎͉̐̔̀̂͑͊̃͆̽̽̑́͜͝ ̶̢͍͙̳̲̫͎̰͎̹̻́ẇ̴͖̗̮͐̉̃͒͛̉̇͋͐̉̑̚̚͜i̶̢̛̳̟̖̪̬̝̼̺̺̥̦͗̎̒̐̕t̷̢̢̛̟̮̦̗̬̬̱̳̏̈́͑́̊̊͒̃̉̚͜ḧ̶̢̟͎̤̺̻́̌͊̐̂̆͝ ̸̰̻̗̘̖̤̗͍͓̭̳͚̭̳̼̳͌̄͠t̷̼̤̫̫͉͎̝̒͐́̑̑̀̔̎̚͝ḩ̸̞̝̖̆͊̔͂̉̔̊̓͗͌e̸̤͖̪͎̺̺͐̑ ̶͉̃̍̀̓́̓̽̌̆̽̍ȗ̶͖͙͔n̴̡̡̪̩͙̭̬̰̲̮̘͈̯̄͛͜s̷̠̭͇̲̯̣̙͚̈̑͘͝͠ę̴̨̨͙̫̜̰̖̖̞̪̤̀̈́̎͒̐͒̈́̊̀̀͒͘͝ͅť̴̨̬̖͉͔̥͎͖̩͓̖̞̳͊̑̎̊̑͒͊̇͐̇̾̽̇͋͝t̴̲̣̭͚̃̉̋̅͛͘l̸̢͇̤̪̞͍̞̲͇̜̼̫̇͜i̵̡̛̛̞̩͓͙̱̝͎̺̲̝͒̈́̎̾͋̍͑̽̈̇̓͂̿ņ̵̡̜͓̗̤̼̘͙̮̀͒̇̿̅̕͜g̵̨͎͎͎͚̺͇̼̼̙̣͔̲̹̓̉́̒̄̽̄̋͘ͅ ̵̡̻̣̟̠̫̗̱̓̉͂͐͋͛̿̃̀͑̕i̴̯̜̭͕͖͒̎͂̍̾̾n̸̳̜͎̑k̴̠͇̲̩̣̟̝̰̩̿̉̄͗̊̿ͅ ̸̧͎̝̿̆́͌̓͊̍̓͑̄̿̕t̷̨̢͚̦̣̠̬̥̼̠̪̀̋͑́̇͋̃̎͋̚͘ḧ̴̑͆̽̀͊̽̎̿̽͊͜͝͠ͅa̶̢͖̻͕͇͈͔̺͇̜̖͍͕͍̐͆͒͛̄̅̐̀͜t̶͚̆͂̊̎͠ ̸̢̝̪̬̯̱̬͍̪̤̣̞̗̹̈́́̈ͅt̸̨̛̲̹͖͚͖͊̋͋̾͒̎̋͂̅̽ȟ̴̡̯̪͈̬̜͎͈̫̼͔͓̐̆̍͑̓̀̌̿̉̇̔̉̎̕͘͠r̷̳̃̂̎̎̀̾̍̐̈́͒̎̈́́̕ę̴̱͕̺̙͎̬̙͓̪̗͖͓̙͆̇̊́̽̏̏̈́̓̂̕͘̚̚͘ͅḁ̴̧̠̳͎͎͕̈́́͊͋́̿̀̋͒̅̑͠ͅt̴̨̃̔͑͑͌̿̆̀ȩ̶̯̝̩͉̫̰͚̈́̽̓͋̈́̓̽͂̊̆̐̍̕͝n̵̫͉͎͚̲̮̗̞͙̜͕̣̘̺̪̝̥̈̿̀͊̓͋͂̂̉̓̇͝e̴̢̳̩̱͚͙̍͋͂͘͘͜d̷̹̦̥̎͆̈́̏̔̇̊̀̕͜ ̵̧͈̗̦͇̙̤̗̣̝̲̹̀̾̒͌t̴͍̜̯͙̦͔͔̞̯̞̉͊̇͐̈́͂̈͗̂̅̉̓̕ờ̵͇̲͈̜̞̝̯͚͌̋̋̋̓ ̶̨̧̛̻̯̳̖͚͙̣͕̳̺̀͆̔̄͒̒͝d̷̲̘̘͙̣̲̣͉́́̀̿͗̈̈́͝e̷̼͍̯̲̩͆̆̍̽̿͂̾͌̔̚͘̕͝v̸̡̨͚͚̯͎̰̭͍̺̠̟͉̒o̴̢̡͓͉͕̩̜̼̭̞̜͇͕̪̬̽̕̚̕͜͝ͅȗ̵̲̞̖̦̥̗̯͕̽̿͛̑̎͒͂̒̓͘̚r̸̠̼̰̞̈́̀̒̈͊͊̀̃ ̵̥̳̥̗͙̼̪͍̯̬̣͕̓̄̇̄̀̅ḩ̸̪̱̲͉͉͚͉̟̣̺̣̞̗̗̇̇͂̀̋̀̏̏̐̔̿̿̈́̿͘͜͠͠i̷̢͉̫̟̺̰̟͍̳̱̎̀́͗̿̂͒̅̿̅͜͜ͅs̷͇̖̖͈̗͍͐͑̾̔̔̔͜ ̸̧̢̡̛̱͍̘̫̫̥̥̖̟͍̒͑̄̈́̓̒͘ͅf̵̥̹̗̘̠̖͖͙̥̭͍̆̉͜ò̶̖̦̮̍̎̈̒̎͆͝r̷̨̹̰̥͓̼͍̜̮̞̈́͜͜m̶̡͚̤̰̻̿̿ ̵̞̻͔̲̅̽̽͘a̸͕̰͕̳̐̈́̆̐͗̃̂̓̄̉͂̀͂̍̂l̵̡̧̪̘͇̙̹̓̌͊̎̈́̍͑͊į̸̛̘͓͈̠͚̣̩͈̲̬͂͒̓̔̓̈́̃̄̄̄͛̽̀̒͂ͅv̵̡̨̪̘̻́̌e̷̮͎͔̻͙͕̞̙̲͂̃̈̏̌͆̈̔͂̂̎̌͆̕͝͝.̶͚̱̲̪̘͉̘̦̽̀̔̌̾̚ ̶̡̥̫͓̄̈́̈́̾̊̊̂̀̀̀̌͌͐̕̚͝͠Ȟ̸̝́̌̿̈́̈́e̷̼͇͗̃̿̿̾̀ ̸̡̧̹̞͕̤̤̭̩̤̠͂̅̌ͅh̷̨͍̰̲͓̳̲̩̺̬̯͙̪̻̀́̐̒͛̔̽̍̃͘͜è̶̞̱̜̮̟̀̅̈́̌͗̚̚ḷ̷̨̢̩̫̰̟̖͔͕̩̲͔͚̟͒͛̉̏͗̂̆d̴̡̥̻͇̝̹̱̭̳͎̤̙̀͆̏̈̓̒̄̑̂́͝͝ ̷̛̟̖̣̎̋̀ä̴̛̱̝͍̦͈̦̙̣́̊̔̑̐̓̌͘̕͝͠ ̶̨͉̙͍̼͈̩͎͋̀̓̓̏̽̚͜͝͝h̵͈͙͚̹̫̪̯̟͊̕ͅa̴̢̡̪͈̲̫̙̱̰̾́͜n̸̡͇̻̖͚̼̻̝͉̳̫͎̻̦̏̈́̊͛̎̂̉̃̓̿̋̃̀̚̚͜͠ͅd̷̫̻̗͇̓͌̔̑̂̕ͅ ̴̱̼̼̣̭̺̲͓̪̐̒̐͆̍̃͆̊̾̉̓͊̈́̌͝͝ų̵̨̧̧̩̬͚͕̬̟͇̰̯̜̣̓̓͒͊̎̅̚p̷̖̮̑͗̇͌͑͋̂̍̑͗̋̊͘ ̴̧̲̠̞̰̑͗̋̑̆̅́͊̈́͠t̶̮̬̪̬̯̪̆̈́̿̆̍͂͐͛̐̿̏̊̅̿̍͝ͅo̸̰͛̾̿̆̋͐̂w̸̢͍̩͉̲̳̥̜̙͉̘̘̦̌̍̆̓̅͑̑̒͠͝͠a̵̧͔͔̼̝̪͖͌̐̈́r̵͙̜͔͂̒̍̄̀̌́̉̀̀d̷̡̧͖̺̳͕̼̪͎̣̦͓͊͂̿̀ṣ̵̛̝̲̙͎̗̬͍̟̱̞͕̀͂̅̇̇̔̑̒́̑̍̃̒̄̔ͅ ̷̛͔͋̏́̎̏̿̅̐S̴̛̗͑̋̏́́͛͋͐̋͝͠ơ̵̢̨̡̝̦̩͈̯͎̙͎̬̯̦͔̳̘̓͂ņ̸̰̼̻̱͓̤͑͂ī̵̞̼̰̳̤̫͍̟̱̤͂̀c̴̢̹̼̎͋͗͐͌̈͝͝ ̴̞̗̺͔̗͎̤̱͖͈̣͕̺̫̩͐͜ͅȩ̸͉̯̖̗̥͍͖̼͍͖̞͇̅́̒͆͋͊̀̅̎̓̚̚͝x̵̡͈͍̟̯̤͚̅̑̿͊̋͜͠p̴̢͖̲̗͇͕̤̞͉̮̬̪͌̽̉̄̍̋͌͆̃̎̕̚͜͜͝ĕ̷̡̛͖̣̰̝̥̉ç̶̺̹̱̲̹͒͐̄͝t̵̡̥͖͖͙͍͙͔̝̾̂̑͑̑̅̑̃̈́̄̏̃̇͒͆̐̊ą̴̛̩͚̪̠̖̘͔͕̃̾̉́̅͛̕̕͝͝͠ņ̷̠̭̼̹͎̫̮͓͙̣̏͛͜͝ẗ̵̢̨͚̞̤͇̦̰́͌͋̔̂̇̿̍̕l̸̨̰͔̰̰̲̖̭̈́͛̓̈́̌̾̕̚̕͠͝ÿ̷̨͙̝̗̗̠̬̥̭̼̗̦͓̯̳́͋̿͌͆̒͆̀̃̌͌͜͜͝,̵̡̺͔̺̩͓̜͔͇̥̣͈̺͓̣͕͋̌̑͐̑́͝ ̷͈͍̠̳̄͗̊̊̏̏̀̈́͐́͘̕͝h̸̨̡̨̨͙̩̟̭̲̭̠͖̭̫̼͖̯͆̒̈́͗̎͐̀̎͌͘͝į̷͉͖͔̣̞̺̳̟͖̲̪̝̝̳̔̓̈́̐̍̄̓͂́̆͐̃̎̅͂͝s̴̨̖̮͈̻̓̑̀̊̓̈̅̏̾̏̌̇͠ ̸̻̺̥̟̳̞̰̮̤̺̬͕̠͔̃̈́͑̍̀̈͜͝c̵̡͓͝h̵̥̜̘̜̗̼͍̤͍͙̯̘͂̉̂͐̊͘͝e̶͇̳͖͔͑̓̿̒̊̚͝ȩ̸̠͈̯͈̼̩͙̞̩̫͈͕̻̗̘̗̄͋͌̑̈́̿͒̄͝k̸̩͈͓͈̋͂s̷̨̨̛̱̻̱̖̭̩̥͇̊́̀̑̓̽̂̆́̾̊͌̕͝͝ͅ ̷̫̪̰͍̏̇̆̈̽͊̒̒̔̃̃̂̇̅̅̚͝ͅw̸̘̏̔̀̂̈́̚̚͘̚̕͝͝͝a̷̡̧̪̳̮̲̜̳̪̣͖͊̃͑͋̀́̑̔̇̄̇̾̎̓͐͘͝r̶͍͙̭̤̲̂̃̈́̍͗͠m̵̤͇̣̈͋ḯ̶̡̨̜̮̼̟̙̥̪̦̖̥̅͛̀̎̈́̕n̶̦̙̹̱͔͎͙͒̿͂̄͑͆̅́̇́̉͝ͅg̶̡̪̭͉̣̤̖̮͍̪̞͓͕̭̹͌̾̉̒́̊̉̃̾̀̍ ̷̧̨͚͉̳̻̗̩͔̣̯̜͈̯̲̂͛̇̆́̉̑̑͘̕͝͝t̵̢̞͙͇͍̫̺̓̅͆̄̎̽̓̈́͐̏́̏͝ͅó̸̙͎̘̮̯̣̦̩̣̯̼̯̻͓͇̱̗̒̿͗̅́̀̀̃͠ ̷̡̡̝̱̰̲̖̣̜̄̑̏̎̓͑́̃̚͝͠t̸̜̥̗̋̍̄̏̈́̋̓̋̿́̚͘ͅḫ̴̨̡̯̹̻͚̥̘̣̹͓̣͓̟̄̓̾é̴̢͓̘̮̯̰̝̜̲͚̤̫̍̀̀͑̈́̈́̇͒̑ͅi̶̛̛̞̘̗̲̗͓̜͗̐͋̐̈̇͌͂͆̈́̋͘ͅŗ̴̨͓̘̗͕̻̳̳͎͖̱̰̑̇̈́͆͝ ̵̣̞̀̉͆͠p̴̡̝̈́̋͗̏̂̉́̔͊͒ṙ̴̨̼͇̬͚̼͎̻̱̦̥̠̦̣̝̹̭͊̆͗͐́̈́͊̿̄͆̽͑͑͝e̵̦̰̼͐͋͋̅̿̒́̒̓̉͐͝͠v̵̩͍͙̹̺̙̝͉̤̂̽̂̀͒̄͂́̾͋i̷̛͇̭͙̳͉̣̪͖̳͔͉̠͎͈̎̎͂̏͛͑͋̎̊̎͜͠͠ơ̵̛͚̺̈́̀͊͒́̕ù̷̧̢̫̞̥̜̳͇̣̪̪̫̻̦̖̠̂͒͋̃̅̄͐̓̍̇͘͝s̴̡̛̬͕͎̅͊̿̑̾̓̈̆ ̴͚̩̂́̐̑̑̇͋͋̈́̓͆̇͘̚b̸͕͈̮̘͓̃ͅļ̷̨̻̻̝͈͕̯̙̻̻̮̠̣̮̓͊́̎̚u̷͍̭͎̜̹̾̿̉̈s̸̡͇̺͓̼͇̄ͅḩ̷̙͙͖̗̩̱͙͍̤͓͙͈̺̪͊ͅͅ.̶̝̱̤̙̱̱̞͍̜̰̰͇̺̜̔͗̉͠ͅ ̴̜̣̭̋ ̴̲̺̳͉͖̙̹̲̻̤̝̯̟̰̯̾͋͆͋̍̓͜“̵̛̱̮͎͓̼̻̳͌̍̌̋T̵̨̧̩̦͇͎̖̜̠͋̎̍h̷͖̟͔͙̟̩̫̲͖͇͙̖̼̙̽̄͒̍̆̅̀͗̎͒̔̉͝ę̴̡̧͚͇͙̖̪̙̝̻̲̺͓̦͑͛̓͗̕͝n̶̨̨̨̦̯͙͚͚̱̠̺̣̋̐͂́̈́̎̅̂͒̄̃͋̂͘͝͠ ̸̨̧̯͎̥̤̯̪̮͙̯̣͆̋̈̄̕͜͠c̵̡̼̞̻̎̅̂̀̔͆̽̈́̊̾͂͑̋̐̈́͜͝͝ȍ̸̧̗̜͈̖̏͂̍̍̃͝͠m̵̡̡̩͉̘̥̯̳̠̜̱̫̌͋͆̍͊͂̓̌̒̀̔̕͘͝͝ȩ̷̡̖͚͙̫̠̪̣͚̦̩̞̹̘̈́̀̆̍̊̈́͒̅̑͘͘ ̷̨̧͖̱͚̭͇̣̹̝̦̩̞̮̘̯͐̾͐̃̀̆̇͋͊͊͐͋̅͋͝͝ì̶̢̦͎͔̬̙̮ṅ̵̙̳͚̺͎̺͖͈̭̬͉̲̥̻̓͐̓̕͘̚͝ ̸̢̛̫͉̬̗͚̤͈̟̬̲̞̗̼̯̗̈́͋̒̀̂̒̽̐͑̌ą̸̡͙͔̐̐̎͌͊̍ͅn̴͍͓͙͙̘͚͚͉̾̓̃̓͌͠d̷͖͕͔̠͍̼͚͔̳͋̕ ̶̢̹̫͉͎̦̘̝͇̯̟͑̿͆̀̅̆̾̀̿̐͒̂͘͠͠ḱ̷̡͙̘͇̲̻̳̝̣͆̔̀͝ỉ̵̡̨͚̱̭̞̹̣̠́͆͑͜ş̷̬̬̘̗̠͍͖̰̟̠̗̦̜̫̠̬̉̈́s̵̢͖̹̖̺̠̗̱͕̠̈́̔͐́̑̉̍̊̓͜ ̷̡̛͈̦̞̭̣̝̲̩̃̈́̓̓̇͂̑̈́͋͆̌̈́̄̓̚ṃ̴̡̻̪̇͆̓̑̊̈̕̕ę̴̨̛̳̮̋̈́͂̉̓̀̍̃̍͘͝,̴̜̯͓̞̯̳̠͒̓͜”̵̘̦͗͝ ̴̰̻͕̬̥͇͙̙̦̥̮̜̖̩̲̐̍́̇͋͌̍̈́̋͘͜͝͠ͅH̴̡̭̬̜͓͇̞͔̰̯͇͕̗̪͊̓̅̉̃͂̀͜͠ͅḛ̸̗̰̝͙͉͔̜͓̼̪̻̱̍̽̏̓́͛̇̄͐̋̊̉͊̓͠͝ ̸̩̬̜͖̓̈́̏̀͑̈́̊̓̓͐̓̊͝͝l̶͇̥͕̓͗̈̈́̐̒̾͒́͝͠ͅá̵̡̪͙̦̦͓̘̦̮͉͔͉͔̹̳̓̀͌̀͋̾̀̀̈́͐́̈́͌̕̕͜͝ͅu̵̝͓͚̗̓̋g̵̨̻̖̬̭͓̦͉̫̫͕̦͚̈͗̓̉̇̾̄ȟ̴̢̬̘̗̠͓͙̀̃͒̾͗̕͘e̸̡̗̠͎̫̝̮̰̰̪͛̈́̔̊̽̎̐̊ͅd̸͔̯̦̳͌̍͘͠ͅ ̵̧̡̛̻̱̫̮͉̣̩͕͍̭͕͉̘̇̎̈͋̌̃̀̐̆̊̔̋̉͜͝͝͠ă̴̘͉͓̦̮̮̯͍͂͌̌ţ̵̡͔̝͉͉̝̰̝͋̀̀͌̈̾̽̇̀͒̿̎̅̄͘͜͜͠ ̵̢̘̼͖̝̠̹͇̀̄͋͊̐̋͊̈́̀͝S̷̨̧̞̹͓͆̊̋͜͠͝o̶̡̗̗̺̺̮̻̩̬̦̘̔͊̚͜ͅǹ̸̡̙͎̣̜͙̤͚̬̠̲̈́͋̈̉͋̍̌̇̎͗͂͆͊̌͝ͅi̴̺͎̅̈́́̄̓ç̶͈̥̣̹̻̰̠͇͐̓́̾̅̓̌̍̽͝ͅ’̸̯̥̲̱͋̄̊̉̿͒́͝ș̵̲̜̅ ̷̥̱̮͉̗̣͉̞̟̈̈́̋̍͆h̷̠̣̀͂̓͊̄̈́͒̈͆̽̀̚o̴͈̥̒̀̍̌̊͋̅̔̍̈́̚ř̶̛͎̈͒͐͆͑̍̀̊̒̽̌̚͜r̴̠̣͙̳̘̥̩̭͙̦̬̅͌͋̍͝͠i̵̡̢̭͈̯̩̻̮̅́͌̓̑̂̀̀̍̏̎̇̽̓̋͠f̶̛͕̥̪̐͗̈́͊̈́͗͜͠ì̸̧̛̭͆̔̃̎͋̿̾̾̂̅̓͘͠ȇ̶̗͎̩̣͌̅͑̐̊͐̐̾͜͝ď̴̫̞̓͂͌͗̅̓̇͒̈̂̏̅͐͝ ̶̡̝̼͈̝͖̻̫̺̤̞͚͓̩͋̇͂̑̄̈̀͑̀̀̋̃e̷̯͙̰͇̬̖̪͉̟̞͛̆̓̉̾̓̂x̶̧̠͍̗̝͈̬̣̞͉͎̠̋͆p̶̧̨̡̙͇͓͈̤̯̗̮͍̼̰͒͜r̸̡͇̖͓̝̩͚̣̻͓̰̖͙̖̪̲̮̅ẻ̴̢̛͈̹̼̾̅̌͌͛̎̏͒̀͘͘͝͝s̷̨͚̗̯̳̺̩͇̯̦̺̘̻̍̍͐̽͒̋̈́̔͛̀͝s̵̪̬̖͍̝͚̟̙͔̝̿̃́̓̓͒͛̀͌͊̆͘͝ͅi̴̫͓̓̅̑̐̿͌͋̎̆͗̌͊̕͘͠͝͠o̶̦͝ǹ̵̟̖͙̯̠̮̆̌͌̈͒͆̒͆̕͝͝ͅ,̷̝̲͈̣́̃͗͛̇̐̐͐͠ ̶̠̻͋̂̿̆͊̈͌̃l̵͔͍͓͎̘̽͊͆͝ớ̵̥̊̑̀̿̆̈́̃̆̀́̎͊̈́͝ẅ̵̢̬̝̩̘̩͗͒͛̀͗͠͠ȅ̷̮͔͖̣̫͈͌̓̀͌̆̓̿̉̔̉͛̈́͘͜͠͠͠r̵̡̢̛̖̦̫̥̫͉̹͔͍͈͉̦͍͉̘̿̌̇̍̈́̒̍̈̀̉̈́̅͒i̸̻̠͗̃̔̋̂̍̕͠͝ń̷̡̬̩͚͈̭̞̗̑̑̈́́͜g̴̰̣̳̰̭̈́̃̔͠ ̴̨̻̤͖̟̝̘̼̟͙̫̱̝̬̹͓̌̋͆̎̏̂͒͜h̷̨̦̭̫̘̞̙̽̀̅͛̉̾̆́͋͜i̴̱͈͕̣̝̲̲͓̖̪̭͆̽̃͐̆̋́͊́s̸̨̛͖̦͔͍͈͚͇̞̰̜̎̒̔͝ ̵̢̧̢̡̺̗̥͈̰̲̙̙̞͙͐̄̋͑̒͝ä̷̧̢̛̛̬̮̣͎̝̥͙̭͚͕̥̝͈͍͑̓͗̉̀̓̉̈̔͐̈̐̚͘ͅr̸̘̦͕̬̮̠͕̙̱̱̺̦̝̊̇̈́̍̈̿̀̍͛͑̃́̓̎̈͠ͅm̸̼̫̜̺̥̈͊̅̉̉͐̈̿̈̇͘͘͝ ̷̢̬̻̬͔̣̙̟͙̟̣̖̄̌͒͂͛̏̓ṱ̶̨͔̩͕̻͉͙̘̫͆o̷̧͇̹͖̺̰̙͓̲̮͓̝̿͜ ̷̢͇̠̹̞̫̿̾̀̓̓̈̉̈̓͂͛̓̌͌̆͠r̵̠̼̗̻̳͛̆ͅę̴̨̧͓̯̣͇̼̼̲̪̘͇̫̳̣͆͐̀̎́̆̋͋͛̾́̾͝s̵̜̲̻̥̺̭̙̗̮̮̭̣̳͉̜͊̀̽͂͌̎͒͐t̶̼̩͕͈̻͚̜̱͈͓̫̙̩̠́̑̈́̑̎͛͑͑̊̂̕̕ ̵̢̡̜̤̬͔̮̥̺̘͕̥͍̞͉̌̐͂̌́͑̄͗̑̅̎̿̾͌̕̚͜͝i̶̢͎̫̤͈͌͆͂̿͊͗̚̕ṭ̶͙͚͉̟̜͚̳̞͎̮̐̽̉ ̶̲̦̜̣̾̈́̐̊̄̋̃͘͠͝b̷͉̮͓̺̂̔̀̀̈̓̽̈̊̋͊̐͐́͘é̴̗͌́̊̍̽̌̇͂̈̒̀̀͑͋n̵̖̹̮̼̯̞̬̫̣͚͚̠͔̳̘̺͈̽͆͋͌̓̓̅͐̔͘͝e̸͚̗̙͈̘̰̊̀̋̀̑̃̆̍̂̑͘͘̚̕͜͠à̷̻̻̬̪̻̻͔́̌͗̾̆̃̚̕͜ṯ̶̨̛̞̥͉͙̲̻̰̀̐͆͐̊̕̕ͅh̵̢̨͉͕͓͙̙͍̱̤͎̠̼̙͙̎̏̎̾̏͛̕͜͜ ̶͔̣̠̋̑̀̕ţ̸̧̠̗͖̯̥͉̠̞̔͛́̂h̴̢̧̛̗̰͔̪̹̲̭̠̹̹̹̜̣̎́̄̓͋̂̌͊̑̚͠e̵̥̣̩͍͚̮̣̳̻͎̤͕̖̠̱̠͇͑̑̓́̎͠ ̸̧̺̣̞̯̭̥̞͙͕̥̝͉͈̤̊̈̂̆͑̈̈́̓͜͝w̷̨̡͇̜͔̳̺̮̠͕͕͒̕ȁ̴̢͇̪̆̊̿̃̈̑̐͑͝t̷̫̃͌̈́͂̅͂̊́̇̕͝é̸̡̝̪̺͎̯͙̻̯͓͖͇͐͌̇̏̍͐͗̓̂͆͒̈́͒̚͝r̵̢̮̱̭̲̤̖̼̮̥̪̱͛͒͝’̷̧̡̛̳͍̼̹̯̘͍̹̠͍̱̈́̈́̑̀̾̆̕͜͝͝ͅs̴̫̩̎͆͆̓̿͌̃̚͝ ̷̨̡̳͇̬̲̻̠̭͇̝̗̱̰̉́͆͜ṣ̸̨̢̜̭̘̯̱͈̳̈́̒u̵̢̥͚͖̒̀̈̀̿͒̋͋̿̒̀̃̽̚̕͝ͅṟ̴̻̖̬̟̙͕̱̼̭̤͖̔̑̆̅͆̈́̊̈́̒̃͘ͅf̴̪͓͇͖̪̖̞̳͚͉̳͍̖̞̒̆͗͐̑̊͜͜͜͝ą̵̨̧̛̞̪̟̩͋ͅc̴̨̘̗͉̞̩͙͂̈̌͐͑͐̒́̽̈́͊̃̎̾̍̋́ḛ̴̡̱̖̖͔̱̮̻̯̘͙̱̐̊̓̌̀̍̌͑̀.̷̡̨͇̝͔͓̯͚͍̩̣͖̬͎͍̜̀͊̏͛͐͐͝ ̴̛̰̪̹͖̖͕̻̙̒̀̑̽͆̅̆͒̇͂̂͛̊̕͘I̸̢̒̆̂̿̚͝t̶̼̣̹͈͖̭̼̳̥̘̪̞̿͂̎̈́́͜ͅ ̵̣̫͇͛̑̉́͋͊̇̓̊̃̈́̋͊͌̕ẘ̵̲̖͖̥̮̓̌̒̆̓͐̀͊͂̔̌͌͝͝ͅȁ̸̞̥̭̔̃͝s̸̨͎̘̖̖͎̦̝̟̹̯̒̀̒̄͌͐̓͜ ̵̣̞̹́̓̋̏̈́͆e̴̢̫̖͉͉̣̬͇̫̯̪̦̼̯͖̦̓͛̾̕n̷͎̠̲̙̫̖͈̙̮̳̤̓́̋̒́͗̃̊͑̕̚͝͠͝ţ̸̧̖̠̹̝̘͓͔̣̳̹̬̎̑̔͛̏̂̒͐͐͑͗͜͜͜͝͝͠i̸̡̩͉̞̠̰̠̱͓̙̽̓̂̄̋͊̿̓̈́̈̈͆͊̓̚r̶̨̞͉̊͒͑̒̏̍̐̽̾͐̀͠e̸̢̼̼̠͛̀̑̃͛͗͂̈́͒̒̀͊̕̚͝͝ḻ̵̛̛̬̰͖̖͖̬͇̼̈̎̓̎̓̇̍͑̑̐͝y̵̳̗̞̓̈́̆͐̈́̎̽̏͗́̓̊͑͒̋̕͠ ̷̢̜͉͚̯͍̪͈͉͔̦̠̦̲̲͊̄̏̇͜ĝ̴̼̝̦͈͚̝̯͉͕̣̰͑̑͊̐͜ͅo̵̡̎̒͆̏́̎͌̌͠͠ǹ̷̨̨̡̢̧̗̪̪̮̳͉̯͕̄̋̓̀̚̚͠͝ͅë̷̡̯̯̟̤̭͇̬͐̌̿͋̊̕ ̴̣͉̝̳͚̤̥̤̥̮̯̒̑̿f̸̡̗̭̌̋͗r̶̢̨̡̛̫͎͉͎̯̽̃̐̈̐̐̓͜ͅȯ̴͙͚͈̬̫͓̻͇̰̭̫͓̰̝̀̿́͊͝͠͠ͅṃ̷̧̢̧̪̥̼̦̪͓͕̝͇̪̚͘̚͜͜͝ ̷̞̪͇̬̥̟̥͊̐͛̈́͐̃̍v̸̡̧̛͔̹͚̹̬̫̬͙̤̹̟͔̺̀̈́̀͑͌̂́̏̌͊̎̍͊̕͠ì̶͕̗͍̤̦̬͎̣͓̪͉͙̣̩̽͜͝ȇ̴̢̢̨̳̠̹͚͖̤͕͓̼̺̗͗̀͐͑̽̒͑ŵ̸̢̧̨̻̪̮̝̣͕̙͓̜̥̈̃̈́͐͜ͅͅ.̷͔̖̬̼̬̹̣̫̱̟̟̘̼̝͓̿̽̐̄̂̍͂̀͛̒͌̌̆̌̚̚ ̶̨͇͙̹̞̭͓̗̫̅̏͜ͅ“̸̣̲̣̩̲̙̥̯̻̬̩̒̓̊̏̒͒͌̊͊̈̈́͘͝I̶̛̗͚͎͙̥͇̻̤͇͍̤̗͉̻͖̓͒̎̋̆̎̈́̉́̒̽̎͂̒̑͘t̵̛̲̻̣̰͇̘̙̓́̏ ̶͕͔͈̬̋̀c̸͚̯̺̯̜͈̪̬̳̤̲̘̥͙͉͗͌̆̽͋̂̅́͂̋͊͠à̷̢̧̟͍̭͙̳̻̻̜̱̫͉̊̀̈́̈̊͜ṋ̷̢̟̠͕̔͌̈́’̵̭̩̰̪͎̑́̽̋̔t̶̠̫̣͈̹̙̜̱̣̮̗͖̟̤̃͜͠͝ ̴̡̰̮̙̃̊̀̑̈́̎̅͐͑̾̄̂͛̐͂͗ĥ̶͇̜̙̩͙̹͚̦̖̯͓̤̻̯͙̗̓̑̂̍̐͑̑̈́̕͘͜u̵͍̖̟͊̂̍́̋̓͋͜͝͠r̵̭̜͉͚̩̳͖̼̹̝̪̿̄̎͌̑͑͝t̶̨̞̖̜̀̏̍̏͊̂̚͜ ̷̧̭̬̟͇̭̻͕̹̱͚͈͑̽̊̊̔͌̐̚͜ͅy̶͖͕̰̗̥͎̼͑̃̒̒̓̓́̇͠͝ọ̷̧̢̳̪͖̺͕̥͉̲͈͕͆̓͂̑ͅŭ̸̡̗̗̤̮̯̼͚̗̫̞͆̋͐̍̉̓̒͒̆͗̈̓̌̕,̵͍̳̎͒̑̃͐͠ ̵̛̰̪̦̯͇̝̤̠͂̃͊̀͗̎I̴̢͓̤͉̠͊̔̐͋́̇͋̂̄̋̋̕͠͠’̵̧̨̛͓͕̬͕͈͉̞̠͚̭̈́͂̆̑̾̂͆͛̀̕͘͠ͅm̸̻̠͙͉̳͓͓͉̦̉͆͊͛̀́͒̈́̈́͊̊͋͋̒͐̾ͅ ̶̡̻͖̣͕̠̈́̿͊́̾̾̐̔̅̽̉͒̃͘͝͝ŗ̶̡̫̝͙̝͎̻̻͎̼̝̇̊̿̔́͊͛̉̓̉̓̚͘͜ͅĩ̸̢̙̙͎̹̪̜̹̀͆̾͜g̵̅̊̈́̏͜h̸̑̆͊̄̉͊̃̓͗̊͂͌̂̚̚̕͜t̷͖̻̝͍̤̻͖̭̝̬̙̳̳̀̏̋̂̐̒̈́̀͂̐ ̴̧̺͍̫̥̪̻͎͙̗͖͙̭̫̣͎̊͊̀͂͂̆̓̔̽͌͝ȟ̸̨̨̨̤̭͇̙̹̲̮͙͕͚͔͆̿̉̀͘͘ͅȩ̴̡͚̒̍̽͑̓̂̎́͌͐́͒͜͜͠͝ṙ̷̤̼̰̟̥̳̎͗͛͒́̉̒́͋̅̓́̌͠͝ȩ̷̛̛̬̪͎͇̮̺͔͈̗͍͈̼̟͓͈̓̿̏̓̉̋̌̈́̆͒̈́̌̕̚͝~̴̨̭͍̍̐̅̏̀͋͗̑͆̋̃̓́̚̚!̵͖͕̮̥̓͋̈̓̌͂̀̈́͒̐͊͆̚͝”̶̼̟̯̺͕̼͈̭̐̓ͅ ̵̛͚̼̫͎͈̠̤͑͂̍̈́̉͊́̓͆̾͜͠ͅ“̶̠͇̼̱̦̀̎́̋̓͗̉.̷̡̻̤͔̪̹̯̩͓̘́̓̊̾͂̈́̐̅͑̐̕͜͝͝ͅ.̷͚͔͍̥̥̗͙̊͊̃̽.̷̡͎͉̺͇͔̦̪̜͈̼̫͕̲̏͌͑̓̎͌͗̓͆̀̊̏̊̊̚̚͝I̸̡̧̥͖̱̟̱̳͍̼̬͑̊̎́͑͋͒͝’̵͓̺̝̗̰̪̜̲̯̄̊̈̒̈̓̾̅̉̐̈͝ͅͅm̶̮̰̦̬͇̰̘̠͇̎͐͂̆̎̓̕ ̷̡̘͖͈̰̤̼̠͉͇̫͙͙̥͕͔̰͑̑͛̓̆̀̽̇͘͝a̸̗͖͑̾̍ͅf̷̛̪̞̬̳̗̩̲͈̳͖̜̤̙̣̰͛̀̀̈́͗̓̔̎́͛̔͘̚͝r̸̝͚͇̍̏̀̎̃̋̌̿̀͐́͠͝͝a̴̧̛̖̻̦͍̯͆̓̾̔̓͆͆̉͒̎̎̾͑ͅí̷͙͇̞̟̠̲̣̜̖͎̈́͐̐̈́d̷͓̝̪̟̮̖̔̊͑̉̏̽͐͒̇ ̵̮͇̥̦̠̦̥̹̫̦̰͎̫͈̭̃̀̒̇́̋̎̆̾̃̈́̕̚͝ͅơ̶̧͈̤͔͎̼̼̫̮̫͕̖̣͚͛̄̀̃͆̇̇̀̒̏̀͘͜f̴̧̙̦̺̿̈̑̔̚ ̸̠̗̔́̂͒̔w̵̢̢̛̺̻̻̱̳̤̮̹̘̖̖̣̄̽̋̒́̓̐̕͘a̴̮͈͓̦̳͍͕͖̦͖̤̾̽͗̓̈́͆̂͊̾̔̽̈́́͘̚ͅt̶̡̤̥͚̖͙͉̠͍̩͈̏̀́͗̃́͌͂̇͘ȩ̷̨͈̮̙̘̖̦̮̝͇̗͒̾̈́̈̎̑͒̄̈́̎̽̕͠r̸̡̢̬̤͙͔̱̺̣̲͕͒̅̈,̸̢̨̱͙̲͈̝̺̰͈͉̥̍͂̐͑͂̓̀̏̄̊̾̄͗̀̚ͅ”̸̣̣̤̱̥̥̞͖̲̱̙̇̓̉̅̋̿̆͊̈́̎͗͌̌̔͘͠ ̴̡̪̺̺̜̬̫͈̭̦̞̉͛͑͆́͆̍̉̃̍̇͝S̴̛͙̞̫͖̤̓͌̎̿͐̌͗̅͝ǫ̷̨̭̞̺͍̖͙̪̭̩̝̦͍̰̪͆͂̉͌͊͋͂͐́̚n̷̛͓̫̞̠͎̙͈̈́̏̈́ỉ̸̭̬̳̣͖̯͉͔͕̓͐̽͗̔́̽̒͋̍̅̄̚̚̕͝ͅc̵̛̭̘͓̥͗͒̊͆̊͋̂͊̐̅̐̓͐̚͝ ̸̧͓̭̥͖̻̖̭̭̎͌̋̓̑́̓̀͐̅̒̕̚̕w̶̛͈͉͒͋͛̎̔͋̔́̓̾͝h̵͎̜̿͐́̀̏͆̈́̃͊̾̍̈́͠ḯ̵̱̙͔̙͊̄̽̓͒̅͐̈ș̸̢̱̤̭̞͔͚̼̘̠̎͌̉̕̚͜͝ͅp̸̛̞̐̈͛̀̆̉̂̇͗͋́̑̑́̚͠e̷̩̬̼̥͗̃́͌̆̐̾͆̕͝r̷̭̩̀̑͆̔̏̅̇̀̓̽̉̔͘̕ȇ̵̪̙͉͇͍̰̖͉̗̟̺̘̏̆̑̃̔̃̿̋͒̈́̈́̿̕̚̕͝ͅḑ̴̧̨̢̝̺̠̼̤͇͚̗̀̎͒̉̋̾̈́͑̊̇̿̆̈͘ ̵͍̆̽̔͌͝w̵̭͆͌̈́͂̕į̵̢̗͔̳͖̹̜̯͍͔̥͎͖̪̭̃̐̅̈́̿̆͘͠ͅt̷̛̬̙̯̠͈͙͈̝̘̱̞͕͖͚̝̫̄̀̾͌̈́̿̌̚̚̕h̷̨̢̻̦̥͓̭͈̞̫̿̆̍͜ ̵̢̢̢̠̝̟̣̙̫̰͕̜̐̈́̃̏́̒̎̆̿̌́̅͠ṅ̷̨̦̠̤͎̼̞̞͕̳͛͋̈́͜͝ȃ̵͔̠̱͈̭̗̓̇͋r̷̹̗͉̗̋͝ͅŗ̸͇͖̆̓̎͗ơ̶̯͂͑͐͒̿͒̓̌͆͂̊͂̀͐̐ẅ̴̢̱̘͓͙́̑̀̃̒̌̆̑̌̓̓̈́́͌e̷̞̓͛̋͋̊͛͆͐͋͋ͅd̵̢̥̟̭̩̰̜̹̠̭̯͔͙̥͚͈̗͛̈́̇̄͆̃͘͠ ̷̨͉̦͈͖̞̹͇̀̃è̶͓̱͖̜̙͒̍͐̈͌̏ͅẙ̶͈͈͉̦̪̬̹͉͚́̎̓̉̓́͐̉̚͘e̸̢̲̗͙̹̟͚͖̜̫̱̪̺̤͌̈́̾̈́̒͜s̴̖̈́̈́͒̊͘,̴̢̨̥͙̱̖͎̭̳̠̯͖̻̖̀̃̃ ̵͈̭̲̖̪̲̣̭͇̫̼̮̻̃̐̽͐͆̌̆͌̄̀͊̔́͂͠͝͝r̸͔̩̘͕̼̺̠̤̄͋̊̒e̷̛̪̮̬̥̳̮̼͍̣͎̲͇̱̫̬͌̅̉̈́͆̀̀̒̃̾̀́̓̎s̸̢̼͇̽͝t̴̡͕͙̜̥̖̂͑̍̀́̌͊̌͘̕͝͝ǐ̸͙̼͚̹̦̼͔̪̰͉͙̫̲͙̜̎̈́ñ̷̲̪͚̩̙͕͕̯̤͖̖͚͈̋̊̔̓̓̈́̚g̵͉͙̻̞͐̉͋̄̎̈́͋̆͑̍̆͝ ̵̻̠̟̠̮͍̣͓̠͓̫͖̅͜͜h̸̝̳͎̘͇̭̝̻̮̮͇̖̩̤̎͛̊̈̄͌́̕̚͜͜ì̸̬͇̪͔͚̪̲̋̑͘s̸̡̢̧̮̠̬͇͚̫̰̘̦̬͍͍̖͒ ̶̪̗̘͛̋̉͊͐̀̆͆̈́͊̉̿͘̕͝c̷͙̣̲͚̃̅h̵͎̤̩̬̜͓͇͓̊̓̊͌̇͗̈̓͗̄̓͘͘ͅe̷̱̦͙̪̼̞̤͓̠͛̓͊̏͜͠e̶͍̝͈̞̺̰̻̻̗̰͖͎̔ķ̶̢̗̭̲̥̯͗̌̉͂͗͊̃͗ ̸̛̠̏̓̓i̵̢̳̳̩͇̯͙͉̪̰͍͈̮̘͍̞̲͗̿̎̈́̉͊̏̓̔̒̔͛̃́͛̍̚n̸̠̩̤̩͉͚̝̻̲͎̖̯̈́͊̾͐̈̓͋̾̀͠͝ ̶̡̰̱̥̙͉̳̝̬̏͛͛̑̒̂ͅͅh̸̨̳̫͇̍i̸̛̬͔͇̠̐̇̒̄͛͒̒̏̍̄͊̈́̽͂s̷̪̐̋̒̍̔́ ̶̢̢̛̟̻͎̱͎͐̊͆͌͒̒̒̈̅̈́̈́̽͘̕͠h̵̛̟̐̅̇̅͋̓͊̈́̅͋̄͝͝à̶̧͎̳̝̳͓͈̝̱̗̻̤̦̭́̊̂͆͗̊̈́̓ͅn̷̢̛̺̠͕̼̱̬͉͔͔̖͇̫̆̈̓̔̿̌̅̎̇̒̒͛̚͠͝͝d̴̫͖͇̥̟͕͎͔͉̥͈̝̘̍̔͜͝ͅ ̸͖͎͍̹̣̰͎̮̇͆̿̃̚͜a̸̛̟͆͆̃͊͒͆̊̇ş̶̛͍͈̞͚̯̌́̔̽͊̍͊̑͝͝ ̴̡̢͇͓̰̱̯̍͂h̵̛̠͕̺̻̼̭̮̺͖̖̦̗̫̹̽́̿̾̈́́͛̌̊̂̐͛̈́̈́̊̌é̷̢̧͖̹̖͙͇̪̘͎͙̞͖̘̆͋̾͐́͛͌̚̚̕͜͜ ̷͓̋͗͠͠s̷̛̹̪͉̦̺̺̯̹̻̀̿̐̓̆́̈́̈́̎̚̚͠͝t̸̻͙̔̒͊͌̄̆̚a̵̢̡̨̝̮͚̒͗́̉͐̅̿̽̆͒̕͝͝͠r̸̛͔͎̤͍̣̾̂̍̈́̉̽̆̆̑̆͊̏̋́̌̆ḙ̶̛̞̉̀̊͜d̷̢̘̳͗̔̏͒́̆̇̄͋̊͊̊͐̕͝ ̷̦͍͎̎̍̏̅̒̀͗̆̇͛̐̽͘͠m̶̧̧̛̳͇͔̙̘̮̮̘͂̓̔̅̚ǫ̸̧̡̨̛̯̓̈̊̿ŗ̴̞̲͍̼͓͕̲̲̀ę̴̨͉͙͉͖̟̤͙̒̈́̂̔ ̶̧̡̛͕͍͙͉̜̱̗̩̬̬̯̄̐̑̿̌̿ͅà̸̭̖̞̯͈͗̀̃͑̃̎̓̊͆͐́͘͝ͅt̷̢̨͇̟͎͖͓͐͂̿̈̓͂̅͒͛̎́́̈̃̕͠͝ ̴͔̭̩͎̘̹̝̠̱̱͐̅̕͜t̷̢̝̞͊̽́̾͋̑̆̃́̄͘̕̕͝͠h̵̡̜̮̬̹̞͑̏ͅȅ̸̮̩̬̦̦̟͉̙̣̲̙̪̯̈́͋̉͋̓͊̓̀̆̍̇͂̕͠ ̸̱̇̈̏͒̆̓̃͌̓̏̅̓s̵̳̯̤̜͈̮̘̻͋̾̋̒͐̾̈́̄̌̃̓̚̕͠͝e̴̢̜̞͓̩͓̬̰̣̱̻͒͑̓̈́̌͛̑̀̍͊̈͋̽̓͒͘͜͜a̶̲͉̭̝̫̩͓͈͓̠̳͍͆́͊̅́̍̿̆̅̔̋̑̑́͆̐̚͜.̷̞̫̣̥̦̉̉

Sonic’s breath hitched, his heart skipping a beat at Shadow’s unexpected words. There was something in the way Shadow spoke, the depth of his gaze, that made Sonic’s chest tighten. It was as if Shadow was revealing a part of himself that he usually kept hidden, and Sonic felt the weight of that vulnerability pressing against him…

For once, Sonic found himself at a loss for words…

His usual confidence faltered as he looked at Shadow, his thoughts swirling with a tumult of emotions. Shadow had always been an enigma to him, a complex puzzle he struggled to piece together, but now… now it felt as though they were standing on the brink of something new, something neither of them fully understood but both were drawn to explore. Was Shadow inviting him in again? How could he say no…

With deliberate, measured movements, Sonic pushed himself to his feet, swaying as if grappling with a profound realization. The shade of the tree still cloaked him, casting a dark silhouette that contrasted sharply with the golden light just a step away. Shadow watched him, his red eyes tracking Sonic’s every motion without uttering a word. 

Sonic paused at the boundary of the shade, his figure caught between darkness and the beckoning light as he kept his green eyes on Shadow. For a moment, he remained there, savoring the gravity of the moment and the significance of what lay ahead. His chest felt like it was smoldering, the edges of his vision swimming, and he knew what he was feeling then.

This obsession – this fierce, all-consuming love that had taken root in his heart – was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He was Sonic the Hedgehog, he had love to give, and give, and give. But this? This was intertwining with his very being, ensnaring Shadow’s visage to his own. The thought of losing him, of being without him, was unbearable. The thought of craving him, of taking him for his own, was too much to lose. And yet…

The hero’s hand slowly extended out of the cover of darkness, palm upwards as though holding the light itself towards the image of his lover, an intense, twisted smile warping onto his face.

How deeply burrowed into his soul had Shadow become…? 

How many nights of visions and fantasies had he survived…? 

What awaited them…? What was to come…?

Sonic did not care.

I did not care.

Shadow watched, saying nothing as Sonic held his hand out to him. When the other spoke, his voice was low, almost a whisper, but the weight was heavy nonetheless…

“...Then I’m so ready… to wake up now…” 

…

Wake up…?

…

‘Wake up…’

…

Ẇ̶̩̹̯͍̭̱̪̃̆͐̽̆͆̔͂̕̕ake up!̵

…

Sonic watched as Shadow’s gaze drifted to his extended hand, the hybrid’s expression unreadable yet intense. Then, with a quiet resolve, Shadow placed his hand in Sonic’s, the connection between them feeling almost electric…

Before Shadow could react, Sonic tugged him forward with surprising force, pulling him back into the cool shade. They tumbled together, the sudden motion sending a flurry of white petals spiraling through the air around them as Shadow fell on top of him with a grunt. The world spun for a brief moment as they fell to the ground, the soft earth beneath them cushioning the impact. The shade once more enveloped them, the sunlight now just a distant memory as Sonic held Shadow tightly in his arms.

An unsettling swell of joy surged through Sonic’s chest, a feeling so intense it almost frightened him. He held Shadow close, feeling the warmth of the other’s body against his own, the rhythmic beat of his heart, the very essence of the being he had come to cherish. This was his, his Shadow, his guiding light in the darkness.

“My very own Star…” Sonic whispered, his voice filled with a mixture of awe and something far more possessive. His fingers tangled in Shadow’s fur, his grip firm as if afraid to let go. The comparison was perfect, and it felt right, more right than anything he had ever said. “Whatever we are, we’ll have fun with it! Don’t be mad if I call you my boyfriend though, hehe!”

Shadow sputtered at the words he heard, trying to lift his face from Sonic’s chest. The hero held him there, giggling, and he gave up rather quickly. “W-What? A star…? That’s…” He paused, his initial embarrassment fading into quiet content. His voice dropped to a shy murmur as he continued, “You’re ridiculous…”

S̷̯͎̯̤̓̓͐͂ủ̷̘̈́́p̵̘̲͈̌̂̍͘ḙ̵̛̌́͊r̸̼̈́̊̆S̷̰͎͈̣̈͌̐̊h̶̟͗̈́̋a̵͉͓̓̔ḍ̴̄ȯ̷͇͝w̷̖̼͌̓̑͘ '̵̠̭̩̐ş̷̔p̷̫̂̎o̷̫͊w̵͚͎̲̔̆́̔é̶̝͚̽̔͑r̸̼͊͆f̴̡̖̦͊̀̚ͅl̷͔̤̃̋ĩ̴̦̜ͅc̴̦̳͆̏̇k̷̟̐́͒͝e̶̘̓͝r̴̫͚̩͊̃e̸̤̘̊ḋ̴̗͍͝a̴̻̒̀ș̷̛̄̈t̴̟͋͛͌h̸̻̏̓ę̴̢̬͌̓̚ ̵̡́̃̃̕d̵̘̦̈́y̴̛̼͕̣͊̑̉͜ị̶̼͍̿͝n̶̼̈́g̶̗͎̖̬̀͋̄ ̵̭̓̏̓h̵̝̜̀̎̾è̴͓̂͊d̷̝͂g̵̩̲͇̒̇e̸̙̥̥̻͗̉̓̈́h̷͖͖͑̕o̶͚̼̒̓̂g̷̮̖͠s̶͖͎̬͛͑m̵̟̺̥̊̐̈́͂i̶̥͛l̶̳͖̫̮͊̚e̸̤̝̼͍̊̉͌͠ḍ̵̮͎̰̑ ̷̲͒̀̍͐ǘ̵̥̫̅͜͜͝p̷̳̬̰͗̏̌ ̶̹͋̃́a̴̖͛t̷͚̽͘ ̴̮͖̼̃̈́̇̈͜S̷̛͚͈̱̜̀̅o̴̢̘̮͂͐ņ̵̡͈͖̄ḯ̷͈̦̾̓̔č̸̬̖͎́͘͝ ̵̮̼͗̈̋̄d̴̥͓̙̲̅͂é̴̝̫̮̝l̶̥͔͑ͅi̴̺̖̤̾̒̿̕ȑ̷̬̠̚i̵̢̘̙̪͛̎͗̈́o̶̼͙̫̓͊͝u̷̮͛s̴̰̦͋͝l̴̽ͅÿ̷͚̘́̋.̸͉̳͈̄͜ ̷͍̘̣̺͗̓ S̴̫̠͖̃̾͝ư̶̘̔͋p̷͖̟̊ͅe̸̢̍͊̚͝ŗ̷̭͔̼̀̓̂̚ ̶͉̜͙́͗̋́Ŝ̴͖̻̲̈́̽o̵̢͕̮̥͐̔̎̚n̶̜̹̊͊͛͝i̴̬̰̎̐ć̶̼̻͐ ̶͚̱̤̾̎̃h̵͉̻̻̼̅̑͝a̴̡͌͠d̸̥͉͈̋́̇̀ả̴̹̗̺́̑ s̶̳̖̈́ẹ̷̲͙́́̈́̂͜ç̷̝͈̋̔͒͜u̸̗͇̔r̷̥͍̜̩͐ȅ̴̩̤͍̉̈̈́ ̵̧̥̺͑͂̋h̶̼̙͓̯͋̿o̷͚͊̽͛l̷̛͕̐̑̄d̸̨͉͙͊̍̊́ͅ ̶̬̈́̏̕ö̵͉̰́̈́ṇ̸̩̫́̍́̚ ̸̼̒̿̕ḧ̴̟̪̫̩̎̀į̵̜̫̂s̶̡̛̖̠̐̚͘ ̵͓͋ẇ̸̨̯r̷̹̅͜ͅḯ̶̝͖͍͂s̶̲͉͛̒t̷̲̯̩̺́̿̑͘,̸̫̖̣̆̓̂̾ ̸̻̬͒g̸̫̙͐͆͗r̵̲̟̼̜͋͝i̴̻͓̿ṱ̸̪̿̈̏͠ͅt̵͓͚̿i̵͍͖̔̿n̷̗̲͗̏g̶̭̮̥̎͝h̴̲̤̘̰̐͗̓̕i̶͓̭͎̇̉s̷̝̙͂̒t̸͙̿̕è̶̛̙͚͊̃e̶̢̘͉̬͐̕t̶̪͛̑͑h̵̡̘̟̔͛̈́̿a̴̮͙̽s̶̙̝͖̥̀ḧ̷͈́͗̚̕ę̶̧̟͇̃̽̾͠p̴̢̭͚̜̿̀̄̓ǔ̴̱̩̠͉l̵̨̦̙͑̌l̸̟͂͗e̵͉̙̩̪̓͊̏d̵͓̐͋̌͜ ̶̨̳̱̦̋̀̑̃h̴̦̳͆̔̐͛i̴͙̹̽̕ḿ̷̨̠͊u̸̖̖̙͛̅͛͂p̵̜͓̟̀̐́͝ẇ̷̛̹̾͘͜ị̷̠́͜͠ţ̷͈̥͉̇̔h̵͕̉̑̌ḁ̵̡̇l̸̤̿̉l̴̝̕ǫ̷̯̲̿̍͆̈́f̸̢̜̀̚h̷̟̼͇͆̍̋͝ì̴͓͚̱̐͛̚s̴̪̤̙̿ṃ̷̙̇̄̓̚i̶̡͈͉̜̒͛̊g̴̻̠̏̈͛h̷͓͙̐́ͅt̶̜͉̀.̵̰̀͗̅H̸̹̻̯̆̃ẽ̵̱̭̉̀c̷̰͎̈́̌̆̉o̸̢̙̦̔̃̽͝ű̸͉͇͌̈͗l̶͚͙̓͐̉́ḓ̸̤̀̾̀f̶̱͎̦̪̈́͘͠ȩ̷̘̙̈́̓̕͝ĕ̶̤̝̗̭͑͝l̷̳̰̮͑͝ḩ̶̏ḭ̴̂̊͘͜s̵̤̼͓̋̂ ̶̲̍̄̽ ṛ̸͍͑̔í̷͙͉̗̱̏̚n̶̛̻̬̑̀̕ͅǵ̶̯̠̩̏s̷̩͒̕ ̶̰̱̹͌̃͒d̷͕͔̻̐e̷̢̼͊̀p̴̥̗̜̯̔̅͝l̴͈͖͇̿̀͜e̴͖̪͚͍͂̚t̷̨͙͔́́̎͜ì̶͖͚̯̍͝n̴̟͎̈́̓̂͑g̵̦̰̪͌́́͆ ̸̣̌̀w̷̺̫̝̃i̶̢͕̰͊̊̒ť̵̩̬͆ḫ̷̇ͅë̸̫́̌̚a̵̡̟͚̹̓̔c̶̲͆̎̓̃h̵̢͕̋̈ ̵̗͚̮̑̚͜p̸͙̜͛̂͠à̶̲͎s̵̛̼̄s̴̟̝̤̞͐̑̀͝i̶͓͕̖͔̋̚n̶̼̬̓g̷̛̗̘ ̵̗͉͆͜s̶̖͖̳͆e̶̗͔̅ͅc̵͙͒́ȏ̸̢̨̈́ṇ̸͚͂̆d̶̮̩͕͑ ,̴̬̻̩̻̒̃̌̐t̷̬̲͋̽̐̊i̷̯̖̭̇m̷̰͇̣͌̓̌͘e̵̙̱̦͑͒ä̸̗̻͈̙́ĝ̸̤̾̑̽a̶̤̪͚̠̐͊͝ȉ̶̖͖͈̐ͅn̷͎̻̿s̸̘̤̎̍͘͝t̷̠͔͔̝͆h̴̡̝̀͌͌̊i̷͎̰̫͇̽̈̐̏m̴̖͇̔̋î̵̺̖̩̇n̵̳̊̒͝t̵͍̭͚̊̌̕h̴̩̊ȩ̷͈͚̔ș̴̛͇̈́̍è̸͍͉̎ ̵͕̰̺̅̾̀̀m̵͎̱̮̒̾̀̔ó̵̗͠m̵̜͕̬̒͜è̶̙̒̈́n̸̤͋ṫ̵͙ś̷̺̫̖́͜.̸̨̩̽͋̉̚Ẃ̸̯̭̥͓́͘ĥ̴̨̊a̸̱̿͐͠t̵͕̺͎̹̓̈́s̵̹̓͗h̸͙͖̊͑̃̚o̶̳̥͇͊u̶̧͐ĺ̶̢͙̝ḍ̴̢͐͌h̷̘͇̠̝͑̾̕͠e̶̡͎̪̞̎d̵̮̏͊́͠ọ̵̪̗̀͌?̸̦͚͈̄͝Ẁ̷͔͉͉̺̅̇̚ḫ̸̢͔̄̕͝a̸͇̎̓͘t̴͉̹̝̐͋̍C̷̪̯̰̈́̒Ỏ̵͉̤̝Ų̷̈́̓͒̑Ḷ̴̑̔̈͠Ḑ̸̝̦͉̓̐h̶̢̦͎́͝e̴͈̘̺̿̔́͘ͅd̶̼̳͌̀͑͐o̶̯͉͉̳͋̇̕?̸̣̣̐͒̓̇ ̸͖̰̂͒̚͝

“It’s true though! You’re my wittle shooting Star~!” Sonic cooed, making kissy faces as Shadow grumbled in distaste. Shadow relaxed in his arms slightly, looking up at Sonic as his ears twitched.

“...Then… you’re the Sun…” Shadow admitted, cheeks burning as bright as his stripes before he buried his face into Sonic’s chest. Sonic blinked before smirking broadly, running his hands through the other’s head quills carefully. He didn’t think Shadow thought about anyone with such poetic language, so such an admittance had to be difficult.

“...Well then,” Sonic murmured, pulling Shadow even closer, his lips brushing against the other’s ear, “I guess we’re destined to burn together, huh?” His voice was light, teasing, but there was no mistaking the sheer depth of emotion that drove his words…

Deep down, he considered it.

Was he the Sun?

He didn’t feel like the Sun. not when he held Shadow like this, clinging to him as if letting go would mean losing him forever. The Sun stood alone, a solitary force blazing in its own glory, needing nothing but giving everything. Sonic could be Shadow’s Sun if that’s what was needed, but he didn’t want to be the center of everything anymore…

What Sonic wanted… was to be closer. To be a reflection, to take in and give back the light Shadow didn’t know he glowed. He wanted to orbit, to be tied to his body and soul, in a way that would be... inescapable…

Like… Like the Moon…

.

..

…

….

…..

….

…

..

.

He couldn’t̵̡͛ move.

The vines twisted â̶̠nd coiled around him, their thick, rope-like tendrils weaving into a dense, impenetrable net. Each strand was sinewy and unyielding, forming a suffocating web that clung to the water’s surface, trappi̷̛̼ng him in an eerie, tightening grip. The more he struggled, the more they tightened, digging into his skin with an almost sentient cruelty. His kicks grew weaker, his screams swallowed by the dark water, l̷͎̎eaving only a trail of bubbles that spiraled upwards - his last breath, escaping him as he sank deeper into the abys̴̞͛s.

Suffocating wasn’t what you’d expect. Suffocating was like…

Music.

It pulsed in his ears, a relentless, anxiety-inducing rhythm that s̷̟̟̑̿̍̕ͅeemed to sync with the frantic beating of his heart. The sound was all-encompassing, engulfing his senses like the cold water around him, echoing in the depths of his mind. Ea̷͕̠̻͂̑̒̏̔ch note was sharp and discordant, a jarring melody that twisted and turned, wrapping around him as tightly as the vines. It was a maddening symphony, the kind that grates on your nerv̸e̵s, setting every instinct on edge. The music was everywhere – pounding in his skull, vibrating through his bones, a dissonant cacophony that drowned out his being like the water crushing him.

His vision blurred, the darkness closing in as the relentless tide of music grew louder, more oppressive. It felt alive, like it was seeping into his very soul, amplifying his terror until it was all-consum̴ing. The notes clashed and tangled, just like the vines, trapping him in a nightmarish loop of sound and sensation. Every atte̷mpt to escape only seemed to make the music swell, the tempo quickening, as if mocking his futile struggle.

Suffocating was like music – an inescapable, nightmarish symphony of fear and despair, each note a reminder of the breath he could no longer take, the life slipping away from him with every beat.

His vision blurring, he could make out something in the murky water around him. Gold in color, followed closely by peering red eyes. What could it be… What could it be…?

If you cannot breathe, do not fall asleep.

He was dying.

W̴̛̙̙͔̤̎͗̃̒̇̎͛̔̅̃̋̽̐͑̿̑̀͋̋̒͐̅̾͐͘͝Ā̷̢̛̺̭̮̬̰̫̰͕̥̪͓͖̱͕̠̯͚̝͊̒̀̔̓̌̓͐̈́̓͒̐́̿̈̐͑̎̈́̽̿̍̌̾͑̌͐͛̑́̕͝͝K̷̢̭̰̬̲͖̰͍̘̹̮͍̹̳̻̟̝̬̻̳̻̲͈̬̬͈͔̹̂̍̿̍̎̋͗̈́͂͌͐̈͆͑̐̓̍̆̒̐͘͘Ę̷̢̛̤̬̞͓̩͓̒̀͌́̄̂̒̑̈́͑̈́̀̈́͌̑͑͗͜͠ ̵̢̢̨̯͎̣̜̦̩̰͈̝̼͎̲̟̪̯̝͙͍̤͈̙̬͛̄̈́̂͂̈́͒̂̑̽̔̇̏̈́̀̊̈́͐́͑̂͊̇̀̌̓̇͘̕͝͝ͅŲ̸͈̬̤̲̱͚̳͈̹͔̫͎̣͔̫̗̩̜̥͈͈̤̱͙̘̦̺̱͍̋̽̏̅̉̈́͑̔͐ͅP̴̧̡̩̜̹̦̟͓͍͓̗̗̝̜̠̟̘̩̟͖̿̾̋̈́͌̈́̌̈͊̑͊̆̔͛̅̍̕͜͝

Drowning…

W̷̨̡̡̥̭̱̤͔̼̼͈̫̲͖̣̥̖̾̉̌̿̎̋̿͒̋̾̍͌͐͂͑͠ Ẩ̶͉͎͈͕̺̹͔̼̮̳͕̙͈̾͌̓̈́͘͜ͅ K̶͎̫̟͙̣̯̪̹̬̦̥̼̰̲̺̅̈́̃̈́̐̐̔̊̈́͂̇̓̌̚͝ͅ Ḙ̶̏̐̾̓́͗͆̄̋̊ ̷̧̡͙̩̗̺̹̲̉͛͑Ủ̸̘̝̄͆͊́̐̂̽̑͛̈́̓̕ P̴̤̼̲͖͉̗̝̙̗̘̹̬̦̦̳̼̀́̑͐͜ ̸̨̨̛̩̹̳̘̪̦̫͎͓̦̮̫͔̹̈́͌͋͋͂͗́̆͗̉͒̈̏̿̚͘ͅP̶̢̢̹͉̹̟̜̟̖͒͋͒̃͠ͅL̵̨̡̨̼̩͈͑͆̃̌̔͋̅͂ Ȇ̸̦̰̌̿͂͑̄̍͊͂̅̚Ą̷̘̩̱̮̙̭̠̯̳͋̃͑̉̐̈̚͜ Ṣ̷̡̝̟̝̭̘͉̠̙̰̜̺̬̓͂̉̍̆͋̔̇́͘͠ͅ Ę̸̟͚̳̻̤̼̥̤̌̅̇̔̀͗͌̎̽̄̄͘͜ͅ

…

Again.

.

..

…

….

…..

….

…

..

.

Bring. Bring.

Shadow hissed, his irritation palpable as he raised his wrist communicator to his mouth. The moment between him and Sonic, so intimately shared, was abruptly shattered by the incoming call. Sonic had suggested ignoring it, but Shadow couldn't afford to – this was a private line, and whoever was calling needed to have a very good reason. He pressed the button with barely contained frustration, his annoyance evident as he answered without checking the caller ID.

“H-Hey, Shadow,” came the nervous yet steady voice of… Silver the Hedgehog? Shadow was about to spit venom before the time traveler continued “I know you probably don’t want to chat right now, so I’ll get straight to the point. Someone took a picture of you and Sonic kissing at the party, and now the paparazzi have gotten hold of it. They’re making a real fuss over here, and Jewel can’t make them leave. Can you and Sonic come to Tails’ Workshop?”

Shadow’s eyes widened in disbelief.

…

Sonic sat up, the sudden movement causing Shadow to slide off him. They exchanged bewildered glances.

…

“...What?”

Chapter Text

As Sonic and Shadow sped stealthily through the Restoration Camp, a bitter feeling was sinking into the blue hedgehog's gut.

The camp had indeed descended into utter chaos; what had been a tranquil refuge of happy and helpful Mobians had been easily overrun by reporters, their likes swarming the main building with relentless determination. He knew why they were here, and he could understand the logic, but, really, was it that important to ruin everyone’s day? 

Was it that important to ruin my day? My day with Shadow?

A part of him felt bad, eyeing the main entrance of the Restoration with sympathy as the two hedgehogs snuck on by. Jewel would have her hands full, likely currently being besieged by flashing cameras and intrusive questions about the Hero of Earth’s dating status, of all things. It was silly for people to care, and he had an inkling of a thought to just burst in there and force everyone to go home. Silver had instructed them to do the opposite over Shadow’s communicator, to navigate the pandemonium to Tails’ Workshop so his brother could give them their next move. 

The PR game was not something Sonic particularly enjoyed doing, but it was a crucial part of his work – or so Amy, Jewel, and Tails would tell him. It wasn’t odd for him to be sent off on small missions specifically for the media to catch a glimpse of him. He knew the good it brought to the Restoration…

But it still ruined my day. Ruined my day with Shadow. My Shadow.

…Ugh.

“You know,” Sonic remarked as the two speedsters barged through the front door without warning, startling Silver and Tails from their seats on the couch as Shadow slammed the entrance shut behind them with enough force to rattle the hinges. The Ultimate Lifeform’s quills were puffed up, his cheeks flushed, his appearance at odd to Sonic’s calm, the blue hedgehog dusting his gloves off by clapping them together. “Thinking about it now, maybe you shouldn’t have made the workshop look like your face, little bud? I like it personally, it's very cute, but it’s only a matter of time before someone connects the dots and suspects I might be here…”

Tails sighed immediately, his ears flattening as he facepalmed slowly, a blush of embarrassment burning through his white fur. “...Hindsight is twenty-twenty…” he murmured, glancing around his cluttered workshop, now feeling a bit too exposed.

After pulling the curtains and ensuring the doors and windows were all locked, a plan was hastily devised right then and there: Sonic and Shadow were to remain indoors, out of sight, until the next morning. Silver, ever the eager helper, volunteered to fetch anything they might need in the meantime. Come morning, Jewel would provide Sonic with a list of questions and answers the press would inevitably ask him. This made Silver raise an eyebrow in confusion, golden eyes wide.

“So, now that that's all settled, could someone explain what the big deal is?” the white hedgehog asked, tilting his head slightly as he settled back on the couch, his gaze fixing on Sonic. What had happened during the sparring match remained in the back of his mind, but his curiosity was much more pressing. Besides, after Tails' reaction earlier, he didn't want to bring it up... “I know you’re basically a celebrity, but isn't this reaction a bit much? It was just a kiss...”

Tails sighed beside him, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on his shoulders as he glanced over at Shadow. The Ultimate Lifeform, typically the vision of calm and collected, had retreated into a corner, muttering a string of curses under his breath as his communication wristband beeped endlessly. Despite the noise, he made no move to answer the call. Instead, he pressed his face against the wall, and one could easily imagine the dark cloud hanging above him as though it were real before their eyes. The fox adjusted himself, twiddling his thumbs on his lap.

“I don’t think Sonic kissing someone normally would cause a commotion, at least not one this big. It’s mostly because the kiss was… hm…”

“It was with Shadow specifically, that’s why,” Sonic shrugged, shooting a look of sympathy at his boyfriend’s back while a somewhat smug expression crept onto his features. He stood with his arms folded, foot tapping impatiently. Silver raised an eyebrow, perplexed, before looking at the inventor next to him expectantly. Tails leaned in closer to the time traveler, lowering his voice as though he didn’t want Shadow to overhear.

“You’ve been told about Shadow’s past, right? About everything with the ARK, how we met him, and the Black Arms Invasion?” When the time-traveler nodded solemnly, Tails moved even closer, his blue eyes distant as he spoke.

“Good. So, after the Black Arms Invasion, G.U.N. approached Shadow, Rouge, and Omega to form a covert task force called Team Dark. As you know, they’re deployed all around the world wherever G.U.N. needs them, preventing disasters and saving so many people. However, they operate in the shadows for a lot of reasons, but the biggest one is Shadow himself. Even when G.U.N. released the documents about Shadow’s creation and the events on the ARK over fifty years ago to the public, the truth of those files shifted a lot of negative opinions G.U.N.'s way. Not to mention Shadow's actions during the invasion not always being... the best. As a result, Shadow's presence on social media sparks a lot of bad publicity for G.U.N. whenever he appears in the news.”

Silver hummed thoughtfully, tapping a finger against his chin as he processed the information. It sounded... messed up, if he were honest. He came from a time without the need to worry about such things as bad publicity, and a part of him was glad this was all new to him. “So I’m guessing the people in charge prefer to keep him out of the public eye as much as possible?”

“Exactly. It’s mostly to protect their own image. Shadow can attend public events now and then, but he can’t draw too much attention or else G.U.N. gets attacked for it. Which… he usually doesn’t…” Tails cast a sideways glance at his brother, who merely shrugged without taking his eyes off Shadow. The incessant beeping on the hybrid’s wristband continued, along with his grumbles of self-loathing. The whispers stopped suddenly when Sonic spoke, his voice loud and harsh.

“It’s all so stupid if you ask me. It’s been years since the Black Arms showed up, and Shadow’s helped save the planet multiple times since then. G.U.N. should just back off, they deserve any bad press they get for what they did over fifty years ago!” He threw his hands up in the air when he finished speaking, unconcerned by the way Shadow’s ears twitched and flattened at his words. 

Tails frowned, his twin tails curling protectively around him as he shot his brother a deadpan look. Sonic seemed oblivious to the irony in his words, not to mention the complete lack of tact. “You know it’s not up to us. It’s what Shadow wants to do, and besides, you’re well aware of how crucial public opinion is for keeping these organizations funded. As much as I hate G.U.N., if Shadow agrees to it, then it’s not really our place to criticize that...”

Sonic scoffed, rubbing his nose as a confident grin spread across his face, his green eyes narrowing with a mischievous glint as he finally turned to face Tails. “Whatever. If G.U.N. thinks they can control everything, they’re in for a surprise. Shadow’s more than just their secret weapon, and they need to realize that. Trying to micromanage everything is just dumb!”

Tails opened his mouth to retort, but before he could, Silver, who had been quietly absorbing the conversation, suddenly spoke up. “So… kissing Sonic might actually be good for his public image then, right? I mean, it shows he’s not just a weapon. Kissing someone might Sonic might boost public approval...!”

The inventor slapped a hand to his face in exasperation, wondering why neither of them was grasping the bigger picture, while Sonic simply burst into laughter. Maybe being dumb was innate to male hedgehogs-

Shadow, with a sudden, sharp movement, turned on his heel and stalked off toward the kitchen, his expression darkening as the persistent beeping from his wrist communicator droned on. 

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“I need to answer this. Quiet. ” Shadow’s voice was heavy with exhaustion, the simmering frustration in his hissed command instantly silencing the room, the three onlookers freezing on the spot. With a deep, weary sigh, he moved to the far end of the room, seeking a moment of solitude as he lifted his wrist communicator. His hand hovered for a brief second before pressing the button, steeling himself.

“Hello, sir?”

“Agent Shadow. I was beginning to think you weren’t planning on picking up.”

Commander Tower’s voice cut through the speaker, icy and commanding, a tone that would stiffen even some of Earth's strongest fights. But Shadow, unflinching and resolute, stood firm, his posture as rigid as if the Commander were right in front of him. The energy in the air was palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife… It called for the utmost seriousness...

...

And yet…

—

Sonic frowned deeply, inspecting his bare paw in silence as the water pounded against his skin. 

The rest of the day had been, thankfully, uneventful. Sure, a few reporters had gotten clever and tried to breach Tails' Workshop, but the place was as secure as it was charming - an adorable yet impenetrable fortress. After a few futile attempts, they eventually gave up, deciding to wait for the brief statement Sonic had promised to give in the morning regarding their interests. This allowed Silver to slip in and out with ease, delivering the things Shadow wanted before running errands for Tails, who was ever so grateful. Dinner was served before sunset, but the three Mobians found themselves lounging in awkward silence, the earlier discussion still lingering in the air.

Day quickly turned into night, and sleeping arrangements had to be figured out. Sonic was about to say he'd take the couch and offer Shadow his room, but paused midway at Tails' snicker. The fox wouldn't tell him why he found it funny, and Sonic couldn't help but feel a bit shy. If Tails knew he'd just sneak into his own room when the fox wasn't paying attention, he wasn't sure, but how exactly would Tails know how close Shadow and he were... Hm...

Shadow interrupted this conversation, speaking up for the first time in hours, with his muzzle wrinkled and nose upturned towards Sonic. He requested - demanded - the blue blur take another shower. This baffled the hero completely, insisting he was clean, but the agent was adamant, red eyes avoiding his own green as though the mere sight of him was filthy. "We were rolling around in the dirt earlier," Shadow had muttered, causing Tails' laughs to grow louder and Sonic's cheeks to burn brighter. The hybrid didn't seem to find it funny, the gloom ever present on his face as he drifted into silence once more. He was too lost in thought and had remained so since his call with Commander Tower...

As Sonic stepped out of the shower, he flicked the faucet off with a swift twist of his wrist, but the action did nothing to wash away the twinge of anger bubbling beneath the surface. One small media storm, one infuriating call from some stuck-up jerk, and all the progress he’d made with Shadow earlier had been undone. The smile he had worked so hard to coax out was gone, replaced by that familiar, stoic scowl. What he wouldn’t give to see that smile again… And what he wanted to do to the people who had taken it away...

Shaking his head to clear those thoughts, Sonic grabbed a towel, rubbing it over his quills until they puffed up with static. As he did, an idea flickered in his mind, something that might just bring that elusive smile back to Shadow’s face. He didn’t say it aloud, deciding to keep it close, saving it for when the moment was right. He would do whatever it took to bring some peace to his troubled boyfriend…

A small smile tugged at Sonic’s lips as he lifted his gloves from the sink counter, turning them over in his hands. Would it be too much to bare himself so soon, when their newly budded relationship was still uncertain, still finding its footing? He slid on his gloves and socks, his tail wagging behind him at the thought regardless. All good things come to those who wait... even to those with little patience.

He’d be good tonight. Shadow needed to relax again, and Sonic was more than willing to help with that.

Once he was dressed, the blue hedgehog left the bathroom, determined to put his plan into motion. His bedroom wasn't too far, and one peek into the living room offered the sight of neither a fox nor a grumpy striped hedgehog. He couldn't help but skip to his door, a grin on his face as he pushed it open without a hint of hesitance. 

"Honey, I'm ho- oh?"

Sonic blinked, his quills sprinkling with water still as he stared at an equally puzzled Shadow.

…

A bit ago, the absolute state of Sonic’s room had been enough to give Shadow a total migraine.

Once he heard the start of the shower, Shadow stalked into Sonic's room without a word to Tails, a blanket and the vase of flowers clutched tightly against his chest. He was tired, the events of the day preventing him from taking a beloved nap, and he wanted nothing more than to pass out in the comfort of a bed. 

Was he partially curious about Sonic's living quarters? Maybe. That wasn't anyone's business, though. Hesitating only slightly at the door, he entered with a curious twitch of his ears.

His mind ever sharp regardless of the sleep he so desperately craved, Shadow took note of many things all at once. First, his eyes were drawn to the mirror by the door, reflecting the room's chaos in stark detail. Beside it, a small potted plant, tropical in nature, standing healthy and vibrant. His followed the reflection to its source, red eyes widening as he pushed the door closed behind him. 

A bright red car-shaped bed, undeniably childish but cozy, sat in one corner. The sky-blue sheets were crumpled and unmade, with various pairs of socks haphazardly strewn across the surface as if tossed aside in a hurry. Sonic didn't seem the type to make his bed, so that was in character, but the hybrid looked more to the right, past the nightstand to the opposite corner of the room. A large TV perched on a wood-grained shelf in another corner. A tangled mess of wires snaked around it, connecting an assortment of gaming consoles that were scattered about with little regard for order. The setup was a blatant fire hazard, and it made Shadow's eye twitch. Still, the arrangement felt lived-in, as though Sonic had spent countless hours there, lost in his games. Two light blue beanbags sat invitingly in front of the TV, their surfaces worn and indented from frequent use, a testament to the countless late nights spent unwinding in front of the screen.

That was fine. Maybe he could even ignore it and sleep, a nightmare he could organize and lecture Sonic about in the morning. 

Then he turned his head to the left, his whole face twitching now, dread making his stomach churn. 

A large desk occupied the corner, though one might hardly recognize it beneath the chaos. Boxes upon boxes were piled unceremoniously on top, below, and around it, their contents obscured by the sheer disarray. Shadow couldn’t tell what was crammed inside those boxes, but the sheer volume of them was overwhelming, many containers looking ready to burst from whatever was crammed inside. Their disorganized state suggested that whatever they held had been hastily shoved aside, neglected in favor of more immediate concerns. The mystery of what those boxes contained only added to the sense of disorder as if the room itself held secrets waiting to be uncovered, buried under layers of chaos. The walls, too, told their own story. Maps of different zones, posters of iconic locations, and photos from Sonic's adventures were pinned up with no apparent rhyme or reason, adding to the room’s chaotic energy. Each piece seemed significant in its own right, a snapshot of Sonic’s life and experiences, yet in the midst of the clutter, their importance was lost, buried beneath the disorder.

How anyone could sleep with such a glaring mess in their face was beyond Shadow...

...

So here Shadow was, surrounded by piles and piles of those boxes with a tired but harsh glare on his face directed squarely at the blue hedgehog. Sonic's bed was already made, the sky blue sheets neatly tucked in for the first time in who knows how long. A box beside the bed held his previously scattered socks, now folded and arranged in a way that was almost too precise. The tangled mess of cords around his TV had been expertly untangled and reorganized, giving the entire setup a much cleaner look. The flowers in their vase now sat innocently on the nightstand. Half of the boxes that had once overflowed with their contents were now neatly stacked, their lids properly closed, while the other half lay open and scattered around the floor. Shadow was kneeling amidst the chaos, his gloved hands carefully organizing the items that had once been buried in the mess.

A few minutes ticked by, and Sonic couldn’t help but laugh when he finally realized what was happening. Leaning casually against the doorframe, droplets of water still clinging to his quills, the hero raised an eyebrow in a mix of amusement and admiration. “Having fun there, Faker?”

Shadow’s ear twitched at the nickname, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to gauge whether Sonic was teasing him or genuinely curious. “It was a mess,” he muttered, a hint of defensiveness creeping into his tone. “Inviting me in here when your room was disgusting should be embarrassing for you.”

Sonic chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest as he cocked his head to the side. “Look, I don’t usually hang out in here. I’m typically outside, or, lately, with you. This was last minute, so excuse me for not tidying up for you, Princess.”

"The 'Fastest Thing Alive' should be able to keep his room clean. Or at least manage your mail," Shadow huffed, turning back to his task with a growl that softened the playful glint in Sonic's eyes.

Indeed, the room was littered with boxes, but not just any boxes - they harbored the words, wishes, and affections of hundreds of people. Letters, artwork, handmade scarves, necklaces, gloves - tokens of admiration from people Sonic had never even met, his legend known worldwide. The most recent batch had been delivered to his house two weeks ago, and he hadn’t had the time to go through it yet due to... obvious circumstances. Another delivery would probably arrive soon, much to his dismay.

Sonic’s gaze softened as he watched Shadow sift through the items, a small smile tugging at his lips. Shadow might have been annoyed, but there was something oddly endearing about seeing him so determined to bring order to the chaos, treating each item like it was a treasure. It made Sonic’s heart swell with affection, the dark thoughts from the day melting away as he admired the sight before him.

But Sonic had something in mind. Shadow needed to relax, and he wouldn’t be able to if he kept busy cleaning.

With a playful grin, Sonic kicked the door shut behind him, the sound echoing through the room and making Shadow jump slightly in surprise. Ignoring the glare that followed, the blue blur marched over to his bed and flopped onto it with exaggerated enthusiasm, the neatly made sheets crinkling much to Shadow’s dismay. Letting out a contented sigh, Sonic rolled onto his side, propping his head up with one hand while beckoning his rival over with a mischievous wiggle of his eyebrows. “Why don’t you come up here and relax? I’ll handle the rest in the morning, I promise~!”

Shadow’s expression darkened, his voice a low hiss as he dismissed Sonic’s invitation as quickly as it arrived. “I’m not done.” He turned back to his task with stubborn determination, clearly intent on finishing what he’d started.

Sonic blinked in surprise, his playful hand falling flat on the bed as he eyed the back of Shadow’s head. The Ultimate Lifeform remained crouched on the floor, his focus unwavering as he scanned over what looked like a piece of pink construction paper. Curiosity piqued, Sonic crawled toward the edge of the bed, peeking over the other's shoulder to get a better look.

The handwriting was shaky and uneven, clearly from a young child, but what caught Shadow’s attention was the drawing beneath the text. A small girl with a big smile was holding hands with a blue blob, unmistakably meant to be Sonic. Shadow traced a gloved hand along the paper’s edge silently, his eyes glazing over as if recalling a distant memory. The soft hum from Sonic made Shadow’s ears twitch visibly, bringing him back to the present.

"...I feel bad I can't respond or even read every letter. If I did, I'd have no time to save the day." Sonic chuckled, crossing his arms under his chin as he lay flat on his stomach, squinting at the messy handwriting. "A lot of the time, people writing these feel the need to thank me in some way, but I hope they realize that just living their lives the best they can is thanks enough..."

It sounded sappy, sure, but it was what Sonic believed. He couldn’t quite grasp the sheer number of people who looked up to him as a symbol of hope, a feat literally impossible to do. All he could hope for was that his influence inspired others to keep moving forward through whatever it was holding them back in life. It was the least he could do. A part of him expected Shadow to laugh, to roll his eyes at the sentiment, maybe even call it childish and silly. Sonic wouldn’t have taken offense; Shadow had his own views, and that’s why they clashed so often in the past.

So, when the hybrid simply sighed, his red eyes softening from their usual harsh glare finally, Sonic was caught off guard.

"The act of writing can be therapeutic. I’m sure they understand why you can't respond," Shadow murmured, holding the pink letter closer as if it were something fragile. His focus on it was intense, his back pressed against the foot of the bed as he read and reread the words. Sonic watched him, a frown of confusion tugging at his brow as he noticed the unusual softness in Shadow’s tone, the guarded yet vulnerable expression on his face.

Shadow’s shoulders were slouched, his eyes distant, as if he were somewhere far away. The way he held that letter, the way his voice seemed to lose some of its usual edge - it all made something click in Sonic’s mind, and before he could stop himself, the question tumbled out.

“...Do you not get any fan letters?” Sonic’s voice was gentler, the realization settling heavily in his chest.

Shadow’s ears twitched at the question, his grip tightening on the letter for a brief moment before he released it, letting it fall into the open box beside him, where similar letters were piled high.

"I am not one who inspires admiration, hedgehog," Shadow replied flatly, his tone devoid of emotion as he reached for the lid of the box, sliding it on with a practiced ease. His gaze flickered over the other boxes, some containing medals and awards from various world leaders, but his usual pride in these accomplishments seemed to wane. He stared at the boxes, a heaviness in his posture that Sonic hadn’t noticed before.

“Mail to our residence has to pass through G.U.N.’s inspections,” Shadow continued, his voice quieter now, tinged with a hint of resignation. “Only mail from those on our registry are let through. If any other is sent, it's checked. If it's deemed unnecessary, it’s burned. Again, I doubt this is something I have to worry about.”

Sonic’s frown deepened, a pang of sadness tugging at his heart. The thought of Shadow, the so-called Ultimate Lifeform, never receiving even a simple thanks from those he’d saved or inspired - it didn’t sit right with him. He knew how much those letters meant to him, even if he couldn’t respond to every single one. The idea that Shadow might be denied that small token of appreciation because of who he was, or because of G.U.N.’s protocols, made something twist painfully in his chest.

"That's not fair," Sonic muttered quietly, more to himself than to Shadow. He wanted to say more, to find the right words to make it better, but they seemed to get stuck somewhere deep in his throat. Shadow merely shrugged.

“It’s nothing I dwell on,” he said, his tone steady, almost indifferent. But Sonic didn't care; he didn't care whether or not Shadow cared. This wasn’t just about the lack of fan mail - it was about everything Shadow had ever been denied, everything he’d sacrificed without so much as a thank you. Sonic wanted to do something, anything, to lift the burden that seemed to hang over Shadow today, but G.U.N. was a ghost that haunted the other it seemed... Would it be so bad if they went away?

...

'Heh.'

Without saying a word, Sonic reached out, placing a gloved hand gently on top of Shadow's head. He began to rub and scratch behind his ears soothingly, his touch tender and deliberate. Shadow stiffened at the unexpected contact, turning his head slightly to stare up at Sonic with wide, surprised eyes, but Sonic didn’t stop. He leaned his cheek against his other fist, his eyes half-lidded as he gazed down at Shadow with an expression that was both affectionate and reassuring.

“Hey, in the end, it’s about doing what you know is right. And even if you can’t tell, people do notice. You’ve saved the world more than once. That means something, whether or not it comes with a thank-you note…” Sonic’s voice was warm, a soft purr of contentment rumbling in his throat as he continued his gentle ministrations, trying to coax some of the tension out of Shadow’s frame. "Besides, you've got one of your biggest fans right here! I'll write you a million letters and shove them right into Tower's office, maybe he’ll get the hint."

Shadow blinked up at him, unconsciously leaning into the touch as he processed Sonic's words. There was something about the hero’s genuine warmth, his unyielding optimism, that made it hard for Shadow to stay closed off. Sonic’s offer, half-serious and half-playful, brought a small, reluctant smile to Shadow's lips. It wasn't at all like the one he'd shown Sonic in the field earlier that day, but it was progress, and the blue blur's tail wagged happily behind him regardless.

“That might just get you into trouble,” Shadow murmured, the faintest hint of amusement in his voice. But there was a softness there too, a subtle acknowledgment that maybe, just maybe, Sonic’s words had reached him.

The hero grinned, his hand stilling as he felt the shift in Shadow’s demeanor. “Worth it,” he replied simply, the sincerity in his voice leaving no room for doubt. His eyes lit up then, his grin twisting from warmth into something a bit... odder as his hand ceased its petting, his finger and thumb hooking on Shadow's ear and tugging suddenly. 

"I do have a surprise for you, by the way! I think you'll really like it~!"

The agent frowned, swatting the other's hand away as soon as the comforting motion stopped. He turned, ears flattening on his head as his fur bristled. Sonic didn't seem to notice, smiling at him weirdly as he kicked his feet behind him excitedly. It was bait, bait for Shadow to ask what he was referring to, and any other day he'd remain silent to spite him. Now, though, things had changed between them, and the day's earlier thought came to mind...

'To get, one had to give.' It was true. If he hoped for Sonic to open up to him, to share with him what he just knew the other was hiding from everyone, then maybe playing along with these games wouldn't be a horrible idea. The hero's mood's seemed as volatile as the wind he embodied, but it was a challenge the Ultimate Lifeform could navigate. Shadow huffed, moving to stand on his feet and dust himself off. He had made good progress on the room regardless, so maybe he could sleep now without the mess glaring at him. 

"I don't like surprises," the agent growled, cracking his fists absentmindedly as Sonic laughed. The hero maneuvered himself around on the bed, his head plopping down on the single pillow as he patted the small, empty space beside him invitingly. The bed was much smaller than the one at the Restoration Camp, so it'd be a very tight squeeze... Not that Shadow cared after they both had... well...

“Come on, Shads~!” Sonic teased, his voice sing-song and full of mischief. He batted his eyes dramatically, laying it on incredibly thick. “If you just lay down, I can give it to you ASAP! Pretty please, with a Chaos Emerald on top~?”

Shadow scoffed, rolling his eyes at the ridiculous display. But despite himself, he felt a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, trying his best to hide it. It was hard to stay annoyed when Sonic was being so absurdly... Sonic. 

But beneath that comfort, there was an undercurrent of unease. Sonic’s tears had not left his mind, nor had the blue hedgehog’s total avoidance of the topic. The way the other’s hands moved on top of his head moments ago, the way his voice dipped into something almost possessive – it all made Shadow’s instincts flare, warning him to be cautious. Just like during the test… Something in Sonic’s actions didn’t quite align with the carefree demeanor he usually projected.

Still, he found himself drawn closer, as if some invisible force was pulling him toward his rival, toward the warmth and the danger that he represented. Shadow knew the risks, knew that getting too close could mean losing control. Yet the temptation was there, undeniable and irresistible. He had always been the type to face danger head-on, to confront his fears rather than run from them. But this – this was different. This was Sonic, the one person who could unravel him with a smile, with a touch that felt like both a promise and a threat...

...

'Interesting. Just... interesting...'

Licking his lips, Shadow recalled the blood he had tasted from the other suddenly when his sharp teeth made contact with frail skin...

...

'Stay focused.'

He moved closer, pressing one knee on the mattress as he looked down at his blue counterpart with a sparkle in his crimson eyes.

"Fine. But no funny business, Faker. I will kill you." 

Sonic chuckled softly, opening his arm in what appeared to be a plead for an embrace, of all things, green eyes sharp. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Shads,” the hero replied, a playful edge in his tone. “Just thought you could use a little break, that’s all. We’ve had a long day today.”

Shadow's stern expression wavered slightly as he felt the warmth of Sonic’s body pressed tightly against his own. The small bed forced them into a level of closeness that was both uncomfortable and strangely comforting, the intimacy of it all making his heart race just a little faster. He had threatened Sonic with his usual bravado, but the words seemed almost hollow now, lost in the space between them as Sonic’s arms wrapped around him.

The giggling was unexpected, a soft sound that tickled Shadow’s ears and made his blush deepen. It was impossible to ignore the way their legs tangled together, or the way Sonic’s breath ghosted over his fur, sending shivers down his spine. The scent of rainwater and flowers filled his senses, a welcome change from the harshness of his usual surroundings. It was almost too much - too close, too personal - but Shadow found himself unable to pull away.

He growled lowly against Sonic’s chest, trying to focus on something, anything other than the way his heart seemed to beat louder in his ears. “What’s the surprise?” he demanded, his voice gruff as he buried his face slightly against the hero's chest, inhaling deeply. It was meant to sound impatient, but even to his own ears, it came out more as a plea than a command...

Pathetic, honestly. 

Sonic hummed, the sound vibrating through his chest and into Shadow’s cheek. “I’m getting to it, don’t worry~!” he teased, rubbing gentle circles into Shadow's back as he shifted to get more comfortable. The way he spoke, so light and playful, had an almost hypnotic quality to it, lulling Shadow into a strange sense of calm despite his earlier apprehension.

Then, without warning, Sonic leaned in close, his lips brushing against the edge of Shadow’s ear as he whispered, “Close your eyes, Faker...”

Shadow tensed, his body instinctively on high alert even as Sonic’s soothing touch kept him anchored. He hesitated for a moment, then, with a small huff, he complied, letting his eyes slide shut. Whatever Sonic was planning, he was in too deep now to back out... Or so he'd tell himself.

...

For a few seconds, there was nothing but the sound of their breathing, the steady rhythm of Sonic’s heartbeat under his ear. Shadow’s mind raced with possibilities, trying to predict what the blue hedgehog could possibly be up to. But before he could dwell on it too long, he felt something soft, almost feathery, brush against his forehead.

It was gentle, almost hesitant, yet it sent a shockwave through Shadow’s entire being. His breath caught, and his eyes snapped open, expecting to see Sonic's familiar, warm smile, their faces just inches apart...

But instead, his gaze landed on a familiar, well-worn notebook held out in front of him.

“Surprise!” Sonic cooed, his voice light, but there was that odd smile again. Shadow’s red eyes widened, staring in disbelief at the sight of his lost journal. For a moment, he was too stunned to move, too stunned to even process what he was seeing.

When Shadow remained silent, still frozen, Sonic filled the air with laughter, his voice carrying a playful lilt. “I really thought it was gone for good. I saw how you turned that room upside down looking for it, and when it didn’t show up, I almost bought you a new one. But then, guess what? When I bumped into Rouge earlier today, it flew right out of her bag! We were both so shocked. She asked me to give it to you later, and I thought about doing it out in the field where it’d be all dramatic and romantic, but… ugh, whatever! Sorry fate wanted to keep you both apart, but lucky for you I laugh in the face of it!” Sonic’s smile remained, that peculiar expression never wavering as he extended the notebook towards Shadow, his green eyes gleaming with something unreadable. “You did say writing was therapeutic, right? Well, I'm happy you can have it again...”

Shadow blinked, his mind racing as he slowly reached out, taking the journal back into his hands. He cradled it carefully, his fingers tracing the edges and inspecting the slightly bent pages. If it had been in Rouge’s bag, a little wear and tear was to be expected. Still, the sight of it stirred something deep within him, a flood of emotions swelling in his chest as he lifted his gaze to meet Sonic’s. The hero's eyes were bright with expectation, and Shadow felt his heart race as his cheeks grew warmer by the second.

...

...Rouge's bag though...?

"...You didn’t read it, did you?" Shadow asked quietly, clutching the journal to his chest as a wave of unease washed over him. It wasn’t that he’d written anything scandalous—it was just that these were his thoughts, his private reflections. The idea of Sonic rifling through them felt incredibly invasive. And why hadn’t Rouge mentioned the journal to him anyway? How strange. Her last question before departing with a barely controlled frown on her face had been weird as well.

“What? Shads, you wound me!” Sonic replied, feigning offense as he rubbed his nose, his eyes drifting up towards the ceiling. That peculiar smile still lingered on his lips. “It’s personal to you, so I wouldn’t cross that line. Anything worth knowing, you’d tell me yourself, right?”

Shadow studied Sonic's face, his red eyes searching for any sign of deceit. But there was nothing - Sonic’s expression was calm, sincere even, and the suspicion in Shadow’s chest slowly gave way to guilt. Here Sonic was, only withholding his notebook to make a romantic show of it, and the first thing Shadow did was accuse him of overstepping. He wasn’t used to relationships, that much was clear, but even he knew this was a poor start. Slowly, he leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Sonic's chest, nuzzling under his chin. The gesture drew a soft sound of surprise from Sonic, whose hands lowered to rest on Shadow's shoulders.

"...Thanks," Shadow murmured, the word feeling awkward on his tongue, but he hoped the sentiment was clear. He tucked the notebook securely into his quills, freeing his hands to wrap around Sonic in a hug. The hero blinked, then smirked, pulling Shadow closer until their chests and stomachs pressed firmly together.

"No problem, Shads! Anything to make you happy~!" Sonic chirped fondly, his hands trailing lightly over Shadow's shoulders and back. Shadow had warned against any funny business, and Sonic would respect that - but that didn’t mean he couldn’t work his charm like earlier. "Though... I wouldn’t mind a little reward~!"

Shadow lifted his head slowly, their faces just inches apart, giving Sonic a pointed look with half-lidded eyes. "... I thought living my life the best way I can would be thanks enough?"

“There’s that humor I missed! Whatever, man, just kiss me~!” Sonic laughed, the sound light and airy, as he eagerly closed the gap between them, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss. Sonic seemed almost hungry for the contact, his hands tightening their hold on Shadow.

It felt... strange, being held and kissed like this now. Shadow assumed he would get used to it eventually, but he couldn’t help wondering how long that might take. Every touch, every kiss felt like static, new and strange, now that their feelings were out in the open. Before things could escalate, Shadow broke away, much to Sonic’s disappointment. Instead, he carefully shifted to lie on top of Sonic, nuzzling against him with a tired yawn.

“No funny business, I mean it...” Shadow mumbled, still dazed from the short kiss, his lips tingling as he buried his face into Sonic’s chest to hide his embarrassment. “You have to wake up early...”

“Ugh, fine, but tomorrow, after all that junk’s done, you and me are going on a real date!” Sonic chuckled, wrapping his arms around Shadow with a possessive tightness. “Better dream of it, my little Star~!”

Shadow groaned at the pet name, but didn’t argue. Instead, he closed his eyes, the pull of sleep already strong now that his mind was at ease. The danger Sonic represented was momentarily forgotten in his exhaustion, and he allowed himself to drift further and further...

Sonic watched him for a while, content to simply hold him, amused by how quickly his rival had fallen asleep in his arms. He could feel his arms going numb gradually, but he didn’t care. As much as he’d wanted to play around a bit, Shadow was clearly exhausted. There would be plenty of time for that tomorrow. He’d also need to ask about what exactly was said during that call with Tower... Hm...

He thought of the notebook again, how annoyed he was to have to return it. It didn't seem Rouge had mentioned it at all to Shadow, much to his secret delight, so now it would be his story against hers. It was fine, Rouge was smart. She wouldn't... wouldn't do anything stupid... He could always get it back later. This time, with newer entires to read... 

...

...

...

When Sonic fell asleep that night, for the first time since he'd been injected, dreams of the black ocean did not surface.

...

Instead, with Shadow asleep, nuzzled against his body and keeping him warm, he recalled... a wholesome memory…

.

..

…

….

…..

….

…

..

.

Emerald Hill Zone was a lush tropical paradise, a stunning landscape where nature's vibrancy meets the artistry of the environment. The meadows are a vivid green, stretching out in soft waves that ripple in the gentle breeze, dotted with tall palm trees, dense shrubs, and a kaleidoscope of colorful flowers as far as the eye can see. The grass, a bright lime hue, blankets the area, occasionally interrupted by the rich orange-brown soil that peeks through in square patches, some of which form a distinctive checkered pattern that was natural to the earth. The terrain is alive with movement and energy, with towering waterfalls cascading down rocky cliffs, their crystalline waters glistening as they plunge into pools below. The landscape is further animated by loop-de-loops and corkscrews that twist and turn, offering thrilling pathways through this vibrant world. Hidden are a myriad of caves, their walls adorned with blinking green lights that add an otherworldly glow to the otherwise natural surroundings.

In the distance, a vast field stretches out, a sea of grass swaying gently beneath a scattering of yellow flowers that dance in the sunlight. This field gradually slopes down to meet the edge of the world, where it merges seamlessly with the crystal-clear blue of the ocean, its surface shimmering like a thousand sapphires under the deep navy sky. Above, a few clouds drift lazily, their soft, white forms contrasting against the darkened heavens, completing the picture of serene beauty that is Emerald Hill Zone…

As picturesque as it was, Sonic did not care to slow down or take it in. 

Destruction around him, his small, black eyes narrowed as he marched silently through one of the many fields that had become his battleground, Sonic did not care for much of anything at the moment. A deep frown etched itself onto his young face, a stark contrast to the bright landscape that surrounded him as he moved with purpose. Busted Badniks lay strewn across the grass, their shattered metal parts glinting in the sunlight, creating a jarring discord in the otherwise serene environment, the mere sight making his nose wrinkle in disgust. Without a word, the tiny blue hedgehog kicked a piece of a broken Moto Bug out of his path, sending it skittering across the ground. There was no particular reason for the act – just a release of the frustration simmering inside him.

He couldn’t have been more than ten years old then, a child in appearance but already hardened by the world he roamed. Alone and unburdened by the constraints of adult responsibilities, Sonic wandered the world with a singular focus. His goals were simple, almost primal: destroy the machines that threatened the landscape he saw as pretty, and, by extension, the man who built them. Back then, his hatred for Eggman was pure, unrefined, a raw emotion that drove him forward with an intensity far beyond his years.

Even as a child, there was a fire in him, a burning need to confront the wrongs he saw in the world. His hatred for the Doctor had been a constant companion, something that had evolved over time into a more focused resolve. But back then? It was untempered, all-consuming, driving him through field after field, always searching for the next robot to destroy. His memories of life without Eggman in them were lost to time, as consumed as he was…

Sonic’s adventuring days hadn’t started with a noble cause or a desire to protect, even if the outcome was the same. The thrill of smashing machines, the satisfying crunch of metal beneath his feet, and the visceral satisfaction of dismantling Eggman’s creations drove him forward. He hated how those robots defiled the natural beauty of his home, and that seething anger fueled his relentless search for more enemies to destroy. Without a guiding hand, or a need to care, he just did whatever he wished, defiant to all that got in the way of his wants...

Everything changed that fateful day in Emerald Hill Zone.

As he scoured the field, searching for the next unfortunate machine to cross his path, Sonic’s ear twitched at the faint sound of rustling bushes to his right. His small frame stiffened, the harshness in his young eyes sharpening as he honed in on the source of the noise. His curiosity, undiluted by fear or caution, propelled him forward, overriding any sense of self-preservation. He had believed it was another Badnik, and thus he'd destroy it. Simple, simple, simple.

The bush continued to rustle as Sonic approached, his tiny fists clenched and ready for whatever might emerge. When he stopped in front of it, the movement persisted, and Sonic rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his head tilting to the side as he considered the possibilities. If it were a bot, it would've come out by now, ready to strike... He huffed in frustration, unable to stand the suspense, and without a second thought, he reached forward and pushed aside the leaves and branches.

What he found wasn’t another of Eggman’s vile creations, but something – or rather, someone – much more unexpected. 

A yellow fox, tinier than him, trembled before him with wide, frightened eyes.

The fox’s twin tails (Sonic had to double-take at the sight of them) curled around him protectively, but it was his eyes that struck Sonic the most. They were a vivid, striking blue, filled with a fear and uncertainty that Sonic hadn’t encountered before. Tears welled up in those blue eyes, clinging to the fox’s lashes, and for the first time in his young life, Sonic felt something shift within him. The anger, the drive to destroy, all of it seemed to momentarily fade away as he blinked, slowly processing the sight before him.

This wasn’t a machine to be wrecked or an enemy to be vanquished. This was someone scared and alone…

...

It reminded him of himself.

The tiny hedgehog hesitated, his earlier aggression melting into a mix of confusion and concern. He had no words, not yet anyway, but something in him, something new and unfamiliar, urged him to stay, to not turn away…

Perhaps it was a longing for something, a desire to go beyond the state in which he currently found himself. It wasn't healthy to be mad all the time, to survive all evil rather than to live in spite of evil. Tails hadn't even said a word, but those frightened eyes had moved the hedgehog in irreversible ways... 

With a shocking caution, the blue hedgehog slowly held out a gloved hand, his heart stinging at the sight of the fox’s flinch, saddened by the way he shut his eyes in frightened anticipation. Still, Sonic waited patiently, surprising himself, his young mind blank as his heart pounded loudly in his ears. When no harm came, the young fox slowly opened those tearful blue eyes to peek at his offered hand.

It was like the world froze into place, time on pause, as though the universe itself knew the significance of this moment. Sonic hadn’t known how much that little fox taking his offered hand would change his life for the better at the time, nor the number of friends he’d make because of it… Amazing…

…

He loved his friends.

…

I love them so much…

Chapter Text

When Sonic had woken up that morning, his vision blurred with the haze of sleep as his eyelids fought to stay open, he had expected something pleasant. Perhaps Shadow, drooling softly on his chest, curled up in that rare, adorable way that made Sonic never want to let go. Maybe he would’ve heard the soft sound of his lover’s purrs, a comforting melody that would drift into his ears, filling him with warmth, lust, and love all at once. It was the kind of morning he craved – simple, peaceful, and filled with the tangible reminder of the life they were building together.

But life wasn’t kind. Not like that.

Instead, the bed felt cold. There was no comforting weight of Shadow’s body pressed against him, no blanket wrapping him in the remnants of their shared heat. The room was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that felt suffocating. He knew in that instant that he was alone.

And as his eyes adjusted to the emptiness, a creeping dread began to coil around his heart.

There was no Shadow. No familiar warmth, no sign of life beyond his own. Only the sharp, chilling awareness that something was horribly wrong.

He blinked, trying to shake off the unease, but when his eyes reopened, his breath caught in his throat.

Himself.

…

Himself.

A perfect, golden reflection of himself hovered above him, a twisted phantom that shouldn’t exist. Sonic tried to speak, tried to move, but he found himself frozen under the weight of that dead, unblinking stare. His breath came in shallow, labored gasps, his body unresponsive, paralyzed by terror. The golden copy’s face was set in a deep frown – unnatural, distorted – its brilliance doing nothing to dispel the shadows clinging to its form. Black, inky eyes with swirls of red bore into him. They hurt to look at.

They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, the silence between them thick with unspoken dread. Sonic could only watch, his eyes widening in horror as the copy's clawed hand reached forward, drawing sharp, deliberate lines across his chest. The sensation wasn’t just physical – it sliced through his mind, dragging his fear to unbearable heights.

"Sonic," the ghost whispered, and suddenly, Sonic became aware of a distant sound – a faint rush of running water, like a tide pulling at the edges of his consciousness. He couldn’t see it, couldn’t feel it, but somewhere, just out of reach, was the black sea that had haunted his dreams.

This wasn’t right. He had been dreaming of his first meeting with his brother. He was awake now… Right?! How was this possible?

'No… why…?!'

"Shhh…" The copy hushed him, somehow hearing the tremor of his thoughts. Its palm pressed harder against Sonic's chest, feeling the frantic rhythm of his heart beneath. "You're okay... I’ve got you..."

Terror pulsed through Sonic, his pupils dilating as he struggled in vain to break free from the phantom’s grip. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, and the world around him began to blur as the pressure mounted. His thoughts, once filled with Tails, with Shadow, were now consumed by this overwhelming fear, the suffocating weight of his own reflection pressing down on him.

“Sonic…”

All he could see was himself, enveloped in what should be a comforting gold, crushing him with relentless force. Would his bones crack? Would his heart be crushed? He didn’t know. He didn’t-

“Sonic…”

The voice echoed again, softer this time as if it was fading into the depths of that black sea. Sonic was panicking, and finally, he felt his mouth twist to grit his teeth, drool he’d thought he’d choke on pouring from his teeth. The copy watched, a wicked smile that he could only describe as evil spreading across those lips. 

“Sonic…”

And then, those claws dug into his flesh with the ease of a knife. Was this pain he was feeling? Was this truly happening? Sonic couldn’t scream, only gawk in absolute horror as liquid left him. Not the terrifying yet familiar scarlet of blood, but rather…

The black of the ocean.

His copy pulled apart his skin, ļ̸̡̙̪̹̥̰͍͍̤͚̥̺͉̪͐̿̽͜ä̸̧͖́́̀̎̑̂͆͌̈́̅͂ỳ̸̢̰̫̜̗̺̩̥̟͉͚̖̹̩̅͛͒̂̋̋́ę̴͎͖̖͐͝r̷̲̖͍͚͓̓́̋̈̎͘ ̶̠͓͖̻͖̪̲̳̗̮̼͖̭͓͈̠̇̑́̏͒͗̈́̏̍͑̑͜ḃ̷̧̪̦̖̠̬̹̘̻͉̟̟͎͙͠͝ý̶̞͙͕̺̗̺͈̥ ̶̧̨̨̼͖̳͓̬̜͖͙͚̪̰͓̭͛̽͑̈́̿̓̏̚̕͘ḽ̴̻̥͇͉̮͍̅̆͝ͅa̷̧͖͍͖̦̻̱̮̭̩̫̘̬̱͓̼͗͒̉̅̃̂̂̇̈̎́͑͛͜͝ỹ̷͉̬̤̖̜̟̺̐̒͂̍͆̆͜e̴̥̖̙͗͊̑̀̐̄̍́̀̋̇́͌͘͘͠r̴͈̯̗̥̭̼̅̌̄̾͒͊͜͝,̷̥͔̮̺̥͔̱̭̭̩̇̍̎̕ͅ the liquid bursting out of him like a broken dam. The room would flood, and he would drown in on himself, but his copy would not stop. The phantom laughed, digging further and further, and Sonic really believed his heart would be crushed. Was this how he would die? In this… sea…? This ocean that looked like space? Space…

“̶̝̜̭̳̳̹̥͐̕͠H̷̨̛̟̺͙̲̥̞̀̃̀́̄̈͂͐̌̓̾͘͝͝e̶̺̩̻̘̖̼̙̪̥̰͈͛͑̏͆̍̾͜ͅl̴̨̧̨͕̩̬̱̳̻̥̈́̏̄̈́̅͊̉̀͝͝͝p̷̛̭̹̜̞̜̩͔̪̻͎̯͔̻͆̽͛̃̐͋́̒͊̄͋̄̈͊̕͜͝…̷̧̣͖̩͉̲̟̈́͐̔̏ ̶̡̝̣͓͙͓̗́͘ͅͅh̴̡̝̼͔̻̼͙̦͊͐e̸͍̬̞̪̲͎̰̜͔̊̈́̈̑̚͠ĺ̸̡̨̛̹̙̭̦̲̲̫̩̳̟̜̭̻̹̐̈͑̽͆̔̃̐͐̔̈͠͝͠ͅp̶̧̹̎̔́̏̉͛͌̓́̂̓͠ ̶̧̡̧̦̣̙̫͍̘̭̬͇͓̏̊̆̋̑̊̐̄̍͊̾̍͝m̶̨̢̛̟̺̝̰̻̠͖͕̩͎̹̈́̋̍̌̄́̈̔̀̏̎̑̕͜͝ë̶̢͙͚̲͉͚̱͕̙̝̩̗͍͔́̈́̇̾̐̊̐̂̕̚͝͝!̵̛̛̼̹͕͕͔̗̯̩̻̲̙̗̘̮̪̽͌̀̅̇́́̿̃̚̕͜͜!̷̻̘̥̂̄̈̉̄̏̊̎̆̏!̶̢̢̜̰̥̭͕̰̣̗̹̮̭̪͎̅̒̓́̽ͅ”̸̧̮̬̔̈́̀̂̿̉̂̿̐̀͐̀̇̈̃͘͝

“Sonic!”

The cry sliced through the darkness, but it barely registered in Sonic’s mind as he shot upright, limbs flailing in a desperate scramble. His breath came in frantic, uneven gasps, chest heaving as if he couldn’t draw in enough air. His eyes were wide open, but they might as well have been closed for all they saw – everything was a blur, distorted by the tears clinging to his lashes. Panic clawed at him, raw and unrelenting, his heart pounding so violently it felt like it might burst.

Strong hands grabbed his shoulders, trying to steady him, but Sonic's body reacted naturally. He thrashed against the grip, kicking out blindly, trying to fend off whatever held him down. His leg shot forward, only to be caught in an iron grip. The sensation sent a shockwave of terror through him, and his struggle intensified. He shook his head wildly, thoughts spinning out of control. He was dying, dying, dying – suffocating under the weight of his fear, trapped in the nightmare that refused to let him go. The ocean... the sea...!

“Calm down, Faker. You’ll wake Tails. It’s me. It’s just me… Wake up!”

That voice, calm, steady, familiar, cut through the chaos like a lifeline. It wasn’t the voice from his nightmares, the one that echoed in his mind like a cruel mockery of himself. No, this voice was different. 

It was… Shadow.

...Oh…

Gradually, the fog in Sonic’s mind began to lift, the sharp edges of panic dulling as Shadow’s presence anchored him. His gasps slowed, his body still trembling but no longer fighting the hold on him. He blinked, trying to clear his vision, and through the blur, he finally saw the dark figure on top of him. Shadow’s eyes, usually so sharp and intense, were softened with concern as he held Sonic’s ankle and shoulder firmly yet carefully, as though afraid to hurt him but unwilling to let go until Sonic had calmed down. The room was dimly lit, the sunrise beginning to peak through the blinds, and the disheveled look of the Ultimate Lifeform told the hero he had woken the other up.

“Sh… Shadow…?” Sonic’s wheezed out in pain, his voice hoarse and shaky as his lungs stung.

“Yeah, it’s me,” Shadow replied, his tone low and soothing, though there was a tightness in it that betrayed his worry. “You’re safe. Just breathe.”

Sonic took a shuddering breath, then another, his chest still tight but no longer feeling like it was going to implode. With awareness returning to him, he realized the ache that had grown in his gloved hands, his fingers flexed and digging into the sheets with such intensity his knuckles cracked. He had to force himself to relax, tremors wracking through his body in intervals.

After a few moments, Shadow eased his grip on Sonic’s ankle, carefully lowering it back onto the bed, but he didn’t move away. Instead, he shifted closer, both his hands now resting on Sonic’s shoulders, steadying him with that unyielding presence that Sonic would not admit how grateful he was for it at this moment.

“S…Sorry… I’m sorry…” Sonic mumbled, his thoughts still disjointed, struggling to piece together reality from the remnants of his dream… Was it a dream…? “...Not you… Not… It was…”

“Not me,” Shadow finished for him, his voice a quiet rumble. He sighed, his thumbs brushing lightly over Sonic’s shoulders, reminding him that he was back in reality. “I know. You’re awake now, though. You’re here, and I’m here. Nothing’s going to hurt you…”

Sonic nodded, though the lingering fear still clung to the edges of his mind like a shadow that wouldn’t quite fade. But Shadow’s words, his touch, were like a balm to his frayed nerves. He leaned into the contact, closing his eyes for a moment and just letting himself breathe, feeling the steady rise and fall of his own chest, and the comforting warmth of Shadow’s hands.

“Sorry…” Sonic repeated, his voice barely audible. The idea of trying to lie past this, to ignore it the way he had his tears the day prior, exhausted him. He hated feeling so vulnerable, so out of control, especially in front of Shadow. But Shadow didn’t chide him, didn’t tell him to toughen up or dismiss his fear. Perhaps many years ago this would’ve been the case, the dark hedgehog more antagonizing than comforting, but when just moments ago they were entwined in the hero’s own bed, things were different. 

“There’s nothing to apologize for,” Shadow replied quietly, his tone softening considerably now that the worst of Sonic’s episode had passed. “It happens. You’re okay… I am here.”

For a long moment, they remained like that: Sonic gradually calmed as the storm within him subsided, Shadow's presence beside him was a solid, reassuring weight, grounding him in the reality of the here and now. The panic that had once gripped the blue blur so fiercely began to ebb away, replaced by a deep, bone-weary exhaustion. The nightmare, the rush of adrenaline… it had all drained him, leaving him feeling fragile and worn out.

Sonic's ears twitched at the sound of Shadow's voice, the words barely registering through the fog that still clouded his mind. He grunted softly, blinking down at his boyfriend’s face, green eyes struggling to focus. Shadow was looking at him with a patient, expectant gaze, his hands still petting him. When Sonic didn’t respond right away, Shadow spoke again, his voice low and careful.

“Do you… want to talk about it?” Shadow repeated, his words gentle, as if he wasn’t sure if Sonic could handle confronting what had just occurred. He shifted slightly, lowering his head to rest his chin on Sonic’s chest, pressing himself closer in a comforting gesture.

As cute as it was, Sonic hated being looked at like this. Loathed it. He did not deserve…

A weak laugh escaped the speedster after a few moments, though it held no real humor. “N…Not right now,” he admitted, the ghostly image of his golden copy still lingering at the edges of his vision, a haunting presence in his periphery as he fought to relax . “Just… stay? Stay until we have to… get up…?”

Shadow hesitated for a moment, scanning the other's face for something before reluctantly nodding, the movement almost undetectable. Without a word, he nestled himself against Sonic, much like they did when they had fallen asleep, making himself comfortable on the hero's still hammering chest. His tired crimson eyes never left Sonic’s face, watching him with a quiet intensity that was both protective and tender. The Ultimate Lifeform felt compelled by Sonic's expression to offer more reassurance, for a gentle promise was whispered past his lips. “I’m not going anywhere…”

Sonic smiled faintly. That’s what he needed. Raising his trembling hands, he rested them on Shadow’s back, releasing a heavy sigh. Silence stretched between them, with only the occasional sound of rain tapping against the window. Sonic’s eyes fluttered shut, seeking calm in the steady presence of his Rival, even as his mind struggled to quiet down. His ears twitched at the persistent sound of water hitting glass…

Rain…

Rain couldn’t drown him… Right? No… no, no, no…

“...Can you talk to me?” Sonic’s voice trembled, the words spilling out in a shaky plea as his grip on Shadow tightened. The Ultimate Lifeform blinked, drawn from his own thoughts as he lifted his head to take in more of Sonic’s face.

“About what?” Shadow’s voice was steady, grounding.

“A-Anything…” Sonic clenched his eyes tighter, trying to block out the phantom image still hovering above them, silent and menacing. He knew it wasn’t real – Shadow couldn’t see it – but it gnawed at him, driving him to the edge. “Talk to me about… Anything... Anything but the weather...”

Shadow scoffed, a small huff escaping him as he lowered his head back down, resting against Sonic’s chest. “...Okay, let me think...” A yawn punctuated his words as he adjusted his position, his cheek pressing into the soft fur of Sonic’s chest. When he spoke again, his tone carried a weight of wistfulness.

“...The Echidna told me the full prayer of his people once, a long time ago... ‘The Servers are the Seven Chaos. Chaos is Power, Power Enriched by the Heart. The Controller is the One who Unifies the Chaos.’ So simple, yet it encompasses everything one needs to know about the nature of Chaos Energy…”

Sonic opened his eyes slowly, staring up at the ceiling as Shadow’s voice filled the quiet room. “My fath- … creator studied ancient Echidna temples in his youth, working with other great minds to decipher their secrets. Studying language was not his forte, but through hard work, he learned the significance of Chaos Energy in the Echidna race’s power struggles from their texts. Chaos gave its wielder the edge they needed to defeat any foe, which the Echidna's used to the point of their own destruction...”

“...So that’s why he made you so good at it,” Sonic murmured. He knew all of this already, but the distraction was a welcome relief. His breathing steadied as he focused on Shadow’s words. The distant memory of Chaos, the God of Destruction, came to mind then. He hoped he was resting well, wherever he and Tikal now resided...

“Yes. Chaos is as abundant as the air we breathe, though only a few can control it so perfectly.” Shadow lifted a hand to the side of his face, green, fire-like energy dancing at his fingertips. The proximity made Sonic’s skin tingle, and he gazed into the flickering light as if hypnotized. “ ‘Power is Enriched by the Heart.’ This is the most important part of the prayer, a confirmation of the nature of Chaos. Anyone, good or evil, can use this power, and it will serve the Controller’s desires... No matter the outcome.”

Sonic hummed softly, his eyes fluttering shut as the weight of the waking nightmare began to fade, replaced by the steady cadence of Shadow’s voice. “...Can the Chaos control the Controller?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Shadow paused, his fingers still glowing with the remnants of Chaos energy, casting faint, shifting shadows across the room. “...In a way,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “Chaos responds to the heart, to the emotions of the one who wields it. If the Controller loses themselves to those emotions… then yes, Chaos can take over. It’s a delicate balance. Chaos grants wishes, and the power to grant said wishes can absolutely consume you…”

As if to punctuate his words, Shadow clenched his fist, causing the green energy to disappear, plunging the room back into its faint darkness. He lowered his hand to rest it gently on Sonic’s chest, his touch strong and warm. Sonic shivered beneath the contact, welcoming the gentle pressure after the suffocating grip of his nightmare. Slowly, he lifted a hand to pet behind Shadow’s ear, his fingers brushing through the fur with a deliberate tenderness. He felt Shadow tense at first, then gradually relax, leaning into the touch.

“...Wishes, hm…,” Sonic murmured, his voice slurred with exhaustion, the edges of his vision swimming with black until he finally closed his eyes again.

Shadow grunted in response, finally looking away from Sonic to cast his gaze off to the side of the room...

For a long moment, they just lay there, the room filled with the quiet sound of their breathing, the rain outside a distant backdrop. Sonic could feel the tension in Shadow’s body, a subtle unease that hadn’t been there before. He didn’t open his eyes, too tired to ask, but he noticed it – how Shadow’s hand hesitated, how his breathing slowed as if he was thinking too hard about something.

Surprisingly, Shadow broke the silence once again. “Sonic… I… need to tell you something…” His voice was low, reluctant, as if each word was carefully measured before being spoken.

Sonic, half-asleep, merely hummed in response, a soft, questioning sound. He didn’t have the energy to fully engage, but the hum conveyed his willingness to listen. 

Another pause followed, heavier than the last. The hybrid’s fingers twitched against Sonic’s chest, his grip tightening slightly before loosening again. His mouth opened, but the words didn’t come right away. He swallowed, a rare sign of hesitation from the Ultimate Lifeform…

“...Forget it,” Shadow finally muttered, his voice barely audible. He shifted closer to Sonic, resting his head on the blue hedgehog’s shoulder. “Just rest… You have to get up soon…”

Sonic wouldn’t question it. Had he been more awake, more himself, he’d have insisted Shadow spoke his mind. The Ultimate Lifeform kept to himself in ways that seemed detrimental at times… But for now, he had to drop it, sleep tugging on his frazzled mind…

…

…

…

Something was wrong.

—

Sonic’s smile wavered, his muzzle twitching as a barrage of microphones invaded his space, cameras flashing in rapid succession, each one a sharp intrusion on his attempt to maintain composure. The paper in his hand crinkled under the pressure of his tightening grip, and he forced himself to take a slow, deep breath. His green eyes darted from one reporter to the next, trying to keep up with the relentless stream of questions that bombarded his flicking ears.

“How long have you two been together?”

“Are you aware that Shadow is an alien?”

“Does G.U.N. approve of this relationship?”

“What color are his paw pads?!”

“Do our tax dollars fund your dates?!”

“Who tops?!”

“How do–? Dude, I don’t think you should ask that…”

“The people want to know!”

…Some questions seemed fairer than others…

Sonic opened his mouth, ready to push back, to find a moment’s reprieve from the chaos and calm the rising frustration knotting in his chest. But before he could speak, the small beetle beside him raised her hand with authority. The room fell silent almost instantly, the clamor evaporating in the presence of her quiet yet commanding presence.

Jewel’s frown deepened as she surveyed the crowd, her wings twitching slightly before she cleared her throat. “Sonic will make a brief statement,” she announced with a calm yet firm tone that brokered no argument. “Afterward, there will be time for only five questions, chosen at random. Please remain seated and patient.” Her gaze swept over the room, ensuring the press understood the gravity of her words.

For a moment, the air was thick with unspoken tension, reporters exchanging glances as they recalibrated, trying to determine how best to phrase their questions, knowing only a select few would be heard. Sonic stole a glance at Jewel, grateful for her intervention but aware that this reprieve was only temporary. He still had to face the scrutiny, the expectations, and the endless curiosity of the world watching him.

The room was one of the larger, repurposed spaces in the Restoration Camp – a utilitarian area that had once been used for storage but had since been cleared out and converted into a makeshift press room. The walls were bare, their neutral tones reflecting the overhead fluorescent lights that cast a harsh, clinical glow over everything. The floor was polished concrete, smooth but cold underfoot, with the sound of footsteps echoing slightly whenever someone moved. At the front of the room was a long, rectangular table, simple and unadorned, with Sonic and Jewel seated behind it. Sonic's chair was slightly too large for the small space, causing him to sit in a somewhat awkward posture, while Jewel's seat was much smaller, fitting her petite frame perfectly. The table itself was sparse: just a few papers, a microphone, and a glass of water for each of them. The hero tried straightening out the statement he clenched in his grasp, his leg beginning to bounce impatiently as he glanced around. Rows of folding chairs filled the rest of the room, lined up in neat, straight lines, occupied by reporters and media personnel. The chairs were plain and functional, their metal frames creaking whenever someone shifted or leaned forward. The reporters were packed tightly together, their equipment – cameras, notebooks, and microphones – taking up any available space, making the room feel smaller and more claustrophobic.

Despite the open layout, the atmosphere was anything but spacious. The anticipation that always accompanied the press was tangible, the faint hum of electronic devices and the soft murmur of voices filling the gaps between questions. The windows were covered with heavy blinds, blocking out the natural light and adding to the enclosed feeling of the room. The only source of fresh air came from a small, wall-mounted fan that buzzed faintly in the corner, struggling to circulate the room's stuffy air.

Sonic and Jewel sat at the focal point of it all, their expressions a mix of determination and caution as they faced the sea of expectant faces. The room’s sterile environment contrasted sharply with the intensity hanging in the air, amplifying the weight of every word that would be spoken in the minutes to come. Jewel, her shell catching the harsh light and casting a soft rainbow of colors around her, turned to the hedgehog beside her with a gentle smile. Despite her professional poise, the wariness in her eyes was unmistakable to friends.

"Whenever you're ready," she encouraged, her voice calm but firm, trying to lend him some of her collected energy despite the exhaustion. Sonic gave her an apologetic nod, his gaze dropping to the paper in front of him as his ears twitched with every rustle and whisper in the room.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, but the frustration bubbling beneath his calm façade was difficult to ignore. His grip on the paper tightened, crinkling the edges, as he fought to keep his emotions in check. The words written before him felt wrong – sterile, rehearsed, and far from what he wanted to say.

He was doing his best to cover it, to present the cool and composed hero everyone expected, but inside, he was pissed off. He hated this – hated the way the words twisted the truth, hated the forced distance between him and the reality of the situation. He glanced back at the reporters, their faces eager and hungry for his response, and a concerning amount of disgust ached in his thudding heart. Sonic clenched his eyes and breathed in once more, trying hard to collect himself. When he opened his eyes again, he spoke through gritted teeth, face still twitching. 

…

…

…

Earlier that morning, after the two hedgehogs finally climbed out of bed and made their way into the living room, the two had a... disagreement. Sonic, who had been halfway through a bowl of cereal whilst Shadow brewed some coffee in the kitchen not too far off, was hit like a freight train by the Ultimate Lifeform's sudden declaration, choking on his cereal while the other rolled his eyes.

"I’m serious," Shadow growled, his tone brooking no argument. He strode through the room to sit next to Sonic on the couch, his red eyes remaining on the vase of flowers he had brought out from the hero's room and onto the coffee table. It was adorable, how infatuated the Ultimate Lifeform seemed with the simple gift… But Sonic couldn't focus on that right now.

Coughing, the hero turned to stare at his Rival in disbelief, green eyes wide and filled with shock and betrayal. "What… What do you mean you’re serious?" He managed to sputter, twisting around fully on the couch to face his boyfriend. "Why should we care what people think about us? What about all that stuff yesterday about…" Sonic hesitated, lowering his voice to a near whisper. He didn’t want Tails, who was currently in the bathroom with the sink running, to overhear. "…starting fresh? ‘Waking up’? Doing what we wanted? I was dead serious about that! Let people talk!"

Shadow huffed, baring a fang as he glared at Sonic sharply. He raised a hand, brushing it absently through his quills as his expression folded into a familiar level of coldness Sonic hadn't seen directed at him in years. It reminded him of the time when Shadow was lost, amnesia-ridden, and angry during a certain alien invasion, unwilling to let most of them into his heart. That comfort he had offered that morning after his rude awakening was no longer present, and it made Sonic's gut churn in loathing. Not towards Shadow, he'd never hate Shadow, but rather towards...

"Don't be dense, hedgehog," Shadow sneered, his voice dripping with impatience. "I have a job. Part of that job is staying out of the public eye as much as possible. You tell the press it was nothing, a drunken mistake on both our parts, and then everything will be well. Don't make me repeat myself. Also, put a bandage on those bitemarks, for Chaos' sake."

Sonic’s frown deepened, his quills bristling with frustration. The way Shadow was brushing him off, a strange look of contentment on his face as he took a sip of his coffee, was making his hands shake in rage. He was extra agitated this morning, understandably so, but he was finding it very difficult to hide his feelings at all. He couldn’t stop the first thought that came to mind, green eyes narrowed at his boyfriend darkly.

"Is that what you want?" The hero's voice was booming, his ears pinning back against his head as he shook. "Or is that what Tower told you to do?"

…He was being unfair. He knew Shadow cared about G.U.N. despite his history, and he knew he wanted to maintain some kind of public image. Sonic didn't understand it, but he didn't have to. Shadow was his own person, after all. Tails had not been wrong in what he said yesterday, so he partially regretted his words... And yet, Sonic hated this. To deny who they were, all because of some stupid people who didn't understand how beautiful his boyfriend was...

It was ridiculous. 

Who gives a fuck what those idiots think, anyway?

Much to his surprise, Shadow's reaction wasn't to yell. He didn't hit the blue hedgehog, didn't hiss a threat on the hero's life for even suggesting such a thing. No, instead, the hybrid snickered.

"Tails told me we'd be able to watch," the hybrid chuckled as he eyed the coffee in his hand, the steam blowing up into his face. It was an odd reaction, in Sonic's opinion, the way his Rival was smirking to himself darkly while simultaneously brushing the hero off. "Don't fuck it up."

…

…

…

Leaning back in his chair, Sonic groaned internally. His morning, waking up with Shadow slumbering in his arms beautifully, was ruined by forces outside his control. Now he was here, forced to lie, in front of morons who cared about the wrong things.

“...What you saw… was a mistake, ” the blue blur cocked his head to the side as he faced the onlookers fully, crumpling the paper spitefully with one hand. “There is nothing between me and Shadow. Nothing at all.”

—

Tails pressed a button on his tablet, namesakes swishing as the TV flickered on expectantly. The image of his brother and the Restoration leader greeted him, but he couldn't help but sigh at the wave of flashing lights from cameras surrounding him.

Jewel ensured there would be no live recording of the event from the reporters, all of their cameras checked by Amy and Surge outside the doors before allowed entry to ensure no quotes could be edited or taken out of context. It was a basic procedure here, and thankfully the paparazzi followed instructions with little to no issues. That being said, the rooms of the Restoration Camp all had rudimentary security cameras that the fox could easily access, so Tails let Jewel know he wanted to watch. The beetle had hummed in thought but didn’t question him about it. It was frankly annoying this was happening at all, but the fox understood the part they all played in public affairs. Fame had its downsides.

“Let's hope this goes well...” The genius murmured, resting his tablet on the table to grab his plate of toast before settling back on the couch.

"Hmph. If it doesn't, I'll kill him."

Shadow’s low voice came from behind him on the couch, the dark hedgehog carefully inspecting the flowers in the vase to methodically remove any imperfections with precise, careful hands. His attention to detail was almost mesmerizing, the way he handled each petal and leaf with such care. Tails couldn’t help but chuckle when he glanced at the other, Shadow's matter-of-fact tone amusing despite his words.

"Legally, I’d have to advise against that," Tails teased lightly, taking a bite of his toast. "I don't think Sonic would appreciate it if I didn't."

A low grumble of distaste was Shadow’s only response, making Tails’ ear twitch. The young fox chuckled softly again, leaning back into the cushions as he savored the brief moment of calm amidst the surrounding chaos.

...Though, after the silence stretched between them, Tails had to admit, he was more accustomed to... chattier company. It wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, per se, but it left the inventor wandering in his own thoughts and worries. He had been wondering since the two hedgehogs came to his Workshop if Shadow felt awkward at all from what had transpired after the test, his words ticking off the Ultimate Lifeform in a way he hadn't anticipated they would. Regardless of his suspicions and anxieties surrounding the Ultimate Lifeform's contact with his brother and its effect on the artificial Chaos within him, the fox didn't want any bad blood between them. No matter Shadow's rocky history and their past altercations, Tails did consider him a friend. And if Sonic liked him in a way beyond friendship, then he didn't want any issues once this situation was behind them.

Contemplating this, Tails adjusted himself a bit more on the couch before breaking the silence. “By the way, I wanted to apologize for yesterday.”

Sometimes, it was difficult to tell if Shadow was listening. Many of the group have seen him get up and walk away in the middle of a one-on-one conversation without warning on more than one occasion, leaving the speaker embarrassed. At this moment, thankfully, those hands paused their work, and a twitching ear moved in his direction. He didn’t turn to face the fox or make any sound, but Tails took it as an opportunity to continue. 

“I didn’t mean to suggest you weren’t in control in front of everyone like that, it must've been embarrassing,” Tails continued, his tone careful. If Shadow was anything, he was prideful, so he should've known how that would've gone. “I’m just trying to narrow down the possible triggers for Sonic’s shifts in behavior, but I didn’t consider how that might make you feel. I didn't mean to make you upset with my word choice. So, I’m sorry!”

The dark hedgehog remained there, still crouched over the flowers. He was the least expressive hedgehog Tails knew, so it was hard to say what he was thinking as his expression remained still. Awkwardly, the fox nibbled on the corners of his toast, a growing feeling of restlessness filling him. At least he got it off his chest...

But then, much to his surprise, after what felt like an eternity, Shadow released a sigh before curtly nodding. He continued his work, a brief acknowledgment that Tails was unlikely to get anything more than that. Unusually, the striped hedgehog spoke again after a few seconds.

"Do you know what flowers these are?"

Tails blinked slowly, perplexed at the sudden change in topic before his eyes scanned over the source of Shadow's inquiry. They were familiar even before Tails had joined the two to run tests in the field - Sonic had a habit of leaving their petals scattered around the house on more than one occasion - due to a certain pink hedgehog's infatuation with flowers. The fox smiled, leaning a bit towards Shadow as he spoke. 

“They’re called hydrangeas if I remember correctly,” he explained, his tone light but informative. “Their name is pretty literal – it basically translates to ‘water vessel’ because of their amazing ability to retain water, making them the perfect flowers to own if you're not home too often. There were some groups of people long ago that believed they were immortal, and some were even used in medicine. Amy told me once they were associated with apologies, with the white color symbolizing purity. I can ask her more about them later if you'd like?”

Shadow shifted, his ears perking at the explanation as he tilted his head to the side. Red eyes scanned over Sonic's gift in a newfound light, clearly mulling over something that he would not say aloud, but eventually, he did turn to finally look at Tails.

"...I would appreciate that."

Sonic’s voice on the television caught both of their attention just then, the flowers momentarily forgotten as they turned their heads to watch.

—

“...What you saw… was a mistake, ” the blue blur cocked his head to the side as he faced the onlookers fully, crumpling the paper spitefully with one hand. “There is nothing between me and Shadow. Nothing at all.”

The room erupted with a wave of whispers and murmurs, but Jewel’s sigh of relief was almost audible over the noise. She subtly adjusted herself in her seat, her expression carefully neutral despite the inner turmoil. G.U.N. had been relentless in flooding her inbox with demands to ensure Sonic cooperated, and despite his fiery protests that morning, she was grateful – relieved, even – that he was sticking to the script, albeit in his own way. She raised her hands for silence, scanning the room with a stern gaze that commanded attention. Thankfully, they listened.

“Let Sonic finish, and we will take those questions. Sonic, please continue,” she instructed, her voice calm yet firm.

Despite his begrudging compliance, Sonic couldn’t mask his emotions as well as Jewel could. His eyes were half-lidded next to her, the smile he bore unable to project any joy. He was the embodiment of barely contained frustration, every muscle in his body taut with suppressed anger that those who knew him could spot easily. But his words – no matter how bitter – were what mattered, and when he spoke again, he forced himself to comply.

“We got a little carried away at that party. Happens when you're having fun, but really, there’s nothing to question,” Sonic said, his voice low and strained. “There were drinks, laughs, you know, the usual… We’re friends. Nothing more to it…” His hand gripped the glass of water in front of him, fingers tightening around the cool surface as he swirled the liquid inside. His gaze was locked on the water, watching as it tilted dangerously close to the rim, threatening to spill over with every subtle movement. Threatening to... to… hecouldseehiscopyinthereflection–

Suddenly, Sonic blurted out in a sheepish voice, “You can ask me stuff now,” a bit too quickly. He hastily placed the glass back on the table, the water inside still trembling as a grin, one far too wide and forced, stretched across his face. Jewel felt a building of sympathy in her chest, noting the strain. She would get him through this quickly. Hands shot up in a chaotic wave of frantic motion, voices overlapping as reporters vied for Sonic’s attention. The room buzzed with energy, and Jewel, clearing her throat, flew into the air slowly. She scanned the crowd with a discerning eye, finally settling on a hand in the middle of the sea of eager faces. She pointed toward the right side of the room, selecting a white tiger whose tail flicked with anticipation. The reporter stood with notebook and pen in hand, her eyes gleaming as she prepared to seize the moment.

“Sonic,” the tiger pressed, her voice cutting through the noise with a sharp edge, “can you clarify what you meant by ‘carried away’? Are you implying there was more to the situation than just a friendly misunderstanding?”

“Nope. Next question!” Sonic replied, the words snapping out of his mouth as he leaned back in his chair. His feet slammed onto the table as he used it as a rest, causing it to rattle violently. The sudden motion made Jewel flinch, her carefully maintained composure slipping for just a moment as she glanced at him in confusion. Shaking her head, she quickly forced a smile back onto her face, hands clasping together in a show of polite professionalism. Sonic was usually good at keeping his cool, but those who knew him would know that he was already at his wit's end. 

“Ah, what Sonic said on that matter is final. No misunderstandings, just a harmless mistake. Um, n-next question then…” she squeaked, trying to brush off the murmurs of discontent that rippled through the crowd in response to Sonic’s dismissive answer. Her eyes darted around the room, she spotted a yellow mouse in the back who was standing precariously on a chair to be seen over the crowd.

“You there,” Jewel called, pointing in her direction. The mouse, clutching a tiny notebook, raised her voice to be heard over the restless murmurs. Jewel could only hope that this next question would go smoother.

The mouse adjusted her footing, her small voice growing in confidence as the room quieted. "Sonic, given Shadow’s history and alien origin, many people are shocked by the recent event, as you can imagine. You two are clearly on good terms, but being shown kissing someone so dangerous and unpredictable has some netizens torn. Do you have any words to ease these people’s worries about Shadow the Hedgehog, whose moral character is in question daily?"

Jewel inwardly cringed, her antenna twitching before turning to the blue hedgehog next to her. Sonic's grin faltered, his gaze narrowing as he considered his response. He was an expert by this point in his life, able to weave through conversations, but he just didn't have the heart for it today. His legs slipped off the table with a thud, his carefree demeanor cracking as he leaned forward. For a moment, he said nothing, the silence stretching uncomfortably long as the reporters shuffled. Then, with a forced chuckle that sounded more like a growl to Jewel’s ears, he responded.

"Shadow and I... Have saved the world more times than we can count. Yes, he has a troubled past, and he’s still atoning for that every day. You don’t have to forgive him, but try to be open-minded to the good he’s done," Sonic muttered, his voice low, body unusually stiff. He had a far-off look in his eyes, his mind filled with memories he would not dare utter. "He is a person like the rest of us, one who I would eagerly call my... friend. And I am not friends with bad people..."

The reporters scribbled furiously in their notebooks, eagerly awaiting for the hero to continue, but Sonic made no indication he'd elaborate further. He leaned back in his chair again, his earlier bravado returning, though now it felt more like a shield than a genuine expression.

"Next question."

Nodding, Jewel dusted off her suit nervously as she contemplated her next choice in the crowd of eager faces. Potentially, someone who looked older and more experienced would offer a question that wouldn't insult Sonic's friends to his face. Near the front, her eyes landed on a black crow who looked somewhat bored, their hand raised low without a hint of enthusiasm. The crow tilted their head to the side nonchalantly, beak parting with half-lidded eyes to speak. Jewel hoped this next question would be normal.

...

But life was cruel. 

“Sonic the Hedgehog, were you in Central City recently?” 

—

When the questions began, both Tails and Shadow had their eyes glued to the screen, silent spectators amidst the chaos unfolding on the TV. Tails’ frown deepened with each probing query, his mind racing to process the relentless barrage of questions. The tension in the room, and in Sonic's frame, was palpable even from there.

“...You know, the way they talk about you is awful. I don’t like how they talk about Sonic either, but with you, it feels… I don’t know how to describe it,” Tails muttered, leaning into the arm of the couch with a huff as blue eyes flicked back and forth between the screen and the hedgehog next to him. Sonic had just answered the second question, visibly agitated, his posture rigid as he leaned back in his chair. Calling Shadow dangerous and unpredictable so boldly likely ruined any good mood the hero could have had. 

Shadow didn't respond right away, lips pursed as red eyes darkened with each word out of the hero's mouth. He was pleased that Sonic was listening to him - despite the painful twist in his chest when Sonic called the kiss a mistake... But he was a professional. Ignoring his feelings and remaining objective was second nature. How easy to do for the Ultimate Lifeform.

"...Their thoughts of me are not without merit," Shadow finally murmured, his voice low and cryptic as his gaze remained fixed on Sonic. His posture seemed... relaxed as he spoke, though there was a hint of bitterness that matched the coffee in his hand. "They can say whatever they want. If they think I'm just a weapon, then perhaps I am. I don't care." 

Tails frowned at that. Sure, not everyone needed to forgive Shadow for what had happened, but... That didn't mean they should refer to him like that. The Ultimate Lifeform's flippancy bothered him, his sharp mind racing to find the right words to denounce such an odd claim. He opened his mouth to protest, but the next question asked made them both freeze.

—

Jewel’s eyes widened in horror. She fought to regain control of herself immediately, her mind racing to process the sudden shift in the atmosphere as the question made the room crawl to a standstill. Sonic, too, was motionless, his expression unreadable as he turned his full attention to the crow slowly. Jewel had to say something, to salvage this, but she was not perfect. She needed a moment to recollect herself, much to her dismay. How did... How did anyone know?!

The crow leaned back, their purple eyes narrowing slightly with a predatory glint as they gestured toward Sonic with an air of detached curiosity. Their indifference to the growing tension in the room was intimidating, a display of hunger for the truth that only the most seasoned professionals in the field could muster. It was a mistake to choose them. “Well? Were you in Central City recently?”

Jewel seemed to snap back to reality, her hands clasping together with a sound that felt unnervingly loud in the suddenly quiet room. She forced a smile, her antenna twitching slightly. “Irrelevant questions to the topic of Sonic and Shadow won’t be entertained. We’ll move on to the next one–!”

Before Jewel could finish, the crow cut her off, their voice slicing through the room that commanded attention, forcing her to pause. “I have sources that say it’s relevant to Sonic and Shadow, actually.” Jewel’s breath hitched, her smile doing little to hide her agitation. The crow’s eyes gleamed with a mix of challenge and satisfaction, as if they had been waiting for this moment. With a deliberate wave of their hand toward Sonic, they continued, their tone dripping with calculated precision.

“We all know G.U.N. was engaged with the Anti-Restoration in an effort to stop their terrorist attack on the Mayor, and Shadow’s involvement isn’t exactly classified information. The aftermath of his deployment? Significant. And the locals… they’ll be paying for those damages, one way or another. Whether you like him or not, Shadow the Hedgehog is usually effective. Surgical, even. Such widespread destruction isn’t the norm when G.U.N. unleashes its alien pet, which tells us a threat emerged beyond the A.R.'s capabilities…” The crow’s sneer deepened as they leaned forward, their gaze locking onto Sonic with a penetrating stare. The speedster's own glare hardened, every muscle in his body tense. Certainly, he knew the reporter was doing everything they could to make the blue hedgehog slip, to make a statement that would really make headlines. He just didn’t seem to care, or was literally unable to keep a lid on his emotions today.

“Do not call him that-!”

“There have been rumors circulating about you, Sonic.” The reporter ignored the order, waving him off with a feathered hand. “The Restoration members, tight-lipped as they are, haven’t stopped the whispers from seeping through the cracks. With Dr. Eggman’s recent attack here and your conspicuous absence from world-saving missions, people naturally assumed you’d been injured. Yet many have seen you running about, seemingly in perfect health and of sound body. But then, A.R. members who managed to escape through G.U.N.'s hold claim they saw you there at Central City. Then, oddly enough, people here claimed to have seen you with actual injuries a few days after. So, what with the city’s devastation… could you provide clarity for the public? They have a right to know: was excessive force used by Shadow the Hedgehog? Did you try and stop it? Or did you two fight a different threat?”

The question hung in the air, heavy and loaded.

Jewel was pissed now. Was G.U.N. aware of this speculation? In every email, in every call, they had made no mention of Anti-Restoration members escaping, instead focused on talking her ear off excessively. A critical detail, somehow overlooked… or deliberately concealed.

Shaking her head, the beetle found her voice then, firm yet strained. This was derailing, and she had to fix it. Now. “We are not here to address unfounded rumors today, and we cannot comment on G.U.N.’s recent missions, as we were not involved. Please, let’s steer back to the topic at hand-?”

For the second time, she was interrupted. 

Sonic shot up to his feet beside her, the table rattling violently under the force of his palms slamming against its surface. The speed of his movement startled Jewel, causing a small squeak to escape her as she flew back in surprise. The blue hedgehog's face was partially obscured in shadow, the overhead light casting menacing darkness along his muzzle as he leaned forward slightly. His teeth were bared in what looked like a smile, but the expression on his face was more unsettling than friendly. It carried a hint of something far more menacing.

"Who told you that?"

The crow's smirk widened, their demeanor calm and collected as they slowly reached into the breast pocket of their suit. With a deliberate, almost theatrical motion, they pulled out a card and held it between two fingers, waving it casually, almost tauntingly. The room collectively leaned forward, the murmurs growing louder as people tried to catch a glimpse.

The card was dark – deep red, with no obvious markings at first glance. But as the crow tilted it just right, the light revealed the faint outline of a familiar symbol. The sleek surface reflected in a way that made it unmistakable to all who lived on Earth, the maniacal insignia mocking and evil.

Eggman.

Gasps rippled through the crowd, each one a small spark that quickly ignited into a blaze of chaos. Within moments, the shouts of questions and demands drowned out any rational thought, the air thick with confusion and tension. The more reasonable among them muttered in disbelief, voices tinged with skepticism as they questioned aloud why anyone would trust the ramblings of the mad Doctor. But those voices were quickly overwhelmed by others - reporters driven by a relentless hunger for a scoop, their shouts merging into an unintelligible roar. Jewel gritted her teeth, her fists clenching tightly at her sides. The media was like a pack of wolves, circling, waiting for the scent of blood. It didn’t matter how much good the Restoration or Sonic had done; there would always be those eager to tear them down for the sake of a headline. The willingness to give credence to anything associated with Eggman revealed the darker side of their profession, a side that those constantly in the public eye, like Sonic and the Restoration, had to navigate with careful precision.

How Eggman had even come across this information was a mystery, but it didn’t change the fact that the situation was spiraling out of control fast. The crowd’s frenzy was feeding off itself, and Jewel could feel the atmosphere turning dangerous. Thankfully, they didn’t seem to know everything, and that thin veil of ignorance was their only defense.

Jewel turned to Sonic, intending to whisper that they would leave, that these people didn’t deserve another second of his time if they wouldn’t cooperate. She wanted to offer him an escape, to shield him from the relentless barrage of accusations and questions.

But when she looked at him, the words died in her throat.

…

... I see myself ... Myself ...?

‘No… not now, not herȩ̴̢̡̖̥̘̹͖̦̫̝̬͔̖̂͑́̋͋̿̂͂̔́͘̚…̸̢̦̙̾̅̈̈̓̅͗̈̽̏̈̔͝ͅ ̶̧́̈́̉Ņ̴͈̣̞̺̤̦̮͉̈́͆̏͑̽̂̋̎͝ͅo̵̧͎̳͈͕̝̘̜͚͚͙̤͒̎̃,̷̡̼̪͆͑͗͐ ̸̡͓̻̼͍̤̤͚̣͙̱͖̪͈̩̓̊̈͐̊̋̄͋͐́̏̿͑͝ͅ ņ̵̢̥̮̫̗͔̾͛̊̔̃̍̽͒̍̓̐̚͜͝͝ơ̴̤̱̂̔͗́̍̉͜…̵̡̡͖̣̱̟̟̩̩̜̊̆͊͛̊̓́̿͑̿̄͐́̀̎͘̚!̶̨̰̳͓̫̹̜̮͈̀͆̈́’̶͓̱̠̭͑́̅̾͛̈́̈́̉̊̆̑̎̒̔̚̚͘

…

A sharp, unsettling laugh tore through the tension, slicing through the cacophony of voices with ease. It was Sonic’s laugh, too loud, too abrupt, drawing every eye in the room back to him, though it did nothing to quell the rising uproar. His foot began tapping rapidly beneath the table, each tap a jarring beat that punctuated the agitation radiating off him in waves. The smile plastered across his face was wide, unnaturally so, a forced mask of strained cheerfulness that didn’t reach his eyes. It stretched his features tight, like a crack in a fragile facade, a silent alarm that something was very wrong.

Jewel, standing nearby, felt a cold shiver snake down her spine. Every instinct screamed in her mind, her nerves crackling with unease as she watched him. Sonic had seemed off today, but this was unsettling. She didn't think the onlookers knew, only seeing one side of the blue hedgehog that he crafted for them, but she knew better. The room felt like it was teetering on the edge of a cliff, and she knew, with a dreadful certainty, that one wrong move could send everything spiraling. Sonic's behavior in her office when he had woken up had been disturbing, but this...?

She hoped Tails was watching.

“...What, you’d really listen to anything Egghead says? No, I wasn’t there!” Sonic's voice rang out, his impatience barely concealed. His blue quills swayed with each emphatic shake of his head, his eyes boring into the crow with a ferocity that was unnerving. His words tumbled out in a rapid stream, almost too fast, his tone dismissive, mocking in a way that wasn't like Sonic at all. It reminded her of the very man they were discussing... “Eggman just loves stirring the pot, and you guys eat that up every time!”

The crow, seemingly unfazed by Sonic's outburst, merely arched an eyebrow, a subtle yet calculated show of defiance. With deliberate slowness, they unfolded their legs, leaning forward just enough to be disconcerting, and pointed the card directly at him. The gesture was small but brimming with challenge, a gauntlet thrown. “It’s not just Eggman, Sonic. As I mentioned, multiple A.R. accounts confirmed your presence. And let’s not forget, you vanished for two days after the incident. There’s no need to be coy, your presence there makes sense.”

“Ah, right, because the guys called the Anti-Restoration are totally trustworthy when talking about us,” Sonic shot back, his voice laced with a scornful laugh as he waved a dismissive hand in front of his face. The rational part of his mind screamed at him to shut up, to regain control, but the words kept spilling out, fueled by something dark and unyielding. More waves. More ocean. “Shadow probably beat them so hard they were seeing double. Wouldn’t be the first time someone’s gotten us mixed up. Happens to the best of ‘em, how sad.”

The reporter’s eyes gleamed with a predatory curiosity, their smile widening just enough to reveal their growing confidence. They leaned into the tension, every word dripping with a calculated intent to provoke. “And what about your allies here? Can’t they be trusted?” The bird’s chuckle was soft, sinister, heightening the charged atmosphere that now thrummed through the room as they stood. With deliberate steps, they closed the distance to the table, positioning themselves directly in front of the hedgehog whose erratic demeanor was beginning to shatter his heroic veneer. “You were injured in the same timeframe, and not many could harm you. I understand he is your… special friend, but the military should pay for its dog , not the public. Shouldn't a hero who represents the people know that?”

...That d̸̗̗̳͊̈́̍̆̆̏̃̒́̇̐͒̌ị̴̩͉͚͉͉͔͔͋͗͌͛͆̍̏̔̕͜͝s̶̡̡̧̼̳̣̽̒͛̒̊́͒̽̆̓͘g̵̡̖͖̠̦̗͖̑̑̓ụ̴̖͈̗̲͕͈̝̖̗̥̱͚̬̱̋̀́̏́̑̀̓̐̉̍͘͝͝s̸̢̛̲̹͕̤̼̫͖̣͆̆̓͐͗̿̋͗̚̚͠t̷̨̨̤̗͚͎̜̹͇̰̠̪̠̠̣̔͌̓̈́͐̓͌͘͜ͅį̴̥̖̗̦̑͜n̵͍̜͙͎̬̮̼̜͐͐̍̈́͆̇̌̿͊̚̚͜ͅg̸̨̢̰͎͖͍͖̠̖͓͈̫͇̀̈́̋̑̐̒̍͗̈́̒́̐̅́̑̓͜͝ͅ ̴̢͔̼̯̖̘͆͆̀̈̾͘human man…! D̵i̶s̶g̸u̶s̸t̸i̶n̶g̶…̴!

Sonic’s claws ripped through his chest, and he could see the black water spilling.

ihadliedbeforeirememberedheremembereditallshadowihurtyousorryhelpmepleaseiwilldoitagainandagainandagainandagainicantstop–

“I said don’t call him that,” Sonic growled, muzzle to beak mere inches apart as his eyes twitched and quills became frayed. The crow scoffed, holding the hand with the card out enough for Sonic to see it clearly. Eggman’s red icon flashed in the hero’s darkening vision.

“Why? It’s true. He’s a liability, a m̵͕̳̅̾̓̐̍̽̊̚o̶͓͉̬̓̈́̒̾͐̍̒̄̈́͐̾̂̚n̴͉͆͆̓̅͆́̀̈̋͗͝͠ș̴̞̤͔̖̣̯̳͉̭̯̹̼̱͕̉́̒̓͌̀̂͋̌͗̀̉͑̇̉͜͠ţ̵̛͎͎͍̲̥͌̍́͊͌̕͝e̴̢̱͚̼̟̎ͅr̶̡̂͌̃̓̉͐́̾̀͋̚ , a toy, a pawn, and he’s going to die if you don’t do something. Those d̴i̵sg̷u̷sti̴n̴g̵ ̵h̷u̴m̸a̴n̵ ̸m̴en̷. Shadow’s going to d̶̪̼̳̘͍͝ì̸̲͍͈͍͎̞̣̺̙̈́͒̍̓̏̆͋͑̌̄͘͜͝e̶̘̮̘͉͔̟̘͓̯̖̍͑̔͌̈̈́̿̈́̎͒͗͋ ! These people all want him d̸̩͎͍͇͕̬̊̐͊̀̀͂̓̆̉̀́̅̅̄̓̕͝e̷͔͙̰̓̀͂́̆a̶̡̛͕͍͍̼̹͌̔̂̇͋̃̎͊̽͆̊͑̒͗̀̏͜d̸̢̢͔̫̞͍͓̆͆̑͛̆͘ ! Sonic! S̴̤̗̅̈́̽̀̓ó̷̺̙̘̜͓̹̺̘́̔̅͝n̶̰̦͙͚̻̖̟̱̥̞̉i̸̹͈̘͕̽̈́̅͊̈́̚͝͝͝c̷̰̪͚̝̽͛̒!̸̙̩͑̈́̐͂̽̕ ”

…

...

...

Sonic's eyes widened ever so slightly, his entire body going rigid. 

“Why? It’s true,” the crow chirped smugly, their voice cutting through the heavy silence with a razor-sharp edge. “He and the rest of G.U.N. should be held accountable, as the people demand!” With a dramatic flourish, they tossed the card onto the table, their movements filled with smug satisfaction. They turned to address the other reporters, their voices rising with the zeal of a righteous crusader. “It’s our job to be the messengers of the populace! To uncover the secrets even heroes like to hide!”

“There is nothing hidden!” Jewel’s voice rang out, clear and resolute as she flew up, her wings beating rapidly in her agitation. Her sharp gaze zeroed in on the crow, her posture brimming with authority. Lie or not, she had a job to do. “We will be taking no more questions! Sonic, let's go.”

“Hah! Running?” The crow spun back around, their purple eyes gleaming with triumph, savoring the moment. “You can’t run from the truth, not even if you're Sonic! Eggman is devious, but the facts are-!”

...But the facts were... Sonic was fast.

In the blink of an eye, the crow’s words were swallowed by a blur of blue. The shift in Sonic's expression, a sudden, chilling transition from irritated patience to something far sickly sweet, was too swift for anyone to process. One second, Sonic stood still, and the next, his fist had moved at supersonic speeds. No one in the room, especially not the crow, could see it clearly. There was only a streak of motion followed by the unmistakable force of impact.

Through it all, Sonic's smile remained wide and gleaming.

—

Tails' jaw dropped. Sonic’s fist had smashed into the table, splintering it with a single, brutal strike right down the middle. The impact echoed through the room, leaving the young fox utterly speechless. His wide eyes slowly shifted to Shadow, who appeared just as stunned - his crimson eyes wide, ears perked, and his usually stoic posture rigid.

“Did... did you know that Anti-Restoration members got out, or…?” Tails whispered, his voice barely more than a rasp as he struggled to tear his gaze away from the screen. It was like everyone in the room was frozen in place. On the television, Jewel flew next to Sonic, her hands clasped tightly over her mouth, eyes wide as she stared down at the damage. Meanwhile, Sonic slowly straightened his back, shaking out his hand as his expression remained hidden by the downward turn of his head.

Shadow responded after a beat, his voice low and tight. “...No.” His hands clenched together, his eyes never leaving the screen as he scrutinized every movement Sonic made. Concern deepened the furrow in his brow. “I was in recovery and have been off-duty. Rouge didn’t mention anything…”

“...Geez.” Tails muttered with a groan, running a hand down his face. “This isn't the first time he's lost his temper with the press - hates doing these things, only does it for the Restoration - but… yeah, this… this is different.” His voice was heavy with worry as he reached for his tablet on the coffee table, his fingers brushing against its cool surface, trying to ground himself. “I need to head over there... Jewel’s going to need help...”

Just as he was about to move, to walk towards the door, he had to stop. His ear twitched toward the television... because Sonic was speaking again.

—

"Ow... Fuck ..." Sonic hissed, using his other hand to lightly massage the one that had made contact with the table. He stared down at the table as if it had offended him personally before his eye caught on something in the light. Uncaring - oblivious - of how so many eyes watched his every move, he knelt down to pick up the card the crow had been waving in his face. His movements were unnaturally stiff, and after a few moments of inspection followed by his nose wrinkling in disgust, he shoved the card into his quills. It was only when he stood back up that he seemed to notice how everyone in the room was staring at him. Not even a single camera flashed.

As though their reaction was absurd to him, Sonic began to laugh again. 

"Pfft, hey, I said to stop talking, to not say those things... Look what you made me do!" Whistling at his handiwork, he stepped over the broken table with a kick in his step, grinning broadly as he eyed onlookers harshly. He passed by the crow, who remained stiff, without even a second glance, maneuvering down the center path between rows and rows of chairs to make it to the door with a purposeful stride. Jewel had said he could leave, so he would. He didn't need to be here with idiots anyway. 

What did they know? Shadow had wanted it. It's fine. I did the right thing. And I’ll do it again. And again. And again.

"...No one else gets to know it, but Shadow the Hedgehog is an amazing guy." He was speaking out loud as he walked, his creepy expression being replaced with a soft smile with each step he took, his muzzle warming. Was he aware that he was airing his thoughts? "He's funny, even when he’s not trying to be. He's caring, and he expresses that in awesome ways. Shadow might be the quirkiest hedgehog… Mobian… person on the planet I’ve ever met. Every chance to get to know him is like a gift to me. I wouldn't have it any other way... Be kind to him. " His hand reached for the door handle as his words, although sweet, were carried with the weight of a threat, green eyes shifting to the security camera nestled in the corner of the ceiling. 

Was Shadow watching like he said he would? Oh, he hoped so...

As he was about to open the door, he cast one last glance over his shoulder at the paparazzi. He didn't seem pleased at the way they remained unresponsive, and a mischievous smirk replaced his smile. Who cared about Eggman? Who cared what Commander Tower wanted? Shadow himself didn't know better, but he'd show him this was the right way.

I am Sonic the Hedgehog.

I know better than ę̴̢̛̘̬̗̬͈͍̘̥̗̰̳̣̞͓̣̜̙͕̜̻̻͇͈̪̤̰̘͈̹̖͉̪̼̖͂͗̈́͌́̀̊́͝ͅͅv̷̡̨̢̨̧̨̖̥͙̟̫̳͎͖̘̮̹̣̦͚̯͙͉̹͎͖̲̺̹̙̜͉̩͔̻̣̺̟̞̟̉͗̽̑̽́̎̄͛͛̋̋̎̔͋͜͜͝ͅę̷̡̨̧̢̧̧̛̜̦̙̩̝̳̯̞̙͉̰͖̙̮͖̥̣̖̺̦̮̜͙̪̦̱̩̞̀̑̀̀̅̓̑̌̈́͋̈́̿̒͋͒͆̈́̇̅̎̽̀̉̄͑̏̿̎͂͜͜͝ͅr̵̢̡̧̡͔̦̯̮̩̙̙̻̝̞̥͈͚̫̜̼̥̺͓͓̠͎͙̤̥̦͍͔̥̯͇̮͎̩̩̮̓́̈́̅͊͊̆͆͒̅̈́̀̚͝ͅy̴̢̛̗̹̞̠̞̰͎̪͕̣̬̳͚͈̍̍̍͂̑̀̐̒́̀̅̈́̽̀̊́̕͜͜ͅǒ̷̡̡̤̜̦̫͚̱̻̥̟̮͚͑͐̑̋͒̎̈͆͋̚͘̚͜n̸̫͔͚͖̤̳̪̘̥͇̭͈̭̭̞̾̍̓̇̽̇̇̌͆̒̽̀̐͛͐̅̋͗̆̏̄̂̽͘͘̕͜͜e̷̛̛̳̻̙̺̳̔̀̎͗͗́̂̑͗̂̄̈͐̽́̄̑̋̿̈́͊̽̽̑̎̅̏̀̔͛̀͘͝͝͝͝.̶̼̰͍͇͇̼̄̓̔̿͋̇͒̾͋̓͋ͅͅ ̷̡̧̬͈̣̜̺̞͙̳̰͇̬̻̯̠̥͙̖̳̝͕͕͚̆̍̃̈́̓̉̇̓͗̐̇̆͗͛̆̈́́̌͆͂͌̽̌̂͑̒̓͘͜͜͠͝͝͝͠ͅͅͅͅ

Spoken in a tone as light as the wind he embodied, he said, without a hint of remorse as he peeled off the bandage on his arm slowly:

"Shadow and I, ‘Just Friends’? Heh… You don’t get to know how friendly Shadow likes to get~!”

—

“...Oh, that’s not... Erm… Woah, wait, Sh-Shadow, wait–! ”

The world was red.

—

Sonic burst through the doors with a giggle, the sound echoing down the hallway as the entrance slammed shut behind him. Shouts and commotion followed in his wake, muffled by the thick walls, but he didn’t seem to care. His sudden entrance startled Amy and Surge, who had been waiting just outside in two foldable chairs, completely unaware of what had just transpired within the room.

Once she recognized him, Surge growled, leaning back in her chair again after shooting upright, crossing her arms in irritation. "Great, chucklefuck is here. Did you reveal that Stripes dyes his quills or some shit? Why are they all yellin'?" Amy gave her a deadpan look before collecting herself, giving Sonic a hopeful look as she stood, hands clasped together. 

"Hey Sonic! How did it go? That was one of the faster ones you've done, huh? I'm sure you're happy about that!" Sonic turned to her with a wide grin, flashing his signature thumbs-up.

“Yup! Never better! Couldn’t have gone better even if I tried!” he snickered, his voice overly chipper. Without missing a beat, he spun on his heel and hopped in front of the two, his movements jittery and hyperactive. His bulging eyes and strained smile, however, betrayed the... odd energy that clung to him, making the usually energetic display feel almost eerie. “I’m gonna go for a run! You tell Tails for me, okay?”

Surge scowled, glaring up at him with a defiant sneer from where she sat. She was clearly put off by the hero's tone. “Fuckin’ tell ‘em yourself! 'Fastest Thing Alive' but can't find the time? Idiot... What's with your face, anyway?" 

Amy grabbed one of her own quills to pull on it nervously, a hum in her throat as she tilted her head to the side. Sonic's behavior and expressions were weirding her out, clearly, but she did her best to hide it. Her free hand reached back to rest on Surge's arm to steady herself - or to calm the tenrec down. 

“I don’t mind,” Amy said softly, though her eyes started taking in his appearance - his quills began to bristle uncontrollably, the sweat forming on his brow, and the frantic gleam in his eyes... What had happened in there...? “But… Sonic, you look… Uh, are you okay?”

Sonic folded his arms over his chest, grabbing his chin in mock thought as his eyes clenched shut, foot tapping. After a few seconds, he opened them again, grinning broadly as he leaned a bit closer. 

“I’m fine! Everything’s fine! I aced it in there, trust me! Though, uh, heh...” He glanced down the hall, beginning to hop from one leg to the next. "I thought I did. Now, though, I think I messed up! Gotta run!" 

"I... Why's that...?" Amy followed his gaze, confused...

Any question was answered in a matter of miliseconds.

A very ticked-off Shadow rounded the corner, teeth bared, Chaos cackling off his body like red sparks, with a vision clearly locked onto the blue hedgehog next to her. She didn't have time to intervene, to question what had gotten the Ultimate Lifeform so worked up, for they were both gone in a blur of black and blue.

She blinked rapidly at the gust of wind their speed produced.

"...Okay, maybe it wasn't actually about dye, but I know I'm right!" Surge snickered next to her smugly.

—

Much to Sonic’s surprise, he didn’t get to make it that far before Shadow tackled him to the ground. Granted, he was too giddy, too amused by the whole situation to properly use the terrain to his advantage, feeling thrilled by the sound of the Ultimate Lifeform’s skates a mere step behind. They had made it to the forest on the outskirts of the Restoration Camp, where Sonic put pure faith in his instincts to guide him through the maze of trees as his thoughts fell silent…

And then, suddenly, the trees began to thin.

The thick canopy overhead gave way to a small clearing, a wide field where the ground dipped gently towards a river that cut through the landscape like a shimmering ribbon of silver. The water glistened under the overhead light, the gentle current creating ripples that danced across the surface. The air was cooler here, the scent of wet earth and fresh water filling his lungs as he sprinted toward the bank. The water before him moved with a quiet strength, winding its way through the rocks and reeds that lined its edges.

Sonic barely had time to register the serene scene before him when he heard the telltale rush of air from behind, a split-second warning before he was tackled to the ground.

“Oof!” Sonic yelped as Shadow’s weight collided with him, the impact sending them both tumbling across the field. They rolled in a tangle of limbs and fur, the world spinning around them in a blur of colors and sensations. Grass and dirt kicked up around them, the hard ground bruising as they struggled for dominance. Sonic’s breath hitched as he fought against the iron grip of his Rival, but before he could even attempt to regain his footing, they rolled one last time.

Straight into the river.

The cold shock of the water enveloped them both, the icy chill biting into their skin as they plunged beneath the surface. Sonic instinctively kicked out, his limbs thrashing in a frantic scramble to push himself upright. When his head finally broke through the water, he gasped for air, the cool river cascading down his face and soaking his quills. The river wasn’t deep – just reaching up to his chest if he were able to stand properly – but the current tugged persistently at him, making it difficult to find stable footing. He fought to stay upright, his shoes slipping from beneath him as the murky water swirled around him. When he was able to get over the cold, Sonic turned his head to the side to look at Shadow. 

The Ultimate Lifeform had stood up with him, though his usual composure was nowhere to be found. His expression, normally so stern and controlled, was almost comical as he shivered in the cold water. His quills, which usually stood proudly, now drooped under the weight of the liquid, clinging to him in a way that made him look akin to a sopping wet kitten. His wide red eyes met Sonic’s, and for a brief moment, the rage that had been burning within them seemed to have been doused.

…He looked cu̷te, but what else was new̵?̵

The thought struck Sonic like a bolt of lightning, and he couldn’t help himself. A laugh burst from his lips, starting as a chuckle and quickly growing into full-blown, uncontrollable laughter. If he had any worries that Shadow would kill him, they were floating away like leaves carried downstream by the current at how adorable his boyfriend was. The hero doubled over, clutching his sides in his mirth, the sound echoing through the quiet clearing, droplets of water flying from his head with each shake as he swayed precariously in the current.

"Y-You should see yourself, Shads!" he wheezed, clutching his sides as he struggled to keep his balance. "I wish I had a picture, hehe~!" 

The mention of a photo knocked the hybrid back to reality. With a snarl, Shadow lunged at Sonic without warning, water splashing around them as his hands shot out, aiming to grab the blue hedgehog by the throat. But Sonic was ready, instinctively dodging to the side, his smirk only growing wider.

“Not so fast!” Sonic taunted, his voice dripping with an eerie blend of playfulness and twisted pleasure even as he struggled to move effectively in water this deep. Shadow growled, his fury only fueling his next attack. He spun, aiming a powerful kick at Sonic’s midsection, water spraying as his foot cut through the river. Sonic barely dodged the strike, the force of the kick sending ripples across the water. He retaliated with a quick jab, but Shadow caught his wrist, twisting it with enough force to make Sonic wince. The two hedgehogs grappled in the river, each movement sending waves crashing around them as they fought for dominance.

Shadow shoved Sonic back, forcing him to stumble through the current. He followed with a punch aimed at Sonic’s jaw, but Sonic ducked just in time, his fist grazing the air. Sonic retaliated with a swift kick to Shadow’s knee, strong enough to cause the Ultimate Lifeform to stagger despite the crippled movement. Sonic’s grin never wavered, even as Shadow’s punches became more ferocious, each blow driven by raw anger. But there was something else behind Sonic's eyes now… did Shadow even notice? 

If he did, would he be in the water with him right now?

“You’re getting so predictable in fights, Shads,” Sonic teased, his voice barely above a whisper as they circled each other, green meeting red in an open challenge. “I’d rather see how open you can get. Wouldn’t you like that too? ”

Shadow’s eye twitched in confusion, his face reddening before he silently lunged forward again, but this time Sonic was quicker. With a sudden burst of speed, Sonic ducked low, sweeping his Rival’s legs out from under him. The black hedgehog fell back into the water with a splash, but before he could react, the hero was on him.

Sonic’s hands found Shadow’s shoulders, pushing him down with surprising force. The water rushed up around Shadow’s face as Sonic forced him beneath the surface, his grin widening into something almost feral as Shadow thrashed beneath him, bubbles rising to the surface as he fought against Sonic’s hold.

“Cool off, man. I’ll let you back up when you do…! ”

For a moment, Sonic just stared down at Shadow through the rippling water, his own reflection distorted in the river’s surface. He could feel the power in his grip, the way Shadow struggled beneath him… it sent a strange thrill through him. His heart pounded in his chest, but it wasn’t from the exertion – it was from ecstasy.

“Isn’t it funny, Shads?” Sonic muttered, his voice barely audible over the sound of rushing water. He knew the other couldn’t hear him. He didn’t care. There was an odd sense of ease he felt while doing this, the river turning black as he smiled. “How things turn out... how easily I could just… keep you here… Hehe… ”

Shadow’s movements were becoming more frantic as the seconds grew to minutes, his hands clawing at Sonic’s arms as his lungs probably screamed for air. The current pulled at them both, but it did nothing to stop the hero from indulging…

…

He could feel it now, the way the struggles were growing weaker. He could see it, the way the bubbles of air were diminishing…

The Hero of Earth purred…

…

Can Shadow hear the music?

…

…When did the river turn black?

…

“What… what am I doing?!”

…

“No… No, no ņ̷̻͎̺͚̪̪͉͕̗̟̮̺̼̙͑̒͜ő̴̱̲̖̘̩͗́̍̋͒̚ ̶̡̛̘̱͈̰̮̫̬̔͌̈̌̋̍͐͒̀͘͝͠ͅṉ̷̡̲̠͙͖̜̼̠̮̜͍̄̉̎̋͆̏̆̚ǫ̴̯̯͚͚̈́́̅̏̏̀͂̑̋…̸̫̟̽͂͜!̵̭̹̯̘͎̭̟̙́͂ ̴̛̬̗̹̟̅͛̒̆͋̇͑̓̉̔̈̈̉̓̈́̾Shad̴̨͖̗̺͉̙̯͇̪̫͙̜͎̟̦̉͊̓͋̀͆̓̀̈́̓͘ǫ̸̧͎̰̣͉̱̘̗̲̬̼͈̥̱̹̰̊̋́̎̓͐̎͘͝w̶̼͌̀̇̕͘ ̴̧̘͈̣̗͍͖̎̈́̐́́͘̚͝Į̷̢̨͍̻͖̠̯̞͍̤̰͎͖̯̿̈́̋̊̀̓̈́̀̏͆̓͛͑̅̒͠͝ ̷̞̩̤͉̹̟̱̠̘̗̝̖̤͗̉̔̔͘ͅc̸̯̩̰͙͙̃̓́̇ͅå̵̡̧̛̠͎͓̪͇̱̓̈̑́̐̿̀̚͠ņ̶̳̠̫̘͖̞̯͕̪̮̪̤̱̝̋̍̄̉̕͘’̴̖̥̯͕̫̯̗̫͎̻̘͚̈́͒̓̈́͗̅̂̀͗t̸͙̮̳̯͚͔̹͕̍̈́̊̔̊̔̽͋̈̊̕̚͘̕͠͝ͅ ̴͉̲̟̣͈̅͂͋̃̈́̓͛́̈́̕s̸̹̦̖̪̻̺̩̣͈͕̤̭̩̫̝̈́̄̌̏͜t̶̯̙͕̮̾̀̈́̂̀̿́̌́̔́ǫ̸̧̛̤̪̩̟̮̝̪͍̬̗̀͌͛͂͒̚p̸̫̬͊̇̈́͆̀̆̌͋̅̍̀̚͘?̸̧̺̩̘̖̥̎̈!̷̝͕͎̩̞͗̍̽̅͊̅͂͌̄̿͂̉̀͘̕͘͝”

…

…

…

Sonic's grip must have loosened at some point. He blinked when he found himself unceremoniously lifted and hurtled through the air, feeling lost until the ground approached. An undignified yelp escaped him as he crashed onto the earth beside the riverbank, groaning as he lay in a soaking heap of quills and fur. He turned his head just in time to see Shadow emerge from the river, water cascading off his fur, his icy stare locked onto Sonic. For someone who had just been forcibly submerged for so long, Shadow was disturbingly composed… unless it… wait, no… had he been…?

Did it not… what…?

“What the fuck is your problem?!” Shadow’s voice cut through the air like a blade, a menacing snarl as he stalked closer. His soaked quills, weighed down by the water, were already beginning to rise again, crackling with chaotic red energy. The fury radiating off him was palpable, and Sonic could feel the intensity of it deep in his bones.

Sonic shook his head, his vision blurring around the edges as a sudden wave of fear began to fester in his chest. Was he losing his mind? What was Shadow even talking about? The blue blur scrambled to his feet, but his movements were unsteady, stumbling as his furious boyfriend advanced on him with terrifying speed.

“What… do you mean…?” Sonic's voice was uncertain, the lingering sensation of shoving Shadow's head beneath the water still haunting his thoughts. He shivered, the adrenaline in his system starting to mix with dread. He had meant it as a clarifying question, to know if he had done what he had just thought, but it only seemed to stoke the flames of Shadow’s wrath further instead.

Ruby eyes glowed with ferocious intensity. “What do I…?! Are you stupid ?!” Shadow’s words dripped with venom, and before Sonic could react, the agent drew his leg back and slammed his boot into the hero’s chest. The force of the blow knocked the wind out of him, a pained gasp escaping as he was sent crashing back to the ground.

Shadow was on him in an instant, his boot coming down hard on Sonic’s body in a series of furious stomps. Each one drove Sonic further into the dirt, bruising his skin and sending sharp jolts of pain through him. He barely had time to register the cut on his arm from a jagged rock beneath him, his mind was too focused on his boyfriend’s relentless assault. That, and the contrast of this Shadow and the one from this morning… How is he going to get that side of him back? Hm…

“I gave you an order, but you’re selfish! You don’t get to do what you want without consequences! Why don’t you ever listen?!” The hybrid seethed uncontrollably, his rage boiling over as he kicked Sonic hard in the ribs, forcing the blue blur to roll over onto his side. “Do you get off on making me mad?!”

Sonic groaned, throwing his arms out to grab the other’s ankle when another kick left him gasping. It took all his strength, but he turned sharply, pulling the Ultimate Lifeform to the ground next to him with a mighty swing. Shadow landed on his hands and knees with a grunt, and the blue blur took the second of disorientation to try and crawl away. No mention of the drowning…

“Look, man, I told you it’s not a big deal!” Sonic’s voice trembled with frustration, his words spilling out as he shook his head like a dog trying to shake off water. Droplets sprayed through the air as his drenched sneakers made a squelching sound against the now muddy ground, the earth soaked from the two wet hedgehogs rolling in it. He stood defiant, but he could feel his resolve wavering. 

Shadow whipped around to face him, teeth bared and wild red eyes blazing with fury. Sonic barely had a moment to register the feral intensity in his gaze before the Ultimate Lifeform lunged at him. In an instant, they were locked in a struggle, hands pressed against one another, bodies straining as each tried to overpower the other. Sonic knew, deep down, that he was outmatched. Shadow's strength was undeniable, and the grip on his hands was already painfully tight. But Sonic couldn’t stop the words from tumbling out of his mouth, even if he knew they might only make things worse.

“Silver was right! If anything, this is good for your public image! You should be happy!”

The second the words left his mouth, Sonic regretted them. The vein in Shadow’s temple throbbed visibly, and with a roar that echoed with his alien heritage, Shadow surged forward. The sheer force of it made Sonic gasp in pain as his legs buckled beneath the onslaught. The grip on his hands became crushing, and he was certain that if this escalated any further, his bones would crack under the pressure.

“You’re always making a spectacle of everything!” Shadow snarled, his voice trembling. His fur began to spark with red Chaos energy, the dangerous aura burning through the air between them enough to make Sonic wince as the raw power stung his skin, the sensation like tiny needles pricking at his nerves. Shadow wasn’t just furious… he sounded wounded, and that realization sent a pang of guilt through Sonic’s chest… But…

He should see things my way.

“Okay, okay! I’m… ugh, I’m sorry about that!” Sonic gasped, trying to keep his voice steady despite the growing pain in his chest. His muscles strained as Shadow pushed him down at an awkward angle, his back arching uncomfortably as he fought to stay upright. “But I told you how I felt! We agreed to move forward together, right? And part of that is telling your boss to stuff it!”

Shadow’s response was immediate and brutal. “I don’t care about what you want!” His voice was a vicious snarl, and before Sonic could react, Shadow raised his knee and slammed it into the hero’s chest. The impact knocked the wind out of him, and he had no choice but to let go, falling onto his back with a heavy thud. Above him, Shadow loomed, his expression twisted with anger and frustration. 

“This is the arrangement I made with G.U.N. years ago!” Shadow spat, his voice dripping with disdain. “I abide by it because I want to! Not because I need to justify it to you! ”

Sonic groaned, clutching his chest as he looked up at his boyfriend. His heart was pounding, both from the pain and the realization that Shadow’s fury ran deeper than he’d thought. But even through the bruises and the aches, Sonic couldn’t let it go. He was right. Shadow had to see that.

“At the expense of yourself?!” Sonic shot back, his voice cutting through the rain-soaked air as he pointed a gloved hand at Shadow, the accusation sharp and biting. “That doesn’t make any sense, Faker! You’re the Ultimate Lifeform, aren’t you? Why would you let anyone tell you what to do at all?”

For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. Neither of them moved. Shadow’s eyes narrowed, dark and intense, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles audibly cracked from the pressure. The words had struck a nerve - Sonic could see it in the way Shadow’s gaze flickered off to the side, unable to meet his own as his… cheeks flushed a shade darker. It was enough to make Sonic hesitate, his accusatory hand slowly lowering in confusion.

To be perfectly honest, he hadn’t expected this. He was speaking out of frustration, letting thoughts tumble out with no filter. It was the pent-up bitterness that had been boiling over since the morning, fueled by the idea of bowing to anyone’s authority – something that had never sat well with him. And he’d always assumed Shadow was the same way, at least to some extent. Shadow was proud, constantly reminding the world of his status as the Ultimate Lifeform. Yet he worked with G.U.N., took orders from them willingly on matters outside of combat…

A contradiction? Shadow was a weirdo, so it wouldn’t be strange to assume this was just a quirky choice he made for the Hell of it. That, or Sonic was misunderstanding something…

Sonic’s nose scrunched up as he watched Shadow’s struggle, his boyfriend opening and closing his mouth wordlessly, unable to speak. Only seconds had passed, but it felt like an eternity as the hero’s mind raced for answers. Why does he work with G.U.N. if they don’t even like him? The question nagged at Sonic, curiosity beginning to replace his earlier indignation. Shadow had always been a mystery, but this… this felt different. There was something deeply personal here, something Sonic had never fully understood. He knew there was bad blood between Shadow and G.U.N.’s Commander, an animosity that was ignored for the sake of professionalism and a common goal. But Sonic had his own issues with the organization. The difference was that while Sonic kept them at arm’s length, Shadow willingly chose to work with them. 

And yes, while Sonic did favors for friends, such as the conference he totally nailed that morning, he didn’t actually care what the people thought of him. He’d always do what was right for himself and his friends. Even if the world turned on him, he’d keep on running. But Shadow, who claimed to not care, seems to have placed himself in a position where scorn would follow his every move. Affectionately reading Sonic’s fanmail last night… it felt like a sign of something he longed for, but chose to not have…

‘Why?’ The thought echoed in Sonic’s mind as he searched Shadow’s face for answers. ‘ Why does he stay with them, even if it hurts him…?’ He wracked his brain. Shadow’s notebook had made no mention of such things, so he had to rely on what he knew. Pushing aside thoughts of Shadow whimpering and gasping beneath him for a second, he searched and searched for a clue…

BEEP. BEEP.

…

Shadow paled.

“...Damn it…!” The Ultimate LIfeform didn’t even glance Sonic’s way as he turned, taking a few paces away as he stared down at the communicator on his wrist. He stood there, chest heaving, trying to compose himself before answering the call, his back to Sonic as his free hand ran through his wet quills nervously. The hero could see the stiff set of his shoulders, the way his quills bristled with lingering outrage and embarrassment, but he could also see the sparking Chaos disappearing. Sonic frowned, dusting himself off before pushing himself up to a stance. He wobbled slightly, his body aching, but this was far from the worst thing he’d ever experienced. He didn’t care to pay attention to whatever the Commander would chastise him for, the thought making his blood boil, so instead he continued his pondering…

…And his mind started wandering. As did his eyes. 

Black ears were pinned flat against Shadow’s head as he listened to his Commander speak. His quills, still dripping, had at least returned to their usual upward turn, though his fur remained matted and dirty in some places due to their scuffle. His shoulders, stiffened along with his posture, made his stance appear stone-like in nature, whatever was being said putting the Ultimate Lifeform on edge. Then there was the arch of his back, delicate, that naturally led Sonic’s eyes to the other’s tail… 

…

When Sonic had chased Shadow yesterday, driven by the wild surge of adrenaline and the glimpse of fear he swore he’d seen in the other’s eyes, he couldn’t deny that his gaze had been almost magnetically fixed on Shadow's ass. The Ultimate Lifeform was undeniably captivating – his sleek, powerful body commanded attention, and Sonic understood why, despite the fear the hybrid instilled in half the public, there was still a relentless curiosity about him. That allure, that enigmatic presence, was why Shadow became a media sensation every time someone caught a glimpse of him doing something unexpected. He was the unknown, an irresistible enigma that people couldn’t help but want to unravel. They weren’t just fascinated by his strength or his power. They wanted to delve deeper, to uncover everything that made him tick, both in body and soul. The mystery that was Shadow the Hedgehog.

None would be worthy of it, however. None but Sonic. He had told the press today that they didn’t get to see more, and that was pure honesty. Shadow was his. He’d get to see every side of him.

…Why had Shadow made that face again? What had Sonic said to provoke that beautiful reaction…? Really, he had just been talking nonsense in that moment, a pure yapper at heart, but… what did…?

……Wait…

Wait.

Sonic’s cheeks flushed brighter than his shoes.

‘Am I… actually an idiot? There’s… There’s no way that…’

The hero grabbed his muzzle with one hand, squishing his cheeks as his eyes blew wide, frantically looking Shadow up and down. Would it even make sense? Was he just dirty-minded? Possibly, but… Hm…

…His tail began to wag behind him.

shadowhadwantedithelikedithewantedithelikedithewantedit–

With mischief festering in his chest, Sonic sauntered over to Shadow’s side, his crooked smile growing more unhinged by the second, each step like walking a line between what was right and what was wrong. His hands trembled slightly, not with fear, but with anticipation. The thrill of what he was about to do electrified him. He could hear the Commander’s voice crackling through Shadow’s communicator, sharp, irritated, and dripping with thinly veiled contempt. Each word was like fuel to Sonic’s amusement, feeding the fire that burned away any remaining sense of restraint. The Commander’s disappointment, his disdain… it all meant nothing to him. Not now. Not ever.

Stopping right beside Shadow, Sonic’s grin widened to a disturbing length, stretching across his face like a dark secret. The river, the press conference, the nightmare from this morning – everything else faded into the background of his mind, drowned by the snickers and cheers of the voices he had grown accustomed to as of late. All that existed at this moment was his whim, his desire, his indulgence. It felt like he was just a passenger on a wild ride, driven by urges he couldn’t fully explain or control.

Wishes that he had not known he made.

Followed by the flick of his ears, Shadow turned to Sonic with a low growl already rumbling in his throat, crimson eyes narrowed with suspicion. But before Shadow could fully process what was happening, Sonic’s hand darted out once he was close enough, the movement calculated and alarming. With a flick of his finger, he pressed the hang-up button on Shadow’s wrist communicator, cutting off the Commander mid-sentence.

He hung up…

On Commander Tower.

Shadow’s jaw dropped, disbelief freezing him in place as he slowly turned to gawk at Sonic, openly stunned. The realization of what Sonic had just done hadn’t even fully registered when the blue hedgehog struck. Sonic moved with a speed that was almost unnatural, even for him – faster than his thoughts, faster than instinct. His body twisted in a blur of motion, and in an instant, his foot connected with the side of Shadow’s head in a perfectly executed roundhouse kick.

The impact was brutal. Shadow’s world spun violently as pain exploded in his skull, his vision blurring as his body was thrown to the ground. The earth seemed to tilt beneath him, disorienting him further as he landed with a heavy thud. For a moment, all he could hear was the ringing in his ears, drowning out everything else. His limbs felt like lead, and no matter how hard he tried, his body refused to respond properly. The ground beneath him felt unsteady, and the pain in his head throbbed with every heartbeat as he gasped out in pain. 

Sonic, meanwhile, stood over him with a dark, almost triumphant expression. There was no hint of remorse in his eyes – only a twisted satisfaction as he loomed over Shadow’s fallen form. He watched as Shadow struggled to regain his bearings, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. His boyfriend would recover quickly, so he needed to be faster. Not that that would be an issue…

Reaching into his quills, Sonic pulled out the small card adorned with Eggman’s unmistakable logo he had grabbed earlier today. He waved it mockingly in front of Shadow, the symbol of their mutual enemy gleaming in the light as if it were some sort of sick joke.

“We need to talk,” Sonic drawled, his voice dripping with a mixture of mockery and seriousness. He continued to wave the card, letting it dangle tauntingly in front of Shadow’s eyes before bringing it up to his mouth and biting into it like a feral dog. "You’ve been hiding something from me, haven’t you?"

Chapter Text

The small hedgehog could not breathe.

The uncontrollable tremors that racked his body, the sweat dripping profusely down his brow and along his muzzle, the cold, vice-like grip that felt like he was being choked by an unseen enemy – a feeling Shadow had become all too familiar with the past month or so. 

Professor Gerald, his creator, had called it a “panic attack” the first time it occurred, explaining it with a mixture of disappointment and concern he was unable to hide on his aging face. Shadow wasn’t supposed to experience them. He was designed to adapt, to remain stable in his bodily functions. If he didn’t, he’d… he’d be no different than UL-01… the Biolizard. A worthless, mindless creature, kept alive by machines and so unlike himself. The thought of being like that at all, to be compared to the thing the scientists deemed a failure , made his body convulse harder.

In this state, he could not register the frantic banging on the door he had trapped himself in. His mind became lost in the memories that led him to this moment…

The idea of being deemed “broken” was a fear that had subtly begun to creep upon him since his first breath. Shadow had only been alive for a year at this point, and for the first half, all he had known was the praise and awe of the humans around him. As hazy as his memories were of the time he could fit into the palms of his creator’s hands, only able to coo and growl and bite, or so he was told, he knew he was supposed to be something special. Sure, sometimes he had to be the subject of invasive tests, many of which left him sick for days, and yes, sometimes the scientists spoke of him in strange, detached ways when they thought he wasn’t listening… but he was a sign of a huge leap in progress. All for her. His first friend, the one who he had learned to call his sister. For Maria.

He had grown so quickly in his six months alive. Once so small he could ride in the pockets of his creator’s coat (much to his sister’s amusement) he now stood proudly up to his sister’s sides! She was somewhat short for someone who had been alive for a decade, apparently, but this pleased him regardless. With Maria’s guidance and his rapid growth, he learned to do many things that inspired those who watched. Every day he saw what he would come to know as hope swell in the eyes of the Professor, and the thought alone made him purr in delight when he was alone. He could walk, talk, play! Truly, he was a marvel! Not broken! What they all called the true “Ultimate Lifeform!”

…Though, there was… one odd flaw. 

He could not run.

It was a bizarre thing. He was fast for his size and age, something the scientists had been pleased with, but he could not manage to maintain that speed without falling face-first onto the freezing, metallic floor. The Professor was stumped by this, as “Mobian” hedgehogs were naturally athletic a majority of the time, so his lack of coordination at speeds he should be able to manage naturally was a real point of contention among those who worked there. 

Shadow didn’t understand why it mattered, though. He didn’t need to run to cure Maria. He tried asking his creator about it once, and all he was met with was a grim silence that made him pout. Whatever. His blood was what mattered. With the power of science, they would get Maria to the planet she longed for. This was his purpose. And with that, he was so content…

…

Then, one day, the bad men came. 

They were scary. Tall, foreboding humans with strange gear and unfriendly faces barked and glared at any of the ARK residents who got too close. Shadow and Maria had spied on their initial arrival from within a storage closet, peering out the crack of the door in curiosity and fear as they marched through the halls to their new quarters.

“Grandfather says they’re G.U.N. soldiers. G.U.N. is the organization that helps fund all the research here,” she had whispered, biting her lip as she trembled at the sight of weapons of various sizes being transported right past their hiding spot. “I’ve heard some of the other adults talk about them. They’re here to ‘oversee your development,’ but I’m not sure what that means…”

Shadow didn’t know either. He didn’t really get any of this, but he squeezed her hand gently with a heavy frown that did not suit his young face regardless, red eyes narrowed. 

At that moment, he decided he didn’t like them. They scared Maria.

Therefore, they were all bad. 

It became quickly evident they didn’t like him either, which was something he was not used to. When he was in the room with one, be it from him hungrily scampering through the cafeteria, entering a room for more tests to be done, or even walking down the hallway to go to Maria’s room, they glared at him so coldly beneath their helmets. Some sneered and called him words he didn’t understand, but he’d just duck his head and run off where they couldn’t find him. Their bias against him made him shiver. He had become so dependent on words of praise, craved it, even, that he didn’t know how to rationalize this blatant disgust in his still-developing mind when he couldn’t figure out what wrong he did. 

Randomly, after one of his numerous checkups in his creator’s lab, Professor Gerald told him something in a serious tone that left the young hedgehog confused.

“Shadow, you should awaken to your Chaos abilities soon,” the elderly man spoke low, glancing at the door suspiciously behind those tinted glasses he always wore, as though suspicious someone would barge in at any moment despite the locks. “It’s within the Bla… your aging cycle, and I anticipate it to be within the next month or so. When it happens, G.U.N. will want to begin your training.”

Shadow, who had been sitting on top of his desk, half listening as he fiddled with a plastic ring meant for teething that the Professor let him gnaw on during these sessions, looked at the man with wide, innocent eyes. He lowered the toy from his mouth, blinking slowly as he processed those words and tilted his head to the side. Training? That’s what he and Maria did when they played Knights, so a bit of excitement bubbled in his chest. “Training for what?”

“I’ve told you before that you have multiple purposes, right? Finding a cure for Maria’s illness is our priority, but funding such a project takes a lot of backing that normal people on Earth cannot achieve, no matter the good their research can provide. G.U.N. offered to assist us so long as you could… be of value to them in the future…” 

Shadow frowned, his lips pressing together as he processed the man’s words. One of his ears twitched, and his quills bristled slightly, a reflexive response to the anger he sensed beneath the Professor’s calm tone. Despite his young age, Shadow was sharp, able to pick up on the emotions adults tried to hide. He puffed up his quills intentionally after a few moments, imitating the stern demeanor he thought suited the situation. He might have been clever, but he was still a child, impressionable and eager to react. So small.

“Then I won’t do it!” he huffed, defiantly bringing the ring back to his mouth and chewing on it with a growl of protest. The Professor chuckled at his tiny rage, but there was no real humor in the sound.

“My boy, you don’t have a choice,” Gerald replied, his voice gentle but firm. “You’re fully capable of handling it, I’m sure. But we need you to be mentally prepared. Even I don’t know exactly what kind of training they have planned for you, but the sooner you master Chaos, the better it will be for everyone. Have you been paying attention to your studies? To be skilled at something, you must set a solid foundation.”

Shadow blinked, his grip on the teething ring loosening as he considered the question. He and Maria had been known to pass notes back and forth whenever the teacher’s back was turned. Which, if he was honest, was more often than Maria said they could ever admit. A tiny smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth at the thought, but it quickly faded under the weight of the conversation.

He glanced up at the Professor, feeling a bit of guilt stir within him. “Um… mostly,” he muttered, shifting on the desk. “I don’t really get it, though… Reading about Chaos doesn’t show me how to use it…”

“I know. It’s because not many beings on Earth can harness it the way I predict you can. Fret not, for the ancient Echidnas have left a treasure trove of knowledge for you to pick apart and learn from…!” 

That set the old man off on a lecture about the Echidnas again. Shadow breathed out through his nose in amusement, tuning out the man’s passionate lecture to focus on his toy. War and power, as well as G.U.N.’s involvement in his creation and their future desire for his “use”, did not capture his interests. He did not care for Chaos, as with most things he was sure it would come naturally. He did not care about his untapped potential. 

He just wanted to play.

He just wanted to play with Maria.

He just wanted to save her.

He was small.

Nothing else. 

…

He’d make his creator, the man he called Father in secret, because Maria said he should, proud.

…

…When the Chaos came… 

Shadow had learned the hard way he had no innate mastery over it. For the longest time, he only contemplated the energy as a vague concept, brushing off his creator’s warnings to be prepared for what was a very tangible, very real source of power. 

He had thought he could handle it… 

…He thought he knew what pain was…

For many onboard the ARK, the morning had been peaceful. Routines were followed with relative ease as breakfast was served. Coffee had been brewed, and tired but quaint laughs were shared amongst the residents. All was well for them. Another day of work, another day of saving lives.

Until they heard the sound. It was quiet from there, drowned out by the many halls and doors to those with a less trained sense of hearing. It was two G.U.N. soldiers who grew suspicious and followed it to its source, unease wracking them once they realized what it was. 

Screams.

Shadow could not stop screaming.

To Shadow’s dismay, he could remember that morning vividly. The night before, Maria had to be escorted to the infirmary after a series of coughing fits that grew increasingly concerning, leaving Shadow alone. He had retreated to his own quarters, the ones his sister insisted he had to her Grandfather, and he slumped to the ground with a blank expression. His room was empty, save for drawings that littered the walls, and he moved toward the bed with an unsteady tension in his spine. 

Perhaps his worry for Maria the night before made the dam within him burst open without any regard. He didn’t really know. But when he fell into a dreamless slumber, all he could tell you was he awoke with the sensation that his body had been set on fire. 

It hurt. It hurt more than anything he’d ever experienced in his short existence, and the scientists who came running to his aid, to comfort him, or subdue him, did nothing that would ease his suffering in the first hour. He had nearly broken the bodies of many who put their hands on him that day.

His bones felt like fragile paper, tearing and crumbling under the weight of a sudden, overwhelming energy that his body could not contain. He clenched at his ears, mouth agape as foam frothed at his mouth as every sound seemed to grate into his brain. He thought he could hear every footstep, every whisper, every machine, every creak the Space Colony made. His skin, even from the softest of touches, felt like it was burned to the third degree, a wail escaping him as he convulsed frantically on the sheets of his bed. The sheer intensity of it all quickly drew him to the brink of madness, and perhaps he would’ve fallen into it if the Professor hadn’t properly sedated him. 

There was a silver lining: had it not been induced by his fears for Maria’s well-being, she might’ve been caught in the crossfire of his meltdown. If he had hurt her… If he had hurt her…

A forced slumber had finally taken him, and the last thing he could do was whimper.

When he had awakened, heavily sedated and restrained as the scientists raced to understand how much power was within him, he had his first panic attack regardless. The idea of hurting people, let alone Maria, made him inconsolable until the Professor allowed him to call her on a communication device from the infirmary. He had cried and sobbed out apologies, and the poor girl sniffled and did her best to comfort him.

This would not be the last occurrence. 

After a week of agony that the drugs did little to help, the Professor finally introduced what he called the prototype “inhibitor rings.” They were silver in color, clasping around the tiny hedgehog’s wrists and ankles with a constant, painful pressure that made him dizzy at first. He looked down at his bare hands after a few moments of them on, fingers shaking. He couldn’t look at his creator from behind the glass of the containment cage they put him in. He couldn’t meet his gaze in such a broken state.

“It… It doesn’t feel right,” Shadow whispered hoarsely, instinctively clawing at the things that were sapping his energy way too quickly. He didn’t know how to get them off. Feeling drained, the dark circles under his eyes more pronounced with each day he couldn’t see Maria, a sob escaped him. At least the sounds of the ARK’s creaking had stopped, but the nausea he felt now did little to make him feel grateful. Black ears twitched at the sound of his creator’s sigh.

“I know, my boy, and I’m sorry. These inhibitor rings are a temporary solution. I did not think the Chaos would awaken in you so violently…” The old man muttered to himself, something about checking the notes left behind by an unnamed figure regarding Chaos energy, before rapidly typing at his computer. Whoever that was did a poor job of explaining what would occur...

It took a day or two, but eventually, the rings sapped his energy enough that he was allowed to leave confinement. Confidence shot, he held onto the material of his creator’s pants with his tiny hands as the man led them down the halls, eyes downcast as he avoided the stares of both scientists and soldiers alike. He felt so pathetic, so small. He hadn’t done this since he was three months old…

Seeing Maria again cheered him up though, despite the tears that would fall from his young face. They hugged and cried, and the worry of hurting her had temporarily dissipated as the warmth of her body put him at ease. Despite the random dizzy spells and feeling overtly weak for the unforeseen future , perhaps they could go back to a semblance of normalcy…

…

Training.

Gerald had pushed back for as long as he could. The insistence that Shadow wasn’t ready, that it was too soon to push the boundaries of the energy they couldn’t properly contain, was an excuse that G.U.N. did not take kindly to.

Not when the Commander himself came to inspect. 

The door to Professor Gerald’s lab swung open with a sharp, mechanical hiss, the sound slicing through the quiet hum of machinery. Shadow, perched on the edge of the desk with a toy ring clutched in his small hands, immediately dropped it as his gaze snapped to the intruder. The Professor, hunched over his work, turned slowly, an eyebrow raised in mild irritation at the interruption.

The man who entered was nothing like the others Shadow had encountered on the ARK. He wasn’t one of the unassuming scientists who moved quietly through the halls, nor was he one of the soldiers who lingered in the background, keeping their presence to a minimum despite liking to antagonize the small hedgehog. No, this man was different. He was tall, his broad shoulders squared with military precision. His uniform, adorned with an array of medals and tags, was immaculate, each piece gleaming under the harsh lab lights – a testament to his rank and the authority he carried. Shadow didn’t fully understand what the decorations meant, but he knew instinctively that they were symbols of power, and this man wore them like armor.

The very first of two: Commander Tower.

His face was a mask of cold indifference, etched with lines that spoke of years of stern command. A permanent frown seemed carved into his features, and his eyes – one gold, the other blue – were sharp and unrelenting, drilling into Shadow as if assessing every inch of him in an instant. Those mismatched eyes were unsettling, their intensity freezing the tiny hedgehog in place. He did not have the courage to meet them with his timid stare.

Instinctively, Shadow's quills bristled, a defensive reaction he couldn’t control. He felt a strange, uncomfortable tightness in his chest as the man’s gaze bore into him, a feeling that was entirely new to him. Yet, despite the man’s intimidating presence, a flicker of defiance sparked within Shadow. After all, no one was allowed to enter his creator's lab without permission. He had seen Professor Gerald reprimand others many times before, and the thought of this stern-looking man being scolded was almost amusing. Shadow's lips curled into a small, defiant smirk as he waited for the inevitable reprimand. His creator, the man he called Father, was in charge here. No one could tell him what to do!

…

…But that reprimanding never came.

Instead, the room seemed to grow colder as Commander Tower strode further in, his boots echoing ominously against the metal floor. Without a word of greeting or acknowledgment to the Professor, he turned his full attention to Shadow, his scowl deepening.

“ This, ” he spat, gesturing towards the young hedgehog with a sharp wave of his hand, his voice laced with disdain, “is the weapon you promised?”

Shadow’s smirk faltered, the tiny spark of defiance snuffed out in an instant. The weight of the Commander’s words, the cold, dismissive tone, sent a shiver down his spine. His mind tried to grasp the meaning behind the word "weapon," his mind bringing up images of the guns he had seen carried around by the soldiers here. The things that made Maria shiver in fear. That was not him. He was Shadow. He was not those bad things. The remark left him confused, but he was unable to voice it under such an overpowering presence.

Beside him, the Professor remained unnervingly silent, his usually calm demeanor stiffened under the scrutiny of the Commander. Shadow glanced up at Gerald, hoping for some form of reassurance or protection, but all he saw in his creator's eyes was a deep, conflicted weariness. There was no scolding towards this intruder, no gentle words of comfort towards Shadow – just the heavy silence of a man who knew what was to come.

"...Commander Tower," Gerald broke that silence when the other man did not fill it, dropping the pen he had been using onto his desk to turn and give the Commander his full attention. His voice, carefully measured, did not betray the anxiety he was feeling. His hands, clenched so tightly the knuckles were turning white, did. “Shadow is not ready yet. We are working on a newer, more profound set of inhibitor rings to keep him and the people around him safe. Along with his physical development, his mental instability insists that we wait just a little bit longer–”

“I wasn’t asking for excuses, Doctor,” the Commander interrupted, his tone sharp and unforgiving. He took another step closer to the desk where Shadow sat, making the small hedgehog instinctively pull back. “We’ve invested heavily in this project, and it’s time we see results. The people who pay for your research back on Earth are growing impatient, and so am I.”

Gerald inhaled deeply, struggling to maintain his composure. “Commander Tower, I have always been transparent with you about the progress of Project Shadow. It is a delicate process, one that cannot be rushed without dire consequences. If we push too hard, too soon, we risk–”

“Enough,” the Commander snapped, his voice like ice. His mismatched eyes flicked back to Shadow, narrowing as he assessed the young hedgehog darkly. “This isn’t about your concerns, Doctor. It’s about fulfilling your end of the bargain. We didn’t fund this project so you could coddle your experiment, it has been funded for the benefit of mankind. The time for training has come, whether you think it's ready or not.”

Shadow felt a shiver run down his spine. Training. The word sounded harsh now, nothing like the playful sparring he’d imagined when the Professor had first mentioned it…

He wished Maria was here. She’d yell at this man for sure!

The Professor remained silent for a long moment, his jaw clenched. Finally, he spoke, his voice low but firm. “I strongly advise against forcing this upon him just yet, Commander. Shadow’s development is not just about power, it’s about control. Chaos energy is volatile, and if you push him too soon, every on board could suffer the consequences!”

“I don’t care about your warnings, Doctor,” Tower sneered, stepping even closer to Shadow, looming over him like a dark cloud. “Your project is not only yours. G.U.N. will use it as we see fit.”

Shadow’s fists clenched on the desk, his tiny body trembling as his red eyes wavered from medal to medal, anything to avoid those alarming eyes. He didn’t fully understand what was happening, but the weight of it felt like it was crushing him, a feeling not unlike when the Chaos awakened within him. He glanced back at Gerald, desperate for some kind of intervention, but all he saw was the grim resignation in his creator’s eyes…

The Commander’s hand reached out suddenly, a finger and a thumb looping around one of his large ears to pull, and the young hedgehog flinched with a hiss, recoiling from the touch. Tower’s scowl deepened.

“It will begin training in three days. Prep it however you see fit, Doctor,” the Commander said coldly, his voice leaving no room for argument as he turned to leave. He shot the scientist one last look, eyes narrowed dangerously. “Whether you like it or not, we will get what we want.”

When he had left, an eerie silence befell them. What was there to say…?

…

True to the Commander’s promise, his training did begin in three days time. Training… or, at least, that’s what they liked to call it.

Training, as Shadow would come to understand later in life, was supposed to be a time for learning. A chance to improve, to test the limits of what you could do, and to build on the foundation you already had. It was meant to be a process of growth, of sharpening your skills and strengthening your mind…

G.U.N. soldiers were not there to teach him anything; they were there to break him. There was no other possible explanation for this madness. 

The arena they put him in was cold and sterile, an empty void that echoed with the distant hum of machinery. Shadow stood in the center, shivering, his tiny form dwarfed by the vast space around him. His eyes darted to the observation window above, where a sea of faces watched him. Most of them were unrecognizable, mere shadows behind the glass, but two stood out with painful clarity: his creator, Professor Gerald, and the Commander, looming beside him with that same cold, unfeeling gaze. Shadow's heart pounded in his chest, and he quickly looked away, unable to bear the sight of their detached expressions.

Across the room, three G.U.N. soldiers stood in formation, their faces twisted with sneers and grins that would haunt many of the tiny hedgehog’s future nightmares. They were fully armored, their bulky frames a stark contrast to Shadow’s small, trembling figure, and their strides were practiced. In their hands, they held batons that crackled menacingly with electricity, the sound sharp and ominous. And all Shadow had were his silver inhibitor rings, their weight pressing down on him, draining the energy that surged restlessly beneath his skin.

He had been so small when this happened. Just a child, not even a year old. He had been created with a purpose, that much he knew, but in his heart, he was still just a child who dreamed of fairy tales, of princes and dragons, and of saving Maria. The weight of what he was meant to be – this weapon, this cure – was too much for his small shoulders to bear at the time, and yet they pushed him into that cold, empty arena as if it didn’t matter. As if his dreams and fears were insignificant.

Like he were not a person.

It was cruelty, pure and simple, to throw him into this nightmare with nothing but those inhibitor rings on. It was depravity to let those men, armed and armored, unleash their violence on him without mercy. The electric batons crackled ominously, a promise of pain with just the push of a button. And all around him, there was nothing but cold metal walls and the unblinking eyes of the people who watched from above, as though eager to witness his poorly crafted sense of ego shatter. 

Fate was cruel. 

He was small. 

These humans were not. 

…

After that first brutal session, Shadow found himself back in his creator’s lab, curled up and sobbing uncontrollably on the observation table with his body bruised, seared, and beaten. Professor Gerald worked next to him quietly, his expression unreadable as he applied first aid to every wound with experienced care. He assured the young hedgehog that now with Chaos awakened in him, such wounds would heal in no time. That he would not die from it. That he could handle it. He could handle anything, and even if he broke, they would just put him back together again. 

Such words brought no comfort. Instead, they only deepened the torment, pushing Shadow to the brink of sanity. His body convulsed uncontrollably on the cold, metal table, each spasm a desperate plea for relief from the unbearable weight of his panic attack. His screams echoed through the sterile lab, haunting and piercing, but they fell on indifferent ears.

Then, like a whirlwind of light in the darkness, Maria burst through the lab door. Her entrance was unannounced, unexpected, and more powerful than anything her frail body should have been capable of. Her usual gentle demeanor was gone, replaced by a fiery rage that neither her Grandfather nor Shadow had ever seen before. It was a stark contrast to the delicate, sickly girl who spent most of her days in quiet contemplation. But now, there was nothing quiet about her.

With a determination that defied her condition, Maria rushed to Shadow’s side, her arms wrapping protectively around him. She cradled the trembling hedgehog against her chest, holding him as if she could shield him from the world they knew as the ARK. Her breaths were ragged, but her voice… her voice was a force of nature.

Fury and desperation bled into her words as she turned on the Professor, her voice trembling but unyielding. She scolded him with a ferocity that left him speechless, demanding to know how he could allow such cruelty to be inflicted upon the one she loved so dearly. Her anger was raw, cutting through the sterile air like a blade, each word carrying the weight of her heartache. For days after, she refused to speak to him, her silent condemnation more painful than any argument…

Shadow couldn’t remember exactly what the Professor had said in response. Whatever reasons or justifications he offered were lost in the haze of pain and confusion that clouded his mind. The words had no meaning to him, no substance that could ease the suffering he endured. All that remained was the cold, hard truth that had settled deep within him: this wasn’t the end. It would happen again. And again. And again.

The pattern had been set, and no matter how much he wanted to escape, the tiny hedgehog was trapped in it. Powerless, vulnerable, and unable to break free from the cycle of torment that had been forced upon him.

…

Twice a week, until the new inhibitor rings were made, he would suffer through more training. Each session would end much like the first, his body healing far quicker than what was deemed possible by normal creatures. It brought him no pride, though. These sessions were haunting his time with Maria, and more often than not these days he found himself breaking down in her arms. 

That being said, he was still sharp for a child. Despite the anxiety and fear, he was without a doubt growing more agile, wiser to the movements of the soldiers who wanted to do him harm, his tiny stature offering the smallest of advantages when they were not close enough to catch him. It was never really enough, though. Those faulty rings drained him too much, his unsteady steps still unreliable at a certain speed. The Commander was growing frustrated with his instability more and more, placing increasing pressure on the Professor to “fix” him so they could move on to the next phase of training. 

Shadow hated that man. He didn’t know what hate was by name, per se, but he hated him. It was a disgusting feeling, one that surely Maria would be saddened by, but he felt it regardless.

The day Shadow had another panic attack, the very same he had locked himself in the lab on, there wasn’t supposed to be another session. Maria had been placed in emergency care, her symptoms flaring, and much of the attention had been on stabilizing the poor girl back to her usual health. When she was out of the red, she was moved to the infirmary for recovery. Shadow wanted to see her.

And yet, it was insisted that he be forced into the arena again that day, despite already completing his biweekly schedule. Insisted, not by the Commander, but by the Professor. His creator. His Father. All of it was for data. The man was on the cusp of inventing newer, perfected inhibitor rings, and he just needed Shadow to overexert himself one more time. 

The reasoning did not matter in Shadow’s young, fragile mind. The fact that Gerald, the man he trusted, was ordering these soldiers to beat him senseless, shattered something inside the experiment that would never properly mend itself. The thin, poorly constructed threads holding him together in his mind snapped. It’s why he had just been standing there, eyes glazed over in resignation as the men approached him. 

He had… no will to run that day… Absolutely none…

Yet when a baton, glowing from its electricity, made contact with his temple, everything just… went red. 

Shadow could not recall what happened exactly. His mind had gone blank, lost in the seas of red, the shouts of fright, and his tiny hand breaking through something hard, then soft, then squishy. 

When awareness returned, he was made aware that he was running, despair making him unable to breathe. Scrambling through the halls of the ARK, shoving past the concerned and alarmed faces of scientists who tried to stop him in his escape, he had only one thing in mind: to hide. He did something bad, something Maria would call him bad for. He was broken, and he needed to go to the place where he was most often fixed.

Trembling hands clawed at the keypad to the Professor’s lab blindly, his breathing labored as his BioID thankfully granted him access. Stumbling through the door with saliva breaking past his gritted teeth, he punched that keypad so hard it broke, effectively sealing him inside. But that wasn’t enough. In his frantic, feral state, he began pushing and pulling anything he could get his hands on in front of the door: tables, chairs, computers and their parts, books, important documents, creating a makeshift barricade. He cared little for the research he was likely destroying in this state, driven by the primal need to defend himself from what was out there. Once everything he could get his hands on was moved, only then did he collapse to the floor, his body wracked with tremors, his breaths ragged gasps. He looked down at himself, trying to control his breathing…

It was also only then that he realized one of his hands was slick with blood.

It wasn’t his own; he had come to realize that his blood was much darker than the average organism, its deep color more akin to the black that adorned most of his body in comparison to the red highlights of his fur. In its presence, there came an absence… this hand was missing its silver inhibitor ring. 

No wonder he could not breathe. The unrestrained Chaos was surging through his panicked mind like a hurricane, the violent force something he was utterly unprepared for as he spiraled, unraveled. This, coupled with the horror at what he could’ve done, what he might’ve done, and what he was capable of doing with such power coursing through his veins… 

Bad. He had been bad. And in this bad, broken state, he broke someone else. 

Now here he was: convulsions wracking his small frame, his claws clenching around his own neck as his eyes bulged in their sockets, as if he could choke out the energy, the panic, or both. He could barely manage the pathetic wail that tore from his throat, a sound so raw and primal that it couldn’t possibly have belonged to him. Body twisting and thrashing as he desperately tried to escape the torment in his mind, the world became a distant, muffled reality. The banging that was now at the door, the voices demanding entry… none of it reached him. Not even the voice of his creator would make him rise. All he heard was himself, screaming. The screams that never seemed to stop, echoed in his mind even as his body began to burn from the strain. 

At some point, he must’ve lost consciousness, his body still twisting without his input. The relentless torment of power that should be his own forced his body into submission, and Shadow, upon later recollection, believed he had died on that floor for the very first time. When he came back to himself, revived, he found himself lying in a puddle of his own drool, sweat, and tears, lungs working hard to stabilize himself. Exhausted beyond belief, his twitching black ears finally picked up the sound of machinery whirring faintly beyond the door. They were trying to get inside… They would break his pathetic barricade. Once the door was sawed open, the rest would be shoved aside with ease…

Then they’d get to him. Then he’d suffer the consequences for being broken.

A soft, broken whimper broke through his abused throat, the tiny hedgehog lifting his head despite the weight of despair pressing down on him like a lead blanket, his limbs feeling heavy. He felt like a puppet on a string as his shaking hand, the one covered in blood, reached forward to drag his body to some corner of the room. He hoped he’d die for real. 

A sharp pain shot up through his palm when it came into contact with the floor, and Shadow withdrew it like he’d been burned.

Breath hitching, the sobbing hedgehog turned his hand palm up slowly, tears falling freely as he coughed. At some point, a vase of artificial flowers had fallen to the ground as he pushed and pulled furniture for his blockade, shattering to the ground in what seemed like a billion little shards. Luckily, he hadn’t been rolling around in the worst of it, but his irrational mind didn’t register this boone. No, he was too mesmerized by the sight of his blood, how it poured and consumed the red that did not belong to him. But further, he was intrigued by how this pain affected him.

For the first time in what felt like weeks, he felt in tune with himself, the sting grounding him in a wave of sobriety he had never experienced before. It was like being bludgeoned with batons, or electrocuted, or stabbed, or injected, or sick, or falling face-first onto the floor or wall because he went too fast. It hurt. It hurt so much, as cuts do. And yet, it tingled almost pleasantly. The overwhelming thoughts that had twisted his mind in their frenzy came to a halt, the storm breaking to reveal a still, empty sky, just like the ones he’d seen in photographs.

At that moment, it’s what he needed most. It reminded him that he was, in fact, a person.

That he was real.

Dazed, darkness began creeping into the corners of his vision. His screaming had stopped as his blood flowed, and as reality began to fade, he welcomed it with no more than a hum. Ears drooping, the last sound Shadow heard was the door snapping in half with a loud thud, splintering under the force of whatever tool they were using to open it. But he didn’t care, his heart calm. He let the slumber take him, surrendering to unconsciousness once again as his face slunk down to the floor.

…

When red eyes opened, the room their owner found himself in was unfamiliar, the sterile walls and dim lighting swimming in a haze that clouded his awakening thoughts. His mind was foggy, surely drug-induced, and he could tell he was alone with nothing but the steady beeps of machinery. The cool surface of the operation table beneath him grew increasingly uncomfortable as his senses slowly returned, but he couldn’t muster the energy to shiver or move away.

Vaguely, he remembered how he got here, and slowly he lifted his hand up towards his face, the very same that had been covered with blood and cut with glass. And yet, the wound was gone, completely healed, without even a scar left behind. Confusion flickered in his groggy mind, not yet used to just how fast he healed from such wounds now, and his eyes flickered to the cuff wrapped securely around his wrist. Restricting him to the table, draining him again… Luckily, the chain was long enough for him to bring his hand closer to his face, but he’d be unable to do much else in this state…

His breath wavered, a drop of sweat forming on his brow.

The world around him remained blurry, shapes and colors melding together as his fingers twitched involuntarily, refusing to obey his commands despite the alarmingly steady movement of his arm. He felt like he was floating, the threat of descent a mere slip away, and he whimpered as nausea was beginning to build up within him. If he wasn’t careful, he’d begin to spiral again. He needed to ground himself before he did something he’d regret again. 

Then, he remembered the glass.

The pain.

…

Without a single thought in his young, tiny, small, broken mind, red eyes glazed over as Shadow brought his hand closer to his mouth. Lips parting, sharp fangs flashed dangerously, his breath brushing his short fur as he brought unsuspecting flesh closer… and closer…

.

..

…

….

…..

….

…

..

.

Shadow's head throbbed, vision blurred and clouded with tears as he struggled to focus after the impact of Sonic's kick on his temple. The pain radiated through his skull, sharp and relentless, making it hard to think as the blue blur approached him. He lay on his back, hissing in pain, trying to muster a glare at the blue hedgehog towering over him, but he couldn’t find the strength to do so. The edges of consciousness threatened to fade, darkness creeping in, but Sonic’s words sliced through the haze with uncomfortable clarity.

“We need to talk, ” Sonic drawled, his voice dripping with a mixture of mockery and seriousness. He continued to wave the card, letting it dangle tauntingly in front of Shadow’s eyes before bringing it up to his mouth, biting into it like a feral dog. He had an outright dangerous expression in his eyes as he stared down at the striped hedgehog who had been forced to the ground. “You’ve been hiding something from me, haven’t you?”

…

Dread.

It surged through Shadow’s veins, eclipsing the pain that had once consumed him. The ache in his battered body meant nothing now, drowned out by the icy fear that gripped his heart. He knew that Sonic had noticed – how could he not? The way the Ultimate Lifeform had stiffened, the involuntary shudder that ran through him, all gave him away. Sonic’s chuckle echoed in the air, a sinister sound that filled the silence between them, making the weight of the accusation even more unbearable. The hero crouched down then, his shoes on either side of Shadow’s torso as he did, making the blue blur feel especially close…

Oddly, Sonic didn’t say anything. He just smiled, expectant of… something. Now dread was replaced with panic. 

He was waiting for Shadow to speak.

Such a deplorable creature Shadow found himself to be. The guilt of that secret, the one he'd buried so deep, had been gnawing at him, consuming him from the inside out. He had convinced himself he was being discreet – careful enough that Sonic, of all people, wouldn’t notice. But the façade had cracks. Rouge had already sensed something was wrong, and deep down, he knew he couldn’t hide it from her forever. He had nearly confessed to her in the showers just the day before. And again, he had almost told Sonic that morning. But each time, the words got stuck in his throat, choked by a paralyzing anxiety.

What would they think of him if they knew? They were the only two people in his life who brought him any semblance of joy, the only ones he dared to feel something for. Rouge had seen him at his worst – through battles, breakdowns, and every failure that scarred his soul. She might not be fazed, not entirely. She would still help him, he believed, as she always had. The bat, despite what either would claim out loud, was surely his best friend. But… Sonic...

Sonic was different.

He was the one Shadow had finally let in, the one who had cracked the walls he had so carefully built around himself. Sonic had drawn out feelings that Shadow had never experienced before, feelings that terrified him as much as they thrilled him. Their rivalry had been forged the moment they met all those years ago, and with it, a bond that the Ultimate Lifeform could never, ever put at risk. His presence had a way of softening the edges of Shadow’s world, of bringing light into the darkness.

His... prince…

And yet… Sonic had noticed the vile nature the hybrid possessed beneath the surface. Surely, he knew… It would make no sense otherwise…

‘...Ugh.’

A wave of nausea hit Shadow as the thought crossed his mind. How did Sonic know? Did he really understand the weight of this secret, or was that predatory smile hiding the disgust he surely felt? The possibility twisted in his gut, making him feel weak, vulnerable in a way he wasn’t used to. Shadow swallowed hard, trying to banish the thought, but it lingered, heavy and suffocating. Somber red met twinkling green, and he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. The adrenaline and bloodlust that had been fueling him moments ago were forgotten, replaced by a crushing sense of shame.

“Yoohoo~! Earth to Shadow! You’re off in orbit again!” Sonic’s teasing voice pierced through his spiraling thoughts, and only then did Shadow realize that the blue hedgehog was petting his ears affectionately, still crouching over him. Still boxing him in. Sonic’s tone was playful, almost too casual given the severity of what Shadow had done. “I’m gonna need you to return to base!”

Shadow’s ears flattened at the command, a confused grumble escaping him as he shakily propped himself up on his elbows. He couldn’t muster the strength to get up fully, or even push Sonic aside, but he needed some semblance of control before his mind spiraled further. With their noses nearly touching, Shadow struggled to find his voice. The proximity made it all the more difficult to focus, especially with Sonic's hand still tracing lazy circles over his sensitive ears. Fuck.

“...How did… How did you figure it out…?” he whispered, shuddering as the world swayed. Sonic had kicked him hard, damn it. Too hard for him to keep his composure.

Sonic hummed thoughtfully, still playing with Shadow's ears, his cheeky grin only widening. He acted as though the fight hadn’t just happened, as though he hadn’t nearly knocked Shadow unconscious moments earlier. “Call it a boyfriend’s intuition~! I mean, it all makes sense when you think about it. Your weird behavior, your shyness… it all adds up!”

“...Really.” Shadow's voice was faint, embarrassment flooding through him. So much for being discreet. He averted his gaze, a blush coloring his muzzle faintly. His vision was stabilizing, and he could make out Sonic nodding in his peripheral.

“Yeah, really! It’s okay though, it’s pretty normal, I’d say! I get it! No harm in it either…” The hero chuckled again, and a rather… weird expression replaced his chirpy one as green eyes scanned over the Ultimate Lifeform’s body openly. 

Shadow's mind raced as Sonic’s words sank in. Normal? No harm? The words echoed in his thoughts, clashing violently with the shame that had been gnawing at him. He turned his head slightly, side-eyeing the blue hedgehog as his body tensed instinctively. Something wasn’t right here.

“...I… wouldn’t call it normal…” Shadow murmured, the confusion he couldn’t quite suppress mingling with the ever-present shame in his chest. His words were hesitant, unsure of where Sonic was going with this. When the speedster’s hand lowered to press a finger against his lips, shushing him with a playful shake of his head, Shadow’s heart skipped a beat. The sight of the blue hedgehog’s tail wagging behind him like a flag of warning only added to his growing unease.

“Oh, but it is!” Sonic insisted, his voice carrying a bizarre blend of cheerfulness and something far more unsettling. Shadow couldn’t quite place it, but it made his fur prickle with unease. “It’s okay, Shads. We’re not prudes around here! Or, uh, forest... whatever!” Sonic's fingers trailed from Shadow’s lips to his cheek, the touch light but intimate, sending an involuntary shiver down the Ultimate Lifeform’s spine. Those half-lidded green eyes bore into him with a focused intensity that made Shadow's pulse race, though not in the usual way.

“I don’t judge you for it…” Sonic’s voice dipped lower, almost conspiratorial, as he leaned in closer. “In fact, I think I could help ya.”

“...Help?” The word escaped Shadow before he could stop it, the alarms in his head blaring louder with each passing second. He had already done it. There was no need for help. So what the hell was Sonic talking about? Shadow shifted uneasily, his nose wrinkling in discomfort. He knew showing his confusion outright would be embarrassing, moreso than what he he was already feeling, so he tried to disguise it with a more pointed question, his red eyes narrowing slightly. “How exactly would you do that?”

Sonic’s chuckle was low and oddly amused, making Shadow’s ears twitch in response. The hero’s tongue flicked out to wet his lips as he spoke again, his tone dripping with suggestive confidence. “Well, I think that part’s obvious, right? Though, I guess maybe we’re both kinda new to this, but we can figure it out together! How about you tell me where it all started, and then we can explore from there?”

That answer gave him nothing. Shadow’s mind spun, trying to decipher Sonic’s words. Where it all started? Whatever Sonic was implying, it wasn’t aligning with what Shadow was thinking. They were on completely different pages, yet Sonic’s unwavering confidence made Shadow feel utterly stupid. His feelings be damned, he had to be straightforward before something ridiculous happened. 

The hybrid took a deep breath, baring a fang as he gawked at the hero. “...Explore what?”

That made Sonic pause. Blinking, the blue hedgehog cocked his head to the side, that weird smile never leaving his face as his rosy cheeks grew a shade darker. 

“We’re talking about your… how do I put it… that you’re a glutton for punishment – it’s okay, don’t be shy! – so what we need to do is figure out what that means by testing the waters a bit! See what makes you excited! I’m happy to serve, of course… This idea is new to me too, but it sounds fun! You’re just full of surprises, hehe~!”

…

Shadow’s mouth opened.

…

Then it closed.

…What?

…Wait….

…

…No, wait, what?

Shadow's mind faltered, Sonic’s words echoing louder, but their meaning unraveling with each repetition. They rattled around in his brain like a loose screw – unsettling and out of place. Glutton for punishment. He'd heard it before. Rouge had thrown that phrase at him countless times, usually after he'd hurled himself headfirst into a mission with reckless abandon. He'd always brushed it off – just part of being him . The indestructible, unstoppable Ultimate Lifeform. Built to withstand the worst of what the world threw at him.

Pain was temporary. His body could heal from almost anything, and sometimes, throwing himself into the thick of danger got the best results. Death didn’t scare him because, deep down, Shadow knew something others didn’t…

He couldn’t break .

But this wasn’t a mission. He wasn’t in some deadly firefight. The only danger in his immediate vicinity was the blue hedgehog crouched over him, that unnerving smile plastered on his face.

Shadow's eyes narrowed, confusion slowly morphing into a sharper, more defensive emotion. Is that what Sonic meant? That he was reckless for chasing after Sonic? That he enjoyed pushing his limits for the thrill of it? His chest tightened as the realization hit him: they weren’t on the same page – hell, they weren’t even reading the same book. 

…Which he was grateful for…

…Relief tingled in his chest….

His red eyes flicked back to Sonic, scanning his face, trying to gauge his intent. The way Sonic stared at him, eyes half-lidded and filled with that weird look still… it only fueled his growing frustration. Mirroring the tilt of Sonic’s head, Shadow felt a low growl bubble up in his throat, the instinctual sound rumbling deep in his chest.

“You think this is a game?” Shadow's voice was low, dangerously calm, but it carried the weight of a brewing storm. His red eyes darkened as he glared at Sonic, his irritation palpable. “You think I enjoy being reckless? Throwing myself into danger for the thrill of it? You think you can beat me?”

Sonic's grin faltered, a flicker of uncertainty passing across his face before that familiar cocky gleam returned to his eyes. He let out a small chuckle, shrugging off Shadow's intensity as if it were a harmless breeze. “Huh? Beat you? No, no… it’s not just about danger, Shads,” Sonic said, his voice dipping into a conspiratorial whisper. “It's about something more exciting.”

He leaned in even closer, their noses practically touching, his breath warm against Shadow's skin. “Why else do you take so much crap from people when you could crush them in a heartbeat? You’re too powerful. Too controlled. I asked you yesterday if you ever thought about letting go, and now I’m seeing the signs… You want to release that control... maybe in ways you don’t even realize. It all makes sense, Shads. The way you act, the way you hold back. Heck, why else would you take orders from G.U.N. when you could do so much better…?” Sonic trailed off, his grin widening.

Shadow's blood ran cold, his mind reeling. What the hell? The blue hedgehog wasn't just missing the point – he was twisting it into something else, something bizarre and unsettling. Was this some deluded theory Sonic had come up with? Or worse, was it something Shadow was blind to himself? The thought gnawed at him…

…

But no. Impossible.

He didn’t need to analyze this – Sonic was wrong. Period. How dare Sonic twist his actions and motivations into something so grotesque? It made his blood boil.

“Back. Off.” The words left his mouth in a low, venomous snarl. It was a warning, one that Sonic seemed to ignore entirely, his presence lingering too close, far too smug.

It was scary. 

Shadow's body screamed for action, for him to shove Sonic away and end this madness. But that fear he didn’t fully understand kept him rooted in place. He told himself it was the lingering dizziness from his earlier recovery, the disorientation that hadn’t fully left him. It had to be that. Not Sonic's words. Not the way Sonic looked at him – like he’d already won some twisted game Shadow didn’t even know they were playing.

His pulse quickened, heat crawling up his neck as the tension in the air thickened. Shadow’s mind raced, searching for an anchor, for control. But Sonic's presence, his proximity, that unnerving smile – it kept Shadow locked in place.

It couldn’t be the look on Sonic’s face keeping him still. It couldn’t.

Sonic's grin didn't waver, if anything, it widened as he caught the shift in Shadow's posture, the barely restrained fury beneath his cool exterior. He tilted his head, letting the tension hang in the air for a moment before he responded, his voice soft but laced with amusement.

"Back off?" he repeated, as though the words themselves were foreign to him. He chuckled, eyes gleaming with mischief. "I could, but I don’t think that’s what you really want, is it?"

He shifted slightly, his hand brushing the side of Shadow’s arm, the touch casual but deliberate. "Come on, Faker, don’t act like you’re that surprised. I know you. You say that you like being in control, that you need to be in control, but that doesn’t make sense, does it? Because there’s something about pushing boundaries, about being pushed back against, that gets under your skin…”

Sonic’s grin took on a more knowing edge, his gaze unwavering. “You’re not mad at me, not really. You’re mad because I’m right. You’re mad because you’re afraid. You’re afraid of what you might really feel, what you hide from others… But I can help you… It’ll be easy, because…" He leaned just a fraction closer, voice dropping to a near-whisper… 

“I…

... see …

…you."

The flush that overtook Shadow was impossibly hot, forcibly creeping up from his neck to the tip of his ears. He recalled now what the look on Sonic’s face was, why it was so familiar: it was the very same as when they had danced in their drunken haze. A perverted, soul-piercing stare that the Ultimate Lifeform didn’t think anyone else had ever been the recipient of. 

The one that made him feel small.

Tearing his gaze away from the hero, his jaw clenched tightly. He tried to focus on anything other than the insistent thrum of Sonic’s voice in his ears, digging into his flesh like a persistent itch he was unable to scratch. 

“...What… the hell… are you even saying…?” Shadow muttered, his voice tight, laced with frustration. He forced himself to sound irritated, but it came out shaky, betraying the confusion swirling inside him. “You… don’t know me…!”

Sonic's presence was too close, too overwhelming, and Shadow couldn't deny the way his body was reacting. A faint tremble rippled through the agent, despite his best efforts to maintain it., and his teeth dug into his bottom lip as he fought to ignore the growing warmth spreading through him. The way his rival’s gaze seemed to pin him in place. Sonic’s silence only made the tension more unbearable, seemingly content in watching him squirm. 

Then, without warning, the blue hedgehog took the opportunity. His hand found Shadow’s jaw, turning his head back with a firm, gentle touch as he closed the distance between them fully. Before Shadow could process it, Sonic pressed his lips to Shadow’s in one smooth, confident motion.

The kiss was sudden, but slow. Purposeful. It wasn’t demanding, but it left no room for doubt. Shadow’s mind blanked, his muscles freezing for a split second as the heat from Sonic’s touch spread through him like wildfire. Every instinct screamed at him to push the hedgehog away, to stop whatever this was before it got out of hand.

But he didn’t.

Shadow’s hands twitched at his sides, his body betraying him as he leaned into the kiss ever so slightly, a soft, unwilling exhale escaping him as his eyes slipped shut. He could feel the warm tongue of his rival brush against his mouth, poking and prodding in a silent demand for entry that the hybrid couldn’t deny. Sonic moaned into his mouth when his tongue slipped inside, brushing against his fangs and tongue with a greedy insistence that forced Shadow to slide down onto his back, blades of grass bending around his form. 

How had it come to this?

Chasing after Sonic was supposed to end with the blue hedgehog broken beneath his heel, bruised and bloodied, not… making out with mud smeared across both of their bodies, clinging to their fur like a second skin…

This wasn’t what was supposed to happen…

Gross.

The displeasure of being in this state flickered across Shadow’s cloudy mind, but it did nothing to stop the heated kiss or the unsettling rush of warmth to his stomach that Sonic’s lips stirred in him. And Sonic, as always, didn’t seem to care, completely unfazed by the grime coating them both. His hands wandered lower, fingers trailing across Shadow’s chest in slow, teasing circles, sending an involuntary shudder through him. The touch was light, playful, but there was something unnervingly intimate about it. Shadow’s pulse quickened, and his body betrayed him with a soft, hitching breath.

Sonic’s knees dug into the earth on either side of Shadow’s torso, pinning him down. His weight wasn’t oppressive, but it was enough to make the Ultimate Lifeform feel trapped, his head pressed further into the damp dirt beneath them. Each movement made the ground shift beneath him, a stark reminder of how far from control he’d fallen.

The hero purred. Actually purred. His chest vibrated with the sound as he leaned in even closer, deepening the kiss. His lips moved with an urgency, as if he couldn’t get enough, couldn’t taste enough. Shadow’s heart pounded louder in his ears, and he found himself momentarily paralyzed, torn between instinctive resistance and the sensation he had grown to crave in the past week.

It was all wrong. He should have pushed Sonic off by now, thrown him into the nearest tree, reminded him who was really in control here, and reminded him that the Ultimate Lifeform was not to be messed with . Instead, he felt the blue hedgehog’s mouth move against his with a maddening mix of tenderness and hunger, and it only made his mind spin more.

The mud squelched beneath him, cold and gritty against his fur, but Sonic’s touch burned, his fingers brushing past white fur to dig into the onyx on Shadow’s chest, searching for… something? The hybrid didn’t get it at first, too focused on meeting the appendage swirling in his mouth with his own the more he relaxed, unconsciously leaning up into the groping…

When a thumb brushed against a hidden nipple, Shadow’s teeth snapped shut.  

“Waugh!” Sonic yelped, jerking back with a sharp movement, his hands flying to his mouth. He shifted, straddling the Ultimate Lifeform's stomach to steady himself, his eyes wide and twitching. Blood dripped from his tongue, which he now kept awkwardly hanging out of his mouth, glaring down at the agent like he'd been gravely injured.

“Ya biht meh!” he mumbled, the words muffled and slurred by his swollen tongue, as though he couldn't believe Shadow had actually done it. “Ow broh!”