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Sonic squinted at the shattered mirror as he carefully applied the green marker around his eyes before trailing it down his cheek.
Sonic grinned in satisfaction at how neat and straight the lines were-
“Sonic!” Tails snapped and Sonic yelped, dropping his marker.
“Tails, don’t sneak up on me,” Sonic sighed and huffed.
“I don’t know how you didn’t see me,” Tails huffed. “Our van isn’t that big and you can see me in your mirror.”
“Oh, yeah,” Sonic chuckled a little, turning away some more. Tails’ reflection frowned as Sonic resumed his preparations.
“You’re going out to see Robotnik again, aren’t you?” Tails huffed, crossing his arms. He said the last name with a great deal of disdain, glaring at the very idea of the so named individual.
“You know, you can just call him Shadow,” Sonic corrected for the hundredth time. “And so what if I am?”
Tails pouted, turning away. Sonic frowned, setting down his marker. He’d pretty much finished anyway.
“C’mon, what’s the matter?” Sonic asked, steppin in front of Tails.
“I don’t like him,” Tails grumbled, looking away. “He just… he gives me a bad vibe. When are you gonna deliver him to the resistance?”
Sonic frowned.
That’s right.
Shadow Robotnik, the crown jewel of the Robotnik family, known for his tremendous skill in ballet.
His competitions and performances were tied to the Robotnik family, the family composed of scientists and politicians, with Gerald Robotnik being one of the founders of the current system.
Shadow’s endorsement of any political movement was considered a golden stamp of approval from the Robotnik family, controlling how the populace reacted to… well, basically everything.
Sonic wasn’t with the rebellion but they knew they could call on him for occasional aid.
They’d called him, about three months ago, for help kidnapping Shadow Robotnik.
Dance was not Sonic’s sole skill, he was rather stealthy and competitive when push came to shove, some members of the rebellion would know this firsthand.
Sonic hadn’t agreed agreed but they’d generally assumed he’d do something about Shadow.
Sonic wasn’t really one for kidnapping but he’d seen some of Shadow’s dancing.
Sonic had figured he’d just sneak in and challenge him to a quick dance off, see how the place’s security and Shadow’s skills were.
Sonic had found so much more.
If Sonic, the rebellion, anyone in the world, honestly, hated the Robotnik family, Shadow carried tens times that hatred in a single bone of his body.
It fuelled him in everything he did, especially his dancing. What others, including Sonic, to be honest, had excused as passion and poise was festering rage and barely controlled self restraint.
In a dance battle against a stranger, no witnesses, no audience, just Shadow, his hatred, and a blue idiot who was poking the bull, that all came out.
Now, call Sonic whatever you want because that was incredibly intriguing.
Sonic started bi-weekly, then weekly, then daily visits to Shadow, filled with dance battles.
But it’s not like they could always dance.
So they learned.
Sonic learned of Maria, a sickly girl who was rarely awake, the girl who Shadow first performed for, first danced for.
Shadow learns of Tails, how Sonic broke free of his own golden prison to protect a child.
They don’t tell each other everything. They don’t trust each other enough.
But it’s enough.
Names and half truths whispered in the night between dances that verge on violent, music loud enough to wake the dead pounding on rooftops.
Sonic decided that first night that he couldn’t give Shadow up to anyone but Tails looks up at him,desperate and afraid.
Well,
Sonic thinks to himself.
Once I introduce them, Tails’ll forget all about it. A little white lie never hurt anyone, did it?
“Soon,” Sonic says, looking away. “Just to figure out a few more things, okay?”
Tails sighed, shaking his head.
“Fine,” he grumbled. “Just don’t come back too late, okay? And be careful.”
“Of course,” Sonic said with an easygoing grin, ruffling Tails’ fur. The fox kit yelped, smacking his older brother’s hand away playfully. “I’ll be back in time for dinner. In fact, I’ll bring home dinner! Sounds good?”
“Oh, can you pick up some mint ice cream too?!” Tails asks eagerly, tails wagging enough to pull him into a low hover.
“Sure can, bud!” Sonic called out as he exited the van, patting the old thing as he did so.
It used to be a van remodeled into a chili dog but it broke down two years ago and Tails hadn’t managed to fix it so now it was their home within the junkyard.
It was technically illegal to live in the junkyard, much less in the actual junk, but the alternative was having the homeless on the street, messing up the perfect view, so as long as the NDCPD couldn’t see you living in the junkyard directly, they didn’t mess with anyone living there.
Small blessings, Sonic supposes.
Sonic pulls up his hood as he walks into the city limits, the neon colors helping to hide him amongst the fans, the wealthy, and the working class.
He doesn’t have to walk far, they usually fight at the Tandem Towers.
Back when the city was first getting its reputation as the most elaborate and expensive place on Moubis, it was a competition to see who could build the tallest buildings within the city limits.
The Tandem Towers were the first built and were abandoned since to little more than rentable offices.
Two independent hedgehogs entering and climbing to the top office? Nothing to bat an eye at.
However, Tandem Towers, despite being the shortest tower in the city, was still rather tall.
Thus, once the fire escape hatch was opened and Sonic was on the roof, he was free to remove his jacket.
Too low for anyone above to recognize him, too high for anyone to look up and even see him. The roof itself isn’t that large so no one really bothers to go up there. It’s big enough for just two dancers and one box fan, dutifully whirring away.
He tossed his jacket to the side and waited, not for long.
Shadow is on the roof the second Sonic starts to lean on the roof, practically tearing his own jacket off as he breathes in the cold air of the rooftop.
“Took your sweet time,” Sonic says, as if he’s been waiting for quite some time.
“Gerald had a new routine he wanted me to practice,” Shadow grumbled, sitting on top of a box fan. Well, that explained why he was already in his ballet shoes. “With the election coming up, he’s got quite the list of performances and demands for me.”
Sonic sharply hissed. He pushed off the wall, coming over and sitting on the same box fan.
“Sounds rough,” he says, sympathetic. “Do you wanna reschedule tonight?”
“No,” Shadow answers quickly, head snapping up. His cheeks grow red, as if he said something embarrassing. He lowers his head, repeating himself. “No. I’d rather get some enjoyment out of my day today. I’ve been looking forward to kicking your ass all day.”
“Aw, that’s sweet-” Sonic started before frowning. “Hey, how do you even know you’ll win?!”
Shadow smiled smugly and stood up, doing his stretches.
Sonic huffed and hopped up as well, stretching as well.
“Just because you’re tired doesn’t mean I’ll do easy on you,” Sonic warned.
“Good,” Shadow nodded. “If you did, I’d kill you.”
Sonic laughs, the same way he does every time Shadow threatens him.
“It’s my turn to pick the music, right?” Sonic asks, pulling up the playlist he’d made specifically for this occasion.
“Seems so,” Shadow says with a shrug. “You better not play anything shit.”
“So little faith,” Sonic laughs, clicking on a song before setting his phone down.
‘...
Look at me, what have I become…’
Shadow hummed as the song started, ears twitching as he nodded to the rhythm. Sonic suppressed a cry of victory at Shadow’s minimal signs of approval.
“Your music taste has improved,” Shadow remarked, beginning one of his dance moves with an annoyingly french name.
“Or maybe yours has,” Sonic responded, allowing Shadow the floor before joining in.
Their dance styles could not be more different. Shadow’s is all about control, move your body here and there, release it in bursts, show a little while doing a lot.
Sonic’s, however, is the opposite. It is an explosion of self expression, limbs and body parts flying everywhere in a controlled chaos.
With the song, a sharp guitar and a steady drummer, you’d think such strangely connected dance styles would look bad.
But Shadow’s control accents the singer’s voice and the guitar while Sonic’s undercuts the words and the steady rythmn of the drum.
But there’s always a part that gets physical.
As the second chorus strikes up, Shadow’s elbows hits Sonic square in the back, disrupting Sonic’s balance.
Sonic’s about 40% sure it wasn’t on purpose.
Purposeful or not, Sonic struggles to reclaim his footing, the gravellike roofing doing nothing to help.
He feels himself start to lean back, slipping towards the railless edge-
Shadow’s hand shoots out, gripping the front of Sonic’s sleeveless shirt. He yanks Sonic back up, their noses brushing.
Shadow’s eyes pierce into Sonic’s with an emotion Sonic can’t quite place or even understand.
“Eyes on me, street rat,” Shadow finally says, putting some space between them.
“Uh, thanks for the save?” Sonic laughs nervously. “And you know I’m not a rat.”
The song wraps up and they both sit down. Their dance fights haven’t been an actual competition for weeks now.
They both sit on the edge, watching the seas of beige and neon move beneath their feet.
“If there’s one place in the world you could go with no consequences,” Sonic asked. “Where would you go?”
Shadow frowned, brow wrinkling. Sonic watched as the neon seemed to bounce while the beige seemed to drag.
“Where do you live?” Shadow asked suddenly and Sonic laughed.
“Be serious,” Sonic snorted.
“I am,” Shadow shot back, glaring. Sonic blinked, surprised, before turning his red face away.
“Well, it wouldn’t be no consequences then,” Sonic responded. “Because if you ever come to my humble abode, that’ll mean we’re friends. Imagine the scandal.”
“Yes, the scandal indeed,” Shadow said, his tone not changing in the slightest. “How nightmarish.”
Sonic decided to leave it at that. He wasn’t always the best at understanding Shadow’s tone.
“And what about you?” Shadow said suddenly.
“What about me?” Sonic tilted his head.
“Where would you go?” Shadow rolled his eyes. “Obviously.”
“Huh, good question,” Sonic leaned back, turning his eyes away from the ground to the shining towers above, bright lights blinding out the stars. “Oh, I think I’ve got a good answer.”
“Yes?” Shadow glanced over at Sonic, curious.
“Well, you can tell me if it’s true or not,” Sonic said, pointing upwards. “But I hear they’re starting to construct a floating city, just above where the light pollution is. Heard they’re calling it the Ark.”
Shadow’s face took on a strange quality, not that Sonic noticed.
“I’ve never seen the stars before,” Sonic admitted. “I was born before the light regulations passed so I just missed them.”
The light regulations were a half hearted effort to prevent light pollution from actually blotting out the night sky but it was too little too late. Most people used it as a sort of time measurement.
“I’ve never seen them either,” Shadow said softly.
“Really? Even with your penthouse all the way up there?” Sonic asked, motioning upwards. Shadow shook his head.
“All I’ve ever seen is the city lights,” Shadow said. He frowned. “I doubt I’ll ever see much more.”
“Hey, don’t say that!” Sonic scolded gently. “Look, life is crazy. Maybe something will happen. I can’t imagine things staying this way for long without something breaking and forcing them to change it.”
“I can’t either, I just…” Shadow closed his eyes. “I’m worried it’ll be me that’s breaking.”
“Hey,” Sonic said, both gently and firmly, reaching over and taking Shadow’s hand. Maybe it’s the wrong move, what with Shadow’s eyes flying open and lasering onto Sonic’s hand conjoined with his. “You won’t break. I know you’re stronger than that, stronger than anything those bastards can throw at you.”
“How do you know?” Shadow asked, sounding somewhat incredulous.
“Because you’ve already survived so much,” Sonic said. “It’s not much reassurance or consultation but… hey, survival is survival, amirite?”
Shadow looks down at their conjoined hands. Something sorrowful passes through his gaze and he sharply inhales.
“Yes,” Shadow says. “You’re right.”
“This time tomorrow, right?” Sonic asks an hour later, slipping his jacket on.
Shadow pauses while putting his own on and nods. Sonic beams, heading for the door.
“Great! I’ll see you-” Sonic starts but Shadow cuts him off.
“Sonic, wait,” Shadow calls out. Sonic turns with a blink.
Shadow runs up, firmly gripping both sides of Sonic’s face before yanking him down for a kiss.
Sonic nearly screams but manages to hold his tongue as Shadow finally releases him.
“Um,” Sonic, marker makeup smugged, says intelligently. “What was that for?”
Shadow stares at him like he’s some new fangled computer set up before sighing, heading past him for the door.
“Because you’re an idiot and I think you’re cute,” Shadow responds curtly. “I’ll see you.”
Sonic floats through the rest of his day, in a haze of glee and confusion. There had been signs, of course, but Sonic had thought he’d been making them up, in some desire for some violent yet hot hedgehog guy to like him back.
But no! Shadow kissed him! Shadow called him cute! Shadow liked him!
Sonic bought two tubs of mint ice cream.
“Yay!” Tails cheered when he saw Sonic walk in with them, his joy tempered as he saw Sonic. “What happened to you?”
“Oh, uh,” Sonic blushes, hand going to his mouth before he can stop himself. “Nothing. Why?”
Tails stares at him before flopping back with a groan.
“You’re not giving him up to the rebellion ever, are you?” Tails huffed, crossing his arms.
“No,” Sonic admitted shamefully. Even if he was before, he couldn’t bring himself to now. As much good as the rebellion wanted to do, he didn’t trust them with Shadow. He barely trusted himself.
But how could he do something like that to someone he loves?
Shadow stepped into the pent house, feeling the cool, clean air press against his skin.
The door to the office was opened for him as he stepped in.
“I did what you asked,” Shadow said quietly. “He’ll be there.”
“Good,” Gerald Robotnik said, barely looking up from his screen.
“Maria… and I…” Shadow looked up, something like desperation and hope in his gaze. “We'll be allowed onboard the Ark?”
“Yes,” Gerald responded with a sigh. “I am a man of my word. We catch that hedgehog, you get your paradise.”
Shadow nodded before turning to leave. He paused.
“What… what will happen to him? To Sonic?” Shadow asked.
“I haven’t decided yet,” Gerald finally looked up. “I’m thinking of a trial… some jail time, at most. Your little friend will be fine.”
Shadow nodded again. Somehow, the assurance did little to comfort him.
“But why should you care?” Gerald looked back at his work. “You have practice and packing to do. You’re dismissed.”
The man motioned for him to shoo and Shadow had to bite his tongue.
Shadow nodded respectively, heading for his shared bedroom.
He hoped what he’d done… he hoped it was worth it.