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They had finally faced the inevitable. They'd been captured.
Amidst Sonic's frazzled energy, Shadow was quite calm. He accepted that him and Sonic were going to die. Together. That's all he ever wanted, to spend his short life with him to the bitter end. After all, there was no peaceful death for pirates.
Shadow touched Sonic's foot with his own. They had been thrown in a cell and chained up, awaiting their trial that would ultimately end with them swinging on the execution dock. Sonic looked at him, he relaxed somewhat, but the fear in his eyes was still prevalent. They were young, only in their 40's, but they had not played the cards in their favor and were now paying for it in blood.
"Hey, it's okay. We're doing this together, alright?" Shadow attempted to reassure his first mate.
Sonic nudged Shadow's foot back.
"I know you're scared, but remember what you've always gone by. This is where are actions have lead us, so let's take it in stride. Let's stare death in the face with no fear or remorse. We will forever be together. No matter what."
Sonic took a deep breath, closing his eyes tightly before letting all of the tension leave his body. He opened them again and stared into Shadow's now uncovered eye.
"I love you."
"As do I."
-
The executioner had taken his time, letting the hedgehogs stir in their own foolish defeat until they were rudely jostled awake by a guard yelling at them. Sonic folded his ears at the harsh sound as he was forced to stand and walk with a bayonet pressed against his back.
"Heesh, tough crowd. I'm up. I'm up." He complained, following the guard who took Shadow.
The rusted cuffs bit into his wrists and hands, the metallic stench of blood permeated his nose. It reeked of his soon to be death. He was taken out of his thoughts by a harsh shove from one of the guards. With nothing to break his fall, he fell flat on his face. The crowd laughed at him as he spit out some dirt that had got in his mouth. Tears pricked his eyes at the humiliation, but he dutifully blinked them back.
He heard Shadow's sharp inhale after his fall, catching his fleeting glance of concern and his thinly veiled rage. He was once again roughly pulled up and forced to continue his death march.
He looked to the hangman's noose. There was only one. Only one.
He would be hanged with the same rope that took the life of his Captain. He would have to watch the life slowly drain from his eyes before he too would face the same gruesome fate.
He was going to watch his Captain die.
Panic set in as Shadow was led onto the gallows. He couldn't watch this, he was going to be sick. He vomited on his boots, most of it being stomach acid from the lack food they had been given. He ignored the bitter taste as he wildly searched for an escape, anything to postpone his Captain's death. The guard stationed behind him kicked the back of his knee and yelled at him to stay still. He could hear Shadow's long list of crimes being read, his stance unwavering.
He was staring at him, never taking his eyes off his. It will be okay, they said.
Sonic watched as Shadow was placed within the noose. He watched him in horror, seeing the tears building in his Captain's eyes and the slight, but noticeable, movement of his lips to form 3 words.
Sonic snapped. He began thrashing around. Screaming like a wounded animal. His quills puffed up as he tried to rid himself of the rusty cuffs, further slicing his wrists on the jagged metal.
"LET ME GO!" He screamed, trying to throw the guard off his back. "YOU CANT DO THIS." But he knew they could. He knew that this is the death he and his Captain deserved. He heard the commanding stutter of another guard. "Subdue him."
He felt a spike of pain in his right side. The smell of blood increased tenfold and he looked down at his chest to see the sharp end of the bayonet sticking out. His blood soaking his shirt and dripping down his body, staining the earth. He coughed up blood as he dizzily looked at Shadow. He looked terrified. Sonic had never seen him look so scared. His legs gave out and he tumbled to the ground. Keeping his eyes on his Captain.
He drowned out the crowds frantic cries and panic as they took in the scene. His focus solely on Shadow.
"No... shadow..." He weakly tried to crawl to the him, but was stopped by a crushing boot on his back.
He saw the platform give out as his Captain, the love of his life, his most trusted companion, the man who taught him most of what he knows, was mercilessly slaughtered. His vision clouded and he blacked out, thinking of Shadow's final words.
I love you.