Chapter 1: Rouge’s Insistence
Chapter Text
"They're getting bolder you know?"
Shadow fell back on his couch in exhaustion, his arms splayed out as he leaned his head back, squinting at the ceiling. He hoped his lack of response would discourage the bat from bringing this topic up again.
He should really know better by now.
"You're gaining more and more attention now. You're about to go on your third tour. You can't just walk around in public alone anymore. You need safety," Rouge left her glass on the kitchen island and circled around the couch to stand in front of Shadow; a clear attempt to force him to acknowledge her.
"These idiots will actually attack me the same day pigs start flying," he spoke with a lack of enthusiasm. He refused to regard the matter of a few online threats as something serious.
"Shadow," Rouge's almost growled out warningly. "The internet is extremely advanced these days. Those 'idiots' can find out a lot of information about you. And if they manage to dig up your background and find out who your father is do you know what kind of danger you'll be-"
Shadow snapped his attention away from the ceiling to glare at Rouge. "If these people really think that hurting or killing me is an effective way to gain an advantage over my dad then they wouldn't just be idiots. They would be imbeciles. Plus, you forget how capable I am of handling danger because of said father."
He might be a rising star now, but that did not take away the years of training ingrained into him in his life beforehand. He still maintains his form through rigorous workouts and boxing practice. It thankfully translates well into his career as his fans fawn over his physique during his performances, never questioning why his form is so lean, clueless to the honing of his body to be lethal.
Rouge however was not having it, "Capable of handling a fistfight yes. But not a gun Shadow. You can't carry that around anymore as an idol. But a bodyguard can!"
"I refuse to have a squadron of bodyguards flocking around me everywhere I go," Shadow crossed his arms in distaste at the suggestion. That would be downright humiliating. "Plus, it would just be more suspicious to the people making these threats. They'll think there is information to dig for."
"Not a squadron, just one! That's a reasonable measure to take as a now-famous idol."
Pretending to mull over Rouge's suggestion, Shadow knew there was no point in trying to refuse. It was a reasonable enough offer that she would just go ahead and do it anyways if he did. So he sighed and relented, leaning back onto the couch to stare at the ceiling again.
"Fine, but don't bother me with the hiring process. Just make sure to get someone you know will beat me in combat, if there is anyone like that."
Rouge grinned at his trust in her decision-making. "How cocky," she drawled in amusement. "I'll make sure to get someone who can humble you."
With this brave promise, the bat strolls off to pick up her purse and put on her coat, yelling a reminder to drink water with honey to soothe his throat.
He continued to blink at the ceiling for a few seconds after she's gone before bending forwards again to haul himself off the couch. He had already changed out of his costume from his rehearsal earlier today and showered, now wearing a simple grey oversized shirt. He shuffled to the kitchen and searched around the cupboard for honey. Thankfully the hotel had stocked this kitchen with all kinds of ingredients so the search didn't take long.
He filled a cup with water before stirring a teaspoon of honey into it. Honey is supposedly great at soothing a raw throat, and while he never cared enough to ensure recovery of something as menial as a 'sore throat', he knew Rouge would have his head if he didn't take these extra steps. It did directly tie in with his ability to perform too so he supposed it was for the general good.
Finishing his sweetened water, Shadow retreated to his bedroom. Sprawling out on his bed, he considered the effects of Rouge's decision. He really did not look forward to having some big stone-faced guy following him everywhere drawing attention to him. At least while running errands alone he could just stuff his quills into a hoodie to prevent himself from being recognized and go about his day in peace.
Sighing, he thought back to Rouge's promise then huffed a short exhale through his nose in amusement. A guy that can humble him. She had no idea just how intense the training his father put him through was. As a hedgehog he may have been smaller than his opponents, but his prowess and tenacity were unmatched. He could switch between and combine different martial arts and fight dirty, something some dumb bodyguard can never learn.
Maybe he can humble the bodyguard instead, he mused. Then he could prove to Rouge that having a bodyguard is just an unnecessary liability.
With these hopeful thoughts he drifted to sleep while Rouge looked up different bodyguard agencies in preparation to contact the next day.
~~~
Sonic was bouncing his right leg nonstop.
A client needing a year of protection who will be travelling all over the United Federation. A celebrity of some sort.
He glanced at the taller, buffer bodyguards lined up beside him, waiting to be called into the room. He pulled the corners of his lips into a smile at a bear whose eyes he accidentally caught. The bear simply raised an eye at him and scoffed, disbelieving at the seemingly scrawny hedgehog thinking he stood a chance at landing this position.
A wrongful assumption might Sonic just say. He knew his capabilities and he knew he could prove them. He wasn't bouncing his neg from nervousness. He was bouncing it in excitement.
"Sonic? You can come in now."
Standing up instantly from his seat, Sonic didn't acknowledge the quiet snickers from the other bodyguards as he approached the door.
Opening it as narrowly as he could to slide himself in, he shut it behind himself before registering his surroundings. The office layout was not unfamiliar to him. He had been in this office twice before in hopes to be matched with clients; both times met with scrutiny and rejection before even getting the chance to explain himself. It's frustrating being judged on appearance alone. He wished the agency would let him demonstrate his skills to the client or something.
But it's fine, this one he would not give a chance to underestimate him.
Settling his eyes on the desk first he saw his broker agent speaking to a chair. He power walked forward until he stood next to the desk to be in the client's line of sight.
"Miss Rouge, this here is one of our newer bodyguards. He has a firearm license and is one of the speediest little guys in Empire City!" Sonic tried not to wince at the agent's undermining description, making him out to be some cute underdog. He forced himself to look at the client, prepared to see an unimpressed stare of sorts followed by half-hearted questions with zero intent to consider him no matter what his answers were.
His eyes were met with amusement instead.
"A hedgehog huh?" The white bat leaned her face forwards onto her hand. She looked different from the previous two clients he faced. For one thing she couldn't have been past her mid twenties, not much older than Sonic himself as a 22 year old. For another, she looked like a model from one of those fashion magazines. Dressed in a large white button down with sleeves that ended right below her elbows, cinched around her waist with a large black belt to emphasize her curves with black denim pants to match. Somehow, despite her outfit being rather casual, Sonic felt out-dressed even though he was clad in a suit and tie.
Sonic snapped himself out of his reverie and brought his hand up to his forehead in a salute, "That I am."
Miss Rouge giggled. He wasn't sure if it was at his response (which wasn't meant to be funny he thinks), or if she downright didn't take him seriously. He was ready to wipe that smile off her face if the latter was the case.
"Alright, what martial arts do you know?"
Sonic took a short breath before reciting the types he had technically learned within his training, "I've formally learned taekwondo, judo, kickboxing, Muay Thai, Krav Maga, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu ma'am."
"And which one is your favorite?"
The question came a bit too quickly after his response, implying that the question isn't improvised, but rather something she was planning on asking him no matter what. He could be over-reading it, but something about that gleam in her eyes told him that he shouldn't stay on script for this answer.
Praying that the broker agent wouldn't give him hell for this later, he straightened his posture and smirked.
"None of them ma'am."
"Uhm-"
The bat cut the agent off with an intrigued grin, "Really now? You don't have one style that you prefer more to others?"
"I believe in doing whatever I can to win. I appreciate the techniques I formally learned but I cannot be tied down to one fighting style."
His answer seemed to please her, enough so that she asked the agent to leave the room so that she could ask Sonic more questions in private. Sonic tried not to gape at how she managed to convince the agent, basically sweet-talking him out of the door in a daze before closing it shut. Her charisma is seriously nothing to laugh at.
"Now," Miss Rouge strolled back to the chair before beckoning Sonic to come closer as she sat down. "How can I know that you're worth it?"
Sonic assumed by 'worth it' she meant worth considering. He could ramble on and on about his credentials and fighting history. Or he could continue to surprise her...
"Pick three of the other bodyguards outside."
The bat blinked at this request, confused. "Pardon?"
"Pick three bodyguards," he repeated, a fire in his eyes, a thirst for a challenge. "I can fight them simultaneously and win."
The bat seemed taken aback by this confidence, processing the wager for a second before a smile climbed back on her face, "Your cockiness is so familiar. Although I doubt your agent would allow you to fight the other bodyguards for the sake of a demonstration, something tells me I should take your word for it at least."
Sonic took the approval in stride and grinned, "I promise you any danger that comes your way ma'am I can deal with."
Miss Rouge raised an eyebrow at this before correcting him, "Oh it's not me that you'll be guarding."
Now Sonic was the confused one. Not her? She looked like an A-list celebrity of some sort, most likely needing protection from slightly-too-passionate fans or creeps.
"Tell me Sonic, have you heard of Shadow?"
Shadow? He had heard that name from Tails before. He was a pop star of some sort that was recently rising to fame. He had never heard his music before but from what he knew, the guy was rather popular with the ladies.
And Tails of course, who occasionally raves about how cool he is and how soulful his voice is. Sonic himself wasn't much of a music fan, or a celebrity fan in general to be honest. He didn't live under a rock per se but he didn't keep up with the lives of famous people often. Most of the information he knew of he would hear from Tails or passingly from social media.
"The singer?" Sonic asked in uncertainty, unsure if his obvious lack of familiarity would benefit or ruin his chances at landing this job. Were bodyguards supposed to be super familiar with their client? He assumed it would help for him to have pre-existing knowledge of what Shadow's schedule or lifestyle looked like. He prayed his answer didn't come off as ignorant.
"Yes, the singer. As he's been getting more attention from the public, he has been recently receiving a number of online threats claiming that they will make attempts on his life. While every celebrity experiences this at some point and they tend to be empty threats, I want to take precautionary measures to keep him safe, especially since he'll be going on a live tour soon."
Sonic nodded slowly, now pondering the bat's relation to him. His curiosity got the best of him before he could stop himself, "And you're his..."
"Manager," she supplied with a grin. "I handle all the behind the scenes stuff. Subtlety is much more my thing."
Sonic exhaled lightly in relief at her casual response to what he felt was an unprofessional question. Subtlety? From her fashion sense alone he would have thought the opposite.
"One last question Sonic," Miss Rouge leaned forward again, a much more serious look in her eyes.
"Are you willing to take a bullet for your client?"
Sonic weighed this question in his head. The reason bodyguards get paid so much is because they're essentially putting their life on the line to protect their client. It's like paying with their body in a way, a shield to make sure any damage that was intended for their client lands on them instead. Realistically of course, the chances of life threatening danger happening were extremely low. No criminal in their right mind would try to kill a celebrity unless they were sure they could get away with it. The only type of client a shooter would risk getting caught for would be a controversial politician.
While yes, money was a big factor in why Sonic trained to become a bodyguard in the first place, it also gave him a chance to follow his ideals more honorably. If it weren't for Knuckles he would still be out on the streets endangering his body for much less, but as a bodyguard he gets the chance to endanger himself for someone. To save their life. And if he lands this job, he would gain more than enough money to pay for anything Tails needs or wants. He needed this job.
"If I'm being honest," he blurted out. "I would go through torture to save my client."
The bat's eyes widened at this; he wasn't sure the reason why. Maybe she didn't believe him, or maybe she thought his blind willingness to lay down his life for someone he doesn't even know to be foolish.
She broke back into a giggle waving her hand, "Oh my! Don't worry, Shadow doesn't have such audacious enemies just yet. I was just making sure you're not the cowardly type."
Sonic smiled at the sudden change in her demeanor. 'Just yet' she had said. It could have been a careless expression of her speech, or it could truly imply that he might develop bigger enemies in the future.
Was it strange that a part of him was hoping that the latter was true? Tails did always say he was too much of a thrill-seeker.
"Well," Miss Rouge stood up from the chair again, picking up her purse. "It was great to meet you Sonic. You're a very charming hedgehog and I look forward to working with you."
Sonic's breathing stopped for a few seconds, "You mean-"
"Yes, I'll talk to your agent now about setting up a contract. I think you're just what Shadow needs."
He felt his heart float as a grin stretched across his face. Clasping his right hand to his chest and bowing, "Thank you ma'am."
"You better skip the formalities next time I see you," the bat quirked an eyebrow at him before walking towards the door. "Just call me Rouge. I'm not old you know."
"Of course ma'a- Rouge," he substituted happily. It felt a bit strange calling his employer by their name but he was happy to amend.
"Perfect! Oh and one more thing," she set her hand on the doorknob, making no move to open it until she finishes her sentence. "Shadow will probably be a pain in the ass early on since I had to pester him about getting a bodyguard in the first place, but keep showing him that dashing smile of yours and he'll come around eventually."
Sonic blinked at the... piece of advice? He wasn't sure what the aim of that statement was, but he was still on his happiness high so he grinned again.
"Will do."
Rouge called the agent back into the room while Sonic made his exit. He really wanted to shove it into these other bodyguards' faces, but settled on whistling a jaunty tune while walking past them as they stared at him incredulously.
This is gonna be great.
Chapter 2: First Impression
Notes:
I listened to the voices and decided to post this chapter 3 days early oops.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Shadow stirred his straw into his strawberry milkshake before leaning over to take a sip of it. It was sweet to the taste but not to the point of artificiality.
He was currently sat across Rouge in a cafe near the hotel, wearing a deep red hoodie and some loose grey track pants. So far most people seem to be minding their own business, even if Rouge's over-the-top glam seemed to be doing everything in its power to render Shadow's attempt at blending in useless.
"You're going to like him."
"Yeah right," he muttered. The more he thought about the changes a bodyguard will make in his lifestyle, his privacy, the more annoyed he felt at the situation. He shouldn't have agreed to this. "Can he just walk 20 steps behind me or something so I don't have to look at him or be associated with him?"
"The whole point of a bodyguard is that they're supposed to be right next to you to protect you if something happens. What's he gonna do from 20 steps behind?"
Shadow scowled at Rouge as he sipped on his milkshake before sighing in acceptance, "Whatever. As long as he's silent and pretends like he doesn't exist."
Rouge's lips suddenly pursed as she looked away, looking awfully guilty all of a sudden.
He narrowed his eyes in suspicion, "What?"
Rouge stretched her arms out on the table, tapping her fingers awkwardly, "Well... I don't think he's the silent type if I'm being honest."
"You got me a talkative bodyguard? Are you serious?" Shadow sat upright. He wasn't sure whether to growl or laugh bitterly at this. Having a lingering presence behind him is one thing, but having a chatterbox follow him around? That is beyond a nightmare.
"Just so you know I think you two have some things in common!" Rouge tried to quickly de-escalate. "You're both extremely cocky when it comes to your fighting capabilities. You'll get along just fine!"
"My cockiness can actually be backed up. Just because he learned a couple of martial arts and has a gun license doesn't mean he can fight in a real-life scenario." A chatterbox that's cocky too? Shadow was just about fed up with the guy before even meeting him.
"Something tells me he fights similarly to you, trust me," the bat pleaded. "Do you not trust my intuition?"
Shadow continued to glare at her, going silent because she's right. Rouge had incredibly strong people skills and could gauge a person's tendencies before they even learn of it themselves. Her observant nature was what prevented Shadow from accidentally getting into unfair deals offered by money-hungry publishers. To this day, her intuition has never failed them.
"Besides isn't it good if he's chatty in public? That way he looks less like a bodyguard and more like a friend. So you can still blend in, which I'm guessing was one of your worries right?"
He leaned back into his chair with an eye roll. Another example of her observational skills. He hated it when she made good points.
Picking up on his acceptance, Rouge smiled, "Try to keep your mind open about this. I think his energized personality would be a great addition to our team."
Shadow went back to sipping on his milkshake in distaste. He still wasn't sure if blending in with the public was worth a pain in his side trying to make conversation with him. Maybe he could just ignore the guy. The contract didn't say anything about being nice.
The contract also didn't say anything about the client and bodyguard fighting each other.
Shadow held back a smirk at this, not wanting to alert Rouge to his plan. Suddenly he looked forward to the bodyguard's arrival.
~~~
Sonic dusted his shoes on the doormat before entering the apartment. It was a small 1 bedroom; a bit dingy in appearance but miles better than what he used to live in. Walking past the tiny kitchen, he took a moment to look between the makeshift study room and the living room that was more of a workshop now thanks to Tails. He didn't mind the space transformation since he didn't like to stay cooped up in the apartment anyways. Not to mention he would be stupid to impede on his little brother's creativity. Some of these trinkets he's building are Nobel prize worthy in his opinion; imagine what he can do in college!
As he predicted, Tails was currently sitting on the floor of the living room, earphones in while he held a screwdriver to some gadget.
"Tails!"
The fox looked up from his work to see Sonic, his eyes lighting up as he set down the gadget and screwdriver and ran to hug him before holding the hedgehog by his shoulders. It felt a bit strange looking up at his little brother now. He had a growth spurt earlier this year that nearly gave Sonic a whiplash when he came back from bodyguard training. But the extra height couldn't stop him from ruffling the fur between Tail's ears when he felt like it.
"SONIC! HOW'D THE CLIENT MEETING GO?"
Sonic winced at the volume, making Tails realize he still had his earphones in and rush to take them off, "Sorry! How'd it go? Do you think they'll pick you?"
"Better," Sonic smirked. "They picked me instantly! They're writing up the contract right now as we speak. The other bodyguards looked so shocked, you should've seen their faces!"
The fox beamed, "I knew it wouldn't be long before you secured one. They have no idea just how good you are."
"Damn straight," the hedgehog contentedly accepted the praise before pointing to their bedroom. "Now get changed. This occasion calls for restaurant food! What do you think of Sable & Silk?"
"Sonic," Tails face suddenly changed to one of uncertainty as he started fidgeting with his thumbs. "Isn't that a pretty... pricey restaurant?"
The hedgehog spun a theatrical 360, "a bougie restaurant to match the bougie salary I'll be getting. By the end of the contract, I'll have enough money to buy us a house!"
"What?" The fox's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Who exactly is your client? Are you protecting a politician?"
"Oho, you might wanna sit down for this," Sonic drawled but didn't actually give Tails any time to sit down. "That singer you like? Shadow? He's the client."
Tail's jaw dropped, gaping. "Shadow? The Shadow? You're protecting the Shadow?"
"The poor guy is probably having a sneezing fit from how many times you just said his name," Sonic snickered, walking towards the study room's chair.
"Dude. Shadow is in the top 30 most popular musicians in the United Federation right now. And he's climbing the ranks globally too! If my calculations are right and he doesn't get into any scandals, he might become top 10 by the end of this year!"
"Scandals, huh?" Sonic sat down on the chair, leaning his elbow on its arm. "According to Miss Rouge, he's kinda prickly."
"Rouge? You spoke to his manager?! I can't believe this is real." The fox started to look a bit dazed, clasping his head between his hands.
Sonic zipped out of his seat to hold him steady, "Hey bud don't freak out too much about it. I'll get you their autographs by the time I'm back. Can I trust you to take care of yourself though when I'm gone?"
"I'm sixteen," Tails rolled his eyes in a very 16-year-old fashion. Full of sass. "I do all of the cooking anyways."
"Yet you keep forgetting to eat unless I remind you and have the most atrocious sleep schedule Mobius has ever seen," Sonic snapped back in a superior 22-year-old fashion, before taking on a more serious tone. "Don't sass me on this, kid. I'm gonna be gone for longer periods this time. Finish your exams and start applying to whatever universities you want okay? You're smart enough to get scholarship offers but any other expenses you need or want you ask me alright?"
Tails looked down to avoid eye contact. Sonic knew the fox's tendencies to abandon his wants out of guilt for depending on Sonic's income, as if the hedgehog didn't willingly make the decision to adopt him. He himself may had grown into adulthood without ever getting adopted, but he wasn't going to leave his little brother to rot in that stupid orphanage any longer than he needed to. Sonic didn't need much watering growing up, but he'll be damned if he let Tails' brilliant mind be wasted.
"If I catch you trying to cheap out on yourself I'm... reverse grounding you."
Tails' eyes snapped back up in incredulity, "Reverse grounding?"
"Yeah," Sonic crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at the fox, hoping his attitude would assert dominance on the teenager. "Instead of making you stay in the house, I'm gonna make you go outside and spend money and socialize with people."
Tails' eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms to mirror the hedgehog, trying to call his bluff, "How would you even do that from the other side of the country huh?"
"I'll call Knuckles in to make sure it happens."
A look of horror passed over the fox's face as he brought up his hands in mock surrender, "Okay, fine!"
"That's what I thought," Sonic smirked contentedly. "Now go get changed! Tonight we spoil ourselves."
"Yeah, yeah." Tails muttered as he walked to the bedroom before shutting the door behind him. As he got changed, Sonic contemplated what this Shadow fella would be like. He's heard of spoiled celebrities but if Miss Rouge spoke of him so fondly, surely he can't be that bad right?
~~~
He can in fact be that bad.
Sonic had set his bags in his own room, not without having gawked and gaped at his surroundings on his way there of course. He had never been in a hotel. He had been in plenty of motels when he was trying to get by, but he has to admit that the lack of alcoholic or... leafy smells was definitely his favorite thing about this hotel so far. Second is the lack of screams coming from his neighboring rooms. How fancy!
The experience of admiring his surroundings alone had set him in a good mood. Rouge seemed amused as she led him through the halls towards the room Shadow was supposed to be in, only 4 units down from his own.
Before knocking on the door the bat whispered to Sonic, "Don't be too put off by whatever he says."
Sonic nodded while rolling his shoulders back. He was prepared for attitude. He was prepared for complaints. He was prepared for contempt, passive-aggression, mockery, anything really.
The door opens to reveal an ebony hedgehog with red stripes along his quills. He was wearing a cropped black top paired with grey sweatpants. A rather casual fit. His left ear sported two piercings. Were those clip-ons or real? It's rather unusual for a hedgehog to have ear piercings due to how sensitive, and therefore prone to pain their ears are.
He also noted red lines stemming from right above his inner eye corners sweeping out before curving back onto his outer eye corners, a strong resemblance to those graphic liner designs he would see in makeup advertisements. There's no way that's natural right? It looked ingrained into the fur. Maybe dyed? But surely dyed fur and quills can't be shaped into such precise lines -
"How old are you?"
Sonic blanked when he realized that above those thin red stripes he was staring at was a pair of eyebrows cinched together in incredulity.
"Um," he sounded out stupidly. "22 sir."
"You're a year younger than me," Shadow immediately responded in disbelief before turning to Rouge. "He's a year younger than me."
Rouge's confidence did not waver at the singer's obvious cynicism, "Young and full of spirit!"
At this, Sonic took it as his cue to muster up the brightest, most charming smile he could put on his face, bringing Shadow's attention back to him.
Alas, the singer's downright appalled expression only worsened, his right eye starting to twitch.
"Looks like you can be wrong," the ebony hedgehog muttered not-so-subtly, before slamming the door in their faces.
Well he was prepared for everything except for that.
"Hah," Sonic smiled at Rouge awkwardly. "Quite the charmer huh?"
"He definitely is an... acquired taste," The bat quirked up an eyebrow at him with a playful smile, before turning her back to him and waving him to follow. "Come on, let me show you the rest of the team we'll be travelling with."
The hedgehog dutifully followed Rouge away from Shadow's door and towards the neighboring units.
The first door opened to reveal a pink hedgehog clad in a white romper.
"Hey Amy," Rouge greeted. "I'm just showing our new team member around. Sonic, meet Amy. She's our tour promoter. She goes out to set up deals for concerts, rehearsals, audiovisual production, and so on. She finds people that will buy Shadow's performances basically. Now Amy, meet Sonic. He's our lovely new bodyguard who will be taking care of Shadow for the next twelve months."
Sonic tried not to squirm under the pink hedgehog's wide-eyed gaze and offered out a hand to shake instead, "It's great to meet you Amy. Tour promotion sounds like tough work! I hope I can serve well as a bodyguard."
"Oh uhm," she broke out of her stare into a flustered composure, reaching out her hand to accept the handshake. "Yes of course! It's a pleasure to meet you Sonic. Tour promotion isn't that tough I promise! Especially when I have our lovely booking agent to work alongside with."
"Amy? Is that Rouge you're talking to?" A gentle voice came from inside the room.
"Yup!" Amy looked back. "She's introducing our new team member!"
"Oh tell them to come in!"
Amy widened the door completely to let the bat and the blue hedgehog in. Sonic followed behind Rouge into the entry hall. Given that the bat didn't walk much further beyond it, he assumed their stay wasn't meant to be long.
His eyes wandered the room, noting a small dining table and an L-seater couch that had a TV unit hooked on the wall in front of it. It wasn't an unconventional layout. He settled his eyes on a tall rabbit seemingly in her late thirties accompanied by a younger rabbit who must've been her daughter. The younger rabbit looked to be around Tails' age, shuffling from foot to foot somewhat shyly.
"Vanilla," Amy faced the older rabbit. "This is Sonic, Shadow's new bodyguard!"
"Nice to meet you Sonic, I'm the booking agent." The rabbit beamed before gesturing towards her daughter. "And this is Cream, my daughter."
The younger rabbit waved shyly at him, but with a sweet smile nonetheless, "Hello Mr. Sonic."
"Nice to meet you Vanilla, and you too Cream!" Sonic waved back at them happily before noticing some papers splayed out on the dining table with colorful figures on them, close to the chair that the younger rabbit seemed to have stood up from.
"Oh wow, is that your artwork Cream?" He asked curiously, leaning a bit closer to see the contents of the paper. While he couldn't see the details from afar, the meld of colors forming what seemed to be a nature landscape alone was telling of the rabbit's skill level. "I can't even see it that well from here and it still looks amazing!"
Cream's shy demeanor brightened for a moment, her face lighting up and her posture straightened, "Thank you! I'm practicing my landscape drawing skills, though it still needs some work..."
"Nonsense," Amy interjected, refusing to let the young rabbit speak poorly of herself. "Your work is gorgeous! Ten years down everyone's gonna be stepping over each other trying to buy your art!"
Cream smiled bashfully at the praise while her mother ruffled between her ears, joining the conversation. "She wants to go to art school next year."
The manner in which Vanilla ruffled the fur between Cream's ears reminded Sonic of Tails, which led to him bringing him up, "Art school huh? My little brother is also hopefully starting college this year. He likes to draw too! Well at least anything related to his blueprints," he scratched the side of his head sheepishly, before continuing with his offer. "If you ever need a drawing buddy or study buddy, let me know! I'm sure he'll be happy to join you."
It would be nice for Tails to come out of his shell more often. The fox isn't unfriendly but he is definitely somewhat of a hermit.
"I would love to Mr. Sonic," the young rabbit smiled again. "I'll let you know."
"Just call me Sonic," he laughed. "I'm not that old."
Beside him, the bat snorted, making him realize the familiarity and irony of his request.
They said their goodbyes before Rouge led him to the next few members of their team. Whisper the technical coordinator, in charge of directing the visual and sound aspects of Shadow's performances. Tangle the tour manager, her role not to be conflated with Rouge's as an artist manager. "I manage the tour, she manages everything related to Shadow!"
The final member was Honey the costume designer and hair stylist (or quill stylist in Shadow’s case?), a cat with enough energy to make Sonic feel like an introvert somehow. "Another hedgehog!" She had yipped excitedly. "Your fur is such a gorgeous color, please let me design an outfit for you sometime!"
Sonic came away from that interaction feeling dazed, before Rouge concluded the introductions and walked him back to his room while giving him tips on dealing with Shadow.
"He'll either ignore you or try to pick a fight with you," she waved her hand as they reached the door of his unit. "Just prove your competence and he'll back off. If he tries to ignore you just stay close to him. Technically bodyguards don't need to speak to their clients unless to advise of potential dangers in their surroundings. That said, I'm open to you talking his ears off."
The bat had a somewhat far-away look in her eyes, as though she was imagining the singer's rage in response to Sonic speaking too much. It made the blue hedgehog a bit nervous. He didn't want to intentionally piss off Shadow but he didn't want to be a silent, lingering presence either, which is ironic because that's what a bodyguard is supposed to be in the first place. It made him question why he went into the career, knowing his restlessness and inability to stay quiet.
The bat bid him goodnight as he entered his room. He unpacked his suitcase fully since from what he knew, they wouldn't be moving from this hotel yet for another two weeks. There wasn't much to his belongings anyways so it's not like he could be a heavy packer even if he wanted to. A simple grey suit for formal occasions; two white 3/4 sleeved dress shirts and black slacks for semi-formal occasions, similar to what he was wearing now; a couple of old t-shirts to match a couple of airy shorts; and finally a brown hoodie to top it off, for chillier nights.
At 10pm he had finished unpacking and was about to get changed out of his clothes to take a shower. He was excited to try a bathtub for the first time, a luxury he could never afford in his apartment nor the orphanage.
A knock on the door interrupted him on his third button down his shirt. Walking over to the door expecting it to be Rouge (she was the person he was most familiar with at the moment), he swung it open without checking the peephole.
Instead he was greeted with the presence of an ebony hedgehog with crossed arms, wearing a large hoodie over a pair of grey shorts. It's the type of outfit you'd expect from a guy going out at night for a smoke. Does he smoke? Wouldn't that affect his voice if he did? It didn’t matter. What mattered was that Sonic was currently being stared down by crimson eyes that belonged to someone who definitely did not seem keen to speak with him.
Oh boy, this should be interesting.
Notes:
Fellas, is it REALLY a Sonadow fic if Shadow isn’t being unnecessarily difficult for the first half of the story?
Chapter 3: Battle and Wager
Notes:
Aight yall after this chapter my word counts are gonna be jumping from 3-3.5k to 4.5k-6k because at the rate I’m going it’s either that or change the predicted chapter count to 60 AHAHAHA
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Sonic couldn't stop the snark from rolling out of his mouth, paired with a lopsided grin.
"Is it my turn to slam the door now?"
The singer only narrowed his eyes at him, his left ear twitching, before nodding his head up to gesture to his clothes, "Change into something comfortable. You're coming with me."
While the tone in which Shadow delivered those lines was scathing, Sonic regarded the fact that the idol asked him to come with him in the first place as a win. From what Rouge implied, there was a chance Shadow would outright sneak out just to avoid having the bodyguard with him.
"Yes sir!" He mock saluted before hesitating. "Uhh do you wanna come in and sit while I go change?"
The ebony hedgehog only rolled his eyes in response and walked away. Resisting the urge to peek down the hallway to see where he went, Sonic just sighed and closed the door.
He changed into an oversized graphic t-shirt and a pair of black shorts as quickly as he could. Flipping his special briefcase open, he contemplated the need for a firearm for what might just be a short outing if Shadow's outfit had anything to say about it.
He settled on taking out his pocket pistol and ensuring the safety was on before placing the gun in the right side pocket of his shorts. He couldn't be too careful since Shadow hadn't specified where they were going.
Shoving his phone and wallet into his left pocket, he quickly swiped the key card from the electricity switch and opened his door again to exit. Looking side to side, he noticed the ebony hedgehog stood by the elevators and quietly walked to him in case any of his neighbors were fast asleep. Shadow seemed to had clicked the elevator down button as soon as he heard the blue hedgehog open his door, so by the time he reached him the elevator doors had already dinged open.
"So," Sonic broke the silence when the doors closed. "You good with me calling you sir? Or do you prefer I just call you by your name?"
After a brief pause, Shadow replied, "It won't matter."
"Ahah," Sonic rubbed the side of his neck awkwardly. "That doesn't sound ominous at all."
The elevator dinged open again and they took their exit, with Sonic following Shadow out of the lobby and down the street. So it definitely wasn't some sort of smoke break. There was no way they were going to a bar in their outfits. A convenience store maybe? Maybe the ebony hedgehog had a serious case of the munchies?
It would be funny if the singer's personality went full 180 after having a chocolate bar.
But nope. They walked past a 24/7 convenience store, all the way down to a shady looking gym. No way this guy wants to work out at this hour right?
A beige otter at the front desk tiredly greeted them as Shadow walked up to him and mumbled something Sonic couldn't hear. The otter suddenly stood upright like his spine was glued to a rod, "Of course Mr. Shadow! Right this way!"
Increasingly confused, Sonic was led past the exercise machines down a flight of stairs until they reached a set of doors that the otter hastily jingled his keys into to unlock before wordlessly leaving the two hedgehogs alone. Seriously, what was going on?
Shadow opened the doors to walk through and Sonic followed suit while absorbing his surroundings. A basement type of room with a handful of punching bags in a corner, a boxing ring in another, and large expanse of thin mats fitted against one another.
"Huh," Sonic brought his hand up to his chin at the view while Shadow walked towards the mats. "You train in martial arts?"
"You're going to fight me."
Sonic snapped his gaze back on the ebony hedgehog that was now taking off his hoodie to reveal a black sports tee.
"Uhm say that again?" He blinked, unsure if he heard right.
"You're going to fight me," Shadow dropped his hoodie on a plastic stool by the mats. "If I win, I fire you."
Something about the boldness in the singer's voice lit a fire in Sonic's belly. Upon reaching closer, he noted Shadow's arms were lined with compact muscle, more built than Sonic's leaner form. Something told him to take the idol seriously.
"Really now?" The blue hedgehog couldn't help but smirk, causing the ebony one's nose to crinkle in nuisance. "Which martial art?"
The singer gave a smirk of his own to match, a glimmer in his dark eyes, "Everything. Anything goes."
Boy was Sonic happy to hear those words. That said, he made a mental note to focus on safely making Shadow yield. After all, he was sure there would be consequences if he injured the idol to the extent of affecting his appearance.
"So what do I get if I win?"
"Tch," Shadow cocked his head down in a disbelieving manner. "You can pick whatever."
"That's a dangerous thing to offer," he couldn't help but point out as he fished out his pocket pistol to place it on top of Shadow's hoodie, facing away from the mats. The reveal of the firearm made the black hedgehog stare warily.
"As confident as you are in winning you should never give someone the chance to leverage something over you, even if the possibility is almost nil," he continued as he walked back towards the mats before facing the singer. "Do you need to warm up first?"
The black hedgehog only scowled, "No. Just countdown."
"Alright," Sonic held his arms up in a guard position and braced his knees, his opponent doing the same.
"Three, two, one, go!"
The first thing Sonic learned about Shadow was that he hits like a truck. The second thing was that he didn't waste time.
The moment the spar began, Shadow exploded forward, launching a brutal right hook aimed to take Sonic's head clean off. He barely ducked under it, feeling the air shift through his quills as the punch sailed past. No time to think, just move. Sonic twisted, pivoting off his back foot, and drove a knee toward the ebony hedgehog's ribs. Shadow caught it mid-air and yanked forward, slamming Sonic toward the mat.
There's no way the guy is just an idol, Sonic concluded as he hit the ground. He curled up into a ball and rolled with it, uncurling again and springing back to his feet. His breath was sharp, heart hammering. Shadow was vicious, no question about that. If Sonic let him control the rhythm, this fight would be over in seconds.
So he broke the rhythm.
Sonic feinted left, then darted right, delivering a stinging jab to the ebony hedgehog's ribs before slipping away again. Shadow snarled, resetting, but Sonic didn't give him a chance. He spun low, sweeping at the singer's legs. Shadow jumped, but the blue hedgehog had already pivoted, launching a snapping kick at his opponent's shoulder. The impact was solid, forcing him back a step.
For a moment, Sonic had an opening. This was his chance to end the fight quickly so that he wouldn't get fired but...
He was so curious, so he hesitated.
Then Shadow lunged.
There was no warning, no wasted motion—just a flash of movement and suddenly Sonic was caught in a crushing clinch. Shadow's knee rocketed toward the blue hedgehog's stomach, and Sonic barely turned in time to take the hit against his side instead. Even so, pain burst through him. He gasped, and Shadow took full advantage, muscling forward, forcing the bodyguard to the edge of the mat.
Sonic gritted his teeth. There's no way the guy was just a delinquent or something. Maybe a gang member? The energy he put behind his strikes was so calculated and domineering. Organized crime? How could he even become an idol from that?
Sonic decided he had enough. His career was on the line after all. Instead of struggling against Shadow's strength, he flowed with it. As the idol drove forward, the bodyguard suddenly dropped, letting gravity yank them down. Sonic's legs shot out, wrapping around the ebony hedgehog's knee, and twisted hard, toppling him off balance. Shadow hit the ground with a grunt, but Sonic wasn't done. He scrambled up, slipping around to the singer's back, and locked in a tight hold, forcing him face-down onto the mat.
Shadow growled, quills flaring as he tried to throw Sonic off, but the bodyguard shifted his weight, pressing a knee between the idol's shoulder blades.
"Yield," he panted.
Shadow hesitated, still thrashing, but the position was locked in too tight. His hands clenched into fists. Then, after a long, tense moment, he exhaled sharply.
A tap on the mat.
Victory. Barely.
Sonic rolled off, sucking in air, his body aching from the punishment. Shadow sat up, rubbing his shoulder, eyes dark with something unreadable.
Then suddenly the ebony hedgehog lunged again, but not towards Sonic. The bodyguard's eyes blew wide as he realized he was reaching for the gun on the stool.
Adrenalin kicked his body into overdrive as he launched himself off the mat towards the idol.
"What are you doing?!" Sonic exclaimed as Shadow grabbed the gun. Before he got the chance to wrestle the firearm out of his grip, the ebony hedgehog quickly flicked the safety switch and pointed the barrel straight at Sonic's head, stopping him dead in his tracks.
~~~
Shadow was not stupid, not that this inference would need a genius to figure out. He was trained since he was twelve up until he was nineteen in real fighting scenarios rather than a bureaucratic martial arts studio, and this bodyguard not only matched his style, but beat him. This level of quick thinking and adaptability does not come from 'just a bodyguard', not to mention he was incredibly fast.
"Who are you with?" He breathed out hoarsely. His body was still aching from being pinned down, but he cursed his voice for giving that information away.
"Who am I with? What are you talking about?" The blue hedgehog cautiously raised his palms up, seemingly scared to make any sudden movements. Either that or for easier access to try and swipe the pistol from him...
Shadow refused to take any chances. The hedgehog was too close. "Take a step back and get on your knees. Now."
The bodyguard immediately complied, folding his hands together on top of his head for extra measure. Shadow made sure to follow his head with the gun as he knelt down.
"So are you gonna explain your question or..?"
Taking a moment to swallow in hopes of making his voice sound less strained, he spoke, "Someone your age should not know how to fight like that. Who do you work for?"
"Speak for yourself!" The blue hedgehog immediately shot back. "You clicked that safety switch off way too quick for it to be your first time handling a gun. And your moves! What are you some kind of ex-mafia member?"
Shadow's heart leapt to his throat. This bodyguard genuinely had no idea of his identity; he could tell from his voice. Yet he couldn't stop the slight break in his posture from that seemingly random guess. The blue hedgehog must have noticed it, his jaw suddenly slackening.
"Wait, you totally are aren't you?"
Shadow snarled, pointing the gun closer to the other hedgehog's skull, "I should just kill you right now."
"Wait, wait!" The bodyguard leaned away from the barrel, seemingly scrambling for an excuse on why he should live. "I was a pit fighter. I fought in underground fighting rings to save up money for my little brother and I. I can keep a secret I promise!"
A little brother. Shadow silently cursed himself for dropping down his arm so easily. The move was an easy opening for the bodyguard to snatch the gun and turn the tables, yet he made no move to do so. A brief memory of his own little sister reminded him of why he left that cursed business in the first place.
But it's too risky to have this knowledge in the hands of a stranger. Rouge was the only one who knew of his past, having been in the same circle of work as a spy herself. While this bodyguard seemed to be telling the truth, there's no telling what kind of people he came into contact with in the past as a pit fighter. Mafia leaders tend to frequent those rings often, looking for prized fighters that they could add into their cohorts.
Most of these leaders didn't matter to Shadow. Only one did...
"As a pit fighter," the idol brought the pistol up again to face the bodyguard. "Did someone under the alias 'Black Doom' ever approach you?"
He was scared to physically describe his father, lest the blue hedgehog put two-and-two infer the familial relation. He searched the bodyguard's eyes for any hint of recognition in case he decided to lie, but he seemed genuinely clueless at the sound of that name.
"Nope. Who is he? Is he like a mafia boss? Your arch nemesis? Is he hunting you right now? Is that why you're an idol? So that he can't do anything to you without the public noticing?"
Shadow frowned at the barrage of questions, confused by the energy. "You're pretty chatty for someone who has a gun to his head."
The bodyguard gave a somewhat nervous lopsided grin at this, "I speak a lot when I'm nervous. It worked for me sometimes in fights to distract my opponents. Not that I'm trying to distract you. But maybe I could uhh charm you into lowering your gun?" He ended his sentence with a flourish of his hands that were still above his head, slowly curling his fingers to form a... a heart? Is this guy serious?
Shadow lowered the gun once more in astonishment, this time not bringing it back up. "You're a freak."
"Ahah," the blue hedgehog slowly lowered his hands to pull on the collar of his shirt. "You try being held at gunpoint someday and see how you react. It's not voluntary."
Shaking his head in continued shock, the ebony hedgehog warily clicked the safety switch back on. "You breathe a word of this to anyone and I'll do worse than kill you."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Shadow could feel the bodyguard eye him as he slipped the pistol into his own shorts. "Uhh I don't think that's allow-"
"I'm keeping it."
"Okay."
The idol only nodded at the blue hedgehog in gesture for him to get up, before picking up his hoodie and sliding it on. He grimaced at the feeling of the fabric sticking to his sweat covered arms; a stupid measure he wanted to take to avoid being recognized. The blue hedgehog followed him through the gym and back onto the street, waving a cheery goodbye to the otter on the way out.
It was dark out at night, late enough on a weekday that there weren't many people on the streets. With a bodyguard by his side he can technically walk about in public without hiding himself, and people would be more hesitant to bother him. However, he knows the media is extremely nosy and would take the presence of Sonic by his side, a bodyguard that doesn't look or act like a bodyguard, as a story to investigate.
"So like about the deal on me winning the fight. Did you want me to redeem that now or can I think of ideas first? Or is the deal null since I wasn't actually supposed to win?"
Annoyed that the bodyguard dared to question his morality, Shadow scowled. "I don't go back on my word, hedgehog. Just pick something within reason."
"Okay," Sonic went silent for a few moments before piping up again. "So how do you wanna go about the whole body guarding thing by the way? Do I just stay quiet and walk behind you?"
He silently cursed Rouge. Her intuition about his skill level was right, but did she really have to pick a chatterbox that can so easily attract attention to himself, and by extension, Shadow? She should have picked some silent brown bear, not this bright blue noise machine.
"You can walk beside me, but when I'm not hiding my identity, you be quiet."
"Alright, simple enough." The blue hedgehog nodded.
Shadow held back a sigh, hoping that the bodyguard would finally stop talking for the rest of their journey.
"So what made you decide to be an idol?"
Stopping in his tracks, Shadow wheeled around to grab the blue hedgehog by the front of his shirt.
"Listen hedgehog," the ebony hedgehog seethed, hoping to get his next few words through to this blue idiot's head. "You're my bodyguard, not my friend. A big part of your job is to observe our surroundings so you can look out for danger. So shut up and focus on doing what you're supposed to do so I can have my peace of mind."
His rude jab didn't even seem to make a dent in the blue hedgehog's energy, his green eyes instead twinkling in amusement. How infuriating. "I can do two things at once you know. For example," he nodded to Shadow's left. "There's a human behind us holding his phone up to record us right now. Poor guy thinks you're about to do something to me."
Shadow glanced to his left to find a scrawny man shakily holding up his phone and quickly looked away to avoid having his face captured. He let go of the blue hedgehog and stormed ahead once more.
"How about a deal?" The footsteps behind him caught up to him. "You said when you're not disguised I need to stay quiet, which makes sense. But when you are feeling more incognito, why not just hang out like buds? We're the same age, and surely my company can't be that unbearable for you-"
"Actually it can," Shadow snapped, wanting to do anything to wipe that stupid smirk off the bodyguard's face but refusing to check if he succeeded.
"In return," Sonic continued, unfazed by the comment. "You get an official sparring partner!"
Shadow froze once again, this time braving himself to look at the blue hedgehog.
Not wanting to look interested in the offer, he crossed his arms and shifted his weight onto his left leg, keeping his gaze half lidded in boredom. "What makes you think I care for having a sparring partner?"
Suddenly the bodyguard leaned in close, making Shadow reflexively uncross his arms to lean backwards. What does this fool think he's doing?
"I saw that look in your eyes during our fight," Emerald eyes glimmered playfully, almost challenging the ebony hedgehog to deny his accusation. "You want more, and I can give that to you. Simple as that."
Shadow tried not to fluster at the blue hedgehog's wording. What happened to the empty-headed cheery idiot that was talking his ears off a minute ago? The sudden change in demeanor nearly gave him a whiplash, and the knowing look in those green eyes reminded him of Rouge.
The annoying thing is that he was right. Shadow hadn't felt that exhilarated since he started his career. Sure, he enjoyed singing. It was the furthest line of work he could pick to make sure his father couldn't reach him. But the longer he went without getting the chance to exert himself to his full potential, the more he felt like he was wasting away. That fight in itself was a reminder that he was rusty.
But exhilaration be damned, he can't let this green-eyed prick get a win.
"I don't need to fight you to hone my skills," he deadpanned. "Now respect that decision and stop talking."
The blue hedgehog only cocked his head in response, his expression unreadable, before nodding silently and gesturing to the path ahead of them with a smile.
Shadow eyed the other suspiciously before walking forwards once more. The bodyguard did not speak for the rest of the trip.
The ebony hedgehog tried to ignore the sinking feeling he felt in his stomach upon reaching the hotel lobby. He did fine without a sparring partner the past few years, why would he need one now?
In the elevator, he thought some more. The blue hedgehog had defeated him, and something about that rubbed his ego the wrong way. It was proof that Shadow was not at his prime at fighting anymore, his senses somewhat dulled. But he also refused to let the bodyguard feel a sense of power over him by accepting that wager.
As he walked into his unit leaving Sonic behind, he sighed as he fished the pocket pistol out of his shorts and shoving it under his pillow. He would need a better hiding place for it before housekeeping comes in tomorrow. After getting a towel ready for his shower, his thoughts continued to drift as he peeled clothing articles off of his now sweat-cooled fur.
He did not need a sparring partner.
Notes:
Shadow pookie stop being stubborn and let the nice bodyguard befriend you :)
Also idk if it was the right thing to do but I made this fight scene end pretty quickly because they’ve never seen each other fight and therefore would make mistakes more easily. Future spars will start to take longer as they become more familiar with each other ;)
Chapter 4: Rematch and Vulnerability
Chapter Text
A week in, Shadow started to realize that he wasn't even winning from this.
The blue hedgehog seemed to have made up for the lack of social activity he wanted from Shadow by simply interacting with the rest of the team throughout the day. He couldn't help but seethe as he watched the bodyguard so easily make friends with Amy, Whisper, and Tangle. Honey had taken it upon herself to measure every inch of the green-eyed hedgehog's body and prattle on about her outfit ideas for him while he nodded along with a dumb look of fascination on his face.
Even Cream, usually shy with strangers, had warmed up quickly to him and tried to teach him different art techniques upon his request while her mother would watch endearingly. To Shadow's delight at least, the bodyguard had the drawing skills of a three-year-old. Much to his chagrin however, his amateur skills didn't seem to deter him from having fun.
"He's such a great addition to the team, don't you think? Such warmth and charisma that just brings everyone together," Rouge commented, making Shadow clench his jaw in poorly disguised nuisance.
He had asked the bat the morning after his fight with the bodyguard if she knew of his history as a pit fighter. She did not seem surprised at the knowledge that he dragged the new hire to a secluded gym to fight him. That said, he still omitted certain details of their exchange. Chaos knows Rouge would lose it if she knew Shadow held the blue hedgehog at gunpoint and, even worse, kept the gun with him afterwards. The bat had told Shadow that no, she did not know he was a pit fighter; only that he was cleared via polygraph test as unassociated with organized crime. The information did not seem to worry her, and instead intrigued her more.
"He's a lot like you," she had said, the corners of her mouth tilting up knowingly. "Why push away the one person that might actually understand you?"
"Because he's annoying," Shadow had grit out. "Him matching my skill level doesn't change how insufferably cocky he is."
"So he pushes your buttons," came the drawled response. "The fact that he got such a reaction out of you on his first day alone is... interesting."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing." The ambiguity had infuriated him, but he knew better than to push the mysterious bat for clarification. Trying to extract information from an ex-spy was as productive as walking in circles.
And here he was with Rouge again at the studio lobby watching the blue hedgehog animatedly talk about something with Tangle.
"You still refusing to engage with him? You know you'd gain more than lose from his offer right?"
"I don't care," the ebony hedgehog bit out, crossing his arms.
"M'kay," the white bat sounded like she disagreed with his statement. "You know the agenda for today?
Shadow mumbled out a yes. Vocal exercises and running lyrics over to make sure he doesn't forget them. It's one of the more tedious forms of practice he doesn't look forward to.
"Great. Make sure to practice Ashes & Echoes more this week yeah? There are a lot of powerful notes you need to hit consistently."
With that, Shadow stalked off to one of the studio rooms to practice.
"I must say Shadow, you really never miss a lyric!" His vocal instructor, a sheep in her 40s named Polka, praised him through the screen. She lives in Central City and had been his teacher since he was 19 years old. When he first had to travel without her, she tried to encourage him to find other instructors to teach him in person but he refused, opting to continue his lessons with her online instead.
"Of course I don't," the ebony hedgehog spoke in a factual tone, not trying to sound egotistical. "Since I write the majority of it, it's a given."
He says 'majority' because editors still go over his lyrics and often make changes to them, usually to cut or replace profanity. Apparently having swear words in his songs can diminish his public image or something, especially since a decent chunk of his fanbase consists of teenagers. As if teenagers don't swear more than adults do.
"A lot of experienced artists still stumble over their words sometimes. Not necessarily because they forgot, they just get tongue-tied." The sheep continued to smile at him.
Shadow ignored the swell of pride in his chest, muttering a thank you in response.
Their session ended at 7 pm, and Shadow said goodbye to his instructor and ended the video call. After shutting down his laptop he exited the studio, only to find a brilliantly blue hedgehog standing to his left. The unexpected presence nearly made him flinch but he kept his body still as his heart jumped.
He decided to sigh instead, before asking with as much boredom as he could muster, "Why are you here?"
The bodyguard looked uncertain for a moment, seemingly unsure how to respond to Shadow's first direct utterance to him since his first night, "Rouge told me to wait outside here, because 'danger exists indoors too'."
Shadow began to wonder if the bat really was his friend, or was just out to make his life difficult.
"Uhh can I just say one thing?" The blue hedgehog continued hesitantly, emerald eyes glimmering with what was most likely the worry of being shut down and held to the promise of staying silent, which Shadow would have done if he hadn't had such an earnest look on his face. He knew whatever Sonic had to say wasn't going to be some stupid tease or snarky remark. As a result, the idol simply let out a gruff agreement.
"Fine."
"You have an amazing voice."
The ebony hedgehog short-circuited, attempting to process the sudden compliment. From any other soul on earth he would have simply thanked them in response. But it felt strange to give that same response to a bodyguard he had been ignoring for a week after fighting him and holding him at gunpoint. A small, but sudden wave of guilt passed through the idol. How could Sonic still compliment him after that?
"I would hope so given that I get paid to use it."
Shadow tried not to visibly wince after those words fell out of his mouth. Really? Why was snark his automatic response to the bodyguard?
The blue hedgehog didn't seem to take it personally though, instead breaking into an airy laugh before running a gloved finger under his nose. "Ahah! You're pretty funny when you're not brooding."
The idol blinked. He wasn't sure if the bodyguard was simply taking it as a joke to smooth over the conversation or if he genuinely thought it was funny.
"Alright I'll go back to being quiet. Continue good sir."
Sonic gestured to the hallway ahead of them and Shadow felt... confused all of a sudden. Why was he insistent on ignoring his bodyguard again? Right, because he's insufferable... supposedly. How did he come to that conclusion? He forgot. Damn it. How could one compliment and a laugh make his mind blank like this?
Hesitantly, the idol walked forward, letting the blue hedgehog follow behind him. He reached the lobby of the studio and checked in with Rouge while Sonic stood by, the bodyguard giving them enough space to be out of earshot.
"You seem restless," the white bat observed, cocking her head to the side.
"I'm fine," Shadow reassured, trying not to let his body language betray him.
"Hmm," Rouge wasn't convinced, a smile growing on her face as she put a hand on her hip. "You should let off some steam, you know. Maybe head to the gym and... let it out."
Shadow scowled at the knowing grin the bat ended her sentence with, but didn't comment since that's what he was planning to do anyways.
Beckoning the blue hedgehog to follow him, he walked out onto the street making his way back to the hotel. Since he wasn't disguised, he noticed some stares on his journey, along with curious glances being thrown at the suited hedgehog behind him. A few articles had already been published about him getting a new bodyguard. Thankfully a growing celebrity hiring a bodyguard before going on his first live tour was nothing strange to the public, so no further 'theorizing' articles have been written to investigate him.
He also had Sonic's ability to maintain professionalism to thank for. The bodyguard was surprisingly adept at looking serious despite his real personality, able to walk around and stand in a disciplined fashion — well, minus the occasional foot tapping he noticed.
Once they were in the elevator away from prying eyes, Shadow breathed deeply, preparing to break the silence.
"I'll accept your offer."
In his peripheral vision he saw the blue hedgehog snap his head towards him. A quick glance showed him wide emerald eyes looking in shock.
"Like as in-"
"Yes," Shadow confirmed as the elevator doors chimed open, looking forwards as he walked out to avoid eye contact. "Now get changed into something comfortable. We're heading to the gym again."
Yet despite not looking at the blue hedgehog, he could feel the energy beside him grow tenfold, manifesting a way that reminded the singer why he riled him up so much.
"I knew you'd come around," Sonic drawled out in a singsong voice, making Shadow's quills bristle in irritation. "I promise you won't regret it! I'm like an expert at friendship."
"I have yet to see this expertise," the idol rolled his eyes as they reached his door, turning towards Sonic to wave him off, only to be faced with an intense expression, emerald eyes fiery with determination.
"Trust me," the blue hedgehog pointed his index finger upwards before waving it around in a circle. "Give me six months and you'll be wrapped around my finger."
For the first time in a while, Shadow couldn't help but snort.
"Wrapped around your finger? Do you even know what that means? It means to have complete control over someone." The idol leaned on his right leg, hand on his hip. The claim was outrageous to the point of being funny. "Hedgehog, I've known Rouge since I was 16 and she still can't make me do anything, and she's about as charismatic as they come."
"Oh," Sonic's confident expression turned into one of confusion. "I thought it meant just making you like me a lot."
"You're an idiot," Shadow commented matter-of-factly. The blue hedgehog was undeterred.
"Doesn't matter," his face brightened again, a carefree smile forming on his muzzle. "The point is you'll warm up to me and be like – obsessed –with me."
The idol's eyebrows furrowed at the certainty with which the bodyguard spoke. He seemed so sure of his ability to become close friends, and while Shadow didn't hold a strong hatred for the hedgehog anymore, he strongly doubted the bodyguard's ability to influence him in any way.
"Let's see if you still have that attitude after our spar today," Shadow settled on saying, deciding to meet the blue hedgehog's confident smile with a smirk of his own.
"Hah, what, like you're gonna win?"
"Go change, hedgehog."
"Fine, fine. See you in 10 minutes captain!"
Shadow rolled his eyes again before entering his hotel room.
How cocky, he mused, so sure that he will win this spar too. He was ready to show Sonic just how vicious he can be.
~~~
Sonic would be lying if he said he wasn't feeling restless throughout the week similarly to Shadow.
He had initially proposed that deal under the impression that he himself wouldn't feel the need to spar, but the sudden lack of at least some form of physical outlet since becoming a bodyguard was starting to show its signs. It didn't help that being on duty was surprisingly boring. It just consisted of standing still and trying to look intimidating. By the end of the first week Sonic was temped to beg Shadow to spar him anyways, but thankfully the idol had accepted his offer just when he was about to crack.
Now he gets to spar AND talk to Shadow. What a win-win deal!
"Expect a much more balanced fight now that I know your cowardly fighting style."
Sonic whipped his head towards his soon-to-be-opponent, taking off his hoodie once again to reveal a loose white tank top. The lack of sleeves this time allowed the blue hedgehog to observe more details in Shadow's arms now that his shoulders and biceps are more apparent.
"Cowardly? Don't hate on the fighting style that beat you. It's not my fault you're too slow."
At this the ebony hedgehog surprisingly didn't snarl in anger, but instead flashed a wicked grin, teeth bared flashing his canines for the first time. Are they supposed to be that sharp? Sonic subconsciously felt over his own teeth with his tongue in comparison.
"We'll see who's really slow."
Sonic circled, light on his feet, eyes locked onto his opponent. This wasn't just a rematch — it was a challenge. He'd beaten Shadow last time, sure, but he wasn't naive enough to think he could rely on the same tricks. As an ex-mafia member, the idol had probably been trained by professionals, drilled in precision and brutality. Sonic, on the other hand, had clawed his way up through pit fights, where survival meant being faster, craftier, and more annoying if it meant distracting your opponents.
Shadow struck first, as expected. A sharp jab, not to hit but to test. Sonic didn't flinch, weaving just outside its range. He sidestepped, feinted, then darted in with a flicker-fast strike to the idol's ribs. The ebony hedgehog blocked it with a tight guard and countered instantly, a low hook aimed for the blue hedgehog's side. Sonic twisted just enough to take the hit on his oblique rather than his ribs, letting the impact glance off as he slipped away.
But Shadow was already following up, stepping in with ruthless efficiency. A front kick shot toward the midsection, controlled and precise. Sonic twisted around it, aiming a knee toward Shadow's inner thigh. It landed, but the idol barely reacted, instead using the close proximity to snap a short elbow toward Sonic's jaw.
He barely dodged, feeling the air shift past his cheek. Too close.
Sonic grinned. "Almost got me."
But the idol didn't take the bait. His expression stayed cold, calculated. Sonic could feel his own movements being dissected under crimson eyes. The idol was hunting for an opening.
Not like he was going to find one of course.
Sonic launched into motion, his style shifting like a storm — darting in, striking, vanishing before Shadow could lock him down. He landed a quick combination, a left feint into a sharp right cross, then a snap kick to the ribs. The ebony hedgehog grunted, stepping back, but Sonic didn't press. He knew better than to overextend against a similarly fast foe.
It was strange to see Shadow play somewhat defensively. It was subtle at first; his stance grew tighter and he stopped chasing after the blue hedgehog. Was he waiting for Sonic to make a mistake?
Then the idol adjusted, and Sonic realized too late.
He feinted left and darted right, only for Shadow to move at the exact same time.
A fist crashed into Sonic's stomach, perfectly timed. Not a wild swing, not a desperate counter, but rather a calculated shot, aimed exactly where Sonic was about to be. The shock ran deep, cutting through his breath.
Shadow didn't hesitate. His hand snapped up, fingers grasping Sonic's collarbone to wrench him forward, causing him to stumble. The ebony hedgehog drove a brutal knee up toward the blue hedgehog's sternum. The bodyguard twisted at the last second, absorbing the impact along his ribs, but it still sent him staggering.
Sonic recovered fast, slipping back into stance, but something had changed.
Shadow had read him. His rhythm, his feints, his escapes. It had all been mapped, studied, and now the idol was setting the pace.
A lot of Sonic's opponents back when he fought in the pit weren't exactly the brightest. They were simply bulky, heavy hitters that were easy to taunt. To fight someone with not only a similar build, power, and speed to him but also of similar strategic thinking — it was exhilarating.
He went for another strike, fast and sharp. Shadow caught his wrist mid-motion, twisting just enough to throw the blue hedgehog off-balance before sweeping a foot under his ankle. Sonic toppled, instinct screaming at him to roll, to spring up…
But Shadow didn't let him.
The idol twisted as they dropped, wrapping an arm tight around Sonic's neck and yanking him into a vicious choke. His vision blurred for a second as he struggled, but Shadow had the position locked — tight, efficient, unshakable.
"Yield," a low voice snarled near the blue hedgehog's ear, making a brief shiver travel down his spine.
Sonic tensed, flaring his quills and trying to twist free, but the idol only adjusted the hold, pressing him down into the mat.
The bodyguard exhaled sharply. Then, with a sigh, he tapped the floor.
Shadow released him immediately, pushing to his feet. Sonic lay there for a second, catching his breath, before shoving himself upright to look at the idol before him.
Red and black quills disheveled, his white tank top now damp with sweat, shoulders heaving from exertion. Sonic didn't get a chance to see such prowess in their first fight, most likely due to Shadow heavily underestimating him. But now, having seen the display of patience from the ebony hedgehog that he previously thought was nonexistent, he couldn't help but see him in a new light.
"That was amazing."
Crimson eyes looked down at him with pride, accompanied by a smirk. "You rely too much on movement."
The blue hedgehog rubbed his neck, rolling his shoulders before pushing himself up to be eye level with his ebony counterpart, grinning.
"Psh, you only won this time because I didn't expect you to actually be strategic in your moves. Next time, I adapt."
Shadow only tilted his head, yet again not taking the bait.
"Next time," he echoed, "I'm already ahead of you."
Sonic couldn't help but laugh at the response; not in mockery but rather contentedness. Just a week ago the ebony hedgehog held him at gunpoint and seemed to borderline hate him, constantly ignoring him or glaring at him afterwards. Now he was responding, meeting the blue hedgehog's ego with cockiness of his own. Sonic was happy with the change in their dynamic, transforming from enemies (from Shadow's end at least; Sonic personally had nothing against the idol) to rivals in the span of a day.
The idol narrowed his eyes at Sonic in suspicion. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing." The bodyguard chirped in response, before continuing to stretch out his aching limbs. "So what do you wanna do now?"
The ebony hedgehog looked back at the stool where his hoodie was piled on, his expression scrunching in distaste for a moment. "Maybe we just sit for a while then go back."
Sonic observed the idol's words and actions. Given the state of the tank top clinging to his shoulders, he guessed that Shadow didn't enjoy the feeling of putting a hoodie on sweaty fur.
"We should probably just bring a change of clothes next time and use the gym showers instead," he mused, before grinning at the opportunity to redeem his end of the deal with the idol.
"Alright sir, let's talk." Sonic sat back down on the mat, crisscrossing his legs and leaning back on his arms.
"Don't call me sir," the idol muttered as he grabbed a water bottle from the stool to drink from before joining Sonic on the mat. He sat down in a similar fashion, only hunched forwards with his elbows on his knees instead.
"Do I just call you Shadow then? Or how about a nickname? Like Shads? Shadster?"
"Just Shadow."
"Okay Shads," the blue hedgehog couldn't help but grin when the singer's jaw clenched, his pierced ear twitching in annoyance. "Other than taking your anger out on unsuspecting blue hedgehogs at the gym, what else do you like to do?"
The ebony hedgehog rolled his eyes before leaning his muzzle on a gloved hand in contemplation.
"Read."
Sonic wasn't surprised by the answer. Shadow did seem like the type of guy to settle down with a good novel at the end of the day.
"Really? What kinda stuff do you read?"
"Why would I tell you that?"
"What if I tell you mine? For me I love reading comic books because of the constant action and suspense that comes with them."
They're also easier to read. Sonic had always struggled with novels consisting of long winding sentences and fancy words. Education quality in the orphanage wasn't really top-notch, but it's not like it ever gauged his interest anyways. He preferred the thrill of fighting.
The ebony hedgehog snorted in response, "I'm not surprised."
"Are you gonna tell me what you like now?"
"No," Shadow quirked an eye ridge at Sonic, his eyes half-lidded in boredom.
"Then I'll guess then. Personally I feel like you're the romance type."
The idol narrowed his eyes in response before looking away. "No."
"Hmm," the blue hedgehog smiled at the somewhat suspicious reaction. "I'll just assume you are."
Shadow's left ear flicked in annoyance, a habit that the bodyguard was becoming increasingly aware of. "Has anyone ever told you how insufferable you are?"
"Yes actually," Sonic chirped, reminiscing his days in the ring after taunting his opponents. "Not that exact word though. I think the fanciest word my enemies could describe me with was just 'annoying'. They weren't really the brightest."
The idol's annoyed expression slipped into something more... hesitant? Curious?
"How exactly did you get into pit fighting?"
Sonic inhaled a shallow breath, briefly looking away. He didn't really want to go into the details of his past. Shadow was the first person other than Tails and Knuckles to know about it, and that was mainly because he was held at gunpoint.
"You don't have to answer."
Sonic looked back at the idol to see a surprisingly empathetic expression on his face. The ebony hedgehog probably knew that if Sonic were to ask him the same question regarding the mafia, he would be equally reluctant or unwilling to answer. Still, he couldn't help the teasing comment.
"How considerate of you Shads," he drawled out playfully, shifting his weight to the side.
Unsurprisingly, Shadow's empathy disappeared behind a wave of annoyance, a low growl forming in his throat.
"Relax," Sonic sat more upright to bring his arms up placatingly. The idol's no-nonsense attitude reminded him of Knuckles. "It's pretty sweet of you. Thanks."
The ebony hedgehog's expression once again shifted into something more difficult to read. An almost poker face but the corners of his mouth tilted slightly downwards; eye ridges relaxed into softer state.
"To keep it short," Sonic started, his hands now in front of him, fidgeting. "I was fighting as long as I can remember. It got worse after I saw a group of kids trying to bully my brother for the first time. I took a lot of beatings at the start of course, since there's only so much one kid can do against a group of bullies. But at some point, I got better at fighting. Faster."
He let out a larger exhale through his nose, preparing for the parts he would have to fib or skim over.
"By the time I turned 14, I was good enough to beat 5 kids up at the same time without getting injured too badly. After one of those fights, this..." An unwanted image of lime bloodshot eyes flashed through his mind. "This person walked up to me and said that he was impressed with my speed. He told me I could make a lot of money using my fighting skills, and gave me a card, and..."
He could continue down the dreary path of explaining how he lost his sense of self for a while, going from fighting for what he thought was right to fighting for a paycheck. He tried not to shudder thinking back to the period of time his morals were compromised, his mental state volatile.
"Then I joined the fighting ring for money! I took some hard hits at the start since I was up against grown adults. I was a laughing stock to the crowd. But four, five matches later, I adapted." Sonic's eyes flitted around, refusing to settle on one place too long.
"My little brother, the genius that he is, figured out pretty quickly where I was getting my money from. Obviously he wasn't happy, so I found some uhh... less violent part-time jobs to reassure him. But I found myself... I found myself going back to it."
Memories of those apathetic lime colored irises and silver-tipped quills were starting to encroach. Stop. He needed to divert from the fighting. Focus on the good.
Shadow's eyes never left him, his ears pointed forwards hanging onto every word. It felt strange to explain all of this to someone who was essentially a stranger. He'd only known the idol for a week, yet he trusted him enough to tell him some details about his past. He supposed knowing that the ebony hedgehog has a murky history of his own played a big factor.
"Then a few weeks before I turned 18, this one opponent I went up against, an echidna, was an absolute powerhouse. He was the first mobian to take me down in almost four years, even weirder was that he didn't do it violently. His fighting style was only to subdue, not to maim. He turned out to be an undercover agent and had a squad raid the ring that same night. Everyone they could catch was arrested, except for me."
Shadow's eye ridges furrowed in confusion. Sonic grinned at how enthralled the ebony hedgehog seemed to be. He himself was excited to tell this next part of the story, and not just because he wanted to take his mind off the experience of those four years that haunted him.
"That echidna – his name is Knuckles – saw something in me I guess. Probably my worryingly young age, but I like to think he was impressed by my fighting skills too. He told me he wouldn't file me in his reports as long as I promised to set myself straight." Sonic thought endearingly to when the overly serious echidna placed a hand on his shoulder, a gesture that grounded the blue hedgehog into reality, way too comforting to come from a stranger.
"For the next two years I dedicated myself to part-time jobs, earning as much money as I could to be stable. Then he recommended me to a bodyguard agency. I guess he could tell that even with my multiple jobs I felt... restless." Sonic scratched at his temple sheepishly.
"That's..." The ebony hedgehog had a somewhat faraway look on his face. "... kind of him."
"It is!" Sonic exclaimed, relieved that Shadow didn't press for any details in his story. "He's my most trusted friend till now. You remind me of him a lot actually. Both of you are pretty hotheaded."
The idol's gaze sharpened again before flitting down to the mat. After a brief pause, he quietly spoke.
"I'm sorry for holding you at gunpoint."
Sonic blinked at the sudden apology. Was Shadow feeling guilty about this the whole time? Or did he only start feeling guilty after hearing about the bodyguard's rough past? A sudden wave of irritation passed through him, and he couldn't stop the following accusatory question that fell out of his mouth.
"Have you actually been feeling guilty about that for the past week or are you just suddenly pitying me now?"
Now it was the idol's turn to blink, his crimson eyes flying back to Sonic's before looking down again.
"Neither. I only started feeling bad earlier today when you were... nice to me. I genuinely thought you were an unserious prick until then."
Earlier today, the bodyguard mused, his earlier defensiveness forgotten. Nice to him... As in when he gave him an honest compliment? Is a bit of sweet talk all it takes improve Shadow's impression of him? He doubted it. Amy and Vanilla are sweet, but they're not 'super close' with Shadow. To get super close, Sonic needs to keep the ebony hedgehog on edge and try to fluster him. That's what gets the more closed off types to open up.
With that conclusion placed his palms in front of him on the mat as he leaned forward into the idol's personal bubble, smirking when the other leaned back correspondingly. "Don't get me wrong Shads. I still am an unserious prick, but wouldn't life be boring without people like that?"
Shadow kept a poker face, but his left ear twitching gave away his annoyance. "It would probably be more peaceful than boring."
Sonic leaned back into his original position, "I'd argue those two words mean the same thing."
Crimson eyes rolled. "So do you forgive me or not?"
For some reason, the idol slipping back into his snarky mannerisms relieved Sonic. It would have felt weird for him to suddenly be treated nicely by the celebrity.
"Yeah don't worry. I never held hard feelings over it in the first place. You actually looked really cool threatening me like that; something straight out of an action movie! You can keep it for now."
"You..." Shadow sported an incredulous look on his face, mouth just the slightest bit agape. "You actually are a freak."
"I thought I was an unserious prick," Sonic uncrossed his legs to finally push himself to his feet, needing to stretch out his limbs before reaching a hand out to the ebony hedgehog below him.
The idol looked at his hand with an unreadable expression before taking it, hoisting himself up with Sonic's support before quickly letting go.
The ebony hedgehog walked back to the stool for his hoodie, letting out a retort on his way there. "I thought you said you could do two things at once."
He remembered that from last week? Sonic couldn't help the jovial laugh that fell from him.
Yeah, he smiled. He was definitely a fan of this newfound dynamic.
"So am I ever gonna get that gun back by the way?"
"No."
~~~
Shadow should not have been surprised at how much the bodyguard decided to maximize his end of the deal just during that night.
"Are those piercings real by the way?"
"Yes."
"Are your stripes dyed or drawn on?
"Neither. They're natural."
"Why do you wear those gold bracelets on your gloves and shoes?"
"They're weighted. Puts more force behind my kicks and punches, and makes me faster when I take them off."
"So why do you wear them if you're an idol now?"
"..."
"Can I try them on sometime?"
"No."
The blue hedgehog was relentless, making it his mission to learn every small detail about Shadow. It was incredibly irritating but he couldn't tell the bodyguard to stop because of the agreement. That did not stop him however from voicing his annoyance. He wasn't obligated to answer anything with enthusiasm either, so hopefully Sonic would just get bored of his answers and stop.
Obviously that did not discourage the bodyguard. By the time they reached the hotel, Shadow was rubbing his temples to soothe the headache he was starting to form. After finally arriving to his unit, he enjoyed the silent solitude he found himself in for a few minutes before getting ready to shower.
Usually while he showered he never caught himself thinking of anything in particular. It was mainly surface level thoughts about recent events or future plans while he scrubbed his fur and lathered between his quills. But this time he found himself focused, specifically on the information the bodyguard bestowed to him.
He could tell from the conversation that the bodyguard had more in his backstory than he was letting on. The way he phrased his years of pit fighting as some sort of exciting experience was concerning. Shadow was not a fool. Pit fighting is a violent, life-threatening source of income that often gained you many enemies if you were too good at it. Betting was a huge part of it, along with 'managers' that would bring fighters into these scenes and collect commission from their wins.
Sonic's hesitation upon talking about the ‘person’ who brought him into the underground business was enough of a sign. Some seasoned pit fighters can represent themselves sure, but there's no way a 14 year old could join this line of work without an adult guiding him through it. Though 'guiding' wasn't the right word; any man or mobian that would coax a young teenager into this kind of work is closer to being 'manipulating' scum.
Shadow tried to force his urge to investigate Sonic's background to the back of his mind. Sure the bodyguard had a problematic past, but so did Shadow. And if an undercover cop helped him get back onto his feet and is close friends with him, then clearly whatever Sonic is hiding isn't suspicious enough to become a potential problem.
But just in case...
After finishing his shower, the ebony hedgehog draped a towel around his shoulders before pulling up a contact on his phone that he hadn't messaged in a short while. He exhaled sharply before typing away.
Shadow - Hello.
Ω - LONG TIME NO TEXT BOSS.
Shadow - It's been a while yes. How are you?
Ω - I WOULD SAY I AM AT A 7/10 RIGHT NOW.
Shadow - That's good to hear. Look, I have a request for you.
Ω - SAY THE NAME AND I WILL ELIMINATE THEM.
Shadow - No hacking this time, just research. Could you look into a bodyguard from Empire City named Sonic? He's a blue hedgehog with peach arms and he used to be a pit fighter.
Ω - THE ONE WORKING FOR YOU? THAT WILL BE EASY. GIVE ME 48 HOURS AND YOUR REPORT WILL BE READY.
Shadow - Thank you Omega. I'll be sure to bring you some tech souvenirs next time I come by Central City.
Ω - NOTHING YOU CAN BRING WILL OUTPERFORM THE SYSTEM I CURRENTLY USE. NO NEED.
Shadow huffed a breath out at the online mercenary's antics. Omega was the only individual he kept in contact with – and he says 'individual' because he has never seen them in person before – that was linked to his father. That was mainly because Omega operated on their own beliefs, despite calling Shadow 'boss'. They could probably hack into the United Federation system if they really wanted to, but it just so happened that they're content with doing morally ambiguous work for money and the occasional favors for Shadow since he was one of few mafia members who bothered to get to know him outside of work.
Granted, it's not like Shadow succeeded in that, knowing nothing about Omega other than their eccentric speech tendencies, tech talents, and unhealthy obsession with weapons. But he knows enough about their strong sense of freedom to know that they would never go and tell his father, or anyone else that comes around poking for information. They work for no one but themselves. He does hope Omega would trust him enough to see him in person someday, but until then, they'd stick to text.
Two days later, Shadow received a 10 page PDF with the title ‘Sonic's Life’.
Ω - THIS IS THE BASE INFO I COULD FIND FROM OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL RECORDS ON THE INTERNET. I CAN FIND MORE ABOUT HIS BEHAVIOR BY INVESTIGATING HIS RELATIONS AND EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS BUT THAT MIGHT TAKE LONGER TO COLLECT.
He downloaded the file but hesitated to open it. He didn't owe the bodyguard his trust. This would be a simple background check for someone with a problematic past. Completely justifiable, except for the fact that the bodyguard agency already performed a background check and the blue hedgehog his close friends with a cop. Who was Shadow to snoop in on Sonic's life without a proper reason? He knew if the bodyguard were to try to do the same, Shadow would be outraged. The idol sighed before typing to Omega again.
Shadow - For now I don't need a second report. This file is enough. Thank you Omega.
Clicking his phone shut, the idol went back to drying himself. A behavior report is unnecessary. Sonic might have a likeness to Rouge in his people skills, but the hedgehog doesn't seem to be able to mask his personality as well as her. In her line of work as a spy, the bat mentioned something about catering to people's image, making yourself likable and similar to the person you're trying to charm. Sonic acted anything but likable and similar to Shadow. The idol was certain that if they weren't tied together by circumstance, he would have ran the other direction the moment he saw blue quills just to avoid speaking with him.
Too lazy to put on a shirt, the ebony hedgehog simply slid into bed, his quills splayed out beneath him as he stared at the ceiling, continuing his thoughts. Sonic was unapologetically talkative and brimming with overconfidence, and Shadow doubted he was any different in his pit fighting days from what he gleaned in the conversation. So again, no point in a behavioral report, and for now he decided he wouldn't read the 10 page report either unless the bodyguard does something to arouse suspicion in the future.
He hoped he wouldn't regret this decision.
Notes:
“You’re an idiot,” Shadow says, having no idea that he WILL in fact be wrapped around Sonic’s finger in 6 months.
Anywhos the idol is starting to get curious 👀 I had to mention Omega my goat. I PROMISE I will stop splurging like 1k words just to describe a fight. I gotta keep the pace of the story moving ya know ;)
Chapter 5: Flight Risk
Notes:
Shadow: Book smart
Sonic: Street smart
Sonic and Shadow: Book StreetJk they’re both very smart… sometimes…
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Come the end of June, two weeks since his bodyguard was first hired, it was time for the first flight of the tour, destination Westopolis. Shadow would say that he felt nervous or jittery about performing in Westopolis for the first time, but in reality, he couldn't bring himself to care. There are much bigger worries in life than the fear of performing in a new location.
He only realized at the airport, right before they went through security, that the pocket pistol he took from Sonic would not go over well with the staff. The bodyguard was only permitted to bring the fire arms as long as they were packed securely with the shell, the magazine, and the bullets placed in separate containers.
And here he was with the pistol loaded in his pocket like an idiot.
Acting fast, he grabbed his bodyguard and muttered to Rouge that he needed to use the bathroom. The blue hedgehog, holding his suitcase and the very briefcase that Shadow's firearm was supposed to be in right now, was confused.
"Leave the suitcase with them, just keep your briefcase."
A wave of realization flew over Sonic's face before he nodded and followed Shadow to the nearest toilet block.
The idol quickly checked to make sure each stall was empty. Thankfully there was no one else but them. He turns back to face Sonic only to see a grin.
"What's so funny?"
"Just imagining how funny it would've been if you went through the scanner with a gun."
Shadow's lip curled downwards in distaste. "You're acting like you didn't forget about it too."
"Yeah but you're the one who stashed it in your pocket this morning. Did the constant weight of a firearm in your pants not jiggle your memory?"
The bodyguard was right. It was an incredibly stupid oversight on the idol's end, having gotten used to the small pistol's presence. He still didn't like the stupid look of humor in those green eyes, but before he could send back a retort he heard the sound of shuffling outside. Someone was going to enter.
A blue-furred ear flicking towards the direction of the noise indicated a matching realization. Before Shadow could consider his options, Sonic dragged him into the nearest stall.
Shadow could only freeze as the bodyguard's chest pressed into his for a moment in efforts to lock the door behind him. His mind blanked at the unexpected proximity. His brain passively observed the blue hedgehog swiveling back to quickly close the toilet lid before sitting cross-legged on it.
As the bathroom door swung open to let the newcomer in, Sonic quickly tugs Shadow towards him before turning him around, making the idol reel in confusion. Keeping his feet planted, he looked back to see the bodyguard hold a finger over his lips to signal staying quiet.
The blue hedgehog then proceeded to sniffle loudly, shuffle his clothes, and squeak his shoes periodically with the clear intent to let the newcomer in the bathroom hear. Shocked at first, Shadow quickly understood the bodyguard's idea to simply pretend to occupy the stall rather than to try to stay completely silent. He assumed the position Sonic placed him in was so that the newcomer wouldn't see his feet in a suspicious position in case they used an adjacent stall. He didn't expect such resourcefulness from him.
That said, the proximity was off-putting, even more so the fact that the bodyguard was currently eye-level with the idol's tail. Shadow felt like tucking it down in embarrassment, but settled for twisting his hips so that his side was facing Sonic rather than his rear, which was a challenge since he had to keep his feet planted forwards. For every second that passed, Shadow found himself mentally cursing this situation. Had he been less absentminded, he wouldn't have to be holed up in an airport bathroom stall with his bodyguard standing in a compromising position to avoid being caught doing something very illegal.
When the newcomer left, the two hedgehogs waited a few beats to confirm the silence, then Shadow quickly spun around and created distance while Sonic worked to unlock his briefcase.
"If anyone comes by again just do the same thing I did. Bonus points if you time it to cover up the sounds of me dismantling the gun."
Shadow scoffed at the instructions, "I'm not an idiot."
"You sure?"
Shadow took the chance to pull the pistol out of his pocket since he was meant to give it to the bodyguard soon anyways, but made a point to wave it around threateningly even though the safety switch was on. "Remember that I still have the gun with me before insulting me, hedgehog."
The blue hedgehog chortled and took the pistol off the idol's hand before getting to work, his deft hands taking the weapon apart swiftly. Crimson eyes followed the movements, thoughts beginning to drift.
Shadow wasn't sure what to call this dynamic he and the bodyguard fell into. Not really enemies but... not really friends either. Friends had more tender moments and would confide in one another. They would help each other in times of need. Him and Rouge were friends, despite her currently being his manager. The bat had helped him a lot during his darkest times, and he helped her escape the never ending cycle of espionage.
Him and Sonic weren't friends. The banter and competitiveness between them had a closer resemblance to a rivalry than a friendship. It may have been due to how closely matched they are in their spars, or perhaps it's simply their polarizing personalities, with brimming self-assuredness being their only shared trait. If he was being honest, he couldn't imagine their relationship evolving into anything more. Between Sonic's constant need to turn everything into a joke and Shadow's dislike for emotional vulnerability, he doubted heartfelt conversations would happen anytime soon.
Thankfully, the bathroom stayed empty in the duration it took for the bodyguard to securely pack the pistol into his briefcase. Shadow was quick to exit the stall, relieved at the larger space before walking over to the spray sanitizer. Sure, he hadn't actually used the stall for its intended purpose, but he was a bit of a germophobe.
"Sheesh, acting like it's a nightmare to be in the same space as me." The blue hedgehog followed out soon after, an indignant expression on his face.
"It is." Shadow quipped back for the sake of pettiness, even though he knew the real reason he was eager to get out was his unease with proximity. But in their spars they've been closer have they not? Was it the fact that they were in an enclosed space this time?
"You sure it wasn't just because you were nervous at being in a stall with me?" A sly grin took over the bodyguard's muzzle, his question almost completing the idol's train of thought. "Your tail wasn't gonna poke my eye you know, I was looking away anyways."
"How respectful of you." Shadow bit out, ignoring the rush of heat that flared in his ears, before taking off towards the bathroom door.
"I know right?" A spritz sounded behind him as he exited, refusing to give the blue hedgehog a chance to speak more. He had his hoodie down so his red stripes were visible to the public. He decided that for now he would rather deal with curious stares than whatever direction Sonic was about to take that conversation in.
Upon returning to the team, Rouge gave the idol a curious stare.
"That took a while," she cocked her head before leaning closer and speaking quieter. "Just what kind of business were you two boys up to in a bathroom for so long?"
Shadow rolled his eyes and refused to respond. He was no stranger to Rouge's sense of humor. Her innuendos and suggestive comments often acted in her favor in her days of espionage, but they never ended after she quit. It had always been a part of her character. Usually the idol was unfazed by her jokes, but after Sonic's earlier teasing, he couldn't help the scowl on his muzzle. He prayed the bat would just move on, which she thankfully did, but not before giving him a once over that was too thorough for his liking.
Annoying.
An hour and a half later, Shadow was boarding the plane with his team, shuffling towards economy class. Although Rouge had reminded the ebony hedgehog that he can indulge in first class now that he was considerably well off, he didn't see the point in spending twice the amount of money for a ticket just for some luxury on a two hour flight. This was not a humility thing, as he would have likely taken the suggestion if the flight was a long haul. He just didn't see the point in this scenario.
The smell of stale air, the too-bright lights, the narrow aisles packed with people moving too slowly; it was all as familiar as it was irritating.
Behind him, Sonic was quiet, but his energy was impossible to miss. The bodyguard was practically vibrating, his head on a swivel as he took in every inch of the plane. He wasn't speaking, but Shadow could feel the barely restrained excitement radiating off him.
The idol ignored it.
He reached his row and dropped into his window seat without ceremony, shoving his hoodie up over his head and slouching deep. Allocated next to him apparently are Sonic and Rouge; in the three seats behind them, Amy, Vanilla, and Cream; then behind them, Whisper, Tangle, and Honey. He prayed Rouge would be the one to sit beside him, as the bat was surprisingly quiet company on flights. She tended to just put on her silk eye mask and sleep through them.
"Do you prefer the middle or aisle seat Rouge?"
Jerking his head up at the bodyguard's question, Shadow caught his manager's eyes briefly, begging for mercy before she shifted her eyes to Sonic. But he should know better by now. Teal eyes glittered mischievously before a smile that looked almost evil from Shadow's perspective grew on her face.
"I would prefer the aisle seat please. I tend to get restless on flights."
Liar, the idol narrowed his eyes at the bat, trying to relay his accusation telepathically to her. She feigned obliviousness by avoiding eye contact.
Facing forwards again, Shadow leaned onto the window. Maybe if he closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, Sonic would take the hint and stay quiet.
The bodyguard sat down beside him, carefully tucking his bag under the seat. A pause. Then, barely above a whisper—
"...This is my first time on a plane."
The idol cracked one eye open just enough to glance at him. Sonic's expression was unreadable, but his fingers tapped once against his knee before stilling.
Shadow shut his eyes again. "Don't care."
The blue hedgehog didn't respond. Didn't push for conversation. Instead, his energy seemed to travel into his leg, bouncing rhythmically as he explored the small screen in front of him. Ahh yes, if the bodyguard discovers the beauty of in-flight entertainment, Shadow won't have to deal with his restlessness.
The intercom crackled as the flight attendants started their announcements, and Shadow forced himself to focus on anything other than the strange, silent excitement sitting beside him.
Ten minutes later, the plane began to move. The quiet bouncing of the bodyguard's leg suddenly stopped, making the idol crack an eye open again in curiosity. The energy of the blue hedgehog shifted from excitement to something more jittery, emerald eyes flitting around.
Right. If it's the hedgehog's first flight, he might not be familiar with the feeling of sudden acceleration and turbulence during takeoff. Just how much did he know to expect? Should Shadow warn him about it just in case?
Before the idol could make his decision, the plane began its acceleration, and the ebony hedgehog could only feel concern when Sonic's hands quickly flew towards the arms of his seat in a death grip.
"This is how takeoffs always are," Shadow quickly reassured, not finding it in himself to add annoyance or mockery to his tone. "It'll get a lot calmer in a minute."
The bodyguard's hands relaxed, though did not fully lose their grip on the seat.
"Ah, I always thought it would be smoother than a train or something, since it's flying." The blue hedgehog sounded sheepish. "I don't know much about the science of it... I thought something was wrong."
Shadow figured from this statement, and a handful of others since meeting him, that either the bodyguard never paid attention in school, or that he never got a proper education in the first place.
He wasn't sure what possessed him to take it upon himself to teach him.
"It's rough during takeoff and landing because of the friction between the air and the ground. The irregular airflow over structures and land masses is the main reason for it," the ebony hedgehog explained, causing emerald eyes to blink at him. Shadow was just as surprised as Sonic to be honest, but it was too late to back out on his impromptu science lesson.
He pointed to the window, allowing the blue hedgehog to watch the city skyline begin to disappear below them. "When the plane reaches a higher altitude above any buildings or mountains, there is nothing to make the airflow unpredictable. The wind just flows in one direction, you'll feel it now."
A few moments later as promised, the plane's shaking reduced considerably, leading to a look of wonder on the blue hedgehog's face. Shadow felt a sensation in his chest when seeing the expression. Satisfaction? He was essentially helping someone be slightly less ignorant, so he supposed that was something to be satisfied with.
The bodyguard's expression turned inquisitive, "What happens if the wind up here is facing a bad direction though? Like if it's hitting the side of the plane, will the plane start going off course?"
"That's what the pilot has to deal with. If the winds are pushing the plane in the direction it's already going, they're called tailwinds. If it's the opposite direction, they're called headwinds."
Another question, another answer. The ebony and cobalt hedgehogs devolved into a strangely in-depth conversation about the physics of flight. Shadow was calmly explaining various concepts while Sonic attentively listened, often adding on his own conclusion in a portrayal of his newfound understanding, to which the idol would nod in confirmation.
Beside them, a bat that was supposedly sleeping under her eye mask was fighting off a smile.
~~~
Sonic was surprised at two things.
First was that the idol was speaking right now more than he had ever spoken collectively since meeting him. As if that wasn't enough, he was patiently explaining concepts that were probably middle school or early high school level. Sonic wasn't sure what he did to deserve this unexpectedly nerdy side of him, but he wasn't going to put it to waste...
Which led to his second surprise that he himself was hanging onto every word the ebony hedgehog uttered. Sonic's level of focus on someone's speech always depended on his interest on the topic. In another life, if he was born with parents who pushed him to develop interests, or had teachers that didn't come to class everyday looking like any joy in life had been sucked out of them, he might had developed a passion for theoretical knowledge. In this universe unfortunately, his only interests in life were to protect his brother and fight people, so paying attention to classes was near impossible.
So how was Sonic so focused on the idol's words? He never cared for planes or physics. Was his mind subconsciously trying to prolong this rare moment of patience from Shadow? Was it the way that he was speaking, explaining the concepts succinctly in comparison to the teachers that would drone monotonously in attempt to fill a 1-hour quota? Although Shadow's tone was technically monotonous as well, so maybe that wasn't the case.
Ten minutes later, the flight was comfortably smooth, no different than a car ride in feeling. Shadow seemed to take a gap in their dialogue as the chance let Sonic know he wanted to sleep.
Figures, the uncharacteristic talkativeness from the idol wasn't going to last forever, but Sonic was still grateful. Facing back to his screen, he explored the inbuilt entertainment system that the flight offered, navigating through the movies section before settling on a film called 'Speed'.
The rest of the two hours zipped by and before he knew it, he was wheeling his suitcase out of Westopolis Airport. Sonic briefly wondered if he should give his pocket pistol back to the idol, even though it didn't belong to him. He decided to not bother unless the ebony hedgehog asked for it, or stole it again. Whichever.
After checking into the hotel, everyone parted ways to unpack and settle into their rooms. According to Tangle, they would be staying in Westopolis over the next three weeks. In these three weeks, Shadow and Whisper will be rehearsing at the venue while Tangle, Amy, Vanilla would be ensuring the preparation for the live event goes smoothly.
Apparently, the tickets were sold out, so the event was going to operate at full capacity. The information made Sonic wonder just how famous Shadow is. He should probably search him up sometime. The main reason he hadn't yet was that that he wasn't the most tech savvy hedgehog. He knew how to operate his phone, sure, but when it came to online stalking or 'information gathering' as Tails would call it, he was clueless.
Speaking of Tails, it was time to call his little brother and let him know how his first flight was. Since body-guarding is unfortunately somewhat of a 24/7 job, he couldn't find an opportunity to see Tails in person before leaving the city. As a result, he settled for texting and video chatting, preferring the latter option as it was quicker for getting his words out.
"I swear I didn't take him for a science nerd!"
"To be fair, most of those concepts are middle school level, which you would already know if you had ever let me tutor you." The fox raised an eyebrow, unimpressed with the hedgehog's recollection of the flight.
"Psh, you know that stuff was never my thing. I'm just surprised that he spoke to me for that long!"
"Well it is a slight contradiction to what the media observed about him."
"What does the media say about him?" Sonic shoved his face into the phone camera.
"Get your nose off my screen!" Tails batted at his own camera with a hand as if it could move Sonic's face out of the way from halfway across the country.
"Okay okay," Sonic relented and distanced himself from the camera. "Now tell me."
"He's actually pretty enigmatic for a celebrity of his caliber. He only ever agrees to interviews if he can view the questions ahead of time and approve them. He never lets them ask him anything about his personal life; only career related questions." Huh, Sonic was wondering how Shadow managed to keep a history as big as being 'Ex-Mafia' under wraps.
"But of course the media is never satisfied, so they take it upon themselves to make observations and theories about him. The main knowledge about his behavior is that he's reserved in public, cold with paparazzi, and kind to women and children, which is why a lot of his fans are women."
"Quite the ladies man, huh?" the blue hedgehog commented absentmindedly at Tails' words.
"Well the thing is, he's never been caught with another woman. He always keeps a safe distance with fans. Some people theorize that he's in a relationship with his manager, Rouge. Others think he might just be gay or asexual. The fact that his team was all women until you joined it doesn't help with the rumors."
This part strangely piqued Sonic's interest. He knew Shadow and Rouge were close, but until now he hadn't seen any romantic interactions between them other than the bat's hugs and cheek kisses, which she seemingly does with everyone. It could still be possible if they were determined enough to hide their relationship.
Gay? He did notice how Shadow flusters often when he leans into his space. It could just be that the idol simply didn't do well with physical proximity and contact, but then that would contradict his lack of discomfort with Rouge hugging him.
"Huh," Sonic began after a pause. "I mean he's probably just not interested in dating. He's pretty closed off emotionally, I can't really imagine him being romantic at all."
Why is he even curious about this? Shadow's sexuality had zero impact on Sonic's goal to be friends with him. He thought back to the ebony hedgehog's crimson eyes and his sharp 'natural' eyeliner (yeah right, there's no way it's not pencilled on or dyed). Sonic has eyes, and was not scared to admit Shadow was objectively attractive. Attractiveness is half of what makes an idol anyways; it's a given. Maybe his curiosity stemmed from the singer's rare moments of tolerance towards him. If the idol ever did date someone, how would he look at them? He tried to imagine a look of endearment or love from the ebony hedgehog, but his mind came up blank.
"Sonic?"
The blue hedgehog snapped out of his reverie. "Hm? My bad, I zoned out a bit. What were you saying?"
"You should seriously get yourself checked for ADHD," the fox shook his head.
"Why would I drop a grand just to fill out a bunch of forms and have a doctor tell me I can't focus? All to get prescribed pills that'll just ruin my charming personality? I'll pass."
Their conversation continued for ten more minutes. Tails had apparently finished his last exam the prior day, and had applied to a number of universities along with additional scholarship forms. He had no doubt that the fox would be able to secure them. His academic scores were perfect and Sonic had made sure to push him into various extracurricular activities so he could further stand out to these institutions, even if it had nearly emptied his wallet the past few years.
The call was then interrupted by a ring on his phone. Amy was inviting him to join her, Honey, Vanilla, and Cream at the restaurant buffet downstairs.
Sonic smiled after he wrapped up his call with Tails. He was thankful that he was making new wonderful friends out of his colleagues. Shadow's team was infinitely kinder and more receptive to his jokes than the fellow bodyguards he tried to befriend the past two years. Making his way down to the hotel lobby, he spotted Amy waving at him. They made their way to the restaurant and joined the rest of the table.
After the initial cheerful greets he received and gave, he went to load as many different meats, vegetables, and grains as possible onto his plate. Oh how he loved free food. Satisfied with his assortment, he made his way back to the table, seemingly joining at a relaxed point in their conversation.
"Are Whisper and Tangle not coming?" Honey asked Amy curiously.
"Nope. They're going out on a date tonight." Amy twirled her fork into her pasta.
"Psh, those lovebirds. Speaking of lovebirds, how's Mr. Tall, Croc, and Handsome doing?" Honey leaned towards Vanilla, who suddenly turned bashful and began to glance at her daughter in uncertainty, either worried about the inappropriate nickname or–
"Vector is doing great!" Cream seemed unfazed by Honey's nickname for Vanilla's... husband? Boyfriend? Probably husband if Cream is this comfortable with his mention. "Momma said his agency is going along well now."
Honey blinked in surprise, as if having forgotten Cream was there, which was fair since she was on the other side of Vanilla's tall figure, most likely hidden from the cat's point of view.
Taking the chance to divert the conversation into something more family friendly than what Honey likely had in mind, Sonic asked, "An agency? What kind of agency does he run?"
Both Honey and Vanilla gave him looks of gratitude as Cream answered, "A detective agency!"
Ah.
"Oh wow! What kinda stuff does he investigate?" He hoped the worry he currently felt wasn't creeping into his voice. He quickly rationalized with himself that he was probably never going to meet this guy, let alone stick around long enough to make the guy feel like investigating him.
For this question, Cream looked at Vanilla for help. The older rabbit smiled warmly at her daughter before answering, "Mainly robberies and frauds."
Sonic felt relief at the answer, "That's really cool. He sounds like an honorable guy."
"The most honorable I've ever met," Vanilla's eyes glimmered in appreciation, making Amy and Honey swoon dramatically.
"Oh to find love like that," Amy sighed wistfully.
"Can't relate, but seeing other people find that love? Just as sweet." Honey matched Amy's demeanor, before flitting her eyes towards Sonic.
"Do you have a partner Sonic?"
Swallowing at the sudden shift of topic towards him, he smiled nervously, "At the moment I don't have one, no."
He wasn't actively searching for a relationship since his last one had left a sour taste in his mouth. His first and only attempt at a relationship was shortly after he turned 19 and lasted only six months before growing too toxic. He wasn't sure he could bring himself back into the dating scene, especially with the current culture of 'hook up first, form emotional connections later'.
His answer didn't seem to be sufficient for the cat, her orange eyes burning into his own. "But you are looking for one?"
Sonic assumed she wanted to know what his orientation was, perhaps curious if he was asexual like her. He was happy to answer truthfully, but he wasn't sure how to mention his bisexuality. Before he could find the right words to say, Vanilla cut in, chiding Honey for her overstep.
"Honey, we shouldn't be interrogating a new member of the team about their love life. That's his business and his only."
"It's fine, really", Sonic offered an easy smile. "To answer your question, I guess I am. Someday I'd love to settle down with someone, guy or girl. Hoping I'll find someone who balances me out."
Amy, Honey, and surprisingly Cream cooed in awe at his response, with Vanilla smiling softly in approval. From there, the conversation flowed smoothly, with Amy taking the lead on the importance of relationship dynamics and common interests. He knew he would never be in this kind of conversation nor receive this level of kindness and support from a male dominated team, at least not this early on into knowing them. He truly appreciated how open women tended to be about feelings and aspirations. It was a wonder that Shadow was as cold as he was whilst being surrounded by such a team.
Although on second thought, from what Sonic observed, Shadow was actually rather warm in the way he spoke to his team. Not necessarily all smiley (he has not witnessed anything wider than a smirk yet), but definitely gentle enough to line up accurately with what Tails told Sonic about the media's observations.
Gentle with women, barely tolerant towards... men? Or was Sonic the exception? He hasn't seen Shadow interact with other men long enough to gauge his behavior towards them.
It's fine, he thought, as he surveyed the women in front of him talking animatedly. Media observations mean nothing. He will make friends with Shadow.
And perhaps he could make lifelong connections with others too by the end of this contract.
Notes:
Any theories on Sonic’s ex who may make an appearance later in this story? 👀 Hint: this lil blue hedgehog clearly has a thing for rivals with red eyeliner.
Also me slapping in my experience getting diagnosed with ADHD because seriously why do they charge you 2k so you can fill out standardized forms for an hour and a half and repeat the info you entered in a 30 minute consultation just for the psychiatrist to say “yeah you have ADHD”? Actually cooked 😞
Chapter Text
Sonic barely made it three days after the flight before something was pointed out.
"That's the third time I've seen you wear this outfit," Honey cocked her head curiously. "Are you one of those people who keep duplicates of the same set to wear everyday?"
Amy and Tangle looked at him curiously too. He was dressed in one of his old T-shirts and shorts, the fabric pilling from overuse. They were pretty much all he had outside of his necessary formal and semi formal wear for when he's with Shadow.
"Uhh," Sonic looked for words to say. He wasn't about to drop that he was frugal with money due to growing up an orphan. Until his shirt was in tatters, it was still wearable. "I just forget to buy clothes?"
He initially worried about not sounding believable due to the high inflection he ended his sentence with, only to realize there was a different problem on his hands when the cat looked at him with predatory eagerness.
"You need a new wardrobe! There's a huge sale going on in IconiMall this week. If Shadow doesn't need you today we should go!"
"Ahah," Sonic brought an hand up to rub his shoulder sheepishly. "Surely Shadow won't be staying cooped up in his room all day."
He was wrong.
Apparently the idol did indeed feel like staying in his room all day today. He wanted to read one of his books. As a result, Sonic had no choice but to be dragged along by Honey and Amy to the shopping center.
"I really don't need anything..." he tried to urge as they began to approach the stalls. The mall was bustling with humans and mobians alike, all scrambling to catch the best deals. But Sonic was worried. He doesn't get his first paycheck for another week, and he had carelessly spent a big chunk of money on that fancy dinner with Tails, so he wasn't sure if shopping at this fancy mall would fully empty his wallet. Maybe he could pick out one shirt to appease them and call it a day.
"Nonsense! Just two outfits for everyday wear. It would be a crime for me to not help you dress to your full potential as a fashion designer!"
Amy happily agreed, but seemed to be watching Sonic closely. He wasn't sure what she was scrutinizing.
"Alright," he conceded, eyeing the shops. He was hoping he could sus out which ones were on the cheaper end. "What do you recommend?"
"For colors, yellow would make you pop. Oranges and pinks would look good too. Green would complement your eyes. White and any shade of brown can never go wrong. For accessories, gold would make you shine, but silver can also look good on you."
For the next twenty minutes, Sonic browsed through different stores with Honey and Amy. It was such a balancing act trying to find clothes articles he was actually interested in whilst subtly considering price. While there was a 'huge' sale as Honey promised, it didn't take away from how expensive the base price of these brands were to begin with. Whenever he checked a tag that had an extra zero than he expected, he would brush off his decision with "not my style" or "they don't have my size".
Strangely enough, despite Honey being the one adamant on finding Sonic 'the perfect outfit', Amy was seemingly glancing at him more often than normal.
"Hmm," the pink hedgehog finally spoke up after they walked out of the fourth store, seemingly contemplative. "Honey, what about thrifting? I feel like we might be able to find more unique gems."
Thrifting was a rather random suggestion when they were already in the mall for no longer than twenty minutes, and paired with the quick glance she threw his way when mentioning the word, it made Sonic suspicious. Did she... catch onto his discomfort with the prices?
"Yes! I was about to say these brands have gotten really generic with their designs. It's like they're all just copying each other! So uninspired..." Honey lamented. "What do you think Sonic?"
"Uhh yeah!" Sonic has never thrifted before. He never really had the chance to put effort into his clothes since they would often get torn or soiled at the pit. At some point, he opted out of wearing shirts altogether in his fights so that he wouldn't have to wash or replace them. He just bulk bought basic tees and shorts from those generic brands that sold everything for cheap (at the cost of quality of course). "Sure, let's do that."
With no resistance, Amy led the way to a thrift store just over a block away from the mall.
There were a few things Sonic observed upon entering the thrift store. The smell of old books and faded perfume. The overhead lights buzzing softly, flickering in places, casting uneven pools of light over the cluttered aisles.
Clothes hung from packed racks, a chaotic blend of decades and styles. Somewhere in the back, an old radio played a song, blending with the quiet hum of conversation and the occasional clatter of hangers being rifled through.
Sonic silently admired his surroundings while Honey rambled about the benefits of thrifting. He wasn't fully focused what she was saying until he heard the inflection at the end of her sentence.
"What do you think?"
"Huh?"
Honey didn't seem to take offense to his stupidly obvious proof that he zoned out, and simply repeated herself eagerly.
"You pick out two outfits for yourself, and I pick a third one out for you and pay for it!"
"Oh uhm," his eyes wandered to Amy in hopes of a clue on whether or not that was a good idea. The pink hedgehog gave him a small nod with a reassuring smile, as if to say don't worry, I'll make sure she doesn't get carried away.
"Yeah, sure. Thank you."
"Are there any preferences you have for style?"
Sonic was grateful at her consideration for his personal style, even though he didn't have any.
"Uhh, just something comfortable? I don't like having my movements restricted so I guess just anything that isn't skinny jeans or leather."
"Perfect! Now go, find your two outfits!"
And with that, he embarked on his journey around the store, on a mission to find two simple outfits. With Honey's previous color palette recommendation in mind, he foraged through the racks.
The first item that caught his eyes was a pair of tan corduroy pants. While the hems were fitted, the actual body of the pants were spacious and the waistband was adjustable, so he had no worries about it feeling restrictive to wear. He instantly thought about how he can just match them with the white button downs he already has, but he assumed that Honey's request for him to get two outfits didn't include things that were sitting in his closet at the hotel. So, he began to search for something to match his pants.
His mind was unimaginative, passively searching for any simple white shirt to complete his first outfit, thus half of his quota. A minute later, the clearing of a throat sounded behind him. Sonic spun around to find Amy holding up a jumper in her hand, smiling in an uncharacteristically bashful way.
"I thought it would go well with the pants you're holding."
"Oh," he blinked at the jumper. It was horizontally lined with thin strips of yellow, the shade just slightly paler than that of a sunflower, and white. "Thank you!"
Sonic grinned at the pink hedgehog as he took the offering off her hand and strewed it over the corduroy pants, before contemplating whether or not he should ask if her thrift store suggestion was intentional.
"And thank you for suggesting the thrift store by the way," he decided to lower his grin into a softer, more grateful smile. "I'm not sure how obvious I was being-"
"Don't stress it," Amy held her palm up to prevent him from continuing his sentence. "We shouldn't have pressured you out to buy outfits in the first place." She then matched his smile with a playful grin of her own. "Not until you got your first paycheck at least."
Relieved at how she lightened the situation, Sonic grinned once more. She most definitely understood, but she didn't judge or prod. It was something he really appreciated.
"Do you need help picking your second outfit?"
"Oh," Sonic blinked at the offer. He gave the racks a once over, mind completely empty of ideas for his second half of the quota. "Yes please."
Amy proceeded to guide him around the store, asking him his thoughts on different clothes. He quickly realized that despite Honey's recommendations, he found that orange felt just a bit too saturated on him and pink made him feel like something at a cotton candy stand. They probably contrasted his fur nicely, sure, but the colors felt borderline attention-seeking for his taste.
"What about this?"
Sonic turned to see an emerald green sweater vest in the pink hedgehog's hand. It was v-necked and seemingly knitted but something confused him.
"It's a bit revealing isn't it?" He couldn't help but look the vest up and down, scrutinizing it. It was baggy, but the neckline and the sleeves were a bit too spacious, almost like the vest itself was oversized.
The laugh from Amy made him realize that his question was likely ridiculous. "It's not meant to be worn alone silly! You're supposed to layer it."
"Ahh..." He didn't know he could layer loose casual clothes since, again, he didn't really keep up with fashion trends. He only ever had to layer his 3 piece suits as a bodyguard. "So what do I layer it with?"
"A white or cream shirt would go perfect under it! Something like..." Amy rustled through a nearby rack before pulling out a linen white button down, stylized with oversized sleeves that looked like they would reach just above Sonic's elbows. "This!"
Seemingly inspired, the pink hedgehog held onto the shirt and continued to search a different rack. "You find shorts more breathy to wear right? This oversized look would go perfectly with some nice shorts. Something cream, khaki or... stone!"
She pulled out a pair of shorts that seemed to be a a cool toned equivalent of khaki. Is that was stone was?
"This outfit gives a strong academia vibe whereas your first one is a bit on the vintage end. Both are very cute! Do you wanna try them on?"
Thankful at Amy's question that gave him an exit from pretending to understand her observations, Sonic nodded and let her guide him to the fitting room.
Amy must've dragged Honey over while he was changing, because when he came out of the stall with his tan corduroy and striped jumper he heard two coos of amazement instead of one.
"You look so cute!"
Cute? He didn't really want to look cute; he was already underestimated enough, but underestimation always gives him a tactical advantage, so he smiled at the compliment.
Next was his green sweater vest layered on his white shirt with shorts. When looking in the mirror, he understood what Amy meant by 'academia vibes'. His clothes reminded him of the children from a nearby private school he would watch with envy growing up, only they were looser, more casual, more fashionable. He shifted the sweater on his back uncomfortably. Since the shirt was more fitted, it pressed somewhat uncomfortably on his back quills.
"Don't worry about the back I'll tailor it for you."
Sonic couldn't help but blink at the offer. "Wait, really?" Another reason he was extremely hesitant to buy new outfits was that there was the extra associated cost of tailoring that was often forgotten. While mobians are generally similar in size, different species have different physical features that vary in more ways that can be counted. As a result, the clothing industry stuck to designing for mobians without any extra features other than a tail hole. Mobians with extra appendages such as quills or wings simply have to buy those clothes then get them tailored. It was an unfortunate lack of inclusivity that added unnecessary expense to Sonic's already overpriced life, so he was incredibly grateful for Honey's offer.
"Obviously! What kind of fashion designer would I be if I didn't know how to make such easy adjustments?"
If only the fashion industry could ask themselves that, he thought wistfully, before thanking her profusely. She just saved whatever sad little remains he had left in his bank account.
"This outfit is super charming!"
Charming was better than cute, but still not quite the description he was looking for. He thought back to the few outfits he had seen Shadow wear. The idol was very much a fan of the color black, opting for such a simple style of clothing, yet making the clothes look embellished somehow. Sonic supposed he can't try to take fashion influence from a red and black hedgehog who only wears red and black; what looks good on the idol won't necessarily look good on the bodyguard.
"And now for your final fit!" Honey pulled a basket seemingly out of nowhere and dropped it in Sonic's hands. It was unexpectedly heavy, making him look down to see more than just a shirt and pants. There was also a jacket and... are those chains?
"Amy told me you might appreciate something that goes well with your shoes," Honey pointed down at Sonic's red and white sneakers, worn down from years of use. That reminded him that he needed to replace them soon. A good pair of comfortable shoes were probably the only material thing in life that he was willing to spend on. They were the foundation to his speed and balance, both of which were very important for fighting. That and also running, which he loved to do as a form of exercise, hence why his shoes were so worn down.
"Honey!" Amy cried out, seeming embarrassed at the cat giving her credit.
"Thanks Ames," he smiled at the pink hedgehog's display of understanding yet again. He truly wasn't sure what he did to deserve her kindness.
"And thanks Honey," he turned to the cat, who not only went all out on the outfit she was going to pay for, but also offered to tailor his outfits. Between her generosity and Amy's empathy, he felt a sense of security in his heart that perhaps came 22 years too late. "I'm sure this will look amazing."
"I know it will, go!" The cat shooed him excitedly back into the stall while Amy gaped. At what, he wasn't sure. Did she not like the nickname?
Five minutes later, Sonic checked himself in the mirror, fascinated by what he was seeing. A simple white tee, sleeveless but that information is unknown under his cropped varsity jacket, vibrantly red and white in color, donning the number '91' in a blocky font on the left side of the chest. His tee was tucked into a pair of blue jeans, fitted high at his waist but baggy by the time it reached his ankles. Between his front and back belt loops, hung a golden chain, forming a parabola around his hips. He walked out of the stall once more, this time with more confidence.
"You look..." Amy tapered off, seemingly unsure of what word to describe him with.
"Cool," Sonic completed for himself, spinning a 360 without Honey having to prompt him for once. "I feel like one of those hip-hop dancers that have dance battles in movies!"
"Boyishly handsome is what I'd say," the cat ran up to adjust his outfit excitedly. "You could be a model if you really wanted. You have a face and physique that many agencies look for, don't you think so Amy?"
"Uhm," Amy seemed to be in a daydream before snapping out of it. "Yes!"
"Oh please," Sonic sheepishly rubbed the side of his neck sheepishly. He wasn't sure where he stood on the 'Male Hedgehog Attractiveness Scale', but he doubted it was high enough to be a model. "You guys are too sweet!"
With a newfound confidence, he strolled into the fitting room once more to change back into his old shirt and shorts.
~~~
Shadow absentmindedly poked through the sugary crust of his crème brûlée.
It was nearing 9 o'clock and Sonic, Amy, and Honey were still nowhere to be found. He had already finished a good chunk of his novel and had joined Rouge for a late dinner in the hotel restaurant. Vanilla, Cream, Whisper and Tangle had already eaten an hour ago apparently.
Were they eating out? What was Sonic having so much fun with to take this long? Shadow was aware that he technically gave them the go ahead to use the whole day since he wasn't planning to leave the hotel, but still. There was no way shopping for a couple of measly outfits took that long.
"Something on your mind?" The white bat across him gave him a lazy grin as she spun her mocktail. "Someone blue in color perhaps?"
"No," he retorted vehemently, refusing to let her go down that track. "I was just thinking they're probably having dinner out since they're not back yet."
"Aww," Rouge rested her chin on her palm. "I don't recall you ever worrying about such things when Amy and Honey would go out on their occasional dawn-till-dusk trips. Is this because Big Blue is in the mix-"
"Why are you so set on the idea that I care about him at all?" The idol cut her off, crimson glaring down at teal. When her eyes widened and her smile deepened, he realized his mistake.
"I never implied you cared about him."
"I'm not having this conversation."
"Bothered by him maybe, sure. Riled up easily-"
"Stop talking."
"But ‘cared’? That was your own word choice not mine."
"I don't."
"Though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised after your remarkable display of patience on our flight," Rouge leaned back on her seat before bringing up her index finger to her chin. "You'd make a great tutor you know?"
"Why are you like this?" Shadow tried to hide his mortification at Rouge's knowledge of the impromptu physics lesson he had with Sonic. The bat always had a set of noise canceling earplugs handy when sleeping due to how sensitive her hearing is, so he did not expect her to hear through the muffle.
"By 'this' you mean an incredibly observant friend who constantly helps you through your times of pure stubbornness and emotional constipation?"
Before he could grace her with a response, a voice called from a short distance away.
"Hey Rouge! Hey Shadow!" Amy greeted as she sat down beside Rouge.
"Why hello Amy," the bat leaned towards the pink hedgehog. "Where's the rest of your trio?"
"Oh, Honey got carried away and insisted on altering one of Sonic's outfits before dinner. They should be done soon."
Shadow figured whatever clothes the bodyguard picked out today would need to be altered. It was one of the unfortunate inconveniences of being a mobian with extra appendages. It was even worse for mobians with more functional limbs like Rouge, the bat often having to wear a body tight outfit if she was planning to use her wings for the day.
"Oh? So he'll be gracing us with one of his new outfits for tonight?" The bat sounded suspiciously curious for such an innocuous question.
"Yup! Oh there's Honey!" Amy waved out to the cat to gain her attention, who quickly spotted the table and bounded over to sit next to Amy. Shadow assumed her seating choice was simply because she was close with the pink hedgehog, but his realization that it meant Sonic would be sat next to him when he arrived made him feel a headache form. He was really not in the mood to speak with him after what Rouge said.
"Which one did he say he was gonna wear?" Amy asked the cat excitedly.
"The one I picked," Honey responded proudly. From that, Shadow already figured that the outfit would be complex, probably accessorized.
Not that he cared for what he was going to see. He was contemplating rushing through his crème brûlée just so he could leave early but he'll be damned if he lets one hedgehog stop him from savoring his delicious dessert.
About to take another spoonful, Shadow paused his movement when he heard the three women in front of him start making sounds of wonder and awe. He rolled his eyes at their reactions; did they really have to over exaggerate this much for the sake of showing support for Sonic's 'makeover'?
Swiveling his head to look at what they were looking at, he froze.
An airy, sleeveless white tee that showed off wiry peach furred biceps, tucked into flowing blue jeans that emphasized how ridiculously small his waist was. The combination was deadly. To top it off was the golden chain jingling below his hips as if to draw more attention to his physique. Hooked on his fingers that were rested on his left shoulder, was what seemed to be a red and white varsity jacket. Did he really have to carry his jacket like someone straight out of a model magazine? How obnoxious.
The overall combination of red, white, and gold in his outfit stood vibrantly against his azure quills, resembling something akin to fireworks in the daytime. He noted nearby customers also looking at the blue hedgehog curiously, not too overdressed for a late dinner, but certainly eye-catching.
Realizing he may had stared a moment too long, he ripped his gaze away from Sonic only to be faced with a knowing smirk from Rouge. Scowling, he decided to bring his eyes down to his crème brûlée and put all his focus into enjoying it as quickly as he could so he could leave.
"Sorry I couldn't alter the jacket in time Sonic," Honey apologized as the bodyguard sat himself down beside Shadow. "It'll take a bit longer because of the fabric, but I can have it done by the weekend!"
"Don't sweat it Honey," he heard the blue hedgehog on his left. The idol refused to look in his direction, lest he give the bat more ground to work with on... whatever she was planning. "I never wear jackets in the summer anyways. I'm already grateful that you're tailoring them to begin with!"
"My, my, you've really outdone yourself this time Honey," Shadow couldn't help looking up from his dessert at the bat's voice, attempting to figure out her intentions. Rouge interlaced her fingers with one another and rested her chin on them, her eyes shifting from the bodyguard to the idol, full of mischief. "Though Sonic's natural handsomeness serves a pretty good foundation to build on, don't you think Shadow?"
Nope. Dropping his spoon into the ramekin, Shadow stood up from the table, noisily pushing his chair back in the process.
"I'm done eating." That was all he could say whilst avoiding eye contact with anyone at the table, before walking off.
Irritating. Infuriating. Rouge was getting on his nerves. Teasing him occasionally was one thing but putting him on the spot in front of others crossed the line. And it was all for what? To get him to compliment Sonic? What was even her goal with that? If he knew anything about Rouge best, it was her tendency to play things for the long term. She often weaved small comments and questions into her conversations with her targets, seemingly innocent when isolated, but when built up made them more susceptible to her influence. Shadow refused to be the subject of her social ploys.
Closing the door after himself upon entering his room, he winced upon realizing how strange his exit from the dinner looked, no doubt confusing the others. He paced the room restlessly. He knew he could not try to force himself to sleep this early. He could try to go out to clear his mind but that would require him to take half of what's bothering him right now with him.
The hotel gym, he decided. He will work out at the gym; that way he can let off steam whilst (hopefully) being alone. Quickly changing into a set of gym clothes, he swung his door open in hopes to quickly slink out before anyone from the dinner could catch him on the way out.
Only to be faced with the other half of his problems, Rouge.
Her hand was held into a fist, ready to knock. She blinked at him before looking him up and down, likely registering his clothes.
"Off to let off some steam?" Her face suddenly split into a grin.
Glaring so vehemently at her that she surely felt heat between her eyes, he shoulders past her muttering, "I'm not in the mood for your shit."
"Wait, wait!" He feels a hold on his shoulder and wheels around in fury, ready to spit venom at her for her behavior.
"I'm sorry," any previous teasing she had in her tone vanished, her eyes glimmering in remorse. "I shouldn't have put you on the spot like that. I was just happy that you finally have a challenge."
Some of his rage was diminished by the first two words; he was still ready to fire back about how her actions were downright meddlesome. The rest of his anger shifted into confusion.
"What do you mean 'a challenge'?"
She scrunched her lips in uncertainty, as if thinking if whether her next words were the right ones to say or not. "Someone who gets a reaction out of you, challenges your habits. You've been so cold since..."
Maria, is what he knew she wanted to say. His heart clenched, but he kept his expression steady. The bat's eyes carefully watched him for a reaction. When he gave none, she deemed it safe to continue.
"I know you’ve gotten somewhat better, but you still refuse to let yourself get close to anyone. You always kept people at arms length, and until now, no one has been persistent enough to push through that wall you keep putting up. Sonic is similar to you Shadow, yet so different. I just don't want you to let one of the few people in the world that can actually understand you go to waste."
"You think just because he had some equally problematic past that he can understand me? He has a best friend and a younger brother. He didn't..." Shadow's throat felt tight, his voice coming out thick. He hated the look of sympathy that Rouge was giving him.
"He didn't lose his brother, and that's probably why he's so happy. So energetic. So put together." He ended his sentence bitterly. How could someone who's lost a loved one act so optimistic? There was no way Sonic went through the level of despair Shadow felt.
"You don't know anything beyond what he shows you, Shadow." The bat almost chastised him for what he was aware was an assumption without evidence. "If he's anything like me, he's just good at putting up a front."
"It doesn't matter," he responded resolutely. "He's just a bodyguard. He's under a contract for one year, then he'll be on his merry way. There's no point in me trying to figure him out."
"It's not about figuring him out, it's about letting him help you figure yourself-"
Ding!
Both of them jumped at the sound of the nearby elevator. Shadow was relieved that it was only a stranger that came out of it. He could still get to the gym before anyone from the dinner could catch him and potentially ask him questions.
"I'm going," he said with a tone of finality before speed walking to the elevator to catch the doors before they closed, not giving the bat a chance to respond.
Now alone in the elevator, Shadow felt torn as he thought about Rouge's words. On one hand, he knew he could not push Sonic away unless he wanted to nullify their sparring deal. He also knew that Sonic held a favor over his head, so even if the idol were to try to nullify the deal for the sake of keeping distance, the bodyguard might just cash in his favor as a replacement.
Exiting the elevator, he continued to contemplate. Sonic's presence wasn't... loathsome. At least not anymore so than Rouge's when she amps up her teasing. All logical evidence pointed to him needing to simply lean into his bodyguard's persistent attempts at companionship and reap the benefits of his friendship.
But he's my bodyguard, he remembered, that simple statement crushing all of his previous considerations. Getting emotionally invested in someone whose job was to die for him is the most foolish thing he could possibly do.
Entering the gym, he was thankful to find it empty. Hotel residents rarely went for workouts from 9pm till midnight. That time is often used to go out to a bar and maybe clubbing afterwards.
The gym was pitiful to say the least, consisting of four machines targeting different muscle groups (none of which were effective in his opinion), a rack of weights and barbells, and a long row of unnecessary treadmills for people who could just walk outside. He knew not to expect much from a hotel gym. Walking over to a sad pile of yoga mats stuffed behind the weights rack, he pulled one out and spread it across the floor before wiping it down. He didn't trust other gym goers to clean after themselves.
He knew that realistically, no harm would come to Sonic throughout his 1-year contract. He wasn't a controversial enough figure to incite attacks of hatred from the public. There would only ever be a risk if someone were to find a link between Shadow and his father, and at that point any attacks that would ensue would be way out of his bodyguard's jurisdiction anyways. Shadow would most likely need to have the police or underground allies involved.
He then picked up a heavy plate by the barbells and brought it to the mat. He had reached a point in his fitness where using his own body weight in his exercises wasn't enough anymore. Even his wrist and ankle weights felt negligible now. He wondered if he should get another set clasped on, but that might end up looking ridiculous, not to mention he heard that wrist weights have negative long term effects on the joints so he wasn't keen to speed up his discovery on that theory's verity.
So he couldn't forcefully distance himself from Sonic, and he couldn't, or rather wouldn't, get emotionally invested. What could he do? His mind circling back on the same problem, a stalemate.
Nestling his earbuds into his ears, he played from a relaxing pop playlist before hauling the weighted plate onto his chest and crossing his arms over it, holding it firmly to himself as he prepared to do some sit ups. The music helped him empty his head, his mind now only processing lyrics and pulling out numbers as he counted his reps. He refused to let his dynamic with his bodyguard bother him this much. He decided he would just avoid Sonic whenever possible and give him the bare minimum efforts of friendship.
As if the universe were laughing in his face, ebony ears didn't register the sound of the gym door clicking open through his music. It was only when he came up from his twelfth rep and found himself frozen, staring into wide-eyed emeralds and azure quills that he realized there was a newcomer in the gym. And of course by cruel twist of fate, the one person he mentally agreed to avoid was here, staring back at him.
Notes:
Shadow when he sees Sonic’s new outfit: Oh no he’s hot!
Alright alright NEXT chapter will be the one where he stops unnecessarily hating on Sonic fr this time
Also I’m tryna post my attempt at drawing one of Sonic’s outfits but I have no idea how to put a photo in the chapter WTF IS A SOURCE AM I A BOOMER?
But I DID figure out how to put a pfp at least :D
Chapter 7: Common Ground
Notes:
I know I said they got no powers/chaos energy n stuff but they’re still freakishly fast/strong compared to the rest of the population 🙂↕️
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Shadow was unmoving, any previous peace he settled into forgotten. He was tempted to simply leave, but he had just started his workout. But he really couldn't be bothered with Sonic's attempts at chitchat, especially after making up his mind that he wanted to distance from him not even a minute ago.
But to his surprise, Sonic only brought up his gloved hand, then pinched his index finger and thumb together before swiping it over his lips in a zipping motion. Then he simply continued walking into the room to go about his business.
He was agreeing to stay silent? Shadow felt relieved, but not thankful at the blue hedgehog's agreement to leave him alone. After all, it's not like he's doing him a favor; he should be minding his business anyways.
Observing his bodyguard make his way to the treadmills, Shadow held back a scoff. Of course Sonic was one of those people who substituted jogging outside for those useless waste-of-space machines.
Focusing his attention back on his reps, he decided to take advantage of his freedom to ignore the other presence in the gym. It was like with any stranger; he wouldn't have to interact with Sonic unless they wanted to use the same machine.
Finishing up his sit-ups, he twisted around to prepare for pushups, before noticing the blue hedgehog going at a surprising speed given that he had just started up the machine. Was he doing HIIT?
But the hedgehog only went faster, holding his finger down on the button to keep speeding up the treadmill. His already fast running began to look like a full speed sprint, the motion of his legs to transforming into a blur.
He still had his finger pressed on the button, his hand surprisingly steady given that the rest of his body was in full motion. At some point it seemed the speed cap of the treadmill was reached, so he let his arm fall back to his body for his run.
Shadow thought of two things. Firstly, he prayed that this idiot had the treadmill's safety clip attached to him because if he tripped on the machine at this speed, he would most certainly gain friction burns serious enough to hospitalize him.
Secondly, he wondered how long he was going to maintain this speed for. Surely not for more than 30 seconds. The hedgehog's body was tilted forwards to maintain the momentum against the machine trying so hard to push him away. Shadow could hear the fast paced slamming of the other's feet against the tread through the music playing in his earphones.
But as the song in his ears ended, and another one played, the idol realized with awe that Sonic was maintaining that speed for over a minute, two minutes, three minutes by the time his second song ended. He had not yet brought his hand up to slow down the treadmill, the red and white of his shoes blending into a pink due to the sheer speed at which he was moving.
After what seemed to be around five minutes going off of his song durations, Shadow finally spotted Sonic's hand flying up to slow the machine down, lowering himself down into a brisk jog, then a walk, then finally stopping.
Surely, by the end of such a long sprint at the machine's capped speed limit, Sonic would look exhausted right? Legs wobbly, shoulders heaving, the works. But no, the bodyguard only rested for thirty seconds to take a few gulps of his water before starting the machine up again, this time breaking into a more normal speed. Granted, that 'normal' was still a sprint for the average mobian, it was just that Sonic made it look like a relaxed run compared to the speed he was going earlier.
While Shadow was not a big watcher of sports, he was certain that the blue hedgehog had the speed and stamina of a trained competitive athlete, if not better. How had his talent not been scouted in school? Instead he had to be spotted by an underground recruiter and dragged into a violent life. Maybe running was something he only took up recently? This hobby also explained his wiry frame, surprisingly lithe for a previous pit fighter. Any fat that dared to store itself in the blue hedgehog's body was definitely burned out of existence from this treadmill session alone.
It was only when Sonic slowed down to a stop once more that Shadow embarrassingly realized he had done nothing but stare at the bodyguard for the past ten minutes, instead of moving onto his next exercise like he was supposed to. He didn't even notice that at some point, he shifted to sit himself with his legs crossed and the weighted plate now in his lap as he faced the treadmills.
Before he could get the chance to shuffle back into a form that could convey he wasn't staring at the blue hedgehog for the past ten minutes, Sonic had gotten off the treadmill and accidentally caught his eyes.
The bodyguard gazed at him questioningly, staying silent in obvious respect to Shadow's want to be left alone, but seemingly not wanting to break eye contact with the idol who had been staring at him in the first place.
He knew he could not pretend otherwise. Sonic caught him staring, so to go back to his workout and act like he didn't would just feel awkward. With a swallow, Shadow decided to just commit, taking off his earphones and letting out a light sigh.
"You're fast."
Sonic, who Shadow just noticed didn't have any earphones in (what kind of weirdo doesn't bring music to the gym?), smiled earnestly, as though it was a surprising compliment to hear. The idol hadn't even meant it as a compliment; for him it was simply pointing out the obvious. This absolutely freak of nature's speed was unlike any other.
"Thanks Shads! That means a lot coming from you." He replied mirthfully before shifting his eyes down towards the plate in Shadow's lap. "Why are you working out with a plate by the way? Are the wrist and ankle weights not enough?"
"They aren't, no." The idol resigned himself to his self-initiated conversation, fidgeting with the objects he was currently speaking about.
"Huh, I still feel like you're pulling my leg and they're actually just bracelets."
Shadow could spot the challenging tone in Sonic's voice from a mile away. He could shoot a glare and refuse the taunt, or...
He smirked and unclasped the ring on his left hand before beckoning the blue hedgehog closer. Sonic bounded over excitedly to stand before him, thinking his comment got him exactly what he wanted from the idol, which was technically true. What he didn't know was how quickly he would regret it.
Wordlessly clasping the ring over Sonic's glove, Shadow moved his hands away from it until it seemed like he was holding it with the lightest touch. The bodyguards was still standing, likely not realizing that being closer to the ground would be advantageous in what was about to ensue.
"Huh, yeah it's not really that heavy-"
Then he let go, leading to the bodyguard's sentence being comically cut off by a startled yelp as his arm flew down towards the floor under the weight of the ring, just barely catching it before it pulled his body down with him.
"Chaos, what the hell is this thing made of?" Sonic's voice came out strained, knees bent as his other hand flew to help hold the weighted one up.
"Too heavy for you?" Shadow leaned his cheek onto his now-ringless glove, feeling amusement bubble up in his chest. The blue hedgehog would always tease him and try to fluster him, now it was his turn to pay it back.
"No! I was just caught off guard... see?" Sonic slowly moved his free hand away from the weighted one, the latter of which was visibly shaking from effort to keep slightly curled.
"Just let it drop your hand to the ground," the idol breathed out with what sounded like boredom, but really he was enjoying this moment of superiority over the hedgehog. "There's no shame in not being able to carry it."
"Hah, as if! I could– hah– probably start doing jumping jacks with these in a day!"
"Really now?" Shadow wondered how believable the bodyguard thought himself to be when he was wheezing mid sentence. He felt a streak of mischief grow within him, perhaps influenced by Rouge. Wanting to call the blue hedgehog's bluff out in the most humiliating way possible, he decided to unclasp the ring on his right wrist as well. "Then since you seem to be carrying it so well, how about I give you another one?"
"Uhh, I mean... I don't know if..." Sonic was floundering for an excuse, but couldn't stop Shadow from placing the ring around his free wrist, once again shifting into his deceptively light hold.
"Ready?"
"Uhm, wait a- AAH!"
"You should've just said no," The idol held back a snort as the bodyguard's arms went slack, now focusing on keeping his body upright under the crushing weight. "Drop your ego and let your wrists fall to the floor, hedgehog."
"Nope," the blue hedgehog stubbornly refuted. "I can stand like this all day."
"Is that why your legs are shaking?"
"I just went on a sprint if you haven't noticed! Except you clearly have since you were staring at me!"
Ignoring the light flush of heat he felt in his ears, Shadow rolled his eyes and snapped his hands forward to flick at specific points in Sonic's knees, leading to the hedgehog letting out a sound of alarm before falling, legs folded in half as he hunched forwards with his wrists pinned to the ground.
No longer strained and now at eye-level with him, Sonic groaned, "There's no way something this small can be this heavy... Seriously, what are they made of?!"
Oh, how lovely it felt to see the blue hedgehog's cocky demeanor fall. Perhaps this deal of companionship might not be such a dilemma if Shadow got to have this kind of fun.
"Gold-coated osmium." That was all he offered in response to the question, knowing that the bodyguard wouldn't even recognize the metal's moniker.
"And how are your limbs still attached to you after carrying these weights all the time?!"
"You have your freakish speed, I have my freakish strength," Shadow simply shrugged, not caring to explain how he had been progressively trained to wear them by his father for the purpose of being able to... permanently incapacitate someone with a single strike, not that the idol could ever bring himself to do that. Not only was it disgustingly brutal but it was just downright impractical, assuming his accidental impalement of some punching bags when he was younger was an accurate enough representation of what would happen to flesh.
"Whatever," Sonic breathed out. The idol wondered how ten minutes of sprinting didn't seem to physically tire out the blue hedgehog, but half a minute of weightlifting made him out of breath. "Does that mean you've been actively holding back on your punches during our spars?"
The bodyguard's tone was unfamiliar. He sounded frustrated... hurt? Was he upset that that the idol wasn't using his full force during fights? Shadow supposed he would be equally upset if he were in the same scenario, if not more so.
"If I didn't, you would be dead." The ebony hedgehog leaned forwards to unclasp the rings, knowing that getting Sonic to admit he needed them removed would be an impossible task.
Sonic instantly swung his hands up to his chest, rubbing at his wrists and twisting them to stretch out the aches that likely formed with an absentminded look in his eyes. After a few moments, the bodyguard's pupils suddenly shrunk in clarity and flew up to meet the idol's with burning determination.
"Can I weight train with you?"
Shadow had already come to the realization, since the moment he was caught staring, that his previous decision to avoid getting close with the bodyguard was never viable. Where external factors seemed impossible to control, his only hope was to be able to reign over internal ones, such as his own actions and emotions. His mental fortitude was rather strong, so he could simply try to entertain Sonic's surface level companionship whilst maintaining a barrier to prevent more vulnerable moments from occurring.
"Fine," he grumbled out as he clasped his rings back onto his wrists before placing his earphones back in. The bodyguard zipped towards the barbell rack and grabbed a plate and yoga mat, not bothering to wipe the latter object down much to Shadow's disgust.
The idol placed the plate on his back and began his reps. He noticed the blue hedgehog attempting to do the same, though struggling a bit more when balancing the weight on his back. After finally getting into the plank position without the plate falling off, Sonic started mirroring Shadow's pushups.
His routine continued without chatter as the blue hedgehog continued to replicate his workouts to the best of his ability. While not nearly on Shadow's level of strength and endurance, Sonic was still slightly above the average mobian's level of fitness. It would be strange if he wasn't, given that he's a bodyguard.
About half an hour later, Shadow decided to wrap things up. He usually stay: longer, but given that the main purpose of him going to the gym this time was to cool off rather than actually train, he figured he was feeling somewhat good enough to stop early. That and also the blue hedgehog beside him looked like roadkill.
"How– hah– are you not built– like a truck from lifting so heavy?"
It was a good question. While Shadow was a bit bulkier than Sonic, the size of his muscles was nowhere near representative to his actual strength. He had chalked it up to him having progressively developed his strength with a limited diet over several years rather than bulking like bodybuilders do.
"Could ask the same thing for yourself," the idol responded, eyeing Sonic's wiry legs that did not look like they should handle ten minutes of sprinting. "You're... rather scrawny for someone of your history. It's a wonder you were a top fighter."
Shadow initially wondered if his comment offended Sonic from the way the blue hedgehog's frame stiffened, but then he noticed a faraway look in those emerald eyes before the bodyguard's lips curled upwards into a carefree grin, one that didn't look quite right.
"What can I say? I’m pretty resourceful."
Resourceful. Right. There is only so much that the typical 'thinking outside the box' cliche can do for someone in the ring. Shadow was not naive; he knew it took much more than some creative tricks for Sonic to win his matches. What he wondered was just how far the bodyguard had gone to take his opponents down. The audience for these kinds of tournaments didn't pay for fights without blood. Maiming and sometimes killing opponents weren't off the table for fighters.
Even more curiously, the idol wondered how willing Sonic was to draw blood. Did he have to be as ruthless as Shadow was taught to be most of his life? The tenseness with which he reacted implied that it was the case, but the idol isn't cruel. He wasn't going to push on a topic that the bodyguard was clearly uncomfortable with, no matter how much he tried to make it look otherwise.
Instead he settled on a derisive ‘hmph’, annoyed at Sonic for managing to so easily fall back into his cocky demeanor again, his earlier struggle with Shadow's wrist weights forgotten.
As they folded and returned their mats, a newfound silence fell over them; one that wasn't enforced by the idol for once. On their way out of the gym, Shadow stopped by at a vending machine to fetch a drink. Sonic (unsurprisingly) waited idly as Shadow punched in the number corresponding to the small carton of strawberry milk that he wanted, and (surprisingly) didn't make any comments about the idol's drink of choice.
The silence continued as they headed back towards their hotel rooms, with Sonic only speaking up after escorting Shadow to his door.
"Hey man," the blue hedgehog seemed uncharacteristically... nervous. "I know I keep pushing on the whole ‘being friends’ thing but just know I'm not doing it to antagonize you. I genuinely just want the time that we're gonna be spending together for the next year to go smoothly."
Shadow watched his bodyguard fidget with his hands nervously, seeming to consider his next words carefully, "But if for you, you'd rather keep a things purely professional, I... I can respect that. I wouldn't use my favor against you either. I won't engage with you unless you want me to."
The idol couldn't help but widen his eyes at the offer. This was the out he had so desperately wanted; to simply never have to speak with his bodyguard unless necessary. Sonic was serving him that opportunity on a silver platter, even though it seemed to be paining the blue hedgehog to be making that offer in the first place.
Yes, he should be saying. Just do what a normal bodyguard is supposed to do. But those words couldn't come out of his mouth. What about the sparring? There was something exhilarating about sparring someone who was his equal in skill, yet had a completely different fighting style. He did not want to give up sparring the blue hedgehog; it would be awkward to insist on silence in the timeframes before and after them. But that isn't ample enough as an excuse...
Shadow was forced to come to the realization that he actually enjoyed Sonic's company. As annoying as his teasing remarks were so far, it wasn't anything worse than what Rouge often threw at him. And he hated to say it, but Sonic is interesting. Rouge's earlier words came to mind. The bodyguard 'challenged' him, so to speak. The idol felt a disparity in their ideals the most in their personalities, despite having similarly problematic pasts.
You don't know anything beyond what he shows you.
Damn it. He would probably regret the decision he was about to make.
"We can... be friends."
The look of hopeful surprise that took over Sonic's face evoked an emotion in Shadow that he couldn't quite name, but it was short and fleeting thanks to the smirk that followed.
"I knew you'd come around," that singsong voice immediately raised the ebony hedgehog's hackles. He was tempted to take back his agreement just for the sake of being petty.
"But for real, if you feel like I'm taking it too far just let me know and I'll cut down on it, alright? My little brother likes his space too so I get it."
Shadow could only nod, unsure on how to respond. Even though he didn't outwardly say it, the idol had essentially admitted that he liked Sonic's company to an extent. The blue hedgehog's reassurance that he would respect Shadow's boundaries was... surprisingly genuine. He also noticed the bodyguard bringing up his brother once again. It was clear he was attached to him, in a way that brought a pang of pain in the idol's chest.
"Now if you'll excuse me," the blue hedgehog took the silence as his cue to exit, giving a two fingered salut. "I'm gonna go take a long shower in hopes of feeling a bit less like I got ran over by a truck. Water bills don't exist in hotels right?"
Shadow couldn't help but huff at the bodyguard's shameless admission of soreness and exhaustion, offering a simple "no" in response before Sonic said his goodbye and left.
Entering his unit, the idol was startled by the sudden buzz of a notification on his phone. He switched it on to see a text message.
Rouge - Proud of u darling <33
Shadow whipped his head towards his neighboring unit where he knew his manager was clearly awake and apparently eavesdropping, glaring a hole through the wall with the hopes that she could feel it.
Another buzz confirmed success in his intent.
Rouge - Stop mentally burning a hole through the wall and go shower and rest. We're checking out the venue tmrw
Rolling his eyes, he did as the bat told him to. After a quick rinse and dry down, he was tucked under the hotel comforters once more, hands folded over his chest making him look not too different from a mummy.
He felt a surprising sense of ease in his chest after his conversation with Sonic. Beyond the new precedent that he gets to set the boundaries for their tentative friendship instead of the bodyguard, he also supposed coming to accept his own feelings on the matter helped in this feeling of tranquility. He didn't hate Sonic, and the bodyguard clearly had a good heart. Shadow was tired of fighting tooth and nail to distance himself from someone who would be virtually tied to him for the next year.
For once, the idol didn't let himself think too much of the situation as he drifted into a light slumber.
~~~
The 14-year-old heaved heavy breaths as he used all of his body weight to keep the beaver down, his opponent thrashing in his hold.
"Well folks it seems our little Blue Phantom is set on simply pinning down The Chap until he yields! How strange, losing to such a merciful method must be another level of humiliation altogether!"
The beaver growled, using all that he could to add onto the blue hedgehog's array of fresh cuts and bruises, but the Blue Phantom was fueled by adrenaline, his limbs locked as tightly as possible around The Chap without hurting him. The audience had begun to cheer for the beaver to tap out.
"Please yield," the young hedgehog's voice strained. "I don't wanna hurt you."
Moments later, the beaver tapped out, making the crowd roar. Scrambling up to his feet, the blue hedgehog stood for a moment, chest rising and falling, heart pounding so hard it drowned out the noise around him. The world felt distant, like he was underwater, but one thing was sharp and undeniable.
He won.
Grinning at the crowd, the Blue Phantom turned back to face The Chap as he stood to his feet, offering out a hand in peace. Upon seeing the outstretched hand, the beaver scowled, but took it before pulling the young hedgehog closer.
"You'll never win against bigger opponents like this, kid. You don't belong here."
A wave of indignation rose in the blue hedgehog's chest, but before he could respond, the beaver let go of his hand and stalked off.
On his way out of the pit, he searched around for an older hedgehog, his manager, until he caught lime green eyes staring at him. Bounding over to him, the young hedgehog's adrenaline was still running.
"I finally won a match! I actually won! I can't believe it..."
"I can," the older hedgehog ruffled the younger's fur between the ears, his expression almost poker if it weren't for the slight upwards tilt of his lips. The Blue Phantom didn't shy away from the new gesture, as there was something strangely comforting about it. Was this what it was like to have an older figure have faith in his capabilities and support him?
Unfortunately, whatever leftover adrenaline he had coursing through his veins finally burned away, so he ended up slumping against the comforting hand, the aches in his body finally registering. Noticing this, the older hedgehog moved his hand down to the blue hedgehog's shoulder to support some of his weight. "You must be exhausted. If you feel weak you should probably rest..."
Weak? The Blue Phantom wasn't weak!
"No way," the young hedgehog shook his head vigorously. "I wanna celebrate with some of the winnings."
The older hedgehog's lips curled up slightly higher on his face, approving of the teenager's desire to prove himself.
Having collected their winnings in cash, they left the underground facility and made their way back towards the streets. On the way out, the teenager was uncharacteristically quiet.
"Something on your mind?"
Whipping his head towards his manager, the Blue Phantom's eyes were furrowed in frustration.
"The Chap... he said I don't belong here. And that I'd never win the way I won against him with bigger opponents."
The older hedgehog's reptilian-like eyes measured against him with an unreadable expression, one that the teenager had been trying to decode since first meeting him.
"It's just typical post-match pettiness. He's jealous of the skill level you have at such a young age, and good sportsmanship isn't common in the underground, so he took his jealousy out on you."
Right, he nodded. That made sense. The flash of concern the blue hedgehog had seen on the beaver's face was long forgotten. It was just jealousy.
"You're fast, Little Blue. You have so much potential," a hand clasped on the teenager's shoulder. The blue hedgehog knew that his manager had never been this warm to him before, both physically and with words. Was it because of his win? If he won more matches would he gain more of this approval? This affection?
Too absorbed in the comfort of the gesture, the young hedgehog didn't notice the much more sinister curl of his manager's lips as he spoke his next words.
"I don't want you to waste any of it."
Sonic woke up with a groan, shuffling his hand around for his phone to snooze the alarm. Curling into himself a bit, he hesitated to leave the warmth of his sheets.
He wasn't sure what he dreamt about. He rarely remembered the details of his dreams, but he did often remember the feelings, and right now he felt like curling into a ball to substitute for the touches of comfort he was currently craving. Oh how he missed Tails at times like this. While his little brother wasn't the most physically affectionate (especially recently in his sassy teen years), the fox was always receptive to Sonic's needs, often taking the initiative to hug him or lean onto his side whenever he was feeling lonely.
Alas, five minutes later, the alarm went off once more, urging Sonic to straighten himself out again so he could sit up. At this point he recognized his aching muscles, more sore than usual thanks to those ridiculous wrist weights Shadow had subjected him to. Seriously, those rings felt as heavy as some of the weights Knuckles would often lift at the gym, yet the idol was nowhere near as bulky; how was that possible? After finding the energy to haul himself off the bed, he picked up his gloves and socks off the nightstand and began his routine of brushing down his fur and detangling his quills.
Thankfully, according to Rouge, Sonic didn't need to station himself in front of Shadow's door whenever the celebrity felt like staying in his room. He figured that this laxness probably stemmed from the idol's insistence on not having his every move followed, but Sonic felt equally grateful that he wouldn't have to stand still for indefinite periods of time and stare at a wall until the ebony hedgehog would leave his room.
So instead, he made his way down to the breakfast buffet and grabbed a couple of sausages and waffles. He could still never get quite used to having 'unlimited' access to food, having stuffed himself into nausea the first few days to take advantage of it. Now he moderated himself to an extent, filling his plate to the brim still but avoiding going for seconds so that he could digest his food properly.
An hour or so later, Sonic joined the team at the lobby (minus Honey as the cat was busy making costume alterations), waiting for the Shadow and Rouge to show up. Apparently they would be 'scoping out the venue' today, whatever that meant. He had been listening to Amy talk about tarot cards when the idol and his manager finally appeared.
Shadow was dressed in his usual attire, a black sleeveless tee tucked into a pair of black slacks (surprise surprise on the color choice), but Sonic immediately took note of a change in the idol's piercings, the usual silver barbells he had been wearing replaced with golden studs shaped like... stars? An unexpectedly cute design that added a soft touch to the ebony hedgehog's appearance.
Shifting his gaze down to the idol's face, he found scarlet eyes staring back at him with a quirked brow. Sonic could only smile sheepishly and bring his hands in front of him in a thumbs up gesture as he spoke.
"Looking good Shads," he knew that if he tried to say 'cute', the ebony hedgehog would probably throw a jab to his throat regardless of the knowledge that they're in public. Either that or be extra violent in their spar later this week.
Thankfully, Shadow only gave him a scathing look, his ear twitching in annoyance.
"Oh?" The white bat beside him cocked her head in interest. "How come I don't get a nickname?"
"Uh," Sonic grappled for a reason, not sure himself why he didn't have one for her. "Your name is already one syllable, and to be honest it's hard to think of anything creative that would do you justice."
Ending his sentence with an easy smile, Rouge let out a hearty laugh as he'd hoped, seemingly unaware of Shadow's unamused eye roll beside her.
"You're good at flattery Big Blue. I feel like your people skills are being wasted as a bodyguard."
Sonic didn't hear anything after 'Big Blue', his mind suddenly fuzzing for a few moments as he was dragged into a memory of gentle hands carding through his quills.
Big Blue, not Little Blue.
Returning to the present, the bodyguard felt disoriented as he registered his surroundings for a moment, before letting out a sigh of relief when he saw Rouge had a phone lifted to her ear. She must've gotten a call shortly after whatever she had said, thus not noticing Sonic's momentary blackout.
Looking to his side he saw the rest of the team still chatting with one another, none of them looking at him in concern. Good.
Then he looked at the idol's crimson eyes, unblinking, staring at him with an expression he couldn't read. He felt like the guy was trying to look into his soul. Sonic almost squirmed in discomfort under the heated gaze, but instead of breaking eye contact like he so desperately wanted to, he grinned at Shadow and threw a wink at him.
"Like what you see?"
Usually such antics would instantly repel the ebony hedgehog from even looking in Sonic's direction, be it from embarrassment or disgust, but this time Shadow's stare remained. Just when the bodyguard was about to crack, the idol broke eye contact first, stone-faced as ever as he turned to Rouge.
Well that was nerve wracking, Sonic tried to calm the flutter in his chest as Rouge announced to the team that the shuttle was outside.
Notes:
Drink challenge! Take a shot every time Shadow mentions wanting to know how far Sonic went in his pit-fighting days :D
+ Shadow finally realizing he actually enjoys Sonic’s company so hopefully I won’t feel the need to throttle him for his stubbornness anymore, right?
Also, our first flashback! Looks kinda wholesome… for now…
Chapter 8: Dance Rehearsal
Chapter Text
For the duration of the drive to the venue, Shadow was silent, even more so than usual. And for once, Sonic didn't try to initiate conversation. He wasn't sure what kind of response he would get if he did, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know after feeling so... dissected under those calculative eyes.
Upon reaching their destination, a spectacled ermine greeted them before leading them to where Shadow was supposed to perform, explaining details of preparations as they followed.
The venue was empty, its rows of seats neatly aligned, facing a bare stage. The floor was scuffed from past events, and faint outlines of old tape still clung to the wooden boards. Overhead, rigging and speakers hung in place, waiting to be adjusted. Stacks of equipment cases lined the walls, untouched for now but ready to be unpacked. In about a week, the place would be filled with sound and movement, but for now, it was just a quiet, open space.
Whisper went off to check the wings of the stage where she would be managing the technical equipment from, with Tangle in tow behind her. Cream sat herself next to Rouge in one of the empty seats, a small sketchbook in hand as she admired her surroundings. Amy and Vanilla were firing several questions about the guest list, catering, security, and other stuff that Sonic didn't really understand. It was interesting to see the mother rabbit in her element. Her collected demeanor, along with her imposing height probably, seemed to make the ermine feel skittish.
Shadow had gone up the stairs on the side of the stage before walking towards the center of the platform. Then he began to pace back and forth through particular sections, occasionally slamming a foot down in what seemed like a measure to test the wood's endurance. Was he ghosting through the steps he would take in his performance?
Sonic had gravitated towards the front of the stage at these actions, crossing his arms over the platform and resting his chin on them once he reached it. It was high enough to be near impossible for a rabid mobian fan to climb, and rather difficult for a human as well.
"You dance in your performances?"
Shadow looked at him as if he had asked him the stupidest question on earth, which was probably true.
"No shit."
Undeterred by the attitude, Sonic wondered what the idol looked like when he performed. According to Rouge, he wouldn't be stationed among the security guards in front of the stage on the day of the performance. Instead he would be waiting behind the curtains to escort Shadow to and from his dressing room safely. It made sense since he was a personal bodyguard, he was disappointed that he wouldn't be able to see the ebony hedgehog sing and dance. Maybe he could peek through the curtains, he mused.
"Why don't you show me some of your moves now, hm?"
"And just why would I do that?" The celebrity crossed his arms to display his lack of amusement.
"Er, because I asked nicely?" The bodyguard scrambled for a justifiable reason before settling on his go-to tactic, putting on a smirk he knew would be insufferable to the idol as he taunted, "What, you scared to trip on your feet in front of me?"
Instead of his ear flicking in annoyance like Sonic expected, Shadow slowly walked towards the front of the stage before crouching down in front of the blue hedgehog below him, his face splitting into a smirk of his own.
"Just watch any video on the internet of my concerts and see my 'clumsiness' for yourself."
Something about the idol's overflowing self-assuredness made Sonic feel jittery. And those eyes; the intensity they held made him feel like his feet were locked into the ground. It wasn't often that someone would one-up his confidence, and when Shadow makes a cocky claim, something about the way he delivers it makes it sound completely and unequivocally true.
Refusing to lose his composure in front of the ebony hedgehog that was now much closer to him, he decided to dramatically whine, "Why can't I just see the real deal now?"
The idol rolled his eyes before standing back up and pacing away once more, "Even if we had music, I don't owe you a show. Your taunts are ridiculously obvious."
Figured that Shadow would see through them at some point, but Sonic still pouted in disappointment. He would need to get better at his taunts if he wanted a semblance of influence over the celebrity.
A myriad of questions later, Amy and Vanilla had finally settled their details with the ermine and Whisper and Tangle returned, so the team was ready to take their leave.
Sonic noticed the street that the shuttle was parked in was considerably more crowded than before, so he kept a wary eye out on their surroundings.
However, he wasn't sure how to react when a human girl who couldn't have been older than 12 ran up to Shadow, her father not far behind.
"Hey Mr. Shadow! I just wanted to let you know that I love your most recent album and..." the girl's energetic voice turned bashful as strand of brunette hair behind her ear. "I was wondering if I could take a photo with you?"
Huh. Until now, Sonic had only ever seen curious stares from people when Shadow would walk out in public. He supposed that the idol's unapproachable appearance (he had a seriously cold poker face) played a part, but also most likely Sonic's existence was the biggest reason no one had walked up to Shadow until now. People seem to think that bodyguards just tackle anyone that comes near their clients, which is something that wouldn't actually happen unless they're a weirdo who tried to throw themselves at the celebrity with sudden movements.
Oh well, it's not like the girl was a threat. The idol would probably either politely decline or reluctantly agree–
"Of course."
Sonic tried to keep his jaw closed at the searing warmth that Shadow spoke with, his baritone voice softer than ever. He could barely process as the girl's father sheepishly scrambled for his phone while the tween stood next to the idol and put her hand up in a peace sign by her face as she grinned. The idol observed her peace sign, then proceeded to mirror her gesture with a small smile of his own.
Sonic was in disbelief, his shock clearly visible enough for Rouge to lean and speak lowly into his ear, "Believe it or not, Shadow isn't a PR nightmare. His soft spot for women and kids makes my job so much easier."
No longer trying to hide his shock, the bodyguard asked, "And men? Does he always pick fights with and act rude to men?"
"Usually he's just indifferent to their existence. I think you're just the exception to his treatment," Sonic glanced to see the bat wink at the end of her sentence.
"I feel special," the blue hedgehog grumbled out sarcastically, to which Rouge chortled in amusement.
Looking back at Shadow's smile, Sonic realized he didn't mind being treated differently. He preferred rudeness over indifference, but man what he would give to see that soft smile directed towards him...
Suddenly realizing his thoughts, he furrowed his brows in confusion. Was that a weird thing to think? When Shadow's moments of kindness towards him were so rare and fleeting, it's only natural to crave them right? Yeah, that made sense.
After the photos were taken and the girl was ushered away by her father, the team finally boarded the shuttle, some chattering about how sweet the human girl was. Shadow had gone back to his usual poker face, ignoring Sonic's presence in the seat next to him.
He's pretty closed off for someone who agreed to be friends yesterday, Sonic thought to himself. Could that just be how he is as a person?
Having reached the hotel, the team split off once more. Sonic was ready to follow before Rouge asked him to stay behind.
"Shadow's not actually done for the day," she explained. "He has to rehearse his routines today."
"You mean like... dancing?" Sonic could barely hide the shit-eating grin that tried to climb on his face while Shadow visibly fumed next to the bat. "I'm happy to escort him."
"Great," she clasped her hands together. "I trust I won't have to supervise. Shadow gets things done on his own pretty well. Just don't forget the costume!"
With that final reminder, Rouge sauntered off, leaving behind two hedgehogs with facial expressions on complete opposite ends of the spectrum.
"Costume, huh?"
"Shut up."
And with that, Sonic followed the idol as he made his way to Honey's unit to collect his costume from her. It was hung in a garment bag so he couldn't get a look at it, but he had already made up his mind that he would sneak a look at Shadow during his rehearsal to see it.
"So why do you have to wear the costume if it's just a practice session?"
"There are some elements of the performance that need me to interact with my outfit, and I need to do it the right way at the right time."
"Interact... that's a fancy way of saying you need to strip."
"It's not stripping you buffoon."
Upon reaching the dance studio, one that was apparently reserved for only high profile performers, Sonic followed Shadow closely as the idol navigated the rather empty halls. It made sense given that there aren't many celebrities that are likely to be rehearsing on the same day in the same studio in the same city.
About to enter the practice room with Shadow, the idol whirled around to grab Sonic's shoulders before pushing him away from the entrance.
"You stay outside."
"Oh come on!" Sonic whined. "You can't make me stand outside like a statue for two hours. Can't I just sit here and watch?"
"You can wander around the building or something. I'm not putting up with any distractions."
"What if someone attacks you while I'm wandering, huh? I need to be a good bodyguard and stay here."
In Sonic's head that was an infallible argument, but as always Shadow had a response ready.
"Hypocrite. The hotel is a lot less secure than this place but you don't follow me around there."
And with that, the door was slammed in his face. It didn't even have a glass pane he could peek through! What kind of studio doesn't have panels to-? Ah, he supposed the super secret 'celebrities-only' kind. Still pretty ridiculous if you asked him.
Sonic waited outside for around ten minutes before tapping his foot impatiently. Music had begun to play from inside the practice room but the sound was too muffled for him to decipher anything, because of course this stupid studio had excellent soundproofing.
How was Shadow practicing already without leaving the room to change into his costume? Unless he changed in the room, which made sense since there are no cameras in the dance rooms, but the thought still offended Sonic. Was the idol that determined to not let him see his practice? Maybe he should've promised to stay silent, but he wasn't sure if such a claim would have increased his chances at getting to watch.
After another twenty minutes, the bodyguard gave up on trying to stand still and decided to pace around the halls. He kept his back and forth pacing in proximity to Shadow's room, before ultimately getting bored and deciding to wander around the facility as a whole.
Around half an hour of pacing later, he was about to round a corner when he heard the sound of rustling in the distance. In contrast to the eerie silence he had been faced with so far, Sonic was instantly on high-alert.
Carefully peeking his head around the corner, he witnessed a mobian stood in front of a vending machine, hands placed on either side of it in attempt to rustle it. He was likely trying to get an item that got stuck on the way down to pry loose.
Sonic continued to watch the white – hedgehog? His incredibly long quills bore more resemblance to a porcupine but his build was unmistakably hedgehog – struggle fruitlessly with the machine for a few more moments before concluding that he was definitely not a threat (at least not to anyone other than himself). Then he wondered to himself if he should help the poor guy out.
With nothing better to do, he left the corner that he was peeking out from to approach the white hedgehog, who had now begun to kick the machine. Whether it was out of frustration or a genuine last ditch attempt at shaking his item out he wasn't sure.
In foresight, he probably should have made more noise as he was approaching. That said, when he let out a quick greeting, he didn't expect the white hedgehog to let out such a loud yelp, locking his arms together and raising his spines in self defense as he faced Sonic.
"Uhh, my bad." The bodyguard rubbed the back of his neck between his quills sheepishly. "I should've been louder while walking."
The other hedgehog took a moment to collect himself, amber eyes (lined with eyeliner perhaps?) blinking in shock as he clutched his chest, likely trying to calm himself down. "Ah," he let out shakily. "It's fine."
Sonic eyed the front of the machine, immediately catching the caramel chocolate bar that was caught between two rows, before pointing at it.
"Need help getting that out?"
The white hedgehog's ears drooped slightly with his shoulders in defeat, "Yes please."
With a flick of the vending machine's flap and an aimed punch of the glass, the chocolate bar fell down to its intended location.
"Woah," Sonic looked back to see amber eyes staring at the machine with wonder. "How'd you learn to do that?"
"Just a couple of tricks you pick up from uhh..." the bodyguard hesitated as the white hedgehog went to pick up his chocolate bar from under the flap. "... experience with faulty machines." He wasn't about to admit to a stranger that he used to steal from them all the time.
"That's really cool," any previous skittishness from the white hedgehog was replaced by a radiant beam as he stretched out a hand. "My name is Silver by the way. What's your name?"
"Sonic," the blue hedgehog accepted the hand in a relaxed shake. Silver... that name rang a bell. A recently debuted idol from what he remembered.
"Sonic? Hmm..." Silver's eyes glazed over as though he was attempting to recall something. "I'm sorry, usually I pride myself on my knowledge of most artists, but I don't recognize your name. Are you still debuting?"
"Huh?" Sonic blinked back in confusion. Did Silver think he was a fellow celebrity? "Oh! Nah, I'm not an artist. I'm just a bodyguard."
"Ahh, I see!" The white hedgehog cocked his head to the side as he looked the bodyguard up and down. Sonic could tell the action was more with a curious intention rather than flirtatious, but he still shuffled his feet awkwardly at the sudden attention. "You have the looks to be one. If you ever decide to enter the space, I doubt you'd have any trouble."
"I'm flattered you think that," the blue hedgehog tried not to laugh at the suggestion. He had never touched an instrument or sang a lyric in his life. "Unfortunately I don't have an ounce of musical talent in my body."
"Nonsense!" The white hedgehog moved his hands animatedly as he spoke, Sonic's claim seemingly hitting a point close to one of his passions. "There's only so much that talent can do for a person. I know it sounds cheesy to say that hard work trumps all, but it's true! I myself used to be horrible at singing. Voice cracks, off-tune, you know the works. But thanks to my amazing girlfriend's encouragement, I got the practice I needed and finally reached where I wanted to be in life!"
The optimism with which the idol spoke was borderline infectious, making Sonic briefly think about his own dreams in life.
This was the third time someone had suggested to him an alternative career from body-guarding. First was Honey suggesting modeling, though it could have been just dramatic flattery. Second was Rouge suggesting he put his people skills to use in a different line of work, and now this stranger suggesting he become an artist.
In his childhood, Sonic didn't really get the chance to explore various hobbies. There were several activities that were hidden behind the barrier of money for him. Several sports like fencing, gymnastics, skiing, dancing; they all had fees attached to the sole opportunity of practicing them. The same went for trying to learn any instrument. Academic hobbies like chess and math were cheaper, but unfortunately were never his forte. That was something that was more Tails' specialty.
Fighting was the only thing he was ever good at. Well that and running, but he wasn't sure how he could even make a career out of running. Most competitions had entry fees, and to become an established runner he likely needed a coach (aka more money spent).
But he supposed with the salary he would be getting from this contract, over five times higher than any he'd ever received, he could try to invest in himself for once. Between Tails' likely scholarship deals and the increased pay, Sonic finally had some financial breathing room.
"Yeah," he quickly responded when he realized that the idol's passionate rambling had ended. He wasn't sure what the white hedgehog had ended his monologue with, so he settled for a blanket statement relating to what he did hear. "I guess I just need to try putting in the work."
"If you ever feel interested in the music industry, reach out to this," Silver handed him a lilac business card with a phone number and an email on it, above it a name with a fancy font.
'Blaze Records'.
"That's my manager's details, Blaze. She's really sweet, really considerate," the white hedgehog continued, before his body language turned bashful. "I would know since she's my girlfriend."
Huh, his girlfriend is his manager? From what Silver had explained, it seemed like they started dating before she became his manager, but it was still an unexpected dynamic. A lot of people look often down on manager-artist relationships due to the natural power imbalance of the two parties' jobs. Then again, from what he saw with Rouge and Shadow's dynamic, that power imbalance seemed nonexistent, which Sonic had guessed was due to their preexisting friendship. If Silver and his girlfriend were dating before she became his manager, it was likely the same case.
Sonic and Shadow however, only met because of the contract tying them together. The bodyguard was insistent on making friends with the grumpy idol, and strangely enough he didn't feel much of a power imbalance when pushing for it. Shadow would complain and throw insults, but he never used his rightful power as the employer to make Sonic leave him alone.
A random intrusive thought wiggled into his mind. Would that power imbalance only be apparent if him and Shadow were in a romantic relationship? A celebrity and his bodyguard... he assumed news outlets would treat it as a scandal.
Why was he even thinking about this? He shook his thoughts away, placing a relaxed smile for Silver as he thanked him. "I really appreciate it. I'll reach out if I ever feel like singing is my thing."
And with surprisingly amicable goodbyes, he parted ways with the guy that was supposed to be a stranger, yet with whom he had fallen into an easy conversation with. He seemed nice, but he doubted he would ever see him again.
With that, he wandered back around the halls for another painstakingly boring forty or so minutes. Upon reaching close to Shadow's practice room and hearing music still playing, Sonic pouted. Would the guy really not let him see a single dance routine? Maybe if he found an excuse to enter–
A metaphorical lightbulb appeared over his head, as his mind flashed with an important memory. The vending machine had not only chocolate snacks, but drinks in it; and more specifically that same strawberry milk box that Shadow had picked out from the gym's vending machine yesterday!
Almost sprinting down the halls as he located the vending machine, he quickly fished out his debit card as he made his selection before tapping it to the payment platform. Thankfully he didn't meet the same fate as Silver had half an hour ago and the carton fell down swiftly.
He quickly made his way back until he reached the practice room's door, pausing for a moment to contemplate how he would execute this. He knew this was technically a stupid excuse to enter the room, but he'll be damned if he had to pace these halls for a minute longer. He hoped that the milk offering under the pretense of 'worrying that he was thirsty' would be enough to soothe the ebony hedgehog's ire.
But by unlucky turn of events, just as he was about to knock for the sake of courtesy (even though he would have entered right after anyways), the door swung open to reveal the idol.
"Oh come on!" Sonic didn't notice that the music had stopped when he returned from the vending machine, and Shadow was in the same outfit he had first entered with. If not his dancing, the bodyguard hoped he could at least catch a glimpse of the celebrity's costume.
Ruby eyes trained on him, seemingly confused by his frustrated outcry, before looking down at the blue hedgehog's hand.
"Is that..."
Remembering the existence of the carton he was holding, Sonic stretched out his arm to offer it. He might as well, even though his hopes of seeing the idol dance today were crushed.
"I uhh happened to come across a vending machine and found that strawberry milk you like so I thought I'd get one for you, in case you were craving a sweet treat."
To his surprise, there were no snide remarks or complaints. Shadow simply plucked the carton out of Sonic's hands and muttered a 'thank you', before widening the door for him to enter.
Taking the invitation eagerly, Sonic entered the room after Shadow as the idol sat himself down on one of the plastic chairs to indulge in his sweet treat. It was humorously oxymoronic really; the ebony hedgehog, incredibly unapproachable in both appearance and attitude, methodically poking a straw into a strawberry milk carton. The sight tugged at something in Sonic's chest.
"I never took you for the strawberry type," he commented lightheartedly as he sat down on a neighboring chair.
"What's that supposed to mean?" A fraction of that glowering expression Shadow usually holds formed on his face.
"As in like," Sonic quickly amended placatingly. "I thought you'd be more of a coffee fan... or like dark chocolate milk if there's such a thing."
Facial features back to neutral, the idol held the carton up to his mouth and took a brief sip before answering, "I like coffee beans as well, yes. Dark chocolate is good too. People can like multiple things."
"Coffee beans?" Sonic echoed, thinking he'd misheard.
"Yes."
Unsure of what Shadow's lack of correction meant, the blue hedgehog nodded and took the chance to ride this wave of unexpected calm with the end goal of swaying the idol into showing him one of his dances.
"So..."
"No."
"I didn't even say anything yet!"
"I'm not going to dance for you."
Sonic silently cursed. Was he really that predictable? Shadow had only known him for barely three weeks and was already reading him like a book.
And speaking of reading him, the idol's red eyes were currently boring holes into the bodyguard as the silence stretched.
"What happened earlier today?"
Sonic leaned back into the chair to ease his discomfort at the calculative stare, "What do you mean?"
"When you were speaking with Rouge."
Betraying his demeanor in the slightest way, his muscles tensed, though the movement surely shouldn't have been noticeable to the idol under his clothes and fur, right?
"Not sure what you mean," Sonic knew if he had instantly tried to make an excuse then he was inadvertently admitting to there being something noteworthy in his conversation with Rouge. So first he would try to play dumb, "Did something happen?"
"Your reaction when she called you 'Big Blue."
Shit, so he clearly recalled it. Sonic continued to act clueless, bringing a hand up between his quills sheepishly, "Oh, was there something weird about it? I probably zoned out; I tend to do that mid-conversation sometimes."
Please don't push it, please don't push it.
"I see."
Unsure if Shadow genuinely believed the excuse or if he only let go of it, Sonic avoided sighing in relief, and instead tried to continue the charade.
"Yeah, my brother thinks I have ADHD, which I probably do if he suspects it. He's a little genius that guy; even though he wants to do something along the lines of robotics and engineering, he reads up on all kinds of stuff."
The idol's face had turned from calculative to solemn during his rambling, which the bodyguard considered a temporary success.
He continued his somewhat one sided conversation with the ebony hedgehog until he finished his strawberry milk, which wasn't very long. The celebrity then picked up his garment bag, the costume Sonic had so desperately wanted to see hidden within it, and they made their way back out of the dance studio. It was early evening by the time they reached the hotel once more.
The dinner and the rest of the evening flew by in a whirlwind, with Sonic's mood somewhat dampened by Shadow's confrontation. As he entered back into his unit, he ran gloved hands through his quills. He had never expected himself to be the type that gets homesick, but he missed Tails. His little brother was probably tinkering away at one of his more dangerous projects now that he wasn't there to supervise him. He would have to get Knuckles to check on him from time to time.
Speaking of...
Sonic eagerly waited as the phone rang until he heard the telltale sound of a click.
"Hey Knux!"
"Care to tell me why you're calling me at," the voice on the other end of the call paused, presumably to check the time. "9:55pm?"
"Psh," Sonic snorted, knowing that Knuckles had nothing going on this late at night other than preparing to sleep like the early bird that he is. "Like you're getting any action at this time?"
He heard a faint growl through the phone, knowing the effect his comment had. The echidna was a workaholic, and thus to this day at the ripe old age of 25, had never been in a relationship. Sonic used to argue that there was always time for one-night-stands but Knuckles was vehemently against the prospect, a traditionalist at heart.
"And what are you doing at this time? Aren't you supposed to be with your client? Don't tell me you're already slacking off on the job–"
"No!" Sonic quickly denied, knowing the earful he would receive if Knuckles thought he was taking his assisted career as a bodyguard for granted. "I don't have to be with him when we're in the hotel. I only have to follow him when we're outside."
A grunt crackled through the phone, "Well that's stupid. Hotels aren't really that secure, so usually bodyguards still have to follow their clients everywhere. In most cases they have to share a unit too."
"Well Shadow is pretty big on his privacy. He's a very independent guy; thinks he can handle himself and all that."
"A fool is what he is. The most coordinated and successful attacks are the ones that happen away from the public eye. Does he think he's more competent than you?"
"Ahah," Sonic wasn't about to admit that Shadow probably is more competent than him in some aspects, and in fact evenly matched him in fights, because that would raise Knuckles' suspicion. "I think he would just rather risk it than compromise his privacy. It was his manager who insisted on getting him a bodyguard."
"Hm."
Wanting to divert the topic of conversation away from Shadow, the blue hedgehog quickly asked, "What about on your end? Anything interesting at work?"
A pause, then a hmph. "You know my work is confidential."
"You don't have to tell me any details man, you know that," the bodyguard pleaded.
Thankfully, unlike Shadow, Knuckles was less impervious to Sonic's persuasion. "I might have to travel to Central City in a couple of months."
"What?!" A sudden wave of panic washed over the hedgehog. Who would watch Tails while the echidna was gone?
"Relax, I have a few trusted colleagues with relatives more than happy to look after the fox while I'm gone. Besides, won't he be starting university in about two months as well?"
Right, Sonic's muscles loosened. Tails would likely register himself into student accommodation if the university he got accepted to was outside of Empire City. He would be a grown fox who would... essentially be living alone. The thought deflated him a bit.
"Right, so why do you think you have to travel to Central City?"
"There's a pretty big underground case going on there again," Knuckles paused as though considering his next words. "It... it might be linked to the fighting rings."
"Ah," Sonic swallowed heavily. Central City, of course. A wretched city he wanted to forget, the one he had finally escaped from to start a new life in Empire City with Tails and Knuckles. Four years ago Knuckles had been sent on an underground operation to uncover the fighting rings and now the echidna was being sent there once more. "Do you think..."
"No," the echidna already knew what the hedgehog was about to ask. Sonic was thankful he didn't have to finish his question. Knuckles was the only person he had ever confided in about his true experience as a pit fighter; something that even Tails could never know about. The echidna was older and had the stomach for it but the fox... Tails would never look at him the same if he were to ever divulge such details to him. "That scum has yet to show on this case. This case is more to do with... drugs."
"Drugs?"
"Don't push it, hedgehog."
"Fine, fine," he relented, knowing that he wouldn't get anymore information out of him.
Some general updates and a reassurance about Tails safety later, Sonic wrapped up his call and prepared for an early night, not feeling well-rested from his previous night's sleep. He thought back on Knuckles' information nervously. He knew that Central City was one of the locations included in Shadow's tour, but he wasn't sure if he was mentally prepared for the constant feeling of paranoia he knew he would experience while being there. It also wouldn't help his case against the already suspicious idol.
Recalling that Shadow likely has a history of his own, Sonic pondered. Maybe the idol was someone he could confide in someday about this? It's not like the mafia is an easygoing environment to be in. With how emotionally stunted the ebony hedgehog tended to be, he wouldn't be surprised if he had some unsorted trauma of his own. Maybe they could... bond over it...
Shaking what seemed like a far fetched fantasy away, Sonic left his phone on ring on the bedside table (in case he was summoned for a late night excursion, despite doubting it would happen) and took off his gloves before sliding into bed.
He dozed off to the brief image of Shadow's smile, wondering if he could ever be on the receiving end of such an expression.
Maybe.
Notes:
Guys I have a confession to make: Sonic falls first in this fic
But Shadow falls harder 🙂↕️
ALSO MY BABY SILVER AND HIS GF WHOM HE LOVES VERY MUCH
He might make another appearance later down the line 👀
Chapter 9: Promised Challenge
Notes:
POSTING A FEW HOURS LATER THAN USUAL FROM NOW ON COZ I HOPPED ON 14 HR FLIGHT so now I am in a 7 hr diff time zone 🥲
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Shadow was suspicious.
On one hand, he wasn't surprised about Sonic's reasoning of having ADHD. It didn't take a genius to conclude that the blue hedgehog had some form of attention deficit and hyperactivity. Between his incessant foot tapping and constant talkativeness it was obvious.
But no one looks around worriedly after having a harmless 'space out'.
Shadow was no stranger to PTSD. He used to have several flashbacks a year, vivid images of blood splattered over blonde hair plaguing him every time something happened that triggered his memory. Three years ago, after a year of Rouge trying to convince him to go to therapy, he gave in, only agreeing to go through EMDR at first to reduce his flashbacks. Sometime later he finally tried out cognitive behavioral therapy, but found it much more difficult to open up about things emotionally, jumping from therapist to therapist.
Healing wasn't a linear journey, and while he managed to reduce the impacts of his trauma and finally moved forwards in life in a direction he knew Maria would have loved, he still grieved to this day. At some point after an almost violent interaction with a particularly insensitive therapist and a lot of deescalation later, Rouge finally suggested that Shadow take a break from therapy. He settled on working his hardest as an idol, set on fulfilling a promise he had made to her not even a week before she...
The way Sonic had suddenly zoned out, sure, it could have just been from lack of attention...
But he wasn't sure he believed that.
He recalled the words Rouge had spoken beforehand, the bat complimenting the blue hedgehog's social skills, giving him the nickname of 'Big Blue' as she did so. Was that a nickname he had been previously given? By someone special to him? The possibility that the blue hedgehog also lost a loved one was suddenly becoming very apparent.
But he speaks of his younger brother so happily, he remembered. Who could be nearly as special as family?
Unable to settle his mind, he reached for his phone and navigated through his recently downloaded files, pausing at its newest addition, titled 'Sonic's Life'.
The file should be more detailed than the information the agency had provided him and Rouge. Omega is rather thorough in their searches, likely having scoured through any account of Sonic found on the internet. The file was surprisingly short, and as Shadow flicked between pages he quickly realized it was because the blue hedgehog's social media usage (one of the best sources of information) was virtually nonexistent.
The idol went back to the beginning, looking over his origin. An orphan; not surprising information, given his history in pit fighting. He doubted anyone who got involved into such underground operations had present parents around them.
Records from the orphanage covered the bases, the establishment notably located in Central City where Shadow also grew up, despite Sonic working at a bodyguard agency in Empire City. Shadow wondered how come he had never seen the blue hedgehog around. He remembered when he was younger, his father dragged him to a couple of fighting rings around the same time period Sonic claimed to be a pit fighter in. He would have easily recalled such vibrant quills if he noticed it.
He continued reading.
His parents, a couple who were visiting from Christmas Island, had passed away in a car accident, leaving him to be first admitted into the orphanage at the young age of two years. Shadow briefly wondered if the blue hedgehog had ever attempted to find out more information about his parents or where he was from. His height, weight and appearance recorded throughout the years; not as important. He flicked through the next five pages, where brief reports on his behavior and relations were documented through the years.
Restless, has trouble focusing, always running around. Shadow snorted at the comments made by the matron. So he was like that from the start. Keeps to himself. That information was more surprising. He would have thought a chatterbox like him would make friends with everyone around him. He continued towards the later reports as Sonic reached his early tweens.
Recently developed an attachment to a newly admitted child by the name of Miles Prower. Has become more talkative and confident. A brief description of the other followed, a 6-year-old fox with the rare mutation of having an extra tail. Shadow made the connection in his mind, his eyes widening. Tails, that must be the younger brother Sonic speaks of so often.
Getting into more fights with other boys. Not to an excessively violent extent, claims it's to protect Miles Prower. Will observe for sociopathic tendencies. That checks out with Sonic's story a week ago, though he wondered why the matron was so quick to assume that Sonic was a sociopath. He continued to flick through the next few pages, looking for the time period in which Sonic had supposedly gotten involved in pit fighting.
Mood swings are intense. Alternates between excitement, reservedness and aggression more suddenly. Could be due to puberty.
Seems to be gaining new bruises and scrapes lately, we suspect he's been fighting the other children again. Interesting. The orphanage didn't seem to be aware of Sonic likely sneaking out for dangerous excursions, and had chalked up the injuries to being from internal fights.
Has become excessively paranoid with other children excluding Prower, snarling and lashing out at them without their instigation. Shadow figured that the blue hedgehog's mental stability had likely suffered during his pit fighting days but... to what extent?
He bit me, the idol's brows jumped up at the unexpected transition. The behavior is unacceptably primitive for a 16-year old. May look into mental health institutions. The ebony hedgehog furrowed his brows in annoyance. Instead of trying to find out the reason for his behavior their first instinct is to throw him into an asylum?
An older hedgehog came in to express interest in fostering Sonic. Despite our warnings on his behavior, he seemed adamant. That's strange, not many people would insist on such a thing unless they had a savior complex, believing vehemently in the challenge of 'fixing' an aggressive teenager. Either that, or they had a specific motivation for fostering the hedgehog...
He looked at the name provided of the older hedgehog, Mephis Tennyson. The name didn't ring a bell, but Shadow still felt unsettled. He continued to look for more information within the records but it seemed the orphanage didn't do a background check on the man. Then he searched through the records he could find about the fighting ring, but it was incredibly scarce due to the in-person nature of underground operations. Finally, looking through the last few pages of the report, he scoured through details found from police reports on the fighting ring they had busted. A list of the criminals captured and a list of high-end suspects they were still looking for, the latter containing a name that made the idol's blood run cold upon finding it.
Mephiles.
There was... no way that Mephiles and Mephis were the same person right? Surely it's an unfortunate coincidence that their names were so similar. Surely Sonic wasn't involved with Mephiles of all people.
Quickly swiping to his chat with Omega, he typed a quick request.
Shadow - Could you look into the Mephis Tennyson guy?
He took a deep breath before typing another request.
Shadow - And if you still feel like it, the eyewitness report would be great too.
Ω - OF COURSE I STILL FEEL LIKE IT. IF IT HOLDS YOUR INTEREST THEN IT IS PROBABLY A FASCINATING MATTER.
Thirty seconds passed, then another message.
Ω - FOUND 12 PEOPLE BY THE NAME OF MEPHIS TENNYSON, NONE OF WHICH ARE HEDGEHOGS.
That confirms it, it's a fake name. The ebony hedgehog sighed.
Shadow - Do you think there's a possibility that that hedgehog was Mephiles?
The three dot bubble indicator of Omega's typing lasted longer than usual.
Ω - IT SEEMS I WAS RIGHT. THIS IS A FASCINATING MATTER.
Ω - I WILL LOOK INTO THIS MUCH MORE THOROUGHLY. EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS TAKE LONGER TO COLLECT. THIS NEXT REPORT MAY TAKE 1-3 MONTHS.
Calming his nerves, Shadow typed out a thankful response in appreciation. He was willing to wait however long to find out. He truly hoped his theory was wrong; that he was just being paranoid. Because if that 'recruiter' Sonic had mentioned was Mephiles...
He shook his head. Better not to entertain these thoughts. Omega will find out anyways, hopefully before the fourth month of the tour when Shadow would be performing at Central City.
That stupid city, where he would be staying the longest for his tour since he would be performing twice. He groaned in annoyance as he rolled out his shoulders, his muscles somewhat tense after the dance practice. Every time he would visit there his father would always find out, no matter how much he tries to disguise himself. It was irritating the methods he would use to attempt to reach out to him, no matter how many times Shadow made it clear that he would not be joining the family business.
He began his routine to prepare for a hopefully restful night of sleep. He called it a routine when really it was a process that he only went through when he felt like it, the lethargic moves of rinsing his face and slathering creams over his fur repetitive enough to ease him when he felt irritated. Rouge would complain, insisting that he needed to do it more regularly as, in her words, "wrinkles is are biggest career killer for idols".
The mentality was somewhat flawed, as wrinkles are not nearly as visible on mobians as they are on humans. If there's something to worry about it would be his quills beginning to grey as he grows older, but to him he didn't understand the fear of his age showing later on in his life. Did people expect him to look forever 20?
Besides, while he had initially begun his career as an idol... to fulfill his promise... he wasn't sure if it was something he wanted to stay in for that long. Sure, he found songwriting and singing to be genuinely enjoyable, but the constant attention from fans and media easily exhausted him, not to mention the discomfort of performing in slightly-too-tight costumes in front of hundreds of people. Honey thankfully takes his personal style into consideration when designing them, but there was still an unfortunately necessary flair the outfits had that sometimes made him feel like a meal on display.
He also just wasn't sure how long he could keep up his enigmatic origin in front of the media. Rouge had helped him fabricate his history and family to a detailed enough extent for journalists to be satisfied with. As far as the world knows, he is an only child; his parents live in Spagonia and don't speak English well so they don't visit the United Federation often, but he video calls them often and they are very proud of him. The bat was a miracle worker when it came to curious journalists, delivering realistic lies with ease and shifting away from potentially incriminating topics smoothly.
But from his father's end is what he was worried about. While outsiders never got to lay eyes on him with the knowledge of him being a mafia leader; if the wrong person ever noticed the family resemblance...
Whatever, it's not something I can control, he dried his face and slid into bed. He knew his dad wasn't stupid. While he had a cutthroat ruthlessness in the way he ran his organization, he was also extremely family-oriented. Shadow knew his father wouldn't expose him to enemy organizations and endanger him just for the sake of bringing him back.
He closed his eyes. Five more months and he would be back at his apartment in Station Square writing songs, far away the chaos of performing. Far from family members that can annoy him, with Rouge occasionally visiting to annoy him and...
Sonic.
He screwed his eyes shut again, trying to stave off a wave of... he wasn't sure what to name it. He had already agreed to a proper camaraderie with the bodyguard, so why was he feeling jittery about having to follow through?
How stupid. He clutched his sheets tighter as he forced his meddlesome thoughts away. After half an hour of trying to think of anything except the blue hedgehog, he had finally drifted asleep.
~~~
The meddlesome thoughts had not come back for the next week and a half until today.
The bodyguard had not had any suspicious 'space outs', and continued being his usual talkative, cocky, and sometimes insufferable self. He seemed to have developed a routine of giving Shadow his coveted strawberry milk whenever he could, which the idol found... unsettlingly thoughtful.
But it was not like Sonic was the only one who had an eye for habits and preferences. Shadow had also picked up a few tendencies of his own. For one thing, the bodyguard seemed to have an obsession with sausages of any kind. From the dinner and breakfast buffets, he would load his plate with the processed meat and drown them with chili. Due to the nature of the meal itself, Shadow wasn't surprised to discover that Sonic was a sloppy eater. That didn't stop him from wrinkling the bridge of his muzzle in disgust upon seeing the bodyguard shove a makeshift hotdog into his mouth. Even Rouge, as passionate as she was about Sonic's addiction to the team, seemed to share Shadow's sentiment for that moment, muttering a brief ‘how is he not choking?’ under her breath.
It was difficult to observe beyond surface level behavior since the idol didn't hang around Sonic unless he needed to be followed while going out. Either that or when sparring, which is what they were doing now.
Shadow huffed as he sat up on the mat, gloved hand gripping his shoulder in attempt to massage the soreness of having a knee dug into it away.
"What the hell was that trick you did?" He couldn't hide the curiosity in his tone. He had the upper hand in the fight up until Sonic curled himself into a ball whilst launching himself into him, knocking the idol off balance. It was a move that fell outside of any martial art, seemingly made up by the bodyguard; one that presumably only quilled mobians can do.
"That is what I like to call a 'spin dash'," the blue hedgehog stood proudly above him, throwing the usual insufferable smirk. "I can teach it to you if you like."
"I don't need to rely on such a stupid trick to win a fight," Shadow rolled his eyes in annoyance at the confidence his opponent was dripping with.
"Is that why you lost just now?"
Usually the idol could stay indifferent to such an obvious taunt. Both during his time in the mafia and throughout his career, taunts were a common strategy others would use in attempt to get a reaction from Shadow. The ebony hedgehog had mastered his poker face when paparazzi would shove into his face and ask infuriating questions, or when his father's associates would make patronizing comments to test his reactivity. Much to their disappointment, he never took the bait.
But Sonic. Maybe it was the adrenaline from the fight. Maybe it was how evenly matched they are, adding that layer of serious competition between them. Shadow could not stop the snarl that came out of him as he stepped up to his feet to match his annoying counterpart's height.
"Try that again now that I know the trick exists, and see what happens."
Both of them were a bit winded, but they still had plenty of energy to go for a second round. It was was good that their first spar ended quickly due to Sonic's spin dash trick (despite the blow that Shadow's ego took from the sudden loss), as their second fight ended up lasting considerably longer.
This time when Sonic curled himself up again as he launched himself at the idol, Shadow didn't try to counter it, nor deflect it. The trick was great in the fact there were no openings for an opponent to try to catch on to. It was an offensive defense, a ball of spikes hurling towards you that will stab into your palms if you try to grab it. So instead, the ebony hedgehog narrowly dodged as it whizzed past him.
The blue hedgehog uncurled with surprising grace as he hit the ground, quickly whirling around to face his opponent.
"See how easy that is to deal with?" Shadow was the one smirking first as the other reoriented himself from a distance.
"There's only so much that dodging can do," Sonic sent him a smirk to match, before launching himself forwards and curling up into a ball again.
Sensing that the bodyguard wouldn't be using the trick again unless he had a plan, Shadow kept his eyes trained on the ball more closely this time as he moved out of the way.
I knew it, he noticed the ball begin to uncurl midair right as it flew past his shoulder. A bright red shoe came into vision, aiming to deliver a blow into Shadow's back, but the ebony hedgehog managed to push himself forwards just fast enough for the kick to miss. The bodyguard ended up rolling onto the ground more unceremoniously now that he had sacrificed his defense for the midair attack.
"How about I show you a trick of my own?"
Sonic barely managed to throw himself back on his feet as Shadow launched at him. The closed fist of the ebony hedgehog flying towards his face made him bring his own arm up to parry since he didn't have the momentum to dodge it.
But instead of continuing its course towards his face, the idol's fist opened and changed direction towards his shoulder.
From what Shadow had experienced during his practice with this technique, the pain that the strike brings is not the typical bruising type of ache. It was a much more jarringly dull feeling, reminiscent to the feeling of hitting one's 'funny bone' on their elbow, along with the feeling of static and numbness that comes straight after.
From the point that Shadow hit, that numbness was now supposed to encompass Sonic's whole arm, which was confirmed by the sight of it falling limp.
"Wha-" He tried the drag the afflicted limb up, which moved sluggishly in protest.
"There's no hope in you winning this fight with an arm that doesn't listen to you."
The ebony hedgehog didn't make another move to disarm or pin him down. There was no need to. He simply stood in front of the bodyguard, a sense of pride swelling in his chest while the blue hedgehog was registering what happened.
"Did you just... Did you just paralyze me?"
"Temporarily, yes," the longer the shock remained on Sonic's face, the more unsure Shadow suddenly felt about his actions. His self-satisfied expression began to wilt as he wondered if he took it too far, so he tried to reassure. "It's only for a few minutes."
"Dude..." The azure hedgehog finally looked away from his arm and pierced the idol with a look of pure unadulterated wonder. "You have got to teach me that!"
The expression made Shadow's heart jump. He wasn't sure why. It was probably the surprise of receiving such an eager reaction. Usually people would be a bit more disturbed, or in most cases, downright horrified that they could be incapacitated in such a way. But he really shouldn't be surprised that Sonic was not a normal individual. Of course he would have such blind trust in the one who just paralyzed him. Of course the knowledge that he could be at the complete mercy of someone with just a few strikes didn't put him off. Of course he would be fascinated instead.
Stupid meddlesome thoughts.
"Why would you want to learn it?" Shadow asked skeptically, shifting his gaze away from those passion-filled irises.
Dim Mak, is what the martial art is called. The techniques are a slippery slope, with some points temporarily incapacitating, some permanently paralyzing, and some that are instantly lethal. Understandably, it's not a legal art. Between how difficult the knowledge is to access and how risky the act of practicing it is, a very small population of individuals get the so called 'privilege' of learning it. Shadow was unfortunately part of that population thanks to his father's insistence.
"Are you kidding? Do you know how useful that would be? Being able to incapacitate an attacker without hurting them? Do you have any idea how much that would've helped me when–"
There it is. Shadow snapped his gaze back up at the bodyguard's face, eyes now wide in a more deer-caught-in-headlights kind of way rather than fascinated.
"When what?"
The expression didn't last long, the blue hedgehog now attempting to ease into a sheepish smile, "Y’know, back in my pit fighting days. Woulda saved me a lot of effort, haha..."
It was a partial truth, but not enough. Shadow wanted to know what level of 'effort' this bodyguard had to exert when he was younger.
But as much as he wanted to ask, as much as he wanted to pry, he knew it wasn't his place to. Sonic had yet to ask any nosy questions about his background, yet he had already read the file Omega had provided him and asked him to search for even more information. It would be disgustingly hypocritical of him to push after all that he's already done.
"Right," he settled on saying, before nodding towards the blue hedgehog's arm. "Have you gained back feeling yet?"
"Huh? Oh yea, it's still a bit staticky," the bodyguard rolled his arm around and wiggled his fingers with much more dexterity. "But I can move it now."
"Okay, now if you'll excuse me I'd like to go rinse off." Shadow had taken Sonic's suggestion from their last spar about using the gym showers, and brought a towel and a change of clothes with him this time.
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that! I guess I'll just shower back at the hotel. I'll wait out here!"
Leaving Sonic on the mats, Shadow made his way to the gym's bathroom with his bag. The air was surprisingly dry inside from how unoccupied the space must've been, probably because he picked the least populated gym he could find that had a secluded basement for martial arts. That and he supposed one perk to being a celebrity was that gym employees were always more than happy to accommodate his privacy requests.
Throwing his towel and sweat-ridden clothes to hang over the shower stall, he opened the shower tap and let the water warm before stepping under it and getting to work.
~~~
Sonic was somewhat unnerved by Shadow's earlier demeanor. Just what was he thinking, speaking so casually about his experience as a pit fighter? Sure, thanks to Knuckles, the bodyguard's record was exempt of it, but that doesn't mean he can go around talking about it willy nilly!
And that stare. He could tell the idol wanted to know something, wanted to push for more information. But he didn't, and Sonic wasn't sure why, nor was he sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
A sudden feeling in the blue hedgehog's bladder made itself known. He needed to pee.
Sighing, he made his way to the bathroom. It had been about five minutes since the idol went for his rinse. He wasn't sure how long the ebony hedgehog's showers tended to take, but it probably wouldn't be longer than ten minutes.
He had not expected, as he entered the bathroom, to be greeted with the sight of his counterpart already done with his shower.
Shadow was facing one of the sink mirrors, a pair of sweatpants sitting high on his waist as he held a towel in his hands, which Sonic thankfully noticed were gloved before he could panic about catching the ebony hedgehog indecent.
The idol gave the bodyguard a neutral glance before looking back at the mirror, resuming using his towel to pat down on fur that seemed to be more difficult to dry than the rest...
His chest fur.
A stark white contrasting against black. Despite being damp, it stuck out with significantly more volume than the rest of his fur, its texture looking ridiculously fluffy and ridiculously soft and ridiculously tempting for one to shove their face into–
"You plan on closing your mouth anytime soon?"
Sonic hadn't even noticed that Shadow was now facing him, arms crossed, which made the patch of almost wool-like fluff stand out even more. Looking at it straight on, he noticed it kind of resembled a...
"Your chest fur is shaped like a heart?" Is what he found in himself to say, trying to look like he was simply surprised about the shape rather than vehemently admiring it.
The idol looked self conscious all of a sudden, "It's not... a heart. Even if it was, what's wrong with that?" A hand absentmindedly reached up to cover it, an action that nearly made Sonic yell out 'please don't cover that up!'.
"I just didn't take you for a criminal," he decided to say instead, taking the opportunity to recover into a teasing tone. "Hiding that fluff from your fans? Phew, nefarious."
Shadow's demeanour loosened, the idol rolling his eyes as he went back to patting himself dry in the mirror, "The necklines of my costumes are cut to show it actually."
As the ebony hedgehog turned away, Sonic took a moment to glance at the rest of his upper body. Below his chest fluff was a tapered waist, and most notably, muscles. It was difficult for muscle definition to show on mobians due to the fur that covered their skin, and basically impossible if the fur color is dark too due to lighting. Yet here Shadow was, with black fur unable to hide the rippling movement underneath. Sonic's mouth felt dry at the sight.
"Right," he absentmindedly answered the celebrity, forgetting what he had said, then walked out of the bathroom in a daze...
...before cursing himself for forgetting his reason for entering in the first place.
Too ashamed to go back in, he decided he would just do his business back at the hotel. He didn't deserve to relieve himself after all that blatant staring. As a bodyguard, he's supposed to protect Shadow from criminals and creeps, yet there he was, being a creep himself. While the idol seemed unaffected by the gawking, Sonic still wondered if he'd made the darker hedgehog feel uncomfortable.
It's fine, he tried to rationalize. I didn't stare for that long... I think. He thought he played it off pretty well...
Until he said "right" like a robot and walked out without having used the bathroom, Chaos he was an idiot. Sonic couldn't stop his palm from flying up into his face with a hard smack, a reflex born from the rare moments that the blue hedgehog felt truly stupid.
"Don't hit your face too hard, you might lose what little you have left in your head."
Sonic's whirl of self-loathing was cut off as he twisted his head to look at the idol, shirt now on but with a towel still draped on his quills.
The blue hedgehog couldn't think of a clever comeback, too flustered by the absolute shitfest that took over his mind in the last few minutes. So instead, he grasped for the defensive.
"I've got other skills to make up for it," he brought up the corners of his lips into a lazy grin. An example of said 'skills' was putting on a smile to hide his current embarrassment, as well as taunting. "Things I'm probably better than you at."
Bingo! The ebony hedgehog's eyes narrowed at the claim before snorting as he swiped the towel between his quills, "Oh yeah? Name a few, and let's see which one of us is really better at it."
Gaining confidence at how the idol took the bait, Sonic grinned as an idea formed in his mind.
What if...
"Well there's no point in me suggesting a bunch of things that I'm certain I'll do better than you, so how about this: I suggest an activity I think I'm better than you at, you suggest one you think you're better than me at, then we decide on a third one that we both think we're good at!"
Shiny striped quills shook the rest of the moisture off as the idol placed the towel into his duffel bag. Ruby eyes looked upwards for a moment in consideration, before settling back onto the bodyguard before him, "Okay, pick yours first."
Trying to ignore how the ebony hedgehog's actions looked like something straight out of a perfume commercial, Sonic brought a hand up to his chin as he pondered, before snapping his finger.
"Oh, board games! More specifically the fun ones, like Charades or Pictionary." He shuddered at the memory of trying to play Monopoly with Tails. That kid could aim for world domination and succeed if he felt like it.
The idol simply hmph'd, "Of course you're scared to play the games that require actual strategic thinking."
"Psh," the blue hedgehog waved away the insult dismissively. "Those are overrated. Party games though? That's my specialty."
"Now," Sonic, emboldened by how easily Shadow had agreed to this challenge, decided to rest his elbow on his counterpart's shoulder. "What's your skill of choice?"
He hadn't initiated physical contact with the idol outside of their spars until now, so he was fully braced in case of a jab to his stomach for crossing a boundary. To his surprise, the ebony hedgehog only glared at the offending elbow for a moment before an uncharacteristically mischievous smirk formed on his muzzle.
It is important to note that Sonic went through the effort of picking a beginner friendly activity; not just for the sake of consideration, but he also didn't want to pick an obvious activity where he would win by a landslide. It would take the fun out of the competition. Shadow however seemed to have no such qualms.
"Ice skating."
Sonic's smile dropped as Shadow's widened, "Seriously? How do you even compete at that?!"
He didn't want to give away that he had never skated before, but for the sake of not making a huge fool out of himself later, it was necessary. So he put his ego aside and pleaded, "Do you really trust me with knives strapped to my feet?"
"Fine..."
"Oh thank–"
"Roller skating."
"... You just wanna see me fall on my face don't you?"
"I'm already fantasizing about it."
Pushing off the idol's shoulder, Sonic pouted, "You call me a prick, yet the first time I'm seeing you smile this widely is because the thought of me getting hurt amuses you."
"It's just funny to prove my superiority to you."
"Yeah, yeah," the bodyguard grumbled, his heart definitely not jumping at the sight of Shadow's surprisingly playful side. "Fine, any ideas for the third one?"
The idol's previous smirk dropped into a look of contemplation once more.
"How about shooting?"
"Psh, you sure you wanna challenge a trained bodyguard on that?" Sonic was mainly taunting, but was also unsure how rusty the idol probably was. "When was the last time you went to a shooting range?"
"A year ago," Shadow did not seem deterred by his own admission. "My eyes are better than yours."
Green eyes met red, silent spark of competition zapping between them.
"I guess that settles it," the bodyguard broke the silence with a shrug. "That'll be our final face-off. Any prizes, besides winning the title of being the better, more talented hedgehog?"
“A free-for-all favour of my own,” Shadow’s mouth curled up into a smirk that was slightly too mischievous for Sonic’s peace of mind.
“Psh, you think I don’t listen to my own words of wisdom? To give you that much power–“
“You haven’t even used yours yet,” came a scoff in response. “You scared that the favour you ask for will be lamer and less creative than mine?”
Goading, a trick the idol so naturally pulled out of Sonic’s book, yet Sonic could only grin at the challenge.
“Fine,” he agreed. “And when I win, I won’t even ask for anything! It’ll make your loss all the more humiliating~”
And with that, they made their way out of the gym, cocky claims and taunts thrown back and forth as they walked through the dimly lit streets.
Shadow had apparently not felt the need to wear a hoodie this time of the night, so his crimson stripes remained out in the open as Sonic later rambled to him about some "magical recipe for chili dogs".
Neither of the hedgehogs noticed the unassuming quokka across the street holding a camera up towards them. The screen zoomed in to snap a poorly lit but clear image of the bodyguard's arms animatedly moving while the idol listened, an indicator of their camaraderie, or something more...
Notes:
Welp! Wonder what Mephiles’ relation to Shadow is, and why is Shadow so worried about him potentially being Sonic’s manager?
Also, someone get Sonic a glass of water because he’s got some THIRST to be quenched.
Also I scoured the internet for a martial art similar to Ty Lee’s chi-blocking art from ATLA and Dim Mak was the closest thing I could find LUL.
Also WHAT IS THAT QUOKKA UP TO?
Chapter 10: Motorcyclist Meet Dark-Angel
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The day of the performance was chaotic.
Just about three weeks had passed since they first arrived at Westopolis. It was now nearing mid July, the sweltering heat at its highest. Sonic felt sorry for Shadow. While the idol would be performing in the evening after the scorching sun lowers, there would still be a layer of heat and humidity that can't be escaped.
They entered the venue early in the afternoon through a separate entrance from the main one to avoid crowds. Team members flitted back and forth. Shadow and Whisper ran through the setlist together, testing microphone levels and confirming transitions. Honey had set up in the idol's dressing room while Amy, Vanilla, and Tangle worked in tandem to ensure there were no unexpected issues that could delay or impact the performance. Then Rouge would flutter in between all of them to check on the status of the preparations, before finding Shadow to update him.
As the sun began to set, Sonic was currently waiting outside of the dressing room while Honey made final touchups on the idol. A distance away, he could hear the white noise of fans flooding the stadium. His duty as a personal bodyguard was to wait outside of Shadow's fitting room and escort him to and back from the side wing of the stage. Simple and easy.
The door of the dressing room suddenly swung open to reveal a cat's head peaking out. Upon spotting Sonic next to the door, she quickly ushered him inside. The bodyguard didn't get much time to think about what he was supposed to see or do as she dragged him in.
"So what do you think?"
"What do I think of wha-"
His words died in his mouth upon the sight that graced him.
A fitted leather jacket, cropped just above the waist, hugged the idol's frame, detailed with golden zippers and subtle embossed patterns along the sleeves. Underneath was a red mesh top, seemingly identical to his stripes in shade, with a v-neckline cut to show off that beautiful white chest fluff (Sonic briefly wondered why Honey doesn't have her own fan base for the absolute art she's been feeding them). Skin-tight leather pants, laced at the sides, molded perfectly to his legs, the glossy finish giving them an almost liquid look ('vinyl' was the term he could recall). A statement belt that was thick, studded, and fastened with a heavy gold buckle, cinched at the waist in a way that added an extra edge to the ebony hedgehog's silhouette.
For footwear, Shadow's usual white-red-and-black sneakers had been replaced with plain black combat boots. And his hands, Sonic nearly had a heart attack when he thought Shadow was wearing fingerless gloves, only to realize he was still wearing a pair of black gloves. It was just that a pair of white fingerless gloves, gold studs embellishing each knuckle, were layered on top. So while the idol's modesty was maintained, the style was almost suggestive in the way it called attention to his fingers, and by extension what was underneath those gloves. To top it all off were a few gold rings, and a chain dangling from a belt loop.
Holy shit he's gorgeous, was Sonic's first unfiltered thought. I completely understand why teenaged girls obsess over him now, was his second, before finally common sense kicked in at his third: I need to stop ogling him and speak.
Bringing his gaze back up to Shadow's face, he grinned nervously at the ruby eyes (was that mascara?!) that were now narrowed at him with wariness. And suddenly all the thoughts he had pushed into the back of his mind since last week came rushing back.
'Yeah, he looks great!'
That was what Sonic was supposed to say.
"Uhh..." a thumbs up was the pathetic alternative he could force out when he noticed that the idol's quills were also tussled to look effortlessly messy sweet Chaos–
Shaking away his thoughts that were beginning to head into a very questionable direction, Sonic swallowed as he looked back at Honey in effort to clear his mind.
"Has anyone told you that you're a godsend?"
At these words, Shadow snorted, but Sonic still refused to look back at him until he was sure he could form coherent sentences while doing so.
"Many," the cat leaned on a leg with a contented expression. "I actually have a pretty popular channel on YooToon. Some are long time fans, but a lot of Shadow fans pass by in my comments to thank me for 'my service'."
A service indeed.
"Anyways, my work is done!" Honey packed up her makeup bag all too quickly before making her exit. "I'll let you do your little pre-show ritual. Break a leg!"
In his moment of hesitation, Sonic was suddenly left alone with the idol.
"Uhh," the bodyguard slowly turned to face the ebony hedgehog, pointing a thumb at the door just as it snapped shut. "I assume you want me to leave too?"
Shadow surveyed him with a neutral expression for a few moments, yet the lashes on those half-lidded eyes... it took every fiber of Sonic's being not to squirm under the celebrity's gaze.
"Stay."
While they had fallen into a dynamic that looked closer to a friendship since their last spar, Shadow was still very much a fan of privacy and having time to himself, so the answer came as a surprise to Sonic.
"Really?" He tried to hide the nervousness in his tone as he watched the singer slink back into one of the chairs turned away from the vanity mirror. He wasn't sure whether to join him on the other chair or to stay standing. "You don't have to do some... meditation or something to ease the nerves?"
"To get nerves implies I think there's a chance I will make a mistake in my performance," the ebony crossed a leg over the other as he gestured to the seat next to him.
"Psh, you're pretty modest huh?" Sonic cracked a smile at Shadow's cockiness before moving towards the seat, refusing to waste the idol's rare moment of preferring company.
"Uncertainty in my abilities would only ever occur if I felt like I didn't practice enough," Shadow swiveled his chair back to face the mirror before... checking for flaws in his makeup? He paused for a moment before continuing, "which is never the case."
Sonic couldn't help but admire the self-assuredness the idol was brimming with. Shadow seemed to always be meticulous in his work, vigorous enough in his training that he could consistently perform to perfection. The bodyguard wondered what it was like to be so driven, having only ever floated between varying jobs for the sake of bringing a stable income, rather than following his interests.
"You really care about what you do, don't you?" The question was meant to come off as admiration, but a wistful tone had slipped into his words before he could catch it.
Shadow seemed to notice it, and turned away from the mirror to face Sonic. The idol looked down at his own hands, his earlier confidence momentarily gone as he contemplated his next words.
"I... I do it for someone I care about." The bodyguard held his breath at Shadow's sudden confession, lest an exhale too loud discourage him from continuing. "It's a promise I made, to be a figure of admiration and happiness for others."
Sonic's mind was reeling at the moment of vulnerability, trying to process its implications. The way that Shadow referred to the person was rather distant. It didn't sound like it would be Rouge. Could it be an ex-partner? But who makes a promise out of their entire career for a lover? A family member maybe? And something about the his tone... a small thought in the back of his mind suggested that the person Shadow referred to might not be in the picture anymore.
Strangely enough, Sonic was not familiar with loss. It was truly ironic that as an orphan, his life of hardship literally started with the death of his parents, yet he didn't know what it was like to mourn a loved one. He had never engaged with other orphans enough to care when they had to move away, whether through adoption or transferral to another institution.
Except for Tails.
The idea of Tails suddenly being moved away from him, or worse... Sonic could only imagine the despair that he would be wracked with. If Shadow had lost or been forcefully distanced from someone so dear to him...
"I'm sure they're proud of you now," he mustered up the brightest smile he could when the idol looked up, "if the fans yelling outside have anything to say about it."
Ruby eyes searched him for a moment, the thoughts behind them unreadable until the corners of his mouth lifted the slightest bit, forming the softest smile that may or may not have made Sonic's heart skip a beat.
"And the same goes for you."
Emerald eyes blinked in confusion, unsure what Shadow was referring to, "What do you mean?"
"Your brother," the idol rested his chin on the back of his hand. "You're making him proud right now are you not?"
"Oh," Sonic leaned back as he reached for the back of his neck, unsure where the other was going with this. "Yeah, I guess so."
"So I'm sure, from how highly you speak of him, that he would stay proud of you no matter what you do."
"I..." the bodyguard hesitated. What was he insinuating? Was this yet another suggestion on him switching careers, from his own client of all people? Chaos was he bad at his job or something? "I guess he would? But I don't–"
The sound of knocking cut through the conversation. The two hedgehogs went silent to look at the door as it opened to reveal Rouge.
"Hope I wasn't interrupting anything," the look on her face implied she knew otherwise as she grinned at the idol. "Five minutes left till showtime! So you might want to start moving now. I'll be watching from the front."
"Yup!" Sonic took the chance to stand up a bit too eagerly. "Can't keep the fans waiting, right?"
Shadow's face had slid back into his usual poker face, "Right."
The idol picked up some sort of device and adjusted it to his ear, the movement drawing the bodyguard's attention towards the piercings adorning them. It was that same set he wore two weeks ago; the two golden stars. They truly did wonders to soften Shadow's features.
Taking their exit, they walked in silence towards the side wing of the stage where Shadow would enter from. Sonic didn't really want to continue their earlier conversation, especially when the idol was to perform so soon.
The noise of the fans became louder, and after wrapping around a corner, a beam of light filtering through signaled them nearing their destination.
The side wing covered the fans from Sonic's point of view, which he supposed made sense since the fans shouldn't be seeing them from this angle either, but he could see the backdrop of the stage, swirls of color restlessly flitting around to reflect the audience's energy.
"I guess uhh, good luck out there?" Despite Shadow's earlier certainty that he would perform to perfection, Sonic wanted to wish him luck anyways. He couldn't even see how many fans were out there yet was daunted by the idea of being in Shadow's place. Perfection or not, external factors still existed.
The idol smirked at him, an action that became increasingly common ever since he stopped pushing the bodyguard away and finally agreed to become friends, as he hovered a hand over his earpiece to click on a button, "Ready."
The lights behind him suddenly dimmed, the colors on backdrop the fading into black. The voices from the venue suddenly hushed in anticipation, thousands of fans holding their breath at once.
"Watch my 'luck' at play."
Then came the flicker; an ember of crimson and yellow rippling across the backdrop. The opening chords of a low, pulsing track rumbled through the ground. Shadow turned away from Sonic and made his entrance.
Black boots stepped out first, their stride slow, measured but powerful. He didn't look at the crowd yet. The chatter of the fans buzzed restlessly as he appeared on stage, but hadn't yet exploded, even after he reached the microphone in the middle of the stage. They were waiting for something.
He stood still for a moment too long, letting the anticipation grow, before raising his eyes.
The spotlight caught the harsh crimson stripes contrasting against soft lines of his tan muzzle; expression solemn, almost cold. But when the cheers rose; when someone shouted his name too loudly from the left side of the crowd, his mouth twitched.
A smirk. Almost.
He lifted the mic, voice low and nearly lost in the noise.
"...You made it, huh."
Sonic gaped as the crowd erupted. It was such a cheesy line to start with, yet Shadow somehow pulled it off. He was just that cool.
The idol let one hand slide through his quills, tipped his head to the side in mock thought, before letting out a small, dry laugh. Almost like he was amused that anyone would show up for someone like him. His expression shifted, just for a second...
"...Then I guess I'll sing like it matters."
The beat kicked in hard. Lights burst to life behind him, and the mask of cool settled back over his face as he moved into the first note.
Sonic was suddenly glad that he hadn't properly witnessed any of Shadow's rehearsals until now. Something about seeing it all out for the first time, even though the angle he was watching from was sub-optimal, felt truly otherworldly. He could feel the beat travel through the floor and up his body, his palms tingling at the vibrations.
And Shadow's voice, oh his voice. The muffled melodies he heard from the idol's rehearsals behind the door were nothing compared to the power, the raw energy that was currently infiltrating his ears. Such a contrast to his usually monotonous way of speaking, the idol's baritone voice went higher and lower in pitch than the bodyguard had ever expected to hear, all to convey the passion behind his lyrics.
Shadow moved like he'd fought for the right to be here. Every gesture hit hard but smooth, like his body had memorized the beat long before his brain had caught up. Fluid steps, whip-fast spins, a precise flick of the wrist that sent the chain at his side clinking. And that face; set, serious, but not cold. He wasn't smiling, but there was something magnetic in the way his gaze passed over the crowd, his eyelids occasionally dropping down into a borderline sultry look emphasized by the mascara.
Sonic couldn't tell if the heavy palpitations in his chest were from the vibrations or from the sheer crushing energy of the music. He felt his throat tighten a little as the idol fell to one knee mid-song, chest heaving under the lights, hand outstretched like he was daring the crowd to take it. A scream rippled through the venue, echoing down the hall and into his bones.
And then, just for a heartbeat, Shadow glanced sideways. Toward the wings. Not quite looking at Sonic, but close.
He wiped sweat from his jaw with the back of a gloved hand, lips curling just faintly at the corner. A flash of something behind the usual mask.
Almost like he knew someone was watching.
Sonic flushed at the realization that his jaw had dropped down at some point during his captivation. Surely Shadow didn't see that, right? He wouldn't hear the end of it if he did.
Letting out a groan, he took a few steps backwards until he could hide around the corner. He felt overwhelmed, with too many thoughts bouncing around in his mind so fast it could create nuclear fission.
A lot of these thoughts were admiring the ebony hedgehog to a concerning degree, the words 'beautiful', 'breathtaking', and 'drop dead gorgeous' at the forefront of his mind.
"Cool," is the word he decided to grasp onto, muttering it under his breath as if to convince himself. "He just looks cool."
And with that he trusted himself enough to peak around the corner, only to see Shadow set his mic onto the stand before lazily stripping off his jacket to reveal more of the red mesh top that squeezed his figure underneath before tossing it to the side like some–
Nope, Sonic clasped a hand over his mouth to stop any questionable noises from coming out. Understandably, the fans started screeching at a much higher volume and pitch at the idol's stunt.
Alright so, maybe Shadow was ridiculously attractive, and maybe Sonic was in complete awe and admiration of the grace with which the idol moves. He very quickly accepted that. And that's fine, right? Sure, he wasn't a hormone-ridden teenaged girl, but as a grown male hedgehog he was still allowed to have eyes!
He exhaled whilst letting his thoughts pass. Bodyguard, right. He needed to focus on checking the hallway and the other side of the wing for any potential threats.
He settled on simply listening to Shadow's singing while he watched the corridors. The songs had started off intense, then gradually shifted into softer lyrics with slower beats that encouraged the fans to sing along with the idol.
Unsurprisingly, there were no threats to be found in the corridor throughout the duration of the performance. The security guards probably had a more productive time keeping overzealous fans from climbing onto the stage, while Sonic absentmindedly tapped his feet to the beat of the music. Seriously, he didn't expect being a personal security guard to be this boring. Where were those stupid cowards who sent him online threats?
About an hour and a half later, the show seemed to be coming to an end. At least in this occasion, the time passed much faster for Sonic than when he had to wait outside Shadow's door during rehearsals. It may have been due to the enthralling notes that floated into his ears, which he wasn't afraid to admit (he literally called Shadow's voice amazing to his face). While he was absolutely horrible at memorizing lyrics, he had a feeling he wouldn't be able to stop humming some of those songs in the foreseeable future.
Shadow gave his farewell to the fans, with a handful of amused huffs littered in between whenever one of the fans squealed out a discernible praise. Psh, he truly was a magnet for women. Sonic shook his head as he brought himself to look at the idol, just as the lights dimmed and the backdrop went dark once more for his exit.
While he had seen Shadow's fur and quills develop a soft sheen from sweat during their spars, it clearly did not compare to his state post-show. It made sense, between the heat and humidity of the warm summer evening and the hour and a half of nonstop exertion. Sonic could hear heavier breaths than usual coming from him as he approached.
"The ladies really love you don't they?"
Shadow didn't react to the teasing comment, and instead crossed his arms as he smirked, "Is that all you really have to say?"
Sonic swallowed as he weighed between giving his honest opinion and lying to avoid feeding into the idol's ego. He knew he couldn't fake being unimpressed to the other, but he also wasn't sure to what extent he wanted to be fully honest either. He definitely didn't want to say, 'You looked like you don't belong on this world, in a way that an angel doesn't belong among mortals'. Chaos knows he wouldn't be able to say that without dying of embarrassment.
"You uhh... you looked really cool," was what he managed to come up with, gulping at Shadow's raised eyebrow before amending himself. "It's like motorcyclist-meet-dark-angel vibes... Really... good."
Probably sensing that he wouldn't be hearing any eloquent words, Shadow rolled his eyes and walked past him.
"Your vocabulary is abysmal."
The bodyguard quickly followed behind as his awkwardness shifted into indignation, "Hey, I actually know a lot of fancy words! I just can't think of any to use on the spot."
"Sure you do."
This guy... Sonic shook his head. Shadow teasing him was always an unexpected surprise, a contrast to their usual dynamic. Granted, it wasn't as cheery and playful as Sonic's comments, but it was definitely an intent to push buttons, thus classifying as a tease. It was a side he began to see after Shadow had agreed to become proper friends, making their interactions more equal.
He couldn't help but grin, "You really wanna test me on that? I can name you a bunch right now: boisterous, ostentatious, pretentious, gaudy–"
All of those words were in the same vein of meaning, purposely picked to imply his thoughts on Shadow's performance. He was expecting the ebony hedgehog to take offense, maybe growl at him to shut up, perhaps snap back with insulting synonyms of his own.
But nothing could have prepared him for the light chortle that came from the hedgehog in front of him.
Sonic blinked as he halted his pace for a moment before quickening to catch up again with the idol.
"Was that... a laugh?"
"Why are you so shocked?"
"Oh I don't know," Sonic tried to survey what he could from the idol's body language as he walked, who didn't seem at all deterred or embarrassed by his own action. Wouldn't a gloomy person usually get flustered or threaten to kill the witness if they get caught laughing? "Maybe because you never do it?"
"That's because you hadn't said anything funny until now. That was an unexpectedly clever joke from you, so it was funny."
"Huh..."
They reached the dressing room, where Honey was waiting outside to help him remove his makeup and whatever spray she had used to style his quills. Shortly after, Rouge came by to collect him for a debrief with the rest of the team, which was apparently for the purpose of noting down what went well in the performance and what might need tweaking.
In this duration, Sonic was left alone to his thoughts, dazed.
Sonic had no problem making friends. Throughout his part time jobs he would befriend his colleagues. In his bodyguard training he would try to get along with his fellow trainees. Small talk and easygoing conversations were his specialty.
But outside of Tails and Knuckles, he had never felt an innate want to get to know someone on a deeper level. He was perfectly fine with these surface-level friendships. He didn't have an interest in learning more about them or spending more time with them beyond the occasional hangout. It wasn't so much that he didn't care about them, but he just didn't have that desire to build anything bigger. The people he had befriended were fun company.
But Shadow. Shadow is a world famous idol, yet was ironically a complete enigma. Sure, Sonic had learned some fun details about the celebrity, such as his eating preferences and hobbies, but suddenly those tidbits of information didn't feel enough.
Shadow's personality is something he increasingly realized to be complex. The character he had initially compartmentalized into 'dark and brooding' turned out to be so much more. The idol was intelligent, calculative, disciplined, a pragmatist. He was also competitive, extremely cocky (but is it really cocky if he can back it up to boot?), and surprisingly playful.
Yes, Sonic's goal from before he had even met his client was to make friends, for the purpose of making the following year more enjoyable. But he had intended for something carefree with little attachment. It is a 1-year contract after all, and a little over a month of it has already passed.
But now? He felt the goalpost shifting towards a territory he wasn't sure he should explore. Was it a good idea to get emotionally invested into a client he's supposed to be protecting, let alone a globally famous idol? It sounded both self-serving and self-sabotaging at the same time.
But Shadow wasn't like any client he had expected to work for. No typical client would demand to fight him before holding him at gunpoint on his first day. No typical client could possibly match him in a spar so evenly. No typical client had such a mysterious past questionable enough to rival his own. While Sonic had been curious about Shadow's history with the mafia since day one, he had refrained from asking any questions about it under the fear of being held at gunpoint again, or punched, or just getting any aggressive response that could ruin the brittle friendship he was trying to build.
But he supposed, if he continued getting closer to Shadow, maybe one day the ebony hedgehog could trust him enough to willingly impart these details Sonic was so curious about.
Was all of this a poorly disguised justification for his growing attachment– let's not lie to ourselves– attraction to the idol? Probably. Unlike his gloomy counterpart, Sonic isn't really the best at self restraint. Whenever he had a new infatuation with anything, refusing to indulge it was impossible to him. Take chili dogs for example; if he was ever urged to stop eating them for the sake of his health or whatever, he might just tear out his own quills before doing so!
So sue him, he wanted to get to know Shadow better. Of course, he would still follow his deal to respect the idol's boundaries, but that didn't mean he couldn't have some fun teetering on the line.
About an hour later when they were finally making their way back to the hotel, Sonic asked Shadow what he was planning to do to celebrate the end of his first performance, to which the idol responded, "Shower and sleep." Not a surprising answer, and for once not an answer Sonic could judge. Sparring and working out is one thing, but singing while dancing for ninety minutes straight? That can't be fun for the lungs and throat.
Welp. He supposed it was the smart thing to do. They were set to fly to San Yose first thing tomorrow morning, so trying to celebrate the night with a few drinks would only end with a regretful headache during the flight.
The team separated upon reaching the hotel, with some opting to go straight for an early dinner whilst others went up to their units to shower and pack, the latter of which Sonic was among.
He had finished rather quickly since he didn't really have much to pack, so by the time he finished dinner afterwards and went back to his unit it was still just shy of 10 o'clock.
He should be turning in early for the flight tomorrow, but he didn't feel tired just yet. Sitting against over-fluffed pillows in bed, he took the chance to call Tails to check up on him.
"Guardian University of Nations?" G.U.N? Why did that acronym sound familiar? Sonic blinked at the name before registering the news. "And you got accepted?!"
"Yup, with full ride scholarship." Tails was brimming with pride in his voice, which made Sonic grin. Any moment of confidence or even smugness from Tails was always welcome. He should be proud of himself!
"That's amazing! That's like the best university right?"
"It's not just any university. They're elite. They have an acceptance rate of 3% so they're actually a really small and reclusive campus. They're the only educational institution in the Federation to have a partnership with the Guardian Units of Nations, where Knuckles works! That's like top stuff!"
Ah, Sonic's earlier Deja vu suddenly made sense. He wasn't sure how to react to the news. On one hand, this university would essentially secure Tails a job in some super prestigious super high paying position for the government organization. It's also possibly the best kind of position to maximize the fox's potential, as most employers wouldn't even know what to do with a youthful genius like him.
However, don't jobs of that level usually require the employee to have a really tight lip or even distance themselves from friends and family sometimes? Knuckles as an undercover agent was already apparently bending the rules by giving Sonic vague details about the mission in Central City. If Tails were working as an engineer or technician for them of sorts, especially with how smart he is they would probably have him working on some confidential projects...
"Sonic? You good?"
"I just wish I could celebrate with you," he decided to go with, sighing wistfully. He didn't want to concern his little brother with these worries. "I miss you little buddy."
"We'll see each other in Central City again, won't we? You said that's where you were staying the longest for the tour too right?"
"Is that where your campus is?" Sonic furrowed his brows. So not only would Knuckles be able to get Tails set up and be near him while undercover, but Sonic would be able to see him for the longest part of the tour! Oh how the stars seemed to align. "That's perfect! You'll have Knuckles with you to set up, then when he gets busy, I should be there right on time!"
"Exactly!" Tails beamed, before registering a detail. "Wait, Knuckles is staying in Central City?"
"Potentially for a couple of months, yeah. Something about an upcoming mission," Sonic wasn't sure if he should be pushing the boundaries of Knuckles' trust by specifying that it's a drug case, especially with how Tails' curious nature would lead to impromptu investigations.
"Huh," the fox tapped his chin in thought before moving on.
A minute later came the time for Tails to ask about his time so far.
"So what did you think of the performance, huh? Do you understand the hype now?"
"Uhh," Sonic's earlier thoughts that deceptively hid in the back of his brain rather than 'pass by' came rushing back. "I get it now."
The fox momentarily analyzed him, "That's an uncharacteristically short answer."
"Wha–" Sonic sputtered, resigning himself to his brother's cursedly good observations. "Fine! He has the voice of an angel and looks sexy as fu– heck. What else do you want me to say?"
"You know I'm almost an adult now, right? You can say fu–"
"Nooooo," he whined. "I'm not ready to hear that word from you yet."
"Fu–"
"NO!"
"–nny how you think I haven't known and been actively using that word since middle school."
Sonic met Tails' shit eating grin over the screen with the most deadpan look he could muster.
"Anyways, I just realized you have a type."
"A type?"
"Red eyeliner, white chest fluff–"
"Nu uh! Those are just coinc–"
"Now all Shadow has to do is pick fights with you and insult you and he'll have your heart."
"..."
"Sonic..." Tails narrowed his eyes at the sudden silence along with the shifting of the camera to the ceiling. "Does he already do that?"
Sonic was currently clutching his ears to cool them down from the embarrassment he was feeling, his phone strewn flat on the bed.
"Possibly."
"Oh my chaos," he could see Tails gape on the screen. "You really do have a type."
"That's enough from you!" Sonic just about squawked out. "He's not the same!"
"I never said he was the same. From what you told me, he seems humbler and much more introverted than Jet," Sonic picked his phone back up to see Tails musing. "But remember your crush on Surge too back then? You seem to have a thing for people who are mean to you. I wonder if there's a sexuality for that..."
"I mean there's a kink for that but I don't know about sexuality–"
"You have a problem with me saying the word 'fuck' but no problem with bringing up kinks in front of me?"
Sonic pursed his lips at the contradiction for a moment before resigning, "Alright, fair, but don't overuse it!"
They continued their back-and-forth for a few more minutes until Tails turned in for the night. Sonic yawned as he set up his alarm before pulling the comforter over himself.
Deciding to start exploring his phone's features for once, Sonic decided to finally give 'investigating' (read: online stalking) a chance. Speaking to Tails about his attraction to Shadow helped him feel somewhat at ease. It didn't have to be some scary feeling that needs to be repressed. It would probably weirder if he wasn't attracted to Shadow if the number of fangirls screaming out his name today said anything about his beauty.
After scrolling through a few threads discussing Shadow's appearance, it was clear he wasn't alone in his appreciation of the idol's physical features.
Bunnigrl29 – OmGGGG have u guys seen his tour in Westopolis today?! HE'S SO BEAUTIFUL I CAN'T 🥹
AkshiTheGoat – Oml yes!! Honey truly worked her magic this time it's like... motorcyclist-meet-dark-angel vibes? So juicyyyy
Sonic held back a laugh at the comparison. And to think Shadow made fun of his earlier clearly accurate description.
ShadowsWife – What's juicy is his ass 🤤 those vinyl pants... Im not even gonna lie I was looking VERY disrespectfully
Sonic was quickly discovering that whatever thoughts he had earlier during Shadow's performance were actually on the much tamer end compared to some of these questionable comments from what he can only describe as 'rabid fans'.
IdolDegen – Nah that belt is where it's at. The things I would let him do to me with it~
Okay, thats enough! Sonic closed the tab on his phone before placing it on his nightstand. He wondered if Shadow ever saw these comments that fantasized about him in such disturbing detail, and what he felt about them if he did.
But it also reassured him that his feelings of attraction didn't need to mean anything serious. He's just a male hedgehog with eyes and... hormones. Not that he would ever act on the hormones of course.
With a deep sigh, Sonic settled into the mattress and dozed off to images of flashing lights and graceful spins.
~~~
"So you took this photo well late at night, after seeing them come out of a rundown gym?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Hmm," the squirrel contemplated as she analyzed the image. The two hedgehogs did seem rather amicable in it, and the bodyguard's energetic body language was a surprising difference from what other media outlets had observed from him so far.
"We could publish something about how strange it is for them to be out this late at night, or how close they seem to be–"
"Not yet."
"Not yet?"
"If we try to publish an article now with this as our only evidence, we can easily get dismissed as an unreliable tabloid. If other journalists haven't noticed yet then we keep on the low for now as well, but keep investigating. I'll get someone in San Yose to follow from a distance too."
"Sorry ma'am, I'm not sure I follow... what are we investigating exactly?"
"It depends how it ends," the squirrel eyed the expression on Shadow's face once more.
"A potential romance, or an untimely tragedy."
Notes:
Shadow: Watch my ‘luck’ at play
Sonic: *watches* WrowSonic might be kinda thirsty but not as thirsty as those teen girls 😳
And INDEED Sonic is a confirmed Meansexual. He is attracted to mean people only. Later news may reveal Shadow to be an Idiotsexual.
Also Sally’s gay senses tingling from one poorly lit photo 💪 She can smell the future angst
NOW WITH THE FINAL PART OF THE PERFORMANCE CYCLE COMING TO AN END, we can get into the unfolding plot not just from this media outlet, but from eeevil underground operations too 😈
Chapter 11: Sunny With a Chance of Vengeance
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The second flight was much quieter than the first, much to Shadow's surprise.
Sonic had taken to entertaining himself with a movie now that the plane's takeoff didn't scare him. When they had reached San Yose it was just approaching noon. The air around them seemed to dance thanks to the mirage of heat.
The first few days in the city were a flurry, with Shadow going back and forth between visiting the venue, attending his vocal practice sessions, and dance rehearsals.
Throughout this time, Sonic was dutiful and quiet whenever they were under the public eye. But in the few moments of privacy they shared, it was like a switch flipped. Suddenly the blue hedgehog would feel the need to crack a joke, bump his shoulder, and talk his ears off about some random topic.
It was a shift that Shadow had grown... comfortable with. The random physical contact was flustering at first, but he had quickly gotten used to it. He supposed it was somewhat interesting to gain more insight into Sonic's thought process as well; the way he would jump from one topic to another, seemingly unrelated, before going full circle and linking the two together into a third one. It was chaotic yet strangely put-together.
A bit less than a week in, Shadow and his team finally had some time to breathe. For their day off, Rouge suggested an activity he could not bring himself to care for:
Spending the day at the beach.
Summer was... okay. Shadow didn't have hatred for something as mundane as a season, but he didn't really care for it. He disliked the feeling of sunlight heating up his fur to an uncomfortable degree, but he liked the view of sunny beaches and crystal waters.
So while he wore his dark grey swim shorts, he wasn't actually planning on swimming. Instead, he brought a book, sunglasses, and a beach towel to lay on one of the plastic lounge chairs. He wanted to enjoy the view and atmosphere of the beach, but with the comfort of reading under the shade of an umbrella.
Amy and Honey had gone off to a nearby food truck for snacks. Tangle barely let Whisper rub enough sunscreen onto her face before sprinting into the water, her partner walking in tow. Vanilla was helping Cream build a turtle out of the sand. And Rouge...
After stripping down to her swimsuit to sunbathe, it did not take longer than three minutes before she was approached.
"Excuse me miss, I just wanted to tell you that you are just gorgeous. Could I have a name?"
Shadow's ear flicked at the male voice, unsurprised yet annoyed nonetheless. This was an unfortunately common occurrence whenever he went out with her in two settings: the bar and the beach.
He recalled the rage he felt when it first happened, disgusted at how obvious the male mobian was in his perverse intentions. Rouge had narrowly prevented him from grabbing the offender by the front of his gaudy shirt as she turned the stranger down swiftly and gracefully.
This scenario was no different, her response delivered with the speed of a woman who was forced to practice this too many times.
"Thank you darling, really, but the right man for me won't have to ask."
A shuffle as the stranger processed her words, then an awkward "that's alright" before he walked away.
Sonic, who had started setting up his towel on the lounge chair neighboring Shadow's, cocked his head in confusion at the interaction.
"Uhh, how often does that happen?"
Rouge's smiley facade was broken with an annoyed sigh as she adjusted her sunglasses.
"Too often."
A few moments later Sonic set up his towel and sat back on his chair. Upon sparing a glance, Shadow noticed blue ears rotating about to catch sound. Despite how relaxed the rest of the bodyguard's body looked, he was still on alert, which was an effort Shadow deeply respected.
Rouge's moments of peace while sunbathing unfortunately did not last long.
From whistles, to catcalls, different male mobians would make their lewd thoughts clear as they passed by. It was a cowardly tactic really, making a comment while walking away so the person wouldn't get the chance to retaliate. No matter how 'used to it' Shadow got, he could never quite prevent his anger from building at the injustice anyways. He wished he could just annihilate these pigs–
"Hey sweetheart, what's a lovely lady like you doing here? What's your name?"
This one sounded a bit more confident (read: arrogant) than the others.
"Sorry dear, I only give my name to people I plan on seeing again."
"Oh that's fine," Shadow was expecting an exit after the pause, but the sentence continued. "I can make time to see you whenever you like baby."
He finally spared a glance at the source of the voice. It was a tall lion bulked with muscles, which explained the persistence. He probably wasn't used to being rejected, so he thought Rouge was just playing hard to get.
"Mm but I can't do the same for you," Rouge must've come to the same conclusion as Shadow, hence the added bluntness. "Have a great day."
"Oh c'mon," Shadow held back a growl when the lion sat himself on the end of Rouge's lounge chair. "Don't be like that."
How thick is that guy's skull? He breathed out heavily as he remembered the 3-strike rule.
"Give the guy three chances," Rouge had said back then. "The third time he doesn't take no for an answer you can do whatever you like. But that will probably never happen since I'm pretty good at rejecting~"
One last chance. If this guy still persists after whatever Rouge says next then he's free to do what he wants–
But Rouge never got the chance to speak.
"Hey dude," Sonic reached over to his bag and languidly leaned back after placing it next to his hip. "Take a hint, she's not into you."
Unsurprisingly given his track record of overconfidence so far, the lion snorted, "If she's not into me, she definitely won't be into you either, twig."
"I would hope she's not into me." The blue hedgehog was undeterred, briefly rummaging through his bag before the sound of a click brought everyone's attention to his concealed hand.
"It would be kinda unprofessional for a bodyguard with a gun license," a glint of metal peeked out of the bag, making the lion hurriedly scramble to his feet, "to start things with his client."
"Okay, okay I get it," the lion backed a few steps as quickly as he could whilst facing Sonic, before turning his back to jog away.
"You should have gotten it after the first time she turned you down!" Sonic yelled after him.
After a few moments, the bodyguard seemed to notice the two remaining stares that never left him.
"What?"
Rouge was the first to voice Shadow's thoughts. "Did you actually bring your gun to the beach?"
"Huh? Oh nah, I only brought my taser," Sonic casually said before revealing the flash of metal to be a soda can. The way he casually popped the tab before taking a sip as if he hadn't just scared a bulky lion off without even having to leave his seat... It was unexpectedly cool.
"Clever hedgehog," the bat sounded genuinely impressed.
That was another thing Shadow began to notice at some point. Sonic was incredibly quick to think on his feet and savvy when it came to social situations. He didn't necessarily have the smoothness of Rouge's charm per se, but his general adaptability to strange or difficult situations is rather enviable.
Shadow could admit that he admired it.
Honey and Amy returned from the food truck with a an arrangement of fries, meats, and packaged ice cream. Notably, one of said meats was a hotdog with an ungodly amount of chili sauce piled on top of it.
Over the past couple of weeks, Amy seemed to take a... special interest in Sonic. She was clearly infatuated with him.
Yet Sonic seemed none the wiser as he accepted the hotdog from her hands, "There are chili dogs here? Thanks Ames! They're my favorite y'know?"
Obviously she knows, a small wave of irritation coiled itself in Shadow's gut. Anyone with a singular working brain cell would know after seeing him eat some variation of sausage and chili every breakfast, lunch, and dinner without fail.
The pink hedgehog giggled in response to his stupid statement as though it was a joke, before distributing the rest of the snacks on a nearby table.
"Rouge, Shadow, any preferences?" Amy gestured to the snack pile.
From where he was sitting, Shadow couldn't see anything of interest, so he shook his head while Rouge asked for a helping of fries.
Sonic however, seemed to notice something.
"What about this?" He leant over to examine one of the snacks hidden from Shadow's view before picking it out, revealing a packaged set of strawberries on a stick.
"Tanghulu," Sonic shoved another chunk of his hotdog into his mouth as he handed Shadow the snack. "It'sh r'lly g'ud, try it."
Normally, Shadow would feel disgusted by the blue hedgehog's attempt at speaking with food in his mouth and have no problem conveying his distaste, but once again he found himself frozen as the snack was placed in his hands.
The annoying jokes and teasing comments? He could adapt and make comebacks of his own. The shoulder bumps and occasionally being used as an elbow rest? Tolerable. Random acts of consideration without expecting anything in return? Impossible.
It was the most unexpected tendency that Sonic had that Shadow didn't know how to deal with yet. Yes, he knew the technical way to react to it (accept the act and give a 'thank you'), but he didn't know how to feel about it. It caught him off guard each time it happened.
Sometimes he wished Sonic was an inconsiderate prick so he could feel less conflicted on what to think of him and, by extension, how to treat him.
"Are you one of those people who like strawberry flavoured foods but not the fruit itself? I have that problem with tomatoes."
Realising he had paused too long with the snack in his hands, Shadow quickly moved to tear the wrapping off and muttered a "no" in response to the question.
After Honey and Amy had fallen into an easy chatter, Shadow assumed the attention was off of him as he took his first bite. Yet after feeling the fur on his neck raise from the sensation of being watched, he spared a glance to his side again to see green eyes staring at him.
"Whaddya think?"
Was Sonic... under the impression that this was his first time trying tanghulu?
He supposed he shouldn't be surprised at the assumption. It wasn't a common treat in the Federation, usually only being sold in specialty stores that import products from Chunan. The bodyguard probably didn't expect Shadow to have enough of a sweet tooth to raid such stores, trying every sugary treat under the sun.
Yet the urge to clarify that he has eaten tanghulu before was quelled the longer he looked at Sonic's anticipating eyes.
"It's good," was all he gave in response, looking away before he could see whatever cocky or joyed expression took over the other's face.
"It is, isn't it? It's such a simple snack too, I feel like I'd totally nail it on my first try if my brother ever let me near the stove."
Another thing that Shadow learned, was that despite Sonic never outwardly saying it, it seemed his cooking skills were questionable at best. It seemed that for every skill that Sonic had, he had a weakness to balance out. He seemed to be decisive to his very core about who he is as a person, with clear likes and dislikes, clear strengths and weaknesses.
The only thing Shadow ever sensed uncertainty about from the bodyguard was in his goals. Sonic had never spoken of future plans; of what he would like to do after body guarding. He never complained about his experience as a bodyguard (though that might be because it's stupid to look uncertain about your job in front of the client you're supposed to protect), but Shadow knew the career was something he wouldn't be content with in the long term.
Yet when he when he brought up the prospect of following his interests before his Westopolis performance, Sonic seemed to jump at the chance to avoid the conversation thanks to Rouge's interruption.
Why did he even care to know about Sonic's interests and future goals? That hedgehog was an open book in every other aspect; there was no need to feel such a desire to learn more about him. Yet here he was, theorising over what the bodyguard might like a future career in.
A ping from his phone snapped him out of his thoughts. Realising Sonic had joined Amy and Honey's conversation about... astrology?... Shadow looked down at his phone to see a message from Rouge.
He threw a quick glance to his side to see the bat eating from her fries innocently. Putting his phone on silent, he unlocked his phone to view whatever the bat could possibly find the need to send him a message about instead of just telling him while she's next to him.
Rouge - 'It's good' huh? 😏
Shit, he forgot that of all the people to know about his sweet tooth, Rouge would take his lack of correction to Sonic's assumption as anything more than it was. Shadow narrowed his eyes at the bat who avoided eye contact, popping another fry into her mouth.
Sparing another glance to Sonic, Amy, and Honey, who were still animatedly talking, Shadow quickly typed a response.
Shadow - Couldn't be bothered correcting him. Why does it matter?
Rouge took another painstaking minute of eating her fries before finally pulling out her phone to respond.
Rouge - I wouldn't be bothered to correct him either after seeing those puppy eyes~
Shadow seethed as he switched off his phone and put it away. Trying to defend his actions to the bat was like pulling teeth. The best thing he could do was just not respond.
After everyone seemed to have their fill of snacks, Amy and Honey were ready to join Tangle and Whisper in the water.
"I'll join you ladies," Rouge stood up from her seat, making Shadow raise a questioning brow. She never cared for swimming at the beach, hating how salty water felt on her wings and the feeling of sand clinging to her fur afterwards. She barely tolerated pools.
It seemed Amy and Honey were just as surprised by her decision, so the bat simply shrugged, "Too many depraved men are out here today. I can't sunbathe in peace."
It was an infallible excuse, but Shadow knew better, maintaining his gaze on her to watch for any tells that betray her intentions.
"What about you, Sonic?"
Shadow's ear flicked towards Amy's question, but kept his eyes on Rouge. Sonic would 100% jump at the opportunity to throw himself into the water–
"Nah, I'll just chill here."
Surprised by the answer, Shadow missed the smallest tilt of Rouge's mouth as he briefly glanced to his side. Did Sonic feel obligated to stay as his bodyguard? He doubted the other took his role that seriously.
"Okay..." Amy seemed just as off-put by the answer, maybe even a little disappointed.
After they made their exit towards the water, he decided to voice his thoughts, "You don't have to guard me while we're on a beach."
"Is it that unbelievable that I don't want to swim?"
Tilting his head to face the blue hedgehog, Shadow took the chance to properly survey him.
To match the lightheartedness in his response, Sonic was stretched out on the lounge chair with his arms crossed behind his head. Notably, he was wearing a cotton pair of shorts rather than swim trunks, and his usual gloves and shoes rather than a water-resistant ones. He was not planning on swimming at all today.
He even had his shirt on, an article of clothing most male mobians would jump at the opportunity to take off at the beach. But Shadow supposed he couldn't comment on that since he kept his shirt on as well. Even so, a strange theory wiggled in the back of his mind.
Sonic had received his first paycheck almost week ago, and while Shadow had discovered how frugal the bodyguard tended to be with his money, likely having shoved his new earnings straight into his savings presumably for his younger brother, he wasn't completely against spending money. He would often buy savory snacks from convenience stores on their way back from the gym. Hell, he would still buy Shadow his coveted strawberry milk, which was most definitely money that came from his own pocket.
Water shoes and gloves were rather cheap, often easy to find in shops near the beaches accompanying pool noodles, water guns, sand buckets, and all sorts of colorful beach equipment that kids would often drag their parents into.
So the circumstance of simply 'not being able to afford swimming clothes' was out of the question. It didn't make sense for Sonic to just 'not enjoy swimming' either. Even people like Rouge who genuinely disliked the feeling of swimming in the beach would still dip their feet in the water, or at least do other things nearby... like how Vanilla and Cream were currently designing the details of their sand turtle's shell.
Yet here Sonic was, lounging back with his torn non-beach-appropriate sneakers on (he really needs a new pair, Shadow though passingly), clearly not planning on going near the water anytime soon.
Could it be that he doesn't know how to swim?
"It's a reasonable assumption that you would enjoy such an activity," Shadow shrugged, not feeling the need to fully hide his thought process. "I feel like you're the type to try and find a way to cannonball into the water, no matter how stupidly dangerous it is."
Sonic fully adjusted his body to face him, leaning his head on his elbow as he pouted, "Is that all you think of me as? A happy-go-lucky idiot?"
It was a deflection, he noted, refusing to explain why he doesn't want to swim. In a way, that was an answer in itself.
Now, could Shadow have doubled down on Sonic's question for the sake of snark? Yes. Did he instead feel the need to make his thoughts clear so that the bodyguard is aware that Shadow doesn't think of him in such a two-dimensional way? Also yes.
"Not an idiot," he clarified. "Just... reckless."
"That's basically the same thing."
"There's a difference," he committed to it, praying his next words wouldn't feed into the other's ego. "You're actually quite quick to think on your feet. It's a type of intelligence that's not as easy to learn as academics. Having a fluid mind and being able to make decisions so fast isn't just important in fighting, but in liaison as well, arguably the most important skill in life."
He tried not to focus too much on Sonic's gaping expression as he tried to muster a response. He had expected a shit-eating grin and a sly remark about his 'compliment' (factual observation), but it seemed the bodyguard was too surprised by his factual observation to do so.
"Wow, I uhh–"
"But," like he said, factual observation. "Just because you're quick at making decisions, doesn't mean they're the right ones to make. You were lucky for example, that that lion was too stupid to call the authorities on you for threatening him with a firearm. You may be legally allowed to use a gun, but only when protecting your client from immediate danger, not threatening a more persistent than usual sleaze at the beach."
"Ah, ah, ah," Sonic interjected. "I never told the guy I had a gun, only that I was licensed. The police would think he's a joke after checking my bag only to find a taser and a soda can."
"And the unnecessary inconvenience that comes with the police showing up in the first place?"
The blue hedgehog opened his mouth for a moment before closing it in defeat, "I was counting on him not to do that."
"Exactly, it was essentially a gamble," Shadow scoffed before pointing out another flaw. "You take an unnecessarily risky route rather than taking a moment longer to think of a plan that's just as good but with half the consequences."
In response came a resigned sigh as the bodyguard shifted himself to face the sky again. "You really can't give me a compliment without adding several insults to make up for it, huh?"
"They're not compliments nor insults," he rolled his eyes. Of course the idiot would take his comments to heart rather than at face value. "Just my observation."
"Well thanks a lot for your 'observation'," Sonic said lowly before petulantly turning onto his other side.
Shadow wasn't completely sure if the other was genuinely annoyed or was just being theatrical. He eyed Sonic's back for a few moments, initially looking for clues in his body language, before spotting something strange.
Peeking out the slightest bit under his shirt, the fur on top of his shoulders seemed... sparser than the rest.
For once, Shadow refused to let his thoughts roam. He would not be making another theory out of this. If he did, he would have the urge to ask Sonic about it and he refused to request something so crude.
With a quick breath, he took the chance to pull out one of the novels he had been reading recently. At the sound of his page flicking, he caught Sonic twisting around in his peripheral vision.
"What are you reading?"
He held back a huff at the sudden change in demeanour. How melodramatic this hedgehog was...
"A mythological fantasy." An answer that was ample enough for most, but knowing Sonic, there would definitely be a follow up question–
"What's it about?"
Letting out a sigh, Shadow shut his book closed and moved to place it back into his bag, only to be stopped by Sonic's hand.
"It's the last question I promise! You can read in all the silence you want after," those stupidly bright emerald eyes pleaded him. "I just wanted to know about the stuff you read."
This... this unprompted curiosity from his bodyguard. That genuine interest in his eyes...
"It follows the story of a demigod trying to clear her exiled mother's name," he started, swallowing heavily at how the other nodded so attentively.
Yes, of all of Sonic's tendencies to get used to, this might be the most difficult to deal with.
~~~
The streets were silent, empty of life during the ungodly hour of 3 o'clock in the morning. The only activity that occurred during this time was often questionable at best.
A lone mobian trekked on the sidewalk, unhurried in their pace, but not directionless.
No, definitely not directionless. They winded down an alleyway, long pointed ears alert in spite of their calm stride.
They stopped in front of the filthy metal back door of a restaurant shut down a long time ago, yet its space had never been resold. It was a small gap under the government's radar, and there were no for sale signs posted at the front, so no passerby would pay much attention to it. It was virtually invisible to the world.
Even if someone had noticed it now, it was too late. The mobian clicked open the door with a heavy groan and shut it behind themselves, any remaining light from the dim streetlights in the distance now blocked out.
A small flashlight was clicked on to reveal their surroundings. Shuffling through the rundown corridor, they made their way towards the scaffolding of what was once an elevator under construction.
Its infrastructure did not look promising, the ultimate deterrent to any curious person who could have possibly entered this building and made it this far. But the mobian knew it holds.
Stepping onto the unprotected platform, the mobian pulled the lever to begin the elevator's descent. It was an unfortunately slow ride as part of the elevator's intended depiction to be 'unsafe', but after a minute, it finally creaked to a stop in front of another corridor.
Walking straight down the hall, the mobian stopped in front of a door lit with a crudely designed neon sign of eggs. They shielded their eyes for a moment as they opened the door in anticipation for the sudden flood of light.
A room lined overhead with sickly cool white lights, several tables spread out in no particular pattern with all kinds of flasks and tubes sat on top of them.
In the center of the room stood a fat, bald human man with an impressively large moustache, hunched in front of a small plastic box containing an unassuming rat.
"Let's try just 1 milligram on you," the doctor cooed to the rat as if it could understand him before carefully placing a drop of clear liquid from a pipette into the rat's water feeder.
"Doctor," the mobian spoke lowly, white tipped tail sweeping restlessly behind him. "What's the update on your relations with Black Doom?"
The doctor crinkled his nose briefly as the rat began to sip from its contaminated water, activating a timer on his watch as he continued to survey his test subject.
"Well he's still funding my drug research, getting me all the ingredients I need and all," the man straightened himself as he scratched at his moustache. "But he's still incredibly elusive! I haven't seen him in person yet... you would think he has a celebrity alter ego with how rarely he shows himself to outsiders in the underground."
The doctor didn't have to look behind him to know that the mobian was unhappy.
"But at least I've spoken to his brother, who is much more likeable if you ask me. He seems to be on the same..." his spectacles gleamed eerily as he watched the rat begin to run in circles, "wavelength as me."
"I don't care about the brother," the mobian's tail swished angrily as he raised his voice. "I want Terios."
"Yes, yes, the supposed heir who seemed to disappear right before his time to inherit the business came. Except," the man brought a hand to his chin as he pondered. "I don't think 'disappear' is the right word. From few times I heard about him, the way he was spoken about implied he more so rebelled and left rather than mysteriously disappeared."
"What?" That was baffling news to the mobian. "Surely they have the resources to track him down and bring him back, so why wouldn't they do that?"
"You're right," the doctor mused. The rat slammed against a wall of the container once, and when it cracked the man grinned in satisfaction. "And I doubt Black Doom is the type to just let his son 'follow his dreams' and whatnot. So what's preventing him from dragging his little vermin back into the business?"
While the question sounded rhetorical, something in the doctor's tone suggested he knew the answer, but wanted the mobian to guess first.
"Terios..." the cogs in the mobian's mind began to turn, "isn't hiding. He placed himself in a position where he can't be pulled back without drawing noticeable attention from the authorities or the public."
"Exactly! Terios has either joined the police force or some other government agency, or maybe he became a famous enough figure for him not to be able to disappear without a large chunk of the public noticing, and by extension the authorities..."
"Becoming famous would lead to the public questioning his background," the mobian scratched mindlessly at the table next to him. "He's probably in some sort of government work."
"Ah, ah," the doctor brought a finger up to wag it sideways as the rat ran back to the water feeder and drank from it in desperation. "To assume is to make an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me'! We never rule things out in science."
The mobian growled, tired of how the man beat around the bush. Could he or could he not find Terios? "So then how do you find the answer?"
"All in good time my friend," the human raised a brow when the rat completely emptied the water tank. How was it not urinating by now? "We observe, we learn more details,"
"Then," the rat was heaving, showing signs of thirst despite the obscene amount of water it just drank, "we form a hypothesis, we test it,"
The rat circled once more before collapsing, its tail going stiff. The doctor observed for a few more moments for any signs of life, before clicking his timer to a stop. He finally turned around to face the mobian.
"Then we observe the results!"
The mobian briefly glanced at the box in disturbance, before glaring at the doctor and the vagueness of his answer.
"Relax, jackal," the man rolled his eyes, though it couldn't be seen through the spectacles. "You'll get your little Terios..."
"And I'll get his daddy's empire!"
~~~
Shadow woke up in a cold sweat.
Blood stayed fresh in his mind as he sat up in his bed, but it didn't belong to the usual subject of his nightmares.
It belonged to her killers.
Leaning his forehead into his palms, he focused on calming his breathing, turmoil forming in his gut over a memory he had tried to stash in the back of his mind for so long.
On one hand, he felt guilt. He knew Maria would have been horrified at what he did following her death. His morals had dropped considerably at the time, and he went through a revenge-driven phase that he regrets to till this day.
On the other hand, the darker parts of his mind justified his actions. An eye for an eye, or rather, three eyes for an eye, for the value of that singular, pure hearted eye was worth more than the three filthy ones that killed her.
But he knew Maria wouldn't see it that way.
Taking a shuddering breath, he laid back down as swirling thoughts encroached upon him. He turned to his side and lightly curled up, craving any form of solace to ease his torturous mind.
He did not know that in his neighboring unit, Sonic was similarly curled up, light whimpers escaping him as guilt wracked through his body.
Notes:
Oops accidentally made the chapter half cute/wholesome half morbid and sad
But what do we think of the revelations 👀
I finally gave Sonic a little badass moment since we can’t have Shadow doing ALL the aura farming
Shadow’s love language is not correcting Sonic’s assumptions on his preferences/ experiences
Also HIS JEALOUSY STARTING TO FORM TEEHEE
And last but not least, Rouge WILL IN FACT be the ultimate wingwoman this fic
Chapter 12: Unexpectedly Difficult
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Shadow wasn't immediately perfect at most things he learned, but he liked to think he picked things up at a quicker pace than most.
Yet here he was, unfortunately struggling over the one thing his annoying counterpart has perfected.
He had initially called the spin dash a stupid trick, but after another spar he quickly realized he couldn't deny its benefits. It was an impressively adaptable technique that capitalized on the nature's gift to him as a hedgehog: his quills.
So, after an annoying amount of consideration, Shadow painfully admitted that he would like to learn it.
It felt humiliating.
"You gotta get more flexible," Sonic commented unhelpfully after yet another unsuccessful attempt at curling into a ball.
"I already am," Shadow had to stretch often for his dance routines, but this was different. Having to fully curl in on himself rather than just folding a random body part? It felt so unnatural. "This is just ridiculous contortion. Plus, your quills are longer than mine which is probably why this stupid technique is so easy for you."
"Hmm," the bodyguard pondered for a moment, undeterred by the complaints. "Try just doing a regular stretch. Touch your toes."
That was easy. The ebony hedgehog rolled his eyes before setting his legs straight and reaching for his shoes without trouble.
"Not enough."
"Not enough? What else am I supposed to do–hrgh!"
"Gotta reach further," Sonic chirped casually as if he hadn't just pressed a foot on Shadow's back. "There can't be a gap between your chest and your knees."
"What gave you the impression," Shadow grunted out, feeling pressure on his lungs and a strain in his hamstrings, "that you can place your foot on me like this?"
"Oh," the weight on his back instantly retracted. "Is that not how flexibility is taught?"
Maybe in a military bootcamp, Shadow immediately sat back up and took a deep breath. He was never really put through flexibility training when he was younger as it wasn't deemed that useful in combat.
"Not usually, no."
"Shit, sorry. I uh..." He supposed he shouldn't be surprised Sonic thought that it was the norm given his history. If he was trained in flexibility, of course it was most likely taught to him in a ruthless way.
"You don't have to explain yourself," Shadow stopped his bodyguard from floundering to find an excuse for his action. "In more serious sports training like ballet and gymnastics I assume coaches assist their students this way. Just less... suddenly."
"Yeah, yeah," Sonic jerked a hand towards his shoulder, rubbing it nervously. "I'm really sorry."
"It's fine," Shadow wasn't sure how to stop the other from mentally beating himself up over the blunder. "I'm not fragile. You can do it again if I'm struggling, but just give me a heads up."
"Umm, yeah," the blue hedgehog didn't seem fully convinced. "Sure. Sorry again."
"Stop apologizing," the idol exhaled before reaching for his feet once more, this time latching his hands beneath his calves to try and tuck himself further. "Is this better?"
"Uhh," Shadow hated how meek Sonic sounded now. "Y-yeah. It's good."
"But?"
"For a spin dash you need more than flexibility in the muscles. I think it's called rotational mobility?"
Sitting up again, the idol huffed, "So what do I need to do then?"
"Well," the bodyguard walked around Shadow to sit across him. "It's mostly in the hips. Some in the shoulders, but the hips are most important."
"Mhm."
"One of the exercises is actually pretty common and easy," Sonic was still rubbing at his shoulder nervously. "It's the one where you lay on your back and swing a leg over to the opposite side at an angle."
"This one?" Shadow leaned on his back and brought his left leg to lay on his right side at a 90-degree angle. He felt a slight stretch in his glutes and his hip joint popped at the motion but no discomfort otherwise.
"Yup!"
"I'm pretty sure this exercise was made for middle aged humans," he mumbled as he switched to his other leg. "Is there something harder than this?"
"Well the one that's most relevant to the spin dash would probably be the knee lift. The technique is pretty straightforward but it's not as easy as you think."
The name sounded self explanatory, but Shadow wasn't sure if he was supposed to do it while sitting or lying down, so he asked, "Can you demonstrate?"
Sonic wordlessly laid on his back with his legs straight before lifting his right knee his chest, clasping one hand around the top of his shin and placing the other under his foot, presumably to keep his leg as tightly tucked into his body as possible.
"The problem with it is that it's hard to maximize its stretch with your own hands. You usually need someone to help push it down."
Lying on his own back to mirror his counterpart's actions, Shadow brought his knee up to his chest and understood what Sonic meant. He felt a light stretch in his glute and some strain on his hip, but it felt incomplete. He didn't feel like he could bring his leg close enough into his body, no matter how strongly he gripped his knee, it felt more like he was bringing his chest forwards to meet the knee rather than bringing the knee to him.
"Can you help me then?"
He caught a glimpse of Sonic scrambling to his feet before looking to the ceiling again. Then the blue hedgehog came into view, leaning over him.
"You sure?"
"Yes," Shadow rolled his eyes. Could he stop acting like he had committed a grave sin?
"Alright..." Sonic lowered himself down before clasping his hands over Shadow's bent knee. With his arms straight, the bodyguard was hovering directly over the idol, blocking out the ceiling lights that were previously attacking his eyes. The angle of the lights made emerald eyes look a shade darker, closer to a mossy green. Yet despite the dark tones that were cast across Sonic's face, the slivers of light from behind him formed the thinnest outline to his silhouette, almost a halo around his cerulean quills. He looked... angelic.
"Just... let me know if gets too much okay?"
Suddenly becoming aware of the position they were in, Shadow felt his face heat at Sonic's words. Did he really have to phrase it like that?
"Just start," he blurted out quickly, hoping that by the time Sonic notices the redness forming across his muzzle and ears, he would just associate it with the strain of being stretched.
"Okay, okay," the bodyguard relented and started to push.
After a few moments, Shadow realized that at the rate the other is adding pressure, he wouldn't feel any stretching until next week.
"Push harder," this level of hesitation was uncharacteristic of the cocky blue hedgehog and it was pissing him off. His earlier embarrassment about their position was forgotten. "I will tell you verbally when it gets too much."
Sonic's face clouded with uncertainty before he applied some more pressure, but slowed down to nearly a stop again.
"I'm not made out of glass," Shadow snapped. "Use your fucking body weight."
"Fine!"
A significant amount of weight suddenly added onto his knee, nearly making him wheeze. Above him, Sonic's face was twisted in a mix of frustration and worry.
"Is that enough?"
"No," the idol all but grit out. He felt a crushing weight on his lungs and discomfort in his hip joints, but it wasn't enough. "More."
The bodyguard didn't hesitate this time, placing another solid amount of his body weight behind his hands.
"Perfect," Shadow felt like his femur was about to dislocate at any given moment, but he didn't care. He wasn't going to slow down his progress of learning this stupid spin dash for the sake of going gentle on himself. It was humiliating enough that it would probably take longer than a session to learn this technique.
Sonic's unease seemed to finally leave his face, replaced by a tentative smile that somehow further squeezed on Shadow's lungs despite him not feeling any added weight.
After about thirty seconds, the bodyguard let go, explaining that if they were to continue any longer it would do more harm than good. Shadow didn't argue with that since he knew that any sort of training, physical or mental, can't be done in one day. Plus, he had just been about to tell Sonic he had enough anyways. Stretching his leg back out felt like a huge relief, his joint making another popping noise.
After swapping to his other leg, Shadow learned to exhale in a way that would alleviate the pressure on his lungs and allow his leg to stretch a bit further.
By this point, any previous concern on Sonic's face was replaced with a radiant beam, "Feeling the burn?"
The idol closed his eyes at the sight of the other's grin, and decided to give a small smirk of his own, "Mhm."
Having closed his eyes, he missed the way Sonic's eyes widened in an extremely belated realization (the one that Shadow had now forgotten about as he focused on the strain of his muscles) of how questionable the position they were in was, and more particularly, how downright suggestive their conversation had sounded out of context.
Suddenly the weight on his leg disappeared, and Shadow opened his eyes to see his bodyguard standing a surprising distance away, and even weirder, facing away from him.
"That was only twenty-seven seconds." Shadow pointed out as he watched the other walk towards the stool to pick up his water bottle.
"Three second difference doesn't matter," Sonic still wasn't facing him as he took a swig from the bottle. "You did good! Are you up for trying it out one more time?"
Shadow nodded before realizing that the idiot was still looking away from him while he took his sweet time capping his bottle, so he spoke aloud, "Yes."
He tried tucking himself as tightly as he could, and felt pleased at how much easier this attempt felt. His quills almost covered him all the way this time, leaving only his eyes and ears out.
He could just barely see Sonic finally turn around through his quills, the bodyguard's strangely nervous smile dropping into a look of awe.
"That's huge improvement," Shadow maintained his form as the other walked over to him, but he couldn't stop his ears from twitching when he was crouched in front of.
"Wow, I know you're like... basically a deadly one-punch hedgehog with an edgy mafia backstory, but right now you look pretty adorable."
Shadow's brain short circuited at the comment. Unable to think of a normal reaction to it, he pushed himself forwards as he unfurled to deliver a quick light shove at Sonic's chest, leading to the other losing his balance and falling backwards.
"Don't call me that," he prayed to Chaos that Sonic couldn't hear the fluster in his voice, getting up to his feet and to walk past the fallen hedgehog. How could this idiot say things like that so casually? It's no wonder Amy has developed seemingly non-platonic feelings towards him. He could only hope the imbecile wasn't leading her on.
"Mean," came the petulant response behind him as he picked up his duffle bag. "Hey, wait! You're not gonna teach me your paralysis move?"
"Next time," Shadow didn't look back as he made his way towards the gym bathroom. He suspected trying to teach Sonic the basics of Dim Mak would need a biology lesson to go with it. It would be risky to attempt rushing a session now.
He heard scrambling behind him as the hedgehog presumably got up to his feet to follow, "Is it really gonna be next time or are you just putting it off?"
Shadow couldn't help the annoyance that took over his chest at the other's skepticism. If there was one thing he despised in particular above Sonic's usual annoying comments, it was having the truth in his words doubted. He let out a sigh as he swung open the bathroom door, not bothering to hold it open for the hedgehog behind him.
"I mean what I say, though if you want to take me for someone who doesn't follow through I'm happy to oblige–"
"No, no, it's fine!" He huffed at how quickly the bodyguard backtracked on his earlier accusation, before recovering quickly again into that insufferably playful drawl of his. "Looking forward to our future lesson, Mr. Shads."
"Do you ever plan on calling me by my name?" Shadow rolled his eyes as he set his duffel bag on the counter to fish out his change of clothes and a towel. Sonic stalled to do the same, seemingly more invested in the conversation than rushing to get clean.
"Is that not your name?"
The idol whipped his head around so he could narrow his eyes at his counterpart, green eyes wide with what can only be described as mock cluelessness.
Shadow couldn't bring himself to grace the other with a response, instead turning back to the mirror as he moved to take off his shirt.
It was only when he shoved his sweat-ridden shirt into the duffle bag that he noticed the presence next to him being uncharacteristically quiet. He glanced to his side to see Sonic's eyes fixated on... his chest?... yet again with a look of fascination that made Shadow warily ask, "What?"
"It just looks so fluffy," the blue hedgehog's mind seemed to be in another place while saying this. "How do you grow that much hair there?"
"I'm just manlier than you," the idol couldn't help the smug response as he watched Sonic also begin to take off his shirt.
"That's just plain misinformation," Shadow felt his mouth start to dry as a peach belly that matched the other's arms gradually revealed itself, up until a cleanly trimmed chest came into view as the bodyguard fully got his shirt off.
"I'm fully capable of growing out my chest fur! It's pretty thick, see? I just like to keep things clean cut," Sonic pointed his nose upwards and ran a finger under it snootily. "Probably why I can run circles around you while that fluffy bra of yours slows you down."
"You're," Shadow swallowed as he noticed how strangely... plump Sonic's chest looked. The way the peach fur transitioned to blue so suddenly above his pecs only emphasized the illusion. A sudden urge to reach out and squeeze it made itself known in his mind, an intrusive thought that he quickly stomped down as he looked for a comeback. "You're not one to talk about bras with that chest of yours. You could probably wear one of Rouge's and it would fit just the same."
He turned back to the sink as he unclasped his rings, hoping his response would fluster the other into going on the defensive rather than him taking it the wrong way, but he should know by now that things rarely went his way in interactions like these.
"Really now?" Shadow caught Sonic surveying himself in the mirror, before the blue hedgehog brought his hands up to cup them below his chest in imitation of Shadow's theory. "I would be pretty sexy in one wouldn't I?"
The shit-eating grin that followed that statement as emerald eyes met ruby through the mirror reflection was intolerable. Why did he word it as if Shadow would agree?
"In what world did you come to that conclusion from what I just said?"
"I mean you can't really say something without thinking of it first. So by making that comment, that means you imagined me wearing one of Rouge's bras to an extent..."
Shadow felt his ears burn as he placed his rings on the sink with a heavy thud, firing a quick "that's not how it works, imbecile" in response before moving to slide off his shoes and the rings accompanying them. This idiot was shameless in his crude suggestions. Even Rouge had more tact when she flirted with others...
Wait. Was Sonic flirting with him?
He doesn't fully know of the bodyguard's sexuality, but he knew for a fact that he was attracted to women at least. In a few of their post-spar conversations, he had gleaned certain hints from the way that the bodyguard spoke about women.
He also mentioned a fiery tenrec he used to have a crush on back in his orphanage, but she had apparently moved away when he was 13 years old. "She hated my guts anyways," he had lamented. "Plus, I'm pretty sure she liked girls."
Though from what he has seen, despite Amy having a clear interest in him, Sonic has never made any suggestive or flirtatious comments towards her. In fact, he seemed to keep his conversations with the women of the team strictly innocent and light. The only woman Sonic seemed to occasionally make playful comments with was Rouge, though it seemed to come from the friendly dynamic they had somewhat formed after discovering their shared interest in juicy gossip. Another confirmation that his playful back-and-forth with Rouge was purely platonic was the suggestion he had overheard two days ago during dinner after the bat had expressed her preferences in men.
"You should totally meet my buddy Knuckles sometime. If you're into hunky himbos he is definitely up your alley."
Shadow decided to conclude that Sonic was simply the type to flirt as a form of humor. Rouge had a habit of doing the same if she knew the receiver of her comments wouldn't take it seriously. Sonic likely made these comments under the impression that Shadow would never in a million years take them as anything more than they are: jokes.
"So you're saying you're not imagining it right now?" Sonic seemed to be taking advantage of the fact that Shadow couldn't fully get him out of his view thanks to the mirror, puffing out his chest like a bird as he sidled up to the idol, "I'll let you squeeze it if you let me pet your chest fur–“
The idol reflexively grabbed the blue hedgehog by his head to shove him away, channeling his embarrassment into a scathing remark as he started to shimmy off his sweatpants, "How presumptuous of you to think I care for your chest. I'm not a pervert like you."
It was a flat out lie given that he had, in fact, almost instantly thought about squeezing it as soon as he saw it, but he would burn this gym to the ground before admitting that.
"Hey it's not perverted for me to wanna pet your chest fur! If you want real perversion you should look at some of the things your fans say about you–"
"So you finally looked me up on the internet," Shadow couldn't stop the smugness in his tone when he shoved his pants into the duffel bag, gaining back his confidence as he turned to face Sonic while resting a hand on his hip. He vaguely noted that the fur on the bodyguard's shoulders was indeed sparser than the rest, his eyes catching on the skin beneath it. He couldn't tell if he was imagining those markings under the cobalt fur, and he didn't want to creep closer to check lest the other notice.
"Well," now it was the bodyguard's turn to fluster, suddenly focused on taking his own shorts off rather than facing the idol. "I figured I should do it at some point to uhh... gauge just how rabid your fans could potentially be y'know? So I can protect you better..."
Pfft, he doesn't even sound convinced by his own excuse. Shadow scoffed, "Yeah, I'm sure those tween girls are a real threat to me. Wouldn't want them to orchestrate a mastermind kidnapping operation right under my bodyguard's nose."
"See, you say that as a joke," the blue hedgehog shoved his shorts into his own bag before finally turning to face the idol, "but with the way some of these fangirls were talking, I wouldn't be surprised at how desperate they'd be to get their hands on all of..."
Sonic vaguely gestured towards Shadow's body whilst adamantly keeping his gaze fixed on the idol's face. It was an awkwardly disjointed action that was strangely humorous to watch.
"...this."
They were both down to their gloves, socks, and boxers, the latter of which was a garment often deemed unnecessary by some mobians since their kind already had protective anatomy to cover their important parts. Some smaller but more opinionated groups fought against the need to wear clothes altogether, arguing that it was a human concept that was restrictive to their nature.
He would have thought that Sonic was among those more free spirited types, so to see a checkered pair sitting on that slim waist of his was a surprise, and even more so was his current aversion to looking anywhere below Shadow's face, as if he hadn't been staring at the idol's chest just moments ago. And it's not even his first time doing so, he thought back to their last spar session in Westopolis when Sonic had entered the bathroom and weirdly left without doing anything.
Who could have figured the bodyguard was unexpectedly awkward when it came to modesty in clothes?
"This," Shadow mirrored the bodyguard's gesture, amused by his discomfort, "is incapable of getting dragged into a van by a bunch of teenaged girls. Even grown men would struggle as long as they don't realize where all my extra weight is coming from."
Green irises followed where the idol was pointing until they landed on the rings, before snapping back to the ebony hedgehog's face, scrambling for further defense.
"Well, with how much they worship you, they would probably have a palanquin at hand to carry you after they tranquillize you!"
"I'm surprised you know what a palanquin is."
"Ugh, why do I bother?" Sonic turned away in a rare moment of exasperation, grabbing his fresh clothes and towel and storming over to one of the shower stalls. "Enjoy getting kidnapped by a hoard of hormone-ridden teens with no sense of inhibition!"
It was a rare moment of the tables being turned in their dynamic, though he knew Sonic wasn't actually annoyed. But he was definitely flustered to an extent, seemingly due to their partial nudity.
Grabbing his own towel, Shadow entered a stall and stripped off the rest of his undergarments.
~~~
Sonic was happy he made less of a fool of himself this time.
Not only could he formulate actual sentences, but his cognitive functions worked well enough for him to partake in banter too! He gave himself a mental pat on the back for his improved reaction to the idol's body, even with the additional challenge of watching him strip down to his boxers this time.
Shadow was surprisingly comfortable with nudity for someone who would fluster whenever Sonic suddenly entered his space. Maybe he really was an asexual like the media guessed. Either that or the idol's mind and hormones are just squeaky clean and under control, which he wouldn't be surprised about given how the guy seemed to be the epitome of self-discipline. He didn't even stutter at Sonic's offer about squeezing his chest!
Which was a joke by the way, in case any invisible listeners who happened to be in the bathroom with them thought otherwise.
He hummed as he closed the tap, pulling the towel off the side of the stall to give himself a quick rub down. He mainly focused on drying his hands and feet first so he could put his gloves and socks on. Once his fur could be more closely described as damp rather than sopping wet, he wrapped the towel around the waist before exiting the stall.
He could still hear the water running from Shadow's stall, so he took the chance to better dry the lower half of his body so he could slip his fresh pairs of boxers and pants on before the other finished his shower.
Another advantage to his trimmed chest fur was that it dried incredibly quickly, and he let that thought be known as soon as Shadow walked out of his stall.
"See how easy it is to dry short chest fur?" Sonic only gulped at the sight of a damp Shadow with a towel around his waist. See? Improvement. "If we ever had a 'getting ready' competition I'd beat you at that too."
All that was left to dry were his quills, which were admittedly more time consuming to deal with than the rest of his body. It didn't help that their length made them more difficult to detangle as well.
It seemed Shadow had the same thing in mind as fuel for his comeback, voice dripping with sarcasm as he approached his duffel bag, "And those quills of yours totally don't take twice the amount of time to take care of as mine do."
Sonic really should keep his mouth shut if he was going to constantly leave himself open to comebacks so easily. He couldn't think of a logical counter argument, so he went for a snooty diversion.
"You're just jealous you don't have such long and luscious quills," he ran his fingers through them with exaggerated motions to make a point. "Plus, the chicks dig it."
Sonic just barely caught wind of Shadow muttering an annoyed "clearly" under his breath, but before he could ask what he meant, the idol pulled out a hairdryer from his bag.
"Wait, you've got a hairdryer with you? You didn't have that last time, did you?"
"I didn't," Shadow confirmed as he plugged the appliance into the socket perpendicular to the mirror. "I just figured if this would be a regular thing then I may as well make it more efficient."
"Hm, our spars are a 'regular thing' now?" Sonic wasn't really implying anything by it as he placed a hand on the counter, leaning into the idol's space as he switched on the dryer. He was just hoping to get an admission of sorts that the idol enjoyed their arrangement that was no longer tied by a deal.
"What the hell else would they be?"
Yeah, he should've figured it would take more to achieve something like that.
His mind shifted as he watched water droplets sweep off of red-streaked quills, scattered by the gusts of hot air flowing from the hairdryer. Even while weighed down, the quills on the sides of Shadow's head jutted upwards at their ends. It was among the many features of the other that Sonic had once thought was intentional, but to his disbelief, turned out to be natural. Everything about the idol screamed dangerous and badass, and the coolest thing was that he didn't even have to do anything to look that way.
Well, minus the white chest fur that was currently rising to its former, fluffy glory, the strong air revealing glimpses of the soft pink skin underneath–
"What do you want?"
Sonic blinked as he realized Shadow had clicked his dryer off to question his unmoving, still-leaning-on-the-counter state. He was supposed to be drying his quills that were literally just established to be more time-consuming than the idol's to take care of.
"I uhh," he pointed at the hairdryer as he floundered for an answer. And just when he thought he was doing well with the whole 'don't make it obvious you find this guy incredibly attractive' thing...
But to his surprise, he didn't need to think of anything to say, because Shadow just sighed as he brought up a finger and circled it.
"Turn around."
Confused but thankful for the escape from having to explain himself, he wordlessly turned his back to the other. He ended up releasing a breath he didn't even know he was holding when the hairdryer switched back on behind him and he began to feel warm air blow between his quills.
What the actual fuck?
Shadow not only assumed Sonic wanted to dry his quills with his hairdryer, but decided to freaking do it for him rather than just handing him the dryer! Was Sonic absolutely flabbergasted by this thought and action process? Yes. Was he going to take complete advantage of it? Also yes.
He could feel the other's hand gently shifting his quills around to get the water out of the nooks and crannies between them. It was methodical as ever, no more contact than necessary, but he'd take what he could from someone like Shadow. He couldn't recall a time the idol had ever initiated physical contact... or at least contact that wasn't violent. Maybe he could try and turn this into a post spar habit.
After the hands lifted his lower quills to reveal the back of his neck and the pair of quill clusters below them, he felt a pause in the movement behind him.
Shit, surely his vision wasn't that good, right? Surely he doesn't naturally search for details in everything he looks at, right? He really didn't think it was noticeable. If Tails hasn't noticed all these years then–
The drying resumed, and Sonic needed to manifest everything within his power not to visibly show his relief.
Everything was fine.
A minute later, the hairdryer finally clicked off, and Sonic tried to whirl around at a slow enough speed to not look as shaken as he felt.
"Uhh, thanks," his hands felt stiff as he avoided bringing them up to his shoulders lest he draw attention to them. He really wasn't in the mood to explain things if Shadow had noticed them.
"Don't mention it," ruby irises were as intense as ever. The sharpness in his gaze made it hard to believe that Shadow didn't actually notice anything, but ignorance is bliss. Sonic would just assume the scarily observant idol wasn't all that observant.
He quickly threw on his shirt as he tried to think of a conversation change. He ran a hand through his quills and winced when his fingers caught on a knot. He made a mental note to bring his brush with him next time.
"So," he figured that if there's one thing that always grabs Shadow's attention, it's the mention of a challenge, "when are we having that board game competition of ours?"
"Hmph," the ebony hedgehog slipped on his own shirt. "Since you idiotically suggested an activity that often needs more than two people to play, you'd have to wait until the next time most of our team finds a gap in our busy schedule, which wouldn't be until sometime next week."
"I'm fine with that," he didn't mind waiting for the day he would crush Shadow at Charades and Pictionary. "And what about rollerskating?"
Shadow zipped up his duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder. Sonic mirrored his actions and followed behind him as they exited the bathroom. "I know a good roller rink in New Yoke. We can find a time for it when we get there."
"You know a rink in a city you don't live in?" Sonic still felt bitter that he chose such an impossible activity. "Just how much do you skate exactly?"
"Enough to crush you at it," he could hear the smirk from his response. The idol really had no shame about exploiting a skill gap, did he?
"Would have thought you had the balls to pick something that might be more of a challenge for you."
"That's what the shooting activity is for, isn't it?" Shadow didn't bother acknowledging the human at the front desk, who seemed to be on the brink of sleep, before leaving the gym. "You told me to choose an activity I thought I would beat you at, so I did. What's the problem?"
"The problem," Sonic followed him out the door of the building, "is that you're a fake."
He hadn't expected the sudden halt in stride in front of him, so he ended up crashing into a back full of quills.
He didn't even get the chance to voice his pain about the stray quill that poked into his muzzle before he felt his body being pulled forward.
"Who the fuck are you calling a fake?"
And to think he thought Shadow's days of being unnecessarily aggressive towards him were behind them now. Sonic couldn't help the instinctive eye roll as he doubled down, "Me, who else? Choosing a skill that you know I would never be able to afford learning is a cowardly thing to do, don't ya think?"
It was an accusation he may had thought twice about making if the idol still had his gun, but he didn't. Plus, they were technically out in public, even if the street was just about empty (minus the zebra across the street holding a camera up to them) so he was feeling pretty brave. Shadow was nose-to-nose with him as he snarled. Sonic would have been flustered by the proximity if he didn't feel like the other might bite his face off at any moment.
"I could choose a hundred affordable activities that I can best you at just as easily, yet you call me a coward for simply picking one that I enjoy? If anyone's a fake it would be you."
"Oh really?" Sonic met the fierce glare with cocky grin. As if he'd let Shadow turn this against him. "How so?"
"You're complaining so much about my choice of activity because you're not even sure if you'll win yours."
"Ahah!" He grabbed the idol's wrist to loosen the grip on his shirt. "That's because unlike you, I was considerate enough to pick an activity that's beginner friendly, and thus would be enjoyable even when you bite my dust in it! So unfortunately, you're still the faker here."
"Don't be so sure that I'll be biting your dust in these games of yours that are half-based on luck. If I win, we wouldn't even have to do the other two challenges. You'd be the guaranteed faker, losing at your own game."
Shadow had finally let go of Sonic's shirt to walk away. How familiar, Sonic grinned as he quickly caught up and leant an elbow on the idol's shoulder.
"But when I win at the board games and shooting despite you picking a guaranteed win like a total sweat, that would make you the ultimate faker~"
~~~
The zebra quirked a brow as she snapped her photos. This is what their director thought would become some sort of love story? They were almost literally at each other's throats! She shook her head as whatever argument that took place between the two hedgehogs finally de-escalated, and snapped one last photo of the bodyguard as he leant an elbow on the idol and somehow the idol didn't shove him off despite their altercation just moments ago. What a weird dynamic.
She could only blink in time with her camera when the blue hedgehog turned his head to face the camera and winked.
He knew she was there?
She dropped her camera in shock and just barely caught it on time as footsteps approached behind her.
"You get any good shots?"
"He... saw me," she all but mumbled her words, still processing the uncanny realization that the bodyguard was aware of her presence for who knows how long.
She scrambled to check through her camera until she could find her most recently captured photo.
"Look," she showed the image to the quokka assigned to supervise her. It's not safe for her to gather material alone this late at night after all.
"Dear Chaos that's creepy," the quokka furrowed his brows. "We're gonna need to get better at hiding while we take photos. Maybe we can find some moments between them in the daylight with other people around to cover us up."
She couldn't bring herself to focus on his words as she stared at those eyes that seemed to exactly locate the lens of the camera, emerald irises almost glowing despite the little light provided by the lamppost behind him.
"That is some bodyguard."
A FANTASTIC piece of art below detailing Sonic’s fit from Ch. 6 and Shadow’s from Ch. 10!! THANK U yourAngel_o YOU ARE THE GOAT 🐐 🫶🫶:
Notes:
Artist Ao3 tag: yourAngel_o
Twitter tag: @yourAngel_oHooo boy 🔥💥 Jealous Shadow arc is gonna hit nicely
Also I HAD to mention Sonic’s chest after the memes about Rouge’s chest reduction being transferred to him by SEGA AHAHAWOULD YALL BELIEVE ME if I said I didn’t realise how suggestive their convo while stretching was until AFTER I wrote it?? So I figured if I didn’t notice it then Sonic’s oblivious ass would take a while and Shadow would be too focused on the pain 💀
ALSO I FINALLY FOUND A CONTEXT FOR THEM TO CALL EACH OTHER FAKER YAYAY
Chapter 13: Damsel in Distress
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
A firm grip on his shoulder.
"You cannot keep using passive techniques Little Blue."
The teen understood the seriousness in his manager's voice, but still...
"It doesn't feel right to hurt them more than I need to! I can't..."
His fists were clenched in frustration as he looked down. He was reaching a slump in his performance, just barely winning his most recent match by a hair. He ended up sporting a lot of cuts and bruises, his neck especially sore as his latest opponent attempted to outright asphyxiate him out of a win.
A hand gently grasped his chin to pull his face upwards, forcing him to meet almost radioactively green eyes peering into him with an unreadable emotion.
"Look what they've done to your neck," the hand on his shoulder loosened its grip to flutter over the bruising. "You think they would hesitate to do worse? Some of them can and will kill you in their violence. You cannot keep giving them the foothold to do so."
The teen held back a wince as a finger landed on a particularly sore part of his neck, and forced on grin instead. He can't show weakness, not because he's scared to but... he wants to make his manager proud.
"They're not getting any footholds on me, don't worry!"
He thought that was the end of it. His manager would be reassured and let him fight the way he always does.
But instead the hand that was lightly touching his bruise dropped back down to his shoulder and tightened again, this time to an uncomfortable degree.
"Sonic," those bloodshot eyes felt unbelievably cold, almost inducing a shiver into the younger hedgehog. His manager never used his name like that unless he was really serious. "I feel that you are... stunting your growth. You cannot fight the same opponents forever. Your matches will continue to become more difficult and if you continue to limit yourself..."
The teen tried not to whimper at the severity of his manager's grip. He wanted to call attention to it, to grab the offending wrist, anything. But he couldn't bring himself to do anything other than listen silently to the uncharacteristic intensity in the older hedgehog's voice.
"You may get hurt gravely enough that you wouldn't be able to protect the ones you love."
The teen's breath hitched. He was right. He couldn't risk gaining an irreversible injury. What would happen if he couldn't protect the fox he'd taken under his wing? He knew they weren't brothers by blood but... he'd become so attached, and the fox likely felt the same.
He initially got into the fighting scene for extra money that would keep him afloat for when he inevitably got kicked out of the orphanage at 18. He knew his chances of getting adopted before then were nonexistent. The fox still had a chance but until he found a family that deserved such a brilliant mind and heart... he needed to protect and take care of him. He couldn't leave him behind, not if he could help it.
He was being reckless and his manager was simply helping him realize that.
"Okay," the younger hedgehog breathed out. "I'll... try to be a bit more aggressive."
The loosening of the grip on his shoulder once more made the teen suck air through his teeth as he resisted bringing up a hand to nurse his shoulder, but the older hedgehog didn't seem to notice the damage he'd caused. Maybe he was just unaware of his own strength?
"As much as I understand your... selfless ideals... you have to be more efficient Little Blue, even if it means shedding a little blood. I don't want you to be unnecessarily hurt if your opponent is more bloodthirsty in their approach."
He doesn't want him... to be hurt?
"I get it Meph," the little blue hedgehog beamed. "I might pull out some scratching and biting next time before they can hurt me."
The older hedgehog's face was unreadable as ever, but the corners of his mouth tilted upwards a fraction as he let go of the teen's shoulder to pat his head, rubbing a thumb through the fur on his forehead. It was a type of affection the younger hedgehog would show towards the fox. Did that mean his manager viewed him as a younger brother of sorts? Or...
"Good, now come. Let's take care of that bruise of yours so your brother doesn't worry when you return."
Sonic was trying his best not to tap his foot.
He had felt restless since waking up, a jittery feeling settling into his bones and stayed well into breakfast. After eating, he was told that he would be accompanying Shadow and Rouge to a meet-and-greet event.
It was apparently some kind of pop music convention for people to share their love for songs and meet their favorite artists. The closest experience Sonic had to compare to was a science convention Tails had dragged him to last year.
Granted, the energy of that science convention felt like more of a calm buzz whereas this one felt more charged.
One notable difference was the sheer bulk of security staff. At the science convention, an event in which the large majority of attendees are just nerds, he recalled being able to count the number security guards stationed throughout the whole venue on one hand.
At this venue however, security seemed to be much more prominent, with the number of guards seeming to be most densely packed at the activities that involved interacting with artists, such as the Q&A panels and meet-and-greet tables.
It wasn't nearly as quiet as the science convention either, no. It was only the first half-an-hour of the event yet the floor was already bustling with life, laughter and giggles jumping about in the air. In a nearby photo zone, he caught two human boys yelling at each over what pose they should make. Over by the merch booths and tech demos, a group of young mobian girls seemed to be practicing some sort of dance routine.
He walked side by side with Shadow.
The ebony hedgehog had pulled his hood up, mask tight over his face, black windbreaker zipped high. To most, he'd just look like another stylized con-goer dressed in idol fashion. Rouge said she would meet them at the table since her walking along with them would only further increase the chances of Shadow getting recognized.
So far, thanks to Shadow's disguise as well as the lessened number of attendees this early into the event, there haven't been any problems as they crossed the convention floor.
He couldn't say the same for another idol who had a much more difficult time disguising his quills.
A shriek sounded out in the distance, Sonic jumping at the worry that it was Shadow who got recognized, but as he located the source of the noise, he quickly spotted a group of human and mobian girls alike flocking around what was presumably another idol.
As they passed by closer to the commotion, he tried to search for the source of the teenagers' attention as he asked Shadow, "Should we help them?"
"It'll only drag more attention to ourselves if we do. Security staff will come if it becomes a problem, so just leave it."
"Right," he answered his counterpart's logical argument absentmindedly. Whoever that other idol was, the girls seemed to have him fully surrounded now.
Then between two shorter mobian girls, he caught a glimpse of long white quills.
"Wait, is that who I think it is?" He couldn't help subconsciously straying from his path as he tried to get a better look.
"You're supposed to be following me you imbecile," Shadow muttered under his breath. Sonic just barely caught his words in his distraction.
"Yeah but we're kinda early anyways right? Your meet-and-greet doesn't start for anoth–"
He couldn't focus on finishing his sentence when he saw a lamb throwing her arms around the mystery idol. He caught amber eyes looking around anxiously as the idol tried to gently push her away, but she continued to cling to him with no respect for his obvious discomfort.
Sonic was already moving.
"Let go of him." Calm and even, no matter how annoyed he was at the girl's complete disregard for Silver's boundaries.
The girl didn't react at first. She just kept squealing, face pressed near the idol's shoulder.
Seriously? What's with this level of entitlement? Another wave of irritation passed through him as he moved a hand to clamp firmly on the lamb's upper arm. Not rough. Not enough to hurt, but full of intention.
"I said off."
She looked up, startled now, and her grip slipped. That was all he needed.
Sonic slid between them like a wall rising, guiding the ivory hedgehog back with one arm, placing his body fully in the girl's line of vision.
"Back up. Now."
A few fans had their phones up. He clocked them but didn't flinch. His tone didn't rise.
One of the other girls tried to apologize, breathless. "We didn't know! It's just... can we get a photo?"
"Nope."
"But–"
"He's not available right now. Move."
Security staff were already arriving from the nearest booth exit, alerted by the spike in noise. They took it from there, guiding the crowd gently but firmly back behind the barrier line forming from nowhere.
Sonic quickly looked to where he last saw Shadow behind him and let out a breath of relief when he found him standing a distance away, not yet recognized since everyone's attention was on Silver. But the glower on his face hinted at him being pretty pissed, and Sonic had a pretty good idea as to why.
"Didn't expect to see you again so soon!"
He looked back at the white hedgehog before him, who seemed slightly shaken by the encounter but was smiling nonetheless.
"Blaze told me I should consider getting a bodyguard," he brought a finger to the side of his muzzle sheepishly. "I didn't see the need to at first but I think I get it now."
Sonic tried to ignore the rubies he could feel glaring holes into his head as he answered, "Yeah, it really helps to have someone to deal with these more entitled fans, especially in events like this where there aren't any back entrances for the celebrities."
"I really appreciate it," the white hedgehog's earlier anxiety seemed to be forgotten as his smile widened. "So what brings you here?"
"I'm guarding that grump over there," he pointed in the direction of Shadow without looking, afraid to make eye contact with the seething hedgehog as he explained, "but I saw that you needed help so I figured I'd jump in since his disguise is pretty good."
"Uhh, what grump?"
Sonic snapped his head back to where Shadow was supposed to be only to find the space empty.
"Oh, chaos," his eyes flitted around in a panic as he looked for the hooded figure. A moment later he spotted Shadow's silhouette moving towards a sparsely populated corridor.
"Sorry I gotta catch him," he refused to take his eyes off the figure lest he lose him again. "Meet-and-greet tables are that way!"
He didn't wait for Silver to respond as he dashed off, running as fast as he could across the convention floor without attracting unnecessary attention.
"Sha– er," he realized shouting out his name would be the worst thing he could possibly do while other people were still unsuspecting to the incognito idol. "Wait up!"
Shadow refused to turn around to acknowledge him but didn't quicken his pace, allowing Sonic to catch up to him with ease.
"Listen man, I'm sorry–"
"Some bodyguard you are."
Sonic ignored the pang of guilt he felt at the bitterness in idol's words as he tried to keep the frustration out of his own.
"Well I can't just watch someone have their boundaries overstepped and not help them!"
"You don't get paid to protect other people, you get paid to protect me," Shadow spoke lowly as they passed a nearby couple. "What you did was technically a breach of contract."
Sonic didn't panic at the mention of the contract. He knew there were several things they had already done that breached it, but then why was Shadow bringing it up now?
"Since when did you care about the contract? And since when did you worry about being left alone for a minute when you've been all 'I can handle myself' since we first met?"
Sonic could see Shadow's jaw tick at the overly deep and raspy impression of him, but the idol didn't make a comment on it, clearly not wanting the conversation to be diverted.
"I can handle myself in a fight against grown men, yes. But in that timespan you left me, if a fan had recognized me thrown themselves around me, then I would be stuck in the same scenario as your little damsel in distress, only my dumbass bodyguard is too busy protecting people that aren't his client to help me."
"Didn't you say you're not scared of teenaged girls just a few days ago?! And damsel in distress–" Sonic's automated rebuttal came to a stop as the gears turned in his head. Could Shadow be particularly pissed about this because...
"Wait, are you jealous?"
"Am I what?" That stopped the idol in his tracks as he turned to Sonic with the most incredulous look on his face. The widened eyes, furrowed brows, wrinkled nose and slightest lift of the ebony hedgehog's upper lip to display sheer bafflement, all combined to make a comedic display that nearly made Sonic laugh due to it being such a contrast to Shadow's usual poker face.
Quickly surveying his surroundings, Sonic wasn't sure what they were doing in this almost empty corridor. There was a bathroom around the corner that he assumed was Shadow's destination, but it seemed to be forgotten in the idol's unadulterated shock at his accusation.
"Y'know," emboldened by the break in Shadow's anger, he leaned closer to his counterpart in hopes of adding to his fluster, lowering his voice as though he was about to impart a secret. "You're mad the first time I got the chance to be useful was when protecting someone else, but don't worry Shads, someday I'll be your knight in shining ar– OW!"
He yelped at the sensation of his ear suddenly being grabbed, the pain only worsening when he was tugged towards the other, forced to duck his head as a low voice snarled.
"You jumping to those stupid conclusions of yours doesn't change the fact that you essentially abandoned your duty. Do your damn job."
Sonic couldn't stop the light shiver that traveled down his spine as Shadow's breath tickled his ear. Was he messed up for finding this hot? Probably.
His ear was released just as fast as it was grabbed, allowing him to straighten his posture again as he rubbed his ear. He knew the last thing he should be doing right now is further test the idol's patience, but he couldn't help it, "Sheesh, so violent. Y'know what you just did now is also a breach of contract, right?"
Shadow didn't seem the least bit apologetic as he walked off again, "Then I guess we're even now."
Sonic grinned as he followed close behind, "I'll make it up to you, I promise."
And that led him to the present, trying really hard not to tap his foot as he waited for said opportunity to appear.
The meet-and-greet had been going for nearly an hour, and the Shadow's sharp-lined smile hadn't slipped once.
Sonic stood just off the table's corner, arms loose at his sides, half-shadowed by the curtain backdrop. Not too close, since he didn't want to crowd the photos or the fans, but close enough to see the tension in the idol's fingers when he signed his name a little too hard. Rouge was stationed further to his side, supervising the exchanges with seemingly halfhearted effort now that Shadow had a bodyguard to watch over him.
When he made a comment about not expecting the idol to be the type to partake in a meet-and-greet, Shadow had told to him that it was an inevitable part of being an idol, along with fan-signings, social media engagement, and interviews. He continued to explain that usually fan-signings and meet-and-greets occurred right before or after performances, but Rouge understood his difficulty with fan interaction enough to space out his events so that he doesn't get overwhelmed. The bat apparently handled all the social media as well, taking photos and videos behind-the-scenes wherever possible and captioning them herself.
It was really sweet of Rouge, Sonic noted. Her and Shadow's friendship seemed to run deeper than the surface. He recalled asking how the idol had met Rouge and getting a somewhat vague response that added to his suspicion.
"We ran in similar circles when we were younger, and we both weren't happy about where we were in life, so we did something about it. Rouge being money-savvy helped a lot."
Could Rouge have been involved in the mafia too? It also raised the question of what level of involvement they had, as well as what position they held. He doubted Shadow was just some low-level grunt with the skills that he had. And that fancy paralysis technique looked like a rare martial art that probably wasn't taught freely. With how precise his fighting style is, as well as how competent he seemed to be with that pistol when they first met, could he have been an assassin of sorts?
Would that mean he's killed people before?
Shaking his thoughts away, he tried his best to keep his mind from wandering again as he scanned the line. So far nothing was out of place.
He watched Shadow, the ebony hedgehog dressed in a simple all black outfit of a V-cut top, denim jeans, and a leather jacket no longer covered by that bulky windbreaker he was previously wearing to disguise himself. He sat behind the velvet-draped table, posture straight, fingers stained faintly with ink from signing the same glossy posters over and over. Sonic felt a tinge of pity for the idol. He couldn't imagine repeating such a tedious process without his hand going numb, and that was assuming he didn't cry tears from the boredom first.
But at least Shadow seemed to be dealing with it like a champ, even if his smile seemed to occasionally waver from the exhaustion of having to hold it up for so long. If there's one set of muscles that edge lord doesn't seem to have trained to perfection, it would be his cheek muscles, he thought amusedly.
Every fan approached with a different sort of nervous energy. Some babbled, some cried, some only managed wide-eyed silence, but Shadow met each one with the same soft nod, a murmur of "Thank you for coming," and a signature that curved perfectly, like it hadn't been written a hundred times already.
The staff gave a gentle cue for the next fan.
A white cat who looked to be in her late teens stepped forward, starry-eyed and swaying slightly in place. Sonic felt something off about her as she sat down and shook his hand a bit too eagerly before she let go and leaned in a beat too long. Her smile was a little too hungry.
The words didn't carry far. They were only a soft murmur over the table, but he caught the end of her sentence as she spoke almost breathlessly.
"It's so hot when you don't smile~"
Oh hell no.
He took a step forward instinctively, before remembering that, unless the fan is making a threat or touching him while saying such a thing, he cannot physically intervene. That girl waited until the handshake ended to make the comment, and no matter how disturbing the implications of the comment are, it didn't classify as a threat.
The cat's eyes flicked to him at the movement, but she seemed unfazed. She seemed familiar with how bodyguards can legally operate.
Sonic's muscles were taut as he waited for the girl to make the slightest movement towards Shadow, anything that would give him an excuse to jump in and make that disgustingly creepy smile of hers drop. But the girl held her position, not leaning any further forwards, but not moving backwards either despite Sonic's warning, as if to mock him.
She knew exactly what she was doing, teetering the line of inappropriateness but not crossing it.
Sonic had the urge to intervene anyways, to hell with the bodyguard rule book.
But his eyes flicked to Shadow as he carefully set his pen down and hovered an open palm behind the table, like he read Sonic's mind as he subtly signaled him to stop. Sonic could only look back at Shadow's face as the idol crossed his hands over the poster he finished signing, watching for any shift in his demeanor.
And there it was. The almost imperceptible stillness; that flicker of something cold and restrained behind the idol's expression.
The idol's reply was quiet, controlled, and classically Shadow.
"I'm glad the music reaches you," he said, voice almost as quiet as the fan's but loud enough for Sonic to properly hear him. "But it's still a performance in the end. Don't confuse it with pain I didn't offer you."
It landed with a kind of softness that cut sharper than shouting ever could.
The fan blinked, seemingly a little thrown by how leveled and composed Shadow's response was. Her time was up, and the staff moved in with quiet, practiced efficiency. One touched the fan's shoulder and gestured her along, no scene, no fuss. She hesitated, her mouth parted like she meant to say something, but Shadow's eyes were already down, signing the next poster for the person now approaching the table. Sonic held back a smug huff at how lost she looked at the fact that Shadow didn't react the way that she wanted. Serves her right.
Smooth and practiced, she was guided away like nothing had happened. But Sonic was already clocking her face, her voice, and any other identifying detail about her as she made her exit.
Sonic made another step forward to catch Shadow's eye. He didn't say anything, no matter how much he wanted to ask about how the other was feeling; he would save the blabber for later. But in the meantime, he gave a small nod to the idol, with just enough weight behind it for Shadow to understand it as a simple 'Are you alright?'.
As expected, the idol didn't nod back or speak. He simply picked up the next poster and signed it without looking up.
But from the side of his face, Sonic spotted the tiniest curl of the corner of his lip, the ghost of a smile unseen by the fans in front of him.
Maybe Sonic was misinterpreting it, maybe he hallucinated that smile altogether. But it took everything within his power to hold back a grin.
It seemed his tail didn't get the memo about acting stoic, moving side to side happily behind him, but he didn't bother stopping it since the curtain backdrop was right behind him, so there was no one that could really see the wagging from their angle...
Except for Rouge of course, who had snapped out of examining her nails to observe the tense exchange with renewed interest, and was now quirking a brow amusedly at the frantic movement that betrayed Sonic's straight face.
She truly made the right choice.
~~~
"So," Sonic asked later in the day as they walked through the hotel corridor. "How would you rate my body-guarding today outta 10?"
"Hmph," he couldn't see Shadow's face as he walked behind him, but he could sense an eye roll happening as he spoke. "You didn't really do much."
He knew the idol was just refusing to say what he wanted to hear, but he still felt the urge to argue, "I was ready to do much! It's just that you didn't let me intervene when that cat came up!"
"If I hadn't stopped you, you would have crossed the line of your legal obligations, and thus potentially gotten sued, making your performance a 0/10."
"Okay, but," he decided to walk up side by side with the idol. It's not like anyone was behind them anyways on this empty floor. "That psycho totally knew what she was doing, toeing the line like that. She's probably done this to other celebrities too! Her audacity seriously pissed me off."
"And I handled her just fine," Shadow reached his door, but didn't make a move to open it yet as he turned to face Sonic. Despite his current disagreement, he didn't seem at all disappointed or annoyed, his eyes instead glimmering with something akin to amusement. "And you did the most you could possibly do, which was to clarify your presence to her."
"So," Sonic placed a hand on his hip restlessly. "What's my rating?"
"There is no rating since you didn't do anything."
"Oh c'mon!" He wanted anything, any admission to confirm the smile he thought he saw earlier. "Just my intentions at least!"
Shadow quirked a brow at this, "Your intentions to break the law and potentially get into a lawsuit?"
Sonic narrowed his eyes at the idol, there was no way he wasn't being purposefully stubborn at this point. He still hasn't made a move to open his door, he noted, seemingly waiting for a response.
"Alright," he brought his palms up to fake concede. "What about the principle of it?"
Shadow crossed his arms at this as he cocked his head to the side, "What do you mean by that?"
That was when Sonic took the chance to lean into his space, not taking a step forwards, but simply tilting his upper body towards the idol as he analyzed those ruby irises, ever so secretive as they were.
"Wouldn't I technically be an extra good bodyguard if I'm willing to break the law to make you feel safe?"
An unknown emotion flashed in Shadow's eyes, something that resembled how a child looked after being caught doing something bad by their parents. Not that Sonic could really relate to that, but he supposed back then he noticed the matron inciting similar enough expressions on other orphans' faces.
Still, Shadow stuck to his stubborn narrative as he looked away with a huff, "Not if it costs me the inconvenience of having to drag you out of a lawsuit."
Sonic's head followed so he could stay in the idol's vision, refusing to let him avoid the goal of the conversation, "So you didn't feel anything at all at the fact that I was so ready to step in?"
Shadow's ear flicked as he went silent for a moment before unexpectedly shoving a palm into Sonic's chest, forcing him to flail his arms to keep balance.
Sonic didn't get the chance to speak as the idol opened his door and muttered a quick "piss off hedgehog" before snapping it shut behind him. He blinked as he stared at the door for a moment.
Then a grin climbed onto his face. He supposed that was enough of an answer.
~~~
The room was quiet, save for the faint tick of an old clock mounted just above the bookshelves.
He sat behind a broad mahogany desk, the wood lined with deep scars and rich polish. The overhead bulb was off. Only the slant of late-afternoon sun poured through the half-drawn blinds, casting stripes of pale gold over red-tipped quills that were beginning to grey with age.
In his hands lay a photo with no frame, its edges worn soft with time. He held it like something that could still bruise if you touched it wrong.
Her smile in the picture was small, bordering on playful as her yellow eyes crinkled the slightest bit. Her charcoal grey quills gleamed in the sunlight, a contrast to the ivory fur that speckled her face and neck. The patterns were irregular and organic, bearing resemblance to a Dalmatian's coat.
He stared at it in thoughtful silence.
The rest of the room was neat, but lived-in. Leather armchairs by the fireplace, unlit. A bar cart in the corner, a half-empty bottle of scotch and a single glass already poured. A dusty piano sat against the far wall, unplayed in years.
A heavy knock broke the silence. Two raps. Firm, but not rushed.
He didn't look up.
"Come."
The door creaked open, and soft steps followed. In came a young hedgehog sporting that same shade of charcoal grey, but lined with red stripes. He was too symmetrical, too geometrically prefect like himself. Nothing could mimic the woman in the photo. Not her imperfections, nor her soft smile.
"Father."
The younger hedgehog was not fearful, but simply reverent. The boss stayed seated, thumb drifting slowly across the edge of the photo. He gave a small nod of acknowledgement for the younger to speak.
"He will be arriving to Central City on the 29th of September."
The older hedgehog tapped a single finger on the desk, waiting for the rest of the information.
"He hired a bodyguard."
He scoffed, "A bodyguard? His insolence truly knows no bounds."
The younger hedgehog wordlessly stepped forward to reveal the file in his hands. The boss quickly, but gingerly placed the photo face down to his side before accepting the file.
It was only a few photos from the media, probably small in number due to the news not being particularly interesting. He leaned closer as he surveyed the mobian these images, bright blue quills and emerald eyes that almost seemed to glow under the sunlight.
"Another hedgehog," he observed with interest. Most bodyguards tended to be of naturally larger and bulkier species such as bears or tigers. For his son to hire such a scrawny bright-eyed hedgehog was a peculiar choice.
"He looks hardly qualified to protect him against anything beyond those teenaged fans of his."
"Apparently, Rouge was the one to hire him."
"That makes much more sense," he narrowed his eyes in distaste at the name. "That bat knows nothing of combat competence."
The younger hedgehog said nothing in response to his comment as he closed the file and lifted it up towards him.
"We will still reach out to him when he arrives. I doubt this scrawny hedgehog will be able to do anything to stop it."
The younger hedgehog accepted the file swiftly and nodded. He strode back to the door but hesitated before opening it.
"Father."
The older finally looked up at him, red eyes staring into yellow ones with impatience. Even the shade of yellow didn't perfectly match the irises in his photo.
"If he were to... continue avoiding the business then–"
"He cannot," the boss snapped, knowing where the conversation was going. "He will return eventually, willingly or not."
The younger hedgehog broke eye contact first as he bowed lightly, hiding his fists clenched over the file behind him.
"Understood," was all he said before taking his exit.
The Don sighed as he leaned back into his seat. He glanced at the down-turned photo to his side but resisted the urge to pick it up once more. He had work to do.
Shifting onto his feet, he made his way to the door as he mentally prepared for the day, but not before looking back at his desk, a smallest hint of melancholy clouding his face.
He would not let what's left of her fall through his hands, no matter what.
Notes:
GUYS LOOK LOOK!! BEAUTIFUL ART BY @neiksie_alt https://x.com/neiksie_alt/status/1927267850437153210?s=46
Posting this chapter after a 16 hour flight :DDDD sorray for any mistakes in advance
This was mainly a past/present plans chapter BUT NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE PURE BOARD GAME SHENANIGANS YAYAYAY
Chapter 14: Game Night
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The day for the first challenge came sooner than Shadow liked.
It wasn't so much that he was afraid to lose the challenge or disliked board games, but rather, he disliked the chaos that came with them. He enjoyed playing the occasional game of cards or chess, but party games that needed multiple players invited a different kind of rowdiness that Shadow wasn't sure he could tolerate.
He left it up to Sonic to decide how many people he wanted to involve in the activity since he would be the one asking (Shadow knew he would be looked at like he grew a second head if he suggested a party game night to his team), but he silently hoped that most of his team would say they're too busy or simply not be interested.
Of course, as usual, nothing goes his way.
Amy, Honey, and Tangle eagerly agreed to the idea. Whisper also joined the sentiment but more shyly, explaining that she was happy to be a spectator. Shadow knew that the wolf's feelings towards high-energy activities mirrored his own to an extent, except hers came from struggling with her quiet and withdrawn nature, whereas Shadow simply found unnecessary excitement to be obnoxious. He respected her calm demeanor, and had actually played a few games of chess against her since hiring her.
Vanilla had agreed with Cream under the condition that there be no alcohol involved, which Sonic surprisingly agreed to. He would have thought the bodyguard would jump at the chance to turn the challenge into a drinking game. Maybe he took the challenge seriously enough he wanted to go at it sober. Hmph, he must be scared that he would lose.
And finally Rouge, who not only accepted Sonic's idea with a smile that looked a bit too mischievous for Shadow's liking, but even offered to be in charge of renting the board games herself. The bat never took the initiative to help prepare for hangouts, often showing up almost disrespectfully late nine times out of ten. Something was up, but Shadow knew there was no point in wracking his brain to think about her motives.
Amy happily offered to help as well, before bringing up the issue of location.
"I don't think going to a public space would be a good idea with how curious the media would be about..." Amy threw a glance at Shadow, the meaning of her sentence clear. The public eye would jump at any opportunity to uncover anything about Shadow's enigmatic personality, and thus will probably borderline intrude on the experience in efforts to record his behavior throughout the games. He absolutely despised the feeling of being watched outside of his idol obligations, which is why he preferred to indulge in his hobbies either in private or in disguise.
"Are there any spaces we can rent in this hotel?" Tangle asked thoughtfully. "Maybe like an office space we can book?"
"Why not just hold it in one of our rooms?" Shadow's ear flicked at Rouge's seemingly innocent suggestion. "We can order snacks and drinks from room service, it would be the perfect cozy night in."
"I'm not sure how doable that is," Honey brought a finger up to her chin skeptically. "I don't know about the rest of your rooms, but Amy and I's living space would feel a bit cramped for uhh... how many are we?"
"Nine people," came Whisper's quiet response.
"Yeah," Sonic furrowed his brows. "My room isn't even a shared unit but the living area is still pretty small."
Shadow's mind began to churn as he processed the intention behind Rouge's suggestion along with the direction the conversation seemed to be heading, and only realized a moment too late what the bat was plotting as she spoke.
"It's a good thing I book executive suites for Shadow," Shadow's temple ticked as he resisted the urge to bite her fingers off when she brought them up to squeeze his cheek, "even if he says he doesn't need them like the humble little celebrity he is."
It was at times like these that he regretted his tendencies to be soft spoken with women. His team didn't feel wary or fearful of him at all, and thus devolved into chatters of agreement and excitement at finding a solution to their problem.
At least however, women were also generally considerate, so his regret was somewhat alleviated when Amy interrupted, "Only if Shadow's okay with it though. Otherwise I'm sure we can find a space to rent out in another building somewhere."
The other women echoed her concern, looking at him expectantly for his answer. She offered an alternative, sure, but it wasn't convenient. He knew the best option was for him to simply relent and let his living area be used for the games.
"It's fine," it's not like he had much to hide anyways. He liked to keep his unit clean in favor of not having housekeeping dig through his belongings. And since it was an executive suite, his bedroom was separated from his living room by a door, so there was literally nothing personal about the space.
Funnily enough while the women took his answer as it was and cheered, he caught Sonic looking at him with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. He looked surprised at Shadow's leniency, seemingly having waited for him to explode or storm off after Rouge's audacious suggestion.
It was a reasonable assumption, as he did plan on giving the bat a piece of his mind about her actions later, but he felt a tinge of an unknown emotion at being looked at like a ticking time bomb. He knew he was particularly aggressive and moody with Sonic, more than necessary sometimes. It wasn't intentional, there was just something about Sonic's banter that riled him up. He was reactive in ways that he was not used to.
Even Rouge, who often made purposeful efforts to test Shadow's limits, didn't make him feel anything beyond surface level anger or annoyance with her actions. But Sonic, more oftentimes intentionally than not, has been evoking a myriad of emotions and reactions since his first day, many of which Shadow couldn't even put a name to.
And some of those confusing feelings made themselves loud and known today.
Shadow hadn't informed Rouge of the challenges he and Sonic agreed to, knowing full well she would try and twist it into something that it wasn't and tease him about it. It seemed that Sonic hadn't told anyone either, not having made any loud claims of beating him. He only gave the slyest of smiles whenever he asked Shadow who he wanted to team up with or play against, a subtle push for him to choose him as his opponent.
Rouge was more than happy to team up with Shadow at Charades, along with Tangle and Honey. On the opposing team were Sonic, Amy, Vanilla and Cream. Whisper had appointed herself as the referee in case of disagreements over the rules throughout the game.
A known emotion he experienced was irritation when he saw Sonic obnoxiously flapping his arms around as he attempted to mimic some sort of animal and his team somehow guessed it instantly. Another, equally negative emotion he couldn't name rose when Amy took up the majority of those correct guesses, Sonic being able to fly through multiple cards thanks to how in tune she seemed to be with him.
When the timer ended, they counted their successfully guessed cards that ended up amounting to 12 words. They tallied their points down on the hotel notepad.
Despite now playing party games often, Shadow wouldn't say he was completely inept at it, but he was prone to irritability when he felt that his gestures were perfectly clear yet his teammates couldn't answer, and thus accidentally breaking the rules.
"Uhh pouring water!"
"Tea? Pouring tea?"
Shadow lowered his hands as he repeated the motion to indicate he was pouring water over something on the ground, so they could guess 'watering a plant'.
"Uhh spilling water on the ground?"
"Actually it kinda looks like vacuuming–"
Baffled at how their guesses seemed to travel further away from the correct answer, he couldn't help interrupting his gestures to place a hand on his hip, "Seriously?"
"Ah ah ah," Shadow held back a growl at the smugness that carried in Sonic's voice as he pointed out his blunder. "Speaking's against the rules, right Whisper?"
The wolf quickly flipped through the rulebook before confirming it with a nod.
Shadow rolled his eyes before going back to his gesturing, not wanting to waste anymore time before the timer ran out. As if that idiot cared about rules to begin with. He probably only pointed it out to slow him down. Cheap tactics.
His suspicion was confirmed a few moments later when he saw that his next card was 'switching off the light' and simply decided to walk over to a lamp in the corner of the room to switch it off for convenience.
"Switching off the lamp?"
"No! Switching off the light!"
"I'm not sure if that's allowed either to be honest," came the annoying drawl that made his quills flare this time. "You're supposed to gesture with your own hands, not use objects around you."
Shadow held back the urge to throw every curse under the sun at his bodyguard, mainly for the sake of Vanilla and Cream. He settled on fantasizing about getting his revenge later as he moved on to the next card.
Despite making a fuss about it in the middle of the game, Sonic easily let the two cards that Shadow apparently "broke the rules over" count towards their point tally, which fully confirmed that his comments were only made to slow him down.
8 points. It wasn't a clean sweep but it was low enough compared to Sonic's 12 points that it made him grit his teeth in frustration.
His ears perked up at the next game suggested. Pictionary. That should be significantly easier since his drawing skills were objectively better than Sonic's.
Or so he thought.
His skills were better of course. That was irrefutable. He rolled higher than Sonic and thus got to pick out an All Play card of his choice. They would be drawing it at the same time, and whoever's team guessed it first would get to make their first move. Shadow blinked at the card he pulled, 'goldfish'. How simple. He handed the card to Sonic, who only grinned before putting it face down.
A goldfish should be rather easy to draw from memory. As soon as the timer started, he got to work in outlining a quick silhouette of the fish. He had just started drawing the eye when he heard a yell.
"GOLDFISH!"
Shadow whirled his head towards Amy in surprise. How the hell could Sonic have drawn anything that bore resemblance to a goldfish before him? He looked over at his whiteboard.
On it was a soft edged rectangle that was recognizable as an ingot, then a plus sign, then a quickly drawn fish symbol.
How... creative, Shadow's eye twitched at the equation.
"Nice painting you got there Shads," oh how he wanted to throttle the blue idiot for that purposely insufferable smirk of his. "But Pictionary is all about efficiency."
Shadow fumed as Sonic's team took their first roll. The picturists were rotated, so Amy and Cream took their turns drawing until their piece landed on a Challenge tile and Vanilla's drawing couldn't be successfully guessed on time. It didn't matter at this point; even if Shadow's team somehow won after being this far behind, he had lost where it most counted in his head-to-head with Sonic.
Not that they ended up winning anyways.
As the clock approached 9pm, Cream yawned a few times and Vanilla took it as their time to leave, not wanting her daughter's sleep schedule to ruined since the next school year was apparently approaching soon. Rouge took it as an invitation to immediately order alcohol from room service.
"What?" She waved the hotel phone around innocently after she had finished her call, defending herself again Shadow's glare. "It'll add a little charm to the next few games we play."
The next couple of games proposed were less obnoxious: a chess set and a deck of playing cards. Tangle was more than eager to drag Whisper to the chess set knowing that it was probably the one game the wolf was happy to play, so it left the rest of the group deciding on what game to play with the cards.
"How about Slapjack?" Sonic instantly suggested.
"Hmph," Shadow had expected something like Bluff or Poker, games that he and Rouge would no doubt destroy everyone at. It figures that Sonic was too scared to suggest something that required strategy. "That's a children's game."
"But it's a game about reflexes," came the instant rebuttal, a challenge in his eyes that was clearly directed towards him, almost daring him to back out.
This fool thinks he's the fastest thing alive, Shadow narrowed his eyes back in response, "Fine." He'd show him just how wrong he was.
Amy and Honey seemed more than happy with the game suggestion, while Rouge decided she would sit the game out as she went to pick up the alcohol from the door. The bat went on to distribute cups to everyone and asked for preferences. Amy and Whisper opted for wine while Honey and Tangle went for the soju bottles.
Before Sonic and Shadow could open their mouths about what they wanted, Rouge placed two shot glasses in front of them.
"You look like the type that can hold his liquor well Big Blue," Rouge asked with a grin too wide. "Am I right in assuming that?"
Sonic blinked up at her from the table, "I uhh, don't actually drink."
Rouge blinked back as thought she was buffering, "Like... at all?"
"Nope."
Shadow couldn't help but raise a brow at the revealed tidbit. Sonic didn't seem at all like the type to dislike drinking. Was he only answering that out of duty to stay sober as a bodyguard?
Rouge seemed to have the same line of thought, "You know of all the times you can let loose, it would be tonight in the safety of this hotel, right?"
Sonic only looked back at the cards with a shrug before he started shuffling them, "Yeah, but I just prefer to have control over my actions."
For all the nuisances Shadow often had with Rouge, the bat was never to type to push non-drinkers to drink. She would encourage and hype up drinkers into testing their limits, sure, but she would never pressure someone who refused to drink into doing so.
Perhaps she also noticed the aversion in Sonic's eye contact, or read between the lines of his answer like Shadow was currently doing.
"I guess you're a lot like Shadow in that department," she rustled through the bag on the table as she looked at Shadow pleadingly. "Are you not gonna be drinking too?"
Shadow has drank the occasional cocktail before, but he never lets himself drink enough to get tipsy. He looked down at the cards absentmindedly before sighing and meeting teal eyes.
"I'll just have wine."
Rouge's smile returned as she took Sonic's shot glass away and replaced Shadow's with a wine glass, "I guess I get to keep the hard stuff for myself then!"
And by the time Sonic finished shuffling and distributing the cards, the women had already gone through their first round of glasses. Rouge was more than happy to refill cups as Sonic went over the rules with Amy and Honey. Shadow absentmindedly watched Whisper and Tangle on the other end of the table as they began their game of chess, which is usually a quiet activity but Tangle somehow found a way to loudly narrate her thoughts as she played, not that the wolf seemed to mind.
He passingly wondered if Sonic would be this talkative if he were to play against him, and if he himself would be able to be as patient as Whisper was. His dynamic with Sonic was similar to the wolf and the lemur's in many ways, but he couldn't imagine being as tolerant to Sonic's talking as Whisper was currently being with Tangle's.
Or rather, tolerant wasn't the right word. Whisper smiled at her partner's commentary, seemingly more than happy to listen to her thoughts. And while Shadow admitted to occasionally enjoying Sonic's talkative nature, he wasn't sure if he could ever find it endearing and seek it out the way that Whisper did with Tangle.
Is that what people in love do? They learn to enjoy and seek out their partner's tendencies?
Shadow snapped out of his thoughts as the game was about to begin. He took a sip of his wine as he met Sonic's gaze challengingly. He wasn't concerned about the alcohol slowing his reflexes down since he's a heavyweight. It would take several glasses of wine for anything to start affecting him.
At the first appearance of the Jack, Sonic reacted first, but only barely slammed his hand on the cards first before Shadow could. Honey and Amy were significantly slower to react at first since they were new to the game and uncertain on their first few rounds, but they adjusted quickly once they knew what to look for.
Shadow won the next pile, with Sonic's hand landing on top a fraction of a second later. He couldn't help shooting a smug smile at his counterpart, only to get a playful one in return. The difference in their reaction times was basically nonexistent, they quickly realized. It would be a battle of who can angle their hand better and better control their anticipation, since mistakingly slapping a card that wasn't a Jack would cost a card.
Sonic won another pile, and Amy and Honey realized that they were running out of cards. They needed to get a win soon or they were out, but between the wine and the soju (and probably the lack of questionable histories forcing them to perfect their reflexes and fighting instincts), the cat and the pink hedgehog just couldn't catch up.
That didn't stop them from enthusiastically trying however, as Shadow narrowly took the next win, Sonic reaching second, and Amy smacking her hand down third with enough force for Shadow's metacarpals to shift unexpectedly in discomfort.
And that was with Sonic's hand as a buffer in between.
"Holy shit," Sonic whipped his hand back like he'd been burned, letting out a nervous chuckle. "You've got a really strong smack there Ames."
"I'm so sorry!" The pink hedgehog looked mortified as she covered her mouth, "Is your hand okay?!"
"Yeah don't worry about it," Sonic momentarily nursed his palm before flexing his fingers. "See? Perfect condition! I have to say though, you could be a top bodyguard if you can punch as hard as you slap."
A red tint formed on Amy's cheeks at the compliment, and Shadow felt a familiar wave of irritation coil in his gut. He wasn't sure exactly what he was mad at. He definitely didn't harbor any negative feelings towards Amy; if anything he respected her for her fantastic work ethic when it came to planning events. She was probably the closest to what he could call a friend outside of Rouge since they have a shared interest in music taste (yes, just because Shadow is an idol himself, doesn't mean he can't enjoy other artists' music). He occasionally discussed Hot Honey releases with her and exchanged song suggestions.
So Sonic was the source of his annoyance. The blue hedgehog seemed clueless to the obvious effect his words had on her, laughing as the next round continued.
Shadow's state of distraction led to another loss.
Sonic was none the wiser to the idol's increasing frustration as the game continued. Amy and Honey had long been out of the game at this point, the competition of reflexes falling onto Shadow and Sonic.
Sonic's pile was slightly larger than Shadow's, the blue hedgehog grinning carelessly as he placed a card. Shadow's shoulders felt incredibly tense from having to hold them tight in anticipation all game. In Poker, he was never the type to be psyched out by mind games, yet here he was, feeling his control slip bit by bit every time he looked at that stupid smug grin. The bodyguard looked so certain that he would win, and that carefree demeanor of his was only adding to Shadow's irritation.
Which is how he made his first mistake.
Sonic had suddenly reached for the pile to smack it and, reflexively, Shadow beat him to it.
Except Sonic never bothered smacking his hand on top.
"Ahah! You fell for the easiest trick in the book!"
Shadow looked at the card to realize it wasn't a Jack. That sly jackass noticed his tension and took advantage of it, costing him a card.
The realization that Sonic was having such an effect on him only made him further spiral.
His cards were running out. He was hyper focused on the growing pile before him when he heard an amused huff from the other. In his brief moment of distraction as he flicked his eyes up to see what the blue hedgehog found so funny, Sonic had slammed his palm on the pile.
The hand lifted to reveal a Jack, and Shadow watched in hidden mortification as Sonic collected the pile, he realizing he was down to three cards.
"You dishonorable prick," Shadow glowered at the shit-eating grin he was faced with, not caring about looking civil in front of others.
"My, my, Shads," Sonic was undeterred by the insult as he shuffled his pile. "I didn't take you for a sore loser."
Honey and Amy simply giggled at the exchange, probably amused by Shadow's surprisingly competitive streak.
He would run out next round and Sonic would continue to add cards until a Jack was found. On one hand, it would give Shadow the advantage of not having to worry about his own cards. On the other hand, the same advantage would be given to Sonic as he simply had to watch his cards as he placed them down.
"You getting nervous Shads?"
Shadow stared intently at the first card Sonic placed before placing his own, "You wish."
"I dunno man," the bodyguard shrugged as he added his next card. Not a Jack. "Feels like you're a little restless. Is the wine getting to you already?"
This infuriating chatterbox, Shadow placed his second last card before looking up, only to find green eyes already gazing at him. There was a confidence beaming through those thick lashes in a way that made something twist in Shadow's chest. Was he... actually nervous?
His eyes quickly flicked at Sonic's hand as another card was placed, then placed his final card while looking back up at his face. That prick was still staring at him, only flicking his eyes down once before grinning.
"Looks like the nerves really did get to you."
Furrowing his brows in confusion, Shadow looked down to see Sonic's hand lightly hovering over the pile, able to peek a Jack between his fingers.
There was a Jack among those measly three cards he had left, and it happened to be the last one he placed? What the hell were those chances?
"Anddd that's another win for me!" Sonic completed his action of smacking the pile while Shadow could only stare in bafflement. How could he have made such a mistake?
"Impressive, Big Blue," Rouge downed a shot of some unknown liquor before clapping. "You'd be quite the demon in a casino."
"Yeah, you're a pretty smooth talker!" Honey had been staring at the pile in fascination. "Even I didn't notice the card over that tension you two had. I thought Shadow was gonna throttle you over the table!"
He was very much considering that last statement still, but settled for clenching his fists. The last thing he needed was to spill alcohol all over the floor of his hotel unit in his attempt for a brawl.
"Well if we want something as physical as throttling," Rouge smiled wide as she fished around the bag of board games, before pulling out an instantly recognizable box that made Shadow narrow his eyes at her. Possibly the most obnoxious game of all that he would never play in a million years unless he was too wasted to realize what it was.
Twister.
"This might be the best solution."
Shadow scoffed at the bat's ridiculous suggestion, "Yeah right."
"I'm down," came Sonic's contrasting response. "I haven't played it before but I'm pretty flexible."
"Flexibility, core strength, endurance and all that..." Rouge waved her hand about in the air. "Wouldn't this be the perfect opportunity to compare physical prowess?"
What was the bat getting at? She knew about Shadow's routine of sparring with Sonic every week or so. They compare physical prowess all the time already, so why was she proposing this as if it were a fresh idea?
"I'm totally down!" Honey cheerily lifted her soju bottle, the alcohol somehow making her even more enthusiastic. "Whaddya think Amy?"
Amy was a bit less affected by the alcohol than Honey, but agreed nonetheless.
Tangle and Whisper had finished their chess game (Shadow noted how Whisper purposely made a few blunders to give her girlfriend a fighting chance, another act of consideration he couldn't imagine doing for another).
"My tail is definitely gonna get in the way," Tangle pouted, "but I'm happy to watch!"
Amy and Honey took their turn first, with Rouge having assigned herself as the referee.
"If you fall or touch the mat with your knees or elbows, you're out," rather straight forward rules. Only one limb could be placed per circle; if the two players reached for the same one, the referee decided who got to it first.
Honey was rather flexible as she arched backwards over Amy, but Amy, Shadow noted with surprise, had incredible core strength, holding herself in a mid push-up position under the cat while Rouge took her sweet time calling out the next command.
"Left hand blue."
Honey cursed under her breath. She would have to twist out of her bridge position and find an angle to place her hand under her opponent. Shadow watched with interest as the cat tried to reach for the closest blue dot she could find, face flushed from both alcohol and exertion.
But her muscles failed her, her body collapsing on top of Amy who somehow still held fast even with the sudden additional weight.
Everyone cheered at the pink hedgehog's victory as she untangled herself from Honey.
"How the hell did you stay in a push-up position for that long?" Tangle gawked.
"I keep telling everyone she's a gym rat but nobody believes me," Honey whined, not really upset at her loss.
"Seriously?" Sonic asked with interest before turning to Amy. "How come I never catch you at the gym?"
"I uhm," the pink hedgehog seemed caught off by the attention she was getting, taking on a more bashful tone, "I just do bodyweight training on a yoga mat. Some calisthenics... nothing serious."
"Nothing serious she says," Honey huffed in amusement. "Have you seen her abs? Those things are rock–"
Amy smacked a hand over the cat's mouth, her cheeks a new shade of red as she scrambled for a coverup to the unfiltered comment.
"Sounds a bit serious to me," Sonic laid an elbow back on his chair with a grin. "We should be gym buddies sometime!"
The pink hedgehog could only let out a nervous giggle in her state of tipsiness as she agreed, "Sure..."
Shadow watched the interaction with annoyance, not realizing there was a scowl on his face. Was Sonic genuinely that oblivious to his borderline flirtatious compliments? Was he blind to Amy's constant blushes and sudden bouts of shyness around him?
Or... was he aware of it and reciprocating those feelings?
Shadow felt a sudden discomfort in his gut. He probably shouldn't take another sip of wine since it seemed to upset his stomach.
He missed the way teal eyes analyzed his scowl, cogs smoothly turning in the bat's head even while inebriated.
"I imagine a game between Sonic and Shadow would be much closer in outcome," Rouge drew the group's attention.
"Forget it," Shadow immediately shot back. He's not touching that game with a ten-foot pole.
"Ah, c'mon Shads!" Shadow glanced back at the current source of his annoyance as he moved his elbow from the chair to the table so he could prop his face on his hand, shooting a smirk. "I know I'm a trained bodyguard and everything but those dance routines of yours look pretty tiring too. You should be able to keep up with me, right?"
This... vermin was playing on the rest of the team's lack of knowledge about his real physical abilities.
"Yeah, performing for two hours straight is no joke!" Tangle yelled. "If there's anyone who would stand a chance against Sonic, it would be Shadow."
'Stand a chance', Shadow's jaw ticked. They had no idea how the bodyguard got his ass handed to him in combat already, but it wasn't a claim he could make without having to admit several other things.
"That's true! Sonic might have better core strength, but I'm sure Shadow's more flexible than him!"
It was in fact, quite the opposite, but again he held his comments as he fumed. They were talking about him like he was the underdog, like he was some weakling who could only win against the 'big strong bodyguard' with a stroke of luck.
"I'm not sure," came the final straw from Rouge. "Shadow seemed to be pretty tired out from Slapjack. Plus, he had a glass of wine, so I wouldn't want him to over exert himself when his performance is coming up–"
Shadow scraped back his chair as he stormed over to the mat, refusing to make eye contact with anyone on the way, and cheers followed shortly after the team realized that he was agreeing to play.
He would show them just how much of a 'chance' he stood.
Sonic was quick to join him on the other side of the mat, his face eased in its usual state of smugness, though his eyes were just the slightest bit wider than usual, like he hadn't actually expected Shadow to take the challenge.
But he took it, and quickly began to regret it when he remembered just how much proximity and touch was involved in this stupid game.
"Right hand red," Rouge called out, grinning like a devil with a mic. "Both of you are gonna be real cozy after this one."
The girls laughed from the loose circle they had formed on the ground lounging around the game mat. Honey and Tangle looked proper drunk while Amy and Rouge were only a bit more giggly, most likely tipsy. Whisper seemed to be the most sober of all as she took it upon herself to pour water into the team's glasses rather than wine, before sitting back next to Tangle and stroking the lemur's tail absentmindedly while the chaos unfolded.
Honey had pulled out her phone to record the game. Despite the natural discomfort that Shadow felt whenever a camera was pointed at him, he knew the cat would never send or release the video online, not that he thought she could capture anything meaningful anyways with how unsteady her hands were.
The idol grumbled under his breath and reached across, arm brushing against Sonic's chest as he planted his hand firmly on the red dot. Sonic was splayed backwards in a crab position while Shadow was basically planking over him. Their faces were inches apart now, closer than they'd ever been without arguing.
Sonic kept a cheeky grin, speaking loudly for everyone else to hear, "You're surprisingly nimble for someone so emotionally constipated."
"Say one more word and I'll twist your spine," Shadow muttered, not looking at him.
"Oh, I'm counting on it."
Giggles erupted from the women.
Rouge spun again.
"Left foot green!"
Sonic stiffened. There was only one green dot left in reach, and to get to it, he would have to slide one leg between Shadow's, hips twisting, their bodies nearly flush.
The smugness faltered, just for a beat.
But then Sonic smirked again, committing to the move like it meant nothing. Like he wasn't threading his thigh between Shadow's knees. Like their torsos weren't practically breathing in sync.
Except... he was quiet now. A little too quiet.
"You're not talking," Shadow commented, narrowing his eyes. "That's new."
"I'm—" Sonic cleared his throat, still half-smiling, but it didn't reach his eyes now. "Focused."
Shadow blinked. Focused? That tone. That shift. It tugged at something behind his ribs.
Then Rouge, grinning like she knew something, flicked the spinner again.
"Right foot yellow~" she called, sing-song sweet. "Good luck!"
There was only one yellow in reach. Behind Sonic. Which meant...
Shadow hesitated.
He leaned in. But the moment he did, the heat between them spiked. Shadow tilted his head upwards to avoid brushing muzzles with the idiot below him, so his mouth was hovering less than an inch away from Sonic's ear instead. As he tried to maneuver his foot under the bodyguard, he let out a slow exhale into the ear, unknowing of the effect it had on the blue hedgehog underneath.
And just like that, Sonic's hand slipped.
"Shit!" He toppled on his back with a loud thump against the mat, the room erupting in gasps and laughter.
"Woohoo!" Tangle yelled as she clapped. "That's our Shadow!"
Shadow held his position, blinking down at Sonic who was red-faced, sprawled, and for once, completely speechless.
He looked... flustered. More than flustered. He looked downright embarrassed, his ears momentary tucked backwards as though he wanted to hide.
"I win," Shadow said simply as he pushed himself to his feet before stepping over his bodyguard, deadpan.
He won. In the game that arguably tested skills more important than Pictionary and Charades did, he won.
Yet his victory was the last thing on his mind at the moment.
He glanced back to see Sonic already on his feet, rubbing his neck sheepishly as he tried to explain the reason he fell. Some explanation about the mat being slippery.
Normally Shadow would snap at the hedgehog for making excuses to justify his well deserved loss, but right now he was confused.
The night ended after that Twister game, with Whisper being the first to suggest turning in as she hoisted Tangle up to her feet, her girlfriend having slightly sobered up from the water she was given but still too drunk to fully balance herself. Amy quickly agreed since Honey was in a similar state.
The clean up felt so... normal. Sonic's behavior was normal as he chatted with Rouge and Amy while stacking up the glasses. His body language was relaxed, that cocky gleam in his eyes returned as he zipped around to stack up the board games.
It almost made Shadow doubt his memory of what he had seen.
When the cleanup was finished and everyone went their separate ways, Shadow showered and went to bed in a daze, struggling to process the uncharacteristic emotions he'd seen on Sonic's face. Perhaps he'd misinterpreted it.
But then the morning after, he woke up to a text message from Rouge.
Clicking it open, he found a video from which he recognized was the one Honey took from the angle. It was a perfect side view and Sonic and him in a tangle of limbs.
As he expected, the video was mostly shaky as the camera moved off track occasionally from Honey's movements. Near the end of the video however, the moment that he made his last move before the fall, Shadow zoomed in to gain a better grasp on what happened.
When Shadow had moved his face up towards Sonic's ear, the bodyguard's eyes widened as his form began to tremble. Even in the sub-par lighting he could catch the flush of red that bloomed across the peach muzzle, traveling up to his ears.
Shadow noticed his own mouth opening, realizing now that he had breathed out onto Sonic's ear, and that was when a shudder seemed to travel through the blue hedgehog's body before his arms gave way.
He hadn't slipped. His arms collapsed in a moment of weakness.
The revelation did not bring the closure Shadow expected to gain. It only raised more questions. Sonic was undoubtedly sober, but there was no way his body could fail him from lack of physical fitness. He was holding himself up with perfect stillness throughout the entire game, and his muscles only started trembling suddenly when Shadow made his move.
Maybe it meant nothing. Maybe, for all the obnoxious flirts that he throws his way, Sonic was actually easily embarrassed by physical contact when he's not the one initiating it.
But when thinking of the possibility that it did mean something, why did Shadow's chest feel so... weird?
Another message pinged.
Rouge - enjoy your victory hun <3
Shadow shook his head as he shut off his phone. Some tension from a stupid board game should be the least of his worries. He needed to practice his final rehearsals before his performance took place in a few days.
He tried to ignore his wandering thoughts as he dragged himself off the bed, ready to start the day.
More beautiful art below by yourAngel_o featuring Sonic’s sunflower vibed outfit TEEHEE 🤭:
Notes:
I love Rouge I love Rouge I love Rouge
Sonic won the most of the board games but but Shadow was the real winner of the night after that Twister game 😔
Me trying not to throttle Shadow after writing those last few paragraphs 💀 I WILL PUNISH HIM WITH MORE JEALOUSY NEXT CHAPTER AS A RESULT
Also as I draft out my 18th chapter I come to the realization that this fic might deadass be more than 30 chapters oops APOLOGIES IF THE SLOW BURN IS TOO SLOW
Chapter 15: Confessions and Jealousy
Notes:
CW: Descriptive physical/mental disorientation in the flashback
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The young hedgehog stared down at his hands in shock.
The realization hit him less like a truck and more like rain, the light drizzle of dread steadily mounting as he registered the bloodied figure below him until it shifted into a pummeling downpour.
"Wha–"
Like he'd been burned, he launched himself backwards as he watched his surroundings in a panic. The crowd was cheering louder than he'd ever heard before, going wild over the violent entertainment he'd given them; entertainment he hadn't realized he was giving them.
As quickly as he launched himself away, he swung forwards again to check on his opponent, crouching over the wildebeest in attempt to survey what exactly just happened in the last five minutes.
"Are you okay?"
The wildebeest groaned in pain, but had enough energy to smack the hedgehog's hand away.
"Get the fuck away from me," the words were spat out aggressively, but laced with fear. The teenager still tried to appraise his opponent's condition, confused by the tone until his eyes landed on the older mobian's head.
"Your horn," he whispered in horror at the gaping wound on the left side of the wildebeest's skull. Did he...?
"Fuck you," that response, along with the missing horn found a distance away from them, was all the confirmation needed.
The hedgehog hauled himself to his feet, stumbling backwards as he tried to process the memories of the fight that flooded back, settling into his brain like they had never left in the first place.
"I did that?"
His words came out breathless, his mind still reeling at his own actions. The world around him dimmed as he continued to step backwards until he bumped into the ring's barrier. His skin felt too sensitive to the metal mesh that prevented him from creating a larger distance between him and his opponent who was now being helped up by his manager. He couldn't hear the cheers anymore over the sound of his heart pounding in his ears, beating at a rate that rivaled his own name.
"–lue..."
His mind was racing, unable to stick to one line of thought. From confusion, to horror, to guilt and despair, the teenager's surroundings seemed to narrow down on him in attempt to suffocate him. His throat tightened and his lungs gasped for air. He was feeling too many things at once, both physically and mentally, and they were all overwhelming him in a way that just made him want to–
"Blue!"
The voice was faint over the sound of blood rushing in his ears, but it was clearer than the rest. He was disoriented, all five of his senses compromised, but the teenager attempted to locate the voice anyways through the muddle of encroaching sensations.
He didn't have to look for long however, as the feeling of hands settling onto his shoulders startled him. He should have been able to hear the footsteps behind him. He needed to be aware. If he wasn't aware then he was defenseless, open to attacks. He whipped around in paranoia to face his attacker, trying to shove their hands off his oversensitive skin, but his own arms felt impossible to control. He vaguely realized that he was unable to feel his hands and their shakiness before he felt himself being lifted.
He tried to struggle and claw at his attacker, but his body felt like it was at war with itself, limbs buzzing with adrenaline but numb and heavy with lethargy at the same time. He tried to snarl, as perhaps his voice wouldn't fail him, but only more heavy breaths came out. Any attempt at using his voice box felt like a compromise on his already struggling lungs.
"–did well, Little–"
He could only catch the middle of the sentence, but the recognizable voice speaking close to his ear managed to cut through some of his haze. His system was completely overwhelmed, but a part of his mind registered that the person carrying him wasn't anyone to fear. They were safe, a haven in his world, someone he could trust no matter how enigmatic they kept themselves to him.
The lethargy was now overpowering the adrenaline in his realization that he was safe. The darkened corners of his vision finally took over as his consciousness began to fade. He could only barely catch the soft words murmured into his ear, but was unable to register them as the last of his awareness melted away in his body's lull to sleep.
"You're finally using your potential."
Sonic prayed to every deity there was out there.
Chaos, Gaia, whatever gods humans believed in. He prayed that no one noticed his moment of weakness in that Twister game.
The next few days passed by in a blur, everyone on the team busily flitting around for preparations until the big day of performing where he found himself in Shadow's dressing room once more.
With how hectic things have been, Sonic managed to spend the few days following the board game night doing his job in dutiful silence. For once, he didn't insist on staying in the studio with Shadow during his rehearsals. He was more than happy to stand outside, even if it meant he was stuck alone with his thoughts as he recalled the fresh memory that was now torturing him.
Shadow didn't react at the time, like, at all. The idol's face was as poker as ever after he won, but he knew there was no way he didn't notice Sonic's frazzled state. He was literally caged between his arms for Chaos' sake, if anyone had gotten front row seats to his heated face, it would be him!
And yet, when Shadow looked down at him after he fell, there were no furrowed brows of confusion, no wrinkled nose in disgust, no widening of eyes in surprise. Nothing. Sonic was just leveled with such a disturbingly neutral gaze that only further drove him up the wall since he couldn't decipher it.
Maybe Shadow really was just incredibly asexual, completely undeterred by their tangled bodies, not realizing at all how severe of an effect his hot breath on Sonic's ear had on him. Sonic couldn't stop that same ear from flicking at the memory, the warmth from days ago returning as a phantom. He was not proud of the thoughts that flooded his mind at the time.
Which led to him in the present, mentally slapping his cheeks as he stood in Shadow's dressing room, reminding himself to get a grip on his superfluous emotions.
It was now early-August. This was the first time since the board game night that Sonic was in enough of a private setting with Shadow to make it impossible to avoid speaking with him.
"You uhh," Sonic swallowed at the sight of Shadow clad in costume once again, gorgeous as ever, "you look really ready, as usual."
He winced at his own words after they flowed out. What was he even trying to say? But Shadow, unreadable as ever, gestured for him to sit in the chair next to him, an identical invitation to the minutes before the first performance in Westopolis.
Sonic wordlessly sat down next to him, almost immediately tapping his fingers on the vanity table as he waited for the idol to speak. Or did Shadow expect him to say something? Crap, what can he say–
"How is your brother doing?"
Sonic buffered at the question. What?
A moment later he finally registered it and cleared his throat in preparation to answer. That question was truly the last thing he ever expected Shadow to ask, but he was more than happy for the opportunity to think about anything other than the board game night right now.
"He's doing great! He got accepted into a really good university, not that I'm surprised of course since he's a literal genius. He's enrolling into his courses now since his first semester starts in three weeks."
Shadow hummed thoughtfully at the response, but didn't make a comment of his own. Sonic almost smacked his forehead when he remembered that the most basic rule of a conversation is to ask a similar question back.
Except, his mind tunneled into a singular realization, he has no idea about Shadow's family.
"Do you have uhh," he spoke the first half of his question before coming to the second realization that if Shadow hasn't mentioned any of his family members until now, it was probably a sensitive topic.
He paused in a panic as he tried to look for an alternate question to ask, something that wouldn't accidentally probe the wrong spot in the idol and ruin his mood right before his performance.
"I have a brother as well."
Sonic's fingers halted their tapping at the revelation. What?
Shadow has a brother? How close was he to that brother? From the few glimpses he caught of the idol's phone screen, the only chats that existed on his messaging app were the team group chat, a direct channel with Rouge, and channel titled with some letter of the Greek alphabet that he vaguely remembered seeing in Tails' physics homework. Could his brother be the latter?
Rather than risk overstepping or indirectly admitting to occasionally peeking at Shadow's phone, Sonic settled on the most vague, harmless question he could think of, "Is he like a baby brother or older or...?"
"He's a year younger than me," Shadow's brows furrowed minutely as he looked down at his hands, seemingly lost in thought. "He... refused to leave the business with me."
Oh. Sonic tried not to gape at the amount of what he could only name as lore that needed to be unpacked from that singular sentence. What can he even say to that? So many different questions bounced around in his mind but he shot each and every one of them down out of fear that they would be too nosy to ask. He prided himself on his social skills, with Knuckles reminding him more than a few times that without his "words of honey" he would be six feet under by now.
Yet here was Shadow, the one person who constantly tested his self-proclaimed 'charismatic personality' (and recently just downright breaking it), sat across him with a slightly lost look on his face after dropping the most loaded sentence on earth, minutes before his performance is meant to start.
Sonic didn't even know where to begin on this minefield.
He refused to probe for more details about the 'business' as Shadow called it. He also knew that asking things like why the brother didn't join him could open up a can of worms. In a different, less time-sensitive setting, he would have attempted to coax Shadow into giving other details he was comfortable with and direct it into a nice heart-to-heart, maybe imparting anecdotal wisdom of his own from the few disagreements he's had with Tails (assuming Shadow and his cousin didn't have an at-each-others'-throats dynamic going on).
But maybe he didn't have to wrap up the conversation.
"I know you didn't really trust me when I first started working for you, and I know I promised I wouldn't push the boundaries of our friendship any further than you'd like it to be but," Sonic didn't know what possessed him to shift forwards and raise a hand out to Shadow, offering his palm out for what, he didn't know.
"If you ever feel like venting to me about whatever went on in your life back then in the Maf- er- business, I'm more than happy to listen."
He knew technically Shadow had agreed to a willing friendship after their gym session just over a month ago, but while they had fallen into a playfully competitive dynamic, there was a barrier of genuineness that they could never fully cross.
He had heard Amy once mention the term 'banter film' as a common problem in male friendships. It apparently was a large contribution to poor mental health in men since it prevented them from feeling comfortable enough to share emotions with one another, instead sticking to a loop of joking insults as a way of hiding vulnerabilities that weren't normalized to express. It was one of the few conversations between the women on his team that he found himself listening to with genuine curiosity, wondering if Shadow would ever be willing to cross that barrier and, more importantly, if he himself would be ready to do the same.
Even as he held out his arm in offer to break that barrier, he wondered, which one of them would take the first step?
"I feel like we're a bit more than friendly rivals at this point, don't you think?"
Shadow looked up at the offered palm with uncertainty, looking more conflicted than he ever had in his life. From the raw indecisiveness that plagued his eyes, one would think he was being asked to run away and elope rather than offered a listening ear for when he was feeling vulnerable. It was an unexpectedly cute sight.
Sonic's eye twitched as he reigned his thoughts back on track. He really needed to get his traitorous mind under control.
His self-scolding was interrupted by the feeling of Shadow's hand in his own, a warmth radiating through his embellished gloves that made Sonic realize that this was probably the first time Shadow reciprocated physical contact with him in an actual friendly manner. Even back in the gym when Shadow had dried between his quills, as gentle and pleasant as it felt, Sonic knew the intention behind the contact was methodical.
But this tentative contact that Shadow was now awkwardly trying to turn into a formal handshake, this was an amiable agreement to something more.
Refusing to let this weird business-style handshake continue any longer, Sonic shifted their hands up into more of a dap up before standing up and pulling Shadow along with him.
"Friends for real this time?"
Curse Shadow really, being so undeterred by having their faces inches apart in a board game but having the audacity to look bashful at an agreement to be more 'friendly' friends.
"Fine."
"Woah," Sonic scoffed at the one-worded response. "Chill out bud, I know we're taking a huge step but there's no need to get too excited on me. It's a little overbearing."
Shadow snorted at the brazen display of sarcasm and rolled his eyes as he shoved past, "Let's go, Faker."
"Hah!" Despite the new nickname technically being an insult, Sonic couldn't the grin that formed on his face as he followed the idol out the door. "We'll see who the real faker is after I destroy you at shooting, Faker."
He supposed friendship and rivalry don't have to be mutually exclusive.
And for the first time in days, Sonic's mind was finally quiet while he stood by the side wing, watching in admiration as Shadow moved gracefully across the stage with that beautiful baritone voice of his.
Despite his growing infatuation with the idol before him, he was content with the way their relationship had progressed. He hammered into his head that Shadow likely had zero interest in romantic relations, and while a sense of melancholy niggled the back of his mind at the fact, it was overshadowed by the joy that Shadow was finally coming out of his shell.
For as long as Shadow could continue opening up to him, he didn't mind putting his feelings on the back burner.
~~~
Unfortunately, he later found out, someone had noticed his moment of weakness during the Twister game. And it was brought to his attention in a way he least expected.
Despite their super official dap up that signified a friendship upgrade, Shadow hadn't instantly imparted his life story in the days following the performance, which he wasn't surprised about. Moments of vulnerability couldn't exactly be booked on a calendar like some sort of event; they happened when the time was right, when a lightheaded conversation got the chance to veer into a deeper territory.
A major difference that Sonic noticed and welcomed however, was that Shadow started initiating conversation at times. It shocked him the first time it happened on the day following the performance during their flight to New Yoke. Instead of taking a nap or reading a book with the clear expectation for Sonic the leave him alone, Shadow had instead asked him about the movie he was about to watch, which quickly transitioned into a conversation about film preferences.
"Your taste is rather," the idol wrinkled his nose the slightest bit as he glanced at the movie title Sonic was hovered on, "fitting."
"You're saying that like Speed isn't objectively a masterpiece," Sonic fired back. "Then what about you, hm? What kind of movies does the great connoisseur like?"
Shadow looked away at this as he answered, "I prefer to watch series."
"And what genre of series do you consider worthy enough for your taste?"
When the idol waited a beat too long to answer, Rouge piped up from his other side, "He loves telenovelas."
"Telenove–" Sonic registered the answer as Shadow swung his head forward to glare at the bat, but it was too late. The damage was done. "So I was right about you being a romance fan!"
Despite his very fresh promise to himself that he would set his feelings aside, he couldn't stop the intrusive commentary that invited itself into his head every time he learned a new fact about Shadow. In that same conversation when he ranted about why 'Speed' is a good film, he had also discovered that Shadow owned and drove a freaking motorcycle, the information revealed when Shadow criticized the realism in a scene containing a motorcycle chase.
He couldn't even lie to himself, he was down bad. Words like 'cute', 'cool', and 'hot' trickled into his brain in rivulets that he would constantly try to squeeze dry before they could fester into anything more. He only hoped he wasn't obvious in his infatuation whenever he listened to Shadow speak, hanging onto every word like it was gospel gifted to him from above.
But it seemed he wasn't as subtle as he had hoped.
"And I was wondering if you'd like to go out sometime!"
Sonic was frozen in place.
A few days into their arrival at New Yoke, Amy had asked to hang out 1-on-1. In foresight, he probably should have realized what the request likely meant. There were signs he had previously attributed to Amy's outgoing and affectionate personality that now rushed to amalgamate in his head to produce a loud blaring announcement that "she was clearly romantically interested in you!"
And here he was, sitting on a park bench beside her, floundering for a response that wouldn't cause that gleam in her eyes to wilt.
"It's all good if not," Amy brought a hand up placatingly as she sensed his hesitation. "I wouldn't subject you to the awkwardness of having to see each other everyday for the rest f your contract if I didn't take rejections well. I just wanted to get my feelings off my chest, and I think that even if you don't reciprocate, you should at least know what I appreciate about you."
It was an... incredibly mature confession, which shouldn't be surprising since if there was one thing Sonic had noticed about Amy, it was how incredibly in tune she was with her emotions. He saw it in the way she spoke to Vanilla, comforting her whenever she felt down about her distance from Vector. He saw it in how she gave thoughtful advice to Tangle whenever she came to her with concerns about being a good girlfriend to Whisper.
Hell, he even saw it in a conversation with Rouge who, in a rare moment of seriousness, lamented about the difficulties of finding a man that would see her as more than her physical features. Amy had given her an incredibly encouraging pep talk, with considerate words that most people would find impossible to string together.
"I..." I'm not looking for a relationship right now? No. That was a half-baked excuse that he knew was a disservice to the level of maturity he was being graced with. Amy deserved a more honest response than that, but he wasn't sure if he could bring himself to admit the real reason why. It's one thing to admit a superficial attraction to Shadow over a phone call with Tails, but to try and explain the spiral of feelings he was recently falling into out loud? To a fellow team member no less? It felt impossible.
"I really appreciate how considerate you're being about this Ames," he started, unsure of how to progress in a way that didn't come off as pretentious. He knew to worst way to turn someone down was by making it sound like you pitied them. He rubbed at his thumbs nervously as he considered his options.
Ah, screw it.
"But I'm interested in someone else," he blurted out before instantly wishing he could disappear from existence. Isn't it even worse to respond to someone's confession with one of your own that you like another person? This is terrible, he needed to quickly say something to make up for it–
"Shadow, right?"
At this, he whipped his head around to face the pink hedgehog before him, previous fear of eye contact forgotten. Amy had a small smile on her face that he absolutely didn't deserve, and a knowing look in her eyes that made him question just how crappy his facade was.
"Am I that obvious?"
At that, Amy giggled, a joyful response that lightened Sonic's guilt a bit about rejecting her, though it could have been a coverup for the sting of hurt she might've been feeling for all he knew.
"To be honest, it looked incredibly platonic until the board game night."
"Ah," he truly wished the earth would open below him and swallow him right now. "I'm guessing you mean the uhh..."
"Twister game? That was actually more like the final straw. Even before that you couldn't take your eyes off him the whole night, constantly challenging him to get his attention..." Sonic's face felt like it was about to combust at the call out. He couldn't exactly explain to Amy that the reason he was challenging Shadow was because of the 'high-stakes competition' they had previously agreed to, but even so, was he really looking at Shadow that much? Surely the idol would have snapped at him if his staring was that obvious, right?
"But I had my doubts until the Twister game confirmed it."
"Right," Sonic's posture wilted in embarrassment. "Did anyone else notice my... feelings?"
"Definitely Rouge since she asked Honey for the video she took of that game for some reason, but then Rouge asked her to delete it and said she would delete it from her end as well. Something about it being a problem if the press ever got their hands it, which makes sense."
The embarrassment was quickly turning into dread. He could only imagine how obvious the tension looked in that video. He knew Rouge was an expert on public relations, so he trusted that the bat actually did delete the video, but that wasn't what he was worried about, no. He was worried if she showed the video to Shadow. If there was any confusion Shadow had about his behavior during the Twister game, that video would have definitely cleared things up.
"Do you think Shadow... saw it?" Sonic was unable to hide the mortification in his tone. But the idol would have behaved differently if he did, right? Shadow didn't actively avoid him or treat him more coldly since that night. If anything, he had been more mellowed out the days following it, up until he uncharacteristically admitted to having a sibling minutes before his show.
"I'm not sure," Amy leaned back against the bench as she pondered. "But given that he's actually been nicer to you these past few days then it doesn't matter either way, right?"
It didn't do much to reassure Sonic, who looked back down at his hands as he fidgeted, "I'm like 100% sure he's asexual like Honey, so I don't wanna make him uncomfortable if my feelings are that obvious."
"Sonic," the hedgehog in question looked back at Amy when her hand laid on top of his to stop his fidgeting. "It was only obvious to me because I actively looked at you only to see you looking at him."
A pang of guilt returned at the reminder, but it was clear she meant it as a simple explanation. While her expression was serious, her eyes were filled with compassion as she spoke, a wisdom beyond her years glimmering behind them.
"From when I first started working for him last year, I can't say I've ever seen Shadow express interest in dating anyone, but there were a lot of things he didn't express an interest in at first that he ended up later enjoying because Rouge nagged him."
Sonic wasn't sure what she was getting at with this, but only nodded as she continued, "I'm not going to give you false hope, but I want you to know that asexuality is a spectrum. Some people experience physical attraction but not romantic, others vice versa, and some experience either or both but only after getting to know the other person extensively."
Sonic mulled the words over in his head, recalling the terms Honey had taught him about demisexuals and demiromantics. Amy didn't know about Shadow's upbringing, but there was a possibility that his experience in the Mafia was what made him so emotionally repressed. But it's not like he was fully closed off from deep relationships; he was close with Rouge.
"But he's really close with Rouge and he's not dating her," he furrowed his brows in confusion before realizing how stupid the assumption sounded and rushed the amend himself. "I mean I know obviously that close relationships can be platonic, but I feel like my personality is pretty similar to Rouge's, so if he's not attracted to her, why would he be attracted to me?"
Amy smiled patiently at his word vomit before answering, "Well, that's where sexual preferences and romantic preferences go hand in hand. Someone can be gay and demisexual at the same time."
Sonic pursed his lips at the information. This was all sounding too complex and too unlikely. He could imagine the multiple factors of gender, relationship strength, personality, and natural attraction as circles forming a Venn diagram with a minuscule overlap; a tiny one-in-a-million chance that he met all of these conditions for Shadow, and that was assuming he was a gay demiromantic in the first place. It felt hopeless.
"I'm happy to stay as his friend," he looked back down at his lap with uncertainty. "But I don't know if I have the strength to manage my feelings as well as you do, Amy."
"You don't have to force yourself to get over him, I get that it's an especially difficult situation since you're basically stuck with him 24/7, but it's not like he hates you. He's really mature, so I think if your feelings ever become known to him and he doesn't reciprocate, he wouldn't treat you any differently."
"Just like," at the playful turn of her voice, he turned to face Amy again as she sported a cheeky grin, "how you wouldn't treat me any differently after this, right?"
Sonic felt his chest swell in appreciation for the pink hedgehog before him. She had confessed her feelings to him, gotten rejected, then went on to console him about his own crush and gave him a lesson on sexuality to boot. She was truly an angel on earth, and he really hoped that she would someday find someone that would make her as happy as she makes others.
"You're seriously an angel in disguise, Ames," his earlier worries were forgotten as he grinned back. "I hope whoever you settle down with one day is as sweet as you are."
"Aww, stop it," Amy giggled and batted her hand at the compliment as she looked back at the trees surrounding them. Her eyes seemed to unfocus as she settled her gaze on a nearby daisy.
"One day," her grin had smoothened into a small hopeful smile, a soft expression that made Sonic look forwards again and do the same. He supposed they were both in the same boat right now, only Amy had the guts to confess, and therefore be able to move on quicker.
Perhaps Shadow wasn't the only hedgehog he could become better friends with.
Their silence continued for only a few more seconds before Sonic's stomach broke it, grumbling loudly in complaint.
Amy laughed at the noise before asking, "Wanna get some chili dogs?"
"You are too good for this world I'm telling you."
~~~
Shadow sat his couch as he attempted to read his book.
He had agreed to let Sonic leave the hotel to accompany Amy on a 'hangout', and planned to take it as a chance to relax in the privacy of his hotel room by catching up on a book he had previously abandoned.
He had given up on the book when he realized that the quality of the romance was rather trashy. The main leads didn't have a passionate, meaningful kind of relationship, with a connection so strong it could only be broken by a tragedy. Instead, he was disappointed by a lackluster love triangle, a development he tried to give a chance up until the main male lead pettily attempted to make the female lead jealous by flirting with another woman. That was the final straw that made him stop reading.
If their love was truly secure they wouldn't acting so childish, he had thought bitterly at the time.
Yet today in his room, after he gave Sonic the go ahead to leave, he felt an unexplainable turmoil in his gut. His mind was whirring at the implications of this 1-on-1. Was Amy going to confess her feelings to him? Had she already confessed to him and this was their first date?
After briefly wondering why he was twisted up over the situation, he reminded himself that it was reasonable to worry about two of his employees getting together since it could potentially interfere with their capacity to fulfill their responsibilities. He had also been wary when Whisper and Tangle started dating at first, before being reassured by their continued efficiency in their roles.
The abandoned book came to mind, and so he fished it out of his suitcase to give it one last chance while he waited for the two hedgehogs to return.
The secondary male lead had made a move to kiss the female lead at the same time the main male lead walked in on them, but instead of sticking around long enough to see the female lead reject the secondary male's advances, he quietly exited as he made a ploy to make the female lead jealous.
How weak-willed, he thought. Instead of trying to maturely communicate with the female lead, he jumped at the opportunity to flirt up a storm with another woman the next time he knew the female lead was watching him.
And the female lead was no better. Upon seeing the act, instead of asking the male lead about his uncharacteristic behavior or expressing her hurt, she ended up going back to the secondary lead with the premise of 'giving their relationship a chance', despite her clearly having her mind set on the main lead.
Ridiculous, he couldn't imagine acting so thoughtlessly over the notion of his love interest simply flirting with another.
It was a painful cycle of miscommunication and pettiness, only broken when the secondary male lead's happiness about 'getting the girl' faded as he realized she was clearly still in love with the main male lead.
The ending was as disgustingly rushed as he had expected, with the two main leads coming into a passionate embrace after they finally expressed their feelings for one another. And of course, to lighten the blow on the secondary lead who fell in the crossfire of all their toxicity, some random new woman was introduced as his love interest to keep him happy.
It was stupid. Those were three hours of Shadow's life that he was never getting back. It was now 6 o'clock in the evening.
His mood only worsened when he heard Amy's distant giggle.
Without thinking, he snapped his book shut and hauled himself off the couch, walking over to his door as he strained his ear to capture more noise. As he expected, he heard Sonic's laughter join hers.
The moment he heard what was presumably Amy's door shutting, he opened his.
Sonic jolted at the noise, looking back at Shadow like a deer caught in headlights.
Shadow wordlessly beckoned him over, and Sonic silently listened.
He refused to hold open the door for his bodyguard, trusting that the idiot would know the enter behind him. It was only when he sat himself back down on his couch that he looked back at Sonic, who was clutching his hands in front of him like a toddler that just got scolded.
"Sit."
"Yup, that makes sense," Sonic breathed out as he sat down on the one-seater diagonal to him.
"So uhh, what's got you in a... sour mood?"
"What?" Shadow wasn't angry. Why would he be? He was just... concerned about the possibility of his two employees letting whatever relationship they have get in the way of doing their jobs. "I'm not in a sour mood."
"Really?" Sonic's laugh was nervous, making Shadow's eyes narrow. "Because you look like you're trying to explode me with your mind right now."
Fed up with his antics, Shadow cut to the chase, "I want to make sure you won't be letting any... distractions impede your work ethic as a bodyguard, so I'd like to know if whatever you have going on with Ms. Rose–"
"Oh, no no no," Sonic waved his hands about frantically in defense. "It's not like that! We just hung out ya know... as friends."
Shadow eyed the hedgehog's body language with suspicion, and couldn't stop his skepticism from making itself known, "I don't believe you."
"Well there's not much I can do about whether you believe me or not can I?" Sonic's tone switched from one of nervous to one of annoyance, a rare moment of rudeness Shadow didn't recall ever being addressed with. "Besides, Whisper and Tangle are together and you seem fine with that, so why would it matter if Amy and I were a thing?"
"Because you are my bodyguard," Shadow snapped back. "If your relationship with Amy distracts you, I'll be the one to suffer–"
"Suffer?" Sonic barked out a quick, uncharacteristically humorless laugh as he leaned back against his seat. "Oh please, you don't get to keep switching between being an independent combat machine and a helpless princess. Seriously, pick a side and stick with it."
Shadow's jaw ticked at the impertinence he was faced with, "I'm perfectly justified in wanting to make sure you can do your damn job. If your relationship with Ms. Rose starts making you slack off–"
"Ahah! Yeah, no," Sonic stood up abruptly. "I'm not taking anymore accusations on my work ethic. You know damn well that I will always do all that I can to protect you, so what's your problem?"
Shadow logically knew that. He knew that even if Sonic were to get into a relationship he would never let it interfere with his job. So why did he feel so... paranoid? "Are you or are you not in a relationship with her?"
"For the last time, no I'm not!" Sonic's voice raised in volume as he spoke, an unfamiliar level of frustration peeking through. "And not that it's any of your business, but she confessed her feelings to me today and I turned her down, and she took it maturely, something you clearly don't know the meaning of!"
Shadow blinked at the revelation, his anger dissipated as Sonic made his move towards the door.
"Are there any other 'concerns' you have about my efficiency as your employee?" Sonic's words came out bitter in a way that made Shadow's chest clench, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what to saw.
"No," was all he could muster as he looked away, a feeling of shame settling deep in his gut as he listened to the sound of his door swinging open.
"I'll be in my room until you need me on duty again," the sentence was curt, almost cold, shortly followed by the sound of the door clicking closed.
Shadow exhaled heavily as he tried to decipher what just unfolded. Sonic was mad at him. Just how badly did he fuck up for Sonic of all people to be pissed at him?
Which led to his second realization: what the hell came over him? He couldn't recall ever being this nosy and unnecessarily aggressive with another, even with Rouge. Sonic had already told him a first time that he and Amy weren't dating, yet he refused to take the answer as it was, instead pushing him into a corner and throwing accusations at him. He gravely overstepped the boundaries of both their contract and their friendship, and the worst thing was that he didn't know why.
He was in a shit mood as Sonic had pointed out.
The book he had finished earlier caught the corner of his eye, an ugly moment of irony slithering into his mind. Just moments ago he despised the characters in the book for their pettiness and miscommunications, the idea of emotion-driven recklessness seemingly implausible to him in real life.
Now the book sat there on his coffee table, a harmless inanimate object, mocking him.
With a huff of frustration, he grabbed the book to put it away. Everything was fine, Sonic would be back to his preppy self in no time.
Notes:
Damn this chapter was all over the place 💀
Also, thoughts on my Amy characterization? 🥲 I feel like I haven’t gotten the chance to show her flaws since she’s not a childhood friend to Sonic in this fic and as a result made her too ‘perfect’ so far? Idk BUT ILL TRY AND DO HER MORE JUSTICE LATER 🫡
Also Shadow being a jealous bf before even acknowledging that he likes Sonic romantically is the funniest thing to me 💀
Chapter 16: Panic and Grief
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"Terios."
The ebony hedgehog was passing through the corridor when his name was called out, turning his head to see his father standing just outside of his office.
He walked over to the older hedgehog before catching a glimpse of two humans inside the room behind him. An old fat man and a young blonde girl who looked to be around the same age as him. He couldn't get a more detailed look before the door was closed shut.
"Have you finished your training?"
The teenaged hedgehog nodded, "Yes father," then moved his inquisitive gaze to the door. "Clients?"
His father let out a sigh before leading him further away from the door, presumably to escape the humans' earshots, not that their hearing could possibly be superior to mobians' anyways.
"Worse," the Don growled out, clearly not happy about whatever agreement he had just reached with the human man. "Humans have become so entitled nowadays. That man's genius is unmatched by any other, but he comes with a lot of demands. For one of them he wants to run a parallel study of his own to find a cure for his granddaughter's incurable illness," he scoffed. "Sounds deluded, but so long as he keeps being useful I suppose."
"Indeed," the teenager nodded, using awfully formal language for his age. No less could be expected from someone sheltered and homeschooled his entire life. "And what of his other demands?"
"The only one you have to worry about is that she will be staying with us. He wants her under maximum protection while he works, and the safest place she can stay is at our residence," the Don ran a hand through the top of his quills, exhaustion of the day clearly weighing down on him. He often appointed Terios to some of his more menial duties to alleviate his workload, with the intent to integrate him into the nature of their business as well.
"Terios," the Don laid a hand on his son's shoulder with the clear intent of making a request. "You are not obligated to entertain this human girl by any means, but try to make sure she doesn't cause any trouble. Your brother is emotional enough as it is, we don't need her adding onto his softness."
The task was clear: keep an eye on the girl and make sure his brother doesn't get attached to her. Terios nodded in understanding. The last thing they needed was for her to infect Eclipse with sympathetic ideals.
"Of course father. I will make sure she has no influence during her stay."
Unfortunately for Shadow, Sonic did not go back to his preppy self in no time.
It was subtle at first. Sonic had been happily chatting with Rouge and Amy, energetic as ever. When the time came for him to leave them to accompany Shadow to his rehearsal, he waved goodbye to them happily before following two steps behind the idol.
Sonic tended to be quiet when they were in public anyways, so Shadow had simply assumed that, since Sonic was in a chipper mood around the rest of his team, then he must've gotten over the... 'argument' that took place between them the night before.
But Sonic's silence continued well into their time together, even away from the public eye where the bodyguard often jumped at the opportunity to talk Shadow's ears off.
Shadow felt awkward about it. He knew he couldn't initiate conversation like nothing happened, but he found himself too stubborn to apologize. He was technically justified in asking Sonic about his relationship with Amy, regardless of how pushy and aggressive he was about it, and Sonic's 'silent treatment' only further provoked his pride. It felt like he would be admitting a loss by apologizing to Sonic.
After all, Sonic himself has pushed and prodded at the boundaries of their contract several times, why should Shadow be crucified for the one time he does it?
It was a half-baked justification for his actions, one that skirted around the core problem of the uncharacteristic emotions that led to those actions. To acknowledge that problem would mean to acknowledge his feelings, but he didn't know how to make sense of them, worried about what it means that Sonic is able to derive such novel reactions from him.
So he would ignore it.
He felt his stubborn resolve growing weaker with each day that passed. He didn't realize just how much he got used to their talks between rehearsals, how... fond he had grown of them until they suddenly stopped.
He finally cracked when he took Sonic to the gym, only for Sonic to continue his cold shoulder act when he asked for a spar.
"Sorry, I think it's a bit unprofessional for me to fight with my client."
"Seriously?" Shadow growled out at the obvious petulance. "You didn't have a problem sparring me over the last two months."
"Well that was before I found out how worried you are about my work ethic as your bodyguard," Sonic stood idly on the mat as he looked away. "I realized I need to take our contract seriously, y'know? So I can protect my defenseless client that's oh-so-worried about my capacity to fulfill my duties."
"I'm not fucking defenseless," he knew Sonic picked that word as a purposeful jab, but he still felt his body temperature rising, muscles tensed with the urge to fight after these past few days of turmoil.
"Really? I'm not really sure with how you've been acting. It sure feels like I'm dealing with a fairytale princess, or a damsel-in-distress as you called it, but just not in the physical sense."
Not in the physical sense. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Emotionally," Sonic finally turned to face him, hand on his hip as he stood undeterred by Shadow's threatening stance. "You can't deal with your feelings, so you take it out on me instead and insult my work ethic. It's weak and it's cowardly."
Shadow snapped at the insult, launching forwards to tackle the insufferable bodyguard into the mat. Sonic anticipated it and moved out of the way, missed by a hair before using Shadow's momentum against him and tackling him into the ground himself.
Shadow focused on lightening the blow by bracing his arms as he fell, the air suddenly being pushed out of his lungs at the weight pressed on his back.
"See?" Sonic's voice sounded above him. "You got mad at me for insulting you, but instead of expressing it like a normal person, you try to fight me."
"I am perfectly justified in wanting to make sure you're not distracted on the job," he grit out as he whipped an elbow back into what was presumably Sonic's midsection, taking the grunt as a chance to twist and shove his counterpart off with a strike to his chest. "You can't blame me for that."
Sonic nursed his chest at the unexpectedly hard hit as he landed on his back, but quickly rolled out of the way when Shadow tried to follow through with another attack.
"There's no way that's the real reason you wanted to know," Sonic scrambled up to his feet but didn't further distance himself from the idol.
Shadow stood up to match him, "What other reason would there be?"
"I don't know, but your questions weren't coming from a logical place. That I know."
Fed up with the baseless accusations, Shadow swung forwards again before having his strike blocked with a parry.
"You think it's incomprehensible for me to logically want you to do your job properly?" Shadow went for a kick, Sonic ducked to avoid it. "What kind of argument is that?"
"You were clearly mad about something," another attempted strike, another dodge, "and you didn't know how to deal with it," it only angered him more that Sonic wasn't throwing any strikes back, just running his mouth with presumptions about Shadow's behavior, "so you took it out on me!"
"You act like your work ethic is infallible," Shadow scoffed. "Most clients would have fired you by now with how much you fool around."
At this, Sonic's eyes hardened as he finally went on the attack, "Just because I'm not stoic, doesn't mean I don't take my job seriously, and you know that!"
Shadow narrowly diverted a knee kick from the other.
"It's not my fault you're too emotionally constipated to properly communicate!"
Shadow snarled as he shoved Sonic's chest while looping a foot behind his legs, finally driving him back to the ground so he landed on his back with a wheeze. He quickly followed after the bodyguard, pinning his legs to the ground as he held him down by his shoulders. Sonic gripped at Shadow's wrists in efforts to wrench them off, but he wasn't done speaking.
"If not my work ethic, at least trust the fact that I care about you Shads! This is more than just bodyguard obligations for me now. I could have a million different distractions trying to hound me and it still won't stop me from prioritizing your safety!"
Shadow's eyes widened at bodyguard's confession, his rage instantly dampened as he tried to process his words.
"But clearly our little friendship upgrade means nothing to you since you love jumping at every opportunity to remind me that I'm just your employee."
The look of absolute hurt in Sonic's eyes threw a wrench in Shadow's heart. He didn't feel himself subconsciously tightening his grip on his bodyguard's shoulders as he searched for a response.
"That's," he broke eye contact with the hedgehog below him. "That's not true."
"Shadow," the foreign sound of his proper name being used made him snap his gaze back to Sonic's face, only to see a sheen of unadulterated fear glazed over emerald irises.
"L-Let go."
Shadow froze, a pang of horror piercing through his chest at Sonic's trembling voice and the way those wide eyes locked onto his. His grip fell away immediately, as though Sonic's skin had seared him.
The room seemed to shrink around them, and he could see Sonic's breathing go ragged, with quick and shallow gasps that rattled in his throat like he was drowning. Sonic's fingers clawed at the empty air between them, his lips parting in small, desperate pants.
Shadow's gut twisted. He recognized that look, that panic flooding those emerald eyes, but it still ripped at something deep inside him.
"Sonic–" his voice cracked. He wanted to reach out again but stopped himself short, knowing he'd make it worse. He forced his own breathing to steady, to give Sonic something to mirror.
"It's okay," he said quickly, gently. He stayed in Sonic's vision as he gestured to his chest, knowing that the bodyguard likely couldn't hear him well over the sound of his own heartbeat. "Breathe with me. In," he inhaled deeply, slow and deliberate, his chest expanding, "and out." He exhaled just as slowly, keeping his voice low and calm. "You're safe. I'm here."
Sonic's breath hitched, but he didn't move away. Shadow saw his shoulders quake, his fingers trembling against his own chest now.
"In," Shadow repeated softly, his own pulse pounding in his ears. "Nice and slow. In... and out."
Sonic's breaths were still ragged, but he tried. Shadow could see the effort, the flicker of focus as Sonic's eyes met his and clung there.
"That's it," he murmured. "You're okay. I've got you."
It felt like an eternity before Sonic's breathing started to even out, each breath a fraction steadier. Shadow didn't dare touch him until his shoulders stopped shaking quite so hard.
When he did finally reach out, it was only to brush his fingertips along Sonic's arm, a feather-light touch. "You're safe," he repeated, voice softer than a whisper. "I promise."
Shadow's heart still thundered in his chest, but he kept his tone calm and steady, even as he cursed himself for the fear he'd seen in Sonic's eyes. He would do anything to take it back. He should have known from the scars he had seen. He should have figured that there was likely a story behind them that made his shoulders a trigger for panic attacks. How could he be so stupid?
He pushed the tirade of self-loathing to the back of his mind. For now, he needed to focus only on the hedgehog in front of him, and on breathing slow, steady breaths together.
A few moments of silence passed as Sonic regained his bearings. When the bodyguard finally felt steady enough to push himself up into a sitting position, Shadow took it as the time to speak.
"I'm sorry."
Sonic heaved out a heavy exhale as he avoided eye contact, looking down at the mat between his legs like it was the most interesting thing in the world, "It's fine."
It's not fine. Another layer of quietness settled between them. Shadow's mind raced in indecision, torn between addressing their earlier argument and asking about the scars. The former was obviously the right one to make no matter how much he wanted to know the latter.
"You're right," he started. "I wasn't pressing you about Amy out of concern for your capacity as my bodyguard. I know you take your work seriously but I just–" Just what? Shadow was angry and he didn't know why.
"I was in a shit mood as you said. You..." Shadow took a deep breath as he assessed Sonic's figure. The bodyguard seemed much more relaxed, and despite him still looking down at the ground, his ear perked towards Shadow as an indicator of his listening.
The least he deserved was the truth, no matter how convoluted it was because of how confused he felt about it.
"You make me feel things."
He made that confession quietly, feeling the instant urge to backtrack when Sonic looked back at him with such wide eyes, an emotion that he could not read for the life of him held behind them.
But he marched on, "I'm not easily affected by other people's whims. I've prided myself on my self-control and discipline. Other people's words and actions have never made me feel strongly enough to act so thoughtlessly."
Except...
Sonic cocked his head at the explanation but refused to speak, urging Shadow to delve deeper into his web of thoughts, "But you get reactions out of me that I'm not used to, and so I feel..."
He really had to dig hard his memories of therapy and how he was encouraged to express his words at the time, "I feel threatened by that, hence my... sometimes unnecessary aggression. I don't like that I'm not fully in control of myself when I'm around you."
Sonic looked absolutely startled by his words, his mouth hanging slightly agape similarly to when Shadow had mentioned his brother. He wasn't sure why, since his he'd argue that what he was admitting to now was less surprising news.
"So you're saying that..." Shadow waited with a bated breath as he analyzed Sonic's contemplative expression.
"I drive you crazy?"
Now it was Shadow's turn to gape. He had expected a much more serious response given the events that unfolded over the past ten minutes. For Sonic to summarize all those carefully worded confessions into such a dramatic claim with a shit-eating grin? He had half a mind to attack him again.
"You don't drive me crazy you idiot. I don't know how you keep coming to such ridiculous conclusions."
"You just said you don't feel in control of yourself when you're around me," the bodyguard shrugged before leaning back on an arm, his eyes dropping down into a half-lidded smirk. "That basically means the same thing, and you know what else that means?"
Shadow eyed Sonic's playful demeanor carefully. It was still disturbing to him how quickly the bodyguard's mood recovered from the panic attack, almost as if it had never happened. Almost like he was pretending it never happened.
"What?" He asked tersely.
"It means you care about me too~" came the answering drawl. "You'll be wrapped around my finger sooner than I thought!"
"Again hedgehog," Shadow decided to go along with Sonic's obvious attempt at veering the conversation away from something more serious, particularly pertaining to his panic attack and the reason behind it. "You're using that phrase wrong."
"Not anymore," he chirped, a grinning like he knew something Shadow didn't. "You said it means to have complete control over someone, and now you just admitted to losing control over yourself, so we're already halfway there!"
Shadow groaned as he let himself fall onto his back, preferring to deal with too-bright ceiling lights than the cocky idiot beside him. He was already regretting his honesty; it had only been a minute and Sonic already brought it up twice. He was never going to live it down, was he?
"Now I just have to take cont–"
Shadow lifted his head up at the sudden pause, initially worried that something happened only to find Sonic looking at a random stool in the distance, ears tucked back into his head. Suddenly, the night of board games came to mind, reminding Shadow of the suspicion he had growing in the back of his mind.
"Finally thinking before you speak?"
"Psh," Sonic hauled himself up to his feet, his legs still holding the occasional tremors as he turned to face Shadow, hand outstretched to help him up as well. "I always think before I speak. Now c'mon, you gotta show me that paralysis trick."
Having zero faith in the bodyguard's steadiness, Shadow pulled himself up without taking the hand, eyeing Sonic warily. Shadow might be 'emotionally constipated' in Sonic's words, but at least he doesn't outright cover up his vulnerable moments with a smile. It was ironic really, how Sonic actively encouraged Shadow to speak about his feelings yet was never willing to do the same.
Sure, he spoke about his experience as a pit fighter in a generally honest sense, and Shadow didn't fault him for skimping out on the details (after all, they had only known each other for a week at the time), but he didn't miss the way Sonic avoided talking about how he felt during those years.
Sonic, for all the smiles he puts on and the jokes he makes, was just as emotionally evasive as Shadow.
"I'll give you an anatomy lesson first," he started tentatively. "You need to learn the muscles groups involved."
"Sounds easy enough," Sonic didn't take the rejected hand personally, pulling it back to his side as he cocked his head.
"It's... a bit hands on," Shadow warned for more reasons than one. First was that a few of the points are on the shoulders, which he was worried about touching again after what just happened. The second stemmed from his theory that Sonic was actually easily embarrassed by nonviolent physical contact when it wasn't initiated by him.
"That's fine," his voice stayed light, not a hint of hesitation behind it.
Shadow watched Sonic carefully, eyes searching for any sign of unease or lingering panic in the bodyguard's relaxed posture. But Sonic only gave him an expectant, almost playful look, yet again acting as if nothing had happened at all.
Still, the memory of that fear in Sonic's eyes haunted him. He wouldn't forget it.
Shadow took a measured breath, the gym's fluorescent lights painting a clinical glow over them. He held Sonic's wrist carefully, his touch almost reverent, as if Sonic might slip away like smoke if he pressed too hard.
"We'll start with the arm," he said, voice low and steady. "Biceps brachii. Two heads, short and long. Essential for flexion and supination." His thumb brushed lightly along the inside of Sonic's forearm, tracing the line of the muscle. "This is also where some of the vital meridian points lie."
Sonic's ears perked, his usual grin curving into a playful smile. "That's a lotta fancy words. You gotta remember I didn't pay much attention in school."
Shadow rolled his eyes as he offered a more in-depth explanation to the terms he used. Once he was done covering the terminology, he moved to the triceps at the back of Sonic's arm. "Triceps: three heads, responsible for extending the elbow." His touch was clinical, but his eyes lingered on Sonic's face, watching for any sign of discomfort, but the bodyguard didn't flinch. If anything, he leaned in closer.
"Show me," he said, his voice a little softer now, less teasing.
Shadow's fingers pressed lightly against the inside of Sonic's elbow joint, his tone shifting to a quiet instruction. "This is one of the points I'll teach you to strike. It disrupts the flow of energy along the meridian, momentarily weakening the arm."
He paused, the weight of his own words sitting heavy in his chest. "But you have to be careful."
"I know," Sonic said, voice earnest. "If I'm lucky I'll never have to use this stuff, right?"
Shadow hummed in approval. He knew that despite his carefree attitude, Sonic would be responsible with this knowledge. He continued down the arm, explaining the radial nerve and the way a precise strike could numb the hand, his fingers moving with the utmost care.
He moved to Sonic's legs next, fingers ghosting over the quadriceps and calves. "The legs carry more than weight, they carry momentum. A single precise strike can steal that away."
Sonic watched him intently as he explained the pressure points, his expression unusually focused.
"You're avoiding something," he pointed out suddenly, his tone light but his eyes sharp. "You skipped my shoulders."
Shadow stiffened, his fingers pausing mid-trace along Sonic's knee. "I... did," he admitted after a moment. "I didn't want to–"
"Shadow," Sonic cut in gently, a half-smile on his lips. "Really, it’s okay."
His hand came up, resting lightly on Shadow's wrist. "Show me. I trust you."
Shadow swallowed hard, his eyes flicking from Sonic's hand to his shoulders. The memory of the bodyguard's panic was fresh in his mind, but if Sonic gave the go ahead then there wasn't much to do other than continue.
He let out a slow breath. "Alright." His hands hovered again, as if asking permission. When Sonic nodded, Shadow took a breath before finally letting his fingertips rest lightly on the front of Sonic's shoulder.
"The deltoid," he murmured, his voice gentle, almost reverent as he maintained a delicate touch. "Three heads. Anterior, lateral, posterior...”
"Mhm," Sonic's gaze was half lidded as he twisted his head to get a better look at where Shadow's hand was pointing at.
Sonic was... surprisingly casual with the proximity so far. It made Shadow wonder if he had simply overthought the bodyguard's behavior during the Twister game.
"Can I try it now?"
"Try it on what?"
Sonic looked back up to level Shadow with a gaze that could somehow be described as both tentative and playful, "On you? Only if you're cool with it of course."
Shadow blinked at the request. He hadn't planned on letting Sonic put the theoretical knowledge into practice, but he supposed if he trusted him enough to teach him the points, then there shouldn't be an issue in letting him attempt it.
"Alright I get it, I wouldn't trust–"
"Okay."
Now it was Sonic's turn to blink, "Seriously?"
Shadow shrugged before extending his arm outwards in offering to his bodyguard, "Try the inner elbow."
Sonic looked down at the arm with wide eyes, like he had just been gifted the moon on a plate, "Uhm, okay."
Shadow watched inquisitively as his counterpart carefully placed his hands under the arm, fingers brushing up against the grain of the fur with a gentleness he wasn't used to until Sonic's thumbs finally landed on the crook of his elbow.
"Here, right?"
Shadow had to suppress a shiver from traveling through his body as the other slightly pushed on his pressure point. The soft but firm touch sent a tingling sensation up his arm that was... too pleasant for his liking.
"You're supposed to give it a sharp jab," he tried to make his voice sound less breathless than he felt, "not caress it."
"I know that," Sonic rolled his eyes but his voice held no bite to it. "I'm just trying to make sure I don't hit the wrong point and accidentally kill you or something."
"The arms and legs are impossible to do permanent damage to with this technique," why was Sonic still pressing on that point so delicately? The longer the contact went on, the more Shadow wanted to pull his arm away before he could do something stupid. "The only points that have such a risk are connected to the spine, which I don't plan on ever teaching you."
"Didn't want to learn that anyways," the bodyguard mumbled under his breath with a certain seriousness, before finally letting go of Shadow's arm. "Okay, so... what, I just go at it karate chop style?"
Shadow left his arm hanging in the air, "Yes, you need to strike it with the most amount of force you can produce using the least amount of surface area for the best result. Obviously in a real scenario your opponent won't be holding their arm out like this for you."
"Yeah yeah, thank you for being so accommodating Sensei," Sonic grinned as he lifted an open palm up to prepare for his strike, staring at the point in Shadow's elbow with steely focus. "You ready?"
An idea suddenly came to mind. Shadow maintained a neutral voice as he spoke, "Go for it."
At the last second before Sonic could land his strike, Shadow swiped his arm away, causing the bodyguard to nearly stumble over his overshot momentum. He found the look of confusion in those eyes to be endearingly humorous, like a cat thinking it caught its prey only to find it missing between its paws.
"Wha–"
"Work for it," Shadow smirked, ignoring the lurch in his chest at the sight of Sonic grinning back in determination.
An eager spark danced across the bodyguard's features as he steadied himself again, shifting his weight from foot to foot, "I should've known you wouldn't make it easy."
Shadow said nothing, merely raising an eyebrow and holding his ground. He let his arm hover in the air; close enough to tease, but just far enough to keep Sonic guessing.
Sonic lunged forward with a feint, his hand darting toward the inner elbow. Shadow's eyes tracked the movement and twisted his arm just out of reach at the last second, forcing Sonic to pivot and dodge away to avoid a counter-grab.
Sonic breathed out with a laugh, shaking his head in amused exasperation. "So that's how you wanna play it, huh?"
Shadow didn't respond, but there was a faint curve at the corner of his lips as he watched his bodyguard circle him like a predator.
Sonic faked high, then low, his feet moving with easy grace as he tested Shadow's defenses. Each time his hand shot toward that exposed inner elbow, Shadow would slip away just a fraction of an inch. He kept his movements fluid, almost lazy in their precision.
Shadow noticed Sonic's breathing was quickening, but not from exertion. He could see it in the shine of his eyes, the excitement of the chase, the game they were playing. It was electric, each near-miss feeding the tension that coiled tight in Shadow's chest.
Then Sonic's grin changed, turning sly, and Shadow felt a flicker of anticipation. The bodyguard faked a low sweep to his leg, movements quick and clean, but instead of following through, he used the momentum to pivot back up and darted his hand forward, quick as a snake.
For a split second, Shadow was caught off guard by the change in angle. Sonic's palm landed squarely in the crook of his elbow, a sharp jab that hit the pressure point with precision.
A jolt of tingling numbness shot up Shadow's arm, the muscle momentarily weakened by the blow. He couldn't help the way his breath caught in his throat at the sudden sensation, nor the flash of pride he felt at Sonic's tenacity.
"Ahah, I did it!" Sonic's voice was triumphant, his eyes shining with victory though his hand lingered a fraction too long on the spot, thumb brushing lightly in a silent apology for the blow.
Shadow let out a slow breath, flexing his fingers experimentally. The feeling was already returning, but his heart was still racing for a different reason altogether.
"Not bad," he said quietly, his voice calm even as heat curled in his stomach. "You're as fast at learning as you are at running."
"I think that's the most praise I've ever heard coming out of your mouth," Sonic narrowed his eyes with fake suspicion before bringing the back of his hand towards Shadow's forehead. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Shut up," he batted the hand away, trying to will away the heat crawling up his ears. "It's just an objective observation."
"Righttt, so you always say," Shadow didn't have the energy to defend himself against Sonic's disbelieving tone. "Welp, I'm kinda drained for the night. Wanna rinse and call it a day?"
They hadn't exerted themselves nearly as much as they usually do during their gym sessions, but Shadow knew exactly what Sonic lost most of his energy from, an occurrence the bodyguard still seemed dedicated to ignoring.
With a nod of agreement, they made their way to the showers.
Shadow contemplated Sonic's behavior while he rinsed himself down, thinking about how he could break down that wall he always has around him.
He thought of his own metaphorical wall as a barbed fence with a clear 'keep out' sign, his coldness a clear indication of not wanting others to push through that barrier. In comparison, Sonic's wall was more like a tall, brick barricade, graffitied with bright colors to distract outsiders from trying to investigate what's hidden behind it.
How could he break through that wall without accidentally damaging what hid behind it?
Upon exiting his stall, he found Sonic already in his pants once more, towel wrapped around his shoulders as he ran a comb through his wet quills in efforts to detangle them.
"Surely it's an inconvenience to maintain those quills every day," Shadow commented without ill intent. He was simply curious as to why someone as fast paced and impatient as Sonic would let their quills grow so long. Even Amy liked to keep hers short for the sake of having an easier everyday routine to keep up with. "Have you ever thought about trimming them?"
"And put Mother Nature's gift to waste?" Sonic's voice was light, clearly not offended by the suggestion. "Besides, it helps with my spin dashes a lot like you said. Maybe you should grow yours out too."
Shadow kept silent as he pulled out his hairdryer, blowing it lightly all over his body before paying special attention to his chest. As soon as it reached a state he was satisfied with, he threw a glance at his bodyguard, noting an expectant look on his face that resembled a dog waiting for its owner to give it food. Why did he keep comparing Sonic to pets?
With a sigh, he accepted the silent question, "Come here."
Sonic happily obeyed, turning his back to Shadow as he drawled out, "You're too kind Shads~"
Shadow rolled his eyes knowing that the other couldn't see it, but didn't respond anyways.
Instead, he continued his line of thoughts from when he was showering. Not much had changed since their 'friendship upgrade' as Sonic had called it. They hadn't really had the chance to confide in one another due to the business of his schedule (along with the three day long silent treatment he had been faced with following their 'fight'), but he felt that tonight was the best opportunity for that 'upgrade' to be put to use.
Except, Sonic didn't seem to be willing to let down the wall from his end yet.
Shadow sighed as he dried the last of Sonic's quills before clicking his dryer off. With the dryer still in hand, he threw caution in the wind as he hovered his other hand lightly over Sonic's shoulder, allowing his thumb to brush over one of the scars he had noticed with the most featherlight gentleness he could muster. Not enough to startle the bodyguard, but enough to make him tense in realization that he knows.
Maybe he could be the one to take the first step.
"I had a sister as well," he moved his free hand back towards the quills, not wanting to push on Sonic's boundaries anymore than he had just done. "Nonbiological, human. She liked to keep her hair long too."
One could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed. Shadow could tell Sonic had momentarily stopped breathing, whether from the newfound knowledge that his scars were noticed or about the second familial revelation of the week he had dropped on him, he wasn't sure.
"She was bossy," he continued, unable to muster any actual resentment into his claim. "She would keep badgering me to help dry her hair and then taught me how to braid so she could make me do that too."
Sonic had yet to turn around, though Shadow glimpsed from their reflection in the mirror that his eyes were screwed shut. Shadow set the hairdryer on the sink before moving back to blue quills, absentmindedly thumbing through them as he continued to recall certain memories, the ones that didn't hurt.
"She would blast her pop music obnoxiously around the house, insist that I eat unhealthy snacks and sweets with her while we watch movies. She was also the one who dragged me into ice skating lessons with her…"
"You uhh," Sonic's voice came out shaky. "You refer to her in the past tense... is she..."
"Yes," he answered the silent question that hung heavy in the air as his arms dropped to his sides. He couldn't bring himself to further delve into his memories, but he could at least be honest about what he thought now, "I miss her. A lot."
He hadn't realized how thick his words came out, nor how his vision had started to blur from unshed tears until he was wrapped in a crushing embrace in the blink of an eye.
Shadow registered the sea of blue that flooded his eyes as he stiffened at the contact. No words were spoken by Sonic, the only message being conveyed physically by how tightly his arms were wrapped around Shadow's torso, as though trying to absorb the pain from him somehow.
"I... I somehow ended up going along with all of her stupid demands," Shadow's words came out choked. No matter how much time had passed, how many hours of therapy he endured, he still missed her every day of his life. "Because Chaos forbid she ever take no for an answer. She was insufferable, and loud, and whiny, and ridiculously stubborn..."
Shadow finally found it in himself to return the embrace, wrapping his arms around Sonic's shoulders as he clutched tightly at the gap between his back quills. He let the first tear drop on the sparsely furred shoulder.
Then another.
Then another.
"Fuck, I miss her so much," his voice was fully congested at this point as he tried to focus on the soothing circles being rubbed on his back. He tried to keep his tears to a minimum. The last thing he needed was to have a sob session this late at night. His eyes would get puffy the morning after if this continued, and he did not want Rouge noticing that.
"She..." Sonic's voice was unusually soft, and slightly thick as well. "She sounds like one hell of a sister."
"She really was," the agreement came out as a broken whisper, but Shadow couldn't let this continue. With a quick sniffle, he drew away from Sonic as he wiped at his eyes, and the bodyguard was quick to grab a napkin from the dispenser before offering it to him with a soft smile.
Shadow returned the smile as he accepted the napkin, working to dry the tear stains on his muzzle.
He hadn't planned on losing his composure like this when he brought Maria up at the start. He had expected for Sonic to take over the conversation before he could continue to speak about her, but the bodyguard had stayed silent until Shadow fell apart all on his own.
But he made his first step, and he knew that in due time, Sonic would trust him enough to do the same.
"How's that for a friendship upgrade?"
Sonic snorted at the question, but his smile remained soft, a glimmer of appreciation dancing across his eyes, "Really good. You've got me beat 1-0."
Shadow huffed amusedly. Only Sonic would somehow turn emotional venting into a competition, but it was an acknowledgment on his lack of participation in said vulnerability, which was a good sign. Still, he boldly pressed with a challenge, "So when are you planning to catch up?"
Melancholy flashed through emerald eyes so quickly that Shadow wasn't sure if he'd imagined it, then Sonic turned to the sink, seemingly realizing he was still topless before grabbing his shirt. Shadow noticed himself in a similar state and so did the same.
"Well I don't have any secret family members like you do, but I like to think that one day I can drop a vent on you so good that it'll be worth like... at least 3 points."
"We're assigning different values to our admissions of trauma now?" Shadow shook his head but didn't have any actual disapproval in his tone. "Sounds insensitive."
"Psh, you know you love a good competition."
He could only roll his eyes with a smile at the statement, unable to deny its truth. After they zipped up their bags, they made their way out of the bathroom in a silence that felt comfortable and... safe.
"Hey Shads?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
He didn't specify the reason for his gratefulness. He didn't need to. Shadow didn't at all regret confiding some of his hurt to Sonic, even if it had initially been with the intent to encourage Sonic to do the same. He should have known it would take a bit longer than that, but he couldn't deny Sonic's earlier words anymore; he did care about him.
So if he had to work long grueling hours at that graffiti'd wall, taking it down brick by brick so he could finally see the person hidden behind it, so be it.
It was an effort he was willing to make for Sonic.
Notes:
*taps at fic bio* “Sonic the Hedgehog is Bad at Feelings” tag is there for a reason ☝️🥹 He avoids tf out of his problems
ALSO IM SORRY FOR MAKING U CRY SHADOWWWW alright guys he’s suffered enough 🥺 I legit teared up while writing his crying I WAS TOO HARD ON HIM THIS CHAPTER
Shadow: You make me feel things, what could that mean?
Sonic: *eye twitching* that you’re gay perhaps?
He borderline confessed to Sonic without realising that he’s into him first 🗿🗿 fear not, the moment he finally recognizes it as romantic is gonna be so juicy (and funny)Also when I was tryna write that panic attack I realized smth: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a panic attack being described from the perspective of an outsider??? Like any book/fic I’ve read that had it was always from the POV of the person HAVING the attack so I lowkey had to wing it 🧐
Also can y’all tell I bullshitted to out of that Dim Mak lesson just so they could have an excuse to touch and make Shadow think gay thoughts?
ALSO the irony in Shadow’s flashback and me accidentally making Eclipse relevant oopsie
Chapter 17: Not a Date
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Knuckles growled in frustration at the files laid out before him.
There was already an investigation team looking into the details, but it wasn't enough. He had persistently requested to borrow a copy of the files for himself to look into, and after a few weeks of nonstop asking, the commander finally relented.
"I expected your passion to die down after that first freak-success of a mission yours," Commander Towers admitted with a sigh, "but five years down and you're still dedicated as ever. Fine, but you give it back by 48 hours."
Knuckles knew in his gut that this case was different, just like he knew five years ago about the fighting ring. Something sinister and disturbing about these seemingly 'random' deaths screamed it him that there was a bigger picture behind it all.
All of these deaths were supposedly from dehydration, but they were too sudden and too unusual for self neglect to be the cause.
The demographic of the casualties was large and diverse. There was no pattern in the victims, humans and mobians, men and women, young and old citizens alike all exhibiting erratic behavior for about a week before suddenly dropping dead.
The labs came back empty for traces of drugs, finding that the only anomaly with their bodies was how shriveled their large intestines were compared to the norm.
Yet in a vast majority of the eyewitness statements related to these deaths, a commonly brought up observation on the erratic behavior exhibited by these victims was that they would drink water excessively. A grieving mother mentioned how her son downed several jugs of water before running away. It was the last encounter she had with him before he was found dead in an alleyway three days later, with no injuries on him to indicate he was attacked.
Another commonality, noted mainly by the witnesses of male victims, was proneness to 'abnormal feats of strength' accompanied by 'uncharacteristic aggression'. A young woman had promised with fervor that her boyfriend was the kindest soul who had encouraged her and supported her on her journey to stop drinking and smoking, yet that boyfriend had launched a chair across the room one night and found two days later 'passed out' in a club.
Of course, once it was discovered that he was dead rather than unconscious, the club was quickly flooded with a police squadron and searched for drugs. A few of the club goers were caught and arrested for possessing substances like cannabis and cocaine, but no other drugs were found that could be linked to that man's death.
All of these victims exhibited behavior that could only ever be explained by drugs, yet labs couldn't find traces of anything they have in their database, nor any chemicals that don't already naturally exist in the body.
How is this possible?
He felt a hunch in his gut. The locations of these incidents were widespread across the United Federation; whoever was behind this was smart enough to distribute their mystery substance far and wide so that they couldn't be pinpointed. But Commander Towers noted a while ago that from the earliest cases discovered, the number of these peculiar occurrences was slightly higher in Central City than the rest. It was a negligible difference that could simply be chalked up to population density, but Knuckles refused to dismiss it.
There was already an undercover investigation taking place there over the possibility of Mafia activity. But now with this sudden outcrop of these mysterious deaths, Knuckles was even more suspicious about the city. When Towers had pointed out the minute difference in numbers, Knuckles had quickly agreed that it might be worth further investigation, trying to sound as casual as possible when he offered himself to be transferred should Towers need more agents on the job.
Not that Towers was clueless to his intentions; the human knew damn well why Knuckles made the offer. No matter how much the echidna tried to hide his personal bias, the commander saw right through him.
He wanted to know if that rat was still hiding, if he could possibly be the culprit behind these deaths.
Knuckles rested his forehead on his palm. He had already told Sonic more than necessary during their last call, but luckily he wasn't asked any follow up questions since then. Whether is was because Sonic respected the echidna's clear boundary about poking and prodding at his work, or because he simply didn't want to know about Mephis' current situation and whereabouts, he wasn't sure.
He let out a low sigh. Sonic had been so brainwashed when he first met him, the blue hedgehog refusing to give any details about his manager in expression of pure loyalty towards him. It was only when Knuckles gave him the harsh reminder that Mephis abandoned him and likely wasn't planning on coming back now that the fighting ring had been disbanded, along with the risky offer of not filing his participation in the ring on his record (which was painstakingly difficult to get clearance for from his higher ups), that the pit fighter finally gave in.
He quickly found out Sonic had a younger brotherly figure he wanted to take care of, hence why the sudden plausibility of not being prosecuted for his crimes made him much more cooperative. He had provided his manager's name (which most definitely wasn't his real name but was still a potential lead), along with any details he could glean from the suspect's life outside of the ring.
It was heartbreaking really, to see a hedgehog not much younger than him speaking about this suspect with such fondness, despite knowing virtually nothing about the life he led outside of their interactions. The only useful detail he had provided was the suspect's mention of having two nephews, followed by an admission of supposedly seeing Sonic as a son of his own.
The soft smile that took over the blue hedgehog's face at the time made Knuckles brows furrow in sympathy, the echidna naively thinking for a moment that perhaps they did have some sort of child-parental connection. That was before Sonic had looked down with what could only be called unadulterated shame and self-loathing.
"Are you sure you can actually keep this off my record? I didn't kill anyone but... I did hurt people."
"You were an underground pit fighter," Knuckles recalled pointing out in a deadpan. "Obviously you hurt people."
"No, like... I really hurt people. More than I needed to. Not on purpose; I only ever got into fighting for the money but I– I... sometimes I black out midway through a fight and wake up with blood on my hands. Mephis said it's a normal fight-or-flight response that happens in times of need..."
That had raised alarm bells for Knuckles, ones that only grew louder when he found out later that day that Sonic had tested positive for anabolic steroids and amphetamines in his system.
Without revealing the lab results, he remembered questioning the hedgehog about any substances he may have consumed, but Sonic had only denied it with genuine confusion, insisting that he never took any pills or injections. He followed up the denial with a mention that the only thing he consumed before his matches was the occasional pre workout drink that Mephis would provide him.
The realization invoked a level of rage in the echidna that he had never felt before. The next time that Sonic spoke of his manager fondly he couldn't stop himself from brusquely revealing the fact that Mephis had been drugging him.
The lack of surprise on Sonic's features told him everything he needed to know.
He was a freshly hired rookie at the time, unable to separate his feelings from work. He took it upon himself to snap the blue hedgehog out of his aimless reverie, using the measly connections he had to secure Sonic a job at his aunt's cafe. He recalled the look of unadulterated wonder in his eyes when he was informed of the opportunity.
Knuckles checked on him often to ensure he wasn't getting into trouble, but luckily Sonic took his first job like it was the holy grail. He could have been worse. He could have been like many delinquents who would purposely sabotage themselves off the belief that they wouldn't get anywhere in life anyways, but Sonic was motivated to string his life back together.
And he had Tails to thank for that motivation.
When Sonic had finally introduced Knuckles to the fox, the echidna immediately understood why the hedgehog took up every hour he possibly could at work. Tails was young genius, his talents clear as day despite being failed by the foster system. It absolutely baffled him that families would refuse to take a second glance at the fox upon seeing his extra tail. Sonic expressed the same sentiment, explaining that he wanted to give Tails the best educational opportunities he could possibly offer.
Knuckles couldn't help but develop a feeling of protectiveness over the two, offering to find Sonic better work opportunities so that he could succeed at his goal. It was gradual, how he ended up being a part of their brotherhood bond; he would look out for Sonic, and Sonic would look out for Tails.
He rustled the papers as he stacked them back together with a definitive exhale. Sonic had taken his new, crime-free life in stride, but Knuckles could tell he hadn't fully broke free from the chains of his past. The hedgehog was still lost in a way, but was too stubborn to ask for directions.
Perhaps if he could finally catch the bastard who had dragged him so far astray, Sonic could finally get the closure that he deserves.
~~~
Sonic was not looking forward to the second challenge.
He liked to think that Shadow, for all the glowering and growling that he did throughout their board games, at least somewhat enjoyed the night since... it doesn't take a genius to play party games, and therefore he could participate in it easily.
But Sonic had never roller skated nor ice skated in his life, and he really, really wasn't in the mood to make a fool out of himself. Not just because Shadow will likely wipe the floor with him and step all over his ego, but now came the added concern of just not wanting to look inadequate in front of the subject of his infatuation!
"How are we even gonna go about this?" He had asked after one of the idol's vocal rehearsals, trying to find logical fallacies in Shadow's challenge. "Won't people just recognize you in the rink? Unless you plan on somehow buying out the whole rink so that it's empty."
Not that he wanted Shadow to do that. A memory of his ex doing something similar but with a restaurant flashed across his mind. Would Shadow be the type to use his wealth so selfishly?
"Why the hell would I do that? That's obnoxious."
He tried not to show too much adoration in his smile at that response, "How humble of you Shads, then what exactly is your plan?"
"Just don't wear your suit for this. Wear something cozy, and maybe do something different with your quills. I'll meet you outside of the lobby."
Sonic blinked at the request. The way Shadow told him to dress in a certain way reminded him too much of the way Jet used to do the same before a date. The logical part of his mind told him that the dress code he was given was probably just part of Shadow's plan to go to the rink unrecognized, but that didn't stop his heart from idiotically fluttering anyways at the parallel comparison.
Once he calmed his racing thoughts, he came to a second realization.
"Wait, why outside of the lobby?"
Shadow already had a lot of leeway in his privacy given that he's an idol with a bodyguard. Most bodyguards are apparently supposed to accompany their clients from the moment they exit their bedroom. In more worrisome cases where the client is truly controversial or the accommodation isn't particularly safe, the bodyguard just stays in the same room as their client, with protocol to sleep closest to the door with a weapon nearby in case of home invasion.
Now while Sonic was glad he hadn't had to room with Shadow so far (for several reasons), he was confused as to why Shadow was suddenly pushing the boundaries of their contract.
"It's just better that way," Shadow's response was vague, raising a few question marks in Sonic's head.
"Uhh I dunno if Rouge would be okay with that... unless I'm the one who waits outside first?"
"She would be okay with it. There's no difference in risk between waiting inside the lobby or outside since anyone can enter it."
"Well then why can't we just wait inside?"
Shadow was silent for a moment, then another. The gears turned in Sonic's head the longer it went on, until a metaphorical lightbulb suddenly buzzed to life above his head.
"She doesn't know about this does she?"
The ebony hedgehog turning his head away confirmed it, but Sonic didn't react just yet. He had another question that formed in his mind.
"But then won't she just notice you missing at some point?" Unless...
"She's... under the impression that I'm going to a rehearsal."
Sonic couldn't stop the devilish grin that grew on his face. Shadow's words came out clipped when he made the admission, as though he were in denial about his actions even whilst he confessed to them.
"My, my, Shads," he couldn't help it. For someone as uptight and disciplined as Shadow to willingly break his rigorous routine for the sake of this challenge? A deluded voice in the back of his mind compared it to a teenaged girl sneaking out to see her boyfriend for the first time. "Skipping out on a rehearsal just to skate with little ole me? How rebellious of you~"
"You make it sound like I'm compromising myself to do this," Shadow sounded rather defensive, only adding to Sonic's internal cackling. "I know my capabilities. Missing one rehearsal does nothing."
"Still means a lot to me," it really did, but Sonic played the statement off as a purposeful tease before another question came to mind. "So why exactly are you hiding this from her? I don't think she's the type to get mad at you for taking a break for once."
In fact, he was pretty sure she actively encourages Shadow to take breaks and have fun, having made several suggestions of going to a bar to unwind that Shadow rejected–
Ah. Now it made sense.
"Because it's not normal for me to suggest something like this, and she doesn't know about our challenge so she would–"
Sonic's ears perked at the pause, surveying Shadow's expression as the idol still refused to make eye contact. Under the dim lights of the hall outside of the studio room, he couldn't tell if he was imagining the red tint below those tan tufted ears.
"She would...?" He urged.
"She would misinterpret it."
Sonic blinked as he registered the implications. He wasn't surprised that Shadow didn't want Rouge to misunderstand the implications of their hangout, but he was surprised at how hesitant Shadow seemed to be while revealing this. It was moments like these that created small sparks of hope in his chest, looking for fuel to catch onto so they could set his heart alight.
He tried the keep the warmth out of his face as he doused those sparks. It really didn't help that Shadow basically admitted that Sonic "drove him crazy" last week, a shocking confession that seemed to be platonic in intent, but made his heart jump excitedly nonetheless.
But unless any huge signs appeared that pointed otherwise, Sonic would operate on the assumption that Shadow wasn't interested in dating anyone at all, let alone him.
"Right, right," he kept his voice light and airy as he tried to diffuse the tension he didn't realize had formed. "I guess her teasing can be a little overwhelming for you sometimes, huh?"
Shadow seemed grateful at the diversion, nodding in agreement as he sighed, "I just can't be bothered to deal with her comments right now."
And with that, they made their way back to the hotel with the promise of changing and meeting outside at 6pm.
Sonic stood in front of his closet as he surveyed his options. Shadow had told him to wear something cozy despite the temperatures not having cooled down yet in nearly late August. The roller rink would definitely not be as cold as an ice rink, but it would probably be air-conditioned well enough to justify a sweater.
This would probably be the perfect opportunity to put one of the outfits he had bought with Amy and Honey to use. He fished out the striped yellow jumper and the brown pair of corduroy pants to go with it.
After slipping his belt through the loops of his pants and buckling it he appraised himself in the mirror. The outfit definitely looked cozy, and a bit more old-style than what he was used to. He fiddled with the hem of his sweater, wondering if he should tuck it into his pants or leave it out. There's no point in wearing a belt if he was going to leave it out, right? But tucking it in might make it look too dressy and give the impression that he was trying too hard–
Chaos he really needed to stop worrying about this like it was a date. With a huff, he tucked the jumper in before heading to his bathroom.
Now, for his quills. Shadow didn't really specify what he should do with them, but he figured it had to look different enough from his norm of just leaving them flat down. He idly wondered what Shadow was doing to disguise himself. He must've been doing an extreme makeover for himself if his only request for Sonic's change in appearance was to not wear his suit and to "do something different with his quills".
The most obvious approach was to simply tie up his quills. They've grown too long and heavy for him to try styling the tips upwards like Shadow's, nor could he try to flatten them to the sides of his face like Amy since he doesn't own a quill straightener, so his best solution was to simply tie up his quills.
Except, he didn't have a hair tie on him.
Sonic groaned. He didn't want to risk Shadow's ire by doing nothing with his quills; he would need to borrow a hair tie from someone on his team. If he had realized the problem before he got changed into his outfit, he would have easily been able go and ask one of his teammates without being asked questions because of his unusual attire. He checked the time to see it was already nearing 6 o'clock. He didn't have time to change back.
Rouge was out of the question. Amy and Honey would be too curious and, while Sonic has now grown closer with Amy than ever, he wasn't sure if it was the right thing to tell the girl who confessed to him just over a week ago that he was going roller skating with the guy he had feelings for. It sounded like a prick move.
Knocking on Tangle and Whisper's door was a 50/50 depending on who answered, so that only left the most optimal option who would likely lend him a hair tie without question.
"Uh, hey Cream!"
He expected Vanilla to be the one to open the door, though the distant noise of water running explained why her daughter was the one who answered instead.
"Hey Sonic!" Cream had finally stopped calling him 'Mr. Sonic' after a few weeks into his contract. Although the young rabbit was just as soft-spoken and polite as her mother, she had an energy about her that made itself known in the most unexpected of times.
Such as now.
When Sonic made his request for a hair tie, Cream looked his outfit up and down for a total of two seconds before gasping, "Are you going on a date?"
"Ahah! No, no, nothing like that," Sonic waved his hands in front of him in defense, trying to think of any excuse that wouldn't further fuel that excited gleam in her eyes. "I'm just uhh, going out... casually."
"With who?"
Sonic tried not to slap his hands over his face over the dilemma. He knew he could not fabricate a random person for the life of him, not that it would be convincing anyways since why would he hang out with someone random in a city he wouldn't stay in for longer than three weeks?
"Uhh... alone?"
"But doesn't Mr. Shadow have a rehearsal to go to soon?"
Sonic blinked. Now just why would she happen to know that? He assumed Cream generally liked to do her own thing while her mother worked, but it seemed she kept up with the team's schedule enough to know what Shadow was supposed to be doing this very evening, much to Sonic's misfortune.
He must have gone silent for a moment too long, because Cream seemed to put two and two together before her jaw dropped.
Before Sonic could say anything to deny the obvious conclusion she came to, the rabbit quickly exclaimed "wait here!" before disappearing behind the door. She reappeared moments later with a hair tie in her hand.
"Can I tie it up for you?"
Sonic eyed the hallway nervously, praying that no one else on their team would feel the sudden need to come out of their units over the next few minutes.
"Uh, sure." He had never tied up his quills before, so if Cream could save him time with her expertise he was more than willing to take it. He only had five minutes before he had to be downstairs.
Cream was quick with it when he turned his back to her, bunching his quills together with efficiency he could only presume was learned from prior experience handling Amy's quills. He noticed she left his lower quills down as she focused on his upper ones.
"It's not what you think it is," he mustered the courage to say while she worked. He kept his tone quiet to avoid being overheard in the hallway, most particularly worried about Rouge if she happened to be in her room.
"I know," Cream had the sense to keep her voice quiet as well. "It's just nice to see Mr. Shadow having more fun. I think you're good for him."
Sonic's ears burned at the comment, unable to say anything in response. So far Amy was the only one who officially knew of his feelings for Shadow, though Honey and Rouge probably suspected it as well because of that Twister game video.
Was he good for Shadow? Perhaps he could confidently say he's been a consistently good friend to the idol, trustworthy enough to earn not one, but two family member drops, one of which led to him crying. But what about on his end?
He's the one who offered Shadow the deal to become 'proper friends' in the first place, yet it felt like Shadow was the only one fulfilling it on his end. He may had taken the cowardly way out last gym session, jumping at the opportunity to steer the mood and conversation away from his... attack, but what was there that he could say?
Despite not having spoken about his past life in detail, Sonic knew Shadow was someone he could trust in every possible way. The idol never gave reason to think otherwise, and yet... Sonic still found himself hesitant to divulge details about his past.
The problem wasn't Shadow, no. It was him. He needed to stop diverting every conversation into surface-level banter. The next time he gets the chance, he'll tell Shadow something worthwhile as proof that he could be vulnerable too. That he wasn't just an evasive hypocrite that clung to jokes and taunts like a lifeline.
The next time... he just needs to make sure the timing of it is perfect, right?
Cream finished in less than a minute, and Sonic let out a sigh of relief as he turned around to face her again.
"Thanks Cream, I gotta go now but uhh," he rubbed his head sheepishly. "Do you think you could... not tell anyone about this?"
Cream slid her thumb and pointer finger over her mouth in a zipping motion before nodding.
"Thanks again, I really appreciate it."
"Good luck!"
And with that, he zipped down the hallway as quietly as he could, tapping his foot in the elevator as he wondered what clever disguise Shadow came up with. Surely it wouldn't just be a hoodie and a mask, right?
As he made his way across the lobby, he tried to peek outside the glass revolving door in search of signature red stripes, but found nothing.
What he did find however, was a hedgehog with plain black quills facing away from him, but he could recognize that star shaped silhouette anywhere.
"Shads?"
The hedgehog turned to him, and Sonic nearly did a double take at the view before him.
Baggy black denim jeans strapped at the waist, a silver chain looped on the side. Tucked into it was a black graphic tee donning a stylized band name (or at least he thought it was a band name) on it, and under it was a longer sleeved black-and-white shirt striped similarly to Sonic's own sweater. The red lines that accompanied Shadow's eyes were covered up like his quills, with a pair of circular rimmed glasses sitting on the bridge of his muzzle instead.
Suddenly he felt underdressed, but he wasn't going to let Shadow know that, so he spoke the third thought (the first two were inappropriate) that formed in his mind.
"You look like a Hot Topic poster boy."
Shadow seemed at a loss for words, still looking Sonic up and down in a way that was starting to make him feel self conscious. He wasn't dressed that casually, was he? He tucked in his sweater for Chaos' sake what more could he do?!
Shadow ended up mumbling a few words under his breath before finally speaking aloud, "You look like a nerd. Let's go."
"That's a shit comeback."
"You're shit."
"That's also a shit comeback."
"Shut up."
"Also a shit comeback~"
Shadow refused to give anymore responses as he hailed a cab from the valet. After his amusement at Shadow's lack of creative insults died down, Sonic started to feel restless in the car. They were sitting on opposite ends, having fallen into silence as the driver took them to their destination. He tried to run his fingers through his quills to quell his nerves before remembering the hair tie blocking the way. He hadn't even gotten the chance to check himself in the mirror after Cream tied it!
He needed to stop worrying about his appearance as if this was anything other than a challenge. Sure, this was their first time doing anything outside of Shadow's schedule. Yes they were going out alone together, secretly, to do an activity that is often associated with cheesy romance, but it wasn't a date!
When they exited the cab, Sonic eyed Shadow once more, "Are you sure no one would recognize you like this? I could tell who you were from the back of your head."
"That's because you were actively looking for me," he could feel Shadow's eye roll as they approached the venue. "If I passed you on the street you wouldn't have noticed. This has never failed me."
Sonic wondered just how many times Shadow disguised himself like this as they entered the venue, before his mind blanked in awe at the view before him.
The roller rink pulsed with retro charm and chaotic energy, like the lovechild of a dance floor and a battlefield. Colorful lights spiraled across the rink and the thrum of upbeat pop music vibrated through the floor, matching the rhythm of flashing strobes that painted everything in shades of cotton-candy pink and electric blue.
Sonic might have felt that their outfits looked strange outside their fancy hotel, but here they seemed to fit right in.
Shadow led him through the ticket booth and the skate hire and paid for the both of them despite Sonic's insistence on paying for himself, explaining that since he picked the challenge, it made sense for him to do it. It was a logical argument, but another stupid spark flashed in Sonic's heart anyways at the gesture, before promptly being put out.
Shadow finished lacing up his boots first before looking over at Sonic, "Ready to eat the floor?"
"Psh," Sonic huffed, his fingers already fumbling with the skate laces like a toddler with mittens. "Maybe I'm a natural, ever think of that?"
"Hmph. A natural at making a fool out of yourself, maybe."
Sonic was ready to shoot back with something witty, but his brain went blank when Shadow stood up, rolling onto the rink floor as though he had no weight at all. It was... unfair, really, how easy he made it look. The way he glided backward in a lazy circle, one hand in his pocket, the other adjusting those little round glasses like some sort of dark prince of the roller rink. Chaos, Sonic was so done for.
It took him a whole three seconds to realize he was gawking. He snapped his mouth shut and tried to focus on getting to his feet, which was... not exactly a smooth process.
He had finally made it inside the rink (much thanks to his death grip on the barrier) before Shadow skated back over to him with a lopsided smirk. "Need help, or are you gonna keep floundering like a fish out of water?"
"Pfft, please," Sonic said, standing up with an overconfident flourish that immediately backfired when his skates slipped out from under him. He flailed, windmilling his arms in the most undignified way possible, and would've definitely faceplanted if Shadow didn't catch him by the wrist.
"I think my life just flashed before my eyes," Sonic wheezed out, his face an inch away from Shadow's chest, the faintest whiff of his cologne somehow making everything so much worse. He just wanted to get this humiliation ritual (and constant testing of his intrusive thoughts) over with.
"You're so dramatic," Shadow said, voice too calm for how close they suddenly were. He pulled Sonic upright with an effortless tug, one hand still holding his wrist as he pushed them both through the rink floor.
"Hey, I thought this was supposed to be a competition!" Sonic blurted as he wobbled, trying to keep up with the way Shadow was now skating backward, still holding his wrist, like this was the most natural thing in the world.
Shadow gave him a look. "It is. But if you can't even stand, where's the fun in that? Let's get you skating before I start lapping you."
Sonic was half annoyed, half charmed, and fully flustered as he muttered while trying to find his balance, "Show-off."
Every slip had Shadow's hand tightening around his wrist, every accidental bump pulling them closer until Sonic was sure he was going to spontaneously combust from their proximity. Shadow didn't seem to notice (or maybe he did, and that was even worse).
"Left foot first," his tone was patient in a way Sonic wasn't used to. "Shift your weight forward. Stop leaning back like you're about to sit down."
"I'm not!" Sonic protested, though he totally was, and he had to bite back a yelp when he felt his skate slip forward again. He swore he felt an oncoming heart attack when Shadow moved closer, one hand at his lower back and one still gripping his wrist as he guided him inch by inch.
Chaos help him.
Was Shadow completely oblivious about the effect of his actions? Did he not know what he was doing to Sonic's heart rate right now as he held him so closely? There was absolutely no way Shadow hadn't seen a romantic hold similar to this in one of his telenovelas.
"Relax," Shadow said, voice low and steady. "You're too stiff."
Sonic couldn't even grace him with a reply. It was hard to be snarky when Shadow's breath was ghosting across his ear, sending shivers down his spine in a way that had him certain he wouldn't be able to speak without his voice fluttering or cracking embarrassingly.
Gradually, Sonic somehow found his rhythm, his steps less wobbly as he let Shadow's instructions guide him. Every time he slipped, Shadow was right there to steady him, his hand firm at Sonic's back, no longer making him feel like he would spontaneously combust but rather... comforted. Safe, almost.
"Good," Shadow murmured eventually, just loud enough for Sonic to hear over the music.
Sonic beamed, his confidence starting to match the excitement bubbling in his chest. "In your words, not mine: I’m as fast at learning as I am at running."
To his surprise, Shadow didn’t roll his eyes or throw a humbling insult. Instead he just hummed, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "We'll see how you handle turns before I decide."
It didn't feel like a competition anymore, Sonic realized. Not really. The rink was full of people spinning and laughing and wiping out left and right, but right now it felt like it was just the two of them, gliding through the neon glow, breathing in time with the music and each other.
Now he was starting to get cocky.
He'd finally found a bit of rhythm, his skates no longer clacking and slipping all over the place. Every now and then he'd glance at Shadow, who was still skating backward as if it were second nature, and his chest would swell a little with pride whenever he caught that tiny smirk of approval.
"I'm gonna do a turn," he announced with a crooked grin, determined to push his luck.
Shadow raised a brow. "You think you're ready for that?"
"Psh," Sonic tilted his head back with mock arrogance. "Did you not just see how I nailed that last lap?"
Shadow's mouth twitched, "Alright, show me then, Faker. Let's see what you've got."
Shadow’s new favorite nickname for him, huh? Sonic was happy to prove it redundant.
He tried to mimic what he'd seen Shadow do earlier, shifting his weight to one foot, leaning into the curve. He even tried to make it look effortless, like he'd been doing it for years. But what he forgot was that Shadow's center of gravity wasn't the same as his, and his instincts to go fast kicked in at the worst possible time.
He leaned in too hard, his skates biting the floor at the wrong angle. Before he knew it, he was careening into Shadow like a blue missile, arms flailing and quills flying.
Shadow's eyes widened just a second too late.
They crashed together in a tangle of limbs and startled yelps, skidding across the floor in a chaotic heap. Sonic's elbow knocked into Shadow's chest, their legs tangling in a mess of wheels and denim.
“Ouch…”
Sonic landed on his front, just barely having managed to catch himself with his hands, which was lucky since he would have crushed Shadow beneath him otherwise. Shadow… who had landed on his back and was now half pinned under Sonic, the tips of his black quills splayed out like a halo.
"Uhh..." Sonic wheezed out, feeling his face go red hot, though thankfully the dim multicolored lighting of the rink wouldn't give anything away. "Oops?"
Shadow just stared up at him, breathing hard, those circular glasses slightly askew. For a second, Sonic thought he'd be pissed, but then Shadow's lips twitched up in the faintest smile.
"You're an idiot," his voice was low and a little breathless, but not nearly as angry or annoyed as expected.
Sonic let out a breathless laugh, feeling his heart skip a beat in his chest, "Takes one to know one."
Shadow huffed out a snort and then shoved Sonic lightly in the shoulder, but not enough to dislodge him completely. "Get off me, hedgehog."
"Not until you admit I looked cool for at least a second," Sonic teased, even as he reluctantly rolled off of him. He sat up, legs sprawled out, and offered Shadow his hand.
Shadow took it without hesitation, his grip warm and solid as he pulled himself up. "You looked... tolerable," he said in that carefully neutral tone of his, but Sonic caught the faint curl of a smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Is that another 'objective observation' of yours, Shads?" Sonic couldn't help it, his own grin stretching wide. "C'mon, race you to the other side? Oh, and try not to trip me this time."
Shadow's snorted, "You're the one who barreled into me. You try not to imitate a snooker ball."
And with that, they were off.
It wasn't a shock to Sonic that he lost the race (to Shadow gliding backward like a smug show-off too), but he didn't feel as embarrassed or miserable as he expected to. Even as he made a fool out of himself with his multiple slips, crashes, stumbles and overall wobbly balance, Shadow was nothing short of fun to skate with. The teaching, the quips, the tricks, yes Shadow still ultimately crushed Sonic at the challenge...
But when he got to keep crashing into and laughing with Shadow like this, he didn't really mind.
By the end of their skate session, Sonic was impressed with how... at peace Shadow seemed to be. It was a complete contrast to his scowls during the board game night, though that might simply be because he was finally in his element (and probably because Sonic got humbled as well).
Sonic found himself able to exit the rink at a much steadier confidence than when he first entered it. He wasn't a ballerina out there, but he was surprised at how much he learned in the span of two hours.
"How you do that weird figure eight trick is beyond me," he commented as they took off their skates. "My eyes got dizzy just watching your feet."
"I think you could get the hang of it," came Shadow's surprising response. Sonic couldn't help but raise a brow at the unexpected niceness.
"Reall–?"
"After about fifty face plants give or take."
"You're an actual prick," Sonic shoved at Shadow's arm with no real annoyance, gaining a chuckle from his counterpart. He tried not to let his awe show at the laugh, something he was starting to hear more often since their last gym session. It was such a contrast to Shadow's baritone voice, light and airy, almost like a giggle; truly a reward that graced his ears.
His stomach growled, its noises were lost under the music, yet somehow Shadow seemed to sense Sonic's hunger anyways as he asked right after, "Should we grab some dinner?"
Sonic blinked at the question. If this roller skating didn't feel like a date even with all the romantic atmosphere, a dinner afterwards definitely would. He knew it was because Shadow did not want to return to the hotel early at the risk of bumping into Rouge or anyone else on their team, but it didn't stop his heart from pausing momentarily.
"Yeah," he tried to keep any cracks and breathlessness out of his voice. "Sure."
As they walked out of the venue, Sonic threw glances at Shadow's form beside him. Even with the edgy outfit and accessories, he looked cute. He noted that pair of golden star earrings as well, seemingly Shadow's favorite to wear. The idol looked young in this outfit, like a teenaged loner, and when looking at his own outfit, Sonic supposed he looked younger too.
Something niggled at the back of Sonic's mind as they walked down the street in search of a nearby restaurant. As they passed the corner of the building, Sonic took note of a rowdy group of teenagers that only worsened the feeling in his mind. He felt like he forgot something, what did he forget?
"Hey you over there!" A voice called out behind them. "You, hedgehogs!"
Sonic winced in realization. He forgot to bring a weapon.
Notes:
Not me promising pure fluff to everyone this chapter but still dropping the most morbid/ sad pov at the start LMAO
Also did anyone expect Cream to be a Sonadow shipper too? I’ve had this idea for a short fic in the main verse where for some reason she’s the only one aware of their tension and tries to get them together AHAHA
Anyways yeaaaa I pulled out ALL the stops for their roller skating MAXIMUM CHEESINESS WAS NECESSARY
and then some action next chapter 👀 Sonic finally getting to put his job to USE!!
Also I am posting this in the midst of a family vacation so APOLOGIES IF THKS CHAPTER IS POORLY EDITED if u find mistakes pls don’t hesitate to point them out!!
Chapter 18: Fight and Injury
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Sonic followed Shadow's lead in simply ignoring the group when they first called out, but they were persistent. When their second call wasn't answered, Sonic could hear footsteps behind him, to which he quickly twisted around in hopes to disengage. Before him was a tiger who looked not much younger than him, probably a delinquent retaking his last year of high school.
"Hey, how's it going?" He kept his voice light but firm, making an effort to maintain a barrier between Shadow and the group. Including the tiger they were seven in total, and while they were just young delinquents that Sonic could easily take if he needed to, it would be more optimal to not fight at all. It was clear that they were just looking to get some free cash from two 'helpless young hedgehogs' and be on their way.
Since he didn't even have his taser on him to act as a deterrent, the best scenario was to simply talk themselves out of a physical confrontation.
"Nothing much," the tiger flashed a grin, the intent behind it far from friendly. "Those are some cute outfits, your date going well?"
At the moment, Sonic had bigger things to worry about than the nature of his and Shadow's hangout, so he didn't bother denying as he responded with a confident smile, "Thanks man! Yeah it's going pretty well actually, I see you boys are having fun too?" He peeked behind the tiger and threw the group a wink. Hopefully they would catch onto his hint at being older than them, as well as the lack of fear in his demeanor, and feel more hesitant to continue whatever they were planning.
But alas, the tiger seemed to take it as a challenge. "Lots of fun. Oye!" Sonic held the tiger's gaze, refusing to waver even as he called out to his group behind him. "Los piercings del chico emo parecen caros... parecen dinero fácil!"
As the group started pushing themselves onto their feet, Sonic didn't have to understand what the tiger was saying to know what was about to happen. The tiger threw a hand on Sonic's shoulder with a sharp grin, "Sorry to cut your date short my friend, but you wouldn't mind if we took a look at you and your boyfriend's wallets would you? We'll be nice and leave you enough cash to catch a taxi back home. How does that sound?"
Before Sonic could reply, he felt the weight on his shoulder disappear. The tiger's hand was wrenched off by Shadow as he stepped to Sonic's side, snarling, "Por encima de mi cadáver."
Unable to process the revelation that Shadow could speak another language, Sonic quickly threw an arm in front the idol and pushed him a step back as he whispered, "Uhh Shads, don't be mad but I forgot to bring a weapon with me. I think we should just dip."
"And let them do the same thing to the next people that walk by here? No."
"They're seven people," Sonic pleaded as the tiger raised a brow at their whispering. The group was unhurried in their actions, seemingly certain they could catch up to them if they decided to run. "I could probably take them, sure, but it's just unnecessarily risky! Aren't you all about avoiding risks?"
"Risky for you to do it alone, yes. But with me, it's a guaranteed loss for these scum."
Sonic groaned at how of all the times Shadow wanted to drop his princess act and be stubborn, it was in a situation like this.
"I will drag you if I have to," he warned as he surveyed the members of the group, assessing the mobians that looked most competent at fighting. Behind the tiger stood a goat, a lynx, and a boar of similarly confident stature, then behind those were a coyote, mole, and a pig that appeared more scrawny and less certain of themselves.
"Good luck moving me an inch," Shadow grabbed Sonic's defending arm and shoved it down to make his point.
"I'm not letting you fight," he didn't bother whispering this time, needing to show the frustration in his tone. "Don't be an idiot Shads, we can just give them our money and leave."
"Listen your boyfriend, Shads," the tiger drawled out mockingly. "No necesitamos que un pequeño maricón se lastime."
Sonic wasn't sure what the tiger said, but it seemed to trigger Shadow into making the first move, launching himself at the leader of the group with an open-palmed shove to the chest.
The force with which the tiger flew back was astounding, causing him to crash into two members behind him with enough momentum to take them down to the ground with him.
The silence and confusion that followed was heavy, and Sonic took that as their chance to escape. He grabbed Shadow's wrist with an urgent grip to indicate it was their time to leave, but Shadow refused to move.
"Eres débil," Shadow looked down at the baffled tiger with a gaze so poisonously contemptuous it made Sonic shudder even without it being directed at him. "Sal de mi cara antes de que te muestre lo que puede hacer este pequeño maricón."
Again, even without knowledge of what the words meant, Sonic immediately understood the chaos that would ensue.
The tiger was still reeling from Shadow's shove, but the rest of his crew lunged forward, surrounding them in a half-circle. Sonic had no choice but to move.
He pivoted around Shadow, slipping a foot behind the mole's ankle and sending him tumbling backward with a startled yelp. In the same breath, he reached out to grab the coyote's wrist, twisting it just enough to make him drop the cheap switchblade he'd been fumbling with. Sonic kicked the blade away, not bothering to finish the coyote off. If he was smart, he'd stay down.
"Stay behind me," Sonic growled, keeping the weight on his feet light. His eyes never stopped moving, scanning for the next attacker. So help him if Shadow didn't listen to him, he would tackle the idol to the ground himself.
The lynx tried to rush them from the side, but Sonic was faster. He caught the lynx's momentum and redirected it, aiming an elbow to the gut that stole the breath from him, followed by a push that sent him sprawling into the goat behind him. They crashed together in a tangle of limbs and curses.
Sonic never let himself get bogged down. His strikes were clean and precise; aimed to stun, not to break. A sharp jab to the goat's shoulder joint, a trip that put the boar face-first in the pavement. He looked back to see Shadow ready to strike the goat and lunged across to aim a sharp jab on the goat's shoulder joint.
"I had that," Shadow gritted out.
"Oops! My bad," he shot back without an ounce of remorse in his tone. He was angry at Shadow for being so stubborn, so he refused to let him get the satisfaction of taking someone down.
Shadow aimed a fist at the boar, only for Sonic to dive in between them and parry Shadow's strike before twisting to hit a back roundhouse kick at the boar's head. Each motion was a dance: a twist here, a duck there, every move calculated to protect the fuming form of Shadow behind him.
"You imbecile, why are you getting in my way?" Shadow's voice was tight with anger. But Sonic didn't dare let up, didn't dare let him get pulled into the swirl of fists and fury.
"You're the imbecile for starting this fight, so I'm gonna finish it without you," Sonic shot back breathlessly, grabbing the goat's arm and wrenching it back, forcing him to drop the chain he'd been swinging.
The boar was back on his feet now, charging with a low roar. Sonic met him head-on, sidestepping at the last second so the boar crashed straight into the alley wall. Sonic let him crumple, ignoring the curses in what he now recognized as Spagonian that echoed in the background. He never used more force than he had to; these were kids, not hardened criminals. He wasn't about to break bones if he didn't have to.
But he would keep them away from Shadow.
Just as Sonic shoved the coyote against the wall, he heard it: the hiss of a blade being drawn. His head snapped around to see the tiger with a knife glinting in his hand as he lunged straight for Shadow's side.
Time slowed.
Looking back on this moment, Shadow definitely had it handled, but the flash of steel didn't stop Sonic's mind from going white-hot with panic. He didn't think, just moved. In a flash of cobalt, he was between Shadow and the blade, catching the downward swing with his bare hand.
The world was still for a heartbeat.
Sonic stared at the blade buried in his palm, sharp pain flaring up his arm, blood spilling down his wrist and onto the pavement. But he didn't let go, his teeth clenched and his eyes locked on the tiger's shocked face.
"I told you," Sonic snarled, voice low and deadly, "you're not touching him."
With a savage yank, Sonic twisted the knife out of the tiger's hand and flung it down the alley.
The sight of Sonic's bloodied hand was enough. The group bolted, the tiger daring to yell out a Spagonian curse as he ran off.
Shadow moved forward, voice trembling with both fury and worry. "You idiot–"
Sonic snapped his head back at Shadow instantly, unable to hide the rage he felt at just how stupidly avoidable this situation was if Shadow hadn't been so unbelievably stubborn, "I'm the idiot? You're calling me an idiot? I'm not the one who unnecessarily escalated an argument with a bunch of teenaged thugs! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?"
Shadow maintained his scowl, though his eyes widened the slightest bit before he continued to argue. "If you didn't keep stopping me from fighting–"
"If you didn't initiate this fight like a stubborn ass, we wouldn't be in this situation to begin with," he seethed. "We could've run, we could've given them our money. These idiots only pulled out their knives because you attacked them first! For someone who prides himself on being disciplined and levelheaded, that was stupidly reckless of you."
Shadow looked away, glaring down at the ground. Before he could continue berating the idol, Sonic winced as his hand reminded him of his wound, a stinging pain starting to make itself known now that the adrenaline of the fight was starting to wear off. It probably wouldn't have cut as deep if he wore leather gloves; his cotton white ones didn't offer much resistance to the blade.
Shadow glanced up at the hand, and immediately his scowl and stubborn act dropped as he gently pulled up the injured hand by the back of Sonic's arm to assess it, "We need to patch this up."
Shadow quickly took off his outer band shirt and worked to wrap it around Sonic's palm, "I'll get proper materials from the pharmacy. This is just to stop the bleeding."
Sonic's anger fizzled out at the behavioral 180, making him unsure of what to say in response to the sudden care with which Shadow was handling his hand. The black color of the shirt covered up the blood that had likely stained his white gloves beyond repair.
After Shadow finished tying the impromptu bandage, he gently took Sonic's uninjured hand and pulled him down the street with a map open on his phone in search of the nearest pharmacy, which thankfully was less than a five-minute walk away.
The sharp pain in his hand turned into a dull throb by the time they reached the pharmacy, with no words exchanged throughout their walk. The only thing Sonic could think about the whole time was the feeling of his hand in Shadow's. It was strange to feel such softness now that it was outside of the rink, the prolonged contact no longer under the excuse of 'teaching him to skate'.
When they entered the pharmacy, Sonic waited by the door while Shadow went to purchase the necessary materials. While the wound and its surrounding blood was covered up rather well by the black fabric, anyone who got close enough would probably still be able to smell the iron, so better to keep his distance from the potentially nosy pharmacist.
When Shadow returned, his brows were furrowed the slightest bit in concern as he asked, "Are you able to wait until we get back to the hotel? We can find a nearby bathroom otherwise..."
Shadow didn't have to continue his thoughts on the latter option for Sonic to understand the risk of it. Someone might walk in on them, and he really couldn't be bothered to gamble the outcome.
"I can wait," he spoke for the first time in over ten minutes. His voice felt a bit scratchy from the contrast between his outburst at Shadow and the silence that followed, which prompted a slight pang of guilt. The last time he had felt this angry and lashed out like that was at Knuckles, and that was over two years ago.
Shadow hailed a cab and rolled down the back windows, probably so the smell of blood wouldn't concentrate in the car and raise questions from the driver.
From the cab ride, to the walk through the hotel lobby, to the elevator ride and until Shadow unlocked his hotel unit, no words were exchanged. There was nothing that Sonic felt like he could say in a setting that wasn't private.
It was only when Shadow took him to his bathroom to unwrap the impromptu bandage that Sonic found the courage to speak.
"I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry."
Shadow was the more baffled one at their simultaneous apologies, "What the hell are you sorry about?"
"Uhh, for lashing out?" Sonic couldn't help but feel sheepish at Shadow's incredulous tone. "I mean, you were being a stubborn ass but I didn't have to be so... aggressive about it."
Shadow snorted at the statement, surprising Sonic with his agreement as he worked to untie the knot, "You're right. I was being 'stupidly reckless' as you said."
Sonic huffed out a short chuckle at the admission, suddenly feeling the atmosphere lighten after they both expressed remorse for their wrongdoings, "Bet you never thought you'd see the day where I was the more levelheaded one, huh?"
Shadow rolled his eyes at the teasing remark as his finally freed Sonic's hand from the cloth, before gazing down at the wound peeking through the stained, torn white fabric surrounding it. He could read Shadow's thoughts through the way he hesitated before looking back up, eyes open in a tentative request.
"I can take it off," Sonic answered the silent question as casually as he could, trying to keep out the jitter that tried to infect his voice at the prospect of revealing his hand to Shadow of all people. "It's pretty much destroyed anyways. I have spares."
Perhaps he wasn't as successful as he thought at sounding casual however, because the only movement Shadow made was towards the hem of his own gloves.
"I need to take mine off too if I'm going to clean it properly. Is that fine?"
Sonic's heart was beating so fast at the statement that he felt his hand buzzing again, the pain momentarily subdued as he spoke out at several octaves higher than he intended to, "Yup, that's fine!"
He made a point to look as high up as possible while Shadow began to take off his gloves. Sonic might need to bare his hand to the other because of an involuntary circumstance, but he didn't need to look at Shadow's hands while he worked.
It seemed his attempt at preserving Shadow's modesty weren't appreciated however, as he heard that baritone voice speak so softly, "You can look down. I'm not that big on hand modesty anyways."
"Ahah, right." He supposed Shadow's human sister might have played a part in that mentality. It was common for mobians who interacted with humans often to adopt that ideal. Sonic personally hadn't known any humans closely enough to understand it.
Glove modesty wasn't as much about covering the visual appearance of the hand as it was about the concept of direct touch being sacred. Mobian hands have more nerve endings than human ones due to their palm pads and finger pads.
Historically (one of the few tidbits of information that stuck in Sonic's head from how often it was spewed in his Mobian History classes), mobians used to simply use their bare hands to interact with all kinds of surfaces, making them more calloused and less sensitive. Then came a time period where gloves became a trend among the upper class; a sign of wealth to be able to preserve the softness of those pads. Then at some point, somewhere in the 1700s, it became the norm to wear them.
A garment that is now usually worn from birth, a fitted pair of gloves act as a barrier to reduce sensitivity. Sonic wasn’t sure if the increased sensitivity present day mobians have is the product of having their hands covered all their lives, or perhaps evolution? There were certain traits mobians have lost naturally over the years due to simply not using them anymore, right? He would need to ask Tails about it sometime.
So now culturally, only family and close friends (and occasionally doctors) had the liberty to see one another's bare hands, and only partners got the privilege to touch and caress them. There was a strong level of vulnerability associated with allowing another to have direct contact with the most sensitive parts of your body, reserved only for someone you would trust with your life.
Sonic tried not to think too hard about that when he looked down at Shadow's hands.
For anyone's information, Sonic did not spend a longer than normal amount of time thinking about how Shadow's red stripes continued past his gloves, but he did mentally do a victory fist bump when he saw that the lines did indeed complete their path down the middle and ring fingers.
What he didn't expect however was the white fur that greeted him when he faced his palm up, along with the speckled pink, tan, and dark brown that littered his pads.
Sonic's breath hitched as Shadow moved to take off his other glove, his mind reeling at the discovery of just how unique and multicolored and cute Shadow's palms looked, only barely made intimidating by those stiletto shaped nails that looked like they could create wounds deeper than that tiger's knife did.
He only started breathing again when he realized Shadow was looking at him expectantly, either waiting for permission to remove his bloodied glove or waiting for him to do it himself.
"You've got uhh," Sonic winced at his chaotically inappropriate thoughts, trying to pick out the most normal, professional comment he could say in this extremely unprofessional scenario. "You've got some colorful palm pads. It's a cool contrast to all the... symmetry you got going on with your stripes..."
What was he saying? He wanted to vanish from existence for his awkwardness.
"Thank you," Sonic wanted to breathe out in relief that Shadow recognized his poor attempt at a compliment. "Apparently I inherited it from my mother."
Ah, another family member drop, also implied to be deceased or out of the picture judging from Shadow's wording. Sonic was unsure how to respond, but it seemed thankfully his counterpart didn't actually expect one as he gestured to Sonic's hand once more.
"Right, right," he muttered at the reminder before moving to slide off his own glove since he wasn't sure his heart could handle Shadow doing it for him.
Sonic felt like a sponge as he removed the garment, his eyes drinking in every single detail on Shadow's face as he watched for the tiniest of shifts in his expression. He felt his heart jump when Shadow's eyes zeroed in on the hand, face unchanged. He was unsure if it was to assess the wound or to process the pink pads that laid atop peach palms and fingers. He doubted it was the latter, as his coloration was much more predictable, and thus more boring than his counterpart's. Even without his human-influenced ideals, Shadow likely wouldn't have been impressed by them anyways.
"You're lucky the knife hit between them," Shadow referred to the slice of the wound sitting right under the juncture of his palm and fingers, located just above his palm pad. The blood had dried enough to mat the fur surrounding it, so it would need to be rinsed. "It was incredibly stupid of you to use your hand to block it of all things."
"More stupid than you making the first move to fight with a group of teenagers?" Sonic raised a brow, trying to keep his mind off the way Shadow's bare hands cradled the back of his own to move it under the tap. He could feel the movement brushing against the grain of his fur, and could only imagine what those multicolored fingertips would feel like directly on his own, before remembering something.
“So why did you do that by the way?” He was genuinely curious on what made Shadow mad enough to take the first strike.
“Since that tiger was,” Shadow looked absentmindedly at the water flowing from the tap,“operating on the assumption that we were together, he deemed it acceptable to call us by some… unfavorable terms."
“Slurs?”
“Yes.”
“I figured,” Sonic let out a light snort. The way that delinquent emphasized the word ‘boyfriend’ sounded more like an insult than anything. “By the way, was that Spagonian that I was hearing? Since when were you fluent at that?"
Shadow's ear flicked lightly at the baffled tone of Sonic's voice as he let the water run over the wound. The cool water provided some relief from the ache, its temperature a complete contrast to Sonic's face as he watched Shadow carefully rubbing the fur surrounding his wound to get the blood off. He kept letting out breaths he didn't realize he was subconsciously holding.
"Western variation, yes. The Eastern language is what's native to me but I can speak all four languages of Spagonia."
Sonic momentarily forgot about the contact between their hands in his amazement at the revelation. Shadow was multilingual? He couldn't stop the words of awe from spilling out of his mouth, a breathless sigh of wonder.
"Just how much cooler can you get?"
Shadow's movements seized, his muscles suddenly tensed as though he were about to be struck with an attack. Sonic wondered what could have caused that state of stillness before hearing a low, strained voice coming out from the idol as he refused to look up, "What do you mean?"
Sonic was confused. He has complimented Shadow before, though not often since Shadow was more than self assured in his capabilities. Despite his actual feelings towards Shadow, he didn't think anything in his sentence gave off the impression that he was romantically infatuated with him. One could argue that calling Shadow cool is just pointing out the obvious, a 'factual observation' as the king of nonchalance himself calls it.
"Dude, you know how to fight, sing, dance, roller skate, use a gun, drive a motorcycle, on top of that also speak multiple languages? It's like you're maxing out every skill point in a video game. That's way past cool."
Shadow closed the tap but didn't look up from the wound yet. He in fact made a strange point of keeping his head down as he grabbed an ointment and some bandages from the bag.
But Sonic didn't miss the red tint that rapidly spread across the tan-colored shell of those ears. He couldn't help but grin at the irony of how Shadow was so unflinching at the prospect of touching bare hands but lost his composure at a mere compliment. He felt his confidence grow with every second that Shadow continued to avoid showing his face to him as he uncapped the ointment and worked to slather it over the wound, respectfully avoiding contact with his palm pads in the process.
"Gimme a sentence in each language," he felt emboldened as he made the request, knowing that Shadow was probably relieved at the escape from having to respond to Sonic's wall of compliments.
"Eres un tonto."
"What does that mean?"
"You're a dumbass."
"You can keep your translations for the others then if you're gonna be so rude," Sonic scoffed without any real offense. "That's the Western one, right?" Shadow hummed in confirmation. "Okay, what about uhh... Southern?"
"Central," came the correction. "Tu es bruyant."
Sonic narrowed his eyes at the phrase, suspecting it was also an insult from the amused huff that followed.
"North then?"
"You're annoying."
"What isn't annoying to you?" Sonic rolled his eyes at the sudden attitude. "Just gimme the Northern one."
"That was the Northern one."
Sonic opened his mouth in an 'o' shape in realization, before moving on, "So the last one is your native tongue? I know it's probably torture for you but can you give me something that isn't an insult this time?"
Shadow went silent for a few moments as he began to unroll the bandages before pausing, causing Sonic to quirk a brow in offense. Was it really that hard for him to think of something nice to say?
"Sembri un girasole… Mi piace."
Sonic blinked at the foreign words, confused as to why Shadow seemed to hesitate mid sentence, "What did you say?"
"None of your business."
"Nah, you can't do this to me," he whined. That sentence sounded completely different from the others, both phonetically and the tone in which Shadow delivered it, implying he really did listen to Sonic's request. "Just tell me what it means!"
"Why would I do that?" Shadow kept his gaze fixed downwards as he began to gingerly wrap the gauze around the wound, still making a clear effort to avoid contact with Sonic's palm pads as he did so.
"Uh, because you're a kind and generous multitalented individual?"
"Try again."
"Because even though you're allergic to being nice, deep, deep down inside you're actually as sweet as the desserts you love?"
Shadow rolled his eyes at the backhanded attempt at coaxing, "Coffee beans are also bitter."
"Then because I would be distressed by the lack of closure," Sonic clasped his chest with his uninjured hand, "you can't let me stew in my curiosity in good conscience since you're my very good friend?"
"Guilt tripping now? How pitiful."
"Because if you don't, I'm gonna cash in the favor you owe me, and I know me wasting it on a translation of all things would piss you off until the end of time."
Sonic grinned at the pause in Shadow's movements, his smile only widening when the idol finally looked up with an expression that somehow looked both impressed and disappointed at the same time.
"There's a thin line between fearlessness and stupidity–"
"Yes and I dance on that line like there's no tomorrow," Sonic rolled his eyes as he completed the quip, "now chop chop!"
"I will let that count as my favor to you," Shadow narrowed his eyes as he tried to stand his ground.
"No you won't," not that the attempt succeeded. Sonic knew Shadow would refuse to let him throw away the favor like that. It would be an insult to Shadow's defeat that led to him earning that favor in the first place. "It'll torture you more than it'll torture me."
A few moments after Sonic met Shadow's narrowed eyes with quirked brows and half-lidded ones of his own, Shadow finally broke eye contact and sighed as he finished up wrapping the bandages with a careful tuck of fabric.
The ebony hedgehog remained silent as he grabbed his gloves from the sink to put them back on, making Sonic whine a silent goodbye to those multicolored flecks as they were hidden from view once more.
"So?" Sonic didn't want to slide a torn bloodied glove over his fresh bandages and his spares were back in his unit, so he simply let his hand drop down to his side. The pain in his palm had significantly subsided after Shadow applied the ointment, and has now dwindled down into a feeling of minor discomfort.
Cuts and bruises were nothing new to him; he spent a lot of his younger years patching up his own wounds. He suspected Shadow took it upon himself to tend to the cut out of guilt for initiating that fight, but the gentleness with which he treated it didn't go unappreciated.
"You look like a sunflower."
Sonic took a moment to process the statement, uttered curtly by Shadow who was currently facing away from him once again as he tossed used materials into the bin and placed what remained back into the bag.
"That sounds... an awful lot like a compliment." Sonic leaned against the sink with his uninjured hand as he waited for Shadow to turn around, a suspicion growing about his counterpart's constant aversion to eye contact. "Don't have the guts to look me in the eyes while saying it?"
Shadow whipped around at the taunt, rubies glaring as if his entire lineage had been insulted. To be fair, being called a coward was arguably just as offensive, if not more so. Before Shadow could utter a word, Sonic preemptively spoke on his behalf.
"'It's not a compliment, it's a factual observation', yeah, I get it." The look of indignation on his counterpart's face was hilarious. Sonic wasn't sure if Shadow was predictable or if he was just getting better at reading him. "Personally, I don't see the difference. A compliment wouldn't be genuine if it wasn't factually true."
"That's not the difference," Shadow sounded rather irritated when he took a step forwards, nearly jabbing a finger into Sonic chest as he explained himself. "Me pointing out that your brown pants and yellow jumper bear resemblance to a sunflower is an observation. If I were to then express a positive opinion of that observation, then it would classify as a compliment."
"Semantics, shmantics," Sonic couldn't help but rudely wave his uninjured hand about dismissively, uninterested in the nuances of what counts as a compliment. But then a realization came to mind, causing him to boldly lean into Shadow's finger as he cocked his head to the side, an exaggerated show of analyzing those (now widened) scarlet irises.
"So what do you think of my outfit then?"
Shadow correspondently leaned back, an ear twitching restlessly as his face fell back into an expression of annoyance, "Why the hell do you care?"
"You're stalling, Shads," Sonic reveled in the sporadic ear flicking that gave away how Shadow felt. "You wouldn't be stalling if you had nothing good to say. Surely the idea of giving me a compliment isn't that scary to you is it?"
"I'm not afraid of giving you a compliment," Shadow narrowed his eyes as he seethed. "I'm afraid of how big your head will get if I do. Chaos knows it's already massive."
It took every fiber of Sonic's being not to make an extremely childish joke based on Shadow's choice of words, but he couldn't successfully stop a snort from escaping his nose.
He subconsciously lifted his bandaged hand to run his thumb under his nose, missing how Shadow's eyes followed the movement of his bare fingers as he spoke, "So my confidence is what scares you? I didn't know you were the type to be intimidated by another's ego."
"I just can't be bothered to have you hold it over my head like it's some prize," the ebony hedgehog crossed his arms together as he rolled his eyes. "You talk enough as it is."
A small pang of hurt wiggled into Sonic's mind at the statement. He didn't talk that much did he? Sure, he had trouble pausing himself sometimes but he made a conscious effort to avoid dominating conversations. Not like there was much to dominate when talking to Shadow; he often found himself having to speak more than usual to make up for the other's lack of words.
"Well I promise I won't hold it over you if you dare to call it nice," he leaned back as he splayed his uninjured palm across his chest in a display of honor. "Whatever you choose to say next, I won't even bring it up if you don't want me to."
Shadow eyed him warily in silence for a few seconds, which Sonic tried to meet with the most earnest, trustworthy expression he could muster. He really did mean his promise. He wouldn't go back on his word, and he knew Shadow knew that no matter how skeptical he seemed to be at the moment.
With a resigned sigh, Shadow made a point of keeping his eyes trained on Sonic's with resolute focus as he spoke.
"It looks good. The color scheme compliments your fur nicely. The style is rather outdated... but it suits you. Not many people can pull off a retro look."
Sonic blinked as he watched that ruby gaze fixate on him with such determination. The words that came out of Shadow's mouth were technically compliments, but were delivered in a way that almost sounded challenging, as though daring him to do something about them.
"Huh, sounded a bit clinical but I guess that's good enough," he grinned. He could accept that challenge. "I guess you deserve one too huh?"
Not pausing for Shadow's furrowed brows, Sonic continued, "You've probably gotten almost every compliment under the sun about your physical attractiveness, but how about your character?"
Shadow raised a brow at the question, "What about it?"
He supposed that was enough of an answer. Between the media's convictions about Shadow being an ice queen and Shadow keeping everyone he meets at arms length, the idol probably hasn't received many comments on his personality outside of his surface level politeness and chivalry towards women.
"Well for one thing," Sonic could think of several things he liked about Shadow, but decided to pick the most platonic sounding one he could think of. "I admire your discipline. I can't imagine going through rehearsal after rehearsal, performing for and interacting with fans left and right. It's a difficult routine that I think only the strongest of wills can perfect."
He meant it. If he had ever met Shadow under different conditions without the knowledge of his identity, he would have never guessed him to be a pop idol. Shadow on all accounts did not have the the traits celebrities usually needed to become popular. He was an introvert who disliked divulging his private life to others; the antithesis of a celebrity. Yet he made it work, practicing day and night to deliver performances so enthralling that fans end up leaning into his enigmatic presence rather than questioning it.
"You say that right after I skipped a rehearsal so I could crush you at roller skating," Shadow kept his arms crossed, leveling Sonic with a scrutinizing expression. Of course he would rather argue with the compliment than accept it.
"You occasionally wanting to have fun doesn't make what I said any less true."
"It was for the challenge, not for me to 'have fun'."
This was where Sonic drew the line, giving Shadow a deadpan look, "So you didn't have fun today?"
Shadow refused to look away as he answered, but an ear flick gave away his restlessness, "I never said that."
There was a pause following that quiet confession, a silence that invited something more... intimate. Now that Sonic thought about it, this was probably the perfect setting to start dipping below their banter. They were alone in a quiet setting, with Shadow just having finished patching up Sonic's wound and no plans for the rest of the night.
It would be so easy to turn the conversation into something more serious, more vulnerable...
"Your ears flick a lot when you're uncomfortable," Sonic blurted out. "Did you know that?"
Shadow frowned as he threw a glance at the mirror to check the verity of the statement, "It does not."
"It does," he insisted, pointing up at the one that donned the two gold stars. "More specifically your left one."
On cue, the ebony ear twitched, causing Shadow to take a step back as he uncrossed his arms to cover his ears at the speed of light.
"That can't be possible," he looked confused and... somewhat scared for some reason? "How long has this been happening?"
The way Shadow phrased the question made his habit sound like a mind boggling scandal of sorts.
"Uhh," Sonic tried to recall his earliest memory of seeing Shadow's ear twitching, before realizing, "On my first day actually, when you took me to the gym and demanded to fight me."
"And how often does it happen?" Shadow's tone sounded uncharacteristically panicked.
"I don't think there's really a metric to go by but it usually happens when I... tease you I guess?" So, a lot, was the unspoken conclusion of that sentence.
Shadow looked stressed. His pupils were sharp as ever, but frantically moving back and forth at his reflection in the mirror as if he'd grown a second head. Sonic wasn't sure why the idol was so affected by this revelation. One would think Shadow viewed his subconscious ear flicking as a telltale symptom of some terminal illness with the way he was reacting.
He thought of how he could alleviate his counterpart's frazzled state. He wanted to point out that the habit was in fact, incredibly cute, but he had a feeling that would only worsen Shadow's mood. So he settled for simply asking, "Why exactly does this seem to be uhh... bad news to you?"
Shadow looked at him incredulously, as though shocked that Sonic didn't see the problem with this situation.
"You complimented my discipline..."
Shadow didn't complete his sentence as though the implications of it were obvious, but Sonic didn't follow so he made his confusion clear with a slow blink.
"My ears move without my knowledge..."
"So..." now Sonic was getting it, but he still didn't understand why it was so significant. "What, you think your ears subconsciously moving is a betrayal to your discipline?"
"Yes," he answered simply, as though that statement explained everything in the world.
It explained a lot of things. One of several aspects Shadow often expressed great discipline in was over his emotions and, subsequently, his reactions. The unmoving poker face he frequently wore and the monotony of his voice were likely products of necessity in the Mafia. Something as insignificant as a habitual ear flick could mean everything in the world of liaison and deceit, assuming Shadow's position put him among high-profile individuals.
But in the current day, far away from his previous life, why was it such a big deal?
So he voiced his opinion, "It's not the end of the world, dude. You can probably keep them still when you actually need to."
"You don't..." Shadow glanced back at the mirror once more, as though trying to catch his ears red-handed in their crime, before taking a deep breath. "I– never mind. What time is it?"
The sudden change in topic made Sonic blink before checking his phone, "Almost 9. Why?"
"You can still catch dinner downstairs. Go and eat."
Sonic furrowed his brows, "What about you?"
"I'll order room service later," Shadow walked past him to grab a towel. "I still need to wash off the dye."
Right, his stripes were still covered up. Though some of the black dye had faded, it seemed it wasn't enough for a passerby to notice.
There were several things he wanted to ask, but the finality in Shadow's voice left no room for argument.
"Alright," he nodded absentmindedly before remembering an issue at hand (literally), "I still have to get a spare glove from my room but uhh, I need something to cover–"
He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence before Shadow shoved his earlier (and now bloodstained) band shirt into Sonic's arms.
"That'll do," he shrugged. "And when do you want it back? The bloodstains aren't really clear on the black but they'll probably take a while–"
"Keep it. Do whatever you want with it."
Sonic's brain short circuited. He knew Shadow likely didn't mean anything by it, but his heart still jumped excitedly at the prospect of keeping something that belonged to him, bloodstained and all.
"How generous of you Shads," he tried to brush off his traitorous thoughts with a playful drawl, taking the chance to cover up his injured hand with the shirt. "I'll make sure to cherish it for you."
His statement didn't have the effect he expected it to, instead making Shadow slide a hand over his face while turning away, "Just go."
"Okay, okay," he took the clipped command as his final warning to leave, so he waved as he made his exit from Shadow's bathroom, "Enjoy your shower!"
He got no response, only embraced by an uncomfortable silence as the door closed behind him. He presumed Shadow trusted him to leave his room fully rather than just stick around, which he planned to do, but he couldn't help lingering for a moment in front of the unit's door.
He wasn't sure what was causing Shadow to act so... not rude or distant, but weird all of a sudden. Did the discovery of his ear habitually twitching take that big of a toll on him? It's not like he needed to keep a stoic act anymore now that he was out of the Mafia, right?
With a withering sigh, he clutched the black fabric of Shadow's shirt tighter. The security of the loose cloth covering his hand felt equivalent to a human holding a towel over their naked body. He would need to make his way back to his own unit quickly as soon as he exited Shadow's.
And so he quickly swung the door open after preparing his keycard on his uninjured hand, ready to power walk through the (hopefully empty) corridor as fast as he could...
Except, when he closed the door behind him and turned to walk through the hall, he froze at the sight of a startled white bat a few steps away from him.
Her keycard was held up to her door with intention to enter her room, though it now seemed forgotten as her hand dropped to her side, a wide grin stretching across her face.
How lucky.
Notes:
SHADOW POV NEXT CHAPTER I PROMISE!! My guy thinks HARD about Sonic 🙂↕️ bro thought his gayness was subtle then calls Sonic beautiful in Italian and finds out his ear twitches around Sonic 💀
Also for any Spanish speaking readers, pls lemme know if the Spanish in this chapter is absolutely chopped 💀 I used some expressions that I’m not sure translate properly into a diff language 🤔
Also I saw that Spagonia is apparently based on Spain, France, Italy, and England so I decided to make up some regional language stuff (so Shadow is Italian in this fic 🙂↕️)
ALSO MORE AURA FARMING AND ANGRY SONIC 💃🏽 I feel like Sonic would get EXTRA mad at the prospect of someone he cares about unnecessarily endangering themselves, which is ironic since he unnecessarily HURT himself in this fic 👁️
ALSO THOUGHTS ON MY TAKE ABOUT GLOVE MODESTY?? The explanations I usually see in fics is that in a polite society mobians cover their claws which is what I was gonna go with but then I started thinking about evolution and then how chocolate became a thing historically and I was liek “🗿 I’m gonna come up with a whole backstory to glove modesty”
Chapter 19: Realization and Observation
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Shadow had never felt so... lost in his own feelings before.
When he heard Sonic finally click the unit's door shut in confirmation that he was gone, he immediately let out a sigh as he ran a hand through his quills.
He was scared to look at the mirror again, afraid that the reflection he would be faced with would look as flustered as he currently felt. The comment Sonic made about cherishing his shirt... it ignited a strange flutter in his heart that he was not familiar with.
And it wasn't the first time that flutter occurred. The feeling had made itself known several times during their roller skating, his mind unable find insults for his inexperienced counterpart while gripping his wrists to prevent him from falling.
A month or two ago, Shadow would have found Sonic's mock arrogance to be insufferable and taken every chance to return those confident claims with insults of his own. Tonight however, he only felt fondness towards Sonic's antics. An indescribable feeling had swelled in his chest when the idiot crashed into him and hovered over him with wide eyes, only to utter the most typically stupid remark that for some reason Shadow found endearingly funny.
And then there was Sonic's appearance for the night. Despite having apparently bought three different outfits during his shopping trip with Amy and Honey, he neglected to wear any of them since the dinner on that day. It wasn't a strange decision, since Sonic had to dress semi formally whenever he was on duty, which was virtually all the time. Shadow should not have been shocked by the outfit since he had told Sonic to dress differently for the sake of their disguise in the rink. And yet, when he was greeted by the sight of striped yellows and warm brown, he couldn't help but stare in awe as the first thought of how he resembled a sunflower permeated his mind.
His second thought, as he looked up at how half of those brilliantly azure quills were tied up, was of how familiar his colors felt, the yellow contrasting against blue drawing a parallel in his mind to a memory of blonde hair and blue dresses. The similarity had brought up conflicting emotions, ones that he couldn't give himself time to process in favor of responding to Sonic's tease about his own, less approachable appearance.
But now, as he took the time to register just how much Sonic had reminded him of Maria in that jumper, he felt overwhelmed. The chaos in his mind only worsened when he discovered the habit his body formed without him realizing. Sonic didn't understand the significance of it, but how could he? The first (and last) time he had ever dropped his guard enough for cracks to appear in the indifferent body language he had vigorously trained to maintain was with her, and he couldn't find it in himself to tell Sonic that.
It was one thing to confess to Sonic's... impact on Shadow's emotions. But to bring to light the fact that the only other time he had been affected this way was by Maria? That would be too vulnerable, too intimate of an admission to make.
Not to mention, the feelings Sonic invoked in Shadow weren't... identical to the ones Maria had. There was a massive overlap, but the feelings he had towards Maria were much more familial whereas Sonic often made... peculiar sensations arise in his body. From the occasional light flutters in his gut, to the palpitating beats in his chest, Shadow had initially attributed these symptoms as coincidental, caused by fleeting reasons.
But tonight felt like a wake up call, these symptoms making themselves known more often than ever before, when Sonic crashed into him, when Sonic made a stupid joke, when Sonic leaned into his space whilst lowering his voice an octave or two...
The venom with which Sonic spoke to that tiger before flicking the knife away, the uncharacteristic rage in Sonic's tone as he berated Shadow afterwards. Shadow was startled to witness such a stark contrast to his bodyguard's usually sunny demeanor, but that wasn't all that he felt…
Threaded through that, like a live wire sparking underwater, was something far more complicated.
Shadow was used to being feared, used to cold glares and wary distance. But Sonic had faced him like an equal, eyes burning, hurting, like Shadow's recklessness mattered, like he mattered.
And damn it all... that did something to him.
Shaking off the unidentifiable emotion, he decided to focus his physical symptoms, taking a moment to consider where he had seen the palpitations and flutters being described before...
His books. More specifically, his romance books.
Despite what anyone might think, Shadow didn't take to this genre of literature due to being a romantic at heart. He had only ever been dragged into trying it because of Maria, then ended up sticking to it to this day. It was partially in homage to her, but a significant part of why he continued to read it was because of his own curiosity about the difference between platonic love and romantic love.
The majority of these books often emphasized that romantic relations were more meaningful and "passionate" than platonic ones, a message he consistently disliked and complained about when Maria first introduced them to him. He remembered the first time he vented to her about it she had smiled, agreeing with him that many authors often undermine friendships in their books for the sake of putting the romantic lead on a pedestal.
Shadow had then voiced his confusion about why these authors think romantic partners should take priority over friends, to which Maria had cocked her head in thought. As wise as she was for her age, she wasn't all-knowing.
"I'm not sure," she had said. "Maybe because you're supposed to get married to and live with that partner for the rest of your life? So they have to be extra special to you if you're going to spend that much time with them."
It was a reasonable guess, but it only raised more questions for Shadow. Why does one have to marry and live with their romantic partner? What about roommates? There are several cases where good friends join their finances to live together, but that doesn't make their relationships with one another romantic.
"I don't understand," his brows were furrowed after a few moments of deep thought. There was one thing he just couldn't comprehend. "Does the only difference between a platonic relationship and a romantic one lie in sexual attraction?"
He recalled Maria being embarrassed by his choice of words before recollecting her composure, staring distantly at one of the bookshelves as she played with the ends of her hair absentmindedly.
"I mean, I remember back in school before I got too sick to stay, there was this boy I liked," she had a bashful smile on her face as she spoke. "I suppose I had a 'crush' on him as my classmates would say, but not just in the way of wanting to hold hands with him or... kiss him and things like that. I also just... wanted to do things with him I don't do with anyone else."
Upon recognizing Shadow's silence to be one of confusion, she swept her hair out of her face sheepishly, "I'm not really sure how to describe it, but with my friends, I liked to spend time with them in the manner of having fun and laughing together and telling each other secrets. Whereas with that boy I wanted to just... get to know him personally. Not just things like his favorite ice cream flavor, but what his biggest passions are, what he's scared of... In my head, he was someone I could have fun with without having to actually do anything fun... if that makes sense?"
No, it didn't make sense, but he remembered nodding as though it did. To him, Maria was someone he could do all these things with. He didn't simply like her for her company, he liked her as a person, so did that make it romantic? He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, sure, but he didn't wish to marry her or do the cheesy things the leads in those books would do. He simply enjoyed her presence, her warmth as a person.
He had already passed the age of puberty, yet he felt like he missed out on several symptoms other teenagers seemed to experience related to sexual attraction. So outside of these 'urges' he was supposed to experience but never felt, he simply couldn't understand what that difference was.
And now in the present day, he was finally experiencing some of these physical symptoms— palpitations and flutters— but he still didn't understand.
What went differently with Sonic? Was it simply because Sonic is a mobian? Was that the only difference between him and Maria? But Rouge was his closest friend and had a personality almost identical to Sonic's, yet he never felt attracted to her. If the issue lay within species, then he should have considered Amy as a potential partner at some point since he enjoyed her company as well, yet he never did.
Could it be males that he was specifically attracted to? He hadn't engaged with men nearly as closely as he had with women, never really feeling the need to get to know them. In so many of those books, the attraction seemed to appear from the very start, with the lead often daydreaming about their romantic interest's appearance after first meeting them, but Shadow had never felt that with anyone he'd met, no matter their species, personality, or gender.
And the same went for Sonic. Shadow hadn't felt attracted to him at the start, and while that could be excused with the fact that he disliked Sonic when he first met him, his feelings hadn't materialized when he finally started enjoying the bodyguard's company either, no. It was only recently, after uncovering layer after layer of his character, that the feelings of what initially classified as curiosity about Sonic seemed to slowly shift into something else. Something new. Something more... obsessive.
Obsessive. What a terrifying word. He had just barely come to terms with the fact that Sonic could easily break his composure, but to acknowledge the possibility of being infatuated with him?
He stripped off his clothes as quickly as he could before getting into the shower, hoping the running water would soothe his mind as much as it would soothe his muscles.
Yet the only thing his mind seemed content to do was conjure up flashes of verdant eyes and bright, cheeky grins.
No, no, no, he scrubbed himself vigorously as though he could wash away these thoughts. Was this the attraction so often described in those books?
No, maybe the only reason he couldn't stop thinking about Sonic was because of how hard he had been actively avoiding it, like how an intrusive thought only returns and intensifies if one keeps telling themselves to stop thinking about it.
Maybe he needed to let his mind roam, let the thoughts and feelings materialize and pass away on their own. That's all Sonic might be: an intrusive thought.
Yes, he cannot sit around in a daze about his feelings any longer. He was only overwhelmed because he let himself be, because he over-analyzed his own thoughts and emotions to the point where they were all he could think about.
He switched off the tap and stepped out of the shower to towel himself dry. The fog that had formed over the mirror was slowly dissipating, allowing for red irises to peek through with newfound determination.
He had a plan.
~~~
"It's not what you think it is."
Rouge's smile only widened as she brought a finger up to her lips, signaling Sonic to stay quiet as she swiped her keycard at her door before beckoning him to follow her.
Sonic swallowed down a gulp as he entered the unit behind her.
Upon being invited to do so, he sat himself on the couch while Rouge went into the kitchen to pour drinks. He tried to avoid fidgeting as best as he could when a wine glass was set in front of him, containing a reddish tinged liquid.
"It's apple juice," Rouge clarified before he could speak. "Even if I'm curious about it, I respect your decision to avoid alcohol."
"I..." he brought his uninjured hand to his shoulder restlessly, thumbing at the juncture between his neck and shoulder. "I just don't like the idea of losing enough control over my inhibitions to uhh, embarrass myself."
Yeah, embarrass himself. Let's go with that.
Rouge sat herself diagonally to him on the L-seater, humming nonchalantly as she took a sip of the darker liquid (presumably wine) in her glass.
"So," she leaned back on the couch and crossed a leg over another. "Why exactly is your hand wrapped in... what looks like one of Shadow's shirts?"
He sighed in defeat. There was no way he could successfully hide an entire limb from Rouge after she invited him into her room, so there was no purpose in him trying to fabricate an answer to her question. What he could control was how much of the truth he said.
"You can probably already smell it but I got injured," between the dried blood from the cloth and the wound itself, most mobians could easily smell this injury even from a distance. Once he covered his hand with a snugly fitted glove however, it should be much more difficult to sniff out from more than two feet away. "I got it wrapped up but my glove was ruined so Shadow gave me his shirt to cover my hand until I got to my room."
Don't give anymore information than necessary, he reminded himself. Despite never being directly faced with it, he's become familiar with Rouge's game over the past couple of months. She was sly, an expert at coaxing out admissions without brute force or intimidation. The main reason he knew about her mind games was from how often Shadow would complain about it, but he could sense it from the moment he first met her that her charisma was undeniably powerful.
"And why did you need a shirt from his room?" He expected Rouge to ask how he injured himself first, but she surprised him. "Did you not go to a clinic?"
The latter part of the question was phrased as though it was close-ended, but Sonic knew it was a context gateway that was focused enough to allow her to catch any contradictions from him in later questions.
"I didn't," he answered, before looking away from those critical teal eyes as he spoke his next words, "And I needed the shirt from his room because... that's where I patched up."
Rouge quirked a brow at the admission, "You patched your injured hand in Shadow's room... by yourself?"
He understood the scrutiny. No matter how lax Rouge could potentially be about mobian customs, there was no way she wouldn't be at least curious about what she was implying. Sonic passingly wondered how she would react if he told her that not only had Shadow seen his bare hand and revealed his own, but also made direct contact in order to treat the wound.
But he knew Shadow would kill him if he confessed that to Rouge of all people, so he lied.
"Yup!"
"I see," Rouge clacked her nails against her wine glass as she eyed Sonic's hand, making him shift uncomfortably under her scrutinizing gaze. "And how did your hand get injured?"
This was the question he's been preparing for since she first invited him into her unit.
"After Shadow's rehearsal, we got a couple of drinks from a vending machine. You know how Shadow loves his strawberry milk," Sonic chuckled, lacing the known fact into his story to make it more convincing. "I got myself a can of soda but the tab broke off when I tried to open it."
"I guess it was a defect but I didn't wanna let it go to waste," at this part he hurriedly took a gulp of his apple juice as he tried to look embarrassed by what he was about to say. "So uhh, when I got back here, I tried to use a... knife to poke through it."
"Hence, this," he then gestured to his injured hand without going into further detail, looking sheepish as he continued, "So I knocked on Shadow's door to ask if he had a first aid kit, and to my luck he did! He let me use his bathroom to fix myself up, but my glove was ruined, which leads to the current situation of me borrowing his shirt to cover myself up with until I get to my room."
It was the perfect story. He came up with a scenario that explained him getting a severe enough wound to ruin his glove but without the potential concern that would arise if he said he was attacked. It was a 'mistake' fitting to his personality that justified his very 'short' visit to Shadow's room, and on top of that, asserted that Shadow totally went to his rehearsal instead of skipping it for a definitely-not-romantic roller skating challenge with him!
"So if he gave you that shirt after you patched up," Rouge rested the side of her head on her propped-up hand thoughtfully.
"Why is there blood on the shirt?"
He looked down at the shirt as he registered her question. Shit, maybe the story wasn't as airtight as he realized. To be fair, he didn't think she would even notice the stains on the dark fabric when he was formulating his lie.
He opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again as he tried and failed to look for an excuse, but the bat didn't let him flounder for long. Instead, she raised a hand to pause his attempts at speaking while setting her glass down on the table with the other before leaning forwards, "I won't pry on whatever it is that actually happened, but I'll just ask you this:"
Her teal eyes looked more focused than ever, "Are you and Shadow okay?"
Sonic swallowed nervously as he tried to comprehend the meaning behind her words, "Okay... in what sense?"
"Okay with each other," she clarified as though that explained everything, but when Sonic's confused showed, she continued. "You two have grown much closer over this past month. I don't think it's unfair to assume you're friends, maybe even more at this point."
Crap, he forgot that Rouge has seen that video of him at the board game night. She's probably completely aware of Sonic's attraction to Shadow, but from the way she worded herself... she didn't think they were dating or something, right?
Shadow, for all his claims about not telling Rouge things because she would tease him about them, would definitely not hide something as big as a relationship, and Sonic was certain she knew that. There was no way she was implying they were in a secret relationship. Maybe she was worried Sonic would act on his feelings and compromise his contract?
"I don't mind you and Shadow breaking certain parts of the contract as long as you fulfill your base obligations as his bodyguard," Rouge reassured as though she heard his thoughts. "I'm the one who pushed for Shadow to get closer to you in the first place."
She leaned back and looked away as a sly smile crept onto her face, "Not to mention, there's a reason I volunteered to be the spinner for that Twister game."
"You..." Sonic gaped at the information. Rouge not only encouraged Shadow to be closer to him, but also set that Twister game up and planned out that position they ended up in?
"Why?" That was all he could whisper out in horror, confused about her intentions. Shadow complained about her sneaky nature all the time, sure, but Sonic didn't realize this bat had the makings of a mastermind.
"I like to test Shadow's limits," she shrugged casually, before her gaze landed back on Sonic. "Though I must say, I didn't expect it to be your limits that were broken."
Sonic realized that his jaw had dropped open at some point, and quickly shut it closed as he tried to fight the rush of blood off his muzzle, "It was just a heat-of-the-moment thing."
That was a lie, but in his mind, it's extremely unprofessional to admit his feelings towards the idol that he's protecting to that idol's manager of all people. Rouge might've stated that she was lax with the contract, but that could be another lie, another test for him as part of her scheme.
"No it wasn't," she denied matter-of-factly. "You have feelings for him, and that's okay."
"Then where are you going with this?" Sonic couldn't stop the frustration from creeping into his voice. He was being put on the spot like he was with Amy, except Amy had called him out in an understanding way, with the clear intention to simply empathize with him and gain further insight into his feelings about Shadow before giving him advice he didn't feel he deserved from someone he had turned down moments before.
But Rouge? Rouge's intentions were hidden. She was trying to get him to say something, and he wasn't sure what.
"I think you're good for Shadow. You challenge him in a way that no one else can, and you balance him out," she spoke bluntly, as though her statement didn't just make a massive spark of validation swell in Sonic's chest. "No matter where you two end up in your relationship, I happily support it."
Being told something like that by Shadow's closest friend? He didn't even bother fighting off his blush at this point, staying quiet as he politely waited for her to get to her point.
"But where there's proximity, there's friction," she picked up her glass again. "You'll never have serious enough problems with a casual friend to have arguments with them, but with a close friend or a partner? The chaos is inevitable."
Sonic followed her implications tentatively as she took a sip, "So... you're worried about me getting into fights with him?"
Rouge set her glass down again and smiled as she nodded in agreement, "You've seen how Shadow is with people. He's polite, sure, but he's too emotionally closed off to bother purposely seeking out a connection. As his friend, I push his limits whenever I can, but I back off when he gets aggravated in favor of maintaining peace."
She leaned back again as she leveled Sonic with a contemplative gaze, "You however, don't know when to stop. You've constantly shoved yourself into his space until he was practically forced to accept you as a friend. You tease and you push just like I do, but somehow, something about you riles him up enough to fire back at you instead of just ignoring you."
Sonic never expected such a thorough analysis of his dynamic with Shadow from Rouge. Amy had only ever focused on Sonic's feelings and what he could do about it rather than how him and Shadow fit together as a puzzle. It was disorienting to realize that not only were his interactions with the idol being observed under a magnifying glass, but also pulled apart and extracted to be evaluated like it was for some sort of philosophical essay.
"Well uhm," Sonic scratched at his head. "I guess it's because we're both competitive? We throw taunts back and forth all the time."
"But I'm not wrong in assuming that your relationship has grown deeper than that, right?" Rouge raised a brow as though daring him to lie. "You care about each other, and ultimately, your actions will keep affecting one another."
Sonic dropped his hand back down with a sigh, "I wouldn't do anything to hurt Shadow if that's what you're worried about."
"Quite the opposite. I'm more worried about him hurting you."
Huh? Sonic furrowed his brows at the statement, "What do you mean?"
"You know how emotionally stunted he can be; he feels one way but acts another. And you are a novelty in his life, so if you keep heading in the direction of pulling out feelings he's never experienced before, he might..." Rouge emulated an explosion with her hands, "and sabotage himself."
Sonic wanted to laugh and tell her that Shadow had already done that and practically admitted to being driven crazy by his feelings, but instead smiled as he let out an amused huff through his nose, "I know."
"So just be patient with him is what I'm saying," Rouge grinned back before uncrossing her legs to get off the couch. Sonic took it as his cue to follow suit. "I won't hold you back any longer. Heaven knows how awkward you've been feeling without one of your gloves."
He had been long desensitized to the embarrassment of his hand being shoddily covered by a band t-shirt since having it exposed to Shadow, not that he was going to tell Rouge that. He snorted before making his way back to the unit's door, but just as he opened it his name was called out once more.
"Sonic?"
"Yeah?"
"Loving the outfit and hairdo today. I hope you enjoyed accompanying Shadow to his rehearsal."
Damn it.
~~~
Shadow refused to share his situation with Rouge for now.
Not because he was afraid of her teasing. As much as she liked to push his buttons, he knew she respected his boundaries when it actually mattered. She had helped him significantly over the years when it came to processing emotions, having dragged him out of a time where his only response to everything was aggression and violence.
At 18, having become a shell of himself shortly after his revenge driven spree, he remembered expressing things through unhealthy habits, taking to smoking and drinking as a way of subduing the constant loop of pain that plagued him. Rouge hadn't judged him at the time, instead accompanying him in silence as he did so.
She had claimed on her first meeting with him that she was sent by his father to keep an eye on him, a casual admission that initially put Shadow off of engaging with her out of paranoia that she was trying to drag him back home to his father.
But at some point, when he realized she wasn't expecting anything in return, he finally broke that silence. He engaged with her conversations, surprised to find that she kept them light, refusing to poke and prod at his emotions, never bothering to coax him into returning home.
Frustrated about her lack of action one day, he remembered asking her about her intentions.
"Listen, doll," she had looked and spoken as though she were several years older than him, but something about her demeanor made Shadow suspect otherwise. "I technically wasn't supposed to tell you he sent me to begin with. He seems to be under the impression that you're... lost, which you are. But I don't think you're lost in the same way he thinks you are."
Shadow remembered narrowing his eyes at her, refusing to speak in case she was recording him, but he made the question on his face clear.
"He thinks that the way to find yourself is for you to go back to that little 'unfeeling soldier' act of yours, but that's not what you want to back to, is it?"
After a moment, Rouge had understood the meaning behind Shadow's silence and pulled out her earpiece and phone to set them on the bar table, a silent offering for him to ensure they're switched off.
"What games are you playing at?" He seethed as soon as he confirmed they were switched off. "My father would kill you for further inciting my rebellion."
The bat had simply shrugged in response, "I suppose I'm just bored," before a sly smirk took over her face. "Perhaps looking for a career change."
The statement had thrown a wrench in his fury, momentarily confused at the implication, "What do you mean by that?"
"You're only out here in a random bar," she gestured to her surroundings, "because your father is letting you be here, but it's only a matter of time before he tires of your impertinence."
"I'm giving you a proposition," she continued before Shadow could speak. "You could go back to your father sooner or later like a well behaved son, ready to inherit his kingdom... or, you can follow your own path and escape this unnecessary gore."
Shadow couldn't help but snort at her words. Either she had a third device on her and was testing his loyalty, or she completely lost her marbles. There was no other possibility, "I didn't take you to be suicidal. No one can escape my father's grasp."
"I have a plan," she seemed undeterred by Shadow's ridicule, "and I can show it to you, at a more scheduled time of course. I can only keep my earpiece switched off for so long before that Omega fellow switches it back on remotely."
"Let's say I'm enough of an imbecile to even consider trusting you," Shadow looked at her with boredom, hiding the intrigue and... dare he say tentative excitement he truly felt at the proposition. "What do you gain from this?"
"Like I said, a change of pace," she looked away as she answered, but Shadow remembered catching a shimmer of melancholy peeking through her eyes as she looked into her wine glass absentmindedly.
He remembered every fiber of his being yelling at him not to trust her; that this was an elaborate scheme to catch him in his willingness to betray his father. And while his father might not kill him for his treason, he was certainly not above... discipline.
"How old are you?" He somehow found himself asking, despite his mind yelling at him for daring to entertain this.
Like a switch, Rouge's face twisted into a playful expression, "Much too old for you darling~"
"The truth."
"20."
He recalled her wilted posture, taking one last look at the devices on the table, examining them for any telltale red lights indicating them being switched back on, before sighing, disbelieving of the next words that spilled out of his mouth.
"Lose the cougar look next time I see you."
To his horror later that night, he was sent a file by Omega containing the recordings of their conversation. It seemed that the enigmatic genius could remotely switch on the devices without activating the red LEDs.
But to Shadow's surprise, Omega not only explained that they would delete the files, but in fact offered to help Shadow and Rouge in their plan, on the condition that they let Omega design their new lives and records.
When asked about their motives, Omega provided a simple response.
Ω – I AM BORED TOO.
It was a one-in-a-million chance that Shadow took against all reason, and to his relief, he didn't end up regretting it.
And now, he trusts Rouge and Omega with his life.
As annoying as Shadow constantly claimed her to be, Rouge was actually probably the less annoying out of the two. Although he never said it out loud, he appreciated her greatly for sticking with him through his worst, undeterred by his constant lash outs and refusal to speak. He had changed for the better over the last five years because of her.
She's the reason he even put his grief for Maria into a new light, filling the empty shell he had become after enacting his revenge with a new, more positive purpose in life.
And she's probably the only reason he was even considering his feelings about Sonic in the first place, at a mature enough state to not completely shut down over them and do something incredibly stupid to push Sonic away from him, no matter how much he wanted to.
From a logical perspective, it made sense for him to confide in his friend, who would likely walk him through these new emotions with some surprising words of wisdom she occasionally had in her repertoire.
So why was he not telling her? Though it may not make sense to others, the answer to him was simple.
He needed time to observe.
First he had to observe his own feelings. They may be a novelty to him, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're romantic in nature. He felt that if he spoke to Rouge about these feelings first, she would be prone to assuming and claiming that they are romantic.
He also needed to see how these feelings could potentially affect him. Romantic or not, Shadow couldn't afford to let these feelings be something that could impact his actions. He may have already admitted to himself (and Sonic) that he didn't feel fully in control of himself lately, but that didn't mean he was content to let it fester into something worse.
For the next few days, he needed to maintain perfect awareness of himself, both in physical tells like his ear twitching, and in emotional tells related to any thoughts and feelings that Sonic could stir up in him.
It was a strange objective really, to try analyzing his thoughts in real time as they happened, but necessary. He needed to know if this... infatuation was something fleeting that can easily fade away or if it could spiral and become a problem.
The second thing he had to observe was Sonic's own behavior towards him. He's had theories about Sonic's potential attraction to him, but couldn't reach anything conclusive. The blue idiot was so friendly and excitable to everyone around him that it was hard to tell if the differences in the way he treated Shadow amounted to anything.
It sure didn't help that Sonic has been somewhat flirty with him from the start, nor the fact that Shadow has yet to discover any confirmation that Sonic was interested in men in the first place.
He refused to ask out of the blue, knowing it would be uncharacteristic of him to do so, but he couldn't find a context fitting enough to slip the question into. So he simply set that task on the back burner as he focused on his two overarching goals in the meantime.
To his surprise, Sonic hasn't acted any differently since the night they roller skated. He was energetic and talkative as ever with Shadow, but there was still nothing about the bodyguard's behavior that gave away any wishes to... do something more.
When Shadow asked Sonic about how his injury was healing, Sonic had chirped happily that it was doing well, bragging about how he managed to change out and rewrap his wound with one hand.
And to his horror, Shadow found himself disappointed that Sonic didn't come to him to get his wounds redressed.
It was an unrealistic expectation really, to think that Sonic would show him his bare hand again. That night, they had the excuse of being pinched on time to ensure the wound didn't get infected, with the fact that Shadow indirectly caused that injury by initiating that stupid fight serving as the perfect reason for him to treat the wound out of guilt. But in a better state, the wound now didn't need the care of another.
It was an intense feeling that Shadow managed to quickly dampen once he reasoned with that logic. It seemed that, thankfully, he wasn't a slave to his own emotions. He still had control over himself. But he still wondered to himself why he felt upset to begin with.
It couldn't be from wanting to spend more time with him since they were stuck together everyday anyways. Could it be from lingering guilt urging him to continue treating the wound? No, he may have regretted his recklessness that night but any guilt or shame he felt was quickly banished by Sonic's lighthearted forgiveness.
Was it because, deep in the back of his mind, despite being previously convinced that he didn't care much for glove modestly, he was utterly enthralled by how soft and squeezable those pink finger pads looked and wished to see them again?
That couldn't be it. Even if it was, that didn't necessarily signify romantic attraction. Anyone would have the urge to squeeze and play with something that looked so... plush.
On the more positive end, Shadow noticed that he often felt content during Sonic's ramblings, with the occasional feeling of delight passing through him whenever the bodyguard got him a strawberry milk carton or a snack after his rehearsals. He found himself appreciating the small acts of consideration in a way that lifted his mood for the rest of the day. And to his relief, Shadow's body has yet to subconsciously betray his happiness.
He didn't know what he would do if his tail started wagging against his will. That would be concerning and embarrassing.
While his observation on Sonic may have been fruitless, Shadow was at least pleased that he could manage his own behavior rather well. Even his thoughts and emotions could be easily tamed, not needing much effort to reign in if they were positive, or stamp out if they were negative.
Perhaps he could go on like this until his infatuation fades away…
Unfortunately, it seemed that the only reason his control looked so impenetrable was because there wasn't yet a situation severe enough to test it.
His day of performance came, and he found himself feeling less exhausted than usual after finishing it. The temperature on the day had surprisingly dropped after a heatwave, a miracle that made a huge difference in his energy levels following the show.
Rouge noticed this difference, and so after everyone returned to the hotel and went their separate ways to rinse off, lingered behind Shadow and suggested going to a bar.
"Even if I wanted to go, the team would probably rather sleep for the flight tomorrow," Shadow quirked a brow at the irresponsible idea. "You know, the one that's at 7 in the morning?"
"You nap on your flights anyways," she waved a hand dismissively before placing a hand on her hip with a coy smile. "Besides, who said I wanted it to be a team thing?"
Shadow knew that Vanilla and Cream were out of the question for this plan, but he'd assumed the rest were going to be invited, if not at least Amy and Honey, "You mean just you and me?"
"And your lovely bodyguard of course, yes."
Right, even if he was going with Rouge, he still needed to bring Sonic with him. He wasn't completely against the idea of going to the bar if it was with a small group, but he didn't want to drag Sonic along if he was tired, to a place he likely wouldn't enjoy since he doesn't drink no less.
It was yet another strangely considerate thought that wouldn't have come to Shadow's mind two weeks ago, "And what if Sonic wants to sleep too?"
"I mean he's your bodyguard, not mine but," she shrugged before an all-too-knowing grin took over her face, "If you care that much about his wellbeing then just ask him and tell him you won't fire him if he says no. "
Shadow didn't even bother denying her jab as he threw a quick message to Sonic, receiving a thumbs up in response shortly after.
And so an hour later, they were at a cocktail bar that Rouge found. It was on the high-end so unfortunately, leather jackets were not accepted as part of their semiformal or formal dress code, so Shadow settled for wearing a pair of black slacks and a simple white dress shirt with sleeves that ended just below his elbows. It would push the limit of the bar's rules but he'll be damned if he wears a tie or a blazer without needing to.
Sonic, dressed in a proper suit as part of his bodyguard obligations, had only eyed his attire for a few moments before commenting, "I think this is the most formal thing I've seen you wear so far. Not a fan of suits?"
He muttered out a simple "no" in response. He's had to wear them too often when he was younger, so he found them suffocating in the present day.
"Well you do pull off the smart casual look anyways," Sonic hummed lightly, unaware of the effect his words had on Shadow's swirling thoughts. "Although I wonder how you'd look all dressed up. I feel like you'd look untouchable, y'know?"
Perhaps a blazer and a tie couldn't be that suffocating.
Shocked by how easily his thoughts caved in to the bodyguard's suggestion, Shadow fumed in silence on their way to the bar, not allowing himself engage in Rouge and Sonic's easygoing exchange as he focused on reigning in his unruly thoughts. Hopefully the music at the bar would be loud enough to discourage conversation so he wouldn't have to hear any more of Sonic's... impactful words.
The place was dim, but not so dark you couldn't see. Decorative lightbulbs were hung at different heights throughout the venue, casting a soft glow over the staff moving below them with a quiet efficiency. Along the corners where the overhead light couldn't reach, candles were placed on every table to make up for it.
It was clean. Polished floors, tidy bar, everything in its place. Shelves behind the bar were lined with expensive bottles. The booth they were led to was comfortable. Deep seat, high back, enough privacy without feeling boxed in. The quality lived up to the bar's reputation according to Rouge.
Most of the people there looked like they'd come straight from work, donned in tailored shirts, blazers, and dresses. Smart casual at the bare minimum, the line that Shadow was teetering on, and on the other end was a group of fully accessorized women dressed in matching floor-length dresses, likely for a wedding related event of sorts.
To Shadow's chagrin, the music in the background was not only somewhat quiet, but also smooth, a jazz song playing softly enough not to get in the way of conversation. This was the kind of place where people kept their voices low, no raucous laughter, no yelling, no mess.
"For you, sir?"
Shadow looked up at the server, a feminine-appearing mouse sporting a sleek, well-pressed uniform. He forgot to properly read the menu in his stress about how this night may go, but he thankfully knew his preferred drink anyways, "I'll have a Paloma."
Rouge had been eyeing the menu with glee since first receiving it, having a much more open taste in alcohol than most and a love for experimenting, "I think I'll try your 'French 75', darling."
The server nodded before turning to Sonic expectantly.
"I'll just have a water."
The server didn't look confused yet as she amicably suggested, "We have mocktail options if you need to stay sober for the night, sir, as well as some fresh juices–"
"Just water is good," Sonic wore a grin as he leaned forward on the table, but his tone left no room for argument.
The slightest hint of confusion climbed onto the mouse's face for a moment, before her expression was schooled back into a polite smile as she nodded. Servers at a high-end establishment like this were typically trained on how to deal with every kind of misbehavior under the sun, yet this was probably the strangest scenario this mouse has encountered. It didn't help that Sonic's cheeky grin and energetic voice made him look like the wildest one in the group.
After the mouse took her leave, Rouge couldn't hold back her smile, "Not even an apple juice, Big Blue? How responsible of you."
Shadow wasn't sure why Rouge emphasized 'apple juice' in such a weird way, but Sonic let out a light huff in response as he brought a hand up to his shoulder, a habit Shadow has become increasingly aware of that seemed to happen whenever the bodyguard was uncomfortable.
"Ahah, too much sugar. I wanna make sure I sleep well tonight."
Shadow raised a brow at the excuse. A single glass of juice, no matter how sugary it is, is certainly not enough to keep someone awake at night hours later. But he remained silent as he looked away, deciding to survey his surroundings instead as he let the two talk.
Except as soon as he looked away from the table, his vision was blocked by white and green.
"Sonic?!"
Notes:
Ngl writing Shadow’s thought process lowkey made me wonder some things myself 💀
Anyways LOOK AT HIM GO WITH HIS ‘PLAN’!! (grasping at straws in denial) Methodical as always Shadow 🙂↕️ I sure hope all his “impenetrable self control” doesn’t fly out the window next chapter!!
ALSO TEAM DARK’S ORIGINS WHAT DO YALL THINK?? I kinda wondered if I was dumping too much info coz I think authors are usually supposed to hide things/only imply so readers can infer things on their own? BUT LIEK IDK IF ITS POSSIBLE for me to slip in deets on how Shadow actually got out of the mafia (at least not until I introduce Papa Doom but I don’t wanna wait that long 😭)
Anywhos Rouge being a cunning genius as always 💅🏽
And who do we think that is at the end there 👀 🦅 ALSKAKDKAKF
P.S. I made some edits to the last chapter with the Spanish and Italian based on suggestions 🙂↕️ NO OVERALL MEANINGS HAVE CHANGED just better word choice 💪 THANK U TO MY GOATS WHO CORRECTED ME 🫶🫶
ALSO, CHECK OUT Imperfect Designations BY MY FRIEND yourAngel_o IF UR INTERESTED IN STARTING A HELLA COOL SONADOW CUPID FIC??? A fascinating AU 👀
Chapter 20: Old Flames
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Shadow looked up to see a bright green hawk standing before them.
He was dressed to the nines, sporting a pair of formal black slacks tied by a chic brown belt. He wore a cream dress shirt that was cuffed neatly just below the elbows similarly to Shadow's, only his was unbuttoned further down in a way that showed off just enough of the white plumage that crawled up his chest without looking trashy. On his wrist glimmered a flashy gold watch from a brand Shadow recognized to be expensive. The undersides of his electric blue eyes were lined with black eyeliner and red streaks not unlike Shadow's own, the pop of color surprisingly matching well with the warm tones of his shirt.
Whoever this hawk was, he's clearly wealthy and wasn't afraid to show it off.
Shadow looked back at Sonic just in time to catch emerald eyes widened in clear shock. Whether it was in a positive way or a negative way, he couldn't tell.
"Jet?”
That name sounded familiar... where has he heard it before?
"It's been so long man," the hawk ran a hand through his feathers in disbelief, his statement implying that they hadn't seen each other in years perhaps. "How've you been?"
"Ahh, pretty good actually!" Sonic pulled himself off the booth to stand with the hawk, attempting to shake his hand only to be pulled into a hug.
The contact caused a spark of irritation to flare in Shadow's chest, which he quickly doused with confusion. Why would he be annoyed at that?
"Have I seen you somewhere before, handsome?" Rouge's words might've been flirty, but her tone was curious.
"You've probably seen me on some magazines," Jet cockily flicked a thumb under his beak in a manner annoyingly similar to Sonic's.
Rouge was undeterred by the arrogance, her face breaking out into an uncharacteristically excited grin as she snapped a finger in realization, "Could you perhaps be the CEO of Babylon Jewels?"
Ah, now he knew why the hawk seemed familiar. Babylon Jewels was a high-end jewelry company that had quickly climbed its way into being one of the top giants about a decade ago. The reason he knew about this was because Rouge was probably one of their most consistently loyal customers for the last three years, constantly raving about how their designs were "just the right amount of flashy", whatever that meant.
"Mhm," the hawk turned his beak up in theatrical arrogance, before throwing a wink towards Rouge as he added, "That necklace you're wearing is one of my favorites... you a regular customer of ours?"
"Very much so," Rouge grinned with an excitement that looked uncharacteristically genuine. If there was one thing the bat was unabashedly passionate about, it was shiny gems and jewelry. "I'm glad the quality of your designs hasn't dropped since you took over your father's mantle."
"What can I say?" Jet seemed to preen at the compliment, running a hand through the feathers on his head. "Excellent taste just runs in the family."
"I see you haven't lost your flair," Sonic teased. "Taking over the business didn't humble you a bit?"
"You say that like it was hard," the hawk snorted.
Rouge only seemed further amused by Jet's confidence. "And how exactly did Sonic come to know such an... established man such as yourself?"
She worded it subtly, but Shadow knew what she meant since he had the same question himself. Even before taking over his father's business, Jet was still an heir in his younger years, having likely lived a lush and luxurious lifestyle in environments he couldn't have possibly met Sonic in. They were in completely different tax brackets, and rich kids rarely ever made friends with people outside of their family circles. The question didn't come from a place of snobbery, but rather a genuine curiosity on how two people who led such different lifestyles could be so familiar with one another.
Sonic suddenly seemed awkward at the question, his grin turning sheepish as he tried to answer, "We were... uhh–"
"We used to date."
Shadow didn't flinch, not outwardly. He kept his posture straight, arms crossed over his chest, gaze unmoving. Controlled, passive, maintaining his role as just another listener in the conversation.
But inside? Something cracked.
We used to date.
The words lodged in his head like a splinter. Jet said it with such ease, like it was a memory barely worth elaborating on. And Sonic...
Shadow's eyes flicked to the hedgehog before he could stop himself. Sonic was rubbing the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact, a sheepish smile tugging at his mouth. He looked embarrassed, but not surprised, which meant it was true. Of course it was.
Jet stepped in a little closer to Sonic as he laughed, elbow bumping against him like they shared some private joke. Like he still had the right to touch him.
Shadow's jaw tightened.
He told himself he was being irrational. This didn't matter. Sonic was free to date whoever he wanted. Jet wasn't doing anything wrong. He wasn't even being inappropriate.
And yet...
There was a strange, hollow pressure building in Shadow's chest, pressing under his ribs. Something ugly, tight. He didn't have a name for it, but it clawed at him all the same.
Flashy. Loud. Arrogant.
The way this hawk spoke, like everything he touched was already his. Like Sonic had once been his, and maybe still was.
Shadow hated how easy it was to imagine them together. How quickly his mind conjured the image of Sonic laughing in Jet's arms. How naturally they fit into each other's rhythm, like they'd done it a hundred times before.
Jet slung an arm around Sonic's shoulders and turning his attention to Shadow and Rouge, "Say, you two wouldn't mind if I pull him away for a bit, would ya?"
Fighting back the urge to scowl at the hawk for his... touchiness with Sonic, Shadow spoke smoothly, "He's on duty right now."
At Jet's look of confusion, Sonic let out a carefree laugh, "There's a lot you've missed, dude. I'm a bodyguard now."
The hawk's brows raised at the revelation as he turned his face to Sonic, his face that was much too close to Sonic's since his arm was still around him, "Shit, for real?"
He then turned back to the table before settling his eyes on Shadow, "Is that why you look so familiar? I think I've seen you on a poster somewhere... a singer right?"
He liked to think that his utter hatred for this hawk right now was completely justified.
"Yes," he spoke curtly, not bothering to clarify. He wanted this green imbecile to be out of his sight.
"I'm sure Sonic could be away for a few minutes," Shadow snapped his head back to Rouge at her statement. She was the one who insisted on hiring a bodyguard in the first place, and now she wants to let him go? "We promise to stay out of trouble in the meantime."
He wanted to call her out, he wanted to insist that it wasn't a good idea. He didn't care if he looked like a prick for not letting Sonic catch up with his 'friend', he wanted to keep Sonic next to him.
"Shads?" Shadow looked up again at Sonic, and at the sight of that requesting face, that slight quirk of those lips, his swirling thoughts evaporated. "I'll only go if you're good with it."
"...Go."
And with that, Sonic waved a temporary goodbye before following Jet across the bar. Shadow could not find himself looking away from their figures as they reached a different booth occupied by two other birds, presumably Jet's friends.
He'd never felt like this before. This... this heat in his throat, this anchor in his gut. It wasn't anger. Not exactly. What was it then?
"Something you'd like to tell me?"
Shadow snapped out of his thoughts as he looked back at Rouge, "What do you mean?"
The bat looked way too amused for his liking, "You look like you want to rip that guy's head off."
"I..." he looked down at the table as he tried to sort out his thoughts. They were irrational to have. He hadn't felt this angry when Sonic made friends with everyone in his team. What sets this guy apart?
"He seems arrogant." Yes, this reason somewhat justified it. He simply didn't like the hawk's cockiness and, by extension, didn't like the fact that Sonic used to date him. He was probably a terrible ex.
"You thought Sonic was arrogant when you first met him too," Rouge leaned her chin on her hand with a grin all-too-knowing. "But I've never seen you look at him with that level of hatred."
Their server reappeared shortly after that statement, setting down Shadow and Rouge's drinks before them before placing a glass of water in front of the space Sonic was previously sat, where he was supposed to be.
He took a sip of his drink before answering, "Am I not allowed to dislike someone?"
"You are," Rouge twirled her straw around in her glass before sipping through it. "It's just surprising to see you look at someone so... intensely. Are you sure his arrogance is the only thing you don't like about him?"
Shadow looked back across the bar to find the hawk no longer at the booth, but rather by the countertop. He was speaking to the bartender, presumably ordering a drink before the bartender nodded and walked off. Sonic was next to him, leaned up against a stool as he spoke words that Shadow couldn't hear.
"He looks spoiled," Shadow added after taking another sip of his drink. "Like he's not used to being told 'no'."
"A heavy assumption for someone you only exchanged a few words with." His ear flicked sideways to listen to Rouge, but he kept his eyes trained on Jet as he leaned close to Sonic's ear, and whatever it was that he whispered made Sonic laugh. What the hell could that idiot have said that was so funny?
"Easy there, stallion," Shadow whipped his head back at Rouge at the comment only to see her looking down across the table with a quirked brow.
He followed her gaze towards his drink and found a web of cracks on the glass.
Shit, he quickly let go of the cup before forcing himself to look up at the bat again, knowing that whatever her next words would be will undoubtedly grate on his nerves.
"I suppose you've never been a fan of sharing, have you?"
It was supposed to be a question but it sounded more like a statement. The certainty with which she delivered it made Shadow narrow his eyes. He's had enough of her vagueness.
"Explain."
Rouge took a long sip through her straw, long enough for half of the drink to be depleted in one go. She usually savored her cocktails, so Shadow knew she was only drinking this much to waste time, to irk him.
When she finally took her mouth off the straw, she leaned her chin on the back of her hand once more before leveling Shadow with the cheekiest smirk he'd ever seen.
"You don't like seeing Sonic with others."
She said it so simply, so matter-of-factly, like it was a truth so undeniable that any attempts to claim otherwise would be pitiful, futile. She knew that there was nothing Shadow could say to convince her otherwise when he was already trying so hard to convince himself otherwise.
Shadow opened his mouth, but his mind struggled to think of a retort that could falsify her claim.
"I'm not... jealous," the word sounded foreign in his mouth; hesitant, uncertain.
"I agree," he furrowed his brows in confusion at the bat's concurrence. Wasn't that what she was implying? "Jealousy stems from insecurity, envy, the feeling that the outsider might be better than you. But you don't feel threatened by Jet in that way do you?"
Again, a question that sounded more like a statement, but this time Shadow felt less on-edge about agreeing to it as he nodded slowly, still unsure of where she was heading.
"Possessiveness however," Rouge took a shorter sip of her drink, "is more to do with wanting control. You want to be the sole focus of Sonic's attention, and you don't like the idea of others taking his attention away from you."
Shadow snarled at the accusation. He wasn't some attention-starved baby, he wasn't controlling. He may have a preference to keep a grip over his own habits and emotions, but there was no way that could translate into wanting to control Sonic. He seethed, "I'm not controlling."
"I never said you were," Rouge shrugged lightly, undeterred by the aggression. "It's normal to have these feelings. It's only toxic if you act on them."
"Say, for example," the bat cocked her head to the side playfully as she drawled out her next words, "if you had forced Sonic to stay with us despite there being no good reason to."
Shadow's brows furrowed, thinking back to how he didn't want Sonic to leave with Jet. How he so badly wanted to make sure Sonic stayed next to him under the premise of it being his responsibility as a bodyguard.
Then he thought about other times he'd felt similarly, such as whenever Sonic spoke with Amy. He had recognized earlier that his annoyance didn't lie in Amy, but rather Sonic's constant engagement with her. He had chalked it up to concern that he was feeding into her infatuation with him, leading her on. Then, on the night he momentarily suspected that Sonic reciprocated her feelings, his anger had flared to the point of starting an argument with his bodyguard under the premise that Amy might distract him from his obligations.
And yet, even after the revelation of Amy confessing to Sonic only to be turned down, his anger only worsened when Sonic began to ignore him on the days following the argument and prioritize interacting with Amy and the rest of the team. He thought he was angry at Sonic's obvious pettiness, his petulant dedication to giving Shadow the cold shoulder.
But all of these reasons for his anger were never the case, were they? They were merely placeholders, substitutes for the uglier feeling within himself that he previously couldn't put a name to.
Possessiveness.
The realization startled him.
He looked at Sonic again. At the way his grin lingered even as he glanced around nervously. At the slight pink in his cheeks. Was he flattered by the attention Jet was giving him?
He looked back at Rouge, unable to maintain his previous anger in his voice. He felt confused, distressed, lost, so his words came out shaky, "What does it mean for me to feel this way?"
He should have known he couldn't hide his feelings from Rouge, but it's the fact that there wasn't much for her to comb through to identify the root of Shadow's behavior. He was being ridiculously obvious, fuming and glaring and cracking the glass that held his drink. In his self-observation, he had been so focused on making sure he could control his physical tells and dampen his surface-level emotions that he neglected to analyze the more complex feelings he couldn't identify.
"I can tell what you're worried about," Rouge's eyes softened into something more sympathetic. "It might be new to you, but it's a natural feeling that most people experience. I know those telenovelas you love tend to display it in a romantic and... sometimes toxic context, but just know it happens in friendships just as often, if not more so."
Shadow never experienced this feeling with Maria, but it wasn't like he needed to. Maria couldn't make friends with anyone outside of their residence, both for safety reasons and because she was too sick to risk exposing herself to foreign bacteria. He and Eclipse were her only friends.
But he supposed, upon imagining the idea of some outsider taking up her time and attention, he would be angry too.
"So then what should I do about it?" There had to be a solution to stop him from feeling this way.
"Well, I think what sets a non-toxic possessive person apart from a toxic one is being considerate and respecting the other person's autonomy. The desire to keep your partner– or friend," Rouge quickly added upon seeing Shadow's scowl, "happy is what makes the difference."
This wasn't the answer he wanted, and he knew there was no point in acting indifferent in front of his annoyingly observant friend, so he pressed on with chagrined honesty, "But how do I stop feeling this way to begin with?"
"If I'm being honest, I don't think there's a way to fully stop it, hun," Rouge spoke with a gentleness she rarely used. "You can only manage how you act on it."
Shadow looked back across the bar, watching Sonic's face that had transitioned into a more serious expression during his conversation with Rouge. The blue hedgehog's brows were furrowed in a way that made him look uncharacteristically unconfident, causing Shadow to narrow his eyes in suspicion.
Jet was closer to Sonic than he was before, leaning into his space in a way that the bodyguard clearly wasn't comfortable with. Shadow couldn't see the hawk's expression from his angle, but a flash of white between their bodies caught his eye.
Jet was running a hand down Sonic's chest.
CRACK!
~~~
"I'll have a Margarita, don't skimp out on the salt," Jet turned to Sonic. "Whaddya want? My treat."
"I'm good," Sonic grinned. "I already ordered a water at the table."
The hawk raised a brow at this, "You still don't drink? I don't get why you've always been so against it."
"I don't have anything against it," Sonic brought a hand up to his shoulder and rubbed at it sheepishly.
I just want to have perfect awareness over my own actions. Is that too much to ask?
"It's just my personal choice, like a vegan but... just alcohol I guess," he airily explained.
Jet only wrinkled the space above his beak in distaste, "Yeah, I don't get that either."
After sending the bartender off, Jet turned to Sonic once more, seemingly not in a rush to get back to the booth, "So what've you been doing this past couple o' years?"
"Ahh, not much to be honest," Sonic took their lack of movement as a cue to lean back on his stool, but the hawk didn't do the same. "I've moved up a bit from when you last saw me. Thanks to Knuckles, I got into a bodyguard agency and just recently got my first client!"
Sonic gestured behind Jet to enunciate his point, but the hawk didn't bother looking back, instead snorting in amusement, "Yeah, about that... that guy your boyfriend or sumthin'?"
"My what?" Sonic briefly short circuited at the question. His own feelings towards Shadow aside, he didn't understand what possibly led Jet to think they were together. Was he somehow that obvious in such a short exchange? "Nah dude, have some faith in me! He's just my client and I'm his bodyguard. Super professional."
Jet didn't seem convinced, only raising a brow, "Right... I'll be honest, it looked more like you were the client than the other way around."
Sonic decided to just properly sit on the stool. It was clear that Jet wasn't interested in returning to his friends for now, "And by that you mean...?"
"He looked like he wanted to kill me just for hanging my arm around you," the hawk shuddered as though he didn't want to relive the memory, before leaning up to Sonic's ear to speak more quietly, as though Shadow might hear him from across the bar. "Seriously, I'd even say he looked more like a guard dog than a bodyguard. Are you sure this guy's a celebrity?"
Sonic couldn't help but laugh at the question. He supposed that at first glance to people who didn't recognize the idol, Shadow definitely had a face intimidating enough to look like the bodyguard out of the two.
"He's just closed off to strangers," he grinned, some fondness slipping into his voice. "You should've seen how he treated me on my first day."
Jet didn't fully lean away, remaining barely a foot away from Sonic as his voice lowered into something more... sultry, "I would never treat you like that though, right?"
Sonic only quirked a brow at the comment, unable to stop himself from correcting the hawk, "You were even worse, complaining like a spoiled prince when I made your coffee with one ice cube less than your usual. Who even counts that?!"
Jet's feathers ruffled at the mockery as he squawked in defense, "The ratio is important so that it melts right on time with me finishing the drink!"
Sonic chuckled at the elaborate reason the hawk gave to justify his rudeness at the time, "You were such a brat."
"Well, whatever. You put me in my place pretty quick didn't you?" Jet rolled his eyes and pointed his beak away in mock petulance before grinning again in good humor. "Taught me a lesson on being respectful to people in the service industry n' all that."
"Being respectful to anyone, really," Sonic quirked a brow at the memory. "You'd talk down on the president if you could."
The hawk chuckled at the claim, unable to deny it. "Yeah, well," he suddenly leaned closer to Sonic, this time barely half a foot away, "I wouldn't mind you teaching me some other things again~"
Treating it as a joke, Sonic brought a hand up to lightly push Jet's face away by the forehead, "Not happening."
"Oh c'mon! You're saying you don't miss any of this?" Jet gestured at himself, placing emphasis on the white fluff the peeked out beneath his shirt. Sonic only snorted at the display before the hawk leaned in once more.
"I'm serious, ya know?" Jet's tone didn't betray his claim, his usually electric blue irises dulled into a cool gray under the dim lights. "I really missed you. You're the only one who's ever treated me like an equal... never tried to use me."
Sonic's eyes widened at the confession, quickly throwing a glance behind Jet to find Shadow seemingly intently listening to Rouge.
"There's a reason we didn't work out, Jet," his words were serious but he kept a light tone. "We live completely different lives, have different standards... I didn't belong in your world and it was clear as day."
He wasn't resentful of his memories with the hawk but he'd learned better than to try rewriting them. While Sonic may had influenced some of Jet's perspectives when they first started dating, Jet's love for luxury and comfort was something that could never be changed, instead taking it upon himself to show Sonic what 'pampering' feels like.
Sonic remembered tentatively agreeing to something small at first: a gift voucher to a massage parlor that specialized in serving quilled mobians. It was a supposed 'thank you' gift from Jet a few weeks after he'd become a regular at the cafe.
"Here," Sonic remembered the uncharacteristic awkwardness from the hawk, at the time unaware that Jet would ask him out barely a week later. "For all the... trouble I guess I've been giving you. Figured you'd appreciate a good scalp massage as a hedgehog."
Sonic recalled still being stubborn at the time and refusing the gift, but after some back and forth, had begrudgingly accepted the voucher and, after some deliberation (realizing that he couldn't refund it and give Jet the money back), decided to redeem it the following weekend.
Oh how otherworldly the experience felt, how he melted under skillful hands, a novel luxury that had lulled him to sleep...
And allowing himself that inch of comfort was what led to him foolishly agreeing to date Jet. Their chemistry was undeniably strong. Banter and conversation came easy to them before they transitioned into daring flirts and innuendos, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was in their lifestyles.
"Three years ago, maybe," Jet countered, "but you're a bodyguard now, aren't you? Surely you've gotten used to fancy hotels and bougie events by now."
"Fancy hotels, yeah," Sonic couldn't disagree that he adjusted to his accommodation rather quickly, though that may be because he didn't use any amenities and spent most of his time outside of the hotel. "I dunno about bougie events, but that's not the point."
Sonic pointed down at Jet's wrist, causing the hawk to look down in confusion, "You've always been a flashy guy, Jet. You enjoy expensive parties and wealthy hobbies, which is not a bad thing. You're living within your means and you shouldn't have to change that about yourself, but..."
Small gift vouchers and roses were what their relationship started with, but at some point the gifts grew in grandiosity, in price, each one more difficult to accept than the last. Jet didn’t really understand Sonic’s increase in complaints, brushing off the hesitation as just him being “too modest” and needing to “indulge every now and then”.
The memory of the event that led to their break-up came to mind; when Jet invited Sonic to a cocktail party. The feeling of being an alien, an imposter in Jet's world had amalgamated over the past six months they had been dating until the final straw was pulled out that night.
He could never fully forget the eyes he felt watching him, a foreign guest among people who probably spent his annual income on a daily basis. He couldn't shake off that look of utter contempt in their eyes when Jet introduced him to them, that upturn of their noses, the sneers. He had barely lasted an hour into the event before he felt overwhelmed and tried to make an exit.
Jet's response to his worries that night made everything worse.
"What if I get you a job? I can probably get you a pretty high paying position in my dad's company somewhere. Then you wouldn't keep feeling this way, right?"
The casualness with which he made the offer had shocked Sonic, and not in a good way. It only proved the seed of doubt that progressively made itself clear over the six months: Jet didn't understand, and likely never would.
"You think the solution for this is to just give me a job I didn't earn? Are you serious?"
His doubt and insecurities had shifted into rage at that offer, leading to an argument. Sonic was frustrated, bitter, resentful at how Jet could suggest something like that so easily, his feelings only worsened by the fact that he could follow up on it that easily. The realization that some people in life were simply born into a life fortunate enough to be able to just drag other people out of financial struggle like some sort of fairytale... it disturbed him.
"I have my own means to live in," Sonic couldn't keep the melancholy out of his statement, "and neither of us should have to compromise this much for one another."
Jet, seemingly just as hard-headed as he was three years ago, didn't relent, "What if we both reach a middle ground? I've changed since taking over the company, y’ know… I'm more responsible with money now! I won't drag you around like I did before, promise."
There wasn't anything Sonic could respond with to refute those claims. Sure, maybe Jet had truly changed over the years and would be a better, more understanding partner this time around...
But, he glanced over Jet's shoulder once more to see Shadow's face while he listened to Rouge, a scowl on his face that Sonic had grown to find so endearing. In the six months he'd dated Jet, Sonic had never confided anything about his upbringing other than the fact that he was an orphan. Yet even now at the thought of getting back together, he couldn't imagine a long-lasting relationship.
As fun and outgoing as he was, Jet wasn't exactly... emotionally intelligent. The hawk had an aversion to deep conversations, perhaps due to his upbringing not really leaving room for it. Surrounded by 'connections' and fair-weather friends, Jet had likely never been in an environment conducive to talking about anything other than phatic exchanges and business deals. It was probably why the hawk was so insistent on holding onto Sonic, probably perceiving the hedgehog as his first 'real connection'.
"Listen, I..."
Although he felt guilty for it, while Sonic might've been just the type of person that Jet needed, Jet wasn't what Sonic needed. He was happy to be friends with the hawk, but Jet wasn't someone he could fully bare himself to, someone he could be vulnerable with, someone he could eventually confide to, show the deepest parts of himself to and be met with understanding.
Shadow however...
Jet seemed to mistake Sonic's hesitation for consideration, leaning further into his space. Sonic couldn't fully move back since he was sat on the stool, but he didn't feel threatened. Just surprised at the hawk's forwardness in such a public place.
"D'you wanna reminder of what made us so compatible?" Jet's eyes were half-lidded as he brought a hand up to the white dress shirt that covered Sonic's sternum, before trailing it down to where the grey blazer layered on top of it met in a 'v'.
"Jet..." he growled out in warning. "You can forget about it."
All of a sudden a CRACK caught Sonic's ears, causing him to look for the source of the sound in a panic. Behind Jet, he spotted Shadow shaking his hand off with a pile of broken glass and liquid splayed out across the table.
"Shit!"
Like lightning, he launched off his seat and shouldered past Jet, not bothering to bid goodbye to the hawk as he sped towards the booth.
He tried to appraise Shadow's hand as he got closer, relieved to find no bloodstains on the glove. On Rouge's face, he was confused to see only a quirked brow, the bat seemingly unsurprised by the situation.
"Shads, you okay?" Even though he didn't look visibly injured, Sonic felt nothing but guilt. He should have kept his catchup short, especially when it was obvious that Shadow didn't like the idea of him leaving. If there was one setting that needed Sonic to be by Shadow's side at all times it would be the bar, yet he'd walked off with Jet and gotten too distracted to even check on Shadow frequently throughout his conversation.
"I'm fine," Shadow muttered quietly, shifting out of the seat to stand up. Thankfully, none of the glass shards had landed on his body, but there were a few dark spots littered across his shirt from the spilled drink. He didn't sound distressed in anyway, just rather... annoyed? Sonic supposed it's on brand for the idol to find an accident like this to be inconveniencing above anything else.
A moment later, their server appeared with a handful of napkins for Shadow to dry himself with, "Don't worry about the mess! We'll move you to another table and clean that right–"
"There's no need," to Sonic's surprise, Rouge was the one who said that, shifting out of her seat to stand up and dust herself off. "We planned to head off soon anyways. Could you bring the bill please?"
Before the mouse could make a move to fulfill the request, another voice piped up from behind Sonic.
"Just put their drinks on my tab," Jet leaned his elbow on Sonic's shoulder. "Least I could do for dragging your bodyguard away."
Sonic looked cautiously at Shadow's reaction but the idol kept a straight face, although his jaw looked slightly clenched.
"How sweet of you, Jet," Rouge cooed when Shadow remained silent, before leaning towards Sonic while placing her hand as divider in a gesture of divulging a secret away from curious ears, though she made no effort to sound quiet as she playfully drawled, "I didn't know you had such excellent taste."
Jet laughed at the comment, "That reminds me! He's not the only one with good taste," he took his elbow off Sonic's shoulder to fish around his pocket briefly before smoothly offering up a business card to Rouge.
"I know a savvy lady when I see one," Rouge met the hawk's smirk with an amused smile of her own. "Pop me a message if you're ever feeling inspired."
"Will see," Rouge swiftly pocketed the card into her purse before grinning sweetly. "Thanks again for the treat."
"It's nothin'," Jet batted his hand dismissively before turning to Sonic, pulling out a second business card.
"And you," unlike with Rouge, Jet took it upon himself to tuck it into the breast pocket of Sonic's blazer while throwing a wink, "know what to message me for~"
Sonic could only snort at the offer, "Right, we'll see about that."
Jet looked undeterred by the sarcasm, probably assuming that Sonic was playing hard to get, and gave them a short salute before walking off back to his table. Sonic turned around only to be faced with the most comically contrasting expressions on Rouge and Shadow. The bat was grinning cheekily, like she'd just uncovered a juicy secret. Shadow on the other hand...
Shadow looked like he was seconds away from killing someone.
"Uhh, you good there Shads?" Sonic chuckled nervously. Was he that pissed about being left with Rouge? "I'm sorry for leaving you guys so long, I should've kept things short..."
Shadow turned a shoulder and walked off towards the exit, which Sonic and Rouge took as cue to follow.
"Nonsense, hun," Rouge didn't seem at all bothered by Shadow's mood. "I encouraged you to go and Shadow agreed. There's nothing for you to be sorry for!"
"Right..." Sonic eyed Shadow's form ahead of him uncertainly before leaning closer to Rouge in a whisper, "Then what's he mad about?"
"Oh, you know," the bat didn't bother reflecting his volume, instead speaking loudly and unapologetically, "I just asked to try a sip of his drink but it seems he's not a fan of... sharing."
Sonic caught the flick of Shadow's ear, but no denial to Rouge's claim despite it sounding so outlandish.
"Huh," he knew he wouldn't get a more straightforward answer, so he stayed silent in the meantime.
On the way back to the hotel, Shadow didn't say a word, although the initial scowl on his face had faded into a look of deep thought at some point, brows lightly furrowed as though he was focused on solving a difficult puzzle. Sonic found it cute, but didn't have the guts to make a comment on the behavior lest he worsen Shadow's mood again.
It was only after they'd reached back to the hotel and Rouge had entered her unit that Sonic finally mustered up the courage to say something when they reached Shadow's door.
"Alright dude, be honest," he spoke in an urgent hush, trying to stay mindful of his teammates who were probably long asleep in their neighboring rooms. "What happened there?"
Shadow had his arms crossed in a clear indication of unwillingness to talk, "I don't know what you mean."
Sonic refused to accept the answer, running a hand through the top of his quills restlessly. Shadow idol was clearly mad about something and Sonic wasn't sure he could sleep soundly tonight knowing that he might've been the cause of the mood switch.
"How did your glass break on the table?" He persisted. "How could it shatter from that height unless... there's no way you purposely broke it just to avoid sharing it with Rouge, right?"
"What?" Shadow looked incredulous at the word vomit. "No– you actually believed that?"
"Obviously not," Sonic sighed and looked down the hallway. He didn't know why he was playing dumb, he just needed to apologize. "Look, I know why you were actually pissed and..."
He missed the brief widening of Shadow's eyes just as he looked back, "I'm sorry, okay? I could clearly tell you didn't want me to leave and that you only agreed because you were put on the spot. I should've been the one insisting to stay on duty. It’s literally my main responsibility to stick next to you at all times and... somehow I keep messing that up."
His apology was just meant to sound remorseful, yet as he began to think about all the times he's pushed the bounds of his already lax contract, leaving Shadow behind in a public setting not once now, but twice. Then there was him unnecessarily injuring his hand in a fight with teenaged delinquents even whilst knowing that Shadow had that tiger handled...
If he acted so irrationally at someone attempting to attack Shadow despite knowing their chances at succeeding were practically nonexistent, how the hell could he deal with more competent threats?
Maybe Rouge really should have hired a different bodyguard, one who wouldn't develop feelings for their client and get emotionally attached enough to make stupid mistakes.
He didn't realize that his gaze had shifted downwards in his swirl of self-doubt until movement snapped him out of it. Sonic looked back up at Shadow's face, unable to decipher the new, softer emotion that flitted across scarlet eyes as the idol uncrossed his arms.
Sonic felt awkward at the silence, opening his mouth to say anything to fill it, only to close it again when Shadow lifted a hand up between them.
That clean leather glove, the one that wasn't dirtied by the drink, trailed from the button that held Sonic's blazer closed, then slowly moved up along the left lapel until it finally hovered over his breast pocket.
Sonic couldn't breathe.
Shadow never directly touched the suit in that movement. There was just barely an inch of space between his hand and Sonic's chest, and yet somehow Sonic could feel a phantom heat following that hand despite all the layers between them.
"I'm not mad at you," was all Shadow murmured in response before sliding his hand into the pocket to pull out...
Oh.
Sonic was dumbfounded at the sight of Jet's business card. Was that what Shadow was mad about? A million different thoughts raced across his mind, none of which he was able to catch, only coming to a halt as he simply wondered, why?
"Do you plan to contact him?"
Sonic barely caught the question over his daze, quickly shaking his head in response. Any words he could think of to accompany it died on his tongue.
"Good," Shadow pocketed the card before turning around to unlock his door. "Sleep well, Sonic."
Sonic didn't get the chance to speak before the door shut, though he knew that even if Shadow had given him time to respond, he probably wouldn't have been able to anyways.
Like a zombie, Sonic made his way back to his unit, the state of his mind now a complete contrast to its earlier chaos, empty.
It was only when he clicked the door shut behind him, welcomed by the privacy of his room, that everything suddenly caught up to him.
What... what was that?
His legs turned to jelly, lightly buckling beneath him and forcing him to lean on his door for support.
There were several different reasons why Shadow could be mad about Jet giving Sonic his card, or maybe just the existence of Jet in general. The hawk wasn't exactly the most likable to certain people and his cocky attitude is definitely something Shadow would dislike on first meeting.
And yet... the way Shadow's hands trailed up Sonic's chest, an almost perfectly inverted mirror of Jet's earlier advances. It could be a coincidence or...
Maybe Shadow saw it.
Sonic clutched at his chest, the earlier warmth over his breast pocket suddenly searing hot against his skin. Shadow could have simply asked for Sonic to hand over the card, giving any sort of explanation about why he shouldn't have the hawk's contact information as a bodyguard, anything.
Instead, he hovered a hand over his chest in such a slow and sensual manner before pulling that card out himself, almost like he was...
Almost like he was trying to overwrite Jet's earlier touch, like he wanted to erase it.
Sonic's face felt like it was on fire. Maybe he was overthinking it, maybe he was being delusional. Maybe Shadow lied about not being mad at him and took the business card as a form of convoluted pettiness.
Yeah, Sonic nodded before hoisting himself up to a proper stand again. That makes sense, one-by-one, he pulled off each layer of his suit before packing the articles neatly into his suitcase. There wouldn't be time to dry clean it before the flight tomorrow, so he would have to wait until they landed in Station Square.
He briefly contemplated rinsing off before deciding he would just shower in the morning, instead crawling under his bedsheets. He needed to sleep as quickly as he could so that he wouldn't be tired on duty tomorrow. That should be easy enough, right? He had a long day today and his body sank into the mattress with exhaustion. It was clearly ready to welcome some hours of rest.
And yet, Sonic found himself tossing and turning as the minutes passing turned into an hour. Images of gloved hands flashed through his mind, the warmth of their nonexistent caress lying heavy on his chest...
It was only when those thoughts began to shift into something more imaginative that Sonic swung onto his back in frustration.
Yeah, he wasn't getting any sleep tonight.
~~~
What the hell was Shadow thinking?
He held his arm under the running tap, rubbing in the suds to dispel any remaining stickiness from the drink he'd spilled earlier.
Or rather, the drink he'd crushed into pieces.
This wasn't a normal reaction to have to someone flirting with a... friend. He could just barely accept Rouge's explanation of him being a possessive person, holding desperately onto her reassurance that it's common in platonic relationships.
But when he saw the way Jet ran a hand down Sonic's chest like he had some sort of claim over him...
His muzzle wrinkled at the memory, that earlier feeling of unadulterated rage returning to his chest.
He hated it. He shouldn't have cared but he hated it. The rational part of his mind knew that Sonic's dating life wasn't any of his business. And yet the only thought that ran through his mind when he realized what that hawk was doing was–
I don't want anybody else touching Sonic like that.
Anybody else? That was a dangerous word to unpack, one that he had carefully mulled over on their way back to the hotel. It implied that Shadow wanted to touch Sonic in that way, which is a very non-platonic thought to have.
He approached it from every possible angle, looking for anything that could justify that thought, but he just couldn't.
Who did he think he was fooling? He couldn't even fool himself. He couldn't deny the overwhelming urge to rip that business card to shreds in front of Sonic. He couldn't excuse himself running a hand up Sonic's suit as anything other than wanting to remove that stupid hawk's touch so he could replace it with his own. None of this is platonic.
He undoubtedly has romantic feelings for Sonic.
No, no, no, Shadow switched off the tap and toweled his arm dry before unbuttoning his shirt. Once he was down to his briefs, he packed the clothes into his suitcase methodically in a last ditch attempt to busy his mind. His efforts only proved futile when he finally had to lay on his bed, not even bothering to get under the duvet.
He wasn't ready for this.
And yet, after all the events of today and the night they roller skated, after all this thinking, that fact was now staring him in the face and wrapping around him. It was impossible to escape.
No, he could only clutch at his chest tightly in panic at the thought of how this was yet another emotion that slipped out of his control.
He didn't want his... desires to overpower him and make him subconsciously do things he would never do. His first mistake was in getting attached to Sonic as a friend in the first place, but this was different. Casual enjoyment of his company was one thing, starting to care about him was another, but this? Letting the blue hedgehog encroach on his every thought, having his mood entirely depend on the other's actions?
Was this what romantic attraction felt like? It's not nearly as gratifying of a revelation as the books made it out to be. Shadow couldn't find himself sighing in happiness at the realization of his feelings towards Sonic.
He felt weak.
That unadulterated affection that fluttered in his chest whenever Sonic laughed. That spark of rage in his chest when he saw how annoyed Sonic looked with Jet’s advances. That heavy slither of shame coiling in his gut after realizing he’d crushed his glass over such a thing. That urge to reassure and comfort Sonic when the bodyguard assumed he was the source of Shadow's anger.
That constant desire to keep Sonic happy.
"Damn it," he turned to his side and curled in on himself, as though the defensive position could physically ward off his thoughts.
Perhaps all of these feelings could still somehow be classified as platonic. Maybe he was just touch-starved. He has yet to have any thoughts about Sonic that were more suggestive in nature. It’s not like he wondered how soft those lychee colored lips would feel against his, or thought about how much he would like to bite into that ridiculously plump chest of his and make his way–
"Fuck!"
Notes:
CHATTTT THE DAY OF RECKONING IS HEREEEEE!!! ALSO WE REACHED 1K KUDOS WTF?!! I LOVE U MY POOKIES THANK U FOR STICKING WITH ME ON THIS RIDE 🫶🫶💕
Rich ex-bf Jet whom I accidentally made into a yearner 🥲 what do we think of the Cinderella complex in Sonic and Jet’s relationship?
Also Rouge doing some more of the lawd’s work as always :D
Also ngl writing that last paragraph had me like 😳 even tho there will be some more suggestive moments sprinkled throughout this fic I FEEL SO SCANDALOUS ABOUT IT AHAHAHA
Also this is the FIRST time I haven’t had the chance to reply to all the comments from the previous chapter before posting the current one 😭 this past week has been particularly busy BUT THIS UPCOMING ONE SHOULD BE MUCH BETTER ILL COME BACK FOR LAST CHAPTER’S COMMENTS I SWEAR 🙂↕️
RAHHHH WHAT WILL SHADOW DO ABOHT HIS FEELINGS NOW 🗿 hopefully nothing stupid
Chapter 21: Sleep Deprived
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Needless to say, Sonic didn't get much sleep.
He didn't expect his tiredness to be obvious enough to show on video call though.
"Sonic, is there a reason you look half-dead?"
"Huh?" Sonic blinked tiredly as he packed the last of his belongings into the suitcase. "Ah, just because of the early flight. I'm surprised you're up this early Tails."
"That's because I made sure of it," the camera shifted to reveal Knuckles pointedly looking at the fox. "I refuse to let this kit ruin his sleep schedule right before his first day."
"I turn 17 in like two months dude," Tails rolled his eyes at the attempted display of authority. "I also do our taxes, so I'm probably the most adult-person here."
"You being a genius doesn't overpower your lack of self-discipline," the echidna insisted. "And since when have you started using the word 'dude' to address your elders?"
Tails only looked back at the screen before shrugging, causing Knuckles to face the camera as well as though Sonic knew the answer.
"I dunno," Sonic shrugged too, "and why do you refer to yourself as an elder? You already talk like you're in your 60s dude, there's no need to make it worse."
Knuckles only narrowed his eyes at the screen in distaste while Tails let out a small giggle.
"Anyways," Sonic sat himself down on the edge of his bed. "I'm seeing you guys in less than a month! Try not to fall apart until then, hm?"
Tails rolled his eyes at the comment while Knuckles quirked a brow, before the fox's eyes widened as though he remembered something.
"Oh, Sonic! Don't forget to get Shadow's autograph for me please!"
Shadow's name was probably the last thing Sonic wanted to hear after what happened yesterday. After tossing and turning all night, his thoughts and confusion had all combined into one burning question that remained unanswered.
What was the real reason behind Shadow's mood last night?
He would ask him, he decided. The first chance he got with Shadow alone, he would get closure, but for now...
"Ahah, of course buddy!" He beamed at his phone, hoping the turmoil wasn't showing on his face. "Anything specific you want him to write?"
Tails took a moment to contemplate, "Nothing. In fact, don't tell him it's for me."
"Seriously?" Sonic quirked a brow at the request. He didn't expect Tails to be shy about something like this, "You know I've already mentioned you to him several times, right?"
Tails' eyes widened into saucers at that information, presumably grabbing the phone from Knuckles' hands before his face took up the whole screen, "What did he say?!"
"Uhh," he couldn't exactly say that the last time he mentioned Tails to Shadow led to the idol revealing a brother of his own. As far as the media knew apparently, Shadow is an only child. "I mean he didn't really say anything directly I guess? You know how he's not much of a talker..."
Tails leaned a few inches away from the screen, "A man of few words. Now that I think about it, he's the complete opposite of Jet in every aspect other than his meanness."
"Why is that bag of feathers being brought into this conversation? And what do you mean by 'meanness'?" Knuckles' voice came from Tails' side, though Sonic couldn't see him.
"Uhh," Sonic hesitated. He hadn't really told Knuckles about his feelings towards Shadow yet, and he didn't really plan on it unless directly asked. Tails was curious by nature, reading him like a book and pushing him for answers all the time, but Knuckles was the kind of guy who didn't feel the need to know about other people's personal lives.
That said, he'd always been protective when it came to Sonic and Tails' relationships with people he didn't know, being overly critical and interrogative so he could judge whether they were 'worthy' and whatnot. Jet was an example of someone who failed his worthiness test and he had made his disapproval clear at the time. Fear of Knuckles' opinion aside, Sonic really didn't want to be barraged with questions about Shadow minutes before having to go down to the lobby.
Tails however, was not nearly as worried about how Knuckles might react, "Oh, Sonic didn't tell you yet? He's got it bad for–"
"TAILS!" Sonic yelled out in a panic, feeling heat crawl up his face at the near call out. "I'm not getting you that autograph if you finish that sentence!"
Tails' mouth, still open from when he was interrupted, promptly snapped shut.
"Has what bad?" Sonic could hear the gears turning in Knuckles' head off screen.
"Tails can explain that to you since he clearly knows everything," Sonic's tone was sweet, but his little brother knew it was a warning. "I gotta go now. See ya!"
He shut off the call before Knuckles could respond, running a hand through his quills with a sigh. Tails would truly be the death of him someday.
After doing a final once-over on his belongings, he dragged his suitcase out of his room and made his way down to the lobby. He was early (not getting any sleep made that easy for him), so the only team members he found there were Whisper, Cream, and Vanilla.
"You looking forward to your last year of school, Cream?" Sonic asked with an easy smile, to which the rabbit nodded with one of her own. Her stepfather was apparently picking her up from the airport before their flight.
A few minutes later, Tangle and Amy arrived, the latter of whom gasped right after greeting Sonic.
"Are you okay? You look exhausted," she pointed out before widening her eyes in realization and waving her hands frantically. "No offense!"
Sonic could only laugh before reassuring her, "None taken, Ames. It's just that Rouge wanted to go to a bar with Shadow last night so I kinda had to go along with them and... I guess between the time we got back and this morning there wasn't much time for me to sleep."
"I can't imagine having to mess up my sleep schedule on the go like that," Amy shook her head in pity. "Being a bodyguard sounds tough."
"It's mostly just standing around and watching my surroundings," Sonic huffed out with a smile.
"So..." Amy's voice took a curious turn. "Did anything interesting happen at the bar?"
Sonic couldn't help but snort at the reminder, "Would you believe me if I told you I somehow ran into my ex there?"
"No," she gaped. "I mean yes! But how? You've never lived in New Yoke, right? So the chances that you would run into your ex at a bar here... it's like fate!"
"Yeah, he seemed to take it as a sign too," the meaning was clear in his flat tone, leading to another gasp from the pink hedgehog.
"He made a move on you... in front of Shadow?"
Sonic quickly checked his surroundings as though the aforementioned name might've been summoned, before letting out a nervous laugh and shifting closer. A distance away from them, Vanilla and Cream were chattering with Whisper and Tangle about Cream's plans after she finishes high school.
"Ahah, well not directly in front of him... more like across the bar, but yeah," he scratched the side of his head sheepishly.
"And did Shadow realize he was trying to get back with you?" Amy's eyes were wide, her tone hushed but intense as though she was uncovering a scandal. "Was he mad?"
"Ahh, I mean Shadow was pissed last night but I don't think it was because of that..." The reason behind Shadow's anger truly was the question of the century right now to Sonic, but he didn't want to entertain Amy's obvious train of thought. "I think I made it clear in front of him and Rouge that I wasn't interested in getting back with Jet."
"Jet?" Amy parroted a few decibels louder than before, and before Sonic could tell her anything about her volume upon hearing the telltale heel clacks that approached from the elevator, she continued. "Is that your ex's name? Why does that sound so familiar?"
"Well..." he started, unsure of how to breach the topic of why that name might sound so familiar.
"Jet The Hawk," Rouge answered on his behalf upon reaching them. Of course she heard Amy from that far away, Sonic wanted to groan.
"Jet the Hawk?" Tangle piped up, her conversation with the rest of the team now paused as their attention shifted towards Rouge. "I feel like I've heard that name before..."
"I think Honey's mentioned him before," Amy's brows were furrowed in concentration. "Is he a model or something?"
Sonic looked at Rouge pleadingly, silently begging her not to add fuel to the fire, but the bat only looked towards the rest of the group with a smile, one that made all of Shadow's complaints about her suddenly make sense.
"Think bigger than that."
"A designer?" Tangle guessed.
"Who's a designer?" Honey's voice called out from the elevators' direction, adding onto Sonic's urge to vanish from existence. If there was one person in the team who would recognize Jet, it would definitely be her.
"Jet the Hawk," to Sonic's horror, Whisper was the one who clarified that. "Do you recognize that name?"
"Uh, duh," Honey flicked a pigtail behind her shoulder. "What kind of fashion enthusiast wouldn't know Babylon Jewels' CEO?"
Amy's jaw dropped at the information, causing the rest of the team to look at her in confusion.
"Wait so why are we talking about this guy?" Tangle scratched at her head confusedly. "Was he in some sort of scandal or something?"
"Not that I know of," Honey swiftly pulled out her phone to check the verity of her assumption before confirming. "First thing I found is that he ranked top 5 in the 'Most Eligible Bachelors' list last year."
"So then why does Amy so... surprised?" Vanilla seemed to have picked the mildest word she could think of for the sake of politeness.
Amy shut her mouth closed, regaining her composure before throwing a quick glance at Sonic. In that brief moment of eye contact the message was clear:
If you don't want me to say anything, I won't say it.
Sonic was thankful for her consideration, and gracefully using the opportunity to take over, "I was just telling her how we happened to bump into him at the bar yesterday and uhh... he got along well with Rouge!"
Everyone's gaze shifted to the aforementioned bat, Sonic included with a very obvious and urgent please go along with it in his eyes.
Rouge quirked a brow while holding his gaze for a few moments, before placing a hand on her hip with an amused huff, "Well enough to offer me his contacts. It's a big opportunity to either be sponsored by them or directly partner with them."
"And I was surprised because..." Amy scoured for a way to tie the final loose end, "of the possibility of Honey getting to implement their designs into Shadow's costumes for his next tour!"
The cat's eyes dilated at the statement, shining with excitement, "You're right! I've been wanting to get my hands on those babies for ages but they're so expensive... If we can get some bulk-buy deals I'm totally drawing up some sketches tonight!"
Sonic held himself back from sighing in relief when the conversation scattered across smaller groups. Before Honey could drag her into a rant about her design ideas for Shadow's next costumes, Amy gave Sonic a stern look with intent to continue their conversation later.
That left him standing with Rouge in awkward silence, although the awkwardness didn't seem to go both ways since the bat seemed all too entertained while inspecting her gloves.
"I'm surprised Shadow's not here yet," Sonic's grin came out wobblier than he would've liked. "He's usually pretty punctual."
"He slept through his alarm apparently, which has never happened before," came the nonchalant response without taking her eyes off her gloves. "It seems you're not the only one who didn't get much sleep last night."
Sonic's face heated at the comment, trying not to think too hard about its implications as he laughed weakly, "Right, pre-flight jitters I guess... Maybe he'll feel more relaxed when he finally gets to sleep in his own home. Station Square is where you guys live, right?"
"Mhm," Rouge hummed, ever so calm. "Things will work a bit differently there since Shadow and I have our own residence. Whisper and Tangle also have their own home but the rest of the team doesn't, so they'll be staying in a hotel nearby and we'll be meeting them there when necessary."
"Uhh," Sonic was confused by the word choice, off-put by the revelation that the team would be separated. "When you say 'we', do you mean–"
"That you'll be staying with Shadow and I? Yes," Rouge finally looked up with a lazy smile. "I wouldn't want to trouble you with having to constantly commute back and forth for every single rehearsal that Shadow has."
No, you want to trouble me with something else, Sonic had the urge to say, but Rouge's intentions aside, he knew staying in a separate hotel as Shadow's bodyguard didn't make sense. "Right, so I'm guessing you guys have a guest room or...?"
It was a natural assumption to make. Shadow might not make a show of his wealth, he shared an apartment with Rouge, and there was no way the bat's luxurious preferences didn't have any influence over their choice of residence.
"Of course," came the confirmation to his thoughts. "Although I'm not against it if you and Shadow would prefer to share–"
"That's not what I meant!" Sonic cut her off at her devilish grin. "I'll take the guest room."
A minute later, Shadow finally arrived with his suitcase in hand. True to Rouge's word, the idol looked as exhausted as Sonic felt, making him wonder about the cause of his sleeplessness. That annoying, hopeful part of Sonic's brain suggested that the reason for it may be similar to his own, but he quickly shook the thought away before it could take root.
"Hey Shads," he greeted lightly while trying to ignore Rouge's cheshire grin in his peripherals, "Restless night?"
Shadow took a moment to appraise Sonic's face, probably taking note of the mirrored exhaustion, before giving a simple nod.
Sonic supposed there wasn't anything out of the norm from that response, and yet he couldn't stop the feeling of nervousness bubbling up in his chest. Shadow was acting normal, so he should be acting normal, right?
No, he still couldn't quell the questions that arose from the idol's behavior last night. He needed to ask him about it. He was determined to ask why Shadow was so upset, why he took that business card, as soon as they got a moment alone.
A moment alone... in the apartment they would be sharing for the next three weeks.
Sonic's mind flared as the realization of Rouge's revelation fully set in. It's one thing to stay in neighboring units in a hotel, where everyone had their own privacy to spend their mornings and evenings in. It's another to share a living space... and kitchen. Chaos, would Sonic have to cook dinners for himself? He could barely make a sunny side up! Unless Rouge and Shadow are rich enough to have a private chef... would the chef be living with them too?
Sonic tried to quell his racing thoughts as they made their way to the airport. There was no point in overthinking a situation he would be faced with in only a few hours, right? He would find out soon anyways.
Fortunately, his worries were forgotten after they'd arrived to the airport.
Unfortunately, it was because he was given something bigger to worry about.
"Cream!"
"Dad!"
The young rabbit ran ahead of her mother towards a massive crocodile who easily welcomed her into his arms. Vanilla was quick to follow suit, enveloping Cream between her and her husband as she joined the hug.
The rest of the team stayed behind to let them have their moment. After Vector gave Vanilla a kiss on the forehead, the family exchanged a few words that were out of earshot.
A minute later, the crocodile looked out towards the team and narrowed his eyes directly at Sonic.
Uhh, maybe he was just looking at the team in general, right?
Vector looked back at Vanilla and said something, then moments later, Cream called Sonic over.
Great.
Sonic looked back at Shadow for the go-ahead, and to his chagrin, the idol gave a nod once again. Seriously? Shadow was hesitant to let Sonic leave him in a high-end bar with tight security but was fine with being left alone at an airport anyone could enter?
Sonic's legs felt like lead as he walked over to the family, wondering why he'd been singled out by the crocodile who happens to be a professional investigator. Surely the guy didn't somehow sniff out his entire life just by looking at him, right?
"Sonic," Vanilla smiled warmly as she introduced her husband. "This is Vector. He was curious about seeing a new face on the team."
The crocodile held out a hand with a genuine smile, "Nice to meet you Sonic."
Sonic felt more reassured at the smile, along with Vanilla's reasoning about him being singled out, so he took the hand and shook it, "Nice you meet you too Vector, er– sir."
"Ahah!" The crocodile let out a startling guffaw that almost made Sonic's quills raise. "Just Vector is fine."
"So Cream here tells me you're Shadow's bodyguard," Vector let go of Sonic's hand to ruffle the hair between Cream's ears.
"That I am," he confirmed with a smile, although he was unsure where this conversation was headed.
"You look pretty young for a bodyguard though," the crocodile quickly appraised him. "How old are you?"
Sonic was partially content that it wasn't his lack of visible muscle that was being scrutinized, "Just turned 22 a few months ago."
Vector's eyes widened at the information, "Youngest I've met before you was turning 28 on his first year on duty. How'd you get through training so quickly?"
"Vector," Vanilla's tone was bordering on a warning as she called his name.
"Oh, c'mon," the crocodile whined at his wife's chastising, shattering any previous intimidation Sonic felt from his appearance into pieces. "This is nowhere near interrogating! I'm just curious since bodyguard agencies can't hire anyone below 21, so I'm wondering how the timeline works. I'm not making you uncomfortable, right Sonic?"
Sonic blinked when all three gazes landed back on him.
The truth is he was feeling uncomfortable, but he couldn't let that be known. The best way to get someone as 'curious' as Vector off his back is by acting like an open book, so he grinned and waved a hand dismissively.
"Nah, I'm pretty sure I'm the youngest hire at my agency so I get it. In case you're worried, my agency isn't illegally hiring underaged bodyguards. It's just that a friend of mine recommended me to the agency, so the only formal training I had to be given was in emergency medical response and firearms before being put straight into skill assessments."
It was a mouthful of information that he hoped Vector wouldn't be able to follow along with, but to his misfortune, the crocodile only furrowed his brows in contemplation, "Makes sense, but how did you pass those assessments in less than a year? Those tests aren't easy... you in the military before it or something?"
"Vector," Vanilla leveled her husband with a flat look. "If you weren't interrogating him before, you're definitely doing it now."
"It's fine!" Sonic lifted his hands up placatingly before Vector could answer. The crocodile was clearly skeptical about him, and Sonic wouldn't have been worried about it if it weren't for the fact that the guy was a detective. The last thing he needed was for Vector to leave feeling unsettled and end up trying to investigate Sonic when he got home.
He needed to quell those suspicions now and he needed to be clever about it.
"I've always been a quick learner but that's not enough to pass the assessments on my first try," Sonic spoke Vector's most obvious thought aloud, before letting out a melancholic sigh. "But the truth is, I was kind of a troubled kid..."
The best way to douse suspicion is by telling some of the truth.
"I got into a lot of fights with other kids at my orphanage when I was younger, so I ended up developing a knack for informal combat, y'know?"
Sonic didn't like pulling out the orphan card, but it was glaringly effective when he saw the way Vector's face crumbled at the information. Vanilla and Cream looked at Sonic with wide watery eyes, the former having lifted a hand to her chest in sympathy.
"Then the friend who recommended me? He was actually a rookie cop when I first met him, and he helped me get my act together when I grew out of the care system. He got me my first job, but at some point we both realized I wasn't really leaning into my strengths, so he started training with me, taught me all the formal techniques n' stuff."
By now, Vanilla had shifted her gaze to Vector with a crushing glare that Sonic had never seen before, one that the crocodile seemed to try ignoring as he gulped.
Now, for the final nail in the coffin.
"So that's probably why I was a lot more competent at combat than most people my age by the time I got into the bodyguard agency. Trust me, they were weirded out by me too."
Vector opened his mouth, clearly scrambling for an apology of sorts.
But what Sonic didn't expect was to be enveloped in a hug.
He looked down at Cream's shoulder as he tried to process the sudden embrace. Despite her age, she was barely an inch shorter than him. The compassion with which she held him reminded him so much of Tails, even with all the additional attitude the fox had developed in his teen years.
And yet, the next thought that passed through Sonic's mind was of how he hugged Shadow in the exact same way. He didn't realize just how... comforting it felt to be on the receiving end.
"There's nothing weird about you Sonic," Cream sniffled. "You just had to adapt, and there's nothing wrong with that."
The reassurance was so innocent. Cream had no idea of just how much Sonic needed to 'adapt'. And yet, the statement felt like a blanket over his mind, seeping into crevices he'd left untouched for years, the soft caress of words he didn't realize he'd needed to hear for so, so long.
This was getting too emotional for his liking.
"Ahah," Sonic gently broke up the hug before throwing a carefree grin at Cream. It was so strange; his eyes were dry as ever after telling his story and yet Cream was the one tearing up on his behalf. "It wasn't as bad as it sounds, but you're right. I've come a long way since then."
"I'm glad you gained a friend who stuck by you," Vanilla smiled with a warmth that clenched at Sonic's heart.
It made him wonder briefly, what would've happened if Vanilla had come across his orphanage ten years ago. If she would've given him a home before all the mess he'd spiraled into. Would she have been accepting of Tails too?
"I'm uhh, really sorry for pressing on you like that, kid," Vector rubbed at his head sheepishly as his posture wilted. "You've got a good heart."
"No worries, man," Sonic felt bad for somewhat making Vector look like a prick in the process of clearing his own innocence, so he tried to appease the crocodile's guilt. "My brother's the curious type too; loves asking questions like there's no tomorrow, so I understand."
Vector met Sonic's grin with a wobbly one of his own, before offering out his hand once more, "Well it's good to know that Shadow's in good hands. I've got no doubt you can kick ass when you need to."
Sonic laughed at the irony of how just a week ago, he had to kick seven asses thanks to Shadow's stubbornness, not that he would tell Vector that.
"Thankfully Shadow's fans are respectful," he reassured, before remembering that creepy cat from Shadow's last fan-signing, "for the most part, so I haven't had to do much yet."
With a final bid goodbye, Cream walked off with her father, leaving Sonic and Vanilla alone to make their way back to the team.
Except Sonic had forgotten to account for how Cream's emotional hug might've looked to onlookers, and realized too late as they were already walking back towards their now very curious looking teammates.
Crap, he threw a nervous glance at Vanilla while scouring for an excuse, but his mind only came up empty by the time they reached the group. Maybe they wouldn't ask?
"Why did Cream look so sad?" Honey asked, making Sonic silently curse the universe for his bad luck, but to his surprise, he didn't have to come up with an excuse.
"She realized that Sonic's contract would end before the end of her school year," Vanilla spoke smoothly, "so she was worried that this was the last time she would see him."
This was the second time someone's had to cover for him in one day. Sonic really needed to keep his mouth shut, "Yeah but I let her know that, even if my contract doesn't get renewed, I'd still make an effort to see her again when I can."
To his relief, the group didn't ask anymore questions. Amy was the first to let out an "aww" of sympathy before Honey and Tangle followed suit, "You'd come to see us too right? But that's assuming your contract doesn't get renewed to begin with!"
At the statement, everyone's gaze shifted to Shadow, who looked mildly uncomfortable at the sudden attention. The idol simply crossed his arms and looked towards the check-in counter as he spoke, "It can get renewed if he doesn't do anything stupid and... if he wants to continue."
By the end of his statement, everyone looked at Sonic once more, who was much more comfortable at the attention now that the topic had directed to something safe.
So he took a step towards Shadow before lightly elbowing the idol's side in good humor, "I'm honored that you wanna keep me Shads," before throwing a wink for good measure, "I'll try my best to avoid doing anything stupid just for you~"
Shadow might have rolled his eyes at the cheekiness, but the rest of the group seemed to find it funny. From snickers to giggles... even Whisper let out a soft huff with a smile, which was a win in Sonic's book.
The conversation quickly dispersed after that as they made their way through check-in and security, though he didn't miss Amy and Rouge's knowing smiles beforehand. He took the chance to shoot Vanilla a thankful smile for her rescue, which was returned with a gentle one of her own. He was truly grateful to be surrounded by such a supportive team.
The moment he sat down in his seat on the plane, the exhaustion he'd staved off earlier came back full force. The seat wasn't exactly lush and comfortable, but his body didn't seem to care as it sunk in with the clear goal of earning some much-needed rest.
Shadow beside him didn't even bother resisting his own tiredness, immediately setting his pillow against the windowed wall before resting his head against it.
On his other side, Sonic leaned over to Rouge in a whisper, "Uhh, I'm curious. Am I allowed to catch some sleep?"
He understood that flights were usually secure, but he was technically supposed to be on duty as long as there were strangers around them, right?
"Of course," came the response. "I dragged you out at night yesterday, which I have to say I feel somewhat bad for, so how about I stay awake for this flight while you two get your sleep, hm?"
Sonic couldn't ever register the underlying mischief in her voice after the first two words, letting his eyes flutter shut as he mumbled out a "thanks Rouge" after she finished speaking.
Sonic had slept on all kinds of mattresses before; thick and thin, soft and firm. He'd even slept on the floor a few times. But trying to sleep while sitting up was a foreign experience and, more specifically he soon realized, annoying.
Every time the last dregs of his consciousness were about to slip away, he would be jolted awake by brief sensation of falling due to his head dropping forwards. He asked Honey, who was sat behind him, if he could recline his seat and she happily agreed, so he leaned a few inches back in hopes that it would solve his problem.
Unfortunately, it didn't seem to be enough, his head now falling to the side whenever sleep was about to welcome him.
He wanted to growl out in frustration. This was torture, how did anyone get any sleep on flights? He could only imagine the difficulty for long haul travelers, though that's probably why they have neck pillows, not that he'd be able to easily find one that fit under his mass of quills.
Rouge sensed his annoyance yet didn't reflect it, "Most people I'd advise to bend the headrest so it could hold their head for them but..." her eyes roamed over his quills in amusement, the end of her sentence clear. "Shadow has a similar problem to you, which is why I usually give him the window seat."
"Right..." He grumbled out when no useful suggestions followed her statement. I'd rather sleep on the floor at this point, he thought bitterly as he slipped off his shoes before tucking his legs onto the seat with the hopes that leaning his head on his knees could be what finally grants him the respite he needs.
The position wasn't particularly comfortable, but it did the trick. He was so, so tired. His body didn't seem to care about the fetus position as long as his head was secure, happily lulling him back into (uninterrupted this time) unconsciousness.
His sleep was dreamless, featherlight as background noise flitted through his mind, murmurs of quiet conversation here and there, footsteps of people walking back and forth the aisles, and the occasional soft ding above. It was only the light pressure in his ears that finally awoke him, his nose picking up the scent of coffee and something... floral?
Sonic's eyes fluttered open as he tried to process the warmth radiating through the side of his face, his mind still feeling sluggish while he slowly realized that he was leaning on his side now.
He couldn't help letting out a sigh as he pushed his face further into the warmth, enjoying how his head seemed to fit in the crook of it perfectly. He caught a stronger whiff of that soft floral scent again before finally recognizing it as lavender.
Lavender...
Lavender?
His mind finally caught up with his eyes, registering the wall of tan that took up the corner of his vision as none other than Shadow's muzzle.
He was nuzzling into the crook of his neck.
Like lightning, he pulled his head away, causing Shadow's head to momentarily drop at the sudden gap before the idol startled awake.
Which led to Sonic's second realization that Shadow was sleeping on him too.
Sonic hurriedly looked around, half-expecting to be surrounded by people staring and pointing at him as though he'd committed an atrocity. How long had they been leaning onto one another like that? Did anyone notice? Surely there would've been more of a commotion if anyone who recognized Shadow saw him and Sonic cozied up against each other like that.
His eyes finally landed on Rouge beside him, who was currently not awake and keeping watch like she said she would.
He whipped his head back in time to see Shadow rub the last of his sleep out of his eyes.
"I–" Sonic didn't know what to say. Didn't know where to look.
His ears were hot, which was dumb. He was a grown man, a professional. This was fine! Nothing happened. People fall asleep on each other all the time, right? Especially on cramped flights like this one. No big deal, no one saw. No cameras, no weird news headlines waiting to be written. Everything was fine...
"I, uh–" he tried, voice cracking slightly before he cleared his throat. "My bad." For, y'know... using you as a pillow.
Shadow didn't respond immediately.
He just blinked once, still waking up. Still calm, unreadable, like nothing unusual had happened at all. He rubbed his fingers against his temple briefly, then settled them back on his lap, eyes flicking toward the window.
"You didn't move," Sonic added, quieter this time. He meant it as a joke, kind of. A dumb comment to fill the space.
Shadow finally turned to look at him. Not a glare, not exactly. Just that steady, slow-burn stare he always wore, like he was thinking twelve things at once and deciding which ones were worth voicing.
"...You looked like you needed it," he said flatly.
Sonic blinked. "Huh?"
"Sleep." Shadow looked away again. "You looked like you needed sleep."
Oh. Right.
Sonic stared at him for a beat, lips parted, mind stuttering over itself. That was it? That was his whole explanation? No embarrassment, no insults about his head being heavy, not even a subtle smirk?
He should've expected this. Shadow didn't do awkward. He bulldozed past it with all the emotional expression of a brick wall, but somehow that made it worse. Sonic was left squirming alone with nothing to bounce off.
"I mean, yeah," Sonic said, scratching at the back of his neck. "I guess I was pretty wiped."
"Mhm."
Another pause. The silence thickened.
He caught Shadow shifting slightly in his seat, as if adjusting, but his posture stayed calm. Relaxed, or at least pretending to be. Sonic swore he could still feel the lingering warmth where they'd pressed together. His cheek felt cold without it now.
He didn't have the guts to speak up again until they landed, feeling like anything he might say would just make things more awkward, and by 'things', he meant himself, since Shadow seemed as unbothered as ever. It was such a contrast to how he was acting yesterday that Sonic briefly wondered if he'd imagined it.
No... there's no way he imagined that. His mind recalled that hand trailing up his suit too vividly. It undoubtedly happened.
And yet, with how... unaffected Shadow was acting now, Sonic was suddenly filled with doubt over the substance of his thoughts last night. His determination to question Shadow about his behavior seemed to grow more and more redundant with every casual interaction they had this morning.
Sonic worried that, by the time they even found a moment alone together, he would sound outright delusional for bringing it up.
But maybe he could catch a glimpse now while he still can.
"What did you end up doing with that business card by the way?" He asked innocently, a harmless question with the secret goal of gaining some insight into Shadow's mind.
"I threw it away since you didn't need it."
Short, blunt, no additional information provided. Shadow was a tightly sealed jar that couldn't be pried open by the strongest of hands. Sonic mentally wilted at the response, feeling discouraged at how he couldn't even put a dent in Shadow's composure.
Maybe he was overreaching, convincing himself that there was more to Shadow's behavior than there actually was. Maybe the idol was just in a crappy mood last night, or Rouge had said something to piss him off. It didn't have to be about Jet, that slither of hope that crawled into his chest that Shadow might've been...
Jealous.
The idea sounded so ridiculous now, a pitiful dream fed by Rouge's suggestiveness and Amy's encouragement. Shadow wouldn't be acting so... normal now if he felt anything for Sonic, right?
When the plane came to a stop, Rouge finally creaked her eyes open and let out a yawn, turning to look over at the window only to be faced with a deadpan look from Sonic.
The bat shrugged with a guilty smile, "Sorry hun, did I miss anything?"
Sonic looked back at Shadow once more, hoping to catch a flicker in the idol's expression, his body language, anything... but was only met with a neutral face half-looking out the window.
Sonic shook his head, trying to keep the melancholy out of his voice as he answered, "Nope."
Nothing.
~~~
Shadow was panicking.
He had tossed and turned all night at the revelation that, not only were his feelings for Sonic romantic, but he'd also begun to think... thoughts that had never crossed his mind before his entire life. How was that possible?
He'd been so utterly convinced since his teenaged years that he was simply different from most people. Whether it has to do with his hormones or simply his brain chemistry, he had never developed the same interests that other teenagers seemed to have, both romantic and sexual.
It's not like he never tried to understand either. He's attempted to... watch videos before, experimenting with different genres, species, gender, but he'd never felt anything from them. Nothing had ever piqued his interest.
And yet, as he restlessly shifted around in his bed, his mind began to swirl with vivid images of Sonic laughing with a light blush to his cheeks, those blue ears tucked back in red-faced embarrassment from that board game night, his half-lidded gaze whenever he'd make a flirtatious joke...
Maybe something had changed with him generally. Maybe his hormones decided to randomly awaken recently, ten years too late...
Shadow shoved himself up to sit on his bed, pulling his phone off the nightstand before navigating to an app where he downloaded his e-books.
He clicked on the most erotic one he'd read, scrolling quickly towards the first steamy scene he could find.
Shadow stared at the paragraph on his screen, some vulgar, overly dramatic description of a scene he'd read a dozen times before without so much as a flicker of response. He tried to engage, to feel something, to prove to himself that this wasn't what he was starting to fear.
Nothing.
He swallowed, jaw clenched, and scrolled further. Another scene. More skin. More heavy breathing. More of the same clinical detachment he'd always felt. It might as well have been a textbook.
Until he let his mind replace one of them. Just one. One detail.
Blue fur. Green eyes. A familiar laugh. A hand brushing against his chest, knuckles trailing casually, teasingly, like it meant nothing. Like Sonic always did. Careless, but not indifferent. Always aware of Shadow in a way that made him feel–
Heat bloomed in his gut like a fuse had been lit. It was instant. Uncontrolled. His breath caught.
He jerked the phone away from his face like it had burned him.
No, this couldn't be happening. This wasn't happening.
He sat frozen in the dark for a full minute, phone screen dimming, mind racing with static. There was a pressure behind his eyes, somewhere between confusion and dread.
It wasn't just that he was... aroused. He could tolerate that, come to terms with it. It was that he was aroused by Sonic. Only Sonic.
Not the scenario, not the story, not the generic fiction or faceless characters he'd tried so many times to understand. It was him.
Him.
He forced himself to lie back against the bed, eyes on the ceiling, trying to will his thoughts back into submission. His limbs felt too hot. His mouth too dry. His body had never reacted to anyone like this before, never betrayed him like this.
Why him?
Why the one person who was already tangled so messily into every corner of his mind, who made him feel seen and irritated and safe and alive all at once?
It was terrifying. Sonic was bringing out novelty after novelty from Shadow's mind and body, and no matter how overwhelming the urge to ignore, to suppress these feelings were, he knew it would be futile.
These feelings had slowly taken root over time, inching their way into the crevices of his mind as Shadow ignored warning after warning until it was too late.
And now, as a consequence of neglecting to look within himself, Sonic was now occupying every corner of his mind and refusing to leave.
And so, when sleep finally claimed Shadow several hours too late, causing him to sleep through his alarm for the first time in his life, he resigned himself to his fate.
So what was he panicking about now?
The realization that he would be living with Sonic for the next three weeks.
He had to work overtime this morning to act normal in front of his bodyguard, like he hadn't just had the largest reckoning of his life the night before. He couldn't afford to let his composure slip at such a timing; he couldn't let an inch of his feelings make themselves known to the person he would now be sharing his mornings and evenings with.
And yet less than half a day into his self-declaration, when he felt a weight dropping onto his side on the plane, he felt the first crack.
By all logic, he should have just pushed Sonic's head away. They were in a public space, and if anyone walking down the aisle happened to recognize him, it would most definitely look questionable enough for them to talk online about it. Rumors spread like wildfire, he shouldn't take any chances.
But, perhaps due to his sleep addled brain, his judgment became clouded as the warmth of Sonic's face seeped into his arm...
So in his state of half-consciousness, he simply found himself adjusting Sonic's head onto his shoulder before falling back asleep.
And now when he woke with the realization of what he did, he felt nothing but horror. How was he already failing his promise before they could even set foot in Station Square?
He schooled his expression into absolute neutrality, refusing to make things worse than they already were. To his relief, Sonic didn't push on the topic of them sleeping on one another...
But after a few moments, Shadow was startled by the question of Jet's business card. Sonic asked it innocently, his tone coming out the furthest thing from interrogative, but Shadow still had to place conscious effort to keep his quills from raising. He'd ripped the card up and tossed it into the trash, but Sonic didn't need to know the former half.
He kept his answer as short and unbothered as possible. He'd simply disposed of the card since Sonic had no use for it, simple as that. A normal, professional course of action to take, even if the intention behind it was far from it.
After they had properly landed, Rouge finally awoke, giving a quick apology to Sonic for reasons he was unsure of before asking a question that made Shadow's fur raise.
"Did I miss anything?"
Sonic went silent for a moment, and Shadow refused to take his eyes off the window even as he heard a shift and gained the unshakable feeling of being watched.
"Nope," the tone was flat, maybe even lifeless, and yet the relief Shadow felt at the answer was immense.
He'd just barely processed his feelings for Sonic yesterday, and while he planned to tell Rouge about it soon, he would prefer not to be faced with any knowing looks and teasing comments until then. There were several potential problems that arose from his situation, and he needed to have a proper moment of private conversation with her so she could understand the gravity of it.
Private conversation... something that's significantly more difficult to achieve now that the source of his problems would be living with them.
How inconvenient.
He tried his best to maintain a cool head over his dilemma as they made their way out of the airport. Rouge went over accommodation details and the schedule for the upcoming week with the group before farewells were bid. Shadow noted a weirdly threatening expression from Amy towards Sonic, although Sonic only chuckled and gave her a thumbs up in response. He wasn't sure if it was worth reading into.
Shadow stayed silent on the way to their destination, trying not to convey signs of restlessness over what was soon to come.
Though Sonic's line of questions for Rouge was making things difficult.
"So uhh, how are meals gonna work? Is it like a... everyone-cook-for-themselves thing or...?"
"Shadow usually cooks for the two of us," he stopped himself from flinching at Rouge's playful tone, knowing that whatever she was about to say would be an intentional jab to annoy him.
"His high standards don't stop at his performances you know... his excellence shows in his food too."
Why the hell was she putting him on a pedestal like some sort of trophy?
"I can't say I'm surprised," it took every fiber of Shadow's being not to puff out his chest in pride at Sonic's response. "And what about transport? We gonna still be taking taxis and shuttles?"
"We'll still be taking shuttles from the hotel for when we need to travel with the rest of the group, but for rehearsals, you could just borrow my car."
Hm. A surprisingly simple answer.
"Or..."
He thought too soon.
"You could always ride with Shadow on his motorcycle. I'm sure he's been dying to use his little Dark Rider again~"
Shadow may have exerted excellent control over his body language and responses so far, but the heat that crawled into his cheeks could not be suppressed.
"The motorcycle has a name?"
"He loves it that much," Rouge was out for blood today, and he needed her to stop. "I personally never understood why men like to name their vehicles, but I respect the sentiment."
"Huh," Shadow didn't have the guts to look at Sonic in anticipation for his response. He didn't care, he shouldn't care. "I mean vehicles need a lot of maintenance, right? I guess anything you put effort into taking care of, it's only natural to want to put a name to it. Just like how some people name their plants."
A reasonable justification.
"Plus, Dark Rider is a pretty badass name. Does it look as cool as it sounds?"
It was after a few moments of silence that Shadow looked and realized Sonic was looking at him for an answer.
Ignoring that stupid flutter in his chest at the sight of those curious verdant eyes, he huffed and gave the flattest response he could muster, "See for yourself and decide."
He looked away again before he could be dragged into the conversation, and perhaps partially to avoid seeing Sonic's reaction. He didn't like how something as simple as eye-contact was now a struggle to maintain without his rampant mind betraying him in someway.
He needed a way to overcome this weakness before it became noticeable. He needed to act normal until he found an opportunity to discuss everything with Rouge.
Act normal in the meantime, he repeated it in his head like a mantra. That’s the goal he should focus on.
And yet, somehow, just from watching the way Sonic gawked at the tower before them when they arrived...
Shadow had a feeling things wouldn't be so easy.
Notes:
Considering adding the tag “Tails is a lil shit” to this fic 💀
SONIC AND AMY’S FRIENDSHIP PROGRESSING 💃🏽 Sonic rlly needs to catch her up on the deets STAT
As you can see my evil plan to force more Sonadow moments: LIVING TOGETHER 🔥 it’s free real estate baby 😈
Also VECTOR APPEARANCE and Sonic getting stressed out enough by his presence to drop the Orphan Card 💀 and I had to give Cream her final impact on Sonic before she left 🙂↕️ + MOTHER FIGURE VANILLA 🥹
As for the accidental sleep cuddle sesh, 👁️ I sure hope no one happened to notice it and post online about it…
Also not me talking about feeling scandalous on the last chapter and proceeding to write a whole scene of Shadow trying to test how his sexual attraction works 💀 logical as ever
Anywhos LETS SEE HOW ‘acting normal’ WILL WORK OUT! I am going to have so much fun writing their experience living together 🙂↕️ MOTORCYCLES AND COOKING AND MOREEE
ALSO I LIED YALL I WAS IN FACT MORE BUSY THIS WEEK with a report so I couldn’t get around to answering some comments 😭 ILL LOCK IN THIS NEXT WEEK AND CATCH UP 🥊
Chapter 22: Motorcycles and Terrible Salads
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Sonic was greeted by the penthouse earlier than expected, surprised that the elevator doors slid open to reveal the entrance directly.
In his confusion, he didn't process the way Shadow already walked ahead before disappearing somewhere inside. He was too busy wondering about the security of such a peculiar entrance, so he voiced his concern to Rouge.
"Is it safe to have an elevator just... open straight into the house like that?"
"It's a separate elevator with its own code," she reassured. "And on Shadow's special request, security staff have to check the cameras to make sure it's us before manually allowing access. Kind of like a two-step authentication, even though I find it redundant since non-residents can't enter the building itself without a keycard."
"Huh," he muttered, following Rouge onto the foyer. He was made familiar with several techniques that could be used to break into a hotel unit as part of his bodyguard training, and he supposed that Rouge's explanation was technically more secure than any hotel they've stayed in so far.
His thoughts were halted as he took a moment to register what he was seeing.
The place was ridiculous.
It didn't scream luxury. It purred it, lounging across every surface like it knew it didn't have to try. Pale marble floors, lighting so soft it might've been poured out of a bottle, and a massive living space that looked like it had been lifted straight from a billionaire's dream board.
Sonic wasn't completely unfamiliar with wealthy residences, having been invited to Jet's mansion a handful of times, and each time feeling uncomfortable at the bustle of housekeepers, gardeners, and kitchen staff flitting about. It was a reminder that some people could afford houses large enough to require live-in employees to maintain them.
But this unit, despite being a fraction of Jet's mansion in size, Sonic had a feeling it was just as expensive, if not more so due to its location in the city.
"Welcome to Casa de Brood & Bat," Rouge said, spinning slowly in place. "Three bedrooms, three and a half baths, a gym, a private rooftop, and enough glass to make a bird rethink its life choices."
Sonic took a few cautious steps into the main room, eyeing the expensive furniture with the same energy someone might reserve for landmines.
She led the way toward the kitchen with a lazy flick of her wrist. The space looked like it belonged in a commercial; sleek countertops, industrial-grade appliances, a wine fridge that probably had opinions. Sonic trailed behind, one brow raised.
Rouge stopped by a door and pushed it open. "Guest room number one. That's yours."
He peered inside. King-sized bed, warm lighting, a window that framed the skyline like art. More closet space than he'd ever need.
As they rounded the corner toward the rooftop access, Sonic cast a glance toward one of the darker hallways, half-expecting Shadow to appear like a bad mood made flesh.
Nothing... just quiet.
Rouge seemed to notice. "He's probably just off to catch another nap before his rehearsal," she said offhandedly.
"I'm not worried about it," Sonic lied.
She stopped at the rooftop doors, then gave him a knowing look. "Right, of course not."
And with a theatrical gesture, she opened them.
The city greeted him like a silent explosion—lights everywhere, the soft rush of wind, the hum of a world that never slowed down. A rooftop terrace stretched out in front of him, complete with loungers, a plunge pool, and enough privacy hedges to feel like they weren't even in a city.
Sonic stood still for a second.
Rouge smiled to herself and leaned against the doorframe. "So, what do you think? If you couldn't tell by now, I'm the one who picked this place."
"I had a feeling," Sonic whistled lowly in appreciation of the view, "I have to say I almost feel bad for the next man you take an interest in. Mediocrity isn't gonna cut it for you, is it?"
"No it won't," Rouge laughed out her words before bringing a hand to her chin in pondering, "There's nothing material a man could give me that I don't already have, so I suppose it's the actions that matter more for me."
"Hm," Sonic couldn't help but think of Knuckles. On a surface level, the echidna was just the type for Rouge, an unintentionally chivalrous hunk with pure intentions.
But the more he thought about it, he wondered if, between Rouge's chaotic tendencies and Knuckles' love for order, they might get along like a house on fire instead. Or maybe they'd end up balancing each other out...
Does the same go for Sonic and Shadow?
"So did Shadow get a say in picking out where to live or did he leave it up to you?"
Rouge snapped out of her thoughts at the question, leveling Sonic with a knowing look (an expression he was being faced with a lot more often these days), "Well, if he completely had his way, we would probably be living in some cave out in the forest..."
Sonic snorted at the image his mind conjured of Shadow just... sitting and brooding in a cave. It was incredibly easy to imagine.
"But once he realized he could still have a fair amount of privacy and security in the middle of the city, he became more tolerant to my suggestions."
"Right," Sonic looked down at the city. It was still early in the afternoon, but he could imagine how beautiful the twinkling skyline would look at night from such an altitude.
They made their way back inside, and Sonic took the chance to head into his room and unpack. There was another hour before they'd need to head off for Shadow's rehearsal, an awkward amount of time that Sonic wasn't sure what to do with. Everything in his suitcase ended up taking a fraction of the closet's space, though he found himself hesitating to hang up a particular article of clothing.
Shadow's band t-shirt.
Sonic thought back to the night of their 'challenge'. Shadow's sudden dismissal of him was strange as well, but he hadn't thought much of it in his eagerness to return to his unit so he could tug on a clean set of gloves.
He'd taken Shadow's t-shirt to a dry cleaner the morning after the chaos, gaining a strange look when he asked if they could remove bloodstains, but he couldn't be bothered to elaborate. He assumed they would regard his easygoing smile and sunny appearance as something not to be worried about, so they fulfilled his request without question.
Once it was clean, he had briefly considered returning the shirt to Shadow, before deciding against it for more reasons than one.
Firstly, Shadow had told him to keep it, so he couldn't argue with that.
Secondly, Sonic wasn't blind to the value of having a pop star's shirt in his possession. He asked Tails curiously (framing it as a totally hypothetical situation, though he wasn't sure if Tails believed it) how much a celebrity's belonging might be sold for. Unfortunately, Tails informed him of the several factors involved in determining the value of the item; its authenticity, its 'connection' to specific events, its rarity and condition...
Apparently, it would've been worth more to some... weirder fans before it was cleaned.
These complications led to Sonic's third point that, unless the shirt was worth some ridiculous fortune, he didn't want to give it up.
Sonic was not really the sentimental type, and it showed in how lightly he packed his suitcase. Even in his and Tails' apartment, Sonic would always encourage Tails to hang up his favorite mementos, certificates, posters and photos, but he would never do the same for his own. He wasn't a minimalist by any means, in fact almost as bad of a hoarder as Tails, but to Sonic, if the item didn't serve a functional purpose, there was no point in keeping it.
One could say it was an extreme level of practicality that might've been ingrained into him since birth, having to prioritize his base needs; clothes, food, dedicating every dime he could earn into securing a roof over his head and an education for his brother. But it wasn't just that.
From what Sonic knew, people often took photos of several occasions; festivals and concerts, hangouts with friends, dates with partners, travels and sightseeing destinations, or even just particularly pretty sunsets. Sonic has had multiple opportunities to take pictures of his travels since beginning his contract, and yet, the most recent photos sitting in his camera roll at the moment dated back to Tails' high school graduation.
It's not that he didn't care, it was just never really a habit for him to record his memories.
And here was Shadow's shirt in front of him, a physical item that served as a direct reminder of their night together. It was functional, a shirt added to his minimal repertoire of casual clothing, but all he could think about when he looked at it was the memory of crashing into Shadow after an hour of being taught how to roller skate, the look on Shadow's face when he noticed the severity of Sonic's injury, the feeling of Shadow's bare hands cradling his own as he treated the wound...
He could have offered this shirt to Tails, an item that probably held much more worth to a fan than a simple autograph, but... he didn't want to.
He sighed as he hung up the shirt.
Sonic didn't leave his room for the rest of the hour, taking the chance to unpack his weapons briefcase and clean his two pistols.
By the end of the hour, he threw his blazer back on and tucked a baton beneath it before exiting his room.
He was greeted by Rouge lounging on the couch, watching a mystery thriller of some sort with a glass in her hand, but Shadow was nowhere in sight.
"Shouldn't, uhh," he started. "Shouldn't Shadow be out by now?"
Rouge hummed in agreement before gesturing to the corridor that seemed to extend behind the kitchen, her eyes still on the TV, "Why don't you go check on him? Second door down. Can't miss the dark aura from his door."
Sonic raised a brow. "Y'know, normal people just call that bad vibes."
She smirked. "And yet you're walking toward it willingly. Brave of you."
He rolled his eyes and started down the corridor.
The further he went, the quieter the world seemed to get. The plush flooring muted his steps, and the ambient city noise faded behind walls so thick they might've been designed for espionage. The second door stood closed, black with a faint matte finish, like it had been designed by someone who took pride in being unapproachable.
Sonic raised a fist to knock, but before his knuckles could reach the firm wood, the door clicked open.
At the sight he was greeted by, all thought abandoned him.
Shadow stood in the doorway, one hand still on the doorknob, the other tugging on a glove with a slow, practiced motion. Black leather clung to his frame like a second skin: a fitted jacket, silver zippers, armor accents at the shoulders and forearms. His boots were heavy, combat-grade. The kind that didn't just walk, they made statements.
Sonic's mouth opened slightly. Then closed again. His brain had tripped over something and hadn't quite recovered.
"...Huh," he said.
Shadow quirked an eyebrow. "You're blocking the hallway."
Sonic blinked and took a quick step back, hand brushing the back of his neck. "Right. Sorry. Just didn't expect the... whole motorcycle-chic vibe."
Shadow stepped past him without answering, helmet tucked under one arm like it was part of the look. There was the faint scent of leather and something darker... gunmetal maybe?
"You coming?" Shadow asked over his shoulder.
Sonic took a second too long to answer.
"Yeah," he said, finally matching his pace. "Just... trying not to trip over the aesthetic."
A short huff was all he received in response, discouraging him from further speech as he joined Shadow in the elevator while Rouge was too absorbed into her TV show to bid them goodbye.
The silence on the way down was nerve wracking. The elevator doors slid open to reveal a dimly lit corridor with walls marbled similarly to the lobby, except this floor wasn't the lobby.
Shadow walked out ahead, giving Sonic another chance to watch the ebony hedgehog from behind, in better lighting this time. When Shadow stopped in front of a metal door guarded by a keypad, Sonic's eyes trailed downwards against his will, magnetized by the way those leather pants clung to his thighs and cupped at his rear. Shadow's outfit was incredibly... flattering (the most respectful word Sonic could think of) to say the least.
Then his mind finally caught up with the implications of such an outfit.
"Wait, are we taking your motorcycle?"
Shadow froze before his fingers could reach the keypad, before slowly turning his head towards Sonic with the most incredulous expression he'd ever seen, "You... just realized that now?"
"Umm," Sonic scrambled for an excuse while Shadow turned away to tap some numbers into the keypad. It's not like he was going to say 'I was too busy checking you out'. Well, maybe he could if he really wanted to mess with Shadow, but the potential consequences far outweighed the temporary fluster for such a thing.
The low sound of Shadow muttering something in Spagonian caught his ears, "Come mi piace questo idiota?"
"Hey!" Sonic squawked out at the one word he could recognize. "If you're gonna call me an idiot in your language, maybe think of using a synonym for it so I wouldn't understand it, idiot."
"Who said I didn't want you to understand?" Shadow entered the last digit before a trill sounded out from the keypad.
"Sue me for assuming we would take Rouge's car," Sonic rolled his eyes despite knowing Shadow couldn't see it as he pulled the door open to reveal... darkness? "You do know I have a license, right? Kind of a requisite for me as a bodyguard."
"You won't want to drive it," Shadow said simply as he stepped through the door.
Sonic warily followed behind as he tried to adjust his eyes to the absence of light, "How would you know? I'll have you know I'm an excellent parker. Rouge wouldn't have to worry about a... scratch..."
His words died out as LED lights began to light up across the ceiling. If Sonic hadn't known it was a private garage, he would have very well assumed it to be a public one from how spacious it was. Large enough to contain about ten parking spaces, the majority of which were empty with no signs of having been recently occupied.
On Sonic's right however, was what was presumably Rouge's car. He was prepared for it to be expensive, fully knowing that the bat's luxurious taste wouldn't stop at cars of all things.
But he didn't expect for it to be so... flamboyant.
A pink Lamborghini, not just any shade. It was a bright, bubblegum pink with a matte finish, an utter contrast to the sleek appearance of the model in a way that made it look like a high-speed piece of candy. Inside, the white leather was pristine and clinical, vaguely reminding Sonic of a fancy ice cream parlor. It looked loud, absurdly flashy, and impossible to ignore.
"Well that's," Sonic tried to look for words, "eye-catching for sure."
"To the point of obnoxiousness," Shadow agreed. "I'm not going to the rehearsal in such a thing."
Figures. Shadow likes his privacy, and Chaos knows he doesn't get enough of it as a celebrity.
"So where's your motorcycle?"
"Where do you think?" Shadow rolled his eyes before walking around the Lamborghini. Sonic followed closely behind as he tried to catch a glimpse of what hid behind it.
The sight he was greeted with was breathtaking.
It looked less like a vehicle and more like something forged in the depths of a volcano. All obsidian and crimson, angles as sharp as Shadow's glare, polished to a mirror finish that made the overhead lights ripple across its surface like fire. The body was aerodynamic, sleek and aggressive, with just enough exposed metal to look dangerous without losing its elegance. Twin exhausts gleamed like fangs. The engine still idled softly, pulsing like a living thing.
Shadow stood beside it in full gear, one gloved hand resting casually on the seat, helmet under his arm, eyes unreadable behind the glossy sheen of his visor.
Sonic stopped in his tracks.
"Okay. I gotta admit," he muttered, arms folding. "That's the coolest damn bike I've ever seen."
Shadow tilted his head slightly, like he hadn't heard, but the tiny smirk twitching at the corner of his mouth said otherwise.
Sonic circled the bike slowly, gaze trailing across the intricate detailing on the frame. Red etching that looked almost like circuitry. Tires thick and rugged enough to tear up any terrain. The seat was custom, low and lean, clearly built for speed and style.
"Do you just... pose next to it when no one's around?" Sonic asked, squinting at him. "Or does the bike do that broody growl thing on its own?"
Shadow clipped his helmet on, voice muffled but dry. "Jealousy's a bad color on you."
Sonic snorted. "Jealous? Pfft. Please. I just didn't realize you took your midlife crisis this seriously."
Shadow didn't even look at him, already straddling the Dark Rider and tugging his gloves tighter at the wrists. The engine purred beneath him like a content predator.
"Get on."
Sonic narrowed his eyes. But then Shadow adjusted slightly in the seat, and Sonic's gaze flicked to the curve of leather pulled taut across his back…
He seriously needed to get a grip.
He swung a leg over and settled onto the seat behind Shadow. The bike was lower than he expected, but it was built for speed, not comfort. His knees pressed into Shadow's hips before he could stop them.
And then he paused.
His hands hovered awkwardly in the air, not sure where they were supposed to go.
Shadow tilted his head just slightly. "You planning to fly off the back the second I hit third gear?"
Sonic grit his teeth. "Shush."
Reluctantly, very reluctantly, he slid his arms around Shadow's waist. Not tight, just enough to stay secure. Just enough to not fall off and die. The leather was warm under his palms, and the faint scent of engine smoke and something unmistakably Shadow hit him square in the chest.
He tried not to overthink the way Shadow's abdomen stiffened under his arms.
"Just don't let go," Shadow said, the engine revving as he leaned forward, his voice sounding just a little strained.
A gate ahead of them slowly slid open, revealing a ramp. The bike lurched forward and took off, causing Sonic to instinctively tighten his grip as they made their way up. The end of the ramp revealed a narrow street, presumably located behind their building.
He leaned closer than he meant to as the wind picked up, weaving their way into traffic. It wasn't as exhilarating as he thought it would be, probably because the speed limits in city zones were abysmal, but every turn pulled him tighter against Shadow's back. Every gear shift forced a small adjustment, a press, a graze, and neither of them said a word.
Even though Sonic’s thoughts were loud and questionable.
The motorcycle coasted into the underground studio garage, tires humming softly against the polished concrete. Harsh fluorescent lights overhead cast long shadows as the Dark Rider pulled into a reserved space.
Sonic was still holding on, arms wrapped loosely around Shadow's waist, even as the engine cut off and the garage settled into silence. It took a second too long before he remembered to let go, clearing his throat as he swung his leg off.
"I remember having a phase where I really wanted to get a motorcycle license and buy one to get around. It's cheaper than a car, takes up less space," Sonic walked a few steps ahead, taking in the slick concrete, "then Tails gave me an elaborate list on all the safety risks, so I ended up forgetting about it for a while."
Shadow stepped off the bike with practiced ease as he removed his helmet. He locked the bike in one motion, clipped the helmet to the side, then adjusted the collar of his leather jacket, "And now?"
"After a ride like that? I can feel that phase coming back as we speak," he couldn't keep the excitement out of his voice. Even though they hadn't driven fast due to the nature of winding streets and traffic, the feeling of wind rushing through his quills was exhilarating, similar to the thrill he gets when he runs at full speed. He could only imagine what it would feel like pushing the limit on a highway. "I'd totally give it a name too."
Shadow's expression was ever-so-difficult to read as he led the way to the elevator at the end of the garage, but Sonic couldn't tell if he was imagining the uncertainty in his voice as he asked, "What would you name it?"
"Hm," Sonic pondered as the elevator doors slid open, following Shadow inside. "I don't think I can decide without knowing what the motorcycle would look like. But I know for sure I'd want it to look super sleek and aerodynamic... would it be narcissistic if I want it to be blue?"
Shadow quirked a brow at the question, "Dark Rider is almost exclusively red and black."
"Yeah but those are the most common colors for motorcycles. You just happen to be born with a conveniently cool color scheme," Sonic huffed as he looked away. "I'm curious, were you always this edgy growing up or did you lean into it at some point just because you look the part?"
Shadow rolled his eyes, "I was like this since birth."
The elevator doors slid open to reveal a lobby, with Shadow walking ahead to provide his details to the meek looking mongoose at the front desk.
The mongoose gestured them towards a corridor, and after a minute of walking down it in silence.
The two hours were torturous, with Sonic pacing around to try and shake off his restlessness. The muffled sound of Shadow's baritone voice felt somewhat calming to listen to at least.
By the end of those two hours, Sonic tripped in the middle of his pacing. He just barely caught himself with his other foot before steadying himself on the wall.
He lifted the offending foot to examine the sudden cause of friction, only to find that the outsole of his shoe was slightly peeled off.
He sighed as he stared at the shoe. He needed to get a new pair soon if this one could potentially mess with his balance while on duty.
The door suddenly swung open while he still had his foot lifted, causing him to quickly turn it down so he could stand upright, but Shadow's eyes had caught him already.
"What happened?"
"Uhh, nothing much. Just one of my shoes is finally kicking the bucket, so I gotta get a new pair soon," Sonic rubbed his head sheepishly before sighing, "I'm gonna miss them. I'm pretty sure they don't make these anymore, but they're sooo comfy."
Shadow looked down at the shoes in silence. The reason behind it, Sonic didn't know.
"Let's go," the idol finally spoke, turning away and walking off in a way that discouraged conversation.
Shadow had been acting somewhat off since yesterday. Not necessarily cold or moody but just... quiet? Not to mention the lack of eye contact.
Maybe he was just not in the mood to talk today. Maybe Sonic overwhelmed him and drained his social battery. Shadow has complained before about his talkativeness, so maybe he shouldn't be surprised that the idol was finally growing tired of it.
The ever-growing stack of Sonic's burning questions was crushed and doused by the worry that he'd accidentally exhausted Shadow, causing him to stay silent even as they reached the garage and got on the motorcycle once more.
The sun had begun to set by now, lamp posts lighting up gradually and streaking past them in a blur of gold and steel. He wanted to make a comment about the beauty of it to Shadow before deciding against it. Between the sleepless night, the early flight, and the two hour vocal rehearsal, the last thing Shadow probably wanted to do was chat.
He kept his mouth shut even as they arrived back at their building.
Shadow threw a glance at him after locking the motorcycle, another as he unlocked the garage door, then another as they stood before the elevator, "You're awfully quiet."
"Ah, it's just that you seem..." Sonic looked at the ground as he tried to figure out how to voice his thoughts, "tired, so I figured you might've preferred me not talking your ears off for once."
He ended his sentence with a huff of laughter in attempt to keep the mood light, but perhaps a slither of insecurity slipped into his voice, because Shadow was quick to amend his concerns.
"If I don't wish to speak, I won't. You don't have to stay silent on my behalf. I don't..." Shadow hesitated as they stepped into the elevator. "I don't mind listening to you."
"Well just because you can tolerate my rambling doesn't mean I should keep doing it," Sonic let out a frustrated sigh, mostly directed at himself. "I've had a few moments myself where my social battery was completely drained and the last thing I wanted was for someone to talk to me, so I should have the sense to recognize when I'm on the opposite end, right?"
"Sonic."
It was rare to hear his name come from Shadow's mouth, usually being referred to as 'hedgehog', 'idiot', 'imbecile', and a slew of other affectionate names. So the utter gentleness with which Shadow uttered his real name was startling, prompting him to tilt his head to properly regard the ebony hedgehog before him.
Shadow kept a stone face as he kept his gaze on the elevator doors, but his ear twitched the slightest bit.
"I enjoy your ramblings."
Sonic's jaw dropped at the admission. Each of those four words came out clipped, as if Shadow was trying not to waste a single particle of air in his lungs as he said them. And yet the impact was immense, a warmth blooming in Sonic's chest, a blanket that lulled his insecurity into a restful sleep.
"Your ear twitched again," Sonic pointed out.
Shadow tucked his ears in at the statement, clenching his jaw in annoyance, "Shut it."
"You just told me you enjoy it when I don't shut it," Sonic couldn't keep the grin off his face. Shadow liked listening to him talk. He felt giddy at the discovery.
"I'm already regretting this... don't make me take my words back."
"It's too late for that," Sonic chirped as the doors slid open. Unsurprisingly, Shadow rushed ahead the moment he could fit through, as though trying to escape the conversation.
"Hey loves," Rouge was in the exact same spot on the couch as when they left. "Anything interesting happen?"
"Nothing much," Sonic walked over to the couch while Shadow maintained a quick pace towards his room.
He let out a huff of amusement when he heard the door shut before asking, "So when do you guys usually eat dinner?"
Rouge checked the time on her phone before answering, "In about an hour or so. I ordered some pasta ingredients while you guys were gone since our cupboards and fridge were pretty much empty."
Sonic nodded before making his way back to his room. He pulled off his blazer before pondering if he should change into something more comfortable since there didn't seem to be anymore plans for the night. Was it unprofessional for his to come out to the living room in casual wear?
He decided to keep his slacks and dress shirt, but took off his tie and belt. Even though he's had to get used to them for his job, he still hated how constricting the two accessories felt around his neck and waist. He loosened the topmost button of his shirt for good measure.
An hour later, he came out to the sound of rustling in the kitchen, greeted by the sight of Shadow placing a pot on the stove. Rouge was nowhere to be seen.
"Need any help?"
Shadow didn't look back as he answered, "No."
"C'mon," he leaned his arms on the kitchen island. "I can chop up some veggies or mix a sauce! What, you don't trust my competence?"
"With the knowledge that your teenaged brother does all the cooking, no, I don't."
Sonic blinked at response, not recalling the last time he'd directly mentioned that Tails does the cooking. The fact that Shadow remembered something that he himself didn't remember saying surprised him.
"For your information, I am excellent at making eggs and... noodles!"
Shadow scoffed as he pulled out a can of diced tomatoes from one of the cupboards, "I'm making neither of those, so be a good bodyguard and go watch over the dining table or something."
Sonic should probably have been offended at the way Shadow spoke to him like he was some sort of unruly pet, but the transgression was forgotten as he watched Shadow move over to the fridge, grabbing a few unknown ingredients and setting them on the countertop before swiftly pouring out a box of spaghetti into the pot.
It was an incredibly domestic view, one that prompted Sonic's tail to lazily move side to side as he admired the sight.
Shadow noted his lack of movement, but stayed focused on pouring the diced tomatoes on a different pan, "Why are you still here?"
"You said to watch over the dining table 'or something'," Sonic cocked his head. "I'm watching over you."
"Well go do another 'something'."
Shadow's spoke gruffly, but there was a hint of strain in his voice that didn't go unnoticed. Sonic's grin only widened.
"Why? You nervous at having a spectator while you cook?"
"I'm not nervous," Shadow immediately refuted, still refusing to turn around to face Sonic. "I just like to be left alone when I'm working."
"Mhm," Sonic hummed, but made no move to listen to the request.
He noted the way Shadow's tail was stiff, a contrast to Sonic's own relaxed one, almost like the ebony hedgehog was making a conscious effort not to move it.
Shadow was definitely nervous.
A minute passed, then another, then a third, before Shadow finally let out an exasperated sigh.
"Can you make a simple salad?"
Sonic perked up at the question, trying not to let the excitement show in his voice, "Psh, obviously!"
Shadow opened another cupboard to pull out a cutting board before placing it on the kitchen island's counter.
"Then go ahead," he turned right back to the stove, leaving Sonic to look blankly at the board.
Sonic took the initiative of walking over to the fridge, swinging its door open to reveal... a multitude of options.
To be fair, Tails hated salads and Sonic felt that the efforts that went into preparing an entree heavily outweighed the rewards, so he never saw a point of making it.
"Uhh," he tried not to let the uncertainty slip into his voice, "What kinda veggies do you guys like in your salad?"
This was when Shadow finally turned to face him. His glare was severe, but there was a clear message behind it. A challenge. A promise that if Sonic didn't make an adequate salad, he would forever suffer the consequences.
"Cucumbers and tomatoes are enough. I assume you know how to make a basic dressing?"
Sonic stubbornly maintained the eye contact, even if his brain was panicking at the fact that no, he has no idea what goes into a basic dressing.
But he's dug a hole too deep, and he can't back out now.
"Of course I know how to make a dressing!" He placed a hand on his hip to sell the confidence. "I'm not an idiot, y'know..."
Shadow quirked a brow at this, as though he wanted to say otherwise, but instead rolled his eyes before turning back so he could tend to the sauce, "Then get to it."
"Right," Sonic tried not to let his posture wilt after he picked a box of cherry tomatoes and some cucumbers out of the fridge. Maybe he could discreetly search up a recipe while Shadow wasn't looking.
Yes, genius! He rinsed the vegetables under the tap before setting them down by the chopping board. He glanced back at Shadow briefly to check that he was in the midst of adding some spices into the sauce, before quietly sliding a hand into his pocket so he could fish out his phone...
Only to find it empty. He patted down his other pocket before realizing he left his phone in his room.
Damn it. He suppressed a groan of dismay at the situation as he began to chop up the tomatoes and cucumbers, giving himself some time to think. What would usually go into a dressing?
Mayonnaise is a common ingredient, right? He knew that vinegar is often used in some salads... or maybe lemon juice? He couldn't go wrong with some salt and pepper. Oh, and olive oil! How could he forget?
He could do this. If he added anything that didn't belong and was questioned about it, he could just claim it to be part of his 'Sonic Special'.
The cucumber and tomato slices came out chunky and uneven, but that was the least of his worries. He whistled casually as he tried to move around the kitchen with the swiftness of an experienced chef, pulling out ingredients from the cupboards and fridge while Shadow was engrossed with pouring spices into the saucepan.
Once he had all the ingredients together, he came across another problem. Exactly how much of each ingredient should he be pouring into the mixing bowl? He attempted to put somewhat equal amounts before examining the mixture. Did he add too much pepper? Maybe some more olive oil would balance out the flavors, or would that just water it down?
Lemon juice should do the trick.
After adding an ample amount of lemon juice, he looked down at his creation proudly. It smelled tangy, maybe a bit sour, but that just makes up for the tastelessness of cucumbers and tomatoes, right?
He poured the concoction over the vegetable mix before stirring it in. Despite his hatred for tomatoes, he was desperate to taste test the salad as a quality check, but didn't get the chance to when the bowl was grabbed from behind him.
"Go set the table. The food mats are in the bottom drawer."
Sonic whipped around to see Shadow already placing servings onto the plates.
"Err, yup!" He eyed the salad bowl sitting next to the plates nervously, now out of his grasp. "Can do!"
He made quick work of setting down the mats and cutlery, greeting Rouge when she came out of her room. He zipped back to the kitchen to find Shadow holding the salad bowl in one hand and a plate of pasta in the other.
"Lemme help you with that," he moved to snatch the salad out of Shadow's hand only for it to swing out of his reach.
"Get the other two," Shadow's expression was flat, but his eyes were all knowing, like he understood exactly what Sonic was trying to do.
Sonic swallowed down a gulp as he upheld his confident demeanor, throwing a quick finger gun before walking over to pick up the remaining plates.
He needed to have faith in his salad.
"D'ya just wake up from a nap?" Sonic asked Rouge after she let out a yawn, to which she nodded tiredly.
"Just a catnap... or a batnap?" Rouge shoveled a portion of the salad onto her plate. "I'll make some tea after this to wake myself up."
In his pondering about the bat's questionable sleeping habits, Sonic failed to notice her taking forkful of the salad.
Her face instantly pinched, her eyes blinking a number of times until the weariness behind them disappeared, "Or this can certainly wake me up... I'm guessing you made this?"
Her reaction alarmed Sonic, his panic only mounting when Shadow scooped some of the salad for himself.
"I... did. It's been a while since I've made one," more like forever, but the semantics were the last thing on his mind as he reached a hand out to Shadow in futile attempt to stop him from eating the clearly failed experiment. "Uhh Shads? I might've gotten the proportions wrong. You don't need to try it–!"
Too late. Sonic watched carefully as Shadow chewed on what he could only presume to be an overwhelmingly sour abomination, searching for any signs of the same distaste that Rouge exhibited on her first bite.
But Shadow's face was unchanged, shifting Sonic's panic into confusion as he scooped up another portion into his mouth. Was Rouge just overreacting? Or was Shadow's palate just incredibly tolerant to stronger flavors?
Rouge simply shrugged at the reaction, clearly not as baffled as Sonic was as she moved onto her spaghetti.
But Shadow didn't make a single comment as he continued to eat from it, good or bad. The neutrality in his expression was nerve wracking, but Sonic tried to see it as a small victory as he hesitantly took the first bite of his pasta, his eyes unable to leave Shadow's face as he desperately tried to look for a crack in that stoic fortress.
The flavors that graced his tongue forced him to look down. It was such a simple dish, one that he and Tails had eaten for a good chunk of their lives due to how impossible it was to mess up.
They usually opted for premade sauces for convenience. He never thought much about it, believing the difference in quality between a freshly made sauce and a bottled one to be negligible, but this?
He didn't think a pasta sauce could be so multidimensional; the acidity, aromatics, the hint of sweetness, all melded together so smoothly yet each flavor standing out enough to be identifiable...
"This is amazing," Sonic couldn't keep the wonder out of his voice. "Rouge wasn't kidding about your standards. I didn't think such a straightforward meal could be made so..."
"Flawlessly?" Rouge supplied. Shadow kept his gaze down at his food, but Sonic didn't miss the slight tilt to his lips. He was pleased at the compliment.
"Yeah," Sonic grinned before digging in.
He was worried that the dinner would be awkward, the quietness of only three people eating in a private dining space a complete contrast to eating with a group at a noisy buffet. But to his surprise, the chatter was easy. He should've figured Rouge was an excellent conversationalist, enough to make up for Shadow's lack of words.
Rouge was the first to finish eating, briefly rinsing off her plate in the sink before announcing that she might take a dip in the plunge pool. When she went back to her room, Sonic and Shadow were left alone.
"So..." Sonic had already finished his meal, but stayed sat as he watched Shadow take the last few bites of his own. "What d'ya think of the salad?"
Shadow swallowed the last of his pasta before setting the cutlery down in his plate.
"It was terrible."
"What?!" Sonic gaped in disbelief as Shadow stood up. "But you ate the whole thing!"
"That's because I'm not wasteful, unlike you."
Sonic followed Shadow to the kitchen with his own empty plate, unable to process just why Shadow ate the entire salad if he didn't like it. "How am I wasteful?"
"You couldn't swallow your pride to search up a recipe and made a borderline inedible salad as a result," Shadow scoffed as he briefly rinsed off his plate before setting it into the dishwasher.
Sonic mirrored his actions, "You could've forced me to eat it if it was that bad."
"I'm not petty enough to make you eat tomatoes."
Tomatoes? Sonic blinked at Shadow's specification, his mind churning, "Wait, how do you know I don't like tomatoes?"
"Do you speak so much that you don't even remember what you've mentioned before?"
"I mean," Sonic scoured his mind for when he'd mentioned his dislike for tomatoes, coming up empty. "I don't remember saying anything recently... when did you hear me say that?"
Shadow crossed his arms as he leant back on the kitchen island, staying silent for a few moments while staring at the stove across him.
"On the beach."
"On the beach?" Sonic furrowed his brows. "That was almost... two months ago! How do you remember that?"
Despite letting out a huff, Shadow seemed... restless. "Not everyone has the memory span of a goldfish, hedgehog."
His body was almost too still as he spoke, something about his posture piquing Sonic's interest, prompting him to shift closer to his counterpart.
"But such a small detail like that from so long ago..." Sonic kept his movements slow as though he was trying not to scare Shadow off.
"You've either got some serious photographic memory, or," he cocked his head curiously at Shadow's form. "Your brain found that detail important enough to stash away."
Shadow didn't move, but Sonic could see a slight tense in his muscles implying that he wanted to, "What are you implying?"
Sonic stopped in front of Shadow, maybe a step closer than what would be considered professional but he couldn't help it, watching amusedly as the idol avoided eye contact yet again. He'd been doing a lot of that today.
"That~" the playful lilt to his voice was undeniable in its impact, causing Shadow to lean further back onto the counter by a minuscule amount, but it was noticed nonetheless as those ruby irises finally turned to face him, black brows furrowed in what was meant to look like annoyance, but Sonic saw through the poor disguise for what it truly was.
Apprehension.
"You remember unnecessary things such as my likes and dislikes, you told me you enjoy listening to me talk, and you were willing to finish every single bite of a terrible salad I made instead of making me eat it... I don't feel like you'd do things like that for just anyone~"
Like a viper, Shadow's hand launched up between them to grip on the collar of Sonic's shirt, his eyes lit up with a new fury as he grit his teeth.
"Get to the point."
The display of anger didn't stop Sonic's smirk from widening.
"Just how much do you care about me Shads?"
Shadow's eyes widened with incredulity before turning his grip into a shove. Sonic took a step back to keep his balance and yet, Shadow was the one who looked more off-kilter.
"What a stupid question," he seethed, getting off the kitchen counter, clearly with the purpose of escaping the conversation. "You sound like a clingy, insecure partner."
"I'm not hearing an answer," Sonic drawled playfully as he followed closely behind.
"You're not getting one."
Shadow quickened his pace and Sonic matched it. He wasn't about to let Shadow evade his question. He might've framed it in a teasing manner, but he genuinely wanted to know. He needed to know. Shadow's moments of kindness towards Sonic were like breadcrumbs, and he greedily ate each of them up but now he wanted more. He needed it verbalized.
"Don't be like that Shads," he whined as they neared Shadow's room. "Is it that hard for you to verbalize your feelings?"
He wasn't intentionally taunting him, but something in his statement must've struck a nerve when Shadow suddenly whipped around and knocked him into the wall of the corridor, eyes narrowed with a level of fury reminiscent to the first day they met. Why was he so mad?
"Ack!" Sonic wheezed at the force of Shadow's hand against his chest, flattening his quills so that they wouldn't dig into the wall. He keeps forgetting just how strong the guy is. "Seriously, you got a thing for my chest or something? Why do you keep grabbing at it?"
It was an attempt to lighten the mood, but Shadow pulled his hand back like he'd been burned, a flash of what almost looked like panic in his eyes before it was consumed by anger again.
"You're so–"
Shadow was interrupted by the click of a neighboring door, prompting both hedgehogs to look at the source of it as Rouge stepped out of her room clad in a black one-piece. She looked at the scene before her with a quirked brow, probably wondering why Sonic was half against the wall while Shadow looked like he was about to attack him.
She placed a hand on her hip in amusement, "You two look like you could cool off. Why don't you join me at the pool?"
Sonic adjusted into a proper stand with a carefree smile, ready to decline before, to his surprise, Shadow answered first.
"Sure."
Sonic blinked at Shadow. He would rather not get within five feet of a body of water if he could, but he'd expected Shadow to reject the offer too. But now because the edge lord shockingly accepted it, his own unwillingness to join would seem weird, uncharacteristic, suspicious.
Something about Shadow's gaze was too analytical, as though he knew what Sonic's response would be. Like he knew about Sonic's aversion to water...
"I might actually turn in early," he could've said that he didn't own a pair of swim shorts, but he wouldn't have a leg to stand on if Rouge offered a solution. "I'm kinda still tired from the flight."
Rouge surprisingly didn't push further, only cooing in sympathy as she accepted his excuse. "Rest well then, darling. We promise to stay quiet just for you~"
Sonic tried to ignore the rubies burning into his back as he slipped away, letting out a sigh of relief as soon as he entered his room, away from prying eyes.
He wasn't really lying when he said he was tired, the exhaustion further cementing itself into his body with each layer of clothing he stripped off until he finally flopped onto his bed with a sigh.
He checked his phone briefly to find a string of messages from Amy, sent at sometime during his dinner.
Ames - So how was your first day living with the man of your dreams? ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
Ames - You WILL tell me all about this ex of yours tomorrow btw -_- can't believe you skipped over the fact that he's a MILLIONAIRE
Ames - and you need to tell me what happened with Shadow too!!
Sonic snorted at the chaotic energy that seeped through her texting style. There was a slight shift in their dynamic since that day in the park, with Amy somehow becoming more comfortable with Sonic after being turned down. It put some of his guilt at ease, even if it didn't completely alleviate it, but he was immensely grateful that she didn't change her behavior around him.
Sonic - Surprisingly? Not as awkward as I thought it would be! He's even moodier than usual tho... I didn't think that was possible LOL
Sonic - I'll tell you everything tomorrow and won't spare a single detail, promise!!
The reply was almost instant.
Ames - Glad you haven't combusted yet ＼(^-^)／ I know it's especially hard for you but try not to piss him off!
Ames - You BETTER!
Sonic huffed through his nose with a smile before setting the phone down, his eyelids feeling heavy. He vaguely heard the slide what was presumably the glass doors leading out to the terrace as the last dregs of his consciousness slipped away.
~~~
"Didn't expect Blue to turn down such an opportunity," Rouge settled herself into the water. "Do you think he's shy?"
Shadow stood by the pool, staring out at the city lights glimmering beneath.
"He can't swim," he voiced his surmise. "Even worse, he might have a phobia."
"I had a feeling about him not being able to swim since the beach," Rouge hummed in agreement whilst leaning an elbow on the ledge. "But what makes you think he's scared of water?"
"There were several alternative activities he could've engaged with on the beach; making sand castles, treading on the shoreline. But he refused to do anything that needed him closer to the water."
"It's not enough evidence for anything conclusive," Shadow voiced Rouge's likely response before she could. "Which is why I agreed to join you here, to give him less potential excuses he could use to opt out, and the look on his face confirmed it. He's wary about water."
"You agreed to join me on a dip just so you could test your theory on him?" Rouge looked all too amused. "How dedicated of you."
"It's not the only reason," Shadow looked back at the glass doors, searching over the living room for any sign of life despite witnessing Sonic retreat into his bedroom earlier. "I needed to speak with you alone."
"Oh?" Rouge's voice to his side sounded relaxed, but the curiosity that peeked through it was clear as ever. "What could you possibly want to speak to me about that needs Sonic to be out of the picture?"
Shadow stayed quiet for a moment as his gaze rested on Sonic's bedroom door through the glass, mulling over his thoughts, his dilemma. He needed Rouge's guidance on this without a doubt.
"I have feelings for him."
The silence that greeted his statement wasn't surprising, but after three, four, ten seconds of not hearing a response, Shadow finally looked back at the bat to find her jaw hung open, eyes wide. It was a rare expression to witness from a woman who specialized in social navigation, never caught off guard by another's words or actions.
"Why are you acting surprised?" Shadow narrowed his eyes at her uncharacteristically astonished demeanor. "You probably knew long before I did."
Rouge snapped her jaw closed, her eyes still blinking erratically until they... were they watering up?
"I did know that, yes..." Shadow watched with incredulity as the bat loudly sniffled. She often teared up theatrically in front of strangers when it worked to her advantage, along with whenever she got overly invested in a TV series, but he could count the number of times he'd seen her genuinely cry on one hand.
He could usually tell the two apart, but this time, it was surprisingly difficult to identify.
"I just didn't think I'd ever see the day you admitted to something like that." Rouge dabbed at the corners of her eyes, a habit she strictly abided by since apparently, rubbing one's eyes can cause premature skin aging and damage the corneas. The alternative looked ridiculous, but Shadow couldn't bring himself to snort at the sight right now.
"Are you... legitimately crying over this? Or are you just being dramatic?" Shadow asked bluntly, his brows furrowed in confusion at her reaction.
"Both! You have no idea how much this means to me." Another sniffle. "My little emotionally constipated brood king has come so far..."
Any pity Shadow might've felt at her tears disappeared at that comment, his face twisting into a scowl, "This is serious Rouge. Stop treating it like a joke."
"You're right. It's not a joke," Shadow waited impatiently as she dabbed at the last of her tears, watching carefully when she turned to him with an unusually sympathetic expression. "So what prompted you to tell me this?"
Shadow clenched his jaw at the question. He thought the answer was obvious, "I need to know what I'm supposed to do about it."
"Oh, hun," Rouge tutted gently. "You can't treat this like a puzzle you can solve."
"But that's what it is," Shadow ran a hand through his quills in frustration. "I can't act on these feelings, so what do I about them?"
Rouge frowned at this, "Why can't you act on them?"
Shadow leveled her with a deadpan look, "Are you being serious? You're my manager Rouge. You of all people should know what happens if the media catches wind of something like this. I've managed to keep them out of my business for this long, it's not a good idea to break that streak now."
"A celebrity dating his bodyguard would make the story of the century," Rouge seemed way too calm while considering this possibility. "So if dating him in secret was an option, would you go for that?"
"That's..." Shadow hesitated, "not a good idea either. It's risky, and would make things even worse if it got out to the public."
"You're still focusing on the technical consequences," Rouge shook her head taking on a strangely serious tone. "Shadow..."
He met her eyes with uncertainty, trying to understand the point she was trying to make.
"Do you want to become something more with Sonic?"
Shadow's mouth went dry. He had been focused on all the problems that could stem from his feelings, never giving time to think about what it would even be like to date Sonic. Even while trying to imagine it now, his mind drew a blank.
What do people in romantic relationships even do? Is it all just cheesy dates, gift exchanges, and playful touches? Shadow wasn't... against the idea but it didn't feel sufficient, no...
He wanted to know what Sonic looked like when he was quietly content. He wanted to memorize the cadence of his real laugh; not the sharp public one, but the soft, raw kind that slipped out accidentally.
He wanted to be someone that Sonic could rely on, someone he could wholly trust with every vulnerability that plagued him. He wanted Sonic to feel like he could break in front of him and still be safe. Still be seen.
He wanted to know everything. He wanted to fill in the gaps. Not just the ones Sonic showed the world, but the ones Sonic didn't even realize he was missing.
"Just how much do you care about me Shads?"
Too much. The answer was too much.
He let out a long sigh, "Yes."
"Then go for it," Rouge answered as though the option was incredibly rational. "Whether you want to keep it secret or not, I'll handle the fallout if it goes public."
"It's not that simple," Shadow growled out. Why was she not worried about this? "And you're assuming that Sonic returns my feelings in the first place–"
He was cut off by a suffering groan, "You seriously don't– okay, let's say Sonic doesn't return your feelings," Shadow narrowed his eyes at her tone. She sounded disbelieving of the scenario she presented. "Do you think he'd be weird about it if you brought up your feelings to him? You told me Amy's confessed to him, and they're perfectly fine."
"Amy is a team member, I'm his client." Shadow spat out the word shamefully. "There's a power imbalance, it's unprofessional and–"
He paused when an unceremonious snort came from Rouge, turning to glare at her. What was so funny?
"Yes, I can totally sense the power you have over him, eating his terrible salad without a single complaint, breaking a glass of perfectly good alcohol at the sight of him with his ex, skipping a rehearsal to go on some nighttime adventure with him~"
Shadow's eyes widened while heat crawled up his neck, "How do you know about that?"
"I happened to catch him on the hallway when he came out of your room," Rouge shrugged. "His outfit was telling enough. The point is: your relationship with Sonic is far from uneven. It's a half baked excuse at best. What's your real reason for not wanting to tell him?"
Shadow stayed silent, examining the tiled pebbles on the pool's ledge.
"I'm not like Amy," he spoke quietly. "You said it yourself that I'm... ‘emotionally constipated’. These feelings are already overwhelming enough in how unfamiliar they are. I don't know how maturely I'd react if..."
If he turned me down. The words were unspoken, but they were loud as ever. He may have the knowledge that Sonic was attracted to men, but that didn’t guarantee anything.
"So you'd rather sit on your feelings and wait for them to go away?"
"Yes," he answered with finality. "I don't see a single benefit from acting on them that could outweigh the risks."
"... It would make you happy," Rouge's voice was soft, a hint of melancholy slipping through. "You'd experience a new kind of love if it works out."
If. That was the problem. He refused to gamble away the predictability in his life on an if, and there were too many of them that branched from this scenario, too many things that could go wrong.
"It's not worth it," his tone remained flat as he made his way back to the glass doors, not wanting to give Rouge a chance to change his mind.
She didn't call out to him as he slid the door shut behind him. Perhaps she knew there was no argument she could make to convince him that the risk was worth it. Perhaps she agreed... she should agree. It was a reasonable decision. All logic pointed to it being wiser to maintain things as they are.
So then why did he feel so utterly defeated?
Notes:
Yall I started this fic 6 drafts ahead of my first post and now I just barely finished the next chapter 💀 I might have to shorten my chapters again coz this one was 9.6k and highkey wiped me OUT
ANYWHOS Shadow’s ‘firm’ decision will lastttt *checking my singular draft* about a chapter :D because next chapter is going to unironically have the word ‘Sonadow’ in it 📸 AHAHAHA Rouge is gonna laugh at the irony tmrw
Also I like to think that Sonic is lowkey a boomer texter in this fic and hasn’t discovered the beauty of emojis LMAO
Sonic’s tomato and cucumber salad was inspired by my own attempt at making a salad dressing for my mum even tho we both know I hated eating salads growing up 💀 even worse, I actually HAD a recipe on my phone to follow and I still messed it up LMAO
ALSO MB IF THE MOTORCYCLE SCENE WASNT TOO GOOD its coz i want to do ANOTHER motorcycle scene but at a much more quiet time with less city traffic and a prettier view 🙂↕️ But at least we got to see Sonic thirsting over Shadow’s leather outfit and checking out his ass AHAHAHA Also, thoughts on the Barbie Lamborghini? 🦇💅🏽
YALL I ACTUALLY NEED TO LOCK IN THIS WEEK COZ WE REACHING THE PLOT BUILDUP ARC and this is where writing gets most difficult I gotta make sure the plot holes don’t multiply 🤺
Chapter 23: What is Sonadow?
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The young hedgehog took a deep breath., preparing himself mentally for what he was about to say.
"I can't do this anymore."
The older hedgehog's face was unchanged, strangely unsurprised by the statement.
"The fighting," the teenager clarified, confused as to why his manager still didn't react. "I don't think I can keep doing this."
"What makes you think so?"
"That blackout!" The young hedgehog moved his hands frantically. "I don't remember what I did to that guy... that's never happened before!"
"It's a natural response to life threatening situations."
He said it as though it were the simplest fact in life. Completely normal, and thus, acceptable.
But it wasn't.
"But that's not okay... I hurt him! I ripped off his horn!"
"I saw," the older hedgehog seemed all too calm as he leaned back on his chair. "I was impressed."
The teen felt a glimmer of pride glow in his chest at the compliment, but it wasn't enough to dampen his stress as he argued, "It's not supposed to be impressive. It's–"
"What you had to do to survive," his manager cut him off. "If he had no qualms about killing you, why should you spare him?"
"Because I'm not like that!" The young hedgehog cried out in frustration. "I can't... I can't hurt someone just because I can. I can't risk blacking out again and doing something worse. I'm done."
His tone was final, and yet with each second of silence that passed, he felt the urge to shrink on his seat at how relaxed his manager looked.
"I wanted to wait longer before telling you this Little Blue," the older hedgehog stood up, maneuvering around his desk with a slowness that made the younger's ears flatten against his head.
"I've been considering taking you under my wing, officially."
The teen's ears instantly perked up at the statement, eyes wide as he looked up at his manager stood before him, "Really?"
"Yes."
A wave of excitement washed over the young hedgehog. He could finally have a home, a sense of consistency in his life, a family! Except...
"Would you take Tails too?"
Mephis paused, but the silence wasn't cold. It was calculated.
Then came the soft hum of consideration, and the older hedgehog crouched slightly to meet Sonic's eye.
"I would," he said gently. "Of course I would."
The words wrapped around Sonic like warmth, but Mephis didn't stop there. He reached out and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. His grip was firm, reassuring, possessive.
"But you know I can't do that if you leave, Little Blue."
The warmth turned heavy.
Mephis' gaze sharpened just enough to make the weight of those words sink in.
"This future I'm building for you, for Tails — it only exists if you stay on this path. If you walk away now... there's nothing I can offer him. Or you."
He let the silence settle like dust.
"You want to give him a home, don't you?" Mephis' voice was softer now, coaxing. "A real one. With a roof, and a bed, and someone watching your backs?"
He smiled, slow and hollow.
"Then help me help you. Keep fighting, just a little longer. For him."
Sonic woke up feeling groggy, groaning at the sound of irregular ringing nearby. In his tiredness, he quickly silenced his phone before dragging himself to the bathroom. He rinsed his face and brushed his teeth, taking a moment to come back to alertness as he dabbed himself dry.
He grabbed his phone before exiting his room, looking around briefly to find living space empty. He was the first one up it seemed.
He checked the cupboards with hopes of finding some brand of cereal laying around, an easy breakfast he usually opted for for the sake of convenience. To his dismay, nothing was found, so he checked the fridge for ingredients and discovered a batch of eggs. He pulled out a pan and got to work.
He made himself a sunny side up, with one of the yolks having popped and seeped all over the whites surrounding it. The mistake made it look less pretty, but Sonic was happy that he didn't drop any eggshells at least.
He finished his meal in quietness before checking the time on his phone. Rouge and Shadow would likely come out soon, and he briefly pondered if he should try making breakfast for the two of them before realizing he had no idea what their preferences were.
He checked his notifications, raising a brow at the new string of messages from Amy.
Ames - Omgggg WHAT DID I JUST WAKE UP TO
Ames - okay now we've got even MORE to talk about
Sonic's brows furrowed at the link following her message, accompanied by another message shortly after.
Ames - THIS IS A SIGN FROM CHAOS AT THIS POINT
Sonic had his thumb hovered over the link, ready to investigate the source of Amy's outburst before his ears caught the sound of a door clicking open.
Shadow materialized from the corridor, dressed in an oversized black shirt and a pair of grey shorts, the pinnacle of comfort, and not much different from Sonic's own white shirt and black shorts.
"Good morning," Sonic beamed as he set his phone down, the mystery link now forgotten as he watched Shadow make his way to the kitchen. "Have a goodnight's sleep?"
"No," Shadow muttered out tiredly as he fished a bag out of a cupboard.
"At least try to surprise me by breaking the morning grump stereotype," Sonic leaned his face on his hand, curiously eyeing the contents of the bag Shadow was pouring out into a bowl. "Are those coffee beans?"
"Yes." No further explanation was provided as the ebony hedgehog swung open the utensil drawer.
"I should've known you make your coffee from scratch too," Sonic quirked a brow as Shadow pulled out a spoon. He was unfamiliar with the process of making coffee, but he was pretty sure spoons weren't the most efficient tools out there for crushing coffee beans. If he didn't have an automated grinder of some sort, surely he had a mortar and pestle?
"I don't," Shadow walked over to join Sonic on the dining table with the bowl of coffee beans on hand. Sonic cocked his head at how the spoon resting within the coffee beans almost made it look like cereal, especially when Shadow scooped up a spoonful of the coffee beans and shoveled it directly into his mouth–
"You eat coffee beans raw?!" Sonic's jaw dropped at the sight.
"Yes," Shadow grunted after swallowing his first scoop. "I've mentioned it before."
"I know you did!" Sonic recalled the couple of times Shadow had mentioned eating coffee beans, each time thinking he'd misunderstood. "I thought you meant like freshly grounded coffee or something... not this! Do your tastebuds not work?!"
Shadow shrugged, "They do. I just like the taste." He then took another mouthful like it was nothing.
Sonic shook his head in disbelief, "You put the most obnoxious of black coffee fans to shame. How are you not bouncing off the walls from all the caffeine?"
"I'm not sensitive to most stimulants. I have no problems resting after consuming it."
An ugly feeling of envy crawled through Sonic's chest at the statement, as bitter as the coffee beans in front of him. He knew Shadow wasn't framing it as a brag, but he couldn't help but feel upset at the discovery of yet another superiority the idol held over him. On top of his strength, his talents and techniques, his intelligence, Shadow's body at its core proved to be more resilient than Sonic's.
A self-loathing, insecure thought wiggled its way into Sonic's mind. The scenario flashing in his mind that ten years ago, if Shadow were in his place...
He would have been more worthy of his attention.
Sonic stood up, the chair nearly knocking over from the suddenness of his movement as he picked up his empty plate. He refused to look at Shadow as he made his way to the kitchen sink, even though he felt those curious rubies on him.
He hated it sometimes. He hated the way Shadow looked at him so analytically whenever he acted differently than usual, that calculative gaze reminding him so much of the lime green that stripped him bare, searching every fiber of his being but not in the physical sense, no.
But rather, trying to find the inner workings of his mind, his vulnerabilities, his sense of identity. He felt all too exposed when he was looked at for too long. It was ironic, with his outgoing personality often causing him to be the center of attention, but the attention was often surface level, faced with smiles and laughs at jokes he would crack.
He glanced back at Shadow's unwavering gaze only to find himself captivated. Shadow's eyes were different, not just in color, but in intent. Lime green would search him for emotional shortcomings, weaknesses to exploit, an apathetic gaze that made him feel more like science experiment to be studied.
Whereas ruby red looked at him with innocent curiosity, a desire to simply understand him and, perhaps, a wish to help. They were softer, a hint of underlying concern beneath them.
It still made him uncomfortable, albeit in a different way.
He chuckled nervously before breaking eye contact as he worked on rinsing his plate, "You gotta work on your staring problem Shads. I might get the wrong idea if you keep looking at me like that."
He caught Shadow wordlessly turning back to his bowl in the peripherals of his vision.
Rouge came out of her room shortly after, swiping through her phone with an intrigued expression on her face.
"Sonic?"
"Yeah?"
"Come sit down," Rouge gestured to the dining table as she sat down next to Shadow. Sonic furrowed his brows confusedly as he acted on her request, sliding back into his seat across them.
"What's up?"
"You said nothing interesting happened on the flight, correct?"
"Uhh," heat crawled up Sonic's neck as he tried to avoid looking at Shadow, recalling the scent of lavender and the warmth against his face. "Yup! No attacks or anything, haha..."
"Hmm," Rouge didn't take her eyes off her phone. "That's not what the internet seems to think."
Shadow's spoon suddenly clattered into the bowl. Sonic's eyes widened as the implication registered quicker than it would have if he hadn't seen Amy's earlier messages.
"What exactly... does the internet think?" Sonic's voice came out weak, and Shadow didn't even speak as he snatched the phone out of Rouge's hands.
Sonic's dreaded theory seemed to prove itself truer as he watched Shadow's face; eyes widening, the bridge of his muzzle wrinkling, his ear flicking uncontrollably. Shadow was in despair, and he could very easily assume what the cause of such a reaction would be.
"They find it very interesting," Rouge sounded too nonchalant. "I shouldn't be surprised. Netizens are like sharks when it comes to celebrities' personal lives, and Shadow has been a very stubborn blood bag that finally burst."
Sonic swiped at his phone to check his chat with Amy, quickly clicking on the link and waiting for the page to load with a jittery bounce to his leg.
He was greeted by a high-resolution, perfectly timed photo snapped from across the aisle of the plane, clearly by someone who had not minded their business.
In the frame, Sonic sat fast asleep, his head tilted to the side, tucked neatly beneath Shadow's chin. His arms were loosely crossed over his tucked knees, expression soft in the kind of way that only happened when the world wasn't watching.
And beside him, pressed just slightly against Sonic's side, was Shadow. The Shadow. Pop idol, living enigma, anti-everything. But here, in this unguarded moment, he wasn't brooding or perfectly composed.
He was asleep.
Completely, totally asleep, his head resting gently atop Sonic's, the angle of his jaw just barely touching blue quills. His arms were folded, but one of his hands had drifted closer than expected, his fingers brushing the edge of Sonic's sleeve.
It didn't look staged. It didn't look stiff. It looked natural, familiar, safe.
And the internet? Had collectively lost its mind. The caption written by the culprit behind this photo was unapologetic.
@CKpop – UH. EXCUSE ME??? WHO IS THIS BLUE-HUED BODY PILLOW AND WHY IS SHADOW SO COMFORTABLE RN??
Below it, the comments went wild.
@theultimatestan – pop idol x bodyguard happening IN REAL LIFE??
@popshipping4ever – the forehead proximity. the body language. the trust. i'm shaking. I NEED ANSWERS
@gothboyslovetwinkies – Shadow finally dropped the emo wall for someone and it's this smug little hedgehog. God is real and she's a fangirl.
@cerealmiller77 – WE SHOULD'VE KNOWNNN HE'S INTO MEN
@phoenixmuse – Are bodyguards even allowed to date their clients???
Sonic physically recoiled from the screen, one hand dragging down his face. "This is... this is not what it looks like–"
"It's exactly what it looks like," Rouge cut in, looking far too pleased. "You two look like the final panel of a romance manga."
Shadow hadn't said a word.
Still holding Rouge's phone, he stared at the image like it might detonate. His jaw was locked, unreadable fury storming behind his eyes, but beneath it was something else.
Panic. Pure, quiet panic.
"This photo's already on trending across multiple platforms," Rouge continued smoothly, sipping her drink like she wasn't actively delivering a bombshell. "You guys already have a ship name."
"A... ship name?" Sonic wasn't familiar with the term. He vaguely recalled Amy and Honey mentioning it before but never asked for its meaning.
"A combination of your names to represent your relationship," Rouge explained. "Most popular one right now is 'Sonadow'."
"I'm going to kill whoever posted this," Shadow said under his breath, voice low and tight.
"And continue your tour from a jail cell? That'd be iconic," Rouge said, patting his arm. Shadow looked like he was about to pass out.
Sonic tried not to laugh, because technically he was also spiraling, but it came out as a weird, high-pitched chuckle anyway. "Okay, so what happens here? Do we just let the rumor die out or... are we supposed to release some kind of statement?"
Rouge smirked, locking her phone, "That depends on you two."
"And by that you mean..."
"You could either deny it, ignore it, or lean into it." Rouge listed the options before throwing a glance at Shadow's fuming form. "But keep in mind that if you deny it only for another piece of... incriminating evidence to be found later, it'll make things a lot worse."
There was a hidden message behind the ultimatum. If they completely deny it, they would have to maintain the professionalism to prove it so as not to spark up the flame tenfold. But there was something else in Rouge's words, a warning.
Denying their relationship would act as a blockade to ward off the public's attention, but it would also seal Sonic and Shadow in their volatile relationship, forcing it to become stagnant. If they were certain their bond wouldn't change any further, wouldn't evolve into something more, then denial is not a concern.
But to Sonic, it was a concern. He didn't want his relationship with Shadow to potentially regress. He didn't want to cut off the possibility of...
Now that he thought about it, with how Shadow has reacted to the news so far, he wasn't sure if there was a possibility to begin with.
He should probably just go along Shadow's obvious wish to deny it–
"We won't address it for now."
Sonic perked up at the changed answer, eyeing Shadow curiously. Why did he change his mind? Did he formulate some risk analysis in his head and come to the conclusion that neutrality would be the best option? Or did he also believe that maybe, maybe...
Rouge grinned at the decision, "Even with your interview coming up?"
"We've already vetted their questions."
"Freedom of press is a thing, you know. They have the right to ask you about it–"
"And I have the right to refuse the question."
"Always a fan of ignoring problems until they go away, hm?"
Sonic watched the back and forth in discomfort, trying to make sense of Rouge's cryptic comment and Shadow's snarl that shortly followed it. Did they get into an argument last night?
"I mean..." Sonic spoke up with the intent to pacify the growing tension, but there was also one thing he didn't understand. "What's wrong with just being honest? We're not dating, sure..."
Sonic wasn't sure if he imagined the twitch of Shadow's ear at the word, but he pressed on, "but it's not like we're strangers either. If you have to give a statement, you can just say we're friends, right?"
It sounded so simple, so obvious, but the fact that no one brought up the idea made him wonder if there was some huge logical fallacy in it.
"We could do that," Rouge leaned her head in her palm. "It could put the rumors to rest..."
Sonic grinned at the agreement, relieved that his idea didn't turn out to be ignorant.
"Or," Rouge's lips quirked upwards as she kept her gaze on Shadow's tensed form. "It might fan the flames even more."
Sonic's smile dropped at the prognosis, confused, "Why would it do that?"
"The internet already sunk its teeth into the idea of a... forbidden romance between client and bodyguard," Rouge rested her other hand on the table, clacking her nails against the surface as though she were... taunting Shadow? "To the fans, a declaration of friendship means potential."
Shadow's hands were hidden under the table, but Sonic had a feeling his fists were clenched.
"Yeah but," Sonic still didn't see how this option didn't trump the rest. "If nothing changes between us, their interest will die out pretty quickly, right?"
"Correct," she affirmed, before pausing her nail clacking, a pregnant silence washing over the room.
"…If nothing changes."
Shadow lurched onto his feet, his chair sliding backwards similarly to how Sonic's did a few minutes ago, before storming off towards his room without a word.
Rouge only hummed at the sound of his door slamming shut before making her way to the kitchen, like Shadow's behavior was just another Tuesday.
That left Sonic alone at the table, staring down at the empty hallway Shadow had disappeared down, baffled by the outburst.
He hadn't yelled. Hadn't cursed or blamed Rouge. Hadn't even spared Sonic a glance.
He just left.
It wasn't surprising for Shadow to storm off. It was actually on brand for him to shut down when he's heard one tease too many, but something about this time... kind of stung.
Was it the idea itself that pissed him off? The implication that people thought there could be something between them? That they were anything more than what they were?
Or was it the possibility that something might change… that it already had?
Sonic ran a hand through his quills, still feeling the burn of Rouge's words.
If nothing changes.
A simple tease, painting the image of Sonic and Shadow potentially dating in the future, and yet Shadow stormed off at the comment. Maybe that's what rattled Shadow the most...
Maybe the idea of being with me is just that upsetting to him.
He hated that his heart even whispered it. But it did. And once the thought was out, it dug in deep, echoing around his ribs.
Because Sonic could handle being just a bodyguard. He could handle watching Shadow shine onstage, watching him be admired by millions, loved from afar. He'd made peace with that... he had to.
But it was different now. That photo had cracked something open. It showed the world something Sonic wasn't sure he was ready to admit to himself: a possibility.
And Shadow?
Shadow looked like he'd rather burn it all down than face what that photo might mean.
"I can hear you thinking, Big Blue."
Sonic was so deep in his spiral of thoughts that he didn't notice Rouge sitting back down across him with a cup of tea in her hands, an unexpected drink of choice.
"It's not what you think it is," she took a short sip from her tea, while Sonic could only chuckle awkwardly at her concerningly accurate observation.
"What do you... think I think it is?"
Rouge only leveled him with a flat look in response to the question, as though the answer was that obvious, before taking a longer sip of her drink. Sonic couldn't help but bounce his leg nervously at the extended silence before she finally spoke.
"Shadow is a logical person by nature, but this might be the first time in his life he's ever felt torn between decisions."
Sonic frowned at how cryptic the explanation sounded, "Has he not had to deal with rumors before?"
"Oh, he has," Rouge waved her free hand dismissively. "A bit over a year ago there was a rumor flying around that he was in a relationship with me."
"Right," he tried not to visibly wilt at that tidbit, knowing that Rouge would instantly catch onto it. "So then what makes this case different?"
"For one thing, this rumor caught a lot more fire than last year's one, probably because there's actual evidence behind it."
"I'd hardly call that evidence. We were just resting on each other! It’s not like we were..." Sonic's sentence died off as his ears warmed, but Rouge got the gist.
"For someone as notoriously closed off as Shadow, it's evidence."
Sonic blinked. "But... that doesn't mean it means anything to him."
Rouge didn't answer, but she didn't have to. The lift of her brow, the gentle sip of tea, the slight smile tugging at the corners of her lips said more than words could.
"...Right?" he added, weaker.
Rouge was back in her seat, her lips quirked up in a smile when Sonic suddenly stood up and grabbed his phone before walking off to his room.
A long exhale left her lips, two hopeless idiots.
~~~
Sally examined the photo carefully before skimming through the comments, gauging the general opinions conveyed within them.
"It's already gone viral," Barry sighed. "The pictures we've got so far aren't nearly as newsworthy."
"This is perfect. He hasn't cancelled our interview yet, right?"
The quokka was confused by how the squirrel perceived this to be good news, but answered nonetheless, "He hasn't, but if we try to ask him anything about this he'll probably just refuse–"
"Then we make it so he can't refuse," she said simply. "Release any photos you have from different social media accounts. Make sure to repost this original photo along with it and use the hashtags. Make this into something big enough so that he's forced to address it."
Barry blinked at the request, surprised by the cunning beneath it, but a fallacy weighed in his mind. "What if he just ends up denying it?"
Sally turned to him with a razor-sharp grin.
"With my line of questioning, denial isn't an option."
~~~
"So now I'm not sure what to do."
Amy was currently sporting the most unimpressed expression Sonic had ever seen.
"So let me get this straight," she took a deep breath while shifting on the picnic blanket, as though she needed to physically brace for her next words.
"Shadow took Jet's business card from you without an explanation, let you sleep on him — and slept on you, admitted that he enjoys listening to you talk, ate every single bite of an atrocious salad you made..."
Sonic nodded along with everything she listed, knowing perfectly well the judgement that would ensue. She had demanded details on every single occurrence that happened over the last few days.
"And you're still confused on what to do?"
"Okay but it's not that simple!" Sonic waved his hands frantically in defense. "He could've taken the card for professional reasons–"
"He would've explained them."
"–he probably wanted to make sure I wouldn't doze off on the job after our flight–"
"He could've propped your head on something else."
"–telling a friend you enjoy listening to them talk is normal–"
"Not for Shadow."
"–he said he ate the salad because he doesn't like wasting food–"
"He could've made you eat it."
"–not to mention, you're picking out specific events and grouping them together like it's obvious, but Shadow is like a stone wall the rest of the time. He's hard to read!"
Amy let out a long suffering sigh as she looked up at the sky, maybe praying to any deity that's out there to grant her the patience for this conversation.
"That's on you and your questionable taste," Amy snapped her head back down with a quirked brow. "That includes your out-of-touch ex."
Sonic slumped over in defeat, running a hand over his face, "I knowww, I get it. So then what's the move here? He's been avoiding me all afternoon since the rumors."
Amy's deadpan expression finally softened into a look of contemplation, "Hmm, it is a tricky situation. It's kind of like a... wedge in your relationship with him that forces you to jump over it if you don't want it to push back your progress."
An incredibly accurate comparison, one that Sonic couldn't help but snort at as a wave of cynicism washed over him at his dilemma.
"Exactly..." Sonic rested his chin on his hand, glaring at checkered material he sat on. "And this just seems like the worst possible time for it, especially since I'm practically living with him right now."
Amy squinted up at the sky again, this time with less annoyance and more thought, then suddenly brightened.
"Wait, I have just the solution!"
Before Sonic could even ask, she was already digging through her tote bag like a woman on a mission. A few seconds later, she pulled out a velvet pouch and shook it in his face.
"Are those cards?" Sonic asked warily.
"My tarot cards," Amy confirmed, already clearing a space on the blanket. "I haven't used them in weeks, but your romantic incompetence has summoned the spirits. Sit up."
"Uhh, how is this gonna help me exactly?"
"By revealing the truth," she said sweetly. "Now hush and focus."
Sonic grumbled but straightened up, watching as she shuffled the deck with practiced fingers. After a few passes, she held it out.
"Think about him," she said, suddenly very serious. "Not what you think he feels. Not what you're scared of. Just... him. And pull three cards."
Sonic hesitated but nodded, exhaling as he reached out and flipped the first card to reveal...
A brick building of some sort... a tower?
Amy's brow furrowed slightly.
"So this is the past," she murmured. "The Tower is destruction but it's reversed, which usually means survival but barely. Aftershocks of past trauma. It's clinging to something broken because it's all you know."
Sonic shifted uncomfortably, hoping Amy wouldn't further question the reading that was a bit too accurate for his liking.
"I'm guessing the next card represents the present?"
Amy nodded, gesturing at the cards. "Go for it."
Sonic let out a long exhale before pulling out the next one.
A blindfolded woman holding two swords, seated with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Now that's poetic," Amy said dryly. "Two of Swords is literally the card of indecision. You're stuck at a crossroads. Afraid to make the wrong move, afraid to make any move. But the kicker?" She tapped the card. "You already know what your heart wants."
Sonic rubbed the back of his neck, "I know what I want, sure, but not what Shadow wants."
He stared at the card a moment longer, then flipped the third.
A Moon.
Amy stared at it, her voice dropping a note. "...Huh."
Sonic blinked. "What? Is it bad?"
"No, not bad." She leaned closer. "Just... complicated."
"The Moon is illusion. Emotion. Uncertainty. It means the road ahead is unclear. Something will be hidden from you; whether it's Shadow's intentions, someone else's agenda, or something buried deep in yourself, I don't know. But this card always warns of confusion before clarity. A storm before peace."
Sonic went quiet. He really didn't like the sound of that.
Amy met his eyes. "But look at the whole spread, Sonic. The Tower says you've both been through hell. The Two of Swords says you're scared to take a step. And the Moon says the path forward is scary... but it's not a dead end. It's a trial. You're not doomed! You're just being tested."
"...You sure you're not cursing me?" he joked weakly.
She smiled faintly. "I don't need magic to know you're in deep."
Sonic sighed, falling back on his hands.
The Moon still sat between them, glinting faintly in the evening sun.
Somewhere out there, Shadow was probably brooding in silence. Sonic didn't know what he was thinking. Didn't know what he wanted. But...
He knew he didn't want to be stuck at a crossroads forever.
"I want to do something about it but... I don't think outright confessing my feelings is an option with the way he's been acting."
Amy shrugged, as though the solution was simple, "Just do what you do best."
When Sonic looked at her questioningly, she continued. "Don't give him room to avoid you. Keep talking to him, maybe even more than you usually do. Maybe..."
Amy's sentence died off as the gears in her mind seemed to turn. After another few seconds of silence, Sonic couldn't hold back his curiosity, "Maybe what?"
A grin crawled onto Amy's face, the mischievousness behind it causing Sonic to briefly wonder if Rouge's spirit possessed her.
"Maybe, give him a taste!"
Sonic's brain short circuited at the wording, heat crawling up his neck as he croaked out a weak, "A taste?"
"Yeah, like a preview of what it would be like to date you!" Amy seemed oblivious to Sonic's misunderstanding, driven into a frenzy by her own stroke of genius.
"You live with him now! This is the perfect time to start doing things off duty. Compliment him, do nice things for him, ask him more about his interests... things like that!"
"Uhh," Sonic scratched the side of his head sheepishly at the suggestions. They were great but...
"I kind of already do all of that."
Amy didn't seem surprised by the admission, likely attributing it to Sonic's amicable personality. "Okay, then how about something more obvious? Like flirting?"
He couldn't help but wince as he readied himself for Amy's reaction to what he was about to say.
"I... do that too."
Amy let out an exasperated sigh, massaging her temples as though his stupidity was giving her a headache. "And you say Shadow’s the one giving mixed signals..."
"I can't help my personality!" Sonic squawked out indignantly. "He's just easy to tease... and Rouge does it too!"
"Then what have you not done so far? Something you don't do with anyone else, something that makes it clear to Shadow that there could be more to you if he ever let you close enough to find out?"
The question should have been more challenging. Sonic should've had to wrack his brain for actions that can cross that line between what he had with Shadow now and what he wanted it to be. And yet, his mind instantly revved to life with one singular answer, an undeniable truth.
Being vulnerable.
It was a fact that with every friend he'd made, carefree smiles and teasing jokes were his default. It wasn't necessarily a facade — his personality was a genuine part of his identity — but it was something he desperately clung to in favor of ignoring the less pleasant aspects of his being.
He could get serious when the time called for it, but it was something that happened seldomly enough to classify as 'off-putting' on the rare occasions his demeanor changed.
And to someone like Shadow...
Sonic thought back to the night they'd roller skated, the closest thing he'd ever seen to shock displayed on Shadow's face after getting berated by his own bodyguard. And somehow, Shadow wasn't offended by Sonic's outburst, and if anything, had actually apologized with uncharacteristic earnestness.
Then he thought further back to that night at the gym, when Shadow had entrusted him with that martial art, the gentleness with which he'd handled Sonic despite Sonic's obvious attempts at covering up his earlier moment of weakness.
Shadow might have admitted that he enjoyed the rambling, entertained the teasing and banter, appreciated the habitual strawberry milk offerings, but while these acts aren't necessarily meaningless, they could be easily conflated with Sonic's extroverted tendencies.
If there was one thing Sonic could do to truly prove to Shadow how much he valued their relationship, he needed to do what Shadow does best...
He needed to be serious for once.
~~~
A file was dropped on his desk.
"A new rumor," amber eyes regarded the older hedgehog carefully as he considered his next words. "Except it's not as baseless as the last one."
The Don flipped open the file with a scoff, "If it's that bat again–"
Black Doom froze, his fingers paused on the edge of the photo, the breath catching just briefly in his chest. It was so fleeting that Eclipse might've thought he imagined it, if not for the stillness that followed.
There, captured in grainy candid detail, was Terios. Head tilted ever so slightly, nestled above another hedgehog's crown, his bodyguard. The one he'd ignored... until now.
A silence stretched thin between father and son.
Black Doom's eyes didn't move from the image. There was something in it, something painfully familiar. That unconscious closeness, the way Terios' arm had shifted toward the younger hedgehog, not out of protection but out of instinct. A kind of peace he hadn't seen since…
He snapped the folder closed.
Eclipse watched him carefully. "Do you think it means anything?"
"I wouldn't be surprised," the Don's voice was soft, going silent for a beat before he turning toward the window. "If that's the case, we can use it against him if we need to. A newbie bodyguard shouldn't be difficult to deal with."
The heavy door clicked shut behind Eclipse. He exhaled slowly, as if trying to shake off the strange look he'd just seen on his father's face. Something about that photo had rattled the old man, and Eclipse didn't like the silence that followed it.
He barely took a step down the marble corridor when a voice, slow and almost too casual, drifted from the shadows.
"Troubling news?"
Eclipse turned, eyes narrowing as his uncle stepped into view. The dim lighting caught the glint of his smile before it caught his eyes. Those strange, gleaming pools of green that never seemed to blink.
Eclipse straightened his back, tone clipped. "Just a status update. Nothing you need to concern yourself with."
"Mm…” the older hedgehog feigned interest in the nearby wall, but his words dripped with implication. "Funny, I'd heard your brother's name came up again."
Eclipse didn't answer. His uncle took that as permission to continue.
"I wonder," he mused, strolling closer with an unsettling pace, "has Doom finally found a way to bring him back?"
"You’ve never cared for his return Mephiles," Eclipse's tone was flat, but his jaw was clenched. "Why are you curious about him now?"
“Me respecting his wish to pursue his dreams doesn’t mean I don’t care for him,” Mephiles let out a heavy sigh as though burdened by the lack of faith. “You think so little of me.”
Eclipse narrowed his eyes, refusing to give his uncle the emotional reaction he seemed to be fishing for.
"That boy with Terios... interesting little thing, isn't he?"
Eclipse’s breath hitched. So he already knew. Mephiles gave a small, knowing smile.
"You know him?"
There was a beat too long before Mephiles answered.
"...Not personally."
Eclipse didn't believe him. But he also didn't know what to believe. He just knew that Mephiles had a way of sniffing out every vulnerability in the family and exploiting it.
And now that familiar glint was back in his eyes.
Mephiles chuckled again, turning away. "You should be paying closer attention, nephew. Something tells me that blue one's going to be... very important in the days to come."
Eclipse watched him go, fists clenched at his sides. Something about that conversation didn't sit right.
And worse, he had the gut feeling Mephiles knew exactly how to make it fester.
~~~
The rhythmic thud-thud-thud of his gloves hitting the punching bag was the only sound in the room. Steady, controlled, calculated, just like everything else in his life had to be.
Shadow exhaled sharply through his nose, twisting into another jab-cross-hook combination. The leather creaked under the force, chains above rattling faintly. The gym was dim, lit only by one warm overhead spotlight and the reflections of city lights bleeding in through the tall windows.
He'd taken advantage of his free day to avoid Sonic since the morning, then took the chance to talk to Rouge when his bodyguard left to spend the day with Amy.
Thud-thud. Jab.
He was infuriated by how gleeful she seemed to be about this. Shadow had asked about the status on the rumor, hoping it was minor enough to die out over the next few days.
"Some magazines have already jumped on the bandwagon and started making speculations," Rouge had shrugged, "but nothing that gives ground for a libel suit yet."
Shadow was annoyed by the news, but gave a small nod. He knew journalists were cunning in that manner, always pushing the boundaries of the law.
Thud. Hook.
"How unfortunate," Rouge had continued with a grin that indicated the opposite of her words. "Just yesterday one of your biggest concerns was the public attention, and today that ship sailed... literally~"
Shadow had scowled at her distasteful joke, reminding her of the seriousness of the situation, only to be caught off guard by her next words.
"Shadow, don't be stupid."
Thud. Cross. Thud-thud.
He was shocked by her blunt interruption, and even more so by how she looked genuinely annoyed for once.
"What do you hope to achieve by avoiding Sonic? It's irrational and unsustainable. If you're too scared to act on your feelings, then at least have the courtesy to be normal around him instead of playing hide and seek."
Jab. Thud–
The door creaked open.
Shadow froze midswing. The punching bag swayed gently as he turned, sweat sliding down his temple.
"Yo." Sonic's voice was soft, casual. He walked in with his hands tucked in the pockets of his red shorts.
Shadow took a slow breath through his nose. "You're back late."
"Had dinner with Amy," Sonic shrugged, wandering over.
Shadow grunted, returning to the bag. He knew he couldn't ignore Sonic forever. He knew he needed to address the discovery Rouge had enlightened them with this morning, but...
"Can I join you?"
Shadow paused his punches for a moment. "Did your hand heal yet?"
Sonic looked taken aback by the question before leaning onto one leg sheepishly, "I mean–"
It didn't take a genius to figure what the pause meant, "Then no."
"I didn't even answer yet!"
"You hesitated. That's all I needed to know."
"C'mon man," Sonic whined. "The scabs are starting to come off... it's practically healed!"
Shadow ignored him as he returned to his bag, trying to drown out Sonic's excuses with the sound of his fists smacking against hard leather.
"I would do some cardio but you don't even have a treadmill here."
"That's because treadmills are a waste of space. You want to run, go do it outside."
"It's hard to run at top speed when there are obstacles outside! You're just jealous you can't run as fast as me."
Shadow let out a sharp breath through his nose, fists slowing. "I'm not jealous," he said flatly.
Sonic was already grinning. "Sure you're not."
"You're injured," Shadow snapped without turning. Why was he insisting on being a nuisance? "You shouldn't even be here."
"You know what you sound like right now?" Sonic's voice sounded all too smug, causing Shadow's hackles to raise in anticipation of his next words.
"You kinda sound like a doting nurse."
Shadow's thoughts came to a halt, causing his final punch to land a little too hard. The bag whipped back and forth dangerously before he steadied it with his hands.
"I beg your pardon?" His question was polite, but his tone was threatening enough to make any sensible person backtrack and reconsider their words.
But Sonic was clearly not sensible, simply flicking a thumb under his nose in his signature display of unapologetic arrogance, "Y'know, like those strict nurses that get mad at you for straining your injury? It's cute."
Shadow, who was initially primed to walk over to Sonic and throttle him up until that additional comment was uttered, ended up freezing in place instead.
Cute?
Rouge playfully flirts all the time, even Sonic has done it a few times. This isn't new to Shadow. But in the context of his recently realized feelings, Sonic's tease suddenly had impact; a compromising, flustering impact.
His mind was dizzied with heat, and yet in efforts to not let his composure slip, Shadow blurted out the most reasonable response he could think of.
"Use that word on me again and I will give you another injury to worry about." A threat.
To his misfortune, Sonic wasn't discouraged by the warning, instead walking past Shadow with a cheeky grin, "Which one?"
"You know which one," Shadow snarled at the feigned ignorance, despite knowing that he was only giving into Sonic's bait by doing so.
"Hmm, I really don't," Sonic stopped on one of the mats sprawled out by the benches before starting up a lighthearted stretch. "Care to specify it for me?"
Shadow growled despite the flutter in his chest, wondering briefly how the most infuriating idiot happened to be the subject of his feelings.
He wanted to return to the punching bag once more to channel out his frustration, but instead paced over to the dumbbell rack with clenched fists. "Why do you insist on being so insufferable?"
Sonic dropped down on the mat and reached for his toes, unaffected by the insulting question as he shrugged, "Part of my charm."
Shadow decided not to grace him with an answer, remaining silent as he picked up a pair of dumbbells before sitting on the bench to begin his reps. He made a deliberate choice to face away from Sonic, a potentially futile effort to discourage further conversation. To his surprise, Sonic didn't speak again for the remainder of his stretches, but that brought another problem to light…
Shadow was trying very, very hard not to look directly at him.
The loose tank Sonic wore had ridden up a little during his stretches, revealing just enough of his toned waist to make Shadow reconsider the value of peripheral vision.
He tried to focus on the burn in his shoulders. Not the way Sonic's breath hitched a little when he shifted into squats. Not the way his tail twitched with focus.
Sonic stuck to low-intensity mobility exercises, likely knowing that Shadow would berate him if he did anything to strain his hand. But low-intensity didn't mean easy. Sonic maintained several difficult poses for extended periods of time. Strange variations of planks, lunges, and squats, all seemingly designed to challenge multiple muscle groups until they were shaking. His endurance was phenomenal.
And by the end of it? Sonic was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, the thin tank top he had on clinging to his damp fur just enough to be criminal.
"Shadow?" Sonic was suddenly standing beside him, stretching his arms overhead. "You good?"
"I–" Shadow cleared his throat. He had no idea how long he'd been staring. "Yes. Fine."
Shadow had to brave himself to join Sonic on the mat for a stretch after finishing his sets, and was ever grateful that his bodyguard didn't seem to notice his tense behavior. He lay on his back, one knee pulled in to stretch his hip, the other leg outstretched.
Sonic plopped beside him a moment later with a huff, lying flat on the mat like a starfish. "I forgot how much core work sucks."
"You complain more than you train," Shadow rolled his eyes. His chest rose and fell in slow, even breaths as he kept his gaze fixed on the ceiling above.
He's been afraid to look at Sonic again since his earlier blatant staring. It infuriated him how easily his eyes had drifted to the cerulean form to admire him. Maybe if Sonic's fur was a more neutral color, it wouldn't have been such a challenge.
"Only 'cause you're such a good listener."
Shadow could only grunt in response, unsure what to say. He wasn't sure how to breach the topic of the media rumors, and it disturbed him that Sonic hadn't brought it up either. Though he might only have himself to blame for avoiding his bodyguard all day. Sonic had probably figured Shadow didn't wish to talk about it and was simply respecting his decision.
They lay there, side by side, shadows cast in amber from the windows that framed the city beyond. Shadow opened his mouth hesitantly to speak, but closed it shut again when Sonic happened to beat him to it.
"Hey."
Shadow didn't look at him, but his ear flicked in acknowledgment.
"I wanted to ask you something," Sonic's voice was soft now, uncharacteristically uncertain.
Shadow's eyes slid toward him without turning his head. "Go on."
"...Do you believe in second chances?"
Shadow blinked. He expected Sonic to bring up the events of today. "That's... random."
"Yeah, well." Sonic scratched his nose, suddenly finding the ceiling fascinating again. "It's just something I've been thinking about."
Shadow stayed quiet, curious about the strangely serious direction their conversation was headed.
Sonic exhaled through his nose. "I feel like you always see through me and– you've probably figured this out by now but... I've messed up before. Like, real bad."
His voice was steady, but low. Honest.
"I don't mean like one mistake and boom, lesson learned. I mean... cycles. Patterns. Letting the wrong people steer me because I didn't think I deserved anything better."
Shadow turned his head slightly.
"And I think... I just wanna know if you think someone like that — someone like me — can still get it right. Y'know, eventually."
Shadow didn't answer right away. The silence stretched long enough for him to hear Sonic start fidgeting.
"I think you've already got it right," he spoke slowly. "You're headed in the right direction, but..."
Shadow could feel Sonic turning to look at him fully now, but couldn't bring himself to do the same as he mulled over his thoughts.
He let out a quiet breath. "You have a habit of putting other people's needs over your own. You're too selfless."
Sonic let out an amused huff beside him. "That's funny," despite the remark, he sounded bittersweet. "Five years ago I was convinced the opposite."
"Five years is a long time to grow," Shadow doubted Sonic had ever been selfish in his life, but he didn't want to sound presumptuous. He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Even since I've met you, you've changed."
"Yeah?" Sonic sounded taken aback by the comment. "In a good way?"
Shadow's mouth quirked at the opportunity for a tease. "You're less annoying."
Sonic snorted and nudged him with an elbow. "You know, I'm baring my soul here, and you're still a jerk."
Shadow huffed sardonically. "Wouldn't want to scare you off by being nice."
Sonic chuckled, but his voice softened again. "I don't think you could ever scare me off."
What?
Shadow's eyes widened at the statement, a sudden tenseness taking over his muscles as he dug his fingers into the mat, afraid to look over at the face that uttered such coaxing words.
"Don't..." Shadow tried to keep his voice measured, but his heart was beating so fast that a bit of breathlessness slipped through his words. "You can't just say things like that."
There was a sudden shift of movement beside him before Sonic's face popped into view, his head hovering above in a way that made Shadow want to jerk back, but his quills were already glued to the ground.
"Things like what?"
Sonic's face was close, too close. Shadow had every right to shove him off but his hands refused to move, fingers digging further into the mat instead.
"Things you don't really mean," he tried not to exhale as he spoke, an impossible task he was determined to accomplish to distract himself from Sonic's unreadable expression.
"Shads, I'm being serious," Sonic didn't break out into a playful smile or a cheeky wink. He sounded unbelievably genuine, and that terrified Shadow to no end. "You can try all you want, but I don't think you could ever push me away."
Shadow was praying to any deity out there that the shadow Sonic's head cast over him was enough to cover up the blush that most definitely flared all over his face, but refusing to leave it up to chance, his hands finally jumped to action.
He shoved Sonic off before standing up in one quick motion, ignoring the yelp that accompanied the thud on the mat as he walked towards the entrance to the gym.
"Alright maybe not in the literal sense but my point still stands!" Sonic called out stubbornly.
"Take a shower," Shadow gripped the handle of the glass door tightly while swinging it open. "You stink."
He didn't give Sonic time to answer as he exited, maintaining a quick pace through the corridor until he reached his room and slammed the door shut behind him.
It was only when he stood in his bathroom that he finally lost his composure, hunching over the sink as he questioned his current state of mind.
He turned the tap on and splashed cold water over his face, hoping it would shut everything off. It didn't. Instead, Sonic's voice echoed in his head, stubborn and soft and stupidly sincere.
"You can try all you want, but I don't think you could ever push me away."
Shadow gripped the edge of the sink a little tighter.
That's what he was currently doing, wasn't it? Pushing Sonic away, even though every atom in his body begged for him not to, even though his heart screamed at him to pull Sonic closer.
“If you're too scared to act on your feelings, then at least have the courtesy to be normal around him instead of playing hide and seek."
Rouge’s words echoed through Shadow’s mind. In his desperation to protect himself from unknown factors, he actively denied himself. The rumors revealed today had only added to his panic, driving him further into his urge to reverse his progress with Sonic. To go back to how things should've been, just a client and a bodyguard.
But Sonic, whether his intentions were platonic or not, did not plan to let go of Shadow. He made that clear not only in his bold claim, but also when he divulged a glimpse of his past, an unspoken declaration of trust and desire to become closer.
And somehow, Sonic wasn’t the only one at fault. Shadow very well knew that he could only follow Rouge’s demand to treat Sonic normally for so long before slipping up. Rouge made the suggestion innocently, like it was an easy option to choose. ‘Just treat Sonic the same way you usually do. Nothing more, nothing less.’ Simple, right?
Except how could he maintain neutrality towards such a magnetizing presence?
Shadow felt like a moth to a flame, his brain screaming at him that he would be burnt if he got too close, that there would be consequences for his selfish desire. But his heart didn't seem to care, instincts dragging him closer to the light, seeking out its warmth...
He was tired of trying not to feel too much.
He glanced toward his bed, a tight feeling clenching in his chest. For the first time in years, he didn't want to be alone in this room. Not because of the nightmares. Not because of fear...
But because Sonic had asked him something without words tonight. Something heavier than a confession, but quieter than a plea.
Can you make room for me, in your life?
And Shadow didn't know how to answer yet, but he wanted to try.
Maybe he wasn't ready to speak his truth yet, but he could show it. Little by little.
Notes:
Another half-a-day late update 😭 I haven’t even finished my draft for the next chapter ASKSFLSLFJA I love my parents dearly but I can’t sit in peace for 5 MINUTES without having my name called out LIKE LEMME WRITEEEEE 👹
At least I finally beat writer’s block 🥊 THE IDEAS ARE ROLLING
Mephiles FINALLY made his appearance in the present 👁️ some may wonder WHY he put so much effort into training Sonic and manipulating him… what was his end goal?
Amy just about losing her shit on Sonic and his stupidity tho 💀
SHADOW ATTEMPTING TO RIZZ SONIC ARC INCOMING
I will edit this A/N later I just wanted to get this chapter out at least PLEASE LEMME KNOW IF U SPOT ANY MISTAKES I edited this in a rush ILL BE BACK
Chapter 24: Stirring the Pot
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Shadow had made up his mind. He didn't want to avoid Sonic anymore, he wanted to pursue something more, but...
He didn't know how to go about it.
He wasn't clueless to the concept of romancing. In fact, the number of telenovelas he'd watched and books he'd read made him ridiculously familiar with various common methods of expressing romantic intentions. From subtle flirts to grandeur confessions, Shadow knew just about every trick in the book.
But none of them felt right.
In Shadow's defense, while there was no shortage of broody male leads in works of fiction, he felt that the characterization of them was usually poorly written. The most emotionally closed-off man would either perform a 180-personality-switch and shower his partner with gifts and affection, or they would stubbornly maintain their cold demeanor and treat the subject of his affections harshly before randomly sacrificing himself for them later on. There was no in-between.
While Shadow didn't believe in the idea of someone completely changing their personality for the one that they love, he didn't want to remain stagnant in his actions either.
Flirting and touchiness were out of the question. They were out of Shadow's comfort zone and, even if he somehow gained the charisma to come up with witty teases overnight, it would be incredibly uncharacteristic of him. Sonic would probably be more concerned than charmed.
Anything too forward was also off the table. Not because Shadow was afraid of the response he'd receive but... he'd rather move in increments first. Sonic had a habit of making courageous claims and initiating contact in a way that, if it were anyone else, the intention behind them would have been perfectly clear. But for someone as naturally daring as Sonic, there is room for misinterpretation.
Shadow needed to test the waters before doing anything bold.
He hated to admit this but... he needed expertise.
"So what brings you in this late at night?" Rouge's coy smile indicated she already knew the answer.
"I've... taken your words into consideration."
Rouge leaned further into the velvet armrest of her seat, one brow rising in amusement. "Finally following your whims for once?"
Shadow stood awkwardly near the doorway, arms crossed like armor. "Yes."
"Can I ask what changed your mind?"
Her tone was innocent, but her eyes glimmered with mischief, knowing that her words weren't the only factor that played into his decision.
"He's sticky," he settled on, not wanting to elaborate on what Sonic said for him to reach that conclusion. "And I'm tired of... trying to prevent it."
That was only part of his decision, but it was one that fed into his other reason: the greedy, ever-growing temptation to just... give in. To get a taste of what he's been craving so badly, to indulge himself regardless of consequences.
He would still be cautious, especially with the media actively sniffing him for any whiffs of affection towards Sonic. He might not be able to control his feelings, but his logic far outweighed his recklessness. He can be clever about it.
"And thank Chaos for his stickiness, huh?" Rouge let out a gleeful laugh. "Anyone else would've handed in their letter of resignation by now."
Shadow scowled at her comment, but it lacked bite.
She wasn't wrong. It was a miracle that Sonic had never been discouraged by Shadow's mood swings, the cold demeanor somehow enticing him to press even closer, challenging every insult and wedging himself through that barbed wire no matter how hard it tightened around him...
Sonic had successfully climbed into Shadow's heart and was now offering a hand, a soft request to walk out of that carefully guarded barrier together.
"That's not the only reason you've come here, is it? You're looking for something else..." Rouge's tone was annoyingly indulgent, her anticipatory pause irking Shadow even more.
"I don't know how to..." Shadow hated how uncertain he sounded as he searched for the right words, "express my wishes."
Rouge snorted at his vagueness, "You want to know how to seduce him."
"Not seduce–!" Shadow's volume raised a few decibels in his frantic attempt to correct her, then narrowed his eyes at her cheeky grin as he realized she purposely chose that term to rile him up.
He took a calming breath to compose himself, "I just don't want to come off as unnatural. He'd notice immediately if I started acting... different."
"Right," Rouge nodded. "Because stonewalling your crush is much more authentic."
"Rouge."
"Kidding," she said, holding her hands up. "Well, half-kidding."
She patted the cushion beside her. Shadow hesitantly accepted her gesture, if only to get further away from the door in case Sonic's hearing was ridiculously keen.
"Alright, so I assume flirts and playful touches are out of the question?"
Shadow nodded. Rouge has known him long enough to understand his thought process, which saved him the inconvenience of having to explain it.
"Anddd straight up confessing your undying love to him with a bouquet of flowers isn't an option either?"
He gave her a flat look.
She smiled wider. "So we play to your strengths."
"...Which are?"
"You're thoughtful," she said with a light tap of her finger on his shoulder. "You're attentive. Observant. You notice small things about him, even when you pretend not to."
Shadow's ears twitched slightly. "That's not romantic."
"It is when it's him." Rouge grinned, then leaned in conspiratorially. "Sonic's used to people loving him loudly. But you? You'd love him deliberately. That makes a difference."
Shadow was silent for a moment.
"...So what do I do?"
"Well," she mused, walking back toward her chair, "if you want to keep things subtle, gifts are a great place to start. But not flashy, something useful. Something that says, 'I know you. I think about what makes your life easier.'"
Shadow deliberated over her suggestion. Gift-giving was the logical choice. It was an established expression of affection across cultures. Controlled, measured, and easy to deny if things went poorly.
But only if the gift was right.
A flashy bracelet or customized cologne would be useless. Sonic didn't care about luxury or display. No, it had to be something functional. Familiar. Personal, but not too personal.
He sifted through memory. What had Sonic been carrying around lately? What had he complained about?
The shoes.
Shadow could still hear the offhand grumble from yesterday. Sonic had said it casually, like it didn't matter. But Shadow had noticed the faint limp in his step while on duty today. The way his left foot occasionally twisted out a little to avoid aggravating the worn patch.
"His shoes."
Rouge tilted her head, clearly intrigued.
"His shoes are damaged," Shadow stared at a wall in thought. "He's attached to them, but said that the model was probably discontinued. Maybe I could..."
Shadow crossed his arms. Yes, this was ideal.
A practical gift. Something Sonic would never think to ask for. Something that showed attention to detail.
He recognized the brand, but the model and sizing were unknown. He guessed Sonic's shoe size to be around the same as his own, maybe half a size larger, but Shadow wasn't one to leave things up to chance.
If he was going to gift Sonic a replacement for his shoes, he needed to be competent about it. No room for error.
He also needed to be subtle. He would need to find an opportunity to take a proper look at Sonic's shoes to determine the specifications. Only after that can he begin his search, scanning through shoe collector forums, secondhand athlete markets, niche auction sites for "archived" gear, and maybe even foreign resale platforms if necessary.
Shadow already began to mull over the materials, cost, and logistics. This was a mission, a very quiet one that would need a lot of careful research to execute it perfectly.
"I could find the exact same pair."
Rouge blinked.
Then slowly placed a hand over her heart. "Shadow, that's disgustingly intimate."
Shadow shuffled uncomfortably at the remark, a sudden wave of doubt washing over him. "...Is that bad?"
"No," she said, lips twitching. "That's perfect. If he doesn't melt when he gets them, he's either emotionally dense or actively malfunctioning."
Shadow rolled his eyes at the not-too-outlandish thought of Sonic somehow misunderstanding the gift. For a bodyguard with a quick mind and keen observational skills, he could be incredibly oblivious sometimes.
"So what will you do until then?" Rouge asked, and when Shadow looked at her confusedly, she continued. "You can't just drop a gift out of nowhere on him without building up to it first."
After contemplating for a moment, he leaned back. "I could... be more nice."
A gasp, "Hold your horses lover boy, that's a bit too bold of a move don't you think?"
Shadow grumbled at the display of sarcasm, "Shut up."
"Ok, but seriously, how do you plan to go about that?"
"I'll..." Shadow hesitated, "compliment him more often."
"Ahh yes, a Shadow Special:" Rouge dipped her voice low, "'Hey Sonic, you don't look like absolute trash today'"
Before Shadow could snap at her mockery, she continued, "What else?"
He went silent, frowning as he searched for an answer. For all the romance books and telenovelas he'd consumed, he felt surprisingly lost on his options. Theory was one thing, but his practical experience in courtship was nonexistent.
"You know, if you want to spice up those compliments, I could give you a crash course on double meanings~" Rouge suggested with a devious smile, only for it to wilt at Shadow's scowl. "Fine, how about some acts of service?"
"Acts of–" Shadow narrowed his eyes. "What?"
"As in, doing things for him without him needing to ask, whether to make his day a bit easier or just because it's something you know he'd like," Rouge explained with a wave of her hand. "I think you'd excel at it, since you're better with actions than you are with words."
While Shadow understood Rouge's suggestion, he struggled to come up with examples applicable to what he had with Sonic. Most of their time spent together was in a professional setting, client and bodyguard. He couldn't really make Sonic's job easier, but perhaps now that they share a living space...
"I already cook for the both of you," Shadow voiced the issue that came to mind. "It doesn't come off as anything special."
"Doesn't have to be the meal itself that's special. He seemed adamant on helping you out last time, right?" Rouge snorted at the memory. "Maybe you can help him make a meal that isn't drowned in lemon juice."
Shadow blinked at the idea. Sonic's terrible salad had initially discouraged Shadow from ever wanting to let him step foot in the kitchen again, but now, Sonic's culinary incompetence was an opportunity.
A chance to do something he clearly doesn't do for Rouge (mainly because she's never cared to learn), a chance to convey his patience and willingness to guide.
Shadow slowly nodded. Yes, this could pave the way for a routine, a journey to help Sonic refine his cooking skills. Little by little, from chopping vegetables to braising meat, the image of Sonic beaming with excitement after successfully making a complex dish...
"What are you smiling about?"
Shadow fell back into a deadpan and let out a scoff.
"Nothing."
~~~
Shadow has been acting differently since last night.
Sonic was worried that his daring remark had overwhelmed Shadow, mentally yelling himself for making a claim risky enough to prompt Shadow to basically run off. He had smacked his forehead for his stupidity after Shadow exited, before sniffing himself in a moment of self-consciousness over the idol's statement.
He smelled like sweat, obviously, but he didn't stink. He would've yelled out that defense if Shadow wasn't long gone.
His panic about Shadow's reaction only heightened throughout his shower, to the point where Sonic contemplated sending a message to apologize for his comment after drying his quills. His thumbs were hovered over the keyboard for a few moments, but then he found himself scrolling up their messages.
They were sparse in quantity and clipped in their contents, mainly consisting of schedule information and brief reminders of meetup times. It made sense since Sonic was essentially glued to Shadow most of the time, but he didn't mind breaking that streak of formality. He found himself hesitating for a different reason...
He didn't want to take back what he said. Not just because it was true, but because he wanted Shadow to think about it. A door left open, an offer that will always stay no matter what. No matter how long it takes Shadow to feel comfortable enough to walk through it.
So he set his phone down with a charged sigh, a turmoil building in his gut about whether or not his decision was selfish, ironic given their earlier conversation.
Sonic had fallen into a restless sleep, worrying about whether he'd only made things worse between them, whether he'd wake up to a new level of grumpy and evasive Shadow.
But to his surprise on the next day, Shadow hadn't done any of that. It was unnoticeable at first, with Sonic and Rouge taking over the conversation throughout breakfast as usual.
The change was subtle, but definitely there. He had stopped avoiding Sonic and, while that could be chalked up to him not being able to as the day was packed with rehearsals, Sonic liked to think that Shadow's lack of aggression was a good sign.
If anything, Shadow had become strangely subdued. Not in a bad way, but he was less curt in his responses. He still fired back at Sonic's teases with merciless attitude, but there was something lighter in his words, with small smiles in between that resembled fondness.
It was a welcome change for Sonic, even if he wasn't yet sure of the meaning behind it. A small, hopeful part of him was convinced that Shadow's warmth meant something more, even if it appeared platonic in nature.
To be fair, even if Shadow did want to pursue something romantic, Sonic didn't believe he would go about it the conventional way. He just couldn't imagine Shadow making flirty comments and being touchy... the scenario seemed laughably unrealistic.
Amy wasn't wrong about Sonic having a questionable taste.
Well, even though Shadow was an absolute puzzle of a character, Sonic was determined to take the positively changed behavior in stride.
His first step? Spending some quality time with Shadow off-duty.
"Hey Shads," he leaned on the kitchen island while watching the ebony hedgehog pull ingredients out of the fridge. "Whatcha making today?"
"Stir-fry," Shadow didn't seem annoyed by Sonic's presence in the kitchen, but there was still a hint of tension held in his posture, ebony tail as stiff as ever.
"Can I help?" Sonic winced at the memory of his salad and decided to tack on a promise, "Without the ego this time. I'll stick to what I know."
Shadow turned to place a number of vegetables on the countertop before crossing his arms, leveling Sonic with an unimpressed look, "You can't even chop vegetables evenly."
He couldn't help but wilt at the statement, the urge to mumble out a weak defense making itself known, but before he could act on it, he was cut off.
"But... that can be fixed."
Sonic's brows furrowed as he processed those words before lighting up, "You mean–"
"You're a quick learner, aren't you?"
"Hell yeah I am," Sonic met Shadow's quirked brow with a grin before swinging around the kitchen island to stand beside him. "Lead the way, Sensei."
Shadow said nothing in response to Sonic's honorific, but he turned back toward the counter and pulled a cutting board closer to the edge with a quiet thud. Sonic kept his grin to himself as he stepped closer. He knew better than to tease. At least... not yet.
Shadow grabbed a bell pepper from the pile, steadying it with one hand before slicing through the top with such precision that it made Sonic blink. Every movement was efficient, clinical. Not rushed, but intentional, like everything Shadow did.
"Start with the top," he said, tone flat, "then slice down the sides like this. Avoid the seeds and core. That's just waste."
Sonic nodded quickly, watching every motion with the same intensity he used in sparring. For once, he stayed quiet, not wanting to push the limits of Shadow's generosity.
Shadow paused to slide the chopped pieces to the side, then wordlessly handed Sonic the next pepper and stepped back just enough to give him room but close enough to watch over his shoulder like an overprotective instructor.
"Uhh," Sonic mirrored the grip, adjusted the angle, and hesitated.
"Don't grip the knife like a hammer," Shadow said calmly, not unkindly. "You're not trying to break the cutting board."
"Right, right," Sonic adjusted his hand. "No breaking. Just slicing."
He gave it another go, with less pressure this time, and managed to chop through the top in one clean(ish) motion. A little crooked, sure, but it resembled a lid. Mostly.
Shadow gave a quiet hum. "Acceptable."
"High praise," Sonic smirked, not even glancing back. "Gotta be careful or I'll get cocky."
"You already are."
Sonic barked out a laugh, unable to argue with the remark.
He got through the next couple of cuts with growing confidence, Shadow occasionally leaning forward to reposition his hand or nudge his elbow with a cool "watch your angle." Every little correction came with a brush of contact, nothing intimate, but Sonic could feel how carefully Shadow avoided lingering too long.
Another slice, another quiet instruction. Shadow leaned in again, voice low but calm as he adjusted Sonic's wrist, "You'll bruise the skin like that. Let the knife do the work."
"Noted," Sonic said.
He finished the pepper and set the slices in the neat pile beside Shadow's, then glanced sideways. "So. I pass?"
Shadow gave him a once-over, then the board, "You don't fail."
Sonic chuckled. "I'll take it."
Shadow turned his back to Sonic wordlessly, with the clear intention to begin his own work on the stove. And yet, for all his stoicism, Sonic caught a flicker of movement from the corner of his eye.
Shadow's tail, previously stiff as a rod, was now twitching at the tip. Almost wagging, barely there, but noticeable if you were paying attention.
Sonic didn't say anything about it. Would never dare. But oh, he noticed. His grin curved a little more.
"Hey Shads?"
He didn't miss the way Shadow's tail turned stiff again, like he'd just realized what it had been doing and had entered emergency lockdown mode. It was adorable.
"Yes?"
"Pretty nice of you to teach me," Sonic had to suppress the temptation to make a comment that would absolutely get him kicked out of the kitchen. "Thanks."
Shadow didn't turn back to face him, "Don't mention it."
Yeah, the change was definitely subtle.
The next day, he got a call from Tails.
Sonic answered the call with a lighthearted greeting, only for his words to die out at the sight he was faced with.
Tails' eyes were narrowed, brows set downwards in the biggest display of barely contained fury Sonic had ever seen from the usually mild-mannered fox.
"Uhh," Sonic blinked. "Did something happen?"
"Yes, something did happen," Tails' voice was low and quiet, but his tone very much resembled the matron's when she was seconds away from exploding into an unstoppable scolding session. "Something involving you that for some reason, half of the internet found out before I did."
Sonic's eyes widened in realization, "Wait, wait! Let me explain!"
"Do it fast before I delete our forms for this year," Tails growled. "Knuckles can't save you from getting arrested for tax evasion."
"Alright, look!" Sonic propped up the phone against the nightstand so he could clasp his hands together pleadingly. "It was literally two days ago and I didn't think it was a good idea to bring it up to anyone since Shadow clearly wanted to pretend it never happened. Then when that picture went viral yesterday morning I was swept up in figuring out what to do about it and–"
"Shadow wanted to what?"
Sonic blinked once more at the interruption, taking a moment to analyze Tails' expression of bafflement as he hesitantly answered, "To... pretend it never happened?"
"So you two aren't dating?"
"What?" Sonic was dumbfounded by the question for a moment before waving his hands frantically. "No! It's obviously just a rumor!"
"Didn't seem so obvious to me," Tails raised a brow in clear skepticism. "He looked pretty comfortable all cozied up with you."
"I'm–" Sonic was gaping at the accusation, then shook his head to convey his disbelief (partly to cover up his embarrassment too), "I'm not even gonna respond to that. I'm just shocked that you believed the internet over your own brother!"
Tails didn't look so apologetic, instead rolling his eyes with a huff, "Well, rumor or not, I would've at least expected you to mention that your face is plastered across the internet! It wouldn't be too off brand for you to 'forget' to tell me about your relationship with Shadow."
"I'm not that scatterbrained! I might've forgotten to let you know about the rumor, but if something as serious as me dating Shadow happened, you would've been the first to know!"
Tails narrowed his eyes once more, seemingly analyzing the verity of Sonic's words for a few seconds, before his face softened into something more vulnerable, "Before anyone else?"
Sonic processed the reason behind Tails' uncharacteristic fury, letting out a deep exhale as he prepared to speak more gently. He knew his brother hated being left in the dark. "Yes, of course. I would never hide something like that from you."
"So," Tails looked hesitant. "How did Shadow react to the rumors?"
Sonic let out a strangled laugh at the question, "He got pissed, then avoided me all day, then I talked to him two nights ago in the gym and he just... flipped a switch? Well– not really like a switch since it's not a drastic change. More like a–"
"Ignore the metaphors and elaborate."
"Right," Sonic put on a sheepish grin at his brother's impatience. "He stopped avoiding me and like... talks to me a bit more now? He even taught me how to chop vegetables yesterday."
Tails raised a brow at this, "That's pretty nice of him."
"It is!" Sonic was excited now. "I'm not sure what prompted the change in his behavior but I'm totally digging it. You seriously need to see his motorcycle, that thing is literally a mirror of him. Edgy, untouchable, and ridiculously sexy–"
"Alright I get it," Tails cut him off before he could spiral into another obsessive rant. "So he not only stopped avoiding you, but is also more... receptive to you lately?"
Sonic shrugged at the question, "I guess so. He probably realized there's no point in avoiding someone who legally has to follow him around everywhere. I mean I told him that he couldn't really push me away if he tried so–"
"You told him WHAT?"
Sonic paused his ramble, "What?"
Tails had his brows furrowed and mouth agape in a scandalized expression that looked almost comedic. "You can't just drop that on me then move on like it's nothing. EXPLAIN!"
"Okay okay, relax!" Sonic didn't understand why Tails was so hung up on the piece of information. Sure, it was a bold admission that Sonic was tempted to apologize for after Shadow's vehement reaction to it, but Tails acted like it was the info bomb of the century.
"In the gym, y'know, after Shadow avoided me all afternoon, we did our workouts and uhh... while we were stretching I thought that maybe Shadow would appreciate it if I laid off the jokes for once? So I started a nice little heart-to-heart with him about–"
Sonic paused for a moment, not wanting to specify how he'd made the decision to give Shadow a glimpse into his past mistakes.
Tails might love Shadow as an idol and respect him as the subject of Sonic's infatuations, sure, but the knowledge that Sonic trusted Shadow enough to tell him something he hadn't told anyone outside of his family might open up an unexpected can of worms.
After all, while Knuckles might be generally protective and picky when it came to Sonic's relationships, Tails can be a whole other level of paranoid at the prospect of someone having power over Sonic's feelings.
"–like, improving as a person n' stuff like that. He was surprisingly nice, but then he had to tack on an insult because he's allergic to kindness. Maybe he has a curse that forces him to be rude all the time. Like if he gives two compliments in a row he breaks out into hives–"
"Sonic, focus."
"Fine! Anyways, I called him out for ruining the moment and he said something about not wanting to scare me off by being nice, so I told him that I don't think he could ever scare me off. He kinda closed up like a clam and told me not to say things I don't mean. I didn't want him to think it was another joke so I doubled down and told him I was serious and that he couldn't really push me away if he tried."
Sonic remained unaware of Tails' increasingly contorted look of shock as he continued. "Then he quite literally pushed me away and stormed off to his room. I was pretty worried because I thought he would get all icy on me from then on, so imagine my surprise when he actually talked to me while we ate breakfast! And he only insulted me once throughout the entire morning!"
Sonic frowned at the sight of what can only be described as pure horror on Tails' face, tapping the screen in confusion a few times when the expression didn't change. "Uhh, Tails? Is the screen frozen or something?"
"I–" Tails finally snapped his jaw shut and shook his head. "I have no words for you. You are so stupidly obvious. I'm actually impressed."
Sonic pouted at the scathing remark, "Clearly not obvious enough for him to say anything about it!"
"He's stupid too," Tails ran a hand over his face as though physically drained by Sonic's idiocy. "But it least he has an excuse since he's never entered the dating scene before."
"Then what do you want me to do?!" Sonic cried out in. "I'm not gonna straight up confess to him unless I'm certain he won't... punch me or something for it. So don't mock me if you don't have any suggestions!"
"Have you thought about getting him a gift?"
Sonic froze, eyes wide at the idea that, for some reason, never crossed his mind.
Tails let out a long suffering sigh, "Of course you haven't."
Sonic elected to ignore Tails' attitude in favor of getting advice, shifting closer towards the phone with a hushed volume. "What do you think I should get him?"
"You tell me," Tails deadpanned. "You're the one who should know with how much you obsess over him."
Sonic looked across the room in contemplation. "I know he loves his motorcycle, telenovelas, books, coffee— and by coffee I mean raw coffee beans because nothing about him is normal. He also likes sweet desserts, ice skating, anddd the smell of lavender!"
Tails quirked a brow at the last part, but elected not to ask how Sonic knew that, "Half of these aren't really possible to get a gift for. A book... could be good but there's the risk of getting him something he's already read. Coffee beans would probably be the best way to go, if you take the time to research different types of beans and high quality brands."
"Psh, that's easy," Sonic batted a hand dismissively. "I'll find something top-notch! The bitterest coffee for the bitterest hedgehog I know."
"Bitterness doesn't necessarily correlate with quality," Tails corrected with an eye roll. "Please don't embarrass me by getting him something mediocre."
"You think so little of me," Sonic slapped a hand over his chest in mock hurt. "And why would it embarrass you?"
"Because if things work out between you two, I will meet him and I will make sure he becomes my brother-in-law. So don't ruin it by being a crappy boyfriend."
"That's– ahah," Sonic stuttered over his brother's bluntness. "We're getting ahead of ourselves here, aren't we?"
Tails looked unamused. "There's no way you're gonna act casual about a singer whose fanbase primarily consists of emotionally unstable teenagers. If you mess things up with Shadow, you'll piss off a million fans with him."
"I... didn't think about that," the image of being hunted down by a hoard of vengeful fans for breaking their beloved idol's heart made Sonic shiver.
He hadn't taken the likeliness of being scrutinized by the public into account. He wasn't afraid of attention but... he could definitely understand why Shadow was so big on his privacy now. Fans can be ruthless.
"You don't think of anything in the long-term," Tails said dryly. "But your charisma makes you pretty likable, so I don't think you'll have to worry about fans sending you death threats unless you do something really bad."
Sonic's brows knit together at the emphasis. He might be thoughtless at times, but would ever intentionally do anything to hurt Shadow.
Sonic wasn't a perfect partner by any means. He might have gotten along well with Jet, but that was thanks to both of them having an unserious dynamic with low expectations, maybe a bit too low to the point of them being unable to hold steady once external pressures came into play.
But Shadow was a different person. He didn't enter unfamiliar situations on a whim, no. He deliberates, a careful consideration of benefits and risks before deciding whether something is worth pursuing. A romantic relationship wouldn't be some halfhearted experiment for someone like him; it would be an all or nothing.
Sonic couldn't treat Shadow the same way he treated Jet. He needed to prove himself as someone worth the leap of faith, someone worth going all in for.
And to do that, he needed to prove that he was willing to go all in.
"Guess I gotta put that charisma to good use," Sonic puffed out his chest with newfound determination.
Those coffee beans would only be the beginning.
It seemed, however, that Sonic was already being outdone in the romancing department, and the worst thing was that he wasn't sure if Shadow was even aware of it.
"You..." Sonic blinked. "You want me to help again?"
Shadow nodded, without a scowl on his face to imply that maybe Rouge somehow forced him into this, nor any words to explain some logical reason for why he needed Sonic to join him in the kitchen.
Just a calm offer to help him cook, one that ended up extending into Shadow teaching him how to make a salad dressing that didn't have enough acid in it to melt stainless steel.
Once is an accident (or in Shadow's case, a fleeting moment of generosity), twice is a coincidence (Shadow possibly bumped his head during his rehearsal and had a moment of hysteria)...
But three times, as Sonic gaped once more the next day when Shadow offered to teach him how to cook rice, is a pattern.
A pattern that he would not take for granted.
"Is this a routine now?" Sonic grinned while rinsing the rice. "You on a mission to make me into a top chef?"
"On a mission to have you learn a basic survival skill," Shadow corrected. "Being able to cook something as simple as rice is light years away from being a top chef."
It was such a mundane activity, probably nothing more than a personal project for Shadow to fix Sonic's culinary incompetence. But the unbridled excitement that filled Sonic each time didn't care about the intentions, only that Shadow was willingly spending time with him beyond their usual duty or gym-related expectations.
Sonic refused to be the only one afflicted by such a simple act.
He waited restlessly for the next gap in his schedule that would allow him to go out shopping alone, but in the meantime, he researched different coffee beans and well-respected brands. He even asked Shadow innocently about his coffee preferences one morning, storing away the word ‘Arabica’ for later use when he got a surprisingly long winded answer.
Two days later, the sun had just dipped below the horizon, casting warm golden hues across the city skyline as Shadow and Sonic stepped out of the venue's private side entrance. Rehearsal had gone late, and for a blissful moment, the evening air was quiet.
Then the screaming started.
A sudden wave of cheers and camera flashes exploded across the narrow alleyway. A crowd of waiting fans had clearly gotten wind of their exit route.
Sonic noted how Shadow tensed immediately, eyes narrowed behind his shades.
"Shadow!! SHADOW, OVER HERE!"
"Can you sign my phone case?!"
"You were amazing at rehearsal!"
But then, as they approached, the questions shifted tone:
"IS THAT YOUR BOYFRIEND?"
"WE SAW THE PHOTOS! YOU GUYS ARE SO CUTE TOGETHER!!"
Ah.
Sonic's brow shot up. He shouldn't be surprised at the line of questioning. Any fan passionate enough to stalk their beloved idol's whereabouts would definitely be bold enough to ask such blunt questions as well.
A small thought about how the last fan said 'photos', plural, fluttered on the edge of his mind before he let out a startled laugh and scratched the back of his head, amused and mildly horrified at how they found this exit. "Uh–"
"Can you both sign this?" A fan pushed a laminated print toward them...
It was unmistakably fan art. Stylized, detailed, romantic fan art of Shadow and Sonic in an almost-kiss.
Chaos on a stick these fans work fast... the rumor went viral less than an week ago!
Sonic's face went red, mouth opened to respond, but nothing came out. Shadow, on the other hand, just stared at the print with a ticked jaw like it had personally offended him. Then–
"Are you two dating or not?!" someone yelled, bold and unfiltered.
The crowd quieted just slightly. Enough to hear the way Sonic exhaled with an almost inaudible "hoo boy..."
Shadow turned his head just enough to glance back at Sonic, his face unreadable behind his shades. Sonic, in turn, offered him a crooked little smirk, equal parts "I got this" and "you owe me."
As the fans surged closer again, Sonic held up a hand. "Alright alright, give us a little space! Shadow's got a throat to save and I've got about three seconds before I start using crowd control."
Laughter broke out, the fans probably taking his lack of an answer as confirmation. They could believe what they want, although to see such avid support of Sonic and Shadow's theoretical relationship...
Behind his shades, Shadow exhaled slowly. He wasn't sure if he was grateful or infuriated.
One of the bolder fans, wearing a handmade "SONADOW 4EVER" shirt, held out a plush keychain with Sonic and Shadow chibi versions stitched together. "Can you PLEASE sign this? It's for my wedding, I'm making Sonadow centerpieces!"
Shadow stared.
Sonic clapped a hand over his mouth, trying not to laugh. These fans might be rabid, but their passion didn't seem to be misplaced. They surprisingly heeded his warning, no stray limbs reaching out to disrespect Shadow's boundaries.
Still, they needed to get a move on, but Sonic took the chance to keep the atmosphere light as he ushered Shadow between the fans. "We're kinda in a hurry today, but we wish you and your spouse-to-be a happy marriage!"
Sonic could've sworn he saw stars in the young sheep's eyes as he passed by her, her posture swelling with barely contained excitement while the rest of the fans awed and cheered. He threw a final wink at them before getting into the back of the cab after Shadow.
"Sheesh," Sonic let out a large exhale as soon as the door was shut. "I swear your fans are something else. Do you think that sheep was actually getting married or did she just say that to get your attention?"
"Doesn't matter," Shadow's words were clipped, but Sonic noted a tension in his voice. "It'll die down in a week."
Assuming nothing else comes out to feed into the gossip, was the unspoken ending to Shadow's statement.
"Should be fine," Sonic relaxed into his seat, before a memory popped into his mind, prompting him to sit up straight again as he turned to face Shadow.
Sonic let his eyes linger on the idol's face, that tan muzzle catching the evening sun's rays in a way that made it look like honey. He wasn't sure if this was another one of these subtle changes or his own twisted perception, but Shadow's neutral expression looked more... at ease lately.
Sonic had always made comments, both mentally and verbally when he felt like poking fun, about Shadow's unbelievably cold straight face. Intentional or not, the ebony hedgehog often looked either mildly annoyed, disgusted, or downright contemptuous on the few occasions he'd been dragged out of a perfect neutral.
But now? Shadow looked content, peaceful. And Sonic wasn't sure if it was a trick of light from the sun, or a rare positive display of good mood, or an active decision of trust made by the celebrity. A willing slip of his guard not necessarily for Sonic's sake, but for himself.
Sonic's awe was interrupted by a ping from his phone, briefly catching the flick of Shadow's ear at the sound as he looked down to pull the device out of his pocket.
Ames – You're not gonna believe this:
Sonic furrowed his brows at the link, clicking it open in anticipation of perhaps a new cycle to the rumors. No way the fans they had just encountered managed to post anything newsworthy, right?
The page revealed another photo of Sonic and Shadow together riddled with several likes and comments, nothing incriminating, but that's not why Sonic frowned.
It was a photo taken from when they were on the beach, a shot taken from behind the loungers showing Sonic's grinning side-profile as he leaned over to hand Shadow that tanghulu snack, the internet's beloved celebrity identifiable by his signature red striped quills peaking out the sides of the lounger.
Sonic felt uneasy about this, hurriedly typing out a response.
Sonic – That photo was taken two months ago. Why would they post it now?
Amy's reply was near instant.
Ames – I guess people are riding the wave now that everyone thinks you two are a thing?
Ames – There are some other photos too. Rouge is looking for them now
"Is something wrong?"
Sonic nearly jolted out of his seat at how near Shadow's voice was, instinctively clicking his phone shut when he realized the ebony hedgehog had leaned over in curiosity.
"Uhh," Sonic really didn't want to ruin Shadow's mood, and even worse was his fear of the progress he and Shadow had made over the last few days being instantly reversed in light of these additional photos.
But the discovery was inevitable. There was no point in him lying about something Rouge would probably disclose to Shadow as soon as they arrived home.
"Some... new photos of us are circulating the internet," Sonic winced, bracing himself for a growl or an angry interrogation, or even worse, an icy cold glare coupled with a refusal to speak.
He quickly tried to alleviate Shadow's rage before it could even begin, scrambling to unlock his phone so he could show the photo. "Nothing that can be taken seriously though! The one I just saw was of me giving you that tanghulu on the beach which is like... the most normal thing ever... here, look!"
Sonic kept his gaze fixed on the screen, nerve wracked by the warmth that Shadow's face radiated on his shoulder as the idol leaned closer to examine the photo.
As the silence stretched, Sonic braved himself to tilt his head an inch so he could get a better look at Shadow's face, fully ready to witness steam coming out of those ebony ears.
But to his surprise, Shadow just looked... thoughtful. His brows were furrowed slightly, but not out of anger. Rather... confusion?
"That's an old photo. Why would they post it now?"
Sonic couldn't stop himself from breathing out in relief at the tame reaction, "That's what I said! Amy thinks it's just people riding the wave with any photo they happened to snap of us but... I dunno."
Shadow leaned away again, looking out the window as their building came into view.
"We'll discuss this with Rouge when we get home then," his voice was soft, enough to make Sonic's face heat at the choice of wording.
When we get home.
He knew Shadow didn't mean anything by it, just an accurate description of their temporary living situation, but he still couldn't help the flutter in his chest at how... domestic the phrase sounded.
And Sonic couldn't stop thinking about how much he wanted to hear those words in a more genuine context, uttered by Shadow again maybe tomorrow, next week, in a few months, maybe years later...
Sonic tried not to let his grin go too soft, not wanting Shadow to catch on to how obscenely he felt at his words. He gave a wink and a janky elbow bump instead, "Can't be anything too bad."
A few weeks ago, Shadow might've scowled at the elbow bump, but today he only let out a light huff and a soft smile before turning his face back towards the window.
Sonic wanted to make a comment about Shadow's concerningly calm demeanor, but chose to keep his mouth shut in favor of extending this grace that Chaos has gifted him.
He continued to eye Shadow warily as they made their way up to the penthouse. Just a few days ago he was fuming at the revelation of that first rumor, but now he seemed so... unbothered.
Sonic wasn't sure whether this was a good sign or a bad one.
Rouge was already on the dining table with her laptop open when they entered, giving them a short greeting while clicking around on her trackpad.
"The new photos," Shadow began as he slid into the seat beside her. "Will they be a problem?"
"You already know?" Rouge blinked for a moment before slipping into relieved smile. "Saves me the trouble of having to break the news to you then. You seem awfully relaxed."
Shadow rolled his eyes at the words Rouge had pulled right out of Sonic's mouth, "Because I know that none of these photos are as newsworthy as the first."
"Well you're not wrong," Rouge smiled before beckoning Sonic over. "I found a few more photos that started circulating since this morning. Come take a look."
Sonic walked over to the pair and leaned his elbows on the back of Rouge's chair to survey the laptop screen. Rouge took it as her cue to start switching between the tabs.
"Beach one is not too bad," Rouge began, scrolling through the topmost comments lined below it. "Fans find it super cute, but there's nothing about it that can prove their theory."
Then she swapped over to another post, a picture of Sonic gesturing wildly under the dim light of a lamppost while Shadow listened. He recognized it as one of their first times returning from a late night spar.
"Quite literally nothing that gossipers can grasp onto in this one other than how empty the street was," Rouge cocked her head before turning to Shadow with a cheeky smile. "Just what kind of errands do you two run this late at night?"
Shadow only huffed in response, but Sonic's mind was whirring at the image, because this wasn't the night he'd noticed that zebra snapping a photo. It was...
Rouge changed tabs once more to reveal another nighttime picture of Sonic leaning an elbow on Shadow, the angle barely capturing the side of his grin when he was teasing the idol.
Before anyone could react, Sonic blurted out, "I think we're being stalked."
Rouge craned her neck to raise a brow at him, "What makes you think that?"
"I saw the person who snapped this pic," Sonic pointed at the screen. "A zebra with a lanyard and fancy camera."
"And you saw them taking the other photo too?" Rouge didn't seem to follow his line of thinking, which he didn't blame her for. He didn't exactly have proof, but something about how these old photos have been released in succession, two of which took place way too late at night for a typical fan to roam the streets...
"Two photos of Sonic and I returning from the gym late at night is... strange," Shadow's brows were furrowed in a little more than confusion this time. "But they were in different cities."
"And they're posted from different accounts," Rouge began to click on each account in investigation, only to perk up in surprise a few moments later. "But... they're fresh accounts, all of them made yesterday."
"See?!" Sonic took his elbows off the seat to gesture wildly at the screen. "The quality of those pictures is way too good to be from some rando's phone camera, and how can three different people just have something like that sitting in their camera roll for this long without posting it?"
"That is some excellent intuition Big Blue," Rouge leaned closer to her screen, studying the account pages. "You said the zebra had a lanyard... probably a reporter. But what's the motive behind releasing these photos from separate accounts?"
Sonic opened his mouth to answer, before closing it again when he realized he had no idea why they might've done that.
"A news organization releasing these photos anonymously instead of making a paper out of it," Sonic could feel the cogs turning in Shadow's mind, but was unable to catch onto his line of thinking.
Shadow's ears suddenly perked up straight, a ridiculously cute movement Sonic would have gushed over for minutes if he weren't so excited to find out what the idol discovered.
"My interview," Shadow asked Rouge. "Who is it with?"
"The Acorn Post," Rouge answered slowly before lighting up in realization, pulling up a new tab to fervently type across the keyboard. "If you're guessing what I think you're guessing..."
"Uhh," Sonic was completely lost. "What are we guessing right now?"
Rouge loaded up a website, navigating between a number of pages before settling on an array of profiles. She scrolled through them carefully while Shadow analyzed the screen with intent.
"I don't see a zebra anywhere," Rouge muttered.
Sonic squinted at the page, understanding the immediate goal of identifying the reporter but not the overarching purpose of it.
A gleam of sienna caught his eye.
"Oh, that guy was next to her!" Sonic leaned forward to hover his finger over one of the profiles, before raising a brow. "Huh, his ears are a bit pointy for a quokka. I thought he was a wombat when I saw him."
"Why didn't you mention him earlier?" Shadow looked mildly irked as he looked up at Sonic while Rouge pulled up another tab, presumably to investigate the quokka.
Sonic shrugged under the scrutiny. "He wasn't the one taking the photo, so I didn't think he was important."
Before Shadow could respond, Rouge piped up. "He's a managing editor. Works under..." another page loaded, "oh, how interesting~"
"What?" Sonic leaned forward again.
Sally Acorn – Editor-in-Chief
"Acorn?" Sonic frowned, "Isn't that the name of the–"
"The news organization that will be interviewing Shadow?" Rouge had a lilt to her voice. "Yes. Quite hands-on for an heiress. And if I remember my emails correctly..."
"She's the one conducting that interview."
Shadow let out a low growl at the reveal, what for, Sonic has yet to know. "Stupid, greedy scandal seekers. They don't know when to stop."
"No journalist can perform well by being honorable," Rouge wasn't annoyed like Shadow, her voice taking on a strangely admirable tone as she continued. "But this level of cunning from a woman whose position will never be put in danger as long as her father owns the business... I must say I respect it."
"I'm confused," Sonic was tired of being several steps behind the other two, maneuvering around the table so he could sit across them. "What does the interview have to do with the photos?"
"Sally sniffed out your chemistry with Shadow long before anyone else did," Rouge didn't seem to care about her wording, but Sonic nearly choked at the blunt use of 'chemistry', averting his eyes from Shadow in hopes of concealing his embarrassment.
"She's probably been trying to rack up evidence in secret so she could catch something big and be the first to reveal it, but that all went down the drain when that cuddly photo came out."
Sonic nodded along with the explanation, but still didn't catch her drift, "So... she released the photos as... what, a last ditch attempt at putting more attention on Shadow?"
"Not a last ditch attempt," Shadow rolled his eyes, probably exasperated by how lost Sonic was. "She did it so she could have more leverage in the interview. Enough content to force me into making a statement about it."
"Ohhh!" Sonic felt a bit sheepish at how he needed that information to be spoon fed to him, but in his defense, he was not familiar how tabloids operated, let alone sneaky journalist tactics.
"We could just cancel the interview," Rouge mused. "They won't be happy about the short notice but we didn't sign a waiver, so we owe them nothing."
Sonic looked at Shadow expectantly, waiting to hear his instant agreement, but after a few seconds of silence, the most shocking response was blurted out.
"No."
Rouge quirked a brow while Sonic's jaw dropped, "What? Why?"
Shadow's expression was contemplative but his eyes were focused. "Because then she gets exactly what she wants: me looking like I have something to hide."
Rouge didn't seem as distressed as Sonic felt at that answer, "And you'd rather walk straight into her little trap?"
Shadow met her gaze evenly, "I'd rather tear it apart in front of her."
Sonic swallowed down a heavy gulp at that answer, Tails’ comment about pissing off fans suddenly coming to mind.
Just a few days ago, Shadow had completely shut down over the rumors while Sonic didn’t find it to be a big deal, but now? It’s the reverse. Shadow’s blooming confidence that he could tackle the interview with ease contrasted with his own growing worry that… maybe the fans wouldn’t find him worthy of the idol’s attention.
Rouge walked off to take a call about some upcoming event (Sonic had no idea what AIMP stood for), leaving the two hedgehogs alone.
“You seem, uhh,” Sonic started, “as Rouge said… awfully relaxed about this.”
Shadow’s expression was annoyingly difficult to read, crimson eyes staring at him in a way that made his breath hitch.
“And you seem surprisingly nervous.”
“Psh, nervous?” Sonic’s chuckle came out more strained than he would’ve liked. “Nah, I just– didn’t realize how… sticky the rumors ended up becoming.”
Shadow’s gaze softened, his brows furrowed in the slightest hint of… concern? “Would you like me to just cancel the interview?”
Sonic was absolutely nerve wracked by the act of consideration, his mind stalling for a moment before remembering that he needed to answer, “Of course not! I have no doubt you’ll tackle Sally’s questions like a champ, hah...”
He expected that to be the end of it, but the idol didn’t seem convinced.
“Then,” Shadow’s eyes shifted into something more… hesitant. “Would you like me to deny the rumors?”
Sonic’s mouth fell open at the question, then he shut it closed, only for it to fall open again.
The question itself seemed practical, a simple inquiry on what Sonic felt was the best course of action, but the way Shadow asked it…
It was an offer to put the gossip to rest if it felt too overwhelming for him, yes, but there was something more.
An unspoken display of a door, what it led to in Shadow’s mind, Sonic wasn’t sure, but the implications of shutting it were clearer than ever.
Sonic really didn’t want that door shut, but…
“Do whatever you need to,” he breathed out as if it could relieve the crushing pressure of his lungs on his heart. “I trust your judgement.”
Shadow’s face fell into something unreadable again. Not disappointed with the answer, but not happy either.
A gurgling sound suddenly cut through the silence.
Sonic looked down at the culprit, his stomach reminding him that it hasn’t had any sustenance since noon. With a sheepish laugh, he looked back up to find Shadow smirking at him.
“Can I trust you near the stove today?”
Sonic beamed at the question, “You say that like you’re not gonna watch my every move.”
Notes:
*yaps about needing to make chapters shorter again* *rewrites and shifts scenes around 4 times to make 8.9k word chapter*
IM TRAVELING BACK TO AUS MY BELOVED FOR A MONTH NEXT WEEK and while I have a good chunk of chapter 25 done, I have a feeling I’ll get even less time for myself in that month so I MIGHT have to post biweekly instead 🥹 I’LL LET YALL KNOW IN THE NEXT UPDATE HOW IT’S LOOKING
I’m sorry for falling behind on replying to your comments lately btw I PROMISE I READ EVERY ONE OF THEM I’ve just been focusing on getting my drafts done coz I REALLY don’t want to start dropping to biweekly updates I WANNA FINISH THIS FIC FOR U GUYS BY THE END OF THIS YEAR 🤺
ANYWHOS I hope yall enjoyed:
- Rouge mocking Shadow
- Shadow’s masterful plot to buy Sonic the perfect replacement for his shoes
- Shadow acting like he wasn’t COUNTING on Sonic to ask to help out in the kitchen
- Shadow’s teeny tiny tail wag (there will be more)
- Tails threatening/mocking Sonic
- Sonic’s masterful plot to buy Shadow coffee beans
- Sonadow fans 4EVER
- MORE PHOTOS and Sonic going Sherlock Holmes mode for three seconds before losing his brain
- Sally Acorn ‘trap’ reveal (but CAN it be fully dismantled? 🤔)
- gaynessUP NEXT WEEK WE GOT:
- eeeevil side plots 👺
- gay
- more gay
- gayness
- general gay buffoonery
Chapter 25: Simmering Tension
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"Gah!" The human man clenched his fists in frustration at the outcome of his experiment, another dead rat. "It's always the same problem!"
The jackal stood silently by the door, unamused by the tantrum, before tensing at the sound of footsteps approaching.
He created distance between him and the door and swiftly pulled out his gun when it swung open.
"No need to be so jumpy," the hedgehog didn't even look towards the jackal as he walked in with undisturbed calm.
The jackal lowered his gun with furrowed brows. He hadn't been informed of any visitors.
The human seemed to be just as surprised by the hedgehog's presence, his movements janky as he whipped around to face the unexpected visitor.
"Mephiles!" Ivo adjusted his glasses frantically. "Didn't expect to see you here!"
Ivo wiped his sweaty palms against the front of his lab coat as he stepped hastily away from the ruined experiment. The stench of chemical rot clung to the air, even through the reinforced ventilation system.
"I was just– running batch twelve," he said, voice tight. "Still hitting the same wall, though. The formula works up to the enhancement stage. Neural responsiveness spikes, muscular output increases by forty-seven percent in the span of ten minutes…"
Mephiles gave a noncommittal hum as he circled the table where the twitching remnants of the rat still lay, its mouth locked in a permanent gasp, body shriveled and sunken from the waist down.
"… but then comes the dehydration," Ivo muttered. "Every test subject experiences uncontrollable thirst, but even when I force-hydrate them through IV and oral intake, their large intestines begin to desiccate rapidly. It's like something in the drug is sabotaging their ability to absorb water altogether."
He grimaced, gesturing toward the shriveled corpse. "Well. You've seen it."
Mephiles stood quiet for a beat, before giving a soft, thoughtful hum. "And you're calling that a problem?"
Ivo blinked, his brow furrowing. "Of course it's a problem. The subject dies within hours if left untreated. It undermines the entire concept–"
"But what if it doesn't?" Mephiles said smoothly, cutting him off. "What if you're not looking at a failure... but a feature?"
That gave Ivo pause.
Mephiles continued, pacing leisurely past the lab table. "A strength-enhancing drug, yes. One that grants unparalleled speed, stamina, reflex. But only for a price. One that keeps the buyer dependent. One that makes them... desperate to stay on your good side."
He glanced sidelong at Ivo. "Introduce a secondary formula. An antidote. Temporary, exclusive. Something only you can produce."
There was a beat of silence, then Ivo's brows shot up.
His lips parted slightly, and slowly, a delighted grin spread across his face.
"Oh... oh that's brilliant," he breathed. "A product and its cure sold separately. A controlled cycle! Boosters, dosage upgrades, subscription models... monetization through biological need. It's genius!"
He turned toward his console with renewed energy, already typing furiously. "No more runaway test subjects. No more freelancers skimming off the formula. They'd have to come back again and again, just to stay alive!"
Mephiles only smiled. "I knew you'd see the potential."
Ivo cackled under his breath, pivoting to scribble notes on a tablet with jittery excitement. "We'll call it Phase Two. I'll need to formulate a water-mimetic stabilizer, something just effective enough to halt intestinal collapse... for a time.”
“Heh, I could even tier the doses and price them based on effectiveness! The elite could have uninterrupted strength. The poor–" he waved a hand dismissively, "–they'll crawl for a half-dose and pray it's enough."
He turned back toward Mephiles, eyes glinting behind fogged glasses. "You've just tripled the value of this project."
Mephiles gave a low chuckle, folding his hands behind his back.
"I merely offered clarity. You were always meant for more, Doctor."
In the corner, the jackal watched in silence, his jaw tight as Ivo practically danced around the lab with reinvigorated purpose.
No hesitation. No remorse.
Just brilliant, blooming ambition.
And Mephiles, standing in the center of it all, smiling like a god among men.
~~~
Shadow found that his efforts were somewhat paying off.
Sonic had blinked in surprise when he was offered an attempt at making another salad dressing with Shadow's guidance. That surprise slowly turned into a wide grin and a dramatic salute as he accepted it with unbridled enthusiasm.
The next day, Sonic looked even more shocked, but recovered quicker as he moved next to Shadow with an eagerness that made his heart stutter.
On the third day, Sonic was no longer surprised, instead making a comment about their growing routine before falling into a less frenzied — but playful nonetheless — mood as he followed Shadow's guidance.
By the fourth day, Sonic was just... calm. He hadn't lost his enthusiasm, but his peppy comments had been replaced with more relaxed hums of feedback whenever Shadow explained a culinary technique.
Somehow, the subdued demeanor only intensified the palpitations in Shadow's chest, his breath hitching whenever Sonic looked at his demonstrating hands with focus or let out a soft "mhm". It was embarrassing how many times he nearly stumbled over his words over such mundane actions.
It didn't help that Shadow somehow struggled at the 'being nice' task that Rouge had mocked him for. He didn't expect it to be so difficult given that he was generally polite to most people he interacted with, but with Sonic?
Snappy remarks flew out of Shadow's mouth like second nature, the biting attitude just as reflexive to him as teasing was to Sonic. It was a habit that had existed in their rivalrous dynamic since they first met, and it was incredibly hard to break.
But... Sonic didn't seem to mind, simply reveling in the comebacks as usual. Perhaps their back-and-forth didn't need to be erased, even though it made Shadow's mission to express his wishes beyond it significantly more difficult.
He tried to slip in compliments throughout these sessions to make up for it. Not anything undeserved, since Sonic was indeed an incredibly fast learner, but he made an effort to voice his approval during times where he usually would have stayed silent.
Despite Rouge calling it an 'act of service', Shadow didn't find it to be a chore of some sort. He enjoyed the process of advising Sonic and found himself smiling alongside him whenever he handled food with growing confidence.
Between these dinners, the rehearsals, and venue visits, Shadow took to opportunity to examine Sonic's shoes more closely so he could determine their size and model, then searched the web for an identical replacement during his free time.
As he'd suspected, the model's production was discontinued two years ago, so he had to look into legacy websites and private sellers. After a careful review of the limited options he'd found that matched Sonic's shoe size, he picked out the mintiest pair, undeterred by it being sold at four times its retail price.
And of course, Shadow wasn't one to leave things unfinished.
As he waited for the package to arrive, he did more research. According to online user reviews archived from the original launch year, the model had two flaws: the heel cushion tended to weaken after long-term wear, and the inner fabric often trapped sweat after extended use.
Shadow took note. Perhaps he could contact a private gear restorer and get these flaws corrected without changing the external appearance of the shoes. Would Sonic notice such a change? How would he react to receiving these shoes in the first place?
Shadow wasn't sure what he himself was supposed to say when handing over the gift.
His turmoil was temporarily pushed aside after a particular rehearsal that ended with fans ambushing them outside the venue's gates.
It was the first interaction he'd had with them since the rumor came out, and the overwhelmingly positive sentiment on his potential relationship with Sonic was... flustering to say the least.
Sonic seemed more amused than embarrassed by the impassioned comments, so Shadow had assumed he was unbothered by the attention, a demeanor that could be construed in multiple ways.
But that assumption withered away when Sonic seemed rather... anxious about the upcoming interview despite the revelations on Acorn Post's scheme. Shadow worried the bodyguard was feeling overwhelmed by the public attention, but when Sonic denied that, Shadow's thoughts went down a darker path.
Was Sonic uncomfortable with the idea of being perceived to be in a relationship with Shadow? He had never asked him whether he wanted to deny the rumors.
So, as painful as it was to push that ultimatum, he asked.
Sonic's reaction was... questionable to say the least. He resembled a deer in headlights, almost stupefied by the offer in a way that implied that he was aware of the underlying meaning to such a decision.
And perhaps... was torn by it like Shadow was.
For every second of silence that passed, that theory became more and more plausible, an uncontrollable ray of hope growing in Shadow's chest that maybe Sonic had similar thoughts about what their relationship could become.
"Do whatever you need to," he ended up saying. "I trust your judgment."
The response was not what he'd hoped, but it wasn't what he'd feared either. It was a moment of indecisiveness that threw the ultimatum back on Shadow, a stalemate.
His stomach churned restlessly at the dilemma, even as he continued his routine with Sonic. The day of the interview was creeping up, and although Shadow had a firm grasp on how he would put that greedy squirrel on the spot, the option to deny the rumors while he was at it weighed heavily on him.
Two days later, during dinner, Rouge made an intriguing comment on the status of the rumors.
"It seems you've become a fan favorite Big Blue," she smiled teasingly while scrolling through her phone.
"I... have?" Sonic's voice came out weak, as though he was genuinely taken off guard by the information.
"Mhm," Rouge hummed. "There's a video going around of you helping Shadow through that crowd of fangirls the other day. They're raving about how charming and sweet you are for a bodyguard."
"Seriously?" Sonic looked dumbfounded at that tidbit. "I didn't even say much!"
"You smiled, you talked, and you winked," Shadow raised a brow at the last part of her statement, noting the look of sheepishness on Sonic's face. "That's more than enough for them to gauge your personality, and they love it."
Shadow remained silent, but watched Sonic's growing embarrassment intently as Rouge continued.
"They think of you as the pinnacle of energetic charm. A lighthearted happy-go-lucky guy that's–" Rouge looked at her phone again before reading aloud. "'exactly what Shadow needs in his life'."
Shadow's face flared as he snapped his gaze back on Rouge, missing the way Sonic's embarrassment visibly mirrored his own.
"I don't need anything," he snarled, half flustered, half offended by how he was perceived as some empty cup waiting to be filled. He'd always hated the commonly accepted notion that one needs a romantic partner to feel 'complete', and his distaste stood strong to this day even in light of his feelings for Sonic.
Shadow had never felt like an unfinished puzzle, like some lonely grump who needed to wait for the right person to come along. He's secure in his sense of identity, and no friend or partner was going to change that.
His feelings for Sonic didn't stem from a feeling of lacking or desire to depend on someone. The vibrant hedgehog wasn't some tool to fill in the gaps. To insinuate such a thing felt insulting, not only to Shadow's character, but also to Sonic's value as an individual.
Sonic was an addition to his life, a presence that Shadow may not necessarily need at a core level, but desired nonetheless. Not because of how Sonic could benefit him, but rather, because of all of the idiosyncrasies that defined the blue hedgehog.
Sonic is his own person; a carefree, playful, peculiar bodyguard with a strong sense of justice and an unfathomable number of layers to his disposition. He was the perfect sparring partner with a personality that challenged Shadow in every way, and had an intriguing history that seemed to mirror Shadow's own. But Shadow didn't like him for these reasons, no...
He liked Sonic because... he's Sonic.
"Yes, ever so self-sufficient," Rouge waved a hand dismissively, snapping Shadow out of his thoughts. "I'm sure they didn't mean to question your independence. They just think that Sonic complements you in all the right ways~"
Shadow's annoyance dwindled, leaving only the embarrassment of having Sonic be so boldly praised as his ideal partner behind. He shot a quick glance at his counterpart to find emerald eyes fixed on Rouge's phone in silence. Blue ears were tucked back, presumably to hide the rush of red that made itself known across his peach muzzle in spite of his efforts.
Shadow swallowed thickly as he tried to avoid thinking about how pretty that pink-tinged face looked, turning back to Rouge. "The interview is tomorrow. Will the video impact its outcome in any way?"
Rouge tapped at her chin thoughtfully, "It's a tough time-limit for them, but they'll probably try and add a new question in last minute. They might ask for more details about Sonic and try and twist your answer against you."
Shadow snarled at the thought of Sonic being dragged further into the spotlight. He might've claimed not to mind the attention, but that didn't mean he should be subjected to prying eyes like Shadow was. Not only because he shouldn't have to deal with such things as a bodyguard but... Shadow didn't like the idea of letting strangers look at Sonic through a scrutinizing lens.
"I won't let it get that far to begin with."
"I know you won't," Rouge grinned at his determination as she stood up to bring her empty plate to the sink. "That squirrel has no idea just how tough of a nut you are to crack. I almost feel sorry for her."
Shadow didn't respond as the bat rinsed off her plate, instead settling his gaze on the concerningly silent blue hedgehog across him.
Some excuse about needing to reply to emails floated through the air before Rouge strolled off to her room, but the words fell on deaf ears as he surveyed Sonic's strangely... shamefaced expression.
"Speak," he commanded as soon as Rouge shut her door.
"I just wanted to say sorry for..." Sonic rubbed at his shoulder in a clear display of guilt, "adding fuel to the fire I guess."
"Unnecessary apologies are not a good look on you," came Shadow's immediate response, but when Sonic winced, the urge to fix that unconfident demeanor bubbled up in Shadow's gut.
So he took on a softer tone as he reassured, "They don't know that we're aware of their intentions, and as long as that fact remains, I will have the upper hand tomorrow."
"Right, I guess they still think you're expecting career related questions..." Sonic's posture didn't completely brighten, but the tension in his shoulders seemed to dissipate as his lips quirked into a small smile. "I can already imagine their faces when you turn the tables back on them."
"They were never going to get anything from me anyways," Shadow huffed out arrogantly, before matching Sonic's amused snicker with a smirk of his own as he continued, "but now I get the pleasure of making them regret it."
Sonic let out a quiet chuckle at that. The heavy air that seemed to bog down on those blue shoulders slowly dissipated, replaced by something quieter, more comfortable. Sonic stretched his arms over his head, feigning casualness, though there was a tension to his movement that implied otherwise... like he was still sitting on a thought he struggled to voice.
After a beat, Sonic rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, confirming Shadow's suspicions. "Hey, uhh, I wanted to..."
The hesitation in his voice made Shadow's ears flick toward him, instinctively alert. Sonic paused for a moment too long, prompting Shadow to ask curiously, "Wanted to...?"
Sonic looked increasingly uncertain in his next words, his eyes roaming everywhere in clear attempt to avoid meeting Shadow's, before suddenly blurting out, "Autograph?"
Shadow blinked at the unexpected word, repeating it slowly as though it was his first time hearing it. "Autograph."
"Yeah," Sonic suddenly perked up with newfound confidence as his gaze finally landed on Shadow. "I wanted to ask if you could give me an autograph!"
He was scratching the back of his head, his smile too casual for such an abrupt request.
No fanfare. No "it's for a friend." No teasing or mocking tone. Just... him, asking. Awkwardly, like it meant something.
Shadow's heart skipped, then stuttered, his mind whirling with theories on Sonic's intentions. Did he simply want it as a souvenir from his first time working with a client? Did he begin to enjoy Shadow's performances at some point, enough to become somewhat of a fan himself?
Or did he want it for more personal reasons, as an object of connection between him and Shadow? A token... a keepsake of what simmered between them?
Shadow shifted subtly where he stood, feeling the weight of what this could be. He didn't want to ruin the moment by being too forward, but if this was Sonic's version of testing the waters...
He had to respond. Carefully.
Shadow finally asked a question, but it wasn't to probe the reason for Sonic's request, "Is there anything in particular that you want signed?"
"Uhh," Sonic scratched at his head restlessly. "I don't have any posters on me, so I'm good with whatever you're willing to give."
An open ended answer, one that left the ball in Shadow's court.
"Fine," Shadow's voice came out softer than intended. "Just... give me a moment to find something."
He ignored the way Sonic perked up behind him, already walking off to his room before shutting the door. He needed time to think, space to mull over this opportunity that had been granted to him.
The shoes were a mission Shadow decided to take on off his own volition, but this? This was Sonic's own request, meaning it came with expectations. What was Sonic anticipating when Shadow came out from his room again? He expressed being fine with 'anything' Shadow was willing to give, but surely his mind wasn't completely empty of presumptions, right?
Was he expecting something casual, like a poster? Or would that disappoint him, his hopes set on something more special?
Shadow's eyes skimmed over his room, hunting for potential memorabilia; books, albums, DVDs, postcards. But none of them held enough significance to Shadow. They were all too impersonal, nothing relevant enough to his career...
Nothing that could convey to Sonic that he held more value to Shadow than he could possibly imagine.
His eyes flicked to the black storage case in the corner. The one he'd kept locked since his debut.
Inside was a carefully preserved chaos of the past: his first stage jacket, the battered headset mic, the framed ticket stub from his opening night. But buried in a protective sleeve, right at the bottom, was the thing that pulled his attention like gravity...
The original handwritten lyric sheet for his debut single.
Not the printed studio copy, nor the framed, official display one. The real one, creased at the corners from being folded into his pocket, smudged in places where his hand had rested too long, tiny margin notes in rushed script about breath timing and delivery.
It wasn't just paper. It was him at his rawest, when everything was uncertain. Before the fame, before the layers of polish.
A time when he'd finally stopped forcing generic choruses and let his grief guide his words, resulting in a bittersweet song that resonated with millions of fans on its release, although their interpretation of the lyrics was more romantically inclined.
The song served as an homage to Maria, an unfiltered expression of his love for her magnetic presence, to the point where he'd let it consume him. Enough for him to spiral after she was ripped away from him, enough for him to break out of that spiral when he thought about how she would be disappointed in his actions.
Enough to drive him into forging his own path, not only for himself, but from the hope that, if she could somehow see him right now, she would be proud of how far he'd come.
She was taken away from this world too early, and yet, to this day, her wishes still live on in Shadow, steadily fueling his passion to become a better person.
Even while not physically present, her light still shined strong.
And if Sonic kept this, he'd be holding a piece of history Shadow had never shown to anyone else.
He hesitated only once before pulling out a pen. On the back, in small, deliberate handwriting, he wrote:
'This means a lot to me. Don't lose it. – S.H.'
He carefully folded it before placing it in a black envelope, not trusting Sonic to properly preserve it. The thought of that idiot stuffing the paper somewhere or accidentally tearing it almost made Shadow second-guess his decision, but he shook the worrying images away as he stepped out of his bedroom. Sonic wouldn't be so careless with it once he recognized its importance.
"Here," Shadow said simply, holding out the envelope.
Sonic blinked, tilting his head before hopping upright to take it. "Huh? What's this?"
"You asked for an autograph," Shadow said, feigning indifference. "That's it."
"Oh!" Sonic's whole face lit up, and before Shadow could even brace for it, he was hit with one of those grins that made it impossible to keep his heartbeat steady. "Thanks, Shads! Seriously, this means a lot."
Shadow gave a curt nod. "You're welcome."
He waited.
Sonic batted the envelope twice in the air. "I'll keep this safe."
Shadow's ear twitched. "You're not going to open it?"
Sonic tilted his head, looking almost confused by the question. "Oh, nah. It's for Tails."
Shadow blinked, hoping he'd misheard.
"...What?"
"Yeah," Sonic chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "He's a fan, y'know? Asked me for an autograph. I didn't tell you earlier 'cause I didn't want it to feel... like, weirdly formal or somethin'."
For a beat, Shadow's brain stalled. Tails?
So this wasn't... for him? Not a keepsake? Not something Sonic wanted to tuck away and–
His grip tightened reflexively. Heat crept up the back of his neck. Irritation, embarrassment, something sour and sharp all tangled together.
"No."
Sonic blinked. "Huh?"
Shadow's hand darted out before Sonic could react, fingers brushing the edge of the envelope. "That's not for your brother."
"Uh, I think it is," Sonic laughed nervously, leaning back as Shadow's glare bore into him.
"It's personal," Shadow growled. "I didn't write that for him. Give it back."
"Whoa– hey, what the heck? You signed it, didn't you? He's gonna love it!"
"I said no." His voice came low and final, and for a second even Sonic froze. Shadow could see his own reflection in those wide green eyes, frustration etched across his own face far clearer than he'd like.
He withdrew his hand slowly, but his words stayed firm. "That's not something I'm handing over to a stranger. Even if he's your brother."
Sonic held the envelope a little tighter now, like he half-expected Shadow to try snatching it again.
"Man, you're really worked up about this," Sonic muttered, brows knitting as he glanced between Shadow and the sealed paper. "What's even in here?"
Shadow looked away. "Nothing you need to see."
There was no point in informing this fool about a token he'd never planned to receive for himself. No point in explaining just how valuable the contents of that letter are to someone who hadn't even asked for it.
"That's not suspicious at all," Sonic deadpanned, though his grin was creeping back. He turned the envelope over in his hands like he could x-ray it with sheer curiosity. "I mean, if it's just an autograph–"
"It's not just an autograph."
The slip was so quiet, so sharp, that Sonic stilled. Something in his expression shifted. He didn't tear it open then and there... but Shadow could see it, that stubborn spark in his eyes. The one that said ‘I'm definitely gonna find out’.
"Alright, fine," Sonic said at last, tucking the envelope into his jacket pocket. "I'll... hang onto it for now."
Shadow's jaw eased, just slightly, but the twist in his chest didn't go away. Just two minutes ago, the idea of Sonic discovering what that envelope held felt like a small leap of faith.
Now, it felt like a cavernous abyss that stretched out beneath him, the implications of that memento suddenly seeming like a massive jump from where they truly stood.
~~~
Sonic sat on the bed with the envelope balanced in his hands, staring at it like it might explode if he tore it open.
Shadow had made such a big deal about it earlier, his little scowl when Sonic said it was for Tails, the almost-snatch of the envelope. So now, of course, he couldn't stop thinking about what was inside.
"Sorry, buddy," Sonic muttered under his breath, sliding a finger under the flap. "I'm not sleeping until I know."
The paper inside was heavier than he expected, smooth and faintly smelling like ink and something expensive. He unfolded it carefully.
Handwritten lyrics covered the page, sharp strokes of black ink. Every letter was precise in that tidy, almost intimidating handwriting of Shadow's.
The words themselves, though... They weren't cold.
Do you believe me when I say I'm never like this?
Do you need me the way you say you do?
Treading lightly through the water, through the light and darkness
If I'm not careful, my love might consume you
Sonic flared at how borderline sensual the lyrics sounded, but then frowned. Shadow has never had a partner, so this could have been a typical romance song catered to love-driven teens, but something about it felt... real. A legitimate experience that Shadow lived through.
He read another verse, slower:
Pulling me back into my body
I wanna take my time with you
Your lips are gonna haunt me
If what you say is true
Pulling me back into my body
I'm just a dead man walking
I'm just a pawn
But nothing hurts better than you
Sonic stared at the words for a long moment, the back of his neck prickling. This song wasn't about romance, no. It was too bittersweet, melancholic.
He'd heard Shadow sing hundreds of times now, but he didn't recognize these lyrics in any of his performances throughout the tour.
He pulled out his phone to input a few of the lyrics, unsure of whether this was an older song, or perhaps one that was never released.
The search results loaded instantly, and at the very top was a video titled:
Shadow the Hedgehog – Dead Man Walking (Live @ Westopolis Showcase) – Debut Performance
The thumbnail was almost unrecognizable. Shadow looked younger, his quills styled sharper, his stage clothes simpler, less polished. He was holding a mic in both hands, head lowered as the spotlight hit him.
Sonic clicked it.
The camera was shaky, clearly filmed by an easily distracted viewer, but the moment Shadow started singing, the quality stopped mattering.
It was the same words on the page in his lap, but stripped bare. No flashy lighting, no heavy guitar riffs — just an electronic backing track beating in the background and Shadow's voice, low and steady, carrying something heavy in every syllable.
When he hit "Your lips are gonna haunt me", there was no seduction in it. It wasn't playful, it wasn't trying to charm anyone. It sounded like a ghost — something he could never have again, something that hurt to remember.
Sonic leaned forward, eyes locked on the grainy screen.
The crowd in the video cheered at the end, but Shadow didn't bask in it. He just lowered the mic, gave a small nod, and stepped back, almost like he couldn't get off that stage fast enough.
Sonic sat back, phone resting against his chest.
Whatever story was behind that song, it wasn't the kind of thing you just... moved on from. Something about these lines held a weight to them, a crushing expression of how deeply affected Shadow was by whoever this song was directed to.
Sonic's mind trailed to that night at the gym, when Shadow had mentioned his sister, a girl whose energy was undeniably sunny...
The only thing he knew about her appearance was that she was human and had long hair, but somehow, he didn't have trouble imagining her smile. A wide-faced grin that emphasized the apples of her cheeks, a childish excitement that Shadow may had once found annoying, but inevitably grew to love...
To the point of regretting it perhaps, the loss of her presence leaving a gaping wound in Shadow's heart painful enough for him to decide 'never again'.
Sonic examined the lyric sheet again, noting the worn edges and creased corners.
From the looks of it, Shadow had given him the original lyrics to the song, the first completed version of his thoughts at its purest form.
He flipped over the paper to find a note wrapped up with a signature. The words were small, almost hesitant, but the strokes of ink were bold and determined.
'This means a lot to me. Don't lose it. – S.H.'
Sonic exhaled slowly, looking across the room at where a black and gold gift bag sat innocently by the closet, its contents intended to be revealed to Shadow today, before he wimped out and ended up asking him for an autograph instead.
"Guess I'm definitely not giving this to Tails."
~~~
Claws.
Too sharp to be an accident.
Pressure building — breath catching — can't move.
Cold voice at his ear.
"I believed in you when no one else would."
The sting deepens.
"Don't make me regret it."
Sonic jerked upright, heart hammering like it was trying to break free from his ribs.
His shoulder throbbed, a phantom pain searing through it. For a split second, he almost expected to see claws still hooked in the fur there.
Cold sweat clung to his back, plastering the sheets to him. He dragged a hand over his face, fingers trembling, and stared at the sliver of moonlight cutting across the floor. Still the middle of the night.
He swallowed, but the dryness in his throat didn't go away.
Lying back down felt impossible; every time he shut his eyes, that voice was waiting for him.
With a slow exhale, he swung his legs over the side of the bed. The floorboards were cool under his bare feet. He threw his gloves and socks on in a hurried pace, then moved for the door without even thinking about it. Anything to get out of that room, that bed, that memory.
The living room was dim, lit only by the faint city glow bleeding through the tall windows.
Sonic slowed his steps when he spotted the figure on the couch.
Shadow sat with his legs crossed, elbows resting on his knees. A small ceramic bowl was cupped in one hand, and between two fingers of the other, he absently rolled a single coffee bean, as if turning over a thought he couldn't swallow.
"You're up," Sonic said, voice still husky from sleep. He probably would have yelped in surprise at the unexpected presence if he was feeling more lucid, but nothing could kick up his heart rate more than it already had when he woke up.
"Couldn't sleep." Shadow didn't look surprised to see him. His tone was even, but not cold.
His gaze flicked over Sonic, probably taking in the damp fur at his temples, and the restless way he shifted his weight. "You too, apparently."
Sonic rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. Just–"
He hesitated. No point pretending otherwise. "...Nightmare."
A pause. The coffee bean clicked softly against the edge of the bowl. Shadow didn't press, but his eyes stayed on Sonic, steady and unreadable.
Sonic tried for a shrug. "Figured I'd get some air, but, uh... guess you beat me to it."
He started toward the couch before stopping a couple feet away, unsure if Shadow would want the company.
"I read the sheet," he blurted out, unsure of what to follow it with.
When Shadow looked at him curiously, Sonic decided to sink into the chair, tucking one ankle over his knee. His eyes roamed the skyline through the window for a moment before settling on Shadow again.
"You were different in that performance," Sonic said. "Saw an old video earlier. The lyrics looked pretty romantic at first but when I saw you sing, I got the feeling they were written from a different perspective."
Shadow's gaze dropped to the coffee beans again, rolling one between his fingers. "They were."
Sonic's ears tilted forward. "Was it about someone?"
There was a pause, one that stretched long enough to make Sonic worry he'd pushed too far.
"Yes."
Shadow didn't elaborate, but the word was heavy, final in its honesty. And it didn't take a genius to infer who that person was.
"I'm..." Sonic hesitated. "I'm surprised you gave something like that to me. Feels really private."
"It was private," Shadow said simply, and for a heartbeat Sonic thought that was going to be the end of it, but then he added, "And I gave it to you anyway."
Sonic glanced down at the floor, lips pressing together as he wondered why Shadow trusted him with an object of such massive sentimental value. He wanted to ask, but before he could muster the courage to voice his thoughts, Shadow spoke again.
"Your nightmare... does it have to do with the cycle of mistakes you mentioned?"
Sonic blinked at the question, before looking down at his own hands. The faint memory of claws digging in flared against his shoulder again.
"It does," He huffed a quiet laugh that wasn't really amused. "I always thought of myself as the headstrong type when I was younger. Y'know, stubborn and difficult to bend and break... but life had a way of proving me wrong."
Sonic caught the way Shadow's jaw tightened in his peripheral vision.
"Sometimes I think," he went on, "if I keep running fast enough, maybe I'll outrun it. But the damn thing's always on my heels."
Shadow leaned forward slightly, forearms on his knees. "You don't outrun something like that." His voice was quiet, but certain. "You... live alongside it. And you make sure it doesn't own you."
Sonic met his gaze. "You speaking from experience?"
Shadow held his stare for a long moment before looking away. "Maybe."
Sonic let out a short, humorless laugh. "Guess we've both got crap we can't sleep through."
Neither spoke again right away, but the silence felt different this time. Less like an empty space, more like an understanding neither of them needed to name.
Sonic leaned back, restless energy buzzing under his skin despite the late hour. "Y'know, if we're both wide awake, we could do something."
Shadow gave him a side glance. "Like what?"
"Sparring?" Sonic suggested, almost hopeful.
A faint, dismissive hum. "Too loud. You don't want to see Rouge when her sleep is interrupted."
Sonic smirked. "Since when were you scared of–"
"Put your shoes on."
Sonic blinked as he watched Shadow stand up. "What?"
"Shoes," Shadow repeated, already heading for his room. "And a jacket. Unless you want to freeze."
Sonic was left dumbfounded for a few seconds. From what he understood, Shadow was taking him outside. Where outside, given that not many shops are open in the middle of the night outside of bars and clubs, remained to be seen.
Sonic sped off to his own room to toss on the red and white jacket that Honey had altered for him, zipping it up quickly before pacing back out to find Shadow already slipping his shoes on in the hallway.
"You're not gonna tell me where we're going?" Sonic called after him, pulling his sneakers on anyway.
"No."
Sonic caught up in the hall, still tugging his jacket zipper up. "You love being cryptic, don't you?"
Shadow didn't answer, but the corner of his mouth tugged upward. They took the elevator down in silence, the dim lights and low hum of machinery making the moment feel conspiratorial.
But as soon as the elevator doors opened to reveal a space that Sonic recognized, a his eyes lit up. "Are we doing what I think we're doing?"
Shadow swung a leg over the bike, handing Sonic a spare helmet. "If you fall off, I'm not turning back."
"Hah!" Sonic scoffed, sliding it on. "I've got better balance than you."
The engine roared to life, its growl cutting through the night air. Shadow didn't say a word, just pulled away from the curb, and soon they were weaving through near-empty streets, the city lights blurring past.
Sonic gripped the sides of the bike, wind tearing at his fur, and for the first time that night, the heaviness in his chest loosened. Whatever this was, wherever they were going, it felt like exactly what he needed.
The streets of Station Square fell away behind them, neon signs giving way to long, dark stretches of road. The city glow dulled in the mirrors until it was just them, the hum of the engine, and the silver line of the moon overhead.
Shadow leaned forward slightly, twisting the throttle. The bike surged ahead, wind rushing past so fast it flattened Sonic's quills. The highway was nearly empty, just open asphalt inviting them to go faster.
Sonic couldn't help it — he laughed. Not the cocky laugh he gave during a fight, but the kind that bubbled up from deep in his chest. He didn't even try to hide it.
Shadow smirked beneath his helmet. "Enjoying yourself?"
"You kidding? This is amazing!" Sonic yelled back, his voice nearly swallowed by the speed. "The air is so much better out here than in the city."
For a while, they didn't speak. They just let the bike eat up the miles, shadows and headlights flickering over them.
At some point, even the lampposts began to fade away, leaving the motorcycle's headlights as the only source of light across the dark highway.
They began to slow to a comfortable cruising pace, and Sonic took advantage of the quieter wind by leaning in just enough to be heard without shouting. "Are we going anywhere in particular or am I being kidnapped?"
His ears caught the slightest huff under Shadow's helmet before getting his answer. "I have a destination in mind."
The motorcycle slowed down some more as Shadow pulled into the side of the highway, and Sonic couldn't help the confused knit of his brows when it finally came to a stop even though there were no buildings around them for miles.
"Y'know, I was joking earlier about the kidnapping," Sonic laughed nervously as Shadow got off the motorcycle, hesitantly following his actions.
The motorcycle's headlights shut off as Shadow clipped his helmet to its handlebar, bathing the two of them in darkness.
Sonic took advantage moment to survey his surroundings, squinting his eyes at the field beside them. Several rows of tall plants lined the distance, but he was unable to determine what they were by their vague silhouettes.
"Come sit down."
Sonic snapped his head back to find Shadow laying in the tall grass, like it was a totally normal thing to do after a bike ride in the middle of the night.
Sonic just stood there for a second, staring down at Shadow like he'd lost his mind. "You... dragged me out here for a midnight grass nap?"
Shadow didn't even look at him. "Just sit."
Sonic grumbled under his breath, but the truth was, the cool night air and the sound of the wind combing through the tall plants was... oddly peaceful. He dropped down beside Shadow, the grass bending under his weight. It was softer than he expected, the faint scent of earth and something sweet clinging to it.
"Look up," Shadow said.
Sonic tilted his head back, and his breath caught.
With no city lights to drown them out, the stars were scattered thick across the black sky. Not the timid handful he usually saw, but thousands, shimmering and sharp. It was like staring into infinity.
"Whoa..." he murmured.
"Maria."
Sonic blinked. "Huh?"
"My sister," Shadow clarified. "Her name was Maria."
Sonic glanced at him, but Shadow's eyes were fixed upward, reflecting pinpricks of light. His usually stony face was consumed by a mixture of longing and sorrow, a rare expression that made Sonic's heart crack.
"That's a beautiful name," Sonic spoke quieter than he ever had, unable to slip in an inch of merriment into his voice.
"It is," Shadow said quietly, almost like he was speaking to the sky instead of Sonic. "Almost as beautiful as her soul."
Sonic looked back at the stars. He could have responded, but he felt nothing in the world that could be said would have the substance that Shadow's confession deserved.
So for once, he remained silent.
"She used to love stargazing," Shadow broke the silence. "We'd sneak up to the roof at night. She could name half the constellations without even looking them up."
Sonic imagined the recount, smiling at the notion of Shadow doing something so rebellious. Maria must've been a truly magnetic presence for him to go along with her whims so easily.
"She liked sunflowers, too," Shadow continued after a moment. "Said they were stubborn. Always turning toward the sun, even when the clouds were in the way."
An inkling of recognition wormed its way into Sonic's mind, causing him to blurt out the term his brain somehow didn't forget.
"Girasole?"
Shadow let out a small huff beside him, "You remembered."
"It's the only word that stuck," Sonic admitted. Any other words in any other language that Shadow had uttered that day were a blur.
Shadow shifted slightly, "Seems suitable for you to remember that of all things."
Sonic blinked at the comment, confused, "What do you mean?"
Shadow let out a small exhale before speaking again. "It's what you are."
Caught off guard, Sonic tilted his head to identify the expression that accompanied such a statement, but Shadow's gaze remained on the sky.
"I'm... a sunflower?"
A faint smirk tugged at Shadow's mouth. "You're loud. Bright. And no matter how much darkness is around you, you keep finding a way to face the light."
Sonic's chest gave a weird, warm twist at that. Despite the smirk, there was something in Shadow's voice that almost sounded reverent, an unexpected string of fondness slipping through that made Sonic's heart flip.
"Is that another 'factual observation' of yours?"
Shadow didn't say anything right away, but his smirk slowly softened into something more genuine before answering.
"An observation, yes. But perhaps somewhat biased."
Sonic froze at the admission, needing to utilize the entirety of his self control to avoid launching up from the grass.
Surely that had to mean something, right? Shadow driving him in the middle of the night to stargaze, opening up about his past, his treatment towards Sonic bordering on affectionate.
Every inch of Sonic's brain was screaming at him that this was romantic, that Shadow's recent behavior towards him indicated a wish to become more, a level of vulnerability and intimacy Sonic had never seen Shadow exhibit with anyone else.
And yet, a tiny thread of doubt crawled into his mind.
What if Shadow saw him the same way he saw Maria? As kin, rather than a partner?
"You should be biased more often," Sonic finally teased, even though his fists were clenched. There would only be one way to find out, and he was determined to do so before the interview tomorrow.
Shadow let out an amused huff. "At the cost of rationality? One of us has to remain sensible."
He then slowly push himself up to his feet, prompting Sonic to follow suit with an indignant retort, "I'm not the one who took us out on a motorcycle ride in the middle of the night! That's a pretty impulsive thing to do if you think about it."
Shadow scoffed as he walked over to the motorcycle, "It was a better idea than sparring right before an interview. I'm not risking appearing on camera with a split lip."
"You say that like we've ever gone for each other's faces," Sonic grumbled, but tucked himself behind Shadow on the seat regardless. "So worried that I'd land a hit on you... where'd your self-confidence go?"
Shadow handed Sonic the spare helmet before sliding on his own, his voice coming out muffled. "Sitting right next to my common sense, not that you'd know much about that."
Sonic snorted at the comeback as Shadow started up the vehicle, finding it strange how even though they were having the most intimate moment just minutes ago, they still fell back into their banter with ease.
It was a constant, an unchanging nature of their relationship that would never change, and Sonic didn't mind that.
He stayed silent when Shadow set off, enjoying the wind rushing through his quills as the bike glided along the highway. A wave of drowsiness washed over him as they neared the city.
By the time they arrived back at the garage, Sonic didn't realize he'd rested his chin on Shadow's shoulder at some point, suddenly reinvigorated as he snatched his head back up while Shadow pushed down the kickstand, who notably didn't mention Sonic's reenactment of their last flight.
They rode up the elevator in silence, a quietness that Shadow seemed content with, but drove Sonic crazy as he was being plagued with an increasingly persistent urge to do something before their night could end. He wasn't sure what exactly, but he didn't trust his sleep deprived brain to come up with something smart.
After the elevator doors opened and they took off their shoes, Sonic stopped Shadow before they could cross the hallway.
Shadow didn't seem bothered by the interruption, crimson eyes instead trained on him on what looked like anticipation, but Sonic needed to work fast.
"I need to show you something. Wait here," he rushed off to his room before he could see Shadow's reaction, previously tired muscles now powered by adrenaline as he quickly grabbed the gift bag and practically ran back into the hall.
Shadow was standing exactly where Sonic had left him, hands tucked into his jacket pockets, still and patient.
Sonic felt heat creep up his neck. "Uh, here," he said quickly, shoving the bag at him.
Shadow blinked and took it, tilting his head slightly. "What's this?"
"Coffee," Sonic said, rubbing the back of his neck. "You mentioned Arabica beans, so... I figured you'd like it."
Shadow carefully revealed the neatly packaged coffee before inspecting it, eyes riddled with what Sonic could only deem as pure wonder. "This is... an excellent brand. Did you research this?"
"Psh, I might not be the most tech-savvy hedgehog out there," Sonic batted a hand casually, even though his heart was thudding in his ears, "but I know how to do a little investigating!"
There was a quiet beat between them. Shadow's gaze softened, and he set the bag down on a nearby console table, stepping closer.
"You went out of your way for this. Why?" Shadow murmured.
"Well, as mannerless as you seem to think I am, I wouldn't half-ass a gift," Sonic teased with a quirked brow, only to shrink when he noticed the look of absolute fixation in Shadow's gaze.
He needed to stop beating around the bush and give a proper answer.
"I went out of my way for this because," he took in a deep breath, "I wanted to make the effort... for you."
Shadow stilled, crimson eyes locking on Sonic's face.
For a moment, neither of them moved. The air felt heavier, thicker. Shadow took another step closer, close enough that Sonic could see the way the dim hallway lights caught in his fur, the faintest glint of curiosity, maybe something warmer, in his gaze.
Sonic's ears flicked back as he swallowed, pulse thrumming hard enough from the proximity that he vaguely wondered if Shadow could hear it.
"Thank you," Shadow said quietly.
"You're–" Sonic tried to speak with faux confidence, only for his words to die out when Shadow tentatively reached out, gloved fingers briefly brushing against Sonic's wrist in a gesture so subtle he swore his heart stopped.
"–welcome..." Sonic finished off breathlessly.
They stood there, so close that Sonic could feel the warmth radiating off him, could practically taste the tension in the air. How awfully familiar was this situation? Except there was no 'business card' related reason for Shadow's closeness this time.
And there was definitely no professional reason for Shadow's gaze to flicker briefly to Sonic's mouth.
Sonic's heart was sprinting at this point, holding his breath out of fear that the slightest disturbance in the air between them could ruin this moment.
Sonic couldn't feel his extremities anymore when he noticed how Shadow's hand, previously featherlight on his wrist, had traveled up to hover over his cheek. Not an inch of the hand was in direct contact, and yet, peach fur still rose in attempt to reach the warmth that somehow radiated through the glove and air.
It was a question, Sonic realized. A silent invitation for him to give the go-ahead, to engage. All he had to do was pull that hand onto his face, lean in, and–
DING!
Both of them jolted at the sudden noise, and Sonic tried not to let the onslaught of overwhelming vexation manifest into a loud groan when Shadow lightly pulled back to investigate the interruption. Who the hell sends a message at this time of the night?
Shadow checked his phone briefly, then hurriedly slipped it back into his pocket before Sonic could get the chance to identify the culprit that ruined their moment.
"It's late," Shadow murmured while taking another step back, sounding somewhat withdrawn. "We should sleep. You'll need the energy for tomorrow."
"Yeah," Sonic nodded, trying not to look disappointed. "Right..."
He wanted so desperately to prolong this moment, to point out the tension between them, or do something more impulsive like pulling Shadow back in to kiss him silly, but the window of opportunity vanished when Shadow picked up the gift bag and started down the hall.
He stayed frozen in place, a sea of doubt bubbling up as his mind raced through possible reasons Shadow didn't follow through. Did he regret what he was doing halfway and take the phone ping as his chance to backtrack?
Maybe he never intended to kiss Sonic to begin with. Maybe Sonic misread the signs. Maybe Shadow looked down at his lips because he had some dirt smudged near them and hovered his hand over Sonic's cheek to wipe it off–
"Goodnight, Sonic." Sonic was dragged out of his reverie to see Shadow looking over his shoulder with a smile akin to silk in its softness.
And the way he said his name so delicately, almost tender... Sonic's doubts vanished in the blink of an eye.
"Night, Shads," he said with a grin that couldn't hide the warmth flooding his chest.
As Shadow disappeared into his room, Sonic leaned against the wall, running a hand through his quills with a long sigh. No kiss. No confession. But that tension? That look? Sonic knew where they stood now.
It wasn't a question of 'if'. Just when.
And that when would be the first moment he found himself alone with Shadow tomorrow, after his interview. He was determined to see it through.
~~~
Shadow shut his bedroom door with a shaky exhale, trying to control his palpitating heart that seemed adamant on breaking through his chest.
He was so close, and Sonic hadn't backed away from his advance…
But when that noise alerted him, all he could feel was dread as he instantly recognized who it would be from, and more urgently, what that message likely entailed.
His mounting suspicions were confirmed when he unlocked his screen once more, this time without the risk of Sonic's prying eyes.
Ω - I HAVE COLLECTED A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF EYE WITNESS STATEMENTS THROUGH (MOSTLY) NONVIOLENT MEANS. THEIR DESCRIPTIONS OF MEPHIS TENNYSON'S APPEARANCE ALIGN WITH MEPHILES'.
Shadow sank onto the edge of his bed, phone clenched in one hand, the other pressed over his face in a rare moment of unguarded frustration.
Mephiles. Of course it was him. The name "Mephis Tennyson" had always felt like a mask, an alias designed to distance himself from the family name. But to see it confirmed, tied directly to Sonic's suffering, made Shadow's stomach churn.
He remembered flashes of his uncle from his childhood: a sly voice with a snake's cadence, always whispering schemes in Black Doom's ear. Mephiles was a phantom in the family, always lurking in the shadows of meetings, a man who seemed to thrive on manipulation. And now, somehow, he'd targeted Sonic — his Sonic.
The thought made Shadow's jaw tighten.
That shifty scoundrel always had hidden intentions, but why would Mephiles involve himself in an orphan's life and drag them into pit-fighting of all things?
Guilt seeped in through the cracks of his anger. He knew it wasn't logical. He hadn't chosen his family, hadn't chosen Mephiles' cruelty towards Sonic, but the connection was undeniable. Sonic's scars, both visible and not, had ties to his own bloodline. It was enough to make his chest ache in a way that felt almost suffocating.
He wanted to get up, march to Sonic's room, and promise him that Mephiles would never lay a finger on him again. That he'd tear down the entire Mafia if that's what it took to keep him safe. But Shadow knew he couldn't… not yet. Not when Sonic didn't even know the truth of his tormentor's identity. Not when he hadn't figured out Mephiles' game.
The phone buzzed again in his hand. Shadow exhaled sharply, dragging his palm over his face before looking at the screen.
Ω - ALSO, THE SPERM DONOR HAS AN INVITATION FOR YOU AGAIN.
Shadow's eye twitched as he opened up the file that followed.
'My son,
Your presence is requested for a family dinner.
October 5th. 7 PM.'
Shadow narrowed his eyes, not at the lack of location provided, since he knew exactly where his father wanted him to go, but rather at the lack of urging demands for him to stop his "impertinence" that usually came with these fruitless invitations.
That much was standard; formal, cold, clipped. Doom's invitations had always been like this, orders disguised as etiquette.
But the next line made Shadow's stomach plummet.
'You may bring your guest if you deem him necessary.'
Shadow's breath hitched for half a second.
Of course.
The timing was impeccable, almost theatrical, and Shadow knew better than to believe this invitation was anything like the previous ones.
The word "guest" glared back at him, sterile and sharp. But the deliberate placement of "him"... turned it into something else entirely.
A message. A warning.
Shadow read it again, slower this time, feeling the air in the room thicken around him. Doom never acknowledged anyone outside of their bloodline. Even his closest allies were tools, never named. Yet here was a single, pointed pronoun that stripped Sonic's anonymity away like a blade sliding beneath armor.
He knew.
Doom wasn't just aware of the rumors swirling online. He'd sniffed out the truth hiding beneath them: Sonic mattered. Sonic's closeness wasn't a security detail; it was leverage.
A pulse of dread spread through Shadow's chest, heavy and suffocating. Doom didn't need to say it outright. The offer of a "plus-one" was no courtesy. It was a leash, an invitation to parade Sonic into the lion's den, a reminder that Shadow's father had already factored him into his games of control.
And if Shadow refused to bring him? Doom would read that, too. He'd see weakness, fear, a protective instinct to exploit.
He'd been careless. He'd let Sonic too close, too visible. Doom was circling now, scenting blood in the water. And if Mephiles knew too— and of course he did— it wouldn't take much for them to paint Sonic as a liability. A weakness.
The idea of Sonic being dragged into their world, used as leverage to bend Shadow back into his father's grip, made his stomach twist violently. He pictured Sonic's easy grin, his warm laugh, the brightness that followed him everywhere...
And bile rose in his throat at the thought of that light being snuffed out by the darkness of this wretched family, just like–
Shadow gripped the phone until his knuckles ached, fury bubbling just beneath his stoic exterior. He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't.
And yet, beneath the anger and protective instinct, guilt gnawed at him. If Sonic got caught in the crossfire, it would all circle back to Shadow and his bloodline. To the life he'd tried so hard to leave behind.
For a long moment, he sat motionless, the room dim and silent save for the faint hum of the city outside. His mind kept going back to the warmth of Sonic's gaze in the hallway, the way he hadn't flinched from Shadow's closeness, the smile that had burned away Shadow's doubts. The way he'd expressed time and time again that he viewed Shadow as someone he could wholly trust.
And he couldn't shake the terrifying thought that that trust might be Sonic's biggest mistake.
A breath shuddered out of Shadow as he set the phone down with deliberate care, but his hands trembled slightly against his thighs. He pressed his palms together in attempt to steady them, bowing his head until his forehead rested on the tips of his fingers.
He needed to do something about this before they travel to Central City. Could he just cancel his tour? No, his father would smell the fear behind such a course of action. It would only fuel his control over Shadow's perceived weakness.
He needed to remove this pressure. He needed to convey to his father that Sonic was not a viable tool to use.
Shadow eyed the coffee beans he'd set on his dresser, a growing sensation of guilt gnawing at him.
Sonic would hate him for what he was going to do.
Notes:
Posting before passing out at 7am so my writing this chapter looks a bit fuckass 💀 ANYWHOS I was not kidding about the gayness WE’RE SO CLOSE TO THE KISS ALDJAKDAJ ONE MORE CHAPTER…
But not before the shit that’s about to go down first GODDAMMIT SHADOW I felt so bad about the way I ended this chapter that I locked tf in for the next one COZ I REFUSE TO MAKE YALL WAIT ANOTHER 2 WEEKS FOR THAT
Also, yourAngel_o is the genius behind the scene of Shadow misunderstanding Sonic’s request for an autograph 😈 I GOT SECONDHAND EMBARRASSMENT ON SHADOW’S BEHALF but that misunderstanding defs sped things up so I’d say it’s worth it 👀
ALSO THAT SONG IS THE FIC TITLE INSPO AHAHAHA the song is called Dead Man Walking by Grant, ellis I discovered it in a Valorant playlist (dont judge AHAHA) and I felt like the lyrics were smth that could be interpreted both romantically solemnly 🙂↕️
Omega the mega-cockblocker 🗿 bro sensed the anticipation and ran a machine gun through it
The drugs in the starter scene were inspired by a k-drama I watched a year ago called Strong Girl Namsoon if anyone’s interested 💊 the idea of a two-part drug sounded like just the kinda villainy Mephiles and Eggman would love
THE BIRDS ARE CHIRPING RN MY SLEEP SCHEDULE IS COOKED I WILL SEE U ALL NEXT WEEK AND NOT THE WEEK AFTER 👁️ 👁️ no more biweekly updates
Chapter 26: Push and Pull
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Despite the interruption to his sleep, Sonic felt revitalized when he woke up, a hum of positivity buzzing through him as went through his morning routine with more vibrancy to his step than usual.
He didn't tell Tails or Amy anything about the recent development just yet, wanting to wait until that final loose end was tied: his conversation with Shadow. He needed to voice his feelings properly, declare his intentions and, if he was right about what happened between them last night, Shadow would reciprocate them.
Rouge and Shadow were already at the dining table when he exited his room, giving a light greeting to each of them despite most of his focus lying on Shadow, who was...
Avoiding eye contact, Sonic noted, which made his beaming energy falter a bit. But then his eyes caught the plate that was laid out before the seat he usually took, consisting of–
A chili dog?
Sonic blinked at the unexpected meal that replaced his usual sunny-side-up, mind toiling away when he looked back up to see Shadow still focused on his coffee cereal (Sonic noted that the beans didn't look like the ones he'd gifted him), and Rouge eyeing the chili dog with a knowing smirk.
"Huh." Sonic picked up the chili dog, biting back a smile. "Now this is a breakfast I can get behind."
"Don't get used to it," Shadow said flatly, still not meeting his eyes.
That stung a little. Sonic forced a laugh to lighten the mood. "Guess I'll savor it while it lasts, then."
Shadow hummed in acknowledgment but stayed quiet, posture stiff. Sonic studied him from the corner of his eye, confusion swirling. Why was he so... distant this morning? Was he just tired? Preoccupied with the interview?
He tried not to let it get to him, reminding himself of that tenderness last night, of Shadow's hand hovering over his cheek.
He's probably just stressed about the interview. That's all.
By the time they left for the studio, Sonic's optimism was slightly dented, but remained. It was fine.
Everything would be fine as soon as he and Shadow got a moment alone together.
The Acorn Post building towered above Sonic, Rouge, and Shadow on arrival, a column of classic russet bricks that looked like a preserved piece of history. But as soon as they slipped through the revolving doors, it became a different story.
Inside, the air was cool and smelled faintly of coffee and printer ink. Sleek marble tiles reflected the warm golden lights overhead, and polished wood accents gave the lobby a sophisticated finish.
The hum of conversation and distant ringing phones filled the space, employees weaving between one another with clipboards and tablets in hand. Their pace was brisk but practiced, clearly used to the steady buzz of production days.
That buzz spiked when Shadow stepped through the doors.
It was subtle at first: heads turning, whispers passing between coworkers, a few wide-eyed glances that quickly flicked back down to screens. By the time Rouge reached the front desk, though, the receptionist was already sitting a little straighter, fumbling briefly with her headset before giving a professional but clearly starstruck greeting.
"Mr. Shadow, welcome," she said, voice just a touch higher than normal. "We've been expecting you."
Rouge leaned casually against the desk, her smile polished and confident. "Of course you have, sweetheart," she said smoothly, glancing toward Shadow with a proud tilt of her head. "Why don't you let them know the star of the hour has arrived?"
The receptionist nodded quickly, gesturing for them to follow as she buzzed someone on her earpiece.
Sonic trailed after Rouge and Shadow, feeling the shift in the air as staff members peeked around corners or paused mid-stride to sneak a look at Shadow. It was almost funny how effortlessly Shadow carried himself through it, like he was immune to the weight of all those curious stares.
Sonic gave a small grin despite himself. That was Shadow. Always composed. Always untouchable.
They were led through a hallway lined with framed magazine covers and accolades, until finally they reached a bustling staging area. Cameras were being adjusted, producers were barking quiet orders into headsets. Shadow was ushered toward a dressing room to get touched up before the segment.
Sonic lingered outside the door, leaning against the wall. He watched Shadow disappear into the dressing room with his usual cool indifference, but something in Sonic's gut told him to say something, anything. He didn’t.
When Shadow emerged a few minutes later, looking sharp and unflappable, Sonic straightened and gave him a grin.
"Hey," he said softly, making sure no one else was close enough to hear. "You got this, yeah? Just do your thing. Show 'em who's boss."
Shadow paused.
It was barely noticeable, but Sonic caught it— the slight tightening in his shoulders, the fraction of a second where his crimson eyes flickered with something softer, heavier. Guilt.
"I always do," Shadow murmured. His tone was cool, but his gaze lingered on Sonic just long enough to make Sonic's heart skip.
Before Sonic could ask if everything was alright, a producer swept in, gesturing for Shadow to follow. Shadow gave him one last unreadable look and turned on his heel, walking toward the set with a smoothness that betrayed nothing.
Sonic began to tap his fingers restlessly against his pant leg, trying to shake off the unease curling in his chest. Maybe Shadow was just in work mode. Maybe he was nervous.
He followed Rouge to a small cluster of seats just off set, a "guest viewing" area meant for assistants, stylists, and managers. The hum of activity around him was almost dizzying; camera operators adjusting angles, producers muttering through headsets, makeup artists buzzing around like bees.
But it all dulled when Sally Acorn herself stepped onto the stage.
She was everything Sonic expected a polished journalist to be: confident, elegant, with her auburn hair in a perfectly coiffed ponytail and a blazer that screamed effortless authority. She greeted the staff with warm familiarity, but there was a sharpness in her eyes, the kind of intelligence that clocked everything and everyone around her in seconds.
Even her smile felt like a precision instrument. Disarming, charming, but with just enough edge to keep people on their toes.
She greeted Shadow without timidity, firmly shaking his hand before calling out to her crew.
"Good morning, everyone," her voice carried over the chatter without needing to be raised. She slid into her seat with graceful ease, crossing her legs and adjusting her notes. "Let's keep this tight and clean."
Then she leveled Shadow with an innocent smile, “I thought you’d appreciate the efficiency.”
Sonic's ears twitched at that. There was no malice in her tone, but there was something about her confidence, calculated and practiced, that made his stomach tighten. This wasn't going to be some easy puff-piece interview. Sally Acorn knew how to dig.
"Smooth, huh?" Rouge murmured beside him, watching Sonic out of the corner of her eye. She was smirking, but her posture was alert, like she was ready to step in at a moment's notice.
Sonic gave a small shrug, though his gaze never left Sally. "Yeah.”
He didn’t like it.
The air around the set shifted instantly. The quiet chatter dimmed as the cameras snapped into position.
The studio lights were harsh, glaring off the sleek modern set where Sally Acorn sat poised with her signature calculating smile. Cameras rolling, but atmosphere calm. Shadow sat composed in a jet-black suit, posture perfect.
Sonic gave Shadow an encouraging grin when he caught his eyes from the viewing area, but the idol barely glanced at him before straightening in his seat.
"And we're live," the producer whispered.
Sally dove in with practiced charm, running through the usual pleasantries, asking the expected questions about Shadow's career and recent accomplishments, before steering toward the topic everyone wanted to hear about: the swirling rumors.
"There's been... chatter online," Sally said, her voice lilting with faux curiosity. "Pictures of you and your bodyguard looking awfully cozy. The public's fascinated by this dynamic. Care to comment?"
Sonic smirked, ready for Shadow to effortlessly shut her down, maybe even with a snide remark or two. But instead, Shadow's eyes cooled.
"There is nothing to comment on," Shadow said smoothly. "The rumors are unfounded."
Sonic's smirk faltered.
Sally's brows lifted, intrigued. "Unfounded? Because these photos–"
"–are a product of clever camera angles and invasive paparazzi," Shadow cut her off with icy precision. "They mean nothing."
Sonic blinked. Nothing?
Sally chuckled. "So, you're saying there's no truth to the speculation that you and your bodyguard might be more than—"
"My bodyguard is exactly that. A bodyguard," Shadow said firmly, his voice carrying a faint edge. "He's there to do his job, not to serve as tabloid entertainment."
Sonic furrowed his brows, confused about why Shadow was straying from his plan, confused about why he was straight up denying the rumors right off the bat.
Sally's smirk widened like a shark smelling blood. "So you'd say he's just another employee to you?"
"Precisely," Shadow said, tone clipped. "I appreciate his work, but he is not special."
...What?
Rouge shifted slightly in her seat behind the cameras, her eyes flicking toward Sonic with quiet alarm, but Sally was relentless, clearly delighted at the reactions Shadow's coldness was provoking.
"What about this photo?" Sally held up the infamous shot of them asleep on each other during their flight. "It seems quite... intimate."
Shadow's crimson gaze flicked to the photo, then back to Sally without hesitation. "I'm sure you understand the exhaustion that comes with our lines of work. Fatigue, nothing more."
The world felt like it had gone muffled, with only the sound of Shadow's frosty negations filtering through. Sonic's throat went dry, shoving his hands into his pockets to hide the way they curled into fists. What the hell was Shadow doing?
"You've always been so private," Sally mused. "So, to clarify for your fans, there is no romantic connection between you and your bodyguard?"
"Correct," Shadow said calmly, and Sonic could only watch with mounting horror as Shadow leaned back in his chair with an air of finality.
"There is nothing romantic between us. There never has been, and there never will be."
Rouge's jaw tightened as she shot Shadow a subtle glare, but the damage was done. Sally leaned back with a satisfied smile, shifting topics, and Sonic...
Sonic wasn't listening anymore.
"There never has been, and there never will be."
Those words sliced deep into his chest, breath catching as he tried to get his heartbeat under control. Surely there had to be an explanation for this, right? Surely, there was a brilliant reason behind this... tactical move. Yes, it must've been strategic.
He just needed to hear Shadow out.
By the time the cameras cut, Sonic plastered on a casual grin as if nothing was wrong, but inside, he was reeling. He needed to catch Shadow's gaze so he could search for something. A small smile, a nod, anything that could give some semblance of reassurance. A subtle gesture to provide Sonic solace from his racing thoughts.
And yet...
Shadow hadn't even glanced his way as producers rushed to wrap things up, as if he wasn't even there.
The same Shadow who'd nearly kissed him last night.
The same Shadow who'd looked at him like he was something precious.
Now he was "not special."
Not romantic.
Nothing.
Sonic swallowed hard, jaw tight, and shoved down the hurt threatening to crack his façade. He was hoping no one noticed how hard he was biting the inside of his cheek to keep from snapping.
This wasn't the time or place to react. As upset as he was, he couldn't afford to react in a way that contradicted Shadow's claims. Not yet, not while they're still out in the waters, in the midst of starved sharks waiting for a smidgen of drama.
He'd get through the rest of this day.
The car ride back to the penthouse was suffocating. Rouge sat in the driver's seat, her usual sly demeanor gone, her lips pressed into a thin, sharp line. Sonic sat stiffly in the back, arms folded, staring out the window at the blur of Station Square. Shadow was next to him, silent and unreadable as ever, crimson eyes fixed ahead like he hadn't just gutted him on live television.
Sonic's smile had died the moment they got into the car.
Rouge noticed. Of course she noticed. She glanced at him once in the rearview mirror, her eyes soft with sympathy, but she didn't say a word. She knew this wasn't her place.
The penthouse felt colder than usual when they returned. Sonic didn't wait for Rouge or Shadow as he strode inside, tugging off his blazer and tossing it onto the counter with more force than necessary. His stomach churned with confusion, hurt, and... humiliation.
Shadow had planned this, hadn't he? Those unsettling actions replayed in Sonic's head; Shadow avoiding his gaze, the chili dog, that look of guilt right before the segment began. Suddenly, it all clicked. This wasn't nerves. This wasn't stress.
Shadow had made a decision.
And Sonic didn't like it one damn bit.
He heard the elevator doors click softly behind him as Shadow stepped inside.
"Mind explaining what the hell that was?" Sonic asked, his voice tight as a bowstring.
He didn't care that Rouge was witnessing his outburst. She seemed just as stunned by Shadow's responses in the interview. Even though she wasn't as directly impacted by it, this was a question that both of them deserved the answer to.
Shadow said nothing. He didn't even take off his coat, just set his sunglasses on the table.
Sonic turned, bristling. "You weren't supposed to deny it."
"Plans change," Shadow said calmly, his tone flat and cold as though the cameras from the studio were still rolling, as though the prying eyes of the press followed them well into the privacy of the penthouse.
Sonic stared at him, stunned. "Plans change? That's all you've got to say? After throwing me under the bus on live TV?"
Shadow's eyes flicked up to meet his, but there was no warmth there. Only that careful, frosted-over stare. "It was necessary."
Sonic barked a bitter laugh. "Necessary for what? Making me look like some clingy employee who doesn't know boundaries?"
"You are my employee," Shadow said, his voice low and measured. "That's the role you're paid to fill. That's all anyone needs to see."
The words hit like a punch to the gut. Sonic took a step forward, anger flashing through his pain. "You didn't have to go that far. You didn't have to say–"
His throat tightened. That I'm not special. That there never was or will be anything.
Shadow's face didn't waver, but Sonic noticed his fists clench at his sides as he spoke quietly. "I did."
Sonic's heart twisted. "Why?"
A flicker of hesitation crossed Shadow's face — just for a split second — but then it was gone, replaced by a cool detachment that made Sonic's blood boil.
"Reasons you wouldn't understand," Shadow said evenly.
Sonic gaped in disbelief, half expecting to see a camera crew materialize from thin air to tell him "Surprise! It was a prank!".
Because nothing else could explain the absurdity of this personality switch. Nothing could explain Shadow going back to treating him like when they'd first met. Hell, even worse, because at least Shadow reacted to Sonic's existence back then.
Now, it's like Shadow was replaced with an empty shell, one that had its memory wiped, like every moment he'd shared with Sonic just... vanished.
"If you're gonna screw me over without remorse," Sonic seethed, uncaring of how uncouth he sounded, "at least have the balls to explain you fucking coward."
Finally, a flash of fury cut through that lifeless demeanor as Shadow snarled and took a step forward. Sonic was ready to meet him, but before their words got the chance to escalate into something physical, Rouge grabbed Shadow by the back of his collar.
"As much as I understand the manly urge to solve everything with fists, it won't change what's already happened," Rouge scolded the two before turning to Sonic.
"How about you take some time to cool off? There's nothing left on the agenda today, so maybe you could check out what the streets of Station Square have to offer."
She smiled like it was a suggestion, but there was an underlying firmness to her tone implying it was more of a command, and Sonic knew better than to reject it.
His breath shook as he turned away, fists clenching as he quelled the urge to turn back and throw them at Shadow.
"Fine," he muttered, grabbing his blazer again before storming toward the elevator. A childish part of him wished the entrance was a traditional door so he could get the satisfaction of slamming it.
As soon as the doors slid shut, Sonic leaned against the wall for a moment, his chest heaving as though he'd just run a marathon, though he hadn't moved an inch.
He slid down until he was sitting on the floor, knees pulled up loosely to his chest, his quills shadowing his face.
Shadow's voice wouldn't stop replaying in his head.
"You are my employee. That's all anyone needs to see."
Sonic squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block it out, but the words dug deeper the more he resisted. The same voice that had murmured soft, careful words to him on that motorcycle ride was now laced with ice, each syllable designed to sever whatever fragile thing had started blooming between them.
And worse than that... it had worked.
His stomach twisted, shame and confusion twisting together until he couldn't tell one from the other. He'd thought last night meant something. Shadow's subtle touches, the way he'd listened when Sonic opened up the slightest bit. The unspoken tension that had thrummed between them like a live wire.
Had Sonic imagined it all?
He ran a shaky hand through his quills, frustration bubbling up. He never second-guessed himself like this, but Shadow had a way of getting under his skin, making him feel like a reckless kid again, desperately hoping for a sign he wasn't completely out of his depth.
"Damn it..." Sonic muttered under his breath, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes until colors bloomed behind them.
It wasn't just rejection. If it were, Sonic could take it on the chin and move on; he'd had his fair share of unrequited crushes. No, this felt like betrayal. Like Shadow had reached into his chest, taken that tender little thing Sonic offered him, and crushed it for the cameras.
And yet...
Sonic knew Shadow well enough to know there was something behind that coldness. Something coiled tight and dangerous, maybe even afraid. That flash of hesitation in Shadow's eyes when Sonic had demanded an explanation... he hadn't imagined that.
That didn't make it hurt any less.
"Pull it together, hedgehog," he muttered as he forced himself to stand, though his voice cracked on the words.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket, afraid to reveal the contents of its unread notifications. Tails had probably seen the interview by now. Amy too. Hell, everyone had. He could already picture the headlines:
'Shadow the Hedgehog DENIES Rumors, Shuts Down Speculation About His Bodyguard.'
'Pop Idol Insists There's Nothing More Than a Professional Relationship.'
He clenched his jaw, a bitter laugh slipping out. "Professional relationship. Right."
~~~
As soon as Sonic was gone, Shadow finally let his mask slip. His hands trembled as he leaned against the counter, crimson eyes clouded with regret. Rouge turned to him with her arms crossed, gaze sharp.
"That was brutal," she said softly.
Shadow didn't answer. He just pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled a shaky breath.
"It's the only way to keep him safe," he whispered to himself, like he was trying to convince himself more than her.
Rouge's expression softened. She'd already had an inkling on what prompted Shadow to make such a decision, but that response confirmed it. "Your father?"
"He sent me a dinner invite," Shadow verified. "He– he offered a plus one this time around. He knows, Rouge. He knows about Sonic and is using that against me and– I can't afford to let Sonic get dragged into this and–"
"Hey, breathe," Rouge interrupted gently, stepping closer. "You're spiraling, Shadow."
Shadow's breath came shallow, ragged. He braced himself against the counter with both hands, trembling so violently his knuckles whitened. He hated this feeling, this crack in his composure. But his father's voice echoed in his head, low and calculated, threading poison through every thought.
"I can't–" Shadow's voice fractured, a raw sound he barely recognized as his own. "If Doom even suspects Sonic is more than a bodyguard... he'll destroy him. He'll use him the same way he uses everything."
Rouge hesitated, watching him unravel. In all their years together, she'd seen Shadow stoic, furious, grieving, but not this. Not panicked.
"Shadow, listen to me. You're scaring yourself into corners. You're smarter than this, and there's always another play. We'll find it."
Shadow flinched at her reassurance, because her faith felt like a blade twisting in his gut.
"You know what he's capable of." His voice was a rasp now, eyes bloodshot as he stared down at his shaking hands. "If he learns how much Sonic means to me, he won't hesitate to..."
Shadow swallowed hard, unable to finish his sentence. Rouge laid a hand on his shoulder sympathetically as he tried to get his breathing under control.
"You could tell him that," she started again softly. "You know how good I am at reading people, and I know that you wouldn't let a single soul get this close to you if their trustworthiness was in question."
Shadow let out a sardonic huff at that. "His trustworthiness isn't the problem here."
Rouge furrowed her brows, tone cautions but firm. "What do you mean by that?"
Shadow's breath hitched, and his jaw locked. For a long moment, he didn't speak, his eyes fixed on the dark countertop as if the right words might be etched there. Finally, his voice broke through in a whisper, gravelly and low:
"Sonic used to be a pit fighter."
Rouge's eyes widened.
"Not by choice," Shadow added quickly, voice bitter with restrained fury. "He was... taken advantage of, manipulated, and..."
Worse, he wanted to say, recalling the scars that riddled Sonic's shoulders. The clear set of claw marks, neatly aligned in a way that could only be intentional, a cruel gesture of systematic control. But he swallowed his words down, knowing he'd already revealed more than Sonic would've allowed.
Rouge's mouth went dry. "Who...?"
Shadow's eyes flicked up to meet hers, blazing with a cold, murderous light.
"Mephiles."
Rouge's arms fell to her sides as she stared at him, stricken. She'd suspected Sonic had some kind of rough history, but the truth still hit like a gut punch. And to find that Sonic's point of connection was Mephiles, knowing what she knew about the cruel hedgehog's nature...
"Mephiles broke Sonic down and... I don't think he's fully recovered from that yet." Shadow continued, his voice trembling but no less sharp. "If that scum comes back into the picture again because of me–"
"Shadow..." Rouge's tone softened to a whisper.
"That's why I had to do it," he rasped, raking his hands through his quills. "Why I had to kill the story. I needed to make him look... disposable. Forgettable. I needed Doom and Mephiles to see nothing worth taking."
"But the look on Sonic's face–" Shadow's breath caught sharply. His hands shook harder now, knuckles digging into his temples. "I– I hurt him. And I..."
His voice cracked, a sound thick with self-loathing. "I don't know if he'll forgive me."
Rouge closed the distance between them, her hand resting lightly on his trembling arm. "Hey, you're not alone in this. We'll protect him. You've got me and Omega. Hell, you've got Sonic himself. He’s stronger than you think. We'll find a way to keep him safe without destroying him in the process."
Shadow squeezed his eyes shut, his breathing ragged.
Rouge's voice softened even more. "You love him, don't you?"
Shadow didn't answer with words. But his shoulders sagged, his silence speaking louder than anything he could say.
Rouge's expression shifted into something almost sisterly. "Then let's fix this. Before he thinks he means nothing to you."
For a moment, Shadow stayed frozen, trembling under the weight of his guilt and fear as he whispered.
"I can't... tell him about Mephiles."
How could he even begin to confess that the stain on Sonic's childhood, a viscous memory that seemed to haunt the blue hedgehog well into his dreams, was never truly gone? That the same man who seemingly crushed Sonic's sense of autonomy, happened to be Shadow's blood relative?
"You don't need to," Rouge squeezed his arm in reassurance. "Just tell him about your father at least. He deserves a proper explanation for what you did. And I know I insisted on getting you a bodyguard in the first place but... if Sonic chooses to opt out of the contract after learning about this, then–"
"He won't," Shadow clenched his fists at the implausible suggestion. "I know that idiot will just go along with it. He has no sense of self-preservation and that's what worries me."
"He is quite the unstoppable force of nature, isn't he?" Despite the gloom in Shadow's rebuttal, Rouge cocked her head in light thought before smiling. "I guess the best thing you can do is watch his back, just like he's been watching yours, hm?"
Shadow’s breathing was finally starting to slow, his mind mulling over Rouge’s suggestion. He hated it, but she was right. There was absolutely nothing about Sonic that Shadow could try to hold back. Any attempt he’d made at doing so had proved to not only be futile, but also did more harm than good by angering Sonic. Nothing could possibly restrain the wind.
Rouge's grip on his arm tightened. "I’ll head out so you two can have some time alone when he comes back. Can I trust you to sort things out?”
Shadow nodded silently, not out of confidence that he would be able to fix the gash he’d torn into his relationship with Sonic…
But because he didn’t know what he’d do with himself if he couldn’t.
~~~
Sonic returned to the penthouse two hours later.
He had received a string of concerned text messages from Amy. It seemed that even without knowing the initial plan for the interview, the responses Shadow gave about Sonic on live television were harsh enough for her to suspect Sonic to be upset about it.
He could imagine her reaction if he'd told her that Shadow had nearly kissed him last night before blindsiding him with that icy wave of aloofness today. It wouldn't be surprising to see her materialize out of thin air with a hammer and an arsenal of threats ready for the idol.
While the scenario would've been funny to watch, Sonic felt utterly drained. He didn't have the energy to voice his feelings nor did he think it was wise to do so. Right now, the world believes that Shadow doesn't hold an ounce of care for Sonic beyond their professional relationship, and while he despised that fact, he didn't feel petty enough to go around disbanding this idea.
Though that didn't stop the acidic vitriol sprouting in his chest.
He replied to Amy's message with reassurance that nothing went wrong. That the interview went as planned. That Shadow was meant to deny the rumors in such a ruthless way. That he was meant to speak about Sonic with such haughtiness, such indifference, with the intent to fully dispel the gossip.
I hope Shadow's happy with himself, he thought bitterly as he wandered the streets aimlessly. He didn't know what to do with his time. Amy would have probably dragged him to a number of chili dog and ice cream stands to soothe his ailed heart, but the idea seemed purposeless to do alone. Instead, he found himself gravitating towards a nearby park and sat on the first bench he could find.
The September air had finally cooled after months of heat, a chilly gust of wind blowing through his quills to counteract the warmth of the sun in a soothing way.
The denial itself wasn't what hurt Sonic the most. It was the blindsiding nature of it following a night that filled him with hope. He had been so sure that his feelings weren't one sided, so certain that the simmering tension between them last night meant something to Shadow.
Only for that confidence to come crashing down in a matter of minutes.
It wasn't just the suddenness of it. The emotional whiplash Sonic got from this might've been resolved by now if Shadow gave a good enough explanation for what he did.
But Shadow didn't even offer the courtesy of an exposition, maintaining his icy demeanor well into the confines of their living space. It was demeaning, to know that there was clearly a reason behind the sudden shift, and yet Sonic didn't seem to deserve a justification in Shadow's eyes despite being the subject of it.
It hurt. It hurt that Shadow was so willing to leave Sonic stranded in the dark. It hurt to be pulled in so intimately one day only to be pushed away the next. He hated the lack of security in their relationship.
And he hated how the inconsistency felt all too familiar; that never-ending feeling of being on edge, unable to predict whether he would be faced with comforting respite or scathing punishment. The constant confusion he'd felt when he was younger, worrying each second about whether he'd done something wrong, the desperation to appease him enough to maybe gain a crumb of warmth–
Sonic shook his head before his mind could continue to draw groundless parallels. No, Shadow wasn't like that. His inconsistency was rooted in his personal wariness, a defense mechanism. As hurtful as Shadow's actions were, Sonic knew they didn't come from a place of maliciousness...
Yes, there was a difference in intention. Shadow's actions didn't stem from a desire to scrape into Sonic's self-confidence. Shadow didn't beguile Sonic with alluring lies as a way of reinforcing control. Shadow wasn't exploiting Sonic's eagerness to please with the sole purpose of breaking him down into a dependent puppet. Not like–
The chili dog from breakfast flickered in his memory, an almost tender gesture in retrospect...
If only it hadn't been followed by that performance.
The sting of humiliation, the ache of loss, the dull fury of Shadow's unexplained actions flooded through Sonic. Tears pricked at his eyes, but he blinked them away stubbornly. He wasn't going to cry over this. Not in public, even if the number of people strolling through the park was few and far in between.
He sat there for a while, surveying his surroundings. The passing time did nothing to lessen his frustration, but the stormy wave of hurt and betrayal had congealed into something thicker, a heavy smog of bitterness...
Because it didn't matter what Shadow's intentions were, did it? At the end of the day, his actions made Sonic suffer, regardless of the reason that still remained unknown.
With a heavy sigh, he trudged out of the park, trying not to pay attention to the occasional stares he got as the streets became more crowded. They might've been curious of his attire, given that he was still dressed in his suit, or perhaps they recognized him, probably with a more disappointed perspective now that Shadow had portrayed him as "just another employee".
He kept a bounce to his step just in case. It wouldn't look good if anyone who recognized him witnessed him moping and went to chat online about it. That would be a whole new level of pathetic.
The penthouse was silent when Sonic finally returned. The glow of the city through the towering windows cast the living space in cool shades of blue and silver. He slipped his shoes off quietly, hoping to retreat straight to his room without running into anyone.
But Shadow was waiting.
The idol stood near the window, silhouetted by the city lights, arms crossed tightly over his chest. His crimson eyes flickered to Sonic the moment he entered, posture softening as he paced across the living room before stopping at the end of the hallway.
"You're late," Shadow said, his voice low.
"Didn't know I had a curfew." Sonic's tone was sharper than intended, but he didn't care. Not after today.
He tried to walk past Shadow in the narrow corridor before a soft spoken confession emerged, "I... was worried."
Sonic froze in place, the bitter sting of betrayal that he thought he'd dampened coming back full force at Shadow's audacity to beat around the bush.
"Worried?" He repeated with a bitter scoff, turning towards the source of his misery. "Could've fooled me."
Shadow flinched, a spike of pain flashing through his eyes. "Sonic–"
"Don't." Sonic raised a hand, eyes burning at how splintered Shadow dared to sound while uttering his name. "Don't call me that like you give a damn. Not after what you pulled today."
Shadow's lips parted, but Sonic barreled on, all the pain and frustration boiling over.
"You didn't just deny the rumors, you made me sound like I'm nothing to you. Just your hired help. After last night–" He cut himself off, throat tight. "You don't get to act like you care now."
"I did it to protect you–"
Sonic snapped, lunging forward to shove Shadow into the wall and keeping him pinned by his chest. Shadow's breath caught, eyes blazing with something pained— a mix of remorse and affliction— but he didn't move.
"Cut the crap," Sonic seethed. "You were clearly resolute on your decision to stonewall me, long after the cameras stopped rolling. You planned on keeping up the act as long as you could with ZERO regard for my emotions, and now you're gonna give me some shitty excuse about protecting me?"
"It's not a shitty excuse," Shadow's voice wavered, but he maintained eye contact with determination, even if his expression was tainted with shame. "It's bigger than you could imagine, beyond what you should–"
"Then EXPLAIN," Sonic's voice cracked with anger. "Tell me why, Shadow! What could possibly be serious enough for you to treat me like I'm meaningless? Give me that stupid reason that you decided I don't deserve!"
Shadow hesitated. His fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight. Sonic was in disbelief at how he was still reluctant to share the cause of his behavior. He didn't know if that spoke more about the gravity of the mysterious circumstance or the shortage of trust Shadow had in Sonic. Either way, it was demoralizing.
"That's what I thought," he didn't bother hiding his bitterness when he let go of Shadow's chest, heart pounding as he turned on his heel toward his bedroom.
"Black Doom."
The words froze Sonic mid-step.
He turned slowly, confusion knitting his brows. That name that Shadow had mentioned once or twice, but never clarified who it belonged to.
"What?"
Shadow exhaled sharply, his voice low but trembling with restrained emotion. "He's the head of the Doom Syndicate. Mafia. He's also my father."
Sonic blinked, stunned by the revelation, but couldn't conjure up a response.
"The Mafia wasn't something I was temporarily pulled into," Shadow continued. "I was born into it, raised to be the perfect heir to his empire. I never truly escaped, Sonic. I've only ever been delaying, hiding behind my fame so they couldn't drag me back without risk of public attention..."
"But my father grows tired of it, and he will jump at the first opportunity he finds to force my return."
Sonic gaped at the flood of information, several memories, previously innocuous, now snapping into place to form one massive exclamation mark.
The advanced martial arts, his discipline in combat, moving with techniques too precise not to have been taught formally. The family members that were always skirted around aside from Maria, his human sister. His adept handling of the gun after his first spar with Sonic, thumb flicking the switch like it was ingrained from youth.
It all made sense now.
"I– I don't understand," Sonic stammered, just barely processing the reveal, but that's not what he was confused about. "How does this tie in with the interview?"
Shadow's shoulders slumped at this, as though the answer weighed heavy on his head. "I've only ever made it this far because he's been unable to find leverage. My... habit of keeping others at arms length is not an act, but it's also why he's had nothing to grasp on for so long. But he's always watching, waiting. And now, because of those rumors..."
Shadow's gaze hardened into something grim. "He's taken an interest in you."
The implication hit Sonic like a punch to the gut, but not for the same reason Shadow might think.
"So your way of protecting me was... to humiliate me on live TV and then not tell me anything while pretending I don't exist?" Sonic's voice rose, incredulous. "You think that keeps me safe? Shadow, I can handle myself. That's literally my job!"
Shadow's hand launched into a tight grip on Sonic's wrist, a sudden wave of frustration flashing across his face. "Don't be stupid. You don't understand the danger he poses."
"Then MAKE me understand!" Sonic's voice trembled with both fury and hurt. "I thought you would've considered us a team by now. You could've warned me, you could've at least given me the chance to understand, but you didn't. You decided I was too fragile to handle the truth, even though you damn well know that I'm not."
Shadow's face became more and more sullen with each sentence, but Sonic didn't notice.
"You think you're protecting me, but all you did was make me feel like I'm nothing–"
"You're NOT nothing!"
Sonic flinched at the break in Shadow's composure, the unexpected volume of his voice echoing off the high ceilings. His chest heaved as his crimson eyes blazed.
"If anything happened to you because of me–" His voice cracked, and he took a step forward, desperation raw in his face. "I'd lose my mind, Sonic. I'd break, because you matter more to me than you can imagine. Because I..."
Shadow's breath hitched, like the next words that were about to be uttered ended up jammed in his throat. Sonic's anger withered away at the sight, replaced by anticipation, his mind racing to guess the unfinished ending to that sentence. Because what? Because he cared? Because he's grown attached? Because he had feelings for Sonic?
But nothing could have prepared him for the reality of what Shadow meant to say.
"I love you."
The silence that followed was deafening.
The words seemed to claw out of Shadow like they'd been locked away too long, coming out hoarse and broken. He let go of Sonic's wrist after saying that, as if it were wrong to touch him after making such a confession, lest it hold any influence over his mind.
And Sonic... Sonic's mind went blank.
"I love you."
Those three words single-handedly shut down all previous thoughts, forcing his system into a reboot in attempt to process them, but it was futile. The confession and the implications that came with it were simply beyond his brain's current capacity.
So he could only stare at Shadow, stunned into stillness. "You... what?" he breathed.
"I love you," he repeated, voice low and rough. "I would say... romantically, but I don't think that is enough to describe what I feel for you. I–"
Shadow's hands trembled at his sides, his mask of control utterly shattered by his head dropping down, as though defeated by his own emotions.
"I fought them every step of the way. Even when I finally acknowledged my feelings, accepted them, I still believed they were something I could live with without acting on. Then that notion grew more implausible with each day I spent with you, until that stupid comment you made about me not being able to push you away..."
Shadow clenched his fists at that point, but his voice held no real resentment. Sonic remained frozen, hanging onto every word that Shadow bestowed upon him like it was gospel.
"So I gave in. I tried to test the waters with our kitchen routine and it felt... natural," Shadow's ear flicked as he admitted. "The warmth, the comfort, and the infectiousness of your joy did nothing to lessen that feeling. And then last night..."
Shadow finally looked up, eyes glowing under the dim light with regret.
"The thought of you– of my father getting his hands on you..." His voice cracked again, raw with the sound of genuine fear. "I needed to make you invisible to him, and I thought I could live with you hating me, if it meant you'd be safe."
Sonic's throat tightened, his heart twisting painfully at the sight of Shadow looking so... terrified.
"But the second I saw your face after that interview..." He exhaled sharply, his composure fracturing completely. "That hurt worse than anything I've felt in years, because I realized I'd rather fight him, risk everything, than lose the light in your eyes. Than lose... the way you smile at me."
He stepped closer, crimson eyes shimmering with raw desperation.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, almost pleading. "I shouldn't have hurt you like this, I can't–"
His voice broke, the words catching in his throat, and for a fleeting moment, Shadow looked small. Stripped of the poise and sharpness that made him untouchable, he looked like someone utterly terrified of losing the one thing keeping him grounded.
"I can't handle being the cause of your misery."
Sonic's heart thundered in his chest. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. What could he say? There were so many things to address, and yet he only found himself tongue-tied, unable to articulate a coherent response to the admission that Shadow... loved him.
It was like one of those peculiar sculptures, intentionally designed to look like a chaotic jumble of scrap suspended in air. But when it's viewed from one particular angle, suddenly everything sets into place to reveal a masterpiece.
Circled by rings of fire, he could see himself reflected in black abyss of Shadow's pupils as the ebony hedgehog took a shaky step closer, his next request coming out in a whisper.
"Say something."
Sonic's breath stuttered, his body still buzzing with leftover adrenaline from their argument. He might not be able to obey Shadow's request with anything of substance, but he could move. He could act.
Every ounce of bitterness, heartbreak, and longing he'd been bottling up surged all at once, and before he could second-guess it…
He grabbed Shadow by the collar and crashed their mouths together.
It was rougher than their first kiss should've been, but it was the only way Sonic could get his feelings across at the moment, hoping to convey the reciprocity of his emotions, his desperation, through the hard press of his lips against Shadow's.
A sharp tinge of panic sliced through his heart when he felt a lack of movement from Shadow's end. Fearing he'd overstepped a physical boundary, he instantly tried to pull away...
Only to find hands coming up to cradle Sonic's face as Shadow followed his mouth, his grip gentle but firm enough to make his message clear: he wanted this.
And who was Sonic to stop Shadow from getting what he wanted, especially when he wanted it just as badly?
So he went back in, clutching at Shadow's jacket like he was drowning, pouring every ounce of emotion into that desperate kiss.
And oh, how beautifully saccharine it tasted.
Literally. While Sonic was not surprised at the flavor of coffee on Shadow's lips, he didn't expect the trace of sugar that accompanied it. It was a delightful discovery to make, the captivating blend of bitter and sweet growing more and more addictive for every second he got to taste it.
Another thing Sonic vaguely noticed was that Shadow... wasn't necessarily clumsy in his movements, but hesitant. Not out of discomfort, he surmised, but uncertainty.
And with the reminder that Shadow's experience with kissing was likely nonexistent, Sonic finally broke away.
He took a moment to admire the idol's face. Flushed cheeks and ears, crimson eyes half-lidded with haziness, pupils blown wide, lips slightly parted in controlled amazement.
Shadow almost looked drunk. It was an expression unlike anything Sonic had ever seen on the gloomily defaulted face, and Chaos was it so enchanting that he almost felt bad for what he was going to say.
"You're an asshole, you know that?"
"Yes." Shadow tried to keep his voice even, but Sonic didn't miss the light panting that followed his words.
"You need to stop making assumptions about what I can handle–"
"I know."
"– and you gotta communicate with me from now on instead of doing things on your own–"
"I will."
"– and I love you too."
Shadow went silent at that. His eyes widened just slightly, crimson irises gleaming like embers in the dim light. Sonic, on the other hand, felt like a dam had just broken inside his chest.
"I love you too," Sonic repeated, softer now, voice thick with emotion. He ran a thumb along the edge of Shadow's jaw, marveling at the rare vulnerability in the idol's face, before giving a playfully crooked grin as he continued.
"And I mean every part of you. Your doom-and-gloom vibes, your snappy insults and mood swings, violent tendencies..."
Shadow narrowed his eyes in growing annoyance, but Sonic wasn't finished.
"... the way you do thoughtful things for others but stay quiet about it, how cute you look when you're so focused on one of your telenovelas, your passion for cooking meals to perfection, how your eyes light up when you take a bite out of a good dessert, your patience when you taught me how to skate and the gentleness you treat me with whenever we cook together."
Sonic heard Shadow's breath hitch at his list, which widened his grin. He could list a hundred more things he loved about Shadow, but he needed to make something clear.
"The point is, I love all of you, and I don't care how messed up your world is, or how many skeletons your family's got stashed away. You're... you're the one person I'd never run from, Shads. And no amount of Mafia dads or rumors or danger's gonna change that."
Something flickered across Shadow's face at that, a mix of disbelief and relief, like Sonic had just unknowingly lifted a weight he'd been carrying for years.
"So was that your first ki–"
"Yes," Shadow's voice came out rough, as though physically dazed by Sonic's confession.
"Is it..." Sonic paused, knowing that just because Shadow loved him romantically, that didn't mean physical affection was of interest to him, "something you'd like to do again?"
That kiss was basically an experimental endeavor for Shadow, so now, Sonic needed to hear the verdict.
"Yes," came the breathless reply. "Now, please."
Sonic didn't think twice before going back in.
Shadow melted into the kiss quicker this time, and Sonic felt the hands on his shoulders begin to trail backwards, momentarily fluttering over his neck before sliding beneath azure quills.
When he realized Shadow was looping his arms around his neck in an adorably needy attempt to pull them closer together, he let go of Shadow's collar. All Sonic could think about was fulfilling that wish as he gently clasped Shadow’s waist before taking a step forward, urging the idol to retreat until his back hit the wall.
As a blessed reward for Sonic’s effort, Shadow let out a light gasp at the action. His ears perked toward that heavenly sound as he felt one of Shadow’s arms loosen from his neck. Sonic nearly shivered at the sensation of Shadow’s touch, albeit hesitant and inexperienced, as it traced over his collarbone for a few moments before shifting further down to be met with the fabric of his dress shirt.
The deft fingers mindlessly continued down Sonic's sternum before stopping over his…
…chest.
Sonic's pulse thundered beneath Shadow's hand, and his heart nearly jumped out of his throat when he felt Shadow's fingers curl just slightly, before suddenly letting go like he'd snapped out of a trance.
Sonic couldn't help the sharp laugh that escaped him as he broke the kiss. "So you do have a thing for my chest!"
Like the flip of a switch, Shadow's aggression flooded back with a defensive snarl. "Zip it."
"You didn't deny it~" Sonic remained audacious with the newfound knowledge that Shadow loved him. He actually loved him. The thought made him dizzy, enough to loosen his (already deficient) filter. "If it makes you feel any better, I feel the same about that gloriously soft-looking chest fur you're rocking, so I'll let you indulge if you let me spoil myself a little too."
He paired his offer with a wink, and could only watch in poorly disguised amusement when Shadow's jaw dropped, the tan fur of his muzzle doing absolutely nothing to hide the violent shade of red that bloomed across his face.
Then the idol shook his head, his breathing unsteady. "Not yet."
Sonic blinked, surprised, but Shadow's gaze held no rejection. Just restraint.
"I want this," Shadow murmured, his voice low and hoarse, "but... I don't want to rush."
Sonic's expression softened instantly at the uncertainty, once again reminded that Shadow was completely new to this level of intimacy. Sonic didn't want Shadow to harbor any guilt for taking things slow or outright refusing to do certain things. Sure, he'd fantasized about seeing those captivating muscles at work outside of their workouts and spars, but Shadow's comfort undoubtedly took priority over his own desires.
In an attempt at reassurance, he cupped Shadow's face, his grin warm but teasing. "Look at you, being all responsible. I'll wait as long as you need, Shads. Okay?"
Shadow looked at Sonic with unfiltered awe, the tinge of guilt that plagued his eyes fading away and replaced by something more reverent. A sight that Sonic was truly lucky to be graced with.
"Waiting forever is an option too," Sonic added on with a shrug. "I'm a pretty patient guy."
That earned him the faintest huff of laughter, and Sonic's chest swelled at the sound as Shadow responded.
"'Patient' is the last thing I’d describe you as."
Sonic chuffed at the remark, unable to feel offended by it since Shadow technically wasn't wrong.
'Determined' was probably the better word to use. Sonic was set on making Shadow feel secure, and if that meant carefully respecting every boundary that was set, he had no problem doing that.
They stood there in the quiet, foreheads resting together as the tension between them shifted into something tender and grounding. The air felt serene, a pleasant contrast to the chaos of their heated arguments today. Sonic's earlier giddiness faded into content at the thought of... what they were now...
Suddenly a number of questions flooded his mind, so he moved his head back to ask his most imminent one.
"So... what happens now? With us, I mean."
"We–" Shadow hesitated, "do what we always have, only we make a few... additions."
Sonic grinned at the wording, "You make it sound like it’s a part of our contract, Shads. You can just say that we're dating now."
Shadow only looked more flustered by the call out, making Sonic's smile grow wider when his agreement came out awkward and clipped. "Yes. That."
Sonic held in a laugh at the rare bout of nervousness from the usually composed hedgehog. To witness Shadow, for all the romance content he's allegedly consumed, be so stiff at the mere semantics of their relationship. It was a true testament to the idea that theoretical knowledge doesn't always substitute practice, and it was incredibly endearing to watch.
Then another question came to mind, one that made Sonic hesitate for a moment, before pressing on.
"And, uhh," Sonic grasped Shadow's hand in a hopeful attempt at influencing the response to what he was about to ask. "How... private are we keeping this? Can I tell Tails and Amy about it?"
Shadow hesitated for a beat, his face suddenly clouded with unease and a hint of... pain? Guilt?
"The less people that know, the better. It's ideal that they don't learn of this," Shadow looked down at their joined hands before rubbing a thumb over Sonic's palm absentmindedly, "both for your safety and their own, until I... figure out what to do about my father."
Sonic nodded slowly, his heart tugging at the heaviness in Shadow's voice, but somewhat comforted by the circular motions pressing against his palm. He felt like Amy and Tails had every right to be updated on this romantic development, but if that information had even a minute chance of putting them in danger, he won't think twice about setting it aside.
"What about Rouge?" Sonic furrowed his brows. "I mean, aside from the fact that we're all roomies for another week, wouldn't she catch on pretty quick anyways?"
Shadow snorted at that, though not as humorously as before. "She'll sniff out the change immediately. But at least she's tight-lipped when she needs to be and knows how to evade my family."
Sonic grinned, knowing full well that hiding their relationship from someone like Rouge was fruitless. Then he quirked a brow at the mention of Rouge's familiarity with Shadow's family.
From how close the two were, Sonic figured they likely met while Shadow was still in the Mafia. But with the newfound knowledge that the idol was an heir to some underground empire, several more questions arose.
But before voicing them, he needed to know, "Where is she by the way?"
"She... wanted to give us space," Shadow murmured. "She'll be back for dinner."
"Perfect!" An impish grin stretched across Sonic’s face at the news, then, like lightning, his hands zipped up to lean on the wall behind Shadow, effectively caging the idol between his arms.
"I get to interrogate you until then."
To his dismay, Shadow didn’t turn into a flustered mess, instead nodding earnestly like he was ready to tackle the challenge. "I'll answer to the best of my ability."
“Good,” Sonic didn’t take his hands off the wall as he shifted to a more reprimanding tone, momentarily playing along with Shadow’s seriousness. "And I also want one thing to be clear...”
Shadow furrowed his brows in concern, seemingly roving over the severity in Sonic’s voice. "What?"
Sonic gave a small, mischievous grin. "Just because we're keeping it secret doesn't mean I'm holding back on you. You're mine now, Shads. Mafia dads be damned."
Shadow's eyes softened, his stoic exterior cracking into something warm. "And you're mine."
Sonic leaned in to press one more gentle kiss to his lips, this time slow and sweet. It wasn't filled with desperation or adrenaline, but with quiet certainty.
When they finally pulled apart, Sonic chuckled softly, brushing his thumb over Shadow's cheekbone. He let the stillness of the moment wash over them.
For now, the world outside could wait.
~~~
Barry dropped heavily into his chair, the leather creaking under his weight.
"Well, that was a bust." He gestured at the muted playback on the monitor, where Shadow's sharp glare and dismissive words looped on repeat. "Nailed the coffin shut. Any hint of scandal: gone. Whole thing's dead."
He sounded almost mournful, like he'd lost a story he'd already written.
But Sally wasn't frowning. No, her lips curved into a knowing half-smile as she leaned back, crossed one leg over the other, and tapped her fingers.
"You think so?"
Barry shot her a look. "I know so. He didn't just deny the rumors, he gutted them. Made the poor bodyguard sound like a piece of furniture. Nobody's gonna believe there's something going on after that."
Sally hummed thoughtfully, eyes fixed on the frozen frame of Shadow on the monitor.
The steely eyes, the rigid composure, the razor in his tone...
"That's exactly why it's interesting."
Barry blinked. "Come again?"
"Think about it," she insisted, the fire in her eyes catching. "Most celebrities, when asked about this kind of gossip, laugh it off. They play coy. Sometimes they let the rumors ride because it keeps their name hot. But him? He came down like a hammer. Brutal, merciless, almost angry."
Barry sighed, exasperated. "That's just his thing. He's broody. People like that edge."
"No." Sally shook her head firmly. "That wasn't edginess, nor annoyance, nor dismissal. That was fear."
Barry barked out a dry laugh. "Fear? From who, the fans? Don't romanticize it. He's an idol, not some–"
"Tell me, Barry, there was really nothing there, don't you think he could've dismissed it more casually?" Sally cut him off, her words sharper now. "He denied the romance, and that's all he needed to do. He could've stopped there, but he didn't. He went on to deny their friendship too, made sure to stamp out the idea of connection between them altogether."
Barry opened his mouth, then closed it. His frown deepened.
"And another thing," Sally continued, leaning back with the smug ease of someone who knew she'd won. "His background. His parents who've allegedly given him the picture-perfect upbringing and supported him in pursuing his career yet conveniently stay abroad in Spagonia. It's squeaky clean, harmless, but..."
Barry watched her pensive expression with incredulity as she leaned forward.
"Tell me..." her voice dropped lower, thoughtful, almost conspiratorial. "Does he strike you as someone raised in that world? That pristine, comfortable bubble?"
She let the question hang, eyes narrowing as she replayed every detail of the interview in her mind: his clipped speech, his stiff posture, his relentless control.
"There's something else under the surface. Something darker. You see it in the way he holds himself, like every word and gesture has to be calculated for survival. That doesn't come from Spagonian prep schools and weekend piano lessons. That comes from... somewhere else."
"You're..." Barry furrowed his brows in unease. "You're starting to sound paranoid."
"Maybe," Sally allowed, her smirk curling again. "But paranoia's how you catch the stories no one else sees."
She rose from her chair, smoothing her skirt as she grabbed her notes. "He's hiding something, Barry. I can feel it. And if I can make him crack just a little more, the truth will come out."
Notes:
TLDR: Shadow tries to pull the classic “I’ll push the one I love away to protect them” and immediately regrets it 😃 Take a shot every time he “stutters–“ holy CRAP he was in shambles
ALSO CONFESSION AND FIRST (3) KISS(ES) CHAT WHAT DO WE THINK? It was my first time writing both and I have no idea if I drew them out for too long or made them too short 💀 Is going straight up “I love you” before getting into a relationship too fast? Idk but honestly after those Shakespearean monologues Shadow was having about how much Sonic means to him… The closet is made of glass LMAO
3 chapters ago btw I was set on the idea of Sonic being the one to confess, but smth about SHADOW being the one the confess called to me 🙂↕️ took inspo from that Bridgerton clip that went viral some time ago LMAO
Also I cannot for the life of me keep Sonadow fighting for longer than half a chapter I CANT KEEP THEM MAD AT EACH OTHER HOW TF DO SOAP OPERA DIRECTORS DO THIS 😭 IT PHYSICALLY PAINED ME TO WRITE SONIC SULKING ON A BENCH ALL SAD AND HURT
And then Sally revealing that she’s had a hunch about something bigger than Sonadow: Shadow’s ORIGINS 👀
THE PLOT IS THICKENING SOON I CAN’T WAIT TO GET INTO THE FLESH OF MEPHILES’ EVIL AIMS AND MOTIVATIONS AND THE DOOM FAMILY HISTORY AHHHHH
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