Because without light, there’s only darkness

by vanillyelatte

Summary:

After Shadows experiences with black doom, being forced to relive a horrific moment of his life, he finds himself not dealing so well.

Surprisingly, he finds comfort in someone he never thought he would.

Notes:

I just finished replaying Shadow generations and I was feeling a little creative 😝 I wouldnt exactly call myself a pro writer or anything, and I made this out of pure boredom. So sorry for any mistakes or mischaracterising.
All of that aside, enjoy!

Chapter 1: Stargazing

Sonic was glad to be back. He no longer had to look around and see the strange white void that surrounded him, or his anxious friends who couldn’t do much except depend on him to bring them home. It was a pressure like no other. He has faced challenges before, but having a fear that you would never see your home again? Perhaps get stuck in the fabric of time forever? Yeah, that was one of the worst.

But it was all over now, and it was almost like nothing had changed. His friends were enjoying themselves, their expressions and body language was the exact same as it was before that time eater sucked them into that mess. It was almost like they didn’t even remember what they had went through.

But honestly, Sonic didn’t care. Just seeing his home back to how it was, along with his friends, it made him feel content. The soft warmth of the sun hitting his cheek, the sound of the wind rustling the grass beneath him, the distant chatter of his friends, the clatter of plates, and the sweet sound of laughter. Sonic loves the sound of laughter. It always helps remind him that he’s safe, along with his friends. And, just seeing people happy always manages to make him happy too. 

Sonic’s thoughts were cut off by the sound of Rouge’s voice beside him. “ Hey blue!” The bat was hovering beside him, then hitting the ground with a thump, taking a seat beside the blue hedgehog. “Oh, heya Rouge!” He greeted her with a smile. “You alright over here? Your missing the party yknow” Sonic knew she was right. He would expect himself to be a bit more immersed, but he found himself finding comfort in the quiet, preferring to observe. 

“Yeah, I’m okay. I just wanted a bit of alone time I guess. Everything’s just been…stressful.” He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, understanding that this probably seemed a little out of character for him.

”I get that. It was just a little strange seeing you here alone. Would you like me to leave you?” Rouge began to sit up a little, feeling a little guilty for interrupting Sonic’s peace.

“No no, it’s okay, you can stay if you like. I just wanted to catch a bit of a break.” Sonic actually liked the bats company. Even with her cunningness, she always managed to provide a sense of peace in her presence. 

They fell into a comfortable silence, both now observing the land around them.

”How are you holding up?” Sonic questioned, as the bat seemed a little off, her expression seeming tense. “Oh, me? I’m doing okay. Same here, just glad to be home. But…there is one thing…” her gaze drifted to the grass beside her, a very obvious hint of anxiety on her expression. “Tell me” Sonic felt worried now, as he turned to face the bat a little more, listening intently. “Im worried about Shadow…”

“Shadow…? Why? Did something happen?” Sonic felt confused but also a little worried, it’s not like he didn’t care for his red striped rival.

Rouge let out a sigh, knowing the crazy information she was about to share with him.

So, she explained everything to Sonic. About black doom, Gerald and Maria and Shadows abilities. 

“Woah…Rouge that’s…awful. I can’t believe he had to go through all of that again. I can see why you’re worried” The bat simply nodded in reply, her gaze still fixated on the ground. “Is he not here? I swear I saw him earlier” Sonic questioned, scanning the party for a sign of a certain ebony hedgie. “He was here, but then he vanished. I guess there was only so much he could take.” Sonic hummed with understanding, nodding his head slightly.

The hedgehog and the bat jumped slightly at the sound of knuckles greeting them. “Hey guys. Everything…okay over here?” The echidna raised a brow, sensing the slightly negative vibe. “Yes everything is fine. I’m guessing you’re here to take me up on my offer?” Rouge questioned flirtatiously. “Yes actually. I need grapes” 

Sonic wasn’t quite sure what this offer was about, but he felt a little invested. “Very well then.” Rouge turned to Sonic. “Are you alright? You don’t mind if I head off for a bit? Promised knuckie I’d go and gather some grapes with him, giving he insisted on it.” She turned to glare at the red echidna standing before them.

“Oh no of course! I’m fine. Go enjoy your grape date” Sonic teased, giving the bat a warm smile. Rouge giggled, jumping up onto her feet, locking arms with the echidna. Sonic blinked and the two were gone.

Sonic was left with his thoughts once again, but this time they were occupied by something else, or someone else. Sonic almost felt his heart ache slightly. He knew how much pain his past caused him. Chaos, it’s the main reason he is the way he is today. And hearing that he had to go through pretty much the same thing all over again? It made him worry. Sonic always had a special kind of care for Shadow. Of course he cared about the others too, but there was always something different about the ebony hedgehog. Their past together is something that Sonic had always held onto. They started as enemies, then supporting each other in order to save the world. After Shadow had seemingly passed away, Sonic noticed that a small part of him had been broken into pieces. But when they reunited, that moment when he saw him again for the first time. It brought him peace, knowing that the hedgehog he saved humanity with was still here.

Ever since, their relationship shifted from enemy-acquaintances to rivals with an unspoken respect between them.

He always felt empathetic towards the other, learning that he wasn’t a brooding jerk sometimes mainly because he wants to be. But because he was in pain. 

Shadow has changed. Sonic could tell. Over the years his grief has changed him more for the better than the worse.

But now, he didn’t know how to feel. Was he going to return to how he was? Has this new yet familiar pain reset all of his hard work? Sonic didn’t know. But he wanted to know. He wanted to know how to help. He needed to help. 

Maybe he couldn’t in the past, but maybe he could this time.

 

♥︎

 

Sonic set off on a run, the breeze against his quills as he dashed through green hill. He found himself getting a little bored of his usual route, so he decided to venture through some of the fields that he wouldn’t often visit on his runs. He came to a stop as he reached a field of lavender he doesn’t think he’s ever even seen before. “Woah, this is new” Sonic really thought he knew green hill, guess not. To be fair, he didn’t usually venture out very far on his runs, usually taking his favourite route.

He walked through the field a bit, in awe of the beautiful purple blanket that stretched far towards the distant mountains. He observed for a minute, but was eventually stopped as he noticed something not too far away. Something black was mixed in with the lavender in the distance. He took a few steps further, investigating.

His eyes had to be playing tricks on him right? 
The other hedgehog had been occupying his mind lately. He took a few more steps forward, and his suspicions were confirmed. 

He didn’t want to startle the other, so he said his name softly, not wanting to come across as a threat.

But to no avail. The other hedgehogs quills bristled defensively, and with a yell, he swung around to haul one of his chaos spears at him.

Sonic always had good reflexes. He was a little stunned at the action, but managed dodge the attack, ducking under it with a yelp of surprise. His fighting instincts took over, and he prepared himself for whatever would come next. 

But instead of getting a chaos spear through his head, all he got was a low growl of annoyance from the striped hedgehog. 

“Don’t ever sneak up on me again like that hedgehog” 

“Sorry dude, I didn’t mean to startle you. I just wasn’t sure what I was looking at until I got closer!”

Shadow visibly relaxed, his quills relaxing. He lowered his hand, bringing both of them back to his sides, still clenching them into fists.

Sonic tried to think of something to say. He didn’t usually find comforting people very difficult, but when it came to Shadow, it was a completely different story.

”Um…Rouge is worried about you yknow. You just vanished from the party, and she seemed a little upset.” Okay, he felt like he guilt tripping him now. ‘Sonic you don’t guilt trip people who have just relived their horrific past, okay?’ 

Shadow squeezed his eyes shut, letting out an annoyed sigh.

“What business would I have at that dumb party anyway…” Shadow spun around, plopping back down into the grass below. “Is that all you came here for?

Sonic stepped closer, hesitantly sitting down beside the other hedgehog. “I actually was just on a run to clear my head, but then I stumbled upon you. I was going to look for you, but I knew that wouldn’t be too easy. But I guess I was wrong.” Sonic chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. 

Shadow remained silent, deadpanning into the ground below.

Sonic felt so horrible. He really wanted to help, but he knew that it wouldn’t be too easy. “Shadow I…was really worried about you too. And I still am! I just-“ “I’m guessing you heard what happened then.” Shadow questioned blandly, his gaze still fixated to the ground.

Well at least that made things a little easier for him.

“…Yeah.”

Shadow sighed, his lids becoming heavier as he stared lower into the grass.

Sonics mind was racing. He wanted to make sure he said something that would make the other feel better, not earn him a punch in the jaw. But he knew he had to say something. He wanted to help. No, he needed to.

“Shadow…I understand I might be one of the last people you would want to confide in”

Shadow turned to look at Sonic with confusion, almost like what he was hearing wasn’t true.

"But I want you to know that I do care for you, a lot. And I am here for you no matter what. I know we’ve had our ups and downs, but…you can always talk to me Shadow. I’m here to listen if you need it.” Sonic gave the other a warm smile. 

Shadow scanned the other’s expression. He wasn’t use to this. Yes, he had Rouge, who was always there for him. But hearing it from Sonic felt strangely foreign.

He hated to admit it, but he longed for some kind of connection. Of comfort. He would never except it usually, but after these recent events, he found himself feeling number than he ever has his whole life. The pain he felt was similar to the first time he felt it, yet so different. Him and Maria had left each other on more positive terms than before. He felt slightly uplifted by the final words she shared with him, giving him a sense of acceptance for what happened, but it couldn’t exactly numb the pain completely. It was still painful knowing that he managed to lose his best friend for a second time. And he didn’t prevent it. He understood that that was almost impossible, but he couldn’t help but dwell on the possibilities.

“You don’t have to comfort me hedgehog, I don’t want to be a burden to you.” Shadow lacked his grim tone, sounding more somber than Sonic thinks he’s ever heard before.

”I want to, Shadow” Sonic spoke softly

Shadow turned to look at the other again, feeling slightly surprised at the others display of concern. He doesn’t think they’ve had a conversation like this…well…ever. It felt so unfamiliar having his blue rival speak to him like this, but he didn’t exactly dislike it. He found himself feeling a little warmer than before.

“You’re not a burden to me. I’m willing to help you through this”

Shadow wasn’t quite sure how to reply. He appreciated the others kindness, but he was never really good at receiving it.

”I…” He tried to find the right words, saying what his heart told him to. “ Thank you…for caring. I just…I’m not sure if I want to talk about it. I just want to…forget” He didn’t want to remind himself of anything that happened, he just wanted the memory to disappear completely, like it never happened in the first place.

" That’s okay Shadow. I understand it would be hard to talk about. But if there’s anything else I can do- “Just stay” Shadow blurted out, interrupting the other. He instantly regretted being so forward, but oh well, too late now.

He didn’t like admitting to this, but he felt lonely. Usually being alone was what he wanted when dealing with things, but his blue rivals display of care was making him have second thoughts. He felt oddly comforted by the other’s presence, and, surprisingly enough, he found himself leaning into it.

Shadow squeezed his eyes shut, embarrassed by what he had just said. “Okay, whatever helps” Sonic still spoke softly, smiling at the other, feeling quite pleased at how this was going for him.

They fell into a strangely comfortable silence for about two minutes, until Sonic spoke up.

”Hey look! A shooting star!” Sonic pointed up towards the sky. Shadow followed the others finger, then catching a glimpse of the flash of light as it dashed across the sky. Shadows eyes lit up, and for a moment, he felt a brief smile tug at his lips. He adored the sky and the stars. It was something he had always had an interest in, mostly thanks to Maria. Stargazing had always helped Shadow relax. 

Shadow looked back towards the other hedgehog, who had already beat him to it, as he was laying down gazing up at the sky. 

“Cmon, what are you waiting for. Join me” Sonic smiled as he patted the spot next to him. Shadow hesitated for a moment. But all his heart was telling him to do was to give in, so he did.

He scooted a little closer, laying back into the grass. He doesn’t think he’s felt this relaxed in weeks. The smell of lavender filled his nostrils, the ground was surprisingly more comfortable than he expected, there was a sky full of stars above him for him to gaze into, and, well…there was Sonic. He’d expect him to make him feel the complete opposite of relaxed, but this felt different. He had shown how much he cared. And, Shadow had to admit, he cared too. Of course he did. He was the hedgehog he saved the world with. He is the reason Shadow is where he is today. There was always something different, something special. But he could never quite put his finger on it.

The two hedgehogs lay there for a while, just enjoying the moment. Shadow would feel a smile tug at the corners of his lips every time Sonic would leap up slightly to joyfully announce that he had seen another shooting star. It was nice. Really nice. Shadow found himself almost forgetting about everything he was bottling up inside his head. 

Some time passed, and Sonic looked to his side to see Shadow with his eyes closed, laying completely still. Was he asleep? He kinda hoped not, as he wouldn’t really know what to do with him. “Shadow? You asleep?” Sonic spoke quietly, so he wouldn’t wake the other if he was sleeping. Shadows eyes opened slightly, gazing at the other through heavy lids. “Oh, sorry. Did I wake you?” “It’s alright. It’s probably not a good idea to sleep out here anyway.” Shadows voice was slightly raspy, a little deeper than usual due to his tiredness.

It was pretty cute actually. 

Wait what?

He shrugged off the thought. Sonic that’s a little weird.

”Yeah, I probably should head home. Tails is probably worried sick now that I think of it.”

Shadow sat up with a grunt. “ I should…head home too.”

Sonic knew Shadow and Rouge lived together, so he didn’t need to worry about Shadow having a place to sleep. 

Shadow began to walk away, before coming to a stop and turning to face Sonic. 

“Thank you…for…this.” Shadow was truly grateful for the other. He had to admit, he did feel a tad bit better. 

“No problem Shadow” Sonic knew Shadow wasn’t fully healed. That would take a while.

Shadow wondered if this would be the only and last time they would do this. He wouldn't usually find himself willingly hanging out with his rival, but their time together provided a sense of comfort that he really needed. And, again, he hated to admit it but he didn’t want this to be the last. 

“Sonic?” 

“Yeah?”

”Could we…do this…again.” Shadow almost cringed at those words. He hated it. Chaos, he hated that he liked this. He didn’t want to, but he did.

Sonic was taken aback by the ebony hedgehogs words. Had he really been that successful? He felt proud of himself for managing to breach the others walls a bit. But it also felt a little out of character for Shadow.

”Yeah, of course. Whatever makes ya feel better!” Sonic shot the other a wink. “Anyways, I really gotta get home to Tails. Wanna meet here again tomorrow evening?”

”Sure…” 

“Great! Cya!”

The blue speedster disappeared in a flash.

Shadow mentally hit himself for what he had just done.

Chaos, what an idiot he was

Chapter 2: Panic

Shadow didn’t even fully understand himself as to why he was giving into this. He wouldn’t usually turn to the blue hedgehog for comfort.

But here he was, sitting in his spot on the field, waiting. It was almost like his heart had more control over him than his own mind. It felt weird.

He found himself feeling a little on edge. There was a strange flutter in his stomach, and he could slightly feel his heart beating against his chest. Shadow didn’t know much about feelings, but he shrugged it off, not really understanding why his body was responding this way. He picked a piece of lavender, bringing it to his nose to smell. The scent was warm and inviting, making him feel slightly more relaxed.

He fiddled with the stem in his gloved hands, investigating the flower in his grasp. He always loved lavender. Its scent and appearance always managed to interest him, somehow.

Shadows thoughts were interrupted by the hedgehog he had been waiting for. “Hey Shadow!” He took a seat beside Shadow. Shadow took notice in how he was slightly closer than yesterday. “Miss me?” Sonic questioned teasingly. Yes of course I did. “ Tch, in your dreams.” “You asking me to come and spend time with you again says otherwise” Damn, he got him there.

Shadow let out one of his annoyed sighs, “Don’t make me change my mind” Shadow grimaced, baring his teeth at the other hedgehog.

”Okay, okay, I’m sorry” Sonic lifted his hands in surrender.

The two hedgehogs fell into silence, watching as the sun set on the horizon, painting the sky with pretty oranges and pinks. “ How are you feeling today?” Sonic questioned, sounding concerned for the other. 

Shadow thought for a moment. He didn’t feel much different, but he found that the others presence was helping him to drown out his thoughts a bit, somehow.

“I…don’t really know how I feel.” Shadow spoke quietly, almost inaudible. But Sonic was listening closely. 

It was true. There were so many different emotions he was feeling that just seemed to mix into something he couldn’t describe. It didn’t make him feel happy or sad. Just made him feel unsure.

It frustrated him. A lot. 

“Maybe…just try to explain? So I could try and help, yknow-“

”I don’t know Sonic!” Shadow snapped, feeling his claws threatening to tear through the fabric of his gloves as he clenched his fists.

Shadow sighed, “I just…I feel…guilty.” 
There it was. That was the word he was looking for. It wasn’t exactly how he felt completely, but it was the main reason for his strange feeling of numbness.

Sonic wasn’t quite sure what to say, so he stayed quiet, urging Shadow to continue.

” I-I really thought I had a chance to change things, their fates. But somehow I managed to…fail. Again!” Shadow could feel his emotions start to bubble up, clenching his fists tighter, his eyes starting to sting slightly. No no. He couldn’t cry in front of him. That was weak. He had to get out of here. Or, he had to gain his composure.

That awful feeling of panic overcame him, his heart rate had accelerated to a million, his head felt heavy, tears threatened to stream down his cheeks, he began to tremble. He wanted to escape. Reach for his chaos emerald. Teleport away before the other hedgehog thought of him as some torn up and weak hedgehog. 

But he couldn’t. He didn’t know why. His body felt frozen in place. He felt disoriented as his breathing became more difficult.

Shadow was no stranger to panic attacks, but now really wasn’t the time.

“Shadow?”

Chaos you’re so pathetic Shadow! You couldn’t even save the most important person to you even when given the opportunity! You’re such a failure! So weak and useless!

”Shadow?!”

His ears were ringing, the sound of his blood rushing to his head filling them.

”Shadow!”

He heard him this time, snapping his head towards the other.

Sonic was taken aback by the sight before him. Shadows quills were ruffled up, as he had been clawing at them. His expression held a look of pure despair, the fur on his cheeks  saturated from his tears.

The other hedgehog slowly reached into his quills, his hands trembling aggressively.

”Shadow, please, don’t.” 

Surprisingly, Shadow hesitated. His trembling hand hovered for a moment, scanning the others expression. The look on Sonics face made him contemplate. His expression held a tone of such worry, it almost made him feel a little bad for him. 

“Take my hand” Sonic spoke softly, reaching his hand out to the other in offering. Shadow stared at the offered hand for a moment, hesitating. 

He couldn’t bring himself to leave, so he gently took the others hand. 

“Shadow, it’s okay. You’re safe. I’m here.” Sonics grip on Shadows hand tightened slightly at those last two words.

Shadow was still hyperventilating. Sonic could feel the tremble of his hand in his. So in an effort to comfort, he reached for his other hand, squeezing them both reassuringly.

“Im gonna try something with you, okay? It will help, I promise.” Shadow was unable to speak, so he simply nodded his head, his body still trembling slightly.

”Okay, it’s really simple. I just want you to try and match my breathing, okay?” Shadow quirked a brow slightly, but nodded, as he hoped that whatever this was that Sonic was doing would help.

Sonic breathed in slowly, holding it for about two seconds, before releasing. Shadow attempted to match, but it was a little difficult.

”Okay, you’re doing good! Now again.”

They continued for about 3 minutes, Sonic gently caressing Shadows hands with his thumbs for comfort. Eventually, Shadows breaths evened out, the trembling of his hands relaxing.

”Okay, now try by yourself.” Shadow took a few slow breaths, finally gaining his composure. He opened his eyes to see the blue hedgehog in front of him, a warm smile directed at him.

“Better?” 

“I…yes”

Shadow felt a little surprised by the actions of the other hedgehog. But he was grateful for his help, as he usually didnt find calming down from his episodes very easy.

”Good”

Shadows heart rate was certainly better than it was, but he still felt a slight flutter in his chest, but not quite from panic, but something else. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it. It wasn’t exactly a negative feeling though, it almost made him feel more relaxed.

Sonic noticed the shine of wet tears still present on the other’s cheeks. His body sort of moved before his brain did, and he reached out his hands to gently rub the dampness from them.

Shadows eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t move. Then that strange feeling returned. He felt his cheeks tingle slightly, the fluttering in his chest and stomach causing his heart rate to increase again. What in chaos was wrong with him? Was he sick? No, he doesn’t get sick. He’s the ultimate lifeform. 

The reality of what Sonic had just done hit him like a brick when he saw Shadows reaction, pulling his hands away instantly. “Sorry…” Sonic apologised, laughing awkwardly. Chaos you’re such an idiot Sonic.

”Shadow, listen.” The other hedgehog turned his head towards the other slightly, his ears flickering towards the blue hedgehog beside him. “All of that…that you said, it’s not true. I know I wasn’t there, you were the one who had to go through it. But I can assure you, you did not fail in any way.” Shadow turned to look at him fully now, a look of confusion on his face.

”What are you talking about hedgehog. I failed them…there is no denying that.” Shadow brought up his legs so he could rest his chin on his knees, wrapping his arms around them for support.

”Sorry dude, but are you serious right now? We were stuck in a place trapped between past and present. I can assure you that there was nothing you could do to change the past. You weren’t even in that point in time Shadow. 
Just some messed up place that made us relive it. I know it may not feel like it, but there was nothing you could do for you to change the past Shadow.”

Shadow thought for a moment. Perhaps he was right. Now that he thinks about it from that perspective, it seems that there really wasn’t a logical way for him to change their fate. 

“I understand that seeing them again probably made you feel pressured. Like you were supposed to do something. But this whole mess was caused by some cruel being, not because you were meant to fix anything.”

Sonics words caused Shadow to think back on some of the things Maria had told him, 

”We don’t want to be frozen in one point in time forever”

”Besides, you’re friends need your help”

At that second thought, Shadow turned to look Sonic in the eyes, those shiny emerald greens displaying his genuine worry for the other, along with the soft smile he gave him. He found himself unable to tear his gaze away, examining every detail of the others forest eyes. 

Sonic felt a little worried at shadows lack of speech. Had he said something wrong? Did he go too far? But also, why was he gazing directly into his soul…? It made him feel a little uneasy, but it made a strange tingly warmth creep it’s way onto his cheeks.

Shadow suddenly took notice in their proximity, as Sonic had moved closer to comfort Shadow beforehand. Their noses were about five inches apart, and he could slightly feel the warm tickle of the others breath against his muzzle.

Shadow doesn’t know what overcame him, but he leaned forward, wrapping his arms around the other hedgehog and pulling him into a hug.

Sonics entire body froze up. Not because he didn’t like hugs, but because this was the last thing he expected the other to do. He eventually returned the hug, tugging the other in closer, resting his head against his shoulder. He most likely needed it, and to be honest, he needed it to.

Shadow kinda regretted it now, but he couldn’t pull away. The others embrace felt so warm and inviting. He gently nuzzled the short peach fur on his chest, which caused Sonic to pull him in closer. Shadow got caught off guard when he noticed he could feel the thumping of the others heart against his cheek.

Was he having these strange feelings too?

 

Sonic wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that. Maybe…Five minutes?

Sonic was starting to get a little worried, as the other hadn’t said a word.

”Hey…” Sonic shifted slightly, using his hand to guide Shadows face up to look at him. “Everything okay?” It was kind of a dumb question, but he was curious. 

Shadow pulled away, feeling pretty embarrassed for what he had just done. “I’m fine…” Shadow looked away, attempting to hide the embarrassment on his face. 

Sonic raised a brow in question. “Sure about that bud?”

Shadow found himself panicking. “I should go…” “Are you sure? Are you okay?” 

“Yes!”

Before Sonic could get another word in, the stubborn hedgehog vanished. 

Well that was weird…

 

Chapter 3: Lavender

What the hell was wrong with him? Shadow felt like his head was about to explode from frustration. ‘Why did I do that? Why did I do that? Why did I do that?’ Was all Shadow could hear inside his head.

But it was funny because, well, here he was. Sitting in the field. Waiting.

He wasn’t even sure if what he was waiting for would come. He didn’t even really come here for him in the first place. This was his spot. It had been for a long time. But he took notice in the slight pang of disappointment at the empty spot beside him.

Chaos it was all so frustrating. Before any of this even happened, he would not even consider doing anything he’s done with the other hedgehog. But now, it was like his blue rival was some kind of comfort magnet, and he couldn’t stop himself from being drawn in.

Shadow was never really good at understanding his own feelings, but now it frustrated him more than it ever has his whole life.

In an attempt to wind down, he lay back like he did the other night, taking in the aroma of lavender surrounding him, the soft cushy grass beneath him, but there was something missing.

Ugh

Shadow lay there for a while, shutting his eyes as he tried his best to relax his mind. 

His thirty minutes of peace was eventually disturbed when he heard shuffling. His ears perked up, but he wasn’t bothered to get up and look. It was probably just a flicky or something. 

A few moments later, Shadow realised he could almost hear breathing. He opened his eyes, and made an audible gasp of fear when he saw swaying blue quills in the corner of his eye.

The grass was long, so if someone was laying down, it wouldn’t be easy to spot them from afar. 

At Shadows accidental gasp, Sonic jumped, looking beside him. “Shadow?!” 

“What are you doing here, hedgehog!?” Sonic was at a loss for words for a moment, not sure how to answer. 

“Uh, I just…wanted to catch a break. I was on a run and I came to sit down.” This was a lie, of course. He had came here hoping to find the ebony hedgehog. 

Shadow sighed, forcing himself to sit up from his cozy spot.

They fell into silence once again, but this time it was far more uncomfortable than last time.

”It’s almost the middle of the night hedgehog, why are you out here?” It was a valid question, Sonic never really went on nighttime runs.

Sonic sighed, knowing he couldn’t lie his way out of this, and he didn’t like lying anyway.

”I just…wasn’t getting much sleep. So I came out here, thinking you would maybe be here…Well, not really! I just like the spot! It’s nice actually, how did you find it? It’s pretty hidden-“ “You’re changing the subject” Sonic felt like he was being pinned down by Shadows questioning glare, the intensity of his crimson gaze sending a slight shiver down his spine. “I…okay. Sorry, I just…you seemed off yesterday and you seem to be out here mostly at night so…yeah.” 

Shadow felt speechless. Why did he care so much? It was a question that was on the tip of his tongue.

”Sorry if that’s a little weird…is that weird? I guess I just-“

”Sonic”

He turned to look Shadow in the eyes, looking quite tense.

”Why…are you doing this.”

“…Because I care about you.”

Sonic smiled warmly at the other, his gaze soft and caring.

And there it was. Shadow really thought he could get rid of it. That sickening feeling that made his stomach flutter and his face feeling like he wanted to claw it off.

“Yknow how much you matter to me Shadow, right?” 

Shadow remained silent, rooting through his brain to find an appropriate answer.

“Sorry…am I getting too sentimental?” Sonic laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.

“Yeah…” 

Sonic looked back into Shadows eyes, crimson meeting emerald. Sonic let out a soft giggle, not tearing his gaze away from the hedgehog in front of him.

Shadow couldn’t prevent the small smile tugging at the corners of his lips, a quiet chuckle somehow managing to escape.

”You have a really nice smile yknow, you should do it more often.”

Shadow found himself feeling slightly flustered. This stupid hedgehog always managed to mess with his head, no matter how he did it.

“Okay I…think you’ve made your point” shadow spoke quickly in an attempt to end this conversation as he was starting to feel like he genuinely would explode.

”Okay, sorry. But uh…could I ask you something?” Shadow turned to look at Sonic with a questioning raise of his brow, curious.

”Were you okay last night? You just kinda vanished without saying much.”

“I was fine…just tired.”

”Are you sure?”

”Yes-why are you interrogating me hedgehog?”

”Its just uh…I never knew you were a hugger”

Oh. Right. That’s probably why he thinks something is wrong. Because you were idiotic enough to hug the blasted hedgehog. Well, he probably had to explain himself now. Or did he? Why would I have to explain myself for hugging someone I care about?

“Ugh…if your just gonna pester me then I’m leaving.” He tried his best to avoid the question, not really having an answer to it anyways.

“Okay, keep your secrets” 

They fell into silence again, but a little less awkward now.

“It was a nice hug though, I gotta say. You should totally give out free hugs. Everyone would love you” Sonic teased, nudging the other slightly with his elbow.

Shadow sighed with annoyance, rolling his eyes. 

He looked over at Sonic, not making eye contact as the other was simply staring off into the distant mountains. He found himself unable to look away. Again, it was like a magnet, unable to draw himself away from the sight beside him.

He simply observed the others features, his emerald eyes shining dimly in the darkness of the night, his cobalt quills gently swaying in the cool breeze, the rise and fall of that fuzzy chest that he had nuzzled into, the way his eyes darted to different areas in the distance.

Shadow found himself contemplating these strange feelings he’s been having as he stared, the others presence made him feel oddly warm. It was confusing, but it made him feel content. Relaxed. Just looking at the other hedgehog made his heart beat faster, he felt his usual intense stare relax, and he couldn’t help how the corner of his mouth would slightly upturn. 

Sonic was slightly in front of him, so Shadow watched him from the corner of his eye, trying to be discreet. At one point, he shifted his head slightly as he was tired of side eyeing him.

But to no avail. Sonics ear twitched towards Shadow, hearing him shift.

He caught him staring. Oh dear Gaia. 

Something in Sonic’s expression shifted, his eyes widened slightly, and Shadow wasn’t sure if he was seeing things right due to the darkness, but a hint of pink could be seen on his cheeks.

For some reason, he still didn’t look away. He hadn’t realised how close they were up until now.

Sonic mirrored Shadows appearance, bringing his knees to his chest, hiding his muzzle with his arms, staring right back through heavy lidded eyes.

Shadow was completely taken aback by the others actions, feeling his heart thump and his face flush, which was luckily hidden with his arms.

Sonic hadn’t noticed until now, but there was a small piece of lavender stuck in the others quills, just below his ear. 

“Hm, thats cute.” He spoke quietly, so Shadow wasn’t sure if he had heard him right.

The blue hedgehog stared working on something, picking bundles of lavender and fiddling around with them. Shadow tried, but couldn’t exactly make out what he was doing.

After about 3 minutes, Sonic turned around to face Shadow again, this time holding what seemed to be a massive ring, made of lavender.

”Wanna try it on?” Sonic held out the strange circle of lavender in offering. 

“What is that…?” Shadow asked blandly.

“Just…lemme show you?” 

Shadow simply raised a brow in curiosity.

”I’ll take that as a yes!”

Sonic gently placed the crown onto Shadows head, softly using his fingers to fix it around the others back quills. 

He pulled back, admiring his hard work. “Woah…you look…adorable” 

Before Shadow could make any snide comment, Sonic reached into his quills, pulling out his cellphone and snapping a photo. Shadow had barely had any time to react, as the other had literally done it in a flash. He was the fastest thing alive after all. 

“H-hey! What was that?”

”Nothing!” 

“Did you just take a photo of me?!”

”Uh…maybe…”

Shadow growled in annoyance, finally removing his gaze off of the other hedgehog. 

“You’re insufferable”

”You look cute though! Does that make you feel better?” 

Shadow simply sighed, trying to hide the fluster on his face. 

They fell into silence again. But it was nice. Shadow had closed his eyes, relaxing himself. The sound of the crickets, the soft breeze that swayed through his quills. 

“Hey Shadow?” Sonic turned to look at the other hedgehog. “Hm?”  

“Why do you like coming out here just at night?”

“I suppose it’s more peaceful. It’s quiet, certainly not as hot, it’s just a nice way of getting alone time. And I…guess it feels safer in a way.” 

“hmm, you’re right. I guess it is a lot more peaceful.” Sonic agreed, taking a look around the land surrounding them.

“And uh…one more question.”

”what?”

”Why a field of lavender?”

”I…suppose I’ve just always liked it.”

”hm…what do you like about it?”

Shadow was slightly taken aback by Sonics interest. He doesn’t have a lot of conversations like this usually, it felt strange, but nice.

“I like its smell. I find it relaxing, in a way. And I…think it looks nice.” 

Sonic found himself staring at the other hedgehog again. It’s not often that you hear Shadow the Hedgehog talk about his interests. 
He’d expect him to be passionate about Harley Davisons or different types of guns or something, but never a small purple flower. It was cute.

Gaia, I have to stop finding you cute.

”Well it certainly does on you.” Sonic teased, pointing to the lavender crown still atop Shadow’s head.

Shadow felt his face flush again, hoping that the darkness would cancel it out so the other wouldn’t see. He groaned, turning away from the other hedgehog.

They fell into another comfortable silence, observing the land around them. The only light provided was the moonlight and the hovering fireflies that surrounded them.

Shadow could feel his eyes become heavy. He was exhausted. Both mentally and physically. He found himself drifting off, slightly falling, then jerking back up again. 

Sonic jumped slightly as he felt something hit his shoulder. He looked down to see that the ebony hedgehog had fallen asleep, unknowingly resting himself against him. A small smile tugged at his lips. It was cute.

Oh for chaos’ sake…

Sonic discreetly shifted so Shadow’s head was resting comfortably against his neck, scooting in closer. Surprisingly, Shadow didnt show any sign of disturbance to his sleep. He was completely still, almost like he was frozen. 

It was so comfortable, and warm. It made his heart thump slightly faster, a tingly warmth in his cheeks, forcing a smile to appear. 

He gently rested his head on top of Shadow’s, hopefully not to wake the other. 

He looked down at the sleeping hedgehog beneath him. 

Totally the cutest hedgehog ever

 

 

 

Chapter 4: Crush

Notes:

It took me a while to update this, but here I am woohoo.

Shadow slowly opened his eyes to see that he was inside, seemingly in a living room of some sort. The first thing he felt was confusion, not having any knowledge at all of where he was, or how he got there.

He noticed he felt very warm and snug, peeking down to see a red blanket out over him. He then took notice in the soft pillow under his head, nuzzling his cheek into it slightly. It was so unbelievably comfortable, but once he had woken up fully, the realisation hit him that he needed to figure out where the heck he was.

He dragged himself up from his comfy spot, slouching as he sat on the edge of what he had just observed to be a couch. He fixed his posture, wincing slightly as he cracked his back. Damn. He definitely slept well.

He quickly regained his memory, remembering the previous night. He was with Sonic, and then he got tired, and then-

You have got to be kidding me…

He must’ve fell asleep. He quickly put the pieces of the puzzle together, concluding that he was probably brought here by the blue idiot.

Ugh

So this must be wherever he lived. Shadow took a look around. There was a pretty big TV resting on the wall above a fireplace. There was a mantelpiece which seemed to have many framed photos along it for decoration. Shadow then noticed a vase beside the line of photographs, holding a bundle of lavender inside. His eyes lingered for a moment. Maybe he picked them when he was there? Or maybe he’s just always had them. Shadow tore his gaze away, observing the other areas of the room. It wasn’t very big, it felt quite cozy. There was some nice ambient lighting, a bookshelf that seemed to hold many comic books, a beanbag chair, some gaming controllers, and a large colourful rug beneath him. He then noticed the small coffee table in front of him, a full glass of water and what seemed to be a bag of crisps being left there.

Were they left for him? Shadow was actually quite hungry. He didn’t eat a lot. It wasn’t something he had to do very often due to him being the ultimate lifeform and all. But he had to admit he enjoyed a nice meal every here and there. But the snack that was left in front of him wasn’t exactly comparable to Vanilla’s delicious meals.

As he glanced around, he noticed a clock on the wall above the door. It was kinda small and far away, so he couldn’t see it very well.

Observing the position of the hands, it seemed to be somewhere around twelve thirty. Definitely midday as the daylight was filtering through the curtains. 

He felt a little out of place. He had to admit, he missed the comfort of his own room. And Rouge would probably have five more questions for each passing minute of his absence, and he didn’t exactly want to be bombarded with her queries.

 

♥︎

 

Sonic creaked the door open, and he found himself not very surprised that the other hedgehog had left. He had contemplated bringing Shadow home for a while. It was late at night, and he figured that Rouge would be asleep, and he felt a little iffy about barging into their home in the middle of the night. So he came to the conclusion that he should just bring him home and rest him on the couch. Like, he couldn’t just lay him back down into the grass and leave him there.

Shadow was always a deep sleeper, and Sonic was quite taken aback at how the other didn’t show any signs of disturbance while literally being carried back to his home. Well, Sonic had done it in a flash.

 

♥︎

 

Rouge jumped as Shadow reappeared in front of her, looking completely…disheveled. 

“Chaos! Shadow! Please don’t ever do that.” Rouge pleaded, a hand still placed over her chest dramatically. Shadow simply huffed, beginning to walk away. “Hey! Where do you think you’re going?” Rouge raised a brow, taking notice in Shadows messy appearance.

”To my room?” Shadow was still walking away, not turning to face the bat as he spoke.

”Hold on just a minute, hon!” Shadow finally stopped, slightly turning to side eye the bat.

”Your quills are messy, and you never let your quills get messy.”  

Shadow would usually fix his quills even at the slightest bit of disarray. But because of how crazy his mind has been for the past twenty minutes, he never even took notice. So, at hearing the bats words, he fixed them with usual slick-back motion.

”Shadow…did something happen? You seem tense.”

”I’m fine Rouge, just tired. I’m going to bed.”

”Oh no you’re not!”

“Rouge please, just leave me alone.”

“Shadow, where have you been lately?”

At this, Shadow paused, turning to face the bat fully now. Whenever rouge sensed something was up with Shadow, she would never fail to get it out of him. No matter how defensive Shadow was, she always managed to get through to him.

”I don’t see how that’s any of your business Rouge.”

Rouge sighed in annoyance.  Why do you have to be so stubborn? “Yknow what? You’re right. It’s not my business. But I’m worried about you. After everything thats happened, you can’t expect me not to worry if you’ve been disappearing.”

Having your edgy hedgehog roommate disappear every night after reliving the trauma that changed his life would definitely make you worry.

”Shadow, please. Talk to me?”

Rouge took a seat on the couch, patting the spot next to her.

 

Perhaps his bat friend could help him figure out why he’s been feeling so strange. The thought of expressing these sort of feelings was something that made Shadow almost feel repulsed, but Rouge was a good friend. She has managed to make him share his thoughts before, and he found himself feeling better afterwords. So maybe it won’t be so different this time? She did always seem to have an answer for everything.

 

Shadow sighed, beginning to walk towards the sofa and taking a seat beside the bat. “I’ve just been having some time to myself. It’s not personal, I just needed to…sort through my thoughts.” Rouge nodded her head slowly “I understand Shadow, thats completely fine. It was just hard not to worry when you started vanishing.”

 

“Shadow, would you want to talk about it? I don’t like leaving you alone with your thoughts. Especially given the circumstances.”

 

Shadow gave in eventually. He tried his best to explain how he felt about Maria and black doom.

 

Their conversation lasted a while, Rouge tried her very best to comfort the other, but she could sense something else lurking beneath that crimson gaze. Some separate problem seeming to floating around behind his eyes.

 

“Hon, is there something else bothering you?”

 

There very much was. But the whole thing felt weird to talk about.

 

Shadows gaze fixated on the floor. He fiddled with his gloves, contemplating.

 

“Yknow you can tell me anything right?”  Rouge reached to softly place a hand on top of his, ending his nervous fiddling.

 

In that moment, Shadow felt incredibly lucky that he had her. He hasn’t had many close friends since Maria, but their friendship was something he was extremely grateful for. It was nice knowing that there was someone that would always remain by your side, no matter what.

 

Perhaps he should just talk to her about it. She always had good advice, and maybe it would make him feel better to take the weight off his chest.

 

Shadow sighed, turning to look his bat friend in the eyes. “I’ve been feeling…strange lately.” It was the only word he could think of to describe it. “In what way? Hold on a second, does this have something to do with blue?” At that, Shadows ears perked up, widening his eyes ar the bat. How in Chaos did she quite literally know everything? “How…?” “A little birdie told me that Sonic has been disappearing lately too, specifically at night, just like you hon.”

 

Shadow just stared for a moment, not knowing how to respond. “I…yes”

 

“Okay, tell me” Rouge raised a brow. She could already kinda sense what was happening, but she remained silent.

 

“Usually I would not be able to stand him, but I find myself being…” Shadow looked at his hands, not finding the right words.

 

“Drawn to him?” Rouge questioned, a playful smirk on her lips.

 

“I suppose…he just makes the fog in my mind disappear.” Shadow cringed a little. This was really weird for him.

 

“I guess blue does provide a nice sense of comfort. But what do you mean when you say you’ve been feeling strange?” Rouge wasn’t stupid. She understood what feelings were. She just wanted to hear it from his mouth.

 

“I find myself feeling on edge I guess, my heart beats faster, my face…ugh! I don’t know.”

 

“Hey, it’s okay. First of all, the way you are feeling is completely normal, so don’t worry.” Rouge felt like she was going to explode from excitement. There was no way this was happening, right?

 

“Do you have any idea why this is happening to me?”

 

“I can’t believe I’m saying this but, sounds to me like you’ve got a crush.” Rouge practically squeaked from excitement, causing Shadow to raise a brow in confusion.

 

“A…crush?” Shadow was oblivious when it came to romance. He never really understood it. There was a corny romantic movie that him and Maria would watch every now and then, Maria always seemed to get so excited over it, fantasising that she would meet her Prince Charming someday. But he couldn’t ever wrap his head around it.

 

Rouge sighed “I’m guessing you don’t know what that is?”

 

“No”

 

“Well…you know what Romance is right?”

 

“Sort of yes”

 

“Okay well, from what I’m hearing, you have some romantic feelings for him”

 

Shadow thought for a moment, attempting to process what he had been told.

 

Oh.

 

Shadow didn’t even fully understand Romance. He never really did.

 

“No no…thats not possible…”

 

“What do you mean it’s not possible?”

 

“I’ve always just found him annoying, how could I possibly just gain feelings all of a sudden? This is a misunderstanding-“ Shadow began to sit up, this was all too overwhelming.

 

“Hold on!” Rouge stopped Shadow by grabbing hold of his arm. “Shadow please, let me help you out here.”

 

Shadow slouched back down, not making eye contact with the bat.

 

“You’re right, I know it would feel strange to just suddenly gain feelings like that. But I have a feeling that there’s a little more to it.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Think of your past together. You guys literally saved the world together. It might not be obvious, but the two of you have always had something special between you that none of us have. I know you might have found him annoying or whatever, thats just how your personalities clash I guess, but you care about him. And he cares about you.”

 

He did care about him. He always did.

 

“I think this whole comfort thing you guys have going on has just added onto that, which I guess has just made your feelings stronger. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

 

Perhaps she was right. He never actually hated the other hedgehog. He thought of him as an acquaintance, someone to test his ability with.

 

“I think I do.” Shadow turned to look at the bat. “…What am I supposed to do about this Rouge?”

 

“Well, I would say talk to him about it, but I don’t think that’s something you would want to do.”

 

Shadow sighed, knowing she was probably right.

 

“Look, if you don’t want to say anything just yet, maybe just see how it plays out, try and find out if he feels the same way.”

 

“And how do propose I do that?”

 

Their conversation was cut off at a knock on the door. “Oh right, I forgot I was going shopping with Amy today.” Shadow just took notice in Rouges outfit, obviously ready to go somewhere.

 

“Look, thats all I can tell you to do for now. I promise I will help you out Shadow, but I should go. Promise me you’ll try?”

 

Shadow sighed “Okay…thank you.”

 

Shadow was left with his thoughts again, except this time it wasn’t in a field of lavender, with the warmth of the blue hedgehog against him.

 

Chapter 5: Kiss

Notes:

HELP I just realised I originally said white space in the fic summary but that literally a term from Sonic frontiers 😭

Sonic tapped his fingers against the wooden table, watching Tails as he worked. “I’m really bored Tails. Are you sure there’s nothing I can do to help?”He felt completely restless, itching to go on a long run.

 

“Actually, I wanted to ask you about something” Tails spun around in his stool to face Sonic, whose leg was bouncing as he tapped his finger impatiently. “Okay, shoot.”

 

“What’s up with you and Shadow lately?” Tails got straight to the point, as he was very curious. Sonics tapping finger froze, along with his leg, his ears drooping slightly.

 

“How… do you know about that?” Sonic certainly expected the fox to say anything but that. “Well, a little birdie told me that Shadow has been disappearing lately at night, just like you Sonic. It wasn’t very hard to put the pieces of the puzzle together. And you have been acting kinda weird lately.”

 

Sonic was at a loss for words. He certainly has been feeling weird lately, but he didn’t think it was obvious. “I…”

 

“Well?” The fox began typing on his computer, not making eye contact with the other.

 

Sonic was never really one for feelings, but he found himself losing sleep over his worry for the other hedgehog. It was kinda ridiculous of him, but he couldn’t help it. He really cared about him, and all he wanted was for the other to feel happy again. Seeing him go through so much pain made him feel horrible. But seeing him smile again healed a wound in his heart he didn’t even know existed.

 

“Shadow just…hasn’t been doing well lately. And I’m trying my best to help him out.” Sonic began tapping his finger again, averting his gaze from the fox. “I see” a small smile creeped its way onto the foxes muzzle. “What?” Sonic questioned, seeing the foxes  playful smirk. “Nothing” the fox continued typing, still not making eye contact. “Well it’s nice that you’re looking out for him.”

 

Sonic sighed, the itch to run was now becoming impossible to ignore. “I’m gonna head out, cya later bud.” The fox turned to look at the hedgehog, but the door had already shut behind him. “Okayy…”

 

♥︎

 

Sonic sped past the field of lavender. He couldn’t help but skid to a halt. Unsurprisingly, he could see the silhouette of the ebony hedgehog in the distance. Their meetings had become frequent. They usually wouldn’t say much, they simply enjoyed each other’s company. They would race and spar every here and there, then taking time to relax, sometimes tending to each other’s wounds afterwards. It had been about a week since their first meet up, and it has become part of Sonic’s daily routine.

 

But Sonic has noticed a change in Shadow’s behaviour ever since the night he brought him home after he had fallen asleep. Sometimes he catches him staring, other times he simply just moves closer. Whenever they sparred, he didn’t seem to put in as much effort. It was strange.

 

Sonic approached the other, calling his name from afar as he didn’t want a repeat of the chaos spear almost decapitating him.

 

Shadow turned his head, taking notice in the approaching hedgehog, then turning back towards the distance.

 

Sonic took a seat beside Shadow, sitting cross-legged. “Hey”

 

“Sonic” Shadow greeted.

 

“What are you up to?” Shadow seemed to be fiddling around with something.

 

“Oh, it’s nothing” Shadow quickly stated, shoving whatever it was into his quills.

 

Shadow had been working on a gift for Sonic. He didn’t know much about gift giving. Rouge told him it would be a nice gesture, and maybe it would be a start to expressing how he felt. He had no idea what he could possibly get for him, so Rouge suggested he make something.

 

They sat together for a while, Sonic picking bundles of lavender and making random things, Shadow simply sat and enjoyed the sunset, occasionally sneaking a glance over at the blue hedgehog beside him.

 

“I’m a little bored, do you wanna go for a stroll? I’m pretty tired so, strangely enough I’m not in the mood for a run right now.”

 

Shadow didn’t feel very tired, so he liked the sound of that. “Fine”

 

It felt strange walking by his side. Usually they would be speeding by each other, desperately trying to get to the finish line before the other. But it was nice, enjoying each other’s company like this. It felt strange, but Sonic had grown to love it.

 

“So, how was your day?” Sonic tried to initiate some conversation, as the silence was starting to hurt his ears. “It was alright, Rouge forced me to watch some dumb TV show, but other than that, I didn’t do much.” (Rouge actually forced him to watch a rom com but he didn’t want to admit that)

 

“Tails forced me to watch him work on something while he wouldn’t even let me help him with it, I mean, can you believe that?” (Tails was asking him about whatever him and Shadow had going on but he didn’t want to admit that either)

 

They walked for another bit, Sonic was blabbing on about some movie he watched, but Shadow was a little distracted, he caught a glimpse of Rouge and knuckles, seemingly having a picnic or something under a tree. Shadow had very good hearing, it was one of his ultimate lifeform quirks.

 

He faintly heard a “Thank you” from Rouge, before she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. He was aware of their whole Romance. He didn’t know much about the gestures, but perhaps it was something he could try.

 

Their stroll lasted a while longer, until they came to a stop on top of a hill, overlooking green hill. “What a view” Sonic observed the land below, in awe of the scenery.  The two hedgehogs sat together, taking in the view before them. Shadow, again, couldn’t help but look over at the other hedgehog. The moonlight illuminated his cobalt quills, his emerald greens slightly shining. He looked…perfect.

 

This all felt so strange to Shadow. The weight on his chest it was causing was only getting heavier, and it was becoming harder for him to bear by the day.

 

Some time passed, and Shadow was growing tired. He yawned, which caused Sonic to turn to him. “Try not to fall asleep on me again.” Sonic teased, a soft smile directed at Shadow.

Shadow sighed “Yeah, I won’t. I should probably go home now.” Shadow explained, beginning to sit up from his spot. Sonic began to sit up too. “Yeah, me too. This was nice. It’s not often that you go on a stroll with the ultimate lifeform, usually I’d be kicking your butt whenever we race.”

 

“Tch, whatever you say hedgehog”

 

“Cya tomorrow?” Sonic asked, hoping the answer would be yes. “We’ll see.” A slight smile appeared on his face. “Surprisingly, this was slightly bearable, so…thank you.” Shadow had an idea. It was a bold move, but he didn’t even fully understand what he was doing, if he did he most likely would not have done it.

 

So he leaned forward, softly placing a kiss on Sonic’s cheek.

 

Sonics breath hitched, completely taken aback. His heart immediately began to thump against his chest, his cheeks growing hot and tingly. His entire body was frozen, unable to react.

 

Shadow waited a second for a reaction. The small smile that creeped its way onto Sonics muzzle was enough for him to think it was a good move, so he stepped back and disappeared in a white flash.

 

Sonic was left frozen. He brought a hand up to the spot on his cheek that had just been kissed, in utter disbelief.

 

Then, it came crashing down on him. All his worries. His yearning to spend time with the other hedgehog. The words they shared to each other. The moments of simply enjoying each other’s company. He was taken aback by the signs that Shadow actually liked him as a friend, tolerating his presence. But liking him romantically? It was something he never expected.

 

But it all made sense now. He cared so much, and making him happy was his only priority.

 

He stood for about 2 minutes processing, before deciding to just head home.

 

♥︎

 

Sonic shut the door quietly behind him, sneaking to his bedroom up the stairs.

He lay back,  falling asleep almost instantly. He really was exhausted.

Chapter 6: Cuddle

Notes:

This is kinda flopping but oh well here u go 🥰

So, how’d your day go?” Rouge asked from across the room, causing Shadow to jump slightly.  “What are you doing up?” Shadow asked. “Oh just got caught up in some movie, so how was your date?”

 

Shadow told her everything about their day, then finishing with one final key moment.

 

“You WHAT?!”

 

♥︎

 

Sonic was woken up by the blinding sunlight, as he had completely forgot to close his blinds the night before. He sat up, stretching his arms over his head. The first thought that popped into his head was the night prior. He sat on his bed for about 5 minutes thinking about it, before he felt the rumble of his stomach. He went downstairs, then being greeted by Tails, who was eating toast at the table. “Oh, morning Sonic!”

 

“Hey bud” Sonic stated blandly, not making eye contact. He didn’t mean it personally, his mind was just all over the place.

 

Sonic made his way to the table, taking a slice of toast that was left on the table. “Is everything okay?” The fox asked after a while, sounding worried. “Huh? Oh, yeah I’m okay, just hungry.” Sonic stated, taking a massive bite from the toast, practically eating the whole thing.

 

The whole matter wasn’t something he really wanted to talk about, for now at least.

 

“Are you sure? If there’s something bothering you, you can talk to me.”

 

“I appreciate it, but I’m all good, I promise.”

 

“Okay Sonic” Tails said, still sounding slightly unsure.

 

Sonic spent the rest of the day helping out Tails with a few things in the workshop, then meeting with the rest of the gang for a picnic. As the day progressed, and it got later, Sonic was starting to think more about Shadow. It was growing close to their usual meeting time. Sonic really wanted to go, but he felt nervous. Did Shadow mean what he did? Does he regret it? Is he not gonna show up now and has this bond they have created been damaged? Even with all these questions, he couldn’t just abandon him. He was leaning towards the idea of just going like usual and maybe talking to him about it. He was curious to know what the other had to say, or if he’d even be there.

 

So he left, dashing towards their spot in seconds. And to his slight surprise, Shadow was there. Waiting for him.

 

“Hey Shadow.” Sonic slightly lacked his usual spontaneous tone due to his nervousness.

 

“Faker” Shadow greeted, as usual.

 

It was strange. He didn’t seem in any way nervous. He was acting like he always did, not seeming to have anything on his mind at all.

 

Sonic took a seat beside the other. Shadow lay back, letting out a sigh of relief.

 

“Long day?” Sonic asked with a smirk, shuffling to lay down beside him.

 

Shadow sighed. “Yes.”

 

Shadow turned his head to look at Sonic, who was already looking at him. “Wanna talk about it?” Sonic asked.

 

“…Not really.”

 

The two hedgehogs fell into silence. The sound of crickets filled their ears, along with the soft wind rustling the grass.

 

“The sky looks beautiful tonight.” Shadow stated, gazing into the blanket of stars covering the sky.

 

Instead of the sky, Sonic found himself gazing at the stars reflected in the glistening rubies that were Shadow’s eyes. “Sure does.”

 

The two hedgehogs sat up, as Sonic began making some lavender chains as usual.

Shadow began blabbing on about constellations. Sonic didn’t understand most of what he was saying, but he couldn’t prevent the smile that appeared as the other hedgehog spoke. He never expected Shadow to have interests like lavender and stars. It was starting to make him believe there was a lot more he didn’t know about him. But he would love to find out.

 

“I never realised you were such a nerd.” Sonic teased, not tearing his gaze away. Shadow rolled his eyes, sighing. “No, I mean it in a good way! I like hearing you talk about these things. I find it pretty amusing actually.” Shadows eyes drifted towards him, a small smile appearing, before averting back to the sky above.

 

Some minutes passed as the hedgehogs continued to stargaze. Sonic shivered, as it was quite cold. “Jeez, it’s pretty cold out here.”

 

Shadow took notice in Sonic’s shivers and the way he rubbed his arms up and down in a desperate effort to warm up.

 

Sonic was caught off guard when he felt an arm wrap around his shoulder. “Would you like me to-?”

 

“Oh-uh.” Sonic stammered, his face heating up instantly. Sonic took notice in how Shadow’s arm was literally boiling hot. “Sure.” Sonic couldn’t help but snuggle up towards the other. “How are you so warm? It’s literally like zero degrees out here. Is it another one of your ‘ultimate lifeform’ quirks?”

 

“Yeah, I guess so. I just wish I could cool down when it gets hot. Honestly I would prefer that way more.”

 

“I see” Sonic couldn’t help himself. He snuggled in closer, resting his head against Shadow’s neck. Shadow’s arm around him tightened. A slight purr escaped Shadow. “Never knew you were such a softie.”

 

“Do you wanna stay warm or not.” Shadow asked in a quite annoyed tone, seeming embarrassed. Sonic chuckled quietly, a purr escaping too as he shut his eyes.

 

“Could you tell me some more star facts? They actually were pretty interesting.”

 

Shadow let out a sigh. “If I can think of more.”

Shadow thought for a moment, before beginning to blab on about more constellation facts.

 

After a while, Sonic felt like he would fall asleep the second he would close his eyes, so he spoke up. “Hey Shadow?” The striped hedgehog turned shifted his head to look down at him. “It’s getting super late, and I’m super tired so, I should probably head.”

 

“Alright. And before you go I…have something for you.” Shadow stood up, Sonic doing the same. Shadow’s arm reached into his quills, pulling out a black box. “Here. Since you’re always annoyingly complaining about being cold, I figured you would appreciate it.

 

Sonic quirked a brow, opening the box. He was met with a red and white scarf. “Shadow did you…crochet this?” Sonic asked in utter disbelief. “Yes…Rouge has been teaching me recently. Apparently she learned it from Rose.”

“Shadow…you didn’t have to do this.” A gigantic smile appeared across Sonic’s face as he investigated the scarf. Sonic looked back into Shadows eyes. The two hedgehogs stared for a moment. “Why did you put in all this effort just to make me a scarf?” Sonic raised a brow, still smiling.

 

Shadow hesitated for a moment. It was a little embarrassing. “I just…I wanted to thank you.”

 

“Thank me?”

 

“For…everything. You helped me get back on my feet after everything. You’ve been coming out here just to be with me every night, and I never had to ask you to do that.”

 

“Well, you wouldn’t have to. I care about you. And it broke my heart seeing you the way you were.”

 

Shadow couldn’t help but smile. “Do you like it?”

 

“Are you kidding? I love it! Thanks Shadow.”

 

Sonic had an idea. I guess you could call it a way of getting back at him. He placed a hand on Shadow’s cheek, leaning in to place a kiss on it, caressing his other one with his thumb.

 

“Anyways, gotta go home, cya!” Before Shadow could even react, Sonic disappeared, leaving him red.

Chapter 7: Perfection

Notes:

I lazy for too long and I finally gained the willpower to write the last chapter, so enjoy! 😜

What does a kiss on the cheek mean?” Shadow questioned, breaking the silence that had fell on the kitchen table.

 

“Huh?” Rouge raised a brow in confusion. “It is a way of saying thank you, right?” Shadow asked, hoping the answer would be yes.

 

‘Is this guy serious?’ Rouge thought to herself. “You seriously don’t understand what that means?” Rouge was slightly taken aback by the obliviousness of Shadow when it came to this topic.

 

“But you told me that that’s what it is, but I was having second thoughts.” Shadow questioned . “It’s a thing that you do to show you like someone, like romantically.” Shadow froze, the fork he was using to twirl his spaghetti had hit the bowl with a clank. Rouge stared at the hedgehog on the other side of the table, as he stared into his bowl, his eyes widening slightly. “Um…everything okay hon?” Shadows head lifted slowly to look at her.

 

Shadows eye twitched slightly, clenching his empty hand into a fist.

 

Shadow sighed, picking back up his fork and beginning to fiddle with it. “I didn’t fully understand what it meant…”

 

“He smiled…so I assumed it was a good move.” Rouge was silent, which caused Shadow to look up at her, and he was met with her stunned expression. “Oh my chaos, this is happening.” Rouge squealed, causing Shadow to raise a brow. “He also…did it back, the next day- “ “SHADOW!” Rouge leaped from her seat, causing Shadow to jump back slightly. “He kissed you back! Do you realise what this means?!” Shadow thought for a moment, then it dawned on him. Did he feel the same?

 

Rouge began talking to herself. “Oh my chaos, my favourite edgy hedgehog is in love! I thought the day would never come!” “Hold on Rouge.” Shadow interrupted. “What if he didn’t understand what it meant either?”

 

“Oh please. Sorry hon, but I fear Sonic is nowhere near as oblivious as you with this stuff.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me what it really meant at first?!”

 

“Oh, sorry about that. I just wanted to see how things would go.”

 

“You’re evil.”

 

Rouge giggled, returning to her food.

 

Shadow finished his food, bringing his bowl to the kitchen.  He snuck off to his room, growing tired of Rouge, and in general.

 

It was almost 9pm, so Shadow quietly exited his room, making his way out the front door. He found himself feeling distracted as he skated towards his favourite field. Does he feel the same? Was the question that was circling his head in an endless loop.

 

He was so distracted that he didn’t even notice the blue hedgehog speeding towards him. “Hey Shadow!” Was what pulled him from his trance, as he took notice of the hedgehog running beside him. “Up for a race?” Shadow couldn’t help but smile at the challenge, as he usually enjoyed their races and spars. “You’re on, hedgehog.”

 

They both dashed through green hill, hitting off each other, desperately trying to knock each other down. “First one to the loop the loop wins!” Sonic stated, Shadow nodding in agreement. They continued to race, both passing each other out for mere seconds before the other would catch up again. Sonic loved having someone to really put his abilities to the test with.

 

Sonic had a pretty sly idea. He ran off to the side, disappearing into the trees, causing Shadow to feel confused. Sonic used that confusion to his advantage, skidding towards the other, holding his foot out to trip him up. Shadow growled in annoyance, quickly getting back on his feet and catching up with the other hedgehog.

 

Shadow attempted to use all his power to catch up and win, but he felt himself slow down, feeling that familiar ache that he thought wouldn’t come back. His skating came to a stop.

 

Sonic kept going, not taking notice in the absence of the other hedgehog. He eventually got to the finish line, seeing he got there first. “And I win again! Seriously dude, what’s with you letting me win everything lately?” It didn’t take long for Sonic to realise he was alone. “Shadow? Where are you?” Sonic began to panic a bit, running back the way he came.

 

He was met with Shadow on his knees, clutching his head with his gloved hands, groaning from pain.

 

“Shadow? Are you in pain?” Sonic asked in a panic, approaching the hedgehog slowly.

 

“Sonic…just…I need to leave” Shadow spoke as he attempted to flee, but to no avail as his body kept rooting him to the floor. “Wha-? Shadow what’s wrong?”

 

Shadow groaned as he hit the ground again with a thump, unable to bring himself any further. Sonic attempted to reach out to him, but he yanked back at the sudden yell that escaped the ebony hedgehog, his heart stopping as a pair of umbral wings sprouted from the others back.

 

He couldn’t do much expect stare in awe of the sight before him. Shadow was still rooted to the ground, so Sonic was growing worried.

 

He hesitantly stepped towards the other, kneeling down to be at eye level.

 

“Rouge mentioned abilities, but i never expected anything like this.” Sonic spoke with a tone of admiration, his voice causing Shadows head to snap towards him. Shadow raised a brow and the other, standing up from the ground and staring at his hands. “Are you okay?” Sonic asked.

 

“…I’m fine.” Shadow said after a pause.

 

“Woah…so what else can you do?”

 

“A lot of things…” Shadow said, sounding quite mellow. Sonic chuckled, “Well this is totally gonna spice up our races a bit” Sonic began to jog past him. “Cmon, what are you waiting for? Show me what you got!” Shadow smiled at the challenge, boosting up into the air and flying over the other hedgehog.

 

Sonic looked up in awe as the other flew over and through the trees, passing over him then disappearing again.

 

This went on for another while, before Shadow disappeared completely, causing Sonic to feel confused.

 

He gasped in surprise as he was suddenly being lifted into the air by his leg. “Shadoooow!

Sonic yelled as he was being lifted up higher, taking in the view of the upside down green hill. His face felt like it was being pulled off by the wind that was slamming into it. Shadow began to fly lower, until the tips of Sonic’s quills  were tapping against the ground. Shadows iron grip was preventing him from escaping, so there wasn’t really anything he could do.

 

Suddenly, he hit the ground face first with a thump, Shadow flying way ahead towards the loop. “Hey, thats not fair!” Sonic protested, scrambling to his feet and dashing towards the other hedgehog.

 

Sonic desperately tried to reach the finish before Shadow, but it was already too late, Shadow standing atop the loop with his arms folded.

 

“Dude, you’ve definitely upped your game. I don’t see how that was in any way fair.”

 

Shadow didn’t reply, instead he turned to face the distance.

 

Sonic couldn’t help but admire. The pair of wings were swaying gently in the wind, the fragments of chaos energy glistening off them like sparks. But Shadow looked tense, like something was burdening him.

 

“You okay?” Sonic asked after a moment. Shadow remained silent, still staring off into the distance, seeming to be in a trance.

 

“Helloo? Sonic dragged the o, waving his hand in front of Shadow’s eyes.

 

“What? Oh. I’m fine.” Shadow began to sit down so his legs were dangling off the edge of the loop.

 

Sonic joined him, sitting on the edge of the loop. “Are you sure? You seem a little distracted.”

 

Shadow didn’t find it very easy to talk about his struggles, so he stayed quiet, hesitating.

 

“Remember what I told you the first night?” Shadow turned to look at him now. “That I’ll always be here for you?”  Sonic spoke softly, his tone laced with care and concern.

 

Shadow thought for a moment. He has people who care about him. Are willing to help him, to listen to him. Perhaps he should start taking advantage of that more, and plus, the look on Sonics face made it hard to resist.

 

“This power, it is useful to me. It makes me stronger. But…sometimes I can’t help but let it remind me of…what I am.”

 

Sonic was quiet for a moment, trying his best to understand. “Well, to be honest, I don’t care about any of that, because I’ve always just seen you for what I think you are.”

 

Shadow raised a brow at him, urging him to continue. “At first I thought you were a jerk.” Shadow scoffed at this. “But I later realised that underneath all these defences you’ve put up, you have a good heart, and you want to do the right thing. You never had bad intentions, and no matter what kind of weird alien things you can do, just know that I will never see you differently for it, I’ll never stop seeing you for who I know you truly are.” Sonic had moved closer without even realising it.

 

“Your rival?” Shadow raised a brow, the corner of his mouth slightly upturning.

 

“Yeah. My rival.” Sonic smiled warmly, bringing a gloved hand to cup Shadow’s cheek.

 

The feeling that had been gnawing at Shadow for the past week and a half had returned once again, his chest feeling like an anvil had been suddenly thrown inside it, weighing it down. His stomach fluttering like a kaleidoscope of butterflies were flying around inside. He guessed that the other could almost feel the heat radiating off his face through his glove.

 

“Sonic…did you mean what you did.” Shadow asked, as he was in desperate need of an answer. Sonic removed his hand from the other’s face, catching a brief tone of disappointment flash across Shadow’s face at the loss of contact. “What do you mean?”

 

“The kiss. Did you mean it.”

 

“Did you?”

 

Shadow froze. He did mean it. To be fair, he was the first to do it. So it was on him.

 

“I…suppose I did.”

 

“Well I…guess I did too.” Sonic scratched his neck out of awkwardness, looking away in attempt to hide the fluster in his face.

 

A moment of silence fell upon them, the sound of crickets and rustling trees filling their ears, both unsure of what to say. “I don’t have much understanding of this, so I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do.” Shadow admitted, breaking the deathly silence. Sonic turned to face him again, now mere inches away from the others face. “Well I…think I might have an idea.” Sonic reached to hold Shadow’s face again, more hesitant this time, searching for approval in his expression.

 

He stared into his glistening rubies for a moment. Sonic didn’t want to hesitate anymore, he’s been doing enough of that. He leaned in, stopping inches away from Shadows  muzzle, searching his eyes for approval. Shadow leaned in too, their breath tickling each others peach fur as they both hesitantly leaned into each other.

 

Eventually, Sonic’s lips softly pressed against Shadows, slightly taken aback by Shadow’s incredibly soft lips. Shadow seemed comfortable, so Sonic tilted his head, letting their lips slot together as he deepened the kiss. Sonic couldn’t help but smile against it, running his gloved hand through ebony quills.

 

Shadow has seen this before. He’s aware of the whole concept, he never understood why people would touch mouths to show affection. He found it revolting.

 

But now his mind had been changed.

 

The feeling that overcame him was like nothing he’s ever experienced before. It was like this feeling he’s had was intensified millions, the pleasureful feeling in his chest causing his face to heat up even more. He felt his tail begin to thrash against the grass uncontrollably.

 

He wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing, so he tried to mirror Sonic’s actions, tilting his head to the side and running a hand through his quills. Sonic giggled at Shadows effort, grabbing hold of his face and moving it to a more comfortable position.

 

Sonic pulled away gently, still remaining close to Shadow’s face.

 

“Wow” was all Sonic could muster up to say. Suddenly, Sonics heart practically leapt from his chest at the adorable smile that made its way onto Shadow’s face. He couldn’t help but stare and admire, looking deep into those crimson eyes as they glistened like a sky of stars, his face framed beautifully by the sparks of chaos energy radiating off his wings behind him. “Shadow…no matter what happened in your past, where you came from, or what you think you are, just know that I think you’re perfect.”

 

A glistening tear ran down Shadows cheek as he smiled at him.

 

“Oops, sorry. Too sentimental?” Sonic joked, yet his tone still sounded worried as he reached to rub the tear from his cheek.

 

“Not at all hedgehog.”  Shadow smiled. Sonic smiled back, leaning in again to capture Shadow’s lips once more.

 

Their make out session was eventually interrupted by a female voice coming from the tree across from them. “Well well well! What do we have here?” Rouge had been sleeping upside down in the tree across from them, opening her wings to reveal herself.

 

“Rouge!? What- how long have you been there?!” Shadow asked in a panic, his face becoming even redder from embarrassment.

 

“Oh, I’m not sure. A while maybe? I just woke up.” She explained, yawing dramatically.

 

Sonic and Shadow turned to look at each other, both obviously very embarrassed that they had been caught red-handed.

 

“Chaos, you guys are too cute.”

Notes:

Yay it’s finished at last 😔 this lowk a flop so far but hopefully u enjoyed! I feel like this may have been slightly ooc but oh well that is for reading! 😜