Chapter Text
"Shadow? What are you doing here? It's still the weekend isn't it?"
"It is."
Sonic moved aside for the clothed other to enter, closing the door behind then leaning against it as he watched Shadow remove his shoes by the door. He felt awkward.
"Umm, is there something wrong or..."
" I need to talk to you, can I stay the night?"
Standing from his crouch now shoeless Shadow continued into the darkened household towards the dimly lit kitchen but halting briefly in the archway to the living room. The two blanketed lumps on the couch and the surrounding snack packagings, games and low volume t.v told him all before he continued to the kitchen. Sonic following not far behind, slowing his pace slightly to check in on the slumbering duo before quickening his pace to the seating other.
The lone light of the oven offered some sight to their darkened surroundings. Sonic continued towards the counter where his phone and an associating can sit, leaning against it arms crossed and phone in hand. Standing in a position Shadow assumed to be Sonic's default before his arrival.
"Yea, totally. They fell asleep a while ago. Thirsty or anything? We have some leftovers."
Shadow declined the boxes of stacked pizza atop the stove and cans of soda on the counter. A glance to the crayons and papers piled on the kitchen table as well as the grease-stained paper plates accompanying them, Sonic smile widened when Shadow looked to him.
"Looks like you all had fun."
Sonic snorted a laugh as he lowered the phone and took a sip from his can, leaving for the trashcan aside the fridge then moving to the table. He set the trash down and continued about trashing the plates and pizza crust.
"Of course, I'm always fun."
Shaking his head amused Shadow starts picking up the pictured paper and piling them up all the while looking at some of the art.
Sonic stood aside occasionally pointing to the characters drawn and explaining the stories told to him by the twins.
"He said its a train that's made of pizza. Its job is to carry the ingredients to the oven, here, and that it's powered by the sun."
"Imaginative."
"You'd be surprised what they can come up with, it's pretty cool actually. I had art block almost immediately and ended up just coloring most of their work for them."
"Like this one?"
Holding the scribbled page of what Shadow assumed to be a family portrait. Sonic's coloring smooth and even when compared to the heavy pressed outlines.
"That one's Silver's."
A look of distress crossed the blue hogs features before he turned away to continue with the cans which littered the table and floor alike. Shadow didn't question, interpreting the picture as all four of them running together at what he assumed to be the speed of sound. The speed lines helped immensely. They worked in the silence of shuffling papers.
Both knew Silvers powers differed greatly from their own, whereas Sonic, Shadow, and Rein had speed Silver did not. A soft spot for the toddler. Adding the paper to the finished stack he stood and set them on the counter before continuing to the sink.
A smile graced his face at the sight of the sink being empty. Sonic's always hated doing dishes and to see him go so far as to buy paper plates and soda cans is fairly amusing. Wetting then wringing out a rag Shadow returned to the crumbed table, the silence prevailed as Sonic continued putting away the remaining cans from the ground.
"Shadow...Did something happened?"
Rag gathering the crumbs and sliding them into the trash Shadow was unresponding, thinking up a way to approach the subject.
"It's work."
It was expected, Sonic finished the last can before standing and seating at the table. Watching as Shadow worked as he listened.
"I have another mission, this one is bigger than the others and-"
"How long?"
Detangling crumbs from the rag and into the trash Shadow returned it to the sink before returning to the shaded table, the ovens light just barely reaching from across the kitchen.
"Three months."
"So long? What's it about? Why?!"
Shadow quieted the heightened tone of the other and they sat in stilled silence as the rustling from the living room was short-lived before it quieted again. Sonic whispered an apology just as Shadow continued.
"It's classified-"
Shadow ignored the annoyed huff and unspoken comments playing in Sonic's expression.
"-but it does concern Eggman."
"Of course it does, when doesn't it. That's literally what the organization was made for, why do they try to keep it a secret all the time. Literally, everyone already knows-"
Sonics hissed complaints in a strained whispered tone, pausing mid-rant only when Shadow stood from his seat across the table to occupy one closer to himself. Gloved hands brushing and Sonic's mouthed firmed into the line.
"We have a family now Shadow."
The implications associated with the statement spoke volumes. They couldn't live like that anymore, missions or exploring for however long or another lengthy honeymoon whenever. They had a system that allowed both to still live some semblance of the lives they had albeit in smaller doses but it worked.
"This isn't something I can fall back on Sonic. It's been specially assigned and planned for months now. It's mandatory"
"Then why is the first I'm hearing of it?"
"Because this is the first I am too."
Sonic lowered his gaze to their conjoined hands and tightened the grasp. Eggman hadn't been much of a threat these days, maybe a new robot now and then but nothing he saw as real-world ending thing. Then again it was Eggman he's always scheming and G.U.N only ever acted on such a big scale for a good reason, even if Sonic found himself disagreeing with most of them. Sonic sighed, tired.
"When?"
"Two months from now."
Sonic shot up his gaze.
"So soon?"
Shadow leaned in, foreheads touching with a slight nuzzling from his side, closing his eyes Sonic took in the moment as is. He couldn't help the constrictions within his throat, all signs alluding to the obvious and familiar; Sonic swiftly withheld the emotions.
"I'm staying until then."
Sonic nodded, dragging his head down to Shadow's neck with his love responding in kind though with an added kiss before settling.
"You smell like pizza and the boy's soap."
Sonic laughed as he snuggled deeper in Shadow's neck, his tone tight and grief-stricken yet a few laughs managed to fall through.
"They were playing more than bathing."
Shadow hummed in acknowledgment as Sonic breathed in his pallet.
"You stink."
Shadow smiled, his response short and with a hint of exhaustion.
"Training and work"
They settled within one another's comfort until a yawn overcame Sonic and he pulled away.
"We should get to bed."
Hands unleashed Shadow stood to stretch while Sonic slouching back into his chair massaging his shoulder.
"He gave you the rundown?"
Sonic smiles with a nod.
"I mean I like playing outside for hours as much as the next guy but I usually take breaks between ya know? He just doesn't have an off button."
"What of his development?"
Sonic hummed in thought.
"Alright, I guess. He can hold stuff for longer periods and we, ve been keeping to the regiment you gave. Every morning and a little at night. He can't lift anything bigger than a book."
Shadow nodded as he took in the information, Silver had always been the more energetic of the two. Whereas he would prefer to do anything every waking hour Rein preferred to sit around and admire the scenery. It was fun to do but could get boring, in Sonic's book, after a while.
"Rein?"
Sonic shook his head as he stood, approaching the oven and grasping the leftover boxes, transferring the leftovers into one then walking to the fridge.
"Nope, not once, just don't think it's his thing."
Shadow watched Sonic attempt to find a place to set the pizza's inside the filled fridge before coming aside and keeping the door opened as Sonic worked to slide the box on top.
"He still needs to learn control."
"I get where you're coming from but I mean I didn't start running seriously until I was a bit older, give him time, it may grow on him."
"You only began running to such an extent because of Ivo."
"Hmm, still."
"Have you been following the regiment to some extent, even if it's in smaller degrees?"
Securing the box into place he grasped the door from Shadow's grasp and closed it avoiding his loves questioning sights throughout.
"Uhhh..."
"Sonic you know how important this is-"
"No, yea I know it's just that. He just seems so... uncomfortable ya'know? I don't want him to go out of his way for-"
"He has no choice. This is not as simple as a preference Sonic. This is a power he wields, a power capable of hurting others and he needs to learn to master it."
Sonic continued to breaking down then trashing the emptied box before turning to lean against the counter aside the trash.
"Yea I know...It's just like- like I don't want to force this kinda thing. If he doesn't want to then why not just let him do what he wants?"
Shadow followed the gesture, leaning back against the sink parallel Sonic, arms crossed in huffed irritation.
"Because what he wants could prove detrimental for others. If you are unwilling to teach-"
"I'm not unwilling, I don't want to force it I-"
"This is serious Sonic-"
His voice sounds the kitchen, not loud but firm in its tone. The conversation halts as Sonic turns his gaze below, the stove light casting Shadows shaded figure to stretch towards himself. The response is slow and thoughtful as Sonic chooses his words wisely.
"I know that okay? I know where you're coming from with the whole 'it's dangerous for others' thing okay. But I don't want to ignore how he feels. If he doesn't want to then so what, we can teach him later-"
"Later may be too late."
"Late for what-"
Sonic sighed exhausted, lowering his head to a hand and rubbing his eyes tired. This was a conversation as old as time at this point, he had kept to the schedule lain out but that had only lasted a few weekends at a time before they stopped altogether.
"Sonic"
His name is repeated before his sights rise to meet those across from him.
"I agree with you on the front to not ignore his feelings, we understand the risk of him remaining untrained and uncontrolled so how about this-"
Shadow lifts from the sink and approaches.
"-We go out tomorrow, maybe a picnic, we take a different approach and see how it goes."
"This isn't about controlling Shadow."
"Sonic you know I don't mean it like that."
"Doesn't matter what you mean, just period, no."
Sonic held his hand out to stop Shadow from approaching any closer as their gazes met.
"Im serious Shadow, this isn't about that. We help train him and nothing more. We leave the rest up to him. Okay?"
The met sights intensify as the second's tick by. It was obvious this wasn't something Sonic would fall back on. Shadow breaks the staring to look away with a nod, Sonic responding in kind with his own. Lowering his arms to allow Shadow to stretched his own and trap him against the counter behind and Shadows closening form. Sonic takes initiative in swooping down to meet the other in a kiss.
Head tilting into the kiss and leaning down to accommodate the unaging lifeform. They separated in a huff, stared shifting from lips to eyes while panting for air. Sonic nodded.
"Sounds good."
Returning to the kiss Sonic lifted his arms to circle his lover's shoulders bringing him in closer and Shadow, in turn, wrapping his arms around the other's waist. A tempting roll of hips from both parties as the clung to one another. Parting once again for breath Sonic leaned his forehead against Shadows before commenting.
"We shouldn't."
"Yea, just give me a minute."
Sonic laughed as they stood there embracing long after they had caught their breath. From foreheads nuzzling to settling into one another's neck, they stood there in comforting silence.
"You wanna go in first?"
Shadow shook his head as he lifted from Sonic's neck.
"I'll go after, you're pretty tired."
Sonic nodded in agreement before turning to leave with a mumbled 'goodnight'. Shadow left for the living room, peeking inside to the bundle of covers and pillows which littered the couch and floor. The television's harsh glow but low volume did little to wake the two. Still.
Entering he avoided crumbled wrappers, crushed cans, and drawn pictures, locating the remote offing the television dousing them all in darkness. Staring through the pitch-black towards the two slumbering toddlers cuddled together under the knitted blanket. He smiles, clearing the living room table as quietly as possible before seating and setting the remote down. He watched them, their soft breath and tiny features, the mumblings of wild imaginations. Silver was easier to see as his brightened pallet allow much contrast though Rein's entirely dark fur didn't defer Shadow's near-perfect night vision from seeing him.
He sighed, leaning forward, elbows on knees and head in hands. A deep exhale as he thought of his leaving and the short months prior. He wasn't looking forward to this but it was mandatory and the whole reason he joined was to protect this planet though, he lowered his hands to look at the twins, now he had a new reason.