Archive of Our Own

It had been two years since they got married. Three since Sonic had asked the Ultimate Lifeform about forming a family of their own. In the end, Shadow had further proved to the Hero of Mobius why he was madly in love with him. There was no other person like him; Shadow was his partner for life, their future together aligned in the stars. It always had been even before either of them knew of each other's existence.

Fate granted them a whole journey of ups and downs, some more painful than others, but they always learned from all of it. Shadow and Sonic figured everything out no matter how difficult the situation was. Sometimes, it took more time but they managed. Other times, it was because they didn’t know there was a situation going on. The two heroes were oblivious to the small changes that happened in their daily life, but good thing they had friends that helped them along the way.

Week One:

The scraping of a chair dragged across on the hardwood floor woke up the striped hedgehog, who was both blessed and cursed with superior hearing compared to other mobians. It did come in handy for missions, but it was not when he desperately wanted to get some shut-eye. He recently got home last night from a week-long, overseas mission. Though he had his team by his side, Shadow had missed his husband, the blue speedster’s energetic personality was something that the broody hedgehog had gotten used to. So when he stepped foot into the household, he reciprocated all the kisses and hugs his lover showered him in, and they went to bed, sleeping in each others’ arms. That was the last thing he did until now, softly groaning at being woken up by whatever noise was coming from the kitchen.

He tried to blink away the drowsiness from his eyes as he made his way downstairs. Before turning the corner, he saw light filtering into the living room that sat across the kitchen. He frowned at seeing this since his previous theory was that Mimi was climbing onto the chairs and table. 

Again. 

That cat was always climbing onto furniture it shouldn’t. It still amazed him that Sonic had begged to keep it when they found it several months ago; the hero was usually not fond of the felines since all they did was scratch him up. Of course, Mimi, a medium-sized, Tonkinese cat, was the exception. A soft purr interrupted his thoughts, making him wonder if he imagined it, and turned the corner. There, before his eyes, were the two culprits that woke him up.

A blue hedgehog and familiar kitty.

“Why are you two up this early?”

Sonic looked away from the little rascal, stopping mid-chew and staring wide-eyed at the dark hedgehog. Paying no mind to the two lovers, the cat continued to lick at the rich sauce that dripped from the chili dog that was in the hero’s hold. While emerald eyes remained on the striped hedgehog, a pair of scarlet ones traveled from the shocked expression of the other to the hand holding the Hero of Mobius’ all-known favorite meal, the only evidence Shadow needed to see to answer his own question.

He sighed and walked over to the kitchen island. “It seems that you’ve grown more attached to this unfit snack of yours.” Sonic swallowed down his bite and licked his lips of the remaining sauce, savoring every drop he could, and smiled brightly at his husband. “C’mon, Shadow, they’re not that bad. Besides, it’s not like I gain any weight from eating them every three hours--”

“Every three hours?”

“--my metabolism is pretty fast, remember? And I’m not the only one enjoying the food, Mimi has recently taken a liking to them, too!” The hero finished, ignoring the other’s exaggerated interruption, and continued to munch on his chili dog. Meanwhile, Shadow stood there, open-mouthed, watching as his husband and cat ate the last bit of chili dog, wondering when Sonic had gone out to shop. Because this would be a first in his book where the blue hedgehog went out to buy groceries without him, the hyperactive hero had zero patience when it came to doing mandatory shopping, so he would accompany him to keep him busy. 

“Regardless, you shouldn’t be eating them daily,” Shadow said, walking over to grab a glass from the dish rack to drink water. 

“Wow, Shads, you’re my mom now?” 

The crimson-striped hedgehog rolled his eyes, restraining himself from saying something rude about the speedster’s snarky remark. Serving himself a half glass of water, he turned to face his lover and saw the other’s scowl, an expression not fitted for his gentle and young features, while he petted Mimi.

“No, I just do not wish for you to have health problems in the future,” he replied gently. Sonic may be strong, healthy and the fastest thing alive, but even the smallest of things could hinder the hero’s well-being. Not everything could be solved with a chaos emerald, after all.

“Is that just a nice way of saying you don’t want me to get fat?” Sonic pouted, the Tonkinese cat meowing and nudging his hand, almost as if wanting to erase the sad look on his face. Shadow gaped at him, trying to see if heard that wrong, but his darling’s choice to avoid eye contact with him said otherwise. Closing his mouth, the black hedgehog walked over to embrace his handsome husband in a loving back hug. Immediately, his long-time rival leaned back and softly purred at feeling the hybrid’s arms around him.

Shadow nuzzled his partner’s cheek, planting a feather-light kiss afterward, and smiled at hearing the small hitch of breath he heard. When would his husband learn that he loved him for him, not caring for those sorts of things, and even so, the Hero of Mobius was anything but undesirable. 

“I do not mean for you to interpret things wrong. I just want you to understand that your health is of my concern, whether you like it or not…do you not remember what we vowed to each other?”

“I do…” Sonic answered quietly, a sign he was still unsure. 

The Ultimate Lifeform grasped blue narrow hips and twirled the hedgehog around to face him. Wide emerald eyes looked at him in short-lived surprise before gazing off to the side. Shadow brought one of his hands up to cup the hero’s muzzle, entering his field of vision and chuckled at the faint blush that blossomed on his peach skin. 

“My darling, I promised to remain at your side forever and show you how much I love you,” Shadow’s lips hovered over the blue hedgehog, feeling his partner shiver at the sensation of his hot breath ghosting over his slightly open mouth. “If it means reminding you at every moment you doubt my commitment to you, I will...just say the word.”

And with a shaky nod of his head, Sonic whispered his response: “Please.”

In the middle of the night, under the kitchen’s dim lighting and where the only sounds heard were that of the two lovers’ breathing, Shadow had the most beautiful mobian, who he had the honor to call his, pressed against the island counter and all flustered. Long ago, in the prime of their dating time, the striped hedgehog had always believed that Chaos intended for his rival to be the most graceful and ethereal living being on Mobius that not even the Ultimate Lifeform could compare to him.

“I, Shadow the Hedgehog, take thee, Sonic the Hedgehog, to be my wedded husband,” the hybrid murmured, his breath fanning across the other’s flushed face, and shifted his lover’s face, angling it to the side. The hero complied easily, humming as the dark hedgehog continued to speak. “To have and to hold, from this day forward,” Shadow stopped to press his lips to a blue neck, “...for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer.” Another kiss, his mouth trailing up the soft column and admiring how his husband acted in response. ”In sickness and in health,” his words were whispered against a sharp jawline and his hand shifted to thread his fingers in royal blue quills. 

“To love and to cherish…” he paused, thinking of emphasizing the meaning by pushing himself further against the lean body. He tried to communicate the feeling through his chaos energy, extending it out for his partner to feel. And breathlessly, Sonic gasped at the new intense feeling rippling throughout his body; his arms gripped onto the black hedgehog tighter and Shadow reciprocated it with a squeeze on his hip where his other hand remained on.

“Till death do us part, according to Chaos’ holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge myself,” the striped hero looked directly into dazed emerald eyes, the look making his heart pound in his chest, and leaned forward. A centimeter of breath separated their lips.

“...to you.”

Finally, Shadow crashed his lips against those of his husband, holding him up against his body, trying to pour all the love he could into their moment right there. Sonic melted in his arms and let his arms circle the hybrid’s neck. Crimson eyes peeked from under their lids to see a similar look on their counterpart. The only difference was that a few tears were sliding down fawn cheeks; Shadow released his husband’s mouth, happy to see how he left the hero out of breath.

“Chaos, I love you so much...” 

The blue hedgehog rested his head in the crook of his partner’s neck and shoulder, tenderly kissing it and sighing happily. The two stood there in silence, holding each other, letting themselves take in the calming peace that surrounded them until the third presence in the room made herself known again. Mimi’s purring caught the heroes’ attention as they turned to see her standing near the hero. She looked between them and lifted a paw; Sonic chuckled as he scooted back to leave some room for her to jump into their embrace.

“Don’t worry, kiti, I didn’t forget about you.” The speedster grinned when the cat rubbed her head against his chest. “Aww, aren’t you my pretty kiti,” the hero cooed, his accent encouraging the cat’s purrs. The display of affection earned a grunt from the now scowling agent, who regarded the feline with jealousy. The sight made Sonic giggle, worsening the other’s mood. 

“Looks like you got yourself another rival, Shads!”

As if on cue, Mimi’s eyes peeped open and glanced at the striped hedgehog with a mischievous glint to them. Shadow swore that this one was always trying to pull something every time he got near his husband. He must have been glaring at her for too long because the next thing he knew, Sonic burst out laughing, startling Mimi and sending her to leap off. The Tonkinese cat meowed and walked away from the couple, heading in the direction of the living room. 

“I would totally wanna see a staring eye contest between you and her,” Sonic commented jokingly as he removed himself from the Ultimate Lifeform’s hold and went to follow the third member of the family. However, Shadow had other plans, reaching out to grasp a peach wrist and walking over to stand behind his lover. His hands slid down to hold onto the hero’s waist and pressed his chest to the other’s back.

“Shads?”

He hummed and reached up to tilt Sonic’s head back enough for his lips to reach a blue ear.

“Who said I was done showing you how much I love you?” He purred into the twitching appendage, taking pleasure in having his beloved relax into his hold and moan softly, two telltale signs that he was more than happy to see what Shadow wanted to show him. And with no objection spoken, the hybrid led them back to their bedroom, where Sonic accepted everything Shadow gave him.

Week Two:

"Can you pass me the salt, hon?"

Shadow looked away from his phone, only having read half of his lover's text, and grabbed the small container, giving it to his best friend. Once it was in her hand, he went back to reading, not catching Rouge's amused expression.

She hummed as she waited for the dark hedgehog to look back at her or his plate or anything but that phone. Today was their usual brunch date, but it seemed that the old grump was busy. Too busy for her, and to think he was a charming, respectful and attentive man.

"What on Mobius requires your attention twenty-four, seven?"

"Sonic," Shadow casually replied, eyes never leaving the mobile device. Right, he was married…to the hero of Mobius; she still remembered how their wedding day went. Everything had been beyond marvelous and memorable. Amy and her made a pretty great decorating team, especially when the place needed to be spacious enough for the guests to fit. Knuckles’ wedding gift to the hedgehog couple had been one of the sweetest ones—it wasn’t every day the Guardian of the Master Emerald opened his home island for a special occasion. 

“So, how are you doing? Any problems between the sheets~” Rouge teased, receiving a glare from her favorite hedgehog. “Ah, now I got your attention!” She saw him set his phone down and went back to eating the salad he had ordered earlier. Oh, how she loved to ruffle his quills, the sight of the Ultimate Lifeform turning red in the face to the slight bend of his ears was a treasure to behold. 

“For your information, we’re doing perfectly well and there’s no issue when it comes to that…”

“Uh oh, I sense an incoming but, though.”

Shadow sighed, his shoulders sagging a bit, and for the first time, the jewel thief noticed the bags under his eyes. In her defense, it was something she didn’t catch because of his face being buried into his phone, so the blame was his. Still, that wasn’t important right now; she reached forward with one of her hands settling on top of a gloved one. Rouge observed how crimson eyes searched her face, a subtle look similar to the ones she would see after the hybrid saved Blue from a dangerous situation present in them, under all the tiredness and what looked like…stress.

“What is it, hon?” She asked, worry interlaced in her tone—a habit that grew on her after witnessing hundreds of times where the Ultimate Lifeform emotionally crashed. Not a pretty picture to see, she had always thought. Sometimes, life was pretty messed up but she knew he would overcome any problem in time, especially with the hero at his side.

“Sonic’s been going through some problems, personally,” Shadow admitted.

“Wait, I thought everything was good?”

The hybrid nodded. “It is. Between us but when it comes to him, alone…” Shadow’s voice trailed off, but Rouge already had an idea as to what he was referring to. Before the two heroes hit it off, becoming boyfriends and then official partners, Shadow had come to her a few times asking her things about Sonic. She had thought it was a brief fixation he had on Blue since he was the only one like him, but as time went on, the questions became…mentally disturbing. At first, she thought it had something to do with her friend; it wasn’t until a few weeks later that she realized Shadow was trying to help the hero like Rouge helped the hybrid through his episodes. 

“How bad is it?”

“He’s been constantly tired, getting frustrated over the simplest of things, and if he's in a good mood, he would only cry two times a day. I blamed the backaches he’s been getting for his recent attitude, but now, I’m also starting to get worried about that.”

“Yikes! Have you thought about taking him to see a doctor or something?” The bat suggested only for her co-worker to scoff. He gave her a pointed look, resting back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. “We’re not particularly fond of medical professionals or hospitals. Besides, if something bad were to happen, he trusts me to help him.”

The blush dusting his muzzle made her smile. It was moments like these that Rouge adored and wholeheartedly wanted for them to happen forever. Her best friend was doing the one thing he thought he would never do: Love. So, the bat clapped her hands and smirked at the hedgehog sitting across from her.

“Well, sign me up, too!”

Confused, the Ultimate Lifeform watched her take out her wallet and slide a card out, placing it inside the guest check presenter. 

Shadow saw her standing up from her seat, stretching her wings and arms, before looking over at him. “C’mon, let’s go,” she said, motioning for him to get up and follow her out of the restaurant. He did, being thrown completely off by the jewel thief leaving behind her card, and as they stepped out into the fresh air, Shadow questioned her strange behavior.

“What about your card?”

The chuckle he heard a second later made him suspicious of her, knowing that Rouge sometimes did…unfitting for her work status. And the sly smirk that he observed spreading across her face told him that she definitely did something.

“Who said it was my card?”

“Rouge.”

She giggled. “Oh relax, Sunshine, I didn’t steal it--”

“Oh, thank Chaos,” he breathed, relieved to know.

“Just don’t tell Red I invited you for breakfast~”

Shadow groaned, not surprised to hear that he was mistaken, but accepted that his friend would never change when it came to the echidna. 

***

“Wow, you weren’t kidding about the mood swings,” the white bat remarked, finding the scene unfolding before her quite amusing. Who would have thought she’d be one of the few spectators that saw the Hero of Mobius lose his shit over being denied a chili dog? Certainly, not her. But Shadow did. Like a small child being told he couldn’t get every toy in the store, Sonic stood there, staring daggers at his husband while stomping his foot, giving the older of the two a hard time. 

“You don’t order me around!” 

“Did you not hear what I told you a week ago?”

“Yes, but it’s not like one more is gonna hurt--”

“No more chili dogs, Sonic.”

The couple’s arguing went back and forth; it seemed that they had forgotten that she was still there. Rolling her eyes, the bat decided that she should at least sit down, predicting that this problem of theirs would last a good while, so she found herself getting comfortable on the plush armchair the hedgehog duo owned. Once she was settled, her teal eyes traveled back to the scenario in front of her and wondered how long this mess between them had been going on really. Shadow mentioned something about last week…

It wasn’t until the blue hedgehog placed his hands on his hips that Rouge spotted a difference. The last time she had seen Sonic was a good amount back when he joined Team Dark on side missions; though, back then he hadn’t been, how to put this nicely, chubby. The peach belly seemed rounder and his thighs surely increased in weight as well. 

Maybe Shadow did have a point, the bat thought.

“Chaos, Shadow! You’re exagger--oh fuck.” 

The commotion coming to a stop brought her focus back to both hedgehogs only for one to disappear in a blur, zipping up the stairs and a slam of a door heard afterward. Nothing else happened for a handful of seconds before the sound of the hero vomiting loudly made the two GUN agents perk up. Quickly, both of them made their way upstairs and knocked on the door urgently.

“Sonic, are you alright?!” Shadow called out, twisting the doorknob but failed to open it. With the door locked, it further distressed the striped hedgehog, who stood doing nothing with Rouge as the speedster continued to throw up in the bathroom. The bat tried to calm the Ultimate Lifeform, telling him knocking the door down wasn’t a good idea with Sonic being anywhere on the other side, yet she also frowned at noticing how the urge had come pretty fast to the hero.

The mood swings, the backaches (according to Shadow), Blue’s physique changes, the vomiting--

Holy shit, no way was it possible. 

“Hon, how long has Sonic been having morning sickness?” Rouge asked, turning to face him. The black hedgehog shrugged. “This is the first time he’s done this,” he replied, his attention stuck on the door. First time? Hm, could it still be possible or are these symptoms related to another health condition? It was difficult to infer when she had little to no knowledge about how a hedgehog’s body worked. 

“Okay, what about the whole chili dog situation?”

Shadow shot her a glare, disbelief written all over his face. “Now is not the time, Rouge--”

“Just tell me,” she repeated, a serious look present to show that she wasn’t fooling around. Her friend took a moment to think, calculating it likely, and answered: “A little before we left for that overseas mission.”

“Alright, so that gives us…” Rouge mumbled, gazing at the bathroom door with a contemplative look while counting on her fingers absentmindedly. The hybrid gave her a weird glance before returning to checking up on his husband, his sensitive hearing picking up labored breathing coming from inside. 

What was wrong with his lover? 

“Shadow.”

“What?” growled the agent, absolutely tired with his friend’s game of questions.

“Do you remember the exact date when you and Blue last had sex--”

“What?” he snarled. Rouge rolled her eyes. “Sorry, I meant to say intercourse,” she corrected herself, her tone dripping with sarcasm. To this day, she would never understand why he got so shy talking about his sex life with her. They were practically siblings, and she pretty much raised him—Rouge would even go as far as saying that she knew more about him than Sonic.

“What does that have to do with this?”

Before she could bring up her theory, the bathroom door swung open, revealing an exhausted hedgehog, who had his arms wrapped around his midsection and stepped out, going straight for his partner. Rouge walked behind Shadow as he guided his lover down the hall to their bedroom; the Ultimate Lifeform helped the hero onto the bed, checking his forehead and face for any signs of a possible illness. Eventually, Blue fell asleep and left the two agents in silence.

“Shadow?”

“Yes?”

She kept her voice down, observing how the fastest thing alive rested. “I know you said you two didn’t enjoy making a trip to the doctor’s office, but…” Rouge glanced at Sonic’s belly before meeting scarlet eyes next to her, “I think it’s time you called one to make an appointment.” The bat patted his shoulder and smiled at him, taking her leave in the next moment but paused at the doorway.

“For him, Sunshine.”

Week Three:

“Congratulations, I’m so happy for you guys!”

Amy Rose hugged both married hedgehogs, quickly retreating her hands as if stung to worriedly glance at Sonic. 

“I didn’t hurt you, right?”

The blue hero chuckled and shook his head. “You’re good, Ames. And thank you for doing…all this,” he said contentedly, gesturing at their surroundings. The pink heroine giggled, linking his arms with hers and taking him on a tour of the baby shower she volunteered to host. “It’s the least I could do after everything you two have done for us.” Sonic accepted her warm smile and dived into a whole conversation about the day they went to the doctor’s office for a physical checkup to end up going to Angel Island for an official answer.

Contrary to what most people believed, the Hero of Mobius was beaming when he learned of it, and he definitely looked forward to the day when his child would be born. He had already broken several speculations about him never settling down or bothering to marry a special someone in his life. Before the arrival of the Ultimate Lifeform, Sonic did have different viewpoints, only seeking partners to date and never fully commit himself to. 

Shadow the Hedgehog made him toss those ideas out the window when they became something more than rivals.  

His emerald eyes glanced behind to see that his dark-furred lover was now in conversation with Knuckles and Tails; he smirked when he saw how the hybrid reacted to what seemed to be his brothers’ interrogation. Yeah, those two always tracked down the GUN agent to make sure he was keeping the Hero of Mobius safe. Now, the only difference was that the echidna and fox doubled their efforts since they found out that he was with a child.

“Sonic?”

His blue ears heard his name being called, looking back at Amy. “Huh?”

“I was asking if you were still going to join us for missions?” 

The speedster scoffed, pointing a thumb at himself. “Of course, did you forget I’m the Hero of Mobius?” The female fighter laughed, shaking her head, and offered him a glass of water—where’d she get it? Ignoring the question, he took it, slightly upset that his diet had been modified to have him feed on nutritional food items. In other words, it meant that he really couldn’t eat as many chili dogs as he ate since his baby’s health also depended on him. 

“I doubt Shadow would let you, given that he really cares about you and your kid.”

Sonic frowned, staring up at her. He didn’t like the sound of being…restrained from doing his hero duties. 

“Nah, he knows I live to run and fight badniks; it’s my thing,” he assured her, being guided to sit down at a table where three more guests were also present. Amy shrugged in response, adding an ‘ if you say so’, before greeting the additional company.

“Hey, guys! Look who I managed to bring over~” she teased, helping the noticeable rounder hedgehog to sit and taking her own seat next to him. Sonic was welcomed by the familiar faces of his friends; Blaze, Silver, and Ms. Vanilla, the three mobians offering their congratulations to the hero. They all talked about Amy’s knack for preparing the best celebrations, gushing at hearing their compliments, and said that Rouge had also lent a hand. The conversation steadily changed to different topics since it had been a while since the time travelers last were on Mobius until Ms. Vanilla asked the hero something significant about the baby.

“So dear, have you and Shadow decided on a name?”

Nervously, Sonic rubbed his neck, peering down at his bump, and shook his head, breaking the news to them. “Uh, not really. We haven’t even learned the gender because we both decided it would be nice to leave it as a surprise, ya know?” Four heads nodded; the females agreed that it was a nice thing to do. The speedster placed one of his hands on his stomach and smiled.

“But I thought that if it was a girl…I think Maria would be a great fit,” he confessed shyly. Amy cooed, being joined by an ecstatic Silver while Blaze grinned, glancing over to where Shadow stood with Tails and Knuckles. He briefly peeked at the trio, noticing Rouge was busy distracting the Guardian of the Master Emerald to his husband’s relief. Momentarily, the hedgehogs’ eyes locked onto each other and shared loving smiles. They were lucky to have family and friends that cared about them and their future, too.

“Oh! I need to go check in with Vector to see if he’ll bring the cake over from my bakery,” the pink hedgehog announced. Blaze snickered, grabbing their attention. “You really trust him to bring a three-tier cake over…safely and intact?” A good question that Amy mulled over before concluding that the pyrokinesis princess was right. She stood up and sighed. “You got a point. The last thing I want is for the Chaotix to either end up ruining my cake or worse, eating it before getting it here.” Horrified by the idea, she rushed off to figure out what to do, leaving the time travelers and Ms. Vanilla with Sonic.

“You said Maria if it was a girl, which I find adorable, but what if it is a boy?” Blaze asked.

Sonic hummed, peach hands gently rubbing circles around his belly, and thought back to the list of names he made with his dark lover. There had been many suggestions but they couldn’t come down to a final decision. Still, the speedster had one that was growing on him.

“Tom sounds pretty good, don’t you think?” He grinned at his companions. A bout of soft laughter resonated between them and made the hero even happier. There was still time to figure out that one, he thought. The blue hedgehog was about to suggest another one when he was startled by a pair of hands that landed on his shoulders. Glancing up, he saw it was Shadow and relaxed.

“Hey, Shads! Are the guys finally done terrorizing you?” Sonic poked fun at his husband. Stifled giggles drifted to his blue ears, receiving the reaction he wanted from his friends. The striped hedgehog sighed, an amused smile ghosting over his lips. 

“For now. But tell me, what are you up to?” Shadow asked, scooting out a chair to sit down next to him. 

"Trying to figure out what's a good name for a boy!"

Smiling, Shadow nodded and looked down to where peach hands rested. Sonic smirked, already knowing what the other had the urge to do, something he had found endearing from his husband. He leaned into the hybrid's side and felt one of his arms wrap around him, protectively securing his hand onto the hero's waist. As they returned to the subject, discussing what sounded nice and not, the blue hedgehog's smile widened as slowly the other dark hand planted itself on his belly. 

Who would have thought Shadow the Hedgehog gave the ultimate belly rubs?

Even if his attention was somewhere else, the agent continued to gently caress him; once in a while, crimson eyes would look over and his lover would ask if he needed something. It warmed Sonic's heart to know that he was lucky to have this man as his husband, going as far as thinking they were destined soulmates under Chaos' doing.

***

Blaze and Silver had left to help Amy with the cake, seeing that she was struggling even with the Chaotix's support. The heroic hedgehogs remained with the mother rabbit, talking about how her daughter was the reason behind their wish to be parents. That Cream had shown the couple that just maybe they were happy to expand their little family of three. 

"She'll be happy to know this, especially since she mentioned asking for your permission to babysit the baby whenever you two would need to run out for a mission."

"Aww! We'd be happy to have her as our official babysitter then, right Shadow?"

"Of course," the black hedgehog agreed, "but for the first few months or so, I believe it'd be best to have Sonic staying home--"

The hero frowned, sitting up straight and giving Shadow a puzzled look. "Whoa, whoa, whoa since when was that decided?" His lover stopped his belly rubbing and thoughtfully stared at Sonic. "You cannot be running around after giving birth. You would be weak and need rest--"

"Weak? " 

Sighing, the GUN agent shook his head, wincing at seeing the speedster's expression, somewhere mixed between surprise and hurt.

"Your muscles will need to heal from the exertion during the birth, and I know you'll be really hungry. Therefore, I already outlined what foods you need to eat to replenish--"

"Are you serious, right now?" Sonic asked, disbelief shown on his face. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. 

"This is about your health," Shadow defended, crossing his arms over his chest. "Here we go again…" Sonic muttered with a roll of his eyes, standing up to join Knuckles and Rouge at the other table. A grip on his wrist stopped him from going, though. 

"Sonic, you cannot ignore this."

"Let go, Shadow."

Not wanting to start an argument in front of the guests, the Ultimate Lifeform conceded and released him, seeing his husband stroll over to sit next to the two treasure hunters. The three engaged in an animated conversation; figuring that he was going to be ignored for a good while, Shadow twisted back around and sighed.

"He'll come around, don't worry, sweetie."

Startled, he glanced up to see that Vanilla was offering him a sympathetic smile—it kind of reminded him of Maria's. He returned the gesture, but something told him it didn't compare to the mother rabbit's.

"I've known Sonic since he was a little boy," she started, chuckling at remembering how much of a trouble-maker he was. "And even if he was young and still naive, he knew that he wanted to help others, always protecting those around him. Regardless of what species or size, Sonic raced around Mobius, fulfilling the promise he had made to the people of this planet."

Shadow's heart thumped, beating with pride at listening to how his rival had set out to do something selfless without another care of how bad it got. The act itself took him back shortly to a memory of Maria speaking of doing the same when she had been alive; although her life was cut short, his sister asked Shadow to keep a similar promise for her.

"Even if you two have been together for years now, both of you still gave each other your space, correct?"

He silently nodded because it was true. Sonic and him didn't stop being rivals just because they started dating; they didn't push boundaries such as only sticking to helping one another out when either asked for it. 

"So, you see, Shadow," Vanilla's soothing voice broke him away from his thoughts, "Sonic isn't upset about what you were suggesting. He's just not used to having someone, especially you, taking all this effort to protect him. All his life was about him protecting others…"

Scarlet eyes gradually widened with every word the older rabbit spoke, amazing him once more, and the Ultimate Lifeform glanced back at the blue hedgehog, who was laughing at something Rouge said. This entire time he had thought the hero was being irresponsible, choosing to ignore his advice. But, in reality, he was only reacting like this because deep down, he never experienced it. 

"You didn't have someone," Shadow murmured, eyes softening as his gaze remained on his blue counterpart. It was no secret that the hero grew up alone for the first couple of years of his childhood; he never had any parents to look after him like every child needed. Sometimes, the hybrid forgot that he was lucky enough to have Maria protecting him since he was small, but his husband…had been alone in such a massive world. 

***

The celebration had ended with the cake, elegantly decorated, and no doubt, one of Amy's best works. Sonic had briefly felt bad for such a beautiful thing to be cut apart for the guests to eat until a plate was passed to him. The sight of the white pastel-colored frosting and soft, red velvet texture made his mouth water; he didn't hesitate in digging into the luscious piece of cake, savoring the sweet flavor. It had been so long since he ate a chili dog, and even if this wasn't the same thing, Sonic was more than happy with it. After licking his spoon of the remaining frosting, he had looked around for his pink friend to compliment her for outdoing herself yet again. The next half an hour had passed by in a blur as slowly all the guests started saying their goodbyes and wishing Sonic the best for him and the baby.

But something about this time didn’t make his smile reach his eyes, the absence of his husband next to him telling him it didn’t feel the same. The couple had been one of the last to leave and drove back home, the need for a vehicle considered after the last time Sonic had tried to run at sonic speeds with the extra weight of the pregnancy. Unlike the other times, however, the hedgehogs didn’t speak, having the occasional sigh and soft radio music fill the air between them. Though, the black hedgehog didn’t stop from stealing glances every few minutes at the passenger seat. The hero’s downcast expression, especially those droopy ears that he had gotten so used to seeing perked up, had let the agent decide it was time to talk with him. 

So after he stepped out of the driver’s seat, walking over to help his partner out (a sign he was willing to take that Sonic wasn’t completely upset with him now), Shadow guided them both inside the double-story house. 

“Can you check on Mimi, I’m really tired and wanna head to bed,” Sonic yawned, trudging in the direction of the stairs. 

Shadow frowned. “But you haven’t used it in a while…do you need more blankets? I could go to the store and buy you as many as you need.” He plucked the car keys from the tray that sat on the small table by the door, ready to go to the nearest store to fetch whatever his husband needed.

“No, Shadow. I’m just not in the mood for the nest tonight, but uh…” 

“Yes?”

The speedster was barely halfway up the stairs—again, traveling at sonic speeds wasn’t ideal in his condition—when he glanced at the striped hedgehog, an uneasy look in emerald eyes making the other suddenly more nervous. 

“Why don’t you take it?”

Take it? As in for Shadow to sleep here in the living room, where a nest of pillows and blankets of different sizes littered the ground, while his lover slept upstairs. Why would he suggest that--crimson eyes widened in surprise, shifting away from the hero’s gaze. Never having experienced this before in their relationship, the Ultimate Lifeform responded with the only answer his mind could summarize up his thoughts with.

“Oh.”

Awkwardly, he nodded and smiled at his husband, who was having a difficult time doing the same. Since never had Sonic ever asked the other to sleep somewhere else or vise versa because even when they have gotten mad before, the situation didn’t lead to something like…this. After wishing the hero a good night, the hedgehog stuttered the same words to him, quickly facing forward to climb up the rest of the stairs. Shadow stood there by the doorway, comprehending what just happened, and ended up scolding himself for failing to bring up the conversation he meant to have with Sonic.

Telling himself that regretting some of his choices of the night wouldn’t solve anything, the agent dragged his feet to where the nest, an accumulation of everything they owned that was deemed soft by the sensitive skin of his husband, rested. He was too exhausted to brush his teeth or take a bath, and least of all, look for that damn--

“Meow.”

Scarlet eyes locked onto the furball that lay in the middle of the nest, small eyes meeting his. Well, he found the cat like his husband wanted. The problem now was that Mimi had taken his bed for tonight. How fortunate of him, Shadow thought with a roll of his eyes. 

“Just for tonight,” he grumbled, kneeling and shifting some pillows to make himself comfortable. The Tonkinese cat always favored Sonic over him, something that fueled a bit of jealousy in him for having his husband’s attention divided between Mimi and him, but he was slightly shocked to feel the feline crawl over to lay on top of him. Her head nuzzling his white chest fur and purring; the sound somehow soothing his mind and relaxing his body. Shadow stared at her, knowing she also had good night vision, and let a small smile claim his lips.

“I just want him to know that he’s not alone, that he doesn’t have to do this by himself…not anymore,” he whispered, scratching behind one of her ears. A soft meow was the only response he got and sighed; he was talking to the cat. Clearly, Shadow needed to sleep, so he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, snoring echoing in the living room a minute later. 

Unbeknown to the hybrid, Sonic was standing still, having walked down to get a cup of water before hearing his dark lover’s words. His emerald eyes looked down to his round belly, grasping it softly and letting the tears brimming the edge of his eyes slip down. He bit back the cry that threatened to leave his lips as he tried to calm his overwhelming feelings. Sometimes, he just had trouble accepting a hand for help because he grew up with the notion that it was him who always needed to extend it to others. 

Always give, never receive.

Shadow, his loving husband, what would he do without someone like him in his life? Perhaps, it was time to change his view, understanding that even a hero like him would eventually need to reach out for someone to hold him up, to lean on in his most vulnerable of times. Releasing a shaky breath, the blue speedster padded down the stairs and walked over to his husband’s sleeping form. He smiled at seeing Mimi resting on top, a striped arm perched over her medium-sized body as if to snuggle her closer; almost tempted to take a picture, Sonic decided he could get evidence of this another time. Right now, he carefully bent down, huffing when his belly made it hard for him to kneel and pressed himself close to the black hedgehog’s body. He hugged him and joined the arm over the cat with his own, intertwining dark fingers with his peach ones, and let sleep sweep him away.

I have you, now.

Week Four:

Twenty-eight days had passed. Today, it was the twenty-ninth, and as much happiness the news brought him, Sonic was still scared. No, beyond scared. A small, innocent life was breathing inside of him, growing every day, and for chaos’ sake, the hero didn’t know what to do anymore. As instructed, he had remained indoors for the majority of the time, having been told that it’s safer, while Shadow continued to fulfill his duties with GUN. A list of problems had followed…

The first one he had taken notice of within a few hours of watching TV. His day had started normally: breakfast with Shadow, taking a quick shower, kissing his husband goodbye when work called him, doing his daily read of a fantasy novel, taking out the trash, doing some light cleaning, playing video games--

All that was done before the afternoon arrived; it annoyed him that his day became boring so quickly. And then he made the grave mistake of starting to think of synonyms of the word quick, a great dilemma as his feet started to fidget in place. Sonic tried to stay still but the itch was unbearable. His feet needed to move, so…he moved. He jogged around the backyard a few times before going inside the house to move up and down the stairs. He did for a while until he stopped at the nursery’s door, regarding the place with adoration and excitement. The blue hero slowly stepped past the doorway and made his way around the room, touching every surface and item gently, feeling his heart embrace the warmth that spread through his body. 

His dream came true; fate granted him another wish. 

One more to cherish and love wholly.

Although the first problem was minimal, easily solved with some light running around the house, it had led to the second one. After deciding to end his jogs with a trip to the baby’s room, he learned of it, and the blooming happiness of becoming a parent became a crawling sensation of dread. Sonic was standing in front of the mirror, a long glass showing his reflection. His emerald eyes saw it…his smile, his relaxed stance, his wider hips, his bump…an innocent child.

The Hero of Mobius was pregnant with the Ultimate Lifeform’s child.

What a dream, he had thought. Both of them were ready for the new stage in their lives, and everything would change for the better. Sonic would change for the better and that was the trigger. After that single thought, his mind became clouded with scenarios of what-ifs and slip-ups. His smile slowly faded as he remembered the many times he let down his friends because of simple errors, the ones he had trouble locking away into the depths of his mind. They said they forgave him; you didn’t know any better, they reasoned countless times. That didn’t mean he forgave himself. 

Shadow shouldn’t have either yet here he was, building a family with him. Sonic failed him the first time, the second, third, and who knew how many more. It didn’t matter that some were small things compared to others, like the fall from space, because it all came down to him being a failure. 

Did he even deserve this miracle living inside him?

With that question in mind, Sonic had realized it was best to stay away from mirrors or the nursery in general. However, the negative thoughts that trickled into his daily life turned into a rainfall, heavy and loud, in the following days. From seeing himself incapable of taking care of his unborn child to fearing the future the kid would encounter as they grow up with two powerful hedgehogs. After all, with Shadow and his power came never-ending enemies, the Doctor taking the first spot. 

How would they protect their little one? What if something happened to the kid, and they weren’t there to help? What were they going to do if the Doctor used their child against them? What if--

Then, Sonic became paralyzed with fear and figured that it was time to talk to Shadow.

***

“Why would you think that?”

The blue hedgehog turned away from the sink, crossing his arms over his chest, and faced his partner, who sat at the kitchen table. Both of them had just finished dinner, and after some light conversation, Sonic believed it was the right time to bring up his worries. Fortunately, Shadow was a listener, something the hero was grateful for in times like these. He was never interrupted and his concerns were washed away by the striped hedgehog’s assurances, filled with hope and kindness.

It worked little by little until the last question Sonic had asked. And right now, it was clear that it bothered Shadow but not even his exasperation was going to make the hero take it back.

Sonic frowned and walked over to stand closer to the table. “Because Shadow, we’re not normal, or did you forget?” The dark hedgehog scoffed at him, standing up to put his dish in the sink. “I know we’re not, but I don’t see what this has to do with our child.”

“Of course, you don’t,” Sonic muttered to himself because for chaos’ sake, did his husband not think about the consequences of being created? It irked him that only he was taking this seriously; it felt like the roles were switched in their relationship all of a sudden. Behind him, Shadow sighed, running a hand over his face. “Look, Sonic…I know you’re worried, and you have every right to be, but I promise you, I’ll do my best to keep you both safe.”

Promises...it wasn’t enough for the hero.

“Yeah, you say that but look what happened to Maria…”

Silence, a short moment to reconsider words, even apologize, but nothing came. The damage was done, and it turned out Sonic didn’t regret his words. Heavy footsteps echoed around the room, dark feet coming to a stop next to blue ones, and a pair of burning scarlet eyes glared at Sonic. 

“What the fuck did you just say?”

Sonic shifted in place, staring straight into those angry eyes, and snarled at the GUN agent. “You call yourself the Ultimate Lifeform, but you couldn’t even save your own damn sister. How the hell am I supposed to know if that promise of yours is real? Huh? How can I believe it after all the times I have seen you side with the bad guys?! How do I know you won’t do it again?!”

His voice became louder with every question, tears started to well up in his eyes, and his hands trembled as he let it all out. Meanwhile, his husband stood there, a flurry of emotions flashing in his eyes, and his mouth opened to bare his teeth at him. A low, threatening growl coming forth. The warning didn’t do anything for Sonic as he continued yelling.

“And because of you, our kid’s not gonna be born normal! With the messed-up DNA of a bloodthirsty race of aliens, look how you came out! Don’t you see that my child is gonna suffer--”

Shadow lashed out at him. “Bullshit! It’s not only me that has made mistakes! You failed your brother when you couldn’t save Cosmo! What about all those lives that were lost at Station Square because of you!”

Blue quills bristled and Sonic hissed, pushing a finger to Shadow’s chest. “You’re a murderer.”

The Ultimate Lifeform narrowed his eyes, rubies becoming slits, and gripped the other’s wrist that was held to his chest in a vice-like grip.

“At least, I’m willing to kill for our child unlike you.”

And like always, Shadow hit the nail, tearing away the cover-up and reminding Sonic what the real problem was. It was him. The hero, a savior to all and fighter for any, was incapable of killing. It wouldn't have been a problem if it didn't put an end to the everyday battles with Eggman. The old man had been his long-time nemesis, determined to finish him one day to claim his rule over Mobius. Still, he wasn't bad…that was what Sonic wanted to believe. Everybody was good deep down at heart; that was the excuse he used with himself. It was the only one that prevented Sonic from killing the Doctor. But with this action came the repetitive cat and mouse cycle, the game never-ending because the blue hedgehog can't…kill him.

"I know," he whispered, his anger dissipating. Blue ears flattened against Sonic's head, quills lowering, while tears finally fell. The hero cried softly. "I'm sorry you're stuck with me…I'm sorry I can't do anything right…I'm sorry I'm an awful partner and a screw-up of a hero…"

With the switch in behavior, Shadow was taken aback, his hold on the peach wrist loosening immediately, and he stood there as his lover poured what he thought were his flaws. But they weren’t, not to the agent. Then, another realization hit him; Sonic didn’t mean those things he said about him. The alien DNA, the blood on his hands, the broken promises…

Shame washed over the red and black hedgehog as he witnessed Sonic’s emotional breakdown in front of him, the crying hero clinging to him as his tears spilled onto the floor. The pregnancy was bringing him pain, old scars resurfacing. Shadow was to blame for causing this. Behind all those worries for the baby lay the real problem: Sonic felt unfitted to be a guardian for someone else. The agent couldn’t let that happen, not after living the best times of life with the blue hedgehog, the center of his world.

“Hey, hey, hey…I’m right here. Please, love, listen to my voice…” Shadow hugged the whimpering hedgehog, soothing him through gentle rubs and repeating the same words to him since he hurt him the first time. “I’m sorry I said all that….Sonic, you are none of those things, and I, who blindly followed with my own harm, should have been seeing that you’re hurt.” The blue hero’s shoulders continued to shake, causing his partner’s heart to break more, and tried to calm his beloved with anything… 

“Remember when you asked me about starting a family? You were scared that I would deny you that chance, but I assured you, promised you, that it would be one of the greatest things to happen to me.” Shadow felt two arms, previously holding loosely onto his arms, wrap around him tightly. He smiled at the gesture. Sonic was listening; a good sign. The dark hedgehog didn’t stop pouring out his heart. “I love you more than anything in the world, and this baby,” he slid a hand down to the other’s waist, giving it a gentle squeeze, “is going to have the best parent to look after them. You know why?”

A weak shake of the head made him pause his petting, pressing his hands against a peach muzzle. He brought Sonic’s head up to meet his tear-streaked face and brought his forehead down to meet the hero’s in a kind, loving gesture. His scarlet eyes looked straight into teary, emerald green, a quiet moment passing between them, and the agent rested his lips on the other’s nose, kissing his lover delicately. His tan lips followed a path down, nose to cheek to lips to chin…

All the way down, leaving a trail of silent promises sealed with each caress, and he didn’t stop until he knelt in front of the belly of the most beautiful creature to exist. Shadow didn’t understand what Sonic saw in him from the start, but he didn’t dare fight the feelings he had for the other. And he hadn’t for years, and today, he wasn’t stopping—never would. Sonic was his to love, to adore and cherish, to protect and fight for. But above all that, he was to show the hero why he mattered to everyone, and why he needed to love himself, too. 

Shadow looked from the bump that gave the pregnancy away to his lover’s face; the agent wanted nothing more than to make him happy. “Because you’re the bravest and strongest person on Mobius. The one that always wants the best for everyone. You’re the fairest. The most compassionate and carefree soul. Our child will never have to face a dark day because of you. They'll never suffer from the lack of love because you're full of it and happier to give it. You'll make our child smile and laugh, teach them to share and respect, and show them what freedom is. That their choice will matter in this world, and if they need help, the kid has us. You’re more than a hero…you’re Sonic, my husband, my best friend, my…everything...”

“Sh-shadow,” Sonic stuttered, failing to stifle his tears as he heard his dark lover utter all the words that were spoken to him on the day he got married. It was like reliving the moment. This time, however, it was overwhelming, the flow of chaos energy between them vibrating, singing. The hero gently tugged the agent’s arm, pulling him up to his feet, and without a breath of hesitation, he pressed his lips to soft tan ones, letting himself—body, soul, and mind—melt into Shadow’s embrace.

Separating with a breathless sigh, the dark hedgehog smiled at Sonic, reminding him of one last thing. The most important thing; the one emotion he had come to experience again after all the pain he had felt in his past, the reason why Shadow knew anything was possible with Sonic at his side.

“I love you, darling.”

The hero’s heart fluttered, soared, and all he could do…was shower his husband with the same overflowing care and adoration that he was feeling now.

"I love you, too…” 

Week Five:

“Oh yeah! Again, again!” 

Shadow chuckled, slowing down to a steady pace, the surroundings no longer a blur to his companion and him. He glanced at his darling’s face, smiling at his cute pout, before looking ahead to take them somewhere he wanted to show his husband.

“I’ll take you on another run after taking you to see something,” he tried to convince the blue hedgehog, who hummed in thought before grinning. “Gonna surprise me with something, lover boy?”

“You like them, don’t you?”

The hero giggled, resting his head on the hybrid’s shoulder. “Yes, babe~” The speedster murmured the last word, a term he had started using in return for Shadow’s use of darling for him. Though, Sonic often had a list in mind of alternatives of what to call his rival, taking pleasure in seeing how flustered he got. 

“Where exactly are we going?” Sonic asked, his eyes scanning around at the different hallways they passed. His mind recalled old memories from the first time he came here; truly, his adventure during that time had been the best one in his life. He had traveled to so many places, old and new, and gained experiences that he would never wish to forget. Most importantly, it led him to meet the love of his life.

Even if Shadow fell, disappeared, the Hero of Mobius had remained hopeful that it wouldn’t be the last time he’d see his broody and favorite rival; and for some reason, when they met again, with the hedgehog having almost no memory of him, Sonic knew that their fates meant for them to grow together. Their lives, differing under some circumstances, were to be interwoven into each other, unifying them through their chaos energy connection, to never be separated.

“Here we are.”

Shadow’s voice caught his attention, taking him out of his deep thoughts, and looked at where they were. It was a dead-end, a hallway that the hero never had gone down before, with a door standing in front of them. The black hedgehog gingerly placed Sonic on his two feet, the hero already missing the other’s warmth when he was being carried bride-style, but his curiosity beat it. Before he could ask his husband what was behind the door, Shadow stepped forward.

Taking the speedster’s hand in his, the agent tugged him to have him follow; the door had motion sensors, opening as Shadow’s rocket shoe was a few inches from it. The two walked in, the room slightly dark but illuminated enough for emerald eyes to take in the newfound place. But as Sonic took it in, almost stumbling forward, he gasped, awed by what lay before him.

“This was Maria’s room, where she slept,” Shadow started, still moving further into the room, “...and where she brought me to see the stars.” At the mention of the celestial bodies, the blue hedgehog observed the beautiful scene, behind a wide-reaching window, a sea of stars twinkled from their place. The Ultimate Lifeform brought them to a stop once they were in reach of the observational glass opening.

“I thought this would be something you would like to see before…remaining in bed for the days that follow after the birth.”

Sonic gazed at his husband, open-mouthed, his heart swelling with fondness. The striped hedgehog had pulled off some of the sweetest gestures for him, endlessly proving that he tore down walls and entrusted him with hidden secrets, always giving. Giving. The last weeks had been filled with complications and stressed emotions, but after all the times Sonic had questioned his role in all this, Shadow was persistent, claiming that the hero was more than ready, apt to raise a child. You’ve done it before, remember, he would say; the reminder that Sonic had raised Tails while still being a kid himself. 

Giving. Shadow was giving, and he was receiving it with open arms. He did learn in the end.

“Shadow,” the hero uttered, breathlessly whispering his rival’s name, still amazed by the surprise. “This is… so beautiful. I had never seen them so bright like this.” Sonic turned to step closer, reaching to place his palm against the cold glass. 

“I agree, it’s a marvelous view, almost as if we reached the heavens that the moon resides in, but I believe you’ve seen this already much closer.”

The blue hero remembered: “We both did, Shads.”

“Did? No, Sonic. I’ve seen heaven many times…”

Confused, the speedster looked over his shoulder to see Shadow approaching him, embracing him from behind and clinging his hands over his abdomen. Soft fingers skimmed over his belly, eliciting a few giggles from the pregnant hedgehog, and traced every inch tenderly. Careful of blue quills, the hybrid placed his chin on the blue hedgehog’s shoulder, smiling at seeing Sonic place his hands over his on his stomach.

“Every time I wake up, every time I go out, every time I fight for Mobius, every time I go to sleep, every time I cry and get wounded on the field, all those and more, I see heaven because you’re at my side, darling.”

The hero whirled around, emerald eyes round and wide, the glimmering light inside putting to shame the stars behind them, and Shadow looked between those beauties and soft fawn lips. Over the sound of his own beating heart, the Ultimate Lifeform believed to hear the identical rhythmic pounding from inside the speedster’s chest.

“Sonic, you’re my heaven.”

Leaning down, Shadow captured fawn lips with his, swallowing the cry that spilled from his husband, and felt wet drops land on his muzzle. He held Sonic as tightly as he could without hurting his belly. Their lips remained locked, their movements slow and gentle until the hero released the black hedgehog. He blinked away the blurriness from his eyes, two thumbs wiping away the tears that slithered down his cheeks, and laughed when another light kiss was placed on his nose.

“Chaos, Shadow…I’m the luckiest man to have you as my husband,” Sonic smiled, “...and the father of my child, love.” 

The dark hedgehog’s ears bent back, a red blush highlighting the tan muzzle, and crimson eyes threatening to tear up, too. His eyes looked down to the other’s round stomach, the biggest it had ever been since the beginning of the gestation period. He knelt before it, pressing his forehead to it and silently echoing a wave of chaos energy to who lay inside, hoping to reach the baby. And apparently, he did as the next moment Shadow felt a kick and grinned. It worked.

Sonic gasped, hands reaching out to touch his stomach in wonder. “H-how--what? Did you feel that?!”

“I thought I might as well get information out of the guardian while being interrogated as you say,” Shadow confessed, happy to see the excitement on his lover’s face. 

“What else did you learn?” 

“Well, let’s go lay down and I’ll show you--”

“Shadow!”

The black hedgehog raised an eye ridge, smirking at the flushed that overtook the other’s face. The Ultimate Lifeform shook his head and stood up to lead the two over to a spacious bed, one he still remembered from long ago.

“You and that mind of yours, hedgehog. I was suggesting to rest while I tried to explain everything…”

Sonic was embarrassed. “O-oh…well, in that case, I’m all up for it!”

Together, hand in hand, the hedgehog duo made themselves comfortable on Maria’s bed after telling Sonic that he had slept there as a little kid in his sister’s arms, dreaming of a life where both were on Mobius and laughing. 

Aboard the space colony, down an empty hallway, inside a special girl’s room, lay the two lovers, giggling and sharing words, while the stars lightened the space around them, almost deciding that these two creatures were divine beings meant to be together. Maybe Sonic and Shadow had struggled through many obstacles in life, but it was worth it when they were also gifted with many of their hopes fulfilled. Like the one that the Hero of Mobius carried. 

Besides wanting the two hedgehogs to join in life, with the help of Chaos, fate also birthed a living embodiment of the heroes’ love for each other.