Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Broken heart syndrome, is a well-known disease and well-told tragedy. One shadow had become a bitter acquaintance with, well the tragedy that is. Not so much the death. There are many cases of those who "died of broken hearts". Such a phenomenon is caused by a surge in stress hormones following a traumatic event. Shadow, despite how much his heart ached, could not help but blame his immortality for saving him from such a craved fate. He wanted to die with the one he loved. In a perfect world, you and your beloved would die old and gray together. Shadow was never entitled to such a life. He was born wrong and mangled. Tragedy etched into the bones of the womb he was birthed from; metallic and artificial.

Shadow did not get such luxuries of passing on, not with Sonic. No instead, he was forced to watch the hero, be well a hero; Run until his legs gave up. The blue hedgehog lived longer than most Mobian’s given his chaos usage. Forced to watch his friends die as he went on, a smile on his face not quite reaching his eyes. The beat’s to his step’s falling off rythme, the bloom of his winded lungs bearing no words of true joy. Shadow did not smile the same way Sonic did, not even a soft grimace of one. Instead of moving on the way he had watched the one whose hand he held did; caring for the world with such a gentle heart that forgot how to beat. Shadow instead did what he always did, the only thing he knew, indulge in violence. Painting the same world his blue one ran in into a smear or red, no one deserved to exist, not without, not without Sonic. He had risked everything and all for them, and yet all he is to them is a statue all alone in a graveyard of old. A whisper to the wind, as those who mourned for the sake of mourning, weeded out to the next. Leaving his grave to chip away.

Shadow had promised to never attempt to end the world again and yet, that’s where he found himself with Sonics death, descending into insanity. Kicking and screaming as .GUN. managed to catch and restrain him, locking him away in a tube, held up and sealed away from the world once again. Saving those fools that did not deserve to be sheltered from the ruby eye'd hedgehogs' wrath.

It clicks shut with a hiss, and Shadow’s eye’s widened, a tremor wracking his body, slowly soothing down as the gas kicked in. He didn’t want to go under again, or maybe he did.. He couldn't die, but yet, he could rest, rest like him.
-

It took a while for Shadow to get close to the blue hedgehog, it wasn't until rouge forced him to rescue the blue blur and drag his sorry butt home did they really click. In a way, not many could claim with their drunken claims of twin flames. It was something that fell upon them, not a word dragged into the bond to solidify some unhealthy grand attachment.

Shadow had found The blue blur in a cell. Battered and oh so on the brink of collapse. He still smiled when he saw him, so wide and bright. It was sickening. Shadow was not one to smile for, he couldn’t help but find it mocking.

"Why do you help people?" Shadow remembers asking him, tending to his injure’s field’s away.

"I do it because." Sonic frowned. "Because, because.. you know"

Shadow smoothed over a quill, pushing it back into place, turning his head to ignore the blush upon Sonic’s muscle. "You've grown so accustomed you forgot the reason why "

Sonic shakes his head flustered, pressing his hand upon his chest "no, it's just a feeling, not something you can put into words" Shadow feared sonic would break his own ribs with the pressure he applied over his heart-

Yet Shadow stares ahead in challenge anyways: "try me"

"It's just" he appears frustrated. "I don't" he buries his face into his leg, "I don't feel anything anymore, I just do it.”

Shadows glad he couldn't see the hero's eyes, in the selfish fear that he would see the same haunting eyes he gazed upon in the mirror. It was then he knew they were one of the same coin.
-

Shadow closes his eye’s within his tube, they were two sides of the same coin. One who knew nothing but love and the other destruction. Sonic simply could not blame him, could he?

The question is left unanswered, and the casing descends low into the ground.
-------------

It is impossible to find a grave that has not been uprooted. No matter how good the intentions are, a sleeping man must always wake up when there is a scratch at the door.

“I'm not sure.” Silver hum’s, making his way across the hall. “This doesn’t look too promising.” He worries, watching as he descended lower and lower into this man-made cave. Going off the groves and wear-down it must have been made long ago.
The hedgehogs watch beeps, and with that, he sighs kicking his heels. “Alright, I’ll keep looking, calm down.” He’s whining, nervously watching the walls, he didnt want a cave-in, not now, not so far away.

He raked his gloved hand along each pathway, smoothing away old fingerprints. Picking up loose bits of machinery as he went. It isn't long before he spots something bright and red out of the corner of his eye.

Silver swivels his ears in fascination as he approaches it. Noticing the junk around it the white-furred hedgehog quickly clears away the stacked debris, raising it high from the floor and tossing it aside... Now cleared, he spots a button at the top of a podium... what for? He glances around the room, empty of anything significant.

His watch beep’s again. He presses it silent.

“It couldn't hurt..” he chuckled, “Might be what we're looking for.” He hovers his hand over the button, his eyes shining with curiosity. It wouldn’t be too bad, would it?” This could be just the thing they need to put an end to the onyx council.

He closes one eye, peeping away as a firm finger pushed down.

Click.

It's so soft and followed by silence. Silver couldn't help but let out a breath of relief, ok good no count down for a bomb. A pebble bounced against his foot, startling as his eyes snapped down to find the ground beneath his feet shaking.

There’s a creaking rumbling sound, a shift and the floor begins to part. Silver back’s up in fright. Rock bits falling down the hole, little ting ting sounds ringing in the cave as it seemed to bounce off something metal. A slow tube rising from the ground confirms this assumption. Silver hold’s his breath, trapping it in feeble lungs, hand’s braced in the air… Just.. Just in Case. He needed to lift something, one too many times did the ceiling somehow wish to fall upon his head.

It stops rising, glass obscured with filth. It latches in place with a series of clicks and silver already finds his feet moving forward, the urge of adventure, of chance stirring up those foolish chemicals in his brains. Just plain old curiosity

He nearly bumps into the tube, stumbling back the instant his nose brushed it. “That was dumb,” he speaks out loud, leaning forward, and wiping away the grim with his white fur.

It gives way to something red, silver narrows his eyes peeping closer, a stifled gasp hitching in his throat as he took in, what it once hid.

It was someone….

Chapter Text

Silver had no idea where to begin. In the aftermath of smuggling a semi-conscious hedgehog back to his "base" (the term, base is used lightly here, more of an abandoned shed, but that's beside the point)... Silver was at a loss as to how to proceed...He expected the secret weapon to be more well a weapon.... not this. In all likelihood, he was in the wrong place, and this guy — a glance down at Shadow, he doesn’t look anything special, but he could be. Either or, it didn't make sense. Who is he? And why was he buried deep down in that pod?

Silver absently finds himself kneeling, adjusting Shadow into a better position on the cot. The guy was much more lively earlier. When he was dragging him here he was mumbling things and wearily pushing away. Now though, he was silent as a rock... Just how long had he been down there?

“Hey...” Silver mumble’s, poking him with his finger. “You still alive?”

Shadows doesn't respond and so Silver pushes at his side. “Hey uh.” he flicks the dark hedgehog snout. “Sorry, um.” He then kicks his side, “You gonna wake up or.”

There’s a mumble and Silver jumps back, quickly snatching what looked like a metal garbage tin and cowering behind in. “Please don't be explosive.” he muttered to himself, “Please, please don't be explosive.”

There’s a loud groan, accompanied by some shuffling and Silver huddles closer to himself, then pauses. Why the fuck was he so nervous?

“Your not explosive right?” He pries peeking over the tin, gulping as the wide ruby eye’s met his own. Oh, he was, Silver pauses for the word, Cool? He was cool-looking, and suddenly the room felt rather warm. He should, he should check that out later. ..

The darker fur hedgehog narrowed those once wide eyes, his gaze now burning with hateful curiosity, “Where am I?”

Silver roll’s the lid away, shakily getting off his knees with an embarrassed flush. “Oh um.” He leaned against his table, wincing as something jostled and rolled off with a crunch. “Welcome to my base!” He makes some jazz hands, stiffens then forces them to his sides.

The red-eyed hedgehog did not seem impressed, lip’s pressed into a thin line and Silver found his embarrassment grow. “Um, I’m Silver by the way.” he scratch’s at his neck. “And who are you, uh, sir?”

“What year is it.” It’s not a question, more of demand, but Silver assumed it was fair enough. He’d want to know how long he was under too. He pulls himself away from his desk, nudging a piece of paper back into place upon its stack.

“Oh.” He finds himself responding ever so dumbly, stepping forward, despite his understanding. Worrying the inside of his cheek down with his teeth. “It’s, 3437” With that out of the way, Silver figured the guy he dug up can do the math and then, well one step at a time silver, he criticizes himself, pinching his wrist. They have to take this one step at a time.

The dark one blinks, worry creeping into the corners of his once nonchalant expression, ear swivelling back in what silver could pinpoint as distress. Maybe he was out for a while….

“It’s been 100 years.”

Silver choke’s on-air? His own spit? well, he chokes on something, brushing back into his desk again as he attempts to gain his balance, tears pricking his eyes. 100 YEARS!? That was, he cough’s into his fist, feeling ever so awkward as the dark hedgehog watched him.

“Th, that long?” He finally chokes out, a hint of disbelief bleeding into his tone. “How are you.” He gesture’s at him, raising and lowering his hand. “You know, alive.”

Those same ears press back harder, and Silver nervously side steps away from the table, knowing full well he’d be closer to the door. He knows aggression, and let’s just say he didnt want to cause a fight, not in such tight quarters.

“Not that I’m saying your, uh..” He pinche’s his wrist again, where the hell was he going with that.

“Because, I am the Ultimate lifeform.”

Silver kinda just want’s the floor to eat him up, the ultimate lifeform, what the fuck is an ultimate life form. He has to say something though, the guy’s sitting there, looking like he just gave him the answer to the existence of the world, so, he simply replies “Cool?”

If he wanted to punch him, Silver wouldn't even be offended right now.

“So, mind explaining what that entails” He manages to get out finally.

The dark hedgehog sigh’s, motioning him closer, which Silver does, albeit cautiously.

-------

Shadow. He learned his name to be shadow. And he was a weapon, well not actually one, but he was made as such. Though Silver felt as though this Shadow left out a lot, skimming over why he was in the pod, and other things Silver couldn't pinpoint. It was sketchy, honestly super weird, but hey, it looks like he’s going to have a new roommate.

He clicks his watch and offer’s an apologetic smile as Shadow startle’s from the noise. “Ok, beep, come out.”

Shadow wrinkle’s his nose, “Who’s beep?”

A small, metallic-looking creature emerged from the dark of the shed, it was small, about the length and width of a fist, with two big beady eyes as its only distinct features.

And in courtesy of its name, it began to speak, in a series of beeps.

“Wait!” Silver startle’s, pulling himself up and leaving shadow to his own on the cot, “You can't say that! That’s rude! He’s a guest.” Silver pale’s for a split second, swiveling around

“What are your pronouns?”

Shadow stiffened for a moment, remembering the time Sonic had learned of such things, the need to ask. Adding it to his list of things to do out of politeness despite the ruckus it brought about with the older generations. “He/him is alright.”

Silver give’s a firm nod, “Thank’s, So, shadow this is beep. Beep this is shadow.”

If beep could frown, shadow expected it to be doing just that.

Silver stare’s at them in silence, “Ok.” he begins, cutting the tension. “Beep, I need you to grab the coordinates and study the location.’ he turns to shadow, “Now for you, let’s get you a little used to the future I was thinking we’d go to”

Shadow cut him off, wearily pulling himself up onto unpracticed legs. “Do you have any old graveyards?”

Silver blinks, right, the guy must be assuming all his loved ones are dead. Well, why wouldn’t they be? “I do.” He doesn't, but he can search for some online. “But first, let me help you up.”

--------

Shadow did not let him help, and all his instances landed him with a smack to the head. Learning his lesson silver turned to internet searching, letting that grumpy old man do his own thing. Maybe he should start making a make-shift cane or something. Silver snickered at the idea, stiffening as he felt a hot glare against his back. He can’t read his mind, right?

“Ok so, let’s get going.” He chirps snatching a satchel and piling what he assumed they’d need within it. “there are about three ancient graveyards left standing.”

Shadow nod’s, stiffly making his way towards him. There seem’s to be no pain to his walk, not a hint of agony in his eyes, just awkward discomfort. Silver can't help but sympathize while adjusting the strap of his carrying device. “You sure your up to all this walking so soon?”

“Of course, I’m the Ultimate lifeform.”

Silver’s ear twitch, huh, that guy sure liked bringing that up. He honestly doubted what he was told was true. I mean, artificially making someone, was just so weird, but yet-

He pinche’s his wrist, “Yeah, so you say.”He replies, a waver in his tone.

---

And so they travelled, from one to the next, finding themselves near exhausted, no accomplishment in, sight. It was saddening, watching shadow’s face fall deeper and deeper into one of grieving pain.

“We have one left.” Silver attempts to encourage, leaning closer to him in the speed train, keeping an eye out for bots. “I bet who your looking for is there-”

Silver real’s back from the man with no warning. “Who are you looking for?”

Shadow is hunched over, seemingly staring at his hands. Silver wasn't even sure he had been listening. “Someone who means the world to me. “

The wording is weird, but he couldn't judge, it takes time to switch your speech to past tense. Shadow had just woken up, after all, he’s dealing with a lot. He finds himself bumping shoulders, hoping he’d get across the message, ‘im here for you’ the same heat he felt earlier creeps up his neck, it was, unpleasant.

Shadow was thankful for the amount of patience he did not know he was capable of at this moment...it took everything in him to not throw this thing through the glass window

His energy reminded him of sonic in ways but it held no confidence. He stood as though he were not a part of the world...he Lacked all the charm to make up for his annoyance. Well, that wasn't entirely true, he was kind and useful. Useful for now