Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sonic stared outside the window of Tails' main laboratory, which also functioned as a home as well even though the fox lived with the blue hedgehog. He was still taking in all the rest his body was allowed to have now, after endlessly running to keep the Metal Virus in check.
He had never felt that terrified of having to stop running.
He never even thought he would ever have to be afraid to stop running.

It's all normal again. Wow.
We really did it, didn't we?
We truly defeated him.
Everybody is okay..

He smiled, rubbing a hand over his knee. The blue mobian heard his friends down the hall, he had just taken a moment to himself. He was happy, really, but he was exhausted. He couldn't remember the last time he had a proper night's rest.
Sonic just wasn't able to rest after their victory was assured, feeling like he had to watch out for any luring danger.
Even though he knew there was no threat after he and Silver got rid of the virus, he felt like he would wake up and see his entire world at the hands of the virus.

Tails popped up around the corner, smiling sympathetically. He walked up to him and stood next to him, giving him a gentle fist bump.
"We did it, buddy.. We really did it." Sonic sighed.

"Of course we did, we always make it in the end!" Tails grinned, his two tails swaying slightly. He had done a lot of work during the invasion of zombots, even things that endangered him. Sonic was incredibly proud of him, but at the same time he was terrified after hearing the things Tails did to help them gain the upper hand.

Sonic smiled, tired. "Yeah.. We almost didn't this time.." He spoke, sounding near scared. The Metal Virus almost took him, and even though it sounded egotistical, the world wouldn't have made it if that happened.

"Hey! No time for being down! You should celebrate! OH! I almost forgot, Rouge wanted me to ask you something, she'll never let me live it down if I forget now." Tails exclaimed, rocking on his feet a little.

Sonic looked at him with a questioning look, urging the fox to continue. "Rouge wants you to meet her friend, Shadow! He's very nice according to Rouge, and you guys might get along!" He smiled.

The blue mobian stared at Tails, slightly puzzled before shaking his head. "Nah, not interested. He sounds.. I don't know. Rude?" He sighs, unsure how to name the feeling. Jealousy? No, definitely not. Frustration came close. "Everything I hear sounds like a poor imitation of things I've done, I don't think I'll like him buddy, and I want to spare you all the hassle." Sonic stated. He usually wasn't this firm with what he wanted to Tails, but he was fed up with drama for now.

Tails slowly nodded, taking a mental note of it. He looked outside at the setting sun, it was getting late, and Sonic looked like he could pass out at any moment. He felt bad, the poor hedgehog pushed so hard and succeeded in the task at hand, but now he suffered the consequences. He knew Sonic was in pain physically from running, but he didn't admit it to anyone so they wouldn't worry about him.

As if the fox had his mind read, Sonic spoke again. "I'm exhausted. I'll come say hi to everybody and head home, okay buddy? I desperately want my bed." He chuckled under his breath, standing up.

Tails nodded, understanding that Sonic saying he was exhausted meant he could genuinely sleep an entire day. Thus they headed to the main room, where most of the mobians involved with the battle against Eggman and Starline were hanging out.

"Sonic! Hey!" A few exclaimed, the blue hedgehog joining the group. He was excited, but so so tired. After a while he even began to doze off on others, including on Knuckles who didn't do much to prevent it. He felt himself getting tired just at the mention of what Sonic had to do to keep the infection in check. His mind felt foggy, and he could barely think.

After a while Tails decided to direct Sonic to the room that was supposed to serve as a bedroom. The blue hedgehog didn't bother doing any kind of night routine, instantly passing out when he laid down. Tails quietly closed the door, heading back into the living area. It wasn't long before most of the people left, leaving Rouge, Knuckles and Tails.

Rouge hummed, fidgeting with her outfit before the doorbell rang. Tails sprung up, opening the door.

"Shadow? You're here? I thought you wouldn't come." The fox exclaimed, letting the black hedgehog inside. They both sat down, the tension slightly awkward.

"Well look who finally came! I was starting to think you wouldn't show up at all." Rouge teased, putting on her iconic grin.

Shadow shot a glare at the bat. "I was planning on not showing, but you said you had to talk to me." He huffed.

Rouge chuckled. "Yes, that's true. Don't interrupt me, okay?" She glanced at Shadow before proceeding. "So, you know Tails doesn't live here, and lives with someone else! It's actually Sonic, and we both thought it'd be nice for you two to-"

"Absolutely not, Rouge. You tried this before. I'm not meeting any of your friends." Shadow refused.

Rouge groaned. "Let me finish, hedgehog!!" She snapped a little at him, glaring. "He's nice! And he went through a lot recently. You might really like him, Shadow. Come on, do it for your friends." The bat looked at the black hedgehog with a near begging expression.

Shadows expression didn't budge, standing up. "I knew you would waste my time, Rouge. Call me if you actually need me." He scoffed, making his way to the door.

Rouge stood too, trailing behind him, shoes clicking against the stone floor.
"Shadow please, stop being so stubborn! The Metal Virus did a lot to him! You just have to-"

"I don't have to do anything. I am not going to meet him. End of the discussion, Rouge." Shadow stated firmly, opening the door and disappearing through it, almost slamming it shut.
Knuckles and Tails sat awkwardly, perking up when Rouge spoke again.

"They can't avoid each other forever."

Chapter Text

Upbeat music made Sonic's ears twitch occasionally, but he didn't mind. He was too focused on celebrating their biggest victory yet with all the people he loved most. He turned his head away from the conversation Tails and Knuckles were having to observe the rest.

Blaze, Amy and Rouge were together per usual, making jokes and celebrating the fact that they all made it out safely. Their relationship was a little strained with how little they saw each other, but it grew tighter than ever after defeating Eggman and Starline.

The Chaotix were together too, Charmy seeming already tired. It wasn't surprising, and he soon fell asleep on Vector who didn't seem to mind. Espio and Vector talked, mostly about their jobs. They had a real passion for it.

Silver sat with his girlfriend Whisper, along with their friend Tangle. They were playing UNO on the floor, sitting on fluffy pillows. Whisper was very silent as she usually was, but enjoyed the happiness on Silvers face whenever he won. Tangle was just in it for the company, being happy to spend time with her loved ones again.

Many others were invited and came, mostly loose contacts everybody had. The group all agreed that this should be widely celebrated, and thus even people they interacted a few times with were invited.

Sonic stood, pushing through the crowd to talk to the three girlfriends. "Hey!" Amy exclaimed, voice loud to get over the speakers.
The blue Mobian waved "Hey you three!! Good to finally be able to properly celebrate isn't it!!" Sonic nearly shouted, sitting on the spare bean bag near the three.

Blaze grinned, brushing some of her fur back that got messy. "Sure is. I'm glad to finally be back at my usual life. We actually got our garden done, it finished yesterday." She smiled as Rouge placed a kiss on the cats temple before talking.

"It's absolutely stunning! You should come and see it sometime! Bring Tails, he said he would love to see it sometime." The bat suggested to Sonic, who excitedly nodded.

"Sounds amazing, Rouge! We'll skip by soon enough! I'm going to talk to Vector and Espio now!" The blue mobian exclaimed before waving and pushing through the crowd again. He just managed to see the three hug each other, sharing a moment of mutual happiness and love.

After several "Excuse me's" he made it to the chameleon and crocodile. They were still talking about their work, another case they were assigned that tangled Sonics brain by simply listening to them talk.

"Hey guys! You never leave your work at the office do you?" Sonic teased, knowing that he himself could never stop thinking about his own heroics either.

"You know it, man." Vector laughed, fist bumping Sonic. The blue hedgehog simply gave Espio a greeting nod, knowing he wasn't the biggest fan of unnecessary physical contact.

"Remember you can always give a shout if you need someone fast to do a thing for you!" Sonic exclaimed, happy to help out where possible. With Eggman supposedly gone forever, he had nothing to do and was ultimately bored, smashing badniks had become something he did daily and surprisingly took up a lot of his time.

Vector nodded, turning to Espio again. That was Sonics cue to leave for his next stop, consisting of Silver, Whisper and Tangle.
He sighed, making his way through the crowd once again. This all went well until halfway, where he nearly smacked into someone's back, making them both topple to the ground.

"Oh crap! I'm so sorry!" Sonic exclaimed, nobody around the two fallen seemed to notice that they were on the ground. The blue mobian groaned, standing and offering a hand to the figure below him.

A black and red hedgehog. His quills flared upwards naturally.
Golden rings around his ankles and wrists, I've heard about those somewhere. Inhibitor rings?
Was this that Shadow who Tails and Rouge kept talking about meeting me?
What's he doing here? Did Rouge invite him?

"Tsh. Don't bother. Watch where you're go- ing.." The black hedgehog scoffed, caught off guard by the blur of blue in front of him.

Blue hedgehog.
That damn brown scarf.
The shoes.
He's also obnoxious.
That's definitely Sonic.
I should've known he would be here.

Shadow got up by himself, brushing himself off and folding his arms as he spoke. "So. I'm guessing you're Sonic. You're just as much as a ray of sunshine as they say." The red marked hedgehog spoke, something in his voice making it clear that that was not supposed to be a compliment.

Sonic nodded slowly. "One and only, uh.. Shadow? Right? I'm guessing Rouge took you here?" He grinned, not showing his dislike for the fellow hedgehog just yet. He didn't want any drama.

Shadow huffed. "You're just as obnoxious too." He rolled his eyes a little, catching Sonic off guard. People thought he was obnoxious? That was news to him. He was always described as someone that brought positivity wherever he went, not someone who annoyed others.

Sonics eye twitched, replying to his own impulsive emotions. "Yeah, well, you're just as rude as they say. You could've kept that to yourself." He huffed, putting his hands on his hips, earning a scoff from Shadow.

"Just don't get in my way tonight, hedgehog." He growled back, walking off to Rouge in the corner of the room. Sonic stood dumbfounded. Wow, that was.. something.
He decided to head over to Tails and tell him he bumped into the unexpected guest.

Shadow stood in front of the bat, arms folded. "Rouge. Why didn't you tell me that hedgehog would be here." He glared, feeling Rouge radiate her attitude onto the red marked Mobian.

"Somebody's embarrassed! Come on Shadow, he's nice! Give him a chance tonight. If you don't like him by the end of the party, I'll leave you alone!" She swore, knowing that both of them knew that was a lie. Rouge would keep going, and she made Tails swear that he wouldn't give up either. They both knew that the two hedgehog's could be great friends.

Shadow groaned, walking away to find a calm spot again. He didn't feel like talking anymore, but he didn't really want to leave either. He found the balcony, it was nice outside so he decided to stay there, watching onto the city below. He had to admit, the fox and that obnoxious hedgehog lived comfortably in here.

Said fox was now trying to convince Sonic that he should try again, and that bumping into someone was not the best way to go about meeting somebody.

"Please Sonic! Everybody thinks you guys will get along well!" Tails whined, shaking Sonic by the arm. The blue hedgehog looked down at his adoptive brother, unable to say anything against it now.

"I- Fine! I'll go talk to him. Go have fun, buddy." He smiled, ruffling Tails' head and walking off to find the red marked hedgehog. Sonic wandered around for a while, eventually seeing Shadow stand on the balcony. He hesitated, but he slowly opened the door and stepped out, closing the door again.

"Tails said I had to talk to you again, so.. Hi." Sonic spoke, joining Shadows side without a reply.
He sighed, thinking before speaking again. "We got off on the wrong foot, or something. I'm Sonic, obviously. I.. Like dogs and running. I hate the dark and water" Sonic chuckled at himself before continuing. He felt something itch inside of him, longing to tell his story. But he held back, it wasn’t something you could just tell to somebody you just met, let alone dislike.

It was silent on Shadows end, the hedgehog unsure of how to react. He stared at the lights in the city below them, thinking about how a few weeks ago this place was filled with zombots. It was crazy to think about, in such a short time the world went from being plagued to being peaceful.

Shadow hummed a little.
"Shadow." He simply stated, glancing at Sonic. The blue hedgehog tilted his head at him.
"And..?" He questioned, expecting the other to speak further. "What else? Do you like anything?" Sonic inquired.

Shadow glared at him. "I like being left alone, hedgehog." He huffed, the other chuckling. He wasn't sure what was so funny to him, but he didn't leave and his presence felt like pressure to continue speaking.

He sighed. "Fine. I like cats and rock music. I hate a lot of things. Like you." Shadow shot back at Sonic, who was taken aback.

"Well, hate is a strong word, don't you think?" Sonic chuckled, rocking himself back and forth, using his hands on the ledge of the balcony to do so. The air was cool, occasionally brushing against their fur. It was peaceful, despite the tension between the two.

Shadow glanced at him, folding his arms as he looked back down at the city.
"I have strong emotions, so strong words fit me." He started, waiting a few seconds before talking again.
"Rouge says I need to find help to word my feelings. I say that's bullshit."
He brushed his chest fur, making it a little more neat, the breeze having tangled it slightly.

Sonic snorted, shaking his head. "Sounds like Rouge. She's.. like a parent friend. I don't know if she's like that with you, but she constantly makes sure we're taken care of whenever she comes over." The blue mobian spoke, recalling the many times the bat showed up with baskets of food and care packages.
"It's nice, having someone look out for you like that."

Shadow listened, and found that he was right. Rouge was one of those friends to make sure you were okay, and she had done it many times with Shadow despite his continuous refusal for help.
He had found it annoying, but with the perspective of Sonic thinking it's nice he thought deeply about it, coming to the conclusion he could accept help from his bat friend more often.

Sonic spoke again, bringing up their other friends. This turned into a heated discussion about who would be which kind of friend in a group, the blue hedgehog insisting he was right because he knew them all better than Shadow did. Shadow on the other hand believed that he was right based on things Rouge told him, and he trusted her to tell him correct things.

The discussion ended in a question that made the intense itch return to Sonics stomach. "So, how did you actually get through this whole shit show?" Shadow asked, gesturing at the town, meaning the entire Metal Virus plague.

"Well.. I managed pretty well at first. You know, at the very beginning. When we barely knew what the Virus was." Sonic spoke, sighing. This itch was unbearable, he had to tell someone who didn't already know.

"And.. Then I was infected by the virus.
I almost didn't make it, but it turned out that by running I could keep it in check.
I ran constantly, I only stopped to take down zombots so that people could escape.
Touching them.. It made it worse.
At one point I almost got taken by it, I don't think I experienced anything scarier than that.
I was so exhausted, I almost passed out.
So.. That's me."

Sonic swallowed, unsure why he told a random mobian, let alone someone he disliked. But that itchy feeling was gone now, satisfied with what he did. He just needed somebody to hear him out, or even just somebody to talk to without expecting any response.

Shadow looked at him, his expression plain.
He was infected too.
But he ran it off?
He turned to look at the city again, frowning. He felt like he owed Sonic his story now, for a strange reason he couldn't place.

Just as Sonic was about to leave, he spoke.
"I got infected too. But.. I didn't run it off. I was a zombot for a while." He admitted, making the blue mobian return to his spot and listen closely.

"That must've been scary..'' Sonic spoke, hopefully comforting Shadow.
He nodded. "It was. I felt.. Helpless. Being infected didn't erase my inner self. I was there mentally, but physically I was enslaved. I saw myself bring destruction to our world without being able to do anything about it. I was trapped inside my own body. I.. I broke a promise I made. I swore to protect the earth, but I caused so much wreckage.."
Shadows voice was a little shaky now, fidgeting with his gloves.

"God. Why am I even telling you this? You don't care. You just care about yourself." Shadow insisted, making Sonic shake his head.
"That's not true. I do care. And I'm really sorry that happened, I was just lucky, nothing that special.. I feel guilty sometimes. As if I was supposed to turn too, y'know? I felt bad fighting it off while others suffered." He confessed.

"..Really?" Shadow frowned as he turned to Sonic. "I always took you for some egotistical ass.. Uh." He looked away as Sonic chuckled.
"Sorry about that." He said, hearing a soft it's fine from the other.

"You.. Said you made a promise, but you broke it?" Sonic inquired carefully.
Shadows' breath hitched, but he talked.
"I was made in a lab. To eventually heal this girl, her name was Maria.. She was very sick, and I was supposed to be the key to helping her. My creator was her grandfather.. Gerald Robotnik." Shadow spoke the name of who made him, Sonic perking up a little. He had known about this, but only in the most vague way.

"Maria and I.. She was my best friend.
And GUN saw me as a threat.
So they came to our home. The ARK.
They destroyed everything and everyone there.. She-"
Shadow stopped speaking to breathe, tears in his eyes. Sonic felt his throat close up, feeling so intensely bad for the hedgehog he despised not long ago.

"She didn't make it.. She- She managed to send me out here.. And made me promise to protect the people on earth. And I failed her. It just.. Hurts." Shadow sighed, wiping his eyes. He had no idea why, but a fresh set of ears on his story made him feel relieved, especially knowing it wasn't being ignored.

Sonic nodded slowly, looking at the sky, then back at the city below them.
"You're not at fault, you know.
You couldn't help it.. I can bet that so many of the people down there feel regret for what they have done. I bet that they made promises too that they weren't able to keep..
I'm so sorry for your loss but.. You can't blame yourself for getting infected. Got it?" The blue mobian spoke reassuringly.

Shadow slowly nodded.
"I guess that makes sense. You're slightly less obnoxious than they say." He scoffed, half a chuckle behind it. Maybe Sonic wasn't half bad.

Sonic laughed, it went silent after that. Soon the two went inside, the cold getting to them despite their fur. They didn't speak as they went separate ways to their own friends.

Shadow plopped down on another bean bag next to Rouge, who was alone right now.
"Blaze and Amy went to get drinks.. How are you feeling now?" She asked, sipping on the leftover bit of the drink she was holding.

"..Better. Maybe he isn't that much of a selfish asshole." Shadow rolled his eyes, earning a laugh from the bat. He hated that Rouge was right.

"I knew it! You're going to be friends! I told you, grumpy, you should always listen to me." He laughed, poking him to tease him. She knew they'd be friends, and thus she put Sonic's number in Shadows phone against all the protesting he received.

Meanwhile, Sonic was sitting next to Tails talking about what happened on the balcony, keeping away the details of the horrific things Shadow experienced.

"I mean, he isn't the way I expected him to be? A little less.. Edge." He chuckled, running his fingers through Tails' fluffy tails. Tails grinned, silently celebrating that he and Rouge got them to start some kind of friendship.

"I'm glad you guys talked! It seemed like you needed a fresh set of ears to hear you out about the virus thing." Tails hummed, not minding the familial affection of Sonic petting his tails.

"Yeah, I think we could be friends."

Chapter Text

The sun shone brightly into the cozy home of Amy, Blaze and Rouge. Outside the flowers grew, the garden well taken care of. It was clear that the habitants of the home tended to it with care and time regularly. Despite it being cozy, it could easily fit a group of people inside for a party. It was more spacious than it seemed, especially if the doors to the backyard were opened like today.

Sonic sat on a chair, tapping his feet impatiently. Today he and Shadow would meet again after a long time of not seeing each other, and he was ecstatic.
Over time the two hedgehogs had become close, mainly over text. They talked endlessly, sometimes resulting in Tails having to tell the blue Mobian to get off the phone for a while and move around to keep good blood flow. Sonic hadn't been running as much, and that said a lot.

Shadow seemed less closed off to Rouge, accepting help when he needed it and talking a little more. But strangely enough he opened up to Sonic the most about the more emotional things.
They often talked about how to reduce the nightmares the black hedgehog struggled with, and the blue blur was always available for any time Shadow needed to rant or vent.
It was the same the other way around, but it wasn't needed as often. Sonic coped well with his survival of the Metal Virus by now, and he didn't feel guilty anymore for surviving.

Tails noticed how anxious Sonic was, walking over and speaking up. "Are you nervous to see Shadow again?" He asked, as if reading his brother's mind.
Sonic nodded, rubbing his hands on his knees. "I mean.. It's been such a long time since we've seen each other, what if he doesn't want to be friends anymore? He hasn't texted me in a few days either.." The blue hedgehog rambled, worried for the worst possible scenario.

Tails shook his head. "Come on! Usually you're the one pep-talking me! I'm sure he'll like seeing you, Sonic!" He insisted, smiling reassuringly.
"If he didn't want to be friends with you he wouldn't have agreed to come today, you know he doesn't care much for the rest of us besides you and Rouge, and she visits him sometimes too. He wouldn't come if he didn't want to see you!" The yellow fox encouraged Sonic, the doorbell suddenly ringing.

The two went quiet, listening closely to the sound of the door opening and footsteps. Sonic couldn't move, staring into the garden nervously. Suddenly, he felt hands grab his shoulders. He jumped, yelping as he turned around and saw Shadow laughing at him.
"Oh my god you should've seen your FACE!" He held his stomach, Sonic climbing over the couch and playfully punching him.

"That's so rude!" He exclaimed, laughing after the initial shock of being jumpscared. The two wrestled a little, eventually sitting on the couch together. Their knees brushed, suddenly making Sonic feel warm inside.
It was nice being with friends again. He missed this, he had missed Shadow.

Said hedgehog turned to him, grinning. "So how's the boring life treating you, hedgehog." He asked, leaning against the arm of the couch. Everyone else, who was also at the party a few weeks after defeating Eggman and Starline, attended today.

"Well! I have been so bored! But it's nice to actually do nothing for once? I was always up and smashing badniks and stuff that I never really relaxed. So I guess this is nice.. What about you?" Sonic spoke, returning the question to his friend. He couldn't help but study his features while talking.

The red markings on his fur.
His canines, they looked a lot like fangs.
The fluff of white fur on his chest.
The red markings near his eyes almost looked like eyeliner, making his eyes more distinct.

"..Sonic. You here?" Shadow chuckled, snapping his fingers in front of the blue mobians face.
"You're staring at me." He spoke awkwardly, seeming flustered.

Sonic's face heated up. "Crap, sorry, my mind drifted off. You were saying?" He asked quickly, looking away to hide his embarrassment.

Shadow smiled a little, thinking his embarrassment was a little bit funny.
"I was saying, my life is just as exciting as yours, so.. not at all." He chuckled.
"But I'm really not doing much.. I just scout around and see if I can help anywhere. No more GUN, thanks to your oh-so-eye opening speech." Shadow teased.

Sonic had convinced Shadow to leave GUN a few months ago, making him realize that working for the same organization that committed many horrors was not helping him mentally.
Thus Shadow left, and started working independently.
It didn't give him the same big missions, but his mental health and attitude towards work improved.

Tails and Rouge found each other in the small crowd, talking to each other while watching the two hedgehogs talk.
"So.. Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Rouge?" The fox spoke, grinning as he sat on one of the comfortable chairs.

The bat looked back and forth between Tails and the two sitting away from them.
"I need them to kiss already, I swear I'm getting chills looking at them like this." She rolled her eyes.

Tails snorted, bursting out in giggles. "Well, basically yes.. They definitely like each other." He spoke, his tails swaying slightly.

Rouge nodded, staring at the two hedgehogs again.
"Shadow is not going to realize unless I tell him.. I think Sonic will figure it out though." He spoke, already figuring out a plan, but the plan eventually made itself.

Sonic stood, excusing himself to the bathroom. He walked past everybody and made it to the restroom where he sat on the toilet and pulled out his phone. He didn't actually need to use the restroom, but he couldn't help but feel like reading their texts now could help him figure out what was going on with him.

Shads
Hey Sonic. Had another nightmare. Doing those breathing exercises helped but I'm still shaking.
Sent at 2;20 AM

Me
Aw man, sorry to hear that Shadow!! I'm glad the breathing helped; I could come over with some snacks if you want, we can watch a movie until you're good again?
Read at 2:24 AM

Shads
Thanks, I'll be fine though.
Do you have nightmares sometimes?
About the virus.
Sent at 2;25 AM

Me
Sometimes, but not a lot anymore.
I guess I adapt better to things than others! :)
Read at 2;27 AM

Shads
Lmao. Sounds like I'm just sensitive.
Sent at 2;28 AM

Me
You're definitely not sensitive Shads
Did you know that retraumatization is a thing? I did some research and PTSD patients can be retraumatized when something happens that makes someone relive their trauma.
Read at 2;30 AM

Shads
I don't have PTSD though.
Sent at 2;34 AM

Me
You and I both know that that's a lie :p
Read at 2;35 AM

Shads
Fine. I guess you're right.
Sent at 2;35 AM

Me
I'm always right ;)
Read at 2;36 AM

Shads
Don't get too cocky now, hedgehog.
Still want to come over for that movie?
Sent at 2;37 AM

Me
On my way right now, faker :D
Read at 2;38 AM

_________________________

He felt fuzzy inside, as if his insides went warm and mushy whenever he accidentally touched Shadow. Whenever they texted he was smiling and everything made him laugh, he sometimes got funny looks from Tails.

He's just so funny..
He makes me laugh
And he's nice
I'm really proud of all the things he's overcome
I want to make sure he knows that
I want to treat him right.
..Hold him and never let go.
I like Shadow.
I really, really like Shadow.
..Oh crap.

While Sonic was having a somewhat shocking realization Rouge sat next to Shadow, getting his attention.
"Hey Rouge." He cracked a small smile, waiting for Sonic to be back.

"Hey, Grumps. Not so grumpy anymore, I see. Blue is working his magic on you." Rouge teased, making the red marked mobian blush.

"What's that supposed to mean." Shadow glanced at him, quills slightly flared. Rouge noticed this, but didn't say anything yet.

"Oh nothing, just that you have a massive crush on him." The bat smirked, playfully pushing Shadow who was shocked.
"WH- What!?" He groaned, shaking his head wildly. "Absolutely not!" He insisted, face red.

Rouge rolled her eyes, settling into the couch before speaking.
"You blush when I mention him.
You nearly freak out when you touch each other.
You constantly talk about him.
Hell, remember that time I came over and he was sleeping on your couch because you didn't want him going home in the dark after watching a movie at your place?
Shadow, you're head over freaking heels for him, and you're driving me insane by pretending you're not."

Shadow was shocked, something in his chest snapped as he realized.
His mouth felt dry as he opened it, softly speaking as he stared at the doorway to the restroom.
"Oh god, I really have fallen for him, have I..?"

"I know, dude, that's what I'm telling you now." Rouge spoke, the sass dripping off her voice. She looked at Shadow, who was in a complete state of thought.
"..I'll leave you to it, here if you need me." She reassured him, getting up and walking back to join her partners.

So.. I like him.
I like Sonic.
Fuck, man.
What the hell do I do now?
I can't just blatantly tell him.
He'll freak out.
I can't tell him.
I'll just.. Have to avoid him until this fades.

Meanwhile, Sonic was nearly freaking out on the toilet.

I really really like him but AHH!
What do I do!?
Does he already know, did Shadow hear it from someone else?
Did someone else know? Oh crap.
I can't tell him, he'll hate me!
I just have to avoid him! Then it'll all go away and we can be friends again later.. Right?

This is going to suck.

Chapter Text

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Tails! Happy birthday to you!" Everyone sang, smiling as they watched the yellow fox in the middle of the room laughing, a little embarrassed but joyful nonetheless. Sonic kept insisting on having big get-togethers for Tails' birthday, even though his adoptive brother was fifteen now. Because the blue hedgehog kept insisting that it was important that they celebrated, Tails let it happen, and so now he sat at the saloon table with a birthday hat on with a cake in front of him.

"Make a wish buddy!" Sonic exclaimed, gesturing to the fun decorated cake that had a few candles on it. It was a little childish, but he loved doing this for Tails. They went through a lot together, often things that kids should never go through, and thus Sonic made sure that the yellow fox got at least some childhood experience. The blue Mobian felt that this was the least he could do for his little brother.

Tails laughed, blowing out the candles while swaying his tails. Everyone cheered, going up to either their friends or to hug the fox. In the moments that this happened, Sonic glanced around the room to observe Tails' friends and their mutual friends get along.
Then someone caught his eye in the corner of the room.

Oh god. Rouge invited him?
This is terrible!
Do I tell Tails?
No, no, it's his birthday, don't bother him with your petty crush!
CRAP-

Sonic looked away quickly, face flushed. Shadow had made eye contact with him for a split second, both of their hearts skipping a beat. The red marked hedgehog stared at the floor, trying to look as calm as possible, when in reality his mind was going all kinds of places.

Shit.
Of course he's here. You knew that.
Why did you let Rouge convince you?
Ugh, that freaking bat.
Just be cool.
You'll be fine if you stay here.
He's been avoiding you too.
He definitely doesn't want to talk to you.

The two went their own ways, trying to shake the anxious feeling from their chests. Sonic tried his best to celebrate Tails' birthday, happily talking with the guests in his house while purposefully avoiding the corner Shadow was in. At the same time, the red marked hedgehog prayed that Sonic wouldn’t approach him.

Rouge came up to Shadow, chuckling under her breath. "Dude.. You have to tell him some day and you know that." She spoke, receiving a scoff from the black hedgehog.

"He's avoiding me. If anything will come from me telling him it's that I'm getting kicked out of this house permanently. Stop telling me to confess. There's no way he likes me. For what reason would he avoid me other than that he knows and is disturbed." Shadow ranted, keeping his voice low just in case. When Rouge groaned out loud and sat down, the red marked mobian growled softly. Rouge was getting on his nerves about this, did she want to piss him off? Because it seemed like it.

"You're going to regret not telling him. What if he's fine with it and still wants to be friends even if he doesn't like you back, hm?" Rouge inquired, crossing her arms and glaring at Shadow with her usual attitude.

The black hedgehog growled back at Rouge, leaning towards her with a death stare. "Stop trying to get me to confess. It's not happening. Now Leave. Me. Alone." Shadow spoke slowly, getting up and walking away.

Meanwhile, Sonic was scrolling on his phone for a second, when suddenly Tails and Silver appeared at his sides. He jumped a little, sighing deeply. "Jeez.. You two scared me!!" He exclaimed, laughing. Tails laughed, bouncing up and down a little. He was having a great time, happy that Sonic still threw these kinds of parties for him despite being a teenager. He had to admit that getting Happy Birthday sung to him got a little embarrassing, but he wanted to cherish whatever childhood he got.

"Sorry! Didn't mean to scare you there!" Silver smiled, grinning at his blue friend. Sonic chuckled. "It's fine, don't worry!" He reassured him. The three then sat down together on the chairs. They watched people dance, the upbeat music itching Sonic's body in a positive way. It gave him energy, made him feel alive. Silver hummed along to the music, Tails moving his tails as a way to release his energy.

Sonic tapped his feet, heart skipping a beat and stopping his movements as he saw Shadow walking in the crowd. Suddenly he felt Tails and Silver gripping his hands, pulling him off the chair and towards the crowd. The two were laughing, Sonic's surprise rendering him unable to pull himself away.

"Wait! What are you doing?!" The blue hedgehog panicked internally as Silver told him to ask Shadow to dance with him. Sonic turned red, being shoved into the crowd and colliding with Shadow before he could object to it.
Now he stood in front of his crush, feeling like he could melt into the floor and disappear forever.
Said crush stared at him, confused and startled at the fact that he just crashed into him.
Sonic looked at him, taking a deep breath and eventually speaking.

"Uh.. Dance with me?" Sonic held out his hand, Shadow placing his own hand in it with slight hesitation.

"I.. don't know how to dance." Shadow admitted, raising an eyebrow at the other. Internally he was freaking out, he was HOLDING HIS HAND. All of his signals told him to run, but he dreamt about this more times than he'd like to admit.

Sonic laughed, albeit awkwardly. "Just keep your eyes on me, and do as I do." He assured Shadow, smiling at the song playing. One of his favorites.

The beat of the music excited the blue mobian, his heart beating in his chest while he held Shadow's hands. He began bouncing a little, stepping back and forth with the lyrics. He grinned at the black hedgehog, who stiffly took the same steps as Sonic.

The blue blur laughed, shaking his head and shouting over the music. "You're holding back! Just let loose!!" He insisted, allowing his body to go its own way.

Shadow hesitated, unsure what to do. He listened to the music, taking in the moment he was in. He was holding his crushes hands, everybody around them was dancing and the music made his chest pound. Before he knew it he could easily follow Sonic's moves, a wide smile on his face as they danced together.

He couldn't help but admire Sonic.
His bravery.
His kindness.
His laugh and smile.
His generosity.
He shines so bright, it almost blinds him every time he looks at him a little too long.
And he loves it.
He didn't mind being blinded if that meant looking at him.

Shadow snapped out of his thoughts when Sonic made eye contact with him, feeling that familiar burn in his chest.
"Wanna go catch some air on the balcony?" The shining blue hedgehog suggested, feeling so refreshed after ages of not seeing his best friend and crush.
The red marked mobian nodded, letting himself be led to the place they first bonded. Sonic held Shadows pinky, pulling him along through the crowd.

When they arrived, the air was warm but refreshing to be in. Shadow closed the door, the silence letting him feel the buzzing inside of him. Sonic breathed in deeply, calming himself down.

The city below them had all their pretty lights shining, the sounds of birds singing and the slight breeze made this the best spot in the entire house.

Shadow sighed, leaning against the railing of the balcony as he took it all in. "..I missed this place." He admitted to Sonic, who perked up and looked at him.

"You did?" The other questioned, confused.
If he missed it, why didn't he visit?
Why did he avoid him?
Sonic opened his mouth to speak, closing it again and looking at Shadow.

The black hedgehog nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess I did. It's like a little solitude spot away from humanity. Like nothing else exists when you're here." He spoke, mostly to himself as he remembered how he went here that day they first met each other. It changed his life, unsure if it was for the better at this moment.

Sonic grinned. "How emotional of you." He teased, receiving a chuckle from Shadow.
That was good. He didn't totally hate him.
Hopefully.

The blue hedgehog spoke again. "Uh.. Silver and Tails made me dance with you. You were probably confused as to why I just randomly came up to you after-"

"After not talking to me for months?" Shadow glanced at him. "Yeah, a little."

"In my defense, you are also avoiding me." Sonic replied, frowning and staring down at the city.

Shadow sighed, unsure what to say. It wasn't a lie, he was avoiding Sonic.
"I'm sorry. For ignoring you those first two weeks. It was a dick move to not return your calls and worried texts. I hope you can forgive me for that." He spoke softly, looking at his crush.

Sonic smiled softly, nodding. "Yeah, it's cool.. We're cool." He hummed. This was nice.

He liked being like this.
At this moment he realized something.
So what if Shadow didn't return his feelings?
They could remain friends, and it'd be fine.
He could admire Shadow in his head.
He could live with that.
But he couldn't live if Shadow wasn't in his life.
He noticed that much in the time they didn't speak.

"Hey.. Remember the night we met each other?" Shadow started, smiling.

Sonic slowly nodded. "Yeah.. I do. You were a little prick." He laughed, Shadow chuckling with him.

"I'll admit I was a little bit of an ass.. But you weren't all that nice either." He hummed.
"You opened up to me that night. About your infection. Why did you tell me so suddenly?" Shadow turned to him, the question taking Sonic off guard.

The mobian thought for a while, soon speaking.
"I felt weird that night. It felt like an itch in my chest that told me that you deserved to know.. I don't know why, or what that feeling was. But I felt like I owed it to you to explain my story..?"
Sonic thought out loud.

Shadow slowly nodded. "I.. Felt the same way. About telling you about getting infected, and.. About Maria." He swallowed.

He was emotional, and not his usual self around Sonic.
Sonic made him soft.
He made him vulnerable.
And he wasn't sure how to deal with it.

Before he knew it he was wiping his tears away, looking up at the sky. Sonic was quiet, letting Shadow gather himself.
"You know, she- She would've liked you, Sonic.
She was.. Bright.
And joyful.. As far as that went with her illness.
She was an optimist and wanted to go on so many adventures down here on earth..
She would have adored you. I can feel it."
The black hedgehog allowed himself to tear up and let his voice break.

Sonic nodded slowly.
"I.. Really appreciate that.
I-.. I appreciate you, Shadow."
He looked away, blushing.

The red marked mobian turned to him and started to laugh.
"My god! You're so sappy!"
His blue counterpart laughed with him.

"I'm serious! I appreciate you, Shads!" Sonic laughed, unable to control his laughing if the one he loved was laughing too.

Shadow gathered himself, shaking his head.
"God.. You're sappy. But I appreciate you too." Sonic perked up and looked at him, both of them starting to blush deeply

"You're.. My best friend. I can count on you. You really helped me when I had that period with really bad panic attacks, remember? When you came over for movies and brought snacks. I really appreciate that you did that for me. And I appreciate that you hear me out whenever I need to talk to someone."
Shadow ranted, blushing deeply as he realized Sonic was staring at him. He looked away, huffing softly.
"But you're still annoying sometimes." He added, hoping it wasn't too suspicious.

Sonic chuckled, speaking too now.
"I'll always be there for you, Shads. Especially for things like that. That's what friends do..
I really appreciate the way you can make me laugh, I don't know how you do it but everything is so funny to me when you say it.
You really brighten my day and I've missed it recently, so.. I'm glad you're here."
He breathed deeply, happy that he said it.

Shadow grinned.
"I'm like magic. I put a spell on you, hedgehog." He chuckled, Sonic laughing along.

Sonic leant against the railing, close to Shadow.
"Shadow The Magic Hedgehog!" He laughed, his counterpart chuckling with him.

The two looked at each other, making eye contact. They went quiet, just taking in each other's presence and features.

Emerald and ruby eyes met under starlight, all their surroundings fading away.
They were alone on the planet right now, like nothing else existed.
Only them, at that moment.
Nothing could ruin this.
It was perfect.

Before they knew it, their lips made contact and eyes closed. It felt like sparks set off in their chests, as if their bodies were about to implode on themselves. The kiss tasted like soda and mint candy, making Sonic think about the fact that Shadow did really like mint candy just like Tails did.

Sonic reached up with one hand, cupping the others cheek and parting slightly. They breathed, looking at each other with heated faces. Shadow gave a soft hum, putting a hand on the back of Sonic's neck and pulling him in for a second, more deep kiss.

Sonic accepted, relaxing into it. He could almost feel tears welling up in his eyes, feeling overwhelmed with all the positive emotion right now. He finally managed to do what he wanted to for all these months, and he felt like he might pass out.

After a few more seconds they pulled away, leaning on the railing again, shoulders touching. Shadow was the first to speak.

"I've liked you for a while, you know. I guess I only truly realized at the reunion a long time ago. Well.. Rouge told me, rather than me realizing. Uh. I was terrified you'd hate me if you realized. So I started ignoring you.. That's why I didn't pick up those calls.."
He admitted, a little ashamed now.

Sonic looked at him for a moment before laughing.
"Wow, we're more alike than we think!" He shook his head, calming before continuing in a calm voice which was unusual for him.

"I realized at the reunion too. I couldn't stop getting flustered and at some point I just couldn't take it and ran to the restroom." He chuckled, Shadow smiling as he recalled that happening.

The black hedgehog hummed, leaning his head on Sonic's shoulder.
"I fell for your kindness. I can't stop thinking about the day I had a massive panic attack and.. Hurt myself. You were there for me.. You bandaged me up and told me it'd be okay. You held me even though you had plans and.. You just wouldn't give up on me. That's what I love about you."

Sonic blushed, leaning his head on Shadows. This was comforting to him, getting hints of lavender from who he now thought was safe to assume was his boyfriend.
"..I fell for you because you inspire me.
You are so unbelievably strong, Shadow.
You've overcome so many horrors and lost faith in humanity and yet you still protected it.
It takes a special being to be able to do the things you did.
You didn't deserve these things, but you took them and let them make you stronger.
You're so special.
That's a thing I just can't compete with, and you know I love a good challenge."
Sonic laughed softly, Shadow chuckling.

They looked at each other, placing their foreheads together underneath the stars.
Like this, together, everything made sense.
They kissed again, this time was tender and emotional.

They blushed as they pulled back, smiling lovingly at one another.
"We should get inside.. It's getting cold." Shadow spoke, pulling away from Sonic who nodded and turned to the door.

"Hey by the way.. My bed is big enough for two." Sonic joked, winking at the red marked mobian who blushed intensely and playfully punched him.

"Jesus, Sonic, you're horrible." Shadow laughed, shaking his head.
"But uh.. I'll think about it." He smiled, albeit a little shyly.

They opened the door after taking a deep breath, walking inside to find Rouge in the kitchen pouring drinks. Her expression was unreadable, especially when she looked up and acted a little surprised to see the two hedgehogs.

"There you are! People were looking for you two. Do you want drinks? I'll pour it for you." She smiled, gesturing to the bottles of drinks and the cups.

Shadow shook his head, he didn't really drink a lot of drinks. He had water earlier and that satisfied him enough. "No, thanks." He spoke.

Sonic smiled and thought for a moment. "Hm.. No thank you! I think I still have some soda at the table." Rouge nodded, understanding.

"So, what'd you guys talk about?" She asked, acting innocent.

"Oh! Uh.." Sonic thought of something to say. His mind blanked, only thinking of the amazing kiss he just had. He swallowed, opening his mouth but thankfully Shadow spoke first.

"Just about what we did while we weren't talking. Made up, buddies again. Surely you'll be happy to know that." Shadow teased his nosy friend.

"Indeed I am, you grump." Rouge shot back, smiling as she grabbed a bag of snacks.
"Could you guys go grab the extra bowls in the storage room? There's no more in the cabinets."

The two looked at each other and then turned to Rouge again, simultaneously nodding and turning around to walk away.
While walking towards the room, they leaned slightly to each others ears, Sonic speaking first.

"She knows, doesn't she.."

"She definitely knows."

Chapter Text

The sun was bright, especially for a winter day. It was the end of December, which meant only one thing to Sonic; Christmas.

To Shadow it didn't mean much, until his first Christmas with Sonic.
He knew Maria loved Christmas;
The decorations, the gifts, the food and especially the company of others.
And he has grown to enjoy it too.
Just the two of them and a few close friends, mainly consisting of Blaze, Amy, Rouge, Tails and Knuckles. It was cozy, and the black hedgehog had developed a great fondness for spending time with all of them.

With the promise of making their third Christmas together even better than the last, Sonic was up at seven in the morning decorating the house as a surprise. The two of them were too lazy to actually do it the night before their friends would come over, and so they went to bed while swearing to do it first thing in the morning.

The blue mobian stepped back, looking around the room to take in his work. It was perfect. Not too overdone, but it was cozy and gave the perfect Christmas vibe. Then he turned around, moving on to something he didn't initially plan; making Shadow breakfast.

He could've known that he would end up doing this, given their sleeping schedules. Shadow fell asleep with difficulty and thus woke up later than Sonic, who could run on barely any sleep. So now the blue blur stood behind the stove, watching the eggs sizzle in the pan. In the oven were croissants that were easy to make. He had bought the dough and folded the pre-made triangles into perfect croissants.

He gathered a few oranges, using all his might to squeeze the terribly dry fruits into a glass. He managed to get one glass, sighing as he threw away the rest into the correct trash can.
"We need better oranges.." He muttered, immediately going to the pad of post its and writing it down to stick on the tiles of the kitchen.

Soon the oven rang, and the eggs were done. He gathered all the things he prepared, including two cute mini bowls with jelly and butter for the croissants, on a tray. He smiled, it was perfect.

He carefully carried it over to their room and placed the tray on his nightstand. Sonic smiled, watching his boyfriend sleep. His face was peaceful, lips slightly parted and head snuggled into the sheets that were pulled up this chin.

Sonic climbed onto the bed, spooning his lover for a few minutes. Shadow never stopped smelling like vanilla and lavender, which he thought was kind of funny considering his generally rough appearance and presentation.
He hummed, rubbing his fingers through his chest fluff. "So soft.." He whispered, eventually sitting up and leaning over him.

"Hey.. Hey love. Wake up.." He spoke just above a whisper, smiling softly as the hedgehog below him began to stir.
"It's Christmas, darling. We have a white Christmas.. The entire yard is covered in snow." Sonic hummed, sitting normally as Shadow rolled onto his back and looked up at his boyfriend.

"Hey, Blue.." He smiled, cupping a hand behind his neck and pulling him down. The kiss was tender and just as full of love as the years that came before, and hopefully it remained this way forever.

Sonic gently pulled away, moving over and taking the tray. "Look what I made you, because you are like a sleeping beauty." He grinned, teasing him with the pet names.

"You're insufferable, have I told you that?" Shadow chuckled, sitting up against the back of the bed and accepting the tray.
He smiled, thanking him in a soft voice.
Overtime he had allowed themselves to be vulnerable with Sonic, and it was comfortable.

"You eat and get ready, I go get the house ready some more!" Sonic smiled, kissing Shadows head and walking away when he nodded at him, sipping on the orange juice.

.

It was now nine in the evening, and everybody was gathered around the tree opening presents. It was Sonic's turn to hand out his presents to everybody, and he was the last one to do so.

Tails had received a new tool box, given that he lost quite a few tools from his last one in all the clutter. Even cleaning the workshop didn't seem to find them. The fox was really happy, excited to see it complete again.

Knuckles generally hated presents, and so he asked everybody to not get him anything. Everyone respected it, and they enjoyed his company nonetheless.

Amy had received kitchenware, one of which was a new mixer that she had her eyes on for ages. Sonic was happy to provide for one of his closest friends.

Blaze and Rouge both received more sentimental gifts, as neither of them specified what they wanted. It was a present for both of them, containing tons of pictures of all their friends and the three of them together. It was perfect to put on a wall to decorate their home further.

And now it came to Shadow, and there was only one present left under the tree.
He smiled nervously, glancing at Rouge who gave him the smallest nod she could give without being seen.

He breathed deeply, picking up the box and walking over to Shadow.
It was a decent size, but felt extremely light and it was as if there was something small inside and nothing else.

The black hedgehog raised an eyebrow at Sonic, but decided not to question his lover. He tore the paper apart and then went to open the cardboard box. Inside was a bunch of plushie stuffing, making Shadow look at Sonic again.

"What? Put your hand in it." Sonic spoke, smiling softly.

"And then what? My hand gets eaten by whatever you put in there?" He laughed along with everybody else, while at the same time sticking his hand in the box. After a minute of searching he grabbed onto a smaller box. It was wrapped in paper and a lot of tape.

"Sonic I swear to god if this is a prank you should sleep with one eye open tonight." He spoke playfully, Blaze and Amy chuckling. Rouge was quiet, watching fondly with Knuckles and Tails.

"It's not a prank, trust me." Sonic hummed, watching as Shadow started peeling off the tape. It took ages, and it made the whole group laugh including the couple.

Soon, Shadow was tearing the paper off of the box, revealing a small black velvet box. Something in his mind didn't click yet, but everybody else seemed to have it figured out.

Sonic gestured for everybody to be quiet, as it was obvious Shadow had no idea what was going on. "What's this?" He questioned, thinking it was a pair of earrings or a necklace. He opened the box, eyes widening as he looked inside.

It was gorgeous. A silver ring was carefully propped up in the box, showing off the beautiful heart shaped sapphire and ruby gems. The gems were the only thing extra about it, the rest was a nice silver ring that shone brightly under the dim light.

When he looked up, Sonic sat in front of him on one knee.
"Shadow.. You make me so unbelievably happy. You never fail to make me want to do better as a person, you make me whole and I would give up the world for you. You are so special, beautiful and precious to me. I cannot imagine a life where I'm not with you, and so I want to ask you one question to forever solidify the love we share for one another.. Will you marry me?"

It was quiet for a few seconds, Blaze and Amy had already gotten emotional and were trying to be quiet as Rouge rubbed their backs with a smile. She knew this was going to happen, as she even went ring shopping with the blue blur.

Shadow blinked, tears falling.
"Sonic.. I-" He sobbed, unable to speak. The blue mobian gently rubbed his leg, whispering that he should take his time.
It took a few minutes, and Shadow was still an emotional mess. He glanced at the ring, and looked back at Sonic.

"You bastard.. It's about time you asked..!" He chuckled, wrapping his arms around Sonic and kissing him. The hedgehogs shared a happy kiss, soon hugging and putting the ring on the black hedgehog's finger.

During this everybody was excited and cheering, they came to hug and congratulate them one by one.
They both felt so grateful for one another, having found love in the least expected way.
But they wouldn't have it any other way, they were going to get married.

They were both so glad to have bumped into each other all those years ago.