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Shadow laid awake, staring at the ceiling. He lost count how long he’s been lying there, silently waiting while the hours ticked by. Although he wasn’t bored, he recalled the more pleasant aspects of the night. The initial cuddle pile he and his partners were in when they said ‘goodnight’ last night. Then the sight of his partners had been tossing and turning all night. Unable to find a comfortable position, no matter how much they shifted. Amusingly, he also recalled a lot of sleepy shuffling around the bed. It was hard to not laugh at the sleepy white bat and the groggy red echidna nearly tripping over themselves as they traded sides of the bed or the grumbles of Knuckles nudging him towards the center of the bed.
And now here Shadow lies, Knuckles with his arm thrown over his neck and his other partner, Rouge with a fistful of his chest fur. They both had a leg hooked over his waist, keeping him locked in place. It wasn’t uncomfortable but as he turned to look at the alarm clock, seeing it read 5:30am. He needed to be up about thirty minutes ago.
Reluctantly, Shadow untangled himself from his partners. Careful to not wake them but before leaving, he placed a kiss on each of their cheeks.
Shadow did a couple of quick stretches, easing the tension in his body before he exited the room. The kids were still asleep so Shadow quietly made his way down to the basement. It was a familiar routine for him to come down here, going through the motions of punching in his code on the keypad, scanning his hand and standing by for the bio scan. A little excessive but Shadow liked his privacy and the extra protection was needed for what he was inside.
Once the door unlocked, Shadow strove inside the dark room. He didn’t see the reason to have the lights on so he kept them off as he made his way to the other end of the room. Going through the door, Shadow seated himself down on his comfy chair. Groaning as he settled into the plush chair.
“Power on.”
At the command, the lights in the room slowly started to fade on and the computer hummed to life. Multiple computer screens turning on to show various information. Shadow didn’t pay any attention to those screens, he tapped a few keys and the screen before him brought up a map, two blinking icons showed up. Moving the mouse over the second icon, he clicked it and it brought up a UI change. Clicking the ‘call’ icon, Shadow waited patiently as the connection was being established.
“OMEGA REPORTING IN.” A thundering robotic voice answered. “YOU ARE LATE SHADOW.”
“Apologies, I had trouble getting out of bed.” Shadow lied.
“I HAVE SUGGESTED YOU ALL SLEEP IN DIFFERENT BEDS. IT HAS BEEN NOTED BUT NOT ACTED UPON.”
“Knuckles and Rouge love cuddling.”
“IRRELEVANT. IT IS INEFFICIENT AND AFFECTS YOUR DAILY ROUTINE.”
“I like cuddling.”
“YOU DO NOT NEED TO SLEEP. YOU ARE SABOTAGING YOURSELF.”
Shadow chuckled, amused by Omega’s reaction. “What’s the status of the Master Emerald?” Shadow asked, leaning back in his seat.
“CHANGING THE SUBJECT IS BENEATH YOU.”
“Noted. So the report?” Shadow asked again.
“THE NIGHT WAS CALM. LOCAL FAUNA SPOTTED. DID NOT SHOOT AS REQUESTED. REGARDLESS OF GROWING SUSPICION.”
“Birds aren’t much of a threat, Omega.”
“THEY COULD BE. SPY BIRDS ARE A PLAUSIBLE AND CLEVER DESIGN.”
“Just because a bird pooped on you one time, does not mean you can wish for their extinction.”
“THE URGE FOR REVENGE IS IMMENSE. I AM A PATIENT MACHINE OF DESTRUCTION. YOU WILL ALL EXPIRE SOMEDAY.”
Shadow rolled his eyes. “Other then your desire to genocide the local bird population, nothing else to report?”
“NEGATIVE. AWAITING ALLOTTED TIME FOR WHEN THE RED ECHIDNA TO TAKE OVER.”
“4 more hours, Omega. Hang tight. Shadow out.” Shadow sighed as he cut the connection.
Looking over to the time on the screen, 6:10 am. Usually he would spend a bit of time looking over his various networks and camera feeds before 6am but waking up late nips those plans in the butt. Shadow got out of his seat and left the computer room. “Power down.”
At his command, the lights and the computer powered off. Shadow exited his fortified room and headed back upstairs. When he got to the first floor, Shadow took a turn towards the kitchen. Going down the long hallways but stopped briefly in front of the kid’s playroom. Curiosity got the best of him as he took a peek into the room. Turning on the light, a sense of overwhelming disappointment filled him as he stared into a messy playroom. Toys strewn about the place, toy boxes tipped over, the couch cushions shoddily piled on each other in the corner. Shadow distinctly remembered telling Garnet to clean this up before he went to bed. Closing the door to the playroom but keeping this in mind for later when he continued towards the kitchen.
Turning on the light as he went over to the coffee machine. Pouring a bag of fresh beans in the funnel at the top and then switching it on. It was a good thing he and Rouge drink the same brand, otherwise it’d be a pain in the ass to make two different pots. Shadow, however, was thankful for Knuckles giving him a new coffee maker as an anniversary gift. After his last one broke, he was surprised how the Echidna went out of his way to get a new one. Knuckles wasn’t quiet about his opinion on coffee and how awful he thinks it tastes. Despite it all, Rouge and him can still enjoy their delicious bean juice thanks to the red hot head.
As the coffee was brewing, Shadow grabbed a couple of bagels from the pantry and put them in the toaster. Looking to the stove to see the time read 6:30am. His ears flicked as they picked up a faint sound from upstairs. A brief moment of silence before he could hear some light shuffling.
Shadow took that as his cue to get a couple of mugs. They both had something humorous written on the side, one saying ‘Don’t talk to me until this line’ showing a line halfway down the mug; the other saying ‘Bean enjoyer’. Shadow remembers Rouge looking scandalized when he bought the mug, Knuckles getting a laugh out of it and Garnet staring intently at the mug, wondering what was so funny about it. Getting the cream from the fridge and the sugar off the lazy susan in preparation. Shadow watched as the coffee dripped into the pot, keeping an ear turned towards the hall, hearing that shuffling get louder and louder as it came towards the kitchen.
“Morning Rouge.” Shadow said, his focus kept firmly on the coffee machine.
“Mmmmrnin’.” The sound of a chair being pulled from the table behind him followed a sigh.
Once the coffee was done brewing, Shadow poured it into the two mugs. With the first mug, he counted out 2 scoops of sugar and enough cream to turn the black coffee to a blond colour. Stirring thoroughly when the bagels popped up from the toaster. Spreading butter on the bagels and put them on a plate.
Shadow took the blond coffee and bagels, sitting in front of a very tired bat wrapped up in a bathrobe. Placing a kiss on their forehead.
“Mmhanks hun.” She mumbled, taking a sip of the coffee.
Shadow joined her at the table after he put away the other items. Taking a sip of his coffee as he sat across from his wife. Rouge yawned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she took a long sip of her coffee.
“Ahh, that’s good.” Rouge muttered as she brought a tablet from her robe’s pocket.
The two enjoyed the comfortable silence, Rouge enjoyed the little snack her husband made while she browsed through some files on her tablet. Shadow just smiled, adoring the sight before him. Turning his attention to the stove clock, 6: 45am.
Shadow took another sip of his coffee before getting up from the table and heading into the pantry. Shadow grabbed a pack of oatmeal, pancake mix and bread. Setting the items on the island counter as he took out eggs, milk, cheese, sausages and hash browns from the fridge and its freezer. Sparing no time as he got to work, time seemed to fly by as he focused on preparing breakfast. Much too wrapped up to realize someone had walked behind him, Shadow felt a strong pair of hands gripping his hips. Slowly those hands snaked up his body as they crossed over his chest, wrapping tightly around him.
A little annoyed at the limited range of motion he had. Shadow sighed. “Knuckles, please let me go. I need to focus.”
“Can’t help it, I just want to hold you close.” Knuckles mumbled, burying his face into Shadow’s quills.
Shadow couldn’t help but smile at the clingy echidna but they couldn’t cook while like this. Grabbing Knuckles’s arms with his free hand and pried them off his body. Before his partner could complain, Shadow placed one of those strong hands onto his hip.
“Keep your grip right there, if you are so insistent on not leaving me alone.” Shadow said as he went back to cooking
With both hands on Shadow’s hips, Knuckles tightened his grip. “I can do that.” A hint of mischievousness in that voice sent a chill up Shadow’s spine.
“Sleep well?”
“Yeah, until I realized you were gone.” Knuckles rested his chin on Shadow’s shoulder. Lazily watching as they make breakfast.
“Took you a while.” Shadow teased, his ear picking up some distinct tiny yawns. “Kids wake up alright?” Shadow asked.
“Eventually, although they had to give me the attitude. Brats.” Knuckles chuckled. “Apparently they only wake up when you tell me to.”
“Radiance I understand, I think Garnet just likes to give you a hard time.” Shadow noted, eyes drifting towards the stove clock; 7:25am. “Since you’re so attached, help me bring these to the table.”
“For you, anything.” Knuckles kissed Shadow’s cheek, reluctantly taking his hands off the hedgehog’s hips.
Shadow finished plating up what he was cooking on the stove before turning it off. With Knuckles’ help, they brought over several individual plates of food to the table. As they started handing out the plates, Shadow got a kick out seeing his sons looking barely awake. The little echidna boy looked ridiculous with his quills looking untidy as he stared off into space, slightly wobbling side to side. Radiance on the other hand was shrouded in his favourite blanket. Looking very angry to be awake. Shadow couldn’t help it but reach down and ruffle his son’s quills. Earning him a pouty growl from the little hedgehog.
Shadow sat down next to Radiance, placing a kiss on their forehead. “Go on, eat. No time to be fussy.” Radiance didn’t say anything, simply pushing himself forward in his chair. Promptly digging into his oatmeal.
Shadow made it a point to personalize each of the family’s breakfast. Found out that it helped everyone start the day off better if they got to eat what they wanted. Radiance preferred a simple bowl of oatmeal then a full breakfast unlike his dad and brother. Shadow need not wonder where Garnet gets his appetite from as he observed both Echidnas devour their plates of pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausages, and hash browns with toast. Musing over how quickly Garnet went from spacing out to awake and aware as he stuffed his face.
“Ugh, slow down you too. It’s too early to start choking.” Rouge groaned as she enjoyed her simple omelette with a side of hash browns.
Shadow just sat back, sipping his coffee. perfectly content with himself.
“Daddy, why don’t you have any food? did you forget to make some for yourself?” Radiance asked.
Shadow, briefly taken aback by hearing Radiance speak. His eyes briefly look towards Rouge and Knuckles who both share an uncertain look. Very much aware of how they have no idea how to brooch such a topic that a 4 year old can understand.
While Shadow understands them, he was confident however he could . He composes himself and thinks of how he should phrase this. “Well, it’s just how I am. I don’t need to eat or sleep as much as the average person.”
“You don’t?” Radiance’s eyes lit up with wonder as he scoots closer. “Why?”
“Just how I was made. Although, be glad you’re not around for when I DO need to eat or sleep.”
“Why not?” Came Garnet’s voice from the other side of the table.
Shadow didn’t say anything, giving a coy grin as he sip his coffee. Watching slowly as both his son’s expressions went from confused, to concerned and then horrified. He wondered what horrifying thought their little minds conjured up.
“You’re an asshole.” Rouge spoke before slapping a hand over her mouth.
“Rouge!” Knuckles cried.
Shadow just laughed, catching a glimpse of the shared look his wife and partner had. Finishing the last of his coffee, knowing that as soon as they could- Shadow was going to be severely punished.
He welcomed the idea.