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Infinite was stretched out on the bed, stretching and extending, turning from side to side and groping the soft sheets beneath him with the sole aim of warming his body in that torturous winter. His body naturally wasn't used to the cold and the need to hibernate – even though it wasn't part of his biological system – was almost an obligation, not only to keep warm for long months, but also because his partner biologically needed to hibernate.
Shadow had made a nest, set up a sort of fort with blankets and pillows on the left side of the bed, and was at the bottom of it, curled up like a poor, lonely hedgehog – feeling chronically pathetic – his arms around his body and his eyes heavy. He needed to rest and try to sleep for a long time; they had enough supplies, Shadow was already well fed for the winter, but something was wrong.
Although he did everything he always did every year at that time of year, there was something missing from his nest and it was bothering him. He had always spent his hibernation periods alone, dealing with his own loneliness and the cold, but now he felt strangely lacking.
The strong smell of the jackal permeating all around him was the reason why his annoyance had become so irritating. He wanted attention from something specific, but he wasn't sure if Zero was willing to spend long months sleeping on him just on a whim.
That said, he found himself having to grumble and complain under his mountain of pillows and covers:
“Filthy dog, you've impregnated my things with your scent," he muttered low, his voice slick and slurred, hoarse and tired.
Infinite turned to the pile and twitched his snout, curling up in his own sheets and rolling his heterochromatic eyes at his unfortunate partner.
“Shut up, hedgehog! Don't say you don't like the smell of me," he teased, somewhat pleased to hear a suppressed and disgruntled groan from the hedgehog.
“I don't like it, it's annoying," he grumbled.
You couldn't tell, but Shadow was clinging to one of the blankets that smelled most strongly of Zero, bringing it up to his snout to sniff and inhale as much as he could, as if he were using some kind of addictive drug, just like that damn jackal could be.
“Do you want something? There are still some seeds here for you," he asked, trying to sound uninterested and unconcerned. The last thing he was going to admit was how much he cared about that bastard who thought he was the ultimate creature in the universe.
“I don't want to," he said quietly, still being sly and stubborn.
He would have fallen asleep a long time ago if he hadn't been so needy and in need of attention, attention that was so specific it was annoying. He wanted to ask, but any display of weakness – apart from the vulnerability of hibernation – was too humiliating; Infinite should be the last one he would ask for such an important favor.
“But you want something, huh? You look weird" he said after observing cautiously, even if it were true, he wouldn't say anything to him. “Aren't you going to say anything?” No answer “Damn it, if you want something, just ask!”
“No!" he retorted, terribly stubborn, as he always was.
"Shadow, you need to hibernate and you're fighting it, just make one fucking request and we'll be done with this shit!” he demanded. Infinite was perceptive, sometimes he could define Shadow's state just by the sound of his voice, like now that he knew exactly that the hedgehog wasn't feeling well and needed something to start sleeping soundly.
He was right about that and Shadow, as much as he didn't want to admit it, knew that better than anyone. But he never liked asking anyone for anything, he only took orders when necessary and did things for others of his own free will, but he never offered or accepted offers – that is, except to run with the most beloved blue hero in the world. A case in point.
And breaking an old habit was always something difficult, working it out was a subject for another story, at the moment he was fighting his instincts and desire to have someone close, hugging his body and enveloping him in physical body heat. Hugging himself wasn't enough.
“Zero” he called out, hearing a "huh?" in response “I-I…” he took a deep breath. He needed this anyway “I need... you.”
A smile spread across Infinite's face, pleased to hear what he had been waiting for ever since. But of course he wasn't going to make it easy, it wasn't enough just to ask nicely and "please", he wanted to see some of the humiliation, just as Shadow liked to play with him, he would do the same without hesitation.
“Huh? Is that so?” he teased, approaching the nest and its fragrance getting stronger and stronger in Shadow's nose, who sniffed deeply, ecstatic at the smell that made him lose his mind just by existing.
“Zero- don't play with me” he tried to sound threatening, but the weak moan he let out didn't help his self-image.
“Come on, Shad, let's play for a while” he laughed with malice in his tone, lying down next to the nest, looking at it and waiting for some reaction.
“Damn it– just lay down with me... - Shadow was cursing Infinite's name every way he could, “Please” he asked.
"Be more dramatic, babe" he ordered.
"I need you with me, please, Zero, stay with me. Lay with me, hold me” he whimpered, feeling a sharp pain in his limbs and heart, this was the pain of humiliation that he hated so much. Infinite smiled, he was satisfied and maybe even a little more so.
“Perfect!”
The jackal crawled out from under his sheets to infiltrate the needy hedgehog's nest of blankets and pillows. Standing next to him and seeing Shadow's pathetic and fragile situation, he suppressed a smile, but not a tease.
“You look like shit," he laughed lowly, wrapping the bastard in his arms, which clutched him possessively, holding onto him with the intention of not letting go for months. The hedgehog's head poked into the tuft of white hair on Infinite's chest, where he relished the taste and mild smell of that dog.
His claws dug into the soft flesh of the jackal's waist, dripping streams of blood that would soon heal. Zero laughed at the way Shadow seemed so in need of him that he clung to him. The infinite being gently kissed the top of the supreme life form's head, embracing his trembling and helpless body, realizing that at this point, he had already fallen deeply asleep.
“Just a hug to hibernate? You're a figure, Shadow” he laughed “Pathetic!”
He kissed her once more before falling asleep too, using his long tail to cover their warm bodies with each other.