Chapter Text
Sonic likes Shadow.
It was a bit of a joke to his entire family how hopelessly down bad he was. They laughed or rolled their eyes exasperatedly at how his tongue would always get twisted in the other’s presence or run uncontrollably until he inevitably put his foot in his mouth. At how his gaze would always follow Shadow’s back, and even to the distant horizon when the other sped off into the distance. At how Sonic was always making up excuses to spend time with him, and when he wasn’t, think of new things to do or say.
It was a joke, an innocently harmless one. Young love , as Maddie put it.
It was anything but a joke to Sonic.
There was nothing remotely funny about the way his heart would flutter at the sound of his voice. About how the world would brighten up a little bit when Sonic caught a glimpse of those familiar black spines, even though Shadow was completely dark. About how Sonic has been dreaming about his eyes, his smile. Sonic has been dreaming about them .
No, this was completely serious.
This wasn’t like him. Sonic didn’t do serious. He was the jokester, the prankster, the quippy hero that ran laps around Eggman, shooting clever quips the whole way. Serious was the antithesis of his character.
Serious has always represented pain, anger, or loss.
But this was different. It didn’t weigh him down like the anchor of despair, nor overwhelm him like the agonizing burn of anger. No, this feeling was like floating. It was like going Super, no Master Emerald required. It made him want to throw caution to the wind, to make bad decisions, to take a leap of faith with no parachute.
Those other serious emotions always battled for dominance, contorting him into something he’s not. This feeling made Sonic feel like himself.
Was this feeling love?
Sonic had never liked romance. The movies had always made it look unappealing, either too unnatural or too complicated . He had never felt this way before, had his feelings overtake his life with such intensity. He had no idea what the right move was or what would come next. This could get dangerous.
Sonic wanted to take a risk. He just had to figure out if Shadow felt the same.
With Sonic’s irresistible charm, it won’t be too hard. Right?
---------------
“Hey, Shadow! Long time no see!” Sonic exclaimed. He had just happened to spot Shadow on top of a roof while passing through New York City on one of his usual running routes.
Shadow looked at the horizon. It was a toss-up if he came up here to admire the city view or to brood. “We saw each other 4 days ago,” Shadow pointed out.
Oops. Sonic laughed nervously. “Oh, you’re right. On top of things as always.”
Shadow nodded without even turning his gaze. “I usually am.”
It was this kind of casual arrogance that Sonic should have found annoying, but instead he found endearing. Jeez, he really needed to get a grip. Deciding to just bite the bullet, he said, “Hey, could we talk? I have something I want to tell you.”
“Of course,” Shadow replied. “What is it you’d like to discuss?”
Steeling himself, Sonic said, “Well, I just wanted to say–”
Bang! Shadow tackled Sonic to the ground, knocking the wind out of his breath.
For a split second, Sonic thought that Shadow had somehow preemptively read Sonic’s mind, and had promptly decided to beat the shit out of him for the audacity of asking him out. Luckily, his brain quickly caught up as a cacophony of shots rang out, sending gravel flying into the air.
Gunshots. Sonic scanned the area, finding three people clad in military gear. Gunshots… GUN!
In the brief moment it took Sonic to catch up, Shadow was already in action. He teleported behind them, smashing them to the floor with a brutal kick.
One soldier charged at Shadow. He sidestepped with lightning speed, grabbing one’s wrist and twisting, sending it clattering to the ground. With a powerful swing, Shadow tossed the soldier directly into a crowd of his allies, causing them to tumble to the floor with a yelp.
Sonic stared in awe as Shadow effortlessly dodged and weaved between bullets. The fight became a blur as Shadow moved like a whirlwind. A kick to one man’s jaw, a punch that connects right in another’s gut, Shadow spun and struck and fought with a beautiful blend of viciousness and precision. He practically skated circles around the soldiers, as graceful as a figure skater.
Finally, there was one man left standing. He held his gun up, trembling with fear, as Shadow approached with menacing slowness. Bang! A shot made Sonic’s ears ring, and he quickly looked over to see Shadow with one arm raised. A wisp of smoke drifted off the golden metal around his wrist, and Sonic realized that Shadow had deflected the bullet with his ring.
The soldier, clearly realizing that he was outclassed, fainted.
The battle was over. Sonic sat surrounded by the fallen, groaning GUN agents. In the circle of chaos their defeated bodies created, Sonic was completely untouched, like the eye of a hurricane.
Shadow appeared in front of Sonic with a red flash. “Sorry about that,” he scowled. “Are you okay?”
He offered a hand, and Sonic realized he had been staring this entire time like an idiot. He quickly got to his feet. “I’m okay,” he replied, dumbly.
Shadow wasn’t even breathing heavier, rolling his eyes like what had happened was as bothersome as an interrupting phone call. “They really don’t know when to quit. I’m sorry that our conversation got interrupted. What were you saying?”
“I– I–” Sonic’s mouth opened and closed, his brain struggling to catch up.
A loud groan rang out from behind him. Shadow ignored it. “Yes?” he prompted.
“--I wanted to ask if you could teach me how to fight?” Sonic finished weakly.
---------------
Okay. So maybe he had chickened out. That was okay! It wasn’t his fault, being surrounded by a pile of government agents wasn’t exactly peak romance. It just wasn’t the right time! He’d have plenty of other chances in the future.
But because he had blurted the first thing he could think of, he gets to see more of Shadow in action. Well, he’s not complaining.
“To be honest, I was surprised when you asked me to teach you,” Shadow was saying. It was a few days after that incident, and Shadow had brought him to a clearing in the woods, far from any prying eyes that could interrupt them. Shadow continued, “You’re already a proficient fighter, so I’m flattered that you still want my advice.”
“Aw, thanks!” Sonic said, pleasantly surprised by the compliment. In their frequent rival clashes, though Sonic was superior in races with his natural speed, Shadow always came out on top in terms of raw power.
“You have strong instincts and reflexes, but your lack of technique is holding you back,” Shadow said, bluntly. “You don’t have any formal training, correct?”
Sonic shook his head with a rueful smile. “Longclaw tried to teach me a little bit, but I kept getting distracted and running off. She didn’t want me involved in the fighting anyways.” His smile dimmed. “Though, I guess it’s too late for that.”
Shadow had that understanding look in his eyes that he always got whenever Sonic brought up his past. “Well,” he murmured, “it’s never too late to start.”
Sonic smiled, a soothing warmth in his chest. “Yeah. Thanks, Shads.”
They shared a moment of companionable silence, before Shadow got back to business. “Let’s begin.” Then, without warning, Shadow punched him in the face.
“H-Hey!” Sonic shouted, barely managing to wrench himself out of the way. “What the hell was that for?!”
“Testing your reflexes. They’re good,” Shadow noted. He swung at him again with a flurry of fists.
“Shouldn’t you be like– teaching me something?! You’re just trying to beat me up!” Sonic spluttered, as he weaved between punches.
“That would be if you were a beginner. You’re already familiar with the basics, so the best way to learn is–” Shadow disappeared with a red flash, and Sonic was slammed into the ground. “-- practical experience.”
Sonic quickly scrambled back to his feet. He caught the following punch with his hand, grinning confidently. “Got you!”
Shadow smirked, before sweeping his legs from underneath him. Sonic fell to the ground.
“Don’t only focus on your opponent’s fists.” Shadow said as he redirected Sonic’s punch, making him stumble. “They have more tools at their disposal, and so do you.”
Sonic tried to kick him, but Shadow disappeared, and Sonic was hit in the back. “Always keep your eyes on your opponent.”
“That’s unfair! You can teleport! ” Sonic complained, getting back up with a wince.
“The world is unfair,” Shadow replied, coolly.“Your opponents will have abilities you can’t even dream of. So–” He tilted his head up, a challenging glint in his eye. “What are you going to do about it?”
He disappeared again, and Sonic readied his fists.
Shadow was a brutal opponent. Every time Sonic parried a blow, there was another to follow up instantly on his new blind spots. Shadow could attack at any angle, making it impossible to predict the next strike. It took up all of Sonic’s concentration to avoid getting hit, much less having the room to counter, and when he began to think he might be taking the advantage, Shadow would disappear again, resetting the flow.
Sonic gritted his teeth. There had to be a counter, he just had to find it. But he barely had the time to breathe.
“Anticipate my moves!” Shadow shouted over the cacophony of blows. “Read my motions, and adapt!”
Right, he had to find the pattern! Shadow wasn’t a robot, there had to be a tell. Sonic allowed his body to run on instinct, blocking with practiced skill. He focused on each punch, the rhythm, where one ended and the other began. Everything else faded away, the ache of Sonic’s muscles, the sweat on his brow, until all that existed was Shadow. The dull thump of his fists, the red flash of his teleport. The static on Sonic’s fur.
Static . That’s it!
The quills on Sonic’s back tingled, and he whipped around instantly.
Shadow’s eyes widened in surprise, as Sonic planted a direct hit to his gut.
They slammed into the ground. Sonic grabbed Shadow’s arms, pinning him down. Both of their chests heaved with exertion, as they stared at each other.
“I… did it,” Sonic realized. “I got you!” He grinned, barely believing it himself.
Shadow rolled his eyes, but he was smiling as well. He acknowledged, “Not bad, faker. You learn fast.”
“Not bad?! I think you’re just scared to admit that the student has become the master!” Sonic snickered. He leaned in to rub his shit-eating grin in Shadow’s face. “Why don’t you just admit that I am awesome –because I am– and that I won this round?”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself.” With a sudden twist, Shadow wrenched himself out of Sonic’s grip, flipping their positions. Sonic yelped as he hit the floor and his arms and legs were completely immobilized.
Sonic blinked dazed, as Shadow leaned forward. “Last lesson for today,” he murmured, a deadly smirk on his lips. “Never assume your opponent has been defeated.”
Sonic throat dried up. Their noses were practically touching. He could feel Shadow’s hot breath brush against his own open, panting mouth. Shadow was straddling his torso, firm grip pinning his wrists, while Shadow’s feet hooked his legs to spread them apart.
“What’s wrong?” Shadow grinned, dangerously smug. “Cat got your tongue?”
“Hrrnghphleb,” Sonic said.
Luckily for Sonic’s blood pressure and life expectancy, Shadow released him, satisfied that he got the message across.
“You’ve got more to learn, but this was a good start,” Shadow remarked. “You catch on quick.”
“Y-yeah–uh–thanks,” Sonic stammered. He cleared his throat, “That pin of yours was extremely– effective ! Yeah, effective.”
It was very effective, much harder to escape than Sonic’s. Sonic was not currently thinking about its effectiveness.
Shadow puffed out his chest a little. “It’s a technique that’s a must for restraining and capturing enemies nonlethally,” he not-quite-bragged. “If you want, I can teach you.”
“NO!” Sonic shouted. He dialed back, “Er– I mean, not right now. I’m a bit tired, y’know?”
Thankfully, Shadow seemed to buy this excuse. Sonic quickly made an excuse to leave before he could say anything he might regret.
---------------
If Sonic wanted a distraction from his romantic woes, this encounter did the opposite. Their ‘fight’ had been a turning point, awakening something inside of him.
Sonic had never been interested in how people looked. Trying out funny outfits was the extent of his interest in fashion, and it just wasn’t something he thought about much. But today, that had changed.
Because suddenly, Sonic couldn’t stop thinking about Shadow’s weight on his body. How the sunlight framed his quills, illuminating him from the back like a halo. His eyes mirthful with amusement, a cocky smirk on his lips. His grin had been wide, and with Sonic so close, he had gotten a glimpse of one canine, the fang glinting in the light.
It looked sharp. Sonic wanted to touch it, to run his fingers along its fine point. He wanted to feel its smooth surface against his tongue and explore Shadow’s mouth even more. He wanted to trace the red stripes on Shadow’s arms with his hands, grab the plush, white fur on Shadow’s chest. He wanted to test just how strong Shadow was, how firm his grip could get. He wanted to hold Shadow close, he wanted Shadow to hold Sonic.
He wanted.
Sonic ran and ran until the flush on his face could be explained by exertion.
---------------
“Sonic, is there something wrong? You’ve hardly eaten your food.”
“Huh?” Sonic’s gaze, which had been a million miles away, snapped back to reality. Maddie looked at him in concern.
“Oh, uh, it’s nothing.” Despite his words, Sonic didn’t make a move to eat, idly swirling his spoon in his bowl.
“Doesn’t seem like nothing to me,” Tom piped up. He offered a welcoming smile. “C’mon buddy, let us know what’s on your mind.”
“There’s nothing on my mind!” Sonic protested. He shoved his spoon into his mouth to avoid talking.
No one at the table was convinced. Tails, without looking up from his food, asked, “Is it Shadow?”
Sonic choked, coughing up his food. He sputtered and gasped for air, as the rest of his family watched him with amusement. “What, no, why would you say that?” he finally stammered out.
Tails shrugged. “Only Shadow could distract you from Maddie’s pot pie recipe. Besides, it’s not like you have anything else going on. He’s all you talk about these days.”
Sonic flushed. Has he been that bad?
“I don’t understand your infatuation with that hedgehog,” Knuckles grumbled. “Whenever you are in his proximity, your intelligence decreases by half. It’s not wise to spend so much time with him. You hardly have brain cells to spare.”
“ Hey! ” Sonic whined. Tails and Tom chuckled.
Maddie didn’t laugh, but her amusement was obvious. “You have been quite preoccupied with him. Still, you’ve never been so quiet. What’s on your mind?”
Shadow’s body. Sonic avoided eye contact. “Nothing! Nothing important anyways. I’ve just been thinking about– Shadow’s fighting skills!”
“His fighting skills?” Tom inquired.
Sonic latched onto the excuse. “Yep! I asked him to teach me and he agreed. He’s really good!”
Knuckles frowned. “You could have requested my assistance if you wanted a mentor. Who better to learn but the greatest warrior in the galaxy?”
“Well, I think it’s a great idea!” Tails piped up. “Shadow’s fighting style is more similar to Sonic’s, so it’s more applicable. Speed over raw power.”
“Yeah, the last time we sparred, I nearly got my hand broken,” Sonic complained. “Not all of us can break rocks with our bare hands.”
“Besides,” Tails added, mischievously. “Can you even still call yourself the greatest warrior in the galaxy? Shadow defeated you.”
“THAT HEDGEHOG DID NOT BEAT ME!” Knuckles roared, pounding the desk in anger.
“Hey, no hitting the dinner table!” Maddie scolded.
Knuckles stopped, but his irritation remained. “I demand to join the next of your sparring sessions,” he declared. “I will show you that I am the ultimate teacher.”
“I’d like to come too,” Tails added. “I’ve been wanting to get a closer look at his teleportation. I’ve got tons of questions to ask him.” His eyes shined with scientific curiosity.
“Sure, why not?” Sonic grinned. “I’m telling you, when you see him in action, you’ll get what I mean. It’s super cool to watch.” His voice took on a wistful edge. “Too cool.”
Tails made a face. Maddie giggled.
---------------
The next time they saw Shadow, though, it was in usual circumstances.
“Shadow? What are you doing here?”
He hadn’t expected to run into the black hedgehog so soon, especially not here of all places. Tails, Knuckles, and Sonic were accompanying Tom and Maddie to Costco, when they spotted the Mobian standing by the entrance, avoiding the crowd of entering shoppers.
The other nodded in greeting. “I’m here to purchase some items. I was told that this place has an abundance of necessities and supplies to be bought with fair prices.”
Sonic smiled at Shadow’s formal wording. Despite the fluttering in his stomach and the warmth in his heart, Sonic was glad for another chance to see him.
Tom shared Sonic’s amusement. “Good to see you again. Your information was correct. Actually, we’re also here to supply, though I didn’t expect this to be your kind of scene.”
Unable to resist her motherly nature, Maddie added, “You’re welcome to join us, if you need any help finding what you need.”
“Thank you, but I’m alright, Mrs.Wachowski,” Shadow declined politely. “I already have someone to guide me.”
Tails frowned, confused. “Who?”
“Agent Stone,” Shadow replied.
“ Stone? ” Tom blurted, and with perfect(ly awful) timing, the man rounded the corner.
“Shadow, I parked the crab, are you ready to– oh.”
There was silence, as the adults stared at each other. Tension immediately crackled in the air. Sonic internally winced because– yeah. That’s awkward.
Shadow, bless his heart and complete lack of social skills, didn’t seem to notice. “Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are here,” he said unhelpfully. “Tom and Maddie as well. Have you met them?”
“Yes,” Stone said slowly. “We have met.”
“Maybe a little,” Tom snarked, stepping forward protectively. “Still trying to take over the world?”
A cold expression crossed Stone’s face. “Nope,” he said, deceptively light. “That was more of the Doctor’s motivation. I’ve been busy dealing with GUN.”
Shadow interjected, obliviously, “Stone has helped me get accustomed to Earth. I’ve been staying with him occasionally.”
Maddie forced a smile. “It’s wonderful that you have a place to stay, Shadow, but if you needed help, you could have asked us.”
“I wouldn’t want to impose after all you’ve done for me already,” said Shadow.
Maddie’s smile grew more strained. Tom was still glaring daggers at Stone. Tails hid behind Maddie, while Knuckles clenched his fists.
Sonic coughed. In his professional opinion, the vibes were positively rancid. Shadow, finally noticing the stilted atmosphere, asked, “Is something wrong?”
Tom’s smile was fake as plastic. “You could say we have some history.”
“History…” Shadow pondered. “You have all fought in the past?”
Sonic forgot that Shadow came around pretty late. “That’s an understatement. Y’know, before you came along, Eggman was obsessed with me,” Sonic snickered. “He tried to capture me loads of times, but it never worked!”
Maddie said, more seriously, “He held Tom and I at gunpoint and nearly blew us up with rocket launchers.”
“He also manipulated Knuckles into trying to kill Sonic,” Tails added. “It was pretty scary.”
Knuckles glowered at Stone. “Your commander deceived and betrayed me to steal the Master Emerald. He has wronged my brothers and tribe many times.”
“I punched him in the face. Many times. It pissed him off a lot.” Tom made a proud thumbs up.
Shadow blinked, trying to process. “Eggman… the Doctor did this?”
There was a chorus of affirmation.
Shadow looked up at Stone. “Is this true?”
The man winced. He rubbed the back of his head, before sighing. “Yes,” he admitted. “The Doctor and I have not treated the Wachowski family… kindly.”
“That sounds like an understatement,” Shadow said. His face was unreadable.
Stone wilted. “Yes. It is.”
Shadow frowned. There was a strange mix of guilt and tension in the air that was making Sonic uncomfortable. Finally, he said, “Well, try not to do that again.”
There was a cold edge in his voice. Stone visibly winced underneath his solemn gaze. Then, Shadow walked into the store, expression wiped carefully clean, leaving the rest of them behind. An awkward silence was left in his wake.
“...I’m going to go after him,” Sonic said. Tails and Knuckles nodded in agreement.
As they left the adults behind, Sonic noticed Stone’s face, crumpled into a pained grimace.
---------------
“Now, I don’t know what your intentions are, but you better not try anything if you know what’s good for you,” Tom spat. They had gone to an empty aisle, hidden among the towering boxes from prying eyes. Tom leaned in, leveling the man with a harsh glare.
“I’m not planning anything,” Stone coolly replied, unperturbed by his attempt at intimidation.
“Like I’d believe that for a second. What are you doing with Shadow?”
“I’m just giving him some guidance. He needs help navigating life on Earth.”
“Your help is the last thing he needs,” Tom scoffed. “What, are you planning on guiding him to help you with your schemes?”
Stone grit his teeth, finally showing some anger. “Shadow knows better than to be tricked into another grand plan. He’s a good kid.”
“Yeah, but he’s a kid ,” Tom stressed. “And kids can make mistakes, especially when they place their trust in the wrong people.”
That seemed to strike a nerve because Stone’s face twisted. His jaw worked for a few seconds. When he finally opened his mouth, his words came out slowly, “I understand why you may have your reservations about me, but I’m truly just trying to help. Shadow and I are in the same situation. We both made mistakes–” At Tom’s darkened expression, Stone added, “And Shadow is much less at fault than I, but nevertheless GUN doesn’t care about that distinction. They only care that we are threats, and that in of itself is the greatest crime.”
Stone took a breath. “I’m not the person Shadow needs. But I’m the only person who can help him in this way right now. I swear that all I want is to give Shadow a chance to live the way he always should have been able to do.”
Tom’s eyes widened in surprise. His knee-jerk reaction was to snap back, to sneer, “ Do you think your word means anything after everything you’ve done? ” His next was to take a step back and give himself some space to think.
Tom was good at telling when someone was lying. It was a part of being a sheriff, and more significantly, being a parent of three extremely mischievous children. Tom’s gut told him that Stone wasn’t lying.
Tom knew he wasn’t lying because there was a glint in Stone’s eye that Tom saw when he looked in the mirror. That look of solemn determination, dedication that only adults who suddenly had children– responsibility – thrust upon them could understand. It was a look that screamed “I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’ll be damned if I don’t do it right”. Because that responsibility may be heavy, but when you felt its trusting weight in your arms, you suddenly realized that this was something you can’t lose. That you’ll put yourself on the line for and protect with every breath.
And that feeling, that vow, was something that you couldn’t fake.
Tom exchanged glances with Maddie, who was watching from the side. She nodded wordlessly, and he instantly knew that she had seen it too.
“Fine,” Tom said gruffly. “I’ll let it slide, but only because Shadow needs an adult figure in his life, and Green Hills isn’t exactly the best place to hide from the government”
Maddie stepped forward. “Shadow hasn’t had an easy life. Don’t make it any harder for him,” she warned. “Or you’ll have to deal with all of us.” The implication that Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles could very easily make Stone’s life a living hell went unsaid.
Stone simply nodded. The tension subsided from a searing crackle to a low hiss.
“Um… if you guys are done fighting…” Tom startled, gaze snapping to Tails, who was hovering above them. Tom’s parental instincts immediately flared up.
“What’s wrong?” he asked suspiciously, eyes narrowing at the slightly guilty expression on the boy’s face.
“Nothing!” Tails replied a bit too quickly. Tom immediately called bullshit. “We might have just… made a mess?”
“Tails,” Maddie probed. “What does that mean?”
“You might want to just see for yourselves?”
A loud cheer erupted from the center of the store. Tom and Maddie exchanged equally alarmed glances and rushed to the source of the noise.
As soon as they rounded the corner, Tom gaped at the sight they were met with. Various boxes and food containers were precariously stacked into a huge slope, staggering over 15 feet tall. Laid on top was an inflatable water slide creating an unstable, monstrosity of a slope. The end of the slide was pointed at a pile of plastic cheese ball containers stacked into a pyramid. And at the very top was a familiar blue silhouette.
“Woohoo!” Sonic cried. Tom’s eyes widened in alarm as Sonic barreled down the slope. He quickly yanked Maddie down, just in time for a blue blur to fly directly over their heads. Sonic somersaulted through the air and crashed through the pyramid of cheese ball containers, sending them tumbling to the ground.
“Haha, strike!” Sonic cheered, hands in the air. “Beat that, Knucklehead!”
On the side, Knuckles grumbled, “Your stack of delicious cheesy products was clearly placed closer. I demand a rematch, hedgehog.”
Sonic stuck out his tongue. “Sounds like you’re just a sore loser. Shadow, we need a ref!”
Tom felt an impending headache. He rubbed his nose, too exhausted for these shenanigans. Luckily, he has a wonderful wife, who is more than willing to chew the kids out when they step out of line.
“ What –” Sonic and Knuckles froze, visibly paling. “--is going on here?”
Maddie stomped forward with the unique menace of an angry mother. Sonic whipped around, “Maddie! Haha, good to see you! Hey, did I tell you that you’re looking great tod–”
“What is this mess?!” Maddie exclaimed, gesturing across the store. A crowd of onlookers had gathered around their contraption and were watching curiously. “We leave you alone for ten minutes and this is what you get up to?”
Knuckles said, “Mother, we were simply engaging in the honorable sport–”
Maddie glared. “You boys better clean this up right now or you’ll be grounded for a week!”
Sonic and Knuckles’s mouths clicked shut and they hastily nodded. They ran off in a blur, hurrying to put everything back in its place.
Superpowered aliens capable of reality-breaking feats, and they immediately folded underneath motherly rage. Tom was a bit jealous at how easily they fell in line. Why didn’t they listen to him like that?
“Shadow!” Stone cried. He had been caught off guard by Tom and Maddie’s hasty retreat and was still processing this turn of events. “What did you do? ”
Shadow blinked up innocently at him. “Sonic was showing me a game they like to play. He said that he did this all the time.”
Stone struggled to find his words. “You can’t just build crazy contraptions in the middle of a grocery store. No, not even if you can put everything back with super speed,” he sighed before Shadow could respond. “This stuff belongs to the store, so you shouldn’t use anything that you’re not going to buy.”
“You’ve used stuff you didn’t buy before,” Shadow pointed out.
Stone flushed. He cleared his throat, awkwardly, “Those were extenuating circumstances. Don’t do what I did.” Tom made an educated guess that the extenuating circumstance was being a wanted fugitive.
“Okay,” Shadow said, obediently. He tilted his head. “So does this rule also extend to dismantling electronic devices?”
Stone froze. “Did you do that?”
Shadow just looked up. Stone and Tom followed his gaze to see Tails tinkering with something metallic in his hands.
Tom’s stomach sank. “Tails, is that a laptop you’ve broken apart?”
Tails smiled sheepishly. “Maybe?”
“ Tails! ”
“Shadow was curious!” Tails protested. “Besides, I can put it back together, good as new! Actually,” he thought, “--better than new! There were some flaws in the design, so I fixed them.”
Tom felt his headache get worse in real time. He rubbed his temples. “Tails, put that back now before the staff notices.”
“Okay!” Tails replied cheerfully. He landed beside Shadow to show off his work. “Like I was saying, here’s where the transistor is, and this is the thermal management system. You can see it works dynamically to dissipate the heat…”
He continued to ramble with Shadow listening intently. Tom suppressed a tired sigh.
---------------
After everything was cleaned up and Sonic and Knuckles apologized to the staff, they left the store.
“I still won,” Sonic asserted, still bickering with Knuckles about the winner of their little game. “You just don’t want to admit that even after all the bowling you did with Wade, you still lost!”
Knuckles scoffed. “If by win, you mean the competition of who can make the biggest fool of themselves, then you are correct.” A smug smile broke across his face. “If I remember correctly, didn’t your first attempt end with your skull connecting directly with a shopping cart?”
Sonic flushed. “H-Hey, I was calibrating the slide, that’s not fair. Shadow- Shads, are you laughing at me?”
The black hedgehog’s shoulders shook as he turned his head to hide his face. “No,” he denied.
“You are! ” Sonic exclaimed in disbelief. “You–betrayal! I thought you were on my side!”
“I’m not on anyone’s side. If I remember correctly, you said I would act as an unbiased referee.” Shadow smirked. “And in my unbiased opinion, Knuckles is absolutely correct in that you made a fool of yourself.”
Tails piped up, “I can second that.”
Sonic gaped. He shook his head. “You guys are ganging up on me!” he whined.
“You make it very easy,” Knuckles immediately countered, and he and Shadow exchanged an amused glance.
Tom hid an amused, endeared smile. Despite Sonic’s big show of complaining, it was obvious that he wasn’t actually annoyed. Shadow was happier, Knuckles and Tails were warming up to him, and Sonic looked thrilled that he managed to get Shadow to crack a laugh.
Tom’s heart warmed at the reminder that above all, they were good kids. While Tom confronted Stone, Sonic’s immediate concern was cheering Shadow up. It was a bit humbling that someone could display so much empathy at such a young age.
“Alright, alright, stop arguing you two. Don’t think you’re off the hook just yet,” Maddie sighed, gesturing for them to follow. Though she appeared exasperated, Tom knew she would be lenient this time. Shadow’s brightened eyes were enough proof of their good intentions.
As Maddie corralled the kids to leave, Sonic waved cheerfully goodbye. “Tails and Knuckles are going to tag along for our next sparring session. Sounds good?” he called.
“Sounds good,” Shadow confirmed. He returned the wave as the family headed back to their car.
“Well,” Tom began, awkward silence now that they left. “I guess we’ll get going.”
“Actually, before you leave, could I ask you something?” Shadow said.
Tom blinked in surprise. “Sure, go ahead.”
“I thought about what you all told me. About what Dr. Robotnik and Stone did to you,” Shadow said bluntly.
The tension, which had faded to a low simmer, instantly erupted into a boil. Stone tensed.
“It took me off guard,” Shadow said. “I knew that you were enemies, but I didn’t know to that extent. I understand why you were so hostile when you saw each other.”
“Shadow–” Tom began, but Shadow continued.
“I understand why you’re angry. If someone attacked my family, I wouldn’t forgive them. Especially if they did it repeatedly.”
Stone closed his eyes, looking pained.
“I understand that you’re angry,” Shadow repeated, arresting Tom with an intent gaze. “But would you be willing to give him a second chance?”
Stone froze.
“When you first met me, I was vengeful and angry. I couldn’t forgive the world for what it had done to my family. But you taught me that it’s possible to forgive. That people aren’t defined by their worst moments.” Shadow looked up at Stone’s shaken expression and gently took his hand. “That people… can have a fresh start.”
Tom grit his teeth. An ugly feeling rose in his throat. He wanted to say that this was completely different. That he had said that to Shadow because he was a hurting kid, who hadn’t gotten the help he needed and lashed out in his suffering. Stone and Robotnik were adults; they knew exactly what they were doing every time they threatened Tom’s family, and did it again and again with no remorse. There was no way that people like that could change.
That’s what Tom wanted to say. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t forget that no matter how much he hated them, Eggman was the only reason Tom was alive right now. Why he could kiss Maddie on the cheek, listen to Tails’s ramblings about gadgets, and watch Sonic and Knuckles bicker.
Months ago, if you had told Tom that Eggman would have made a noble sacrifice for the world, he would have laughed in your face.
And Stone… cared. He wanted to help Shadow. It was obvious that he was trying, in his own inexperienced way, to do Shadow good. Tom may not trust them, but he couldn’t deny that they have surprised him before. Maybe, they would surprise him again.
There was a spark of innocent hope in Shadow’s eyes. Tom was reminded yet again, that Shadow was just a kid, who wanted to believe that the world was kind and that anyone could change. That naive confidence, that faith, made Tom want to prove him right.
He took a deep breath and stepped towards Stone. The man looked at him with wary eyes. They soon widened in surprise, when Tom lifted his hand and extended it, palm forward.
“Truce?” he asked.
Stone took it. “Truce.”
They shook hands. Tom said, “You’ve got another chance. Don’t waste it.”
“I won’t,” he promised.
The hostility that crackled between them softened into unsteady but mutual understanding. It felt like this moment could be a turning point, like the first fragile bridge over a gaping chasm.
Shadow smiled at them. It wasn’t like Sonic’s radiant grin, as bright as the sun. Rather, Shadow smiled like the moon’s soft glow peeking out from dark clouds. Reserved and shy and above else, hopeful.
Tom placed a hand on his head and ruffled his quills.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said, and he was surprised that he meant it.
---------------
“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Men and Mobians. Guys, gals, and nonbinary pals! Today, you are about to witness a clash of titans!”
“In the red corner, we have a legend, hailing from the farthest corners of the solar system, originating from a long line of noble heroes, and the wielder of the Flames of Destruction. Fueled purely by anger, pride, and cheesy delights, it’s KNUCKLES !”
“But don’t think it’s over yet, because in the blue corner, we have someone who just might give him a run for his money! Mysterious in origins, this up-in-coming hotshot is looking to make a name for himself. His teleportation tactics leaves his opponents discombobulated as he skates circles around them. Give it up for SHADOW !”
“Will our red friend be able to defend his title as greatest warrior in the galaxy? Or will this new, rising star claim it for himself? Stay tuned!”
There was a pause.
“Sonic…” Tails sighed. “Was all that really necessary?”
Sonic pouted. “What, you didn’t like it? I thought my announcer voice was pretty good.”
“I don’t understand,” Knuckles said. “What is this red and blue corner you speak of? We are in a field.”
“And why did you call me an ‘up-in-coming hotshot’? What did that mean?” Shadow inquired.
Sonic groaned. “You guys are no fun! Haven’t you watched a wrestling match before?”
They shook their heads.
“Remind me to add that for our next movie night,” Sonic sighed. “Anyways, we’re just going to do a spar. Nothing too serious, just give it your all and have fun!” He shot them a thumbs-up.
Unfortunately, when dealing with Knuckles and Shadow, nothing could be that easy.
Shadow questioned, “How can we give it our all and have fun at the same time? Do we take it seriously or not?”
Knuckles nodded in agreement. “I require clarification on ‘too serious’. What does that mean?”
Sonic rolled his eyes. “Ugh, you guys are taking this too seriously! It’s just a casual fight.”
“And again, what does that mean ? Define casual,” Knuckles demanded.
“No long-lasting injuries or serious damage,” Tails interjected. “Also, no weapons or unhonorable attacks. Basically, don’t do anything that would make Maddie upset if she saw it.”
Knuckles nodded. “Understood.”
Terms now set, Shadow and Knuckles readied to battle. They stared each other down, Knuckles with raised fists and Shadow with a lowered stance. Sonic held his breath in anticipation as they slowly circled each other, waiting for the other to make the first move.
Their orbit continued, slowly narrowing as approached. As they got closer and closer, Shadow’s body tensed, laser-focused on his opponent. His gaze never strayed from Knuckles’s fists. Knuckles was the same way, eyes unblinking and unwavering.
Knuckles was a good fighter, but he wasn’t particularly patient. Unsurprisingly, he swung first.
His fist shot out, almost too fast to see. Shadow ducked smoothly out of the way, but didn’t make a move to counter.
Knuckles furrowed his brow and lunged again. This time, Shadow sidestepped, letting the other’s momentum cause him to overshoot and stumble. Knuckles growled in frustration, eyes lighting up an electric red, and now the battle was on for real.
Knuckles sent out a flurry of attacks, hands becoming a whirlwind. Hooks, jabs, wild swings that sliced through the air with furious intent, each attack was more powerful than the last. Shadow danced just out of reach. He twisted and ducked, body like water in the way the blows seemed to flow off of him. A powerful punch grazed his shoulder as he leaned back, almost tauntingly graceful.
Already, Sonic could tell that Shadow was being more cautious than in his spar with Sonic. His eyes tracked his opponent’s every movement. Sonic could practically hear Shadow cataloguing each attack and updating his calculations. By letting Knuckles set the pace, Shadow was learning his tempo and patterns.
Shadow wasn’t the only one paying attention though. Knuckles feinted a quick jab, and when Shadow dodged, he quickly swerved into a perfectly placed blow to Shadow’s gut.
The force of Knuckles’s punch sent a shockwave, wind whipping through the air. Tails yelped while Sonic hurriedly leaned in to get a closer look. Shadow had blocked just in time, catching Knuckles’s hand with his own mid-swing.
Knuckles pushed forward, arm shaking with effort as he tried to break out of the other’s hold. Shadow’s jaw was clenched. Sonic held his breath as their eyes locked, unspoken challenge clear: Who is stronger?
A subtle smirk spread across Knuckles’s face, his eyes blazing red.
He slowly began to push Shadow back, his muscles visibly straining. Shadow grit his teeth, feet digging into the ground as he fought to keep him at bay. The space between them burned with electricity as centimeter by centimeter, Knuckles overpowered Shadow’s grip.
Shadow growled, disappearing with a crack right as Knuckles was about to overwhelm him.
Knuckles fell forward in the space he once was, but rolled to recover. He chuckled, “A good attempt, but a futile one. I’ve never lost a battle of strength.”
Shadow simply scowled. “There’s a first time for everything,” he replied darkly.
“You won’t be able to defeat me with such a passive approach.” Knuckles slammed a fist on his chest. “Come at me with your full power!”
Shadow tilted his head up. “You asked for it.”
That was the only warning before Shadow teleported away, kicking Knuckles straight in the back. Knuckles quickly rolled to recover, barely dodging another blow. He swung in retaliation, but Shadow blinked away, sending another punch at his side.
WIth Shadow now on the offensive, Knuckles was quickly getting overwhelmed. It was fascinating viewing Shadow’s teleportation from an outside perspective; right as Knuckles was about to connect, he’d reappear on the other side, ready to exploit the new vulnerability. Every direction was taken advantage of, every angle calculated. Shadow struck both from above and below, keeping his opponent guessing where he’d next strike.
Knuckles was forced onto the defensive, only able to focus on withstanding the onslaught. It was far from over, though. His gaze was of pure concentration, in a way that Sonic instantly recognized as formulating a plan.
When Shadow swung again, this time a roundhouse kick to the head, Knuckles deftly ducked out of the way, grabbing the other’s leg and locking him in place.
Sonic gasped in surprise. Shadow cursed, struggling to maintain his balance in the awkward position he was stuck in, as Knuckles leaned forward. “I’ve caught you, hedgehog,” he boomed. “Your disappearing trick will not work any longer. Yield now or face the consequences.”
Knuckles clearly thought the fight was over, but there was one thing about Shadow that he should have known, and that was his fierce competitive streak. “Not a chance,” Shadow snarled. The bottom of his jet shoe began to glow, and Knuckles only managed to look surprised, before he was blasted in the face.
Knuckles slammed to the ground. He groaned, dazed, as he rubbed black soot from his eyes. With a blink, Shadow appeared on top of him, placing a foot on his chest to prevent him from getting up.
“I’ve caught you,” Shadow said. “Yield now or face the consequences.”
They stared each other down, tension sizzling in the air. Sonic held his breath as their gazes locked like dueling blades, daring the other to back down first.
Finally, Knuckles chuckled. The heavy atmosphere subsided as Shadow lifted his foot, allowing Knuckles to pick himself off the ground.
“Well fought,” Knuckles congratulated. “You are quite the formidable opponent.” He offered Shadow a hand, which he accepted.
“You as well,” Shadow replied. “I’ve never had someone match my strength. It took me by surprise.”
“I have many more surprises in store. I demand that we fight again in the future.”
Shadow nodded, and Tails and Sonic rushed to join them.
“That was so awesome!” Sonic exclaimed. He threw fake punches in the air. “You guys were all like– bam and bang! and then Shadow was like woosh , and then Knuckles did the ka-pow! – and then Shadow was like bwoooom – and then – and then–”
Tails eagerly interrupted, “I thought it was all over when Knuckles grabbed Shadow’s leg, but then he somehow got out of it! That move with your shoes was so cool, what did you do? ”
“I overloaded its output with Chaos energy, causing it to release all at once,” Shadow explained.
Tails gasped. “You can do that?! I knew you had control over your jets, but not to that extent. How does it work, is it specifically designed to link with your energy reserves, or can you do that with other devices? Is it hard to control, do you need to account for its energy stabilizers to avoid blowing them out?”
Shadow looked intimidated by Tails’s sudden barrage of questions. Sonic internally chuckled at the sight of one of the most powerful creatures on the planet shying away from an overenthusiastic kid with scientific curiosity.
“I can send my energy to other devices, though my shoes are designed with that function in mind. It can be difficult to control, but not with practice. The stabilizers automatically release once an energy threshold is met, so I don’t need to worry about blowing them out. As for how they work…if you want, I could show you?” Shadow asked, hesitantly.
Tails’s eyes lit up. “ Please! ”
They went off, falling into their own conversation. Knuckles and Sonic watched from the side as Tails rambled excitedly and Shadow took off a shoe and pointed out parts. An endeared smile spread across Sonic’s face as Shadow carefully listened to every word, answering his questions patiently.
“Well? He’s not so bad, right?” Sonic elbowed Knuckles’s side.
Knuckles folded his arms. “I suppose he’s proved that he can be trusted,” he huffed. “I still do not understand your infatuation, but there is some merit to your depiction of him.”
Sonic grinned. “Is that your way of saying I was right?”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Knuckles immediately rebutted. “I simply… am accepting of his continued presence.”
“You just want to fight him again,” Sonic deadpanned.
“I want to fight him again,” Knuckles confirmed.
Sonic shook his head exasperatedly. “Well, it’s better to want to beat the shit out of him in a friendly way rather than an angry way. It’s progress.”
Their conversation was interrupted by a loud whoop. Sonic snapped his head up to see Tails riding on Shadow’s back, whooping in glee as he hurtled across the clearing, feet a red blur. They spun around the loop in wide, sweeping arcs, before skidding to a stop.
“That was awesome! ” Tails cheered, his tails spinning with excitement.
Shadow remained stoic, but a small smile tugged on the corners of his mouth.
“You gave Tails a ride?!” Sonic exclaimed in surprise.
“Yep!” Tails beamed. “It was so fast and smooth, it felt like gliding!”
Sonic didn’t know who he was more jealous of. ”I’ve given you rides before and you never looked this excited,” Sonic complained.
Tails stuck out his tongue. “Your rides make me want to puke,” he responded, matter-of-factly. “They’re bumpy and rough, and you always take the most insane detours that make me fear for my life.”
Sonic pouted. Shouldn’t he get big brother privileges?!
Tails turned back to Shadow. “Thanks a bunch! It was super interesting hearing about your Chaos energy and shoe mechanisms. If you don’t mind,” Tails bit his lip timidly. “...could I ask you more questions in the future?”
“Of course,” Shadow replied. “I’ve appreciated our discussions thus far. Your input has been very insightful.”
Tails lit up. “Great! I’m looking forward to it.”
There was a slight fondness in Shadow’s eyes. “Me too.”
---------------
It was getting late, so Knuckles and Tails left soon after. Sonic stayed behind, telling them he’d catch up.
“It was great seeing you guys spend more time with each other. How’d you feel? Did you have fun?” Sonic asked.
“It was… nice,” Shadow settled. With the others gone, he seemed lost in thought.
Sonic sat down beside him, relaxing into the grass. His heart still beat a little too fast, but it had settled into a pleasant hum. He allowed the gentle wind to sooth his eager heart and thoughts.
“How was the fight with Knuckles?” Sonic said, breaking the silence.
“He’s a strong opponent. Better than I expected,” Shadow admitted. “I didn’t think anyone would manage to challenge me in strength”
“Gave you a run for your money,” Sonic chuckled. “That’s what you said about me too, right?”
Shadow nodded. “Truthfully, you’ve all surprised me.”
Sonic smiled proudly. “Well, there’s more where that came from. Guess you’ve still got a lot to learn.” More than you can ever imagine. He wondered if Shadow had even noticed a thing. Sonic was a better actor than he gave himself credit for.
They fell back into a comfortable quiet. Normally, Sonic couldn’t stand in-action, always needing a million things to occupy his mind. He didn’t know why it was different with Shadow, why his presence made Sonic’s brain both stutter and still.
Sonic suddenly realized that this was the perfect moment to let Shadow know about his feelings. Tails and Knuckles were gone, the weather and atmosphere was perfect, and the day had gone great. He shouldn’t let this opportunity go to waste.
Sonic steeled his nerves.
But, right as he was about to open his mouth–
“Today was good,” Shadow murmured, words nearly swallowed by the wind.
Sonic startled. His jaw snapped closed. He coughed and cleared his throat, “Y-Yeah?”
“Yes,” Shadow replied. There was something in his voice that made Sonic’s voice soften to match.
“I’m glad that you had fun,” he said earnestly.
“It felt… normal. Ordinary. I didn’t think that it would be so— easy . For a second, I felt–” Sonic watched Shadow’s throat bob. “Like I could have a normal life. Like I could live just like–”
Shadow’s lips pressed together into a tight line. He rubbed his arms, shoulders trembling with barely visible agitation. He shook his head furiously, and sighed.
“Whatever,” he said. “It doesn’t matter.”
Sonic didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what had caused the sudden furrow in Shadow’s brow or the bitterness in his voice, nor how to stop it. Shadow stood up, pacing side to side, like a caged animal.
“You all are good fighters. You fight much better than GUN,” Shadow said abruptly. “They shouldn’t give you any trouble, unless they somehow catch you off-guard. To speak truthfully, their methods are– embarrassingly inadequate.”
The sudden switch in topic caught Sonic off guard. “What do you mean?” he prodded.
Shadow face contorted into derisive sneer. “I mean, that they are cowardly and incompetent. They hide in the shadows and only attack in ambushes. Worse, they are uncoordinated and– if I may speak frankly–foolish.”
Now that Shadow was going, he couldn’t seem to stop. The words flowed out of him with furious passion, like a dam broken by a flood. “Subtlety or finesse aren’t words in their vocabulary. They’d much rather smash their obstacles with a sledgehammer when the clean cut of a knife would do. They act purely on reactionary fear, employ no forethought about possible consequences, and are generally bumbling idiots when it comes to anything besides destroying their problems at the root. No, they shouldn’t give you any trouble,” he said mostly to himself.
“The only slight redeeming quality they may possess is their persistence,” Shadow sneered. “I guess in that way, they can be given some respect, like acknowledging the hardiness of a pest. But what’s the point if their attempts are so trivial? It hardly takes any effort at all to thwart their plans, it’s pathetic. It’s embarrassing . I can’t believe that I was ever–”
Shadow cut himself off. His chest heaved, as he lightly grasped his throat. Still, it hung in the air, as tangible as a spoken word. Defeated by them, afraid of them, it didn’t matter how that sentence ended. The meaning was the same.
Shadow took a deep breath. When he spoke again, his voice was perfectly steady. “If there’s anything that I despise the most, it would be incompetence. A thoughtless action is worse than no action at all.”
The look in Shadow’s eyes sent chills down Sonic’s spine.
Finally, Shadow’s eyes closed. When he finally reopened them, they were back to their normal lumosity. “I’m sorry,” he sighed. “I don’t know what came over me.”
“It’s fine,” Sonic replied. It felt remarkably inadequate.
“No, it’s not. I ruined the mood,” Shadow shook his head. "Today was a good day, really. I appreciate your company. Don’t allow my own thoughts to spoil it. Matter-of-fact, wasn’t there something you wanted to tell me?”
A hollow feeling sank in Sonic’s gut. He looked into Shadow’s sincere, open eyes. They were still dark, a hollow tinge haunting their irises.
“No,” Sonic finally replied. “Nothing at all.”
---------------
It had come to Sonic’s attention that he is a fool.
Did he really think it would be that easy? That he could just run in headfirst and hope for the best.
How stupid. What was he thinking?
He couldn’t just rush into this, blurting out the first thing in his mind! Shadow was methodical, clever. Every movement was planned, every aspect was under his control. In other words, he was everything Sonic wasn’t.
Sonic’s relationship with Shadow was like walking on a tightrope. One wrong move would send Shadow scattering away, walls shooting up at a moment’s notice. In a way, he reminded Sonic of the wild racoons he’d encountered when he lived in the woods. Desperate for care and attention, yet fearing it just as much.
It required a delicate balance between offering a welcoming hand and allowing Shadow to approach on his own terms. Every step required finesse, effort, and that was what made each stride forward so rewarding.
Sonic had worked so hard to get this far. Shadow was comfortable with him, confided in him, cared about him. And he was about to tear all of that apart with one thoughtless action.
Didn’t he just say that he was serious about this? That for once, he wouldn’t let this become a joke? Well, Sonic could just imagine the look on Shadow’s face if he just stumbled up one day and confessed, no forethought in sight. The mocking derision in his eyes, saying, “Did you really think this would work?” Or worse, dull disappointment, an “ Am I really worth that little to you? ”
Your feelings , he could hear him spit, are worth nothing but pennies without something to back up their worth.
No, if Sonic wanted to get Shadow’s affection, he had to show just how much he meant to him. And to do that, he needed a plan. And he knew just the people to ask.