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Chapter Text

~•~

   Sonic is on one of his nightly runs. He's made a routine of it: leaving after dinner and picking a new direction to just run. Tom and Maddie encourage it, so long as he stays relatively safe. They say it helps him work through his emotions. Sonic thinks they're right, but it's taking so long to ‘work through’ everything that he isn't entirely sure. Sonic just lets his grief, anger, and confusion power him on his race through the states.

   When he comes to a stop, it's in a nondescript forest, but he thinks he's somewhere on the east coast. No matter. He'll find his way back eventually. For now, Sonic searches blindly, guided by his emotions, for what he wants so badly to find.

   When he sees red eyes staring at him from the foliage, Sonic's heart rate skyrockets and he worries he's actually hallucinating. “Shadow?” He zips closer, needing to confirm, and spots the silhouette of Shadow's quills in the moonlight. “Shadow!” Sonic's relief is a shot of energy to his body. “I finally found you!”

   Sonic doesn't expect the punch that follows, but he adapts and doesn't resist. He lays limp as Shadow pins him to the forest floor. ‘I'm right here.’

   Something is different, and Sonic feels it in more than the texture of the glove pressing into his face. He's connected to Shadow, in a bond forged under the stars with the power of the Chaos Emeralds. Sonic has always sensed that Shadow is still alive, somewhere, but he hasn't been able to find him. That sense of him lingers in Sonic's mind, always out of reach. 

   Even now, pressed into the dirt by Shadow’s hands, that sense hasn't changed. Sonic knows that Shadow is still out there – and that feeling is contrasted by the presence of the hedgehog above him, quills haloed by the shattered moon. Sonic knows this is Shadow, but he also knows Shadow is gone, somewhere far away. It's definitely unnerving.

   Then Shadow speaks. “Where am I?” 

   And holy shit. “Woah there, Batman,” Sonic says reflexively, laughing. “You're on Earth, but I don't know exactly where. More importantly, what happened to your voice?”

   Shadow stares down at him with incredulous red eyes. “What happened to my voice? You sound even more annoying than usual, fool.”

   Sonic keeps laughing. “Holy crap, am I dreaming? What is happening right now?”

   Shadow presses his arm against Sonic's throat, shutting him up. Sonic's eyes blow wide. First: uh, ow; but also: uh, woah? That makes his body feel things. Second: what is that material? Is Shadow wearing gauntlets? That's super awesome. The growl of Shadow's voice interrupts his thoughts. “You are still Sonic. This must be another universe.” Shadow presses harder, and Sonic's eyes flutter closed. He's dizzy with the pleasant-painful sensation and the knowledge that Shadow is pinning him to the floor… Shadow could totally kill him. Sonic's brain feels like static, buzzing softly, comfortingly.

   Shadow pulls back, letting up the pressure and taking the gauntlet away from Sonic's throat. Sonic inhales and coughs, his head still buzzing nicely. He looks up at Shadow with half-lidded eyes and laughs breathlessly. “Another universe, huh? Seems legit.” Shadow's eyes spark with something dark as he looks down at him. Sonic can't restrain the instinct to push at it, to pull that gaze towards him and make it even darker. “I gotta ask about the gauntlets. Where'd you get those, man?” 

   Shadow growls and punches him, knocking Sonic's head to the side and pressing his face into the ground cover. Oof, yep, that hurts. It also lights up that spark in Shadow’s eyes and ignites the embers in Sonic’s body. It feels like the energy that courses through him when he runs, but deeper, darker. Maddie says it's adrenaline, but Sonic thinks it's just his powers, cuz he doesn't feel stressed when he runs, and adrenaline is a stress response. He just feels good, excited, elated. Like he does right now. “Don’t waste my time,” Shadow growls above him. His voice is so different but it's clearly still Shadow.

   Sonic’s next inhale makes a gasping sound. Shadow's hand twitches where it's pressing Sonic's cheek into the dirt. “How about you get on with it and tell me why you're here?” Sonic retorts, bucking up against Shadow in an attempt to throw him off. “Not that I'm not thrilled to have you,” he adds quickly when Shadow just pins him down harder.

   “I was thrown here during a fight with Eggman,” Shadow gripes, low and pissed off. “But seeing as the universe isn't collapsing, I have no reason to leave.”

   Hearing Shadow use Sonic's nickname for Robotnik is weird for a second, before he shakes it off and processes another weird thing. “Wait, you don't wanna go home?” Sonic stares incredulously. “Don't you have people there? You knew my name…” Alternate universes are probably confusing for other people, but Sonic has read enough superhero comics to easily understand. 

   Shadow scoffs. “That accursed island is not my home.” He sits back, letting Sonic prop himself up, but still trapping him to the ground by sitting on his legs. “Its inhabitants are imbeciles who take nothing seriously and do not value life.” 

   Sonic whistles. “Okay, wow, that sounds like a dump. I'm sorry.” His head swims with thoughts of stars and grief. “Maybe you should stay here,” he offers. “I can't promise to take everything seriously, but at least we value life,” he emphasizes, still baffled that some people don't. Sonic doesn't need to ask what that means. He thinks of Walters’ retelling of the ‘terrible accident’ that involved GUN raiding the lab and taking Maria's life, then putting Shadow in stasis. Those people didn't value her life or Shadow's freedom. ‘Too dangerous to be walking free. Too valuable to destroy.’ They just saw him as something to be used. Sonic wants to keep Shadow far away from those kinds of people. (It's just like the attack on Longclaw that left Sonic alone for so many years.)

   “Hmph. Like I'd ever go back to that worthless island.”

   Once the implications of Shadow’s snide remark register in Sonic's head, he grins and throws his arms around Shadow. “Yes! I'm gonna show you all the good things about this world.” He pulls back, holding Shadow by the shoulders. “I promise, it's so much better than wherever you came from. Hot Topic is on the list. And ooh, definitely Batman, cuz I bet you have no idea why I keep calling you that. And of course we–”

   Shadow punches him. But– lightly. Not nearly as hard as before. It still knocks Sonic off kilter, but he just blinks at Shadow. He read the action’s intent, easy as anything: ‘Stop talking.’ Sonic wonders if Shadow knows any other way to interact with him. It sounded like that island place sucked, so maybe he really doesn't. He watches Shadow get off of him: his shoes hum as he moves, some leaves scattering into the air as he lands a short distance away. “Before I get dragged into any of your foolish ideas…” Shadow raises his fists, his gauntlets making them look even more intimidating. “Prove your worth, hedgehog.”

   Sonic grins. So Shadow wants to fight him first, huh? Sonic will prove he's a suitable opponent. Standing up with a flashy spin, he strikes a pose and says, “Bring it, Shadow.”

~•~

Chapter Text

~•~

   They mutually, silently decide to end their fight in an honorable tie, once they're thoroughly exhausted and panting in a newly-forged clearing. “You are… stronger than what I am used to,” Shadow says, reaching up to smooth his disheveled quills. Sonic's eyes are trained on his every movement, but his gaze keeps getting fixated on the rise and fall of his chest. 

   “Really?” Sonic's intrigue seeps into his tone. “Cuz you caught up just fine, big guy,” he says, maybe a little flirtatiously. Shadow looks so beautiful like this: breathing hard, quills in disarray, fur dusted with dirt. But Shadow always looks beautiful, in all states of array; and, Sonic suspects, in all universes. 

   Shadow shoots him a glare, but he seems too tired to maintain it for long. They did literally fight until they were about to pass out, so that's fair. “You are the one who caught up to me, hedgehog.” Half of that was an insult and half of it was a compliment, so Sonic just smiles, still feeling delighted and dizzy from the fight. Shadow huffs. “I suspect the blue fool I fought against never used his full strength, so neither did I.” 

   “How honorable,” Sonic teases lightly, and Shadow just grumbles at him. Sonic sighs, stretching his legs and feeling the bruises along his torso. Those will take at least a day to heal. Sonic grins at the thought. “Man, other me was missing out,” he says on an exhale, moving to stretch his arms. “You're a fun challenge, Shadow.”

   Shadow growls at him, low in his throat. It's a threatening sound, which makes it even more attractive. “This rivalry is not meant to be fun. I nearly destroyed the universe. There are stakes, fool.”

   Sonic hums. “Rival, yeah? I like it.” He grins. “And I bet you tried to destroy the universe to give our rivalry some stakes, didn't ya?”

   “Hmph. I wanted to destroy the pathetic universe.”

   If Sonic squints and tilts his head to the side, that sounds almost like another Shadow he knows. “... And you wanted to have some stakes.” 

   Shadow's glare is withering. He skates the short distance back to Sonic and hits him right in the face – and Sonic just takes it, again, but this time he reaches out and pulls at Shadow’s arm, yanking him down so they both tumble to the ground. Shadow lands halfway on Sonic's leg, but he just grumbles and turns over, flopping down just to Sonic's right. Sonic finds himself smiling softly at him. Shadow's eyes move to him and then quickly flick back up. Following his lead, Sonic stares up at the sky.

   The stars are ever-present, always twinkling gently wherever you look from, and no matter what happens. But the moon has a chunk split from it, and smaller pieces linger around the fracture. Its shattered pieces are only held together by gravity, but it keeps going through the motions of orbiting the Earth. The shattered part of Sonic's heart trembles. He closes his eyes and reaches out with that sense, always reaching, and thinks-feels, ‘Shadow.’ He feels-hears an answering pulse of energy, distant and familiar – so familiar. Just like him.  

   “The moon,” a low voice says from beside him. Sonic snaps his attention back to his vicinity, opening his eyes to look at the Shadow next to him, who stares up at the sky with a furrowed expression of confusion. “What happened to it?”

   Sonic smiles excitedly. “What an excellent question! Buckle up, I've got a fantastic story. It's how I met my Shadow.”

   Shadow looks like he wants to be irritated, but finds himself curious against his will. It's adorable. Sonic bites his tongue to avoid saying that out loud. “Your Shadow?” he says, with something like disdain in his voice.

   Sonic's grin is blinding. “Yep, the one from this universe. What, you jealous?” he teases, his grin slanting into a smirk along with his eyes. 

   Shadow huffs and looks away, his gaze trailing back up to the sky. “Don’t be ridiculous. Explain the moon.” 

   He was totally jealous. Sonic smiles, giddy, before launching into his story. For the first time, he can tell someone everything that happened. From the GUN helicopter to the moon and back, heh. It's a delight to finally explain everything, and the massive relief takes him by surprise.

   Shadow listens intently for the entire story. Sonic is pretty sure that nobody else has managed to listen to him talk for this long, and he wonders what keeps Shadow's attention – but then he has to explain what happened on the moon. “We sat beneath stars like this,” Sonic says softly, looking up to the sky. “He told me that all he knew was pain.” Sonic remembers it so vividly, all in perfect detail, and he loses himself in it sometimes, transfixed on Shadow's eyes that reflected the stars. 

   “What did you tell him?” Next to him, Shadow prompts him to continue. His voice is unbelievably gentle, but still rough, and Sonic realizes this must be what he sounds like when he isn't trying to sound tough. A dam cracks within him, and the love must show on his face, because Shadow looks flustered. 

   Everything about Sonic falls as gentle as he was on the moon: his voice is soft, his eyes are softer, and he looks at Shadow's beautiful red eyes when he says, “I told him that love is more powerful than pain. She might be gone, but your love will always remain.”

   Shadow's ears flick and he tears his gaze away, turning back to the sky, his chest rising and falling a little faster. 

   Sonic smiles, counts that as a win, and keeps going. “We held hands and used the Emeralds together that time.” Destroying hoards of robots had never been more fun. Sonic retells the fight with as much flair and accuracy as he can, but he still feels like it's not enough. He supposes he can't just rip out his heart and hand it to Shadow. (He already did that.) When he gets to the part where he slides unconscious and falls to Earth, Sonic explains the moon: “They directed the death ray away from the Earth, but it hit the moon instead.” Lifting a finger, he traces the line splitting the moon. “Tails ‘n Knucks saved me, but.” Sonic moves his hand to point to the beautiful galaxy marring the sky. “The Cannon exploded. It took my Shadow away, somehow, but it didn't kill him.” Sonic brings his hand down to tap his chest, smiling slightly. “I can still feel him. In here.”

   A gloved hand covered in a red gauntlet rests on Sonic's hand, atop his chest. Sonic jolts, looking at Shadow in surprise. His red eyes are always so intense, like he holds the weight of the world behind them. Now, his sadness is immeasurable, like he's mourning with Sonic. “That's why you were so excited to find me,” Shadow rumbles, low and soft. “I'm sorry.”

   Sonic shakes his head. “Hey, that's not your fault. Don't go thinking you're a substitute or something,” he says, pointing a finger at Shadow as if he's scolding. Sonic smiles at the absurd situation he's in. “I can tell you're different. Could from the start. All the better! I get more friends.” Shadow rolls his eyes, and his hand moves from Sonic's chest to bonk him lightly on the head. Sonic smiles – message received. “Sorry: rival. We can be friends, too, y'know.”

   “No,” Shadow refutes. 

   Simple as that, huh. “Alright then, rival.” Sonic smiles at him. “Tell me why the moon isn't broken in your world.”

   “Not mine,” Shadow retorts instantly. His hand has uncurled and now gently pets over Sonic's head fur and ears. Sonic wonders if he realizes he's doing it. “I don't belong there. This place feels more… natural.”

   Sonic hums, eyes closing at the gentle pets. “Glad to hear it, I guess. What do you propose we call that place, then?”

   “The wretched, imbecilic island?” Shadow suggests.

   Sonic giggles at that. “Imbecile Island does sound hilarious, but it's a bit long.” Shadow hums, and even that sounds like a growl. His voice is so distinctive. “How ‘bout just ‘the island' for now?” Shadow grunts and Sonic takes it as an agreement. “So why isn't that moon broken, big guy?”

   “Hmph. The lackwit doctor doesn't bother trying to destroy the world or the moon. He's too focused on the blue hedgehog.” 

   Well, that marks the first time Sonic has heard the word ‘lackwit.’ He wonders how many insults he'll learn just from this Shadow, and snickers quietly. “That Eggman and Sonic must have a lot of beef.”

   The pets on his ears stop while Shadow stares at him incredulously. “Beef?”

   Hurriedly, Sonic explains, “Beef like issues, history, problems, grudges.” He cuts himself off, hoping that was enough, because he doesn't really know how to explain it.

   Shadow crosses his arms and huffs. Maybe he really didn't notice he was petting Sonic. “That island is full of nothing but fools. There's nothing to talk about.”

   Sonic's heard that line before. There's definitely something that Shadow isn't saying. “You really don't like that place, do ya?”

   “I thought I made it very clear how much I despise it.” Shadow turns just to glare at Sonic, then looks back at the sky.

   Sonic's voice tilts gentle again. “But aren't there any other places? What happened before the island?”

   Shadow freezes, and he doesn't take his eyes off the sky. “Fine,” he says, still tense. “If you must know.”

   “I'm just curious,” Sonic says softly, reaching out to run his hand through white chest fluff, still dirty and tousled from their fight. “It can't be all bad.”

   By contrast, Shadow seems extremely aware that Sonic is petting him, but he doesn't push him off – another absolute win. “I don't… remember much of the planet before the island,” Shadow starts. “But I was created in space.”

   “Woah, created?” Sonic gapes. “By who?”

   Based on Shadow’s glare, Sonic is worried he'll turn away and refuse to elaborate, but Shadow just elbows him. “Shut up and listen.”

   Sonic smiles and listens.

~•~

   “In my world,” Shadow says, settling back into the loose dirt beneath them, “Space Colony ARK orbits the moon.” He points at the shattered moon and moves his finger in a circle, mimicking what Sonic did earlier. “The Professor created me on the ARK. I am the Ultimate Lifeform. I was to help…” Shadow bites his lip with sharp fangs. No. He is no coward. He will not run from this. Shadow glances at Sonic, who lies next to him with soft curiosity and care in his eyes. This Sonic, who gladly opened his heart and spilled everything to Shadow, feels… familiar, and so… similar. He spoke of this world's version of Shadow with such awe, care, and kindness. So unlike the reactions Shadow is used to encouraging in others. This world feels… natural. This Sonic will take his story seriously. “I was made to cure Maria,” he says, pitching his voice as low as it will go to keep it from shaking.

   Sonic's hand is still petting his chest fluff in soothing motions. Shadow is torn between appreciating it and wanting to throw him into a tree for suggesting that Shadow needs comfort. In the end, the indecision freezes him and he allows it. Sonic keeps quiet, just watching him, letting him talk. Shadow can appreciate the blue hedgehog shutting up for once, so he focuses on his story. He tries to put the same effort into describing his life with Maria, but there simply aren't words to describe such things. What he does say is… minimal, but relieving to finally share with someone. The pain eases a little, and Shadow feels almost calm, lying beneath the stars like this.

   Then he reaches the part where the ARK is invaded, and the feeling of calm evaporates. “I didn't know why, but the Professor told us to run. We were supposed to be alone on the ARK. The humans had guns.” Sonic is looking at him with such raw pain, like he feels what Shadow has felt for so long. Shadow can't handle it. He sits up, dislodging Sonic's hand, and stares at his own hands. “I should have killed them. I was made to protect her!”

   Sonic hugs him. Shadow freezes. A blue hedgehog has his arms around Shadow, and his legs are splayed on either side. Blue quills brush his muzzle from where Sonic's head is in his shoulder. Shadow stares blankly ahead and tries not to think. When Sonic pulls back, he rests his hands on Shadow's shoulders, his expression a bittersweet smile. “I understand. Longclaw told me to run. She wanted me to live, to be free; but sometimes I wish I'd gone back and fought for her, no matter how young and small I was.” Sonic's eyes are green, but they reflect the red of Shadow’s eyes. “I wish I could have saved Maria, too.” Her name in Sonic's voice is a bullet to the chest. “But it isn't my fault, and it's not yours either, Shadow. She wanted you to be free, too, right?”

   Shadow's eyes squeeze shut and his hands reach for Sonic's waist, holding tightly, grounding. “She always knew she was dying.” The words are ripped from him. “But she was bleeding out. Her final wish… was for me to be free. She sacrificed herself for me.”

   “And that was her choice.” Sonic's hands reach up to hold Shadow’s muzzle, lifting his head gently. Shadow's twisted expression of pain melts into surprise as he blinks his eyes open, and his brain fizzles out. Sonic's smile is kind. “Maria would want you to be free. So run free, Shadow.”

   Shadow wants to fulfill Maria's wishes, but he's always been trapped by something: the ARK, the pod, the island, his past. “I don't know if I…” can. Despite being the Ultimate Lifeform, there are far too many things he can't do. “The pain… it's too much.”

   Sonic holds him, so gentle and kind. “I felt the same way. But I learned that there's something even more powerful than pain: the love we felt for each other.” He smiles, soft and hopeful. “That's what you need to hold on to. And I know you can't do it alone, so I'll be here to help you.” 

   This… positivity. This promise of aid and kindness. Shadow hasn't felt this since… He breathes out, allowing the phrase to slip from the repressed part of his mind and right out of his mouth. “You remind me of her,” he admits roughly, leaning into Sonic's touch and closing his eyes. 

   He feels this… similarity. Shadow has always been singular: the Ultimate Lifeform, made with precision and purpose, biologically unique, and a threat to the others he's met. There was a barrier between him and those fools that he never wanted to break down. They are truly incomprehensible, ridiculous, and weak. They don't deserve his answers. Let them drown in mystery, if they even care to wonder. But here… Sonic feels and thinks like he does, and has experienced the same treacherous events as he has. Shadow has never had someone say ‘I understand,’ and ‘I felt the same’ to him. 

   “Yet… you are also… just like me.” This new feeling is comforting, and Shadow chooses to focus on it instead of his past. He breathes out and relishes in the presence of the quiet hedgehog on his lap.

~•~

   That was a sucker punch Sonic could not have prepared for. The amount of trust it took for Shadow to admit that… the sentiment itself… ‘You remind me of her.’ Sonic's brain is tripping over itself trying to process that and the content expression of the hedgehog in his palms. 

   On the moon, his Shadow trusted him so much. That open bond of trust between them as they held hands was what solidified their bond; and what were phantom impressions before became a direct link to Shadow's thoughts and emotions. The Chaos Emeralds turn thoughts into power, and that's what they were, up in space: golden forms of intentions turned into power, pure and condensed, like twin stars.

   For this Shadow to trust him just as much… It feels like that dizzying power – like Sonic has been given the opportunity to help him, and the means to do it. Sonic is grateful and ecstatic, and so hopeful for their upcoming adventures. He'll show Shadow what love can be, and how joy feels, for big and small things. Starting now, with the pliant and soft hedgehog in his hands. 

   “Yeah,” he whispers, softly petting Shadow's cheeks. “You’re just like me.” 

   A stuttering, rumbling sound starts up in Shadow's chest, and they meet eyes with identical looks of surprise. “What was that?” Shadow demands, sounding entirely too alarmed. To comfort him, Sonic smiles, leaning slightly closer; and Shadow does relax a little, though his eyes remain trained on Sonic's, insistently demanding an answer. 

   He doesn't know what purring is? God, he's so cute. Sonic uses all his restraint to keep that thought inside his head and not spill it out loud. “Hedgehogs can purr!” Sonic explains, making sure to be upbeat and unconcerned. Shadow just looks confused instead of worried, which is easily solved. “Maddie says we make the rumbly sounds when we're happy,” he says, grinning at being able to say ‘we.’ He scoots down, brushing over Shadow's cheeks before carefully moving his hands down to Shadow's chest fur. “I like it,” Sonic declares. “Your purr sounds like an engine.” 

   He pets at Shadow's sides, and smiles when Shadow puffs his chest a little and purrs again, clearly intentionally, all stuttery and rough like he's never done it before – which is true. Sonic's tail wags and he moves his hands to Shadow’s chest fluff, feeling the deep vibration of his purring. It knocks something loose in Sonic's mind, and he leans down to nuzzle into Shadow's chest, hugging him close. His purring stops and starts, almost questioning, like he isn't sure if he should continue or not. It makes Sonic smile into his fur, tail wagging faster. “How about we stay like this for a while?” 

   They're dirty and scuffed and bruised; and Sonic feels perfectly content and satisfied. He has the prettiest hedgehog in the multiverse purring beneath him. 

   Sonic is excited for everything they can do – together, on Earth, in this universe. And since Shadow is clearly receptive to touch, Sonic's current mission is to show him physical affection. He nuzzles Shadow's fluff again, sighing happily. “I could use a nap, and you're super comfy,” he offers as an excuse. 

   Shadow purrs a little, and then he sniffs. “Of course you do.” His tone is mildly disdainful. “But I am the Ultimate Lifeform. I do not need sleep.”

   Sonic hums against him. “Yeah, well, neither do I.” Shadow twitches underneath him, like that was a huge surprise. “It still feels good, though.” Sonic melts into Shadow, aiming to prove his point. He exhales deeply and starts up a smooth purr that follows the rhythm of his breathing.

   Shadow's hands move up from his hips to trail along his back, feeling the vibration with telegraphed curiosity. His hands move over bruises he put there with soothing motions, and Sonic relaxes completely, taking this as an invitation to drift into sleep in the arms of his rival. He's never felt safer.

~•~

Chapter Text

~•~

   Sonic wakes up to a ringing sound from his communicator. He sits up and speaks into it immediately. “What's wrong?”

    “Sonic?” Tails' voice asks, worried. “Are you okay? You didn't come back last night and you weren't responding to our messages.”

   Sonic winces. Oh jeez, he didn't want to worry anyone. “I'm fine, buddy. I just took a nap in the woods and forgot to tell you.” He looks at Shadow, who sat upright with him, and puts a hand to his own lips to convey shh, even though he really probably doesn't need to. It makes Sonic smile a little for reasons he'll examine later. Shadow just nods.

    “Oh, okay,” Tails says, relieved. “Are you coming back soon?”  

   Sonic frowns, trying to figure out how he would introduce this Shadow to his family if necessary–

   “It's okay if you don't want to,” Maddie's voice soothes. 

   Oh, right, because they're encouraging him to ‘work through' things and have alone time and stuff. “D’ya mind if I stay out today?” he asks, meeting Shadow’s eyes. “I have something I wanna do.”

    “That's just fine!” Maddie says, positive and encouraging. “Just stay safe, and take all the time you need, okay?”

   Sonic laughs. “Thanks, Maddie!” Since he's unsure how long he plans to be out, he doesn't make a joke about taking as little time as possible. He simply leaves the call, shifting his attention onto Shadow again. A warm smile spreads across his face. The dawn light gives Shadow an ethereal glow around the edges, where Sonic isn't blocking it. He was right: Shadow always looks beautiful. Sonic stands and holds out a hand in offering. “How ‘bout we clean up, and then race to a Hot Topic?”

   Shadow takes his hand. “I don't know what you're talking about,” he grumbles, easily standing up, “but I will beat you, all the same.”

   Sonic hops and cheers. “Yes! Alright, this way!” He takes off, and Shadow follows, keeping pace with his jet boots. “Woah, your boots are killer!” Sonic rolls into and out of a ball to avoid a tree branch. “Forgot to say it earlier cuz I was getting knocked into a tree.” As if on cue, he smacks his face into a branch and makes an offended sound, refocusing. “Ugh. Note to Sonic: Do not stare at Shadow when racing.”

   Shadow rolls his eyes (not that Sonic is looking or anything) and says “You are ridiculous.” He doesn't sound like he's complaining, though… yeah, he totally likes the attention.

   Sonic doesn't exactly know where he's going, so he mostly leads them through mountains and around rivers until he finds a waterfall. “Goal!” he shouts, and does a little dance. “Here, like this,” he says to Shadow, then runs back and forth in the waterfall until he's sparkling. He shakes off the water and smooths his quills back, perfectly clean again. Shadow mimics him, then rolls into a spin to get all the water off. Sonic appreciates the view of Shadow with his quills all fluffy, before Shadow is smoothing them back down with practiced movements. “Need some help with the back ones?” Sonic offers, hoping Shadow lets him. He's never touched another hedgehog’s quills before.

   Eyeing him warily, Shadow replies, “They're very sharp.” 

   Sonic puts his hands on his hips and leans forward. “Look who you're talking to, here!” 

   Shadow winces a little. “Sharper than yours.” He looks away with a weird hesitance in his movement. “But you can try.”

   “Yes!” Sonic cheers, then treads carefully, stepping behind Shadow. He hums as he gently bundles black quills with red highlights into their usual style. The highlights make it easier, actually, and he wonders if there's a purpose to them. Shadow's quills are sharper than Sonic’s, but that's hardly gonna stop him. “Guess you're just a cooler hedgehog all around,” he says contemplatively. “Hey, what are the highlights for, besides lookin’ awesome?” He's not about to ask who does them. He can guess who did.

   Shadow tenses under his hands. “They're natural.”

   Sonic gasps, amazed. “Woah, really? That's even more awesome!” He works on the outside bundles that Shadow already covered. So what if Sonic is taking his time for once? The motion of smoothing Shadow's quills is relaxing. It seems to be relaxing Shadow, too. “Does that mean your eyeliner is natural, too?” Shadow hums an affirmative and Sonic cheers. “That's amazing!” Then he realizes something. “Hey, do you know any other hedgehogs like us?”

   Shadow tenses again. “Not… like me, no.”

   Sonic frowns. “But you knew me!”

   Shadow sighs. “Yes. However… I'm not just a hedgehog.”

   “I literally have my hands in your quills right now. You're also a superpowered space hedgehog.” At this point, he's just petting Shadow's quills, but he hasn't been kicked yet, so he'll keep going. 

   “I mean that my DNA contains more than just hedgehog DNA,” Shadow says, exasperated. Sonic blinks at this information and focuses intently. “I was designed to look like a hedgehog while retaining important traits of the alien genes I was made with.” It's momentarily shocking how easily Shadow talks about being ‘designed.’ Must be normal for him, though. Sonic doesn't even remember his hypothetical parents, and he has no way to access his entire genetic history like Shadow apparently does. “I suspect it was to make me more… appealing.” Shadow trails his hands along the sides of his quills, slow and gentle. The movement draws Sonic's attention away from where his hands are combing through Shadow’s center quills. He swallows. Is he doing something that Maria used to do? 

   “Well, you're definitely appealing,” Sonic says with lighthearted emphasis. “And your highlights are a part of that.” He reaches up to stroke over the red stripe on Shadow's head. Sonic thinks of when he first saw his Shadow: the silhouette of his quills in the smoke as he walked up the burning car, metal shoes thunking with every step; his pose, strong and confident, puffing out his chest of white fur, bright against the rest of his dark fur, but not as attention-holding as his red highlights; and his red eyes, so angry, looking at Sonic like he was a threat – until they softened in confusion. ‘Like me?’

   Sonic pets Shadow's quills and thinks about meeting him for the first time. Finding him in the forest and being elated to see him; seeing his quills silhouetted by the shattered moon; feeling the difference before he hears it, and loving him for all his similarities and differences. “You're beautiful,” he whispers, echoing his thoughts from their fight. “Always, in all universes, and no matter what you were born from.” Shadow deserves everything – all the care and compliments Sonic can give him, which is a lot . He trails his fingers through Shadow’s quills one more time, before zipping around him to take his hands and stare into his beautiful eyes that are wide with surprise. “You’re perfect, Shadow,” he says with a smile. “Your DNA made you, so I'm thankful for it. And it's a part of you now, but it's your journey that shapes who you are.” Shadow nods and his eyes flick to the side. “Sides,” Sonic adds, drawing Shadow's gaze back to him. “What's wrong with being an alien?” He gives a little smirk. 

   Shadow suddenly holds Sonic's hands tight and looks away with his ears turned to the sides, like he's flustered. Interestingly, his cheeks and ears look a bit… green? It's hard to tell through his fur, so Sonic isn't exactly sure if he's just seeing things, but Shadow seems to catch him staring, because he sighs and mumbles, “My blood is green.”

   Sonic processes that. And then he grins. “You're blushing,” he says, utterly delighted by this. Shadow glares at him. Sonic is grinning so wide it's actually hard to talk, but he can't stop doing either. “God, you're so cute.” 

   Shadow seems to blush harder, although it's really difficult to tell, and huffs in flustered anger. “How can you say that so seriously? I bleed green!” 

   “Yeah, which is pretty awesome.” Sonic runs his thumbs over the red material of Shadow’s gauntlets, which just cover the backs of his hands. “All your differences are cool, Shadow.” 

   Shadow frowns and looks away again. “But it means I'm less… like you,” he finishes quietly. 

   Sonic's expression goes soft. Is this what Shadow has been worrying about? Sonic brings his hands up to Shadow’s cheeks, cupping them gently. “It’s our journeys that are similar. And no matter how different your DNA is, you still look like me.” Sonic tilts his head and winks. He steps directly into Shadow’s space, pressing against his chest, and nudges their noses together. “I love everything that makes you different,” he says softly.

   Shadow's hands come to rest on Sonic's hips, and he flicks his eyes away again. His cheeks are so hot that Sonic feels the heat through his gloves. “Even though I'm… dangerous?” When his eyes return to Sonic's, they're full of soft longing. His expression is so familiar… so beautiful in the dawn light…

   Sonic smiles, gentle. “No more dangerous than I am. What matters is what you choose to do with your power.”

   Shadow nods slowly, his eyes half-lidded, and leans forward to nudge the sides of their noses together. He's so cute that Sonic feels crazy with it. “I trust you,” Shadow says quietly. 

   That open bond of trust… “I trust you, too,” Sonic replies with a little smile. Having Shadow's trust feels miraculous – a rush of power and opportunity; and yet they're both grounded right here, together, on Earth. “I want to give you everything,” Sonic whispers. The desire fills his body like his powers, and Sonic is determined to use this opportunity to fulfil that wish.

   Shadow’s cheeks are still warm – Sonic takes that as a good sign. His eyes are wide and confused when he asks, “Why?”

   Sonic brushes his thumbs along Shadow’s cheeks, sweet and comforting. “Because you deserve it,” he answers earnestly. Shadow looks at him like that notion is foreign. “And I’ll prove it until you believe me.”

   “No, I… believe you.” Shadow's eyes flick down, flustered and adorable. His grip on Sonic's waist strengthens, and he pulls them closer. “Thank you,” he says quietly.

   Sonic pulls him into a hug, holding on tight. “Anytime,” he replies, and nuzzles Shadow's cheek. He smells like flowers… Shadow stiffens, but then his hands come up to card through Sonic's quills, and it's the best feeling ever. Sonic slumps into him, instantly purring. He realizes he never lets anyone touch his quills, for one reason or another; but Shadow petting his quills brings bone-deep satisfaction. Sonic groans and feels Shadow shiver at the sound. “You’re perfect,” he mumbles. “I’m gonna fall asleep if you keep doing that.”

   “Is that not a good thing?”

   “I have so many things to show you!” Sonic stays relaxed against Shadow while his voice turns energetic and excited. “Earth is amazing! It's got movies and baseball and chili dogs!” Sonic dramatically slumps into him, declaring, “And I get to take you to a Hot Topic. This is the best day ever, I can't be sleeping through it!”

   Shadow huffs. “Why are you so insistent about that?”

   Sonic grins and pulls away, bouncing in place. “You'll see when we get there.” He gets ready to take off running, and turns to wink at Shadow. “Just follow me.” 

~•~

Chapter Text

~•~

   “If I could, I'd take you to, like, the biggest Hot Topic on Earth, but we'd probably get a lot of weird looks.” Sonic maneuvers around obstacles by jumping, ducking, and weaving, while Shadow just teleports around them. “But it's no big deal, cuz I find a lot of cool places when I'm running around the world. I'm good at finding the good people, y'know?”

   Shadow can imagine. Sonic found all the good things in this world. “Yes.”

   Sonic whoops as he jumps. “You’re gonna love this place! Everyone in the mall is super nice and totally loves me! It's probably because they get, like, no customers, but the staff say I'm adorable, so that's gotta count for something.”

   Sonic stops on the outskirts of a forest just to give Shadow a grin. Shadow returns an amused smirk, to which Sonic hops happily and takes off running, darting across roads and into a building. Shadow follows Sonic's lead, weaving through a few humans before they stop just inside a room. Shadow is immediately hit with too many things to look at, and strange sounds that he realizes are part of a song. Music. He narrows his focus to Sonic next to him and the minimal colors around them: mostly black, with a lot of red, and some blue and pink scattered around. All other colors show up sporadically.

   “Hey guys!” Sonic sticks his arm up high and waves. A human surrounded by blocky black tables looks up and smiles at them. Until they moved, Shadow didn't even register them as a human, due to their short, brightly colored hair that blended in with the rest of the room’s colors. It looks like one side of their hair is blue and the other is pink. 

   “Sonic!” The human’s voice is happy, yet calm. When their eyes slide to Shadow, they widen. “And who's this?”

   Sonic bounces excitedly. “Ren, meet Shadow! Shadow, meet Ren. They're super nice and have an awesome style!”

   Shadow nods at this ‘Ren’ and offers a simple greeting. Ren smiles kindly and says, “Oh, this is Shadow? Lovely to finally meet you. Would you like me to turn the music down?” They tilt their head with their question.

   “It's fine,” Shadow quickly responds. He likes the background noise of the strange music. It's… intriguing. He will ask Sonic about it later. “It's a pleasure to meet you as well. However, I'm from another dimension, so I'm not the same Shadow you were hearing about.”

   Ren’s eyebrows rise, and they lean their elbows on the dark counter. “Oh. I see. Well, I'm a fan of you anyway. You're very polite, you know that?”

   Shadow nods. “Yes. Thank you.” Ren makes a little laugh, almost like a giggle, which is odd; but Shadow supposes he doesn't know what is considered normal behavior for humans in this universe. 

   “You’re welcome.” Ren shifts their gaze to Sonic. “You two explore as much as you want, okay?”

   Shadow nods, and Sonic gives a little spin followed by a pose. “Thanks, Ren!” He turns to Shadow and takes his hands. “See?” he asks, referring to the room as a whole.

   “Yes,” Shadow answers. “This place is… interesting, and I like Ren. But I have questions.” Sonic nods encouragingly. “First: What is this music? I've never heard anything like it.”

   Sonic gasps dramatically. “You've never heard MCR?” He doesn't wait for an answer, so it must be a rhetorical question. “This has to be remedied immediately. Here!” He pulls Shadow to a spot where the music is louder. “The band is My Chemical Romance, and the song is called Planetary Go! It's one of my favorites.” Sonic bounces to the beat of the song without letting go of Shadow’s hands.

   Curious, Shadow closes his eyes and pays close attention to the song. The pace is much faster than what he was accustomed to on the ARK, and the instruments sound different. They're harder to distinguish, and so are the lyrics. It's all jumbled into one sound that becomes a new type of noise. The words he does catch are “please understand that I can't slow down, I won't be waiting for you,” and the word “velocity.” 

   It's incredible. Shadow listens to the full song, with Sonic running in circles around him. When the music clearly switches to a different track, he opens his eyes to find Sonic skidding to a stop in front of him, looking eager. “I enjoyed it very much.”

   Sonic jumps into a pose and whoops. “I knew it!” His grin is as bright as his fur. “Ooh, and this one is a Panic at the Disco song. Y'know what, I'll show you all the music later. C'mon, you gotta see the clothes.” Sonic takes Shadow's hands to pull him somewhere. Habitually, Shadow activates his hover boots and lets himself be pulled along while he examines the clothes displayed on the wall. When Sonic comes to a stop, he turns to look down at Shadow's boots. “Woah, cool! I was wondering why you were so light.”

   Shadow's ears twitch and he drops back down to the floor with a clunk. He hasn't done that in a while. Normally, he uses his boots like thrusters to offset momentum after being thrown, or to jet into the sky. “They're designed to reduce friction, so you can pull me easily.” He turns to the closest wall of items. “What did you want to show me?”

   Sonic either takes the hint or is easily distracted. He straightens and gestures to the wall of stuff. “This is kinda the accessories section. All the clothes here are made for humans, so even, like–” he fishes through a rack of clothes “–the smallest skirt is way too wide for us.” Sonic holds up a skirt that could perhaps fit a human child, but never a Mobian hedgehog. It has little silver links and chains connecting the fabric. Shadow nods, and Sonic puts the black skirt back on a metal wire. “But the bracelets and some of the shirts are just fine!” He zips away and comes back in a black shirt dotted with red hearts and stars. A red ribbon ties the fabric at the side. “Humans call these crop-tops, since they're meant to stop about here–” Sonic marks a spot halfway down his torso with one finger “–but they work well for us! Helps when they have ties ‘n stuff.” He spins to show off the red ribbons.

   The shirt is pretty enough, but Sonic makes it look beautiful. “I see,” Shadow says, staring at the ribbons. “You managed to pull it off. Impressive.” 

   Sonic laughs and does another spin, giving him finger guns and a wink. “Glad you like it so much.” Shadow turns and huffs. He wasn't staring that much. “Oh, c'mon, now it's your turn! You'd totally rock a leather jacket, but we wouldn't be able to get one with the right proportions.” Sonic sighs forlornly, then perks up instantly. “Anyway!” He zips around again and comes back with a black tank top, sporting the red text “my chemical romance.” He holds it out to Shadow with a pleading expression.

   Shadow regards it with immense caution. “Won't my quills slice it?”

   Shaking his head, Sonic steps closer. “Nope! It's stretchy, so you can slip it over your quills, like this.” Shadow stands still as Sonic indeed slips the elastic fabric over his sharp quills. 

   From there, Shadow knows to put his arms through the holes on each side. He's never had frivolous clothes tailored to his proportions, but Maria made do with what they had. His shoes were designed for their specific purpose, and his gloves were made to protect others from his claws. His gauntlets provide stability and hold his inhibitors in place. Besides those, Maria had a lot of leftover items from her younger years, and made them fit as best she could. Shadow liked the look of the red and blue ribbons in his quills.

   “Perfect!” Shadow looks up to see Sonic staring intently. He doesn't think the plain shirt looks as pretty as Sonic's ribbons, and his chest fur kinda poofs out the top in a weird way, but Sonic clearly thinks otherwise. “You're so pretty, it's unreal.” His voice tilts up into a whine before he drapes himself around Shadow's shoulders and puts his face in his neck. 

   Shadow freezes but adjusts quickly, brushing his hands along Sonic's sides where the ribbons are tied. The words feel stuck, but he forces them out – with Sonic, only good things can come from honesty. “The same to you,” he says, low and quiet, close to Sonic's ears. Sonic jolts a little, like that was a shock, then squeezes him and backs off just to stare some more. All of Sonic's praise and attention reminds him just how much Sonic cares and wants for him. ‘I want to give you everything.’ Shadow shivers slightly. “And maybe…” Since Sonic believes so strongly… “I could believe you.” 

   Sonic's smile spreads from a smirk to a grin. “Don't worry, Shadow. I won't shut up until you believe me.”

   Shadow returns a smirk. “You never shut up as is.”

   “Like you can complain!” Sonic retorts, leaning forward with a grin. “You’ve got an incredibly handsome hedgehog showin’ you around Earth and showering you in compliments. What's not to love?”

   Shadow goes silent, because he really is enjoying this, and Sonic does, too – until he bends over laughing, ending their little moment of banter. It makes Shadow chuckle quietly. 

   That, in turn, catches Sonic's attention, and he snaps his focus onto Shadow’s face. “Did you just laugh?” His eyes are wide and his ears perk in interest. “That was the cutest sound ever!”

   The sheer stupidity and genuineness of Sonic's response has Shadow huffing an even quieter laugh. “You're ridiculous.” He crosses his arms, lips still turned in amusement. Now he understands how Sonic operates: all or nothing, with absolutely no capacity to lie and no brain-to-mouth filter. Entirely genuine, and unapologetically so. Shadow respects that, and this knowledge will help prepare him for the raw emotions that Sonic conveys and evokes. Shadow returns focus to the clothes. “I'd prefer something with ribbons like yours.”

   “Oh! Sure thing!” In a flash, Sonic is holding two more shirts: one a copy of his own, and the other with pale blue shapes instead. Shadow takes the blue one before Sonic can even speak, which just makes him laugh. 

   Shadow examines the shirt, turning it over and analyzing it. It's mostly just fabric tied at two sides, with spaces for arms to go. “How are humans supposed to wear this?” he mumbles. 

   “I guess they make it work,” Sonic shrugs. “Here, I'll help.” Shadow lets Sonic take the shirt and help him out of the first one and into the second one, until each of the ribbons are tied and it looks perfect. Shadow does a spin to mimic Sonic, who cheers for him. There's a door next to them with a mirror that Shadow uses to more thoroughly examine this one. The blue ribbons look wonderful, and his chest fluff is less of an issue. Like Sonic said, jackets or open shirts would probably look better with their body types, but this works well enough, and Sonic points that out as well. “You must have an eye for fashion or something, Shadow.” 

   Shadow considers that. “Perhaps if I had more knowledge on the topic. For now, I'm satisfied with this.” He turns back to Sonic. “You mentioned bracelets?” Shadow doubts he'll wear bracelets himself – they'd clash with his inhibitors and compete for space on his gauntlets. It's far more appealing to picture Sonic with rings on his wrists. Shadow's eyes catch on Sonic's gloves, imagination flashing between gold, silver, black, red…

   Sonic lights up. “Yeah! Over here!” He takes Shadow's hand and pulls him around a glass case displaying tiny bits of metal, then stops by shelves and racks full of all types of bracelets. “Any of these up your alley?”

   Ignoring the strange phrase, Shadow examines the assortment of items, reading the labels on their cardboard display packaging. Some bracelets are leather, adorned with metal spikes, pyramid shapes, or simple circles. There's one made of half red and half black leather, connected in the center by a metal heart frame. Others are made of beads and cord, with wildly different colors and themes. Shadow's eyes scan the words describing them: star, cosmic, aura, darkness, army, collision, celestial, heart, gothic, ghost, flower. He likes most of those. And there are multiple My Chemical Romance bracelets in varying styles. One set seems to include little charms depicting two lovers soaked in blood. Shadow moves on, finding others that are entirely pink and described as sweet, including strawberry and cherry charms. Most of the beaded bracelets seem to be in pairs, but intended for two different people. A particularly confusing set is named “best friend bracelets,” but have beads with letters that spell “hate you” and “hate you more.”

   In the end, Shadow decides he prefers the leather ones. The others seem like they would break under any force. One type of leather bracelet has three rows of the pyramid shapes in a checkered pattern of black and silver, with other variations in different colors. Shadow picks up the black and blue one, and experimentally drapes it over the inhibitor ring on his right wrist. It's wide enough to cover the gold band without looking weird, so Shadow fastens the buttons and turns his wrist curiously. The black and white one would probably look best with the rest of his colors, but Shadow prefers blue.

   Shadow cuts his eyes back to Sonic, who takes his left hand and says on a sigh, “So pretty.” His green eyes are large and focused on Shadow, while his fingers absentmindedly trace patterns against Shadow’s gauntlet. 

   Shadow holds Sonic's hand in return, and glances back at the black and red bracelet, taking it and wrapping it around Sonic's wrist. Staring at Sonic in his entirety, tied in red ribbon and leather, Shadow feels his tail wag. He looks so pretty in red… “Perfect,” Shadow murmurs.

   Sonic's ears twitch and he shuffles his feet, flustered. “The feeling's mutual then,” he says in awe, like he can't quite believe it. His grip tightens on Shadow's hand, as if he'd disappear.

   “Yes,” Shadow agrees, and steps closer, taking Sonic's other hand. “And I'm not leaving you.” Sonic stares up at him with tight desperation that melts into trusting warmth. 

   He rests his head on Shadow's chest and his smile is audible when he says, “I believe you.” When he tilts his head up, he nudges their noses together and murmurs, “Wanna get outta here?”

   Shadow's ears twitch. “Where to?” he asks softly, looking to Sonic for directions.

   Sonic grins. “I got a couple things to show you, and a lot of music. C'mon!” He tugs Shadow's hands, leading him out of the small room.

   “What music?” 

   “There's a ton more MCR songs, and I just know you'd love Panic! at the Disco, and I saw a Pierce the Veil shirt in there, and there's Linkin Park, and–”

   Shadow's mouth curves slightly. They're already out of the city and back in the woods, and this time Sonic is focused on all the different songs there are, dodging obstacles habitually, like it takes no conscious thought. Shadow follows his route, copying his movements exactly, curious about Sonic's mindset during runs. He concludes that Sonic moves however feels best in the moment, indeed with little conscious thought. Shadow is proud to have figured him out that much more.

   Sonic comes to a stop in the middle of a different grove, and beckons Shadow closer. “Down here!” And he hops into a cave. 

~•~