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“Hold still,” Maria said, holding back laughter. “I can’t brush your quills if you keep moving.”
Shadow pulled away, more playing along than anything. “Why do we have to do this every day?” he complained. “My quills are fine.”
She grabbed his shoulders and plopped him back in the little seat she used as a “makeover chair” for Shadow when she got bored. “Because,” she said, grinning. “If we don’t, they’ll get tangled up and then it’s harder to brush them.” She paused. “Plus, it’s fun.” She tried to resume brushing, but it was no use.
“Aha,” he exclaimed. “I knew it!” He jumped out of the chair and onto his sister’s bed, flinging a small stuffed animal at her. She giggled, raising her arms in front of her face to block it. She dropped the brush and lunged for Shadow, who dodged her outstretched hands, laughing.
When she hit the bed, even though it was soft, she grunted and doubled over, coughing. The sound broke Shadow’s heart; knowing that he was supposed to be the cure for her, and yet she still suffered like this. “I’m sorry,” he said immediately. “I shouldn’t have pushed you to play. You shouldn’t exert yourself too much.”
She straightened and cleared her throat, staring defiantly at him. They were near the same height now, with her on the floor and him standing on her bed. “I’m fine,” she declared, smiling. “It’s not your fault, either. So don’t-”
Alarm klaxons sliced through the air, causing both of them to clap their hands over their ears. Not a moment later, Professor Gerald frantically slid the door open. “Kids,” he wheezed, out of breath. “We must go, now! G.U.N. is here. They’re angry that I- never mind. Maria, take Shadow to the escape pods. You two must escape.” She nodded, a determined look in her eyes. “Okay, Grandpa. What about you?”
“I’ll be fine. I’m going to try and keep them away from you and Shadow while you get out. Run, and don’t look back.” He stepped into the room long enough to embrace her tightly, and then he was gone, his footsteps echoing loudly through the metal halls.
There was a loud boom from the other side of the station, rocking the entire structure slightly. “Come on,” Maria said, grabbing Shadow’s gloved hand, but he didn’t move. He hated, no, despised the fear that was running through his body. He was the Ultimate Lifeform, he shouldn’t be this afraid. He should fight back to save everyone, yet he couldn’t move. He felt rooted in place.
“Hey,” she said, grabbing his other hand gently. He forced himself to calm his breathing and look into her eyes. “It’s okay to be scared. I am, too.”
“I’m not scared,” he started to say, but Maria interrupted him.
“Shadow,” she said, more firmly this time. “You don’t have to be perfect all the time. No one expects that of you.” Another explosion off in the distance rang through the station, and she jumped. “I’m sorry to rush you, but we need to go.”
He nodded, suddenly able to move. He jumped off the bed, still holding Maria’s hand as they ran down the hall. The lights flickered, and voices echoed down the hall. The normally bustling hallway was empty, the absence of normal noise and chatter feeling cold and eerie. Shadow shivered despite himself.
The ambient hum of the space colony abruptly stopped. All of the lights turned off, leaving them in near complete darkness, with the reflected light of the moon beside them being their only source of light. Maria tripped on something and fell hard, yelping when she hit the ground.
“Maria!” Shadow cried out, stopping immediately and running back to his sister’s side. “Are you okay?” He extended a hand to help her up, and she gratefully accepted it.
“I’m fine,” she muttered, holding her chest. “I think.” She doubled over coughing again, tucking her mouth into the crook of her elbow. Shadow stood guard, anxiously waiting for the end of this coughing spell. They couldn’t stay here; the shouts were getting louder and closer.
He didn’t have any other choice. She might be mad at him later, but she’d have to get over it. Shadow scooped Maria up into his arms, and she made a startled squawking noise, only to start coughing again. He activated his air shoes and blasted down the rapidly cooling, dark metallic hallway. At some point, dim red emergency lights flickered on, giving them some idea of where they were. Maria had stopped coughing, but now hung weakly in Shadow’s arms. “Left,” she croaked, feebly pointing at a closed doorway with a faintly glowing keypad next to it. He skidded to a stop and carefully set her down, still supporting most of her weight.
She wearily slumped with her back to the wall and sighed. “I’m… sorry,” she breathed. Shadow felt for her pulse, ignoring her apology. When he found it, he grimaced. Her heart was beating much too fast, and yet it still felt faint. She was pushing herself too hard. “I’m just… slowing you down…” She smiled softly, closing her eyes.
“No, you’re not,” he growled. “We’re still here, and we’re almost safe. Do you know the password to get in?”
She gave a small nod, then recited the numbers. “Zero-six… one-nine…zero-one.” Shadow typed the numbers in, and the keypad chirped cheerfully, flashing green once. The door opened with a loud creak, like it hadn’t been opened in a long time. Inside, there was a small, dimly lit room. There was a glass cylinder in the center, big enough for maybe two people, a section of it slid to the side to create an opening. To the left of the cylinder, there was a small desk with some glowing buttons and a lever on it, wires leading to both the top and bottom of the cylinder.
The escape pod. They’d made it.
Shadow grabbed Maria’s hand and carefully, but quickly moved forward, leading her inside the tall glass chamber. He left her there and went to the desk, but instantly realized that he didn’t have a clue as to which button or switch did what. He stared helplessly at the blinking board, feeling panic claw at the inside of his chest. His hands hovered uselessly above the desk, trembling. He was still moving too slowly.
A soft hand gently grabbed his shoulder, startling him. He turned, seeing Maria next to him. She grinned, then said, “I know how it works. I promise.” He glanced at the glass tube, then at the board, then her again. “I’ll set it to launch once I pull the lever, alright? I’ll be with you the whole time.” With that, she nudged him towards the escape pod that would deliver them to safety, down on the Earth.
Reluctantly, he walked away from her and entered the tube. She began pushing buttons with clearly practiced ease. Shadow wondered if the professor had trained her to know all of this in case of an emergency, but that left a question. Why hadn’t he taught Shadow as well? Did he not trust him to be good enough?
Did he not think Shadow was enough?
A shout rang through the hallway, making both of them jump. It sounded much closer than Shadow would have liked. “Hey! This door over here is open! Has anyone searched it yet?” No audible response came, and he could hear loud footsteps approaching the room they were currently in. Shadow tried to take a step out, but just before he did, the transparent door slid shut and hissed, sealing him in.
He stared at Maria in disbelief and shock, who only smiled sadly, but didn’t look up. “There’s no time,” she whispered. She continued pushing buttons until the board beeped, and the lever lit up brightly. Shadow pounded his fist against the wall, but to no avail. “Maria! Of course there’s time, just open the door-”
A soldier with a large “G” logo on his helmet appeared in the doorway, holding a wicked looking assault rifle. Pointing it at Maria. “Freeze!” He yelled. “Don’t touch that lever, or I will shoot!”
Shadow froze, staring at the gun, then at the soldier. No, no, no, his mind chanted. This couldn’t be happening.
Maria’s arms had stopped moving as well, but she finally glanced up at Shadow. She still held that same sad smile on her face, but there was affectionate warmth in it now. She met his gaze and nodded in determination, her eyes sparkling with that courage he could only dream of having some day. “You’re going to be amazing, Shadow,” she said, slowly reaching for the lever.
“Don’t,” Shadow pleaded, hitting the glass with a closed fist again. “Maria, don’t I-I don’t know what to do! I won’t be able to-”
“It’s going to be okay,” she murmured. “I promise you’ll be okay, Shadow. You have a good heart, and I know you’ll make new friends, and find a new family.”
“Kid, if you touch that lever,” the soldier warned, moving his finger to the trigger, “I’m under orders. I have to shoot.”
Maria ignored him and pulled the lever down with a sharp yank, beginning the launch countdown. Time seemed to slow down, and it wasn’t Chaos Control this time.
A loud bang ripped through the air, and Maria stiffened. A small stream of smoke drifted from the mouth of the gun the soldier held, and his sister fell soundlessly to the floor, her long blond hair fluttering behind her and settling on her back. A sickeningly red fluid started pooling around her body, but she didn’t move. Shadow couldn’t hear anything but his own heartbeat, booming so loudly he was sure the soldier could hear it, too.
The escape pod lit up with a blinding white light, and a timer displayed itself at the top. “Launching in 59… 58… 57…” an uncaring, robotic female voice began counting down.
Another rough voice rang down the hallway, but to Shadow, it felt like it was miles away, almost sounding underwater. All he could focus on was his sister, laying face down on the ground. “What was- WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?” Another soldier rounded the corner and entered the room, grabbing the other soldier's arm and yanking him out of the room. “THAT IS A CHILD,” he roared, his face flushed red in fury as he pointed to the limp body on the floor.
“We had our orders,” the first soldier argued angrily, slamming a fist to the wall, causing the door to slide shut, cutting them off from the room. Shadow could still hear their muffled conversation, whether he wanted to or not. His focus was still entirely on Maria.
“Oh, for-” the second soldier said, cutting himself off. “That girl is the only reason this space station even exists.” The other soldier went silent, as if just now realizing the weight of his actions.
“That was-”
“Yes,” the other soldier nearly yelled. “The professor’s granddaughter, and now she’s dead, thanks to you.”
“I didn’t- I didn’t know, they just told me to stop any escape attempts…” Their conversation faded as they walked away.
The robotic voice continued. “36… 35… 34…”
Shadow’s breathing came in short, uneven gasps as he stared at Maria, still trapped in this clear prison. He felt useless. Worse than useless. He hadn’t been able to do anything when that soldier waltzed in and took the life of his sister while he’d watched helplessly. Suddenly, she stirred, lighting a small spark of hope in his heart. “Maria!” he cried. “There’s still time, you can come with me!” He couldn’t stop the stupid, hopeful grin that spread across his face. “I can take care of you until you’re healed, I can…” he trailed off when he saw her face.
She shook her head weakly and inched over towards him. Her already pale face was almost paper white now, and her eyes were half-closed. “Shadow…” she whispered. She put a bloody hand to the glass, and he put his hand against hers. He crouched down to be on her level, desperately trying to think of a way he could still save her. “It’s okay, I’m here,” he choked out. “I’m here…”
Maria met his eyes and smiled again, her face filled with warmth- no anger, no disappointment, no shame. Nothing like what Shadow felt.
“Protect them…” she said softly, the words clearly taking a lot of effort to get out. “Help them… be happy… Shadow. Please, for my sake. Promise me…” She coughed, holding her stomach.
Tears ran freely down Shadow’s face as he fruitlessly tried to open the door once more. “I promise,” he sobbed. “I’ll try.” He held Maria’s gaze as the light faded from her eyes.
“5… 4… 3…”
“Sayonara…” Maria said. “Shadow the Hedgehog.”
“2… 1… Launching.”
“No!” Shadow cried as the escape pod detached from the ceiling and dropped him, slamming him against the ceiling. The container spun every which way, throwing him painfully against the walls. The change in gravity left all his senses reeling, unsure of which direction was up or down. The deadly silence of space was near the opposite of the pain he felt churning in his heart as he descended into an entirely different world. One he knew next to nothing about.
. . . . .
Shadow jolted awake, trying to sit up quickly. In his rush to get up, he banged his head into the low shelf above his head, the few possessions he kept there clattering. He groaned, rubbing his forehead while simultaneously taking quiet, deep breaths to still his racing heart. Ever since he’d saved the world from Black Doom, he’d been living with Sonic, since he had nowhere to go. Rouge had insisted it would be great, and he had to admit he was gradually adjusting to living with someone as annoying as Sonic. He wasn’t constantly arguing with him anymore, at least. Hopefully he hadn’t-
Across the room, Sonic grumbled and shifted. Shadow sighed as the blue hedgehog sat up, squinting through the darkness in Shadow’s general direction. “...Shads? You alright?”
“I’m fine,” Shadow muttered, sitting up carefully. “Just a dream. Also, I’ve told you to not call me that stupid name.”
Sonic cocked his head, studying his roommate’s face. He normally looked grumpy, but now his expression held more layers than usual. “Are you sure you’re okay?” He sounded worried, but Shadow didn’t want his help. He’d probably make it worse.
“Yes,” Shadow growled. “I- I’m fine.” He took a deep breath again, trying to relax. His hands shook slightly, and with a frustrated grunt he slammed them into the mattress, trying to expel some of the residing adrenaline.
“Shadow, I-” Sonic started to say before the dark hedgehog stood abruptly.
“I said I’m fine,” he barked. He crouched to dig through the small leather pouch that held pretty much everything he owned, including the green, fist-sized chaos emerald. He grabbed the shining gem and stood, glaring towards Sonic. The other hedgehog’s green eyes shone brighter in the dim glow of the emerald, and they were staring straight into Shadow’s crimson red eyes. “I’ll be back in the morning,” Shadow said, turning away from Sonic.
“Shadow, wait-”
“Chaos…” Shadow started, then a gloved hand wrapped around his arm, startling him. It was too late to stop, though. The other word was already slipping out of his mouth.
“Control!” Both hedgehogs disappeared from the room in a brilliant flash of light.
. . . . .
Sonic opened his eyes, a wave of nausea hitting him. He clenched his teeth, trying to resist his stomach’s threats to empty itself. After a moment, it faded. He looked around, taking in the environment, recognizing it even though he’d only spent a small amount of time here.
The Space Colony ARK. Shadow’s old home.
Shadow leapt away. “Why did you do that?” He asked furiously. “Just- just leave me alone!” Before Sonic could say anything else, the other hedgehog warped himself away. Hopefully somewhere else on the ARK; surely he wouldn’t just leave Sonic up here to die, right? He sighed, unsure of what to do.
He looked around the room they had materialized in. They seemed to be in the outermost part of the ARK, the section that was lined with windows, allowing for easy viewing of the Earth. It was in surprisingly good condition for a station that had been unmaintained for fifty years. Even now, it looked futuristic and ahead of its time. The smooth metal floors had a thin layer of dust, and the lights were off. A few were broken, or dangling from a few wires. There was some debris on the ground, a reminder of the terrible raid that had taken place.
Sonic wondered when, if ever, Shadow would open up a little bit more about his past. Most of what he knew came from Rouge, who in turn had mostly learned from G.U.N. files, not from Shadow himself. It worried Sonic how little Shadow talked about anything, not just his past. He knew he’d had someone named Maria that he’d considered his sister, and that she’d been killed in the raid fifty years ago. Past that, he knew almost nothing.
Sonic started wandering, hoping to stumble upon Shadow’s hiding place, though not deliberately looking for him. Yet. He’d asked for space, and while Sonic wanted to respect that as much as possible, he didn’t want Shadow to be alone for too long. He felt like he was finally making some progress in their relationship- he didn’t want to lose him now.
He walked past an open room and peeked inside. It was difficult to see in the darkness, but he could just barely make out the silhouette of a large desk and some computer monitors on top. He kept moving, his path illuminated by the glow of the Earth below. He passed a few more open rooms, but none contained the person he was searching for.
That was, until he saw light seeping through the cracks of a closed door.
The panel opened automatically when he walked in front of it, revealing a small, well-lit room inside. There were multi-colored strands of fairy lights dangling from the ceiling. Apparently there was still some electricity up here. There was a little table in the corner, with a small record player taking up most of the space. On the bed in the opposite corner, Shadow sat, holding a small stuffed animal, resembling the Biolizard that the two of them had fought what felt like forever ago. The way he stared at it unnerved Sonic, but he softly knocked on the side of the door to announce his presence to the other hedgehog.
. . . . .
Shadow’s head snapped up at the sound, though some of his anger faded when he saw Sonic. “I thought I told you to leave me alone,” he muttered as he slid off the bed and gingerly set the stuffed lizard back down. Sonic frowned and entered the room, eyes scanning their surroundings.
“Is this…” Sonic asked, not wanting to finish the question.
Shadow nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Sonic stepped closer to Shadow, who backed away, avoiding the other hedgehog’s eyes. He started for the door, but stopped when Sonic spoke.
“Why come here, of all places?”
Shadow didn’t know how to respond. He knew it didn’t really make much rational sense, to come back to the place where your life was destroyed. “I don’t know,” he finally replied. “Sometimes it’s just to be alone, but other times…” His voice cracked, and he stopped for a moment to regain his composure. He forced his face to stay neutral, shoving the emotions down. “Sometimes it feels like I’m home again. Like I could turn a corner, and she- she’d be there. Like it was all just a bad dream.”
Sonic was quiet for once. This was a side of him that Shadow hadn’t seen before- he always seemed so loud. Apparently he could be quiet at times, too.
“I know it doesn’t make sense,” Shadow continued, trying to fight down the anguish that threatened to brim over into his voice. “To come back, after everything that happened. But it feels nice to be back when I just need to be away from the world.”
“I understand, actually,” Sonic responded. Shadow turned, only to see that Sonic was studying the record player on the table, poking at one of the buttons. “When it gets to be too much to be around other people, sometimes I go somewhere to be alone, too. Every once in a while, everyone needs some quiet time to reflect and just… be.”
Shadow nodded in agreement. “Coming up here makes me feel closer to… Maria,” he said, the name feeling foreign on his tongue, like he wasn’t supposed to say it anymore. Sonic glanced up, catching the shift in Shadow’s voice. “I wish I’d been able to- to do more.”
“Hey, don’t blame yourself,” Sonic said immediately. “What happened to her is not your fault, at all.” Shadow didn’t seem to hear him, too absorbed in his own thoughts.
“I- I should have-” Shadow mumbled, his legs trembling, suddenly struggling to keep him upright. He took a shaky step backwards, bumping against the wall. “I-I-I couldn’t- couldn’t save her-” His breathing became ragged and came in short gasps. He seemed unable to draw in a full breath, like someone was squeezing his lungs. He brought a clenched, shaking fist to his mouth, trying to stop the panic that was rising inside of him. The corners of his vision blurred, and he could hear a ringing in his ears. His body shivered, though he felt feverishly hot, not cold. He could feel unwanted tears gathering, but he stubbornly shut his eyes to keep them in. He would not break down like this.
He slid down the wall into a sitting position, pulling his knees in as tight as he could, making himself as small as possible. His mind whirled a million different directions at once, seeing different ways he could have tried to save Maria, instead of freezing like a useless coward. He could have fought the soldier, broken out of the glass, remembered to shut the door behind them, anything other than nothing.
You should’ve saved Maria instead of yourself, a voice in his mind whispered. She should still be alive, not you. It’s all your fault.
“Shadow,” a voice called, sounding like it was underwater. “Shadow, listen to me. You’re hyperventilating. You need to breathe. Please, Shadow, breathe.” It was Sonic. Shadow opened his eyes, barely able to make out the blurred form of the other hedgehog sitting in front of him, holding both hands out, palms up. “Is it alright if I touch you?”
Shadow frantically shook his head, and Sonic withdrew his hands. He tried to breathe as the other suggested, but the weight of his own emotions and fear was suffocating him. A guttural whine emanated from his chest, unable to stop it. His eyes darted around the room, nothing registering except for Sonic sitting in front of him.
“Can you try to match my breathing?” He asked calmly, keeping his voice low and steady. “We can stay here as long as you need, Shadow.” Shadow gave the faintest of nods, training his eyes on Sonic’s. Having a fixed point to focus on seemed to help, and he sat up a little more.
“Okay,” Sonic said quietly. “In for five, hold for five, out for five. Ready?” He breathed in, silently counting the time with his fingers. Shadow tried to take a full breath, but he just couldn’t. The emotions were still overwhelming, still constricting his lungs. He tucked his head into his knees, pulling them closer. He couldn’t even do this right.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Sonic murmured. “Let’s just try again.” Once again, he breathed in slowly, counting with his fingers. This time, Shadow was able to draw in a shuddering breath, the effort almost painful. He held it with Sonic, and released it at the same time. Sonic smiled in encouragement, then inhaled again. They repeated the process until Shadow was able to breathe normally again, though his heart was still racing.
“What do you think of the fairy lights?” Sonic asked, staring at the ceiling, prompting Shadow to look up as well. “Or the record player on that table, or the purple bag next to it?” Shadow studied the record player, eyes tracing the little paint swirls that Maria had carefully added. “How about the way this carpet feels,” Sonic said, swiping a gloved hand through the thick carpet. Shadow took a moment and did the same. “And the sound of us being here, like our footsteps echoing on the floor? I really like how this station smells, too. Like motor oil and grease- reminds me of Tails’ lab back on Earth.” Shadow could faintly recall the young fox’s lab. The creaky wooden floors, the desks lined with mechanical parts.
Shadow stared at Sonic in confusion, then it clicked. He was trying to pull him out of the past, grounding him in the present. The normally annoying blue hedgehog seemed to sense that Shadow wasn’t able to speak yet, so he was finding his own way to help. He wouldn’t ever admit this out loud, but Shadow appreciated it, and even he had to admit that it was sort of helping. He felt his panic start to subside, only to be replaced by self-directed frustration.
“Okay,” Shadow exhaled through clenched teeth, standing quickly. “That’s enough.” Sonic peered at him, still sitting. “What? I thought that was helping…”
Shadow didn’t say anything and stomped out of the room. Sonic jumped up and followed him, the sound of their footsteps ringing softly through the metallic corridor. “Shadow, I’m sorry. I thought I was helping,” he said, frustration seeping into his voice.
“I’m fine, Sonic,” Shadow growled. Maybe too harsh, but he didn’t care.
Sonic stopped in his tracks. “You’re not ‘fine’,” he said, air quoting the word. “You just had a panic attack, so don’t give me that.” He sounded unusually upset, surprising Shadow. He turned sharply on his heel, glowering at Sonic.
“You don’t get it,” he snapped. “I’m not supposed to break like this. I’m supposed to be perfect, Sonic.”
Sonic fell silent.
“I’m supposed to be the Ultimate Lifeform,” Shadow said, his voice hollow. “I’m supposed to be perfect. That’s what they all said." He laughed bitterly. “If only they could see me now… she’d be so disappointed.”
Sonic stared at the dark hedgehog, some of his anger leaving his eyes. “I hope you don’t think that, Shadow. She would be so proud of you and everything you’ve done with your life." Sonic paused, softening his voice. "I might not have known her, but I know you.”
“How can you say that?” Shadow demanded, sweeping an arm out for emphasis. “I failed at my one purpose, which was to be her protector. When the time came, I froze and couldn’t do anything, and then she was-” his voice broke. “She was gone.”
“You were both just kids,” Sonic whispered. “You couldn’t have known what to do. Hell, I would’ve frozen too, if I’d been in your position. You can’t blame yourself for something like that, Shads.”
Shadow didn’t say anything, staring at the ground. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes again, and before he could stop it, one fell. He quickly turned away from Sonic, furiously wiping at his eyes.
“You can’t be perfect all the time, and that means you have a heart." Sonic's words brought a painful memory of Maria saying something similar, all those years ago. Even if it was comforting, it still hurt. "If someone expects you to be an emotionless machine all the time, then they aren’t a true friend. Emotions don’t mean you’re weak,” Sonic said, putting a hand on Shadow’s shoulder. Shadow started to pull away, but stopped himself and faced the blue hedgehog. “They just mean that you care.”
Without thinking, Sonic pulled Shadow into a hug. He stiffened, then finally let the walls he’d kept up for so long come fully down. He leaned into the hug, cautiously wrapping his arms around the other hedgehog. “You’re not alone in this, Shads,” Sonic said over Shadow’s shoulder, holding him tight. “Ever.” They stayed intertwined like this for a moment, almost longer than Shadow would have liked, but at the same time the hug felt… no. He couldn’t let himself get drawn in like this. He felt so exposed. The worst part was that he could feel a small part of his brain, telling him to stay like this. Stay vulnerable, it whispered. He quickly crushed that line of thinking. He couldn’t afford to be vulnerable. He had to stop this before he lost control again.
“Enough,” he muttered without anger, gently pushing the other away and refusing to meet Sonic’s eyes. He balled his fists tightly, then exhaled, relaxing his fingers again. “Do you want to go back home?” Sonic asked. “Or would you rather stay here tonight? I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”
“Earth can wait," Shadow said decisively. Sonic nodded in agreement, a small smile spreading across his face. Shadow made his way back into Maria’s room, kicking off his shoes. The soft carpet felt nice on his feet in comparison to the hard floor outside of the room, and he allowed himself a moment of happiness as he took in the room once more.
He shut the lights off, then hopped up into Maria’s bed, shoving some stuffed animals aside and pulled the fuzzy blanket close to his chin. When he looked up, Sonic stood in the doorway. He rubbed the back of his head and grinned sheepishly. “I, uh, don’t suppose there are any other beds?” He asked awkwardly.
“No,” Shadow said curtly, turning to face the wall and closing his eyes.
It took Sonic a moment to respond. “...ah. Okay. At least the carpet is soft,” he said, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice. He laid down and stretched out, making himself as comfortable as he could on the floor.
After a few painfully silent minutes, Shadow sighed. “Sonic?” He asked into the darkness, not fully expecting a reply. The other hedgehog seemed able to fall asleep anywhere, anytime. This time, though, the response came almost instantly. “Yeah?”
“...Just this one time,” he started, the words barely leaving his mouth before he felt Sonic vault onto the bed next to him, the mattress creaking quietly at the additional weight. “If you ever mention this to anyone, I swear,” Shadow muttered, “I will be the last thing you ever see.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Shads,” Sonic said, his voice mischievous, but warm.
“I told you to stop calling me that,” Shadow grumbled, trying to sound more angry than he actually was. In reality, he was trying, and failing, to stop the stupid, involuntary smile that was making its way across his face. His only consolation was that it was dark, and he was facing away from Sonic.
Although…. Maybe he could let it slide.
Maybe he could let someone else in, even if it hurt.
Just this once.