Chapter Text
Admittedly, Sonic was skeptical about the beach trip Maddie and Tom had planned. It’s not like he was AFRAID, and it’s not like he hasn’t been near water before, many a time he had had to for one heroic reason or another.
Or at least that’s what he kept telling himself as they all piled into the car. His finger tapped anxiously on the car seat as they all piled in.
“We’re meeting shadow and stone at the beach!” Maddie reminded as the car pulled out of the driveway. “It’s not super far away, don’t worry.”
The “not super far away” drive dragged on and on as Sonics anxiety got worse, to the point of all conversation between the backseat passengers stopping.
“Sonic? Are you alright?” Tails asked quietly.
“Of course buddy! I am 100% okay!” Sonic responded, the smile on his face quivering for only a second as he forced all external signs of anxiety to leave his body.
“Are you sure? Because-“
“I assure you, im alright.” Sonic said reassuringly.
——
The Wachowski’s pulled up and piled out of the car, where Agent Stone and Shadow were waiting. Since the doctor’s death, stone had taken up making coffee again, caring for shadow as a sort of brother-father figure. Shadow had been alternating between staying and helping with coffee and doing earth things with team sonic.
Maddie grabbed the beach bag and the two families went off.
——
Sonic sat, watching knuckles and tails splash around with Tom in the shallow water, laughing as a wave threw them down, only for them to bounce right up again.
Unbeknownst to Sonic, shadow was creeping up next to him.
“Why aren’t you out there?”
Sonic startled and snapped his head to the side. Shadow stared down at him questioningly, urging him to answer.
“Why aren’t you?” Sonic shot back playfully.
“Don’t like water.”
Sonic hesitated a moment before responding “same.”
Shadow sat down on the towel, brushing loose sand off. Sonic, ever the yapper, decided to continue the conversation. Leaning himself playfully against shadow, he asked “why?”
Shadows eyes met his. “Why… what?”
“Why don’t you like water?”
Shadow took a second before answering.
“In the lab, when they put me into stasis, the tank was filled with… well, I don’t know what, but it seemed to be a water. I don’t like being around water now. It reminds me of-“ shadow cut himself off, stealing his breath before continuing with a “nevermind.”
Sonic just looked at him (admittedly, he looked stupid staring at the dark hedgehog).
“I’m so sorry shadow. Personally, I can’t swim, that’s why I don’t like going- wow that sounds stupid.” Sonic rambled. Shadow paid equal attention to the other hedgehog, but must’ve still looked distant, as Sonic leaned over and rested his head on shadows shoulder.
Through his constant nagging and adventures, Sonic had found out what he believed to be a lot about shadow. Mostly random fun facts, but something he had found out is he loved physical touch. So that’s what Sonic did.
Instinctively, shadows arm wrapped itself around Sonic’s waist. startled but not unhappy, Sonic fixed his gaze to his family out in the water again.