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For most people, birthdays were the the highlight of the year. Having friends and family go out of their way to shower you with extra attention, honestly who wouldn’t want to celebrate? It was a reminder that no person could ever stay the same, for time blessed everyone with the opportunity to change.
But for the Ultimate Lifeform, Shadow wasn’t born with this luxury. No matter how many years have passed, and those that will come, he is no different from how we was on the Ark, over 50 years ago.
Maybe if he wasn’t immortal he would enjoy his birthday because it would he would be celebrating another year closer to eternal peace. With his time spent off Earth, he made it known to his friends that he never wanted his birthday to be celebrated in any way. And everyone respected his wish.
Everyone except Sonic.
Because right in Shadow’s bed was a gift bag, along side a letter addressed to him, with Sonic’s scrawny ass handwriting. Shadow could feel the migraine forming already, this arrogant bastard always thinking the rules were below him, brought Shadow a gift.
Shadow let out a long sigh as he tried to ground himself. He wouldn’t let Sonic make him look like a fool, and besides it’s not like this Sonic is the first person to do this to Shadow.
Young sweet Maria, could never understand Shadow’s protest about not wanting to celebrate his birthday. Despite his explanations, Maria would never listen. Instead, she would sneak down to the cafeteria in the ark, and swipe him a big slice of apple pie.
Without having the heart to make Maria upset, Shadow would bite his tongue, and go along with Maria’s shenanigans. She would sing to him and he would pretend to blow out his imaginary candles, and make a birthday wish.
“See Shadow,” she would lecture, “Everyone serves to celebrate their special day.”
As Shadow stared at the gift bag he began to feel uneasy. With Rouge always leaving to visit Knuckles on Angel Island, their shared apartment was basically just his.
So how the fuck did Sonic get in here? Shadow stood there and conjured up all the possible ways that Sonic could’ve broken into his apartment. He imagined Sonic’s stupid smirk as he placed the gift on Shadow’s bed.
Gods, that means Sonic has been in his room…the thought made Shadow’s muzzle burn. Before he could really register what he was doing, Shadow ripped open his closet door, and obviously there was no one inside it. He then through himself to the ground and as he looked under his bed, he kinda half expected to see that blue freak. Confirming that there was no one hiding in his room, Shadow slammed his door shut and locked it.
He then ran to his window, and closed the blinds. Maybe he was being a little paranoid, but he would rather die having Sonic catch him opening his gift, like he cared. Shadow approached the gift slowly, as something would jump out of the bag and drag him to his death.
He began to think of what the hell could be in this bag. With it being a gift from Sonic, it was probably a stupid gag gift. With the card probably reading ‘GOT U FAKER!’
Yes, this is probably the whole point, Sonic using this gift as a trap to prove to everyone that even the Ultimate Lifeform can’t resist having a birthday. Shadow could bet at this very moment that this stupid hedgehog was just waiting to laugh at him.
Shadow snatched the letter from his bed, and tore it open, not caring about ruining it. Shadow opened the birthday card and the first thing he saw was
“Dear Shads”
Shadow’s knees buckled and he slowly sank down to the ground. ‘Shads’ not his full name, or Faker, or even a mocking name, Sonic has used HIS nickname. Shadow can’t remember exactly when he became ‘Shads’ but he does know he never wants to go back to being just Shadow to Sonic.
This wasn’t anything new, Sonic gave nicknames to all his friends, it really wasn’t anything special. But Shadow couldn’t help but feel special anytime Sonic said it. He could just imagine Sonic soft voice taunting him to open the gift.
But the more Shadow thought about it, Sonic only used ‘Shads’ when he was trying to be sincere. He would call him that when he wanted Shadow to hangout with him or even when he wanted Shadow to just live a little, by trying something new.
Shadow has always been treated harshly by life, but ‘Shads’ was like an entirely new person. It was like for the first time Shadow was offered an escape to a softer world, that only Sonic could lead him to and…
“GOOD GOD!” Shadow hissed, as he tugged on his quills, “Stop overthinking this.” He continued to read.
Dear Shads,
Happy birthday! Sorry I couldn’t hand this to you in person. Promised Tails that I would help him finish his project today. Don’t ya worry tho we can hang out tomorrow. I’ll even let you decide what we do since I’m so kind. We can even watch those boring nature documentaries you seem to like. (But I hope you choose something fun and don’t make me suffer).
-Sonic
Shadow reached into the bag and grabbed the top item, which was wrapped in green tissue paper. Is it possible that Sonic remembered that Shadow’s favorite color is green?
He carefully unwrapped the paper, and there in his hands laid a axolotl plushie. The axolotl was a pretty pastel pink, along with violet quills. On the plushie stomach was another note.
“I saw this and it instantly make me think of you. It’s funny you both have quills that are shaped like stars”
Shadow felt his own heartbeat pounding in his head.
Sonic thinking of him…
Did Sonic think of Shadow a lot?
Was Shadow always on his mind, just like how Sonic was always on his?
What other things made Sonic think of him?
Is this why Sonic always wanted to stargaze together because he loved the stars, and apparently to him Shadow looked like a star. Could that mean that Sonic also could love him?
Shadow sighed, he hated how worked up he was getting. Sonic probably just grabbed the first object he saw and wrote these meaningless notes in seconds, praying that they made sense.
Yes, Sonic was lazy and unorganized, there is no way that he could’ve planned such a sincere gift.
But as Shadow stated at the axolotl’s soft smile he couldn’t help his mind from wondering. He wanted to know for himself if Sonic viewed him as this way. Someone who is capable of being soft, despite being created as a deadly weapon. Sonic clearly didn’t view Shadow as a weapon or even some freak demon thing.
Or maybe Sonic did view him this way, but in the end who cares it’s not like Shadow would ever find out what that hedgehog was thinking. Sonic has always had problems expressing his thoughts, and it always pissed Shadow off, espresso during battle where they needed communication to survive. But at the end of the day it’s not like Shadow was any better.
He could list a million things that reminded him of Sonic, like this green tissue paper that matched his eye color and…
Shadow wishes he could rip out his brain. He set the axolotl down and reached back into the bag for the last gift. On top of the paper was another notes.
“I remember you telling me how much you love this stuff because it reminds you of home”
Shadow ripped through the paper inside was a metal container, holding another note
“I made this myself, enjoy :D”
Shadow opened the container and gasped. Inside was an entire apple pie, just like the ones he would enjoy with Maria. He didn’t realize he was crying until heard a broken sob. He laid down on the floor, disgusted with himself.
How dare Shadow think all these horrible things about Sonic. From him being lazy to self absorbed, and even him being selfish. That blue idiot who seemed so stuck in his own head, remember the one personal thing Shadow has ever told him.
Being honest Shadow only told Sonic about his favorite dessert as a way to get him to shut up and stop playing twenty questions with him. And the fact that Sonic went out of his way to make it by hand, and instead of just buying, was just too overwhelming for him.
Forcing himself to get a grip, Shadow chaos controlled to Sonic and Tails house. Shadow banged on the door, and a few second later, stood Sonic.
“Geez man are you trying to break my door?” Sonic laughed.
“Faker, I’ve received your gift.”
“And?”
“Thank you.”
Sonic laughed again, “Does this mean I get to throw you a huge surprise party next year?”
“No”
“Darn. Then I guess I’ll just have to outdo myself next year”
It would take many birthdays for Sonic to outdo himself, but he finally did it when he gave Shadow his love, and this time Shadow didn’t overthink it