Archive of Our Own

The captain of the Final Hazard, Shadow the Hedgehog, really wasn’t frightening. Not to Sonic, anyway. Sure, he was an asshole when they first met, and the second time, and the third time, but Sonic was able to wear him down. They had met when Sonic was helping out at one of the local taverns. He had poked and prodded Shadow, not caring who he was, demanding a good story to keep him entertained throughout his shift. Shadow would relent, give Sonic one short story, then leave. Each time it got easier to break down his walls and each time the stories grew longer and filled with more details. 

His company was enjoyable to Sonic now, though a majority of the people in town felt differently. To them, Shadow was a necessary evil; as long as he came around, troublesome crews stayed away. They allowed them to dock at port, allowed them in their shops and taverns, and to their dismay, allowed Sonic to befriend them (though he heard their endless complaints about his choice of company on the daily). 

“Don’t you have work to do?” Shadow asked, letting out a sigh when Sonic took a seat in the open chair next to Shadow, beaming as Rouge leaned forward in her chair across from him. The bat’s shimmery eyeshadow glimmered in the candlelight, her expression one of a girl about to win a bet. 

“Oh relax, Captain,” Rouge said. “Blue here has been working so hard all evening, why not delight him in a story?”

“Yeah, Captain, delight me in a story,” Sonic grinned, going along with the navigator’s teasing. He was on friendly terms with a majority of the crew, it was hard not to when he had wormed his way into being friends with their captain. Turned out, Shadow didn’t make friends very often, so when he got a new one the entire crew were on Sonic’s case, racing each other to the tavern to speak to him first and figure out why their captain had accepted his friendship. 

Shadow rolled his eyes, but relented. Sonic had learned that it was easy to make him give in when himself and Rouge were the ones asking. Whether that was due to favoritism or knowing how annoying the two of them were together, Sonic didn’t know, but he preferred to think that it was due to favoritism. Sonic leaned forward as Shadow dove into his story, captivated by his words. He was so captivated that he didn’t hear the arguing coming from the bar and only snapped out of it when Shadow stopped talking and pulled him down against the floor. 

“Stay down,” Shadow ordered, free hand on Sonic’s back as his other hand crackled with magic. His breath was warm against Sonic’s ear, and his tone was harsh, but Sonic knew it was because he cared. While it was very chivalrous of Shadow to try and protect him, Sonic knew his way around a fight. He pushed against Shadow’s hand to get a view of the fight and once he located the source (it wasn’t hard to tell who started it when three guys were surrounding one person), he leapt up and went after the cause of the problem. It wasn’t his first time breaking up a tavern brawl, and it wouldn’t be his last. “Sonic!” 

“Relax, Captain!” Sonic called back to Shadow and spun dash into the assailant. He pushed him back easily, and dodged a punch with a grin. He didn’t enjoy fights, especially when innocent people could be hurt, but they were the only things that added a bit of spice to his daily life, besides his visits from Shadow. He jumped when he was grabbed by the shoulders, but the hands quickly left him as Shadow appeared, punching the assailant’s buddy. 

Shadow was fearsome and quiet, unlike Sonic who toyed with his opponent, treating the fight more like a game than anything else. They worked well together despite their different fighting styles and prevented anyone from getting hurt. 

“I told you to stay down,” Shadow muttered, now outside the tavern. Understandably, everyone had been kicked out once the town’s guards showed up to handle the aftermath of the fight. The rest of the crew had either gone back to the ship or found another tavern to spend the rest of the evening with, but Shadow had stayed with Sonic. 

“I can handle myself,” Sonic said, leading them towards his home. “Besides, I know you’re impressed by my fighting abilities! I’ve broken up plenty of fights before, so you don’t have to worry.” 

“You have potential,” Shadow muttered, crossing his arms while Sonic smiled at him and bumped their hips together. The rest of the walk to Sonic’s home was quiet, but not unpleasant. He didn’t often get to spend time alone with Shadow and even though they weren’t speaking, it was nice. There were a few times he caught Shadow opening his mouth as if to say something, but he closed it and kept quiet. It was odd, since Shadow had never seemed to have a problem saying what was on his mind before, but Sonic didn’t push it. He bid Shadow a good night once they got to his and Tails’ place, then carried on with his evening. 

The next morning after he helped Tails around the workshop, he sought out Shadow. Typically he could find him on the ship, but the crew told Sonic that he had gone into town when he asked them. They didn’t know where exactly, which was odd, but maybe Shadow had gone off to do personal shopping? Sonic didn’t question it, even when Rouge gave him an almost sad look. 

He shifted his focus to the market and other shops that Shadow might frequent. Unfortunately, the day was filled with people in the town questioning him about the fight last night. Sonic had to correct them each time since they seemed to think Shadow’s crew was the one who started the fight, not ended it. Each time he got a pitied look, as if he was a child who didn’t understand the ways of the world and that Shadow was taking advantage of him. How, he didn’t know, since the guy never even got a free drink out of Sonic, but oh well. There wasn’t any point in arguing, Sonic could shrug off their opinions easily. 

He gave up in the late afternoon, ears drooping. Getting time with Shadow was rare, especially when there were often month-long gaps between his visits, and Sonic felt cheated out of time. There was tonight, but Sonic still had to work and couldn’t spend his entire shift taking up Shadow’s attention. At least he could get a little attention, the thought perking him up just enough to get him through his first hour. After that, his mood began to deflate. 

Where the hell was Shadow? And the rest of his crew? None of them were here yet, which was unusual for them. He frowned as he put a clean glass back on a shelf, thinking of the ebony captain. “What’s wrong with you?” A tavern owner, an older gray cat, asked, eying Sonic up and down. “Upset that that ruffian isn’t here? It’s for the best, kid. You don’t need to get tangled up in that mess, and he was bound to take advantage of your little crush on him eventually.” 

Sonic’s muzzle went red, embarrassment rising to his cheeks. So what if he found Shadow attractive? Shadow hadn’t tried anything so far, and Sonic doubted that he would now. It was a slow night, and the owner annoyed him, so Sonic crept out the back and ventured off to other taverns on the street. 

It took him half an hour but he finally passed by a tavern and caught the sight of red and black quills through an open window. Why the hell was he at this tavern and not the one that Sonic worked at?  He approached the window and stared at the side of Shadow’s face, eyebrows furrowed. Eventually, Shadow slowly turned his head and met Sonic’s eyes. Sonic crossed his arms, keeping his expression as annoyed as possible. “What the hell are you doing here?” 

“You better go talk to him,” Rouge said as Shadow turned away, patting him on the shoulder from her seat right next to him. 

“Yeah you better!” Sonic exclaimed, getting the attention of the other bar residents. Shadow kept his face forward, as if ignoring Sonic would make him go away. “Fine, I’ll come to you!”

“No, I’m coming,” Shadow said, standing before Sonic could move. Sonic walked towards the door, meeting Shadow as he left the building. They stared at each other, neither saying anything for a few moments. “What?” 

“Why the hell are you here and not at the Blue Conch? Did you hit your head yesterday and forget what tavern I work at?” Sonic asked, now even more irritated. Shadow was intelligent, he knew what was bothering Sonic, so why was he acting like this? 

“No, I remember,” Shadow said, crossing his arms. Sonic frowned when Shadow said nothing else. Why was he being so short all of a sudden? Usual Sonic could brush this type of attitude off and carry on with his day, but this bothered him.

“So what is the matter?” Sonic asked, furrowing his brows. When Shadow made no inclination that he was going to answer, Sonic had to switch directions. “Oh, I see what the issue is. You’re upset that I kicked those guys’ butts yesterday better than you did. I knew pirate captains were prideful, but I thought you were better than the others,” Sonic shrugged, pleased when he saw Shadow’s shoulders stiffen. “You’re too embarrassed to show your face around the tavern, that’s why you didn’t come around.” 

“I am not too embarrassed, nor am I that stupidly prideful,” Shadow growled, his little white fangs showing as he spoke. It was cute. Sonic eyed him, acting like he didn’t believe him. 

“Then what is the reason?” Sonic asked, causing Shadow to uncross his arms and glare at the ocean to the side. Sonic waited, not wanting to push him more than he already had. He knew when enough was enough, and if he continued to push then Shadow would just leave.

“We were banned,” Shadow said after a minute of silence. Sonic’s ears perked forward, wondering if he heard Shadow correctly. “Although we did not start the fight, the owner treated us as if we did. When you were speaking to the guards, he told me that we were no longer welcomed,” he said with an eye roll. 

“But that doesn’t make any sense,” Sonic said, trying to process what Shadow said to him. He knew Shadow wasn’t well liked, but they hadn’t caused any issues for the Blue Conch since they started visiting. There were other taverns in town, and they always needed extra help, so it wouldn’t be difficult for Sonic to switch jobs, but it was frustrating that they were being punished. “Didn’t you try to fight it?” Shadow answered with a shake of his head. “But why not?”

“It’s not worth the trouble,” Shadow muttered, getting a frown out of Sonic. “Do the people of this town not diseude you from socializing with us? I am aware of the looks they give when they see you with me, so I know that they do not approve.”

“Yeah, but I don’t put much weight into their words,” Sonic said, starting to understand why Shadow was behaving this way. “Is that why you hid from me today? You were on the ship the whole time, weren’t you? I didn’t think you were the type to care what others think.”

“I do not, but you’re the one that lives among them and has to hear their complaints. It would be easier for you to distance yourself from us.” 

“Don’t go making decisions for me,” Sonic said, glaring at Shadow. His concern was appreciated, but it also angered Sonic. He didn’t like when people tried to take his choices away from him. He was his own person and he was going to do what he wanted. 

 
“I am doing this to help you, don’t be foolish,” Shadow argued, not deterred by Sonic’s rising anger. Sonic rolled his eyes at the reasoning. Shadow wasn’t helping him, all he was doing was pissing him off. Did he not realize that Sonic didn’t care about what others thought about him? 

“I am not going to let others control who I speak to and control what I do. If I want to talk to you, then I shall, their opinions be damned.” He took another step forward, entering Shadow’s space.  

“You are just making your life harder.” 

“Good, it was getting a little too boring around here,” Sonic said, smirking as Shadow continued to glare at him. Sonic could feel the heat radiating off of the pirate, and with little effort he pressed an index finger against the white fur that protruded out from his coat. It was far softer than Sonic had been expecting “If you don’t want me around, tell me to fuck off. If you do, then you owe me the end of that story.” 

Shadow’s single red eye glared at him, but Sonic didn’t back down. If Shadow did tell him to fuck off, Sonic would be hurt, but he would let go. He’d find someone else to fill his head with reckless adventures, though it would never be the same. Shadow reached up and took his hand. Sonic braced himself for the ‘fuck off’, ready to return home with his tail between his legs, but he didn’t. 

Instead, he pulled Sonic into a heated kiss. Sonic eyes went wide in surprise before he closed them, melting into the pirate’s hold. He hadn’t realized how badly he wanted to kiss Shadow until now, and he didn’t want to let go. His touch was rough, but not enough to hurt Sonic, as he ran his hands down his sides and through his quills. Sonic balled his hands into his fur and coat, wanting him even closer. 

“I knew you enjoyed my company,” Sonic said as they pulled away from each other, both out of breath with reddened muzzles. Shadow kept his hands around his waist, fingers rough and tight on his quills, but not unwanted. He smiled as Shadow rolled his eyes, pleased with the outcome of the situation. 

“I see you and Blue made up, Captain,” Rouge said, startling both of them. Shadow’s grip tightened and he pulled Sonic closer, almost like he was trying to hide him against his chest. “I suppose that means we will continue to visit this island?” 

“You were going to stop visiting?” Sonic asked, catching the glare Shadow sent Rouge’s way. The thought of Shadow never returning without a word had Sonic tightening his grip on Shadow’s coat.

“I was trying to prevent further scandal for you,” Shadow said, looking back at Sonic. His expression softened, as if he realized how that would have made Sonic feel. Sonic wouldn’t say how badly that would’ve hurt him, because he wasn’t a sappy person, so he was glad Shadow seemed to understand just from a look how stupid of an idea that would be. “My actions were misguided and unnecessary, you made that clear earlier.” 

“I think you might owe him a few letters,” Rouge said, putting a hand on her hip. Sonic eyed her, interest piqued. “We’ve got a pretty well trained flicky, Blue. It can get you letters fast. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a few written stories to hold you over until we dock again?”

“Rouge-” Shadow muttered, but was interrupted by Sonic.

“Yes! Great idea, Rouge,” Sonic and stuck his tongue out at Shadow. “You owe me! We lost valuable time today. I could’ve heard at least three more stories.” 

“Glad that’s settled,” Rouge said, clapping her hands together. “I’ll keep the crew occupied so you can have the ship to yourself, Captain,” she winked and returned inside the tavern. Sonic smiled and dragged Shadow towards the ship. 

–

The letters continued long after Shadow met his three story quota, and after multiple visits, not that Sonic was complaining. Some were short, barely half of a page, while others were multiple pages with tightly fit sentences that were filled with information Shadow wished to share with him, some even filled with words of affection. Those always had Sonic’s heart racing as he read them again and again. The only negative to the letters was how it made Sonic miss Shadow even more so than he had before. 

He wondered when the next letter would arrive as he glanced out at the ocean. He had lived here his whole life and nothing was wrong with it, but he longed to travel to all the places Shadow told him about. He wanted to experience them, though, as much as Sonic wished he could tag along, the ocean was no place for a hedgehog who couldn’t swim. He shook his head, bringing him back to the task at hand. Shadow hadn’t even asked him to join him, so why bother thinking about it?

Tails needed him to pick up scrap metal from the blacksmith and a few crystals from one of the magic shops in town. He wasn’t sure what the fox was going to create with a bag of broken crystals and a barrel of scrap metal, but he didn’t question it as he rolled it towards his home. However, the people in town made it a difficult task as they continued to stop him on the way home, and by the time he rolled the barrel into Tails’ workshop, he collapsed on top of it. 

“I’ve been waiting for you,” Tails said from somewhere in the shop. Sonic was too tired to move from his spot on the barrel, so he continued to stare at the floor. “Are you okay?” 

“Everyone needed help and I couldn’t outrun them because of the barrel of METAL,” Sonic groaned, finally peeling himself off the barrel. He took a moment to stretch and set the bag of crystals on Tails’ workbench before shaking out his legs. A little stiff, but he’d be okay. “Couldn’t you get this delivered?”

“For a fee,” Tails slowly pushed the barrel towards the back of his workshop so it was out of the way.

A chirp interrupted them as a flicky flew into the workshop. Sonic’s ears perked up, a smile growing on his face. That wasn’t just any flicky, that was Shadow’s! It landed in Sonic’s outstretched palms, chirping happily at him. It had a tube for a message around its torso, almost like a little mail bag. Everytime Sonic got a letter he would do a lap around the town, excitement too much to handle before he settled on his favorite grassy hill to read. This time though, his legs ached from pushing the barrel so he took a seat on a nearby stool as Tails dumped the contents of the bag on his workbench to examine them.

Sonic,

Everyday I wonder what I have done to deserve a crew like the one I have. Annoying, loud, and so easily distracted by anything that shines. If not for Rouge, we would be on course to your town and be there in three days. Rest assured, we will be back on course at first light, whether Rouge has her jewel or not. 

I hope that you do not grow a big head at what I am about to say, but I know that you will regardless of my request.  I wish I was listening to your endearing ramblings all night, and not thrown off course for a single jewel. I ask that you be free in five days when we finally make it to port. 

Sonic reread the letter again and again, specifically the last part. He found his ramblings endearing? He clutched the letter to his chest, smiling to himself. Sonic would be lying if he said his feelings for the dark captain weren’t reaching new heights with each letter he was written. 

Others had tried to court him before, woo him with words and gestures, but it all fell flat to Sonic. They promised stability, a quiet life, and sure that was nice, but not for Sonic. He did have to admit though, Shadow was doing a fine job of sweeping him off his fast feet, even if that wasn’t his intention. He wasn’t sure what to write in return, but the flicky was ready to return home to the Final Hazard.

Captain,

How dare you make me wait? I’m a very busy hedgehog, but perhaps for you, I can be persuaded to spend the evening with you instead of my other suitors. Also, please tell Rouge she is no longer my favorite.

He wrote quickly, smiling as he rolled up the parchment and slid it into the tube, putting the cap on it. The flicky chirped before flying out the open window, somehow knowing exactly where on the ocean the ship was. 

“Was that Shadow’s flicky?” Amy asked, peering into the open doorway of the workshop. She walked in, bag hanging at her side. “I bought you some extra crystals from the shop. We had a mess right at closing time, so I saved these guys from getting thrown out.” She dumped her bag onto the workbench, making Tails smile. 

“Thank you Amy! And yeah, it was. Easy to tell because Sonic gets a dopey look on his face,” Tails teased, making Sonic roll his eyes. “What? It’s true.”

“You do look quite smitten,” Amy said with a wide grin on her face. Sonic folded the letter up and slipped it into his vest pocket to distract himself from Amys’s knowing gaze. “He sent another romantic letter I bet! Can I read it?” Sonic frowned as she laughed at his reaction. There wasn’t anything embarrassing in the letter but still, the words were for him alone. “Okay okay, I’m just teasing you. What is the good captain up to anyway?” 

“Jewel hunting, boringggggg,” Sonic groaned, almost slipping off the stool. “Tails, what is with all those crystals buddy?” Sonic changed the topic, wanting to talk about something else. 

Tails and Amy were aware of he and Shadow’s increasing affections with each other. Tails had been confused and a bit uneasy with Shadow whenever he stopped by the workshop until Shadow had started bringing him small bags of oddities from his adventures. Bits of metal, pieces of technology, even some magical items that had worn through almost all of their magic supply, Tails loved it all and always had a use for it, somehow.

Amy hadn’t been entirely opposed to Shadow, as long as he wasn’t causing trouble. She knew telling Sonic to be careful would fall on deaf ears, so she just threatened Shadow once and decided that was enough. Shadow hadn’t been frightened, but he did tell Sonic he had been impressed with her bravery and her loyalty to Sonic. After that, Amy hadn’t been quiet about how romantic it was, how it was just like one of her romance novels she loved to read. 

Sonic was unable to deny how it truly did appear like something from her novels he would borrow when he was bored.The books weren’t exactly his cup of tea, but they entertained him enough to pass the time. Shadow could be charming like the pirates in the book, though he did it all in his Shadow way; with more snark, more ‘hmps’, way more eye rolls, and Sonic expected no less. He loved the pull and tug they had, how one moment Shadow could be telling Sonic how beautiful he thought him to be and then the next, rolling his eyes at Sonic’s jokes. 

“Oh, that reminds me, I need a test subject for this,” Tails said, smiling at Sonic. He had a few days to kill before Shadow was in town, so why not?

–

Sonic liked to think it was a coincidence that on the day the Hazard was scheduled to dock, everyone in town needed his assistance. Surely they weren’t trying to keep him from Shadow, as if anyone could (except for Tails with good reason). Still, he went along with their requests because he had nothing else to do while he waited for Shadow and Shadow was right, he was the one that had to live with them, so doing easy tasks for them made his life a bit easier. 

The only person he knew wasn’t trying to keep him from Shadow was Ms. Vanilla, which was obvious when she pushed him out the door of her bakery with a small box of pastries. “For you and your handsome suitor,” she had said with a warm smile. Sonic tried to brush it off, but he knew she could sense his embarrassment. He really needed to remind Amy to not tell everyone his business.

With a smile he was out the door and at the port in seconds, buildings and people blurring until he was standing in front of the Final Hazard. It was a large and beautiful ship, built with dark colored woods that almost shone in the rays of the setting sun. He smiled to himself, heart racing against his chest as he stared at the ship. It appeared as if the crew had already left for the town; no one in sight as he stepped onto the ship. 

“Sorry for the wait, Blue,” Rouge said, floating down from the crow’s nest. Her golden hoop earrings sparkled in the sun, perfectly done makeup ready for a night in the tavern where she would con people into buying her drinks. “Captain is waiting for you in his room,” she nodded back towards the ship, patting his shoulder before she took off. 

“Ohhh captainnnnn,” Sonic called, heading straight to Shadow’s office and bedroom below deck. He had done this so many times, he could do it with his eyes closed. The door was shut when he got to it, so he gently pushed against it, peeking in to check if Shadow was there. He was standing at his desk, hands sprawled out as he looked down at a map. His large hat was hung on the wall hook behind him, but his coat remained on, along with his black eyepatch on his right eye. His shirt had been unbuttoned, allowing his white chest fur to poke out, getting all of Sonic’s attention. “Don’t act like you need permission,” Shadow said, his single red eye looking at Sonic, who smiled and entered the room, shutting the door behind him.

“Just didn’t want to interrupt your important work,” Sonic teased, walking over to Shadow, loving how he had all of Shadow’s attention doing something so simple. He put a little extra sway in his hips, pleased when Shadow’s eye darted down to look him over. “Though I hope you’ll put it away and focus on me since I had to rearrange my schedule to accommodate your late visit.” 

Shadow growled, pulling Sonic against him when he was within range. Sonic let him be manhandled, a chill running down his spine as Shadow buried his face against Sonic’s neck, nipping at the skin there. He set the pastries on his desk; they would make for a nice dessert later.  “Suppose I have to make it up to you for making you wait five extra days.”

“A month and five days,” Sonic said, feeling Shadow’s hands tighten on his waist. An idea formed in his head, an idea that would annoy Shadow but would be so funny. “You know what would make it up to me?” Shadow pulled away to look at Sonic, eye clouding with lust.

He was going to be so pissed. 

“A race!” Sonic exclaimed, breaking out of Shadow’s hold with ease and dashing to the deck of the ship. Shadow was after him in a flash, one of the only beings Sonic had found so far that could almost match him in speed.  

“Brat,” Shadow called after him as Sonic raced through the streets, dodging past people, light posts, and fences. He laughed loudly, glancing back every so often to stick his tongue out at the ebony hedgehog. They looped around the town twice before Sonic took them out towards the countryside. He zoomed through the forest, jumping over roots and dodging low branches as they reached the lake. He quickly maneuvered around it, glancing back to smile at Shadow, but he wasn’t there.

“Got you,” Shadow said, racing across the lake, like he was hovering over the water. He tackled Sonic, keeping him close to his chest so the fall wouldn’t hurt him as they rolled over the soft grass. 

“You can run on water?!” Sonic asked into Shadow’s chest, voice muffled by his fur. He sat up, hands resting on Shadow’s chest as Shadow set up, resting back on his elbows. “How are you able to do that?”

“My boots have magical properties, they are resistant to water so when paired with my speed, I can dash across water,” he said, a hint of surprise in his eye, “I’m surprised you haven’t tried before. Seems right up your reckless alley,” Shadow frowned, eying Sonic. 

Maybe it was something Sonic could do, on calm water like a lake or a pond, and with the right shoes, but he didn’t have the gold for expensive footwear. He turned to look at the lake; it was very gentle and probably easy to glide atop. He couldn’t imagine doing laps on the ocean without faltering and diving headfirst into the water. All it would take was one slip up and he’d be lost under the waves, no matter how resistant his shoes were to water. 

The longer he stared, the tighter his chest got. How could he be afraid of something so simple? It was pathetic. “What’s wrong?” Shadow asked, getting Sonic’s attention again. Sonic put his face back in Shadow’s chest fur, groaning. 

“You just took so long to come see me, then you had to go and beat me in a race by cheating,” Sonic complained.

“I visit too often as it is, the townspeople are growing suspicious,” Shadow said, getting an annoyed sigh out of Sonic. This stuff again? “You always seem so annoyed that I have concern for you.”

“Because I don’t care what they think! They’re just jealous that we can have fun together,” Sonic complained, fingers brushing against the buttons on Shadow’s coat. “They’re stuck in this boring town on this boring island with no one writing them letters filled with stories of exciting adventures.” 

“I think it might be because you are very loved and I am very dangerous,” Shadow raised his brows as Sonic flicked one of the buttons, getting a soft cling in return. “As annoying as they are, they’re concerned for you. You are quite reckless.” 

“You’re siding with them now?” Sonic asked, looking up to meet Shadow’s eye. He pulled away, unsure of the direction Shadow was taking this conversation. The mood had shifted into something much less happy, and he didn’t like it. “What’s going on?” Shadow went quiet, eye closing slowly as Sonic continued to stare at him. So something was wrong, but what? 

“G.U.N. has gotten a bit too close for my comfort lately,” Shadow said slowly, opening his eye again to look at Sonic. Sonic’s quills bristled at the name. They had been after Shadow for years, and every other pirate on the sea. If they got hold of him somehow, he’d be dead. 

“You’ve managed to outfox them each time, so what is different now?” Sonic asked, not understanding. Maybe they had improved technology, better crews, a faster ship? All of those combined could make it harder for pirates to get away. Shadow didn’t say anything, but continued to look at him with a saddening look in his eye. Sonic paled when the realization hit him, guilt bubbling in his stomach. “Is it because of me? That’s not possible. You have to have tons of other people like me waiting around for you in each town you visit,” Sonic said, playing it off with a laugh.

Of course if they caught wind of a pirate’s paramour on land, they’d use that person to their full advantage. All it took was someone saying something to the wrong, or right, person, and word would get back to someone in charge, but that didn’t matter if there were multiple paramours to watch, it would become too complicated. They hadn’t ever talked about exclusivity, but Sonic wasn’t an idiot. He enjoyed the time he got with Shadow and the sweet words he read in their letters, but he had never assumed he was the only one who got that kind of attention. It would be nice to be that special, but it wasn’t possible.

 Shadow slowly shook his head, hands reaching out to brush against Sonic’s. “You’re the only one.”  

Sonic stilled, eyes going wide at the information. Part of him was elated to be so special, the only one who had what it took to climb over Shadow’s walls and into his bed, but another part of him felt heavy guilt. He had been the one to force himself into Shadow’s life, not once thinking of the consequences for either of them. 

“It’s not your fault,” Shadow said, as if he knew what Sonic was thinking. It didn’t matter now whose fault it was because this had to end before one of them got killed. He was all for recklessness, but not when Shadow’s life, and the lives of his crew, were on the line. “But I can’t risk them using you.” Sonic understood the reasoning and as much as he wanted to argue it, Shadow was right. They’d come and find him, and they could put Tails in danger too.

“Sweet of you to lie, Captain, but this is my fault,” he muttered, looking back down at the button he had flicked earlier. It was so shiny that he could see his reflection, though it was warped and looked nothing like him. “I was just so preoccupied with the stories and the attention, the affection you gave me, that I saw the people in town as our only problem. I didn’t mean to put you and your crew in danger.” 

“I was the one who kissed you, I could’ve told you to fuck off and ended this before it grew,” Shadow said, getting Sonic’s attention again. “I knew of the dangers, and I still did it.” Shadow sat up, putting an arm around Sonic’s back to keep him close. Sonic allowed himself to be held, wondering if this was truly it. 

“Wait, if I’m the only one, that means you really like me, right?” Sonic asked, eyes widening as the idea appeared in his head. Shadow rolled his eyes, but Sonic cut him off. “So take me with you!”

“What?” Shadow asked as Sonic squirmed in his hold, mind racing. “But, you told me that you stayed here to protect the town.” 

“I lied,” Sonic said, getting out of Shadow’s hold to stand before him. Shadow frowned at the admission, and Sonic realized that telling a pirate captain you had lied to him was not the best course of action. “I lied because I was embarrassed of the truth; I am afraid of water, and I can’t swim.” 

“....that’s all?” Shadow asked, looking up at Sonic with an expression of disbelief. Sonic didn’t care though because his mind was already far ahead of Shadow’s. 

“Yes, but now that I know you have magic shoes, I can also get magic shoes,” Sonic said, gesturing to Shadow’s boots. “I will have to borrow a few pieces of gold, but surely you’ll front the cost for me to join you, right?” Sonic asked as Shadow continued to stare at him. It was hard to read Shadow’s emotions, but he didn’t appear to be angry, which was a good sign. 

“G.U.N. will still be after me,” Shadow said as he slowly stood, dusting the blades of grass off of his coat. Sonic nodded his head, grabbing Shadow’s hands. 

“Yes, but I’ll be with you! They won’t be able to use me against you,” Sonic said, smiling at the thought of being on the ship each day. He’d get over his fear of water with a bit of practice and surely there were other magical items that could help keep him afloat should he go overboard. Why hadn’t he thought of this before? It was genius! 

“They can still hurt you,” Shadow said, nowhere near the excitement level that Sonic was at. His tone had Sonic’s ears wilting, fingers tightening their hold on Shadow’s. He couldn’t let Shadow disappear from his life forever. 

“I could be hurt by anything,” Sonic said, trying to push Shadow’s worries away. “As dangerous as it is, your side is exactly where I want to be. I want that life of excitement and thrills with you. If that’s too much for you, or if you tire of me, then you can dump me off on another island somewhere–”

“I won’t tire of you–”

“Then take me with you! Please?” Sonic asked, looking into Shadow’s eye. He didn’t know what else he had to say to convince Shadow that bringing him along was the right choice. Shadow frowned, then sighed, pulling his hands away from Sonic to run them through his quills, like he was having an internal debate with himself. Finally he directed his attention back to Sonic, pulling him in for a deep kiss that had Sonic’s mind spinning.

“I need to prepare a few things before you join me, okay?” Shadow asked, getting a rapid head nod from Sonic as he pulled away. He didn’t know what Shadow had to do first, but he could wait if it meant he was getting what he wanted. “And I will be gone for a longer period of time.”

“Is…is everything okay? You don’t have to go do something that could get you killed, right? That would be quite the disappointment,” Sonic said, joke falling flat. Shadow was still so serious, it was difficult to feel elated when he was like this. He couldn’t figure out what was going on, or why Shadow looked this way when they had found the perfect solution.

“It will be,” Shadow said before flicking one of Sonic’s ears. “Just be patient, love.”

–

“I had to roll a barrel full of metal through town for Tails because SOMEONE forgot,” Amy complained, muzzle red as she appeared on the hillside where Sonic was sitting. He groaned, shaking his head at his forgetfulness. Amy took a seat next to him, rolling her eyes. “What has gotten into you? You’ve been so empty headed these past two months. Well, you’re empty headed all the time.”

“Hey!” Sonic elbowed her and she elbowed him back, breaking out into a playful fight that left them laughing more than actually hitting each other. Eventually they stopped and both went quiet, looking out at the ocean and town. 

“Is this about you leaving with Shadow? Tails mentioned something about you going on a trip, so surely it has to be with Shadow,” Amy crossed her arms as Sonic looked anywhere but at her. “Sonic the hedgehog! When were you going to tell me?!” 

“Before I left?” Sonic answered, getting a hit on his shoulder. He frowned and went back to messing with the grass. He came up here to watch the horizon, as if Shadow would appear and whisk him away to a life of adventure. “I…I don’t know if it’s going to happen anymore, Ames.”

“What, why not?” Amy asked, green eyes wide and curious. Sonic shrugged, pulling at a blade of grass. “Did something happen?”

“No? I don’t know,” Sonic said, still messing with the piece of grass. He told her of their conversation, wondering if she could find something that he missed out on. “He said he would be gone longer than he planned, which is fine, but looked…I don’t know how to describe it. Like he was going to have to do something he didn’t want to do, maybe? And I haven’t gotten a single letter from him yet.” 

“That is odd,” Amy said, resting her chin on her knees. “But, if Shadow is willing to drop that much gold on you, he must like you a great deal,” Amy said, a small smirk on her face as Sonic blushed, shrugging. “I think he cares about you a great deal and just wants to make sure he’s ready before he steals you away. How romantic!”

“Be a little louder, will ya?” Sonic muttered, ears flattening against his head. He knew he looked flustered with the way Amy was giggling at him, but there wasn’t much he could do about that. 

“Wow,” Amy sighed, off in her own little world. “I never thought I would see the day that you would be involved with someone romantically, and a pirate captain no less. It truly is something straight out of my books!” 

“I guess, sure, it is kinda romantic,” Sonic replied, rubbing his nose. He really cared for Shadow and Shadow had repeatedly made it clear how much he liked Sonic, though Sonic wouldn’t describe himself as romantic like the people in Amy’s books. He wasn’t good at sweeping people off their feet unless he was saving them in a battle, but Shadow didn’t seem to mind that.  “I am far stronger than the protagonist in your books.”

“Yeah, you aren’t as helpless as some of them are,” Amy said, resting her arms on her knees as she smiled at him. “Don’t fret over this. I’m sure he has his reasons for taking a bit longer this time, and for not writing. From what you told me, it sounds like he has a few loose ends that he wants to tie up before he gets you involved. He’s just being careful with you, which I think is sweet.” 

“But he could tell me…” Sonic muttered, yanking out another blade of grass. They were both quiet for a few moments before Amy patted his back, smiling at him. 

“Time to practice patience! Let’s go distract ourselves by seeing what Tails is building this time,” Amy said, standing up quickly.  Sonic humored her teasing all the way to his house, inwardly frowning when he saw that there was no flicky. He pushed it to the back of his mind, Amy was right, he needed to be patient. 

Shadow had warned him he would be gone longer, and for whatever reason that was, Sonic just had to trust him.

–

“Messenger flickies can sense danger,” Ms. Vanilla said as Sonic helped her in the bakery. It had been another month with no letters, and Sonic was starting to feel anxious. He had to talk to someone about it, and Ms. Vanilla always offered good advice, so Sonic went to her. He frowned, not wanting to entertain the idea that something had happened to Shadow. He liked to believe that Shadow was unstoppable, but this had his belief faltering, just a bit. 

To go two months without a letter was strange, three months was worrying. He didn’t even get one from Rouge or Tangle. Were they all in trouble? Were they caught in some horrible storm or something? It didn’t help that others in the town had begun whispering about him whenever he walked by. He was sure by now that everyone knew he was planning on leaving with Shadow (he loved Amy but she ran her mouth a little too much) and that had him watching his back for any G.U.N. officers.

Ms. Vanilla offered the same advice Amy had, be patient and trust Shadow, but that was easy for them to say when they didn’t feel like this. He constantly felt like he needed to go for a run, but no matter how much or fast he ran, his legs were still jittery and he couldn’t relax. Sleep was getting harder to come by, and his patience was nearing its end. Even though he knew it wouldn’t help, he decided to race around the island. It was large enough to challenge him, and the dense forest gave him obstacles to jump off of and dive through, entertaining him enough to take his mind off the situation. 

He spent the day outside, finally feeling a bit lighter as he returned to town in the late afternoon. It had only taken half the day, but he might be able to sleep well tonight. The quiet of the town was broken when Sonic saw Tails waving at him. 

 “Sonic!” Tails exclaimed, running down the street. “Sonic, we need to get to town hall! C’mon,” he gestured for Sonic to follow and flew down the street. Sonic raced after him, mind reeling at all the possible outcomes. Was someone being attacked? Were they being held hostage? 

As they approached town hall, Tails finally slowed, out of breath. The double doors were shut, but they could still hear voices from inside. “Why is it so loud?” Sonic asked. “Is someone being held hostage?” 

“You could say that,” Tails said, and pulled open the door. 

It was loud, with people arguing, but Sonic couldn’t pinpoint an exact topic and he couldn’t think of anything that would cause this much of a ruckus. It was overwhelming for a brief moment, almost stunning Sonic as he tried to figure out what the hell was going on. Sonic whistled loudly, cutting through the noise. It went quiet as everyone stared at him. “What are you doing?” 

The room erupted into noise again. They were all shouting at him though, not each other, causing him to take a step back. He held up his hands, trying to calm them down and figure out what was wrong. “STOP!” Amy yelled, slamming her hammer onto the floor. The floor shattered, but people finally stopped yelling. “I’ll tell you what’s happening! They’re trying to stop you from going with Shadow. His ship is just on the horizon. They sent for G.U.N. ships to protect the town so he couldn’t get to you!” Sonic turned to the door, heart racing. He didn’t know what to do, but he had to do something. 

This was his fault, he had to fix it. 

“Sonic, we say this because we care about you,” an older man said, gesturing to the others in the hall as Sonic paused, looking back at them. “Please tell us that you aren’t planning to join that pirate captain’s crew?” 

“ Please say that this is a joke,” Sonic said, eyes wide as everyone stared back at him. People were willing to go this far to stop him and Shadow? “You were the ones that called G.U.N. and reported me to them?”

“We’ve watched you grow into the respectable hedgehog you are today, and we just can’t stand by while you put yourself in danger like this,” a woman said from the middle row, getting a few murmurs of agreement. “Please reconsider this decision.” Sonic felt a tightness in his chest as they continued to yell at him. They claimed to come from a place of love, of concern, but they weren’t trying to help him. They weren’t looking out for his best interest, they were looking out for theirs, and now they might’ve ruined his chances. It was a big world, but there would never be another Shadow. If he died because of Sonic, he’d never feel peace again.

“This is what I want,”  Sonic said, raising his voice to be heard. “I was always going to leave, don’t you understand that? Shadow was just the unlucky guy to try and help me, Sonic balled his fist, determination filling him. He wasn’t going to give up now, not until he got to see Shadow again. “This thing between us, it has nothing to do with any of you. I am going to fix this.” 

The crowd went quiet and stared past him, towards the entrance of the building. Sonic slowly turned, ears perking up when he saw Shadow standing there.He had no clue how this was possible, or if G.U.N. soldiers were waiting outside to arrest him, but he was happy to see him. 

“There you are,” Shadow’s voice cut through the silence like a knife. It was all Sonic could focus on in the moment, relief flooding his system. He was okay, and he made it to the island! Maybe G.U.N. wasn’t already here? They could still get away! 

“This meeting is for members of this town only!” A woman shouted and then shrunk when Shadow turned his head to look at her. He smirked when she stayed silent, then refocused back on his goal.

“Are they holding you captive?” Shadow asked, lifting his hand to rest on his sword. Sonic could hear an audible gasp from the crowd from the threatening gesture. It was dramatic; Shadow wouldn’t need his sword to defend himself, but Sonic recognized it more as a power move than anything else. He was angry, but in control.

“It was a poor attempt at a farewell party,” Sonic joked, trying to ease the tension the best he could. He was trying hard to not swoon at Shadow’s feet like the protagonists in Amy’s romance books sometimes did, but he could understand now why they did it. He was exhausted from the run, from the betrayal of folks in town and all he wanted to do was be in Shadow’s arms, even if it was cheesy. 

“Ah, I was met with one of those at the docks. They refused to let us tie up,” Shadow looked around again, like he was daring someone to speak up. Sonic could see the little sparks of energy around Shadow’s fists. Oh, he was very angry. It was terribly attractive. “I apologize for my prolonged absence and lack of letters. The job we were on required secrecy, and no outside communication. We’re ready for you now.” 

“You can’t!” The same old man from earlier said, standing with a few others. “We have alerted G.U.N. to your presence. They’ll be here to collect you at any moment, and you’ll finally stop plaguing our town.” 

Shadow didn’t seem phased by the information at all, though. In fact, he looked amused? “The job was about a new partnership,” Shadow said to Sonic, crossing his arms. “Going forward, G.U.N. and I are allies. We will have to do a few jobs for them, but it will ensure much safer voyages for you.” 

“For me?” Sonic asked, feeling like he had missed some important information. A few pirates had joined forces with G.U.N. over the years, becoming privateers to keep themselves out of prison, but he hadn’t thought Shadow needed to do that, or even wanted to.  He had a long history with G.U.N., an unpleasant one. It wouldn’t make sense for the two of them to partner up.

“You’ll get into more than enough trouble on your own, so it is best that I take G.U.N. off the table,” Shadow said, earning a dreamy sigh from Amy, who mumbled something about romance, while Sonic continued to stare. Shadow had done that for him? Just to keep him safe? He really was like a protagonist from one of Amy’s books. Sonic straightened his posture, trying to calm himself and keep the blush off of his muzzle.

“So, the Final Hazard is a privateer ship now? Hm, sounds a little boring, but I guess it will have to do,” Sonic said, shrugging as he took a few steps towards Shadow. 

 “There'll still be plenty of adventure, so don’t pout at me,” Shadow said, gesturing towards the door. Sonic felt like the weight he had been carrying these past three months was finally lifting off of his shoulders. Guilt no longer sat in his stomach, just excitement for the things to come.

“Fine, but since you left me in the dark, I think I deserve a race,” Sonic smiled, getting a smirk from Shadow. They shared a glance before Sonic was out the door, leaving the shouts of the town’s people behind him. The air felt incredible on his quills, especially when Shadow was right next to him. 

“Put these on,” Shadow called, tossing two golden wristbands to Sonic, who caught them and stared at them, confused. Was this some sort of proposal? “They’ll keep you from drowning should you fall overboard,” Shadow said, settling Sonic’s thoughts. His muzzle was still red, but Shadow was more focused on the path ahead than Sonic’s embarrassment. “You need to be fitted for shoes, but these are a good enough start.”

“I knew that,” he muttered, clamping them onto his wrists. He felt a surge of magic burn through him before it settled with a dull hum around the bands. He looked forward again, tensing as the ocean got closer and closer. “Are you sure these work?” 

“C’mere,” Shadow scooped him up in his arms, speeding up as they hit the docks. Sonic held on tightly, barely holding back a scream as they leapt off the dock and onto the water. Ocean spray hit his face as he closed his eyes, pressing his face against Shadow’s chest. After a few moments, Shadow was chuckling again, chest rumbling against Sonic’s face. “I think your reaction was funnier than those fools back in your town.” 

“Be quiet,” Sonic said as he slowly opened his eyes. A seagull cried overhead and in front of them was the Final Hazard, with the crew all on deck, waving to them with a big smile. Sonic waved back at the crew, fear diminishing as they raced along the water. The town shrunk behind them and stretched before was the vast sea and their endless possibilities.