Work Text:
North was protective. It was something so subtle yet so clear to Sonic. They weren’t often in life or death situations, the last few months were a fluke, but even before that North was protective over Sonic. He was subtle about it mostly, but Sonic always noticed, every time.
Pulling him tight when someone got too close at the bar, fighting his corner when the group teasing goes a little too far, bringing him food and medicine when he’s sick; North always looked out for Sonic. And Sonic loved it; he lapped up the attention that came from every small gesture or little comment, Sonic loved being seen by North, knowing North paid attention and really knew what Sonic needed, and when he needed it. But now that their lives were different, now that things had changed drastically for them all, Norths protective nature was frightening.
The first time he had done it, when he had risked his life to protect Sonic, the younger had ignored his begging and pushed it away, calling him an idiot afterwards. North had stood over him when Winner and his men had attacked Sonic, screaming for him to run away from danger and taking the men on himself to stop Sonic from being hurt. He had cleaned his wounds and playfully teased him afterwards, sitting on Alans couch after being saved, but Sonic couldn’t forget how scared he had been, and definitely would never tell anyone how his adrenaline had taken hours to crash afterwards and his heart rate wouldn’t slow back to a normal pace unless he was by Norths side.
But they had gone in blind the first time, alone, and it had ended badly. This time they had a plan, one which involved the entire group, and the two of them should have been far out of danger. They just had to go in, upload a video, and leave. That was it, simple. They were content creators, they were both experts with technology at this point, it was easy.
Only it wasn’t easy, was it. Nothing was simple for their group, and Sonic was starting to think that the groups combined luck had to be some of the worst in the world, because of course everything had to go wrong. Of course, Winner had to find them. Of course, Winner had a gun aimed right at their heads, as he backed them away into a corner. Of course, everyone else was busy with other parts of the plan, trying to take down Tony, that there wouldn’t be help coming.
And of course, because his boyfr- best friend was such a selfless, protective idiot, he grabbed Sonics arm as soon as he had laid eyes on the gun and pushed him behind his own body, keeping one arm wrapped around his bicep as he placed himself right in the line of fire.
Sonic loved when North was protective of him; it was attractive and affirming and it gave Sonic butterflies each time, but this time, watching as the gun stayed steadily pointed at Norths heart, Sonic felt like he was going to throw up.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
North was really starting to hate Winner.
He seemed to have some sort of separate hatred for the two of them, too, because he always seemed to find them at exactly the wrong time, and he always seemed to be intent on using that damn gun.
North could feel Sonic shuffling behind him on the floor, and he wrapped his arm around his Sonics bicep tighter to keep him where he was, stopping him from moving any more into view of Winner than he already was.
“You two again, huh. You know, I'm starting to think you wanna get shot.” Winner had that glint in his eye, intense and wicked, that told North how much he was enjoying this. He waved his gun to one side, gesturing as he took one step closer. “Separate. Now.” The two of them didn’t move, staying clung to one another, and Winner huffed out annoyed as he gestured again.
“Move apart, or I'll shoot one of you in the head right now.” Another beat of silence as North squeezed Sonics arm reassuringly. “Who will it be, huh?” He took two steps to the side, moving around them slightly as his gun moved from Norths heart to Sonics head.
North faltered at that, eyes widening as he tried to shift his body to spin them around somewhat, but he could see the determination in Winners face, could see how serious he was with his threats, and he did the only thing that made sense to him at that time.
“Don’t. Just stop Winner alright, just- keep it on me, yeah.” He gave Sonics arm one last tap, his last attempt at some comfort before pulling away from him and moving closer to Winner. Winner kicked at him, pushing him back to the floor as soon as he tried to stand, and gestured with the gun again towards Sonic.
“Against the wall. Now.” Sonics eyes widened and he began to reach for North instinctively, but he moved backwards and pushed himself into the corner against the wall, shrinking in on himself to make his body as small as possible. North stayed in front on Winner, looking up at the much taller man who was now looming over him, smiling down psychotically. “I’ve been waiting for this.”
It happened in a blink, before either North or Sonic had a chance to react Winner had leant over some, pulled his hand back and swung swiftly and violently towards North. The sound of the metal gun connecting with Norths temple rang in Sonics ears, and he couldn’t help but flinch back further into the wall, his arms coming up to his head instinctively seeing the gun collide with Norths own head, and he choked on a gasp.
North flew to the side, his body dropping instantly and hitting the ground with a dull thud. Sonic didn’t realise he was unconscious straight away, didn’t realise until he saw the blood pooling on the floor beneath his head and the way Norths arms flopped down, lifeless. He wasn’t moving, and despite the way his body was turned away from Sonic he could tell his eyes were closed.
“N-North. North?” Sonic pulled himself from the wall and crawled the few meters between himself and North, closing the distance as he reached an arm out to shake North gently. He forgot for a moment that Winner was even there, too focused on Norths prone form on the floor to even think about the fact that the crazed racer with a gun and a clear vengeance was stood over them. He was soon reminded of the danger they were still in when a shot rang out, and Sonic jumped and screamed, pulling Norths body into himself to try and cover him as much as possible. The bullet had just missed them, the hole in the ground right to their left clear evidence of that, and Winner screamed out again. Sonic was really starting to hate the sound of his voice.
“Move back before the next bullet is between your eyes.” Sonic couldn’t tell whether he was a complete idiot or ridiculously brave, but North was laid in his arms, unconscious and injured, his breathing too laboured and his head still bleeding profusely, and Sonic wouldn’t be leaving his side for anything, and so he snapped back at Winner, “I won’t leave him.”
His hands were shaking so badly that he struggled to keep his tight grip on Norths body, but his gaze was stern with intention; he wouldn’t part from north for anything.
Sonic watched as Winner raised his gun again, aiming it at the two, and he took a deep breath, eyes darting quickly between North and the weapon. North was always protective of Sonic, and if Sonic could keep him alive just this one time, he could consider the debt somewhat repaid.
A shot rang out and a separate bang echoed through the small space as Winners body stumbled and fell, gun falling to the floor, and Sonic fell back, taking North backwards with him. He screamed, a blinding pain exploding in his left arm, and tears welled up in his eyes.
Sonic didn’t know how long he lay on the floor, Norths still unconscious form laying over his legs, one hand grasped tightly over the pain in his arm where the bullet hit. The ceiling above was blurring in and out of focus, but Sonic refused to let himself fall unconscious, refused to give into the pain. North couldn’t be left alone. North needed his protection. He didn’t know how he would do that exactly, how he would protect North, when he couldn’t push himself up from the floor and darkness was so desperately trying to take over his vision, but leaving a vulnerable North barely alive and alone wasn’t an option, especially when his fuzzy brain couldn’t grasp what had even just happened.
A shadow entered his blurred vision, looming over him, and Sonic barely made out the outline of a person before his instincts kicked in and he wrapped his arms tighter around North, trying to pull himself up to shield him. The persons face started to come into view clearer, and he reached out for Sonics arm, pressing down tightly, forcing a pained yell out of his mouth.
“-ey. Hey. Sonic? Stop pulling away just- here. Keep pressing down.”
Fabric was pressed against the wound, and Sonic moved his hand to take it and press down again, staunching the blood flow.
“Shit’s going down at the auction. Police will be here any second. I’ll flag the ambulance to come around the back alright. I’m gonna assume you can’t walk yourselves out of here.”
Sonic looked at the voice, confused and a little annoyed, but he nodded.
“Right. Stay here, stay awake. And take this. He won’t be waking up anytime soon, but just incase.”
The gun was shoved into Sonics free hand, the arm being still wrapped around Norths middle, and then the voice was gone, body retreating out of the room quickly. Sonic managed to glance around, taking in the body on the ground next to them and glancing back down at the gun in his hand. He was starting to connect the dots, sort of, but his head was banging, and his arm was on fire, and falling asleep with North in his arms seemed more inviting than sitting alone confused and in pain.
Kim came back 15 minutes later to find the two unconscious, bodies entangled together, and he watched over as paramedics struggled to separate them. Sonics grip on North was unrelenting, even in unconsciousness.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The smell of antiseptic woke him. The room was lit way too brightly and the beeping in his ear was constant and loud, and there was a weight pressing down on his side which was mildly uncomfortable, but the smell was overwhelming, and Sonic awoke crinkling his nose in disgust. His eyes opened slowly, squinting as he looked at the lights on the ceiling, and blinked several times to try and adjust to the brightness. The pain hit next; it wasn’t too bad, but his arm went from numb to aching in seconds as his brain caught up, and he tried to move to reach for it instinctively, but a weight on his other arm stopped him from moving.
Pulling his arm gently, Sonic stopped swiftly as he felt the tickle of hair, and he glanced down as his vision landed on a body, bent over and sleeping on his side, using Soncis arm as a cushion. He was annoyed very briefly, about to scold the body for daring to use a poor, injured, hospital bed bound Sonic as a pillow when his brain seemed to catch up all at once.
Tonys mansion, the video, Winner, the gun, North knocked out on top of him, Sonic shot, North bleeding, North hurt, North not waking up, North- here. North, using Sonics arm as a pillow, sleeping by his side in that horrible plastic hospital chair, by Sonics bedside. North alive.
But he also noticed the matching hospital gown that North was wearing, and the bandage wrapped around his head, and how pale his face was.
Sonic moved his arm slowly, using it to shake North awake gently, and he watched as the older opened his eyes slowly, blinking sleep away and glancing around lazily before he landed on Sonic, and all sleep was suddenly gone.
“Sonic? Sonic, god you’re- when did you wake up? The nurse- are you in pain? Do you need some painkillers or- we need a nurse in here! Hey-”
“North. North, North, slow down. Hey, hey, I’m fine, I’m ok.” North looked at Sonic, there eyes meeting, and he placed a hand over Sonics own which was stroking his arm comfortingly. They held eye contact for a while, taking each other in, and Sonic gave a loving smile just as he saw tears well up in Norths eyes and fall down his cheeks.
North was crying, and that wasn’t right. North never cried. North was sunshine and energy and joy and light, he shouldn’t be crying. He shouldn’t be sad.
Sonic pulled his hand away from Norths own and reached up to wipe his tears away, his smile turning into a frown. “Are you ok?”
North laughed. North laughed as Sonic sat there, dumfounded and worried, wiping away his tears and watching him, concerned.
“I’m good. I’m great. You’re awake. You’re-” His tears fell heavier now, and he reached up to take Sonics hand in his own, caressing it gently with his fingers. “I’m so glad you’re awake. I woke up and they told me you’d been shot and you’ve been unconscious for 3 days but you’re-”
“I’m ok. We're both ok.”
“Yeah. Yeah, we are.”
The silence between them was heavy but comforting. North lay his head back on Sonics bed as the other man let himself lay back down on the bed, and they stayed that way for a while, hands interlocked.
A nurse came in soon after, checking Sonic over and giving him some more painkillers before leaving again. They sat in the comfortable silence for a while, taking one another in, the gentle touches grounding them before North cut the silence.
“I love you.”
North didn’t look up, instead keeping his eyes glued on the wall behind Sonic. Sonic could see how his eye twitched and his leg bounced up and down, Norths telltale signs of nervousness. He took a deep breath, looking down at North lovingly and building up some courage before he replied.
“I love you too.”
“Sonic-”
“I love you too, North. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. I’ve loved you as a friend-”
“A friend. Yeah. I love you because you’re my best friend.”
Sonic smiled, letting out a small giggle as he reached to take Norths face and tilt his head to look up at him.
“North. I’ve loved you as friend since the moment we met, but I've loved you as more than that for a long time.”
Sonic watched the disappointment melt away from Norths face as North sat up straighter, watching Sonics facial expressions carefully, gauging his tone, and once he was sure Sonic was sincere, once he realised he meant every single word, he let out a laugh so genuine and real that Sonic almost cried from joy.
“I love you too. I love you so much. God Sonic, I've wanted to say that for so long. I love you. I love you.”
They laughed together, giggling at one another as they kept gazed into one anothers eyes lovingly and swayed their interlocked hands.
“It really took all of this for us to finally say it.”
“And I'd get shot all over again if this was the outcome every time.”
“Hey! No more getting shot.”
“Well I don’t need to now, do I? You already said it, you can’t take it back.”
“Get yourself shot again and maybe I will.”
“No take backs! You love me, you already said it. You love me, you love me, you love me.”
“I really do.”
Extra:
“Shouldn’t you be in a hospital bed somewhere, huh? Or is this hospital gown your new look now.”
“I was. But I'm your knight in shining armour. I had to sit here and watch over the princess whilst he got his beauty sleep.”
Sonic slapped his arm lightly, “Shut up. I’m serious, this can’t be comfy.”
“I’m not going back to my room. The nurses already gave up arguing with me.”
Sonic paused for a moment and then shuffled over, pushing himself as far over in the bed as he could to make some room.
“Well lucky you I have a hospital bed right here. And look, plenty of space.”
North laughed, standing and pulling the covers down to get in bed beside Sonic. He put his arm out as he lay down, motioning for Sonic to sit upright and lay back against him. Sonic did, cuddling into North and letting the older boy hold him. He laid his head against Norths shoulder, one hand interlocked with Norths whilst Norths other pulled him close.
Sonic thought their bodies were made to fit together perfectly like this, interlocking with one another so seamlessly that the universe just had to have made them for one another. If Sonic had his way, they would stay like this forever.