Archive of Our Own

A day in Chun-nan, trying desperately to de-stress after making up with Amy, quickly took a turn when Sonic saw it.

The orchid.

A deep, hypnotising maroon, so dark it appeared black at first glance – but there was no such thing as true black when it came to flowers. The centre-most petals, the lip, were edged in a brilliant white. A hybrid. Rare, enchanting. Immediately reminding him of a certain dark-furred hedgehog. And the moment he saw it, Sonic had to have it. One way or another, he was getting this orchid home and to Shadow’s door. He had to.

Because he was starting to feel really crappy. And giving Shadow gifts was the only way he knew how to make up for not doing enough. Sonic hadn’t set up a single time to hang out. Shadow was the one who reached out every time, who tracked him down, who was there to reassure him when he was panicking. And what exactly had Sonic given back to Shadow after the black-furred hedgehog had sat with him, several times, when he’d had a spiral? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He felt like he was using Shadow as a sort of emotion cleaner, dripping his own problems everywhere for Shadow to mop up without really being there for him. So what exactly could he do to try and apologise?

Give another useless gift he’d probably not care for, he supposed. Maybe Shadow might like it? He didn’t exactly mind the flowers last time… And there wasn’t anything else Sonic could think to do. He could get the dark hedgehog this flower, arrange a time to meet up, and make himself shut up for a moment to listen to Shadow instead. It was all he could do to try and make up for it.

Maybe there was a better way but Sonic didn’t know it. But that wasn’t new; when did he know anything?

Sitting down next to the orchid, Sonic sighed. He thought talking to Amy would make him feel better. But for three whole days since, his mind had been nothing but a whirlwind of self-doubt. Tails was starting to notice, as he often did, so the hedgehog had wanted to get out of the house. And he’d thought coming to Chun-nan would be the best move. But it wasn’t really helping when everything seemed to remind him of Shadow. And thinking of Shadow reminded him how he’d been acting like a leech. And then that just made him feel worse.

He had to have better control over himself, damn it. No more breakdowns in front of Shadow. No more tears and yapping about his problems. This orchid would be the catalyst for his turn-around. It would be his excuse to go to Shadow on his own and make plans. To knock on that door confidently and stay there. To actually say hello when he arrived. To actually hand over the flower in person. This would be his chance to show Shadow he was ok and that he didn’t have to worry. That Sonic was totally fine with everything. That he was there when Shadow needed it too. He’d make an effort to be available and calm, to keep everything inside like he usually did. No more losing his cool; he’d be exactly what Shadow expected him to be.

Sonic the Hedgehog, cool, confident, laid-back hero.

But how to get this orchid back home in perfect condition…?

If he’d taken the Tornado like he’d briefly thought about doing, it wouldn’t be a problem. But he didn’t. He’d wrapped himself up in a red jumper, covered his quills, and set out on the train. It was one of those ones that passed underwater but he’d tried frantically not to think about that. It was quicker than booking a plane ticket, cheaper, and he didn’t have to bother Tails, who was working on a new upgrade he still hadn’t perfected. The fox had been making it since the day before Shadow’s birthday. Sonic hated to interrupt or rush his brother. So he’d had to find another way. Taking the train back would probably be his best bet still but he needed to get the orchid from here to the station down the mountain, then over on the train, and back from Station Square to Shadow’s house in pristine condition.

He’d need water. And something to put that water into, obviously. A cup maybe…

Ah, there was a café back inside the main town. If he could ask to pay for a wax paper cup on its own, he could scoop some water from the pond. Hopping up, Sonic set about doing that, keeping the location of the orchid in mind. He’d know how to find it again no problem; it wasn’t growing too far out on the mountain from the town.

Sonic wove his way around the pretty buildings, trying to remember where that café was. He’d always loved the aesthetic of Chun-nan. There was something pleasing about the sloping roofs, the pop of red against the rocky surroundings. Even the gentle purr of the waterfall was soothing to his nerves ordinarily. There was a steady breeze that wrapped around the town, making the lanterns sway. If it wasn’t so far away from everything else up here, Sonic could see himself living in a quiet little place like this. Only, maybe not in the town itself. But he knew he’d probably never settle down here for various reasons.

Eggman was one. The mad scientist was not giving up on his world domination plans anytime soon. And Sonic had to be able to quickly reach the man where he attacked most often – and that was the main continent governed by the United Federation. While Chun-nan fell under the umbrella of the United Federation, it was not on the mainland and therefore made it difficult for Sonic to traverse between the two easily. If he had the Tornado, maybe. But she was Tails’ plane now. And though she was exceptionally fast, it was a little inconvenient to have to start her up every time Sonic needed to deal with Eggman. It just wasn’t feasible to live so far out. Obviously the man could attack anywhere in the world  but he was most likely to attack on the mainland. It was just a shame.

The blue hedgehog was not one for setting down roots that deep either. Physically, he just couldn’t. Even if he removed the threat of Eggman – which was extremely difficult for him to do in his head as it was – there was just no way. He didn’t even really own a house himself. The address he called his own was under Tails’ name anyway. And he was only there about sixty-five-percent of the time at best.

His brother said that Sonic was a drifter. And there wasn’t really much that could ever change that.

Emerald eyes lit up when they found the hanging sign he’d been looking for. Nestled in the centre of the town, Pale Leaf was a popular spot. Sonic slunk his way into the café, ears down to combat the bustle inside. He’d been in here only once before because the noise often drove him away but he remembered liking the tea they specialised in. True to the café’s name, Pale Leaf was most known for its white tea. But they served a vast variety.

Most cafés Sonic walked into always had a pretty strong coffee musk but, while Pale Leaf did serve coffee, the majority of the clientele opted for their high quality teas instead. So he got a very earthy, slightly fruity sweet smell when he inhaled, which was definitely preferable for Sonic.

There wasn’t much of a queue so, once Sonic psyched himself up, he stepped up to the counter. He nervously asked for a wax cup – fully intending to pay for it – which the lady behind the counter happily handed over, free of charge. She was cheery and patient as he lingered. After a moment of thinking about it, Sonic ordered a white tea too. He was still glad for the empty cup he’d procured because he would not be comfortable putting the orchid in a cup with tea residue. But now he felt less bad about just snagging a cup. He did consider getting a pastry but stopped himself; he was on a mission right now. So he paid for the tea and got out of there.

He sipped his tea as he walked, a lot less in a near-panicked rush now he had the cup. He ended up sitting on a bench overlooking the pond towards the base of the mountain’s peak. The tea was subtle and sweet, slightly floral, and went down so smooth. Not his favourite tea, of course, but it was up there. Though he’d only ever had white tea from Pale Leaf, once before, just these two instances were enough to solidify white tea somewhere in his top five for sure though. One day he’d like to sit down with a bunch side by side to really find his true ranking.

Nothing would ever top chai, that he knew for certain.

When his tea was gone, he threw away the cup and then set about collecting the pond water. Fresh from the mountain spring and clear as glass, he could actually see the bottom. Which didn’t really ease his anxiety much as he got closer to it. The bench had been about the distance he was comfortable with around water. But now he had to lean down off the wooden walkway to scoop up some in the cup. Which inevitably meant he’d probably have to touch it. Awful. But if it was for Shadow, he could tuff it out. It was only a little bit of water. So he kneeled down at the end of the wooden boards and looked down into the fully transparent water below. It was a little further away than he realised but close enough to make him swallow thickly. The blue hedgehog took a deep breath then let his hand dangle off the ledge. Close but not too close just yet; he was working up to it.

No one was around this part of the town, so Sonic didn’t feel rushed to do this right away out of embarrassment or anything. Still, he’d rather not have to face this pond for long. But when he tried to reach his hand down a little further, his whole arm locked up and Sonic had to quickly sit up to collect himself.

‘Come on,’ he thought angrily. ‘The sooner you get the water, the sooner you can get that orchid to Shadow.’

Sonic shook out his fur with a huff. He realised his grip on the cup was a little too tight and consciously relaxed his hand. The cup was only slightly crinkled. But that was fine; Shadow would put it in a better vase later anyway. This was only for transport purposes.

After another steadying breath, Sonic reach down once more. He stalled just before the surface of the pond then plunged his hand down with scrunched up eyes. Sonic grit his teeth and pulled his arm away sharply. He could feet the dampness sinking into his glove, the water sloshing in the cup. For a brief moment he felt nauseous, like he used to during that long stretch of time after the Perfect Chaos incident. He must have just been overwhelmed. Still, he set the cup down for a few minutes so he could breathe – away from the pondside. He couldn’t even look at the waterfall anymore and the sound was making his skin itch. So he swiped up the water-filled cup and made his way out of the town. The orchid wasn’t far.

Remarkably, when he got there, he realised there were actually two black orchids – the second was on the other side of a substantial rock, growing with a few scarlet orchids. So Sonic didn’t feel too bad about taking one. Still, he studied them both for a moment, trying to decide which he liked better. This one had more of a red tint but that one appeared darker… After a moment of indecision, Sonic plucked the darker one from the ground; it was the one he’d spotted first. He set it in the cup. It was much to big for the cup, which was going to make this so much more difficult, but he’d already picked the rare flower. Now he had to get it to Shadow or he would have removed it from the landscape for no reason.

From up here on the mountainside, he could see the boxy shape of the train station. It looked a lot more rustic here in Chun-nan, as opposed to Station Square, but it was deceptively high tech on the inside. Sonic liked that; it didn’t detract too much from the natural beauty of the area with its wooden walls and, of course, the pretty sloped roof.

He meandered his way down the mountain both as fast and as slow as he could. Sonic wanted to get to the train station as soon as possible but at the same time he needed to keep the water in the cup and the flower pristine. But if he didn’t get there soon, he knew he’d miss the train and would have to wait almost three hours for the next one. And sitting on a crowded platform for that long sounded like actual torture. All that noise and foot traffic and the oppressive knowledge of being underground was just too much.

He was careful on the steeper parts of the weaving incline, though he did wobble in place on a particularly uneven spot. Normally, it would give him no trouble at all. But he had something to protect today. Nevertheless, he did glide over the more level areas smoothly and with purpose. Sonic kept the train station in his sights, watching it steadily get closer. Checking the time on his communicator, he was making fairly good progress.

The blue hedgehog actually managed to reach the station with little to no issue. Which was a miracle considering his racing heart. It was silly how important this was to him, how it set his nerves alight. If at any point he dropped the orchid, splashed the water out of the cup or lost even a single petal, he would break down in tears.

It had to look exactly as it did now when he presented it to Shadow or this would all be pointless.

Sonic slipped through the unassuming doors into the jarringly sci-fi-esque station interior. The walls could have been chrome if they were polished enough. Instead, they were a less reflective silvery metal inlaid with ribbons of carmine gloss. They really went out of their way to make this place look like it came from another continent, another world. Sonic didn’t hate it but he would have liked the inside to look more like the outside. This orderly, tech-centric vibe was more his brother’s speed; he preferred the wildness of nature. However, he could appreciate the convenience of these advancements. Sonic didn’t particularly like this method of transport though. If he couldn’t use his own two legs, he’d much rather be in the air. Alas, this was his only option today.

As he had a return ticket, Sonic didn’t need to go purchase another. He strolled past the ticket machines and headed for the stairs and escalators. The blue hedgehog made a point to never use the escalators because he was much too fidgety. Knowing he would be sitting for an hour and a half, he had to get in as much movement as he could before he was essentially trapped in a metal tube. Which was also why he insisted on the stairs once he reached his destination too. Already his legs felt restless and he was only halfway down the long stairway.

Once he reached the bottom, he made his way across the platforms to platform four, the one that would join up with the underground in Station Square. The train wasn’t there yet, so Sonic took to pacing the length of the platform. He had to keep his legs as active as possible until he had to sit down.

He shook out his fur, casting constant glances at his communicator. The paper cup in his hands felt much too warm but there wasn’t anything he could do about that right now. With each step the water sloshed up at the sides but he hadn’t yet spilled a single drop. To stop now would mean consigning himself to an even more unbearable train ride. It was already going to be horrid to begin with so he didn’t need to make it any worse on himself than it had to be. So he kept up his monotonous back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Ordinarily, pacing helped him feel better. But when he was waiting for something specific, it was harder. Focused as he was, Sonic was able to ignore his boredom though. His eyes were mostly glued to those dark petals, irrationally scanning them for any difference even when he knew it should be unchanged from how he’d originally picked it. It hadn’t been that long and he’d been careful – it was fine.

The train was late. By three minutes. Sonic began to worry he’d gotten the times wrong or that he was on the wrong platform. He rushed – carefully – back to read the timetable twice and checked the number on the little raised sign on the platform about eight times. When his ear flicked, picking up the chugging sound of the fast train approaching, he stilled. It rolled into the station with a deafening squeal. He waited impatiently for the closest carriage to empty and then slunk onboard.

Sonic slotted himself into a seat in the corner away from the windows and huddled up against the wall of the carriage uncomfortably. He was sitting facing forward, otherwise he’d feel sick, and there was a table in front of him. But he didn’t want to risk setting the cup down in case of it being knocked over or wobbled too much by the vibrations. So the hedgehog clutched it close. The urge to draw his feet up onto the seat and bring his knees to his chest were so strong. But not only would that be kind of rude to do in public transportation, he would also loose the ability to brace himself against the floor; he knew the train had this horrible sway to it.

Then he remembered his jumper. Since the train was stationary for the minute, he set the cup down briefly to adjust the hood, to make sure it was properly covering his quills. He hated every second that the orchid wasn’t in his hands though and quickly swiped up the flower the moment he was done. He froze, watching the water lap at the top of the cup before settling again. Sonic let out a breath. The orchid was still ok.

Humans and mobians alike funnelled in steadily and Sonic regretted getting on so quick. But then, he missed the crowds thankfully and had gotten the spot that made him feel less like running back off the train, so he’d take it.

A little while later, there was a low ding. Then a voice sounded over the intercom, informing the passengers that the train was about to leave the station. All the doors slid closed, there was a hiss, a stutter, then the train was in motion. It started slow, an almost struggling sort of chug-chug-chug. Not long after, they began to pick up speed. Sonic could feel a shift, a slight decline. He grit his teeth. In a few minutes they’d be rocketing through a thick glass tunnel under the ocean. It always made him so nervous. He pointedly stared at the table, trying not to clutch the cup in his hands too hard. Sonic took a deep breath. Out the corner of his eye, he saw the human across from him looking his way. He tried to ignore them.

It was painfully obvious when they’d entered the tunnel. The collective awe from a majority of the passengers on the train was pretty hard to miss. People gasped and exclaimed excitedly. Sonic heard a few talking about how amazing it was to be able to travel so far under the sea. He tried to take another breath; it came out shaky. He could feel his fingers trembling against the paper cup and had to check to make sure the water was staying in it.

A hand entered his vision, resting on the table. He stared at it for a moment before raising his eyes to meet that of the lady opposite. Sonic tried to get himself to focus on her and nothing else. She looked to be in her mid twenties. Long strawberry blonde hair done up in a ponytail. Hazel eyes. Once he was looking at her, he didn’t dare look away, lest he catch sight of any of the windows in the carriage, so he didn’t know exactly what she was wearing. Naturally, he stared at her nose, not her eyes. The lady smiled at him but her eyes crinkled with worry. Sonic couldn’t see recognition in her eyes thankfully but he still felt uneasy under her gaze.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

The hedgehog tried to nod but his body wouldn’t let him. The next breath caught in his throat. Against his will, his line of sight drifted to the side slightly and he caught the horrible deep blue past the glass. Sonic flinched, flattening his ears and looking down again quickly. Shit. He struggled to purge the scene from his mind. It lingered. Shaking, Sonic screwed his eyes shut. Gloved fingers bit into the side of the cup. He forced his grip to loosen.

The lady was silent for a beat before speaking up again.

“May I sit next to you?”

When he didn’t – rather, couldn’t – respond, he heard her stand. A moment later, Sonic felt the seat beside him shift with her weight. They sat quietly for a while as Sonic struggled to regain control of his breathing. He cracked open his eyes. The lady offered her hand. The blue hedgehog stared at it, puffing, then looked back at the orchid in his grasp. He couldn’t let it go. If he only had one hand to steady the cup, he’d spill the water for sure. The tips of his fingers went cold. Blue quills tugged uncomfortably at the fabric of his hood. There was still a very slight twinge of pain along his topmost quills when he flexed them, particularly when they caught on something. The problem had been dealt with about two weeks ago now but the soreness always seemed to linger after he’d wrenched them. The skin was just so delicate, the damage sometimes so deep, that it tended to stick around. But right now, Sonic found he couldn’t even focus on that; it was a momentary distraction at best.

The lady switched up her tactics. She tucked her hand back into her lap. Then she gave an exaggerated look to the orchid, to draw attention to it.

“That’s a very beautiful flower,” she said. “What is it?”

“S’an o-orchid,” Sonic muttered around gasps for breath. “Gift.”

He winced. That wasn’t a full sentence. Sonic didn’t have the coherency for full sentences right now. He was too shaky and wrong. Didn’t mean he liked that he sounded like an idiot right now. And with a stranger no less. Chaos, he hoped she didn’t recognise his face… He ducked his head slightly to try and hide it.

“That’s wonderful, I’m sure they’ll love it.”

“M-maybe.”

She asked him if he wanted a drink. He managed to shake his head this time. A drink is the last thing he wanted right now. Sonic’s mind kept supplying him with wonderful imagery. Like the glass separating the train from the ocean cracking, shattering, failing. Like the carriage imploding from the pressure. Like water filling his lungs. Sonic swallowed. It was difficult. If any of that did happen, he’d have no way to escape. They were so far below the surface. He didn’t know exactly how far, didn’t want to know. If the pressure didn’t kill him, the shrapnel from the implosion, then the water itself would be his personal reaper. Not only did he not know how to swim but, with how unsteady his breathing was, he’d never be able to get enough air in his lungs to even try.

Sonic would be inhaling water in gulps before he could stop himself.

He didn’t even realise he’d stopped breathing until a warm hand closed over his shoulder. Sonic jerked away from that touch, too sudden. Some water tipped from the cup at the movement. The dampness against his leg made him whine. He swung his head around to look at the wall he was bunched up against, the ceiling, as though the train had sprung a leak, despite the fact that there was no screaming around him, suggesting the barrier really had shattered. Despite the fact that he was still very much aware of the wax-lined paper cup in his hands.

Sonic wanted to be off this train now. Was it too late to ask the conductor to go back? Was it too late to contact Tails and wait for his brother to come pick him up like a coward? Sonic thought he could do this but he couldn’t. He’d managed to nap his way through the first time. Out of sight, out of mind – that had worked. But he couldn’t do it this time.

“The journey will be over before you know it,” the lady whispered gently.

He really hoped she was right.

Shadow hadn’t seen Sonic properly in over a week and a half. And even then, that was mostly from a distance when Eggman had sprung an attack on Station Square. He’d called about three times – two of which hadn’t been picked up, likely because the hedgehog was napping. They’d had a brief conversation over the communicator that first week but that was it. Confused, and perhaps a little worried, Shadow had ended up calling Miles instead, who informed him Sonic was travelling.

A thing the blue hedgehog apparently did a whole lot more than Shadow ever realised.

Apparently, Sonic spent a good deal of his time all over the world. It wasn’t massively surprising – everyone knew Sonic liked to explore – but he genuinely had never noticed how often Sonic was absent until now. Shadow supposed he’d only realised because he’d become a lot more invested in Sonic’s whereabouts since they started dating. And Sonic was difficult to pin down to begin with when he was actually on the continent. Miles reckoned the blue hedgehog wasn’t here at the moment, so Shadow wasn’t likely to see Sonic now for Chaos knew how long. According to the fox, he could be gone anywhere from a few hours to weeks, even a month. Miles also mentioned that on more than one occasion, Sonic had even disappeared for almost two full months in the past when Eggman was particularly quiet.

Was it selfish that Shadow hated that? Not knowing when he might see Sonic again genuinely upset him for some reason. Not knowing if he was ok was worse. Of course, he didn’t want to pull the hedgehog from having a good time, didn’t want to tie him to one, restrictive spot. Hell, he didn’t want to see Sonic every day and he was happy to have his own free time too. But Shadow would like to know that he could see Sonic if he wished. He didn’t want to be separated for a full month. To avoid sounding as clingy and demanding of Sonic’s attention as Rose, Shadow had refrained from calling too much. He didn’t want to come off as desperate, for Chaos sake. And he wasn’t.

But he really did want to see Sonic today. The desire to call him up as many times as it took to get through, ask his location, and Chaos Control there was so strong. But Sonic was predominantly an independent drifter at heart. Shadow didn’t want to intrude on that. It wouldn’t be fair to.

So he spent most of his day out in front of the house, sitting in the grass. It wasn’t something he did often but he was following Sonic’s lead on this one today. It was quite nice, the breeze rustling his quills and the sun on his fur; he could see why Sonic liked this so much. He could probably achieve the same thing from one of the chairs out back around the glass table though. Shadow did quite like enjoying his morning coffee out there sometimes. He briefly considered moving to the table instead but decided against it.

The black-furred hedgehog had been making an effort to mediate more recently. Rouge’s suggestion, as usual, not that she meditated herself. Mindfulness was the easiest. When his mind wandered to awful things, he tried to use this method to empty his head a little. It didn’t always work but today it seemed to be putting a dent in his thoughts. The concerns for Sonic’s safety were a lot more muted today, which was helping. He just wished it wasn’t on his mind so often to begin with.

The hero was fine. He faced dangerous situations every day and lived. It was his life. Shadow couldn’t devolve into worrying like a child every time he didn’t have eyes on Sonic. It was unhealthy and stupid. Sonic was fine.

“Oh, hi Shadow!”

Shadow snapped his eyes open. He knew that voice anywhere…

The dark hedgehog looked up, quickly spotting Sonic at the edge of the treeline. He definitely stood out, a stark contrast against the muted browns and greens. Especially with that jumper and the flower in his hands. Or, scratch that, in a cup in his hands. It shouldn’t be surprising at this point that the blue hedgehog had just spontaneously showed up. There was no telling where Sonic was at any given time, after all. But to be here, right now, just after Shadow was pining for his presence…

Freaky.

But… a good kind of freaky. If the universe could read his thoughts and actually give him what he wanted, he’d gladly take it. Sonic was here. Chaos knew why but he was. So he waved the hedgehog over.

It didn’t escape his notice that this was perhaps the first time Sonic had shown up on his own without being invited. Nor did he ignore that this was the hedgehog’s first confident, relaxed greeting since they started hanging out more. For a moment, this could have been the old Sonic strolling over to him. Blue ears were up upright, he wasn’t puffing in a panic, there was a smile on his muzzle and his eyes were clear. He’d called out, happily enough, an upbeat lilt to his voice. Shadow was glad to see it, even if part of him sort of missed his more nervous side.

“Hope this isn’t a bad time,” Sonic said as he approached. “Sorry, probably should have called ahead or something.”

Ah, there it was. That was the Sonic he was coming to know. He hated the relief that gave him. But at the same time, this was the real Sonic, not the put on character the rest of the world saw. It felt special to know this side of him – Miles had heavily implied it was a privilege himself. But Shadow could also cheer on the natural confidence Sonic had too. He had quite missed that.

“No, no that’s ok,” Shadow assured. “I wasn’t doing anything.”

Shadow made to stand up. Sonic beat him to it and was already sitting instead. He guessed they were staying here then. They sat there for a moment before Sonic started. He widened his eyes and looked down at the flower. It was a very dark shade Shadow had never seen in a flower before with interestingly shaped petals. Several blooms on one tall stalk, each flower was fairly small. There was sort of a crown of five petals on each, with weirder shaped lower ones. The centre was even stranger, and shockingly white, but it was very pretty. Shadow could admit he was drawn to the colouration.

“Oh, uh, here,” Sonic said, holding out the flower. “Ignore the cup.”

“Is that… a coffee cup?” Shadow asked.

He reached out to take the proffered flower, a grin making its way onto his face. He couldn’t help himself. Sonic hadn’t handed him a flower that was already in water before and he could not ignore it. Not after Sonic had specifically asked him to.

“Tea actually,” Sonic muttered. “Er, there wasn’t actually tea in it. I m-mean… Ignore the cup!”

Shadow laughed. The blue hedgehog huffed. Despite Sonic’s insistence, Shadow couldn’t help but let his eyes wander over the aforementioned cup. It was a little scrunched, as though the hedgehog had been holding it a tad too tight. Waxy, a takeaway cup you get at cafés; Shadow was very familiar. Shadow didn’t, however, recognise the branding on it. And odd choice for a stand-in vase for sure. Definitely too small for the elegant flower sticking out of it. He both could and couldn’t see this being a very Sonic choice. An improper receptacle? Scatter-brained enough to make sense for Sonic. He’d say a very poor choice for someone who loved flowers so much but Sonic had said there hadn’t been anything in it beforehand. Which, by itself, was perhaps even more bizarre.

“Where’d you get it?” Shadow asked.

“Chun-nan.”

“Wait, what? You brought this flower here from Chun-nan?”

Sonic shrugged. There was a stiffness there. It wasn’t quite as smooth as he was sure Sonic had hoped. He wondered why that was. Something bothering him, perhaps? If he didn’t want to talk about it, Shadow wouldn’t draw attention to it. Still, he hoped the blue hedgehog was alright. He otherwise looked fine at the very least.

It was another rare – or perhaps not-so-rare – moment of Sonic actually wearing something though. It was a jumper today, not the jacket he’d already seen. This one wasn’t faded and ripped but it didn’t look new either. A brilliant red. It was sort of odd that he was wearing it when the sun was out today. Unless he’d just come from somewhere a little colder perhaps? The only other thing that stood out was that his hood was pulled up over his quills.

Shadow wisely chose not to mention it.

“Forgive me, I don’t know as much about flowers as I’d like,” Shadow said. “Could you tell me what this one is?”

The blue hedgehog nodded. Enthusiastic, excited even. Shadow couldn’t help but smile at the almost childlike wonder lighting up his face as he stared at the flower. He’d probably been looking at it for ages trying to get it here and he still appeared so entranced by the flower. Shadow almost asked if the blue hedgehog wanted it back.

Then he considered Sonic might take that as Shadow not liking it. But he did. Shadow really did like this one. The colour was stunning.

“It’s an orchid,” Sonic told him. “Black ones are actually quite rare. There isn’t just one breed of orchid really and they aren’t technically black either… But, um, a-anyway I saw it and thought of you.”

“And its meaning, if I might ask?” Shadow asked with a smirk.

Sonic squirmed in place. Like he’d been hoping Shadow wouldn’t ask. The dark hedgehog wanted to know even more now. It suggested that Sonic had been thinking about the symbolism when he picked it up for him. And also that the meaning made him embarrassed. So it had to be something personal.

“Is that… important?” Sonic muttered.

Definitely embarrassed.

“To you, it is,” Shadow said. “And I like hearing about what interests you.”

He thought back to the stars during their first date. Thought to when Sonic showed him where the Ark was and how he’d known that. Sonic was like a different mobian entirely when he got going. Hell, he just gave him a little glimpse of that when talking about the orchid. It was cute watching him get so passionate about it. Like that, Shadow could happily listen to him talk for hours. It was just unfortunate that Sonic always seemed to cut himself off, somehow afraid to share that side of him, afraid to take up so much space with his own voice or something. He wished he could just tell the hedgehog that if he wanted to gush about something he could talk for as long as he wanted. But Shadow was also conscious of the fact that drawing attention to it, whether positively or negatively, would have the same outcome: Sonic being more self-conscious about it.

Because the more he got to know him, the more Shadow tried to be careful about what he said. Sonic was the type to get skittish easily. Even if he’d never seemed it before. It was probably concerning how effortlessly Sonic hid his real feelings all the time. And was it really trust that had allowed him to actually see that? Shadow hoped never to lose that trust now that he had it.

In fact, he wanted so much more. To have the level of trust Miles had. It was hard to say if he’d ever get that far though. The brothers had known each other for so long, were so close. Could Shadow really ever achieve that closeness? Probably not.

“O-oh, um, ok.”

Sonic’s ears flicked back ever so slightly, face looking a little pinker than before. He knew there was more intent behind it than just that he’d seen it. It definitely wasn’t just the colouring that had driven him to get this orchid here from Chun-nan, was it? That was an awfully long way just for a flower. Then again, knowing his obsession for these pretty plants, it was possible the hero really had just wanted him to see it. Especially if it really was as rare as Sonic said it was. Something about that felt really sweet.

“Strength, power, complexity,” Sonic listed off, getting quieter with each word. “Mystery, beauty, elegance… perfection…”

Chaos, that was a lot. Perfection? Was that really how Sonic saw him? He said the flower had reminded him of Shadow – that included the symbolism. Honestly, the dark hedgehog didn’t know what to think. He was flattered for sure but also a little… worried. He was still stuck on that last one. Shadow wasn’t perfect.

The blue hedgehog seemed to choke on another word and then fell silent. Shadow heard the faint “luh” sound at the start. Sonic looked to the side, ears fully flattening. Gloved fingers hooked into the sleeve of the red jumper. It only took him a few moments to realise what word Sonic was struggling with. The same one he’d had trouble with last time. Torn between smiling and frowning, Shadow grit his teeth. On one hand, it was kind of sweet that he was so flustered by it. On the other, Shadow didn’t like the frustration that overcame Sonic, how upset he got because of it. The hero had issues with a lot of words but it wasn’t that big of a deal. It would be endearing if Shadow didn’t find his reaction so concerning.

He almost reached out to put a hand on his arm. Almost. Then he recalled that Sonic was touch averse and backed off. That could make this worse. And that’s the last thing he wanted. So instead, he pivoted.

“Thank you for the orchid,” Shadow said. “It’s beautiful.”

Shadow stood, orchid in hand. He made sure to hold it steady, keeping it upright. Then he extended a hand down to Sonic and immediately realised his mistake. Because Sonic looked torn. Like the blue hedgehog felt like he had to take the proffered hand but obviously really didn’t want to at the same time. Mentally berating himself, Shadow tried to remind himself not to put Sonic on the spot like that again. He seriously hadn’t meant to. It was just a simple gesture, one he’d hardly thought about.

He would think next time. And he’d just stopped himself from doing that not ten seconds before. Stupid.

“Right, sorry,” Shadow apologised. “It was only an offer. Feel free to ignore it.”

Sonic hesitated, looked from the hand to Shadow and back again. After a long pause, Sonic’s lips pulled into a flat line and he got to his feet on his own. Definitely a no-touch day then. Good to know. But he resented the fact that he’d probably just put Sonic on edge. Shadow wouldn’t be raising his trust-levels by forgetting something so simple.

“It’s not that I don’t appreciate it,” Sonic muttered.

“I know, Sonic,” Shadow reassured. “I understand. It’s ok.”

“It’s just… I’m having a particularly… weird day.”

Something told Shadow that “weird” was a stand-in for a very different word. Perhaps something Sonic didn’t quite want to admit. Yet he was still trying to explain himself; as if Shadow needed an explanation. He wondered why Sonic forced himself to do that all the time. It must have been exhausting. The dark hedgehog hadn’t a clue what exactly Sonic was leaving unsaid and with the hero it would be impossible to even guess. But obviously something was up with him today. Shadow couldn’t figure it out but it was there, just out of his reach. Sonic was a mystery, much more of a mystery than Shadow thought he was himself – despite the orchid. And the hero wasn’t the most open. He would presume it was just because they didn’t really know each other that well yet if Miles hadn’t made a few comments, implying that vagueness was commonplace.

The blue hedgehog seemed to become aware of the hood over his head in that exact moment. He pulled it down with an awkward, fake cough. It had obviously slipped his mind that it was up. But again, Sonic was acting all shifty and embarrassed like it actually mattered. Shadow couldn’t and wouldn’t draw attention to it though. He’d ignore it and move on. So he invited Sonic inside. The hedgehog followed him in and to the kitchen, then he watched Shadow cut the stem – diagonally, like Rouge had told him. As he was setting it in the vase the bat had just let him keep, he waited for Sonic to step in and tell him he was somehow doing it wrong. The blue hedgehog didn’t say a word. So he’d probably done it right then.

“Flowers probably aren’t your thing,” Sonic muttered. “I can stop bringing them if you’d prefer.”

“No, they’re very pretty; I do like them,” Shadow insisted. “I just wished they lasted longer, honestly.”

He walked through to set them on the coffee table, where the old ones used to be. It looked a little sparse in the vase. But at the same time, he didn’t really want to pair it with anything. The orchid was lovely on its own. And he wasn’t lying; Shadow really did like the flowers Sonic kept giving him. They were gorgeous. What made them ten thousand times more special though was that they came from Sonic. Sonic’s passion, Sonic’s love – even if he couldn’t say it with words – Sonic’s consideration. He brought this flower because he’d thought of Shadow. That was more special to him than anything else.

“You can, um… you can press them if you like.”

“Press them?” Shadow asked.

Shadow turned to face the hero. Sonic looked thoughtful. But, behind the uncertainty in his voice, that spark was starting to gleam in his eye again. And he knew at that very moment he was helpless. Helpless to stop the hedgehog from showing him whatever he wanted to. Because Shadow wanted nothing more than to sit down and listen to Sonic yap and, damn it, he’d hang onto every word. Perhaps he was a little lovesick, like Rouge kept joking. But that didn’t matter.

Because Sonic was here. And Shadow was glad for his presence, no matter how sudden it was.

“Sorta, like, preserving them?” Sonic said, half to himself. “They go really flat though. But they stay pretty. I can show you with one of the blooms if you like? Or a flower from outside?”

“Sure. Whichever is fine.”

Sonic hesitated. He shifted in place indecisively for a beat.

“I’ll get one from outside so you can enjoy the orchid in full first. Hang on a sec.”

Zipping out the door in a flash of cobalt and vermillion, Sonic was gone for about five seconds. He came back with a daisy. Even with such a common flower, one that even Shadow knew, Sonic still held it like it was the most precious thing in the world. For a hedgehog that he used to think of as brash and crude, the hero was so careful. Maybe it was just with flowers or maybe that’s just how Sonic was to begin with. He was just so attentive to the flower in his hands, cradling it as though it might disintegrate if he held it too hard or moved too fast. For some reason, it compelled Shadow to go over and hug the blue hedgehog. But knowing how Sonic felt about that, especially today, Shadow wouldn’t do that.

“Can I borrow a book?” Sonic asked. “Hopefully it shouldn’t stain the pages but if it does I’ll replace it, promise. Just… maybe don’t pick a book you really like or anything. Just in case.”

“A book?”

“You press the flower between the pages. They shouldn’t be wet to start out with but by pressing you can dry out the petals so they keep longer.”

The hero informed him the flower was actually a cosmo – not a daisy, like he’d assumed. Chaos he really knew nothing about flowers. But Sonic was eager to teach him, patient, and clearly didn’t mind sharing his knowledge. Shadow decided he very much liked this particular hidden part of the hedgehog. After he gave Sonic a random book off his shelf – A Brief History of Motorcycles that Rouge had bought him as a joke – the blue hedgehog took it to the table in the kitchen. Sonic admitted there wasn’t a lot that had to be done but he still talked Shadow through it. He watched the hero flick to a page near the middle of the book. Then he arranged the cosmo in the centre of the righthand page.

The blue hedgehog rambled for a while. He talked about how long it took to press properly, that there were multiple methods of doing so. But among everything he was saying, Shadow picked up something a little unexpected.

“I usually use my copy of the Arthurian Legends because it’s really hefty. But then I always get the urge to read it a day later and I can’t. Should probably start using a different book.”

“Arthurian Legends?” Shadow asked, surprised.

Sonic paused, ears titling back ever so slightly. Shadow narrowed his eyes. It was a subtle movement but… was Sonic embarrassed? Or was it something else?

“It’s my favourite book,” Sonic murmured, sounding sort of far away for a moment.

“Those are pretty old stories, aren’t they? Didn’t know you were a reader.”

“Not sure if you noticed but I have a hard time sitting still sometimes,” Sonic said with a chuckle. “So I don’t too often. But I quite like reading when I find the time. And the patience. Tails says I read like a sprinter: in short bursts.”

Shadow still couldn’t really see it. Sonic sat somewhere with a good book, static for once. But the sprinter analogy would make sense. He wondered if he’d ever get the pleasure of seeing Sonic in such a quiet, focused moment. It seemed like an infrequent occurrence. Still, Shadow would love to see if his expressions changed, how quickly his eyes moved. He’d also like to see how he treated his books, if he blasphemously dog-eared the pages or if he was as gentle as he was with his flowers.

“I used to read in the garage at night,” Sonic continued wistfully. “With a blanket in the cockpit of the Tornado, sometimes with a hot drink. I spilled tea on one of Tails’ blueprints once though and he banned me from having anything liquid in the garage since.”

Sonic grinned at him sheepishly. Shadow’s lips quirked up at the edges. For a moment, their eyes met and the blue hedgehog chuckled to himself. Shadow asked him what he was laughing about but he just shook his head. He muttered something muffled about a character in a book that the dark hedgehog didn’t quite catch. Whatever it was had tickled the hero but there was an odd, longing sort of sadness underneath. Shadow wasn’t quite sure how to interpret it. There was a trace of fondness, perhaps of guilt even. Or was that regret? But also something a little happier too. It didn’t really make sense but trying to figure out Sonic was complicated so Shadow wasn’t sure why he was trying.

But then Sonic groaned, pulling Shadow from his musings.

“I wanna read now,” the blue hedgehog said with a sigh. “But my usually blanket’s in the wash and Tails has been working on the Tornado for ages. I don’t want to get in his way. And it’ll probably be too noisy in there anyway…”

Shadow wanted to offer his house as a quiet spot. But he didn’t know what kind of environment Sonic needed to read in. The hedgehog seemed fairly particular about a lot of things so Shadow was loath to intrude on that. For all he knew, Sonic’s second spot of choice was out in his meadow. It was possible the dark hedgehog couldn’t provide what he needed here anyway. So he didn’t say anything. Sonic also said he liked reading at night, so he likely preferred being alone anyway. Maybe when he knew the hero a little better, he’d suggest it. For now, he would refrain. But the temptation to was high, just so he could have answers to his questions, so he could watch him.

Now the blue hedgehog seemed distracted. If he wanted to go read, Shadow would gladly let him go. The dark hedgehog had seen Sonic today, which would get his head to shut up about the hero’s safety. That would do for him. He’d like to keep Sonic a little longer but he wouldn’t keep him from his books either.

Sonic lingered for a few minutes but it was clear he wanted to go. Before Shadow could mention it, the blue hedgehog ended up awkwardly excusing himself. As predicted, he really wanted to read. And, as expected, he tried to apologise. Shadow wouldn’t hear it. He ushered the hero to the door with a smirk, making sure to let him know it was ok that he wanted to go. But Sonic paused in the doorway. One hand worried at the hem of his jumper, teeth working away at his bottom lip. Something was on his mind, had been the whole time. Shadow waited patiently for what he’d say – if he’d say anything at all. Maybe he’d get to hear what had been bothering him.

“I…” Sonic started, hesitated. “Do you want to get coffee with me? T-tomorrow morning?”

Shadow blinked. Sonic coming to him on his own and making plans? How could he refuse? It would be downright stupid to.

“I’d love to, Sonic.”

The blue hedgehog nodded stiffly. Then he disappeared out the door, almost in a panic. The wind that was kicked up by his departure twined through the dark hedgehog’s fur, much like the breeze had earlier. He thought he might prefer this kind of wind though. Shadow smiled. As he was closing the door, feeling a whole lot better than he had in the morning, his communicator buzzed at his wrist. A single sound. Not a call, no, a message. Shadow didn’t often bother as calling was much more direct. He supposed he could have left Sonic a message earlier in the week but was sort of glad he hadn’t at the same time. Too clingy, too pushy. He didn’t want to come off as hopeless.

He lifted his arm to check the sender. Though it wasn’t a surprise at whose name he read there.

‘B at you’re door at 8.’

Wrong your. And he hadn’t fully typed out “be.” Shadow didn’t care. Normally, it might have bothered him but not today, not from Sonic. He smiled again, even wider, as another message pinged through. Followed by another. Ever the anxious fool. His anxious fool. Chaos, he loved him so damn much.

‘That ok?’

‘Shoulda asked.’

Shaking his head, Shadow began to type. It was short, sweet and to the point. Not drawing attention to the near frantic messages of the other, yet still reassuring. He could see the little symbol flashing in the corner of the little screen; Sonic was still typing, likely to backtrack. But Shadow wouldn’t lose this opportunity now that he had it. No, they would be meeting tomorrow. He was weirdly proud of Sonic today, proud of how brave he’d been, as silly as that was. Shadow just hoped the blue hedgehog hadn’t agonised over it. Knowing him, he probably had though. Shadow hit send, managing to beat Sonic to the punch.

‘Eight sounds perfect.’