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Change is a crawling thing. It creeps up on you when you aren't looking. Shadow is always looking, so he happens to see when change is on the horizon. He catches it in the act.
When Blaze handed him her trust, when she shuffled close to him and allowed him to care for her, he saw the tides of change crescendo, waiting to crash over them. And… he found that it wasn't as scary as it had been in the past.
The aftermath of battle is usually one of two things. Either celebratory, or solemn. Today, thankfully, is loud and cheerful as the team of heroes walk away from the battlefield littered with debris and smoke.
They all pile into Sonic and Tails' home, laughing and chatting about some particularly memorable moments from the fight. Amy giggles as she nudges Silver playfully, unbothered by the dust coating both of their quills and their many cuts and bruises.
"Silver! You absolutely killed it with that huge mech! Eggman was counting on it just being us, he didn't even consider your powers!" Amy compliments, and Shadow watches with thinly veiled amusement as Silver's cheeks go red at the words. He stutters through a reply, and Amy laughs at his expense.
Rouge is hanging off Knuckles' arm, as usual. Something about a post-battle Knuckles has her weak in the knees (her words, not Shadow's), and she makes her admiration known. Knuckles is rolling his eyes so far back that Shadow's a bit concerned they'll remain stuck in his skull, but the situation is too funny to diffuse.
Everyone sprawls out wherever they can; on the floors, as to not dirty Tails' couch, on the dining room chairs, on the stairs.
The house is truly full, and it feels more alive than ever. This house was never meant to be empty, Shadow thinks. It's meant to be full of life 24/7. Always alive, always warm.
Shadow takes in the sight, subconsciously checking on every member of their little group as he tends to do. And then his eyes stop on Blaze. He lingers, watching her tuck herself next to Silver; not close enough to touch, but enough to listen to his conversations with the others.
Her brilliant purple fur is dull with dust. She smiles, a quaint, polite little thing as she was taught to do, but Shadow sees right through it.
He wouldn't have before. Before he held her on that couch, before he let her cry into his shoulder. But now? He sees it as clear as daylight. Something's weighing on her shoulders. She isn't happy, like the others. She doesn't even seem content. She just seems…tired.
Hands wrap around Shadow's waist, and a head is deposited onto his shoulder from behind. Sonic's nose is cold against his neck as he leans into Shadow, sighing happily.
"Good fight," Sonic murmurs, pride coating his words. Shadow nods mindlessly, barely hearing his lover's voice over the worry crowding his own thoughts.
Sonic, of course, notices.
"What is it?" The blue hero asks, and Shadow can feel him frown against his shoulder. Shadow shakes his head, eyes still on Blaze.
"Something's wrong with Blaze," He whispers. Sonic's ears perk, and his eyes drift over to the princess in the corner. He squints, then sighs.
"Man, you have Dad senses or somethin'. I literally see nothing," Sonic groans, annoyed at himself. He was a Dad before Shadow even woke from his cryo-sleep. If anyone should have those instincts, it's him.
But it just comes naturally to Shadow for some reason. He can tell, when he looks at Blaze versus the others, that something else is on the cat's mind. That she isn't all…here.
"Look at her face. Her smile is practiced– tight. She's tense. She isn't relaxing. She's trying to listen to Silver's conversation, but her ears are down," Shadow starts pointing out all the things he sees, and Sonic's arms tighten around him. His lover hums, contemplative.
"You're right. But– it's Blaze. I know you two had a little moment, but she's still very… closed off. Independent. She doesn't let us help– she barely lets Silver help, and he's her person. What can we do?"
Sonic's right. Last time, Shadow had forced the princess to relax a bit, take a break from the fight, and she came to him naturally after that. Shadow can't force something like that to happen again. He just– has to wait.
He sighs, heavy and worried. His care for the cat has only grown since last time. Their fight against the strange monsters– which they now know are creatures of Dark Gaia mixed with some unholy experimentation from Dr. Robotnik– was gruelling and tiring, but it showed Shadow a side of Blaze he never considered.
The side that was still a young girl, holding the weight of an Empire on her shoulders. A princess who still takes time out of her intense and packed schedule to hop dimensions and help her friends fight their own world's battles.
A tired, overworked girl.
It didn't make Shadow think less of the girl. No– it made her stronger in his eyes. She's a beast– a dangerous, formidable fighter and ally to have at their side. If she had been there when Shadow was an enemy, no doubt she could have kept up with him and helped Sonic bring down The Ultimate Lifeform for good.
Shadow is glad to be on her side, but Gaia, the urge to protect keeps growing as he looks at her tired, fluttering eyes. He buries his face in his dirty gloves, leaning back into Sonic slightly.
"Where's Tails?" He asks, trying to quell the protective urges by checking on the one child that is technically his responsibility. Sonic hums again, tired.
"Upstairs," he points at the steps currently being occupied by Knuckles and Rouge, "He got drenched in oil. Sensory nightmare. I asked if he needed help but he said he needed a sec alone."
Shadow nods at that– he understands. He also needs a moment to breathe. In fact– he might need one right about now. Between the exhaustion from a well fought fight, the worry for the purple cat across the room and Sonic's arms around him, he feels an overwhelm starting to come over him.
"Sonic–" He warns gently, "in here's too much." Almost instantly, the tired hero's arms drop from around him, and he rounds Shadow to look at his face intently.
"I'm stepping out. On the back porch," Shadow sighs. Sonic's eyes roam him–face, body, ears, eyes, then he nods.
"I'll see what the others need. You go– take a break," Sonic smiles. Thank Gaia his partner is so understanding of his needs. He truly lucked out. He walks the short hallway, out the back door and onto the wooden deck. He leans against the railing, breathing in the fresh, cool air as it ruffles his fur.
He tries to think back on the battle. It was easy, especially with the addition of Silver and Blaze. Eggman wasn't quite expecting them to attend this particular battle, hence his robots were not ready for the fire and telekinesis that the duo brought along.
The battle itself was fun. Jokes and quips flying across the battlefield, taunts at Eggman and his pathetic display of weaponry.
He tries to recall Blaze specifically. The girl isn't usually a talker when it comes to battles, she's like Shadow, or Espio– silent and deadly. But, even still, when together with all her friends in an easy battle like that, she tends to throw out the occasional line; even if just to fondly scold the others for messing around too much.
As he replays the fight, he hears everyone's voices echoing in his head, but no recollection of Blaze reaches his mind. He saw fire on the battlefield– and a lot of it, but no words. No laughter at Sonic's quips. No callouts, no questions. No taunts.
Nothing.
His brows furrow. Maybe the issue had been present since before the battle, and he just hadn't noticed it? It is possible– he still doesn't know Blaze that well. Like Sonic said, they had a moment, and they continued on. Sure, maybe Blaze shuffles closer to him every now and then. And maybe she looks to him more during conversations.
And maybe he does regard her a bit fonder than before. In the same way he regards Tails and Silver.
But that's not– that's not enough for him to go barging into her life and asking her 'what's wrong' like he deserves to be there.
He has no rights to act like a part of her life. All he did was help in a vulnerable moment. It doesn't matter. She would've preferred Sonic– or Silver, or Amy. But she was stuck with Shadow. That doesn't mean anything.
He paces the porch; it's large, spanning the entire backside of the house. He walks to the end of it and looks out at the scenery surrounding the home.
Why– why is he so bothered by this? With Silver, it was easy.
Well, it wasn't that easy. He still doesn't quite know where he stands with the silver hedgehog. He can't ignore the fondness that creeps into his chest when he watches the young hero interact with the past, and he definitely can't ignore the way Silver looks at him, like he's the coolest thing to exist.
He– He cares for the boy. Yes. He hasn't quite placed that care yet. But that's fine.
But Silver and him have worked together in the past. He's talked more to the hedgehog in one day than he'd ever spoken to Blaze. And yet, he can't shake it.
He takes a deep, long breath, trying to calm his mind. He thinks too much– not that it's a bad thing.
He rather this than the opposite. His partner tends to think…rarely. But Shadow's mind is a racing bullet of thoughts, always running, always pondering.
He'd like a break from it. Just once.
A door opens, and he glances over just in time to see a figure emerge onto the back porch and close the door behind them.
It's dark out here, the sun's about finished setting, and Sonic hasn't bothered to turn on the house lights quite yet. He, however, can see perfectly fine (Ultimate Lifeform perks).
Blaze's figure is hunched over the banister, her face tucked into her arms. Her shoulders shake slightly, and suddenly, all the contemplation and hesitance in Shadow's mind vanishes.
"Blaze," He calls, not wanting to startle the girl. Her ears perk, and she hastily straightens, turning to Shadow.
"Shadow–" Her voice is shaking. Shadow's worry doubles, "Sorry– I assume you came out here to be alone but–"
"Your company is fine, Princess," Shadow interrupts, walking closer. Shadow stands next to her, peeking at her face. She's schooled it into a blank expression, though Shadow can still see the remnants of…tears?
"I–" She starts, but her voice fails her. It's the first time Shadow's seen her like this. Even on the couch, in Seaside City, when she was vulnerable and seemed so small, she didn't seem like this. So frazzled. Shadow waits, allowing her to find her words. She scrunches up her nose, thinking. She seems..pained.
"I just– inside was too much. And I know you came out here– I thought I'd join you," She whispers. Shadow nods, tilting his head. His expression is soft, he can tell. He just– Blaze is triggering all those instincts in him that Tails does.
"Yeah," Shadow whispers as well, not willing to break the quiet atmosphere, "They're all a bit crazy. Us…calmer ones have to stick together," Shadow muses. Blaze nods, eyes staring off into the distance instead of at Shadow. They're misty and tired. Too tired.
He lets the silence linger, because if that's what she came outside for, he isn't going to disturb her peace. He stands with her, close enough to feel her natural warmth as a fire user, but not enough to crowd her. He props his head up on his hand, closing his eyes and feeling the wind through his quills. It's soothing, being out here with a familiar presence.
Usually, the back porch is for barbeques or hangouts. It's full of life, just like the rest of the house.
On those calmer days, the hedgehogs and their fox will sit on the deck and look out, talking about everything and nothing.
On hard days, Shadow comes out here to feel the air. To remind himself that he is, indeed, alive.
But he's never been here with Blaze before. It's nice. There's a bubble of warmth that moves with her, and it's comforting in the cool air of the arriving night. Shadow hums, satisfied.
He hears all the minute changes in Blaze's breathing. How she goes from deep, measured breaths to slightly shorter ones. Then, they turn a bit ragged, though still consciously quiet. Trying to hide.
He looks out at the stars, just now beginning to litter the sky. He spots the ARK, brighter than the rest as usual, and he smiles slightly, the reminder of Maria no longer stinging in that terrible, horrific way.
The warmth beside him shifts closer, and he says nothing. Then, in a meek voice, not matching the princess' usual confident tone, she speaks.
"…Shadow?" She whispers into the evening, the words getting carried away in the cold winds. Shadow hums, turning to her.
He doesn't expect tears to be brimming in her eyes, about to spill over. His eyebrow creases as he frowns worriedly. Blaze doesn't…do this. She doesn't cry, doesn't look at people with that oh so small and vulnerable expression in her eyes. She makes it a point to keep up her regal persona. Shadow's heart aches.
"Can–" She inhales a deep, steadying breath, gathering the courage to speak the words she wants to, "–Can I have a hug?"
She.. she came to Shadow. For a hug.?
Shadow has to hold back a coo. He opens his arms instantly, and the girl doesn't hesitate to dive in, her shaking arms circling Shadow and holding onto him tightly. She buries her face in his shoulder, and try as she might, she can't stifle the sob that falls from her lips as Shadow holds her close.
She trembles, shoulders shaking as Shadow's fur is soaked with tears. One hand is cradling the nape of her neck and the other is on her back, thumb sweeping back and forth in a soothing motion. He presses his face into her head, though his eyes remain wide open in worry. He rocks her slightly as they stand, and he feels her sobs deepen.
"Princess–?" He whispers, and– Gaia, she lets out a heart-wrenching whine that makes Shadow want to never let go of her. He shushes gently.
"Okay– shh, cry it out. It's okay," he murmurs. He's gotten…so much better at comforting. Thank Gaia for Tails and Sonic. He'd never have known what to do otherwise.
"S-sorry-" She chokes out, peeking out from her hiding spot slightly. Shadow shakes his head.
"No apologies needed," he reassures, and that seems to set off the young princess again, because she stifles another sob and ducks back down, one hand coming up from Shadow's back to cover the remainder of her face, ashamed.
Shadow stands with her for as long as she needs. Eventually, her sobs lessen, then turn into brief trembles and shudders.
She hesitantly pulls away from Shadow's shoulder, expecting the hedgehog to drop his hold on her, but he doesn't. He holds her still as she cleans her face with her gloves.
"I– I just– Thank you," She mumbles. Despite having a good cry, she still seems bothered. She's trembling as the cold night air kisses her flushed cheeks.
"Blaze," Shadow murmurs, but she shakes her head, her mask attempting to slide back into place.
"I– I'm fine. I just– I wasn't expecting to cry. My apologies, Shadow-," She breaks free from his hold, and he lets her, his hands dropping to his sides helplessly as he watches the young princess battle with herself internally.
Thanks Gaia for his partner.
The door creaks open once again, and Sonic's face softens at the duo.
"Hey, guys. Guest room is free if Blaze wants to spend the night. Amy, Knux and Tails are forcing Silver into a sleepover. So everyone will be in the living room." Sonic eyes Shadow knowingly, their eyes having an entire, silent conversation.
"Take care of her. Go do your thing"
"I will, Sonic, Thank you"
Shadow smiles, and grasps at Blaze's hand gently. She startles slightly, looking at him. Was she expecting him to leave? She should know better than that by now.
He tugs gently, nodding his head inside.
"You look exhausted. Let's go," Shadow insists. Blaze hesitates, but Shadow keeps his gaze kind and open, and eventually, she nods, eyes blinking slowly.
"Alright..I suppose..I am a bit tired," She murmurs. She lets Shadow guide her back inside, into the warm home and up the stairs. No one pays much mind to them. Shadow feels Silver's eyes linger for a moment, but he sees Shadow with her, and the young hedgehog relaxes, turning his attention back to the wild group surrounding him.
Shadow pushes open the guest bedroom door, revealing a cosy yet empty room, lacking much personality but with a warmth akin to the rest of the house.
Shadow leads her to the bed, rubbing a thumb over her knuckles as he tries to bring her back from her..mind.
"Princess, hey..?" Shadow whispers. Blaze jolts, and looks at Shadow, confused.
"Get some rest, hm? You'll feel better tomorrow. I assumed the…sleepover downstairs may be too much for you right now, but if I'm wrong– you can join them," Shadow murmurs, easing her into sitting on the bed.
Blaze blinks at him, utterly lost. He kneels, peering up at her.
"Blaze? You with me?" He whispers, squeezing her hand. She frowns, nodding. Her eyes are still misty.
"Sorry–" She apologises, though Shadow isn't sure what for. Shadow takes her hand, and inexplicably, tears well in her eyes again. They don't fall, not yet, but they waver on the edge of pouring.
Shadow hums; now that he's really seeing her, in the light, up close, he can recognise that look on her face. He's seen it so, so many times.
That weariness. Exhaustion. Pain. Confusion.
Blaze, the fire-wielding princess of the Sol Empire, is thoroughly burnt out.
Not just burnt out, but it seems that her candle has been out of wax for a very, very long time.
This kind of exhaustion builds. It's not something a weekend's vacation can fix.
Shadow knows because he's seen it on himself. After fifty years in stasis.
Despite what the public may think, stasis was the least restful experience of his life.
He'd been conscious. Reliving every single memory he'd ever had. From his first moments with Maria, his first time out of his tube. His first injury, his first teleport, his first time helping Maria eat and shower.
The first painful experiments.
Those were fine enough, but then he had to relive her death. Over. And over. And over.
That kinda thing wears one down. When he'd 'woken up' from his stasis, he'd practically been a zombie. He didn't understand how any living being could feel those levels of exhaustion and chronic, bone deep pain.
But, then again, he is The Ultimate Lifeform, not just any living being. It figures that his first real experience with burn-out and chronic exhaustion had been otherworldly levels of pain.
Blaze..is not otherworldly. Not in the same way that Shadow is. She can only handle so much, and it seems that for a while now, she has been way past her limits.
Shadow squeezes her hand, and with the kindest, softest voice he can muster (the same kind of voice he'd dream would speak to him when he'd woken up from stasis), he speaks.
"Princess, may I help you take your shoes off?"
The question catches Blaze off guard. For a brief moment, the exhaustion is overtaken by complete confusion. Then–
"Pardon–?" She asks, voice shaking. Shadow merely blinks, asking again, in the same voice.
"May I please help you take your shoes off?" Shadow finds that he often defaults to using more…proper language around the princess. It's how he grew up speaking; Gerald did not take kindly to disrespectful slang of that era, and those…crude words didn't fit Maria's gentle and soft nature.
It feels right to speak to Blaze like that. Not because she is a princess, but because she deserves to be spoken to with the same kind, regal regard she gives to others.
Blaze blinks, tears catching on her eyelashes and shimmering in the light of the guest room. Then, perplexed, she nods.
"..Y..yes-? Please," She agrees. It sounds like she really didn't want to do the task herself, however necessary it may be to have a proper, restful night's sleep.
Shadow smiles, and like he'd done before, on that couch back in that little safe house in Seaside City, he gently starts removing her boots. He rests them neatly next to the nightstand, and he treats them the same way he treats his own air shoes, with care. She says nothing, just stares at him with this vulnerable expression that Shadow feels truly honoured to witness.
"Rest, Blaze. You're safe, there are no enemies here, and you have no responsibilities right now," Shadow speaks softly. Her breath hitches at that, but she nods hesitantly.
"T–thank you, Shadow," She murmurs.
Shadow's ears twitch as he hears movement outside the door, and then, Sonic's head pops in, a soft, easy smile on his face.
"Hey, Shad's gotcha settled?" He asks, grinning that award-winning smile at Blaze. She looks at him, expression unreadable, and nods.
"Y-yes. Thank you for opening your home to me," Despite being sitting, she still bows her torso in thanks, but Sonic waves her off with a lazy hand.
"Oh, stop it. You're always welcome here, Blaze. You know that," Sonic scolds gently. The words are kind, but she still flinches at it.
Shadow smiles at her, standing and nodding, "We'll leave you to rest. If the others are too loud, just let us know."
When Shadow turns to leave, he sees that dopey, gooey expression on Sonic's face that makes him want to hide away until he stops being perceived. He rolls his eyes, sticking out his tongue at Sonic in an uncharacteristic, childish gesture, and Sonic winks at him.
Shadow nearly laughs, but something stops him. His ears twitch; Blaze's breathing has changed again.
She's starting to breathe faster, more…frantic.
"Shadow–" She calls, and both Shadow and Sonic freeze. The previous joy in Sonic's eyes melt quickly into worry as he peers around Shadow; and when his lover's breath hitches, Shadow knows what Sonic's seeing.
Still, nothing could prepare him for turning around and looking at Blaze.
In the queen sized guest bed, on the edge like she doesn't know what to do and where to go, sits no princess.
There instead sits a young girl, tears shining in her darling eyes and exhaustion dragging her down. Every breath shudders in panic as her wide eyes stare, as if she doesn't even know why she spoke. Her tears fall, and Shadow can hear Sonic gasp behind him
Shadow is a weak man. He's back at her side before she can blink, taking her hands in his.
"I–I'm sorry–" She apologises first, then, just like last time, she breathes out those three simple, familiar words, "–Can you stay..?"
He hears Sonic exhale, shaky and emotional as he watches Blaze crack. The mere fact that Blaze is allowing Sonic to witness this is a whole new level of trust for the blue hedgehog. His partner can handle himself, though. Right now, Blaze needs Shadow.
Shadow tugs the girl into a hug, and his heart cracks when he feels Blaze grasp onto him like he's the only solid thing in the room.
His eyes wonder, and eventually lands on Sonic, meeting his lover's watery gaze. Sonic's eyes hold so many questions. Shadow can answer none of them.
"I'll stay, Blaze," Shadow whispers, and she whines at that– so small and pained. He rubs her back, sighing. Poor girl has too much on her shoulders.
He tries his best to adjust them both on the bed without jostling Blaze too much, and eventually, he fixes them so that they're both sitting properly on the bed, leaning back against the wall. Well– Shadow leans against the wall– Blaze is almost entirely hidden in Shadow's arms, her face buried in the hedgehog's shoulder as she practically sits in his lap.
'Like a kid' he finds himself thinking. A scared, tired kid. Shadow looks at Sonic again, realising the hedgehog seems lost on what to do, and, after thinking for just a moment, he beckons Sonic forward to sit with them.
The hero does. He creeps into the room like it doesn't belong to him, and perches on the edge of the bed, laying a comforting hand on Blaze's back. Her tail flicks at the new addition, but she says nothing.
They stay like that until Blaze peeks out of Shadow's shoulder, too tired to even look embarrassed. She doesn't move from her position, instead allowing her body to relax as Shadow holds her.
Sonic makes his move, then. He shuffles closer, sort of mirroring her position as he leans against Shadow as well. He hesitates, unsure if he's supposed to be here, but Blaze smiles at his presence. A little, weak thing, but a smile nonetheless. Sonic smiles back, and his hand comes up to brush at her wet face.
"You've been holding in a lot, hm?" Sonic asks gently. There's no judgement in his voice; no anger, or accusation. Just..care. Blaze hums at that, then nods, sighing.
"I– I don't know when was the last time I allowed myself..rest," She admits, her voice soft and slightly hoarse from the crying.
"So many duties that were once so easy have become… such a struggle. I space out during paperwork– I– I can't focus. I feel incompetent-" Her breath hitches at that word, and Shadow tightens his grip around her, shaking his head.
"You are not incompetent, Princess. You are tired," Shadow reminds, "You have the weight of an entire Empire on your shoulders, and you are young. You've been doing this for your entire life. It's okay to get tired."
Sonic nods along with Shadow's words, his eyes shining with emotion and unshed tears.
"Yeah– Blaze, we know how hard you work. You're a strong, dedicated ruler to your Empire. And you try your best to treat your staff well, even if that means taking on more work yourself. But you're a person. You need rest, bud," Sonic murmurs.
Blaze's eyes flutter tiredly at Sonic.
"I..I know that.. I know better than this– but I can't help it–" Blaze stutters through words, slurring and mumbling. Shadow kindly shushes her, gently scratching behind one of her ears.
"That is why you have us. People to lean on when the responsibilities feel overwhelming," Shadow smiles.
"And you did lean on us. You came outside and talked to me instead to continuing to suffer alone. Thank you for coming to me," Shadow praises. He's so grateful that Blaze trusted him with this. That Blaze sought him out, of all people, for comfort.
He feels something…rumbling against his chest, and it takes a moment to realise that Blaze is purring.
Shadow melts. He starts up a purr of his own, very different from Blaze's more cat-like one, but still a response.
"Thank y'u for caring," Blaze murmurs, her eyes struggling to stay open. Sonic is idly drying her face, tracing a hand over her eyelids, nose and cheeks in these gentle, soothing strokes that make the princess damn near boneless.
"We'll always care, Blaze. I promise," Sonic whispers, slightly choked up. Blaze hums tiredly, blinks becoming longer. Before she entirely falls asleep, Shadow leans down, pressing a kiss onto her head, right between her ears.
"Sleep, Blaze. I'll stay. I'll be here when you wake up," Shadow promises. Those words are the last push she needed, it seems, as any lingering tension leaks out of her, and her purring gets louder.
Between Shadow's embrace, the dual purring and Sonic's fingers tracing over her face, she's out like a light within seconds.
They sit in the silence for a bit, the only sounds being the faint laughter echoing from downstairs and the purring from Blaze and Shadow.
Sonic adjusts, now that he isn't needed by Blaze, and instead leans his head carefully on Shadow's shoulder. Shadow can tell that he's crying– the darker hedgehog decides not to bring that up.
Eventually, his lover speaks, voice careful and quiet.
"I'm glad she has you," Sonic mumbles, turning to press a kiss into Shadow's cheek. Shadow hums, closing his eyes as he brushes through Blaze's fur.
"She has us," Shadow reminds. Blaze trusted Sonic enough to allow him to see this. That means something.
Sonic freezes, then nods, breathing out heavily.
"She has us." He finalizes. His gaze drops to the sleeping cat in Shadow's embrace, eyes sad and worried, but he slowly extracts himself from the guest bed, standing and stretching.
"I'm.. gonna check on the others.." Sonic whispers. Shadow nods, and he begins to slowly slide both him and Blaze down into a lying position. Blaze doesn't fuss at the position change, she just nuzzles into Shadow's chest fur more, sighing happily.
"Go, Sonic. I'll be here. Make sure they don't overwhelm Silver with their antics," Shadow's purr stutters as he huffs a slight laugh. Sonic smiles, nodding, but he lets his eyes linger for just a moment more before he leaves.
He turns, finally, flicking off the light and leaving the door slightly cracked. Shadow appreciates it. He knows they're all safe this way. He can pick out their voices, he can soothe his worries.
Shadow lets his own eyes close, truly okay with his position. Never in his wretched, painful life did he think he'd be in this sort of situation. So domestic. So tender.
It's happening more and more recently. He…he honestly hopes for more. He hopes– aches for more of this mundanity. This gentle life he's been blessed with.
He doesn't sleep. He has a job as a protector, and he can't, in good conscience, fall asleep. But he rests. Blaze shifts and adjusts on him, finally taking a break and letting go of all her stress and exhaustion, and Shadow holds her through the entire night.
He will be there when she wakes up tomorrow morning, with the sunlight streaming through the curtains and painting the room with a warm, yellow glow, just like he promised.