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It was yet another day of sitting in the fox’s workshop as the young fox tampered with Shadow’s inhibitor rings. He wordlessly sat on the counter, outstretching his hand for Tails so he had easy access. The other gave him a look that could only spell “unease” on it. He was probably wondering how Shadow could keep his hand out and hovering for so long without any soreness or cramps.
Shadow simply let out a gruff huff in reply, and looked away from the fox. He hated being stared at, it made him feel off, like something was wrong with him. He soon realised that looking away was a mistake as his gaze landed on a particular blue hedgehog. This particular hedgehog he had very mixed feelings about.
One moment he wanted to attack the hedgehog with all his might, see him bloodied and bruised as he finally got the hedgehog to let out a cry of pain (but not from the biting pain of electric shocks. To Shadow, that does not count). In all of his time that he’s known Sonic, the other never let out a cry of pain, even from the harshest cuts or bruises Dr. Robotnik’s creations had inflicted upon him. Shadow wanted to see that facade break, to see what was underneath.
On the other hand… he didn’t want Sonic to get himself hurt even more. Every single time that Sonic had been shocked by those cuffs on his wrists, something inside Shadow made him feel… weird. He wasn’t sure what it was, but one thing stood strong in his mind: don’t let him die. Shadow always dismissed the thought, but never acted on the opposing thoughts he harboured.
Sonic looked zoned out, for sure. There was no other way to explain that. Even Shadow could tell, and just about everyone he knew said that he was the most emotionally blunt person they’ve ever met (he supposed they weren’t wrong, either).
“Um, Shadow, can you move your arm back, please?” Tails’s meek request shook Shadow out of his thoughts. He had been so distracted that he crossed his arms in thought. A bad habit of his.
Shadow wordlessly brought his arm back and watched as the young fox looked over his inhibitor ring. He was mildly surprised as to how Tails was so clever for his age. Other nine year olds couldn’t even begin to hold a candle to his smarts. Which is why he placed such an important matter into the other’s hands, as much as he hated to rely on somebody else. This was not a trivial matter, as every day Shadow felt like he was getting closer and closer to losing his mind.
He didn’t have work to keep himself distracted, he couldn’t go home to water his plants (he prayed to whatever deity was out there that Rouge hadn’t broken in and tampered with his things), he couldn’t have his daily dose of coffee beans, and so much more had piled onto him. Not to mention the cluttered mess that was Sonic’s home. Just the thought of it made him shudder.
That raised another question that Shadow couldn’t help but ask. “Is Sonic literate?”
Tails paused in his tracks, looking up at the black hedgehog and giving him a weird look. After realising that the young fox didn’t know what to say to answer the question, Shadow gave him a little “nudge.”
“Answer me, fox.” Shadow said. To the hedgehog, he seemed calm. Calmer than usual, actually.
For Tails? Not so much. The young fox so much as cowered from his words, squeaking as his ears flickered down a bit, his namesakes fluffing up in defence. He momentarily unhandled Shadow’s inhibitors and looked away awkwardly.
“I think so?” Tails answered in a low murmur, bringing a finger to his chin in thought. Luckily, with Shadow’s enhanced hearing, he could hear the kit rather easily. “I’ve really only seen him read comic books… but he, at the least, can write. Even so, I wouldn’t call his reading level high .”
Shadow nodded in reply, finding the information somewhat valuable. Even if he didn’t want anything to do with Sonic after he saved the other from Robotnik’s base (and unfortunately got them into this “bind” of theirs). Every day, he wants to punch Sonic harder and harder. He knew that Sonic was an infuriating individual, the blue hedgehog took it to the next level and above with his behaviour at home.
First, he hadn’t cleaned his linens in only Gaia knows how long, he gave Shadow his damn toothbrush , and his home was completely devoid of food. Healthy food, that is. Shadow had half a mind to write up a very long chore list and force both of the residents—mainly Sonic, as Tails actually had a sense of cleanliness—to work to fix their home so they could actually have a lifestyle that Shadow could respect.
Because this was just pathetic. How did they even live? Off of chilli dogs? Sure, the city and government provided them enough funds to retire early due to their heroic deeds (the gossip at GUN after Sonic saves the day goes wild. Unfortunately, he knew all of this because Rouge was the only person he could maybe call a friend), but they didn’t have to live like hobos.
Shadow cast another glance at the bored looking hedgehog sitting a few feet away from him, and his mind spurred to a decision. He would give Sonic something to do.
The evening passed on quickly to Shadow, engaged in the topic of his inhibitors with Tails, and how the fox would soon discover a way to untether the hedgehogs from each other. Occasionally, he cast a glance at Sonic with how zoned out the energetic hedgehog was in the process.
At least he upheld his end of the deal; staying quiet for the next day until Shadow was begged to go to Rose’s monthly event. He was invited to all of them, but conveniently had “a work thing” to avoid it (most of the time, he actually did have a work thing). The thought made him audibly sigh, which made Tails give him a weird look that he dismissed. He hated socialising, it always made him anxious… a buzz in his head that he just couldn’t get out until he retreated elsewhere.
But Shadow was a hedgehog of his word, and intended to accept Sonic’s begging. No matter how much it really angered him.
Shadow woke up early again, approximately five in the morning. His body had become accustomed to waking up at the crack of dawn where he would immediately get moving. He always went to work early so he could leave earlier, but with his forced unpaid vacation, that wasn’t an option right now.
Shadow rose from where he laid on the couch and looked around, his eyes taking a brief moment to adjust to the darkness. He heard nothing, other than the distant sound of birds beginning to chirp to hunt for their rations.
His gaze fell on the book that Tails had lent him, staring at him from the spot on the table beside the couch. Exactly where he had left it. At least Sonic left that alone. That hedgehog had no semblance of personal space. In fact, Shadow doubted that Sonic even knew the meaning to either of those words.
Thoughts aside, Shadow grabbed the book tentatively and thumbed through the pages, finding the spot where he placed his bookmark. Shadow always kept a bookmark stashed in his quills, in case he was in a situation where he might pick up another book to read, of course. It was a tactical decision, really.
Then an idea hit him, and he immediately took the bookmark out of the pages. He was almost finished, but he already predicted how it ended: Bella was the killer. It was obvious. But for Sonic… it may not be. Shadow leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, reciting in his head exactly what he was going to say to Sonic in the next few hours.
A few hours later, Shadow glanced at the clock and noted the time. 7:01. He sighed to himself. He was being too lenient with Sonic. Standing, he quietly made his way up the stairs and padded down the hall to Tails’s room, which was right across from Sonic’s own room.
After (accidentally) waking up Tails with a start and demanding he prepare his workshop to work on untethering him and Sonic, he watched the kit mumble and groan as the youngling walked past Shadow. A hint of fear was in the young fox’s eyes as he carefully watched Shadow cross the hall.
Shadow simply shook his head and went to Sonic’s room next. This is where the real challenge would be, as Sonic tended to not wake up at his call. What a lazy hedgehog, Shadow found himself thinking as he slowly swung open the door and watched the other snore and shift in his sleep. The noise was too rackety to be considered real.
A wave of irritation went through him and he stepped up to the bed. He didn’t even have to drag the hedgehog out of the bed before he spoke up groggily. “I’m up… I’m up.”
Shadow stepped back and crossed his arms, a hint of satisfaction in his gaze. “Good. I’ll be downstairs. Do not make me wait.”
With that, Shadow walked down the stairs and waited in the living room. Now, he didn’t need a connection to Sonic’s cuffs to know that he had literally dragged himself out of bed, he could hear it perfectly fine from the thud of feet on the floor. Not to mention the bed’s creak of protest from the lost body and Sonic’s murmured groans, either cursing out Shadow or the situation—he wasn’t sure.
When he heard the bathroom door shut, his inhibitors gleaned a little brighter than usual. Shadow cast down his gaze at them and realised that Sonic was about to be out of range, and get electrocuted as consequence.
Realising that fact, Shadow stepped up a few steps of the stairs to keep the distance shorter, and his inhibitors dimmed to their usual sheen. He leaned against the wall as he waited for Sonic to finish up. He argued with himself that it wasn’t because he cared about Sonic. It was only so a tremor wouldn’t go through his body when Sonic got electrocuted. Yes. That was it.
Finally, Sonic did finish up and they headed out to Tails’s workshop. Of course, Shadow didn’t forget to grab the book and discreetly hide it in his quills until he found the time right.
In the middle of the workshop, Shadow stopped Sonic before he would inevitably zone out and be deemed useless for the rest of the day. Shadow fished the book from his quills and held it out for Sonic to take.
“Here,” Shadow said, giving the book a little shake in his hand, as if to entice Sonic by the movement (he wouldn’t be surprised if the other accepted due to the mere movement alone), “take it.”
Sonic gave him a weird look, and subtly tilted his head to the side in confusion. “Um, what is this?”
Every single word that Shadow had recited in his mind was gone. He was completely baffled at Sonic’s stupidity. Had his brain been rotted from the childish comics he reads?
“A book.” Shadow said bluntly. “Are you stupid?”
“No, no, like, why are you giving me this?”
Shadow let out an exasperated sigh. He really didn’t want to explain his motives as to why he gifted Sonic this book. Rather, he didn’t want to explain that he kind of cared when Sonic was bored and zoned out during their time in the workshop.
“I’m giving this to you so you can pass the time. Clearly, you rarely contribute anything to these sessions.” Shadow instead deadpanned.
When Sonic gaped at him like a fish hit in the side of the head, a wave of irritation yet again went through the black hedgehog. Must he be so surprised? Sure, Shadow was doing something nice for once, but reacting as such just seemed impolite.
He offered the book out again and decided to shift to an old reliable: threats. “Do you want to go to your party or not?”
When that didn’t work either, Shadow wiggled the book in his hands again, trying to make it seem more appealing to Sonic’s energetic mind.
“Well? Do you want it, or are you just going to stare at it?” That seemed to make Sonic snap out of his stupor and reluctantly take the book from Shadow’s hands, as if the piece of literature was going to suddenly become sentient and bite him.
Sonic’s mumbled thanks didn’t go unheard to Shadow, but he didn’t acknowledge it as he turned over to Tails, who was sorting through his files of research, but it was easy to tell that he had secretly been listening in on their conversation. Shadow decided to let it slide as Tails began to ramble on about what was next.
He hardly listened to Tails go on about the next step in untethering them; Shadow already figured what it would be anyway. On the contrary, he was more focused on Sonic, who was entranced with the book and its plot.
He huffed with pride as Sonic (albeit very slowly) read through the pages. But he was still reading, passing the time, and actually enjoying it. Shadow hoped that Sonic would make it a habit. It would be at least one healthy habit over every other disgusting home-habit he had.
“Welp,” Tails announced loudly, likely trying to ignore Shadow’s stares at Sonic, and by association snapped Sonic, who marked his page by dogearing it, out of his trance. “I’m pretty burnt out from this. Maybe.. It’s time we get ready for Amy’s party?”
Immediately, Sonic cast a pleading and cautious look towards Shadow, and the black hedgehog let out a sigh in return. He crossed his arms and appraised Sonic, looking over him as if he was going to suddenly be rowdy again and ruin any chance he ever had at going to Rose’s get-together.
“I suppose you did hold up your end of the deal.” Shadow commented quietly, resting a hand on his chin in faux-thought.
“Is that a yes?” Sonic asked eagerly.
When Shadow nodded, he barely had time to process it before Sonic leaped up from his seat and pumped his fist, crying out in victory. Looks like the deal was off now… as Sonic chose to be rowdy again. Then again, Shadow couldn’t argue since their deal was technically fulfilled. He would grant Sonic that much.
They watched Tails take down his things, Sonic impatient as ever, and Shadow lingering by the door. He wanted to get this over with before he was dragged into something he would regret. Not to mention, Rouge would be there, and she was dangerously close to revealing to Sonic his true feelings.
When Tails finished, the three walked into the house. Shadow was about to grab the front door, but a sound not unlike a screech escaped the blue hedgehog.
“Wait, hold on!” Sonic exclaimed. “Before we go.”
As a blur, Sonic darted into the kitchen and the sound of cupboards being opened and closed as he searched for whatever he wanted to find. He grabbed what sounded like a bag and rushed back over to Tails and him.
He held up a bag that read “cheese puffs” like it was the holy grail. Shadow gave it a sceptical look. That was his party favour? Pathetic.
“Behold!” Sonic cried out with a smirk as if the bag was glowing with holy light in his hands. “The Ultimate Contribution! ”
Shadow crossed his arms and looked at the bag that mocked his title of the Ultimate Lifeform. Then he looked at the actual person who mocked it. “What is this?”
“Well, you know, it is a potluck, and everybody has to bring some food to share!” Sonic rambled on, and Shadow barely found himself listening. When he shook the bag, however, it made Shadow prick up at the noise he wasn’t really expecting. “And this is what we’re bringing! Pretty sick, huh?”
Shadow would not be caught dead with that bag of calories and fat—clearly unhealthy. He would not stand for this. “ This is what you’re bringing?”
Notice how Shadow said “you,” because he certainly did not want his name on that bag. His body language tightened, and his quills spiked.
“I mean, yeah..?”
“This offering is pitiful and pathetic. Even for you.”
Instead of cowering (like how he sort of wanted him to), Sonic simply let out a playful scoff and rolled his eyes. “Okay, well, I don’t see you bringing anything, hotshot.”
Shadow copied Sonic’s response, and jutted a finger at Sonic’s chest, but not making any contact. “That’s because I found out about this stupid party yesterday. I also lack the means to run to the store to obtain the necessary materials to concoct something suitable due to our little predicament.”
“Excuses, excuses.” Sonic tutted. “The real thing we’re bringing to this party is our dazzling personalities!”
Sonic paused for a brief moment and looked over at Shadow, and then Tails. “Or, at least, two of us are bringing our dazzling personalities.”
In response, since he was obviously the one who was accused of not having a “dazzling personality,” as Sonic so kindly put it, Shadow scowled at the blue hedgehog and let out a grumpy huff. Now he really didn’t want to go to that party, but he already made up his mind.
The walk to the party was brief, Amy only living a few blocks away from Sonic’s home. Shadow strayed a few steps behind the other hedgehog and fox, who were chatting up a storm about the upcoming party they were just on their way to.
While Sonic and Tails stepped up onto the porch to ring the doorbell, Shadow lingered on the edge of the porch, waiting for this greeting to be over with. He didn’t want to be associated with the other two, anyway. After barely seconds, Amy opened the door with her cheerful demeanour.
Sonic and Amy engaged in casual banter for a moment, before the words of Amy struck Shadow.
“I take it he was on his best behaviour?” Amy questioned, a teasing, yet genuine tone in her voice. He was unsure if she was happy that Sonic was behaving and therefore could attend the party, or if Shadow had actually shown up (not like he had a choice anyway).
Shadow’s eyes crinkled in amusement at the thought of Sonic obeying his command of being quiet. He really was desperate. Of course, nothing displayed on his face, just the stoic look that everybody knew. “One could say so, yes.”
With that, Amy ushered the three in with a happy smile and led them to the backyard. Shadow noted that her home was… homier, one could say, as a house. There was pleasing to the eye colours, and was a lot tidier than Sonic’s home ever could be.
The lawn was what surprised him the most. The grass was clearly being taken care of well, the shreds of grass green and lush. Next to the lawn was the garden, which had numerous flowers and other plants growing. Shadow found himself enjoying the sight, but he would not say that aloud.
He noticed the Chaotix setting up sound equipment together, and Shadow wondered what it would be for. Of course, he didn’t question it as he awkwardly stood by the door to the backyard. His stare lingered at the lawn for a fleeting moment.
Then he heard the words “music” and “dancing”. Shadow wasn’t sure if dancing even fell into the general category of a potluck. But he didn’t have much time to ponder it before he felt a familiar magnetic tug of his inhibitors.
Shadow strode forward to match Sonic’s own stride, and walked to the patio with him.
“What kind of potluck has dancing?” Shadow couldn’t help but ask as they arrived at the buffet table. He crossed his eyes and eyed the various foods strewn across the table. With another glance at Sonic’s bag of cheese puffs, it was clearly the most pathetic contribution to this table.
“I don’t know, really cool ones?” Sonic shrugged with a smirk, opening the bag of cheese puffs and pouring them into the closest empty bowl.
Shadow gave him a flat look, but proceeded with a follow up question. “Why would you fools even participate in such a thing?”
Sonic chuckled in an awkward manner and traced his hand along the back of his neck after setting the bowl filled with cheese puffs now. “I mean, truthfully? It’s because Vector likes to practice his DJ skills on us before really big gigs. I guess he has one coming up next weekend, so he wants to test out his newest set. We all give him feedback and notes and stuff at the end, it’s kind of a whole ordeal.”
Shadow’s face scrunched and he looked over at Vector, where his friends were helping him set up what would most likely be the set that he DJs at. Whatever that meant.
But he couldn’t help but think about the notes that Sonic would give, having seen his handwriting and how horrendous it was. “Something tells me you give terrible notes.”
“I’m an easy to please guy, what can I say?” Sonic laughed.
Shadow snorted in amusement, but realised that he would be showing that he was interested, and settled back to his brooding expression.
“Anyway,” Shadow said after coughing into his palm to cover up his lingering amusement, “this sounds horrible.”
Sonic countered almost immediately. “You think everything sounds horrible.”
Shadow looked away and let out a sharp huff. As much as he hated to admit it, Sonic was right. He did think that everything sounded horrible. He was far less easy to please than Sonic was. Because, unlike Sonic, Shadow actually had standards.
But Shadow decided to take this moment to separate from everybody else and loiter in the corner. He didn’t want to interact anymore, and he was thankful that Sonic let him be alone.
Shadow debated closing his eyes to pass the time, but his gaze stayed on Sonic like a hawk. He watched Sonic talk with the other guests, who were undoubtedly asking Sonic to recap his time when he was captured at Robotnik’s lair. When people looked in his direction when Sonic likely mentioned Shadow saving him, he averted his gaze elsewhere.
He hoped that Sonic didn’t tell them about how their individual cuffs were bound together. That would be mortifying, as it was known between Sonic’s group of friends that Shadow and him absolutely despised each other.
When Sonic shifted to talk with Amy, Shadow let himself relax and closed his eyes for a moment, listening around to see if anybody would approach him. Nobody did, but he could tell that Rouge was debating it, standing a couple ten feet away.
Shadow was shook out of his temporary relaxation when he heard glass shatter. Immediately, he was on high alert and looked towards the source.
Apparently that red echidna, Knuckles, had shattered a glass with his fists that were comically large. It wasn’t a surprise that he would be capable of shattering glass with those. Shadow didn’t know what Rouge saw in that brute.
But he wasn’t one to judge, as Rouge had Shadow’s own secrets held over his head. He didn’t dare tell another soul unless he wanted his secrets to be posted on GUN’s news board.
Amy helped pick up the pieces of shattered glass and took them inside, an irritated look on her face. It seemed like this had happened before.
Shadow simply sighed, about to retreat to his own mind again until he saw a brush of white fur approach Sonic. He immediately recognised it as Rouge and he bristled. She was going to spill his secrets, he just knew it.
He should have put a stop to this immediately, but he settled back against the fence and waited to see how it would pan out, not wanting to seem territorial. Sonic clearly looked uncomfortable, or at the least not wanting to talk to her.
He watched as both Rouge and Sonic gestured to him and looked at him. He pretended not to notice as they ogled him.
Shadow seemed fine with it before Rouge cast him a knowing glance, knowing that he was watching, and leaned into Sonic’s ear. She whispered something into the blue hedgehog’s ear.
Oh hell no.
Shadow took a moment to steel himself and marched up to the hedgehog and bat, clearly pissed off, enraged, even.
“Can you guys stop talking about me?” Shadow growled, cutting off Sonic mid sentence. “You’re being very obvious.”
Sonic raised his hands as a placating gesture, and Rouge pinned him with a grin that could only say “I’m just trying to help.” Well, it wasn’t helping. At all. He preferred not to be rushed into confessing feelings he had been struggling with for months now. Apparently, Rouge couldn’t comprehend that.
“Sonic,” Shadow said, giving Rouge a glare that only spelled pure anger, not even bothering to look back at Sonic, “Do you mind giving us a moment.”
Sonic gave a silly salute and an awkward smile, and dashed off. It was moments like that where Shadow was grateful for his rival's super speed (no matter how infuriating it could be sometimes).
“What the hell was that, Rouge?” Shadow growled, keeping his smouldering gaze on her.
Rouge hummed in reply, and didn’t look the least bit scared. If it were anybody else facing this glare of his, they would undoubtedly cower in fear, but Rouge wasn’t scared of him. And that irked him.
Rouge chuckled, and folded her arms, shifting her weight onto one leg. Everything about her stance screamed “confidence” and it annoyed Shadow. “What? I was really only trying to help.”
“I don’t need your help with anything .” Shadow growled, crossing his arms, but his stance was more irked than anything.
“Oh, really?” Rouge smirked. She leaned in closer and gave him a teasing look. “It sure seems like you need help, big guy. You haven’t even been close to telling him. Trust me, a gal can tell.”
“And I’m never going to.” Shadow snapped back, his growl shifting into a sneer. “He won’t know. He can’t know. And you’re not going to ruin that.”
“What’s so wrong about finding true love?” Rouge sighed “dreamily” and clasped her hands together in a foolish display, batting her eyelashes at him. She snapped out of it a second later. “I have a guarantee that having that handsome hedgehog as a boyfriend would knock you down a couple pegs."
Shadow’s arms tightened their grip folded over his chest, gripping his elbows so tightly his knuckles must have turned white under his gloves.
“Rouge.” Shadow growled out. But then he thought of the perfect retort that he knew would get under her skin.
“I don’t see you pursuing your ‘true love’ .” Shadow retorted, very obviously shifting his head towards Knuckles, who was chatting with Vector and Espio over by the DJ stand. Vector and Espio looked a tad bit nervous, as if expecting Knuckles to accidentally break their set.
Rouge gasped and placed a hand on her chest. She was clearly offended. “You leave my love life out of this!”
“Then you leave mine out of it!” Shadow barked, poking an irate finger at her chest.
Rouge was about to say something in reply, but Vector’s high pitched voice rang out. Shadow winced from the ear-splitting cry. “Are you ready to get this party started?!”
Rouge looked over at the crocodile and gave Shadow a look. To him, it said “we’ll settle this later.” Then she flew off into the crowd to dance with the rest of those idiots. He didn’t know how she was so comfortable with making a fool out of herself.
Shadow grumbled and skulked to the corner to sulk and brood again.
He didn’t understand how blaring music that anybody could hardly hear the lyrics to was entertaining. Shadow himself preferred classical music. Granted, that and jazz was the only thing that played on the ARK’s few radios, but the calming style of music was much more his style compared to whatever… this was.
Shadow let out a suffering sigh as he debated covering his ears to get that thumping bass out of his head , but an annoying blue blur appeared in his sight before he could do anything else.
“Come on, Shadow! Quit lurking in the corner like a loser and dance with us!” Sonic tried to convince him.
Shadow gave him a venomous snarl, and bared his fangs. He was offended that Sonic would even suggest he would indulge in this folly. He was insulted that Sonic thought of him as a loser when the clear losers were everybody out on the dance floor.
Honestly, he was half tempted to bite Sonic right now. He’d be better without hands for those cuffs, right?
But he held back the temptation. “Absolutely not.”
Shadow felt his quills rise and his ears pin back like he was actually alarmed. Despite the fact that he wasn’t in actual danger right now, he was overwhelmed by the blaring noise, which his nerves sensed as the same thing.
He was probably more akin to a feral animal rather than a hedgehog to Sonic.
“Oh, come on Shadow, don’t be such a buzzkill! It’ll be fun, just come and try it!”
“No.”
“Aw, why not?”
“You all look like idiots. I refuse to partake in this barbaric display.” Shadow’s tone seethed. In reality, he didn’t know how to dance. At least, not how they are dancing. But he would rather die than admit that.
Unfortunately, Sonic had his occasional smart moments and saw right through his words. “You don’t know how to dance, do you?”
Shadow’s ears pinned back against his head further. “I didn’t say that.”
Sonic grinned and placed his hands on his hips, leaning forward into Shadow’s personal space. “Oh, yeah? Is that so? Well, why don’t you come out here and prove me wrong?”
While temping, Shadow knew better. He wouldn’t risk humiliating himself in front of all of Sonic’s friends. Rolling his eyes, he scoffed. “I don’t have to prove anything to you.”
Shadow expected Sonic to pressure him until he gave up and inevitably danced with him. But, to Shadow’s surprise, Sonic gave up, raising his hands in a white flag gesture. The white flag already? Shadow expected more fire from Sonic.
“You know what, you’re right. I’ll leave you alone. I can go find somebody else to dance with.”
As Sonic turned away, Shadow’s mind raced and bile formed in his throat. He swallowed thickly. Had he finally driven Sonic away? He thought he’d feel better about that. But no, he ruined any chance he ever had to actually make a friend again. To find another person he could trust.
He didn’t want to be alone again.
In a moment of desperation, Shadow sped to Sonic’s side, already feeling humiliated. He covered his desperation with a scowl of disgust. He was truly disgusted with how pathetic he was.
“Fine. I’ll come dance with you.” Shadow admitted, unable to look Sonic in the eye out of pure shame and fury.
Sonic’s mouth gaped open for the second time today. “You… you’ll actually… what?”
Shadow looked at the ground, the pretty and clean cut grass beneath his shoes. At least that calmed him a little bit.
“I’m not going to repeat myself.”
After another few seconds of gaping, Sonic finally gestured for Shadow to go ahead. Reluctantly, Shadow slowly stepped forward towards the dancefloor, each step like a forty-pound weight weighing him down (which was no issue for him to carry, but the expression still stands).
Every step his rocket boots made on the dance floor made him cringe, not to mention the swarm of people dancing like idiots. He then realised he would soon be joining those idiots. Shadow grumbled to himself as Sonic caught up with him.
There was a moment of silence between them (as much silence that they could get with the blasting music, that is) before Sonic awkwardly ignored him and began to dance.
Each move made by Sonic also made Shadow’s second-hand embarrassment spike tenfold. He felt way too awkward here. He never should have accepted Sonic’s invitation. Then again…
Sonic called out to him, ripping him out of his thoughts. “Come on, Shadow! You’re just standing there like a weirdo! I thought you said you knew how to dance?"
Shadow pressed his lips into a fine line and looked away, to where his eyes accidentally stumbled upon the sight of Charmy Bee from the Chaotix doing the macarena. It was certainly a sight, with how the bee was doing such practiced moves so wildly.
Blinking the sight away wasn’t easy, and people were cheering him on? Shadow didn’t understand this generation.
Shadow let out a gasp when he felt his hand be tugged and held by none other than Sonic. He immediately moved to face the other. “What the hell do you think you are doing?”
It was then Shadow realised how overwhelmed he actually was with the loud noise of the party. And how Sonic’s hand slotted against his eased that fuzzy feeling in the back of his mind. So, despite the clear tension in his fingers, he didn’t pull away.
“Lending you a hand! Get it?” Sonic laughed, even having the audacity to wink at Shadow like he had not just violated his privacy and personal boundaries. Shadow scowled in response, showing his displeasure. “You looked like you could use some help.”
Shadow yet again debated yanking his hand away and punching Sonic in the nose… but that would garner attention. And attention was the last thing he wanted right now.
“I don’t need any help.” Shadow hissed lowly. “ Especially not from the likes of you.”
He was surprised when Sonic didn’t really show an outward reaction and instead pulled Shadow closer by his hand. What did he think he was doing? He didn’t have time to inevitably snap at Sonic before he was spun away, obviously a predetermined move. But why?
Then it hit him. Sonic was trying to dance with him. Shadow’s efforts to get him away redoubled, a new fire that hopefully said that he did not want this.
“Let go of me.” Shadow growled, his words having a deadly bite to them.
But, of course, Sonic was never known for listening, was he? So, instead of pulling away and properly apologising like Shadow wanted, Sonic twirled Shadow around and released him right before the turn ended for the full effect.
Shadow stumbled over his feet before he caught himself. He gave a half-second to process things before his restraint snapped. He whipped around and pinned Sonic with a deadly gaze and raised his clenched fist up to Sonic’s nose.
“What is your problem?!” Shadow barked in Sonic’s face, not noticing the nervous gazes that others were giving them, clearly concerned for Sonic’s safety. By the smug look on the blue hedgehog’s face, he clearly was getting a kick out of this, and that pissed Shadow off even more.
Sonic let out an amused snort and took Shadow’s hand, slowly lowering it so it wasn’t planted at his nose. “My problem is that you’re at a literal party and don’t want to dance with me. Quite frankly, I’m offended. Hurt, even.”
Sonic released Shadow’s hand and made a spectacle of crossing his arms, clearly mocking Shadow and his likeness. Shadow’s fist balled up and he raised it to Sonic’s nose again, fully intending to hurt the other.
“I’ll give you something to hurt about.” Shadow threatened.
Shadow, just now noticing the occasional nervous glance being thrown at him and Sonic, immediately ripped his hand away. He turned on the heel of his boot and stormed off towards the table furthest away from the party. He didn’t want to draw attention. To humiliate himself even more.
He plopped down and let out an upset sigh, burying his head in his hands. How could he have let that happen? Just the thought of being around Sonic and dancing with those fools made the buzz in his head grow louder and more overwhelming.
He didn’t want to be here. Why did he make that deal, coming in with a blank slate that this would just be a normal potluck. Like the work ones that Rouge always wants to drag him to. They just sit at a bunch of tables and talk about the recent achievements of the different agents. Shadow always sat at the end of the table, eating alone, so the topic never shifted to him.
He stared out into the garden, resting his palm on his cheek as he was lost in thought. He looked down at his inhibitors and looked away. He didn’t want to look at them. Nor did he want to be reminded of his and Sonic’s bond.
Speaking of Sonic, he desperately wanted to leave. Electrocution for Sonic be damned. Shadow’s personal space was violated, and now he was irritated.
What he didn’t want was to see Sonic for the rest of the night until they were told to leave. He heard distant footsteps, but he ignored them, not wanting to talk to anybody. If it was Rouge coming to “check on him,” he might actually harm somebody.
He looked up to see Sonic. Great. Just the person he didn’t want to see. Shadow glared daggers up at him.
“What the hell do you want now?” Shadow hissed at the other.
Sonic stood idle for a moment, as if debating his next action, before holding out his hand for Shadow to take. His next words were gentle, and eased Shadow’s suspicions, if only a little. “Do you want to try this again? I promise I’ll be nice this time.”
Shadow looked up at him, anger still burning in his flame red eyes, and then looked at Sonic’s hand.
The furrow in Shadow’s brow lessened a bit, and he didn’t slap Sonic’s hand away, which was a clear indication of how he was okay with this. Shadow was glad that Sonic was willing to give him a second chance after his outburst earlier.
He was… frightened, is all. He didn’t mean to lash out like that.
Wanting to make things right, Shadow silently placed his hand into Sonic’s, and he was pulled to his feet. Sonic’s grip tightened on his hand, and Shadow found a grounding comfort in the gesture. When he was guided (notice how he didn’t use a word that meant force ) to the dancefloor, it seemed like only them in the moment despite everybody else around them dancing in their own worlds.
Sonic took Shadow’s other hand and pulled Shadow into step, which Shadow now realised as swaying to the beat of the music. Shadow still felt himself tense, uncomfortable with how new this was to him.
Letting his thoughts spiral that he couldn’t dance, Shadow’s hands unintentionally tightened in Sonic’s hold. He briefly glanced at Sonic when seeing his confused look, a silent request for an explanation.
Shadow looked away and bit down on his lower lip. “I have to admit something.”
“What’s that?”
“I… actually don’t know how to dance.” Shadow, more accurately, didn’t know modern dancing. But he didn’t really want to go through the trouble explaining that he really only knew dances that she taught him. And they probably weren’t anything that Sonic knew about.
Sonic looked shocked by his admission, but not by the fact that he couldn’t dance (Shadow felt he gave that away pretty obviously), but rather how he had honestly admitted it. It was an uncomfortable topic for Shadow, and he was relieved that Sonic wasn’t ridiculing him for it.
“Well, fortunately for you, you happen to be electromagnetically bound to the best dancer at this party.” Sonic grinned with pride in his tone as he affectionately squeezed Shadow’s hands. “What do you say, Shadow? Wouldn’t you consider yourself lucky?”
Shadow snorted in amusement at his words. “I would hardly consider myself lucky. The only reason I’m here is because I’m incredibly unlucky enough to be bound to you at the moment.”
Shadow let out a half-hearted grumble and shook his head. “I really should have left you in Robotnik’s base.”
“And yet, you rescued me anyway.” The blue hedgehog shot back, grinning.
He knew he was caught red-handed. He did still bust Sonic out anyway. Grasping for a reason, he came to the only conclusion that would be reasonable.
“You know I had to do my job. Don’t forget it.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Shadow.” Sonic laughed again and swung Shadow around in a circle, releasing one of their hands and stretching their bodies. Completely in time with the beat.
Shadow tensed up, surprised by the sudden movement. The lack of Sonic’s other hand in his made him start to realise the people around them. His heart rate started to pick up.
Then Sonic shifted their stance to normal and both of their hands were linked again. Shadow felt at ease again.
“You don’t always have to fight me, you know.” Sonic said softly. Well, as softly as he could with the loud music blaring in their ears. “When we work together, we actually make a pretty good team.”
Shadow couldn’t help but nod in agreement, remembering the times where they had coexisted and hadn’t thrown any punches or slammed their bodies against each other like they would during a high stress race.
He remembered the first time that Sonic and he fought together against some of Eggman’s robots. Afterward, he could hardly speak a word at work, unable to stop thinking of the spectacle of seeing Sonic’s strength being used against another rather than him.
Rouge had noticed his plight, and pressed him about it until he confessed that and more. Hence why she kept giving Sonic those tantalising hints.
He also remembered when the two of them had cooked together, working as well as they do on the battlefield in the kitchen. He liked it. He liked it a lot, having someone to work beside.
But then he realised his expression was probably giving away too much, and he felt embarrassed about it, so he scowled at his feet and did what he did best when he felt this way:
Lash out.
“I think I prefer fighting you.” Shadow said bitterly.
He was surprised when Sonic laughed in response. “Hah, we can always do that later, but for now? Maybe not?”
Almost as if on cue, Vector changed the song from something way too upbeat for Shadow’s tastes to something a little slower. It seemed bright, still, but was much more suited for Shadow to follow along to.
Almost as if that song was made for them.
Sonic easily guided Shadow into the beat and pulled him closer. This time, Shadow was expecting it and didn’t fight his touch, even going as far as reciprocating by slightly leaning in.
“You know,” Sonic breathed out. Shadow could tell his next words wouldn’t be something he’d be pleased with, “It wouldn’t kill you to lighten up and have some fun every once in a while.”
Shadow scoffed and looked at their entwined hands, feeling a strange flutter in his chest. “I am perfectly capable of having fun.”
“Oh, yeah? Is this one of those times?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Shadow challenged, secretly hoping Sonic would drop it and they could continue dancing in silence.
“Yeah, I would like to know.” Sonic grinned expressively.
Shadow rolled his eyes, more out of exasperation rather than anger, however. “Fine. This is… nice.”
Sonic’s grin transformed into a wide smile and Shadow felt that flutter in his chest again. He realised that seeing Sonic happy… made him happy, in some odd way.
To get a better grip on Sonic’s hand, Shadow adjusted his grip again, his hand inching up Sonic’s palm. What he didn’t realise, however, was that he had accidentally brushed the pads of his fingers against Sonic’s cuffs. And those cuffs activate when touched or at a long distance from what they’re linked to.
Shadow flinched when Sonic pulled his hand back abruptly, only the slightest wince coming from him. Now, Shadow didn’t realise that he had brushed his fingers against the cuffs, and he felt terrible.
“Sonic,” Shadow called, resisting the urge to reach out and look at the damage for himself. “Are you okay?”
“It’s fine.” Sonic reassured him, seeming fine now. “It’s just the cuffs.”
Shadow’s heart sank and his eyes widened. He hurt Sonic. Even worse: he knew where he could hurt Sonic. That somehow made him even worse. No matter how much they fight, Shadow always grimaced whenever he landed a blow that almost made Sonic stumble and trip.
Before Shadow could voice his concerns and apologise for hurting him, Sonic spoke up first. “You know, I’d like to call you a buzzkill, but honestly? I think these things must have you beat for that title.”
The joke didn’t make Shadow laugh. Instead, he hung his head low and murmured, loud enough for Sonic to hear. “I’m sorry. I should have been more careful.”
Sonic, looking shocked for only a moment, immediately threaded his fingers with Shadow’s again. He softly smiled and his emerald gaze burned into Shadow’s red.
“Thanks for coming out with me tonight, Shadow.” Sonic said genuinely and honestly, a first for the blue hedgehog during Shadow’s time with him. “Really. I know how much you hate these things.”
A wave of discomfort went through Shadow. He was shocked how Sonic was being so vulnerable, but he didn’t want to be expected to do the same. So… he lashed out again.
“Don’t get used to it.” Shadow muttered in a quiet voice, averting his gaze from the other.
Apparently, Sonic didn’t want Shadow to retreat back into his stoic shell, so he carried on, hoping to coax a reaction out of Shadow. “No, really. I’m having a lot of fun with you. And I… I’ve really enjoyed the chance I’ve had to get to know you. You’re not who I thought you were.”
Shadow’s eyes widened. Did Sonic really think of him like that? As a companion, somebody he could get to know? Perhaps it was true… exposure can make you warm up to others. He hated how right Rouge could be sometimes.
“Sonic, I—” Looking away was the worst thing Shadow could possibly do at this moment.
Thank Gaia that Shadow hadn’t said what he was going to say, because everybody on the dancefloor was staring. Directly at them.
Shadow’s heart rate picked up and he immediately tore his hands away like Sonic was a burning flame on his hands. He scowled and stared at the ground as the song faded away. Shadow’s hands were clenched at his side, every second of silence felt like hours.
Finally, the music started back up again and everybody began to wander to their own world again.
How could he have let himself get close? He was blinded by Sonic’s presence, only to be reminded of the harsh reality yet again. Shadow swore to himself to never get close with another after he lost Maria. It would be too much to bear.
“Sonic.” Shadow said coldly. He wished he could hide the hint of melancholy in his tone.
“Um.. yes?” After Shadow was quiet, Sonic probed again. “Shadow?”
“I think I’m ready to go.”
Shadow turned on his heel, and left the party.