Archive of Our Own ^beta

"Yo."

Curses.

Why Shadow stuck around for Sonic's party was a mystery even to him. Scratch that, he knew, he just didn't want to think about it. Despite his every intention to Chaos Control away once the Time Eater crisis was resolved to some lonely clearing or rooftop, he had the misfortune of having the slyest of bats for a friend- one who subtly alluded to knowing something he'd rather not risk being divulged for his own sake. He had a reputation to uphold, after all, and there was a certain unspoken agreement that for her help in his quest he'd indulge Rouge (however begrudgingly).

Thus leading him to standing under a tree's shade as the sun dips to bathe the picnic grounds in a warm orange, half eaten chili dog in hand, biding his time for slipping away only to be accosted by that damnable hedgehog.

The blue hedgehog stands beside Shadow, arms crossed behind his head casually as he shifts his weight slightly from ball to heel. Seldom did Sonic remain in a position of complete rest save for actually napping, and he wasn't going to start now. His green eyes watch his rival curiously, his disposition nonthreatening if not a tad nosy.

Shadow opts not to make eye contact, simply watching those that remain in the party. The Chaotix have long since left, Vector having received something on his phone which made him eagerly exclaim, "WE GOT ONE!" Blaze had departed for her home dimension, Silver having opted to tag along to chat on the way before returning to his future. Cream had been escorted home by her mother, Vanilla having profusely thanked the others for keeping her safe with the Time Eater incident. Rouge had been the most recent to depart, whispering to Shadow to not just run off and be alone with his thoughts like always for once- Shadow conceded that he had little better to do for the moment.

"Can I help you?" Shadow asks Sonic rhetorically with a cocked brow. He takes a bite from his near lukewarm chili dog afterwards despite his limited appetite for the moment.

"In a way, yeah," the nosy rodent replies casually. Yet while his disposition remains positive as always, Shadow picks up on it missing that annoying lilt of playfulness normally prevalent in his voice. He's not here for just small talk. "I'm glad you stayed, I kinda figured you'd just up and leave by now. But it got me thinking."

"A dangerous notion for you," Shadow snarks.

"Har, har." Sonic rolls his eyes with a hint of mirth. "You were off doing your own thing, that's not unusual... but I realized something was off, after the fact. Well, a few things were."

"What things?" Shadow replies curtly, only to curse himself upon realizing he's indulging the blue hedgehog to essentially speak for as much as he wants. Just tune it out, nod and give his standard noncommittal 'hm' at various points, Chaos Control after. A foolproof plan. Surely whatever Sonic 'deduced' would be of no substance anyways-

"Like, first, Rouge being worried about you."

Damn. Even if he had given up openly cursing in front of this clique a while ago after a rather emasculating experience of being lectured by Vanilla for swearing in front of her daughter, he always had his inner monologue to fall back on. "I doubt she worries for anyone but herself."

"I mean, she didn't tell me upfront, but she was kinda giving you that look. Even nudged you to talk to Blaze and Silver. Usually she respects your space, this felt more like she didn't want you to be alone."

Shadow's brow creases ever so slightly. It's like his rival put the can opener to his brain and is slowly cranking it thanks to the unexpected power of emotional intelligence.

"Second, I gotta hand it to you, you gave me a good match, but man. I haven't seen that fake emerald in a while."

Now that makes Shadow's eyes shoot open in alarm. How in the world...? "Why would I bother with that? You saw it was genuine when you faced the Doctors.” A hint of urgent defensiveness betrays him.

Sonic grins, tsking with a waggling finger. "You had me for a bit. But I figured it out later, once I realized the weight was a tiny bit off than usual and it had a slightly different luster. Tails told me about the differences one day. But one friendly pat on the back from Rouge later, poof, it's real again. You must've had some real important business with that emerald."

"Even if that were true," Shadow half concedes, continuing to avoid eye contact, "any business of mine is mine alone. The Time Eater was your concern. All that matters is that all was resolved." He's on the back foot here, and he knows it. "If all you'll do is pry, save us both the trouble and go back to your friends."

Sonic closes his eyes with a resigned shake of his head. "...I guess, yeah, this is a bit nosy of me. It's just how you operate. If that's what you want, I'll leave you to it." He starts walking ahead.

Finally, Shadow thinks, once Sonic is back over there he can simply Chaos-

But after a few paces, Sonic stops and glances over his shoulder. His look is softer, sincere. "Just one more thing."

Damn.

"I'll let you in on a little secret of mine. After a long time of hero stuff, solving problems, lifting people up... you learn to realize when someone was crying before. I, uh, kinda have a theory as to what happened. If you want to talk about it, I'm here. Just don't hurt yourself inside if you can help it."

His kneejerk instinct is to teleport away, go literally anywhere in the world or do anything else except remain here. He had no obligation to dignify Sonic's deduction with a response.

But that would just delay the inevitable, wouldn't it? His rival is nothing if not irritably persistent.

Yet...

You have friends now, Shadow recalls, echoing from mere hours ago.

The reason they're here now, alive, is that he made the choice to let Maria and Gerald go. The past is past, and all he can do is continue with them in his heart, to take her words with him. There was no shame in pain for what could have been- only shame in keeping it as a burden like always. To let it fester into rage again.

Shadow had never called Omega or Rogue friends to Maria. Yet she said it still- friends. She knew. Sonic, well, that's another story. Yet, who else? Who else so annoyingly blithe, honest, and insightful could be trusted with such a burden without judgement?

And so, he closes his eyes and crosses his arms, speaking only what he could bear extracting from himself.

"...I saw her."

He can hear the shifting of grass as Sonic turns, likely to face him directly again. Shadow could consider this nothing less than admitting defeat- he makes a mental note to even the score soon. But, for now, he can allow this moment of civility.

“I figured,” Sonic replies simply, his tone sincere and gentle. “I wish I could've met her. She really is that special, huh?”

A small wavering exhale escapes Shadow. Even now, some part of him wishes that once he opened his eyes, she would be-

No. Focus only on now. Only what he can feel and hear now. The wind blowing, the grass billowing, a bird's song, the sound of the annoyingly inquisitive hedgehog.

“She would have liked you,” Shadow allows himself to admit at last, finding himself surprised at how easily it comes out. “I imagine she would have begged you to tell her all of your stories and travels.”

“Yeah, that would've been nice,” Sonic says, a smile evident in his voice. “You know her that well, huh?”

“You would have been a terrible influence on her,” Shadow snarks with a hint of a laugh. By now his eyes open, the blue hedgehog having not moved from his spot beyond simply facing him. “But I would prefer to keep the rest of the details to myself.”

With a shrug, Sonic decides to settle for considering the little he extracted from Shadow as a win. “Fair enough. It's good that you're willing to talk about her. It's healthy. Just remember her with a smile, yeah?”

“A smile? You do realize who you're talking to,” Shadow shoots back, allowing a moment of self deprecation. “But… I understand what you mean. Are we done here?”

“Yep,” Sonic responds, “I'm satisfied with what I got. I figure you'll just make sure I pay for it next time we go head to head, knowing you.”

Shadow simply scoffs, turning on his heel to leave. “It goes without saying. Be prepared, Sonic. But… enjoy your birthday, for whatever it's worth.”

“I already have,” the rival calls back. “Y'know, if you know your birthday, maybe we should do something for it.”

“Hmph.” Shadow can only grunt back to save himself a response to that notion before disappearing from the party. Sonic needn't know about Maria's birthday party for him aboard the ARK before anyway.