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Falling For U

Chapter 7

Summary:

in which maria n shadow go to the store :]

Notes:

HI sorry this update took so long dear readers!! ari and i have been kinda busy n all. anyways, happy pride month! :]

Chapter Text

Shadow pushed the front door open with a sigh, shoving his keys into his jacket pocket before he nudged it shut again. He didn’t bother kicking his shoes off, as he’d be out of the house again in just a few short minutes. 

 

Almost instantaneously, Omega was there, weaving himself in and out of the hedgehog’s legs and crying up at him for attention. 

 

Smiling softly, Shadow kneeled down to give the cat a few rubs on the head, then made his way into the kitchen to tend to the plants.



“Oh, you’re back!” Maria perked up from her seat at the kitchen table when he entered, resting her chin on the back of her hand and turning her attention to Omega when he pawed at her legs. 

 

“Mhm.” Shadow gave a terse nod, grabbing a small spray bottle by the windowsill. “Not for long. Do you know where Rouge put the grocery list?” He asked, not looking over as he began to lightly mist his spider plants. 

 

“She left it on the counter.” She replied, closing her laptop and opting to watch him instead. A moment of quiet fell over the room, save for the soft sounds of the spray bottle. 

 

Maria lightly chewed the inside of her cheek, tapping her foot lightly against the floor and deciding to speak up again before the silence turned uncomfortable. “So, um.. How’d therapy go today?” 

 

Shadow’s ears twitched in her direction, and he turned his attention to one of the small cacti sitting on the windowsill. “Fine.” 

 

Yeah, that was about the answer Maria had expected, and she was about to say something more before he went on. 

 

“The therapist gave me a bunch of prompts that are supposed to help with..understanding how I’m feeling.” He muttered. If Maria had been expecting anything else out of him though, he stopped there.

 

It was more than she usually got out of him about his sessions though, so she’d take it. At least he was feeling conversational. “That’s..good?” Maria questioned, offering him a small smile that brightened when he returned the look.

 

“Well, we’ll see if it helps.” Shadow replied, setting the bottle down and turning to grab the list instead.

 

He glanced over it once, ensuring everything they currently needed was written down.

 

“I shouldn’t take too long, but text me if there’s anything you need or if there’s something you think I should get-”

 

“Can I go with you?” 

 

He paused and turned to look at her, raising a brow. “You.. want to go grocery shopping?” Shadow questioned as he placed the piece of paper in his pocket.

 

“I want to get out of the house.” Maria clarified, putting on her best pleading look that she knew Shadow wouldn’t refuse. “Please? I know it won’t be very interesting, I just want to do something. I’ll help as much as you want me to. Or as little as you want me to if you don’t want me carrying things around.”

 

One of Shadow’s fangs worried at his lower lip as he gave her a pensive look in return. “I don’t.. are you feeling up to that?” He asked, frowning. 

 

Maria had only recently started feeling better again after her last bout of exhaustion and sickness, and the last thing he wanted was for her to overexert herself in any way.

 

“I’ll be careful! I feel fine! Please?” Maria persisted in spite of his hesitance. 

 

Shadow only stared at her for a moment as he thought things over, and then sighed. “Bring your cane just in case. You can finish any homework you have when we get back.”

 

He couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips in response to Maria’s giddy cheer.




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Shadow’s ears twitched at the buzzing of the overhead store lights, and he found himself wishing he’d brought headphones or something. The noise wasn’t unbearable though, so he could deal. 

 

He shook himself a little in an attempt to focus.

 

He glanced over at Maria as she browsed the shelves for the next item on their list, regarding her with some amusement when she nearly dropped a pack of napkins in the process.

 

“You know, you can just.. put things in the basket as you grab them. You don’t have to carry them all.” He snorted when she scrambled to pick up the things she’d dropped, holding the basket out for her.

 

Maria huffed lightly as she placed the items into it, shooting him a sardonic smile. “Right. Thanks for laughing instead of helping.”

 

Shadow smirked at her. “You said you didn’t need help.” 

 

Maria groaned and gave him a light shove. “I meant-! Like- Holding stuff in general! You know that’s what I meant!” She grumbled. She wasn’t nearly as annoyed as she was trying to come off though. If Shadow was in a good enough mood to screw with her, she’d play along.

 

She had a feeling a certain blue hedgehog was the reason why Shadow had been much more upbeat than usual lately, but she wouldn’t point that out. She didn’t want to make him self-conscious about it.

 

“Alright, well- I think that’s all,” Shadow muttered, giving their list a cursory glance. “Are we missing anything?”

 

“Uh,” She said, peering over his shoulder to look at it. “Did you get those snacks Sage likes? Remember, you’re supposed to watch her this weekend.”

 

“Mhm.” He replied, looking over the piece of paper one more time before tucking it away in his pocket. “I grabbed those a few aisles ago. I think that’s everything then. Come on.” 



They’d opted to walk to the store that day since it was nicer out, something Shadow was only slightly regretting now having to carry a bunch of bags. They passed a busy playground and Shadow winced a little as the screams of a few overly excited children reached his ears.

 

He’d never really liked going to playgrounds as a kid. The other kids his age were often too loud or too energetic for him, and more often than not he’d ended up just hiding behind Gerald’s leg whenever anyone approached him and asked if he wanted to play too.

 

Then Sonic had come along and practically decided on the spot that he and Shadow were friends. 

 

Shadow huffed a laugh as he remembered a time when Sonic had managed to climb on top of the monkey bars and had tried to coax him into climbing up too. Shadow, roughly nine years old at the time and petrified of heights of any kind, had immediately refused.

 

Sonic had always been more energetic and outgoing too, but he had also seemed to understand that Shadow got overwhelmed easily and could dial his own energy back accordingly. He’d always been more considerate that way.




He glanced over at Maria, jumping a little when he noticed she’d been staring at him. “What-?” He questioned, unable to help feeling the slightest bit self conscious. 

 

Maria laughed sheepishly and turned away. “Nothing, sorry. You were smiling to yourself, that’s all.” 

 

Shadow felt his cheeks grow warm. “Oh.” He cleared his throat. “Just- thought of something funny.” 

 

Maria hummed, and he got the feeling she didn’t buy it. She didn’t press him for anything though, which he was grateful for. Shadow exhaled quietly and turned his attention to the crosswalk ahead of them, forcing the thoughts about Sonic away. 

 

‘What is with you today,’ he scolded himself. ‘Stop being so spacey.’  

 

He didn’t know why he hadn’t been able to get Sonic out of his head lately, but for some reason he just couldn’t. It was distracting and, quite frankly, a little irritating. 

 

But it was fine. He could deal. Just..push the stupid thoughts away, it couldn’t be that hard. Could it?

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