Chapter Text
Sonic stares at his breakfast in front of him; as he eats, his green eyes half lid with the weight of his own thoughts as he goes back to what happened after their race. He can almost hear Shadow's voice again: "Don't worry, I won't tell"... Sonic sighs, trying not to focus on the memory of Shadow staring him down while he has a hard-on, pressing a hand to the table, as if trying to repress that chil on his spine again. 'Stop thinking about it, stupid,' He murmurs, scolding himself for being so fixated on such a thing. Just as he's about to resume his breakfast, the familiar sound of his phone buzzing breaks the silence. He picks it up, a little distracted, but the screen shows a message that makes his heart skip a beat. It's from an unkonw number.
-"Sonic, meet me today, at Echo Gardens beach at 11:35."-
Sonic’s breath catches in his throat. It’s not much, but it’s enough to send a rush of warmth through his chest, "Shadow??' flooding him with both excitement and nervousness. He stares at the message for a few long seconds, as if expecting it to disappear.
He looks at the time: 9:30; Sonic quickly types a response: -"Hi, Shads! Sure thing, see you then."- He hits send, his heart racing once again; surely if it isn't Shadow, the person would correct him, yeah? And by the time he finishes his breakfast, it's already 9:57.
The morning stretches out before him, full of uncertainty, but also possibility. As he steps away from the table and goes to spend the rest of the morning in a haze, his mind races with a thousand thoughts. As the hours pass, the excitement and nervousness build within him, each minute that ticks by feeling both endless and fleeting. What would Shadow want to talk about? What could this meeting mean? Sonic’s heart is full of questions, each one more pressing than the last. The clock seems to mock him, ticking away the precious minutes.
At 10:45, he quickly changes into his usual redsneakers, making sure everything is in place before heading out the door. His feet seem to carry him on their own, each step quicker than the last. When he arrives at Echo Gardens beach, the waves gently lap against the shore, the sea breeze tugging at his fur. The place feels quiet and peaceful, but there’s an undercurrent of anticipation in the air, the same energy that’s been buzzing in his chest since he woke up. He checks the time. 11:20. He’s early, but that just gives him more time to think—more time to wonder if this will be like any other meeting, or if this might be a confrontation or, what, WHAT! Shit, this could be a trap; Eggman could be trying to lure him into a trap! or-.
The sound of footsteps on the sand pulls him from his thoughts. He turns around just as Shadow emerges from behind a line of rocks, walking toward him with his signature confident stride. Sonic's heart slows down a beat. 'phew,' he goes looking at his rival approaching. His dark form is framed by the bright blue sky and the distant horizon, and for a moment, Sonic can’t help but feel that same sense of awe that he’d felt when leaning against that wall the day before.
Shadow stops in front of him, his eyes meeting Sonic’s with that same mysterious intensity. There’s a quiet moment, a silent exchange of emotions that only the two of them seem to understand.
"Hey," Sonic says, his voice a little breathless despite himself.
"Hey," Shadow replies, his voice low and steady.
For a moment, neither of them speaks. The waves crash softly in the background and the wind dances between them. But there’s something different now, something electric hanging between them, and Sonic can’t help but feel it might mean something bad. 'Maybe he's actually mad about yesterday?..' He thinks, but as soon as he finishes that thought, Shadow steps closer, his eyes never leaving Sonic's. “I know this might sound out of hand, but I couldn’t stop thinking about you. About after the race...” Sonic’s heart skips a beat. “You’ve been thinking about it?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper; a mix of fear, disbelief, and embarrassment starts settling in him. “Yes,” Shadow admits, his gaze hardening just slightly. “I’ve been... confused, I guess...” Oh no...This is bad; if Shadow is confused, then what is he supposed to be?
Sonic takes a step back, challenging Shadow to clarify his feelings, as his mind starts to spiral down the worst path possible for him, his pulse racing as the tension builds, his pounding in his chest, and his eyes watering. 'Fuck, he regrets it, he definitely regrets it!... or he didn't mean it, he wasn't flirting! Of course, he wasn't. Why would he be!'. He thinks, crossing his arms, hunching in on himself, hoping that with his head held down, Shadow won't notice his tears building up. Shadow's gaze darkens as he watches Sonic retreat, holding himself and lowering his head.
Sonic's back is turned, his arms tight across his chest as if trying to shield himself from the world. His mind is in chaos, replaying every moment, every word, and trying to make sense of it all. His breathing is shallow, each intake of air feeling heavier than the last. He refuses to look up, refusing to acknowledge the tears that are now dangerously close to falling, feeling vulnerable and exposed.
He doesn't know why it matters so much, if were anyone else it might've been different, he might've not cared so much, but now he does, the thought of Shadow seeing him like that and disliking it... as much as he was embarrassed, he wish the other would at least give him a pass and say it was ok, but they where bearly past being rivals, not even colleagues yet, and now... It hurts more than he thought it would, more than he expected. He thought he could handle anything — any fight, any challenge — but this? This was different. “Hey,” Shadow’s voice is low, almost cautious, but there’s an underlying sharpness to it that cuts through the tension. “Look at me, Sonic.” Sonic flinches but doesn’t move. His body trembles slightly, a mix of anger and fear flooding him, but it’s the uncertainty that holds him still. He’s afraid of what might happen if he faces Shadow. What if this is it? What if it’s all falling apart?
But Shadow isn’t going to let him hide for long. He steps closer, closing the distance between them. His tone softens just a fraction, though there’s still an edge to it. “Sonic…” Sonic feels a hand gently but firmly touch his shoulder. He jerks, startled, but doesn’t pull away. The touch isn’t harsh; it’s not the accusation he expected, but it still sends a jolt through him, his heart thumping painfully against his chest. He can’t hold it in any longer — a tear slips down his cheek, quickly brushing it away with the back of his hand.
"Shadow... I—" Sonic stutters, voice breaking. His pride is slipping, the walls he’s built around himself crumbling down. "I didn’t... I didn’t mean to make it weird. I thought—" "Sonic," Shadow interrupts, his voice steady, though there's a hint of concern. "It’s not like that. I just need you to listen." He takes a shaky breath, his eyes locking with Shadow’s again, unsure, but willing. “I… I don’t know what that was yesterday,” he admits, the rawness in Sonic making him feel exposed but somewhat relieved at the same time. “But I think… I think I don't mind... exploring." The silence between them is filled with, the distant hum of the waves. "Sonic," Shadow says, his deep voice cutting through the quiet, "I didn't come here for an apology unless that's what you want from me." His eyes, a piercing red, hold greens with an intensity that makes Sonic feel as if Shados can see straight through to the core of his being. "I need you to understand..." The anticipation hangs in the air as he takes a deep, deliberate breath, "What happened wasn't just... random. There's something we need to talk about." His tone is serious, hinting at secrets yet to be uncovered, a shared bond that neither of them fully grasp.