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Shadow stared at the stars through the branches of the tree he was leaning against, bathing in the quiet. Sonic sat halfway around the trunk, his arms wrapped tight around his knees. He stared down at the grass licking his shoes, lost in deep thought. Shadow didn’t mind the silence, but he got slightly worried when Sonic didn’t say anything for more than a few minutes. He didn’t pry though. His ear pricked when he heard Sonic take a breath.
“Shadow…?” he murmured softly, his voice small. Shadow hummed in answer, looking over at him. Sonic could only see him out of the corner of his eyes. He took another breath and stared at the edge of the wide field they were in. White flowers shone in the moonlight, scattered through the tall grass. The oak they leaned against branched out far above them.
“Why do you… love me?”
Shadow’s gaze snapped over to him. Sonic flinched at his reaction.
“Sorry it’s just, you’ve hated me for so long, ya’ know? It’s like, what changed? Why is it-why me? It’s not like you’ve ever wanted to be around me or anything, we’re always fighting. Or at least, we were…” Sonic let his voice trail off. He picked a blade of grass and shredded it in his fingers. Shadow quietly absorbed the words for a second. He moved a bit closer so that their fingers brushed. Sonic took the chance to grab his paw. Shadow sorted his words carefully.
“I… did hate you for a long time,” he said plainly. He felt Sonic flinch. “I’m not there yet. You were… aggravating and annoying.” He kept his thumb rubbing the back of his paw the whole time. “I thought you were always out to get me. Trying to make things harder. I said I’m not done yet,” Shadow cut in when Sonic opened his mouth to apologize. He sighed and let the silence hang for a while. He could feel Sonic’s quiet desperation for his next words.
Before Shadow said anything else, he scooted further over and leaned against Sonic’s side, kissing his cheek. The blue hedgehog nervously met his gaze. “Are you gonna keep talking, or…?” he said, trying to mask his anxiety. Shadow ignored him for the moment and slid his hand around his waist, pulling him even closer.
“Even past the crappy jokes and the constant prodding,” he whispered, “I always felt a bit safer around you. Even when I couldn’t let my walls down.” Sonic’s face heated a bit. “I didn’t really notice at first,” Shadow continued. “I thought I was just closer to you than anyone else. But… I’m not closer to you than Rouge for example. For you it was… different.” He lazily stroked Sonic’s arm, tracing one of the scars with his thumb. “I just felt better when you were around. I started noticing your little habits. Like when you pick at your fur when you’re nervous. Or that little chip in your tooth no one else seemed to notice.” Sonic’s face fully flushed. Shadow smiled and affectionately nipped at his neck. “What tea you like, the mug you like to use… How you somehow seal up the cracks when you’re upset.”
Sonic’s eyes darted over his face. He blinked hard when the edges of his eyes shimmered. “I didn’t know I was that readable,” he said quickly, looking away.
“You aren’t,” Shadow whispered. “That’s how I knew it was different. I barely know anyone else. I don’t notice what they drink or how they react to things.” He pressed another kiss to his cheek. “It’s like I was completely honed in on you. You were a street lamp and I was a moth.” Sonic wanted to hide how hot his face got. He knew he was blushing. Shadow leaned over and kissed him in full for a moment.
“But, that doesn’t explain why… why I’m the one. Why it was me, the one who would constantly get under your skin? I’m not even… There are so many other people! Out of everyone, why would you choose me? I’m not that smart, you know that, and like you said, I’m annoying, and I mess up all the time, I can’t even sit still for too long-”
“You’re sitting here now. With me,” Shadow said, continuing to rub his arm. Sonic’s eyes met his. Shadow stared at him. A breeze softly cut between them, making the little tuft of fur hanging over Sonic’s forehead sway. His eyes shone in the dim light. Shadow brushed back his little bangs he loved so much, his tail beating against the ground. “You’re pretty…” was all he could breathe. Sonic’s face somehow turned darker. He stared down at the ground, smiling softly.
“You’re not too shabby yourself,” he tried to laugh, but his voice cracked like he was still a teen.
Shadow suddenly laid him back down in the grass, pressed his muzzle into his neck. Sonic yelped in surprise as he hit the soft moss. He rolled away from the tree into the longer grass, taking Shadow with him. They affectionately nipped at each other as they scuffled, flattening the long dry grass around them. Sonic flopped down, still giggling into the cool night air. Shadow bore over him, glaring playfully.
“You tired already?” he said. Sonic reached up and batted at his muzzle. He flopped down in turn, laying on Sonic’s chest. They laid there in the silence, feeling warm around each other. Sonic slowly ran his fingers through Shadow’s quills, staring at his face. He opened his eyes to look at him. The darker hedgehog gently groomed his belly fur, running over the old scar ripped across his side. He kissed it gently, feeling a prick of sympathy for his mate.
Even though they were legally adults now, Shadow knew Sonic had gotten the scar long before then. When it was hard to remember they were still kids learning how things in the world worked. Sonic watched him, his gaze soft.
“I remember when I got that one,” he murmured. Shadow turned to him, giving him his full attention. “It was just another fight with Eggman that went a little too far. Tails was worried about me since I lost alot of blood… It turned out fine though. And I got that cool scar! So it’s a win for me.” Shadow narrowed his eyes at him and pressed his nose hard against it. Sonic went back to staring at the sky. His mate snuffled at the scar, his ears flicking back a bit.
“It was infected,” he said out loud. Sonic glanced down at him, surprised. “It was a bad one too.”
“How did…”
“I can smell it. And feel it underneath the skin.”
Sonic hummed thoughtfully, dropping his head to the grass again. Shadow moved up closer to his head, letting out a set of kisses along his neck. Sonic purred in response to the affection. He felt the other’s gloved hand point his head over to him.
Shadow held Sonic’s paw, messing with the cuff of his glove. “Can I?” he whispered. Sonic stared at him with wide eyes. He slowly nodded, and he peeled off his glove. Shadow tugged one of his own off, and he trailed one of Sonic’s paw pads with his claw. Sonic’s purring grew louder at the feeling.
“Sonic,” the dark hedgehog breathed. His own face flushed from the look Sonic was giving him. He gently pressed the other’s paw to his muzzle, bathing in the trust. The blue hedgehog pressed himself closer. He nuzzled into Shadow’s dark fur, nipping at his chin softly. “Sonic,” he started again, “I love you. I love you because you make me happy. I just do.” His breath brushed Sonic’s ear, making him flush.
“I love you too,” Sonic murmured, holding Shadow’s ungloved paw. His tail wagged and beat against the caked grass under them. He huffed a quiet laugh as Shadow nibbled along his neck.
“You’re pretty…” he whispered again. Sonic smiled and leaned against him, purring when Shadow wrapped his arms around his waist. He kissed Sonic’s chest, then moved up to his neck, then his chin, then paused at his lips. The blue hedgehog’s eyes flicked down to him.
“It’s okay,” Sonic said quietly. Shadow shook his head.
“That’s not it,” he said. He brushed his thumb, ungloved, over Sonic’s lip. He felt him shudder softly. “I don’t want you doubting yourself,” Shadow whispered. “You belong here. With me.” He kissed Sonic on the mouth shortly before continuing. “You’re mine. And you’ll always be. Even when we fight, I still love you. Every night when we get in bed, I want to hold you. Sonic, I love you. I love you more than anything.” His mate’s eyes had turned wet. He pressed his face into Shadow’s chest fur, trembling in his arms.
“Thank you, thank you so much, I love you too, thank you,” Sonic breathed shakily into his fur. Shadow slowly huffed into his neck. He knew inside Sonic’s jokes and quick wit, he was insecure about most things. Shadow also knew how to calm his insecurities well. He cradled Sonic’s head and whispered sweet nothings into his ears. Sonic mumbled something into his chest fur.
“What was that?” he said softly. Sonic looked up at him, the edges of his eyes still damp.
“I love you more than anything,” he said. “And I’m sorry I’m like this. You shouldn’t have to coddle me because I get nervous.” Shadow sighed and hooked his legs around Sonic’s waist, pressing him flush against his body. He kissed along his jaw, making him blush.
“What if I want to,” Shadow breathed in his ear. Sonic smiled.
“Then, if you really want to…”
He made a happy sound when Shadow did more than nip at his neck. He bit his shoulder, purring when Sonic kissed his cheek. He was careful not to break skin. He licked the indent in his fur and laid his head against Sonic’s muzzle. “You deserve everything…”
Sonic’s tail wagged happily. His breathing pattern softened into a slow rhythm. Shadow felt him dozing off. He kissed him one more time, which made his eyes crack open. “Shads… I love you… alot,” Sonic murmured.
“I love you too. Just go to sleep, we can stay here the night. Unless you want to go, I can do whatever.”
“No… stay…”
Shadow laid his head down and pressed his hand to Sonic’s chest as he finally fell asleep. He cradled his head, loving how his bangs brushed his nose. He never thought he could love someone like that. Every little annoyance just became another thing. Another quirk that somehow wormed its way into his heart. He kissed Sonic’s forehead one more time before settling into the grass and drifting off beside him.