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It's not often that Shadow falls asleep. It's even less often that Shadow has to be woken up. Which is why he's utterly baffled that he's being shaken awake right now. He squeezes his eyes shut, rolling over and burying himself in the blanket. He hears a fond chuckle above him, and he inwardly rolls his eyes. How dare this person have the audacity to wake him up and then laugh about it? He mumbles something, incoherent even to his own ears, and tries his best to drift back into dreamland before the pest can bother him again. He hears the voice chattering about something, but it doesn't seem directed at him, and the voice is oh so soothing. He falls back asleep in record time.
Only to be woken again in what feels like seconds. He groans, annoyed as he lazily swats at the hand touching him. It does nothing to deter the offender, as they move from shaking him to gently carding a hand through his quills.
"C'mon, you gotta get up, Shads," The voice urges. Sonic urges. Chaos, how tired is he that he can't recognise his partner's voice? He rolls over, and the hand continues its soothing as he attempts to wake himself up. Opening his eyes feels like a monumental task. His eyelids struggle, fluttering closed tiredly as soon as he gets them open. He blinks a couple of times, trying to rid the sleep from his eyes, but it doesn't work. His eyes are heavy and bleary as they gaze up at Sonic.
"Hey, Shads." Sonic's voice is gentle, laced with worry as he fixes Shadow's quills mindlessly. Shadow attempts to answer, but it comes out as a string of groans and slurred words. The sound makes Sonic's brows furrow more. Shadow pushes up into Sonic's hand, craving the contact, but his body feels unusually weak. He can do nothing more than simply headbutt Sonic's hand gently before his neck strains, forcing him to settle back down.
"'m tired," he manages to mutter out, blinking at Sonic. Chaos, his eyes hurt. It's bright in here. Sonic frowns at those words, eyes roaming Shadow's figure before landing back on his weary face.
"You're..tired," he repeats, careful. Shadow nods, then groans again as a sharp jolt of pain pierces through his skull, reigniting a headache he didn’t even realise was there.
"Shadow," Sonic starts, voice noticeably quieter as he sees Shadow wincing, "It's like… 4 pm. You've been asleep since last night."
Huh.
Shadow blinks, then blinks again, dumbfounded but too tired to even fathom a response. His brain processes Sonic's words like molasses. That's gotta be more than TWELVE hours. Shadow can't remember the last time he had like…5 consecutive hours of sleep. Even when he's with Sonic, he wakes up far before the blue hedgehog (and is subsequently trapped by Sonic's relentless cuddling until he can escape).
"What?" He asks, squinting around the room. He feels like shit. Sonic hums contemplatively, and then his hand moves from Shadow's quills. He stands, and Shadow watches with thinly veiled confusion as he moves around the room, drawing the curtains and turning on the more mellow lamps scattered through the bedroom. As the room gets plunged into blissful darkness, Shadow lets out a sigh of relief.
"Better?" Sonic asks gently. Shadow nods into the darkness, though he knows Sonic probably can't see. After a moment of appreciating the dark room (and, in turn, his ever-caring partner), he feels the itching need to stretch his sore joints. Everything feels stiff, like he's been turned to stone. He pushes himself up, propping up on weak hands, taking a second to adjust to the change of position. His joints crack and creak with the movement.
He takes inventory of his body. His head is pounding, and it feels too heavy for his neck to hold up. There's a lingering tension across his entire shoulder and back, aching deep into his bones. He's hot— overheating, actually, now that he really thinks about it. The blanket that was so appealing just minutes ago now feels like a prison, and he kicks it off messily. Sonic's back by his side in an instant, helping free his feet from the covers, his eyebrows creased in worry.
"Do you wanna stand?" Sonic asks, hands fluttering, unsure what to do. He's never seen Shadow like this. The only version of Shadow that his friends have seen is the strong, unshakable one. Not…this pathetic display.
Shadow nods, swinging his legs off the bed and standing shakily. He straightens, feeling his heartbeat pick up exponentially. It beats against his chest angrily, as if scolding him for the simple act of standing. Sonic's saying something, he thinks, but his ears begin to ring, blocking out any sound and replacing it with a deafening silence. The edges of his vision blur, and dark splotches appear as he feels himself go lightheaded. Stars twinkle in his eyes as they flutter closed, and his body drops like a brick.
"Whoa–!" He distantly hears Sonic gasp, and two strong arms catch him, circling his torso tightly before he can fall to the floor. He doesn't completely lose consciousness, thank Chaos. His vision returns to him slowly, and he weakly raises his arms to help Sonic support his body, wrapping them around Sonic's neck and leaning his heavy head against the hedgehog's shoulder. Sonic sighs in relief at his movement.
"Okay, let's not do that again," Sonic mumbles, slowly setting Shadow back onto the bed. Despite desperately wanting to move, to stand, to do something, Shadow's body screams at him to lie down. He can't protest; he does not want to actually pass out this time.
"Help me lie down," He requests, shame coating his words. Sonic is nothing but understanding, though, and he adjusts Shadow, guiding him back onto the soft mattress.
"There we go," he murmurs mindlessly, "Take it easy, Shads."
Shadow's face burns with embarrassment at the treatment. It's not that Sonic's doing anything wrong; it's that Shadow shouldn't need this type of gentleness in the first place. Sonic is oblivious to his embarrassment, though, as he tenderly caresses his partner's face and neck. Shadow sighs, melting into the soft touch.
"I feel like shit," Shadow eloquently admits. Sonic hums, his frown deepening,
"I gathered. Do you know why?" Well, Shadow has an idea. He really doesn't want to admit it, though. He closes his eyes, pushing into Sonic's hands more, not answering the question.
"Not gonna tell me?" Sonic huffs, and Shadow can hear the exasperated smile on his face, "Fine, I'll figure it out myself."
He goes silent for a bit; Sonic tends to do that when he's in super deep thought. With his eyes closed, Shadow could bet 100 rings that he could describe the exact look on Sonic's face, too. His eyebrows get all furrowed, and he looks up at the ceiling so nothing can distract him. He twists his mouth, unconsciously worrying his lip and scrunching up his nose. Shadow loves that face. He opens an eye briefly, peeking up to see if he's right, and he can't help the grin of triumph when he sees the exact expression he pictured. Gaia, this hedgehog is so predictable. It's what Shadow loves about him, though. He mindlessly combs through Shadow's messy quills until he finally pipes up again,
"The only other times I've seen you like this were… after you used too much Chaos energy." Ah, he hates that his partner knows him so well.
"Is– is that what happened?"
Shadow nods, and Sonic's face hardens.
"The last few GUN assignments have been… aggressive," he admits. His eyes dart away from Sonic, suddenly ashamed,
"My mind's been elsewhere, and I haven't been as focused as I should be. I've been getting injured a bit more, meaning more energy goes to healing my mistakes."
"Injured?" Sonic questions, and Shadow winces. He completely forgot to tell Sonic about his recent…shortcomings.
"Uh– I may have gotten shot in the torso."
Sonic's eyes widen, almost comically, and he grits his teeth.
"What."
"It's part of the job, Sonic. It's already healed," Shadow attempts to soothe. Sonic glares at him, though Shadow can see the worry in his eyes.
"Part of the job–? Shadow, that isn't something you just drop casually," Sonic stresses, voice pitching higher as he scolds, "why didn't you tell me?"
"I forgot," Shadow answers simply, already feeling the heat in Sonic's glare deepen at that.
"You forgot," Sonic repeats. Shadow feels like a child getting lectured. It's equally as funny as it is sweet (and overreactive, in Shadow's opinion, but he'd never say that to his partner's face).
"I swear, I forgot. By the time the mission was over, it was already mostly healed. Then I had to do paperwork. I– It slipped my mind." Shadow's not even lying. Getting shot is part of the job, and it happens often enough that he tends to think of it as another workplace incident.
"Besides, when this happens, I can usually push through it–"
"This happens a lot?" Sonic's voice is accusatory, but not angry. Shadow sighs, realising he's digging himself into a deeper hole the more he talks, but Sonic's not only a part of his life now, but he's Shadow's partner. He deserves to know what he's getting into.
"Yes. I… tend to deal with it. I've never had time to…let it affect me." More like he's never let anyone get close enough to stop his self-destructive habits.
Sonic's eyes soften at his admittance. He leans down, pressing his forehead against Shadow's,
"Shads, you got shot," he scolds, "I don't know about before, but we aren't pushing through the pain anymore." Sonic lays the words down like law; something Shadow can't dare to fight.
"You're always by our sides when we're overworking. You're not allowed to be a hypocrite," he demands, though there's hardly any edge to his words.
Shadow hesitates. He's never considered letting himself feel this overwhelming pain and exhaustion– he just ignores the deep ache in his bones and moves along. He'd conceal the winces and clench his teeth in defiance. He's the Ultimate Lifeform; he shouldn't be so weak.
But—as he's been learning recently— what he's built for is not what he has to be.
He remembers the way he'd hide after big missions; retreating to his house to rot away as the pain consumes him entirely. He'd lie on the cold floor, not able to make it to his bed, curled up like a terrified child. The pain would shoot through his body like electricity, setting his nerves on fire as he stifled the wimpers and whines– for his own pride if nothing else.
When Rouge would call to check on him, he'd will his voice not to shake. He'd push all that hurt deep, deep down and make sure his walls were snugly in place. He's never allowed anyone to find out about this…fault in his programming—until now, it seems.
Sonic's forehead is warm against his, and his breath tickles Shadow's nose. The kindness that Sonic's showing him— it's something he hasn't dared to want for. He thought he'd never deserve that kind of love again.
On those tiring nights, alone in his house, he'd dream of someone opening his front door and finding him, and instead of the sneers and laughter of his nightmares, they'd instead cradle him. They'd hold him through the pain, whispering sweet words into his ear like Maria used to do. They'd warm his cold body; soothe his troubled mind.
He used to scold himself for that wishful thinking. Now he has the things he dreamt of, and it's terrifying. It makes the pain feel somehow both duller and ten times more paralysing at the same time. His breath shudders as he uses all his strength to raise his hands, lazily circling them around Sonic and pulling him flush atop his aching body. The weight and warmth of another help ground his mind, but it doesn't stop the tears from welling in his eyes. Sonic goes easily, dipping down with the pull to press his soft lips against Shadow's in a brief kiss (Shadow doesn't think he'll ever get used to that feeling; it's beautiful).
"What do you need, Shads?" Sonic murmurs against Shadow's lip, and that question alone causes his tears to flow.
"I don't know." Shadow tries to keep his voice steady, but the words come out as a small whimper instead. He should feel ashamed, but he can't, not when Sonic's looking at him so earnestly, so full of love. Sonic gently pets his quills, endlessly patient with Shadow. Shadow can feel Sonic's heart beating against his fluffy chest; he feels every steady breath that the blue hedgehog takes. Its rhythm soothes Shadow's wandering brain. He closes his eyes, breathing and letting the tears flow despite the gnawing urge to hide them from his partner's sight.
"Everything hurts," he complains, finally allowing himself to completely feel. It's like the world crashes down onto his shoulders as he drops his walls and processes the pain. The pain he should be accustomed to now feels like a thousand knives stabbing into him, and he stifles a body-wracking sob. Sonic adjusts, moving to lie next to Shadow instead, and slowly– as if Shadow's body was glass– he pulls Shadow into a soft yet secure embrace. Shadow buries his face in his partner's shoulder, sniffling as the silent tears soak into Sonic's pretty blue fur. He feels Sonic rubbing circles into his back, muttering loving words that Shadow's too unfocused to process.
"I know it hurts, Shads. Just take your time," Sonic encourages, holding him tight— an anchor in Shadow's storm. His voice is a mix of love and sadness. Shadow would be content to stay here until his pain ebbs away, but his stomach protests in hunger (despite not technically needing food) and a wave of nausea suddenly washes over him, making him lurch away from Sonic, pushing himself up in hopes of easing it. Sonic goes with him, hand steadying his trembling form,
"What? What is it?" Sonic asks, voice laced with concern. Shadow just puts a fist to his mouth, eyes clenched closed tightly as he hums. His other hand wraps around his abdomen, shielding his twisting stomach as if that'll help his situation. He stays like that until the nausea calms, and only then does he open his eyes, glancing at Sonic's worried face.
"I need to eat– but I'm too nauseous." His contradictory body makes him want to give up on feeling better entirely. Sonic makes a noise of understanding,
"I could heat up some broth for you. Maybe that'll be gentle enough on your stomach?" The blue hedgehog suggests. Hot broth sounds like heaven itself to Shadow. He nods slightly, leaning some weight on Sonic.
"I don't wanna stay here," he decides. The bed is too hot, and the room too stuffy. Besides, despite how dreadful he feels, he wants to see Tails at least once for the day. He's hardly seen the child recently due to all these damned GUN missions. Sonic looks torn, but he eventually relents, shuffling off the bed and holding out a hand for Shadow.
"Okay, but slowly, so you don't pass out again," Sonic says seriously. Shadow rolls his eyes, but goes along with Sonic's rules and takes his time sitting up and scooting to the edge of the bed,
"I didn't pass out the first time," he grumbles, but Sonic shoots him a withering glare,
"Babe, your entire body weight came down. I'd call that passing out," he argues. Shadow opens his mouth to retort, but the sentence truly settles in, and all words escape him.
What in Gaia's name did Sonic just say?
Sonic seems to be waiting for a response, but Shadow can't fathom anything except,
"Did you call me babe?"
Sonic blinks, then his cheeks go scarlet red. He stutters, attempting to answer,
"Uhm– I didn't mean– I meant-" Shadow looks at him, unable to help the teasing grin from forming on his face. Sonic glances at his smile and pouts indignantly,
"That was an insulting 'babe'— Just leave me alone and stand up already!" He huffs, staunchly avoiding Shadow's eyes. Despite his sudden shyness, his arms still lock around Shadow as he stands, holding his breath as the dark hedgehog finds his footing.
Standing up doesn't destroy Shadow as it did before, though he can still feel his knees threatening to buckle under him.
"You okay?" Sonic asks. Shadow nods, then rethinks it as his body trembles,
"I don't think–" he hesitates to say this. It feels like failure. But he's so tired, and the longer he stands, the more darkness creeps into his vision, "–I don't think I can walk."
Sonic doesn't miss a beat. He scoops Shadow up like nothing, holding the other securely and gently against himself.
"This okay?" He asks softly. Shadow leans into him, nodding. Sonic begins to walk, and the sway of his steps both soothes Shadow and further upsets his stomach. Sonic doesn't use his speed, thank Gaia, but the walk down the stairs to the living room is still relatively short. He's being gently placed down on the couch before he can truly savour being in Sonic's arms.
"Don't open your eyes yet, I'm gonna close the blinds," Sonic warns, and Shadow can hear the wooshing of his partner speeding around, plunging the house into darkness within seconds.
"Okay, you're good!" The house is alight with the warmth of faux candles and fairy lights, something they keep on standby for cosy nights or sick days like today. It's bright enough to see but not headache-inducing. It's pleasant on Shadow's weary eyes. He mumbles a thank you as Sonic speeds off again, making himself busy in the kitchen.
"You can turn the brightness down on the TV if you wanna watch something," Sonic calls, distracted but still ever so attentive to Shadow. It makes his heart flutter embarrassingly.
He turns the television on to some random channel, if only for the quiet background noise it provides. Getting out of that stuffy bed has already done wonders for him. The couch is comfortable, and the pillows are cool against his flushed skin. He hums, sinking deeper into the comfort.
A door opens somewhere behind him, and a familiar, squeaky voice begins to talk.
"Hey! I didn't know you guys were downstairs!" Tails greets, voice happy but entirely too loud for Shadow's sensitive ears.
"Hey, bud! Quiet voice today– Shadow isn't feeling well," Sonic warns kindly from the kitchen before continuing, "You done for the day?"
"Sorry," the kit apologises, much quieter this time. Shadow can hear him moving around the house, joining Sonic in the kitchen,
"My brain kinda clocked out in the middle of drawing up new blueprints, so I'm calling it quits for now— is Shadow okay?" He asks, words laced with worry. Sonic hums, a light, considering thing.
"I don't know, kit. I'm heating some of Amy's broth for him. Try to keep your voice down, 'kay?" Sonic's doing a poor job at hiding his own worry. Shadow weakly smiles into the pillow. Silly hedgehog's always worrying about others. Shadow needs to break that habit; get Sonic to worry about himself for once.
He feels a presence appear in front of him, and he cracks an eye open to see his kit's frowning face looking at him.
"Miles," he greets. Tails' frown deepens, and he tilts his head as he analyses Shadow.
"You look terrible. What happened?" Ah, straight to the point, just like Sonic. In an attempt to ease his worries, Shadow decides that telling Tails the truth is the best bet.
"I used too much Chaos Energy. Now I'm in pain. It'll go away soon," he explains simply. Tails considers his words, then nods,
"That makes sense. I'll– uh– I'll keep it down; leave you to rest," Tails stutters out, shrinking back on himself slightly as his voice softens even more, not wanting to trigger Shadow's headache again. Shadow tuts, raising an arm invitingly,
"No, I came down so I could see you for a bit. I've been so busy, I haven't gotten to hear about your new ideas," Shadow insists. Tails' ears perk up, but flatten again as he hesitates,
"Are you sure?" He asks, and Shadow nods, hazarding a small smile,
"Positive."
Tails beams at that, but still, he's careful as he cuddles in next to Shadow on the couch.
"Well, I've been upgrading some of the comm tech. I got a couple reports that the signal seems to be giving out, particularly when people are around other electronics, so I've been trying to figure out the issue–" Tails begins to ramble, his voice remaining consciously low even as he gets excited. Shadow sighs happily, nodding along and asking the occasional question, but he's more than content to just listen to the child talk as he's tucked close.
The scent of ink lingers on Tails, despite his valiant attempt to clean himself up. Shadow doesn't mind; he associates the scent with Tails— with home.
Tails barely stops to breathe as he bounces ideas back and forth, thinking out loud about how he's going to tackle his new projects. Eventually, Shadow feels eyes on them, and his gaze flicks away from Tails to land on Sonic, standing on the outskirts of the living room with a bowl of broth in his hand. He's looking at Shadow and Tails with an overwhelming sense of fondness that makes Shadow's heart melt slightly. As Shadow's crimson eyes lock with Sonic's, the blue hedgehog beams, finally striding up to the duo.
"Sit up?" Sonic requests gently, and Shadow obliges, movements slow as he pushes himself up to sit properly. Tails goes with him, subconsciously supporting Shadow's sides with his hands as he looks at Sonic,
"Sonic! Shadow gave me a really solid theory about what could be causing the comm to freak out!" Tails relays, and Sonic raises a curious brow,
"That's great, bud! Wait until tomorrow to experiment, though. It's too late, and you've been working all day," Sonic comments, delicately handing the hot bowl to Shadow.
The smell of the broth is enticing. Savoury and warm, Shadow can pick out the spices and seasonings. Yet, the idea of drinking it makes his stomach twist uncomfortably. He pushes through it, taking a sip.
He can recognise Amy's cooking from a mile away. It reeks of the familiar comfort her food provides. It sends a flood of warmth through him as he swallows, the herbs and spices lingering pleasantly on his tongue. He hums happily, relaxing a bit as his body doesn't instantly reject the food. Well– actually, the broth doesn't quite settle as comfortably as Shadow would've liked. But surely it's fine (he's gaslighting himself; he knows what nausea feels like, and this is it).
Sonic sits down on the other side of Tails, sandwiching the kit in the middle of the two hedgehogs. He's listening intently to whatever the child's rambling about now, but his eyes flicker to Shadow every couple of seconds, making sure the other is okay.
He tries to enjoy the rest of the broth, he really does. He'd been so hopeful that his stomach would give him a break and let him eat in peace, but it seems he isn't that lucky. He doesn't mean to tune out Tails' voice, but so much of his focus is being put into keeping this stupid broth down that he doesn't even realise them calling his name.
(EMETOPHOBIA WARNING STARTS HERE)
"Shadow?" Tails taps his shoulder, then, when he doesn't respond, he gently shakes the dark hedgehog. That's the final straw for Shadow. He bolts up, weak limbs forgotten in favour of running to the downstairs bathroom (thank GAIA they have a downstairs bathroom). He rips the door open, not bothering to close it behind him as he drops to his knees and retches.
He hates this. His body trembles and convulses painfully as he clutches onto the toilet bowl desperately. He feels someone pulling back his quills, gently rubbing his back as his stomach lurches and twists. He hears a sob, and it takes him a second to realise that it came from him. Tears wet his cheeks as the little broth he managed to get down comes back up forcefully. He hears Sonic behind him, mumbling words of comfort.
"You're okay– I'm here, Shads. I've got you," he tries to soothe, supporting Shadow from behind as he slumps, forehead resting on the porcelain.
"Tails, can you get him some water?" He hears Sonic call to the kit, and then small footsteps pad away. Shadow heaves a breath, shaking as he finally feels his stomach settle. He leans back into Sonic, feeling the other hold him delicately on the cold bathroom tiles.
"Hey," Sonic murmurs, worried and loving, "you think you're done?"
Shadow tries to reply, but it comes out as a sad whine. Sonic huddles him closer,
"Shhh, I know. It sucks– I know," with the words, Sonic presses soft kisses into Shadow's temple, patient and kind, "take your time."
(EMETOPHOBIA WARNING ENDS HERE)
"I have water," Tails peeks back into the bathroom, a glass of water in his hands. Sonic nods gratefully, holding his hand out and grasping it,
"Here, Shads, rinse your mouth," he instructs gently, helping Shadow as his shaking hands weakly circle the cup. Shadow should feel ashamed right now; not only is Sonic having to witness this, but Tails? He never wanted the kit to see this side of him. But, Gaia, he's too drained to care. He accepts the help gratefully, partly because he can't fathom doing it himself right now, but also partly because… well, he deserves to be helped, doesn't he?
All his life, he's tried to convince himself that he's better off alone. Relying on others will eventually lead to hurt and loneliness, so if he isolates himself from the beginning, he can avoid that pain.
Of course, in isolation comes a different type of pain. Having to hobble home to an empty house, nurse the side effects of overexertion and heal from life-threatening injuries all alone instead of with his community. Telling himself that 'it's for the best' as he lies in a cold, cold bed, shivering and aching, while the warmth he so desperately craves orbits within arm's reach. He'd never been brave enough to reach out and grab it— until now.
And Gaia– it is warm.
He lets Sonic help him as he sips on the water, and for once, it feels like he's worthy of this kind of care.
"I think 'm good now," Shadow slurs out, turning to bury his face in Sonic, away from the toilet (that desperately needs flushing now). Sonic nods, shuffling around, and then gently picks up Shadow in a bridal hold. He zones out, letting Sonic handle everything as he relishes the feeling of a somewhat settled stomach. He hears the toilet flush, the door close, and two sets of footsteps walking back to the living room.
"Here, lie down," Sonic sits him on the sofa, though Shadow is reluctant to let go of his partner. Sonic makes a soft, wounded noise as he pulls out of Shadow's reach,
"I'm not going anywhere, Shads," he promises. He presses an ungloved hand to Shadow's forehead, then slides it down to cup his cheek, frowning.
"You have a fever," he mumbles. Shadow sighs, nodding,
"That happens. I think it's to do with the imbalance of Chaos energy vs Black Arms," Shadow explains tiredly, "I use too much Chaos, and the alien blood thinks it can start running the place. It usually goes away after a while."
Sonic hums in response.
"I'm trusting your judgement here, since apparently you're 'accustomed' to this," the blue hedgehog says in faux anger. Shadow rolls his eyes, glaring up at Sonic,
"It's not like I hid it– It just never came up until now," Shadow protests. Sonic's about to retort, but then a small voice pipes up,
"Will… will you be okay?" Shadow's attention instantly shifts to the small fox. He's hovering, like he isn't sure what to do. His baby blue eyes flicker between Sonic and Shadow unassuredly, and Shadow's heart sinks as he spots the fear pooling in them.
He didn't realise just how much seeing him like this would freak the child out, but it makes sense. Tails has never seen Shadow down for the count, especially not in such a… mundane way. It must scare the child.
Shadow musters up the most genuine smile he can, pushing all the lingering pain deep down,
"I'll be fine, kit. C'mere," Shadow beckons him over. He sits down next to the dark hedgehog, worried eyes peering down at him with a sad frown on his face. Then, slowly, he lies down on the edge of the couch, curling up into Shadow's chest. Inexplicably, something about having the kit in his arms soothes Shadow. He can't explain it, but a part of his frazzled mind always seems to settle down as the child cuddles close. Even more so when Sonic's also around.
Maybe he's going soft. (He's been soft for a while now; he just won't admit it.)
"Sorry if I scared you," Shadow apologises. Tails shakes his head,
"No, you didn't," he insists, "I just want you to feel better."
He hears Sonic sigh, and then he's crouching in front of the couch, gazing at Shadow's face.
"Well, we gotta take care of Shadow, just like he does with us," Sonic smiles. He ruffles the fur on top of Tails' head, earning a tail flick and a small grumble as the child pushes even further into Shadow. It makes Sonic chuckle slightly, and then his hand moves to Shadow, smoothing down his quills in a way that makes the dark hedgehog's eyes droop. He just woke up, technically, but he feels like he can sleep for at least another couple of hours. Throwing up does suck the energy out of someone. Sonic sees his struggle, and with a kind voice, he speaks.
"Get some rest, Shads. We can try food again after you wake up," he scratches at the base of Shadow's ear, sending a delightful shiver down his spine.
Sleep calls to him, but part of him is scared that he'll wake up and realise all of this was a dream. That he's on the cold floors of his dark house with nothing and no one to care for him. That thought is enough to keep his eyes fluttering stubbornly, looking at Sonic with lidded, glazed eyes. Sonic furrows his brows,
"What is it? Is the pain bothering you? I can get you some painkille— do painkillers work on you?" Sonic starts prattling off, getting off topic within seconds, but it's so painfully Sonic that Shadow can't help but huff a laugh.
"No– I just—" Tails peeks up at him, curious, but Sonic seems to know what he's going to say before he even decides to say it.
"We'll be here when you wake up," Sonic swears, smiling, "we'll figure it out together. No more pushing through the pain." He echoes his words from earlier. Shadow hesitates, but nods. He can't tell Sonic no. He sighs, allowing the heat from the small body curled into his to spread through him. Tails' tails flip up to cover them like a makeshift blanket, and it's so soft and comfortable that all the fight leaves Shadow.
He'll let himself indulge in this. It doesn't matter if he thinks he deserves it or not. It doesn't matter how many years he's dealt with this by himself. Right now, the only thing that matters is the soft sound of Sonic's breath and the warmth of Tails cuddled into him. The bone-deep ache flowing through his body takes a backseat to this. The nausea, the dizziness, the exhaustion; it all seems so much more manageable with his family around.
Maybe he doesn't have to do it alone anymore. Maybe he can let himself rest, and know that he'll be taken care of for once.