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piko-power · 17 days ago

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"Heroes Don't Fail" - Sonic Movie 3 Angst Prediction Fanfic

After Tom fell ill due to protecting him from a bullet, Sonic was left to wonder if his own friends had any faith in him to begin with during their most dangerous adventure yet. He was left to wonder if him and Shadow had more of a similarity than he thought.

Trigger Warnings: Usage of handheld weaponry, child endangerment, light blood, light swearing, implied PTSD

(THIS FIC CONTAINS POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 AND THE FINAL TRAILER. IT IS ONLY A FIC BASED ON MY PREDICTIONS OF A MOMENT IN THE TRAILERS WHERE THE WACHOWSKI BROS ARE OUTSIDE OF A HOSPITAL BUILDING. BUT JUST IN CASE, PROCEED WITH CAUTION. EVERYTHING IS UNDER THE CUT.)

(just a little something before I return to my break thingy lol be back soon <3)

"What the hell is wrong with you, you jerk?!"

What a terrible, terrible time to get caught by G.U.N. officials, and even Commander Walters out of all people. The man responsible for that little girl's death.

Sonic and his friends were SO close to breaking in, and shut down the Eclipse Canon before it accelerated back into space, with the Robotniks, and Shadow the Hedgehog, boarding it.

Controlling it.

And now, because of Walters and his men trapping him and his family in the Robotnik base, surrounding them with their weapons, the moon has a gaping hole for the whole planet to see.

The Eclipse Canon did that.

And G.U.N. just let it happen, all because they refuse to let him and his team get to the weapon of mass destruction in time. They didn't want some randos become the heroes.

Noooo, it had to be the "Guardian Unites of Nations," the big, strong, tough guys who don't give two craps about the people around them. Only their reputation.

Which will surely go down now that Sonic's angry tone finally shown it's furious face.

Sonic never meant to swear in front of the young fox, whose ears were covered by Knuckles' mittens, even though the question was already out by the time Knuckles realized what was spoken.

But just by seeing the commander, who demands answers to why they have random people they don't even remember recruiting, and in an empty base when they should be after that hedgehog and those crazed doctors, he was fueled with rage.

Just not too long ago, Sonic made a truce with Robotnik, big mistake, and along the way found a diary of sorts. A diary that contained everything he needed to know about this Project Shadow, and this Eclipse Canon...

Before he could explain to his brothers what's going on with Shadow, he took them out. ...Again. Definitely Sonic's strongest opponent yet.

With Doctor Robotnik betraying Sonic and his friends, with Shadow himself and Robotnik's grandfather joining him, apparently, they needed extra help from their parents, and even Rachel, whose husband was an agent himself.

They posed as agents, to try and gather all the information about the Eclipse Canon, and take it down, and hopefully find Shadow and the doctors.

But... Walters just had to evade their plans. He just had to ruin everything.

Like how he ruined Shadow's life.

"...Excuse me?" Walters muttered out, taken aback by Sonic's outburst.

"Don't pretend like I don't know! I know what you did all those years ago," Sonic barked, not afraid to step forward in front of armed troops, just to get up close and personal with the commander.

"I have no idea what you're blabbering on about, Sonic," Walters shook his head in disbelief, confused yet seemingly upset at the pissed off hedgehog.

"Forgotten about Maria already, huh?"

The mere mention of her name made the old man's eye brows rose lightly, but no body in the room could tell. But Sonic knew that he wasn't expecting the name to be mentioned again.

He demands an explanation. He demands answers.

"Wh- what about Maria?" Walters asked, nearly fumbling over his question.

"You ever wonder why Shadow turned out the way he is? Looks like you didn't tell us the full story!" Sonic says, his fists clenched into gloved balls, with fingernails nearly poking through the fabric, "You knew all along! You kept all of this from us!"

Tails and Knuckles looked at each other, then back at Sonic who was walking closer to Walters. They don't know who Maria is or why she's involved with Shadow, but it probably might have something to do with that diary Sonic tried to talk about earlier.

"What does any of this have to do with you being in Robotnik's base?"

"Why are YOU in his base? Trying to get rid of more Robotnik related evidences?"

"Sonic," Tom, seeing that Sonic is just a few more steps away from being up to his face, reached his hand out to try and get him away from the old commander, worry showing in his eyes, "step back. He probably has a weap-"

Tom's sentence was cut off when a armed man motioned him back where he was with his gun. The warning only earned the man a death glare from the Donut Lord.

No one tells the Donut Lord to back away from his kid.

"Sonic... I... believe I owe you an explanation." Walters sigh in defeat. His sentence made his nearby men turn to face him. Despite their faces masked, they all seemed perplexed as most of Sonic's friends and family.

"An overdue one," Sonic added in retort, his brow furrowing, appearing threatening to some of the soldiers.

"I was... involved, in the incident from 50 years ago," Walters began, "I never meant to injure Maria, but I never wanted anyone to know about it... I had to cover it up."

Sonic's top muzzle scrunched. Had to cover it up?

"So you just put the blame on an innocent hedgehog?" Sonic asked loud enough to accidentally scare more of the armed men around him.

"Who said he was innocent?" Walters asked, his tone sounding annoyed, "everyone knew that Shadow had incredible power strong enough to possibly wipe out a nation! Innocent or not, he was too dangerous to be around anyone!"

"He was only 'dangerous' because you took away his closest FRIEND!" Sonic's voice cracked on the last word as he screamed it at the commander, scaring him. "You seriously think covering it up is gonna make everyone feel better?!"

Tails and Knuckles grew concerned and thought about intervening, Tom, Maddie and Rachel all exchanged shocked looks at each other, and Randell closed his eyes and looked away, feeling hurt to know about this information his own ex-commander kept from him.

"So G.U.N. has always been a thing, huh?" Sonic asked, hands on his hips, "There's just not a lot of extra-terrestrials around here to keep an eye on, so you have to retire until I came in??"

"...Precisely." Walters, once more, sigh in defeat, facing away from the enraged hedgehog.

So from Sonic's understanding, G.U.N.'s job was to destroy all friendly, alien life who dares to step foot onto beautiful planet Earth? People of this world actually rely on these guys??

"Wow. Some heroes you all are."

"We didn't want Shadow to cause more havoc!"

"YOU caused havoc," Sonic stomps his foot, "YOU guys were responsible for making Shadow feel pain and loss!" He repeated the two words at him. The ones the commander gave to him back at the Chao Garden.

All this time he thought Walters barely had any info on Project Shadow, but he was wrong. Shadow was the victim all along.

"Who says you guys can be heroes after what you've done?! He's not the villain, YOU ARE!!" His eyes glow a sharp, angry blue as he points his finger, not realizing that his hand he used was spitting out electricity at the commander, making him back up.

Because of his powers being exposed, the soldiers threatened their weapons at the blue hedgehog, who was startled by them at first, but remained angry, who glued his focus on Commander Walters.

"Sonic!" Nearly everyone exclaimed, with Tom shouting his name louder than everyone else in the room. He threw his weapon and tried to run towards him, not wanting him to get shot, but one to two men stopped him by pushing him to the ground violently.

"Thomas!" Maddie cried. She would've been by his side by now if it weren't for more soldiers guarding Tom from both her and Rachel. Randell, Tails and Knuckles all saw this too and gasped.

"Tom?" The moment Tom was planted to the ground, he turned around to see his own father figure face down on the glowing red ground.

All of that anger immediately washed away when the possibility of Tom getting hurt entered his mind, and made him vulnerable long enough for Walters to snatch him by the wrist.

"You talk too much, hedgehog," Walters says calmly yet coldly, getting ready to grab his cuffs and take the hedgehog away, along with the others, already having the idea to give orders to his men.

"Sonic!!" Tom shouted, watching this old man putting his dirty hands on his son.

"Dad!!" Sonic cried out, reaching his free hand to his father, who couldn't get up as long as a weapon was aimed right to his head.

Suddenly, a loud BANG goes off, as a bullet nearly went flying to Walters' face, but hit against the wall to his right. He snapped his head to the dent in the wall, then back at the culprit who almost shot him.

Rachel. Eyes huge, out of breath and holding one of the men's guns in her hand.

Everyone's eyes grew huge and their mouths drop agape seeing this woman do something unbelievable, especially her sister Maddie, who is almost terrified of her, if not, proud of her.

"Holy crap," Knuckles unintentionally muttered out for everyone to hear, sounding rather impressed.

"Get. Your hands. Off my nephew!" She warned the commander. Her hands trembled intensely, not wanting to pull the trigger again, but will do whatever it takes to keep her family alive and safe.

There was no response for a couple of seconds, but Sonic, shaking off the speechlessness, turned his head back at the bewildered commander, who was having flashbacks of the last time this woman fought with him.

"You heard the lady," He says, his traditional smirk still having a hint of anger written on it.

He spun into a ball and lunged at him to the stomach, making him hit against the wall.

"RUN!" Sonic ordered his family as he ran off to the nearest exit, and so everyone, fighting off the soldiers, do just that. Maddie stayed behind for a minute to help Tom up, and hugged him, before Walters gets back up.

Sonic didn't really remember all the pathways to this stinky base well enough to know where the heck he was going, or even know where the way out was.

Some nerve that old man has, though. Trying to cover up an accident just to make himself look good? Sheesh.

As long as G.U.N. is out of his way, he can finally deal with the Robotniks and Shadow.

He came to a halt however when he noticed that no body was following him.

"Guys?" Sonic turned around to see no body behind him, and was growing worried.

He runs off to the opposite direction, risking to put himself in Walters' sight again just to rescue him. He just prays that Tom is okay.

But as he makes a quick left turn, Walters was in his sight. With a weapon in hand.

"Hoo boy," Sonic whimpered.

"Trust me. I don't want to do this," Walters says, despite the look of his eyes saying otherwise.

Sonic is the fastest creature in the universe, why does he feel nervous to be held at gunpoint? He should be able to outrun it. He never deemed Walters to be threatening, he's just a jerk.

That's all there is to him.

Why should he be scared? He's not scared. He's not scared of Walters.

He's not scared of his little toy.

"Out of my way, my family's in there!" Sonic barked, ready to put up another fight with this old bully.

"You've learn too much about G.U.N.'s history. No body should know about what happened on the ARK. You have no right to have this information with you." He says, still aiming at the hedgehog.

"I believe I do," Sonic protests, looking at the commander square in the eyes as if the gun was never there to begin with. "If you would've told me what had happened up there all those years ago, I wouldn't have NEVER join your little cult!"

"You didn't really have a choice."

"I feel like I did."

Loud thuds could be heard in the other room. Sonic suspects that his family is either kicking butt, in danger, or both. Probably both since Knuckles is going all out. He could hear his cries every couple of seconds.

They better be okay.

"You lied to me, Walters," Sonic says, his voice quiet yet threatening. "Do you have any idea what Shadow has been through because of your actions? You even made Gerald gone mad because of what you did to Maria!"

"You seriously shouldn't have never learned this information." Walters tries to dodge the question, but he knew it was fruitless.

"You refuse to listen, do you? You refuse to accept that you ain't no hero. Well... you're not." Sonic hissed. "You're a monster! A heartless jerk who only cared about his troops and no body else!"

"We are only doing what we think is right!"

"Nothing you ever did in your life was right."

"We are protectors who face anomalies such as you and Shadow! We don't know how strong your powers are and we worry it could affect the world in ways that damage it!" Walters continued, "I don't believe this world asked for heroes such as yourself."

"Damage it?!" Sonic shrieked with fury, "I saved this world a handful of times from that doctor, and you don't even care?! I saved the world! TWICE! Soon THRICE!"

"Didn't you see the state San Francisco was in?" Walters asked, growing more irritated with this creature. "We had no choice but to unite G.U.N. back because of your actions! And don't even get me started on Green Hills from last year."

"From MY actions-? Pfffft, okay, okay," Sonic "chuckled," "You seriously think that was my fault? Robotnik was the guy who endangered many lives out there, and, as usual, you put the blame on the alien hedgehog."

"Every other life endangering event occurred because of anomalies like you that kept running all around the planet instead of going back to the dirty caves where you belong!"

Dirty. Cave?

Oh, hell no, he did NOT just go there.

"Listen hear," Sonic began, gritting his teeth, "I lost my owl guardian when I was a child and had to live on Earth all by myself for ten years, seven in a cave. Throughout those years I was isolated! I had no body! Then, a twist of fate lead me to my father and mother, who took care of me for years, alongside my brothers, Tails and Knuckles, who went through a troubling childhood as much as I had!"

Sonic never noticed that he called Tails and Knuckles his own brothers, but he was too fumed at the commander to care.

"Even though I have people to care for me," he continued, "Robotnik has the guts to cause chaos in my life, and threatened the world at the same time, but I pulled together with my family and saved the world! More than once!"

Walters was listening, but never shown any signs that he cared. This only made Sonic more angry.

"Sure, there were some property damage, and some people were hurt, but sometimes even heroes make mistakes!" Sonic says, his fists clenched, "But I'm not gonna let that get to me!"

Walters' nose lets out an unimpressed exhale.

"I did my best to keep the world safe- my home safe, and all you do is treat me and my family like dirt!" Sonic raised his voice at him as he took another harsh step forward at him.

"I did more saving than you and your men ever will! You think you have the right to determine whose the hero and who isn't?! No!! You don't! You ruined Shadow's life, I won't let you ruin mine!"

Walters believes he sounded too brave.

"All I wanted to do is to live my life with my family, and I'm tired of people like you making a decision on rather people like me deserve it or not! I HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG!!"

Sonic panted after finally letting his emotions out. His eyes were shut, he was no longer paying attention to the commander, only his breathing.

He never felt so glad to let it all out like that. But the relief didn't last too long...

"And it's going to stay that way."

Click...

The hedgehog snapped his emerald eyes open after hearing a small creaking sound, to see Walters aiming the gun directing to his face.

"No hero should ever make a single mistake," It was Walters' turn to speak, "after all, heroes don't destroy things. They don't endanger civilians. You're responsible for most of the destruction in San Francisco, and because of Robotnik's obsession with you, your own townspeople have gotten injured, despite the so-called victory."

Sonic backed up two steps.

"Are you certain heroes do these things? Most specifically, you?"

He backed up two more steps.

"Shut up," he muttered.

"I'm not letting a bunch of alien troublemakers take my place as protector. You didn't even have the courage to rescue your owl. With a reputation like that, why should you not let it get to you?"

He does have a point. He tried to go back to save her from the Echidna, but... he was too late.

"You're no hero. You're just some kid, a dangerous one. A hazard. A weapon!" Walters barked the word right at him, making him jump.

"You seriously believe the world is yours? Sorry, but after what happened on the ARK, I'm not taking any chances. This world doesn't need another disaster. It doesn't need another failure."

His finger prepared to pull.

His own words took over Sonic's brain.

How could he let them take over so easily?

Sonic isn't a failure! He's-

BANG!!

Sonic shuts his eyes tight, not fully prepared for the bullet, but nothing had happened. He opened his eyes again to see a person standing right in front of him, shielding him from Walters' gun.

As he got a good look at him, he gasped. His ears pinned to his head. His worst nightmare came true.

Tom Wachowski, groaning quietly as some blood leaked through his shirt, while he was still guarding him from the commander.

He took the bullet for Sonic.

Tom is hurt. And it was because Sonic didn't run away.

Despite the pain shocking his body, Tom weakly opened his right eye and barely smiled at his little Blue Devil. "Make me proud, son," he whispered before collapsing to the ground.

Everything around him went dead silent. All he could do was stare at the seemingly lifeless body of the person who saved his life.

How could he make him proud when he was one who killed him?

How could he make anyone proud now?

Maybe Walters was right.

With a loud cry, before Walters could react, Knuckles delivered his most brutal punch to the commander, slamming him to the wall, knocking him unconscious.

The sound of a harsh slam to the metal wall knocked Sonic back to his senses.

"Hedgehog! They took Maddie and Ra- ...Thomas?" Knuckles just now noticed the body of Tom laying in front of a panicked Sonic. The echidna's purple eyes rose with concern, praying that what he's looking at isn't what he's looking at right now.

Sonic's eyes began to swell with tears as he looked back at his brother. "Where's Mom...?"

His question broke his heart. Despite remaining quiet, Sonic knew the answer, and was more devastated.

"Is everything okay in here?" The young fox called out, slightly afraid to come around the corner.

"Everything's..." Knuckles stopped himself. No. Everything is not fine. G.U.N. captured Maddie, her sister, and Tom appeared to be severely injured.

Not to mention that the mad doctors and that monster are still on the loose.

Everything is not fine.

"We're getting out of here." Knuckles says, picking up Tom bridal style, and ran off in a rush.

Tails came in just to time for a hurt Donut Lord to not come into his view. A defeated, glossy eyed Sonic didn't make it any better though.

"Sonic? Where's Tom?"

All the hedgehog could do is blink.

It was enough to give Tails the upsetting conformation.

Gloomy, dark clouds loom over the city of London. Roads were beginning to form puddles from the light rains that have been pouring down for a good hour or so.

An hour seemed like a trillions years to find out if one person is gonna survive a bullet or not.

Sonic, Tails and Knuckles were outside, barely dried off from the rain speaking with one of the G.U.N. agents, that was informing them about their father's well being.

"The good news is, however," she was speaking with the boys for a good while now, each of them showing concern in their own ways. Knuckles tries not to show it, and was listening closely, Tails was holding one of his tails, and Sonic, still recovering from the earlier incident, twiddled his fingers, wanting to hear the good news already.

"he wasn't hit near the heart, but the bullet was pretty close to the lungs. He will need to undergo surgery, so he has to remain in the hospital until then. Other than that, no other injuries have occurred as far as I'm concerned."

The trio didn't say a word, but they understood. They're just glad, at least mentally, that Tom is gonna be okay, but it'll be a while until he's able to wake up.

"Thanks for telling us," Tails says quietly, not really looking at the agent in the eye.

"As for your mission, I... really wish I could help," she says. She was concerned for the boys' well being, and thought about helping them, but after hearing word about the commander getting injured, she needed to be in a hurry.

"No you don't," Sonic mumbled, doubting her sincerity.

She sighed through her nose. She should've expect the boys treating this way to her. But it's understandable why they're acting like this.

"Could you at least tell us if Maddie and Rachel are okay?" Tails looked up at her with hope in his eyes. He doesn't want anyone to get hurt like Tom.

"They are confined until further notice. There's nothing I can do."

Sonic refuses to look at her.

"I hope you boys make things right and take care of those freaks up there," she says, "because if you fail on your mission, no one will forget this. Keep that in mind."

It was the last thing she said before making her leave. The trio watched as she goes, as they were left with the sentence floating in their heads.

Knuckles seemed calm, he has certainly been through worse, but he hasn't gotten a look at Sonic or Tails yet. They both seem distraught. This is their biggest adventure yet, and possibly their deadliest.

She's right. They cannot fail. No matter what.

Sonic closes his eyes and turned away from his friends, thinking. Tails and Knuckles looked over with concern.

"Sonic, y-you're not thinking about giving up, are you?" Tails asked nervously. A lot has happened, but there still all the time in the world to turn everything back to normal. Hopefully.

"Never," Sonic responded. He turned back around to face them. He never looked so serious. "It's not over until I say it's over."

Hearing that definitely lift Tails' spirits. "Oh! That's great! I'm so relieved!"

"What about the Eclipse Canon? How do we stop it now?" Knuckles asks, turning to face Tails. "It's already activated with the use of the Emeralds, which we cannot reach to unless we're in the ARK."

"Aw, shoot, you're right," Tails' smile faded away in an instant after hearing the mention of the Chaos Emeralds. "Ugh, if only I knew G.U.N. were to show up then we would've-"

"Do not blame yourself, fox. You did all you could," Knuckles reassures.

"I guess you're right, but what about Shadow? We can't get to him here, he's probably up in space by now! Maybe if I can somehow find a way to steal a space shut-"

"'We?'"

Sonic's voice caught Tails and Knuckles' attention.

"Nah," he says, "I'M going after him."

"What??" They both cried in confusion.

...Is he serious? Why is Sonic thinking about facing that guy on his own? Why without their help?? There's no way he's serious. When was the last time he was ever serious?

"Sonic, are you- are you hearing yourself? That is suicide!" Knuckles cried, "You don't even know the full power he's capable of!"

"Hes right, Sonic," Tails added for Knuckles' sake. They got the taste of Shadow's power firsthand. He knew that fighting Shadow alone would be a nightmare. "This is a bad idea."

"When does that ever stop me?" Sonic says, furrowed brows and fists clenched again to show the dead seriousness in his face.

Oh, dear lord, he is serious.

"I faced Eggman twice," The blue hedgehog continued, "once in a flying pod, and in a giant death mech, with the Emeralds! I can take on a super hedgehog."

"He obliterated us!" Tails says, "He's way too powerful! What if he hurts you and we can't save you in time?"

"I'll be fine," Sonic answered, his eyes lowered and away from Tails, "besides, I don't want you guys to get hurt."

Walters' words were still fresh in his brain. He couldn't help but think that maybe he did cause some destruction while saving the world, but he won't let it happen again this time. He won't let his brothers- his friends, get hurt.

He didn't notice that Knuckles looked slightly offended from being pushed aside from a fight. "But Sonic," he says, "we are strong enough to protect ourselves and you."

"I know, but I especially don't want you, Knuckles, to go overboard on Shadow. I think he's been through enough."

Knuckles blinked. "What do you mean?"

"He lost a friend on the ARK, remember?" Sonic says. "He's probably mad at the world because of that..." His expression seemed hurt from the thought of losing someone that close. He's been there...

But after thinking for a moment, his eyes began to twinkle with hope, and a small smile rose on his muzzle. "...but maybe if I can try and reason with him and change his mind, then our problems will be solved!" He exclaimed, beaming at his friends.

Tails and Knuckles earned him very lost looks.

"'Reason' with him? Oh, sweet mother of Tikal..." Knuckles messaged the bridge of his muzzle, not believing what was spoken just now.

"Sonic, there is no point in trying such thing," he says, "He is blinded by rage. How could he listen to you?"

"There... there is a way. I know there is!" Sonic spoke, sounding unsure if he knows a way at all. He just hopes that Shadow would listen to him somehow...

"Sonic," his tone rose for a moment to get Sonic to listen, "he tried to destroy us, and now he's trying to destroy the planet! Do you honestly believe this monster will, just, stop from your useless plea?"

Sonic stared at him like he killed a man.

"He's not a monster," he says, "he was just blamed for something he didn't do."

"That was in the past," Knuckles argued, "this is the present! We are dealing with Shadow's action NOW! His actions now is what makes him a-"

"I'll find a way to stop him, Knuckles," Sonic explained, "Besides, he'll probably listen to me because of how similar we are! We both lost someone really important a long time ago... ...Wait, is Shadow, like, an old dude now or-?"

"He was frozen, Sonic." Tails corrected, his eyes stabbing him with disapproval.

"...So, does that make him, like, Captain America, or somethin- BUT ANYWAYS, anyways," Sonic stops himself from going off topic.

"H-he used to have a human friend and those G.U.N. jerks took her away, and I used to have Longclaw before I came to Earth..." He looked down at his shoes and scratched the back of his head, not wanting to bring himself back to a difficult time of his life, nor wanting to think about what he had read in that diary.

"But Shadow is nothing like you," Knuckles mentioned, "Just because you both have 'similar' pasts, that does not mean it will stop Shadow from being destructive."

Sonic couldn't help but feel scolded in some way. Maybe it was because he read the diary and never got the chance to show Tails and Knuckles before Shadow came in.

They never knew what Shadow been through. It's understandable that they were cautious over this plan, but... it seemed like Knuckles doesn't believe everything Sonic is saying.

...is he?

"Well, I mean... I guess me and Shadow do have a lot in common," Sonic says, "We're both hedgehogs. We both run pretty fast. We both have really cool kicks. And... we were doubted."

Tails blinked. "Wh-what? Sonic, we didn't doubt you."

"You guys don't even believe what I said, didn't you?" he stressed, "I read those diary pages. I know what happened! I'm not lying just to make friends with an emo hedgehog!"

"No, no! I believe you!" Tails cried, waving his hands at Sonic. He had no clue that Sonic was feeling this way the whole time.

"Yeah, right!" Sonic says, hand on hip. "You guys don't even believe that I can handle Shadow on my own! You guys... really don't think I can do this?" his ears flopped to his head, looking at his friends, begging them to be on his side.

"Not on your own." Knuckles stated.

"At least wish me luck or something! Gosh, why are you... why are you guys loosing faith in me?" Sonic asked, sounding defeated.

Tails' two tails dropped to the ground. He wasn't loosing faith in him! He was just worried for his well being. Tom is already in the hospital and Maddie and the rest of her family are being held somewhere. He doesn't want to loose anyone else.

He believed him, one hundred percent. He never meant to make Sonic believe otherwise. He felt awful making his own hero feel this way.

Knuckles, however, thought Sonic is just saying all this just to battle on his own. Does this hedgehog know that they are in a middle of a crisis?!

"We didn't say that we're loosing faith..." Tails spoke sadly.

"You didn't, but I know you are," Sonic looked away, his eyes set on the hospital building. The one Tom is staying at for God knows how long.

The one Sonic himself put him in.

It makes sense that his own friends think that he couldn't do this right, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. Aren't they suppose to support him?

Like a good team he thought they were?

"I'm not gonna lie," Sonic began, his voice breaking but barely hid it, "I'm kind of disappointed of you both."

Knuckles' face grew disgusted and Tails tugged at his own hand.

...disappointed?

"I am doing all I can to make everything go back to normal," he continued, "and nothing is working so far because stupid Ro-butt-nik ruined everything, and stupid G.U.N. caused more problems and...! Ugh, and you guys aren't making it any better!"

Knuckles scowled down at the blue hedgehog. He had no right to be disappointed at the Echidna Warrior.

"None of this wouldn't have happened if we didn't put our trust into that mustached mad man!" he roared at his face, "So, technically speaking, YOU ruined everything!"

Sonic froze.

He, ruined everything...?

They recruited Tom and Maddie and family to help them on their mission, went to London to find the ARK before the Robotniks do, G.U.N. stormed them first, and the Robotniks got away with not only the ARK, but the Chaos Emeralds included, which helped powering on the Eclipse Canon, which cut the moon in half just now...

...and it was all Sonic's fault?

"Didn't you see the state San Francisco was in? We had no choice but to unite G.U.N. back because of your actions!"

Sonic blinked twice. Walters' words haunted him once more.

"You know what Robotnik has done to us in the past, and you seriously think he was our last chance at victory?!" Knuckles cried.

"You didn't even have the courage to rescue your owl. With a reputation like that, why should you not let it get to you?"

The longer he stared at Knuckles, the more his emerald eyes loose their spark.

"You think it's so easy to have all of our sworn enemies magically become friends?! is that your plan? Because it sure is a ridiculously stupid one." Knuckles stated.

"Knuckles, quit it!" Tails protested.

"No hero should ever make a single mistake. After all, heroes don't destroy things. They don't endanger civilians."

He breathed heavily. Walters just won't shut up.

"No hero should ever make a single mistake."

He won't shut up!

"No hero should ever make a single mistake."

"You think I'm stupid?!" Sonic yelled. The fox backed up, startled by Sonic's scream.

"You think I didn't see any of this coming, no matter how much I hoped it wouldn't happen?! You think I believed that Robotnik was our only hope?!"

"Yes." Knuckles answered with a straight face, unaffected by his anger.

Sonic's left eye twitched. This damn Echidna. He didn't believe him from the start. He didn't think this plan was the best he could come up with!

When they were chained up after getting knocked out it was punishment enough. He didn't need Knuckles the Echidna to remind him how much he failed.

He could've at least pretend to have faith in him instead of being brutally honest. Then again, Knuckles is a terrible liar.

Knuckles lying would be more worse than just being honest anyway. Who in the right mind would lie about how amazing and clever and heroic Sonic is?

Tails and Knuckles, apparently.

Sonic hated Walters' guts, but he hated how much he was right more. Out of all the mistakes he could ever make in his life, as a sorry excuse for a hero, is to put his faith on two "friends" who have never supported him from the beginning of the mission.

Or even the beginning of their adventures in general.

He tried, so hard, to make everything according to plan, but it all came crashing down, because he had to make a truce with Eggman. He even put Tom in the hospital because he didn't get the chance to run away from a stupid bullet.

And what did his friends do after all that? They criticize him.

He is fully aware of how imperfect he is, but Knuckles made him open his eyes. But especially Walters. No one had faith in him. He was never a hero, and he was too blind to realize that. Until now.

But he will fix everything. On his own. He will reclaim his title, without the help of his friends.

In a blink of a second, Sonic's eyes glow a sharp blue. If this is how his friends treat him after everything, then so be it.

Sonic scoffed a snarky chuckle.

"Well then," he says, raising his voice at first, "if we're playing the blame game, then THIS, is all Tails' fault!" He points at the young fox.

His ears folded downward. "What...?"

What did he do??

"That's right. Blame me for being a failure and see what happens!" Sonic barked him, stomping his foot.

Knuckles' violet eyes rose. Why the hell is he yelling at this poor child??

"Maybe YOU wouldn't have failed if you try to figure out what to do when G.U.N. showed up! I thought you were smarter than that, Miles!" he cursed his real name.

Tails gasped and back away, hugging on of his fluffy tails. His eyes fluttering as tears began to form.

Knuckles is having none of it.

"How dare you scold the young fox like that!" Knuckles walked up close and personal with Sonic, shielding Tails from him. He snarled at the hedgehog, but it didn't scare him off.

"Sonic, what is wrong with you," Tails croaked, his voice breaking. "I did my best!"

"I'm doing my best too, but no body seems to care!"

"ENOUGH!" Knuckles ordered Sonic loud enough for the whole area to hear. It was enough to make him back away a bit.

"We are supposed to be a team," he reminded calmly yet angrily, "why are you acting this way, hedgehog?"

"Because you don't think Shadow is capable of change." Sonic answered, forcing himself to not cry in front of Knuckles, "you don't believe in him. You don't believe in ME. And you know what? Even if I needed help, I wouldn't rely on people who don't believe in me!"

"I do believe in you!" Tails cried, a tear streaming down his muzzle. He never felt so heartbroken in his life. He did rely on Sonic. He looked out for him. He couldn't believe what was happening.

Why is his own hero acting so harsh to him? ...he probably deserved it.

Knuckles made sure Tails was still behind him in case the hedgehog does anything rash.

Sonic didn't hear a thing Tails said, and he refused to.

"I'm tired of losing other people," Sonic continued, now yelling, "I nearly lost Tom, I am NOT gonna lose the entire world, and I won't let you stop me!"

Tails held onto Knuckles' huge hand. The gesture only made Knuckles grow more angry. Sonic is scaring the small fox. He should not have done that.

"I am not gonna argue with you guys in a middle of a crisis that could only worsen if I'm not doing something about it!" He pointed at the duo. Then he walked up to Knuckles, his eyes glaring right at him like daggers.

"Besides, KNUCKLES, you are way too simpleminded to even listen to a word I say because all YOU care about is kicking someone's butt," Sonic hissed, not afraid of what the Echidna is about to do next.

"Simpleminded?"

He closed his eyes, and breathed through his nose.

He should be.

Knuckles carefully pushed Tails to his side, and then backed up a few steps. "Take it back," he ordered quietly, brow bridges furrowing as he glared back at the hedgehog.

"Make me," he opened up his arms. He could clearly see that this warrior is about to duke it out. If that's the case, he's ready to throw hands whenever.

Knuckles growled. Loudly.

"Take. It. BACK!" He roared as he smacked both of his own fists, causing fire to burst out ablaze out of his gloves, complete with his power surge spiraling all over his body.

Sonic formed his fists tight, his own power surge sparkling as well. His eyes zapped the same blue as before as his quills began to glow.

"Make me!"

It's go time.

Sonic and Knuckles charge at each other, delivering powerful punches to one another, some they dodged, most they certainly came in contact.

Knuckles tried to kick Sonic in the stomach, but as he tried to do so, Sonic zipped behind him and dragged him by his quills and threw him to the nearest police car.

The echidna made a dent on the door and the sirens began to blare off, but no body cared, except for Tails, who was stressed out enough already. He covered his ears, the sound of the police siren bothering his eardrums.

Sonic punched Knuckles in the face twice, but it had no effect. He's just too strong. Knuckles snorted, finding the attack rather unimpressive.

It was his turn to punch back.

POW!!

Sonic goes flying off a few feet away from Knuckles, as he stretches briefly before going back to his fighting stance.

The blue hedgehog gets up, rubs his bruised nose and growled at the Echidna Warrior.

"Stop fighting!" Tails plead.

As if this day couldn't get any worse, two of his favorite people in the galaxy are beating themselves up because of an unsuccessful mission that was probably his own fault.

His family is falling apart. He didn't ask for this.

"See? I told ya, didn't I?!" Sonic barked, his fist shaking, ready to punch that dumb red cherry straight to the concrete. "Fighting is all you focus on! You wanna remain victorious! Undefeatable!"

Sonic came running full speed and landed his fist straight to Knuckles' face. He tumbled on the ground before quickly getting back up, sprinting behind him.

"And all you care about is your reputation!" He spit back, before delivering back his own punch.

"Bull-crap!!"

"You are such a child!"

Sonic spun into a ball before lunging himself right into Knuckles' gut, barely weakening him. Still in his ball form, and rolled laps around him, trying to confuse him, before kicking him hard in the chin.

"I know what I'm doing! You both stay out of this! I don't need your help!" Sonic roared, his power surge growing stronger and unstable. He may be unable to keep his powers at bay, but he couldn't care less.

He just wants Knuckles to back off.

"You haven't a single clue what you are doing, you blue buffoon," The Echidna stated, raising his flaming fists of disaster, ready to set that hedgehog's pathetic face of fire.

"You call yourself a hero after the way you treat your teammates?! You are no such thing until you get your act together!"

"Shut up! Shut up!" A whirring sound grows louder and louder, unable to hold his power together anymore. He was too angry. He was too blinded by rage.

He is sick and tired of being criticized as an imperfect hero. He tried his best. He tried so hard. Why won't it be easy? Why can't everything just go his way?

Why does his family hate him so much?

"Just shut up, you Knucklehead!!!" Sonic screamed at the top of his lungs before shooting himself right into Knuckles at scary speed, preparing to pound the living daylights out of him.

"STOP!"

WHAM!!

Thud...

Sonic's heart nearly stopped.

The light in his once enraged emerald eyes faded away in a second the instant he's seen what he had done.

His powers died down. Now his fur is a dull blue.

It didn't stop his hands from trembling, however.

His ears bent back. He step back a few steps, not letting his eyes off the small, fox, that was once in his way, now many feet away from the duo, not moving a muscle.

His tails were limp for an uncomfortable amount of time. No sound was made from the fox. He remained still on the ground.

For seconds. Too many seconds.

Sonic's mouth quivered. He refuse to believe it.

He punched him. He punched his own little buddy. He hurt him.

"What have I done?"

"Tails!" Knuckles cried out his dear brother's name as he ran towards him, leaving a shocked Sonic by himself.

The Echidna rolled onto the ground as he grabbed Tails by his arms and cradled him close, checking for any injures, and making sure he's alive.

"Tails, are you alright? Speak to me!" He begged the young motionless fox, putting his hand up to his face, checking for blood and cuts.

Sonic watched from afar. The strongest fighter in the galaxy, holding onto a small child for dear life, begging for him to wake up. He caused this.

"Is he...?" he never finished his question. Somehow he knew the answer, but he just prayed it's not really true.

"He's... unconscious." Knuckles said to himself at loud.

Sonic placed both of his hands over his mouth slowly. He was in disbelief.

He knocked his little brother out.

Knuckles and Tails may be a few feet away from him, but to him it felt like millions and millions of miles away. He never felt so divided from his own friends.

How could he do this? To his own little brother?

...his little brother.

Dear God, he hurt his little brother.

How could he?

This small fox, who he bonded with for months, under the same roof, and spend good and bad times with alongside Knuckles, is knocked out because of him.

This tiny, precious baby, who admired him, protected him, fought by his side with, and even looked up to him, is not responding to anything Knuckles is doing.

He hurt him. He yelled at him.

What the hell was he thinking??

What kind of a hero is he hurting his own little brother like that?

His heart completely shattered into pieces the second Knuckles turned his head at him.

This strong Echidna, who has fought the toughest battles and the meanest bad guys before his arrival on Earth, has never looked so lost and distraught.

There were tears swelling in those violet eyes of his.

Knuckles just witnessed a small child got the soul knocked out of him by a speeding hedgehog, and didn't even save him in time.

It terrified him.

It made Knuckles cry. Knuckles never cries.

Sonic made Knuckles cry.

Throw anything at the Echidna, and he'll brush it off, but an injured fox would break him down in seconds.

Sonic may have hurt Knuckles physically, but he was destroyed on the inside just the sight of this small unconscious fox with a huge, purple bruise on his cheek.

Knuckles and Tails had such a bond so close, it would only make sense for Knuckles to break down like this.

The whole scene was just so horrifying for Sonic to watch.

He caused this scene. He hurt his own brothers.

His own brothers who he took in after they dealt with such a troubling childhood. Having either loosing a family, or never having one to begin with.

He gave them everything they ever truly wanted. He gave them a family. A happy life on Earth.

And now, he gave them something they'll both never, ever forget.

Betrayal.

"No hero should ever make a single mistake."

He let Walters' words get the better of him. His own words were his own weapons against his brothers.

Walters managed to break Sonic to the point where he endangered his own brothers.

Because of his fear of failure, it lead him to hurting his own brothers.

Whom he was supposed to protect.

His own fears took over him, making him appear as the bad guy to Knuckles. All over again.

Because of his failure as a hero, Knuckles may never look at Sonic the same way again...

Perhaps it could be true, as Knuckles shuts his eyes tight, and turned away from the speechless hedgehog, trying to calm himself down.

Him and Shadow really do have a lot in common after all.

Knuckles took a few deep breaths. "Keep calm... Don't let it out... Seal it in..."

Seal what in? What was he talking about?

Knuckles exhaled deeply, feeling more relaxed, but still in slight distraught when he opened his eyes back up, seeing the unconscious fox back in his view.

He couldn't bare to look at the poor thing any longer. he shuts his eyes tight again. He will find a way to nurse him back to health.

The hospital is right there. Hopefully the doctors know how to take care of an alien fox.

"Kn-Knuckles...?" Sonic mumbled his elder brother's name, reached his hand out slowly to him, praying he's not too mad at him now that he calmed himself down.

"Leave."

...Or maybe not.

Sonic pulled his hand back, stabbed in the heart by that one word. He doesn't really want to leave his friends behind. Not after what he had done.

He never meant for any of this to happen. He never meant to go so hard on them. He just doesn't want them to get hurt.

He just doesn't them to go too far on Shadow.

Another fight with Shadow is long overdue, but he knows what he has been through. He knew deep down he wouldn't listen, but talking things out won't work forever.

He just didn't want his brothers to make things harder for him than it already has, but he never meant to hurt them either.

Shadow is just a rival, but Tails and Knuckles are his brothers. Hurting them is a different story entirely.

They mean so much to him as much as Tom and Maddie. His parents.

He has injured his family. He had failed them.

...but hopefully not the world.

There is still time to stop the Eclipse Canon from powering up, and stop the Robotniks for good, and taking care of Shadow. It's just Sonic doing all the work now.

His family needed rest to heal anyways. He has put them through enough trouble. No more mistakes. No more hurting.

He's doing this alone. For them.

"I'll leave," Sonic croaked quietly, but loud enough for Knuckles to hear, "but I'll fix everything. I promise. Once I'm done with Shadow, I'll go and you won't need me anymore, and that's fine."

He sniffled, turning away from his brothers. He doesn't want to see them in that state anymore.

"I'll be okay on my own. I've done it before... I promise I won't bother you guys again..." Sonic says. Despite his small smile, he was screaming and sobbing on the inside.

"You have every right to be upset at me, but it won't change how I love you. And because I love you is why I'm going alone. I hope you understand. ...Goodbye, big bro."

With a burst of speed, Sonic ran off in seconds, leaving a blue blur behind him. Now it's just Knuckles, and a small motionless pup in his arms.

Deep down, Knuckles didn't want Sonic to leave, but he was just so angry at him...

He doesn't deserve to be alone. No body does.

Shadow doesn't deserve it either.

But he was still angry at him, especially. But he'll deal with him later. Sonic can't handle Shadow on his own, even though the blue hedgehog is full of surprises.

He'll deal with everything later. His baby brother's well being is his number one priority.

He pulled Tails in closer where his head meet his chest, and pressed his muzzle against his bangs, giving him the most comfortable hug he could ever receive.

"I won't leave you until you are all better, my dear brother," he whispered to him, still holding onto him as if he was just a small baby.

He sat there on the wet concrete, ignoring the cold shivers, and remained there until the fox is okay.

He is not loosing another member of his tribe. Not again.

Randell watched from afar. He wasn't there to witness everything, but he's gotten enough context to understand what had happened.

He stood there, his arms crossed, watching Knuckles holding onto Tails for dear life.

He still can't believe these are the dangerous aliens Walters was freaking out over for so long. They're just children. Children longing for a home.

And because of Walters' actions, these poor kids have been separated.

He turned away, crossed with his ex-commander. He could've just let them get to the ARK first. He could've just left them alone. But he didn't. He just had to be the villain.

"When I see him, he will not ignore me again," he said, before walking off.

He gave a promise to himself that if Walters won't leave this family alone, he's gonna have to take drastic measures.

He doesn't care about the consequences. The only thing he cares about is his family. And the planet they belong in.

#tw gun #tw child endangerment #tw swearing #tw ptsd #tw blood #sonic wachowski #miles tails wachowski #knuckles wachowski #movie shadow #movie maria #tom wachowski #maddie wachowski #rachel wachowski #randell wachowski #commander walters #movie robotnik #gerald robotnik #sonic fanfiction #sonic movie fanfiction #sonic movie 2020 #sonic movie 3 #sonic movie 3 spoilers #I hope you like HEAVY angst with zero comfort 😈#If this gets zero reblogs I'm just gonna quit writing altogether because I AM SO GODDAMN PROUD OF THIS ONE #I'll admit it's probably a tad bit outdated because I have better predictions for the movie but THAT DIDN'T STOP ME #I do NOT wanna scrap this I am WAY too proud of my work here for once #And so I am FINALLY FOR REAL gonna take a break from Tumblr for the holidays. I'll be back either before or after New Year's #Hope you enjoy my best work yet please PLEASE make sure to reblog to spread this around it would mean the entire world to me 💕#I'll be back soon and Happy Holidays you silly goofballs. 🎶 Please stay safe.

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writingtraumaforever · 12 days ago

Text

A Courtship Christmas: Chapter 1

Notes: Hello everyone! This addition to the Courtship series will be a holiday special and multiple chapters! Yay! I can't promise how quickly this will be updated, but I am really hoping to have the second chapter out before the movie, at least. Either way, I hope you all enjoy this work! (More Notes at the End)

Summary: Sonic is excited to make Shadow's first Christmas on earth a great one! This is completely derailed when Commander Walters has a special letter for Shadow.

Courtship Masterpost!

Link to my AO3!

Start:

Sonic loves so, so much about earth.

From the obvious things like the people and the places to the more intimate things like their cuisines and music and customs, he never spends a single moment regretting his choice to stop running and choosing this planet as his home.

But by far, his absolute favorite holiday on this planet is easily Christmas!

Maddie and Tom explained it to him when he spent his first year celebrating it with them. How there’s a lot of rumored origins to the holiday. One being the birthday of the Sun God. The other being the birthday of the Son of God. And some just celebrating it because it’s a trademark at this point in society and regardless of the origin, it’s about family and giving and friends and being thankful for what one has. And Sonic loves that concept.

And presents. He loves the presents.

Last year had been Knuckles and Tails’ first Christmas. Knuckles had refused to celebrate at first, saying he was now Jewish thanks to Mrs. Whipple. But he eventually, with the help of a little chat with the Donut Lord, realized he isn’t actually Jewish. He just wanted to be supportive of his friend. And he can do that without conversion into a religion he ultimately doesn’t really know anything about, let alone believe. So after spending a few days celebrating Hanakkuh with Wendy, Wade and Wanda, he came back home to help prepare for Christmas with his own family.

Tails had fallen in love with it immediately, infatuated with all the lights and the tiny trinkets that would play Christmas melodies and spin.. he invented a different gift for every single one of his family members. Even Ozzie got an automatic fetch machine!

Sonic and Knuckles had stayed up as long as they could with a trap set by the chimney hoping to snag Santa, but they fell asleep before he came.. they woke up to the trap being untouched and a little note with red and green glitter on it reading ‘nice try, boys - S’. They vowed to get the old man one day. Sonic is a pro at foiling old, fat men. It was inevitable.

The point is that the Christmas Spirit is strong in the Wachowski household. And with the MOBIUS project in full swing this year, they decided to help acclimate some of the new Mobians into the world’s traditions by having a ‘Cookies with Santa’ event in the parking lot of GUN. Sonic had convinced them after demanding they owed him for saving the world. 3 times now.

They put fake snow everywhere, had an ornament-making station, a gift-wrapping station, Tom dressed up as Santa Claus and let little Mobians sit on his lap and tell them what they wanted— though this giant alligator nearly crushed him at one point doing this— and they had lights strung across the front of GUN and its landscape.

The Guardian Units of Nations had never been merrier!

Shadow had been there, of course. He, Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, Rouge and Amy had all dressed as elves to help overwhelming crowd of human and alien children alike. They would each help at different stations. Sonic and Knuckles and Tails helped at the Santa station since most people wanted to meet the heroes of earth anyway. Shadow and Amy were on ornament-making duty. And Rouge helped Rachel wrap gifts that were brought for donation to the Mobians who still haven’t found a home.

There was even a sign-up sheet for people who wanted to volunteer to host a Mobian for the holidays!

It all went off with a sinch, and Randall even showed up dressed as the Grinch to cause mischief! He was a hit with the kids, but Sonic did not like it. Something about the Grinch just kinda makes him… disgusted. Some sort of familiarity about him that turns him off the green Who.

Either way, everything went perfect, and by the end of it, humans and Mobians were mingling and celebrating with laughter and hot cocoa and it was perfect. This. This is why he loved Christmas.

Walking to Tom’s truck after helping clean up, Shadow was showing Sonic some of the ornaments he made. “I put fake snow in this one,” he held it up to show Sonic, “and there’s a little snowman inside like one of those little balls..?”

“A snow globe?”

“Yes, those,” Shadow nodded, reaching for his next ornament to show.

This was Shadow’s first Christmas too… well.. on earth, anyway. He celebrated back on the ARK with Maria every year.. they didn’t have much in the ways of gift-giving, but they’d make each other something each year and exchange it at the midnight of Christmas Eve. Then they’d sit and eat cookies together and watch earth from the window..

Maria would talking about how she hoped Santa could find them all the way in space. Shadow would vow to make sure she got enough presents to believe that he did�� which she always did thanks to the scientists on the ARK practically adopting her as the whole station’s daughter.

The point is, Christmas isn’t foreign entirely to him. But it’s his first one on the planet, and Sonic knows it’s gotta be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for the guy since Maria isn’t here to celebrate with him..

Holding up his fourth ornament he made that’s painted to look like a gingerbread man, Sonic grins supportively at it and looks to Shadow, “These will all look real good on the tree, Shads!”

“You think so?” Shadow asks hopefully, a hint of excitement in his crimson eyes.

“Sure I do! They’re all great. We’ll have to let you pick a spot for them on the tree when we get it put up.”

Shadow smiles timidly at this, nodding in return. They’re standing at Tom’s truck, now. The door open but Sonic doesn’t climb in yet. Instead, he stands there looking at Shadow with a shy little smile, Shadow looking back at him with the same sort.

They haven’t kissed again since the bowling alley a month ago.. if that even counts. Sonic didn’t even get to kiss back!!

They’ve both been dancing around it since then, not addressing it but not fully ignoring it. They’ll do things like a couple would, now. When they go out for lunch, Shadow will hold Sonic’s hand across the table. Or when they end a friendly race, they find somewhere to sit and lean on each other for a bit and just talk. They’ll hug goodbye, nuzzle each other to rub their scents on the other..

But no kisses. None.

It’s driving Sonic crazy.

He just wants to kiss this boy properly!

And every time it feels like they’re about to share one, something has to interrupt them.

Every. Time.

“Soo.. you’re coming over, right?” Sonic asks with a little coy smile, tilting his head at the hybrid.

“Of course,” Shadow smirks, “I’ll hop on my bike and be right over.”

“Good,” Sonic grins a bit wider, biting his lower lip all innocent and shy. Like he don’t know what he’s trying to do when his eyes shift down to Shadow’s mouth a little too long.

Shadow swallows, taking notice, of course, and moving to ever so slowly lean in towards Sonic.

This is it!! They’re gonna do it! They’re gonna—

“Hey Shadow!”

Every. Damn. Time.

Shadow blushes and immediately pulls back to turn and see Rouge approaching. She pauses upon realizing what she had interrupted and gives an apologetic smile, “Sorry to interrupt, boys— Shadow, Commander Walters wants a word with you before you go..”

Shadow blinks at this, exchanging a look with Sonic who offers a little quirk of his brow before they both look back to Rouge.

“Commander Walters??” he frowns, “What for?? I’m off duty until after Christmas..”

“He so is not being deployed on Christmas,” Sonic demands with a little scowl and cross of his arms, “Not happenin’.”

“Nothing like that,” Rouge quickly clarifies before the two get too snippy, “Don’t get your quills in a huff. He just said he had something to deliver to you. That it’s a private matter..”

Sonic’s eyes widen with a gasp, “Oh my God— what if Commander Walters is secretly Santa???”

Shadow’s eyes roll with a small snicker at his counterpart’s amusing theory, turning to offer Sonic a little side hug— ugh, always with the hugs— and then stepping away, “I’m gonna go see what he wants then I’ll head to your place.”

Sonic nods with a little smile, “Okay. Let me know if you need me.”

“I will,” the hybrid assures before turning to follow Rouge back to the GUN building for his meeting with the commander. Rouge offering a wave to Sonic as she goes, “See you in a bit, Blue!”

“See ya!”

The crew is meeting up at the Wachowski’s for some Christmas festivities. They’re decorating for the holidays and invited everyone to come help since they would all be in town anyway due to the GUN Cookies with Santa Fundraiser.

It’s rare they can all get together at one time like this with they’re constant conflicting schedules, so Sonic is extremely pumped to have all the people who matter most to him all over at once.

First to arrive as always thanks to Sonic’s very poor example of nagging Tom into every drive being a race— he’s corrupted the once speed-trap-cop, for sure— Sonic slides right on out of the truck just in time to see Maddie pulling up in her car with Tails and Knuckles in the back.

“We kicked your butts!” Sonic teases as they open their car doors, “Beat you by a solid thirty seconds!”

“You were going seventy in a fifty-five,” Maddie scolds with narrowed eyes towards Tom.

Tom just sheepishly smiles and rubs the back of his neck, “What?? My speedometer read fifty-seven. Thing must be busted..”

“Mhm,” Maddie hums as she waltzes past him to the front door, unconvinced eyes glaring at him as she goes. He just offers a nervous little chuckle and follows her on in.

Sonic dashes to the side of the road to look for the

Hansel’s to show up next since they’re likely not far behind, and sure as Christmas, he sees them turning onto their street a few moments later. He’s so excited to get to spend some proper time with JoJo since he was a bit too busy to at the event. She’s getting so big! More around Tails’ age than his own, but that just makes things more fun! Plus Amy was a member of the Handel family now, too, so she’d be attending as well. Sonic just loves when everyone comes together. It’s a big reason why he loves the Christmas time, especially now that their family has grown so much!

He remembers the times he spent sitting outside the Donut Lord and Pretzel Lady’s window, watching them turn on Christmas music and put their tree up while they danced around the televised fireplace.. how he’d dance with them in the cold outside, pretending he was a part of something so warm and lovely and merry..

And now he really is. It’s a miracle in his eyes. Something he’ll never be able to appreciate enough but sure as heck tries.

Rushing down the street, Sonic does some playful and excited laps around the Handel car before it pulls up into their driveway knowing that JoJo loves it when he does that. The car door opens once parked and Sonic is immediately darting up to greet them with an excited, “WOO WOO! Handel’s in the HOUUUUSE!”

Jojo laughs as she climbs out, high-fiving her cousin, “You bet we are! Ready to get our Christmas on!”

Sonic laughs and looks to his aunt and uncle with a polite grin and wave, “Heya Uncle Randall and Aunt Rachel.”

“Hey Sonic, you did good with the kids at the fundraiser,” Randal compliments, face still painted green from being Grinch-ified.

“Always do! The Grinch seemed to be a hit,” Sonic replies encouragingly even if he himself didn’t much care for the Grinch.. who the heck likes a guy who steals Christmas??? No one sane.

“Figured I’d bring some green into our colorful bunch,” Randal replies, shutting his car door and heading inside to wash the makeup off, “Gonna get back to being tall, dark and handsome now, though.”

“Just like I like him,” Rachel adds with a wink, Sonic chuckling at his aunt’s flirty antics.

Rachel has mellowed out a lot since her first attempted wedding. Joining GUN seems to have brought her a better feeling of control in her life rather than chaos randomly popping up on her doorstep. She looks and feels more prepared for what the universe has thrown into her family— which happens to be a bunch of aliens. And despite her sassiness, Sonic knows firsthand that she’d put a bullet in anything that dared to threaten a single member of their family, aliens and all. They’ve all grown close. Trauma does that to people!

Amy piles out of the car after JoJo, immediately nearly knocking Sonic over in a hug. He chuckles at that, grunting at the impact before offering an arm around her in return, “Take it easy, Amy!”

“Sorry!” the pink hedgehog apologizes but doesn’t let go just yet, “I’ve just missed you guys! It’s been too long.”

“I was there visiting like— two weeks ago,” Sonic snorts with a rub to her back.

“I know, I know! But still,” she huffs and pulls back at last to grin up at him, bouncing on her toes a little, “I also think I’m just really in the Christmas spirit—“

Her brows furrow with a frown as she looks around then, “…Where’s Shadow??”

“Oh- he had some thing with the Commander to take care of,” Sonic replies casually.

“They’re not gonna send him away this close to the holidays, are they??” Amy huffs, looking very much prepared to take her magic hammer to GUN’s head of the answer is yes.

“No,” Sonic chuckles, shaking his head, “Nah. Rouge said it was just a meeting or something. Nothing more. They’ll both be here shortly, I’m sure.”

Amy’s smile returns at this approvingly, “Good. It’s his first Christmas on earth! He deserves it to be a good one!”

“Agreed,” Sonic winks with a thumbs up before ushering her and JoJo inside, “So let’s get inside and get started on unloading stuff from the shed so we can be ready to decorate by the time they get here!”

They all contribute, forming an assembly line of sorts from the shed’s attic to the house. It all use to be in the attic, but then Sonic moved in and it was moved to the basement. And then Tails moved in and it was moved to the shed— except that’s where Knuckles ended up moving in next, so they added flooring to the ceiling of the shed to make a small attic. And that’s now where all their seasonal decor goes.

The line goes pretty quickly between Amy and Knuckles’ strength, Tails’ flight and Sonic’s speed. The humans of the family hardly even have to do anything, so they take to emptying and sorting the boxes so they can be returned to the attic for storage until the holidays are over.

By the time it’s all done and ready to be put up for decoration, Shadow and Rouge still haven’t arrived..

Sonic really wanted them to be here for the start of their traditions, so he tries to stall for a bit. Offering to make some late lunch before they get going. Everyone seems to know what he’s trying to do, so they don’t argue. Maddie and Amy whip up some sandwiches while Sonic helps JoJo with an assortment of fruits and veggies— which is a pain when a certain echidna keeps stealing the grapes.

It’s about when everyone is settling to eat that the doorbell rings, Sonic’s tail sent wagging and his feet carrying him to answer the call before the bell even stops ringing. Swinging the door open, he’s caught by surprise when he finds a tall Rabbit standing there with a child next to her..

“Oh, hello,” the older one speaks politely, her voice soft and sweet and immediately screaming ‘mother’ vibes, “I was going to ask if this was the Wachowski residence, but it seems we’ve found the place.”

Sonic blinks up at her before offering a smile, “Yup! That’s us! How can I help ya, ma’am??”

“We were actually invited here by Mr. Shadow,” she says with a slight knit in her brow, “I take it by your reaction, you were not informed.. if we’re going to be a bother, we can absolutely leave. It’s not a problem—“

“No way!” Sonic grins, opening the door wider to allow them inside, “Any friend of Shadow’s is a friend of ours. Come on in!”

“Oh, thank you so much,” the mother smiles politely, ushering her daughter who has been hiding behind her skirt throughout the interaction, inside, “Come along, Cream dear..”

“Cream??” Sonic asks, that hitting a familiar string inside him. Shadow had rescued a young Mobian a few weeks back.. said she had a mother that he was trying to find and reunite her with. The kid’s name was Cream. By the looks of it, Shadow had managed to reunite them before the holidays! He’s so great..

The young rabbit peeks out at Sonic when he says her name, the blue hedgehog closing the door behind her with a welcoming smile. She seems real shy.. maybe a bit scared at their new environment. It’s hard being transported into a new world.. especially all alone. Sonic is real glad she found her mom..

See??? Sonic really needs to kiss Shadow for stuff like this, right?!

“Heya, kiddo, I remember Shadow telling me about you..,” he smiles as he crouches down to her level, “Said you were real brave.”

“Thank you, Mister,” the tiny rabbit replies shyly and ohmygodhervoiceissohighandcutewhattheheck—

“Call me Sonic,” the hedgehog winks.

“Okay, Mr. Sonic,” she nods and Sonic’s brain glitches and his heart flips. She’s so cute, hemustprotectheratallcosts.

Sonic chuckles at this, standing up again to hold a hand out to the mother now, “I’m real glad Shadow was able to find you for Cream. He told me about her back when she first got here..”

The mother shakes Sonic’s hand with a bittersweet smile, “Yes, I’m so grateful for Mr. Shadow’s heroism, he returned my sweet baby to me, and I’ll never be able to repay that.. I am Vanilla, by the way.”

Sonic smiles and nods, “Cream and Ms. Vanilla. Sweet names!”

Cream giggles at that, seeming to get his joke. Sonic just grins a bit wider at the child’s precious laugh.

“We’re having lunch right now. You’re more than welcome to join us! I can introduce you.”

“That would be very pleasant, dear, thank you,” Ms. Vanilla replies all sweet and warm and yeah. She’s got them mom-vibes. Strong mom-vibes.

Moving to the kitchen and dining room where everyone has formed a little line to fix their plates, Sonic raises his hands to make an announcement, “Everyone, everyone! Eyes on the blue hedgehog!”

Everyone looks to them then, a mixture of confusion and intrigue and welcoming friendliness on their faces as they take in the two newcomers.

“This is Ms. Vanilla and her daughter, Cream,” Sonic explains as he gestures to the two, the mother nodding her head with a polite and subtle curtsey, Cream offering a tiny and shy wave from behind her mother’s dress, “They’re friends of Shadow’s and will be joining us for the festivities! So everyone give them a big Wachowski-Handel welcome!”

“Welcome!” they mostly all say in unison.

Except Knuckles. Who says something weird like “It is an honor to be your host on this fine evening, madams.”

Which is overkill, as always, but Ms. Vanilla seems to find it endearing so whatever.

Maddie is immediately moving to welcome the two properly, introducing herself and her husband to their guests and automatically chatting it up with the rabbit. Maybe they’ll be good friends! Sonic is sure Maddie wouldn’t mind being friends with a fellow mom of a Mobian. Maybe Vanilla can give her tips— not that Maddie needs them. She’s an awesome Mobian mom.

Amy introduces herself as well, seeming intrigued by having another female Mobian around. Her and Rouge have been pretty outnumbered, so this’ll help even things out. Amy seems to take to Cream specifically pretty well and pretty quick, crouching down to talk to her and getting the little rabbit to come out of her shell a bit.

It’s sweet.

And all Sonic can do is wish Shadow was there to see it. See how he’s brought more people together. Added to their whacky family..

Where is he???

Everyone eventually finishes up eating and is sort of just standing around letting their food settle while they chat, but Sonic knows they’ll want to get back to doing Christmas things soon. He’s already sad Shadow missed out on making cookies..

They can make more once he’s finally there. It’ll be fine.

“Worried about Shadow?” Amy’s voice comes from his left, Sonic jumping just slightly since he had been staring out the window looking for his– boyfriend(?)’s arrival. He spins around to face her, finding her very caring and understanding expression looking right back up at him. She really was the one with the heart in the group.

“I just wish he was here,” Sonic admits with a sigh, glancing back towards the window, “It’s his first Christmas on earth, and I know that’ll be emotionally kinda… confusing for him.” Amy nods with a hummed, “Yeah.. His first without Maria.” “Exactly,” Sonic agrees with a nod, “I just really wanted to make sure it was perfect for him..” It’s so easy to open up to Amy. Something about her is so open and non-judging and nurturing. Sonic gets why Shadow trusts her so much. He’s often said she reminds him of Maria..

Sonic thinks he would’ve gotten along with Maria just fine if that’s true.

“Don’t worry,” Amy smiles and places a reassuring hand on his arm, squeezing it gently as she winks, “He’ll show up. This is very important to him too, ya’know?? He wants this to go perfect too.”

“Really??” Sonic blinks, seeming a bit surprised by this. Shadow has seemed relatively indifferent to Sonic’s Christmas talk. He never stopped to think Shadow wanted the holidays to be perfect too, he just– he was too stressed about making them perfect for Shadow.

“Mhm,” Amy nods, “He knows how much this means to you.. He wants you happy. You should know that.” “I do,” the hero sighs with a little blush, “His happiness is just so much more… I don’t know–” “Precious?”

“Yes,” Sonic agrees immediately, “That. It’s more rare and harder to come by. And his first Christmas on earth will be the foundation for every Christmas after. If this one sucks, he’ll never love the holiday..”

“Oh Sonic,” Amy giggles and shakes her head fondly at him, “You know Shadow is more open-minded than that.” “I also know he dwells on stuff,” Sonic mutters with a little frown, eyes drifting back out the window, “Even if he doesn’t let people know.. Things stick with him.”

Amy sighs at this, nodding in agreement before giving Sonic’s arm a gentle squeeze again and tugging him away from the window, “He’ll come. For now, he wouldn’t want you worrying over him when you have guests and festivities to tend to.”

Sonic allows himself to be tugged away from the window, quirking his brow suspiciously at her as a slow smirk grows on his muzzle, “Shadow put you on Sonic-babysitting duty?” “I’m not inclined to answer that,” Amy replies simply, not looking him in the eye as Sonic laughs in response.

They return to the others, and Sonic can only stall so long before they begin sorting through the decor and handing out jobs. The women will tend to the inside while the men will take care of hanging lights on the roof and in the yard. Sonic points out that that isn’t very ‘equal’ of them to send all the men out in the cold, but he receives a few too many feminist glares and decides to let it slide.

They get on the lights outside right away, wanting to get them up before the sun goes down since it’s setting early these days. Tails works on untangling them and Sonic runs nails and tools around to whoever needs them. Randall and Tom are on the roof with Knuckles, holding lights in place and nails while Knuckles hammers them down with his fists. Amy comes out to tell him to lighten up on his punches halfway through though. Apparently he’s scaring Cream and the ceiling’s spackle is starting to give due to his overkill.

Sonic climbs the trees and tangles the lights through their limbs and all the way down their trunks to the ground. He also sets up lights down their driveway and along the bushes in their flowerbeds. It all goes by fairly quickly thanks to their abilities, Randall commenting that they need to all come to his place next and put up his lights.

They get the outside done just as 4:45 rolls around and the sun is beginning to get low..

Shadow still isn’t in sight. Neither is Rouge.

Knuckles approaches Sonic as the others go inside, both staring down the road as if expecting to see Shadow’s bike come rolling up or a bat to be seen flying through the sky..

“..You invited the bat, yes?” “Yeah, Knux,” Sonic sighs with a frown, eyes still watching the road, “I invited your girlfriend.” “I– she is not my–” “Save it, dude,” Sonic groans with a roll of his eyes, turning with a frown to walk to the house, “They’re both suppose to be here by now..” “Perhaps there is trouble?” “Nah,” Sonic shakes his head, “Shadow would’ve called or something. Chaos controlled here so we could help. It’s the stupid GUN Commander. I bet he has them working or somethin’..” “We could go rescue them from the Commander?” Knuckles offers, hitting his fists together. Always looking for a fight.

“No,” Sonic snickers with a shake of his head, “Shadow doesn’t like when I get involved with his work.. Besides, he can handle himself. So can Rouge.” “This is true,” Knuckles agrees, nodding as they enter the house again, “I am still deeply wounded that you would suggest I’d ruin my pure echidna blood by dating a bat.” “Dude, that almost sounds racist.” “It is not racist! It is simply a fact. I have a duty as the last echidna to repopulate this world with the finest warriors–” “FALALALALA! CAN’T HEAR YOU EW LALALALA!”

The women have gotten the fireplace’s mantel decorated as well as the doorways and the kitchen. The tree has been left untouched so far as well as the ornaments and snowglobes. Sonic can’t help but be grateful of this, knowing everyone has silently agreed to wait for Shadow for this part.

They continue with the extra decorations, leaving little Santa figurines everywhere and using white chalk paint to make it look like there’s snow on the windows. Cream likes this part real well, Sonic notices. She seems to have a knack for arts and crafts.

By the time 6:30 rolls around, it’s dark out and they’re all making hot cocoa and the kids are sitting down at the dining room table to work on ugly Christmas sweaters. Apparently each black sweater was hand-knitted by Amy and Aunt Rachel. Sonic didn’t take Rachel as the knitting type, but Amy was a good influence, he supposed. Sonic’s was red. Knuckles’ was dark green. Tails’ was light blue. JoJo’s was purple. Rouge’s was pink. Amy’s was light green. And Shadow’s was blue.

Thankfully, Shadow had informed Ms. Vanilla that the kids would be doing this, so she had preparedly brought Cream an orange sweater as well.

The table was laid out with all sorts of crafts and materials they could sew and glue onto their shirts. From fuzzy craft balls to ornaments to battery lights to tinsel, they had plenty of options to choose from. Everyone excitedly got to work on their sweaters while the adults helped them out with hot glue guns and scissors and stuff. Mostly Cream since the others were pretty capable on their own. However, Sonic just sat staring at the empty seat next to him with the blue sweater laid out in front of it..

He didn’t really feel like decorating his sweater without Shadow..

Then there’s a knock at the door followed by Ozzy’s barking and a familiar voice.

“Hey! Down dog, it’s just me,” the bat giggles as she pets the excited pup jumping up on her.

“Rouge!!” Sonic excitedly jumps up from his seat, knocking it over in the process. Knuckles’ eyes shift up quickly to look at her. She’s all dressed up as an elf still from the GUN event, her makeup pristine as always.

“Hey everyone, sorry I’m a little late,” she apologizes with a wave to the crew, walking into the dining room and looking over the table, “What’re we doin’??” “Christmas Sweaters!” Cream pipes up, having come out of her shell pretty well by now.

“Oh!” Rouge grins, seeming to recognize the rabbit upon hearing her voice, “Cream! And Ms. Vanilla! Glad you both found the place.” “Glad you and Shadow informed us we’d be having extra guests,” Maddie mutters to her with a playful quirk of her brow.

Rouge just smirks at this and shrugs, “What can I say?? We’re a little naughty.” Maddie just laughs at this and offers Rouge a welcoming hug, the bat returning it before Amy pipes up.

“I have you a sweater right over there, Rouge,” the pink hedgehog grins, pointing to the empty seat by– of course– Knuckles.

Rouge smirks at this, moving around the table and tucking in her wings as to not knock anything over, “For little ole me?? You shouldn’t have..” Knuckles makes a noticeable effort not to give her any attention and act as though he hasn’t even realized she’s arrived at all as she makes her way to her seat, even though his growingly pink cheeks tell a different story. He only acknowledges her when she pulls the chair out beside him.

“You save a spot for me, Knuckie??” she coos all flirtatious, sitting herself down to which Knuckles just huffs and keeps his eyes set on the fabric glue he’s messily using to attach a purple fuzzball to look like grapes on the front of his shirt, “The seating arrangements were not my doing.” “Mhm. Sure,” she winks only to pause when she feels a tapping on her shoulder. She turns her head and finds Sonic sitting on the other side of her looking very much like an excited puppy vibrating in his seat. “Can I help you, Blue??” “Um-yes. Shadow come with you??” “He left the same time I did on his bike,” Rouge answers with a little smile.

So he’s coming. Sonic breathes a sigh of relief and leans back in his chair.

This relief is short lived when Rouge discreetly leans back as well and mumbles only loud enough for Sonic to hear.

“He’s outside..”

Sonic blinks at this, looking at Rouge who isn’t looking at him and seems to be pretending she didn’t say anything. Which means Shadow must not want anyone knowing he’s out there. Anyone other than Sonic..

He wants them to be alone.

Sonic instantly has butterflies in his stomach, biting his lower lip and looking to the blank blue sweater that belongs to Shadow beside him. He only spares one more glance to Rouge’s unreadable face before he’s moving from his chair once more to walk around the table towards the door.

Very casually he remembers there’s mistletoe hanging on the front porch..

As nonchalantly as he can manage, he sneaks his way to the front door and slides out of it without a word, shutting it behind him and turning to look for his partner.

Except.. Shadow isn’t there.

“Shadow??” Sonic calls with a knit in his brow, looking around in the dark for the hedgehog but finding it a bit difficult to spot him in the night. Even with all the Christmas lights on, Shadow is pretty stealthy in the dark when he wants to be.

“Shads, you here??” Sonic calls again, frowning to himself as he leans to look down the side of the house.. Nothing. Maybe Rouge meant he’s in the back yard??

He’s just about to dash around to the back when his eyes catch slight movement at the end of the driveway..

Shadow. Sitting on the curb by his bike. Back to Sonic.

Sonic’s tail immediately wags, a grin forming on his face as he speeds across the yard over to him. He pounces against his back once close enough, wrapping his arms around him from behind and hugging him with a laugh. Shadow merely grunts and is knocked forward just slightly at the impact, no other reaction.

“You’re here! Finally!” Sonic cheers as he nuzzles his cheek to Shadow’s and takes in his warmth and scent. Immediate comfort.

Shadow doesn’t respond still. Sonic’s smile falters at that. He leans his head back a bit to look at the side of Shadow’s face. He’s frowning. Looks.. lost..

“Uhh.. Shads?” Sonic snickers quietly, a bit of nervousness rising in his voice now, “You freeze out here or somethin’?? I am hugging you very merrily, and you are not really matching my vibes right now, dude.”

Shadow blinks at that, eyes lifting to find Sonic’s as if he’s only just now realizing he’s even there at all. “Oh.” His lips curl into a small smile that’s not super convincing, but Sonic can tell the hybrid is happy to see him. Which is good. Makes Sonic a little less nervous about this, at least.

Shadow tilts his head towards Sonic so their foreheads press together, nuzzling Sonic lightly with his own and making Sonic’s heart melt at the affection.

“Sorry. I was just lost in thought..”

Sonic hums at this, his own smile growing more fond and soft now as he settles down from his crouched position behind Shadow to his knees. Scooting around to sit beside him on the curb, he moves his head to rest on Shadow’s shoulder as Shadow continues to rub against him. His nose buries in Sonic’s quills and takes in a deep breath, eyes shutting as he keeps himself hidden there.. As if seeking comfort of some sort..

Sonic doesn’t pay this much attention at first, just basking in the fuzzy feeling he gets from it and lifting a hand to rest it in Shadow’s chest fur to rub there–

Only to then spot the small envelope in Shadow’s hands.

“What’s that??”

Shadow doesn’t answer. Just sighs and keeps rubbing against Sonic. “..Shadow??” Sonic prompts again when he doesn’t get an answer, chuckling quietly as he nudges Shadow’s chin with his shoulder to try and get him to come out from hiding in his quills, “Shads, I can’t talk to ya with you stuck in my spines.” “Mm,” Shadow hums, defiantly placing a hand on Sonic’s waist to hold him still as he speckles a tiny kiss to Sonic’s ear and makes the blue blur shiver.

A shaky breath escapes Sonic, eyes fluttering slightly as he feels Shadow’s teeth nibble lightly on the tip of his now burning ear. The blue hedgehog’s lips curling into a grin as his cheeks grow hotter..

This is it. He could just tip his head up and seal the deal. Kiss him for the first time since the bowling alley. Kiss him proper. The moment is perfect! They’re alone and Shadow is showing a rare form of affection right now and–

And Shadow is hiding from something…

Sonic’s eyes blink and look back down at the envelope in Shadow’s hands.

Shadow continues his advances on Sonic.. He’s trying to distract him.

Sonic groans a bit and gently pushes Shadow back with the hand on his chest fur, Shadow looking at him with knitted brows and tilted head at this. “Did I do something wrong??” “No,” Sonic says quietly, voiced hushed and face flushed despite himself. He offers a little smile and lifts his hand to Shadow’s cheek now which the ebony hedgehog tilts into.

“...I just don’t want you to use us to hide..”

Shadow’s eyes blink at that, face looking guilty as they avert from Sonic’s emerald ones and instead look down at the envelope he still clutches..

Sonic looks down at it too. What could be in there that’s bothering Shadow so much?? “...What did Commander Walters want??”

Shadow sighs heavy at this, removing his hands from Sonic now but still staying close enough that they’re shoulder to shoulder. Touching.

After a long pause, Shadow doesn’t answer. He doesn’t seem to be able to. Instead, he holds the envelope towards Sonic, prompting the blue hedgehog to read it for himself.

Sonic stares at it a long moment, suddenly terrified of what’s inside. If it has Shadow acting like this, then-...

“Do I have to open it??” “What??”

“Maybe we can just–” Sonic sighs, taking it from Shadow now and looking at Shadow with a little grin, “throw it away?? Pretend whatever it is isn’t there. Didn’t happen. Doesn’t exist.” “Sonic..” “No, Shadow!” Sonic snaps a bit unexpectedly, “No. This is your first Christmas here on earth! You’re supposed to spend it here with me, not on some stupid GUN mission–” “It’s not a GUN mission.” “I– huh??” Sonic blinks, the fire in him fading a bit at this news, “It’s.. not?” Shadow shakes his head, his hand resting on Sonic’s knee now as if to try and keep the blue hedgehog calm.

“..Then what is it?” This suddenly makes Sonic even more scared. If not a mission then what?? What has Shadow so torn up???

Shadow doesn’t say anything. Just nods towards the envelope.

Sonic frowns at this, looking down at the envelope, “I don’t wanna..” “Read it,” Shadow sighs quietly, head now leaning against Sonic’s shoulder, “...I need you to understand..” Sonic swallows hard. He doesn’t want this. He doesn’t want whatever is in here. Whatever is gonna change things for them, ruin their Christmas. He doesn’t want it.

But he has to be mature right now. Grow up. Because Shadow needs him.. And he can’t just live in denial.

So Sonic does. He opens the already opened envelope and pulls out the folded up paper from inside.

Unfolding it, he holds it up so he can read it under the Christmas lights.

‘To Commander Walters,

I hope this letter finds you well. I, myself, am doing fine. My family is preparing for the holidays, and my daughter is recovering from her last procedure quite well. Thank you again to GUN for paying for all her medical needs..

I am writing this in regards to Project Shadow. I have been keeping up with the news, and it has come to my attention that the creature that once ran rampant on the ARK is now running free on earth. I’m sure you can understand why this would trouble me seeing as it is responsible for my sister’s death. Or so I believed.. When GUN’s Project Shadow files were leaked to the public, I did my reading. And I can not begin to express how deeply troubled and disappointed I am by how falsely informed myself and my parents were on this entire tragedy. To learn that it was not, in fact, my grandfather’s experiments that killed my sister, but instead was a GUN raid was incredibly shocking and eye opening. I now understand why we have been compensated so much. Not out of obligation or contracts, but of guilt. Not only this, but I have learned the very experiment that my family has blamed for all these years is innocent and confused and alone. From the footage I’ve seen, my sister loved him. And to think the very being she put so much time and love into is being used as a GUN operative, a weapon, is foul.

I do not write this letter to reprimand you. So before you toss it carelessly in the trash, let me get to my point. After some time and discussion, my family has decided that we would like to meet Shadow. We want to know why my sister loved him so much, and if he loved her in return. I believe we deserve this if nothing more. At the very least, it may provide some long-deserved closure for both us and perhaps even him.

I have enclosed in this envelope an invitation I would like you to deliver to Shadow.

You will hear from me again before the New Year.

-T’

Sonic reads it. Then he reads it again. Then he reads it a few more times and a few parts specifically.

His eyes are wide, brows furrowed as he processes all this.

Then he looks back inside the envelope and indeed finds a more formal invitation inside on red cardstock with white snowflakes decorating the border.

‘Please join us for a

Holiday Party.

Saturday, December 21st at 5:30 PM.

Hosted by Terra Robotnik’

There’s an address at the bottom. And a request to RSVP.

Sonic reads this. Then he reads it again. Then he reads it a few more times and then goes back to the letter.

Then his eyes lift to look at Shadow who is still resting his head on Sonic’s shoulder. He can see the knit in his brow.. The way his hands are clamped tightly together between his knees.

Sonic nudges his nose on Shadow’s forehead once, the black hedgehog grunting in response. But Sonic persists and does it again, Shadow lifting his head this time to look at Sonic and..

He’s scared. Very scared.

“Oh Shads,” Sonic sighs out in a whisper before wrapping his arms tight around the hybrid and hugging him close. His fingers pet down Shadow’s quills as Shadow leans into him and breathes all shaky and uneven. He’s close to breaking down, Sonic can feel it. He’s likely been holding this in all day..

Sonic holds him a long moment, not saying anything as his mind races and he lets Shadow calm down a bit. Seek comfort in his arms..

“I wanted to kill him,” Shadow says eventually, voice coming muffled and growled against Sonic’s shoulder, “When I found out he’s kept this from me… I nearly jumped him without a second thought.. If Rouge hadn’t been there-” “You wouldn’t have hurt him,” Sonic assures immediately, not wanting Shadow to even start thinking he was a monster, “..You were hurt. And rightfully so. This is-.. This is a pretty big thing to keep from you..”

Shadow sighs shakily, “..He seemed remorseful. But he also seemed confident in his choice to have kept it from me until now.. He said they needed to be ready first.” “How were they suppose to be ready when GUN had kept the truth from them for so long???” Sonic huffs, trying not to get too fired up for Shadow’s sake.

“I don’t know,” Shadow huffs right back, pulling back from Sonic now to look back down at the invitation Sonic still holds between them.. “...I don’t know what to do.”

“Well, you have to go,” Sonic says without a second thought. “What??” Shadow blinks, looking genuinely surprised by Sonic’s response.

“I mean– you don’t have to,” Sonic quickly corrects with a knit to his brow, “..But I think you should.” Shadow stares at Sonic a long moment before speaking, “Why?? You read it, these people have hated me for fifty years. And rightfully so–” “Not rightfully so,” Sonic corrects again, holding up a finger to stop Shadow, “They were lied to and made to believe the ARK tragedy was your fault. Just like you were.” “It still was partially my fault–” “Bullshit,” Sonic calls immediately, not letting Shadow even speak such things, “Don’t let all of this throw you back to thinking that, Shadow. Don’t go there again.. You know better now. You’ve grown.” Shadow sighs at this, looking down a moment in thought before looking back to Sonic with a small nod.

“Okay.. So even if it wasn’t my fault, they still have every right to hate me.” “Why??” Sonic smiles a bit as he says this, truly not getting it, “You’re you. You’re Maria’s walking legacy. You were her best friend. If she loved you, then why wouldn’t they–” “I am not her walking legacy,” Shadow corrects, a bit more edge in his voice now as his eyes narrow into a glare, “I am Gerald’s walking legacy. I– I am the walking reminder of a cure that never came for her. I am a failure. I am the reason she should still be here, and yet, I’m the very reason she’s gone!” Sonic’s eyes are wide at this, staring at Shadow in silence and taking in his words.

They don’t talk about the ARK tragedy a lot. They can talk about Maria. And they can talk about Shadow growing up on the ARK. But they don’t talk about the tragedy. It’s not allowed. Sonic doesn’t dare bring it up, waiting for Shadow to be ready..

Seems like Shadow is going to have to be ready now whether he likes it or not.

“Shadow..,” Sonic hushes gently, his hand resting on Shadow’s cheek as the hybrid breathes heavy and almost panicked. He rubs his thumb along his muzzle, trying to calm him as he watches Shadow’s teary eyes flutter shut..

“I’m sorry..,” he whispers to Sonic, apologizing for his outburst, “I’m sorry, I just–” “You’re wrong..,” Sonic whispers back, brows knitting, “I hate to tell ya that, but you are.”

Shadow just frowns at this, opening his eyes to look at Sonic now. And Sonic can see his determination, his rising self-loathing. But he doesn’t give him the chance to argue.

“You are her joy. Her smile. Her laughter. Her rage. Her calm. Her strength. Her understanding. Her heart,” Sonic explains softly, his hand moving from Shadow’s cheek to his chest to rest over his heart, “... Shadow, you’re her hope. And you prove that every day by protecting her world.. I don’t look at you and see Gerald Robotnik– I don’t even look at you and see Maria. I look at you and see you.” Shadow takes in a sharp breath at that, a small tear falling from his cheek that shatters Sonic’s heart. Sonic immediately wipes it away and returns to cupping his cheek so he can wipe away any more that may fall.

“You are all of you. But I won’t ignore that she’s the majority of the reason you have the morals you do.. She taught you to be all these things that you are. Not a monster. Not an experiment. Not a failure. But a light. A living being. You’re someone… And I don’t think Maria would care who you were as long as it made you happy.. I think that was her whole point in her promise, ya’know?.. To make you understand that living is a gift.. And just by doing that, you’re no failure. You’re succeeding.”

Shadow stares at Sonic a long moment, Sonic wiping away each tear that the Ultimate Lifeform sheds. Eventually, Shadow sniffles and chuckles out breathlessly, “She would’ve loved you.” “And she did love you,” Sonic points out with a soft smile, “...And they will too.”

Shadow shakily sighs then, nodding and looking away as he wipes his own tears now with a few sniffles, “Okay..” “Okay??” “Okay,” Shadow agrees with a nod, “..I’ll go.”

Sonic grins immediately, “I’m real proud of you, Shads..”

“But you’re coming too.” Sonic blinks at that. “...Excuse me??” “I can’t do this without you,” Shadow admits as he looks back to Sonic, “..I’m asking you. Please.” Sonic’s brows knit up at that, “...Of course I’ll come, Shads. Where else would I go??” Shadow melts a bit at that, his head moving to slowly reach for Sonic’s, “Besides.. If I’m going to be having a, uh-.. family reunion,” Shadow chuckles bittersweet, “I better go ahead and introduce my boyfriend.” Sonic’s brain glitches. His eyes widening a bit and his tail wagging uncontrollably. A dramatic gasp escapes him, “Yousaidthething!”Shadow chuckles quietly, nodding his head as he squeezes Sonic’s hand, “I did.” “Youcalledmeyourboyfriend!”

“You are.” “Iam!” “You are.” “Cool.”

Notes: Terra (noun): the planet earth, of earth. I don't know how many of you played Sonic X Shadow Generations, but it was revealed in the game that Maria has a sister. I have been absolutely fixated on this fact since then. In the game, there's also a letter from someone with the initial 'T' who sends the remains of Gerald's journal to GUN. Some have theorized this 'T' is Maria's sister. I've ran with this and named her 'Terra'. Which was chosen for her by her parents who vowed never to lose a child again.. especially not to being kidnapped to space.

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