#why does it feel like it's the kind of nostalgic comfort garment you keep and wear to the gym or to bed

[uhbasicallyjustmilex]

okay, trying and utterly failing to be normal about the fact this tracksuit zip up

is the same one he wore during eycte in 2016

i mean. help??????? 🫠

[nicoscheer]

Blue really is more loyal to his coaches than to anyone else

Recent photo by Alex Turner in Los Angeles

theliverkick: "Reunited with Alex Turner. It's been a few years since we last saw each other, but some things never change. Great session and even better catch-up! Wishing Alex and the rest of the Arctic Monkeys all the best!"

29/05/2024

[chaosbcrne]

@blucpincushicn (x):

🌀   The speedster chases away his lingering nerves and the old but fond memories of exploring haunted mansions and castles with his team as he comes back to reality. How young then, he’d felt. Eyes wide and full of rebellious spirit, so much has changed since then. The last of his nostalgic thoughts slip away when Sonic’s focus returns back to the screen, ears raising back up at attention.

       Ah yes. Jack’s Lament had begun, Sonic noted with a tiny smile. He knew all these songs by heart, although this one was always one of his favorites. It was certainly quite the performance, even after all these years. It was simultaneously bouncy and dramatic, with a tune that was ever so catchy even if the mood was somber. Once again the blue blur was reminded by how much he enjoyed musical numbers.

      He has to resist the urge to hum along, in fact. Shoulders tremble a bit again while Sonic watches the animated character dance across the screen, the glow from the movie casting an otherwise gloomy wash on his azure painted fur. For a moment he even forgets his previously fluttering thoughts over his companion. The hero silently follows along to the song, easily reciting the lyrics from memory alone.

…But who here would ever understand? ♫ That the Pumpkin King with the skeleton grin, ♫ Would tire of his crown, if they only understood… ♫ He’d give it all up if he only could~ ♫

…Oh, there’s an empty place in my bones, ♫ That calls out for something unknown~ ♫ The fame and praise come year after year, ♫ Does nothing for these empty tears… ♫

     The music softened as the song came to a close, signaling that it was moving onto the next stretch of plot points. Sonic lets out a small sigh with a puff of visible fog, ears drooping slightly, gaze somewhat glossy and distant. What a classic.

     And of course, with the lament coming to an end, so did his focus on the movie. green eyes silently wander over back to Shadow, his train of thought once again delving back into sap territory.

     Sonic wouldn’t of anticipated the sudden shift in Shadow’s own attention as he’s suddenly met with that piercing ruby gaze and- oH

     Crap. CRAP. Look away, look away!!

     Sonic reacts a bit too slow, ears folding backwards and his fur all but poofing out on every inch of his azure coat as he tears his attention away from the agent. Oh no. Ohhh no. Shadow definitely saw that. Eye contact was made. Gaia damn it this is bad this is baaad-

    ❝ Huh? ❞ Is all he can respond with, the pitch in his tone a little higher than he intended. Glancing back, he watches Shadow rid himself of his jacket and lean over- what was he doing?!

It takes Sonic a second to register the cozy fabric being draped over his form, leaving him blinking several times before he realized what was happening. He unlocks his arms from around his knees and grabs onto the hems of the coat, staring in awe at the article of clothing he’d just acquired.

     Shadow gave me his coat??

     Oh. Oh dear. Sonic hadn’t even realized how chilly it’d gotten out. His body had been responding to it- come to think of the slight trembles of his shoulders, but he’d been so distracted by thoughts he hadn’t even picked up on the signals his body had been sending him. Was this why he was feeling so jumpy?? Surely his emotions had contributed to some of it, but…

    And clearly Shadow noticed. He’d noticed before Sonic even noticed. Gee… he really was just a mess tonight, wasn’t he? Still, it certainly didn’t stop the bloom of warmth and butterflies that took off in his chest as the faint scent of coffee hits his nose. Okay… Rein it in, Sonic. Keep it cool. Act normal. Pretend like you totally didn’t just get caught staring.

   ❝ H-heh… Y’know I’ve survived sub-zero temperatures way outside the stratosphere, right? ❞ The hedgehog teases quietly, shooting the agent an amused look as he stretches up and wriggles his arms into the sleeves of the coat so he could comfortably hug his knees again. It a good humored jab, certainly not one Sonic made intending to start anything. He further solidifies that point by continuing before Shadow can get a word in.

   ❝ …Thanks tho’. I appreciate it, I really do. Not a huge fan of the cold, if’m honest. ❞

It really was… kind of the agent. Not something Sonic would have expected, yet somehow he didn’t feel as surprised as he should be. After everything he’s witnessed from his companion tonight, the speedster honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Shadow leaned over and put his arm around Sonic and maybe tilted the hero’s face up with a hand, leaned down and-

      ……..Yeah okay, we’re not finishing that thought. Whatever happened to platonic?? Sonic was trying to be a good friend, not get caught up in…whatever that train of thought was leading to. He really needed to get a rein on his feelings tonight or he wasn’t gonna make any actual headway. Sonic didn’t wanna just be a sitting, stuttering duck the entire time.

     So, he thinks of a diversion, if only from his own stupid feelings as the movie led up to it’s next musical act.

     ❝ Hey… what’d you end up getting from the convenient store? ❞ Sonic whispers, completely pretending like he wasn’t using this as an excuse to glance at Shadow again. Not at all.

      Yeah, I was there for some of it, in case you forgot. The words never left his mouth for there were too many implications tied to them to consider in a moment’s notice. For one thing, he knew all too well the speedster had had countless adventures without him, and far be it from him to exaggerate his importance in those he did take part in. For another, none of the ones that applied here were among those Shadow was particularly proud of.

     The first time, the two of them were enemies, and the second, well - he didn’t remember. Not who Sonic was, not what had led up to that moment, not the last time he’d been there. And now that he did, it was even more conflicting to think back on.

     They hadn’t exactly been on the same side, that second time around - it had really been more of a... temporary partnership, along-for-the-ride kind of deal. Yet Sonic had never stopped being nice and encouraging, and most of all, he had tried to get him to remember. And he’d been the only one, out of everyone Shadow knew.

     Why ?

     The question died on his lips though, as Sonic quickly moved on to thank him for the coat, effectively pushing him off that specific train of thought. “Yeah...” he uttered slowly, forcing his mind to get back to the present time and place. “There’s a notable difference between living and surviving though, wouldn’t you say ?” The semi-rhetorical question was punctuated with a scoff - as if proving his point before Shadow had even voiced it, the speedster hadn’t wasted any time properly putting on the garment. It seemed it was even more welcome than the agent had guessed.

     “I can imagine,” he said with a widening grin, as an actual response to Sonic’s confided sensitivity to cold. “What with how little fur you’ve got growing there.” He just had to get a little jab in there, however objective. It made things feel a bit... less strange, and more like they usually were between them, he thought as he let his gaze linger maybe one too many second on the bundled up hedgehog. It was a pretty cute image...

     Chaos, stop being so weird, Shadow urged himself, snapping his attention away from Sonic and back to the screen a tad too suddenly to look natural. His heart had leaped a minute earlier when they’d unexpectedly made eye contact, and it still felt out of sorts now, after he thought he’d figured out such a perfect distraction. He leaned back some, planting his hands against the ground to try and quell this odd trembling that had overtaken them. And it wasn’t from the cold, that much he could tell.

     Maybe he was getting a little too friendly. Not by anyone else’s standards, for sure, but by his own - this was likely further than he had been planning on letting it go. Far out enough of his comfort zone that his own body was responding where his mind couldn’t, sending him signals that he was overdoing it. But then, why did this behavior come to him to naturally ?

     “Hm ?” Ears and head both turned to his companion as a reflex when he spoke up again. So much for paying attention, Shadow thought to himself, almost rolling his eyes. He’d been so caught up in his reflections he’d completely lost track of what was going on for a minute - both in the movie and right by his side. “Same as you,” he said after a brief delay, shifting his weight onto one hand so he could reach into his bag and pick out the snack in question with the other.

     Of course, it being a discount plastic bag, it just had to get hung up on the ring of his wrist and tumble over when he pulled his hand back, effectively revealing his other pick that he’d more or less forgotten about already. “Oh, and this,” he added, dropping the first item to pick up the bag of salted dried meat and bringing it up the other’s attention. “Some coworker got me addicted to this stuff. It’s not junk food enough to be forbidden on duty.”

     He let out another quiet laugh. It was the excuse he’d heard when no one made a fuss when said coworker had shown up with the snack in question, but he’d come to know better as time went by. It was just awful food all around for most people, too salty for some, too chewy for others, or too odd of a taste. It didn’t distract people like most other junk food did because no one wanted it. It was no surprise, in hindsight, that Shadow would develop a certain affection for it.

     Which led to an interesting question...

     “Wanna try ?” he offered in turn, ripping the bag open and handing it out to his rival with a weirdly curious expression on his face.