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When it started happening, it was just like any other day with Sonic. Shadow didn’t know how to process it.
~~~~~
“Hey Shads!”
The agent groaned and bit back annoyance as he heard the blue speedster jog up to him. “What do you want, hedgehog.”
Sonic stopped just short of a few feet from the other. “I was wondering if you wanted to race real quick.” The blue blur looked at him hopefully, his eyes shown only true a genuine want to share time with the other.
Shadow glared at him for a moment as he debated it. Sighing at the fact that he probably won’t get a moment’s peace until he agreed, he nodded slightly.
Smiling brightly, Sonic pointed towards the forest. “Race you to the other side of the clearing just past the forest.”
As soon as he finished his sentence, Shadow had already skated off to a head start. Sonic followed in suit not to allow too much distance between himself and the other.
The forest was extensive, rugged, and thick. One misstep could easily become a clumsy tumble. Shadow felt the other catching up quickly.
“Hey Shads,” Sonic glanced over at the other as he finally caught up, “aren’t you tired?”
“Why would I be tired, Faker? We just started running.” Shadow smirked as he thought of a snarky remark he was about to say until Sonic continued.
“Cause you’ve been running through my mind all day.” The Hero’s response was so relaxed and natural as if he hadn’t just said what he did.
Thrown off guard, Shadow nearly tripped over a root. Catching himself forced him to fall behind. ‘Did he just?’ Shadow frowned as he shook his head. He’d fallen behind, he needed to focus on the task at hand.
Unfortunately, Sonic had beat him to the edge of the clearing easily once he broke through the forest.
Sonic waited for the other, smiling as he came to a stop. “What happened back there, Shadow?” The smile turned into a sly smirk. “Don’t tell me you fell for me.”
Shadow tried to skate past him fast enough to not show the tint of colour in his cheeks, but it was too late. Shadow kept going until he thought it was safe enough to stop. Looking around, he made sure the other didn’t follow him before he squatted down and muffled a scream of frustration into his hands. What the fuck happened to his composure back there? Forget that, what the actual hell was Sonic saying? Where did any of that come from?
Shadow growled before shaking himself out of it. It's what that faker wants. To get under his skin. To rattle him. He needed to get a hold of himself for chaos’ sake. This won’t get to him. Definitely not. It won’t.
He’d never admit it, but later on, it did. He wasn't able to sleep that night. He later decided to pretend it never happened.
~~~~~
Shadow had come to terms with the fact that he had feelings for the hedgehog months ago. Coming to terms with it meaning that he buried it deep down and pretended that they weren’t there. Sonic’s flirting resurfaced these feelings and it pissed the agent off to no end.
The second time the other started up, it was while they were in the middle of conversing over a recent attack to a nearby city, swapping notes, as Sonic called it. It’s the fastest way to deal with unknown threats swiftly. It’s only logical to pool in all the possible information. Bring in another set of eyes. Only logical.
~~~~~
“So here is where the witnesses said they came from before the attack and here is where they said they fled to.” Shadow was leaning over a layout of the area in question.
“Hmm. Since they fled to the southeast, do you think they’re hiding in a cove near the southern shores?” Sonic leaned in close to Shadow to get a better look at the map.
The agent held in a breath as the other brushed against him. “That is quite probable. If not, they could be more east since that’s the direction they originally emerged from. Possibly having a base set up in the catacombs lost in the ravine.”
“Yeah. Sounds good. I’ll tell Tails we should search the beaches.”
“And I’ll inform Commander that Rouge, Omega, and I will be searching the catacombs.”
Shadow could feel Sonic’s stare as he packed the files into his bag. “Take a photo Faker, it’ll last longer.”
Sonic chuckled nervously. “Sorry, something must be wrong with my eyes. I can't seem to get them off you. Did it hurt?”
Shadow bit back a growl. “Did what hurt?”
Sonic smiled and leaned against the wall. “The fall from heaven.”
Shadow smiled inwardly at the fact that he’d be able to not get tongue tied this time. He was prepared. “No. I broke a nail climbing out of hell.”
“Damn. That must be why you make me wanna sin.”
Not prepared enough.
Shadow stared in shock. Sonic drank the sight in before bidding farewell. Leaving the cave before Shadow was able to either combust from embarrassment or explode with anger.
Shadow let out a growl as he punched the stone wall, cracking it as he hid his face in his other hand.
~~~~~
The third time it happened, Shadow had been ranting to Rouge at her club when the other decided to pop by for a visit, delighted to see the dark agent there.
~~~~~
Shadow sped through the city, weaving in and out of the crowds to get to his destination. He hooked a sharp right into Rouge’s club and didn’t stop until he was next to her.
“Rouge, I am need of assistance,” Shadow stated monotonically, but his appearance surprised the bat with a yelp as she dropped the glass she was cleaning.
“Shadow, what the hell.” Rouge took a breather as she saw the other bend down to pick the broken glass. His movements were sloppily quick and lowly uncoordinated. And then the way he had just ran in, he seemed to be distressed. If Rouge had been just about anyone else, she wouldn’t have picked up on him. If you’re actually able to pick up on his mannerisms, he’s actually quite expressive.
Rouge lent down after picking up a nearby dust pan. “What’s gotten you quaking in your boots hon?”
Shadow continued to stare at the floor where the shards had just been, neither made a move to stand up. “It’s Sonic.”
Rouge waited for elaboration. When it didn’t come, she spoke up. “If you don’t know how to phrase it, you can be blunt, Hon.”
The dark agent nodded and swallowed the lump that sat in his throat. “He has been… flirting with me for the past week.” Rouge raised an eyebrow at that. “He’s been saying the most absurd shit.” Shadow’s eyes shifted, still refusing to look his best friend in the eye.
Rouge stood and set the glass fragments on the bar. “Is he making you uncomfortable when he does it?” She eyed him.
The striped hedgehog stood as well. “Yes. No… Maybe?”
Rouge moved her gaze in thought. She smiled as her attention returned to her teammate. “Do you like him?”
Shadow didn’t answer.
“Oh my, my. You do.”
A light glow crossed his face. The back of his neck felt like it was on fire.
“Oh no. You got it bad.”
“I discovered these feelings months ago. I accepted them-”
“Meaning you ignored them.”
“-and I moved on.”
“Translates to they only grew.”
“Would you stop that, I need help. This is unaccep-”
The doors to the club were thrown open for a second time that afternoon, the hedgehog of discussion walking up to the bar the two stood behind.
“Sup. How are you two this lovely night?”
“Hedgehog, it is two in the afternoon,” Shadow deadpanned.
Sonic looked at the ceiling as if he were looking to the sky. “Huh, look at that, it is.”
Rouge smiled at the hog. “Did you need something, Blue?”
“Hm? Oh yeah.” The blue blur reached into his quills to pull out an envelope. “Knux wanted me to give you this.”
Rouge accepted the letter with gratitude. She turned away from the two for a short moment to slide it into a wooden slot for later reading.
Sonic glanced at Shadow through the edge of his vision and smiled.
‘Oh no.’ Was the only thought that crossed Shadow’s mind as he prepared himself. ‘Keep your grip.’
The blue speedster turns toward the other to rest his chin in his hand. “Hey Shadow, Your hands look heavy. Would you like me to hold them for awhile?”
Shadow opened his mouth to respond, but his mind drew a blank.
“What’s wrong dude? Speechless?” Sonic straightened his stance as he got ready to leave. “Me too.”
Rouge returned as Sonic began to walk towards the door. “Later Rouge. Later Shads.” With that the doors close.
The bat stared at the doors, bewildered. “He really is flirting with you.”
Shadow’s head dropped to the bar.
~~~~~
After the incident at the bar, Rouge gave Shadow some pointers that he promptly ignored.
(“Rouge. There’s no fuckin way I’m doing any of that.”
The bat shrugged her shoulders. “I’m just sayin. Blue will melt in your hands.”)
The next time it happened, they were finishing up a mission, but they had a run in with an old robot that had been left behind.
~~~~~
The mission was just supposed to be a simple in and out. Team up with Team Sonic, investigate the abandoned Eggman hideout for the intel, and then get the fuck. The half functioning robot came out of nowhere and had been causing more difficulty than Shadow would care to admit.
Shadow and Sonic had been left to distract the mechanical menace while the others were told to evacuate, the original task incredibly too valuable to risk losing.
The two hedgehogs had been close to tearing the rest of the bot down.
“Shadow, Quick question!”
Shadow dodged a large piece of debris that easily could have knocked either of them out. “What is it, Hedgehog?”
“I know you’re pretty busy and all, but could you do me a favour,” the blue hog looked in Shadow’s direction and winked, “and add me to your to-do list?”
The agent growled. “Is this really the best time for this fool?”
Sonic laughed, “Nah. How bout 8pm Friday?”
Shadow angrily looked toward the other to chastise him about the situation at hand just in time to see the other panicking to avoid a shower of the dilapidated ceiling that was coming down over the blue blur, who had been backed into a corner.
“Sonic!” Shadow teleported to the other and dug him out from the spot he had been half buried in then teleported out of range of the robot’s sensors with the hedgehog in his arms. The agent called their teammates to tell them he wouldn’t be meeting them at the rendezvous point because Sonic was injured.
He raced to the home that the hedgehog shared with his brother. The door was unlocked. Shadow set the other on the couch and grabbed whatever supplies he could find. He cleaned him up and bandaged him, though his hands shook the entire time. Shadow took deep breaths, trying to calm himself. The dumbass was still breathing and his blood pressure was fine. He was just a bit banged up. In a few days, the idiot would be back on his feet and back at it again with his shenanigans.
Shadow was able to compose himself before the fox came flying through the door.
Nearly crashing into Shadow, Tails straightened his posture and landed on his feet. “Is he alright? What happened?”
Shadow sighed and steadied his gaze onto the young fox who was worriedly holding his tails close to him. “The robot had caused a collapse above him. He’ll be fine after some rest and time.” The hedgehog turns towards the couch. “Luckily, he doesn’t have anything more than a bunch of bruises and cuts.”
Shadow was completely unprepared for the fox to hug him and thank him repeatedly before running over to the other.
Shaking the shock off him, the agent grumbled to himself that he was letting them get too close to him. “Miles, make sure he doesn't get off of bed rest for at least twenty four hours. Change the bandages every morning and evening. Re-apply the medical ointment until the cuts start healing.” With that, Shadow took his leave.
Tails was left blinking as he watched the monotone hedgehog leave.
~~~~~
Shadow stared at his ceiling. He was trying to convince himself to calm down. Sonic wouldn’t have been healing any faster with him standing over him. The young fox was more than capable of seeing through to Sonic's recovery. Miles being with him actually made him feel a bit more sure that the hedgehog wouldn’t do something stupid that would further injure himself.
Shadow's lip twitched at the memory of the last time he was injured. The blue hedgehog had kept hobbling around on one leg trying to help everyone with their day to day errands only to be told to go sit down. At one point he found the dark agent and challenged him to a race.
Shadow let out a bark of laughter remembering the scene of the other hopping on one foot, rambling about how he could still beat him. Shadow began to laugh the same way he had when it was happening. A laughter that is brought out from deep in and eventually makes your sides ache. It had been the first time he laughed in front of the blue blur.
The agent eventually fell into a sleep knowing that the blue idiot would be fine.
A few days later, the hedgehog would find himself becoming just as angry out of his embarrassment as he had the previous week and a half.
~~~~~
Shadow’s latest assignment from G.U.N. had left him absolutely fuming. It wasn’t even The mission itself that had him more than slightly annoyed, it was some of the tones that he kept picking up from some of the higher ups. And it wasn’t like he could do anything about it. One, they were his superiors, it would be disrescpectful of him to point out ‘Hey, could watch your fucking tone?’ Two, they would just brush it off as him being overdramatic because that’s what always happens when he tries to tell someone that their tone is changing and he can’t fucking stand it.
At this point, with how long he had dealt with that from his superiors, the agent thought he should be used to it by now.
The hedgehog growled and began to run to try and burn off the aggravation growing in him since the mission hadn’t done it for him.
“Shadow, wait up!”
‘Not right now.’ Is all that crossed Shadow’s mind as he bolted off.
Of course, that didn’t stop the other from following him. Sonic had to shout over the winds that enveloped them as they ran. “Shads, I wanted to say thank you for everything you did.”
“Congrats,” Shadow grunted. “You just did.”
“Shads, could you hold up a minute?”
Shadow snapped. Finally looking at the other, he yells, “Hedgehog, I am NOT in the mood.”
“Then how bout a spar?”
The agent was caught off guard. “What?”
“Fight off your steam.”
Shadow huffed. “Aren’t you still injured?”
“Nope! Because of your excellent help and Tails’ absolute smothering, I’m fully recovered.” The blue blur gave the other a thumbs up before smirking. “What, fraid you might hurt me, hot stuff?”
That’s it. Shadow threw a fist at the other. It made its mark and sent sonic flying back a bit. He dug his feet in the ground to come to a stop. “I’m okay with playing rough if you are,” Sonic winked at the agent.
Shadow growled and rushed toward the hero with another fist, but this time the hero caught it.
“Hmm.” Sonic stared at his and Shadow’s gloves. “That’s some quality boyfriend material right there.”
The black hedgehog couldn’t tell if he was talking about him or the other or both, but he opted to knock the other off his feet. He swept a foot under him and pinned the hero down.
Sonic was about to say something, probably something along the lines of how the agent swept him off his feet, but Shadow cut him off before he could spout another pick up line from his pretty lips.
Shadow leaned down to the hero’s ear and whispered, “It must be hard with your sense of direction, never being able to find your way to a decent pickup line.”
Sonic was caught off guard for only a moment. “Then perhaps I need some lessons.”
Shadow didn’t think this far ahead. He leaned down to place a gentle kiss to the hero’s lips.
The blue blur happily returned the action, disappointed when the agent pulled away. “So straightforward.”
He released the other. “Shut up.”
Sonic smiled and brought his arms around the other, pulling him down into a hug. “I’m not done with you yet.”
Shadow huffed contempt and let the hero cuddle into him. He fell to the side and hugged the other with the same amount of force, smiling as Sonic peppered his face with kisses.
“Your face is so red, Shadow, I think we need to take you to get a check up.”
Sonic smiled down at the other.