Work Text:
The morning routine was always the same.
Shadow would wake up first and smash the alarm clock. Then Sonic would wake up akin to a cannonball being launched because after so many years of fighting Badniks, the sound of crunching metal was enough to get him into fight-or-flight. He'd never been a heavy sleeper, but after the war, the Metal Virus, and Starfall Islands, he didn't really sleep as consistently as he should. The tips of his quills were white, now. Sonic joked that they were all courtesy of Eggman, but Shadow knew that it wasn’t often the case.
But after nearly wreaking havoc on their bedroom came their second and favorite part.
“Morning,” Sonic murmured, climbing back into bed, tucking Shadow's forehead under a peach muzzle, and planting a kiss on the fluffy mussed fur. Both hedgehogs were always really fluffy in the morning.
“Good morning,” Shadow replied, his smooth baritone still surprisingly heavy with sleep. He gently squeezed his boyfriend before switching their positions. “Did you sleep well?”
“Mhm,” Sonic smiled. “No bad dreams.”
“Good.” Shadow kissed Sonic one last time and got up, grabbing his sparkly purple wrap and miniskirt from the storage bin under their bed. “I think your shorts are in the laundry. The clean laundry.”
“Sweet!” Sonic exclaimed, already tugging the crop top over his head. He kissed Shadow’s forehead one last time before darting into the hall. He came back a second later with his pair of black shorts with the fluorescent teal flames (His “Ember McClain” shorts – a reference Shadow didn’t get until Sonic showed him a picture and they bing-watched the show).
Sonic cupped Shadow’s cheeks and kissed his nose. “Shall we get breakfast?”
“We shall.” Shadow took Sonic’s head and led him to the kitchen, ready to start their day.
Underwater cuddling was the best. Nothing but the deep blue sea and them.
Shadow tucked his husband’s forehead under the captain’s chin; the blue scales clammy against his warmer muzzle. His mate was curled up against him, exhausted from a long night of partying and other things. The joke was he could fall asleep anywhere and not just his hammock. He could be at a loud party and still sleep through it. He could be in the darkest depths of the sea, one with the world he called his home, and he could sleep in peace.
But no matter the circumstances, Sonic always slept better with Shadow.
Shadow watched Sonic’s tail drift lazily with the tide in time with the air charm around his neck. He was so peaceful, a water nymph at rest. Sirens were never peaceful looking, more in tune with bloodthirsty legends Shadow grew up on.
The fact that a Siren was now his husband said much about how much Shadow’s worldview had changed.
Shadow kissed Sonic’s forehead. “Rest well, my siren.”
Sonic smiled in his sleep and cuddled closer.
Sonic’s eyes fluttered at the sensation of warmth just above his right eye coupled with the heat at his back. His eye twitched in response as another one landed on his ear. Soft, warm, and tender ones. His partner was awake.
His eyes opened just a smidge, enough to catch a fuzzy black shape in his peripheral. Soft lips kissed his eyes again.
“Mmm…wha’are you doing?” Sonic asked sleepily.
“Squishing your face.” The reply was curt, but loving.
“Call it kissing, you weirdo,” Sonic groaned and rolled over, arms leaving the warm quilt to wrap around his husband, pulling him over into a sleepy kiss.
“It’s not my fault your face is so squishable,” Shadow commented as his forehead tapped briefly against Sonic’s in a solemn prayer.
“Heh.” Sonic blinked away the haze as Shadow playfully tussled his quills and fur amidst the silky sheets, raining kisses across his body.
“HEY! DON’T!” He squealed suddenly as Shadow’s fingers ghosted his sides, the ebony hedgehog on top of him.
Shadow blinked, surprise in his eyes. “How did I marry you and not realize my Duendecillo was ticklish?” Smirking, he repeated his action with faster and lighter touches. Sonic practically howled with laughter. Shadow threw back his head and laughed loud, long, and happy. They rolled and rolled until they fell off the bed, twisted in the sheets and Shadow on top of Sonic. Then they both burst out laughing.
Sonic gazed up at his husband, smiling widely at the sight. Here was his husband, one of the most powerful rulers in the world, engaged in a tickle match and laughing as if he were a child. A happy one, no less.
They both had been kids, once.
Shadow pressed his forehead against Sonic’s, smiling with pure joy. Their fingers interlocked, the morning sun glinting off of their wedding rings. Shadow pushed himself up slightly, allowing his husband to breathe.
“Te adoro,” Shadow whispered, raining kisses on Sonic’s forehead and eyelids.
“Te amo,” Sonic agreed, catching Shadow’s kiss with his own. “Can we stay in bed today?”
“You know Hamlin won’t let us hear the end of it even though we’re the emperors,” Shadow groaned. “But I don’t think he’ll mind if we take a few more minutes.” He got up and draped the blankets back over the bed. “Coming, Amado?”
Sonic giggled and slid under the blankets. “Already here.”
Shadow slid in beside him, giggling with the enthusiasm of a schoolgirl as he tugged the blankets up to their chins.
The Doom Empire could wait another five minutes.
It was plain and simple. Sonic never cried. Never. He’d sooner cut chili dogs out of his life than cry in front of any of his friends. This rule extended to his boyfriend, too.
But this particular battle had been grueling. Hell, the Metal Virus as a whole had been grueling.
Maybe that’s why, when Sonic finally returned home, he promptly crashed on Tails’ couch and slept for five days straight. He was just….exhausted.
When he finally opened his eyes, though, he was greeted by a familiar figure leaning over him.
“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” Shadow teased. “And I’m sorry for being an idiot and a jackass.” He leaned close, undoubtedly ready to shower his lover in adoration.
Sonic promptly flipped over the couch. “Don’t!!!!”
“Don’t what?” Shadow asked.
Sonic trembled, feeling the same icky cold he felt all throughout the Metal Virus ordeal. “Don’t….I won’t let you….”
“Sonic?” Shadow asked, slowly approaching the startled hedgehog. “Sonic, it’s okay. I’m fine.”
“N-No, you’re not,” Sonic repeated, panicked breaths rising. “You’re not.”
“Sonic?” Shadow reached out to lay a comforting hand on Sonic’s.
“DON’T TOUCH ME!!!!!” Sonic squealed, curling up into a ball. He felt so miserable, but he couldn’t risk it. “Don’t want to…infect you again….Metal Virus…..crawling under my skin…..”
“Sonic.”
A gloved hand found Sonic’s muzzle despite the prickly ball.
Emerald eyes met ruby ones. “It’s over,” Shadow whispered. “You destroyed it, remember? It’s over.”
“Hurts….” Sonic whined.
“I know,” Shadow whispered. “I know. But it’s over. You’re safe. I’m here.”
Sonic uncurled and buried his face in Shadow’s chest, sobbing with both relief and hurt. Shadow held him tight and pressed his head to Sonic’s. “It’s okay, love. I’m right here.”
“Don’t leave me,” Sonic whimpered. “Don’t want to be alone.”
“I’m right here,” Shadow assured him. “And this time, I’ll reach across every frontier to find you. I’ll never turn back.”
Sonic shakily lifted his head and pressed his forehead to Shadow’s, tears dripping down his cheeks like silver drops. “Promise?”
“I promise,” Shadow answered. “I swear on Maria’s grave that I won’t leave you alone again.”
Sonic nodded briefly before limply lifting his arms to Shadow’s shoulders. Shadow swept him up in an embrace Sonic never knew he really needed. Shadow’s fur was silky soft and he still smelled of lavender. One would never know that over a week ago, the Ultimate Lifeform had been a metallic zombie.
Sonic’s breathing calmed down, just like the world did after the horrific plague. “Shadow, I’m sorry for letting you fall.”
“I’m sorry for not listening to you and being a jackass. I think we’re even,” Shadow remarked.
Sonic giggled, pulling apart to kiss Shadow’s nose before returning the hug. And it felt amazing to hold someone close again. To be healthy again. To not have so much stress.
All was right now.
“Get ready to jump!” Sonic called.
Shadow, on the opposite wing of the Tornado, whipped his head around so fast it might as well have given him whiplash. “What?! What do you mean “jump”?!”
Sonic stood up and held out his hand. “Ready, Shads?”
Shadow took Sonic’s hand slowly. “Sonic, what do you mean we’re–”
Sonic took a running start and leaped off the Tornado, Shadow clumsily falling behind him.
“YEAHHHHH!!!!” Sonic hollered.
“AHHHHHHHH!!!!!” Shadow screamed.
“Isn’t this fun?!” Sonic grinned.
“How the hell do you call this fun?!” Shadow yelped. “We’re falling!”
“Shads, it’s okay!” Sonic called. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.”
“Y-You say that as if we weren’t free-falling!” Shadow shrilled. “How do you do this so often and so effortlessly?!”
Sonic laughed. “When you face-plant as often as I do, you learn how to stick a landing.” But noticing Shadow’s distress, he shifted his grip on Shadow, putting both hands on Shadow’s shoulders. Sonic was now plunging back-first to the world below.
“Hey,” Sonic continued. “I know you’re scared.”
“That’s bullshit!” Shadow yelped, shutting his eyes. “I-I’m not scared of falling!”
It wasn't exactly true, but Shadow was more terrified of the impact than the fall. After all, falling had terrible memories associated with it.
And then a warm forehead pressed against Shadow’s. Ruby eyes opened to find emerald ones staring lovingly back at him.
“Shadow, it’s okay,” Sonic smiled. “I’ll help you conquer this fear.”
“How, by you crashing to Earth?!” Shadow yelped.
“Nope, by giving you the confidence to land on both feet.” Sonic pulled Shadow close, gripping him by the shoulders. “Just focus on me.” His face twisted into a smirk. "Do you trust me, Rose?"
Only Sonic could make a joke like that at this time.
"I trust you, Jack," Shadow confirmed, playing along with the joke.
Sonic pressed his forehead to Shadow's. "Keep your eyes on me."
Shadow nodded, focusing on emerald eyes and how the wind made his quills seem like wings. Sonic flipped them over at some point, the setting sun making his eyes blaze.
And before Shadow knew it, they were on the ground feet first.
Sonic released him with a smile. “Way to face your fears, Shads.”
Shadow kissed the crown of Sonic’s head. “It helps to have someone who makes me fearless.”
Sonic curled his fists, staring down the ebony hedgehog. With a snarl, he charged Shadow with a spindash.
His rival warped away and grunted. “Too slow.”
Sonic grit his teeth and lunged for Shadow at the same time his rival did. Both of them uncurled from the dash, hoping to sock the other in the face. It was an admittedly very dirty tactic, but when it came to Shadow, sometimes it was better to play dirty.
WHAM!
Both of them had mistimed their lunge, uncurling too close to punch the other. As a result, their foreheads collided, sending them both flying back a good ten feet; Sonic against Hedgehog Village’s well and Shadow through the wall of someone’s house.
Sonic laid a hand to his head, groaning.
Shadow got up, snarling. “You’re undisciplined.”
“Then come at me, bro!” Sonic snapped.
They collided again, rolling and rolling until Sonic pinned Shadow to the ground by the shoulders.
“Ha! GAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!” Someone yelled.
Sonic and Shadow froze in shock.
For Sonic, it was a weird thought. Him and Shadow? Gay? Was that even possible?
Interrupting his sexual identity crisis, Shadow kneed Sonic in the chest. Then he grabbed Sonic by the ankles, spun him around, and threw Sonic into the Meh Burger counter. As Sonic gripped the counter, grunting in pain.
Shadow pinned Sonic by the shoulders. “Don’t let anybody call us gay again.”
Fighting to keep the surprise blush off his face, Sonic nodded. Satisfied, Shadow warped away. Sonic headed home to re-evaluate his feelings.