Sonic was walking down the corridor looking over the vast training grounds of the castles knight barracks, he was discussing business with the knight Silver and the knight captain when he saw a glimpse of black and red in the corner of his eye. Briefly checking if the other two were paying attention, he gazed down at the metal clad Shadow. The manâs muscles flexing under a tattered linen shirt, patches of sweat and blood covering it. Shadow wore gauntlets and a half breastplate, the hot weather not letting the knights wear the full armor that they usually wore.
Shadow showed no restraint, jabbing the wooden blade deep in the other knights ribcage before a female knight stopped them both. Shadow bowed, discarded his wooden sword on the rack, and peeled off the heavy padding with visible relief. Sonicâs eyes didnât waver for a moment, so absorbed by the sight of Shadowâs glistening furred body under the blazing summer sun that he did not notice Silver nudging him. âPrince? This is a serious matter.â The knight captain had his arms crossed over his chest, and Sonic apologized before tearing his eyes away from his knight. Silver shot him a knowing look, it was a miracle Shadow and Sonicâs relationship was still a secret with how the two (more-so Sonic) struggled to keep their hands and eyes to themselves.
Later, far past the sun had set and just as the kingdom settled down for the night, Shadow slipped past darkened corners of stone and moss to the garden behind Sonicâs room. The balcony was dizzyingly high, but he wasnât going up there, not with the guards by the gardens gate only a dozen or so feet away. Shadow was going to the small pergola tucked into the far wall of the garden. Away from the guards and away from the castle itself,m. Hidden behind neatly trimmed bushes, trees draping their branches overhead, vines and flowers all sealing the area away. It was discovered by Sonic as a child, his own secret cove away from the expectations and duties of a young prince. Sonicâs friend and brother Tails was the only other person to see it, until Shadow.
Sonic was already there, candles around him turning his blue fur and white nightgown a warm shade of yellow. Shadowâs footsteps alerted Sonic, the princes ears darting up before his eyes. âMy prince.â Shadow smiled, something he never did around anyone who wasnât Sonic or⌠Maria.
âShadow.â Sonic stood, joining the knight halfway and immediately being brought into a tight embrace, however their lips didnât crash together in their usual hasty immature fashion. This time, Shadow buried his nose into Sonicâs neck, smelling faintly of soap. âWoah whatâs up?â Sonic held Shadow closely, not letting go until Shadows own arms loosened. âNothing, just missed you.â He said. Sonic snorted, brining Shadow to the bench. âYou pretty much see me every day.â Sonic kissed Shadows cheek now that they both sat. Shadow took Sonicâs lips, leaning into him until both were lying across the bench. Sonic shuddered under the rough gloved hands that ran across his body. Sonicâs own gloves were off as unlike Shadow he actually dressed for sleep. His fingers poked around in the near pitch black for Shadows ears before he found their soft surface. He rubbed them, earning a growl, to which he snickered at, continuing to rub and massage the knights ears. Shadowâs growls turned into a low purr, and Sonic smiled. âWhy donât we take it slow today, Iâm still sore from last time.â Sonic winked. Shadow rolled his eyes and sat up, letting Sonic crawl onto his lap and kiss him, claws running through black quills. âYou? Sore? Iâm always the one who has to convince you to rest.â Shadow nipped at Sonicâs neck, just where he had buried his face into earlier. âWellâŚâ Sonic took a deep breath, stretching his neck out for Shadows fangs to graze over the blue fur. âCaptain is suspecting another attack from Eggman, Silver and his team were out scouting the forest when they caught one of Eggmanâs minions.â Sonic released the breath, slumping into Shadowâs arms. âHow is this different than every other time?â Shadow asked, hoisting Sonic up and bringing him to the creaky wooden table that mostly stood as decorations, as when Sonic was placed on it, the single leg made a worrying sound. âThe minion wasâŚâ Sonic waved his hands about, trying to find the words. âA clone?â Shadow raised an eyebrow. Sonic seeing the hedgehogs confusion quickly recounted what the captain and Silver told him.
âA clone of Amy⌠Why her?â The image of the princess came to mind, Shadow tried to imagine two of the girls, cringing. She was sweet but just as two candies was too much sugar, two Amyâs was too much⌠Amy. âI donât know, she was completely under Eggmanâs control until she saw the real-our Amy, something about the two seeing each other made the other Amy snap out of whatever spell she was in. They actually are getting along quite well!â Sonic laughed, fond of his friend, his once fiancĂŠ. Shadow growled again. âAnd what if there are more clones? Not everyone is as nice as Amy,â Shadow said nice reluctantly, he saw Amy more annoying than anything, âit makes sense why she came to, but what if it was Knuckles? Or you?â
âOr you.â Sonic grinned. âImpossible, thereâs only one of me.â Shadow humphed. Sonic grinned wider and ground his hips down, the other nearly forgetting their position. âI donât know, Iâd like to be with two of you.â Sonic barely got the last word out before Shadow pushed him down again, tugging the fabric of Sonicâs gown away so he could get to the hem of the hedgehogâs pants, yanking it down ignoring how the button protested against Sonicâs hips. âWell Iâd hate to be with two of you.â Shadow said. Sonic laughed, then moaned as Shadowâs mouth met the area between his legs.
After struggling to stifle his cries of pleasure for long enough for even some of the candles to burn out, the two cuddled on the bench, Sonic using his knight as cushioning from the old wood. âYou will be called out to fight Eggmanâs army again.â Shadow smoothed Sonicâs quills as he spoke. âWell duh, Iâm a capable fighter as much as Iâm a prince.â Sonic said, sticking his tongue out. Shadow frowned. âWe will worry about it when the time comes, when had Eggman ever been a serious threat?â Sonic nuzzled into Shadows chest fluff, taking a deep breath and letting his fatigue wash over him. He yawned, and Shadow shook his shoulders. âOh no you donât, you need a bath and to sleep in a proper bed.â Shadow sat up, ignoring Sonicâs protests. By the time the two were up and retrieved their clothes, the birds started to rustle about in the trees, signaling the night reaching morning. Or at least, that is what the two assumed as they spoke in hushed voices all the way back to Sonicâs own room.
