Hi everyone! Here’s a link to the fics I’ve published! (to quickly find any of my writing, please look under the tag ‘myr writes’ on my profile! I will be listing all my works under there.) They will be cross-posted on ao3 as well!
***FYI: I am a slow writer :3
(The fics that are highlighted in Bold are the multi chaptered ones! The ones in Italic are the one-shots!)
click here to visit my ao3 account :>
> A Strange Bond
This is my Sonic and the Black Knight fic! It’s focused on Arthur and Lancelot and their relationship.
Find it on tumblr / ao3
> Crimson
Sonadow... gay pirates... need I say more?
Find it on tumblr / ao3
> Touch starved
Shadow is touch starved. And Sonic doesn’t really help it.
Find it on tumblr / ao3
Wanna read it in Russian? More about that on this post here!
> Dreams and Realities (Touch Starved part two^^)
In which Sonic shows up unannounced, and Shadow begins to question his sanity
Find it on tumblr / ao3
> Odd relations
Sonic speaks when he shouldn’t, and it always seems to be in Shadow’s presence.
Find it on tumblr / ao3
> Wounds
Sonic is bruised, bloodied, and delusional. So, naturally, he shows up at Shadow’s doorstep.
Find it on tumblr / ao3
> Sonic comforts Shadow
vent fic about stress and the like!
Find it on tumblr / ao3
> Chaos’ coffee
coffee shop au sonadow!!
Find it on tumblr / ao3
> Snowstorms and card games
A blizzard traps Shadow and Sonic together, and they find themselves obligated to spend time with one another.
Find it on tumblr / ao3
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Fics from other fandoms;
> Opposites attract
a castlevania fic, a short little smut between trevor and alucard (minors DNI)
Find it on tumblr / ao3
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Any future fics will be added as they are published! Any interaction is greatly appreciated, happy reading my loves!! <3
visit my sonic themed Animal Crossing New Horizons island here -> Dreamcast
Their vacation hides an ulterior motive- Arthur has a plan, and Lancelot is too curious to wait much longer.
Enjoy the final installment of this wonderful adventure!!! <3
read it on ao3 here!
(wc; 6018)
-
For what seemed to be the first time in his life – Lancelot slept through an entire night.
The evening was dreamless, dark, but it was warm, and it felt comforting. There were no nightmares painstakingly painted behind tired eyelids, no panic to wreak havoc on his heart, not even a chilling breeze from his poorly sealed window.
No, there wasn’t any of that – and the latter was impossible.
He was not in his uncomfortable cot, tossing and turning to no avail in a small bedroom that never fully felt like home, despite its assignment to him and him alone. The cold stone of his walls were far away now, a distant memory that he could barely recall, much less remember the feeling of, now that he was surrounded by all this heat.
Yes – heat. Warmth.
He felt himself stretch into this softness, this unfamiliar comfort.
His mind was beginning to wake, but for once, he was in no hurry to wake with it. Keeping his eyelids closed, he noted their lightness – oh, what an evening of rest could do for the soul and for the body. He’d only ever imagined what it would feel like, and now it seemed his curiosity was quelled.
He focused on the feeling of warm air filling his lungs, the subtle sunlight dancing beyond his sight. He felt the familiarity of his sleeping gown, wrapped around most of him. Where the garment did not reach, there were thick sheets, a fabric as smooth as the winter snow, as pliable as the thinnest blades of grass.
Most of all, he adored the feeling of his pillow – this was by far the most luxurious sensation his skin had ever graced. It was impossibly delicate, smooth and fuzzy, but the thing that stood out the most was its’ scent. This pillow, this surface he lay on, smelt amazingly familiar. Though the knight could not have been farther from all he’d ever known, he was sure that the scent filling his nostrils with every deep breath was home.
It was musky, with a hint of perfume, or perhaps a scented soap?
And it was… moving?
The knight’s eyes flew open at the unexpected movement – he’d heard they used feathers for royal pillows, but surely the duck used to stuff this bedding was alive and well, and very far from here, no?
Adjusting to the delicate light of the sunrise filtered through sheer curtains, ruby irises reared their horizon into focus. Pupils were blown wide open as they registered their first hint of blue.
Blue?
With a sharp inhale, reality came down upon the dark hedgehog, like an axe to a tree.
Suddenly, the uncanny softness, the emanating warmth, the musky scent and the odd movement came crashing together in a devastating realization.
Lancelot was currently using his sovereign’s stomach as a pillow.
Yes, a lowly servant of the crown was currently desecrating his royal highness in the most scandalous way possible, and he…
He had enjoyed it.
He was still enjoying it, in fact.
Despite his shock (had it been mixed with elation?), he had remained very still, unable to shift his limbs under this new development. Perhaps, it wasn’t so, perhaps, he was simply unwilling to move, as opposed to being unable to.
His mind began a very familiar race: he felt himself tense at the starting line, or at least it was a version of himself he recognized less and less. It was the self he’d leaned on for a long time, the one that was well trained, the one that performed his duties without complaint and without failure.
But as that part of him began its musings in his mind, he could not help but notice that its voice had grown quieter. Perhaps it hadn’t been running for a while, perhaps this race was rendering it winded, out of breath.
You should not indulge in such inappropriate tendencies.
His voice – the voice of someone he once was, spoke. Where it once ran free before, it was now struggling to jog. Water piled up around its ankles; it came wave after wave, and it felt as if it was born of adoration, of warmth and of certainty.
You are not worthy of such pleasures.
The voice was thick, like its throat had been filled with water. It seemed to choke on its words as it tried to spit them out.
Lancelot thought then, that it was the first time that little voice felt so trivial.
He could still hear it – that part of him was still there. It would probably remain for a lifetime, because he’d built it up over one. From childhood to knighthood, he trained not only his body, but his mind. Willed his thought towards a straight and narrow path, one paved with the promise of loyalty and honesty.
In search of purity, he had broken his oath.
He had lied.
He had been lying for decades.
The hedgehog could almost laugh at himself now. He felt it bubbling in his stomach, a smile tickling his lips and crinkling his eyes. The slight movement reminded him of the very tangible person by his side – the very mobian that had, unbeknownst to both, helped quiet that torturous voice inside Lancelot’s mind.
He focused on this now, because he could. The voice was quieter, or perhaps, his mind was strong enough now to quiet it.
He did not linger in his head, did not give his insecurities a second glance. Because it was morning, a good one filled with glowing golden light, soft bedding and the steady rhythm of his beloved’s breath under his ears.
Up and down again and again, Arthur’s stomach rose slowly to the tune of his unconscious breathing.
The knight could not stop his hand from moving to caress the surface of the abdomen so readily bared besides him. The pants he’d gone to bed in still sat perfectly still upon his waist, but the shirt he’d donned was now unbuttoned – hence their sudden intimacy.
Arthur’s fur was mussed, but still, it remained impossibly soft. Blue tufts were tangled with black fur, uniting in a deep navy colour, an ocean of forbidden possibilities.
Bare hands carded through the unfamiliar territory, memorizing the impressions of fur and every little kink in the pattern.
What kind of soap did Arthur use? Was it the culprit of the light flowery scent that filled the dark hedgehog’s head with sweetness? How did he brush his fur, and how often? Did he do it himself, or did he prefer to relegate the menial task to a servant?
Lancelot hummed as he mused.
If you do not feel keen on grooming yourself, would you let me do the honours? He wondered dreamily. The thought of another performing such an intimate act tied his stomach into knots. If you would allow me, I would spend the rest of my days taking care of you.
It was a silent promise, unspoken. It did not matter, for it was as solid as Lancelot’s affections had become, as true as the trees that grew from the soil, as pure as the light of a rising sun.
Blissfully, the knight tucked the promise away, sealing it close to his heart as he let the slowness of the morning draw him back into a dreamless slumber.
-
Their day moved on slowly, but it was a blissful pace, every movement laced with warmth, every conversation carried on without fear.
Really, Lancelot had their host to thank for this – Sir Galahad, it was. The young man had been most welcoming in his arrangements, and despite his evident history with Arthur, relinquished the day to his guests, seldom interrupting their time. His staff was also weary of interrupting them – surely, it took a small army to keep the grounds as neat as they were, yet barely a soul lingered about. It seemed almost as if flowers grew perfectly of their own accord, furniture remained dust-free by the grace of a wayward breeze, and lanterns re-constructed their flame as to glow in eternity.
It truly felt otherworldly in more ways than one, and Lancelot was not the only one to feel this comfort – this much was evidenced in Arthur’s relaxed countenance. The tension in his shoulders melted further away with every touch, and the smiles that lined his lips barely left.
Despite this, Lancelot felt the slightest remaining edge in his beloved, like the smallest gear of a complex mechanism had stopped functioning. It was near-invisible, and he could hardly point it out if he had to. Perhaps it showed itself as a nervous tic or an unusual inclination of his voice, something imperceptible to most.
Nevertheless, it stuck out to the knight, whose training had revolved around gaging this man’s thought, emotions and behaviours.
Although he sensed Arthur’s merriment was genuine, he could not help the pinpricks of worry that stabbed at his heart in the knowledge that almost perfect wasn’t the way he intended these few blissful days to be.
He wanted perfection.
He wanted to kiss away any nervous habit or ruinous thought that dared bother his counterpart. He wanted to soothe soft fur, to smooth wrinkles out of a scrunched forehead a thousand times over, if necessary.
‘Almost perfect’ wasn’t enough for Arthur – Lancelot wanted to give him the world. The earth, the sky and all the stars that hung above them, he would gift every last one to the man besides him if it meant that Arthur could feel entirely light again – even if only for a day.
It’s why, at dinner, he could no longer bite back his tongue. The nagging feeling had persisted throughout their otherwise pleasant day, and he did not intend to let it fester.
Whatever the matter, Lancelot would protect his king – mind and body alike.
“Arthur.” He spoke softly as he held the light crystal flute in his hand. The white wine they’d been served had been steadily flowing through their systems by now, the fuzziness of the alcohol slowing their tongues.
“Mm?” His highness mumbled warmly as he scooped a generous heap of berries with his spoon, the light cream-desert a perfect pairing with the bitterness of the wine. His eyes were tired, but it was a good kind of tired. The kind you got when your stomach was filled with good food, and your mind airy with the distant buzz of alcohol.
Lancelot took another sip from his flute before he placed it gently on their table. They were sat outdoors, overlooking the sunset across verdant hills as they ate their generous meal. It was a corner of the luscious gardens where the flowery bushes reached higher, their vines intermingled with a wooden lattice that created a sort of canopy above their heads. The table was a beautiful one, a glass oval set within spiraling white iron. The chairs seemed a matching set, and though they totalled four, only two of them were currently occupied. They had arranged themselves closer than perhaps necessary for a meal, but their positions allowed for a perfect view of the darkening skies, so they made do with an elbow bump or two.
The dark hedgehog realized that he’d spoken before knowing exactly what he wanted to say – he stayed fiddling with the stem of his glass long after having placed it down, muddling over words in his mind.
How very Arthurian of him – speak suddenly and out of turn, without thinking it through.
The thought made him smile and huff out a puff of air. His own amusement was a bit lost to Arthur, who simply mumbled another thing as he kept eating his desert. Clearly, he wasn’t curious enough to forego the delicacy in front of him, and for that, Lancelot could not blame him.
“Forgive me,” he huffed, offering context. “It seems speaking out of turn has become a normality to me now.” Shaking his head, he made the effort to turn towards the other.
The emerald eyes that stared back at him were darkening with the evening sky, yet they felt bright as ever to Lance, who could lose himself in the pools of green for days at a time.
“It used to be very unlike me.” He hummed softly. “It seems as though things really have changed.”
His bittersweet tone was perhaps more solemn than he’d intended it to sound, but it was not meant to be sad. The heaviness came not from melancholy, but rather from a deep-rooted feeling of reminiscence. The knowledge that sometimes change was not sudden and overwhelming, but gradual and accommodating, unnoticed until one compared today to yesterday.
“Have I turned you into a monster?” Arthur jested, his smile wide as his spoon clattered somewhere close. The few lingering berries were scattered on an otherwise empty plate – whether they would remain uneaten for much longer had yet to be determined.
“Au contraire.” Lancelot felt the need to reassure. His remark earned him a curious look from the other, who spoke out louder than what was probably necessary.
“You speak French?” He was too incredulous to take seriously, and so the knight threw his head back in laughter, baring his fangs in the warm air.
“What?” He managed to squeeze out soon enough, revelling in the look of wonder across Arhtur’s features.
“You said that so well – I always butcher it.” He admitted, tilting his head. “Au contraire” he tried, but the syllabled garbled in his mouth, which only reignited the mirth in Lancelot’s throat.
“Oh, goodness!” He threw a hand on his chest, shaking his head. “You’ve destroyed it.” He simply sighed, to which Arthur almost looked physically pained.
“Ugh, the council always gets on my back about it.” A hand scratched behind a flushed neck. “Guess it’s bad enough that you hate it too, huh?”
Lancelot shook his head – no, he did not hate it. Sure, it was less-than-pleasant to the ears, but the effort was there, and it was clear that Arthur had not intended any harm beyond lack of skill.
“Here.” He joined their hands together. “Repeat after me.” A thumb rubbed soft circles into blue fur, and he knew he had the other’s undivided attention. “Oh,” He started, prodding his chin forward to indicate that they had started this little charade.
“Oh.” The other repeated quickly enough.
“Con,” he pronounced the syllable without emphasis on the ending consonant, letting the sound hang in the air between them.
“Con.”
“Trare,”
“Trare.”
“Now say it all together – oh-con-trare” he said the words slowly, emphasizing the syllables.
With a deep breath, Arthur stilled himself.
“Ow-con-trar?”
Lancelot could not keep the wince at bay, a reaction which made the other’s hands squeeze in his.
“Almost!” he reassured quickly, returning the firm hold.
The knight led them through the syllables a few more times, adding some insight between the sounds that were foreign on His Highness’ tongue.
After a few more attempts, the words sounded almost natural –
“Au contraire!” Arthur was proclaiming loudly, the choppy syllables they’d learnt now mashed together in an understandable version of the saying. The radiant smile Arthur beamed was enough to satisfy Lancelot of his teachings, and to grow the seedling of an idea in his mind.
Are there other words the two of them could practice?
“Much better, don’t you find?” He parted their hands, only a little saddened by the loss of warmth. He soon busied his fingers with his drinking glass again, savouring the last sips of his bitter drink before finally resting the empty flute down again.
“Thank you, Lance.” He spoke solemnly, once he’d finished whispering the new learnt words into the night air.
The stars had slowly begun to trickle down from the heavens, the brightest dots appearing before the smaller ones could join.
“I did not know you spoke French.” He added, an almost sheepish smile on his features.
There was that thing again – the off feeling that radiated just underneath their skin, the whole reason for the start of their conversation.
Not yet. Soon.
“I suppose there is much you know not of me.” He conceited, feeling a bit foolish for not having shared this part of himself with the man he’d grown so close to. It wasn’t for lack of wanting, of course not!
A lifetime of training had forced him to keep his mouth shut about himself, his interests, or anything that was deemed ‘of no importance’. Old habits died hard, and it was even more difficult to dismantle things you didn’t even know you’d learnt to do.
“Of course, there is much I know not of you.” He added posthumously, because that much was sincere – he knew everything about his King, of course he did – but what of the man behind the crown? What of Arthur’s habits, his hobbies (if he had time for any), his most foolish hopes and his darkest dreams? He longed to know every single detail as though it was a new duty assigned to him, a new purpose in this changing dynamic between the two.
“I must concede that is true.” He acquiesced. His eyes drifted up towards the canopy of leaves and flowers that hung above their heads, the space occasionally empty enough to slow glimpses into the celestial bodies hanging delicately above them.
Now, he felt he could ask.
“Arthur.” He repeated the name again, as he’d said it at the start of this conversation.
“Mm.” The same hum came in response, verdant eyes glued upwards in a tranquil sense of wonder.
“I feel there is something amiss.” Before the other could speak, he held a hand up. “If I err in my judgment, please, do correct me, but only after I have said my piece.”
He had successfully captured the other’s attention, their gazes fixed anew.
“Do not think I doubt your glee wholly – I am blessed to recognize mirth when it colours your features earnestly, and I dare say with confidence that you radiated it wonderfully today.” The smile Arthur beamed at him was the prime example of this joy, and Lancelot allowed himself a moment to savour the sight. “However, I sense an inkling of angst within this – I am ashamed to admit that I cannot pinpoint the source of this feeling, nor the reason why it appears to me so clearly despite lack of visual confirmation.” His eyebrows were knit tightly now, as if thinking hard enough could will his eyes to see what they had not been able to. “I know not what the matter is, if it concerns me or the opposite, but I am sure that I want to see this unease dissipate, Arthur.” With an uncertain smile, he added. “Please.”
The word spoke for itself.
Please tell me.
Please let me know what to do.
Please allow me in.
“Oh, Lance.” There was a hint of colour springing to his cheeks, but a smile still rose to those lips, a gesture that pumped warmth into the knight’s veins. “There is simply no hiding from you, is there?” He shook his head.
“It is what I was trained for, my liege.” The title was half-heartedly tossed out, and Arthur knew well enough by the time it reached his ears that it lacked the distance it once held. It wasn’t mocking, but it did not take itself seriously either – it just was, it existed between them comfortable in a way they could not really describe.
“Of course.” He half rolled his eyes, before reaching out to clasp their hands together once more. “All right, I must admit you have me now.”
Nodding, Lancelot dared not interrupt.
“I suppose this feeling you’ve sniffed out is what would be called nerves.”
“Nerves?” Now it was his turn to be incredulous. “For what reasons do you have to be nervous?”
“Oh, nothing serious, I promise.” He searched to quell the knight before him, whose body had instinctively tightened with the news.
“Whatever is it?”
“I wished to keep this from you for a little longer, but I suppose it’s no use in letting it linger any longer, wouldn’t you agree?”
The words did nothing to subdue the curiosity in his mind, though it was all Arthur seemed to offer. Standing, he pulled his most trusted friend alongside him, keeping their hands steadily joint.
“Arthur, I-” words of prodding came, but they were swiftly extinguished by a hand resting against his lips.
“Come now,” He whispered, though they were alone. “You’ll see.”
It was the most Lancelot was afforded before the hand on his mouth left him, before they were winding a path through unfamiliar gardens, away from empty wine glasses and clean plates – into a great unknown.
With a firm hand clasped into his, he felt not afraid, but calmly assured. Arthur’s fingers wove certainty into his limbs, their every step taken in tandem creating a burgeoning trust, a mutual vulnerability they knew could only share with one another.
-
The walk had been lovely. It cleared some of the lingering grogginess from the heft of their meal, but the sweet buzz of the wine was allowed to remain, a pleasant feeling that mingled with the warm evening air.
The sky had fallen completely dark now, and even the littlest stars appeared as bright dots across the inky surface.
It was an unusually serene evening, one that announced so comfortably the start of spring, whispering sweet nothings into every breeze.
Arthur had led them to a small gathering of trees just westward of their previous placement. It was a tiny forest, the edges of which you could see clearly if you strained your neck a bit. A beaten path curved between trees; the packed dirt lined with wildflowers and tufts of weeds. It was a stark contrast to the meticulously trimmed gardens of the manor, yet even this wild addition brought a sense of care and warmth with it that made it seem intentional.
The cobalt hedgehog kept leading them further into the small woodlands, until they reached a gap in the trees.
It was a circular clearing, lit brightly by the glow of a full moon, her bright smile filling their view of the sky in a way that felt so warm, so personable – it was as though she welcomed them into this new environment, assuring that she would watch over them.
The grass here was longer, more luscious. It was unencumbered by roots and rocks, and so it flowed more freely, creating a thick bedding that looked almost soft enough to rival their suite. Though, now that he thought about it, that bed seemed miles away now.
The wildflowers peppered the scenery here too, and where the strong trunks of maples and pines met empty space, someone had taken care to plant a variety of flowers that were most certainly not wild. They ranged from lilies to tulips, with buds of other yet-to-blossom varieties all around. Hues of yellow, light blue and gentle pinks coloured their vision, a masterfully curated scenery that easily took Lancelot’s breath away.
“This,” he tried to articulate this feeling that bloomed in his chest along with the surrounding nature, this overwhelming sense of belonging. With it came an equally heavy reverence for being able to enjoy nature like this, in all her mystical glory.
“I know.” It was barely above a whisper, but here, nested in this clearing, there was a quietness that allowed for soft noises to be easily perceived.
Evidently, Arthur had been here before – he knew the path well enough, after all. Yet Lancelot could be convinced that this was both their first time here, for the starry-eyed look on the other’s face certainly rivaled his own bewilderment.
Words stopped as they absorbed their surroundings, content in the steady sound of each other’s breath.
At one point they had opted to sit down, and by the heavens – the grass was even softer than it had seemed.
It rivaled their feather-stuffed pillows, their satin-laced bedding and the plush feeling of an expensive mattress.
They still held hands.
“It’s lovely.” He managed to mutter after several moments had passed, though he felt even the word lovely failed to describe it. There was a certain quality to the taste of spring in the air, the warm buzz of some unknown insect, and the quiet rustling of leaves that sheltered them from the world.
It was a feeling he held so deep within him, a sort of tranquilness he felt only when aligned with nature herself.
It was, in other words, beyond description.
“Isn’t it?”
He only hummed, managing to wrench his gaze from their surroundings to eye his beloved.
Emerald irises, brighter than any shade of green that surrounded them, already shared his watch. They twinkled under the purity of the moonlight, and here, for the first time in memory, they did not look tired.
“I’m sure you’re curious by now.”
He’d actually almost forgotten their prior conversation, too immersed in his adoration for their new enclosure.
“Of course.” Now that the subject was back on the table, he would not deny it – it was true after all, for he still wished to uncover the smidgeon of doubt or uneasiness he’d felt in his lover’s features.
“It is foolish to admit it, but I was a bit overcome with stress about bringing you here tonight.”
“Here?” he gestured around them, to which Arthur nodded.
How could any part of this ever stress anyone out?
“Ah,” Arthur seemed to read his mind (or perhaps he’d pulled another incredulous expression), explaining “I was not worried about your fondness for this place – I was quite confident you’d be enamoured.”
That he was.
“It is more about this; there is something which I’ve wanted to discuss with you.” The tone was still light, but the words raised a few alarm bells in the back of Lancelot’s mind – he could not help himself. “Seeing as it is the primary purpose of this trip, you can understand my eagerness not to flounder here.”
He had a small smile, a nervous one. It did not stop him from inching ever forward, marching again towards an unknown that Lancelot was not afraid of. Not as long as they were together – they served as each other’s guiding star often enough, lighting the way and assuring safety in their path without ever wavering.
“You’ve touched my hand, and your ever-present warmth had found its way to my heart, quite easily, and without resistance, I might add. I fear… I cannot hold onto sanity much longer, if this existence is so void of you, like it has been too many times.”
“Oh.” The sound was soft, only heard by the two of them. Arthur continued, pressed on through the nerves and the heaviness of intimacy, an ever-present smile in the face of doubt, of fear.
This was strength, courage – these were royal traits, ones his majesty wore well in every manner he could. Even now, tucked miles away from anything familiar, in a comforting presence, he dared himself to tread forward, despite the uncertain path laid beneath shaky feet.
“These months, these years besides you, Lancelot…” There was a certain heaviness to his name, and the knight could not help the flips his stomach performed. “They are my most prized possession, my most valued treasure. If not for them, if not for you… I dare not imagine what a bleak existence would greet me.”
“Years?” he could only bring himself to question – there was too much to focus on.
“Decades, my love.” The nickname was so soft, so sweet. “As long as my memory takes me back, you’ve been by my side. I know it is your duty to do so, but it always extended beyond that, to me- your abiding presence was unlike any others’. In your eyes, I could see this determination, this... how shall I say, possessiveness?”
They were really gone now.
“The glimpses I got of you told me more than you could ever speak – this desire that fueled your every move, a relentlessness I had never seen before, and will most likely never see in another. Perhaps it was these things, or something else entirely, that led my heart to yours. Whatever it is, I am so thankful for you, for your presence, your protection, your unwavering care – it is these things I love of you. But I love so much more, because I love you, and, well… you are so much more. Indescribable in even my noble vocabulary. I’ve tried to put the syllables together many times, but they cannot be summarized any more than that. Love. Love, love, love, you are my love.”
Cobalt hands held charcoal cheeks, a firmness that grounded them to each other.
“You-” Lancelot could barely formulate his next words as the emotions pouring forth from Arthur were crashing down upon him, like the most ferocious waves from a cruel sea. “You love me?”
He thinks he knows this already, but hearing it again sends shivers down his spine, and makes his heart grow ten times lighter.
“I know not what it feels like not to love you, Lance.” A kiss is placed on his cheek. “I have been enamoured by you for longer than I even know, for longer than the meaning of the word love mattered to me.” A warm embrace on the other cheek.
“You love me so?” He asked stupidly again, but the silliness only earned him a kiss on the muzzle and a soft cooing – rewards he’d gladly reap a thousand times over.
“Like the stars light our nights, so too, do I love you.”
Their foreheads pressed together now.
“I ask you, here, now, because anywhere else and but a minute more and I would not breathe – would you allow me, King Arthur, to begin courting you, Sir Lancelot?”
« A— a courtship? » He was incredulous – the possibility hadn’t so much as crossed his mind. He always thought himself too unimportant for such a concept, especially in comparison to the man he’d pined for. Yet here it was, an invitation hanging in the air, like an olive branch extended gracefully.
Yet there remained a nagging voice at the back of his skull.
“But what of the kingdom? What of the counsel? Would they approve of this? Surely even the thought is scandalous enough, let alone the real possibility…”
A soft touch landed on his cheek again, and he realized his head had strayed away, eyes flitting about in a nervous way.
“I have considered these things greatly,” the hold was so gentle. “And though I doubt it will be a smooth transition, it is one I am more than ready to make. Difficulties lie ahead, but with you Lance… oh, with you I could face the entire world without so much as a tremor in my hand.”
With me?
“Some might choose to defy you on this choice.” He could not help but raise the concerns – he was born to protect him, he could not be the cause of any harm.
“Of that, I am well aware.”
“Yet you still wish to pursue it? To pursue me?”
“More than anything else.” Two hands cupped him now, their presence grounding. They steadily urged him to look forward, to face the man whom he loved, to observe that wide grin and those mystical eyes to all the features he had grown to admire and to long for. “I have been a fine King, but you, Lancelot, you make me a better man. I doubt such a change would negatively impact my ability to rule, in fact, I think it may only improve upon it.”
“You’ve always been a wonderful man.” He felt the need to cut in softly, to which Arthur only replied with a swipe of a thumb over his lips.
“But I must warn you; I know not what burdens would fall upon you, should you accept this proposition. Your knighthood might be removed, and you could find yourself in a new sort of role. I am not sure what it is you wish to do, but I promise to work tirelessly to assure you remain comfortable. I cannot deny the changes that would come, though I can reassure you that they will not all be negative.”
Their foreheads bumped together again, and Arthur’s voice quieted impossibly low, sweet nothings whispered only for the most trusted ears to hear.
“Please, consider this wisely.”
There were no more words, as one of them, or perhaps both, had leaned in to close the short distance between them – lips crashed together in a quiet desperation, overflowing with newborn love and promises of tomorrow.
Arthur soon let his hands fall to his sides, and no longer withheld, the knight took the initiative to plunge them future into their embrace, straddling the royal lap to topple them towards a soft bedding of greenery.
Cobalt quills were splayed out in the grass, already tangled with wildflowers – but Lance could barely admire this scenery before their lips were joint together again.
The same hunger laced their every move, only ascending in fervor. The dark hedgehog’s arms had found their hold on either side of the other’s head, while royal hands pushed and pulled gently at the torso above them.
Arthur was the first to jut a curious tongue out, running the appendage over sharp canines – he retracted with a quiet wince, or perhaps a sort of breathy whine.
The sound pooled into the knight’s gut, pushing him down again to devour his lover, to savour every taste from his tongue – tart berries, sweet cream and the sparkle of their wine laced every lick, a delicious combination that took their breaths away.
There was the quiet woosh of the wind above their heads, the blessed moonlight bathing them in her glory – the clear light seemed so divine now, basking their every movement in purity.
Lancelot could spend an eternity like this, never wanting to catch his breath, never wanting to taste anything else, and certainly never needing to see another view.
What were sunsets, snowstorms, moonlit summer evenings, when they could never compare to the view before him?
He only allowed their lips to part for a few moments, backing away just enough to commit the scene to memory. From this angle, Arthur was illuminated gently by the moon, his quills splayed out within the wilderness at their feet, cheeks flushed red with alcohol, with confessions and with a love unlike any other.
Though the sight nearly froze him, he could not linger, could not breathe without embracing his lover.
They kissed until their movements became languid with shared desire, until they could not remember their names – the soft whimpers Arthur managed when Lancelot pulled them apart again were sinful in every way. But he did not heed their call immediately – he had a question to answer, and after that, they could lose themselves all over again.
“Yes.” His voice was tired.
“Yes?” It was barely audible, but so full of hope.
“Yes.” It was hungry.
He needn’t finish the sentence, needn’t elaborate on his acquiescence. They both knew what the confirmation meant, and they took no time to seal the deal in tangling their limbs together, losing themselves in each other for an indeterminable amount of time.
Yes, Arthur. Yes, I want you to court me – I want your kingdom, our kingdom, to see how great of a man you are. I want everyone to know that it is me you have chosen, I want them to leave you alone and I want you all for myself until the end of times.
I love you.
It didn’t need to be said, it was laced into every whine, every exchange of air.
I love you; I love you, I love you.
It was repeated until the syllables blurred together into noises, and only then did he realize that he was actually verbalizing it, and that it was being repeated back to him, over and over again like a prayer.
I love you.
Come what may, I love you.
-
<- previous part
-
A/N
Fun fact! I am terrible at writing endings, and i usually end up just abandonning stuff because i'm too intimidated by the prospect of finishing a story. I'm actually quite happy with this ending, I know it cuts this story a bit short, but I hope you are all satisfied with it despite that. i never intended for this story to be too long, so I think this stopping point is appropriate!
I cannot believe it has been almost four years since i started this journey - it was summer of 2022 when I posted this first, and it is now almost spring 2026. Thank you all so much for sharing this journey with me.
Please let me know how you found this final installment, i look forward to focusing on other works now that this is wrapped up, so don't be shy in checking out my other stuff if you liked this fic!!
wowowow the final chapter is here - and it’s almost ready for reading. I can’t believe it, I’m really happy with what I’ve written and I cannot wait to publish it. Stay tuned!! :3
the next instalment of a strange bond is real . I just started it today!! It’s probably going to take me a long time to write (as with everything else) but it has been started and that’s the scariest part done! I really wanna wrap it up in this chapter, it’s always been my plan. I also just landed on a new medieval lansoni AU that is absolutely delectable but I don’t feel it’s fair to release it before I’m done a strange bond (I mean I can do whatever but that’s just what I wanna do :3!!)
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saw someone say they feel bad and awkward ‘contributing nothing’ to fandom (“no fics, no drawings, no theories, just gluttony”) and to anyone who feels inferiority over this i gotta say us creators doing things for free love nothing more than your unbridled spiralling greed in our notifications aka genuinely be more unapologetically gluttonous 24/7 there is nothing wrong with enjoying something insatiably because us creators feel empty and despairing without a passionate audience and feral surroundings so please and thank you and we love you
by the by, I started an Ace Attorney fanfic named Wrongful Internship, it’s predictably a Phoenix Wright x Miles Edgeworth focused fic because . because have you guys seen them. they’re practically making out every time they’re on screen and this is not debatable by the way this is just true ☝️ I’ve decided not to cross-post it since it’s rather different from what I usually cross-post on here and it’s not really what my usual audience reads but anyway long story long, if you r also a narumitsu truther then feel free to check it out!!
Filler between two gay hedgehogs while I write the next scene!
Read on A03 here
Wc; 1499 (should've written one more smh)
-
The leaves had started turning yellow within the last week, the grass slowly drying and the air getting colder alongside them. It was almost frosty in the mornings, early dew drops threatening to freeze any day now.
Still, the chill in the wind was more so a motivator than a nuisance, Sonic found.
Stretching his legs, he felt the tension in his muscle tighten and loosen with the movements. You’d think after years of working on his feet, he would’ve stopped running – but for some reason, it stuck. It brought him solitude, connected him to the great outdoors and trained his muscles to perform better. A three-in-one, and those were rare enough nowadays.
Though he loved his routine, a particularly rough night of sleep had delayed his plans. He’d missed the first bus – the one that took him to the heart of the city, where a giant park allowed (relatively) fresh air to flow through his veins.
No matter – by the time he got himself out of the apartment, he’s managed to catch a different bus, unwilling to stand still and wait for his regular route to come along. This ride was longer than his usual, taking him just outside of the city, where a public trail snaked around a wooded area. Here, the skyscrapers turned to two-story houses, the large sidewalks thinning out as businesses faded away. The streets here were emptier, especially on a Monday afternoon, when commuters had flocked to the metropolis and left their homes behind.
Stepping off the bus, he took a deep breath in, unable to hide the shiver that sprang through his back. The air smelt fresh and crisp, it was whispering about the changing times and the inevitable return of snow. Shrugging this off, Sonic headed for the entrance of the path, an old wooden arch enveloped by trees.
-
The blue hedgehog had an appreciation for this time of year; it was not yet cold enough to forego his jogging habit, but it was cold enough to clear the paths from those who were fearful they’d catch a cold.
He smiled to himself, relishing in how the sunlight bounced around, filtered and reflected by leaves and puddles.
He would come here more often, if it wasn’t for the distance. He liked the city and its green zones, but there was something special in being secluded from modernitylike this. A break from the commotion was healthy, even for someone who thrived in the bumbling chaos.
His daydreams faltered when he noticed heavy footfalls approaching, letting out a huff of frustration at the interruption of his solitude. Sliding to the right, he made sure to not occupy the entire width of the path – whoever was approaching was doing so quickly enough, their pace likely faster than his.
Despite his considerations (seriously, some people didn’t even bother to acknowledge other runners), he felt a sharp jab in his left shoulder as the person behind him finally caught up.
“Hey man! Watch where you-” he started as he veered a little to the right, regaining his balance quickly enough. However, the sight besides him interrupted his train of thought as he realised just who it was that had shoulder-checked him. “Shadow?”
The source of the disturbance didn’t bother offering much more than a side eye, seemingly annoyed.
It took every ounce of control for Sonic not to spit out “Hey, you’re the one who crashed into me!”
He wouldn’t have had the chance to say it anyhow, because what happened next shocked him into silence quickly enough.
“You’re slow.”
What? Wait- no, that’s not true. What?
“What?!” He exclaimed, not expecting a word from the other, let alone two.
“You heard me.” Shadow was now a few inches ahead of him, which Sonic quickly corrected by upping his pace.
“What’re you doing here?” A stupid question that could easily be answered by common sense.
I don’t know Sonic, what would a person running in the forest, wearing a loose black sweater and bright red joggers be doing? Do you need to phone a friend for this one?
Shadow’s eyes easily agreed with this inner monologue, his eyebrows pinching for a second, confusion piercing through his annoyance, if only momentarily.
The dark hedgehog didn’t dignify the ridiculous question with a statement, instead focusing his gaze forward and upping his momentum to leave Sonic in the dust
What the hell?
The mobian was too thrown off to chase after his coworker, instead watching him disappear behind a curve in the path, already lightyears ahead.
-
The burn in his lungs was familiar, almost satisfying. The air was sharper this way, and it felt so pure it almost hurt. His left shoulder throbbed slightly as he jogged down to a walk, approaching the same wooden arch he’d entered by earlier.
Shadow had hit him harder than he’d realized – the adrenaline must’ve played a part in numbing the now increasingly grating sensation. He moved his arm as he caught his breath, stretching the mass of muscles to try and reduce the damage. It did little difference, which more or less confirmed that a bruise was blooming in that very spot.
Was this enough of a harassment case to warrant another discussion with Rouge? He briefly allowed himself to contemplate this as his frustration rose and fell along with his breath.
He couldn’t prove it was Shadow, and he doubted the brooding hedgehog would ever corroborate his story.
The idea was abandoned before he could form any sense of hope around it.
-
The bus stop consisted of an old wooden bench, the grey wood less-than-comfortable for long periods of time. Checking his watch, he sighed. Another 10 minutes or so before the bus came around – if the driver was on schedule.
Bored, he turned his attention to the sound of a motorcycle revving its engine nearby. He didn’t know why he had expected it to be anyone else, but of course, it was Shadow he saw, slinging a leather jacket across his back and holding a helmet between his gloves.
God, the guy was so pretentious.
“Nice running out there.” He yelled in his most sarcastic voice.
He received a glare from afar and a mumbled word, surely an insult that was far from PG-13.
Grunting, Sonic pushed himself up on tired legs and approached the bike, glaring back at its owner.
Shadow paused in his ministrations; helmet held steadily in between leather-clad hands. (Did everything have to be leather? Such an asshole.)
“I said, nice running out there.” He repeated, hands on his hips as he awaited the insult that would proceed. This time, he’d be close enough to hear it, and close enough to land a hit on Shadow’s stupidly sharp jaw, should he feel insulted enough to do so.
Dark eyelids narrowed, before spitting out his response. “I know.”
He felt his hand twitch, just reeling to hear the next words that fell off of that sharp tongue.
It wasn’t enough that this guy had taken over his workplace, his mind, no- it had to be more. Now, he had to be there when they weren’t on the clock, obnoxiously close when he was supposed to be very far away.
“And I already told you, thanks.”
Thanks.
“Thanks?” the statement pulled him out of his fury for a second.
“Thanks.” He re-affirmed, as if it made any sense.
“For what?” the incredulity in his voice made him sound like he’d been born yesterday.
“The compliment.” He shook his shoulders.
“The compliment?” Now he was starting to sound more like a parrot than a hedgehog.
His less-than-stellar conversing techniques seemed to irritate Shadow enough to frown, fangs poking out on the edges of his lips.
Had Shadow seriously not heard the sarcasm dripping from Sonic’s statement? Did he not say it condescendingly enough? Or, wait, was Shadow fucking with him?
As he tried to make sense of their exchange (as he needed to do for most of their interactions), Shadow continued in his previous task: getting far away from this place. “Excuse me.” He muttered through the helmet he’d just put on, though the words were much more of a warning than a gesture of politeness. Besides, polite people didn’t shoulder-check coworkers in the forest.
He swung his legs over the bike, revving the engine to snap some sense into sonic, who was currently standing in the way of the vehicle. Not wishing to become a flattened version of himself, the cobalt hedgehog took a few steps away.
He was speechless (again! What was with this guy stealing away his ability to talk?), unable to retort, question, or even insult the other before he was left in a cloud of carbon, coughing the heavy scent away from his tired lungs as his brain struggled to piece things together.
One of these days, Shadow the Hedgehog would lose the ability to shut him up, this, Sonic was sure of. It was only a matter of time…
In this chapter, Rouge comes up with a plan to celebrate the shop's first year in business - it'll bring everyone together, and she'll make sure of that
wc; 5256
Rouge revised her message about 18 times before sending it, making sure that every little detail was correct and that she hadn’t somehow forgotten to mention an important piece of information.
Sighing with a mix of relief and a twinge of nervosity, she sent the text out to the work group chat.
Rouge: Hi everyone~ special announcement! We have officially been in business for a year now! To celebrate, I’m having a get-together at my place. It’ll be in two Saturdays from now, so the 19th. Drinks r on me! Bring a friend if you wnt, the more the merrier! Should b around 6pm <3 It is not mandatory, but you’re all encouraged to come~ msg me if you have any questions kay?
She only looked away from the bright screen once she’d confirmed her message had sent. She set her phone on her desk. She couldn’t help the giddy smile that crossed her lips and the pride that burst in her chest – an entire year of business!
Most businesses tanked in that time – especially ones in the food industry. Granted, she wasn’t making millions or anything, but she’d been able to cover repair costs, pay her employees a living wage and have a bit of cash left over for herself. It was good, in fact, it was more than she could’ve hoped for by this point in her journey.
She allowed herself a few more moments of reflection and gratitude before she inevitably had to focus on doing actual work. How could you blame her? Not many had believed in her vision, past acquaintances and estranged family speaking up only to try and bring her down. Chaos, she’d barely even believed in herself, too!
But she was more than hopeful now – she was certain. Making it through the first year had been an amazing achievement, but now there was the second year to look forward to, and the third as well. Rouge was aware that this was far from the end of the road, and the promise of a blindingly bright future made her giddy and excited.
One year down, many more to go.
-
“Oh, Amy!” Rouge called out as she spotted her employee exiting the staff room. The pink hedgehog turned with a curious look on her features, before her face morphed into a warm greeting as she spotted the one who’d called her name.
“Oh, hi Rouge!” She greeted back as her boss approached her.
“That is such a cute skirt~” The bat sang, eyeing her employee’s outfit. Rouge prided herself in the way she treated her staff, unafraid to let them express themselves without much enforcement. Their dress code consisted mostly of ‘don’t forget your apron’ and ‘dress appropriately enough’ – loose terms that allowed for a lot of personal expression. But then again, she couldn’t really have a strict dress code, could she? If so, then she would have to abide by it too, and, well… let’s just say she wasn’t known for following rules (or dressing appropriately for occasions).
“Thanks!” the other replied as she pinched the fabric in her hands, eyeing the garment. It was a lovely red and white checkered fabric; it flowed softly down her waist and ended right bellow her knees. She had paired this with a frilly red blouse, black mary janes and some thick knit white socks. But that wasn’t all, of course – Amy loved to accessorize her looks to the maximum, with bows, buttons, pins and accessories galore. This maximalism was, of course, admired by Rouge, who also loved having way too much going on.
“You know, I’ve always wanted to go shopping with you.” She admitted pensively, a finger prodding at her cheek.
“Really?”
“Quite! I’m fascinated by your wardrobe and would simply adore to see how you obtain your pieces.”
“That sounds lovely, Rouge!” Her hands were clasped together and brough up against her chest in excitement, before she continued more sheepishly: “If I’m being honest though, I’m sure you could teach me a thing or two about finding clothes.”
To this, the bat couldn’t help but smile. She’d always gotten along fine with Amy; she was a hard worker and a gentle soul, passionate in all the right avenues. Rouge wasn’t joking when she’d suggested they go out and hit the town sometime – perhaps she’d pursue those plans, but it would have to be for another day.
“I don’t wish to hold you back for very long, I just wanted to ask if you’re planning on coming to my party? I just wanted to get a feel for who’s going and whatnot.” She’d sent the text message a few days ago and had received enthusiastic feedback, yet no concrete confirmation as to who was attending quite yet. She’d already asked a few of her friends to come, so she knew the party wouldn’t be a bust, but still, it’d be nice to have her employees around to celebrate the business they all worked tirelessly for. She couldn’t have pulled it off without them, so celebrating alone felt wrong.
“Duh!” The hedgehog replied enthusiastically. “I was even thinking about baking something for the party! If that’s alright with you of course.”
“Absolutely! Please, whatever you want to make, feel free to bring it with you.” You would have to be as dumb as a pile of rocks (or have the tastebuds of a rock) to refuse Amy Rose’s cooking – especially her baked goods. In fact, Amy had primarily worked as a baker before transferring to the role of barista, needing a ‘change of scenery’ as it were – one could understand how she preferred baking as a hobby, and how doing it for labour kind of soured this passion.
“Cool!” She exclaimed, clasping her hands together in excitement again. “I saw that you said we could bring people, so I think I’m gonna drag my partner along if she wants to go, ‘sthat okay?”
“Of course. Like I said, the more the merrier. I’m sure everyone would love to meet your partner, myself included.”
“Oh, sure! She can be a little quiet sometimes, but she’s great. I’m sure you’ll love her.” She fetched her phone from the pocket of her apron, tapping on its screen a few times before tucking it away. “Okay, it’s in my calendar. Can’t wait!”
“Thanks, Ames.” The bat thanked her employee sincerely, happy to know that at least one person from the shop was attending (and bringing pastries with her!).
“No problem!” She reassured, and after a few more pleasantries she excused herself to go clock in, lest she be late. Amy left for her work, leaving Rouge to hers.
One down: four to go.
-
The wine she drank this night was a little sweeter than what she preferred, but such were the joys of trying out new things. Still, it flowed through her easily, soothing and warm.
The television was on, but it served more like a background noise than entertainment. Teal eyes would look to the screen every once in a while, mostly whenever the reality show began to grow louder, an indication of an entertaining fight that she couldn’t help but observe.
Still, her focus was mostly glued to her phone, scrolling through unread emails and messages she’d ignored for far too long. It was in the middle of a particularly uninteresting email from her accountant that a notification blurted at the top of her screen.
Usually, she ignored new messages (hence why she was reading things that had been backlogged for a couple of weeks now) – but this one piqued her curiosity.
Knuckles: I’ll be there
Clicking on the little banner, she’d fully expected to be redirected to their work group chat, but instead, she found herself in a new conversation; a blank screen with nothing but Knuckles’ name.
He’d messaged her directly.
She took another sip of wine, the overwhelming raspberry taste (seriously, she wasn’t purchasing this bottle for herself ever again) flowing through her throat. Her laid-back posture on the sofa had straightened, her curiosity piqued.
Rouge: Where?
It was a simple response. Maybe she was playing dumb, maybe she didn’t know. Regardless, it was sent quickly.
Knuckles: Ur house
Her heart skipped a beat, and then another. Her gaze flicked towards her front door – unmoving. He didn’t mean that he was coming over now, did he? It would be highly inappropriate, given their dynamic. She was his superior, his employer for goodness’ sake! Not only that, but it’s a Friday night, she’s wine drunk alone in her home, wearing nothing but a very revealing robe.
Her phone rang again as her mind raced to the most scandalous of conclusions. Teal eyes snapped back to the screen in her hand, where a new message sat below the last one
Knuckles: 4 the party
Oh. Oh, yes, of course. Of course, he’d meant that! How silly of her to think he’d be showing up at her home on a Friday evening. With no warning or invitation, too!
Rouge: Oh yes!
She couldn’t help the relief that flowed in her veins, ignoring the implications of where her mind had gone as she giggled at the mistake she’d made.
Knuckles: u just forgot to share the address, im gna need it
Ah yes, her address. She had forgotten to link that in the group chat, had she not? That was probably why she hadn’t gotten many confirmations as to who would be attending: they didn’t know where she lived, if she resided too far or even how to get there. Shaking her head, she exited her private conversation to type up a quick message in their group chat.
Rouge: Hi everyone! Sorry for the late update – here is my address.
She linked a pin to her home and sent the text, despite the late hour. Her employees were probably used to her odd texting habits by now, and besides, she probably would have forgotten again if she didn’t do it while it was fresh on her mind.
She quickly returned to Knuckles’ message.
Rouge: should be in the gc~ :)
Knuckles: thnks
She debated for a few seconds on replying to this last message, ultimately deciding against it. Knuckles was… closed off. He never really gave her the time of day, mostly grunting in response to her requests. He was a great worker, yes, but she hadn’t quite found a common ground in between them, a link that would help them connect and understand each other better.
It also didn’t help that she very-much thought he was cute, which stopped her from adopting her overtly friendly and flirty persona around him, afraid to send off the wrong signals.
Yet, here he was, confirming personally that he would be attending the party. Perhaps with a little bit of music, alcohol and a social setting, they could find something to talk about.
Shrugging her shoulders, she shooed the thoughts of the echidna away, returning to her mindless reading.
Two down, three more to go.
-
It was far past 6PM, and she should’ve been gone two hours ago. Sighing, she shut her laptop a little too harshly, feeling the exhaustion of the day crashing down on her. The thing about being the boss and the owner of your own business was that when something went wrong, there was no one else to turn to. She had herself and that was it.
So, naturally, when there’d been an error from the bank on payrolls, she spent most of her day attempting to fix it – to no avail.
Frustrated (being on hold for hours on end could thin anyone’s patience), she stopped for the evening. It was going to be near-impossible to reach anyone of importance at the bank’s regional branch, since their corporate hours had them long gone by 5PM. Plus, with how exhausted she felt, it was best to tackle the problem another day, where she could start fresh, you know?
She quickly shoved a few things into her purse, uncaring of organization (seriously, it was a mess in there – she tried to reach for her lipstick earlier and ended up grabbing a cough drop! Chaos knows how long that thing had been in there, she’d last been sick months ago…).
Shutting the light and locking the door, she made an interesting choice; her legs guided her towards the café, whereas she usually preferred to exit from the back of house. Tonight, however, she’d been looking to get a word in with her manager.
Pushing the door open, she found him alone, leaning against the countertop as he listened to the mix he’d put on – something a little too heavy for her taste, but not heavy enough to nag him about workplace etiquette. Besides, the shop was empty this time of night, so it didn’t really matter what they blasted through the speakers anyways.
Blue ears twitched in her direction as she pushed the swinging door open. At the sound of her heels against the wooden floors, Sonic turned to eye her.
“Oh, hey.” He spoke, barely adjusting his posture. “Thought you were Knuckles.” He spoke plainly, flicking a crumb off the countertop.
“Where is Knuckles?” She inquired as she pushed forward, leaning back against the countertop once she was besides him.
“Went for his fifteen about two minutes ago. Must be in the staff room.” His head tilted then, as he asked; “Why? Wanna talk to him?” his chin gestured the door she’d just come out of. “I can go fetch him for ya.”
“Thanks, but I’m actually here to talk to you.”
“Oh?” his posture straightened then, curiosity filling his features.
“Don’t worry, you didn’t do anything wrong.” She laughed softly at how his demeanor had changed. It was true, he hadn’t done anything to warrant a stern talking-to (she preferred to do those in her office anyways). Yes, he seemed to be doing a whole lot of nothing this evening, but she knew better than to accuse him of lazing around. She could see with her own two eyes that the shop was spick and span, and that there was likely nothing more for him to do than to wait for the next customer to pop in.
“Phew!” he wiped imaginary sweat off his brow, bringing his forearms onto the countertop once more, gaze distant as he kept his focus on the empty street ahead. “So waddya wanna talk about?”
“I was just wondering if you planned on coming to the party, I never got your confirmation, and I just wanted to check-in with you.” She then added; “No pressure to come, of course.”
Sonic hesitated for a second or two, moving his head as he mulled over the question. “Yeah… sorry about that. The no confirmation part.” Sighing, his eyes dropped a little. “I’m not sure, y’know, usually I love those sorts of things, but I’ve been… tired. I dunno.” He shrugged at this.
Rouge eyed him warily – she hated the way her gut always questioned things, yet here it was, telling her that this didn’t really seem like the full truth. And, given the rough conversation they’d had the last week (y’know, the one about the moody hedgehog with an attitude?), she had a hunch about the real source of Sonic’s hesitance.
“I understand.” She did – she felt exhaustion clawing at her back and neck as they spoke, her body aching for a restful evening. She would indulge in this, only once this conversation was over. “I just wanted to let you know that Knuckles is going. As is Amy, and she’ll be bringing her partner along with her. Oh! And she’s baking something for everyone.”
An ear twitched in her direction.
“What’s she baking?” he bit the bait.
“Oh, I don’t know.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “Guess anyone who shows up at the party will know. If you drop by, you might even get a piece of whatever it is she’s making.”
“Pft, yeah, if Knuckles doesn’t get to it first.”
“Seems like incentive to arrive early, no?” she couldn’t help a sly smile from slipping out.
Sonic turned to her then, a suspicious glint in his eye.
“No, pressure, of course!” She repeated herself, before adding the icing on the cake (oh, how she hoped Amy would bring them one of her lemon cakes! But that was besides the point.) “Y’know, there’ll also be free drinks and free food.” She waited a second longer, popping her lips in an innocent manner, as if she was thinking of these things on-the-spot. “Oh! How could I forget to mention this – my friend Vector agreed to DJ for the night, so kind of a free concert too, if you think about it.” She smiled innocently, tossing the ball back in his court. Though his eyes were narrowed, she knew she’d hooked him the second he replied.
“Alright, boss lady. You make some good points.” It wasn’t long before he relented: “Fine, I’ll be there, but just to get to the food before Knuckles does!” He pointed a finger up, as if to say ‘don’t expect anything else’ – too bad, she already did. “No guarantees how long I stay, deal?” He held a gloved hand out, which she shook firmly and enthusiastically.
“Deal!”
Their conversation dwindled after that, and when Knuckles returned from his break, Rouge quickly excused herself, finally leaving the building after a long and exhaustive day.
Three down, two to go.
-
She caught tails at the end of one of his shifts, quickly pulling him aside to ask him if he’d be attending the party. He was of legal drinking age now, but whether he liked parties, that was up to him.
“Oh, uhm, yeah, sure?”
“That doesn’t sound so sure.” She tutted. “Don’t feel obligated to come if it makes you uncomfy, okay? I don’t want to put anyone in a weird situation.”
“No, no I’m sure it’ll be fine. I was just wondering if Sonic was going?”
This question struck her as odd. “Yes, he is. For a bit at least, he said he’d show up for the food and see where the rest of the night takes him.” Pursing her lips, she couldn’t help but inquire a bit. “Has he not told you?” The two of them lived together – they were brothers, for Chaos’ sake! Surely, Sonic had spoken to him about it.
“Yeah, I think he mentioned it in passing. Just wanted to make sure.” A shy smile crossed his lips, an unconvincing one, if you were to ask Rouge’s intuition. Still, she didn’t pry further, feeling that it would be inappropriate to poke her nose into her employees’ personal relationships.
“That’s fine, Tails. Does it mean you’re coming too?”
“Yeah! It’ll be nice to spend time with everyone outside of work. I don’t have a chance to do that often.”
“That’s what the party is for! I’m glad you’re coming.” She was. “Have a good rest of your day, kay?” She offered him, not wanting to hold him up any longer.
“Thanks, Rouge. You too!” He offered her a smile before slipping into the staff room, leaving her alone to go about her business.
Four down: only one remained.
-
It took her a handful of days and quite a few brainstorming sessions before she felt comfortable enough to approach the last person on her short list of invites.
She couldn’t approach this wildly nor blindly; it had to be calculated. Shadow was very much like a scared kitten in that way: one wrong move could send him scurrying the other way, never to be seen again. Rouge laughed under her breath at the analogy – perhaps, in another lifetime, Shadow had been a cat. He acted very much like one, that was certain.
The plan she had thought up was bold, to say the least. She knew it was a high risk, but the reward made it quite worthwhile. For Shadow, she had to be bold, to be straightforward – but not quite honest.
It was how she found herself knocking against a sleek black door, the sound quieted by the rather thick carpet that lined the hallways.
Of course, he’d live somewhere like this – his last apartment really resembled the style of this one: modern, clean, and a tad bit luxurious. It was central in the city, but high enough to grant privacy. She could almost scoff at it, the way it was so Shadow. He liked to think himself changed, but when it came to his personal tastes, he was very much the same hedgehog she’d known all those years ago.
The silence stretched on for a few moments before the sound of a lock jingling interrupted it. She stood slightly to the side, not wanting the other to see her through the peephole and refuse her entry before she even tried.
The door creaked open to reveal one grumpy hog – just the one she was looking for!
She spun on her heels, making her presence known as she leaned her body against the open doorframe. “Hi there, handsome~” She cooed, narrowing her eyes to give him the full experience.
A few emotions flashed in ruby irises: confusion, annoyance, anger, and confusion again.
“Rouge?” the curiosity had won, but it didn’t mean his tone wasn’t dripping with venom – of course it was.
“Who else?” She rolled her eyes playfully, putting as much character into her tone as she could.
“How did you-“
“I have my ways.” She interrupted, using the awkward moment to push herself into the apartment. She knew he’d refuse her entry, so she had to take matters into her own hands. Her heels clicked sharply against the tiled floor as she waltzed in, observing the very basic décor around the unit. “I see you’ve gone for a minimalistic approach with this one.” She spoke aloud as her gloved hands ran across the island, eyebrows raised in a semi-impressed expression.
“Rouge.” He spoke her name for the second time this night. This time, it was said even harsher than the last.
She ignored it – she was good at ignoring him.
“I prefer your old style. Remember how many posters you had? My, what a fascinating phase that was.” She shot him a glance as she said this, unsurprised to find him standing by the entryway, door still opened behind his figure. Of course, she would never take the hint, so she just walked farther inwards, deciding to settle on one of the chairs lining the (massive) island. “Truly, your tastes have become quite expensive.” Running a nail on the white surface of the island, she noted it’s texture. Quartz, if she had to guess – not overly pricey, but far from cheap either way. The same material that lined the countertops in her beloved café.
“Rouge.” This time, she almost winced. She bit her cheek to stop the sound from escaping, turning to face him once more.
“You know, saying it three times won’t make me disappear. That’s not how those things work, do they?” She could practically feel the temperature rise in the apartment as his blood boiled. His eye screamed murder, and she understood he was capable of it. “Oh, come now, Shadow. I’m already here. Why don’t you sit with me a moment?” He was unmoving. “You know I won’t leave until you talk to me, don’t you?”
There was a brunt sound as the door was shut, a jingle as the lock was engaged once again. She was right and he knew this, she would not leave until she’d gotten hers.
“Fine.” He grunted in that deep voice of his. “But don’t think you’re getting away without answering a few of my questions, got it?” He walked slowly towards her as she clapped her hands excitedly. He sat down besides her with a painful expression, posture rigid and unwelcoming.
“Of course, darling~ this is your home after all, what a terrible guest I would be to not indulge you!”
“Out with it.” She was pushing him a bit too far, so she dropped her smooth smile and settled into an expression more akin to seriousness.
“Alright.” She nodded. “Shall I start, then?”
“How did you find my address?” He cut in, that look of fury still in his eyes. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to retort in a sly manner, if only to see the look on his face. She held herself back, however, not wanting to escalate this thing any more than need be (she’d seen him fight enough to know that she didn’t want to be on the receiving end of it).
“You work for me, dear. It wasn’t complicated.” She spoke simply, trying her best not to sound condescending. Still, her wording could have been chosen more carefully – even when prepared, it was hard to engage with Shadow the Hedgehog.
“Hmph.” He grunted, but didn’t add much more, seemingly satisfied with the answer. It was an overlooked detail, simple as that.
“My turn!” she exclaimed, to which the other practically rolled his eyes. “I was wondering if you were coming to my party. You are invited too, you know?”
“That’s what you came here for?” He scoffed. “You could’ve called me.”
She’d already thought of that. “Ah, but would you have answered?”
A thick silence fell over them for a few moments too long.
“No.”
“Hence why I’m here.” Texting or calling was futile – sure, he’d prefer it, but only because it’d be much easier for him to ignore it, to dismiss it entirely. “So, you’re coming?”
“Why would you ever think I would attend your little party. We’re not friends anymore, remember?”
This kind of response, she expected. She had her script ready to go (thank Chaos for all those brainstorms). “Well, I figured since you started working for me that you’d warmed up to the idea of me. And perhaps, to the idea of rekindling our friendship?”
“Please, don’t make me laugh.”
“I wouldn’t dare.” She countered.
They sat in an awkward silence again. Shadow was seemingly done asking questions (he really just had the one, despite claiming he had multiple) and Rouge needed a few moments to gather up courage before she spoke again.
Because what she wanted to say next was… vulnerable. Honest. It was entirely unlike the Rouge Shadow had known in the past, and it was still very much outside of her comfort zone a decade later.
She took shallow breaths in and out, trying to appear casual, and not as if she was gathering her nerves up.
“Shadow, I have to be honest with you.” She began.
“That would be a first.”
Don’t respond, just push through.
“I don’t… I regret the way things were left off. Between you and I.” A rocky start, but she was already standing in the dangerous waters, so why not jump in? “I regret the way I acted. I regret a lot.” She winced at this, finding that she couldn’t quite keep her gaze focused on the one she was talking to. That would be too raw, and she wasn’t quite there yet. “I’m happy you came to work for me, but I want more. I want to talk to you again, to work through the last decade.” Emotions were not a thing she was keen on expressing, so he’d better appreciate this when she was finished. “I want you to come to my party, not because you work for me, but because I want you to be there. I want to see you. I want to talk to you again. It might be weird, it will definitely be awkward, but it doesn’t matter, because I still want to try.”
She gathered up her courage, turning back to her old friend as she finished her little monologue. She found her throat to be a bit too tight for her liking, but nevertheless, she drove her point home. “You don’t have to. It’s not mandatory. But I wanted to tell you, face to face, that I wanted you there.”
The dark hedgehog’s expression was now blank. The rage had faded, leaving uncertainty in its wake. Rouge was committed now; she had spoken her piece; he now had to respond. She wasn’t leaving until he replied or until he physically threw her out – it was fifty-fifty on which one he’d choose.
He remained silent a while more, and she could hardly blame him for it. Even in their closest years, they rarely had moments like these. Vulnerability was different for them, they’d expressed it around each other a number of times, but it was rarely like this.
This was… different. New.
“You… want me there?” The layers of hesitation ran thick with this sentence. It was vulnerable in itself, it indicated interest, or at least, the tiniest hint of it. It was something for Rouge to hold onto: he’d given her an inch, and from it, she would take a mile.
“Of course I want you there!” She all but screamed.
Another pause as his eyes flitted away, red irises wide with emotions she struggled to read. She didn’t even know what she was feeling, how could she possibly hope to read him?
Still, she hadn’t been yelled at yet.
“Will Sonic be there?” This was a question she did not expect – the scenarios she’d run in her mind hadn’t touched upon this subject at all.
This is also where she slipped back into old habits, the lie slipping off her tongue without a second thought. “No, he can’t make it.” She hoped to Chaos that she’d made the right assumption here. She already knew Sonic’s less-than optimistic feelings about Shadow, but she hadn’t broached the subject with her old friend quite yet. Her gut told her that Shadow most definitely reciprocated those muddied and annoyed feelings, because knowing him, he would be the type to hate Sonic’s chatty and peppy demeanor.
“Hm.” He thought it over before locking eyes with her again. “Fine. I’ll be there – not for long, but I’ll show up.”
“Oh, Shadow, thank you!” She couldn’t help the giddiness that overflowed in her body – so much so that she had to reel herself back not to embrace Shadow firmly. His promise was already rocky at best; it would be foolish to ruin it by doing something so brash.
“You can leave now.” He’d had more than enough of Rouge, and she wasn’t about to prod him anymore. She’d gotten what she wanted (as usual), and so she would finally leave him be.
The goodbye they bid was dry, the awkward heaviness of the emotions exchanged hanging above their heads.
The door was quickly slammed behind her as she left, but she didn’t mind. In fact, she barely heard it over the blood that rushed in her ears, the adrenaline slowly fading away as she made her way out of the apartment building. She smiled ear-to-ear as she drove home.
Yes, the bat had always been great at obtaining what she desired, but this was a victory unlike any others. Shadow had the power to refuse her – in fact, in every scenario she’d run through, he did. She’d managed a level of honesty that she hadn’t thought she was capable of (only slightly sullied by an innocent lie immediately afterwards), and that was a victory in and of itself.
Finally, she could stop pestering her employees about their attendance. She’d done the best she could, and now, all she had left to do was to plan their evening.
-
A/N
oughhhh i'm posting this directly after chapter 8 because i'll forget about it if not nbjhdbfhg
In this installment, Sonic has a conversation with Rouge about their newest hire - it doesn't really go as planned (not that he had a plan anyways,,)
wc; 2803
-
Sonic’s weekend had been uneventful, yet still far too short. He’d spent most of his time rotting in his bed, only getting up to shove some slop in the microwave or to practice some chords on the guitar.
He mostly lamented to himself in his room, dreading the following workday.
Unfortunately, he could not stop time, and so Wednesday morning rolled around, whether he was ready for it or not.
The only thing that kept him relatively awake as he prepared himself for his morning shift was this; he wouldn’t be seeing a whole lot of Shadow today. Yes, they were both scheduled to work this Wednesday, but their shifts opposed one another – they only had to ignore each other for an hour or two. Granted, it wasn’t the best-case scenario, but it was certainly up there!
He found the morning to be steady – not overly busy, but just enough to make the clock tick by a little faster.
He greeted Tails a little bit too excitedly when the fox came in towards the early afternoon to start his mid-day shift.
“Hey little bro!” He ruffled Tails’ fur as the fox clocked in via the register.
“Hi Sonic.” He offered a small smile. He moved to pour himself a cup of filtered coffee, filling his mug to the brim (how Tails could stomach black coffee was beyond him, but he digressed).
“How was your morning bud?” To this, Tails shot him a curious glance. What? Couldn’t a guy make small talk with his sibling without wanting something in return? Sheesh!
“Alright.” He tilted his head as he considered his day so far, taking a sip of the burning hot liquid in his mug. “I’m pretty sure I was up before you, you know?” He eyed Sonic as he changed the subject.
“Ahaha, yeaaah… guess I must’ve slept in” He scratched the back of his quills sheepishly.
“And I’m supposed to be the night owl between the two of us.” He narrowed his eyes again, in what Sonic could only assume was suspicion, or even worse: knowledge. Despite Sonic’s best efforts to shield his little brother, Tails always seemed to know when something was happening. He might not always be aware of what exactly it was, but at least he knew it was happening.
“Guess I’ve been staying up later than ya, not really setting a good example, huh?” He tried to smile to detract from Tails’ inquisitive gaze, but it was futile.
“Lemme guess.” Another sip of the dark brown liquid. “You want something, don’t you?”
So, turns out brothers did make small talk when they wanted something out of their sibling.
He sucked in sharply, wincing a bit as he did so. “How’d you know?”
“You only ever make small talk like that when you’re looking for something. I know those lines.” A hint of a smile began to show beyond the rim of his mug.
“Yeah, yeah, busted.” He threw his hands up in the air. “You always were the smarter one, you know that?”
“Oh yeah, compliments are another way to butter me up before you ask me whatever it is you want.” If Sonic wasn’t sure his brother was smiling before, he knew now. There was a cheeky grin on the fox’s features, and it was at his expense, it seemed.
“Hey, I give compliments all the time!” He defended, because it was true – he didn’t hoard his compliments, he gave them out freely, and often, too.
Tails only nodded at this, a gesture that told sonic to just get it out already.
“D’you mind if I go talk to Rouge reaaaal quick?” He clasped his hands together in a pleading motion, as if he’d forgotten that Tails never refused him. “I know you just got here, but it’s not too busy right now and I promise I’ll be back asap, kay buddy?” The latter was said more or less like a statement, not a question. He had a metaphorical foot out the door already, his mind dead set on accomplishing what he had set off to do.
“Sure, Sonic.” The fox shrugged his shoulders. Placing his mug on the counter, he eyed the café. It wasn’t too occupied; Sonic hadn’t lied on that front. He accepted not because he knew that he could handle a little work by himself, but also because he knew that if it suddenly got busy, it wouldn’t take more than thirty seconds for him to go fetch his brother and drag him back to the counter (whether Sonic was willing to or no).
“Thanks bro!” He exclaimed, not bothering to stick around for much longer than that. Time was of the essence. Yes, they could easily relax and make small talk for now, but it wasn’t very long before they’d be swamped. The lunch-time rush loomed over their heads as it did every day, quickly approaching with every passing minute.
The last thing he intended to do was to leave Tails alone during their busiest hours. However, he really did need to speak with Rouge, so he let his legs guide him away from his work station and into the back of the store.
-
Knocking on the door, a cheery (albeit slightly muffled) “come in!” gave him permission to push the door open. Rouge was elbow-deep in her purse, searching for something inside it with what appeared to be insatiable curiosity. Flicking her eyes upwards, she stopped her digging. “Sonic! Good morning!” it was very much past morning at this point, though it did seem like she’d just gotten there. She motioned for him to sit before she did so herself, moving her purse off her desk and onto the floor besides her. Whatever she’d been searching for wasn’t urgent, apparently.
“Morning!” he offered, knowing full well he’d been awake for many more hours than she had. Closing the door behind him, he moved to sit on the familiar seat.
“What can I do for ya?” She prodded when he didn’t immediately start yapping (his usual habit, of course – one of the things they had in common).
Drumming his fingers on the padded chair, he hesitated a moment. He’d had an itch to speak with her for a few days, but sitting in front of her now, he found that his mind drew a blank.
It’s not that he didn’t know what he wanted to speak of, it was more-so that he didn’t really know how to speak of it.
“Something the matter?” Her eyes were narrowed and her arms crossed. He noted the velvet purple top she was wearing, its surface decorated with golden swirls and little diamonds – somehow too dressed-up and yet entirely inappropriate for the office. Then again, Rouge was an expert when it came to testing the limits of her wardrobe in the corporate world.
“Kinda?” He scratched the back of his neck in hesitation.
“Whatever it is, you know you can talk to me, right?” She reassured, offering him a warm smile. That much he knew – he was one of her oldest employees, and they’d grown rather close in the short time they’d known each other. Rouge was anything but traditional, and although she was his manager (not to mention the owner of the coffee shop), she didn’t feel distant or unattainable. She was down-to-earth, if not a little flighty sometimes. She had her methods, and Sonic had learnt with time and experience that it was best to just trust them and not to doubt her.
Still, there was unease he’d felt about one of her recent decisions – an uncomfortable feeling that refused to leave him alone. It was the reason he’d been staying up later than usual, struggling to fall asleep and struggling even more-so just to wake up.
“Yeah, I know. I just don’t really know…” He paused. “..how to broach the subject.” He admitted.
Something flashed in her gaze, a coy smile lining her dark red lips. It was the second time that day that someone had looked at him this way – were his thoughts written out on his forehead or something? “Ah.” She spoke knowingly, confirming the twinkle in her eye was not misplaced. “I suppose I should have asked this instead: ‘Is someone the matter?’”.
“Well, it’s not that!” His instincts pushed him to deny, deny, deny!
“It isn’t?” He hated the way she tilted her head, glasses sliding ever-so-slightly down her nose as she eyed him properly.
Maybe he should compliment the colour of her eyelids today – could that distract her enough for her to forget he ever even spoke?
He knew it wouldn’t.
“Okay, it’s not not that.” His fingers fidgeted awkwardly with the fabric of his armchair.
“You don’t say!” She exclaimed in a shocked tone, hand coming to lay flat against her chest in fake horror.
“It’s just-” He stopped his speech. No, he couldn’t approach it that bluntly – he’d surely be fired on the spot. Instead, he took a different approach, trying to introduce the subject casually. “You said you and Shadow are friends, right?” Perhaps casual was not the word… his approach sounded more direct than he expected it to be when he thought it over in his head.
“Supposedly.”
“Yeah. When you… ‘warned me’ about him, I just…” There went his career. “Didn’t think he’d be like that.” He gestured loosely in the air, frustrated. He wasn’t handling the subject as neatly as he’d like to, which was honestly his fault for not having planned ahead. “Well, it sounds bad when I say it, but you know what I mean, right?”
Her arms still crossed, she leaned back in her chair. If it wasn’t for the smile that lined her lips, Sonic would’ve thought his employment terminated.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to elaborate, darling.” She shook her head.
Of course he had to.
“Well, he’s very… closed off. A little snappy at times.” Pause. “Definitely rude. Thinks he’s better than me, that’s another one.” There was no going back now.
“Yes.” To his surprise, Rouge agreed with him. She didn’t fight back the accusations, even though they’d been thrown at her friend, which made Sonic even more curious. “But you didn’t come here just to say that, now did you?” The bat inquired. He opened his mouth to reply, but she cut him off. “Now don’t get me wrong, bluey – I love to dish. But we can do that outside of work, can’t we?”
“Yeah.”
“So, what is it, then?”
“Why did you hire him?” He inquired bluntly. “I mean, I get you two are friends – or were, whatever, it’s just… why?”
“You want to know why I hired Shadow?” He nodded. “Well, if you want a simple answer, it’s because we were in dire need of another employee. You were pulling overtime everyday, and so were a lot of your coworkers. When one person leaves, another takes their place, and all that jazz.”
“That’s it?” It wasn’t what he was looking for.
“Well, like I said, it’s the simple answer.” She brushed some imaginary dust off her sleeves. “If you want to know the real answer…” She trailed off, smiling to herself as if she’d heard a joke that Sonic hadn’t caught. “You know, it’s quite the funny thing. The real answer is simple too; I don’t know.”
“You don’t... know?” Okay, he was really curious now.
“Not really, no.” She shrugged as if it wasn’t the oddest stance she could’ve taken.
“So, you’re supposedly close friends with the guy, close enough to understand his flaws very well, and yet, you still hire him for a customer service job, where said flaws might cause an issue?” He was getting bold now, asking the questions he never thought he’d get to ask.
“Yes, and you take issue with this?” She shot him a glare – it pinned him to his seat in a mix of surprise and a twinge of fear. In this way, she was reminding him who he was speaking to. It was a harsher side of her that he’d only witnessed a handful of times and never been on the receiving end of. Until today, that is.
“No, I don’t.” He states reluctantly. How do you tell your boss to fire their friend because you find him unfit for the job? There wasn’t a guidebook for this situation. “I’m just curious is all.” Curious was an understatement, he was much more preoccupied with the whole ordeal than he ever should’ve been.
“Quite!” She agreed, though the austere look was quickly fading from her features.
“Sorry.” He mumbled, the word heavy and thick on his tongue. “If I overstepped.” This was his employer after-all; Rouge’s friendly attitude and enticing personality wasn’t a green flag to speak so boldly.
“Please, you’d have to go much farther than that to overstep.” She laughed, her mirth muddying the situation even more.
“It’s just weird, is all. New guy shows up, you give me a warning, which was not enough of a warning at all, by the way – and he just seems out of place. Uncomfortable. I almost thought I did something to offend him at first, then I kinda realized he’s just like that. With everyone.”
“Oh, you’ve done nothing wrong.” She assured him, though he had a hard time believing her. Shaking her head, she continued “In fact, I think you’re probably his favourite.”
“What?!” he practically recoiled at the statement, making his boss laugh again, this time at his expense. “That’s not-” True? Right? Plausible? Possible? He didn’t know which one to start with.
“You’ll see.” She interrupted him swiftly. This statement did nothing but add on to the already growing pile of questions in the hedgehog’s mind. Of course, Rouge chose to ignore this as she pressed on, not allowing her employee to process any of her words before she was shooing him away. “Now, before you go, I need you to understand this.” The glint of seriousness had returned in her eyes. “I know Shadow can be a bit moody, I told you so all those weeks ago, didn’t I?” To that, he reluctantly nodded. Moody was indeed the term she’d used to describe him, though Sonic now knew it didn’t quite describe the extent of his broody character. “I know you both have your differences, too. But I can’t fire him for this, and I don’t want to. Be patient, bluey – he’ll come around eventually.” A kind smile was offered, and though Sonic had trained himself to trust in Rouge, he struggled to see it through this time around. “I mean, if he seriously injures anyone, then maybe we could re-negotiate his position. Until then, he’s here to stay, darling!” Turning, she picks up her purse from the ground, beginning to rummage through it again, like she’d been doing before he’d interrupted.
“Right.” He struggled to hide the disappointment in his voice. The conversation had slipped through his fingers, and now it felt entirely out of reach – he’d botched it. There was no immediate resolution, no changes in the staff, no revising of the schedule, nothing.
All Sonic could hope for was that Rouge would be open to hear him out again within the next weeks – if he could form a sensible plan for re-broaching the subject, that is.
Until then, nothing would change.
He loathed to admit it, but he felt frustrated. It was like an itch under his skin, his body jittery and warm in all the wrong ways. He was usually so suave and well-spoken, too accustomed of getting his way.
“You can leave now, dear.” She spoke, cutting through his internal monologue. He looked at her, but she did not look back – from her purse she’d pulled out her phone, too preoccupied with something on the screen to look anywhere else.
Conversation over is basically what she meant.
“Mhm.” He moved slowly out of the chair, feeling the strain of his muscles as he did so. A full day of work and the stress of the conversation they had was wearing down on his body – he’d have to make up for it soon by getting a run in, otherwise his body would just continue to protest against him.
As his hand landed on the doorknob, ready to leave this whole ordeal behind and to forget it, a voice perked up, making him pause for a second.
“Thank you, Sonic.” He could feel her gaze on his back, could hear the warmth in her voice. He did not want to see it. “I appreciate your feedback, okay? You can always talk to me if there’s anything.”
“Thanks, boss.” He replied as he threw a salute behind him, heading away from her office and back towards the café, eager to quell the mix of emotions stirring around in his stomach.
