Take a Step, Flower Drops, Turn to Pick it Up

You take a step,

A flower drops from the bouquet you're holding.

You turn, and bend down to pick it up,

Only to realize that for the flower,

It may already be too late.

"No! That really isn't possible! Not him! Oh my God! Oh my dear, loving-"

"Shadow? Is that still you?" Rouge sounded both bored and annoyed on the other end of the line. To her, Shadow was like a moody big brother, and she had the curse of being his sole confident at this point.

Shadow didn't feel like himself at this point. "No, it's really not me." He retorted in a sarcastic tone. "This is Bob you've reached. Oh God, oh merciful Lord, why him?!"

"Well, 'Bob', can you put Shadow back on the line, please?" Rouge bantered, trying to arouse a chuckle from her moody friend.

Shadow groaned. "Come on, Rouge. You know it's me."

"Unfortunately." Shadow could hear the eye roll in her tone. "Look. Why don't you stop being a pain about it over the phone and come be a pain about it in person?"

"I would, if you would tell me which God-forsaken hospital…"

"For crying out loud! I tried to tell you!" Rouge complained, stomping her feet. "He's down at Saint Thomas, by east-" However, Shadow left her no time to finish. A loud whoosh was heard on the other end and the phone began to buzz on the other end. "Shadow? Shadow?!" She demanded.

Suddenly, the payphone clicked annoyingly and a feminine voice spoke into her ear with an air of annoyance: "Please deposit another twenty-five cents for the next half-hour."

"Ugh! How rude!" Rouge gave up and slammed the payphone back on the receiver violently, spreading her wings and taking flight. She was going to meet up with Knuckles and then they, too, were going to meet up with their battered blue buddy.

ΩΩΩ

Shadow weaved quickly through the millions of people crowding streets this late afternoon day. The last of the sun was shining its playful rays over the buildings and the tops of the sunburnt peoples' heads, waving a last goodbye before it would disappear under the covers of night, soon coming on.

It was beautiful, the summer air whisking through his fur and all the jovial scents of ice cream and funnel cakes and the beach, and rides from the fair. But, Shadow paid no mind to this as he skated along the pathways of air, begrudging Sonic his ability to touch the ground as he ran, looking for Saint Thomas' Hospital, where he would find the body of the one he loved, hopefully still alive and breathing.

The story was that Sonic had gone missing after rescuing Amy (yet again). Amy felt really bad about this, and Shadow thought that she should. Weeks went by, the month of May flew in and out. And here it was, just a few days before ebony's birthday and Sonic decides to show up again.

Shadow didn't have the whole story yet; no one did. But, from the mouth of Miss Gossip herself, he'd heard all he needed to. At about nine AM this morning, Sonic had stumbled in breathless and literally full of holes. Cuts and bruises covered his arms, legs, chest, back, belly, and basically any other visible part. Even his quills were drenched in blood! His fur had been such a dirty shade of purple, and he'd been so out of breath. It was rare that Sonic ever lost his breath. Ever.

Reason number 1 for Shadow's concern.

The doctors insisted that he get a blood transfusion. They tested for his blood type, drawing just a small amount of blood to see if they could help. Once they'd found a suitable donor and got Sonic cleaned up and on a respirator (reason number 2 for Shadow's concern. Sonic had never before stopped breathing.), they waited anxiously to see if there was anything they could do.

That had been between the hours of nine and ten this morning.

It was almost eight-thirty now, and, according to Rouge, the doctors hadn't seen it fit to feed Sonic anything because they feared lung failure. Reason number 3 for Shadow's concern. If there was anything those stupid doctors could do to make Sonic more comfortable and better, it was to feed him. Poor Sonic.

Shadow grumbled, thinking how hard it would be even for him to survive that long without a scrap of food. It wasn't impossible, no, and both he and Sonic had done it before, but it was hard to do it and relax at the same time. And, if Sonic had been Eggman's company, then he'd definitely be starving by now. Even to those he didn't consider prisoners, Eggman didn't provide much. Shadow knew, having to survive on only a little bit of food a night.

Back then, he had mostly fed on power reserves stored in his inhibitor rings, and tat kept him strong. But, Sonic had no reserves, no ability to feed off power as Shadow did. It made the black hedgehog shiver just thinking about it. Poor Sonic, all alone in a dark, empty cell, with nothing but the grumblings of his stomach for company. And being injured on top of all that…

Sonic could take a lot of abuse, but he might not be able to take this much.

At last, after what seemed like ages, Shadow arrived at the doors of the hospital. He felt the aura one feels when they see a "Police Line, Do Not Cross" sign. All those yellow ribbons, binding the place in a vice of bad juju. And Shadow knew that feeling. The feeling of the death of a loved one, or a loved one close to death.

Shadow ran inside, slapping the tiny silver bell on the desk in the waiting room. He now understood the impatience of his blue counterpart which he'd before mocked and made fun of. "Comeoncomeoncomeon!" He growled, tapping his foot in a frenzy.

"Hello, can I help you?" A secretary asked lazily, placing her hand over the bell.

Shadow flushed with embarrassment and pulled his hand away. "Sonic the Hedgehog. Is he here?" His voice was overwhelmed by worry and concern.

The secretary's expression changed from bored and annoyed to caring and helpful. "Room 213, down that corridor." She pointed, flashing a small smile between chewing two pieces of gum at the same time.

"Thank you." Shadow replied dismissively, walking fast down the hall. He couldn't make his heartbeat slow enough for him to breathe properly, for he found himself panting. Who was already here? Who had left? Would Sonic be alone? And, if he was, what kind of state would he be in?

Shadow reached the room. Well, here goes nothing. Room 213. He knocked on the door hesitantly, praying to hear the voice of the one he came to see…

"It's open!" No such luck. The voice belonged to Amy Rose, self-proclaimed girlfriend and maternal figure to the Blue Blur. But, the voice held worry. Not just the normal Amy worry, either. This was real worry.

Shadow gulped and went in, almost afraid to see, but even more afraid not to. He peeked inside. Amy looked up from her chair upon his entry and began to speak. But, Shadow wasn't listening, his eyes fixed on Sonic. It was as if the world around the bed faded into blurs and a sad song began to play.

When you cried I'd,

Wipe away all of your tears.

When you'd scream I'd,

Fight away all of your fears.

And I held your hand through all of these years.

But you still held

All of me.

There he was, looking like a wounded angel. His blue fur was turned aside, white bandages covering his heavenly body. He was barely breathing, but he was thinner than the bandages. Shadow could see that they moved with him, falling upon his chest as he breathed. His eyes were shut to the world, but he looked calm, as if he was only asleep. Horrible plastic tubes and wires came out of the plastic cone over his mouth, pipes attached to his arms doing God-knows what. His legs were positioned somewhat close together, held in place by pillows. His hands stirred (gloveless, and perfect, tan digits marvelously long and lean) randomly, which showed he was still alive. But, how alive was he, exactly?

Shadow tuned into the real world. Time began to move faster, and the song left his ears.

"-so glad that you came. He was asking for you, wondering if you were okay."

"Asking for me?" Shadow wondered, taken aback by this conjecture. How could Sonic ask, when he could barely lift a finger?! Had he been awake?

Amy frowned, trying to remember. "It was at six. He began to stir, crying out your name in his sleep. His movements opened up a few gashes on his hips and belly and back, so I helped them change his bandages. He kept moaning, asking if you were okay."

Shadow felt a soft smile cross his face. But all he could say was: "Oh really?" In his normal I-could-care-less Shadow tone of voice. He couldn't help it, though. His heart was thumping just a bit faster and his face got just a touch hotter.

'He kept asking if you were okay.'

Those were the only words that could melt Shadow's heart completely.

The only words that defined love for him.

ΩΩΩ

People had come and gone, paying respects and leaving flowers as if Sonic was dead. Shadow had gone from standing to sitting to pacing, not feeling comfortable in either state, despising those that stared at him as one would at the dead, praying over him like he needed to be exorcized.

Shadow's eyes would gaze at his beautiful face, the curves that made up his chest, his body. He kept a close watch, a vigil on Sonic, the whole rest of the evening. Never resting, never fading, never once closing his eyes to rest, not even for a second.

He was captivated, as one is when he discovers his God, transfixed by Sonic's slightly parted lips, that breath which fogged up the respirator.

I'm so tired of being here, suppressed by all my childish fears


And if you have to leave, I wish that you would just leave


Cause your presence still lingers here, and it won't leave me alone.

The silence came fast when even Amy left his side for other things. Shadow found himself alone with the breathing hedgehog, calm through all this attention. "Freakin attention whore." Shadow muttered.

Could it have been his imagination, or did Sonic's lips just upturn in the smallest of smiles?! Shadow's heart skipped a beat, and then began to thump hard. Why was Sonic giving him such hope, when everyone thought he was going to be dead?

There's just too much that time cannot erase.

Shadow tried again, eagerly seeing if he could get Sonic to respond with more than just a twitch of the mouth. "Look at you." He scoffed, waving a hand over the fragrant scene of flowers in vases of all shapes and colors littering the air space around the hedgehog. "Sitting there, calm and controlled, while women weep over you and men pray over you as if they're performing an exorcism-" At this, Sonic's tiny smile turned into a huge grin. Shadow felt his face with his free hand and noted he was beaming, too. "As of you're dead…" He paused.

Sonic seemed ready for him to continue. An eyelid twitched in an almost unnoticeable movement. But Shadow saw it, for Shadow alone could catch it. They both shared the same chaos force, the same ability to go "Super", as it were. And, that made them closer.

Sonic was getting better, getting stronger. It was almost as if he was breathing on his own. Maybe he was. Shadow just had to poke and prod, this time at the darker side of his person.

He turned to look out the window at the street, still holding on to the last traces of sherbet sunset lining the roads with its glory still. "God, you've gotta be hungry, Sonic." His ruby irises alighted on Sonic's figure, which began to twitch infinitesimally. "I know I would be. Yep." He crossed to the bed, beginning to circle like a feeding shark. "Days, weeks, even a whole month without a decent meal? Yeah, that would kill me for sure." Sonic frowned, obviously feeling the effects of his emptiness. He was straining against it.

Shadow began to stroke his blue friend quietly. "Well, Sonic? Are you ready to wake up?"

Sonic's hands were the first to fully animate, stretching up to kingdom come. Shadow's mood brightened, as if his personal sun just rose. His heart leapt into his throat. It was going to be great.

I'm walking on sunshine,

And don't it feel good?

Don't it feel good?

An emerald beauty made an appearance as Sonic pulled the respirator off his face and inched up onto the pillows. "Ready to wake up? Well, does this," he pointed to himself, "answer your question, Mr. Dark-and-Moody?"

Shadow beamed, feeling happier than he'd ever been his whole life long. "Not just yet." He replied, leaning in closer.

"Oh!" Sonic backed up a little in surprise, his eyes dancing around the room, eager to hit any target but Shadow.

"I want to see if you can kiss all right. Then we'll see if you're ready to wake up or…" Shadow sat on the bed, crawling between Sonic's wide-spread legs towards his lips. "…if you'd rather stay in bed."

"Oh, Shadow, I-" But Sonic had no time to say more. His blush deepened as Shadow closed the space between them, sealing his proposition with a kiss.

Sonic threw his arms around Shadow's neck and Shadow lifted the small of Sonic's back up to his. Sonic gently kicked off the sheets and touched his member to Shadow's, rubbing softly. Shadow uttered a sexy growl through the kiss and deepened it. The two tongues began to wrestle for dominance until Sonic pulled away.

Shadow, breathing heavily, hugged Sonic closer, indicating that he wanted more. But, Sonic hadn't pulled away because he wanted the kiss to end so much as he'd been forced to let the kiss end.

His heart was still beating steadily, but his eyes resembled death. Then Shadow knew.

"Oh," he giggled out of nervousness, "you're starving!"

Sonic nodded, giggling as well as he wrapped his arms around Shadow. "You hit the nail on the head, Shadzy."

Shadow purred deeply at the sound of this little pet name and nuzzled his muzzle into Sonic's chin. The hedgehog pulled away completely, obviously wanting to support his own weight, and groaned, closing his eyes with the strain it took to keep back complaints.

Shadow noted the look of his counterpart. "Let me get you some eats." He said, touching Sonic's cheek with his lips. "I'll be back."

ΩΩΩ

After a well-deserved and filling dinner, Sonic muffled a burp into his arm, licking his lips. Remains of pizza and fast food lingered around the room in various places where it had been discarded during the feeding frenzy. "Oh boy, am I full! Thanks for the food, Shads."

"You're welcome." Shadow watched Sonic yawn with contentment and lie on his back, hands cradling his head, eyes half open (and hardly able to stay open because of all the food in him, at that!) and felt elated. "I love you, Sonic."

Sonic smiled at the black hedgehog. "I love you too, Shadow. Oh!" And discovery shone in his emerald eyes. "Your birthday's coming up!"

Shadow chuckled. "Yes."

"OOOOO!" Sonic's eyes grew wide. "I know what I can get you." He teased, turning over and shaking his ass at Shadow. The dark hedgehog felt his dick poke out of his member and gave a contented sigh.

"Yes, but not now." He breathed, amazed at how sexy Sonic was. "You need your sleep."

Sonic snuggled under the covers, his muzzle just peeping over the sheets. Shadow crawled in beside him and Sonic jumped at the chance to use him as a pillow, stroking his fingers through the white tuft of fur on his chest. "Let's not ever be apart again." He vowed, yawning into the dark belly fur of his counterpart.

Shadow stroked Sonic's ears and rubbed his back. "I second that motion."

Sonic laughed softly until his breathing slowed and he fell asleep to the stroking of his love's hand.

Shadow smiled upon his beautiful blue love, and then tilted his head to look at the city outside, just coming to life after a sunset.

For the city was just like their love. Darkness could only bring more light in the end.

END

Lyrics: My Immortal by Evanescence