Stuck Here With You Of All People|Sonic Prime|Book One

3

"Sonic! Sonic!" Shadow had yelled as Sonic closed his eyes upon the deck of the Angel, blood oozing from the wound. He and Sonic had arrived to the pirate ShatterSpace, and thankfully, this world's Rouge, who went by Batten, had caught them. "Come on, Faker. Wake up! Sonic!"

"What be happen'n up here, Batten?" Blacken Rose had asked.

"Get the patch kit, we got a bleeder!" Batten demands with urgency. "Come on, lad. Let's take 'im to the Capt'n's quarters. He can rest in there. Catfish! We need your hands, matey! Sails, keep yer hands on the stern, and keep 'er steady!"

Shadow follows Batten as Sonic lays emotionless in his arms. His peachy skin tone, much like Maria's, had greyed so much... He didn't want to loose another person. Not again, not so soon.

"We don't have anything to keep him asleep. Sonic, Sonic!" Batten yells, slapping him hard (not too hard. Hard enough so he can respond with a 'hey'), across the face, Sonic awakes. "Listen, mate, you have to keep yer eyes open for us."

"Even during...?" Sonic breathed out.

"Yes. And mate," Batten looks to Shadow. "Can you give him something to hold?"

Shadow grabbed both of Sonic's hands with his own as he helps situate Sonic's head on his lap upon the cot. He looks to Sonic, panic screamed in Shadow's eyes as did Sonic's. "I'll be right here, Sonic. Okay? Do you trust me?"

Sonic nods. "Yeah... I do." He squeezed Shadow's hands. "I'm scared..."

"I know. I know... But I am not leaving you." Shadow reaffirmed. Don't you dare leave me, too. "Just follow my breathing, and squeeze as tight as you can when it starts hurting. Okay?"

Sonic winced harder but he nods. Batten didn't need to be told twice as soon as the medical pack came into her hands. She was quick to assess the injury, removing the bullet that lodge itself in Sonic's belly. He screamed as he felt the pliers enter his stomach to grab the bullet. Sonic nearly crushed Shadow's fingers as Shadow was instructing him to breath easy.

"Got it!" Batten said before turning to Catfish. "Ready the bandages."

Catfish nods, preparing to help the moment Batten gave him the word go. The bat counted with the nod of her head, removing the bullet as Sonic gasped. Catfish was quick to dab whatever alcohol they had left onto the wound, cleaning up the injury until he put on the bandage. Shadow smiled with a shaky breath relief as he gave Sonic a shaking but reassuring smile.

"It's gone. It's gone, Sonic. Breath in, hold, then out." Shadow says, tears forming in his eyes.

Sonic follows. It still aches. And the universe is at risk. He couldn't just sit but he didn't have much for a choice. He continues to follow the breathing techniques, and in the air, he smells a strong hint of... Lavender? Odd. Where did it come from?

"We'll leave you two alone for a few minutes." Batten said.

Shadow nodded as the two pirates left, leaving the two rivals alone. They continued the breathing motion, in sync, till Sonic breathed on his own accord. Sonic scrambled to kick his shoes off, leaving him in his socks and gloves. Shadow couldn't help the tears of relief that stung his eyes. Removing his hand from the bloodied glove, Shadow sees that his own glove (now with a brown leather covering the top of his hands and his cuffs being beautifully embroidered with gold stitching; his shoes matched as well) is stained in Sonic's blood. He easily removes the inhibitor on that palm before gently removing the bloodied glove on Sonic when the blue blur stopped him.

"What's wrong?"

"Well... It's... Tradition, we can't show our bare hands..." Sonic wheezed a breath. Sonic wasn't one for a tradition, but he never removed his gloves for anyone as he had no one to call his own. He just felt deep down that he shouldn't show Shadow his palms, not yet, at least.