𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙧.

•𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧•

The first thing Shadow noticed when he woke up was the way his back was draped over a rather stiff figure, the spines on his shoulder blades digging rather uncomfortably into his skin from how they were awkwardly pressed against the being beneath him. Birds sang to each other from the branches and a gentle wind disturbed the leaves in the treetops.

Shadow quickly pushed himself off of the thing he had been not-so-gracefully snoozing upon, his immediate proceed of action being a satisfying stretch and a big yawn. Shaking himself free of his drowsiness (and shedding a couple of quills in the process), Shadow turned himself to look at the creature he was currently assuming he fell asleep with the night prior. All he could find in its place, however, was a much smaller blue hedgehog, covered in blood, laying on his stomach with his bare hands folded over each other and his muzzle resting on the back of them, snoring softly as he slept.

He looked at peace.

The sound of flies buzzing irritated Shadow from his brief inspection. The carcass of Sonic's meal had been left out in the open, unfinished, and now swarming with flies and crawling with maggots. Its twisted body and dead eyes brought the painful reminder of the missing mobian back into vision. Such an image was prominent within Shadow's mind. But he quickly freed himself from its gruesome grasp. That mobian was long dead. And the culprit didn't even know he was the culprit.

Sonic stirred on the forest floor, a leaf clinging to his quills from the dry and crusted blood that stuck his fur together. "Nngh..." the blue blur groaned and lifted his head, his eyes slowly blinking open, fogged by doziness. He slowly tried to push himself off the ground, but was stopped by a white hot ache shooting through his bicep, pulling a yowl from his lips and making him fall back onto his stomach. "For fuck's sake," Sonic panted and tried to get up once more, this time only using his left hand.

Shadow stood tall with his arms crossed, a scowl etched onto his face while Sonic pushed himself onto his behind. Their eyes locked. Sonic swallowed and raised a bloodied hand to his head. "Shadow? What are you...?" He froze. Pupils shrinking at his dark brown and crimson coated hand. The iron scent of blood surrounded it like a cloud.

"Faker," Shadow tried to get his rival's attention; to no avail. Sonic was staring down at his chest, once a peach color, now lathered from top to bottom with red fluids. His eyes darted around the tiny clearing they were in, quickly finding the corpse of the deer. The flies. The bones. The rot. His chest rose and fell as his breathing grew labored, fear fogging his gaze and claiming his mind.

"Faker," Shadow tried again and took a step closer. Sonic flinched and struggled to scoot back, remaining seated as he did so. He was still frantically looking around the crime scene, muttering to himself. He pushed himself until his back hit a tree and stopped him from moving any farther away from Shadow. His ears twitched at every sound. He was beginning to hyperventilate.

"Sonic!" Shadow yelled out in a final attempt to ensnare the hero's undivided attention, satisfied when Sonic's ears shot up and he finally looked right at him. "Sh-Shadow, what is this? Where are we? What happened? Why-?" He stopped mid-sentence as a cough racked his body, not at all helping his frightened state. "Sonic, relax. I'll exp-"
"Why am I covered in blood!? What did I do, Shadow!? Why am I not back in the workshop!?"

Shadow could see Sonic's breaths become shallow and panicked. He was wincing in pain and gripping his right shoulder, tears beginning to boil within the corners of his eyes. His jaws were clenched tight. He was trying not to cry. It was so obvious that even a blind man could tell. "Sonic, I need you to breathe," Shadow spoke in a controlled tone as he stepped closer to Sonic. He crouched down in front of the hedgehog, their gazes meeting in what must have been the most docile way they ever had since their rivalry had begun.