Frostbitten

Chapter 10 - Doubts

After traveling through the portal, Blaze and Silver headed to her castle while Shadow stuck with Sonic and Tails. Blaze tried to focus on Silver's mission briefing, but her gaze kept drifting back to Shadow. His cold detachment since her arrival perplexed her.

"Blaze? Did you hear me?" Silver asked.

"Hmm? Oh, apologies," Blaze said, tearing her eyes away from Shadow's retreating form.

Silver crossed his arms. "You seem distracted. Is everything okay?"

"It's nothing, I just..." Blaze bit her lip. "Shadow's been acting strangely distant. I wonder if something happened before I arrived."

Silver shifted uncomfortably. "Eh, you know Shadow. He's probably just focused on the mission."

Blaze nodded uncertainly. She knew Shadow could be aloof, but this felt different. His dark aura unsettled her.

As they reached the castle, Blaze made a decision. After a quick rest, she would seek out Shadow and get to the bottom of this. Something weighed heavily on him; she was certain of it. And if there was any way she could help ease that burden, she had to try.

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Shadow remained aloof as he walked with Sonic and Tails, lost in his thoughts. Sonic studied his friend worriedly. This closed-off, brooding Shadow reminded him too much of the troubled hedgehog's past self.

As Tails fiddled with a tracking sensor, Sonic fell into step beside Shadow. "Hey, you doing okay? You seem...off."

Shadow glanced at him sharply. "I'm fine. We have a mission to focus on."

Sonic wasn't convinced. "Come on, talk to me. Ever since you started seeing Blaze, you've been opening up more. But now you're shutting down again."

Shadow clenched his jaw, looking away.

Sonic placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't retreat back into the darkness, Shadow. We're your friends, let us help you."

For a moment Shadow was silent. Then he sighed deeply, some of the tension leaving his frame. "My quarrel is with Silver, not you. But his implications about my relationship with Blaze cut deeply."

Sonic nodded in understanding. "Hey, don't let him get to you. What matters is what you and Blaze feel for each other now."

Shadow managed to think his words over, but remained silent.

Even after opening up to Sonic, Shadow felt like an outsider as they arrived at Blaze's castle. The inhabitants welcomed Silver warmly, regarding Shadow with wary curiosity. He couldn't blame them - next to Silver, he must have looked like a monster.

As Blaze and Silver fondly discussed people and places from their shared history, Shadow withdrew further into himself. He stuck to the edge of the hall during the welcome dinner, speaking little.

Late into the night, plagued by doubts, Shadow slipped away unseen. He found solace in a secluded courtyard garden, finally able to breathe freely.

Leaning against a tree, Shadow wondered if he'd made a mistake coming here. Silver so clearly belonged in Blaze's world in a way Shadow never could. How could he compete with their years of close history?

Maybe he'd deluded himself into thinking someone like him deserved love. A wave of bitterness and self-loathing threatened to drown him. He should have known this fantasy would never last.

"Shadow?"

He turned to see Blaze approaching cautiously. Of course she had noticed his absence. Shadow closed his eyes in pained resignation.