Closeted🏳️‍⚧️ (Trans Sonic x Shadow)

Stuck in the closet

Shadow's POV

I didn't know how to react.

Faker had just told me that she- or he, I guess, was trans.
"Like Transfem or trans-"

"Transmasc Shadow, I'm....I guess you could say I'm a closeted transmasc..." He mumbled.

"So you wish to be referred to as he/him?" I asked.

"Yes! Please! Yes!" He gasped.

"Alright, now I don't see why you can't tell the fox about this." I stated.

"I know it sounds stupid but...I-I'm scared..." He muttered.

"Hero of Mobius, the self-proclaimed, fastest thing alive, is afraid?" I scoffed.

"I know you wouldn't understand..." He sighed.

I felt guilty for some reason, maybe I could try harder to understand him better. Maria always tells me to try and be nice to him, so why not give it a shot I guess?

"No, I don't, however I will try to. So you may keep talking."

He fidgeted nervously.
"I know this is a weird ask but could you hug me while I tell you? It, kinda makes me feel safe..."

I rolled my eyes and hugged him like I did originally.

"Better?" I asked.

"Mm. Yeah. I guess I was in the closet when I was 14..."

"I was still living with my mom and siblings, and Tails. I was just rising to fame as a hero and everyone knew me as the princess and heroine of Mobius... but I started to hate it. I wanted to throw up every time I looked in the mirror, I hate my body and my stupidly long quills. I wanted to be like Manic and Tails and be a guy, but I was afraid... I was afraid everyone would leave if I told them. You don't know how much my mom and my siblings and Tails mean to me Shadow. I was afraid that if I told them they would leave me behind, they would reject me. I'm scared to be alone so I never told anyone. I was planning on coming out later in life but I'm known all over now, and I'm afraid what people will think when the heroine they know isn't who she says she is..."

"Stop, right there." I said, interrupting him.

I let go of him in the hug and firmly hold onto his arms, staring straight into his glazed over eyes.

"You aren't comfortable in your own skin, that's not fair to you. And yet you uphold that discomfort because you're afraid people will leave? If they reject you because you're you, then they can go fuck themselves. Only true friends and family will support you no matter what. I mean, I do support you faker."

What am I saying?!? Why am I being nice to him?!? But I can't help but feel guilty for him...

"Thanks Shadow, but it's not as easy as you say it is." He said.

"Well, how about we start small... you've come out to me. Do you have a name in mind that you want to be called?" I asked.

His head jerked up and he thought about it for a second.

"Y-yeah, I do... I kinda wanted this to be my name when I first started realizing I'm trans..."

"Well, what is it? I wish to address you correctly when speaking to you."

"Pft, you call me, Blue, hedgehog, and Faker, you hardly ever call me by my name." He said, slightly laughing.

"Well I just might if I know what it is."

"Uhm, well, It's Sonic... I wanna be called Sonic."

I processed his name for a minute.
"Sonic, it's an interesting one, although it does match you. You sort of look like a Sonic. Alright, so, Sonic, how do you identify?"

"My pronouns are He/Him and I identify as Male." He said.

"Good, see? That's how you come out."

"Thanks Shadow."

"You're welcome, Sonic."

I helped him stand up and he brushed himself off.
"Pfft, I didn't actually know you could be nice like this, Shadow." He giggled, with a smile.

I rolled my eyes but slightly laughed.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me, faker."

He laughed, and then opened the door of the bathroom.
"Are you hungry or anything?" He asked.

I suppose I hadn't eaten yet, so I nodded.

"Okay, I can make some Mac and cheese! It's my second comfort food, aside from chili dogs."

I nodded as we walked downstairs, and then I was sitting at the table as he cooked Mac and cheese, with a mug of coffee in my hands.
I looked around.

I had never been in Sonic's house before, I do have to say it was quite nice.
The walls were painted either a pale yellow or a tealish blue. There were framed pictures of him and Tails and some others with his friends. There was a big picture that I recognized we all took after we defeated Infinite. I hadn't seen that Jackal in a while but apparently he was hanging around the rookie wolf, Gadget.
It was a large framed one, that had almost everyone in it. I saw myself in it even.
Sonic and the fox were in the front hugging the rookie, and Rose stood off the side, holding the hand of Blaze.
Me and Rouge were on the other side of Sonic and Tails. I hadn't smiled for the picture but it was a nice one with everyone. Now we just needed one with Maria in it.

"I remember when we took that picture..." I said, catching Sonic attention.

"Oh yeah! I can't believe Infinite even wanted to be part of it too!" He laughed.

I looked around the photo and spotted him behind the fox, his back sort of turned to the camera with a unamused look on his face.

"So, Sonic, I was thinking. You want to come out to everyone right?" I asked, looking over at him.

"Well, yeah, but I dunno if I can..." He said, pouring the cheese into the pot.

"I have an idea." I stated.

He turned away from the pot for a minute, staring at me as he mixed the macaroni.

"I shall help you come out. How about you and I go for some coffee tomorrow and I can invite my team to come. Rouge has a few transgender friends so it would be very surprising if she doesn't accept it. Midnight is less as judgmental and I think she mentioned once she had a trans cousin." I said.
"I know Maria better than anyone else and it's extremely hard for her to not like someone. And she thinks highly of you so she will accept you no matter what. Omega is.....well Omega. He's basically chill with whatever as long as it isn't a threat to him."

I heard him sigh and turn off the stove.

"Listen I know you're trying to help me Shadow, it's just....this is really hard and actually pretty scary...and well everyone is so used to 'Soraya' that I dunno if I should come out..." He sighed.

"Sonic, listen to me." I said getting up and placing my hands on his shoulders. "You are comfortable as you. If your friends can't accept that then they aren't your friends, okay?"

He looked up at me, and then gave that classic smile I was used to.

"Okay, I'll do it. How about tomorrow around lunchtime? I can come over to GUN and then we can go to this nice coffee shop I know about!" He said cheerfully.

I smiled and nodded.