*Shadow's POV *
"Dad! Can we go swim?" Lea ran to me, Sonic was currently making lunch as I set the table for all of us. My ear flickered, I was not used to having the kids around or being called 'Dad'.
I looked at Sonic and he shrugged at me as if it was my choice. I knew Sonic didn't like the water so I'd have to be with them anyways. I stayed quiet for a bit then nodded.
"Sure but let's eat first." I said with a smile as the kids cheered, even Shade who was still very cautions around me. It hurt to see him act that way towards me but I had to accept it, just like I had to accept Sonics feelings.
I was not going to give up though, even if he moved on, I wasn't planning on going anywhere. I just want my family to be happy.
The family ate in silence but as soon as the kids finished eating, they went to change into swimwear. The tension between me and Sonic was growing but only when we were alone. He couldn't look me in the eyes and I was trying to give him his space.
I would be lying if I said it wasn't hurting me, it had been just a few days for me since I last held him and kissed him and even told him I loved him. Thankfully the kids were around and kept my mind distracted, and now I was able to to build a relationship with Shade.
"Can I take them off?" Shade came walking to me as he messed around with something in his wrists. He was pouting.
"No. We've talked about this." Sonic said as he walked towards us. "Your uncle said to keep them on."
"But I don't have any powers other than speed!" Shade groaned.
"Are those-?" I was cut off.
"Tails thought it would be a good idea to be prepared. In case he was like you, we didn't want him accidentally using too much so he made them for him. What do you think?" He asked but he wasn't looking at me.
"They look just like mine." I said as I showed Shade. "It's good to have them on, even if you don't think you have the same powers as I do, you never know and you don't want to hurt your siblings by accident." I petted him making him giggle.
"Okay..." He gave in and left to see his siblings.
"How long has he been wearing those?" I asked as I cleaned up the table.
"Since he turned 10. He accidentally threw a chaos spear at Mephiles once, I guess it was a traumatic experience for him because he doesn't seem to remember that he does have the same powers as you. Tails put a restriction on the rings to not let him use them until I could find a way to teach him how to safely do it." He sighed and drank his coffee. "I never could find anything to help me on that, do you think you could help him?"
"Of course." I nodded and washed the dishes. I wanted to keep talking to Sonic but the kids had already came back running excitedly saying they were ready to get in the water. I chuckled and nodded then went with them outside.
Sonic stayed inside and as I walked out, I took a glance back at him, he was crying again.
*Sonic's POV *
"Have you heard anything?" I asked Tails who had sneaked in to my room while Shadow and the kids were out.
"Why are you crying?" Tails asked and walked up to me then hugged me, I hugged back immediately.
"I don't think I can do this." I cconfessed. "I can't be around him anymore. My heart hurts when I see him, hear him, when I even hear his name and now I have to live with him like nothing ever happened? It hurts." I sobbed and hid my head on his shoulder. Tails moved us to sit down on the bed and he rubbed my back. "Where's your husband?" I asked.
"He's at the castle talking with Aleena, trying to see what is going to happen now." Tails said then changed the subject back to me and Shadow. "You don't love him anymore?"
"It's not that. I do love him. I really do but it's more complicated than that. He was dead for almost 12 years." I pulled away from the hug then laid down on the bed, looking up at the wall. "I was not able to move on during that time, my heart was broken, my mind was stuck in a loop, I've lost people before but losing Shadow was different."
Tails stayed quiet as he heard me ramble on. "I was a horrible father to my kids for a while, I hated Shade, couldn't even feed him, I neglected the twins too." I hated myself for this. "I didn't take care of myself, I let the twins see me that way and act that way towards them when it wasn't the kids fault."
"You're mad at Shadow?" Tails asked. "It's valid, he did-"
"No. I'm mad at myself. I hate myself. I did everything wrong. I couldn't move on. And I still haven't. I don't think... I'll ever be able to be with Shadow again." I confessed. "As much as I want to. This is too complicated." I hide my face in my hands. "I want to give my kids their family. But I feel like I'm slowly dying."
"Oh Sonic..." Tails hugged me again as he laid down beside me.
