Broken Rivals

A World Apart

The days following the battle passed in a blur, but for Sonic, everything felt heavier than usual. The wind still rushed past him as he dashed through the open fields outside Central City, but his heart wasn't in it. No matter how fast he ran, no matter how many miles he put between himself and the city, he couldn't escape the thoughts spinning in his head.

He couldn't escape him.

Shadow.

Sonic's hands clenched into fists as he leapt over a small ravine, landing effortlessly on the other side. Normally, the speed, the freedom of running through the wilderness, would clear his mind. It would remind him why he did what he did—why he kept moving forward. But now, for the first time in his life, running wasn't enough.

That last confrontation with Shadow had left something unsettled in him, like a weight he couldn't shake. They'd fought before, of course. Countless times. But this wasn't like their usual spats. This wasn't about who was faster or stronger.

It was about something deeper. Something he hadn't wanted to admit.

"Maybe this whole thing—working together—was a mistake."

His own words echoed in his mind, making his stomach churn. He hadn't meant it, not really. But in the heat of the moment, with the tension between them boiling over, it had just... slipped out. And now he couldn't take it back. Not without facing Shadow again.

Sonic slowed to a stop near a cliff overlooking the ocean, the salty air filling his lungs as he stared out at the vast, endless water. The setting sun painted the sky in shades of orange and purple, but even that didn't calm the storm inside him.

He'd never been good at slowing down, at facing his emotions. He wasn't like Shadow, who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders every day. Sonic had always kept things light, always moved forward without looking back. But Shadow had forced him to stop. To think. And that scared him more than any battle ever could.

"You're always running, Sonic. But what are you running toward?"

He'd hated that question. Not because it wasn't fair, but because he didn't have an answer. For the first time in his life, he didn't know what he was running toward—or who.

Meanwhile, miles away in the darkened heart of a forest, Shadow stood at the base of a towering tree, his crimson eyes reflecting the pale light of the moon. His breathing was steady, his mind focused, as he went through the motions of his nightly routine—combat drills, speed tests, anything to distract himself.

But no matter how much he trained, how hard he pushed his body, his mind kept drifting back to that moment—back to Sonic.

He'd saved him. He didn't know why, but when that blast was about to hit, his body had moved before he could think. He'd thrown himself in front of Sonic, as if it had been the most natural thing in the world. As if protecting him had been instinctual.

And he hated it.

Shadow delivered a brutal punch to the trunk of the tree, the impact sending splinters flying. His breathing was ragged now, his frustration bubbling to the surface. It wasn't just about the battle. It was about everything that had happened since then—the argument, the tension, the way Sonic had looked at him before walking away.

"You don't trust anyone, do you?"

Sonic's words echoed in his mind, gnawing at him like an open wound. Shadow had tried to convince himself that it didn't matter. That Sonic didn't matter. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't ignore the truth.

Sonic had gotten under his skin.

For years, they'd been rivals, fighting for different reasons, clashing over different ideals. But ever since they'd started working together, ever since they'd been forced to rely on each other, something had changed. Sonic wasn't just another obstacle to overcome anymore. He wasn't just the carefree, cocky hero Shadow had always seen him as.

He was something more.

And that terrified Shadow.

The moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting a cold, silver glow over the clearing. Shadow leaned against the tree, his fists still clenched, his thoughts racing.

He wasn't used to feeling like this—like he wasn't in control. He wasn't used to caring about someone else's opinion, someone else's presence. But now, no matter how much he tried to push Sonic out of his mind, he couldn't.

Sonic had forced him to confront something he'd buried long ago. Something he hadn't allowed himself to feel since Maria.

And that was why he had to stay away.

Back in Central City, life had returned to normal—or at least, as normal as it ever got. The streets were busy, people rushing to and fro, unaware of the battles that had been fought in their name. But Sonic wasn't part of that bustle. Not today. Instead, he found himself at Tails' workshop, the usual hum of machinery filling the air.

Tails looked up from his desk, tools scattered around him, as Sonic entered the room.

"Hey, Sonic! What's up? You look... well, kind of out of it."

Sonic tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, I'm just... thinking."

Tails raised an eyebrow. "Thinking? That's a new one."

Sonic chuckled, but it was weak. He walked over to the window, staring out at the distant horizon. "Yeah, I know. It's not really my thing."

There was a pause, and Tails set down his wrench, his expression softening. "This is about Shadow, isn't it?"

Sonic tensed, but he didn't deny it. "Yeah."

Tails walked over, standing beside him. "I figured. You two haven't exactly been getting along lately."

Sonic sighed, running a hand through his quills. "It's more than that. We had this... fight. And now, I don't know, everything feels different. Like we're not just rivals anymore, but I don't know what we are either."

Tails gave him a thoughtful look. "You care about him, don't you?"

Sonic's chest tightened at the question. He wasn't used to talking about his feelings—especially not about Shadow. But there was no point in denying it. Not to Tails.

"Yeah," Sonic admitted, his voice quiet. "I do."

Tails nodded, placing a reassuring hand on Sonic's shoulder. "Then maybe it's time you stopped running and figured out what that means."

Sonic stared out the window, his mind racing. He didn't have the answers yet. But one thing was clear—he couldn't keep avoiding this. He couldn't keep avoiding Shadow.

Across the forest, Shadow stood alone in the quiet darkness, the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him. He had always believed that solitude was his strength—that by keeping others at arm's length, he could remain focused, unburdened by the complexities of emotion.

But Sonic had shattered that illusion.

And now, standing here, miles away from the city, from the chaos, from Sonic, Shadow realized something.

No matter how far he ran, he couldn't escape the truth.

He cared about Sonic.

But caring meant vulnerability, and vulnerability was a weakness he couldn't afford. Not now. Not ever.

But as much as he tried to convince himself of that, as much as he tried to suppress the feelings stirring inside him, he couldn't shake the truth.

He didn't just care about Sonic.

He needed him.