Sonadow Oneshots

Stuck here with you

"You still owe me the rent." "I know..." "You've got debt from over here, too." "I know, I know!" It was Monopoly night and Sonic owed everyone money he didn't have. Again. Lately he'd gotten his rear end handed to him in every game the group of six played. Maybe it was recent lack of focus and interest.

As usual, Shadow was winning. He was always hard to get the better of when it came to intellectual, choice-making or strategic games such as chess. Maybe it was because he was so hard to read... The way he always seemed vaguely angry with his arms folded and his bright... garnet-colored eyes... "Er, Sonic..." And that inky black fur... "Sonic." And the pure white tuft of silky-looking fluff on his chest... "Sonic!" Knuckles's voice finally tore Sonic away from his thoughts.

"Hm?" His eyes shot up to see a very unamused Knuckles glaring back at him. "It's your turn." "Oh, yeah. Sorry." He shook his head a little to clear it, leaned forward, rolled the dice, moved his game piece a few spaces... and landed in Jail. But he could hardly have cared less about the game anymore. His body went back to slouching; his mind went back to Shadow. He didn't even notice the concern in Amy's tone as she cooed, "Sonic, is something wrong?"

"No," his uninterested answer came. She leaned in and lovingly stroked his quills. "Are you sure?" "Yes, Amy," he answered, half-annoyed, half-passive. She hated it when he ignored her like that, but for once she had the sense not to start anything in front of everyone and embarrass him, especially since there was no point. Still, he just seemed so distant lately...

The game continued for a few more hours. No one won, but Shadow had undebatably beaten everyone else. By 1 AM, they all started to head home. Tails was the first to leave, then Knuckles, Rouge, Amy... until Sonic and Shadow were the only ones left in the dimly-lit room. There was a long, drawn-out, almost painful silence between the two.

After what seemed like days, Shadow abruptly grabbed all the cards off the game board and dumped them into the box. "There's no point, it's late, you'll lose anyway," he droned, using a tone you'd expect from a bored teenager who'd been dragged to their little sibling's kindergarten play against their own will. Sonic just nodded and shut his eyes tight, forcing them not to stare at his pitch-dark "look-alike" at the opposite side of the granite coffee table.

Once the game had been all boxed up, he stood up straight and headed for the front door without a word. Sonic panicked a little; he wanted just a bit more time around Shadow. "Sh-Shadow, wait!" he blurted. Instantly, the one in question stopped in his tracks and looked back with an expression that said, 'this had better be pretty damn good.' "Er, Shadow..." he searched for words, stammering a little. "Why do you always seem so mad all the time? I've never once seen you without that look on your face." "What look?" He raised an eyebrow. "That one; the one that says, 'I'm just pissed at the world today.'" Shadow's only response was to roll his eyes and slam the door behind him.

Without thinking, Sonic sprang up and sped after him, following him down an unusually empty, silent sidewalk. "Hey! You didn't answer me." The hematite-pelted rodent beside him heaved an irritated sigh. "Dare I ask, why the Hell are you following me?" Taken aback, Sonic's ears folded down. "Jeez Shadow, can't you feel anything other than hate? Have you ever smiled once in your life?" Before a response could be made, a deafening gunshot was heard several yards away, across the stagnant street.

Both hedgehogs instinctively turned their attention toward the sound just in time to see a middle-aged armadillo wearing a black hoodie and bearing a pistol fleeing the scene, abandoning his victim, a silvery young dove woman. She clutched her chest, fell to the ground on her side, and ceased all motion.

Sonic was knelt by her side within a split second. He gently pressed a thumb to her wrist... and there was no pulse.

"Witness protection program?" Both hedgehogs disapproved of that the officer had just suggested. The hawk leaning forward a little, his arms folded neatly over his chest. "Yes. This criminal's been on the loose for years and has a knack for finding and murdering anyone he thinks may have been a witness to his crimes. I strongly suggest you take this precaution, at least until we get any leads." Shadow didn't at all like the idea of being taken care of by anyone but himself. "Where would we be relocated to?" he inquired.

"Unfortunately," the bird of prey started, putting his fingers to his temples and rubbing lightly, "We currently don't have the funding to send you both to two different places across the country, so-" "Where would you be sending us?" Shadow impatiently repeated the question with a light glare. "Fort Worth, Texas," the unshaken answer came. "You'd be staying with Miss Amber Taylor for what could be months or even a year, so this murderer can't get to you nearly as easily. "Amber Taylor?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "She's a single, middle-aged gray tabby with two kids in college. She makes a living with her own home business making and selling custom horse saddles."

Sonic was, again, hardly listening. All he'd heard was that he and Shadow would be in the same house for months or better yet, a year. Maybe even more! He was all for it. His counterpart was less enthusiastic, yet an unfamiliar feeling urged him to take the opportunity, for some unknown reason... "Fine. I'll go." "Same here," Sonic added quickly. "Alright then. I recommend you both go home, pack your bags, and get a good night's sleep. There's a flight to Fort Worth tomorrow at 3 PM. Your airfare will be paid in full, as well as the expenses for a rental car, which you can pick up on Friday at the time we'll give you. And personally," he finished, "try to get in some sightseeing while you're there. Texas has the most beautiful wide-open skies, and fair weather, this time of year." "We'll be sure to do that," Sonic nodded.