The one who stayed //Sonadow//

Chapter three.

Shadow wasn't completely bothered by Sonic's sudden mood change. He thought it was just him showing his bitterness for losing his first race with the dark hedgehog. Could Shadow blame him? Hardly. The hero took even such a small game very seriously and he always tried to succeed at it.

The blue hedgehog narrowed his eyes at the dark one, an obvious pain swirling in his emerald orbs. That look only lasted a few seconds before Sonic turned away, waving his hand as he uttered a quick "bye."

This struck a nerve in Shadow. He narrowed his eyes as the speedster walked away and he had the urge, against his better judgement, to stop him from getting away. Something was clearly bothering the hero and the ultimate life form wanted to figure it out.

Shadow quickly stood in Sonic's path, earning a dark glare. "What?" the hero grumbled, his voice snappy. "Clearly something is bothering you, what is it?" Shadow questioned.

Sonic's pointed ears flattened as he averted his eyes from concerned crimson ones. "Nothing...I'm fine...why would Sonic the Hedgehog ever have anything else to say but to smile and wave" this was said with an audible groan. It seemed to worry Shadow even more.

"You are far from fine" the charcoal colored hedgehog crossed his arms, "it sounds like you're tired of the image you've made for yourself."

Something that Shadow said brightened Sonic's mood slightly as he raised his emerald eyes to meet crimson ones. It was almost as if the fact that someone was listening to the hero talk, and understanding it, seemed to trigger something in him. Like actually someone cared.

"Maybe I am..." Sonic mumbled.

"Then change it...show everyone who you really are." Shadow replied.

The speedster rolled his eyes, waving Shadow off. "That I'm what? That I was supposed to be a 'foo foo' prince who never got a drop of adventure?"

The ultimate life form shook his head, unamused by the way Sonic threw words around like they were pointless. He had a chip on his shoulder and it was becoming hard for Shadow to keep calm around him. "Prince or not, hero or not, it's not about what you were born into but who you are as a person"

Sonic's eyes gleamed for a moment at Shadow's words before it faded. "That's just it..." he mumbled as he started to walk around the dark hedgehog "I'm nothing..."

Something snapped in Shadow at those words escaping the speedster's lips, and before Sonic could get away, Shadow grabbed his arm.

"You're far from nothing." The ultimate life form told the blue hero sternly, not letting him go.

"What would you know?" Sonic asked as he stood frozen, his arm stiffening because of Shadow's grip. "I know that you are extremely lucky to have people who care for you and have those who actually like you" he pulls Sonic around so he can stare directly into his emerald eyes, "don't take that for granted and don't start telling me your nothing"

Sonic's eyes widened as a dark blush burned his cheeks. "O-Ok..."

Shadow didn't seem convinced. "You're not nothing, you understand?" he questioned and his stare never left the hero, his eyes showing how serious he had become. "Y-Yes." Sonic replied. His feet unconsciously moving so he was closer to the dark hedgehog.

"Good" Shadow nodded as he trailed his hand down Sonic's arm, grabbing his hand instead. This seemed to snap Sonic back into reality and he tugged his hand away. "W-Well I should go...someone might need saving."

The ultimate life form looked away, keeping his feelings tucked under a blank face. "Then go" he told Sonic. The blue blur nodded, "I-I will" and before he left he looked back at the dark hedgehog "goodbye Shadow..."

"Bye Sonic" he showed off a smirk before the hero bolted.

Sonic the Hedgehog ran away from the ultimate life form, and once he was far enough away, he stopped and leaned his back against a tree. He ran his hand over his quills as a blush, as dark as the crimson eyes that plagued the hero's mind, creeped along his face.

"Chaos...why does he do that to me?" he whispered to himself.

Why did Shadow say those words? Telling Sonic that he wasn't nothing? Why did it make his heart pound unnaturally in his chest?

He needed to think of something else, anything. Sonic couldn't understand his swirling thoughts so he threw them away, running towards his house to escape from it all. "Just think of something else Sonic..." he coached himself as he bolted into his house.

He didn't even check if he had closed his front door as he jumped on his bed, curling up into a ball on the wrinkled sheets.

His hands shook as he pulled the covers up, holding them near his chin. "It was like in that moment i...i..loved him..." the speedster whispered. That thought made Sonic's heart beat faster.

Sonic wasn't ready to love yet, let alone love Shadow the Hedgehog.

Shadow was created to be the ultimate lifeform. Strong, capable, steady, and willing. Some say he is like a time bomb, one wrong move and he can unleash a power so strong you won't stand a chance. Some say he is heartless, a being without emotion.

Was that really true? Was Shadow really heartless? Did he really live in a world where he could go around and not feel a thing?

Shadow was a mystery wrapped in a thick shell that no one could break, Sonic knew that. But why was it, whenever he was around, Shadow seemed to loosen up just a little?

Just a smirk or a happy gleam in his crimson eyes was enough to tell Sonic that he was reaching Shadow's soft side, a side that no one has ever been able to see. So why did Shadow want him to leave almost constantly?

Once he got around that obstacle Sonic was able to make the dark hedgehog forget that he even wanted him gone, but that didn't explain why he always held that hard glare and told Sonic to leave beforehand.

Was the hero really that much of a nuisance to the hedgehog? Did he just want some time to himself for once? There was no answer that seemed to satisfy the curious speedsters mind.

Sonic sighed and closed his eyes but something caught his attention; it was the sound of someone walking outside. The blue hedgehog got up and peaked out his window, surprised to see Shadow walking by.

The ultimate life form seemed completely lost in thought to notice Sonic watching him from his window.

The sun was just setting and the bright colors reflected off the dark hedgehogs black and ruby red coat, making him look peaceful. It was moments like these that Sonic saw a different side to the so called emotionless being. It was a side that told the hero that he actually cared.

Sonic smiled weakly as he watched Shadow walk away, fading into the distance as he made his way home. With a simple sigh the hero pulled away from the window, his thoughts still spinning as he laid back down on his bed. He pulled his covers up over his head and sighed.

"But does he really want me to leave him alone?" the speedster questioned, letting his thoughts fade away as he closed his eyes. He fell asleep early that night with thoughts of the ultimate life form in his dreams.