Baby Sonic One-Shots

Being Dad Part 2: Bath

It took a while, but eventually, Shadow got Sonic to eat...the majority of his supper. Which was a small victory, if one had low expectations.
Now that the dishes were done, Shadow and Sonic were on the couch in the living room, watching tv.
The game was on, but Shadow found out rather quickly that Sonic wasn't interested in football. So they were watching a NASCAR race instead. Something that Shadow didn't really mind. NASCAR beat the crap out of Bob the Builder or Sesame Street.
About halfway through the race, Sonic yawned big and crawled into his adoptive fathers lap.
Shadow stiffened and looked down at the tiny hedgehog resting his little head against his chest.
Shadow must have fallen asleep in cuddling 101 because he'd, frankly, never done it before. Especially not with any kid. So at first, he just sat there, uncertain as to what he should do, what a normal person would do.
Sonic mumbled something and fidgeted, then looked at Shadow's arm, which was resting on the sofa's arm. He grabbed it and hugged it to his little chest, squeezing his eyes shut.
Shadow's eyes widened a tiny bit, even more confused now. "Are you ok, buddy?"
"Mhm." He mumbled, snuggling closer.
Shadow smiled and slowly, hesitantly, wound his other arm around the little blue hedgehog and rubbed small circles into his azure quills.
Sonic sighed contentedly.
A few minutes later, Shadow could hear gentle snoring coming from the 5 year old.
Switching off the tv, Shadow stood, careful not to disturb the slumbering toddler.
He took him up the stairs and hung a left to the bathroom. Sonic mumbled sleepily, his eyes opening. "Wasshapnin?"
"Time for a bath." Shadow said, setting Sonic down on the edge of the tub, not noticing the sudden alertness in the young hedgehogs eyes. The second he let go, Sonic took off.
For a moment, he only crouched there. Then he snapped his fingers. B word. B for bath. Why could the social worker not just come out and say bath?! He stood and walked out of the bathroom. "Sonic! Come on out you little faker!"
A small blue blur shot down the stairs.
Shadow frowned and went after him, hitting the bottom of the stairs and racing after the little guy.
Sonic glanced over his shoulder and squealed, then dove, sliding across the floor on his belly under the couch.
Shadow stopped a millisecond before he hit the couch and got down on his knees, peering under the sofa.
Sonic looked right back at him with wide eyes.
Shadow grinned. "Gotcha!" He nabbed the kid before he could make another run for it.
"I don't wanna take a bath!" Sonic shouted.
"Too bad." Shadow gripped him tighter and ran back up the stairs.
When he got there, he shut the door first, then turned on the water, keeping a firm hold on the toddler.
Sonic kicked and squirmed, but couldn't get free, finally, he gave up and slumped in his adoptive fathers arms.
Shadow took advantage of the moment of cooperation and pulled his little shoes and socks off.
Once the tub was filled, he lowered Sonic into the water, resulting in the little guy renewing his struggling.
"Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!"
"Sonic, cut it out!" Shadow scolded.
"Come on, Shadow! I don't take to water!" Little Sonic cried.
Shadow ignored him and rubbed shampoo into his quills.
"Gaaaaaaaaaah!" Sonic screeched when Shadow held him under the running water coming out of the tap to rinse. The same battle ensued with the conditioner. In one word, notfun.
The whole thing was one big fight in which Sonic cussed and squalled and kicked, and at the end of it, there was just as much water on the floor as there had been in the tub to begin with.
Fed up, Shadow wrapped the still struggling toddler in a towel so he could hardly move his arms and took him to his bedroom. There, he tossed the kid onto the race car shaped bed and stomped back out to clean up the mess in the bathroom.

10 minutes later, when Shadow had finally gotten all the water off the floor of the bathroom, he went downstairs, wanting something cold and numbing. When he reached the kitchen, he opened up the fridge, but the squeak of a small pair of sneakers on tile made him turn around.
Sonic stood there in the doorway, rocking back on his heels and looking down at his shoes sheepishly.
Shadow noticed that the laces weren't done up and made a mental note that he'd have to teach the kid to tie his own shoes.
The little guys quills were all messy and dripping water on the floor.
"Sonic?" Shadow said, walking over.
Sonic's little shoulders tensed and he stopped rocking on his heels.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Shadow knelt in front of him and raised his chin with his thumb.
Sonic looked at him with watery eyes. "I'm sorry."
Shadow froze. His mind went blank. Sonic. Apologizing?!
Sonic started crying for real. "I'm sorry I got water on the floor! An I'm sorry I ran away an I'm sorry I didn't eat all my supper!" He cried. "Please don't send me away!"
Shoot! The kid must have heard all that muttering he'd been doing while he cleaned up the bathroom.
"Hey, hey, it's-it's ok buddy." Shadow said uncertainly, not actually having a lot of experience in comforting a crying child.
Sonic sniffled and rubbed a hand across his eyes. "Really?"
"Of course." Shadow said assuringly. "I'll never send you away."
Sonic gave him a small smile, then wrapped his arms around Shadow's neck and squeezed. "I love you dad!"
Shadow startled a little at that simple little word. Dad. He'd been thinking a lot about that word lately, but this was the first he'd heard it come out of Sonic's mouth. For a moment he just crouched there, stiff, then slowly, hugged the little form back. "I love you too buddy."