Future-Past

Maybe Not Just A Bump In The Road

The house was quiet, other than the slight tapping sounds of a certain hedgehog drumming his fingers on the tabletop. He let out a tired sigh. He had been up all night waiting for Shadow to come home.

He never did.

Sonic had tried to call him several times until he realized the dark hedgehog turned off his phone since it went straight to voicemail. He had called Rouge earlier to ask her if she knew where Shadow had run off to. She didn't. He didn't call anyone else since Shadow never went to anyone, other than Rouge and himself when he was upset.

Sonic folded his arms on the table to rest his head on. Shadow would come home when he feels like it. But who knows how long that will take? There was a low-pitched ringing coming from his phone. He snatched it up quick, hoping it was Shadow calling him back. It wasn't. But he wasn't too disappointed at who answered.

Tails' chipper voice came through the speaker.

"Hey, Tails. Not too good." The blue hedgehog said tiredly.

Tails said with concern. Leave it to Tails to always figure him out that quickly.

"I didn't really get much sleep last night..."

"... Uhh." He let out another sigh. He couldn't tell Tails what was going on. He was only six, he wouldn't understand. "Nothing. Just couldn't sleep is all."

"Oh. Then maybe you should take a nap."

"Yeah. I'll pick you up at four okay. Make sure you have all your stuff ready."

"Okay, see you later, Sonic!" The line clicked off. Sonic sighed again dropping his phone on the table.

"Maybe Tails is right, I should take a nap."

"You sound like you need one."

The sudden voice startled him into almost falling out of the chair. He quickly scrambled off the chair. "Shadow." He said, voice almost inaudible. He crossed the distance between them and enveloped the darker hedgehog in an embrace. He pulled back to look him in the eyes. "Where have you been? I was waiting all night for you..."

"I told you I was getting some air." Was Shadow's cold sounding answer.

"Seriously? You've been gone for hours!" He realized he was starting to yell, so he calmed down a bit. "... I was worried about you."

"Don't be." Shadow brushed past him into the kitchen. Sonic followed him.

"What do you mean? I'm not supposed to worry when my boyfriend disappears in the middle of the night?"

Shadow turned on the blue hedgehog, making him take a step back. "That's exactly what I mean."

"Shadow, why are you acting like this?"

"I'm not acting like anything!" The dark hedgehog said with a growl.

"Yes, you are. All we've been doing is arguing and frankly, I'm sick of it."

"Yeah? Well, I'm starting to get sick of you!"

"How could you say that?"

"I don't know, maybe I meant it!"

That made Sonic stare at Shadow in disbelief. When Shadow realized the other wasn't going to say anything, he started walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Sonic followed after him.

"Out."

"Shadow, don't leave again. Please." Sonic grabbed Shadow's arm.

"Let me go, hedgehog." Shadow only called him that when he was really mad at him.

"Shadow-" Sonic pleaded again.

"I said, let go!"

The action was quick, almost as if it didn't happen. One moment he was holding on to Shadow. The next, he was sitting on the ground, holding his cheek. Shadow punched him. Like, seriously punched him. Hard enough that it will probably bruise. They were both shocked.

"Sonic-"

"You hit me," Sonic said quietly.

"I didn't mean t-"

"You actually hit me." He said a bit louder.

"Sonic." Shadow moved towards him to help him up.

"Don't." Sonic stopped him. "Just... just leave." He looked up at him, eyes sad and glistening with tears. Not from the pain, but the fact that Shadow hit him. "That's what you wanted right? Just go."

Shadow wanted to say something but decided not to.

Sonic heard a door close a few moments later. That's when he started crying. "... I can't do this anymore..."