A New Threat

Chapter 2

The uneasiness and hesitation in Sonic's voice forced Shadow to stop watching the TV. He turned his gaze over to his blue lover, wondering what made him this way. "Is there something wrong?" Shadow asked. Sonic takes a deep breath before raising his shame-filled eyes up to meet Shadow's confused gaze. "Sonic, what's wrong?" Shadow now demanded. His stomach twisted in subconscious fear. Sonic looked Shadow up and down before responding in a small voice.

"Look, Shadow... I don't really know how to break this to you, but..." Sonic stops, his heart racing in his chest. "Shadow... I'm not... happy in this relationship anymore." Shadow's heart slowed to a near stop.

"What... What do you mean?" But Shadow knew exactly what he meant. He just couldn't bring himself to accept it. His life was now just about perfect. He thought he had everything he ever wanted and needed, but now? Now his entire world was breaking before his very eyes as Sonic continued.

"What I'm trying to say is... I want a divorce." Numb. That's all Shadow felt as the statement echoed in his mind. He couldn't say anything as he stumbled out of the house, Sonic faintly calling for him. The world slowed as a dull ringing replaced every little sound in the world. The road in front of Sonic's house shifted into the dark colors of his own living room. He collapses, salty tears burning his eyes as they left hot trails on his muzzle. No sound left him as the world faded to a simple black and white.

~~~~~~~

A week has passed since the divorce. Since the signing of the papers and agreeing on the agreements. Shadow laid in his bed, which was a beautiful rose color. His blinds were shut, letting little light into his dark room. He hasn't talked to anyone since the divorce, and he didn't need to check the news to know that the secret was out. Sonic and Shadow the Hedgehog, divorced. After almost three years. Did Shadow do something wrong? What did he do wrong? Why? Shadow's heart was shattered into more pieces then when he first started to date Sonic. Then when Maria died. He died then. He dies a thousand times over now.

The pain was so unbearable that Shadow eventually felt nothing. No motivation, no sadness, no anger. Nothing. Shadow's phone buzzed on the nightstand and he instinctively grabbed it. He lazily brings up the screen to see 'Rouge' in white text. With a dead press of his thumb, he answered though not enthusiastically. "Hey," he mumbled.

"Hey hon. Are you okay?" Rouge asked, her voice coated with worry. Shadow doesn't respond, only a small grunt leaving his lips. Rouge sighs. "Shadow, I know that you're upset, but-."

"Upset?" Shadow suddenly cried out. "You think that I'm merely 'upset'?" A sudden anger filled his head as he gripped the phone harshly. "For once, Rouge, just for once I was actually living a happy life. Sonic made me happy, made me smile. But after everything, after three fucking years, he just decides to split up? Oh, and for what reason? Because he doesn't feel the same spark anymore?" Shadow panted as the black and white of his world turned to several deadly shades of red. Rouge doesn't respond, only taking a deep breath.

"I'll... leave you alone for awhile, 'kay? I'll call you back in a few days," she sighed before ending the call. Shadow growled before throwing his phone across his room with a roar. It shattered effortlessly, several technological pieces crumbling to the floor. Tears streamed down Shadow's face once more, but not from sadness. He didn't even notice the tears until he went to cover his face, ready to rip off the skin that hid his inner self. He falls back onto his bed, closing his eyes as he let the tears of anger continue. He didn't try to calm himself, instead feeding the fire that burned feverishly within him.

His body started to burn and he started to grind his teeth. His claws bit into his bed and he couldn't help the murderous rage that destroyed his entire room.

~~~~~~~

Another week has passed and Shadow's situation has all but worsen. Shadow went outside of his house once and he was bombarded by news reporters and people that just absolutely hated him for whatever reason. Some of the many reasons is because he's gay, the fact that he married Sonic and not some annoying female did also agitated them, and the fact that Shadow 'broke Sonic's heart' though it's very much the other way around. Shadow crossed a TV during his depressing trek and saw Sonic on the news. From his expression, he looked to be heartbroken as the news asked him questions about the marriage, about Shadow, and about the divorce but Shadow knew better.

That was the look of pure shame and hidden humiliation. Shadow scowled slightly before making his way to Rouge's club, but before he could even cross the street, some random bitch came up and slapped him. Hard, too. Before Shadow was even able to get a bearing, she started screeching in his ear, telling him how bad of a husband he was to Sonic and that he should just kill himself. Shadow wasn't too much bothered by the woman telling him to kill himself, but once the people around him started to agree, throwing their own insults and threats at him, he started to feel small. Insignificant. Nothing.

Shadow quickly teleported back to his home, though their hateful words attached to his already absent mind. He simply stared into the dark recesses of his own home; how much it reflected his own soul. With his heart dully thudding in the background, Shadow silently trudged upstairs where he collapsed onto his bed. He didn't sleep. He didn't even close his eyes as the day slowly turned to night. He didn't feel the same exhaustion from before.  He just felt like... "A droid. A meaningless robot. That's all I've ever been. I could just be replaced by someone, or something better."