Innocence (Sonadow)

Chapter 19

Silence rang through the bathroom.

Shadow shut his eyes and hung his head in shame, releasing small sobs.

He never should've said anything. Now the blue hedgehog was probably mad at him.

"... Shadow."

"Please don't be mad!" The ebony hedgehog suddenly blurted out, bursting into tears. "I don't know how it happened, it just did!"

"Shadow…"

"I'm sorry! I'm so confused, and scared, and it's hard for me to make sense of my feelings, I just know that I love you! Please, please, please don't be mad!

"Shadow…"

Suddenly, a pair of warm peach arms wrapped themselves around the trembling body of the sobbing hedgehog, pulling him into a tight hug. Shadow hugged back and screamed into the chest of his savior, having trouble controlling his emotions. That's when Sonic pulled him out of the tub and began pacing in the bathroom with him, whispering soothing sweet nothings in his ear as he gently bounced him in his arms, petting his quills back as he tried to calm him down.

"Shhhhhhhh. Shhhhhhh. It's ok. It's ok. Shhhhhhh. It's ok. I'm not mad. I'm not mad. I could never be mad at you, especially over something like that. Shhhhhhhhhh."

Suddenly, Shadow began to feel sick. His cries turned into violent coughs, sounding wet and mucusy. His face was flushed red and his eyes were bloodshot. His body started to convulse with each cough.

Knowing what was happening, Sonic quickly rushed to the toilet and lifted the lid up, helping Shadow bend over it as his body suddenly rejected this morning's breakfast, all of it falling out of his mouth and into the bowl.

Shadow couldn't recall ever throwing up before, probably because he was never fed enough to do so.

He hated it.

Sonic rubbed soothing circles over Shadow's back as the ebony continued to puke, cooing sympathetically.

"You poor thing, you're stressing yourself out." He cooed.

Shadow gave one more cough and a tiny burp before he finally felt better enough to push away from the toilet, cuddling into Sonic's arms once more, sniffing lightly. The azure hedgehog reached up to the handle and pressed down on it, flushing the mess away before going back to holding the young-minded hedgie.

"Are you ok?" He asked him gently. Instead of answering vocally, Shadow just nodded, nuzzling into Sonic's fur, his eyes squeezed shut.

"Shadow… you know I'm not mad, right?"

There was a pause before Shadow nodded again.

"I'm not mad, Shadow. I'm flattered that you say you love me… but you can't possibly know that."

"W-what?" Shadow gasped, looking up into those green eyes in shock.

"Think about it, Shads." Sonic sighed. "We just met yesterday. We barely know anything about each other, if not at all. You may think you love me, but in reality, I'm sure you just love the fact I rescued you."

"N-no, that's not true!" Shadow whimpered, tears falling down his face again. "I-I love you, I know I do! I get so flustered around you, and at the same time, I feel safe with you. I love the little nicknames you give me, and it feels wrong when somebody else, like Rouge, tries to call me them. I love your little kisses, and how you're so caring towards me. I love how you're so understanding and you don't get mad at me even when I feel like I deserve it. I love you, Sonic!"

"Shadow… look at me, little one." Sonic gently held Shadow's chin and made him look at him. "I am flattered that you think that way. Truly I am. But Shadow you're too young-minded to even think about what true love even means. I have no doubt that you have feelings for me, but I doubt it's love. You may have a crush on me… but you don't love me."

Shadow felt his heart shatter. Sonic didn't believe he actually loved him, and that left an empty feeling filling his heart. Could it be that Sonic was denying it because he didn't feel the same way? It made him want to cry again.

Sonic stared into those ruby eyes filled with hurt and confusion, tears streaming out of their ducts, and he couldn't help but feel bad. This little thing truly thought he was in love, but he was just too young to know what that means.

Still, it didn't mean he couldn't have a crush.

"You know, I'll tell you what," Sonic sighed, gaining the ebony's attention once more. "Let's give it a couple weeks. Let's get to know each other a little better, start you on some lessons to bring your education up to date, and if you still feel the same way about me then, maybe I'll consider it."

"C-consider what?" Shadow asked curiously.

"Consider being your boyfriend. But you gotta give it time until then, ok?"

"... ok." Shadow nodded determinedly.

He could do this. He could wait. He was just glad that Sonic was giving him a chance.