Work Text:
shadow is sad, sonic is glad
Shadow the Hedgehog stood on the highest peak of Angel Island, staring wistfully at the horizon. The sun was setting, painting the sky in vibrant hues of orange and pink, but Shadow’s mood was as gloomy as a thundercloud.
“Why must life be so cruel?” he muttered to himself. “All I wanted was some peace… and a decent chili dog. But no, Rouge ate the last one.”
He sighed, his dramatic brooding interrupted by the sound of someone approaching. Before he could turn around, a gust of wind blew past him, nearly knocking him off balance.
“Yo, Shadow!” Sonic the Hedgehog’s cheerful voice rang out as he appeared out of nowhere, a half-eaten chili dog in hand.
Shadow glared at him. “Do you have to be so loud? Some of us are trying to wallow in existential despair.”
Sonic raised an eyebrow, taking another bite of his chili dog. “Existential despair? Sounds like a bad case of no-friends-itis. What’s eating you, Shads?”
“Don’t call me that,” Shadow snapped. “And nothing’s ‘eating’ me. I’m perfectly fine.”
“Uh-huh,” Sonic said, unconvinced. He flopped down on the grass beside Shadow, ignoring the other’s death glare. “You look like someone ran over your favorite Chaos Emerald.”
Shadow huffed, crossing his arms. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me,” Sonic said, grinning.
Shadow hesitated, then muttered, “It’s… lonely being the Ultimate Lifeform.”
Sonic blinked, then burst out laughing. Shadow’s glare intensified.
“What’s so funny?”
“It’s just…” Sonic wiped a tear from his eye. “You’re moping about being ‘too ultimate’? Dude, that’s the most Shadow thing I’ve ever heard.”
Shadow growled, but Sonic’s laughter was oddly contagious. A small smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth before he could stop it.
“There it is!” Sonic pointed at Shadow’s face triumphantly. “A smile! You do have one!”
“Don’t push your luck, hedgehog,” Shadow muttered, but the smirk remained.
Sonic leaned back, hands behind his head, and grinned. “You know, Shads, life doesn’t have to be so serious all the time. You’ve got me, after all.”
Shadow raised an eyebrow. “And that’s supposed to make me feel better?”
“Hey, I’m a pretty great friend,” Sonic said, winking. “And who knows? Maybe I’ll even share my chili dogs with you. Sometimes.”
shadow rolled his eyes but found himself oddly comforted by Sonic’s presence
“You’re insufferable,” he said, but his tone lacked its usual bite.
“And you’re gloomy,” Sonic shot back, finishing his chili dog. “Guess we balance each other out, huh?”
For the first time in a long while, Shadow felt a flicker of something other than sadness. Maybe Sonic was right. Maybe being glad wasn’t such a bad thing after all
the two hedgehogs sat in companionable silence as the sun descended below the horizon, the stars beginning to twinkle in the night sky.
Shadow glanced at Sonic, who was already dozing off with a faint smile on his face.
“Maybe life’s not so bad,” he murmured.
And for once, Shadow didn’t feel sad.
he was glad…
fin~