Chapter Text
“Doctor.” His voice was tense over the intercom of the crab, a hard and firm instead of relieved tone.
Stone was tired, he was so tired, he wanted to go to sleep. He didn’t want to see Gerald Robotnik ever again in his entire damned life. He wanted to go back to before when no one had stolen the Doctor’s technology, he wanted to back to when there wasn’t yet another superpowered hedgehog on the loose. He wanted to never have ever agreed to work with his three worst enemies. He wanted his Doctor back.
Yet here was his Doctor standing at the door to their giant crab robot home, asking to be let in. He looked tired too, betrayed, just like Stone was. Through the camera feed Stone noticed Shadow behind him, holding the Doctor’s hand looking far too small for how powerful he was.
Stone did not feel as elated as he wanted to. It felt like betrayal, the Doctor had never left him behind like that before. He’d left, he’d insulted and been downright cruel, but he’d never replaced him, he’d never thought he was useless, he’d never replaced him. It was possible Stone’s absolute limit had been reached.
“Stone,” There it was though, Robotnik’s voice sounded so fucking relieved to hear him. He sounded like he was saying at last, I’m home, I’m safe. Stone took a sharp breath, resolve crumbling in mere seconds. “Can we come in?” Robotnik asked, broken and quiet.
Stone’s defences broke down, and whatever crazy thing he was going to do, such as telling Robotnik to go live with his stupid grandpa or shove his plans for world domination via evil hedgehog where the sun doesn’t shine, slipped away immediately. Shadow looked tired too, he didn’t think this other hedgehog was evil, he just looked tired, and sad. He looked like a kid, a kid who’d been through hell and back, and despite being older than Stone, he really was like a kid, he’d been frozen, never allowed to grow up. Whatever grievance he had with the Doctor didn’t extend to Shadow.
He'd been kind to Stone, staying with him the crab, he’d eaten guac with him and watched the Doctor’s silly shows. Stone could get used to having him around easily, at least he assumed Shadow was crashing here for a while, or else it made no sense why he was here. He’d helped Stone when Tails tried to flush them out, saving the crab before blasting off to God knows where.
That was bothering him too, what the hell had happened? Clearly, the two of them had a change of heart, yet not a word to Stone, and here they were crawling back.
It just took one more word for Stone to open the door, freezing his myriads of thoughts in their tracks, “please,” Robotnik said, voice even quieter. Stone knew that if he was really feeling like it, he would have already opened the door. He knew how to get in perfectly well, defences be damned, he was a super genius. Yet he wanted Stone to let him in, he wanted to be allowed back in their space, their home with their things and their plans and schemes.
“Of course, Doctor,” Stone replied softly, opening the door up properly and letting Robotnik through, he gave him a sad little smile. There was no apology from the Doctor, there was no further pleading, there was just a sad and defeated look. Shadow was still holding his hand just behind them. “Hi Shadow,” Stone said with a soft smile, giving him a little wave, Shadow looked up at him slightly surprised.
“Hello Agent Stone,” he replied, following the Doctor inside where Robotnik let go of him and immediately collapsed onto his armchair, the same exhausted look in his eyes from back then, when he’d just been defeated a second time. He hated seeing that look again, not when Stone had just finally gotten some of him back, his passion and drive. Going through that again would be a nightmare, not for Stone but for Robotnik. Stone wanted to ask what had happened, he looked over at Shadow who was standing there now with his arms crossed, he didn’t look like he wanted to talk about it and the Doctor certainly didn’t.
A crossroads. Stone was frustratingly in the dark with not a single apology or explanation from the Doctor, a random hedgehog on their hands, and a grandfather suspiciously absent. No orders, no nothing, not even a simple snappy insult explaining the state of things. ‘Well, the world’s about to explode you idiot,’ or ‘Geez, way to insult the dead you dingbat’ would suffice to explain anything at all.
Stone stood there for a moment, unwilling to do much of anything, he knew he needed to resubmerge the crab, there was likely still the hedgehog running around, not to mention the echidna and whatever Tails was. Fox, he was a fox, he had told him that in the abandoned lab.
He wondered how they were doing, had Shadow literally killed Sonic or what? It was likely they just went back to Green Hills, or wherever else they live nowadays. Stone kept tabs on them, he could check anytime he felt like it, but maybe that was a job for later that week. He had some cleaning to do, and some repairs on the crab to make, never a dull moment. Tails had done a number on it when he tried to flush them out.
“Latte?” He asked, a general question to Shadow and the Doctor. Robotnik made a vague grumbling noise of affirmation and suddenly Stone had a purpose again, and he obediently walked to the kitchen.
He had just set up the two cups when he looked down and found Shadow standing next to him, arms still folded looking vaguely unimpressed, so Stone silently got out another cup. “You drink coffee?” Stone asked, he really didn’t know what these guys ate or drank. It certainly wasn’t the diet of a regular hedgehog but then a regular hedgehog couldn’t run faster than any known thing in the universe. Shadow looked up at him, God he looked tired, Stone felt a pang of sympathy for the guy. He really knew very little about Shadow’s situation but from the way he dealt with anything, it couldn’t be good.
Even though working with the echidna hadn’t worked out, he hoped that Shadow would stick around. “I know about coffee.” He said, voice confident but quiet. Stone nodded at him, starting up the machine and starting the grinder. Shadow watched him, and was startled slightly when the noise of the machine began, “It is louder than other coffee.”
“Oh, did you drink drip, or French press? This one’s a bit different.” Stone asked idlily, realising just how much he didn’t know about this guy’s past. Obviously, they had gone to whatever freaky lab he had been kept him, they’d seen some of the things he had been surrounded by all those years ago, he could have sworn that him and Tails went past a kitchen, so he’d probably spent some time in there. Shadow didn’t reply to his question in the end, but Stone held out the portafilter filled with grinds to him. “Smells good right?” He said with a smile.
Shadow took one look at it, eyes slightly widened, and stuck his tongue out and into the coffee grinds, making Stone make an alarmed squeak. “Tastes good.” He replied, with a note of approval in his tone, crunching the grinds between his teeth with a terrible sound.
Stone stared at him for a moment in shock, “I’m glad.” He replied, voice squeaky. Well, that would just have to be Shadow’s brew. The Doctor would have to wait, he inserted into the machine and let Shadow watch with fascination as the liquid came out and into the cup. “Any sugar?” Stone asked, best start small with questions.
“How should I know?” Shadow grumbled, frowning at the cup as Stone began foaming their milk, normal milk for Shadow. He could work his way to Austrian goat milk.
Stone finished up his cup with a little flourish, pulling out a stick to draw a little star. “How about you give it a taste, and if you want it sweeter let me know,” Stone said, handing it over to him. Shadow stared at it for a moment, eyes still bright, he admired it for a moment before giving a hesitant drink.
“It’s hot.” He announced. “I would like sugar.” He added, a little quieter. Stone smiled and took the cup back easily, adding and stirring in two sugars. “This is better, thank you Stone.” Shadow said, his voice had just a little warmth in it. Stone was glad, this guy really seemed like he could use a win.
They sat in relative silence as Stone continued working through, making the Doctor’s cup to his exact specifications and likes. He had no idea what the next few days were going to be like if the Doctor was in this state, unwilling to talk, unwilling to do anything. Stone didn’t think he could just continue as usual forever, he needed to know.
For now he could be fine though, he could spend time with Shadow, he could let Robotnik do whatever wallowing he needed to, get it out of his system.
Stone held both cups as he walked back through into the main room, the screen remained off, Robotnik didn’t even have the energy to turn on a shitty show, that was a bad sign. “Latte with steamed Austrian goat milk?” Stone said, coming around to the side of the Doctor’s chair.
Robotnik looked up at him and Stone felt a pang in his heart. There were tears in his eyes, though they didn’t fall, he just looked distressed. His eyes were wide with a form of naive innocence taken away, as though he’d thought that family could never hurt him. Stone knew then he had been betrayed in some way, and for Gerald Robotnik’s sake he better already be dead or something far worse was coming his way. “Sir…” Stone trailed off, voice quiet, he knelt beside him, “We’ll be okay.” He said. It was the best he could think of. Nothing would work right now, but any comfort at all was needed.
For all his faults, Stone’s heart would never be freed from Ivo Robotnik. He adored that man more than the world itself. He loved everything about him, his intellect, his ridiculous mannerisms, his stupid nicknames, his moustache, and the way he flicked his hands around as he spoke, he was filled with brim with love so much it overflowed into everything he did for the Doctor, he poured his soul into everything he did for him. He felt physical pain in his heart when they were separated, he couldn’t handle thinking he was dead another time, anything but that.
So being here now, it was something beautiful, all his fears were alleviated, and the Doctor was here with him again. He was safe, they were together, and everything would be okay. But everything was so different too. Stone couldn’t just look past it, he couldn’t see how hurt the Doctor was and tell himself that was enough. He had to resolve this, it would just build and build. But not now. Not now.
Robotnik let out a small huff, closing his eyes and running a hand over his face. He looked back up and there was a settled sense of something having passed. “Thank you for the latte Stone, you know I love the way you make them.” He said, voice steady but quiet.
He swallowed dryly, it was possibly the closest he’d get to an apology. An admittance of reliance. It didn’t feel like enough. He’d address that later. “Anything for you Doctor.” Stone said, it was simple and honestly it was true. It was the most he could say. And I’m not there with you. He could never say I love you, the Doctor wouldn’t know how to deal with that. I’ve already lost you once, I can’t lose you again. Did the Doctor even care? Did he feel any guilt when he hung up that phone?
He handed over the latte with a gravity the action didn’t usually have, stood back up and left the Doctor be. He heard the tell-tale sip from behind him as he walked back up to Shadow, who had foam around his mouth, and gave a small smile to the black and red hedgehog.
“Come on Shadow, let's chill on the roof for a bit,” Stone said, leading Shadow to the top hatch of the crab, however, the little hedgehog beat him by doing his somewhat freaky speed glitch to the top. “He’s so much faster than the other guy,” Stone muttered to himself, holding a hand to his heart for a moment.
When Stone had finished going up the slow way, he found Shadow already sitting, legs spread out looking up at the night sky. “This is a horrible view. You can hardly see any stars.” He announced, and that was a fair assessment. They were in the middle of a city or close to the middle, stars weren’t exactly known for shining brightest there. “I saw them better when we were on the moon. This is honestly pathetic in comparison.”
Stone stared at him blankly before coughing loudly and asking, “I’m sorry did you say you were on the moon?”
Everything Stone was learning was giving him more of a headache. This was all a nightmare, he wanted to sleep for a week, but there was so much to do. He always came up here on the hatch when he needed a break, however, most of all when he and Robotnik were in a remote location. The stars were beautiful there in the countryside, it must have been even better on the moon.
Shadow glanced over him, almost a nervous action, before going back to staring at the sky. “Yes, with… With Sonic.” He replied, hesitant.
At least that was a little more information, although it really didn’t help with how nervous Stone was for the Doctor, had Sonic gotten to him too? If they were here now, it meant he managed to defeat the two of them, and Shadow was so powerful. “You were with Sonic- if you’re hurt at all,” He immediately asked, before following it up, “I can do scans or bandages or whatever you need,”
“No scans, you will not hook me up to any of your machines,” Shadow responded almost immediately, icy and cold. Stone recalled the lab. Had he been trapped in there? Experimented on? Had… Had Gerald Robotnik been the one behind it?
It wouldn’t surprise him, old bastard. Nothing good had come from working with that man.
“Of course I won’t then, if you don’t want them.” Stone reassured, and he visibly saw Shadow’s shoulders unhunch slightly, “I just hope you are safe and healthy,” He added.
“Why do you care?” Shadow responded and that same cold stern tone returned. It was as though he was freezing up around Stone in real time.
Stone put a hand on his shoulder just for a moment, “You came back with the Doctor, he clearly cared and to be honest you’re a lot cooler than Knuckles was, so I want to make sure you’re safe too. That’s what I do for the Doctor.” Stone explained, Shadow looked back at him, he looked so nervous. Stone wondered again how long it had been since he’d been safe, since he’d been safe and without fear.
“He betrayed you, yet you stayed loyal to him, aren’t you angry?” Shadow asked, confused. “Why would you forgive him?” It was a fair point, he really shouldn’t have left the Doctor off the hook so quickly, but it was so easy to fall back into old patterns, to take whatever came his way. It hurt; it did hurt.
“Well for one, I’ll always be loyal to the Doctor, and don’t tell him this, but I’m glad you ditched Gerald Robotnik, I think that’s where most of it was coming from.” Stone waved a hand, he was so downplaying this, he was incredibly angry with the Doctor and Shadow could certainly tell. A little bit of rationalising never hurt anyone though, “The Doctor would never really betray me.” He said, almost with a manic laugh, fuck the Doctor did betray him though. He would have left him behind without a second thought if Gerald hadn’t been lying.
“But he did betray you, without hesitation.” Shadow reiterated, vocalising Stone’s exact worst thoughts.
“Okay, I am angry!” Stone exclaimed quickly, “But that doesn’t matter because he’s home and safe, and you’re here too! That’s pretty cool.” Stone beamed at him, and Shadow looked with wonder in his eyes, as though Stone was insane, maybe he was going insane, “I thought you’d ditch us for the other brightly coloured nightmares if given the choice, and you know, no longer wanting to exact terrible vengeance. Unless you still want to extract some kind of vengeance, which I respect so long as it doesn’t involve blowing up the earth.” Stone kept rambling; he honestly wasn’t usually allowed to talk this much unless Robotnik was in a very good mood. He’d usually get cut off by this point, the second he’d repeated himself or gone off-topic, Shadow was really letting him talk.
“They’re not exactly my style, the happy little family.” Shadow responded a little bitterly, “But I don’t think Maria would have wanted me to get revenge or justice for her, I think, I think she would have wanted me to live… To be happy.” He said, as though it was the first time he was voicing it aloud.
“Is Maria your family? I’m sorry that she’s gone.” Stone asked gently, he didn’t really know what Shadow’s deal was at all, only that it had something to do with Gerald Robotnik.
Shadow sighed, pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them, “She was family. They took her from me. But I can’t live within memories with her. I have to move forward.” He whispered like he needed reminding. Stone hoped he’d be okay, he wanted to help him, but suspected that Shadow much preferred the idea of self-reliance.
“You can still have her in your heart, you don’t have to forget,” Stone said, hoping to be reassuring, he didn’t quite know how to deal with grief. All of Robotnik’s grief had been failure or defeat-related, it was never tangible human loss. Hedgehog loss. He really had to figure out who Maria was.
Shadow let out a little huff, “Obviously I’ll remember her,” He replied, “You’re not as good at motivational speeches as Sonic is.” He said, glancing over at Stone with a little smile,
Stone put a mocking hand to his heart, “Ouch, comparing me to the enemy, cold Shadow.” He said,
“The enemy… Will you still be enemies with them?” Shadow asked, all earnestness. Stone wondered if he’d leave if the answer was yes, Stone didn’t truly know. He liked working with Tails at least, he was reasonably intelligent for such a little guy, but the Doctor despised all of them. At least he did before, everything was in disarray now, these last few days felt like years, his whole world was turned upside down.
Stone realised he didn’t have a good answer, best to just tell the truth, “I only care that they’ve hurt the Doctor, but the Doctor is pretty passionate in his hatred, at least he was, I don’t know where things stand.” He admitted, “We’ll just have to see, one day at a time.”
“One day at a time…” Shadow repeated, there was a lapse of silence where they both sat and stared out over the waters. Black in the moonlight, the glimmer of the moon and the distant streetlamps the only things shining in the darkness. The crab was such a good home to him, reliable, perfect, even for nights like these sitting upon her smooth white surface. Stone was jolted out of his thoughts by Shadow’s quiet voice, “Can I stay with you?” His eyes were questioning, he was worried, like Stone would say no. Stone really wanted to strangle Gerald Robotnik.
“Of course Shadow,” Stone smiled, “I’ll go make up a bedroom for you now, and please don’t go so fast it looks like you’ve disappeared again, you’d give me a heart attack.” Stone smiled, before turning back to the hatch and climbing down the ladder, with brand new roommate Shadow the Hedgehog following just behind at a normal speed.
As Stone prepared the ‘spare guest’ bedroom they had, also known as a storage room he had quickly cleaned out that also had a bed in it, he assessed the situation. For one, new ultra-powerful and traumatised hedgehog living with them. For two, Robotnik had betrayed him, tried to leave him forever without a second thought, and he hadn’t apologised, and Stone just let him back in without a second thought. Not great. For three… What the fuck even happened, he must find out, he was going to go crazy not knowing. At least Shadow was voluntarily giving up information.
No matter what, it was best to just take things as they came, and stick to a routine, that was what he did best. They would be okay, they had time.