#also i like writing barely functional shadow and sonic. gay people

[heliianth]

“You should quit your job,“ Sonic tells him every time he climbs into the window of Rouge's office to bother Shadow while he works. Shadow's only occasionally there, but he knows its so consistent because Rouge regales him with threats of pest control when he isn't. Like he has any power to stop Sonic from going where he wants to.

He takes back what little he can by trying to ignore him. By now he has plenty of practice, but its hard when Sonic's head is close to his and he's spying on what Shadow's doing from over his shoulder with peeping eyes and a discerning expression.

Omega had the usual mishaps with a few mechanists today, but it escalated until Shadow was left filling out a witness report to Tower in order to not have him shopped. Its not terribly interesting, just something that didn't get nipped in the bud in time. But without context, he supposes the words on the page look bad. He's not surprised it prompted the inevitable, he'd almost been counting down to it.

“You know I can't,” he gives up and turns his head to scowl at him. ”Rouge needs it for immunity and I need it for citizenship.“

Sonic leans back, plopping his ass into a rolling chair and spinning across the room.

“Don't do that.”

”They're blackmailing you, Shadow.”

He huffs, “I'm aware!”

Sonic pauses his homemade carnival ride to peruse Rouge's bookshelf. Shadow returns to his work, thoroughly irritated by the redundant and useless interruption. They've had this conversation so many times, he doesn't understand why Sonic keeps speaking on it. It distracts him from his work, it pockmarks his confidence. He's invading his space and his brain, and it's unappreciated, but he can't bring himself to tell Sonic to fuck off like he would in any other circumstance. He started nearly 6 months ago and now Shadow's skin crawls when he has to wear his work jacket.

After a few minutes of blissful quiet, Sonic opens his mouth again. “You know, the islands don't have all this citizenship passcard stuff.”

“Passport.“

”Whatever,“ Shadow's ear flicks at the sound of a book closing. He looks up again in time to see Sonic plop an atlas on the desk. ”They can't get you if you move south. And you can see the stars easier without the light pollution."

”What about Omega?“ Shadow accuses.

A shrug. ”There's been Egghead activity over there recently.“

Shadow shoves the book off the desk to watch Sonic jump out of the way. It hits the floor like a boulder. “I'm not moving to your islands.”

Sonic gives him an annoyed, mean face. One only Shadow sees with any frequency. He bares his canines at him in response, but quickly smooths out his pricked quills and exhales. They can't beat the snot out of each other in here, even though they both need to.

"I don't understand," Sonic says, sounding put out.

Shadow sniffs, returning back to his paper work. ”Of course you don't.“

He hears a scoff in the background, then shuffling as Sonic picks up the mess. Another few minutes pass. Shadow is nearly done with the paperwork when his companion says, in a quieter and more earnest tone, ”I know it would be hard when there's so much stuff in it. But we'd—me and my friends—we would help if you asked. Or if anything happened. Why do you stay?"

The change in approach makes him pause, even as his face scrunches. Sonic knows this disarms him—the juxtaposition. The gentleness.

"You hate humans anyway. And you're clearly not happy. None of you are. Why don't you leave?“

Shadow picks up the pen again, hunching over in an attempt to refocus. If Tower is lucky, he'll be able to handle the incident without much interference from his peers, and they won't be separated. They're lucky he's on their side. It's a good thing, this is a good thing. They have work and benefits and people who like them. He's repaying his dues for Finalhazard, for Westopolis. And he's protecting his... his... from...

He hates it.

He hates G.U.N. He hates the way they hold Rouge's freedom over her head. He hates the way they don't understand Omega. He hates the way they threaten to revoke Shadow's personhood like he hadn't fought tooth and nail for it.

Team Dark is constantly followed by buzzards, and any upturned belly however brief is a potential corpse.

He hates that Sonic is right.

Shadow signs his name on the form. “Because they're like me."

#sth #dunno where this came from. been thinking a lot abt the politics of sonic and ofc my brain went back to team dark and gun #also i like writing barely functional shadow and sonic. gay people #sonic: quit your job. shadow: why. sonic: join my rock band #heliiart