All I want was more

There’s no buts, Shadow! You need to move past this instead of bein’ stuck like this ‘n’ I’m offerin’ you ways to but you keep pushing them back in my face!

-And as Shadow fell silent Sonic did too, his shoulders relaxing as he finally sighed, his ears pinning back. Shadow was just so difficult and Sonic didn’t know how much more of it he could take.-

He fell silent at the aggressive look that the blue hedgehog gave him, pinning his ears back himself, but not directed at Sonic. Instead, it resulted from frustration at himself. It would just be fitting if he lost whatever remained of Sonic, too... After all, he'd hurt him. He knew he did, even if he didn't know the extent of it. }

... Are you going to leave?

Yeah, and I got a million people killed by falling for the trap that broke the whole world into pieces and that includes your team! All that is under my name, Shadow, but look what I still did! I still put the world back together and saved millions more people!

They taught me dedication, yes. But... I...

{ Suddenly, Shadow's throat constricted. He was just about to admit to something he hadn't talked about at all with Sonic yet, and it felt like swallowing cyanide. The agony of admittance made him fall silent, and his lips just opened and closed like a fish's. }

There’s a million and one other jobs that’ll have you helping people ‘n’ heck, who says you even need a job to do it? But yet when I said I found you one ‘n’ offered it to you, you turned it down.

... I tried to help before. I ended up getting my whole team killed.

And before you insist we don't know what happened to them, it should be plainly obvious.

... Originally, I might've replied it was a goal I'd been reaching for since I was a child.

But in reality, I think the only reason I hold onto it with a vice grip now is because it brought me to you. Twice. Even if the second time hadn't been under wonderful circumstances...

Work on what?

Studying. In case they would ever decide to take me back.

{ His voice became bitter in that last sentence. }

Yeah but you kinda need to get up more often than transformation time, Shadow.

... I'll try. I am studying sometimes and I am trying to work. I just...

jez-rp

emi-toshiba-ddr

stuartzurgo

redeyesandmarkstakewarning

"You might wanna stand back.”

Sonic moved closer to Shadow as Shadow stepped back a step, instantly taking the black hedgehog into his arms and holding him for a moment. His hands went to his face, carefully cupping his cheek and cradling his face.-

Shadow… Shadow baby. I’m so so sorry… I’m so sorry. I just… I’m sorry.

-He repeated over and over, his tone watery as he held onto him.-

As Sonic grasped a hold on his face, Shadow placed a shaky hand on his arm and breathed against his palm, eyes shutting. He didn't deserve to be held or apologized to. He deserved to be tossed out and forgotten about. He strongly believed that. }

I'm the one who should be sorry.

{ He shook, water collecting in his eye ducts. }

I don't know what's wrong with me...

Snap outta it, Shadow!

This ain’t you! I know it ain’t you!

-He paused for a brief moment, swallowing and dropping his hands after what he had just done.-

… Would ya? If someone died ‘n’ you failed t’ rescue ‘em a day before ya saw me walk out in the middle of the road… Would ya have left me? Heck, scratch that. If someone grabbed me right now ‘n’ put a gun t’ my head, would ya try and save me? Or would ya just sit back ‘n’ watch me get shot?

The sound was loud and hard and it shot straight through Shadow's ears, along with the bright and powerful sting of his cheek. He stared at Sonic, eyes wide -- that'd been the first time anyone had ever laid a hand on him. He knew the blue hedgehog had been through far worse than that with his foster parents, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. His chest felt hollow as he backed up a step, bits of what Sonic was saying going in one ear and out the other as his gaze relocated to the ground beneath their feet.

If he had been in a better state of mind, then he would've said 'yes, I would try to save you', because Sonic's life was worth it to him, worth the risk of making mistakes. He would've agreed he'd been passionate, that this was the kind of career he wanted. Yet all he could fix his mind on at the moment was the fact that he frustrated Sonic enough that he slapped him. He was so much of a burden that Sonic thought that was the only way to get through to him. He'd warranted it with... With...