The Island: Chapter 4
Sonic's POV
We were relieved when the storm was finally over and that feeling intensified when we saw that there was practically no damage done to our island. As if by miracle, our hut was just fine too. Though it shouldn't have survived, it was still here. So without much hindrance our life continued on the island.
The days after the terrible storm and his first move, Shadow and I just kept growing closer and closer. We were together 24/7. Just the two of us and no one else. We talked, we joked, I drove Shadow crazy, I got him to smile.
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into another month, but by the time we hit our second month on the island, we were pretty much inseparable.
Besides the daily routine of searching wood and food, we took the time to explore and learn. I pretty much studied Shadow's survival guide from the inside out and the hedgehog taught me a few more useful tricks, whatever came to mind.
But besides the learning, the exploring and the surviving, we wanted to have some fun from time to time aswell. We did need some time to relax, we couldn't focus on our survival all the time. So we came up with some fun ways to spend our spare time. Like swimming at a lake for example.
Well, Shadow likes to swim.
The island was bigger than we thought it was. Scratch that, it was gigantic!
The beach nearly went all around the island, Shadow suspects there to be a cliff somewhere on the other side as there seemed to be a mountainous-like region too. It problaby included a volcano Shad had made a mental note about checking out if it was dormant or not.
We haven't been there yet. We've tried to do some exploring, but it was impossible to explore everything in just a mere two months. Not only was it an enormous island, but there was also a dense jungle filled to the brim with life of any kind, both dangerous and harmless.
And it was also kind of a shame to just get rid of any mystery this place had by scouting every nook and cranny, wasn't it? To keep some regions to explore tomorrow was kinda fun too.
Either way all of that life piqued the interest of the inner scientist any Robotnik apparently had, non-blood related Shadow included. I can't begin to count how many times we've sat around our campfire and caught glimpses of Shadow shooting glances at the dark jungle in the evening during dinner, visibly making a decision to go out first thing tomorrow to see just what lived and grew in there and how many undiscovered species he'd be able to find.
Something we did find, however, was a deep and wide lake with the most clearest water I have ever seen. You could see straight to the bottom, no matter how deep you went.
The surrounding area was beautiful aswell. There was a thin sandy shore around the lake, the greenest grass imaginable and a waterfall streaming down a cliff at the far side away from us.
After tending to our necessary duties, we decided to have some fun here. On Shadow's request, of course. He wanted to take a dive while fun currently meant staying at the shallow part in my swimming trunks and watching said hedgehog for me.
That seems to be my guilty pleasure of mine as of late.
Just watching Shadow and that's it.
"How deep do you think that is?" The hedgehog on my mind asked as he pulled his top over his head, revealing the soft white fluff underneath.
"I don't know and I'm not going to find out either." I answered as I seated mysef on the sand with my lower legs in the water. That was as far as I was willing to go.
The ocean was large, but the water was just as clear. This lake wasn't as large, but the water was still as clear. I've been in the ocean up to my knees, but that was for fishing and when the occasional piece of debris came washing up. I refused to go any further into the lake than I already am. Well, that was because the sandy floor suddenly dipped down somewhere not too far away.
I wanted nothing to do with that dip.
Shadow let his top fall on the shore close to me before removing his shorts and shoes to just leave his swimming trunks on his person.
I watched that hedgehog from my position on the ground, lying down with my arms crossed beneath my head, not in the least bit bothered by my own spines.
As I mentioned before, Shadow was an 'hermaphrodite', as he still liked to put it, everyone in our circle of friends knew that. It was some getting used to at first, but we all got used to it soon enough. It was normal to them, it was normal to me.
But I liked the way his body was shaped, I'll admit that. He was lean and slender, but the muscle he did have were tight and there was barely an ounce of fat on him. Except where it counted down below, of course. The booty.
Shadow's body was obviously trained, but in a way that it wouldn't exactly be obvious through his clothing.
Shadow liked it that way. It was deceptive. It amused him to see people's face when they realised just how strong he really was. I, on the other hand, just liked the way he looked.
I never considered myself gay or bi, but after spending two months of watching that bod made me never want to look away again.
I wasn't too bad myself, of course. No, scratch that, my body is awesome! I may not be as muscled as Knuckles, he is obviously stronger than me when it came to actual strength, but people did think twice about messing with me and not just for my reputation.
And not to brag, but I'm pretty sure Shadow has been giving me looks aswell.
What am I saying, of course he is! He already had feelings for me, but it's still a nice thought, though.
"Are you sure you would rather wait here instead of coming with me?" Shadow asked, adjusting his swimming trunks without a care in the world before stretching a little, not at all aware that someone was oggling him. Or maybe he just didn't mind.
"No way, you go ahead and have some fun on your own." I responded, making sure Shadow knew there was no way in hell that I was going in.
"Sonic, you do know we are on an island surrounded by water, don't you? You're going to need to learn how to swim sooner or later." Shadow told me, looking down on me with his arms crossed in front of his chest.
"Hey, I know how to swim, I just don't like doing it and water hates me." I muttered and closed my eyes, hoping Shad would take a hint and go swim already.
With a huff he relented and entered the water, ignoring the chilling cold of its embrace.
I opened one of my eyes a little to watch his slim figure gradually disappear into the water, scooping a handful up to soak his fur beforehand, before closing them again and enjoying the heat of the day.
If there was one place and time that I could take it slow, it was on a sunny beach in the middle of Summer.
Sometime after that, I dozed off.
I woke back up only a couple of hours later.
I yawned as I stretched my arms and back before opening my eyes, realising that the sun was already low in the sky. That had to mean it was late in the afternoon.
"Dangit, for just how long have I been asleep?" I questioned out loud while I sat upright and took the watch Shadow had left behind along with his clothes. So far the thing still worked.
It really has been a few hours now, but as I looked all around, the owner of the wristwatch was nowhere to be found.
"Shadow?" I called for him as I stood up. It was already time to get back, but I was completely on my own.
It was rather lonely.
I turned my gaze to the lake and realised that Shadow might have very well taken a dive and never made it back to the surface.
All the guy needed to live was Chaos Energy. Food and water was just an option, a second necessity, but he didn't need it to stay alive. Just healthy. That was sorta the same with air. So as long as he that energy, he could die as many times as he wanted in every possible way and he would still come back. It was a theory that we strongly believed in.
If Shadow somehow got stuck on something in the water or hit his head or something, he could've drowned and be lying on the bottom of the lake right now on this very moment, waiting for me to come get him and bring him back to the surface where he could breath.
I had to get in there. I had to go in and save him! I can't leave him down there to rot!
Water or not, my fear didn't matter if someone I cared for was in danger. I could push my fear aside, especially for this particular person.
I took a deep couple of breaths to calm myself down before reluctantly entering the body of water, approaching the sudden dip in the bottom.
I could swim. I just had to remind myself of that. Sure, it's been a while, but I could still do it. I can swim, I can dive. I can do this.
I can't run, there is no air, my movements are heavier and slower, but I could do it. I can't defend myself if I ever needed to, I wouldn't panic if something were to happen, I could do it.
Although...
"Stop it!" I growled at myself, angered.
Like a douchebag, my mind tried to scare me into staying as far away from the clear liquid as possible, but I couldn't do this to him, I couldn't leave him down there.
So I calmed myself down for as much as was possible before submerging myself.
I tried to keep my eyes open while I looked around, trying to spot an especially dark mobian somewhere on the bottom. My missing companion was nowhere to be found and so I broke the surface again.
But not before watching something disappear into an opening of some kind. It looked like a large hole in the stone wall. Did that lead to a cave or something?
I took another deep breath and dove back down again, my gaze settling on the opening, eyes squinting.
Could he really be in there?
Only one way to find out.
Suddenly two hands grabbed my shoulder and I, in my panic, broke the surface with a panicked yelp, looking around in apparent shock.
"Sonic, what're you doing?!" A familiar voice asked and I whipped around to face the owner, coming eye to eye with a pair of red rubies.
"Shadow, you're okay!" I exclaimed as I grabbed his upper arms and looked him over, trying to spot any injuries.
"Of course I am. What made you think otherwise?" Shadow asked, one eyebrow raising. He actually looked startled by my want to examine him.
"You were nowhere to be found and your clothes were still lying there. I thought you had drowned or something." I said, finishing my brief scan as there wasn't immediatly something wrong with him.
"You... frightened me." I admitted, earning a frown from the other.
"Than I must apologise. Something in the lake startled me and I hit my elbow right on that sensitive spot. I left the lake to take a closer look at it and noticed that it was bleeding quite a bit. I wanted to go back to the camp to treat it. You had dozed off so I didn't wake you up, figuring that I'd be back before you woke up." Shadow explained and pointed to his left elbow, but there was nothing to be found.
"But then I remembered my newly found healing abilities, felt like an idiot, sped my regeneration up, and warped back here only to find you in the water facedown. I wasn't even gone for five minutes. I'm sorry if I worried you." He apologised, but I could only sigh.
Shadow was just fine. There had been no reason to worry for him.
I let go of him and returned to the shore with the hedgehog right on my heels.
"So wait, you said something startled you. What was it?" I asked and turned on my heels to face him again, glad to be out of that terrifying liquid.
"Yes, I did. It was quite large and dark, I didn't get a good look at it, but it swam out of an underwater cave." He answered, kneeling in front of me.
"Eh, really? I saw something swimming into the cave." I replied, recalling the dark figure I saw.
"You saw it too? I wanted to take a closer look at it-"
"Maybe we should keep that for another time." I quickly stated, earning a look from him.
"It's getting late." I cast my gaze downward, avoiding his eyes.
Truth is, I didn't want to go back into the water and I wasn't about to let Shadow go back in on his own so soon. I didn't want him too.
So it'll have to wait for another time.
"You're right. We should probably head back and make sure our food is still there." Shadow decided to cave in and stood up, offering me a hand.
We gathered our stuff and, with a quick utter of two simple words, we returned home.
I woke up the next morning and found myself just sitting there and staring at Shadow. For once I woke up before him.
The hedgehog was still vast asleep and was lying on his front, his face turned towards me. His back was heaving gently, his face was calm, he seemed to be in a pretty deep sleep. The thin streams of sunlight seeping through the door curtain highlighted his dark fur just right and...
"Chaos, I need to get out of here." I grumbled as I got up from my cot and left our small cottage to face the morning sun.
I've been here for only two months now, close to three already, with Shadow as my sole companion. It's been a while since I've last seen another mobian. That was all.
Sure, I've already caught myself staring at his, admittedly, perky behind, but I can't actually be infatuated with him, right?
Watching him sleep in the morning is because I like how peaceful he looks doesn't count.
Although I have already admitted to myself just how much I like him on a physical level.
"Up already I see." Shadow's voice reached me and I looked over my shoulder to face him.
"Good morning." The hedgehog greeted me with a slight smile and approached me to watch the rest of the sunrise by my side.
"Morning." I returned the greeting, but unlike Shadow, didn't look back at the horizon.
"As much as I want to return home, you can't deny the beauty this place offers." He stated, smiling at the sunrise.
"Yeah, you can't." I responded, my eyes still glued at him.
I just can't deny how the way the morning light shines on him and makes him look stunning. His sleek black fur and eyes especially.
We stood there for a while, just watching the sun rise in the sky until it was nice and light out.
"I'm-" Shadow spoke up and looked back at me for a moment, only to realise that I had been staring at him for a little while now as I quickly looked away.
His gaze cast downward as he couldn't fight a slight embarrassed heat from warming up his face when knowing he had been stared at without his knowledge. And by his own crush no less.
"I'm going to get our breakfast ready." He continued and quickly left.
I watched him go for just a moment before releasing a sigh and looking back at the horizon again.
I think I have no other choice but to accept it.
I'm falling for Shadow. And I'm falling hard and fast.
