Hey, everyone. GuardianDragon98 here! I know it's been and going to be a crazy couple of weeks. The Coronavirus has canceled pretty much everything and I'm sure being quarantined is testing some people's patience and wills.

But let's not lose hope! Take this time to focus on taking care of yourself and your families. Make sure to wash your hands frequently, take vitamins, drink lots of water, eat healthily, clean the heck out of your houses, practice social distancing, and sleep.

I'll be honest. I'm pretty worried about my family right now at times like these. But we're all doing what we can to keep the virus from spreading as well as learning how to cope with being stuck at home all day.

The unexpected upside I intend to cash in on? I finally have some free time to write fanfic instead of always focusing on my thesis :D

I'll start writing the next chapter of "My Past is Not a Pretty Place" tomorrow. I should be able to post that on Monday. Until then, thank you for your patience.

In the meantime, here's an idea that's been running around my brain ever since I watched the Sonic Movie. By the way, congrats on everyone who worked on this film because it's done really well in the box office! Woohoo! There's always a silver lining, people!

Enjoy this one-shot!

NOTE: I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS FROM THE SONIC GAMES AND THE SONIC MOVIE. ALL RIGHTS GO TO SEGA AND PARAMOUNT PICTURES.

Meeting the Parents

"I'm nervous."

Sonic looked from the ring in his hand to the striped hedgehog behind him. Shadow tugged at the red cuffs on his gloves, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. The Ultimate Lifeform's brow furrowed as he looked at the ring in Sonic's hand then at the Blue Blur's face. The two of them were standing in the middle of the flower field they had lovingly tended to together for almost three years. It was a beautiful day but, instead of spending it together on Mobius, they were going to Earth.

"Shads, it's okay. We're just gonna visit my Mom and my Dad," he reassured his boyfriend.

"I know but… Well, they're your parents." Shadow bit his lip. "What if they don't like me?" he mumbled.

"Relax, babe. I've already told them about you during my last visit. They really want to meet you," Sonic told him, walking over to Shadow.

"And they're okay with you being gay?" Shadow raised an eye ridge.

Sonic laughed. "More than okay. In fact, during one visit where I brought Amy over to meet them, I got so confused when they asked if she was my girlfriend. Then I started rambling about how Amy's a really good friend, that I treat her like a sister, and that I didn't really feel any attraction towards her. I told them that I didn't really feel attracted to any of my female fans either. Oh, then I started talking about how I felt all weird around guys like Knuckles and how I sometimes thought that some guys I met looked really cute. I got all flustered during that bit but Mom calmed me down and she and Dad told me that it was okay and that I was at that stage where I was figuring out my sexuality. And they deduced that I might be attracted to guys more than girls based on what I said. And they told me that whatever I choose to be, they'll support me a hundred and ten percent," he explained.

Shadow nodded, taking all of this information in. He smiled a little, noticing how Sonic took a minute to catch his breath. The blue hedgehog's rambling tendencies hadn't stopped even after nearly five years of living on Mobius.

They met when Sonic was 16 then started dating shortly after the hero had turned 18. The last time Sonic visited his parents was about seven months after the hero celebrated his 19th birthday. Now Sonic was just three months away from turning 20, which meant that it was high time to introduce Shadow to his parents.

Before that, Sonic and his brother, Tails, had managed to find more rings they could use to visit Earth. Of course, due to Robotnik having taken up residence in their homeworld, they couldn't stay away from Mobius for that long. But Sonic was determined to go home to visit the Wachowskis at least once a year. On the few days he was back in Green Hills, Montana, he got to spend some quality time with his parents, let them know that he and Tails were doing okay and that Robotnik's not coming back to Earth thanks to him and his friends defeating the Doctor time and time again. They brought Amy and Knuckles with them sometimes. And Tom and Maddie were always glad to see them. Now, it was Shadow's turn.

Sonic smiled, cupping Shadow's cheek. "I want them to meet the awesome hedgehog I've fallen in love with. And I just know that they're gonna love you, Shads," he said, pressing his forehead against Shadow's in an intimate gesture.

Chuckling, Shadow nuzzled his boyfriend. "All right, Blue. I'm ready," he said.

Nodding, Sonic turned around. He thought of the forest near the town of Green Hills then threw the ring. Once the portal was wide enough, he and Shadow jumped through.

"So this is where you lived?" Shadow asked, looking around.

"For the first ten years, yeah. Ooh, here's the entrance to my cave!" Sonic crouched before the opening, brushing away the fallen leaves that had accumulated over it. Taking Shadow's hand in his, he jumped inside. Both hedgehogs curled up into balls and landed on the cave floor with a soft thud.

Uncurling himself, Sonic looked around his old home. "But now it's not much to look at. My real home's just a couple of blocks away," he said.

"Ten years…" Shadow mumbled, looking around. Sonic had told him about his childhood and the lonely life he had in Green Hills before being adopted by the Wachowskis. The cave was empty but the walls bore faint marks left by things his boyfriend had hung up on them. There were even some places where the rock looked like it had been chipped away by Sonic's electric shocks – signs of days when he had no outlet for all of his pent-up loneliness other than letting a few bolts loose inside his cave.

To think that Sonic, who thrived on being around others and helping anyone in need, lived such a lonely life in the past. Just being in this cave made it feel more real for Shadow.

"Yeah. I had bad days, too," Sonic admitted, noticing how intently his boyfriend was staring at one particular wall that was pockmarked with holes. "But, most of the time, I was too preoccupied with watching the people live their lives and looking for stuff to eat and entertain myself with to even think about feeling lonely. I did pretty okay on my own for a while," he said, bumping his hip against Shadow's. His emerald eyes then lit up.

"Ooh, speaking of stuff to eat, we gotta stop by Lisa's to pick up Donut Lord's favorites," he said, grinning.

"Who…?" Shadow cocked his head at him.

"My Dad. It's an old nickname I came up for him when I was still living on my own," Sonic told him as they got out of the cave. There was a sparkle in his eyes as he looked at Shadow. "You up for a whirlwind tour of Green Hills, Shads?" he asked, holding out his hand.

Shadow snorted. "Remember who you're talking to, Blue," he replied, gripping Sonic's hand firmly in his. With a merry laugh, Sonic led his boyfriend on a high-speed tour of his hometown.

Honestly, it surprised him how small the town of Green Hills was. And that Sonic, who loved to travel around Mobius in search of adventure, was able to hide out in such a small area for a decade without being caught.

Holding Sonic's hand, Shadow did his best to take in all of the sights, sounds and smells while Sonic rattled on about some of his favorite spots and funny anecdotes tied to each location. They stopped by Lisa's donut shop and got all of Tom and Maddie's favorites. Lisa even gave them two donuts that looked just like gold rings free of charge.

"It's always good to see you, Sonic. And I see you made a new friend," Lisa remarked, smiling at Shadow.

"Oh, Shadow here's more than just a friend, Lisa." Sonic winked as he munched on his donut.

Lisa's eyes widened. "Oh? You mean…? Oh, I remember now! Tom mentioned that during your last visit, you told him and Maddie that you had a boyfriend!" she gushed, ruffling the blue hedgehog's quills.

Shadow blushed and chewed his donut slowly. It was really good. Soft and sweet, freshly iced.

"Yup. I want them to meet Shadow so I brought him with me," Sonic said, finishing the last few bites of his donut.

"Well, best to get going, you two." Lisa placed the box of donuts in a bag and handed them to Sonic. Looking at Shadow, she chuckled. "Don't worry, Shadow. Tom and Maddie are real nice people. You'll love 'em," she reassured him.

"That's what I've been tellin' him. Thanks, Lisa!" Sonic waved goodbye as he and Shadow exited the store.

"Ah, young love," Lisa sighed, smiling fondly at the two hedgehogs as they left.

It was only when they were right in front of the Wachowski residence's front door did Shadow remember one crucial detail.

"Sonic… when you told your parents about me, did you… tell them about how we first met?"

Sonic froze, his fist just inches from knocking on the front door. While he did tell Donut Lord and Pretzel Lady about all the awesome things, he might have glossed over on some of the negative details about Shadow.

"Well… Not exactly…" he replied, facing his boyfriend and giving him a sheepish grin.

"Fuck." Shadow felt sweat bead on his forehead. "Your Dad's not gonna like me. And he happens to be the sheriff of this town. Oh, Chaos, I'm gonna be thrown in the slammer before the day's over…" he muttered.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. No one's going to jail today. Don't worry. I'll explain and try to defuse the situation before things escalate." Sighing, Sonic leaned in and kissed Shadow softly on the lips. "Besides, I've forgiven you for all of those times, Shads," he reassured the nervous hedgehog.

Taking a deep breath, Shadow nodded. He stood behind Sonic as the latter turned back to the front door. Raising his fist, Sonic knocked on the door three times.

A wide grin stretched across Sonic's face when Maddie Wachowski answered. "Hi, Mom!" he chirped.

"Sonic!" Maddie stooped down to give her son a big hug. "You're back!" she said, kissing his forehead. Upon seeing the black-and-red hedgehog standing behind her son, she beamed. "And you must be Shadow," she greeted the Ultimate Lifeform.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Wachowski," Shadow said politely as they shook hands.

"Please, call me Maddie." Sonic's Mom smiled at him, stepping aside to let the two hedgehogs through.

Sonic and Shadow entered the house just as a large Golden Retriever bounded into the hallway and immediately started licking Sonic.

"Hahaha! Good to see you, too, Ozzie. Okay, okay, down boy. I'm carrying precious cargo right now," Sonic giggled, holding up the box of donuts out of the dog's reach.

Ozzie let out a bark and wagged his tail. Once he was done greeting Sonic, he trotted over to Shadow.

"Uh… hi…" Shadow mumbled as Ozzie started sniffing him. He was expecting the dog to start growling at him once it smelled the scent of cat. But, instead, Ozzie licked his face and nearly glomped him.

"Okay. Hello, hi… Um, Sonic… help."

The Blue Blur snickered at the sight of his boyfriend now laying on the floor with a happy Ozzie standing over him, covering the black hedgehog's face with drool. "Aw, he likes you," he cooed.

Shadow rolled his eyes, sitting up, and gently scratched Ozzie behind the ears. He tried to wipe the drool off his face and succeeded in just spreading slobber onto his gloves. "Great…" he muttered.

Maddie laughed, taking the box of donuts and leading both hedgehogs into the living room. Handing the couple some towels, she called out, "Tom! Get down here! Our son's home!"

"Donut Loooord!" Sonic hollered, launching himself at the Green Hills sheriff as he came down the stairs. Tom let out a grunt as something blue and slightly spiky barreled right into him. But once he saw who it was, he let out a laugh.

"Hey, buddy! How've you been?" he asked, ruffling the blue hedgehog's fur.

"I've been doing great, Dad." Sonic grinned, then looked at Shadow.

'Play it cool. Don't look nervous. The dog can most likely smell fear,' Shadow reminded himself as Sonic went over to him and held his hand.

"I'd like you to meet the love of my life, Shadow the Hedgehog. Shadow, this is my Dad, Tom. AKA Donut Lord," Sonic said, smiling lovingly at Shadow who blushed and smiled back.

While Maddie was already covering her mouth to block out her squeals, Tom folded his arms across his chest and inspected Shadow from head to toe. At first glance, the red-eyed hedgehog could easily pass off as Sonic's edgier older brother with his upturned quills and dark fur. But Tom could tell that he was looking at someone who was born to fight. And while Shadow gazed up at him, his posture straight and stance open, Tom had a feeling that the guy was more introverted than Sonic.

When Sonic had told him and Maddie about the guy he'd been seeing, he'd joked about Sonic being into the "bad boy" types. Shadow's physical appearance certainly fit that category. But, for his son's sake, he'll give the guy a chance.

"Nice to meet you, Shadow," he said, holding his hand out.

"Likewise, sir," Shadow replied, giving Tom a firm handshake.

Tom nodded. 'All right. He's polite. Gotta give him points for that,' he thought.

Shadow glanced at Sonic, the blue hedgehog giving him a thumbs up.

Maddie snorted, watching her husband and her son's boyfriend size each other up. Stooping down next to Sonic, she whispered, "He's already going into 'Protective Dad Mode.'" Pointing to Tom, who still hadn't let go of Shadow's hand. The latter just stood there, his facial expression neutral, as he gripped the sheriff's hand.

"I know. What do we do? I don't want Dad to scare him," Sonic whispered back before an idea popped into his head.

Clapping his hands together, he declared, "So! Shads and I bought some of your favorites. We should get some coffee to go with 'em!"

Shadow let out a quiet sigh of relief as Tom let go of his hand. While Maddie and Tom went into the kitchen to grab some coffee, Sonic led him upstairs into his room in the attic.

Shadow let out a soft whistle. The whole room screamed 'Sonic' from the décor to the pictures taped around the walls. There was a picture of Sonic from his first day at school, another that showed him clinging to Maddie at the town's swimming pool, and one that showed him playing hopscotch with a curly-haired little girl.

"Is that a race car bed?" Shadow noticed another bed on one side of the room.

"Yep. That used to be mine until Tails showed up. Check it out. We added wings to give it an airplane feel," Sonic replied, running his hand over one of the red cardboard wings glued to the sides of the bed. He jumped onto his own bed, which was much larger and had bright red sheets decorated with The Flash logo. "Ahhh! Good to be home!" he exhaled, closing his eyes with a relaxed smile on his face.

Shadow chuckled, walking around the room and looking at all the knick-knacks. Going over to Sonic's bedside, he found a framed photo of his boyfriend hamming it up for the camera with Tom, Maddie, and Ozzie. 'They look so happy…' he thought, glancing at his boyfriend who was currently relaxing in his bed.

The cheerfully cocky façade his boyfriend often wore like a mask in public was gone. On Mobius, Sonic was regarded as Mobius' champion, its unbeatable hero. But here, he was just Sonic. No supervillains to fight, no terrible burden of being the defender of the world weighing down on his slim shoulders, and no high expectations to be met. Sonic was free to be himself here in Green Hills – which was something Shadow knew the blue hedgehog wanted more than anything.

"I can feel your eyes, Shads."

Sonic opened one eye to look at his boyfriend and smiled. "Something on your mind?" he asked, patting the side of the bed.

"Not much." Lying down next to him, Shadow rubbed the sweet spot behind Sonic's right ear, making the blue hedgehog purr. "I just like seeing you like this," he murmured.

"Just chilling out and not being a hyperactive daredevil?" Sonic asked cheekily, snuggling his face into Shadow's fluffy white chest fur.

"It definitely spares me from stress." Shadow smirked, tilting Sonic's chin up and looking at him with half-lidded eyes. "Seeing you stress-free also relaxes me," he whispered.

"Aw, Shads," Sonic giggled as his boyfriend leaned in to give him a quick peck.

"So, Shadow." Maddie looked at the striped hedgehog sitting next to her son eating raw coffee beans, her brown eyes shining in amusement. "How'd you meet Sonic?" she asked.

Shadow froze, a handful of beans halfway to his mouth, while Sonic took a long sip from his coffee mug.

"I… Well, it was during nighttime and…" Looking at Tom, Shadow swallowed. "I happened to bump into him while I was running away after committing a robbery and… I framed him for the whole thing," he confessed.

"You what?" Tom asked sharply, getting up from his chair while Maddie gently gripped his wrist.

"Big misunderstanding," Sonic said quickly, moving closer to his boyfriend. He could tell that his Dad was just a couple of seconds away from climbing over the table to put Shadow in handcuffs. "Robotnik tricked Shadow into stealing one of the Chaos Emeralds and, unfortunately, most of the cops sent to catch him were colorblind and mistook me for him. Everything worked out in the end. I got Shadow to join my team and we stopped Robotnik in the nick of time," he explained.

Shadow nodded frantically. What Sonic was telling his parents was an abridged and slightly modified version of the events that took place almost four years ago. But it was more or less true. Tom gave Shadow a clear 'I'm watching you, buddy,' look before sitting back down. A few tense minutes passed before Shadow spoke up.

"I deeply regret my actions in the past. Sonic helped me see the light and I've worked to atone for my past mistakes. We met up again a few months after we stopped Robotnik together," he said earnestly.

"Let me guess. You two immediately raced each other to see who was the fastest?" Maddie asked, her hands cupped around her mug of tea.

Relaxing a little, Shadow smirked. "Yep. And I won," he announced, earning a surprised look from Sonic.

"Excuse me, mister. I'll have you know that I won that race," the blue hedgehog retorted.

"Nope. If my memory is correct, I totally had you eat my dust," Shadow fired back, his ruby eyes shining with mirth.

"Yeah, but you were skating. You had an unfair advantage," Sonic fired back, pointing to Shadow's red and white jet skates.

"One can't help being the Ultimate Lifeform, Blue. No need to be a sore loser." Shadow stuck his tongue out. Sonic rolled his eyes and took a bite out of his donut, his cheeks flushed red.

"Oh my god, you two are so cute." Maddie smiled at the two hedgehogs.

"Ultimate Lifeform…" Leaning back in his chair, Tom regarded Shadow with curiosity. "That a nickname people call you?" he asked.

"He calls himself that," Sonic piped up, feeling Shadow's foot lightly hit his underneath the table. "Don't start calling him that or you'll risk boosting his ego."

"Says the guy who calls himself 'The Fastest Thing Alive,'" Shadow retorted, moving his leg out of Sonic's reach just as the Blue Blur tried to kick back.

Tom and Maddie looked at each other. 'Classic from Rivals to Lovers Relationship,' they simultaneously thought.

"So, Shadow. I'm guessing you're also one of Mobius' protectors?" Tom asked.

"Yes, sir." Shadow nodded. "I'm a government agent. A lot of the missions my team's tackled centered on stopping the Doctor's schemes," he replied.

"We've partnered up on a lot of those missions, actually." Sonic bumped shoulders with him. "In fact, I recall Rouge telling me that it was during one of those missions that you realized that you were falling for me," he added with a sly grin.

Shadow merely blushed and popped a few coffee beans into his mouth. Then Sonic said something that nearly made him choke.

"Which is kind of funny because I also had a huge crush on you at the time and had been planning on telling you about it."

Shadow swallowed and looked at Sonic, eyes wide. The blue hedgehog merely smiled and kissed him on the cheek. Letting out a small huff, Shadow nuzzled Sonic who purred happily.

Tom smiled a bit at seeing Sonic lovingly gaze at Shadow, the dark hedgehog covering his red face with his hands. He had to admit that the way Sonic was looking at his boyfriend now reminded him of how he often looked at Maddie. Looking at his wife next to him, Tom could tell that Maddie was thinking the same thing.

When the last donut was eaten and the last cup of coffee was drunk, it was time for Tom and Maddie to head to work.

"We can meet up on Main Street and find a place to have lunch. Do you boys plan on going sight-seeing?" Maddie asked Sonic and Shadow.

"I gave Shadow a tour before we stopped by." Sonic tapped his foot on the floor. "Ooh, I know! Shads, do you wanna help my Mom at the clinic?" he turned to his boyfriend.

Shadow shrugged. He glanced at Tom, the sheriff raising an eyebrow at him, then at Maddie who smiled warmly. "I would like that," he said shyly.

"Great! Guess it's you and me, Donut Lord. Like old times!" Sonic gave Tom a thumbs up.

The Wachowskis and Shadow started filing out of the house. But, just as Sonic and Maddie headed out the front door, Tom lightly tapped Sonic on the shoulder. "Hey, Sonic. Do you mind giving me and Shadow a minute?" he asked, glancing at the black hedgehog standing in the doorway.

Sonic opened his mouth to protest but Tom said, "Look, I know you love him and everything. But I just want to clear some things up with him."

Sonic sighed. "All right. But don't scare him, don't threaten to throw him in jail, and don't tell him any of your Dad jokes." He frowned at Tom. "I mean it, especially that last one," he said sternly.

"Ten-four, Blue Devil." Tom saluted him.

"Guys, I'm right here. I can hear everything you're saying," Shadow deadpanned.

Tom herded him back inside then closed the door. Folding his arms across his chest, he looked Shadow in the eye. The black-and-red hedgehog copied him, an expectant look on his face. "What exactly are your intentions towards my son, Shadow?" Tom asked him.

"I'm his boyfriend, sir. My main goal is to ensure that Sonic is happy and that he stays safe," Shadow replied.

"So you've really done a full 180-turn? You've never gone back to Robotnik?"

Shadow frowned, his gaze lowering. "I was confused. And I was angry. Robotnik took advantage of that and made me do things I would never do if I had been in the right state of mind. Working with him is one of my biggest regrets," he murmured.

Tom's posture relaxed. Looking at the dark hedgehog, he pondered on what could have possibly driven Shadow to work with the mustached lunatic. He had a gut feeling that Sonic hadn't told him and Maddie the full story earlier. But what happened between their son and Shadow in the past was their business. He and Maddie had no right to pry for more answers unless both of them decided to say anything.

"And Sonic? What do you think about him?"

Shadow visibly perked up and smiled. "He's helped me so many times that I've lost count. Even when I tried to close myself off from him and push him away, he never stopped reaching out to me. He challenges me to become a better person every day. Sure, he's cocky, stubborn, maybe a bit of a showoff… but he's got the kindest heart. I love him. I really do," he answered.

"All right." Tom ruffled his quills. "That's all I needed to hear," he said, opening the door and letting Shadow head out ahead of him. He watched as Sonic zipped over to Shadow, the latter grinning at the blue hero and sweeping him off of his feet in a hug.

The two hedgehogs went their separate ways. Sonic and Tom headed to the police station, Wade surprised and delighted to see Sonic again. After filing some paperwork, the two headed to the speed trap and spent the few hours of Tom's shift catching up.

Meanwhile, Maddie and Shadow went to the animal clinic. And Shadow immediately took charge of caring for the cats. Maddie took a few pictures of him playing with them and sent them to Tom's phone. A minute later, she got a message.

Tom: (From Sonic): He's got a soft spot for adorable kittens :)

Chuckling to herself, Maddie went on with her work while Shadow kept the cats occupied. She resisted the urge to squeal when she saw a gray Chartreux snuggle into Shadow's white chest fur.

At noon, the family met up for lunch at Olive Garden. The four swapped stories over their never-ending Pasta Bowls.

"I knew you'd like working at Mom's clinic," Sonic said, flipping through his Mom's pictures of Shadow with the cats.

"I've decided that we need a cat. Sonic, we are adopting a cat when we get home," Shadow declared, digging his fork into the pasta.

"Speaking of cats, wanna hear a bad cat joke?" Tom asked before quickly adding, "Just kitten!" making Maddie roll her eyes in amusement.

"No. Dad, no. Please. My boyfriend is here," Sonic groaned dramatically.

"Oh, come on. My cat jokes are pawsitively hilarious." Tom grinned.

To his surprise, Shadow let out a soft chuckle. Sonic, on the other hand, looked horrified.

"You liked that?" he asked Shadow, his green eyes wide.

"Come on, Blue. No need to be…" Shadow grinned deviously.

"Shads, please don't…"

"…on hedge."

Now it was Tom's turn to laugh as Sonic just shook his head. "I can't believe it. You've corrupted him!" he accused.

"You like saying puns too, Sonic," Shadow reminded him.

"Y-Yeah, but! My puns are a lot classier!" Sonic protested.

"Sure they are, Blue. Sure they are."

A waitress had to tell Tom to keep his voice down. The other customers merely looked at the sight that was two talking anthropomorphic hedgehogs for a few seconds then went back to their meals.

Sonic and Shadow decided to go on a run after lunch. The two hedgehogs raced each other around the woods before going around town again, where Sonic introduced Shadow to the locals. Everyone from Crazy Carl to the supermarket owners was glad to see Sonic again. Some were surprised to find out that Sonic had a boyfriend, but were very accepting of the relationship.

Shadow was surprised to see the townsfolk warmly welcoming him into the community. Everyone was nice to him. Some of the older kids stared but kept their distance. The younger kids liked petting his quills and asked him how he got them to turn up. "A lot of hair gel," he said jokingly.

They met up with Tom again late in the afternoon at the local middle school. Seeing the decorations, Sonic approached his father. "Hey, Dad. What's going on here?" he asked.

"The middle school prom's happening tonight. I'll be working a late-night shift to handle security," Tom told him.

"What's a prom?" Sonic cocked his head to the side.

"The one night where hormonal teens get to party under adult supervision. Also known as the night parents start worrying," Tom muttered, earning confused looks from his son and Shadow.

"A party? Sounds fun!" Sonic bounced on his toes. Then he cleared his throat, his cheeks turning slightly red. "Uh, I mean… Maybe Shads and I can join you in keeping things rated-PG for tonight. You know, buddy system and all that," he said quickly.

Tom raised an eyebrow, glancing at Shadow. The black hedgehog shrugged. Finally, Tom nodded. "Okay. The whole thing's taking place in the gym. I'll be guarding the entrance. You two keep an eye on the stage area," he instructed.

"You got it, Dad!" Sonic saluted while Shadow nodded.

'Why do I get the feeling I'll need to watch those two more closely than all the other teens?' Tom asked himself as the two hedgehogs headed into campus to help with decorations.

Maddie greeted the teachers as she went inside the school gym. Tom greeted her at the entrance. "Okay, what do you want me to see?" she asked. She'd gotten a text from Tom telling her to come see him at the middle school gym. It was getting pretty late and the school prom was starting to slow down.

A love song was playing and the lights were turned down low. As the disco ball spun around, middle-schoolers paired off with their crushes and swayed to the beat.

Tom grinned and lightly nudged Maddie, pointing at the very middle of the gym. Following her husband's gaze, Maddie saw the most adorable sight.

Sonic and Shadow were slow dancing together in the midst of all the other couples. Shadow had his arms wrapped around Sonic, the blue hedgehog resting his head against Shadow's shoulder. As the song changed tempo, their rocking and swaying turned into a waltz. The two hedgehogs were lost in each other's eyes as they danced. When the song ended, Shadow dipped Sonic and the two of them shared a brief kiss.

"They grow up so fast," Tom murmured, holding Maddie close.

"We've missed so much," Maddie sighed.

The two hedgehogs were still full of energy by the time prom ended. When they arrived home, Sonic suggested that they should watch Speed.

"I've heard you give rave reviews about this film. They better be true," Shadow remarked as they got comfortable on the couch with Ozzie laying on the floor.

"Keanu Reeves is a national treasure. Trust me, Shads. This film's got everything you like." Sonic winked as the film's title appeared onscreen.

Shadow stayed silent throughout the entire film, his eyes glued to the screen. After the film ended and the credits started rolling, he looked at Sonic with an awestruck look. "That… was one of the greatest films I have ever seen," he breathed out.

"Definitely one of his best performances," Sonic said, smiling proudly. "Another favorite Keanu film of mine's John Wick."

"He's in other films?" Shadow asked, scanning through the Wachowskis' Netflix.

"We'll let you guys have your marathon. Just keep the volume down for the neighbors," Maddie reminded them as she and Tom headed upstairs.

Once his parents were upstairs, Sonic glanced at Shadow. "John Wick next?" he asked, grinning.

"Go for it," Shadow replied, already grabbing his second can of soda.

The next morning, Tom and Maddie headed downstairs and were greeted by Ozzie. Entering the living room, the Wachowskis found Sonic and Shadow asleep on the couch with the TV still on.

"Well, it looks like they had fun," Tom remarked quietly, picking up empty soda cans and bags of popcorn littered around the couch.

"Let them sleep in. It's a Saturday anyway," Maddie said softly, glancing at the hedgehog couple lying on the couch.

Sonic was curled up against Shadow, his head resting on the black hedgehog's fluffy white chest. Shadow had his arms protectively wrapped around the blue hedgehog, his chin resting against Sonic's head. Sonic shifted in his sleep, mumbling softly. In response, Shadow opened his eyes a crack and gently ran his hands through his boyfriend's quills. Once his boyfriend calmed down back into a peaceful sleep, he shut his eyes and went back to sleep, too.

"So, do you still have doubts?" Maddie asked her husband, who smiled and shook his head.

"As long as he makes our son happy, he's good in my book."

So this ended up pretty long. Much longer than I originally planned. I might make this into a two-shot if some people leave reviews.

As for how Shadow ended up in the Sonic Movie-verse, you're free to come up with your own ideas on how he fits into the film narrative. Personally, if Paramount decides to make more (hopefully good) sequels to the Sonic film, I would place Shadow's debut to be in the third or fourth installment.

In the meantime, this was a good exercise for me to get back into fanfic writing. I've missed this. Leave me a couple of reviews and I might write a second chapter to this. Stay safe everyone!

-GuardianDragon98