Sonic looked up at the setting sun, half his body submerged in the warm water. He wanted to sink further and feel the liquid all around him, rolling over his skin in sluiced fragments of crystalline crests.

He heard his phone buzz, the sound jarring him from his thoughts. It was Shadow's tone, the one he hated so much. The one that set fire under his skin, into his brain, muddled his thoughts and made him irrational. It was 'Acid Rain' by Lorn. He crossed his arms over his chest, hugging his body, trying to coax warmth into his body.

You know where you can get that.

Sonic shook his head, the droplets flicking all around him. No. No way, not again. Not after the last time. Shadow had used him for his own gain, all at the same time using him for his sick pleasure, with whispers of love. What dirty love?

He looked out over the infinity pool, below the sunset, at the shadowy skyline, starting to light up for the evening. They'd need him at the station. His phone had stopped ringing at the edge of his pool in his top-floor apartment. He'd gotten the apartment as part of his agreement with the local Metro police; he helps them nab criminals, and he gets to live in luxury. Not that that was what he wanted - nabbing criminals was enough. But the attention and free digs were nice.

He pushed his dripping body out of the water with his arms and grabbed his phone as he stood facing the low bluish light emanating from the French doors leading back into the apartment. He had three missed calls, one from Shadow and two from DC Knuckles, the head detective at the firm. He tapped the detective's name.

"Sonic?"

"Detective."

"Sonic, thank god. We have an urgent situation downtown at Decard's Gun Emporium. We believe it's a stick up, and we do have a hostage situation."

"Just give me the address."

Shadow stared at his phone screen and swore. Damn, he'd said he was only going to call one person, and it just had to be fucking Sonic. His fingers had tapped it in absentmindedly, muscle memory. He irritable shut it off and stashed it in the pocket of his leather jacket. He clicked the safety off the pistol he had aimed at Decard Mulch's head.

"Where the fuck is Robotnik?"

"I I swear, I swear I don't know! I don't know!"

Shadow pressed the muzzle right up to his sloping lined forehead, and his daughters behind him let out small screams. "You better start fucking talking, or I'll blast your brains all over your little girls."

"Please, daddy just tell him!" one pleaded, tears and snog running down her red face.

"Yeah, daddy. Be a good father, and tell me. You wouldn't want your girls fatherless, would you? Talk, or taste lead."

"I… I don't know…" Decard insisted, but it sounded weaker now.

The sirens were getting louder and closer now. He thought he heard the whir of a copter, and swore loudly.

"You'd give your life for Robotnik, is that it? You'd give your life for someone who wouldn't wait a goddamn beat before torturing and killing you for what he wants? I'm being nice to you, old man. Im giving you one more chance. Where. The. Fuck. Is. Robotnik?"

Decard hesitated. He glanced uneasily at the door, where the police had just pulled up, their flashing red and blue lights filling the store. Sweat dropped onto the gleaming muzzle of Shadow's glock.

Decard stayed silent."No? Your choice."

He pulled the trigger.

"No!"

Shadow was already leaping backwards, into his namesake dwelling. He shot the strip lighting above as he skated along the floors, plunging the shop into the darkness. He slipped into a storage room where they kept pinned grenades and stupidly had zero cameras, and tried to catch his breath. He was surrounded, he knew it. This whole mission was going to shit.

He leaned his head back against the wall, and closed his eyes.

"Shots fired! I repeat, shots fired! We've lost sight of the target."

DC Knuckles swore, and ran his hands through his thick red dreads. He glanced at Sonic, standing impassively staring at the darkened screens, his eyes darting and calculating. His dark blue hair was lit up by the blue-light and gave him a haunting look.

"Do you have an ID on the target?" Sonic asked, without looking back.

"No, only that its an anthropomorphic. Dark skin and fur, dark clothing, average height, heavily armed."

Sonic rubbed his lower lip, his gaze drawn inwards to the numbers possibly flying inside his head. "Any special character?"

"He's kind of fast. Doesn't run, more like glides or skates. Dead shot aim."

But Sonic had stopped listening. Dark fur. Skates. Fuck fuck fuck.

He stepped back suddenly, nearly knocking into DC Miles, the youngest detective on the team. He was an anthro, too, a fox with two tails.

"Hey, you good?" He said, all genuine concern.

"Yeah, yeah, I just… I'll be… right back."

"Sonic," Knuckles said, his brow creasing, "we don't have much time. Shots've been fired; we think there's a hostage down."

Yeah, Shadow had never had any problem doing away with things that were in his way. He knew exactly what this was about - why he didn't he put the pieces together before? Decard was one of Robotnik's lowers, but he'd surely know where the bastard was now. Of course this was Shadow's doing. All this avoidance, and he'd all but walked right up to Shadow's face. "I'll be right back."

"Fuck, damn damn damn," he muttered running his hands over his spiky hair. He stepped out into the night air. The police had set up right behind Decard's place with access to the security cameras - which unfortunately weren't very good in lowlight - and were surveilling the place remotely. They had the place surrounded, and the air cut by a copter above him ruffled his hair and puffed up his thin jacket.

He looked up into the early evening sky. He could see Venus resting above the crescent moon, like a red eye of the vast unending sky. It was inevitable, their reunion. He couldn't put it off forever. They would be drawn together - that's what magnets do, attract. Their relationship had been one of a burning passion that burnt so bright it threatened to scar them, change them forever. It burnt everything else to cinders.

How the hell had he even got caught up in this mess? Fucking Shadow the fucking Hedgehog. What a joke.

He took one last breath for strength and turned back into the makeshift tent. He steeled himself for the standoff of a century. At least, to him.

"I'm ready. Where do you need me?"

"I hate circles." Shadow turned at the sound of his voice. That voice, that teasing, shit-eating voice. Sonic was smirking, his smile not exactly reaching his luminescent green eyes. He looked clean and kind of rebel-y in a dark blue jacket, black turtleneck, dark-wash jeans and his black running shoes that had replaced his "childish" red ones. He still had the gloves, but they were beige and his hair was slicked back. He looked, as much as Shadow hated to admit it, good. Really good. Healthy, and fit.

Unlike Shadow, who thought he was combusting on the inside. He was in the worn leather jacket he'd had for five years now, fraying at the edges. His dark grey hoodie was rank, as he'd been chasing down the assholes related to that steaming pile of horse shit Robotnik for three days now. His jeans weren't fashionably ripped at the knee, but scuffed, and his skates needed a sharpening.

"Damn," he said, to Sonic's smiling face. He wasn't afraid to look the other hedgehog in the eye, even after all this time, even after their borderline violent parting. "You look good."

Sonic scoffed, "and you look like shite. How long's it been? Two years?"

"Give or take. How's the police work?"

"Getting good. How's the criminal life treating you?"

Shadow's face changed, lightning skittering across his features. "You know how it has to be."

"No, I don't, actually," Sonic said, some of lighthearted demeanor giving way to the tension that coiling up inside him, and the undeniable sparking inside his belly at the sight of Shadow's rugged face and blazing red eyes. Eyes he knew so well…or so he thought he did. "If you could enlighten me as to why you 'have to do this', I'd appreciate it."

"Wow, you sure grew up."

Sonic's smirk was back. "I only have you to thank; you made me realise how naïve I really was." He stepped closer, and the breeze brought his scent, cool and minty, with a hint of the smoky night air. Shadow stood his ground. He'd been the dominant one in their long-dead relationship, he wasn't sure why he was feeling so…nervous all of a sudden.

Sonic got close enough to touch, to see the flecks of gold in his alluring green eyes. They'd been so big and open when they'd first met, now they were closed off and distant. Was that his fault? But Sonic would never believe him if he said that wasn't his intention.

"It's about Robotnik, right?" he said in a stage-whisper, hot breath ghosting over Shadow's face. "You were always raving for him. What'd he do this time? Key your car?"

"Haha. I was wrong, you still don't know shit."

"I'm supposed to assume this is the old beef, right? Same money, same greasy old guys and expensive cigars? But," he added with a cold once-over, "looks like someone's fallen from their owners' grace."

Sonic saw the spark in Shadow's eyes just before he was pinned to the wall in a show of strength that shouldn't have surprised him as much as he did. He felt Shadow's breath, saw his pulse thrumming in his neck. Felt the pressure of his body pressing him into the hard concrete wall. His body heat.

"Nobody. Owns me. You hear me? Nobody." His breath was coming out ragged. Sonic's expression was one of unbothered, but Shadow could feel the slight tremor in his bones through the fabric of their clothes.

The layers between them were too much. The spark in Sonic's belly caught and lit up with all the mildness of a raging bull. The ridge between his brows got tighter, but Shadow saw the desire behind his eyes. He kept eye contact with him as he brought their bodies ever closer, closing the distance that he'd made with his arms till they were bent and he was flush against Sonic.

Sonic's breath hitched, but he managed to inject his voice with hate as he ground out "You know this is a crime scene, right? And you're the perp."

"The only thing I'm guilty of is wanting you so badly I could burst."

"Shut the hell up you waste."

"Then push me away. Leave. Tell me no," with every word he moved his face closer to Sonic's neck until he could push aside the fabric to kiss and taste the skin there, how he knew Sonic like it. "Call your friends. Tell them you got me cornered, that you made the arrest." He sucked a hickey into Sonic's flushed skin, and the blue hedgehog couldn't help a startled gasp. "No? As you like it, then."

Shadow removed the black biker's gloves he was wearing and thrust his cool hands into Sonic's sweater, running his fingers over his skin, slow and rough, how he liked it.

"Fuck you," Sonic said muffled by the glove he'd placed over his mouth. His eyes were growing shiny, his body responding to Shadow's touch in the most delicious way.

"Then let me," Shadow said, sliding his right hand along his skin, and to Sonic's back, to feel the ridges of his spine, and slightly sharp spikes that started halfway up his back. Sonic's body jerked, and Shadow moved his hips to meet him halfway, his crotch rubbing against the tented fabric of Sonic's jeans.

"Oh, fuck," Sonic gasped, and without thinking, laced his fingers in Shadow's hair, one hand clutching the collar of his jacket. He let out a low groan that shot straight to Shadow's loins. "Yes," he hissed.

"Yes, what?" He slowly grinded into Sonic, his hands squeezing his tight ass. "What do you want, baby?"

"Oh, Shadow, fuck…Fuck me, please, damn."

Shadow grinned into Sonic's skin before kissing him roughly, claiming him all over again, all teeth and tongues sliding together, sharing heated breath, their bodies moving in tandem. Sonic moaned into Shadow's mouth before the darker hedgehog moved away. "I thought you'd never ask."

With that, he flipped Sonic over, so he was facing the wall and slightly bent him over, spreading his trembling knees.

"Shadow… Shadow, please, c'mon…"

"Shh. So impatient, hm? I'll give you what you want."

"DC Knuckles?" Miles asked tentatively.

"Hm?" The head detective had been staring at the back door that Sonic had disappeared to. The hostages had been recovered safely; for some reason the guy had let them go. They were safe in the ambulance now, all three of them. They'd be taken to the station for questioning later. But where was the anthro that had threatened them? He seemed to have vanished. Knuckles was worried about Sonic.

"Er, I have some news." Miles was holding a tablet in his gloved hands, and scrolled a bit before handing it to Knuckles. It was the blueprints for Decard's Gun Emporium - including the plans for all the security cameras.

"Shit. Nice work, Miles. Where'd you find this?"

Miles blushed and said, "Well it's not exactly private - I found it on the website while trying to figure out why they were targeted. I also dug up some pretty disturbing stuff."

"Disturbing how?"

"Well," Miles said, his face going serious. It intrigued Knuckles, how much character the fox had. "Decard Mulch used to gamble a lot, see, at this place called Wires and Buttons - some type of robot casino/strip club - owned by a mysterious man called Robotnik. I couldn't find anything more on the owner himself, but I do know from phone records that Decard got in debt with the guy in a bad way, and promised Robotnik a bunch of his stock to let him free. He did, but he had to sign some sort of contract saying he'd pay the money anyway or Robotnik'd basically break his legs. "

"Yeesh."

"Yeah, and it gets worse. He kept gambling, and had to keep promising Robotnik stuff, like a night with his oldest daughter, or his house."

"Gross. Nothing on this creep?"

"Nothing. Everything about Wires and Buttons screams shady, though. We could probably get more answers there."

"Or get our legs broken."

"True."

"Hm. And how is this related to this robbery?"

"I don't think it's a robbery, sir. The perp wasn't carrying a bag. His face wasn't covered - though we didn't catch it on any cameras - and they didn't even touch the register."

"That it?"

"Also, Lois Mulch, Decard's daughter, said the perp kept asking where Robotnik was."

"You could've said that first, you kook."

Miles blushed, "Sorry. Forgot."

"Hm. Right, first we catch the guy, then we send more officers to WB." Knuckles peered at the blueprints more closely. "No storage room cameras. Do you think that's where he's hiding? Possibly holding up Sonic?"

"Most likely. He hasn't been spotted leaving the premises, and Sonic's been gone a while."

"... Send two officers in, armed. Get the guy - and Sonic, if he's still standing."

Sonic wasn't standing. Not fully, anyway. He was bent double, his face pressed into the wall, trying hard not to make too much noise as Shadow's hot member slid slowly in and out of his tight, straining ass. His cock was leaking between his legs, but Shadow had his arms pinned behind him so he couldn't touch himself. Every part of his body was burning and it was all he could do not to collapse onto the floor right then and there.

"Oh, fuck fuck fuck," Sonic groaned and pushed back to meet Shadow's thrust. He was rewarded with a sharp smack on his ass. He cried out, his knees almost giving away in pleasure, his eyes watering.

"That's it, baby; take my cock," Shadow panted above him, leaning over to plant kisses and bites on Sonic's back and neck. "Do you like that? Like it when I fuck you just how you like it?"

"Yes, yes, Shadow, yes," he stuttered out, pleasure making his mind muddy. The obscene squelch of Shadow pushing into him and the feeling of being so deliciously full after so damn long was getting to him. He was already so close to the peak…

Shadow grunted and started to move faster, hitting Sonic's sweet spot with every fevered thrust of his hips. Sonic couldn't hold it in any longer, couldn't bite back a scream as his orgasm overcame him, rushing over him like a white-hot wave. "Oh god!" Thick white streams of cum painted the floor at his feet, but the waves didn't relent until Shadow pulled out and with a hissed curse came all over Sonic's ass and back.

"Shit…" Sonic sank to the floor, Shadow having released his arms. Shadow was right behind him, kissing his neck and whispering sweet nothings into his ear. He'd forgotten he could be like this: tender and so loving. It pulled at his chest and made him want again. More of this. More of him.

But he couldn't have him. Cause he was a wanted criminal.

"Oh, shit." Sonic said, the realization hitting him like a bag of bricks. "Ugh!" he struggled to his feet, Shadow looking content and sated behind him.

"Sonic," he said, a lazy, sexy drawl that Sonic had no time for right then, "we have to talk."

"No talk," Sonic said, pulling up his pants and ignore the twinge in his dick from the spine-tingling soreness in his ass. "We gotta go. Fast."

Realisation dawned in Shadow's eyes. "Changed your mind?"

"Something like that. But it's not going to be the same this time, capisce?"

"I can already see that," Shadow pulled up his jeans too - he'd forgone boxers - and buckled his belt. "I… I'm…"

"Ouch, that looks like it hurts. You don't have to say it; I forgive you…for now."

"You still don't understand the urgency of my situation."

"You can tell me on the way. The full story this time, okay?" Sonic gave him a fleeting smile, which Shadow returned.

"Where to next?" Sonic asked, holding onto Shadow's waist the way he always did before speeding off together.

"Sin City, to Wires and Buttons."

And they were off.

The blue streak leaving the storage room knocked right into the two officers staged outside the door, preparing to break it down. They'd heard noises first, then two voices. They'd been afraid the target was torturing Sonic, but were bowled over by him instead.

"DC Knuckles!" crackled Knuckles's radio.

"What is it? Can you see them?"

"No, they escaped. The target took Sonic with him…or rather, Sonic took the target with him."

"What do you mean?"

"He knocked us over as we were about to bust in. And there's evidence of um…sexual activity on the floor. Relatively fresh."

"What? Are you speaking words to me, because I don't understand."

"I think you need to see the scene, detective."