Boiling Point

by galsgeneration

Temperance is an important virtue. After receiving a single message from a long-time rival, Shadow the Hedgehog decides to attend a rather friendly gathering, hellbent on pursuing a dreamlike night.

2. Purgatorio

Can these sins be forgiven by Him?

To Super Sonic we belong and to Super Sonic we return.

---

BOILING POINT

And a Chemical Reaction

ACT 2

Purgatorio

Unlocked. That was a good sign.

Shadow glanced around the room, twice the size of his own. An elegant design in fuchsia, cyan and white consumed the deceitful sanctuary, displaying a bunch of gemstones found and stolen during Rouge's treasure hunting adventures. He admired his acquaintance's determination to secure them, since a goal was a goal, independent of the means used to achieve it. Wincing upon having his eardrums obstructed by a song speaking of sex dreams and disclosure, Shadow pushed a certain shooting star to the back of his mind and remembered the whole reason why he was there.

A disgusted frown plastered itself on his face when he caught sight of Rouge swaying to the beat while naked, combing her short head fur in front of the white dressing table, jam-packed with make-up, fragrances and a misplaced vibrator. On the nearly human-sized double bed remained a jet-black outfit, consisting of a V-neck mini dress, gloves and open toe high heels, next to an uncountable number of lingerie sets in varied color and material, waiting to be chosen by their owner.

Shadow liked the black one in particular, only because it included a g-string.

"Last night, damn you were in my sex dreams! Doing really nasty things!" Rouge sang along with the tune as she adjusted her golden choker, not even acknowledging Shadow's presence.

"Turn this shit down," he ordered, loud enough for his partner to shift her gaze to the doorway and present him a mischievous grin.

"Good evening, Shadow! Has the prince finally awakened?" the bat turned the volume down until they were able to speak evenly.

Shadow leaned against the fuchsia wall, crossing his arms in a judgmental way after checking her out, not giving much importance to her curvy body. More than used to the view, the striped hedgehog was ready to protest about the delay, until he noticed Rouge had a fan turned on to cool down the rather hot bedroom.

"The air conditioner. Did you break it?" his voice was sharp as a knife.

"Why? Too hot in here? I thought we were past that already," Rouge placed a hand on her hip, far from ashamed.

"It's summer, Rouge."

"Yes, hun. It's summer and I'm the one who pays the energy bill here. You don't get to complain, so get over it," the spy selected a purple lingerie set from the bed and continued. "I saw you bought a new phone. Where else have you been spending your paycheck on?" she looked over her shoulder and pointed a thumb towards the bra's hook, wings flapping slightly.

Shadow walked behind Rouge, mentally cursing her entire existence. She knew more than half of his paycheck had gone to charity as usual, since he was a regular donor. However, the other half went to a handful of sex toys and frivolous things the bat wasn't aware of. Now that Shadow thought about it, the number of rings he had spent on men lately was concerning. He held eye contact with his colleague through the mirror once he was done, resting his gloved hands on her shoulders.

"That's none of your business," he answered dryly and Rouge snorted in response, sauntering away from his touch. "Where's Omega?"

"He's my honorary bartender tonight! While you were there being lazy, he was working hard in the club," Rouge began to wear the purple thong.

"Good for him," Shadow took his rocket shoes off and strode in the direction of the bed.

"Omega and I have been gathering rings to invest in that skyscraper under construction I told you about," the elite agent informed, pouting at her reflection in the looking glass. The violet hue didn't match her golden eyeshadow. "Top floor. Discreet. Perfect for us."

"Uh-huh."

Shadow boosted himself up the bed with a grunt. It was too high for his liking, no wonder Rouge tended to push him there whenever they would spend some quality time together in the past. Either that or she was secretly making fun of his height, which he didn't mind in the slightest. Contrary to popular belief, being eye level with her voluptuous cleavage wasn't so insulting.

The agent reminisced the old days when he would sleep there with Rouge, since her bed was way more comfortable than his own. One thing he didn't miss at all was the bat's wings moving ahead of his face when he cuddled her from behind, that was for sure. Shoving her expensive clothing out of the way, Shadow leaned against the cushioned headboard and bent his legs, arms hanging over his knees.

"You're able to collect twice the number of rings we earn in a jog, yet I don't see you sparing anything to our dream penthouse. How do you think we're going to move out? We're a team, Shadow," Rouge glowered, switching the purple set to a red, lace one with a thigh garter.

"Tch."

"By the way, what's up with you and Omega? Whenever I'm talking about you not lending a hand, he makes a weird noise as if he's snickering. Does he know something I don't?" Rouge regarded Shadow, observing his features with a critical eye as she put the garnet bustier on.

Omega was walking on thin ice. Shadow had to control himself not to fume, because he couldn't have an outburst without owing an explanation to Rouge later. That was absurd. Instead of showing exactly how he felt about the robot's enigmatic behavior, Shadow recovered his smartphone and replied nonchalantly, averting his eyes from her piercing stare.

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."

"You never do, handsome," Rouge chuckled and eyed him briefly, striking a pose. "So, would you fuck me?"

Shadow studied the delicate red thong she wore and the thigh garter, adorned with a golden star. He remembered the last time she donned that set was at a swingers club they'd gone to a year ago. Whereas he fucked a rich, hazel fox, Rouge had fun with her husband, a pink-eyed stag with toned legs. The hedgehog had no idea how big the guy was, considering the couple hadn't fucked in the same room, as to respect the snooty wife's wish to have Shadow the Hedgehog all to herself for one night, spouse be damned.

Nevertheless, the vivacious bat hadn't hesitated to tell Shadow the juicy details of her night with the man, father of two lousy kids, even if he pretended not to listen. Lucky bitch. Extinguishing the old memory, Shadow found Rouge gorgeous, but he wouldn't stroke her ego or encourage her to flirt with the red echidna tonight. Therefore, he enunciated his verdict avoiding any sort of compliment.

"If I were him? Probably not."

"Which side are you on, Shadow? You've changed," the jewel thief scorned.

"I don't know what you saw in him," he retorted, unamused.

"Are you jealous?" Rouge ogled her partner from head to toe.

"No fucking way. He's a fool. You should be with a real man," Shadow glared, which made her snort again.

"I was," she came clean with a fond smile, one that caused the tough hedgehog to soften his gaze just a little. "He may be a fool, but he's the one I want."

"Don't get sentimental with me. You're not like this," Shadow declared, unaltering his flat tone.

"It's not sentimentalism. He has custody of my true love," Rouge winked, coming to get a black set with a sparkly push-up bra and a g-string. "Did I ever tell you what happened after Knuckles chased me to the desert?" she smirked, flinging the red garter and thong at him.

"You two fucked in the sand?" Shadow sent a perverse grin her way after dodging the flying underwear.

"We had a moment there. He gave me a peck in exchange for that stinky hat," Rouge poked her cheek with her index finger, batting her long eyelashes while faking bashfulness. "Then, I flew to Angel Island to visit my beloved," she kept the act, moaning seductively.

"Oh! And now you're thinking about this," Shadow's grin widened as he groped his crotch firmly to get his point across.

"You know I specialize in stealing precious things," Rouge remarked confidently as she tried the lingerie set in her grasp. "Speaking of which, you're a traitor. I still can't believe you decided to hand over my emerald to Sonic like that."

The dark hedgehog scowled instantly. "I did it for Blaze. The Sol Emerald had nothing to do with our assignment and the safety of her world depended on it," his voice sank as he went on. "I wouldn't make the same mistake again."

"Are you fucking Blaze? I don't just walk away from a gem!"

"Stop whining, Rouge," Shadow tried not to raise his tone, even though it came out harsher than intended.

"Sonic convinced you, didn't he? He has you on a leash," Rouge mocked while closing her front hook.

That was the last straw.

"Fuck you! That blue hedgehog had nothing to do with that," he fidgeted in the bed.

"No? You're obsessed with him, sugar."

"I could say the same thing about you and that motherfucker," Shadow grumbled.

"Well? You don't even deny it," Rouge laughed when Shadow gaped in incredulity. "Anyway, I have a great plan for tonight! While the party's on, I'm going to take Knuckles to some place cozy where a girl can get to know a boy better. After we're done playing, I'll scram with the Master Emerald right under his nose. I even got a rope for that!"

"Hmph. You never learn. Are you going to blow him?" Shadow spared his ally a second of his interest. He knew her stupid plan wouldn't work. Knuckles was smarter than that.

"A helping hand might do," the jewel thief pondered for a minute, pausing to grant him a proper answer. "I don't want to scare him away before taking the gem, though. Remember Julie-Su? I wonder if he ever got over her after she was locked up somewhere. Not that she didn't deserve that ending," Rouge let out a low, devious chuckle in disdain.

"She could be dead," he frowned, then swerved his amber-ish red eyes to the phone vibrating in his hand.

"Did you know she almost said to my face I was a bitch? I won't pretend I care, Shadow. Life goes on," the prideful bat turned around to admire herself in the mirror among the flickering jewelry, deeming a black lingerie the perfect weapon to steal any target's heart.

Shadow didn't bother listening to what else Rouge had to say about the pink echidna, because Sonic had sent him a rather interesting text.

Sonic

Thought about my sword while you beat it?

'How did you know?' the black and red hedgehog thought.

"Knuckles enjoyed saying she was the only girl he would ever love," Rouge put her tongue out in distaste and rambled. "Perhaps he's changed his mind. He would be a nice guy to get along with, despite being a knucklehead. I'm sure he hides something nice beneath that red fur," she smiled and failed to meet Shadow's eyes through the looking glass.

Because they were elsewhere.

"Are you even listening to me?" Rouge received an automatic nod. "What did I just say?"

"Some shit I don't give a fuck about," Shadow caught a glimpse of her, then stared back to the notification.

"I don't know why I still waste my time with you, Shadow," the treasure hunter groaned in exasperation and shifted to get a lipstick from the dressing table.

Said hedgehog's mouth curved into a smirk as he answered Sonic's question to himself. 'Yes, slicing your hole apart,' he would type if he weren't so determined in ignoring his cocky rival indefinitely. A response from him was out of the question now. Shadow wouldn't even leave Sonic on read this time.

"Wait, are you smiling at your phone?"

Shadow flinched and his eyes widened, simper long gone. Rouge inspected his face closely through the reflection and ran towards the bed with a playful grin, sharp fangs peeking out. He knew he had nowhere to go as soon as she jumped on the bed with a flap of her dark wings, disregarding the outfit there to launch herself at him.

"No!" Shadow shouted, holding his smartphone as high as he could while kicking her out of his reach.

"You got a girl?!" Rouge asked, eyes glinting as she sat on his lap to snag the phone away from his hand, pushing his head down and stretching one arm up to grab his left wrist just under the inhibitor ring. "Is she hot?"

"Get your tits off my face!" he protested, unable to escape after her torso kept his body in place.

The two agents wrestled over the phone for a while, arms flailing and profanities cried out. Growling, Shadow tried to slip away from Rouge's grasp when she stole the device. He laid down with an arm around her waist and switched their positions, making the thief land harshly on the other side of the bed. Rouge didn't think twice before bringing Shadow down with her, turning over and over until her garments found themselves on the floor.

Panting, the dark hedgehog straddled his friend and recovered the phone when he was able to pin her wrist against the cushion, closing his other hand around her choker. However, he didn't expect Rouge to remove her grip from his mid-section to yank his tail roughly. With a pained moan, Shadow released the bat and threw himself beside her, saving the smartphone under his body. Rouge grunted for being overthrown and delivered a strong punch on his arm in frustration. They breathed heavily when the fight was over, lying side by side in the rumpled bed.

"Good news travels fast, you hear me?" Rouge warned, moving to sit up.

She didn't expect Shadow to deliberately stroke her lower back and tail, hand traveling down to reach her underwear, where he examined its thin waistband meticulously.

"This… material. Does it itch down there?" Shadow tested the g-string's elasticity with a tug.

"No? Depends? What kind of question is that?" Rouge asked cautiously, turning her head to analyze his every move with prying teal eyes.

"Research," Shadow replied, matter-of-factly. "I might buy one."

"For your girl or for yourself, bestie?" the clever bat slid out of the bed, being met with silence and a smack in the ass. "Which one? Black or red?" Rouge held the bustier close to her push-up bra once she retrieved it from the floor. "For me."

"You don't need any of this," the agent sat upright against the headboard, phone back in hand. "Don't forget who you are dealing with."

"You're right," Rouge flung the garnet set aside and removed her g-string in one fluid motion. "I'm going commando," then she tossed the cloth to Shadow, who caught it precisely with one hand while chuckling lowly.

•••

Done with his third chili dog of the night, Sonic smirked after creating a new album in his smartphone. It included one picture so far. Unlike the contact's name, he baptized the folder as 'Shadow.' How much he wished to show the photo he had received to Knuckles, who didn't care about listening to his pleadings in regard of Rouge's relationship with a guy he had many plans for.

"Nope," Knuckles held his ground, drinking a grape soda beside Sonic on the bench. Next to him was Espio, who sat with immaculate posture unlike the two laid-back men.

"Rouge isn't playing you, Knux. Whatever she has with Shadow doesn't go past friendship," Sonic tried, locking his phone when the echidna's eyes darted to its screen.

"Friendship? Team Dark?" Knuckles snorted, nudging Espio. "You heard that?"

"I've got a bad feeling about this," the chameleon went along with Knuckles' paranoia, much to Sonic's displeasure.

"I think they have their own way of bonding. It may be strange, but how can we judge 'em?" Sonic wrapped an arm around his teammate's neck, pretending to put him in a headlock.

"Did Rouge tell you that?" the guardian bore his amethyst irises into Sonic's, elbowing him in the ribs to let go. "I bet she'd rather have me and that jerk in her bed at once."

As if on cue, Sonic's imagination evoked a scenario in which Knuckles and Shadow were making out, intertwined in a large bed. The striped hedgehog came out on top, gifting his mind's eye a great view of his ass and balls when his legs spread apart. Sonic smiled, thinking of himself and Rouge pleasuring each other while watching them from a loveseat, the deep moan of their rivals enhancing their avid experience.

The hero licked his dry lips and tried not to hum at the sight of him in bed with the two mighty guys, ready to take one of them while the other fucked him, leaving the jewel thief to finish herself as she pleased. He wondered if Knuckles would be down to that. Probably not, knowing his reservations. Undoubtedly, Sonic had to say Rouge had great taste in men: passionate, strong, big…

'Heh, who wouldn't?' he didn't answer, sighing instead. What he wouldn't do to have a private affair with that headstrong trio one day.

"…on't want anything to do with that bat. Don't get it twisted," Sonic heard the treasure hunter comment and cleared his throat.

"Just go with the flow, 'kay? Sex doesn't have to be complicated," he clasped his friend's shoulder.

"It isn't. But she is," Knuckles specified, tone growing serious. "She's a thief. Can't be trusted. So, if I were you, I'd hold on tight to the six Chaos Emeralds I know you're holding," he poked Sonic's chest in accusation. "And I don't give a damn about Shadow, if you're so concerned about him. I just don't want to get shoved into a love triangle, that's it."

"Shadow? I'm concerned about you!" the hero asserted, blinking repeatedly. "Espio, do I sound concerned about Shadow here?"

A shrug was the ninja's response, making the echidna grin and Sonic stay quiet in chagrin.

Knuckles had a reason to play hard to get. Yes, he wondered if Rouge desired to lure him into another situationship she maybe had going on with Shadow already, bearing in mind how she flirted with him from time to time as if Knuckles were another pawn in her game. However, his motives went far beyond that. He considered Rouge a nice candidate when overwhelming isolation knocked at his door, like Sonic had mentioned earlier that night. Still, the idea of savoring her company held much more significance than just an informal, sporadic encounter, even if she probably had another man to satisfy.

Tolerating a sulky guy like Shadow around was only the tip of the iceberg.

Guardian of the Master Emerald and the last of his kind, Knuckles had grown used to being independent in result of a secluded life. A loner by nature, even if nature itself was never silent, Knuckles became completely devoted to his ancestry and subsequent duty, meaning he never got to comprehend some things Sonic would convince him to give a try on.

While he liked stability and exclusivity, the blue hedgehog enjoyed living on the move, expecting the wind to guide his next step. That extended to casualty when it came to sex, an activity Knuckles reserved only for those he was seriously fond of. In other words, Sonic was weird in that aspect, but he knew where he came from. They could understand each other just fine, contrasting opinions or not.

His long-time rival wasn't a player, but he wasn't old-fashioned either.

Despite that, their friendship was more important than Knuckles would ever admit – his very first positive experience with life outside Angel Island. Their bond gave him a sense of security, not counting the exasperating headaches he would get every once in a while. Wind was a powerful agent of erosion, able to modify even the rockiest of mountains, and Knuckles believed that beyond question. After all, he had learned to be more sociable throughout the years, enjoying the presence of his team, friends and even someone he came to love and lose one day.

Sonic became his tie to the world, and he would be forever grateful for having his eyes opened in regard of some people's bad intentions in the past. Although the hedgehog lived by his own rules, his moral code mostly aligned itself with good; an active defender of peace. And that was one of his best qualities in Knuckles' opinion. Sonic was a true hero and a nice guy, even if he envied his self-reliant nature at times and disliked when he acted like a jerk for no justifiable reason.

Understanding how Sonic had touched his heart a long time ago, Knuckles remembered his contempt for being taken advantage of. No, Sonic would never do that to him, but someone else whom the hedgehog had vowed for would.

Rouge cared a lot about collecting every jewel she could find to a point where she resorted to steal them. She liked shiny things and that was okay. She also could be kind and sympathetic when she wanted to – a woman as multifaceted as a gem. However, Knuckles had a problem there. He couldn't trust Rouge entirely. He'd rather be lonely than in constant turmoil over a woman who had acquired a target on his homeland.

The Master Emerald was his priority and nobody would change that.

Much to his dismay, Rouge's only consistence was being inconsistent. They didn't have the same ethical alignment, plus Knuckles had something she thought belonged to her. It was clear how she'd steal the powerful relic right before him if given the chance. Moreover, Knuckles was used to that in a way. Losing. He had lost his people, his girlfriend Julie-Su, but nothing would shake him more than losing his resolve as a guardian by trusting a jewel thief not to do what she was born to.

Treasure hunting and quarreling were nothing compared to having sex with a covetous bat, whom not even an ancient prayer could retain from coming back. Knuckles had to confess: her persistence and determination were admirable and sort of relatable, too. Yet, engaging in something remotely casual with Rouge was like playing with fire. And fighting fire with fire never sounded like a good idea.

Thereby, Knuckles would leave that shit for Shadow to deal with, a guy whose cold heart had managed to reach that fiery woman's. An honorable feat if he were being honest, although that idea slightly repulsed him. He'd rather trust Sonic on this and believe they're not together. It would be for the best. Even so, there was one thing he couldn't quite believe just yet.

Shadow had reacted strangely when Sonic almost died in Arid Sands. Now Sonic had indirectly vouched for Shadow. How did he manage to reach his heart with that obvious unreliability of his?

He would never understand those two. And then there was his own bemused rivalry with that batty woman.

Confusion. Anger. A bit of jealousy. Nothing he expected to feel tonight. Perhaps Rouge had stolen more than an old hat that day.

"It's Shadow!" Sonic abruptly exclaimed, jumping from the bench to sprint forward in a trail of blue. The sonic boom caused the seat to incline backward, making Knuckles and Espio lose their balance.

"Sonic!" Knuckles growled furiously, then looked ahead. Wearing a tight black dress and golden jewelry, Rouge had her arm linked to Shadow's, denoting they had teleported together via Chaos Control, nonviable without an emerald. "…and Rouge," he closed his eyes in defeat and finished his grape soda in one gulp.

"Focus your spirit," Espio advised, patting his back in solidarity.

Sonic had to be the first thing Shadow heard and saw at that party. He scowled when the blue hedgehog halted in front of him and Rouge, resting a fist on his hip while subtly checking him out in the colorful light of the improvised dancefloor. Sonic smiled fondly, but Shadow didn't reciprocate it, fairly lost in the lyrics of a song playing in the background. He froze, black fur involuntarily standing on end after his mind conjured up a memory – an important battle that culminated into his demise, which was quickly associated with the two powerful beings' journey involved in that troubling lucid dream.

We only got four minutes to save the world…

Ignored, Sonic's smile wavered as he turned to Rouge, observing her chosen outfit with interest. Blinking out of his remembrance, Shadow's lips parted to speak, but his rival beat him to it, the only suitable moment wasted.

"Thought you guys wouldn't show up," he pointed out, mostly to the white bat.

"Hi, Big Blue. Better looking than ever, I see," Rouge's voice hung in the air as she detached her arm from Shadow's, eyeing Sonic with an inviting smirk.

"Not just me," Sonic winked at Shadow, who tsked in disinterest. "Where's the big guy?" he inquired upon noticing Omega's absence and widened his eyes, seeing Wave wander blindly in the agent's direction with her Extreme Gear under an arm.

The swallow bumped harshly into his rival before Sonic could alert either of them, her transparent beverage dampening his chest fur instantly. Rouge raised a palm to her gaping mouth, anticipating Shadow's reaction. Even Storm, who had run after the tipsy mechanic with a pre-mixed cocktail in hand, kept silent. The striped hedgehog started growling as his left hand turned into a fist.

"Have you seen shorty?" Wave asked the hero, voice louder than the music, barely noticing the other hedgehog's face twisted in rage.

"Who are you calling shorty?" Shadow raised his tone to match hers, giving one step forward while baring his teeth.

Sonic realized it was the best time to intervene.

"She means Tails!" the blue blur blocked his path and hastily dried his fur using his gloved hand, both to push him back from Wave's personal space and touch his rigid chest, feeling a significant increase in heart rate. "He's right there," he motioned toward Tails, talking to Silver and Blaze now at the base of the stairway.

"I got a new optimization I want to show that shrimp," Wave lifted her customized board to demonstrate a new feature nobody cared about. "Apologies," she winked at Shadow in mockery and left with the other rogue on her tail.

"Hmph. Birds," Shadow snatched Sonic's hand away from his chest and moved to get something to eat, avoiding eye contact with him.

"Yikes," the blue hedgehog noted and decided to catch up with Rouge instead.

Metal soles disturbing the flickering platform, Shadow ambled the area until he reached one of the tables, storing provisions and a few other refreshments. He paused to scan the party's decorations and guests as he picked up what he assumed was a dark chocolate doughnut with bonbon bits and red sprinkles. He gave it a generous bite, adoring how tasty and crunchy it was. At least the food there was decent, despite the bath of gin he had taken moments prior as if he were cursed. The type of cleansing he didn't ask for.

Dispersing his usual thoughts of revenge, the grumpy hedgehog saw Knuckles squinting his eyes from his seat as Espio glanced at him, quickly turning back to speak with the echidna. He continued munching on the doughnut, not caring about whatever the fuck they were whispering. Rouge would take care of Knuckles later anyway. The guardian kept his eyes on Shadow as if eating was threatening enough. That or his doughnut was spiked. He scrutinized it slowly, then got an extra one with blue icing and white pearl sprinkles for comparison. Both smelt delicious so it most likely was a false alert.

Shadow's right ear twitched upon hearing his name being mentioned by Rouge. Devouring the chocolate treat on the way, he sauntered to the rocky surface of the train bridge near the glowing staircase, where Sonic and Rouge talked spontaneously. Shadow saw Tails bickering with Wave about engineering while Silver and Blaze walked past them to get another cupcake each. Chewing his second doughnut airily, the agent reached the garish duo to overhear the conversation.

"Are you guys moving?" Sonic asked Rouge, not sparing Shadow a glance when he stood beside his partner.

"We wish. The philanthropist here isn't contributing to our cause. He's donating everything he earns to charity," Rouge pointed a thumb in Shadow's direction and persuaded the hero. "Maybe if you tried to convince him, you could help me and Omega move out. I know you're good at it, Sonic," she winked, then eyed her teammate's half-eaten, blue-ish pastry. "Enjoying your doughnut, Shadow? Can I have a taste?"

"No," he answered, taking another bite in petulance.

"Argh, I give up. He's all yours," Rouge heaved a sigh, clasping a peach shoulder before leaving the hedgehogs alone.

Sonic changed his demeanor completely when it was just the two of them.

"She said it, not me," the blue hedgehog held up his hands defensively, chuckling a bit. "But yeah, charity. Helping sex shops now, Shad?" Sonic stole the sugary treat to give it a huge bite, handing the remaining portion back after the other snarled. "Rouge is right, though. You gotta save rings, man," he proposed through the mouthful.

"Really? Even you?" Shadow finished his doughnut, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Either that or you should find another source of income," Sonic suggested in a nonchalant manner, swiping a thumb across his nose. "And you have three options for that, old buddy! One: a car race," he raised his forefinger for emphasis. "Two: an endorsement deal," another digit up. "And three…" the hero inched ever closer and altered his tone to a sultry one. "A sugar daddy. I volunteer, babe."

Sonic had earned a punch in the face by courtesy of that last option.

It was obvious that Knuckles had been watching the spectacle from his spot on the bench. He ran to Sonic's aid at the same time the other staggered backwards, hastening his steps to knock Shadow out in earnest. Surprisingly, Sonic detained the echidna, stretching a palm to the white crescent on his chest while regaining his feet. Shadow's dramatic reaction had also alerted the Babylon Rogues and the interdimensional travelers, though none of them went to check on the rivals. Come to think of it, Sonic and Shadow clashing at a party wasn't all that scandalous.

"I'm okay! It's just Shadow being cute," Sonic reassured the guardian and sneered at the infuriated hedgehog.

"Ha. Cute," Shadow echoed in disgust.

"Fighting again, boys?" Rouge asked once she was done roaming the area, taking a sip of whatever was inside her glass.

"No one's fighting here," Knuckles clarified, glaring daggers at Shadow. He gently removed Sonic's hand from his torso, holding it as he helped his friend up with an arm around his waist. "I'm making sure of that."

"I like this gallant side of you," she praised the echidna, fondling his upper arm tenderly.

"I'm in no mood to talk to you, Rouge," Knuckles broke away from her touch before retreating to his seat.

"You're never in that mood, handsome," the jewel thief teased, trailing behind him.

When the treasure hunters were out of earshot, Sonic cackled up in amusement.

"Alright. How 'bout a drink?" he landed a playful slap on his dark counterpart's arm. "We don't have champagne, but I can grab you a be–"

"Whisky," Shadow demanded, sternly. "Neat."

Sonic's mouth curved upwards as his brain retained the newest piece of information. Glad to be of service, the blue hedgehog went to get Shadow's desired beverage without any judgment on his choice, coming back within seconds.

"Luckily, I was able to get some variety! Here," Sonic handed him a glass. "You're brave. Not a fan of scotch myself."

"Can't take it?" Shadow whirled the brown liquid and breathed in its distinctive aroma. Staring fixedly at his rival in the warm light, he brought the drink to his lips to have an inquisitive taste, rolling it inside his mouth. It wasn't so bad.

"I just don't like the taste of it," Sonic leaned his back on the brick railway bridge, watching his rival gulp down beside him. "You for one like the way it burns when sliding in, amirite?"

Shadow gave his blue counterpart a sideways glance and snorted, catching the double entendre in his shrewd remark. He had nothing to say as a retort, knowing how Sonic wasn't exactly wrong. The hero simpered, proud to incite a positive reaction from him. He didn't seem to notice when Shadow used their relatively close proximity to his advantage, secretly inhaling his body spray and closing his eyes for a fleeting moment – the citric scent was there again, drawing him in. The rivals stood side by side in comfortable silence for a while, watching the party unfold itself.

The dark hedgehog saw Rouge trying to convince Knuckles to dance with her, and when that didn't work, given how the guardian reluctantly got up to talk to Silver instead, she resorted into bothering Vector behind the sound mixer, pushing him out of the way to skip a few songs until she found one that she liked, upbeat and dance-inducing.

Complaining loudly, Vector fought her to regain control of the music until Cream's mother led him to a corner to stop the arguing, taking the crocodile directly to a cave near the train station. Shadow raised an eye ridge at that. Rouge should ask her for some advice on how to snatch a man so easily. Without thinking twice, Vector had crawled after the composed woman like a half-wit.

Giving another sip to his scotch in the heated evening, Shadow noticed a pair of blue eyes on him. With his own eyes casted forward, he saw Jet leering at him and his rival as if their display of camaraderie unpleased him. It wasn't everything, though. The hawk's gaze lingered on Sonic's body for longer than considered normal. His blue counterpart hadn't perceived or didn't care about the ogling, focusing his attention on Tails debating with Wave over craftmanship. Either way, Jet's deliberate staring made Shadow come to a conclusion.

He hated it.

"Why the fuck is he staring at us?" Shadow eyed the hawk, who sat next to a table containing pick-me-ups.

Sonic was confused at first, then he caught the Extreme Gear rider cocking his head in questioning. He realized Jet was probably inquiring why he was there with Shadow, instead of enjoying the party with anybody else but the guy who had just antagonized him. Sending him a glare for bothering his fiercest rival on purpose, Sonic made a face and answered Shadow properly.

"How should I know? Go ask hi– are you checking him out?" the hero frowned and raised his tone, finding the situation hideous.

Curiously, Shadow was checking him out. Jet wasn't good-looking, but he wasn't ugly either. Under the orange-ish light from one of the torches, his neatly combed green feathers stood out, making Shadow consider his dark flame-like motifs a nice feature. In reality, he wanted to intimidate Jet, eyeing his body in a way that would make him feel uncomfortable. He knew he had achieved his goal once the flustered rogue diverted his eyes from them to spot his team amidst the crowd.

Smirking, the black and red hedgehog couldn't help but give Sonic the wrong idea. Why would a simple glance at another guy bother him so much? He didn't owe him shit to begin with.

"Got a problem with that, hedgehog?" Shadow taunted, brushing his head quills back.

Sonic paused for a second, then replied coldly. "Nah. Want me to give you some space?"

Turning his head to reply after drinking his beverage, Shadow made sure to lower his voice and speak as close to Sonic's mouth as possible without raising suspicion. There were bystanders everywhere, thus discretion was required.

"He's not my type. Too feisty for my liking."

Shadow noticed his rival inhaling his breath by the way his nose subtly twitched.

"Are you picky now? That's new," Sonic derided his statement, smiling slyly.

"What do you mean by that?" Shadow glowered, making the other stifle a laugh.

"Forget it. C'mon, let's dance!" the hero ran to the colorful stand, where some of his friends had begun to gather.

Unconvinced, Shadow adjusted his line of sight to a new point of interest. Behind a table with a variety of glasses, silver tableware and edible content provided by the inconvenient hosts, was Blaze the Cat, taking a fancy, wide-mouthed glass to serve herself a drink after being ditched by Silver. Sonic had the nerve to drag the hedgehog to the dancefloor after Shadow had silently declined his invitation.

With regal elegance, Blaze got a tea strainer from her purple tailcoat and placed it over the glass, catching a sugar cube from a red bowl to put it on its center. Shadow squinted his eyes confusedly at the image of the solemn cat pouring a great shot of a bright green liquid into the empty goblet, showering the cube. He knew exactly what it was: absinthe. Her strict discipline and maneuver explained how she probably had prepared the drink before – an expert in the field. It was a rare, though rather welcomed view.

Circling her wrist and fingers with grace, the guardian set the drenched sugar cube ablaze, watching it melt into the liquid as the heat caramelized its once solid form. Shadow considered the feat a wonderful exhibition. It wasn't a secret how he had a soft spot for kittens. Furthermore, he truly admired Blaze's finesse throughout the entirety of the serving process. He could even describe it as foreign. Her exquisite taste in alcohol wasn't that unexpected either. Shadow had always taken Blaze as someone with fine palate and nobility above everything else.

Intuitive and highly perceptive, Blaze's eyes bored into his athwart the crowd, golden irises reflecting the flare. She gave him a curt nod, which Shadow answered by raising his own glass in respect. And there came the grand finale: the tea strainer was inclined to drop the flaming cube into the green fairy, lighting up the entire spirit on a blue-ish fire that flickered wildly in and out of the goblet. Shadow's lips parted in awe, despite the predictable outcome.

Blaze didn't waste time to lock her gaze with his again, lips turning into a knowing smirk, clearly sensing his unapologetic staring. Shadow didn't falter, pretending they were in a contest. There was no casualty in her body language, justifying how she was someone hard to read in his opinion. Blaze could be anti-social, yet he found her presence enticing. Magnetic even, like a breath of fresh air. Every trait emanated reverence, control and perfection. And he fancied that.

Visibly entertained, Shadow tasted his whisky again and smirked back. This friend of Sonic's would easily be the type to drink gasoline and find it bland. Instead of waiting for the flames to die down, the pyrokinetic woman swerved her eyes from him, saved the discarded utensil and left with her lit-up drink. The touch of her hand made the fire grow significantly, due to her ability to control said element in the way she wanted. Darting away from the crowd, Blaze came to stop at his side, offering him a close-up view of the blue flame sparkling in the air, contrasting with lilac fur and a red oval gem.

"Shadow," she started and an air of formality prevailed. "I should thank you. Sonic told me if it weren't for you, he wouldn't have recovered my emerald. You have my sincere gratitude."

"Did he?" the striped hedgehog scoffed and let that revelation sink in. How adorable of his pesky rival. "The Sol Emerald belonged to your world, princess."

"Please, just call me Blaze," the feline required politely and continued after a few seconds. "I'm not so good with parties and crowds, but I wanted to be here for Sonic."

'You and me both,' Shadow didn't reply, rather landing his gaze on said hedgehog.

On the spur of the moment, Blaze blew the fire out, taming the hectic flame until it vanished completely. Fixing her posture and regarding the time traveler dancing with Sonic in a clumsy manner, she couldn't hide the smile that manifested itself at the display. Shadow wanted to throw up, but he could understand why she liked them. Why she liked Sonic in particular. Back to her serious conduct, Blaze spoke one last time and tasted the incandescent liquid, not even retreating her lips upon contact.

"Send my greetings to Omega."

"Of course, Blaze," the dark hedgehog left a mental note not to forget. His friend admired her quite a lot.

After that, a familiar voice startled them both.

"I only call you Captain, 'cause your dick is off the hook!"

Shadow gnashed his teeth once he realized those lyrics were explicitly directed to him, judging by Sonic's extended arm and the way he was pointing at him in specific. A modern-day serenade from the blue blur himself, in front of every single one of his guests. Great. When Shadow turned back to Blaze, he was met with her head tilting in confusion as she waited for an explanation on his silence. The Ultimate Lifeform was known for retaliating with animosity whenever Sonic openly made fun of him, so it was only natural his lack of sharp remarks would pique her interest.

"Curiosity killed the cat," he warned the guardian, flatly.

"But satisfaction brought it back," Blaze finished the saying in a lady-like tone and gave another sip to her strong beverage.

"He was singing to you. You have a ship," Shadow decided to humor her at last.

"The Ocean Tornado is Marine's," the feline cut the conversation short, smirking proudly.

Shadow knew what that expression meant. Blaze had always considered him and Sonic friends and it was infuriating. Seconds away from flaring his nose, the agent decided not to regard the cat with scorn, so he glared at his rival instead, whose smug grin informed of his guilt. Sonic was swaying with Rouge and Jet to each side, arm raised as a fist punched the air in time with the heavy beat. Silver trailed behind him, dancing mostly with his shoulders and hands close to his chest fur. The whole scene was pitiful to watch.

To Shadow's right, Wave laughed when Tails' eye twitched after she said something that made the fox snarl and head to the staircase angrily, excusing himself from the party with determination in his eyes. He had almost stumbled on one of the black speakers in his way, given they were positioned in every corner of the clearing's perimeter. The dark hero thought she had provoked him on purpose, because the rogue celebrated her victory by joining Sonic and his friends in the center of the get-together's location, Extreme Gear casted aside.

When the chorus of the song hit, the exhilarated mobians roared and sang louder, making gestures with their hands as they had a blast. Among a few bodies smashing and grinding against one another, Sonic blocked Shadow's exclusive sight of the waterfall and pretended to spank Rouge a few times when she bent over with Wave, who had been rising her finger guns to the tune. The agent saw them shaking their asses in synchrony with the fast-paced rhythm, until the purple avian held Rouge's bosom to steady her own curved posture as she danced, inciting a sultry laugh from the bat. Amused, Rouge even shoved a hand to the other's face jokingly.

In the meantime, Jet had switched places with Silver, who stayed beside the gray albatross from the band of thieves. Nearing Sonic's spot with caution, Jet put his hands behind his head and bucked his hips forward constantly, though not exactly touching his rival's body or disturbing his lusty moves. Fortunately for the hawk, Sonic didn't acknowledge his presence, busy teasing Shadow for giving him audience and yielding to his not-so-subtle flirting. He even sent him a promising wink after his tongue ran over his upper lip. Shaking his head slowly, Shadow simply watched the circus with his own lips tightly pursed.

Until the clown herself stole the spotlight.

"Oh crap!" Silver shrieked, blushing fiercely.

'Crack' would've been the most appropriate term for that. A sequence of events came crashing down, in which Rouge was the protagonist. When she threw her rump back with renewed enthusiasm, her black dress rode up enough to show what she wore underneath, which was a big nothing. Once the white hedgehog reacted to the image, Sonic calmly lowered his gaze to understand the shock and loudly gasped, hilariously surprised about the bare finding.

Shadow had to stop himself from chuckling, wondering which hole he saw first. He'd never seen Sonic tug a woman's outfit down so fast in his life. As expected, nobody but the three hedgehogs had witnessed the modest incident. Rouge merely laughed in delight and kept doing her thing, leaving Silver and Sonic momentarily dumbfounded. The first thing the blue blur did then was regard Shadow with a confused frown and a grin, asking for an explanation with his hands up.

However, Shadow ignored him. When Blaze left to help Knuckles and Espio put some of the tables together, presumably for a game, the striped hedgehog sensed movement near the train station and shifted his eyes toward the cave, unaware of Sonic scorning at his dismissive behavior. Up ahead, Vector rose from the entrance, fixing his dark gray jacket while smirking, head tilted slightly back. Shadow lifted his drink for a sip, masking a forming smile when the reptile's companion strode out, wearing her burgundy vest faster than one could blink.

Sonic's party was so boring that even Cream's mother found having a quickie with the DJ more entertaining.

As she wisely walked away from the detective, Shadow pondered if he had ever interacted with her directly. He didn't know much about her except for the fact that she had raised her daughter to become an independent woman in the future, able to go out on risky adventures whenever she liked. Shadow considered the youngest member of Team Rose a heroine with potential. Cream had shown important qualities of a soldier throughout the years, such as strict discipline and courage, including further emphasis on safety measures which surely came from her mother's teaching.

Something opaque glinting in the corner of the tall rabbit's mouth had caught Shadow's eye. When she paced close enough to be within earshot, the striped hedgehog motioned to his own mouth and gave her a heads up in a secretive way.

"There's some milk in here."

Shadow didn't remember her name, but he was sure she would understand the dairy reference.

"Oh! Thank you, Mr. Shadow," she wiped her mouth using the back of her hand and averted her brown eyes from him.

Watching her retreat somewhere past the mountain, Shadow went over the way some humans could only be themselves in the shadows, where no one would criticize or dictate how they should act depending on their societal roles. Erasing or diminishing someone's identity would be the first step to exert control, considering how mothers were often expected to inhibit their desires and adapt their routines in order to live only for their children. A real waste of life if he were being honest. Their craving to deteriorate their own kind neared insanity.

At least mobians didn't put up with that asinine shit. Liberty should be the norm rather than a concept. Shadow didn't care whether Cream's mother was single or a widow, knowing very well how this detail would become yet another subject of debate for mankind. She had the right to enjoy parties as much as the youth, even if he had a vague idea that she had come along just to watch her daughter, who was nowhere to be found.

Whichever was the case, she was a woman before a mother, meaning playing the boring elder role that night was unthinkable. It was nice she hadn't felt left out, rather enjoying herself after taking the crocodile away from the sound mixer, unknowingly doing everyone a favor. Rouge's music taste could be awful, but Vector's was unmatched. And speaking of the devil, it didn't take long for him to make his presence known again.

"Let's start the drinking game, ya lady-killer!" Vector shouted to the blue hedgehog, tone so strident it caused Blaze, Knuckles and Espio to cringe as they set the tiny cups down.

"It's alcohol before romance, Vector!" Sonic retorted before looking at his dark counterpart, voice sinking but enough to be audible over the music. "Right, Shadow?" he flashed him a confident smile.

And this time, Shadow reciprocated it.

•••

Alcoholic beverages and curious friends were a deadly combination for those who didn't want their secrets exposed. Sonic explained the anticipated drinking game, emphasizing rules and other specifications. It would be divided in two phases, both demanding fortitude and, of course, fast-thinking. First, each player would mention something they had never done before and, following their disclosure, ones who were acquainted with the act would have to take a shot of vodka – provided by Espio, who had taken the role of arbitrator, notepad already in his grasp. Second, the trio with most shots in the previous segment would be qualified for a test requiring reflex and stamina.

Face to face, the finalists were tasked to down ten cups of a random spirit faster than their adversaries, one shot after another without losing their impetus. For organization purposes, the two best placed competitors would select the drink and the number of shots. Shadow hoped to confront his rival in the final match, considering neither of them would have a hard time gulping the alcohol down. However, what he didn't expect was to see Sonic's friends trying to concur on the prize for the champion.

The black and red hedgehog waited at one of the two put-together benches positioned alongside the joined tables, resembling a rather long one. He stared tiredly at the cup in front of him as he rested his forearms on his lap, posture sunk down and legs spread apart. At the center of the makeshift seat, Shadow listened to the mobians fight over the aforementioned topic around him.

From left to right, the contestants were Blaze, Vector, Jet, Shadow, Sonic, Silver, Knuckles and Rouge. Blaze facepalmed in an evident mix of impatience and shame over Vector's proposition of a monetary prize, probably counting to ten before burning the greedy reptile to ashes, if taking her other hand lighting up into consideration. At the same time, Knuckles and Rouge's argument centered around a notable gigantic stone. Gesticulating wildly, the treasure hunters barely registered Silver's presence. The exhausted hedgehog had put both hands over his fern-like forehead, ready to snap at any second.

As if that wasn't sufficient, Wave and Storm's urinary system concerned Sonic enough to question Jet's participation, since the duo had declined the invitation to play due to their physiology.

"What are you doing, Jet? You can't drink this much."

"Afraid you're gonna lose, Sonic? Let Jet show you how it's done," the hawk smirked, leaning his elbows on the flat surface, where hard plastic shot cups were perfectly lined up.

"I'm afraid for your bladder. But then again, it's not like you can fly, huh?" Sonic offered his rival a teasing smile.

The reaction came shortly after. Jet started arguing with the blue hedgehog, throwing his hands up as his irksome voice matched the recurring noise. Shadow closed his eyes when the disgusting flow of spit threatened to block his senses with towering rage. What a torment. He didn't even fight against his temper, knowing he was bound to fail if he tried. Instead, Shadow did what he thought was the best option at the moment.

He doused the fire with gasoline.

Shadow harshly landed his palms on the table, knocking a few cups down with the strong impact. Standing up abruptly, he got the skirmish to end once the two benches nearly inclined back with his swift movement.

"Enough!" the dark hero's shout was so brash it astounded everyone at the party, except for those who weren't in the main area.

An uncomfortable silence predominated, although the loud music remained blasting. Knuckles and Rouge blinked and Vector scratched his head, waiting patiently for his next words.

"If you win, you decide what to do with the losers," Shadow voiced his input, glancing over the seven mobians as his husky voice hung in the air, tone cold and morbid. Calmly, he sat down with his clenched fists on the table, just waiting for the fucking game to start already.

His idea pleased the idiots for some reason. Jet in particular was intrigued, anticipating his own victory after taking a glimpse at his rival beside Shadow, finger idly tracing a cup.

"Just for the record: only mature subjects," Sonic reminded, pointing upward. "Now let's get to know each other!" he chortled and stroked Shadow's back subtly as if they were comrades, mostly to help the tension in his muscles decrease. "Espio, get the vodka ready for us. First round starts with Knuckles."

Shadow fidgeted in the seat until his blue counterpart removed his hand from his body. Deep down, he was grateful for the gesture, but he couldn't relax now. He had a game to win and a prize to claim. Order of play confirmed, the echidna started talking. Time to bring their vices and warped virtues to the table.

"I go first, then," Knuckles leaned his head forward to gaze at Sonic, prying violet irises examining his friend's easygoing demeanor. "Never have I ever chosen someone over my responsibilities."

Rouge tentatively closed her grasp around the cup, thinking whether she should take the shot or not but decided against it. No one downed the clear liquid to Shadow's surprise. Sonic had snorted at the guardian's line, saying nothing. Shadow pondered if Knuckles was airing the hero's dirty laundry or insinuating an act the other had encouraged him to do. Frowning slightly, he contemplated which direction this game was going to take.

"Okay, next!" Sonic smirked, fists on the table.

"Never have I ever tried to have my way with somebody while sexting another," the Extreme Gear rider stated with a hint of resentment in his voice.

"Aw man, that's low," Vector pointed out in jest, earning a shush from Espio.

Shadow had to snort at that one, because it sounded like something Sonic would do. He could even relate to Jet to an extent, speculating if his rival had sent him those pictures for a rating while sexting other suitors in real time. He kind of liked the idea as it held a certain charm to it. Felt wrong in a right way for a famous hero. Then, as if to confirm his newfound suspicion, the blue hedgehog was the only one to take a shot, placing the cup back with unnecessary strength. Espio had poured more vodka into it before Rouge's turn.

"Never have I ever sucked a dick," the bat lied with a naughty grin, touching Knuckles' boxer glove almost shyly.

Jet threw his head back as he downed the vodka, Sonic doing the same. Blaze reluctantly had taken the shot, finding confidence in Sonic's caring smile to ignore the other competitors' stares. And finally, Shadow raised the cup to his mouth absentmindedly, about to take a sip. His eyes widened upon realizing what his partner had just said, so he spat half of the liquid onto Espio, who was standing in the line of fire. Startled, the detective cursed and activated his stealth camouflage trick, becoming invisible after his color harmonized with the environment.

"Sucked a wha– you're lying, Rouge!" Shadow furiously turned to his acquaintance, sloping his chest over the table to scowl at her in the far end.

"This isn't Truth or Dare, hun," Rouge rested her chin on a palm. "Should I take your half-shot seriously?"

"No. I heard it wrong," he declared.

Sonic cocked his head in thought. He wondered if Shadow's reason for denying the truth was tied to their secret escapades. It didn't make sense, but then again, Shadow never talked about his relationship with Team Dark, save for a few vague moments concerning his past fling with Rouge – and none of them included their level of intimacy or trust in everyday life either. He truly was a mystery to him. One he'd love to solve, but knew he wouldn't be able to. Best to leave it like that for now.

"Some Ultimate Lifeform you are. Say, what did you think it was then, Shadow? A lemon? 'Cause I'm sure you like to suck those," Knuckles teased.

"Want to suck my fist? I bet you'd moan around it," Shadow countered.

"Stop," back to his regular hue, the chameleon interceded before Knuckles reacted with violence, drying his heart-shaped chest. "Rouge, lies are against the rules, so you get a penalization. Your next shot won't be counted. Same goes to you, Knuckles. No provocations. Everyone's shot stands, including Shadow's, even if you didn't mean to take it," he clarified to the hedgehog in a serious tone.

"Oh, come on!" Knuckles complained.

"I was never good with rules…" Rouge groused.

It was Shadow's turn. He spent a few seconds pondering over some sexual situations he hadn't experienced yet, whilst Espio finished his duty with the vodka, writing a few observations on his notepad. There was one thing he could mention that wouldn't exactly convey his bias towards men, thus he chose it above other alternatives.

"Never have I ever gotten a lap dance."

Sonic, Jet and Knuckles drank the beverage at once. Grimacing, the echidna set his cup down and glared at Shadow from afar. The lack of remarks inspired the agent to kick Sonic's leg under the table to remind him of his turn.

Another batch of shots later and Sonic cleared his throat. "Never have I ever given someone a lap dance."

Plastic cups remained untouched, except for Rouge's, which was tended by Espio right then. Jet raised an eye ridge, watching his blue rival with curiosity. Stretching his arms over the table, Shadow turned to Sonic and shared his personal opinion on his revelation, even though the other was leading the competition.

"You're not very original."

"So what? I'm not a faker either," Sonic smirked, causing his dark counterpart's eyes to widen a bit. "Silver, got anything for us?"

"Never have I ever had, uh…" the time traveler sounded unsure about finishing his sentence.

"Had what?" Shadow inquired, hand around the cup.

"You know, intercourse," Silver described the act by sliding a digit through a circle he formed with his forefinger and thumb a few times. "I've done foreplay, but it never went further than that," he stole a quick glance at Blaze, who avoided eye contact with him.

With the exception of Silver and, surprisingly, Blaze, every participant had taken a shot of the spirit. Sonic didn't even waste time to ask his friend an intrusive question.

"Haven't found someone to light up your fire, man?" Sonic's emerald orbs landed on Blaze.

The noble cat didn't hesitate in responding in kind, a faint blush gracing her features. "Do you like to play with fire, Sonic? I can light up your fingers."

"Sonic, do you want to be penalized like Knuckles?" Espio raised his voice as he walked alongside the table. Wide eyed, the hero gestured to his own mouth, feigning to zip it.

"Thanks, Espio," Silver smiled at the ninja, who did the same in return.

Composing herself, Blaze spoke out steadily. "Never have I ever watched a pornographic movie."

She saw every player set their now empty cup down for the last round. Silver included, but not without a coughing fit.

"…you sure?" Knuckles asked Blaze, weakly punching the white hedgehog to rile him up.

"Shut up, Knuckles. I don't remember you doubting Rouge's words," his comeback made the echidna's grin vanish.

"Watch your mouth!"

"I do not abide with such industry you have in your world," Blaze elucidated.

"Hey, it's my turn now! Let me think," Vector cut in, staring blankly at the train station through his sunglasses until he had an epiphany. "Right! Never have I ever gone to an orgy."

At long last, Sonic, Jet, Shadow and Rouge had taken the final sip, completing the first section of the game. Shadow licked his lips and smirked, reminiscing the details of an encounter he had with five insatiable dancers from Club Rouge. The girls mostly amused themselves at first, though he was definitely left gulping for air by the end of the night, used and reused. He wondered if a single person would be able to leave him in such state one day.

"But I invited you once," Sonic reminded the crocodile.

"Interesting. When was that?" Rouge pried.

"Not so long ago," when she questioned where the episode had taken place, the hero continued. "Where else? At the Olympics."

"And you left me out? I can't believe you, Sonic."

"You were busy in Frostown, weren't you? It was scheduled a day after Shadow and I started exchanging Whitestones with you for the memorabilia you stole during the winter games," Sonic didn't even bother when Rouge played with her golden bracelet over a black glove, pretending not to listen. "Vector was invited, but he chickened out at the last minute."

"You are something else, eh Sonic? I was workin' on an investigation! You remember how Espio reacted when he saw us that day," Vector explained himself.

"Excuses," the hero mocked in a singsong voice and turned to Shadow in time to catch his gaze lingering on him.

Waiting for the result, the participants rose from the seat, some even drinking the remaining shots, and heaved the benches out of the way for the survival phase, which was mandatory for the finalists to be standing up. As the arbitrator, Espio revised the penalizations and concluded the last match would be played by Sonic, Jet and Shadow, ending the game with six, five and four shots, respectively. There was some hustle and bustle before the mobians grouped around the counter, deciding on their favorite contestant. Situated in both extremities of the long table, Sonic and Shadow stayed in the same row, while Jet faced them in the triangle-like formation.

"Losers first! How many shots, Jet?" Sonic swiped a finger under his nose, a poised grin already in place.

"Twelve," the hawk decided, studying his opponents with a semblance of superiority.

"Are you out of your mind, Jet? Twelve shots?!" Wave intervened, shaking her leader by his shoulders to put some sense into his head.

"Back off, Wave. This is personal," Jet pushed her back, tired of her boring talk. Storm picked his side as usual. "What about the drink?" he asked his rival.

"Scotch."

His choice had surprised both Shadow and Jet for distinct reasons.

"Scotch? You don't even like scotch," the rogue frowned, perplexed. However, his gears had begun to turn, presenting memories of a surly hedgehog downing a brown liquid against the railway bridge. The two had a fucking deal and it was obvious to him now. He would be competing against a team.

"Neither do you. It's only fair," Sonic tilted his head, licking his lips. "Are we starting now? I can't wait to order you both around."

"You have no idea what you're up against," Shadow warned them, knocking twice on the table to catch Espio's attention. "Just say the word and it's on."

A six-year-old whisky was poured in the six distributed rows, containing a half-dozen cups each. Anticipating the detective's signal, the trio prepared themselves for the match of their lives, as if one slip-up would stain their entire reputation. Stretching his fingers, Sonic focused on the nearest cup to his right and came up with a strategy in the short time he had. Whoever finished the twelve shots first would get the estimated prize – an easy feat for the fastest thing alive, modesty apart. At least he had made it up to Shadow in advance, selecting a beverage he liked so his defeat wouldn't be as distasteful as Jet's sense of humor.

Once the ninja's countdown reached zero, Sonic's friends threw their hands up and screamed words of encouragement to the hero, whereas the Babylon Rogues cheerfully praised their boss' abilities and speed. Rouge, helpful as she was, supported Shadow by telling she would deprive him of his stay at their lair if he didn't win, bouncing and shaking her figure to the deafening beat. Creaking sounds and brutal landings were heard and perceived, since the men couldn't care less about dropping their cups in order to take another as fast as their bodies allowed them.

Now drop, drop, drop…

Shadow switched plastic cups in time with the chorus as Jet poured the vodka directly into his wide-open beak, draining it awkwardly but never backing down. Sonic grimaced whenever he finished a shot, jumping to the next one without a second thought, determination coursing through his veins. When he had picked the twelfth cup from his second row, Shadow was about to take his final shot. The agent was already claiming his victory after swallowing the liquid and gasping with fervor from the rush of adrenaline. Yet, what he saw just ahead made his wicked grin fade away considerably.

Jet had won. Somehow. Someway.

"I can't believe I lost!" Shadow hurtled the empty cup across the table. "How the mighty have fallen…" he mumbled to himself in despair after running a hand over his face.

Plainly frustrated, Sonic paced left and right and swore continuously upon hearing the news. The hawk had managed to finish the last shot a second before Shadow – which was indisputably remarkable and kind of impressive. However, Sonic didn't care. The winner had to be either him or his dark counterpart, not Jet. His friends had his back as usual, while Rouge simply pointed a finger at Shadow and laughed when he threatened to blow up her club if she didn't let him inside their home later that night. Lastly, Espio congratulated the rogue, whose contentment showed on azure eyes.

"You were so awesome, Jet!" Wave pulled him into a hug and ruffled his feathered head.

"You sure were, boss!" Storm came along and enclosed his gray arms around his team, lifting them from the covered ground.

"Yeah, yeah. Now put me down, ya big palooka!" Jet ordered and the albatross obeyed. "Stay where you are, Sonic the Hedgehog. I expect something from you."

Sonic raised an eye ridge and came over, placing a hand on his hip. "From me? Aw, I didn't know I was so special to you. Don't forget Shadow here also lost the game," he pointed a thumb in the hedgehog's direction, next to Rouge.

"Oh, please. Unlike you, I'm very considerate," the avian mocked, earning a fake gasp from his rival, who let out an 'you don't say!' "You got quite the crowd here. Being on the spotlight is your thing, isn't it?"

"Get to the point," Shadow intruded, taking Sonic's side.

"There he is! It's showtime, Sonic. Give Mr. Unsmiley a lap dance," he demanded, snidely. "The audience is waiting," then he waved a hand, sowing discord among Sonic's friends.

Sonic chuckled, moving his head as if he weren't hearing right. "You can't be serious," he raised a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes, smiling. "Jet, I'm not giving Shadow a lap dan–"

"Go find a chair, hedgehog," a croaky voice made his eyes snap open.

"Wait, what? Dude, I–" Sonic tried, blinking multiple times.

"He won, didn't he?" Shadow folded his arms over his chest, not tolerating any more objections.

"You heard the guy. I won. You lost," Jet boasted, having an actual reason to rub his achievement in the other's face. "And don't pout! You sounded so eager to scratch that from your bucket list."

"You were just lucky this time around," the blue hedgehog didn't falter.

"The boss doesn't need luck to win! That was skill!" Storm interjected on his leader's behalf.

"No recordings," Shadow made his only condition known to Jet.

"Sure. No recordings," the Extreme Gear rider chuckled, drunkenly ambling past the flickering stand with the gray avian beside him.

"Any last words?" Sonic asked his dark counterpart.

"Make it count," Shadow urged and the other smirked.

"Not for him," the hero declared as he walked away to get one of the makeshift chairs, watching his friends move to the area's epicenter.

Shadow could've sworn Sonic had something in mind, never retreating his amber-ish red eyes from his lithe body. It had to be something risky, given the present situation. Knowing his rival's defiant nature, Sonic would definitely make the punishment count.

Not for Jet, but for him.

•••

"What do you think you're doing?"

Neutrality emanated from Shadow's tone, showcasing the insignificance of his position on the chair his rival had fetched and sited at the heart of the party. He faced the hill through an arch of the viaduct, gazing down to observe the decorative stand changing its colors whenever the music piqued and faded. Behind him, Rouge bent down to tie his hands together amidst the gaps in the backrest, using a piece of the rope she had brought for her upcoming scheme.

"This is not the first time I'm tying you up, Shadow," the jewel thief lowered her tempting voice to go on. "And you never complained when I did."

"I thought you had another use for this frail rope," Shadow pestered the bat.

That reminder reached Knuckles' ears, prompting the echidna to advance toward the members of Team Dark on a whim.

"You brought a rope to my party?" Knuckles inquired the spy, coarsely.

"I learned from you, sugar," Rouge winked at her rival, who blushed and shut his mouth like the hypocrite he was. "You're going to ruin my plans," she hissed to her colleague, tightening the rope around his wrists until he grunted in pain.

"I refuse to watch this," Knuckles spat once Sonic was done stretching his limbs, now heading to Shadow's spot. Before his best friend could request him to stay and watch, the guardian departed to the same cave Vector and Cream's mother had grown friendly in.

"That's my cue. I can't risk you choking Sonic when he sits on your lap, so be my distraction while I catch up with Knuckles," Rouge murmured upon noticing the red echidna leave the perimeter, gingerly clasping Shadow's shoulders. "Survive. I have a gem to secure," she whispered into his ear and pecked its outline, making her teammate squirm under her touch repulsively.

"You should be preparing me for the beatdown," Sonic bothered Rouge, halting in front of them.

"Just go easy on him. He's a compromised man now," the snarky bat gave the hedgehog her usual graceful smile, golden eyeshadow sparkling in the dim light.

"Compromised? Shadow?" Sonic's eyes widened in amazement and he busted out laughing.

Shadow couldn't fathom if he was faking the reaction or not.

"Sonic, the song is about to start!" Silver notified from the sideline, unconsciously handing Rouge the chance to scram and put her plan into action.

"Compromised," Sonic reiterated as two fingers came to tap and rest over his lips. "I wonder with who," he smirked behind the digits, shaking his head in derision before taking a few steps back to get started.

Rouge and her big mouth, spouting nonsense as usual.

The upbeat music shifted into an electropop song, its guitar chords inspiring Sonic's arms to move in a dramatic way as he closed his eyes, pretending to act like a real entertainer. Shadow leaned back in the chair expectantly, comprehending how his rival intended to demonstrate the theatrical structure of his performance. Consequently, the crowd's presence was disregarded in order to focus entirely on what the other was up to. Careful not to display any signs of enjoyment, the agent breathed in and out slowly to wield self-control, fundamental in unusual circumstances like these. In fact, Shadow didn't think this through when he decided to go along with Jet's idea. At least there would be no evidences whatsoever.

Once the lyrics first resonated, Sonic raised his arms, bending them at the elbows, and contracted his chest and abdomen muscles, relaxing them before repeating the motion with a predatory gaze fixated on his rival. Shadow just blinked, outwardly unfazed. Sonic kept playing around with a few breakdancing moves, underlining his athletic body to please the spectators. The grin plastered on his muzzle told Shadow he was just breaking the ice, frisky at most. Shortly, the hero walked seductively towards him, swaying his hips side to side, and studied the atmosphere around them until he was two meters away from his position.

Romantic talking? You don't even have to try

You're cute enough to fuck with me tonight

Presumptuous and determined, Sonic lowered his body on the cold surface as a myriad of colors reflected on blue fur. Turning around, he outstretched one leg and balanced his figure over the other, which was already bent. The hedgehog looked over his shoulder haughtily, and glided a hand from his ankle to his thigh in a single featherlight touch. Lips parting slightly, Sonic finished the act on a squat, ass subtly raised to excite his dark counterpart, slowly going up and down as he bounced. When the rhythm grew in pace, gloved hands slid through the flat stand as their owner got down, switching the crouched position to a lying one.

Shadow saw him take advantage of the momentum. Sonic put his hands behind his lower back and suspended his entire torso above the panel, wide open legs forming a V as they came up and plunged down so fast that each tip of his trademark shoes hit the dancefloor, caging his head while granting the agent an obscene sight of his groin for an ephemeral instant. A very low move on his part. The last thing Shadow thought about was how on-beat Sonic was with the music, since his whole concentration was directed to his lower body and every lewd scenario that sprang with the familiar view. Real and dreamed alike, balanced with a few badly stifled memories – ones he'd rather avoid evoking at the moment.

Feigning boredom, Shadow frowned as the blue hedgehog's legs lowered in a fast drop, along with his arched back. Sonic rested his forearms near each side of his head, clenching his fists while preparing himself to do a backspin. Limbs got sprawled out before one leg flew up, and then came another, forming a rapid circumference mid-air. The hero landed on his elbows and tiptoes, doing a perfect plank, except that his rear got lifted up high, so he could perform a dynamic section of grinding to the wanton melody.

When Shadow scorned at his overly sexual moves, Sonic laid down once more and executed a kip-up from his supine position. Crouched again, he smirked and crawled toward his rival's chair with a lascivious glint in his emerald irises. Shadow couldn't do much while tied up. Then, he let himself be entertained, closing his legs just in case. It was impracticable to consider Sonic a bad dancer, and that was proven yet again after the hedgehog came to stop in front of him, rising with the help of his black thighs, which were lightly fondled, despite being firmly pressed together.

The two hedgehogs held eye contact for a second, till Sonic winked and presented his behind, holding Shadow's calves with one hand to take his feet off the ground. The chair tipped backwards, enough to leave the dark hero gawking. His cheeky rival changed his hold around his legs to grip his ankles instead, right on top of the golden anklets. Beaming at the gang with an entrancing look, Sonic put a fist on his hip and did a sensual body roll over Shadow's thin limbs, crotch almost touching his knees with every slow, impeccably aimed wave of his torso.

Shadow's breath hitched when his legs were roughly shoved down after the number was over, rocket shoes scratching the colorful panel and ringing a loud metal clank when they hit it. Moving around, Sonic hastily placed his hands on the back of the chair, just above Shadow's shoulders, and leaned forward to sit on his lap. The up-close view of his face, provided by their rather intimate proximity, made Shadow lean his head back and gaze up at the clear, navy blue sky above the other's spiky figure, wishing some higher power in the universe would stare back down in mercy and bring that torture to an end.

As a result of said distraction, Shadow was able to sense the Chaos energy flowing through Sonic's body due to their physical contact, its power being six times stronger than inside his own. That could only mean his rival had the remaining Chaos Emeralds on him – a hazardous decision, though he wasn't one to judge other people's inanities. Fingers itched with the urge to rip the bind around his wrists apart, so Shadow resorted to use a particular form of escapism before his resolve crumbled down. Whatever was to come next would certainly be nerve-racking.

Survive.

Sonic did a backbend on Shadow's lap as the other's mind began to drift away, picturing images of rainbows, unicorns and a warm, peaceful sunshine. Even absorbed in a whimsical reality, said shining orb didn't stay put for long. Over the edge of the crag ahead, the striped hedgehog watched the dreamy sunlight convert itself into a lunar disk, so bright and striking that he almost thought it was part of his musing. Partly concealed by the hill and bridge, a full moon at perigee ostensibly arose, as an upside-down waxing crescent, to illuminate Shadow's blank face in a mix of vibrant yellow and faded crimson.

Rainbows were nothing compared to what transpired afterwards. The seven-colored arch had gone extinct when light and dark struck, courtesy of Sonic's blue head and torso emerging from their descended position unhurriedly, as if he had just been awakened. The faraway crescent formed a natural halo around his head; an empowering aura ready to give Shadow clarity, like a sign of cosmic ordering. Eyes softly closed, Sonic circled his neck, peach arms resting behind his head. Shadow's lips parted when his mind's eye pictured the scene in slow motion, background music blending with a pulsating sound as primal as a heartbeat, one he vaguely remembered listening to when visiting a questionable club in search for company mere days ago.

Mind whirling in veneration, Shadow envisioned the tips of Sonic's head quills curving upward. Sparks of light consumed blue fur like a resplendent fire, burning slowly until cobalt was replaced with yellow, brighter than the hefty supermoon laying its mesmerizing radiance on them. Doing what his heart desired, Shadow wiped Sonic out entirely from his sight and substituted him with the god-like hedgehog. He couldn't describe how vividly his eyes resembled rubies when they opened, boring into his own to unravel every secret he tried to conceal. They were impish, like those of an accomplice, who knew they were condemned and bound to share the same fate. There, on his lap within reach, sat him.

The man of his dream.

Shadow gulped, watching Super Sonic gently grind down against his crotch, undulating his hips in a motion akin to infinity as he presented an unfathomable grin, hands roaming over his dark body from arms to shoulders until they cupped his head. The golden hedgehog casted a heavenly glow over Shadow while blowing air onto his face, watching the agent inhale his hot, whisky-scented breath and regard his beauty with open-mouthed wonder. Placing two fingers under his chin, Super Sonic smiled in rapture once he raised Shadow's head to inspect his features closely. It felt magical, yet Shadow didn't dare fall under his spell.

Without a warning, the yellow hedgehog's beam was replaced by an unyielding frown after its holder finished drawing circles on his lap, moving a hand to grip Shadow's head quills and buck his hips forward against his chest fur repeatedly, matching the quick flow of the imaginary beat. Shadow did nothing to prevent his eyes from widening, brazenly open to said creature's advances as his mouth went dry as a desert. Deciding to blame it on the alcohol, he observed Super Sonic release him and shift to take a seat. Shadow faced his back while the other leaned forward to execute a reverse twerk. He performed a split athwart his lap to display his flexibility, before locking his ankles behind the chair. Aligning his tailhole with Shadow's groin, he balanced himself on the ground and delivered said move.

Neutralize

Every man in sight

The dark hero licked his lips, imagining himself pounding into his shooting star's nimble body until his power was no more, drained straight from its core. He knew he was far gone, engulfed in steadfast fantasies, night and day dreaming about Super Sonic. Yearning for his energy. He and Sonic couldn't be the same – one was delightful, the other was… trashy in comparison. Therefore, wary not to respond to his own sexual impulses, Shadow kept his body language in check and eyed the golden hedgehog sink himself to the floor, rapidly doing a knee slide across the wavering platform until he came to stand behind the seat.

Astonished stares were registered in Shadow's peripheral vision, but he paid them no attention, feeling gloved palms run through his chest fur and stroke his torso from abdomen to neck. Shadow knew Super Sonic could sense his heart rate increasing, from how his hand had paused atop his chest on the way down again. Observing the red-eyed hedgehog loom over him, Shadow could only worship the other's existence, unable to touch him back. As fast as a comet, the almighty being reclaimed his previous spot on the flat surface, rainbow contrasting golden, and bowed his head down, forehead almost touching Shadow's shoes. He found the gesture adequate and satisfying.

Because even a god must bow to the Ultimate Lifeform.

Shadow's boastful monologue was short-lived. Violin chords turned into electric guitar notes, intensifying the flash when Super Sonic brushed the tip of his nose against his leg and proceeded to hover his body on his lap, holding the backrest with one hand as the other remained behind his upturned quills. Straddling the agent, the yellow hedgehog performed a series of hip thrusts in synchrony with the sensual tune, its chimes resounding brasher and more frantic by every second. Gaze locked onto his, Super Sonic's mouth curved upwards as his fluid motions earned a silent gasp from Shadow, whose reaction was swiftly disguised with a throat-clear and the constant peal in his mind.

Going left and right at a steady pace, the searing dancer altered his grip around the back of the chair whenever he rocked his hips forward at a certain angle, grazing Shadow's crotch each time. Super Sonic overwhelmed his senses with his exquisite presence. He never granted Sonic a chance to flicker back in place, let alone rekindled his original blue fur, even if Shadow had already begun to mend his bearings. Fairly elusive, the ethereal hedgehog only grew powerful and wilder with every single drumbeat, gleaming more, and more.

Until Shadow couldn't take it anymore, doing the worst thing one could do in front of a crowd.

Smirk.

There was a blinding flash. White tinted his entire vision, busting his precious fantasy out. Shadow grunted and shut his eyes, moving his head slightly to the side while attempting to recover his sight. At that point, Super Sonic was already nowhere to be found. He blinked in urgency as dots of light danced over the now blue hedgehog growling on his lap, having ceased his movements to sit down temporarily. Displeasure washed over his figure with the realization that his star wasn't going to twinkle anymore, even though the actual celestial body never left its place in the night sky. After bringing ruin to his daydream, Jet chuckled while lowering his smartphone.

"Are you filming us?" Shadow heard Sonic inquire.

Chaos ensued when wrath consumed every fiber of his being. Easily tearing the rope around his wrists apart, Shadow didn't care how the sound of the chair's backrest smashing prompted the mobians to stand in alert. Rising adamantly, he sent his rival tumbling backward, arms flailing before he fell on his back with a groan. Shadow had kept himself level-headed thus far, ignoring minor inconveniences on his way. However, his patience had ultimately reached its limit once Jet devastated his reverie. Shadow launched himself at the other, before he could even think about dodging, and snatched the phone away from his grasp, flinging the device at the nearest rocky mountain with enough force it broke into tiny pieces.

"You're going straight to hell!" Shadow threatened from the top of his lungs.

And then, he lost control.

Caught up in the moment, the dark hedgehog didn't notice he had taken the fight to the ground along with the beat drop, sprinting forward with a hasty spurt of Chaos energy coming from his hover shoes. The crash made Jet stumble on a black speaker a few meters away and land next to the train station. Shadow's legs confined the thief after he was able to sit on his abdomen, carmine eyes and sharp fangs exhibiting nothing but fury. Jet thrashed under the agent, trying to escape by closing his hands around his neck to choke him. Clearly, that was the wrong move, because once he had done that, Shadow raised his left fist and delivered blow after blow upon his face, thwarting him from fleeing.

During the ruckus, he jostled two sturdy men who had run to stop him, those being probably Vector and Storm. After the seventh punch, thin arms encircled his waist and lifted him up from Jet's sprawled form. Clamors were heard as Shadow slowly returned to his senses, observing his striped arm get twisted behind his back by someone whose strength obviously matched his. Wave helped Jet get back on his feet, visibly inebriated judging by how he laughed as if he hadn't felt anything at all, despite his injuries saying otherwise. Fortunately for him, his golden beak was still intact, except for his red eye markings, which should be turning purple.

Shaking and panting, Shadow barely fought his unknown captor, writhing but also relaxing his bristled spines at the same time. When he gave up struggling against the other's torso, Shadow breathed heavily, chest heaving, until his nostrils were met with a notorious citric yet musky scent. Risking a sideways glance, the black and red hedgehog tensed and felt Sonic tighten his grip around his arm and ribcage, speaking lowly into his ear.

"Easy. He's not worthy of your time."

On edge, he couldn't recognize if the hedgehog was restraining or embracing him. Whichever was the case, his strong hold felt calming for some fucked up reason, noticing how it almost put him at ease. Closing his eyes and leaning into Sonic's touch, Shadow steadied his breath and considered his words, though in the end, he came up with another idea altogether.

"Let me go," he advised in a resolute tone.

Sonic didn't budge, since he was aware of his rival's desire to finish Jet off, putting an end to what he started. It didn't even take a second's hesitation for Shadow to react, elbowing him in the ribs using his right arm. The blue hedgehog grunted and bluntly released the agent. When he was about to wrap his arms around him again, Sonic's mouth hung open in disheartenment as the other turned to regard him, face lacking any sort of emotion.

Pulling out a flickering stone from his head quills, Shadow spared him one last glance, before voicing a well-known command with the missing green emerald in his hand. Sonic extended his fingers, desperately trying to grab him, but to no avail. Shadow had warped away, leaving no trace other than a blue-ish white light on the spot.

The hero's initial distraught expression morphed into one of disappointment, until anger devoured him whole.

"Way to go, Jet!" Sonic menacingly approached the rogue, who had just spat out a bit of blood on the ground.

"Hey, I'm no cheater! It was just one picture. It's not my fault he can't take a joke," Jet defended himself wholeheartedly, cynicism plastered across his bruised features.

"You're the joke here!" the blue hedgehog bared his teeth, pointing a finger to the white tuft in his chest, before shoving him backwards.

"Go cry to your guy, then! That 'Cocksucker' you like to sext," the vicious hawk disclosed in front of everyone, considering how Sonic's friends and the Babylon Rogues had gathered around the sullen rivals. "He might give you a consolation prize," he raised a fist to his beak and moved it back-and-forth, highlighting what he meant with the insinuation.

Sonic didn't bother evaluating his power before punching Jet square in the face. Seeing the dizzy avian lose his balance after yelping, the frowning hedgehog took one step forward to make sure he stayed there, perhaps with the help of another grounding strike. That was, before Blaze and Silver seized his arms to prevent him from diving towards the Extreme Gear rider again.

"Sonic, calm down. This isn't going to change anything. Remember what you told me once," Blaze ventured.

"Fuck!" Sonic outed himself from their grasp, but left Jet be this time. "I can't stand being around him any longer," his voice was low and raspy. "Where the heck did Tails go?" the blue blur paid the others no mind and headed to the glowing staircase bitterly.

Red neon lights colored the steps of Sonic's ascension to the highest peak of the mount. The hero decided to take his time, stomping leisurely in a way to drag himself up the flight of stairs, which led to the lowest crag, encircled by log fences. He kept his gaze down on his equally red shoes, ignoring the sense of uncertainty and deception sneaking up on him. His night was a bust, thanks to Jet and his selfish, cheap trick to picture the event Shadow had made more than clear wasn't meant to be recorded in any form. Even so, Sonic's disturbed state of mind wasn't completely related to the half alien, half hawk's prank. Jet was probably just green with envy in his humble opinion.

When it came to Shadow, a handful of pleasant encounters had way more value than a thousand dreary ones. They were always best savored in moderation. His rival was someone whose presence was as rare as a meteor burning up on entering the atmosphere. He would show up and leave as fast as he came in like a golden blur disguised as a shooting star. This time in specific, Sonic was able to relish his attendance while it lasted, however briefly. Sure, he had gone along with Shadow's request about not chasing him for sex in the future. They both had. Yet, Sonic was aware the other had his own plans when coming at the party with Rouge. Noticeably, they were on the same page, having one goal in mind. Sex was on the schedule.

Then why did Rouge mention Shadow was compromised? Where the fuck did that idea even come from?

An answer to that first question was simple. The bat had to be fucking with him, as she clearly didn't know about her own acquaintance's sex life. The thought made no sense whatsoever. Shadow could be contradictory, but that kind of inconsistency was ridiculous, even for his standards. Although Sonic didn't like lies, he would omit and twist a few things here and there. His secrets never came to the point of staining a friend's perception of him, far from that. He never intended to harm someone like that on purpose. Therefore, the image of Shadow cheating on a partner had left a sour taste in his mouth. His rival had yet to learn how to be more honest with himself, but straight up lying to a person he was 'compromised' with sounded extremely dubious on his part.

At that time, Sonic didn't believe Rouge's statement and laughed at her face for testing him. However, that changed once he saw Shadow's reaction to his improvised lap dance himself. The benefit of doubt was granted when his rival watched the routine as if Sonic were someone else in his eyes. Someone the agent treasured profoundly, or at least, was drawn to in body and mind. Damn, his heart had beaten so fast it equaled the times Sonic had felt it thumping whenever Shadow was livid or about to cum. He could've sworn the other was blushing when he blew hot air onto his face. And that smirk, oh there was no way it was meant for him. Amazing how his only chance to get lucky that night had turned into a freaking nightmare.

Sonic had tangible reasons to dislike cheating. He couldn't envision Shadow involved in any kind of relationship that demanded exclusivity, so he trusted his words back in the evening they had talked about the subject. But then again, Shadow never owed him an explanation on his actual lifestyle or an abrupt change of heart – and Sonic didn't want to probe either. It was simply none of his concern.

His main problem with the hypothetical situation was that he didn't want things complicating on his side, in case Shadow was playing somebody for whatever motive he had. The striped hedgehog could do as he pleased, as long as he didn't drag Sonic into his shithole and dealt with the consequences of his actions responsibly. Regardless of his brief discomfort, the blue hedgehog desired to indulge his rival another time, presuming he was wrong about Rouge's revelation or Shadow's motivations. Hopeful he already was, and he certainly wanted to believe in him.

And he did.

Sonic recognized that being able to believe in someone is also a part of friendship. He and Shadow weren't exactly friends, thus the hero had to remain impartial on that one for his own sake. Whichever was the right answer for the other's ambiguity on the topic, he would find out in one way or another, despite of trusting his words first and foremost.

He tried not to overthink, but there he was, failing miserably.

Reaching the top of the first staircase, Sonic raised his head and was met with the beautiful view of the sky. He resumed his slow ascent to the earthly paradise that was Tails' workshop, a two-story house where he could take a breather and share a bite of his frustrations with his li'l bro, without divulging names or compromising details. As beautiful and pure as the dark skies were, the lack of glinting stars upset him somehow.

Alone under the vast space, Sonic heaved a sigh and kept his eyes on the prying supermoon, which seemed to look down on him in pity. Step by step, the blue hedgehog let his shoulders slack as he exhaled through his nose, ambling closer to his destination. His gaze never darted away from the natural satellite's grandiose, beholding its everlasting orange light, intended to draw him into a new path of discovery.

For real, Sonic didn't know what he had until he lost it: another opportunity to hook up with a guy who had piqued his curiosity. Somebody he estimated worthy to learn more about. Knowledge was constantly present in his interactions with Shadow, whether they were friendly or hostile. They both learned and unlearned things regarding each other's mindset and worldview. Old habits tended to persist, though the rivals often managed to intermingle their conclusions, depending on the circumstances at hand.

Shadow had never taken his advices blindly. He saw him as an equal, not a god of wisdom or an untouched hero. He wasn't one himself either, remaining perfectly flawed, just like him. Sonic thought about texting Shadow, but receiving an answer to whatever he sent him now was very unlikely. He could only wish the universe would give him another chance to start this night over. Now at the peak of the mount, Sonic snarled in vexation and kicked a stake beside the stone steps that led to the workshop's porch.

"Shadow…" his quiet plea hung in the air.

Something had caught his attention when he turned to inspect the runway, bordered by two rows of palm trees leading out into the ocean. It was a cloud of smoke, a mere hint of fog, exhaled through someone's mouth into the quiet location – a place to repose and reflect. At first, Sonic didn't know who it was, but the inhibitor ring around the burning cigarette holder's wrist identified his guest. His hand was the only thing Sonic could make out from the edge of the lab house, since the other faced the dazzling moon up ahead.

The blue blur released the breath he didn't know he was holding and smiled. Perhaps he was lucky indeed.

Where there is smoke, there is fire. And when there's light, shadows are bound to form.

Being under one in particular was enough.

---

"You were not made to live like brute beasts, but to follow virtue and knowledge." – Dante Alighieri

Author's Note 3: Remember, the Devil is in the details! Did you know that in Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic and Shadow only have four minutes to prevent the Space Colony ARK from destroying the planet, before a couple of unique dialogue lines play when things get urgent? It's an important timestamp! So, did you get the references to games and other media? What about the reference to the franchise's 30th Anniversary event from Sonic Dash? I must say I snickered when writing that one. Now I'm curious to read your thoughts on Purgatorio. Once again, another behemoth of an act from me. Just wait until we reach the last part of this story…

Were you able to find each one of the Seven Deadly Sins spread out in this act? Trust me, every single one is evident with the exception of Sloth, which was previously explored in Paradiso. Also, I wonder if you can pinpoint the exact scenes containing hints to the use of Holy Water, the Last Supper and the Number of the Beast. I'm sure you already have an idea on who has died for our sins in this work. Somebody whose believer was bothering Jet a bit.

Perhaps something is emerging to the surface, huh? Who knows what exactly? Clearly not me. On another topic, the theme song for the dreamy section of Sonic's lap dancing scene is named Angel by Massive Attack, precisely its remastered version from 2009. Furthermore, I wrote the ending scene while listening to Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode, its Pump mix in specific.

Enough of talking. We should go down again. Will Sonic and Shadow survive the vestibule of hell? Our favorite celestial body may have the answer. A powerful, dreamlike transformation is coming up in the third and final act of this story. Act 3, also known as Inferno, will première when Shadow reaches his boiling point. Subscribe to get a notification when it's out! The release date is a secret, depending on Shadow entirely. He asked me not to reveal it – and I kept my promise. My most sincere apologies.

Again, you can message me on Tumblr (self-titled blog) or on Twitter (ask for my user privately!) if you want to know more about my thoughts on these characters or just talk to me in private. Favorites, alerts and reviews fuel me. Inferno awaits you! Behave until then. XOXO, galsgeneration.