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Sonic dragged himself up the stairs after Tails, whom was long gone and in his room by the time he reached the top of the stairs. He was, to say the least, annoyed by the fact that he wasn't able to see Shadow. He was worried about him. Rouge could have at least said if he was all right. He frowned, walking to the closet and pulling out a fluffy aqua towel. He stared at it, then flung it over his shoulder and walked into the bathroom.
The hero stopped in the doorway and looked down at his shoes blandly. He stood there for a moment, then crouched down and pulled them off, stuffing his socks in them and setting them just outside the door. Closing it he turned around and leaned against the wood, tugging his gloves off and tossing them into the sink - because he missed the counter as he threw them at it. An eyeridge cocked at this, and with a dull chuckle he shook his head, pulling the towel from his shoulder and dropping it on the toilet seat. Leaning into the shower he went to turn the knobs, and found that the 'hot' was stuck.
"Damn it, Knuckles.." A dissatisfied mutter. "Stupid echidna.." He continued to fight with the knob until it turned, and had to duck out so the water spewing from the showerhead missed him. Fiddling with the handles with his right hand, his left hand stayed in the water, turning so the liquid ran off it as he tested the temperature. Finally being satisfied with a hot degree, he stepped under the water from behind the stream of water so it hit his quills and back first, causing a sharp arch in his back at the heat of the water.
Once used to the water and finished washing, he stood facing the stream of water with his snout angled upwards into the beating liquid. He sighed and let his mind wander, pulling his ungloved hands through his quills. Shadow was back and down in the hospital room, healing.. Or hopefully healing. There was a twinge in his chest as he thought of him, which caused his brows to furrow slightly in confusion. Whenever he thought of the black hedgehog that twinge happened.. Strange.
Sonic bowed his head, letting the water fall through his quills and dribbled around his face. Maybe after Shadow feels better I can ask him what happened after ARK.. The thought was mildly curious, but then his thoughts drifted at the notion of the male getting better. He'll probably be in bed for a week.. I know if it was me I'd be out for blood. Not being able to run for so long.. His peach snout crinkled in distaste, but his eyes were still closed as he tilted his head side to side slowly, feeling the now warm water trickle around his neck. I could take him down to Station Square and show him the city.. He might like that.. Or maybe to the Viewpoint.. The Viewpoint was an outcropping above the waterfall just down from Tails' Workshop a little ways. It went out above the jungle, so all you could see was a long span of trees. It was definitely breathtaking. Sonic smiled as he thought of that. Yeah, I'll take him there. We can go the city later.. Its crowded there anyway..
Sonic suddenly blinked and lifted his head, opening his eyes as he ran his hands through his quills again. His smile faded slightly as he noticed that he couldn't seem to get Shadow out of his head.. But then realized the water was turning cold. He was surprised someone hadn't come and knocked on the door to tell him to get out of the bathroom yet. But then, maybe they were all asleep by now. He had no idea what time it was. Sighing, he shut off the shower and shook off some of the water. Stepping onto the tile he grabbed the towel and wiped himself down, then draped it over his head and rubbed his quills in a vain attempt to get them to dry. Giving up he tugged the towel from his head and pulled it around his shoulders. Grabbing his gloves and shoes [when he left the bathroom] he paused and looked down the stairs.
Nobody's awake.. I could go and see him... There went the twinge again, and Sonic started slightly. However he waved the thought away defiantly as he heard Rouge down in the kitchen. Still awake? Does that woman ever sleep? The blue hedgehog shook his head and wandered down to his room, dropping his shoes and gloves onto the floor. He then threw himself onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow and hugging it.
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Sonic opened his eyes and peered at the clock and nearly rolled off his bed out of surprise. It had felt like he had merely blinked, but the clock told him that it was suddenly ten-to-eight instead of quarter-to-one, which was when he had dropped onto his bed. With a groan he rolled over, holding the pillow over his face. Who wakes up at 8 in the morning? Aside from Tails that is. The hero usually slept in for at least another hour or two.. Slowly he pulled the pillow off his face, staring at the ceiling, and took into account what had happened the night before. Suddenly he was very awake, but fell off the bed when he rolled to get up and miscalculated the distance.
THUD. "Ow..." He rubbed his lower back and pushed himself up to his feet, then fought a losing battle with a yawn accompanied with a stretch. Linking his fingers he pushed them away from him to crack his knuckles, then placed his folded hands behind his head as he wandered down to the kitchen, not bothering to put on his shoes or gloves.
He was greeted by arguing voices.
Sonic pulled a face. It was 8 in the morning and already people were fighting? His hands dropped to his sides as he started into the kitchen, opening his mouth to make a remark, but ending up gawking at the scene.
Rouge was gesturing wildly and Shadow was pulling his head out of the fridge, looking at her dully, but amused.
"I told you I'm fine, Rouge."
"How can you be fine!? You're all bandaged up and your arm is broken!"
"Rouge.."
"Don't you 'Rouge' me! Go back to bed!"
Shadow rolled his eyes a bit, then noticed Sonic standing the doorway gaping at the two of them. He flashed him a rather cheeky grin. "You're going to catch flies if you keep that up."
Sonic flushed lightly and closed his mouth as Rouge whirled around on him, looking distraught. The blue one's ears folded, expecting an onslaught of words to tell him to go back to bed, because he was up earlier then usual and she looked in the mood to snap about anything. Sonic purposefully kept looking at Shadow to avoid Rouge's eye.
"Shouldn't you be in bed?" He stated bluntly, surprised that the black and red hedgehog was already up and about. He had expected him to be in bed for at least a week.. He was rewarded with a smirk.
"Why do you people keep asking me that?" The tone of his voice sounded fakely exasperated as he settled on grabbing a can of none other then Mountain Dew from the fridge, cracking it open and swigging it back.
Sonic kept staring incredulously, then looked at Rouge.
She growled lightly, looking distinctly ruffled. However her gaze snapping back from Sonic to Shadow abruptly, shooting daggers at him with her eyes. She was very strict when it came to injuries.. As Knuckles, Tails, and Sonic had all found out previously, and Shadow defying her by wandering about the kitchen was definitely getting to her. Shadow caught the look, smirked again, then wandered back down the hall to the hospital room with his can of soda after kicking the fridge door close. Rouge crossed her arms, but sank into one of the chairs in the kitchen and closed her eyes, sighing.
Sonic watched the black hedgehog walk down the hallway, bewildered, then turned and looked back at Rouge. She was rubbing her temples. Sonic smiled lightly.
"Did you sleep?"
"A bit.." She opened her eyes and gave him a tired smile. Sonic tilted his head, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder after Shadow.
"Could I..?" He was asking for permission to go talk to Shadow. Rouge pursed her lips, eyes slanting slightly, but she almost immediately gave up and slumped even further into her chair, waving a hand at him to leave.
"Thanks." Sonic smiled meekly and went down the hall, peeking around the doorframe in on Shadow. His back was to him, and he could see that the black one was observing one of the machine's in the room, drinking his pop. Sonic felt his cheeks warm slightly, and blinked, even more bewildered. Shadow turned sideways, his scarlet eyes falling on the blue one, and grinned.
"You look lost." He referred to the bewildered look on the blue hedgehog's face. Sonic's cheeks pinked again as he tried to look offended and shaking his head. He failed. A smirk from Shadow as he sat down on the bed, looking away from Sonic. Sonic observed the sling and the cast, feeling kind of stupid for not noticing it before. He then proceeded to feel even more stupid as he noticed the gauze on the right side of his face. He blinked at Shadow as he let himself in the room.
"How you feeling?" He asked quietly, surprised by the gentleness in his voice. Shadow apparently was also surprised as he looked up, eyeridges raised slightly, however he only smiled.
"Alright.. Achey. My wounds sting a bit.." He replied slowly and honestly, raising his arms above his head to stretch, giving a little wince. Sonic's lips curved down slightly at the wince and he crossed his arms and tried to control the warm tingle in his cheeks. Shadow glanced at him from the corner of his eye, and his lip quirked slightly. Sonic noticed, the tingle grew, he shifted his weight and tapped his foot a couple times.
"So.. How were you out of bed?" Sonic queried, then kicked himself mentally, thinking a more proper question would be 'Why' and not 'How'. He didn't usual stumble on words like that. What was going on..? His ears folded in slight embarressment. Shadow's mouth split into a grin.
"By standing." He replied in a coy manner, and received a nasty look from his blue lookalike. His grin didn't fade as it flashed in his crimson eyes. "I feel fine, thats all. Like I said, the wounds only sting a bit, I'm not in grueling pain. Besides, this room is too white and I wasn't tired." His eyes flicked around the room as he said this. Sonic's eyeridges rose curiously.
"I thought you would have been in bed for at least a few weeks with your.. State.." He winced lightly, remembering how Shadow had been totally unconcious, wet, injured and bleeding when he had found him. Utterly weak. He didn't seem anything like this anymore, aside from being wrapped up here and there and arm in a sling. He almost looked perfectly healthy, as if he had fallen off something and that was all. Shadow shrugged one shoulder, his lip quirking again.
"I heal fast." Said in an airy tone, as if it was nothing new. Sonic felt the seriouness in his face melt away, his lip twitching slightly.
"Well thats good." He said, again surprising himself. Shadow eyed him with an unreadable expression on his face, then smirked. He did that a lot. The tingle that had vanished returned to Sonic's cheeks he avoided Shadow's eyes.
"Er.. So you think you're strong enough to go out?" Speaking bluntly he blinked at Shadow, still not exactly meeting his gaze. Another lip tug from the red and black hedgehog.
"I don't think Rouge would be too pleased.."
Sonic snorted. "Oh I know, but would you rather lay around here and be hounded by her?" Cock of an eyebrow, a grin twisting his mouth. Shadow shuddered, chuckling. "I think she went upstairs.." Sonic continued, moving to the door and peering down the hallway to the kitchen. "If we go now we can sneak by her." Sonic looked over his shoulder at the still seated male, a mischevious glint in his eye. He knew he would have snuck out by now if he was feeling as well as Shadow was, and was now teasing the healing hedgehog with his gaze. Crimson eyes slanted. Yet another smirk. He stood up, not looking at all fatigued, which still didn't cease to surprise Sonic, and the black one nodded. Sonic flashed a grin and lead him quietly down the hall.
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I don't know if I like the ending of this chapter.. *narrows eyes at it, shrugs* I'll make up for it in the next one! *grins* R/R pleeeease? ^^;;;
Sonic & Co belong to Sega!
