005. Overthinking

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"The bubbles smell nice," Tikal beamed, enjoying the tropical scent.

Shadow just grunted, his head slumped onto her shoulder.

"You don't like it?" she queried as her eyes averted down towards him. The hedgehog didn't answer that but it was enough for her anyway.

Tikal laughed in amusement. "I'm sorry."

There wasn't much space in the bathtub between them, and their legs tangled with each other's, hers on top of his. Tikal came back from work earlier than Shadow did and before she was about to go upstairs to take a shower, he stepped into the house looking exhausted. It took some convincing but she managed to pull him into the tub, the hedgehog tiredly wanting to resist.

Tikal moved in closer so that their chests were touching. Reaching for the shampoo bottle from the shower caddy, the echidna poured some of it onto her hand before soaking it with the water. Gently lifting Shadow's head up from her shoulder, she began to kneed his quills with her shampoo-laced fingers. She saw his eyes closing halfway and so sensed that he was enjoying it. Tikal laughed before taking a hold of the sprinkler, and then massaged the soap off his hair. Of course, his quills sprung back up within a few seconds.

Putting the sprinkler aside, the echidna left a peck on his lips with a giggle and started to wash her own hair, the favourable peachy smell filling her nose. Shadow watched her—weary, and she noticed this. Giving him a smile, Tikal used the sprinkler again for her own dreads, washing off the coated liquid. She felt his hand touching them after, fingers trailing down.

"Would it be okay if I asked the Commander to give you a week off?" she asked, her hands caressing his cheeks, "It'd be nice for you to catch up on some sleep."

"I don't need it," Shadow muttered, "It's fine. Don't worry."

"Shadow," Tikal whined softly before sighing, "I'm sure he'll understand. Rouge has been saying the same thing."

His eyes squinted. "I can't. Everything I do is important."

"Sleep is also important too, Shadow," she said back, leaning down slightly, "Without it, you wouldn't be able to work properly."

"It's not a priority for me," he stated simply.

The echidna only tilted her head. "It should be a priority for you. Your job isn't easy."

"Exactly, which is why I need to work harder instead of slacking off."

Tikal knew better though and instead locked her stare into his eyes. Shadow kept quiet throughout it before his posture twitched and he grimaced, a groan coming out.

"What's the matter?" Tikal whispered with her face softening.

Shadow looked at her, his expression taking a turn. "I don't want to fail," he confessed lowly, "Not again."

"Are you talking about—"

"Yes," he cut her off, making the girl press her lips together in understanding, "What if the same happened to you? I could never forgive myself then."

"It won't," she said, voice nearly inaudible.

"You don't know that," Shadow almost hastily snapped back but pain was held, "One second and you could be gone. Right in front of my eyes."

Tikal quivered, trying to diminish the graphical thoughts. "You're overthinking."

"I haven't been accepted by everyone yet," he glared down at the water, "There's still groups of people who hate me and would do anything to give me grief," Shadow let out a sudden dark chuckle, "They wouldn't lay a finger on me, of course."

"But they would on me," she finished off for him.

Shadow closed his eyes. "Because they know you refuse to fight. You're a target."

The both of them kept quiet, the sounds of the water splashing due to their little shifting. Tikal pulled back until she was resting on the bottom on the tub again.

"So you're scared?" she asked him faintly.

Shadow slowly opened his eyes and looked across to her. He stared intently before blinking, his lids closing halfway again. "Yes."

She nodded. "I don't want you to push yourself, Shadow," Tikal ignored the frustrated sigh coming out from him, "Even if it's for me. I understand that you've had a trauma before, but you shouldn't exert yourself," she shook her head, voice growing quieter, "I don't want that."

"I'm not gonna lose you to them," Shadow responded, suddenly taking a hold of her hand, "I can't let that happen. Ever."

Tikal looked down at their hands, warmth in her heart. "You won't lose me."

"I won't," he kissed her fingers, lips brushing against the water drops, "I can't."

She giggled before going to wrap her arms around his neck. "Stop underestimating us echidnas."

"I've already learned that," the hedgehog chuckled out, "When the Doctor tried to invade Angel Island to take the Master Emerald, Knuckles was not having it."

They shared a small laugh and Shadow pressed his lips onto her forehead.

"Thank you," he murmured, trailing a few more soft kisses down on her cheeks and neck.

"It's okay," Tikal realised that his eyes were starting to droop, "Let's finish up, hm?"

He mumbled out a response as they washed up some more and got out of the bathtub.

Sitting on their bed, Tikal helped her partner dry off his quills and then laid him down onto the pillows. Shadow's eyes had completely shut and she placed a sweet kiss on his lips. Before she got up however, the echidna's attention went to his phone that was left on the desk. Leaning over to get it, Tikal noticed the alarm was set to '5:00am'. She gave a quick side glance towards the sleeping hedgehog and then looked back at his phone, slowly tapping the alarm off.

Tikal got dressed and pulled herself further into the bed, placed Shadow's head on her lap, and ran her fingers down his hair with a smile.

Author's note:

yes they're in a bathtub, naked af. and i can't write lemons BECAUSE I SUCK AND SO DOES THIS PIECE. only because i was all like "oh mah god i need to update I NEED TO KEEP THIS SHIP STRONG!"

more to come!