AN- Drowning never felt so good.

"Low Tide"

Two identical hands entwined as two very different pairs of feet walked along sandy planks of wood. Unbeknownst to their acquaintances, friends, and fans, they hadn't set out to race this afternoon. Neither of them had any plans to move at a fast pace whatsoever. For once, both were perfectly content with walking along slowly.

"Don't you just love going to the beach?" the younger of the two inquired with a quick glance at his companion. "It's so calm and quiet- really peaceful, you know?" He casually kicked some sand in the other hedgehog's direction, hoping to get some kind of response out of him, be it positive or not.

"Sonic, stop it. You idiot, you've gotten me all dirty." The darker one wrenched his hand free from Sonic's and folded his arms over his chest. "I only enjoy going here when there aren't many people."

"Oh, same here." Sonic tried unsuccessfully to reclaim possession of his rival's hand. "I have more room to run when there's nobody around. I really don't like kicking sand up in people's faces."

"You would say that."

"Hey, let me hold your hand again! It was kinda cool. I felt real close to ya."

"No, you may not, for that exact reason. I don't want you close to me when you're running your mouth as you are."

"Aw, come on, Shadow," he pouted. "Just to the end of the path? Please?"

"Didn't I already say no?" Shadow fixed his eyes on the ground just ahead as the pair continued to advance forward. "And why are you so damn set on being close to me?"

Sonic was silent for a few moments, which pleased Shadow to no end. He took a deep breath through his nose, inhaling the briny scent of the sea and basking in the quiet. For those few moments, he almost felt at peace with himself and the world around him. The silence on Sonic's end was more than welcoming, although he knew that it wouldn't last long. Sonic wasn't exactly the type to keep his mouth shut for much longer than was absolutely necessary. The second that he was finished thinking about whatever he had been thinking about, he would begin speaking again. He could never shut up, had a ridiculously inflated ego, and always insisted on invading his personal space.

Yet these were precisely the reasons why Shadow held such deep feelings for him.

"Because you're like the ocean to me," Sonic spoke suddenly, moving a bit closer to Shadow and lowering his voice as he did. "You're dangerous and mysterious and I know that every time I wade in you, I could drown because I don't know how to swim. But I can't stop coming back to you, pushing the envelope by running along the shoreline and playing in the waves. It always feels so right to me, even though I know that I shouldn't be doing it. I like the way it makes me feel... not only on the surface but deep inside, too." He cleared his throat and placed his hand on his counterpart's arm. "That's why."

Looking up from the ground, the blue hedgehog realized at that moment that they had reached the end of the trail to the beachfront. He opened his mouth to invite Shadow to chase after him, but closed it just as Shadow took hold of his hand and tugged him down towards the mounds of light amber sand.

"Come along," he instructed in a firm tone that sounded strangely comforting to Sonic's ears. Allowing himself to follow for the first time in his life, he walked with Shadow down the small hill and underneath a nearby pier, where the two sat on damp, sandy pillows side by side. Just as he turned to ask Shadow why he had led him here, Shadow surprised him further by leaning close to him and brushing his lips against Sonic's, causing the young hedgehog's heart to flip. Without a single doubt in his mind, he returned Shadow's kiss with all of the passion and desire that had built up inside of him, not caring if anyone saw them engaged in such a forbidden act. Shadow's tongue was soft, his mouth was sweet, and the fluttering of his fingertips against his upper chest sent tingles all through his body. Yes, Shadow truly did mean the world to him, and nothing would ever come between them.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Shadow whispered into his mouth, rejoining their mouths in another kiss only seconds later. Sonic clung to him while he could, inhaling his warm, crisp scent and savoring the sounds of the crashing waves on the sand just inches away from where they sat.

~End~