Unexpected Friendship
A/N: I figured I'd write my first Boom fic. Like usual, my little canon's got some few changes to the actual but whatever, as long as y'all are fine with it I'm good. Starring the aggressive Boom Shadow, this one's a sweet one. I apologize if Shadow may be a little OOC as I'm not used to him since he barely appears in the show and whatever but I hope he's alright enough for this fic.
I wrote this on the side as I wrote Asleep Behind the Wheel. Check out that little fic if you'd like if you hadn't already.
T for minor language.
Once you (manage) to get to know him, he's really sweet afterwards...
Kenya was the only other human besides Eggman now on Bygone Island. She recently found herself there following a freak accident on a plane she was one. By her knowledge, she was the only one whom survived, the haunting memory of the moment the plane lost control all too fresh in her mind. Sonic and his pals had been keeping her feeling happy and hearty, building her a shack close to Sonic's so she could be with him whenever she'd liked. She appreciated the Mobians on the island, they viewed her as family as much she views them.
"Over here!" Sonic called as he hit the volleyball over the net. Knuckles tried to hit it but he tripped, landing on his belly and resulting in the ball hitting and bouncing off his upper back.
"Ouch..." The dumb echidna mumbled.
"Knuckles!" Kenya rushes over and helped the echidna up. He smiled at her and she returned the expression.
"Thanks Kenya, I could always count on you."
"Aww, no prob Knux."
Sticks ran after the ball and came back with it, continuing the game. Everyone had fun playing until hunger struck, so the six went to Meh Burger for a bite to eat.
"Here you go ma'am. A double cheeseburgers with extra sauce and no pickle." Dave the Intern told Kenya as he brought everyone's food over.
"Thanks Dave." Kenya smiled and the nutria who foolishly giggles back before scampering back to the kitchen. The friends began eating their food, chatting away about their daily lives.
After lunch Kenya decided to talk a walk in the forest to calm her mind a bit. The afternoon sun was just to beautiful today. She had her own communicator given by Tails should she ever need help. She didn't have the poor of that fancy whip mechanic like the others but it was good enough as it was. She walked into a clearing and looked up admiring the sky when Bee-bots and crabs came from nowhere surrounding her. The young woman screamed in horror and attempted to run but was cut off by a laser fire from one robot.
She knew all to well that this was some ambush or so by Eggman just so he could lure Sonic into a trap he had in mind for him.
"Well, well, well if it isn't Sonic's human girlfriend." Eggman jeered as he emerged from above in his eggmobile. The crab and bee-like robots of his surrounded the human woman and she screamed in fear. She reached for her communicator but a robot zapped her wrist breaking the device and stinging her arm.
"Ahh!"
"I'm afraid you won't be having that blue rodent and his friends interrupt our little talk girly." Eggman sneered before commanding his robots to attack. Just as they closing in on her a flash of orangish-yellow zipped around stunning Kenya and Eggman. Whomever it was they were as quick and light on their feet as Sonic.
The figure was dark as the night and when he finished destroying the robots he yelled out something and made a lightning bolt zap Eggman away like Team Rocket.
Kenya managed to run into the thicket of trees and brush during the scuffle and saw that the figure whom saved her was a black hedgehog whom favored Sonic minus some minor differences. His muscular back was to her and his fists were clenched. He reeked of aggression so Kenya carefully came out from her hiding spot.
"T-Thank you."
The figure didn't move nor acknowledged her presence. He stood there still as a statue, the faint breeze blew his cow-licked quills ever so slightly. After what felt like eternity, he turned around. It was none other than the grouch Shadow the Hedgehog. He must've been the one Sonic and the others told her about. He looked and acted just how they described him.
"Humph. You're just another human who washed up on the island." His voice was husky, deep and rich. Kenya felt nervous speaking to him despite his smaller size to her. His red eyes pierced up at her menacingly, like they could penetrate through her skull.
It was a moment before Shadow moved to feel his side, a wound he somehow sustained during his scuffle. It bled and he growled in annoyance.
"You're hurt!" Kenya kneels down in attempt to nurse Shadow but he swatted her hands away, a glare cold and piercing in his eyes.
"Don't touch me." He growls.
"You're hurt because of me. The least I can do is treat you." Kenya protested. Shadow hated her resilience but he knew the wound was worse than he could handle. With an agitated sigh he lets her touch him. He flinched at her touch as she uses a handkerchief in her purse as a bandage and once he was sealed up the woman smiles at her handiwork.
She rested on her knees, eye-level to the dark hedgehog who scowls, lifting his arm to look at the makeshift gauze.
"My name's Kenya. What's yours?" Kenya asked Shadow despite knowing who he was already. He glared at her.
"My name is none of your concern." Shadow told the young woman while folding his arms. Kenya didn't let the dark hedgehog's attitude stop her from giving him a smile. From what Sonic and the others told her was enough for her to understand.
"You look like someone that nobody knows much about. You can tell me your name. I won't bite."
Shadow glared harder but inwardly he strangely felt relaxed around the woman before him. Something about her made him feel a feeling he never wanted to feel.
"My name is Shadow." The hedgehog grunts. Kenya smiles at this.
"Nice to meet you, Shadow. I'm Kenya. Thank you so much for saving my life." The woman was truly grateful for what the dark hedgehog did despite it being so out of character for him to do so. He still reeked of antisocial-ness but Kenya figured she'd prod through his barriers one day.
"Humph. Eggman's just a nuisance. I can't wait until the day he dies." Shadow growled darkly. Kenya smiled at Shadow. She felt uncomfortable about the hedgehog's comment but nonetheless understood why.
"Nobody likes Eggman. But you can't wish death on someone Shadow." Kenya told Shadow who looked at her. Her eyes were a chocolate brown—beautiful and warm like her smile. The feeling Shadow long buried deep within hatred of others was trying to emerge from under, and it was silently killing him.
He liked the human. That's why he saved her. He's been watching her from afar this whole time. Ever since she came to the island and befriend the villagers, she's been in his line of view. The moment Shadow saw the young caramel-skinned woman's face, he fell in love.
Here he is now, before her and he was acting like a male's genitals. He's the biggest dick Sonic ever known and nothing would change that.
Or is it?
"Oh! It's getting late, I should head home." Kenya's voice snaps Shadow out his trance, and he looks up at her as she heads into the direction of her shack. The dark hedgehog was gonna regret it, but he chose to do so anyway. He teleports in front of her, startling her.
"Shadow!"
"I can take you home." He grunts. The woman was taken aback by this but accepts his offer, taking his hand in hers as he teleports in front of her residence. He lets go of her hand shortly afterwards, looking around. He didn't want to be seen by anyone let alone Sonic the Hedgehog.
"Thanks Shadow. I wasn't expecting you to be so sweet." Kenya unlocks her door and heads inside. Shadow looks at her, folding his arms.
"If there's anyone I should get used to, it should be you." At that, Shadow teleported somewhere before the woman could answer him.
X-X-X-X
Some months passed since Shadow saved Kenya from Eggman. She hadn't seen or heard from him since, and the young woman since forgotten how it all happened in the first place. She didn't stop thinking of the dark hedgehog however, his bright red eyes boring up into hers when his gaze was on her. Kenya happened to find herself in the forest again, a new communicator on her wrist.
She felt bad when she recited the lie she told Sonic and the others the day after Shadow saved her. She had said she had tripped and the device broke. She gotten a scratch from a robot but she said nothing at all. She had a book in hand as she read under the shade of a tree. She was very engrossed in the novel, unaware of her surroundings.
Shadow happened to take a run in the desert and was heading into the forest when he suddenly stopped. He glared up at the sky, sniffing the air for some reason. He picked up Kenya's scent and he walked over to where she was. He his behind the bushes and saw her reading her little book. His eyes narrow and he growls lowly but his ears perk up when he heard her wrist communicator beep and he watches her answer it.
"Hey Sonic!" Kenya says. Shadow's ears flatten in anger upon hearing the woman say his rival's name. He heard everything from hearing him offer her some together time at Meh Burger and walking along the beach. He wanted to teleport in front of the woman, rip the communicator off her wrist and rig the blue speedster's neck. Once she was done talking her made his appearance.
"Oh! Shadow!" Kenya says surprised as the hedgehog walks up to her pretending he didn't hear anything.
"I'm surprised to see you out her by yourself again. Where's the blue fool?" Shadow asked harshly.
"He's with Tails. Why are you so sour around Sonic? He's cool." Kenya says with a smile. The dark hedgehog glared at her but ignored her question and walks closer under he was close enough to look taller than her unless she stood up. He intimidated her for a moment under her surprised her when he sat in front of her, his knees almost touching hers.
His ears twitch slightly and he eyes the bird in the nest in the tree. Kenya couldn't help but smile at the hedgehog. He looked so innocent as he watched the bird fly off.
"Shadow?" His attention snaps to her when she says his name, his ruby red eyes bored into her dark brown ones.
"What?" He grunts gruffly.
"Why you don't like Sonic?" The woman asked again. She tried to press Shadow into answering her. He looks down at the grass between them.
"Personal reasons." Shadow responds after a moment of silence. Kenya accepts this answer and smiled at him. He avoid her gaze by looking down, scowling.
The two spent their time getting to know each other and the young woman finally learned that Shadow liked her just like Sonic did. He remained apathetic but was otherwise soft around her now.
"...If I had an intention of harming you I would've done it by now." Shadow states flatly, referring to the first time they met.
"Shadow, there's no reason to feel ashamed. You can always come by at my place and we can be together."
"But, what about Sonic?"
"I'm sure he'll understand." Kenya takes his hand and squeezes it gently. "I don't want you guys fighting though. Can you promise me that?"
"I can't promise not beating his ass Miss." Shadow rasps. This comment amuses the woman, who taps his nose playfully. He looks at her with a scowl, his ears twitching at her touch when she chuckled.
X-X-X-X
"Where's Kenya? She was supposed to be at Meh Burger with us by now." Sonic asked as he and the others ate their food. It was unknown to the five that she was spending her time with Shadow in the forest. The blue hedgehog tapped his foot impatiently before steeping away to call her on his communicator.
The device on Kenya's arm rung and Shadow glared down at the device knowing who it was. He watched her as she answers it.
"Hi Sonic."
"Kenya? We're waiting for you at Meh Burger. You forgot?"
"Oh. I'll be there." She grabbed her book and placed it in her bag making Shadow stand up.
"Where are you going?" He growled.
"I was supposed to meet Sonic and the others at Meh Burger. I'll see you tomorrow Shadow." She leaned over and kissed his head, ruffling his quills before running off before he could say anything.
Sonic, always ruining his plans. The dark hedgehog barred his fangs before teleporting back to his cave—the same one with purple crystals jutting from the walls. He recently turned it into his place and got into the makeshift bed he crafted out of palm leaves and laid there. It was a bit uncomfortable, but it was either the cave or live in the village where everyone was afraid of him.
X-X-X-X
Kenya made it to Meh Burger and walked over to the table with her food. The others were chatting when they spotted her.
"What took you so long man? You've got us worried about you again." Sonic said.
"The book I'm reading is so interesting. I lost track of time. I'm sorry guys."
"It's fine Kenya. A good book is always great." Amy said.
Everyone chatted until it was evening and Sonic walked Kenya home.
"So, what's been going on Kenny? You've been distant all of a sudden. Is something bothering you?" Sonic asked as a they walked. The woman smiles shyly.
"I...I've been missing home lately..." Kenya semi-lies. "I never expected to be the only survivor of you know..."
"Aww, I'm sorry Kenya. I know it's hard, but you got me and the others. We're your family now. We'll be there for you always." Sonic smiles up at her and she bends down to hug him tight. Sonic always turned red whenever the woman hugged and kissed him, a sign of his own infatuation with her.
"If you want me to spend the night with ya I can." He offers without thinking. A moment later his ears perk up and he turns red at realizing what he said. Kenya giggles at this and looks at him.
"Silly hedgehog," She nuzzled her nose with his. "I'd love for you to be my company for tonight."
Sonic keeps from squealing as they held hands until they reached the woman's house. They enter and watch late night Comedy Chimp until Sonic fell asleep with his head in Kenya's lap. She carried him to her bed and snuggled him close to her after she changed into her sleepwear.
X-X-X-X
Kenya woke up with Sonic still in her arms. He snores softly with his mouth slightly agape and drool pooling on his pillow. He was knocked out. Kenya takes a finger and scratches behind the sleeping hedgehog's ear making him smile in his sleep as he subconsciously leans his head into her touch. She silently giggles before scratching his ear with all her fingers.
Sonic mumbles softly, snoring still as he stirs. When she stops, he whines in his sleep but otherwise snuggles closer to her chest.
She wanted to get out of bed but with Sonic so close to her she didn't wanna move. She lays there watching the blue hedgehog sleep in her arms. Knowing she had nothing planned, she figured she'd find Shadow and be with him. Once he woke up Kenya would confirm that nothing's happening among them and the others. She was glad nobody found her behavior suspicious, but it silently killed her inside.
She kept her friendship with Shadow from everyone. Knowing him and Sonic were rivals made the feeling of guilt worse. She wanted to tell them but was too scared to say. She worried that Sonic and the others would feel betrayed. She laid there and held the sleeping hedgehog closer.
X-X-X-X
Sonic finally woke up after an hour. When he seen how close he was to the human smiling at him he blushed so red his muzzle could've melted off.
"Morning sleepyhead." Kenya teases and Sonic nervously giggles.
"H-Hi Kenya..." Sonic mumbled. He giggles when Kenya sneaks a little tickle on his side, cuddling closer to her as he buries his head in her chest again.
"Y-You're tickling me!" He snickers. The woman chuckles as she stops and looks at the hedgehog.
"We're not doing anything today are we?" She asked.
"No. Why? You have something planned?" Sonic asked.
"No. I'd figured I'd just chill today. It's gonna be a hot one too so might as well cool off at home."
"Yeah. Alright then." Sonic hops oh my of the bed and stretched, yawning wide as he scratches at his peach belly and walks out Kenya's bedroom to the front door.
"I'll chill in my hammock all day today too. If ya need anything," Sonic waves his wrist with his communicator, "buzz me." At that, he ran off to his house.
Kenya took the opportunity to quickly get dressed, grabbed her bag with her book and keys and left her house for the forest. She went to the clearing she always found Shadow. He wasn't there but she knew he'd sense her once he got a whiff of her scent. She sat down against the boulder and opened her book, resuming where she left off. She was once again so engrossed in the book that she wasn't aware of Shadow watching her from the brush. He abruptly teleports in front of her, startling her out of her wits.
"Shadow! You almost gave me a heart attack!"
"You should be used to it by now." Shadow says flatly, folding his arms. He sits by her and sniffs her, acknowledging the scent of Sonic all over her.
"You smell like that blue buffoon." His says that rather huskily. This made the woman blush.
"Me and him had a sleepover last night. He offered me some company, so I accepted." Kenya looked at the dark hedgehog, a playful smile on her lips. "You're not jealous are you Shadow?"
"Why would I give a damn about Sonic? He's your friend and I have no choice but to accept it."
"Alright then." Kenya accepts his answers and resumes reading her novel. Shadow kept silent for a while until he felt a sudden gentle pressure on his head. He looks up to see Kenya scratching at his ears.
"Don't you like that?" She asks. Shadow scowls.
"No." He answers roughly, but a certain rumble in his chest made him think otherwise and he found himself purring. He was embarrassed by the sound he made and Kenya chuckles.
"It definitely sounds like you like it Shadow." She teases. Shadow grumbles, losing the fight with his body to resist leaning in. The woman hand felt good scratching behind his hearing appendage and he found himself resting his head on her shoulder. He heard her laugh and put her book aside, using both her hands to playfully pull his head into her lap as she scratched him behind both ears. Shadow grunts in pleasure, enjoying the petting.
"Well, you're just a teddy bear when someone gets to know you huh Shadow?" Kenya teases Shadow as she continues scratching him behind his ears. He purrs louder and butts his head into her hand. The little smile on his snout was so adorable that when his head was tilted up enough, she scratched under his chin instead making the otherwise grumpy hedgehog melt.
"Damn..." Was all Shadow could wheeze before his head rested in Kenya's lap. The woman was amused by his sweet behavior, chuckling as she strokes his quills and back lovingly. The usually overly aggressive Shadow the Hedgehog was now a sweet and docile mess, something he'd cram a Chaos Spear down the throats if anyone who used this sweetness as a weakness against him.
He rested his head in her lap for the remainder of the time they spent together until evening hit. Shadow teleported her home and he teleports back to his cave until the next time he could spent a day with Kenya.
X-X-X-X
Everyone played volleyball over at Sonic's place. It was like the usual on a hot day like this. Everyone was so into the game that nobody expected or heard Shadow appear from nowhere. Everyone gasped and quickly got defensive upon seeing him. The dark hedgehog narrows his eyes, scowls and takes an aggressive stance. Everyone knew they had no chance against him despite their numbers, he'd beat them all silly like that fine he was somehow fooled by Eggman staging Sonic talked trash about him.
"What are you doing here Shadow?" Sonic growled as he and the others took their positions in case the dark hedgehog tried to attack.
"I'm here for the human." Shadow growls back. Kenya gives a quiet gasp. Sonic looks back at her before running towards her to stand in front of her protectively.
"Kenya's not going anywhere with you." Sonic growled, arms outstretched. Shadow rolls his eyes, clearly annoyed.
"Her kindness can be confused for weakness." Shadow says lowly. "I'm here for the human. Give me to her." Shadow demands in the cold but calm manner he always spoke.
"No way!" Sonic barks. Shadow sighs.
"I won't say it again you blue piece of shit. Give me the human." Shadow growled threateningly. Sonic growls back.
"Make me motherfucker!" Sonic barked and Shadow made a mad dash towards him. Knuckles pulled Kenya out of the way just before the two male hedgehogs collided and slammed into a coconut tree making said fruit fall on them.
"Guys!" Amy called. "Stop it!"
The two males grappled each other and rolled into the sand violently like mad pit bulls. Punches were thrown and kicks were swung as they both fought over Kenya. Knuckles held the young woman back as tears threatened to fall. Seeing Sonic and Shadow fight over her without the others knowing the truth of her and Shadow's friendship was heartbreaking.
"Knux let me go! I need to stop them!" Kenya cried out trying to get out of the echidna's grip.
"No Kenya! Shadow'll hurt you!" He whines making his grip on her waist tighter.
"Shadow's my friend Knux! Please let me go!"
"Shadow's your friend?!" Amy said shocked. Tails and Sticks joined in on the shocked, mouth agape surprise as Kenya let her head hang low in defeat.
"Yes. Me and him are friends. H-He helped me escape Eggman in the woods and got wounded in the process and that's how we became friends." Kenya admitted.
"Kenya! I can't believe Shadow actually helped you escape Eggman. That's suspicious behavior coming from him." Amy said.
"Especially since nobody never sees him for weeks or even months at a time. He's a total loner." Tails added.
"Maybe it's not Shadow, but a clone of him brought here by aliens!"
Sticks says and screams. Knuckles 'eeks' at what she said and cowers his head into Kenya's back. She wraps an arm around him and rubs his back tenderly.
"It's ok Knux, Sticks. Shadow's not a clone brought by aliens."
The everyone was busy processing Kenya's words that the fight between Sonic and Shadow almost seemed forgotten when Sonic yelped out.
"Sonic!" Kenya ran towards the direction of the yell and everyone followed behind her. Sonic was holding his arm where Shadow used a Chaos Spear to pierce his skin. The blue speedster's wound bleed profusely as he gave a wounded glare towards the black hedgehog looming over him.
"I'm not gonna say it again. Give me the human." Shadow growled.
"N-Never..." Sonic coughed out a splatter of blood. Shadow bared his fangs, raising his arm up to draw a ball of Chaos into his hand. He was gonna finish off Sonic then his other loser friends before taking the young woman by force when—
"Shadow! Stop!"
At the sound of his name, Shadow stopped what he was doing and turned his head into the direction of the call. Kenya was out of breath, hands on her knees as the others followed her in similar state. Shadow glared at her at the others.
"Shadow please don't hurt him." Kenya pleads. Shadow eyes her.
"He asked for it. The blue idiot will never change." Shadow scoffs.
"Please. I told everyone about you and me now. There's no need for this."
"T-Tell everyone about what?" Sonic said hoarsely. He was now curious despite the immense pain he suffered. The poor thing could barely see out of the now badly bruised black eye he suffered.
"Me and Shadow are friends Sonic. We've been hanging out for a while now but I didn't wanna say anything because I know you don't like him." Kenya admitted.
"Kenya, if that's the—" Sonic hissed at the pain he suffered when he tried to shift himself. "If that's the reason you've been acting so strange then you could've told us. If Shadow's your pal then so be it." Sonic grunted. He sounded mad about the situation but was in too much pain to say more.
"Miss Kenya do you still want to hang out today?" Shadow asked her with a fold of his arms. At that question everyone's attention went to the woman.
"Maybe next time." She said sadly, turning to walk in the direction of her house.
"Kenya?" Amy extended her hand out for the woman but she was already gone behind the brush before anyone could say anything. Everyone then glared at Shadow, weapons drawn.
"I'm not sure why you'd hang around Kenya but you're not getting away this time Shadow!" Amy said. Shadow humphed before shifting his weight to one foot to the other.
"What I do with her doesn't concern either of you." Shadow then teleported back to his cave and the others went and turned their attention on Sonic.
He's got a long road ahead to recover from what Shadow just did.
X-X-X-X
Kenya cries into her pillow. What has she done? Shadow abruptly appears asking for her and just as she feared Sonic and him started fighting. They fought so bad that Shadow nearly killed him. He most likely was gonna do the same the others before he took her away.
The dark hedgehog wanted to go to bed residence and apologize for his aggressive behavior, but he figured he'd best leave her be for a while. His and her secret had been revealed, now it's a matter of time before she gets berated or worse.
"It's all my fault!" Kenya curses herself for letting what happened happen. She was so worried that Sonic would hate her for befriending Shadow and almost getting killed by him in the process. The others too, would've been next had the woman not intervened.
X-X-X-X
Sonic was now laying in hammock with gauze wrapped tight around his body. An eyepatch covered his worse eye and was basically blind from the severity of his black eyes. Bags of ice covered his face. He grumbles from the pain, he was sure that he broke more than one thing but insisted on laying in bed for now. He wanted to contact Kenya to see how she was doing, but decided against it. He knew she'd feel like he was mad at her so he kept quiet.
She'd visit him soon. Until then the blue hedgehog rested in his hammock and fell asleep.
X-X-X-X
After a few months, Sonic still was recovering from his injuries sustained by Shadow, but he was better slightly enough to be out and about. He and the others forgave Kenya for not telling them about Shadow, but Sonic was truthfully jealous of this. Shadow still interacted with the woman and they relaxed together but Shadow refused to be with or around Sonic and his pals, resulting in separate hangouts between them.
It didn't stop the young woman from loving her Mobian friends. She was grated to have survived the plane accident to be here today to have such loving friends to be there for here for days to come.
A/N: Well, that took forever to write. I intended for it to be as long, descriptive and awesome as I can. Might make a sequel, but this was really something random that I decided to write just because my brain is always coming up with good stuff lol. I hope y'all enjoyed this little AU and be tuned for another story from me.