The street lights were coming on just as Sonic and Shadow left the clothes store.
"You want to go back to my place?" asked Shadow, as Sonic looked around vaguely, worriedly.
"Yeah," said Sonic quietly.
Shadow took Sonic's outstretched hand and started walking.
"Sonic, about earlier-?"
"I know. I'm sorry. I was kind of freaking out."
"Is that it? Well, I… Hm. We can talk about this when we're back home, can't we?"
"Yeah, I guess. Why?"
"Don't wanna get lost in the city at night, that's why," laughed Shadow.
Sonic smiled a bit. Shadow knew he couldn't see her, but she smiled back.
Soon they were back at the apartment. Sonic didn't know what to say when Shadow opened the door and they walked in, besides:
"So, are you making something for dinner or am I or are we ordering out or what?"
Shadow laughed, though Sonic wasn't entirely sure why. He was hungry.
"I'll make something, Sonic! Don't worry!"
Shadow went into the kitchen, leaving his camera and key on the coffee table. Sonic picked up the camera and turned it on, going to playback mode and flipping through some of the pictures. There were about fifty pictures, with two or three of each costume. There was Sonic. There he was again. And again.
Next time they went out, Sonic would have to get some pictures of Shadow.
Sonic stopped flipping through the pictures and considered that last thought. What if he had to leave? He couldn't always be with Shadow, just friends or not.
Shadow would have all these pictures to remember him by. What would he have?
He would have a picture, too. He picked up the camera.
"Hey, Shadow! Smile!"
Shadow looked up, her expression reading more a bemused "What are you doing?" rather than a "Cheese."
Sonic snapped a picture before lowering the camera. He was grinning ear to ear, looking at the camera's screen before looking back up at Shadow.
"Thanks," said Sonic.
"What was that for?" asked Shadow, still smiling at Sonic.
"Just… For me," replied Sonic, heading back to the living room. Shadow shrugged. If Sonic wanted a picture, let him have one.
Sonic turned the TV on and looked back at the camera, flipping to the picture of Shadow. He smiled a little awkwardly, dressed casually and cooking something on the stove. In the picture, Shadow looked kind of domestic, homely. Sonic knew better. That spark in his eyes that only really came out in person was semi-present in this picture, though it was hard to make out due to the low picture quality. However, it was close enough for Sonic. Now, if only he could find a computer to get these printed…
"Hey, Shadow? Do you have a computer?"
"Yes. Do you need one?" asked Shadow, looking up from her cooking again.
"I just want to get these pictures printed," said Sonic, holding up the camera.
"Hope I've got a connector that'll match," muttered Shadow, shutting off the oven, "the camera didn't come with one."
"We'll find something," said Sonic, confidently.
Shadow led Sonic into his bedroom, flipping on the light. Sonic was in awe as Shadow went over to the computer and turned on the printer, searching through his desk drawers for a suitable connector. The walls were a pale gray-green and covered with animal calendars and post-its. The bed was small, but Shadow could probably be comfortable in it. The quilt coverings were cool colors to match the walls. The opposite side had the desk, which had the monitor, CPU, keyboard, and another TV on top of it, accompanied by a generic desk chair. Sonic wasn't one for interior design, but it struck him as appropriate, that Shadow had a style of his own.
"Hand me that camera, Sonic," said Shadow, Sonic complying. "Yes! I found a USB connector that fits! We'll have these printed in no time. How big do you want them?"
Sonic looked at Shadow, his attention being previously directed towards the calendar with the seahorses on it.
"Oh, you can have all the pictures of me in whatever size you want. I just want the picture of you in, let's make it wallet-size."
Shadow nodded, turning back to the computer. Sonic sat down on Shadow's bed. It was actually fairly comfortable. Almost as comfy as the couch. The printer started up as Sonic looked up at the ceiling.
When he did have that picture, where would he keep it? In his glove cuff, probably. It would fit, wallet-size. He could sort of imagine it. Out on the job, fighting Eggman or whoever, finding a small checkpoint or stopping place and taking out that picture. He looked back up at Shadow, his chest tightening.
"Here's your picture, Sonic," said Shadow, taking it out of the printer and carefully cutting it out of the larger page. She handed it to Sonic, who looked at it, his eyes shining in the light of the computer screen. He smiled.
"Thanks, Shadow."
"…You okay?" asked Shadow, softly.
"I'm fine," said Sonic, putting a hand on Shadow's shoulder and gently bumping heads with her. He held the picture between his thumb and ring finger and crossed his pointer and middle fingers. "I love you."
"I love you too, Sonic," she put her arm around the back of Sonic's neck and pulled him forwards, ruffling his quills with her free hand. "Now lighten up!"
"Okay, okay!" chuckled Sonic, pulling out of Shadow's grip. "Yes sir! Orders followed!" Sonic saluted awkwardly and stumbled out of the room as Shadow rolled her eyes and saved the pictures to her computer before shutting it off to finish cooking dinner.
Sonic munched his pancakes at the kitchen table because Shadow didn't want any syrup on the couch. He could hear something about dog breeds on the TV, as Shadow was out on the couch. Sonic ate in silence, alone with his thoughts. And Uncharted Territory.
'You still here?' asked Sonic, mentally. Uncharted Territory nodded. 'You… gonna say anything about earlier?' Uncharted Territory shook his head. Sonic raised an eyebrow. Uncharted Territory looked like he was pouting about something and didn't want to talk. 'You gonna say anything at all?'
'It hurts.'
Sonic was quiet. Two words. Earlier he'd been saying eight at a time, and that was an all-time high. '…What hurts?'
'Your love. Your love is my love. It hurts, the thought of leaving him. I don't want to leave him, and neither do you.'
Ten words. What was that all about? When he hit ten words, did he just stop making caring about it or what?
'True, we don't want to, but we'll probably have to. Sooner or later. Might as well make the most of our time together, though, right?'
Uncharted Territory looked at Sonic for a long moment. 'I need to do some soul-searching. I'll see you later, Sonic.'
And he was gone. Sonic turned back to his pancakes, but quickly looked up when he saw motion out of the corner of his eye.
It was Shadow, heading toward her bedroom. She had stopped, looking at him with a very worried expression.
Then Sonic noticed the teardrop that had just made its way down to his chin and dropped onto the table.