Lost [Sonadow]

I think I'm lost.

I really ought to know better than to go running at night. Or even close to it. I mean, I've got a good sense of direction and all, but the night is not my territory. It is someone else's, someone else I know very well, and I'm hoping to find him out and around.

The moon's shining overhead, putting everything in a eerie glow. Normally, I'd think it were nice, pretty even. But I have no clue where I am, and it's masking everything I'm trying to do with a sheer lens. The trees seem too tall, the shadows are too long, the water seems too close. My heart's pounding, and it's not because of how fast I'm running. 

Speaking of which, maybe I should slow down to see where I'm actually going. 

It doesn't help a ton, just makes everything have a sharper edge, instead of that smear that I'm so used to. The vibrant greens of the trees are still muted in the night, and the color of my own shoes looks foreign. I should've brought Tails' little wrist navigator that he made with me, but I forgot on the way out the door. 

"Sonic."

I jump nearly a mile, and whip around so fast, that it takes a second for my vision to refocus. When I get a better look at the speaker, a grin spreads across my face.

"Hey, man! Am I glad to see you!" 

It was just who I was looking for. I can barely see his outline, him being dark already. The inhibitor rings on his hands reflect the little moonlight that's showing, his arms crossed. So do his eyes, those deep eyes of his.

Shadow.

"It is unlike you to be out so late," he says, giving an exasperated sigh. "I thought you preferred to run during the day."

"Well, it was day when I started," I reply. "Then it, uh, got dark."

"Clearly."

There is silence between us. He's always so still and quiet. The only thing I can hear is the low hum of a cricket, and even that comes and goes.  "Say, uh, d'ya think you could help me out?" I ask after a few minutes of silence. I start bouncing back and forth on my toes; I've got a hard time keeping still.

"Help you with what?" Even in the dark, I can see him raise an eye ridge. 

"Well, the reason I don't go running out at night is because..." I trail off for a split second. Somehow, I already know what the response will be to my declaration, but my mouth keeps pushing forward. "...It's harder for me to see where I'm goin' in the dark."

Does he chuckle? I can't quite tell the difference between that and some of his less amused noises he makes. They all sound pretty similar. I've been trying to figure them all out. "Well, well. So you're lost. Hmph." Is there amusement in his eyes? Is that a smirk on his face? I still can't tell. He's so hard to read.

Meanwhile, I've got my emotions plastered on my sleeve. I can feel my ears twitch.

"Y-yeah, I am. I was hopin' to find you out here, to give me a hand." I say, extending my own out slightly. I give him my trademark grin and try not to focus on the silence all around us.

He stares at me for a moment, then turns his back. "Idiot. You should know better." Now I really can't read his expression. "If you knew it was getting dark, you should have turned and headed home. You're quite foolhardy."

I didn't really want a scolding, especially not now. It's hard to tell, sometimes, whether he's teasing or not. If he is, this really isn't the time, not when the moon's starting to hide behind a cloud, and the forest is getting pitch dark, and I really can't see anything, with out the reflection of his eyes. "Yeah, but that's already done. Please, Shad?" 

"No." Straight up refusal. In fact, he's starting to walk away, run away, the Chaos energy in his rocket shoes glowing behind him. 

Oh, no, you don't. 

I take off after him, the glow trailing from his feet lighting the way. There's a rush of adrenaline surging through me, and it gives me the power to keep moving. "Shadow!" I call after him, hoping he'd maybe turn around, but it only makes him pick up speed. What did I expect, that he would stop, smile warmly, and say, "Let me take you home, Sonic"? No, no, because that's not how he operates.

Luckily, the fastest thing alive can easily give chase to the ultimate life form. 

I focus on his figure in front of me, the moon peeking back out to reveal the red markings on the back of his quills, and on his arms and legs. Solemn, steady, quiet--he doesn't twitch, doesn't ache to move like I do, but when he does, it certainly has a purpose to it. I guess that's why he can go almost as fast as I can, keyword almost. I bet I could even pull ahead now, I'm nipping right at his heels.

But...

I pull one of my arms from flying behind me and reach out. In a burst of speed, I reach out and grab his shoulder. His stride doesn't waver, his feet automatically adjusting, but his head tilts back, and I can feel his body jolt at it. On the other hand, my own feet tangle, and I trip, sending myself sprawling forward. Luckily, I gain enough balance to skid forward on the back of my heels. It takes a good ten feet before I stop.

I can hear Shadow's voice behind me. "Are you all right?" 

"Yeah, yeah," I respond, looking back at him. "Jeez, Shad, what was that for? You had me worr--"

He cuts me off with a shake of his head. "Idiot. Look at where we are."

I look up to see the familiar lights of Station Square up ahead, the path ahead very clear. When I look back over to him, he has a smirk on his face. Typical, for him.

Still, I'm glad. More than glad. And I show it by standing up taller and letting out a sigh of relief. Sure, he's a bit grim. But he knows his priorities, he knows what he has to do. He knows what he wants. 

And I think I do too.

I grin and extend my hand. "Well, you've gotten me this far. Take me home."

At first, I don't think he's going to take it. He shakes his head a little, but then something strange happens to his smirk. It goes soft. Now, that's not typical. He strides past me, then only at the very last moment of proximity, does he take my hand in his own.

My grin spreads wider as I gain my stride, walking as close beside him as I can get.