[Şmøöţh Śăīłįñğ]

[17]

It didn't take long for the couple to realise they were being observed by most servants in the castle. It hadn't occurred to Sonic that couples of high status were often observed to ensure nothing happened seen as they weren't married.

"I take it you and Silver never got this treatment?" Shadow whispered as he leaned closer, eyes looking at the few servants looming around the room. Sonic shook his head "My mother knew we were strictly friends." Sonic explained. Shadow nodded in response, eyes still focused on the servants. "They really don't try to hide it, do they?" Shadow asked, audible to the servants. The servants cowered away once they heard, Shadow wasn't someone to be messed with.

"Guess we'll just have to get out through memory." Shadow shrugged. Sonic shook his head, making sure no servants remained in the room before he began talking once again. "Why would we try?" Sonic asked "You want to meet your father, don't you?" Shadow asked, his face stoic as if he had pointed out an obvious fact known to everyone. Sonic shrugged "My mother describes him as a bad person." He concluded.

Sonic didn't want to get involved with bad people. It was the last thing he wanted. Sure, it could be argued Shadow was a bad person. Shadow wasn't evil though, he fought for the right reasons. He had helped Möriz civilians overthrow their terrible dictator who slaughtered those who opposed him. Shadow was sort of a vigilante - in a weird, twisted way.

Sonic shrugged "I just... don't want to be disappointed by what I find." He sighed. Shadow nodded in agreement. "From what I remember, I don't believe he was a bad person." Shadow reassured. Sonic nodded with his head down and eyes on the ground. "It's weird to think we could have met all those years ago." Shadow shook his head, looking out of the window.

"The world is a small place." He simply stated.

_____________________________________

Night eventually broke and the two were forced into Sonic's room. It was all going according to plan - in Shadow's mind atleast. Sonic glared at Shadow, knowing full well what he was planning.

"We're done for." He sighed. Shadow shrugged, not knowing what he could really do to ease Sonic. "Do you wanna go first?" He smirked, laughing as Sonic swiftly punched him in the shoulder. "Alright then." Shadow finished confidently, walking towards a very familiar window - the one the two had used to escape years prior - and opening it.

He climbed onto the roof with no issue and began to stealthily walk around, observing everything to find an exit. Sonic followed with a sigh, slightly annoyed at the timing Shadow had chosen to scope around the roof. It was pitch black outside. One wrong step could be your last, and yet here Shadow was walking around as though he was merely mincing around town looking for a particular item.

"Could have picked a better time." Sonic hissed, carefully making his way towards Shadow. "Awhhh did you get the wrong idea?" Shadow cooed. Sonic looked at Shadow with a deadpan stare - one so blank it would put a static image to shame.

"I'm finding you a lot more annoying than usual tonight." He remarked. "I'm finding you a lot calmer than usual tonight." Shadow retorted, peering over the edge of the roof. "They've blocked off the exit we used last time." He stated, pivoting their conversation.

Sonic peered over, finding five guards on patrol in that one area. Each had a lantern aswell as a sword. Sonic would bet that even Shadow wouldn't be able to escape them. Speeding past them wasn't too much of an option either, the exit was narrow and it would be hard to maneuver at high speeds.

"Oh chaos!" Sonic growled in frustration. "We're never getting out!" He exclaimed. Shadow shook his head, indicating to a large wall. Behind it was a hill - it was a six meter drop at most. "If we scale that, we're out of here." Shadow explained. Sonic nodded.

"Can we wait a bit though?" Sonic asked "We should try not to arouse suspicion." Shadow rolled his eyes and glared at Sonic. "What's the real reason?" He asked. Sonic groaned "Well what if I want to be actually married?" He asked. Shadow shook his head with a sigh. "You live excuses, don't you?" Sonic just shrugged, walking passed Shadow.

As he did so, Shadow let out a yelp of suprise. Sonic jumped and turned towards Shadow, finding he had almost lost his balance as Sonic had accidentally brushed passed him. Sonic lurched forward and grabbed Shadow's wrist, pulling him upright and ensuring he would fall again by dragging him infornt.

"Y'know, I liked it better when you were the one being saved." Sonic grinned at Shadow in a goofy manner, taking Shadow's words pridefully. "You like anything better if it involved me suffering instead of you." Shadow hummed in agreement, making Sonic laugh.

The two made it back into Sonic's room quietly. Shadow began to inspect to room for anything that could be used as a tool, Sonic taking this time to change in the bathroom.

Sonic came back out, wearing pajamas, and flopped onto his bed. "Come here." He groaned. Shadow ignored him and inspected a spare bedsheet, measuring it with the very much accurate method of eyeing it. "This might work..." he mumbled to himself.

Shadow was soon dragged out of his thoughts as two arms wrapped around his waist. Shadow's shock soon turned to embarrassment and annoyance at the lapiz hedgehog, his face reddening.

"I haven't had cuddles in over two months." Sonic complained. Shadow didn't respond and instead just let Sonic have his way, the two standing there for awhile. "You're getting the blame if we're caught." Shadow warned. "She always thinks of the worse case scenario anyway." Sonic passivley stated.