FOR YOUR HEART-BOOM

☆Ch35

"Come again?"
"Chao. What do you not understand, hedgehog?" Shadow groaned in displeasure, when the blue hedgehog seemed to be so dense at the moment. He tried to explain, what kind of creatures these are and what they do during their lives. Even though, he himself did not know fully everything about them, like, how they even reproduce. When there are so many of them, they have to have some sort of system for sure, but Shadow couldn't figure out such system. The only idea he had was, that perhaps a new chao just randomly appears with the natural chaos energy their bodies contain, but even such theory was a little bit too unreal.
"Uh, alright, so... chao. That's interesting for sure. Also, what does it mean, when there is an exclamation mark above their heads?" Sonic did not pay attention to the way Shadow was irritated, as he casually asked another question.
"From what I have learned, it usually happens, when they're interested in something," Shadow answered the question calmly and picked Onyx up, when he saw him crawl over to him. Sonic saw the same chao from earlier waking up and looking up at him before getting up with its paws lifted towards him as it stood on its toes and formed a desperate grimase on its face.

"Pick it up," Shadow instructed the blue hedgehog. Sonic crouched down to the chao and opened his arms, which made the creature cheer up and rush to his embrace while nuzzling him.
"How come the others are unbothered by our presence?" Sonic asked, as he stood up with the chao now in his arms.
"My guess is, that only one of them chooses their new owner. Like.. Onyx was the only one cooperating with me, when I was here to get the chaos emerald, which I needed for your revival," Shadow elaborated and Sonic looked at him with strange expression on his face.
"What?" Shadow hissed while frowning.
"Did you name him like that?" Sonic asked and approached him, which caused Onyx and Sonic's chao glare at each other with frowns on their faces.
"Not really. Look," Shadow shook his head and pointed at the drawing on the grassy surface, which Sonic checked out and noticed the names above the drawings of Shadow and the chao himself.
"Oh wow, your chao is... really talented, must I admit. Also, how come it's so dark? Ohhh waiiiit, because it belongs to a dark and brooding dada~" Sonic at first complimented the chao's skills before glancing at Shadow and Onyx with a smirk on his face, whilst he let out that tease.
"Urgh, shut up! I am just taking care of him, nothing more!" Shadow growled in response.
"Haha, worth it! But okay, now seriously, will this chao change too, if I take care of it?" Sonic laughed at Shadow's reaction, honestly expecting that, because he already knew him so well.
"Eventually, I suppose?" Shadow ignored the other's antics and shrugged in response.
"Wait, how long have you been taking care of yours?" the blue hedgehog raised a brow in genuine curiousness.
"Over the whole week for sure," Shadow replied quietly, while Sonic started softly stroking his chao's head, which made the creature completely melt as it smiled and showed a long lasting heart above its head. Its color was gradually changing to a lighter shade, until it was fully white with blue paw tips, yellow belly and tiny double-outgrowths appeared on the back of its head, which also had the blue hue on their tips.
"Whoa!" Sonic stopped petting it after seeing these changes and gripping the chao by its round-shaped chest he held it in front of him to take a proper look at it.
"That was fast," he stated with a chuckle, while Shadow stared at him in awe. He didn't know, that the chao could change the appearance this fast.
"Aww, look at youu, so sweet and unique are you~" Sonic gently nuzzled the chao's chest with his nose, making it giggle and clap its paws. Shadow rolled his eyes at the sight, while Onyx watched the blue hedgehog with question mark above his head and his paw resting on his mouth in thoughtful manner. He seemed to wonder, why Sonic acted like that towards his chao and deep down wished to be treated in similar way by Shadow.
"Chaooo, chao!" Sonic's chao exclaimed, when the blue hedgie started simply play with it and laughed softly along with it.
"How about I now teach you how to walk?" Sonic asked the creature, completely forgetting about Shadow and Onyx at the moment.

"Chao!" the chao showed heart above its head and Sonic set it down on the ground afterwards, which made the chao sit on its adorable butt and look up at him in anticipation.
"Alright, trust me, okay? I will grab your paws and you'll try to use your feet to walk," Sonic instructed and gently gripped the chao's paws, then lifted it up onto its feet and tugged on its paws to make it try to walk. The chao lifted one foot and moved it forward, but wasn't able to balance itself on one foot, so it fell, now sort of hanging thanks to Sonic constantly holding its paws.
"It's okay, try again," Sonic supported the creature, which nodded in determination as it moved its feet fully on the solid ground and again tried to make a step forward. And it succeeded!
"Chaoo!" it gasped before exclaiming in pure joy, making Sonic smile in proud manner.
"Good job, buddy!" the hedgie praised the chao's little success. As Shadow watched him interacting with the chao in such caring way, he could see the hedgehog's soft side straight on display here and for some reason it caused his heart skip a beat. He never before thought, that Sonic had such side in him, until now. Even though, the massage and other affectionate touches Sonic gave him some time ago proved such fact as well. Yet, he still felt unworthy of it, he broke Sonic's trust, he betrayed the only person, who seems to love him with his whole heart. He caused harm to him and nearly got him killed. He isn't worthy of his love. Releasing a soft sigh he put Onyx down and gently patted his head before heading towards the portal. With Onyx of course following him and again holding onto his ankle to stop him from leaving the garden.
"...chaoo," Onyx pouted sadly at him, straight pleading him to stay.
"No, Onyx. You stay here, I.. I need a moment, alone," Shadow shook his head and patiently waited for the chao's reaction. Onyx sighed and finally, reluctantly, let go of Shadow's ankle, then watched him leave through the portal until the hedgehog disappeared. Onyx hung his paws low and formed spiral above his head as he returned to Sonic and his chao, sitting nearby them he started quietly sobbing.