Green eyes slowly opened only to clench close at the bright light overhead, fingers pressing against his temples as a headache made itself known. Wild night? He wasn't sure. It simply felt as if a car – no, make that a truck – had hit him. He would have to ask if anyone had gotten the registration number. Else he was in big trouble.
"You really pick the weirdest moments to fall unconscious, don't you?"
He sat up with a jerk, and promptly landed back with a groan as pain blossomed in his chest. Not a truck. More like five burly wolves who had wanted what little money he had while clobbering him in the process. If he hadn't been saved, he probably wouldn't have survived.
But that didn't explain how the heck he'd gotten out of the street and into a random bed with his savior watching over him.
"What happened?" he tried, finding his voice a little bit more rasped than usual. Nothing a glass of water couldn't solve.
"You knocked out after I asked you for your name. And since leaving you there would have only meant trouble, I carried you to my house and treated your wounds. You have bruised ribs, a busted lip and a cut on your left arm."
He brought the arm to view, quickly noticing the bandages before looking down to see an ice-cold towel on his chest. Well, that explained why he was having troubles breathing.
"Ugh," he responded as he lay back down, headache slightly increasing. He wasn't sure which was worse, being happy-slapped by wolves, or the pain after the fight.
"It could have been a lot worse. You were lucky," he heard his savior say as the latter pulled out a cigarette from a pack and proceeded to light it.
"You don't say," Sonic added as he watched the black hedgehog take his first pull and breathing it out.
"Don't get smart with me. You've already proved yourself to be an idiot, so don't think my opinion of you will increase if you start being sarcastic."
He couldn't help the glare. Who the heck did that guy think he was?
"I am not an idiot," he growled as best as he could through the pain on his ribs.
"Could have fooled me," came the reply as his savior stood, took the ice of his chest, and left the room.
And came back with a comment.
"You were taking a stroll after any decent hour when Central City is clearly the worst place to be once the sun sets after Westopolis. Either you're dumb and don't know what's good for you, or you got yourself in one too many fights and your judgment system is now impaired. Which one is it?"
Sonic growled, but didn't answer. Savior or not, this guy was starting to get on his nerves. There was no emotion on his face, even less his tone, and he was clobbering him with facts. Facts that he knew, at that.
"Honestly, I'd go with the first option," the black one continued as he put the cigarette between his lips to reach for his back pocket. "You clearly haven't taken enough blows to your head for judgment impairing, else you'd have tics, and only stupidity would have you carrying this while walking in the dead of night."
Sonic blinked at the round object his savior was now holding. It fit perfectly in his palm, as if it had been shaped to do so. Only the bright blue color made it stand out, and reminded Sonic of what it was. A mini-computer that held every detail on his life. His Digetron.
"Give that back!" he shouted as he tried to sit up, only to find himself pinned beneath a hand, device clearly out of reach.
"Not until you tell me what you're doing out so late at night when a car was a valid option."
He struggled, "I was heading home! And I didn't have a car!"
"And none of your friends could have taken you there?"
He stopped with a jerk as sharp pain rose in his ribs, forcing him to lay flat.
"Answer me, Sonic."
His ears flicked at the sound of his name, and he looked at the black hedgehog with wide eyes.
"How do you know my name?" he asked, breathless. There was no way his savior could have made his Digetron work. It was complicated piece of technology that only its owner could access because of DNA recognition. At least, that's what his genius of a friend had told him.
"Anyone from the underground knows how to hack into a gadget like this. And your presence was an immense help. Now answer."
He couldn't. He couldn't as his ears flattened, and he stared at his savior.
"You're not a cop, are you?"
The black hedgehog scoffed, "You thought I was?"
Sonic could only watch as he set the device on his chest, moved to sit on a chair close to the bed, and pulled on his cigarette.
"I'm as much of a cop than those five muggers you met," he stated, the matter-of-fact tone still grating on the blue one's nerves as the latter tried to overcome the shock.
"You're a – You're a..." he stammered, sliding on his arms to get away.
"Why did you think I told them I owned the city? Why do you think the pack leader recognized me? Cops don't rule the streets at night. I do."
He eyed the gun that was still in the holster, the image of it being pointed at his head flashing through his mind. He had to escape. He wasn't safe.
An eyebrow rose.
"Where do you think you're going?" was said as the back of his head hit the headboard. "And the gun's safety is on. I won't shoot you."
"But you..."
The black hedgehog pulled on his cigarette.
"I don't kill innocents," he shrugged as he let out the smoke.
And Sonic blinked, "What?"
"Ever heard of the Punisher?"
He made a face, and the black hedgehog growled softly, "Figures. I serve justice without abiding to the laws. If I wanted to kill you, I would have done so the moment that idiotic wolf left, or helped them. What kind of person do you think I am?"
Sonic slowly settled back into the bed, unable to look away as his savior rolled his eyes.
"Would you relax?"
"You're not lying, are you?" slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it, and the black hedgehog shrugged.
"Could be. I am a criminal after all. Well, according to the law, anyway."
He wasn't sure if he could laugh. He wasn't even sure if he could move as the gun was slowly removed from the holster before being set aside a few feet away from his savior who looked at him after doing so, sitting himself back down.
"Feel better now?"
The tone was still neutral, but there was a hint of irritation in that voice, his only sign that he was actually dealing with a normal being. He would have to hang on to that. It was the only way he'd be able to talk after such a discovery.
"Yeah, I guess. Why do you..."
"I ask the questions here, not you," cut the black hedgehog as he crushed his cigarette. "And I know you have a driver's license, but didn't have a car. Yet, you must have been accompanied on your outing. Seventeen-year-old people are allowed in special nightclubs, but only if there is someone of age with them. Which brings me back to my first question. Why did you decide to walk back after dark when the possibly of a car was available?"
He couldn't help but scowl at the piercing stare.
"It was out of their way," he responded.
"So you prefer getting mugged over lengthening your friend's travel by thirty minutes?"
"It was stupid of me. I got that," he snapped as he tried desperately to turn to his side, but couldn't manage. His ribs hurt too much for anything more than lying to his back.
His ears flicked at the sound of a sigh, and he turned to watch his savior pinch the bridge of his nose while shaking his head before sliding himself up.
"Get some sleep. I'll take you home in the morning."
Sonic could help but blink.
"What?"
"It's around four am and you're clearly in no state to move. You need time to recuperate so your ribs can support it," came the answer as the black hedgehog slowly walked to the door, opening it.
"You're taking me home?" he asked incredulously, still blinking.
"You really think I'm going to keep you here?" came the sharp inquiry, "You caused me enough trouble for one night."
Sonic mouth snapped shut as he looked away.
"One last thing."
He turned back to the door, and met with that fiery gaze that kept him locked in place.
"When you get back, you can tell your parents whatever you wish. But don't tell them about me."
He blinked once more, "Why not?"
"I'd like to keep my ass out jail," replied the black hedgehog as he began closing the door behind him.
"Wait!" Sonic shouted, flinching at the pain his chest as the door reopened slightly, and his savior looked a him, peeved.
"Can I at least have a name?" he asked softly. Cop or not, this guy had saved his life. And he owed him for it.
A smirk slowly grew upon tan lips, and, for the first time throughout the entire conversation, emotion rumbled through the smooth voice as his savior spoke.
"Shadow."
