Sonic swallowed for what seemed like the hundredth time, heart pounding against his ribs and the sheets tangling with his legs as he turned.
Curse him and his good intentions.
Because if it was one thing buying Shadow a thank you gift, it was quite another making sure it was delivered. Chaos only knew what the black hedgehog's address was, since the latter had taken extra care in hiding it, the jerk, and asking any authorities on his whereabouts would, most likely, get Sonic under interrogation since the man was considered a criminal.
Awesome.
That left the poor boy only one option, and it had him feeling like he had gone to Station Square and back for the heck of it while possibly passing the speed of sound because it was fun.
Not that he actually could. For, while he was one of the – if not the – fastest person he knew, every time he'd pass a certain speed, his shoes would burn to a crisp.
But that wasn't solving his current issue. That wasn't helping the fact that he had to leave in the middle of the night while his whole family was sleeping when his parents had clearly advised him to stay home when the sun would set.
Green eyes settled on the paper bag before Sonic turned around and screamed into his pillow.
This was not cool. He was so screwed.
Why couldn't he settle with the separation Shadow had done? The man was a criminal, lived during the most dangerous hours and killed for a living.
Not the kind of crowd he usually hung out with.
Yet, as his head rose from the pillow to look at the paper bag once more, he knew that his decision had been taken the moment the hedgehog had disappeared and his heart had uncomfortably squeezed. Some part of him wanted to see Shadow again, no matter the cost.
And, like the Hero of Mobius had said during one of his mythical adventure, nothing starts until you take action.
He slowly stepped out of bed, readjusting his pants while trying to get his racing heart under control. He could do this. He had to do this. He wanted to see Shadow. If only to understand the squeeze he had felt.
-XXX-
Black ears flicked at the the sound of a slamming door, and red eyes slowly turned to the entry of the alleyway.
Only to flinch as a shadowed figure appeared.
He knew that structure. He knew those pointed-down quills, and that trim, athletic build. He knew it to be accompanied by blue and green, and a smile that felt as if the light of the heavens had decided, for just one moment, to shine on the world.
He brought a hand to his head as the ongoing headache slammed once more against his skull, and forced a groan out of gritted teeth.
"Wow. You must really need that fix."
His head slowly lifted to the figure, the headlights of the car now gone. The blue quills in his vision faded to green, and emerald turned to aquamarine. Wrong person. Damn memories.
"Yeah, and you better have it," he barely managed between pains. "Why the fuck does it take a week, anyway?"
"You asked for the strongest dose I could manage, Stripes, and since you already take more than anyone I know..." trailed off the green hedgehog as he took out, and dangled a vial filled with a milky white liquid, razor-sharp grin present as red eyes followed the small bottle. "That bad, ain't it?"
Shadow clenched his eyes close, and took a deep breath. He was losing it. He was losing control and he knew it. All that because of an idiot who decided that it was better to get mugged than to go home using a car. Asshole.
"How much?" he managed, pulling out of his pockets a pitch-black round device, his equivalent to the Digetron. There was barely anything on it, and for what was on, he dared the best programmer to try to hack into it. If he could break into one without a hitch, he could just as easily make one to counter all the tricks he knew of.
"How much you got?" came the question, and he snarled.
"You really want to take that road, Scourge?"
A smirk.
"I'm not the one who needs it, Shadow. You do," was answered smoothly as the hedgehog put the vial back into his pockets and rose his hands. "So, how much you got?"
"A thousand," he growled, earning a raised eyebrow.
"That's it? You really expect me to let go of something this precious at a thousand?" was asked as the grin dropped. "I'm not letting this baby go under four."
"It's all I have!" he hissed through clenched teeth, and watched a smirk slowly form. Fuck. No. Not this again!
"I'm not killing anyone for you," Shadow snarled, leaning himself further against the wall. He wouldn't do it. There were too many close calls. Not to mention that bastard wanted him to kill innocents, sometimes.
"Enjoy the headaches, then," was all he heard as he watched Scourge turn around and head to the car. No empty threats. That asshole would walk away with his only relief if he didn't agree.
"Fine," he managed, catching the green one's attention. "But if you make me kill someone I don't approve of, I swear I'll tear you apart in ways you can't even conceive."
"For three thousand? I already have the perfect target, Stripes, and I'm pretty sure he's under your radar. I just want him dead now instead of when he comes to the city."
Shadow's eyes narrowed.
"You would do just that, wouldn't you? Take my money and send me to kill one of your opponents," he hissed.
"And yet, if it weren't for me, you would still be nursing those headaches of yours," was replied with a smirk. "Deal?"
Red eyes glared at the extended hand before reluctantly shaking it. No other choice. That jerk had him backed up against a wall and he knew it.
"Who's the target?"
"Dr. Finitevus."
-XXX-
Sonic wasn't one to swear, but he was pretty sure he was fucked.
Or lost, one of the two.
He'd followed Shadow's advice and left his Digetron home so he could avoid being caught red-handed and muggers would leave him alone. But since he didn't know the city that well, he got himself lost the moment he left his district. Not to mention that he lost track of time since the device was the only way he'd know the hour, and that he was sure he had seen headlights following him. Four times.
And, throughout all that, he still hadn't found the elusive black hedgehog.
Needless to say, he was screwed.
And if he didn't find Shadow soon, he would have to find a police car which would only cause even more trouble.
Yup, his sanity had definitely decided to take a vacation.
"You are so in trouble, Sonic the Hedgehog. You are so dead if they find you. Why did I even leave home?" he said as he looked into an alley. Empty. Great.
Of course he still remembered why he left home. He could feel the wooden box dig into his chest through the paper bag as he clutched it tightly. He could still see the figurine inside it from the moment it had been shown to him. He remembered the exact words of the promise he'd made itself the moment he'd closed the window behind him.
He wouldn't head home until he found Shadow, or daylight found him.
"And since I have no idea where he is..." he continued aloud, bending to look into the next alleyway.
"Aaand empty. Awesome. My luck sucks," he grumbled before the sound. The shriek that had him nearly jumping out of his skin.
He turned around as fast as he could, holding his breath. What was that? Surely the cops hadn't found him yet. A mugger, then? Or a murderer? Oh Chaos, his parents were going to kill him.
His ears twitched at a shuffling sound, green eyes turning in its direction. The garbage cans. And the stray cat within one of them.
He could only stare.
"Okay... Sonic, you have gone completely paranoid," he whispered as he turned back, trying to leave the area as fast as he could. This was not good. Never mind what studies said, he was sure that he was going to die from a heart attack.
Gosh, this was not his night. Not even his day. But it was probably better not to complain. After all, he could have ran into real trouble by now.
"Okay. Last try before I head back home," he said, mentally scolding himself since he had told himself that twice already. He was becoming more insane by the minute.
He leaned to see into the alleyway, and blinked at the sight of a black mass slumped against the wall. A person. Shadow? Only one way to know.
He slowly made his way into the alley, unconsciously gripping the bag harder.
-XXX-
"That asshole. Does he have any idea how getting to that guy is going to be complicated?" Shadow growled as he ripped open the package for the syringe, the elastic band tightly pressing against his arm while his gaze currently roamed to the entry of the alleyway.
No one around. Which meant he could proceed.
"Dr. Finitevus. Irony that I have to take out my old provider," he whispered as he held the vial upside down, and inserted the needle to slowly pump out the liquid.
"Although it wouldn't be the first time," he continued while tapping the syringe, watching as tiny air bubbles raced to the top before being pushed out.
"Almost feels like I'm erasing my own tracks," he sighed, finally aiming the needle to his arm and letting a smirk grace his features. This was it. This was the moment he had waited the whole week for.
He flinched, cursing his high-sensitivity as the needle pierced skin and found a vein. With minute precision, he pressed the plunger, and grinned.
Thanks to the band, it wasn't working just yet, but from the numbness in his arm, he was willing to bet it would work for a few hours, at least. Damn. Scourge did a good job on this one.
He slowly reached for the band, undoing the knot. Careful, now. Too fast, and he would completely knock out for mere minutes. Too slow, and his highly-efficient system would eat it like candy, leaving nothing for him. The timing and speed had to be perfect. Something only he could pull off. Certainly at such high dosage.
He gave a breath as the band came off, and the drug flowed through his blood stream. Finally. After a whole week of suffering, it was finally coming to an end.
He slumped further against the wall, grinning as he tried to move his arm without much success. Only a few more seconds now. Only a little more and he'd be free of his emotions. Only a little more, and his memories would stop haunting him.
"Shadow?"
His eyes snapped open, and he quickly turned to the alley entrance.
Only to blink.
"Sonic?!" he barely managed, feeling his mouth answering him only halfway. "What the fuck are you doing here?! You've..."
He flinched as a headache slammed into his brain, marking the passage of the second drug. Shit. Why did that idiot have to show up now?
He breathed deeply, and let himself sink. Resisting only meant trouble. He'd done it enough times to learn that lesson.
