┌A Sᵗrᵤᵐ ᴼf ᴾᵅin╲╮

|No.14|

And that would be the very last heroic thing he'd do again.

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[Normal POV]

Scourge glanced over to Shadow with a slight unhappy look, but the ebony took no mind to it. He honestly didn't care and he was in no shape to start up a fight over it. "If your lieing.." he started quietly after a moment, watching as Manic took no mind to Scourge's fowl looks. Luckily the dipshit held his tongue for now. "Then your better than dead." "Tch-" that quietness from Scourge was quickly forgotten as he grumbled. "We're not fucking lieing-" "He has all rights to think we are, idiot." Manic grumbled back. Shadow watched as the older gave Manic a large scowl, "Oi, don't fuckin call me an idiot drum boy." No other harsh remarks came from Scourge afterwards though, and Manic smiled softly. The younger of the two faced Shadow again, before giving a slight bow of his head. "Thank you so much it means-" "Ey, wait till this fucker actually brings you to him eh?" Shadow, once again, watched the two share a scowl. Though despite what looked like hostility between them, Shadow could tell they both cared for eachother. And he reminisced in that fact before Scourge clapped his hands. "Alright, now, when your all better, take drum boy to see his brother, k?"

Now at this Shadow laughed. It wasn't a very pleasant, or charming laugh. More rustic and scratchy, but none the less a laugh, and it got louder at the harsh look Scourge gave him in an instant. "WHAT'S SO FUNNY!?" He barked out, ears twitching in annoyance as he lit another cigarette, Manic stealing a breath. "Oh- oh nothing. Just-" Shadow shook his head, as quickly as the laugh came, it was gone again. As he was willing himself to calm down, he felt a arm wrap around his torso, and feel Takumi lean against his back. Every fiber of his being screaming at him to run, or do something, NOW, but couldn't. He couldn't fucking move...

The warmth that radiated from the drunk wolf would normally calm his nerves but he was high alert now. Out of his gaze he spotted a worried glance from Manic, and a confused one from Scourge who puffed out smoke from his lungs like no tomorrow.

The room was silent.

Everyone was silent.

Shadow couldn't breath.

Shadow couldn't talk.

He couldn't move, couldn't blink, he was frozen in a state of fear. A state of run and hide but his body was stuck like a dear in headlights. He could see people moving, but his brain didn't register it, why? Why, why why why why why why wh-

"Your healing slower than you used to."

Takumi's voice rang out loud and clear behind Shadow. The hedgehog could practically hear his heart beating in his chest and, wow...was that him breathing like that? He swallowed thickly, gulping for a grasp of reason with himself. Composure damnit!

Shadow felt those arm's slide back, felt every inch of the other's touch leave his body. And once Takumi let go, Shadow could breath again. The air coming in a quick gust to his lungs leaving his coughing for it, his abdomen screaming out in pain for his actions. The moment he found reason in his legs, he stumbled away from the wolf, using the wall for support so his body wouldn't collapse from his injury or shock. The moment he noticed the other two still in the room was the moment he felt dizzy. God, why did this have to happen to him?

"Are you ok?" Came Manic's worried voice, Scourge slapping his shoulder, "Of course he isn't!" "OW!" Shadow's shakey gaze watched, and the state infront of him helped calm hid nerves but...he glanced to Takumi. Who was still standing in the doorway Shadow had stumbled from in a frenzy. They guys eyes were red. Clearly under the consult of alchohol. That was fine. It was fine. Shadow preferred it, always was much easier to deal with him than when sober. Shadow took a deep breath, blinking to great rid of the black dots in his vision as the pain kept rubbing at him. Wishing it would just fuck off already. He could hear Manic and Scourge shooting insults back and forth at one another, almost like how he and Sonic do all the time. It sent a heat to his heart, but also a pain. Shadow opened his eyes after a moment, gaze flickering about. Fuck, why was he dizzy? Why-...

"Do- do you..can I, shit ah, I need to sit down I-"

The ebony hedgehog closed and opened his eye's again, the walls and the room itself seeming to spin around in an endless circle, he felt like he couldn't stand anymore as the pain skyrocketed throughout his body. Causing every muscle and fiber in his body to cry out in repent. The last thing he remembered in that instant, was his body resting on a cold surface, and Scourge yelling out,

"OH SHIT-"