{Sonic ending}
♡ enjoy ~
°~⋆.˚✮°•💙•°✮˚.⋆~°
The scent of autumnal leaves, damp earth, and distant woodsmoke had clung to her cottage for days, a familiar comfort that nonetheless failed to fully settle the tempest brewing within Y/N. For weeks, ever since Sonic and Shadow had, in their own distinct ways, laid their hearts bare, she had retreated to the quiet sanctity of her room. The world outside, with its vibrant chaos and urgent heroics, felt a million miles away.
She had been given space, a true gift from her friends. They understood, with an intuitive grace that often surprised her, that some battles were fought within the soul, not on a battlefield. Sonic and Shadow, in particular, had respected her silence. They continued their routines, their friendly banter with the others, but Y/N felt their gazes, quick and fleeting, when they thought she wasn't looking - glances filled with concern, questions, and an unspoken longing. The pressure wasn't external, but internal, a self-imposed crucible where she sifted through emotions she hadn't fully acknowledged until now.
It was Shadow who had first made her truly understand the depth of her own heart. His unwavering presence, his quiet strength, the way he had always been there for her - through her moments of doubt, her triumphs, her silliness, her despair - made him not just a friend, but a bedrock. He deserved the truth, unvarnished and direct. And she knew, with a certainty that both warmed and pained her, that to him, she owed nothing less than absolute honesty.
The decision made, she found him by the lake, skipping perfectly flat stones across the still, glassy surface. The afternoon sun cast long shadows, painting the scene in hues of gold and amber. He looked up as she approached, his crimson eyes holding their usual intensity, but softening imperceptibly as they met hers.
"Shadow," she began, her voice a little tremulous, the words catching in her throat. She sat beside him on the mossy bank, picking at a loose thread on her sleeve. "We need to talk."
He merely nodded, his gaze returning to the water, but his posture subtly shifted, giving her his full attention.
"Look," she continued, taking a deep breath, "you... you've been so incredible. Always there. Always supportive. And when you... when you told me how you felt, it meant the world to me. Truly." She paused, searching for the right words, the ones that wouldn't shatter the delicate trust between them. "But I... I've been doing a lot of thinking. About everything. About us. And about..."
She trailed off, not wanting to name him just yet. Shadow, ever perceptive, seemed to know. His voice, when he spoke, was low and steady, a comforting rumble. "Your happiness is paramount, Y/N. That's all that matters."
Tears pricked at her eyes. "I just... I feel so terrible. Like I'm hurting you."
He turned to her fully then, his gaze unwavering, compassionate. "You could never hurt me by being true to yourself. My feelings for you are my own. They were never a burden on you, nor a demand." He reached out, his gloved hand resting gently over hers. "Love, in its purest form, wants nothing more than the beloved's well-being. If that well-being finds its fullest expression elsewhere, then that is what I wish for you. Unconditionally."
A fresh wave of emotion washed over her, a mixture of relief and overwhelming gratitude. "Shadow..."
He squeezed her hand. "You taught me a great deal, Y/N. About compassion, about patience, about the quiet joy of simply being. You opened my eyes to parts of the world I had long ignored. For that, I am eternally grateful." He offered a rare, soft smile. "And know this: I will always be here for you. As your friend, as your confidante. If you ever need a hand, a shoulder, or just someone to listen, I am but a call away." He paused, his gaze twinkling with a hint of his usual dry wit. "Even if it means defending you from particularly stubborn dandelions."
